The Searchlight May 2022

MAY 2022

WALPOLE HIGH SCHOOL

VOLUME XXv, ISSUE V

NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO.8

WALPOLE, MA 02081

Student

Council

organized

spring

events

The hypnotist and the pep rally took place the last week in April

By Grace Ryan News Editor

In past years, Walpole Student Council has been the major organizer of school wide events.

However, restrictions due to COVID-19 put limitations on normal traditions. Therefore, Student Council was committed to hold these canceled events in the spring, and they came through the week after April vacation with spirit week, the hypnotist and the pep rally.

When planning the spring events, Student Council considered holding a spring dance; however, they ran

into the planning issues, expenses.

Additionally, with spring sports, end of the school year tests and club activities, it is hard to get students to come to school events. Therefore, the old tradition of a hypnotist came to mind. Student Council wanted it to be extra entertaining, so they recruited comedic hypnotist Frank Santos. In order to get student participation, Student Council recruited seniors to be the ones hypnotized.

The hypnotist was on Tuesday April 26 and had a strong showing of seniors who were willing and ready to participate. Students and teacher volunteers were tested to Photo/ Sophia Brownsword

Frank

Santos

begins

to

hypnotize

Walpole

seniors

and

staff.

see if they would be good contestants to be hypnotized and twelve passed. However, the number of participants lessened as Santos went through the hypnotism and then the first simple games. Five students remained through the entire show. The students and teachers in attendance laughed hysterically when those hypnotized forgot their last names, felt the seats were hot and flexed their muscles like fitness stars. The students even pretended to be on America’s Got Talent and sang songs like Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off.” To end the show, students spoke in “moon language” while dancing like ballerinas.

Walpole High School pep rally is a longtime tradition that is normally held the day before Thanksgiving, but this year it was postponed due to COVID-19.

However, students were still just as excited to celebrate the tradition and school spirit. Students signed up to participate in games during lunches over the week. The pep rally was held on April 29 with a Wednesday schedule. This was the first ever pep rally for the freshman

and sophomores. The gym was all decked out in streamers and with school spirit because it was Walpole colors for spirit week that Friday.

The pep rally started off with a money grab where students were blindfolded and sent across the gym floor to find cash. Many other money grabs took place in between other events. Student Council kept the popular traditional games including hungry, hungry hippos where students on scooters are steered by partners. Student Council also organized the mummy game where the winner is the individual most covered in toilet paper. Many students found the three-legged race most entertaining as partners practically face-planted trying to come in first. The always-competitive musical chairs ended the rally with students followed by a staff round.

Winners of each competition punched Solo cups covered in paper to get their gift card or cash prize.

Although it was delayed, Student Council came through to give Walpole High School the traditions that were postponed earlier in the year.

Senior English goes to Boston for field trip

This end of year trip featured “Boston Crime Tour” led by city natives

By Sophia Brownsword News Editor

On May 11, senior CP-2 English students at Walpole High School traveled into Boston by train to attend a walking crime tour of the city, as a end of the year recap in their overview of Boston culture and history. The walking tour was created and is now led by Boston natives who grew up during the reign of notorious crime lord Whitey Bulger and researched more about some of the more wellknown crimes that occurred in their home city, as well as thoroughly into the inner workings of Bulger’s empire.

The tour was approximately two and a half hours, and began in the Seaport district, traveling through the North End, and then ending around the Faneuil Hall area. The tour recalls some of the most renowned serial killers and agents of crime in Boston history, including the Boston Strangler and the Brinks Job. But alongside these descriptions are some of

more obscure occurrences, such in the tour. Tour guide Doherty took This final end of the year as information about the pirates the students and teachers to many field trip was entertaining for of Boston Harbor, dating back to significant sights from Bulger’s reign. Walpole High seniors, and conthe 1700s. The walking tours are “I really enjoyed learning cluded their culture unit of Bossoon to be accompanied by bus- about the history of Boston and ton in an interesting and engagsing tours, coming soon in 2023. learning more about one of the ing way, with special thanks to Tour guide, Omar Doherty, most notable criminals in not only tour guide Doherty, for making was beloved by many of the se- Massachusetts history but the entire the experience what it was. niors on the tour who recalled his United States history,” D’Alessandro “If anyone is ever lookfunny jokes and appreciated his ex- said. “I love Boston’s wonderful ing to do something similar, I sugtensive knowledge on the subject. yet twisted history and hearing gest they ask for Doherty because “He was hilarious, char- Doherty tell it was even better.” he is the best!” D’Alessandro said. ismatic, intelligent, interestPhoto/ Lauren Culliton ing and more. He was the best tour guide I’ve ever had,” senior Aiden D’Alessandro said.

Many crime lords and killers were featured on this tour, approximately, some names like English teacher Kerry McMenimen’s most interesting: Jane Toppan.

Boston resident known as “Jolly Jane” admitted to killing over 100 people during the 1800s and was sentenced to asylum life in 1902.

However, the original topic that brought out this tour, crime lord Whitey Bulger, seemed to be a faretells Boston crime stories to seniors. vorite among students who partook Tour guide Omar Doherty WALPOLESTUDENTMEDIANETWORK @WHSSEARCHLIGHT

NEWS

page 2

the

May 2022

WHS participates in spirit week

SEARCHLIGHT Students enjoy return to normalcy after COVID-19

By Katie Gillis Editor-in-Chief

Photo/ Instagram

Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Cate Stanton Katie Gillis News Editor Sophia Brownsword Grace Ryan

Seniors

Sameera

Manjrekar

and

Damen

Ricketts

on

Jersey

Monday.

Sports Editor Kathryn Maclean

Monday The week began with “Jersey Day” on Monday. This theme was simple enough, and students just needed to wear any type of sports jersey.

Assistant Sports Editor Maggie Mahoney Lifestyle and Entertainment Editor Isabelle O’Connell Opinion Editor Liam McDonough

Tuesday Tuesday followed with “Twin Day,” in which students could find another to match with.

Some even took it a step further by matching with their teachers.

Graphics and Design Editor Kristyn Dentremont Social Media and Business Director Farrell Raeke

Staff

Will

McLellan

and

Mr.

Matthew

Kowalski

match

on

Twin

Tuesday.

Photo/ Kristyn Dentremont

Second Year Writers Toby Moses Annie Cameron

Wednesday Wednesday was “Groutfit Day,” and students just had to wear an allgray outfit in order to fit the theme.

Thursday On Thursday, the theme was “TieDye Thursday.” Exactly like it sounds, students found their best tiedye apparel in order to participate.

First Year Writers Olivia Carney Yessica Cruz Caroline Donnelly Alana Fitzgerald Ciara Foley Angel Garcia Ashley Griffin Kara Horne Thomas Jarvis Erin Malinn Jackson Massey Meghan McNeil Bruce Norwell Rebecca Stern Emily Sullivan AJ Watson

Socials

For the second time this school year, Walpole High’s Student Council (StuCo) hosted a spirit week in order to boost morale amongst the student body before the school’s first pep rally since the fall of 2019.

Spirit Week took place during April 25 through 29, which added more excitement to the week following April break.

However, they upped the stakes by promising a free pair of prom tickets to the best dressed Junior and Senior, which motivated a great turnout amongst students.

Fridy Closing out the week, Friday was school spirit day. Students showed their Walpole pride by wearing their Timberwolf attire or blue and orange. For some, this meant wearing their senior shirts. This theme was a perfect way to boost school spirit for the pep rally, which took place on Friday afternoon.

Students participated in a different themed day over the course of the week.

After years of COVID-19 restrictions, StuCo’s spirit week reintroduced schoolwide events to the WHS community.

At

chairs

@whssearchlight

@whssearchlight

Walpole High School’s newspaper is committed to informing the public, reflecting the students’ views, creating a public forum and serving as an educational medium. To send a letter to the editor, please email jferguson@walpole.k12.ma.us a letter of 200 words or less. the

pep

rally,

students

competed

in

a

game

of

musical

to

cap

off

the

week.

page 3

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May 2022

Opinion

page 4

May 2022

The pressure needs to be taken off of junior year Junior

year

anxiety

By Sophia Brownsword News Editor

According to most college preparatory websites, the 11th grade of high school is the most important in terms of post-graduate plans. Junior year is set up to be the most rigorous year, where students prove their academic capability in one final year before the dreaded college application process during senior year. Students going into junior year tend to cram their schedules, under the advice from the rest of society surrounding preparation for college. However, as much as junior year matters, its status as a make or break year is overdramatized. Effort is required every single year from high school, and referring to junior year as the “most important” not only takes emphasis off of all the other years, but it places unnecessary stress onto one single year.

Coming into junior year, the most important thing to focus on is just giving your best effort, just like you are advised freshman, sophomore and senior year. Junior year is the last year before college planning preparations but the most important thing to keep in mind is

overpowers

that it is just another year. The main reason that junior year is referred to as rigorous is because it is the year that high schoolers tend to stress over their academics as well as extracurriculars and overexert themselves due to their anxieties about applying to college. Students spread themselves too thin, which can be a major cause of the stress observed in junior year. There is more opportunity to take harder classes and be involved in more with the school, and under the pressure from the daunting senior year ahead, juniors tend to over-exert themselves.

While putting in effort every year is important, it is also important to understand that effort should not mean compromising on other things that are significant in life. For example, spending time with friends, going to sports games, attending the Film Fest or other events and even just taking more time for yourself. While working hard in school is necessary for building towards the post-high school future, it should not mean giving up the other enjoyable aspects of life. A lot of the time in junior year, students tend to forget this factor, as their thoughts mostly resonate

the

importance

around the unknown future ahead.

Being in junior year, with one more year of highschool left and two years down, students can look back and be so surprised that the time has already flown past them.

The surprise factor coupled with the added stress of the third year being allegedly the “most important” year of highschool can force students to forget about what is meaningful and important about highschool in the first place. So when one year

of

high

school

of high school is referred to as the most important, the pressure can overwhelm so fast that the important moments are forgotten about.

Keeping calm and taking it day by day is the most important, because failing to maintain a balance between school and personal life is worse than looking back and saying “I wish that I got an A on this quiz.”

Graphic/ Kristyn Dentremont

Students

holding

major

stress

about

upcoming

junior

year

is

not

necessary.

Walpole transitions from Naviance to Scoir College preparatory website “Scoir” allows for a smoother application process

By Cate Stanton Editor-in-Chief

While seniors went through the college process this year, another decision Walpole High School guidance department dealt with was the use of Scoir or Naviance.

While Naviance has served as a well-known website to help with the college search over the past two decades, Scoir is a newer website that Mrs. Wilson has tested with her seniors this year and has received an exceptional outcome.

Since it was created in 2002, Naviance has been the go-to website when applying to colleges.

With scattergrams using grade point average and test scores to compare your own statistics to other WHS students that have applied to the school, as well as different categories to sort schools in and a brief page about each college giving more information, Naviance looks like the perfect website for students to use during the college process.

However, Scoir has scattergrams, categories to sort colleges, information about each school and more.

“I used Scoir for the first time this year and I thought it was much easier to navigate and I could download the app on my phone so I had easy ac-

cess,” senior Lynsey Tashjian said.

Scoir has a mobile app that students can download to look at colleges. It also has a separate app for parents and guidance counselors, which makes the college process easier for them as well. Students nowadays are more likely to using an app on their phone rather than logging onto a website on their computer, making Scoir much more accessible than Naviance.

“Scoir is much more user friendly,” guidance counselor Allison Wilson said. “Whereas with Naviance we were always making screencasts to teach students how to do things—even things that should Photo/ Cate Stanton

WHS

Guidance

Department

thinks

Scoir

will

allow

for

an

easier

college

process

for

future

students.

have been simple such as looking for scholarships—most students are able to find the features on Scoir that they need without much help.”

Scoir also allows signing in using Google, a simple attribute that often falls under the radar. During the college process, there are many different passwords students need to remember for every college. Having an easy way to log in to the website makes it all the more accessible.

On the main screen of your list of colleges, Scoir shows each of the schools you are applying to, in order of when each application is due. Also, after you apply, it tells you how many documents your counselor has sent in, which ensures the student applying that all of their application material went through and they are not missing anything.

“I think Scoir is much better organized,” senior Katie Soule said. “I liked that you could move colleges into different categories, like ‘following,’ ‘applying’ and ‘applied’ and that there is a clear list of deadlines for all your schools.”

With the addition of Scoir, teachers found it much easier to upload recommendation letters, as well as counselors uploading application materials. This new website is bound to make the college process easier for seniors and everyone else involved, which is why WHS has decided to cancel their contract with Naviance altogether and only use Scoir next year.

OPINION

page 5

Movie

theaters

are

a

MAY 2022

place

of

the

past

Streaming platforms have made it easier than ever for people to watch movies

By Annie Cameron Staff Writer

In the 20th century, movies and drive-ins were a leading culture for many as time progressed and movie theaters popped up everywhere. Now, drive-in movies are a thing of the past, and movie theaters are barely holding on to their role in society. People now prefer to watch movies in the comfort of their own homes, and movie theaters are hardly relevant anymore.

The first reason for this is simply ease. If faced with a choice, people will almost always choose whatever is easiest no matter what the options are. Evidently it is much easier to stay home and watch something else on the TV. Advances in streaming networks make it quick and easy to find something to watch from the safety of your house, with only a small rental fee or monthly subscription typically. Being able to watch movies in your own home, pausing it whenever you like, not having to bear the presence of others around you, can have lots of benefits that are quite appealing. Especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, many have found they prefer to stay home if they have the option.

In the past, many were deterred from the idea of watching movies at home because missing a movie in theaters meant missing your favorite movie stars’ latest debuts—another major change in the past decades. Movie stars used to

be a driving factor of movie theater popularity, so people would jump at the opportunity to see their favorite actors and actresses starring in new films. Viewers would not even care what genre the film was, if they recognized the stars then they would be first in line. However, this is no longer applicable as movie stars, along with theaters, have fallen off. As time has gone the title “movie star” has become a much broader category.

In the past, there were much fewer actors and actresses, so famous actors and actresses held viewers in a chokehold, encouraging them to attend all their premieres. With fewer people in the profession, it made these stars much easier to follow with little to no competition on their

behalf. Now, basically anyone can become a “movie star” if they really want to. The current trend is for social media influencers to star in movies. Therefore, there are no real “movie stars” to follow anymore.

As with anything, money is also an issue regarding movie theaters. People will do anything to save a dollar or two. With streaming platforms and social media, it is easy to find new movies or movie clips for free or little charge. Some platforms charge a rental fee for movies, where others give all their movies for “free” viewers only having to pay a monthly charge. Either way, both options seem cheaper than attending the movie theater for many. The individual charges or

monthly rates can add up fast and unexpectedly, totalling to be the same or potentially more than a few monthly movie theater trips. Ironic as it is, many would rather pay less money spread over a long period of time, than more money all at once.

Overall, movie theaters have fallen off along with movie stars as a result of our progression as a society. People no longer are interested in seeing every movie that their favorite actors and actresses star in, and are looking to save money in any ways they can, even if it means no more trips to the theater. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic shaped our society, and its lingering effects have changed things like movie culture forever.

Graphic/ Kristyn Dentremont

Although

teens

previosuly

enjoyed

drive-ins,

their

popularity

has

decreased

in

recent

years.

Teens should not allow “FOMO” to control them

Because of social media, “fear of missing out” has never been worse

By Katie Gillis Editor-in-Chief Imagine: it is a Friday night, you just had a long week, and you are curled up in bed, enjoying a good book or television show. However, when you check your phone and see people out having fun, this relaxing evening in suddenly does not seem so fulfilling anymore. This phenomenon is more commonly know as “fear of missing out” or “FOMO.”

In the last few years, comparing yourself with others has never been so easy. While social media does allow people to keep in touch with others and experience things that they may not have had the opportunity for, a problem begins when people begin to change their own actions according to what they see online. Despite one’s own personal enjoyment in a simple activity such as reading a book or relaxing at home, seeing

others online going out and being active may leave them feeling inadequate. In this social media-driven society, it has become much harder to find fulfillment in doing nothing.

“I find myself doing a lot of things because of the influence of social media, and sometimes I have to take a step back and question whether I actually wanted to do it, or just did it because it was what everyone else was doing,” one WHS senior said.

Graphic/ Kristyn Dentremont Graphic/ Kristyn Dentremont

It

becomes

hard

to

enjoy

a

night

in

with

social

media

as

a

distraction.

The major issue with “FOMO” is that it takes its biggest toll on one’s leisure time because people have become so fixated on what else they could possibly be doing.

Social media has blurred the lines between social, work and personal lives to the point where many find it hard sitting idle without finding something else to do or checking social media. For example, many teens go out and spend the evening with friends, yet spend the majority of the time on their phone. It has become nearly impossible to enjoy the present moment without thinking about the next step.

With social media, it has become easy to think about all the other things that you could possibly be doing, but you must remember that you can only actually experience one at a time, so it is important to actually enjoy it. Scrolling on social media might be entertaining, but it is no stand-in for an actual experience.

Next time you encounter “FOMO” try to remember what you want, not what you think you want, or what everyone else is doing. In the long run, doing something enjoyable for yourself will be much more fulfilling than following a group decision.

feature

page 6

May 2022

WHS Instagram accounts increase in popularity Seniors

unite

the

high

school

student-body

through

social

media

By Kristyn Dentremont Graphics and Layout Editor

Social media’s prominence in students’ lives is often looked down upon, as it can create false reality and cause insecurities. It is completely valid to argue that certain aspects of social media can have a negative impact on adolescents; however, social media’s positive qualities are not acknowledged nearly as much as they should be. In fact, after being separated by computer screens over Zoom and masks hiding faces for almost two years, Walpole High School students are utilizing social media to reunite the student body. In the last eight months, innovative students have created five new Instagram accounts, with a collective 2,211 followers, which highlight the WHS students’ social events, academics and athletics.

Photo/Instagram

Senior Cole Donato runs @walpolefutures2022 which has become an increasingly popular account for seniors to announce their future plans after graduating. The popularity of these accounts are rather normal, and Donato believes this is because students are often fascinated to find out what plans post-grads will pursue. Donato’s goal for this account was to give each senior a special moment to celebrate their post-grad plan, and it has had an incredibly positive reaction from the student body.

Photo/Instagram

Prom accounts on Instagram are popular at many high schools, and since the pandemic has taken the last two proms away from WHS students, senior Allison Conley decided to hop on the trend and create @ walpolepromposals2022. The Walpole prom account shows a collection of WHS Juniors and Seniors attending prom who want to send in a photograph with their prom date.

Conley believes that promposals give students the freedom to ask their date to the prom in a unique way which is celebrated on the account.

Perhaps the most popular account created this past year was @walpolepack, an athletic account that honors sporting achievements at the high school which is run by six seniors: Matt Byrnes, TJ Farrell, Cam Hazel, Ryan King, Jack Walsh and Aidan Webb.

As seniors, these students wanted to honor their final sports seasons by putting a spotlight on the different sports teams and athletes who contribute to our successful athletic program at Walpole High School.

“Originally it was only a twitter account,” the Walpole Pack said, “but we figured that more students would be able to interact with the account over Instagram.”

Using an Instagram account offers WHS students the opportunity to direct message pictures and notify the account about upcoming events and scores. As a result, there has been an increased student turn-out at games. Especially in the winter, boys and girls basketball and hockey held themed playoff games which created massive crowds of supporters.

“As our senior year is winding down we want to thank all of our pack followers for an amazing year,” the Walpole Pack said, “finally having the students back made our senior year an amazing environment.”

Photo/Instagram Graphic/Kristyn Dentremont

page 7

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May 2022

PAGE 8

FEATURE

M

Inspired by the one-way hallway systems instituted during the peak of COVID-19 restrictions at WHS, “The Stairway” is a film about a student who gets stuck in a time loop when he attempts to travel down an “up” staircase. The movie was directed by Matthew Conlon and Will McLellan.

“We studied a short film in class called “Black Hole” about a guy who messes around with a black hole in his office and I think that kind of inspired some more time-and-space type themes,” writer Marcus Gurtowski said.

“T (played by and develo film follow “T a lot of thought it tation of Th nato was un two. Howe tant directo and played “F and Gurt e at times du

“Dr. Balkus, Mr. Hyde” follows a history class as they attempt to find a fix for their teacher’s (played by Philip Balkus) incessant, dramatic mood swings. The film was directed by seniors Jana DeMartino and Mylinh Delapa and assistant directed by juniors Dana Massey and Will Richer.

Despite how the movie portrays him, the crew did enjoy getting to work with Balkus throughout their filming process.

“Mr. Balkus is a very animated actor, and so it shocked all of us the first time we heard him yelling while he was acting and he was very fun to work with because he was probably one of the better teacher actors that we could have gotten,” Richer said.

“T ed by Ow film surro to figure o (played by “M Festival a pendent Both Abri so “Bully a working w was difficu “E laughs an

“First Date,” directed by Cooper Lawlor, is about a high school boy getting help from his father while getting ready for his first date— without upsetting his disapproving mother.

The film was especially meaningful for Lawlor because he had the opportunity to work with his father, who starred in the movie.

“I really wanted to write a script with my dad in it because I had him in it last year and people really liked him, so I thought it would be a good idea to get him a bigger role,” Lawlor said.

“P and Bridg nostalgic f connection “P ery second said. “[My have know Fo was their s Film Festiv “‘P nitely cam to be, but I I would no ferent,” as

“Catching the Skipper,” directed by Grace Ward and Colin Wilber, follows a hall monitor (played by Ward) who must team up with her rival (played by Jacob Niles) in order to catch a mysterious deviant skipper in the school.

“My favorite memory while filming was probably just having such a supportive and incredible co-director,” Wilber said. “Grace and I were able to laugh and joke but also be productive.”

Throughout the process, Wilber was heavily inspired by the style of filmmaker Wes Anderson in order to add a creative, unique spin on the script.

“The film festival has done a lot of comedies and I was really trying to find something new,” Wilber said. “The kind of cat-and-mouse game of the story I thought lent itself very well to the storybook aspects of Wes Anderson style.”

Seniors Jessica Elmhurst and Juliana Webster directed “The Blazer Club,” a film about a failing student (played by Rafe Tomasetti) in Mr. Alan’s class who tries to form connections within an exclusive club in order to get ahead.

“Long ago I remember seeing a sign on the back of Mr. Alan’s classroom backdoor referencing the Blazer Club,” Elmhurst said. “This year after a long session of brainstorming pitch ideas, Juliana was leaving my house wearing a snazzy Blazer when my mom joked that there should be a Blazer Club.”

Because the movie centers around a posh, high-end club, the crew had the opportunity to work with some cool props and costumes that made for an interesting filming experience.

“T lin Maho returns f antine to taste—bot Th primarily r gave them “It year and w actress Li estly it wa

S rected “H around m Okolowi cups of c getting c “ having to comical, they mad itcz said.

FEATURE

MAY 2022

Photo/ Walpole Film Festival

The Simp” follows a new student y Josh Gondelman) comes to school ops a crush on a girl in his class, this ws the lengths he takes to win her over.

The idea and word “simp” gained traction in the past year and we t’d be nice to put out our represenit,” lead director Cole Donato said. he crew faced some difficulty because Donable to remain in his film class for semester ever, co-director Will McLellan and assisor Marcus Gurtowski stepped up to the task d a crucial part in the movie’s completion.

Filming was very tough, I can’t thank Will enough for stepping up to take the lead uring the second semester,” Donato said.

The Bully and the Beast” was directwen Abril and Michael St. Martin. The ounds a kid (played by Abril) who has out a way to take down the class bully y TJ Farrell) in their upcoming fight.

My dad helps out with the Film and we wanted to do an indefreshman film,” St. Martin said. il and St. Martin are freshmen this year, and the Beast” was their first experience with the Film Festival. Although the process ult, the crew had a lot of fun together on set.

Every film session we had lots of nd a great time,” St. Martin said.

Pearl” was directed by Nina LaRusso get Ryan and it tells the story of a girl for her past who tries to build a deeper n to her grandparents and find herself.

Pearl was a challenge but I loved evd of it,” starring actress Erin Ledwith y crew] is amazing and I’m so happy to wn them over these past few months.” or many members of the crew, “Pearl” senior film, so they are glad to end their val journey on such a meaningful note.

Pearl’ was definitely amazing and I defime into it not knowing what it was going I am so happy it was my senior film and ot have wanted to work with anyone difssistant director Sophia Goodsell said.

Tasteless,” directed by Cooney, is about a student who from his COVID-19 quardiscover that he has lost his th metaphorically and literally. he “Tasteless” crew was made up of rookies to the Film Festival, which an added challenge while filming. t was my first film movie this we had to redo it a few times,” ily Donnelly said. “But honas a lot of fun and I enjoyed it.”

Senior Brianna Fruci diHyper-O,” a film that focuses math teacher Mr. Zachary itcz) continuously drinking coffee throughout the day and crazier and crazier.

“I was a little nervous about o be so out there with being , but I had a lot of fun and de it nice and easy,” Okolow.

PAGE 9

Directed by junior Kieran Stover, “Dirty Discing 2: Ultimate” is a sequel to the past film “Dirty Discing,” which current Walpole High special education teacher James Connolly created when he was a student. The film follows Connolly as he revives his old frisbee club and loses his mind in the process.

Living up to its original fan-favorite was certainly a challenge, but the crew took it in stride, and even had the honor of working with members of the past “Dirty Discing” crew. “‘Dirty Discing’ is an iconic movie in the film festival and Mr. Alan has been thinking of a sequel for a while,” Stover said. “It seemed like the perfect time to make it considering it is the 20th year of the festival.”

CJ Devito directed “Adorable Alan” along with assistant director MJ Timilty. The movie stars Mr. Michael Alan, who one day drinks a special new brand of coffee that turns him into a younger version of himself (played by Nathan Alan).

“I had a movie already thought out, but it really wasn’t going to work,” Devito said. “So we did an exercise where we took an adjective and we took a teacher, and we ended up with Adorable Alan, and it kind of just clicked.”

The crew’s favorite part about the Film Festival was the friendships they were able to make during the process, especially on the set of “Adorable Alan.”

“I had never had a conversation with anybody on our crew before we were assigned to be together, so when we were put together I was almost a little confused at the grouping itself, but I think being able to work on a film together brought us together so much,” Timilty said.

“The Phone Cord from Hell” was the second film this year directed by senior Jessica Elmurst. It follows a teacher (played by --- Morgan) who struggles to keep his composure in front of his class while dealing with a seemingly haunted phone cord.

“Emma Ledwith and Erick Gordon each wrote versions of this script,” Elmhurst said. When I read those scripts I really liked the concepts, so I worked on writing a version that sort of combined both for a short comedy.”

Because of the comedic aspects of the film, as well as the special effects used throughout, the crew was able to remain a fun, positive environment throughout the filming process.

“It was really fun getting to know everybody,” Elmhurst said. “When we were doing special effects, everybody in the crew had great ideas they had contributed.”

20th Annual

F I L M FESTIVAL

LiFESTYLE

PAGE 10

MAY 2022

Weekend trips to enjoy locally this Spring

Spending time with friends and family by taking advantage of the nice weather

By Isabelle O’Connell Lifestyle and Entertainment Editor Now that we are in the midst of spring, there are so many opportunities to take advantage of the warmer weather. Here in Massachusetts there are numerous local places that one can go to enjoy the springtime. Taking a weekend trip with friends and family is a sufficient way to enjoy the nice days and local seasonal hot spots. Here are some of the most popular places to take weekend trips in the springtime with friends or family.

The first stop on the weekend trip is local Boston favorite, a trip to Fenway Park to see a Red Sox game. This is an all day event one can enjoy in Boston, on a nice spring day or evening.

The games usually last about three hours and are filled with the exciting ballpark atmosphere and incredible food. One may take the train right into the city or take a car and walk to the ballpark. The tickets vary depending on the seats, but for the most part it is an inexpensive trip for the experience one gets. Af-

Best

ter the game, there are many places to eat right around Fenway on busy Lansdowne street.

One trip that involves popular food and shopping is an-

Hall as well as numerous Italian restaurants in the North End. Shopping and going to dinner in Boston can also be a good opportunity to take spring phoGraphic/ Krisytn Dentremont

Vacation activties to do when the weather grows warmer and outdoor activities begin.

other venture into Boston, to the North End and Faneuil Hall areas.

This trip could be a bit pricey, but for the quality of food and places to shop, the money is worth it.

One could go with a group of friends and stay the night in Boston then go shopping in Faneuil Hall during the day and hit the North End to eat at night. Stores such as Urban Outfitters and Coach are hotspots near Faneuil

snacks

to

tos with friends with the the surrounding spring ambience.

For a more price-friendly option, taking a trip down to Nantasket’s beaches is easy and affordable. From Walpole, the trip to Nantasket is about a 45 minute drive to spend a day in the sun. Visitors can expect some free parking spots, but there may be about a $15 fee for all day parking. In Nantas-

try

at

ket, one can spend the day enjoying the cool oceanside breeze.

There are numerous places around town to stop and grab a meal, and of course ice cream and refreshments. This is a great place to go on a beachside walk while enjoying the fresh spring air.

Lastly, the New England Aquarium, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is an admirable attraction to visit in the springtime. The aquarium is only about an hour and a half from Walpole, and tickets range anywhere from $10-40 per day depending on your age. The New England Aquarium is basically an all day event as there are many attractions within the exhibit and lots of animals to see. Like other aquariums, there are both indoor and outdoor exhibits with all kinds of animals, so picking a nice day to visit is better, to get the full experience.

Taking advantage of the spring weather and getting out with family and friends on weekend trips are needed after a long winter indoors. With these suggestions, taking a weekend to relax and enjoy the nice days is no longer stressful to plan.

Trader

Joe’s

The best snacks available at national favorite grocery store: Trader Joe’s

By Maggie Mahoney Assistant Sports Editor

Trader Joe’s is known nationally for their wide selection of unique foods you can’t find at any other grocery store.

Here are some of the best snacks you should try on your next visit.

Photos/ Maggie Mahoney

Mini Hold the Cone!

Ice Cream Cones

Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets

This summer, if you’re looking for a sweet treat, look no further. These mini drumstickstyle ice cream cones come in packs of eight in a wide selection of flavors. The Searchlight’s favorite was vanilla; however, these cones come in a variety of flavors including chocolate, coffee bean, chocolate chip, and more seasonal options. While a frozen snack like this is not ideal to bring to school, the box is small enough to easily bring in a cooler to the beach to share with friends over the summer.

A consistent employee favorite according to Trader Joe’s website, these pretzel nuggets do not disappoint. These bite-sized pretzel nuggets have the perfect ratio of peanut butter to pretzel making the best salty snack for any occasion. Whether you enjoy these at lunch a school, before practice, or just at home, the crispy pretzel shell mixed with the creamy peanut butter is always a fan favorite.

$2.49 $4.49 Organic Corn Chip Dippers

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Another favorite sweet option are the famous dark chocolate peanut butter cups. The bite sized candies are just like the popular Reese’s candy, but the dark chocolate just makes them all the better. While Trader Joe’s does carry the more classic milk chocolate option, the semi sweet chocolate pairs perfectly with the peanut butter for a salty-sweet snack.

$2.49

These organic corn chip dippers are just like the classic Frito’s corn chips, but better. Their thick, scooped shape makes them perfect for dipping in your favorite dip like salsa or guacamole. These simple salty chips are perfect for serving at a party alongside your favorite dip or just eating as an after school snack.

These corn chips also come in a well-loved elote flavor that adds an extra kick of spice with their Mexican street corn inspired seasoning.

$3.79

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May 2022

A&E

page 12

MaY 2022

Jack Harlow’s new project is more of the same Kentucky

rapper

By Toby Moses Staff Writer Rap sensation Jack Harlow released his first full-length album in almost two years on May 6. Harlow’s meteoric rise has taken the rap game by storm, becoming an iconic pop culture figure in an impressively short amount of time.

Two singles were released before this album, “Nail Tech” and “First Class,” which samples Fergie’s 2006 pop hit “Glamorous.” With his massive popularity and the two singles that teased this album, fans held high expectations for “Come Home the Kids Miss You.” To others, this album must deviate from Harlow’s somewhat predictable sound to justify his wild popularity.

The album starts strong with “Talk of the Town”, where Harlow reflects on his upbringing in Kentucky and his rise to fame. The production on this track is unique, with a dreary looping piano setting a more introspective mood. Harlow’s industry presence can be seen on the track “Young Harleezy,” where rap legend Snoop Dogg is briefly featured. The track “Dua Lipa” is a somewhat corny tribute to the pop singer, but the song is

releases

“Come

very fun and on-brand for Harlow.

Tracks like “Lil Secret,” “Movie Star,” and “Nail Tech” are all great songs from this project, and some of Jack Harlow’s best work to date.

Features are an interesting part of the album, with a starstudded cast appearing on tracks.

Drake, Pharrell, Lil Wayne and even Justin Timberlake are on this album. The features add some much-needed variety on “Come Home the Kids Miss You,” with dynamic production from Pharrell and a smooth chorus from Justin Timberlake. Arguably the best feature of the project comes on the track “Churchill Downs” with Drake.

The dark beat with chopped vocal samples compliment both Harlow and Drake perfectly, and Drake’s verse on this track is very good.

Despite the strong apsects of this project, detractors of Jack Harlow will have no trouble criticizing this album, with repetitiveness and a lack of depth clearly present.

Even with interesting production and beat selection, Harlow’s lyrics often come off as basic. Besides one or two tracks, the album lacks depth and emotion. Tracks like “Side Piece,” “I’d Do Anything to Make You Smile,” and “I Got A Shot”

Home

the

Kids

Miss

Photo/ Twitter

Harlow

poses

for

come off as uninspired and uninteresting. For these reasons, those who already dislike Jack Harlow will most likely not be won over by this project. Harlow’s weaknesses as a rapper are still present as ever, but his improvements in other areas do an adequate job covering them up.

Although this project has its issues, “Come Home the Kids Miss You” is definitely a step in the right direction for the rapper. The album

new

You”

Photo/ Twitter

album

cover.

still has hits with songs like “First Class,” and interesting production varies Jack Harlow sound and prevents an extremely repetitive album.

Harlow also performs very consistently with solid rhyme schemes and wordplay, and his signature references to sports terms and figures.

Even with its problems, this project will likely have Harlow atop the charts once again, and solidify his status as a star in the rap industry.

“Doctor Strange” sequel fails to meet expectations

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” comes off as an overdone film

By Liam McDonough Opinion Editor Five months after the release of “Spiderman: No Way Home,” fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) were anticipating the release of another franchise film, and the expectation was that it would be a groundbreaking production, along with some unprecedented visual effects. What MCU fans got in return was nothing short of a disappointment.

“Doctor Strange in the

Multiverse of Madness” was released in theaters Friday, May 6, and it certainly attracted a large audience. But unlike the average Marvel film, it was a complete and utter disaster. The film takes place almost immediately after the events that transpired in “Spiderman: No Way Home,” but it still lacks a connection to the films prior to it. Even when there are references that are made during the movie, they require the most avid Marvel fan to understand them. This film takes a huge step down from predecessor

Photo /Instagram

“Doctor

Strange

in

the

Multiverse

of

Madness”

premiered

on

May

6.

as it is a lot harder to follow and, in turn, a lot less interesting. The original “Doctor Strange” brought a respectable origin story to a unique character in the MCU, and it built a foundation for more films down the road. Its sequel, however, acts like a spin-off does not fit in with prior MCU productions whatsoever.

Up until a couple of years ago, it would not have been much of a problem to keep up with the MCU. However, with the introduction of streaming services, things have gotten a little more complicated. Now, for the price of approximately eight dollars per month, Marvel fans can keep up with an overdone storyline with spin-offs such as “Falcon and the Winter Soldier” and “WandaVision’’ on Disney+. The conflict that this creates is that it becomes difficult for viewers to stay up to date with the MCU if they do not have a Disney+ subscription. As a result, many people go into Marvel movies with a poor understanding of key characters’ backstory or origin.

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” is certainly no exception to this. The “Doctor Strange” sequel revolves around Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and their quest through several parallel universes. But while the movie does a decent job of portraying Doctor Strange, the film lacks a comprehensible image of Wanda Maximoff. Oftentimes, the

film goes into tangents about Wanda and her past, but these references are only understood by those who have seen “WandaVision.”

While the special effects and action might have been enough to persuade some viewers into a good rating, one can not overlook how choppy and poorly assembled the plot and script was. Director Sam Raimi has had prior experiences with making superhero movies, such as the Tobey Maguire “Spider-Man” trilogy, but most people walking out of the theater would think that this was a first-time director trying way too hard to make an impact in the superhero genre. The entire script was filled with corny jokes and overdone references that swayed away from the authenticity of the movie. At times, the movie felt more like a comedy flop than an action blockbuster due to an extensive battle with music notes that took up a whole two minutes of the film. While Raimi attempted to be creative, he would have been better off focusing on the details.

If someone was looking to see another movie that supposedly plays into the MCU storyline, “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” would be a good film to see. On the other hand, if someone is looking for a good quality superhero film that encapsulates what Marvel Studios has been about for the past decade, they might just have to wait for another film to be released.

page 13

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May 2022

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May 2022

SPORTS

page 15

MAY 2022

Walpole track outlasts Braintree on senior night Both the boy’s and girl’s teams win the seniors’ final home meet

By Maggie Mahoney Assistant Sports Editor

On May 11, 2022, the Walpole Boy’s and Girl’s Outdoor Track teams clashed with Braintree for their last dual meet of the season at Turco field. This meet also marked the culmination of four years of competition at the home track for the team’s 38 seniors as underclassmen decorated the field with posters celebrating their class of 2022 teammates and parents and friends of team members lined the fence to watch.

The Walpole girls started off strong with a dominant first place finish in the two mile from sophomore Caroline White who finished over a minute before the rest of the field in a time of 12:06.3. Walpole’s success continued as the girls hurdles trio of sophomore Molly Reilly, junior Lorelei Lee, and freshman Danielle Danna swept points in the 100m hurdles and sophomore Meri Feener took first in the 100m dash. On the boy’s side, strong performances from junior Toby Moses and senior Quintinn Lemay each took second place in the 110m hurdles and 100m dash respectively.

Down on lower turco, the

Walpole throwers dominated with sweeps in both girl’s javelin and discus and first place finishes in the boy’s shot put and javelin. Up on the track, the jumping events also finished strong with first place in boy’s high jump from sophomore Cael Soto-Brouillard and in girl’s triple jump from senior Eliza Lee. Lee also competed in the 800m dash finishing first in an impressive 2:26.9 and the 4x400 relay.

“Senior night was super super special because I felt as if it was a final send off for all of us seniors,” Lee said. “I felt the community of the team behind me and the amazing team spirit really helped me have a super strong finish in all my events.”

Back on the track, other dominant performances came from junior Maddie Grogan in the girl’s 400m who outlasted Braintree’s Bridget Lee in a personal best time of 61.8 seconds. The boy’s 400m crew led by junior Michael Leacoma swept the top three with personal record (PR) times from each Walpole athlete competing. Walpole sprinters also swept the 200m for both the boy’s and girl’s teams with seniors John Colleran and Cara King each taking first in the field.

“I felt great about my per-

Photo / Maggie Mahoney

Senior

John

Colleran

celebrates

as

formance and it was awesome that we swept the 200 and got first in the 4x100 in our last home meet,” said King. “I am definitely going to miss being a part of this program because there’s no other team at Walpole High that is as supportive of each other than the track team.”

Lots of strong senior performances led the night and finished it too as the seniors put together 4x400 relay teams for both the girls and boys. The girl’s senior relay of Lee, Cate Stanton, Katie Soule, and Laine DiMartinis won

he

finishes

his

final

race

at

Turco.

the girl’s 4x400 with a 15 second buffer before second place. The boy’s senior relay of Conal Burgess, Bobby Millette, Sam Alosi, and Colleran ran an impressive race, slowing down in the final stretch to allow the junior boy’s relay to win by just one second as a passing of the torch to their younger teammates.

“We [the senior 4x400] all went into it excited but also sad because it marks the end of an era,” Stanton said. “Most of us ran the fastest 400 we had all season, which was a great way to end.””

WHS girls golf continues on successful legacy The

team

moves

By Farrell Raeke Business Manager This spring season, the Walpole High School Girls Golf team continues another successful season with a 4-3 record with high hopes to end on a winning streak against Weymouth and Braintree, and as well secure a place at the state tournament in June.

The team is led by coach Andrew Bell who joined the program as the first official girls golf coach in 2020. The girls practice at Walpole Country Club twice a week, play-

on

to

Sectionals

in

Falmouth

on

June

2

ing a few holes on the course or hitting on the range. The players also practice putting and chipping drills when playing on the greens.

Matches are twice a week and are in a match play style, which is when they play nine holes of golf and whichever player gets the lowest score on the hole wins that hole.

The winner of the match is determined by how many holes you have won out of the nine. Although the team is made up of 10 players, only eight players play in the match, six of which count and two who only count if the six end up tying 3-3.

Photos / Haley McDonald

Coach Adam Bell and seniors on Senior Night match at WCC.

Girls

team

poses

on

senior

night

for

team

photo.

On May 16, the team traveled to Braintree to compete in the Bay States, where the top four gofers of each competing town participate. For Walpole, this team was made up of captain Isabelle Graham, seniors Alexia Clinton and Katie Cummings, and junior Aine Corrigan. There were seven teams that attended which gave a total of twenty-eight players for the day.

The match began with a shotgun start, in which all players started at the same time but on different holes around the course. Each player played a nine hole stroke round where every stroke counted.

Overall, Walpole placed third for the day with Graham and Corrigan both being awarded All-Star, which

is only given to the top ten scorers.

The team won an additional sportsmanship award at the tournament, overall bringing home 3 awards.

Due to their successful season so far, on June 2, the team will travel to Falmouth for Sectionals in hopes to be in the top three teams and advance to States. The top six golfers who have played the best throughout the season will play at sectionals. Players Isabelle Graham, Aine Corrigan, Alexia Clinton and Katie Cummings will be playing at the match, accompanied by two other players that have yet to be decided. The team hopes to end off their season with a few more wins, finishing off on a high note after another successful year.

Sports

page 16

Coach Girls

Sprague

softball

By Cate Stanton Editor-in-Chief

A team often overlooked at Walpole High, girls softball has a record of 10-1 this spring season, ranking first in the Bay State League Herget Division. Many of this success can be attributed to the head varsity softball coach, Rachael Sprague. After 12 seasons of coaching, 9 as varsity coach, she has achieved 100 wins.

On Friday, April 29, Coach Sprague got her 100th win when the girls faced Oliver Ames, winning 140. It was a small milestone in what she hopes to be a long career. Coach Sprague says that the reason they are successful is because of the combination of strong upperclassmen returners as well as younger rookie players, who have a lot of raw talent.

The

girls

meet

with

Coach

leads

wins

Bay

in

between

her

State

“Overall, these girls just work so hard. They always want more fly balls, more grounders, more swings, more throws,” Coach Sprague said. “They know what their strengths are and where they need improvement. Every player has their role on the team each day and is committed to the best for the team as a whole and not themselves individually. That sort of team chemistry and selflessness can take us a long way!”

Senior captains Catie Powderly and Ella Thomsen credit their success to Coach Sprague as she has taught them everything they know about softball and being a team player. They both agree that Coach Sprague really cares about all of the girls, which is why they have such a close knit team.

“Coach Sprague cares

Sprague

May 2022

innings.

League

100th

game

Herget

Division Photos/ CJ Devito

Junior

Abby

Kearns

at

bat

during

about each of her players so much and by doing that has taught us to take care of each other and pick each other up when we are down,” Thomsen said. “She has taught me every mechanic I needed to become a better softball player and has turned a normal sport into a family.”

Coach Sprague also credits part of the team’s success to a few standout players, including Powderly, starting shortstop, and Thomsen, starting center fielder. She explains how both their confidence in the field and at the plate inspires their teammates each day and makes them better. The team has four pitchers this year, one of which is freshman Sharlotte Stazinski.

“Sharlotte Stazinski has earned the win in the majority of our games this season and just recently threw

their

first

game

against

Abington.

her first no-hitter against one of the top-ranked teams in the state!

We are lucky to have every player on the roster contribute and have an impact on the success of the team,” Coach Sprague said.

So far, the only team the girls have lost to is Abington 3-2, early in the season. The second time they played them a few weeks later, they came back eager for revenge and won 12-0. With their success so far in this season, the team has a good chance at making playoffs and doing well in it.

“Our team as a whole has been working really well together and we rally together in some hard games to get the win,” Powderly said. “I think we have a good chance of winning Bay States as well as going far in playoffs.”

Boys lacrosse defeats Weymouth for second time Jake

Lania

makes

his

Photos / WHS Lacrosse

Eddie Jackson and Matt Villeneuve celebrate thieir victory over the Wildcats.

By Kathryn Maclean Sports Editor

The boys lacrosse team competed against Weymouth on May 10, a team they previously played against on April 26 and beat. They won against them again, a 14-3 victory at their home field. With a record of 8-5, the team has averaged more wins than losses so far this season.

The Timberwolves debuted their season with a 9-7 close win against King Philip in their first game. Senior captains Ronan Fahey, Colin Birch, Nolen Beau-

regard, Aidan Webb and David Pacella attribute the team’s wins to strength throughout all positions, from defense to attack.

They started the game off strong against the Weymouth Wildcats, getting the majority of the goals in the first half. Sophomore Jake Lania played a crucial part of Walpole’s attack line, scoring nine of the team’s goals. Matt Pelick, Walpole’s goalie, kept Weymouth at bay by saving all but three shots throughout the entire game.

“Jake Lania, a sophomore, had a huge role in our win on Tuesday,” senior Tommy Pitman

mark

with

said. “He was a constant threat for Weymouth because he took every chance he got and refused to let up.”

The Wildcats have a 4-8 overall record. Senior Pat Doyle served as one of their key defenders, making it tough for Walpole to take the ball to net. Committed to Massachusetts Maritime Academy to play Division III lacrosse as a defender, Doyle prevented Walpole’s attack from finishing some of their shots.

By the second half, Walpole had slowed the tempo down and began to focus on possession. Instead of looking to run the score up, they set their sights on completing passes and keeping Weymouth from pursuing any fast breaks. They started with the ball at the defensive line and worked it up to the midfield-

Sophomore

Jake

Lania

lines

up

nine

goals

ers and then offense, making it hard for Weymouth to regain control.

“A lot of the sophomores and underclassmen really stepped it up this game,” Pitman said.

“With them being a driving force and working to prove themselves, we were able to come together and claim an easy win over Weymouth. ” Fahey has high hopes for the future of the program thanks to the talent of the underclassmen players.

“I think the team next year will benefit with all the new players this season,” Fahey said. “The defense is young and it’s good that they are getting a year of experience to develop for the next couple of seasons [...] and I feel confident that they will be ready to see that through in the coming years.”

for

his

first

goal

of

the

game.