Which Percy Jackson character are you? The drama department is performing Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief November 16, 17 & 18. In preparation, answer the following questions to see which leading character you are most like.
Question 1: How do you handle a late assignment? A) Turn in the assignment late, with a sheepish apology. B) You don’t have any late assignments since you are always one step ahead. C) You feel guilty about the late assignment, and apologize to your teacher. D) Come up with a clever excuse as to why the assignment is late.
STUDENTS ARE SCARED P13 Crime in Burlington is affecting BHS students
AP FOR ALL P11 Making Advanced Placement courses accessible to everyone
Question 2: How do you spend your time in the library? A) Talking with friends. B) Solving Ms. Walters’ puzzle. C) Watching the live stream on the printing computer of various animals. D) At student government meetings, and reading books about leadership.
SUMMER OF STRIKES P4
Question 3: What is your fatal flaw when it comes to finishing assignments? A) Procrastination and poor time management. B) Overthinking assignments and perfectionism. C) Prioritizing spending time outdoors over completing homework. D) You are too ambitious planning your schedule, and don’t have time for homework.
Hollywood strikes are part of a wave of union movements
Question 4: When you have a group project and have to take charge in order to finish before the deadline, how do you do so? A) Create a positive, fun environment, while also doing your share of the work. B) Analyze the project and strategically break down the assignment into chunks for each student. C) Encourage your peers to do their work, and make sure everyone feels included. D) Lead with charisma, and inspire others to also do their part.
Mostly A's: Percy Jackson! You're brave, loyal, and a natural leader.
Mostly B's: Annabeth Chase! You're intelligent, strategic, and a problem solver.
Mostly C's: Grover Underwood! You're caring, peaceful, and connected to nature and animals.
AN INTERVIEW WITH PRINCIPAL BEAUPRE P5
Mostly D's: Luke Castellan! You're ambitious, daring, and have a thirst for power.
WHAT DO COLLEGES
REALLY WANT? FALL SPORTS PLAYERS TO WATCH P8-9
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Feature
Oct.
15
Feature
WHAT ARE COLLEGES REALLY LOOKING FOR?
FROM BEAN TO BREW
Vague requirements create anxiety for students
From Black Cap Coffee & Bakery to Kru Coffee Collective, there are several local coffee shops to choose from in walking distance from DtBHS. But what makes an eight ounce hot latte from Black Cap cost $4.75, while the same drink from Dunkin’ is only $2.69? Coffee is grown worldwide, in places such as Ethiopia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Coffee actually starts off as a green bean, called a coffee cherry. The coffee cherries are harvested, processed and dried on the farms and then exported to various roasters. “There are a lot of different ways to purchase coffee,” Charlotte Steverson, co-owner of Kestrel Coffee Roasters, said. “Some people go through exporters, importers - some people buy directly from farmers. There’s positives and negatives to doing all of those things as a buyer, but the most important thing is to be educated. Steverson’s business partner and husband, Johnny, is very educated when it comes to coffee. Johnny is a certified ‘Q grader’ which means he is accredited to evaluate green coffee (before the beans are roasted). According to the Coffee Quality Institute, there are only around 7,000 Q Graders around the world. One of the biggest factors that determines the quality of a coffee bean, Steverson said, is terroir, how the climate, soil, topography and general environment affects the
Krisha Thapa, Staff Writer
Counseling Assistant Ducky Jones showing the wall of colleges in the counseling office. Photo: Krisha Thapa
NYU has an “academically-driven review process.” Colby-Sawyer college says “we review applications holistically.” UNC says “there is no formula for admission.” As students start the college application process, they often wonder ‘how do I give colleges what they want?’ “The biggest challenge during applications is definitely not losing my mind,” Veronica Lindstrom ‘24 said. “It’s a lot of drudgery and filling out little boxes which is frustrating, but on a more structural
level it’s seriously messed up.” Colleges do provide open data sheets
take or what GPA is acceptable. However, they do expect students to demonstrate “a consistently high level” of academic achievement. It’s difficult for high school students to know exactly what “a consistently high level” of achievement means. Exactly how many Honors-level or AP classes is enough? In addition, NYU is one of more than 1,900 schools that will not require SAT or ACT test scores on their applications in 2024. The lack of test scores is one factor that has caused an increase in applications to universities. In the year 2022, a total of 75,037 students submitted applications to NYU, of which only 21% were admitted. In 2023, the acceptance rate dropped to just 16%. Overall, more students are applying to colleges which has created much lower acceptance rates at the most selective
“The biggest challenge during applictions is definitely not losing my mind.” -Veronica Lindstrom ‘24
that reveal what they prioritize in applicants, but these sheets are often unclear and don’t offer much useful information for students. “We consider everything that a student submits as part of their application,” UNC Assistant Director Ebony Potts said in an interview with the Register. “[We] try and understand not only their achievements and potential, but the context in which those achievements occurred and potential forged.” Likewise, NYU does not provide any specifics Information provided on UVM’s website about admission process. about which classes to
universities. Harvard’s admission rate in 2022 was 3.19%. However, a majority of U.S. colleges and universities admit most applicants. Lindstrom says that the application
College reps duing lunch at BHS. Photo: Staff
Why coffee costs what it does at Kestrel Coffee Roasters
Oct. Haven Steiner and Layla Fisher, Guest Writers
flavor and quality of a bean. Steverson shared how Ethiopian coffees almost always have hints of blueberry and how coffee grown in volcanic soil is highly sought after. Steverson considers all of these factors before choosing coffee for their shop. He says some specialty roasters even do pre-ship and post-ship tasting to assess the changes in quality after shipment. “Q Grader” certification process. Photo: courtesy of Coffee Quality After choosing a coffee, Institute Steverson has to consider shrinkage, labor costs, costs out of the shop. They chatted with of running the roaster, mainteSteverson about the various types of nance, supplies and more. Differcoffees and their origin, making it ent types of coffee cost different clear that Kestrel’s customers aren’t amounts to brew. For example, the only paying for a cup of joe in a cost to make an espresso is actually specialty coffee shop, but also for more than the cost to make filtered the vibrant coffee culture. coffee per cup since it uses more beans. “We would rather do the homework for our customers and have them trust that we are getting a great quality product and sourcing in an ethical way based on our years of experience, knowledge, and relationships,” Steverson said. Throughout the interview, customers were flowing in and
14
News
Oct.
BEHIND THE SCENES OF TLT After a rocky start, the fall musical is off to the races
Penelope deRosset, Staff Writer
landed on “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical”. The show is based on the first book in the “Percy Jackson” series by author Rick Riordan, and follows Percy, a twelve-year-old boy who has just found out his absent father is the Greek god Poseidon. The musical first premiered Off-Broadway in 2014 and received a limited run on Broadway in 2019. The cast seems happy with the pick. “I wasn’t going to do it, but when they changed it, I decided to,” Moya Thayer ‘27 said. “I loved reading “Percy Rowan Thayer ‘24 (playing Annabeth Chase) Jackson” as a kid and I’d listened to the prepares to sing “The Day I Got Expelled”. Photo: musical a few times. And I love it.” Penelope deRosset Perry agreed that the show was a When Nora Perry ‘24 came to good choice. school, they were prepared to audition “I really just love the Greek mytholfor “The 25th Annual Putnam County ogy aspect of it,” Perry said. “And it’s Spelling Bee”. But they walked out of in the perspective of a twelve-year-old auditions as Percy Jackson, the lead in boy whose whole life and worldview “The Lightning Thief ”. gets flipped upside down.” The drama department announced Before they enter the theater, Bowley that “Spelling Bee” would be the musi- would like audiences to consider what cal three days before. However, on the makes Greek myths so compelling today of auditions, students told Music day, and how they can be told in a way Director Myriam Bouti that South that re“...gods and monsters can look like any of us... and flects our you don’t have to do traditional casting.”- Peter Bowley modern Burlington High School had already world. announced “Spelling Bee” as their fall “There’s something in the script that musical. Director Peter Bowley ‘15 says to keep in mind that gods and had to make a last minute decision. monsters can look like any of us, can “I felt it was the best decision to just be like any of us, and you don’t have to do a different show,” Bowley said. “It do traditional casting,” Bowley said. “I was the more respectful thing to the think that’s a really important idea. I people over there [at South Burlwould encourage people to think when ington]. It would just be inherently they see the show ‘Oh, this person competitive.” might not be what I expected to be After searching for a new show that playing this role. But they do a fantaswould fit the school’s needs, Bowley
tic job.’” Riordan’s books are well known for their diverse representation of different groups. Riordan himself started writing “Percy Jackson” so that his son, who has ADHD and Dyslexia, would get to see himself in a character. Percy’s ADHD and Dyslexia help him in his battles with monsters throughout the series. “The Lightning Thief ” will premiere on November 16th, 17th and 18th. “We’re not going to be perfect,” Thayer said. “But we’re trying our darndest and we’re gonna make this show as best we can.”
3
Keats Overman-Smith ‘26 (playing Mr. D) and Oliver Kochalka ‘26 (playing Chiron) warming up with the cast. Photo: Penelope deRosset
Oct.
WHAT ARE COLLEGES REALLY LOOKING FOR? Krisha Thapa, Staff Writer
process itself can be “daunting” and that it is very easy to get overwhelmed. AP English Literature teacher Jill Kelley agrees. “The students obsess over their applications,” Kelley said. “It becomes a full-time job for a lot of these kids. It’s really stressful
Avery Eringis ‘26 (playing Mrs. Dodds) and Nora Perry ‘24 (playing Percy Jackson) having fun before rehearsal. Photo: Penelope deRosset
Feature
(for them). Some students are applying to 30 or 40 schools. They are fatigued. It’s a sense of being overwhelmed that you can see as they walk into the room.” Moses Doe ‘24 says it has been hard to adapt to the pressures of being a Senior and knowing that time is running out.
“[That] and finding out where and what to click on the websites,” Doe said. Common App, a website many colleges use for the application process, says that there has been a 72% increase in applications between 2013 and 2022 and that the number of first-generation and fee waiver applicants have increased at an even faster rate. “Both my parents and I are immigrants,” Anyier Manyok ‘24 said. “Neither of them went to college, so I can’t really lean on them for help during this time.” Manyok says a few adults at BTC helped with the essay. Doe used “a lot” of resources in and out of school like the guidance counselor. “I would encourage anybody, needing any layer of help with applications, whether it’s a specific question or how to pay for them, to see the school counselor they’re assigned to,” Counselor KasCandra Doughtery said. “They’re going to be able to answer their questions specifically that relate just to them.”
4
Feature
Oct.
SUMMER OF STRIKES How the Hollywood strikes affect BHS
Grievance Chair Michelle Sagalchik teaches a 9th grade Civics class. Photo: Penelope deRosset
Binged anything recently? You may want to pace yourself because popular shows like “Stranger Things” and “The Last of Us” have been delayed indefinitely. “I love superhero movies, fantasy, all those fun things,” Quinn Vachereau ‘25 said. “The third ‘Spider Man’ movie was pushed back another two years. So I gotta wait. I’m on the edge of my seat!” The Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) was on strike from May to the end of September and the Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG-AFTRA), which is still on strike, joined them in July. The two unions are negotiating for actors and writers to be paid more for shows and movies on streaming platforms and for the regulation of AI as it becomes more prevalent in the industry, among other issues. Some BHS students are frustrated about the delays, but sympathetic towards the cause. “It’s such an annoying thing when there’s a show that you like, or a movie
that you really were excited for. But I mean, at the end of the day, you got to pay your workers man,” Ella Jeffers ‘25 said. Vachereau is irritated that a strike became necessary in the first place. “I’m not mad at the writers, I’m more pissed off at the big companies like Netflix and Disney who aren’t paying their writers and actors enough to put on these shows,” Vachereau said. The WGA strike is at an end, with union leaders negotiating an “exceptional” deal, and SAG may not be far behind. “What we’ve really seen in this strike is what corporate greed can do if it’s allowed to run unchecked,” Jon Snow, a SAG-AFTRA member and LA-based actor said. “And that is a big problem not just for our industry, but the United States in general. There has been a lot of emphasis on taking care of corporate interests over citizen interests.” Hollywood isn’t the only place workers are on strike right now. The United Auto Workers are striking against the “Big Three” American automakers, Stellantis, GM and Ford, for better pay and benefits. But although 453,000 workers have gone on strike across the country so far this year, unionization rates have gone down massively since the 80s as employers spend millions on hiring union-avoidance consultants. President Biden’s National Labor Relations Board has just cracked down on union busting in an attempt to better enforce laws already in place to stop this. Michelle Sagalchik, BHS Civics teacher and BEA Teachers’ Union
13
Opinion
Oct.
STUDENTS ARE SCARED Penelope deRosset, Staff Writer
Union decline since the 80s. Graph: NBLS
Grievance Chair, says that places where unions are strong are very different from those without union protections. Sagalchik detailed how the unions involved at BHS, including the teachers’ union, custodial staff union, administration union and principals’ union improve the quality of education for BHS students. “There are examples of states that don’t have a unionized teaching force,” Sagalchik said. “And you see a lot of differences in the length of the school day in how many courses teachers are expected to teach and how much time they have to actually work with students. There are also things like salary which then affects what kinds of teachers are willing to do the job. So a lot of aspects of the job are uplifted by the presence of a union.” Snow re-emphasized the importance of young people knowing their rights and protections as they enter the labor force. “We need to get a handle on this now,” Snow said. “And people need to be made aware of it now so that they can protect themselves as they move into the future. Especially for people who are in high school or in college.”
Crime in Burlington is affecting students at BHS
Vivian Hallady, Staff Writer
A few years ago I witnessed my In the winter of last year Julia their policies to increase student safety. family’s car getting broken into. I was Neubelt ‘24 was walking in front of For example, Neubelt recalled how last pulling an all-nighter, when I heard a the Burlington Technical Center when year they were able to leave BTC at any car door open around 3am. When I a woman approached her repeatedly time, but now there is a set 15 minutes looked out my window onto my tucked yelling “Did you f— do this?” Unforallowed for the students to leave in away residential street I saw a group of tunately, with a bus blocking her way order to keep them safe. three adolescents rifling through my Neubelt could not cross the street to It’s not necessarily the school’s job to family’s car. avoid the woman. keep students safe outside of school. Recently, my neighborhood’s Front “As I get closer, she moves towards Still, something needs to be done bePorch Forum has been riddled with me,” Newbelt said. “And then she just cause what is happening outside of the crime reports: car break-ins, packages stolen, people trying “It’s just weird to see how desensitized BHS students are to things to break into houses, bikes like that happening on Church Street.” -Julia Neubelt ‘24 getting stolen, someone even stole an ashtray from a car. The rise in crime is not just happen- reaches out and punches me, not in the school is affecting students in school. ing in my neighborhood. According face or anything, but in the arm.” I can handle my car getting broken to the Burlington Police Department, Fortunately Neubelt was able to esinto, but it’s not right that all students Burlington has seen a 25% increase in cape the situation mostly unharmed. are expected to handle these problems crime from 2022 to 2023. This crime increase has in some ways on their own. I don’t know what needs In a survey given by The Register, numbed a lot of the Burlington comto be done. This is a systemic probnearly 75% of the 63 students respond- munity. lem that is going to require a systemic ing said that they have seen an increase While mentioning an instance where solution. Recently, the Burlington City in crime recently. an out-of-town classmate came in, Council passed a resolution to prioriNorah Miller ‘24 has had her car distressed about the sighting of a naked tize the drug crisis which seems like a broken into on two separate occasions. man walking down Church Street, step in the right direction for the city. Her mom’s purse was also stolen - from Neubelt noted the differences in the And while I realize that the school inside their house. reactions of BHS students and students can’t do everything, somehow we need “I went out at 1am to put the trash from out of town. to keep needles off of our walkways, out and I forgot to lock [the door],” “It’s just weird to see how desensiwe need to advise students on how to Miller said. “In the morning, [the tized Burlington High School students handle situations where people accost purse] was gone.” are to things like that happening on them and we need to give students The increase in crime has not only Church Street,” Neubelt said. the tools they need to stay as safe as included property, but also threats to This surge in crime has also impactpossible. physical safety. ed students, as schools have changed
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Oct.
Feature
STUDENT GOV. RATS
A preview of the “MallRats” podcast featuring Student Government President Krisha Thapa & Vivian Halladay Grace Park and Vice President Ivy Doward I: I think I’m a banana. I feel like I give off banana vibes. G: You are a banana. V: I see that. I: In a sense of like, you got a banana, you take that with you anywhere. [laughter]
V: Hi, welcome to the podcast! K: Welcome to “MallRats!” V: Who are you guys? G: I’m Grace Park, I’m the student body president this year! I: I’m Ivy Doward, I’m the vice president, and I’m losing my voice [laughter]. K: We’re gonna do something like last time, describe yourself as a fruit. G: [ooo] I love questions like this! V: I’m not a fruit. K: You’re not a fruit? You’re a vegetable?[laughter] G: I think I would be a mango, I don’t think that needs elaboration, I think that speaks for itself.
K: We should probably talk about student government. V: Oh yeah, we should probably talk about important stuff, why’d you choose to run for student government? G: I joined student planning when I was a Freshman and I did it after that when I was a Sophomore. And when I was a Junior it switched to student government, so, I was the Junior Class representative last year. V: You were? K: Nobody knows! I: With Max? G: I had a really good time with that, and I was just like more involved last year with student government than the past years in student planning. I thought it was cool how we were running in about important issues to be brought up to a board of students, as well as still doing fun things. So I knew that I was, either way, if I was the
student body president or not I still wanted to be involved with Student government, but I thought having a leadership position would be really cool. I: I never went to Student Government or student planning, until last year, Grace called me last year in a frantic panic, and she said I need you to be my Vice President because I didn’t know you needed to have one. And I went ‘okay!’ And yeah, that’s pretty much my story. I think when I was a freshman I wanted to join, but I just never got around to it. But it’s fun, I like planning things. G: I will say it wasn’t my choice to join student planning, my brother was in it. V: I thought you were about to say to have Ivy. [laughter] G: No, but I was like forced to go to student planning. When I was a freshman my brother would drive to school and I’d have to go with him, so when he would go into the meetings, I had no choice but to go with him. But I ended up liking it, so… V: Yay! Happy story! Is it Wednesday at 8 am? I: Wednesday 8 am. V: That’s so early.
5
Community
PRINCIPAL BEAUPRE
Why did you decide to come to BHS? “I was impressed with the mission and the vision of the school’s strategic plan. I’ve also always liked Burlington. It reminds me of Cambridge, Massachusetts, which is very near where I’m from… This high school really reminds me a lot of my own. I liked that mix of cultures, I’m used to having lots of different kinds of people all around.” What is something you want students and teachers to know about you? “I became a teacher because I hated school [as a kid] and I wanted to be a teacher for kids who find school difficult. [I found that] the reasons why I hated school could be avoided. I was interested in learning – I just didn’t like it the way it was set up, it didn’t click for me. [It was all rote] memorization, they called it ‘sit and get.’ There was a lack of deeper learning. I had
a hard time focusing since [it was] all ‘sit and get.’ It was very rarely ‘get up and move.’” “Another thing people should know about me is that I have three children. My children have had varied success in school. As a student, I spent time in the principal’s office in elementary school, but I’ve also had occasion to have phone calls from the principal’s office for my own children. I know what that’s like. So it’s very important to me that we figure out how to remove barriers for parents who want to be involved in their kid’s lives. In high school we’re not really set up for visitors in the same way [as primary school]. Parents are like ‘I don’t know anything about [these teachers].’ I’m really hoping that there are ways that we can make things as transparent to parents as possible. Because the school just saying ‘trust us,’ is not enough.” BHS and the Burlington School District in general has had very high turnover rates for administrators in recent years. What are your thoughts on this, and how long do you hope to stay with BHS? “I don’t necessarily know the dynamics in terms of the previous personnel. But I do know that this job is hard. You have to be brave to be a principal. You have to be willing to have hard conversations with people day after day after day. And that’s exhausting. It’s an incredibly demanding job. I’m lucky because I have Mrs. Westdijk who used to be the principal at Edmunds Middle School so she really understands all of the work that’s involved. Mrs. Crothers, who used to be an ESL teacher, is an interim, who really knows a lot about this school. She’s been here for almost 25 years.
Oct. Connor Byam, Editor-in-Chief Most principals don’t stay to watch the freshmen of that year graduate. But that’s not my plan. My plan is to stay here for anywhere from seven to 10 years and then I’d like to retire.” How has your experience in education informed you as an administrator? “Until I worked [at Hanover High School], I had not worked in a really well resourced school. My entire career had been with underserved populations. Not enough of this, not enough of that… There’s poor kids, there’s people struggling with trauma. There’s all kinds of kids… I want a chance to show them a different version of themselves and their possibilities… I’m always trying to figure out new ways to reach kids and to [give them] opportunities.” What are some short-term goals and some more long-term goals you have as principal for this year? “[In the short term] I’m hoping to be able to create affinity spaces for various groups of students who have been traditionally marginalized. I’m also hoping to create groups, therapeutic groups, for kids who have struggled with attendance, who maybe are impacted by having to resettle, or who’ve experienced bereavement, for example. You’d be surprised how many kids lose a parent or somebody really important to them. All of those things make school a little less difficult. I know a lot of people hate school and I’m trying to figure out all the ways to help people hate it less” “Long term, I would love to see us, for example, have regular school assemblies that students need and that are more like all-school meetings than a ‘show,’ if you get what I mean. It would be a great way for different groups to get up to talk about and show what they do. It’s very challenging now because we don’t have an auditorium space. But that’s still something I’d like to do this year.”
6
Community
Oct.
NEW TO BHS
Get to know some of the faculty and staff that joined our school this year By Journalism 1 Students: Liam Hand, Baxter Mangrum, Jessie Tornabe, Viola Di Silvio, Mathias Mmunga, Lincoln Safran, April Truzansky, Jamison Homsted, Siena DeMink
Sara Crothers Vice Principal Q. What is your favorite part of your job? A. “My favorite thing about working in a high school is getting to know students and their experiences. I also love my colleagues at BHS and I feel fortunate to work with so many teachers who care deeply about their students.” Q. Are you a reader, and if so, what is your favorite book? A. “Yes, I am an avid reader, but I don’t think I have a favorite book. I enjoy reading historical fiction -Geraldine Brooks is [my] favorite author.”
Peter Sloth BCL Teacher Q. Where are you from, and what made you decide to work at BHS? A. “I am from a small town called Skals in the middle of Denmark. I have been visiting Burlington many times because I have family living on North St. and I really like the city, lake, and nature here. I heard there was an open position teaching BCL11 for the fall semester, so I decided to apply and I was fortunate enough to get the job. I teach a similar class in Denmark and Signe Daly is my cousin. The last couple of years I have also been able to bring my project class from Denmark to Burlington to visit BCL and work on projects with them. That has been a big success.”
Sabrina Westdijk Vice Principal Q. What’s something you want students to know about you? A. “This is my 18th year working in education, and during that time I taught in Arizona, Arkansas and Oregon before moving to Vermont. In Vermont, I taught or worked at CVU, Vergennes HS, Middlebury HS and Edmunds MS before coming to BHS this year.” Q. What hobbies do you enjoy outside of school? A. “I enjoy gardening, getting outside, reading and writing fiction and nonfiction and baking!”
11
Oct.
News
AP FOR ALL
Furqan Mohammed, Staff Writer
Are Advanced Placement courses accessible to everyone? Some first-generation students and Whitfield said. that BIPOC students would be more students of color say that they are not Whitfield put up posters, made interested in…because [if] African being given enough information about announcements, held a meeting and American students see themselves in AP classes. Students say that they have contacted students through email to let this curriculum, they might be more to advocate for themselves and actively them know about his new AP class. willing to try taking this class.” seek out resources to learn about AP classes. “I feel like that information is really withheld from people, especially “During my freshman year, it [Advanced Placement] wasn’t people of color at our school.” -Nafisa Moge ‘24 really talked about,” Nadia Sylla ‘25 said. “I only heard about them if I asked about them. The guid“First generation [students] are less Whitfied thinks Burlington high ance counselor and adults were not informed about AP classes,” Whitfield school could have an AP classes fair really open about them.” said. “BIPOC students and students where teachers can sit behind a table Nafisa Moge ’24 agrees. that are first generation are underrepand have the opportunity to present “I’ve heard of AP classes before, but resented in AP classes and that’s not what their AP classes are about. This I never knew what they were offering,” just in our school, it’s a bigger trend.” could provide all students who want Moge said. “I feel like that information According to the Strategic Plan for to challenge themselves and take an is really withheld from people, espeDiversity and Equity 2014-2017, the AP course the opportunity to have cially people of color at our school.” district is supposed to “address tracktheir questions answered and be well Guidance counselor Tony Settel ing and increase enrollment of stuinformed about AP classes. explained that students are informed dents of the global majority in AP and “I think it’s a two way street about about AP course offerings during honors classes.” Whitfield believes that support and then effort,” Whitfield course registration and Junior meetthe new class he is teaching may help said. “So I think in order to be successings held between January and Febru- with the wdistrict’s plan. ful in any AP class, you need to have ary. This information is shared through “AP African American Studies [was] the supportive teachers and support of advisory sessions where counselors created to give students options to each other, even students, but you also present the program of study and pro- pursue later,” Whitfield said. “But it need to challenge [yourself] and work.” posed courses for the following year. was also an effort to introduce a class Additionally, email communications are used to distribute this information. “I feel all students are equally informed about AP course options,” Settle said. Still, Settle says that more can be done and suggested partnering with students to develop additional ways to communicate information. “School counselors feel like we are providing information in many ways,” Settle said. “But perhaps there are others that we are not thinking about.” Korey Whitfield began teaching AP African American Studies this year. “I do think we can do better as an entire staff [at promoting AP classes]” AP Coordinator David Rome tells students about AP classes during a meeting in the choir room. Photo: Furqan Mohammed
7
Community
Ed Owens Music Teacher Q. If you could go anywhere in the world- where would you go?
Myriam Bouti Music Teacher
Q: What hobbies do you enjoy?
A. “If I could go anywhere in the world right now, I would go to Greece to visit our niece who just started her college journey in Greece.”
A. “I love arts and crafts! Crochet, friendship bracelets, embroidery, macrame. I also play the violin, perform in a jazz band and love ‘Twilight’ (yes, that counts as a hobby).”
Bernadette McGuire School Services Clinician
Eric Oulette French Teacher
Q: What was one of your favorite subjects in high school?
Q: What’s your favorite weird food combo?
A. “I always liked my psychology classes, which lead me to purse higher education in the mental health field.”
A. “As a French Canadian, I would have to say poutine and steak.”
Oct.
Ryan Boldwin PE Teacher
Q: If you could have any superpower what would it be? A: “I really enjoyed the ‘Avatar’ series and I think being able to control elements like water/fire/wind and earth would be cool.”
Meghan Perrier Student Support
Q: What’s something people would find surprising? A. “I think that people would be surprised to know I saved someone who was choking.”
8
Sports
9
Oct.
Sports
Oct.
Captains: Maximo Dowling ‘24, Matan London ‘24 and Kaine Than ‘24 Players to Watch: Kong Say ‘24, and Maximo Dowling ‘24 Rising Stars: Hank Finkenzeller ‘24, Kaine Than ‘24, Adriel Mendez ‘24 “It is an incredibly cool experience to have a team of so many seniors that all have a common goal and mission,” Coach Spencer Avery said. “We hope to be able to play in the finals again this year and I’m always excited to watch the team compete in those big games.”
Captains: Gillian Fairfax ‘24 and Ivy Dorward ‘24 Players to Watch: Gillian Fairfax ‘24 (C), Grace McHenry ‘24 and Brynna Swift-Herzog ‘26 Rising Star: Miranda Brown ‘27 “Our big goal is for both teams to make it to New Englands,” Coach Buchan said. “It’s been a long time, I think, since both girls and guys made it to New Englands, and I think it’s attainable for both teams, but it’s also a reach goal in a way, we have to work for it.”
Photo: Troy Hermansky
Captains: Ahmed “Poppy” Diawara ‘25, Shacar Lewis ‘24, Sam Parris ‘24 and Brennen Crete ‘24 Players to Watch: Diawara ‘25, Crete ‘24, Shacar Lewis ‘24 Rising Stars: Too early to tell “I have been most excited with the [overall] team chemistry,” Coach Wolf said. “With the players coming from three different [schools] it can sometimes take awhile for the team bonding to happen.”
Boys Cross Country Captains: Avi Yagoda ‘24 and Elliot Fontaine ‘25 Players to Watch: Avi Yagoda ‘24 (C), Connor Byam ‘25 and Elliott Fontaine ‘25 (C) Rising Stars: William Connolly ‘26 and Westin Bunce ‘27 “We have a lot of freshmen boys as well who - like the girls - it’s hard to tell who’s going to emerge as a varsity runner this year,” said Coach Kathryn Buchan. “If not for this year for sure in the future.”
Field Hockey
Boys Golf
Girls Golf
Captains: Moody ‘24, Awayle ‘24 and Sullivan ‘24 Players to Watch: Hawa Awayle ‘24, Norra Moody ‘24, and Josephine Neary ‘25 Rising Stars: Siena DeMink ‘26, and Lily McArthur ‘26 “I’m excited to see how this progresses with 26 kids,” coach Archacki said. “And so I am looking forward to them gelling and starting to produce and score goals.”
Players to Watch: Noah Rubman ‘24, Abbot Terkel ‘24 and Brody Waters ‘26 Rising Stars: Isaac Rubman ‘27 and Miles Goldsmith ‘25 “It’s going really well. [The] kids are working hard,” Coach Scott Hubbard said. “We’ve had three matches so far and we have improved at each match.”
Captain: Lilia Fitzpatrick ‘24 Players to Watch: Lilia Fitzpatrick ‘24, Camryn Poulin ‘24 Rising Star: Annabelle Lekstutis ‘25 “I’m just excited that the girls who are starting to pick up the game right now are as dedicated as they are,” Coach Girouard said. “They’ve come a long way in a short amount of time.”
Gillian Fairfax ‘24 Photo: Kathryn Buchan
Girls Cross Country
SeaWolves Football
Olivia Sullivan ‘24 Photo: Colby Skoglund
Captains: Jane Sitek Shaver ‘24 and Saraswoti Chhetri ‘24 Players to Watch: Maggie Yenkavitch ‘25, Hana Sehovic ‘25, Neema Mawau ‘25 Rising Stars: Maggie Dabelstein ‘25, Saraswoti Chhetri ‘24, Maren Lindstrom ‘25 “We have a ton of potential this year,” Coach Cassidy Tedeschi said. “And realizing that has given our players a lot of motivation to put in that extra effort during practice and games.”
Boys Volleyball
Björn Peterson ‘26 Photo: Kathryn Buchan
Maximo Dowling ‘24 Photo: Otis Starble-Murphy
Captains: Max Ladner ‘24 and Ale Dietschi ‘25 Players to Watch: Daniel Wick ‘24, Max Ladner ‘24, and Ale Dietschi ‘25 Rising Stars: Fields DeShaw ‘26 Mathias Mmunga ‘27 “There was a learning curve,” Coach Mukhtar said. “And I think we figured it out this year and it’s so much so much better. We’re having so much fun this year”
Girls Volleyball Hana Sehovic ‘25 Photo: Otis Starble-Murphy
Boys Soccer
Faraja Diedonne ‘26 Photo: Otis Starble-Murphy
Captains: Rosie Perkinson ‘24, Amelia Dion ‘24, Brooks Deshaw ‘24 Players to Watch: Vivian Halladay ‘24, Scout Harper ‘24, DeShaw ‘24 Rising Stars: Ava Tonizzo ‘26, Mery Baric ‘26, Izzy McDonald ‘26 “We are still trying to figure out where everyone goes, starting to put things together as a team,” Captain Dion ‘24 said. “But I think we’re headed in the right direction.”
Brooks DeShaw ‘24 Photo: Otis Starble-Murphy
Girls Soccer