Westford Academy senior Ryan Mumford has been elected to play in the first ever Massachusetts State Hockey Coaches Association (MSHCA) High School All-Star Hockey game. Mumford will be representing the Northern All-Stars as they play the Southern All-Stars on Saturday, March 20th. The game will be played at Tsongas Arena in Lowell at 3:00 PM. Tickets are $10 and admission pays for the all-star game as well as the Lowell Devils vs. Portland Pirates AHL game at 7:00 PM.

While Mumford has been elected to the roster, he has the opportunity to be voted into the starting lineup. To vote for Mumford, text ALLSTAR8 to 24587. To purchase tickets to the game and support Ryan, visit the website, www.lowelldevilshockey.com/tickets/mscha_allstar.php.

Mumford is extremely excited to have the opportunity to play in this game. Mumford considers it a great honor as he was voted in by all Massachusetts high school coaches. Mumford described it as “a good accomplishment,” and said it “means a lot to be considered to be one of the top 45 players in Massachusetts.” One reason why Mumford might be so ecstatic to play in this game is his immense love for the game.

While describing how he felt when he was playing, Mumford said that hockey is “exciting to play,” and when he is on the ice, Mumford “forgets about everything else, and just focuses on hockey.” No matter why Mumford is looking forward to playing in the game, he would like to be voted into the starting line-up.

Mumford, who will be playing forward for the team, has been playing hockey for over ten years. His interest in hockey arose when he was only two years old. Mumford’s babysitter took him ice-skating, and his love of hockey has grown ever since.

Mumford, who captained the WA Varsity Hockey team this year, plays for two club teams in addition to playing for WA. Mumford said that the biggest challenge he had to overcome in hockey came this year. Before the season, Mumford believed that WA’s team wasn’t strong as it was “young,” but he was proud, as he believed that they turned it around together as a team, and that they turned out far better than he once thought.

After this year, Mumford is “undecided” on what he would like to do, either play for his college or just play club. Mumford “is leaning towards club,” but will “definitely be continuing with hockey.”

Staff Writers

On Saturday, January 30^th,  The Venetia Fair’s headlining tour made its second stop at Rocko’s in Manchester, New Hampshire. Rocko’s happened to be the second of the two stops for the tour’s kickoff events. Before coming to a close, the tour is scheduled to

Tommy Pontes of The Beauty In Isolation

Westford’s own band, The Beauty In Isolation is a post-hardcore band based in Westford, Massachusetts. They were by far the youngest of the bands to hit the stage at Rocko’s, and maintained a formidable sound compared to the other, more experienced bands. The band played a solid three-song set, which featured their songs “Sympathy for Another’s Suffering”, “Astacia” and “If You Thought You Did This Wrong, You Couldn’t Have Been More Right”.

This was their second show since adding sophomores Pablo Martinez on drums and Sal Restuccia on bass while moving junior John Oliver to rhythm guitar. In the midst of the lineup shuffle, juniors Pat Hunt and Tommy Pontes kept their old positions as screamer and lead guitarist/clean vocalist, respectively. They played a successful set, musically, with a decent amount of stage presence. However, since the show, Pat and the band have parted ways, leaving the band without a permanent screaming vocalist. They are currently searching for a replacement.

Kiss Kiss is an experimental indie band that comes from New York. To date, the five-piece band has released two full albums and a self-titled EP. They are currently playing in support of their newest album, “The Meek Shall Inherit What’s Left”, which was released during the summer of 2009. Their set consisted of approximately six songs, including their fast paced song “All The Draw” and their song “Machines”. Their set featured dramatic vocals and ripping violin parts that cut through the rest of the music and provided the band their own, unique style.

Pat Hunt of The Beauty In Isolation

Trophy Scars is an older, six-piece alternative/indie rock band based out of New Jersey. As of now, they have released four full albums. The most recently of those is entitled “Bad Luck”, which was released in early 2009. With a sound that is slightly reminiscent of fellow alternative rock band, Brand New (only with slightly more gruff vocals), Trophy Scars plays very well organized music. Their set at Rocko’s was in no way an exception. They put on a convincing musical performance and overall enjoyable set, before giving up the stage to The Venetia Fair.

The headlining band, The Venetia Fair is best described as an experimental/alternative rock band with a style of their own. They are a young band, with none of their members exceeding their early twenties. Their proficient use of screams, keyboard, and inventive riffs in their songs put them in their own unique category of music. The band formed in Boston and at the moment, they are playing songs from their debut album, “The Circus” which was released during the summer of 2009.

Despite the aforementioned, very praiseworthy acts, The Venetia Fair’s set was by far the most powerful act of the night. From the beginning to the conclusion of their set, their energy level was at top notch. They spent every song writhing around on the stage, providing an incredible amount of energy. Above all, they played an incredible set, music wise. It was slightly longer than those of Kiss Kiss and Trophy Scars, and the band was certainly noticed on stage for every second they were there.The set consisted of the band playing through the majority of their album, including their song “The Ringleader”, which they recently released a music video for.

The Venetia Fair is a great band to see live and they definitely implement a worthwhile, well thought out performance. Once their tour with Kiss Kiss comes to an end, the band is immediately picking up where they

Benny Santoro of The Venetia Fair

All in all, the show was very worthwhile to attend and provided a great musical and photographic experience. The bands showcased a level of energy that made photographing, listening, and simply being around them enjoyable. The small venue is ideal for photographing and being able to see great bands play, while being up close to them.  If the chance arises, shows at Rocko’s are highly recommended.

Note from the authors:  We will be photographing and reviewing many concerts within the approaching months. These include shows in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York, with venues such as The Palladium and The Studio at Webster Hall. Some of the many artists at these shows are Breathe Carolina, Confide, I See Stars, Stephen Jerzak, Stereo Skyline and VersaEmerge. We will have new material posted soon. If you would like to see updates of our shows planned, or see additional photos, visit the links below.

http://waghostwriter.com/TSj

http://waghostwriter.com/gF

Joe Occhiuti of The Venetia Fair

I’m a student, new on the Ghostwriting staff, that you can write an anonymous letter to if you have any… how do I word this? Personal issues or problems at home, with relationships, with school, stuff like that, send it in. Don’t worry; I am a student, because I know that you think your teachers lived amongst the dinosaurs and have no idea what we’re going through. I promise that e-mails and names will be confidential if you want to send anything in. Just sign it with a creative name, I’m sure that you’ve read similar articles. Desperate to Be Seen, Stressed About School, Heartbroken… and the like. I’ll try to keep a theme for each post. I will try my best to respond to every post, but I may not be able to publish every one on The Ghostwriter. My advice will be unbiased, although maybe a little judgmental. But that’s what we need sometimes: for a person to tell us the honest truth. Even if it hurts.

And it seem like you guys have some problems even without me here. I found this earlier:

Dear Amy,

I am not a social butterfly whatsoever. I have a real problem communicating with other people, and making new friends. Even though I try to reach out to people, I am often very quiet and have a hard time starting a conversation. People tease me a lot because I’m really smart in class, like I get good grades. But I am not street smart and am totally devoid of social skills. How do I become popular, someone people want to be around?

Invisible Girl

Dear Invisible Girl,

Don’t worry too much about this; it doesn’t take that much work to fix. Start by finding people that are in several of your classes, or that seem to have similar interests. Don’t try to jump into the middle of a conversation, this usually results in people starting at you like you sprouted a third eye. Instead, try partnering up with them during group work. Laugh at their jokes, and tell some of your own funny stories. Be outgoing but not overbearing. And just because you have had one conversation with these people does not mean that you are instantly friends, so don’t follow them around. Friendship takes time to build, plus they might think you’re stalking them. Have fun and be yourself, because if you need to change yourself to make friends, then they’re not worth it. A senior would also like to add that you shouldn’t try to jump right in there, “Say something smart, not something stupid. ‘Cause saying something stupid makes you look like a moron. Loyalty is important. And don’t set yourself up to be in one particular group. Because that’s just boring.”

Amy

Here’s another one from a boy. So guys don’t be shy; no one’s going to know it’s you.

Dear Amy,

I have this huge crush on a girl. But I don’t think that she thinks of me as anything more than just friends. What do I do?

Not Her Bro

Dear Bro,

I can understand what you’re going through, the girl may be feeling the same way. Just casual gestures such as a brush on the arm, a quick hug when she’s ecstatic or sad, or even a secret smile across the class that lasts a few seconds longer than usual. Its the little things that will show her you care. But if she isn’t responding, just screw up your courage and tell her. It’s not as bad as it sounds, because she most likely will be flattered that you have a crush on her and will be happy make the feeling mutual. If not, don’t worry because the feelings will go away over time. Appreciate your friendship and move on, because chances are that she already has. All in all, try your hardest and good luck! Another anonymous student wants to say, “Just tell her she’s beautiful. Respect her. Keep eye contact. Don’t be a total creep. And if you’re that far in the friend zone, there is no hope. … Good luck!” Trust me, everyone will agree about this: if you are totally in the friend zone, there is totally no chance of dating.

Amy

Now that you guys have an idea of what I do, just send me an e-mail at:   amykoolkid.notarealgirl@gmail.com

See you next time!

The cast of Chamber Music will advance to the semi-finals round of the 2010 Massachusetts Drama Guild State Festival after a great performance during Preliminary round on Sunday Febuary 28th, hosted by Naraganset Middle School in  Baldwinville, MA. In addition to being named Festival Winner, Westford Academy received five All Star Cast awards for both acting and technical aspects of the production.

In addition to the performance for the Semi-Final round on March 13th here at WA, there will also be a performace on March 11th at 8:00 PM, unrelated to the competition.

The entire cast, comprised of: Cassie Gilling, Katie Wright, Teresa Langford, John Manning, Courtney Ravalese, Jennifer Torto, Craig Sandler, Mark Fingerhut, Barbara Morrison, Kristen McCusker, Tara Hurley, and Hannah Caldwell were admitted to the all star cast for Excellence in Ensemble Acting. Both Kristen McCusker and John Manning also received a second nomination to the All Star Cast for their Excellence in Acting.

Members of the Set Design Team Kate Sulka, Bobby Esposito, Jordan Welch, Dan Bubin, and Emily Moler were commended for Excellence in Technical Theater: Set Design and were also named to the All Star Cast. Also named to the All Star Cast was Greg Alexandropolous recognized for Excellence in Music Composition for the music he wrote for the production.

Now the cast will compete against Billerica High School, Acton-Boxborough High School, Sharon High School, Lynnfield High School and North Andover High School for the chance to be one of the twelve schools to perform at the John Hancock Theater in Boston for the final round of the state festival.

March is upon on us! Not quite Winter and not quite Spring, this month often ends up being remembered for mud and it’s lack of days off from school.

So to liven things up a bit this month, here are a few pieces of entertainment to look for:

1: Album: One Life Stand, by artist Hot Chip. The latest album released by the electronic/pop group, One Life Stand has an overall softer sound to it that Hot Chip’s previous albums, noticable in the singer’s voice, but maintains all the synthsized keyboarding and guitar solos that make the band stand out. The songs are fairly consistent, and are all good listens. The album does, however, lack a major stand-out single like Ready For the Floor from their previous album.

2: Album: No Ones First, and You’re Next, by rock group Modest Mouse. Composed of B-Sides and unreleased tracks from the band’s two previous albums, MM’s latest album arrived in stores August 2009. Don’t be deceived by the B-Side description, though; many of the songs will make you wonder why they never made it to the earlier albums. The album contains a good mix of faster and slower paced songs with vast levels of changing sounds. If you are not already a MM fan, I would recommend listening to some of the band’s earlier work, as this album is a bit heavier. I recommend the single King Rat on this album.

3. Game: Bioshock 2, by 2K games for the PS3, XBox 360 and PC. The long awaited sequel to Bioshock was released  in North America Feb. 9th. I never played the first Bioshock, but that was no big problem as the well developed storyline engrossed me immediately.  The  game takes place in the late 50’s, with player taking control of a man who discovered the underwater city of rapture, a place where the brightest minds in the world came to live in peace – before the “bioshock”, that is.  All of the city’s denizens have been transformed into power hungry zombies known as splicers. The gameplay focuses around you, a  juggernaut character known as a “Big Daddy”, destroying zombies with an array of random, assorted weapons in the search for a girl you must find to stay alive. The single player mode is excellent, the multiplayer  gameplay is solid. I recommend this game for those not easily given nightmares. ESRB rating: M.

4. Television: Important Things with Demetri Martin, Season 2: Sketch/Variety series on Comedy Central.  One of my favorite comedy shows on TV, the new season began February 4th. Host Demetri Martin shows more comedy brilliance in the new episodes with plenty of new creative sketches and topics. Many themes and segments from the previous easons have returned here, too, such as the giant notepads, musical jokes and “Important Things things” store. The season is already about halfway through, but some episodes and jokes can be viewed OnDemand or on the popular Hulu.com. New episodes air Thursdays at 10:30.

When someone says Bavaria, Germany, what comes to mind? Chocolate, lederhosen, maybe yodeling.

Actually, Bavaria, or Bayern in German, has more to offer than these timeless associations.

Even in this modern generation, stereotypes about people from other countries are still relevant. And although technology offers opportunities for global communication, some people have yet to take advantage of this.

Westford Academy, true to our mission statement, is trying to bridge international gaps-starting with the German exchange. This program, headed by German teacher Michael Joyce, celebrated its twenty-ninth anniversary and is more influential than ever because of the websites and connections available for today’s students.

When asked about his role in the German exchange, Mr. Joyce explained, “Everything. I found the partnership schools originally; I find the host families and plan the itinerary, [and] make the travel arrangements. And then of course chaperoning.”

Other members of the faculty who are involved include Ulrike Joyce, who teaches German at Stony Brook Middle School, Kristin Gillet, and James Antonelli, who all will be traveling with the Westford Academy group to Germany for a few days this summer.

Students from Northeim, the home town of the fall exchange students, and Untergriesbach, the home town of the spring exchange students, stay with their host families for up to a full year, which is more than enough time to develop an attachment with new friends.

In the past, foreign friends stayed in touch only with letters; now the exchange offers a much broader window of communication.

Although Untergriesbach is located at the southern tip of Germany in the suburb of Passau, Bavaria, it is not difficult for students to talk using media like Skype and Facebook. Friends are only a click away. And it is not just German students who reach out to the foreign exchange-classmates in other languages are becoming more involved as the traditon continues.

This spring, students from Untergriesbach will stay with their host families, and though they’ll be far from home, they are not the only ones who will be given the opportunity to learn about a new culture.

“The exchange helps to improve [students'] language and open the doors of the world to them. There is also the chance to go to Europe and experience everything from food to people to cities and lifestyles,” says Joyce.

Most importantly, Joyce would like students to open up to new cultures. He wants students to gain “The willingness to take a risk and to try new things even when it’s a little bit outside their comfort zone. And to realize that they can live, manage, and communicate in a foreign environment.”

On January 27, 2010 an outstanding American author, J.D Salinger, passed away due to natural causes. He was ninety-one at the time, and the day marked an end to a legend of American literature.

Salinger was not the most prolific of authors, for he only published one major work: The Catcher in the Rye. Nonetheless, he still imparted his legacy onto society by selling over sixty-five million copies of this novel.

The Catcher in the Rye, which is a part of the sophomore curriculum, encompasses the struggles of Holden Caulfield, a sardonic protagonist searching for unfathomable realities. Yet, it is more than just that; the book is said to be the birth of the “modern teenagers”.

The novel captures the “teenage-limbo” years to a tee. In a time of strict social expectations, Holden finds it difficult to relate to others because he is in the middle: neither a child nor an adult. This awkward middle ground is something that most high school students experience one time or another, which is perhaps the reason why the novel is so relatable and thus popular.

Yet, it is the writing itself that intrigues some readers the most. The Catcher in the Rye is written as if it were an autobiography. Every detail, even a trivial one, is stated so passionately and so precisely that readers like WA sophomore Aditya Shankar feel as if “(they) are listening to a friend’s personal story”.

Salinger’s past accounts for this miraculous genuineness. Just like Holden Caulfield, Salinger went from private school to private school- failing out of each one. Also, he admitted in a rare interview that the book was “sort-of autobiographical”.

Furthermore, Westford Academy’s resident expert on The Catcher in the Rye , Jeffrey Kucaj stated, “I love the book and I still enjoy reading it – especially Holden’s voice. This is a novel that sums up the shift in the demographics of America”.

When asked what one word he would use to describe it, Kucaj humorously replied, “If you asked me ten different days, you would get ten different answers. But today, I would describe it with ‘realization’ because Holden has to deal with difficult realities throughout the novel”.

Ultimately, The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, and J.D. Salinger have become icons in literary history. Hopefully, his death will be a beginning rather than an end; perhaps instead of a dwindling in popularity, there will be a reignited safari into The Catcher in the Rye.

Westford is home to many great pizza places, so we decided to review them and rate them. We visited Westford House of Pizza, Pizzaria Presti, Silver Palate, and Willow’s.

Westford House of Pizza

Westford House of Pizza is a local pizza shop that many believe to be the best in the area. Located off of Main Street in a plaza situated between Tedeschi Food Store and Creative Nails of Westford, it is very convenient and easy to access. There is ample parking, and the parking area is well lit. I personally thought that WHOP would be the winner of this competition, but after our experience, which was below average, I now have a different opinion of it.

Walking into the modest shop, an aroma of sauce and cheese overwhelms your senses. The clean floors and granite counter tops give Westford House a 4.5 out of 5 for atmosphere. You feel comfortable eating there, with plenty of seating for its size. The staff is very welcoming, friendly, and knowledgeable about the menu. The prices are average, with our total of a large steak and cheese sub, small cheese pizza, small fry, and two sodas coming to around twenty dollars and change.

Our wait was relatively short; we waited about 8 to 10 minutes for the sub and fries, and about 12 to 15 minutes for the pizza. Once the food was ready, we dug in. Immediately, the steak and cheese appeared dry just by looking at it, and its taste was just as unappetizing. The amount of cheese was unacceptable, and the dry meat was overcooked and had a rubbery texture.

Overall, our experience at Westford House of Pizza was poor. Even though all of the other factors such as atmosphere, speed, and presentation were average to excellent, the taste of the food ruined it. The fries were the only decent part; the steak was dry, and the pizza lacked in cheese and was overpowered by sauce. Westford House earned its rating, 17.5 out of 25, due to its mediocrity.

Pizzeria Presti

Pizzeria Presti is conveniently located at 2 East Prescott Street near Route 225 in Graniteville. The parking is very minimal and the parking lot is difficult to maneuver since it is on the side of the road. The shop itself is a very modest building, with average seating for a shop of its size. Even though the atmosphere is rugged, considering the heat was not running, it was nicer than the Willows. We wondered if they had paid their heating build because it was so cold.

After waiting about fifteen minutes, our hot pizza, subs, and fries were ready. The friendly staff was there to readily assist the flow of customers. The pizza was very cheesy and had a decent amount of sauce on it, and was the second best pizza. The dough was fresh and had a nice consistency. The steak and cheese sub was wrapped in fresh bread, and was piping hot. We would have preferred more cheese, but it tasted fresh. The fries were crunchy and filled with potato, however they had a hint of sogginess.

The presentation of the food was right in line with the other shops. The pizza came on a metal plate on a tray, the steak and cheese sub came on a plate, and the fries came in a nice box. It had the feel of an average pizza shop; the food was not served on golden platters, but it was decent for what it was. Overall, I had the feeling that for what we paid, we received a good deal.

Pizzeria Presti was third in line for the overall experience. It received 21 stars out of 25, making it a safe place to hang out on a Friday night. Although both The Silver Palate and The Willow’s beat it out, I would eat there anytime.

Silver Palate

Silver Palate is a local Pizza place in the Nabnasset area of Westford. It’s known as both a speedy delivery place and a hangout spot after school. But how does it stack up to the other major pizza places in Westford?

Silver Palate is well situated and the building is physically larger than the other three competitors. It has very lots of seats and a nice atmosphere. The food was prepared very quickly, and watching the news while waiting was nice.

The pizza at Silver Palate is very different from the other three stores. It is Greek style, and difficult to compare to the others. The steak and cheese was well prepared; it was nice and juicy with plenty of cheese, the best I’ve had out of all of the restaurants. The fries were crisp and delicious but lacked salt.

The only problem with Silver Palate was the pizza. It somewhat dry and lacking. Overall, Silver Palate was a great competitor and definitely finished second in the race against WHOP, Pizzaria Presti, and Willow’s.

Willow’s

Going into the competition, Willows appeared to be the definite underdog. This is due to the fact that it is in an unfortunate location, in a very small trailer sized building. The interior failed to impress. Mismatching tables and very old seats were scattered a bit unevenly through the small store. The lighting in the store was dim, and the parking lot was barely lit. The parking lot itself was very small.

Walking into a pizza place, one immediately looks at the price. The value of Willow’s was great compared to the other restaurants. All together, small fries, a small cheese pizza, and a large steak and cheese sub were only about 18 dollars. This greatly contrasts with the $24 meal at Pizzaria Presti, and the $20 at the WHOP.

Service at Willow’s was incredible compared to the WHOP and Presti’s. At Willow’s, the food was brought to us with a large amount of condiments and cheese. The other two restaurants just had a pick up system that was nowhere near as personal.

Willow’s made up for its poor appearance by bringing exceptional taste and great prices. And so, Willow’s received first place with a rating of 23 out of 25. It’s the ideal pizza place.

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.

Kibblehouse smiled as she recalled a time when Marchand had helped make light of a difficult situation. One occasion involved a fight with her mom in the Westford Academy school parking lot.

“She thought I was skipping school,” laughed Kibblehouse, “Liv made it that much easier because she was like, ‘don’t take it seriously.”

Kibblehouse said that this memory was like so many others from Marchand’s life; Kibblehouse and Benowitz spoke at length about how she could be easygoing about the most intimidating of situations, helping her friends to calm down.

“There was never a situation she wasn’t optimistic about,” said Benowitz.

At the candlelight vigil that Westford Academy seniors participated in during school on Thursday, February 4, Kibblehouse talked about how excited Marchand was for the future, especially attending the University of Vermont.

Other students used this opportunity to tell their favorite stories about Marchand, making the crowd of otherwise somber students laugh and smile.

St. Catherine’s church in Westford and Westford Academy held services in her honor on Saturday, February 6. Kibblehouse made a memorable speech and spoke about her friend’s upbeat outlook on life.

She was passionate about horseback riding and it showed in the way she cared for her horse. Benowitz smiled as she recalled how lovingly Marchand had braided her horse’s mane.

Both Kibblehouse and Benowitz stressed how close Marchand and her mother, Jody, were. They said that on many occasions Marchand would sacrifice a Friday night out to make sure her mother was not lonely. Kibblehouse admired that Marchand would invite friends to come with her and her mother to see a movie at their favorite theater, Chunky’s.

Kibblehouse said that Marchand’s constant efforts to make sure those around her were comfortable and happy did not end with her mother.

“We were with all these people that I didn’t know, but she made me feel like I knew all of them,” said Benowitz about a concert they went to with Marchand’s friends from Littleton.

Indeed, friends of Marchand speak a lot about how relaxed she was around new people and how her friendliness was something they will remember her by.

At the candlelight vigil at Westford Academy and an impromptu student gathering in the Performing Arts Center afterwards, students and friends of Marchand shared all they had learned from her life.

Kibblehouse said that one thing she has learned from Marchand is that you cannot have the attitude that you already know who a person is based on his or her exterior.

“Liv knew you could figure out who someone is if you ask them the right questions,” said Kibblehouse.

Benowitz said that Marchand has taught her to cherish those around her and to live your life with passion, as she said Marchand always did.

“We all think that we’re invincible, but, really, every day counts,” said Benowitz. “Everybody will cherish everyone so much more… Kids who I stopped saying hi to in the hallway, I say hi to again.”

Kibblehouse agreed that she has already changed since Marchand’s death, saying, “I thought that would never happen, but the fact that it did happen makes me look at life differently.”

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.

In the past few days the PAC has been open during school as a gathering space for those in need, but starting tomorrow, Westford Academy will revert back to the regular schedule. Students will still be allowed to leave their classes should they need to, although starting tomorrow they will need hallway passes.

Tomorrow February 4th is an advisory day, and seniors will be participating in a candlelight vigil for Marchand during the long block.

Students reading messages left by their peers for Marchand.

Large pieces of paper have been placed at various locations around Westford Academy. Students are welcome to sign and write messages in remembrance of Marchand. Individual students have been dyeing their hair a variety of colors in her honor.

On Saturday, February 6th Westford Academy will also be holding a memorial service. The event is from 3:00-4:00 pm in the PAC for all those wishing to attend. Principal Jim Antonelli will be sending out a newsletter with details about the service.

A gift left for Marchand by one of her peers.

The school is also discussing the possibility of a memorial scholarship in honor of Marchand. This scholarship is not official yet, as the Marchand family needs to give their permission. This scholarship would be awarded every year to a student who demonstrated similar interests and aspirations.