November 2015 - Bristol Public Schools

Volume 2 ♦ Issue 1
Q1 Edition ♦ Nov 2015
CATCHIN’ UP WITH COACH
centralctcommunications.com
By Raina L.
At the start of the 2015
football season, the
BEHS student body was
excited to attend games,
buy merchandise, and
cheer on the new team.
Football seems to be this
Inside this issue:
You are NOT
alone
2
Social Media
Obsession
3
Two Wrongs
Right
4
#LOVE WINS
5
Toddler Fight
Club
7
Food for Thought
12
school's most popular sport, with
hundreds of people - ranging from
adults to children attending each
home game.
Most do not
know what happens
with the varsity team
other than at their
games, and with a new
coach this season, there
have been some changes. Coach Philippon has
coached at BEHS in previous years, and has
returned again, ready
for another season. He
previously coached in
years 2004-2008. Regarding the Battle of the
Bell games for those
years, BEHS lost in 2004
and 2005, tied BCHS in
2006, and won the bell
in 2007 and 2008.
Coach Philippon has
taught at Bristol Eastern
(Continued on page 3)
‘CATCHING FIRE’ CAPTURES
SCHOOL SPIRIT THANKS TO
KENNEY
By Zea M.
Whether you were
chosen to participate
on reaping day or you
volunteered as tribute,
there is a large chance
that you know about
The Hunger Games.
Here at Bristol Eastern,
each year students put
their name in the ring
to see if they will be
chosen to participate in
the challenges and win
their class a private
showing of the worldwide
phenomenon
known as the Hunger
Games.
What started the idea
of a Hunger Games
challenge at school?
Mrs. Kenney, Bristol
Eastern librarian, and
creator of the Hunger
G ames
c ha l len ge,
claims it came up during a nerdfighter gathering in 2011. The
group was discussing
their excitement for the
books when a student
joked
about
high
(Continued on page 9)
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
clipartsheep.com
By May K.
Bart Palosz committed
suicide in August 27,
2013 after attending the
first day of his sophomore year at Greenwich
High School in Greenwich, Connecticut. He
shot and killed himself
with the family shotgun
after sustaining years of
bullying.
Bart was teased for his
height and his polish
accent. He was bullied
for years physically and
verbally. He was teased
for being awkward and
showed signs of suicidal thoughts and attempts of suicide on his
social media. Bart experienced an incident at
his locker and suffered
injuries that needed
stitches. Other incidents
included being kicked
and pushed into bushes.
He also got his shoelaces tied together. For 10
years Bart was bullied
Page 2
before he committed
suicide.
Family and friends
have said Bart was
picked on for a number
of reasons, including his
socially awkward demeanor, his tall and
heavy-set frame, his
acne and his Polish accent. His family immigrated to the U.S. from
Poland when he was
four years old. Bart’s
troubles were known to
Greenwich high school
administrators, including two assistant principals, according to Hartford Courant. In a May
2012 meeting with thenAssistant Principal Albert Sackey, an eighthgrade Bart reportedly
admitted to several instances of being physically and verbally
abused.
Once in high school,
Palosz’s treatment by
his peers apparently did
not improve. Less than
two months into his
freshman year, a classmate in a biology class
smashed his new Android smartphone, according to Hartford
Courant. Shortly after
Bart died, his sister,
Beata, recalled the same
incident. By the spring
of his freshman year,
Bart was showing major
signs of his distress,
according to Hartford
Courant. His grades
dropped off precipitously, he decided to
stop turning in his
homework and he was
biting his hands in class.
While he was reluctant
to share his ordeals with
others face-to-face, Bart
did open up on the social network Google+.
There, he posted plans
to harm himself due to
"school caused insanity."
After school that day,
Bart returned to an
empty
home.
He
grabbed the key to a
gun safe in his bedroom
where his father kept
his hunting rifles. With
one of those weapons,
he ended his life by
shooting himself in the
head.
According to Valeri B.,
a student in B.E.H.S, the
reason to commit suicide is bullying and that
is the main reason for
committing suicide.
Teens see it as the only
way out because they
are so young. They
(Continued on page 9)
Eastern Extra ♦ Q1 2015 Edition
THE FIFTH APPENDAGE?
By Valerie B.
atives
mainly
focus
around
cyber bullying.
W h en
as k ed
about the positives he says,
“It’s a venue of
communication
for people.” He
also gets good
recipes from Pinterest! “It is a
place to share
things you think
are
beautiful,
funny, or just worth
showing,” Alex says.
Gabby M., 15, also of
Bristol Eastern who
spends about three
hours on social media a
day says it causes problems in her personal
life. “It’s sad to say but
social media takes over
people's lives,” Gabby
says. She thinks the
negatives include altered body image, taking up too much time
and distraction from
COACH
(Continued from page 1)
for 12 years, and he believes the biggest advantage to teaching and coaching at his place of work is "being in
closer contact with student athletes
throughout the day." Philippon added
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 1
fotolia.com
Social Media is used
by just about everyone.
The question is, is it
really a good thing?
From body image to
peer pressure, social
media can have many
negative effects. Many
researchers say that it
gives a false sense of
connection, increases
the chance of bullying
and is an overall invasion of privacy, establishing unrealistic body
standards and glorifying bad behavior. On
the other hand , it raises
political and cultural
awareness, develops
social skills and gives
you a place to be yourself without judgment.
Alex M., 14, a Bristol
Eastern student, who
only spends roughly 10
minutes on social media
a day, says it has not
affected his view on
himself or others. He
feels as though the neg-
school work and activities. Like Alex, Gabby’s
positives include communication and connection to friends and family.
Be it positive or negative, social media plays
a major role in the lives
of many people. Sometimes it's their only way
to connect to loved
ones. Other times it's
their worst nightmare.
that his previous experience is always
helpful in his job, as it is in any form
of work.
Coach Philippon likes to prepare for
every game the same way, “one day
at a time, one week at a time, one
game at a time." ■
Page 3
CURRENT EVENTS
TWO WRONGS = RIGHT
Part I of a Two-Part Report
By Inoj E.
Page 4
news
conference,
Waller
County Judge,
Trey
Duhon,
said that such
rumors
have
r es u l te d
in
death
threats
against county
of f icials.
"Because
of
some of the
things
that's
gone out on
social media, this county has been literally
attacked," Duhon said,
adding that the FBI is
investigating the most
serious threats. Alexandria Pyle, an inmate
held in the adjacent cell,
later told the media that
Bland seemed "sort of
distraught," was very
emotional, and cried
frequently. Pyle stated
that she never heard
any loud noise or commotion that would indicate foul play in Bland's
death.
Sandra Annette Bland
was found hanged in
her jail cell just three
days after her arrest.
From Bland’s Linkined-in account
Sandra Annette Bland
was stopped on the
afternoon of July 10,
2015, on University
Drive in Prairie View,
Texas, for failure to signal a lane change. In a
series of events recorded by his dash cam, the
officer on the scene
spoke to Bland before
the interaction became
h ea ted.
He
th en
dragged her from her
car, and placed his knee
on her head even
though she said she
could not hear and was
hurt. After moving out
of frame, he placed her
under arrest her.
Bland's bail was set at
$5,000. On July 28, authorities released several hours of video showing Bland at various
times during her jail
stay, including arriving
at the jail, having her
mug shot taken, and
making phone calls.
Footage was released to
dispel rumors and conspiracy theories, including her death before she
arrived at the jail. At a
Her death has been
ruled a suicide.
Thirty-eight-year old
Officer Matt Ocasio of
Waterbury, Connecticut—a Latino—feels
racism
significantly
impacts the justice system.
As a minority,
himself, and a cop, he’s
seen family members
get arrested, but also
realizes his fellow Puerto Ricans don't always
do the right thing. Officer Ocasio is aware of
law enforcement officials who think they are
above the law, but he
and most of his colleagues truly do see
(Continued on page 10)
Chippens ChatterEastern
♦ Winter
Extra
2006
♦ Q1
Edition
Edition
CURRENT EVENTS
#LOVEWINS
By Ashley M.
Same sex marriage
has been a highly controversial topic for the
past decade. It was finally legalized in all 50
states on June 25, 2015.
It’s been legal in Connecticut since November 12, 2008. Some people view gay marriage
as “unnatural” because
gay marriage is not supported is not supported
by all religions, the fear
that “the sanctity of
marriage will be destroyed” are among the
reasons it took so long
to legalize it. Protected
by the first amendment,
religion should not affect the passing of a bill.
Three times divorced,
49-year-old, Kim Davis
from Rowan County,
Kentucky, decided to
take the law into her
own hands. After the
legalization of same sex
marriage, Davis refused
marriage licenses for
homosexual
couples. On September 3rd
she was arrested and
jailed for five days, having been charged with
contempt of court. Davis’ primary argument
was that her religious
beliefs should exempt
her from licensing a gay
marriage.
Following her release
Davis informed the
judge that she will not
be giving couples who
go against her religious
beliefs marriage licenses. However, her deputies will. Davis said she
has altered the marriage
certificate so they don’t
say her name or Rowan
county. The validity of
these forms have yet to
be concluded.
Gillian P., a junior at
Bristol Eastern, “She
deserved five years, not
five days,” Gillian said,
adding, “people should
love who they want.” ■
glasgowacciesrfc.com
COME BE A
PART OF
SOMETHING
SPECIAL!
JOIN THE
EASTERN
EXTRA!
See Mr. LeCara in
Room 246 for more
details.
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 1
Page 5
EYE OPENING NEWS
YOU’RE GONNA MISS ‘EM WHEN
THEY’RE GONE
clker.com
By Brianna C.
According to Marco Lambertini,
director general of WWF International, “protecting nature is not a luxury….it is quite the opposite. For many
of the world’s poorest people, it is a
lifeline.” Also, “the threat to oceans
could create economic losses of up to
$428 billion by 2050. The global fishing sector employs more than 660
million people, and fish provide more
than 15% of protein in people’s diet.”
“What might be the key factor to
extinction/endangerment of animal
species is the lack of manpower to
stop it,” says Tom Lavoie, Bristol
Eastern High School Global Issues
teacher, “Most of the poachers are
operating in areas that are difficult to
police due to the vast and untamed
nature of the landscape, but the simple fact is that not enough people are
engaged in enforcing the laws against
poaching. second critical factor is the
lure of profit. there is an enormous
market for the poached commodities,
there is an equally large incentive to
Page 6
poach , cracking down on the buyers
is a key way to cut down on the
poaching.”
Poaching of elephants have a higher
decline within the forest and savannah, also within Southern and Northeast India. But other animals within
Africa, Ujung Kulon, Bukit Barisan
Selatan, and the Virunga Forest on the
borders of the Democratic Republic of
Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, are too
at a serious risk of becoming extinct
because of poachers.
“The problems that are mainly
caused by poachers and people who
hunt for sport/pelts is that they are
risking the extinction of majestic creatures that should be protected and
enjoyed by humans. the minor hypocrisy injected by our enormous animal
slaughter/consumption food systems,
poaching is different because it is
mainly done for sport and the targeted animals are already endangered,”
said Lavoie.
Some of these animals that are being driven to the extinction list are,
the Amur Leopard, the Black Rhino,
the Asian Elephant, the Galápagos
Penguin, the Malayan Tiger,
Orangutans, Tigers, and Whales.
Some are killed by trophy hunters,
others are killed by Poachers who kill
for furs and tusks. But one major
threat to species is Exploitation.
Chippens ChatterEastern
♦ Winter
Extra
2006
♦ Q1
Edition
Edition
BABY BRAWL
Welcome to the Toddler Fight Club
By Gillian P.
On August 13, in
Cranford, New Jersey at
Lightbridge Academy
two employees, Erica
Kenny and Chanise
White, encouraged toddlers to engage in Fight
Club style fighting. Kenny, 22, and White, 28,
posted what they recorded of the fights on
Snapchat.
Kenny and White organized the fighting
between children who
were 4-6 years of age.
Kenny was a teacher's
aide and White was a
teacher at the daycare
center. They were encouraging children to
shove and hit each other. Upon discovering
Kenny and White, they
were fired from their
jobs and both were
charged with fourthdegree child abuse.
Kenny was also charged
with third-degree endangering the welfare
of a child.
A day care center has
around 15-20 children
in each classroom.
Lightbridge Academy
allows parents to look at
their children through
ParentView
Internet
M o n i t o r ing. Lightbridge Academy has cameras all
throughout their facilities except the playground where the fights
were staged. Kenny and
White were able to bypass the cameras set up
to have the fights. Management at Lightbridge
Academy says no children were harmed in
the fighting.
ARE COLLEGE PARTIES ON THE RISE?
By Lacey K.
Central Connecticut
State University has had
a major increase in partying and drinking
around the campus.
Police have been patrolling around the area
more carefully to insure
that the students are
safe. Police and Student
Officials say that they
don’t understand why
there has been a sudden
uptick around the college.
Back in September,
there were two parties
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 1
and a total of 10 students had either been
fined or arrested for
underage drinking, disorderly conduct, and
breach of peace. Students were off campus
disturbing the neighbors at 3 in the morning
either by knocking over
trash cans or urinating
on lawns.
A neighbor around
the area said she hasn’t
seen it this bad in 10
years. More police officers are on duty Friday
and Saturday nights to
insure that students are
safe and doing what
they’re supposed to do.
“The students just
want to have fun and
they think it’s cool”,
said Gillian P. She believes that what the
students are doing is
wrong but “kids will be
kids.”
The students don't
fear retribution because
they think they won't
(Continued on page 10)
Page 7
SPORTS
pilotcommsgroup.com
PAPI’S PERFECT
PLAY
By Jordan L.
After achieving a
milestone in his baseball
career, David Ortiz was
honored at Fenway
Park for hitting his
500th Home Run on
9/12/15 in Tampa Bay,
Florida. Ortiz, who was
making his first appearance at Fenway Park
since the milestone,
would have loved to
have done it at home,
but it wasn’t meant to
be. Teammates as well
Tampa Bay players applauded Ortiz. The Red
Sox gave Ortiz a plaque
denoting all of his 500
homers.
Rob Latko, a 46 year
old long time RedSox
fan from of Bristol, CT
said, “I was happy for
him, He is a long time
Page 8
Red Sox veteran
and that is a huge
accomplishment in
baseball for a man
that is 39 years old.
He deserves it.”
Seventeen year old
Brian M., a Bristol
E a s te r n
High
School
senior,
baseball
player,
and another long time
Red Sox fan said, “I was
extremely happy for the
guy. He is a long time
Red Sox player, a great
hitter, and a key player
for the organization.”
David Ortiz said he
would take winning a
World Series any day
over hitting 500 home
runs. But with no
chance at the Fall Classic this season, he was
honored by the Red Sox
before September 14,
2015 Monday night’s 87 win against the Rays
for reaching the 500home run milestone in
Tampa Bay on Sept. 12.
David Americo Ortiz
Arias was born on November 18, 1975 in Santo Domingo, the capital
city of the Dominican
Republic. The oldest of
four children, David
was always the calming
influence in his family.
Easygoing and easy to
have fun with, the rising star had a wonderful sense of humor. He
made friends everywhere he went.
Unlike most Dominican kids, David began
filling out early. It did
not take much imagination for scouts to project
him as a future power
hitter, but what intrigued them was how
tough an out he could
be. If David did not get
a pitch he could drive,
he would use his quick,
powerful hands to
spray lasers all over the
field. And he was confident enough in this
ability to work deep
into counts. David’s
relaxed nature also
served him well. Always happy to be at the
ballpark, he maintained
an even keel whether he
was 4-for-4 or 0-for-4.
Eastern Extra ♦ Q1 2015 Edition
(Continued from page 1)
school being like the
Hunger Games. Everyone then had an idea
that they could have an
in-school version of the
Hunger Games, but
without the violence.
After a lot of planning
and brainstorming, the
Hunger Games was
finally a reality at Bristol Eastern.
As students know, a
lot of work goes into
making this event happen. Many assume only
the tributes get to take
part in the competition,
but it is actually a
school-wide event. According to Mrs. Kenney,
“It is a way for our clas-
ses to be competitive, in
a
good
natured
way, and it is an easy
way to rally behind a
classmate.” She sees it
all as “a way to do
something for our BEHS
family.” The class challenges are specifically
designed to let everyone
in the school have a
chance to help their
representatives win and
get their class to the
final event. The participation allows the school
to raise money, spreading awareness for important causes happening in the world. An
example would be the
Penny War. Not only is
it a great way to raise
money, but all the money collected goes to people who really need it.
The Hunger Games
NOT ALONE
(Continued from page 2)
don’t know that it may get better.
They feel that there is no life for them
and no one needs them. Thinking
about the death is the answers and no
one will care if they died.
According to Kevin Toomey, a
health teacher in B.E.H.S, there are
several related factors that drive teens
to contemplate suicide and cause
some to act mental disorders that led
the person to develop a sense of hopelessness such as; major depression,
substance abuse, personality disorders and schizophrenia. A suicide in
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 1
hereandnow.wbur.org
‘Catching
Fire’
challenges are a way to
benefit so many people
while also being fun
and interesting.
Mrs. Kenney clarifies,
“Being in the BEHS
Hunger Games isn't
about glorifying violence, but about celebrating a book series
that captivated us as
readers.” ■
the family tends to increase risk in
fragile teens as it gives them a social
model for self harming behavior. The
teen years are fraught with change
and pain. Both real and perceived
environmental stresses such as bullying greatly impact the decision making ability of the already depressed
and fragile teens. A problem is the
easy access to lethal means such as
firearms and medications.
There's a saying that "you can't see
the forest because the trees are in the
way". Sometimes fragile teens see no
way out because they are unaware of
their own self-worth and are unaware
(Continued on page 10)
Page 9
TWO WRONGS
(Continued from page 4)
everyone as equal.
“All lives matter,” says Ocasio, “but
being a minority, I know that Latinas
and Blacks, in general, have been
through a lot… to see innocent people
being killed hurts.”
Ocasio says, “I became a cop to
show my family that there's so much
more that we can do than becoming
mechanics and cleaning up after people, There's so many opportunities
out there for people.”
Since becoming an officer, he’s had
to endure angry words from family
member distrustful of the boys in
COLLEGE PARTIES
(Continued from page 7)
get caught. When they do get caught
they blame others for their actions but
NOT
ALONE
(Continued from page 9)
of available outside
help.
School models react to
suicidal tendencies and
attempts, but little is
done to screen “fragile
students” prior to any
student choosing suicide as an alternative.
To be proactive regarding mental health,
suicidal thinking has to
be addressed so that
Page 10
blue, while others look to him as an
inspiration for those who want more
out of life than just the hood.
Programs such as PAL—Police Activity League, a not-for-profit organization which promotes partnerships
between youth, law enforcement and
the community—help build community awareness and trust, especially
for those in and out of Juvenile Detention.
While media continues to “blow
little stories into bigger issues… the
media is also good” because they
draw attention to issues that wouldn’t
otherwise be recognized, Ocasio says.
LOOK FOR PART II in the Q2 ISSUE
OF THE EASTERN EXTRA
in the long run they did this to themselves.
As of the month of October, there
haven't been any other cases regarding this issue.■
individuals know they
are not alone in their
experience. Lack of
quality family time and
discussion around the
dinner table may play a
major role in an adolescent's alienation. While
those in the field possess great technical
skills, society’s social
skills are becoming
more limited. Families
that recognize a child's
point of view at an early
age helps validate the
child as an integral family member. Parents
need to listen more and
dictate less.
School plays a dominant role, not so much
in the later years as crisis intervention practitioners, but early as
recognizes of the stresses and developers of
alternative programs
that address bullying,
mental
health
and substance abuse
from the early elementary years. The community needs to provide
accessible, effective pro(Continued on page 11)
Eastern Extra ♦ Q1 2015 Edition
(Continued from page 10)
gramming; there needs to be an increase in programming that stresses
protective behaviors. There has to be
an increase in programs that stress
youth /adult connectedness.
People everywhere have the responsibility to help in the prevention of
suicide. Anyone can help stop a suicide. All one has to do is put others
before them; especially when it comes
to their feelings. Everyone should try
to do as much as they can to help in
the prevention of suicide. Anyone can
help just by befriending someone
who is hurting and letting them express their feelings, such as pain,
hurt, anger, and rage. That, in itself,
may help prevent that person from
committing suicide.
Still, that may not always be
enough. One should not forget to that
suicide is never the answer, and that
the consequences of suicide are far
greater than one might imagine.
Friends, family, associates, even the
community is greatly affected by such
an act.
If you or someone you know is suicidal, contact a parent, teacher, counselor, nurse, coach, administrator, or
contact one of the numbers below.
The war against suicide never stops.
You are never alone.■
Teen Helpline
1-800-400-0900
Self-Injury Hotline
SAFE (Self Abuse Finally Ends)
1-800-DONT CUT (1-800-366-8288)
SUICIDE PREVENTION LINES
1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
Volume 2 ♦ Issue 1
Page 11
wildhunt.org/tag/santa-claus.com
JOLLY OLD SAINT NICK?
Pour the milk and lay out the cookies. Santa is
on his way. What do citizens from other countries call their own special giver of presents?
See below.
Latin America: Papá Noel
Croatia: Grandpa Christmas
Denmark: The Christmas Man
France: Father Christmas
Germany: Christmas Man
Greece: Saint Basil
Iceland: Icelandic folktales feature up to 13 Santa Clauses. Not all are nice.
Norway: named Julenissen, he is depicted as a small, short-statured elderly man,
Russia: Grandpa Frost
Sweden: The Yule/Christmas Gnome
RESOLUTIONS FOR
THE NEW YEAR
It’s that time again to consider a goal for the new year. Below are some of the
most popular from 2015 in order of their popularity.
* Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed resolved to lose weight and eat healthier
* Fifteen percent planned financial goals
* Eight percent set goals having to
do with relationships
* Seven percent of those surveyed
found a large percentage of those
who resolved to find success in
their careers
* Six percent looked to travel
The lowest, least popular
resolution? Sadly, Education.
Q1 EASTERN EXTRA CONTRIBUTORS/STAFF: Brianna C., Valerie B.,
Inoj E., May K., Lacey K., Jordan L., Raina L., Rose L., Zea M., Ashley M., and
Gillian P. Faculty Advisor: Mr. LeCara.