thepioneer - Trinity High School

thepioneer
Volume 4 Issue 3
The newspaper of Trinity High School
Occupy: Just
a new trend?
Inside this issue:
StumbleUpon.com
Check out this great
website. StumbleUpon.
com , the new social
media networking site is
entertaining and somewhat addictive.
See page 7
By Nicole Fell
Co-Editor-In-Chief
Occupy Wall Street
Nicole Fell weighs in
on the Occupy movement we’ve all been
hearing about.
See page 3
La Carreta
Rick Kfoury reviews
the popular Mexican
restaurant, La Carreta.
See page 7
Purple Finch
Abby Caron reviews
the Purple Finch Cafe.
Find out what she
thought.
See page 7
Schedules
Show your THS pride
by going to more sport
events this season.
Luckily, we have the
dates for you.
See page 6
Pioneer Staff Photo
Junior Emilee Thompson shines onstage as Gertrude McFuzz in Trinity High School’s production of Seussical.
Thompson is a prominent member of Trinity High School’s Drama Club and the Palace Theater’s Teen Apprentice
Company. Most recently, she had a role in the musical “13.” In both shows her talent as a vocalist was showcased.
Thompson shines on stage
By Aubrey Legasse
Pioneer Staff
always knows her stuff, comes in with
great ideas and is always ready with a
character in mind. I would say she is one
of the more talented students that I have
ever worked with, which includes the
drama club at Trinity and teaching theatre
outside of the school,” said Ms. Byron.
By dedicating her time to these various groups, Thompson has accumulated
a hefty list of performances. One of her
personal favorites was Children of Eden,
and other productions she has participated
in include Alice in Wonderland, 13: The
Musical, Godspell, Seussical, The Sound
of Music, Peter Pan, A Christmas Carol
and Beauty and the Beast.
On average, Thompson performs in approximately six to nine productions each
year. She also sang in the Miss Teen New
Hampshire Pageant last fall.
With how much time she devotes to
theatre and her experience with her passion, she has been able to develop various
skills.
“As an actress, I can easily separate
roles and develop the different characters
that I may be playing. The only challenge
is that one play I could be playing a dramatic character, whereas in another, I
1/5 Financial aid filing
workshop for senior parents, 4-7pm, library
Whether she’s onstage during a performance, enduring hours worth of rehearsals, or just running through her lines,
junior Emilee Thompson never seems to
get tired of her passion for theatre.
Thompson has been interested in both
acting and singing since she was in third
grade, when she sang in front of people
for the first time at the age of six at the St.
Catherine school in Manchester. She first
realized she had a passion for both when
she was in eighth grade, after she had
performed The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
with The Palace Theatre in Manchester.
“Once I found my interest in it, I saw
how much training and work I would
need, and I just committed to it,” said
Thompson.
Between hours spent at Trinity’s drama
club, the Palace Theatre and chorus,
Thompson spends anywhere from sixteen
hours or more mastering the art of theatre.
Thompson has been a member of the
drama club at Trinity since she was a
freshman and Ms. Byron, the drama club’s
advisor, continues to be impressed with
Thompson.
“Emilee is very easy to work with. She
1/10 -Noon dismissal,
faculty meeting
Service offers new outlook
THS at a glance...
12/21 - Christmas/Advent liturgy and Christmas celebration; 1pm
dismissal. Mass will be
at St. Anthony’s (Belmont Street, Manchester)
at 10:30 a.m. All alumni,
family and friends are
welcome.
12/22-1/3- Christmas
break; no classes
1/12- End of second
quarter
1/16/-1/19- Midtern
exams:
1/16: Mods A & B
1/17: Mods C & D
1/18: Mods E & F
1/19: Mods G & H
1/20- Start of second
semester
1/22- Departure for the
March for Life
1/30-2/3- Catholic
Schools Week
December 2011
By Kiersten Photiades and
Meghan Barker
Pioneer Staff
Campus Ministry’s “25
Days of Service,” which
started on Nov. 27 and will
finish on Dec. 21, has been a
great way for students to get
involved during the Advent
season and help out in many
different areas of service.
Inspired by ABC Family’s
“25 Days of Christmas” and
an email from a friend, Mr.
Flaherty created this unique
project with the idea to “build
a culture of service” at Trinity.
“[I wanted] students to get
exposure to different needs [in
the community]. Each event
has, on average, five people,
and everything has been
filled,” said Mr. Flaherty.
Along with the group of
students who go to the service
site is an adult, usually a parent or teacher.
The events on the calendar
all differ, but the message is
apparent: to help out those in
need. Among the events are
Salvation Army Bell ringing,
volunteering at Kids Café,
wrapping gifts for Southern
NH Services, and an event
called Christmas in the City.
“I’m really excited about
See SERVICE, Page 4
See EMILEE, Page 4
Every so often, a new trend comes
about. It’s either a new fashion trend,
a new media trend, or a new political
trend. This season’s trend? Occupy
Wall Street.
The 99% movement, also known
as Occupy [insert big city name to
show that the whole country “cares”],
is centered around the belief that we,
the 99%, are paying for the screw
ups of the 1%, the wealthiest of the
wealthiest. The movement picked up
the catch line of “We are the 99%.”
The movement began on the
internet, typical of the age we live in.
An anonymous Tumblr (a blog site)
account was put together. On Aug.
23, 2011, this blog posted about the
debt majority of the country is in, the
fright of homelessness, and many
other things that America is sadly
commonly facing. The blog urged
readers to tell their story then include
a photo with “We are the 99%,” at
the bottom. The post ended with this
line, “The 99 percent have been set
against each other, fighting over the
crumbs the 1 percent leaves behind.
But we’re all struggling. We’re all
fighting. It’s time we recognize our
common struggles, our common
cause. Be part of the 99 percent and
let the 1 percent know you’re out
there.” It’s hard to believe this blog
post caused the madness that is going
on today.
From there, things took off, and
that is where, in my opinion, this
movement went sour. There are
currently 2686 Occupy Together
communities throughout the world,
according to the Occupy account on
meetup.com.
Each of the Occupy websites
sends visitors to #HowToOccupy.
The site urges its protestors to bring
phones and cameras, stating, “If it
isn’t captured in video or photo-
See OCCUPY, Page 3
Kasie Bourque / Pioneer Staff
Trinity High School’s football team was defeated by Central in this year’s
Turkey Bowl 37-26. For full game coverage see Sports page six. Above: Junior
Ryan Carrier gets tackled by the Central defensemen.
Page 2
The Pioneer
December 2011
Opinion/Editorial
Giving, not receiving iPads are helpful if used right,
As the holiday season apup the names on the sign-up
proaches, the Trinity family
sheets. Imagine how many
gathers together as one to
service projects we’d be able
celebrate the birth of Jesus.
to do if everyone contributed
Christmas is a
the slightest bit.
time for giving
We know that
Editorial
to our loved ones
we need to step
and to those who
up to the plate. No
are less fortunate
one is forcing you
than we are.
to help, but just because you
The unique tradition Trinmay not receive a grade for
ity High School has makes
helping out does not mean
for a great Christmas season.
you shouldn’t do it. One
It would certainly not be a
can’t put a price on service.
Merry Christmas without the
It would be selfish to serve
beautiful vocals of the chorus for our own purpose of an
and the wonderful music the
extra quiz grade. Imagine
band plays at the concert
how great you will feel after
every year.
a night at the soup kitchen or
In addition, one can’t
ringing bells for the Salvaforget the breathtaking voice
tion Army.
of Mr. Maurier as he sings
On another note, give the
“O Holy Night” at the angift of time, time spent with
nual Christmas liturgy. It’s
others. Make baked goods or
truly a great time of year, and cards instead of buying lavish
definitely the perfect opporgifts. Spend time with each
tunity to be thankful for what
other this holiday season. Do
we have.
not dwell on the bad but the
As teenagers, we tend to
good in your life and in othforget what Christmas is truly ers’ lives.
about. Luckily, Mr. Flaherty is
We all go through rough
making an extra effort to help times, but the season of
us remember. We’ve always
giving is there to remind
been great about service
ourselves why we come to
around the holidays, but this
Trinity. We all belong to the
year is even better than years
Trinity High School family
prior. With the many service
because of our hearts, minds,
opportunities happening this
and souls. We are all one
Christmas season, it’s hard to
small piece of the puzzle of
forget why we truly celebrate
Trinity High School.
this holiday.
This Christmas season, let
We are aware that everyus not forget what we have
one is extremely busy, even
and who we are. Don’t forget
more so this time of year, but
what this time of year is all
try and sacrifice your free
about. Choose to help others
moments to help others. It is
whenever possible because
admirable that many of the
God knows if you’ve been
same students have made the
naughty or nice...along with
time for others, but let us mix Santa.
The Pioneer
Editors-in-Chief
Tiffany Keenan
Nicole Fell
News
Kasie Bourque
A&E
Aubrey Legasse
Meghan Barker
Sports
Jake St. Germain
Opinions
Eric Kallander
Jess Sweeney
Meredith Farrell
Kiersten Photiades
Staff Writers
Abby Caron
Nyabol Malwal
Taryn Adams
Maggie Boisvert
Blake Connell
Alyson Donovan
Shawn Dunphy
Stephanie Horn
Rick Kfoury
Jordan Levesque
Advisory
Mrs. Terri Greene Henning, adviser
Mr. Denis Mailloux, principal
Mr. Steven Gadecki, assistant principal
Mr. Patrick Smith, dean of students
newspaper@trinity-hs.org
Opinions expressed in signed and unsigned letters to the editor, opinion
pieces, and columns are not necessarily those of The Pioneer, its staff, or
Trinity High School. If you do not see your side of the argument, we invite
you to submit a letter to the editor via e-mail to newspaper@trinity-hs.org
but don’t become a ‘gamer’
As you walk into a Trinity freshman class, you will
see Trinity’s newest investment, the iPads. You will see
some students taking notes,
and some playing games.
Many people wonder
whether or not the iPads are
actually useful. I think yes.
Although it doesn’t always
look like it, the iPads are a
huge help to learning if used
right. I know “used right”
sounds like something our
parents would say, but it’s
true.
The first weeks of school,
I was a big game player, inside and outside of class. But
after a while, I realized that
my grades were suffering,
and the games just didn’t
interest me anymore.
Once I was over the
game-playing phase, I was
actually able to use my
iPad to its full ability. From
Flashcardlet to Pages to any
app I could possibly imagine, it was all there, literally
at my fingertips.
I think many of the freshmen have found what I have
found, that it is amazing to
Maggie Boisvert
Opinion
have whatever we need right
there. From lab reports to
last minute printing, we are
able to get any document
anywhere by e-mail. It’s
great to have in class for taking notes and also recording
anything really important.
But, on the other side, as
you walk into the cafe, you
see a big table of freshmen
only playing games, barely
eating, playing against each
other, but not talking. This
is where the iPads can create
an issue.
I meet people by talking
to them, not by beating them
in a game. Sure it’s great
to improve your high score
(and not get in trouble for
doing so in class) but there’s
a point when its’ time to put
down the iPad and socialize.
Sometimes it’s good to
talk to people and not stare
at a screen nonstop. It’s time
to move on from this threemonth gaming phase and do
it in your free time.
Gaming in the class is the
worst, though. Not only is it
distracting you from learning
the new chemistry formula,
but it also is distracting me.
You are clearly not learning the formula, and neither
am I because I am watching
you run through the temple
or watching your penguin
slide down the rainbow-colored mountains. Neither you
nor I will be getting good
grades on the upcoming test.
I’m not writing to bash
anyone who ever plays
games, but for the sake of
grades and a life, please stay
off them in class and talk to
other people.
Games can be fun when
there’s time, but they’re not
the first priority in life.
Our time in high school is meant for
memories, not stressing every second
“I expect better grades
from you.”
“You should have faster
times than that.”
“Why don’t we ever hang
out anymore?”
The expectations of a
high school student are more
demanding than ever before.
On top of having parents and
teachers to please with our
grades, we need to be good
friends, top athletes, artists,
and mathletes as well?
I want to get into college with good grades and a
fabulous resume, but I’d also
like to not have a nervous
breakdown before then.
Graduating high school is
going to be a big milestone
in our lives, but if all we ever
think about is the next step,
we’ll be receiving our diplomas before we know it.
If I’m only thinking
about perfect grades, recordbreaking times, and my college resume, all I’m going to
have to show for it is a high
school diploma and a good
college.
I’m not saying that a high
school diploma and a college acceptance letter isn’t
something to strive for. All
Kasie Bourque
Opinion
I’m saying is that I want A’s
as well as memories.
I’m going to remember
running straight through the
mud laughing with the cross
country team and listening
to Mr. Maurier sing “O Holy
Night” at the annual Christmas Mass, not the A- I had in
World Literature my sophomore year or the B+ I got on
my algebra final.
I found this interesting
post online and it got me
thinking. “First I was dying
to finish my high school and
start college. And then I was
dying to finish college and
start working. Then I was
dying to marry and have children. And then I was dying
for my children to grow old
enough so I could go back to
work. But then I was dying to
retire. And now I am dying…
and suddenly, I realized, I
forgot to live.”
If we succumb to the pressure bestowed upon us by our
peers, teachers and parents,
20 years from now at our
high school reunion, we’ll
be awkwardly staring at each
other because we have no
meaningful memories of our
high school years because we
didn’t live!
I’d rather be reminiscing with one of my oldest friends about how we
stalked a senior as freshmen
because we were so enamored with him than talking
about my highly acclaimed
career as the editor of The
New York Times.
Accomplishing something in high school is my
ultimate goal (even if it’s
only being known as “the
camera girl,” as one freshman recently referred to
me.) And when the time
comes for me to turn my tassel in two and a half years,
I won’t be looking ahead at
the next step in life I’ll be
looking back and saying,
“Wow, those were some
good years.”
From our Pioneer family to yours...
Merry Christmas
December 2011
News Briefs
S e n i o r to S e n i o r
Seniors to Seniors is a new service program, introduced to
Trinity High School by Mrs. Lennan-Morf, in which juniors
and seniors meet and connect with senior citizens who are
alone and generally have little to no family.
Working with Father Dion from St. Anthony’s Parish in
Manchester, Mrs. Lennan-Morf is able to get names of elderly
people who are in need of this service. According to Mrs.
Lennan-Morf, the goal of this opportunity is for students to
“make a sincere connection and share their experiences with
the elderly and to learn from the rich experiences of the elderly
people.” It is also a learning process for the students.
“The philosophy behind this is that we are not doing this for
philanthropic reason, we’re not doing this for a resume, we’re
not doing this for points; we’re doing it for Christ, as servants
of Christ. The hope is, for both students and the elderly, to find
Christ in one another,” said Mrs. Lennan-Morf.
Seniors Adopt a Family
Each year at Trinity High School, Mr. Carnevale has his
senior theology classes participate in Seniors Sponsor a Family. Each class “adopts” a needy family at Christmas time and
provides them with presents for under their tree. The families
all have children ranging in age from newborns to teens.
The students in their theology classes will pick a family and
then have to raise their own funds to buy the gifts for that family.
The students usually buy toys for the children but will sometimes
buy a gift for the parents as well. Then the students wrap the gifts
they bought and bring them to the rectories of parishes, where
the church will distribute them to those families.
“This is not like giving money to an organization where
only a little bit of the money goes to the cause. . . . whereas in
Seniors Sponsor a Family, the money and items go directly to
the family,” said Mr. Carnevale.
“Jesus said, ‘To serve God we must care for others.’ Remembering people in need, especially at Christmas-time, is
both our duty and our joy because when we serve others we are
serving Christ,” he said.
Pioneer Staff Photo
The annual Christmas concert had a new twist this year with a live nativity scene.
The Pioneer
News
OCCUPY
Continued from page 1
graphs, it didn’t happen.”
This website, howtooc cupy.
org, states, “grassroots
practices for global change.”
Honestly, these words mean
nothing to me, it’s like another language. Being a 17-yearold, I am obviously not in
debt, but yes, I AM affected.
My parents owe money, just
like the rest of the 99%, but
they’re not out living on the
streets to try and change that.
This movement started off
as a valid concern from the
common men of the country,
but now, I have no respect for
it, sadly. The movement now
consists of college kids who
are so concerned with helping
their country, honestly, these
kids are worried about how
cool they look on TV while
the whole world sees them
“making a difference.”
College students seem to
be the prime age for these
“Occupiers,” and Trinity
Alum have seen these experiences first hand. Like me,
other Trinity students, alum
to be more specific also find
that the message has been
lost in this so called, “peaceful protest.” “I think it’s a
great thing that our generation is concerned about the
state of our economy and
are trying to do something
about it, but it’s unclear
what they’re really trying
to do.” said Ryan Mitchell,
Class of 2011. “Let’s just
sat that 99% of me is very
confused,” he added.
It’s very obvious that
Occupy has lost sight of its
mission. Recently, Occupy
Wall Street has faced violence between the protestors
and police. The people of
New York, well, wants their
city back.
These protestors are taking up space that the 99% of
that 99% want back. Imagine
walking through the beautiful
Page 3
city of Boston and looking
at a bunch of people who are
living in your park?
“Among many problems I
find with the occupy movement, I think some of the
most glaring issues would be
the lack of a singular goal,
the way they protest, and
more importantly how much
they’ve actually hurt local
economies such as Boston,
New York, and Los Angeles,” said Mitchell.
Everyday, I see of a new
march taking place, thanks to
my Twitter feed. I felt that it
would be right to follow the
“Occupy” sites on Twitter,
one gets a personal incite.
Now, I wish I hadn’t. I don’t
care to hear any more of
what is going on regarding
these protests. I hope this
Occupy Movement is exactly
what I think it is, a trend.
Just like every other trend, it
will eventually get old and
fade away, hopefully sooner
rather than later.
Many thanks to the Drawing & Painting Class and Sculpture Class for their help in painting sets for
Seussical! Couldn’t have done it without you!
-Ms. Krassowski
Page 4
From Page One
EMILEE
Continued from page 1
could be a thirteen-year -old kid,” said
Thompson.
When preparing for her different
roles, Thompson has a method that
gets her ready to perform.
“Before I go onstage, I have my
‘characterization time.’ First, I listen
to songs that will hype me up, then
maybe run my lines and choreography
and just get into the mindset of my
character,” said Thompson.
Once her preparations are over, it is
time for Thompson to perform, which
is no challenge for this junior.
“When I perform, I feel invincible.
It’s something special. I just love getting up onstage and performing not
only for me, but for the audience,”
said Thompson.
After a production, just like any
other actress, Thompson evaluates
herself and her performance.
“If I’m like ‘wow’ after a performance, then I’m patting myself on
the back, but if I did okay I just tell
myself that I need a bit more rehearsal
next time,” said Thompson.
Before the performance, one tends
to forget the rehearsals that go into
making a show, which can sometimes
be demanding.
“When it comes to rehearsals, it’s
really all part of the job. I mean, it’s
stressful and sometimes hard, but
by now, I’m programmed to accept
the stress, and, besides, it keeps life
SERVICE
Continued from page 1
Christmas in the City, which
is a party for homeless children in Boston. It’s really
sad because there are [about]
1500 children that go,” said
Mr. Flaherty.
Another service event on
the calendar was serving dinner at New Horizons. Mrs.
O’Gorski was the teacher
The Pioneer
interestI know she
ing,” said
can achieve
Thompher dreams as
son.
long as she
With
sets her mind
a passion
to it,” said her
for anysister Abbey
thing, one
Thompson, a
needs supsophomore.
port, and
With all of
Thompson
the support
most cershe receives,
tainly has
Thompson
that, with
feels that the
her friends
most support
and family
comes from
constantly
her mother.
attending “My mom
Pioneer Staff Photo
her shows. Thompson embraces her character as Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical. really pushes
“I just
me to do what
recently
I love, and
went to 13 [her latest musical], but I
she’ll help me with anything. She
will go to anything she wants me to go always encourages me to reach for my
to. I think she is a fabulous actress and dreams and through all of her efforts,
I can already see her name in lights,”
she sets an example for me to work
said senior Lindsey Hanna, a co-star
hard,” said Thompson.
of Thompson’s in the drama club’s
Even with all of her support and
Seussical at Trinity and a member of
the satisfaction of a performance, the
Trinity’s chorus also.
long hours she spends on theatre often
Thompson’s family also attends her lead to a balancing act that includes
performances. Normally, either her
both school and her job at Cold Stone
mother or father attends the perforCreamery.
mance and records it as well. With
“Obviously, school comes first, but
their constant attendance, Thompson’s because I love it [theatre] so much,
family is extremely supportive of her
I make time for it, even if it means
and her passion.
some late nights doing homework
“Theatre is her life. We often pick
because in the process I’m doing what
on her because she sings all the time
I love,” said Thompson.
at home, but even though we tease her,
Although she is focusing on the
who volunteered to go for this
event.
“It was great. It was the
first time in a long time and I
was impressed with the organization and the feeling that in
two hours of service, a group
from Trinity helped feed 150
people. Fun was had by all,”
said Mrs. O’Gorski.
Another aspect of the “25
Days of Service” was beneficial for Trinity High School.
“I was excited about
meeting the agencies and
building relationships. Now
we have a great relationship
with New Horizons, People
are excited now,” said Mr.
Flaherty. These relationships
will help Trinity be able to
do more service work in the
future.
“It has been a community-building event,” said Mr.
Flaherty.
December 2011
present, Thompson also has big plans
for her future in theatre.
“I want to be on Broadway, but I
will probably be theatre-hopping before that. I also would love to receive
the Actors’ Equity Award, which is
a prize that is good for anyone who
aspires to be involved in theatre,” said
Thompson.
Some of her upcoming performances include A Christmas Carol,
which will be performed Dec. 16-18,
and Breakthrough, the date of which
has yet to be decided. Breakthrough
will showcase each member of The
Palace Teen Company and their moment of “breaking through.”
“My break through moment is going to be about when I discovered how
much my love of performing gave me
the confidence in myself that I’d never
had previously,” said Thompson.
Thompson will continue to aspire
to reach new heights as an actress with
her ongoing passion for theatre and
the constant support she receives. Besides this, she also receives guidance
from those at the Palace Theatre.
“Emilee is an actress that is full of
life on and off stage. Her voice is that
of an angel, and when you put that
together with her acting skills, you
can’t help but want to watch her on
stage. She is a true joy to have in The
Palace Teen Company, and I look forward to seeing where her career takes
her,” said Natalie McKnight, youth
administrator and teacher at the Palace
Theatre.
THANK YOU
TRINITY TEACHERS
for
ALL YOU DO!
Our kids succeed
Because of you!
Sponsored by
PPG Development, LLC
Need some last-minute gift ideas? Check out page
5 for some of the staff’s suggestions. Need some
Christmas tunes? Pioneer staff members share their
favorites on page 5.
December 2011
The Pioneer
Page 5
Christmas 2011
It’s a very Bieber Christmas
By Jess Sweeney
Pioneer Staff
Every year, Christmas albums
from various artists come out somewhere in the month of November.
One that I find to be very good this
year is Justin Bieber’s. Now, before
you say “Oh great, I get to read an
obsessed Bieber fan talk about his
new album,” let me inform you,
before this album, I only listened to
a few of his songs. I am the farthest
thing from a “belieber.”
Bieber’s Christmas album, Under
the Mistletoe (released Nov. 1), features the common songs we all know
and love like “Silent Night” and “All
I Want For Christmas is You,” with
one of his own songs, but he put his
own twist on the songs. This album
features duets with Busta Rhymes,
Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, The
Band Perry and Usher.
This album has everything from
the original songs done the way you
love them, to other songs with Bieber
rapping and switching things up a bit.
Some other artists have come out
with Christmas albums this year,
including Lady Gaga, Michael Buble
and the cast of Glee. However, Justin
Bieber’s album, in my opinion, beats
them all.
I understand that the Glee’s
Christmas album is from everyone
on the cast, but there are too many
different voices in the songs that
it’s hard to focus on the song itself.
Yes, Bieber does have about five
songs with another artist, but in that
case, you can tell Bieber is the main
singer, and their voices do not clash
to make it sound bad.
You may think I’m hating on
Glee’s album, but I’m not. I have
listened to it, and although I do enjoy
some of the songs (“All I Want for
Christmas,” for example), but I do
think Bieber’s album is a good mix
of originality and tradition.
Now, if you like the original songs and don’t think they
should be changed, this is
definitely not the Christmas
album you should be listening
to. While he does keep some of the
songs the same, “Drummer Boy,”
for example, is far from the original
song. It’s a duet with Busta Rhymes,
and they both add their own little rap
to the song.
His new song “Mistletoe” is a
Christmas song that is different than
most, and it is a good addition to the
traditional songs, unlike any other
song on this album.
Overall, if you like Justin Bieber,
and you like Christmas music, you’ll
love this song. If you aren’t a fan, I
challenge you to listen to a few songs
and see what you think. This album
might just surprise you.
“Glee”ful Christmas this year
By Nicole Fell
Pioneer Staff
As cheesy as it sounds, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,
which means brand new Christmas
albums are being released. Thankfully, for all those “GLEEks” out
there, Glee has produced its second
Christmas album. Glee: The Music,
The Christmas Album Volume 2, was
released on Nov. 15.
The album kicks off with the
high power vocals of Amber Riley,
better known as Mercedes,
singing Mariah Carey’s hit,
“All I Want For Christmas Is
You.” This may be one of my
favorite Christmas songs ever,
and no one can sing like Mariah
Carey, but Riley sure does give her
a run for her money on that song.
The next song features Darren Criss
(Blaine) and Lea Michele (Rachel).
It’s obvious why this pair has been
featured numerous times in season
three already. The two blend their
voices perfectly on the track “Extraordinary Merry Christmas.”
The next two tracks, which happen to be my personal favorites,
shocked me. I tend to lean towards
the songs sung by Criss and Michele, but these two were sung
by Naya Rivera (Santana) and the
teacher combo of Matthew Mor-
VS.
rison, who plays Mr. Shuester and
Jayma Mays, who plays Emma. The
first is “Santa Baby,” and “Christmas Eve With You.” Rivera has
never disappointed me before, and
she certainly didn’t on this track either, and what Glee fan doesn’t love
when Morrison sings in an episode.
One of the most remarkable
tracks on the album is by far Kevin
McHale’s (Artie) rendition of “Little
Drummer Boy.” Other mentionable songs include “Let It Snow,”
which brings back the memory of
last year’s Glee Christmas, when
Darren Criss (Blaine) and Chris
Colfer (Kurt) sang another famous
Christmas tune together. I won’t lie,
though; last year’s cover of “Baby,
It’s Cold Outside” triumphs over
this year’s cover.
This CD features 12 tracks, and
I could honestly sit here at my computer desk, and list all the reasons
why I love each one of these tracks,
but I won’t, for your sake. With
one listen, it is very clear that this
album is the Christmas album of the
season. Sorry, Justin Bieber.
I mean, don’t get me wrong, I do
enjoy Justin on occasion, but when I
want to listen to a girl sing a Christmas song, I’d rather hear it from
an actual girl – not an 18-year-old
pop star who oddly sounds like one.
Sorry Biebs, better luck next year.
Stuck on Christmas gifts? Here are a few ideas Christmas gifts you can’t go
wrong with
Under $20
$20-$50
$50 or more
Mom
Dad
Younger
Sister
Older
Sister
Younger
Brother
Older
Brother
Best
friend
(girl)
Best
friend
(boy)
Bath and Body giftcard,
slippers, coffee gift cards,
Yankee candle
Slippers, tie clip, wallet,
golf balls, hobby-related
objects
Costume jewelry, books,
board games, arts and
crafts, stuffed animal,
scarf
Pajama pants, slippers,
iTunes gift card, coffee
card, fleece throw, car
wash gift cards, jewelry
Nerf toys, sports balls,
Legos, movies, Monarchs
tickets
College and sports teeshirts, car wash gift cards
Gloves & hat, framed
photo, scarf, lotions, gift
cards, scrapbook, hair
accessories
According to “Man Law,”
guys don’t buy guys gifts
Vera Bradley
accessories, clothing,
large Bath and Body
Works set
iPod speakers, sports
memorabilia and sports
wear
Movie tickets, take her
on a shopping trip (give
a limit)
Spa gift card, tickets to a
show, restaurant gift card,
Keurig coffee maker,
Pandora bracelet
Leather jacket, really
nice ties, sports jerseys,
sport team tickets, iPod
This is probably a lot of
money to be spending on
your younger sibling
Large Bath and Body
Works set, iPhone case,
Pandora charm
Gift card to her favorite
clothing store, gift card
for a hair and nail salon,
shoes
This is probably a lot of
money to be spending on
your younger sibling.
Ski lift tickets, video
game rocker chairs,
tickets to sporting events
Ugg slippers, purses,
concert tickets, day at the
spa
Video games, iPod
shuffle
New headphones,
external iPod speakers,
snow boarding gloves
Wristlets, small purses,
take her to lunch, go
get manicures together
Girlfriend
< 1 month
Girlfriend
1-6 mos.
Hug, kiss, chocolate, a
rose
Framed photo, mixed CD,
scarf, scrapbook
Girls, if your best
friend is a guy, you
can’t go wrong with
video games or sports
wear
Go out to lunch with
her
Dinner, movies &
refreshments
Girlfriend
> 6 mos.
Mixed CD, making
lunch/dinner, day together
Take her out for a nice
dinner
Boyfriend
< 1 month
Boyfriend
1-6 mos.
Boyfriend
> 6 mos.
ski hat, candy
Sports sweatshirt
Framed photo, mixed CD,
take him to the movies
Make him dinner/lunch, a
day together of fun
Nice sweatshirt, sports
team hat
Sweater vest, snap
back hat
“Man Law” applies here
too
Ski lift tickets, jewelry,
concert tickets, dinner
and a movie
If you are spending this
much, there is a problem.
Hat that plays music
while you ski
Ski lift tickets, concert or
sporting event tickets
Don’t waste your money!
Dinner AND a movie
These gifts always work...
-DVDs
-Picture frames
-Gas card
-Magazine subscription
-iTunes gift cards
-Visa or American Express gift cards
-Ticketmaster gift cards
-Movie giftcards
-Body Products
-Ornament
-Leather work gloves
-Movie Night Baskets: DVD, popcorn and candy in a bucket
-Scarf in a neutral shade, or red for the holidays
-Baked goods in a cute little tin
Over the top, if you have lots of money...
-Golf clubs
-GPS
-Camera (a good one)
-Front row seats to a concert or sporting event
-Snowboard or skis
-Uggs
-Nice jewelry
-Designer purses
You’re better off not giving...
-Calendars
-Stuffed animals (unless for your younger sibling)
- Socks
-Stale bread
-Coal
-Gym Memberships
-Vaccuum cleaner
-Handkerchiefs
-Perfume or Cologne
-Clothes (unless you really know the person)
-Books (unless specified)
-CD’s
-Cheesy watches
-Fruit cake
Page 6
The Pioneer
December 2011
Sports
Turkey Bowl spoils bid for undefeated season
By Jake St. Germain
Pioneer Staff
On Central’s next drive, the team
came right back and scored a touchdown and kicked the extra point to
close the gap to five points with 10:14
left in the second quarter. Trinity’s
first drive of the second quarter began
at its 23 yard-line. Hughes led the
offense with several key runs that
brought the Trinity offense deep into
Central territory.
Despite these runs, the Trinity offense was faced with a fourth and one.
If Trinity wanted to keep the pressure
on Central, they had to convert. The
Pioneers tried the quarterback sneak
and succeeded. The very next play,
Chambers ran the ball 45 yards for the
touchdown. With 6:55 left in the first
quarter, Trinity led 18-7.
Central wasn’t going to give up
that easily; on the following kickoff, the Little Green returned it for a
touchdown, making the score 18-14.
Even though Trinity had the lead, it
seemed that Central had all the momentum.
On Trinity’s next drive, the offense
struggled and was forced to punt with
4:40 left in the second quarter. Central
On Thursday Nov. 24, the Trinity
football team competed in the annual
Turkey Bowl at Gill Stadium. The
team, in a repeat contest against city
rivals Central High School, lost to
Central 37-26. Last year, the Pioneers
were narrowly defeated 7-6.
The game began with Trinity driving down the field with tough runs.
Trinity’s quarterback, Carmen Giampatruzzi dropped back to pass and
threw a bullet to senior Jerry Robinson, who then ran it in to the end zone
for the touchdown. Early in the first
quarter, Trinity had the lead, 6-0.
In Central’s first possession, they
turned over the ball on a fumble that
was recovered by Giampatruzzi. Trinity had the ball deep in Central’s territory with 6:20 left in the first quarter.
Trinity went back to the ground attack
with some runs by Ryan Carrier, Josh
Hughes and Adam Chambers. The
drive was capped off by a three-yard
touchdown run by Carrier, making the
score 12-0 Trinity.
picked up where it left off and drove
down the field scoring a touchdown.
The extra point try was blocked by
Zach Poole, but Central took a 20-18
lead. Central would go on to score
another touchdown before taking a 2718 lead into halftime
The second half began with Central
receiving the ball and driving down
the field for a touchdown. Central took
a commanding 34-18 lead with six
minutes left in the third. But Trinity wasn’t giving up, as the Pioneers
drove down the field and Carrier ran
in the touchdown and two point conversion to make the score 34-26.
The Trinity defense stepped up
and made some big plays when it
counted, including a sack on third
down. This forced Central to punt the
ball. Trinity’s drive started on its own
31 yard-line. But the Pioneers couldn’t
get anything going on offense, so they
were forced to punt.
Again, the Trinity defense came
up big with an interception by Tristen
Theroux. With 6:26 left, Trinity had
to get something going on offense. A
pass interference on Trinity penalty
backed them up to the 46 yard-line.
On the next play, Trinity fumbled the
ball with five minutes left in the game.
Central then got the ball and tried
for a field goal to put the game out of
reach. The field goal missed. Trinity
had the ball at its own 20-yard line
with two minutes left in the game.
On the second play of Trinity’s drive,
Giampatruzzi threw an interception
that ended all chances of the win. Central would go on to score a field goal,
making the final score 37-26.
Eight Trinity football players
earned Division IV All-State honors for the 2011 season, along with
Trinity’s head coach Gary Leonard,
who earned the Coach of the Year
honor. The four Trinity players who
earned it on defense are Josh Hughes,
Mike Leonard, Ryan Carrier and
Zach Poole. The four other players
who earned it on offense are Colin
Bouchard, Adam Chambers, Andrew
Lauderdale and Carmen Giampetruzzi.
There are also four players from Trinity who earned honorable mentions,
Austin Chambers, Tristen Theroux
and Romeo Masuku.
Trinity Winter Sports Schedules
Date
12/16
12/20
1/3
1/6
1/10
1/13
1/20
1/24
1/27
1/31
2/7
2/10
2/14
2/17
2/21
2/24
3/18
3/2
Boys’ Basketball
Opponent
Dover
Nashua North
Merrimack
Winnacunnet
Central
Alvirne
West
Exeter
Bishop Guertin
Timberlane
Keene
Concord
Londonderry
Salem
Nashua South
Spaulding
Memorial
Pinkerton
Date
12/17
12/19
12/21
1/4
1/7
1/9
1/11
1/15
1/21
1/24
1/25
1/28
2/1
2/4
2/11
2/15
2/22
2/25
Boys’ Ice H o c k e y
Opponent
St. Thomas
Memorial
Bishop Guertin
Salem
Nashua North
Memorial
Nashua South
Bishop Brady
Concord
Berlin
Bishop Brady
Pinkerton
Londonderry
Berlin
Hanover
Central
Exeter
Central
Score
------------------------------------------------------Score
-------------------------------------------------------
Date
12/9
12/13
12/16
12/20
1/3
1/6
1/10
1/13
1/17
1/24
1/27
1/31
2/7
2/10
2/14
2/17
2/21
2/24
Girls’ Basketball
Opponent
Memorial
Pinkerton
Dover
Nashua North
Merrimack
Winnacunnet
Central
Alvirne Memorial
Exeter
Bishop Guertin
Timberlane
Keene
Concord
Londonderry
Salem
Nashua South
Spaulding
Score
-------------------------------------------------------
Date
12/12
12/17
12/19
12/22
1/2
1/5
1/8
1/7
1/9
1/11
1/12
1/26
1/28
1/30
2/2
2/4
2/6
2/9
Freshman Basketball
Opponent
Alvirne
Central
Bishop Guertin
Memorial
Keene
West
Merrimack
Nashua South
Salem
Nashua North
Alvirne
Central
Bishop Guertin
Memorial
Keene
Spaulding West
Merrimack
Score
-------------------------------------------------------
ShoreTel
Supports Trinity
Good Luck
Pioneers!
Freshman games are the same for boys’ and girls’ teams
I n d o o r T r ac k
Date
12/27
1/2
1/9
1/16
1/21
Location
UNH
UNH
UNH
UNH
UNH
Time
10:00
5:00
6:00
6:00
7:00
Congrats to
all of our
fall athletes
who made
All-State
Jimmy’s House of Pizza
For All Makes & Models
GLASSWORKS
Windshield Specialist
345 Kelley St.
Manchester, NH 03102
Takeout - Delivery
603-669-3310
(603)-627-2795 310 Londonderry Tnpk.
Hookset, NH 03106
Good luck to all of our winter athletes!
December 2011
The Pioneer
Arts & Entertainment
‘StumbleUpon’ new things
By Kasie Bourque
Pioneer Staff
Ever find yourself needing inspiration or simply just
trying to find a good movie
to rent? Search no more!
StumbleUpon.com brings
you a new way to search.
StumbleUpon (www.
stumbleupon.com) is a search
engine with a little something
special. It’s like Facebook,
Google and Twitter all in
one.
You sign up for free,
choose your interests and
“stumble.” It’s simple, really.
After clicking “start stumbling,” StumbleUpon brings
you to a website that has to
do with one of your previously selected interests.
Interests include anything
from literature to technology
to comedy movies. You have
a million possibilities at your
fingertips (not really, only an
estimated 500).
To show whether you
like or dislike the website,
you click the thumbs up or
the thumbs down buttons,
respectively. This helps
searching StumbleUpon
an even more personalized
experience.
In addition, you can follow and be followed. In your
profile (a picture of your
beautiful self is included) you
can see who you are following and who is following
you. You can also view your
favorites or the websites you
liked in the past.
This brilliant website was
founded by a post-graduate student and some of his
friends. As of October 2011,
just before StumbleUpon
had its tenth anniversary, the
company announced that it
had 20 million registered
users and over 25 billion
“stumbles.”
While using StumbleUpon, I discovered things
that I did not even know
existed. For example, I found
pictures of three-dimensional
sidewalk art. I also found
websites that offer great writing tools such as a poem generator and a list of clichés.
StumbleUpon started with
an idea in a college dorm
room. Imagine what you
could do sitting in your room.
“It’s just something fun to
do when you’re bored. You
can find some pretty cool
stuff sometimes,” said junior
Allie Bowe.
StumbleUpon is for thinkers, dreamers and inventors.
It’s for students, moms and
dads. And it’s for those who
know what they’re looking for, but just can’t find it.
StumbleUpon is for you.
Purple Finch, a quaint cafe
By Abby Caron
Pioneer Staff
The Purple Finch is a
charming breakfast and lunch
café located in Woodbury
Court in Bedford. Being a
New Hampshire-themed restaurant, our state bird seems
an appropriate name for this
recently opened café.
Although the cafe was
fairly busy around 11:30 a.m.
on a Wednesday in October,
my dining companions and I
were seated quickly at one of
the tables by a very friendly
hostess. Birch tree decorations, cute folksy music and
table centerpieces filled with
coffee beans completed the
rustic décor. Two flat screen
televisions hung on the walls
for those who would like to
see the football game.
The Purple Finch specializes in its New England
coffee, organic and natural
food and daily specials. The
specials for the day were an
autumn chicken salad sandwich, an autumn salad and
chicken bruschetta sandwich.
The friendly staff took our
orders when we sat down.
Although we waited for
about 15 minutes for soup,
the clam chowder was well
worth it. My meal also consisted of raspberry iced tea
and the chicken bruschetta
sandwich, all of which were
delicious. The fresh tomato
and balsamic vinegar gave it
just enough of a kick to balance the flavors out perfectly.
The homemade chips we
ordered turned out to be very
tasty also.
Other items on the menu
for breakfast were cinnamon
rolls, numerous egg dishes,
healthy options such as fruit
parfait and many other options. For lunch, the Purple
Finch offers steak, cheese-
burgers, flatbread pizzas,
rueben’s, tuna melts, many
salads, chili, Tanica’s tuna
melt and several other dishes.
My sister ordered the kids’
pizza and enjoyed it very
much. Other items on the
kids menu include: Tanna
Cake, French toast sticks and
many others. By the end of
the meal, we were all very
full, since the portions were a
perfect size.
The prices were a bit
on the expensive side. The
total came out to $30.44.
The Purple Finch Café is
open daily from 7 a.m. to
2 p.m. The restaurant also
offers a catering service. For
those looking for gluten-free
options, the Purple Finch
provides a separate menu to
accommodate those needs.
Overall, it is an excellent restaurant and anyone looking
for good food and a homey
atmosphere should go.
Page 7
La Carreta, try
the Mexican flavor
By Rick Kfoury
Pioneer Staff
La Carreta Mexican Restaurant, located at 545 Daniel
Webster Highway in Manchester, provides a very enjoyable and memorable dining
experience. The restaurant has
a great reputation as one of the
best Mexican restaurants in
New Hampshire.
My dining companions
and I arrived at La Carreta
around 4:45 p.m., and there
was no wait. We were seated
immediately and absorbed the
atmosphere of the restaurant.
The décor consisted of beautiful and colorful paintings of
Mexico alongside photos of
Pancho Villa and other heroes
of the Mexican Revolution.
Exotic plants hung from
ledges and the kitchen even
had a red-tiled roof. Traditional Mexican music flowing
from speakers completed the
authentic feel.
Our server arrived promptly and placed complimentary
tortilla chips and salsa on
our table. The menu is large
and features everything from
burritos to salads. A combo
menu combines many popular
dishes, all for $9.75, while
an A La Carte section allows
diners to pick and choose what
they want. I ordered the Combo #11, which is a burrito,
taco and an enchilada ($9.75).
Two of my dining companions
ordered a fried chimichanga
($10.25) while the fourth
ordered a spinach burrito,
enchilada and a mushroom
quesadilla combo ($9.75).
The food arrived quickly
and in generous portions. My
taco was flavorful and overflowing with fresh lettuce,
cheese and beef. The bur-
rito was filled with beef and
smothered in a red sauce and
melted cheese. It could have
been a meal in itself. The
enchilada was made up of a
corn tortilla and stuffed with
seasoned beef and onion.
My dining companions
who ordered the fried chimichangas reported that they
were crisp and bursting with
large chunks of chicken and
plenty of cheese and lettuce.
The chimichanga meal also
came with refried beans,
which I tried and found to be
spicy and addicting. My fourth
companion loved her spinach
burrito and enchilada, which
had just the right amount of
spices and the perfect consistency of red sauce. The
mushroom quesadilla was
apparently also delicious.
Everyone in my party
finished their meals and took a
look at the dessert menu made
up of all sorts of traditional
Mexican desserts. I ordered
the flan, and two of my dining
companions ordered the fried
ice cream. The flan, which is a
custard dish drenched in caramel syrup, was very sweet and
tasty. The fried ice cream was
a scoop of vanilla ice cream
dipped in a fried batter which
had hardened. On top was
whipped cream and chocolate
sauce. The coating added a
satisfactory crunch, and my
companions loved it. As we
finished up, the restaurant
started to fill up and a waiting
line formed.
All in all, La Carreta Mexican Restaurant is a completely
authentic and satisfying culinary experience. Fresh ingredients, amazing atmosphere,
great service and delicious
food make for a memorable
and certainly repeatable trip.
Page 8
The Pioneer
The Back Page
What is your
favorite
thing about
Christmas?
Trinity Faculty Cookie Book
Ms. Kudrick’s Mom’s Date Balls
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup margarine
1 1/2 cup chopped dates
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cup nuts
1 cups rice crispies
coconut
Directions
Cream, sugar and butter together, add beaten eggs, dates, vanilla and salt. Place mixture in a saucepan and cook over medium
heat, stirring constantly until thick (about 10 minutes). Remove
from heat and add nuts and cereal. Roll into 1” balls and roll in
coconut while warm. Place on a nonstick surface to cool.
“The time spent with
family and the time off
from school.”
--Nick Catalanotto,
senior
“Decorating my
Christmas tree and
making gingerbread
houses... duh!”
--Sam Sim,
senior
Ms. Comiskey’s Oatmeal
Butterscotch Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups Quaker® old-fashioned oats
1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Butterscotch Flavored Morsels
Directions
Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and
cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown
sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large bowl. Gradually beat in
flour mixture. Stir in oats and morsels. Roll into balls and place
on baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes for chewy cookies or 9
to 10 minutes for crisp cookies.
Staff Picks
Read below to find out what your Pioneer staffers are
obssesed with and can’t get enough of.
“I love waking up in
the morning seeing
the cookies I made for
Santa all gone.”
--Nick Boire,
sophomore
Tiffany loves yankee
swaps, “Mistletoe” by Justin
Bieber, ugly sweater parties,
peppermint candy cane dip
from Le Gourmet Chef and
Mr. Maurier’s rendition of
“O’Holy Night.”
Nicole loves Peppermint
Mocha Iced Coffee, Glee:
The Music, The Christmas
Vol. 2, snow, ugly sweaters
and spending the holiday
with people I love.
Jess loves sweatpants, snow
on Christmas, Christmas
music, Gloria Jeans coffee
and Christmas shopping.
“I love decorating the
Christmas tree, seriously.”
--Claire Dalton,
junior
December 2011
Aubrey loves Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate, Christmas vacation, Ugg boots,
candy canes and Christmas
movies.
Meredith loves chocolate covered candy canes,
basketball, Nike, college
sweatpants and ginger
bread.
Kasie loves mint hot chocolate, pink Uggs, Christmas
music, Breaking Dawn and
running in the snow.
Meghan loves Starbucks
sugar cookies, decorating
the Christmas tree, favorite
Christmas songs, snow and
seeing family.
Erik loves Charlie Sheen,
Christmas vacation, NBA
on Christmas, NFL on
Christmas and the day they
finally stop playing Christmas music.
Jake loves the NBA not
being locked out, Christmas music, the NFL on
Christmas, peppermint hot
chocolate and Christmas
vacation.
Kiersten loves the Christmas season, Relient K’s Let
it Snow... Let it Reindeer,
sledding, fuzzy hats and
gloves and making gingerbread houses.
Ms. P’s Choco-lava Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 butter (melted)
3 white eggs
1 tsp vanilla
confectioner’s sugar
Directions: Combine dry ingredients. Add eggs, vanilla, and
butter. Stir thoroughly. Take a spoonful of batter, roll into a
ball, and roll in confectioner’s sugar. Bake at 325 degress
for 15 minutes.
Pioneer Staff Playlist
We all listen to different forms of music, and
we all believe that our own
favorite bands and songs
are the best.
Every issue of The
Pioneer will include a
list of the staff’s favorite
songs, one from each staff
member.
In this issue, we’ve
listed our favorite Christmas songs. These songs are
mix of new and old songs,
as well as originals and
covers. We hope you enjoy.
Tiffany: “Where are you
Christmas” by Faith Hill
Nicole: “Last Christmas”
by Jimmy Eat World
Jess: “All I Want for
Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey
Aubrey: “Last Christmas”
by Taylor Swift
Meghan: “All I want
for Christmas is You” by
Mariah Carey
Eric: “Jingle Bells” by
James Pierpont
Kasie: “Somehwere in my
Memory” by John Williams
Jake: “Christmas Don’t be
Late” by The Chipmunks
Kiersten: “Christmas
Wrapping” by The Waitresses
Meredith: “Beautiful
Christmas” by Big Tiem
Rush
Nyabol: “Santa Claus
is Coming to Town” by
Mariah Carey
Taryn: “This Christmas”
by Chris Brown
Alyson: “Last Christmas”
by Taylor Swift
Rick: “Let it Snow” by
Frank Sinatra
Abby: “Silent Night” by
Michael Buble
Blake: “Have Yourself a
Merry Little Christmas” by
Michael Buble
Maggie: “All I Want for
Christmas is You” by
Mariah Carey
Jordan: “Santa Baby” by
Ertha Kitt
Shawn: “Santa Claus
is Coming to Town” by
Jackson 5
Stephanie: “Not Giving
In” by Rediscover