Going around and getting people's favorite teams and why by Owen Carey
With the start of the NHL 2022-2023 season, I went around Wethersfield High School and asked students and teachers what their favorite NHL team is and why, here is what they had to say. I asked Jack Millen, a senior on the WHS hockey team what his favorite hockey team is and why and here's what he said: ”The Tampa Bay Lightning because they won back to back.” I also came across Anthony Ruck also on the WHS hockey team and he said, ''The [Washington] Capitals because I have to stay loyal to Ovechkin”. Ruck wants to stay loyal to Ovechkin because he is called “The Great 8” because he's second all time with the most goals behind “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky and he's going to pass him in the next few years, and so Anthony Ruck stays loyal because he knows one day Ovechkin will be the best. Meanwhile, after Ruck I asked Sean O'leary on the WHS hockey team the same question and he said, “The Bruins because they're a good all around team.” He also loves how they always go to hospitals during the winter. He also said, “Patrice Bergeron is the best player but he said they're not going to win the cup this year.” In the cafeteria, I saw Athletic Director Mr. Maltese and asked him what his favorite team is. He put a very nice local spin to his answer when he said, ''The Wethersfield Eagles because of all great things on and off the ice for the town. Also how they give good promotion for students to come and watch and how they always do charity games”. Later in the day I ran into Matt Snieder and Owen Thulen both on the WHS hockey team and Matt said” the Bruins because I watched them all the time growing up”. And OWen said” Penguins- because Fleury is my favorite goalie of all time and he was on that team so I like Pittsburgh and my dad and I grew up watching them”.
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 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.  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.  By: Anis Nurkic
COVID-19 is a global pandemic. COVID-19 has killed over half a million people in the US over the past 12 months, but little has been said for teens that have the virus. What happens to them? What are the effects? I interviewed a 16 year old Hartford-area student to find out. “COVID hit hard,” he said. “Personally for me, I had all the known symptoms from fevers, to headaches, to even body chills. I usually woke up really early in the morning and had to start my day off by quarantining myself from the rest of my family,” he said. I also wanted to know some of the changes he had to make to his day, after he got the virus. “I could not really leave my room at all, and having a younger sibling. I definitely did not want to risk anything further. I could not even eat dinner with my family at the dinner table because I was so sick and exhausted. I could not stop coughing and breathing in and out was the worst,” he said. What would be the first thing you would want to do once the pandemic is officially over? Vacation? Eating out? Spend time with friends and family? The options are endless. “As soon as the pandemic is over, I would love to first spend time with my family and friends, and go out on road trips with them. I surely do miss it,” said the 16 year old. With the recent anniversary of COVID-19, we all have been able to remember what life was like pre-COVID. No masks, no mandates, absolutely nothing. You could have parties with hundreds of people and do whatever you wanted with how many people you wanted. The big question, and as proved by our 16-year-old COVID survivor, is it is just not worth the risk. Trouble breathing? Fever? Cough? Those symptoms of COVID-19 will start to knock you out sooner than you think. Even with the horrible effects of the Coronavirus, we can definitely reflect on this experience once it is over. Whether you caught the virus yourself or not it still is important to understand how thankful we should be for staying healthy at times like this and at our best. When COVID-19 is all gone and wrapped up, it is going to be a great chance to start something like a new life. The possibilities of what to do and with whom are endless. From vacation to eating out, to spending time with family and friend,s and even birthday parties; it will all be possible. Leave a comment down below about what YOU would like to do post COVID-19 and if you could change something about the current situation what would you change.  by: Alecia DiCenso
After about a year of COVID-19, there is now a vaccine that hopefully puts it to an end. Many people feel indifferent about these two shots. Some people question the science while others are scared of the later symptoms. Everyone feels different about the vaccine and it is smart to respect everyone's decisions regarding it. Considering teachers have to see several different students everyday, it could be interesting to see how they view the vaccine and their opinions on it. Starting in March, teachers can sign up to get vaccinated. Both of the teachers we interviewed are getting the vaccine, if others decide not to, that is perfectly fine too. Mr. Roets is an English teacher at WHS who is getting his vaccine on Thursday. He mentioned that it is a “Risk vs. rewards.” He believes that there are more rewards over the risks. He isn’t worried about symptoms and is not allergic to most things, so he doesn’t believe that it will harm him, only decreasing his chances of getting COVID. His wife has received both of the vaccines and his whole family will eventually be vaccinated. He believes the science behind the vaccine. In order to decrease or eliminate COVID, the majority of people need to get the vaccine in order for it to be effective. The majority of people he knows have questioned it, but haven’t said no to receiving it. Nutrition teacher Mrs. Bailey is also getting the vaccine. She believes that the vaccine will be helpful. She believes it will be effective if seventy five percent of people get it. She thinks there will be a positive outcome. The process of signing up is hard and the dates are very far away, but she is hopefully. She doesn’t believe that she will have symptoms, most likely just a sore arm. She compared it to the chickenpox vaccine showing she isn’t worried about it. Considering she works in the public schools system she could be exposed more and getting the vaccine will benefit her safety and everyone else's as well. by: Emily Sousa While the world was dealing with the global pandemic, people found ways to entertain themselves by entering the world of fashion. With multiple social media platforms at their fingertips, tennagers spread and developed new fashion trends and styles throughout the time of COVID-19. For many people, this pandemic and lack of human interaction was a time to focus on yourself and the things you enjoy, I know for me it was. And because of this, people wanted to try new things like the newest fashion trends. With multiple online stores and the added free time, it was the perfect time to venture out; try something new, or bring an old style back. To get more into these fashion styles and trends during the pandemic, I interviewed Wethersfield High School juniors Alex Jara, Abbie King, and Aliza Aijaz to see what they have seen and heard about the outfits and trends of the pandemic. Fashion is not just about the clothes you wear, it is about how it makes you feel. Fashion is a way to show the world who you are, like for Alex Jara, who said, “Fashion to me is the expression of oneself through clothing.” There are many different ways fashion can be a form of expression because there are many different styles, like for Abbie King, who said“Fashion is the style that a person chooses to dress in. There is a type of fashion that is definitely more trendy, and more stylish but fashion can be any way that a person dresses to express themself”. There were also many trends that have happened during the pandemic, during the start of the pandemic it seemed to be making or dyeing your own clothing, Abbie King said this about this early trend “There was a lot of popularity in the making or styling your own clothes, whether through tie dye, cutting clothes or even sewing” and Alex Jara who said, “Additionally, it was popular that people during the stay at home order bleach dyed their clothing also some people embroidered Nike logos on their clothes”. Moving towards the most recent times of the pandemic the 2000’s have been coming back, with the “thrifting aesthetic”, as said by Alex Jara becoming big, many people are thrifting clothes that are from earlier decades, mostly clothes that are inspired by the early 2000’s. Besides the major trends of the pandemic there were also popular clothes items, and popular outfits. Some popular clothing items ranged anywhere from shoes to a print or style. Some examples from Alex Jara are “retro air Jordan’s, tennis skirt, cow print and pastels”. There were also popular outfits that everyone seemed to be trying like “blazers paired with more casual looks” as said by Alex Jara and Aliza Aijaz had this to add, “layering clothes such as; a long sleeve shirt under a short sleeve t-shirt”. With all these fashion trends and outfits there needs to be a way to make them spread, in this day and age it is through social media. With media apps like TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube and more, it only takes one viral picture to start the newest trend. When talking about trends Abbie King states this, “When an influencer, or really anyone, posts something on their platform of them wearing something, that tends to spread, and people want to partake as well”. Another way was just boredom taking over, and you start shopping, like for Alex Jara, who said “I look at clothes online daily and because of this I am constantly seeing new trends develop”. As these new fashion trends seem to be for the younger generation, the reason many of these trends became so popular is because “that many people have not mastered their style yet and do not know what works for them” as said by Alex Jara, it is easier to try something new while being stuck inside, away from human contact. It could also be to fit in with the world around us, fit in with your friends at school, or fit in with the community as a whole. Or as said by Abbie King “ for entertainment with the world we are in”. It has been almost a year since the school first shut down on March 13th, since then the fashion world has grown at a rapid rate, with new trends and styles everyday. With a common theme of combining different decades and their styles with each other to get the multiple of style trends we have now. Remember to keep a look out because you do not want to miss the next go to trend.  by: Adam Schlapfer
The Xbox Series X and the PS5 are two next generation consoles with some of the best upgrades to graphic, load times, and more. The new consoles are available to anyone looking for the new best gaming experience, including students and even teachers at WHS. “All of my friends are on it. I had the first one when that came out a while back,” as stated by Mr. Martin, a teacher at WHS with the Xbox Series X. It seems as though the Xbox Series X is usually bought based on the previous console they had. While the PS5 is bought for the reason that the console has some very well known exclusive games that cannot be bought or played on any other system, which gives people an incentive to get their console. “I can't wait to see the future of the Playstation 5 as new games and updates come out,” said Jack O’leary at WHS. But both of these consoles are at a time of which there low amounts of stock cause for quick sell outs when released into retailers. Students and teachers are overall impressed with the performance of the next-gen consoles but have some lingering doubts about the quote on quote “Next Gen” name that comes with these consoles and not completely living up to the title.  By: Anthony Zabielski COVID was a surprise to everyone and changed everything in the world. WHS Hockey Coach and small business owner Eric Fanelli took it like a champ. During COVID, a lot of small businesses were shut down due to lack of business during the initial lockdown, but he powered through taking his sales to the web. By doing this he showed everyone that there was a way to beat COVID and stay afloat. COVID affected everyone badly but a group of people that were hit hardest were the owners of small businesses. Many Owners had to shut down because they were not getting enough business. For Eric Fanelli, his business increased because he took a new approach to selling by doing it online. His business sells new and used sports equipment so many people purchased over quarantine because sports were the only activities available to most people. Fanelli also made some of his own masks, he realised that they would be selling like crazy so he adapted to the market. He made the masks because people were having trouble finding them due to such large demand. He made the masks from hockey socks and sold them for cheap! When asked how he made it through COVID, he said, “It was a lot of work, but I made it happen, I was not going down without a fight.” Fanelli now has one of if not the most successful accounts on SidelineSwap. SidelineSwap is an app for selling just about anything that is sports related online. Some advice he has for other businesses that have been struggling with sales was to find more ways to sell their products, and that there is always more than one way. He also suggested that you advertise your products/service because more exposure will help. And everyone just needs to think outside of the box. Since COVID has made everyone's life difficult these tips are not just for business. If you are having difficulty with a task, just think outside of the box. Look at other people that have the same problems as you; Don't only look for what they are doing, look at what they are not doing. What other people are not doing might be the way for you. You could use these tips to help with your schoolwork or other tasks you have during these difficult times.  By J’Von Cooper
What is art? That’s a loaded question, with many ways to answer it. Yet, considering the sizable amount of students participating in the arts here at Wethersfield High Schools, it begs the question. With art existing in so many forms, is there any way to define it? Well, according to the people participating in those programs, there are just as many answers as there are people being questioned. However, there is at least one constant within all of them: Emotion. As Andrea Haas, one of three art teachers at WHS put it, “Art is whatever you want it to be.” She continues to specify, “I see art as a means to send a message. Make an emotional change in the person viewing it.” That’s how many of her students view art. As Senior Brianna Boucher said, “Art is meant to mean something”, or in other words, elicit enough emotion to be meaningful. This theme of eliciting a reaction echoes through many of the people interviewed, including an unexpecting source. Jeffery Roets, the current play director and English teacher, had a similar response to the aforementioned people interviewed, and a little more. “Arts not only reflects our emotions, but makes us question them.” he said. “It makes us feel something.” Well, if so many people feel so many different ways about art, what is concrete? Well, as seen by the people interviewed, art means something. What that something is may be different depending on whomever you ask, but it means something to somebody, with everyone saying something.  By: Andre Jorge and Alexis Almada
The 62nd Annual Grammy Awards were on Sunday, January 26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The Grammys recognizes the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the year. Sunday night’s show featured several moments of spotlight to Tyler The Creator, Lizzo, Billie Eilish, and Rosalía, some of today’s youngest pop innovators. Lizzo received the most nominations with eight Grammy nominations, followed by Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X. When you consider all the Grammy winners of 2020, do you think that their wins will lead to more people listening to their music? Do you think the Grammys are good at representing today’s best music? We were on the hunt to find out if the Grammys are in fact an accurate example of today's music. We interviewed Mr. Mearman, a teacher at Wethersfield High School, and Antonella DiCenso, a mother of a sophomore athlete, to find out their opinions. “Absolutely not, because what we listen to on the radio is going to be what people want to hear because that's what’s being requested. Meanwhile, on the Grammys, the people who are winning, I don't even know half the people. I don't recognize some of the songs,” said DiCenso. “Well, I have to say no, the Grammys don’t accurately represent today’s best music because it’s very narrow,” said Mearman. The Grammys focuses on the top 40 hits, where a Grammy Award is presented by The Recording Academy to recognize achievements in the music industry. We also asked about how the Grammys could be improved to better represent today’s music. “They should include other types of music, you know not just pop...and they may give awards out to other genres but they don’t ever air it. Air more on TV than just the glitter stars that are obnoxious,” said Mearman. While interviewing, we narrowed down the Grammy award ceremony to some specific topics like Billie Eilish winning five awards. Billie Eilish, an 18 year old singer-songwriter, earned six Grammy nominations and five wins including Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. She became the first artist to win the major four categories since Christopher Cross in 1981. With all of Eilish’s wins at the Grammys, does this mean that she’s a good representation of today’s best music? “I don’t think she’s that good. Gee, well I could be really snotty and say she’s a good representation of today’s music, because today’s music is not that good,” said Mearman. “It depends on what they are being nominated for and what they are winning for. Sometimes I feel like some artists are the ‘Flavor of the day,’ and other times this artist is outdoing everybody else and should be winning and getting it all,” said DiCenso. What do you think? Were any of your favorite artists nominated?  By Bryce Arnold The New England Patriots are coming off a disappointing season from their standards. They lost their first round home game in the playoffs to the Tennessee Titans, a team they were favored to beat. The defense was solid as always, but the offense struggled to put points on the board. This is a cause for concern for the Patriots, who could score on any team at will. Lots of things seemed off, especially Tom Brady. He wasn’t making throws he normally makes, he wasn’t moving well in the pocket, and he didn’t look like himself at all. Now the question has to be asked, will he return to the NFL next season? I asked students around Wethersfield High School what they thought about it. “No, [I think] he’s going to go to the Raiders,” said Junior Michael Sargis, a Detroit Lions fan. Let’s face it: Brady just isn’t the same anymore. He was put into the spotlight almost by accident, and he was tearing up the league from the start. He’s won 6 super bowls, the most by any NFL quarterback, and is looking to win one more before retirement. Does he have it in him, though? He started out this season strong, and finished out the season sort of flat. During the playoff game against the Titans, Brady went 20/37 for 209 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. Not exactly the stats of a 6-time world champion. This is the opposite of what people are used to seeing with Brady. He and the Patriots usually lose a few games early, win out, lock up the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs, and win the super bowl. This year, with an early exit from the playoffs, also arose question marks about an early exit to Brady’s career. I asked Brendan Martin, a New York Giants fan from my Computer Animation class, about whether or not he thought Brady would return or not, and he said, “Yes. He said he wasn’t going anywhere [in the commercial], so I think he’s staying.” There seems to be a common theme in the opinions of Wethersfield High School students, and that opinion is that he’s not returning to the Patriots. Whether Brady decides to return to New England, go to another team, or retire, there’s no doubt that the upcoming NFL Season will be much different for him. He hasn’t been faced this much adversity before, so it will be fun to see how he responds to it.  By: Haley Krawczyk and Matt Silver
Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash on January 26 in Calabasas, California, among others. Kobe’s death has had an impact on former and current students from Wethersfield High School. Many students looked up to Bryant and were shocked to learn of his passing. Despite never having met the former NBA player, freshman Christian Bonvisuto said, “It just doesn’t feel right without him here today. He meant a lot to me and I am heartbroken by his passing.” After playing professionally for twenty years for the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe retired from the NBA in 2016. As a senior who was able to see a younger version of Kobe, Tyren Watt said, “Kobe was a role model to a lot of younger people and even adults. He always had a positive attitude towards every challenge he faced.” On the impact that Kobe’s death has had on her life outside of basketball, freshman varsity player Gabriella Tomaino said, “Ever since it happened, I took more risks and seized more opportunities. I think it is the perfect example of how tomorrow isn’t given, so you have to go out there and just live it like it’s your last minute.” The media attention surrounding the death of Kobe Bryant represents the legacy and inspiration that he has left. “His biggest saying for young kids whether it be athletes, students, or just regular kids was to keep trying and it’s okay to fail. He definitely inspired me to never give on what I aim to do in life,” said junior,Kaitlin Ryan. While the Bryants are the focus because of their notoriety, there are more families currently dealing with loss. There were seven additional passengers that died in the crash. The media has recognized these individuals far less and sophomore Abigail King said, “Because Gigi and Kobe were the most well-known, they got the most attention. And it is almost like their lives mattered more. But, in reality, that’s not true.” The students continue to grieve the loss of the famous player, his daughter, and the other passengers. Kobe’s influence on the sport will continue to impact players and students, despite his passing.  By: Emily Fazzina
Many people know what a hot dog, hamburger, and a sandwich are, but are they the same thing? That is what I have set out to find! I interviewed a few teachers at Wethersfield High School to get their opinion and you’ll never guess what I found out. When interviewing math teacher Mr. Bucchi, I found out that his favorite of the three foods is hot dogs. His favorite place to get a good dog is Capital Lunch in New Britain. He also said that he disagrees with the statement that a hot dog is a sandwich. He mentioned something that no one I interviewed brought up. “Technically no [in reference to my initial question], but I have put a hot dog cut up into halves and quarter it, so it's laid out on a piece of bread,” said Bucchi. Following this, Bucchi turned around in my interview to ask me a question, and what he asked was eye opening. “I’m going to flip the table, have you ever eaten a hamburger with a hot dog bun?” This comment opened my eyes to the unfairness of the way we treat hot dogs and hamburgers as American foods. My next interview was with Science Teacher Ms. Alexopoulos . When asking what her favorite type of food staple was, she said that she likes both hot dogs and hamburgers. And if put in a social gathering of sorts (like a picnic or barbeque), she asks for both. When I asked her the question of the hot dog being a sandwich she also disagreed with my statement. When asking her more questions, she revealed that she eats her hot dogs with no bun! Shocking! Technology educator Mr. Sikora tends to put his own spin on the foods, making his own. He preferred the hamburger meat to be shaped into tiny sliders, adding A1 sauce to the patties after being cooked. When he isn’t at home making his own burgers, Sikora enjoys a good hamburger at Goldburgers in Newington. When I asked the relation of hot dogs to sandwiches, Sikora told me that he considered the two foods to be like cousins. Where hamburger and sandwiches look similar, a hot dog has the same elements of a sandwich but a different complexion. After that, I headed across the art wing to art teacher Mr. Bayak’s room to get his opinion. Shockingly enough, I found out that he is a vegetarian. Another fun fact, he has eaten the same lunch for the past twelve year while working at Wethersfield High School, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Sticking with the theme he answered that he would eat sandwiches for the rest of his life, because he’s already doing so, considering his daily lunch choice. He also said that his food lifestyle doesn’t hold him back from eating hot dogs. Rather, he enjoys veggie dogs and veggie burgers, which he told me were just as delicious. Ms. Campbell’s had her own opinions on the debate. She agrees with my statement by the notion that you can eat both with your hands. She also enjoys a good hot dog with mustard and sauerkraut. And depending on the day, she likes to grab a good cold cut sandwich from D'angelo's. Finally, I stopped by English teacher Martin’s room to get a final opinion on the question that is rattling everyone’s brain. He doesn’t agree with the statement that hot dogs are sandwiches because his point is that culturally they’re two different things. “If you asked a member of our world community that's not from the United States and ask ‘What is the most American food?’ They would probably say, ‘hot dogs or hamburgers’” said Martin. His argument is that hot dogs are a different food species than sandwiches, but the same genus as hamburgers. Martin also doesn't trust hot dogs. Weird, right? He says that he saw a video of what is truly in the meat casing of the hot dog, and has been grossed out ever since. But that doesn’t stop him from eating veggie dogs or shrimp burgers, but by far his favorite place to go for a burger is Max Burgers in West Hartford. And if given the choice to eat one of the three food staples for the rest of his life, he chose sandwiches for the reasoning that there is an endless possibility for food that is labeled as a “Sandwich.” At the end of my interviews, I was surprised to find that a majority of the teachers don't consider a hot dog as a sandwich. I also found out that if they had to eat hamburgers, hot dogs or sandwiches for the rest of their lives; a majority of the teachers said that they would eat a sandwich for the rest of their life. Understandable. But given the choice, What would you choose? Would you make the right choice? Would you be surprised if you asked for a sandwich and was given a hot dog. Or would that make sense to you?  By: Michaela Collins
I know we are all aware by now of the dangers of social media. The several school assemblies on cyberbullying and privacy has kept us all well informed. However, there is still something about social media that we all tend to ignore: The Terms of Service. Now I don't blame anyone for not sitting through the 70 something pages of rules and policies that social media apps have. I couldn't even make myself read the entire thing for this article. But with recent controversies such as Facebook’s $550 million lawsuit over facial recognition and Tiktok saving information and possibly sending it to it’s country of origin, you have to wonder what we are giving up when accepting these policies. I decided to take a look at some of the policies for three popular apps among teenagers today: Snapchat, Instagram and Tiktok. Now again, I didn't read the whole thing. Instead, I read the parts where it tells you what information they collect and how they decide to use it. And let me tell you, it's a little creepy. All of these apps said that they send your information to third-party affiliates. Meaning, if you searched for a certain thing using their app, they record that information and continue to give you more ads related to your searches. So while no one is listening to you or watching you through your phone, they are recording everything you type. The apps also stated that they collect data like the things you watch/see so they can push other videos/pictures onto you so that you will stay on the app. Now these things were general knowledge at this point, but reading further into it, it got more shocking. Snapchat states that they collect information log information about the pages that you visited before and after you use their app. If you search something up on Google before using Snapchat, they’ll be able to see what you’re doing. Not only can Snapchat look at other things you’re doing while not using the app, they even record how long you’ve watched a certain ad or story for. As for location, if you use Snapmaps, they can store your “favorite” places for up to 40 days. Snapmaps has also gotten the company in controversy, alarming child safety groups everywhere. According to Childnet International :“It is important to be careful about who you share your location with, as it can allow people to build up a picture of where you live, go to school and spend your time.” If you decided that you no longer want your Snapchat anymore, delete your account, Snapchat states that they will delete most of your information. They were not specific as to what information they do keep. Instagram's privacy policy wasn't as alarming as Snapchat’s. They provide you ads based on what you frequently search. Instagram also states that they can track which emails have been opened by and links clicked on by users. However, Facebook owns Instagram. Facebook has had a little history with violating users privacy. I wouldn't be surprised if Facebook had a little influence on Instagram in regards to their rules. The new app with rapidly growing popularity, Tiktok has had a few run-ins with the law recently. Their policy was similar to the other apps' policies. They do record everything you watch on the app and keep all of the information. Tiktok has been accused of saving information after you delete your account. So if you decided to make another account with this app, they will recommend the same videos you watched on your deleted account. Also just as appalling, in late 2019 the app has been accused by a California college student of sending users information to China, where the app originated. According to Reuters, “The plaintiff downloaded the Tik Tok app in March or April of 2019, but never actually created a Tik Tok account. Why would they send information to China and what exactly are they sending? We don't know. Now I don't expect many people to delete their social media if they took the time to read the Terms of Service. In today's world, it's difficult not to have some sort of social media. It provides us with current news, keeps us in touch with one another, allows us to see what our favorite people on the platform are doing, etc. The media does have several benefits. Unfortunately, these benefits also come with consequences. While you may have fun posting pictures of your vacations or making short dance videos with you friends, you may be giving up a lot more then what you intended.  by: Kyle Edman and Nick McGrath
After a Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers, the Chiefs pulled out an amazing comeback win with a final score of 31-20. This was a fantastic game to watch, even if you aren’t a fan of those teams it was most definitely a thriller. With this nationwide event, we went around and asked some teachers in our school who they wanted to win and why they picked that team. With that being said, let’s see what some of our favorite teachers said. Out of all the teachers we interviewed, only one teacher, history teacher Mr Sand, went for the 49’ers. He said, “[I’m] mildly rooting for the 49ers. Not a fan but as a Vikings fan, I was going with the NFC team.” When we asked him how he felt about the niners blowing the lead he responded with “I don’t think they blew the lead. Mahomes and company are just really good. I thought they needed to outscore the Chiefs, not hold them to a low scoring output.” The other six teachers had the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl, science wiz Mr. Walsh had this to say about the Super Bowl, “I wanted the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl, because I prefer the AFC teams and I like Patrick Mahomes.” Another history teacher, Mr Ferrett agreed with Walsh saying, “[I wanted the] Kansas City Chiefs. They had not won in 50 years and half a century is a long time.” Earth Science teacher, Ms. Alexopoulus had an interesting and detailed response when asked why she wanted the Chiefs to win. “I know the coach wanted to be able to say he won the Super Bowl as a head coach, so given how dedicated and caring he is to his players, I just wanted him to get that win.” She also followed up with, “[Andy Reid] also wanted to win for his son who passed away a few years ago, and that makes the win that much more special for him.” All seven teachers we interviewed gave a similar response when asked why the 49ers blew the lead and it basically came down to the fact that they didn’t necessarily blow the lead, the Chiefs offense was just way more aggressive and ready to play. Long time teacher and Patriots fan Mr.Gallivan said, “I think it was less about the 49ers blowing the lead and more about Patrick Mahomes just switching to another gear in the fourth quarter. Great quarterbacks can do that - as Tom Brady has demonstrated many times.” Mr. Sikora added, “I had read and heard the coach was the winningest coach in NFL history without a ring, so I was hoping he could get one. Every game with Mahomes was pretty impressive too.” As other teachers have told us about their thoughts on the Super Bowl, Andy Reid seemed to be a big motive as to why they wanted the Chiefs to win. What were your thoughts on this exciting Super Bowl? Comment below! by: Zack Grenier and Kassandra Vazquez
On January 3, Justin Bieber broke his 4-year silence in the music industry with his new single “Yummy.” The singer’s comeback was heavily promoted on all major social media platforms and led to big anticipation for the new song to be another one of Bieber’s chart topping bops. While many people are excited for this era of Bieber's career, this new single couldn’t help but make others wonder if the singer’s new approach to music seemed un-authentic to the Bieber we all know and love. While “Yummy” peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, many fans are criticizing the lyrics on the catchy song. “After the first verse it honestly got boring” WHS senior Haley DellaFera said, “It was disappointing to be expecting something so good as a comeback after 4 years and to get a song that is so repetitive.” The lyrics didn't seem to be the only thing off-putting to people when it came to the new song. While promoting the song, Bieber and his team took a different approach to letting "Beliebers" know how to get the song to be as successful as Bieber wanted. People found the way the "Yummy" singer decided to promote the song to be very unlike him and overall desperate. Joyclen Pinero, WHS senior and avid ‘Belieber’ felt disappointed in the singer’s new release. “I had higher hopes for this song, it feels very repetitive. It's very simple and there's nothing wrong with simple. It definitely was not a strong comeback song. The fact that he seems so desperate for views makes me not want to listen to it.” This comment was made referring to Bieber’s recent instagram post explaining how to get “Yummy” to number one in the Billboard Hot 100. Bieber went as far as to tell his fans from outside the U.S to get a VPN app to stream the song so it seems more people in the U.S. are streaming the song. Bieber has always catered to a teenage audience but it seems like they're the audience that dislike the song the most. This makes people like us wonder if Bieber is trying to switch up his audience. We asked Ashley Cavnaugh, a WHS teacher and pop culture enthusiast, her opinion on the song. “I have mixed feelings on the song,” she said, “I like the beat behind the lyrics but I just don’t see the point in the song. It’s fun to listen to but I guess you're not supposed to think that deeply into the song.” While the overall opinion in WHS seems to be that ‘Yummy’ is more of a flop than a bop, many fans around the U.S. are excited for the singers new album and feel like this era will be the best one yet.  by: Caitlin Nardella “How many hours of sleep do you get?“ was the question asked to multiple students of WHS, the answers were quite concerning. “About 5 hours, I usually go to bed after work and homework“. That was said during an interview with a senior in highschool, and in most of the interviews with juniors and seniors. Studies show that the average teenager gets about 7 hours of sleep, However, they need about 9 hours of sleep to be fully rested. Let's say that you get home from school at 2:15 when school ends. You have work from 4-8, that's 4 hours of work on top of 7 hours of school and then probably 1.5/2 hours of homework, that leaves you with a possible 8 hours of sleep without eating and cleaning yourself up (showering, brushing teeth, etc.), which would most likely take another hour. There is no possible way for students to be “Fully rested“. “Neuroscientists say they are biologically predisposed to go to sleep around midnight and not feel fully awake and engaged until between 9am and 10am.“ If a teenagers brain doesnt officially wake up until about 9:30, how are we expected to get good grades if our brain isn't even fully awake to process and retain information? Well I have the perfect solution for this issue. If our brains aren’t fully awake until 9:30 then we shouldn’t have school until then, schools should open later and get out earlier. Going to school for 7 hours is very non engaging and makes kids not even want to come in, like myself for example. Having 80 min classes makes it even worse, my first period class starts at 7:40 and doesn’t end till 9:09… technically my brain isn’t even awake during my whole first period! Making our school days shorter and making them start later will make not only the stress rate go up but the attendance will probably go up as well.  The new article by: “Mike” Irace and Malizia
The infamous, yet somewhat cult classic has touched each of us throughout our lives. Here’s Irace's recollection. “My mom would always tell me the morning of. My whole family had the same enthusiasm, being excited for another installment to a lifelong tradition. The whole day I would think about my old pal Chuck waiting for me at 7:00pm. By the time it was finally on, the whole family would be watching, despite the fact we already saw it once a year for mostly our entire lives. It might have been because it was only on near holidays (that in itself being a great achievement), so my association with holidays made the Peanuts infamous. As it would end, I would panic and desperately wait to see what would happen next. Would another episode play, allowing me to stay down an extra 30 minutes to watch it? Or would my parents insist my night was concluded? I can’t speak for every Charlie Brown holiday special, but I vividly remember the Thanksgiving special being the preceder to an episode of Charlie and his friends taking a trip on the Mayflower back in the 1620’s. It didn’t matter which holiday and it didn’t matter how the holiday itself was, but Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is a clear memory of a tradition I still encounter currently.” Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving special was a pivotal moment in American culture. As a kid, watching Charlie Brown it is hard to notice the overarching theme. Each story has its own moral; The Christmas special shows the powerful effect of being kind to others and Thanksgiving’s shows generosity and the nature of giving. The overarching theme at play in all Charlie Brown episodes is growing up. Perhaps it is only the time period (1950’s-1960’s), but it is very apparent that no adults are around to supervise. In the Thanksgiving special, all of the kids get together and have their own “Thanksgiving” dinner. Unfortunately, through the years, the Peanuts gang has gone from “Count Holiday”, to barely recognizable among the younger crowd. It’s apparent by its current absence from pop culture that a majority of Freeform’s annual broadcast is viewed by boomers, and possibly a few millennials. With that said, will this special fade to obscurity over the following decades? Sure, there were attempts to revive it, but they were never able to capture the original charm and comedic timing of the OG special, causing them to go unnoticed by longtime fans, and not remembered by the new generations. Despite this unfortunate reality, it is a very heartwarming story about Friends coming together to celebrate regardless of any plans that parents have made. Epilogue: Please tell your friends and family about this special, bring it back to mainstream popularity and keep the tradition going!  By: Jake Whitaker and Johnny Orsini Popeye’s Chicken sandwich has taken the fast food industry by storm this year, when it was brought into the restaurants it took only two weeks for the chicken sandwich to completely sell out! Now that they are being made again, some locations are selling as many as 1,000 sandwiches a day. Now the real debate is who has the best chicken sandwich? The long time favorite Chick-Fil-A sandwich, or the Popeye's sandwich and its new found stardom? With Popeye's being all over the news for having people attacked and even killed over a chicken sandwich you would believe that they must have the better chicken sandwich right? According to Wethersfield High School students that is incorrect, well, sort of. 31 students responded to our poll and 48.4% of them said that Chick-Fil-A’s spicy chicken sandwich was better than Popeye’s spicy chicken sandwich. 19.4% of voters said that Popeye’s spicy sandwich was better, while the other 32.3% either said that they haven’t had Popeye's or haven’t had either. On the other hand, 45.2% of voters said that Popeye’s regular chicken sandwich was better, 32.3% said Chick-Fil-A’s regular was better, and 22.6% said that they have either had neither or never tried Popeye's. With a one to one stalemate, there was one last vote. Who has the better overall chicken sandwich? By a vote of 66.7% to 26.7%, Chick-Fil-A was voted as having the better chicken sandwich. While looking deeper into the voting, we realized that there may have been a reason that Chick-Fil-A took such a lead in the final vote. Many voters claimed that Chick-Fil-A pulled ahead because of great service. Senior Matt Silver says “Chick-fil-a has much better service so that makes the sandwich experience that much more enjoyable.” The other big factor that affected our voting was that with Popeye's sandwich being new and the nearest Popeye's being almost 20 minutes away, many people haven’t tried it. Head football coach and history teacher Matt McKinnon has never tried Popeye's for one reason. “Popeye's is not near my house, I never have been there.” So while we have the data that shows that WHS students like Chick-Fil-A better, we believe that if more students tried Popeye's and if there was a location closer to Wethersfield than the data would look much different. What do you think? Which is the better chicken sandwich? Comment below!  By: Kaitlyn Fischer and Jacob Rivera Since Thanksgiving is soon approaching, we set out to interview staff and students on how they celebrate and to see just how different we really are. Starting off slow, we asked the easy question. Quite simply, for those who have turkey, how do you make it? One person deep fries their turkey, five bake it, one buys it from a store, and two didn’t know yet how their turkey would be cooked. One that stood out to us was student Joe Porriello, saying, “I just show up for the food”.  Even as your writers, we celebrate differently. For Jacob Rivera, his family does not have turkey. Instead, they celebrate with mostly Latin American foods such as rice and beans, gandules, tostones, mofongo, pasteles, and alcapurrias. The main substitution for having turkey for the Rivera family is Pernil, which for your understanding, is roasted pork. The Rivera family, among many other families celebrate Thanksgiving in many different ways, mixing in what they know and how they live.
Senior Megan Kelleher celebrates by having antipasto every year. “It's become a tradition where, every year, we have to have it.” While doing our interviews, we found that a lot of people have yearly traditions to celebrate this holiday. Malvina Katapuqi celebrates by having lamb, which is part of her religion. As you can see, Thanksgiving is a holiday that holds many traditions for most families. No matter how you cook your turkey, what other foods you may eat, or simply just showing up to be with your family, it's a holiday that brings everyone together. |
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