INDEX

Attleboro High School100 Rathbun Willard

DriveAttleboro, MA 02703Phone: 508-222-5150

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

attleboroschools.com>Principal:

Mr. Jeff NewmanSuperintendent:Dr. Pia Durkin

On Dec. 17, 2008, the StudentCouncil (StuCo) held its third annual Homelessfor a Night event. StuCo tries to do oneawareness activity per year. This one aims tomake the community aware of the seriousissue of homelessness.

All the donations from Homeless fora Night went to the Foundation Homes forHearts. This organization helps homelesspeople find jobs. In addition to helping findpeople jobs, the organization helps findaffordable apartments. With this support,homeless people are brought back intosociety.

This idea was presented to StuCo in2007 when a formerpresident of StudentCouncil read aboutanother school doingthis project in aleadership magazine.

“I am veryimpressed with theamount donated, giventhe current economicsituation in ourcountry. The studentsparticipating wereenthusiastic despite thecold temperature, so allin all, we had a

successful night,” said Student CouncilAdvisor Ms. Colleen Nestlen.

By the end of the night, there weremany donations. Approximately 20 filledgreen trash bags full of clothes, and four ofcanned goods, which were not asked for butstill welcomed, were donated. $131.60 wasalso donated by various people. Many ofthe donated clothes were jackets, gloves,hats, shirts, jeans, and sweatshirts.

“This year’s homeless for a nightwas even more productive than last year’s,considering how much clothing we got lastyear,” said Geo Tevenal (11), a member ofthe Student Council.

According to the National LawCenter on Homelessness and poverty in2007, around 3.5 million people will behomeless in a year. Around 1.35 percentare children (<http://www.familiesmovingfoward.org/homeless-families-minnesota/03-01-08/statistics-about-homelessness>).

“I think that if more schoolsheld activities like this, they would have

a greater interest inhelping to end home-lessness,” said SheilaDaSilva (10).

These arealarming statistics forhomelessness in theUnited States.

Hopefu l ly,with the studentcouncil raising aware-ness within theAttleboro community,other communities willpitch in and try to helpend homelessness.

Homeless for a NightBy: Carmen Vignoni

Student Council Homeless for a Night

In early January,international espionage authorJon Land visited Ms. Bee’sWriting and Publishing andJournalism classes for thesecond time.

Land had an

inspirational effect on thewriting and publishing classafter the first visit, making thestudents want to write. Thistime he gave them the chanceto ask him direct questions.

One student asked ifLand recommended writingclasses. He responded “No,”laughing and adding, “Writingteachers like to replace whatyou write with something theythink is better.”

He added, “There’s nobetter way to learn to write thanto read.”

“The part I liked themost was when he gave us ideason how to shape our work andthe advice to never give up;keep trying no matter what,”said Justin Torres (12).

Land gave a lot of

Author Visits AHSBy: Jonathan Handy

helpful advice to the studentswhile constantly pacing back andforth. “I loved Jon land’spersonality. It was lively and fullof pure fun,” said Whitney

Randant (10).He was uplifting and

explained to the students that“The toughest thing about writingis to not get discouraged.”

He was very positive,full of constant energy, anddescribed himself as egotistical,an apparently perfect concoctionfor a great writer. He has writtenscreenplays, one of whichbecame the movie Dirty Deeds,available on DVD, but focusesmainly on novels – he’s up to 28.

“Jon Land is a trulyremarkable character himself. Heis a very outspoken, hilarious,intelligent man whose creativitynever ends. I remember his adviceto my question; ‘If you put apiece aside and can’t seem to goback to it, it’s either not goodenough or something is

missing,’” said Kim Taton(12).

Land was lots of funbut also very sincere andserious. He told the class that“Writing is the job thatchooses you. Never quitbecause it only takes oneperson to make you asuccess and sometimes youjust get it right.”

“Jon Land inspiredme to be a better writer.Although I don’t write thesame genre, he has en-couraged me to write morethan I already do,” saidKatelyn DeLaurier (10).

“I met Jon Land atone of his book signings andfound him knowledgeable,interesting, and full ofvitality. He lives in theProvidence area so agreed tocome and talk to mystudents. As a formerjournalist he related toboth of my classes.

“His firstvisit, he taught alesson to thestudents and thenread their work andpositively criticized it.They were thrilled.The second time hefocused on theirquestions giving thestudents lots ofinformation about thewriting process andhimself. I believe hemade a real difference

in the students’ writing habits,”said Ms. Adeline Bee.

Land gave bothclasses constructive advice andhis presence was well-received.“I thought it was cool that hewould take time out of his life tovisit teens,” said Nicole Dionne(12).

His latest publishedbook is The Seven Sins. He justfinished Strong Enough to Dieand left an UncorrectedAdvanced Reading Copy orARC for the class. It’s comingout next summer and is Land’sfavorite. Some of his earlierbooks include The GammaOption and The Fires ofMidnight. He said his favoriteauthors are Stephen King,Truman Capote and Hunter S.Thompson.

Land’s most importantadvice was to never give up, tojust keep trying.

International espionage author Jon Land teaching

Jon Land reading excerptfrom Stephen King

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Make a Difference/EveryGirl at AHS Looks theSame/Future Careers/Reopened

Capron Park’s NewestAttraction/Adopt anAnimal/Dueling Pens

Buckle forBecky

College Information/SATand ACT deadlines

Nerd Sticks/Say Goodbyeto Paper and Pens/DrugAbuse

Assistant PrincipalSawyer/New HistoryDept. Head/No Late Bus?

Benefits of the Navy/Welding/Power ofPlays

Opinions

Page 12Reviews: Video GameSurgeons/ SevenPounds/Meat PieAnyone?

Dangers of Testing andDriving/Stop! Pay Atten-tion/Eating and DrinkingDistractions/Saving LivesBehind the Wheel

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Edition 3 Winter 2009Make a

DifferenceBy: Jaclyn Brown

Recycling, animalrights petitions, globalwarming campaigns, andselling coffee, and chocolateare just some of the currentprojects that AHS’sEnvironmental Club is workingon.

Members includeAlma Conway (10), AmandaBarney (12), BrittanyMcCarthy (10), Curtis Preising(10), Jennifer Rogers (10),Jesse Mallon (10), Justin Silva(9), Kayla LaPlume (10), KristenGuertin (10), Lauren Buono(10), Matt Fyfe (9), Sheila daSilva (10), Stephanie Furlong(11), Tyler Chauncey (10), andWhitney Randant (10).

“The EnvironmentalClub tries to promote awarenessof recycling, using Fair Tradeand natural products,conservation, and workingagainst global warming,” saidGlobal Issues teacher Mr. DougMatthews.

The EnvironmentalClub has been recycling for tenyears, and so far, recycling hasbeen their most successfulproject. “I think that oncepeople got interested inrecycling, not only here, but athome also, they were more likelyto do it,” said Matthews.

Other studentsaround the school help outwithout joining theEnvironmental Club. Forinstance, students can followwhat the club is promoting, bybuying local and organic foods,conserving natural resourcesby not driving SUVs,unplugging phone chargers(this helps because phonechargers left plugged useenergy even when not in use),and/or becoming a vegetarian.

However, there is agreat deal more that Matthewswould like to see done at theschool. Specifically, he wouldlike to see the school userecycled paper, compost in the

Mr. Matthews with environmental poster

cafeteria, change the food traysto ones made out of potato skins,conserve energy by shuttingdown computers, have energymeasuring devices in classes,and use power strips so at theend of the day, everything canbe shut off.

“The excitement fromstudents would have to be myfavorite part of the EnvironmentalClub,” said Matthews. So getexcited, and help AHS’sEnvironmental Club make adifference.

AHS students andMatthews meet Tuesdayafternoons at 2 p.m. in room 115Ato discuss issues and how theycan be addressed.

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Mrs. Parson and Mrs. LaChance and students in front of the School-to-Career office

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Future CareersBy: Patrick Clark

Do you know whatyou want to be? There is aprogram at AHS that can help.It’s called the Job ShadowProgram and it allows studentsto experience jobs first hand.

The program is run byMrs. Sandy Parson, withassistance from Mrs. ChristineLaChance. About 100 studentsparticipate in the job shadowprogram every year.

Students may only doone job shadow a year, mustbe a junior or senior and be ingood standing with the school;you have to have good gradesand good attendance. Allmissing work must also be madeup.

“This program ishelpful for students who are

trying to determine their careerpaths. As well as find out whatstudents don’t want to do,” saidLaChance.

“It’s a good learningexperience and helps you get agood handle on what you wantto do,” said 2008 AHS graduateDanny Gale.

Not all the jobs arelocal; it depends on what thestudent wants to do. In thisprogram is a chance to go to anyjob of interest. “One studentwanted to be an archeologist,so he went to Conn. to anarcheological dig site,” saidLaChance.

This program has beenaround for ten years. It wasoriginally held on GroundhogDay, but the school-to-career

office couldn’t accommodate allthe students who signed up.However, they do try to give asmany students as possible thechance to participate in theprogram.

Gale, who participatedin the job shadow program, wentto a fire station in Attleboro. “Iused the knowledge I learnedwhile on the shadow, thentransferred it to the station I amat now,” said Gale.

The Job ShadowProgram has a positive affect onpeople. It helps students discovertheir interests and disinterests.“We think the job shadowing is agreat experience,” said LaChance.

The School-to-Careeroffice is located in room 148c.

ReopenedBy: Briana Murray

The school store,located in cafeteria B-1,whereAHS merchandise and schoolsupplies used to be sold, isback. Students in the past haverelied on the store being openbefore school and during lunch.

Many studentswanted the school store toreopen. “A lot of people areunprepared for class so it wouldbe good to buy school suppliesfor class,” said Joseph Harris(9).

“I’ve always wantedto buy things that say AHS onit,” said Emily Meehan (10).

The school storereopened Semester II afterlosing staff over the summer.The staffing issue has finallybeen resolved.

Some students see aschool store differently. “I thinkthe school store is dumbbecause there’s no point.

Instead of buying things tosell, they should save themoney to fix the school,”said Vanessa Walsh-Diaz(10).

The school storeisn’t really essential to aschool but it is a niceaddition. When the storewas open last year, studentsput their skills to work there.

The students learnhow a business runs andhow to manage money. “It’sgood for the students topractice their skills,” saidPrincipal Jeffrey Newman.

The school storedoesn’t bring in muchrevenue, but is helpful tostudents learning about themanagement of money.

It was originallycreated for the student’sconvenience.

AHS merchandise at school store

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Every year, girls’trends change, and it seemsthat almost every girl walks intoschool wearing the same jacket,boots or ripped jeans as the lastten girls who walked in beforeher. There is no real explanationfor why girls wear the sameexpensive items of clothing;maybe it’s to fit in, or maybeit’s just because these really arethe most comfortableoutfits to wear.

“It seems likesome girls wear clotheslike these because theyjust want to fit in andare scared to showtheir individuality,”said ElizabethMulcahy (10).

“The mostpopular things thatgirls have are Coachpurses, Puma backpacks, Uggboots, and North Facesweatshirts,” said KristaGuertin (10).

Although these itemsare expensive, they still seemto be the most fashionable forgirls at AHS.

“Ugg boots arearound $200, and a North Faceis about $160, but I just wearthem because I like them,” saidBrianna Nunes (10).

Alicia Dart (11) said,“Boots and a North Face are

Every Girl at AHS Looks the SameBy: Danielle Comey

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really the most comfortableand the warmest.”

“Ripped jeans fromHollister can be around $70,but personally, I think that alot of shirts look better withripped jeans. They make youroutfit,” said Lauren Massey(10).

“The most popularoutfit for girls is Uggs, ripped

jeans, a zip-up sweatshirt mostlikely from Hollister, and aNorth Face,” said JahairaGarro (10).

“The normal outfitthat most girls wear lookscute, and is still comfortabletoo,” said Patty Martin (11).

These expensiveclothes seem to be what mostgirls are spending their moneyon, although some girls dofeel differently about thesetrends.

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Edition 3 Winter 2009

Adopt an AnimalBy: Justin Torres

Capron Park has anadoption program whereanimals need lots of love andcare. They need help from localresidents.

For $25, the adopterwill receive an adoptioncertificate with a color photo ofthe animal, a fun fact card andthe satisfaction of helping outone of these animals. Tocommemorate the adoption theperson who adopts an animalwill have their name and animalchoice posted on the adoptionboard all year.

The money raisedfrom the adopt-an-animal

program is used to help theanimals, exhibitreconstruction and theacquisition of new animals.

The animals thatmay be adopted range fromamphibians, reptiles, birds ormammals such as frogs,snakes, tortoise, owls, orfoxes. Pick up a brochuretoday at Capron Park Zoo inAttleboro and fill out theadoption form. The adoptedanimal will live in the zoo.

Visit Capron Park offCounty Street and adopt ananimal today. Call any time at774-203-1840.

From left to right Lyala and Ramses

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Miracles do happen.An adorable male lion cub is the

newest attraction at Capron Park Zoo, in Attleboro.The cub, born on Nov. 27, 2008, weighs

about four pounds. The parents are Ramses, a whitelion, and the four year old lioness, Lyala. This isCapron’s first lion cub, since the park wasestablished in 1920.

Brenda Youngof Swansea, Mass. is theanimal care supervisor atCapron. Young earnedher associate’s degree inZoo Animal Technologyat Santa Fe CommunityCollege and herbachelor’s in biology atBridgewater State.

During thelioness’ pregancy, thezoo keepers kept acareful watch on her,because they weren’tsure she was pregnant.Lions commonly go through false pregnancies,which occur when the lion has been bred, but thepregnancy does not take place. Veterinarians cannot tell if a lion is pregnant except by blood tests.

Once thecub was born, theveterinarian wasconcerned he wasnot gettingenough milk, sodecided toseparate him fromhis mother. Theywaited until Lyalaleft the den.

“It was atough decision,and we had to dowhat was best for

the cub,” said Young. The cub has been ona bottle ever since.

Everyone was excited about thecub. “Come look we have a new member ofthe family,” said one of the zookeepers. “Thecub is so cute,” said Young.

Lyala was watched for a couple ofdays; if shecontinued toworry about her“lost” cub itwould lead tod e p r e s s i o n .Lions have tomove on or theycan become sodepressed, theyactually die.

The cubwill be kept atCapron until heis six to eightmonths old.They can not

keep him at the zoo because once taken outof the den, the father will attack him and themother will not accept the cub. Capronowners are discussing where to place thecub.

For further information in careerson zoo keeping or handling animals visitAZA.org (Association of zoos andaquariums.org) or AAZK.org (Americanassociation of zookeepers.org).

Capron is offering, for a limitedtime only, chances to meet the lion cub, onlyparticipants must be at least eight years old.The cub will be on display during normalzoo hours from 10 a.m. to 4. p.m.

This is an experience not to bemissed. Don’t forget to check out the park’sadditional exhibits.

Capron Park’s Newest AttractionBy: Justin Torres

Kendra Uriot with cub

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Winter hours: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Final tickets sold at 3 p.m.Attleboro residents Nov. - March

Capron Park Zoo Hours and Admission Rates

$3.75/adult (age 13+); $2.75/child (age 3-12); $2.75/Senior (65+);$2.75/Military (with ID)

April to October: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Final tickets sold at 4 p.m.Non-Residents: $5.50/adult (age 13+); $3.75/child (age 3-12);

$3.75/Senior (age 65+); $2.75/Military (with ID)Children under 3 admitted FREE

Open daily depending on weather

Though tanning ismostly frowned upon bydoctors and health experts, it isa pop culture sensation thatisn’t all bad. Surprisingly, thereare health benefits to thisongoing fad.

Dermatologists claimtanning can give a person skincancer, but this is only if onedoes not set appropriate limits.Tanning can provide essentialVitamin D that sometimes,especially in winter, is hard toreceive.

“It is important toreceive 15 minutes of sunlighta day (the natural source ofVitamin D),” said Health teacherMrs. Nancy Krieger.

“Sunlight is taken inthrough the skin and causes achemical reaction that producesVitamin D. It keeps bones,muscles and the immunesystem strong and healthy. It isscientifically proven to improveone’s mood,” said Krieger.

Research shows thatthe more Vitamin D one takes inthe less likely to develop breastcancer, ovarian cancer, coloncancer, and prostate cancerbecause Vitamin D slows thegrowth of cancer cells.

Tanning becamepopular in the 1920s whendesigner Coco Chanel went onvacation and came back with abronze tan. Once she was seenat a Paris fashion show, peoplefollowed her new look.

“I think tan skin looksmore attractive,” said AlisonHuchler (11).

Thirty years afterChanel, women’s first bikiniscame out. This causedtanning to boom. Selftanning products and skindyes were invented andused by not only women,but men also. It wasn’t untilthe late 1980s when indoortanning became a trend.Many people still preferredoutdoor tanning (<www.t a n n i n g - a d v i s o r. c o m /history-of-tanning.html>).

Many people likethe physical appearance ofa tan. A tan can be perceivedas a young and healthy glowand can even make one’smuscles look more defined. Itcan also hide imperfections onthe body such as dark hair andveins.

“I think tanning makespeople look healthier becausepeople associate pale skin withbeing sick,” said FrancescaDiPanfilo (12).

People with tannedskin are less likely to receive asun burn. Tanned skin can be aprotection and the closer peoplelive to the equator the morepeople have developed darkerskin.

This is why mostpeople decide to tan before atropical vacation.

“The first time I wenttanning was before I went toFlorida so I wouldn’t burn,” saidLiz Girczyc (12).

Tanning has beenshown to release endorphins, a“feel-good” hormone in thebody. This has been known tohelp depressed patients withSeasonal Affective Disorder.SAD is a mood disorder inwhich patients seem to feeldepressed more in the wintermonths. Doctors tend toprescribe tanning in either abooth or the sun to boostendorphins and receive thecorrect amount of exposure tolight (<http:// www.freeonlineresearchpapers.com/health-benefits-tanning>).

PROBy: Lydia McMahon DUELING PENS CON

: Katie CostGenerally people

would assume that the greaterpopulation of New Englandduring Dec. wouldn’t be able toflash that golden tan. However,

as a result of indoor tanning,this notion is a commonmisconception.

Indulging in self-tanning has become a mainstream trend. It’s all over thecover of magazines, in film,music, and has nowintegrated itself into our ownsociety. Indoor tanning hasbecome a popular means offorming a bronzecomplexion during monthsthat the sun doesn’t shineso brightly, and Old ManWinter is knocking at the

door.The trend has become

so popular that people arerisking not only turningthemselves into an oom-paloompa-look-alike but worse,turning themselves into acancer patient.

Recently more andmore individuals opt for a sunkissed coffin at a younger age.Of the 30 million people whobake themselves, 2.3 percent ofthem are teenagers. Promevents, summer itself, and otherpressures of adolescenceconvince younger individualsto “fake-and-bake.”

The common means oftanning is a popular clamshelldevice that essentially looks

like futuristic armor, a.k.a.tanning bed. These beds are aPlexiglas surface with a lightsource that emits short wavesof UV rays above and belowthat warm the body.

Companies frequentlyprovide guarantees that theirclients will have no further sideeffects or health risks to fretabout. They broadcast that youcan “tan indoors withabsolutely no harmful sideeffects,” note that there shouldbe “no burning, no drying andno sun damage,” and ensurethat “unlike the sun, indoortanning will not cause skincancer or skin aging.”

Unfortunately, therhetoric of these companiesconvinces young tanners theycan create a bronzeunsusceptible to relateddisease and risks. Despitecommon corporation claims,tanning is a self indulgent healthhazard.

Unbeknownst tomany, tanning is the bodyreacting to ultraviolet (UV)radiation. In other words, thehuman race is not a species ofchameleons. Skin changes colordue to a chemical reaction, andnot to blend in with theenvironment (despite the factthat most teenagers tan in orderto “blend in” with their peers.)

A limited exposure toContinued. on pg. 6

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TANNING

Edition 3 Winter 2009

Newly licenseddrivers continuously face thestereotype of being “bad”drivers. However, there’s nosuch thing as a bad driver; onlyan inexperienced one. Becausenew drivers have so littleexperience, they must take extraprecautions when on the road.

According to theMassachusetts Registry ofMotor Vehicles’ JuniorOperating License law, “youmay not operate a motorvehicle, within the first sixmonths after receiving your“Junior Operator’s License”while any person under the ageof 18 is in the vehicle (other thanyourself or an immediate familymember), unless you areaccompanied by a person whois at least 21 years old, has atleast one year of drivingexperience, hold a valid driver’slicense from Massachusetts oranother state, and is occupyinga seat beside you” (<http://w w w. m a s s . g o v / r m v / j o l /21336_web.pdf>).

Although this law maybe a burden for most, it is ineffect to create a saferenvironment for new drivers.

BUCKLE FOR BECKY

Passenger DistractionsBy: Ashley Zimmerman

Passengers causedistractions while in the car.Constant conversa-tionsamong passengers andpassengers and a driver canresult in accidents, all becausethe driver didn’t have completeattention on the road. Oneminute, everyone is talkingabout school, the next, they arein an accident with the car infront of them.

A driver has totalcontrol of his/her car, but adriver does not have totalcontrol of his/her passengers.At any time, passengers canraise their voices, change theradio station, or ask the driverto look at something. All ofthese instances can bedistractions for the driver of thevehicle.According to a survey byinsurance agency, Allstate.com,44 percent of teens said theydrive more safely withoutfriends in the car (<http://www.allstate.com/tools-and-r e s o u r c e s / s a f e - d r i v i n g -resources.aspx>).

No need to worrythough, distractions can beavoided. If newly licenseddrivers abide by the six-monthrule, they will be given the time

to gain confidence andbegin to feel comfortableas a driver, withoutpassenger distractions.Accidents can be minoror serious, but all arepotentially life-threat-ening. Pay attention whiledriving and avoid anypotential distractions.

Once it has begunFeeling like a feather in the

skyFlying up in the air

Transcending the cloudsSeeing the golden gates

Entering heavenLoved ones everywhereSmiling upon the earthVisiting every so often

Saying I love youIn the end,

Obtaining eternal life andReceiving angel wings

(l-r) Danielle Johnson, Becky,Emily Wilson, and Meg Griffin

Becky Whitefield The excitement when you learn to driveIs demolished when you reach 85Careful attention can not be givenWhen out of state you have driven

But this wasn’t meant for you.You were smart and loving too.

And when it’s not your fault we cryBecause now you’re an angel and can fly

Sadness comes in single file.We still want you around.

We miss your heart and your smileWe have lost what we just found

On May 16, 2008 Attleboro High School lost a very important person, Becky Whitefield. This page is a tribute in herhonor to stress the importance of safe driving. “Buckle for Becky” is an innovative slogan used by students to

remember to always buckle up while driving a vehicle or riding in one. So, if this isn’t enough to make you practicesafe driving, then at least practice it for your own loved ones. We love and miss you, Becky!

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Either driving a car orriding in one has become partof a teens’ daily routine, but littledo they know that every timethey step into a vehicle, theycould potentially risk their ownlives and the people’s livessurrounding them. If they followa few safety tips while driving,they could save not only theirown lives, but the lives ofothers.

On May 16, 2008,teens at AHS finally receivedthe epiphany of the dangers ofdriving, unfortunately when itwas too late to spread the word.A friend, not wearing a seatbelt,passed away in a car accident.

Her death changedmany teens’ driving habitstremendously. More teens nowwon’t start their cars until everyone of their passengers buckleup.

Becky Whitefield’sdeath, and other teens who diefrom car crashes, might havebeen prevented. Around 5,000teenagers a year die from caraccidents, according to

KeepTheDrive.com (<http://w w w. k e e p t h e d r i v e . c o m /Statistics.aspx>).

Simple ways toprevent future car accidents are:slow down while driving, stoptexting whiledriving, weara seatbelt atall times, andsimply be amore cautiousdriver.

If adriver slowsdown, thenthe car iseasier to handle, and a lastminute decision to slow downwon’t have to be made. Don’tbe a hazard to other drivers.

The worst thingsteenagers do while they driveis change the song on theiriPod, change the radio station,and/or texting. All of theseactivities should not behappening while driving

because all of the focus shouldbe on the road and thesurrounding area.

Here are several tipsfor teens to become betterdrivers:

• Anticipatewhat the driver in frontof you is going to do,such as stopping orslowing down suddenly.

• Follow therules of the road,including knowing whogoes first at anintersection, followingthe road signs, driving

the speed limit, andfollowing the trafficlights.

• Wet roadsare slippery, so slowdown to below the speed

limit.• In snow

stay cautiously alert.Keep a safe distancebetween your car andthe one in front, drive atslower speeds and, ifnecessary, put the car ina lower gear. Snow tiresare always a good idea,because they have

traction.A major tip while on

the road is to never think, “Itcouldn’t happen to me.” Evenif just driving down the street,do not take stepping into avehicle less seriously.

According toInsurance.com, “Progressiveasked 11,000 of its autoinsurance policyholders whoreported accidents in 2001 howclose to home they were whenthe accident happened.

“Fifty-two percentreported they were five miles orless from home, and anastounding 77 percent reportedthey were within 15 miles fromhome” (<http://www.insurance. c o m / a r t i c l e . a s p x / C a r_Accidents _Happen_Closer_T o _ H o m e _ T h a n _ Yo u _May_Think/artid/104>).

Driving responsibly isnot a difficult task; simply payattention to the road and otherdrivers. This will help stop theepidemic of teenage deathscaused by motor vehicleaccidents.

Buckle for BeckyBy: Katelyn DeLaurier and Carmen Vignoni

Student vehicles

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Becky and friends

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CarefulBy: Amber Thomas

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Tattoo on NicoleTremblay’s (12) leg

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People come and go,and life isn’t always fair, so letthose who you were privilegedto know be your inspiration, notyour tears. Losing a loved oneis a horrible experience. There’sthe constant pain of neverseeing them around or hangingout with them. Though, veryfew high school students facethe passing of a close friend inhigh school, it can happen toanyone.Rebeckha was seventeen, anda very free spirited youngindividual. She was alwayshappy and had a big smile onher face day-to-day. She wasvery well known around schooland loved by just abouteveryone. Rebeckha was big

into sports, AHS and on otherNew England teams. Just likeany other normal teenager sheenjoyed being with friends atall times.The passing of Becky had agreat impact, not only on me,but also just abouteveryone inAttleboro. When wesaw there had beenan accident, we werehit hard, as thoughsomeone took a batto our stomachs. Anofficer told us, “I’mnot going tosugarcoat it; she’snot good” From thatmoment my friendsand I knew it was bad.Once people started finding out,everyone showed up at herhouse; they were emotionalwrecks, especially her father.When it came to school days itwas pretty much quiet forseveral days, as everyone,finally realized she was goneforever. Everyone knows shelives on in each of us andalways will.

Remembering BeckyBy: Amanda Weckesser

Angel’s WingsBy: Justin Torres

According to the police officerthe funeral precession was thelongest the seen in ten years;the line of people circled thebuilding.Finally, Becky is my inspirationto be a better person and do as

well as possible in school. Thisquote: “One day your life willflash before your eyes. Makesure its worth watching.” Thatis exactly what happened.Cherish the times have hadtogether because no one cantake those away. So rememberthose you lost, but don’t cryover them, praise them for thememories made together.

Edition 3 Winter 2009

“I think it is ridiculousthat girls will spend so muchmoney on ripped jeans insteadof buying a cheaper pair ofjeans and making the ripsthemselves. Also, you would besaving money,” said CrystalDeForest (11).

“I think it’s dumb thatso many girls dress the samebecause you should be yourown person,” said GabbyMendes (10). Not every girlspends so much money to keepup with popular trends.

Walking through thehalls, every color of Hollister orAbercrombie shirt can be found,

along with every style ofexpensive ripped jeans. Tomany, keeping up with the newtrends is important, whichcould be the reason why somany girls at AHS haveconformed to being identical. On Uggaustralia.com,Ugg boots can be bought for$160. They can be found moreinexpensively at Popsneakers.com for $99, Aussiedirect.stores.yahoo.net for $34.99 orat Estyleco.com for $99.95.

It pays to shoparound.

Every Girl at AHS Looks the Same cont. from page 2

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New History Dept. HeadBy: Matt Ethier

Mr. Tobey Reed

In his first year asassistant principal, Mr.Dave Sawyer is new to therole but not to AHS.

Born in Worcester,Mass., Sawyer went toschool in Medfield, Mass.,and lived in Worcesterduring college. Afterearning his bachelor’s andmaster’s degrees from HolyCross and Clark University,Sawyer went into businessfor a short time working inthe Internal Audit Depart-ment for Dunkin’ Donuts.

After Dunkin’Donuts, Sawyer put hiseducation degrees to useand started teaching. Hebegan at AHS in 1996 as ahistory teacher. After fouryears, he became the headof the history department,

Assistant Principal SawyerBy: Matt Ethier

Mr. Dave Sawyer in his office

Matt Ethier

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keeping it for the next eightyears.

“I like my newposition at Attleboro High. It’sa ‘steep learning curve’ but Ienjoy its challenges,” saidSawyer.

“When he was ateacher, I had him for history.He was one of my favorites,”said AHS graduate and ClarkUniv. student Kristen Ethier.

Each day starts witha meeting with Principal JeffNewman to talk about the dayahead. “The meeting isusually about theresponsibilities of working ondifferent things, like MCAStesting or teacher support, orsometimes I have meetingswith the district,” said Sawyer.

“I like to keep thebest interests of the students

in mind, along with theteachers because they’rethe ones who needsupport to make adifference. Stayingpositive is the main idea,and I look at everythingas an opportunity to takeadvantage of anysituation,” said Sawyer.

“It’s just a largerscale; it isn’t really a newthing for him. He was justin charge of onedepartment last year, butnow all of them,” saidhistory teacher BrianHodges.

Outside ofschool, even though thejob keeps him very busyfor long hours, he enjoysspending time withfriends and family.

Mr. Tobey Reed is thenew AHS History DepartmentDirector. During the day, heteaches two classes, whichcould be Humanities, WorldHistory II, Asian Studies, or Artand Culture.

The routine to his dayis to teach, attend meetings,evaluate other history teachers,and work on budgets, whichusually have to do with text-books.

After earning aBachelor of Science in CriminalJustice from NortheasternUniversity and a Master inEducation from the Universityof Massachusetts, Boston, hewent to work as a clock maker

for five years. Eventuallyputting his education degree touse, he began working as ahistory teacher here in 1999.

Reed was tapped asthe new head of the HistoryDepartment last year. “The newposition is overwhelming, but Ihope to improve the way I goabout doing the job,” said Reed.

His day begins at 5:30a.m. reviewing what has to bedone and grading students’work. He then teaches secondand third blocks and attendsmeetings until 4 p.m.

“Approaching eachnew thing during the day or theentire day, I prioritize everythingfrom the start. If any problems

come up, I like totake care of themwithout disruption.But often times Ihave to rely on theschedule,” saidReed.

He likes tostay positive aboutit all. With his newposition, he says hewould like to leavea positive impact onthe teaching andlearning aspects ofthe high school.

“Alwaysremember that the studentscome first,” said Reed on givinghis advice to the teachers.

Outside of school, hishobbies are sculpting variousobjects from metal and wood

and he enjoys martial arts. LastJuly he married fellow Englishteacher Ms. Kelly Visconti.

The AHS MissionStatement states, “A learningenvironment where studentsdevelop the skills necessary forsuccess in society.”

A school’s goal is tocreate a place where studentscan learn and succeed witheverything necessary to pursuethis, including a bus system.

“Having a late buswould be very positive, but theBuilding Administrative Staffhas to accept the proposal bystudents who want a late bus,”said the former Director ofTeaching and LearningExcellence Mrs. Carol Martin.

Although AHS haseverything colleges look for,such as honor’s classes, afterschool sports and activities,and The National HonorSociety, without a late bus,many students can not availthemselves of opportunities.

“Having a bus avail-able has many issues, like thecost and being able to staff it.Attleboro High is the biggestschool in the city and we can’tjust have one late bus; wewould need more than one,”said Principal Mr. JefferyNewman.

Sports such as fieldhockey, football, and basketball,and activities such as the Anime

Club, Leo Club, EnvironmentalClub, Photog-raphy Club arejoined by students.

“If there was an after-school bus, more people wouldstay,” said Maddy Campbell(11).

Sometimes studentscan’t stay after school to take atest they have missed or receiveextra help because they don’thave transportation. “I told myteacher I couldn’t stay afterbecause I didn’t have a ridehome,” said Lauren Patton (10).

If there was an afterschool bus, students would beable to stay more often and joinmore activities, clubs or sports,which would end up on theircollege applications, making iteasier for them to be acceptedinto competitive colleges.

“More people wouldwant to stay after instead ofhanging out on the streets anddoing nothing if there was anafter-school bus,” said JesseMallon (10).

Sometimes it’s ahassle when a parent is pickingthe student up from school. “Iam in select choir and my dadgets mad at me when he has topick me up,” said Patton.

Not having a schoolbus isn’t a problem forstudents who can drive. “Idrive so I don’t need a latebus,” said Campbell.

Attleboro has a citybus, GATRA, but it isn’tconvenient for everyone.Usually students taking thecity bus have to walk to theAttleboro Bus Shelter on MillStreet.

“I have to walk to theshelter, which is approximately10 to 20 minutes from AttleboroHigh,” said Alyssa Coyle (10).

One solution to thisproblem might be to allowstudents to pay for an after-school late bus, but thequestion is, would parents andstudents agree to this solution?

The question is, whyhas not the school doneanything about it? “The schooldoesn’t have a late school busbecause of the fact thatstudents can get a ride homefrom parents or friends,” saidMartin.

“The school wants tobe conservative and having alate bus isn’t the number oneissue right now,” said NateRobitaille (10).

Not having a schoolbus isn’t the number one issuesof this high school and so itisn’t something that needs tobe fixed right away, but thisproblem could be looked intoand solved eventually.

“Students should try

talking about this in theiradvisory program because itworked with the studentcouncil,” said Newman.

“Work this issuethrough student council or theadvisory program,” Martinsuggested.

No Late Bus?By: Keya Thakkar

5

Edition 3 Winter 2009

UV light has fairly minimal sideeffects. Alternatively, excessivecontact leads to long term skindamage. “Artificial ultravioletradiation exposure from thissource may be harmful and mayincrease the risk of melanoma,particularly when done forrecreational purposes duringchildhood and early adultyears,” according to the websiteDo Tanning Beds CauseCancer? (<http://www.vanderbilt .edu/AnS/p s y c h o l o g y /h e a l t h _ p s y c h o l o g y /Tanning.html>.) The tan itselfcomes from the skin attemptingto protect itself.

“I don’t understandtanning and how it works, but Iknow it’s dangerous. I probablywould tan if I wasn’t afraid ofgetting skin cancer,” saidMaddison Paquette (12).

In addition to the skin,the UV radiation can causedamage to the eyes. Tanningcauses UV-mediated cornealinflammation when precautions

are not taken. All of those bigwords basically mean that youreyes become swollen, irritated,and are prone to conjunctivitisor cataracts.

Some people do takethe necessary safety measuresto prevent eye deterioration bywearing those stylish goggles.Tanning goggles are generallysmall in size and appear flimsy,but the outward appearance ofthe goggles does not givejustice to the safety theyprovide. Eyelids are too thin toprotect an individual from theUV rays.

However, a majority oftanners fear unattractive gogglelines and refuse to don theeyewear even though what theyare risking is far moresignificant.

“I think the silliestthing to see is a tan person withpale goggle eyes,” said IvyKrofta (12).

Despite knowing all ofthe potential dangers, peopleopt for the fake golden tan.

They often know all theproblems that can arise later onin life, yet they still subjectthemselves to this fad. Thisbegs the question why? Whywould people willingly sit intheir own “death bed?”

“I’ve only gone fourtimes so far and I won’t go againuntil prom. I do it to make myselflook good, but it’s not purevanity. I tan for myself, so I feelgood in what I wear. It’s not forother people” said NicoleTremblay (12).

People tan for differentreasons. Some tan to fit in, sometan to clear acne, others do itfor themselves. Regardless ofthe reason why people tan, theyalways forget the mostimportant thing to consider.Tanning is perilous even withprecautions or sporadic use.

Realistically, tanningdoes more bad than it doesgood in practically everysituation, regardless of thereasons the participant throwsat you.

Tanning: Cons continued from page 3

Did poorly on the SAT? Well, there isa second chance called the ACT, which is alsoknown as the American College Testing. TheACT is a standardized achievementexamination for college admissions. It has foursections — English, math, reading and sciencereasoning with an optional writing section. Thepossible score ranges from one to 36.

Each section of the test has differenttime limits. The English section is 45 minutes,the math section is 60 minutes, and the readingand science section is 35 minutes. The optionalwriting section is 30 minutes.

The English section of the examcontains 75 questions where passages areunderlined and the student has to pick thecorrect passage. Some sections containsentences that need to be put in correctsequence.

“The ACT is usually requested bycolleges west of the Mississippi River. Itfocuses primarily on math and science.Students should check with colleges to see ifeither one or both are needed,” said AHSEnglish teacher Ms. Adeline Bee.

The math section contains 60questions, which consist of 14 pre-algebraproblems, 10 elementary algebra problems, nineintermediate algebra problems, 14 planegeometry problems, nine coordinate geometryproblems, and four elementary trigonometryproblems.

The math section is the only sectionthat has five answer choices instead of four.

The reading section contains 40questions, which measure readingcomprehension in four passages: prose fiction,social science, humanities, and natural science.

Examination for CollegesBy: Justin Torres

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The science section contains 40questions with seven passages that consist offive to seven questions. There are three datarepresentation passages with five questionsafter each reading, three research summarypassages with six questions each, and oneconflicting view point’s passage with sevenquestions that follow.

The optional writing section is alwaysadministrated at the end of the test. The promptsoften deal with social issues about high schoolstudents. Scores range from one to six, where azero is given if left blank, not written with number2 pencil, off topic, or considered illegible afterseveral attempts to read.

A final score ranges from 2 to 12. Thewriting section is optional but several schoolsrequire the essay score.

The ACT is offered four to six times ayear — Sept., Oct., Dec., Feb., April and June.The test is also available on Sat. “[I] recommendthe ACT to students who have taken SAT, [but]could not get through,” said Guidance CounselorAndrew Parrillo.

If students are religious they can takethe test on Sunday but must so indicate. Studentswith disabilities can take the test withaccommodations and the standard time isincreased by 50 percent.

Register for the ACT today at<collegeboad.com>, or use a registration packet.See your guidance counselor for moreinformation.

When MySpace wasfirst discovered by teens in theUnited States and in othercountries, it seemed a greaterinvention than the light bulband television combined. TomAnderson, the creator ofMySpace, was an Internet hero.

It was followed byXanga – a slightly less popularnetwork, and Facebook – oneof the largest networks everseen, mostly used by collegeand high school students.

What do all of thesesites have in common? They areall popular sources for teensand even some adults acrossthe globe to communicate andshare information aboutthemselves with others, whichis the problem.

It is fun for teens tocreate a profile modeled aftertheir likes and dislikes. Profilescan be completely customizedwith anything the studentsplease, including backgroundsand music on MySpace.However, it might not be as greator as fun as teens think.

The Internet is a publicresource and can be viewed byanyone and everyone, eventhose in charge of acceptanceinto colleges. They can accessthe social profiles of studentsapplying to their college tocheck on the character andpersonality of the student, inorder to help decide if thestudent should be accepted.

The way this worksis the admission’s officersearches students on thenetwork, and requests them asa friend. After students accept,the admission’s officer can seethe student’s full profile.

This is a good sourcefor the colleges, but studentsdon’t necessarily feel it’s fair.“I’d be furious if they deniedmy application because ofMySpace or Facebook,” says

Social Profiles Screened byCollegesBy: Geo Tevenal

Kayla Strezsak (11). “It’sbasically denying your right toself expression. It’s not fair atall.”

“Colleges shoulddistinguish between personallife and education and shouldrespect the privacy of theindividuals who want it,” saidHani Yusuf (11).

On the other hand,some teachers feel the opposite.

“Students need to beaccountable for the face theypresent to the world. They oftendon’t think of their entireaudience,” said SpanishTeacher Mrs. Jeanne Dyer.

If a student’s profile isinappropriate, or containsanything the school does notapprove of, the student’schances of acceptance aredecreased or perhapseliminated altogether.

A student can even bedeclined with a 4.0 GPA andscholarship worthy athleticismif the officer sees anything heor she doesn’t approve of.

One student applyingto a college in Oregon wasdeclined because of hiscomments about the school’sofficials on his blog. Othershave been rejected for pictureson their profiles, someincluding drugs, alcohol, andeven weapons.

However, not all hopefor students with a MySpace islost. Many of the larger collegeshave too many applicants tocheck out all of their profiles,so a student should only beworried if they are applying toa smaller college.

But, nonetheless, astudent should make sure theirprofiles are clean andacceptable before applying tocolleges, because it’s always apossibility their social profilesmay be a little more social thanthey think.

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ACT DEADLINES Test Dates: Registration deadlines: April 4, 2009 February 27, 2009 June 13, 2009 May 8, 2009

6

SAT DEADLINES Test Dates: Registration deadlines:

March 14, 2009 February 10, 2009 May 2, 2009 March 31, 2009 June 6, 2009 May 5, 2009

Late registration fees are available if deadlinesare missed. Contact College Board at

<www.collegeboard.com/subjectcalendar>.

Edition 3 Winter 2009

Nerd SticksBy: Carmen Vignoni

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Almost everyone hasa USB flash drive, and it may bethe most important technologytool to have. A flash drive savesall of a person’s computer workonto one small device.

“For me, its easier touse a flash drive to save mywork because it fits in mypocket unlike paper and I’msaving trees in the process,”said Josh Arsenault (12)

These devices canhold anywhere from onegigabyte (GB) of information to16 GB and range in prices from$9.99- $89.99, according toBestbuy.com.

For those who are notaware what any of this meanshere are a few things to know.

• A byte isequal to about eightbits – the smallest typeof data a computer canuse. A byte can holdaround 256 pieces ofinformation. Thisbreaks down to onebyte equaling onecharacter (<http://www.whatsabyte.com/>).

• A GB is thecommon term usedwhen describing diskspace or drivestorage. To put this insimpler terms, thedata on one GB istwice the amount aCD-ROM can hold.Another way to lookat this is it is around1000 times greaterthan what a 3-1/2floppy disk can hold.

“One gigabyte couldhold the contents of about 10yards of books on a shelf. 100Gigabytes could hold the entirelibrary floor of academicjournals,” according towhatsabyte.com (<http://www.whatsabyte.com/>).

Since saving data to a3-1/2" floppy disk or to CDs isobsolete, flash drives are now

the right tool to own. Manyteachers, students and workingpeople are starting to save alltheir data to a flash drive.

“I like the flash drivebecause it is a greatconvenience, easy to transport,and easily connected to anycomputer on which I amworking,” said EducationalDiagnostician Mrs. BarbaraCecere.

Another cool featureof flash drives, other thansaving an overwhelmingamount of information, is theyare small and easilytransportable. Flash drives canbe carried on key chains, inpockets or on lanyards. Manybrands who make the flashdrives offer cool colors ordesigns for the casing of theflash drive.

“Yes I use a flash drive.They are a great and veryconvenient. I like the size andthe fact that you can have allyour work in one safe place withyou,” said Secretary of StudentServices Mrs. Nancy Freeman.

Flash drives are thelatest storage device everyoneshould have and learn to use.They will make saving andtransporting all computer workso much easier.

“USB flash memorydrives are now part of our lives.Smaller and with a capacityhigher than floppy disks, thesedevices are the perfectreplacement for the oldfloppies. I have easilyintegrated them into myCampaign for Ward 1 CityCouncil to transport documentsto printers and campaignstaffers to execute the missionof my campaign,” said AHSStudent Joe Lazzerini (11), whois a candidate for Ward 1 CityCouncil.

Make sure to shoparound for the best buy when itcomes to flash drives. Pricesvary according to the brand andthe store. Also, there arespecials to look for. The rule ofthumb is to buy the moststorage you can afford.

With new technologyavailable, teachers are now usingthe Internet to teach theirstudents. Resources like< w w w . e d l i n e . c o m > ,<www.schoolnotes.com>, and<www.quia.com> are three of themany websites teachers use.

Teachers are also turningtheir students on to a new websitecalled <www.pbwiki.com>. Pbwikiallows students to create a profileand post their homework on theirpersonal homepage for theirteacher to grade.

Tori Reynolds (10) said,“I like that I can put my ownpictures on my wiki page.”

It’s a convenient way totalk with a teacher and to hand inlate assignments without losingpoints. It also allows students tocommunicate with their friends tohelp them by commenting on theirwiki pages.

Amy Larkin (10) said, “Ithink Pbwiki is really helpful in andout of class because I can easilyget help from my teacher andother students.”

Say Goodbye to Paper and PensBy: Allie Lori

Pbwiki is also greatfor group work and groupprojects. There is a chat roomon the wiki so students canwork together andcommunicate throughcyberspace. This webpage iscompletely safe and easilymonitored by a teacher sothere is no inappropriatebehavior on the wiki.

There is also acalendar that lists upcominglesson plans so students canmove ahead on work or seeassignments when they’reabsent. A side bar with links ofwebsites provided by theteacher also helps whenneeding extra references orhelp.

Brianna Nunes (10)said, “It’s a big help when I’mconfused on homework.”

It’s also an easy wayfor parents to easily get intouch with teachers and to beupdated on what’s going onwith school work for that class.Student’s files aren’t able to be

accessed by other students,only the writer and the teachercan open documents soplagiarism isn’t a problem.

Teachers are fond ofthe wiki because there are no“my dog ate my homework”excuses. All homeworkassignments are sent throughthe web. English teacher Mrs.Anna Cordeiro said, “I thinkthe wiki enables students todo work they wouldn’t be ableto do just on paper. The onedrawback is that you have totrain both students andteachers to use it. All mystudents have mixedopinions.”

However, there aresome downsides to the Pbwiki,with today’s new technologystudents’ work can easily bestolen when posted online.

Since more class-rooms are using websites likePbwiki, perhaps sooner or laterthere will be no more need fortextbooks, paper and pens inclassrooms.

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The world is filled withthings that are right and wrongand beneficial or harming.Sometimes people make the rightchoices, but not always.

When it comes to teensand adolescents, making the rightchoice is hard and very often theyend up making the wrong ones.

Experimentation withdrugs and alcohol is common inday to day life. According to theSubstance Abuse and MentalHealth Service Administration, onan average day in 2006, one-fifthof the population used an illicitdrug (<http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k7/youthFacts/youth.pdf>).

“Teenagers drink due topeer pressure and also due toalcohol exposure in theirresidence,” said AHS SchoolResource Officer Robert Ramos.

Drugs work simply whenpeople drink alcohol or take am-phetamines, barbiturates, benzo-diazepines, and they enter thebloodstream, then the brain andother parts of the body, dulling thesenses, altering a person’s senseof alertness and decreasing pain.

“Drugs make you look

Drug capsules

Drug AbuseBy: Keya Thakkar

and feel dead,” said KateGermaine (10).

Sometimes the mainreason teenagers drink alcoholis they want to fit in. Manyteens are influenced by theirpeers or they do drugs becausethey are depressed or wantattention. “Teenagers do drugsbecause they think it is cool,”said Catherine Pham (9).

“Teens do drugs sothey can get away from theirproblems but eventually theybecome addicted to them,” saidAlyssa Coyle (10).

Some teenagersenjoy drinking and smoking,but there are many dangers.Mixing a drug with alcohol canmake the person sleepy andcreate hallucinations. Theindividual may developpsychological and physicalproblems.

“It is typical for teensto want to experiment withdrugs to some extent and be like

their peers and be part of asocial experience,” said AHSnurse Ms. Cindy Ennes.

The second questionthat passed on the 2008 Nov.election ballot in Mass.proposed that if possession ofmarijuana is found, theoffender would be finedinstead of being arrested,therefore nothing would beincluded on a permanentrecord, giving the person abetter chance of receiving theeducation needed for a goodprofession.

Some teenagersmake mistakes by possessingdrugs and consequently beingjailed, which eventually endsup on their permanent record,diminishing their chance ofgetting a better educationbecause colleges check therecords along with success inhigh school and if somethingis found on the record, theythink twice before admittingthe student.

The ballot questionwould help those whocommitted these mistakes by

Continued on pg. 11Key

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Edition 3 Winter 2009

Given the opportunityto drive may seem like one ofthe biggest stepping stones ina person’s life, and it can be, aslong as it is done responsibly.Here are some useful tips forsafe driving that could save youthe trouble of tickets and courtdates. They might even save alife.· Enforce the rule that

your car will not move untileveryone has buckled up.

· Follow the two secondrule while driving behindanother vehicle. The ruleis that a driver shouldideally stay at least twoseconds behind anyvehicle that is directly infront of the driver’svehicle. A useful tip is tocount one one thousand,two one thousand in yourhead to best estimate thetime gap. (An important

lesson taught by alldriving schools).

· Always keep a cloth inyour car to clean windows,any dirt can cause excessglare from the sun (ThanksDad!)

· Replace windshieldwiper blades before theybecome dull.

· Have your car tunedup regularly.

· Check blind spotsbefore changing lanes,but there is so much moreto it than just those simplewords. Be aware of theprevious 20 seconds oftraffic around your car,

because sometimes cars inyour blind spots were justbehind you and are nowpassing. Look for thosecars and be sure you knowtheir location beforechanging lanes.

· Be a defensive driver,always anticipate whatother drivers might do.Just because you maythink you’re a skilleddriver, does not mean thedrivers around you are.

· Never drive when youfeel angry or tired. If youstart to feel tired, stopyour car somewhere safe,and take a break until you

feel more alert. (Buysomething to drink or eat).

· As a driver you mustbe a leader, and rememberyou have theresponsibility of yourpassengers’ lives. Beselfless and think of them.

· Remember driving is amajor responsibility, andat all times can bedangerous, so do notincrease the danger withmind-numbing drugs oralcohol.

· Along with theprevious tip, be mindful ofwho is in your car. If oneof your passengers is

Saving Lives Behind the WheelBy: Erik Guillette

Text messaging, whichis more popular than ever withboth teens and adults, is a fastand easy way to communicate.Although this simple way tochat is accessed by millionsaround the world every day,there remains one key placetexting should be ignored: thedriver’s seat.

Both new andexperienced drivers can keepthemselves and others safewhen texting is limited to beforeor after driving. Even thoughteen drivers may not share thequick reflexes and years ofexperience their oldercompatriots do, 50 percent saythey have texted whileoperating a motor vehicle,according to Mass DrivingLaw.com (<http://massdrivinglaw.com/>).

Talking on a cell whiledriving carries its own risks, andtexting is even riskier. Talking

Dangers of Texting and DrivingBy: Audrey Coulter

Texting and Driving Poses a DangerousHazard

on a phone allows both eyes tostay on the road, however,texting requires the driver’s fullattention to be focused on atiny keypad, eyes completely offthe road, increasing the risk ofan accident.

M a s s a c h u s e t t sconsidered passing a lawforbidding junior operators(drivers under the age of 18)from using their cell phoneswhile driving, and while the lawnever passed, nine other statesbanned the usage of cell phonesin cars by “novice drivers,”according to the Governor’sHighway Safety Association, anonprofit organizationdedicated to road safety (<http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html>).

Even though textingand driving is not illegal, it isbest to keep two cautious eyeson the road, not on a phone.

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Though 5,000 teensdie in car crashes yearly, teendrivers still believe they areinvincible. Drivingdistractions greatly increasethe risk of accidents.

One of the ways tosolve the problem ofdistractions is “Don’t driveand talk on your cell phone,”said Nysay Phan (9).

“Click it or ticket,”said Sean Daley (9).

Confidence may beneeded so one can drivesafely, but sometimes beingtoo cocky can mean thedifference between hoppinginto the driver’s seat drunk orcalling for a ride. No matterhow skilled a driver is, drivingwhile intoxicated putseveryone at risk.

Some teens mightthink, “What are the chances

it will happen to me?” whileothers think, “It would bestupid for me to get in a car witha drunk driver.” The secondmessage is correct even whendriving with someone who hashad as few as one alcoholicbeverage.

“They treat it toolightly in Massachusetts. I thinkthere should be a mandatory jailsentence because if a guy whohas a few beers starts shootingwildly into the dark and killssomeone, he goes to jail for 20years for murder, but if a guy isintoxicated and is behind thewheel and hits someone withtheir car and kills them, it is onlya four year sentence,” saidautomotive teacher Mr. RonGoyette.

“Give the taxicompany more business andcall for a cab instead of getting

in the car with a drunk driver,”said Kayla Strezsak (11).

Although drunkdriving puts everyone indanger, driving whileintoxicated is not the only wayto cause an accident. Accordingto Keep the Drive, a foundationdedicated to educatingteenagers and promoting safedriving, drivers surveyed saidthey drive safer when there areno passengers in the car(<www.keepthedrive.com>).

Imagine you’redriving in the car with threeother people. These threepeople talk, change the radio orCD, and generally causedistractions that wouldn’tnormally be there. Now imaginethe car directly in front of youstops short. Would you be alertenough to stop in time?

Safe driving is easy aslong as the rules arefollowed, includingno distractions, nodrinking and nophones. “Wearyour seatbelt andkeep your eyes onthe road at alltimes,” said SadieGiers (10). If all rulesare abided by it willgreatly decreasethe risk of caraccidents.

Stop! Pay AttentionBy: Meg Harvey

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8

Hot coffees, drippingice-cream cones, Big Gulpsodas, super-sized french friesand burgers are being devouredbehind the wheel. Police simplyshake their heads.

An honest reaction toa streaming hot coffee spilledin a lap may include taking one’seyes off the road, hands off thewheel or foot off the brake.These human reflexes couldlead to a traffic violation or a

Eating and Drinking DistractionsBy: Farial Aziz

crash. Most cars these dayscome with cup holders, butthere’s no mandate saying youhave to use them while driving.

If eating, either removeyourself from the car, or park thecar and eat, then resume driving.You may be thinking thissounds like overkill, but it’s not.Every time you put yourselfbehind the wheel your life is inyour hands. One last sip or bite

could be the cause of yourdeath.

Although Americansalways seem to be in a hurry,take five minutes to sit downand enjoy a meal. This couldinclude waking up five to tenminutes earlier, or just drivingby Dunkin’ Donuts.

Distractions andinattentive driving play a majorpart in one out of every four

motor vehicle crashes. That’smore than one-and-a-halfmillion collisions a year, morethan 4,300 crashes everyday(<http://www.progressive.com/v e h i c l e - r e s o u r c e s / t e e n -driving.aspx>).

Eating greasy foodsbehind the wheel is a nightmare.It is almost impossible to gripthe steering wheel with stickyhands, causing a person to

spend most of his/her timelooking for a napkin and againtaking their eyes off the road.

No one enjoys eatingin a hurry, so take the time toeat a snack or meal beforehitting the road. Driving needsyour full attention. Two eyesahead of you could prevent ahospital visit as well as therapyor even worse. Time is precious,think before you drive.

carrying drugs or alcoholand you are pulled over, itwill be you who goes tocourt and faces fines andremoval of your license.

Driving is part of life,but unless you drive safely, youand other drivers may not havethat life to live. For most peopledriving is a necessity and is safewhen the rules are followed.

“After all the accidentsI’ve seen, it really comes downto people remembering,especially kids, that they are notinvincible; unfortunately theyfind out when it’s too late,” saidAttleboro Fire CaptainTheodore Clark.

Remember these tips,and make the roads a saferplace.

Most importantly,keep in mind that driving is notfor fun or games, it is a privilegeand a responsibility.

The Allstate Foundation runs something called Keep the Drive, a nation teen movementthat is intended to spread awareness of car crashes, which is the number one killer among

teens. Drawing attention to the dangers of driving and how to remain safe on the road to protectteens, their friends and their futures, the site gives tips to prevent accidents. AHS journalism

students make their own contributions to Keep the Drive.

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Edition 3 Winter 2009

The United StatesNavy is one of five militarybranches in the U.S. Those whojoin the Navy can enjoy manybenefits.

Among the manybenefits offered are money forcollege, chances foradvancement, good pay, andtraining that can help in futurecareers. The Navy also instillsvalues of courage, commitmentand honor.

Skills learned in theNavy can be used after leaving.“My first job was as an aviationelectrician. General Electric hasoffered me a job when I retire,”said Petty Officer ShawnTarasuik from the ProvidenceRecruitment Center.

The two availablepositions in the Navy are eithergoing active or joining thereserve. Active members of theNavy live on a military base full-time. A reservist works for thenavy one weekend a month andtwo weeks a year.

The Navy Sea, Air andLand (SEAL) is the most elitebranch of the Navy and thereare many chances to join. Thisgroup specializes inunconventional methods ofwarfare.

To become a SEAL, aperson must go through intensetraining. Not many peoplefinish the training due to thehigh physical and mentaldemands. Some people sustaininjuries during the hard trainingor cannot even completecertain tasks.

To join the Navy, theArmed Services VocationalAptitude Test (ASVAB), a

military placement exam, mustbe taken. This test determineswhether a person is qualifiedto serve, but also where theirinterests may lie.

Most active dutycontracts last for eight years.Four of those years are servedon active duty and theremaining four on reserve duty.

“When an employerlooks at prior militaryexperience, they know you hadon-the-job training, and nomatter what, you’re going toshow up every day becausethat’s what was taught,” saidTarasuik. To join the Navy,people must be between theages of 17 and 34 and 11 months,have no criminal history, andbe medically fit. Each applicantmust also have passing scoreson the ASVAB.

People join the Navyfor a variety of reasons. It maybe that they want to makethemselves better or want to trysomething new. “There arethree types of people who wantto join the Navy: the peoplerunning from something, thepeople running from someone,and the people who want tobetter themselves,” saidTarasuik.

The Navy is a largebranch of the military. Itteaches excellent values. “Ijoined because if I didn’t, Iwould have been arrested andin trouble. Ever since I joinedthe Navy I have never been introuble once,” said Tarasuik.

To find out moreinformation or join the Navy,contact a local recruiter at (401)434-0110.

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Navy Logo

Benefits of the NavyBy: Patrick Clark

Many projects arecreated in welding. Projects likea roof for the flower conventionto the Rose Arbors at CapronPark, to the rails at AttleboroCity Hall.

“My level 1 studentsstart out with skill buildingprojects. Students start bymaking basic candle holders andthen move on to working withblueprints of more difficultprojects. Students can choosepersonal projects to fulfill graderequirements,” said weldingteacher Mr. John T. Bodge.

Welding is verypopular among the students ofAHS, but since there is only oneteacher, very few students canbe enrolled.

“About 30 studentswant to enroll each year, butonly 20 can enroll in each classdue to state requirements,” saidBodge.

“Tools used bystudents in welding includeboth power and hand tools suchas hammers, drills, weldingtorches, and weldingmachines,” said Bodge.Students do a lot for the

WeldingBy: Vincent McCaffrey

community. They recentlydesigned a statue for CapronPark.

“We have designedgarden trellises for the AgopianWalkway in Capron Park.Students have also designedand built ornamental wroughtiron rails in downtownAttleboro. Mayor Kevin Dumashelped with the design,” saidBodge.

The railings atAttleboro City Hall were createdby three students. Onegraduated and the other two are

seniors Matt Gallagher andMike Wille.

“It was different. Itwas a better feeling to do it forthe town other than AHS,” saidGallagher.

The students reallyenjoy the welding program. “Ithink it’s pretty sick. Theyshould give us money for moresupplies though,” said NickFranklin (11).

“I think it’s prettycool. I like the fact that you getto work on actual projects,” saidErick Benaski (11).

9

There are over-whelming opportunities forentertainment in our society, butmany people tend to lean towardamusement rather than moreeducationally based activities.Pop culture dominates societyin the form of movies, televisionshows, music, and even books,like the latest teen sensationTwilight by Stephenie Meyer.

Power of PlaysBy: Melanie Thibeault

However, a hidden artstill exists if people want to beboth entertained and educated,and embrace the activity thatentertained our ancestors forcenturies — theater.

Plays have beenaround since the dawn of time— well, not quite — but sincetheir origination, people havebeen attending theatrical

performances for entertainmentand received educationalbenefits.

Plays are like books inthe sense they tell a story. Theycontain characters, a setting, aplot, a conflict, and a resolution.There is a message to be taughtand an audience to learn thatlesson. The only differencebetween a play and a book isthat plays are meant to bewatched, not read page by page.

“Plays aren’t meant tobe read. The feeling [that resultsfrom a play] comes fromwatching it be performed,” saidphysics teacher Mr. Peter Tarsi,who is also the head of thedrama club.

Today in school,students are required to readcertain plays, such as those byShakespeare or The Crucibleby Arthur Miller, however, quitea few students find this exercisetedious.

“To some people,reading the play helps more; itall depends. But my personalview is that it’s boring [to read]and I would rather like to seeplays,” said Kayla Strezsak(11).

Reading plays canbe daunting and the fulleffect of the story may notbe grasped by readers.

“When you readplays, there are distractions.You have to keep looking atnames to see who is speaking.The stage directions upset theflow of the story line,” saidEnglish teacher Ms. SheliaRosa.

The emotion andbelievability of the charactersmay also be overlooked whilereading a script, since there islittle to no narration.

“While reading a play,it is easier to pick out certain

Cast and Crew of The Children’s Hour

symbols because you arereading it and that’s the onlything going on. But there areinflections and intonationdifferences when you watch itrather than read it. For example,reading A Street Car NamedDesire, Stan was indubitably ajerk and it was hard to believeStella kept going back to him.However, actually watching it,[the actor] added humancharacteristics and flaws, whichmade it easier to sympathize withhim,” said Courtney Bernard(11).

“By watching liveplays, the audience’s thoughtsare provoked and theiremotions are impacted; they canfeel hatred, sadness, or shock,”said Tarsi.

Some teachers agreewith those claims but point outthe advantages to reading playsbefore watching them.

“For students, inanticipation of watching a play,they can read [that play] to getan understanding for it. Oncethey learn how to analyze plays,

they can just watchperformances without readingthe script first and they will beable to comprehend what isgoing on. However,Shakespeare is an exception. Toread Shakespeare is to analyzeand understand [his words],”said social studies teacher LarryCarpenter.

As for watchingtheatrical performances, that’s

an activity not many teenagershave experienced or have thedesire to undergo.

“I would much ratherdo an activity, which wouldinvolve me being active ratherthan sitting down andwatching,” said Hani Yusuf (11).

Some students believehigh school plays are not worththeir time or money. They wouldrather go to the movies andwatch brainless horror films orfluffy romance flicks aboutvampires.

“I get dragged to some[plays] by my sister, and they’renormally boring,” said ChrisReid (12).

“It’s unfortunate thatnot enough of the student bodycomes to see theater. I want kidsto think it’s a cool thing to doand be open to something theyhaven’t experienced before,”said Tarsi.

However, not allstudents at AHS simply refuseto attend school plays. Theymerely don’t want to come back

to school after being stuckin classes all week.

“Kids don’t wantto come back to school[after a long school day orweek]. Some are busy afterschool and have otherpriorities, like work. Othersjust want to escape after along week [and hang outelsewhere],” said Meghan

Harvey (11).However, despite the

lack of student interest, thelatest AHS play, The Children’sHour, garnered a lot of praisefrom people who did attend.“They [the students] did afabulous job. I was prepared tobe disappointed because Ithought it was too big a showfor teenagers to pull off, butthey did,” said Rosa.

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“By watching live plays,the audience’s thoughts areprovoked and their emotionsare impacted; they can feelhatred, sadness, or shock.” -

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Metal bedframe (l) and welder sculpture (r)

Vincent McCaffrey

Edition 3 Winter 2009

10

Senior year is known forbeing the “best year of every highschool student’s life,” but whatkeeps the memories alive otherthan the yearbook?

Scientists say that scentis the strongest tie to memories,but everyone has experienced thephenomenon where simplyhearing a song will bring upmemories of past events,conversations and feelings thathad previously been lost.

“That’s my summer mix,”I said to my friend while she wassorting through CDs, having beenselected as Dee-Jay for the carride.

Surely enough, once itbegan playing, each song seemedto come attached to a memory ofsomething or someone who had arole in my favorite season. Imagesof trips to the beach, an old flingand late nights around camp firesflashed through my mind.

It was impossible to stopmy smile from growing as eachsong played in the background,and it left me wondering, as firstsemester comes to a close, whatsongs would remind me of mysenior year?

The popular rap songsplayed at school dances are aneasy answer, but I’m looking forsomething deeper. So, it brings upthe question of what songsactually evoke feelings tied tomemories of the best year of mylife?

August was the month Ibegan thinking about completingsummer reading, so it began thesenior year preparation. To endAugust, the album The PartyScene by All Time Low wasbacked with a track with the sametitle.

The powerful vocalsencouraging youth to “Stayseventeen!” read the minds ofevery student preparingthemselves for the transition backinto the routine of school, ratherthan the freedom of summer.

Sept. brought back aprevious favorite band, datingback to freshman year. “SongLong Sweet Summer” byDashboard Confessional, off thealbum Age Six Racer broughtforward feelings of nostalgiatoward the summer of 2008.

Oct. proved to be adifficult month for my family andme. After the unexpected death ofmy father, music became the outletof choice for any unresolvedfeelings.

Solace was found in

OPINIONSSenior Year Playlist

By: Dara BeechDave Matthews’ song “AmericanBaby” from the album Stand Up,which was originally writtenabout political issues in theUnited States. However, thelyrics could also tell another story.

With an introductionconsisting of the words, “If thesewalls came crumbling down / andfell so hard to destroy our faith /somehow you would figure it out/ still make lemonade taste like asunny day,” the song perfectlydescribed my father’s role in ourfamily.

Nov. marked thebeginning of a new month with afresh start, but the days stillseemed too long, and adjustingto a new lifestyle wasn’t as easyas I had previously hoped itwould be.

The album I Wish YouWere Here by Incubusintroduced a new take on theusually subtle break-up songswritten by current bands. Thestraight-forward track, titled “IWish You Were Here” identifiedwith any feelings of abandonmentfelt in the prior month.

To mark the beginningof what I consider the real holidayseason, Indie singer Dave Melillojumped on the band wagon ofprevious stars and produced hissingle, “All I Want for Christmasis You.”

An interesting twist onwhat is usually an over-playedChristmas song, Melillo’s versionbrings it back to life with powerfulvocals and a beat that can actuallybe danced to.

When 2009 finallyarrived, there was no time for NewYears resolutions or anydetermination to change my tastein music. To ring in the New Year,“My Name is Trouble” byNightmare of You from their self-titled album brought back asound similar to that of TheCures.

With lyrics speaking ofpotential loss, whole-heartedlybelieving in someone and anupbeat sound that’s easy todance to, it was the perfectchoice to raise optimism for thenew year.

Senior year is almosthalf over, which leaves plenty oftime for new tracks to be added.Although everyone’s soundtrackis different, and while it’s easy toforget the memories, as soon asthat song plays, it all rushesback; and memories of senioryear will live on in ways otherthan the yearbook.

Sitting in front of my computer, it hitsme that this is the last full week of first semester.In one semester, a little less than five months,I will be exiting the doors of Attleboro HighSchool for the last time. This sentiment evokesa spectrum of emotions ranging from proud,to anxious, to scared.

As I ponder this thought, it occursto me that June is around the corner and thereis one semester left to make my mark, only onemore semester to complete everything I setout to accomplish in high school.

Like many others, I entered AHSscared and nervous, but cocky to boot. Imistakenly believed I was “too cool for school”and better than everyone else. Hiding behinddark makeup and an “I don’t care” attitudewas my specialty, and many regrets followed.

It seems that my high school careerwas speckled with regrets. Why didn’t I tryharder in that class? Why did I say such meanthings to that girl? Why didn’t I join that club?Knowing what I do now, it has dawned on methat if I could go back, I would do high schooldifferently.

1. Nobody is too cool for school. Gettingan education is a step in the right directionto a successful life. It is important to takeeducation seriously and live up to one’sfull potential. Nobody takes uneducatedpeople seriously; sitting in the back of theroom making silly remarks just lookschildish. Nobody will ever laugh atsomeone who raises their hand withanswers or intelligent questions.

2. Clubs and sports make for a well-rounded, happy student. Face it, goinghome after school every day is just boring.Clubs and sports were put in place forstudents to relax, unwind, and findsomething they’re good at. They are alsogood mediums for developing friendshipsand passions. There are after-schoolactivities for almost every student at AHS,from GSA to drama to tennis. Studentslooking for something else can alwayspropose a new idea for a club. Joiningactivities also looks good on collegeapplications.

3. Making fun of people doesn’t benefitanybody. If somebody looks different, whatdoes it matter? Pointing out peoples’“flaws” doesn’t help anybody; it just hurts.Most people are picked on at some pointin their life, whether it be by a student or asibling. It doesn’t feel good to be pickedon, so why do the same to someone else?The most good comes from givingeverybody a chance and being nice toeverybody – one never knows what kindof friends can be made by just smiling andsaying nice things.

4. Confidence and cockiness are twocompletely different things. Cocky peopleare just annoying. Who wants to listen tosomeone talk about their greatness all day?Superiority usually pushes friends away.Confidence, on the other hand, is a veryattractive quality. Positive, outgoingpeople end up making more friends,

because they don’t doubtthemselves, and people wanthappy friends. Talking about one’s

Last ThoughtsBy: Sarah Surprenant

imperfections all day can be annoying, aswell.

5. School is important, but it’s alsoimportant to have fun. It’s not healthy atall to stress out all the time. As teenagers,it is important to get out and enjoy life.School should be a big priority, but itshouldn’t take over. Students need to taketime to relax, have fun and forget aboutthe stress that comes with being a goodstudent.

6. …but at the same time,procrastination is the worst habit of all!Putting things off until the last minute cancause way more stress than is necessary.Letting everything pile up until the nightbefore something is due is not a goodpractice; this is an easy way to becomediscouraged and overwhelmed. It is veryimportant to prioritize – make an attack planfor every assignment. Know whensomething needs to be done, and howmuch time needs to be put into it. Do workin increments so that the task doesn’t seemso large. If more than one night is given tocomplete an assignment, work on it a littlebit every night.

7. You are the most important personin your own world. While it’s bad to beegocentric, it’s also important to put yourwelfare first. Don’t adopt practices that aredestructive to your physical and mentalhealth. To be successful in life, you needto be happy with who you are, and not tryto change that for anybody else. At thesame time, you can’t try to fix your friends’problems. If a friend needs help; by allmeans, support her. It is important torealize, however, that you are not atherapist. You are one person, and youhave your own life to figure out. If friendsare making destructive choices, tell themhow you feel. If it gets out of control, tellan adult. While it may hurt to do so, it willbe better for your friend in the long run.

8. A good support system will never fail.A group of good support beams in theform of friends and family is always helpful.When times get rough, it is important tohave somebody to turn to. Never takeloved ones for granted; they may find ithard to help you when you don’t give themthe care you desire. In the end, it’s truewhat The Beatles say: “All we need islove.”

If given the chance, I would go backand be a happier, more dedicated, responsiblestudent. I would do more activities and makemore friends. I would be nice to everybody,because it’s impossible to know what a personis going through; a few nice words can makesomeone’s day.

I would be confident and respectmyself. I would take time to enjoy life insteadof being preoccupied with school. I wouldn’thave waited until the last minute to complete95 percent of my assignments. I would’ve toldmy friends and family how much I appreciatethem. The truth is, I can’t go back in time andfix my high school experience, and now that Ionly have five months of high school left, Iguess it’s too late to start now.

I guess that’s what college is for.Thank God for second chances.

Edition 3 Winter 2009

11

LA OPINIÓN

There is a generalconsensus that I’m an unusualperson. It’s okay, I know I’m notall here. If anyone has read myprevious articles, they’ll agreewithout a second thought.What I lack in common senseand sanity, I now make up for inmy mouth.

“What?!” You arethinking, “You’ve cracked,you’re on drugs.” Nope, but Iwill be on Vicodin pretty soon.If I’m lucky, maybe it will bemorphine. The stronger, thebetter.

Okay, so I had betterexplain before I have thepolice searching my bag andgiving me a drug test. As funas that experience sounds, Idon’t need another reason forpeople to call me T-bone (hint:jail name).

This all started a fewmonths ago, when I had aslight dull pain in the upperright corner of my mouth,around the area where one ofmy wisdom teeth was supposedto be coming in. I didn’t thinktoo much of it because it was apain that I could live with for alittle while (just like thethrobbing I’m accustomed tofrom tripping up/down thestairs).

However, during thepast few weeks, the pain wasbecoming more constant, moreaugmented, and was spreadingto other areas of my mouth,affecting my teeth, gums, andeven my jaws (which, by theway, the latter is my newnickname; it’ll make sensesoon).

If you know me, youknow that I whine, a lot. Mostof my editorials (okay, all)consist of me complaining orranting about something. Thistime, I’m not just grumblingabout a petty pain. I have a solidreason — I have seven wisdomteeth.

What a MouthfulBy: Melanie Thibeault

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Yes, you read mecorrectly — seven, three morethan the normal person has.Though, I’ve been called manythings in my life, and normal hasnot been one of them. I guessmy mouth just wanted to jointhe party.

My initial reactionwhen I found out about my

interesting and rare case was tolaugh, a lot. After all it’s just myluck to have extra something. Iam an overachiever. My mouthjust felt obligated to match mybrain and do more work than ithad to. It must have a mind ofits own. Actually, that would beimpossible — there’s no moreroom in there for anything else.

After the laugher woreoff, which took a couple of hours,shock and confusion set in. Itried to figure out why I, of allpeople, was fortunate enoughto receive an extra set. I decidedit was either all that milk I drankas a child that helped my bonesgrow big and strong or I’mturning into a vampire. Except Idon’t think vampires have extrateeth; theirs are just pointy. Fornow and probably forever, it willremain a medical mystery(maybe I could be on that show).

My history with teethhas been semi-interesting. I lostmy first baby tooth after bitinginto the softest roll possible.I’ve also been kicked in the face

with a soccer ball more timesthan I can remember (thoughthat may be related to the time Iblacked out). My teeth may beretaliating against me for notprotecting my mouth better. If Iwere them, I would be mad atme, too.

Focusing on thepositive aspects of this ordeal

— one of the greatest thingsabout having extra teeth iswatching people’s reactionswhen I tell them about myabnormality. Confused excla-mations and head tilts arefrequent and so far, I haven’tgrown tired of repeating myself.

The extra teeth arealso a good excuse for mytongue-tied-ness. I can now justblame my incoherent babblingand inability to form a completesentence on my screwed up,overcrowded mouth, rather thanmy slow brain’s inability totransmit messages.

Of course, withwisdom teeth come theintelligence level jokes. Myparents have attributed myintellect to my extra teeth andnot my hard work and possiblymy natural talent to be a smarty-pants (but since I lack mosttalent, I’m just going to assumeit’s from hard work). They aresuggesting, as my friends arejust assuming, that once theteeth are pulled, my astuteness

will diminish to that of a five-year-old or possibly somethingsimilar to whatever is going onin Britney Spears’ head (Ishudder at that thought but atleast I won’t have to worryabout getting a haircut for awhile).

I’ve also used thissituation to further my money-making ideas. If only I stillbelieved in the tooth fairy, Icould rake in a lot of cash.Maybe, I could sell my extras tosomeone who’s in need.Advertisement: seven teeth forsale, unused, in almost perfectcondition, enjoy sweets, in needof new mouth.

I have been warnedthat there’s a possibility theywill grow back (yay). Maybe Ican develop some new weirdscience — teeth farming. I can“harvest” and sell them andmake some money if the initialsale works. I may never have towork. Like Midas and his goldentouch, I can produce teeth at mybeck and call. (Now that I’mrereading this, I’m starting torealize why no one has everused the word “normal” todescribe me.)

Don’t be fooled by myconsistent jokes; I am a littleworried about the surgery, butnot as concerned as I am aboutmy behavior on strongpainkillers. That should be anexperience in itself. But really,isn’t getting four pulled badenough? I have to have seven,one for each day of the week.

Despite my slightcontempt for them, I’m alsogoing to be sad to see the LuckySeven go. Yes, I named them;I’ve developed quite anattachment over the past twodays since I’ve been aware oftheir existence. Once they’reremoved, I’ll just be normalagain and who wants that?Certainly not anyone whowould develop teeth farming…

There’s this amazingtelevision channel called theFood Network. It is found quiteconveniently on any cabletelevision and provides twenty-four hour culinary enter-tainment.

Understandably, anymale readers will perhaps nowput down this article, butperhaps not; they couldpossibly benefit from reading it.The purpose of spewing thevirtues of this most wonderfulchannel is not to review thechannel itself, but rather thewomen who star in its shows.

On the Food Networkthere are maybe six women whostand out as culinary icons andare common household names;four of them represent thedifferent portrayals of a modernwoman.

The first is RachaelRay, hostess of Thirty-Minute

My Favorite ChannelBy: Jenna Giuffrida

Meals. She is attractive, agood cook, and anindependent woman. Shedoesn’t have the time tomake big elaborate meals foronly herself and maybe oneother person. Hence, thirty-minute meals.

She has developeda cooking style ideal for theworking girl who still wantsto eat healthy and tasty food.Ray is the quintessential thirty-something looking to save a fewbucks and lose a few pounds.

Almost her completeopposite is former restaurantowner Ina Garten. Garten starsin a show called BarefootContessa and represents thewell traveled woman of culture.She is famous for her immaculate

kitchen and bountiful gardenfrom which she picks all her freshherbs.

Garten enjoys richfoods and dishes that often takean entire afternoon to prepareand she likes nothing more thana visit to the local market forgourmet ingredients. Shedoesn’t worry about prices and

is always thinking of what herhusband might like to eatwhen he comes home fromwork. She gives women aview of food from outside theirsphere of comfort andsupports the idea of food as alifestyle.

From Everyday Italianwe have Giada De Laurentiis,a young woman loyal to herroots. Her Italian, Medi-

terranean-style food is colorfuland flavorful, made up ofingredients her family has beenusing for generations.

De Laurentiis defi-nitely represents the delicateside of femininity with herdainty recipes and cocktails.She is a symbol of carrying onthe family values of childhood

and modernizing them.Lastly, there is Sandra

Lee. What makes Lee stand outis that she characterizes thethrifty, put together, “hostesswith the mostest” woman of the1950s – a complete turn aroundfrom most images society hasof women today.

Her show, Semi-HomeMade with Sandra Lee,emphasizes the various ways tomake cheap, easy, filling mealsthat look good and taste great.She always has a “tablescape”to go with the food and lovesnothing more than entertainingher friends and family.

In truth, it is awonderful thing to have somany different personalities andimages teaching womeneverywhere how to cook. Justthink…without the FoodNetwork, all the men wouldstarve.

Gourmet cake

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not putting anything on anindividual’s permanent record.“This question may offerpositive opportunity foreducation rather thanpunishment for offenders,” saidEnnes.

Some countriesaround the world like GreatBritain, the Netherlands andSwitzerland have legalizedcertain drugs such as heroin andmarijuana (<http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/DEBATE/myths/myths4.htm>).

The effects of doingthis have been both negativeand positive, according to thewebsite Drug Library.org(<http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer /DEBATE/myths/myths4.htm>).

“Legalizing drugswon’t stop teens from misusingit because experimenting andpushing to the limit is part ofthe psyche of teens,” saidEnnes.

Just like legalizingdrugs, the drinking age isquestioned by many teens. Thelegal drining age in China,Poland and Thailand is16. In theNetherlands and Switzerlanddrinking alcohol at the age of 18is legal, but it’s 21 in the U.S.

“If you can be asoldier and die for your country,then why can’t you drink?”asked Matt Ferland (10).

Drug dealings stilloccur and the federal and stategovernments have taken stepsto stop it but it hasn’t ended.“They should legalize drugs fortreatment purposes and taxthem for revenues,” said SamSullivan (10).

“We have DrugAbuse Resistance Education(D.A.R.E) in every school butthat hasn’t stopped the kidswho want to do it,” saidMoitoso.

There are manywebsites to help addicts like theNational Institute of DrugAbuse (<www.nida.nih.gov>).“Talk to a trusted adult who canfacilitate referral to counselingand/or medical help,” saidEnnes.

Drug Abuse cont. from pg. 7

Staff:Tiffany BerardDemi Delorme

Anthony FelosChris Gabrius

Mahlik JohnsonGerogina Kotubas

Ed Nolan IIIJamie Pedro

Heather Wilson

Layout:Devin Goyette

Ms. Adeline Bee

Editor in ChiefFelicia Connolly

Editors:Farial Azia

Kayla CastroAudrey Coulter

Katelyn DelaurierErik GuilletteMeg Harvey

Niki HengAmber ThomasJustin Torres

Carmen VignoniAshley Zimmerman

Advisor:Ms. Adeline Bee

Printing:Graphic Comm.

Department

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.

Edition 3 Winter 2009

Can video gamers be the next top surgeons? Researcherswho gathered in Boston for the American PsychologicalAssociation this year think yes. They detailed their studies, whichsuggested that video games are great learningtools, improving the suturing skills oflaparoscopic surgeons (<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2008-08-18-video-games-learning_N.htm>).

This type of surgery is performedusing small incisions and snake-like camerascalled laparoscopes, which use many of thesame skills used when playing video games.The researchers concluded that certain videogames have benefits.

A study at Beth Israel Medical Centerin New York compared 33 surgeons who playedvideo games to those who didn’t. In the endthe surgeons who played video games provedto be better at surgery. They were 27 percentfaster at advanced surgical procedures andmade 37 percent less errors than those whodidn’t play video games (<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2008-08-18-video-games-learning_N.htm>).

“I think it all depends on the genre of the game. If it is aWWII game that is historically accurate then it would help studentslearn about the war and the battles that were fought. Video gamesalso help to improve fine motor skills, a trait which is hard for somestudents,” said Tom Brown (12).

Some video games even appear to sharpen scientificthinking skills, proven by research done by Iowa State University.

They looked at a random sample of 2,000 chat room postsfor World of Warcraft and found out the game encourages scientificthinking. The majority of the gamers shared knowledge and usedsystematic and evaluative processes to complete the job.

Gamers create an environment where informal practicesof scientific reasoning are being learned. “I think video games helpthinking more strategically in school,” said Gaphet Balencia (11).

Another study was done by Fordham University involving122 students from fifth, sixth and seventh grades in order to findout if playing video games improved cognitive, the mental processesof perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning, and perceptualskills. In other words, do video games help improve the learningskills of children?

“I think there are certain benefits from video games suchas hand-eye coordination and attentiveness. Some games allowfor physical activity, such as Wii Sports, and others open the mind

for a broad spectrum of subjects whether it’sscience fiction or real life scenarios,” saidJesse Mallon (10).

During the survey, students wereasked to think aloud for 20 minutes whileplaying a video game. The researchersdiscovered that older children were interestedin just playing the game, whereas youngerchildren set up short-term goals to help themthrough the game. The younger children learnmore from the games, focusing on planningand problem solving, whereas the olderchildren focus more on just playing the game.

Video games also help with eye-handcoordination, a good way to train for twenty-first century jobs. Many new jobs, like thosein the military and in factories, are completedremotely like video games.

“I think games like Rock Band helpenhance motor-skills, multitasking, and time

management,” said Vanessa Walsh-Diaz (10).Dan St. Pierre (9) said, “I think playing certain sports

games can benefit the player by giving the player a betterunderstanding on how to play that sport.”

Some games, like shooters, require rapidly switching focalattention, making them great trainers for multitasking, whereasfantasy games help children prepare for the future by making themuse cooperation, coordination, and negotiation skills. Fantasygames put the player in a virtual world where they need to makedecisions, building their mental rehearsal skills.

“When you concentrate on being skilled in a game andbeating levels you become dedicated. This helps you with similarskills in school as well as with concentrating and paying attentionin class,” said Whitney Randant (10).

While all these statements are true, some believe theresults from video games are not helpful. Students may be seeingonly what is on the top instead of going in-depth, like looking atthe cover of a book instead of reading it.

“I’m worried that video games lead to a shallowness ofthinking,” said psychology teacher Mr. Tom Rainey.

REVIEWSREVIEWSREVIEWSREVIEWSREVIEWS Video Game SurgeonsBy: Jonathan Handy

Popular Computer Gamew

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The prospect of cannibalism is menacing, even more sowhen it occurs unbeknownst to the individual at hand. Despitethis notion, Tim Burton made it a probable concept in the 2007film version of Sweeny Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Set in eighteenth century London, Sweeny Todd (JohnnyDepp) is a local barber who slits the throats of his customers.

With help from his friend and owner of the bake shop,Mrs. Loverett (Helena Bonham Carter) Todd grinds up the bodiesand bakes them into meat pies. With this newly found “secretrecipe” Loverett’s shop becomes an unexpected hot spot.

However, there are more secrets than the mystery meatintertwined in this tale. Todd is not just a psychopathic barber,and Loverett is more than just a friend lending a hand. Todd’smain motive in cutting the throats of his customers is revenge.

As a young barber, Todd had it all. He had a boomingbusiness, and more importantly, a beautiful wife and baby girl.

However, all of this is taken right out frm under himwhen his wife is supposedly murdered and he was taken captivein Australia by the law. His return to London is purely out ofretaliation. Todd wants his little girl back, and wants his wife’sassailant to pay.

Sweeny Todd is more than just a gore fest. In fact, it is a

musical. Most people wouldn’t associate murder and cannibalismwith singing, and frankly it sounds like an odd combination.However, the murderous barber of Fleet Street first debuted in 1979on Broadway.

Depp, who is openly popular among his teenage fans,bares his soul by premiering his vocals to Stephen Sondheim’scomposition. His fellow actors who include Carter, Alan Rickman,Sacha Baron Cohen, and Laura Michelle Kelly, all perform with anunexpected talent. None of the actors come from a vocalistbackground, yet their performance would fool any viewer.

Being around for so long and having an immense followingmade this Broadway play remake sound like an unbearable task.However, Burton conveys the notion of vengeance, intimacy, andpure thrill.

This film is one that can be categorized among all thegreat movies and musicals of the past decades and can definitelybe watched over and over again, unless, of course, the viewer hasa particularly weak stomach.

Sweeny Todd is a movie to see, however it’s not meantfor everyone. It has an “R” rating for obvious graphic and bloodyviolence (bloody is an understatement.) It can be picked up at anyretail chain for $10.99 or rented at a movie rental store.

Murder on Disk

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Will Smith’s moviesare for families and alwaysentertaining, but sometimesthey are sad or even lifechanging. A perfect example ofthis is PG-13 Seven Pounds.

Directed by GabrielleMuccino, it stars Will Smith asthe main character Ben Thomas.Rosario Dawson plays EmilyPosa, and Woody Harrelsonplays Ezra Turner, the blind

friend of the two maincharacters.

Seven Pounds is thestory of Thomas, who sets outto redeem himself by helpingpeople after creating a disaster.Viewers eventually commiseratewith him.

When Thomas firsthelps these people, he has tofind out if they are worthy. Hespies on them and checks outtheir personal records whileposing as his brother, an IRSagent.

While watching themovie the audience has no cluewhat’s to come. At the end it allcomes together in an amazingclimax, revealing the secrets.

The title is confusingbecause it references WilliamShakespeare’s philosophy thata man must repay his debts witha pound of flesh. In othercultures, debts are paid with anorgan or a limb. Both culturalaspects play a role in the film.

This extremelytouching movie is one of the

most emotional and spirituallymoving of the year. Itleaves viewers sittingquietly in the theater,reflecting on what theyjust watched.

Seven Poundswas nominated forseveral awards.

The actorsreally make this movieemotional as theyrealistically portray theircharacters with extraordinaryacting. It is a dramatic and

Seven PoundsBy: Geo Tevenal

touching story to be seen by allages.

Will Smith in Seven Pounds

www.femalenetwork.com/images/articles/articleImage/Grapevine/7pounds.jpg

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REVIEWSREVIEWSREVIEWSREVIEWSREVIEWS

Meat Pie Anyone?By: Katie Cost

INDEX

Attleboro High School100 Rathbun Willard

DriveAttleboro, MA 02703Phone: 508-222-5150

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

attleboroschools.com>Principal:

Mr. Jeff NewmanSuperintendent:Dr. Pia Durkin

On Dec. 17, 2008, the StudentCouncil (StuCo) held its third annual Homelessfor a Night event. StuCo tries to do oneawareness activity per year. This one aims tomake the community aware of the seriousissue of homelessness.

All the donations from Homeless fora Night went to the Foundation Homes forHearts. This organization helps homelesspeople find jobs. In addition to helping findpeople jobs, the organization helps findaffordable apartments. With this support,homeless people are brought back intosociety.

This idea was presented to StuCo in2007 when a formerpresident of StudentCouncil read aboutanother school doingthis project in aleadership magazine.

“I am veryimpressed with theamount donated, giventhe current economicsituation in ourcountry. The studentsparticipating wereenthusiastic despite thecold temperature, so allin all, we had a

successful night,” said Student CouncilAdvisor Ms. Colleen Nestlen.

By the end of the night, there weremany donations. Approximately 20 filledgreen trash bags full of clothes, and four ofcanned goods, which were not asked for butstill welcomed, were donated. $131.60 wasalso donated by various people. Many ofthe donated clothes were jackets, gloves,hats, shirts, jeans, and sweatshirts.

“This year’s homeless for a nightwas even more productive than last year’s,considering how much clothing we got lastyear,” said Geo Tevenal (11), a member ofthe Student Council.

According to the National LawCenter on Homelessness and poverty in2007, around 3.5 million people will behomeless in a year. Around 1.35 percentare children (<http://www.familiesmovingfoward.org/homeless-families-minnesota/03-01-08/statistics-about-homelessness>).

“I think that if more schoolsheld activities like this, they would have

a greater interest inhelping to end home-lessness,” said SheilaDaSilva (10).

These arealarming statistics forhomelessness in theUnited States.

Hopefu l ly,with the studentcouncil raising aware-ness within theAttleboro community,other communities willpitch in and try to helpend homelessness.

Homeless for a NightBy: Carmen Vignoni

Student Council Homeless for a Night

In early January,international espionage authorJon Land visited Ms. Bee’sWriting and Publishing andJournalism classes for thesecond time.

Land had an

inspirational effect on thewriting and publishing classafter the first visit, making thestudents want to write. Thistime he gave them the chanceto ask him direct questions.

One student asked ifLand recommended writingclasses. He responded “No,”laughing and adding, “Writingteachers like to replace whatyou write with something theythink is better.”

He added, “There’s nobetter way to learn to write thanto read.”

“The part I liked themost was when he gave us ideason how to shape our work andthe advice to never give up;keep trying no matter what,”said Justin Torres (12).

Land gave a lot of

Author Visits AHSBy: Jonathan Handy

helpful advice to the studentswhile constantly pacing back andforth. “I loved Jon land’spersonality. It was lively and fullof pure fun,” said Whitney

Randant (10).He was uplifting and

explained to the students that“The toughest thing about writingis to not get discouraged.”

He was very positive,full of constant energy, anddescribed himself as egotistical,an apparently perfect concoctionfor a great writer. He has writtenscreenplays, one of whichbecame the movie Dirty Deeds,available on DVD, but focusesmainly on novels – he’s up to 28.

“Jon Land is a trulyremarkable character himself. Heis a very outspoken, hilarious,intelligent man whose creativitynever ends. I remember his adviceto my question; ‘If you put apiece aside and can’t seem to goback to it, it’s either not goodenough or something is

missing,’” said Kim Taton(12).

Land was lots of funbut also very sincere andserious. He told the class that“Writing is the job thatchooses you. Never quitbecause it only takes oneperson to make you asuccess and sometimes youjust get it right.”

“Jon Land inspiredme to be a better writer.Although I don’t write thesame genre, he has en-couraged me to write morethan I already do,” saidKatelyn DeLaurier (10).

“I met Jon Land atone of his book signings andfound him knowledgeable,interesting, and full ofvitality. He lives in theProvidence area so agreed tocome and talk to mystudents. As a formerjournalist he related toboth of my classes.

“His firstvisit, he taught alesson to thestudents and thenread their work andpositively criticized it.They were thrilled.The second time hefocused on theirquestions giving thestudents lots ofinformation about thewriting process andhimself. I believe hemade a real difference

in the students’ writing habits,”said Ms. Adeline Bee.

Land gave bothclasses constructive advice andhis presence was well-received.“I thought it was cool that hewould take time out of his life tovisit teens,” said Nicole Dionne(12).

His latest publishedbook is The Seven Sins. He justfinished Strong Enough to Dieand left an UncorrectedAdvanced Reading Copy orARC for the class. It’s comingout next summer and is Land’sfavorite. Some of his earlierbooks include The GammaOption and The Fires ofMidnight. He said his favoriteauthors are Stephen King,Truman Capote and Hunter S.Thompson.

Land’s most importantadvice was to never give up, tojust keep trying.

International espionage author Jon Land teaching

Jon Land reading excerptfrom Stephen King

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Make a Difference/EveryGirl at AHS Looks theSame/Future Careers/Reopened

Capron Park’s NewestAttraction/Adopt anAnimal/Dueling Pens

Buckle forBecky

College Information/SATand ACT deadlines

Nerd Sticks/Say Goodbyeto Paper and Pens/DrugAbuse

Assistant PrincipalSawyer/New HistoryDept. Head/No Late Bus?

Benefits of the Navy/Welding/Power ofPlays

Opinions

Page 12Reviews: Video GameSurgeons/ SevenPounds/Meat PieAnyone?

Dangers of Testing andDriving/Stop! Pay Atten-tion/Eating and DrinkingDistractions/Saving LivesBehind the Wheel

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Edition 3 Winter 2009Make a

DifferenceBy: Jaclyn Brown

Recycling, animalrights petitions, globalwarming campaigns, andselling coffee, and chocolateare just some of the currentprojects that AHS’sEnvironmental Club is workingon.

Members includeAlma Conway (10), AmandaBarney (12), BrittanyMcCarthy (10), Curtis Preising(10), Jennifer Rogers (10),Jesse Mallon (10), Justin Silva(9), Kayla LaPlume (10), KristenGuertin (10), Lauren Buono(10), Matt Fyfe (9), Sheila daSilva (10), Stephanie Furlong(11), Tyler Chauncey (10), andWhitney Randant (10).

“The EnvironmentalClub tries to promote awarenessof recycling, using Fair Tradeand natural products,conservation, and workingagainst global warming,” saidGlobal Issues teacher Mr. DougMatthews.

The EnvironmentalClub has been recycling for tenyears, and so far, recycling hasbeen their most successfulproject. “I think that oncepeople got interested inrecycling, not only here, but athome also, they were more likelyto do it,” said Matthews.

Other studentsaround the school help outwithout joining theEnvironmental Club. Forinstance, students can followwhat the club is promoting, bybuying local and organic foods,conserving natural resourcesby not driving SUVs,unplugging phone chargers(this helps because phonechargers left plugged useenergy even when not in use),and/or becoming a vegetarian.

However, there is agreat deal more that Matthewswould like to see done at theschool. Specifically, he wouldlike to see the school userecycled paper, compost in the

Mr. Matthews with environmental poster

cafeteria, change the food traysto ones made out of potato skins,conserve energy by shuttingdown computers, have energymeasuring devices in classes,and use power strips so at theend of the day, everything canbe shut off.

“The excitement fromstudents would have to be myfavorite part of the EnvironmentalClub,” said Matthews. So getexcited, and help AHS’sEnvironmental Club make adifference.

AHS students andMatthews meet Tuesdayafternoons at 2 p.m. in room 115Ato discuss issues and how theycan be addressed.

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Mrs. Parson and Mrs. LaChance and students in front of the School-to-Career office

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Future CareersBy: Patrick Clark

Do you know whatyou want to be? There is aprogram at AHS that can help.It’s called the Job ShadowProgram and it allows studentsto experience jobs first hand.

The program is run byMrs. Sandy Parson, withassistance from Mrs. ChristineLaChance. About 100 studentsparticipate in the job shadowprogram every year.

Students may only doone job shadow a year, mustbe a junior or senior and be ingood standing with the school;you have to have good gradesand good attendance. Allmissing work must also be madeup.

“This program ishelpful for students who are

trying to determine their careerpaths. As well as find out whatstudents don’t want to do,” saidLaChance.

“It’s a good learningexperience and helps you get agood handle on what you wantto do,” said 2008 AHS graduateDanny Gale.

Not all the jobs arelocal; it depends on what thestudent wants to do. In thisprogram is a chance to go to anyjob of interest. “One studentwanted to be an archeologist,so he went to Conn. to anarcheological dig site,” saidLaChance.

This program has beenaround for ten years. It wasoriginally held on GroundhogDay, but the school-to-career

office couldn’t accommodate allthe students who signed up.However, they do try to give asmany students as possible thechance to participate in theprogram.

Gale, who participatedin the job shadow program, wentto a fire station in Attleboro. “Iused the knowledge I learnedwhile on the shadow, thentransferred it to the station I amat now,” said Gale.

The Job ShadowProgram has a positive affect onpeople. It helps students discovertheir interests and disinterests.“We think the job shadowing is agreat experience,” said LaChance.

The School-to-Careeroffice is located in room 148c.

ReopenedBy: Briana Murray

The school store,located in cafeteria B-1,whereAHS merchandise and schoolsupplies used to be sold, isback. Students in the past haverelied on the store being openbefore school and during lunch.

Many studentswanted the school store toreopen. “A lot of people areunprepared for class so it wouldbe good to buy school suppliesfor class,” said Joseph Harris(9).

“I’ve always wantedto buy things that say AHS onit,” said Emily Meehan (10).

The school storereopened Semester II afterlosing staff over the summer.The staffing issue has finallybeen resolved.

Some students see aschool store differently. “I thinkthe school store is dumbbecause there’s no point.

Instead of buying things tosell, they should save themoney to fix the school,”said Vanessa Walsh-Diaz(10).

The school storeisn’t really essential to aschool but it is a niceaddition. When the storewas open last year, studentsput their skills to work there.

The students learnhow a business runs andhow to manage money. “It’sgood for the students topractice their skills,” saidPrincipal Jeffrey Newman.

The school storedoesn’t bring in muchrevenue, but is helpful tostudents learning about themanagement of money.

It was originallycreated for the student’sconvenience.

AHS merchandise at school store

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Every year, girls’trends change, and it seemsthat almost every girl walks intoschool wearing the same jacket,boots or ripped jeans as the lastten girls who walked in beforeher. There is no real explanationfor why girls wear the sameexpensive items of clothing;maybe it’s to fit in, or maybeit’s just because these really arethe most comfortableoutfits to wear.

“It seems likesome girls wear clotheslike these because theyjust want to fit in andare scared to showtheir individuality,”said ElizabethMulcahy (10).

“The mostpopular things thatgirls have are Coachpurses, Puma backpacks, Uggboots, and North Facesweatshirts,” said KristaGuertin (10).

Although these itemsare expensive, they still seemto be the most fashionable forgirls at AHS.

“Ugg boots arearound $200, and a North Faceis about $160, but I just wearthem because I like them,” saidBrianna Nunes (10).

Alicia Dart (11) said,“Boots and a North Face are

Every Girl at AHS Looks the SameBy: Danielle Comey

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really the most comfortableand the warmest.”

“Ripped jeans fromHollister can be around $70,but personally, I think that alot of shirts look better withripped jeans. They make youroutfit,” said Lauren Massey(10).

“The most popularoutfit for girls is Uggs, ripped

jeans, a zip-up sweatshirt mostlikely from Hollister, and aNorth Face,” said JahairaGarro (10).

“The normal outfitthat most girls wear lookscute, and is still comfortabletoo,” said Patty Martin (11).

These expensiveclothes seem to be what mostgirls are spending their moneyon, although some girls dofeel differently about thesetrends.

2

Edition 3 Winter 2009

Adopt an AnimalBy: Justin Torres

Capron Park has anadoption program whereanimals need lots of love andcare. They need help from localresidents.

For $25, the adopterwill receive an adoptioncertificate with a color photo ofthe animal, a fun fact card andthe satisfaction of helping outone of these animals. Tocommemorate the adoption theperson who adopts an animalwill have their name and animalchoice posted on the adoptionboard all year.

The money raisedfrom the adopt-an-animal

program is used to help theanimals, exhibitreconstruction and theacquisition of new animals.

The animals thatmay be adopted range fromamphibians, reptiles, birds ormammals such as frogs,snakes, tortoise, owls, orfoxes. Pick up a brochuretoday at Capron Park Zoo inAttleboro and fill out theadoption form. The adoptedanimal will live in the zoo.

Visit Capron Park offCounty Street and adopt ananimal today. Call any time at774-203-1840.

From left to right Lyala and Ramses

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Miracles do happen.An adorable male lion cub is the

newest attraction at Capron Park Zoo, in Attleboro.The cub, born on Nov. 27, 2008, weighs

about four pounds. The parents are Ramses, a whitelion, and the four year old lioness, Lyala. This isCapron’s first lion cub, since the park wasestablished in 1920.

Brenda Youngof Swansea, Mass. is theanimal care supervisor atCapron. Young earnedher associate’s degree inZoo Animal Technologyat Santa Fe CommunityCollege and herbachelor’s in biology atBridgewater State.

During thelioness’ pregancy, thezoo keepers kept acareful watch on her,because they weren’tsure she was pregnant.Lions commonly go through false pregnancies,which occur when the lion has been bred, but thepregnancy does not take place. Veterinarians cannot tell if a lion is pregnant except by blood tests.

Once thecub was born, theveterinarian wasconcerned he wasnot gettingenough milk, sodecided toseparate him fromhis mother. Theywaited until Lyalaleft the den.

“It was atough decision,and we had to dowhat was best for

the cub,” said Young. The cub has been ona bottle ever since.

Everyone was excited about thecub. “Come look we have a new member ofthe family,” said one of the zookeepers. “Thecub is so cute,” said Young.

Lyala was watched for a couple ofdays; if shecontinued toworry about her“lost” cub itwould lead tod e p r e s s i o n .Lions have tomove on or theycan become sodepressed, theyactually die.

The cubwill be kept atCapron until heis six to eightmonths old.They can not

keep him at the zoo because once taken outof the den, the father will attack him and themother will not accept the cub. Capronowners are discussing where to place thecub.

For further information in careerson zoo keeping or handling animals visitAZA.org (Association of zoos andaquariums.org) or AAZK.org (Americanassociation of zookeepers.org).

Capron is offering, for a limitedtime only, chances to meet the lion cub, onlyparticipants must be at least eight years old.The cub will be on display during normalzoo hours from 10 a.m. to 4. p.m.

This is an experience not to bemissed. Don’t forget to check out the park’sadditional exhibits.

Capron Park’s Newest AttractionBy: Justin Torres

Kendra Uriot with cub

Lion cubJu

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Winter hours: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Final tickets sold at 3 p.m.Attleboro residents Nov. - March

Capron Park Zoo Hours and Admission Rates

$3.75/adult (age 13+); $2.75/child (age 3-12); $2.75/Senior (65+);$2.75/Military (with ID)

April to October: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Final tickets sold at 4 p.m.Non-Residents: $5.50/adult (age 13+); $3.75/child (age 3-12);

$3.75/Senior (age 65+); $2.75/Military (with ID)Children under 3 admitted FREE

Open daily depending on weather

Though tanning ismostly frowned upon bydoctors and health experts, it isa pop culture sensation thatisn’t all bad. Surprisingly, thereare health benefits to thisongoing fad.

Dermatologists claimtanning can give a person skincancer, but this is only if onedoes not set appropriate limits.Tanning can provide essentialVitamin D that sometimes,especially in winter, is hard toreceive.

“It is important toreceive 15 minutes of sunlighta day (the natural source ofVitamin D),” said Health teacherMrs. Nancy Krieger.

“Sunlight is taken inthrough the skin and causes achemical reaction that producesVitamin D. It keeps bones,muscles and the immunesystem strong and healthy. It isscientifically proven to improveone’s mood,” said Krieger.

Research shows thatthe more Vitamin D one takes inthe less likely to develop breastcancer, ovarian cancer, coloncancer, and prostate cancerbecause Vitamin D slows thegrowth of cancer cells.

Tanning becamepopular in the 1920s whendesigner Coco Chanel went onvacation and came back with abronze tan. Once she was seenat a Paris fashion show, peoplefollowed her new look.

“I think tan skin looksmore attractive,” said AlisonHuchler (11).

Thirty years afterChanel, women’s first bikiniscame out. This causedtanning to boom. Selftanning products and skindyes were invented andused by not only women,but men also. It wasn’t untilthe late 1980s when indoortanning became a trend.Many people still preferredoutdoor tanning (<www.t a n n i n g - a d v i s o r. c o m /history-of-tanning.html>).

Many people likethe physical appearance ofa tan. A tan can be perceivedas a young and healthy glowand can even make one’smuscles look more defined. Itcan also hide imperfections onthe body such as dark hair andveins.

“I think tanning makespeople look healthier becausepeople associate pale skin withbeing sick,” said FrancescaDiPanfilo (12).

People with tannedskin are less likely to receive asun burn. Tanned skin can be aprotection and the closer peoplelive to the equator the morepeople have developed darkerskin.

This is why mostpeople decide to tan before atropical vacation.

“The first time I wenttanning was before I went toFlorida so I wouldn’t burn,” saidLiz Girczyc (12).

Tanning has beenshown to release endorphins, a“feel-good” hormone in thebody. This has been known tohelp depressed patients withSeasonal Affective Disorder.SAD is a mood disorder inwhich patients seem to feeldepressed more in the wintermonths. Doctors tend toprescribe tanning in either abooth or the sun to boostendorphins and receive thecorrect amount of exposure tolight (<http:// www.freeonlineresearchpapers.com/health-benefits-tanning>).

PROBy: Lydia McMahon DUELING PENS CON

: Katie CostGenerally people

would assume that the greaterpopulation of New Englandduring Dec. wouldn’t be able toflash that golden tan. However,

as a result of indoor tanning,this notion is a commonmisconception.

Indulging in self-tanning has become a mainstream trend. It’s all over thecover of magazines, in film,music, and has nowintegrated itself into our ownsociety. Indoor tanning hasbecome a popular means offorming a bronzecomplexion during monthsthat the sun doesn’t shineso brightly, and Old ManWinter is knocking at the

door.The trend has become

so popular that people arerisking not only turningthemselves into an oom-paloompa-look-alike but worse,turning themselves into acancer patient.

Recently more andmore individuals opt for a sunkissed coffin at a younger age.Of the 30 million people whobake themselves, 2.3 percent ofthem are teenagers. Promevents, summer itself, and otherpressures of adolescenceconvince younger individualsto “fake-and-bake.”

The common means oftanning is a popular clamshelldevice that essentially looks

like futuristic armor, a.k.a.tanning bed. These beds are aPlexiglas surface with a lightsource that emits short wavesof UV rays above and belowthat warm the body.

Companies frequentlyprovide guarantees that theirclients will have no further sideeffects or health risks to fretabout. They broadcast that youcan “tan indoors withabsolutely no harmful sideeffects,” note that there shouldbe “no burning, no drying andno sun damage,” and ensurethat “unlike the sun, indoortanning will not cause skincancer or skin aging.”

Unfortunately, therhetoric of these companiesconvinces young tanners theycan create a bronzeunsusceptible to relateddisease and risks. Despitecommon corporation claims,tanning is a self indulgent healthhazard.

Unbeknownst tomany, tanning is the bodyreacting to ultraviolet (UV)radiation. In other words, thehuman race is not a species ofchameleons. Skin changes colordue to a chemical reaction, andnot to blend in with theenvironment (despite the factthat most teenagers tan in orderto “blend in” with their peers.)

A limited exposure toContinued. on pg. 6

3

TANNING

Edition 3 Winter 2009

Newly licenseddrivers continuously face thestereotype of being “bad”drivers. However, there’s nosuch thing as a bad driver; onlyan inexperienced one. Becausenew drivers have so littleexperience, they must take extraprecautions when on the road.

According to theMassachusetts Registry ofMotor Vehicles’ JuniorOperating License law, “youmay not operate a motorvehicle, within the first sixmonths after receiving your“Junior Operator’s License”while any person under the ageof 18 is in the vehicle (other thanyourself or an immediate familymember), unless you areaccompanied by a person whois at least 21 years old, has atleast one year of drivingexperience, hold a valid driver’slicense from Massachusetts oranother state, and is occupyinga seat beside you” (<http://w w w. m a s s . g o v / r m v / j o l /21336_web.pdf>).

Although this law maybe a burden for most, it is ineffect to create a saferenvironment for new drivers.

BUCKLE FOR BECKY

Passenger DistractionsBy: Ashley Zimmerman

Passengers causedistractions while in the car.Constant conversa-tionsamong passengers andpassengers and a driver canresult in accidents, all becausethe driver didn’t have completeattention on the road. Oneminute, everyone is talkingabout school, the next, they arein an accident with the car infront of them.

A driver has totalcontrol of his/her car, but adriver does not have totalcontrol of his/her passengers.At any time, passengers canraise their voices, change theradio station, or ask the driverto look at something. All ofthese instances can bedistractions for the driver of thevehicle.According to a survey byinsurance agency, Allstate.com,44 percent of teens said theydrive more safely withoutfriends in the car (<http://www.allstate.com/tools-and-r e s o u r c e s / s a f e - d r i v i n g -resources.aspx>).

No need to worrythough, distractions can beavoided. If newly licenseddrivers abide by the six-monthrule, they will be given the time

to gain confidence andbegin to feel comfortableas a driver, withoutpassenger distractions.Accidents can be minoror serious, but all arepotentially life-threat-ening. Pay attention whiledriving and avoid anypotential distractions.

Once it has begunFeeling like a feather in the

skyFlying up in the air

Transcending the cloudsSeeing the golden gates

Entering heavenLoved ones everywhereSmiling upon the earthVisiting every so often

Saying I love youIn the end,

Obtaining eternal life andReceiving angel wings

(l-r) Danielle Johnson, Becky,Emily Wilson, and Meg Griffin

Becky Whitefield The excitement when you learn to driveIs demolished when you reach 85Careful attention can not be givenWhen out of state you have driven

But this wasn’t meant for you.You were smart and loving too.

And when it’s not your fault we cryBecause now you’re an angel and can fly

Sadness comes in single file.We still want you around.

We miss your heart and your smileWe have lost what we just found

On May 16, 2008 Attleboro High School lost a very important person, Becky Whitefield. This page is a tribute in herhonor to stress the importance of safe driving. “Buckle for Becky” is an innovative slogan used by students to

remember to always buckle up while driving a vehicle or riding in one. So, if this isn’t enough to make you practicesafe driving, then at least practice it for your own loved ones. We love and miss you, Becky!

4

Either driving a car orriding in one has become partof a teens’ daily routine, but littledo they know that every timethey step into a vehicle, theycould potentially risk their ownlives and the people’s livessurrounding them. If they followa few safety tips while driving,they could save not only theirown lives, but the lives ofothers.

On May 16, 2008,teens at AHS finally receivedthe epiphany of the dangers ofdriving, unfortunately when itwas too late to spread the word.A friend, not wearing a seatbelt,passed away in a car accident.

Her death changedmany teens’ driving habitstremendously. More teens nowwon’t start their cars until everyone of their passengers buckleup.

Becky Whitefield’sdeath, and other teens who diefrom car crashes, might havebeen prevented. Around 5,000teenagers a year die from caraccidents, according to

KeepTheDrive.com (<http://w w w. k e e p t h e d r i v e . c o m /Statistics.aspx>).

Simple ways toprevent future car accidents are:slow down while driving, stoptexting whiledriving, weara seatbelt atall times, andsimply be amore cautiousdriver.

If adriver slowsdown, thenthe car iseasier to handle, and a lastminute decision to slow downwon’t have to be made. Don’tbe a hazard to other drivers.

The worst thingsteenagers do while they driveis change the song on theiriPod, change the radio station,and/or texting. All of theseactivities should not behappening while driving

because all of the focus shouldbe on the road and thesurrounding area.

Here are several tipsfor teens to become betterdrivers:

• Anticipatewhat the driver in frontof you is going to do,such as stopping orslowing down suddenly.

• Follow therules of the road,including knowing whogoes first at anintersection, followingthe road signs, driving

the speed limit, andfollowing the trafficlights.

• Wet roadsare slippery, so slowdown to below the speed

limit.• In snow

stay cautiously alert.Keep a safe distancebetween your car andthe one in front, drive atslower speeds and, ifnecessary, put the car ina lower gear. Snow tiresare always a good idea,because they have

traction.A major tip while on

the road is to never think, “Itcouldn’t happen to me.” Evenif just driving down the street,do not take stepping into avehicle less seriously.

According toInsurance.com, “Progressiveasked 11,000 of its autoinsurance policyholders whoreported accidents in 2001 howclose to home they were whenthe accident happened.

“Fifty-two percentreported they were five miles orless from home, and anastounding 77 percent reportedthey were within 15 miles fromhome” (<http://www.insurance. c o m / a r t i c l e . a s p x / C a r_Accidents _Happen_Closer_T o _ H o m e _ T h a n _ Yo u _May_Think/artid/104>).

Driving responsibly isnot a difficult task; simply payattention to the road and otherdrivers. This will help stop theepidemic of teenage deathscaused by motor vehicleaccidents.

Buckle for BeckyBy: Katelyn DeLaurier and Carmen Vignoni

Student vehicles

Erik

Gui

llette

Becky and friends

Subm

itted

CarefulBy: Amber Thomas

Subm

itted

Subm

itted

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Tattoo on NicoleTremblay’s (12) leg

Staf

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People come and go,and life isn’t always fair, so letthose who you were privilegedto know be your inspiration, notyour tears. Losing a loved oneis a horrible experience. There’sthe constant pain of neverseeing them around or hangingout with them. Though, veryfew high school students facethe passing of a close friend inhigh school, it can happen toanyone.Rebeckha was seventeen, anda very free spirited youngindividual. She was alwayshappy and had a big smile onher face day-to-day. She wasvery well known around schooland loved by just abouteveryone. Rebeckha was big

into sports, AHS and on otherNew England teams. Just likeany other normal teenager sheenjoyed being with friends atall times.The passing of Becky had agreat impact, not only on me,but also just abouteveryone inAttleboro. When wesaw there had beenan accident, we werehit hard, as thoughsomeone took a batto our stomachs. Anofficer told us, “I’mnot going tosugarcoat it; she’snot good” From thatmoment my friendsand I knew it was bad.Once people started finding out,everyone showed up at herhouse; they were emotionalwrecks, especially her father.When it came to school days itwas pretty much quiet forseveral days, as everyone,finally realized she was goneforever. Everyone knows shelives on in each of us andalways will.

Remembering BeckyBy: Amanda Weckesser

Angel’s WingsBy: Justin Torres

According to the police officerthe funeral precession was thelongest the seen in ten years;the line of people circled thebuilding.Finally, Becky is my inspirationto be a better person and do as

well as possible in school. Thisquote: “One day your life willflash before your eyes. Makesure its worth watching.” Thatis exactly what happened.Cherish the times have hadtogether because no one cantake those away. So rememberthose you lost, but don’t cryover them, praise them for thememories made together.

Edition 3 Winter 2009

“I think it is ridiculousthat girls will spend so muchmoney on ripped jeans insteadof buying a cheaper pair ofjeans and making the ripsthemselves. Also, you would besaving money,” said CrystalDeForest (11).

“I think it’s dumb thatso many girls dress the samebecause you should be yourown person,” said GabbyMendes (10). Not every girlspends so much money to keepup with popular trends.

Walking through thehalls, every color of Hollister orAbercrombie shirt can be found,

along with every style ofexpensive ripped jeans. Tomany, keeping up with the newtrends is important, whichcould be the reason why somany girls at AHS haveconformed to being identical. On Uggaustralia.com,Ugg boots can be bought for$160. They can be found moreinexpensively at Popsneakers.com for $99, Aussiedirect.stores.yahoo.net for $34.99 orat Estyleco.com for $99.95.

It pays to shoparound.

Every Girl at AHS Looks the Same cont. from page 2

North Face jacket

Matching fun

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New History Dept. HeadBy: Matt Ethier

Mr. Tobey Reed

In his first year asassistant principal, Mr.Dave Sawyer is new to therole but not to AHS.

Born in Worcester,Mass., Sawyer went toschool in Medfield, Mass.,and lived in Worcesterduring college. Afterearning his bachelor’s andmaster’s degrees from HolyCross and Clark University,Sawyer went into businessfor a short time working inthe Internal Audit Depart-ment for Dunkin’ Donuts.

After Dunkin’Donuts, Sawyer put hiseducation degrees to useand started teaching. Hebegan at AHS in 1996 as ahistory teacher. After fouryears, he became the headof the history department,

Assistant Principal SawyerBy: Matt Ethier

Mr. Dave Sawyer in his office

Matt Ethier

Mat

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ier

keeping it for the next eightyears.

“I like my newposition at Attleboro High. It’sa ‘steep learning curve’ but Ienjoy its challenges,” saidSawyer.

“When he was ateacher, I had him for history.He was one of my favorites,”said AHS graduate and ClarkUniv. student Kristen Ethier.

Each day starts witha meeting with Principal JeffNewman to talk about the dayahead. “The meeting isusually about theresponsibilities of working ondifferent things, like MCAStesting or teacher support, orsometimes I have meetingswith the district,” said Sawyer.

“I like to keep thebest interests of the students

in mind, along with theteachers because they’rethe ones who needsupport to make adifference. Stayingpositive is the main idea,and I look at everythingas an opportunity to takeadvantage of anysituation,” said Sawyer.

“It’s just a largerscale; it isn’t really a newthing for him. He was justin charge of onedepartment last year, butnow all of them,” saidhistory teacher BrianHodges.

Outside ofschool, even though thejob keeps him very busyfor long hours, he enjoysspending time withfriends and family.

Mr. Tobey Reed is thenew AHS History DepartmentDirector. During the day, heteaches two classes, whichcould be Humanities, WorldHistory II, Asian Studies, or Artand Culture.

The routine to his dayis to teach, attend meetings,evaluate other history teachers,and work on budgets, whichusually have to do with text-books.

After earning aBachelor of Science in CriminalJustice from NortheasternUniversity and a Master inEducation from the Universityof Massachusetts, Boston, hewent to work as a clock maker

for five years. Eventuallyputting his education degree touse, he began working as ahistory teacher here in 1999.

Reed was tapped asthe new head of the HistoryDepartment last year. “The newposition is overwhelming, but Ihope to improve the way I goabout doing the job,” said Reed.

His day begins at 5:30a.m. reviewing what has to bedone and grading students’work. He then teaches secondand third blocks and attendsmeetings until 4 p.m.

“Approaching eachnew thing during the day or theentire day, I prioritize everythingfrom the start. If any problems

come up, I like totake care of themwithout disruption.But often times Ihave to rely on theschedule,” saidReed.

He likes tostay positive aboutit all. With his newposition, he says hewould like to leavea positive impact onthe teaching andlearning aspects ofthe high school.

“Alwaysremember that the studentscome first,” said Reed on givinghis advice to the teachers.

Outside of school, hishobbies are sculpting variousobjects from metal and wood

and he enjoys martial arts. LastJuly he married fellow Englishteacher Ms. Kelly Visconti.

The AHS MissionStatement states, “A learningenvironment where studentsdevelop the skills necessary forsuccess in society.”

A school’s goal is tocreate a place where studentscan learn and succeed witheverything necessary to pursuethis, including a bus system.

“Having a late buswould be very positive, but theBuilding Administrative Staffhas to accept the proposal bystudents who want a late bus,”said the former Director ofTeaching and LearningExcellence Mrs. Carol Martin.

Although AHS haseverything colleges look for,such as honor’s classes, afterschool sports and activities,and The National HonorSociety, without a late bus,many students can not availthemselves of opportunities.

“Having a bus avail-able has many issues, like thecost and being able to staff it.Attleboro High is the biggestschool in the city and we can’tjust have one late bus; wewould need more than one,”said Principal Mr. JefferyNewman.

Sports such as fieldhockey, football, and basketball,and activities such as the Anime

Club, Leo Club, EnvironmentalClub, Photog-raphy Club arejoined by students.

“If there was an after-school bus, more people wouldstay,” said Maddy Campbell(11).

Sometimes studentscan’t stay after school to take atest they have missed or receiveextra help because they don’thave transportation. “I told myteacher I couldn’t stay afterbecause I didn’t have a ridehome,” said Lauren Patton (10).

If there was an afterschool bus, students would beable to stay more often and joinmore activities, clubs or sports,which would end up on theircollege applications, making iteasier for them to be acceptedinto competitive colleges.

“More people wouldwant to stay after instead ofhanging out on the streets anddoing nothing if there was anafter-school bus,” said JesseMallon (10).

Sometimes it’s ahassle when a parent is pickingthe student up from school. “Iam in select choir and my dadgets mad at me when he has topick me up,” said Patton.

Not having a schoolbus isn’t a problem forstudents who can drive. “Idrive so I don’t need a latebus,” said Campbell.

Attleboro has a citybus, GATRA, but it isn’tconvenient for everyone.Usually students taking thecity bus have to walk to theAttleboro Bus Shelter on MillStreet.

“I have to walk to theshelter, which is approximately10 to 20 minutes from AttleboroHigh,” said Alyssa Coyle (10).

One solution to thisproblem might be to allowstudents to pay for an after-school late bus, but thequestion is, would parents andstudents agree to this solution?

The question is, whyhas not the school doneanything about it? “The schooldoesn’t have a late school busbecause of the fact thatstudents can get a ride homefrom parents or friends,” saidMartin.

“The school wants tobe conservative and having alate bus isn’t the number oneissue right now,” said NateRobitaille (10).

Not having a schoolbus isn’t the number one issuesof this high school and so itisn’t something that needs tobe fixed right away, but thisproblem could be looked intoand solved eventually.

“Students should try

talking about this in theiradvisory program because itworked with the studentcouncil,” said Newman.

“Work this issuethrough student council or theadvisory program,” Martinsuggested.

No Late Bus?By: Keya Thakkar

5

Edition 3 Winter 2009

UV light has fairly minimal sideeffects. Alternatively, excessivecontact leads to long term skindamage. “Artificial ultravioletradiation exposure from thissource may be harmful and mayincrease the risk of melanoma,particularly when done forrecreational purposes duringchildhood and early adultyears,” according to the websiteDo Tanning Beds CauseCancer? (<http://www.vanderbilt .edu/AnS/p s y c h o l o g y /h e a l t h _ p s y c h o l o g y /Tanning.html>.) The tan itselfcomes from the skin attemptingto protect itself.

“I don’t understandtanning and how it works, but Iknow it’s dangerous. I probablywould tan if I wasn’t afraid ofgetting skin cancer,” saidMaddison Paquette (12).

In addition to the skin,the UV radiation can causedamage to the eyes. Tanningcauses UV-mediated cornealinflammation when precautions

are not taken. All of those bigwords basically mean that youreyes become swollen, irritated,and are prone to conjunctivitisor cataracts.

Some people do takethe necessary safety measuresto prevent eye deterioration bywearing those stylish goggles.Tanning goggles are generallysmall in size and appear flimsy,but the outward appearance ofthe goggles does not givejustice to the safety theyprovide. Eyelids are too thin toprotect an individual from theUV rays.

However, a majority oftanners fear unattractive gogglelines and refuse to don theeyewear even though what theyare risking is far moresignificant.

“I think the silliestthing to see is a tan person withpale goggle eyes,” said IvyKrofta (12).

Despite knowing all ofthe potential dangers, peopleopt for the fake golden tan.

They often know all theproblems that can arise later onin life, yet they still subjectthemselves to this fad. Thisbegs the question why? Whywould people willingly sit intheir own “death bed?”

“I’ve only gone fourtimes so far and I won’t go againuntil prom. I do it to make myselflook good, but it’s not purevanity. I tan for myself, so I feelgood in what I wear. It’s not forother people” said NicoleTremblay (12).

People tan for differentreasons. Some tan to fit in, sometan to clear acne, others do itfor themselves. Regardless ofthe reason why people tan, theyalways forget the mostimportant thing to consider.Tanning is perilous even withprecautions or sporadic use.

Realistically, tanningdoes more bad than it doesgood in practically everysituation, regardless of thereasons the participant throwsat you.

Tanning: Cons continued from page 3

Did poorly on the SAT? Well, there isa second chance called the ACT, which is alsoknown as the American College Testing. TheACT is a standardized achievementexamination for college admissions. It has foursections — English, math, reading and sciencereasoning with an optional writing section. Thepossible score ranges from one to 36.

Each section of the test has differenttime limits. The English section is 45 minutes,the math section is 60 minutes, and the readingand science section is 35 minutes. The optionalwriting section is 30 minutes.

The English section of the examcontains 75 questions where passages areunderlined and the student has to pick thecorrect passage. Some sections containsentences that need to be put in correctsequence.

“The ACT is usually requested bycolleges west of the Mississippi River. Itfocuses primarily on math and science.Students should check with colleges to see ifeither one or both are needed,” said AHSEnglish teacher Ms. Adeline Bee.

The math section contains 60questions, which consist of 14 pre-algebraproblems, 10 elementary algebra problems, nineintermediate algebra problems, 14 planegeometry problems, nine coordinate geometryproblems, and four elementary trigonometryproblems.

The math section is the only sectionthat has five answer choices instead of four.

The reading section contains 40questions, which measure readingcomprehension in four passages: prose fiction,social science, humanities, and natural science.

Examination for CollegesBy: Justin Torres

Just

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The science section contains 40questions with seven passages that consist offive to seven questions. There are three datarepresentation passages with five questionsafter each reading, three research summarypassages with six questions each, and oneconflicting view point’s passage with sevenquestions that follow.

The optional writing section is alwaysadministrated at the end of the test. The promptsoften deal with social issues about high schoolstudents. Scores range from one to six, where azero is given if left blank, not written with number2 pencil, off topic, or considered illegible afterseveral attempts to read.

A final score ranges from 2 to 12. Thewriting section is optional but several schoolsrequire the essay score.

The ACT is offered four to six times ayear — Sept., Oct., Dec., Feb., April and June.The test is also available on Sat. “[I] recommendthe ACT to students who have taken SAT, [but]could not get through,” said Guidance CounselorAndrew Parrillo.

If students are religious they can takethe test on Sunday but must so indicate. Studentswith disabilities can take the test withaccommodations and the standard time isincreased by 50 percent.

Register for the ACT today at<collegeboad.com>, or use a registration packet.See your guidance counselor for moreinformation.

When MySpace wasfirst discovered by teens in theUnited States and in othercountries, it seemed a greaterinvention than the light bulband television combined. TomAnderson, the creator ofMySpace, was an Internet hero.

It was followed byXanga – a slightly less popularnetwork, and Facebook – oneof the largest networks everseen, mostly used by collegeand high school students.

What do all of thesesites have in common? They areall popular sources for teensand even some adults acrossthe globe to communicate andshare information aboutthemselves with others, whichis the problem.

It is fun for teens tocreate a profile modeled aftertheir likes and dislikes. Profilescan be completely customizedwith anything the studentsplease, including backgroundsand music on MySpace.However, it might not be as greator as fun as teens think.

The Internet is a publicresource and can be viewed byanyone and everyone, eventhose in charge of acceptanceinto colleges. They can accessthe social profiles of studentsapplying to their college tocheck on the character andpersonality of the student, inorder to help decide if thestudent should be accepted.

The way this worksis the admission’s officersearches students on thenetwork, and requests them asa friend. After students accept,the admission’s officer can seethe student’s full profile.

This is a good sourcefor the colleges, but studentsdon’t necessarily feel it’s fair.“I’d be furious if they deniedmy application because ofMySpace or Facebook,” says

Social Profiles Screened byCollegesBy: Geo Tevenal

Kayla Strezsak (11). “It’sbasically denying your right toself expression. It’s not fair atall.”

“Colleges shoulddistinguish between personallife and education and shouldrespect the privacy of theindividuals who want it,” saidHani Yusuf (11).

On the other hand,some teachers feel the opposite.

“Students need to beaccountable for the face theypresent to the world. They oftendon’t think of their entireaudience,” said SpanishTeacher Mrs. Jeanne Dyer.

If a student’s profile isinappropriate, or containsanything the school does notapprove of, the student’schances of acceptance aredecreased or perhapseliminated altogether.

A student can even bedeclined with a 4.0 GPA andscholarship worthy athleticismif the officer sees anything heor she doesn’t approve of.

One student applyingto a college in Oregon wasdeclined because of hiscomments about the school’sofficials on his blog. Othershave been rejected for pictureson their profiles, someincluding drugs, alcohol, andeven weapons.

However, not all hopefor students with a MySpace islost. Many of the larger collegeshave too many applicants tocheck out all of their profiles,so a student should only beworried if they are applying toa smaller college.

But, nonetheless, astudent should make sure theirprofiles are clean andacceptable before applying tocolleges, because it’s always apossibility their social profilesmay be a little more social thanthey think.

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MySpace, one of the biggest online social networks

ACT DEADLINES Test Dates: Registration deadlines: April 4, 2009 February 27, 2009 June 13, 2009 May 8, 2009

6

SAT DEADLINES Test Dates: Registration deadlines:

March 14, 2009 February 10, 2009 May 2, 2009 March 31, 2009 June 6, 2009 May 5, 2009

Late registration fees are available if deadlinesare missed. Contact College Board at

<www.collegeboard.com/subjectcalendar>.

Edition 3 Winter 2009

Nerd SticksBy: Carmen Vignoni

Several flash drives

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Almost everyone hasa USB flash drive, and it may bethe most important technologytool to have. A flash drive savesall of a person’s computer workonto one small device.

“For me, its easier touse a flash drive to save mywork because it fits in mypocket unlike paper and I’msaving trees in the process,”said Josh Arsenault (12)

These devices canhold anywhere from onegigabyte (GB) of information to16 GB and range in prices from$9.99- $89.99, according toBestbuy.com.

For those who are notaware what any of this meanshere are a few things to know.

• A byte isequal to about eightbits – the smallest typeof data a computer canuse. A byte can holdaround 256 pieces ofinformation. Thisbreaks down to onebyte equaling onecharacter (<http://www.whatsabyte.com/>).

• A GB is thecommon term usedwhen describing diskspace or drivestorage. To put this insimpler terms, thedata on one GB istwice the amount aCD-ROM can hold.Another way to lookat this is it is around1000 times greaterthan what a 3-1/2floppy disk can hold.

“One gigabyte couldhold the contents of about 10yards of books on a shelf. 100Gigabytes could hold the entirelibrary floor of academicjournals,” according towhatsabyte.com (<http://www.whatsabyte.com/>).

Since saving data to a3-1/2" floppy disk or to CDs isobsolete, flash drives are now

the right tool to own. Manyteachers, students and workingpeople are starting to save alltheir data to a flash drive.

“I like the flash drivebecause it is a greatconvenience, easy to transport,and easily connected to anycomputer on which I amworking,” said EducationalDiagnostician Mrs. BarbaraCecere.

Another cool featureof flash drives, other thansaving an overwhelmingamount of information, is theyare small and easilytransportable. Flash drives canbe carried on key chains, inpockets or on lanyards. Manybrands who make the flashdrives offer cool colors ordesigns for the casing of theflash drive.

“Yes I use a flash drive.They are a great and veryconvenient. I like the size andthe fact that you can have allyour work in one safe place withyou,” said Secretary of StudentServices Mrs. Nancy Freeman.

Flash drives are thelatest storage device everyoneshould have and learn to use.They will make saving andtransporting all computer workso much easier.

“USB flash memorydrives are now part of our lives.Smaller and with a capacityhigher than floppy disks, thesedevices are the perfectreplacement for the oldfloppies. I have easilyintegrated them into myCampaign for Ward 1 CityCouncil to transport documentsto printers and campaignstaffers to execute the missionof my campaign,” said AHSStudent Joe Lazzerini (11), whois a candidate for Ward 1 CityCouncil.

Make sure to shoparound for the best buy when itcomes to flash drives. Pricesvary according to the brand andthe store. Also, there arespecials to look for. The rule ofthumb is to buy the moststorage you can afford.

With new technologyavailable, teachers are now usingthe Internet to teach theirstudents. Resources like< w w w . e d l i n e . c o m > ,<www.schoolnotes.com>, and<www.quia.com> are three of themany websites teachers use.

Teachers are also turningtheir students on to a new websitecalled <www.pbwiki.com>. Pbwikiallows students to create a profileand post their homework on theirpersonal homepage for theirteacher to grade.

Tori Reynolds (10) said,“I like that I can put my ownpictures on my wiki page.”

It’s a convenient way totalk with a teacher and to hand inlate assignments without losingpoints. It also allows students tocommunicate with their friends tohelp them by commenting on theirwiki pages.

Amy Larkin (10) said, “Ithink Pbwiki is really helpful in andout of class because I can easilyget help from my teacher andother students.”

Say Goodbye to Paper and PensBy: Allie Lori

Pbwiki is also greatfor group work and groupprojects. There is a chat roomon the wiki so students canwork together andcommunicate throughcyberspace. This webpage iscompletely safe and easilymonitored by a teacher sothere is no inappropriatebehavior on the wiki.

There is also acalendar that lists upcominglesson plans so students canmove ahead on work or seeassignments when they’reabsent. A side bar with links ofwebsites provided by theteacher also helps whenneeding extra references orhelp.

Brianna Nunes (10)said, “It’s a big help when I’mconfused on homework.”

It’s also an easy wayfor parents to easily get intouch with teachers and to beupdated on what’s going onwith school work for that class.Student’s files aren’t able to be

accessed by other students,only the writer and the teachercan open documents soplagiarism isn’t a problem.

Teachers are fond ofthe wiki because there are no“my dog ate my homework”excuses. All homeworkassignments are sent throughthe web. English teacher Mrs.Anna Cordeiro said, “I thinkthe wiki enables students todo work they wouldn’t be ableto do just on paper. The onedrawback is that you have totrain both students andteachers to use it. All mystudents have mixedopinions.”

However, there aresome downsides to the Pbwiki,with today’s new technologystudents’ work can easily bestolen when posted online.

Since more class-rooms are using websites likePbwiki, perhaps sooner or laterthere will be no more need fortextbooks, paper and pens inclassrooms.

Student visiting Pbwiki site

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The world is filled withthings that are right and wrongand beneficial or harming.Sometimes people make the rightchoices, but not always.

When it comes to teensand adolescents, making the rightchoice is hard and very often theyend up making the wrong ones.

Experimentation withdrugs and alcohol is common inday to day life. According to theSubstance Abuse and MentalHealth Service Administration, onan average day in 2006, one-fifthof the population used an illicitdrug (<http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k7/youthFacts/youth.pdf>).

“Teenagers drink due topeer pressure and also due toalcohol exposure in theirresidence,” said AHS SchoolResource Officer Robert Ramos.

Drugs work simply whenpeople drink alcohol or take am-phetamines, barbiturates, benzo-diazepines, and they enter thebloodstream, then the brain andother parts of the body, dulling thesenses, altering a person’s senseof alertness and decreasing pain.

“Drugs make you look

Drug capsules

Drug AbuseBy: Keya Thakkar

and feel dead,” said KateGermaine (10).

Sometimes the mainreason teenagers drink alcoholis they want to fit in. Manyteens are influenced by theirpeers or they do drugs becausethey are depressed or wantattention. “Teenagers do drugsbecause they think it is cool,”said Catherine Pham (9).

“Teens do drugs sothey can get away from theirproblems but eventually theybecome addicted to them,” saidAlyssa Coyle (10).

Some teenagersenjoy drinking and smoking,but there are many dangers.Mixing a drug with alcohol canmake the person sleepy andcreate hallucinations. Theindividual may developpsychological and physicalproblems.

“It is typical for teensto want to experiment withdrugs to some extent and be like

their peers and be part of asocial experience,” said AHSnurse Ms. Cindy Ennes.

The second questionthat passed on the 2008 Nov.election ballot in Mass.proposed that if possession ofmarijuana is found, theoffender would be finedinstead of being arrested,therefore nothing would beincluded on a permanentrecord, giving the person abetter chance of receiving theeducation needed for a goodprofession.

Some teenagersmake mistakes by possessingdrugs and consequently beingjailed, which eventually endsup on their permanent record,diminishing their chance ofgetting a better educationbecause colleges check therecords along with success inhigh school and if somethingis found on the record, theythink twice before admittingthe student.

The ballot questionwould help those whocommitted these mistakes by

Continued on pg. 11Key

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Edition 3 Winter 2009

Given the opportunityto drive may seem like one ofthe biggest stepping stones ina person’s life, and it can be, aslong as it is done responsibly.Here are some useful tips forsafe driving that could save youthe trouble of tickets and courtdates. They might even save alife.· Enforce the rule that

your car will not move untileveryone has buckled up.

· Follow the two secondrule while driving behindanother vehicle. The ruleis that a driver shouldideally stay at least twoseconds behind anyvehicle that is directly infront of the driver’svehicle. A useful tip is tocount one one thousand,two one thousand in yourhead to best estimate thetime gap. (An important

lesson taught by alldriving schools).

· Always keep a cloth inyour car to clean windows,any dirt can cause excessglare from the sun (ThanksDad!)

· Replace windshieldwiper blades before theybecome dull.

· Have your car tunedup regularly.

· Check blind spotsbefore changing lanes,but there is so much moreto it than just those simplewords. Be aware of theprevious 20 seconds oftraffic around your car,

because sometimes cars inyour blind spots were justbehind you and are nowpassing. Look for thosecars and be sure you knowtheir location beforechanging lanes.

· Be a defensive driver,always anticipate whatother drivers might do.Just because you maythink you’re a skilleddriver, does not mean thedrivers around you are.

· Never drive when youfeel angry or tired. If youstart to feel tired, stopyour car somewhere safe,and take a break until you

feel more alert. (Buysomething to drink or eat).

· As a driver you mustbe a leader, and rememberyou have theresponsibility of yourpassengers’ lives. Beselfless and think of them.

· Remember driving is amajor responsibility, andat all times can bedangerous, so do notincrease the danger withmind-numbing drugs oralcohol.

· Along with theprevious tip, be mindful ofwho is in your car. If oneof your passengers is

Saving Lives Behind the WheelBy: Erik Guillette

Text messaging, whichis more popular than ever withboth teens and adults, is a fastand easy way to communicate.Although this simple way tochat is accessed by millionsaround the world every day,there remains one key placetexting should be ignored: thedriver’s seat.

Both new andexperienced drivers can keepthemselves and others safewhen texting is limited to beforeor after driving. Even thoughteen drivers may not share thequick reflexes and years ofexperience their oldercompatriots do, 50 percent saythey have texted whileoperating a motor vehicle,according to Mass DrivingLaw.com (<http://massdrivinglaw.com/>).

Talking on a cell whiledriving carries its own risks, andtexting is even riskier. Talking

Dangers of Texting and DrivingBy: Audrey Coulter

Texting and Driving Poses a DangerousHazard

on a phone allows both eyes tostay on the road, however,texting requires the driver’s fullattention to be focused on atiny keypad, eyes completely offthe road, increasing the risk ofan accident.

M a s s a c h u s e t t sconsidered passing a lawforbidding junior operators(drivers under the age of 18)from using their cell phoneswhile driving, and while the lawnever passed, nine other statesbanned the usage of cell phonesin cars by “novice drivers,”according to the Governor’sHighway Safety Association, anonprofit organizationdedicated to road safety (<http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/laws/cellphone_laws.html>).

Even though textingand driving is not illegal, it isbest to keep two cautious eyeson the road, not on a phone.

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Though 5,000 teensdie in car crashes yearly, teendrivers still believe they areinvincible. Drivingdistractions greatly increasethe risk of accidents.

One of the ways tosolve the problem ofdistractions is “Don’t driveand talk on your cell phone,”said Nysay Phan (9).

“Click it or ticket,”said Sean Daley (9).

Confidence may beneeded so one can drivesafely, but sometimes beingtoo cocky can mean thedifference between hoppinginto the driver’s seat drunk orcalling for a ride. No matterhow skilled a driver is, drivingwhile intoxicated putseveryone at risk.

Some teens mightthink, “What are the chances

it will happen to me?” whileothers think, “It would bestupid for me to get in a car witha drunk driver.” The secondmessage is correct even whendriving with someone who hashad as few as one alcoholicbeverage.

“They treat it toolightly in Massachusetts. I thinkthere should be a mandatory jailsentence because if a guy whohas a few beers starts shootingwildly into the dark and killssomeone, he goes to jail for 20years for murder, but if a guy isintoxicated and is behind thewheel and hits someone withtheir car and kills them, it is onlya four year sentence,” saidautomotive teacher Mr. RonGoyette.

“Give the taxicompany more business andcall for a cab instead of getting

in the car with a drunk driver,”said Kayla Strezsak (11).

Although drunkdriving puts everyone indanger, driving whileintoxicated is not the only wayto cause an accident. Accordingto Keep the Drive, a foundationdedicated to educatingteenagers and promoting safedriving, drivers surveyed saidthey drive safer when there areno passengers in the car(<www.keepthedrive.com>).

Imagine you’redriving in the car with threeother people. These threepeople talk, change the radio orCD, and generally causedistractions that wouldn’tnormally be there. Now imaginethe car directly in front of youstops short. Would you be alertenough to stop in time?

Safe driving is easy aslong as the rules arefollowed, includingno distractions, nodrinking and nophones. “Wearyour seatbelt andkeep your eyes onthe road at alltimes,” said SadieGiers (10). If all rulesare abided by it willgreatly decreasethe risk of caraccidents.

Stop! Pay AttentionBy: Meg Harvey

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8

Hot coffees, drippingice-cream cones, Big Gulpsodas, super-sized french friesand burgers are being devouredbehind the wheel. Police simplyshake their heads.

An honest reaction toa streaming hot coffee spilledin a lap may include taking one’seyes off the road, hands off thewheel or foot off the brake.These human reflexes couldlead to a traffic violation or a

Eating and Drinking DistractionsBy: Farial Aziz

crash. Most cars these dayscome with cup holders, butthere’s no mandate saying youhave to use them while driving.

If eating, either removeyourself from the car, or park thecar and eat, then resume driving.You may be thinking thissounds like overkill, but it’s not.Every time you put yourselfbehind the wheel your life is inyour hands. One last sip or bite

could be the cause of yourdeath.

Although Americansalways seem to be in a hurry,take five minutes to sit downand enjoy a meal. This couldinclude waking up five to tenminutes earlier, or just drivingby Dunkin’ Donuts.

Distractions andinattentive driving play a majorpart in one out of every four

motor vehicle crashes. That’smore than one-and-a-halfmillion collisions a year, morethan 4,300 crashes everyday(<http://www.progressive.com/v e h i c l e - r e s o u r c e s / t e e n -driving.aspx>).

Eating greasy foodsbehind the wheel is a nightmare.It is almost impossible to gripthe steering wheel with stickyhands, causing a person to

spend most of his/her timelooking for a napkin and againtaking their eyes off the road.

No one enjoys eatingin a hurry, so take the time toeat a snack or meal beforehitting the road. Driving needsyour full attention. Two eyesahead of you could prevent ahospital visit as well as therapyor even worse. Time is precious,think before you drive.

carrying drugs or alcoholand you are pulled over, itwill be you who goes tocourt and faces fines andremoval of your license.

Driving is part of life,but unless you drive safely, youand other drivers may not havethat life to live. For most peopledriving is a necessity and is safewhen the rules are followed.

“After all the accidentsI’ve seen, it really comes downto people remembering,especially kids, that they are notinvincible; unfortunately theyfind out when it’s too late,” saidAttleboro Fire CaptainTheodore Clark.

Remember these tips,and make the roads a saferplace.

Most importantly,keep in mind that driving is notfor fun or games, it is a privilegeand a responsibility.

The Allstate Foundation runs something called Keep the Drive, a nation teen movementthat is intended to spread awareness of car crashes, which is the number one killer among

teens. Drawing attention to the dangers of driving and how to remain safe on the road to protectteens, their friends and their futures, the site gives tips to prevent accidents. AHS journalism

students make their own contributions to Keep the Drive.

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Edition 3 Winter 2009

The United StatesNavy is one of five militarybranches in the U.S. Those whojoin the Navy can enjoy manybenefits.

Among the manybenefits offered are money forcollege, chances foradvancement, good pay, andtraining that can help in futurecareers. The Navy also instillsvalues of courage, commitmentand honor.

Skills learned in theNavy can be used after leaving.“My first job was as an aviationelectrician. General Electric hasoffered me a job when I retire,”said Petty Officer ShawnTarasuik from the ProvidenceRecruitment Center.

The two availablepositions in the Navy are eithergoing active or joining thereserve. Active members of theNavy live on a military base full-time. A reservist works for thenavy one weekend a month andtwo weeks a year.

The Navy Sea, Air andLand (SEAL) is the most elitebranch of the Navy and thereare many chances to join. Thisgroup specializes inunconventional methods ofwarfare.

To become a SEAL, aperson must go through intensetraining. Not many peoplefinish the training due to thehigh physical and mentaldemands. Some people sustaininjuries during the hard trainingor cannot even completecertain tasks.

To join the Navy, theArmed Services VocationalAptitude Test (ASVAB), a

military placement exam, mustbe taken. This test determineswhether a person is qualifiedto serve, but also where theirinterests may lie.

Most active dutycontracts last for eight years.Four of those years are servedon active duty and theremaining four on reserve duty.

“When an employerlooks at prior militaryexperience, they know you hadon-the-job training, and nomatter what, you’re going toshow up every day becausethat’s what was taught,” saidTarasuik. To join the Navy,people must be between theages of 17 and 34 and 11 months,have no criminal history, andbe medically fit. Each applicantmust also have passing scoreson the ASVAB.

People join the Navyfor a variety of reasons. It maybe that they want to makethemselves better or want to trysomething new. “There arethree types of people who wantto join the Navy: the peoplerunning from something, thepeople running from someone,and the people who want tobetter themselves,” saidTarasuik.

The Navy is a largebranch of the military. Itteaches excellent values. “Ijoined because if I didn’t, Iwould have been arrested andin trouble. Ever since I joinedthe Navy I have never been introuble once,” said Tarasuik.

To find out moreinformation or join the Navy,contact a local recruiter at (401)434-0110.

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Benefits of the NavyBy: Patrick Clark

Many projects arecreated in welding. Projects likea roof for the flower conventionto the Rose Arbors at CapronPark, to the rails at AttleboroCity Hall.

“My level 1 studentsstart out with skill buildingprojects. Students start bymaking basic candle holders andthen move on to working withblueprints of more difficultprojects. Students can choosepersonal projects to fulfill graderequirements,” said weldingteacher Mr. John T. Bodge.

Welding is verypopular among the students ofAHS, but since there is only oneteacher, very few students canbe enrolled.

“About 30 studentswant to enroll each year, butonly 20 can enroll in each classdue to state requirements,” saidBodge.

“Tools used bystudents in welding includeboth power and hand tools suchas hammers, drills, weldingtorches, and weldingmachines,” said Bodge.Students do a lot for the

WeldingBy: Vincent McCaffrey

community. They recentlydesigned a statue for CapronPark.

“We have designedgarden trellises for the AgopianWalkway in Capron Park.Students have also designedand built ornamental wroughtiron rails in downtownAttleboro. Mayor Kevin Dumashelped with the design,” saidBodge.

The railings atAttleboro City Hall were createdby three students. Onegraduated and the other two are

seniors Matt Gallagher andMike Wille.

“It was different. Itwas a better feeling to do it forthe town other than AHS,” saidGallagher.

The students reallyenjoy the welding program. “Ithink it’s pretty sick. Theyshould give us money for moresupplies though,” said NickFranklin (11).

“I think it’s prettycool. I like the fact that you getto work on actual projects,” saidErick Benaski (11).

9

There are over-whelming opportunities forentertainment in our society, butmany people tend to lean towardamusement rather than moreeducationally based activities.Pop culture dominates societyin the form of movies, televisionshows, music, and even books,like the latest teen sensationTwilight by Stephenie Meyer.

Power of PlaysBy: Melanie Thibeault

However, a hidden artstill exists if people want to beboth entertained and educated,and embrace the activity thatentertained our ancestors forcenturies — theater.

Plays have beenaround since the dawn of time— well, not quite — but sincetheir origination, people havebeen attending theatrical

performances for entertainmentand received educationalbenefits.

Plays are like books inthe sense they tell a story. Theycontain characters, a setting, aplot, a conflict, and a resolution.There is a message to be taughtand an audience to learn thatlesson. The only differencebetween a play and a book isthat plays are meant to bewatched, not read page by page.

“Plays aren’t meant tobe read. The feeling [that resultsfrom a play] comes fromwatching it be performed,” saidphysics teacher Mr. Peter Tarsi,who is also the head of thedrama club.

Today in school,students are required to readcertain plays, such as those byShakespeare or The Crucibleby Arthur Miller, however, quitea few students find this exercisetedious.

“To some people,reading the play helps more; itall depends. But my personalview is that it’s boring [to read]and I would rather like to seeplays,” said Kayla Strezsak(11).

Reading plays canbe daunting and the fulleffect of the story may notbe grasped by readers.

“When you readplays, there are distractions.You have to keep looking atnames to see who is speaking.The stage directions upset theflow of the story line,” saidEnglish teacher Ms. SheliaRosa.

The emotion andbelievability of the charactersmay also be overlooked whilereading a script, since there islittle to no narration.

“While reading a play,it is easier to pick out certain

Cast and Crew of The Children’s Hour

symbols because you arereading it and that’s the onlything going on. But there areinflections and intonationdifferences when you watch itrather than read it. For example,reading A Street Car NamedDesire, Stan was indubitably ajerk and it was hard to believeStella kept going back to him.However, actually watching it,[the actor] added humancharacteristics and flaws, whichmade it easier to sympathize withhim,” said Courtney Bernard(11).

“By watching liveplays, the audience’s thoughtsare provoked and theiremotions are impacted; they canfeel hatred, sadness, or shock,”said Tarsi.

Some teachers agreewith those claims but point outthe advantages to reading playsbefore watching them.

“For students, inanticipation of watching a play,they can read [that play] to getan understanding for it. Oncethey learn how to analyze plays,

they can just watchperformances without readingthe script first and they will beable to comprehend what isgoing on. However,Shakespeare is an exception. Toread Shakespeare is to analyzeand understand [his words],”said social studies teacher LarryCarpenter.

As for watchingtheatrical performances, that’s

an activity not many teenagershave experienced or have thedesire to undergo.

“I would much ratherdo an activity, which wouldinvolve me being active ratherthan sitting down andwatching,” said Hani Yusuf (11).

Some students believehigh school plays are not worththeir time or money. They wouldrather go to the movies andwatch brainless horror films orfluffy romance flicks aboutvampires.

“I get dragged to some[plays] by my sister, and they’renormally boring,” said ChrisReid (12).

“It’s unfortunate thatnot enough of the student bodycomes to see theater. I want kidsto think it’s a cool thing to doand be open to something theyhaven’t experienced before,”said Tarsi.

However, not allstudents at AHS simply refuseto attend school plays. Theymerely don’t want to come back

to school after being stuckin classes all week.

“Kids don’t wantto come back to school[after a long school day orweek]. Some are busy afterschool and have otherpriorities, like work. Othersjust want to escape after along week [and hang outelsewhere],” said Meghan

Harvey (11).However, despite the

lack of student interest, thelatest AHS play, The Children’sHour, garnered a lot of praisefrom people who did attend.“They [the students] did afabulous job. I was prepared tobe disappointed because Ithought it was too big a showfor teenagers to pull off, butthey did,” said Rosa.

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Edition 3 Winter 2009

10

Senior year is known forbeing the “best year of every highschool student’s life,” but whatkeeps the memories alive otherthan the yearbook?

Scientists say that scentis the strongest tie to memories,but everyone has experienced thephenomenon where simplyhearing a song will bring upmemories of past events,conversations and feelings thathad previously been lost.

“That’s my summer mix,”I said to my friend while she wassorting through CDs, having beenselected as Dee-Jay for the carride.

Surely enough, once itbegan playing, each song seemedto come attached to a memory ofsomething or someone who had arole in my favorite season. Imagesof trips to the beach, an old flingand late nights around camp firesflashed through my mind.

It was impossible to stopmy smile from growing as eachsong played in the background,and it left me wondering, as firstsemester comes to a close, whatsongs would remind me of mysenior year?

The popular rap songsplayed at school dances are aneasy answer, but I’m looking forsomething deeper. So, it brings upthe question of what songsactually evoke feelings tied tomemories of the best year of mylife?

August was the month Ibegan thinking about completingsummer reading, so it began thesenior year preparation. To endAugust, the album The PartyScene by All Time Low wasbacked with a track with the sametitle.

The powerful vocalsencouraging youth to “Stayseventeen!” read the minds ofevery student preparingthemselves for the transition backinto the routine of school, ratherthan the freedom of summer.

Sept. brought back aprevious favorite band, datingback to freshman year. “SongLong Sweet Summer” byDashboard Confessional, off thealbum Age Six Racer broughtforward feelings of nostalgiatoward the summer of 2008.

Oct. proved to be adifficult month for my family andme. After the unexpected death ofmy father, music became the outletof choice for any unresolvedfeelings.

Solace was found in

OPINIONSSenior Year Playlist

By: Dara BeechDave Matthews’ song “AmericanBaby” from the album Stand Up,which was originally writtenabout political issues in theUnited States. However, thelyrics could also tell another story.

With an introductionconsisting of the words, “If thesewalls came crumbling down / andfell so hard to destroy our faith /somehow you would figure it out/ still make lemonade taste like asunny day,” the song perfectlydescribed my father’s role in ourfamily.

Nov. marked thebeginning of a new month with afresh start, but the days stillseemed too long, and adjustingto a new lifestyle wasn’t as easyas I had previously hoped itwould be.

The album I Wish YouWere Here by Incubusintroduced a new take on theusually subtle break-up songswritten by current bands. Thestraight-forward track, titled “IWish You Were Here” identifiedwith any feelings of abandonmentfelt in the prior month.

To mark the beginningof what I consider the real holidayseason, Indie singer Dave Melillojumped on the band wagon ofprevious stars and produced hissingle, “All I Want for Christmasis You.”

An interesting twist onwhat is usually an over-playedChristmas song, Melillo’s versionbrings it back to life with powerfulvocals and a beat that can actuallybe danced to.

When 2009 finallyarrived, there was no time for NewYears resolutions or anydetermination to change my tastein music. To ring in the New Year,“My Name is Trouble” byNightmare of You from their self-titled album brought back asound similar to that of TheCures.

With lyrics speaking ofpotential loss, whole-heartedlybelieving in someone and anupbeat sound that’s easy todance to, it was the perfectchoice to raise optimism for thenew year.

Senior year is almosthalf over, which leaves plenty oftime for new tracks to be added.Although everyone’s soundtrackis different, and while it’s easy toforget the memories, as soon asthat song plays, it all rushesback; and memories of senioryear will live on in ways otherthan the yearbook.

Sitting in front of my computer, it hitsme that this is the last full week of first semester.In one semester, a little less than five months,I will be exiting the doors of Attleboro HighSchool for the last time. This sentiment evokesa spectrum of emotions ranging from proud,to anxious, to scared.

As I ponder this thought, it occursto me that June is around the corner and thereis one semester left to make my mark, only onemore semester to complete everything I setout to accomplish in high school.

Like many others, I entered AHSscared and nervous, but cocky to boot. Imistakenly believed I was “too cool for school”and better than everyone else. Hiding behinddark makeup and an “I don’t care” attitudewas my specialty, and many regrets followed.

It seems that my high school careerwas speckled with regrets. Why didn’t I tryharder in that class? Why did I say such meanthings to that girl? Why didn’t I join that club?Knowing what I do now, it has dawned on methat if I could go back, I would do high schooldifferently.

1. Nobody is too cool for school. Gettingan education is a step in the right directionto a successful life. It is important to takeeducation seriously and live up to one’sfull potential. Nobody takes uneducatedpeople seriously; sitting in the back of theroom making silly remarks just lookschildish. Nobody will ever laugh atsomeone who raises their hand withanswers or intelligent questions.

2. Clubs and sports make for a well-rounded, happy student. Face it, goinghome after school every day is just boring.Clubs and sports were put in place forstudents to relax, unwind, and findsomething they’re good at. They are alsogood mediums for developing friendshipsand passions. There are after-schoolactivities for almost every student at AHS,from GSA to drama to tennis. Studentslooking for something else can alwayspropose a new idea for a club. Joiningactivities also looks good on collegeapplications.

3. Making fun of people doesn’t benefitanybody. If somebody looks different, whatdoes it matter? Pointing out peoples’“flaws” doesn’t help anybody; it just hurts.Most people are picked on at some pointin their life, whether it be by a student or asibling. It doesn’t feel good to be pickedon, so why do the same to someone else?The most good comes from givingeverybody a chance and being nice toeverybody – one never knows what kindof friends can be made by just smiling andsaying nice things.

4. Confidence and cockiness are twocompletely different things. Cocky peopleare just annoying. Who wants to listen tosomeone talk about their greatness all day?Superiority usually pushes friends away.Confidence, on the other hand, is a veryattractive quality. Positive, outgoingpeople end up making more friends,

because they don’t doubtthemselves, and people wanthappy friends. Talking about one’s

Last ThoughtsBy: Sarah Surprenant

imperfections all day can be annoying, aswell.

5. School is important, but it’s alsoimportant to have fun. It’s not healthy atall to stress out all the time. As teenagers,it is important to get out and enjoy life.School should be a big priority, but itshouldn’t take over. Students need to taketime to relax, have fun and forget aboutthe stress that comes with being a goodstudent.

6. …but at the same time,procrastination is the worst habit of all!Putting things off until the last minute cancause way more stress than is necessary.Letting everything pile up until the nightbefore something is due is not a goodpractice; this is an easy way to becomediscouraged and overwhelmed. It is veryimportant to prioritize – make an attack planfor every assignment. Know whensomething needs to be done, and howmuch time needs to be put into it. Do workin increments so that the task doesn’t seemso large. If more than one night is given tocomplete an assignment, work on it a littlebit every night.

7. You are the most important personin your own world. While it’s bad to beegocentric, it’s also important to put yourwelfare first. Don’t adopt practices that aredestructive to your physical and mentalhealth. To be successful in life, you needto be happy with who you are, and not tryto change that for anybody else. At thesame time, you can’t try to fix your friends’problems. If a friend needs help; by allmeans, support her. It is important torealize, however, that you are not atherapist. You are one person, and youhave your own life to figure out. If friendsare making destructive choices, tell themhow you feel. If it gets out of control, tellan adult. While it may hurt to do so, it willbe better for your friend in the long run.

8. A good support system will never fail.A group of good support beams in theform of friends and family is always helpful.When times get rough, it is important tohave somebody to turn to. Never takeloved ones for granted; they may find ithard to help you when you don’t give themthe care you desire. In the end, it’s truewhat The Beatles say: “All we need islove.”

If given the chance, I would go backand be a happier, more dedicated, responsiblestudent. I would do more activities and makemore friends. I would be nice to everybody,because it’s impossible to know what a personis going through; a few nice words can makesomeone’s day.

I would be confident and respectmyself. I would take time to enjoy life insteadof being preoccupied with school. I wouldn’thave waited until the last minute to complete95 percent of my assignments. I would’ve toldmy friends and family how much I appreciatethem. The truth is, I can’t go back in time andfix my high school experience, and now that Ionly have five months of high school left, Iguess it’s too late to start now.

I guess that’s what college is for.Thank God for second chances.

Edition 3 Winter 2009

11

LA OPINIÓN

There is a generalconsensus that I’m an unusualperson. It’s okay, I know I’m notall here. If anyone has read myprevious articles, they’ll agreewithout a second thought.What I lack in common senseand sanity, I now make up for inmy mouth.

“What?!” You arethinking, “You’ve cracked,you’re on drugs.” Nope, but Iwill be on Vicodin pretty soon.If I’m lucky, maybe it will bemorphine. The stronger, thebetter.

Okay, so I had betterexplain before I have thepolice searching my bag andgiving me a drug test. As funas that experience sounds, Idon’t need another reason forpeople to call me T-bone (hint:jail name).

This all started a fewmonths ago, when I had aslight dull pain in the upperright corner of my mouth,around the area where one ofmy wisdom teeth was supposedto be coming in. I didn’t thinktoo much of it because it was apain that I could live with for alittle while (just like thethrobbing I’m accustomed tofrom tripping up/down thestairs).

However, during thepast few weeks, the pain wasbecoming more constant, moreaugmented, and was spreadingto other areas of my mouth,affecting my teeth, gums, andeven my jaws (which, by theway, the latter is my newnickname; it’ll make sensesoon).

If you know me, youknow that I whine, a lot. Mostof my editorials (okay, all)consist of me complaining orranting about something. Thistime, I’m not just grumblingabout a petty pain. I have a solidreason — I have seven wisdomteeth.

What a MouthfulBy: Melanie Thibeault

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Yes, you read mecorrectly — seven, three morethan the normal person has.Though, I’ve been called manythings in my life, and normal hasnot been one of them. I guessmy mouth just wanted to jointhe party.

My initial reactionwhen I found out about my

interesting and rare case was tolaugh, a lot. After all it’s just myluck to have extra something. Iam an overachiever. My mouthjust felt obligated to match mybrain and do more work than ithad to. It must have a mind ofits own. Actually, that would beimpossible — there’s no moreroom in there for anything else.

After the laugher woreoff, which took a couple of hours,shock and confusion set in. Itried to figure out why I, of allpeople, was fortunate enoughto receive an extra set. I decidedit was either all that milk I drankas a child that helped my bonesgrow big and strong or I’mturning into a vampire. Except Idon’t think vampires have extrateeth; theirs are just pointy. Fornow and probably forever, it willremain a medical mystery(maybe I could be on that show).

My history with teethhas been semi-interesting. I lostmy first baby tooth after bitinginto the softest roll possible.I’ve also been kicked in the face

with a soccer ball more timesthan I can remember (thoughthat may be related to the time Iblacked out). My teeth may beretaliating against me for notprotecting my mouth better. If Iwere them, I would be mad atme, too.

Focusing on thepositive aspects of this ordeal

— one of the greatest thingsabout having extra teeth iswatching people’s reactionswhen I tell them about myabnormality. Confused excla-mations and head tilts arefrequent and so far, I haven’tgrown tired of repeating myself.

The extra teeth arealso a good excuse for mytongue-tied-ness. I can now justblame my incoherent babblingand inability to form a completesentence on my screwed up,overcrowded mouth, rather thanmy slow brain’s inability totransmit messages.

Of course, withwisdom teeth come theintelligence level jokes. Myparents have attributed myintellect to my extra teeth andnot my hard work and possiblymy natural talent to be a smarty-pants (but since I lack mosttalent, I’m just going to assumeit’s from hard work). They aresuggesting, as my friends arejust assuming, that once theteeth are pulled, my astuteness

will diminish to that of a five-year-old or possibly somethingsimilar to whatever is going onin Britney Spears’ head (Ishudder at that thought but atleast I won’t have to worryabout getting a haircut for awhile).

I’ve also used thissituation to further my money-making ideas. If only I stillbelieved in the tooth fairy, Icould rake in a lot of cash.Maybe, I could sell my extras tosomeone who’s in need.Advertisement: seven teeth forsale, unused, in almost perfectcondition, enjoy sweets, in needof new mouth.

I have been warnedthat there’s a possibility theywill grow back (yay). Maybe Ican develop some new weirdscience — teeth farming. I can“harvest” and sell them andmake some money if the initialsale works. I may never have towork. Like Midas and his goldentouch, I can produce teeth at mybeck and call. (Now that I’mrereading this, I’m starting torealize why no one has everused the word “normal” todescribe me.)

Don’t be fooled by myconsistent jokes; I am a littleworried about the surgery, butnot as concerned as I am aboutmy behavior on strongpainkillers. That should be anexperience in itself. But really,isn’t getting four pulled badenough? I have to have seven,one for each day of the week.

Despite my slightcontempt for them, I’m alsogoing to be sad to see the LuckySeven go. Yes, I named them;I’ve developed quite anattachment over the past twodays since I’ve been aware oftheir existence. Once they’reremoved, I’ll just be normalagain and who wants that?Certainly not anyone whowould develop teeth farming…

There’s this amazingtelevision channel called theFood Network. It is found quiteconveniently on any cabletelevision and provides twenty-four hour culinary enter-tainment.

Understandably, anymale readers will perhaps nowput down this article, butperhaps not; they couldpossibly benefit from reading it.The purpose of spewing thevirtues of this most wonderfulchannel is not to review thechannel itself, but rather thewomen who star in its shows.

On the Food Networkthere are maybe six women whostand out as culinary icons andare common household names;four of them represent thedifferent portrayals of a modernwoman.

The first is RachaelRay, hostess of Thirty-Minute

My Favorite ChannelBy: Jenna Giuffrida

Meals. She is attractive, agood cook, and anindependent woman. Shedoesn’t have the time tomake big elaborate meals foronly herself and maybe oneother person. Hence, thirty-minute meals.

She has developeda cooking style ideal for theworking girl who still wantsto eat healthy and tasty food.Ray is the quintessential thirty-something looking to save a fewbucks and lose a few pounds.

Almost her completeopposite is former restaurantowner Ina Garten. Garten starsin a show called BarefootContessa and represents thewell traveled woman of culture.She is famous for her immaculate

kitchen and bountiful gardenfrom which she picks all her freshherbs.

Garten enjoys richfoods and dishes that often takean entire afternoon to prepareand she likes nothing more thana visit to the local market forgourmet ingredients. Shedoesn’t worry about prices and

is always thinking of what herhusband might like to eatwhen he comes home fromwork. She gives women aview of food from outside theirsphere of comfort andsupports the idea of food as alifestyle.

From Everyday Italianwe have Giada De Laurentiis,a young woman loyal to herroots. Her Italian, Medi-

terranean-style food is colorfuland flavorful, made up ofingredients her family has beenusing for generations.

De Laurentiis defi-nitely represents the delicateside of femininity with herdainty recipes and cocktails.She is a symbol of carrying onthe family values of childhood

and modernizing them.Lastly, there is Sandra

Lee. What makes Lee stand outis that she characterizes thethrifty, put together, “hostesswith the mostest” woman of the1950s – a complete turn aroundfrom most images society hasof women today.

Her show, Semi-HomeMade with Sandra Lee,emphasizes the various ways tomake cheap, easy, filling mealsthat look good and taste great.She always has a “tablescape”to go with the food and lovesnothing more than entertainingher friends and family.

In truth, it is awonderful thing to have somany different personalities andimages teaching womeneverywhere how to cook. Justthink…without the FoodNetwork, all the men wouldstarve.

Gourmet cake

http://www.thelittlegourmetfoodcompany.com.au/images/cakes-gradient.jpg

not putting anything on anindividual’s permanent record.“This question may offerpositive opportunity foreducation rather thanpunishment for offenders,” saidEnnes.

Some countriesaround the world like GreatBritain, the Netherlands andSwitzerland have legalizedcertain drugs such as heroin andmarijuana (<http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/DEBATE/myths/myths4.htm>).

The effects of doingthis have been both negativeand positive, according to thewebsite Drug Library.org(<http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer /DEBATE/myths/myths4.htm>).

“Legalizing drugswon’t stop teens from misusingit because experimenting andpushing to the limit is part ofthe psyche of teens,” saidEnnes.

Just like legalizingdrugs, the drinking age isquestioned by many teens. Thelegal drining age in China,Poland and Thailand is16. In theNetherlands and Switzerlanddrinking alcohol at the age of 18is legal, but it’s 21 in the U.S.

“If you can be asoldier and die for your country,then why can’t you drink?”asked Matt Ferland (10).

Drug dealings stilloccur and the federal and stategovernments have taken stepsto stop it but it hasn’t ended.“They should legalize drugs fortreatment purposes and taxthem for revenues,” said SamSullivan (10).

“We have DrugAbuse Resistance Education(D.A.R.E) in every school butthat hasn’t stopped the kidswho want to do it,” saidMoitoso.

There are manywebsites to help addicts like theNational Institute of DrugAbuse (<www.nida.nih.gov>).“Talk to a trusted adult who canfacilitate referral to counselingand/or medical help,” saidEnnes.

Drug Abuse cont. from pg. 7

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Mahlik JohnsonGerogina Kotubas

Ed Nolan IIIJamie Pedro

Heather Wilson

Layout:Devin Goyette

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Editor in ChiefFelicia Connolly

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Department

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.

Edition 3 Winter 2009

Can video gamers be the next top surgeons? Researcherswho gathered in Boston for the American PsychologicalAssociation this year think yes. They detailed their studies, whichsuggested that video games are great learningtools, improving the suturing skills oflaparoscopic surgeons (<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2008-08-18-video-games-learning_N.htm>).

This type of surgery is performedusing small incisions and snake-like camerascalled laparoscopes, which use many of thesame skills used when playing video games.The researchers concluded that certain videogames have benefits.

A study at Beth Israel Medical Centerin New York compared 33 surgeons who playedvideo games to those who didn’t. In the endthe surgeons who played video games provedto be better at surgery. They were 27 percentfaster at advanced surgical procedures andmade 37 percent less errors than those whodidn’t play video games (<http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2008-08-18-video-games-learning_N.htm>).

“I think it all depends on the genre of the game. If it is aWWII game that is historically accurate then it would help studentslearn about the war and the battles that were fought. Video gamesalso help to improve fine motor skills, a trait which is hard for somestudents,” said Tom Brown (12).

Some video games even appear to sharpen scientificthinking skills, proven by research done by Iowa State University.

They looked at a random sample of 2,000 chat room postsfor World of Warcraft and found out the game encourages scientificthinking. The majority of the gamers shared knowledge and usedsystematic and evaluative processes to complete the job.

Gamers create an environment where informal practicesof scientific reasoning are being learned. “I think video games helpthinking more strategically in school,” said Gaphet Balencia (11).

Another study was done by Fordham University involving122 students from fifth, sixth and seventh grades in order to findout if playing video games improved cognitive, the mental processesof perception, memory, judgment, and reasoning, and perceptualskills. In other words, do video games help improve the learningskills of children?

“I think there are certain benefits from video games suchas hand-eye coordination and attentiveness. Some games allowfor physical activity, such as Wii Sports, and others open the mind

for a broad spectrum of subjects whether it’sscience fiction or real life scenarios,” saidJesse Mallon (10).

During the survey, students wereasked to think aloud for 20 minutes whileplaying a video game. The researchersdiscovered that older children were interestedin just playing the game, whereas youngerchildren set up short-term goals to help themthrough the game. The younger children learnmore from the games, focusing on planningand problem solving, whereas the olderchildren focus more on just playing the game.

Video games also help with eye-handcoordination, a good way to train for twenty-first century jobs. Many new jobs, like thosein the military and in factories, are completedremotely like video games.

“I think games like Rock Band helpenhance motor-skills, multitasking, and time

management,” said Vanessa Walsh-Diaz (10).Dan St. Pierre (9) said, “I think playing certain sports

games can benefit the player by giving the player a betterunderstanding on how to play that sport.”

Some games, like shooters, require rapidly switching focalattention, making them great trainers for multitasking, whereasfantasy games help children prepare for the future by making themuse cooperation, coordination, and negotiation skills. Fantasygames put the player in a virtual world where they need to makedecisions, building their mental rehearsal skills.

“When you concentrate on being skilled in a game andbeating levels you become dedicated. This helps you with similarskills in school as well as with concentrating and paying attentionin class,” said Whitney Randant (10).

While all these statements are true, some believe theresults from video games are not helpful. Students may be seeingonly what is on the top instead of going in-depth, like looking atthe cover of a book instead of reading it.

“I’m worried that video games lead to a shallowness ofthinking,” said psychology teacher Mr. Tom Rainey.

REVIEWSREVIEWSREVIEWSREVIEWSREVIEWS Video Game SurgeonsBy: Jonathan Handy

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The prospect of cannibalism is menacing, even more sowhen it occurs unbeknownst to the individual at hand. Despitethis notion, Tim Burton made it a probable concept in the 2007film version of Sweeny Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Set in eighteenth century London, Sweeny Todd (JohnnyDepp) is a local barber who slits the throats of his customers.

With help from his friend and owner of the bake shop,Mrs. Loverett (Helena Bonham Carter) Todd grinds up the bodiesand bakes them into meat pies. With this newly found “secretrecipe” Loverett’s shop becomes an unexpected hot spot.

However, there are more secrets than the mystery meatintertwined in this tale. Todd is not just a psychopathic barber,and Loverett is more than just a friend lending a hand. Todd’smain motive in cutting the throats of his customers is revenge.

As a young barber, Todd had it all. He had a boomingbusiness, and more importantly, a beautiful wife and baby girl.

However, all of this is taken right out frm under himwhen his wife is supposedly murdered and he was taken captivein Australia by the law. His return to London is purely out ofretaliation. Todd wants his little girl back, and wants his wife’sassailant to pay.

Sweeny Todd is more than just a gore fest. In fact, it is a

musical. Most people wouldn’t associate murder and cannibalismwith singing, and frankly it sounds like an odd combination.However, the murderous barber of Fleet Street first debuted in 1979on Broadway.

Depp, who is openly popular among his teenage fans,bares his soul by premiering his vocals to Stephen Sondheim’scomposition. His fellow actors who include Carter, Alan Rickman,Sacha Baron Cohen, and Laura Michelle Kelly, all perform with anunexpected talent. None of the actors come from a vocalistbackground, yet their performance would fool any viewer.

Being around for so long and having an immense followingmade this Broadway play remake sound like an unbearable task.However, Burton conveys the notion of vengeance, intimacy, andpure thrill.

This film is one that can be categorized among all thegreat movies and musicals of the past decades and can definitelybe watched over and over again, unless, of course, the viewer hasa particularly weak stomach.

Sweeny Todd is a movie to see, however it’s not meantfor everyone. It has an “R” rating for obvious graphic and bloodyviolence (bloody is an understatement.) It can be picked up at anyretail chain for $10.99 or rented at a movie rental store.

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Will Smith’s moviesare for families and alwaysentertaining, but sometimesthey are sad or even lifechanging. A perfect example ofthis is PG-13 Seven Pounds.

Directed by GabrielleMuccino, it stars Will Smith asthe main character Ben Thomas.Rosario Dawson plays EmilyPosa, and Woody Harrelsonplays Ezra Turner, the blind

friend of the two maincharacters.

Seven Pounds is thestory of Thomas, who sets outto redeem himself by helpingpeople after creating a disaster.Viewers eventually commiseratewith him.

When Thomas firsthelps these people, he has tofind out if they are worthy. Hespies on them and checks outtheir personal records whileposing as his brother, an IRSagent.

While watching themovie the audience has no cluewhat’s to come. At the end it allcomes together in an amazingclimax, revealing the secrets.

The title is confusingbecause it references WilliamShakespeare’s philosophy thata man must repay his debts witha pound of flesh. In othercultures, debts are paid with anorgan or a limb. Both culturalaspects play a role in the film.

This extremelytouching movie is one of the

most emotional and spirituallymoving of the year. Itleaves viewers sittingquietly in the theater,reflecting on what theyjust watched.

Seven Poundswas nominated forseveral awards.

The actorsreally make this movieemotional as theyrealistically portray theircharacters with extraordinaryacting. It is a dramatic and

Seven PoundsBy: Geo Tevenal

touching story to be seen by allages.

Will Smith in Seven Pounds

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Meat Pie Anyone?By: Katie Cost