RAM Time Revisited

RAMESES
CONY HIGH SCHOOL Augusta, Maine
Volume III
RAM Time
Revisited
By Erin Whitney
When RAM time was
implemented in September it was met
immediately with speculation and
questions. (What is it for? Why is it in
the middle of the day?) Almost nine
months later, as the school year draws
to a close, students and teachers alike
can look back and reflect on the new
initiative.
Administration
originally
described the mysterious period as a
time to allow students to meet with
their teachers and make up work. The
students who are able and willing to
take advantage of the opportunity
have seemed to reap the rewards.
Teacher Judith Wheeler, for instance,
commented on how “beneficial” the
time is “for those students who need
and want it.”
Unfortunately,
because
the twenty-eight minute period is
intertwined with lunch, some students,
like junior Laurel Whipkey, run into
scheduling conflicts. When asked
about it, Whipkey noted, “not all of
my teachers have the same RAM time
as I do, so if I want to meet with them
I have to skip my own lunch.”
Even when students can’t
use RAM time to meet with teachers,
the nearly 30 minute span of time
can still serve a valuable purpose.
Student Landon Watson commented
“I like that it gives me an opportunity
to make up the homework I didn’t
do the night before.” This is true for
many students who use the period as a
pseudo study hall.
Other students, the lucky
juniors and seniors who have
privileges, are able to utilize their
Tuesday and Thursday RAM times as
an extension of their off campus lunch
break. This is something that most of
them cherish and would like to see
stay the same, as it gives them so
much more freedom. Laurel Whipkey
went so far as to suggest privileges
be extended to “Monday, Wednesday
and Friday instead of just Tuesday
and Thursday.”
On the other hand, 30 minutes
every single day can be a very long
time to be stuck in homeroom,
especially when students don’t have
any work to make up. Teachers are
regularly assigned busy work like
SAT prep worksheets to occupy
their homeroom students but, as Ann
Buxton commented, “It’s a struggle
Juniors hope to beat the perfect attendance of last year’s class!
to get my homeroom kids to do
anything… and I end up becoming the
nagging mother which I don’t like.”
“I like that it gives me an opportunity to make up homework I
didn’t do the night before”
- Landon Watson
A possible solution to this
problem? Students Nate Doyle and
Chris Slonina agreed, “We should
just make RAM time shorter,” while
Laurel Whipkey added “RAM time is
a good concept but we shouldn’t be
forced to have SSR or special work.”
In the end, RAM time seemed
to serve a generally valuable purpose
for Cony during the 2011-2012 school
year. Now we can only sit and wonder
what the RAM time gods have in store
for next year.
CATC Fares
Well in
Skills USA
Competition
By Kate Johnson
On March 11, eight hundred
high school and college students
attended a statewide SkillsUSA
competition in Bangor. Forty-seven
CATC students took part in this event,
led by Mrs. Deb Gilbert, who is also
the state board representative for
CATC.
Students competed in contests
related to classes they take at CATC:
Carpentry, Architectural Drafting,
Prepared Speech, Culinary Arts,
Law Enforcement, Graphic Design,
Plumbing and Heating, Auto Body,
Auto Tech and Electricity.
Not only did students test
their talents, but they also showed
compassion for the residents of Maine
through a statewide community
service project called Buckets of
Love. They collected buckets of toys
for children in homeless shelters.
Every school competed to donate
the most buckets. It was a rigorous
competition.
CATC won the event (and the
Community Service award!) with a
bucket total of thirty-seven.
This, of course, was not the
only award CATC brought home.
They were awarded the Jeff Small
Spirit Award. The Jeff Small named
in honor of the librarian Jeff Small,
who passed away last year. Small was
a CATC teacher himself for many
years before moving to the library,
and the award is given to the school
that shows the most spirit. CATC’s
theme was Racing to the Finish - they
dressed up in jumpsuits akin to a pit
crew’s.
Students also won a total of
twenty-three medals. Three placed
well enough to qualify for the national
event held in Kansas City: Joey
SKILLS Continued on page 2
Inside the Issue:
Quebec Trip … page 2
Visit to the Cony
Flatiron … page 3
Senior Page … page 5
Service Learning …
page 6
Penny Wars … page 7
Day of Caring Photos
.. page 8
Artists Excel… page
11
Sports … page 13
Music Trip to
Williamsburg … page
16
Senior Messages …
page 17
Trivia – Win a Pizza…
page 18
RAMESES PAGE 2
SKILLS Continued from page 1
Guimond (Cony), Katrina Turcotte
(Monmouth), and Gabe Ambrose
(Winthrop). Mrs. Gilbert will be
guiding them as they travel to Kansas
in June to compete in Carpentry,
Preschool Education, and Computer
Applications.
Guimond
also
attended
Nationals last year, placing 26th out
of 54. This year, he hopes to make the
top 10.
disaster to a comedy show. “We
were stopped at a bridge for two
and a half hours, and the tour guide
had to entertain us… He had taken
improvisation classes before, and he
was so good, it felt like we had been
there no more than an hour.”
knowledge of French history and
culture to navigate Old Quebec on a
scavenger hunt. Next they went to Les
Galeries de la Capitale, a shopping
mall with an amusement park inside.
From there, it was time to pack up,
say goodbye, and head home.
“Everywhere we went, we got
compliments on how well the
kids behaved.”
- Mrs. Carpenter
This
year’s
statewide
competition was “the biggest we’ve
had. It was a lot of fun,” Gilbert stated.
The national event is expected to host
almost 6,000 competitors, all of whom
won their state-wide competitions.
Another popular aspect of the
trip was the elegant cuisine, which
gave the group members a real taste
for the culture. Eating everything
from breakfast crepes at Le
Parlementaire to desserts at Cabane a
Sucre Quebecoise, both students and
teachers got their share. “The food
was great. It was a way to experience
European culture without actually
going to Europe,” said freshman Ryan
Dumont.
CATC expects to represent
the state well.
The journey ended on a
high note as the students used their
CATC students have attended
the national event every year, but
“this year is my smallest group,” said
Mrs. Gilbert. “One year I had 14 and
we had to take a 31-hour drive out.”
“It was a great way to experience european culture without
actually going to Europe.”
- Ryan Dumont
Although the trip lasted only three
days, everyone who went appeared
to have had a great time, and made
the most of the opportunity they were
given. And they did all of this while
maintaining poise and respect.
“Everywhere we went, we
got compliments on how well the kids
behaved,” expressed Mrs. Carpenter.
“Even the lady at the McDonald’s we
stopped at was impressed.”
The adventure to Quebec
proved to be a success, or as Mme.
Michaud put it, “a cultural adventure
for all the kids.”
Jumpstreet
Jumpstarts
Quebec Trip
By Jack Brannigan
Last month, Cony students
and teachers embarked on a threeday, event-filled journey to Quebec,
where they saw various sights and
gained an appreciation for FrenchCanadian culture. Supervised by
Mme. Michaud, and sponsored by
Jumpstreet, the trip was a seamless
blend of education and entertainment.
The group of thirty-seven was
comprised of students and chaperones
from Cony High School and Cony
Middle School, as well as three
students and one chaperone from the
Winthrop school system. They left
bright and early on the morning of
April 12th, and toured Quebec City
until the 14th. There they went to
places such as the Laval University
campus and Le Grand Café. They
even got a chance to do a little acting at
a French-Canadian theater workshop.
These few days of touring and dining
were a thrill for the students.
“It gave a sense of what the
history and beauty are all about,”
remarked Mme. Michaud, who
enjoyed seeing the students’
inquisitive
expressions
throughout the day. However, the
fun they had seeing places seemed
to have been dwarfed by the tour
guide, Louis, who was definitely a
fan favorite.
Louis’s positive energy was
apparently an adventure in and of itself
for everyone. As he took the group
to places such as the Martello Tower,
Montmorency Falls, and La Cabane a
Pierre, he never stopped entertaining.
Mrs. Carpenter elaborated, describing
an event that went from a potential
Mme. Michaud and the kids on the Quebec trip
Contributed Photo
RAMESES
STAFF
Advisor: Tom Wells
Editors:
Dylan Cheever
Niki Liyange-Don
Staff:
Natalie Arbour
Zoe Barlow
Sam Birch
Jack Brannigan
Katherine Chapanar
Perrin Cody
Lindsey Folsom
Melanie Guzman
Alison Guzzetti
Sam Hopkins
Arthur Hosford III
Leah Howard-Berry
Meghan Jellison
Kate Johnson
Kate LaPlante
Josie Lee
Heather Leet
Victoria Lovejoy
Chris Murphy
Lane Pelletier
Kaite Perry
Lauren Quintal
Caroline Saban
Chandler Shostak
Matt Swan
Robert Swain
Leyna Tobey
Amelia Trudo
Erin Whitney
Samantha Wilson
All Photos by Tom Wells unless
noted
Good Luck
Seniors
RAMESES PAGE 3
Commentary: The Cony Flatiron
Bringing the
Flatiron Back to
Cony
By Natalie Arbour
I never attended a class at
the Old Cony, so I was not able to
experience the architectural wonder
that is the former Flat Iron building.
Don’t get me wrong, the new building
is beautiful and much more up to date
with technology; however it lacks one
important thing:
Character.
I recently toured this classic
structure, and noticed that (unlike the
new school) when I walked through
the entrance I was welcomed by a
rush of history.
The only history that can be
found in the new Cony is in the display
cases outside of the gymnasium.
Not much further down the hallway
you will find one of only two murals
painted on the walls of the building.
Walking into the Flatiron was
a completely different experience for
me.
I was first welcomed by
crowned, brick arch ways that lead me
to the main stairwell. At the top of lay
a plaque on the wall that announced
the making of the building.
On the next level stood
a clock surrounded by a mural of
dancers. On all floors, the walls
were covered in murals and most
classrooms had personalized artwork
on the doorways related to the subject
that was taught there. I was constantly
excited to see what would be painted
behind each corner.
“However the new school
lacks one important thing:
Character.”
-Natalie Arbour
In one of the old classrooms,
I discovered all of the former sports
uniforms, photos, yearbooks, trophies,
murals, and much more. I could
have stayed in that room for days,
rummaging through all the history. It
baffled me that none of this was being
displayed at the new building! It is
hard for me to believe that a picture
of the very first Cony High School
(built before the flatiron in 1880) does
not deserve a place on the walls in the
new building. Or perhaps some of the
dozens of trophies won almost one
hundred years ago.
So here’s the brilliant idea.
Why don’t we fill our
cyberless cyber café with all of this
The Flatiron stairwell leading to the third story
Photo by Natalie Arbour
memorabilia? Why not let Cony have
its own sort of “museum”? We could
fill each section of the café with the
trophies, uniforms, and pictures,
and cover them with glass casing.
The upper walls could be filled with
former Chizzle Wizzle pins that at
this moment are collecting dust in
the set room. Years of memories and
accomplishments could be displayed
for all to see instead of being locked
up in abandoned classrooms.
haven’t changed much since it was a
busy, bustling school full of life. The
classrooms still have things written
on the whiteboards from several
years ago. Certain rooms are even
decorated with murals and artsy telltales of particular subjects that must
have taken place in them. There’s one
doorway with pillars and ivy painted
on the sides, implying a Latin or
Ancient Mythology class. The Chorus
room is full of different colors, music
bars, notes, and drama masks.
If this idea were to be put into
action, the history of our school could
be brought to life rather than being
put in storage. There’s no reason to let
those pieces of history collect dust in
a dark room. Let’s bring them here –
and make this school a better place to
be.
Additionally, the hallways
are roomy and tall. The third story
hallway features an arched ceiling –
like something right out of Lord of
the Rings. In order to get up there,
one can take the main stairway, which
is a beautiful and symmetric series
of flights of stairs, with a bold stone
slab noting the year in which Cony
was founded in Roman numerals on
the wall dividing the two paths. The
ceiling of this stairwell is glass, which
lets in the natural light and illuminates
the system in an ethereal and heavenly
manner.
The Flatiron: A
Piece of History
By Dylan Cheever
The Cony High School class
of 2012 is the third graduating class
to have spent all four years at the
new Cony. Very few of us remember
being in the school that has since been
turned into a Hannaford, and even
fewer have been in the Flatiron. This
May, I joined that group by gaining
admission to the building thanks to
the generosity of the caretakers – and
was amazed.
There are a variety of
entrances into the brick edifice, and
upon entry, a sense of history and
mystique envelops the explorer. That’s
how it feels – like an exploration into
a sunken ship or lost temple. Things
The feature that is perhaps
most impressive is the auditorium on
the third floor. The walls are tall and
the green white-trimmed balcony rests
over the wide hardwood floor. The
stage is chipped and has a beautiful
mural of a serene landscape, full of
plant life and ponds. It almost feels as
though ghosts are rehearsing there, for
a play no one will ever see, and only
take a break when a human enters the
room.
That’s not all, though.
Walking in those hallways, with
things left relatively the same since
the building was vacated, one cannot
help but feel like they hear the echoes
and chatter of kids from generations
ago, their voices never leaving the
place, their energies still very present
in the seemingly dormant school.
It’s not a haunting feeling, but more
like a nostalgic spirit that adds to
the character and mystique of the
building.
Speaking of character, we
got to take a look around the old
memorabilia room, and there are
so many fascinating pictures and
paintings and stuff in there that would
really add to the character of our
current Cony. There’s even the model
they used to propose the design of
the new school, in a glass case, just
collecting dust. Why that isn’t in
this school is beyond me, let alone
all of the neglected framed pictures
and paintings. Bringing just a few
of these things to the current Cony
would bridge the two schools, force
us to remember our history, and also
respect that history that has always
remained a mystery to us.
Currently,
the
Augusta
Police Department uses the flatiron
to conduct reenactments of certain
situations for training. Other than
that, some ideas for using the building
include a restaurant, an inn, and a
loose suggestion for using it as the
middle school. The group “Friends of
the Flatiron” has donated money for
many years, but has since disbanded.
But nothing is coming to fruition,
so the former school is in a state of
suspended animation.
Hopefully it does pull
through, though, because it really
is an impressive and magical place.
It deserves to live on and create
new memories, instead of living on
borrowed ones from years ago.
RAMESES PAGE 4
Clockwise from top left: The
beautiful flatiron staircase,
the decorative plaque signifying the year in which Cony
was founded, a huge black
and white of the original
Cony (before the Flatiron!),
the entrance to what appears
to have been a Latin class,
and the majestic third story
auditorium.
All photos by Natalie Arbour
Senior Farewells
Senior Year
Memories
By Lauren Quintal
As the end of the year
approaches, seniors find themselves
reminiscing about their past four
years at Cony, thinking about our
upcoming last day of high school and
graduation. Seniors reflect on time
spent with friends, the process of
getting into college, sports seasons,
and many other exciting experiences
they have had this year.
A big perk of being a senior
means a lot more freedom. Colin
Benoit said he really enjoyed “being
able to go out to lunch.” Hannah
Spears added, “Privileges are the best,
I love the freedom seniors get.”
Another exciting part of
senior year is having the option to
have a more flexible class schedule,
which many students take advantage
of—whether it is leaving school a
period early or coming to school later.
Chase Shostak loved the part of the
year when he “got to home early after
a ceramics class.” Benoit thought, “It
was so nice to have one class every
other day.” Dakotah Davis appreciated
“getting to leave early the first half of
the year.”
With freedom in schedules,
many seniors got the opportunity
to take classes that didn’t fit into
their schedules the other three years.
Rebecca Hook said she enjoyed
“getting an opportunity to take a class
I was interested in—ceramics.” Davis
also appreciated “the more relaxed
feeling in classes.” Erin Ludwig
loved “Mrs. Rodrigue’s all girl AP
Lit clas, it was so much fun!”
RAMESES PAGE 5
A truly memorable part of
senior year was all of athletic events
and the success that a number of
sports teams achieved. Caroline
Saban said one of her favorite parts
of her senior year was “being in the
student section at basketball games
and the championship games.” Spears
added that she “had a lot of fun at
the basketball tournaments.” It was
exciting for everyone to see Cony’s
sports teams excel, and for many
seniors to be a pivotal part of that
success.
Some seniors also decided
that with their last year of high school
that they wanted to try new things.
Renee Dugal said, “I enjoyed doing
a lot of new things this year like
trying out a new sport and being a
part of the Chizzle Wizzle Executive
Committee.” Courtney Green added
she “loved singing at Calloway
Coffeehouse and being a peer pal.”
As for Chizzle Wizzle, the
show was big this year with a lot of
senior involvement. Green loved
being a part of Chizzle Wizzle for
three out of four years of high school
and when the last show came and so
did the senior hug line, she said, “I
cried.”
It was a bittersweet moment
for all of us involved to have our
very last Chizzle Wizzle show. There
were a lot of tears and there was a
lot of excitement. Alyssa Northup
expressed, “Without music or Chizzle
Wizzle I don’t know how I would
have gotten through high school.”
Michael Giberson said he “really
enjoyed going to the Chizzle Wizzle
show this year.”
But one aspect of Chizzle
Wizzle and homecoming that a lot
Please see Memories
Mrs. Beaudoin bids bon voyage to our seniors
Dear…
By: Meghan Jellison
It’s that time of year again:
seniors are entering the home stretch
before graduation; underclassmen are
excited to be moving up in class; and
the freshmen are ready to move up the
pecking order. It’s also the time when
seniors are writing senior goodbyes.
This is one of the last projects
assigned in Laurie Rodrigue’s
English classes. Students can choose
to write about a particular person
who influenced them, a place they
became attached to, or a thing that
symbolizes their experience at Cony.
It’s an opportunity for the seniors to
say goodbye to something—anything
really—with class.
This year, some students
wrote to a teacher or two, some chose
their favorite spot at Cony, and some
wrote to their family. These are the
stories of three wonderful young
women, Kathryn Dawson, Lauren
Quintal, and Bethany Elwell.
Mrs. Hannigan claps for her winning scooter race team.
Kathryn cited Mrs. Beaudoin
and Mrs. Tripp as the two teachers she
wanted to write to, because “they had
a huge impact on [her] high school
career and future.” Beaudoin got her
excited about music, by bringing “the
[music] programs to life” with her
“vivacious and bubbly attitude”, while
Tripp shaped her future, literally.
Dawson became impassioned by
the social sciences (psychology,
sociology, etc.) when she took Mrs.
Tripp’s class. Now she loves them so
much that she is planning to major in
sociology, stating that Tripp’s classes
“helped [her] grow and appreciate the
beauty in life.”
It’s an opportunity for a
student to say goodbye to
something (anything
really), with class.
Lauren Quintal said she’ll
write her senior goodbye to the stage
and the auditorium, since that’s
where “[she’s] had all of [her] dance
recitals, Chizzle Wizzles, high school
plays, and band and chorus concerts”
throughout the years. Though it will
be a bittersweet goodbye for her
(She feels like she’s grown up on the
stage), Lauren said she’ll write a little
something to Mrs. Morin and Mrs.
Beaudoin because they both have
“inspired [her] and helped [her] to
grow, not only as a person, but also as
a performer.”
Bethany Elwell decided
to write her goodbye to her family
because “[she’s] so close with them
and the change is going to be so
drastic.” She wanted to thank them
for everything they’ve done and
assure them that “everything is going
to work out.” But she especially
wants them to know by reading her
goodbye how she loves them more
than anything.
RAMESES PAGE 6
Cony Students Give Back
Earth Day 2012
By Zoe Barlow
June 1 holds no significance
for many of us, but to the twentyone students in Jon Millett’s Global
Insights class, it’s very important. It’s
the moment of truth for one of their
biggest projects of the year. It’s the
day when they will act out the real
life portion of their Service Learning
projects: Earth Day.
The state requires every high
school to perform a service-learning
project. Students in Global Insights
have to research, write about, and
act on a problem they have identified
in our society. Hannah Reis said,
“We have to do something for our
environment to give back to our
community.” Some examples? This
year, the Stand Up Against Bullying
and Penny Wars were both part of SL
projects.
In Millett’s class, students
were divided up into four groups and
given a topic, such as land or water
pollution. Brandi Connors described
how Mercury gets into the water from
coal factories, saying, “Basically,
mercury gets into the air through
coal burning factories, and gets into
the clouds, and when it rains it gets
into the ground.” She said they can’t
really do anything about the factories,
as laws already exist to keep them in
check; however, on Earth Day they
are going to collect batteries and
light bulbs from around the school
because these contain mercury. They
will bring them to Hatch Hill, which
is a location in Augusta that provides
services in mercury disposal.
“We have to do something for
our environment to give back to
the community”
- Hannah Reis
Another substance polluting
our water is prescription drugs. Lexi
Glidden said that this is a problem
in Augusta because people flush
drugs—mostly
antibiotics—down
the toilet, and they get into the sewer
system. This would be fine except
that they don’t get cleaned out during
the cleaning process of the sewage
water. Lexi says it even gets into our
drinking water and adds, “It’s really
gross. We’re going to hand out flyers
at Rite Aid to inform people how to
properly dispose of the drugs.” They
plan to do this on Earth Day.
Hannah Reis described her
group’s plan to limit the amount of
cigarette butts thrown on the ground.
She said, “You walk down the street
and you see 20,000 just laying there.”
The group is going to City Council
Thursday, May 17 to appeal for a law
fining perpetrators $100 for throwing
butts on the ground. Hannah said of
the project, “It was a lot of work. We
had to make posters and I had to write
an email so we could go speak as well
as a speech of what I was going to
say there.” She said they got the idea
after reading about a similar law in
Portland, and she thinks City Council
is going to accept their proposal. On
Earth Day she hopes people will do
their part by picking up cigarette butts
from the ground.
The fourth group is looking at
recycling at Cony. We already have a
Green Team that takes care of bottles
and paper, but Spencer Buck said,
“The kitchen throws away over 30
tin cans a day, and we’re looking to
pick those up because it takes about
50 years for a tin can to decompose in
a land fill.” If those were spread out so
one can was put in when the previous
one finished decomposing, that’s
1,500 years—for one day’s worth of
cans!
“We’re going to hand out flyers at Rite Aid to inform people
how to properly dispose of
drugs”
- Lexi Glidden
Besides recycling cans, the
group is looking to recycle food
through a compost pile that they hope
CATC students will agree to build.
Spencer isn’t sure what this will look
like yet, but he said probably they
will have different trash cans in the
food court so students can dump their
food in one and their trays in another.
He also mentioned biodegradable
trays—made of cardboard instead
of Styrofoam. These will help the
environment greatly, and the cost
difference isn’t very big. “Besides,”
he said, “the school can get grants for
that kind of stuff.”
The overall plan for Earth
Day is pretty impressive. The Mayor
is declaring it officially as June 1,
and the local TV station is filming the
kids as they go about their projects.
Students are unsure whether it will
be a collaborative effort for the whole
school, or just for their class, but
either way they are doing their part
to make a difference in the world.
Brandi Connors said, “I think it’s a
good project to do because it gives
people insight into what’s going on in
the community and how to help.”
Service
Learning
Projects
FRESHMAN FIGHT CANCER
By Leyna Tobey
Just this year, the Maine
State Learning Results have a new
requirement for freshman social
studies classes. Teachers must institute
service learning or community service
in their classes. This year, Cony
teacher Jennifer Tripp’s class met the
requirement, and then some.
Her
students
picked
issues important to them, and all
brainstormed ways to benefit the
cause. The only rule? Their goal must
be attainable.
“They all seem to have a
passion for what they wanted to do,”
said Jennifer Tripp, “and that’s why
they’re doing what they’re doing.”
“I have a passion for helping kids
with cancer.”
- Arika Brochu
Three large projects have
come out of her Global Insights
classes, each helping a different cause:
family violence, cancer, and homeless
children.
Students in Tripp’s period
three class have come together to
address family violence. They have
spent time working with Cony Middle
School and St. Michael’s School
students, teaching them about the
dangers of violence, and what to do if
it is present in their home.
Tripp’s other class decided to
split into two groups. The first started a
project called “Cony Crushes Cancer.”
Students in this group decided that
they were going to try to raise money
for the Harold Alfond Center, because
it is a local cause. Their goal? Eight
thousand dollars. The “Cony Crushes
Cancer” project is selling raffle tickets
for twenty dollars apiece. They are
giving away three thousand dollars in
prizes, and hope to give five thousand
to the Alfond Center.
“A lot of people have been
touched by this horrible disease,” said
Arika Brochu, one of the students
leading the cancer project.
Brochu has gone above and
beyond the workings of the rest of
her classmates. She stated, “I have a
passion for helping kids with cancer,”
and she does her part by volunteering
at the Barbara Bush Children’s
hospital.
The other group in Tripp’s
class started a movement called
“Project Play.” Students in this group
decided that they wanted to build
a playground at the Bread of Life
Industries for the homeless children
there. Just recently, the Cony Chapter
of the National Honors Society
partnered with the students of Project
Play to use Cony’s annual penny wars
to raise money for the cause. Over the
course of a week and a half, the goal
of one thousand dollars was reached,
enough to buy the supplies to build
the playground.
One of the students taking
the initiative on Project play is Ryan
Dumont. “When you see homeless
children that don’t have anything to
do, it really hits home, and you feel
like if you had the opportunity to do
something, you’d take it.”
The
building
of
the
playground will begin on Day of
Caring.
Located in Augusta
on Western Ave. and
Bangor St.!
RAMESES PAGE 7
Project Play
By Amelia Trudo
Jennifer Tripp’s Honors
Global class has undertaken a project
that they have named Project Play,
which will be the class’ service
learning project. The project focuses
on hunger and homelessness in
Augusta, and how they can address
the problem that afflicts many people,
not only in Augusta, but throughout
the country.
The class has partnered
with the local homeless shelter, The
Bread of Life Ministries, and they
will be going to the shelter to build a
playground for the children that are
staying there. To help with funding
for the project, the National Honors
Society agreed to give 1,000 dollars of
the money that was raised during the
Penny Wars to the cause. That money
will be used to purchase a playground
from the Home Depot, and the money
that is left over will be put towards
anything else that may be necessary
for the installment of the playground.
“It’s the best project I’ve been involved with for Day of Caring.”
- Bo Walker
The students in Tripp’s
Global class, and the students in her
homeroom, went to the Bread of
Life Ministries on Day of Caring to
prepare the area where the playground
will be built. The Global class will
be taking several more trips to the
homeless shelter to finish leveling
off the ground, placing the rubber
mulch on the area, and installing the
playground.
That day turned out to be a
huge success with the help of Tom
Wells’ advisee group of twenty
excited seniors. Together they
accomplished their goal of preparing
the ground. Senior advisee Bo Walker
said, “It was the best project I’ve been
involved with for Day of Caring. I
think that it was really worthwhile.
I’ve never sweat so much!”
Mr. Wells’ and Ms. Tripp’s homerooms helping build a playground on Day of Caring
Battle of the
Classes
By: Victoria Lovejoy
During the first few weeks
of May, a battle took place between
the freshman, sophomores, juniors
and seniors known as: the Penny
Wars. Sponsored by the student
council, the goal this year was to raise
one thousand dollars in order to, help
provide a playground for he children
who live at the Bread of Life shelter.
In order to accomplish
this goal the school held an assembly
and informed all classes to bring in
all the coins and bills they possibly
could. The rules were simple: pennies
added to a class jar would count for
positive points and any silver/bills
would subtract points (based on the
denomination). For extra incentive,
the class with the highest total at the
end of each day was awarded an extra
2,500 points.
Not only did everyone get
involved and enjoy themselves during
the penny war but as junior Leyna
Tobey stated, “It was a great way to
unite everyone, teachers and students
alike, to support a great cause.”
The entire student body
took a “the vested interest” in this
year’s battle, according to Gretchen
Livingston, the student council
advisor. The end result? This year
Cony students raised more than the
last two years combined!
Some believe that the
reason there was an extra push this year
was because of the freshman service
learning projects that helped establish
further awareness throughout the
year. With the committed freshman
taking an active role and really trying
hard they challenged the other classes.
Having the penny wars is by far a fun
and “creative way to win money,”
according to student Erica Laplante.
Overall, the school raised
$1,181. 60 and the junior class won
the battle as well as the ice cream
social. It was a very tight race, beating
the seniors by a mere one dollar and
thirty- nine cents.
It really doesn’t matter about
winning or losing. Children at the
shelter will now have a playground.
Junior Meghan Jellison stated, “It is
a wonderful experience to go through
while at Cony, since it teaches giving
back to the community through
healthy competition.”
Added senior Matt Swan, “It
was really worthwhile.”
When asked why he had
chosen to dedicate his time to
Project Play, Ryan Dumont, one of
Tripp’s students said, “When you
see homeless children, and how they
don’t have toys or anything to play
with outside, and you’re given the
opportunity to do something about it
then you should do it, and it’s going to
come out great.”
The class’s goal is to be able
to successfully build the playground,
and give the children at the shelter a
place to play and enjoy the outdoors.
Students participating in Penny Wars
Mrs. Beaudoin conducts as the Madrigals entertain at the Penny Wars assemby. All proceeds went to the building of a
playground at the Bread of Life shelter in
Augusta
RAMESES PAGE 8
Day of Caring
RAMESES PAGE 9
RAMESES PAGE 10
Healthy
Living
By Josie Lee
Melanie Callichio is a
freshman here at Cony, and she has
recently begun leading a healthier
lifestyle. After taking P.E., I with Mr.
Hinds, Melanie started improving her
eating and exercising habits. She said,
“Once I started P.E. I, I felt like I had
been given the perfect opportunity.”
Melanie began her changes
by limiting unhealthy foods only to
special occasions. She explained,
“Every time I reach for a snack I ask
myself, am I really hungry or just
bored?” Melanie also put much effort
into the vigorous activities of P.E. I.
She took what she learned in class and
incorporated it into her everyday life.
Melanie said, “The more I exercise,
the more I want to.”
Her friends and P.E. teacher,
Tom Hinds, noticed the effects her
healthy choices were having. Mr.
Hinds said, “She was getting in better
shape, losing weight, and gaining
more muscle tone.”
This healthy living not only
affected her physical health but her
emotional wellbeing as well. “I feel
healthier and happier,” said Melanie.
And according to Mr. Hinds, she
began to feel more comfortable and
at ease in the class. “She greeted us
with a smile every day and was eager
not only to give a great effort but help
other people and have fun doing it.”
Melanie hopes to continue
this healthy lifestyle because it has
had nothing but positive results.
She said, “It is more rewarding and
satisfying than shopping, sleeping,
or watching TV.” Melanie has even
brought these new habits into her own
home. Mr. Hinds explained, “She was
telling me she was now helping her
mom improve her health and fitness.”
Spotlights
Cony Says
Farewell to
Ms. Bourget
By Natalie Arbour
The 2011- 2012 school year
is coming to an end, and with it will
goes one of Cony’s most beloved
English teachers, Erika Bourget.
Having
graduated
from
Trenton State College in New Jersey
in 1971, it did not take her long to
get into education. In 1971 she took
on her first teaching job in Rockland
working for
The Neighborhood
Youth Corps, a federal program for
high school dropouts.
miss her very much as we leave and I
am sure that everyone else will also.”
After teaching for twentyfive years, Ms. Bourget is looking
forward to retirement. She said, “I
am excited to travel and spend time
with my family”. Her family consists
of two sons – one living in California
and one teaching in Korea – and her
husband. She is also eagerly awaiting
the arrival of her first grandchild in
December, for whom she has already
started knitting gifts.
Ms. Bourget’s infectious
smile and upbeat personality will be
greatly missed by students and faculty
alike, along with her famous long hair
(which has been donated to locks of
love four times!). Faculty member
Ms. Pelletier noted, “I’m really going
to miss Ms. Bourget- but I know she
will enjoy retirement to the fullest.
She has a special talent for creating
joy wherever she goes”.
“She is one of the sweetest
teachers in school! I love her!”
- Thon Itthipalakorn
Having given back to students
for forty-one years, it is finally time
for her to enjoy herself in retirement!
“I am excited to travel and
spend time with my family.”
- Ms. Bourget
In the years following she
found herself running a Head Start
program in Freedom. She shared, “I
enjoyed teaching children because it
prepared me for my own children.”
However, she missed teaching high
school kids and soon found herself at
Cony, teaching English and running a
teen parent program for thirteen years.
She received her Master’s
Degree from UMO, and continued
teaching English classes at Cony,
including an SAT prep class. Today
Ms. Bourget teaches KVCC English
IV and Tech English. She claimed that
KVCC English is her favorite to teach
because “the students take it seriously
and they want to be there, and we have
a good time!” Thon Itthipalakorn, a
senior who has taken KVCC English
exclaimed, “She is one of the sweetest
teachers in school! I love her; she
works with you until you understand
how to do something. I’m going to
Ms. Bourget and Thon Ittihipalakorn
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Melanie Callichio standing in the room that changed her life
Photo by Leah Howard-Berry
The Arts
RAMESES PAGE 11
Art Thou Artistic?
By Brandon McCutcheon
Cony art teacher Jason
Morgan’s
Independent
Study
students are a collection of talented
individuals. These eight students
have created pieces that have been
displayed throughout the area, from
Hallowell to Portland. Colton Brann,
Charlie Eames, Talieson Greaton, Erin
Ludwig, Kelly Clark, Leah HowardBerry, Chantel Wellman, and Marissa
Eldrige are all prepared to take their
art to the next level.
Charlie Eames
Charlie returned to Cony
from Kent’s hill at the beginning of
his senior year. He has been an active
participator in the arts for as long as
he can remember. When asked why
he took this class, he answered with
a grin, “It was the easiest class.” Even
outside of school, Charlie works
on his art constantly. “It’s a way to
express myself,” said Eames.
Erin Ludwig
Erin is a senior and she just
recently developed a love of art. Erin’s
main works are trees she handcrafts
out of wire. “Some of it is cool but I
am a bit disappointed in some of my
work,” said Ludwig. Erin discovered
her artistic talent completely by
accident; she was honestly just looking
for a filler in her schedule. “I wanted
to learn how to doodle and instead I
just make stuff,” Ludwig laughed.
Chantel Wellman
Chantel is a senior who has
been creating art since she was in
fourth grade. Despite having a very
active three-year old and a demanding
and exhausting job, Chantel’s art
has not suffered. “Lately I feel like
I have to do art and don’t enjoy it as
much,” said Wellman. Chantel plans
to take classes to be a medical offices
assistant. She will put her art on the
back burner and just do it for fun.
Chantel Wellman’s painting
Leah Howard-Berry
Leah is a senior who has been
art enthusiast since fourth grade. Her
passion dwindled freshman year but it
was resparked this year. “Mr. Morgan
helped respark my interest in art and
opened my eyes to what I could do
with my art,” said Leah. She is going to
the Maine College of Art in Portland.
She plans to be photographer and run
her own business.
Colton
Brann’s
artwork
Marissa Eldridge
Marissa is a senior at Cony
and has been dabbling in art since she
was four years old. “I came a long
way from finger painting,” laughed
Eldridge. Marissa has always been a
fan of the arts and is planning to go to
the University of Southern Maine and
make it her major. “I’m lucky to have
so many great people in my life that
love and support my dreams,” said
Eldridge. “Art is a way to express
yourself; art is never wrong.”
Colton Brann
Kelly Clark
Colton Brand is a senior who
has taken all of the art classes that
Cony has to offer. Colton has creating
art since he was in diapers. “My first
work of art was cake all over my
face,” he said with a smirk. Colton’s
favorite part of art is making a mess.
Colton would like to o to University
of Maine at Augusta and become an
art teacher. “My mom runs a daycare
so I think I got the kid thing covered.”
Kelly Clark is a senior at
Cony who has been interested in art
since seventh grade. Her biggest
supporter was her older sister. “It
was great having somebody so close
to teach me,” said Clark. Kelly does
not wish to pursue a career in art.
She plans to western New England
University, to become a forensic
chemist. “I love art but I think I just
want it for relaxation,” said Clark.
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Charlie Eames’ chilling portrait
RAMESES PAGE 12
Above: Erin Ludwig’s treewire art.
Side: The Cony Exhibition
at the Harlow Gallery in
Hallowell
Kelly Clark’s artistic interpretation of Mitosis
Sports
Cony Girl’s Lacrosse is
a Powerful “Equipo”
By Caroline Saban
Cony Girl’s Lacrosse is a diverse
team with strong team chemistry.
These elements have helped them find
great success so far this season.
With a loss to Brunswick
by one point, the team has a current
record of 6-2. They have scored a total
of 76 goals and have only allowed 46.
Seniors Mia Diplock and Chelsea
Begin have been strong scorers for
the team. Diplock has 26 goals and
Begin has 23. Katrina Duncan, senior
goalkeeper, has had over 70 saves and
has a career total of over 400.
They “demonstrate great
team chemistry,” said Cony Coach
Gretchen Livingston. This team is an
important element to their success.
“I think we all believe we have
what it takes to win a state
championship.”
- Erika Burns
“Our chemistry has definitely
affected how we play,” explained
Erika Burns, a senior. “We all get
along really well and, on the field,
we work great together. We really
trust each other with the ball, and
we transition well up the field with
passes.”
Diplock added, “We all get
along very well and that certainly
contributes to our success.”
Their chemistry has formed
over bonding in pre-game rituals.
“Before home games, we are able
to meet in our locker room and that
has become a special time for us. Our
ritual is our solid, consistent, focused
warm-up,” said Livingston.
“We always walk to the field
and do our warm-up lap next to the
same person. We do something called
“quick stick,” which is a team favorite
in warm-ups,” said Diplock.
The team also uses a special
cheer that brings them together.
“Equipo, which means team in
Spanish, is always our cheer. Before
every game, Coach uses equipo as an
acronym to post a motivational saying
in the locker room,” Burns said.
Another element of their
success is the diverse athletic
backgrounds of all the players.
Livingston explained, “We have
volleyball players, field hockey
players, soccer players, cross country
runners, cheerleaders, basketball
players, indoor track athletes,
swimmers, and even a hockey player.
This diversity helps us in that we are
able to draw from all of the different
experiences that the girls have had
throughout the school year to help
make us a better team.”
They hope to continue to
progress over their last six games
of the regular season and be in a
comfortable position for playoffs.
Livingston has set goals for the second
half of the season. “We are looking to
win our last six regular season games
to give ourselves the best possible
position heading into the playoffs. We
will continue to learn and improve
over the next two weeks. We look to
go far in the playoffs this year.”
Burns added, “I think we all
believe we have what it takes to win
a state championship and we really
want to go far this season.”
The Times They
Are A’changing.
Cony Alum Return to
Coach
By Perrin Cody
Cony sports are uniquely
gifted with its coaching staff. For
many high school students, athletics
end the minute senior year does. No
longer will they be getting ready for
the big Friday night football game
against Gardiner, gearing up for
the Track and Field KVAC Finals,
or preparing for the Class A State
Wrestling Tournament. Most of them
will never attend another practice and
all those countless hours they had
put in to the sport will have come to
end. For some however, the dream
continues, albeit in a different form.
An interesting trend at Cony
is that many former student athletes
have come back to coach. Cony is full
of former students who have turned to
coaching at their old school.
There is Sean White who
graduated less than four years ago,
who works with the heavyweights in
the wrestling team. There are assistant
coaches Dan Veins and Charlie
Buckingham of the Boys Lacrosse
team. The football team has its share
of Cony graduates: Robbie Vachon,
B.L. Lippert, Devon Saban, and
“Boomer” Macfarland.
Why do they come back?
Coach Veins sums it up in one word:
“Tradition”. Coach Buckingham, who
graduated in ’04 loves coaching at
Cony. Coach Robbie Vachon is an ’87
graduate who after being an assistant
for seven years is now the head coach.
He stated that he came back because
of “the love I have for the high school,
and athletics in general.”
Things are different, however.
The games have changed. Students
have gotten bigger and stronger and,
more often than not, the sports are
faster, with records being broken
everyday by the younger generations.
For Buckingham, the game has
“gotten a lot faster, and a lot more
mental preparation is put into it.”
Young
athletes
are
accomplishing amazing things every
day, but the sports have also taken a
more negative note. Vachon said that
there are many more “technological
distractions and kids are less able to
focus.” In other words we are often
tuned in to what’s happening on
Facebook rather than paying attention
to what’s on the field.
Senior Heather Leet faces some pressure in a lacrosse game
For these coaches it’s a
brave new world. The kids today are
different than the ones they played
with, and they must change with
the times as the game evolves and
programs become more sophisticated.
But in their eyes there is no other
place they would rather be coaching
than at dear old Cony.
RAMESES PAGE 13
Cony Softball:
An Undefeated
Support System
By Caroline Saban
The Cony Softball team has
great team chemistry and is one
massive support system. This kind
of environment combined with
remarkable athletes has produced an
undefeated team with high hopes for
playoffs.
Eight out of the eleven games
they have played so far this season
have been decided by the Mercy
Rule. Only allowing eight runs and
scoring 147, they are currently 13-0
and in first place in Class A East.
There are six players who already
have homeruns. These statistics prove
just how powerful of a team this is.
However, there is more to the story.
“We are always there encouraging our teammates.”
- Nicole Rugan
Before
each
home game, they do a “team sit,”
which senior Allison White called
“embarrassing.” However, Nicole
Rugan, also a senior, said, “We are
superstitious about it, and I would say
it works!”
Their superstitions may help them,
but it is definitely the support they
show for each other that contributes to
their success. They support each other
on anything and everything. “We get
in each other’s faces and encourage
each other, and we all play a different
part with pumping each other up. It is
what makes a team,” explained White.
‘We represent Cony with pride
and class”
- Alyssa Brochu
Rugan added, “No matter how
good or bad an individual is doing,
we are always there encouraging our
teammates.”
Alyssa Brochu, a senior, agrees
with both of her teammates and said,
“We support each other on and off the
field. We do not play as individuals;
we play as a team. We represent Cony
with pride and class.”
They hope to continue representing
Cony and find more success in the
playoffs. Brochu declared, “Our
ultimate goal is definitely Eastern
Maine Champs and States.”
This was obviously on
Rugan and White’s minds as they both
exclaimed, “State Champs, baby!”
RAMESES PAGE 14
Commentary: Football
Reclassification
Maine High School
Football:
Time for a Change?
on this one, but its time face reality.
It’s better to play in a competitive
league than have a losing record and
be a little more respected. However,
changes will not occur at least until
the 2013 season.
Commentary: Tiger Woods
Forgive or Forget
By Chandler Shostak
For many years Maine high
school football has become less and
less competitive at the Class A level
and this is due to one thing: enrollment.
Enrollment determines class by
surprisingly simple, but sensible
guidelines. The fewer kids schools
have, the lower class. This means
constantly changing enrollments yield
changing classes.
The major issue only occurs in
Class A because it is open for increase
while the two other classes have
restrictions at both extremes. Class
C ranges from 0-534, Class B from
535-774, and Class A 775 or more
students. Schools like Lewiston and
Sanford continue to grow while Cony
and Gorham hover just above the 775
mark. This can make a big difference
in skill level so a few reclassification
solutions have been proposed.
The most popular and practical
solution seems to be the four-class
system. Under this proposal, eighteen
schools with enrollments of 865 or
higher would form the north, central,
and south divisions under Class
AA. The other three classes would
be determined from slightly lower
enrollment levels than before to make
teams more fair and competitive.
Schools like Lawrence with a lower
number of students but a good football
program would also be allowed to
petition up to a higher class.
Many players are unhappy with
this because they feel they will be less
respected in a lower class while on the
other hand the coaches tend to favor
it. I’d like to side with the players
By Dylan Cheever
Everybody
knows
his
story. He’s the first or second most
recognizable athlete in the world in
the past twenty years. He’s made close
to a billion dollars through athletic
performance as well as lucrative
endorsement deals. Tiger Woods is
arguably the greatest golfer to ever
walk the face of the Earth, his only
real competition being Jack Nicklaus.
He was on pace to dethrone Nicklaus
as the Majors champion, having won
14 (Nicklaus has 18). There might
never be anyone else who wins 10.
“I’m not saying we should give
him a free pass - just that we
should be able to forgive him.”
All of it came to a screeching
halt when details of Wood’s infidelity
surfaced, shocking the world. In
addition to that, his body began to
break down, causing him to miss major
portions of seasons and withdraw
from events at random. Tiger, once
the idol and hero of millions, turned,
seemingly overnight, into one of
the most loathed and disappointing
figures in our culture.
But I’m asking you to forget
about all of that.
Tiger Woods is a victim,
ladies and gentlemen. He’s a victim
of our scandalous media, social
networking, and from his seemingly
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prophetic upbringing to realization of
success.
Never before have celebrities
had so many forces working against
them. Now, if a popular figure screws
up, it’s being Tweeted; it’s all over
Facebook; it makes headlines on all
the web-based news sources. Then,
it’s reported on television, where
they spend ten minutes every hour
examining the effect of the news
through people’s reactions on Twitter
and Facebook. And if other popular
figures speak up in this social media?
It’s the top story.
That is our news today. Forget
the fact that we’re still in Afghanistan,
or that pollution levels continue to
increase, or that there are still millions
of starving people in this country.
A-list celebrity
take precedent.
screw-ups
“Celebrirites can’t catch a break,
they can’t be people”
That being said, how many
times do you hear people schmooze
about Michael Jordan? How many
times is he glorified when the
opportunity presents itself? Michael
Jordan might as well have been a
half-God who proved himself on
Earth through basketball, and has
since joined his fellow Gods on Mt.
Olympus. But if he were competing in
2012, our media would eat him alive.
The headlines would read: “Michael!
All nighters in Vegas! Gambling!
Where will it End?” or “Does Michael
owe the Mob? Shocking new details
about his father’s death!” Many of his
fans would Tweet horrible things to
him for going on a baseball sabbatical.
He would get ripped apart by the
Associated Press for paying a girl
$250,000 to keep their relationship
a secret…while he was still married.
And yet, he isn’t remembered for
those things.
Unlike Jordan, who was
cut from his high school basketball
team his freshman year, there was
never a question that Tiger was
going to be great. He first appeared
on the Mike Douglas show at age 3,
and won almost every Junior World
Golf Championship that he played,
and remains the only three-time
winner of the U.S. Junior Amateur
tournament. Tiger was a household
name before he was close to being on
the pro-circuit. With that must come
an altered worldview, perhaps even a
sense of entitlement because of one’s
accomplishments and talent. The
simple fact is that very few people
have ever grown up in a situation like
his. What seems right and wrong may
be skewed slightly by his culture of
success and winning, by being treated
like he could walk on water before he
could grow facial hair. There’s always
pressure, always expectations, and
he found ways to succeed and even
exceed most of them.
Just not in his character.
I’m not saying we as a society
should give Tiger Woods a free pass –
just that we should be able to forgive
him. He has revolutionized the game
of golf and is a living legend, much
like Michael Jordan, who gave in to his
flaws. People do this daily, to varying
degrees. But celebrities can’t catch a
break, they can’t be people. People
make mistakes and learn. Nobody is
perfect. It’s about time we remove the
microscope from these humans’ lives
and instead worry about ourselves
for a change. Then, maybe we can do
something about the pollution, and
the starving kids, and end our wars.
Tiger Woods won his first
tournament in March since the
scandal broke in 2009. He’s no longer
the dominant player he was, and may
never be again. I’m a firm believer
that there are two kinds of people in
this world: those who are humble and
those who soon will be. Tiger wasn’t
humble, but he has been since 2009.
And he continues to win. Now he’s
uninteresting.
Anyway, have you guys heard
about this John Travolta thing?
P90X: Are
You Up to the
Challenge?
By Samuel Hopkins
Are you looking for a
challenge? Would you like to get (or
stay) in the best shape of your life? All
it takes is about one hour, five days a
week. So, at which gym do you have to
buy a membership? No membership
is required. All you have to do is join
Mr. Braun and several students with
their daily P90X workout routine.
Since the beginning of March,
a few motivated Cony students have
continued to push themselves to the
limit day after day. Whether it’s in the
fitness room, the gym, a hallway, or
a classroom, they always find a place
to hook up a TV and turn on the pain.
P90X is a Beachbody workout
program that uses minimal equipment
to get maximum results. It pinpoints
the core, which in turn improves
strength, balance, and overall power.
“It’s real-world fitness,” said Braun.
“It does more than just prepare you
for a specific sport. It makes you a
stronger person.”
Kyle Stiefken and Leah Berry,
both seniors, have been doing the
workouts with Braun since the very
first week in March. “The program
is pretty rough,” said Stiefken, “but
it tends to get easier when you get
P90X continued on pg. 15
RAMESES PAGE 15
See P90X pg. 14
used to the different moves.” These
exercises utilize equipment such as
dumbbells, plyo boxes, yoga balls,
and medicine balls, each intended to
target a different area of muscle.
“Once you get going and the
workout becomes part of your daily
routine, it can be really gratifying,”
said Berry. “When your body is telling
you to quit and you push through to
the end…nothing compares to that.”
school for an hour-long workout. Try
it once and, if it’s not right for you,
just be proud of yourself for making
an effort. If it is in fact something you
are interested in, show up each day
with the words of Mr. Braun coursing
through your body: “Be better than
yesterday. All you have to do is show
up and hit ‘play.’”
Mr. Braun is inviting anyone
who is interested to join him after
Alyssa Brochu with a base hit
Cony students work out with Health Teacher Jared Braun
Luke Dang is off to the races at the Cony track. Luke is a serious
State title contender in sprinting. Other notables include Connor
Dufour and Andrew Caron (distance), Julian Hubbard (jumping),
and Sam Birch, Phil Obert (throwing). On the girls side, a tight
team hopes to go far with Lindsey Folsom (pole vault), Pheobe
Cambell, Mel Petersen,Jade McGuire (distance) and Erin Bolduc
(hurdles)
Girls Tennis: The team is currently ranked sixth in Eastern
Maine Class A with a record of six wins and six losses
Boys Tennis: The Boys Tennis team is currently ranked sixth
in Eastern Maine Class A with a record of seven wins and five
losses
Photos by Mark and Dee Moore
The Boys Lacrosse team has progressed throughout the
season and is currenttly 3-6 and ranked 8th in Eastern
Maine Class A. Their three wins equal the total for the
past two seasons.
RAMESES PAGE 16
Winning in Williamsburg
Memories
Cont. from pg. 5
of seniors were unimpressed with,
were the dance contracts. Nicole
Rugan was “annoyed to have to sign
a dance contract.” Cecilia Fuller had
a different perspective. She liked
“being allowed to dance however at
the Anti-Homecoming.”
In addition to Chizzle Wizzle
another memorable event this year
was the musical “Grease.” Being
a part of the show myself as Sandy,
I can say it was one of the best
experiences I’ve had during my high
school career. It was so rewarding that
all of our hard work and commitment
paid off into a wonderful show and it
was amazing work with such talented
people. It’s all that I ever could have
wished for. Heather Leet, who played
Jan, thought it was hilarious “when
Allie and Arthur were pretending to
kiss in the show and they knocked
over a tree opening night, the crowd
went wild with laughter.” Davis said,
“It was the first play of high school
I saw and I was really impressed.”
Benoit added, “It was one of the best
plays I’ve seen.” The shows had a
large turnout and were a success. It
was the first pivotal musical Cony has
put on in years.
A great aspect of this year
was trips, big and little. For instance,
Katrina Duncan had “so much fun
at the Marine Biology Career Day at
the Bigelow Labs with Ally, Sydney,
Ryan, and Julie.” Jade McGuire
laughed as she explained how at the
Latin Convention, “Cony was the
least spirited.” As for the big trips, the
Williamsburg Band and Chorus Trip
was a big success and students really
enjoyed the trip. Hannah Lamson said,
“I liked the freedom. We were able to
roam and enjoy sightseeing. It was
relaxing and calm, and the weather
was beautiful. It was a nice vacation
without school work and was stressfree, while it was still an educational
experience.” In addition, seniors are
also really looking forward to the
senior trip to Six Flags.
Then there are the little
moments that stick to our memories.
Rebecca Severy “liked when the
teachers went onstage during the
Christmas concert and sang. It was
really funny and nice to see them
showcase their talents. I really
enjoyed Mrs. Tripp’s solo.” The flash
mob was another memorable moment,
but Lamson added, “I thought it was a
neat idea, but getting a group of people
on a field and dancing is not a flash
mob, it’s uniformed dancing.” Ashley
Wing, who takes the Early Childhood
CATC class, will remember her class.
“I definitely learned a lot more than
in some of my regular classes. It feels
good to make a difference in the lives
of children.” Nicole Liyange-Don
happily expressed that one of her
fondest memories of senior was “the
satisfaction of seeing the Rameses in
print of the first time,” it was a big
By Sam Birch
moment. Kathryn Dawson laughed as
she recalled “Singing Valentines with
Madrigals, especially singing to Mr.
Wells, Mr. Cook, and Mr. Totman.”
James Duchart was happy he “wasn’t
suspended as much this year.”
“It feels good to make a difference in the lives of children”
-Ashley Wing
Finally, deciding what to
do after high school ends was a big
decision for seniors. Davis was “so
happy finally getting accepted into
college, it was a relief after all the
work and making the decision was
exciting.” Benoit was ecstatic to
“receive his acceptance letter from
UMA.”
“... it was a relief after all
the work and making the
decision was exciting”
-Dakotah Davis
As we all are about to embark
on a brand new journey, it’s nice to
reflect and to appreciate the time
we have left in high school, despite
an epidemic of senioritis, which is
spreading like wildfire.
Giberson has loved “spending
time with friends and teachers.” As
many of us are going our separate
ways, Duchart explained, “bonds are
getting stronger with friends.” “We’re
all looking forward to graduation,”
Davis explained, “and spending
time with friends.” Benoit said, “It’s
bittersweet to reminisce about senior
year.”
“It’s surreal that senior
year os going to be over”
-Donovan Gilbert
The last week of April was a
very exciting time for the Cony Music
Department and its students. On the
night of April 25th, they set off for the
Heritage Music Festival to strut their
stuff. Concert band, jazz band, concert
choir, and the Madrigals all took part
in this trip. Not only did they have a
rocking time but they also scored very
well in the competition.
Participants have brought
home stories of singing in the hot
tub, hanging out in hotel rooms, and
gallivanting around Busch Gardens.
Everyone agrees that it was the time
of their lives. One of the events
everyone is sure to remember is the
evening in Williamsburg before the
ghost tours. In one of the gift shops
someone discovered little exploding
packets, which were given the name
“poppers.” They were inexpensive
and soon enough the store was
cleaned out. Then the chaos began.
Everyone had to watch their backs
or risk getting surprised by a popper
explosion. This lasted about a half an
hour and resulted in hours of laughing
and giggling.
Everyone had to watch
their backs or risk getting
surprised by a popper
explosion.
Despite all the fun, when
competition time rolled around
everyone focused. The concert choir
and Madrigals performed the morning
on 29th and wowed the judges with
their music. The adjudicator who
did a little work with the Madrigals
said he wished he could put them
“in his trunk and take them home.”
Concert choir blew the judges away
with their singing of “Famine Song”
(originally by VIDA). They were well
received by the judges who gave no
critical comments. Choral director
Theresa Beaudoin felt that the groups
performed admirably.
The next morning it was the
instrumental groups’ turn to show off.
According to its members, the concert
band’s performance was slightly
shaky. Brandon Emerson, a trumpet
player, said, “Everyone seemed off
that morning. I was playing some
wrong notes and couldn’t figure out
what was up.” Many of the other band
members felt the same way. Some
members thought it might be nerves
and the unfamiliarity of the space.
The concert choir, however,
pulled off the surprise of
the competition. It earned
a gold rating and 2nd place
overall!
Next, the jazz band had a lot
riding on them. Not only did they
rise to challenge but also exceeded
everyone’s expectations.
Olivia
Perkins, who plays tenor saxophone
in the jazz band, said, “We did really
well.” Hillary Anderson who directed
both groups was very pleased with
how things went.
That night the awards
ceremony provided some pleasant
surprises. After all the dancing (started
by the Cony students) everyone settled
in to hear the results. Concert band,
despite their troubled performance
pulled off a bronze rating. Jazz band
and the Madrigals were given a silver
rating (much to everyone’s surprise). The concert choir, however, pulled
off the surprise of the competition.
It earned a gold rating and 2nd place
overall!
The trip began with giggles
and ended with smiles!
Donovan Gilbert explained,
“It’s surreal that senior year is going
to be over.” Ludwig felt this year “was
just like every other year except for
the excitement surrounding college.
Severy added, “It was the best year of
high school. I was very comfortable
because I was a senior. Although this
year was a little stressful because
of all the deadlines we had to keep
track of.” Severy went on to say,
“Looking back five years from now,
I know I’ll remember all my friends,
all my favorite teachers, and all the
memories.”
Connor Dufour with his parents at the Senior Track Meet
Rameses Page 17
Senior Messages
To Senior Rameses Staff,
Thank you to all my senior writers for your hard work and dedication. I
especially want to thank my editors, Dylan Cheever and Nicole Liyange-Don .
I also would like to give special thanks to my layout guru, Perrin Cody, and
my photography editor, Natalie Arbout.
To the rest of the staff, I’m proud of the articles you have written – very
professional. You have brought back the Rameses in a big way!
Best of luck.
To Michael Alan Giberson,
We are all so proud of you Michael! You did it!
Words cannot describe how proud we are!
We love you!
- Mom, Gram, Grams and Family.
To Tessa Crocker,
I’ll miss you all,
You should feel so proud of all you have accomplished,
and we are so very proud of you. Congratulations!
Love, Mom, Ron and Benny
Mr. Wells
Sam Hopkins, Josie Lee, Westley Benner, Kevie Rodrigue, Ashley Couvrette and Alyssa Brochu
Cony Students Shine
Seven Cony students earned places in a writing contest sponsored by the Kennebec Valley Medical Association. Out of 94 essays
submitted by five local schools, Cony earned seven out of eleven places. Kevie Rodrigue and Sam Hopkins earned 2nd place and
$250 each. Josie Lee, West Benner, Ashley Couvrette, Alyssa Brochu, and Levi Pelletier (not pictured) earned honorable mention
and $100 each.
GRACE ODIMAYO, DMD
General & Cosmetic Dentistry
562 MAINE AVE
FARMINGDALE, ME 04344
Tel: (207) 582-4503
Fax: (207) 582- 8730
Cony Writers
Rock!!!
Rameses page 18
in “Senior Year Memories”?
TRIVIA!!!!
The first student to bring the correct
answers to Mr. Wells in room
2004 wins their choice of pizza
delvired by Dylan Cheever and
Perrin Cody to their lunch table
1. What
was
Cony
SkillsUSA award
named
after
a
staff
member?
2. What
what
is “Equipo” and
does
it
mean?
3. What are the softball
team’s wins and losses?
10. What alumni now coach
at Cony? (Hint: 7 total)
11. Where did the music kids
find
their
“poppers”?
12. Where did Ms. Bourget work
before she came to Cony?
13. Name two spooky things
about the old Cony building.
We at the Ramses
thank you, the
student body, for
your patronage
14. Where is the model for
the new Cony building?
15. How
many
Championships
Tiger
Woods
4. Name two dangers of tanning.
16. What
of
5. What
Global
student
volunteers at the Barbara
Bush Children’s Hospital?
17. What
are
of
Senior
Majors
has
won?
was
the
Project
3
goal
Play?
objects
Goodbyes?
6. How long does a tin
can take to decompose?
18. What class would Cony
Football
be
in
under
the four class system?
7. Name 3 pieces of equipment
used in the P90X videos.
19. What
is
the
biggest
complaint about RAM Time?
8. What was the name of the
tour guide on the Quebec trip?
9. How many people are cited
$500 Scholarship Opportunity
Stop by the Credit Union office located at CATC for further
details or visit us online at
www.maine-edcu.org
Deadline is April 30, 2012