Posts by jfonden:
The Animal Rights Club Wants Members To Feel Empowered
October 24th, 2010By Darcy Gervais
Staff Writer
Every first and third Thursday in Room 112 the Animal Rights Club is in full swing with students of all grade levels passionate about the prevention of animal cruelty and spreading awareness.
“Most people are in the dark about what’s going on,” advisor Terry Brodsky said.
Members are very passionate about spreading the message of animal cruelty and the effects that it has on all involved.
““We’ve organized a drive for supplies for [animal] shelters like the Lowell Humane Society, Kitty Angels, and Greyhound Friends. Last year we also participated in Meatout on March 20th. Kids could sign up and pledge how long they wouldn’t eat meat,” junior Devon Lindsey, a three year member said.
This year the Animal Rights Club is planning to use the Holiday Bazaar for advertising awareness. They will distribute pamphlets with information about animal mistreatment, ask for donations for veterinary care, and maybe have vegetarian food be served.
“We want students to take away a feeling of empowerment and make the world a better place for non-human animals. We can all do something to help all animals,” Brodsky said.
The Animal Rights Club meets every first and third Thursday of every month after school in Room 112.
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Listening Lunch Draws A Huge Crowd
October 22nd, 2010By Darcy Gervais
Staff Writer
Today during all four lunches the library held a “Listening Lunch” in which all students were invited to eat lunch in the library while various students from all grade levels portrayed there musical talents by singing, playing a variety of instruments, and even collaborating with teachers and staff members at WA.
“The Listening Lunch it is a collaborative effort between the WA library staff and the music /theater arts program to provide our students more opportunities to share their musical and poetic talents in a smaller relaxed setting. No pressure…no rubrics…just a friendly audience cheering students and faculty on. Students can play musical instruments, sing, recite poetry, and maybe even dance,” Mrs. Pietras, one of the librarians in charge of the Listening Lunch, said.
There were no lack of performers at the first Listening Lunch since last May; a variety of of students and staff members were ready to show off their instrumental and vocal talents.
One performance that stood out in particular was a collaboration between sophomore Jillian Frankel and English teacher Chris Gosselin.
Frankel performed vocals to “Think of Me” and “Wishing You’re Somehow Here Again”, both Phantom of the Opera originals in which she plays the lead in Mike Tower’s production here at WA. Gosselin accompanied Frankel on keyboard.
“I always get nervous before I perform. I wasn’t too bad today, but I usually get more nervous at shows. Once I start singing though, it goes away,” Frankel said.
The Listening Lunch was no doubt successful and drew in many people as lunches let out. After seeing how big of a crowd it brought in many people were wondering if it is going to be a continued event.
“I hope they continue it. That would be fun. I think a lot of people enjoyed it,” Frankel said.
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New Legislation Declares New Bullying Policy
September 29th, 2010By Darcy Gervais
Staff Writer
Coming into the new school year, there has been a spin on the current WA bullying policy in regards to the new legislation that came out of the incident in South Hadley last year where Ireland immigrant, Phoebe Prince, was harassed both mentally and physically to a point where she took her own life by hanging herself.
All WA faculty and staff have been asked to look out for things that may indicate a student being harassed both mentally and physically and what actions to take if they should come across ill-fated behavior being brought on by a student.
“The way that we’re going to handle any sort of bullying be it physical or mental is that we will record every incident and if we see a continued pattern of abuse we would then prepare that child to understand that you have a potential bullying situation which is against the law,” Principal James P. Antonelli said.
Antonelli has confirmed that WA is taking the new legislation very seriously, hoping to bring awareness to the community about the seriousness of bullying and the affect that it has on the people that it is happening to.
“We need to insert some things with our advisory day schedule that will help students understand more fully the affects of the matter,” Antonelli said.
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Westford Academy 2010 graduates share message to “Liv, Laugh, Love”
June 4th, 2010By Alexander Lee
Staff Writer
All eyes watch as three balloons, green, yellow and red, sail peacefully into the sky. They were released during the Westford Academy graduation of the class of 2010 to commemorate the life of Olivia Marchand, a WA senior who tragically passed away earlier this year.
Excited graduates toss their hats into the air in celebration.
Earlier in the day as the start of graduation approached the anxious faces were all but absent. Underclassmen fantasized about one day having graduations of their own while adults reminisced about theirs from many years past.
Yet no one had more anticipation than those of the class of 2010. For them, this ceremony marked an end to eighteen years of dependence, childhood, and high school, but at the same time it represented a beginning to responsibility, adulthood, and the future.
Class of 2010 President, Jen Torto delivers a speech to her fellow classmates.
Thus, while they filed side by side in alphabetical order, as they had done since their elementary days, everyone noticed the natural excitement in their faces, which had been progressively increasing since the first day of their freshman year.
After the tradition of “Pomp and Circumstance” ended, the graduates took their seats and Principal James P. Antonelli commenced his speech. His main theme was honor. He asserted that no matter where the future may take those of the class of 2010, they must all maintain their moral duties. Read the rest of this entry “
Internships provide superb solution to senioritis
April 6th, 2010Barbara Morrison
Editor-in-Chief
I have two days of school left before senior internships begin and it’s a little terrifying. For the many seniors who are leaving early for internships and projects, there is a combination of emotions as they realize that the high school career that they have been wishing away with senioritis and senior skip days, is now, actually, over. There is excitement, anxiety, sadness, fear, relief, and still more excitement.
While leaving early makes me nervous, waiting till the normal let-out date would be pretty unbearable. I’ve heard back from my colleges, have signed up for accepted student days, and am just not up for doing homework for grades that do not mean a lot to me anymore. My time will be so much better spent doing community service to repair and renovate East Boston Camps (my internship, along with about 16 other classmates). In fact, whether seniors are participating in an internship in their desired career field, or something fun and interesting, like planting a garden, leaving school early to do something of their choice is the best use of their time. Read the rest of this entry “
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Solutions and predictions for dynamics in girls’ sports
March 23rd, 2010Barbara Morrison
Editor-in-Chief
This is the fourth and final article in a series on the dynamics of girls’ sports teams. The first three articles are Girls’ sports teams experience divisions, Team spirit of team splits, and Team divisions: how it begins.
Amid the great successes of girls’ sports at Westford Academy, there is a less healthy and productive side to the world of sports, particularly, girls’ sports. The dynamics among players is an issue and stumbling block for many teams- the question is what players and coaches plan to do to fix these problems.
Varsity Cheerleading Coach, Josh Vadala, made clear that he believes that dealing with divisions and friction is the first and most important step.
“If you sweep it under the rug it’s going to erupt at some point,” said Vadala, “Openly discuss things- if you are having issues deal with them so you can move forward.”
Vadala said that his personal coaching strategy and his advice to other coaches is to be honest about the problems that are happening in order to solve them. As far as poor dynamics on girls’ teams as a larger issue, Vadala says that he does not expect it to resolve itself any time soon.
“I do not see an end to this,” said Vadala, “I think that it’s bigger than people realize. It’s a bigger issue of the social scene within schools.”
He followed up by saying that instead of focusing on the larger issue, “the onus needs to be on both the team and the coaches. [Divisions on individual teams] have to be talked through,” Vadala said.
He also stressed that a large emphasis on team building was the best way to bring a team together, and that success and team dynamics go hand in hand.
Senior and Varsity Volleyball player, Lorraine Harhen, agreed with Vadala about the vastness of the problem saying, “I think it [friction] is just an understood thing in girls’ sports.” She went on to say that it needs to be addressed and would take a lot of pressure off of athletes if steps were taken to fix it.
The former Girls’ Junior Varsity Volleyball Coach and current Girls’ Varsity Basketball Coach, Russ Coward, said that he knows how he wants to begin attacking the issues within girls’ sports on his own teams.
“I know how I’m going to try to fix it,” said Coward, “The first thing I’m going to do is have practices with all three [Varsity, Junior Varsity, and Freshman] teams on the weekends. We’re going to do a silly workout video, because if they are feeling foolish, at least they are doing it together.”
He said that fostering interconnectedness among all of the players in each sport, regardless of which level they played out, would lessen frictions in coming years when JV players would move up to Varsity and have to get acquainted with a new team.
Coward, a new dad, said that when thinking of the friction and unhealthy dynamics of girls’ sports teams as a larger problem, he is wary, but hopes things will improve for his daughter.
Coward also connected these problems to the status of women’s sports in general.
“This has the potential to disappear in 30 years. If girls’ sports are taken as seriously as boys’ sports, they will care less about the social aspect,” said Coward.
Senior Rachel Socolow, who plays Varsity Field Hockey, Varsity Hockey, and Varsity Lacrosse, said that she agrees with Coward on his prediction.
Looking forward to the time when dynamics are not such a prominent issue, Socolow said, “girls’ sports have a ways to go, but there’s been a lot of progress already.”
Right now, it seems, every TV set in America is playing one NCAA play-off game or another. People in every state, have laid their bets as to who will win it all- even President Obama has filled out his bracket.
Yet every discussion revolves around the men’s teams- so much so that most people do not deem it necessary to clarify which team they are speaking of, it is simply assumed that the men’s teams are the only ones worth talking about.
In such a climate, it would not be surprising if Coward was right to say that it is the lack of respect and seriousness given to women’s sports that make team dynamics so troublesome.
While women’s sports slowly but surely gain more and more respect, though, it is important that coaches and players stay vigilant in being honest about the problems that do exist, trying to avoid the causes of friction, and dealing with divisions, openly and earnestly, when they arise.
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Team divisions: how it begins
March 12th, 2010Barbara Morrison
Editor-in-Chief
This is the third article in a series on the dynamics of girls’ sports teams. The first two articles can be found here, and here.
A looming question in the discussion about the divisions among players on girls’ sports teams is where these divides and dysfunctions arise from. Is it a result of social issues at school? Are they fostered at an earlier age on club and travel teams? Is it simply a result of the nature of female athletes? Read the rest of this entry “
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Chinese New Year celebrates good fortune
March 12th, 2010By Tyrone Zhang
Staff Writer
This year, Chinese New Year fell on February 14th and ended on the 28th of February. When most people think of Chinese New Year, the first thing that comes to mind is the red envelopes containing money. Although that is a crucial part of the celebration, it is not what Chinese New Year is entirely about. Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival to Chinese families. This is because Chinese New Year is a day to welcome a new year as well as the arrival of spring. Read the rest of this entry “
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Students reflect on Olivia Marchand’s life
February 12th, 2010By Barbara Morrison
Editor-in-Chief &
Maria Hodgins
Multimedia Editor
Westford is still coping with the death of senior Olivia Marchand. On Monday, February 1, 2010 her father fatally shot her, shot and wounded her mother Jody Marchand, and then took his own life. Jody Marchand survived and is recovering at UMASS Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.
In the wake of such a tragedy, friends of Marchand have been focusing on her life and her “fun loving, easygoing and caring” attitude.
All WA seniors Nicole Kibblehouse and Stephanie Benowitz, close friends of Marchand, did was laugh as they reminisced about their favorite moments with Marchand.
“It was always an adventure with her,” Benowitz began by saying. Read the rest of this entry “
WA supports grieving students and staff
February 3rd, 2010By Maria Hodgins
Multimedia Editor
&
Stefanie Doucette
Staff Writer
In the aftermath of the recent tragedy in Westford, the school community is coming together in an effort to come to terms with the loss of senior Olivia Marchand.
The Westford Academy administration and staff have been collaborating to provide a supportive environment. On Tuesday, February 2nd the guidance department stayed at the school until 11 pm to be available for any grieving students.
Students stop to read the messages their peers have written to Marchand.
The school will not be open again tonight, but the guidance department will still be providing assistance for both students and faculty throughout the days to come.
Read the rest of this entry “
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School rubrics still need improvement
January 26th, 2010By Patrick Martell
Staff Writer
When Westford Academy was preparing for the NEASC visit this fall they had a lot to do. One of the many things, was to develop a set of rubrics, which were to be used school wide. Read the rest of this entry “
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Cross Country Ski Team Races Ahead
January 26th, 2010By: Stefanie Doucette
Staff Writer
As Westford Academy heads into the second half of the year, its cross country ski team races towards the finish line. Read the rest of this entry “
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