Whats Inside:

Green Horn
The Award-Winning Student Publication of Springfield High School and the Tech Center
21 February 2012 Volume 32, Edition 4
L
adies and gentlemen, its time to stand in line,
get a ticket, and smother your popcorn in butter
because Springfeld has its theater back. Yes,
the theater opened months ago, but that doesn't make
its re-opening any less special.
Its more than just a theater building,
Springfeld Cinema 3 manager Ron Greenleaf said.
Theaters traditionally play a very important role in
the community as kind of a center that brings people
together. We want it to be a focal point for the com-
munity.
In the past, the theater was the life-blood
of the town, for its youth, at least. It was where people
went to hang out, to make new friends, and to see the
latest and greatest out of Hollywood.
When the theater burned in an apartment fre
over four years ago, everyone felt the loss. A whirlwind
of questions swept through Springfeld: When will it be
back? Will we have to go to Claremont for our cinematic
adventures from now on? What will we do on Friday
nights?
After years of hanging out in the plaza park-
Open for Business
Springfeld Cinema 3
By Jeremy Justice
See Cinema page 22
New theatre. Same delicious candy.
Kids register to
vote, p. 5
Girls race to
great season,
p. 16
100 River
Street almost
fnished , p. 6
pg
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Green Horn Interview

By Olivia Thayer
.
Andrew Badyka, Davd astrgnano, TaLtha ean, lza lontane,
Sarah Gray, hesey Harmer, Kayee Haske, Hoy Hooke,
Aexandra Johnstone, Sera lavn, Angena Ne, Jeremy Noore,
SheLy Reardon, J Rushton, Hannah Sorre, Jenn Sten, Sarah Stes,
Branna Stone, Ova Thayer, laura Voge, Dagan varner
GREEN HORN STAFF
layout Edtor
Edtor-n-he
Photo/Edtor-n-he
Sports Edtor
A ndrew Badyka...................
O va Thayer.......................
T aLtha ean.....................
l ..............
----------------REPORTERS---------------
Susan Hunt
Seeks to Establish
Meditation Center
F
or most students, 12 years of public school is
more than enough. They are anxious to leave
behind the world of classrooms, grades, and
the formal education system for the real world. But
what about those crazy teachers who choose to teach
year after year, and actually enjoy it? Springfeld High
School English teacher Susan Hunt has spent 28 years
in the classroom making students' 12 years of edu-
cation seem microscopic. Hunt has been teaching at
SHS since 2000, and has been an educator since 1983.
However, after the semester ended in January, Hunt will
teach one class--Reading for College Success--and it
will be offered through the Vermont Virtual Learning
Cooperative, so Hunt will not be teaching any classes
on the SHS campus. However, as Hunt will technically
still be teaching, she is still considered a member of the
SHS staff. The Green Horn interviewed Hunt about her
transition from full-time to part-time educator, and the
reasons behind her career transformation.
What has prompted this change in schedule at SHS
and in your teaching career?
The main impetus was the caving in of my barn roof last
winter. That sounds odd, so let me explain. When the
barn roof caved in under the snow load, we found that
our insurance company would compensate us, which
was a big surprise because the idea had never even oc-
curred to us. It seemed like some sort of godsend to us
and led us to decide to rebuild, though not exactly the
barn, but a barn-like structure that I had been dreaming
of for the past ten years or so. This was a small sanctuary
and meditation center which is now underway, and will
be completed this spring. It will be called the One God
Sanctuary and Meditation Center. Because this is my
dream, to facilitate spiritual growth and to teach medita-
tion, I decided it was time to cut back on my teaching
hours to free up time to do this new work. However, I
could not afford to leave my job altogether, so I opted
for a part-time position.
Why meditation and this new lifestyle? Why now?
I have always been spiritually inclined, but in particular
in the past seven or eight years, and most intensely in
the past three, I have been actively progressing on the
spiritual path. I have been reading widely from the
wisdom teachings of many of the worlds great religions
and have been delighted to fnd that, at their core, all
have the same basic truths. In particular, the mystical
traditions in all the worlds great religions, called by
some the perennial philosophy, describe the same
experiences and understandings.
I have used meditation to experience these
truths in my own heart, and I want so much to help oth-
ers to have this experience. Our world is in such great
need of turning within; everything is so on the surface.
People run around madly-- doing, doing, doing, flling
every waking moment with noise or activity. But the
only way to fnd the real meaning and love that every
human heart longs for is to turn your sight within where
there is a great reservoir of silence and peace, and the
best way to accomplish this is through meditation.
So, this is my passion. There is a great verse
from the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Upanishads, that
Susan Hunt's meditation building,
before and after.
See Meditation page 23
Springfeld High School science teacher Bindy
Hathorn, shown working with Devin Speed, is now
assistant principal at SHS. See story on page 4.
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News
By Olivia Thayer
English teacher Joanna Coleman is on leave of absence during 2nd semester.
Coleman On Leave
Personable Teacher Will
Return in the Fall
By Jeremy Justice
I
f youve ever had Joanna Coleman as an English
teacher, youre well aware of how awesome she
is. However, due to health problems, her amazing
personality and teaching skills will be absent from the
building second semester.
Shes very upbeat, junior Sarah Stiles said.
I always have fun in her class. Due to the sounds of
erupting laughter coming from Colemans room, any
passerby can determine how much students enjoy her
English classes.
Junior Kelsea Edwards echoes the feelings
shared by Mrs.Colemans students. Shes extremely
understanding and funny, Edwards said. She meets
on a level thats really easy to get along with.
All the students have been so understand-
ing, Coleman said, referring to her recent illnesses.
Ive been really honest about whats going on and
theyve been really empathetic. I realized that being half
the teacher I am when Im sick isnt fair to them.
Coleman had a very tough start to the year
by being struck by sickness after sickness. Starting the
year off that way is really just a series of unfortunate
events, Coleman said. By continuing to work and
not rest, I was putting stress on my physical health.
After I used up my 13 sick days, I was tak-
ing unpaid days. And after the school nurses noticed
my syptoms, they urged me to go to a doctor, Coleman
admitted. When I fnally went to my doctor, he said
that I shouldnt be in school. But I still wanted to teach
my students."
During her semester of leave, Coleman will
be spending time with her twins before their frst year of
school, and maybe even writing. When I was in UVM
I took a lot of creative writing classes, Coleman said.
I even got an award for a short story, and Ive been
thinking about writing more to it.
Substitute Michele Farrar will be taking over
for Colemans classes next semester so her students
wont miss out on learning. I want them to have a
good teacher, but not one better than me, Coleman said
jokingly. Im trying to look at it in a positive way.
Shes a teacher who very quickly gets her
students engaged, said Christine Chapman, a para-
educator who worked in Colemans sophomore English
class. Shes deeply concerned that they understand
before she moves on.
English teacher Ed Wilkins fnds Coleman
to be a very passionate teacher. When you show en-
thusiasm for your subject," he said, "how can you not
be appealing to students?
Though students are upset that they will
miss Colemans easy-going personality, enthusiasm,
and fantastic fashion sense, they all wish her a fast and
enjoyable recovery.
C
ontinuing a trend started last year, large exams
divided the semesters at Springfield High
School. Midterms and fnals, given at the end
of the frst semester, counted for either 10% or 20% of
a student's grade, depending on whether a class was
full-year or semester-long.
I really like that the midterms only count
for 10% of your overall grade, said math teacher Gigi
Guy. These tests were taken at SHS, January 18-20, in
90-minute blocks from 7:45 am-1:05 pm.
Some students acknowledge diffculty with
such tests. I do much better during class time, rather
than when I sit down to take a big test, senior Austin
Smith said. I really hate the tests and how they affect
my overall grade, even though theyre just 20% [of the
grade].
Students agree that they should be graded
more on how much they participate during class time
rather than on big tests containing everything they have
learned during the semester.
I cant memorize everything I am taught
in a class, said senior Payden Vongphouthone. Being
graded on how I do throughout the whole class would
be the better option for me. Since this is only the
second year midterms and fnals have been in place at
Springfeld High School, students still don't undestand
the signifcance of the tests.
They [the tests] are important, not only
to make sure students are aware of what theyve been
taught," added Guy, "but to give them [students] the
experience for future tests in college.
Im glad its not a huge part of my grade,"
added Smith, "so it doesnt drag down my average too
much. Despite worries about these exams, when the
midterms and fnals arrive, students hear only one word
in their minds: study, study, study.
Midterms
Heat Up
January
By Hannah Sorrell
Math teacher Gigi Guy liked that her
midterms counted for 10% of grades.
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(
Features
Y
oure sitting in class staring blankly at the
board, which happens to be full of information
you have no interest in. As you hope for the
monthly fre drill, or anything to get you out of class,
the thing you least expect happens.
Everyone please evacuate the building."
The phrase "everyone evacuate" is all you hear over the
loudspeaker. You look at the teacher. He looks worried
so now you are thinking this might not be the drill you
were hoping for. SHS suffered two bomb threats in late
November, before and after the Thanksgiving break.
The most typical punishment for making a
bomb threat is long-term suspension and/or expulsion,
said Springfeld High School Principal Bob Thibault.
Then the police get involved and punishments include
a large fne or even jail time.
During the frst bomb threat I was in gym,"
said 9th grader Bryne Sidney. "We all had to go outside
in our shorts and t-shirts.
After the frst threat, students were sent home
to begin their Thanksgiving break after 45 minutes
outside. For those remaining, students and staff were
allowed back into SHS at 4:00 pm or were allowed to
re-enter the building until 7:00 pm to pick up their pos-
sessions.
The bomb threat ruined my day because I
left all my stuff in the school, sophomore Kelsi Howard
said. SHS school offcials plan to add more cameras to
the school to prevent such incidents in the future.
Bomb threats take over the whole day,"
said Thibault, "and usually the next day. They are ter-
ribly time-consuming." After the frst threat--before the
Thanksgiving break--students and staff were irritated.
They seemed doubly angered after the bomb threat fol-
lowing the Thanksgiving recess.
The entire community was incredulous when
the words--"everyone please evacuate the building--
came over the loudspeaker a second time.
I was sitting in German," Sidney said. "I
heard the announcement and looked at my friend. We
could tell we were both thinking the same thing: is
this really happening? This time I grabbed everything
I had.
Whoever is doing it should really stop and
be more mature, said senior Larissa Bargfrede, who
was still angry weeks after the incidents.
Bomb Threats Disturb SHS
By Hannah Sorrell
Jardina Online
By Tom Kendall
S
ocial studies teacher Angelo Jardina is not only
a teacher at Springfeld High School but also a
certifed teacher for the Vermont Virtual Learning
Cooperative (VTVLC). He is currently the teacher of
Advanced Placement U.S. History for students from
high schools all over Vermont. The online class that he
teaches require much of students, because a good grade
and AP credit are not easily achieved.
Students must use Skype in order to video-
chat with Jardina as a part of the students' verbal grade.
During the calls, students answer questions about the
topics being studied and receive credit for their answers.
Additionally, each student is required to log onto the
class online at least three times a week. In order to
receive college credit for this U.S. History class, they
must score either a 3, 4, or 5 on their AP exam in the
spring.
Jardina has high expectations about his
online class and the work the students must complete.
The class is not an easy pass at all," he said. "The
students have to keep themselves motivated without the
advantage of seeing me every day telling them to stay
on top of things. When my students do their work and
stay on track, the reward of college credit is defnitely
worth it.
The Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative
is the online class program created and directed by Jeff
Renard of the River Valley Technical Center in Spring-
feld. Renard created the program as a resource for
Vermont high school students to allow them the option
to take classes that arent offered at their school.
Though Jardina retired from the SHS faculty
at the end of the frst semester and will move to Florida
this winter, he will continue to teach his AP U.S. History
class online for the remainder of the year.
Students Angered by Interruption
Teaches AP U.S. History
Through VTVLC
I was just hoping the second threat wouldn't
last as long," Howard concluded. "Its cold outside and
I dont like missing English class."
Larissa Bargfrede walks to her
designated advisory location during
evacuation. The November bomb
threats angered staff and students.
Co-edi tor Jul i e Bombri a tri ms
informational ads for the SHS yearbook,
Citizen. Now that November and the
early bird special has passed, the
yearbook is priced at $60.
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News
Bindy Hathorn New AP
Replaces Zach McLaughlin
By Maygin Jiminez
Science teacher Bindy Hathorn's
classroom instruction has been char-
acterized by good humor as seen in
this photo as she works with Jason
Martin in biology. Hathorn has left
the classroom to fll the role of
assistant principal at SHS.
T
he phone rings, the classroom teacher answers,
and suddenly youre approached with a
disapproving look. Next youre on your way
down to the offce, red-faced from the jeering of your
peers, knowing youre about to have a conversation with
assistant principal Zach McLaughlin. However, youre
surprised to see science teacher Bindy Hathorn, not
McLaughlin, sitting in the chair of discipline. Then you
have a feeling of relief . You know for sure youre about
to be let off easy. But you'd better think again.
Hathorn, who has been a science teacher at
Springfeld High School for over 10 years, has a strong
view of her position as assistant principal, a post she
took on after frst semester. I defnitely plan on being
fair and consistent," Hathorn said, "and I want to follow
the disciplinary code of SHS."
Colleague and freshman algebra teacher
Gigi Guy thinks that Hathorn will do a fne job in her
administrative post.
Hathorn is liked by many students, said
Guy. She is fair and willing to listen to both parties
before reacting or making a decision. Bob [Thibault,
SHS Principal] and Zach [McLaughlin] have done a
great job in moving SHS forward and I dont expect
that to change with Bindy in charge.
Junior Brandon Langan comments about Hathorns
See New AP page 21
Getting Kids to Vote
Springfeld School Board member
Jeanice Garfeld swears in Zaire Mann
with the Voter's Oath in early
January. 17-year olds, who will turn 18
on or before November 6, 2012, are
allowed to vote in the presidential
primary in March 2012. These young
voters are also allowed to vote in the
August primary prior to the General
Election. 17-year olds cannot take the
Voter's Oath until they turn 18.
SHS Grads
Visit Home
Jessie Haskell fnds expectations for
study more intense at Castleton State
College. But she enjoys more freedom
outside of class.
By Kaylee Haskell
W
hen youre a freshman in high school, you
do nothing but count down the days until
you become an upperclassman . Then when
the day comes and you rule the school, you realize life
is only half as glorious as you thought it would be, and
the other half is loaded with stress and college oppor-
tunities. Before you know it, graduation seems like it
See Grads page 21
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News
SRDC River 100
A Valuable Gem for the Town
By Olivia Thayer
The 100 River Street footbridge was replaced this August. The inside of the
building, formerly Fellows Gear Shaper, has also been rebuilt.
N
othing ever exciting or new happens in Spring-
field. This a common phrase uttered by
Springfeld residents--particularly teenagers.
But, those individuals who have been declaring this
point of view should acknowledge an exciting event
that is changing the economy and physical appear-
ance of Springfeld: the reconstruction of the Fellows
Gear Shaper Building on River Street in downtown
Springfeld.
This building includes the omni-present,
daunting, towering factory buildings that have been part
of town for over a century. The Fellows Gear Shaper
building housed the Fellows Gear Shaper factory from
1896 through 1970. Since that time, the building was
operated by the Precision Valley Development Corpo-
ration. Recently, businesses, including the Springfeld
Dance Factory and Acrylic Designs, utilized the space
in this collection of buildings. Over this period, as many
residents observed, the factory deteriorated and needed
repair and reconstruction.
In 2006, the Springfeld Regional Develop-
ment Corporation inherited the building, and began to
work with developers from Washington D.C.--100 River
Street L.L.C.-- to reconstruct and re-vamp the historical
building.
This project is a 13-million dollar redevel-
opment of this six-acre, 210,000 square-foot building
into a mixed use property, said SRDC Executive Direc-
tor Bob Flint.
As the title mixed-use implies, 100 River
Street will include a multitude of businesses, spaces,
and various aspects of the project.
As many people are aware, Springfeld
Medical Care Systems will be opening a community
health center in the front part of building, said Flint.
This project will take over 30,000 square feet of the
entire building and will include offces, primary care
spaces, a lab, and a walk-in clinic offering services to
Springfeld residents who dont have a primary care
doctor.
Basically the idea is that whoever your
doctor is, you would come here instead of going to
Ridgewood or wherever else you may go, explained
Flint. Also, a lot of people use the emergency room for
things that arent emergencies. They would now come
here.
The front part of the building closest to River
Street will include the offces and space being used by
Springfeld Medical Care System. These renovated
spaces formerly were the offces for the Fellows Gear
Shaper plant, and also held bingo tournaments during
the 1980s for town residents.
All the historical elements that are really
cool--the woodworking, windows, and casing--have
been maintained and integrated into what will be the
Springfeld health center, said Flint. Its cool to see
that weve maintained the historical character of the
building while bringing in new life.
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Feature
By Olivia Thayer
100 River Street had its exterior
renovated. The interior is slated for
doctor offces, restaurants, or a walk-in
clinic, among other things.
Another important aspect of 100 River Street
building will be the Great Hall, located at the back of
the building, near Pearl Street and Park Street School.
This will be the visible public space that people engage
in here in the building, said Flint. It could be used for
public events such as concerts, indoor farmers markets,
or you could rent it out for weddings or functions.
A pharmacy and a bank will be located in the
glass storefronts in the Great Hall. Additionally, there
is the possibility of retail shops opening in these spaces.
A stage at the front of the Hall will act as the focal point
and will offer multiple options for community use.
If one travels to the left of the Great Hall--
walking along the river towards the plaza --even more
square-footage and open space will be found. This space
could be used as an assisted living home for seniors, and
perhaps, a restaurant.
The curved part of the building by the river
is where I want a restaurant, said Flint. It would
overlook the falls, and there could be deck seating over
the river. It would be a place where an adult could have
a drink, you could have food that wouldnt kill your
budget, and would also offer a small caf with fnger
and nosh food.
While the new and modern is always excit-
ing, history is another important aspect of the 100 River
Street project.
This is also a historic preservation project,
and this means a lot to me personally and a lot for
historic preservation, said Flint. Some of the fund-
ing for this project has been because of that [historical
preservation].
The original part of the Fellows Gear Shaper
building, dating back to 1896, had to be preserved. This
yellow building, located on Pearl Street, was rebuilt and
will be put into use again. The boiler house, located
behind the factory, was also preserved and refurbished.
Other parts of the building that had to be preserved were
renovated for more practical use. Wooden buildings,
which are located behind the large factory building, have
been converted into parking garages for the facility.
All these building had to be conserved for
historical purposes, so the challenge was fnding a use
See SRDC page 20
The 100 River Street Great Hall will host farmers markets, art shows, concerts.
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8
Opinion
$15,186,455,400,819 and Counting
D
id I say the trillion-dollar crisis? I meant the
15-trillion dollar crisis (to be more specifc
it looks like this: 15,186,455,400,819). Im
speaking about none other than the national debt that
will one day weigh down on America. A debt that we
as Americans appear to have no current intentions of
fghting, a debt that grows 3-6 billion dollars a day,
which means by the time you read this article the debt
may have jumped drastically in number.
As the U.S. census recorded in 2004,
311,894,386 people live in the U.S. with 112,711,512
Americans who pay taxes (http://www.taxfoundation.
org/research/show/542.html). For sake of argument,
and for simplifed mathematical calculation, lets say
that the debt is growing at about 3.95 billion dollars a
day. To simply maintain this growth, not combat it but
just maintain, each taxpayer would have to pay $26 a
day or $9490 a year. If instead of taxpayers, we were
able to have every American paying towards the debt,
it would still be $9 a day or $3,285 a year. This solution
is simply unrealistic.
It makes one think about where this debt
is coming from. As you probably know, China is a
signifcant lender for the U.S. debt, created through
the purchase of treasury bonds. For those who are not
familiar with the process, here is a quick explanation:
You are a country. Your new name is Swazoni. You are
looking for a sound investment. You take a look around
and see that the U.S. Treasury Bond is the safest invest-
ment in the world (fact). You invest an initial $10,000
and over time it grows to $100,000 (just an example).
That is a big part of our national debt. We decide to pay
interest on someone else's money when we didnt have
the money in the frst place. It would be like living in a
household, making $26,000 a year and having $100,000
in credit card debt.
If that wasnt scary enough, it is frightening
to think about China's plans for the U.S. in the future.
One knows of people getting into fghts over 20-dollar
bets on a football game. So why hasnt China reacted
violently to America owing them roughly 900 billion
dollars?
To put it in menacing terms, China has been
a very generous loan shark, and we should think to
tread a little more carefully with our creditor. But one
has to think, why have they sat around, virtually idle,
while the U.S. debt to China grows? The only answer
one can imagine involves equating a bank loan to in-
dividual money. If a bank loaned you $1,000, then that
bank would own you. However if that bank loaned you
$1,000,000 then you would own that bank. Perhaps its
all about the risk factor. But one has to think how long
The Great American Debt Ceiling
By Seth Gammon
See Corporate Greed page 23
Images of an economic crisis: an Occupy Wall Street demonstrator choked
by a police offcer, the notorious sign of America's corporate power, a scale
model of what 15 trillion dollars--the national debt--looks like.
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Political Opinion
W
hen Barack Obama became president on
January 20, 2009, Americans loved him. He
was expected to pick up the nation, dust off
our country, and begin fxing its many problems. While
these were high expectations, Obama did a good job
fulflling them.
The beginning of Obama's presidency
seemed smooth sailing. He passed bills such as the re-
authorization of the State Children's Health Insurance
Program, which insured four million children across
the United States, and he limited funding to embryonic
stem cell research. Later in his term, Obama repealed the
Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy the military had followed
for years in discriminating against gays.
Americans were happy with their decision
to elect Obama. That is, until recently. Now Americans
are second-guessing their vote for Obama because of his
failure to improve a deteriorating economy. In January of
2011, his approval rating was 69%. Recently it dropped
to a dangerous 43%. Really, though, Obama has done all
he can to help the American people. It is Congress that
should be blamed and people are realizing this too.
Congress' approval rating has plummeted
and hit rock bottom at a pathetic 9%. Congress has
been incapable of passing a bill that actually benefts
all Americans. Over the past few months, Congress
has done nothing productive. They have re-evaluated
the American motto "In God We Trust," and passed
the Baseball Hall of Fame coin act, instead of quickly
passing Obama's tax cut bill which nearly fell through
at the beginning of this year. Finally, the House and
Senate agreed to extend this bill for two months.
Being the clever man he is, Obama has dis-
covered a way to get around Congress' incompetence.
Recently, Obama sent through a series of bills that don't
America's Need for Speed
The Buck Stops at Congress
By Shelby Reardon
President Obama signs a bill
concerning embyro cell research.
Obama has seen his approval ratings
drop from a high of 69% to 43%.
See Speed page 22
By Siera Lavin
F
or 222 years, the President of the United States has
delivered an annual State of the Union address.
In this speech, presidents outline how the country
has made progress since the last address, and suggest
how more improvement can take place. The 2012 State
of the Union address by President Barack Obama was
given on Tuesday, January 24th. The speech highlighted
much of what Obama has done well in his three years
as President, such as save the country from a second
Great Depression, and rid the world of one of the most
dangerous terrorists, Osama bin Laden.
However, though Obama has fostered much
progress in the last three years, the United States is not
free of trouble. There are still millions of Americans
without jobs, and the Occupy Wall Street protesters offer
a valid opinion on the problems associated with the 1%
of America's wealthiest citizens.
George W. Bushs administration left the
country in near-turmoil after its eight-year reign. Barack
See Union page 20
State of Obama
Speech Highlights Leadership Qualities
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News
Sophomores Try Out PSATs
It's a New Thing
By Sarah Stiles
S
A T. Three simple letters. But merged together,
this acronym means Scholastic Aptitude Test, one
of the stressful exams high school students deal
with. Besides staying up all night studying, students can
prepare for this test by taking the Preliminary Scholastic
Aptitude Test (PSAT), usually taken junior year.
However, all Springfeld High School sopho-
mores took the PSAT on Wednesday, October 12th. This
exam, like the SAT, measures students' readiness for
college in terms of reading, writing, and math skills.
The PSATs are designed to give students
practice so that they will be more successful on the
SATs, said SHS guidance counselor Ryan Stellar.
Students usually pay for the PSAT, but sophomores, in
a new strategy, took the test for free during advisories.
Juniors paid a small fee for the PSAT this October.
Some sophomores were pleased for this
testing opportunity. I have a better feeling of whats
going to be on the SATs, said Dmitri Freeman. Nick
Stapleton agreed. I feel like Ive accomplished
something,Stapleton said.
Stellar also thought sophomores gained
much from taking the PSATs. The results will provide
students with valuable information about their academic
strengths and areas of need, she said.
Students received their PSAT results in
their advisories. We looked at the students' results and
discussed what we could do to further prepare, said
sophomore advisor Yuliya Ballou.
Sophomore Makayla Davis was pleased to
get her results. I realized what I need to work harder
on, said Davis.
Students can use their results to prepare for
the SATs or to take the PSATs again. Davis recommends
taking the PSATs. I think most kids should take them,"
she said, "you beneft from them.
SATs will be offered at SHS on Saturday,
May 5th. Students can register online at Collegeboard.
com by April 16. Registration is available after this date
until April 20th, with an added fee.
Shockers Shock Crowd
P
opsicle sticks: stable centers to sweet summer
treats, wooden supplies for arts and crafts, and the
materials used to construct a 40-inch bridge.
Students from the Mechanical Design and
Innovation program at River Valley Technical Center
put these round-ended wooden sticks to good use on
Saturday, January 28th, as they competed in the 17th
Annual Norwich University High School Popsicle Stick
Bridge Building Competition. Two teams from the
Mechanical Design and Innovation program competed
in the competition. The team, composed of all level-2
seniors known as the Shockers, returned home with
the frst place award for Most Original Design, and an
additional award for the Second Highest Load.
The Shockers really shocked the crowd,
Community College of Vermont (CCV) student Jacob
Strong said, refecting on his teams bridge performance
in the competition. The Shockers included Strong,
Springfeld High School senior Nate Shambo-Hitch-
cock, Fall Mountain Senior Kurtis Madden, and Bellows
Falls senior John Bousquet.
After meeting all the dimensional and weight
RVTC Wins Most Original Design
By Sarah Gray
See Shocker page 22
Shockers Nate Shambo-Hitchcock, John Bousquet, Jacob Strong, and Kurtis
Madden won the most original design at the 17th Annual Norwich University
High School Popsicle Stick Bridge Building Competition.
Makayla Davis believes the PSATs will
allow her to do better academically.
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Book Review
The Darkest Powers, The Ugly
P
requels, sequels, and chronicles galore. From
Harry Potter to Twilight, readers everywhere
have been putting down novels for stories that
continue on and on. Series have been a popular new fad
among avid readers. Humans, being the naturally nosy
people they appear to be, are more interested in before,
the after, and the after the afters. If you so happen to be
one of these nosy readers, here are some books to keep
you occupied over the break.
Now some people may not be into the whole magi-
cal werewolf and zombie crap, but The Darkest Powers
series are anything but that. Kelley Armstrong, author
of books such as The Summoning, The Awakening, and
The Reckoning, have introduced readers young and old
to a world of magic and necromancy with a mature
edge. The trilogy is one of those rare ones where its
almost impossible to put down the book. Readers will
be in suspense page after page wondering what is in
store for main character Chloe Saunders and her brood
of other-worldly friends.
Then theres The Ugly Series. This is a powerful
and thrilling series where being ugly makes one alien-
ated and abnormal. Author Scott Westerfeld paints a
Some Series You Should Get to Know
By Maygin Jiminez
See Read page 23
The Late Birthday
Surprise
By Jenn Kollman
Creative Writing
I
woke to the smell of pancakes wafting from the
kitchen into my small, cozy room. I jumped out of
the bed I shared with my older sister and bounded
into the kitchen. I asked mama what the special occasion
was and she said, Sweetie, your father got a raise!
I squealed with joy as I poured a huge amount
of syrup onto my pancakes. Mama told me to run along
and put on my favorite dress because she had a surprise
for me. I couldnt imagine how this day could get any
better. I kissed my papa on the cheek as mama and I
left our apartment. We walked about two blocks and
all the while I was wondering where she was taking me.
Mama had a grin on her face so I knew this surprise was
going to be great.
She said, Remember what you wanted for
your birthday?
Yes, I replied. Same thing I always want,
a puppy. We turned the corner and there was the pet
shop.
Oh mama! I shouted.
In a matter of minutes we emerged with a
fuffy little dog. As I walked, I was holding him in my
arms. We were almost home when he started squirming.
I did my best to keep hold but he fnally broke free.
I saw a truck hurtling towards him and I let
out a shriek. I closed my eyes and I heard a squealing
of tires. I slowly opened my eyes and giggled at what I
saw. My dog sat in the center of the street with a huge
truck stopped behind him and all the neighbors staring in
amusement. And that was the day a small dog stopped
a big truck.
Sophomore Jenn Kollman wrote this
piece in advisory as a response to the
Norman Rockwell print, Roadblock.
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Column
Cannibal Muffn
Coconut Bliss In Your Mouth
By Tabitha Celani
S
ometimes with baking, simplicity is the best
option. You dont always need extravagant
recipes and twenty million ingredients to make
delicious food. Recently I realized these truths. I made
coconut macaroons, and the recipe was astoundingly,
well... simple. Easy. A cinch. Manageable. Effortless.
It was awesome.
I strayed from my beloved Sprinklebakes.
com this time, and borrowed this recipe from www.
allrecipes.com (And let me tell you, they really do have
all the recipes. There are at least 12 recipes for coconut
macaroons alone). Here is the teeny ingredients list, and
the short set of directions:
would do just about anything to stop me. I was out of
salt. I only needed 1 /4 of a teaspoon, and I didnt even
have that. I had around 1 /8. But I was determined to
bake these damned things, so I pressed on.
And the Gods of Baking looked upon them,
smiled, and saw that they were good.
INGREDIENTS:
* 2/3 cup all-purpose four
* 5 1/2 cups faked coconut
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or
aluminum foil.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the four, coconut and salt. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and
vanilla using your hands until well blended. Use an ice cream scoop to drop dough onto the prepared
cookie sheets. Cookies should be about golf ball size.
3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until coconut is toasted.
Youll notice that the directions tell you to
mix the dough with your hands. Dont do that. I decided
to stick right to the recipe, and the condensed milk made
the concoction ridiculously sticky. And youll need a
lot of it. You WILL realize youve never encountered
anything this sticky in your entire life. Mix the stuff
with a spoon. Trust me.
Other than that precaution, Id say the recipe
is pretty self-explanatory and you should be fne. Unless
youre me.
So there I was, two days before the Green
Horn deadline, no idea what on Earth I was going to
bake. I remembered I had some shredded coconut left
over from some holiday baking. Coconut macaroons
were the frst thing that popped into my head. I checked
online and--hey! super simple recipe--I had all of the
ingredients, and it didnt take forever to make. Sweet.
Heres where things get frustrating. I gathered my
ingredients, and everything was looking great. Except
the condensed milk. The expiration date was marked
for November...of 2010. Hmm. I hoped and prayed
that the can would have preserved the milk inside.
Nope. Not even a little. Upon opening the
can, I was horrifed. It was orange. It was goopy. It was
not what I wanted to be feeding to my friends and family.
So after much deliberation with my mother, I was able
to get her to run to the store and get me a not-nasty can
of condensed milk.
Alright, time to bake. Oh, but wait! I didnt
have enough coconut. Well, I had another bag of it kick-
ing around somewhere, no big deal. Except it was a big
deal because I couldnt fnd the bag anywhere. I sighed
and sucked it up, hoping that maybe I could stretch it out
and make it work. I ended up having about four cups,
which was plenty.
This is when I realized the Gods of Baking
did not want me to make these macaroons and they
In Australia and North America,
we are blessed with coconut
macaroons, as pictured above.
There are actually many different
varieties of macaroons, including
those from Spain, India, and
even Turkey. The frst recorded
macaroon recipe was found in
Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household
Management, a Victorian English
guide to keeping a household, frst
published in 1861. Many varieties
of macaroons are dipped in milk
chocolate post-baking. However,
coconut macaroons are just as
delicious au naturale.
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Column
Survey Says...
What It Means to be an American
L
ook at the ground at your feet. Look at the chairs,
the couches, the walls, the ceiling, and then again
at the ground. You just looked at America. Youre
always looking at America. America is a great place for
a lot of great reasons. Its also got its downsides. But
youre here, in America. You could go anywhere else in
the world. But you dont. Because in America we have
a lot of things other people dont have. You know what
that is? Its freedom. Whats freedom? you ask.
America is a unique country. Its also one
of the youngest, so were still learning how to oper-
ate. While we were founded in the 18th century, there
are castles that are older than seven life-spans of our
countrys existence. To put it lightly: were a country of
babies and a young government. We dont know exactly
what were doing, but for such a short existence I think
were doing fne.
Weve got a main structure of government,
infrastructure spanning from coast to coast, and were
populated by patriots and extremists. But Andrew," I
hear, "youre critizing America. Youre unpatriotic. Im
going to tell you one thing: thats exactly what govern-
ment would love you to think. They think that if you
have too much critical thought that you become a danger
to the society that you were born into or moved to. The
fact of the matter is that the frst Constitutional Amend-
ment in our Bill of Rights allows freedom of press and
speech. This means that anyone can publish whatever
opinion they may have. In being unpatriotic Im being
patriotic: Im exercising my rights as an American.
Whoa! The word American. Thats a strange
word to use all of a sudden. What is American? Ill tell
you. To be an American is to exercise your rights as a
citizen. For example, your right to a fair and speedy
trial is what makes your American citizenship more
valuable than Iraqi citizenship. In Iraq, women are not
allowed to drive. Here, anyone who is a legal citizen of
America can own a Class C license to operate a motor
vehicle excluding cargo vans beyond a certain length
of footage and 18-wheelers. Thats a pretty big deal.
You know what else is a big deal? Voting.
Voting is a huge deal. If you come to me and look me
straight in the face and say that voting is not American
then I will beat you over the head with a cane made out
of bald eagle bones. Voting is the single-most Ameri-
can thing an American can do in America. The power
of theoretical democracy in America is exponential.
The power to elect any human being that you want in
Congress who is a legal citizen of the United States of
America is an amazing and unique right that people in
the Middle East and Africa are just beginning to taste,
and it seems like the Arab Spring loves it. Voting is
such an American thing to do that you might as well
get the keys to a Chevy and a free apple pie along with
the vote.
Guns are also pretty American. Im okay
with that. Weve been blowing stuff up since the 1700s.
Guns and cannons have been an American tradition. We
pushed out the French in 1763, the Spanish in 1819, the
Mexicans in 1848, and the British in 1781 and 1812. We
were doomed to military badassery from the start. Guns
have been, are, and will be an American thing. Its just
that, too. Its a thing. Americans are so unlike almost
every other country in the world. If youre 18 right
now, you can register with the NRA, apply for a rife
or shotgun license, and purchase one in the time it takes
for the paperwork to be sent and approved, sometimes
in as little as a month or so. Again, American things are
kind of cool.
Whats really American above everything
else, though, is the freedoms we as Americans have
and seem to have taken for granted. The First Amend-
ment states Congress shall make no law respecting
an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress
of grievances.
With this guarantee, Americans can practice
whatever faith they want and no one can tell them no;
they can say whatever they want so long as its not hurt-
ful; they can publish whatever they want so long as its
not harmful or slanderous; they have the right to peace-
fully get together and protest; and they have the right
to petition the government. Thats America. Its having
the right to the freedoms that Americans so desperately
desired that werent available back in England, Ireland,
Russia, Spain, Poland, China, wherever.
Religion is unique in America because I
can be a Christian Muslim Jewish Buddhist Taoist
Agnostic. Am I really all those? No. Im actually a mix
of Christian, Buddhist, and Agnostic. I read the Bible,
Im reading and seriously considering full practice of
Buddhism, and I believe in an overall greater being.
You know whats great about that? I cant be executed
for cherry-picking the best moral codes from each of
the religions I read about. I can say I dont believe in
God, but I give a shout-out to Talos. The most important
thing to remember is that Church and State are separated
in America. If you believe that your religious beliefs
belong in politics then youre wrong.
Being American means the ability to be you.
America means the land of the free and the home of the
brave. Bashing your country, believing in Satan, and
owning a BFG are all American to the billionth degree.
Exercise your Constitutional obligations and use your
Government-given rights to the Amendments.
Survey says: MURRICA.
By Andrew Bladyka
Afghani president Hamid Karzai shows his purple-dyed fnger signifying he
voted. People die all over the world fghting for their right to vote.
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Internet Opinion
Anonymous Breaks Loose
Do-Gooders or Internet Terrorists?
By Seth Gammon
The controversial vigilante group, Anonymous, is identifed by the iconic Guy
Fawkes mask. Anonymous protests inequality and cults such as Westboro
Baptist Church and the Church of Scientology.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
T
he term anonymous has taken on a new defnition
as of July 26, 2007, when Fox News broke a story
blowing up a group on the website 4Chan.com.
KTTV Fox 11 News, based in Los Angeles,
California, aired a report on Anonymous, calling them
a group of "hackers on steroids," "domestic terrorists,"
and collectively an "Internet hate machine." The report
covered an attack on a Myspace user, who claimed to
have had his Myspace account hacked into seven times
by Anonymous, and then plastered with images of gay
pornogrophy. The Myspace user also claimed a virus
written by Anonymous hackers was sent to him and to
90 friends on his Myspace contact list, crashing 32 of
his friends' computers.
This seemingly-destructive event took
place in Anonymouss infancy. Perhaps they did not
know what their group could become. Since the group
Anonymous does not have established leaders and is not
nationally, or globally, organized (as far as we know), it
cannot be determined if this attack was by anonymous
or by the population that widely represents Anonymous.
That being said, this does not mean that Anonymous is
not a national or global group.
The frst offense (though not particularly
serious) Anonymous committed was on a social net-
By Jeremy Justice
A
dmit it, youve always wanted to be part robot.
Whether it would be a set of robot legs to win
a race, or a robot fst to punch an annoying
fy, its always been an awesome fantasy sitting in the
back of your head. In the futuristic action role-playing
game Deus Ex: Human Revolution, robothood and more
can be yours.
Deus Ex takes place in 2027, when corpora-
tions have unlocked the secrets to exceeding the human
limits by surgically attaching mechanical contraptions
known as augments. Though technologically amazing,
not everyone agrees with using these devices. In this
world, many people belong to a group known as Purists,
who believe that using augments means playing God.
Some members of the group even engage in terrorist
acts against these corporations.
See Anonymous page 22
See Deus Ex page 23
Deus Ex's cyborg protagonist, Adam Jenson.
Game Review
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Sports
Putting Wins On The Board
Boys Basketball Reaches Peak
By Liza Fontaine
T
he ride along through the 2011-
2012 Springfeld boys basketball
season has required hope, de-
termination, and a whole lot of sweat.
With 12 games down and 8 to go, the
Cosmos stood at 3-9. For the eighth
straight year, Coach Pete Peck has led
the Cosmos with the help of frst-year
JV coach Scott Farr.
We've had a good season so
far," said junior captain Mike Muther.
"But we need to come together more to
put up some Ws."
After playing dominant
Division II competitors Mount Saint
Joseph Academy, Mill River, and Burr
and Burton early in the season, the boys
were forced to accent the positive. Fur-
thermore, although the fnal scores show
that the boys fell short badly in these
games, the team kept up with power-
house teams such as Burr and Burton
and Mill River.
It helps us to play hard
teams early-on," said senior captain
Aaron Wallace. "It tells us where we
stand."
To prepare for their games,
the SHS boys basketball team practiced
with some former SHS basketball play-
ers. Due to a long holiday break for
college students, the former athletes
practiced with the Cosmos for roughly
one month. Most of the former athletes
willing to work with the team consisted
of players who won the 2009 Division
II State Championship title.
They're really good play-
ers," said senior captain Kirk Perham.
"So practicing with bigger, older guys
has made a difference when we play
smaller high school players.
With only three seniors on
the court for the Cosmos, leadership
remains a key concept for the Cosmos.
In addition, the Cosmos return only one
Senior guard Kirk Perham grabs a rebound against
Green Mountain. The Cosmos won 38-34.
starter and four varsity players from the
2010-2011 season.
Its sometimes hard to get
everyone going at the same pace, said
Perham, the lone returning starter, be-
cause were all used to different levels
of play.
Although a good record sets
a good standing for playoffs, the goal
for most teams anticipating the playoffs
is to prepare for the bracketed games.
In fact, the boys have done just this. On
January 20th, the boys traveled to Mount
Anthony High School to face the Patriots
in their rowdy, fan-flled gymnasium.
After a close match with the Division I
team, the boys lost in overtime 61-58, a
close fnish that proved their strength in
Division II.
My hopes are to win the
frst playoff game," said junior Kirby
Goodrich, "and anything from there on
would be a bonus."
Without a home court ad-
vantage for 8 of 9 of the Cosmos' frst
games, mental toughness proved to be a
key component for the boys.
I think we did a good job
bringing a good level of intensity with-
out the support of our hometown fans
cheering us on, said senior Jake Patoine,
And we did well blocking out the hasty
crowds of our opponents.
With most away games out of
the way, the Cosmos looked forward to
playing at home against Windsor, Otter
Valley, and Woodstock during the rest of
the season. Their senior game would be
at home against Leland and Gray on Feb-
ruary 24th. In addition, playoffs pairings
would be announced in late February.
Since Ive been on varsity,
weve never won a playoff game, said
Wallace. So that would defnitely cap
off my basketball career at Springfeld
High School.

Springfeld High School students pretend to read newspapers while starting
players for Bellows Falls are introduced during a home game on January 24th.
The feigned indifference fooled no one, however, as emotion and intensity
dominated the atmosphere in Dressel Gymnasium when the Cosmos, 2-8 going
into the game against 6-1 Bellows Falls, defeated the Terriers, 41-39.
I Read The News Today, Oh Boy
Game Review
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Sports
Y
ou may have seen him in your classes or around
school. Maybe you saw him playing soccer on
Brown Field. For some of us, he was just a rec-
ognizable face. For others, he was a close friend. After
two years at Springfeld High School, senior Cooper
Naess has graduated early, and hes set to participate in
an unusual post-graduate program involving soccer.
Naess originally came to SHS to take an
important role on the boys soccer team. He transferred
to SHS for the opportunity to play soccer (a large part
of his life) more competitively.
During his junior year, Naess played on the
SHS varsity team at the outside midfelder position.
Coming into his senior year, Naess worked hard in the
off-season to claim a spot as a central midfelder and
to take on the role as one of the captains of the boys
team.
When Naess left SHS in January, he planned
to continue his soccer career at IMG Academy in Bra-
denton, Florida, for the rest of the school year.
I had the chance to go to IMG before I came
to Springfeld. But I decided I wasnt ready then, said
Naess. Im going now to improve my soccer skills and
chances of playing D2 soccer in college.
IMG Academy is a school where students
between grades 6-12, who are serious about sports, can
train extensively. IMGs website explains the academy
By Kaylee Haskell
U
ndefeated. How sweet it sounds. The Springfeld
High School girls basketball team was on a roll
with a 6-0 record to start their season.
On Thursday, January 5th, the girls defeated
Mill River 47-42, and added another W to their golden
streak.
Freshman point guard Chelsea McAllister
led the Cosmos against Mill River with an impressive
15 points. Two of those points were swished with only
14.1 seconds left, bringing a one-point game to 45-42
in favor of the Cosmos.
[Scoring 15 points] felt really good,
McAllister said afterward. We knew it was going to
be a pretty physical game. But we came out strong and
played our hardest.
Sinking a three-pointer in the waning sec-
onds of the contest was the last hope for the Minutemen.
But the Cosmos drew a foul which sent senior forward
Morgan Johnson to the foul line for two shots with only
3.8 seconds on the clock. I was just focusing on my
shot, said Johnson. Johnson's successful free throws put
the Cosmos up 47-42, the fnal score in the Springfeld
victory.
I knew we were going to win, said frst-
year girls coach Joe Brown. The girls never quit. They
kept on grinding.
Before the Mill River win, the girls won the
Girls Basketball Begins 6-0
Team Aims for Final Four
Seniors Liza Fontaine and Sarah Gray get ready to rumble against Fair Haven.
See Seven-Oh page 23
Cooper Naess to Florida
Soccer Star Moves On
By Holly Hooke
See Naess page 20
Mike Whittemore and Cooper Naess
ponder life's meandering path last
spring in Tours, France.
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Sports Column
25 Trophies, 8 Plaques, 8 Medals
Maly Tae Kwon Do Champion
By Liza Fontaine
Mike Maly displays his awards, including a black belt received at age 16. For
his black belt test, Maly performed a timed 2-mile run, 500 pushups, and 500
crunches in addition to competing in three matches.
A
typical Springfeld High School athlete par-
ticipates in common sports such as football,
basketball, or baseball. But for SHS sophomore
Michael Maly, this isn't the case. Maly competes in a
sport unfamiliar to most: tae kwon do. After compet-
ing in the martial arts for 11 years, Maly has received
a black belt.
I like the competition a lot, said Maly,
And I meet a lot of new friends.
Skill and coordination prove to be key
components to the martial art sport, tae kwon do. Each
competition consists of competing in areas known as
weapons, forms, and sparring. When participating in the
weapons part of the match, one must perform certain
routines using weapons. Forms consists of defending
and attacking movements, where sparring consists of a
tag-like game between two competitors.
My favorite part is competing in forms,
said Maly.
With 11 years of competing under his belt,
Maly has collected 25 trophies, 8 plaques, and over 25
medals. Maly travels throughout New England to par-
ticipate in competitions. In fact, Maly competed in the
Twin State Banquet, where competitors from Vermont
and New Hampshire battled for the Twin State title.
I got frst place at the Twin State Banquet,
said Maly. I really like to get the big awards.
Of course in order to receive big awards,
training must be an enormous part of a tae kwon do
competitor's life. Although the sport may not be a
common sport for SHS athletes, the same amount of
strength and preparation required of more traditional
sports are needed to be successful in tae kwon do. With
this in mind, Maly practices three to four times a week
to train for his competitions. Maly trains with Huzon
Alexander's Tae Kwon Do located in Londonderry,
Vermont. In addition, the martial arts expert also trains
in Springfeld and Chester, Vermont.
I like to get in good shape, said Maly, and
tae kwon do always gets me in really good shape.
Although Maly may make it look like re-
ceiving a black belt is easy, this would be a mistaken
conclusion. An aspirant for a black belt must receive fve
belts prior to attempting to be qualifed to participate in
a black belt test. Such qualifcations must follow this
order: white, orange, yellow, green, and red. In addition,
the test requires intense physical and mental preparation.
At 16 years old, Maly performed a timed 2-mile run, 500
push-ups, and 500 crunches in his black belt test. Is that
all? Absolutely not. Maly also was required to perform
all of his forms, a hand technique, and three matches
with competitors including a 1-versus-1, 2-versus-1,
and a 3-versus-1.
It was pretty hard, said Maly about this
intense challenge for a black belt. but I was ready for
it.
After receiving a black belt, one must go
further up in a category called degrees, rather than
competing for higher belts. Ten degrees complete the
process of mastering tae kwon do. Maly plans to gain
these degrees as he continues to participate in the martial
arts. I love competing in tae kwon do, concluded Maly,
and I plan to do it for as long as I can.
So next time you see martial artist Mike Maly
in the hallway, congratulate him on his all of his hidden
accomplishments. His records are already legendary.
White On Ice
Senior Eric White carries the puck down the ice in a
Pleasant Valley Association (PVA) hockey game this
winter. White, along with three other Springfeld High
School students, junior Corey Wheeler and seniors Mark
Hall and Devan McCarty, plays for PVA in Saxtons River.
The boys traveled to Saratoga, New York, on February
3rd and 4th and competed in the Midgets Tournament.
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Sports
Taking Soccer Seriously
Springfeld Athletes Play Year-Round
By Tom Kendall
Left, Peter Kendall drives up-feld with the Connecticut River Football Club, based out of Keene, NH.
Tom Kendall, right, heads the ball during the regular season for the SHS soccer team.
T
he Springfeld High School boys soccer program
has consistently successful seasons every year.
But their seasons dont come easy. The boys train
hard through the winter in order to keep in shape and
practice touches on the ball. The majority of the players
train with the Springfeld Soccer Club, a club established
in 2002 to give athletes a chance to play through the
winter with their teammates and stay in shape.
As most boys soccer players will tell you,
they have to be in very good shape at the start of tryout
week in order to make varsity. They train hard in the
off-season on the Springfeld Club in Grantham, NH, as
well as on the summer soccer team. The summer soccer
team participates in a New Hampshire league in order
to play against more physical and better-skilled teams
such as Lebanon, Hanover, and Stevens High School
of Claremont. The boys take off-season training very
seriously and hold captains' practices throughout the
summer. Captains' practices are held by the captains,
during which the boys do agility training, along with
fun games and running. They know how important it
is to stay in shape if they want a chance to land a spot
on the roster for the fall season.
Coming from Weathersfeld, I had heard
rumors about Hell Week, senior Michael Whittemore
said. Someone told me that if you dont prepare
yourself for it and get in shape during the off-season
you would really regret it. And I knew there would be
no chance of making varsity if I didnt listen [to this
advice]. Whittemore has trained with the Springfeld
Soccer Club for the last six years and will be playing
with Upper Valley Lightning out of Hanover this winter
and spring.
Like Whittemore, many of the soccer boys
at SHS play for clubs other than the Springfeld Soccer
Club. Sophomore wing-mid Colin Churchill plays for
Sullivan Soccer Club out of Claremont, NH, and the
Connecticut River Football Club (CRFC) of Keene,
NH.
I play a lot of soccer. I dont only play
soccer all year because it keeps me in shape and gives
me a chance to make the varsity team and compete at
the varsity level. But I also love the sport and am very
passionate about it, said Churchill. I keep myself in
good shape and compete hard so I can make the top 16
boys soccer players at SHS and play a vital role in every
game.
Many young players like Churchill have a
strong commitment to soccer and play very competitive
year-round ball for aggressive clubs like CRFC in order
to gain skill and because of their passion and love for
the game.
Sophomore midfelder Devan Brady, who
also takes soccer seriously in the off-season, plays
defense for Upper Valley Lightning (UVL). He has
played for UVL for a few years and has gotten to know
his teammates like a family. His team has had much
success in the New Hampshire State Cup, winning the
trophy in 2010. When they won the State Cup, they
traveled to Maryland for the Regional Cup and played
some of the best teams from Connecticut, New York,
and Massachusetts. This high level of competition is
not uncommon for boys on the Cosmos soccer team.
These athletes show that sports
success comes from year-round training as a necessity in
building skills. In fact, it is the rare boys soccer player
who doesn't train in the off-season. Come tryout week, it
is easy to tell which players haven't prepared themselves
physically for the start of another year of soccer.
Chase Baldwin, of the Sophomore
Sensation team, kicks against the
Misfts. Five teams played in the
German Club indoor soccer
tournament to raise money for
the German trip.
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T
he mountains have been open for months and
the slopes are free for riders to shred it up. In
this season, snowboarding offers another op-
tion for winter.
23 eager riders signed the original list for
the Springfeld High School snowboard team back in
November. Senior captains Marissa Keenan and James
Ribeiro have been the leaders for this solid team that
has enjoyed a lively year in the snow.
After having only seven riders last year, the
boarders have benefted from a full squad, coached by
Kurt Sparkman, who worried about making cuts to ft
the 12-person team roster.
Im looking forward to having another great
season with more people on the team, said co-captain
Keenan at the start of the season.
Co-captain Ribiero has been involved in his
second year on the mountain. He has helped newcomers
with their technique and with their self-confdence.
My expectation for this season is to have
fun and learn new tricks, said Ribeiro in early winter.
I plan on improving my skills from last year as this is
my second season ever, and I want to land a backside
540 and 360 on and off boxes. To non-riders, Ribeiro
means he is focusing on spinning 540 and 360 in the
air while leading his board with his backside, or turning
with his back frst.
Our frst meet was at Mt. Snow and it was a
slope style on the 6th of January, said Ribeiro. By their
frst meet, the team had already practiced and prepared
for this season's competition.
I really hope to improve this year, said
Keenan early in her snowboarding season. Not just in
skill but in style, too.


By Kaylee Haskell
Snowboard Team
A Mountain of Passion
Off-Season Training
Sports
Getting Ready for Competition
By Dagan Warner
Joe Brown directs off-season training in a regular class.
Snowboarder James Ribeiro, in his 2nd
year on the mountain, rides with the
sun and does a method with a tweak.
S
ports. The top extra-curricular activity of the
year. Football, soccer, cross-country, and feld
hockey in the fall. Basketball, snowboarding, and
winter track in the winter. And baseball, softball, tennis,
and track and feld in the spring. They all have their
seasons. But what happens when those seasons end?
Some athletes practice all year, others dont do anything,
and the rest of them do off-season training.
Springfeld High School Physical Education
instructor Joe Brown, who teaches off-season training,
started the class to help students stay ft and healthy in
their off-season. He created the class with thoughts of
his own high school sports experiences in mind. As a
former student here and having played college football,
I found that I was not at the top of my game, since there
was no training class, Brown said. If there was one, I
feel that I would have done better in college football.
Some students who Brown's class, take it just
to be stronger. Its a good way to get in shape, said
senior Jake Patoine. It helps you gain more muscle
mass.
I do off-season training to train for golf,
said sophomore Alex Rumrill. People dont seem to
think that you use muscles, but you do. You use your
shoulder, side, and back muscles. The scientifc names
See Off-Season page 21
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SRDC from page 7
Union from page 9
for them, said Flint. Some parts of the building had
to be removed or altered because they were so badly
damaged that they could not be salvaged, or did not
match the layout for the new building or the design for
the best use of the space.
Theres about 160,000 square feet of build-
ing left. There used to be 210,000, said Flint. Even with
the reduction of square footage, the building is still an
immense area of rooms and hallways.
We used to joke, take someone from out of
town and drop them in the middle of the building, and
see if they could fnd their way out, said Flint.
While this situation may pose an adventure
for some, another escapade was posed to the developers
during the re-construction project that wasnt so humor-
ous: the removal and replacement of the historically
accurate footbridge in August 2011.
It took several tries to get the old bridge out
and the new bridge in, said Flint. We had thought that
the new bridge was heavier than the old bridge, but it
ended up being the opposite. The old bridge was over
20,000 pounds heavier than the new one. This required
a new, larger crane to be brought in, and power lines
along the river to be taken down. Elm Hill Elementary
School, which was set to begin school in just days, was
forced to run off generator power, which was paid for
by the developers.
To add to the confusion, Hurricane Irene was
scheduled to bear down on Springfeld in a few days'
time. With the bridge's close proximity to the Black
River, the coming storm worried the construction team.
The crane completed the project on Friday, August 26th,
power was returned to Elm Hill on Saturday the 27th,
Irene made landfall that weekend, and the school opened
as scheduled.
It all worked, thank goodness," said Flint.
But it wasnt pretty,
The footbridge spans the Black River, which
runs from the North Springfeld Dam to the Connecticut
River. The waterfall that borders the factory has pre-
sented more than one positive point for Flint and the
100 River Street Project.
I love the falls. The river connects the build-
ing with the plaza and downtown, said Flint. The river
will also offer another dynamic to the re-vitalization of
the factory building.
Its no accident that the buildings of the town
were built along the river to harness river power, said
Flint. Another really interesting aspect of this project
is the resurrection of a dormant hydro facility that will
produce 100 kilowatts of power. Along with bringing
the hydro facility back online, the community health
center has plans to use geo-thermal power from the river
as well.
This building and this project involves a lot
of things. One of those is that this is a green project,
said Flint. Its just another thing that makes it a good
thing for the community.
As the project reaches its fnal stages of
completion, many involved in the construction are see-
ing the light at the end of a long tunnel. However, there
is still more work to do for developers and construction
workers.
This is still a construction site, said Flint.
Understandably, theres a tremendous amount of
curiosity about the building, and everyones dying to
see whats going on, but its still a construction site. So
please stay away. Flint added that community tours
will be offered to the public as soon as construction is
completed. The reconstruction began in December 2010,
and Flint estimates that the building will open in late
March or early April. There are still new businesses
and opportunities waiting to be realized in the building.
Square footage is still available to rent.
Its a really cool building," concluded Flint.
"This is the shop building that I cared about the most
and Im glad weve saved it. Were excited to see this
be transformed into the jewel for Springfeld.
Obama was given a lot of cleaning up to do when he was
inaugurated in 2009, though no broom is big enough to
sweep it all up in one presidential term.
But Obama has certainly been sweeping
with all his might. In his State of the Union Address,
Obama said, In the six months before I took offce, we
lost nearly four million jobs. And we lost another four
million before our policies were in full effect. Those
are the facts. But so are these. In the last 22 months,
businesses have created more than three million jobs.
Last year, they created the most jobs since 2005.
With these jobs, complications arise. The
decrease in the percentage of income that the rich are
taxed in the United States has been a common argument
among all economic classes of the country. The rich
say that if they are taxed too high, they will not have
the money their corporations need to run and will not
be able to provide jobs. But the poor say wonder why
American millionaires and billionaires, who own three
massive homes, are being taxed less than those who
work multiple minimum-wage jobs just to scrape by.
Barack Obama came from the lower class life
that many Americans experience today. This makes him
a fgure who truly understands the economic struggles of
this country. In his State of the Union address, Obama
said, If you make more than $1 million a year, you
should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes. In fact, if
youre earning a million dollars a year, you shouldnt get
special tax subsidies or deductions. On the other hand,
if you make under $250,000 a year, like 98 percent of
American families, your taxes shouldnt go up. Now,
you can call this class warfare all you want. But ask-
ing a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary
in taxes? Most Americans would call that common
sense.
The Republican presidential candidates do
not agree with President Obama. Mitt Romney, a front-
runner in the GOP race, comes from a wealthy family.
Romney puts on a faade. He claims to sympathize with
the poor citizens of the United States, when he seeks tax
cuts for the incredibly wealthy in the U.S. just as much
as most of the other members of the elite 1%.
If Obama is not re-elected in 2012, the United
States will not head down the sugarcoated path that Mitt
Romney and the other GOP nominees say it will. As our
President accurately put it in his address, The state of
our Union is getting stronger. And weve come too far
to turn back now.
Springfeld High School has purchased
24 Mac Minis to replace the computers
in the iMac lab. Mac has produced these
new computers called Mac Minis, which
are insanely small and insanely good.
There are going to be fve new comput-
ers in the library, said Matt Hanson, a
member of the SHS Tech Department.
RAM Tough
as a chance to improve your athletic performance and
play the game as never before.
Im really excited to go to IMG. I just hope
I can keep up with everyone whos been there all year
and play up to their speed, said Naess. I dont want
anyone to think Im going there because I think Im a
great athlete. Im simply going to train.
Cooper Naess established close friendships
at SHS and had mixed feelings about leaving during the
middle of his senior year. But he was excited to start
a new part of his life in Florida in a fresh climate with
new people. After all, he knows whats its like to join
a new school.
Im going to miss all of the friends Ive
made these two years, said Naess. Im planning on
taking my experience from coming to Springfeld where
I knew no one, and bringing it to Florida with me where
Ill start over again and improve my social being, as well
as my soccer skills.
Naess will be living on the campus of IMG
Academy in a house setting with three other boys. To
help him with training, IMG has nine soccer felds and
countless trainers and gyms. Hell be joining many other
kids who come from all over the U.S. However, Naess
is participating in a graduate program at the academy
and he will be training every morning with free time in
the afternoon to explore his new Florida home.
As his Springfeld friends suggest, Cooper
Naess will be missed for the next fve months while hes
training at IMG. Hes assured his friends hell be back
in time for graduation and all the memorable events that
the senior class enjoys together. He plans to spend the
summer with his classmates before everyone leaves for
college in the fall.
Thanks for everybody being so welcom-
ing, concluded Naess in his farewell to SHS. And to
the soccer team for being the best. Ill be back to see
everyone.
Naess from page 16
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team in Claremont. But swimming was never as intense
or as challenging as it was when I joined the Stingrays.
Pat Whalen, my coach, pushed me beyond my limits,
and made me into a stronger swimmer and person than
I thought possible. When the season ended, I wanted
to continue to push myself to these limits. Along with
running (which you already know about) I started uti-
lizing the gym upstairs. With the help of Brian, Frank,
and some other friendly ftness faces encouraging me
and helping me to create workouts, I soon became a
regular.
The gym has been transformed from a place
of I have to to a place of I want to. I love pushing
myself to run that extra mile, bike that extra minute, or
fnish that extra set of reps. The hum of treadmills, the
clanking of weights, and the constant aroma of sweat is
now what I yearn for.
I see community members, friends, adults,
and teachers in a different light when I catch them mid-
workout, covered in sweat, huffng and puffng. Theres
a group of comfortable faces upstairs; people whose
name I dont know and whose story Ive learned, but I
could tell you their workout routine in a second. These
faces and I share something very special: a desire to
sweat.
Now, lets travel downstairs. I started work-
ing as a lifeguard at the EMHRC in June of 2010. I love
my job. Sometimes its scary to think that I am respon-
sible for the swimmers' lives, and its my responsibility
to be in charge and make sure everyone is safe. But,
I also like that responsibility. At home, in school, and
everywhere else in my high school life, Im being told
what I have to do. But, when I wear that red shirt, Im
the one in charge (unless Christian or Scott is there, but
still, you get my point). Even though dragging myself
out of a bed on Saturday morning at 6:00 am can be
rough, the accomplishment of receiving a paycheck
with my name on it, and knowing I earned that money
and that sense of freedom that accompanies it, is more
than worth it.
And I truly love my job. I dont hate my
bosses, Im not forced to work, I dont feel stressed or
pressured when I walk onto the deck, and I dont count
the minutes until my shift is over (most of the time.)
But, most of all, I love the people. I love knowing the
faces, names, and stories of my regulars, and meeting
new people everyday. Some of these swimmers know
more about my life than my family or friends. They
know what college I just applied to, what grade I got on
my Stats test, what my plans for the week are, or what
Im angry or upset about. I could tell you what these
swimmers favorite lanes are, what color kickboard or
noodle they want, and how long they are going to swim
for. I want to know the latest news on their families,
what kind of a day theyre having, and what is the most
important aspect of their life that day. Talking, laughing,
and sharing stories with them always leaves me smiling,
and I hope I brighten their days as much as they do mine.
I like going out of my way to talk to my swimmers, or do
that extra thing that might make their day a little better.
I love my job. I dont think many people can say that
about.
This leads me into my fnal point about the
EMHRC: community. Thats truly what I encounter
anytime I walk down that path and through the doors.
Whether Im going in to swim, workout, or lifeguard,
I know that Im going to encounter someone who will
make me smile and improve my day in some way, either
big or small. Yes, there are the days when I get annoyed
with the guy who wont get off the elliptical machine,
dont want to work my 30th hour that week, or dont
want to deal with the swimmers who wont share their
lane. But, when I look at the big picture, I realize how
lucky I am to be part of this community. Ive found a
place where the exercise-obsessed and health-driven girl
can ft in and be around people just like her; where the
responsible and work-orientated teenager can fnd a job
that suits her perfectly; and where the friendly, sociable,
and happy individual can fnd someone to smile back at
her and ask her how she is today. So, yes, that pathway
made of concrete and grass is so much more.
Oh, and Im sure you're curious as to how
the song I chose fts into this all. Well, this is the song
from Ferris Buellers Day Off, but, more important,
this is the song that my boss sang, very loudly, during
a water aerobics class (after I had exclaimed how much
I detested the song) at work one Saturday morning. It
is an image, and sound, that I wont soon forget. So
yeahheres a shout-out to you, Scott.

Jupiter from page 24
new position.
Shes a great person all around, Langan
praises. I think shes going to do an awesome job.
Hathorn, who describes being organized
and a people person as vice principal attributes, has an
administration license for the state of Vermont and New
Hampshire. For the beginning of semester two, SHS
science teachers Peggy Geyer, Courtney Brooks, Gretel
Schuck, and Amanda Frank will take on Hathorns
environmental chemistry, 9th grade retake, and biology
classes.
Although there are plans to interview
possible candidates for the vice principal job, Hathorn
plans to apply to a full time position in hopes of
becoming the offcial SHS administrative for the next
school year. With all of her credentials, it is most likely
that the job would be hers.
I think that she [Hathorn] is the best choice
for the job, says colleague and science teacher Gretel
Schuck. She already knows what shes doing and the
fact that she was already on the staff makes the situation
a lot more effcient.
Although Hathorn may be leaving room
C215, she says she will greatly miss teaching all her
students.
New AP from page 5
was a lifetime away and youre sitting in your dorm,
wondering when your next break is.
The thing I look forward to the most about
going home is seeing familiar faces. Also, seeing all my
family and friends and my boyfriend, said Springfeld
High School graduate Mariama Roldan. Of course,
not having to worry about school work is good, too.
My favorite part of coming home is being able to relax
and see the people I love everyday.
Roldan majors in psychology, with a minor
in dance, at Pace University, located in the Financial
District of Manhattan, a very different scene from
Springfeld, VT.
Back in Vermont, SHS graduate Max Blake
also looked forward to the stress-free month off during
snowy December/January.
The best part of break is defnitely seeing
family, said Blake. Its nice to be home where theres
no pressure, where its relaxing. Blake attends the
Grads from page 5
University of Vermont where he majors in exercise and
movement science.
College is extremely different from high
school, Blake said. It is much more diffcult and
provides many more opportunities for students.
Blake and Roldan both described the envi-
ronment at college as pushing them to be less dependent
and to solve minor problems on their own. I have been
forced to become more independent," said Roldan. "I
live on my own without my mother and when I need
something done I have to do it by myself."
In addition to the independent dorm-life,
Roldan said that in the classroom scene, you are in
charge of all your own work. Your education is truly
in your hands, she added.
In southern Vermont, Castleton State College
is one of the closest colleges to Springfeld. Therefore,
over the years, many SHS grads have attended CSC,
including six 2011 graduates.
Its defnitely more demanding, said CSC
freshman Jessie Haskell about her frst year of college.
Haskell explained the study load is much higher but
there is more freedom outside of classes.
Haskell is a Physical Education major, with
minors in Health Education and Coaching.
Haskell and Roldan both admitted not know-
ing what to expect from college during their high school
years. Of course everyone gives you their opinion, but
everyones experiences are different, including with col-
lege. Every college is set up differently, said Roldan.
Overall, the majority of college students
may not admit it but, look forward to going home and
escaping the college life for a short time.
Im looking forward to sleeping, said
Haskell. Theres no place like home.

Visit us at
shs.ssdvt.org
under Extracurricular
for these muscles are the deltoids, obliques, and latis-
simus dorsi muscles, respectively.
I do football, and I think that next year is go-
ing to be more fun, said sophomore Dominic Stillwell.
This class will make me better.
At the beginning of a semester, students start
out with a max-out, which pushes students to their limits
on the bench press, leg press, squat, and power cleans.
Each exercise starts with fve to ten repetitions with light
weight. Then after two minutes rest, students do three
to fve reps with slightly heavier weight. Then after two
more minutes, students start their max attempts, where
they do one rep each time, and slowly increase weight
until they cant lift the weight.
This class will help students to get better
at what they do for sports, Brown concluded. I have
had units in previous gym classes that involved strength
training, but this is the frst one that pretty much only
does strength training.
Off-Season from page 19
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working site in the form of a hotel, called Habbo Hotel.

This event is forever known as The Great Habbo Raid
of 06. This raid was more of a protest, protesting rac-
ism and a situation where a hotel denied a two-year-old
toddler access to the pool because he was affected by
AIDS. During the intervening years, Anonymous has
made larger attacks.
One cannot help but advocate for this group
when with news about Operation DarkNet. In October
2011, the group took down 40 child pornogrophy sites
and published the names of over 1,500 people frequent-
ing those websites.
The most important objective of this group
is to rule the digital frontier and be virtual warriors
combating the evils that plague the world--evils such as
anti tolerance towards gays, equal rights, privacy, and
much more.
If you or a friend are looking to join a group
bent on bettering the world as we know it, then one
may need to look no further. According to self-ascribed
members of Anonymous, membership is conditional but
easily achieved, being as simple as concealing oneself
while performing online activities. Conversely, the
simple act of having one's identity revealed automati-
cally removes oneself from the group.
Although one can clearly see the good that
this group has achieved, one can also see the destruction
they have caused. Perhaps destruction was for the bet-
ter, or thought better. Since 2006 this group has gained
much ground, with the added spotlight of both fame
and infamy. Through it all, one question will always be
asked: Who are the people behind the masks?
Anonymous from page 14
ing lot, desperately grasping onto anything remotely
entertaining, our shining symbol of hope came back.
Although the original owners didnt plan on rebuilding,
the Springfeld Housing Authority, assisted by state and
federal funding, rebuilt the theater. More important for
Springfeld movie-goers, the theater played Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows Pt.2 in 3D on opening night.
Since then, the theater has been both greatly
appreciated and used. Though it has been continuously
worked on since its early opening, Springfeld Cinema
3 has a fresh, smalltown feel. Instead of having just a
lobby and two sets of doors, Springfeld Cinema 3 has
the actual movie theater feeling by having hallways
that lead to the separate theaters.
A major change in the new theater (compared
to the old one) is that Springfeld Cinema 3 has a total of
three screens (as the name would suggest) compared to
the one large screen and the one shoebox-sized screen
in the old theater.
Springfeld Cinema 3 also has something
very unique for a theater. For $40, one can spend an
hour playing whatever Xbox 360 or PS3 game desired
with up to three friends on a 400 square-foot screen.
Something were in the process of organiz-
ing right now is a free video game tournament, Green-
leaf said. It would be free to enter. And the prize would
be a few hours of free game time on the big screen.
Greenleaf has also toyed with the idea having
an Indie Night for local amateur flm creators.
In addition to its refreshing feel and three
theaters, Springfeld Cinema 3 prices their refreshments
reasonably. A large popcorn, for example, only costs
around $4.00-$5.00, while in Claremont, moviegoers
pay up to $6.00-$7.00.
Springfeld Cinema 3 also is very up-to-date
with its movie selections, maintaining a brisk out-
with-the-old mantra, which any avid moviegoer can
appreciate.
All in all, Springfeld Cinema 3 is exactly
the movie theater that Springfeld needs. With a nice
look, good refreshments, and quality movie selections,
Springfeld Cinema 3 is a theater that movie lovers can
look forward to on Friday nights.
Cinema from page 1
Speed from page 9
requirements set by the Engineering Department at Nor-
wich University, the Shockers created unique crisscross
abutments (support columns) for their bridge that won
their bridge the 1st place title of Most Original Design.
In addition to this award, their popsicle stick bridge,
weighing only 4 lbs. 10 oz, held an impressive 656
pounds. This created a strength-to-weight ratio almost
141 to 1, meaning that the Shockers' 40-in bridge held
almost 141 times its own weight. This strength-to-
weight ratio won the Shockers bridge the title of Second
Highest Load.
Before the competition, we knew the bridge
was strong enough to hold a student, Mechanical
Design and Innovation teacher Christopher Gray said,
refecting on Shambo-Hitchcock sitting on the bridge
previous to the competition to test its strength. We
thought it was sturdy. But we also didnt have a lot of
prior knowledge when it came to constructing our own
abutments, as that was a new requirement set by the
Engineering Department at Norwich this year.
We exceeded how we thought we were
going to do [in the competition], Shambo-Hitchcock
said. My favorite part [of the competition] was to see
the successful outcome of our design.
The preparation and design process allowed
MDI students to branch out from their usual mechanical
engineering tasks and work in the feld of civil engineer-
ing.
Civil engineering has been one of the
weaker areas in my curriculum, because this course
mainly consisted of mechanical engineering. I enjoy
getting the chance to incorporate more civil engineering
into my curriculum, Gray said. I also enjoy exposing
my students to a third-party evaluation. It gives my
students a chance to see someone else assess their work
other than just me.
It was nice to do something different for a
change instead of just mechanical engineering, Madden
said. We got to do something related to civil engineer-
ing and it worked out really well.
The Shockers also were able to execute their
problem-solving skills with a collaborative effort, as
they learned that to create a successful bridge, they had
to work together and incorporate everyones ideas.
It was like reverse engineering, Shambo-
Hitchcock said about the bridge-building process. We
designed as we were going. But it worked out for us as
a group.
It was a group project at its best as it was
like evolution, Gray said. They went in to the building
process with one design and came out with something
completely different. This project was the defnition of
a collaborative effort because they were able to work
together and produce a successful bridge.

require Congress's approval. "I'm here to say that we
can't wait for an increasingly dysfunctional Congress
to do its job," Obama said. "Where they won't act, I
will."
With this thought in mind, Obama passed a
bill that allows post grad students to pay off their student
loans faster and with less stress. A person making about
$40,000 a year with about $60,000 in debt could pay
as little as $250 a month. He also offered thousands a
mortgage relief plan. This bill helps homeowners who
are underwater and owe more on their home than it is
worth. This legislation allows some to refnance at a
lower rate, potentially saving them thousands of dollars
in payments a year.
Obama has not changed. He still cares for the
good of America. Why have many suddenly lost faith
in him? He is the type of President we need. Someone
who will fght to improve life for all Americans, despite
a faulty Congress and economy. Obama is the same
man he was in 2009. Americans who have decided he
is no longer worthy of their vote should reconsider.
No Republican candidate offers the same stability and
change that Obama has continued throughout his term.
Come November, Obama would have my vote.
Shocker from page 10
The Shockers' bridge is weight-tested.
Have any comments?
Send an email to
greenhornpublication
@gmail.com
for general inquiries or concerns.
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expresses this very succinctly: You are what your deep,

driving desire is. /As your desire is, so is your will. /As
your will is, so is your deed. /As your deed is, so is your
destiny. It is my deep, driving desire to facilitate
spiritual growth in myself and others. It has developed
into my will, and is about to become my deed as I
try to develop my ministry in my little sanctuary and
meditation center, and I sincerely hope it is my destiny
as well.
Tell us a little bit more about your teaching career so
far, and the future goals you have about education.
I have been teaching since 1983 when I started as an ESL
teacher at San Francisco State Universitys language
school, The American Language Institute. From there,
I went on to teaching frst ESL and then language arts
at a private Jewish day school in San Francisco, and
then fnally returned to Vermont to teach frst at Putney
Central School, then at Riverside Middle School, and
fnally, in 2000, at SHS.
So thats about 28 years, and I am just kind
of tired out, I think. Thats why this half-time position,
and being able to teach an online course from home
next semester as I try to get the meditation center up and
running, is such a great break for me. But that will not
be a money-making endeavor, so I may very well have
to return to teaching next year, at least part-time, unless
something opens up in some other way. For example,
I have been writing, and hope one day something may
actually get published and open up that avenue for
me.
What will you miss about teaching at the high school
when you embark on your new career path?
I will miss a lot, and I think probably wont even real-
ize exactly how much until I have some distance. But
as to what I will miss the mostyou have to know it
will be the students, of course. I love walking down the
crowded hallways, saying hello to all my students past
and present. I love being moved along in the stream of
humanity as it fows up and down the stairs between
classes. Being surrounded by so many young people
is such an honor, such a rare opportunity. I feel like I
have so many friends here!
I also love to teach literatureit has always
been a passion of mine. I love to share great books that
have moved me and made me into the person I am today,
in hopes that others will catch that same reading bug
and fnd the value in literature that I have always found. I
will miss all of that, my colleagues, and the entire school
community. But it may not be forever.
Meditation from page 2
You play as Adam Jenson, a security spe-
cialist for a major augmentation corporation known as
Sarif Industries. When a terrorist group attacks Sarif
Industries and kills many of their scientists (one of which
you happen to have had a relationship with, go fgure),
you are outftted with the latest in augmentation tech-
nologies and have to follow the trail to fnd the people
responsible.
DE:HR smoothly combines the action of
a frst person shooter, the suspense of a stealth game,
and the freedom of a role-playing game. You can gain
experience points from missions, killing or knocking
enemies unconscious, or fnding hidden areas. You
can spend these experience points on new augments,
or upgrading your existing augments which ultimately
change the way you experience the game.
There are augments that can support any way
you want to play. The level design allows for several
solutions to most problems. Deus Ex even rewards you
for fnding unique ways to solve a problem, whether that
is a hidden air duct that gives you an easier fring point
at a group of guards or hacking a computer that opens
a door leading right to where you need to be.
Deus Ex also features a very in-depth and
fascinating story line. You travel across the globe to
unravel a world-wide conspiracy and discover the se-
crets behind the attack that killed the brilliant scientists
at Sarif Industries.
With a solid game-play and smooth anima-
tions, theres very little to gripe about in Deus Ex.
Coming with over 25 hours of game time, Deus Ex
gives you plenty of bang for your buck along with great
re-playability.
And besides, if nothing else, youll defnitely
just enjoy running around as a robot/human android.
Deus Ex from page 14 Read from page 11
that will have an effect?
If we decided to take China out of the equa-
tion, we can simply focus on the consequences our debt
will bring. There seems to be a few sides within this
vision. Some believe that the debt isnt a problem at
all, that we need to focus on unemployment instead of
this debt. In this reporter's opinion, that point of view
is correct. However, if the debt is not dealt with it, this
crisis will cause unemployment rates to spike when the
spending cuts hit America.
It seems that if this debt is not dealt with, one
can only look forward to economic collapse. There is a
debt ceiling, a point that the U.S. cannot cross when it
comes to borrowing money. The current debt ceiling is
14.3 trillion dollars, which the government surpassed
last May.
So how has the American government
reacted to this potential economical disaster? Treasury
offcials have scrambled for bookkeeping maneuvers to
buy time. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has set
an August 2, 2012 deadline for lifting the debt ceiling.
Failure to pass a bill could result in the frst default in
U.S. history. A default occurs when the government
does not have enough funds to meet any of its legally
mandated fscal obligations, including paying interest on
its existing debts, federal employee salaries, tax refunds,
and Social Security and Medicare payments," according
to thefscaltimes.com. "Such a default could potentially
wreck the governments credit rating, lower demand for
U.S. assets, deprive federal workers of their salaries,
and deny Social Security benefts to retirees, potentially
triggering a wide-reaching economic crisis
If the debt ceiling is not raised it would mean
that the U.S. could no longer borrow money from out-
side sources and would have to rely solely on incoming
revenues. Although this might sound like a good idea
to force the U.S. to spend only essential money, it turns
out that the U.S. borrows approximately 43 percent of
the money it spends.
If America hits the debt ceiling it would
cause either a halt of all social programs such as welfare,
medicare, free lunch, etc. or cause them to be quarter-
funded. Through this crisis, one thing is certain: Ameri-
cans cannot continue to ignore this calamity. The debt
crisis may not have an apocalyptic impact on America.
But there will be spending cuts across the board, and
with spending cuts comes a loss of jobs as companies
become more effcient. This could become a higher
demand for social programs, such as welfare, which is
now not being funded, etc. As one can see, handling the
debt crisis won't have a good effect on America. Until we
hit the debt ceiling, no individual will know the causes
and consequences such action will bring. Perhaps we
have more to look forward to then it seems?
Corporate Greed from page 8
Green Mountain tournament over the holiday break.
Its a nice confdence booster, Brown said.
The girls defeated MSJ and Twin Valley to take the
crown.
We became a force to be reckoned with,
said senior guard Emma Esty about the Lady Cosmos
in the fnal game of the holiday tournament.
Coach Brown was proud of his team in
this opening to their season. They really played some
complimentary basketbal, he said.
Although the tournament sweep looked good
on their record, the girls had bigger goals for themselves.
Our goal is to be in the fnal four, said Brown. Win-
ning the tournament is nice. But were aiming for the
fnal four.


Seven-Oh from page 16
futuristic portrait on modern day societys problems,
but set in a futuristic time. When reading the enthrall-
ing series, you will watch as ambitious main character
Tally Youngblood starts a revolution and along the way
uncovers a chilling secret. Readers will surely not be
disappointed in this captivating series.
Its most likely that any teenage girl you encounter
have either heard of, or has watched the insanely popular
television series Pretty Little Liars. Sara Shepard, author
of the Pretty Little Liar series, gives you page after page
of secrets, suspense, betrayal, and surprise. Readers will
be just as immersed in the mystery as the girls in the
book are trying to fnd out who this mysterious A is.
Shepard has done well in the world of literature even
getting the opportunity to turn another book of hers, The
Lying Game, into another number one television series.
No doubt girls (and yes even some guys) everywhere
are thankful for Shepards gift for illustrating mysteri-
ous works of arts.
Fans of Pretty Little Liars might have heard
of another chilling mystery series know as the Private
series by Kate Brian. Here, the reader follows Reed
Brennan and the lengths she will go to to ft in with high
society girls with shady pasts and merciless attitudes.
Brian puts you through a sequence of lies, lust, betrayal,
and psychotic girls with entirely too much money. Now
if you have read through the series and want a conclu-
sion, youre in luck. Brian also released her 13th and
fnal, book appropriately titled Vengeance. Although
this may be the end of one series, fans also have other
series from Brian to occupy themselves with.
So this winter, whether youre stuck inside
or tired of watching Teen Mom 2, theres a series for
everyone to enjoy. From mysteries and thrillers, to vam-
pires and potions, series are a sure way of immersing
yourself in a brand new world.
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SHS Speaks Out
A
s economy inequality protests spread world-wide, politics are a focal point for discussion more than ever before. Congress is becoming a shell of what it used to
be, squabbling over petty issues such as whether or not the cup of tomato paste in pizza should be considered a serving of vegetables. So the Green Horn asked
students: Whats your opinion of Congress?
Junior Jason Martin
Senior Curtis Ficklin
"The politicians are corrupt and ruining America."
"I hate them. They run the world to the ground. They
need to listen to us, not the mega-rich."
Sophomore Erin Chlebak Math Teacher Paul Bremel
"They cause a lot of disruption everywhere. They
should be trying to help the people."
"Politicians make great boat anchors.
Thats my opinion."
Column Drops of Jupiter
A Utopian Community
By Olivia Thayer
See Jupiter page 21
Oh yeah... oh yeah... oh yeah
The moon... beautiful
The sun... even more beautiful
Oh yeah... oh yeah... oh yeah
T
heres a sidewalk in Springfeld, a pathway ac-
tually. Its nothing special: concrete with grass
on both sides, a large brick building stretching
to the left, and a river rushing by on the right. But,
theres something about this pathway that causes all
my worries, concerns, and stresses to disappear when
I walk down it.
This sidewalk leads to the Edgar May Health
and Recreation Center (ENHRC). Im sure youve all
seen it: the large tan building on Clinton Street. And I
bet most of you have been in this building at one time
or another, whether for a swim or a workout, or other
odd reasons.
But, for me, this building is something more
than concrete and windows. Its a place to work out,
exercise, and escape a bad day. Its a place where Im
employed, have responsibility, and am more than just a
high school student. Its a place where I am connected
to part of this community and town that most high school
students are not involved in. Its a place where I spent
countless hours per week, a place that has become like
a second home to me.
The EMHRC has made me grow to love ex-
ercising and want to live a healthy life. It began when I
joined the Stingrays swim team last winter at the center.
I had been a swimmer before and I had been on the swim
Freshman Jake Muther Junior Angelo DiMauro
"Theyre messed up right now and cant seem to get
anything right or agree on anything."
"They dont care about the American people. Theyre
only worried about keeping power in Congress."
By Andrew Bladyka