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2017-2018 Arlington, MassachussettsA Year in Review

Student Activism at AHSBy Ellie Crowley

Since the presidential election of Donald Trump in 2016, the na-tion has been fraught with vast political divi-sion. This division has ignited a flame within the majority of citi-zens to exercise their right to freedom of speech in both support and protest of actions taken by the president. However, the contro-versial policies have also inspired a large majority of America’s youth to take a stand and make their adoles-cent voices heard. This past year,

Editorial: Voting Age See Page 10

ACT vs SATSee Page 5

Girls SoftballSee Page 6

the AHS student body embod-ied this rise of youth protest and created a new culture of student activisim in the school’s community.

At the beginning of the school year, the community partic-ipated in the Unity Project. The Unity project was initially created by two

women in an attempt to combat the division in their community as a result of the election. Drama teacher, Michael Byrne, along with math teacher, Joanna Begin, applied for a grant form the Arlington Education Foundation and received funding for the project by the Dawn Moses Memori-al Grant.

The project consisted of 32 PVC pipes circled around one central pipe located on the front lawn.

Each of the outer poles had an identifier on it, ...Continued page 8

Students Compete in Battle of the BandsBy Grace Walters

12th annual Battle of The Bands at the Regent Theatre in Arlington. Stereolith, Over Easy, Error 404 and

Loudstreet battled it out for a title and cash prize. Each group rocked the house with hit songs like “24k Magic“ by Bruno Mars, played by Error

404, and “Today” by The Smashing Pump-kins, played by Over Easy.

The event lasted for roughly two hours, ending with a perfor-mance by a group of Arlington High School teachers—Social Stud-ies teacher Glen Fant, English teacher Lian-na Bessette, English teacher Justin Bourassa, English

teacher Paul McKnight, and English teacher Tim Mar-tin—known as The Educated Guests.

Thanks to ACMi, every per-formance was video-recorded from various angles and by numerous camerapeople....Continued p. 8

On Saturday, January 27, Arlington High School’s S.T.A.N.D club hosted the

Around SchoolWorld Traveler Sells Global GoodsBy Isabella Scopetski

On December 12, 2017, there was a Global Goods Fair in the main lobby during all three lunches and after school. Twice a year Jacquie Rodgers, a retired teacher from Maynard, comes to Arlington High, bringing jewelry and other items collected from her travels around the world to sell, donating 100% of all proceeds globally and locally.

Rodgers is the founder of Global Goods, a non-profit organization currently working with locals in Guatemala, Uganda, and In-donesia. Rodgers visits these places “most every year along with other countries such as Mexico, Ecuador, Thailand. and Peru.” After teaching in Maynard for 31 years, Rodgers de-cided to focus her energy on Global Goods full-time.

“It was very easy to switch because I was always helping students, and now, I am just helping other individuals,” said Rodgers (now 70 years old).

Upon developing the fundraising aspect of global goods, “it had a twofold purpose” Rodgers said “One was to be able to help out locally and the second was to expose high school students to global issues and the diver-sity in the world.”

The organization is run by Rodgers and her husband, as well as volunteers and students, all of whom receive no income, making it a true non-profit. Rodgers said she “didn’t know anything about running a nonprofit foundation.”

Rodger’s commitment to helping others de-rives from her innate curiosity of the world, different cultures and foreign languages, which she has perpetuated since childhood. “I’ve been fortunate to have many foreign guests stay at my house and to travel to over 100 countries,” said Rodgers.

Rodger hopes “to be able to keep self-fund-ing global goods for many years and some-how to keep it going forever.” She feels “very committed to [her] projects and in developing [the] global goods foundation.”

Rodgers attributes the success of her non-profit to the fact that “many people want to help others but don’t know how.” She said that “by buying items from Global Goods and hearing about the stories of the Artisans who make the goods, people know that they are helping.”

Rodgers “found that there are many people trying to make a difference in the world.” She

thinks that “Students need to look around their own communities and maybe do a little research online to find places that need their help”; volunteer opportunities are not diffi-cult to find. Every year she has at least one or two interns from her local high school to help out. Rodger believes that being open to volunteer positions in local or global foun-dations “will help them learn more about the world and themselves.”

“I am a firm believer,” said Rodger, “that you need to go beyond your local area and explore other countries to really see what the world is about.” And to Rodger, “need” is a relative term. From her unique perspective “We have needs in the United States… But the need in other countries is so much more severe that you really [should] see it to believe it”.

“I think I have a keen sense of the inequities of the world,” added Rodgers, “partly be-cause of my travel and also because of some of my personal friends.” Rodgers stresses the importance of using the life we have to help make other people’s lives better, while in turn improving the quality of our own life. She considers her circumstances to be “very fortunate,” and “by seeing some of the inequities of the world with my own eyes” she added, “I think I’ve been inspired to help more than I would have if I was just staying in the US.”

To get involved or find out more about the Global Goods connection to AHS, contact AHS teacher Ms. Donohue who helps get clubs involved in helping Rodgers set up for Global Goods. To learn more about the mis-sion of Global Goods visit: http://global-goods.org/

Students Participate in Intergenerational Book ClubBy Ellie Crowley

In recent weeks posters for the Intergenera-tional Book Club have branded the windows, doors, and walls of AHS in a successful attempt to raise the club’s profile. The club aims to “cherish [their] common interests of books” by “relating personal experienc-es” and “discussing [their] opinions” on the novels they read, according to junior Carlos Abreu. Originally, Abreu wanted to start his own book club, but learned of the IBC and immediately joined. He praised the originality of the intergenerational aspect of the club,

The club believes reading is critical “to clean the mind” and to serve as a reminder “that self care is really important for us to live long healthy lives.” Abreu’s experience entirely reflects the club’s goals, as “the first day [he] joined it gave [him] an immense feeling of inclusion, which impacted [him] as a person.”

Books read recently by the club include Boys In the Boat by Daniel James Brown, Walk In The Woods by Bill Bryson, and Cannery Row by John Steinbeck, a very diverse selection of novels that appeals to all audiences. The IBC “hopes new folks will be willing to just try out one meeting,” which take place once a month in the teachers conference room at 2:45 after school. If you’re looking for a means of relaxation and want to expand your community in Arlington, this is the club for you!

as “club members pass an inclusive environ-ment down to anybody that wants to join,” not solely students of Arlington High School, but additionally members of the Arlington community.

The IBC takes pride in creating a relaxing environment that the community can experi-ence. The club was founded in 2013 by AHS students and town social worker Marci Shap-iro. It was created to “connect two different groups in the Arlington community that have historically had very little interaction with each other,” teenagers and seniors, according to sophomore Adam Forbes. However, the club ended when the students running the IBC graduated. Fortunately, Forbes is Marci Shapiro’s neighbor. Shapiro asked Forbes if he would be interested in restarting the club, to which he enthusiastically obliged.

StudentsAHS Students Attend Semester Schools

By Claire Kitzmiller

Every year, juniors at Arlington High School have the option to spend half the year at a semester school. A semester school is a high school where a small group of students from all over the country come to study for one semester. Few students take advantage of the unique opportunity, but those who do fi nd the experience unforgettable.

There are eleven schools that students can apply to all across the country. Some exam-ples include CITYterm in New York City, The Mountain School in Vermont, Chewonki on the coast of Maine, and The Island School in The Bahamas.

Students apply during January through March the year before they plan to attend and fi nd out whether or not they have been selected at the end of March. The application process includes questions about students’ education-al interests, personal interests, and reasons why they want to attend the school.

Several students at AHS attended different semester schools across the country during the fall of 2017. Maya Pockrose attended Chewonki on the Maine Coast, Clara Tully attended CITYterm in New York City, and Jessie Cali attended The High Mountain Insti-tute in Colorado.

Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki

The Chewonki school is located on the coast in Wiscasset, Maine. The school focuses on science, sustainability, and farm life. Students live in cabins heated by wood stoves with

seven other people; each cabin does two weeks of farm chores, starting at 6:30 a.m. each morning. Students also take part in work programs, fi eld trips, wilderness trips, and cooking.

[Courtesy of Chris Percy]For fi eld trips, students visit different envi-ronments while answering prompts in fi eld journals. Twice a week, students also engage in work programs, which include helping the maintenance crew, working on the farm, writ-ing for the blog, working in the kitchen, and pulling out invasive species on campus.

AHS junior Maya Pockrose attended Che-wonki during the fall of 2017. Pockrose was able to take many classses that corresponded to AHS classes such as Pre-Calculus, Spanish, and AP U.S. History, but Pockrose also got to take classes unique to Chewonki. For science she studied “Natural History of the Maine Coast.” For the course, Pockrose learned about species and ecosystems local to the Maine Coast with the opportunity to visit the unique environments on fi eld trips.

During the weekends, Pockrose spent her time going on walks, playing music, spending time with friends, and sometimes cooking dinner. She also went on special trips includ-ing a fi ve-day wilderness trip, two-night solo, and an outdoor leadership weekend.

Pockrose decided to apply to Chewonki because “the community, setting, and aca-demics” really appealed to her. Pockrose says, “the experience was truly life-changing and it’s a great opportunity.”

The High Mountain Institute

[Courtesy of Jessie Cali]The High Mountain Institute is located in the Rocky Mountains in Leadville, Colorado. Stu-dents focus on leadership and sustainability while being immersed in the unique cultures around them. Students lived in cabins, chop-ping their own wood for heat while engaging in hands-on learning. The students also go on two eighteen-day backpacking trips while continuing their classes on the canyons and mountain peaks.

Cali was drawn to the school because of the time outdoors, backpacking trips and loca-tion. Through the program Cali states that “I learned how to advocate for myself and de-velop closer relationships with teachers, and [how to] become comfortable and confi dent being my true self,” giving her, “control over my academic, social, and emotional success.”

Meet the Journalism Club!

Editors-in-chiefIsabella ScopetskiClaire Kitzmiller

Club AdvisorMatthew (Cullen) Cincotta

Get Involved!Meetings during x-block on Tuesdays in

Mr Cincotta’s room (304)

Read Moreahsponderpage.wordpress.com

Follow us on Facebook: @AHSPonderPage

WritersAliza Kopans

Anoushka OkeChloe JacksonConnor Rempe

Eliza McKissickGrace Walters

Isaiah DonovanKatherine Richardson

Lauren BainLulu Eddy

Maren LarkinMax Fritsch

Michael Graham-GreenMiles Shapiro

Sean Hart

StudentsStewart Competes on National Frisbee TeamBy Chloe Jackson

Arlington High senior Clara Stewart was recently offered a position on the USA Na-tional Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Team. She has played ultimate frisbee since seventh grade, where she joined a pick-up game at Thorndike Field in Arlington. As she grew to love the sport, Stewart joined the Ocelots in eighth grade at Ottoson Middle School, and carried on the legacy of the team into her years at high school. Stewart assisted in founding a co-ed ultimate frisbee team at Arlington High, and captained it for her tenth and eleventh grade seasons. She now has co-ordinated and founded a successful all wom-en’s ultimate frisbee team for this upcoming spring season.

Stewart has played ultimate frisbee in a range of settings, whether it is pick up games, youth leagues, high school clubs, women’s region-al club teams, or even the prestigious USA National Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Team. To tryout for the National team, Stewart under-went a rigorous application process, which entails a preliminary application and tryout of fifty young women in North Carolina. A tryout on the East Coast and the West Coast was held, each of fifty young women, to de-termine the National team roster of twenty-

four players. Stewart, in addition to her friend Tessa Johnson of Lexington, Massachusetts, earned a position on the roster of this highly selective team.

Until the World Championship game and other tournaments, Stewart and her team-mates are expected to maintain their shape and skills, and they will attend several multi-day or week long training sessions to prepare for games. Stewart will attend the the WJUC (World Juniors Ultimate Championships) in late August in Toronto, Canada, with her team of twenty four young women. After over five years of pursuing ultimate frisbee and gaining the impressive title of National Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Team Member, Stewart plans to continue her ultimate frisbee career as she begins college in the fall.

Stewart plays ultimate frisbee because of the “tight knit community, especially in Boston.”

Students Travel Abroad For February VacationBy Isabella Scopetski, Chloe Jackson, and Claire Kitzmiller

The week of February 18, Arlington High School students traveled overseas to take part in school organized trips meant to connect exploration and enjoyment with education and hands-on learning experiences.

Musical Italy Trip

[Courtesy of Swiss Conservatory]Students in honors level Jazz Band, Honors Orchestra and Madrigal Singers traveled to Europe for 11 days to tour northern Italy and part of Switzerland. The three groups performed six concerts while abroad and prefaced the trip with a “farewell concert” performed at AHS the week before their departure.

Sabatino D’Agastino, conductor of the Jazz Band and Honors Orchestra, and Madaline Kitchen, conductor of the Madrigal Singers, collaborated in planning the trip to Italy over a year in advance.

Students performed in venues including a Roman Catholic church, a Swiss conservatory

and an Italian music-specific high school. Be-tween concerts, the groups toured the cities and regions of Milan, Varese, Lugano, Vero-na, Lake Como and Lake Maggiore.

One concert on the tour was held at an Italian high school of music. Each student attending the school must study two instru-ments throughout high school, along with their core classes. AHS musicians had the op-portunity to talk to the Italian students who attended their concert, as well as sing with them on stage in an encore of “Bohemian Rhapsody.”

While performing in new venues each con-cert and touring European cities were major aspects of the trip, senior Caroline Dressler’s favorite part about the trip was “getting to know everyone better,” a sentiment shared by the many students who participated.

South Africa Trip

A group of 46 students, 37 from Arlington and nine from Ashland, traveled for 20 hours to South Africa.

[Courtesy of Lilah Vieweg]The students spent time working with kids at Elkanah, a private high school for grades

7-12, Atlantis, an after school program similar to a Boys and Girls Club, Table View Primary School, grades 4-7 and Ysterplaat Junior Pri-mary School, kindergarten to third grade.

In addition to assisting classes in several South African schools, Arlington students visited Nelson Mandela’s prison cell, botani-cal gardens, and penguins on the beach. They hiked Table Mountain and Lion’s Head and also set up a street store to donate their own personal clothing to the South African home-less population.

Junior Ellen Gerberick added “it’s good to experience a new culture and to step into someone else’s shoes, even if it’s a little un-comfortable and emotional.”

Latin Italy Trip

Eight Latin language students and two teach-ers traveled to Italy to enrich the learning they’ve done in class. The group landed in Milan and traveled to Florence for three days before driving to Rome for another two. Latin teachers Cassandra Mea and Veronica Quinn began planning the trip with their stu-dents a year before they left.

In Florence, the students traveled with a tour group, comprised of students from other schools. The group visited historical land-marks, including The Statue of David, El Duomo and The Church of Christ. In Rome, the students traveled to the Pantheon, the Colosseum, and the Spanish Steps.

[Courtesy of Clara Stewart]

StudentsAHS Students Create Online MagazineBy Ellie Crowley

AHS students have always been known for their creativity and are a continuous source of pride for the community with their art shows, music exhibitions, and theater perfor-mances. However, sophomores Maren Larkin and Molly O’Toole felt that the community was lacking the proper means to truly express their creativity freely beyond the high school. In the fall of 2017, the girls started Angel-head Magazine, which is “an artistic platform for the creative youth of Boston”—in other words, “an online art magazine for teens.”

Larkin and O’Toole first thought of the magazine after participating in a summer film photography workshop. After collaborating with other artists within the workshop for two years, Larkin says that “I started thinking about how cool it would be if we could all connect and share our art together.” O’Toole affirms this idea by saying, “We wanted to create a space where the hard work and cre-ativity of our peers is appreciated.” The girls’ motivation to share their work led to the

launching of Angelhead Magazine in the fall. The magazine’s name was inspired by a line from the poem Howl by Allen Ginsberg. In Larkin’s words, “He writes about ‘angelhead-ed hipsters’ which struck me as kind of funny and interesting all at the same time.” Though originally unsure of the name, the pair kept returning to Angelhead Magazine, and it stuck. When asked if it has been difficult es-tablishing themselves, Larkin says that it has been “easy and hard all at the same time.”

“We definitely have a long way to go,” add-ing that they have published two bi-monthly collections since the launch.

She explained that “one of the hardest things has been getting in touch with artists outside of Arlington—our first collection was almost entirely Arlington based.” However, O’Toole added, “as we post more collections, and it grows, it becomes easier to get in touch with kids outside of our school and expand our circles.” The girls have also heavily utilized social media to reach out to local artists and found that teens are “very eager to contrib-ute.” They realized that a significant amount of the content submitted has documented the local marches and protests, which adds a political aspect to the magazine that they hadn’t expected but greatly support. O’Toole noted, “We think that art and activism are closely tied, and often the best art is the kind that provokes social change.” The girls have loved the political additions and encour-age artists to submit more because, in their words, “[activism] is very important to us and our vision for the magazine.”

Angelhead Magazine has received a great amount of support from the artistic commu-nity. Larkin added that “I think it’s an idea that a lot of people have dreamt of pursu-ing,” and that she is pleased that they have created a space to further connect the com-munity. www.angelhead-mag.squarespace.com

The History of the Test

The College Board was formed in 1900, and the organization set out to standardize the ad-missions process. Roughly 23 years later, Carl C. Bingham administered an altered version of the Army IQ test to Princeton freshmen, and was put in charge of a College Board committee to adapt the test once again.

This exam would later become the aptitude test called the SAT (History of the SAT: A Timeline). In 1959, Everett Franklin Lind-quist, a professor at the University of Iowa developed an alternative to the SAT, one that would assess a student’s current knowledge rather than their ability to learn. This ACT became more prominent over time, surpass-ing the SAT in the number of test takers in 2012. As of 2015, 1,924,436 students take the ACT that year, compared to 1,548,198 taking the SAT (Zhang).

The SAT began to adapt its process to be more similar to the ACT, and focuses more on assessing current knowledge rather than future success.

A Common Misconception

Many students, particularly those around the east coast, suffer the misconception that the SAT is more widely accepted, or that the ACT is made for the middle of the country. In fact, the ACT is not only more prominent than the SAT, but also more accepted by all universities across the country (Zhang). Whether eastern schools are biased toward the SAT is unknown, but there is little evi-dence to support the claim.

What It Comes Down To

There are many reasons why standardized testing can be a poor reflection of one’s intel-lect or acquired knowledge, from test anxiety to poor preparation. No matter a student’s opinion on testing, chances are they will have to take some form of exam if they wish to continue to another level of education. Ulti-mately it comes down to personal preference. The more comfortable a student is with the test they are taking, the better scores they will receive.

By Isaiah Donovan

As students progress through high school, college plans loom on the horizon. For many, assembling a satisfactory curriculum is a source of unending stress. Of course, college is not in the cards for every high schooler, however the majority of students move on to some sort of further education. In their quest to condense their entire educational career into a single document, standardized tests become a way for students to express their knowledge, especially in cases where they are lacking in other areas. Standardized tests also may offer opportunity to receive merit scholarships and awards, which are crucial for many students.

Which Test Should You Take?

It is then that the true question emerges: What test to take? Most colleges and uni-versities expect or require students to com-plete the ACT or the SAT. Every student has unique skills and areas of interest, and in truth, there is no test that will suit them perfectly. However, there are certainly aspects of each exam that many would find appealing over the other.

The Truth About Standardized Testing: SAT vs. ACT

Article Continued Online. Check Out www.ahsponderpage.wordpress.com For More!

SportsGirls Softball Team’s Season HeightensBy Chloe Jackson

The 2018 Spring Arlington Girls Softball Sea-son has commenced, and the team kickstart-ed the new season with an impressive record. The varsity team, ranked 37th in the state of Massachusetts and captained by seniors Abi Ewen and Ellie Demaree, holds a 9-1 record and 6-1 league record.

Girls Varsity Softball consists of sixteen Arlington High student-athletes, began prac-ticing on March 19th with coaches Matt and Dan O’Loughlin; they will continue to play until the end of their season in early June. The team practices six times a week exclud-ing game days. Senior Holly Russell is excited for this year’s “good start” that will “contin-ue to improve and get better” as the season progresses. The softball program also held a successful car wash on April 14th to earn funds for the team.

Each year, several Arlington players are awarded league all-star awards. Players Holly Russell, Abi Ewen, Emily Benoit, Ellie De-maree, and Katie O’Brien have received rec-ognition in the past, and are likely contenders to earn the title for another spring season. The Varsity team has maintained an impres-sive 0.364 batting average, a 0.927 fielding average, and has stolen 44 bases. Meanwhile, the Junior Varsity and Freshman teams have also displayed notable starts to their seasons.

Many eighth graders have been offered po-sitions on the freshman team, bringing in a younger generation to the high school pro-gram. Freshman Coach Bob Bartholomew has introduced them the high school softball experience.

As senior Holly Russell reflects on her years playing softball with AHS, she is “shocked that it will be over soon.” However, as her last sports season ever as a tri-varsity athlete comes to a close, she enjoys her senior season on the softball team. The girls softball team continues to fight for each victory as their season progresses and the school year comes to a close.

give 110% of their effort and energy. Cleary points out that “their spot is on the line”, so they must give it all they’ve got to prove themselves to their captains and coach, as the three captains additionally help their coach with the starting lineup.

While sophomore Perry Sofis-Scheft is off the field, he takes his time to scan the game so he can bring what the team is lacking when he gets put in the game. He picks up where the starters left off.

Over the summer, many of the upcoming under-classmen attended cap-

tains practices, allowing them to gain a lot of skill and ball control. Senior captains Max McKersie, Lloyd Cleary, and Adrien Black kept these gatherings focused. Manager Jeff Pacheco observes that “players such as Noah Aarons and Lucas Plotkin have earned their time by proving their dedication on and off the field”.

Cleary notes that “by being number one in the state, the team has come into some games too cocky” costing them a win. “You must take things one step at a time”, advises Pache-co. “Be there for the grind” Perry says. “Nev-er give up” Pacheco adds.

Boys Varsity Soccer Scored More Than Just a New RecordBy Lulu eddy & Eliza McKissick

The Arlington High varsity boys soccer team had a successful season. They were number one in the Middlesex league, and made it to state semi finals until they were knocked out by Concord Carlisle on November 13th at Manning Field in Lynn, MA. The boys battled until the end, only falling to the last penalty kick, in a shoot out 5-4. This is the farthest the boys soccer team has ever gone into tournament, and was their first time winning the Middlesex league title.

Going into the sea-son, the boys did not expect such success and victory. Many of the players had not experienced the varsity lev-el before. However, the “strong chemistry” between the boys brings them all together and prevents cliques, mentioned a few of the athletes when questioned about the integrity of their team dynamic.

The boys attribute the team’s success to their coach, Lance Yadzio. He did a great job “listening to the players and bringing the input from the captain’s into games” said Cleary. Yadzio brings up any concerns with the whole team, keeping the players unified, which helps with the overall team dynamic.

Girls Frisbee Becomes a Spring SportBy Eliza McKissick

This spring, an all-girls ultimate frisbee team was established at Arlington High School for the first time. Previously, girls could join the co-ed ultimate team; however this year there was enough interest to form an all-girls team.

Senior Clara Stewart was a captain of the co-ed team her sophomore and junior year, but has since decided to dedicate her time to forming the new all-girls program. Stew-art says she spent a couple of years thinking about establishing an all girls program, but there was never a great push for it. However, this year Stewart explained that the “tim-ing seemed right [and] there seemed to be enough interest.” With 18 girls on the roster, Arlington High was able to establish an all girls ultimate frisbee team.

Junior Lilah Vieweg is new to ultimate fris-bee, but is excited to get involved with the sport. Vieweg initially joined because she knew “everyone else would be a beginner, so [she] wasn’t too worried.” Other members agreed that they felt welcome to join, regard-less of their experience level. According to Stewart, ultimate frisbee has a “great sense of community, where everyone is focused on helping each other succeed.”

Since ultimate frisbee is not recognized as an MIAA sport, the team will operate as a club. For this reason, they will not receive school funding.

A few neighboring towns, such as Lexington and Newton, have girls programs already established. The Arlington High girls team competed against these other teams in friend-ly scrimmages. Stewart also secured her team a spot in the States Tournament on May 26th. The tournament was meant to give the team more experience in a competative game set-ting and to mark the end of the season.

Photo courtesy of Francesco Valagussa

Photo courtesy of Clara Stewart

Arts & EntertainmentAHS Presents Wonderful Town The MusicalBy Isabella Scopetski

“Despite the snow, the show must go on” was the motto of this years Arlington High School musical Wonderful Town, directed by AHS drama teacher, Michael Byrne. Although three snow days and an unusually early show date leave the cast pressed for time, Wonder-ful Town is to be performed March 23, 24, 25. Tickets were sold at all three lunches (by cast members) and online.

Currently students are entering tech week of the show, somedays spend-ing more than nine hours in the au-ditorium fine tuning their production and making art. The students patient-ly and cooperatively collaborate with each other and their director, Michael Byrne, to raise the show to its fullest potential.

The show takes place in Greenwich village, New York City during the 1930s. Wonderful Town is about two sisters who come to the city to fol-low their dreams, the girls originally hailing from Ohio. Byrne chose to direct Wonderful Town this spring because the music is by Lenard Bernstein, who would be celebrating his 100th birthday this year. Lenard Bernstein wrote West Side Story; a famous show which most people are familiar with. Byrne “like[s] the energy of the music” as it is similar to that of West Side Story and successfully “propels the story along”. Byrne mentions that “it is also a show that is driven by two interesting, strong women who don’t define themselves by a love interest”. Byrne seeks to introduce high school students to a show were woman (specifically Ruth and Ei-leen Sherwood) are able to define their worth by “who they are in the world and how they contribute to the world” rather than their worth being defined by a man.

For Byrne, the most rewarding part of any show is “having the privilege of asking stu-dents to step out of their comfort zones”. As a drama teacher at heart, Byrne enjoys watch-ing his students succeed and thrive in the new situations they are put in. And it is the jour-ney for Byrne, which makes directing worth-while as he is able to, “see the transformation in these young people”.

Although Byrne has worked with adults and college students, it is the “enthusiasm” about high school students which has led him to continue teaching at the high school level.

“The energy that a high school student bring in is different than any other population [he’s] worked with”. Undoubtedly, the most diffi-cult part of the show for Byrne has been the snow, which robbed the cast of nearly three full days of rehearsals leading up to the show. However, he also added that he thought the difficult music presented it’s own challenge for the cast, on top of the time crunch, mak-ing the cast work doubly hard to be perfor-mance ready.

Despite the organic obstacles directors and actors faced, all would agree that it is their fellow cast members and colleagues which

makes such hard work worth it for them.Junior Devin Wright, starring in the lead female role Eileen Sherwood, says the most rewarding part of the process was “to be able to work with actors like Olivia [as Ruth Sherwood] and Ben [as Bob Baker]”. Wright noted her co stars having lead roles since she was a freshman at AHS, and “being able to perform with them, singing songs with them [and] talking with them” has reassured Wright of her part in the show and that she worked hard to be a lead.

New Talent

For freshman Franco D’Agostino and Junior John Fitzgerald, Wonderful Town is serving as their high school musical theater debut. Both D’Agostino and Fitzgerald act in a number of roles in the show depending on the scene, each having to make multiple cos-tume changes between numbers such as the switch from Tour Guide to Police Officer, or Navy Seal Cadet to village ballet dancer.

Looking back on the process, as tech week commences, D’Agostino finds “being able to work with different people that [he] might not have known” has been the most reward-ing part of the experience.

In an interview, Fitzgerald confessed that the show was easier to join, socially, than he

had expected; being a junior in high school and new to performing. He appreciates how “everyone gets along very well” and how fun the show has been for him. A main takeaway of the show for Fitzgerald was “to be happy with who you are… [and] enjoy what you are doing”. For Fitzgerald, “it’s all about having fun”.

The Mechanics of a Well-Oiled Machine

The Arlington High School productions wouldn’t be the professional grade perfor-mances that many community members, parents, teachers, and fans have compared

them to each year, without the ded-icated students behind each aspect of the show. Wonderful Town relies heavily on its knowledgeable and well equipped team of student stage managers in order to run smoothly and seamlessly. Being stagehand for two years now has given Michael Graham-Greene increasing leader-ship opportunity and growth in his role. Stage managers attend every rehearsal of the entire process, see-ing the show through from start to finish, sometimes spending longer hours with director Byrne than the cast, doing clerical work, managing

props and the set. “Seeing the actors having fun on stage”, says Graham-Greene, “makes the harder days less difficult”.

And what would a Byrne production be without some dance? Since Wonderful Town includes large, dance heavy numbers such as “Swing”, “Conga”, and “Ballet at the Village Vortex”, Byrne was met with the challenge of choreographing. As a director, he chose to collaborate with student dancers Annie Schoonmaker, Aubrie-Mei Rubel, Megan Hall, and Katherine Hurley. Each dancer takes classes at their own studios and togeth-er they bring a wide range of knowledge to the process and each other. Choreographing the show was no small task, each number taking many rehearsals to teach and refine the dances. As a team, the girls found it helpful to be able to “bounce ideas off of eacho-ther for different scenes”, as mentioned by Schoonmaker. The team agreed that being able to see their work performed by their peers and come to life was the most reward-ing part of the process.

The students and adults involved in the show encourage the Arlington community to come out and support them this coming weekend and see the pay off from months of hard work!

Photo courtesy of Isabella Scopetski

Arts & Entertainment

Autumn in the Lowe Auditorium of Arling-ton High School typically means a few things: Freshmen Orientation, Speech and Debate Club competitions, college visits, class assemblies, Japanese exchange student performances, and, of course, the annual fall play.

Michael Byrne, a seventeen-year veter-an teacher, and time theatrical afi cionado in the drama program, has chosen this years play to be Arthur Mill-er’s The Crucible.

The work, which, according to Byrne, “resonates in the time in which we’re living,” follows a story that took

place roughly 24 miles northeast and 325 years ago, in the midst of the Salem Witch Trials. Aside from the inevitable romantic

facets, The Crucible explores ideas of mob mentality, as well as the ramifi cations of blame, lies, and betrayal, all of which Byrne sees re-maining pertinent today.Above all, the climate that Arlington High School’s Theater Pro-gram strives to create, coinciding with that of the school as a whole, is one that is encourag-es all students to freely express themselves. In fact, a hallmark of the High School is the long-

standing professional reputation its Theater Program upholds—its glory years

And the Winner Is...

Each band played a maximum of eight songs, most of which were covers. However, band Error 404 surprised the audience with an original song entitled “Don’t Mess Around.”

As the show progressed, an increasing number of audience members gathered at the edge of the stage where they chanted, danced, waved cell-phone lights in the air, and sang along.

The crowd was especially fervent when the band of teachers, The Educated Guests, performed “All Star” by Smash Mouth and “Shut Up And Dance” by Walk The Moon.

Junior Ben Clossey, the band’s drummer, said the atmosphere of the show was “very inclusive; it’s more about the music and less about who wins.”

At the end of the show, Wright and Tracey an-nounced that the band Error 404—consisting of Juniors Sam Goldstein, Julian Carpenter, Quinn Connell, Joey Dalton, and Olivia Carpenter—won both titles.

Getting to the Battle

S.T.A.N.D club advisor Mr. McKnight held a meeting in early November of last year in which students inquired about the audition and selec-tion process for bands who wished to compete in the event. Each band was required to send a demo tape featuring three songs no later than Nov. 18.

“It’s tough, but it’s worth it,” says Over Easy’s guitarist and lead vocalist, Junior Cole Fanning. “We’re not trying to win, we’re just trying to have fun,” Fanning added. The band Over Easy described a demanding process for preparing for the show. Practice hours confl icted with the band mem-bers’ school schedules and the availability of a practice location was not always guaranteed.

“It’s tough, but it’s worth it,” says Over Easy’s guitarist and lead vocalist, Junior Cole Fanning.

“We’re not trying to win, we’re just trying to have fun,” Fanning added.

Fundraising for a Cause

Juniors Devin Wright and Neil Tracey emceed the event. They introduced each band, adding a mixture of humor and witty banter between acts. Proceeds from the event were donated to Save the Children, a foundation whose goal is to aid children across the globe in areas such as educa-tion, hunger and the accessibility of resources.

Additionally, raffl e tickets offered up prizes from restaurants and local businesses such as Menoto-my Grill & Tavern and a variety of assorted bas-kets with themes like “Date Night” and “Treat Yourself.”

A title and cash prize were awarded to two groups: the Judges’ Choice, who received $50, and the Audience Choice, who received $100.

The judging panel consisted of the fi ve members of The Educated Guests who deliberated while the remaining attendees were able to cast digital votes.

continually lengthening under Michael By-rne’s direction. Miles Shapiro, a junior who portrays Giles Corey in the play, lends an in-sider’s perspective to acting in The Crucible. “AHS has an exceptional theater program,” Shapiro commented. “The plays are consis-tently well rehearsed and directed.”

Now an upperclassman and experienced in the ways of high school, Shapiro—also a member of the student government, Jour-nalism Club, and Model Congress—cautions that involvement in the play deepens the seemingly insolvable mystery all students face: balance. “The play is a huge time com-mitment, and it is a lot of work, but it’s all worth it,” he noted.

Byrne suggests, “Be patient with yourself.” For he believes that “Everything you do and experience should inform your performance on stage... you can learn so much from other people.”

which Byrne sees re-

Above all, the climate

Witches in Arlington Post Halloween

[Courtesy of Grace Walters]

AHS Students Compete in Battle of the BandsBy Grace Walters

By Lauren Bain

Movie ReviewsLove Simon: John Hughes Love Story for a New GenerationBy Miles Shapiro

After an extended hiatus in the 90s and early 2000s, coming-of-age stories seem to have been granted a resurgence as of late with films such

as “The Spectacular Now” and “The Edge of Seventeen”.

On television, particular shows like “Riverdale” and “13 Reasons Why” have brought in mas-sive following while also being well received by critics. This 1980s teen flick renaissance contin-ues with “Love Simon,” the story of a high school senior coming to terms with life, love, and all the other ups and downs of adoles-cence. It is refreshing how “Love Simon” features a gay protagonist, making it the first major studio romantic comedy to do so.

In the titular role of Simon, Nick Robinson radiates charisma, bringing depth and relat-ability to the film’s closeted lead. The screen-play by Elizabeth Burger and Arlington High School alumnus Isaac Aptaker crackles with youthful energy and provides a sappy but deeply honest portrait of adolescence and unexplored sexuality. The film bends to genre tropes unabashedly while, at the same time, its unique voice and charm gives it a style all its own. Despite its contemporary setting, the films atmosphere, music, and visual palet give it a timelessly seductive feel and coaxes the viewer into a feeling of nostalgia.

The films supporting cast also shines with a slew of young talents, as well as more well-known names like Tony Hale and Josh Du-hamel, rounding out the well-drawn cast of characters.

The film is well paced and despite not nec-essarily breaking any new ground in terms of storytelling, this film is revolutionary for what it doesn’t show. Unlike many stories of inclusion that put their progressiveness at the forefront of the story, “Love Simon” is refreshingly restrained. The movie features a homosexual protagonist, but that is is not the story; it’s just part of it. Simon’s sexuality of course plays a large role in the film, but the story is never compromised to make room for the message.

This film is not going to be competing at any festivals or winning any Oscars, but that was not its intent. What this film sets out to do is tell a charming romance with just enough substance and heart to elevate it above its contemporaries. In this goal, the movie fully succeeds and, in time, will likely take its well- deserved place as one of the more prominent entries in the teen film’s second coming as well as a welcome milestone in the journey to on-screen equality.

Stranger Things Season 2: The Art of Catching Lightning TwiceBy Miles Shapiro

After the massive breakout phenomenon that was “Stranger Things” season one, expec-tations were incredibly high for this new installment of the 80s-set, supernatural ad-venture series. Season one followed groups of kids, teenagers, and adults occupying the small town of Hawkins, Indiana after the disappearance of one boy, Will Byers, and the arrival of a girl with astonishing powers, named Eleven.

first season was only eight episodes, this season bumps it up to ten—using its extra screen time to flesh out old and new charac-ters in unexpected ways. One thing “Stranger Things” does better than most other con-temporary series is character interaction and development. The way the show’s writers reveal information about characters is incred-ibly natural and viewers leave virtually every interaction, even seemingly meaningless ones, with a deeper understanding of the charac-ters’ psyches. This feat is attributed not only to the air tight teleplay but also to the nu-anced performances of the entire cast.

This show is not without flaw, however. On the performance side, Winona Ryder, while portraying the character of Joyce Byers well, did not seem to ever hold a candle to her supporting cast, save for one climactic scene where she literally holds a candle to her sup-porting cast. That scene is one of her best, however, and it is certainly a standout for her.

This season is as equally delightful and emo-tional as the last entry and the series has a bright future ahead of itself. It’s cinematic, it’s lovable, it’s mysterious, and, while it may not have completely captured the urgent magical tone of the first season, it has enough en-gaging stakes and characters for an excellent binge.

Season two features the return of the entire main cast along with a few new additions, most notably the characters of Max, Billy, Bob, and Dr. Owens. This season picks up around a year after the first; however, many characters are still coping with the events of the previous year. Now, when new super-natural threats seem to emerge, the beloved residents of Hawkins must jump into action once more while still dealing with the events of season one.

This series was originally planned as an an-thology, with each season being disconnected. However, after early responses to the season one script, the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, decided to continue the adventure in Hawkins. It was unclear how the story would continue to capture the magic of the first season, while still bringing something new to the audience; the task seemed im-possible. Season two, however, managed to prevail, much to the viewer’s delight, deliver-ing a new and engaging entry in the saga and somehow managing to live up to extraordi-narily high fan expectation. The subsequent season was even able to accomplish the in-conceivable feat of, in the eyes of some fans, being superior to the first season.

As hoped, this season delivers due to its phe-nomenal supporting cast, gripping story, and masterful directing and pacing. Whereas the

From the FrontBy Ellie Crowley

...and students were invited to wrap pink yarn from the center pole around each pole that they identified with, with the end re-sult being a woven ceiling around the circle, representing the unity of the AHS community and a celebration of diversity.

If students felt an identifier rel-evant to their lives was missing, they were invited to add it to a board on the side of the instal-lation. The board was quickly filled, and students began to write their identifiers on the pavement in chalk. Throughout the week, teachers chose to take their class-es out to the project. Students visited it during their free periods, after school, and during adviso-ries.

The Unity Project set a precedent of acceptance and support for the diversity of the AHS commu-nity. This environment provided students with the support they needed to exercise their voice in protests later in the year.

Since the death of 17 students in the February shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, there has been a national uproar calling for gun control. That the majority of protests are student-led reveals the effect this tragedy has had on America’s youth.

The AHS student body was no different and participated in a protest on March 7th for gun control. The protest was orga-nized by the Young Democrats and took place at schools in neighboring towns as well. Stu-dents who chose to participate left their first period classes at 8:17 a.m. and gathered on the front lawn of the high school. Griffin Gould, president of the Young Democrats, led a moment of silence in honor of the vic-tims of the Parkland shooting. Gould then invited the protesters to join the Young Democrats and participate in a state-wide protest outside of the state house on March 14.

The day of the visit, 26 AHS students, among other Massa-chusetts teens, gathered outside to rally for advocacy training and stronger gun control laws. Specif-ically, students were lobbying for the passing of bill H.3610 and the repeal of the Dickey Amend-ment. Bill H.3610 proposes temporarily preventing access to firearms for extremely dangerous or suicidal individuals. The Dick-ey Amendment, passed in 1996, states that “none of the funds made available for injury preven-tion and control at the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion (CDC) may be used to advo-cate or promote gun control.”

Students were invited to meet with their representatives and ask for their support and votes in passing bill H.3610 and the re-pealment of the Dickey Amend-ment. The state house visit

[Top Image Courtesy of Kristen Chalmers; Bottom image courtesy of Claire Kitzmiller]

provided Massachusetts youth with a direct means of communi-cation with their representatives and the opportunity to make their voices heard.

Following the shooting at their high school, the Parkland stu-dents created the movement dubbed #NeverAgain and orga-nized a national walkout for gun control to take place at 10:00 a.m. on March 14. The AHS student body, having participated in their own walkout on March 7, want-ed to participate in the national walkout as well.

Unfortunately, due to the snow day the walkout was rescheduled for March 15.

At 10:00 a.m. AHS students filed out of class and gathered at the front of the school, as they had done the week

week before. The protest was composed of chants, speeches by various AHS students and faculty, and a moment of silence for the victims of the Parkland shooting. As the seventeen minutes came to a close, students returned to their classes.

The AHS community held a diverse range of views about the walkout. Junior Harjot Singh stat-ed, “The walkout is a complete waste of time, and I agree that some things need to change but having a bunch of kids walk out of school is not going to bring this change.”

History teacher Glen Fant made sure that his students recognized the significance of their actions by giving those who walked out lower participation grades for an in-class assignment that day. Fant explained that “I told the class that I was doing so because I didn’t want to cheapen an act of civil disobedience by making it completely free from conse-quence.” Still, many AHS stu-dents and faculty did choose to participate in the walkout.

More recently, students at AHS have responded to a major inci-dent of vandalism at the school. The vandalism included destruc-tion of property and messages of hate.

Many students were surprised that such hate was present in a community they thought was safe and welcoming. The school first responded to the incident by holding an assembly organized by the Junior Class Council, con-deming the hate.

Following the assembly, students were invited to write positive messages in chalk on the front of the school, such as “Hate has no home here” and “You are loved.”

The inclusive and united environ-ment that the school has worked to establish this year has made students comfortable with ex-pressing their political views and has created an activist culture in the student body.

Students Rise against Adversity in the Community

Editorial16 Year-Olds are Ready to Vote...So Why are We Waiting

By Connor Rempe

On March 15th, much of the student popu-lation walked out of Arlington High School and stood in front of the main doors to protest our country’s current gun control reg-ulations. Student leaders made speeches and presented statistics in an attempt to grab the attention of politicians across the country.

However, there was one speech in particular that stood out. Freshman Genevieve Bald-win used her time at the podium to warn this country’s leaders that our time is coming. Soon we will be able to vote and it is clear that our generation has a strong and power-ful voice. She said that we had always been told by our parents that “someday you’ll be old enough” and that now our “someday was coming.”

While this message might be inspiring, I could only think one thing while listening to it: “Why wait for someday? Why can’t some-day be now?” We were told “someday” as kids, but if there is one thing I am certain of it is that the people on the steps of the high school that day were not children in the tra-ditional sense. We were engaged in the dem-ocratic process more than most adults and ready to make a change.

The leadership of youth in today’s America has proven that teens shouldn’t be considered apathetic children but rather a driving force in shaping the future. Furthermore, in order to allow teens to influence the laws and law-makers that very much influence them,

the legal voting age ought to be lowered to 16 years old.

The debate over voting age has pervaded U.S. history as early as 1942 and most nota-bly during the Vietnam War. During WWII, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt lowered the minimum draft age from 21 to 18, and while at the time voting ages were decided by states, across the board the legal age to vote was 21. 18-year-olds were conscripted with-out any say in the process of their govern-ment.

“Old enough to fight, Old enough to Vote” became a slogan for the fight for voting rights and in 1942 Georgia lowered the minimum age to vote in state and local elections to 18. Many states followed suit. Congress, howev-er, did not until similar circumstances arose in the Vietnam war and moved them to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Today, the situa-tion is similar; a group of empowered, young people want a say in the important decisions that affect their lives.

Those who oppose lowering the minimum voting age often question why 16-year-olds deserve to be given the vote. David Daven-port of Forbes feels that until 16-year-olds pay taxes or can be asked to participate in the military, they should not be able to dictate the actions of those who do.

Additionally, Davenport says, support for lowering the age in the government by sena-tors such as Nancy Pelosi is purely partisan. He says that until teens have to pay taxes, they are more frequently liberal-leaning.

Ultimately, Davenport claims, until we have “evidence that we need or even want 16-year-olds voting,” there is no reason to make a change.

While these concerns are valid, they rely on misconceptions about the motivations of teenagers. People, let alone teenagers, don’t vote for only themselves.

Studies by the American Psychological As-sociation show that by the age of 16 teens can gather and process information, as well as weigh pros and cons in low-pressure situa-tions, such as voting.

Teens think about many different angles when making decisions, so the fact that they themselves don’t pay taxes doesn’t disqualify them from being able to vote based on what they think is best for the country and their families.

Secondly, we want 16-year-olds voting be-cause they have unique and educated opin-ions, which are always necessary for a good democracy. In order for that voice to be heard to its fullest extent, the voting age ought to be lowered.

Today’s youth have demonstrated that they are ready and willing to participate in the democratic process. In order for their voice to not only be heard but also affect real change, they need to be given the most pow-erful tool in our government today: the ability to vote.

[Image courtesy of Kristen Chalmers]

StudentsStudents Exchange Cultures and Form Friendships

By Miles Shapiro

This past year Arlington High School had the opportunity to participate in the Span-ish exchange, a program in which students from Spain attend school in America for two weeks. During this time, Spanish students live with AHS students and their surrogate families, and they attend classes at the high school. Even within the brief amount of time this program lasts, both groups of students developed deep con-nections and friendships.

The trip was not only a physical exchange but also a social exchange as students shared their experiences and their ideas. While Spanish students admitted they were surprised by the vast amounts of homework given to American students, Arlington High goers, in turn, were as-tonished to learn about the meager homework load their exchange students received. Visiting Spanish students also seemed to display an adoration of U.S. public transportation, particularly in re-spect to how much faster and more effi-cient it is than in Spain.

The high school said goodbye to their Spanish guests in November; however, for some AHS student, this exchange was only the beginning of a longer adventure. Over April break, students who had host-ed Spanish students in November jour-neyed to Spain and had the favor returned to them. This time, however, the AHS students were the guests in a new land, immersing themselves in a brand new culture and country. During the trip, last-ing one-and-a-half weeks, students toured Barcelona and Madrid, sightseeing by day and going out on the town by night.

Upon return, Junior Devin Wright re-flected on the trip as “one of the greatest things that ever happened to me,

[Courtesy of Devin Wright]

[Courtesy of Devin Wright]

“particularly the seven days spent in Barcelona where the host families were centered. “My family spoke no english,” reported Wright when discussing which aspects of the trip were most reward-ing. She continued to recall how she was “forced into spanish” and, as a result, her proficiency in the language greatly im-proved.

In addition to Wright, Junior Quinn Con-nell expressed great shock at how rapidly his aptitude for spanish was able to prog-ress over a couple of days. Connell even recalled engaging in dialogue with his host parents about spanish politics including issues like secession. “I felt educated. I could engage in real conversations,” re-ported Connell in reference to the experi-ence.

In addition to the language gap, AHS students experienced some culture shock. “Meals were like 45 minute conversations with the family, even if it was just a quick dinner” recalled Connell when citing strong differences he noticed in Spanish culture. According to Connell these long meals allowed him to strengthen his rela-tionship to his host family and form a real personal bond.

[Courtesy of Devin Wright]

Wright further emphasizes this trend of strong connection in the social relation-ships between boys and girls. Wright re-calls being astonished at how casual male and female friendships were in Spain, no-ticing less of a filter in their interactions. In the words of Wright “Everybody loved everybody, and it was so accepting.”

Overall, AHS students seemed open to the Spanish lifestyle, reminiscing gleefully about their journey. “I made friendships that will last me forever” stated Wright. The Spanish exchange, being a tradition at Arlington High School, is likely to run again in the near future. It is a deeply fruit-ful experience and provides students with an opportunity to explore a new culture and improve their global communication skills. For many it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and an unforgettable addition to one’s high-school experience.

When asked about the societal disparity between the U.S. and Spain, student hosts report Spain as being a considerably more welcoming culture than may be expected. “They are much more accepting to people of different sexualities, different races, and political ideas” reports AHS student Devin Wright.

The ample contrast between Spanish and American daily life also serves a vessel for students to gain a level of cultural aware-ness that they would not traditionally have access to.

Participating in any of the diverse assort-ment of exchange programs is a rewarding experience that allows students to make international connections while providing them with a taste of the world outside their own limiting social bubble.