Special Edition

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 3

WORCESTER TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER

Chris Gardner
shares struggles
and success
with WTHS
By Kayla Field

n intense applause
erupted from the
crowd of Worcester
Technical High School students and faculty as well as
several officials in Worcester
as the man who had overcome so much adversity in his
life walked on to the stage at
Hanover Theater for the Performing Arts. Chris Gardner,
author of The Pursuit of Happyness, moved the audience
through sorrow and laughter
as he told his story of success
after overcoming homelessness as a single father. Gardner stressed that the phrase
you are your environment
isnt necessarily true; that you
can choose your own way,
and that you can take your life
in any direction you want.
Continued on Page 2

PHOTO / MS. MARSHALL

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

staffbox

SPECIAL EDITION 2012

specialedition

REPORTERS
Jenna Boyle
Bonnie Cordella
Christa Diaz
Mason Dumais
Lois Dwira
Jasmine Dyer
Kayla Field
Kai Foreman
Maleena Jumpp
Ciara Keyes
John Licoski
Marvin Nuez
Nicole Miller
Albertha Poah
Claribel Quintanilla
Iliana Rodriguez
Reginald Sarpong

PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ms. Sheila Marshall

PAGE LAYOUT
Carmela Marcasciano
Abby Wendorf

ADVISORS
Ms. Jean Collamore
Ms. Ann Sweetman

Special Thanks
Mr. Robert Mazzone - Graphic Communications
Ms. Sheila Harrity - Principal
Mr. Kyle Brenner -Director of Vocational/
Technical Education

Wor ce ste r Te chnical H ig h S c h ool

One S kyline D rive
Wor ce ste r, MA 01 6 05
50 8 -799 -1 9 4 0
www.te chhigh . u s

Chris Garndner explains his commitment to excellence .

PHOTO / MS. MARSHALL

Continued from page one

Gardner also stressed the fact that

even though he didnt have a home at
the time, he was the sole parent and
provider for his toddler son, breaking the cycle of men not being there
for their children. The crowd listened
intensely to Gardners advice, as he
explained that while life happens,
each of us can choose our own way
and that we are in charge of our own
destiny. Gardner urged that whatever
youre going to be in life, be the master
of it, inspiring the crowd to do their
best just before MCAS season. Gardner spoke with humor, joking with the
audience, all the while giving the students and faculty personal anecdotes
and general inspiration to do their best
at whatever they do.
Gardner related thought-provoking statistics about the homeless
problem in America that debunk the
myth that homeless people do not
work. He shared, 12% of the homeless have jobs, and in some cities its
as high as 30%. Gardner also enlightened the audience by stating that
even working families can be homeless
and in some cases, are. He explained
that there are homeless people who
had a pretty good life, graduated high
school and even went on to college. In

some cases, a random accumulation of

small incidents just piled upalong
with the bills. They fell behind and
lost their homes; and many of the new
homeless are those he calls the whitecollar class. Gardner, who had been
homeless for an entire year, stressed to
the audience to look at those without
homes, and see their suffering. What
about the people who lost everything?
Gardner questions. Its an issue that
may be all of us can consider in a new
light.
Chris Gardner, who went on to
become CEO of his own stockbrokerage firm, Gardner Rich & Co., served
as a very effective motivational speaker
to us before MCAS. He is a living
lesson that you can take your fate into
your own hands; you can be all you
can be; you might have to work harder
than you ever imagined to get what
you wantand its worth it.
Gardner, like the past three
authors and professionals who spoke
to the schoolDr. Ben Carson, Erin
Gruwell and Liz Murrayinspired
the students and faculty of Worcester
Technical High School to be the best
they can be, and become the master
of what they want to do. The future is
in your hands, so take advantage of it.

SPECIAL EDITION 2012

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

The Pursuit of Happyness

Students in the balcony await Chris Gardner.

PHOTO / MS. MARSHALL

Quotation Reflections
by Marvin Nunez

hen Chris Gardner spoke to

WTHS at the Hanover Theater last month, everybody
listened. Here are some ideas
that spoke loudest to me
I was going to be world-class at
something.
This creates a huge impact on me. He
is saying to not just be good at baseball, soccer, singing, writing, etc., but to be worldclass at it. Whatever you do that makes you
who you are, be world-class at it, not just
good. This quote makes me want to be
the best at everything I do, it also teaches
me not to settle for one thing, but to take
everything to the next level, and to do what
has never been done before.
If you live in this part of the neighborhood, this is what youre going to be.

Gardner disagreed with a common dismissive phrase.

This reflects on my life. Before I
moved to Worcester, I came from a city
where dreaming big was not something
everyone aimed for. People were willing
to settle for less than they were capable of
achieving. You would end up working here,
raising a family there, all because where
you live and how you live. I did not settle
for this, nor did Chris Gardner. He aimed
big and kept pushing for what he wanted,
and so am I. I will keep on pushing until I
achieve my hopes and dreams.
I had one of those old-fashion mothers who told me I can become anyone or
anything I wanted to be.
This reminds me of my own mother.
My mom taught me not let anyone limit
my future, and that I can achieve any dream
I had. She helped me hold hope with a
tight grip and never let go. My mom never

gave up on me, so I will never give up on

her or myself.
You told me I couldnt do it, but
guess what? I start in two weeks.
This really hit me hard. Chris Gardner beat the odds, and everyone who kept
telling him you cant was silenced. He is
someone I can call a hero or an inspiration.
I have been in the same situations where
I was told I couldnt do something, but I
look that person in the eye and say Watch
me. So far, I have proved the doubters
wrong, and I will continue for as long as
I live. As for everyone else in this world,
no one should be limit to his or her future
because of what others think or believe. If
you want something bad enough, and if you
put all your heart and soul into whatever it
is, it will come to you. My memory of Chris
Gardner at the Hanover will continue encourage me; he is the extra push I need to
keep going. I will keep moving forward.

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

SPECIAL EDITION 2012

interview

Motels to Mansions:
Chris Gardner comes to Tech
C
By John Licoski

an you imagine your life if you

became a millionaire? Not by
being born to wealth, and not
by winning the lottery, but by
your own hard work? Some
of us may, but few of us will ever reach
that tax bracket. Now, how about becoming a multi-millionaire? The odds stacked
against this happening are really high. Now
imagine you are homeless, with a two year
old son, then becoming a multi-millionaire.
The odds that appear nearly impossible apparently arent. Chris Gardner,
businessman, philanthropist and author,
beat the odds. He is now a multi-millionaire who shares his inspirational story with
business and community leaders all over the
world. On Thursday, March 15th, Worcester Technical High School students, staff
and guests filled the mezzanine and much
of the balcony at the Hanover Theater in
downtown Worcester. After hearing Chris
Gardners encouraging and motivational
presentation, the audience rose for a standing ovation in collective appreciation.
I was one of the lucky people to actually sit down with Chris Gardner and
talk with him, in the Green Room of the
Hanover Theater after the program. I had
some questions and he was more than happy to answer.
First, I asked: Your role models range
from your mother, to Martin Luther King,
Miles Davis, Bob Bridges, and the man
with the red Ferrari. What are the qualities
of a person worthy of role model status in
2012?
I had expected some typical and ordinary response; instead I heard this:
Chris Gardner: Role models are
over played. Become a mentor, they are like
a part of your family and mentors are critical.
He clarified his response saying that
he doesnt think a person needs someone
to copy. Rather, a person needs to decide
upon and follow his or her own plan of action. There will be times when a person may
need to turn to someone for help or advice
along the waythat person is a mentor.
I was amazed, because he couldnt

PHOTO / MS. MARSHALL

Claribel Quintanilla and John Licoski interview Chris Gardner in the

green room.

have said the truth any better. And too often, role models today wind up being torn
down because of some scandalous thing
publicized in the tabloids.
Next I asked him, You have accomplished and contributed so much to so
many. What is one thing you would still
like to do for yourself ? What is on your
bucket list?
CG: Well first, I dont want to die.
This made everyone in the room
giggle. He told me that he doesnt have a
bucket list. During the program Gardner
referenced the words of Maya Angelou
that people may forget what a person did,
but they will never forget how that person
made them feel. He said that practicing
random acts of kindness are what we can
all do. Gardner said that he is so blessed
that he doesnt need a bucket list at this
point. And really, he has accomplished his

one goal in life: happiness. For many people, a bucket list is an inventory of things
that we really want to do to make us happy
before we die. Gardner has already found
his happiness.
Finally I asked him, You have seen
the violence and problems of the world.
What advice do you have for the next president of the United States?
CG: Get a real job. I am a disappointed Democrat. We have had people
like Steve Jobs [Apple computer designer,
inventor and entrepreneur, 1955-2011]
who were geniuses, and then I look at the
people who are running [for political offices] and say, Is this the best weve got? I
have to bite my tongue on this one.
And again he is kind of right, we have
some of the smartest people in the world
living in this country, but some days, it
seems as if none of them is running it.

SPECIAL EDITION 2012

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

PHOTO / MS. MARSHALL

Chris Gardner speaks to the audience .

Building a survival kit for success

By Claribel Quintanilla

n the story of The Pursuit of

Happyness by Chris Gardner, Mr. Gardner explains
the tightrope between adolescence and maturity relating
to the tools an individual can obtain to
successfully move toward ones goals. Here
is an excerpt from the book, describing
the day Mr. Gardner decided to become a
stockbroker after talking with a man who
was looking for a place to park his car. Not
just any car though. And what Mr. Gardner really wanted to know was what kind of
job pays enough to allow a person to own
such a vehicle.
Hey, man, I say, approaching the Ferrari and waving at him as I point out where
my car is parked, nodding to let him know that
Im coming out. Am I seduced by the Ferrari
itself ? Yes. I am a red-blooded American male.
But its more than that. In that instant, the
car symbolizes all that I lacked while growing
up freedom, escape, options. You can have
my spot, I offer, but I gotta ask you a couple
of questions.

He gets that Im offering a trade here-my parking place for his information. In my
twenty-seven years of life so far, I have learned
a little already about the power of information
and about the kind of currency that information can become. Now I see an opportunity to
get some inside information, I think, and so I
draw out my trusty sword-- a compulsion for
question-asking that has been in my survival
kit since childhood.
I believe that we all can relate to this
strategy, as humans we use all kinds of
methods in our daily lives to survive in the
reality of the world. Whether our strengths
are Respect, Humor, Kindness, Responsibility, Courage, or Curiosity, we all have
diverse tools in our Survival Kit.
Chris Gardner went on to explain a
little about the Trusty-Sword, a mechanism within his kit. For Mr. Gardner, a
go-to trusty-sword is the ability to ask
questions to attain knowledge. Receiving
information gives one the opportunity to
learn something new each day. Mr. Gardner claims to have been invested in this
process since his childhood.

I definitely believe the one tool that

remains constant in my survival kit is
Honesty. Throughout my childhood and
adolescence I am resolved in my conclusion
regarding the high status and value of honesty. Being honest builds one of the most
important qualities that two people should
hold in any kind of relationship: trust. True
trust between people is hard to earn and
very easy to lose! Honesty certainly does
play a major role in my survival kit. It helps
me to be clear; to grow towards my goals,
and to move in the positive career direction
I have set for myself.
The action of carrying out my life
with honesty has gained me trust from my
parents, friends, and teachers. People know
that I am honest about what I do, and that
I will do what I say. The trust I build with
honesty will give me many opportunities in
life. My trusty sword of honesty allows me
to demonstrate to others that I am a person
of my word, and gives me further chances
in life to prove what more I am capable of.

PHOTOS / MS. MARSHALL

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

SPECIAL EDITION 2012

Personal Reflection
By Bonnie Cordella

n Thursday, March 15, 2012,

we, the students of Worcester
Technical High School attended the Hanover Theatre
for the Performing Arts to see a
presentation from none other than Chris
Gardner, author of The Pursuit of Happyness.
In his presentation, Mr. Gardner said many
things that may, or may not, have stood out
to students.
I know there were multiple topics that
really struck me. One was Mr. Gardners
constant concern for his son. Explaining
the time he was in jail briefly for parking
tickets, he stressed the most important issue for him was this question: Does he
[his son] know that I havent left him, like
my father left me? It seemed that no matter what happened to Mr. Gardner, he always went back to thinking about his son,
making sure his son was safe, and alright.
He even said that some days, he wouldnt
eat, so that his son could. I started to wonder how many children in the world can
gladly look at a parent and say, My father
cares so much about me, that he wouldnt
eat if it meant that I would be able to, or
My mother would starve so I would be
able to stay safe.
We all know that too many children
cannot say this with certainty, and this
made me realize something about myself,
and my family. Weve never had very much
money, except one lucky win on a lottery
ticket my father bought. Weve never lived
in a big, fancy house, and weve never been
able to lead anything close to a life of luxury. My father has had to work hard for
everything our family has.
When I thought about Chris Gardners struggles to ensure his son was alright
and healthy, I realized the depth of my familys care for me, and for each other. Theyve
always told me that they would that they
would do anything in their power to make
sure I was safe, even if it meant they werent
safe. I realized that I am among too few
people who have parents who truly care
about them.
Many children have mothers and fathers who hire nannies and babysitters, but
they never even sit down to talk to their
children. They think work and money are
more important than their own flesh and
blood. For Chris Gardner, though, this

wasnt the case. Yes, he had to make a living, but ambition would never be greater
than his commitment to his son.
One of the things I have taken out of
the presentation a few weeks ago, is that no
matter what goes on, Im never going to
let the lack of, or the desire for, money or
material possessions let my heart stray from
loving and caring about the well-being of
my family and loved ones. Having virtually
nothing didnt change that for Mr. Gardner,
and Ill never let it change for me.
I will remember Chris Gardners absolute concern for his child and his childs
well-being, and I will never forget what he
said about life. He began describing how
people stray off of their life paths; and lose
everything they have worked to accomplish.
We dont know what will hit us so hard that
it may knock us down. He said, For me,
was it alcohol? No. Was it drugs? No. It
was something just as lethal. It was life.
Now, what might this mean? Well, for me,
it means this: There are challenges in this
world that pose deadly threats to people.
Alcohol and drugs are often what
people blame when they see things go very
wrong for another person. They will look
at a homeless person, and say things like,
Dont pay attention to that person. Hes
just a homeless drug addict. Good people
sometimes let a horrible thing consume
their lives, and they dont care what they do,
or whom they hurt. They become reckless,
and if they dont reverse their ways, they can
lose their family, their job, and their home,
and be out on the streets in the blink of an
eye. What people dont realize is that life
events can pose the same threat. Just life
itself.
Sometimes, things in a persons life
get really good, and they feel on top of the
world, as if nothing can ever destroy them.
But then they might do something out of
character; they let things get to their head,
and things come crashing down. They end
up stuck in the same place as a person who
became addicted to drugs, who lives the
street because there is no place to take them
in; they have to scrounge for money.
What Chris Gardner said about life
being just as lethal as alcohol and drugs is
something I will never forget. Its something that anyone who ever hears that quote
should remember, because life does happen
to everyone. Unlike some people whose
lives crash down around them, Chris Gard-

ner didnt let his life stay shattered in pieces

at his feet. He slowly built his and his sons
lives back up by following his dream of becoming a stock broker. Chriss story shows
that dreams can come true, if you dont quit
on them, no matter what others say.
To be honest, I didnt think I was going to gain any real insight from this presentation. What I mean is that I knew I
was going to find a lot of what Chris Gardner said to be interesting. I didnt think
what he said would strike a chord so deeply
in my heart, and give me inspiration to follow the dreams that seem so far away, and
that other people try to put down. I know
better now.

What does
happiness
mean to you?
By Jasmine Dyer
Ariana Mongau, 9th Vet Assist Happiness is being surrounded by people
who love you.
Tyrone Hicks, 9th Telecom Happiness is being happy.
Calsy Rice, 9th Auto Tech Happiness is being really excited and hyper.
Tyshawn Matthews, 9th Telecom I
am just happy.
Cherilyn McManus, 9th Hotel Happiness is being with your family.
Chris Hernandez, 12th Culinary
Happiness is finding something that
you love.
Mr. Clark, Science - Happiness is the
freedom of doing what you like to do.
Ms. Stowe, Spec. Ed. - The state of
being emotionally satisfied and having
the freedom, health and opportunity to
do great things for others.

SPECIAL EDITION 2012

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

An alphabet sampling of Chris Gardners

Pursuit of Happyness
A is for Adaptation
Thrown onto the street
Without a home or a dollar to his name
An avalanche of responsibility
Sleeping and eating where, when he can
Stark white clouds blocking views
Traversing the hills of success
An uphill battle against
the mountains of poverty
Mason Dumais
A is for Anxiety
Caring for his two-year-old son
Standing out at work to get the one
Paid job and balancing
His checkbook in daily flight
Chriss anxiety followed him
Like a hungry pythonits eyes
On a quick small mouse
Paula Machado
B is for Big
Green, the new smell, the pockets big
Wishing and dreaming to have the whole
Rainforest. Green, ocean-swift
as a penguin chasing the big fish
And just as determined
Mo money, mo probems
said Biggie Smalls
Money was all
He needed to survive
Deidrianna Agbanyo
C is for Clever
His cleverness was just like a grizzly bear
The way he faked refunds at the hotel
machines. Just as a bear would fake
his clumsiness. He comes at you fast
making his own advantages
Aliana Bez
C is for Compassion
He loved his son and was dedicated
to staying with him always. He gave
up food and necessary items for his son
to survive. The father penguin cares for and
holds its baby warm, until it can grow on its
own. Love, dedication, compassion
Deven Turner
D is for Determination
The colorless office filled with rich men
He didnt fit in with anyone, but hid it well
Through ups and the downs, beds of green grass
He needed this job, he found a way
Taylor King

F is for Father
The dark memory of Chriss stepfather
Always played like a scratched CD
And Chris wanted just happiness
For his son with his father himself
Each grey challenging day
Laura Arce
F is for Fighter
He who is a fighter
He who is Chris Gardner
A person who keeps going at an objective
Hes an eagle
After its prey repeatedly until
The prey is captured
Danny Le
G is for Generous
Food, shelter, living, surviving
Five dollars from random girls at work
Reverend sort of judged at first
Then offered his eagle wing for support
A man, a baby with no home to call
Their own. Food, shelter, living, surviving
Support from generous hands
Deidrianna Agbanyo
H is for Homelessness
Like a tornado-tsunami tag team
It destroys everything in its path
Gardner was left with what was left behind
A nice hot steaming park of homelessness
Kritzia Almeyda
I is for Independence
When despair was blizzard-strong
He was left alone with responsibility
Grey shadows of stress, a baby crying
Hit him like a shark bite
He watched for the light after the storm
His independence shone through
Rachel Bahnan
L is for Late
Being late is like the Ark
Though it has lots of space
If you are late you are left
For the flood waters to drown you
In the cold outside of despair
Trapped in the homeless and
Hopeless gutters of the world

L is for Life
Gold desert sand is life, still
and hot by day and by night
cold. Then trouble comes from
scavenger-like birds who await
the chance of me giving up
this game called life.
Davontay Jacob
M is for Millions
Like the buildup to a roller
Coasters drop
Crawling, crawling, waiting, waiting
Then youve reached the top
Let the ride of happiness begin
Zachary Maloney
R is for Real
This was real.
This was not a nightmare
Spinning like a carousel,
homeless and poor
Walking around and around
with his belongings
And a dream
Sarah Rose
R is for Reach
A furious fighting father
At war with himself
Like a starving eagle
Eyeing what he wants and needs
But the prey is out of reach
At war with his faint destiny
Searching, longing to get out o
Of the heat of the tundra
Brigitte Manseau
R is for Rebirth
Like an earthquake unannounced
A fathers world crumbled
Flipped upside down
A new day arrived
The sun shining; the job
All is well: a new start
Jesse Beshaw
S is for Survive
But there is no sand here but dunes
of concrete. We must stand together
like wolves or there will not be
a chance for us to survive. Our pack
is right now at the strength of two.
Christopher and I
Davontay Jacob

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

SPECIAL EDITION 2012

10

Students respond to Gardners lessons

We have the ability to
choose our path
and the responsibility to live
with our decisions.

e all are born into different

environments, with money
or without money, in a good
place to live or in a bad neighborhood.
Where we go is up to us.
Some say what we are born determines what we will achieve, but
I believe that isnt true. We have the
choice to determine whether we raise
ourselves up in life or whether we fail.
We can have a dream, but we must put
the energy into pursuing it in order to
be successful.
Chris Gardner directed all the energy he could gather toward his dream
to be a stockbroker. Every decision we
make leads to something else, so he put
thought into the way he spent every
dollar and every choice that affected
his son and himself. He didnt choose
to be homeless or to struggle so hard
financially; he chose to do something
about it.
We all have that choiceto leave
a bad or negative path and to take a
new one to a better life. Its common
sense that when you dont like something, and you realize you have the
power to change it, then its up to you
to change it.
My whole life I have had times
when I did not take the chance to pursue a dreamlittle ones and more vital
ones. I understand that it was me who
decided not toit was my responsibility. We must all understand that.
We all have the responsibility to
look at our choices; to understand that
we do have choices, and that whether
we take advantage of our opportunities
is on us. Chris Gardner took advantage
of his opportunity at a very difficult
point in his life and accomplished his
dream. Katia Wheeler, grade 10
Americans have been known to
believe that we are free; we get to do
whatever we want and be whoever we

PHOTO / MS. MARSHALL

want. Its not easy though and so many

people get discouraged. Chris Gardner told us that if you want something,
or want to be someone, you should
fight for your right, no matter who or
what tries to bring you down. But if
you choose what you want, dont just
lie on your back. Put your all into it.
Be determined to prove to everyone
who didnt believe in you that they
are wrong. Stick with your decisions,
your thoughts, your opinions. Dont be
scared to share how you feel or what
you think is right or wrong. Believe
in yourself and your decision. Choose
your path. Be responsible. Johanny
Bouman Pagan, grade 10

Quitting is not an option.

I agree with Chris Gardner 100%.

I believe that if someone starts something, he or she should finish it. Society, in general, wants people we can
trust. No one likes a quitter. A quitter
is someone who society thinks is lazy. If
you quit a job and then apply for another, no one will hire you. If you choose
something to do, you should finish it all
the way to the end. This is exactly what
Chris Gardner did. He kept trying his
hardest, no matter what life threw at
him. For example, when he was sent to
jail for parking tickets, he never gave up
on his chances with his employers. He
dealt with the consequences of his past
and handled the present situation like a
true adult: he did not quit. Michelle
Snelling, grade 10
America has become, in my opinion, filled with quitters. Not many people are willing to fight for what they
really, truly say they want. Often they
expect to have almost everything handed to them. Nowadays, people reject
the idea that quitting is not an option,
a quote Chris Gardner uses.
Mr. Gardner struggled and survived and ended up with what he wanted, a better life, because he did not quit.
As he said, you can be or do anything
you want, but you have to be committed to doing the work. I believe that
everyone should live by these words.
Kenya Ortiz, grade 10

Whatever you decide to do,

be the best at it.
I feel best when I try to do the best
I can at everything I do, whether its
playing sports, skateboarding, school,
or working. I believe that if you want a
job or want to be successful in life, you
have to try your hardest and be the best
man or woman you can be. It is important for you to do so in school for
example. You might not be able to support your family or even yourself if you
dont have a steady job because you did
poorly in school.
If you want to be a welder, or a
plumber, or an electrician, whatever you
want to betry your hardest to become

SPECIAL EDITION 2012

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

11

Words to
remember

ompassionate

Chris Gardner was compassionate

towards his so during his hard time;
and showed a lot of courage by walking
into the stockbrokers office and applying
for the internship

olding

Chris Gardner remembers holding

onto his son Christopher after the
first day in daycare saying, I told you Id
come back for you.

esponsible

Chris Gardner was responsible

because he had many things that had
to be done and he did everything he could
to do so. He made time for everything he
had to do.

Chris Gardner receives a well-deserved standing ovation .

PHOTO / MS. MARSHALL

it. And then keep up that work ethic that he is today. He explained that durso that you can be known as the best ing a particularly hard time, the ladies
and the person everyone calls for work of the night just started giving him
in your field. If you are willing to com- and his son Christopher $5 every time
mit to the effort it takes to be the best they saw them. If ever there was an act
youll be able to lead a successful life.
of kindness so random, this was it.
You can get what you dream
The money meant that there
of, whether its a family, or
would be dinner that
a nice house, or an exevening. The women
pensive car. I believe
were thinking not
if you try your hardabout themselves,
est, you will prevail.
but of someone else.
You just have to
They did not have
keep at itwhatto help, but they
ever you choose for
chose to be kind. I
yourselfand perlike this quote besevere.
Zachary
cause sometimes I
Kelly, grade 10
help peoplebecause
Katia Wheeler
I want to, not because
I
have
to. To be helpful
A random act of
can be doing something on
kindnessthat was the
someone elses to do list. Its kind
beginning of us turning our because you can relieve some of their
lives around.
stress. A person might be having a bad
day and simple act of kindness that
This is one of the lessons in life is unexpected and not asked for can
that changed Chris Gardners life, and change that day to a good one. Kyle
helped him become the successful man Vartanian, grade 10

We all have
that choice. We can
leave a bad or negative
path and take a new one
to a better life.

ndependent

Chris Gardner was independent because

he did things mostly on his own, not
only for himself, but for his son the future
for them both.

uccessful

Chris Gardner was successful because

he never gave up on himself; he
pushed himself harder when things got
hard. He tried different solutions when his
first choice didnt work.

ood

Chris Gardner was good with all

kinds of people and was very wellliked by the business men.

Happy

Chris Gardner wanted to be happy and

knew that happiness was something he
had to achieve rather than something that
would be given to him.

Athletic

Chris might not be an athlete, but he is

athletic as he runs as fast as possible to
catch the bus, or the day care, to get in line
at the emergency shelters.

Persistent

When things kept getting worse and

worse Chris Gardner was persistent and
just kept on going.
Continued on page 12

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 4

A History of the
Hanover Theatre
By Bonnie Cordella

SPECIAL EDITION 2012

12

he Hanover Theatre for the

Performing Arts, a structure
that appears to be brand new
with its modern exterior, is
actually a vision of classic architecture inside. This glorious
interior in downtown Worcester seems
untouched by time. Although it has captivating beauty inside, with marble columns
and ornate chandeliers, it appears to be a
contemporary building. However, it has a
large history, a little over one hundred years
in the making.
Nineteen hundred four was the starting point for this magnificent structure.
It was built in downtown Worcester on
Southbridge Street, extending to the property line of the old Norwich and Worcester
rail line, a section of the New York
and New England Railroad
Company, which closed
long ago. Only a small
section of that line remains open. Today, we
know that section as
the Franklin Line,
which connects passenger rail service
to South Station in
Boston. The Hanover
Bonnie
no longer extends to
that property line, but
when it did; its name was
the Franklin Square Theatre.
Later, when original possession of
the theatre was turned over to Pauline L.
Taylor, it was renamed the Grand.
Then, in 1925, ownership changed
yet again, and shifted to Sylvester Poli of
New Haven, Connecticut. He hired a wellknown theatre architect named Thomas W.
Lamb to make major alterations and additions to the theatre. Lamb added marble
columns, an ornate grand staircase, beautiful chandeliers, and designed the theatre so
that it could seat up to 3,000 patrons.
In 1967, ownership changed yet
again, when National Amusements, Inc.
purchased the building. The company soon
closed the theater for renovations, so that

they could turn it into Showcase Cinema.

Included in the renovation for movie goers were major interior alterations, such
as the removal of the upper seating boxes,
balcony seating, and removal of the stage
so that four smaller cinemas could be built
within the theatre. But, all the effort seemingly went to waste when Showcase closed
in 1998.
The building that was later to become
the Hanover Theatre for Performing Arts
was left, practically abandoned, with minimal maintenance for the next decade. It
stood in downtown Worcester, while time
moved on outside its walls, and the state
of disrepair continued. Two men, Edward
Madaus and Paul Demoga, began fighting
for its continued existence in 2002. They
started to raise money to restore the building, and finally in 2008, their work paid
off and restoration began.
Ownership was once
again transferred, this
time to the Worcester
Center for Performing
Arts. The company, a
non-profit organization dedicated to restoring the building,
spent nearly $31 million to renovate the
theatre. The money
Cordella
was provided by several
private and government
contributions. The money
went to good use, and provided
the theatre with new furnishings,
including new chandeliers, state-of-theart lighting and sound systems, and the
return of box seating and balcony seating.
The building then earned the name of the
Hanover Theatre of the Performing Arts,
named mainly for Hanover Insurance
group, which provided funds for restoration.
Today, the Hanover stands, as
beautiful as ever, at Two Southbridge
Street. This is one building that has so far
withstood the test of time, and will remain
outstanding.
[Source: http://
www.thehanovertheatre.org/about/history.
php]

This glorious
interior in downtown
Worcester seems
untouched by time.

Continued from page 11

Persevere

When he was homeless, he persevered,

determined to build a better life.

Yappy and Yes

Chris Gardner had a yappy son who always kept him smiling with knock-knock
jokes
Chris is always saying yes, sir to his
bosses which makes him a gentleman, and
the one they remember.

Nonstop

Chris Gardner and his son were always on

the move; their struggles were nonstop and
never seemed to end.

Eager

Chris Gardner was very eager to get his

life on track; to find a job that will pay the
rent and support himself and his son.

Smart

Chris Gardner was both street -smart and

study-smart.

Skill

Chris Gardner shocked the stockbroker

with his speed and skill at solving the
Rubiks cubehe said, I can.
Compiled by Antonio Albino, Maame Anane,
Tyler Casey, Ricardo Castillo, Nicole Correa
Rodriguez, Araixa Fontanez, Zachary Ginese,
Brianna Hiscock, Bryan Lam, Ben Lapin, John
Licoski, Tara Livesay, Jessica Martin, Brianna
Martocchii, Anthony Marzilli, Patrick Merrick,
Damien Negron, Chien Nguyen, Hien Nguyen,
Jose Reyes Vargas, Aidan Ronayne, Mayra Castillo
Santillan, Dekontee Tote, Anthony Zheng

thankyou

To Alderman Edward M. Burke and Justice

Anne M. Burke: Thank you for introducing
us to Chris Gardner. He was an inspiration
to all the students, staff, and community
who attended the presentation.