What’s Inside:

Green HornThe Award-Winning Student Publication of Springfield High School and the Tech Center

Volume 29, Edition 4

Hearts were racing, adrenaline was pumping, and butterflies were circulating in the stomachs of Springfield High School football players as they

loaded the bus early Saturday morning, November 8th. Nine hours later, the Springfield community would be celebrating its first football state championship in over 61 years. “I was pretty nervous before the game,” senior quarterback Grant White said. “But it wasn’t a lot more than just the usual nerves I get before every game.” Coming into the game perfect at 11-0, the Cosmos football players had their sights on a state cham-pionship, while the Windsor Yellow Jackets hoped for an upset. “Every single one of us wanted that title,” junior receiver Bennett Chevalier said. “Both teams fought hard, but it was obvious that we wanted it more.” The Cosmos' first possession, however, didn’t go as well as both players and fans hoped. A run went nowhere and two passes to junior wide receiver Brandon Boyle couldn't do the job. “The first pass lost yardage,” White said, “and the second pass only gained five yards. We didn’t get the first down, so I had to punt it back.” Junior defensive back Matt Mitchell made

Football Team Wins First State Championship in 61 Years

By Ashley Richardson

a big championship game debut when he intercepted a pass on Windsor’s first attempt at a pass, and the Cosmos quickly took over the ball. “The interception was a key part of the game,” Mitchell said. “It was their first play of the game, and after not getting a first down on our

first possession, it brought the momentum back to us to try it again.” However, starting senior running back Ste-phen Miller went down early in this series, only 2:36

See Football page 20

Top, junior Brandon Boyle cuts through Wasp defenders. Bottom, football players celebrate their great achievement and Springfield fans show their

Cosmos pride during the championship game.

Hate that dirty water,p. 6

Obama, Man of Steel,

p. 10

Seniors and football,p. 18

19 December 2008

pg nroeG Hner�

Green Horn Interview By Lauren Drasler

. 9th Grader Jessica Osceola Questions Bussing Policy

Kelsey Christensen, Anthony Dana, Courtney Downing, Angelo Jardina, Shena Lucero-Keniston, Jeff Moore, Laurel Porter,

Emily Reeves, Ashley Richardson, Ember Rushford-Emery

GREEN HORN STAFFEditor-in-Chief / LayoutEditorEditorPhotography EditorSports EditorTech News Editor

T om Benton........................A shley Fountain...................L auren Drasler.....................H anna Reeves......................G rant White........................D even Blais.........................

----------------REPORTERS---------------

Over the course of the past few months, busses have been the topic of much discussion in the Springfield School District. At the beginning of

the 2008-2009 school year, school officials changed the policy, due, at the time, to the rising cost of fuel. Bus-ses now run only to students who live two miles away from school, instead of the previous 1.5-mile cutoff. As the price of fuel drops, and the weather turns colder, however, numerous concerns have been raised about this change in bus transportation policy. Springfield High School freshman Jessica Osceola has been a prominent voice in this bussing debate. Osceola wrote a letter in November addressing issues and concerns she had about the change. The Green Horn recently interviewed Osceola about her opposition to the bussing policy, and asked her to talk about the letter she addressed to numer-ous school officials and state representatives. What prompted you to write this letter regarding the new bussing policy?I decided to write the letter, after I heard my parents and friends discussing the changed policy. I didn’t think it was fair to the kids who were walking the two-mile distance to school, and I wanted people to be aware of the safety issues, and the problems this new policy is causing. I also think safety should always come first, and with this change I don’t think that’s the case.

Are you immediately affected by the policy?No, I am not immediately affected, but many of my friends are. They’ve told me some of their complaints they have about having to walk, and I don’t like it either. I view this new distance as very dangerous, and unreasonable, and I think that it could cause a lot of trouble.

What goals did you want to accomplish by writing this letter?I just basically wanted to bring this issue to the atten-tion of the people. I felt that some people may not be aware of the issues, and I wanted to try and get everyone aware.

How did you first hear about this issue?I first about the bussing change, when it became public knowledge. I heard my friends and parents talk about the change at length, and I decided to write a letter to help raise awareness about the issues the change is causing. At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to write it, but after thinking about it, I decided I wanted to get my opinion out there.

When did you write this letter?I wrote the letter in November. While writing it, I de-cided to do a lot of research on fuel prices and registered sex offenders in Vermont, because I thought these issues were important when addressing the possible concerns of the bus change. The letter was originally to get the attention of the school board, and I had hoped by writ-ing it, I would be able to get them to consider changing some of the problems.

Who did you send the letter to?I sent copies of the letter to the Springfield School Board, The Eagle Times, The Message, Mr. Wight, Congress-man Peter Welch, and Superintendent Frank Perotti. I’ve heard feedback from some of the people I sent the letter to. Peter Welch said he liked it, but because it was a matter of the town, he couldn’t really do anything about it. Mr. Perotti also told me he would think about making some of the changes next year.

What changes do you see occurring since writing the letter?I’ve kind of seen some changes. My letter’s been in newspapers, and I attended a school board meeting, to try and get things changed. I’ve also heard that the administration may be adding some winter stops, but all of the changes I’ve heard about are not definite.

This autumn, the River Valley Technical Center offered a trivia question challenge to Tech Center students. RVTC Secretary Gretchen

Austin-Ward developed the idea. “I came up with the trivia question so that students at the RVTC could have a fun activity to do and at the same time show what they know about their school,” said Ward. The questions are posted on the bulletin board in the RVTC Atrium at the beginning of each month. Digital Audio and Video Electronics student Kevin Scott won the first trivia question this fall: Why was the Animal Cracker box designed with a string handle? Scot answered the question correctly: The Animal Cracker box was designed with a string handle so that you can hang it on a Christmas tree. Trivia question winners are rewarded with their name posted with the answer in the atrium. They also receive RVTC memorabilia such as an RVTC water bottle with pens and pencils.

RVTC Trivia Question Debuts

By Deven Blais

RVTC Horticulture student Billy Wheeler trims evergreen bows to use for wreaths

in the traditional horticulture holiday sale before the holiday break.

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FeaturesBy Lauren Drasler

Changes are part of nearly every new school year. Perhaps one of the biggest changes in the Springfield School District for the 2008-2009

school year involved a new bus policy. With the price of diesel climbing to nearly $4 a gallon or more during summer, many school districts across America sought ways to save money on transportation. Springfield was no exception in this search to economize. The bus policy change occurred after the Springfield School Board approved an updated Trans-portation Policy on August 4th. Under this new policy, the number of busses running to and from Springfield schools was reduced, bus routes were re-directed, and students were required to live farther from the school they attended in order to ride a bus. "The school board changed the transportation policy to allow the school administration to make the changes,” said Springfield Superintendent Frank Pe-rotti. "The Transportation Coordinator [Martha Tarbell] worked with the bus company and made recommenda-tions to me. I made the final decision taking into account comments and information from the board, principals, and parents." "I was told to implement the bus change after the updated Transportation Policy was approved," said Springfield School District Transportation Coordinator Martha Tarbell. "Currently, [under the new policy] we have eight 77-passenger busses in total. The first run of four busses goes to the high school, and the second run of eight busses go to the elementary schools and the middle school. There are also two 19-passenger special needs busses that run to all the schools. We are currently running four high school routes." “We made this change to help the district save with the rising cost of fuel,” Tarbell added. Once the number of busses was reduced, eight busses ran to the middle and high school in one run, and those same eight ran to the three elementary schools. Because of this new policy, bus routes are dif-ferent as well. Under last year’s policy, students living 1.5 miles from the high school were eligible to ride the bus. The current policy states that a student now must live two miles or more from SHS to ride the bus. Students in grades K-5 now have to live 8/10ths of a mile away from school instead of the previous 6/10ths, and students in grades 6-8 now must live 1.5 miles away from school instead of 1.3. “I can no longer ride the bus because of the new policy,” said sophomore Alanna Parker. “I live 1/10th of a mile away from the cut-off. My suggestion for the district to save gas is to have students go to school four days a week, instead of five. It would save a lot of money.” Parker continued, “I think it’s pretty silly I can’t ride the bus anymore. Right now [in the autumn] it’s not a problem for me to walk, but I don’t want to

Bus Runs Redirected and ReducedBy Lauren Drasler

have to walk up hills in the winter to school. Plus, other kids may not even be able to walk that distance, and if they can’t find a ride, what then?” According to Tarbell, this new policy af-fects about 80 students throughout the district. "After reviewing my student data base, I found about 53 [really only about 40 because a dozen or so were not using the bus regularly] high school students and 41 students in grades K-8 are now not able to use the bus because of this new system," said Tarbell. “The exception to this rule is students who have health concerns and cannot find means of transportation to school.” Most students, unaffected by the new bussing policy, were tolerant of the change. “The bus change hasn’t really affected me that much,” said sophomore Amanda Porter. “My bus ride’s always been really long (45 minutes in the morning and an hour and a half in the afternoon) because I live in Weathersfield.” “The only real change I’ve noticed is that we have a lot more people on the bus this year,” Porter added, “especially when we have sports people being transported to Riverside for games and practices.” Representing a rural school district, Spring-field faces a unique challenge concerning transporta-tion. "Districts that need to bus children are at a great disadvantage from urban districts," said Perotti. However, an estimated $30-$35,000 is saved

when the district uses fewer busses. "Some states, like New York, fund transportation at 90% of the cost,” Perotti added. “Vermont does not and then uses the cost as part of the spending formula that increases the tax rate. Double penalty for just needing busses." Although the bus change appears to be going smoothly from an administrative point of view, some parents have voiced concerns about this change and the effect it’s had on their children. One of the most common concerns parents appear to have involves the bus exchange at Riverside Middle School. Previous to this change, students in grades 6-12 rode the same busses, and elementary students were separate from the older students. Elementary school students made their bus exchanges at Park Street School. Now students in grades K-8 are on the same busses, and the high school busses run separately. Perhaps the most outspoken critic of the new bus arrangement is Bonnie Duquette, whose 7th grader attends Riverside Middle School. “My first concern was the amount of time my son spends on the bus since this change,” Duquette said. Bus routes last year ran between 25-50 minutes. This year, with the extended routes, they range between 35-70 minutes, according to

See Bussing page 23

Superintendent Frank Perotti says the district saves over $30,000 by

running fewer busses; Transportation Coordinator Martha Tarbell estimates that reduced bus routes affect about

80 students in the district; parent Bonnie Duquette, presenting a bus pe-tition this autumn at Shaws, worried

that students spend too much time on busses in the new bus schedule and

will walk too far in winter.

Economic Measure Draws Criticism

pg nroeG Hner�

Features

The Student Problem Identification and Resolution of Issues Together (SPIRIT) program, enacted in mid-September, continues to change Springfield

High School for the better. SHS Principal Larry Wight is currently or-ganizing meetings for the development of the SPIRIT program.

The Springfield High School Student Council has made a strong start to the school year. Already they have planned and executed a fun-filled

Spirit Week. And more ideas are in the works for the year to come. “We are looking to plan activities for the students,” first-year student council co-advisor Liz Goddard (resource teacher) said. Many details went into the planning that comprised the action-packed Sprit Week. For example, the student council decided what events should take place on each day of the week, chose the class colors for Class Color Day, devised rules for the week, and advertised the week’s events with posters. When the week ended, student council mem-bers also counted the points for each class and declared a winner. “It was a challenge this year because there was no homeroom because of the NECAPs,” first-year co-advisor Kevin Coen (English) said. “First period is mixed grades, not separated like homeroom. After that, it was just a matter of counting.” At the conclusion of the week, each class performed a skit during halftime of the football game. The student council came up with minor regulations for the skits, such as a three-minute time limit. The council also asked social studies teacher Angelo Jardina, and English teachers Jen Dodge and Ed Wilkins to judge the skits. “The skits were judged on voice clarity, participa-tion, and originality of the skits,” Coen said. Seniors won the skit competition. Three students from each grade make up the council, which meets each Thursday morning in Coen’s

Council Begins With Spirit Week.

More to Follow.By Emily Reeves

See Council page 23

SPIRIT Program Seeks to Improve SHS

By Laurel Porter SPIRIT participant Emily Mobus likes the proactive stance of the group. “SPIRIT is helping make administrators aware of problems as students see them,” said Mobus. Wight said he was impressed with what was brought up during the SPIRIT program discussions. “I would have anticipated many of the concerns that were mentioned,” he said, “but there were many I would not have anticipated.” SHS freshman and SPIRIT participant Lauren Fountain has enjoyed working with the group. “I love being a part of SPIRIT and helping the school become better,” she said. “Very valid points were brought up, and they covered all the topics.” Mobus agrees. “I definitely think that the points brought up were important. As one person, I wasn’t aware of a lot of the issues that were presented, but I certainly felt all of the points were valid.” “I was very impressed with the honesty of the students who took part in this,” said Wight. “There was a real ability to identify problems and find solutions.” A second meeting of SPIRIT was held on October 7th. This meeting was not attended by many SPIRIT participants because many students were not

See SPIRIT page 21

From November 14-16, the Springfield High School Drama Club presented a Barebones Holi-day Show, a family-oriented collection of one-act

plays. Admission to this theatre event was by donation, and the money raised will be used to cover an admission fee to a drama competition later in the year. Three brief shows comprised this production: Pilgrim’s Progression, a comedy about Thanksgiving, The Snow Child, a family-oriented Russian folktale about an ice sculpture that comes to life, and The San-taland Diaries, a satirical monologue about being an Elf in Macy’s Santaland. About 20 drama club students overall were involved in the project, with a few handling more than one role. Eliza Pennell, an avid dramatist, felt that drama may not have been as welcoming for the new members this year. “I think some of the upperclassmen should have put more effort into club bonding and hav-ing everyone feel comfortable around one another,” said Pennell. “I think we should have played more games with them and led warm-ups for the newer, younger drama club members to make us all feel like a team.”The group rehearsed since auditions in early October,

Barebones Holiday Show Opens the Season

By Kelsey Christensen

Nick Chlebak, Lauren Fountain, Chelsea King, and Carrie Mobus

perform on-stage during The Snow Child, one of the three plays

performed by the SHS Drama Club.

See Plays page 21

SPIRIT made participant Emily Mobus aware of important

issues and concerns at SHS.

Sophomore Student Council member Emily Saypack

thinks it's important for a school to have an organization to plan events.

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News

Since its inception a quarter of a century ago, SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) has become the most effective youth prevention

organization in the United States. SADD has been com-mitted to supporting students and encouraging them to lead prevention initiatives within their school and com-munity. With numerous chapters in high schools, middle schools, and surrounding colleges, SADD has grown to become an influential youth education organization. SADD instructs people--young and old--to prevent or deal with violence triggered by substance abuse and underage drinking, reckless driving, and suicide. Springfield High School junior Caulista Brown, a new member of SADD, hopes to be a member through her senior year. “I think SADD is very informa-tional. After participating in activities, I believe SADD makes everyday issues more realistic,” Brown said. “Because of this group I want to make a difference in my community. I want to become a role model to my peers and help them make good decisions.” SADD advisors create several presentations and projects to lead classes, workshops, conferences, and rallies. Some students take their skills to a higher level by continuing through leadership training. Stu-dents in schools who involve themselves within an established SADD chapter are more informed of the risks associated with drug use and underage drinking. Students who become leaders of their school's SADD chapter are more likely to become positive role mod-els. Springfield High School SADD members involve other students in their program by providing education to their peers, raising awareness, and deliver-ing prevention messages. Members of SADD strive to help their peers make rational decisions for themselves. By sharing their sense of responsibility with others, SADD members support and encourage students to consider their choices and become leaders. SHS Student Assistance Program Director Danielle Dulaney has been the SADD Youth Advisory Council Leader for three years. She has been working closely with administrative assistant Mona Fry from the Springfield Prevention Coalition to deepen awareness of societal problems related to drug abuse, violence, and depression. “There’s a strong collaboration between Mona Fry and myself. She’s truly been a phenomenal teammate. I believe SADD is a worthy group. I currently have 14 participants and I hope more will join as the year progresses," said Dulaney. “My students and I are part of the Vermont Team Leadership Safety Program. My students and I hope to host a rock show, continue fund-raising, attend the Red Ribbon Tree Ceremony, and the Governor’s Youth Leadership Conference [GYLC].” The GYLC is an annual event held by Ver-mont Teen Leaders. The conference teaches students how to encourage their peers to make healthy decisions.

The conference is organized by SADD and members of the Vermont Teen Leadership Safety Program. Students from this safety program work with SADD members to learn about alcohol, drug abuse, risk-taking behaviors, traffic safety, and leadership skills. Junior Kayla Nash, a member of SADD for two years, also hopes to participate in the group through her senior year. Nash enjoys arranging activi-ties and encouraging student involvement at SHS. This year Nash helped to coordinate the Ghost Out. Students who participated in this event wore black to remember family members and friends who may have died from driving under the influence. “This year has been a success so far. We’ve done well with our fundraising. We made it possible for students to wear fatal vision goggles,” said Nash. “This made them aware of what it feels like to be intoxicated. I feel at the high school level this is important to do, to prevent students from making destructive decisions.” This year Nash and other SADD members hope to attend the Red Ribbon Tree Ceremony in Montpelier, VT. This event includes a large turnout involving state troopers, police officers, and SADD members. However, anyone who’s been affected by a death associated with drunk driving is encouraged to attend. “Last year I attended the Red Ribbon Tree Ceremony for the first time,” said Nash. “My mom’s best friend’s boyfriend was heavily into drugs and alcohol. Because of his driving under the influence, her best friend died. Attending this ceremony was a very emotional time of my life. It’s hard to lose someone in light of another’s careless mistake.”

SADDDeepening Awareness

By Ashley Fountain

The Precision Valley Program (PVP) has returned to a Springfield High School classroom after a short stay at a Park Street location. Two years

ago, the program was located off-campus to provide a better learning atmosphere for its students. Due to health concerns associated with the Park Street location, the Precision Valley Program now takes place in a classroom that was formerly a resource room. “The facility on Park Street was found to have a mold issue,” assistant principal and PVP head Stephanie Brown said in late autumn. “We are moving to the third floor resource room at the end of the trimes-ter.” The building on Park Street was leased to the Springfield School District, but when an unhealthy odor remained in the building after efforts to eliminate mold, the district sold the building. At the end of the first trimester, PVP switched rooms with resource teacher John Middleton. Teaching with only one classroom restricts the success of the program, according to Brown. “We can have up to 40 students,” Brown said. “But with the space constraints, we can have no more than a classroom full, about 24 [students]. Students are distracted by the commotion, and each other, in such a small room.” “It really isn’t a suitable space,” SHS Prin-cipal Larry Wight agreed. “Modifications will be made to the room, partitions will be set up, but with the tight budget it’s hard.” The alternative school was originally es-tablished for students who find it difficult to learn in a traditional school environment. “[PVP] is an opportunity for students who learn in an unconventional mode,”

Alternative School Back

at SHSBy Emily Reeves

See PVP page 21

Stephanie Brown, right, with students Angelica Barbour and Katarina

Gilman, feels that locating PVP at the high school distracts students.

Kayla Nash, left, with Alexis Olmstead, helped to coordinate the

SADD-sponsored Ghost Out, an activity to remember those who may

have died as a result of DUI.

pg nroeG Hner�

News

Every time you pick up a bottle of water, you are getting nutrients needed to keep your body going.

But you also could be polluting the atmo-sphere. About 2.5 million water bottles are produced an hour but only about 20% of those bottles are recycled. “The amount of carbon be-ing released each hour is making a huge carbon footprint on our atmosphere,” Springfield High School science teacher Gretel Schuck said. “The pollution caused from producing these bottles is the biggest drawback to drinking bottled water.” The water bottles not being recycled are overflowing landfills at an alarming rate of 26,400,000 per day. The waste in landfills is releasing large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, contributing heavily to global warming. In response to these appalling environmental facts, SHS students formed an environmental club, Students Aware of our Valuable Environment (SAVE), last year in an effort to help the environment and recycle the high school’s water bottles. “I think it’s really important to take care of the planet,” SAVE member Eliza Pen-nell said. “It’s the only one we have. And students at SHS can do their part to protect it.” Boxes were placed in each classroom so students were able to recycle their water bottles and cans instead of throwing them in the trash, where they would eventually end up in our landfills. “We wanted the boxes to be placed near the trash," SAVE member Paulina Mei said, "so students would see them and it wouldn’t be out of their way.” “On the large scale, our efforts didn’t make much of a difference. But we cleaned up our school grounds and made our own local environment a better, cleaner place,” Pennell said. “We recycled bottles, which reduces waste, and that was the most important thing that we did. We contributed to the fight to stop global warming, and as more and more people contribute to this cause, we will hopefully be able to slow, stop, or even reverse this trend.” In fact, the use of water bottles may con-tribute to waste at SHS. While banning water bottles from being sold at school is not an option, teachers and students alike think that coming up with an alternative option is safer and better for our environment. “Students can bring in their own bottles,” Schuck said. “Another alternative is sponsoring water bottles with our school logo on it.” The idea of water bottles with the arm and hammer symbol, or “Cosmos” written on them, seems to be an alternative that most students would favor. “I

From November 10th-November 25th, the National Honor Society (NHS) hosted a food drive to benefit the Springfield Family Center. NHS held

a contest between the classes of Springfield High School to motivate students to bring in non-perishable food items. Whichever class brought in the greatest amount of non-perishable food items won the challenge. Baskets corresponding to each of the four classes were placed in the lobby of SHS. To bring even greater attention to the Fam-ily Center’s needs, the NHS hosted the food drive in conjunction with the Empty Bowl Dinner that was held on November 19th. Part of the proceeds from the dinner was donated to the Family Center. "We coordinated the food drive with the Empty Bowl Dinner so community members were aware that the Family Center needs donations," honor society advisor Marlene Allen (math) said. The non-perishable food items that were collected were donated to the food shelf portion of the Springfield Family Center. Staffed completely by volunteers, the Family Center serves approximately 1,400 Springfield families each year. In order for a family to shop at the Family Center food shelf, proof of Springfield residency is required. “Usually we ask for a utility bill or another document that proves their residency,” Springfield Fam-ily Center executive director Deb Luse said in a recent interview at the center located on Summer Street. Based on the number of people in their household, families are given enough food to make three meals a day for five days. Families can use the food shelf as often as needed. “Most people come once a week,” Luse said. “We are a unique facility in that people can do their own shopping.” However, because the food shelf serves so many families, supplies quickly diminish. The base-ment of the Family Center building is used for storage. “These shelves should be completely filled,” Luse said about the nearly-empty food storage space. “The food shelf is desperately in need of food.” Though any donations are accepted, the staples of the pantry are more than welcome. "We certainly need the basics such as cereal, soup, peanut butter, canned fruit and vegetables, canned meat, the common things that every family needs," Luse said. Luse went on to suggest that poverty is a crucial issue in Springfield. “Springfield is generally a poor town,” Luse said. She went on to explain that the most common form of homelessness in Springfield involves individuals staying in others’ homes for an unspecified amount of time. “Approximately 20 families are staying in others’ homes during any given week,” Luse said. To suggest the widespread poverty of Springfield, Luse added that approximately half of the students in the Springfield school system are eligible for the free and reduced meal program.

Hate That Dirty Water.By Ashley Richardson

would buy a water bottle to support our school,” junior Lindsey Harrington said. “In the long run, it would save money, because we could just refill the bottle with tap water from home.” Springfield High School students can spend as much as $3.00 a day on water bottles, and about $20.00 per week. “I buy about two water bottles a day,” junior Matt Mitchell said. “It’s just about three dollars a day, and I buy at least two everyday.” Buying one water bottle and refilling it would save money, but is it safer? “Depending on where the source of water is coming from, some tap water is safer than bottled water,” SHS nurse Christine Simmons said. “Most tap water has been treated with minerals before it reaches your house, so it makes it safer.” Bottled water has health benefits, and is certainly beneficial to families that do not drink tap water. The water in bottled water actually comes from the tap, but is treated and enhanced with minerals be-fore it is sold to consumers. “I only drink bottled water because I know what is in it,” junior Amanda Aberle said. “When it comes from the tap, there is no knowing

See Water page 19

Food Drive Benefits

Family CenterBy Ember Rushford-Emery

See Food page 20

A Poland Spring bottle cozies up to a Cheez-It box recently in an SHS classroom. Bottled water may not be as benign and life-giving as

some people assume it to be.

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News

As part of a community service initiative, the River Valley Technical Center Human Ser-vices Level II class sponsored an American

Red Cross blood drive in the Springfield High School auditorium in late November. From 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, certified nurses hired by the Red Cross drew about a pint of blood from each donor. The American Red Cross contacted Human Services instructor Courtney Lihatsch about the class’ willingness to host the drive. “Human Services usually hosts it every year,” Human Services Level II student Ashley Dailey said. “We’re working on community service projects. This is one of them.” The American Red Cross tries to receive 8,000 donors weekly. Volunteers from businesses, churches, community organizations, and schools host blood drives, such as the one at the high school. “I am going to donate blood. I think it’s a great opportunity to help others in need,” Dailey said. “Most of our class is planning on it.” Though the number of donors needed may be high, certain specifications are made about who can donate blood. To be eligible for blood donation, an in-dividual must be seventeen years of age or older, weigh 110 pounds or more, and be in general good health.

Red Cross Blood Drive ConductedBy Ember Rushford-Emery

Potential donors cannot have donated whole blood in the last 56 days before donation or double red cells in the last 112 days before donation. Individuals who are not eligible for blood

donation include those with some types of cancer, fever or chronic cough, hemochromatosis (a metabolic disorder), hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), jaundice (yellow discoloration of the skin), pregnant or nursing women, and those with a sickle cell disease. A complete list of eligibility factors can be found on the American Red Cross website, www.redcross.org. During the blood drive, donors were asked for their name, date of birth, and social security number. Photo identification, or two forms of additional identifi-cation, was required. A mini-evaluation was conducted on each participant. A potential donor's blood pressure, temperature, pulse, and blood count were taken prior to donation. Donors were also asked about their past and present health and lifestyle. If participants passed this examination, ap-propriate steps were taken to draw their blood. For each participant, the blood donation took about ten minutes. After donation, it is common to experience an upset stomach, faint or dizzy spells, and black and blue marks at the site where the needle was placed. Donors were given a form with a number to call if, for some reason, they decided that their blood was unsafe to donate. “I might give blood. I think it’s a very good

See Blood page 21

Many Springfield High School students are familiar with Okemo Mountain located in Ludlow, Vermont. Okemo offers employ-

ment to students who may be looking for jobs in the winter, and outdoor fun for those seeking a good time. However, Okemo is also responsible for promoting and financing numerous arts outlets at SHS as well. The Okemo Community Challenge (OCC) is a community-grant system established by Okemo Mountain co-owner Diane Mueller. Over the course of the past few years, $100,000 has been raised through this grant program each year. This money has been given to area schools. At first, the money raised by the OCC was used for technical equipment in schools. Recently, however, theatre equipment for SHS was purchased with this grant. Additionally, much of the OCC money supports the arts in other schools in the district. “Every year, the Okemo Ski Ball raises over $100,000 for schools around the area,” said art teacher Lisa Murray. “This year, we were able to get $10,000 for the art department at SHS, and the music and social

Okemo Mountain Inspires Community

InvolvementBy Lauren Drasler

studies departments got another $10,000 to share.” Murray continued, “SHS wouldn’t have enough money for all the arts-related things we do if it wasn’t for Okemo. The initiative this grant brings to the school is the same goal that I have to incorporate more arts into the curriculum. “ The OCC also seeks to involve students in the community. For example, the $10,000 that band director Jim Chlebak and social studies teachers Dave Slivka and Angelo Jardina share will be used to encourage SHS students to be more involved in the community. Chlebak wrote the $10,000 grant request to Okemo because he had an idea for a student website. “The website would be used to promote Springfield,” said SHS Civics teacher Angelo Jardina. “With this grant, we’re also thinking about making a film or pod cast to put on the [high school] website. We [Slivka and Jardina] came up with a few potential website names, but everything is still under construction and we’re waiting to hear back from Mr. Chlebak.”

Jardina continued, “I think the OCC is a great thing for area schools. The fact that we are able to get so much money for just the arts is a real plus and an inspiration. It’s a great local connection, and this grant helps promote the development of art throughout area high schools.” Okemo Mountain has been open for 52 years. However, when Diane and Tim Mueller purchased the resort in 1982, tourists and locals alike began to re-ally utilize what Okemo had to offer. The mountain’s summit elevation is a little over 3,300 feet, with the

See Okemo page 20

Courtney Lihatsch, left, pictured with student Anna Simert Hailemelakot

Ladd, coordinated the American Red Cross Blood Drive.

The Okemo Ski Ball gave $10,000 to the SHS art department this year.

Without the money, Lisa Murray, above, and other SHS teachers, would

not be able to fund arts projects.

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News

Many schools across the nation have a ropes course for their students to use under the di-rection of trained teachers. But at Springfield

High School and the River Valley Technical Center, many of the teachers who were trained to use the ropes course behind the school have either retired or left the school district. SHS physical education teacher Joy Benson is one of the few teachers at the high school who retains a ropes course certification. Helping to build teamwork, leadership and trust among her students, Benson uses the ropes course as an activity with her freshman gym classes. Benson said, "The ropes course is a great trust- building activity and I hope to improve my students' trust and leadership among their peers.” Besides Benson there are few other SHS staff members still certified in using the ropes course. But River Valley Technical Center (RVTC) horticulture teacher John Harmer utilizes the course in his teaching strategy. Harmer and his horticulture students main-tain the lower ropes course every year. His students make sure the equipment is safe and useable for other students and staff. Harmer and his class also maintain

Ropes Course in Need of Trained Instructors

By Angelo Jardina

the ropes course grounds, pruning back trees and bushes to make the area look neat and clean. “Every year my class maintains the ropes course as a class project and as an act of community service," said Harmer. "Unfortunately, it hasn’t been used as much over the past few years, but I encourage teachers with a certification to use the ropes course to their advantage.” Both Harmer and Benson said that the ropes course is a great team-building and leadership exercise. “Every time I see my students or team members use the ropes course I notice the different attributes and qualities of each person because they are shown through a differ-ent perspective," said Benson, though, with her job as field hockey coach this autumn added to her duties as a teacher, she hasn’t had the time to lead her students through the ropes course this year. Benson would like to use the ropes course more often. However, with an untrained staff it is hard to find someone able to help her instruct and supervise the class. Benson and Harmer would also like to restore the high ropes course. Presently, however, the lower ropes course will have to do as a single option for their students' learning and growth.

Numerous students enrolled in classes at the River Valley Technical Center have the opportunity to participate in field trips. The Audio Engi-

neering class is no exception. In mid-October, Audio Engineering classes went to Manchester and Concord, New Hampshire, to visit a local area television broadcast station and the NHAB (New Hampshire Association of Broadcasters). About 24 students from area schools, enrolled in the two RVTC Audio Engineering classes, participated in the trip. “The main purpose for going on this trip was to go to the NHAB career exposition,” said Audio Engineering teacher Zach McNaughton. “Mr. Renard and myself wanted to let our students have the chance to

Audio Engineering Classes Visit Radio Expo and Local

Access StationBy Lauren Drasler

See Audio page 19

The high wire, climbing wall, and the launching tower, all part of the ropes course, are still in place in the trees behind the tech center and the high school.

The unused course awaits trained instructors to use the facility to encourage teamwork and leadership abilities among their students.

Audio Engineering student Doug Day felt the trip to the NHAB broadcast station was a valuable experience.

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Feature

Amid all of the uproar about president-elect Barack Obama’s successful bid for the White House, some individuals are wary about

Obama’s future performance as chief executive. “I’m definitely concerned about his lack of experience,” said SHS sophomore Maria Stern. “He’s only been a senator for two years, and one of those was spent campaigning.” Resource assistant Pat Kopchik is also wor-ried about Obama. “I am concerned about his inexperi-ence,” she said. “He was a senator, but I wonder about how much exposure he had to national issues and world issues.” Kopchik is also skeptical about Obama’s idealism. “His ‘fix-alls’ are very ideal,” she said. “These aren’t ideal times. It’s wonderful to have all of these perfect solutions, but are they realistic? I don’t think so.” “All in all, I think he may make a good president, but he might not be able to keep all of his promises,” said junior Emily Mobus. “Some of them, while not necessarily ‘out there,’ are really idealistic.” “I don’t think Obama’s going to be able to hold up some of the claims that he’s made,” said junior Ben Cox. “He [Obama] has been made into almost a hero by the media, and I think it will come as a shock to a lot of people when he makes his first big mistake,” said Mobus. “When he does make a mistake, I think people will be shocked and say, ‘Wait—Obama’s human?’” “He hasn’t made any big mistakes," added freshman Alaina Orth. “That’s the way it was with Mc-Cain. He had the time and made some mistakes. People looked at that and thought, ‘Oh, he just isn’t as good as Obama.’” “I have concerns about Obama because we have soldiers overseas who have a job to get done,” said sophomore Sarah Vredenburgh. “That job won’t get done if Obama pulls them out.” Cox is also worried about Obama’s policy in Iraq. “I feel very strongly about some of the decisions he’ll make,” he said. “If he were to pull the troops out of Iraq and take everyone out now, everything we’ve worked for over there, all the strides that were made, will collapse upon themselves. If there was anything we gained from going over there, doing that would be like pulling the rug out from under it.” “I am concerned about his pro-choice stance,” added Stern. “That’s one of the most basic things, just keeping your young alive. If a country can’t do that, it might be a very bad thing.” “I am personally pro-life,” said Mobus “That’s my personal opinion and I don’t expect others to feel the same way, but I feel like Obama will have a hard time with the Bible Belt, because they’re very pro-life and very anti-gay marriage. He’ll face a lot of opposition from that area.”

Barack Obama as Superman?By Laurel Porter

See Concerns page 19

Public Opinion Reveals Some Concerns

SHS Resource Assistant Pat Kopchik is concerned about BarackObama's inexperience. She wonders if he is prepared to deal with

national and world issues. Junior Ben Cox doubts Obama will be ableto live up to his claims. He also disagrees with Obama's Iraq policy.

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Opinion

November 4, 2008, is a day that shall always be remembered, since it’s a day when history was made. While watching television, many Ameri-

cans cried tears of joy. Barack Obama, the Democratic president-elect, became the first black man to win the presidency. Obama is considered by many to be a man of integrity. Aware of the toilsome journey ahead, Obama has remained optimistic and determined to change the future of America. “Obama’s election marked a great day for our country," said Springfield High School social stud-ies teacher Jeff Lavin. " Most people my age cried. I experienced the Civil Rights Movement, and I remember the words spoken by Martin Luther King vividly. Obama has brought forth a dramatic change in our country. With his guidance, I believe we’ll be far better off. Everyone’s expectations of him are so high. I fear it’ll be hard for him to live up to them.” As shown on ABC News, during his accep-tance speech Obama said, “It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America. Looking ahead to an economic crisis and tur-bulent foreign affairs, there are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face." Additionally, Barack Obama will enter the White House with an unusually important background, from his childhood years in Indonesia and classmates in Jakarta, to the enjoyment he received learning by his mother's side. Obama has evolved into a well-rounded person. He knows firsthand what it’s like to rise from the bottom and attain his dreams. He believes that through democratic consensus, America can change. Obama has goals he longs to fulfill to improve the na-tion. He hopes to encourage an economic recovery at home and improve the stature of America by developing relationships with other countries based on peace and prosperity. SHS substitute teacher Sean Whalen believes Obama is an optimistic figure for ethnic groups around the world. “I think the American people can relate to Barack Obama. He fought his way up from the bottom, and people are appreciative of that,” said Whalen. “As Americans, we need to show our appreciation by helping create change. Our president can’t go alone.” With his moving speeches and leadership skills, Obama brought Americans through each step of his election. Aside from making his mark in American politics, Obama has provided a renewed sense of hope to the American people. In these desperate times, Ameri-cans are in desperate need of change. As a candidate, Obama became a credit to both black and white people in America. He not only became a strong role model for youth of all colors but also a vital example of American courage. By electing Obama, the American people spoke loudly for renewal. As president, Obama has opened the

Determined, Optimistic, Honest, HopefulSo Why Not Barack as the Man of Steel?

By Ashley Fountain

door of opportunity and made it possible for all races to become reunited in hope and pride. SHS Social Studies teacher Robert Paul be-lieves Obama has uplifted Americans. He feels Obama has provided a renewal and rebirth of American ideals, something sorely missing in public life recently. "As an American citizen, when Obama was elected, I felt a sense of pride," Paul said. "His election

has been an historic first. Through the last two years of his campaign speeches, politicking, and debates with McCain, Obama became a new American politician. He wasn't interested in simply defeating his opponent, for he sees everyone as equal within the governmental process."

Barack Obama hopes to bring about economic recovery and develop relationships with other nations based on principles of peace and

prosperity. Robert Paul believes Obama has uplifted many Americans and provided a renewal and rebirth of American ideals.

See Obama page 23

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TelevisionHeroes

Total Eclipse of the ShowBy Tom Benton

Heroes, created by Tim Kring, premiered in fall 2006. The show, revolving around a group of people who gain special abilities after a total

solar eclipse, became NBC’s highest-rated show almost immediately. Its appeal lay in its refusal to adhere to the “how much can these guys do with their superpowers?” formula used in dull superhero films like Fantastic Four and X-Men: The Last Stand, despite its comic book refer-ences (comic books are an important part of the show, and the series occasionally features titles and editing that give it a comic book feel). Instead, the series’ first season was a human-istic jewel, focusing on themes of destiny, responsibility, human nature, and what our nature suggests about the future of humankind. It was captivatingly performed by an ensemble cast tighter than a strand of DNA, including Gilmore Girls vet Milo Ventimiglia as a kind, gentle, and smart young nurse determined that he was meant for something greater; Hayden Panettiere (who now dates Ventimiglia) as a Texan cheerleader who just wants to fit in with her peers; Adrian Pasdar as a congressman who’s in over his head; Sendhil Ramamurthy as an Indian scientist who comes to America to research his geneticist father’s mysterious death; and Jack Coleman as a spooky man with horn-rimmed glasses who seems to be part of a conspiracy involving these new “gifted” individuals. The cast was supported—nay, propelled—by introspective and intelligent writing and stylish, cin-ematic directing. Its grandiose, twisting story arcs drew comparisons to Lost from more bold viewers. Character development was superb, and the score, by former Prince guitarists Wendy & Lisa, was among the best in

television history. Like its characters, Heroes rose up and soared as a sparkling beacon of hope on the television landscape. Season Three, which has, as of the publication of this paper, aired 13 episodes, suggests that it may be time to open your lead boxes, remove your kryptonite, and thrust it toward this show. You know “Heroes,” the Bowie song? The one with the lyric “We can be heroes / Just for one day”? Well, Heroes was heroic, alright—but just for one season. If you’ve only just discovered the show on DVD and are wondering what’s happened since Season One ended in

2007, let’s get you up to date. Season Two was cut to 11 episodes due to the Writer’s Strike. Some people liked the season. Most people hated it. Many people called it the definition of a “sophomore slump.” It wasn’t very good, save for a story arc involving Ventimiglia losing his memory and winding up in Ireland, which came to a gruesome, rocky, sudden, unfitting end. Viewers hoped that the show would rise like the phoenix from the drawn-out story arcs and unemotional writing which nearly turned Season Two to ash. But Season Three is very, very weak. In fact, it’s much worse than Season Two. That’s because the writers have unwittingly turned the show into what one would have imagined the show to be from the start: a barely-living, nauseating maze of dulled action and silly, self-paradoxing science fiction. Characters suddenly change personalities and stop acting like themselves. The tattered remnant of a plot contradicts itself in bluntly-obvious ways, even dropping past plot points (remember Caitlyn, the best part of Season Two? Yeah, she’s gone. Forever.). In comic book terms, this show has gone from the finer modern comics to the old 25-cent issues full of headlines like “What will Jimmy Olsen DO now that he has experienced … THE DAY THAT SUPER-MAN BECAME A TREE?!” The writers can only take so much blame, though. The direction of the show is up to head honcho Tim Kring. At a recent screenwriting convention, Kring said that those watching the show on the air are “saps” and “dip[fill in the blank]s,” who “can’t figure out how to

watch in a superior way”—apparently meaning via DVR or on-line. That’s about as confusing and ridiculous as the show itself. Kring went on to explain that he’d originally planned to focus on a different group of people each season, but was forced to continue with the characters from the first season because the audience got too at-tached. Kring added that he was interested chiefly in the origin story, and beyond that he’s found he can no longer connect to the show. Meaning that, at this point, Kring just really isn’t interested in Heroes anymore. Tim Kring is either very misguided, pres-sured, and confused, or just very foolish. How could Kring get his show back on track? Well, he could try mapping out storylines (although at one point he stated that he had five seasons of the show already planned) – good ones, storylines with some actual human relevance (see Season One). He could write the characters as the individuals they are rather than pawns used to keep the pointless story arcs moving (see Season One). He could ignore all the mistakes of the past two and a half seasons—the twenty fans that remain wouldn’t care. He could bring back Caitlyn, who was the most interesting character since the first season (the only interesting character, actually). The Fix-It-All solution? Re-watch Season One. There may be another solution, though. Bryan Fuller only wrote two episodes of Season One, but he seems to have plotted a significant portion of it. He left at the end of the first season to run Pushing Daisies, a lovely little show that—surprise!—has now been cancelled. That means that Fuller is now free to return to Heroes, which he will reportedly be doing beginning with the twentieth episode of this season. By that point, Season Three will be beyond salvation. Even at this point, it would take the Last Son of Krypton to save it. But the popular theory among fans is that when Fuller returns, so will the show they know and love. At least Season Four might be good, assuming the show lasts that long. For me, Season One was enough. It was, cli-ched as it sounds, like the most beautiful sunrise. It was an uplifting, smart, inspiring, passionately humanistic and thoughtful season of television, and as such it ranks among the greatest seasons of TV ever aired. It had an irresistibly intriguing beginning and an unquestionably sound closing. Season Two had some good points, some very good points, even, but it had a lot more weak points. And Season Three? Well, Season Three just stinks. Let me know when Bryan Fuller shows up.

Visit past editions of the Green Horn online at shs.ssdvt.org.

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ColumnsFinding Serendipity

NeuroticBy Eliza Pennell

Kids, for the most part, are gloriously exploratory, adventurous, curious little beings. They’ll ask questions that make your mind boggle. They’ll

draw pictures that are so creative and ... well, almost bizarre, that they could rival the most acclaimed modern artists of our time. They’re not jaded, they’re not afraid to ask Why? and they’re spontaneous and adaptable. They’re free. I wasn’t like this as a kid. Was I even a kid? That’s debatable. I wasn’t an explorer or adventurer. I’ve been told I was a precocious little person, sure, but

looking back, I think I would now find it more of a scary-precocious than a charming-precocious. I wanted to be right. All the time. I wanted to learn simply because I wanted to be right all the time. I asked questions because I wanted to know everything, and thought I could know everything, and those things I didn’t know or didn’t understand frustrated, agitated, and overwhelmed me. I was extremely uptight—maybe from the very day I was born. If I met the ten-year-old version of myself today, I would probably expect that ten-year-old kid to become a high school student who SAT-preps every weekend in her sophomore and junior years of high school and doesn’t really bother to build strong relationships with people because she’s just too focused on success. Well, she’d be too focused and she’d be too afraid. She’d go on to become an Ivy League college graduate with tired eyes, frown lines and still very few meaningful friendships under her belt. She would finally fulfill her destiny as a sensible, efficient woman with a sensible, well-paying job—in law, perhaps, or business. She wouldn’t be happy, but she wouldn’t really know what “happy” feels like anyway, so, save a few regretful,

doubt-filled nights alone, it wouldn’t bother her much. Maybe she’d find someone to marry—someone who could stay just as distant as she’d like. Maybe they’d have kids, and they’d be a family unit, a well-organized group of biologically related success-seekers. Maybe her kids would rebel, and she’d dump them into therapy. She’d probably get a divorce eventually, and since her husband was the one with enough spare time for an af-fair, she’d get full custody of the kids, who would still be in therapy. They’d grow up, leave her, and send perfunc-tory Christmas cards every year, signed not only by themselves but by their children, who would wonder why this woman they never called grandma didn’t ever visit them. She would keep working, because she was good at that. She would grow more and more tired, but that’s all she’d really feel. Her coworkers would begin anticipating her retirement; she’d stick around longer than anyone expected. She’d finally retire. She’d read a lot. Prob-ably medicine or law magazines. She’d be alone. Eventually, she’d die. People would go to her funeral;

See Serendipity page 23

Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain battled for the approval of Americans this past summer and autumn. After the most historical

political race America had ever seen, Senator Barack Obama, a black man, took the White House with a ma-jority vote. Americans, with their constitutional right to vote, decided the fate of their country: the true meaning of a democracy. Most Americans probably may not have realized that the rest of the world was watching them. But they, in fact, may have decided the fate of the entire world. The 2008 presidential election was historical from the beginning. Never has a single candidate gener-ated more enthusiasm or caused an entire generation to become interested in politics. Barack Obama not only changed America, but also affected the entire world. From Europe to Asia to the Middle East people will now watch closely as the political drama in America unfolds and Obama moves into the White House on January 20th. Here is what they think. Europe: According to Yahoo news on the eve of the election, citizens of Paris, France, held a city-wide “Goodbye George” party where hundreds of thousands of people celebrated the end of Bush’s eight-year term

Rhapsody in BlueThe World is Watching

By Jeff Mooreof office. In countries such as France and Germany polls showed that 65-80% of the people supported Obama. The popular British newspaper The Guard-ian reported that the Obama win could be seen as “a milestone in America’s racial and cultural evolution.” Britain’s more conservative paper, The Daily Telegraph, reported Obama’s victory as a “remarkable triumph of hope over adversity.” British television reporter David Frost called Obama’s win “just the breath of fresh air we needed.” British Housing Minister Margaret Beckett stated, “Obama’s victory absolutely shakes people’s perceptions of the America we love to hate.” Jose Manuel Barosso, President of the Eu-ropean Commission, said, “This is a time for a renewed commitment between Europe and the United States of America. We need to change the current crisis into a new opportunity. We need a new deal for the world.” Barosso added, “I sincerely hope that with the leadership of President Obama, the United States of America will join forces with Europe to drive this new deal. For the benefit of our societies, for the benefit of the world.” Iraq: Hoshyar Zebari, the Iraqi Foreign

Minister, said, “I think Obama’s victory was a major change… although I don’t believe there will be any changes overnight… there is a great deal at stake for everybody.” Pakistan: Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani congratulated Obama on his victory. He hoped the Democrat would promote “peace and stabil-ity.” Gilani added, “I hope that under your dynamic

See Rhapsody page 22

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At the Cinema

Twenty minutes into Quantum of Solace, any true Bond fan will be smiling ear-to-ear. Their smile will be so wide, in fact, that those sitting

beside them may be struck by the stunning resemblance between the nearest Bond fan and Heath Ledger’s Joker. Why so smiley? Because just as hard as Bond’s disin-tegrating liver is hit by his beloved alcohol, Bond fans will be hit with a realization so golden that Goldfinger would be beside himself trying to swindle it from their minds: we are living in the second golden age of James Bond films. As anyone familiar with the series will tell you, the first golden age of Bond films occurred in the

Quantum of SolaceJames Bond, Shaken and Stirred

By Tom Benton

1960s. Sean Connery was the ultimate James Bond: radiantly masculine, irresistibly handsome, witty and cool in a way that would make Samuel L. Jackson pause, but with a shocking dark side which he could turn to when it was called for (and sometimes, even when it wasn’t). The plot lines were always very different, but every adventure was wild, exotic, over-the-top, and unforgettable. The villains were as absurdly diabolical as Fu Manchu, but with real world connections that kept audiences intrigued. Every Bond adventure of the 60s – with the exception of 1967’s You Only Live Twice, Connery’s last before tossing the reins to the infamous George Lazenby for one film – was brilliant, and remained the measure of all suave secret agents for years. Great Bond movies were made after that, but no string of films, and few individual Bond adventures, ever reached the dazzling heights the daredevil British agent climbed to in the 1960s. But his fan base – which is only a bit larger than the number of women he’s slept with over the years – should toss their nostalgia into the waste bin, or at least store it in the glove compartment of their Aston Martin DB5s until Daniel Craig steps down from the role. Like 2006’s breathtaking, astonishing, mindboggling Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace feels just like a classic 007 adventure. Even more, it resembles one of Ian Fleming’s novels. Don’t rejoice yet, those of you looking for a great Bond adventure with a license to kill a dull Friday

night. There are a few things you must be briefed on. First: Moneypenny and Q remain absent. One would never notice. Second: if Casino Royale, in which the cold-hearted British spy/womanizer falls in love, was the bold action, then Quantum of Solace is the grim consequence. This film has none of the warmth of that film. In fact, this film is about as warm as Craig’s icy blue eyes, or that stupid ice fortress from Die Another Day. This is a raw tale of rage and revenge. More important, it’s a fascinating and intelligent rumination on just who James Bond is: a man boiling with undirected rage and filled with an incurable, destructive loneliness. He puts that rage to good, or at least satisfy-ing, use in this film. Only the title of the film (which, despite the general concensus, is a wonderful change from the standard Bond titles) is taken from a Fleming story. Since that story was an 8-page short story about Bond sharing his thoughts on relationships at a dinner party, the creators have wisely left the source material behind. The film sports a much more intriguing plotline. Picking up immediately – one hour, to be precise – after the disastrous events of Casino Royale, MI6 continues investigating the mysterious organization responsible for those events. That gives James Bond a reason to go after the people responsible for killing the

See Cinema page 22

Required RecordsAll-Time Greatest Hits

Barry White, 1994Readers, what’s this holiday season all about?

Here’s my list: Life.

Love. Togetherness. Happiness. Celebration. I got news for you, baby. There’s a man that’s about all those things. No, he’s not old Saint Nick, although with his beard, girth, and deep, hearty chuckle, he could have been. His name is Barry White. Mr. White sold over 100,000,000 albums and singles, won multiple Grammy Awards, and had already earned the title of “Love Guru” by the time he was 30 years old. He was and is known for having the deepest voice popular music has ever heard, and for crafting the most sensual, romantic songs of the 20th century. It’s a common stereotype that when two people are about to get really intimate for the first time, they toss on a

Special Holiday Edition!

Barry White record. Make no mistake about it: Barry White was not all about sex. He was not all about sleaziness. He was all about love, about loving and being loved, about learning that life is love and is about love and that’s all that matters. He scored so many platinum records because people understood the messages he was broad-casting through his lush, deeply spiritual odes to love. In fact, Barry White was one of the first black artists to ever hit it big on the mainstream charts and to do so repeatedly, years before Michael Jackson and Prince came along. He was able to do so because Barry White—the man and the music—transcended colour. His music transcended black or white, transcended male or female, transcended America (I kid you not—his records were huge in South Africa, and one of the wealthiest Sheiks in Arabia was famously a huge fan of White’s music). He had stunning arrangements that seemed to be bodies unto themselves: the popping drums blood in their veins,

the throbbing cowbell their heart, the strings their move-ments, the piano and guitars their voice. Add White’s voice, easily among the most distinctive in popular music history, and his heartfelt, heartwarming love letters of lyrics, and his songs became living people. His most famous piece of music was “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” from his third album

See Records page 19

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Luscious Literature

Stories around the campfire are inevitable on chilly nights. One person tries to spook another and the cycle continues until every person is sitting on the

edge of their seat, the sweat dripping off their noses. Then the “It’s just a story” routine begins and continues until each person is calmed enough to continue roasting marshmallows over the blazing heat. On these nights, ghosts walk the floors of a deserted mansion, goblins and witches are in the graveyard, furry things are under the bed. And sea-monsters--well, they’re in the sea. Just as Nellie and Champ are common sto-ries for most of us, Ella Diablo Agujero is constantly in the mind of Evan Barrett, the protagonist in Carol Plum-Ucci’s The She. Not so much because he likes a good story around a campfire. Instead, she taunts him with his parents’ disappearance and death; and with her scream that is only heard by a select few. Evan is one of them. Indeed, the She-Devil of the Hole is said to be the sole adversary of West Hook, New Jersey. She’s

The She-Devil of the What?

By Ember Rushford-Emery

The She

the affliction of Evan, anyway. Simply called “the She,” a name used by Evan, this supposed sea-monster is said to have certain rules about who passes through her por-tion of the Atlantic. Ships go down when lovers are on board, and vessels that carry odd numbers of passengers return with an even number. Who knows what the other guidelines may be: most ships never come back. Though it’s hard to come to grips with the ludicrous idea that sea-monsters actually exist, Evan believes that the She-Devil of the Hole has consumed his parents’ ship, the Goliath. Evan struggles with the fact that his brother, Emmett, is unwilling to accept this preposterous notion. Like most of us in the world today, Emmett needs solid facts about his parents’ death. It is not enough for him to believe in some childhood ghost story of sea-monsters and the like. As a result, he sets out to find the truth- any truth, really. As long as it makes sense. Aided by the mystical Mr. Church and a fel-

How would you feel if your beloved husband vanished without a trace? Losing a loved one is difficult for anyone to endure. However, it’s

even harder to accept when you’re left with the frustra-tion of not knowing whether they’re dead or alive. As stated in Waiting to Surface:“It’s possible, after all, for someone to vanish off the face of the earth.” Emily Listfield’s latest novel, Waiting to Surface, explores what it’s like to live in such an unre-lenting predicament. The protagonist of the novel, Sarah

Book ReviewWaiting to Surface

One Phone Call Could Change Your Life Forever

By Ashley Fountain

Larkin, is an editor of a women’s magazine, and a loving mother to her 6-year-old daughter Eliza. By the end of page 23, detective Ronald Brook delivers the news to her:“Sarah, your husband has not been seen since close to midnight on Sunday.” At this moment, Sarah becomes the wife of a missing, alcoholic husband. Before facing alcoholism, Sarah’s husband Todd, was a renowned sculptor. After he disappears while visiting a past college friend, Sarah is stunned by the tragic news. She’s forced to investigate the scene and face seemingly endless possibilities. After discovering numerous works of art based on death at sea, she begins to wonder if Todd’s dwindling career, and the fact they were considering a divorce, caused him to kill himself by walking desperately into the ocean until his feet could no longer touch its sandy bottom. Sarah contemplates whether he would’ve gone for a swim and drown purposefully. She thinks about detective Brook’s beliefs, and wonders if Todd truly decided to take a break from his destructive life.

She grasps every ounce of hope she has left and looks into the possibility that Todd may, indeed, be alive and may return at any given moment. Listfield’s novel gracefully answers these questions. When Sarah Larkin, a professional magazine editor, receives a phone call from the Florida Police, she hears that her husband, a once-propitious sculptor had disappeared. His ex-girlfriend, who hadn’t seen or heard from him in four days, reported his unfortunate disap-pearance. After hearing this news, several questions arise in Sarah’s mind: Why was he in Florida? What was he doing with his ex-girlfriend in the first place? Why did she wait four days to report him missing? Was he hav-ing an affair? Due to the lack of answers, Sarah suffers with a great deal of pain. She hires a private detective to thoroughly investigate her husband's disappearance and discover any missing information. While the detective uncovers her husband’s

See Book page 23

low victim of the She, Grey Shailey, Evan and Emmett embark on a journey to conclude what actually hap-pened to their parents. Did they really die? Were shady

See Literature page 22

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Sports Column The Buck Stops Here

Vermont may not be a destination hunting state. But the future of Vermont’s deer herd is improving.

Only a few short years ago it was rare to see a decent white tail buck in Vermont. I can remember when shooting a four-point buck made you a hero, and shoot-ing a spike horn was the most common deer-hunting experience. The Vermont Fish and Wildlife department put a long-needed spike horn rule into effect in 2005. The hope was that the spike horns would survive to at least two and a half years old. No doubt about it. Vermont deer hunters know how to hunt. In fact, they may do it too well. In the past years, when the quality of bucks was not at its best, Vermonters traveled long distances to harvest a mature buck. Some Vermont hunters have made a habit of going to Canada, hoping to come away with a big buck. Many were successful. But the thing is, when a small buck walks past them, near the end of their hunting trip, it is hard to resist a shot at this small target. This

By Deven Blaismakes the quality of bucks in areas where Vermonters hunt go down. There is an up side to this, though. If more hunters are going to other places like Canada there are fewer hunters here in Vermont. Less hunters equals less bucks shot, and less bucks shot means more bucks will survive to grow bigger. The deer hunting this year is outstanding. Never have I seen so many eight-pointers shot in Ver-mont in my life. I can remember when an eight-pointer was rare. Now I don’t think I’ve gone a day without seeing a good buck in the back of a truck or hearing of someone shooting a good one. You may wonder whether or not it is good for the buck herd if you shoot a lot of the good ones. I believe that once people start shooting bigger deer like they have been that they will pass on the smaller deer. And the remaining deer will grow larger. With this fact in mind, it only stands to reason that Vermont’s deer herd is only going to get better from here on out.

2008 is Worth a Buck, and More

Sports Opinion

In the late 70s and early 80s, Springfield fans en-joyed a school-sponsored ice hockey team. When Springfield High School had an ice hockey team,

the squad played on Clinton Street on an outdoor rink, located at the time where the parking lot for the current bike path is situated. This Springfield High School ice hockey rink was equipped with lights so the squad could play night games and also have night practices. A lot of excitement was generated by this sport, which attracted a lot of skaters and generated enthusiasm and interest as Springfield hockey teams went into league playoffs and developed rivalries with other clubs in Vemont. Why does such a program no longer exist? Did it disappear because of lack of interest or fund-ing? Additionally, where do students go if they want to play ice hockey today? Close to seven Cosmos ice hockey athletes have traveled to surrounding towns, like Woodstock, Saxtons River, and Rutland, which still support this lively winter sport. Three of these athletes, Angelo Jardina, Derek Osborne, and Eric White, play at Woodstock Union High School, and the other four, Matt Mitchell, Jordan Clapperton, Anthony Gay, and Deven McCarty, play at a team out of Saxons River, Vermont, called Pleasant Valley Association (PVA). These teams are dynamic, active organizations. For example, both

Ice Hockey, The Invisible SportBy Courtney Downing

Woodstock and PVA have new coaches this year and an array of new players. However, why should Springfield ice hockey athletes have to travel to play a sport they love? Why can't they play in Springfield? While I reflected on these questions, I concluded that ice hockey didn't die because of a lack of interest among athletes. If not enough Springfield students could play, then the town could have opened up the opportunity for other students from other schools to participate in the sport. To illustrate this interest in ice hockey, a few Springfield athletes, despite the difficulties of travel and time, play ice hockey on other teams--PVA in Saxtons River and Woodstock Union High School--in southern Vermont. The players obey the same rules they would follow if they were playing a sport at SHS. They must maintain good grades, be on time to pratices and games, and represent their team with dignity. So even though their coach isn't from their hometown and even though they don't skate for the green and white as Cosmos ice hockey players did in the past, these current ice hockey athletes comunicate with SHS teachers and fans about their games and talk with SHS Athletic Director Mike Hatt about their adventures on ice. However, don't you think these athletes get

tired of traveling so far and working so hard to play hockey? Their effort shows how much they love their sport of ice hockey. But it also may suggest a need for more community support for the creation of a Spring-field ice hockey program. If you think all the traveling is hard, just imagine the experiences of these traveling hockey player. They get up early, go to school, do well in all of their classes, go to hockey practice or a game, then come home late at night, do their homework and do it all over again a day or so later. The athletes who play for Woodstock High School, in fact, practice some week-days before school. Each week these skaters practice five to six hours and then play two games, which occur on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Following the regular season, they have a playoff schedule. Don't you think this puts a lot of pressure on the player? Probably not many people stop to think about the old Springfield High School ice hockey team and wonder what happened to the ice hockey fans who used to support the sport in Springfield. Well, both athletes and fans are still around. These strong-willed and hearty skaters, and their supporters, have simply been moved to a different school. It seems a pity they can't return to play in Springfield.

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Sports

The Springfield High School snowboard team is without a vital element of any team: a coach. At the end of the 2007-2008 school year, science

teacher and resident snowboard coach Julian Leon left the high school. He vacated his post as snowboard coach and it remains empty. With the winter sports season underway, SHS Athletic Director Mike Hatt is leading the hunt for a replacement. “We had two coaches lined up,” Hatt said. “They were both really good coaches, but they bailed out for other jobs at resorts.” Because of his difficulty locating a coach, Hatt is not sure if there is going to be a snowboard team this year. “I will keep looking for coaches for another couple of weeks,” Hatt said in late November. “When we come back [from Thanksgiving break], we will have to make the decision whether to have a team or not.” “There are ten or twelve students signed up,” Hatt said. “Interest is not a problem.” Springfield High School is not the only school to have a hard time finding a coach to head ski or snowboard teams. A couple years ago, Ludlow was also unable to hire a coach for the job. “It was weird, with Okemo right there,” Hatt said. “But finding a coach, it is a hit or miss thing.”

Snowboard Team Looks

for CoachBy Emily Reeves

Drama dominated Dressel Gym December 9th, as the Springfield High School girls’ basketball team lost a heartbreaker in overtime to the Fair

Haven Slaters, 52-46. After falling behind early, the Cosmos (0-2) put the pressure on the Slaters (2-0) ball handlers with a tough full court press that bewildered Fair Haven and forced numerous turnovers. The Cos-mos captured the lead 43-41 with 3:12 left in the final quarter, and methodically worked the clock until there was under a minute to play. However, an errant pass gave the ball back to the Slaters, down two with 30 seconds to go, and they tied the score. The Springfield High School girls basketball team began their season with a practice consisting of running and core strength drills. For many girls, this seemed pointless. They wanted to dribble around the ball for a bit, then maybe take a few shots. The return-

Girls Basketball

Team Shoots for Unity

By Ashley Richardson

ing varsity players, however, realized the importance of getting in shape. “Last year we got knocked around a lot,” junior co-captain Amanda Aberle said, “so this year

See Basketball page 21

Amanda Aberle and Breanna Gunn are expected to be leaders on the girls

basketball team this winter.

Athletic Director Mike Hatt, shown working with sophomore Chelsea

Howland, has been searching for a snowboard team coach. So far, it's

been a futile effort.

Visit past editions of the Green Horn online at shs.ssdvt.org.

Derek Graham, Billy Wheeler, Ethan McAllister, Cole Lewis, Pete Peck, and Derek Otis applaud the introduction of the starting

Cosmos lineup. The boys lost to Hartford 63-50 in their opener.

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Sports

Boys SoccerAnthony Dana (forward)- All League,

All StateJordan Vittum (defender)- All League,

All StateTyler Albee (goalkeeper)- All State

Dan Kendall (midfielder)- All League, All State

John Kendall (forward)- All League, All State

Girls SoccerBrandy Cheney (defender)- All League,

All StateBreanna Gunn (forward)- All League

Field HockeyHanna Reeves (forward)- All League

Claire Hammond (forward)- All League, All State

Cross CountryJosh Bruce--All-MVL

Autumn Post Season HonorsBy Grant White

Hanna Reeves Claire Hammond

Breanna Gunn & Brandy Cheney

Tyler Albee

Anthony Dana

Josh Bruce

Jordan Vittum

Dan Kendall

John Kendall

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Sports

After closing their season with an impressive 11-0 record and two trophies, the SHS football team will be graduating only four seniors. The four

seniors contributed greatly to the season. The seniors include Grant White (quarterback), Stephen Miller (run-ning back), Keith Cook (tackle and center), and David LeBarron (linebacker). Senior, and third-year starting varsity player, Stephen Miller says one of the most important things he will take from the 2008 season involves “hard work and playoffs.” Despite a great season, Miller was forced out of the championship game against Windsor with a knee injury. The team knew Miller wouldn’t be returning to play after he was put in a knee mobilizer and ended up on crutches at the start of that game. Miller said if he could replay any part of the season, he would “go back to the championship game and try not to get injured.” Miller was unable to participate in the North-South Game (a post-season all-star game played at Middlebury College) because of his knee injury. Miller said that “teamwork, determination, and believing that we could do it" allowed the Cosmos to achieve their perfect season and the first football cham-pionship for Springfield High School since 1947. As he reflected on the past season, Miller had some advice for younger players. “Never give up," Miller said, "because Keith [Cook], Grant [White], and myself came from a

Teamwork, Leadership, Discipline

By Courtney Downing

Four Seniors Recall Lessons of Football

Stephen Miller is helped off the field in the opening minutes of the

championship game.

0-9 season to an undefeated state championship season." Miller added that if next year's football team puts in 100%, showed the right attitude, and worked with each other, they wouldn't be disappointed in the end. Even if there isn’t a trophy in their hands, knowing that they went out there and worked their hardest will make them pleased with the end result, according to Miller. Keith Cook, the 4th-year defensive tackle and center for the Cosmos, was another senior on the Cosmos' championship squad. Cook was a key piece to the team this year on the field and on the sidelines. Cook's leadership was immense for the team. After the season, Cook said, "It goes fast.

Coach Mike Hatt, Grant White, Brandon Boyle, Stephen Miller, and Keith Cook march across the field for the coin toss to commence the championship game.

Don't take a minute for granted." For Cook, the five things that make a suc-cessful team include "hard work, teamwork, leadership, discipline, and determination." Throughout the season, Cook was expected to fire up the team and get the squad ready to compete. Cook said that if he could go back and replay any part of the season it would be "the state game so I could have prevented Stephen Miller's knee

Keith Cook's personable, athletic style of play made him a leader on the

football team.

injury." This statement reflects Cook's belief that it isn’t one person that makes a team--everyone must participate fully and passionately to achieve success. For younger football players, Cook advises, "Work hard and never give up. Your time will come." First-year varsity player and senior David LeBarron said, “I wish I would have played harder and done better in earlier years so I could have played varsity longer.” Unlike the other three seniors, LeBarron offers

a different example for younger players. LeBarron says that if he worked harder and been more committed, he

Quarterback Grant White's outstanding play carried over into

the North-South Game.

See Seniors page 19

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see what jobs are available in the audio engineering field, and what employers are looking for in employees.” “Though the exposition was a little smaller than we expected, I still thought the field trip was a success,” McNaughton said. “The most exciting part was being able to see the local access station MCM (Manchester Community Access Media). Between 50,000-60,000 people watch the station in the Man-chester area, so it was cool to be able to see behind the scenes of a real television station.” At the MCM, students were able to tour the station to see how a television station is run. They toured the sets where the shows were shot, and they were given the opportunity to see how a television show is put together. At the NHAB exposition, students were able to walk around a group of about ten different radio stations' booths. At the end of the tour, class members were given the opportunity to speak with employers and get to know what it takes to be successful in the audio engineering field. “There were a few skeptical students at first,” said Jeff Renard, who co-teaches the Audio Engineering classes with McNaughton. “They seemed to believe that it was a waste of time to go on the trip, but once I introduced one of the students to one of the employers, and they started to have a conversation, many of the other students began to get interested as well. It was a very cool opportunity.” Renard added, “The students seemed to appreciate the opportunity of seeing real-life interview-ing and learning about what is important for a career in Audio Engineering. The thing about radio is that when you get involved with one station, you are able to branch out to other stations as well. I think the students appreciated learning about this.” “I thought the trip was totally worth it,” said Audio Engineering student Doug Day. “It was a good trip and talking with the radio stations was pretty beneficial for me.” “Although the trip was a good opportunity, I also found some aspects of it a little unfavorable," Day concluded. "I’m not that interested in radio broadcasting, and I’m not exactly what some employers are looking for, so I found the trip a bit discouraging.”

Audio from page 8

Seniors from page 16(his first number 1 album in America, ranked 281st on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time). It’s been featured in countless movies and TV shows over the years, and has earned a reputation as the ultimate song for romance. It opens with a spoken introduction: “I’ve heard people say that too much of anything is not good for you, baby, but I don’t know about that. There’s just not enough of it. There’s just not enough, babe.” Barry White certainly couldn’t say that enough. Hitting it big immediately after the release of his first album in 1972, he continued releasing albums and singles until 1999. Nearly all of his releases were hits. And in every single song he recorded, White sang about love, love, love. It should have become repetitive quickly. By all the laws of the music industry, he should have been a one-hit wonder. But he wasn’t. Using the canvas that is music, White painted love time and time again throughout his life, each time in a different, beautiful shade. So why buy just this compilation? Well, he released so much music, it would take a decade to collect it all, and on top of that, not everything he released was equally spectacular. At least start with 1994’s All-Time Greatest Hits, comprised of 20 pieces of White’s finest music from his debut in 1972 until 1979. That includes “Love’s Theme,” his classic instrumental which hit number 1 in 1974, along with other gems like “Never, Never Gonna Give You Up” (“’Cause I’ve found what this world is searching for / Here, right here, my dear / I don’t have to look no more / And all of my days I hoped and prayed / For someone just like you / To make me feel the way you do”), “Let the Music Play” (“Let the music play / Just until this misery is gone”), and “You’re My First, My Last, My Everything” (“I know there’s only, only one like you / Girl, there’s no way they could have made two / Girl you’re my reality / But I’m lost in a dream”). Outside his music, White really lived the American Dream. Raised by his mother in the ghettos of Los Angeles, involved with the nastiest gangs in L.A., and imprisoned repeatedly—the last time for stealing $30,000 worth of tires—White realized at 19 that he wanted to get into music, and he set about achieving that goal. He already had a career as one of R&B’s best songwriters and musicians by the time he was 24. By the time he was in his mid-30s, he was one of the wealthiest musicians in the industry. He never misused his wealth. He was regarded as one of the most altruistic people in the business. He was a true star, both in his music and outside of it. It was fitting that he died on the 4th of July in 2003. White probably offered the most thoughtful comment on his music: “A Barry White record is lipstick and perfume for the soul, a magnum of fine-vintage champagne to be poured directly from one heart into another.” This guy was a beautiful man who released beautiful music and taught millions of people, among them the white bigots who ran the music industry during the 1970s, to open up and spread the love. And that’s what this time of year is all about, isn’t it? Just listen a little longer. This edition should be published in time to be distributed on December 19th. If you’re not sure if Barry White is worth your time, you stop by room C306 before sixth period on Decem-ber 19th and I will make you a sampler of his music, completely free of charge. This music is about love. These holidays are about love, and no one handled that theme better than Barry White. That is why his All-Time Greatest Hits is a required record for the holidays.

Records from page 13

where it is coming from, or what could have leaked into the springs.” Recent outbreaks of e. coli (Escherichia-coli, a harmful bacterium) have scared many water drinkers into not only drinking from bottles, but also not using the water fountains in their schools. “Water fountains in schools are unsanitary,” Harrington insisted. “We don’t know where the water is coming from, and people abuse the fountains so no one even looks at them as a source of water. Gum is spit into them, people put their mouth on the water spout, and students see the drain as a place to spit as they walk by.” While the water fountains in school and tap water are seen as unsanitary, people must drink water to keep their bodies healthy. “Our body is made up mostly of water that is constantly depleting,” Simmons said. “The best way to hydrate ourselves is to drink water to replenish what we have lost.” In order to protect both their health and the atmosphere, people need to understand the risks they are taking when they buy a bottle of water. While hydrating their bodies and receiving nutrients needed to keep their bodies healthy, they may also ruin the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. To balance the waste being produced from the bottles, consumers must recycle. “The simple task of recycling will help our atmosphere,” Schuck concluded. “A deposit should be placed on the bottles, forcing consumers to recycle and stop polluting the Earth.”

Water from page 6

“Everyone is entitled to their opinions and to their feelings about issues,” said Kopchik. “I do have a concern, though, about how he doesn’t stick by things. When he takes a stand on an issue, he backs away from the issue as soon as there is any negativity about it.” “I think that all people who run for president just say what we want to hear,” added Kopchik. “When they get into office it’s always a different story. He [Obama] wouldn’t be the only one, so when I criticize him for any backpedalling, that’s just the way it’s always been.” “Obama was so accepted by the media right off,” added Orth. “People didn’t really look into every-thing that he said, and I don’t think they realize that under everything he says, he’s just another politician.” “I didn’t vote for Obama, but I don’t regret that he’s president,” said Kopchik. “Whoever is presi-dent, whether I voted for them or not, I will stand by them. We’re always stronger as a whole. I’m a firm believer in the fact that, even if you didn’t vote for the man, you should still stand by him. You can voice your difference of opinion, but we need to stand behind our president.”

Concerns from page 9thinks he would've had more playing time. LeBarron, with some last-minute advice for the younger players, said, “Stay committed. Work hard and never give up.” Rounding out the senior leaders on the Cosmos football team, all-star quarterback Grant White, who led the South to victory with his touchdown passes in the North-South Game, earned his varsity starting position as a freshman. Looking back on his high school football career, White offered his own philosophical reflec-tions. “The memories from this season will be with me forever," he said. "But as for lessons, I’ve learned the importance of teamwork and bonding, and [I learned] hard work will eventually pay off.” White endorses a number of elements that must be found in any winning football team. “Everyone must be dedicated to the cause of the team and work hard," White said. "You also must have great coaches and a little bit of luck. We were fortunate enough to have all of these things this year.” As for college, White is not sure what he wants to do with football after high school. White also says if he had a chance to replay a part of the season he wouldn’t have replayed any of it. As for the younger players, White advises, “Keep working hard and success will follow.” After reviewing their time playing SHS football, Miller, Cook, LeBarron, and White agree that a successful team must have teamwork, determination, dedication, a strong work ethic, and knowledgeable coaches. As the four of them look back on SHS football, they will have memories and lessons to enjoy and think about for the rest of their lives.

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into the game. White gave the ball to Miller who tried to run it up the middle on the first play of the Cosmos possession after the interception. Instead of scoring a touchdown, however, Miller scored a pair of crutches as he was sidelined the rest of the game with a torn MCL. “My first thought was 'Why now?'", Miller said afterwards. “I couldn’t walk and knew right away that I was done for the game. It was really upsetting, but I knew our team could step up.” Miller was the star running back for the Cosmos, running for over 1000 yards during the season. When he was injured so early in the game, fans in the stands began to wonder about the outcome of the game. “I was really nervous when Stephen got hit,” junior Cosmos fan Amanda Aberle said. “He’s been one of the star players and always seems to be in every play. When Matt came in and scored a touchdown right away, however, I got really excited to watch him play.” Mitchell came in for injured Miller and was rewarded on the next play, when White handed him the ball and Mitchell dashed 15 yards for the first touch-down of the game. This was soon followed by White’s run into the end zone, putting the Cosmos ahead 16-0. “The two-score lead early in the game definitely made it easier to play because it gave us a little more breathing room,” White said. “It was huge because then they ran back the kickoff for a touchdown. So jumping out to the two-score lead was a big boost for us.” Mitchell, a second-string running back, had not had much experience running the ball. However, the fans would never have known he hadn’t played this position regularly in every game. “Matt definitely led us in the game,” White said. “He works hard in prac-tice every day just in case he’s ever needed. When we needed him in the state championship game, he came up huge.” The momentum of the game soon changed to the Windsor side, however, after the kick-off was returned 85 yards to make the score 16-6. The Windsor fans got their first chance to cheer “Give me a Y…Give me an E….Give me an L…” and so on, until the chant “Yellow Jackets” was being repeated over and over, growing in volume and intensity. “The cheering from the Windsor side actually helped us,” Mitchell said. “It gave us the intensity to score again. On the next drive, we did just that.” Mitchell was right. The Springfield fans were not quieted down for long as White threw to wide receiver superstar Brandon Boyle, making the score 22-6 with a little more than six minutes to go before the half. “When I caught the touchdown to get us ahead by a lot, it boosted up our energy,” Boyle said. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but that was the point where we really broke away with the lead.” Boyle caught all but five of White’s touch-downs this year, and was being double-teamed the entire game. This new coverage offered by the Windsor de-fensive diminished the Cosmos fans' hopes of chanting, “You’ve just been Boyled!” However, Boyle was still able to juke his defenders and score two touchdowns during the game. “Being double-teamed obviously made it harder to get the ball,” Boyle said. “But in the end, it helped the team because it opened up Matt [Mitchell] a lot.” “Windsor did a really good job at covering Brandon,” White said. “But Matt and our line were so dominant in the run game that we hardly had to throw the ball that much.”

Once again, Mitchell broke loose for a 47-yard touchdown, making the score 28-6, and White was able to make the conversion points by throwing to junior receiver Shawn Keefe. Keefe caught the ball for another touchdown, followed by White’s conversion points, and the Cosmos ran off the field at halftime with a 38-6 lead. “The huge lead at halftime gave us the spark that we needed to finish the game,” junior middle linebacker TJ Wallace said. “At half-time we had a speech that got us all fueled up and ready to finish the game,” Boyle said. “Coach Hatt told us to stay humble and to keep playing hard. He told us to go 100 percent and not let them come back. We were ready after that, and there was no way they were making a comeback.” This speech occurred just before Windsor’s touchdown early in the third quarter, so it was fresh in their minds and they were able to respond to Windsor's attack. “We're all pretty good at bringing ourselves back into the game after something big happens,” senior defensemen Keith Cook said. “We block everything out and get right back in it. That was clear when Grant got his touchdown right after theirs, and it was our ball game again.” There wasn’t much action from either side of the ball the rest of the third quarter, and the quarter ended with a score of 46-12. Early in the fourth quarter, the Yellow Jackets were able to score a touchdown and two conversion points, cutting the score to 46-20. “It was to be expected that Windsor was going to continue to play 100 percent the rest of the game,” Cook said. “They came out and played harder and harder, but our defense shut them down really well. We had a good scouting report before the game, and we executed well on defense.” Boyle intercepted the next pass by Windsor, and ran it back 30 yards to score his 20th touchdown of the year. “Our offense scores all our points, but our defense helps them get there,” Wallace said. “Our de-fense stopped the Yellow Jackets throughout the game, and we were able to shut them down.” “Our defense is based on our linemen plug-ging up the holes, and our defensive linebackers going with the flow of the linemen,” Cook said. “Our line was so much of a threat this game, and the experience of this season made it easier playing in the championship game.” The experience of the team made it easier to stay ahead in the game. And the speed and talent of the Springfield athletes negated any thoughts of a comeback for the Windsor Yellow Jackets. “Windsor never gave up,” Miller said. “We’ll give them that. But towards the end of the game, the team wasn’t nervous anymore. We were just getting more and more excited after each play.” For the seniors, just three short seasons ago, the final horn only meant one thing: one more loss. The final horn of this game, with the lopsided score 52-28, however, meant that the Springfield High School football team were state champions. “I never would have thought I would be a state champion in football,” Cook said. “It was amazing to be playing in that game, especially after the previous seasons.” “Hard work and determination will always pay off in the end,” Miller said. “The win was a bitter-sweet one because I wasn’t able to contribute to the team as much as I wanted, but we won and that’s all that matters. We will always be state champions, 11-0, just three years after we had a 0-9 season.”

Football from page 1 In addition to the food shelf, the Family Cen-ter offers a hot meal daily and is a certified day shelter for the homeless. “We serve about 60 people a day at meals,” Luse said. Homeless individuals can visit the Family Center for warmth, can use showers, and wash their laundry. Phone lines are also provided. A sense of urgency exists at the Family Center. “We do have homeless people in Springfield,” Luse said. “At one point, an individual was sleeping in a cardboard box.” With the arrival of the holiday season, the Family Center needed classic Christmas food items. If such items were donated during the NHS food drive, they were placed in the Christmas baskets containing foods for the holiday meal. These baskets were given out to those served by the Family Center. Luse explained that because Saint Mary’s Church in Springfield hosts a meal on Thanksgiving Day, the Family Center does not create Thanksgiving meal baskets. "Instead, we purchase baskets through the Serve New England program. That way, they come in on a certain day and we don’t have to worry about storage issues," she said. "The Family Center making Thanksgiving baskets would just be a duplication, and it’s nice that families can go to Saint Mary’s and enjoy a warm, family-style Thanksgiving meal." The SHS National Honor Society hoped to bring in as many donations as possible. "I hope we receive lots of great donations. Our goal is one food item per student in our school," Allen said prior to the food drive. Approximately 30 posters and fliers were posted ahead of time in the hallways of the high school to alert students about the NHS food drive. Additionally, notices were given to homeroom teachers and daily an-nouncements were added to publicize the humanitarian effort. "I heard about the food drive from the daily bulletin and signs posted on the school walls," sopho-more Lydia Knight said. "It seems that last year during the NHS food drive more people brought in food. This year, students didn’t seem to care. It didn't seem that there was as much food in the baskets." Knight added that a food drive should be held throughout the year to bring the greatest amount of aid to the Springfield Family Center. Honor society historian and senior Daniel Kendall added, "It gets students thinking about other people instead of themselves. It brings awareness to the needy people in our town and even on a larger scale." Despite low participation, Kendall felt that the food drive was a great way for students to be involved in the community. Though it accounted for only a fraction of the donations that were needed for the holidays, the National Honor Society food drive helped to raise awareness about poverty and homelessness in the Springfield community.

Food from page 6

steepest vertical drop in southern Vermont. During the ski season, 117 trails are open to the public. Each ski season (lasting from November to April) the mountain accumulates roughly 200 inches in snow. The projected days open for the Okemo ski season run about 146, but last year the season lasted 151 days. Okemo is a family-operated resort, and the mountain itself offers fun for the whole family. It’s because of this family orientation that the OCC was founded, since the ideals of that program have so much in common with the ideals of area schools.

Okemo from page 7

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aware of the scheduled meeting until late in the day. “They [school officials] made an announce-ment on the PA during last period [to tell about the meeting],” said Mobus. “There was a brief meeting after school that day.” Students such as Fountain were unable to attend the meeting because they did not receive informa-tion about the time and date of the meeting. “I did not receive any notice,” said Fountain. However, Wight intends to fix this com-munication problem. “I will be giving invitations for those who volunteered to be on the council a week in advance,” he said. “The meetings will probably be on Wednesdays or Fridays after school.” Wight added that the next meeting was tentatively scheduled for late November. “I think that SPIRIT is a good thing,” said Mobus. “It’s a way to make students feel that they have a say in what goes on at school, and a say in the solutions to problems.” “I think that it [SPIRIT] will help, but it might not resolve all of the issues,” said Fountain. “We need to do things like SPIRIT more often.” Fountain also wishes to be a part of the SPIRIT council. “I think it would be a great opportunity for me,” said Fountain. “I would love to be able to help our school become a better place.” Wight mentioned that he was considering having members of the SPIRIT council report to the school board, and he suggested that the Positive Par-ent Group may want to hear from council members as well. “In all, I feel that the SPIRIT program is a good idea. It’s a way for students and adults to find answers for the issues in our school together,” concluded Mobus.

SPIRIT from page 4Brown said. “It is set up for kids who don’t behave well in a regular classroom.” According to Wight, the Precision Valley Program is neither a disciplinary action nor a special education program. “It [PVP] is providing a fundamental service to students,” Wight said. Brown also feels that PVP allows teachers to gain insight into alternative teaching methods. “We want to make sure that every student who graduates has options for their future,” she said. “If they want to, they have the choice to go to college.” The program, for now, is still evolving, but there are plans for improvement. “It is a program in its infancy, but it is vitally needed,” said Wight. “We now have Mrs. Brown dedicated to the program, unlike in the past when we had no one.” As the new head of the program, Brown has high hopes for PVP. “Right now it is a hybrid program,” she said. “It needs to be made more holistic.” Currently, students enrolled in PVP have their core classes with the alternative program, but electives with the high school. “We just aren’t set up for [electives],” Brown said. Wight also hopes to see improvements in the program. “Eventually I would like to see it as a viable, energetic program, with around 35 students,” Wight said. “It should cover the same core standards, in a collaborative or interdisciplinary approach.” PVP shares much of the same curricu-lum with the high school, which Brown also sees as something that should be changed. “We are looking to identify the power standards, which students need to be competent in,” she said. Power standards, according to Brown, consolidate the necessary things to learn. One of the greatest changes that Wight and Brown see as necessary involves hiring a full-time staff. “We are in the process of hiring a full-time teacher,” Brown said. “The others are all part-time, with a full time para-educator.” Although the program is still in transition at Springfield High School, both Brown and Wight see the program as a vital part of the school. Wight said that most successful schools have some form of alternative school, giving students who learn best in a different environment a better chance of graduating. “One size does not fit all,” Wight said. “If someone was to try on Michael Jordan’s sneakers, most likely they would find them very uncomfortable.”

PVP from page 5earlier than the typical SHS fall performance, three times a week to prepare for the November 14th opening. Each individual play rehearsed around twice a week. Junior Jess Watkins felt that the timing of the rehearsals was a detriment to the production. “It was harder this year, because the show was earlier,” said Watkins. “So were the rehearsals, because people had a lot of other conflicting activities, such as fall sports. Since so many people were absent for rehearsals, it was harder to create a tight-knit bond with the drama club, like we usually do.” Drama coach Becky Skrypeck agreed some-what with this point of view. “It is weird having the show this early in November,” said Skrypeck about the show before its debut. “[But] I like knowing it’s done before Thanksgiving. It makes the holidays a little less stressful. I also like knowing I can start working on the musical and getting auditions ready.” Despite the earlier schedule for the show, many drama members felt the end result was success-ful. “I think the plays went well,” said senior An-drew Sullivan. Sullivan watched the two performances in which he did not appear and he felt they went well from an audience standpoint. “I watched the other two shows on Friday night,” said Pennell. “I really enjoyed seeing the other actors perform. Pilgrim's Progression made me laugh, and The Snow Child was incredibly sweet.” “There was a good contrast between the three shows,” Watkins agreed. Amanda Porter, the backstage manager, Pennell, and Watkins agreed that the performances came together well. “I was afraid people wouldn’t like the stories or they [the stories] wouldn’t make sense,” said Porter. “But the actors pulled it off.” Porter felt that the actors may not have liked the plays they were performing, but they carried the performances with a sense of profes-sionalism. “The plays exceeded my expectations,” said Pennell. “I know we weren’t really prepared early in hell week but they really pulled things together, too. Ev-eryone learned their cues and lines and movements.” Despite the success of the performance, the downfall of this production was the attendance. Roughly 40 people attended each performance, which is a low number for such a show. “There weren’t as many people as I’d hoped,” said Sullivan. “You always hope for a full house. But there could be one person in the audience and I’d still perform.” “The one-acts aren’t publicized as much as the spring show,” explained Watkins. “Less people know about them.” No matter the size of the crowd for this holiday show, drama club members look forward to the musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, which will be performed some time in March. Auditions for this famous American musical, which will be transformed to allow for more female roles, took place on December 9th and December 10th. After the Bare Bones Holiday Show, Jess Watkins probably spoke for other members of the drama club when she said,“I'm going to miss drama until it starts back up for the musical."

Plays from page 4

we’re working on a lot of running and core-strength in order to get us in shape for the season. We’ll hopefully be bigger and stronger than our opponents. But if not, we’ll at least be able to keep up.” For the first week, when the balls are broken out during practices, it’s mainly to shoot foul shots or work on ball handling. “Coach [AJ McAllister] is having us work on our foul shots a lot,” junior Lindsay Bolduc said. “It’s an easy opportunity to score points and can make or break a game.” Team unity is the focus for this year's squad. Right from the first day of practice McAllister has encouraged the team to bond and work hard dur-ing practices. “After the bad reputation of last year’s team we’re really trying to be more focused to prove to everyone that it’s a new year,” Aberle said. “We’re more focused during practice. And we push ourselves hard. Because of the strict guidelines coach has for us this year, there aren’t as many players skipping practices.” A big part of being united is doing things together on and off the court. So far, the team has gone to a Dartmouth basketball game and planned to scout other teams after the season started. “We want to play as a team and act as a team,” junior co-captain Kayla Per-ham said. “We’re going to scout other teams and watch footage before a game. This way, we can learn from our mistakes instead of just forgetting about them.” The girls traveled to Sunapee for a jamboree and played a scrimmage at Dressel Gymnasium to pre-pare for the upcoming season. “Our offense definitely needs some working on,” Perham said.

Basketball from page 16

thing to do," Springfield High School Librarian Katie Blair said. "But I’m very squeamish about needles.” World Languages teacher Yuliya Ballou agreed with Blair before the blood drive in November. “Yes, I will donate blood," Ballou said. "I have tried in the past, but the lines were too long. I was upset that I was unable to donate blood that day. At any given time, there are many people in this country who need blood transfusions.” Blood that is donated during these Ameri-can Red Cross blood drives goes through a series of high-tech tests. Through the process of nucleic acid testing, the blood is tested for HIV and Hepatitis C. A process is currently being developed that will remove contaminated white blood cells from donated blood. These cells are often rejected by the immune system of the individual receiving blood transfusions.

Blood from page 7

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only woman he’s ever loved (since Diana Rigg never happened to him in this new universe). One of those people is Mathieu Amalric, who also acted with Craig in Spielberg’s Munich, and who, with his almost eerily understated and mild behavior, makes for one of the more interesting Bond villains of recent years. Amalric’s quiet, which is a sharp contrast to the loudmouthed Ernst Stavro Blofeld (see the Golden Era Bond films), and all of the other Bond villains, for that matter, is necessary. This isn’t a typical Bond adventure, since the villains, girls, and the other trade-marks take second stage. This one is all about Bond, the man. Making that interesting enough to sustain a film is a task which Craig is more than up to. He is almost certainly the best Bond since Connery. And if one wanted to argue that he was even better, well, that would be blasphemous, but I wouldn’t be inclined to make a fuss about it. Craig has the cool, he has the easy, genuine delivery, he has the looks, he has the style, and he certainly has the dark side. More so than any other Bond actor, save for perhaps Timothy Dalton, Ian Fleming would be proud of Craig. In fact, he would be beaming with pride. Because Fleming didn’t write Bond as the randy, wisecracking hero he’s become over the years. He wrote him, in his own words, as a “blunt instrument.” He wrote him as a man whose inherent loneliness burns his insides like acid, a man who has seven lives’ worth of rage and finds nowhere to direct it. There’s an ut-terly fantastic scene in Quantum of Solace in which one of Bond’s two friends – yes, you can count them – is murdered. Bond holds him in his arms, comforting him as he dies. Once his friend dies, Bond picks him up, tosses his body into a nearby dumpster, removes his wallet, and takes his cash. “Is this how you treat your friends?” his companion asks. “He would understand,” Bond replies, before driving off into the darkness. That scene is a remarkable statement about the man who is James Bond. “Enough of all this!” you cry. “What about the women?” There are women in Quantum of Solace. The chief female character is played by Olga Kurylenko, who is seeking revenge against some of the same people as James Bond. Kurylenko is taking some flack for her performance, with many even dubbing her the most dull Bond girl of all time. First, Tanya Roberts was the most dull Bond girl of all time. Second, Kurylenko is a fine Bond girl. Her performance is strong, her char-acter is portrayed in a genuine feministic manner, and she’s very attractive. Most interesting, she never once shares a romantic scene with Craig. In fact, there’s no romance between them at all. How bold and fresh is that? If Kurylenko appears a little lacking, it’s only because her predecessor was Eva Green, who was one of the most striking and interesting Bond girls in the series’ history. Possibly more interesting than Kurylenko is Gemma Arterton, the secondary girl, who plays an MI6 agent sent to tell Bond he needs to calm down and go home. Naturally, he does calm down, a little, and then winds up taking her home. And who wouldn’t want to take her home? Arterton’s intentionally stiff-necked performance is hilarious and adorable, a delightful and smart throwback – and perhaps even send-up – of the classic Bond girl. If Quantum of Solace is one, big, benevolent organization, who’s in charge? The writers deserve a

lot of credit – less so Brosnan-era scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade, more so Crash and Million Dollar Baby screenwriter Paul Haggis, who also scripted the final draft of Casino Royale. Fans will have reason to be a little worried when Haggis decides he’s had enough of the series, because he is largely responsible for the greatness of these past two movies. But the man behind Quantum of Solace is Marc Forster, the acclaimed director of Monster’s Ball (about racism and Halle Berry’s naked body), Finding Neverland (about the fantastic life of the guy who wrote Peter Pan), Stranger Than Fiction (in which Will Ferrell discovers someone is narrating his life), and The Kite Runner (about a man who returns to Afghanistan to give a friend a hand). Forster seems a much less obvious choice than Casino Royale director Martin Campbell, who also directed films like The Mask of Zorro as well as Pierce Brosnan’s first outing as Bond, 1995’s stellar GoldenEye. But he’s a damn fine choice. He set out to make a James Bond art film, and he succeeded with flying martini glasses. The action sequences, the editing of which will remind many viewers of the action in the Bourne movies, are intense and exciting. Everything is beautifully filmed. More so than most other Bond directors, no matter how good they were, it’s clear that Forster had a very precise vision going into this film. He has a style that is not only dazzling and sensual, but also desolate and raw – a perfect fit for Quantum of Solace. David Arnold’s music is very much the opposite. Arnold, who joined the series with his super score for Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997, was very clearly running out of ideas as early as his second Bond score. His music for Casino Royale was a knockout in the dramatic and romantic scenes, but very lackluster in the action scenes, which is certainly bad news for one scor-ing a James Bond adventure. His music for Quantum of Solace is much more even, and pretty darn good at times, but it may be time to hire a new composer. Then there’s the theme song: “Another Way to Die,” by Jack White of the White Stripes and Alicia Keys. It’s controversial, and not without reason. It has its ups and downs. Outside the context of the film, it’s alternately wonderful and horrible. Within the film, it works beautifully, particularly when melded into the sensational opening sequence, which recalls Maurice Binder’s classic 007 openings. Last, the producers have really been abusing those who love having their gunbarrel sequences at the beginning of their Bond adventures. They continue to abuse them in Quantum of Solace. I love it. With the case closed, the bad guys tormented, the girls bedded, the booze consumed, and the audience finished with popcorn and chilled drinks – he doesn’t drink any shaken-not-stirred martinis in this film, by the way, nor does he say, “Bond … James Bond” – Quantum of Solace is an absolute delight. Those Bond fans who were too young to experience the age of Sean Connery, or George Lazenby’s one magnificent movie, can finally revel in intelligent, artistic, exciting, old-fashioned James Bond movies. Now that we’ve elected our first non-cau-casian president, the times they are a-changin’, and we welcome the change with open arms. But it’s a damn fine feeling to know that Bond movies can change with the times, while once more being made just as good as one’s parents or grandparents remember them. Even Dr. No would say yes to that.

Cinema from page 13leadership America will become a source of peace and stability in the world.” Japan: While Paris partied, the fishing town of Obama, Japan, dedicated election day to Obama-related festivities. In Japanese, Obama means "little beach." According to the Huffington Post, the town’s Obama Girls learned to specialize in hula dancing to honor Obama’s birthplace of Honolulu, Hawaii. The town’s streets were lined with Obama banners. Obama chopsticks were handed out along with Obamaburgers, which are made of fish. Israel: A spokesman for Israel’s foreign ministry, Ygal Palmor said,“Israelis congratulate the two great friends of Israel, John McCain for his great campaign and Barack Obama for his historic victory.” Israelis would have favored the election go-ing either way, but, putting a positive stamp on Obama’s victory, Palmor stated, “I am certain that Israeli-Ameri-can friendship faces a bright future.” China: The Chinese president Hu Jintao congratulated Obama on his historic win and stated a closer relationship between America and China would be “for the benefit of Chinese and American people, and people around the world.” Vietnam: McCain also generated some en-thusiasm around the world. This was especially true for the place that he probably would never like to visit again: Vietnam. During a bombing run in 1967, an incident made famous during the election campaign, McCain was shot down and held prisoner in a Vietnamese POW prison in Hanoi, North Vietnam, for more than five years. According to a Yahoo news article, Vietnamese novelist Le Lan Anh said, “As a soldier, he came to destroy my country, but I admire his dignity.” From these reports, it seems that as Senator Obama takes up residence in the White House, citizens of the world are watching and waiting for American leadership. With great relief, the rest of the world anticipates creating a partnership with America. Ad-ditionally, a renewed sense of patriotism seems to have flooded America as a result of Obama's victory in the general election.. Never before has an entire planet had such faith in one man to lead the world into a new era of peace and prosperity. And observing an African-American elected to the White House has perhaps renewed the world’s faith in American democracy.

Rhapsody from page 12

dealings involved? Is the She real? Do those campfire stories amount to anything more than ridiculousness? In the end, Evan and Emmett discover what they never expected. At times, The She causes some mild feeling of suspense. However, numerous pages separate these scarce moments. Plum-Ucci’s novel is almost laughable, and not because of the plot. She just fails to make a passable story line successful. Her story of sea-monsters is underdeveloped and even a bit shallow. Though the main characters may not know what their fate will be, readers do, and not because of some clever use of irony by Plum-Ucci. The She is simply too predictable. It’s quite astonishing, actually. The She leaves readers with nothing to think about. There is no moral purpose, no sense of catharsis. Though Plum-Ucci tries desperately to capture the atten-tion of readers, there is no “hold-the-phone” moment. Sad to say, The She falls flatter than a piece of notebook paper soaked in a sea of monstrous cliches.

Literature from page 14

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Tarbell. “Also, with winter coming, I feel as though all the problems need to be solved as soon as possible. Students walking two miles to school in the winter months is not safe [policy], and all the problems and safety issues at Riverside need to be solved,” Duquette continued. “Many other parents had the same concerns I was voicing, so we decided to write a letter to the school board addressing some of the issues we had.” Duquette sought signatures on her petition against the bussing change outside of Shaws in the Springfield plaza on September 27th. Duquette hoped to get over 700 signatures on her petition. She got 254. “According to the administration, no matter what the parents do, the policy won’t change,” she said. “Parents should have a say to try and help their children. Also, there are other ways to save money in the district than cutting back on busses.” “This new bus policy is a change and change is never easy,” Perotti said. “Most of the concerns can be problem-solved to alleviate the issue. Over time, the situation will become even more routine and we will all find better ways to get places with less energy.”

Bussing from page 3

most would realize that they never really knew her. Some would be sad they never really knew her. It’d be a generic, cutout funeral, because no one would have any great, funny stories about this woman. Oh, some of them certainly had a fond memory or two—but nothing remarkable, nothing standout. No crazy, scandalous, unexpected stories, the likes of which are so relieving to an uneasy funeral crowd. So, she would live and she would die, as we all do, but what would she really have lived and died for? Success? Bleh. What a horrible existence. Good thing that weird little ten-year-old kid—or adult, maybe—changed. I can imagine what a younger me would say to me now: Why don’t you study more? Why do you eat so much chocolate now? It’s gross. When did you start liking to meet new people? That’s weird. Why do you waste so much time “playing” the guitar you can’t manage and watching America’s Next Top Model? Why don’t you have an “A” in all of your classes? Doesn’t it bother you that you don’t? Why do you laugh so much? It’s obnox-ious. Why are you such a procrastinator? Why aren’t you more like me? Maybe I’m exaggerating; who knows? What changed me? It probably has a lot to do with the people I’ve met and loved; maybe it also has something to do with the people I’ve met and loved not so much. Maybe I was simply in a phase, a perfectionist stage, that I only needed to grow out of and shed. In any case, I’m glad people have such an inherent ability to change. I hope you’re glad of any changes you’ve undergone. And if you’re not proud of those changes, maybe you can change back. I pray you’re nothing like the young person I was. I was a stressed out, stressful, closed-off individual. I almost never caused an ounce of trouble, but I was the most horrible child I know of.

Serendipity from page 12

I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard the say-ing: “If you fall off the horse, get right back on.” Of course, this saying is referring to a sturdy four-legged creature with a temper. I’ve always viewed the saying as something of a good piece of advice. However, though I try to live my life with this view of the world, it would appear I’m somewhat of a coward when it comes to biking. Perhaps this is because of my lack of anything resembling balance. But I have to wonder if it could be because throughout my life, everything that hasn’t gone exactly right, I’ve given up on. An example of this that stands out in my mind concerns my experience with soccer in middle school. Throughout my elementary school career, I was a sports fiend. I had planned to continue on with my sports career all through my school days, with a goal of playing sports in college as well. This plan was dashed, however, when not even a semi-good looking coach could keep me on the soccer team in 7th grade. While running around the fields at the middle school, I began to realize that my time was not nearly as good as anyone else’s. In fact, I was trailing at the end of this run. I went home discouraged and quit the next day. Since then, the only team sport I participated in was dance team, and due to schedule conflicts, my career on that team ended as well. My view on life, however, has changed greatly in recent years. I’ve begun to realize that there will be many situations where I falter or perhaps fall. It’s just a matter of what I learn from these experiences of failure. If I’ve learned anything over the course of the past 18 years, it’s that giving up really does solve nothing. And it certainly doesn’t make life any easier. Quitting soccer didn’t make me feel any better. In fact, my quitting may be partly responsible for my lack of athletic ability now. I wish I could say that my decision prompted me to look back on my life and make some serious changes. But it didn’t. Though I don’t live with regrets, I do sometimes think that maybe if one minor setback hadn’t made me quit, I could have achieved my goal of sports goddess, or at least I could’ve become a more athletic individual. “Walk it off, Lauren,” my father yelled over his shoulder after watching me tumble to the ground for the third time. At the time he spoke these words to me, I was covered in dirt and ready to go home. After thinking about this piece of advice (harsh though it may be), I’ve begun to consider it more and more. It’s only natural that a person born and raised in Northern Minnesota like my father, would say some-thing to effect of “shake it off.” All he had to say was “rub some dirt it,” and we would’ve been transported back to the decade of the 1950s. Now that I’ve had a few years to mull his words over, I believe this piece of advice has much to do with the “falling off the horse” saying I mentioned before. Over the course of the past few years, I’ve considered biking many times. Recently, however, I’ve been enticed by the idea that all of my falls in the previous years were to show me that I really could get back on that hypothetical horse. Now, however, I’m a little uneasy about my newfound confidence. Even if in life I do fall down, I know that somehow I’ll find it within myself to get back up. Until I feel confident enough in my balance, however, the only bikes I’ll be getting on are the station-ary ones at the local gym.

Explorations from page 24case, several issues arise at Sarah’s work. By immersing herself in her job, she strives to cope with the situation. She desperately tries to find any way to keep her mind off Todd. Everyone around her seems to be concerned over the magazine’s sudden decrease in sales. With the stress of this building on her shoulders, Sarah opens the doors of opportunity and starts a magazine of her own. The most engaging element in Waiting to Surface involves its elegant style. Through Listfield’s writing, the reader is able to sense the frustration Sarah feels. Listfield captures despair in the most unrefined fashion, and somehow creates beauty with her words. Listfield’s elegance brings out the realism of her novel. As you proceed through Waiting to Surface, you start to relate to Sarah as an individual. Indeed, you come to view her as a friend. The realism of the novel originates from the fact that the book is based on true events from Listfield’s life. Because she has experienced these tragic events, she can write in a convincing man-ner. Her poetic writing style is engaging. Her ability to use her personal emotions and transform them into something creditable is exemplary and fascinating to the reader.

Book from page 14

Paul continued, "Obama is a man who will restore America's reputation that's been so badly damaged through the past eight years. The fact that he doesn't treat other nations as adversaries, rather members of a community of nations, is admirable to me." During election night, it seemed as if the whole world was celebrating with America. All cul-tures were anxiously awaiting the election results. And Americans knew the results would provide them with the chance to regain eminence and respect. The 2008 election didn't belong to just America. It belonged to the world, thanks to Barack Obama.

Obama from page 11

room. “In each meeting, we discuss ways to improve our school,” junior and third-year student council member Amanda Aberle said. The student council will also schedule pub-lic events and dances. “We talk about events that are coming up,” sophomore and first-year student council representative Emily Saypack said. “Then we decide how we are going to plan them.” Aberle was excited to plan the dances that are coming up this winter. “We are beginning to plan the Snowball Dance,” Aberle said, “so we are look-ing forward to that.” Student representatives feel the Springfield High School Student Council is important to the school. “It keeps the school united,” Aberle said, “and brings us closer together. Saypack agreed. She added that it is impor-tant to have a group of people who can organize events for the student body. The student council intends to organize the student government more fully and add more colorful, interesting activities to the school calendar. “Right now we are writing a constitution for the entire school government,” Goddard said. “It says the purpose of each job in the government and includes an attendance policy and a mission statement.” Goddard is optimistic about the rest of the school year. “It’s a really good group,” Goddard con-cluded. “We started off a little slow, but there are a lot of good ideas as the year progresses.”

Council from page 4

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SHS Speaks Out By Shenandoah Lucero-Keniston & Courtney Downing

Columns

Are you okay, miss?" a stranger asked me, peer-ing over the side of his truck at what used to be a confident bike rider. My dad, a few feet

ahead, turned around to see the damage, sighed deeply and muttered something about my fall being the second of the day. Then he continued on. This was the fourth and final time I would be on a bike. My father taught me how to ride a bike when I was four years old. Since then, I’ve ridden said bike about four times. Three out of those four times, I fell numerous times and I have the scars to prove it.

SHS ExplorationsWalk It Off

By Lauren Drasler

Though my columns usually have little to do with the outdoors, and focus more on matters of the heart, or mind, I decided to take this one for a different ride. I’m maybe the least athletic person anyone will meet. Now, usually I don’t throw around claims like that unless I’m absolutely certain I won’t get any arguments. I’m certain about this claim. The evidence is all around, and those who doubt me should see my time in the mile run. My lack of athleticism has prompted me to think about other matters as well. As I said before, my dad taught me to ride a bike when I was four years old. Blood, sweat (on his part) and tears (on my part), went into this accomplish-ment. Unfortunately, all his efforts were in vain. The last time I was on a bike proved to be my final adventure into the world of two-wheeled vehicles. After thinking about this decision, I’ve come to realize that life is a lot

like that bike I’ve fallen off so many times. No, I’m not going to get philosophical, because my philosophical advice would lead to chaos. This is simply a concept I find myself thinking about whenever I see someone riding a bike, or whenever my dad and I discuss my lack of enthusiasm for the outdoors. In life, it appears as though no matter how many times you fall, there is no other choice but to keep on going. Of course, one can always give up. But there seems to be no fun at all in that option. I have to wonder: if I ever did decide to get back on the bike, would it be because I was finally able to balance? Or would it be because I know that in life, when I fall down, I simply must stand up and dust myself off, rather than sit there and wait for a stranger’s kind words?

See Explorations page 23

When you think of Veterans Day what comes to mind? Maybe war, family, friends? Whatever it may be, for this edition of SHS Speaks Out we asked: How did you spend your Veterans Day this year?

Angelo Jardina, Social Studies Teacher: I actually reflected. Both my brothers fought in Vietnam, so I pulled out pictures my brothers sent me from the

war and I watched Band of Brothers.

Jessie Haskell, sophomore: I talked to my parents about my grandfather who fought

in World War II.

Maria Stern and Sarah Vredenburgh, sophomores: We watched the vice president give a speech about

Veterans Day on C-Span.

Tiffanie DeRosia, junior: I visited my grandfather who was in World War II and

we talked about his time in uniform.

Keith Cook, senior: I let a balloon go with my grandfather's name on it.

Nicole Cole, junior: I worked at a nursing home and gave a veteran a

flower.