Green Horn

June 14, 2010 Volume 30, Edition 9

The Award-Winning Student Publication of Springfield High School

Gone Fishing
Larry Wight Retires From the High School
By Ashley Richardson

C
o-principal Larry Wight will be joining the
Class of 2010 as students leave Springfield High
School this June. After four and a half years fill-
ing various leadership roles at the high school, Wight
will retire and enjoy some of his outdoor hobbies.
“I’m going fishing,” Wight said. “Now that
I’m retiring, I’d like to pursue some of my hobbies. I like
photography and I carve fish and birds. I also want to
finally finish hiking the Long Trail, so I’ll start my hike
this time where I left off five and a half years ago.”
Before coming to SHS, Wight held numer-
ous teaching and principal positions in schools around
Vermont and New Hampshire. Before Wight was
principal at SHS, he held a teaching principal position
in Perkinsville, head principal position at Newport, and
was a science teacher in Bradford, Vermont.
“On top of my education positions, I also
worked at Ladue's Furniture in Claremont in the fam-
ily business for 12 years, and was assistant manager at
Britts Department Store prior to that,” Wight said. “I
also lived in Alaska for about seven years.”
Wight was retired before he came to SHS,
but came back to be a substitute teacher, and later SHS
Assistant Principal. “All of my experiences at SHS are

See Wight page next to 23

Co-Principal Larry Wight talks with Junior Mariama Roldan. Wight, who served
as assistant principal, principal, and co-principal, will retire after nearly five
What’s Inside: years at Springfield High School. Wight's leadership style has been characterized
Art students by compassion, patience, understanding, and good humor.

Plaza Folks Bloom

compete,
p. 5

By Ashley Richardson
Iron Man 2

W
not rust proof, hen the sun starts shining, and the birds start
p.14 chirping, it’s a guarantee that Springfield
High School students will start hanging out
in the plaza. The main attraction in the plaza, Jonathan’s
Summer Place, opened in late April. Since then, students
have used the plaza to socialize with friends after school
Softball team and into the night.
beats Burr & “There’s usually a lot of people down there,
Burton 7-4, and a lot of my friends, so I always hang out at the Sum-
mer Place,” senior Paige Parker said. “There’s nothing
p. 16 better to do in this town then get ice cream and hang
out in the plaza.”
Jonathan’s Summer Place, which offers a
wide variety of soft-serve ice cream flavors, including
cheesecake, blueberry, kaluha, and papaya, is the main
attraction to SHS students. “The Summer Place is like
a watering hole,” senior Jenny Bradley said. “It’s where
everyone gathers.”
But students don’t only hang out at the
Summer Place. Some students, those with motorcycles
or street bikes, hang out in the parking lot near Peebles.
They hang out with other Springfielders who share their
interest in bikes or cars.
See Plaza page 21
Green Horn Interview
By Kelsey Christensen

. Zach McLaughlin
Brings Reflective,
Thoughtful
Approach to SHS
T
his winter, after an intensive application pro- to the school. I appreciated that. It showed that they ting edge stuff happening.
cess, a panel of students, teachers, parents, love this place, and wanted to make sure that the next
and administrators selected Zach McLaughlin, assistant principal could actually help. One teacher Where did you work before Springfield and what are
currently an educator at Hillsboro-Deering School in asked when I was going to get on with it and marry my some of your accomplishments in education?
New Hampshire, to be assistant principal next year at fiancée--all in good fun, of course. My career path is a bit of a traveling circus.
Springfield High School. The Springfield School Board Mr. Thibault [Bob, Springfield High School I always thought I wanted to become a teacher. Then I
finalized this decision in an April meeting, when they Co-Principal] and I sat down at the end of all this and hit college, and I started to think that maybe I wanted
officially appointed McLaughlin as assistant principal. discussed my observations of the day. It was a good to follow a different path. After college, I went to China
The Green Horn recently caught up with McLaughlin opportunity for the two of us to see if we felt that we and taught English in a small Chinese college.
via e-mail. He explained his experiences, vision, and could work together effectively. I didn’t go for the teaching really. It was just
educational philosophy. Once I found out that I had been picked for a cheap way to have an opportunity to live in China and
the job, I came in the next Sunday to sit in on the first learn about it firsthand. But something funny happened
Describe the process of getting the job. NEASC [New England Association of Schools and while I was there. I got addicted to teaching. When I
I was initially interviewed by a large group Colleges] meeting. returned, I got my Masters degree in teaching and I
of teachers, faculty, staff, students, and community It was a thorough process. But I am glad to student-taught in a city school in Saint Louis. Then I
members. It was a really enjoyable experience. I thought have been put through it. I learned a lot about the school went to South Africa as a member of the Peace Corps
we had a good dialogue about what I thought about the in the process and met some wonderful people. It leaves and worked with South African teachers. I returned
school and what I might be able to contribute. me excited for the next step. home and taught in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and
I really appreciated the quality of the ques- Maine. I am a big believer in students understanding and
tions I was asked, and the clear desire by the committee
Why are you interested in the Springfield School Dis- being engaged in real issues facing the community. All
to find a good fit for SHS. trict? What do you think about the district so far? my students for the previous three years were required
After that, I was brought back to spend a I really appreciate the level of pride that the to attend a school committee meeting, a board of select-
day at the high school. I met a lot of staff members and
students, faculty, and staff have at SHS. I know that men meeting, and town meeting. As a teacher, it was
students. I sat in on a few classes. I spent lunch talking
every school faces challenges. But the people that I have rewarding to see my students being active citizens in
with a few students, and I had a great conversation with
been engaged with thus far are committed to making their local community.
the superintendent [Frank Perotti]. Springfield High School a special place. I have spent
Towards the end of the day, I met with staff
time in several different districts, and my favorites have What is your educational philosophy?
members in the library and answered their questions. been the ones that feature a staff and community that I see educators as facilitators of learning
Some really pushed me on what I felt I could contribute
have a fighting determination about the school. Districts opportunities. I believe that an educated public comes
like these are the through the teaching of skills and attitudes. Skills are
ones where spe- transferable to new pieces of content that students will
GREEN HORN STAFF cial things can need to be able to process after graduating. We won’t
A shley Richardson..................... Co-Editor happen, because always be there to help students, so we need to give
people are ready students the ability to think on their own. As a facilitator
O livia Johnson........................... Co-Editor to struggle for a of skill development, I need to create an environment
J enny Bradley.......................... Co-Editor place they be- where students feel comfortable taking social, devel-
lieve in. opmental, and intellectual risks. Through risk-taking
S amuel L. Benton.................... Layout Editor I n among their peers, students are able to build and test
K elsey Christensen.................... Layout Editor addition, there socially-constructed knowledge. This risk-taking will
are some amaz- occur when we teach the value of respect, the impor-
L aurel Porter............................. Photography Editor ing programs tance of having an open-mind, and the potential of free
here. I have thinking.
C ourtney Downing.................... Sports Editor
been really im-
Melissa Tarbell............................ Tech News Editor pressed by pro- What will your job as assistant principal entail?
grams like the That is something Mr. Thibault and I are
----------------REPORTERS--------------- Arts Academy still discussing. It will definitely see me taking on a lot
Erika Anderson, Ryan Brady, John Forbes, Sarah Gray, and the Green of the discipline issues. Next year will likely see me
Sam Hensel-Hunter, Holly Hooke, Angelo Jardina, Jill Rushton, Horn. There taking on more of an assistant principal role rather than
Maria Stern, and Olivia Thayer is clearly some
wonderful cut- See McLaughlin page 20
pg  G r e e n H o r n
 News
SPIRIT Returns to SHS
Communication, Diversity, Racism Discussed
By Sarah Gray

W
e’ve got SPIRIT, yes we do!
We’ve got SPIRIT, how about you?
In late April, the Student Problem Identi-
fication and Resolution of Issues Together (SPIRIT)
group met for the first time at Springfield High School
since the fall of 2009. The meeting took place during
the school day. Members of Restorative Justice, an
alternative, humane disciplinary system at SHS, also
attended this meeting.
The meeting gave SPIRIT members an
opportunity to discuss problems at Springfield High
School. Dr. Charles Johnson, the school safety coordina-
tor in Vermont, and Azekah E. Jennings, representative
of the U.S. Department of Justice, also met with the
SPIRIT group. At the April SPIRIT meeting, Angelina Mei said that students aren't getting
After the meeting, Jennings assembled a enough help in the classroom. English teacher Joanna Coleman, who attended
mediation agreement for SPIRIT and Restorative Justice the meeting, believes the group's initiatives must be taken seriously.
participants. This agreement identified problems at SHS
that students and faculty of both groups discussed. The stress to students is that hopefully we, as teachers, will be “I would say that some racial slurs are over-
document will help SPIRIT members develop a plan of able to gain student trust,” Coleman said afterwards. used,” freshman and SPIRIT member Larry Bolduc said.
action at their next meeting. Additionally, freshman Angelina Mei, who “However, I also think students respect other students
“This meeting wasn’t just a meeting to chose to participate in SPIRIT after meeting with Wight, just for being students.”
get students and staff together to talk about each oth- felt that it’s hard for students to make time out of their Now that a written mediation agreement
ers’ feelings,” English teacher Joanna Coleman, who hectic schedules for extra help in classes. has been created, Wight hopes SPIRIT members can
participated in SPIRIT, said. “It was a meeting that “I would hope that teachers could make get together once again at the end of this school year
led to a formal document that is to be signed and taken more time for students,” Mei said. or the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. From
seriously.” Another topic that was discussed at the April there, students and faculty can decide what their next
Springfield High School students were SPIRIT meeting involved prejudiced behavior and racist plan of action would be. Coleman, in fact, believes that
recommended by SHS faculty to participate in SPIRIT. comments at SHS. Although most students claim to another SPIRIT meeting should happen sooner rather
Teachers were asked to recommend freshmen and make such comments and act in this way in a joking than later.
sophomores who demonstrated good leadership quali-
ties and students who wanted to express their voice and
manner, some students are offended by such behavior
and words.
See SPIRIT page 22

Cyber
help solve conflicts at SHS. Close to 24 students were
recommended for SPIRIT this year. This was smaller
than the 100 students who were recommended for the
group last autumn and the 60 students who attended

Bullying
SPIRIT meetings last school year.
Freshman Amelia Thomas was recom-
mended to participate in SPIRIT this year. She joined
to learn more about conflicts that exist at SHS.

The Newest
“I thought it [the SPIRIT meeting] would be
a good opportunity to learn about all the issues in our
school because I don’t know a lot about them,” Thomas
said.

Worry
“Students seem to miss class for so many
other reasons,” Coleman added. “But I can’t imagine
a better thing students should be missing class for.”
As the meeting progressed, students and
teachers described conflicts at Springfield High School.
Larry Wight believes that cyber
One issue discussed was the lack of celebrating cultural
By Maria Stern
holidays and a neglect of cultural diversity. bullying is a rising problem at SHS.

B
“We have a lot to learn from other cultures,
ullies aren't what they used to be.
and I think it enriches all of us,” SHS Co-Principal Larry
The traditional image of the big, strong, older Cyberbullying.us, a site dedicated to the
Wight, and SPIRIT participant, said. “So I think it’s
kid who takes lunch money from the underclass- prevention of, and education about cyber bullying, de-
important to celebrate cultural holidays and thus learn
men and deals out wedgies is best left with our parents’ fines this action as “when someone repeatedly harasses,
from other cultures.”
generation. By contrast, Generation Y is faced with mistreats, or makes fun of another person online or
Another concern raised at the SPIRIT meet-
bullies who don't physically intimidate their victims or while using cell phones or other electronic devices.”
ing involved communication between students and
even speak to their vicitms. Instead, the 21st Century
teachers at SHS. Coleman hopes to improve this con-
has its own type of bully: the cyber bully. See Cyber page 22
nection at the school. “One thing I would particularly

G r e e n H o r n pg 
News
Anne Marie Kelly is New
Mental Health Clinician
By Maria Stern

Mental Health Clinician Anne Marie
Kelly offers hope and advice for
students under stress.
School in April, replacing the former mental health clini-
cian Richard Colburn. Her office, located in the guidance
hallway, fills the space previously used for Student
Assistance Program Director Danielle Dulaney. across the board,” she said.
During her few months of work, Kelly has
been pleased with the open and welcoming attitude
displayed by Springfield High School students.
“I feel it’s really a privilege to be here,” she
said.
Kelly attended high school in a small town in
Kelly’s experiences with education provide
her with an understanding of high school students. “I’m
amazed at the kind of pressure high school kids are under
In her role as mental health clinician, Kelly
wants to be available to help students manage stress.
“I have no magic wand,” she said. However, she offers
hope and advice. “I hope to be another source of support
and positive energy,” Kelly said.
Kelly is available for appointments from

S
pringfield High School has a new addition to the
faculty: Mental Health Clinician Anne Marie
Kelly.
Kelly recently moved to Vermont after living
in Connecticut. “I have always loved Vermont,” she said.
Kelly became enamored with Vermont when she visited
the state as a child in the summertime.
Kelly began working at Springfield High
Connecticut. After high school she took time off before
attending college. “But once I got started [with college]
I just kept going,” she said. Kelly has a graduate degree
in social work with a background in clinical psychology.
Kelley believes that waiting before attending college
made school more enjoyable for her.
“It took me a long time to like school,” she
said.
7:45 am-3:00 pm every day. Students can make an
appointment to see Kelly by consulting with Guidance
Department Secretary Claire Pullinen or with main of-
fice personnel.
“I would really like to meet with anybody
who wants to come in,” she said. “If it’s really important
I’ll find a way to make it happen. No one should feel
like they’re alone.”

Amanda Frank Excited to

Take Over Yearbook
By Erika Anderson

T
he yearbook at Springfield High School will have
a new advisor next year. SHS Environmental
Science and biology teacher Amanda Frank will
fill the position.
“I really enjoy graphic design and have a
good aesthetic sense, or so I've been told,” said Frank.
“I also think yearbook will be a great way to get to know
more students in the SHS community." go into the yearbook class. But I envision it as a fun,
English teacher Jessamyn Dechert, who will
leave SHS for a position at another school in June, has
advised the yearbook over the past three years. “The
first, and probably most important, thing I need to do is
sit down with Ms. Dechert and pick her brain,” Frank
said. “She's done a wonderful job with the yearbook
for the past three years and I'd be foolish not to learn as
much from her as I can. I will start with the information
she gives me and build the class from there.”
Frank did not have to worry about undergo-
ing a rigorous selection process in order to be chosen
as yearbook advisor. “There was no interview. I guess
no one else expressed interest,” said Frank. “I really
just had an informal discussion with Mr. Thibault [SHS
Co-Principal].”
Frank's background has trained her for the
role of yearbook advisor. In fact, she worked as an
layout and design for the journal,” Frank said. She
has also worked with web design and other forms of
advertising.
Frank is looking forward to working with the
yearbook. She is particularly excited about a nonscience
period. “I love science. But five periods of it per day
is a lot," Frank said. "I know there's tons of work to
creative spot in my day.”
Frank decided to apply for the position as
yearbook advisor because of the fact that it is an elec-
tive. Frank liked the idea that she would be teaching
a class that included students who wanted to be there.
“Right now the science classes I teach are requirements
for graduation. Kids have to be there whether or not
they want to be,” said Frank. “As an elective, students
are choosing to participate in yearbook and that should Amanda Frank will be the new
create a more relaxed, yet exciting, learning atmo- yearbook advisor next year. She hopes
sphere.” to make the book more affordable.
Frank’s role as advisor will be to coordinate
the production of the yearbook. She thinks that in order
to have a successful yearbook the staff will have to work has been noted for its innovative changes. “This year
together as a team. “Hopefully I will be able to take the the yearbook will be in color," Dechert said. "This is
position of guide and co-collaborator,” said Frank. “I the first time in SHS history. And it will be available
will have lots to learn from the students, especially those for the same price as last year [$60.00]."
who already have yearbook experience.” According to Dechert, the yearbook has be-

See Yearbook page 21

editorial assistant on her graduate school educational Dechert, who has advised the SHS Citizen
publication. “One of my responsibilities was page for three years, will be handing over a publication that

pg  G r e e n H o r n

Hensel-Hunter Wins Local
Speech Contest
Competes in Charlestown
and Burlington
By Sarah Gray
S
ophomore Sam Hensel-Hunter left the crowd
speechless when he was awarded 1st place in the
Springfield Rotary Club’s 4-way Speech Contest
on March 26th at the Springfield Rotary Club luncheon
at the Hartness House. Hensel-Hunter then went on
to be named one of four finalists in the speech contest
regional competition held on April 18th at the Charles-
town Senior Center in Charlestown, NH. He continued
on to the next round of this speech competition held in
Burlington in mid-May.
On March 26th, Hensel-Hunter competed
against SHS juniors Kelsey Christensen and Laurel
Porter, and SHS sophomore Erika Anderson in the 4-way
Speech Contest. Hensel-Hunter finished 1st, followed
by Christensen, Porter, and Anderson. For his winning
effort, Hensel-Hunter was awarded $75.
“It was a relief to win because they did the
STAR member Hali Bailey believes it is
important to socialize with animals to
get them used to human interaction.
T
he mission statement of the Student Team for
Animal Rescue (STAR), a club at Springfield
High School, is a sincere and direct statement of
intent: "We will provide our time and energy and funds
to improve the lives of animals that are in jeopardy,
to protect them from future harm and to improve the
quality of their lives."
STAR was formed in the fall of 2006 by
several students from the SHS On-the-Job-Training
(OJT) program. Kim Farrar, a co-advisor for the club
and a special education instructor with the Occupational
Development Program (ODP), taught summer school
in 2006. Each Friday she took her students to perform
community service. One place they volunteered was at
G r e e n H o r
winners in reverse order,” Hensel-Hunter said. “I was
on edge when I didn’t win 2nd or 3rd. Winning was an
exciting experience.”
The local contest required competitors to
create a speech that took a specific subject and evaluated
this subject according to the Rotary Club’s 4-Way Test
of Truth: whether it is truthful, fair to all, fosters good
will and build friendships, and is beneficial to all.
Hensel-Hunter based his speech on his vol-
unteer work at the Dismas House in Rutland, which of-
fers a halfway house for people who have been recently
released from prison. Hensel-Hunter volunteers there
twice a month as a cook and believes that the organiza-
tion represents the 4-Way Test well.
On April 18, Hensel-Hunter went on to the
regional speech competition held in Charlestown, NH.
At this event, Hensel-Hunter competed against 18 other
STAR Seeks to Improve
the Life of Animals
By Melissa Tarbell
TARPS, The Animal Rescue and Protection Society in
Chester, Vermont.
“The kids loved it and wanted to continue
more,” said Farrar. “They asked if we could form a
club.” Since the club was founded four years ago,
students have raised over $1,000 to benefit animals.
STAR club members often donate their
time to the Springfield Humane Society and TARPS.
“We give [the animals] fresh water and wash the toys,
blankets, and cages,” said STAR member junior Tif-
fany Haley, who has been a part of the club since it was
founded.
Sophomore Hali Bailey added that it is
important “just to socialize with them, get them used
to humans.”
The group has donated dog and cat food to
the Springfield Family Center and also offered financial
assistance to anyone who requests funding to spay or
neuter their pets. STAR members feel very strongly
about the need for owners to neuter pets. They offer
startling statistics in support of this initiative. For
example, 70,000 cats are born every day compared to
n pg
News
Sam Hensel-Hunter finished first in
the Rotary Club's 4-way Speech
Contest this spring.
speakers. He found this level of the speech contest more
tense and pressure-filled than the first competition.
“It was a lot more intimidating because there
were a lot more contestants,” Hensel-Hunter said.
However, despite the increased tension of
this round of the speech competition, Hensel-Hunter
was honored as one of the four finalists in this level of
speech-making. “It felt relieved to be a finalist because
I was bracing myself to not be one of the finalists,”
Hensel-Hunter said.
Hensel-Hunter competed against the other
three finalists in Burlington on May 15th. However, he
was disqualified at this level of competition because his
See Speech page 20
10,000 people born each day. Since there is no way for
all these helpless animals to have a decent, humane life,
STAR members emphasize the importance of spaying
and neutering.
STAR has also made a donation to Heifer
International, a program that donates farm animals to
families in underdeveloped countries. These animals
offer both essentials, like food and milk, and financial
assistance to families.
To help support their many causes, STAR
hosted a raffle during the month of May. SHS English
teacher Rebecca Skrypeck’s mother, who donated two
quilts to STAR last year, donated another quilt to the
club this year for its raffle.
There were other prizes as well: 1st prize
was the animal-themed quilt provided by Skrypeck’s
mother, 2nd prize was an end table that Marcia Locke’s
students were refinishing in country style, and 3rd prize
was a gift basket that contained everything from food to
books to a picture frame. The gift basket was on display
See STAR page 20

News
Students Students Advise About
Attend Life After High School
Keene State By Olivia Johnson & Jenny Bradley

College Fair F
or the second year in a row, the Springfield High
School Guidance Department, with the help of the
Positive Parent Group, presented a panel of SHS
graduates to talk about their lives after high school. The
panel, which consisted of alumni who have gone to col-
lege, transferred between schools, participated in com-
By Courtney Downing munity service programs, or worked after high school,
took place in the SHS Auditorium on May 26th.

W
hen opportunity comes knocking, most open
the door. In this context, 19 Springfield High
School students took advantage of the col-
lege fair at Keene State College in Keene, New Hamp-
shire, on Monday, May 10th. Guidance counselors Ryan
Delurey and Heather Toth chaperoned the event.
Junior Ashley Morin attended the fair and
thought it was informative and helpful. “I thought it was
a great way to look at all the colleges,” said Morin. "It
got a lot of the questions I had answered.”
Toth said that this group was smaller than the
group that went to the fair in October. “I think that the
reason fewer students went is because a lot of students
went in October,” said Toth. “Even though not as many
students went, the ones that did [attend] were really
engaged in what was going on.”
“I think that all the students were involved
and willing to talk with the reps,” added Toth. “The
“We’ve struggled to get the word out and to
get students to come,” said guidance counselor Kelly
Ryan before the late May panel. “I think the meeting
would benefit any student. Even if you haven’t decided
what you are going to pursue after high school, this
conversation is one any student should hear.”
This alumni panel was also intended to Kelly Ryan felt that the panel of SHS
suggest how students dealt with the pressures associ- grads offered a conversation that all
ated with attending college. These pressures included students should hear.
application deadlines, financial aid, and applying for
local scholarships. “I was called by someone in the high school office in
“On top of graduating, we want the panel October and was asked to be on a student panel at the
to talk about students who are college-bound,” said high school," he said. "I told them I was available and
Ryan. “We want them to answer questions about what would gladly come up and answer any questions that
to bring to college, some tips, strategies about books, the students desired to ask.”
and so on.” Albee thought the meeting would benefit
2009 SHS graduate Tyler Albee was asked
to speak to students about college during the panel. See College page 20

AP Tests
students definitely walked away with a lot more infor-
mation.”
Sophomore Sam Hensel-Hunter attended
the fair and thought there was an important variety

See Keene page 21

Big Exams, Big Rewards
By Holly Hooke

Guidance Counselor Heather Toth
thought students were engaged at the
KSC College Fair.
T
his time of year, juniors and seniors are stressed
enough with sports and academics. Throw in Ad-
vanced Placement (AP) exams in May, however,
and the pressure intensifies.
Students taking AP courses have the oppor-
tunity to take their particular class’ culminating exam
to possibly earn college credits and identify themselves
as exemplary students in the process of applying to col-
lege.
“I wasn’t really worried about the exams. I
took the AP test for English and biology,” said Spring-
field High School senior Erin Graham. “Hopefully, I
did well and earned some college credits.”
Students pay $86.00 to take one of the pos-
sible 30 AP exams, a fee that has been assumed by the
Springfield School District over the past few years.
The payback for doing well on these exams is impres-
sive. According to the College Board, 3,600 colleges,
or 90% of 4-year colleges in the United States, award
credit for students who score well on these exams. For
most colleges, a grade of 3 or 4 (out of a possible 5) will
gain the student college credit. A good score on the AP
exam, therefore, could save an individual over a $1,000
and allow them to move beyond an introductory class
in their first year of college.
Students have mixed feelings about the
Advanced Placement exams. “I’m interested in find-
ing what score I’ll get. But it was kind of a pain,” said
senior Olivia Johnson, who took the AP Literature and
Composition exam. “We had about a week and a half
to prepare, so that helped.”
Senior Ryan Brady, who has taken exams for
AP Calculus, AP Literature and Composition, and an AP
Language and Composition exam, felt more relaxed this
year. “It seemed like a bigger deal last year," he said.
"This year I was more prepared so it wasn’t as big of a
deal."
Other students handled the exam with a
casual attitude.“They went as best as they could,” con-
cluded senior Jenny Bradley, who took the AP Literature
and Composition exam. “I’m glad they’re over.”

pg  G r e e n H o r n
 News
Health Clerk Tammy
Fountain Will Leave SHS
By Kelsey Christensen

T
his winter, along with other budget cuts, school
officials eliminated the health clerk position at
Springfield High School. This was a role filled
by long-time Springfield educator Tammy Fountain.
Next year, SHS will have two nurses instead of one
nurse and one health clerk.
Fountain had worked as a paraeducator in
the Springfield School District for ten years before she
particularly well because she has two teenagers of her
own.
With her position eliminated, Fountain will
continue to work at her second job as a pharmacy tech-
nician at Rite-Aid Pharmacy in the Springfield Plaza,
supervise the Elm Hill after-school homework club, and
spend time with her family.
“I’m used to having summers off,” she

“I want to thank everyone who’ve been so welcoming to me. At the end of

the day, I feel I was able to make a difference.”

Springfield High School Health Clerk
Tammy Fountain enjoyed working with
students this year. She also found the
staff wonderful and welcoming.
took on the role of health clerk during the current school
year. Fountain said she transferred to the high school
health clerk position simply for a change.
“The staff has been wonderful and welcom-
ing,” she said about the shift in jobs.
In her position as health clerk, Fountain,
as she put it, grew to love the students at SHS. She
provided encouragement and compassion for the young
people she worked with. “I think there’s a lot of stress
for teens today,” Fountain said. “Teens may not have
a lot of support networks, but I’ve been able to be
here for them.” Fountain feels that she relates to teens
said.
Fountain’s only negative feelings involve
her bewilderment at the budget cut process. “I found
that my 11 years of seniority didn't do me any good,”
she said. “To be handed a slip of paper that says ‘thanks
for your time,' makes you feel like a number. There’s no
real job security.”
However, Fountain leaves the high school
with positive feelings. “I want to thank everyone who’ve
been so welcoming to me,” she concluded. “And, at the
end of the day, I feel I was able to make a difference.”

Science NECAPS
More Preparation and Hope
By Olivia Thayer

P
rom, college visits, and upperclassmen privileges
are things that Springfield High School students
look forward to in their junior year. However, the
third year of high school comes with challenges as well.
Along with being encouraged to take the SAT (Scho-
lastic Aptitude Test) and the ACT (American College
Test) 11th graders are required to take the New England
Common Assessment Program (NECAP).
The NECAP is a standardized test required
by law in Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode
Island. Juniors must take this test in the areas of reading,
writing, math, and science. The 11th graders at SHS
tested in reading, writing, and math this past October.
On May 18th and 19th, however, all juniors took the
science NECAPs.
“Surprisingly, they [the NECAPS] were
pretty easy,” said junior Tara Davis.
“Personally, I thought the test was pretty
easy,” agreed junior Matt Aiello. “On the second part,
all the information was there. You just had to find it.”
Junior Leanne Souksanh thought that the test
itself was easy. But she felt that testing in the morning
was un-fair.
On the two days that the juniors tested, the
G r e e n H o r
rest of the students were not required to attend school
until 10:00 am. The juniors taking the test came in at
7:45 am, were offered a free breakfast, tested, and then
had a short 10-15 minute break before beginning their
regular school day with shortened periods of instruction.
The first two sections of the test were administered on
Tuesday morning and the last section on Wednesday
morning.
Though some students felt equal to the
challenge of the science NECAPs, others were worried
about the test. “The first section of the test was harder
than the second,” said junior Elizabeth Austin. “The
questions from freshmen and sophomore science were
harder because I didn’t remember the material.”
NECAP test results are important to school
officials because in 2009 Springfield High School
failed to meet the requirements for AYP, or Annual Elizabeth Austin was surprised that the
Yearly Progress. While other factors like graduation or
dropout rates may affect a school's ability to reach AYP, science NECAPs were so easy. Junior
NECAP test scores at Springfield High School are still science teacher Gretel Schuck reviewed
a concern. test-taking skills and encouraged her
In the science NECAPS for 2009, none of the students to try hard.
See NECAP page 21
n pg 
Feature
Art Competitions Color Springtime
Students Submit Work for Miller Art
Center and Congressional Competition
Erica Endrusick, Casey Dupuis, and
Johanah Boucher competed in the 29th
Annual Congressional Art Competition.
Hannah Aldrich won the student show
at the Miller Art Center.
SAT Casts Long Shadow
By Holly Hooke
S
tudy this. Learn these words. Colleges are look-
ing for this score. Ever hear these commands or
listen to this advice? When students consider the
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), they are bound to recall
variations of these phrases.
College-bound high school students nor-
mally take the SAT during their junior or senior year.
The SAT was developed in 1933 by James Bryant to
identify gifted males in public schools. 77 years later,
the SAT is America’s most well-known standardized
test, according to the College Board.
The highest possible score on the SAT is a
2400, which is computed from a verbal section, a math
section, and a recently-developed essay section. Most
of the questions are multiple choice. Students feel more
See SAT page 21
pg  G
By Olivia Thayer and Jill Rushton
S
tudents in the Springfield High School art
program competed in two art competitions this
spring. Artwork from Springfield public schools
was entered into the annual student art show at the Miller
Art Center, where senior Hannah Aldrich placed first.
In addition, senior Erica Endrusick received a Congres-
sional Award at the 29th Annual Congressional Art
Competition from Congressman Peter Welch.
Each year, the Springfield Art Historical
Society presents a Student Art Exhibit that features
artwork by Springfield School District students from
kindergarten through 12th grade. The exhibit opened
with a reception on May 6th. Judges viewed the dis-
played artwork and awarded cash prizes and ribbons for
1st- through 9th-place winners. They also recognized
art excellence with 28 honorable mention awards.
“All the art teachers [throughout the district]
are encouraged to bring in art work,” said Murray about
the Miller Art Center show. “I will submit anything that
people bring me or that I save.”
Levine Kinney submitted work from all the
elementary school art classes, while Marguerite Janiszyn
displayed art from Riverside Middle School. However,
while all schools were encouraged to submit art pieces,
only the high school student work was judged.
Senior Hannah Aldrich took first place at
the student art show with her mixed media collage of
Haiti. Senior Brittany Andrews received a second place
award with her artwork depicting a starving child eating
Desmond Dana felt her SAT went fine,
though she didn't finish all sections.
r e e
bread off the street. Seniors Johanah Boucher, Erica
Endrusick, Krystal Zielonko, and Rebecca Trombly
placed third through sixth behind Aldrich and Andrews.
Freshman Courtney Page took 7th place, followed by
junior Chelsea Howland in 8th, and senior Paulina Mei
in 9th.
“The art show was good, but pretty shallow
people-wise,” said Aldrich. “There wasn’t that much
hype about it. People get really into their sports events
and they should [be excited] about art shows, too.”
Student artwork was displayed at the Miller
Art Center until May 28th.
SHS art students also entered pieces in the
Congressional Art Competition in Montpelier, an event
that took place on Monday, May 10th. The Congressio-
nal Art Competition is part of a national high school art
competition where one student art piece is selected from
each state and the selections are displayed at the White
House in Washington, D.C. Vermont Congressman
Peter Welch hosted the Congressional Art Competition
this year at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Murray and five art students from SHS
traveled to the show to view the art and to participate
in the awards ceremony. Seniors Hannah Aldrich,
Britney Andrews, Johanah Boucher, and Casey Dupuis,
and junior Alaina Page submitted pieces of art into the
competition. All of these student artists went to the
show and attended the awards ceremony.
“[The competition] went well,” said Murray.
“Erika Endrusick won the Congressional Award from
Senator [Peter] Welch.” The Congressional Award is
given to one person from each district represented.
While this is not the award that will result in Endrusick’s
piece being displayed in Washington, it is still an honor
accorded to only a select group of students in the state
of Vermont.
“There were a lot of impressive artwork
and people,” said Dupuis about the Congressional Art
Competition in Montpelier. “It was kind of intimidating
being there.”
While the students may have felt out of
place at such a large, prestigious event, they believedl
that the SHS art program prepared them well for such
challenging events.
“I think at SHS we do a good job of con-
centrating on art,” said Aldrich. “We also have a lot of
talented people.” The only drawback Aldrich sees at
SHS involves the fact that the art department does not
have a large budget for supplies and students sometimes
run out of items like paint and canvases.
“I think our art program [at SHS] is very
involved,” concluded Trombly. “Art is a good way to
express yourself.”
n H o r n

Health and Wellness
Plan Benefits Staff
By Melissa Tarbell
T
he Vermont Education Health Initiative (VEHI)
is the largest line of insurance with VSBIT
(Vermont School Boards Insurance Trust) which
provides various kinds of insurance to school districts.
Since Martha Tarbell, the substitute coor-
dinator for the Springfield School District, has taken
on the part-time role of Employee Health and Well-
ness Coordinator, a position paid for through VEHI
grant money, more educators have become involved in
VEHI and taken the initiative to start living a healthy
lifestyle.
Springfield was one of the pilot school
districts to start a sub-program of VEHI called PATH-
points. According to PATHpoints director Gillian Pieper,
“PATH was born out of VSBIT to provide wellness
programs for VEHI to a) help reduce the number of
health care claims; and b) to provide increased benefits
to our members.”
“For the past 10 years we’ve had a participa-
tion rate of over 40%,” stated Pieper. “The past three
years we went from 50% to 61% to 68% as the health
trust’s insurance premium rate increases went down
from 12% to 8% to 5% and finally to 0%. The point is
that as participation in our program has gone up, rates
have gone down.”
Educators and administrators employed by
Springfield School District, including teachers, secretar-
ies, para-educators, custodians, and nurses and, starting
this year, Café Services employees, may register for an
Jodi Greene, left, is the PATH Coordinator for Park Street School and Martha
Tarbell, right, is Employee Health and Wellness Coordinator for the district.
G r e e n H o r
Features
account with VEHI. Those excluded from involvement
at this point include substitutes, crossing guards and bus
drivers, though there may be changes concerning their
eligibility in the future.
Sophomore Lauren Fish currently
“We are exploring the idea of including oth-
ers,” Tarbell said. works at Woodbury Florist, a job she
PATHpoints works by allowing staff mem- will fill during the summer.
Summer
bers to register for an account under VEHI and rack up
points based on certain eligible activities. At this point,
eligible activities include the Healthy Lifestyle survey
worth 50 points, a 10-week walking program, monthly
Jobs
crossword puzzles, lifestyle coaching, nurse coaching,
peer coaching, and a few other options which can be
found on the PATH website, tomypath.com.
Each day staff members can log onto their
Making
account and record their activities. This earns them
points. At the end of the school year, the amount of
points they earn is converted into a cash award which
can be used however the individual chooses, whether
Money the
it is to take a fitness class or pay bills.
“This [cash incentive] has given some people
the added push they needed to get involved and take that
Student Way
leap they’ve been meaning to take for some time,” said
Pieper. “In addition, people are so busy, often working
two jobs to get by, so it makes sense to pay them for
their precious time. We provide the incentive because
the health trust belongs to all its members. It is our
See VEHI page 23 By Ryan Brady
A
s summer approaches, high school students find
themselves with a lot more free time. Some
students fill their time with athletic training.
Others lounge around at home. Many, however, find
a summer job.
During the school year many students work,
but others don’t have the free time to fill a job. Most,
though, see a necessity for summer employment. Jobs
can range from Springfield High School teens working
at the Summer Place to young people taking care of the
greens at the Crown Point Country Club.
For seniors, summer jobs and summer posi-
tions help pay for college. For others, summer employ-
ment may mean the beginning of their commitment to
adult labor. Senior Jon Esden, however, will be joining
the Army National Guard this summer. “I begin basic
training in July at Fort Sill, Oklahoma,” said Esden.
“I’ll learn basic army maneuvers and [learn] how to be
a soldier.”
Esden’s position won’t be a summer job,
since he will continue with his National Guard com-
mitment through the next year leading up to the fall of
2011. He will enter Auburn University, in Alabama,
in fall of 2011 with financial support from the Army
National Guard.
Besides graduates seeking extra money for
See Jobs page 20
n pg 
News
8 Students
Participate
in All State
Music
Festival
By Sarah Gray

M
usic is a universal form of expression that
is heard around the world. Students of all
ages come together on a daily basis to show
their love and appreciation for music in public school
music classes. Students at Springfield High School
expressed their love for music in the beginning of May
at the Vermont All-State Music Festival.
The festival is an annual event that is sup-
Pyronova is Nick Chlebak on guitar, Matt Aiello on vocals, Dylan Patrie on ported by the Vermont Music Educators Association
(VMEA) and run by the Vermont All-State Committee.
drums, Jeff Sherwood on bass, and Reese Johnson on guitar.
Musicians from Vermont high schools receive the op-

Pyronova Completes
portunity to perform in a band, orchestra, jazz, or chorus
ensemble and be directed by some of America’s finest
conductors. The festival involves three days of force-
ful rehearsals culminated by a series of performances

Successful Mini-Tour
featuring all four groups.
Ten students from SHS auditioned for the
Vermont All-State Music Festival this January and eight
out of the ten students were chosen to participate in this
gala event. Sopranos sophomore Erika Anderson and
By Olivia Thayer senior Brittany Adnam, altos sophomore Carrie Mobus
and senior Emily Mobus, and bass sophomore Michael

T
he Springfield-based band Pryonova, which Band Slam],” said drummer Johnson. The Islands Art, Whittemore were chosen to participate in the chorus.
features four Springfield High School students, a local program that supports the arts around Grand Isle, Sophomore violinist David Castrignano and junior tuba
and one former SHS student, won 1st and 2nd funded the band contest. player Nick Chlebak were chosen for the orchestra,
place at battle of the bands competitions in April. Py- “I thought we played a good show the first while senior alto saxophonist Lindsay Turgeon was
ronova took 1st place at the Islands Band Slam in Grand night,” said lead singer Aiello. “But it was a slightly chosen for the band.
Isle, New York, on Friday, April 9th, and 2nd place at older crowd and more mellow atmosphere, and our
another battle of the bands at Woodstock High School music isn’t mellow.” See All State page 20
on April 10th. Chlebak, who plays guitar, said that three
Juniors Nick Chlebak, Reese Johnson, and bands, including Pryonova, played at the show, and each
sophomore Dylan Patrie, along with former SHS student was given 30 minutes to perform. Chlebak added that
Jeff Sherwood, who is now a junior at Newport High having the chance to play in Burlington made the group
School, founded Pryonova two years ago. Junior Matt more interested in performing in clubs and venues in
Aiello joined the group this year to sing lead vocals. that area.
The name Pyronova holds no specific significance to After playing in Grand Isle, Pyronova spent
the group. According to one band member, when they the night in upstate Vermont, then went directly to their
chose their name, they thought it "sounded cool.” second performance of the weekend. Back-to-back
“Technically we’re a rock band,” said performances prompted band members to label their
Sherwood. “But we also play slower ballad-like songs, weekend a mini-tour.
and some heavier songs that could be classified as soft The second performance was another battle
metal.” of the bands at Woodstock High School. That com-
For the past two years, Pryonova has played petition hosted nine bands, including Pyronova. With
at various locations in surrounding towns and music so many participants, each band received less playing
venues. This includes numerous performances at 802 time. Violinist David Castrignano was one of
Music in Springfield. Traveling to Grand Isle, Vermont, “The second night, I thought we played 8 SHS students chosen to participate in
was the longest trip they had taken as a band. the All-State Music Festival.
“I think we killed the first night [at Islands See Pyronova page 20

pg 10 G r e e n H o r n

Drill Baby Drill
By Sam Hensel-Hunter
D
rill baby drill, a catchphrase of Republicans led
by vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin, was
even adopted by the supposedly-environmen-
tally friendly President Barack Obama. This frenzied
mantra, however, has died down lately as an estimated
210,000 gallons of crude oil continue to flow daily out
of the BP oil well in the Gulf of Mexico.
Springfield High School environmental sci-
ence teacher Amanda Frank is worried about the spill.
Through email, Frank wrote, "Strangely enough, we
[her classes] were in the middle of studying petroleum
when the leak began. We have spent some time watch-
ing and listening to news broadcasts about the spill and
discussing the various aspects from ecological conse-
quences to economic impacts to clean-up methods to
the controversy over offshore drilling."
When asked to discuss the environmental
impact of the oil leak, Frank added,"It's still really early
to tell what will happen in terms of the environment.
Right now there are several million gallons of oil in the
water and the well is still leaking 210,000 gallons per
day. This isn't good for anyone or anything."
Not satisfied with her explanation, Frank
went on, ”The area affected by the oil leak is ecologi-
cally unique and very important to many species of or-
ganisms. The estuaries of the Mississippi River Delta
provide nursery habitat for everything from oysters to
brown pelicans (recently removed from the Endangered
Species List) to huge bluefin tuna."
Frank elaborated on the impact for tuna: "The
area is a huge spawning ground for the bluefin tuna and
this is the time of year that they spawn. Prior to the oil
leak, bluefin populations had already decreased 80-90%
Gulf Coast wildlife, including pelicans, is in trouble. Some humans are helping.
G r e e n H o r
due to overfishing. Now--facing an oil spill during their
spawning time--who knows? No one can predict what
specific impacts the oil will have on bluefin spawning
and the long-term consequences, but it's hard to imagine
anything positive."
In the wake of the oil leak there have been
questions about the safety and need for offshore drilling.
When asked about these concerns, Frank said, ”Yes, I
do think we need to reconsider offshore drilling. (But I
felt the same way before the spill happened,)” adding
that, “Petroleum is not a sustainable energy source--
we should be investing in those [energy sources] that
are."
Frank criticizes oil companies and the gov-
ernment regulation in the United States. "Despite what
oil and gas companies say, offshore drilling clearly isn't
environmentally safe," she said. "Many other countries
that participate in offshore oil drilling (for example, Nor-
way and Brazil) have laws requiring oil companies to use
a $500,000 safety mechanism on all of their rigs. Had
this been a U.S. law, it’s likely that the current BP leak
would have been stopped when it happened. However,
the oil-friendly Bush administration removed this 'too
expensive' requirement from the 2005 energy bill."
After the Exxon Valdez disaster in 1989 that
oil company was forced to pay $287 million for the
cleanup as well as $5 billion in punitive damages. The
punitive sum was equal to one year’s profits for Exxon
at the time, but through a series of appeals the punitive
damages were reduced to around $500 million, a sum
that Exxon has continued to fight.
See Oil page 23
n pg
Opinion
Ryan Brady, who went on both senior
trips, knows the true meaning of unity.
Find Unity.
Quickly.
By Jenny Bradley & Olivia Johnson
T
here are many big shabangs, meaning colorful
formal events, right at the end of one's high
school career. The senior trip is one of them.
It’s supposed to be this big deal, where just the seniors
have four, maybe five, days of fun. Fun not found in
Springfield. We always thought our senior trip would
be amazing. It would be one last chance to really bond
with everyone. Unfortunately, we have an indifferent
senior class. Don’t get us wrong, we love you (most of
you). But really?
The senior class officers and class advi-
sor Ms. Guy tried again and again to get the class to
participate in a senior trip this spring. Every time they
found themselves with just a handful of students who
seemed to want to have some fun. Because that’s what
it is. Senior trips are fun. Don’t we want to have fun?
To clear this up, we were offered multiple
senior trips. But they were far from what we had antici-
pated. Instead of going to Virginia Beach, or enjoying
two two-day trips to Maine and Boston we settled with
going on two one-day trips. One trip was to Hampton
Beach and the other was to Six Flags in Springfield,
Massachusetts. Remember Six Flags? We went there
for our 7th grade end of the year trip. Wow, look how
far we’ve come.
We find it strange that as a class we didn’t
come together, like so many classes before us. Academi-
cally we are one of the best classes to pass through these
halls in awhile. Face it: We’re smart. We’re strong. We’re
independent. We’re a fantastic class.
But you know what we lack? We lack unity.
We don’t know if we lost it along the way or if we never
had it. But it isn’t there. Sure, we have our groups. But
these groups have never really come together to form
one big group. It’s sad, really.
But perhaps our little trips brought us a little
closer together. There’s no guarantee, but maybe. After
all, it wasn't too much money for these trips and we
deserved some fun at the end of senior year. As for you
underclassmen (yes, juniors, you are still underclass-
men) find your unity before it’s too late.
11
Column
P
rocrastination is a common strategy in the war
against getting tasks accomplished. However, it
is easy to fall into the trap of productivity, leaving
one’s tasks accomplished with time to spare. To avoid
this tragic scenario of fruitful activity, here are some
tips for procrastinating effectively.
First, to procrastinate well and consistently,
you must always have a distraction. This one distrac-
Surviving Apocalyptia
Killing the Dead
By John Forbes
L
ast edition we talked about the dress code for
the Zombie Apocalypse. This time we'll discuss
some zombie eradication tactics. In previous
editions, I've said that your primary directive should be
survival, and that you shouldn't go about haphazardly
seeking carnage. But sometimes it's unavoidable. Let's
suppose you're running out of food and you need to
resupply, or perhaps you're looking for other survivors.
In typical horror movie style, it's a bad idea to separate from your group.
Everyone should stay together on your zombie eradication mission.
Regardless of the reason, there are a couple of rules you
should follow.
First and foremost, don't travel alone. It's dif-
ficult to watch your own back, and more people means
more hands, means more weapons, means more dead
zombies. As long as you aren't flying solo it would be
a good idea to improve group cohesion. Use terminol-
ogy and signals everyone can understand, and make
sure there is one respected leader capable of making
pg 12
Examining Existence
Procrastination
By Kelsey Christensen
tion should be long-term: an addiction you can use to
oblivate any assignment. One good way to do this is to
buy, download, or stream an entire television series. It’s
recommended that the series have many seasons. Once
you’ve picked an addicting series, you can marathon
episodes as a substitute for doing work.
Once you’ve seen the entire series, however,
you’ll have to pick a new one. For example, I got through
the fall and winter with five seasons of The Office.
I’d watch several episodes late at night and leave the
homework for the morning.
Playing video games is another good weapon
to block out the abysmal presence of assignments.
Choose a video game that has many sequels and spin-
offs, however. This makes it possible to set a goal of
beating every game in the series before you can conceiv-
ably complete homework.
Exercising, organizing, and doing arts and
crafts are also options for procrastinaiton. But beware:
these choices may lead to creativity, and when it comes
to procrastination one should be distracted by an unpro-
ductive activity.
To truly be a procrastinator of the first rank,
you must always tell yourself that you will have time
intelligent decisions quickly. Also remember that every
teammate is responsible for the team, so if anything goes
wrong no one person is to blame.
Do not travel at night. You're walking down
a dark street and you see a shadow move, or at least you
think you do. Either way you're on edge now, paranoid,
frightened, and unable to defend yourself against the
flesh-eating mob lurking around the corner. In addition
it may be difficult to see the zombies, and thereby dif-
ficult to shoot them.
In typical horror movie style, it's a bad idea
to separate from your group, for reasons of fear and
safety; everyone should stay together on your zombie
eradication mission. Even if you weren't in a zombie-
infested wasteland this is a good idea. Suppose you slip,
fall, and impale yourself on a piece of loose architecture
or a dislodged pipe. If your group isn't within earshot
G r e e
to complete your assigned task later. No matter how
busy you think you’ll be later (which leads hopelessly
dutiful students to complete assignments early) you
mudst maintain the attitude that there will be time for
homework in the future. Maybe you’ll pull an all-nighter
the night before an assignment's due date, or do it on
the bus the day it's due.
Whatever your fabricated scenario, believe
that there will always be time. For example, if you’re
assigned a big paper early in the week and you know
it will be due the beginning of the following week and
you know you’re constantly active during the weekend
– you may have a track meet, a performance, a prom,
etc. – you must not convince yourself to write the paper
during the week. Do not waver in this chimerical belief:
you will be able to write your paper Sunday evening.
You can also enhance your procrastina-
tive qualities if you design an overwhelmingly busy
schedule for yourself. Do sports. Audition for a play.
Take an extra class outside of school. Do anything.
This way, you will have a fistful of genuine reasons to
See Existence page 20
Humor
when you're screaming in agony you'll probably bleed
to death.
Even though you might be out there to exter-
minate the zombie populace, it's important to remember
that you're still mortal, and to a zombie, still tasty.
n H o r n

Welcome To...
College
By Melissa Tarbell
I
received a lot of feedback about my column entitled
Welcome to Rejection, so I thought for this edition I
would update my readers about my college status.
First of all, I was indeed rejected from all
five of my top schools: Hamilton, Middlebury, Wil-
liams, Bowdoin, and Amherst College. After I was
rejected from the first two schools, I started looking
into my backups and accepted the fact that that’s where
I would probably be going. Even though I was bummed
to find out that I was rejected from all five schools, I
was prepared for it.
This left me with my three fallback schools:
Paul Smith’s, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and
Keene State College. Paul Smith’s was out of the picture,
which was kind of a bummer since they were nice and
offered me a very generous scholarship. However, I had
only applied to Paul Smith's in case I decided to continue
down the horticulture or hospitality paths. Needless to
say, those were not the paths I chose, so there was no
other reason for me to go to Paul Smith’s since they are
D
ave Barry's first full-length novel, Big Trouble,
is a tale woven with bumbling criminals, hit
men down on their luck, squirt guns, a home-
less man named Puggy, and some relatively normal
people who find themselves in the wrong place at the
wrong time.
Matt Arnold is a regular teenager who is
trying to kill a girl named Jenny. Kill with a squirt gun,
that is. He's an active member of a game going around
school called Killer, in which one student is assigned a
G r e e n H o r
more of a trade school.
The other two, Keene and UMass, were both
very good schools and were relatively close to home,
so they were equally balanced on my pros and cons list
for a while. I went to visit both schools for the second
time, Keene first. I really loved the Keene campus.
Their dining hall was huge and their student center
was fabulous. I would have gone there solely for those
two aspects of campus. I already knew I would like the
town of Keene, New Hampshire. I’ve always liked the
town and the college campus is right in the middle of
downtown Keene.
Another plus for Keene was the fact that I
would be able to participate in varsity athletics, which
is important to me. They have a great women’s soccer
team, and since they are Division III , I would have a
spot on the team. However, they only had club tennis
and I’m not sure it was that big of a thing. Another
downside to Keene was no hockey or football. I don’t
know about you, but I was really looking forward to
Finding Serendipity
Big Trouble for Big Laughs
By Eliza Pennell
target student they must squirt outside of school.
When Matt goes to Jenny's house to kill her,
there are other, real killers afoot. Two hit men have been
hired to take down Jenny's cranky, dishonest embezzler
of a stepfather, Arthur Herk. In the minutes following
Matt's arrival, Matt is attacked by Jenny's protective
mother, who thinks Jenny is really being attacked, the hit
men are confronted by an all-too-friendly dog, a bullet is
shot into the Herks' fancy television, and Puggy jumps
out of his treehouse to apprehend the hit men.
A bit later, Arthur is still alive, of course,
and he's a little jumpy. He knows the bullet in the TV
was meant for him. So he goes to a bar that is more
of an underground weapon supply. He buys a nuclear
weapon from the Russian owners. Quickly after, Snake
and Eddie show up.
Snake and Eddie are just two idiots who see
Arthur's expensive car and assume he's a drug kingpin.
They take Arthur hostage, as well as Puggy, who was
simply looking for a quiet drink in the deserted bar.
They also bring along the suitcase containing the nuclear
bomb Arthur has just purchased, figuring it must be
money or drugs.
They all go back to the Herk residence, where
our other characters find themselves thrust into the ac-
n pg
Columns
the classic college experience of going to football and
hockey games.
I knew I would fit in well at Keene State
College, but there was one major problem: I want to
study several foreign languages, especially German,
See Welcome page 22
tion as well. A few FBI agents, goat-ridden freeways,
hallucinogenic toads, and apathetic airline employees
later, the story ends with a bang. Bang? Is that a pun?
Perhaps. You should read this delightful story for
yourself to find out.
I've been meaning to read Big Trouble for
ages. I saw the movie version years ago. I think it was
one of the first PG-13 movies I was allowed to see.
I've watched it a few times since then—quite a few
times—and it never gets old. It's one of the wackiest,
most absurd, tales I've ever been treated to.
The characters in Big Trouble may not be
particularly well-developed. But the way they interact
with each other is often hilarious—always smirk-worthy,
at the very least. The plot resembles real life in essen-
tially no way, but it makes for a fun story. And anyway,
it takes place in Miami, and things do certainly sound
like they're a little crazier down there. (That's a frequent
joke of Barry's, a native of the city: It's Miami. Everyone
has a gun.)
Overall, Big Trouble is a thrilling, strange
tale of absurdity, relationships, personal improvement,
bravery, and those things that make life interesting—like
See Serendipity page 21
13
Reviews
T
he xx formed in 2005. The London-based band
was comprised of four members: Romy Madley
Croft (guitars, vocals), Oliver Sim (bass, vocals),
Jamie Smith (beats), and Baria Quershi (keyboards).
Quershi left the band in late 2009, around the
time the xx’s debut album was released. Their self-titled
debut was released on August 17, 2009, in the United
Kingdom. It made its American debut two months later,
on October 2nd. track.
Released on Young Turks Records, xx only
charted 94 on the Billboard Top 200. Though not a
commercial knock-out, the album has received much
positive critical attention since its release.
Iron Man 2
Not Rust Proof
By Sam Hensel-Hunter
R
obert Downey Jr. dons the red and gold armor
again for Iron Man 2. Two years after the origi-
nal, with a increased budget and appearances
from Scarlett Johansson, and Oscar nominees Don
Cheadle and Mickey Rourke, Iron Man 2 begins after
Tony Stark's announcement that he was Iron Man at the
end of the first film.
This time we're seeing the narrative from the
Russian home of Ivan Vanko, whose father and Stark's
father were contemporaries. His father's death inspires
Vanko to create a pair of electrically-charged whips that
are powered by the same technology the Iron Man suit
uses. Back in the United States, Stark appears before
a Senate committee headed by Garry Shandling (The
Larry Sanders Show).
Stark rejects the committee’s attempts
to reclaim the Iron Man suit for government review
and investigation, cracking jokes and embarrassing
rival Hammer Industries and its CEO, played by Sam
Rockwell (2008’s Choke and 2009’s Moon). Stark’s
boisterous public demeanor hides concern and fear in
his private life, as he discovers that the fuel for the Iron
Man suit is slowly poisoning him.
Despite these diverting complications, Iron
pg 14
xx
(The xx, 2009)
By Samuel L. Benton
The xx’s debut is as minimalistic as can be.
The guitar riffs are no more complicated than easy math
or a simple declarative sentence, added to beats that
vary little during each track. But xx is different than
most minimalist art. It’s hardly even an effort, which
is a good thing. This band doesn't have to try to sound
like it does. It’s the most natural minimalism I’ve ever
heard, which stems from what only can be described as
the group's shyness. Don’t mistake their shyness for a
lack of confidence, though. They know what they are
good at, but they don’t have any desire to throw it out
there in a loud and complex manner for all to see.
The quiet sound of xx contributes to a
nighttime feel to the music that makes the album most
enjoyable when the sun goes down. It can cast you into a
40-minute dream, which when it's over makes you want
to go right back to sleep again (similar to the reveries of
Caliban in The Tempest) by starting over from the first
The dreamy feel of xx is reinforced in song
titles like“Infinity,” “Night Time,” and "Stars,” each
carrying the mood from title to song.
The lyrics complement the quiet music
Man 2 doesn’t live up to the high dramatic standard set
by Iron Man. The effects are as spectacular as ever, and
the suit’s been given a portability upgrade as we see
in the trailer, and generally the visuals have gotten a
slight upgrade. However, the script, acting, and overall
quality of Iron Man 2 are mediocre when compared to
the original.
Most disappointing in Iron Man 2: Don
Cheadle has replaced Terrance Howard. Cheadle’s
acting is stiff and wooden even in the middle of battle.
Changing actors is common in comic series. In The
Dark Knight, for example, Katie Holmes replaced Mag-
gie Gyllenhal and proved that such change can benefit
a movie. But Cheadle is definitely a downgrade.
Many scenes in Iron Man 2, intended to be
funny, end up being painfully awkward, one in particular
involving a drunken Stark explaining how he goes to
the bathroom while dressed in his metal suit. Samuel
L. Jackson improves the overall comic climate of the
film, but he’s only given a couple of scenes in which to
work his magic.
Many of the problems in Iron Man 2 result
from ignoring the drama suggested in the first movie,
most notably the revelation that Stark is Iron Man. In
G r e e
perfectly. They’re not messy, nor overly wordy at all.
They’re plucked straight out of a conversation between
two lovers, filled with space, infinity, seas, and fan-
tasy.
Most of the tracks feature vocalists Croft
and Sim taking on the roles of all forms of intimacy,
ranging from ex-lovers who wish to remove the “ex”
from their title (“Heart Skipped a Beat”) to a couple that
just couldn’t be any happier (“VCR”). “VCR” is one
of the cutest, most pleasant songs I’ve ever heard. It is
the embodiment of a perfect romance. Croft and Sim
each have their solo songs on this album, but when they
trade-off together on single tracks, the songs glow and
shine like the crystals and oceans than can be found in
the lyrics.
The xx’s debut encourages a listener to hear
more of their music and question what is next for this
band. It’s hard to believe they could do better than this
debut album. Their shy, humble sound is what gives
xx its greatness. But such shyness can only last so
long in the modern world of popular music. What the
xx replaces that modesty with presents an interesting
question for the future of this promising band.
Iron Man 2, the relatively uneventful aftermath of this
confession takes away a big facet of the comic book
superhero: the secret identity. While this isn’t totally
uncommon (2008’s The Incredible Hulk benefited from
such film-making strategy), it’s been a staple in the Bat-
man and Spiderman movies.
See Iron Man page 21
n H o r n
 Review
Lost
Closure Found
By Maria Stern

I
t has been six seasons since the fateful day when
Oceanic Flight 815 crashed on a tropical island on
a flight from Sydney to Los Angeles and passengers
found themselves Lost. Millions of viewers around the
globe followed this group of men and women on their
convoluted journey across the Island and time. On
May 23rd, these viewers watched a bittersweet conclu-
sion and were granted closure in the good-versus-evil
storyline of Lost.
The finale, aptly titled "The End," was both
sad and happy. This final night of Lost provided answers
to questions, which had been building since 2004. Yet
it also meant the end of a legacy. Lost fans followed
these survivors through their complicated past, tribula-
tions on the Island, and empty future. In the narrative
of the show, the survivors of Oceanic 815 had become
like family to millions of Americans. Every fan of Lost
had their favorite character who they identified with and
trusted.
In this respect, Lost may have been different
from other television programs. There was a certain hu-
man element involved in the story of these castaways.
The viewer became attached to characters and engaged
in the events of the characters’ lives. Lost also challenged
the viewers’ decision-making skills. For many episodes,
for example, this reviewer struggled between trusting
The Man in Black over Jacob.
From the very beginning of the program
viewers were given information on the characters’ past
through flashbacks. Starting with the end of Season 3,
flash-forwards began and viewers learned about the
empty lives led by the Oceanic Six, the six survivors
who returned home.
In the final season a technique identified as
flash-sideways appeared. Flash-sideways revealed an Top, a tableau of Lost, Season 6: Hurley, Claire, Sawyer, Kate, Jack, Jin, Sun,
alternate universe where Flight 815 doesn't crash. The Juliet, Locke, Sayid, Ben, and Desmond. Bottom, significant moments in Lost:
passengers of 815 begin to remember their lives on the Evil and good sit on the beach in the form of the Man in Black and Jacob; Des-
island, prompting Desmond Hume to guide the crew to
a church, where they unite once again in the after-life,
mond Hume and Penny Whittemore reunite.
as the flash-sideways is revealed to be.
Lost is ultimately a story of redemption. However, though love occurred on the Island between find they have found closure in their lives. They greet
Each character lived a troubled past. When they crashed many couples, the loving pair that is foremost in my each other in the after-life as the long-lost friends they
on the Island, each entered purgatory. Through the six mind is Juliet and Sawyer. Sawyer is the rogue, the bad are. With great solemnity, the survivors of Oceanic 815,
seasons, the characters were able to come to terms with boy of the show, the one everyone thought could not concluding with Jack, realize they are dead.
their past. The struggle between good and evil in their be tamed. However, in Season 5 of Lost, the two begin Critics around the country were abuzz
lives is evident in the battle between Jacob and The an adoring relationship that ends with Juliet’s tragic concerning the conclusion of Lost. New York Times
Man in Black, two brothers whose quarrels start with death. columnist Mike Hale criticized the series finale for its
their mother's poor parenting. In the final episode of In the final episode of Lost, aired in late May, banality.“So that was the answer: the island was college,
Lost, Jack Shephard, the surgeon who had taken on the Kate, Sawyer, Claire, Miles, Richard, and Frank are able or home, or Outward Bound,” Hale wrote.
role of Guardian of the Island, battled to the death with to leave the Island on a plane offered by the mysterious And there is much to question about the con-
the Smoke Monster (the gaseous version of the Man in Charles Widmore. Hurley, the lovable loser, and the clusion to Lost and its six years of questions, hypotheses,
Black) who had taken over the body of John Locke. weasel-like Benjamin Linus become joint Guardians and dead-ends. Lost offered faith-based metaphors. If
Love is another important theme of Lost: of the Island. Jack slowly dies of wounds inflicted by anyone doubted this point, the finale, where suddenly ev-
romantic love, love between friends, and love between the Man in Black. erything made sense and all sins were forgiven, proved
strangers. An example of enduring love involves Penny As the final minutes of Lost ticked away, the them wrong. The inhabitants of the Island needed the
Widmore and Desmond. Throughout the series, Penny characters who once called the Island home re-unite in time on the Island to reconcile things they had done
persistently searches for the Island where she knows her the afterlife (with the notable exception of the father-son wrong in their previous lives. For example, Charlie, a
true love Desmond has been trapped in a hatch built by duo of Michael and Walt) at a church for the funeral of
the mysterious Dharma Initative before the crash of 815. Christian Shephard, Jack’s father. In the process, they See Lost page 22

G r e e n H o r n pg 15
Sports
Search for
Athletic Director
Moves Ahead
By Ryan Brady

a sophomore or a junior, vacant by Hatt could be filled by Joan Cioffi, who is

someone who’s going
to be here next year, but
has an idea of what we’re
looking for.”
Thibault re-
Joan Cioffi, currently half-time Phys Ed teacher at both the flected on changing the
high school and elementary level, could fill Mike Hatt's half- position’s name of athletic
time Phys Ed position at Springfield High School. director, but he decided
to keep the title the same.
currently half-time elementary Phys Ed teacher and
half-time high school Phys Ed teacher.
If Cioffi assumed Hatt's half-time teaching
position, it would mean that the new athletic director
would only be given a half-time role, with all high school
Phys Ed positions filled. However, Thibault hopes that
an SHS Phys Ed teacher may step forward and apply
for the position that combines half-time athletic director
and half-time teacher. Benson has shown interest in the

S
ince Mike Hatt announced his intention to resign At least one Phys Ed teacher at SHS was confused by position, but was not ready to assume such a responsibil-
as Springfield High School Athletic Director, the process. “When I went and asked before, they said ity at this point.
many people wonder who will replace Hatt, who they were tweaking the name,” said physical education This isn’t the first time that the athletic
has been at the high school for 15 years. But by mid- teacher Joy Benson. “I knew very little of what was director position has challenged SHS officials. A few
May, the process of finding Hatt's replacement was in going on.” decades ago, no athletic director position existed at the
its early stages. However, the SHS Athletic Director position high school.
“For now, we’re just putting together a continues to be what it was before, a half-time job. As “During the mid-80s, the AD [athletic direc-
committee,” said SHS Co-Principal Robert Thibault. Hatt leaves his current position, he leaves a half-time tor] was a fulltime P.E. teacher and athletic director on
“Hopefully we’ll get a student, a coach, and a teacher position as physical education instructor as well as his
[for the committee]. The student should probably be half-time athletic director job. The Phys Ed job left See AD page 20

A
lexis Locke bats during a game at Bill Robinson Field in Springfield this
past May. First baseman Jessie Haskell readies herself for a play as the
pitch is delivered to homeplate. Amanda Farnsworth leans in to receive
a strike from senior pitcher Ashley Richardson. All three girls contributed to a
strong softball season which saw the Cosmos finish with a regular season
record of 7-9 during a year in which they played challenging Division I
opponents Hartford, Rutland, Brattleboro, and Mount Anthony. In the first
round of the playoffs, the girls defeated Burr and Burton at home, 7-4, and
went on play Otter Valley in the second round of the playoffs on Saturday, June
5th. They lost at Otter Valley, 6-3, and ended their season at 8-10.

pg 16 G r e e n H o r n
 Sports
Farnsworth
Goes National.
Again.
By Ryan Brady

F
or the second year in a row, Springfield High that determines the win-
School junior and bowler Amanda Farnsworth ner.”
will be going to the National Bowling Tourna- This is the
ment. Farnsworth competes in a local bowling league third time that Farn-
in the fall, winter, and spring. At the end of her season sworth has won the Pepsi
in May, she competed in, and won, the Pepsi Cola Cola Tournament. She
Tournament. won a couple times when
“First you have to qualify,” said Farnsworth she was younger, and
Amanda Farnsworth is headed to the the National Bowling
“To qualify you have to have an average pin score high finished second last year.
enough.” Now, however, she’ll Tournament in Indianapolis for the second year in a row. To
The score is based on all of the matches have an opportunity to qualify, she won the Pepsi Cola Tournament on May 2nd.
Amanda competes in throughout her season. This year showcase her skills in
she qualified and went to the tournament as the reign- Indianapolis in the weeklong national tournament. Farnsworth has not trained with this challenging aspect
ing runner-up. The tournament was held on May 2nd The tournament will challenge bowlers of competition, since the Springfield alley offers only
in Rutland, Vermont. with different oil patterns to see how they adapt to the one pattern. With last year's tournament experience,
“I competed in the scratch division,” contin- changes. Oil patterns are what determine how slippery however, Farnsworth hopes to finish better in her second
ued Amanda, “It’s where there is no handicap scoring in the lanes are and suggest how far down the lane oil crack at the National Bowling Tournament.
the game. It’s just the amount of pins you knock down is found or how heavy the oil is layered on the lanes.

Springfield Wiffleball
Project Hits a Homerun
By Jill Rushton & Olivia Thayer

Kirby Goodrich takes a statuesque cut
at a wiffle ball. Jordan Crowley
demonstrates a special pitching grip
for wiffleball pitching.
W
iffleball was once just an imitation game of
baseball played by families and neighbor-
hood children in streets and yards on hot
summer nights. Now, this unusual American pastime
--with its twisty pitches and pencil-thin yellow bats--has
inspired fans to create wiffeball teams of their own.
One of these fan-created teams consists of
four students from Springfield High School and one SHS
grad. Freshmen Kirby Goodrich and Jordan Crowley,
sophomores Jake Patoine and Eric White, and SHS
alumni Deven Blais are part of the Springfield Wiffleball
Project, which was formed earlier this spring.
“We all just really like wiffleball,” said
Crowley. “So we thought it’d be fun to play against
teams from other towns.”
Goodrich and Patoine were inspired to
organize this team after viewing videos of other teams
from around the country on the popular video site,
YouTube.
“We found out [about the league] by just
watching people on the Internet playing,” said Goodrich.
“We decided to start a team and started practicing.” farthest zone possible. Unlike baseball, no runners are
David Mullany and a group of friends in-
vented the game of wiffleball in 1953, after Mullany
manufactured a ball, called a wiffle ball, that would be
easier to hit.
According to www.okwiffle.com, it went like
this: ''‘My dad comes home and sees us no-good kids
trying to throw curveballs and throwing our arms out,’
recalled the man's son, David A. Mullany. 'So he decided
he wanted to make a ball that would make it easier for
us to pitch.'”
“It [wiffleball] is a fun thing to do,” said
Crowley, who is somewhat aware of the game's origins.
“It’s not like baseball. It’s a fun game to play with your
friends.” All members of the Springfield Wiffleball
Project currently, or in the past, played baseball for
SHS.
While many think wiffleball is just baseball
played with a plastic bat and ball, the game has its own
rules and regulations. In traditional baseball, players
in the field attempt to get the hitter out. In wiffleball,
however, the field is divided into four zones: single,
double, triple, and home run. Wiffleball game strategy
consists of the hitter attempting to belt the ball into the
See Wiffle page 20

G r e e n H o r n pg 17
Sports
Winter Running Club
Marathon-Training, Community-Building
By Jill Rushton & Olivia Thayer

O
ver the winter and spring, most students partici-
pate in sports such as basketball and baseball.
But four Springfield High School athletes
dedicated their last six months to training for the 22nd
Annual KeyBank Vermont City Marathon and Relay,
which took place Sunday, May 30th, in Burlington,
Vermont.
“The simple answer to why I created the
group is to promote community through a healthy ac-
tivity,” said organizer of the running club, Cliff Weyer.
“Our running group is based on that idea.”
The student group included junior Caleb
Watkins, sophomore Lauren Fish, and freshmen Kodi
Andrews and Courtney Page. Each participant ran a
different stretch of distance, ranging from 3.1 miles to
6.4 miles
Weyer joined the relay team and ran 6.4
miles of the marathon. SHS Cross-Country Coach
Nate McNaughton, along with fellow Riverside Middle
School teacher Meredith Jez, ran the entire 26 miles of
the marathon.
“Another goal of this team was to run with,
and support, coach [ McNaughton], [Meredith] Jez, and
Ana Thayer [former SHS runner] as they are running the
full length,” said Weyer before the event. Weyer also
pointed out that SHS students Chris Whaley, Shelby
Reardon, Larry Buldoc, and Sara Paton ran with the
group all winter and helped the marathon team prepare
for the May 30th race.
“I’m excited for all the music, people, and the
final sprint,” said Fish prior to race day. “There’s going
to be music while we’re running, and there’s supposed to
be like 4,000 people running.” Fish ran the last part of
the race, a 5.4-mile leg, ending with the final sprint.
“I’m excited because it’s my first marathon,”
said Page before the race. “But I’m a little iffy about it
because it’s supposed to be 88 on Sunday.” While Page
ran all winter, she didn't plan to run in the marathon until
her sister, Alaina Page, pulled a tendon in gymnastics
two weeks before the race.
“I’ve been running a couple times a week,
two to three miles each time,” said Page before May
30th. “I’ll be running the shortest leg, a little over three
miles, because I’m the most out of shape.”
The students who ran in the race trained since
November as part of the winter running club, which Clockwise from top, Courtney Page,
was formed at the end of the fall sports season to help Kodi Andrews, Caleb Watkins, Chris
runners stay in shape through the winter and spring. Weyer, and Lauren Fish reach for the
“We started out as just the winter running
club,” said Fish. “But then one day Mr. Weyer was like
sky in Burlington; Fish sprints along
‘Hey! Want to run in this marathon?’” The group of the boardwalk on Lake Champlain;
runners started meeting two to three times a week and Lauren Bolduc and Page rejoice on
increasing the mileage as the weeks progressed. Fish race-day; a long view as thousands of
said that in the weeks prior to the race, she was running
about seven or eight miles each time.
racers compete in the KeyBank
Both Page and Fish agree that participating Vermont City Marathon.

See Marathon page 20

pg 18 G r e e n H o r n
 Sports
The Last
Dance
Seniors Final
Recital
By Holly Hooke

S
pring is here. Another Mother’s Day has passed,
which means another Springfield Dance Factory
recital was held.
For 28 years, Dance Factory dancers have
showcased their work in this annual spring recital.
This year’s recital took place on May 8th and 9th, in
the Springfield High School Auditorium. Saturday’s
Program A started at 7:00 pm and Sunday’s Program B
began at 2:00 pm. The younger classes held their recital
on Saturday, May 8th, at 2:00 pm in the Park Street
School Auditorium. The shows ran about an hour and a Josh Dikeman plans strategy with Angelo Jardina and John Michael Errair.
half each with pieces choreographed by Dance Factory

Track Team Exalted in Last

owner Susan Hagen and teachers Kate Frizzell-DeRosia,
Pam Donnelly, Ashley-Hensel-Browning, and Tami
Thomas.
Dancers devoted their winter and spring

Weeks of Competition
classes learning recital pieces. During the rectital, some
dancers participated in as many as eight performances.
“It was a lot of work. I was in eight dances,” said SHS
senior Kamryn Sidney. “I’m happy. But at the same
time upset that it’s over.”
Fourteen students from Springfield High By Sarah Gray
School performed in the recital. For seniors Erin

Graham, Eliza Pennell, Jenny Bradley, Meredith Ward,
Emily Mobus, Kamryn Sidney, Shannon Regan, Jenna
Hendee, and Georgia Ladd this was their last Dance
Factory recital. Many of the students have danced since
they were three or four years old and have performed in
recitals every year.
“I’ve been in recitals since I was three,” said
See Dance page 23
Shannon Regan, Meredith Ward,
Jenny Bradley, and Erin Graham
danced in their last recital this May.
T
he Springfield High School track team pulled
out all the stops as they began their last month
of the 2010 track season. The team traveled to
the Connecticut Valley Conference (CVC) Champion-
ship on Saturday, May 15th, in Lebanon, NH, where
they competed against schools from Vermont and New
Hampshire.
Ten members of the SHS track team qualified
to participate in this meet as determined by previous
track meets. Most athletes believe that this is truly the
running start for the rest of the track season.
Springfield finished 10th overall for the girls,
and 11th overall for the boys in the CVC Champion-
ship. Although the team scores weren’t as good as the
team expected, individual track athletes performed well.
Mike Pianka was first in the boys high jump at 6' 4,"
far surpassing the second place finisher who came in at
5' 10." Maria Stern finished 3rd in girls shot put with a
toss of 32' 9.5." Stern also finished 3rd in girls discus,
throwing at 97' 6."
“I think we are consistent when it comes
to points and individual people are improving,” Stern
said in late May. “We have a tough four weeks ahead
of us.”
The team traveled to Hanover for the Ha-
nover Invitational on Saturday, May 22, and then to
Essex for the Essex Invitational. All track teams in
Vermont are invited to the Essex Invitational. The top
six qualifiers in each event are allowed to go to New
Englands, which takes place the second weekend in
June.
Last year, the Cosmos didn’t perform as well
at States because of injuries to key members of the track
team. This past failure, however, may give SHS track
athletes the motivation they needed to have a success-
ful state meet performance. The Vermont State Meet
took place the first weekend of June at Green Mountain
Union High School
“I’m hoping that everyone will improve, set
personal records, and peak at the right time,” Stern said.
“I hope that at the state meet we have a lot of individual
champions and come in the top three for teams overall
See Track page 21
Sports Correction
In edition 8 of the Green Horn, the
story about John Davis running in the
Boston Marathon incorrectly stated
that the Boston Marathon took place
on April 19th and April 26th, with 735
runners competing. The Boston Mara-
thon took place on April 19th. 26,735
runners participated.

G r e e n H o r n pg 19
Pyronova from page 10
equally well,” said Chlebak. “But we only got ten
minutes to play and that really didn’t allow us to show
the full spectrum of our music.” Aiello felt that the
Woodstock show presented an audience that was more
favorable to the band's youth-oriented style.
“The Woodstock show had a lot more high
school-aged people,” said Aiello. “It was more chill
and easier to interact with the audience.”
Even though Pyronova didn’t take top honors
at their second battle of the bands, they placed second
overall and were happy with their performance. “The
band that won really deserved it,” said Johnson.
When asked where Pyronova would go from
these shows, band members offered different opinions.
“It’s [being in a band] more of a hobby for me,” said
Aiello. “I’d like to continue, but I don’t really see myself
doing that.”
“I think we’ll stay together through high
school, maybe some longer,” said Chlebak. “After
college, I’d like to take it more seriously.”
Johnson agreed with Chlebak positive view-
point. “Being in band in high school has been a great
experience for all of us,” concluded Johnson.
Existence from page 12
put off work. After school, you’ll have play rehearsal
or sports practice, and after that you may work a shift,
and after that you have a dance class. At this rate, you
won’t get home until 9:00 pm. That’s six hours of pure
not doing your homework. No one could dispute the
legitimacy, nor the sheer procrastinative beauty, of such
an unreasonable personal schedule.
To achieve the highest levels of procrastina-
tion, you must never examine your assignment before
you commence the work. It’s best to stay intimidated by
the workload because it will persuade you to stay away
longer. If you look at the work and find it reasonable,
you may feel compelled to complete the assignment
early.
Finally, when you sit down to finally do your
work, don’t be afraid to do one last thing. Maybe you
need to make a sandwich before you can concentrate
on completing your assignment. Maybe your room is
uncharacteristically untidy, and it will be eating away at
you while you try to work unless you clean it. Or, most
likely, you’ll absolutely need to change your facebook
status to explain that you’re about to do homework.
There’s always something you can do other than your
work.
Jobs from page 9
college, some SHS underclassmen will take on summer
jobs. For example, sophomore Lauren Fish will work
at Woodbury Florist this summer. “Random stuff,” said
Fish, when asked about her duties at the florist shop.
“Helping customers, making arrangements, and doing
stuff that everyone else won’t do.”
Despite the concrete summer plans of Esden
and Fish, not all SHS students can locate work in these
hard economic times. “I’ve looked briefly for a job,”
said sophomore Taylor Fontaine, “but so far I’ve been
unsuccessful and I don’t really need a job.”
Summer jobs come in many forms whether
a graduating senior seeks money before college, or
an underclassman attempts to add to money on hand.
Whatever the case, high school students will swell the
ranks of those looking for employment this June.
pg 20
McLaughlin from page 2
a co-principal. This will be a bit of an adjustment from
what students and faculty have done this year.
What do you hope to bring to the school?
I hope I can bring a positive and hard-work-
ing attitude to my position. I am someone who believes
deeply in education as a calling. I am lucky to get paid
to work with young adults and caring professionals.
Beyond my attitude, I hope that I can add a
thoughtful and reflective approach that draws from my
many experiences.
AD from page 16
top of that,” said P.E. teacher Joan Cioffi. “His name
was Chip Dorwin, and because he was also the athletic
director he was given a stipend for the job.”
The hope is that a committee will be put
together by the end of May or beginning of June, and that
Hatt's replacement for athletic director will be selected
by the beginning of summer.
“ "I’m looking for people right now,” said
Thibault. “If this article is released, and I’m still looking,
I’m hoping people will step up.”
College from page 6
any students considering college. “I'm willing to share
what the students want to know," he added. "Whether
it's how prepared I was for college, what dorm life is
like, or what to expect when they get to college.”
Panel organizers hoped the experience
would answer questions but also challenge SHS students
to think more concretely about life after high school. said Page. “So the more races I run, the less nervous
Junior Amanda Farnsworth was positive
about the event beforehand. “It’s something I definitely
want to hear before I make any decisions about college,"
she said. "I’m excited to hear what alumni students can
tell me about what my future may be like.”
STAR from page 5
in the main office at Springfield High School.
Tickets were $1 each or $5 for 6 tickets and
were available from any STAR member. The drawing
took place on May 20th.
“Buy a ticket. Join,” said Bailey, before the
raffle. “We’d love new members. Animals do deserve
a home and should have a better life.”
All State from page 10
“It felt great [to be chosen for the chorus]. I
was so excited to get in,” Anderson said. “I wasn’t sure
about how I would do, because I’m not a very strong
sight reader, which is part of the audition. But I did
make it.”
The festival took place in early May and
most observers felt it was successful. “The festival went
very well,” SHS Music Director James Chlebak said.
“In particular, the level of repertoire and performance
in the orchestra was higher than in recent years.”
“My favorite part of the festival was singing
and hearing all 240 other voices behind me. It was like
a wall of powerful greatness,” Anderson said. “My least
favorite part of the festival was not seeing the other
groups perform.”
Anderson is hoping to go into a career in-
volving singing and plans to participate in the festival
in years to come. She enjoys the festival’s encouraging
atmosphere and likes being able to practice the audition
G r e e
Wiffle from page 17
allowed on base and pre-set rules and ghost runners
determine scoring. For example, in wiffleball, if a batter
hits a single and the next batter bashes a triple, one run
will have scored and one runner will be on third.
One aspect of wiffleball that is similar to
baseball involves the three-out rule. Outs are made
when a batter strikes out, or when a fly ball is caught
in the air. However, there are outs that are made in
wiffleball that are not allowed in baseball.
“You have zones you hit into and a strike
zone behind the batter. If a fielder fields the ball in a
specified area and throws it back to the strike zone, it is
considered an out,” said Goodrich. “It’s kind of hard
because it takes a lot of practice to be able to get good
pitches and hitting.”
After practicing daily for three weeks, the
Springfield Wiffleball Project participated in its first
tournament in Bennington on May 29th.
“The first tournament was rough. We didn’t
do very well,” Crowley admitted. “But we have four
or five more tournaments left.”
The Springfield Wiffleball Project has five
players, which gives them a full team. But they encour-
age other wiffleball enthusiasts to create their own teams
to enjoy this growing competitive sport.
Marathon from page 18
in the KeyBank Vermont City Marathon and Relay Race
should help their cross-country performance this fall.
“I always get really nervous before races,”
I’ll be.”
“Running year-round will definitely help me
next season,” concluded Fish.
Speech from page 5
speech was timed a few seconds short of the five-minute
required length.
Hensel-Hunter felt that his speech experience
offers great benefits for the future.
“I think having this competition on a tran-
script or résumé might make an impression on people,”
Hensel-Hunter said. “I also think this experience has
boosted my confidence involving public speaking.”
process.
“I’m going to audition for the festival next
year because I like the audition process and I know just
what to expect now. Of course I still need to get into
the festival again next year,” Anderson said.
The Vermont All-State Music Festival is
an event that high school musicians and vocalists look
forward to every year. Music Director Chlebak and
students agree that the festival is a beneficial experi-
ence.
“It's a pretty amazing event. It's the last of
the All-State festivals where students are housed in
families. That really gives it a special atmosphere. In
addition to traditional high school marching bands, the
opening parade features elementary bands, junior high
bands, and samba groups, which is also pretty unique,”
Chlebak said. “The people who run the festival really
care about young people and work hard to make it a
great experience for all.”
n H o r n
NECAP from page 7
114 juniors at SHS reached a level 4, or proficient with
distinction, on the test. 16% of juniors reached a level
three (proficient), 50% reached a level two (partially
proficient,) and 34% were graded at a level one, or
substantially below proficient, according to theVermont
Department of Education.
Such scores motivated the three junior sci-
ence teachers to work harder at preparing 11th graders
for the science NECAPs.
“Ms. [Peggy] Guyer and I went over the
basic concepts for test-taking,” said science teacher
Gretel Shuck. Shuck says she went over points such
as full-sentence writing and answer-planning with her
students. “It’s too late for us to re-teach the full three
years of science at this point,” she added.
Some juniors felt that their science teachers
put a lot of time into preparing them for the NECAPS.
“Ms. [Amanda] Frank helped us a lot,” said Austin.
“She gave us a lot of practice tests.”
Aiello added that in his class, Frank spent
the last few days before the test going over the test from
last year.
“Ms. Guyer got material from last year's
test and we went over it,” said Davis. “I was prepared.
But I would have been more prepared if I actually paid
attention in class.”
Both Souksanh’s and Jacob’s teachers also
went over practice tests and questions. This made them
both feel better about the science NECAPs.
“I think some students will [do well on the
test] and some won’t,” said Shuck. “The one thing we
really tried to discourage this year was a student filling
in random answers and not trying.”
SAT from page 8
stress with the SAT because each section must be com-
pleted in the given time and students are not allowed to
go back to work on unfinished items. “It was hard for
me to finish all the questions in each section on time,”
said junior Desmond Dana. “So I just kept going and
it turned out fine.”
Some students prepare intensely for the
SAT with suggested books and tutor programs. They
are also encouraged by the fact that they can take the
test repeatedly to improve their score. “It wasn’t that
big of a deal for me,” said junior Maria Stern. “I don’t
get stressed or concerned. I know I can always retake
them.”
Other students, however, question the valid-
ity of this well-known test. “I think that [it is] stupid,”
said senior Jon Esden. “Colleges shouldn’t want just the
smartest people. They should want the hardest workers.
The SAT doesn’t show that.”
Some accept the SAT as an expected part
of the high school world. “I view the SAT as a rite of
passage,” said sophomore Alexandra Johnstone. “And
I’ll be passing this one next year.”
Track from page 19
on the girls and the boys sides.”
SHS sophomore and track member Holly
Hooke hoped to win her 4x100 relay team event and/or
her high jump event at States so she could be recognized
with a States jacket. She also hoped that the team as a
whole would be successful.
“Hopefully everyone will do well, improve,
and set personal records,” Hooke said before the state
meet on June 5th.
Senior Angelo Jardina, who competes in the
G r e e n H o r
Yearbook from page 4
come more popular among students and staff. Dechert
is proud of student involvement in the creation of this
publication. “The book is entirely student-created [advi-
sor-guided]," she said. "Students have made all decisions
on this book."
Building on this past success, Frank hopes
to make the yearbook even more affordable for students
and staff in the coming year. “One thing I'd like to work
on is making the yearbook available to as many people
as possible,” Frank said. “I think the price makes it
hard for a lot of people to buy a yearbook. I'm not sure
how, or even if, this can be done. But I want to look
into it.”
Seredipity from page 13
nuclear weapons that look like garbage disposals and
chasing airplanes down runways.
I love when I can read about characters who
leap beyond anything life has prepared them for. Things
go crazy, but in the end, everything's okay because these
characters can handle themselves. Their lives completely
change, so they have to jump in and decide, “What the
hell. If this is how my life is now, I will just handle it,
no matter what.”
I love that. It's very empowering to see
characters commit to things this way, because it makes
it seem so attainable in real life. It makes me feel like I
can do that, too. I'm not expecting any nuclear bombs in
my near, individual future. It will probably be something
a little less exciting. But it will be different and thrilling
if I can just agree with fate and say, “Yes. This is my
life. Watch out now.” Big Trouble had a lot of this.And
it was just silly. It was a fun read.
Bubble from page 24
down. They tried to ignore the Dunkin Donuts bag. Then
they seemed possessed by their hunger, and all at once,
they agreed to eat the muffin.
Afraid of being discovered, they quickly
grabbed the bag and pulled the muffin out. Within a mat-
ter of seconds, the muffin was gone. All that sat before
them was the muffin wrapper, the Dunkin Donuts bag
which they had used as a makeshift plate, and crumbs
that formed a frame around the crumpled bag.
For just a moment, the three sat there realiz-
ing what they had done. And then, all at once, they burst
into fits of laughter. There they remained, consumed by
the silliness of what they had done.
Though this may seem like a story about
nothing, it is much more than that. It’s a story of friend-
ship, silliness, and hunger. This is a true story.
P.S. As of now, there are only FIVE DAYS
until graduation.
800-meter dash, wanted to see everyone on the team try
his or her best and improve by the end of the season.
As a senior, Jardina hoped underclassmen would realize
that they have the potential to achieve great things in
track and field in years to come. “I’m hoping to see kids
strive and do better at their events," Jardina said, "and
see that they have potential for the future." better than the first film. The addition of a partner for
“We have a lot of talented individuals,” Stern
concluded before the state meet. “New team members
and upperclassmen are all working hard to improve. We
can do it.”
n pg
Keene from page 6
of schools represented at Keene State College. While
Hensel-Hunter respected the variety, he was bothered
by the limited space. “I think it was too cluttered,” said
Hensel-Hunter. “People had to fight to show off their
school. They [college representatives] didn’t really have
enough room to do much of a presentation.”
Despite Hensel-Hunter's misgivings,college
fair organizers seemed to be trying to create a relaxed
event for participants. Students attending the fair found
rows of tables filled with brochures, mailing-list cards,
and college representatives in the KSC Gymnasium.
Students were encouraged to visit booths that interested
them. Adding to the openness of the event, no specific
aganda dictated the college fair. Instead, students were
encouraged to talk to college representatives and ask
questions about prospective schools.
Plaza from page 1
“The plaza is where everyone chills,” senior
Ryan Colburn said. “It’s appealing because I get to hang
out with all my friends, have fun, and not have to worry
about getting in trouble.”
Not only do SHS students hang out at the
Summer Place in the plaza but also senior and junior
girls work in the ice cream shop. “I love working at the
Summer Place because I get free ice cream,” senior
Kayla Perham said. “I also get to see everyone at work,
so it doesn’t feel like I’m actually working. I get to see
my friends, so it’s more like a social event.”
The town of Springfield doesn’t have much
to offer that would satisfy a high school student’s need
for fun on the weekends. It has a library, 802 Music, a
used book store, an art gallery, and a few restaurants.
But most students need somewhere to hang out or watch
a movie. With this scarcity of options facing young
people, the plaza seems to be the only spot in town that
appeals to many students.
“The Summer Place is definitely the Spring-
field hang out,” Perham said. “Everyone is always there.
And the ice cream is awesome. The whole high school
population is there. It seems like everyone migrates
to the Summer Place and it almost seems like they’re
forming a cult. There’s honestly nothing else to do in
this town.”
In the winter, students have to find other hang
outs, whether this involves a friend’s house or traveling
to another town to find a movie theater (the Ellis Theatre
in downtown Springfield burned a few summers ago and
has not re-opened yet). But in warm weather, Jonathan’s
Summer Place is where one can always find Springfield
citizens, young and old, who share a common craving
for ice cream.
“You’ll always find people at the Summer
Place,” senior Olivia Johnson said. “When I go down
there I never have to worry about meeting anyone,
because there’s always someone there. I hang out at
the Summer Place because the ice cream is delicious
and my friends are always there. It’s basically one of
Springfield’s only attractions.”
Iron Man from page 14
Iron Man 2, for all its shortcomings, is still a
good time. The action sequences are polished and look
Stark gives the fight scenes another level of action and
interest, making teamwork important until the climax.
Though Iron Man 2 is a worthy successor to the first
film, it still falls short of Iron Man.
21
Welcome from page 13
and they only offer Spanish and French majors and a
rinky-dink German minor. I was willing to lower my
standards and possibly try an independent/self-designed
major, but with all the options UMass-Amherst offered,
my mind was made up.
I brought my entire family (mom, dad, and
older sister) with me to an open house for admitted
students at UMass one Saturday in April. When I ar-
rived, I felt tentative about joining such a huge college
community of more than 26,000 students in the middle
of a large, intimidating campus. But as the 6-hour open
house wore on, I felt more comfortable. A big factor was
that my dad liked the school so much. Of all my family
members, I figured he would like UMass the least. But
he really liked the area and the campus and his feelings
for the university seemed to pass to me.
The UMass campus is the classic college
campus with lamp-lined concrete pathways surrounded
by greens and a mixture of old and new buildings. When
I consider colleges, I think of the campus as a big factor
in my decision. UMass-Amherst received an automatic
SPIRIT from page 3
“If we don’t have another meeting until next
year, this will all fall apart,” Coleman said. “If we are
actually going to enforce this mediation agreement and
be effective as a group we need to meet on a regular
basis and involve all students.”
Although Bolduc is uncertain of when the
next SPIRIT meeting will take place, he feels good
things will result from this April meeting.
“I expressed [at the meeting] what I figured
were some issues that could be resolved,” Bolduc said.
“I went away knowing that some of the issues had a
good chance of being resolved.”
Another point recognized at the SPIRIT
meeting focused on the purpose of SPIRIT itself. “One
purpose of SPIRIT is to provide a vehicle for student
voice that is non-traditional,” Wight said. “And another
Cyber from page 3
This site has done numerous studies of 11- to 18-year
olds in various regions in the United States resulting in
a fundamental description of this form of harassment.
Approximately 20 percent of students have
reported being bullied. So far nine states have defined
cyber bullying or passed legislation to prevent it. As a
result of Vermont teen Ryan Patrick Halligan’s suicide,
Vermont House Bill H. 629 has clarified the policy of
bullying. This bill requires schools to develop a conse-
quence for bullying and a bullying-prevention plan.
Springfield High School Co-Principal Larry
Wight thinks cyber bulling is an increasing problem at
SHS. “It’s probably one of the most prevalent means of
bullying,” he said. “Then it spills over to school.”
In the past two to three years, cyber bulling
has become a common problem both on- an off-campus.
These conflicts affect the SHS learning environment.
"It's a serious issue," Wight said. "It can be very upset-
ting to the people [involved]."
“I’ve had a few occasions where I was cyber
bullied and where I cyber bullied,” said an anonymous
SHS student. “When I was cyber bullied, I cyber bul-
lied at the same time.” This conflict, which lasted a few
weeks, involved swearing, arguing, and threats.
This particular incident was brought to
school “It was brought up at school and resolved at
pg 22
A+ for its physical setting.
Although I saw the same mock dorm room
that I saw the first time I visited UMass, I visited two
different dining halls. Since my tour guide took us to
the wrong dining hall, and we had to walk all the way
back to the correct hall, I was able to view parts of
campus that I hadn’t seen before. This unplanned tour
only increased the school's GPA in my gradebook.
When I weighed the facts, UMass-Amherst
seemed to be the obvious choice. Good-looking campus.
Check. Reasonable dorm rooms. Check. Distance from
home. Check. Opportunities. Triple check. UMass-Am-
herst, in fact, is part of the Five College Consortium,
which allows me to take classes at any of the other four
participating colleges (Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Hampshire,
and Amherst) at the same expense or less than the cost
of UMass classes. Being a state university, UMass-
Amherst already has a lot of options without those other
four colleges. I mean, why not take advantage of that?
However, I worry that UMass-Amherst
offers only Division I sports. I’m relatively good at
is that student input on issues at SHS is often more
creative than what we adults usually come up with.”
Springfield High School students also share
the same belief that SPIRIT gives them a chance to
express their opinions. “I think SPIRIT is important
because it gives faculty and Restorative Justice an idea
of what’s going on in school from a kid’s perspective,”
Mei said. “I believe this could help make problem-solv-
ing easier.”
“SPIRIT helps people see that there are
problems to be solved so we should be solving them
and not just stepping back and observing the problems,”
Thomas added.
“I believe that the more student voice you
have, the better off you are,” Wight concluded. “I hope
SPIRIT helps make students aware that they can make
a difference.”
school,” the victim said.
The consequences for cyber bulling vary.
The Restorative Justice Program can be utilized if both
parties want to reconcile. This is not always the case.
In some instances, police have been involved in solving
the problem. “It [cyber bullying] has the potential to get
someone expelled if it’s bad enough,” Wight said.
“At school we were both classified as victims
because there was bullying going on on both ends,"
the victim added. "It was just resolved and forgotten
about."
Wight believes that cyber bullying is an
equal-opportunity offender. Text messaging, e-mailing,
and social networking sites are all misused for the sake
of harassment. "If you have new technology, someone
will find a way to abuse it," he said.
“It [cyber bullying] was over Facebook
messaging and text messaging,” added the victim.
A problem with technology and bullying
involves the fact that once a video, statement, or photo
is posted online, it becomes a permanent feature of
cyberspace. It can never be removed. SHS Computer
Lab Supervisor Jane Esposito believes that students are
not aware of this feature of permanency associated with
the internet. “They’re not thinking ahead,” she said of
students’ internet use. “It someday might hurt them.”
G r e e
the sports I play, but I’m not the star of my team and
certainly I would not be recruited for UMass. There are
options for me to play at the club or intramural level, but
I really want the pride of wearing that UMass uniform
and having the grandstands packed with crazed Min-
utemen (that’s the UMass mascot). So, I have made it
my goal to train hard over the summer and try out for
their soccer and tennis teams, although I might have to
choose one or the other because tennis is year-round at
UMass.
In the end, I agreed to go to the University
of Massachusetts-Amherst. I can relax. I don’t feel like
I was forced to settle for this school, ether. Even though
it was my backup school, I am excited about attending
UMass. I’ve sent in the $400 enrollment fee, signed up
for orientation, received my official UMass email ad-
dress and have the all-important foam finger as well as a
windbreaker, t-shirt, pen, folders, and window stickers.
I figure I was destined to go to UMass-Amherst: it was
the very first college I ever visited and now it’s the last.
Not to mention I’ve always wanted maroon and white
as school colors.
Lost from page 15
drug addict, sacrificed himself to sink the Looking Glass,
which had been blocking radio transmissions. He was
then able to leave the Island (purgatory) and enter an
after-life.
In one night of Lost, six years' worth of dra-
ma, action sequences, and relationships were resolved.
And with the close of Jack’s eye, it was all over.
We have to go back. Visit past
editions of the Green Horn at
shs.ssdvt.org and have your own
Lost-style flashback.
Wight acknowledged that students bringing
issues to administrators use print-outs of the harassing
messages or bring their phones as evidence.
“Someone will have proof of it somewhere,”
said Esposito.
To some, using technology to communicate
causes problems with etiquette. According to SHS social
studies teacher Angelo Jardina, capital letters and bold
text give the impression that someone is angry. Also,
failing to use a salutation in an e-mail may appear
rude. Thus, technology makes communication difficult
because one cannot always be perceived as demonstrat-
ing appropriate emotions.
Highlighted by the issue of cyber bulying,
Wight believes people have less respect for each other
than in previous generations.
“Even though it's just words on a screen it
still hurts, and you still carry it with you,” said the victim
interviewed for this article. After their experience with
cyber bullying, they believe that such behavior should
be a crime punished by a fine and potential jail time.
In response to the challenge of bullying and
harassment, SHS staff members participated in anti-bul-
lying training on May 26th as part of an early release
day in the Springfield School District. However, some
agree with Wight, who concluded, “I really think we
have to do more."
n H o r n
Wight from page 1
memorable,” Wight said. “Deciding to take the job was
probably the most memorable. I wasn’t sure if I wanted
to be a principal again, but there were some administra-
tion difficulties here at SHS so I hung around to resolve
them.”
Although Wight is physically leaving the
high school, his memories of the students will remain.
“I’m going to miss the students a lot,” Wight said. “They
keep me young and on my toes. We have a lot of great
kids here.”
In the four and a half years since Wight
became an administrator, SHS was recognized and
honored in areas such as sports, music, the arts, and
journalism.
“The most impressive aspect of SHS is
definitely the diversity of talent,” Wight said. “We
are talented in music, athletics, art, and everything in
between. Our drama productions are also incredible.
When you go watch a production, it’s almost like you’re
watching college kids perform. There are a lot of talented
young adults that enjoy what they do here, and it shows
in their success.”
Oil from page 11
When asked about how BP can make up
for the current leak in the Gulf of Mexico, Frank said,
”Well, I'm not sure there is much anybody can do to
make up for a spill like this. BP (and any other negligent
companies) should be responsible for the containment
and clean-up costs and habitat restoration efforts, as well
as for compensating those whose livelihoods have been
impacted.”
Environmental science student Ryan Gott-
schalk said of the leak, “As an animal rights activist
and an environmentalist, I think the major issues are
what's happening to the environment. How many lives
of animals were destroyed, or just flat out taken, horrifies
me. As well as what happened to the Oceanic Creatures,
such as sea birds, fish, shellfish, sea turtles, the list goes
VEHI from page 9
belief that those members who make a concerted effort
to be healthy ought to benefit directly from those efforts,
financially.”
Cash prizes are awarded in increments of
$50 and are only allowd to go as high as $150. Staff is
allowed, and encouraged, to log more than 150 points
online, but the maximum cash prize they can earn is
$150. Likewise, staff may earn between the increments
of 50 points. However, if they log 75 points, for ex-
ample, they will only receive $50.
For every point VEHI customers earn, their
school is also given an equal amount of money to be
used towards “sustainable infrastructure to promote
safer and healthier school environments,” as described
by VEHI standards.
“In the last couple of years, VEHI has laid out
a Best Practice book which gives us guidelines as to what
the money can be used for,” explained Tarbell. “They
want us to use the funds for things that are sustainable
and ongoing. For instance, they don’t want us to just
buy bottled water where once it has been consumed it
is gone. They’d rather us buy a filtration system for the
water fountains.”
“Thanks to our active staff members, we
have earned $17,000 to $22,000 for the school district,”
G r e e n H o r
One of the things Wight brought to SHS
was respect for both the students and the staff. It didn’t
matter if students were in trouble, or were simply walk-
ing to their next class. Wight always spoke to students
and treated them with respect. “I’m going to miss the
interaction with the students,” Wight said. “I enjoy
talking to them, and one of the things I brought to SHS
was treating the students with respect and not talking
down to them.”
“Mr. Wight is the most easy-going, easy to
talk to principal I have ever encountered in my life,”
senior Bennett Chevalier said. “I’m going to miss his
humor. He’s a funny guy.”
In Wight’s four and a half years as an admin-
istrator at SHS, he’s worked with two superintendents
and a series of assistant principals. “It’s not unusual to
have a lot of different administrators over the span of
a few years,” Wight said. “It’s a challenge. But I get
good people to help and let them do their job. From my
perspective, things have been going a lot better lately.
There has been more collaboration with the administra-
tion and more student voice.”
This fall, Wight and the rest of the high
on.”
Gottschalk added, ”I feel that anytime an oil
company goes anywhere to drill for oil, it's a catastro-
phe waiting to happen. And this somewhat proved my
point.”
Gottschalk doesn’t oppose offshore drilling
entirely. "Under the right circumstances and guide lines,
it should be allowed," he said. "But only if we have a
say as in how they drill on our coasts.”
Gottschalk concluded, ”There are still
people like Congressman Gene Taylor, Democrat of
Mississippi, who compare the Gulf Coast Oil Spill To
'Chocolate Milk,' and say It will 'Break Up Naturally.'
This guy needs to get his facts straight, because he's
more than a little off with that assumption.”
said Tarbell. This money will be used to encourage a
sustainable infrastructure. Some examples of purchases
with this money include PPE (Personal Protective
Equipment) like goggles and respiration for cleaning
as well as a water filtration system. Another project
that has been discussed involves creating or enhancing
staff rooms. “It is important that there is a staff room so
[teachers] can separate themselves from the classroom
and take the time to eat lunch,” said Tarbell.
Although VEHI is a program dedicated to
the wellness of employees of Vermont schools, the
positive effects can be seen trickling down to students.
Park Street kindergarten teacher Jodi Greene, also a
site coordinator for PATHpoints Adventure at Park
Street School, incorporates her healthy habits into her
lessons.
“The knowledge I have gained from the Path
to Wellness program regarding healthy living habits has
trickled its way into my classroom,” said Greene. “I
serve more fruits and veggies in the class for snacks. The
children put on pedometers when we go for classroom
walks, and I incorporate more movement into the daily
routines.”
Greene also involved her students in the an-
nual Dam Run/Fun Run. “Making healthy living choices
n pg
school staff and student body, welcomed new co-prin-
cipal Bob Thibault. Next year Thibault will take over
the position of SHS Principal.
“Mr. Thibault is already getting things started
for next year,” Wight said. “He is working with a com-
mittee that is trying to find a balance for the students for
next year’s schedule. We hope that the student voice
will be heard in that. I highly respect Mr. Thibault, and
have only the highest compliments for him. I know he
will take this school to the next level.”
Next year, the seniors will be gone, the
schedule will be changed, and Mr. Wight will be retired.
But, as observers consistantly remark, the work Wight
put into this school and his interaction with the students
will always be remembered by those that worked with
him.
“I feel like Mr. Wight encouraged students
to be better when they were going downhill, when no
one else believed in them,” senior Paige Parker said.
“He changed the school for the better. Everyone will
always remember him because of his kind personality,
his good sense of humor, and the fact that he always
helped everyone in any way he could.”
Dance from page 19
SHS senior Erin Graham. “It’s hard to believe that was
my last one.”
Other senior dancers felt this bittersweet feel-
ing. “Dance is what I’ll really miss about high school,”
said senior Eliza Pennell. “Recital was weird since it
was my last.”
Some dancers, however, merely felt a sense of
relief. “In a way, I’m glad it’s over,” said senior Emily
Mobus. “But I’ll always miss the Dance Factory.”
Graduating dancers agreed they will always
remember their performances and cherish what dance
has taught them. “This may be the last time I dance in a
Dance Factory Recital,” concluded Mobus. “However,
it’s not the last time I’ll ever dance.”
for myself has helped me to encourage my students to
make healthy living choices for themselves starting at
age five.”
PATH aims to teach employees overall
wellness. While that includes physical wellness, mental
wellness is also addressed by this program.
“The world has gotten to the point where
people are way too stressed out,” Tarbell said. “I’ve felt
it in my own position. It’s taking time off the end of our
lives. We’re not allowing downtime for ourselves. We
need to learn how to take a breather because a healthier
you is going to live longer.”
One way for Springfield School District
employess to learn about mental wellness is to be
involved in the 6-8 week pure coaching program, one
of the PATHpoints activities. This program “walks you
through setting lifestyle goals and learning to support
each other in making these changes,” said Tarbell.
Tarbell notifies participants about healthy
PATHpoints opportunities through emails that go to
each Springfield School District employee. A monthly
newsletter is also posted. All past and present newslet-
ters, as well as other information regarding VEHI and
PATH, can be found at the Springfield School District
Employee Wellness website.
23
 By Melissa Tarbell
SHS Speaks Out
T
he art of tattooing most likely came about by accident. Whatever its origins, tattoos have become a popular art form. In some indigenous tribes, tattoos symbolized
rank and status. In other places, they represented religious values. Ancient mummies, from Italy to Egypt, have been discovered to have tattoos on their well-preserved
skin. It is possible that the simple tattoos on what archaeologists have named Iceman, a 5200-year old mummy unearthed on the Italian-Austrian border, may have been
used for therapeutic purposes. Egyptian tattoos, mainly found on women, may also have been a therapeutic tradition connected to childbirth. With this intriguing history in
mind, this edition's Speaks Out asks certain members of the Springfield High School community: What is the story behind your tattoo?

Junior Mariama Roldan Senior Shawn Keefe Senior Krystal Zielonko

"I wanted a tattoo that meant something to me, in a "I drew it. I wanted to draw my first one. It has my "I have three. They all have a meaning. Two I designed
place I could hide if I needed to. It’s a Virgo sign. It’s initials on it." myself. The first I got when I was 16. It symbolized
my astrological sign." everything I’d been through."

Secretary Sandy Hyrckiewicz Junior Desmond Dana English Teacher Becky Skrypeck
"I have two. A bunch of friends and I all went to get "My freshman year I wanted to get a tattoo. But I waited. "I have 9 of them. I have ouroboros on my back, which
tattoos when we turned 40." I decided to get a 4-leaf clover with my mom. We got means infinity. It’s the snake swallowing its tail. I had
them together." that one done in New Orleans when I got married."

Bursting the Bubble

The Muffin
By Jenny Bradley and Olivia Johnson
opened Word documents to at least appear as if they assumed the somewhat-crinkled Dunkin Donuts bag
would accomplish something during those last few belonged to the Green Horn Layout Editor. But he was

O
nce upon a time there was a muffin hidden be-
hind the looming row of computers, which lined
the wall of Mr. Janiszyn’s classroom. The day
was almost over as three hungry girls entered the dark
room. Mr. Janiszyn was nowhere to be found.
Tired from a long day of school, and desper-
ately wanting to avoid doing their Green Horn stories,
the three girls plunked themselves down and set off to
gossiping. They swapped high school war stories as they
twirled around in their fantastic swirly chairs.
They checked their email, checked Pow-
erSchool (about every five minutes), and reluctantly
minutes of the school day. After they had exhausted
their gossip topics, they faced the hunger that had been
plaguing them.
They were often hungry during their last
class of the day and had previously found a collection
of Cheez-Its and/or Ritz hidden somewhere in Mr.
Janiszyn’s cabinets. But on this particular day, they
had no such luck. The three girls scoured the cabinets,
desperate for something to eat. And then they found
it.
It was near where the printer now rests,
though at the time there were only computers. They
nowhere in sight. And the bag looked long forgotten.
Though it obviously belonged to someone
else, the girls could not help themselves from at least
peeking inside. One of the girls grabbed the bag and
opened it. Inside rested a blueberry muffin. After dis-
cussing their options, the hunger-crazed girls decided it
was foolish to steal this muffin, no matter how appealing
it seemed.
The girls returned the muffin and wrinkled
bag to its spot behind the computers. The girls sat back
See Bubble page 21

pg 24 G r e e n H o r n