June 2019
Walpole Middle Schools
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THE REBELLION
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Bird Middle School reinvents the traditional Field Day Organizers introduce new changes to promote unity among BMS students Photos/ Brooke Lanchester
By Colleen Barry, Abby O’Brien, Brooke Lanchester Staff Writers Bird Middle School students participated in Field Day on Friday, May 24. This year, teams were no longer determined by homeroom; instead, there were randomly selected teams of 20 within each grade. Unlike last year, where one homeroom from each grade was considered a winner based upon how they did in the games and events throughout the day, this year they no longer announced a winner at the end of the day. “Having activities that were more fun-based and current, as opposed to competitive, made for a more relaxing and enjoyable day. There were more smiles and camaraderie than in past years,” math teacher Jessica Boisvert said. Organizers divided students by grade into teams that were then assigned a color, and students dressed up in a specific color to show support to their team. This year some of the games included the following: tug-of-
Sixth grade students Michael St. Martin, Michael Pileski, Maran Gallivan, Yahnelle Mancebo and the rest of their team participate in tug-of-war. Meanwhile, Emma Caulfield, Reilly Walsh, Abigail Cunningham and Charlotte Herlihy pose for a photo with Rebel.
war, relay races, capture the flag, kan jam, spike ball, ultimate frisbee and kickball. They also introduced new games like wiffle ball, street hockey, four square and an obstacle course. “People were less competitive and they weren’t focused on winning because there was no specific goal for students to reach, just to have fun and enjoy the day,” 8th grader Charlotte Herlihy said. Field day offered the students and teachers a time to have fun and in-
teract with one another before school ends for summer vacation. Unlike previous years where grades were split to the front, side and back part of the school, this year everyone was together on Bird’s back field the entire day. “Having the whole school out behind the building for the entire day was another nice change, as it felt more like a whole school event,” Boisvert said. At the end of the day, all students from each grade came together to play games like tug-o-war, capture
the flag and relay races. The relay races included a three-legged race, potato sack race, clomper stompers and carrying an egg on a spoon. Capture the flag was played on a large field with six smaller fields within it to create a larger game to get more students involved. “Everyone worked together during the games and the entire school was together and people enjoyed having a day off and being with their friends before everyone goes on summer vacation,” Herlihy said.
Holocaust Speakers visit Johnson Middle School Mark Blechner and Bert Katz share their stories about the Holocaust with 8th grade students By Colleen Barry, Abby O’Brien, Brooke Lanchester Staff Writers Mark Blechner, son of a Holocaust survivor, spoke to the 8th grade Johnson Middle School students regarding the experiences of family members during the Holocaust on Monday, May 6. Blechner was joined by Bert Katz, who is a Holocaust survivor himself. They provided the students with insight into the harsh reality of this time in history. “This generation is not going to be around for much longer, so it’s good the kids are able to hear about this now and learn from it rather than the usual classroom setting,” ELA teacher Nicole Ekholm said. Working with The American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants of Greater Boston, Ekholm coordinated this presentation. This year is the second time Johnson Middle School has had a member of this program speak to the students. For Blechner and Katz, this was their first at Johnson Middle School. During the assembly, 8th grade student Evan McLellan learned about the survivors’ personal experiences such as what really happened in the Holocaust and the effects it had on family members. “It was a good experience because we got to learn more about what really happened, and recognize the consequences and pain the Jew-
Photo/Alison O’Hara
After
the
presentation,
Blechner
ish people had to face at the time, and their stories are very engaging and you want to hear more,” McLellan said. After forty years of Blechner’s father not speaking about the incident because it was too devastating, his father finally told Blechner the story of his family’s experiences during the Holocaust. In addition, Blechner shared his father’s binder containing more than 300 artifacts from the Holocaust. Currently, he is in negotiations to sell his artifacts to the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. Among the many artifacts that Blechner has in his collection, one of the most valuable is a postcard written by his mother from a concentration camp
speaks
to
8th
grade
girls
in
front
that included the tattoo number she was given as identification when she got to the camp. The reason this postcard is so valuable is because it includes the serial number, which was strictly forbidden because no one outside of the camps were supposed to know of the inhumane treatment the Jewish people received. “It was interesting learning the different personal stories. One woman wrote a letter to her son and threw it out a train window, and a neighbor picked it up and returned it to the son, so the son got the opportunity to see his mother’s last letter before she died in a concentration camp,” Ekholm said. In his speech, Blechner shared with the students the horrific
of
the
artifacts
he
brought
methods the Nazis used to track Jewish people during the Holocaust. For instance, Nazis allowed the Jewish people in concentration camps to send letters to family and friends so that they could find the addresses of other Jewish people and take them as well. The assembly provided students and faculty with firsthand experience of the suffering during the Holocaust. McLellan recognized the importance of the presentation. “By learning about the Holocaust and what actually happened, it teaches people the importance of treating one another with kindness and respect and I hope people learn from this tragedy,” McLellan said.
News
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THE
June 2019
R E B E L L I O N New teacher joins Bird Middle School Staff
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.
BMS welcomes Jacob Chippo at his first job after college Photo/ Erin Foley
Editorial Board Editors-in-Chief Jessica Ferguson Molly O’Connell
Online Managing Editor Catherine Hurwitz Newspaper Managing Editor Samantha Simons Business Manager Hope Jordan Website Editor Chloe Patel News Editor Caitlin Kahaly Sports Editor Sarah St. George Opinion Editor Callie Ross Entertainment Editor Catherine Hurwitz Lifestyle Editor Eva Clarke Assistant News Editor Ashley Kuropatkin Assistant Sports Editor Brendan Moser Photography Editor Emily Smith Layout Editor Samantha Simons Social Media Directors Giovanna Anello Rachel Stanton Lead Reporter Chloe Patel
Staff Renée Abbott Danielle Abril Caroline Applin Casey Ball Sarah Ball Colleen Barry Megan Brigham Charlotte Clarke Brianna Deasy Danielle Dentremont Samuel Donovan Alison Fair Erin Foley Katerina Gebhardt Amy Gordon Grace Gormon Elizabeth Hinton George Jdey Shannon Jordan Grace Manzo Catherine Martin Kate McClellan Allison Millette Kaitlin Minsk Harry Murphy Abigail O’Brien Olivia O’Connell Bridget O’Connor Sophia Richer Edwin Ryan Sydney Scales Jared Schmitt Sydney Schultz Anna Smith Gregorias Tsougas Liam Welch
Send a Letter to the Editor. Letters Should be 200 Words or fewer, and can be emailed to walpolerebellion@gmail.com
C h i p p o
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By Erin Foley and Renee Abbott Staff Writer In the 2018-2019 school year, Bird Middle School (BMS) welcomed a new teacher into their music program, Jacob Chippo, a graduate from Rhode Island College (RIC) who now teaches chorus for grades 6,7 and 8, as well as general music. Chippo is the replacement for Kimberly Calandrelli, who previously worked at both middle schools and now only works at Johnson Middle School (JMS). After studying at Rhode Island College for Music Education and Music Performance, Chippo will be finishing his first year BMS this June. “The students really care about their work and they care about each
c l a s s r o o m
w i t h
p i a n o .
other, and the faculty really supports each other. I couldn’t ask for a nicer place to work for my first job. Everybody’s been really sweet,” said Chippo. Growing up in Winsacat, Rhode Island, Chippo accredited his initial love of music to his mother, as she sang frequently around the house. As a teen, he admired the voice of Freddie Mercury from the band Queen, as well as the talented Celine Dion. While studying vocal performance and music education at RIC, Chippo developed a newfound love of classical music, which broadened his perspective on his major and even participating in an Opera workshop. Over his four years at RIC, he travelled abroad multiple times with his college chorus group. At RIC,
he got many opportunities from faculty that helped shape his career in music, including auditions and jobs. Chippo was the president and vice president of the RIC Concert Choir, vice president of a student led group “Tonally Awesome,” and treasurer of the RIC National Association for Music Education. “There were a lot of opportunities, and I did my best to take advantage of them. There were certainly a lot of things that music students at RIC can do if they go for them,” said Chippo. At BMS, each chorus class is a combination of vocal warm ups, sight reading and practice for performances. Students not only learn how to sing, but also how to properly take care of their voices, and read music notation. Chippo worked with elementary students in college, and originally planned on working with very young students, but after also teaching at a middle school while he was studying music education, he realized his love for that age group. “The growth you experience from 6th grade to 8th grade is just huge and I think as a teacher it’s really cool to be a part of that growth and help them along the way,” said Chippo. Chippo plans to remain at BMS because of such a positive first year, and the students appreciate his genuine enthusiasm for his job. “I always tell my students they got to be a better version of themselves the next day and I think teachers have the same thing, as long as each day you’re a better version of yourself I think you’re doing something right,” said Chippo.
Students compete at STEM Tournament
JMS students show off their STEM skills in middle school competitions By Sophia Richer and Grace Manzo Staff Writers Eighteen students from Johnson Middle School (JMS) competed in the Sharon Math and Science Tournament on April 27, a competition for middle school students based off of science, technology, engineering, and math skills, also known as STEM. At the tournament, one of the three Walpole teams took home first place in the Design Challenge. The tournament welcomed over 200 students, from the surrounding communities, in teams of four to six students. Amanda Cronin, a math teacher at JMS, served as the adviser for one of the three Walpole teams which competed in the tournament. The Cronin Math Squad meets throughout the year during extensions, and have competed in other STEMbased competitions during the year, including both the AMC 8 in the fall and Math Counts in Foxboro in February. “The students on the team are a lot of fun,” said Cronin, “They are amazingly sharp and quick with math. They always impress me with the level of difficulty they are willing to tackle.” Captains of two of the Walpole teams, 8th graders Sahithi Gollakota and Arjav Akkole, both had prior experience competing in this competition during their 6th and 7th grade years. “I wanted to learn more about math, science, and design,” Gollakota said, “It was also a fun experience when I went for the last two years
Photo/ Amanda Cronin
Winning
Walpole
team
presents
and I wanted to try it another time.” Gollakota and Akkole’s responsibilities as captains included preparing their teammates, encouraging collaboration, and representing their team on stage. “I had to make sure that everybody ‘stayed in line’ during the competition, which is important when you are trying to control a group of rowdy teenage boys,” said Akkole. At the tournament, students had to take math and science tests both individually and as a team, as well as work together in the Design Challenge to create a device designed to protect an egg in a reverse egg drop. That project proved to be a rather daunting task for
their
1st
place
trophy.
one Walpole team, led by Gollakota. “It was very hard to stay focused on the work we were doing with such little time and big pressure,” said Gollakota, “Not to mention that we were sharing a room with another team, and it was difficult to refrain from looking to see how far the others had progressed.” Gollakota’s team won first place in the Design Challenge. Although Akkole’s team did not win first place, he still had a positive attitude about the whole experience. “My favorite part of being on the team was building memories with friends,” Akkole said, “which I believe to be more important than actually winning.”
Feature Middle School students look back on their favorite extensions
June 2019
Page 3
Walpole middle school students discuss their favorite memories of extensions
By Alison Fair, Grace Gorman and Shannon Jordan Staff Writers
Extensions provide a break in the day for students to enjoy fun activities with their favorite teachers. Both Johnson and Bird Middle school offer a variety of activities, which include the following: movies, drawing, study halls and Physical Education activities. In response to a survey, 158 Walpole middle school students shared their favorite memories and preferences for extensions. Extensions are a highlight of the middle school day as students look forward to spending the half an hour a day with friends. 61.5% of respondents from Johnson and 44.1% from Bird sign up for extensions based on the activities that their friends are doing. As many middle school students look back on their extensions their memories mainly center around their friends. From talking, laughing, and joking, students love extensions because they get to be with all of their friends in a class during the school day when on nonextension days they might only get that opportunity during lunch. Many use extensions as a time to relax and have fun; some use the time to focus on more important things. There are extensions for students in music classes to help them continue their practice outside of class. “I will miss my chorus extension with Mr. Chippo helping me improve my vocals,” Bird Middle School student Brenna Grady said. Many other students use the extension time to help student council with special projects and activities to help improve the school.
Photo/ BMS Yearbook Staff
During the extension called “Physical Education Buddies,” students pose for a picture with Rebel.
“My favorite memory from extensions was helping paint ornaments for student council,” Johnson Middle School student Jenna Wong said. Extensions are not an everyday thing; on the even numbered days of the school week, students stay in the classroom and have silent reading instead. During silent reading students have a chance to eat their snack and read silently. Johnson and Bird students use silent reading to read some of their favorite books. At Bird 64.7% of respondents have read more than 2 books over the course of the school year during silent reading. At Johnson 66.3% of respondents have read more than 2 books during silent reading. Many students choose to get ahead of their reading for ELA during silent reading by reading books such as The Outsiders, The Giver or Freak the Mighty. Oth-
ers choose to read books for pleasure. Books such as The Fault in Our Stars, Harry Potter and The Hunger Games are popular at both Johnson and Bird. Students from Bird and Johnson both participate in extensions, but the process of signing up for them is very different. At Johnson there is an online sign up that is sent out to students after school. 86.5% of respondents from Johnson like signing up online. Most students will be at home texting their friends trying to choose the same extensions when the sign up list is sent out via email. At Bird however, students run around the school to different classrooms to write their name on the sign-up sheets of their favorite extension before it fills up. 50% of respondents from Bird prefer to sign up at school instead of online. “Signing up for extensions
is fun, running around with people and trying to get into the extensions we want is really fun, compared to online, where it feels like you’re scrolling forever and you can’t tell if an extension is full or not,” one Bird Middle School student said. Although both schools offer extensions, students shared that there are differences between the offerings. For instance, at Johnson the most popular extension, P.E. games, is the most difficult extension to get into, while at Bird, Sunshine Cafe is the hardest one to get into. As students move on to high school there are many things that they will not remember about middle school, but the friendships and memories made during extensions will stick with them long past their days at Johnson or Bird.
Johnson students develop new public speaking project JMS Students post Youtube videos of their readings for elementary school students By Sam Donovan, Edwin Ryan and Greg Tsougas Staff Writers This year, eighth graders from Johnson Middle School’s public speaking class, shared videos of themselves reading children’s books with Fisher and Elm Street Elementary schools. The public speaking teacher, Alison O’Hara, led this reading initiative to help the elementary school students read more. In O’Hara’s speech class, students have branched their creativity in writing and even wrote debate speeches on relevant topics today. O’Hara has helped create an outlet for middle school students to write analytically and share their opinions all while helping elementary students read more. “My teaching philosophy, anything that we do, must have a purpose so children can see the bigger picture. I really want to involve my students in the community. My goal of helping the community was accomplished by helping the elementary school students read more,” said O’Hara. Along with O’Hara, Technology Support Specialist BJ Burke worked to help this initiative reach the elementary school students by finding and using new platforms for sharing speech videos created by middle
Photo/ Youtube.com
Johnson Middle School eighth grader Sophia Theofilou reads the children’s book “Ish” by Peter H. Reynolds in her public speaking video posted on Youtube.
school students. In prior years, elementary school students could listen to middle schoolers read via CDs, but now they can watch them read on ipads, tablets, and computers on youtube. “Today, students can just record videos on their chromebooks at home and upload them to their speech teachers. It’s a lot more easier to share speeches because of today’s technology,” Burke said. Although the videos are mainly for the enjoyment of the elementary school students, the middle school students also have fun mak-
ing the videos. Eighth graders, Sophie Theofilou and Lorelei Lee love their public speaking class and the class has inspired them to want to join the debate team at Walpole High School. “Public speaking is by far my favorite class that we take, so I thought [the project] was something really fun. We usually have to do stand up speeches in front of the class, so to do something on our own time at home was a little more unique and was really fun to do,” Lee said. The public speaking students chose books that demonstrated
a good message for the younger kids to make the videos more engaging and made the project more fun. “I thought [my book] had a great message in it to share with the kids. It was a good break from getting to stand in front of the classroom because it was more relaxed,” Theofilou said. O’Hara believes that elementary school students get more out of books and reading from watching middle schoolers read as opposed to watching adults. “Middle school kids have way more appeal to their students and teachers, elementary school kids must think reading is cool because the middle school kids do it,” O’Hara said. O’Hara and her students designed this project to inspire the younger kids to learn how to read and to enjoy reading. The project also helped the middle schoolers with their public speaking skills and provided them with opportunities to utilize those skills by helping others. O’Hara and her students plan on continuing this project in future years to continue to nourish the reading skills of elementary school students and to motivate them to want to read. “It gives the eighth graders a sense of importance knowing that their project is going to be shared, and that part’s important to me,” said O’Hara.
Lifestyle
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June 2019
Where do middle school students go on half days? Middle school studen ts reflect on the most popular activities on half days By Sarah Ball & Elizabeth Hinton Staff Writers At every school, students are eager to hear the last bell ring on a half day. In Walpole, the crowds of students flooding out of school is hard to miss, but where do these students go? Middle school students are typically too young to drive and hold jobs, so students are mostly seen searching for places within walking distance from their schools. In a survey taken by 213 students—136 from Johnson and 77 from Bird— a common thread in responses was that students seek affordable lunches sold at nearby stores and restaurants. Johnson Middle School’s convenient location, walking distance from the center of town, gives a variety of options for middle school students to get lunch, walk around and hang out with their friends. From Jalapenos for a sit-down meal, Subway for quick sandwiches and CVS for small snacks, the options are endless. Many middle school students shared their love of Jalapenos food. “Jalapenos nachos are delicious, so [my friends and I] always get them,” said a 6th grade Johnson student. Another popular spot for Johnson Middle School students is CVS. In a recent survey, 42.5% of students say they visit CVS during their half days. Most students say they choose to go here because of the affordable prices and the wide variety of snacks, drinks and candy. Besides enjoying the food options
Graphic/ Charlotte Clarke
Johnson Middle School Students decide where to go for lunch on their half day.
many students go for social purposes. “[Going to CVS is] a tradition with my friend group and [me],” said 7th grade student Sophia Holbrook. Besides getting food, middle school students have also shared other activities they enjoy doing on their half days such as going to the movies or getting their nails done. Most activities take place in the center of town, but some students enjoy getting rides to further places such as Patriot’s Place or another mall to shop. Also, many students prefer going directly home or to a friend’s house to relax after a long week. Being close to the center of town is ideal for Johnson students, but Bird Middle School is
also in a convenient location, near the Palumbo Plaza where middle school students have only a short walk to reach their favored locations. “Starbucks has amazing drinks and Big Y’s pizza is a classic to get on half days,” said an 8th grade student at Bird Middle School. Although at any of these restaurants one is guaranteed to find long lines of middle school students, Big Y is the most popular location with over 38% of students saying they prefer Big Y. At Big Y, students have the options of getting the store’s cafe food, pizza being the most popular, while also having the option to buy snacks and drinks in the grocery section. The store also offers a large cafeteria
area where the many hungry students can sit down and enjoy their food. “My friends and I can go get pizza and hang out, and it is a pretty cheap option so we aren’t spending crazy amounts of money for lunch,” said Sophie Chrisom, an 8th grade student at Bird. Many students chose to go to Big Y because of the food or the environment, but another popular reason was the reasonable prices. Many students attempt to get the best option for the least amount of money. Besides the favored Big Y, middle school students also enjoy going to The Good Food Store and Starbucks. Both stores earned 10.5% popularity on a recent survey. Students enjoy getting delicious sandwiches from the Good Food store, while getting drinks at Starbucks. Some students shared their favorite orders from these locations. “I like their iced french vanilla lattes,” said a 6th grade student at Bird. Going to these multiple popular locations gives students a place where they can hang out with their friends and other students, outside of school. “I like to get some good food after a long and stressful week,” said Bird 8th grade student Regan Hegarty. While walking to Palumbos plaza seems to be the favorite activity for students, many also enjoy other locations such as shopping, going to the movies or going over a friend’s house similarly to the Johnson Middle School students.
How to prevent an unhealthy addiction to Instagram Tips for teens for maintaining a healthy balance with phone and social media use Graphic/ Danielle Borelli
By Jordan Larkin Staff Writer Two years ago, a writer from Time Magazine, Amanda MacMillan, published the article “Why Instagram is the Worst Social Media for Mental Health.” Using the research from the #StatusOfMind survey—a survey from the United Kingdom’s Royal Society for Public Health with 1,500 respondents from the ages of 14-24— MacMillan identifies Instagram as the worst
social media because of “high levels of anxiety, depression, bullying, and FOMO, or the ‘the fear of missing out.’” Considering the age of teens in the survey and how some middle school students now sign up for Instagram before they are fourteen, those students and parents need to take cautionary steps to prevent an unhealthy addiction to Instagram. Below are some tips to using this applications to promote positive mental health. These tips include always making sure each individual authentically represents his or her identity, responsibly monitors application usage, and selectively posts content. Be Authentic In order to express one’s authenticity within Instagram, the first priority is to make sure a user’s post reaffirms what makes him or her happy. When one is confident and posts a picture that represents the user’s genuine self, that person should never worry about the likes or followers. However, a user must be careful with exactly what they post. If a parent was able to access their kid’s account, the user would want to make sure their parents approve of what they post. They would also want their parents to be able to see that they aren’t being inauthentic and are expressing themselves the same way as at home. “I feel like [it’s] more effective if [people] block a lot of that stuff out and try to ignore what everyone else is doing. Set your own path. Too many people are jumping onto bandwagons and different trends,” former
CEO of Youtube, Chad Hurley said. In other words, users should not just post what other people want to see. If a person thinks the only way to get the most likes is to be trendy, that is not a healthy mindset for using Instagram. However, if the person is genuinely happy to post it, then go for it; however, don’t use the app solely intended to make people think the user is “cool” or “popular.” Instead, use it to embrace and celebrate a person’s true self. Monitor App Usage Limiting one’s self to a certain amount of screen time can help control a person’s amount of Instagram use. Many companies have come out with applications that can show how much time a user spends on Instagram, One of the biggest cell phone companies, Apple, has started to implement features within their updates to help people reduce screen time. This past September, Apple has put a “downtime” feature in settings that can put limits on apps in order to use them less. “Set a specific time, like bedtime, when apps and notifications are blocked. You can choose which apps are on and off limits,” Apple said in their description of the feature. This was intended for all people, not just teens, to reduce being on their phone constantly; however, for teens that have just gotten Instagram, they can become vulnerable to this addiction because of how early they are getting on this app. Limiting the time usage on this app could lead
people to be less reliant on it and create a more healthy relationship with it. Be Selective Users should be selective in everything about their actions on this application. If a person posts multiple times a day, they are biologically more likely to create a dependency on the application because each like on a post boosts one’s self-esteem. However, if a person only posts when they feel they need to to share kind and positive content, then they won’t be worrying about the attention it will receive. “Through likes and follows, teens are getting actual data on how much people like them and their appearance,” said Lindsey Giller, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. In addition, users should be selective in accepting followers. Followers do not determine how “popular” a user is. A user should be selective about who follows them and should make sure they know exactly who follows them. If a user accepts people who they do not know, it creates an unsafe environment for the individual. Teens are already going through enough with the transition from middle school or to high school. The last thing they need is the feeling of always checking a phone to see what’s happening on Instagram. By following these tips— being authentic and selective, and monitoring usage—users can prevent an unhealthy addiction to Instagram.
Entertainment “Detective Pikachu” succeeds in box office
June 2019
Ryan
Reynolds
shines
By Liam Welch Staff Writer
in
new
fantasy
Photo/ geektyrant.com
As far as video game movies go, “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” shines above them all on a pedestal built on the coveted “OK” reviews scarcely related to the critical nightmares like “Mortal Kombat,” “Super Mario Bros.” and the upcoming “Sonic the Hedgehog,” which was pushed back to 2020 after massive backlash over the animation of the title character. Though it is not without its flaws, the movie is charmingly aware of what it is: a buddy cop kids movie starring a caffeineaddicted, amnesiac detective Pikachu. Justice Smith stars as Tim Goodman, a young man who lives near Ryme City, a haven for humans and Pokémon alike. After years of being trained for battle, a man named Howard Clifford (Bill Nighy)—effectively the Steve Jobs of this world—created a place where cohabitation meant peace for both humans and furry, powerful creatures. After Tim’s father dies in a car accident, he heads to Ryme City to investigate and while there, he meets a deerstalker-clad Pikachu who, instead of spouting in its name in a cute voice, is voiced by Ryan Reynolds with a full range of vocabulary. After they meet, they go on a wild adventure in order to figure out exactly what happened to Tim’s father, and despite this simple premise, the story provides some good character
video
game
“Five Feet Apart” showcases unique film By Renee Abbott & Erin Foley love Staffstory on Writers the big screen
Detective Pikachu provides thorough entertainment throughout the entirety of the film.
moments, witty banter from a smartmouthed, lightning-spouting yellow furball, and a video game-like pacing. Unfortunately, there are points in the movie where even if the audience’s disbelief was not suspended enough, the movie dances on that line between fun and dumb. However, wild action scenes between the Pikachu and an insanely overpowered Pokémon fans of the franchise will know quite well at the climax of the movie and other scenes throughout, will provide thorough entertainment for the average audience. Unfortunately, the acting was so bland and subpar, that even when creatures are duking it out in gladiatorial combat, the characters seem like they are only mildly excited and barely invested in the plot at all. Without a doubt, Ryan Reynolds is the best part of the movie, but almost every
single other actor is either conspicuously inexperienced or phoning in the performance. Smith acts as if he had just gotten out of high school drama class with simultaneously wooden and over-the-top acting. Despite the lackluster performances, Ryan Reynolds really carries this film on his small, yellow shoulders with quips, jokes, and even the emotional moments at where the movie needs them most. Despite all of its blemishes, without a doubt, “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” is a great video game movie. Though this does not seem like a huge milestone and trust me—it isn’t—the film does shine in the places one least expects it. This movie succeeds at its goals of making a cheesy fantastical kids movie where the general audience can have harmless fun even if they are not avid Pokémon fans.
New superhero shown in “Captain Marvel” An empowering female lead drives the plot and adds excitement to the film Photo/ herosfact.com
Brie
Larson
plays
airforce
pilot
and
superhero
By Katerina Gebhardt Staff Writer There’s a new superhero in town, and she is a force to be reckoned with. Marvel’s Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) is an unapologetic, tenacious, and dynamic heroine who breaks the seductive heroine stereotype and proves that gender is not a barrier when it comes to saving the world. The movie starts off somewhat slowly, on the planet Hala of the Kree civilization, where the audience meets Vers (pronounced “veers”), a Star Force agent with mysterious powers that she is told to repress and a past that she cannot remember. As the movie progresses, the audience learns that Vers is actually Carol Danvers, a U.S Air Force pilot who, after gaining her powers in an explosion, is taken to the Kree Civilization. This exposition may sound
Carol
Danvers
in
Captain
Marvel.
confusing, and in fact it is. The movie does not always make the backstory clear, leaving the audience to piece it together. These complexities were frustrating at times, as much of the plot is based on uncovering Captain Marvel’s past. However, it was made up for by quick humor, fast paced action scenes, and brilliant acting. Vers’ mission as a Star Force agent is to defeat the evil Skrulls, a race of aliens that can shapeshift into any being they wish, down to the DNA. After a failed rescue of another agent, Vers accidentally ends up on planet C-53, aka Earth, in the year 1995. Determined to continue her mission, Vers and a young Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) track down Project Pegasus, a project that the Skrulls are searching for. In their search, the two uncover Vers’s human past and meet one of the most lovable characters of the movie: Goose the cat.
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The addition of a cat to the cast of characters is an interesting one, and it lightens up the incredibly plot based movie, even setting up the plot of The Avengers (2012). Goose brings comic relief to some very tense scenes, and brings out a softer side of the very intense Fury, who talks to Goose in a baby voice throughout the entire movie. Of course, the movie is not carried by a cat, but by the main character herself, Captain Marvel, played by Brie Larson. A number of Marvel fans complained when Marvel Studios, announced that the character would be played by a woman, as the captain was originally a man in some versions of the comics, even though many comic adaptations have seen the superhero as a woman. However, Larson does the character justice, and her role as Captain Marvel breaks all the stereotypes of how female superheroes should act. Indeed, the character shows her strength not just as a hero with awesome powers, but as a woman. The movie also showcases some of the prejudices women face, such as catcalling and being underestimated, and Captain Marvel’s response to these is unapologetic and can be summed up in one quote of hers from the end of the film: “I don’t have to prove anything to you.” Filled with action, humor, and brilliant characters, Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” sets a high standard for future superhero movies, especially films with female leads. With a complex plot, great special effects, quick humor, and epic action scenes, lead actress Brie Larson and directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck deliver an astounding movie that will be well remembered by fans for years to come.
By Renee Abbott & Erin Foley Staff Writers “Five Feet Apart,” released on March 15, has made $72.3 million dollars in box offices already and has captured the hearts of viewers everywhere, adults and teens alike. The movie, inspired by the 2018 book by Rachael Lippincott, focuses on 17-year-old Stella while she struggles with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and normal teenage relationships. The majority of the movie takes place in the hospital and features teen heartthrob Cole Sprouse and actress Haley Lu Richardson. “Five Feet Apart” is an emotional and heart-wrenching movie that will keep you wanting more. Stella (Haley Lu Richardson) shares her battle with CF through vlogs on Youtube, and because of this modern touch, teens can relate to her character. Stella shares a humorous and heartfelt relationship with her best friend Poe (Moisés Arias) and falls for Will (Sprouse), a fellow Cystic Fibrosis patient. The couple struggles with the limitations of CF, as people with CF must stay at least six feet away from each other due to the deadly consequences of catching one another’s viruses. But, as the title implies, the pair decide to “take back one foot” after all CF has taken from them and risk the consequences of being slightly closer to each other. The idea of being physically close to the loved ones allows viewers to have a new perspective on what a relationship really means rather than other typical love stories. After the hit film “The Fault in Our Stars” captured the hearts of teens, the release of another medical-inspired drama had a high expectation to meet. However, the movie stood alone as a powerful, personal portrayal of life with CF, a topic not discussed very often in pop culture. The main characters Stella, Poe and Will are all are unique, likeable and interesting. Will’s artistic abilities capture the heart of all the viewers with his romantic gestures, and Poe’s quirky and fun personality provides the comedic relief for such a difficult topic. In addition to tackling the issue of a chronic illness, this movie also sheds light on Stella’s struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder, as well as how she deals with grief. A soundtrack by Brian Tyler captivates the viewers and draws them into the story. The music choices in the film also enhance the emotions conveyed, featuring artists including Andy Grammer, Daughter and Sleeping at Last. The cast choice was excellent, and Richardson truly shined in her first mainstream leading role. In some scenes, the plot seemed slightly forced, such as a somewhat unrealistic accident in a frozen pond, as the story is already engaging enough that this drama seemed unnecessary to the story. The ending scene may also seem like a bit of a stretch to some, but the romantic gesture by Will satisfies viewers in the film’s conclusion. The story is an already sad tale to begin with, but the brilliant music along with excellent casting truly made this movie a unique, sorrowful experience for viewers. Sprouse and Richardson excelled in an original film on a chronic illness.
Sports
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June 2019
WHS hosts fall sports orientation for incoming class of 2023 Fall coaches and captains meet and outline expectations for fall freshmen athletes By Danielle Abril, Amy Gordon and Anna Smith Staff Writers Students of both Bird Middle School and Johnson Middle School met at Walpole High School for an introduction to fall athletics on May 23. The students listened to Athletic Director Ron Dowd give an overview of a high school athlete’s responsibilities. In addition, coaches and captains of fall sports had the opportunity to introduce themselves to the incoming athletes, who excitedly await the season. Johnson student Will Richer plans on playing soccer in the fall and feels more comfortable going into the summer, since orientation. “Now we know all the dates of captains’ practices and know more about preseason activities,
like Nick Burke camp,” said Richer. Bird student Nicole Martin plans on cheerleading in the fall, and is grateful she got to listen to the coaches. “Coach Dowd was helpful and he explained that being part of a sport isn’t always about actually playing, it’s about how you are off the field, as well,” said Martin. “I am nervous to move up, but he made it more clear. We got to meet our cheer coach, and she explained a lot more, too.” Rebels Football Captain Will Jarvis expects a great season from the incoming freshman by discussing the transition from youth football to Walpole High School Football. “They are the next class of rebels and they will start to pick up on [Rebel] traditions and culture,” said Jarvis. “The jump from youth to high school is big, but we have
Photo/ Amy Gordon
Coach
Dowd
presents
to
incoming
athletes
and
their
parents.
Photo/ Amy Gordon
Coach
Cheryl
Cavanaugh
speaks
some of the best coaches in the state. They are also going to make some new friends on the football team that maybe they didn’t know because they went to the other middle school.” Shane Grant from Boys Cross Country looks to gain closer bonds with new teammates by helping incoming freshmen. “I’m looking forward to meeting them, getting to know them, and helping them develop as a runner and student athlete,” said Grant. “New kids will make new friends and learn to work together with them.” Girls Soccer Captain Ainsley Dundon is looking forward to scouting new talent of the underclassmen. “I’m looking to see who
with
potential
swimmers.
fills the senior’s spots, especially the freshman, because I know there are a lot of talented freshman coming up,” said Dundon. “This season will open their eyes to a whole new competition they’re not used to.” All captains anticipate a positive fall season and are excited to see what the freshmen have to offer. They hope to help the freshman grow as better teammates and athletes. “I know that at first high school can be scary, but once [the freshmen] get to know the upperclassmen, we will be able to help them out,” said Swimming and Diving Captain Emily Duseau. “We’ll definitely make sure they know they can look to us, and we’ll make them feel included.”
Middle school track prepares for upcoming meets
Johnson and Bird students take part in Middle School Track and Field Photo/ Amy Gordon
Murphy
gives
out
tape
for
athletes
By Danielle Abril, Amy Gordon and Anna Smith Staff Writers In preparation for upcoming regional meets this June, Walpole Middle School Track has been practicing since the spring season began. The combined team of Johnson Middle School and Bird Middle School students meet every Tuesday and Thursday at the Walpole High School track. The athletes break off into groups to experiment with their favorite events, as well as participate in fun games and relays with each other. Head Coach Fiona Murphy, along with Coach Antonietta O’Toole help these students grow during the season by fostering an environment where they are comfortable to try new things and meet new people and allowing them to choose
to
get
a
mark
for
long
Photo/ Amy Gordon
jump.
the events in which they want to participate in their first meet couple meets. “We have a lot of great kids who come not knowing much about track or cross country, but they come with an open mind, and they come with the willingness to try new things,” said Murphy. Murphy focuses her coaching on learning the fundamentals of proper running and the basics of certain field events. She creates a flexible setting for all students to develop an interest in different events. In the same fashion, the team also prepares the students socially. The merge of middle schools comes within the next year or few years, and with the help of the combined school sport, athletes can learn new friendships and build positive team chemistry. “I don’t mind having a lot of kids,” said JMS student Ryan Fowkes.
McLellan
practices
long
jump
He enjoys working with other middle school students and is not alone. Many on the team agree with him and have enjoyed meeting students from the other middle school. “I like the mix between students,” said JMS student Grace Hogarty. Bonding with teammates has a lasting impact, which contributes to the athletes’ familiarity with each other in later years in high school. “A lot of friendships I’ve seen have lasted from middle school onto the high school, especially if they continue doing track in the high school,” said Murphy. Friends Ava Casey and Hogarty participate in Walpole Middle School Track and plan to continue in high school, as they enjoy learning new skills and experimenting with different activities. At a younger age,
with
Murphy
watching.
they are learning new skills to prepare them for high school track and field. “I’ve learned how to maintain [my] pace,” said Casey. Although some of the athletes are undecided of their future in the sport, they are thankful for the valuable skills that track teaches them for other sports. “I’ve learned how to jump better,” said JMS student Will McLellan. McLellan plans on playing tennis at the high school, but he sees the benefits from skills he learned from the long jump. Murphy and O’Toole both aspire for success at their meets in June from all the hard work this season. The program hopes to continue developing future runners and athletes alike. “That’s a big part of track— the willingness to do it and the love of the sport,” Murphy said.