Change We Can Believe In - Southington Public Schools

FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:32 AM Page 1
The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
Since 1898 • Volume C • Issue 4
February 2009
Change We Can Believe In
Rabia Hamid ’09
Editor-in-Chief
On Tuesday, January 20th,
2009, many lined up to see the
44th president of the United
States, Barack Obama to be
sworn into office. The inaugural ceremony was extraordinary, and the entirety of
Washington D.C. was ablaze
with excitement. Many people
were eager to attend, including
Bristol resident, Laura Minor.
About 1.8 million people
attended the Inauguration of
’09, which is an unprecedented
amount.
The inaugural celebration
had been opened to all
Americans, and The
Presidential Inaugural
Committee (PIC) had selected
a variety of organizations to
dispense those tickets. On
Sunday, January 18, the
Inaugural Welcome Concert at
the Lincoln Memorial was free
and open to the public and so
was the entire National Mall
for people to watch the swearing-in ceremony and the
parade on large screens.
Unfortunately, thousands of
people who had tickets to the
swearing-in ceremony could
not get there in time due to
traffic. At 11:30 a.m. the security gates closed and no one
else was allowed on the Capitol
grounds. Luckily, Minor and
her husband were able to beat
the crowds.
Even though, Minor underwent incredible frustration
because of the long delay, she
admitted that the long wait had
been “worthwhile and the
experience was fulfilling,”
when she heard Obama’s voice
from where she stood at the
National Mall. She states,
“When the gates to the Mall
had been opened after ‘Hail to
the Chief ’ was done playing
and the president had been
sworn into office, I felt so
excited, and enthusiastic. I
knew that America was going
to make it[through our current
state] and Obama was going to
be there to lead the
way…How wonderful to be in
Washington to celebrate
instead of to protest [as I have
been in Washington to protest
before]! America can go back
to say that we actually enforce
our real values. This country is
going to go in the right direction— from now on we will be
inclusive, not exclusive.” At
that point, she felt that, “We
[Americans] got out country
back.”
Minor considered her
favorite parts of the inaugural
ceremony to be “going to the
Inauguration Welcome
Concert,” and also “to stand
on the Mall and hear Martin
Luther King III give his
speech.” She explains that the
point at which American folk
singer Pete Seeger, sang “This
Land is Your Land” was a
“moment of the concert that
was beyond expression.”
In addition, Minor definitely
felt that the inauguration’s
theme of “Renewing America’s
Promise,” was actively reinforced. She claims, “Obama’s
entire speech was so hopeful.
He examined the contributions
of everyone who has made
America great, from slaves to
people who came here on their
own will. When he used the
words, ‘restore the vital trust in
the government,’ I thought it
would be incredibly nice to be
able to trust our government
once again…The Bush administration has greatly disappointed me and hurt [the]
America[n] [morale] compared
to [Obama and his Cabinet]
who [are] inspirational leaders.”
When asked why she chose
to attend this inauguration ceremony in particular, Minor
responded, “I have never been
to an inauguration ceremony
before. I wanted to attend this
one because President Obama
was the candidate that I had
most-admired in my entire life
..I supported him and respected the way he ran his campaign, in contrast of that of
President Bush.”
Because Obama is now
president, Minor feels that,
“[America] will have tremendous challenges…if we measure success as ‘Can he lift
nation up?’ during this economic turmoil, then…he will
be successful…” She thinks
that Obama is looking at the
future, whereas former president Bush created “a fearful
and desperate society in which
people’s actions were motivated by greed.” Minor also
Continued on Page 2
Inside
This Issue
SHS Junior an Insurance Agency VP
Tomek Zubrowski ’09
Contributing Writer
From an early age, many
students yearn for the glamorous job of a fireman, astronaut, or Nascar driver, but not
Jonathan Carmichael.
Seventeen year-old Carmichael
is already vice president of
Agency Automation at
Connecticut Casualty
Company.
Carmichael was hired by
his uncle, who was overstressed and overworked.
Carmichael started off just
helping his uncle here and
there, but over the course of
only a single year, he was promoted to vice president.
However, being vice president of an insurance company
and a junior at SHS can get
tangled up. “Working late
sometimes and knowing I have
to wake up early the next
morning for school can be
pretty stressful,” said
Carmichael. He has been successfully juggling his job and
his schooling for over a year
now.
On a regular day at
work, Carmichael arrives, sets
up his laptop, downloads all
the policies for the day, prints
out copies and distributes
them to the customer service
representatives. He also sorts
out any issues with customers
and their new polices.
He enters the transactions and deals with any problems that may occur when
using The Agency Manager
(TAM), a program that keeps
track of customers’ policies,
bills, and other information.
Since Carmichael is responsible for TAM, he is always
updating it.
His job can also be
stressful at times when problems occur, as things do not
always work as they should
and can sometimes be overly
time-consuming. “It’s easy to
get frustrated when things
don’t work as they should,” he
said.
Carmichael is a committed employee since he
works for his uncle and started
at a very young age. “I kind of
laugh inside a little when people ask me what I want to do
when I grow up,” he said,
“because I’m already doing it.”
Eventually, Connecticut
Casualty Company will be run
by Carmichael and his brother,
who also works there.
“Knowing that the company
will probably be in my hands
some day is an almost scary
thought because I’m still
young,” said Carmichael.
Carmichael’s fantasies of being
an astronaut were over rather
early, as he did not feel the
need of dreaming anymore.
He is already living the dream
of any teenager who desires
success and authority.
l
a
i
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VS
alentine’s
Day
Issue.
What’s With
All The Love?
Page 9
Against
Love Poetry:
Page 8
Listening For
Love: Page 9
FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:32 AM Page 2
Page 2
The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
February 2009
SHS Community
A Daughter Is Inspired by Her
College, Career and Counseling
Q & A with Mrs. Russman
Bailey McLellan ‘09
Laura Slade ‘09
Staff Writers
Mrs. Russman has been a
guidance counselor at SHS for
3 years. She went to
Connecticut College in New
London and majored in psychology. She worked for
CIGNA, the insurance company based in Hartford, until she
realized she wanted to be a
guidance counselor.
Q: In high school did you
know that you wanted to be
a guidance counselor?
A: No, oh gosh, no! I'm a
great example of career
change. I first went to school
for my psychology degree and
then I went into business. I
worked at CIGNA for 10 years
before I decided I wanted to
work with students. I became a
guidance counselor to help
kids with their career choices
and other decisions.
Q: What are some differences between when you
went to college and college
now?
A: The competition to get
accepted to colleges has gone
up. More kids are applying to
schools. The cost has also
gone up tremendously, and it's
hard for families to afford.
Q: What are the most common worries seniors come
to you about during college
application time?
A: Many students are stressed
to finish their applications and
essays. Sometimes they don't
know what to write. Others are
nervous they won't be accepted to the school they want to
attend.
Q: What advice do you usually give them?
A: I tell them it's very important to stay focused and organized.
Q: When is the best time to
start applying to colleges?
A: Right when you come back
to school or within the months
of October and November.
But we try to encourage students to start writing their
essays and visiting colleges
during
the
summer to
see
what
they
like.
Q:
What
are the
average SAT scores that colleges find impressive?
A: Different schools cater to
different types of students.
Certain schools care about the
SATs the most. Others want
students to be involved in
extracurricular activities. When
looking for schools, see what
colleges are looking for and
which ones you match up with.
Q: How do you feel when
students say college isn't for
them?
A: Four-year college is not for
everyone. But, it's important to
have a goal and some kind of
training after high school. A
two-year school or a technical
college may be more appropriate for some people. It's critical though to have some sort
of plan.
Q: Do you think it's a good
idea to take a year off
before starting college?
A: You know yourself, so you
have to make that decision.
For some people, they need a
little break. Then they can go
back to school and be more
motivated. Others have may
have a tough time getting back
into the groove.
Q: What could you say to
seniors who still have no
idea what their plans are for
next year?
A: Come see your counselor!
We have different tools and
tests that can help you.
Www.achieveworks.com can
help you learn more about
your personality, strengths, and
weaknesses. It can even match
you up with careers that may
be right for you. Also, you'll
have some time to experiment
with tons of different courses
in college.
SHS Students of the Issue
EMBLEM is officially accepting nominations for SHS EMBLEM Student of the Issue.
You can nominate yourself or one of your friends. You must
have accomplished something significant (e.g. community
service) or have shared a talent (art, music, etc.). A photo of the
nominee (or you) would be excellent. (send as an e-mail attachment) and a paragraph or two about their (or your) achievement to shsemblem@gmail.com.
Know an unsung hero??
Parents’ Brush with Death
Pam Lichaj ’09
Contributing Writer
As time was quickly
slipping away, one brave patient
was giving all she had to hang
on to life. She made the decision to move on with the kidney transplant despite the doctors' warnings she had only a 50
percent chance of staying alive.
She had to do something for
the little girl who promised joy
for the future. That little girl
was me, and I gave my mother
that extra ounce of inspiration
to keep fighting.
"I couldn't just leave my precious three-year-old daughter,”
my mother Barbara said. “You
didn't quite understand I
could've died later that day. I'm
glad you were able to enjoy life,
even though you didn’t understand why you had to be taken
off of my bed every time you
jumped."
A few days before my mother was to leave the Yale-New
Haven Hospital, my father
Edmund had an unexpected
major heart attack. Thankfully,
my Godmother was talking to
him on the phone, and she realized what was happening. He
was also rushed to Yale-New
Haven.
My aunt visited my mother
that day and told her that my
father was sick and didn't want
to make her condition any
worse. Little did my mother
know he was recovering only
two floors below her.
Try as I might, I still cannot
recall any of the days I visited
my sick mother at the hospital,
especially the day when both of
my parents were on the brink
of death. Perhaps, those memories would have hindered my
development. Instead, I have
used my parents' situation as
personal motivation to do as
well as I can in school and to
have the opportunity to go to
my dream university.
All my hard work paid off
when I was accepted early decision to Boston University. I
gladly accepted the offer. I had
thought applying to college was
the hardest part, but for me the
hardest was yet to come.
Considering my parents’ past
and recent problems, the medical bills (more than $10,000 a
year), keep piling up year after
year, making the process of
paying for BU intimidating.
Although my mother has
recovered from her kidney
transplant, she has been pronounced fully disabled.
Even my father is considered
partially disabled. In addition to
a major heart attack, he has balance problems and suffers from
hearing loss due to a wartime
gun blast.
My father often jokes about
how much BU is going to cost
him and what he needs to do in
order to keep me there. "I was
going to retire two years after
you were out of high school,”
he said, “but I might have to
work three or four more years
and recycle empty bottles and
cans."
Even though BU costs a lot
of money, my parents tell me
not to work, but to focus on my
education. "Concentrate only
on school,” my father said,
“getting into a great medical
school, and becoming a doctor.
Only then will we accept any
money for all that we've done
for you."
Emblem
The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
720 Pleasant Street, Southington, CT 06489
(860) 628-3229, Extension 495
www.shsemblem.org & shsemblem@gmail.com
The Emblem is a non-profit student-run newspaper that publishes six to eight
issues a year. To advertise in the Emblem, please call the number above.
Chris Amnott, Daniel Ardnt, Cassie
Editor-in-Chief................Rabia Hamid Brayfield, Mary Boisssoneault, Sylvie
Managing Editor......Lisa Petropoulos Chho, Mark Cole, Chelsea Corarito,
Rich Donovan, Jacquelyn FordCopy Editor..............Vicki Woszczyna
Cooperman, Melissa Galuska, Andrew
School News Editor.......Jordan Otero
Goldstein, Rachel Hayes, Pamela
Arts Page Editor.............Alaina Monts Lichaj, Bethany Lint, Brenda Lisitano,
Sports Editor.......................Zack Etter Bailey McLellan, John Nitowski, Nick
Perez, Joe Pesce, Phil Pomposi, Alyssa
Global News Editor..........Rael Ramos Rubin, Laurie Slade, Meaghan Ukers,
Features Editor...........Kaitlin Higgins
Stephen Wood, Brian Zmarlicki,
Tomek Zubrowski
Layout Editor............Kylie Harrington
Photographers:
Graphics Editor.....Nosherwan Hamid
Webmaster..........................Nick Tosta Brigid Bednarczyk, Kylie Harrington,
Alisha Washer
Faculty Advisor...Mr. Joseph Cipollini
EMBLEM meets every Monday after school in the library.
Obama ‘09
(continued from front page)
thinks that, “Obama can give
us hope— just by changing
our attitudes. [He shows us
that] being dependent on each
other and using each other’s
strength, [is the way] for us to
build a stronger America.”
Laura Minor believes that
Obama will far surpass his
predecessors, because he is
working adamantly to restore
the nation. “Obama will find
some way of passing the bill
that is before the Senate right
now. This bill—[which Obama
endorses]— will bring people
back to work, teach new skills,
and educate people…”
In addition to restoring
national order, Minor believes
that Obama will try to resolve
world conflicts. She thinks
that, “By having people who
are knowledgeable about other
parts of world [on his
Cabinet], we might be able to
deal with the tragedy in the
Congo, and the horrors in
Darfur…Obama approaches
problems as if they are solvable. He has better chance of
meeting goals than the Bush
administration ever did. His
approach is one of hope. With
that kind of approach and
expectation that ‘America is a
leader in democracy and cooperation,’ we can encourage
other parts of the world.
Obama is inspiring use of
green energy and of finding
people new jobs using green
energy. Obama also supports
the Health Chip Bill, which
provides health insurance for
kids who can’t have parents
afford it. He has also reversed
Bush’s actions by abolishing
the Gag Rule and rules about
family planning in other
nations. The fact that America
was not given the option of
abortion to other countries,
that it financially assisted, was
hypocritical because it is perfectly legal in America.”
When asked whether racial
boundaries have been lessened,
Minor confirmed, “…The
[race] barrier has been so completely broken…As a whole,
the American majority is pretty
well satisfied. To elect a black
president, America really had
to go beyond color and believe
that Barack Obama was the
best man for the job…We
should be [incredibly proud]...
[This choice] certainly reflects
the best of America— definitely not something that the
Bush years [elicited].”
All are welco me! Send articles or photos to: shsemblem@gmail.com
FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:33 AM Page 3
Page 3
The Students Newspaper of Southington High School
February 2009
Bye Bye Birdie! Hello Spring Musical!
Jacquelyn Ford-Cooperman ‘12
Staff Writer
During the first week
of January, the SHS Drama
Club held auditions for their
spring production of Bye Bye
Birdie, directed by Mrs. Osias
and Mr. Lindblom. The audition process included a song
from the show, a song of the
auditioners choice, a dance
number, and reading from the
script. Just by the auditions,
and what the Drama Club students needed to do in order to
prepare themselves, shows the
dedication of the students and
foreshadows a production that
is sure to please. The story of
Bye Bye Birdie is set in the late
1950’s, when a bad boy rocker,
Conrad Birdie, is drafted into
the military. However, before
he is sent to the military, he is
to kiss one lucky fan on The
Ed Sullivan Show; who turns
out to be Kim MacAfee. The
story then follows the life of
Kim as she changes, her relationship with Hugo, her
“steady,” and the relationship
of Birdie’s agent, Albert
Peterson, and his secretary
Rosie Alvarez. Bye Bye Birdie
will be performed on March
27, 28, and 29 in the SHS auditorium.
Did you know....that there’s a Southington YMCA
Youth & Government program. If you like traveling, discussing your opinions or just having fun, this may be the program
for you!
If you would like information on the Youth &
Government program, please contact Steve Silva at the
Southington Community YMCA at ssilva@southington-cheshireymca.org or (860) 628-5597 ext. 323 or
Mr. Cipollini at SHS: 860-628-3229 x495
Welcome...
Welcome.
to our new 700-acre campus on the banks of
the beautiful Connecticut River in
East Hartford, Connecticut.
,Q'HPDQG&DUHHU)RFXVHG$FDGHPLF3URJUDPV
Majors
&HUWL¿FDWHV
Pending Majors
General Studies
Business Administration
Health Science
Nursing
Medical Assisting
Respiratory Care
Early Childhood Education
Human Services
Homeland Security/
Criminal Justice
Paramedic
Histotechnician
Phlebotomy
Child Development
Associate
English as a Second
Language
Associate in Science in
Environmental Studies
Bachelor of Science in
Nursing
Bachelor of Science in
Child Study
Bachelor of Science in
Health Science
3 semesters annually
1,400 full- & part-time students
Day, evening, weekend & online classes
Caring, intellectually stimulating professors
Financial aid to over 80% of students
G ood w in Co lleg e • 1 Riv er sid e Dr iv e • E ast H a r t fo rd, CT 0 6 1 1 8
FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:33 AM Page 4
Page 4
The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
February 2009
Commentary: School Reform
A Dialogue Between Rich D. and Chelsea C.
Corarito
Rich Donovan ‘09
Staff Writer
Chelsea Corarito ’09
Staff Writer
Skewing History: The Mongols
John D. Nitowski ‘09
Staff Writer
Donovan
Chelsea: So, Rich, I propose that the school, in order to save money, should institute year round
schooling, alternating between three months of school, and then one month off. Your thoughts?
Rich: well, although there are some advantages, I think all it really does is create a need for better
climate control systems, and an increase in teacher salaries
Chelsea: Although those are goods points, I have to argue that with the number of incoming students to SHS (the number keeps increasing due to the skyrocketing number of condos being built),
it makes more sense for only some of the student population to use the school at a time, making
year round scheduling a much better idea.
Rich: but when it comes to finances, the school is already pressed, and the last thing they need to
do is have teacher's demanding that their salaries be increased to cover the extra time they'd have
to work.
Chelsea: What about if instead of year round scheduling, they return to the very old schedule.
Back when Derynoski was the high school, the school split the student body into morning and
afternoon time tables. That way, only half the student body was at school in the morning and afternoon.
Rich: but then you'd have a building which clearly can hold a large student body sitting nearly
empty all day. Plus, it would make it nearly impossible to schedule all of the activities that take
place there
Chelsea: True. What do you think is the best idea for the school to save money while still accommodating a growing student population?
Rich: Well, the first thing to do is to stop this ridiculous use of supplies. There is no reason we
need so many handouts. We could save a lot of paper this way. Next, the board of education needs
to look at the administration of all of the schools in the district and see how they can streamline
these offices. There is quite a bit that could be saved by cutting back on the repetition.
Chelsea: I think that is one thing we can agree on. However, I'll add that not only should the
board try to remove repetition, they should also find a way to reward positive teachers (not the easiest, but the most valuable) while re-evaluating those who do not meet such standards.
Rich: I agree that the good teachers should be rewarded, but there isn't really a good way to determine which teachers are the good ones.
Chelsea: What if they have to get a certain score. Half of the score comes from student evaluations that occurs every "x" amount of years while the other half accumulates from a survey given
by the school. Only the more motivated, active, and really the best teachers would pass, helping
more students to learn. Maybe the reward is a fatter paycheck. Those who don't qualify don't need
to be fired necessarily.
Rich: I like the idea, but the problem with that system is that it is based entirely upon the teacher's
ability to teach to a test. There isn't any proof that the teacher is really preparing the students for
anything other than their evaluations.
Chelsea: Well then. I guess we first have to get rid of standardized tests entirely. That might be
possible if Obama nullifies the No Child Left Behind Act.
Rich: Although I disagree that the feds should be involved with education, the purpose of NCLB
is to keep schools all across the country accountable for their students. Without federal standardized tests, you see the differences in educational quality that we are dealing with right now
Chelsea: Yes but with them the schools are simply teaching to pass the test, completely bypassing
inspiring creativity and intelligence in our nation's youth which should be the true purpose of the
educational system.
Rich: Really, the best answer is to add some competition to the school system. However, it isn't
right to allow public schools in some areas to be so much worse than schools in other parts of the
country
Chelsea: I think we can both agree to that as well as the idea that public schools do need an
upgrade in order to compete with other nations, to prevent frivolous spending, and to help keep
the US one of the top nations internationally. Any last thoughts, Rich?
Rich: Well, since it is January 13th, and we're officially down to the last week of junior Bush's
presidency, I was hoping we could throw in some quick commentary about the past few years, and
maybe some hopes for the near future.
Chelsea: I think a few lines about Bush's term would be an appropriate way to end. I'll say my bit
and you say yours. You can start if you would like.
Rich: I also would like to wish Obama the best of luck. For his presidency, and the nation, to be
successful, we need to see a return to our constitutional basis. I hope that we see this happen over
the next four years, and that the new president will bring a fresh perspective to some old problems.
Chelsea: Agreed. Rich, it was lovely talking to you and talk to you again next month.
Rich: Absolutely, I'm looking forward to it.
Della Vecchia
Funeral Home
The Tooth Mover
211 North Main Street,
Southington, CT 06489
628-2293
100 Main Street, Southington,
621-4455
CT 06489
Dr. Marc Parness
The Mongols were
nomadic herdsmen from East
Asia. In less than a century,
under the leadership of
Genghis
Khan, the
Mongol
Empire
w o u l d
expand
from Korea
to Poland.
Nitowski
Despite how fearsome
and powerful their warriors
were, there were a few places
the Mongols were unable to
conquer. One of them was
Japan.
The Khans attempted
to invade Japan twice; once in
1274 and once in 1281. The
second time it was attempted, a
typhoon destroyed the entire
Mongol army. The Japanese
dubbed is the “divine wind”
which translates to “kamikaze”
in Japanese.
The Japanese, of
course, survived the Mongol
invasion and went about its
way. But by now you know the
point of these history articles,
so here we go…
It’s 1281. The skies
above the Sea of Japan are
bright and sunny. The Mongol
fleet lands in southern Japan
and decimates the Imperial
Armies.
Within a year or two,
Japan has a puppet emperor
and is nothing more than a
Khanate (a piece of the
Mongol Empire not directly
attached to the Empire). The
Japanese Khanate, now more
united and without all the
Shoguns fighting among themselves for centuries, a united
Japan might engage in some
adventurous activities mirroring those of the Europeans.
Khanate fishermen in
Hokkaido (Japan’s northernmost island) could do what
English fishermen did in the
15th Century: follow the fish to
new lands. In the instance with
the English, they found
Canada. With the Khanate, they
might find Alaska’s southern
coast.
In addition, Mongol
ferocity could combine with
Japan’s limited marine power
and sail to the west coast of
North America.
What would be interesting would be Mongol hordes
riding through North America,
destroying Indian tribes and
Spanish missions that would
begin arriving north from
Mexico.
Eventually, the disorganized colonies from the
Japanese Khanate meet up with
an expanding United States.
Racist statesmen would of
course push for Manifest
Destiny and the conquest of all
the Natives.
Of course, there’s
already a Horde of Asian
armies living and thriving in
what we know as San Francisco
and Vancouver. American
armies might find themselves
engaged in a racist war against
Mangudai and Samurais:
Genghis Khan’s mightiest warriors.
FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:33 AM Page 5
Page 5
The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
February 2009
School News
Health Food Certification
Vicki Woszczyna ‘09
Copy Editor
Southington
Public
Schools have adjusted their nutrition standards for the Healthy
Food Certification as of the
2008-2009 school year. The certification impacts the sale of all
foods and beverages to students
only; adults are not affected.
The Southington School
Lunch Director, Nya Welinsky,
explains, “The Board of
Education has agreed to the
exemption which permits food
and beverages not meeting the
requirements to be sold at an
event. For example, soccer
games, school plays and interscholastic debates are events but
soccer practices, play rehearsals
and debate team meetings are
not.”
Students should adapt to
healthier food and beverage
choices from these practices. The
new standards focus on limiting
fat to no more than 35% calories,
and sugar is limited to no more
than 15 grams per single serving.
Saturated fat and trans fat cannot
be more than 10% calories.
The Healthy Food
Certification has impacted
Southington High School’s
Corner Café and students’
fundraisers. The school’s principal, Kathleen McGrath, states,
“This year students will be
allowed to eat lunch in the
Corner Café just one day a week
because a different menu has to
be created for them in order for
the school to be in compliance
with the nutritional standards.”
Students are questioning
the school’s advancement from
this idea. Sophomore Daniel
Dietz wonders, “What’s the difference? I can go to any store
and buy as much candy as I want
and they benefit from it. So
wouldn’t it be better to have our
school benefit from it instead?”
Similarly, students’ clubs
find a disadvantage from the certification. Spanish Club advisor
Antoinette Delfino, says, “Last
year there were several students
who were able to go to Mexico as
a result of the candy fundraisers
we had in support of that trip.
Some of those same students
will be coming to Costa Rica dur-
ing February vacation and have
felt the financial crunch.”
Knowing that most teenagers
enjoy candy, these students were
disappointed that they could not
sell to their friends at school.
This traditional fundraiser had to be exchanged with
other choices. The Spanish Club
held fundraisers at Wendy’s and
Friendly’s in Southington.
Customers needed to give students their receipts at the restaurants in order for the club to
receive a partial percent of the
profits.
Delfino believes that all
the stress needed to raise money
turned out to be successful due
to the effort students and parents
volunteered. The difficulty to
adjust to these new nutrition
standards is hard, but Delfino
says, “I believe it is worthwhile
and the right thing to do.”
The Southington Board
of Education voted the Healthy
Food Certification in favor on
June 12, 2008.
SHS FIRST Robotics Team 195 Wins International Video Submission Award
Benda Lisitano ‘09
Staff Writer
The Southington High
School FIRST Robotics Team
195, the Cyber Knights, was
recently named the winner of
FIRST's President's Circle
Challenge for their video submission persuading other high
school students to start a FIRST
team. Dean Kamen, well known
inventor and entrepreneur, started FIRST (For Inspiration and
Recognition of Science and
Technology) Robotics
Competitions. The Cyber
Knights celebrate their twelfth
year of competing in this fastpaced technology challenge
where high school students
work with adult mentors to
build a competition robot in sixweeks. The award was
announced at the FIRST
Kickoff where the new "game"
for the 2009 season was
unveiled in Manchester, New
Hampshire on January 3, 2009.
The video submission was
broadcast via NASA TV during
the kickoff and is now available
at YouTube.com. At the 2007
FIRST Championship, FIRST
President Paul Gudonis
announced the creation of the
President's Circle. Teams applied
for membership by submitting
responses through the FIRST
YouTube channel. This year the
President's Circle asked teams to
submit a short video advertisement to encourage more schools
to start FIRST Robotics Teams.
The Cyber Knights will
receive their trophy for this
award at the upcoming CT
Regional competition, March
26-28, 2009 at the Hartford
Convention Center. The
team's title sponsors from
Southington are Smith's Medical
and Tiger Enterprises. The team
wishes to thank all of their
sponsors and mentor Chris
Passig for his assistance with the
video submission. For more
information on SHS FIRST
Robotics Team 195, visit their
website at www.team195.com.
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BAND NOTES:Feb.
Jordan Otero ‘10
Cirque du Soleil shows. Some
School News Editor
outstanding
performances
While the excitement included “Irna”, a color guard
about the competition season feature performed in black
has died down, new activities lights; “Chameleon”, a humorhave been underway in band ous act in which band members
got to “rock out”; and
land.
Recent
Surround “Malagueña”, a song with a
Sound auditions have gotten Spanish flair taken straight
things underway for the indoor from “Blast!” itself.
This year an “official”
show that will be performed by
members of the brass section, theme has not been announced
percussion, and color guard. for the March performance just
Many band members say that yet, but it’s most certain that
the performance is comparable Surround Sound 2009 will not
to “Blast!”, a “celebration of be something to miss!
instrumental music and outdoor pageantry, put in a theatrical setting” (James Mason,
Blast! creator).
Two years ago the theme of
the show was “Distorted” and
featured music from various
A response to last issues Front Page article on Knight Crew
Let the Voice of
the Fans Be Heard
Brian Zmarlicki ’09
Nick Perez ’09
Contribuiting Writers
Sports are a huge part
of most high schools. Often,
up to hundreds of students
gather to support their friends
and classmates who play a
sport. The behavior of fans at
events is not the same at every
school.
There are specific
rules set forth by the
Connecticut Interscholastic
Athletic Conference to control
fan behavior. However, each
school also has its own regulations and consequences for
not following them. In the past
couple of years, these rules
have been more strictly
enforced at Southington High
School even thought the
behavior of Blue Knights’ fans
has not really changed.
One example is the
Knight Krew, a student organization of fans who support
various sporting events. Since
it was created, this group has
always been full of students.
However, this year the
Krew has been much smaller
than ever before. One of the
main reasons behind this is
that most coordinated chants
and cheers are no longer
allowed. They are considered
demeaning to the other team.
Even traditional chants such as
yelling “AIR BALL!” are not
allowed.
Another example of
overly strict rules interpretation happened at a recent
hockey game. Senior forward
Eric Muroski scored three
goals, known as a “hat trick.”
For many years, hockey fans
have thrown their hats onto
the ice to celebrate this milestone.
However, when a fan
threw his hat on the ice, he
was surprised to find out that
he was being ejected from the
game. He did not understand
why throwing a hat on the ice
was demeaning to the other
team. He said that he was only
trying to celebrate his friend’s
accomplishment.
A final example of
strict rules interpretation is the
ban on fans painting their
chests with the team name or
color for a game. Last year,
students who painted their
chests were called down to the
office and told never to paint
themselves again.
It is understandable
that one team’s fans should
not be rude or demeaning to
the other team. However, students love to show their support for the friends and classmates in any way they can.
Too many SHS students have
been discouraged from showing school spirit. High school
sports such as basketball,
hockey, football, and volleyball
should not become like golf
and tennis where any fan reac-
FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:33 AM Page 6
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The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
FBLA Sled-A-Thon
February 2009
FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:33 AM Page 7
Page 7
The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
February 2009
A Slice of the Arts
Artist of the Issue:
Ted Rall
Alaina Monts ‘09
Arts Page Editor
In honor of last month’s
presidential inauguration, this
issue’s artist is Ted Rall, a political cartoonist. He was born in
Cambrige and raised in Ohio
where he published his first cartoons in the KetteringOakwood Times. Suprisingly,
his major in college had nothing
to do with art. In fact it was
probably the farthest from an
art related major he could get
(Unless you count making diagrams of collisions art): Physics.
However, throughout what I
expect was a rousing three years
in college (he was expelled junior year for undisclosed reasons), he contin-
ued to draw for the Columbia
Daily
Spectator,
Barnard
Bulletin, and the Jester, a humor
magazine. Rall, according to his
website is “America's hardesthitting editorial satirist.” He got
his start making these hard hitting satirical pieces of genius
when he met pop artist Keith
Haring in a subway station in
1986. He began posting his cartoons on New York City streets
and eventually picked up a few
clients including NY Weekly.
Now, his cartons appear in over
100 publications both in print
and online including, the NY
Times, Village Voice and the LA
Times. His muse is Thomas
Nast, who Rall says viewed
political cartoons as a vehicle for
change. He draws about what
actual people care about—issues
such as unemployment, the
environment, and political
trends often come across his
drafting table. He now produces
three cartoons a week and is
always looking for fresh material
to satirize. We can only wonder
what he has to say about our
new President.
Against Love Poetry: Tough Love on Love’s Day
Chelsea Corarito ‘09
Staff Writer
This is the time of
year when although it is cold
outside, couples everywhere
seem to be warm with cheer.
And I’m not talking about a
second Christmas. Valentine’s
Day, named after the similarly
titled St. Valentine, occurs
once a year on February 14th.
Although vaguely centered on
the appreciation for love in
one’s life, now it has begun to
grow around the giving of
cheap paper valentines, boxes
of chocolate, and assorted floral bouquets. If you disagree
with the entire holiday, then
you are in luck.
Since the dawn of creativity, artists have thrived on
describing the absence/ loss of
love through their work. One
poet in particular, Eavan
Boland, a feminist and poet
(but not a feminist poet, she
says) from Ireland has written
her ninth volume of poetry
properly deemed Against Love
Poetry. She is a teacher, mother, and writer who feels that
her poetry adequately describes
the hardships women in
Ireland face all the time, espe-
cially in marriage and love.
During an interview, when
asked, “Do you think poetry
can change the world?” Boland
intelligently replied, “No. But
it can change people. And that
is enough.” Boland is both
wise and an inspiration, for her
work can thoroughly be appreciated, especially in the coming
weeks that always seemed to
be filled with a Cupid overdose.
In her book, Against Love
Poetry, one poem in particular
stuck out for me. The poem
termed “Quarantine” leaves a
hollow, echoing memory in the
reader’s mind, even after the
book has been closed. If read
quickly and simply for face
value, “Quarantine” seems
unremarkable, even perhaps
drab. But if it read slowly, out
loud to oneself, it takes on an
entirely different tone. The
poem, although short, begins
with the story of a young man
and woman traveling at night
because the woman is sick with
a fever. They are found dead
the next morning, her feet
clutched to his chest, in a
motion of blowing warm air
to keep them warm. Boland
goes on to write about how
even though this act seems to
be filled with love, time shows
how they fought, how they
lived. But the most important
line in the passage dictates
how only darkness can truly
show what exists between a
man and a woman. It is beautifully written, even with the
harsh words and a lack of
rhyming.
Boland’s Against Love
Poetry poems are not flighty
pieces about gardens or flowers or how the sun sets on the
glistening horizon. They are
dark, more reminiscent of
Sylvia Plath. Undermined by
dark intentions, Boland’s
poems leave an after taste in
the reader’s mouth, not good,
not bad, but a taste nonetheless that forces the reader to
keep pondering what Boland
was really trying to say. And
that is the mark of a truly
impressive writer. Whether you
are donning black on the 14th
in a protest against love, or
simply searching for an
impressive read, Eavan Boland
delivers with her ninth volume,
Against Love Poetry.
Madame Tomorrow
Dear Madame Tomorrow,
My last boyfriend broke up
with me over two years ago and I
seem to be feeling extra lonely
now that Valentines Day is coming around. I know I shouldn’t,
but I can’t help worrying about
my future. What if I never find
someone? Do you have any
advice for a lonely girl like me?
From,
Lonely Girl
Dear Lonely Girl,
I know it is easy in the world
today to be concerned about your
happily ever after. I mean people
seem to be divorcing more than
ever, but that doesn’t mean you
have to give up hope. If you divert
from looking at all the people who
have given up on their relationships you will find couples who
have survived for 50 years or more
and still can remember why they
fell in love. If you’ve been looking
for a relationship that’s more than
just hanging out with a few close
friends then you should know it
can be difficult to find the right
person. There are a couple tips I
can give you about finding your
perfect partner. For one, you
shouldn’t compromise or change
who you are just to find a guy, but
showing some confidence every
once in while wouldn’t hurt. Most
of the time people have trouble
finding someone because they
have no time to meet people or
perhaps they are just too shy. If
you make yourself too busy with
work and clubs try expanding your
awareness to the people around
you the right person may have
been in front of you the whole
time and you’ve just been too busy
to even notice.
Talk to people! you will never
find any one if you don’t try. If
you are shy get out there, join
clubs, and meet people. How do
you know you haven’t walked by
the perfect guy every day with out
even being aware that he exists?
Another reason you may not be
finding Mr. Right is your standards
are too high, guys can’t always live
up to what you envision in your
mind or worse, the characters you
read about or see on television.
Dating isn’t a one way thing; girls
can’t just stand around just waiting
for a guy to notice them they have
to find who they want and get their
guy to see them. Girls are always
saying how guys are stupid and
slow, but women never realize that
they expect men to read their
minds. If a girl doesn’t show how
she feels a guy won’t be able to see
it; he’s not a psychic.
The final and perhaps saddest
situation for fumbling in the field
of love is a girl tries too hard and
it back fires because the guy feels
threatened or overwhelmed. Some
guys like girls who take charge, but
this is rare. A very effective way to
obtain a guy is the ever classic,
playing hard to get. I know it
sounds devious, but it works.
Don’t give him too much at once,
get his attention first and don’t be
afraid that he’ll dump you the first
time something goes wrong. Don’t
fawn over him, let him be free and
most importantly don’t try to control or change him. If you ever feel
you have to change a guy then he is
not the one for you. In addition
remember, just be you. If you be
yourself then you know who ever
is attracted to you will like your
true self.
If you think you are not too
shy, meeting enough people, have a
fair criteria, and still you haven’t
found anyone to be with then stay
strong and keep an open mind. I
believe that there is someone for
everyone and it’s only a matter of
time until you find who it is.
Students Of The Issue
Jesse Crofton landed a
lead role in “Bye Bye
Birdie” and is a freshman. He plays the title
role of Conrad Birdie.
Meghan Bowes landed
a lead in the Drama
Club production of
“Bye Bye Birdie” and is
only a freshman. She
plays Kim MacAfee.
Until Next Time,
Madame Tomorrow
Do you have a problem
you would like Madame
Tomorrow to help you
solve? Write to shsemblem@gmail.com. Put
Madame Tomorrow in
the Subject Line.
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•Motor Vehicle Testing Services (at our classroom location)
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•Home pick up and drop off. (for driving only)
•Enroll anytime
FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:33 AM Page 8
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The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
February 2009
Valentine’s Day
What’s With All The Love?
Cassie Brayfield ‘09
Staff Writer
The word love means different things to different people, for some it means breath
taking romance, the kind that
sends girls aflutter and brings a
sweet sensitivity to even the
strongest of men, some think
of a strong friendship-like
bond that can last lifetimes,
others think of sex and physical love. There are also people
who don’t think of any of
that, who think of brotherly
love together with the trust
and loyalty they feel for their
family members and close
friends. In the English language there are many different
phrases that people use to talk
about love. We say things like
“falling in love”, “love stuck”,
and even “puppy love” in
common conversation. You
can not live as a part of society without hearing about love
in movies, books, or popular
music. Why does love seem to
be such a large and almost
necessary part of life today?
Even before humans
could communicate, they knew
they needed a mate, someone
who could help them continue
the population and raise their
off- springs. It is instinct to
pursue the best possible mate
for the assurance of a good
future for themselves and even
for generations yet to come. It
is probable that our pursuit of
a loved one today begins with
that simple instinct, a need to
find a partner and create the
best possible future for our-
“Love is a feeling you
get when you know that
you have found someone
that makes you more of
a person than you could
ever be alone.”
selves and our children.
We may be able to
find the reason for the way
love is today if we look at
another time in human history;
in the romantic era which was
a time just after the plague
when artists were at large.
When people were learning
how to create and observe
instead of how to conquer and
destroy. In the 14-1500s
painters and sculptors
like Michelangelo and
Leonardo da Vinci
were paying attention to the
beauty of the world around
them and finding ways to
duplicate it while poets and
other writers creatively found
the words for their thoughts.
Another artist who emerged
around this time was William
Shakespeare who became
famous for the ways that he
was able to express love. This
era was a wonderful time even
the daily language seemed
more sophisticated and pleasing to hear. (Although considered corny or cheesy today)
This part of time made people
think that love was a wonderful and easily obtainable commodity; people had hope.
Perhaps today people still feel
that type of hope and wish it
was as free and unhindered as
it was in the 1500s.
Love is everywhere
today. For many people it’s a
need and a desire. Over the
ages people have tried to
express and explain love, but
from what I’ve learned, love is
a feeling you get when you
know that you have found
someone that makes you a
more of a person than you
could ever be alone. People say
somewhat cheap words like
“you complete me”, but maybe
that sums it up. Love is the
feeling of being complete as a
person and it is the force that
drives a great many of the
decisions that people make,
made, and are still making.
Love is real.
Listening For Love
Kaitlin Higgins ’09
Feature’s Editor
Okay, we all know the classic love songs: Celine Deon’s
“My Heart Will Go On,”
Whitney Houston’s “I Will
Always Love You,” The
Beatles’ “All You Need Is
Love,” and so on and so forth.
There’s a ton! So, this
Valentine’s Day, whether you’re
spending it with your significant other, trying to snag a
date, or even just hanging
out with yourself or your
friends, why not add a few
new songs to that already stellar soundtrack? They’re sweet,
they’re meaningful, and they’re
sure to get you feeling all
lovey-dovey just in time for
February 14th. All together
now: “Awwww!”
1. “My Beautiful Rescue” by
This Providence
After one listen to this
mellow yet sprightly song,
you’ll probably be pretty sure
that it was inspired by true
love. Best lines: “I'm falling
more in love with every single
word I withhold. I'm falling
more in love with every single
word you say. I'm falling head
over heels for you. I've been
dancing on the tops of buildings with you.”
2. “Inevitable” by Anberlin
This song is undoubtedly
simple and sweet, but filled
with an infinity of emotion
and adoration. It starts out as
softly as a childhood crush but
gradually grows in passion and
depth. Best lines: “We could
stay in this moment for the
rest of our lives. Is it over now,
hey, hey is it over now? I want
to be your last first kiss that
you’ll ever have.”
3. “The Girl” by City and
Co lour
Dallas Green, the man
behind the music, will be sure
to get any girl swooning with
his honest lyrics and sweet
melodies. This is the kind of
song every girl wants written
about her. Best lines: “While
I’m off chasing my own
dreams, sailing around the
world, please know that I’m
yours to keep, my beautiful
girl.”
4. “A ll Again For Yo u” by
We The Kings
You’ve probably heard
their song “Check Yes Juliet”
on the radio over a million
times, so you might know that
these guys are pretty good at
singing about young love. This
song embodies it nicely, with
its movie-perfect scenarios and
silly teenage promises. Best
lines: “You were everything
that’s bad for me; make no
apologies. I’m crushed, black
and blue, but you know I’d do
it all again for you.”
5. “MFEO: Made Fo r Each
Other” by Jack’s Mannequin
Just the title of this song
would be a sufficient enough
explanation as to why it makes
a great Valentine’s Day
anthem, but then add in
Andrew McMahon’s pounding
piano skills, and you’ve got
yourself a keeper! Best lines:
“Oh maybe, we were made, we
were made for each other. Is
it possible for the world to
look this way forever?”
6. “I’ll R un” by The Cab
This song echoes effortlessly with words of faith,
trust, dedication, and care.
Sound enough like a romantic
movie soundtrack, or maybe
even that fairy tale love? Give
it a try. Best lines: “Because
sometimes, baby, you fall on
your back. But girl, you’re
three times the lady I’ll ever
have. And you know, you
know it’s true, this is a fight I
refuse to lose.”
7. “Shine” by The Morning
Of
You know the story: boy
meets girl, boy falls for girl,
and girl doesn’t know boy
exists. Maybe that’s what
they’re getting at with this
song, or maybe not. If you’ve
found yourself stuck in a similar situation, try winning someone over with this one. Best
lines: “I’ll be fine if you stay
by my side… Never felt this
way in my whole life, never
had this feeling before tonight.
I can’t get you off my mind,
‘cause you shine, girl, oh you
know you shine.”
8. “So Much Love” by
The R ocket Summ er
Arguably one of the most
talented musicians of our generation, Bryce Avary’s got a lot
of love, himself. This song is
charismatic, energetic, endearing, and beautiful. Best lines:
“Oh, I swear, I know I believe
it. Oh, I can’t stop hearing all
the singing. Oh, my soul has
never had this feeling; it feels
like gold. You got so much
love in you. You got so much
love in you. I’m amazed that
I’m talking to you. You look
like the songs that I’ve heard
my whole life coming true.”
9. “Bring Back Love” by
A ce Enders
This song, as well as the
next, isn’t about romantic love
at all. It’s all about loving what
you’ve got and sharing your
love with everyone around
you. So be sure to give love,
and this song, a chance. Best
lines: “By the year 2020, I
want to look at what we did,
so we can stand up all together, and put an end to it. And
there will be no more pointless
fighting, no more money running it. We’ll bring back love,
bring back love, bring back
love again.”
10. “Bigger Than Love” by
My Favorite Highway
Just like its predecessor,
this song encourages people to
embrace love wherever they
can find it. Stop complaining,
stop hating, and start loving.
Best lines: “If there’s a hole in
your heart, you’ve got to pull it
together. It takes some
courage to start, but now is
better than never. It takes a
push and a shove; somehow
it’s never enough. And it’s
alarming how quickly we forget that nothing’s bigger than
love. All you need, all you
need, all you need is love.”
FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:33 AM Page 9
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The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
Celebrity Crushes
When asked about their “celebrity crushes”, it
seemed that most students admired popular singers
and actors. Why? Their good looks, stunning voices, or
irresistible charm is what won most of them over. Will
they get their special valentine? Who knows? Continued on next page.
February 2009
Alyssa Rubin ‘10
Staff Writer
FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:33 AM Page 10
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The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
Below: Jamie
Mierzejewski ’11
Taylor Lautner-“He
plays Jacob in the
Twilight movie!”
Le ft : Ally Massi ‘10 Ro b
Pat t i so n -“He plays Edward
Cullen in Twilight, of course!”
Above: CharlieDan Sheffy ’10
T ay l o r S w i ft - “She writes
great music, and is very pretty!”
Above left: Dan Dietz ’11
Keira Knightley-“She makes an
amazing pirate!”
Right: Meghan
Jesse Crofton ’12 Cassadee
Bowes ’12 James
Pope- “She is in a great band, and Mcavoy– “Just
is really pretty!”
look at him!”
Above center: Kayla Teel ’09
Nick Jonas- “He has beautiful
curly hair, and an intense stare!”
February 2009
FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:33 AM Page 11
SSUE
all?
SSUE:
oo.com
Page 11
The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
February 2009
National and SHS Sports
NHL Season Review
Philip Pomposi ’09
Staff Writer
It’s been a great NHL season
so far. We have seen the
Winter Classic outdoor game
at Wrigley Field in Chicago,
and the all-star game. It is half
over, so now it’s time to go
over first half awards.
Most improved teamPhoenix Coyotes. The Coyotes
had the fourth worst record in
the league last year. Right now
they have the sixth best in the
west. Keep it up and they will
be playing in the spring.
Biggest disappointmentNashville Predators. The
Predators made playoffs last
year, but this year their postseason chances look dull. They
hold 3rd the worst record in
the league.
Worst Team- Los Angeles
Kings. Nothing has gone right
for this team so far; they have
the worst record in the western
conference. It looks like things
won't change anytime soon.
Expect them to finish with the
worst record in the league.
great season, but also leads the
team in goals with 27. He is
second in the league in total
points and has a league-leading
5 game winning goals.
Biggest idiot: Jarko Rutuu. A
few weeks ago in a game
Rutuu bit the hand of Andrew
Peters. Rutuu bit through the
glove and broke the skin of
Peters below the thumb. He
was suspended.
Prediction- These teams will
get in for the post season: In
the east Boston, Washington,
Philadelphia, Montreal, New
York Rangers, Carolina,
Buffalo and Pittsburgh. In the
west it will be: San Jose,
Detroit, Calgary, Chicago,
Vancouver, Anaheim,
Minnesota, and Colorado. In
the Finals, Montreal will beat
Calgary for their 25th Stanley
Cup.
MVP: Alexander Ovechkin.
“Alexander the Great” is not
only leading the Capitals to a
MVP Alexander Ovechkin
BCS Commentary
Joe Pesce ’11
Contributing Writer
A highly anticipated BCS
bowl season featured ten of
the best teams in the country,
and did not disappoint. The
games started with the Trojans
of Southern California squaring off against the Penn State
Nittany Lions in the Rose
Bowl. The USC defense, led
by All-Americans Taylor Mays
and Rey Maualuga, held off
PSU long enough to finish
with a 38-24 win.
In Miami, the same day,
Virginia Tech rushed for 259
yards against a strong
Cincinnati team. The convincing factor in the game, however, was the Hokie defense,
which forced Bearcat quarterback Tony Pike to throw four
interceptions and leading
Virginia Tech to a 20-7 victory.
With a win against the
University of Alabama in the
Sugar Bowl, Utah became the
first school with two undefeated seasons in the BCS era
(since 1998). A strong start,
led by their passing attack,
allowed the Utes to come away
with a win, 31-17. Ironically,
the only team with two undefeated seasons will not be
national champions in either
season, which once more raises
question about the flawed BCS
system.
In this year’s Fiesta Bowl,
the underdog Ohio State team
gave Texas a scare when they
almost came away with an
upset over the third ranked
Longhorns. In the end
though, the Buckeyes couldn’t
handle Heisman candidate Colt
McCoy, who marched the team
down the field in the final minutes for a game winning touchdown. McCoy finished with
414 yards through the air and a
24-21 win.
The 2008-2009 BCS
National Championship Game
may have been the greatest
quarterback match-up in
NCAA history. The 2007
Heisman winner, Tim Tebow
of Florida, battled the sophomore Heisman winner of
2008, Sam Bradford from
Oklahoma. Bradford, a twoyear starter, passed for 4,271
yards and 50 touchdowns this
season. He capped off his
Major League Baseball Hot Stove Updates
Chris Amnott ’11
ans who are great team players: looks to bounce back from an
Staff Writer
future Hall of Famer John injury riddled career with the
Smoltz (Braves), two time all- Yankees after signing with the
With less than a month
star Brad Penny (Dodgers), Cleveland Indians.
until Spring Training, Major
In the National League, the
closer Takashi Saito (Dodgers),
League Baseball general manNew
York Mets made a big
and hometown hero Rocco
agers have been working nonBaldelli (Rays). The defending splash by signing the best closstop to make sure that their
teams will be ready to compete American league Champion er in the game, Francisco
Tampa Bay Rays needed to Rodriquez. Rodriquez made
for the pennant in 2009.
acquire a right handed slugger history last year by saving a
Teams have been stocking up
their rosters with proven veter- and they got their wish, signing major league record 62 games
all-star outfielder Pat Burrell. for the Los Angeles Angels.
ans, such as John Smoltz (Red
Burrell hit 33 Homers for the The Mets also picked up J.J.
Sox), and with young players
World Series Champion Phillies Putz to shore up the bullpen.
loaded with potential: Mark
Putz was one of baseball’s
Teixeira (Yankees). As you
best
closers with the
count down the days until
Mariners in 2006-07. With
the return of baseball,
his devastating slider and 96
remember that your
mile per hour fastball, he
favorite team still has a
emerge as a bargain
could
chance to reload as the Hot
for the Mets. Milton
Stove reaches a fever pitch.
Bradley, who had a breakAfter two whole months
out season last year with the
of Hot Stove action, the
Rangers, signed with the
New York Yankees appear
Chicago Cubs, while forto be the winners. Early in Peaking Player Mark
Teixeira
(Yankees)
and
Veteran
John
Smoltz
mer
Cub and St. Louis
December, New York
Cardinal starter Jason
signed the two biggest free
agent prizes on the market: A.J. last season, and looks to make Marquis signed with the
Burnett, who went 18-10 and an impact in the brutally tough Colorado Rockies, who hope to
experience some of their
won the American League American League.
Former stars at the tail-end “Rocktober” magic again after
Strikeout crown this past season, and C.C. Sabathia, who of their careers were signed a disappointing 2008 campaign.
Amid the scramble to sign
singlehandedly
led
the early in the offseason. Jason
Milwaukee Brewers to the play- Giambi went to the team that players, three big-name players
offs with an 11-2 record down kick started his career, the still remain on the market.
the stretch. Red Sox Nation was Oakland Athletics. Giambi won Among these are lefty starter
not happy after the Yankee the AL MVP in 2000, and looks Oliver Perez (Mets), future hall
signings of Burnett and C.C., to come back from an erratic of famer Manny Ramirez
following the trading of fan- tenure in with the Yankees. All (Dodgers), and flamethrower
favorite, Coco Crisp. But Theo time saves leader and future Ben Sheets (Brewers). So sit
Epstein, the talented general Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman back, relax, and watch to see
manager of the Sox struck back signed with the Brewers. where your favorite player ends
by signing a few grizzled veter- Southington’s own Carl Pavano up. Remember, baseball season
is only weeks away.
stellar year by winning the
Heisman Trophy, awarded to
college football’s best player.
Tebow, on the other hand, is
no stranger to big games; he
was a huge part of the 2006
Florida team who won the
national championship and
played in the Capital One bowl
the following season. He is a
punishing runner with a rocket
arm and is considered to be
one of college football’s greatest ever. This two dimensional
offensive attack calls for huge
mismatches for any defense,
and Oklahoma was no different.
Both teams were held
scoreless in the first quarter,
but Florida was the first to
score via 20-yard pass from
Tebow to Louis Murphy. The
Sooners punched back,
though, with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Bradford. The
supposed injured Gator receiver Percy Harvin looked far
from hurt; he was the gamechanger throughout, rushing
for 122 yards and a touchdown
on only 9 carries. He also
added 5 catches for 49 yards
receiving. His touchdown was
the only score of the third
quarter, a two-yard run.
Oklahoma’s Chris Brown
attempted to match Harvin by
gaining 110 yards on 22 carries
on the ground. However, the
Sooner’s biggest threat was
Jermaine Gresham, scoring
their only two touchdowns,
one of them opening the
fourth quarter to make it 1414. The Gators broke the tie
with a 27-yard Jonathon
Phillips field goal. Tebow,
who finished with 231 yards
through the air and 109 more
on the ground, sealed the victory with a 4-yard pass to
David Nelson to end it, 24-14.
Other note-worthy players
include Aaron Hernandez
from Bristol, Connecticut who
had 57 yards on 5 receptions
for the Gators, and Bradford,
who had a great game as well,
finishing with 256 yards and 2
TDs. The big story, though, is
Tebow, who became the fifth
player since 1950 to win the
Heisman and two national
championships. He joins NFL
standouts like Reggie Bush and
Matt Leinart. Tebow is returning for his senior season at the
University of Florida, as is
Bradford to Oklahoma.
FEB09EMBfinal:Emblem 2/11/09 11:33 AM Page 12
Page 12
The Student Newspaper of Southington High School
February 2009
SHS and National Sports
February Athletes of the Issue
SHS BOYS BASKETBALL
Zack Etter ’10
Sports Editor
In each of the last two seasons,
the Southington Blue Knights
Boys’ Basketball team has
enjoyed trips to the postseason. This year, afer losing their
thirteenth game at East
Hartford, the Knights will be
left out of the playoffs.
Heartbreaking losses such as
their home opener against
Manchester (46-51), and versus
Notre Dame-Fairfield (62-67),
were no contest compared to
others. Southington led Bristol
ing scorer, Pat McLaughlin,
with support from Ryan
Beaulieu, Kevin O’Brien,
Shaun Walowski, and Rob
Gardener. Matt Roncaioli is a
great force on defense, and
Dan Mayock leads the team in
rebounds; but Southington is
missing senior Sean Mongillo,
who is out with an injured
hand. Underclassmen play a
great role in the success
Southington has had, though.
Junior guard Nick DeFeo, who
has worked his way into the
starting lineup, is a close second behind McLaughlin as the
Pat Mclaughlin
One of the bright spots in the 2008-2009 Blue
Knights boys’ basketball season has been the
leadership and poise of starting point guard,
Patrick McLaughlin. The senior received a
good amount of playing time last season as a
junior, especially towards the end of the year.
Now, despite the team struggling, Pat has
racked up team-leading stats in all four of the
major point guard categories. He leads the Blue
Knights in total points, while also leading the
team in points per game with 10.1. Pat has a
team leading 5.1 assists per game, while also
being a factor on defense, recording over 2
steals a game. He has been consistent, reliable,
and calm under pressure for Southington. The
basketball team does not have captains, but it is
a safe assumption to make that if they did, Pat
would certainly be one of them.
Tanaye White
Tanaye is a junior member of the
Southington Lady Knights indoor track
team. She won the long jump at the
McReavy Invitational meet by clearing 15
feet, 4.5 inches. The win qualifies her for
the postseason. As her first year during
outdoor she also qualified for the postseason. In the upcoming meet she is aiming
for 17 feet, and her PR is 16 feet, five inches. “She looked really good, and she’s really excited,” said Lady Knights indoor track
coach Andy Whyte. “She works really hard
in practice... [And] I think she understands
that the work that she puts into practice
will help her performance.”
Lady Knight hoops EntEr 2nd haLf of sEason
Center Dan Mayock fights for a rebond in
Southington’s win over Bristol Central
Eastern by as much as fifteen
on January 2 only to unravel in
the fourth quarter to lose the
game 46-55. Southington had
another tough loss at
Simsbury, having their comeback fall short in a 57-59 loss.
The Knights’ three wins
this season (3-13) come against
the at the time winless Bristol
Central Rams, a 3-13 Simsbury
Trojans team, and a 4-11
South Windsor team.
Despite holding a 3-13
record, Southington’s average
loss is by less than nine points,
and they have been very competitive in nearly every game.
With a very tough schedule
ahead and a very talented CCC
North Conference,
Southington will try to scratch
and claw to win whatever
games they can at the end of
the season.
The team is led by eight
seniors. The offense is run by
starting point guard and lead-
The SHS Lady Knights
Basketball team has endured
some obstacles in their first half
of the season, but the toughest
is still yet to come. With devastating losses to Cheshire and
Glastonbury at home, and to
Platt on the road, the Knights
look to rebound in the second
half of their schedule.
Compiling a record of 8-3
entering Martin Luther King Jr.
weekend, they still stand in a
great position to win their
team’s leading scorer; sophomore Tyler Dube also recieves
a lot of varsity playing time.
Also, a more recent addi!* $&
tion to the varsity team,
( & )&+
sophomore Sal Romano
! % $#
has given the Knights
!!
some size, and has con- ' !* $& ! #
tributed by blocking
shots and grabbing
rebounds under the basket.
After defeating
Simsbury at home to
improve to 3-12, the
Blue Knights needed to
win all five of their
remaining games, including wins on the road
against top-ranked teams
such as East Hartford
and New Britain, as well
as at home against a
tough Glastonbury team.
Southington lost their
first game of that five
game stretch on
February 10, eliminating
them from the playoffs.
#
&) ( #
)' &
( ( $#
&"+ "
Mark Cole ‘09
Contributing Writer
respective division. However,
in their remaining nine games,
the Lady Knights still have two
encounters with New Britain,
and difficult match-ups against
Manchester, East Hartford,
Simsbury and Glastonbury.
Thus far, their biggest win
of the year came against
Manchester on the road, where
the game could have gone
either way and wasn’t decided
until the final buzzer. Key
made baskets
and
defensive
stops within
the last few
minutes of
the
game
pushed the
Knights to a
56-53 victory.
“That win
was definitely a bright
spot to our
season thus
far,” one of
the senior
captains and
starting
shooting
guard Molly
Alfieri said.
“It gave our
team
the
confidence that is needed to
win tough games like that.”
One week after that game,
the Lady Knights fell to
Cheshire at home 27-40, but
much more was lost than just
the game’s result. Starting point
guard and senior captain
Marissa Chapman suffered a
concussion in the midst of the
game, and hasn’t been on the
court for any contests since
then. She is hopeful she will be
returning soon, but her leadership and scoring ability has really been missed.
“Our team has gone through
a lot so far, but we’ve made it
through the first half fine,”
Chapman stated. “Now we
have to worry about the second
half, and we need to work harder because our upcoming
schedule is very tough.”
Before a loss to Glastonbury
on Friday, January 16, the Lady
Knights were ranked fifth in
class LL. Currently; they are
tied with Manchester for first
place in their division, but hold
the tiebreaker between them
with the victory earlier this year.