 Source: NPR by: Alanna DePinto
On the fifth floor of Wethersfield High School, Mr. Jensen shows a documentary on the space shuttle Challenger to his statistics classes. Mr. Jensen shows the video every year without fail. To learn more about why this video was shown I interviewed Mr. Jensen and statistics student Emmeline Hong from his eighth period class. Mr. Jensen started teaching Statistics in 1996 and started to show the Challenger video within 10-15 years after he started teaching. When asked why Mr. Jensen started showing this video to his classes, he said, “I want to make a point about extrapolation and I’m a storyteller.” Jensen mentioned it was an extreme case but the Challenger video showed a complete story on people following data and people with a political or a PR agenda. The video shows that data is something that carries heavy weight and people still ignore it. When asked what exactly he wanted students to take away from the video he said, “Something I want students to take away is the seriousness of learning, that particularly statistics, if you really learn how to handle data well and accurately, you can have a huge impact.” Jensen demonstrates with this video and with in-class activities that he wants to help his students make smart educated decisions without bias in their futures. Jensen wants his students to look at the data to come to conclusions and not be persuaded by outside pressure, because, at the end of the day, it could be his students handling data that impacts peoples’ lives in the future. When I interviewed senior Emmeline Hong, she mentioned the video made her feel sad for the people who died and their families. When I asked what she took away from the video, she said, “I learned that you should never assume anything. You should always make decisions off of consistent data rather than what you hope will happen.” Emmeline Hong agreed that the video made sense being shown in class as it reflects on the ideas on analyzing data in Statistics. Hong also mentioned that with such a serious topic, it made the class truly feel real and impactful. This is just one example of the many real life connections Jensen makes in his statistics classes. Mr. Jensen helps students in developing critical thinking while learning content. Students are not only pushed to learn statistics, but to understand the seriousness of what they are learning. If you are interested in Statistics, consider taking the ECE class with Mr. Jensen.
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 Photo by Outsports By: Liam Stec
Jeffrey Sanborn, the Wethersfield High School boys cross country, indoor track, and girls outdoor track and field coach at Wethersfield High School, has been coaching for over twenty years, and is a coach well-liked and respected by athletes and students alike. Starting his running career at Wayland Academy and advancing to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse as a collegiate athlete, Coach Sanborn is a highly qualified coach. He also happens to be the only openly gay coach at Wethersfield High School. However, Coach Sanborn has not always been an openly gay coach at Wethersfield High School, having only come out within the past 10 years. When asked about how he came out and what prompted him to come out 10 years ago, he said, “I actually first did it because there was a bunch of bullying issues at the time”, even noting that, at one point, a student was beaten up for his sexuality. After this, it became clear to Coach Sanborn that allies were needed, and somebody to look to, as well as someone who could be used as a resource for any questions and further education was needed, and Coach Sanborn decided to take on this role. When asking Coach Sanborn what his number one piece of advice was to those who are coming out, his first piece of advice was “go find allies.” To be an ally of the LGBTQ+ community means to be a person who has a genuine, strong concern for the well-being of LGBTQ+ people, supports accepts LGBTQ+ people, and advocates for equal rights and fair treatment. There are numerous sites out there to help educate others in finding allies and a common ground, and one of the number one sites for this is The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is an LGBTQ+ supporting site that explores topics that others may be uncomfortable to talk about, discussing topics of suicide, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental health, and community. It’s a place many have found as extremely educational and helpful, even having a built in feature where if you press the escape button three times it will be deleted from your search history. Educating yourself as well as others is one of the most important ways to fight the adversities and inequalities still present in the fight for complete equality. This even means correcting peers, friends, family, and anyone else when you hear or see something inappropriate, however there’s a way to go about it and do it right. As said by Coach Sanborn “Tell them it’s not cool and tell them why.” The most basic thing you can do is educate people, tell them why it’s not okay, but make sure to not attack them; if you attack them aggressively they’ll attack you right back. One important thing for people to realize is that often it’s simple word choices that need corrections. “I’ve never heard anyone say anything in a negative tone, it’s just a language choice they’re not consciously aware of,” said Coach Sanborn. Their language is a product of the culture they’ve been brought up in. Coach Sanborn said it makes you think, “How many times have you heard someone say ‘That’s so straight?’ Nobody ever has. So why is it okay to say ‘That’s so gay?’” Unfortunately, this is present in everyday life in varying degrees all over as seen in the news this week with Jon Gruden and his emails. Jon Gruden was an NFL coach of the Oakland Raiders, who had several emails released calling NFL commissioner several derogatory names and homophobic slurs. It is the actions of figures as large as these that can hurt others the most and cause some of the largest and lasting damage. This is one of the biggest contrasts between coaches and highlights the effects of coaches on people: Some like Sanborn can help others and encourage people to be who they are, while others such as Gruden tear people down for something as simple as being themself. This isn’t to say that people are completely alone though, according to a new study conducted by Outsports, the University of Winchester and the Sports Equality Foundation, 95% of athletes surveyed said their teammates’ responses to them coming out were overall “neutral” to “perfect”. This means 19 out of 20 times, there will be a positive response amongst athletes, and even then a team never consists of only 2 people, there will statistically be those who support and embrace you for who you are. Here are some sites for additional information or personal research
 The class of 2023 decorated the 5th floor hallways for spirit week by: Allie Leahy
Attention Class of 2023! Class advisor Mr.Miller and class president Lily Bucchi, met with Eagle Eye for an interview about the information on upcoming events and news for our class! Future Plans The plans for the future look bright! For the rest of this year, Lily and the class officers will be holding fundraisers and they need our help! Lily said, “We really need to do fundraisers to help raise money, and we also want to do merch. That’s our big one right now. We are also doing a lot of planning for the junior prom.” This past week, some of the juniors met after school in the fifth floor hallway to decorate. This helps raise money for our class and the hallway looks great! They want thank everyone who came to help, but are hoping to get more of a turn out at the next fundraiser. Mr. Miller says, “The rest of this school year will be the matter of collecting dues and trying to get fundraisers in. We have a lot of events planned for senior year, but the main event for this year is prom.” Class Dues Mr.Miller and Lily made it clear that paying your class dues should be of the highest priority. You can submit your dues directly to Mr. Miller in room 506. You are required to pay $25 every school year. This is a way to raise money for your class and helps pay for prom, field trips, and soon to be Class of 2023 merch! Mr. Miller and the Officers will need this money very soon to start paying for activities that we all love. But, in order to take part in these activities, your class dues must be up to date. Mr. Miller says, “Wethersfield does not keep the class dues, all of the money that’s left behind stays with the class, so class dues are really for the class. This money is then used for reunions.” One of Mr. Miller's goals is to try and make all of the senior year activities cost free, aside from prom tickets. Prom We have our first ever prom coming up in approximately 6 months! Our Junior prom will be held April 30, 2022 at the Glastonbury Country Club. Get excited! Please make sure your class dues are paid. Tickets will be on sale in the Spring. Prom tickets and class dues are seperate, you must pay for the prom ticket as well as your class dues in order to attend. How are the class officers helping Mr.Miller? Our class officers do a lot for us! They plan fundraisers, activities and most importantly advocate for us! Mr. Miller does a lot for us as well, but he could not do it without the help of our officers! Mr.Miller says, “This is now the 10th or 11th year that I've done this, I try to be more hands off because it's the students class, so if things are going to get done, it's the students responsibility to get them done.” Our class officers do so much for us and e need to thank them! Elections took place on Tuesday, Oct 12, in your WeConnect period! Our class officers for this year are: President: Lily Bucchi Vice President: Kayla Shafman Secretary: Lian Dunn Treasurer: Hailey Lopez  By: George Zack
One of the latest and greatest additions to the WHS extracurricular scene is none other than our very own Chess Club. This organization was officially added to the extracurricular roster in early 2021 by students Haley Day and Anne Hart. The faculty advisor of the club is Italian teacher Mrs. Becker. Forged out of the fire of the pandemic, the Chess Club initially held all meetings completely virtually. According to Google Classroom posts from March 12, 2021 and Oct. 4, 2021, all virtual meetings were held on Google Meet, with games and activities on the sites Chess.com and Lichess. Today, the club meets every other week, alternating between meetings in person in Mrs. Becker’s room (403) and virtually on the club’s Google Meet. According to Haley Day, this decision was made predominantly to reduce the risk of spreading COVID while still meeting on a regular basis. The schedule is also designed to be more accommodating for those taking part in other extracurricular activities that may conflict with one of the time slots. If members cannot attend the 2:30 meetings after school, there are always the remote 6 PM meetings and vice versa. For more insight on the club, we spoke with Day who shared that the club was founded largely with the intent of being a place where, “People who like chess can get together, hang out, play chess, share things they think are interesting, and have fun“. Since its conception, the club has grown to be 27 students strong. The Chess Club invites new members of all knowledge and skill. A large number of the group are students who originally had little to no knowledge about chess, but are eager to learn. Multiple posts can be found on the Google Classroom page directed specifically for these burgeoning chess players, ranging from a simple chess tutorial posted on Mar. 16, 2021, all the way to a slideshow on how to use the Fried Liver Attack and Traxler Counter Attack. According to Day, “[The club] is open to anyone. I was really worried that people would be intimidated to join because they thought ‘I don’t know anything about chess’“. She wants the club to be a learning opportunity for all members, regardless of knowledge and skill. The events of each meeting can widely vary. Aside from just playing games online or against each other, club members also work together to solve chess puzzles, beat up some AI opponents, and even talk strategy. If you are interested in joining, the club’s Google Classroom class code is BNQF64U. If you have any questions, reach out to Mrs. Becker, Haley Day, or Anne Hart.  By: Lena Uccello
In 2015, Wethersfield High School teacher, Susan Coco, introduced the blood drive. Held annually three times a year, the school continues to make a difference by collecting blood and saving lives. Before coming to Wethersfield, Coco taught at Cheshire High. It was here that she first got involved with the event and officially began helping out. “I really wanted to get involved with the school environment, so that was actually my first extracurricular activity I got involved in,” said Coco. Though the drive was a way for her to make a difference within the community itself, the real reason behind Coco’s involvement was much more personal. Her father, a life-long doner, would donate blood every 56 days. At a young age, Ms. Coco would accompany him to these drives and embrace the good deed he was committing. He set an example and gave her the motive to give back. “He’s probably one of the main reasons why I thought the blood drive was a worthy cause, a worthy reason to get involved,” she said. After her transfer to Wethersfield High, Coco realized the school did not host an annual blood drive, so she took a stand, got permission and made it happen. Wethersfield High School senior Anisa Zoto has been working alongside Coco, at the front line of this event, for the last three years. With her love of the medical field and the help of her science teacher Mr. Chatfield, Zoto knew she had to take part in this cause. “The blood drive isn’t necessarily me doing anything medically involved, but it’s still helping people which is all medicine is really,” said Zoto. It was after the pandemic hit in 2020 that this event became nearly impossible. Blood banks became super low on supply and with that, the lives of all those in need became at risk. “According to the New York Blood Center, which provides blood to hospitals in the greater New York City area, the gap between blood needed and what's being donated is now averaging around 8,000 donations per month.” But this news didn’t stop Coco or the other coordinators at WHS from making it happen. They found ways to hold the drive, no matter what it took. Instead of taking place during the school year, the team redirected to the elementary schools through summer break. It was important that they still be able to make a difference, even amidst the rising COVID-19. With her passion and determination, Coco has already scheduled this year’s drive. As of now, it is planned to be held on December 15, 2021 from 7:40am-2:00pm. If you are interested in donating or volunteering, students, or teachers can sign up during lunch waves or email Ms. Coco at scoco@wethersfield.me. “Until you try it, you shouldn’t say no. Little reasons like I’m afraid of needles is not a good reason because if you were on the receiving end of needing blood, then you’re hoping that people are going to give,” said Coco. As the saying goes, “you’ll ever know until you try,” so reach out and help. Don’t want to or cannot donate? Volunteer. There are always multiple ways to make a difference and you can be one of them. As Zoto said, “It’s easy, it only takes a couple hours, and those couple hours save hundreds of people.”  Source: Good Housekeeping by: Yvonna Rodriguez
Compared to just ten years ago, the way we watch television has drastically changed. More and more streaming services are coming out and the idea of cable television is slowly dwindling. Here at WHS, most watch television on Netflix rather than on something like cable. Netflix has a wide variety of content, which is why it is so appealing to so many different types of people. Whether it's a movie or a tv show, people are always able to find something to watch. In an interview, senior Andrea Moyano talked about her recent love of the Netflix Original “Young Royals.” When asked why she loves it so much she said, “It’s really good, I got very emotionally attached to the characters, it’s really short, and it made me cry.” I also spoke to senior Annika Brown who has recently been obsessed with Netflix’s new movie trilogy “Fear Street.” Brown mentions that she was drawn to these movies because as she explains, “These are all horror movies, but they're also mysteries.” Students are not the only ones who use Netflix, teachers here at WHS enjoy it as well. Social Studies teacher John Sand said he often watches titles under the drama genre. When asked what he likes about drama series, he said “I like the content and the acting.” English teacher Siobhan DeGray also shared with me her love of Netflix. When it comes to what she watches the most often, she said it would probably be “Criminal Minds''. She went on to say, “There are so many episodes that I forget what happens, so it's always entertaining.” DeGray mentioned there's a lot more to love about Netflix than just the content. She talked about how she enjoys the program itself, saying “I like that I can set controls on there. Like my kids can have their own accounts.” DeGray also takes advantage of Netflix’s safety features to ensure her young children don't watch anything rated higher than PG-13. As popular as Netflix is, not everyone prefers to use it as their source of television. English teacher Marc Pfister, who teaches Film as Literature, talked to me about how he thinks streaming services can be detrimental to the future of the film industry. He said, “I am against movies going directly to the streaming services and not going to the movie theaters.” He went on to say, “It is cutting out the idea of a movie theater and I think there are some movies that you have to actually see on the screen they were made for.” Here at WHS, Netflix is a pivotal part of many people's lives. Although it is not everyone's first method of access to television, it definitely is the front runner.  Boys Soccer celebrates their late winner against Simsbury by: Michael LaPerriere
Thursday, September 30th was senior night for the boys soccer team, with 20 seniors and one junior on the rostor it was sure to be an exciting night, truly inspirational for many. The boys faced off against the Simsbury Trojans, coming off a tie with the Farmington River Hawks, the Trojans were hungry for a win. A hard fought battle between the Trojans and Eagles led to an Eagles win with a late goal by lone Junior of the team, Thomas Brodowicz. I interviewed Brodowicz regarding the goal, this is what he had to say, “I was trying to make it to the corner to celebrate but I was swarmed by the team, other than that the goal was great for the team, and helped us keep our undefeated streak”. The junior was more happy for the team rather than the individualism that came out of the game. The seniors struggled to put the ball in the back of the net, with many chances from headers to low shots, none found the net. Both defensive ends of the games were strong, the two captain center backs Owen Ahmetovic and (AJ) Antonio Contreras both played strong games, putting in great tackles and clearances while playing a large leadership role to the team. Goaltenders Chris Daley and Ricky Torres both played very strong games, shutouts for both. Brodowicz is a prime example of never giving up, continually pushing, and fighting until the last second. He scored with 36.6 seconds left in the game, hardwork and determination led to this victory.I spoke with midfielder Willam McCarter who delivered the beautiful cross that led to the goal, this is what he had to say “I honestly thought they missed, then I saw him crash the net and everyone going crazy. I kinda stood there in awe for a second, then I bursted to Thomas and the team and went crazy.” With the late goal, it pushed the Eagles to a six-game win streak, this will lead them closer to being the top team in their league. The goal will be one to remember and will live on in Wethersfield soccer history, his actions that night will not go unnoticed and made it truly a night to remember. Make sure you support the Eagles in the rest of their season, you can find their schedule here.  by: Grace DeMonte
The GSA, or Gay Straight Alliance Club is a place where students can discuss LGBTQ+ issues in our school and work to change them. The club is open to all students and is a place where LGBTQ+ students can feel safe and talk to others in the community. Mrs. Lindsay, the club advisor, said, “The GSA is a group that was formed to create a safe space for our LGBTQ+ students and allies, and to work toward creating a school environment that is respectful of all students and advocate for change to create an inclusive school environment.” The first meeting was held on September 23, but students are still welcome to join! At this time, club meetings are held every Thursday after school in room 110, but meeting times are susceptible to change. While the club discusses LGBTQ+ issues, you don’t have to be part of the community to join, all students are welcome. The club was formed in 2016 by two students who wanted to create a safe place for LGBTQ+ students to talk about issues they face regarding their sexuality or gender identity. Since then, the club has achieved many accomplishments, such as participating in the National Day of Silence and petitioning to have WHS graduation caps and gowns be one color, regardless of gender. The GSA also attends the True Color Conference, the largest LGBTQ+ conference in the Northeast, where students can attend workshops on LGBTQ+ issues. If any student is interested in joining the GSA Club, please reach out to Mrs. Lindsay and listen for the next meeting time in the school announcements or on Blue Eagle News. Mrs. Lindsay says, “The GSA is a wonderful, safe and inclusive environment. All students are welcome to attend. Our goal this year is to not only serve as a safe space but also to continue the work of making necessary changes so that all students feel welcome and safe.”  Ms. Nicholas and her dog by: Riley D'Amato and David Grigorian
You may have seen a new face on the second floor, and students are pleased to welcome a new teacher. Her name is Ms. Nicholas and she teaches Creative Computing, Robotics, AP Computer Science A, and Intro to Computer Science at Wethersfield High School. Creative Computing is a class that focuses on the basics of computer science while intro to computer science goes at a faster pace. Robotics focuses on robots and the more physical aspect of building robots. AP Computer Science A is a full year class that focuses on java coding. This is her first year teaching. In the past, she worked as a substitute teacher for three years. She has been in the technology field since she was 19 years old. She got a job in graphic design for 17 years and is very experienced. She also learned IT and computer languages. She turned to teaching because, “I want to share my knowledge and my passion for computer science with everyone.” She’s excited to be part of the WHS family. She said, “It just seems like a great place to start my teaching career, and now I don't think I ever want to leave.” She has been all around the technology field, doing graphic design, web design, IT, and learning coding languages before she began teaching for the 2021-2022 academic year. Teaching was a way for her to share her passion for computer science. When asked about what her favorite part of the job, she responded with, “the students” One student in her class said, “She lets me work at my own pace.” It allows the student to work without constraints and allows students that need extra instruction to be able to get that help. See her in room 219 for any more information on computer science and robotics!  Source: Commonapp.org By: Rei Betoja and Antonio Contreras
Senior year means a couple things; graduation, final year, kings of the school, and finally college. Senior year starts with a race to complete the college process and prepare for next year. The college essay, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and much more all used to advertise yourself and hopefully sell yourself to them with the hope of an acceptance letter. Senior have embarked out on this journey and we wanted to see how the process has affected them as the deadlines approach. COVID has affected many things in our day-to-day lives which now feel normal as if we had done it for our whole lives, but one of these changes has included the college process. With colleges usually requesting your SAT scores, college essay, transcripts, and letters of recommendation, COVID has changed this process dramatically. Some colleges in the United States, such as UCONN, have stopped requesting some of these such as your SAT score. Choosing where to go and what to study is only the start to the process, but this decision alone is a struggle for many students. This common struggle,in fact, affects about one third of college students who change their major within school. We talked to Wethersfield senior Giankarlos Dejesus to get some insight on how he felt about what the hardest decision he needed to make was, “Figuring out where exactly I want to go and how far.” He continued on about how COVID has helped him, stating, “As well as the fact that it has affected whether or not you needed SAT scores.” In 2021, a total of just 43 percent of students submitted their SAT scores which dropped 33% from 77% in 2020. This is due to the fact that 90% of college app schools do not request them. So, for many students, who may feel as if their scores may have kept them out of contention for some schools, this has made it much easier for them. College comes with a bunch of new experiences and meeting new people. “Meeting new people and getting new connections,” is what Gionkarlos is looking forward to next year. But before that, they must take on the challenge the college process imposes on all those looking to go to college. So we asked school counselor Mrs. Lindsay what advice she has for students. “Do a lot of research, so you know who you are and if they are a good fit for you.” You will spend the next four+ years of your life here, so find the right one. For the process, she recommends, “Take responsibility on the things you do because everything you do is up to you.” This process is extremely important and the last thing you wanna do is fall behind.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television by: Yvonna Rodriguez
Compared to just ten years ago, the way we watch television has drastically changed. More and more streaming services are coming out and the idea of cable television is slowly dwindling. Here at WHS, most watch television on Netflix rather than on something like cable. Netflix has a wide variety of content, which is why it is so appealing to so many different types of people. Whether it's a movie or a tv show, people are always able to find something to watch. In an interview, senior Andrea Moyano talked about her recent love of the Netflix Original “Young Royals.” When asked why she loves it so much she said, “It’s really good, I got very emotionally attached to the characters, it’s really short, and it made me cry.” I also spoke to senior Annika Brown who has recently been obsessed with Netflix’s new movie trilogy “Fear Street.” Brown mentions that she was drawn to these movies because as she explains, “These are all horror movies, but they're also mysteries.” Students are not the only ones who use Netflix, teachers here at WHS enjoy it as well. Social Studies teacher John Sand said he often watches titles under the drama genre. When asked what he likes about drama series, he said “I like the content and the acting.” English teacher Siobhan DeGray also shared with me her love of Netflix. When it comes to what she watches the most often, she said it would probably be “Criminal Minds''. She went on to say, “There are so many episodes that I forget what happens, so it's always entertaining.” DeGray mentioned there's a lot more to love about Netflix than just the content. She talked about how she enjoys the program itself, saying “I like that I can set controls on there. Like my kids can have their own accounts.” DeGray also takes advantage of Netflix’s safety features to ensure her young children don't watch anything rated higher than PG-13. As popular as Netflix is, not everyone prefers to use it as their source of television. English teacher Marc Pfister, who teaches Film as Literature, talked to me about how he thinks streaming services can be detrimental to the future of the film industry. He said, “I am against movies going directly to the streaming services and not going to the movie theaters.” He went on to say, “It is cutting out the idea of a movie theater and I think there are some movies that you have to actually see on the screen they were made for.” Here at WHS, Netflix is a pivotal part of many people's lives. Although it is not everyone's first method of access to television, it definitely is the front runner.  Souce: Pexels By: Tej Ashworth, Camilo Munera, and Diego Rodriguez
Last year, Homecoming was canceled and this year, it is still in the air. It’s been said that it’s not going to happen, however the Class of 2022 seniors at WHS are fighting for one. As of recently, there has been a creation of a senior day in lieu of a pep rally. To be honest, information on homecoming was easy to find, it wasn’t as difficult of a question to answer as it was thought to be. An answer you all may not like, but an answer nonetheless. We talked to Ross Tine, class president of the senior class of 2022, who has been spearheading this movement to represent everyone. By far he has proven himself to be a capable leader, being by the students, for the students in an attempt to get us seniors anything close to a Homecoming, even if we cannot have a proper one. When talking to Ross, we got a lot of insight into the inner workings of what was going on. There were a lot of questions asked, and an excellent conversation was held. We learned that an overall budget was to be determined and that the ideal location would be in the cafeteria as normal. Senior Day wouldn’t replace Homecoming, just the pep rally. When asked about senior day, Tine said, “It’s meant to be a time of fun for the seniors. I thought it would be amazing to have a day just for us.” Senior Day was held on Cottone field on Wednesday, Oct. 14, with games and activities for seniors include a lunch on the patio of Cottone. We also talked to the principal, Mrs. O’Connor, about the possibility of a homecoming. O’Connor told us about the possibility of a traditional homecoming. “The difficulty is that the rules we currently have on us [with COVID], take away normal.” It is no secret that schools all around are having homecomings, so what prevents us from having a homecoming? Well, the principal had addressed this: “We are operating under a strict interpretation of COVID guidelines.” However with an uptick in cases and a new COVID variant, O’Connor said, “It makes it difficult to say ‘let’s have a homecoming.’” The takeaway is that, with COVID, with having strict guidelines, having a homecoming inside would be difficult. The only way we could have a homecoming is if the school dishes out the money to get the tents, the heaters, the food, the DJ, and that is just not in the budget. O’Connor said, “With outside events comes a lot of expense. It’s a heavy logistical burden, and monetary burden, and all the money that used to exist for the budget during COVID doesn’t exist. ” Something like a homecoming, while usually it has minimal budget attached to it, now would have a prom-like expense. Between cost, COVID, and weather, it’s safe to say that there is barely a chance for a homecomingthis year, but let’s just be glad that we can still have the senior picnic and prom still.  By: Joe Calafiore, and Savier Paige The Wethersfield football team has been through some challenges these past years. Last year, they were going into a big season with a lot of big name seniors, but due to COVID, the season was canceled. This year, the team is ready to bounce back and try to show how they are still a good team. So far this season, the team's record is 2-2. They started off the season with two big wins vs Platt, and Berlin and they seemed like they were on a good pace for this season, but they evened out their record with two straight losses against Bristol Central and Windsor. Most recently against Windsor they had their toughest loss yet, with a score of 21-0 at home. The team is ready to switch up the momentum and get a big win against Conard for senior night. The players will be put in front of a big crowd as they will be honoring the school's seniors and the highlights of their careers. The team will look to feed off that energy of the crowd.  Senior RB TJ Smith “Look for the win, nothing else matters to me on senior night,” said senior T.J Smith, the starting running back and defensive player for the Wethersfield Eagles. We took the time to talk to T.J to get his perspective on the current season.
Smith is focused on one main thing “WIN” and he will do whatever is needed to achieve it. With their last win against Berlin, T.J made a clutch last-minute interception to seal the game. “We're gonna play our game, with our strength being defensive.” The Eagles have good faith in their defensive performance and feel that they can utilize it to push through and get that win that they are looking for. Be ready to see your Wethersfield Eagles take the field against Conard this Friday night!  John (right) and Gina (left) in front of Salute Restaurant at Tide kick off event. By: Lena Uccello In March 2021, two Wethersfield High School teachers, John and Gina Gallivan, started the Tide (Together, Inspired and Devoted to Encouraging) Cancer Foundation. Based in Connecticut and throughout a variety of local hospitals, this non-profit continues to support young women coping with cancer. Co-founder Gina Gallivan wanted to give back the love and support she had gotten before. “Being a two time cancer survivor and recognizing how wonderful it was to receive care packages, help with meals, nice little things to brighten the day throughout treatment, I knew that once I got better I really wanted to do this for other people,” said Gina. When starting this foundation, the couple’s main goal was to make, donate and deliver care packages to women battling cancer all around the state, and that is what they continue to do. “We’re trying to provide them some comfort, some care, knowing that people care about them, to help ease the challenges of treatment and recovery,” said Mrs. Gallivan. This past June, the couple held their first kick off event at Salute Restaurant in Hartford, Conn. Being one of the foundation’s sponsors, the restaurant covered the cost of food and also supplied them with their patio for the day. And aside from hosting fundraising events the foundation has also begun creating ties with many cancer/medical centers. “We partnered with two hospitals so far, Hartford Hospital, their cancer center, where Mrs. Gallivan had some treatment done. And St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, where another woman on our board had her treatment done,” said John.  It is through these health and medical centers that the packages are able to be delivered and distributed amongst patients. In July, the foundation’s committee made a special delivery to the Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center and just last week took another visit to St. Francis. Though they only started 6 months ago, both John and Gina have already made a huge impact on the lives of many women battling cancer. They are happy with where the foundation has gone, but can’t wait to see where it will go. They say, as of right now, their main objective is to become more well known, not just here in Wethersfield but all across Connecticut. The more the word is spread the more women that can be helped. “That’s the biggest goal, is that there are plenty of people who are dealing with cancer right now. Most of whom have no idea that our foundation even exists. So, our challenge I guess will be to raise awareness of the organization, so that more people will take advantage of the care package offering we have,” said Mr. Gallivan.  Tide stands for Together, Inspired and Devoted to Encouraging women coping with cancer all across Connecticut.
As stated on the Tide Cancer Foundation site, “Our organization’s name is inspired by the healing power of the ocean. The ebb and flow of the tide reminds us that renewal and rejuvenation are part of the cycle of life, and that each of us is part of something magnificent and wonderful, something life-giving and purposeful.” The Gallivans purpose has been to make a difference in the lives of those around them, specifically in women fighting this horrific disease. This could be your purpose too, all you have to do is reach out and help. There is a limitless supply of good we can do in this world and John and Gina have become part of it. To learn more about the Tide Cancer Foundation visit: https://www.tidecancerfoundation.org/  by: Tyler Burgos
Susanne Brush, a teacher and mother in Wethersfield, Connecticut, has been selected as Wethersfield Public School’s Teacher of the Year for her great display of being what some may say is a hero. Mrs. Brush is a very outgoing person and loves her job of being a teacher. But, in this case she was more of a counselor for one student who needed help transitioning schools. Everyone knows transitioning between elementary to middle school can be extremely difficult for some students, but one student was lucky enough to have reached out to a person with a big and caring heart. Mrs. Brush, a second grade teacher from Highcrest Elementary, was contacted by a previous student to help them with transitioning into Silas Deane Middle School because the student was nervous about the new school and surroundings. The transition between 6th to 7th grade is difficult especially when it involves moving schools. It was clear in our conversation that, while Brush is an great teacher, she took on the role of “counselor” as well. Mrs. Brush said, “The 7th grade student had reached out to me saying he was having trouble acclimating to SDMS. so, when Ii had time I talked with his teacher about being able to meet with him during lunch.” On top of that, she continues her day of teaching her students and then coming home to her kids as well, always being open and willing to help her students and kids with any questions. However, Mrs. Brush is not just a teacher, she said she enjoys “walks, running, going to the gym and watching my girls’ sports events.” She is always actively involved with her family and is always willing to help another person succeed. “I also stay after school to tutor sometimes and help kids when they need help.” When wrapping up, Mrs Brush said, “I didn't really think it [helping this student with the school transition] was a big deal, I always try to make a point to be there for students whenever they need help. That also goes for middle school and high school as well.” You can truly say that Susanne Brush is the real life wonder woman, living every day with passion and her willingness to help others in need.  By: Cristin Blake
With summer quickly approaching, you tend to wonder how teachers will spend their time now that they don’t have to worry about students. You would think that the only things teachers do are grade papers and read books, but they know how to have some fun in the sun. Teachers at Wethersfield High School worry so much about what they are going to do for the next upcoming school year. However, Doris Duggins, a WHS social sciences teacher, also knows how to relax and enjoy her time off. Mrs. Duggins has an endless amount of trips planned for their summer vacation, with a splash of teaching for the fun of it. She says “I want to take time to go to the beach and visit my daughter in Florida, and then go to North Carolina to see my sister.” After all that traveling, she plans to come back to Wethersfield and teach a social justice class through a book to 7th and 8th graders. It seems she has a lot of things planned for the summer but I know she’ll get it all done. Sometimes teachers just need a break from their students and relieve some of the stress from the last school year. After all, teaching is their job. Brian Turner, a physical education and health teacher here at the high school, is going to try and figure out how he should spend his time this summer now that he is, as he puts it “unemployed.” He says “I’ll be spending a lot of time with my two girls, I have two and a four year old at home, hopefully playing a lot of golf, and just try to enjoy some time off.” It’s always good for teachers to enjoy some quality time with their family because they deserve it. After spending all that time with students, they deserve the break. However, this isn’t the case for every teacher at the high school. Michael Maltese, athletic director and assistant principal at WHS, has a lot of work that he has to do to prepare for the upcoming school year in the fall. He says “I will be working this summer here at the high school; we have our new principal Ms. O’Connor coming in and we get ready to welcome kids back to a full year.” While there is work that he still has to do, he’s still going to try to find some time to get out and spend time with his family. He hopes to spend lots of time with his two daughters, one age 9 and the other age 12, by taking them out to Six Flags, and hopefully head down to the Jersey Shore. Many teachers and staff members have so many fun things planned for their summer vacation. With a mixture of traveling and working, they’ll get to relax and enjoy their next couple months off before the school year rolls around again.  By Charles Hayes
In junior year of high school, “I was getting ready to make plans to visit colleges, talk to coaches about playing soccer and just getting a sense of where I wanted to go. That all came to an end in March when the pandemic hit. We went from the excitement of going to see what could be the next four years to absolutely nothing. What was the next step? Did all the hard work just go down the drain? After many hours of looking online waiting to see how colleges were preparing for the next step and how they were going to recruit. “Here are the lessons I have learned along the way.” I noticed first that so many colleges were sending not just the average flyer but packets of information with multiple photos to introduce themselves and what they had to offer. I mean it was way above the norm, I was receiving over 3-5 a week from all over the country. I asked a graduate of 2020, Jack Romagnoli about it. “To be honest I may have received 10 total over the course of the 2020 school year.” This is how I actually got first interested in my choice of school. I learned so much about how many schools are actually out there and believe it when I say there is a school for everyone. I just had to go up to Rivier just recently and got to ask Josh Ciarcia, my admissions counselor about how they dealt with the pandemic. “Well we definitely had to switch gears and come up with some ideas that would catch the eye of potential students, I think collectively as a team we did a great job. We implemented more videos of the campus and sent out emails with the link, also instead of just sending out our normal post card we sent out a much larger packet of information and we really saw results from that.” The next step for me was how any college soccer coaches were going to take a look. So we went to the website of NCSA, Next College Student Athlete founded back in 2000 in Chicago, IL. We sent an email and they hooked us up with a specialist there, Ken Marshall and then we set up a zoom meeting. Ken said, “NCSA too was dealing with tons of new students wanting to join because this was the best way for college coaches to look at athletes without being able to see them on the field. So we have taken steps to reach out to all of the colleges to ensure that our clients will get the best possible outcome in this crazy time.” So we went with the MVP program, they had given a huge discount to do Covid, so what would have been $225 a month was $125 a month for one year. This was to make sure that we could get what was needed out to these coaches and it worked. We started it in May and by August I had 5 different coaches scouting me. I did get to go see 4 out of the 5 schools, but when I was asked to come up to see Rivier, it all just fell into place. In the end, all the worries of what could not have happened went away due to all of the colleges, universities and NCSA stepping up for all the incoming freshmen around the U.S. I know how happy I was not only to find my university and get scouted for playing soccer but to do it and commit by December 15 so I could just focus on the rest of my senior year. By David Barajas
For some people, this may be their last year at Wethersfield High School and soon they will be off to college, where they will venture on into the adult world for the first time. Some people may have a difficult time adjusting to college due to it being different from high school. In college, you will have a much more flexible schedule as many classes can be taken in the afternoon or in the morning, depending on you and your choices. You will also have less classes than you did in high school and that means you will have more time to focus on important things or work. Some people may be nervous about going to college because it's something new and it is going to be a new experience for some students. By this time of the year, many students already know what college they will be attending and what they will study for their future career. What's more important now for incoming college freshmen is to prepare for college and its hardships. Some ways you can prepare for college is ask your counselor for advice on college and how it can help you. Another way you can prepare for college is to polish on your time management skills, You will have a lot of more free time which can be good for some people and bad for people who like to put aside work. A final way student can prepare for college is to get a job. Some college tuitions and fees cost alot of money and can put a lot of stress on people to get it paid. Getting a job can help pay some of it and take some of the stress off of you. I decided to ask Corey Malicki, A WHS student about what he was doing to prepare for college, he said “I've been looking online about the different types of majors and careers you can choose between.” I think one of the hardest things about college is choosing a major because there are so many to choose from, but the good thing is that you can always switch your major if you don't like it. How are you preparing for your after high school plans? Comment below!  Note from the Editor: This is an article in a series called "Wethersfield Heroes," where our students work to highlight and honor those in our community going above and beyond amidst the tumultuous year. If you know someone that you would like to nominate as a Wethersfield Hero, please contact Mr. Martin at jmartin@wethersfield.me.  by: Olivia Dizes
Being a new teacher is a tough job. Teaching during a pandemic is a tough job. But being a new teacher during a pandemic? That’s got to be one of the hardest jobs I can imagine. As it is, teaching just isn’t for everyone. It takes a special skill set to be a teacher and takes a tremendous amount of patience. Kelly Southwick, a fourth-grade teacher at Hanmer Elementary School, hasn’t taught a year without the effects of COVID. Last year was her first year teaching, and she only got half of a normal year. She’s had to adjust to her job and to the ongoing pandemic all at once. However hard the job may be, Mrs. Southwick has taken it in stride and never fails to do her best to make her students feel safe, happy, and productive during this time. Before the pandemic, I was able to see firsthand how amazing she is with her students. She cares for the children like her own and does whatever she needs to do to help them out. Mrs. Southwick also says that Hanmer’s school community has been great, and they’ve all come together to make this as normal and as fun as they can, since collaboration is huge this year. Focus has had to shift to adjust to try and get the kids back to where they were at the end of last year and beyond. Thinking outside the box is the defaut, like using baking to teach fractions. She’s been incorporating fun auditory and visual ways for students to learn away from the chromebook. While the pandemic threw a curveball, Mrs. Southwick seemed to hit a home run on the hardest pitch she could get. She says that she’s been able to still build her valuable relationships with her students and coworkers. “I think when you’re in a difficult situation, it forces you to come closer than you normally would and really think outside the box and push yourself in ways you normally wouldn’t,” she said. She says this time has been an important test, because you push yourself in ways you normally wouldn’t to be the best educator you can. The past year has been a group effort, and the response from students and coworkers has made it all worth it. As a student myself, I would say one of the hardest parts of this year was forming relationships with your teachers, which are easily lost through a computer screen. However, Mrs. Southwick has managed to build lasting bonds with her students and never fails to keep them not only engaged, but excited to learn. She told me that the kids are more open this year, that they’re looking for a strong base; someone to lean on, someone to learn with, someone to laugh with. “I think you connect on a deeper level. Kids lean on you more and want to make a greater connection with you because there’s a new barrier that’s in the way.” Throughout what has been the hardest year for both students and teachers, Mrs. Southwick has done the most for her students, even giving up her summer to teach online summer school at Hanmer. When asked if there was any time in the past year where things got overwhelming she immediately said no. “I think when you really love what you do, it’s easy to rise to the occasion.” She has a true passion for her work and it shows. Her students adore her as a teacher and as a friend, and she’s proven to be a staple in the Hanmer community, with many more successful years to come.  Note from the Editor: This is an article in a series called "Wethersfield Heroes," where our students work to highlight and honor those in our community going above and beyond amidst the tumultuous year. If you know someone that you would like to nominate as a Wethersfield Hero, please contact Mr. Martin at jmartin@wethersfield.me.  by: Chase Millen and Noah Terzo
The outgoing sports broadcaster of all sports at Wethersfield high school for all sports that is loved by everyone. He started his broadcasting career during his freshman year due to the fact that he always looked up to his father who was a broadcaster himself. It seems like he is going to have a future in broadcasting due to the fact that he loves doing it, and when asked if he would like to do it as a profession, he replied, “I’d like it to be my job and/or profession. I love doing it, and I feel like I make my dad proud.” His family, his father especially, are huge inspirations to him and they make him want to make them proud. Jimmie is loved by everyone playing sports for the high school, along with the players’ families. Along with broadcasting, he also does the play-by-play from every sideline and posts them for the family members that can’t make it to the games. During COVID restrictions, this was vital, as many families could not attend games like they have in the past. But it’s not just the job he loves, he also loves WHS student-athletes. He said, “All the guys on the team are really cool and nice. My family loves what I do and supports it.” He enjoys broadcasting not only because he wants it to be his profession, but also because he enjoys watching all of his fellow classmates play every day while doing it. He loves being part of the team and is glad he got this opportunity. Not only does he do the announcements for the home games, but sometimes he even hops on the bus with the team and takes the ride to some of the away games to do play-by-play there as well. He broadcasts for almost all of the high school sports from spring sports like baseball, winter sports like basketball, as well as the fall sports like soccer, among several others. While Jimmie is not only making his family proud, he is also making many new friends, as well as entertaining all of the players' families at the same time. Without Jimmie through these tough COVID times, a lot of the parents would be a lot less informed of their child's sports, since they may not be able to attend. All of these reasons show why Jimmie is a true Wethersfield Hero. |
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