eagle’s eyeto win certain superlatives. “i’m really happy that i won ‘most likely to make...

IndexPage 2:*AHS GirlsGymnastics

Team

Page 3:*Word on the Street:Trimesters

*Trimester Requestor

Page 4:*Variety

Show 2011

Page 5:*2011 AHS FootballSeason

*ImPACTTest

*TheJitters

Page 6:*Lucky to be a BostonSports Fan

*College Football Playoff

System

Page 7:*Relationships

Page 8:*Valentine’s Day

*Skype

Page 9:*The Truthabout EatingDisorders

0:*Dancing with the Stars

*Jersey Shore is Back

Page 11:*Was the New Facebook

Change a Good One?

*Netflix

*MacBookAir

EAGLE’S EYEWinter 2012 Edition #3

EAGLE’S EYE

Attleboro High School100 Rathbun Willard

DriveAttleboro, MA 02703Phone: 508-222-5150

Fax: 508-223-1579Web Address: <http:www.

attleboroschools.com>Principal:

Jeff NewmanSuperintendent:Dr. Pia Durkin

Senior SuperlativesBy: Allie Gamache

Starting from freshmanyear, students become knownfor certain things that stick withthem through their senior year.

When Nov. of senioryear comes around, the seniorsvote for other senior studentsto win certain superlatives.

“I’m really happy thatI won ‘most likely to make youlaugh’ because that’s what I dobest and I guess it’s what I’vebeen known for all throughouthigh school,” said CourtneyPanasuk (12).

Superlatives can beanything from friendliest toclass clown to best dressed,giving a wide range of winnersthrough the senior class.

“I won ‘most likely tobe caught looking in the mirror’and I think it’s really funny

because I care about how I lookfor school and if anyone saw meI probably would be looking inthe mirror,” said AndrewLuciano (12).

“Being class clown isreally funny to me becauseeveryone says I’m a funnyperson and I love making peoplelaugh and just being myself,”said Brooke Eklind (12).

But not all superlativesare just funny. Some mentionwhat people have done for theschool.

“I feel really proud thatI was acknowledged for all myhard work that I did for theschool. I really enjoyed doing itand hope everyone had a goodsenior year,” said NicoleDotzenrod (12).

The superlatives were announced Friday, Jan. 20, 2012 and thewinners are:Most likely to become an actor/actress: Matt Fyfe and BrianneAkers.Most Athletic: JJ Jolaoso and Ruby Courchesne.Most Artistic: Matt Estey and Breanna Belanger.Most Musical: John Clifford and Samantha Durant.Class Flirt: Ricky Or and Jennise Morin.Class Clown: Jeff DiCaccio and Brooke Eklind.Best Dancer: Ryan Kheng and Marina Ching.Best Dressed: Kevin McNamara and Ariana Faison.Best Smile: Ryan Chipman and Lauren Cheney.Best Eyes: Brian Souza and Karly Shea.Best Hair: Matt Borgellas and Christina D’Aguanno.Most Talkative: Chad Vignoni, Stacy Gillard and Jadali Burgess.Most likely to make you laugh: Reed Perry and CourtneyPanasuk.Most likely to be famous: Elijah Casey and Kari DiMarzio.Most likely to be caught looking in the mirror: Andrew Lucianoand Jill Kelly.The most school spirit: Ryan Howe and Lizzie Iadonisi.Most likely to get a driving citation: Tyler Lindsey and NicoleLee.The Quietest: Mike Cronin, Brianna and Rebecca Swierk.Most likely to brighten your day: Watson Oscar and MelanieRyder.Most likely to succeed: Brian Cox and Emily Mayer.Most likely to cure cancer: Cleveland White and Julia Levine.Most fun to be around: Zach Chicoine and Ashley Lameiras.Did the most for AHS: Tom Ferraro and Nicole Dotzenrod.Friendliest: Jake McKinnon and Jenny Burns.Best guy/guy friends: Matt Borgellas, Sean Coughlin and JJJolaoso.Best guy/girl friends: Tyler Champagne and Melissa McNulty.Best girl/girl friends: Taylor Beland and Jill Kelly.Cutest Couple: Troy Martins and Martha Durex.

Class of 2011’s Superlative yearbook pages

Pictures by: Nicole Dotzenrod

A Helping HandBy: Taylor Larson

Putting in enoughcommunity service hours canbe difficult for many highschool students, but this is notthe case for AHS juniorBethanne Milton. She had theopportunity to travel to theDominican Republic to lend herhand to people in need, and shedoesn’t plan on stoppinganytime soon. Milton talkedabout her inspiring experience.

Milton with children fromthe Dominican Republic

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Edition 3 Winter 2012

Bombardier News“A Helping

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Question: How did you getstarted in your trip to theDominican Republic?Answer: My mom, brother, andsister had all gone on trips withmy church and I always wantedto go, but I was never oldenough, so when I finally gotthe opportunity I jumped at it.Q: What is the name of yourchurch?A: The Assembly of God onNewport Ave. in SouthAttleboro.Q: Where have you traveledand how many times?A: I have been to the DominicanRepublic once and this summerI am going to Nicaragua.Q: How old were you when youwent to the DominicanRepublic?A: I went when I was 14 but Iturned 15 during the trip.Q: Where in the Dominican didyou stay?

A: We stayed in a pastor’shouse in San Francisco deMacoris.Q: How many people from yourchurch participated?A: There were 14 people.Q: What was the town youstayed in like?A: It was really poor. Thesewage system was on the sideof the street. Their “securitysystem” was a concrete wallaround their home with broken

glass sticking out from the topto keep people from trying tobreak in.Q: What tasks did your churchtake part in to help out thetown?A: We delivered rice to differentchurches in the area. We taughtBible stories, watched movies,did object lessons, playedgames, and gave out candy. Butthe winter team, that is made upof only adults, built a school

Map of Dominican Republic

AHS Girls Gymnastics TeamBy: Alanis Tirabassi

The AHS Girls Gymnastics team in a huddle beforetheir first meet against Mansfield High School

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The AHS GirlsGymnastic’s Team has highhopes for the 2011-2012 seasonas they face the competitiveHockomock League withthreats like Mansfield HighSchool as well as Sharon HighSchool. The team is looking toimprove their record from lastyear along with the All Aroundteam score.

“I think we are goingto do very well not only becauseof the amount of talent we have,but because we really click as ateam. Scoring a higher score ourfirst meet than all of last year’sscores shows that we reallyhave the perseverance toprosper in the upcoming meets.Hard work, cooperation, anddiligence will contribute to a

great season,” said our othercaptain, Ruby Courchesne (12).

In the 2010-2011season the Bombardier’sscored their highest all aroundteam score of a 129.4 againstthe King Philip Warriors athome. During the ladies firstmeet of the 2011-2012 seasonagainst Mansfield High school,the girls collectively scored a130.6 all around score.Although suffering a lossagainst MHS (135.55-130.6), theteam was happy, and hasalready beat their highest scorefrom last season, which was a129.4.

“I think this season isgoing to go really good for usas a team as long as we keepworking hard. We had a really

good showing againstMansfield while one of our bestgirls was hurt. I think it’ll be agood season if we can just keepit together,” said Meri Moreau(11), one of the teams all aroundgymnasts.

“I am actually prettyconfident that the team will turnout great! Our team is stronger

and more skilled than the pastyears which is a positive, sothere will be multiple wins tohope for,” said Brooke Eklind(12), one of the team captains.

This season the girl’steam had several meets againstthe Hockomock League’sMansfield, Sharon, NorthAttleboro, Oliver Ames, KingPhilip Regional, and Cantonhigh schools. The very last meetof the season, the HockomockLeague Championship, will beheld at Mansfield and KingPhilip’s home gym, Arnold’sGymnastics Academy, inMansfield.

“I think that thegymnastics team is going to dovery good because we have alot of hard working and talentedgirls,” said Hayley Ricci (9)recovering from an injury.

“The gymnastics teamthis season will be a force to bereckoned with because of ourdiversity of gymnasts,strength, and talent,” saidRachel Marcoccio (10), acompetitor on vault.

In the team’s secondmeet of the season againstNorth Attleboro, the girlscontinued to improve their allaround score, finishing at a

and church for them.Q: Did you interact with thechildren there a lot? If so, whatwere they like?A: Yeah, they were so grateful.They had the same types ofpersonalities as kids here, butthey didn’t complain. They allhad such big hearts. One kidtold my friend that he waited allyear for us to go back becausewe are his best friends.Q: What were the differencesin their culture and lifestyle thatreally stuck out to you?A: Family really is the mostimportant thing to them. Theymake you a part of their familyeven for the short time you arethere. What stood out evenmore is their lack of sense oftime. By that I mean they don’trush anything. They would say“Alright we are leaving to go tothe hill top in ten minutes,” andwe wouldn’t leave for an hourand a half.Q: What have you taken awayfrom the experience?A: It has given me people-experience that I never would

have gotten otherwise. Itshowed me how needy some ofthe people in the world are, butmost of all I learned that I needto keep going on these tripsbecause it really does make adifference. If all I did was bringa smile to one child’s face, orbring one child to Christ, it’s allworth it, because I helpedchange that child’s life.Q: What are you most lookingforward to about traveling toNicaragua this summer?A: I’m looking forward tomeeting the people, learningtheir culture, and just spendingtime with them.

Anyone is capable ofmaking a difference in their ownway; all it takes is initiating thatfirst step. Many churches andorganizations provide theopportunity to travel to under-privileged countries. For moreinformation on how to becomean active volunteer visit SouthAttleboro Assembly of God’swebsite (<http://saaog.net/>).

133.65 and winning their firstmeet of the season 133.65-127.15.

“This season our teamwill do amazing! We have greatteam contributors with loads oftalent,” said Nicolle St. Cyr (9)a competitor on floor, bars, andbeam.

The team’s third meetwas against Oliver Ames, atSpectrum Gymnastics Inc. inBrockton, Mass. The team islooking forward to improvingtheir record and to qualify in theMIAA sectionals in February.

Team members includeseniors Ruby Courchesne,Brooke Eklind, and Lisa Maher;juniors Allison Lavoie, MeriMoreau, Ali Jenson, MeganAspinwall, Katrina Ogden, andMonica Perdomo; sophomoresAlanis Tirabassi, RachelMarcoccio, Mackenzie Parker,Shira Pascal, and JessicaNguyen; and freshmen NicolleSt. Cyr, Hayley Ricci, SarahAyoub, Emily Belden, andJenny Aspinwall. The coachesare Noelle and Rich Butler.

To become a memberof the team in the 2012-2013season sign up in AthleticDirector Mr. Mark Houle’soffice.

Date: Time: Opponent: Score:Thursday 1/5 5 p.m. vs. Mansfield High school 130.6Friday 1/13 5 p.m. vs. North Attleboro High School 133.65Tuesday 1/24 5 p.m. vs. Canton High School 126.4Saturday 1/28 4:30 p.m. @ King Philip Regional High School 130.825Tuesday 1/31 7 p.m. vs. Oliver Ames High School 133.85Tuesday 2/7 7:30 p.m. @ Sharon High School 129.15

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Bombardier News

“I like the idea of trimesters because we will beable to take more classes. Blocks will also be less

time, and that’s nice.” Max Lancaster (10)

Word on the Street: TrimestersBy: Taylor Larson

Rumors are part of thehigh school experience. Oncestarted, they spread rapidly,and people have a tendencyto believe them, withoutknowing if they’re true.

At the beginning ofthis school year, studentsbegan to hear a rumor abouttrimesters. Even without muchknowledge on what“trimesters” meant for theschool or any confirmation onwhether or not the rumor was

true, students were sent into afrenzy. As the year progressed,the administration informedfaculty and students thattrimesters would indeed beinitiated for the 2012-2013school year.

Trimesters at AHS willmean that instead of having two90-day semesters with four 84minute blocks each, theschedule will be organized intothree 60-day sections with five

shorter classes each day.Ideally, this new system willallow students more flexibilityin electives and encouragemore participation in AP courseswith 15 blocks allotted to eachstudent a year instead of 8.

The level of difficultyof the class and whether it’s anelective or core class willdetermine how many trimestersthe class will last. For example,a college level elective would

only last a single trimester of 60days. An honors level coursewould be two trimesters for atotal of 120 days, while APcourses will continue for 180days or three trimesters.

Details regarding theCTE program’s classes, many ofwhich need consecutive blocksin a single trimester, and theorder that classes will appear inschedules, are still beingworked out. However, even with

this new information abouthow trimester schedules willplay out, students and facultyremain very opinionatedabout the topic.

Two of the mostcommon concerns with moreclasses are the increasedhomework and that scheduleswill be too confusing to follow.Many students are justanxious to see how trimesterswill directly affect them.

“I think trimesters are a good idea. The classes are goingto be shorter, who doesn’t want that? More electiveswill also make my schedule a little easier instead of allAP and Honors classes. I think once the issues are workedout, everyone will get used to trimesters. Some peoplemay like them more than others but it’ll become normalfor everyone,” said Emma Szczesny (11).

“I think trimesters are good because we cantake more classes,” said Madie Houle (11).

“I think it’s a bad decision because trimestersequal more homework and more courses foreveryone,” said Ann Spence (10).

“I’m against trimesters because it’s going to makethe classes shorter each day. It will turn into chaos,”said Kyle Gordon (10).

“I don’t want to be stuck in a CTE class for twohours when I can be taking other classes,” saidSam Annessi (11).

“Trimesters are good for students because theyallow for more student choices regarding electivesand AP courses,” said English teacher Mr. JamesClarke.

“I love it [trimesters]. I will see my students for moredays, 120 compared to 90. (Depending on the courseit could be 180 compared to 90). I feel that I sometimeswaste time with the 84 minute blocks, but on halfdays with 50 minutes I am all business,” said teachermath Mrs. Darbie Sawyer.

“The benefits are many. It addresses many of the concernsthat have come up over the past few years. They[trimesters] will allow greater access to our AP courses,greater access to the CTE program, greater access to theupper levels of foreign language, and greater access tocourses related to art and music. They will allow studentsa greater choice with five classes and provide moreelectives as students will see, and also gear choices forjuniors and seniors towards interests they plan to pursueafter high school. Hopefully it will allow us to do a betterjob tailoring to what students will need,” said assistantprincipal Mr. David Sawyer.

Students may stress moreover homework with

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Trimester RequestorBy: Jamie Johnson

When I first came toAttleboro High, I immediatelyliked the fact that there wereonly four classes in a day. Evenif they were close to two hourslong, it meant that I would onlyhave homework for fourclasses. Some days I wouldonly have homework for twoclasses, and then I would havethe rest of the day to dowhatever I wanted. Withtrimesters, however, there willbe five classes a day, meaningmore homework and lesspersonal time. Students already have

to balance so much:extracurricular activities,sports, community service,jobs, homework, etc. Now wehave to deal with another classadded to our already heavilyburdened schedules.

Also with trimesters,electives will be shortened fromone semester to a singletrimester. Some teachers barelyhave enough time to finish thematerial in a semester, nevermind in one trimester.

I know for a fact that Ilike electives better than regularclasses because they’reentertaining and students sign

up for them because they wantto take them, not like regularmath, English, science, andhistory courses, where it’smandatory that students take acertain number of classes inorder to graduate.

What about the factthat students now have to takegym all four years of highschool? Certain people lovegym while others do not. Whyshould it be mandatory for allstudents to take gym all fouryears? Gym will take up onetrimester for each year of highschool. It should be optional so

that people, who don’t enjoygym can opt out while thosewho do can gladly participate.

Foreign language willalso be required for two yearsof high school but collegesrecommend four years of thesame language. Trimesters areforcing students to participatein these classes, which take uptwo trimesters every year. Now,on top of all the mandatoryclasses, students will berequired to take a foreignlanguage as well, leaving littleroom for electives or theclasses they want to take.

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OpinionOpinion

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The Variety Show is an annual event thatshowcases skills of Attleboro High School students.This year it included people singing, rapping, acting,and rocking out on stage. In total it had 19 differentacts, nine in the beginning part of the show, then tenmore after the 15 minute intermission.

Members of the AHS Class of 2012 CouncilThe total money made goes to the senior class for theirgraduation events.

Math teacher Mr. Alan Weintraub and SATPrep teacher Mr. Jim Clarke were in charge. Therewas one host each for the junior and senior class. Thejunior class host was Armani Flores and the senior classhost was Elijah Casey.

The Variety ShowBy: Darvin Lopez

“I didn’t feel a bit nervous going up, I was more excited than anything.”

- Madison Thomas (10)

“My first time performing infront of people and I just did

my own thing.”-Terrance Gathers (10)

“I think we did good with the little rehersal we had and I justwent out their and have fun dancing with my friends.”

- Monica Sar (9)

“I did exactly what I did atMr. AHS and I will continue

dancing for everyone.”-Dara Sim (10)

“ I have been performing infront of the school for a while I’mglad I’ve done it over the years.”

-Matt Leblanc (12)

Diana Sar, Monica Sar, Alyna Oul

Performed withNick Flickfelt

“I have beenplaying guitar for a

while I just wanted toshow everyone what

I can do.”- Joey Pignatone (9)


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Anthony Casadonte

Ali Jenson

“It was an honor to be chosen by myclassmates and teachers to be a host forthe variety show,” said Elijah Casey (12).

JustinGiroir

Alyssa Germaine

R.J Hall

Ariana Debairos

Project Unite

Megan Cirino

Other Performers:Ta’Shana BrownYolanda BoatengShannon Fisk

Crystal AldanaJakob Carlson &Gage Killion

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Sports2011 AHS Football Season

By: Tim Walsh

AHS Varsity Football Team in a huddle before playing against Feehan

The Blue Bombardiersof Attleboro had a winningseason but a disappointing oneat the same time, due to thepreseason expectations of teammembers.

“We had highexpectations for this seasonand overall, we did not meetthem. It just goes to show youthat hard work and disciplinepay off, two of ourweaknesses,” said Captain andquarterback Chris Walsh (12).

That was the story ofthe 2011 AHS football season.As most fans would agree, itwas overall a disappointingseason for the Big Blue, endingwith a 7-4 record, not what teammembers predicted.

“Before the seasoneven began I was thinking wewere going to have a historicteam with all of our talent. I hadus at about 10-1,” said Walsh.

The loss to Dartmouthin the second game of theseason immediately broughtplayoff hopes down. Mansfieldhanded the Bombardiers theirsecond loss as the team almostgave up on those hopes.

“Our team wasdefinitely sad after the loss toMansfield; it was verydevastating for us. We knewthat two losses in theHockomock wasn’t going tocut it, which was hard to accept

because of our highexpectations for this year” saiddefensive tackle JakeMcKinnon (12).

The offense this yearwas good. Attleboro had manyweapons but only scored anaverage of 21 points per game.

Malique Clark (11), J.J.Jolaoso (12), Tyler Lindsey (12),Chris Walsh (12), ClevelandWhite (12), Zach Schwieger (12)and others scored during theseason. The combination ofspeed around the edges andstrong, powerful linemen putforth a good offensive season.

“Offensively, we wereexplosive at times and had agood balance of the run and thepass, led by our senior class,”said Coach Mr. KevinDeschenes.

On the defensive sideof the ball, Coach Matt Boshdid a solid job in preparing theteam for each game. Thedefense allowed on averageabout 16 points per game, whichis a job well done against thepowerful Hockomock offensesAttleboro faced throughout theyear.

Seniors BrandonMooney, Sean Coughlin, MattBorgellas, Chad Vignoni, andZach Morrison led the defense.

“The defense was

aggressive and improved fromlast year with valuablecontributions from ourdefensive linemen, linebackers,and defensive backs, whosurrendered 180 points thisseason in a bend-don’t-breakdefense, as opposed to lastyear’s 256 points allowed,” saidDeschenes.

With the top stats ofthe season, Clark had 1,063yards on the ground and 319yards receiving. Histouchdown total was 15 (10rushing and 5 receiving).

Jolaoso totaled 502rushing yards and 114 receivingyards. He had eighttouchdowns, all of themrushing.

Walsh threw for 851yards and ran for 212. Hispassing touchdown total wasnine and rushing touchdowntotal was two.

On the defensive side,Mooney led the team with 89total tackles and one sack,White had three interceptions,and Walsh had two.

Defensive end ShawnReardon (10) led the team withtwo forced fumbles and twofumble recoveries.

Three sets of brotherswere on the team this year: Rayand Joe Russas, Luke and ZachMorrison and Chris and TimWalsh. Chris, Zach and Ray areall seniors while Luke, Joe andTim are sophomores.

“It sure was a funseason to watch from thesidelines with both of my boyson the same team. Chris had alot of fun despite coming upshort on his expectations andTim had fun as well. The PAT’swere very fun to watch for meand now I only have one childleft in the system, it’ll be sad

without Chris there,” said Chrisand Tim’s mother, NancyannWalsh.

“We had a lot of greatgames this season andobviously we would like tohave some back, but the kidsfought hard all year. We startedoff good with the victory overFeehan, it really got us going,but even though we ended theseason with a disappointingloss to North Attleboro, theplayers had another winningseason at 7-4. As for the JV andFreshmen teams, they also hadwinning seasons, the JV at 10-0and Freshmen at 6-5. With allteams having winning seasons,we are looking to have moresuccess in the future,” saidDeschenes.

The season was awinning one and from the talkof the players, it was a fun one.

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ImPACT TestBy: Ben McAndrews

The Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment andCognitive Testing is now anecessity at Attleboro HighSchool for sports. The testassists athletic trainers andphysicians in deciding when aplayer can return to playing aftera concussion.

The test is extremelyimportant because if playersreturn to playing before fullyrecovering, it can affect the restof their lives.

A concussion is abump to the head that isphysically unnoticeable. Thetest checks the five majorabilities of the brain that couldbe affected by a concussion:attention span, workingmemory, sustained andselective attention time,response variability, andreaction time. AHS AthleticDirector Mr. Mark Houle said,“A lot of the recourses show ithelps the well being of thestudents,” adding, “It has givenus a tool that helps assess theinjuries of our athletes.”

Concussions are morecommon than most people

think. According to the ArizonaSports Concussion Center, tenpercent of all students whoparticipate in a contact sportreceive concussions. Footballplayers need to be especiallycareful because 63 percent ofall concussions come fromfootball according to ImPACTTest.com. Football linemanMatt Bray (10) said, “I’m gladthey will know for sure.”

All students arerequired to take the ImPACTtest before they can begin asport. After a player receives aconcussion he/she takes thetest again to see if there is adifference in the scores. If it is asubstantial difference then thecoaches and trainers know theplayer isn’t ready to come back.If the score is similar to the

original one, then the player isready to play again. AHS trackcoach Sandy Paon said, “If it isgoing to help the students thenI think it’s a great idea.”

The test, well trustedand proven to show symptomsof a concussion, is used by highschools across the nation, andthroughout sports including theNFL, NHL, and U.S. soccerteams. Josh Silva (10) said, “Iwill definitely feel better aboutcoming back if I ever got aconcussion.”

Students appreciatethe fact that the school is doingmore to provide safety for them.A baseball and basketball playerAidan Debeau (10) said, “I thinkit’s a good idea, because if I evergot hurt I would want them to

be sure that I could come back.”

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The JittersBy: Alanis Tirabassi

(Left to right) Katrina Ogden, Alanis Tirabassi, andAllison Lavoie relaxing after performing floor

routines

At one time or anothereveryone experiences “thejitters.” Whether it’s before abig game, an important test, ora presentation, the jitters arepart of life. For some people,having the butterflies can causestress, or throw off theirconcentration.

When nerves start toset in, they aren’t too intense.Over thinking every possiblesituation can make anxietyworse, especially the closer the

event comes, which onlyincreases those butterflies.

“I get nervoussometimes during track, butonly when I know the otherteam has a really good opponentgoing against me,” said OliviaMayer (10).

Many people whobecome nervous deal with theirnerves differently. For some

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Sports Editorials

what they eat, wear, or listen tobefore the event can help themovercome the jitters. Whatworks for one person may notwork for another.

“I get nervous beforefield hockey games. I have tolisten to certain songs becauseit pumps me up,” said AlexaHarvey (10).

Meri Moreau (11) said,“I always eat pasta the nightbefore a gymnastics’ meet, andbefore competing I visualize myroutines.”

“One ritual I do beforea field hockey game is to wearthe same ribbon and hair elasticI wore when I scored my firstgoal,” said Mackenzie Parker(10).

Having the jitters onlyhappens sometimes and forsome people, but whenimportant people are watchingthe worries kick in. When partof a team, it’s important not towant to disappoint teammates/coaches, or anyone important

“Jitters”Continued from page 5

such as college scouts orfamily.

“I get nervous beforeevery gymnastics meetbecause not only is it a solosport but it is also a team sport,and I don’t want to let myteammates or coaches down,”said Rachel Marcoccio (10).

Another reasonpeople become nervous iswhen they are striving to dotheir best. Trying to beat anindividual best is a challenge.“I get nervous before everytrack meet, because I mightmess up or let my team down,but I try to stay positive andthink that I can beat them andtry not to think of how theycould be better. I always try toget my PR (personal best),”said Janessa Rollins-Santos(10).

Once the big event isover, the jitters settle down anddisappear but they are sure toreturn. Try listening to relaxingmusic, eating somethinghealthy, taking a short walk, ormost importantly, thinkingpositive thoughts to help calmnerves.

Lucky to be a Boston Sports FanBy: Ben McAndrews

Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics cha,pion trophies

Boston has a lot ofsuccess when it comes tosports. Boston teams havecollected 34 totalchampionships since 1914,which trails only New Yorkwith 55.

Fans have beenlucky to have a Red Sox teamthat won the World Series in2004 that ended the “curse.”Since then the team has beenone of the best teams in theMajor Leagues. Boston wonthe World Series again in 2007.“Since I have been alive, I haveseen the Red Sox win twoWorld Series.” Said AttleboroHigh School SophomoreAidan Debeau.

The Boston Celticshave a total of 17championships, which is themost in the NBA. The Celticsmost recent win was in 2008where the team beat the LosAngeles Lakers. The “BigThree” has made the Celtics abetter team. Since then the

Celtics have been a hard teamto beat. AHS sophomore TomCopithorne said, “The Celticshave become my favoriteBoston team because I like theway they always do well.”

The Bruins won themost recent Stanley Cup in2011, beating the VancouverCanucks in seven games to wintheir first Stanley Cup since1972. They are trying to make arun at a second straight StanleyCup victory.

AHS sophomore CamHutcheon said, “The Bruinshad a really good team last year

and they look really good thisyear too.”

The New EnglandPatriots have had the mostrecent success out of all ofthe New England teams,winning in 2002, 2004 and2005. The Patriots have themost Super BowlAppearances in the pasttwenty five years. NewEngland set the record for themost Super Bowl wins in adecade from 2001-2010 withthree. The Patriots are alsoplaying in the 2012 SuperBowl against the New YorkGiants on Feb. 5.

AHS sophomoreJarred McKearney said, “Weare really lucky to have teamsthat do as well as they do. I’mglad we don’t live in a placethat has terrible teams.”

In the last decadeBoston sports have hadseven championships, whichis more than any other city orstate.

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College Football Playoff SystemBy: Tim Walsh

The BowlChampionship Series (BCS)should implement a playoffsystem into college football.The bowl system does not givethe top teams in the nation anequal chance to make it to thenational championship becauseof their elaborate selectionsystem, leaving the teams ofnon-BCS conferences virtuallyout of the picture, even if theydon’t lose a game the entireseason.

The BCS decideswhich teams go to which bowlgames. The group has a processwith many qualifications todetermine these matchups,which is so complicated theyuse a computer.

“To this day I don’ttruly understand the BCSselection system, there are toomany components in theprocess for most sports fansto understand,” said BrandonPleas (10).

Boise State and TexasChristian University (TCU) aretwo teams that have not madethe national championshipbecause of the teams they playagainst and the conferencesthey are in. Both of these teamswent undefeated in a seasonbut still didn’t make thenational championship.

The BCS couldimplement a playoff stylesimilar to college basketball’s

March Madness, which gives 64teams an opportunity to showtheir best in a single eliminationtournament.

It would be a muchmore exciting way of deciding thenational champion because thereare always upset possibilities.For example, many peoplewanted George Mason to win thenational championship becauseof their low seed in 2006, orwanted Butler to win when theymade the Final Four in 2010.

George Mason endedup losing the first game in theFinal Four, but they had a verylow chance of winning in the firstplace because of their extremelylow eleven seed.

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As for Butler, theyreached the nationalchampionship and only lost bytwo points in a last secondthriller.

“The most memorabletime in college sports was thetime Butler played in thenational championship; I calledthem going and all my friendscan verify it. Upsets are thebest, there should be a playoffsystem for college football, it’dmake college football muchmore interesting,” said E.J.Santarpio (10).

“Butler in the nationalchampionship was one of themost exciting things that I havewitnessed in my life. It brought

to my attention that collegefootball should have playoffs.Upsets are the best, and collegefootball doesn’t give them theopportunity to happen,” saidBrandon Tetu (10).

“It’s the fans thatmatter in sports now, so as a fan,the playoff system is definitelysomething I would want.Football is all about theplayoffs; the best teams make itand the best team prevails. Theyshould give teams more of achance to prove they’re thebest,” said Thomas Burns (10).

Fans, fans, fans. That’swhat drives sports, so maybethe BCS will eventuallyconsider a new playoff system.

Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox, and Patriots logos

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Teen Life

Valentine’s DayBy: Heather Trask

At the beginning ofevery New Year, stores breakout the pink heart shaped boxesof expensive candy, dozens ofpink and red roses, and humansized stuffed animals meaningone thing – Valentine’s Day isaround the corner.

The day is named afteran early Christian martyr namedSaint Valentine, and wasestablished in 496 AD. The dayfirst became associated withromantic love in the middleages, when the tradition ofchivalrous love flourished.

Feb. 14 symbolizes aday of love with peopleshowing affection for oneanother by romantic dinners,lavish gifts, and cheesy lovecards known as “valentines.” Ifsomeone is in a relationship,celebrating Valentine’s Daycomes with the territory.

Valentine’s Day is thesecond largest card-exchangingholiday next to Christmas. It’sno wonder why according toQuestionfish.com, Hallmarkmade as much as $13.7 billionlast Valentine’s Day (<http://w w w. q u e s t i o n f i s h . c o m /askaquestion-3423>).

A survey of 100people, 50 females and 50 males,stretching across high schoolgrades, showed that 45 percentof teens enjoy Valentine’s Day,43 percent do not, and theother12 percent do not mind theholiday one way or another.

“I don’t hateValentine’s Day but it’s notreally my favorite holiday either,the day doesn’t feel anydifferent to me. I appreciate mygirlfriend every day and don’tfeel the need to just do it onthat one certain day,” saidAnthony Restrepo (10).

Out of 50 girls, 72percent were hopelessromantics and thought theholiday was all about love,while 18 percent feel that it’s areminder that they’re single andthat it’s pointless. Only 10percent stayed neutral on thissubject.

“It’s a pointlessholiday; you should appreciateyour significant other every daynot just that one day. It seemslike an excuse for couples toslack on showing that they loveeach other,” said CourtneyGirouard (12).

Out of 50 boys, only18 percent like spoiling and

showing appreciation for theirgirlfriends while 68 percent feelthat their girlfriends expectlavish gifts and that thisholiday has no point.

“It’s kind of like a stabat the single people, seeing allthe decorations and couplesexchanging gifts; it’s likeValentine’s Day is a crudereminder that you’re alone,”said Brendan Quilty (12).

On Valentine’s Day, 46percent of girls plan onspending time with theirboyfriends, 34 percent plan ondoing nothing, and 20 percentplan on hanging with friends.For boys, 62 percent plan onspending time with their

girlfriends while 38 percent planon doing nothing.

“Valentine’s Day isnothing special to me; it’shonestly just another day in myworld. I plan on going toschool, then work, thenhanging out with my boyfriendlike I do every other day,” saidDanielle Houle (11).

Money wise, 39percent of teens (girls andboys) are not sure on how muchthey’ll spend while 15 percentof teens plan on spendingbetween $50 and $100. 43percent of teens plan on notspending anything on gifts,while only 3 percent of girls

plan on spending between $10and $30.

“I don’t like spendinga ton of money on Valentine’sDay because it’s not that big ofa holiday, when I have agirlfriend I usually buy herflowers and a card,” said TomRobinson (9).

For gifts, 64 percent ofgirls prefer jewelry and flowers,22 percent of girls prefer candyor stuffed animals, and only 14percent of girls have nopreference. Making life moredifficult, 100 percent of boys arenot sure what they would likefor Valentine’s Day.

“I like when myboyfriend gets me somethingreally special for Valentine’sDay; we always do somethingspecial on that day, usually wego out to dinner and exchangegifts,” said Hailey Canning (9).

When it comes togiving, 58 percent of girls arenot sure what to give this year,24 percent plan on giving theirboyfriends something small butmeaningful, and 18 percent planon not giving anything. 67percent of guys prefer givingjewelry and flowers, only 16percent of boys enjoyshowering their girlfriend’s inall types of gifts, and 17 percentplan on spending nothing.

“I like giving mygirlfriend some type of jewelry,flowers, and something elsemeaningful; we’ve beentogether over two years nowand I love seeing her smile so Ispoil her as much as possible,”said Kevin Maggiore (11).

Whether it’s a hot airballoon ride with a romanticpicnic, a stay at home dinnerand a movie, or just a card witha love note, it’s important toremind your significant otherthat they’re special.

Gifts for Valentine’s Day

SkypeBy: Allie Gamache

Can’t be with a loved one this Valentine’s Day?Skype is a great way to connect

Want a way to stayconnected to someone whenyou’re hundreds or eventhousands of miles away? Allyou need is a computer, awebcam and yourself to begin.

Skype, rated thenumber one online conferencecall service according toGeekers Magazine.com is thebest way to stay connected.

Haley Arsenault (10)said, “I love using Skype. I useit a lot to talk to my friends andfamily.”

Elena Galindo (10)said, “I like the way I can stayconnected to people even whenthey are far away from me.”

Skype has manyaccessible features not only forthe computer, but also for mostcell phones. Also available fromSkype are calling mobiles orlandlines for just 2.3¢ perminute with Skype Credit. Ifsubscribing to Skype, there arefour choices to choose from,including Unlimited US andCanada, which is $2.99 a monthwith unlimited calls to theUnited States and Canada.

Unlimited NorthAmerica is $7.99 a month withunlimited calls to the UnitedStates, Canada and someMexican cities. Unlimited Worldis $13.99 a month has unlimitedcalls to North America and 40other countries, and UnlimitedWorld Extra is $19.99 a monthwith unlimited calls to 40 extracountries and $15 worth ofSkype credit.

Science teacher Ms.Deanea Wells-Scott said, “I useSkype to video chat mybrothers in Colorado. I useSkype with my son to video chathis grandparents who we don’tsee as much because they livein Florida.”

Calling Skype tomobile isn’t the only way Skypeworks. Skype works from PC to

PC for free. Download Skype bygoing to <http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/features/allfeatures/skype-to-skype-calls/> and clicking “getSkype.” The download processfor Skype takes about five-tenminutes. Once downloaded,Skype is usable and calls canbe made to anyone else who hasit.

Spanish teacher Mr.David Seavy uses Skypemobile. “I use Skype to talk tomy friends in Spain. I have anapp on my iPhone that allowsme to use it anywhere.”

Dean Mrs. AnnMontagano said, “I like the ideaof Skype, being able to use itbut I think parents shouldmonitor who they are skypingwith because it can bedangerous.”

The main questionasked when downloadingSkype is:

Q: My laptop/PCdoesn’t come with a webcam.

A: Most laptopstoday have built in webcams,but if yours doesn’t, webcamsare sold for as little at $20.Attachable webcams can beinserted into a USB port.

Skype can also beassessable for television. Formost Samsung and Panasonictelevisions, Skype can be easilydownloaded. The Panasonicincludes: HD video calling, full-screen video calling, andaccessing information, socialnetworks and more throughVieraCast™. Samsung includeshigh quality video calling, andaccessing to information,games, shopping, and more.

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RelationshipsHave you ever been in an unhealthy relationship? Think about it. An

unhealthy relationship could involve a boyfriend or girlfriend, a friendship, family

issues, or even a teacher.

These interactions can be emotionally draining, and sometimes are

impossible to get away from. Once you think about it, many people can say

they’ve been in an unhealthy situation at one point. So what makes a relationship

healthy or unhealthy? Check out advice from your peers.

My mom is my best friend; I can talk to her about anything. Whenever I’m

having a problem she’s always there for me and I can talk to and trust her with

every word I say. She acts like a friend, but acts like a parent when necessary,

which I love about her. I appreciate my mom so much, and feel so blessed to have

her. – Heather Trask (12)

Determining whether or not a relationship is healthy depends on comfort.

If there is ever a time when you feel uncomfortable with a person in a given situation,

the relationship may be unhealthy. Due to traumatic events in my childhood,

sometimes I have difficulty with trust. I’m very lucky to be able to fully trust my

boyfriend of almost a year. If there are doubts or concerns in your mind, trust them,

don’t suppress them. - Nicole Dotzenrod (12)

A healthy relationship I have is with my mother. We are typically very

happy around each other. It’s always normal to have a few fights here and there,

but it is nice to have someone who brightens your day every time you see them. -

Tim Walsh (10)

I think that a healthy relationship with someone involves honesty. If

someone is honest to you, then usually you have more respect for that person. I

think I have a good relationship with my family because they are honest. They will

always tell me what they think and I respect them for that. I think honesty makes

the best relationships. – Ben McAndrews (10)

When I was younger I had a friendship that, looking back, was unhealthy.

My friend and I were very close and we hung out a lot, but as our friendship

progressed, my friend decided she could control our friendship. Before I knew it we

did everything that my friend wanted and I was pressured into decisions I would

never have made on my own. Now, I always stand up for myself and am not afraid

of my friend’s reactions. – Taylor Larson (11)

The healthiest relationship I have with someone would be with my sister.

She is someone I see as a role model and a person I look up to. If I ever needed

Victoria Lane & AHS Journalism Students

anything, I know I could ask my sister, whether it’s advice or an outrageous

question, she would always have the right answer. She is someone I can trust

with my life and someone I’d do anything for. - Alanis Tirabassi (10)

What makes a healthy relationship is giving each other space. Just

because you’re in a relationship doesn’t mean you can hound over the other

person. You should be able to go out and do your own thing, as well as the

other person and trust them. Building trust is the main thing in a relationship

because it allows both people to not feel obligated to talk or see each other 24/

7, which is not healthy for any relationship. - Allie Gamache (11)

My mom is one of the most trustworthy people I know, I can tell her

anything. She’s like a best friend. I can always count on her when I need her,

through thick and thin times. I love my mom, what can I say, I don’t know what

I would do without her. – Darvin Lopez (10)

I was in an unhealthy relationship with my friend once. She would

show little interest in what I was saying, yet she expected my full attention for

whatever she said. She would make fun of me all the time, and most of the time

I knew she was joking, but other times, what she said actually hurt, even

though she didn’t realize it. - Jamie Johnson (10)

I have never been in an unhealthy relationship, but I have seen people

go through them. They are not something that is good to be in. If you are in

one I suggest you end it right away. Staying in an unhealthy relationship is the

worst thing you can do. All it does is build drama in your life. If you don’t want

to end it because you are scared of the reaction of your partner, ask for help.

Many adults will understand what you’re going through and will provide

information to help you end the relationship. - Zack Kuse (10)

The only harmful relationship I can remember involved my eighth

grade English teacher in California. She made it hard for me to learn because

she was so rude, and we had many arguments. Instead of teaching, she would

tell us stories about her life, and slept in class. She would make hateful remarks

about her students, and was an overall terrible teacher. – Mackenzie Hannigan

(10)

My last relationship was unhealthy. The guy was controlling and he

didn’t trust me to hang out with anyone else, other than him. He always tried to

change how I acted and the people I hung out with. I eventually realized I

deserved better and we broke up. My advice to anyone in an unhealthy

relationship is to break it off as soon as possible; changing for anyone is

unnecessary. - Emily Lacourse (11)

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Teen Life

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Truths about Eating DisordersBy: Nicole Dotzenrod

Shocking discovery: Ablog called http://pro-a-n-a-blog.tumblr.com is a pro-anorexia web page. The title,“there will be bones,” precedespages filled with pictures ofskin-and-bones girls. The mottostates that “anything above asize 2 is disgusting.”

In between pictures ofunhealthy girls, a picture isposted of a healthy body. Thecaption will read somethingalong the lines of, “Fat, fat, fat!This is disgusting!” The mostshocking picture was a near-skeleton girl and the captionread, “She only died becauseshe didn’t take her vitamins.”This blog (which is run by ateenage girl, and is by no meansfactual) actually persuades girlsto become thin throughanorexia, or “Ana,” as the blogrefers to the disease, butaccording to the blog, “Ana” isnot a disease.

“Volitional, proactiveanorexia is not a disease or adisorder. It is not to beconfused with ED-anorexia; itis not something invasive,which one “suffers from.”There are no victims here. It is alifestyle choice that begins andends with a particular facultyhuman beings seem indrastically short supply oftoday: the will,” the blog states.

“I am very disturbedthat there are “blogs” thatpromote eating disorders. Butsocial media can very beirresponsible and dangerous,and these blogs are an exampleof that,” said AHS HealthCoordinator Deborah Ebert.

The blog is also pro-Bulimia, or “Mia,” as it refers tothe potentially deadly disease.Pro-a-n-a-blog provides itsfollowers with reasons not toeat, “motivation,” tips on hidinganorexia and bulimia, and a listof reasons “why fat people aredisgusting.”

These blogs attackothers on a painfully regularbasis, encouraging unhealthyand life-threatening behavior,and could ruin someone’schance of overcoming theireating disorder.

The administrator ofanother one of these blogs, atcanweeverchange.tumblr.com,is an anonymous 17 year old girlfrom Australia. When askedwhat it is like to have an eatingdisorder, she said, “It takesover your life and you can’t

focus on anything else butlosing weight or food orpurging or calories. It ruinsyour relationships witheveryone around you and allyou want is for everyone toleave you alone and then theydo and all you want is foreveryone to love you again, butthey don’t. You don’t rememberwho you were before it startedand slowly you becomesomeone you never thoughtyou would be. You end uphating yourself even more.”

Don’t fall into the trap.Anorexia and bulimia arediseases that take lives.Anorexia promises only onething – bones.

“Unfortunately theinternet can be a vehicle forindividuals to exploitthemselves and others. Sharingimages to encourage an eatingdisorder such as anorexianervosa or bulimia is veryconcerning and dangerous. Aperson with an eating disorderseeking out a blog or websitepromoting such diseases isonly going to strengthen thehold of an illness when anindividual is most vulnerable.This type of internetinformation can be potentiallylife threatening. It is veryimportant that family membersand caretakers are made awareof the existence of these sitesso they can monitor harmfulinformation for their loved one,”said school nurse Mrs. CindyEnnes.

An eating disorder isa disease, despite whatbloggers may think. “Eatingdisorders are characterized bya persistent pattern ofdysfunctional eating or dietingbehavior. These patterns ofeating behavior are associatedwith significant emotional,physical, and interpersonaldistress,” according to theAcademy of Eating Disordersweb.org (<http://www.aedweb.org/About_Eating_Disorders/1857.htm>).The following information onanorexia and bulimia wasprovided by the school nurses’office:Anorexia Nervosa is anobsession with self-imposedstarvation. Warning signsinclude a fear of weight gain,excessive weight loss, denial ofhunger and refusal to eat,excuses for avoiding meals,talking about food all the time,

excessive or compulsiveexercising, and stoppedmenstrual periods. It alsoincludes feeling depressed orisolated, and viewing one’s selfas fat even when very thin.Other symptoms includedizziness, loss of concentration,irritability, insomnia, numbnessin hands and feet, and severedepression. Infections andbruises may not heal, andanorexics may experience lowtolerance for cold weather,excessive hair growth on thebody, low blood pressure,irregular heartbeat, heart failure,and dehydration which causesstrain on the kidneys.Bulimia Nervosa is repeatedepisodes of binge eating withfeelings of lack of control thatmay be followed by purging(using vomiting, laxatives, ordiuretics to avoid weight gain).Individuals with bulimia mayappear normal or overweight.Warning signs of bulimiainclude preoccupation withfood and calories, secret eatingand hoarding food, feeling outof control, bathroom tripsimmediately after eating, eatingenormous, unhealthy mealswithout weight gain, and dentalproblems from acid on teeth.Other symptoms includefatigue, sore throat, ulceratedesophagus, tooth decay, heartdisturbances, infected salivaryglands, dry skin from loss offluids, rash or skin eruptions,constipation, water retention,electrolyte imbalances, andcramping.Eating disorders can affectanyone, anywhere. Mostanorexics and bulimics arewomen, but 5-10 percent aremen.People suffering from eatingdisorders may have sunkeneyes, gray or yellowed skin, anddry patchy hair. They mostlikely have an intense fear ofgaining weight or becoming“fat.”“Eating disorders are serious.They can be life threatening.Many people (parents and kids)ignore the signs until it is toolate. Girls with eating disordersneed medical and psychologicalhelp to get through this. I saygirls, because in the past, it wasalmost always girls whosuffered from eating disorders,but recently more and moreboys are being diagnosed,” saidEnnes.

A pamphlet from Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia, Penn.provides the following information on how relatives and friendscan help someone with an eating disorder:

1. Tell the person you are concerned about him/her. Lethim/her know that you are scared, that you care, and thatyou’d like to help. He/she will be less defensive.

2. Do not discuss weight, the number of calories consumed,or particular eating habits. Do not focus on looks or on howhe/she ought to eat or look. Try to discuss his/her feelings(anger, hurt, sadness, disappointment).

3. Encourage him/her to talk to a parent, parent’s friend,teacher, school councilor, ect. If he/she refuses, or becomesangry, try helping him/her reach out to someone they feelclose to.

4. Do not say “you look terribly thin,” or “you’re tooskinny.” The person will interpret this to be a compliment.He/she wants to be thin, thinner, and the thinnest. He/shethinks the thinner the better.

5. Do not comment or compliment on their weight gain. “Youlook good,” or “you look healthy” are things you may wantto say, but he/she will interpret this as “I must be fat.”

6. Try to remember that nothing will help him/her feel goodabout him/herself except losing weight. There is only so mucha family member can do. This is frustrating when you careabout someone. You cannot make them eat. Try to find asupport group or educational meeting where you can shareyour concerns.

See the school nurse for a full list of places that providehelp to those with eating disorders or for more information inMassachusetts, contact:

Anorexia and Bulimia Care (ABC)Massachusetts General Hospital

(617) 259 – 9767

Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders ClinicChildren’s Hospital Medical Center

Massachusetts Eating Disorder Association(617) 738-MEDA (6332)

eightypoundsandcounting.blogspot.com

Celebrities Nicole Richie, Katherine McPhee, MaryKate Olsen, Paula Abdul, Demi Lovato, Princess

Diana, Victoria Beckham, and most recently DemiMoore have struggled with eating disorders

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MediaDancing with the Stars

By: Taylor Larson

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Townsend and “So You Think You Can Dance” star Peter Sabasino

Dancers are alwayslooking for ways to improvetheir dance skills andknowledge. For some, this meanssigning up for a variety of danceclasses to expand their styles,but for others it may meanpracticing for hours and hours.When the opportunity toexperience first-hand teachingsof professional dancers andchoreographers presents itself,what dancer says no?

For Bishop Feehanfreshman, Claire Townsend, thisopportunity presented itselfafter her national competitionlast July. Townsend and herstudio, Loral Sims’s School OfDance Studio 1&2, traveled toCape Cod, Mass. for the “TurnIt Up Dance Challenge”nationals. After obtaining firstplace in the novice teen solocategory for her Broadway jazzroutine, Townsend earned thehonor of serving as a teacher’sassistant at the next Turn It Updance convention.

Different danceorganizations, such as Turn ItUp, hold dance conventionswhere well known dancers andchoreographers travel thecountry stopping in hotels andconvention centers, providingthe opportunity for non-professional dancers toexperience a full day of differentgenres and techniques taught bytheir idolized performers. It’shard to think of a better way fordancers to improve themselves.

Townsend talkedabout her exciting experienceworking with a mix of stars fromFOX’s “So You Think You CanDance,” and other famousdancers.

Question: Where was theconvention you had theopportunity to assist at andwhen was it?

Answer: The convention wason November 20th in Mystic,Conn.Q: Who did you assist?A: I assisted Peter Sabasino,Katee Shean, Sarah-KayJerome, Adriana Falcon, ExcelGarner, and Ashley Galvin.Q: What styles did youparticipate in?A: The styles I assisted withwere Broadway with Peter,Contemporary with Katee,Turns and Leaps with Sarah-Kay, Audition dance withAudriana, Street hip hop withExcel, and Jazz with Ashley. Itwas a full day.Q: Who was your favoriteprofessional to work with?A: I really liked dancing withthe jazz dancer (Ashley), whowas on “So You Think You CanDance.” Her style reallyreminded me of my own and shewas really impressive!Q: Did you have to preparebeforehand with the teachers?A: No, there wasn’t anypreparation. I learned thedances along with all of theother juniors at the same time.Q: What did you do during theconvention?A: My job with two other girlsin my section was to be a goodexample for all of the juniordancers (ages up to 13), andstand in front of them. We alsoperformed the dance for themwhen we split up into groupsand helped to lead the biggroup warm-ups.Q: How did you like theexperience and what did youtake away from it?A: I loved the experience! Notonly was it a good way to helpwith my skills but it showed mehow being a good example isimportant. It gave me a chanceto work with amazing dancers!Q: Where do you see yourselfgoing with dance in the future,

and in what ways will thisexperience help you?A: I’d really like to pursuedancing as a career when I’molder and my dream isBroadway! By working with theprofessionals I got a glimpse ofthe life of a pro; how they

interact with younger dancersand a chance to see what lifewould be like if I become a promyself in the future.

At only 14, Townsendplans to continue her passionof dancing for years to come.

Dancers of all ages can greatlybenefit from an experience likea convention, giving them achance to expand their skillsand grow as dancers. For moreinformation on “Turn It UpDance Challenge” conventionsand competitions visit <http://turnitupdance.com/>.

Jersey Shore is Back

By: Courtney Dixon

Jersey Shore crew

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After four seasons,Jersey Shore is coming toSeaside Heights, N.J. onceagain. Pauly “DJ Pauly D”Delvecchio, Sammi“Sweetheart” Giancola, Nicole“Snooki” Polizzi, Ronnie Magro,Vinny Guadagnino, DeenaCortese, Jenni “JWOWW”Farley, and Mike “TheSituation” Sorrentino are backto leave their mark on the shore.“Jersey Shore is one of myfavorite shows, I even watch therepeats,” said Michelle Brant(10).

As the season opens,Mike already starts drama in theshore house with Jionni(Snooki’s current boyfriend),and Snooki. “Mike needs to justleave the house, no one likeshim anyways,” said BriannaLoule (9). While the tensionsheat up between Snooki and theboys, so does the heat amongthe visitors, Ryder, The Unit,

and Pauly D, thanks to theirprevious intimate relationshipswith the ladies in the priorseason.

As the seasonpremieres, so do the Facebookstatus’ about who’s whosefavorite and how dumbsomeone can act on television.“I think the show is hysterical. Ithink it’s ridiculously funny,”said teacher Mrs. ChristineRavesi.

A survey of 100students, consisting of ninththrough twelfth grades showedthat 68 percent watch JerseyShore. It also showed that of thepeople who watch it, 49 percentlike it.

“The only reason Iwatch Jersey Shore is becauseI like the entertainment in it. It’sjust stupidity,” said AdonisCapo (11).

In the same survey, 24percent voted that Pauly D was

their all time favorite male, alongwith Snooki who was thefavorite female with 34 percent.Coming in last with only 2percent was Mike, “TheSituation.” The last 40 percentwas scattered over the othercast members.

“My favorite peopleare Jenni and Pauly becausethey seem like they have theirheads on their shoulders,” saidDroslynne Hebard (12).

As season 5premieres, the drama continuesat the Jersey Shore housewhere bottles are thrown, fistfights break out, and theentertainment never ends.

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Media

Student journalists are protected in their exercise of freedom of expression by the First Amendment to the Constitution of the U.S.Mass General Laws (MGL) ch. 71 & 82 States, “No expression made by students in the exercise of such rights shall be deemed to be an expression of school policy and

no school officials shall be held responsible in any civil or criminal action for any expression made or published by the students.”The Eagle’s Eye pledges our commitment to an integrated, non-violent society that rejects all forms of racism, anti-Semitism, sexism, and homophobia.

On the Web at: <http://www.attleboroschools.com/ahs/eagles_eye.html>

Staff: Jadali Burgess, Hannah Davis, Mackenzie Hannigan, Jemimah Johnson, Zachary Kuse, Taylor Larson, McKenzie Leek, Darvin Lopez, Benjamin

McAndrews, Dominique Quinter, Alanis Tirabassi, Timothy Walsh Editors: Courtney Dixon, Sophia El Masri, Alexandria Gamache, Amelia Lacourse,

Alexandria Smith, Heather Trask Senior Editors: Nicole Dotzenrod, Victoria Lane Layout: Nicole Dotzenrod Advisor: Ms. Adeline Bee

Was the new Facebook change a good one?By: Allie Gamache

Facebook haschanged its layout three timesin the last year, but will thisrecent change drive peopleaway?

Facebook is a socialnetworking service and websitelaunched in February 2004,operated and privately ownedby Facebook, Inc. As of July2011[update], Facebook had morethan 800 million active users.On Sept. 22, 2011, the creator ofFacebook, Mark Zuckerberg,announced that Facebookwould change to become aTimeline, and then on Dec. 6,2011 this came to life as profilelayouts began to change.

“With the new layout,I feel like I have too much onmy page. I don’t understandwhy I need two pictures whenone is enough,” said DenzelSantiago, a junior at CentralFalls High School.

The new layout offersa cover photo, in which userspick through any of theirphotos and their choicebecomes the display over thetop of the user’s page with theuser’s profile pictures directlyunder it.

“I hate the newFacebook. I never really go onand this new change is justconfusing and makes it evenworse to go on,” said GeoffSargent (11).

Timeline is wider thanthe user’s old profile, and it’s a

lot more visual according toTechnolog on MSNBC.com(<http: / / technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/17/10175422-wil l -facebook-a c t i o n s - m a k e - t i m e l i n e -mandatory>). Everything onTimeline is categorized as ithappened and users can goback in time from when they firstjoined Facebook to see oldposted comments and photos.

On a user’s timeline itshows status updates, photos,friendships made, as well as jobhistory, marital status changes,and other information thatusers recorded in your profile.

“I hate the timeline. Ihaven’t switched over to it yet.I like the old layout and the wayit’s configured,” said BlakeLacasse (12).

In a survey taken of100 AHS students who useFacebook, 92 percent said theydidn’t like the new Facebookchange, while the other 8percent said they either liked thechange or haven’t seen it yet.

22 percent werefreshmen, 18 percentsophomores, 42 percent juniors,17 percent seniors and 1 percentwas a staff member. 34 percentof the surveys were taken bymales and 66 percent by female.

“I don’t like the newtimeline. I haven’t updated myactual Facebook and my mobileFacebook because I don’t wantto use it. I also don’t like how

people can view where I am. Idon’t want my peeps followingme!” said Spanish teacher Mr.David Seavey.

90 percent of thesesurveyed said that Facebookshould stop making changes tothe website.

“Facebook wasperfectly fine before. I don’tknow why they try to make itbetter by adding pointlessapps and things to our pagesto make it more confusing,” saidAmanda Leek (9).

60 percent of surveyparticipants said they areplanning to switch to newsocial networks such as Twitterand Tumblr, while the other 40percent will stay withFacebook.

“I think Facebook hascompetition with Twitter. I justswitched to Twitter and I amaddicted to it. I tweet all the timeand it’s easier to see whatpeople are up to,” said MeganGates (11).

“The new Facebook isannoying and stupid and Idon’t use Facebook anymorebecause it’s confusing,” saidBrooke Eklind (12).

“I hate the newchange. I think it’s worse nowbecause it feels like everyonecan see every little thing I doand I don’t even go onFacebook as much anymore,because of how much it has

The new Facebook Layout

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MacBook AirBy: Allie Gamache

The new MacBook Air just released by Apple isthinner, faster and allows more utilities, which makes it easierfor travel and to store. It also has a keyboard backlight sowhen in low or no light, users can actually see what’s beingtyped. Flash, is a new MacBook storage feature, which allowsthe computer to start up in almost no time and access datamore quickly. It also gives MacBook Air the astonishingability to remain in standby mode for up to 30 days. Additionalhighlights include a high resolution camera, FaceTime tocomputer and mobile devices, and higher quality stereospeakers, which makes the MacBook much better than anyother Mac out there.

NetflixBy: Alanis Tirabassi

Netflix on the Nintendo Wii

Netflix: a video rentalservice, allows customers tostream unlimited movies for thelow price of only $7.99 a month.Anyone can sign up with Netflixwhether it is through acomputer, on a game consolesuch as Wii, Play Station 3, Xbox360, by mail, or just on atelevision.

comedy, horror, drama, thrillers,action and adventure, and evenchildren and family.“I like using Netflix the mostwhen I have friends over, wealways laugh watching acomedy,” said Teagan Tirabassi(9).A unique thing about Netflix isthat it also provides televisionepisodes, music\musicals, aswell as fitness and healthprograms. Most local stores that providemovie rentals are almostobsolete. Netflix has fewcompetitors like Blockbusterand Redbox, which aresometimes hard to find.Although Blockbuster has fewstores in business, a person canstill rent online. Redbox is onlyoffered by Cumberland Farms,Stop and Shop, or CVS.“One thing I didn’t like aboutNetflix was the fees for moviesonline; my subscription is

currently on hold,” said AHSMultimedia teacher Mr. AllenMakepeace.With movie rental services, aperson is expected to return amovie within a few days, if not,a fee is changed daily, withNetflix there is no due date.Subscribing to Netflix givescustomers the opportunity towatch a movie over and overwithout having to return it orworrying about paying a fee.This offers the chance to finisha movie that might have beeninterrupted.“Being a college student on abudget, having theconvenience of Netflix hasmade renting movies easier.Since I do not have my car oncampus, Netflix is suitable tomy dorm needs, and I don’thave to go out of my way torent a movie that has to bereturned to the store three dayslater,” said Shandon Corrigan,

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“The great thing about Netflixis that you don’t have to waitto watch the movie you want,you can watch it instantly,”said Rachel Marcoccio (10).Netflix is convenient for anyonewho is interested in watchingall different categories ofmovies. Netflix offers overtwenty diverse movie groupsincluding new arrivals,

an AHS ‘09 alumni and juniorat Framingham StateUniversity.“I like Netflix because I can findscience documentaries withouthaving to buy or return them,”said AHS biology teacher Mr.Greg Finale.

In comparison togoing to the movies, Netflix isa lot cheaper. Just to see onemovie alone in theater for twopeople, the cost could be over$20 not including snacks.Customers can also watchmovies anytime of the day,unlike having to wait for thetheater time.

“I use Netflix quiteoften to watch many differentmovies,” said AHS Spanishteacher Mr. José Rodriguez.

To sign up for Netflix,go to www.Netflix.com or call1-877-742-1480. The first monthis free and the subscription canbe cancelled at anytime. 11

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