The March 2011 issue of Springfield High School's award winning student publication is now online.
Online Classes
Dedication Meets Procrastination
By Maria Stern
Winter Carnival
By Sarah Gray
Community & Friendship
Green Horn Interview
By Laurel Porter
Kiely Shuck on Reading, Writing, Drama, Math
The Dropout Rate
A Serious Problem at SHS
By Vicki Kopidakis
Block Schedule Next Year
Switch From 8 Periods
By Cooper Naess
No Hables Espa–ol?
A Minority View
By Vicki Kopidakis
Four-Day School Week
Savings and Preparation Spur School Change
By Andrew Bladyka
Sexual
Activity at SHS
By Jessie Haskell
Waking Up is Hard To Do
Sleep Deprivation and Students
By Tabitha Celani
Homework
To Grade or Not to Grade
By Lauren Fountain
Students Share the Love (Valentine's Day)
By Vicki Kopidakis
News
Travelin' Band
Snuggies
Robe
Backwards
The
By Andrew Bladyka
Fast Food
Unhealthy Yet Pleasing
By Liza Fontaine & Holly Hooke
Sanitized Huck Finn
The Horror, the Horror
By Kelsey Christensen
Chinese New Year
Lunar Movement Celebrated
By Angelina Mei
What to Bring to
College?
By Alexis Esposito
Bathroom Disrepairs
Sinks, Toilets, and Graffiti
By Justin Derosier
Marijuana Legalization
The Highs and Lows
By Kelsey Christensen, Tabitha Celani, & Andrew Bladyka
Features:
What a Wonderful World
Smile for Louis Armstrong
By Jenn Stein
Blow, Satchmo, blow.
Television: Pretty Little Liars
An Alternative to Twilight
By Olivia Thayer
Columns:
Colloquial Critique
Arrant Pedantry
By Kelsey Christensen
It's A Fact...
I've Learned A Lot
By Alexis Esposito
Dreaming By the Panorama
Imaginations
By Tabitha Celani
Music:
The Promise
(Bruce Springsteen; 2010)
By Samuel L. Benton
Sports:
Determination, Sweat, and Nets
Girls Start Off on the Right Foot
By Jill Rushton
Girls Beat Milton 63-52
Win Home Playoff Game
By Maria Stern
The UConn Record and Gender Bias
When Will the Harassment End For Girls?
By Jill Rushton
Dance Factory Avoids
Industry Standards
By Kelsey Christensen
Health:
Granola Girls
Ben Does Life
By Alexis Locke & Maria Stern
A 130-lb Journey
Ben Does Life Comes to SHS
By Jenn Stein
SHS Speaks Out - Subject: Snow Days
Footprints in the Sand
Yo Homes. It's Dubby.
By Courtney Downing
GREEN HORN STAFF
Sam Benton.......................Layout Editor/C0-Editor
Kelsey Christensen...............C0-Editor
Maria Stern......................Co-Editor
Laurel Porter....................Photo Editor/Co-Editor
Courtney Downing.................Sports Editor
----------------REPORTERS---------------
Nikka Bactad, Andrew Bladyka, Tabitha Celani,
Justin Derosier, Alexis Esposito, Liza Fontaine,
Lauren Fountain, Sarah Gray, Jessie Haskell,
Chelsea Howland, Holly Hooke, Alexandra Johnstone,
Vicki Kopidakis, Alexis L0cke, Angelina Mei,
Cooper Naess, Jill Rushton, Jennifer Stein,
Olivia Thayer, Sarah Vredenburgh, and
Michael Whittemore.
To bring up the full 24 page publication, click on link below:
http://www.scribd.com/full/50582044?access_key=key-cvnng804k1kaq0vx8t1
Online students Laurel Porter, Maria Stern, Olivia Thayer, and Alexis Esposito. Virtual High School (VHS) and the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative ( VTVLC ). Freshman Chelsey Harmer also persevered in her VHS class despite being three weeks behind at the start of the year. She took Spanish I online in addition taking Spanish II at SHS. Harmer doubled up, as she said, “so I get the language down and can use it later in life.” Juniors Larissa Bargfrede and Lucas Sheldon had a brief stint with VTVLC’s Advanced Placement United States History class, a class previously offered at SHS. The online course is taught by SHS social studies teacher Angelo Jardina.
“I don’t think the program was set up well enough,” Bargfrede said. “I’m not sure if it would have been different if we were taught how to use it.” SHS junior Olivia Thayer uses Virtual High School to get ahead for college. She plans to major in secondary education with a double major in history and English. To be best prepared, she is doubling up on these courses at SHS. Students are able to take classes beyond what we are able to offer here,” said SHS guidance counselor Heather Toth of the benefits of online classes. “For the school, that’s an advantage because students are able to take classes that are interesting to them.”
A native of Edison, New Jersey, Schuck moved to Springfield during seventh grade when her father changed jobs.
I love mathletes. My coach is Mrs. Marlene Allen. I’m playing Queen Aggravain in our spring musical, Once Upon a Mattress.
Jeanice Garfield registers SHS seniors in early February. The school budget squeaked by in early March.
Vermont Public School Dropout and High School Completion Report. “I don’t like it,” said guidance counselor Kelly Ryan. “It’s a no-win situation. The kids don’t win and the school doesn’t win. It gives a bad image of our school to the community.” SHS Assistant Principal Zach Mclaughlin hopes to create a Hall of Fame with recently-donated funds. The Hall of Fame would feature photos of successful SHS graduates. SHS Principal Bob Thibault intends to institute an exit interview in the drop-out process to give school officials insight. The first of these options involves the Precision Valley Program, a program for students who are unsuccessful in a traditional classroom setting. PVP is largely project-based with learning enhanced by field trips. Additionally, SHS officials offer the High School Completion program.
Art teacher Lisa Murray is pleased with the block schedule. “We are hoping that [the block scheduling] increased class time will help the problems from the eight-period day.” Murray also hopes teachers will be more inventive with the block schedule. “I’m hoping teachers will be more creative in an 90 minute class,” she said. English teacher Kevin Coen has mixed feelings about the options of eight periods or block scheduling. “ I don’t like how frazzled I get from a 45-minute eight period day,” said Coen. Junior Derrick Grailich is unhappy with the block schedule. “Not a good idea,” Grailich said, “There is too much time in class and kids probably won’t focus.”
SHS Spanish teacher Rina Barreda encourages students to enroll in the Spanish classes offered at the high school because of the great importance of the language.
We should have a seven day week and a longer summer break," said Springfield High School senior Forest Jade. "It would never happen, though, because everyone wants satisfaction now." Springfield School District Superintendent Frank Perotti keeps an open mind when he considers changes to the school week. “Challenge for Change was going to ask Springfield to reduce our budget by over $2.5 million," he said. "Savings [with a 4-day school week] come through shutting down utilities for 20 percent of the time, less transportation, less fuel, some savings in support and maintenance, staff time, cafeteria savings, and things of that sort.” “I would have no problem rolling with it [the 4-day school week]," social studies teacher Jeff Lavin said. “There are lots of advantages to a four day school week,” said English teacher Ed Wilkins. pringfield High School math teacher John Dean’s third period Advanced Placement Statistics class split up into groups in late November to do their own independent studies on any topic of their choosing.
But one group decided to dig deeper into the personal lives--the sex lives--SHS students. Senior Laurel Porter is revolted by this rate of sexual activity. “Too many people have sex all the time, everywhere," said Porter. “It [sex] hurts people both physically and mentally.” Senior Courtney Downing thinks that based on the population of students at SHS, the pregnancy rate is too high. Everywhere you look, it seems, young girls are having more babies. SHS health teacher Ruth Haskell finds that kids have a hard time getting access to different types of birth control since Planned Parenthood closed in Springfield. Planned Parenthood closed in Springfield because of the economy, which troubles most non-profit organizations.
Springfield High School sophomore Isaiah Handly believes schools should start later, around 8:30 am. “That’s the time I usually wake up on my own,” said Handly. “Even if I oversleep [on school days] 8:30 is the time I usually wake up and get to school anyway.” Springfield High School nurse Wendy Reeves encounters about two or three sleepy students on a daily basis. Junior Alaina Orth, who started in goal for the school's girls soccer team, believes that high schools should start later. She thinks that a reasonable start time would be around 9:15 am.
Students are sensitive about a change in homework policy. Some feel that though the homework is practice, they should get a grade to provide incentive to do the work that teachers have assigned to them. Junior Taylor Fontaine said, "If I take time out of my night to do the homework that my teachers assign to me, I expect that in return they will take time to give me a grade for my effort."
"I believe, along with many others, that teachers should take the time to grade the homework they assigned us, especially if we took the time to do it,” concluded senior Ryan Gottschalk. “It's not fair otherwise."
Valentine’s Day. Yet not only was the spirit of love found in the Hallmark stores this February 14th, but also in the halls of Springfield High School. “It’s exciting,” said senior Desmond Dana. “Everyone’s happy and friendly because it’s a holiday about love.” Highlighted by the SHS French Club, young people enthusiastically spread the love. For others, like senior Max Blake, a mix tape of classic love songs represented the perfect way.
Springfield High School hosted the Annual District Music Festival on February 5th at 3:00 pm in the high school auditorium. This festival
included high school choir, high school jazz band, and middle school regular band. SHS Music Director Jim Chlebek (left) and Riverside Middle School Director Cindy Hughes acted as hosts for the festival.
A trip to the zoo. Liza Fontaine and Alexandra
Johnstone relax in their leopard and zebra print Snuggies.
No time to make dinner? Have nothing to eat? Running late? Just in the mood for it? Most people take the easy way out and cruise through the drive-through at McDonald's. But the question remains, “Is it worth it?”
“When I’m busy and my family doesn’t feel like making a real dinner," said junior Eric White, "it’s so much easier to go out." “It’s not good for me to eat because of all the grease and fat” said freshman Meghan Thomas, “and it just slows me down.” “It’s revolting,“ said senior Alexis Locke. “No one should be eating meat that can't even walk and the quality of meat is terrible. People don’t gain any nutritional value.” The ubiquitous cheeseburger at a billion plus one. Holly Hooke knocks down another one.
And loves it.
Though the racial slur nigger appeared endlessly in the South as depicted realistically in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which chronicles the picaresque descent of Huckleberry and slave, Jim, down the Mississippi River in the 1830s, the word remains entirely uncomfortable to say, discuss, or teach in 2011 English classrooms. At least a few SHS teachers find the word nigger to be instrumental to students’ understanding the realities of the 19th Century Missouri River region. Jennifer Dodge, language team leader, feels that omitting the word is detrimental because of its importance in the story of Huck Finn. “Huck uses the word in the beginning,” she said. “His use shows how Huck was raised and how society used the word.” Freshman English teacher Rebecca Skrypeck agrees with Wilkins. “There are a ton of other things, books, television, music, movies that are written today that should be censored,” she said. “Censoring Twain is like censoring history.
Chinese New Year is celebrated on a different day each year because Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese calendar.
Seniors ask many questions: What do I bring to college? Should I pack up my closet? Should I bring those plastic drawers from Wal-Mart? “Bring comforts from home,” said 2008 Springfield High School graduate Heather Rinder, a junior at Syracuse University, in an email. “Pictures of friends, favorite knick-knacks for your desk.” Rinder brought a My Little Pony.
“Bring money,” 2008 SHS graduate Kristen Fuller added in an email. “College is an amazing time where you're constantly meeting new people and, of course, wanting to do new things. Everything costs money. Or bring a pen and be ready to fill out part time job applications.”
The worst bathroom problems are usually reported to the main office. “I hear about three or four problems a month,” said main office secretary Jean Stocker. “And it’s usually deliberate vandalism in the bathrooms, including graffiti and toilet overflows.” Ashleigh Bone and I are fundraising,” said sophomore Saiana Pianka, who wants to improve SHS bathrooms. “Because we think it’s a good way for Springfield High School students to show that we think some things need to change.” Pianka and Bone have been fundraising to improve the bathrooms by creating the Student Renewal Project club. “I don’t use the bathrooms here because they are disgusting,” said senior Cody Kimball.
Elm Hill first grader Thomas Dedrick is a budding little artist, and he was the child I chose to talk to.
Dedrick announced that, in his opinion, the best thing about art is that you get to draw. Dedrick prefers making art at home rather than in a structured art class, “because I don’t get to draw what I want at school.”
“I really like to paint,” said Dedrick when he was asked about his favored medium. “My favorite thing to paint is my imaginations.”
Kids get into competition,” Springfield High School Student Council Advisor Liz Goddard said before the Winter Carnival. “And we hope that it will help students bond as a class.”
After last year’s record of 4-17, and with only five returning varsity players, second year Springfield High School girls varsity basketball coach Brodie Ladue knew this season wasn't going to be easy. But after topping Bellows Falls 52-24, and turning in close games with Oxbow and Fair Haven the Cosmos proved early that this year would be different. “I think this season will be good,” said senior co-captain and point guard Desmond Dana in December. “I hope that we beat the teams we had close games with last year, and that we all improve as a team.” Due to a new rule by the VPA (Vermont Principals Association) the regular season didn't start until after Thanksgiving break. This left the Cosmos with only three weeks of conditioning and practicing before their season opener. Last year, the Cosmos graduated five seniors, including three starters. Six previous JV players, including juniors Emma Esty, Kristin Cook, Larissa Bargefredge and sophomores Abi Cox and Jill Rushton were added to the roster. Senior captains Dana and Brittany Grant-Paul would lead the squad while juniors Liza Fountaine and Jenna Paul would be depended on for their shooting ability.
“We lost a lot of good players from last year,” said junior forward Morgan Johnson, before the season got underway. “But I think that we’ll have a good season. I think we will have a better record than last year.”
Unfortunately, the team had a significant injury list in the person of last year's co-captain, senior Chelsea Howland. Howland was unable to play due to a knee injury, which she had operated on in early winter. Junior Sarah Gray rotates on defense to close down a scoring lane.
Brittany Grant-Paul lines up during a foul shot. Free throws spelled victory for the Cosmos against Milton. Brittany Grant-Paul lines up during a foul shot. Free throws spelled victory for the Cosmos against Milton. Sophomore Jill Rushton was the leading scorer for the Cosmos with 6 points. Junior forward Morgan Johnson led the Cosmos with 19 points while sophomore Abi Cox added 18.
Megan Courchesne kicks aside the stereotype about girls in sports. “It’s a problem because more people go to guys competitions than girls,” said junior Taylor Fountaine. “Guys games are faster and there’s more excitement. I think that’s why girls sports get ridiculed.” “I don’t think they can be compared record wise in sports,” said sophomore Kirby Goodrich as she considers comparing girls and boys sports. “But they both have the same competitions, so they should be given the same attention.”
“Honestly, guy sports have a higher advantage than girls sports,” added junior Taylor Fountaine. “The competition between girls just isn’t as tough as guys. Guys just make better plays, like dunking and stuff.” “I think sports for girls are extremely important no matter what sport they enjoy," concluded SHS Athletic Director Nicole Therrien.
Recently, Ben Davis, son of Springfield High School teacher John Davis, brought his story of diet success to SHS. Ben’s story started with depression, and a decision to change his life. Over two years later, Ben is 127 pounds lighter, and most important, happier. Ben’s first step to weight loss was the decision to change his lifestyle. He achieved his goal through running. Initially he started small by running short distances, then built up to a 5K. In 2010, he ran the Boston Marathon. He has also competed in an Ironman, which combines a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. After training with brother Jed Davis and his father, Springfield PVP teacher John Davis, this family team competed in 5Ks, half marathons, marathons, and an Ironman (a triathlon held in Kentucky). Davis started his blog, Ben Does Life on Tumblr to assure that he would stay on track, since other people, including his grandmother, would be reading about his weight loss journey. Davis couldn’t disappoint these people in his life. Thus he stayed accountable.
It’s been two years and two months since the 358-pound, 5’ 11” Davis started shedding the weight. His weight in early February 2011 was about 230 pounds. Davis is comfortable with his weight now.
How does snow make you feel, and what do you do during snow days?
Junior Chelsea Carlton
“I love the snow; it makes me feel happy. I love skiing. Snow days, I go sledding and go out and play with my little cousins.”
Freshman Alex Hall
“It’s cold, so I like staying inside to be warm. I watch movies or go on the computer.”
Sophomore Erika Christman
“It makes me feel yucky and not happy. On snow days, I watch movies.”
Junior Hali Bailey
“Cold, but I like to explore when I see snow. On snow days I go snowboarding and spend time with family.”
School Nurse Sierra Kent
“It makes me feel happy. It’s very pretty, but then I have to shovel. I sleep in, sled, read, and go on Facebook.”
Network Technician Matt Hanson
“If I told you, they’d put me in a little padded room. Slippers are nice, though. On snow days, I turn my room into a cave and sleep as long as possible.”
“I don’t think the program was set up well enough,” Bargfrede said. “I’m not sure if it would have been different if we were taught how to use it.” SHS junior Olivia Thayer uses Virtual High School to get ahead for college. She plans to major in secondary education with a double major in history and English. To be best prepared, she is doubling up on these courses at SHS. Students are able to take classes beyond what we are able to offer here,” said SHS guidance counselor Heather Toth of the benefits of online classes. “For the school, that’s an advantage because students are able to take classes that are interesting to them.”
A native of Edison, New Jersey, Schuck moved to Springfield during seventh grade when her father changed jobs.
I love mathletes. My coach is Mrs. Marlene Allen. I’m playing Queen Aggravain in our spring musical, Once Upon a Mattress.
Jeanice Garfield registers SHS seniors in early February. The school budget squeaked by in early March.
Vermont Public School Dropout and High School Completion Report. “I don’t like it,” said guidance counselor Kelly Ryan. “It’s a no-win situation. The kids don’t win and the school doesn’t win. It gives a bad image of our school to the community.” SHS Assistant Principal Zach Mclaughlin hopes to create a Hall of Fame with recently-donated funds. The Hall of Fame would feature photos of successful SHS graduates. SHS Principal Bob Thibault intends to institute an exit interview in the drop-out process to give school officials insight. The first of these options involves the Precision Valley Program, a program for students who are unsuccessful in a traditional classroom setting. PVP is largely project-based with learning enhanced by field trips. Additionally, SHS officials offer the High School Completion program.
Art teacher Lisa Murray is pleased with the block schedule. “We are hoping that [the block scheduling] increased class time will help the problems from the eight-period day.” Murray also hopes teachers will be more inventive with the block schedule. “I’m hoping teachers will be more creative in an 90 minute class,” she said. English teacher Kevin Coen has mixed feelings about the options of eight periods or block scheduling. “ I don’t like how frazzled I get from a 45-minute eight period day,” said Coen. Junior Derrick Grailich is unhappy with the block schedule. “Not a good idea,” Grailich said, “There is too much time in class and kids probably won’t focus.”
SHS Spanish teacher Rina Barreda encourages students to enroll in the Spanish classes offered at the high school because of the great importance of the language.
We should have a seven day week and a longer summer break," said Springfield High School senior Forest Jade. "It would never happen, though, because everyone wants satisfaction now." Springfield School District Superintendent Frank Perotti keeps an open mind when he considers changes to the school week. “Challenge for Change was going to ask Springfield to reduce our budget by over $2.5 million," he said. "Savings [with a 4-day school week] come through shutting down utilities for 20 percent of the time, less transportation, less fuel, some savings in support and maintenance, staff time, cafeteria savings, and things of that sort.” “I would have no problem rolling with it [the 4-day school week]," social studies teacher Jeff Lavin said. “There are lots of advantages to a four day school week,” said English teacher Ed Wilkins. pringfield High School math teacher John Dean’s third period Advanced Placement Statistics class split up into groups in late November to do their own independent studies on any topic of their choosing.
But one group decided to dig deeper into the personal lives--the sex lives--SHS students. Senior Laurel Porter is revolted by this rate of sexual activity. “Too many people have sex all the time, everywhere," said Porter. “It [sex] hurts people both physically and mentally.” Senior Courtney Downing thinks that based on the population of students at SHS, the pregnancy rate is too high. Everywhere you look, it seems, young girls are having more babies. SHS health teacher Ruth Haskell finds that kids have a hard time getting access to different types of birth control since Planned Parenthood closed in Springfield. Planned Parenthood closed in Springfield because of the economy, which troubles most non-profit organizations.
Springfield High School sophomore Isaiah Handly believes schools should start later, around 8:30 am. “That’s the time I usually wake up on my own,” said Handly. “Even if I oversleep [on school days] 8:30 is the time I usually wake up and get to school anyway.” Springfield High School nurse Wendy Reeves encounters about two or three sleepy students on a daily basis. Junior Alaina Orth, who started in goal for the school's girls soccer team, believes that high schools should start later. She thinks that a reasonable start time would be around 9:15 am.
Students are sensitive about a change in homework policy. Some feel that though the homework is practice, they should get a grade to provide incentive to do the work that teachers have assigned to them. Junior Taylor Fontaine said, "If I take time out of my night to do the homework that my teachers assign to me, I expect that in return they will take time to give me a grade for my effort."
"I believe, along with many others, that teachers should take the time to grade the homework they assigned us, especially if we took the time to do it,” concluded senior Ryan Gottschalk. “It's not fair otherwise."
Valentine’s Day. Yet not only was the spirit of love found in the Hallmark stores this February 14th, but also in the halls of Springfield High School. “It’s exciting,” said senior Desmond Dana. “Everyone’s happy and friendly because it’s a holiday about love.” Highlighted by the SHS French Club, young people enthusiastically spread the love. For others, like senior Max Blake, a mix tape of classic love songs represented the perfect way.
Springfield High School hosted the Annual District Music Festival on February 5th at 3:00 pm in the high school auditorium. This festival
included high school choir, high school jazz band, and middle school regular band. SHS Music Director Jim Chlebek (left) and Riverside Middle School Director Cindy Hughes acted as hosts for the festival.
A trip to the zoo. Liza Fontaine and Alexandra
Johnstone relax in their leopard and zebra print Snuggies.
No time to make dinner? Have nothing to eat? Running late? Just in the mood for it? Most people take the easy way out and cruise through the drive-through at McDonald's. But the question remains, “Is it worth it?”
“When I’m busy and my family doesn’t feel like making a real dinner," said junior Eric White, "it’s so much easier to go out." “It’s not good for me to eat because of all the grease and fat” said freshman Meghan Thomas, “and it just slows me down.” “It’s revolting,“ said senior Alexis Locke. “No one should be eating meat that can't even walk and the quality of meat is terrible. People don’t gain any nutritional value.” The ubiquitous cheeseburger at a billion plus one. Holly Hooke knocks down another one.
And loves it.
Though the racial slur nigger appeared endlessly in the South as depicted realistically in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which chronicles the picaresque descent of Huckleberry and slave, Jim, down the Mississippi River in the 1830s, the word remains entirely uncomfortable to say, discuss, or teach in 2011 English classrooms. At least a few SHS teachers find the word nigger to be instrumental to students’ understanding the realities of the 19th Century Missouri River region. Jennifer Dodge, language team leader, feels that omitting the word is detrimental because of its importance in the story of Huck Finn. “Huck uses the word in the beginning,” she said. “His use shows how Huck was raised and how society used the word.” Freshman English teacher Rebecca Skrypeck agrees with Wilkins. “There are a ton of other things, books, television, music, movies that are written today that should be censored,” she said. “Censoring Twain is like censoring history.
Chinese New Year is celebrated on a different day each year because Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese calendar.
Seniors ask many questions: What do I bring to college? Should I pack up my closet? Should I bring those plastic drawers from Wal-Mart? “Bring comforts from home,” said 2008 Springfield High School graduate Heather Rinder, a junior at Syracuse University, in an email. “Pictures of friends, favorite knick-knacks for your desk.” Rinder brought a My Little Pony.
“Bring money,” 2008 SHS graduate Kristen Fuller added in an email. “College is an amazing time where you're constantly meeting new people and, of course, wanting to do new things. Everything costs money. Or bring a pen and be ready to fill out part time job applications.”
The worst bathroom problems are usually reported to the main office. “I hear about three or four problems a month,” said main office secretary Jean Stocker. “And it’s usually deliberate vandalism in the bathrooms, including graffiti and toilet overflows.” Ashleigh Bone and I are fundraising,” said sophomore Saiana Pianka, who wants to improve SHS bathrooms. “Because we think it’s a good way for Springfield High School students to show that we think some things need to change.” Pianka and Bone have been fundraising to improve the bathrooms by creating the Student Renewal Project club. “I don’t use the bathrooms here because they are disgusting,” said senior Cody Kimball.
Elm Hill first grader Thomas Dedrick is a budding little artist, and he was the child I chose to talk to.
Dedrick announced that, in his opinion, the best thing about art is that you get to draw. Dedrick prefers making art at home rather than in a structured art class, “because I don’t get to draw what I want at school.”
“I really like to paint,” said Dedrick when he was asked about his favored medium. “My favorite thing to paint is my imaginations.”
Kids get into competition,” Springfield High School Student Council Advisor Liz Goddard said before the Winter Carnival. “And we hope that it will help students bond as a class.”
After last year’s record of 4-17, and with only five returning varsity players, second year Springfield High School girls varsity basketball coach Brodie Ladue knew this season wasn't going to be easy. But after topping Bellows Falls 52-24, and turning in close games with Oxbow and Fair Haven the Cosmos proved early that this year would be different. “I think this season will be good,” said senior co-captain and point guard Desmond Dana in December. “I hope that we beat the teams we had close games with last year, and that we all improve as a team.” Due to a new rule by the VPA (Vermont Principals Association) the regular season didn't start until after Thanksgiving break. This left the Cosmos with only three weeks of conditioning and practicing before their season opener. Last year, the Cosmos graduated five seniors, including three starters. Six previous JV players, including juniors Emma Esty, Kristin Cook, Larissa Bargefredge and sophomores Abi Cox and Jill Rushton were added to the roster. Senior captains Dana and Brittany Grant-Paul would lead the squad while juniors Liza Fountaine and Jenna Paul would be depended on for their shooting ability.
“We lost a lot of good players from last year,” said junior forward Morgan Johnson, before the season got underway. “But I think that we’ll have a good season. I think we will have a better record than last year.”
Unfortunately, the team had a significant injury list in the person of last year's co-captain, senior Chelsea Howland. Howland was unable to play due to a knee injury, which she had operated on in early winter. Junior Sarah Gray rotates on defense to close down a scoring lane.
Brittany Grant-Paul lines up during a foul shot. Free throws spelled victory for the Cosmos against Milton. Brittany Grant-Paul lines up during a foul shot. Free throws spelled victory for the Cosmos against Milton. Sophomore Jill Rushton was the leading scorer for the Cosmos with 6 points. Junior forward Morgan Johnson led the Cosmos with 19 points while sophomore Abi Cox added 18.
Megan Courchesne kicks aside the stereotype about girls in sports. “It’s a problem because more people go to guys competitions than girls,” said junior Taylor Fountaine. “Guys games are faster and there’s more excitement. I think that’s why girls sports get ridiculed.” “I don’t think they can be compared record wise in sports,” said sophomore Kirby Goodrich as she considers comparing girls and boys sports. “But they both have the same competitions, so they should be given the same attention.”
“Honestly, guy sports have a higher advantage than girls sports,” added junior Taylor Fountaine. “The competition between girls just isn’t as tough as guys. Guys just make better plays, like dunking and stuff.” “I think sports for girls are extremely important no matter what sport they enjoy," concluded SHS Athletic Director Nicole Therrien.
Recently, Ben Davis, son of Springfield High School teacher John Davis, brought his story of diet success to SHS. Ben’s story started with depression, and a decision to change his life. Over two years later, Ben is 127 pounds lighter, and most important, happier. Ben’s first step to weight loss was the decision to change his lifestyle. He achieved his goal through running. Initially he started small by running short distances, then built up to a 5K. In 2010, he ran the Boston Marathon. He has also competed in an Ironman, which combines a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. After training with brother Jed Davis and his father, Springfield PVP teacher John Davis, this family team competed in 5Ks, half marathons, marathons, and an Ironman (a triathlon held in Kentucky). Davis started his blog, Ben Does Life on Tumblr to assure that he would stay on track, since other people, including his grandmother, would be reading about his weight loss journey. Davis couldn’t disappoint these people in his life. Thus he stayed accountable.
It’s been two years and two months since the 358-pound, 5’ 11” Davis started shedding the weight. His weight in early February 2011 was about 230 pounds. Davis is comfortable with his weight now.
How does snow make you feel, and what do you do during snow days?
Junior Chelsea Carlton
“I love the snow; it makes me feel happy. I love skiing. Snow days, I go sledding and go out and play with my little cousins.”
Freshman Alex Hall
“It’s cold, so I like staying inside to be warm. I watch movies or go on the computer.”
Sophomore Erika Christman
“It makes me feel yucky and not happy. On snow days, I watch movies.”
Junior Hali Bailey
“Cold, but I like to explore when I see snow. On snow days I go snowboarding and spend time with family.”
School Nurse Sierra Kent
“It makes me feel happy. It’s very pretty, but then I have to shovel. I sleep in, sled, read, and go on Facebook.”
Network Technician Matt Hanson
“If I told you, they’d put me in a little padded room. Slippers are nice, though. On snow days, I turn my room into a cave and sleep as long as possible.”
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