![]() By: Dillon Aldabarca On Friday, March 1, people wore green during the school day to represent a organization called Sandy Hook Promise so that people are reminded about what happened only a little over 6 years ago. Sandy Hook Promise is a non-profit organization that was put together to try and prevent gun violence in the future so that no other family or friend had to deal with the feeling of loss due to gun violence. It's unbelievable to think about how recently this tragedy happened, and WHS wants people to stop and think about how much people are still affected. The “faces” of this campaign at Wethersfield High School are two current students: sophomore Audra Saladin and freshman Christyan Cimino. “We want this to be long lasting.” sophomore Audra Saladin at Wethersfield High School said. “We want this whole campaign to last longer than one week,” he stated. This campaign does last this week however they want the effects of it to last a lifetime and their biggest goal is to spread awareness and be able to not be afraid to have a voice. “If you have a problem you can come talk to you,” freshman Christyan Cimino said. These words showed just how much they care about this cause because they took it to a personal level. This truly shows how genuine of a community we have here at WHS and everyone should know that no matter who you are, you always have someone you can go talk to no matter what the problem is. “We are definitely looking for more people to spread the word,” Saladin added towards the end. If you have any interest in being a part of this cause, helping with future campaigns or even have questions about this campaign, don't be afraid to talk to Ms. Coco or your peers Audra Saladin and Christyan Cimino.
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![]() by: Danielle Colbath and Shantall Teran Whether you graduated long ago or are in school now, homework can be remembered as a staple of the high school experience. For something that has been around for so long, the question of its usefulness and impact on the students is still up for current debate. Teachers around Wethersfield High School were questioned to get a closer look into homework and their thoughts. Science teacher Ms. Alexopoulos was asked about her thoughts on homework, “I don't give homework often, if an assignment is not finished in class I will asked them to finish it in class”. Alexopoulos also brought up an interesting point that she includes homework as classwork grades. By doing this she allows for your grade to not be solely impacted by just homework, but instead their overall effort in the class. Mrs. Duggins builds onto this idea. “I hand out homework to all of the classes as necessary, it's not a set schedule, but it's either going to introduce an idea, or inforce an idea that hasn't been completed in class and needs to be finished.” Mr. Sand shared, “I'm not a big fan of very long drawn out homework assignments I understand kids often have 7 classes, if they get an hour of homework from each teacher it can be very overwhelming.” It seemed as though our teachers noticed that prolonged homework isn't beneficial. The four teacher we question told us that in the past years they have changed their policies for homework. Mr. Mangino tell us “I give much less homework for most of my classes than I used to”. Mrs. Duggins also points out an important factor as to why her homework policies have changed. “I think that a lot of high school students are working, watching siblings, have a lot of courses, they have a lot going on in their lives as oppose to years past.” The teachers that were questioned seem to share the idea that the amount of homework depends on the subject. Spanish teacher Mr.Mangino tells us “It's hard to acquire a language unless you're engaged in active conversation or reading.” Time spent doing homework can be tedious and overwhelming. However with the right teacher, understanding of purpose, and a little extra time, it can be done to the benefit of your education. “in college you're not going to have to do homework so it creates the mindset of what does it take to do well in a class” is what Ms.Alexopoulos puts in perspective. What are your thought on homework as student? Let us know! ![]() by: Erin Nargi and Taylor Pitchell On Wednesday, February 13, 33 Wethersfield High School students embark on a journey to the beautiful country of Belize. The journey begins by arriving at the airport at 4:15 a.m. and taking off by 6:00 a.m. from Bradley Airport. After a three hour flight to Miami and then another two hour flight to Belize City, the group will reach their initial destination at the first hotel. While there, the group will be staying in three different hotels scattered along the coast of Belize. The second hotel is even located in the middle of the jungle. There will be lots to do including zip lining, cave tubing, scuba diving, hiking, and more. These will all ensure a very busy week for students and their chaperones. A couple days in, the group will travel to a school and bring lots of school supplies for the young kids to use in their school day. They will play games and interact with the children for the majority of the day. Belize is located on the eastern coast of Central America on the Caribbean Sea . The small country has a population of around 375,000 and can be compared to the size of Massachusetts. Although the country is tiny, it contains a dense jungle with thousands of wildlife species and hundreds of offshore islands called cayes. Belize also has centuries of ancient history sourcing back to the Mayans, including several ancient ruin sites. The students attending are very lucky to be able to have this experience and we wish them the best! ![]() By Logan Miller & William Malizia On December 18, Surgeon General Jerome Adams, made an announcement stating, “I am officially declaring e-cigarette use [vaping] among youth an epidemic in the United States.” The amount of students who vape is increasing at alarming rates. It was reported by the FDA in 2018 that 3.26 million highschool and middle school students were currently using e-cigarettes. What’s the Purpose of Vaping? Vaping is supposedly meant to be an alternative to smoking regular combustible cigarettes. With claims like having less chemicals than an ordinary cigarette, but less chemicals is not the same as having none. To further counteract vapes “anti-smoking” ideal, it has been found in studies that people who vape actually have an increased chance of smoking regular cigarettes. As stated by Yale Health Researchers, “Vape devices have not been proven to help adults quit smoking.” ![]() Why is this so Bad? One word. Nicotine. Between 2017 to 2018, the amount of high schoolers vaping has increased 78% (11.7% to 20.8%), and the amount of middle schoolers vaping has increased 48% (3.3% to 4.9%). Within a one month period, 11% of high school seniors, 8% of sophomores, and 3.5% reported using nicotine with a vape device. These teen epidemic of e-cigarette abuse is similar to the regular cigarette use of teens in the 1940’s and 50’s. One of these e-cigarette companies, Juul, are under a lot of pressure by the FDA for “marketing and sales practices that seemed aimed at teens and young adults” These devices with their sleek design and colorful lights, how can they legitimately say it’s not marketed towards children? And with a harmful and addictive chemical like nicotine, it is dangerous to say the less. How it Affects Us Our young brains are very sensitive to the effects of nicotine. Nicotine can be very damaging to a young individuals brain development, it can impact one's own memory and attention processing. Unlike with cigarettes there are many “health unknowns” with e-cig use. Another serious problem with nicotine is the addiction that quickly follows suit. Becoming an addict is like losing your freedom of choice. You’ll quickly find yourself under the control of your vaping device, not your own free will. As warned by the FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, “We cannot allow a whole generation to become addicted to nicotine” but with companies like Juul, with one pod having the same nicotine content as a pack of cigarettes, the problem has only just begun... WHS and Vaping Vaping at our school is not tolerated. As it states in the student handbook on page 33, it is a second level offense for the “use of tobacco products including e-cigarettes.” So don’t think that the rules only apply to combustible cigarettes, you will still get in trouble. If you’re caught vaping the first referral is two extended detentions, second is two days of in-school suspension, third is a five-day suspension, and getting a fourth referral brings you into the third level disciplinary category which consists of another five day suspension just for the first referral. Any student should also keep in mind that all vape paraphernalia found is confiscated and not returned to the student and/or family. The Law and Vaping After a brief interview with our School Resource Officer, Officer Knapp, the law says that any violation of the law for anyone 16 and under is an arrest. 15 and under is an arrest or the individuals are sent to the Community Review Board (CRB). Students who are the ages 16-17 recieve a $50 fine their first time, but from then on the fine is worth $100. Students that are 17 can be offered to see the CRB. once there it’s up to them what happens. Usually they must do some kind of P.S.A., but they could also be required to do community service, counselling, and drug tests. Students the ages 18 and up are not within any violation of criminal law, so they face school discipline. The biggest advice I can give? Just don’t start. If you have and want help, there are many resources to help you, simply speak to your school counselor, nurse, administrator, or resource officer. ![]() By: Lauren Christie and Maddie Bradbury Kids wear headphones around the halls, and in class, and it can be an amazing way to focus and essentially make you more productive and efficient. But on the other hand, they can be a major distraction and a way to tune out important information during school. This prompts the question whether headphones should or shouldn't, be allowed in school. How can something like wearing headphones be both beneficial and distracting? Some students argue that headphones increase their focus and attention. In fact, according to the Chicago Daily Herald, “79% of students listen to music to increase their productivity, by keeping them focused on their job. Music keeps the environment you are working in quieter.” To understand these statistics better, we conducted a study and asked a variety of students who wear headphones, how beneficial it is for them. Ariana Tessier, a senior at Wethersfield High School states, “Headphones help me work in a noisy environment”. If students claim headphones help them focus, why do teachers often to tell students to remove them? When kids are seen with headphones, the most common response from a teacher is to put them away, but why? To answer our question, we asked someone who enforces the rule with no exceptions. Mr. Scopetto, P.E. teacher at Wethersfield High School said, “Do I have headphones on when you talk to me? It is not a personal relationship when you have your headphones on.” Sco emphasized that having headphones on during school is unprofessional and rude. Headphones can be an useful getaway and put you in exactly in the right mood to get work done. Evidence shows that music helps with productivity and blocking out a distracting environment. However, there is an appropriate time and place for headphones. If it isn't a safe place to wear them, you shouldn't, and if your teacher isn't comfortable with you wearing them, you could be potentially missing valuable information. ![]() By: Justin Biraci Students are constantly walking in after the bell in the morning with a coffee in their hand. Teachers tend to get the wrong impression, and think the students do not care about their class. Many students who take the morning stop to a place such as Dunkin Donuts are often tardy to class. The coffee in the morning can wait, or you can try waking up earlier. Their craving for coffee gets them on bad terms with their teacher. From the teacher’s perspective, the student could’ve had a better chance of arriving to class on time, if they did not stop for coffee. It makes the student look disrespectful and sends the teacher the wrong message. “If you come to my class late, with coffee, you must leave it at the door” said Marc Pfister, English teacher at WHS. Not only is it disrespectful, but it is interrupting the class when they show up late and walk through the door in the middle of a lesson. By coming in late, the student is saying that they prioritize their breakfast stop over their academic learning for that class. Teachers understand when there is an emergency, or if you just accidentally did not wake up on time. However, if you are purposefully and perpetually showing up late, then it becomes an issue. Some teachers will resort to punishments such as detentions or not letting them in the classroom. Bottom line, try to avoid getting into a bad habit of showing up to class late with a poor excuse such as your coffee stop. If you want to succeed in class, then it is beneficial to have a good relationship with the teacher. The amount of respect you give to the teacher will be the amount you receive in return. Make sure to be on time in order to present yourself as someone who is willing to be engaged in learning. by: Isaac Santos (Vote for Isaac for Class President 2020!)
In case you missed it the biggest game in football happened last week. Super Bowl LIII was victory royale for the Patriots. Mid-way through the matchup between the Patriots-Rams game, Marvel Entertainment released a teaser to their brand new Avengers Film. The Teachers at Wethersfield High School were all over the place with their reaction. Here’s what some of them had to say: John Martin, an English teacher at Wethersfield High School said about the trailer, “It seems super dramatic”, But he’s past experience with superhero movies “are usually overblown.” Now with this one it seems “more grounded in reality”. Although he has barely seen any of the movies in the timeline, he feels that he would have to watch the rest before going to see this one. Matthew Mangino, a well-known Spanish teacher at Wethersfield High School had a similar response to the teaser trailer. At first he was excited to see the movie, but when asked if he had seen the previous films, he response was a mix saying “I’ve seen some of the movies but not all of them”. Unfortunately he will not be seeing the movie when it hits theaters this April because of his children, So he will just have to wait for when it comes out on all streaming services. George Horan, A former chemist and now a Chemistry teacher at Wethersfield was not wowed by the trailer. He thought that “It wasnt that clear on what the movie it was about.” Yet again the only other movie he has seen in the MCU timeline was the original Iron Man. When asked if he will be going to see this film he answered with a “Probably not, it didn't strike me as being too interesting.” Will you be watching the movie? The end to a decade long cinematic universe that comes out on April 26th! As of now no one really knows anything about the storyline Marvel and the directors Joe and Anthony Russo have kept it completely secret. Will it be better than Infinity War? Is it being overhyped? Only time will tell when the movie is released to the public. ![]() by: Scotty Giannini On Monday, January 28, the Career Advisory Board (C.A.B.) had its first meeting since November in the Library Media Center. At this meeting members brainstormed ways to get students more involved with the school and career planning. The meeting began with a quote from Ken Lesser, the Lead Organizer for the C.A.B.. The quote was from a Martin Luther King Jr’s sermon and talked about the ‘fierce urgency of now’. According to John Martin, an English Teacher at WHS, Mr. Lesser frequently begins these meetings with a quote to think about to get them started for the day. New and exciting opportunities for students this year, there has been talk of bringing a forensics expert for the next in-school field trip and a careers fair in May which could have 30 or more employees, so keep your calendars open. Additional to this a newer member, Steve Bobbin opened up the idea for more field visits for students. Bobbin, an IT Network Administrator for CNC Software Tolland mentioned that they would love to send people over to get kids involved. Santo Perrata, the VP of Sales and Marketing at United Tool And Dye here in Wethersfield has working opportunities for young adults in the area. According to Perrata, many of their current workers are retiring and their labor pool is changing. Opportunities like this can help create jobs for young workers in the Wethersfield area. Superintendent Michael Emmett also mentioned that the high school is looking to bring WHS students dual credit opportunities by partnering with Goodwin College in manufacturing classes. Students would receive college credit from Goodwin college as well as the elective credit from WHS. Chairperson of the Board of Education, Bobbie Granato also had something to say about this, she said, “[The State of CT] is looking to grow manufacturing in Connecticut, and they are looking for educators and students to move students forward in all careers.” Also don’t forget, this Friday, February 8th, 20 students will be going to Travelers for a job shadow experience. Students will spend the day touring and working the catastrophe vans that tour disaster areas for processing as well as exploring more careers within Travelers Insurance. For students interested in the insurance field or the van driving industry, this one’s a win. ![]() by: Logan Miller Curious about the Art Department, I interviewed one of the High School teachers, and asked some questions about any important dates, recent happenings, and generally how it’s doing. To start off the art department has been doing very well lately. Some students have won some awards in the Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards. Their work will be hung up at Capital Community College as a part of the National Art Program. Teachers are very proud of their students who are in the Scholastic Art Awards, and the Gold Key work will be judged nationally. Some upcoming art events include a Winter Paint Night planned for February 21 and then an Art Extravaganza with performance, art making, and exhibits on display of student work for the Youth Art Month. This will be on March 27th. There will also be a National Art Honors Societies members exhibit at the Wethersfield Public Library, there will be work on display also at CCSU for the statewide art celebration, and a district wide art show in May, but those dates are yet to be confirmed. ![]() By: Kareena Khadar Have you ever set eight alarms just to snooze all of them in the morning? As much as waking up before sunrise should be illegal, there are a surprising amount of ways to help yourself wake up easily and on time. Here are some tips: Have a Better Sleeping Environment:
Getting the right amount of sleep is very important for your body's health so it just might be a good idea to adjust your sleep schedule to tie in some of these tips and tricks. By: Auna Foster and Melanie Cohen
On February 28 during Period 4, Mrs. Duggins and the Brothers and Sisters United (BSU) are holding a “Hair Show” at Wethersfield High School. This show is one of the many segments being held at the school to celebrate Black History Month. This show is meant to inform the students of Wethersfield High School of the history of black hair in America, and the many different hairstyles that are popular in the African American community. Not only will students be able to see all the unique hair designs, but they will also be informed on different “do’s and don’ts” when it comes to addressing black hair and asking questions about it. According to Time Magazine in 2017, a 17 year old Massachusetts high school student named Jenesis Johnson was told by a school administrator that she could not wear her hair in an afro because it was “extreme and faddish and out of control.” Another occurrence happened within the same year in Kentucky, where a school attempted to ban dreadlocks, cornrows and twists but never succeeded. There are many positive outcomes with this show. Not only will the show address hairstyles but also share the history behind them. This is a great way to bring awareness to students about embracing your natural hair, especially with it being a way to break the stigma many people of color face. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to come to this event, in hopes of both educating the bright student of WHS, and building a bridge when it comes to culture shock, and diversity. ![]() by: Tanya Messenger In Super Bowl LIII, the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams will battle it out on CBS Sunday, February 3 at 6:30 pm. I interviewed students and teachers from WHS to see who they will be rooting for in Super Bowl LIII and how they are preparing for it. Marc J. Mirizzi is a WHS staff member who is rooting for the Patriots at his house on Sunday. He is hoping that if Patriots win, Tom Brady will retire. Mirizzi will be “relaxing on the couch with chips and salsa and soda” to watch the football game. Staff member Jacklyn Malizia told me in her interview that she is rooting for the Rams at her house in Wethersfield this weekend. Malizia’s husband and “his friends were Rams fans through thick and thin.” Mr. Malizia’s friends will come over on Sunday and they will have stromboli, chicken wings, and drinks to watch the big game. Stephanie Breglio (class of 2020) is rooting for the Patriots at her friend’s house in Wethersfield. She watches the Super Bowl because it is a tradition, she has been watching it “since she was a little girl.” They will have appetizers and soda. Interviewing senior Maddy Hickey, she was so excited to talk about the Patriots. She will be with her friends at First Church of Christ in Old Wethersfield watching the game and she said, “I’m going to have an emotional breakdown because the Patriots need to win again.” She watches the game because she has been a Pats fan her entire life. Maddy will be watching it on the big TV with all her Pats gear this Sunday. My third interview with a student was Devon Sienna, who will be rooting for the Patriots. He will be watching at home in Wethersfield, CT. He said, “The only reason I watch it is because there will be food.” His dad will be watching it too, Devon probably will watch it on his computer. Most students and WHS staff members will be rooting for the Patriots. If you enjoy playing or watching football, then this weekend on CBS at 6:30 pm get your friends and family to watch the two best teams battling to win. Who do you think will win? ![]() by: Jimmy Luiz, WHS Basketball Guard We have had a solid run the last few games, but these next are the most important by far, We have 5 games left and we need to win 3 out of the 5 to get into states. If we win all 5, we have a chance at CCCs, but our goal is states. We have Rocky Hill and Newington still to play for the second time this year, We have beaten Rocky Hill before and Newington we have not beat yet. If it comes down to it, Newington is the last game of the regular season. Hopefully we get 3 wins before we play them but if we have 2, that last game we will need everyone at that game, These games are so important, we need everyone talking about it and as many people as possible at those games cheering us on. I remember playing against Windsor this year and when we had the crowd we were able to keep up with them and actually have the lead against them for a really good amount of time. Windsor is considered the best team in the state right now and that crowd helped us stay in that game. What I’m trying to say is that with a big crowd anything is possible and especially against the teams that we are supposed to win against, blowing them out makes a statement and that’s what we need going into these last 5 games. ![]() by: Kenan Mujic and Matthew Zapata The Journalism Club, led by Bryce Cox and Kayla Platania, is a club that writes for the Eagle Eye, the school paper and meets after school every Monday from 2-2:30 pm in Room 30. Sophomores Platania and Cox, graduating in 2021, created the Journalism Club at the beginning of 2018-2019 school year as they were very interested in writing for the school paper, so they turned to Mr. John Martin, an English Teacher at Wethersfield High School, to help them create and run the club smoothly. Cox describes this club as an opportunity to learn more about Journalism without any academic school work or stress outside of school grounds. It gives students the opportunity to take the class without actually taking the class. Cox also mentioned that this club gives underclassmen and juniors the opportunity to do some sort of journalistic writing without taking the actual class, as Journalism is only offered to the seniors and not underclassmen and juniors. Co-Leader Platania is currently urging students to join the Journalism Club as it gives students a voice and the club gives them an outlet to speak their minds. The club gives students the opportunity to promote events and issues that are currently present in the school. There are currently about eight to ten members of the Journalism Club, and Cox and Platania are always looking to bring in more members to the club to add more depth and stability. Be sure to be on the lookout for flyers posted around the school containing information about the club and who you should contact if you are interested in joining or have any questions. If you are interested in joining the club or have any questions about how it works, please be sure to stop by Room 30 or contact Sophomore Co-Leaders Cox and Platania at [email protected] and [email protected]. Cox and Platania look forward to seeing new and motivated faces next Monday, February 4th, 2019 in Room 30 right after school! ![]() by: Dylan Gutierrez, Mike Messina, and Kavi Khadar Students at Wethersfield High School now have a variety of healthy and tasty foods during lunchtime thanks to surveys and studies done by the school. To decrease rates of childhood obesity, the school has implemented a system on creating a full and nutritious lunch for everyone. The school takes an extra step to promote healthy eating by providing a free milk box and fruit of the students choosing to go with their lunch. This method makes sure students are getting key parts of daily nutrition on their palette. Students can get most of their dairy and fruit needs from these simple snacks. WHS also made a huge effort in getting a good protein source to the lunch room by providing Boars Head meats at the sandwich area. There's a variety of meats, cheeses, and vegetables which knocks out a good part of the pyramid. When it comes to the junk foods, there are some choices in the cafeteria to balance out cravings but, they’re all made with wholesome ingredients. All bread and tortillas on sandwiches and wraps are whole wheat. The pasta and pizza dough are completely wheat, the pasta also usually comes with asparagus, green beans or mixed steamed veggies. Fried foods like the chicken tenders are also made with lean white meat. As far as beverages go, WHS never serves sugary sodas to its students. Instead they’re offered zero calorie carbonated drinks and fruit juices/smoothies that help students get necessary vitamins. Having healthy foods accessible to you at schools is a game changer in student health. I know for my friends and I, we never have time to pack healthy lunches which takes awhile to put together. So it’s definitely nice to be able to rely on healthy foods from the school cafeteria. We believe having healthy choices at lunch is important because our high school is always trying to set a perfect example. So instead of having junk foods with no healthy options, we are trying to set good examples that you could hopefully carry on at home and in the near future. Overall, we wanted to address this topic because we believe it’s not brought up enough. We hope from the following article that you have found ways to increase your health to not only look good but also feel better! ![]() by: Alexis Szymecki and Matt Iallonardo Students all around the country struggle to keep themselves on track after winter break ends and the new semester starts. Using these five simple tips, however, can make your life a lot easier, allowing a much less stressful half of the year. Get yourself Organized Organization can be one of the most difficult, but most helpful aspects to a successful semester. Having a color coded folder and notebook for each class is a great way to keep your work in safe places so that it doesn’t get lost. Having the colors for each class makes it easy to find what you need while searching your backpack. Time Management Along with organization, time management is an important factor, not only in your teenage life, but throughout life. If you are ever feeling stressed about your work, it is very helpful to take a step back and make a list deciding most important to least important. Using that list create a schedule for your day, and check things off as you go. Knowing you are getting your work completed helps relieve stress. Get Assignments Done Early Keeping track of your assignments using a list can lead to extra time in your day. Use that time to get assignments done early and then reward yourself with a relaxing break. Getting assignments done early not only ensures no late penalties from your teacher, but it also creates a relief knowing you won’t be pressed for time the night before it’s due. Go Outside Outside of school, it’s important to have times with friends allowing yourself a break. The second semester is always hard work, so it’s good to go out and let off steam while having a good time with friends. Being able to get your mind off of your work for a few hours can be very effective, because you can come back, and be ready to go. Get Some Sleep As teens we are overworked and often times don’t allow ourselves the amount of sleep we need. Getting a good night’s rest can help to refuel your body and allow you to start the next day feeling new and ready to take on your tasks. Again, resting your mind allows you to have a fresh look on your assignment when you come back to it. These five tips will help you stay stress free during your second semester. Allow time for yourself, while staying organized and completing assignments early by managing your time. We hope you enjoy your last semester before summer begins. ![]() by: Tea Hima and Kelly Scales Wethersfield High School Debate Team participants are filled with nervousness and excitement as they prepare for the Osterweis Debate competition at Yale University on April 7, where they will face some of Connecticut's most fierce and challenging teams. The WHS Debate Team has been around for decades and it is currently a member of the Connecticut Great High School Debate, which is sponsored by Civil First. Although the team has a small number of members, the WHS team is well known because they meet regularly in preparation for tournaments and for having sponsored a novice debate tournament in previous years. Teams from around Connecticut participate in debate tournaments monthly and compete for different awards such as¨Best Speaker.” Team awards are based on how high each judge rat them and on how many points they are willing to give based on their presentation. Traditional monthly debates use different debate techniques than the ones at the Osterweis competition. The traditional debate has three rounds, where participants debate the affirmative and negative side of the resolved, as well as a side of their choosing for the third round. The Osterweis Debate has four rounds and is in what is called a parliamentary format, where the two sides debated are the government and opposition. Much like the affirmative side in traditional debates, the government must support the motion, while the opposition opposes it. If you enjoy debating political issues, then join the WHS Debate Team for their tournaments and the Osterweis Debate on April 7. Please contact Mr. Pryor at [email protected] with any questions or to join the Debate Team. ![]() by: Valentino Fazio At WHS, I am an ALS Aide which gives me an opportunity to help kids with learning and physical obstacles in their classroom everyday. I really enjoy being an aide because it makes me feel really good to help someone out that needs it. Everyday when I walk through the door and see the smiles on the kids’ faces it puts me into the best mood. ALS aide and WHS senior Maddy Johnson said, “Being an ALS helper is fun but educational at the same time because you’re learning more than you would in other classes. It helps you learn responsibility and patience which are good skills to have in the real world. I love having it in the middle of the day because it breaks up my other academic classes by having somewhere to go that brings positive vibes to the day. Everyone is always smiling and welcoming. They are their own little family within the school and I love being apart of it and it really shaped my senior year and helped me.” Senior Mark Accarpio added, “Being able to help out at the same time while having fun with these kids really brings joy to my day. Taking this class during my senior year has been one of my best decisions as it teaches me responsibilities that could be used throughout a lifetime. There is always positivity spread throughout our school and huge part of it is because of these kids in ALS.” Being an ALS aide for me is fun and teaches me life skills at the same time. I enjoy my time helping out the kids and would recommend everyone to take this class if they get the chance. by: Grace Detrick
So far this 2018-2019 winter season, WHS hasn't had a snow day and it brings the question, does our senior class even want a snow day knowing it would push back the date of graduation? With a few more cold months approaching, it gives us a chance for some snow days. Some students see snow days as exciting because we get a day off from school to relax and stay in. However, other students would rather be in school during the cold weather and enjoy the day off in the warmer months. Not having a snow day yet this winter season is surprising to most students and faculty since we usually get many days knocked off our summer due to snow days. I used to want snow days and enjoyed the time off in the winter since obviously we don't have any huge breaks like we do in the summer. As a senior this year and having snow days push back the graduation date, I can say I don't feel the same way about snow days anymore. I asked some more WHS seniors their thoughts on the situation and these were their responses. Senior Megan Keleher says, “I think I would rather have a snow day now and push back graduation even though I want to graduate because in the winter you want to have more time off.” Another senior, Maddie Bradbury has a different opinion. She said, “I do not want any snow days because I would rather graduate sooner and have a longer summer.” Senior Kylie Judson said, “I would rather get out of school earlier and not have any snow days.” Senior Maddy Johnson said, “I would not want a snow day at this point because I want to have a longer summer with my friends before we all leave for college next year.” Finally, senior Valentino Fazio said, “I personally don't want any snow days because all it’s going to do is push back graduation. Yes, maybe a day off here and there is nice, but I'd rather get out of school sooner.” After asking five seniors, four of them said they would rather have no snow days and graduate on June 13, which would be pretty early for us. Hopefully the snow will continue to hold off! ![]() by: Amanda DeJesus and Jenna Colon School ID´s can be a hassle to some people, but there are upsides and we're here to tell you what they are. 1. Safety Reasons Student ID´s allow people to know who attend Wethersfield High School, they allow them to feel safe since there aren't any unknown intruders. If someone isn't wearing an ID it is assumed that they don't attend that certain school, yes this may not always be the case but most of the time it is. Staff and other students should be allowed to question whoever does this. 2. You get to know people You ever want to know who some people are but you´re afraid to ask them because you don´t want to offend them? Wethersfield High School and many other schools help out with this by including the names on the ID´s. In WHS you're also able to see the grade level depending on the color on the ID, green is freshmen, red is sophomores, yellow is juniors, and dark blue is for seniors. 3. You have to get used to them Many careers require people to wear ID´s once you get a job there or visit the building. You can object, but there isn't any point because everyone would be wearing them. An ID will allow access in and out of the building with no problems and WHS became very strict about this, this year. 4. Some students have different opinions Current senior, Kailey Guancha feels that, ¨Student ID´s are unnecessary because many situations that make people want ID´s are because of the students at that school.¨ Although another senior, Morgan Pacheco has totally different views and stated, ¨They keep us safe and their intentions are good, but sometimes they take it too seriously when they don't allow people they know go to the school into the building without an ID or at least temporary one.¨ Whether we like it or not, it is our best interest in safety to wear them. Wear your ID’s today! |
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