green wave october 2013

By Alanna Halloran

Staff Writer

On October 5, Abington

High School reached a

major milestone. On this

date, the building turned 50

years old, a very old age

for a school building. As

this date passes, the Abing-

ton School Building Com-

mittee is hard at work, con-

sidering plans to not only

replace the current building,

but to explore the options

that make sense for the en-

tire school system.

The idea began at the same

time that Rockland, Hano-

ver, East Bridgewater, West

Bridgewater, Whitman and

Hanson built or began build-

ing new schools for their

students. With all these sur-

rounding towns sprucing up

their educational environ-

ments, it only made sense for

Abington to follow in their

footsteps. This would give

Abington schools a chance to

compete against others, and

possibly lead to the enrollment

of students previously lost to

private schools.

According to the Abington

School Building Committee,

many reasons led to the deci-

sion to rebuild, including the

need for larger classrooms and

increased access to technol-

ogy. Updates in these areas

would increase opportunities

for students and

improve their edu-

cational experi-

ence.

There are several

options for rebuild-

ing the school. A

major possibility is

constructing a co-

located school for

grades 5 through

12, with a pre-

kindergarten school

existing on site.

This would mean

that on the land

where the high

school currently

exists, a modern

complex would be

constructed with a spatial

layout plan that includes

grades 5 through 12, and also

encompassing a pre-k suite

wing.

The thought of rebuilding the

high school and incorporating

so many new students, might

seem outrageous or daunting

to some. However there

would be several advantages

that come with a co-located

school.

First, a co-located school

means that the two schools

will be on the same land

while still maintaining sepa-

rate identities. They would

share facilities such as the

boiler and the kitchen. New

construction would cost less

than rebuilding the Frolio

Junior High and the High

School separately, not to

mention other Abington

schools like the Woodsdale

Happy 50th Birthday Abington High School! And hopefully not too many more

OCTOBER 2013 BREAST CAN CER

AWARENESS MONTH

The Green Wave Gazette

Earning your trust. Exceeding your expectations.

6 Harrison Ave., Abington, MA

781-878-0045 / www.TheAbingtonBank.com

and Beaver Brook Elementary. Co

-locating also would provide stu-

dents with more academic oppor-

tunities because there would be

new options open to them. The

issue of overcrowding the school

would also be dealt with, and no

longer be a concern.

So, as the 50th anniversary of

Abington High School fades into

the past, the decision to rebuild is

one that will change the future of

Abington forever. For those inter-

ested in extra information, there

are links available on the Abing-

ton Public Schools website:

abingtonma.gov/pages/

AbingtonMA_sbc/index

Pics from 1964 AHS Yearbook

Greenwavegazette.org

OCTOBER 2013 P AGE 2

by Ian MacLeod

Associate Editor

On August 21 over 1,000 lives ended

when an artillery rocket hit a rebel con-

trolled Damascus suburb called Ghouta,

releasing a nerve agent called sarin.

This is the latest development in a two

and a half year civil war that, according

to the Syrian Observatory for Human

Rights, has killed at least 110,000 peo-

ple.

On September 16 the Secretary General

of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon,

confirmed that a UN mission in Syria

found evidence that sarin was used.

This evidence included rocket frag-

ments laced with sarin, a number of

interviews with health care workers on

the scene and survivors, and samples

taken from 34 survivors that according

to the report gave “definitive evidence

of exposure to sarin by almost all of the

survivors.” Sarin is a colorless, taste-

less, odorless, quickly evaporating liq-

uid that can cause death within 10 min-

utes after being inhaled.

According to Fox News, these findings

are “the first official confirmation by

scientific experts that chemical weapons

were used in Syria's civil war.” BBC

News also reports that Secretary Gen-

eral Ban Ki-Moon has called the attack

a “war crime,” and that it was “the most

significant confirmed use of chemical

weapons against civilians since Saddam

Hussein used them in Halabja (Iraq) in

1988.”

The Syrian government and its support-

ers have claimed that it was not behind

the attacks saying that the rebels

launched the chemical weapons in an

attempt to garner international sympa-

thy. Additionally the Syrian government

has admitted that it does, as long sus-

pected, have chemical weapon stock-

piles. Major western governments, like

that of America, Great Britain, and

France, have remained adamant that

Syria's government is to blame. After

the attack President Obama called for

Congress to authorize a military strike

against Syria. A similar proposal in

British Parliament was struck down by

its members.

Enter Russia - On September 9 they

announced a proposal for removing and

destroying Syria's chemical weapons

and avoiding military confrontation

with Russia's ally in Syria at the same

time. This proposal prompted the Presi-

dent to postpone a vote on military ac-

tion. After much discussion in Geneva,

a framework was agreed upon by Secre-

tary of State and former Massachusetts

Senator John Kerry and Russian For-

eign Minister Sergey Lavrov on

September 14. Syrian President

Bashar Al-Assad has voiced his

willingness to cooperate.

According to this agreement, the

U.S. and Russia will ask the Organi-

zation for the Prohibition of Chemi-

cal Weapons (OPCW), the interna-

tional chemical weapons watch-dog

group, to approve and verify proce-

dures to destroy Syria's chemical

weapons program. Additionally the

agreement calls for an inventory of

said arsenal to be submitted by Syria to

the OPCW by September 21, which

they complied with, leading to the de-

struction or removal, if possible, of

Syria's entire chemical weapons pro-

gram by the middle of 2014.

Currently the U.S., Britain, and France

are working to turn Russia's proposal

into a U.N. resolution. In an interview

with Fox News from September 19,

Syria's President Bashar Al-Assad said

that it would take $1 billion and at least

a year in order to remove Syria's deadly

stockpile. Both Syria's bloody civil war

and its chemical weapons crisis will

likely continue to be a hot button issue

for time to come.

Sorting out Syria’s Chemical Attacks

Russian proposal halts military response

“President Obama called for

Congress to authorize a

military strike against

Syria.” -Ian MacLeod

by Mikayla Rooney

Contributor

Many know October as a month filled

with excitement and joy as we look

forward to Halloween and other fun

fall activities, but it is also Breast Can-

cer Awareness Month. October is dedi-

cated to supporting those suffering

from breast cancer, and remembering

those who have lost their lives to this

devastating illness.

Throughout the month of October,

many people come together and create

fundraisers to help find a cure. A com-

mon color used to support breast cancer

is pink.

At Abington High School, many sports

teams show their support by wearing

pink at practices and games. Green

Wave football players wear pink socks

and sweatbands to their games. The

AHS cheerleading squad made pink

cheerleading bows that they wear to

games and also have themed practices

where they drench themselves in pink.

You can even find people dying

strands of their hair pink throughout

the school! Abington High School is a

proud supporter among many for breast

cancer awareness month and will con-

tinue to show their support during the

upcoming games and school events.

In October - Pink Looks Good on Everyone

Sec of State John Kerry (MCT)

Give at Cancer.org

THE GREEN WAVE GAZETTE P AGE 3

Molly, also called MDMA or Ecstasy, is

made from a variety of chemicals and

substances, according to teensdruga-

buse.gov. It comes in the form of color-

ful pills, capsules, or tablets; it is man-

made and can contain caffeine, dextro-

methorphan (which is usually found in

cough syrup), and sometimes even co-

caine. Molly usually causes a “high,”

increased energy, and a stronger sense

of touch. However, it also leads to

sweating and chills, dizziness, muscle

tension, nausea, blurred vision,

increased heart rate and blood

pressure, and forceful clenching

of the teeth. Molly can also cause

feelings of sadness, anxiety, de-

pression, and memory difficulties

that can last several days or

weeks.

People who use Molly can be-

come easily dehydrated in a hot

environment, such as a club,

which can lead to hyperthermia.

Hyperthermia (as opposed to

hypothermia) occurs when the

core body temperature rises so high that

the major organs shut down. Taking

many doses of the drug in a short

amount of time can lead to a higher risk

of seizures and affects the heart’s nor-

mal beating rhythm. Molly has been

around since 2003, but it was recently in

the national spotlight after the death of a

college student at the House of Blues in

Boston last August. Shortly after that,

there were two deaths at the Electric

Zoo music festival in New York, and a

death in Washington D.C. at a dance

club called Echo. All of the victims

overdosed on Molly. Everyone needs to

understand that all illegal drugs are

dangerous and there are no safe ways to

use them.

By Matthew Burbine

Staff Writer

Have you ever heard the rap lyrics

“Popped a Molly; I’m sweatin’?” They

come from a song by Trinidad James

and reference the recreational drug

Molly. Molly is popular at dance clubs

and concerts around the United States.

It has also led to many recent deaths

from overdoses.

by Megan Meehan

Staff Writer

Have you seen the newest iPhones, the

5c and 5s? If you have, then you’ve

probably noticed a few new things

about them.

The obvious difference from the iPhone

5 is the color changes. The 5c can be

found in colors such as white, pink,

yellow, blue and green. Gold, silver,

and black are your options for the 5s.

The bold and brilliant colors of the 5c

and the sleek look of the 5s are getting

very positive response from consumers.

The iPhone 5c is more similar to the iPhone 5 than the 5s is. The only major

Molly Is No One’s Friend Party drug has deadly consequences

Are You Ready for Apple’s Latest Releases?

The newest iPhones have some surprising new features

difference between them is the materi-

als. The 5 was made of aluminum and

glass while the 5c uses plastic.

The iPhone 5s uses fingerprint identifi-

cation rather than traditional passwords.

No longer is there a need to memorize a

four-digit passcode; all you need is your

fingerprint and you’re set.

A less obvious feature is the improved

camera that will allow all of us who

aren’t photographers to take more than

decent pictures. According to ap-

ple.com, another less obvious feature on

the 5s is the faster chip. The advance-

ments made on these phones should

make them very entertaining and useful.

The iPhone 5c- (MCT)

“People who use Molly can

become easily dehydrated in

a hot environment, such as a

club.” -Matthew Burbine

Photo Credits ltr Jim Dorman, Laurie Curran, Pam Ryan


By Jake Synder

Staff Writer

In English class our teacher asked us

one simple question, “Is technology in

2013 a positive thing or a negative

one?” Your first response is probably,

“Of course technological progress is

positive. What could possi-

bly be negative about im-

provements in technology?”

Technology has changed

the way we communicate,

travel, learn and live our

everyday lives. At a global

level, the communication

and educational tools avail-

able now allow for nearly

every society to progress.

This progress develops the economy

and the status of countries and globally

increases the wealth of nations. On a

personal level, technology has improved

both the speed and accuracy of how we

gain information. No longer do people

need to go to the library and look up

information in encyclopedias because

just about everything you need to know

is right in your hands with an iPhone or

iPad.

Technology has simply made life just

more convenient; you can book a trip in

just a few minutes, no more travel

agents. You can play a game

at anytime and anywhere, no more rely-

ing on Playstations hooked up to your

home TV. You can watch anything at

any time, no more having to be home

when your favorite TV show is on.

Most importantly – you can find any-

thing out you want at any time of the

day or night.

When you really think about it

though, there are some negative effects

that technology has on society in 2013.

Technology has caused a decrease in the

health of people because of the lack of

physical activity. It has caused a decline

in the writing skills of the younger gen-

eration because of the speed in which

things are communicated to one an-

other. It has created a new way of bully-

ing (cyber bulling). And it has caused a

huge decrease in the face to face com-

munication

that was

central to

socialization

before the

times of

texting and

Skyping

came around. In fact, a study done in

May of 2013 by PEW Internet group

found that 91% of Americans have a

cell phone, and of that 56% of them

have a smart phone and use texting as

their primary method of communica-

tion. Social skills are declining because

people find it easier and faster to text or

send an instant message when some-

thing needs to be said. And if what you

want to say is going to be met with

anger, it also is a way to deliver bad

news without fear of the reply.

Technology has become something that

is ‘needed’ rather than something that is

‘wanted’ and this can cause stress and

addiction that people 10 years ago did

not have to deal with. On the global

level, technology has proven to be a

great aide to those counties in need. At

a personal level though, technology has

the potential to be very helpful or very

harmful; it is really up to the user to

determine the lasting effects of technol-

ogy on their own lives. So, fellow users

of technology, be careful out there!

Technology in 2013-Helpful or Hurtful?

Not as Simple a Question as it Seems

“Technology has changed the

way we communicate, travel,

learn and live our everyday

lives.”- Jake Synder

MCT

By Caroline Bradbury

Staff Writer

If you think singing through an

entire Tony Award winning musi-

cal is hard, you should talk to the

cast of “Wicked.” They not only

have to sing and dance, but fly run,

flip, swing, and many other gruel-

ing activities one can only imagine

doing.

This spectacle of a show just left

the Boston Opera House, and to no

surprise the people of Boston re-

sponded to it greatly. Part of the

secret to their success is their crea-

tive storyline.

Adapted from Gregory Maguire’s

book “Wicked: The Life and

Times of the Wicked Witch of the

West,” we follow the witches in

Oz in the time before Dorthy

drops in. The two witches,

Glinda (or Galinda) Upland and

Elphaba Thropp, the noticeably

green girl, meet at Shiz University

where an unexpected friendship

forms as they realize something

terrible is happening to the ani-

mals. These two parts happen to

be some of the most difficult to

play in live theatre. Alison Luff

played Elphaba, the Wicked

Witch of the West, in “Wicked’s”

run in

Boston

this year,

and she

may be

one of the

best Elphabas to ever grace the

stage.

“She was better than Idina Menzel!”

raved one friend as we left the show

closing week. Idina was the original

Elphaba in the Broadway cast who

is known for her incredible vocals

and won the Tony for her part along

with co-star Kristen Chenoweth,

who plays the “good witch” Glinda,

was nominated in the same category

No Rest for the “Wicked” Review of the Musical “Wicked”

Cont. on next page


By Nick Freberg

Staff Writer

People have en-

joyed listening to

music for centu-

ries. Civilizations

have gone from

listening to artists

such as Beethoven

and Mozart long

ago, to enjoying

several different genres now.

Most people have their own fa-

vorite kind of music. This is the

case for the students here at

Abington High School. Some

listen to rap music and artists

such as Drake, 2 Chainz and Kanye

West. Others listen to rock music.

Some of these bands include Rise

Against, Linkin Park, and an under-

rated band known as Redlight King.

There are those who listen to dub-

step or electronic music including

artists such as Skrillex and Dead-

mau5 (pronounced dead mouse).

Today, some music and its artists

can cause controversy. In fact over

this past summer the general public

witnessed some artists change en-

show, but so did the rest of the cast.

Other leads including the main love

interest Fieyro played by Curt Han-

sen, the Wizard played by John

Davidson, and Madame Morrible

played by Kim Zimmer made the

show magical as they brought it to

life with exceptional ensemble danc-

ing and vocals.

Though I could continue to rave for-

ever, I think you get the point.

“Wicked” is a true masterpiece, and if

you ever get the opportunity to see it,

don’t pass it up! I’m already waiting

for the day I can see the witches in

action again.

If you want to see the show, it’s com-

back in 2004. We even caught a

glimpse of Luff as she entered the

stage door before the show started!

In the Boston version, Glinda was

played by Jenn Gambatese who

added a hilarious flair to her charac-

ter, prancing across the stage earn-

ing rounds of laughter from the

auidence. Her rendition of the fa-

mous song “Popular” was a breath

of fresh air as she made it her own,

doing many things differently than

Glinda’s before her, which made

this classic even more exciting to

watch.

Not only did these two leading la-

dies bring pride to the well known

The Music Industry Today Something for Everyone

No Rest for the “Wicked”- cont.

views on You-

Tube.

Groups from the

“Rock and Roll”

era are still rock-

ing after all these

years. Ozzie Os-

borne and Black

Sabbath just re-

leased a new track called “God Is

Dead?” and their fans seem to like

it. Aerosmith is still doing what

they do best, touring and perform-

ing for their spontaneous fans. Last

spring they appeared at the Boston

Strong concert to benefit the victims

of the Marathon bombings. And,

Bon Jovi performed at Gillette Sta-

dium last summer, leaving their

many fans wanting more. For all

styles and

tastes, this

certainly has

been an event-

ful time to be

a fan of the

music indus-

try.

tirely. Others went back to their old

ways, and a few groups from back

in the day were out there still per-

forming after many years.

The most controversial artist of this

summer was, you guessed it - Miley

Cyrus. It is mindboggling how she

went from being a sensational TV

star on Disney’s “Hannah Montana”

to twerking on national television at

the Video Music Awards in just a

few years.

In the midst of this, Eminem, one of

the most famous rappers, is set to

release “The Marshall Mathers LP

2.” It will be his first album since

the Grammy award winning

“Recovery” released back in 2010.

Two songs, “Survival” and

“Berzerk” have already been re-

leased and received millions of

ing to Providence, Rhode Island from

December 26 to January 12 at the Provi-

dence Performing Arts Center. Don’t

miss out!

“Most people have their own

favorite type of music.”

Nick Freberg

MCT Photos


of the season,” said Brady in an inter-

view with the Boston Globe.

Brady believes patience is the key

when dealing with rookie receivers.

Julian Edelman has stepped up big

time. Adding 80 yards per game and

two touchdowns, he is a solid replace-

ment for Wes Welker. Gronkowski

and Amendola will be huge additions

to the offense when both are back and

healthy.

In the week four win against the Falcons,

defensive tackle Vince Wilfork suffered a

season ending Achilles’ tendon tear. The

Patriots will have to replace his skill and

leadership by committee. "There's no re-

placing Vince Wilfork,” stated Coach Bill

Belichick in an interview with the Boston

Globe. The Patriots do have the personnel to

adapt and change their defense around. An-

other young player, 24 year old Joe Vellano,

will fill the left defensive tackle spot.

A lot of people say that as long as the Patri-

ots have Tom Brady and Bill Belichick they

will be all set. If week six’s exciting come-

back win against the previously unbeaten

New Orleans’s Saints is any indication, they

might be right. Belichick and Brady have

been a dynamic duo ever since Brady’s

2001 Super Bowl win. It looks like the

Patriots are well on their way to another

famous playoff run this year.

By Kevin Zdonek

Contributor

Critics sometimes call the Patriots the

worst of the best teams in the NFL.

However, even though he’s lost most of

his elite receivers for one big reason or

another, Tom Brady still finds ways to

win.

Brady has been working hard to give his

rookie receivers a feel for the Patriots

offensive style. With new receiver

Danny Amendola sidelined by injury

and tight end Rob Gronkowski recover-

ing from surgery, increased scrutiny has

dropped on rookies Kenbrell Thomp-

kins and Aaron Dobson. Thompkins has

been a big part of the Patriots passing

success thus far (especially catching the

exciting game winning pass against the

Saints). But, as the team’s leader,

Brady seems to understand that it’s

going to take time. “The thing is, we

have to score more than the other team,

and it doesn’t necessarily need to be 30

points. It just has to be more than what

the other team is scoring, because the

team is going to evolve over the course

The Pats Find Ways to Win Despite losing some of its best players, Brady and company press on

“A lot of people say that as

long as the Patriots have Tom

Brady and Bill Belichick they

will be all set.”- Kevin Zdonek

By Jake Snyder

Staff Writer

After the great worst to first finish of

the Red Sox this season, you might

want to read this book in order to brush

up on your Red Sox history. Jim Prime

and Bill Nowlin have written a cele-

brated book on just what it is like to be

part of the history making Boston Red

Sox. The book contains many short

stories from the players to fans and

even regales some interesting anec-

dotes from the beloved Fenway mascot

Wally. Whether you’re a diehard Red

Sox fan or just a fan that jumps on the

bandwagon during the playoff season,

you will love the funny yet informative

stories that this book has to offer. You

will read stories about some of the Red

Sox greats like Ted Williams and Carl

Yastrzemski. There are 194 tales in all,

and you won’t be disappointed in any of

them. They are truly interesting stories

containing facts, quotes and more. You

find yourself becoming more and more

amazed by the stories in this book be-

cause it doesn’t have only the best Red

Sox players, it has players who were

funny, inspiring or, in Bill Buckner’s

case, reviled after his World Series

blowing blunder. Prime and Nowlin use

humor and great writing to tell the sto-

ries of past and present Red Sox players.

At the end of the book you will find

extra information like jokes and some of

the lesser known facts. This book would

make for a great documentary because it

is extremely interesting for fans and

great for those wanting to know about

the Red Sox. It could include real foot-

age from games and interviews from the

players themselves. Seeing as the Red

Sox just finished a great season, it is the

perfect time to read this book.

Book Review: “Amazing Tales from the Boston Red Sox Dugout”

MCT


By Shannon Cardinal

Contributor

After last year’s incredible foot-

ball season as undefeated Super

Bowl champions, the Green

Wave varsity football team has

big shoes to fill.

The season started

off very success-

fully. Pushing

through injuries, the

boys of fall have

only lost one game

(as the Green Wave

Gazette publishes).

“We have the po-

tential to make it back to the Su-

per Bowl, but we can’t look past

any team that we play,” said sen-

ior Vincent Picardi. Each game

is crucial for the Green Wave if

they want to earn the success they

achieved in the past.

According to senior Steve Man-

ning, another important player on

the team, “A lot of “W’s” should

be in store for the team this sea-

son.” The South Shore League

includes top contenders, such as

East Bridgewater and Rockland;

therefore the

team has a

lot of hard

work and

effort to put

in to ensure

they come

out on top.

However

several of the team’s crucial play-

ers have encountered injuries,

leaving the underclassmen to

step their game up to help the

team. Shawn Donovan, only a

sophomore, has been one of the

Green Wave’s top scorers so far.

meaning that she had a lot

of holes to fill. “We have a

tight knit group. There is a

lot of teamwork,” said Ca-

sey. At the beginning of

the season, the team had

hoped to qualify for the

tournament, but that possi-

bility soon disappeared.

There have been some

hard fought games and

some bright spots like a 4-0 win

against Monomoy on October

15, but, as the team loses three

strong seniors in Abigail Mag-

nussen, Team Captain Marianna

Porcello, and Samantha Thomp-

By Charlotte Clark

Staff Writer

With three fourths of last

year’s team lost to graduation,

Abington Girls Varsity Coach

Kate Casey had to start from

scratch and rebuild her team

this year, putting people in new

positions and trying her best to

make the strongest team possi-

ble.

During an interview with the

coach, we found out how much

this season has differed from

last year’s. She lost 12 players

out of the 18 on her roster,

The Green Wave Boys of Fall Achieve Success One Game at a Time

Players step up to fill in for injured players

It’s Wait Until Next Year for Girl’s Soccer

Some bright spots despite not many W’s

son, Coach Casey is also look-

ing ahead, working with Junior

Varsity Coach Jillian Earle to

scout and prepare for next sea-

son.

Attendees don’t just include

coaches and families. The entire

Abington community is coming

together to support this year’s

team and hopes for another year

of continuous victories. Green

Wave fans are excited to see what

else the Abington High School

football team has in store.

“We have the potential to

make it back to the Super

Bowl, but we can’t look past

any team that we play,”-

Vincent Picardi

Captains John Aprile, Matthew Whelan and

Steven Manning

Soccer Seniors– Samantha Thompson, Captain

Mariana Porcello, and Abby Magnussen


something to do, but has turned into something they truly enjoy. We asked Ferguson what her favorite part about being on a team was. "Knowing I will al-ways have someone to cheer me up when I'm down; knowing someone will help me out when I make a mistake, or don't under-stand something; as corny as it may sound, the teamwork makes the dream work. Without my team, whether it is cross country, basketball, or track, I wouldn't be where I am today." Anyone who has experienced a close-knit

team knows exactly how Molly feels. Cross country is a 5k race where the winners and losers are determined by points. The points are given in descending order, the first runner gets the most, and the last gets the least. The first five runners from

each team are the ones that matter in the end. Add up the first five runner's number of points for each team and whoever has the most points, wins. In order to get ready for a race junior Ali Phair listens to music and has a “pep talk with the team.” It helps her get mentally prepared. Hopefully in the future the Cross Country team will get more recogni-tion. It's a team stacked with humble, committed, hardworking student ath-letes who put in effort every day for their team, and ultimately, their school. It's a shame that newspapers don't cover the cross country team as much as others. Abington High School is lucky to have a team like this one. Good luck the rest of the way!

by Samantha Thompson

Contributor Normally, one sees basketball, foot-ball, baseball and soccer making headlines in the newspapers. There is rarely a big headline on the front page for sports like cross country. Unfortunately, this is because there is very little coverage for teams like this. In Abington, our cross country team has hardworking, talented stu-dent-athletes that dedicate their time to making Abington successful in athletics. We have a young and dedi-cated team that is hungry for victory. “With new additions to the team and some returning players, the team has done very well. I see my team going a lot further than people would expect us to,” said junior Molly Fergu-son. This cross country team is confident in their potential, and knows they can go far if they keep working hard. Many of the players said they decided to do cross country be-cause they wanted to stay in shape for other sports. Others, like Nick Sideropoulos said, "I've always loved running, but after hav-ing such a successful track season, I decided to do cross country this year to get in better shape and hopefully have an even more successful season this coming spring." Cross country is a sport that some decided to pick up just to have

By Charlotte Clark

Staff Writer As we go to press the Abington

boys varsity soccer team has quali-

fied for the state tournament and

has a chance to catch up with Nor-

well, Carver and Cohasset in the

competitive South Shore League

standings.

We recently had an opportunity to

speak with head coach John McGin-

ness (4th year as varsity coach) about

the success of his team. “I’m very excited and pleased with their per-

formance. They play well on the

field and support each other in the

class room,” said McGinness.

McGinness had to replace nine ros-

ter spots from last year’s team to fill

out this year’s squad. He worked

with the existing junior varsity team

to pull players up to the varsity

level. Their work has paid off in the

form of the most successful season

of boys soccer since Abington’s last

tournament appearance in 2001.

Cross Country – Hard Working Runners Deserve Recognition

An individual sport with more teamwork than you might think

Boys Soccer: The Long Drought is Over!

Abington boys reach the tournament

“In Abington, our cross country

team has hardworking, talented

student-athletes that dedicate

their time to making Abington

successful in athletics.”-

Samantha Thompson

Boy’s Soccer Seniors

Cross Country captains Alison Phair,

Nick Sideropoulos, and Molly Atkinson

(Captain Andrew Johnson not shown)


By Alex Tempesta

Contributor

For those of you who don’t un-

derstand golf, it is fairly simple.

Get the ball in the hole in fewer

shots than your opponent. After 9

or 18 holes (high school matches

are nine holes), the player with

the lower score, and the fewer

amount of shots, wins. Joe Ma-

rella is the captain of the golf

team this year. We sat down to

ask him some questions about his

sport.

How long have you been golf-

ing?

(I’ve been golfing) seriously

since I was 12, but I used to mess

around on the range with my

friends when I was younger.

Is it safe to say you enjoy golf?

Obviously.

What are your favorite

courses?

Eastward Ho in Chatham or

Cranberry Valley in Harwich.

They are both beautiful and chal-

lenging.

How did the team do last year

and how did you do individu-

ally?

We went 10-6 and made the tour-

nament. I played the four spot

and did alright, but there is al-

ways room for improvement.

What were your expectations

going into this season?

Well, we lost three seniors and

two kids from our top eight

(who) decided to play football

instead. I knew we were losing

kids, but I still (had) hope (of

making the tournament.)

What is your main role as cap-

tain?

I lead by example, on and off the

course, in the classroom and in

my attitude towards the sport.

Is your golf swing affected by

your baseball and hockey

swing.

they have a concussion should tell a

coach, doctor and parent. They must

stay out of games and practices de-

pending on the condition they are

in.

Nine Holes with Captain Joe Marella Golf Team Drives Through Adversity

High Impact

High Schools Deal with Sports Concussions

Damage to the brain due to a concus-

sion can last many years and require

repetitive recovery. Many researchers

are currently studying their long-term

effects. The results depend mostly on

the condition of the brain and how it

was treated. It is required that a pa-

tient with a concussion is cleared of

the injury before returning to certain

activities. Carolann Hurley, a junior

the Abington High School, was diag-

nosed with a concussion early in her

sophomore year after a cheerleading

accident. Hurley went through many

doctors and physical therapy sessions,

missing a lot of school in the pro-

gress. According to Hurley the situa-

tion was stressful. “When I first got

Both af-

fect my

swing, so

I always

have to

practice

and work

to keep

my swing

down,

especially

because I

play a lot of hockey this time of

year to prep for the winter.

We wish the best of luck to Sen-

ior Joe Marella and the rest of the

golf team.

by Abby Magnussen

Contributor

Concussions can happen in any

sport. Although these injuries are

not visible, they are serious and

stand in the way of the player and

their game. A concussion is a brain

injury caused by a bump or blow to

the head. These can also result when

the body is hit with force, causing

the brain to move rapidly. Symp-

toms of a concussion include head-

aches, nausea, confusion, and dizzi-

ness. Sensitivity to noise and light

can also occur in those with a con-

cussion. An athlete who suspects

Concussions cont. on page 10

Carolann Hurley

Joe Marella (courtesy GW Boosters -

photo by Laurie Curran)

Srs. Mike Donaher, Lindsay Ryan and

Joe Marella


(the concussion) I only went to

school for two periods a day. I

gradually did more and I finished

my sophomore year doing four peri-

ods along with lunch. If I did any

more I would get migraines and feel

sick,” said Hurley. Happily, the

symptoms subsided over the sum-

mer and Hurley is back to school

full time and hopes to get clearance

for cheerleading.

According to the Sports Concus-

sion Institute, a medical institute

specializing in concussions, football

has the highest concussion risk for

males while soccer has the highest

for females. Kate Casey, the Abing-

ton girls’ varsity soccer coach and

associate Athletic Director was

asked to share her thoughts on the

evolution of this difficult problem.

“When I was playing, no one was

diagnosed with concussions; al-

though I’m sure many players had

them. Because no one ever got

checked by a doctor, there weren’t

helmets or protection like there is

now. Since I started coaching eight

years ago, it has become a bigger

and bigger issue. Athletes are being

diagnosed with concussions and

schools have plans in place to work

with students who have this injury,”

said Casey. The best way for ath-

letes to protect against concussions,

is to be aware of them.

originally had the idea for the group

in her public speaking class. The

class would often play improv

games to warm up, and the students

loved improv so much that she de-

cided to expand it and make a

troupe in 2011. Mrs. Clifford has

always been involved in theatre and

acting, coming from a theatrical

family. She took theatre classes in

high school, did community theatre

in college, and also participated in

By Leighann Healy

Staff Writer

This year marks Mrs. Clifford’s 14th

year at Abington High School.

Mrs. Clifford teaches English Lan-

guage Arts and is the leader of the

Gay Straight Alliance. Her favorite

part of teaching here at AHS is our

school’s collegiality, that we

“support each other in an effort to

work towards a shared mission” (of

providing a great education). One

thing that Mrs. Clifford organized

last year that she would like to see

happen again is the Acceptance Day

Rally. She “loved to see the student

population evolve into a united

group,” celebrating everyone for

their talents, academic and other-

wise.

Mrs. Clifford is also well known for

her creation of the AHS improv

troupe “The Improvables.” She

improv in college. This year’s Im-

provables stands apart from the rest

because after a loss of eight seniors,

there are a lot of new faces this year.

They are a “super talented and ener-

gized group,” said Mrs. Clifford, and

she also likes that there seems to be

a lot more student leadership. The

plan for this year’s Improvables is to

hopefully have a show at the middle

school, one or two evening shows,

and of course the in school show.

The projected dates will likely be

near the middle of November, and

everyone should come to see them!

High Impact – Magnussen cont. from p.9

Teacher Spotlight: Mrs. Clifford

English Language Arts Teacher, Adviser – The Improvables and Gay Straight Alliance

MCT

Concussion Testing

(Kim Phan Photos)

Green Wave Gazette Staff

Kim Phan - Associate Editor

Ian MacLeod –Associate Editor

Caroline Bradbury

Nicole Bradbury

Matthew Burbine

Charlotte Clark

Alyssa Devlin

Amanda Doherty

Mike Donaher

Nick Freberg

Alanna Halloran

Leighann Healy

Megan Meehan

Jilliane Mortimer

Jake Snyder

Contributors:

Shannon Cardinal, Abigail Magnussen, Mikayla

Rooney, Alex Tempesta, Samantha Thompson

Kevin Zdonek

Adviser - Mr. Dorman,

[email protected]

Please contact me if you have any comments or

questions or would like to advertise in the Green

Wave Gazette. All advertisements appear on line

at greenwavegazette.org with a link to your web

page


by Amanda Doherty

Staff Writer

There is one thing that every student

hates. I’ll give you a guess before

you read on. It tends to be avoided

until very late on Sunday night

though you’ll need it Monday morn-

ing. It is the thing you stress over at

sports practice because you don’t

know if you have enough time to do it

before you pass out after taking a

nightly shower. It isn’t homework.

It’s studying; it’s hard; it’s boring,

and everyone hates to do it.

However, studying is essential if you

want to strive for great grades and get

higher than a 75 on a quiz. It takes a

large amount of time after school and

on weekends. I understand there are

so many things to juggle like a job,

other homework and after school

sports, but I’m here to give you seven

strategies to succeed at this inevitable

task.

Do not, I repeat, blow off studying.

Studying, at the lowest levels classi-

fies as skimming over your notes. Just

look them over, quickly, five or ten

minutes at the least if you’re the stu-

dent who could care less about what

you get on a test. You’ll remember

something; I guarantee it.

Ask early. Go to all your teachers

on Monday and ask for any tests or

quizzes for the duration of the

week. It helps with time manage-

ment to plan out the schedule for

after school, and if you happen to

miss a day, you know exactly what

you need to make up.

Make note cards. Basic study ma-

terial for 99 cents at CVS, or you

can make them out of your own

notebook paper. They help associate

terms with definitions and improve

your memory so a word can trigger

a distant thought.

Take breaks when you study.

Your brain cannot separate any

facts after 30 minutes of intense

studying. So, take a break. This is

the time where you say, “I can go

watch that episode of ‘Dance

Moms’.”

Redo problems. If you know the

method once when you do it at

home, you can guarantee the repeti-

tion will help you on the quiz.

Strategies for the Average High School Student

Go to study groups. With the aid

of a group there is bound to be at

least one person that knows what

they are doing. That person can

teach the group and the group can

go on to have a discussion of their

own to further understand the sub-

ject at hand.

Overall, pay attention in class. If

you don't pay attention at school,

there is no possibility of remember-

ing the information at home.

Studying is hard. I know it's boring

and I know you could probably be

at a party, a movie, or doing some

other angst ridden teen thing. But,

it's essential now to get good grades

and later in life. College requires

studying for exams. Jobs require

studying to understand the things

you are responsible for. Would you

want the surgeon operating on you

to not have reviewed that last sec-

tion and forget that you were sup-

posed to get a certain amount of

anesthesia? No, I wouldn't either.

“Studying is essential if you want to strive for

great grades” - Amanda Doherty

MCT

Left—Homecoming King and Queen—Joe

Tosone and Nicole Harris (PamyRyan Photo)

Right—Marianna Porcello and Abby Mag-

nussen dress up for Camouflage Day

For more photos and pictures, go to:

greenwavegazette.org


this year dear to many.

Carlos Arredondo, the hero in the

cowboy hat who assisted victims after

the Boston Marathon bomb-

ings, was the one to give the

starting command to begin

the race. He is well known

for representing the heroism

of bystanders after he was

photographed pushing Jeff

Bauman through the streets

of Boston after the bomb-

ings, thus helping save his

life.

Last year, after the Boston

Marathon bombings, Abing-

ton High junior, Jaci Sloan

wrote a letter to Arredondo

that was published in the June 2013

Green Wave Gazette along with other

pieces from Dr. Gonsalves English

classes written about that day. The

letter thanked him for his courageous

actions, deeming him a “true Ameri-

can hero.” After seeing the letter on

the Gazette’s webpage, Arredondo

later wrote back to Sloan, and the

two were able to communicate over

the phone. But, they were unable to

meet face to face until the Coombs

Race. For Sloan, it was an unforget-

table experience.

“When I first found out he was go-

ing to be there, I just had to go,” said

Sloan. One can only imagine her

excitement upon hearing that she

was able to meet him. According to

Sloan, she learned that “even an eve-

ryday citizen can become a hero just

by one selfless act. He definitely has

changed my perspective on bystand-

ers being a hero.” This is an impor-

tant message to share, for one act

can impact another, and maybe even

change a life with one act of kind-

ness.

Honoring Those We Have Lost Coombs Race honors victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing alongside those of 9/11

By Alanna Halloran

Staff Writer

On September 8, the 12th annual

Jeff Coombs Memorial

Road Race was held in

memory of victims of the

9/11 terrorist attacks. Ac-

cording to their website,

the annual road race, walk

and family day drew in

almost 1,000 people from

all over New England, and

raised about $30,000. The

money will be used to pro-

vide assistance to families

in need and to help fund

enrichment programs

within Abington. This

year’s race was a little different

from previous years. The victims

of the Boston Marathon bombing

were honored alongside the victims

of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, making

Jaci Sloan & Carlos

Arredondo

Shelby’s Rules

A brave mother shares her daughter’s story (For more info - shelbysrulesfoundation.com)

By Jilliane Mortimer

Staff Writer

In September, Mrs. Debbie Allen

visited Abington High School and

presented Shelby’s Rules, an

alcohol poisoning awareness

program. The event was spon-

sored by the Student Council

with a grant obtained through the

Abington Education Foundation.

Debbie’s daughter, Shelby Lynn

Allen, was a normal 17 year-old

girl from California. She did well

in school and liked to hang out

with her friends. One night, dur-

ing Christmas break in 2008,

Shelby and her friends decided

to drink alcohol. Shelby con-

sumed about eight ounces of

alcohol in less than an hour and

started to get sick. Instead of

taking her to get help, her

friends left her propped up over

a toilet in the bathroom while

they went to bed.

The next morning, Shelby’s friends

awoke to find that she was unre-

sponsive. Shelby was dead, and

the cause was alcohol poisoning.

In response to this tragic happen-

ing, Debbie decided to speak out

and warn not only high school stu-

dents, but everyone, of the dan-

gers and signs of alcohol poison-

ing.

Mrs. Allen told us about the amount

of “poison” in alcoholic beverages.

Many students and teachers were

shocked. Dr. Gonsalves and Ms.

Pflaumer asked their AP English

classes to blog and share their

thoughts on Shelby’s Rules. Brianna

Donovan commented, “I believe

this presentation was so shocking

because drinking is so common to

teens, and we never really think

that just one night of drinking can

have a permanent consequence.”

Shelby's Rules

Alcohol + Passed Out

(unresponsive) = 911

Warning Signs of Alcohol Poison-

ing

Vomiting, Unresponsive, Semi-

Conscious or Unconscious

If you see someone with one or

more of these symptoms, call 911

immediately. Don't be afraid to

call. Every second counts.

Shelby Lynn Allen


By Kim Phan

Associate Editor

Beginning with the October 2013

issue of the Green Wave Gazette,

we will shine the spotlight on one

unsung hero that we think deserves

recognition for all the great things

they do at our school. This month’s

unsung hero is senior Marianna

Porcello.

What clubs and extracurricular

activities are you involved in?

I’m Class President (Class of 2014)

and Secretary of the Student Athlete

Advisory Council. I’m in the Drama

Club, You Lead, Dance Crew and…

that’s it.

What sports do you play?

(I play) soccer (team captain) and

track.

Who is your favorite teacher and

why?

That’s a tough one. It’s probably

Mr. Holzman. He made math fun,

and he has a sense of humor. I still

have a good relationship with him

even though he’s not my current

teacher.

What are your plans for the fu-

ture?

Well, first I would like to graduate

high school. Hopefully, I will get

into a college that I like and want to

go to, and have a career I really

enjoy. But, right now, I’m unde-

cided. At this moment if I had to

make a decision, I’d probably be-

come a teacher.

What would you want to major

in? Would education be a good

guess?

Yes, education; that’s why I’m un-

decided. I love working with kids,

and I would like to do elementary

education. But then I would also

like to come back to the high

school.

So, you want to pull a Mr. Serino

and come back to AHS?

Basically, I could be Mr. Serino’s

protégé. I’d also want to come back

and change all the things I wanted

to but couldn’t as a student.

What do you think you’ll miss

most about AHS?

I’ll miss knowing everybody and

being close with a lot of people. I

know not a lot of people show

school spirit, but the people that do,

they’re fun. Also, (I’ll miss) the

unity that the school shows in tough

times.

What has been your favorite class

out of all the ones you’ve taken so

far?

(My favorite class has been) Digital

Art because I got to work with Mr.

Mahoney before he retired. It was a

good class (for me) because I’ve

always had an interest in photogra-

phy.

Over the years you’ve done a lot

for the Class of 2014 as president.

Are there any events that stand

out to you? What are your favor-

ites?

The auction will go down in history

because it was stressful. I may have

cried a few times, but it was so

worth it to see everyone happy and

having fun that night. It was the

same thing with prom. People were

iffy with the neon theme at first but

we all came together in the end, and

it was great because so many people

had a fun time. Some people came

up to me and thanked me; it was a

great feeling to have done some-

thing good for someone.

After almost four years at AHS,

what are some of your most

memorable moments?

Stop, you’re going to make me cry.

Making varsity soccer as a fresh-

October’s Unsung Hero: Marianna Porcello

man was

awesome;

being

elected

class

president,

and then

continuing

that for

four years

and get-

ting a pie

thrown at

my face

during last year’s pep rally. Oh, and

this wasn’t really a memorable mo-

ment at AHS, but (during) sophomore

year I got 12 inches cut off from my

hair. It was pretty memorable. Oh,

wait! How could I forget this? Mak-

ing it to the semi-finals last year for

soccer; I was so happy. I can’t even

(explain). It was all the stupid little

things like the pep rallies, the car

washes, bake sales, spirit week, meet-

ing new friends, and being teased

about my height every day in Mr.

McGinness’s Physical Science class.

Marianna was recently named to the

homecoming court (Pam Ryan Photo

courtesy of the Green Wave Boosters

h a m s c a r e c r o W a f d e e b y g

a p c u i l t m i h r e n t h y f d r e

l r u f w d k o p y s l s a r t n h c u

w x j m a f w d i a t c q u g a j e h t

e a c F p h u k s r c r a r v m u p o g

d q f r I k p c r e o y h r m t f f c a

r u r e r u I a e I d w i z e q u w o l

a n o d a g r n p b z v r a m b t i l r

c a e b t i h d v m e o k w g u w k a t

u s k f e p b y e o r f i o l w e r t s

l m e e y k e n s z o e r o c t o b e r

a U m n b u r l i f p h e c g a h e r u

t g y v h i h k d v c e j g n y u w d r

b e x n t r i c k o r t r e a t l e a h

w l l s v w e E n f r v o z q f u h n g

o y t e r a u h i e d o e r u T b m j o

p s b i y t b e f g e t u o o n s v s o

d h a l l o w e e n t o w n r h o o g t

s c c v u n p i h t g i e r p u b n h a

w a f y h r t r w n i c g h s t o v a g

Halloween Word Search by Kim Phan

Find: Candy, Halloweentown, Scare, Chocolate, October, Scarecrow, Dracula, Pirate

TrickOrTreat, Ghost, Pumpkin, Zombie

The Colbent Corporation

161 Bay State Drive

Braintree, MA 02184

1-877-COLBENT (265-2368)

or 1-781-930-4922

[email protected]

Abington Education Foundation Teamwork Trivia Night

Friday November 22, 2013 7:00pm-11:00pm

Abington Knights of Columbus:254 Hancock Street $20 per person /10 seats per table (Adults only )

Raffles and Prizes ! Please feel free to bring your own appetizers and snacks . Cash Bar

With DJ Mr. Ed

mailto:[email protected]

green wave october 2013

Documents

birthday abington high

colocated school

abington schools

future of abington

entire school system

ing new schools

new students

private schools