the talon magazine | issue 3

THEEND.

THE TALON MAGAZINEEXETER HIGH SCHOOLS

JANUARY 2010

FROM THE YEARS BEST FILMS ... TO THE MOST NNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES ... THE BEST OF 2009

ITS WHATEVERYOU WANTIT TO BE.

WHY THE WORLD MIGHTNOT WAIT FOR SCIENCE

BY NATHAN DULLEAAND NICHOLAS FERRERI

MARIJUANA AND A HAZE OFMIXED

MESSAGESBY JACK TISDALL

MUSIC FORTHE PEOPLE

GRANITESTATE

BY CHRIS POPE

THE PROCESS OFREACCREDITATION

& WHY STUDENT FEEDBACK

IS VALUABLE

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46

HELLO05 | EDITORS NOTEThe AP label and what it means to public education.BY CHRIS ALLEN

06 | YOUVE GOT MAILLetters to the editor on all sorts of good stuff.

WIRE07 | SUNNY DELIGHTExeter High School goes green with the power of the sun.BY DAVID CLAAR

08 | ICE BREAKERSAfter a Christmas Tourney win, whats next for boys hockey?BY NICK FERRERI

13 | PRAYING TO THE SNOW GODSWhy students cant get away from the slopes.BY AMANDA LOSAPIO

-22-ITS THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT. . .

With the film 2012 giving us a spectacular end to the world,we look at some other possibilities.

THE VERY BEST OF THE YEAR 2009From the movies that made you pee your pants in laughter, to the

most innovative technologies, and even the best video games, we piece together what we believe to be the very best of the past year.

COMPILED BY DAVID CLAAR

THE TALON MAGAZINE1.15.2010

COVER STORY

COMMENTARY19 | SWIPE N GOAn original drawing board concept for study hall check-in.BY CHRIS POPE

21 | HYPERSTAGFLATIONBig word, big consequences for a younger generation.BY JACK TISDALL

FEATURES38 | MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLEGranite State on keeping hip-hop music alive and well. BY CHRIS POPE

38 | PHOTO JOURNALISMThe Festival of Trees, captured in photos.BY TORI PUTNAM

GOODBYE46 | STICK ITLearn how to Tech-Deck or drive a standard.BY PAIGE FERRERI + AMANDA LOSAPIO

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OUR TOP PICKSOF THE YEAR

42

PICTURE | DRAMA, COMEDY, DOCUMENTARY, ACTION, TELEVISIONMU

SIC | R

OCK, PO

P, HIP-H

OP, ALT

ERNATIV

E TECHNOLOGY | COMPUTERS, VIDEO GAMES, INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS, WEB SITES

GAMES | S

PORTS, RPG, ACT

ION, ADVENTURE

IN PUBLICATION SINCE 1957

Chris Allen

Chris PopeNick Ferreri

Rachel ChesnoDavid ClaarSiobhan DarmodyNate DulleaCarina FalkPaige FerreriChristina HubbardAlex LaCasseBrendan LortieAmanda LosapioTori PutnamJack Tisdall

Rob Schneider

EDITOR IN CHIEF

ASSISTANT EDITOR

ASSISTANT EDITOR

STAFF WRITERS

ADVISER

THE TALON MAGAZINE IS PRINTED BY CUMMINGS PRINTING IN HOOKSET, NH

The Talon is the Exeter High School student magazine. It is produced by students in the News Publications class and includes contributions from the immediate community

including students and staff. It is an open forum for student expression and a voice for robust discussion of issues.

The Talons purpose is to provide an engaging, thought-provoking, sensitive, and relevant publication for the SAU 16 community. While the opinions presented in this publication may not be reflective of the entire student or staff popula-tion, they will be soundly substantiated. Similarly, while the facts presented may not be what everyone wants to hear,

they will be truthful.

The Talons responsibility is to produce media based upon professional standards of accuracy, objectivity, and fairness.

The Talons priority is to raise the school communitys aware-ness of school-wide issues as well as major issues in the wider communities EHS students are members of; in turn giving EHS students and staff the opportunity to become more

involved in their communities. As a secondary role The Talon will also be a source of entertainment for the student body.

P L

E AS E R E C Y C L E

T H I S M A G A ZI N

E

THE TALON MAGAZINE

NEW AND GOOD.

STORYBEHIND

THESIGN

The classes of 1999 and 2000 left the granite sign found in front of the

school as a senior class gift.

About 3 years ago, the President of the class of 2000 contacted Mr. Kinton and Mr. Sokul about getting it relocated to its current location. However, the cost to do so was

assessed roughly $5000.

The project originally fell through due to a hefty price tag, but recent efforts of the

administration have allowed the sign to mi-grate from the old school to the new one. Mr. Sokul appealed to the school board and averted the cost by having our own mainte-nance crew bring it over and install the sign

with the help of Bell & Flynn.

0 0 4 THE TALON JANUARY 2010

HELLO || INBOX

tered at a school divided by the number of stu-dents in the senior class; its no wonder schools are making every effort to sign up their students. As for the CollegeBoard, $86 multiplied by more than one million is certainly enough to pay the six-figure salaries of those who run the non-profit business. Perhaps the most effective solution to this co-nundrum would be for public high schools to rid their most challenging courses of the AP label. The most effective education is not one cen-tered on teaching to a test or the regurgitation of material. Teachers are undoubtedly capable of offering their own independent and rigorous courses; they have been for hundreds of years.

Chris Allen EDITOR IN CHIEF

t public high schools across the country, Advanced Placement class-es are offered to provide advanced high school students with college-

level coursework. At least that was their initial purpose. The CollegeBoards program is rap-idly expanding with 1.6 million students taking AP courses in 2009, a 50 percent increase from 2004. For this change there exists a simple ex-planation in the incentives of both schools and students. Public high schools are eager to of-fer AP courses to indicate the strength of their curriculum, while countless students are eager to take these courses to demonstrate their aca-demic potential in the college application pro-cess. Herein lies the problem. Students take AP classes for a variety of rea-sons. There are those who genuinely wish to challenge themselves and those who look to earn college credit and reduce costs. But this is only a minority. 60 percent of teachers surveyed by the New York Times said that parents push

their children into A.P. classes when they really dont belong there. So why are parents push-ing? Parents push because they, in the same way students do, buy into a label the CollegeBoard has so meticulously crafted. By taking AP class-es, students not only appear to be taking the most rigorous courses available to them, but they boost their grade point averages with the weight of these courses. The New York Times survey also noted that 50 percent of AP teachers said too many students overestimate their abili-ties and are in over their heads. Some students even enroll in AP classes without the slightest intention of taking the exam. Because of students intentions, course selec-tion is more strategic than the result of individual preference. But students arent to blame; it is the CollegeBoard and school districts that fuel the problem. The formula for Newsweeks annual cover story on Americas 100 Best High Schools is derived from the number of AP tests adminis-

A

HELLO || NOTE

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Advanced Placement classes have become a game of public relations. Why the AP label is not necessarily a

good thing for public education.

COLLEGE-CRAZEDSTUDENTS

COLLEGE BOARDTESTS

COLLEGE-BOUNDSCHOLARS

AP

THE NUMBERS GAME WE BUY INTO

WHAT ARE DOORS FOR?Dear Editor,

I believe the juniors not being allowed to use the side door in the morning is completely ridiculous! I understand that there are security issues with more than just the main front door being open, but stu-dents enter through the Cafe. The door is easily accessible from the junior lot and makes much more sense, especially during winter time. Being able to use the door nearest the junior lot would be greatly helpful and appreci-ated by the class.

DANI FREGEAU grade 11

PRIVELEGES FOR JUNIORSDear Editor,

The word probably has hit EHS like the plague. Almost everyone says it sarcastically, and about everything. I probably like that. I probably want you to do that. I probably care. It has gotten to the point where if someone actually wants to say probably meaning likely, but not certain then it is assumed they are being sarcastic. This is defiantly not a good thing and its actually kind of annoying.

CORY KERZNAR grade 11

YOUR TWOCENTSWrite to us at [email protected]. Well probably only publish your entry if we agree with you, but hey, you might get lucky. Just kidding.

50% SCHOOL-RELATED COMMENTARY

30% FEEDBACK FROM ISSUE TWO 50 YEARS LATER

5% OUT -OF-SCHOOL ISSUES, ACTIVITIES

15% RANDOM THOUGHTS

PUT ON YOUR DANCING SHOESThe class of 2010, with the help of the class of 2011, will present the Annual Winter Semi-Formal on Saturday, January 23 at 7:00 p.m. in the Latvis Cafeteria. Dress for this event will be the same as homecoming and

students from all grades are invited.

CLASS NOTES

INBOX CONTENTS40%POSITIVE

60%NEGATIVE

EMBRACE THE DRAMADear Editor,

Theater kids are looked past as weirdos or social outcasts. People dont know how to react when we skip down the hallway, sing in a place not normally sung in, or are being extra friendly with too much makeup on. The people who do the-ater are some of the easiest people to get along with. We do not judge. We accept people for who they are and we dont care whether they are considered popular or a total loser of their grade. Most people do not realize how difficult it can be to stand up on a stage in front of hun-dreds of people and be a character that is far from you. We work from the day of auditions to closing night making sure that we put on a great show. Before you go and put a label on theater kids, think about the work and struggles that we go through. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

HALEY ERDBRINK grade 10

A NEW WAY TO PASS TIMEDear Editor,

One night when my friends and I were waiting for Flatbreads pizza we thought up a game. The object of the game is to get as many phone numbers of the opposite sex that you can. The rules are as follows:1. The first person to ask for the phone number gets it.2. Getting a phone number is worth +10 points.3. After you get the phone number you have to

call it to see if it is actually them; if it is then you get another +10 points.4. If it is not them then you get -10 points.5. If you call and you get the voice mail you have to leave a message asking them on a date, or else you get -10 points.6. If you ask for a phone number and you get turned down its -5 points.7. If you get slapped you automatically lose.8. First person to get 100 points wins.This game passes the time incredibly fast. I would like to give Jesse Dionne and Kyle Wood-illa credit for this game too.

CLINT HOBBS grade 11

PRIVELEGES FOR JUNIORSDear Editor,

Why are juniors required to stay at school for both their lunches and their study halls? It feels like seniors get to have all the fun, while we, as juniors, are treated as underclassmen. Junior year is often referred to as the most challenging year of high school; not only does the work get increasingly difficult, but it is the last real year to academically impress colleges. Shouldnt we be rewarded for working in overdrive 24/7? If ju-niors were able to leave for their free periods, it would make for happier juniors and would solve the growing problem of over crowdedness at lunches. Isnt that a win/win situation? I sincerely hope that the administration re-evaluates the present situation and comes up with at least a compromise on this pressing issue.

ZOE RICHARDS grade 11

HELLO || INBOX


THE WIRE1.15.2010

50% of the worlds energy will come fromrenewable sources by 2040

(Predicted by Shell Oil Company)

See Exeter High School mens hockey take on Trinity on Saturday, January 16 at 6:30 PM at the Rinks at Exeter. PG. 10

GOING GREEN WITH SOLARENERGY PANELSExeter High School will soon have the largest solar array in the entire state. But whos paying for it?

n 2006 a brand new Exeter High School was built. The building exceeded all ex-

pectations and drew lots off positive attention. Thanks to immense support from the taxpayers of the SAU16 district, the school has embraced advancements in technology. The most current advancement comes in the form of energy con-servation. The roofs of the school, upon comple-tion of this project, will house the largest solar array in the entire state of NH. In early December, while enduring freezing temperatures, a group of SST students helped to move and set up 360 solar panels on top of EHS. Among them was senior Corey Rogness, who was involved in multiple aspects of assem-bling the panels. We assembled the panels in the parking lot while the teachers and Revolu-tion Energy assisted us, he said. I was then har-nessed to the roof with a few other students and

we pulled the panels up with ropes. Once on the roof, the panels will collect any ray of sun that strikes the top of the school and this energy will then be used to help reduce heating and power costs. Because of its large size, the schools energy bill costs an average of $470,000 a year. With the panels installed, this will cut about $25,000 a year from this total cost. In addition to the panels, the Tuck Learning Center will be getting a wind turbine, and new efficient boilers will be installed at the SST build-ing. The turbine and boilers are expected to virtually diminish the energy costs for the two buildings. The problem, however, is that these solar pan-els, turbine and boilers are extremely expensive pieces of equipment. Because of their cost, they werent originally on the top of the priority list for SAU16 taxpayers. What seemed like a lost

cause was suddenly turned into a real possibil-ity when Nate Lunney, Chief Financial Officer of SAU16, was able to negotiate a remarkable deal. Revolution Energy was highly interested in be-ing involved with the largest solar project in NH. They agreed to provide all of the panels and allow the school to pay them off solely on the money we save each year, said Mr. Lunney. In addition to this, the government provides fed-eral tax incentives up to 30% for companies who try to go green. Since EHS is a school, we did not qualify for the incentives, but since Revolution Energy owns the equipment and they do qualify, which means less of a cost for the school. If for any reason there is no drop in energy consumption costs, Revolution Energy will pay the school the dif-ference that was promised to be saved with the instal-lation of the new system. If all goes according to plan, the energy-efficient equip-ment should be entirely paid off within the next 18 years. This project is very exciting and over time, will benefit our school greatly, said Mr. Sokul. With the states largest solar array, Exeter High School hopes not only to minimize its impact on the environment but also provide a long-term plan for reducing costs.

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BY DAVID CLAAR

I

360Number of solar panels to be installed on the roof of the school.Data: Exeter High School Energy Project

WHATTHE

PUCK?

Exeter High School will soon be the greenest public high school in the state.

ONLY TIME WILL TELLA look at whats in store for the optimistic boys hockey teamBY NICK FERRERI

What will come of the 09 - 10 boys varsity hockey team? Will they have a winning record? Will they have a losing record? Or will they pos-sibly make it to the state finals where Derek Fernholds will score in overtime for the win? We are one of the top teams, it just depends if we come out to play or not, said senior captain Zack Kelleher. We have the potential to win it this year. If there were a year to win it, this would be the one as the majority of the team is made up of

returning seniors who already have experience playing at the varsity level. In addition to this, the acquisition of Trevor Nelson and Chris Pope who previously played on private teams during the schools hockey season, has given the team a substantial boost on both offense and defense. The team experienced a difficult start with a loss to Hanover and then Pinkerton in overtime, but saw great improvement over the Christmas tournament with three wins and a champion-ship. For three days of the holiday break the

boys varsity hockey team pulled out win after win until they finally knocked down St. Thomas in overtime of the championship game. The Christmas win gave the team a jolt of con-fidence that has helped them so far and will hopefully continue throughout the post season. While the seniors provide a robust foundation to the team, there are also plenty of other play-ers who have their time to shine on the ice. Of-ten times sports teams in general, at high school and every other level, will have a phenomenal start-ing lineup that sweeps opponents away; however, once those play-ers come off the field, court, or rink, there is nothing. All great teams have depth, and that is what this Exeters boys varsity hockey team has this year. Zack Kelleher, Ethan Gauvin, and Greg Hayes play excellent together and move the puck well, while Will Vogt, Cam Stoddard, and Dakota Ev-ans have each made their own offensive contri-butions. Juniors Derek Fernholds, Cam Tufts, and Matt Gunst have also stepped up this year, see-ing significant playing time and rounding out an effective three lines for the team. The defense is equally strong, providing solid support for Daley in net. Although the teams depth is fantastic, there are a few key players, one being Nelson on de-fense. Hes so dynamic, said Zack. Hes good at defense but hes on offense because he has good control with the puck and is not afraid to skate with it and creates lots of opportunities. The hockey team definitely has the potential to win its second Division I title in school history. Their toughest competitors are Hanover, Bishop Guertin, and Pinkerton, who will all be competi-tors in the playoffs.

THE WIRE


Want a voice in Exeter High Schools curriculum? Now with the EHS student curriculum council, students have that medium. Students, along with curriculum coordinator Mrs. Freyburger and principal Mr. Sokul, meet once a month to dis-cuss students concerns regarding curriculum-related issues. Past topics have included time to select classes, weighted GPA versus un-weighted GPA, class rankings, and teacher recommenda-tions. In past years, students have had growing

sentiments that these concerns, among others, have fallen on deaf ears. Mrs. Freyburgers hopes for this council are that students concerns are taken into consideration and they have the chance to voice their concerns directly to those who make the decisions. Even though council member Xinran Xiao is fully aware the council is not a di-rect medium for change in Exeters curriculum, he said, All of our opinions are weighed by the

administration and taken into consideration. In partnership with the administration, the council has gotten the course registration

pushed back to March. Mrs. Freyburger said, More college preparatory and academic level students become involved because their voice is not being

heard. The council meets on the first Thursday of ev-ery month during both lunches.

CURRICULUM COUNCIL AIMS TO MEET STUDENT NEEDS BY ALEX LACASSE

All of our opinions are weighed by the administration and taken into consideration.Xinran Xiao 11

UPCOMING GAMES1/16 vs. Trinity

1/23 @ Pinkerton

1/27 @ Nashua South

1/30 vs. Nashua South

2/3 @ Berlin

2/6 vs. Man. CentralOver Christmas break the boys hockey team won the Jim Houston Tournament, defeating St. Thomas seven to six.

THE WIRE

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Chris Prue has received his sign. Due to his dys-lexia, he was unable to take a foreign language during his time at EHS. Since most four year col-leges require some form of a foreign language, he needed another form of credit. Last year he enrolled in, and passed, American Sign Language 1 classes at Great Bay Community College. This paved the way for him to take American Sign Language 2 classes at UNH this year, and after his completion of the course in December he was able to receive college credit. Not only did he earn this credit, but taking sign language has substituted the foreign language requirement for his potential colleges. By taking sign language Ive noticed how its used in a lot of places. Before I would have never given it a second thought, said Chris. American Sign Language will go on his transcript as Extended Learn-ing Opportunity Credit or ELO for short. But what is an ELO, and why dont more students take part in them? To answer that question look at to-days job market; it is no secret that our nations college graduates have struggled at times to find a job upon their gradu-ation, due to a lack of prior work experience in their desired field. Today more and more col-leges offer internships in order for their students to graduate with a resume. Thanks to Mrs. Frey-burgers ELO, that resume can begin while en-rolled at Exeter High School. From taking dance classes, to taking sign-language, to interning at WHEB, students can earn high school credit for

what they partake in outside of the classroom. The only problem is an overwhelming popu-lation of students at EHS is unaware of the ELO program. I would have definitely have taken part in one of these if I knew they existed, said senior Joel Itkin. Even though the program has technically been a part of the curriculum since 2006, the vast ma-jority of students do not know of all the possi-bilities the program offers. This was mandated to the school as a part of minimum high school standards in New Hampshire. This mandate made New Hampshire public high schools pro-vide the opportunity to give students the chance to learn outside the classroom and receive some form of credit. Not only does the ELO supplement academic learning with authentic, real-world learning, but it also can serve as a way of credit recovery for

students that are missing a gradu-ation requirements because they have either failed a course repeated-ly or could not take a required course due to a scheduling conflict. With a committee coming togeth-er, headed by administrators and other staff members, to set the fu-ture guidelines for the ELO program,

it could be on its way to becoming a staple of learning at the high school. The goal of the ad-ministration is to make ELO more accessible and more popular amongst students. At this point in time, Chris is only one of three students taking part. I want to see students learn what they seek to learn, said Mrs. Freyburg-er. For the three students and however many fol-low them, the ELO does exactly that.

Kendra Gurney graduated in 2000 and is the coordinator of the New England Branch of The American Chestnut Foundation in South Burlington, VT. ACF was founded in 1983 to help restore the American Chestnut tree after a fungus, known as chestnut blight, was contracted from the United States importa-tion of Asian Chestnut trees in the first half of the 20th century.

Q. Did you go directly to college after graduating? If so, where?A. I took a year off and moved to Colorado-then I went to UNH to graduate with a degree in Environmental Conservation Science.

Q. How did EHS prepare you for your career path?A. I guess we had support for helping with classes and post-EHS schooling.

Q. Tell me about the American Chestnut Foundation.A. The American Chestnut Foundation is a non-profit, working to restore the American Chestnut tree in North America. We work with a network of volunteers in a program that exists in seventeen states.

Q. Is there something you wish you could have done differently during your high school career?A. I probably would have done something more with an environmental science class or club. I think they were just starting an environmental club back then.

LEARNING OUTSIDE THE BOXStudents take advantage of extra learning opportunity program offered by the school

I would have definitely taken

part in one of these if i knew they existed.

Joel Itkin 10

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

BY CARINA FALK

Q & A WITHKENDRA GURNEYBY ALEX LACASSE

Chris Prue learned American Sign Language by taking college-level courses.

THE WIRE

HARD WORK AND INTENSITYBoys basketball is confident that a strong work ethic will pay off throughout the season

BY NICK FERRERI

It has been 33 years since the basketball team has brought home a state title. Will this be their year to shine? Senior co-captain James Holler said, With hard work we have potential to be a good team. For Louie [Vigars] and myself its our third year, so were expected to step up. Hard work is exactly what the team has been showing its fans lately. The basketball team has begun each of its games with an apparent en-ergy, and has maintained that intesity for all four quarters. From the seniors to the juniors and sophomores, everybody shows up. Everyone gives it all they have got and the result is clearly seen. The gym turns into a battlefield as the squad puts on a spectacle that leaves the fans at the edges of their seats. Most of the games have been hard fought and close, including two buzzer beaters versus Bishop Guertin and Merrimac. Although the fans love the intensity of a close match, the team would like a few more of its shots to drop. The team captains are seniors Louie Vigars, Tucker Munro, and James Holler (Louie and

James have been on the team for three years now). However, these three are not the only ones getting the boards and sinking the shots. A number of new players are making a pro-found difference on the court. Quinn Conner, for example, is proving himself as point guard, as is Brad Holler with his shooting ability. Addition-ally, Mike Fecteau, who just recently enrolled at EHS, is one of the varsitys leading scorers. Though the teams skill runs much deeper than its captains, there is no question that the captains control the court. Tucker is Exeters biggest player and argu-ably the hardest working. He put an incredible amount of time in the weight room and on the court during the off season, and it shows with his presence on the court. If there was one word to describe James, it would be intense. He often leads the team in fouls, not because he is reckless, but because he

goes in hard on every play. James is the best team defender because of his intensity, said Quinn Conner. He works hard and it pays off. As for Louie, in addition to the great shoot-ing ability he displayed from nearly half court in

last weeks game against Merrimacl, hes been able to handle the ball well and find open players. And like with most teams, the group has both strengths and weaknesses. Strength, quickness, and

getting the ball up and down the court are defi-nitely our strengths. We also have a strong work ethic, said James. Our weaknesses are probably rebounding because of our lack of height. We only have two or three kids over six foot three. This season is going to be a hard fought one as the boys basketball squad sheds blood, sweat, and tears every Tuesday and Friday. Only time will tell if their hard work will be enough to carry them through the season.

Strength, quickness, and getting the ball up and down

the court are definitely our strengths. We also have

strong work ethic.James Holler 10


THE WIRE

MAKING A DIFFERENCE:

STUDENTS FOR A FREE TIBET

Everyone deserves human rights; they make up who you are, and that shouldnt be taken away from anyone, said Kelsea Brown, president of the Free Tibet club. It all started in a class room. A project was assigned to focus on what was happening in Tibet. Kelsea and her partner, Amanda, got into the project and wanted to do more after. They researched theStudents for a Free Tibet organization and discovered that

there were no clubs nearby. They then decided to start one of their own, and within a week they had talked to Mr. Sokul and the Free Tibet club was formed. I dont really know how I jumped into helping people across the world. We started in class and I just got very passionate about it, said Kelsea. In Tibet, people are being imprisoned for speaking out against theChinese government. They are

imprisoned without a proper trial and sometimes without any actual charges. A man by the name of Dhondup Wangchen made a documentary called Leaving Fear Behind, hoping to give voices to some of the people who have had their rights taken away. Wangchen was put in jail for simply making a documentary that portrayed the Chinese government in a negative light. Currently, the Free Tibet club is working towards getting Wangchen out of jail. Additionally, they are getting involved in the politics of the situation by writing letters to lobbyists, who in turn try to influence legislation on behalf of the organization. In addition, they are trying to raise awareness locally so people can do their part to help as much as possible. Raising awarenesslocally is not an easy task. To do this, Free Tibet is raising money to participate in peace walks and protests. Free Tibet is not just a club you join so it looks good on your college application. This club is working hard to give the people ofTibeta better life and create change.Being a part of this group doesnt only benefit the people of Tibet, but it can also benefit you. After all, it feels good to help people. If people are suffering around the world, why not help them if possible?

BY AMANDA LOSAPIO

EXHIBIT WELCOMES MUGGLESMuggles welcome. The workers of Bostons Museum of Science greeted crowds of people, dressed in capes and hats, awaiting to see their

favorite movie series brought to life. The Harry Potter Exhibit featured through February 21st takes Muggles on a journey through Hogwarts

School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The tour starts with a guide, fitted in Hogwarts attire with a fake British accent, allowing two lucky Muggles to sit beneath the Sorting Hat. One evil doer goes to Slytherin, the other to Grif-fyndor. Then everyone is guided to a dark room with six television screens mapping the wall. The screens display different sections of the six mov-ies before one wall of the room disappears, leav-ing fanatics aboard the train that Harry and his fellow wizards and witches ride. After this, the exhibit is a free for all. Audio tours are available for a higher cost which gives tour goers a direc-tor commentary on the items featured. Along with the costumes, both casual and formal for the main characters in each movie, there are also interactive pieces of the exhibit. A practice Quidditch target is open for children and adults alike and Hagrids giant chair is avail-able to sit in. The moving pictures which added to the magical feel of the exhibit were displayed around the halls of the Hogwarts re-creation. The end of the tour features a gift shop with t-shirts, wands, maps and other memorabilia for Muggles alike. Many students from EHS have gone to see the exhibit, including senior Amelia Allwarden. The Harry Potter exhibit is amazing. I loved seeing my favorite characters come to life, she said. Even if you arent a huge fan of J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, this exhibit shows you the otherworldly details of the movies and puts you up close with the wizards and witches of Hogwarts.

Bostons Harry Potter exhibit offers look behind the scenesBY RACHEL CHESNO + SIOBHAN DARMODY

Kelsea Brown and Amanda Essensa founded Students for a Free Tibet earlier this year.

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THE WIRE

THE RETURN OFJAZZ BAND

BY ALEX LACASSE

All signs are pointing to a resounding yes. Bass-ist Joe Geis is excited about jazz band coming back. Jazz is unlike any other music program here; it gives us the freedom to improvise, he said. Current band director Mr. Miles, who in the past has taken criticism for not implementing a jazz band said, Now that our concert band is established as a quality ensemble, its time to ex-

pand the program. Mr. Miles believes it is no good to have three mediocre ensembles. Now into his third year at Exeter High School, he has built up the concert band, then the marching band, and he felt with the quality of students he has at this point, it was time to bring jazz band back. The entire band is aware of the lofty expecta-tions he held for them; though the bands return

will most likely not occur until Marchs concert. Only time will tell how triumphant this return to the stage will be. In past years some music students who did not play a traditional concert instruments were concerned they did not have a place in the music program. Not any more: the re-incarnation of jazz band is a giant step in the right direction for providing a balanced music education to those who seek it.

AFTER A THREE YEAR HIATUS, the Exeter High School Jazz Band will be mak-ing a triumphant return. The only question that remains is will it have the fire-power that the former band director Mr. Butkas honors jazz band brought to the stage some two and a half years ago?

SAYAKOMINAMI

ONHER

HOMELANDBY CHRISTINA HUBBARD

International Junior Sayako Minami is not your typical Exeter High student. Her unique story and self is what differentiates her from most of the kids who walk the halls. She is of Asian de-scent, but more particularly, Japanese. She was born in northern Japan, and after just one year living in her homeland, her life changed forever. Sayako and her family have been on the move ever since. Sayako, one year old, moved to New York around Manhattan. She lived there for five years. I dont remember much of New York, that was when I was really little, she said. My younger sister was born there. Sayako has lived many places in Asia and a couple places in America; but no matter where she is, once every year she visits her homeland. After living in New York, she moved back near

Tokyo for two years. She then moved to Hong Kong for four years. Hong Kong is sophisticated, she said. Its similar to Singapore and most peo-ple know English in there. After Hong Kong, she moved to Singapore for two years until she moved to her current home in East Kingston. Even though Japanese is her native language, she said she learned a lot of English while growing up. The reason for her constant moving is of her dads job. My dad works for an electrical compa-ny, which has him traveling a lot, she said. I re-ally hate moving around so much. It always has been hard to be the new girl at a new school, and its the hardest to leave all my friends be-hind when I go. Out of all the places shes been, Singapore is her favorite. I have begged my parents to go

back; I love it there, she said. There are all types of people. Theres always something to do for kids my age. The driving age is 18, but no one drives anywhere; everyone just uses the bus or a taxi. Moving to Singapore was also her most posi-tive transition. There are a lot of foreign people in Singapore, so they are used to meeting new people and it was easy for me, she said. All the people are very friendly. Her transition in America was much more dif-ficult. It was hard here because I was the new Asian girl surrounded by white people. Everyone had already grown up together. Most people as-sumed I was Chinese, she added. She also points out that the Asian food here in America is nothing like the food over in Asia. Here they Americanize the Asian food; I dont even consider Japanese restaurants here Japa-nese, she laughed. I was culture shocked when I moved to Ameri-ca, she said of her first encounter with a western lifestyle. I thought I was more American in Asia, but actually coming to America and seeing the people, I thought maybe Im not like them after all. I dont feel American but I dont feel Japanese either. I feel Im more of a cultural person, she said. But regardless of where Sayako is living, she en-joys her experiences. I love meeting new peo-ple from different countries and cultures, I have many friends from all over the world, she said. She is staying in New Hampshire for the rest of her high school career, But has big dreams ahead of her. I would like to go to college in England and meet more international people, she said. I want to be a journalist. Math and science have never been my strong subjects but writing and the arts has always been my thing. Right now I am learning Spanish.


THE WIRE

THE RELIGION OF THE SLOPESWhy students wouldnt spend their weekends anywhere but on the mountain

Every weekend they pack their bags and are on the slope byFriday night. There are those that race competitively and those that just go for fun; but all sacrifice a number of things for their time on the slopes. There are several months during the year in which thousands of people devote their time and money to downhill skiing and snowboarding. For many, this recreational sport becomes a lifestyle in the winter. When the snow hits the ground, they hit the slopes. I miss out on sleepovers with my friends from school, said Emily Sakovits, a sophomore down-hill ski racer for both the school ski team and theCranmore Mountain racingteam. Once ski-ing starts I barely see them. Emily and her fellow racers not only have to dedicate their weekends to the slopes, but also several days of the week. I go skiing about four times a week. I have trainingon Saturdays and Sundays, but then I also have night trainingon Tuesdaysand Thursdays, said freshman Brooke Kelleher, another ski racer on the schools team. She also competitively races for Gunstock. In order to go skiing or snowboarding this much, sacrificing your free time isnt enough. You have

to pay for thelift tickets, equipment and also the lodging, which all together can add up to a sig-nificant chunk of change. For a season pass one could spend anywhere from 400 to 800 dollars. To ski at Cranmore Mountain in North Conway, one of the closest mountains with the best skiing, a season pass is exactly $339. For someone who isnt a hardcore skier and doesnt want to ski as much as a season pass allows, it is $49 a day for someone under 18. Another popular mountain amongst students is Sug-arloaf in Maine. To ski here a season pass is $899, but its typically seen as being worth the price. Sugarloaf is my favorite mountain because its big, has a great terrain parkand it always has sick conditions, said Erica Estey. To ski here for only a day would be around $60. Gunstock Mountain is another highly pop-ular ski resort, with season passes at $409 and day passes at $54. If you are really into skiing and dont mind a significant traveling, Vail Mountain in Colorado has it all. While much pricier than the local mountains 3 days of skiing is $237 and is well worth the price to pay for such an outstand-

BY AMANDA LOSAPIO ing mountain. But the tab doesnt end here. I get two new pairs of skis each year, one for racing and the other for just regular skiing. It can get pretty expensive, said Brooke. For a pair of skis it can be about $700 to almost $1,000. Snowboards are not as pricey as skis, costing around $500 to $800. Countless people like Brooke willingly pay the money for the latest gear and a season pass to a favorite mountain, but for people who might

not be as dedicated to the sport, dont let the cost turn you off from skiing or snowboarding. Its the thrill of flying downward on a steep mountain, or zig-zagging

down with friends that keeps so many students and their families coming back to the mountain at every possible chance. These kids absolutely love what they do, and cant think of any bet-ter way to spend their winter other than on the slopes. I dont know what I would do in the winter if I didnt ski. Theres never been a year when I havent gone, said Emily. Some even get jobs working at mountains; they just cant leave.

Freshman Brooke Kelleher races down Gunstock Mountain.

I have training on Saturdays and Sundays but I also have

night training on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Brooke Kelleher 14

0 1 3

THE WIRE

ACCREDITATION: THEN AND NOWExeter High Schools progress and goalsBY TORI PUTNAM

The New England Association of Secondary Schools & Colleges (NEASSC) visits schools that wish to be accredited every ten years. EHS is under-going the process again this year, the first time in the new building, after being accredited in 2000. Ten years ago EHS had several high and low points in its accreditation report, which were meant to be evaluated. This process brought to light the schools strengths and weaknesses, and provided EHS with a clear list on what needed to be improved upon. The first major problem was the state of the school building before the new building was built in 2006, the lack of space for storage it pro-vided, and the sports field all of which were in poor conditions. The problems with the schools facility allowed for our new school to be built, specifically with the NEASSC recommendations in mind, alleviating those issues for the accredi-tation this year. This gave way to each hallway storage and janitorial space and building our plethora of new fields. Secondly the people from NEASSC asked that the school would do more to integrate technol-ogy into the school wherever they could. Along with our new school came the new technol-ogy built into our classrooms; our computer labs, thin clients, projectors, and even library media center were built with the accreditation in mind. The projectors have been beneficial to many teachers and really allowed them to expand their curriculum, although the thin cli-

the student body is that of applying real world applications to the classroom, in order to answer the age old question, when WILL I ever use this stuff? The way in which to apply real world appli-cations in school has always been through SST; however, the EHS curriculum has changed since the last accreditation in order to insist that teach-ers allow real world concepts to enter the class-room. But there is no way to determine what the

ents have proved to be more trouble than they were worth for many. Because of the advancing technology EHS has available, the benefits were exemplified by the recent Skype class Monsieur Battey organized. There was a sit-in for French students on December 17th for an hour span-ning, through periods 2 and 4, where the class had a video chat with another class in France. Al-though there were some technical difficulties to start, this technology was very eye-opening for some students. Still some teachers dont utilize the technology because of their course subject and the technology sits unused; so although its great that technology can be integrated into our school life now, it shouldnt have been intro-duced to every classroom. Another recommendation from NEASSC was for EHS to develop and implement a process to ensure that each student in the school has an adult member of the school community who serves to personalize that students educational experience. In order to give each student an adult to personalize their school life, a freshman advisory was in the first year of the new school, where freshmen were given the chance to meet with a teacher and about eight other students to talk about whatever they wanted. This plan was eventually put on hold, until it could be config-ured to allow this for all four grades. Therefore this recommendation from NEASSC has not yet found a permanent solution. The last issue that is important to share with

Every ten years, Exeter High School chooses to become reaccredited, a process in which the school is evaluated on seven standards. These standards include Community Resources, School Resources, and Leadership and

Organization. The other four areas are the most important: Mission and Expectations, Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment.

Every standard leads back to the Mission and Expectations area, because the official goal of the school is to meet its mission statement, and the goal of the reaccreditation process is

to determine if the schools goal is met. The process is split into three steps which collectively last for eighteen months. The first step is self-evaluation, in which the school gathers data from student, teacher, and

parent surveys. The second step consists of a team of teachers from other school districts in New England visiting EHS for three and a half days to confirm that the data gathered from the schools self-evaluation is valid.

The team also recommends actions for the school to take in order to improve. In the third and final step, professional educators from the Commission of Public Secondary Schools (CPSS) visit EHS to view the results of the pre-vious two steps. If they validate these results, then the reaccreditation process is done and the school is free to work on meeting their new goals for the next reaccreditation

process in eight and a half years.

people from NEASSC will decide is credible as truly fixed and beneficial in their report. EHS was recognized in the report last time for having strong school spirit in students and fac-ulty. The compassionate, knowledgeable faculty and the reduced class sizes were also noted as a positive change. As EHS has always been known, it was given commendations for his multiplicity of school programs and extensive list of extra-curricular activities as well. Hopefully these posi-tive aspects of EHS will be recognized again in the coming accreditation.

HOW IT WORKSTHE SEVEN STANDARDS

During the reaccredidation process, subcommittees meet to analyze and target areas of

improvement.


THE WIRE

Most students would jump at the idea of per-sonal laptops being used in Exeter High School; its an idea that has been beneficial to several other schools. A plan to switch to laptops would require a large initiative from students, faculty and the school board. However, Exeter High School could benefit from this movement. Why? Some schools have tried different laptop pro-grams and soon ended them due to the stu-dents taking advantage of the privilege, and different technical problems getting in the way of the learning environment. For most schools that have trialed personal computers, it seems that when each student has their own laptop, they are motivated to do homework and turn in assignments in a more timely fashion. While teachers lecture, students find it beneficial to type their notes rather than write them out, and one laptop is much easier than carrying around a plethora of books and binders.

Laptops in high school are a controversial issue, but offer significant advantages. USA Today re-ported the story of a South Dakota high school that ran a pilot series of 70 random students us-ing personal computers. The study showed that attendance levels rose and grade-point averages of those with lap-tops was significantly higher than those without. High schools using laptops can use them for quizzes, animation, writing and graphing so they are available for use in every class (and decrease grading work for teachers). If EHS adopted a pro-gram that allowed each student an issued laptop, it would allow for a better flow of information between students and teach-ers. The majority of students know the basics of computer use or have their own laptop; this type of program would simply allow those ben-

efits for every student. The system would finan-cially work if the majority of students could sup-ply their own personal laptops. Only a small fraction of the students would be eligible for school financial aid to buy their com-puter; granted that laptops are not as expensive as they used to be and could actually be attain-able by the school board. Many critics, like those at the New York Times, argue that students would use computers for personal use, but if connected to the high

schools network, proxy blocks would still be enabled to block You-Tube, Facebook and other unrelated sites. Cheating is also seen as one is-sue that would grow massively with the influx of computers, but if they were not allowed during tests, and were held in full view during quiz-zes, then teachers could monitor their students.

Laptops would allow students to excel in school, and with grants and school board ap-proval, laptops could be funded, and our school could make significant progress in utilizing tech-nology.

DEBATING DRUG PRESENTATIONOn Thursday November 6th, Todd Crandell was a guest speaker in the auditorium for periods four and six. To many, the name Todd Crandell is virtually unknown, but to others he is truly an inspiration. Crandell battled drug and alcohol ad-diction for thirteen years of his life. He almost lost everything, and with persistence and courage he rebuilt his life, and eventually became an Iron Man participant with his own recovery program; Racing for Recovery. Anyone who has a story of courage to tell gains a high level of respect from the EHS crowd and Crandells story was no dif-ferent The students seemed to find Crandells presentation empowering and interesting from the questions they were asking at the end of the presentation. The opinions from the students of Crandells presentation were varied but the pre-sentation had a strong effect overall. Crandells message was not to show the student body that even if you become and an addict that you can overcome it one day and become an iron man; the message was to show the students how much drug and alcohol addiction can harm you and truly how hard it is to bounce back. Al-though Crandell did focus on the terrible effects that drugs and alcohol had on his life, he focused more on the aspect of Racing for Recovery. The details about the horrors of addiction seemed

somewhat lacking. Parts of the presentation focused too much on where Crandell stands in his life at the moment; happily married with children, an Iron Man, and running a full-time re-covery program. Todd Crandell has an amazing life story, but his presentation was lacking scare tactics. Unfortunately, scare tactics are the only true way to get across to students the true hor-rors of drug and alcohol addiction. The school almost needs a guest speaker who is a walking advertisement in the present of the harmful ef-fects of drugs and alcohol addiction, so students

can truly see what it does to a person. Todd Crandells story is extraordinary to many, and the story of his life leaves the lis-tener with the option to form their own personal opinions about his presentation. Some may look at Mr. Crandells life story and say the inspiration he ignites in students through his tales is enough to have people turn their lives around in an in-stant and better themselves for the future. Junior Maggi Hanson was very moved by Crandells sto-ries, and explains his presentation as being filled with inspiration that was very real and quite interesting at the same time. Crandells stories seemed aimed at warning students about the horrors of addiction. Whatever your perception was of Mr. Crandells presentation, it was under-stood by many that he was an incredible speaker with an intriguing story to tell.

BY SIOBHAN DARMODYTod Crandells rehab presentation raises question amongst students

SCHOOL-ISSUED LAPTOPSBY RACHEL CHESNOA possibility for network expansion that would benefit the classroom

Laptops would allow for a

better flow of information

between students and

teachers.

Todd Crandell spoke to Exeter students about his battle with

drugs and alcohol.

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FIREIN THEFIELD

A look at graduate Mike Moore and his band

BY RACHEL CHESNO

Four years ago, Mike Moore left the halls of Exeter High School, destined to share his music with the world. However, at the moment, he and his band mates are most concerned with the greater Boston area. Fire In The Field, a rock and roll band containing Moore, on guitar, and three other Exeter Alumni John Santarelli, Jaime Bag-shaw, and Jeff Badolato, who all came together in the summer of 2006. Moore describes his band mates quite colorfully. Santarelli is the man-child they usually had on a chain in the parking lot where he couldnt harm anybody, he said. Badolato hailed from the upperclassmen ranks. Moore has many fond memories of his high school days; when asked of his favorite memory, he recalls showing up to senior social in full-on Luke Skywalker garb. My girlfriend sported the Princess Leia hairdo and white dress. Each member of the band carries different re-sponsibilities. Moore calls himself the fire start-er of the group when it comes to writing their music, and said that he and the drummer hash out the structure of the tunes. Bass and vocals come in later to add their ingredients. Moore and Santarelli also pioneer the establishment of a fan base. Santarelli is described by Moore as a marksmen of sorts when working with comput-ers, which gives them a large internet following.

Fire In The Field released its first self-titled album in February of last year and sold out Bills Bar in Boston. Moore said, The energy was at its peak and we brought the house down with our per-formance. Although there is no full length tour yet, they hope to eventually hit the road. Fire In The Field has performed at multiple venues in the area; Moores favorite includes The Paradise in Boston. It was their largest audience in one of the best clubs in the city. It was like a taste of some exotic wonderland, Moore exclaimed, a different world we only got a sixty-minute whiff of, graced by the Gods. Moore says his favorite song, the instrumental track Soledad, allows for a different sound every night. However, listening to their own tracks can be a tough personal experience for the band. When recording is complete its great to listen because you are psyched about the sounds you got; but now when I listen to it I hear mistakes and pitfalls to learn from, said Moore.

The real story, however, is how Mike Moore got into this life. I had a passion that was undeni-able, as prepubescent and misguided as it was at the time, but I knew it was right for me, he said. Moore loves rock and roll simply because there are no rules. Its pure fiction for your mind to play with and make a story out of. Moore did attend college, however, and attained his busi-ness degree when he graduated last spring. He believes that the degree gives him more options in the way it allows for more guided entrepre-neurial actions. He knew going into school that he would have a difficult challenge balancing music and education, but successfully complet-ed his four years. Mike Moore has spent over a decade dedicat-ing his life to music, and is proud of his accom-plishments thus far. Fire in the Fields self-titled debut album is available on iTunes and www.myspace.com/fireinthefield.

A SHOWCASE OF SOME REEL TALENTStudents organize school-wide film festival to benefit Free Tibet

Two years ago, a group of EHS students attempt-ed to organize a film contest called Operation Smile. For reasons we still dont understand, only one film was submitted and the contest had to be cancelled. This year, Kelsea Brown and the Free Tibet Club hope to revive this contest by changing its name, allowing any genre of film, using the admission fees as donations, and hav-ing prizes for the winning films. The club is having a movie night in the au-ditorium this January, which will have a small

admission fee. The admission cost will all go to the club and its cause. The movie night will also be for raising awareness for the film contest as there will also be a short teaser played before the movie. Students will be given a signficant amount of time to get their creative juices flow-ing because the deadline for submissions isnt until spring. There will be a small submission fee for films which has not yet been determined. This years contest will allow students to sub-mit any form of film work (school appropriate,

of course). The group also would like to stress that students should not let their equipment deter them from submitting a film. Films will be judged solely on their creativity, acting, and abil-ity to tell a story. Once the submission deadline is up, all of the films will be shown and judged in the auditorium. The submission fees and ad-mission fees will be divided amongst the Free Ti-bet Club and the winning films. All students are encouraged to submit their original work. Who knows, you might win!

BY DAVID CLAAR

Mike Moore and the crew of Fire in the Fields teamed up in 2006.

THE WIRE


S ince the beginning of time, students have entered classrooms and the first five minutes has been dedicated to tak-ing attendance. Teachers have wasted quality time screaming out names, while more often than not, the stu-dents are socializing and completely disregard-ing the teachers efforts to complete a simple task. But with the new technology throughout the school, why not simplify this process? For decades, teachers have struggled to successful-ly complete this task without making mistakes. These mistakes often lead to student-adminis-trator disputes over whether or not a student skipped a class, and with the new attendance policy, a skipped class could ultimately be the deciding factor in whether or not a student fails the course. In addition, students in grades nine through eleven who choose to have a study hall, often spend a quality piece of time just try-ing to sign out to their chosen destination. This is why I am taking the attendance process back to the drawing board. The most effective way to take attendance and sign students in and out of study halls should

not involve a ranting teacher, but rather a sys-tem similar to the one in the cafeteria. Each class could have a card system. As the students file into the classroom they swipe their student identification through a little machine similar to the ones in the cafeteria. The machine would not only mark the student for being in class, but also record the time the student signed in. By recording the time, it takes the hassle of remem-bering who was late for class and who was on time, out of the picture. In addition, the machine could have a touch screen on it for study halls. Instead of students lining up at the door of a classroom waiting to tell the teacher where they are going, the stu-dent could enter the classroom, swipe his card, choose his destination, and be on his way. In-tegrating a method such as this one, would not only help students and teachers use their free periods more efficiently, but could also save li-brarians and teachers on cafeteria duty the has-sle of trying to figure out where each student is, and whether or not he has an honors pass or not. This system could also be very helpful for ad-

ministrators. If the system had the capability of recording the students swipe history, adminis-trators would no longer have to deal with dis-putes over whether or not a student was tardy for more than three times for a class. It also takes away the potential teacher mistake of marking a student absent, when he is in fact there. Finding a student would no longer be an issue as well. If an administrator had the capability of bring-ing up a students account, he or she could find the student without having to look up his or her schedule. In a school already filled with technology, transforming the already flawed attendance process into an efficient computer generated one, makes the most sense. It would not only help teachers and students, but it would allow the entire day to run on a smoother schedule. It would also help put the student identification cards to use, and force students to carry them around with them. As Exeter has recently been updating its tech-nology on a regular basis, taking the next step in speeding up the attendance process seems to make the most sense.

COMMENTARY1.15.2010

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EXPEDITEDCHECK-INWhat technology can do for slow study hallcheckout.by Chris Pope

The number of extra-curricular activities offered at Exeter High School.PG. 2153 Why one trillion dollars is of any matter to high school students.

PG. 19

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AN APTITUDE OF OPERATIONWhich sex carries a tendency for

more composed driving?

HE SAID, SHE SAID

HE SAID Guys might be dangerous,

but at least theyre composed. by Brendan Lortie

It is a common stereotype that girls are safe drivers, while boys are dangerous and fast. Sta-tistics do show that teenage men get into more accidents than teenage girls do, mostly due to reckless driving and speeding (MSN.autos.com). Obviously, this is not true for everybody, but it is a common enough pattern to make car insur-ance companies raise boys insurance rates high-er than girls, at least until the age of 25. While safety is key, this does not mean that girls are better drivers. In fact, I believe it is the opposite; men are the winners when it comes to driving. Sure, guys have a general tendency to drive more dangerously than girls do, but this does not necessarily make girls the better drivers. A problem arises when the phrase better driver is used, because better can constitute differ-ent things to different people. One may think that better signifies safer, while another may

think it means how well a driver can react to circumstances on the road. In order to be fair and clear, a better driver is, in this case, a more composed driver. An overall composed driver is calm and safe, while also possessing the ability to react quickly in dangerous situations. Boys are much more relaxed than girls while driving. Teenage girls already put outrageous levels of stress on themselves anyways, and the trend doesnt stop once they get in their car. Any little thing could set them off: another car cut-ting them off or hitting a pothole that messes up their mascara application. Im not making fun of you, ladies, its just that you have a tendency to turn little situations into large ones (moun-tains out of molehills, if you will). To us guys, as long as we or our cars (especially my beautiful Buick) arent hurt, its no big deal. The results of a recent poll among male students at EHS further support this idea, as 84% responded with boys being more relaxed while on the road. Being relaxed connects to another component of being a composed driver: the ability to react quickly and efficiently when presented with a dangerous situation. While it is rather difficult to gain experience in this area without being ei-ther a stuntman or a racecar driver, boys are just

more inclined to possess these natural instincts. In a precarious scenario, an ordinary guy can be-come a hero with some quick decisions and a few hair-trigger twitches of the hands. A girlwould not handle it so well: guys definitely have the advantage when it comes to quickly reading and reacting to dangerous situations. When it comes to safety, however, girls take the cake by a landslide. Sorry, guys, literally ev-erything is against us, including statistics on nearly every type of traffic violation pointing the finger of blame at the men. Besides being statis-tically proven, it is easy to see how boys are more reckless drivers than women once youre in the car with one. We have a propensity to speed, whether its through the Point of No Return in an intersection, on the highway, in the driveway, in the parking lot, on the back roads, on the front roads, on bridges, under bridgesyou get the point. Lets face it: for the better, women are safer. The male students at EHS know it, too, as thirty-eight out of fifty said that women are safer drivers. Well men, its a victory, although it isnt very sat-isfying. While I can safely say that guys are more reliable behind the wheel, we need to take our feet off the gas pedal from now on.

SHE SAID Just ask the insurance

companies... by Rachel Chesno

For many people, seeing females behind the wheel is a scary concept. However, as a licensed teenaged girl for the past two years (a long time, I know), I have to believe that girls are the more composed gender behind the wheel. For teen-agers driving is a privilege, and we must learn the rules and abide by them. Female drivers are more composed than male drivers because they allow safer, less aggressive habits and as Senior Kristin Palladino said, we act more cautiously and share the road.

Teens interviewed admitted to eating, texting, talking, applying makeup and brushing up on homework behind the wheel. While this may make it seem that girls are not so safe while driv-ing, we are more apt to leave a larger distance between cars and to stay the speed limit. Girls interviewed agreed that we would be less likely to cause an accident. Even insurance policies acknowledge that we are superior. Insurance companies, including research from OnStar, All State Insurance and Progressive Insurance state that girls more often wear their seatbelts, stay the speed limit and drive fewer miles than their male counterparts, and thus charge lower fees for teenage girls because of they have less ag-gression on the road, meaning fewer accidents. Only for drivers between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five do insurance policies differ because

during these years girls are determined to be safer. Insurance may be a complicated process to get through, but with their different rebates for honor students and multiple drivers, the dif-ference between a son or a daughter behind the wheel can save parents hundreds of dollars. The key to this debate is an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Girls are more likely to prevent an accident from occurring, simple as that. Both genders face the same distrac-tions while driving. No matter who is behind the wheel, the drivers main focus should be the road; not their cell phone, ipod, food or friends. Girls are more composed behind the wheel be-cause they drive more cautiously and prevent accidents from occurring, leaving them the win-ner in the duel between male and female driv-ers.

COMMENTARY


DRIVEN BY THE DATA

WHY GOVERNMENT SPENDING MATTERSWhat an astronomical deficit means for high school students

BY JACK TISDALL

million millions. This number sim-ply exceeds the brains capacity. It is remarkable to conceive that the United States owes foreign govern-

ments this amount of money. Each person in our generation will be forced to pick up the financial burden and pay back the deficit. In other words: We are screwed. George H. W. Bush exclaimed in his inaugura-tion speech in 1989 that national debt is the cancer of America. Despite this, recent presi-dential administrations have spent so much that the deficit has reached trillions of dollars. Put in exact amount. This habit of reckless spend-ing has manifested in our newly elected presi-dent Barack Obama, who has already set record spending amounts. This spending, as denied by many Democratic politicians, will have dire con-sequences on the economy and society. Obama plans on spending $12 trillion dollars by the end of his term. However, such a sum of money wont be covered by tax revenues- Obama has cut taxes for 95% of Americans. To gather up the trillions of dollars needed for the massive spending increase, the U.S. has bor-rowed money from other countries. That is, we employ their resources in exchange for an I.O.U. card set for sometime in the future. As a result of spending way beyond our means, the U.S. has borrowed huge sums of money and is indebted to numerous foreign countries expecting to be paid back at a point in the future. Even though over a decade of annual debt has accumulated and foreign governments reap a hefty stack of

IOUs, these countries have faith in America to pay this money back in full. The money we borrowed is being spent on things with no return on investment (ROI), such as the war in the Middle East or massive bureau-cratic expansion such as the Department of Edu-cation. Bailing out banks, such as AIG, costs $170 billion, and its anyones guess whether AIG will be able to pay it back. Even the economic stimu-lus package of $787 billion has no guaranteed ROI. The government simply funds particular firms to save the jobs of special interest groups- such spending will not stimulate the economy. Obamas administration has willfully ignored history in deciding to fix the economy with government spending. Keynesian economics has proven time after time to be a faulty fis-cal policy - yet we are currently pursuing it on a scale 8 times bigger than that of the New Deal in the 1930s. By basic macroeconomic principle, government cannot spend its way out of a recession. However, with the Demo-crats in charge, they can certainly try. Just how bad is the economy? A convenient method to measure the economys health is by employing the Misery Index, a system created by economist Arthur Okun. It is found simply by adding the unemployment rate to the inflation rate. Bush left office with a 7.63 rating, the lowest in 45 years. Obama has been in office only 150 days and it has already increased to 8.12- due

to his faulty Keynesian strategy. After printing an additional $3 trillion dollars, it wont be long before the rating breaks into double digits- stay posted.(If you are measuring the effects of Obamas eco-nomic recovery efforts, you cant compare stats from before the collapse to now that doesnt ensure the effects of his effort. You have to com-pare from the time the stimulus efforts began till now.) The most worrisome side effect of the govern-ments spending is an economic disaster called hyperstagflation. Printing the dollars Obama is demanding will certainly inflate the dollar; it is possible that the influx of printed bills will be so great that the dollar becomes worthless. As a result of slow economic growth, inflation will be accompanied by high unemployment and general stagnation. Such a state will collapse the

economy and surely result in an economic depres-sion. Though it was reck-less spending that created the housing bubble and caused the consequent

recession, government continues to spend and print no matter how risky it may be. My fellow students, be wary of anyone older than 35. They are vigorously spending our future dollars and thereby ensuring the national debt will be so large that just paying the interest on the debt will amount to over $120,000 per per-son. Its too late to turn back now; prepare your-self for a desperate future.

COMMENTARY

ONE THOUSAND. TIMES TEN. TIMESONE

HUNDRED TIMESONE THOUSAND.

TIMESANOTHER

THOUSAND.STILL SHY

OF THEDEFECIT.

A

The most worrisome side effect of government spending is an economic disaster called

hyperstagflation.

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DOUG FUNNY, QUAILMAN, KEENAN AND KEL, LIZZY MCGUIRE, CATDOG: WHERED THEY ALL GO?

FLASHBACK

COMMENTARY

TOUCHED BY CANCER*A story of my aunt and my hero

BY CARINA FALK Cancer had never really made a big impact in my life until June 2006. It was supposed to be the perfect year. My older sister was graduat-ing high school; I was starting in the brand-new high school building in the fall. Everything was great. When I learned that my aunt had breast cancer, everything changed. My family and I are almost uncomfortably close, so the diagnosis touched each and every one of us. In the days and weeks following her diagnosis, I couldnt help but feel mixed emo-tions. I was sad one moment, and then the next moment, I was enraged. She was not supposed to get cancer. She was perfectly healthy, worked out at the local gym, and made sure my cousins ate all

their vegetables. She was (and still is) completely health-food conscious. I thought, Why her? Why not someone else? Before I left to spend my summer vacation with my dad, her hair had started coming out in big clumps. It was finally time to shave most of her dark brown, curly, shoulder-length hair. The first time she showed me her new hairstyle, I was shocked. I didnt know what to say. Finally, I turned away and excused myself to the other room to put myself together. That will be a day I remember for the rest of my life. I received weekly to bi-weekly reports of her chemotherapy and radiation treatments while I was away, which were both heart-wrenching and, amazingly positive. In fact, she remained

positive throughout her entire treatment, prayed frequently, and attended Daily Mass at our local church. She still kept up her daily health regimen and helped her kids with their homework when school started back up in late August. Although she was a bit fatigued, she still acted as if the dis-ease never happened. In late January, mid February of 2007, my aunt received a phone call. She had been offered a job at her old school, as a Spanish teacher. She quickly hopped on board and over two years later, is doing what she loves. The cancer diagnosis has not stopped her. She is still the same religious/health nut that I know and love. I am proud to say that Virginia Carmo-dy is my aunt and my hero.

Remember waking up at 7:00 on Saturday morn-ings, grabbing a heaping bowl of Frosted Flakes and plopping yourself on the couch to watch four straight hours of your favorite Disney and Nickelodeon television shows? What happened to the good ol days? If you still go straight to channel 24 or 25 when you turn on your television (something most people would be afraid to admit,) you would be able to see that the shows today are just incom-parable to the 90s shows of our childhood. Back in the day, Nickelodeon was always the chan-nel to provide some good comedy and Disney channel always provided the real life hard-hit-ting after-school specials. But now both Nick-elodeon and Disney fail to meet the standards of their previous series. Their focus on scripted comedies and cartoons with no relevance what-soever is a large benefactor in televisions de-creasing worth. Nickelodeon was always famous for their kids sketch comedy. A Saturday Night Live sort for the younger set. The Amanda Show, which

starred Amanda Bynes, was always a source of random but hilarious humor. Some slogans of the show included I like eggs and Maaa Haa, from sketches that include Judge Trudy, Block-blister, The Girls room, Moodys Point, Penelope Taynt (who was actually Amanda in disguise), hillbilly moment, and totally Kyle. Who could forget the priceless cast of All That. Welcome to Good Burger. Home of the Good Burger. Can I take your order? Nickelodeons very own classic ran for ten seasons, filling homes with characters like Principal Pimple, SuperDude and PizzaFace. A spinoff of All That gave America Kenan and Kel. Kenan Rockmore and Kel Kimble were the funniest friends on T.V. Kenan had a job at a local grocery store and Kel just loved orange soda. The show always started and ended with Kenan and Kel interacting with the studio audi-ence on stage. The show was always filled hilari-ous sketches involving Kenans family. One of the more memorable qualities of the show is Kels catchphrases; Awww here it goes, which he an-nounced at the end of every show and scene.

Game shows are still popular today, but the ones created in the 90s were aimed towards kids and are still beloved today. Some of these include Figure it Out, Legends of the Hidden Temple, Global Guts, and Double Dare 2000. We cant forget to include our favorite brother and sister duo on Even Stevens. Or the cartoon con-science of Lizzie McGuire. An entire article could be dedicated to the seasons of friendship, love and family of Boy Meets World. Who doesnt miss the days when Doug al-ways had Skeeter by his side, Syd and Reggie from Rocket Power had always won the skate-boarding competitions, CatDog always left you trying to figure out if there was such a mutant pet. Are You Afraid of the Dark? Always left you with your closet light on, Hey Arnold always left you hating Helga and loving Eugene. So Weird strengthened your belief in Aliens. Now, we drowned in pools of square sponges, pop stars suffering from duel personality disorder, and five minute spinoffs of penguins from Africa. What happened?

BYSIOBHANDARMODY

0 2 0 THE TALON JANUARY 2010 *Originally published in Parade

COMMENTARY

EDITORIAL

It can be argued as to why students dont have a larger say in the matter of how well the school is progressing. After every reaccreditation process, the school receives recommendations from evaluators in order to draft goals for im-proving itself. Sure, the students are given sur-veys every time the process rolls around again, but how is progress supposed to be measured if each survey is completed by a different genera-tion of students? Think about it: in the 1999-2000 school year, the classes of 00, 01, 02, and 03 took the reaccredi-tation survey. The next survey was this year, with the classes of 10, 11, 12, and 13 participating. Clearly, there is no overlap, meaning that every reaccreditation process (every 10 years) surveys a completely new batch of students. While this data is helpful to the school, EHS could obtain much more useful opinions on how well the school is improving if they also conducted more surveys on student, parent, and teacher satisfac-tion over a more frequent period of time.

This is how it would work: at the end of ev-ery school year, the freshman class would take a survey on how well they think the school is doing in terms of qualities such as teaching, safety, technology. Then, at the end of the next school year, they would partake in a follow-up survey which would directly ask if they thought these same qualities were improving from last year, staying the same, or declining. The surveys would continue through senior year, where stu-dents would be asked if they felt the school ad-equately helped them prepare for college. Stu-dents could provide specific feedback as to ways in which Exeter High School could improve. Students do not have an adequate voice in re-gards to how the school is improving. We have high-quality technology, good teaching, vast options for courses, and a clean facility. But what we dont have is an education shaped around its original purpose: educating students most effectively. How can students be provided with a quality education if they can offer no feed-

back as to which ways they learn best and what educational approaches are most successful. Students of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities should be questioned as to their views on what the school needs to work on and what is being done well. Response would provide a wealth of feedback on teaching, school facilities, disci-pline, and every other aspect of a public second-ary education. Feedback would directly reflect the opinions of students who are currently being educated at the high school. While the results would be more useful for the school in order for it to im-prove itself, it would also help in the reaccredi-tation process by providing continuous student feedback rather than every ten years. No mat-ter what is eventually done in order to further educational standards, the focus should always be on the students needs. For the nine years in between, student feedback is essential in im-proving the quality of education and allowing students to reach their potential.

MAINTAINING THE PURPOSE OF EDUCATIONSchool is intended for the purpose of education students. Their input is always valuable.

STAFF VIEW

WERE GOING CLUBBINCertain activities are nothing more than a social gathering, and should remain in that category

BY TORI PUTNAM

All the posters lining the walls of the halls as you walk down to lunch can be a little overwhelm-ing. With Exeter High Schools 53 extra-curricular activities, I think its time to add to the list! So for anyone who wants to join, were starting a Pizza Club. If you want to hang out after-school and eat pizza with your friends, this is the club for you! Each week well discuss the quality of the pizza from different places and what sodas go best with what pizzas. Texting Club has also now started; participants will sit in the cafeteria and text each other back and forth. Other activities will include searching the school for the best cell-phone service. An exclusive group for freshmen called the Freshmen Placement Club has been founded. This group is where freshmen collaborate and decide where the most annoying place to stop

in the hall would be. Their ultimate mission is to annoy upper-classmen by getting in the way be-tween classes. Imaginary Travels Club involves discussion on places that students would like to go, but noth-ing is ever done to go there, this club is meant for daydreamers. Shopping Tips Debate Clubs debate this week will be on the best way to tackle Christmas shop-ping, with show-and-tell from Black Friday. Twilight Club has finally commenced and the discussion this week will revolve around what to do with the non-believers and a competition be-tween Team Jacob and Edward. Anyone who owns an I-pod should join I-pod Club, where the I-pod shuffle game will be played in the cafeteria with large groups of people.

People Making Statements Club is where we yell about what we feel strongly about and then get annoyed because nothing is happening. The Academic Search for Success Club meets in the library most days after school to not talk and do homework. In the Students Helping Incompetent Teachers Club the students do not actually help teachers but complain about them with other students. The newest after-school group is the For Uni-versity/College Knowledge Club where students struggle with their future schooling decisions and get the support and information they need. So although some groups at EHS fight for good causes, and are trying to help make the world a better place; there may be some that we dont necessarily need. Though you should try out all of these clubs!

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CLUB. ART CLUB. ATHLETICS. BADMINTON CLUB. BAND. CHORUS. COMIC RELIEF CLUB. CRICKET CLUB. CYCLE CLUB. DANCE CLUB. DRAMA CLUB. ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB. FEDERAL CHALLENGE. FILM CLUB. FRENCH CLUB. FRESHMAN CLASS ADVISORY. FRISBEE GOLF CLUB. GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE. HARRY POTTER CLUB. HAWK POUND. HISTORY CLUB. INTERACT CLUB. JAPANESE CLUB. JUNIOR CLASS ADVISORY. KEY CLUB. LATIN CLUB. LATIN HONOR SOCIETY. MATH TEAM. MODEL UN. NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY. OUTING CLUB. PEER OUTREACH. PING-PONG CLUB.

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T H E E N DBY NATHAN DULLEA & NICHOLAS FERRERI

THE TALON MAGAZINE

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SCIENCE TELLS US THE END OF THE WORLD IS INEVITABLE. WHAT IT CANT SAY, IS WHEN WE CAN EXPECT IT.

SCIENCE TELLS US THE END OF THE WORLD IS INEVITABLE. WHAT IT CANT SAY, IS WHEN WE CAN EXPECT IT.

PHOTOGRAPH BY SUNDIAL IMAGINGPhotograph taken of a solar eclipse on the

29th of April in 2006.

destruction. We as the human species have developed many habits that could be con-sidered destructive but continue to remain relatively short-sighted with our actions to inhibit those activities. Instead our eyes fall upon 2012 and the predicted doom that will come with it. But will humanity and the well-being of our planet Earth come at a predetermined judgment day, at random or possibly at our-own design?

YOU CAN BE CERTAIN... In the incredibly distant future, Earth is guaranteed death. It is inevitable that ei-ther our planet will be swallowed up by the sun as it expands further into the so-lar system or it will be frozen or crunched as a result of the theorized Big Freeze or Big Crunch. As far as expansion of the sun goes, this gigantic fireball will continue to grow for approximately 10 billion more years until it begins losing mass, ultimately turning into a white dwarf star. Presently the sun is a yellow, middle-aged star at about 4.5 billion years old, and in about 7.6 billion years will expand far enough into the solar system to kill all life on Earth. As far as the Big Crunch and Big Freeze go,

The desire to know the unknown has driv-en our species for millennia, allowing us to travel across oceans and launching our-selves into space. But as much as it draws us to complete feats of endurance and intelli-gence it also draws us to the thought of our

after many years of the Hubble telescope measuring the consistent expansion of the universe it was determined that the cosmos is destined to undergo one of these two as-tronomical phenomena. The Big Crunch is the idea that the universe will continue expanding until its density exceeds the maximum density its gravity can withstand, therefore resulting in a massive collapse of the universe that would crunch back in on itself. The Big Freeze is the idea that the universe will continue expanding, as it is today, for infinity. The problem with this is that galaxies will move farther and farther apart, and it is theorized that lone stars, solar systems, and planets within so-lar systems will also move farther and far-ther apart. If this happens stars will be too far away from planets to provide sufficient heat required to maintain life, and so every-thing would be frozen. These two theories are not predicted to happen for billions of years, but it is still a mystery as to when and which one is going to happen, and will it happen before the sun has already killed off life on Earth?

LETS CALL IT 50/50... Global warming currently receives a great deal of media attention because it is said to cause immense environmental damage, but will it end life on Earth? First, for those

HUMANITYHASLEFT ITSFOOTPRINT.BUT IS IT ABOUTTOBEWASHEDAWAY?Some say maybe, others are indifferent. But regardless of where you fall on the spectrum, the future of our world brings about a particular curiosity.

2800 BCAncie

the talon magazine | issue 3

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