Green Horn

November 23, 2009 Volume 30, Edition 2

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

802 Music
Hip and Happening Venue Spins Debate
By Holly Hooke

The Main Street storefront of 802 Music, a music venue for local singers and
bands, declares its positive, drug-free stance. Inset: The 802 sign.
L
oud music, tight spaces, and plenty of teens.
Sounds like 802, the new music venue in
downtown Springfield which is creating some
controversy among students at Springfield High School.
Will 802 haters end up the breakers?
802 Music is a live music venue located at
the junction of Valley Street and Main Street in Spring-
field. “Bands and their fans come together to enjoy and
express their passion towards music,” said 802 manager
and former SHS graduate Danny McChesney. “It’s also
a good place for everyone to hangout and be themselves
without drugs or alcohol.”
“It took lots of hard work, petitioning, and
acquiring licenses to even get 802 up and running,” said
founder and owner of 802 Music, Dave Hinckley. “It’s a
lot harder than everyone thinks getting a place like this
together. All the painting, cleaning, and booking bands
every week is hard. Not to mention keeping up with
advertisement and technology today to be known as a
21st century music venue. One of my favorite things
is the name 802 Music. It’s a pun since 802 is the area
code of Vermont and it sticks in everyone’s mind. It
also represents Vermont and provides publicity.”
802 Music is one of the few music venues in
southern Vermont. Amateur bands used to have a variety
of places to play. Not anymore with the Underground in
See 802 page 22

What’s Inside:
Cosmos keep
the Trophy,
p. 14

Closure for
Park Street
School,
p. 7

Kanye's Broken
Heart,
P.13 Who ya gonna call? Horror novelist and gothic nonfiction writer Joe Citro spoke
about his craft at SHS on October 16th. Citro began his career as a novelist, but
now compiles folk tales about the eccentric and the weird in Vermont.

Green Horn Interview
.
Eliza Pennell
QuestBridge
Scholarship Finalist
GH: How did you find QuestBridge?
T
his autumn, Eliza Pennell and Jess Watkins EP: They sent me mail. Luckily I got it early enough
learned they were finalists in the QuestBridge that I didn’t just throw it away. For that I am eternally
National College Match Scholarship. This schol- grateful. I wish everyone knew about it. It is definitely
arship, which offers to cover complete college costs, is not publicized enough.
for low-income senior scholars. Last year, QuestBridge
allowed 1000 students to attend college with financial GH: What are rankings and how do they work?
aid and full scholarships. Founded in 1987, Quest- EP: With rankings, you have to submit a list of colleges
Bridge has been providing help to students for over 20 that you would like to go to in the QuestBridge umbrella
years. Recently, Green Horn talked with Pennell about (26). These colleges include Notre Dame, Yale, and
the Questbridge application process. Princeton. Then you rank the choices, 1 to 8, of where
you would like to go. If you become a finalist, then
Green Horn: How do you apply for the QuestBridge QuestBridge will forward your application to these col-
scholarship? leges in the hopes that one of them will accept you.
Eliza Pennell: You apply online via Questbridge.org
and submit 3 essays, a short answer, a section about GH: Can you go to any college on the list if you get
finance, a section about transcript (online and sent) and into it?
a section on test scores. Then 12 days after the applica- EP: No. If you get into, for example, school 1, 2, and
tion, you send your high school rankings. 7, you must go to your top-ranked school. It is bind-
Coen Fills Position as
Literacy Coach
S
pringfield High School has added a literacy coach,
Kevin Coen, to its professional staff. This posi-
tion is funded by a grant. “Our school district
realized that we are not meeting the AYP [Adequate
Yearly Progress]
standards of the
GREEN HORN STAFF NCLB [No Child
A shley Richardson..................... Co-Editor Left Behind] Act
of 2001,” said
O livia Johnson........................... Co-Editor Coen. “We are
J enny Bradley.......................... Co-Editor hoping that im-
provement will
S amuel L. Benton.................... Layout Editor help lower the
K elsey Christensen.................... Layout Editor dropout rate at
Springfield High
L aurel Porter............................. Photography Editor School.” Coen
C ourtney Downing................... Sports Editor was hired from
a grant based on
Melissa Tarbell............................ Tech News Editor the number of
SHS students on
----------------REPORTERS--------------- free or reduced
Erika Anderson, Ryan Brady, John Forbes, Sarah Gray,
lunch.
Sam Hensel-Hunter, Jalessah Jackson, Angelo Jardina, Maria Stern,
Stu-
and Olivia Thayer
dents who will
need extra help
pg 2 G r e e
By Erika Anderson
ing. That is why you need to pick your rankings very
carefully.
GH: Would you have changed your rankings?
EP: I would have kept my top two schools the same,
but would have switched my third and fourth school and
gotten rid of my fifth-ranked school.
GH: Are you happy that you found the QuestBridge
National College Match scholarship?
EP: I am very excited I found the scholarship. Quest-
Bridge makes it possible for some kids to attend college
who wouldn’t have been able to go. It really opens doors
to people who haven’t had doors opened for them in the
past. This is such a wonderful opportunity, and I am so
lucky to be a finalist. It really shows that college isn’t
just for men, or for the rich or white. Something really
good is coming out of this scholarship. This is what
college is for: to help people add good to the world.
By Erika Anderson
will be identified using the MAP (Measure of Aca-
demic Progress) test which took place in October. As
a literacy coach, Coen will target about 30-35 students
who struggle with reading and writing.
There has never been a literacy coach at SHS.
Therefore, Coen was forced to develop his own literacy
curriculum. “Students come to me to develop skills to
better read and understand the text,” said Coen. “These
kids don’t have a strategy to read well and my job is to
teach them those strategies. Students will be choosing
their own books [with guidance] and hopefully realize
that reading is not a nemesis.”
Developing a literacy curriculum has been a
challenge for Coen. “I had no guide to use from this
school so I have been reading a lot to try to develop a
well-balanced curriculum,” said Coen. “I will focus
on the reading and writing. I have developed a model
of challenges for writing. I will be teaching about six
classes, in which we will be writing authentically. This
means that they will write about something they really
care about.”
He added, “For example, a question could
be, ‘what is something you wish SHS had?’ and then
See Coen page 23
n H o r n
 News
AP Scholars at SHS
Achievement Starts With a Challenge
By Melissa Tarbell

Brittany Adnams was honored as an
AP Scholar for exemplary scores on
AP exams including Statistics, U.S.
History, and English Language and
Composition.
L
ast school year, Springfield High School was
honored with the distinction of having two Ad-
vanced Placement (AP) Scholars. One of these
scholars, Dan Kendall, graduated this past spring and
now attends UVM on the Green and Gold scholarship.
The other scholar, Brittany Adnams, who received this
honor as a junior, is now a senior enrolled in more AP
classes.
AP Scholar is a title recognized by the Col-
lege Board as someone who has scored a 3 or higher on
three or more AP exams. Scores on the exams range from
1 to 5. Five (5) represents the highest possible score.
Adnams took AP Stats her sophomore year
and received a 4 on the exam. During junior year, she
took U.S. History and English Language & Composition
and received a 3 on both of those exams.
Although students are not required to take AP
classes in order to take the corresponding exam, the ten
AP courses currently offered at SHS assist in preparing
students for the exams.
Angelo Jardina (U.S. History) and John Dean
(Statistics),who taught Adnams, provide past exams for
their students to study. Adnams found this to be helpful.
When one takes an exam, it is useful to know ahead of
time how to approach the test. It is especially useful
because the AP exams vary. “[There is] no certain, set
way of studying because each exam is different,” Ad-
nams said. "If you know the content well and you know
how the test is set up it makes it easier to pace yourself
during the exam which is only 40 minutes long."
Advanced Placement is a copyrighted term.
Every AP course has to be approved by the College
Board. Jardina refers to this AP audit and the resulting
class as a “course-in-a-box.” This is why some teachers
don’t volunteer to teach an AP class. With Advanced
Placement, everything must be taught A to Z.
John Dean describes the process of creating
an AP course. You’re “required to give them [the Col-
lege Board] a syllabus” which they must approve. And
you are “given a whole list of items [you’re] required
to teach,” hence the A to Z part.
Besides producing the courses, every AP
teacher must be certified during a summer training
course. Despite the tedious work involved with teach-
ing AP, both Jardina and Dean enjoy the rigorous AP
See AP Scholars page 23

R
osencrantz, Fortinbras, Hamlet, and Laertes en-
gage in a talkback session with Springfield High
School students after the matinee of Hamlet on
Wednesday, October 21. Nearly 40 SHS students viewed
the Northern Stage Theatre's production of Hamlet at the
Briggs Opera House in White River Junction. The Vermont
Telephone Company (VTel) donated the cost of the tick-
ets and transportation, about $600.00, giving students a
chance to see Shakepeare's classic play.

G r e e n H o r n pg 3
News
She is My School and I Am Her Spirit
Spirit Week Celebrated at SHS
By Olivia Thayer

E
ach fall Springfield High School students go
above and beyond the normal to demonstrate
their Cosmos pride. This week of green and
white outfits, class skits, pep rallies, and other school
bonding fun is known as Spirit Week. The 2009 Spirit
Week ran from Monday, October 26th, to Friday, Oc-
tober 30th, culminating in the Homecoming Football
Game against Bellows Falls.
The SHS Student Council brainstormed
during many of their autumn meetings to create new
and fun ways to bring school spirit to SHS. “Despite its
flaws, I’m proud of SHS,” said student council advisor
Kevin Coen. “Good stuff happens here and we should
be proud of it.”
“[Spirit Week is] when the school has a ton
of school spirit,” said sophomore Lauren Sanderson.
“It’s the week when the school comes together and gets
pumped for Homecoming.” Sanderson, a member of the
student council, was part of the committee that focused
on planning and coordinating Spirit Week.
“I love Spirit Week,” said sophomore Lauren
Fish. “My favorite day last year was Crazy Hair Day.
My hair was pretty awesome.”
Theme days are a favorite part of Spirit
Week. On Monday of Spirit Week, students were invited
to come to school in comfort on Pajama Day.
Individual class pride emerged on Tuesday
for Class Color Day. This year, the freshman class was
assigned orange, sophomores were given yellow, juniors
assigned red, and seniors were blue. On Wednesday,
students showed a love for their sports on Sports Day.
Even though the traditional theme days
returned again this year, on Thursday, SHS was cast
back in time with a new day, Throwback Thursday. This
was a day of retro outfits and 70s music, a successful
attempt to enliven the atmosphere at SHS.
To conclude Spirit Week, Friday was Green
and White Day. This day seemed to be a favorite
among students. “There’s sort of a latent spirit around
here when it comes to the school,” said Coen, “but it’s
a surprise to see how many people show up wearing
green and white.” Pajama Day and Class Color Day caused some excitement during Spirit Week.
Also returning this year was the tug-of-war But the real big deal was the tug-of-war, won by the juniors.
between classes. “It’s a good time for the classes to
come together and compete, but it’s not overly com- a 7:00 pm bonfire and pep rally at Riverside Middle “Between all of us we can get people inter-
petitive,” said junior Jessie Haskell, who enjoys Spirit School. ested,” said Coen during the week. “All the little things
Week very much. “People that might not be involved The annual Spirit Week-ending football we’re doing are the seedlings of pride.”
in sports can participate.” game took place on Brown Memorial Field in Spring- Many members of the SHS community hope
This year some new activities were added field. The varsity football team faced off against rival that Spirit Week can be even better in the future. Coen
to the week in hopes of inspiring more school spirit. Bellows Falls in the Homecoming Game. “This is and some members of SHS visited Mohawk Regional
Originally, the student council hoped to have each class the game that every senior has been waiting for since High School, in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, where
be assigned a hallway they could decorate based around they started playing football,” said senior running back SHS Co-Principal Robert Thibault worked as an assis-
a season. Concerns about safety, however, prevented Bennet Chevalier. “Not only is it for The Trophy but tant principal, to observe that school's pride activities
this idea, though a variation was added. “Each class it’s for the division. This is the game of our lives.” and get ideas for SHS. “We need to get kids interested
was given a wall in the cafeteria,” said senior student During halftime of the BF game, each class and proud of where they come from,” said Coen.
council member Amanda Aberle. “Each class was also participated in another Spirit Week traditiion: class skits. SHS English teacher Joanna Coleman said
assigned a season and they had to decorate their wall This year the skits centered around movies. The Class of that when she attended SHS in the mid-90s, Spirit Week
with decorations from that season.” 2012 sold t-shirts and water bottles, and the track team was a greater event. “When I went to SHS, everyone
On Thursday night the football team rallied held an auction at the game in order to increase pride
their spirits against long-time rival Bellows Falls at even more.
See Spirit page 20
pg 4 G r e e n H o r n

History and Heritage
Miller Art Center Interns Full of Wonder
Jen Stein, Maria Stern, Courtney Page, Sara Gray, Julia Stein, and Oliva Thayer
dress up in period costumes for lantern tours at the Miller Art Center.
School and Cash
Students Walk the Line
By Vicki Kopidakis
D
uring these tough economic times, people work
long hours many days a week to afford expenses
and luxuries. Included in this group are high
school students. While for some the only worry at the
end of a school day is homework, many Springfield High
School students go directly to work the long hours their
after-school jobs demand of them.
However, for some students, including se-
nior James Karkowski, the prospect of facing a job and
schoolwork is unimaginable. “It’s impossible to even
balance soccer and school,” he said in the autumn. “By
the time I get home, I just want to go to sleep.”
For others, however, such work is a necessity.
“I need to work,” said junior Alexis Esposito. Esposito
works three days a week at the neighborhood co-op.
She added, “I need the money for my car,
insurance, clothes and college.” Others agree. Juniors
Justin Derosier, who works at Jake’s Market, and Des-
mond Dana, who works at Okemo Mountain, are saving
G r e e n H o r
By Sarah Gray
for college and any personal necessities or expenses.
After-school jobs are a common responsibil-
ity for high school students. According to Family Jour-
nal.com, 50 % of American teens work a maximum of
20 hours a week. This requirement, however, can have
a negative impact on academic achievement. The dual
responsibility of homework and jobs makes a balance
of priorities difficult to master. Dana, who works 8-hour
days each weekend at Okemo Mountain throughout the
winter season, said, “You get home from work, you’re
tired. You just want to go to sleep but you can’t. You
have homework.”
Springfield High School social studies
teacher Dave Slivka believes, in order to maintain
academic excellence, students with jobs must accept
that grades come first in the struggle for balance. He
reinforced this belief in his own family. “I didn’t let
See Balance page 22
n pg
News
T
he Miller Art Center is the proud home of the
Springfield Art and Historical Society. Though
the Springfield Art and Historical Society has
been around for many years, the intern program for the
Springfield Art and Historical Society wasn’t introduced
until 1997, when Riverside Middle School social stud-
ies teacher and head intern coordinator John Swanson
invited three teenagers to participate in researching
Springfield history and history world-wide.
“It [the intern program] creates a love of
history and heritage," Swanson said. "And influences
their [the interns] careers.”
Though the original intern program ended in
2002, Swanson re-established the group with six new
interns in 2006. Swanson agreed to be the head intern
coordinator and brought back Emily Stringham, one of
the first three original interns, to be an intern coordina-
tor for a whole new group of interns. Stringham, who
ended up majoring in history at college, gladly accepted
the invitation.
“I really enjoy the program from an intern’s
perspective to an intern coordinator’s perspective,”
Stringham said. “And I really enjoy working with the
kids.”
Sophomore Olivia Thayer was selected to be
an intern for the Miller Art Center in the winter of 2007,
when she was in 7th grade. “I was nervous because I
realized if I got in it would be a really big opportunity,”
See Interns page 21
The new Industrial Arts class sculpture
advertises the River Valley Technical
Center and its programs.
5
News
Understanding Language and Culture
Shan Xu Teaches Chinese
By Erika Anderson

S
pringfield High School students and staff recently up hearing the different ac-
had an opportunity to learn a foreign language cents, it’s very hard to tell
outside the traditional curriculum. SHS senior them apart. These are also
Shan Xu, who moved to the U.S. in 2006 from China and difficult to form because
located to Springfield two and a half years ago, is teach- you are using a different
ing Chinese after school to anyone who is interested. part of your mouth.” But
“I teach Chinese to Americans because I Xu believes her students
want more people to understand China,” said Xu. “I will be able to do it eventu-
also want people to understand China and not be afraid ally.
[of another culture].” SHS social
SHS senior Melissa Tarbell is one of these studies teacher Susan Fog
Chinese language students. “We meet every Tuesday is also taking Chinese
after school for 30-45 minutes in Mr. [Angelo] Jardina’s language lessons. “Shan
room,” said Tarbell. “The first week we learned our is such a good teacher. She
names in Chinese and how to write our names. I’m is so patient and never gets
really excited about it.” flustered, is very relaxed,
During lessons, students learn common and has a knack for it,”
greetings, the zodiac, and names, among other things. said Fog. “She has a gift
Xu is planning to incorporate culture into lessons by for keeping learning light
teaching learners about tea, painting, games, and other and inspires you to want to Senior Shan Xu moved to the U.S. in 2006. She teaches
activities. Xu is very interested in having her students try and shows that as long
enjoy themselves. as you try, she appreciates Chinese after school for students and staff interested in
“Learning will be student-based and we will your effort.” Fog’s goal is learning her native language.
be using calligraphy eventually,” said Xu. to write a note in Chinese.
Some difficulties that Xu is expecting to Tarbell also has a goal for her Chinese les- Fog is excited about learning. “I have always
encounter in her lessons involve pronunciation. “In Chi- sons. “I’ve always been interested in foreign languages been fascinated by Chinese culture,” said Fog. “It is
nese, there are four tones that are not easy to pronounce. and would like to go to college for it,” said Tarbell. “I one of the worlds’ most astounding, rich, and complex
These tones have different accents which make it [the also want to travel, so knowing the basics of language
language] difficult,” said Xu. “If you haven’t grown would be good.” See Shan Xu page 21

J
oy Benson and Anne Katomski
mix it up with the bowls as they
prepared for the November 10th
Empty Bowl Dinner, which consisted of
soup, pasta, bread, and beverage. This
event included a silent auction, a des-
sert bar offered by the student council,
and entertainment by the dance and
music program. The chorus,
madrigals, concert band, and wind
ensemble performed after the din-
ner. The bowls used during the
evening were crafted under the direc-
tion of a visiting artist potter Susan
Leader. The Okemo Mountain Com-
munity Challenge Grant funded this
clay project. Money raised from the
Empty Bowl Dinner was donated to
the Familiy Center and the Miller Art
Center.

pg 6 G r e e n H o r n
 News
Finding Closure
The End of Park Street School
By Jenny Bradley & Olivia Johnson

F
or over a century, Park Street School has held a
special place in Springfield, Vermont. It has been
a high school, an elementary school, administra-
tion offices, and most of all, a safe, wholesome place for
kids to grow. But this educational landmark will close
after this school year.
“It’s emotional to see it close. I’ve had cousins
graduate from here so it’s hard,” said Park Street School
Guidance Clerk Ruth Rawson. During her 36 years at
Park Street, Rawson has experienced countless changes
that have transformed the school for the better. “There
has been a lot of change here over the years," Rawson
said, "but it’s all been good.”
First Grade teacher Fran Schwarz has also
experienced changes at Park Street. “I like it here,"
Schwarz said. "I love the old building. It wasn’t built
for young kids. It was a high school. It’s just too bad
they didn’t keep up with it.”
For the past 20 years, Jenny Anderson has been
the nurse at Park Street School and attended the school
in fourth and fifth grade. Consequently, Anderson feels
a strong attachment to Park Street School. “Your heart
wants to keep it open," she said. "But you also want to
be sensible for the kids' sake.”
Besides the emotional regrets associated with
the closing of Park Street School, school officials worry
about other implications associated with this decision.
When discussing the future of the Springfield School
District without Park Street School, Superintendent
Frank Perotti said, “We’re kind of at an in-between
place. But we’ve promised the community that both
schools [Union and Elm] will be equal.”
Perotti insists that both Union Street School
and Elm Hill School will have the same skill sets when
it comes to teaching. As an administrator, Perotti wants
to offer equality of instruction for students of diverse
backgrounds.
Like Perotti, the Springfield School Board is
determined to avoid developing one of the remaining
elementary schools into a superior school. “We’re wor-
ried about an elite school forming,” said Perotti.
By closing Park Street School, the Springfield
School District will save at least $90,000 in fuel costs.
But this doesn’t even compare to last year’s fuel costs
when gas was $4.00 a gallon. It cost approximately
$300,000 last year to heat the school. “As of right
now, we’re trying to save our budget,” said Perotti, who
views closing Park Street as an important option in the
budget-cutting process.
But Park Street teachers are unsure where they
will be teaching next year. “Every teacher filled out
a request form for which school we want to go to,”
explained Schwarz. “I put Union Street because Joan
Nagel [former Park Street Principal] was originally the
principal.” Schwartz, who has worked at Park Street
for 23 years, is anxious to see how teachers and students
will adjust to the new schools next year.
With the closing of Park Street School, 4th grade
teacher Alyson Bull emphasized Park Street’s history
and its importance to the community. “I realized that
the closing of Park Street School was a big deal in our
community," said Bull. "And there was a need to find
a way to celebrate the school's history.”
With this in mind, Bull's 4th grade students inter-
viewed alumni of Park Street and collected information
about the changes that have occurred since they attended
the school. “Once the research has been collected and
See Closed page 20

The 104-year old architecture of Park Street School--both inside and out--represents an iconic public building that will
be closed at the end of this school year. Superintendent Frank Perotti is concerned that the two remaining elementary
schools allow equity in education for all students. First grade teacher Fran Schwarz loves Park Street School and is sorry
that officials didn't keep it updated. Park Street School nurse Jenny Anderson, a position she has held for 20 years, feels
that her heart says to keep the school open but sensible decisions must be made for the sake of the kids.

G r e e n H o r n pg 7
News
The Votes are In
Freshman Class Officers Elected
By Sarah Gray

T
he Springfield High School Class of 2013
recently held elections for their class officers
and student council representatives. Lauren
Bolduc and her brother Larry Bolduc were elected by
their peers as president and vice president of the 9th
grade class. Joining them will be Seth Gammon as
secretary and Courtney Page as treasurer. Along with
these freshmen class officers, Shelby Reardon, Julie
Bombria, and Jordan Crowley were chosen to join the
student council.
The freshmen class officers hope to improve
and motivate the Class of 2013. “I want to make things
better and try new things to bring our class closer to-
gether,” president Lauren Bolduc said. Bolduc served on
the Riverside Middle School Student Council for three
years. She was elected president of her class during the
8th grade.
“I hope to bring positive changes in the
school and in my class,” vice president Larry Bolduc
said. He served on the Riverside Middle School Student
Council during 7th grade and was elected as secretary
of the class during 8th grade.
Seth Gammon shares similar hopes for his
class. Gammon hopes to bring “anything and every-
thing” to his position as secretary. His goal is to be
social among his classmates and to get people involved.
Gammon was part of student government in 6th and 7th Clockwise: President Lauren Bolduc, vice president Larry Bolduc, treasurer
grade but did not run for student office last year. He
chose to run this year because, as he said, “I’ve always Courtney Page, and secretary Seth Gammon will lead the Class of 2013 this year.
had an interest in politics so I figured, 'why not give it These officers will try new things to bring the class closer together. They intend
to lead through their positive energy.
See Office page 22

V
ermont gubernatorial candi-
date Deb Markowitz spoke to
Springfield High School stu-
dents in Jeff Lavin's Contemporary
Issues class on Tuesday, October 27th.
Markowitz was the first woman elected
as Secretary of the State of Vermont in
1998. During her SHS visit, Markowitz
talked about her agenda, her accom-
plishments, and her position in state
government. To end her classroom
visit, Markowitz engaged in a ques-
tion and answer session with students.
Lavin intends to offer each candidate
for the position of governor a chance to
speak to his students.

pg 8 G r e e n H o r n

Freshman Archie Farmer thought the
NWEA test was neither hard nor easy.
Educators
Map
Students
Progress
By Ryan Brady
L
ast year, Springfield High School educators used
the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA)
testing program, the Measures of Academic
Progress (MAP) test to chart student skills in reading,
writing, and math. The Washington, Oregon-based
testing strategy, created in 1974 to improve education
in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, is now
used throughout the United States.
MAP testing is an adaptive test that NWEA
developed in 1997 to help schools show the growth of
their students each year. It’s different than many of
the standardized tests that students take to measure a
school’s progress since it measures students' individual
progress.
“The test is designed to give the benchmarks
of each student and show the growth of students each
year,” said SHS Co-Principal Larry Wight, “or the decay
[of skills], in some cases.”
It’s a new idea that helps schools target where
individual students are struggling instead of where the
average student is struggling. During the 2008-2009
school year, MAP tests were administered in Language
Arts and Math. This year, science was added to the
testing schedule. SHS freshmen were tested in science
during the October NECAP testing window.
Each freshman who took the test was given
a score and the score was recorded for future reference.
Previous scores will be used to assess future tests and
will help teachers understand where their students are
with their skills. The MAP test not only identifies what
the student may or may not know, but also indicates
what they are ready to learn.
Freshman Archie Farmer thought the MAP
See NWEA page 22
G r e e n H o r
News
12 Musicians Chosen
For Districts
By Maria Stern
T
he Vermont Music Educators
Association’s (VMEA) Fall Dis-
trict Band and Chorus auditions
were held on Friday, October 5th, at the
Bellows Falls Middle School.
Of 16 Springfield High School
students who auditioned, 12 made the cut.
Eight SHS musicians will participate in
District Band. Four SHS singers will sing
in the District Jazz Chorus, an outstanding
achievement since the number of vocal-
ists selected to the jazz chorus is usually
small.
SHS Alto Emily Mobus said
each vocalist was only scored by one
judge "so you really want to impress that
one person." Mobus did just that since she Hornist Mariah Olmstead sits between Tabitha
achieved a perfect score for her audition Celani and Lucas Shelon. Olmstead was one of 8
effort. Although she "certainly didn't ex-
pect to get a perfect score," Mobus found students selected to play in the District Band.
it "exciting." Curtis Ficklin, sophomore bass clarinetist Chelsea
Mobus added, "They're really looking for Carleton, ninth grade hornist Mariah Olmstead, and
the blend and how good you are technically." These ninth grade flautist Amelia Thomas will perform in the
expectations are different from band judges, who are band. In addition to Mobus, sophomore alto Alaina Orth,
looking for execution of rudiments and scales. sophomore alto Carrie Mobus and sophomore soprano
Senior saxophonist Lindsay Turgeon, junior Erika Anderson will perform in the jazz chorus.
tubist Nicolas Chlebak, junior flautist Haruka Sato,
junior clarinetist Elizabeth Austin, sophomore tubist
See Districts page 23
H1N1
Hygienic Prevention
By Justin Deroisier
T
o prevent the spread of H1N1, Springfield High
School students have been instructed to follow
proper hygienic procedures. To handle this poten-
tial health crisis, school officials have been in close con-
tact with the Vermont Department of Health. The school
is also getting help from the Center for Disease Control
in Atlanta, Georgia. While the virus potential would not
stay isolated in one part of the school, the virus can live
on surfaces for only a short period of time.
“Students should be concerned about the
virus," said SHS Co-Principal Larry Wight. “But they
should not be worried about it as long as they are wash-
ing their hands, covering their mouths when they cough
or sneeze, and not sharing water bottles with other
students.”
Bindy Hathorn sits at her desk with her People from the age of six months to the
hand sanitizer waiting for service in the age of 24 are at a high risk for the virus and should be
war against H1N1.
See H1N1 page 20
n pg 9
Columns
I
t's almost a decade into the 21st century, and our
world is ruled by technology. Everywhere you look,
technology surrounds you. We see it at the grocery
store, strangers yapping away on their cell phones, or in
your living room, a television blaring in the background.
Anywhere you go, you can expect to see someone
plugged into a music device, such as an iPod, with little
white headphones clogging their ears. What about the
electronic books? These are books that can be down-
loaded onto a device, and you read the words as if you
Examining Existence
Distracting Ourselves From
Suffering
By Kelsey Christensen
T
his October, Middlebury College facilitated the
third annual Quidditch World Cup. The odd
competition is inspired by the Harry Potter se-
ries, the 7-part fantastic chronicle of boy-wizard Harry
Potter, which has spawned many box-office juggernauts
and even more screaming fan-children. The level at
which this element of literature and film has made its
way into our lives--and college sports--would astound
any observer.
This integration of fiction into our lives
provokes us to consider the role of fantasy in our exis-
tence. Why do we seek out fantasy worlds? Aren’t we
interested enough in our own lives? It makes sense that
since humans have made such an efficient science out
of survival--acquiring food, shelter, and clothing--we
would need something to fill the void of free time. But,
our preoccupation with the fantastic is disturbing when
we observe the level of our interest in the fantastic in
our culture. For some of us, we are virtually living a
pg 10
Accepting Ambiguity
Is Technology Progress?
By Jess Watkins
were reading them on a computer screen; you no longer
have the paper pages to turn, or the heavy weight of a
book in your hands. And what about the most troubling
addition to technology: the computer. This involves the
common household computer, a gadget that provides
easy access to saving documents or gives one an open
ride on the internet.
The internet. I almost want to shiver when
I think of it, because although I do appreciate the op-
portunities it brings, it's also dangerous. It has made it
extremely easy for illegal industries such as the child
sex market or child pornography. People find pictures
of themselves that they would never want anyone to see
on the internet. If you post anything on the internet, it
will never disappear. Hackers can easily gain access to
your personal information or infect your computer with
a virus. And the most distracting thing for me: social
networking sites.
I am already a huge procrastinator. I will use
anything to distract me. Once I even resorted to sorting
my CD collection (more technology) to avoid writing
a paper. Social networking sites provide easy cop-outs
for procrastinators like me.
But it's not just these household computers
that are a problem. More powerful computers exist.
There are computers that control information for cor-
porations, computers with huge databases, computers
with super-secret information for governments and
fantasy.
Someone once mused to me that by engag-
ing in artistic expression like film, music, literature,
and other mediums of entertainment, we’re distracting
ourselves from suffering. Yet, it would be much more
productive and reasonable to live in the real world. We
would avoid so much destruction in the world if we spent
our time considering and examining the life we lead.
However, people are comforted by literature
and film. Literature analysis and even film analysis are
such valued qualities in our culture, though the virtuosity
of these abilities is in the eye of the beholder. If a culture
says it’s important to interpret Shakespeare, understand
the periodic table, and know the dates of the Battle of
the Bulge, then the people of that culture will acquire
that knowledge. But what is virtuous in knowledge is
subjective. Any knowledge could be helpful if culture
defines it in that manner. One can still survive without
knowing the slope of a line in a graph or the subplot of
G r e e
military institutions. These are powerful machines, and
they scare me. They make it easier for governments to
control and monitor citizens' acitivities. Couldn't the
powerful people controlling these powerful machines
lose control? Isn't it clear that a computer could be built
that is so smart that it rules humankind? This concept is
commonly portrayed in science fiction films, but is it re-
ally such an unbelievable idea? Is it really such a far-out
future? A future where the manufacturing of computers
and robots spirals out of control, until eventually the
automatons become superior to humanity. At the rate of
our technological progress, anything is possible. And al-
though there are benefits to this progress, such as making
work easier, information more accessible, and crucial
professions like health-care more responsive, there are
serious consequences to technological progress.
To me, a society filled with all-powerful
mechanical drones, and humans obeying robot authority,
is not such a vague and outlandish concept.
And here is something frightening: aspects
of our society are beginning to resemble futuristic, sci-
ence fiction novels and movies. Popular novels and films
illustrate consequences of technology, often in the form
of corrupt governments that cleverly gain control of their
citizens. In the United States, more laws are passed,
which often result in less freedom for Americans. Is it
See Ambiguity page 21
F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.
What is even more peculiar is our fascina-
tion with film and books that are not rooted in fantasy.
Even visual art is usually a depiction of things seen in
life, whether it involves people, landscapes, or abstract
images inspired by real life. In this way, films, books,
and plays are often chronicles of life. It’s odd that people
enjoy watching or reading about activities that they
could be doing. For example, popular television shows
allow audiences a view of celebrities, so they’re watch-
See Manifesto page 20
n H o r n

Chilly Kitties.
By Samuel L. Benton & Ben Travert
L
ook out your window on a winter morning. Trees
all dusted with white, cars buried in white, a
whole landscape completely covered in a white,
wintery blanket. Except—making its way across the
yard with one little paw at a time, a kitty emerges. It
is the best kind of kitty: a snow kitty, a winter kitty. A
chilly kitty. And he wants to come inside.
Your eyes thank him. For weeks you’ve
awakened to an empty landscape, a bleak vista of cold
white, knife-edged icicles hanging from rooftops, dead,
leafless branches poking into the grey sky. Now there is
relief for your color-destitute eyes: a little animal-shaped
fuzzball moving robotically, no, that’s not it, moving as
though walking over a plate of glue, stiff paws stomping
up and down. The animal is locked in a Sisyphusian
conflict with the blanket of your yard.
Somehow, thank the gods, he triumphs. But
there’s no time for celebration. Freed from his Glue
March, the winter kitty raises his snow-dusty paws to
the door and slides them up and down repeatedly, claws
extended.
Scratch-scratch-scratch-scratch. What are
you going to do? Leave him there to the mercy of the
winter winds? Huddle tight to your sweater, brace
yourself for the chill. Turn the knob. The door opens.
This chilly kitty enters.
You’ve spent the morning alone in this home
Column
T
here are three things every human being on the
planet has in common: the basic necessities of
life, eating, sleeping, and, well, relieving your-
self. Everyone loves to sleep and eat, but these things
do not provide for interesting stories. Bathrooms, on
the other hand, offer a vast horizon of opportunities
to explore.
First off, the most important phrase you will
ever need to know in a foreign language is “Where is
G r e e n H o r
with no company. This soon-to-be unchilly kitty is just
what you’ve waited for. Close the door. Pick up your
saviour. The chilly kitty’s fur has fluffed out like a
porcupine fluffing out its pins, only cuter, and fluffier,
as a defense against the atmospheric hounds of winter.
Its eyes are wide and questioning. They ask, “Is there
any escape?”
“Yes there is, Little Fluffy,” you promise.
Holding Little Fluffy in your arms, you
wonder the obvious thing to wonder: What would
this cat look like in a bow? Would it look like a little
present, wrapped in fur, with the very un-present-like
ability to walk? You could put the bow on and find out
for yourself. But why bother? The cat would be out of
that bow in an instant. The bow would be lying on the
ground in shreds while the kitty stalks off in search of
an unsuspecting lap.
The presents will be opened. The fuss will
end. You can recline in your favorite armchair, watch-
ing the kitty play with the bows and discarded wrapping
paper. It stops playing and trots to your chair. It sits by
the chair for a moment, and then it leaps into your lap.
You think, “My feet are so cold ...”
This furry wonder stands on your lap, your
skin tightens in anticipation of his next act of mischief,
but no mischief ensues: he just kicks off your knees and
lands with a small thud on the floor. Then he falls. He
Welcome To...
...the Loo?
By Melissa Tarbell
the bathroom?” This is quite hilarious. Bathroom isn’t
always the correct word, though. In some places, if
you ask this, you might find yourself in a room without
a toilet. You see, in some countries there is a separate
room just for doing your business. Therefore, one must
be sure to ask accurately where the toilet is located.
That leads into the many words for bathroom.
America is the only place where people won’t find it
weird to use the word bathroom. Yes, indeed, other
cultures will probably understand your intent if you
persist in using bathroom. But people in foreign lands
would probably find the word strange.
Just as others would find bathroom strange,
Americans find lingo from other cultures strange. Imag-
ine if an Australian asked you where the dunny was. One
word we probably recognize in America, however, is
loo, a word for bathroom commonly used in Britain.
As in the case of a phrase like the John,
nobody really knows where some slang words come
from. There are theories, however, as to how loo came
about. There are two that seem most plausible to me.
For those of you who know anything about
European history, perhaps by watching the History
n pg
Opinion
falls on to your feet. All of his warm, soft, caressing,
insulating fur waves over your chilly feet. The chilly
kitty has become a pair of slippers, with little ears
springing out in saucy warmth.
“This is how things should be,” you whis-
per.
Darkness falls and seeps into your home.
Illumination is preserved by the dim amber glow of your
standing lamps. You move to the kitchen, drowsy—a
by-product of the New England winter evening—intend-
ing to take care of the clean dishes.
There are no clean dishes—just dishes
speckled with turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cookie crumbs:
a battleground of holiday sustenance cheer. To have to
scrape all this yourself. At your feet, the kitty’s eyes
are wide. He is poised to leap up and devour these
scraps.
See Kitties page 20
Channel or the Travel Channel, you probably know
about a rather difficult time around the 17th century
Europe. There was obviously no plumbing in this era,
so people used to empty their waste out the window and
onto the streets below. Before they emptied the bucket,
though, they would yell gardy-loo so any unfortunate
passerby could clear out to safety.
There is another theory that seems valid as
well. The British call the bathrooms a water closet, or
WC for short. Waterloo is another word for water closet,
so it is very likely that loo is just a shortened version of
waterloo.
But I can’t write a story about bathrooms
without mentioning the boy versus girl factor. By this
I mean the huge girls line and the short boys line for
bathrooms often displayed outside public facilities. In
connection to this, there’s nothing more revealing than
watching the Disney movie Cars and seeing the traffic
jam at the girls room and the male cars zooming in and
out of the boys room. If you’ve never seen Cars, you
are missing out. They got it exactly right.
See Welcome page 19
11
Column
Finding Serendipity
It Matters Not
By Eliza Pennel
I
t matters not."
That's what my friend Ellen would always
say when one of our cabin mates had anything nega-
tive to say. It was her response to everything. It matters
not. You messed up? You said something stupid? You
had a bad day?
It matters not.
That was how I lived for three weeks as a
modern dance major at Interlochen Arts Camp; I was
carefree and excited with life. I got frustrated all the
time, and I would constantly leave dance class feeling
defeated, but it would only take a minute to extinguish
my pessimistic thoughts. I only had to remember where
I was: I was at Interlochen. I'd worked so hard to attend,
auditioning and raising money, and I'd made it. I was
surrounded by art---a fact that Interlochen's "Art Lives
Here" slogan wouldn't have me forget. I was in the
company of thousands of young artists, many of whom
were more talented than I'd ever dreamed of being. I was
in the same ranks as the world's future Josh Grobans and
Jewels. Put simply, I was in a pretty spectacular place.
How could I---or anyone---entertain a gloomy attitude
in such circumstances? In addition to the elated feeling
Interlochen's reality gave me, a few routines of camp
life in particular made my time in Michigan magical.
I lived in a cabin for three weeks. I didn't
L
ast edition I talked about picking a suitable loca-
tion to resist the Zombie Apocalypse. But the
Zombie Apocalypse is a cataclysmic emergency
and it should be treated as such. That means to survive
one needs proper supplies. Most of these supplies are
normal emergency supplies: food, water, medical sup-
plies, etc. But the Zombie Apocalypse calls for other,
less conventional, provisions.
Most notably, guns are a necessity when
faced with hordes of zombies. If you don’t have a firearm
in the Zombie Apocalypse you won’t last very long. It’s
safer to acquire a firearm before the apocalypse starts,
but it’s easier to get one after the undead have ravaged
the countryside and all stores are abandoned, though
this method cannot be guaranteed to work. Adequate
firepower is equivalent to just as much as one can carry,
pg 12
think that situation would be very magical before I left
Vermont, but it was perfect. Now, I can't imagine camp
without cabins that remind me of The Parent Trap. Our
bunks were the loudest, most obnoxious structures I've
ever seen people asked to sleep in, and any snoring that
happened was remarkably audible in the small, open
space we shared. Sleep was difficult at times; ear plugs
and Benadryl were essentials. There were usually hairs
everywhere and always puddles on the bathroom floor.
The toilets didn't always work. There wasn't much extra
space for everyone's personal effects. But we all lived
comfortably, I think, because we loved being there---and
I know a lot of us loved each other, too, and every day
in our cabin was another day to laugh together, to play
Mafia and the Paper Game together, and to graffiti our
walls together.
Every inch of Cabin 28, and of all Interlochen
cabins, was an inch of graffiti space. You couldn't look
anywhere without seeing inspirational quotes scribbled
on the walls, hand prints on the floor, and initials carved
into shelves. The twelve of us certainly added to this
beautiful mess. (I left a quote from The Princess Bride
in an obscure area of the ceiling that I'm hoping is seen
by future campers.)
In movies, campers are always awakened by
the sound of a trumpet. We were. At 6:40 am. (I never
Surviving
Apocalyptia
By John Forbes
because the moment you run out of ammunition you run
out of hope.
Traditionally, zombie movies depict the
shotgun as the weapon of choice during the Zombie
Apocalypse. The shotgun is popular because it can
fire a spread of projectiles rather than a single bullet.
Unfortunately, these projectiles are not strong enough
individually to pierce a zombie’s skull, which makes
the shotgun impractical at long range. But this is tricky
since zombies are dangerous up close. However, the
large spread of shotgun pellets can be beneficial at me-
dium range, since such explosions tend to push zombies
backwards for a moment, leaving you time to run, or a
moment to reload and fire again.
Automatic weapons are also a bad choice for
the Zombie Apocalypse because of ammunition wasted
during firing. In addition to this, automatic weapons are
much less accurate than other weapons. But more ac-
curate automatic weapons are difficult to find, especially
before the apocalypse starts, since the government tends
to restrict access to more lethal weapons. On the other
G r e e
even wake up for school that early.) We were hastened
out of our beds and cabins when the trumpet started
playing, and we went to morning line-up, which sup-
posedly consisted of daily announcements for all High
School Division (HSG) girls. (But I don't remember
any of those announcements, and I'm not sure anyone
was cognizant enough to genuinely listen to them. We
had it better than the High School Boys, though: they
did jumping jacks and push-ups at their line-up.) After
line-up, every cabin in HSG completed (or...pretended
See Serendipity page 21
Humor
hand, if you can manage to find a reliable automatic
weapon, it will prove infinitely useful in disposing of
the zombie masses.
Pistols are a great choice in the Zombie
Apocalypse because they weigh much less than other
weapons. A 22-caliber pistol is the optimal sidearm for
killing zombies since it has enough power to pierce
the skull one time. Thereafter, it will bounce along
the inner walls of the skull and scramble the zombie’s
brains. Another advantage of the .22? The ammunition
is lightweight which allows more ammunition to be
carried without one becoming exhausted.
Guns are not the only weapons you should
use to handle the Zombie Apocalypse, since you will
eventually run out of ammunition. Choosing a close-
combat weapon is a bit more difficult than choosing
a gun, though. The first rule in choosing this backup
weapon is that it must be capable of destroying the
zombie’s brain or otherwise disconnecting the head from
See Apocalyptia page 22
n H o r n

K
ayne West used to annoy me to no end. I
heard his sampling of songs and immediately
despised him. How could you put Michael
Jackson’s “P.Y.T.” into “Good Life,” Kanye? Have
you no respect?
My angry attitude about Kanye West con-
tinued for a while. But one day while I was playing
Grand Theft Auto IV a song played over the in-game
radio. This was a sweet song: solid beat, dark and
moody synth, and lyrics that really were quite good. I
wondered what it was and realized it was none other
than Kanye West's “Flashing Lights.” Maybe I was
wrong about Kanye. I found myself listening to this
song constantly, but eventually my interest died down
and the tune remained untouched in my iTunes. Over
a year later my brother, Tom, walked into the room
wielding Graduation, West’s 3rd album, released in
2007 and featuring “Flashing Lights.” So I popped it
The Hazards of Love
An Opus to Die For
By Kelsey Christensen
A
nyone who has heard the Decemberists knows
they have a penchant for writing gothic tales
about schlimazels from the 18th century.
Behind a half-folk, half-minstrel style of accordion,
acoustic guitar, and upright bass, the Decemberists, led
by Colin Meloy, are story tellers before they are musi-
cians. It is only fitting, then, that their most recent album,
The Hazards of Love is a 17-track rock opera.
The band breaks its typical mold, experimenting with rock, rather than linger-
ing in their comfort zone of quiet, mid-tempo, neo-folk.
The album tells the story of Margaret and
William, two lovers who are expecting a child. As
they’re running away, they become the prey of a mali-
cious, possessive queen who raised William as a baby.
In the end the lovers find that the only way to escape
the clutches of the queen and other “hazards of love” is
to commit suicide.
The album begins with a prelude, in true
musical style, and delivers the story through five in-
G r e e n H o r
Reviews
808s and Heartbreak
(Kanye West; 2008)
By Samuel l. Benton
in and played it. This wasn't too bad. Good even. One
year later his music (particularly in I Wonder) seemed
artistic, rather than annoying. His raps were great, not
really deep, but much more satisfying than most of the
music I hear these days.
A couple of weeks later my brother called.
“Hey I just listened to West’s heartbreak album," Tom
said. " Great!” So I popped in the album, 808s and
Heartbreak, and played it through.
Welcome to heartbreak.
This was nothing like the Kanye West I heard
before. The album cover doesn’t even have Kanye’s
usual bear. Dark tones flew from my speakers as the first
track, “Say You Will,” played. Cold robotic bleeps were
playing, tribal drums pounded, and synthesizers created
a haunting sound that could only be heard coming from
a dark occult practice. The practice was heartache. If
“Say You Will" set the sound, then the second song,
“Welcome to Heartache,” set the mood. The synth and
tribal drums remained, but there was a much stronger
beat, and West was singing (again emphasis on singing).
He’s singing a was a perrsonalized “it’s lonely at the
top” story ("My friend showed me pictures of his kids/
All I could show him was pictures of my cribs.”)
Songs like this, expressing the alienation
stallments of a song called "The Hazards of Love" and
other episodically-modeled ballads. One of the most
incendiary songs on the album includes the "Wanting
Comes in Waves/Repaid." Stark introduces the character
The Queen in this track, a queen who erupts in fiery
anger when she discovers William is involved with
Margaret, asking in each chorus: “This is how I am
repaid?” Stark astounds the listener, reaching higher
octaves with unwavering strength when you’re sure she
can sing no higher. Stark also lends the necessary anger
and character to the song.
Stark’s talent is not limited, however, to
impassioned rock ballads, however. Stark also sings
Margaret’s parts, in a very soft, high register, as ex-
emplified in the love song "Isn’t It a Lovely Night?" in
which Stark and Meloy show their pleasure with being
together and expecting a child.
n pg
he felt now that he was at the top of the music industry
(“Amazing,” “Streetlights”) are spread throughout the
album. “Street Lights” is a particularly emotional song,
with lines like “So I hopped in the cab and I paid my fare/
See, I know my destination, but I’m just not there.”)
Even more prominent on the album is his
collection of songs depicting a failing love, spawned by
his recent separation from his partner and fiancé. “Love
Lockdown” is as autobiographical as it gets. His feel-
ings towards his ex-fiance are planted in the lyrics and
surrounded by a tribal ceremony to call down the rains.
Such is the mood of all West's love songs (if you would
like to call them that) on the album. “Heartless,” sounds
just that: heartless. How can you pour your heart into
something when it’s broken? “Paranoid” sounds like
an 80s throwback, as if Phil Collins was in a horrible
mood one day and sat down to record his mood on his
drum machines. Except that West's music is actually
good (sorry Phil). “RoboCop,” which creates images of
Peter Weller in a robot suit blasting criminals (through
the heart maybe?) and “Bad News” are also appealing.
“See You in My Nightmare" sums up West's feeling
towards love, locked in the words “I got a right to put
See Heartbreak page 23
The band breaks its typical mold, experi-
menting with rock, rather than lingering in their comfort
zone of quiet, mid-tempo, neo-folk. After an operatic
prelude in the beginning of most of the tracks, the De-
cemberists masterfully deliver energetic, catchy guitar
riffs. Melodies often appear twice in the album, and the
Decemberists do not hesitate to include instrumental in-
terludes within their track list of lyrical compositions.
The Hazards of Love is an exciting addition
to the Decemberists’ discography. It is only too bad that
a gothic rock opera was not conceived earlier.
13
Sports

S
enior wide receiver Jon Esden holds The Trophy that is
shared between Springfield and Bellows Falls. Esden scored
a touchdown in the Cosmos' 19-18 victory over the Terriers
on October 30th. Top right: The Cosmos offense lines up on the
ball during the closing minutes of the second half. Bottom right:
Springfield players rest during a Bellows Falls injury. After the
game the Cosmos were ranked third in Division III at 7-1. They
also defeated Bellows Falls, 31-21, on November 6th.

Football Team Gets Healthy

Cosmos Focus on the Present and Future
By Ashley Richardson

Springfield receiver Billy Wheeler,
downed by a Belows Falls player
during the Trophy Game, began the
season filling in for injured
quarterback Brandon Boyle.
pg 14
T
he Springfield High School football team, with
two key players out for the season, lost only one
league game this year. The Cosmos climbed the
Division III rankings during the season. Before their
Homecoming Game against Bellows Falls, the Cosmos
were ranked third in their division.
“With our 53-0 win over Montpelier, we
secured a playoff spot between number one and number
three,” senior quarterback Brandon Boyle said. “With
this ranking, our chances are pretty good in going far
in the playoffs.”
Going far in the playoffs adds more pressure
to this team that has been recovering from injuries to key
players. In a stretch of three games, the Cosmos blew
out Montpelier, 53-0, Mount Abraham, 57-0, and Mill
River, 46-0. “As the season has gone on, I’ve learned that
the only way to win games is to play Cosmos football,”
senior Colin Laplante said. “I know if we do this, we’ll
be on top again.”
But in order to play Cosmos football, the
team had to get healthy. Although seniors Eli Gosselin
G r e e
and Shawn Keefe, key players on last year's undefeated
team, were lost for the season, the rest of the team
continued to rehab in order to come out strong for the
playoffs.
“I’m still trying to get back to my full abil-
ity, where I left off last year. Due to my injuries, I’ve
been set back,” Boyle said. “As a team, we’ve been
working hard on moving forward and having no steps
backwards.”
Because of injuries, intensity may have been
lacking for the Cosmos early in the season. But the team
worked hard to improve in this area. “We’re working
hardest on playing tougher and with more intensity,”
Boyle said. “We’re strong in the fact that we’ve been
playing together since 10th grade, but our weakest abil-
ity is that we don’t bring any intensity to the game. We
play back on our heels.”
At the beginning of the season, many seniors
were stuck on the sidelines with injuries. But as the year
progressed, most players were back on the gridiron.
See Football page 19
n H o r n
 Sports

A
ngelo Jardina, senior defender and co-captain, hugs
James Karkowski after Karkowski banged home
the winning goal in the penalty kick shootout in the
boys semifinal game against U-32. In the middle photo,
Karkowski commences the kick that will spell doom for
the U-32 Raiders in the shootout. Above, co-captain John
Kendall scored the Cosmos' lone goal during regulation,
which ended in a 1-1 deadlock. Senior midfielder and
co-captain Ryan Brady moves upfield during the first half
of the U-32 game. With their victory, the 14-2 boys squad
went to States to play Missisquoi at Randolph on Satur-
day, November 7th, and copped their first title, 1-0.

With Pfenning, the Goal Was Safe

By Ryan Brady

T
his year the Springfield Cosmos boys soccer team just kept missing school,”
was challenged to replace a senior class that led co-captain Angelo Jardina
the team to an 11-2-1 regular season record last said. “We offered him help,
year. One of the positions in particular that was filled but he always turned us
to perfection was goalkeeper. Junior Jordan Pfenning down. It seemed like he
filled this vacancy once occupied by all-state athlete wasn’t going to be able to
Tyler Albee. Becoming the starting varsity goalie, play, so we decided to look
however, was no easy task for Pfenning. Since last for a new goalie.”
fall, Pfenning made great strides to earn the starting The replacement
goalie position. the team found was Derek
Even though Pfenning had a spot almost Osborne. “I started playing
guaranteed on the varsity roster, he worked hard to be- goalie over the summer
come a better player. “I did a lot of offseason workouts,” when I found out there was
Pfenning said. “I worked with a goalie coach at MLS a need for a goalie, because
camp the week before tryouts, and I had been playing our planned goalie was run-
goalie all spring and summer for Springfield teams. One ning into some trouble,” Os-
of the things that made a big difference was when Derek borne said, “So I did some
Osborne decided he was going to try out for goalie. “ workouts during tryouts and
At the end of the 2008-2009 school year off to the side with Corey
Pfenning was having trouble academically and was in Cenate [junior varsity soc-
danger of being ineligible for the fall season. “Jordan cer coach].” Wearing his Man of the Match medal, Jordan Pfenning
was failing and instead of trying to make up work he Throughout pre- acknowledges fan attention after protecting the goal
See Pfenning page 22 against U-32 in the penalty kick shootout.

G r e e n H o r n pg 15
Sports
Run, Cosmos, Run
Cross-Country Ends Season at Thetford
L
ike many other fall sports at Springfield High
School, the SHS Cross-Country team finished
its season in October. The cross-country team
ran in their final race of the season on the afternoon of
Halloween as they competed in the 2009 Vermont High
School Cross-Country Championship Race at Thetford
Academy in Thetford, Vermont. The Thetford event
hosted over 950 runners in eight races: a Division I
girls and boys race, a Division II girls and boys race,
a Division III boys and girls race, and a girl and boys
Challenge Race, a junior varsity race where all three
divisions were combined.
Over 190 girls ran in the first race of the day,
the girls Challenge Race. The SHS Cross-Country team
originally planned to have five of their girls run in this
race, but only four girls competed because of illness.
Sophomore Katelyn Daly placed 110th, the leading
finisher for the Cosmos. Senior Krystal Bruce was next
at 166th, and shortly behind her was senior Paulina Mei
coming in at 171st with Sarah Gray at 177th.
The last girls race of the day was the Division
II varsity girls race. In this run, the SHS Cross-Country
team had their varsity team of seven girls run against 93
other runners from 13 qualifying teams. Even though
seven Cosmos started out in this race, only four finished.
Two of the top four varsity girls, junior Alaina Paige
and freshman Shelby Reardon, dropped out of the race
because of physical problems.
Senior Sarah Payton was unable to fin-
Senior co-captain Lindsay Turgeon
provided strength in the backfield
during the playoffs.
pg 16
By Olivia Thayer
ish. Payton had been sol-
idly in the top seven of the
girls’ team even though she
had experienced breathing
problem during the season.
“States was fun,” she said.
“It’s always really fun. And
since it was our last meet,
the whole team was really
pumped.”
In the Thetford
race on Halloween, soph-
omore Marissa Keenan
took over the top varsity
spot finishing 35th overall.
Freshman Courtney Paige
and sophomore Lauren Fish
took the next two places
at 76th and 79th. Senior
Anna Vogel, who usually
finishes top in the lineup
Anthony Gaye, Dylan Batiest, Nick Chlebak, Danny
for the Cosmos, suffering Murray, and Matt Aiello enjoyed Thetford.
with a cold, finished 88th.
Immediately after her finish, Vogel was taken to the Race was the largest race of the day. Junior Caleb
emergecy tent set up at Thetford. The problems that Watkins placed 112th overall, followed by senior Rusty
plagued the girls cross-country team caused them to be Schleimer in 120th place, junior Matt Aiello in 178th
unranked as a team. Therefore, their results could not place, and senior Owen Ledvina in 220th place.
be used to compute the overall score of other teams.
Involving 239 runners, the boys Challenge See Cross Country page 20
Field Hockey Beats U-32,
Loses to Windsor
By Courtney Downing & Maria Stern
I
n Division II field hockey quarterfinals, the 7th- head coach Belinda Hathorn told Perham earlier in the
seeded 5-7-2 Springfield High School field hockey season that she would score when the time was right.
team played played the 2nd-seeded 12-1-1 U-32 Sure enough, about ten minutes into the second half,
Raiders on October 22nd. The Cosmos played giant- Perham scored to move Springfield ahead, 3-1.
killer in this one, knocking off the Raiders 3-1. In the waning moments of the game, the
Just three minutes into the game, U-32 scored Cosmos had to fight off defensive corners. However,
on a penalty corner. Senior Becca Trombly recalls feel- Haskell, senior Becca Trombly, senior Erin Graham,
ing "helpless" at the Raiders' score. “I was really scared,” junior Elizabeth Austin, and junior goalkeeper Brittany
Trombly added. “It got my adrenaline going.” Grant foiled Raider scoring attempts. Grant, in fact,
"I thought, 'oh geeze. This is how it’s going racked up six saves in a tense game.
to be'," Springfield senior co-captain Kayla Perham Following this victory, the Cosmos lost 2-1
said. “And I knew from that point on, something had to on October 27th to 3rd-seeded Windsor, a team they had
change. And then we scored.” The Cosmos responded defeated once during the regular season.
at twelve minutes of the first period on a penalty corner Going into the Windsor game, Hathorn
of their own. Senior Meredith Ward passed the ball to stessed unity and intensity. In the game that followed,
Perham who swatted it to junior Maria Stern for the defensive players, led by Trombly, Graham, and Lindsay
score. Turgeon kept Windsor attackers away from the goal.
Sophomore Morgan Johnson chose an oppor- Jessie Haskell scored the lone Cosmos' goal
tune time to break into the varsity-scoring column five on a penalty corner. Despite a furious effort at the end
minutes later when she tucked the ball inside the post of the contest, the Cosmos couldn't knot the score and
off a free-hit from junior Jessie Haskell. Field hockey ended their season at 6-8-2.
G r e e n H o r n

Powder Puff Football
Class of 2010 Dominates Once Again
In green, from left, seniors Taylor Thomas, Melissa
Tarbell, Elizabeth Maxfield, Jalessah Jackson, Lindsay
Bolduc, Amanda Aberle. In white, juniors Desmond Dana, and Lindsey Bolduc all
Mariama Roldan, Alaina Page, Amanda Farnsworth.
I
n the same season that the Springfield High School class put up a good fight, coming close to scoring many
football team won its first state championship in 60 times during the game.
years, another football first occurred at SHS. While
the first involved trophies and parades last autumn, this class co-advisor Kirsten Aiello. A significant amount
Spandex
Necessary Fashion in Sports
By Courtny Downing
S
pandex, or compression shorts, can be bought at
any sporting goods store, such as Olympia Sports
or Dicks Sporting Goods. These compression
shorts are used for a number of different reasons.
Junior Brittany Grant uses her spandex for
many reasons and in many situations. Grant plays field
hockey and basketball. She wears spandex for both
sports. “I like knowing that if my shorts rise up for any
reason that I’m covered,” she said, “and no one will
see anything.”
Grant has been wearing spandex since her
freshman year and, in fact, she uses spandex outside of
sports. “If I wear athletic shorts or a dress or skirt then
I’ll wear spandex under whatever I’m wearing," Grant
said. "It just gives me that piece of mind."
Spandex became more popular in 2005,
when there was a sudden demand for the fabric in the
fashion industry. Spandex is made from cotton/nylon
G r e e n H o r
By Olivia Thayer
other first included yellow
flags and fundraising.
Last year the
first Powder Puff football
game, a flag football game
played by junior and se-
nior girls, was played to
raise money for the senior
and junior classes. Last
year the junior class beat
the seniors, 13–7.
The 2009
Powder Puff football
game took place in the
evening on October 10th
at the Brown Memorial
Field. The temperature
at game time may have
been low, but the spirit
of both teams was high.
The seniors demonstrated
their power with a 20–0
victory. Seniors Jalessah
Jackson, Melissa Tarbell,
scored touchdowns. Even
though they lost, the junior
“I think the game was a success,” said junior
material that come in various sizes. Spandex can be as
long as leggings or as short as boxers. Spandex fits tight
to the body. Spandex garments can be purchased in either
a 4” or 7” size, the distance from the inside top of the
leg to where the material ends. Spandex comes in many
prints. Colors found in stores include black, white, and
green. The price of spandex varies from men to women.
The cost for a pair of womens' spandex is $27.99, and
the price for a pair of mens' spandex would be $29.99.
(prices from Dicks Sporting Goods Online). Spandex
can be worn under either shorts or pants, and can be
used for both practice and competition.
Spandex is used for reasons other than to
give girls a piece of mind. Male athletes use spandex as
well. Freshman Archie Farmer wears spandex because,
as Farmer said, “after pulling my hamstrings two years
See Spandex page 20
n pg
Sports
of money was raised to benefit both classes.
The senior class received the proceeds from
the concession stand and junior class received the money
from ticket sales. “We [the junior class] need the money
for prom and the senior class needs it for the senior class
trip,” said Aiello.
Senior class advisor Gigi Guy was pleased
with the game. “I think it [the game] went well,” said
Guy. “There are actually rules and specific field dimen-
sions for the game. SHS Trainer Matt Howland was very
helpful in getting the field and players ready.”
Before the contest this year, the junior class
hoped that they would continue the tradition of under-
classmen triumph in Powder Puff Football.
Junior Courtney Downing looked forward
to participating in this year’s game. “It’s [the Powder
Puff game] a fun way to raise money and bond with
your classmates,” Downing said. “And we get to kick
some senior butt.”
The Class of 2011 held their first practice on
September 20th and started to form their senior-crushing
team immediately. “We all had to try each position and
our coaches assessed what position we’d do best in,”
said junior Maria Stern before the Powder Puff game.
“We pinky-promised not to tell [our actual positions]
but I hear the coaches were telling.”
As much morale as the junior class had, the
senior girls matched their spirit. The senior girls began
practices for their successful team on September 26th,
See Powder Puff page 22
Spandex serves as a stylish
undergarment for athletes.
17
Sports
Motivation, Sweat, and Gold
How the Team in Green Rocks
By Jill Rushton

I
t’s a tied game. Ten seconds left in overtime. You
have the ball. It’s your shot, your call, your oppor-
tunity to make something happen and be the hero
of the game. All the pep talks, running, practices comes
down to this final moment.
This scenario happened quite a lot at Spring-
field High School sports games this autumn. Some
Cosmos teams won the game. Some lost. But with two
back-to-back boys state championship titles hanging
in the cabinet and the boys soccer team adding to the
honors, it’s clear that the team in green is a true threat
and that success is nothing new in this title town.
This fall, the Springfield boys football team
didn't compile the perfect record they were hoping to
continue from last year. But with their 52-28 victory
over the Windsor Yellow Jackets last year to win the
Division III title, this team showed it would not back
down anytime soon. Springfield had not won a football
Elements in Cosmos sports success:
championship in over 60 years until last November and spirited fans gather to watch semi-final
they had their sights on another championship as the boys soccer game against U-32 Raid-
2009 season got underway. The system worked well ers; Becca Trombly demonstrates extra
for the football team as they overcame early-season
injunries to finish the regular season at 7-2.
practice and discipline; football players
“It was definitely rewarding to see a program show teamwork against Bellows Falls.
so troublesome stepping up and winning,” assistant
varsity and head JV coach Luke Mitchell said. “It took
a while for the group of players to work together, but

Matt Howland
they did it. They’re a good group of kids who deserved
to win.”
The Cosmos opened the season by scrim-
maging teams during spring and summer. Throughout
the year, coaches held lightweight training for the
more motivated athletes and dedicated one day a week
to practice during summer before two-a-day practices
From Astronaut to Trainer
started in August. To prepare for games, football players By Courtney Downing
performed agility drills, watched film, and ran offensive

and defensive plays.
Although they struggled with injuries, the
boys managed to fill in the gaps and win. To start the
season, Billy Wheeler scored the winning touchdown
in a 6-0 overtime win against the Poultney Blue Devils.
Starting quarterback Boyle re-injured his knee in the
game and Wheeler stepped in for the next few games
until Boyle returned.
With an almost perfect record during the
regular season, the boys soccer team showed why they
would be the next to win a state championship. Captains
John Kendall, Angelo Jardina, and Ryan Brady led the
12-2-0 squad. The boys prepared themselves by scrim-
maging Division I teams and going to a team-building
camp in the summer. The team had a devastating loss
last season in the first round of playoffs. Although that
could be reason enough to want the title this year, the
real motivation behind the team was their fans.
“It feels really good to hear fans cheering for
you,” varsity defensive boys soccer player Joe Ankuda
said during their fine season. “We all are a pretty close
team and have a good attitude. That helps too.”
See Motivation page 23
pg 18
O
n the way to work, most people like to prepare
themselves for the exhausting day that lies
ahead. The longer one drives, the more one
thinks. Springfield High School Athletic Trainer Matt
Howland drives over an hour to work each day from
Rutland, Vermont, and thinks much about his career.
Howland joined the Cosmos staff in the fall
of 2004. “After receiving a phone call from Mike Hatt
[SHS Athletic Director] I couldn’t wait to start,” said
Howland. After five years at SHS, Howland says his
favorite place at SHS is still the training room.
After his grandfather suffered a stroke during
Howland’s senior year of high school, Howland decided
to become a certified trainer. “I visited him every day,”
said Howland. “After watching the doctors and nurses Matt Howland encourages strong work
work with him, and just watching the whole rehabilita- ethic, monitors training, and enjoys the
tion process, it made me want to become an athletic
atmosphere of SHS.
trainer.”
Before his grandfather’s sickness, Howland Tim Tebow, and Teddy Bruschi. “Arguably they were
prepared to be an Occupational Therapist. Earlier, he some of the best ever," Howland said. "Today Tebow is
dreamed of becoming an astronaut. the best athlete I have seen on a football field in a long
While growing up, Howland’s favorite ath- time. Teddy Bruschi was such a tremendous competitor
letes included Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Michael Jordan,
and Barry Sanders. Presently, he admires Tom Brady, See Howland page 21
G r e e n H o r n
 Sports
Bittersweet Girls Soccer Season
A Woodstock Victory and a Woodstock Loss
By Melissa Tarbell

F
or the five senior girls on the Springfield varsity
soccer team, their last season ended at 6-9-0.
After starting the season with a strong record
of 5-2-0, excitement dominated at practices and games.
The first half of the season, in fact, had more wins than
most entire seasons for the girls.
Included in that first-half record was a win
against Woodstock. The only game to be taken into
overtime this season, the Cosmos finally broke the
2OT Jinx, as it was referred to in a newspaper article
following the game. Although the game was taken into
overtime, the Cosmos had finally beaten Woodstock
after a long dry spell.
The Springfield-Woodstock rivalry in girls
soccer had always been a large event of the season. This
game is what the team worked so hard for. Despite the
many tough losses the girls have suffered against their
rival, many can agree that it was always a good show.
The Woodstock victory occurred in the fourth
game of the season. The next three games would result
in two wins against Fair Haven and Otter Valley and a
loss against Division I Brattleboro.
Unfortunately, after losses against two Di-
vision I teams, the Cosmos seemed to hit a wall. The
club suffered four losses in a row and its winning high
seemed to wear off.
But the next win, against Otter Valley, put
the girls back in good spirits. Everyone was excited to
play Hartford next, fully expecting the win that had
been denied them the first time around. But the visiting
Hartford Hurricanes seemed to have improved through-
out the season and they robbed the Cosmos yet again of
their win on Senior Night.
If last year was characterized by double
overtime battles, this year had a special quality all its
own. Several games began well with no score by half
time. Just minutes into the second half, however, the
opposing team seemed to slip past the Cosmos defense
to score.
On several occasions during the season, the
girls would play a great game, but for some reason they
just couldn’t pull through to tie or win. Senior captain
Olivia Johnson had an explanation for this letdown.
“We didn’t play as a team,” she said.
Toward the end of the season, teamwork
became the key point at practices. The coaches had
noticed this lack of teamwork as well as the players.
But no matter how much effort was put into fixing the
problem, the lack of teamwork plagued the team all
year. At the conclusion of the regular season, a three-
way tie in the middle of the Division II pack existed
between Springfield, Woodstock, and Vergennes. All
clubs finished with a 6-8-0 record.
Luckily, Springfield was paired up with
Woodstock in the playoffs. The Woodstock coaches
were not too thrilled about the match, but the Cosmos
girls looked at it as chance for yet more revenge.
The playdown game, scheduled for Wednes-
day, October 28th, was rained out and re-scheduled for
the following day.
Unfortunately, the Cosmos were down by
two with fewer than ten minutes to go. In a big com- Junior sweeper Desmond Dana
motion in front of the Woodstock goal, Johnson put in
a goal closing the score to 2-1. This was as close as the dribbles past an Otter Valley defender.
Cosmos could get as the Woodstock jinx continued. Dana will be called on to lead the girls
Regarding their losses against Woodstock, soccer team next season.
Johnson suggested that a curse may exist because
Springfield never seems to catch a break when they play be returning next year. They won’t get their chance to
the Wasps. have an even better record and beat Woodstock not just
“We don’t seem to be the lucky team,” she once, but twice in one season. However, there are five
said. juniors to lead the girls soccer team next year. They
It is unfortunate for the seniors who won’t have the potential to get the job done.

Welcome from page 11
Maybe the difference in the relative length
of the boys and girls lines for bathroom service results
because girls visit the bathroom in pairs, which makes
the bathroom a social event for girls. They’ll go in pairs
and talk between stalls. Once their business is done,
they check their hair in the mirror, maybe examine their
teeth and outfits, and criticize facial blemishes, all while
continuing chit-chat about the latest gossip.
Men, well there is no talking going on. There
is a funny anecdote often posed that if a woman is in
a stall without toilet paper, she will ask for some and
several rolls will come flying under the door. A guy,
however, will say nothing and contemplate his dilemma
before ever asking for toilet paper from another man.
Thus, some restaurants post newspapers
above urinals to encourage conversation between men.
Who knows why that’s necessary? Life will go on if
men don’t talk to each other in the bathroom. When
one considers the bathroom, clearly there is much to be
unclogged in the plumbing of bathroom information.
Football from page 14
“We knew the boys would be back," junior
wide receiver Billy Wheeler said, "so we played for the
injured players. We knew they wanted to be out there
but couldn’t, so that helped push us even harder.”
In order to prepare for the Bellows Falls
rivalry game, the Cosmos worked hard on their offense
and made their defense tougher.
“We have to be tougher than they are," Boyle
said before the game. "We can’t have any turnovers, and
we have to keep the yellow flags off the field.”
He added, "We want to throw a lot against
them, so we’ve been working a lot on our offense.
We’ve also been going over Bellows Falls’ plays for
three weeks. We’re focusing on this game a lot, espe-
cially since we might play them in the first game of the
playoffs.”
In late October, with the playoffs close at
hand, memories of last year’s state championship came
flooding back for the players. However, instead of be-
ing distracted by the past, the Cosmos focused on the
present. In fact, the coaches chose not to bring up last
year's perfect season and championship.
“There is definitely more pressure because
of last year's championship, but we just do what we do,
and get things done that need to be done,” Wheeler said.
“In order to deal with the pressure, we just don’t even
think about it. It’s in our heads, but we put it behind us.
This is a new year, and we’re missing a couple of key
players, so we have to try even harder to repeat.”
“Our team is finally healthy, and we’re all on
the same page,” Laplante added. “Our ability to run and
pass the ball successfully makes us more of a diverse
team, and I’m working my hardest to make sure I can
help my team win another state championship.”
Visit past editions of the
Green Horn at
shs.ssdvt.org.

G r e e n H o r n pg 19
 H1N1 from page 9
innoculated with the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. Individuals,
though, cannot be diagnosed with H1N1 until they have
been tested by a doctor.
SHS science teacher and Team Leader Be-
linda Hathorn believes that the strength of the virus is
exaggerated. Infections worldwide are low compared to
total population numbers. Hathorn described her efforts
to stop infection. “I sanitize my hands often,” she said.
“And when I let students use my pen and pencils and
I always sanitize them afterwards.” Hathorn spoke as
she sanitized a pencil a student had just returned to her.
“Students should be taught at a very young age about
proper hygienic procedures,” Hathorn added.
Previously, SHS had one case of H1N1 di-
agnosed last spring. But that single case was enough to
cause worry in the school and town. “We are following
the same protocols as we did last spring,” said Wight.
Before school opened, officials met with hospital staff
to ensure student safety.
“If a student were sick we would get them
out immediately and keep them away from other stu-
dents,” said SHS Nurse Chris Simmons. “People need
to understand their role about proper hygiene and wash
their hands frequently.”
Kitties from page 11
You set one plate at a time on the kitchen
floor, a circle of desecrated circles. The kitty lowers
his head to the plate. A small, baby tongue flips out,
the great instrument of cleansing. It slides along plate
after plate. Larger chunks of food provoke pleasing
wet slopping sounds from a little kitty mouth. You’ve
realized how to lower the national suicide rate, which
inevitably grows every year during the holiday season.
Drop a chilly kitty down the chimney of every home
in America. Down every chimney in the world. Chilly
kitties for everyone.
That night, all through the house, not a crea-
ture will stir, and you’ll be tucked into your bed—with
a reformed chilly kitty exhuding heat for your lonely,
chilly toes. Lonely, chilly toes once. But no more.
Cross-Country from page 16
The final race of the day was the Division
II Varsity boys race. Seven boys from the SHS cross
country team ran in this competition.
Junior Terry Reidy finished about halfway
through the 101 runners with his 51st place finish. Junior
Ben Chavalier and senior Dan Murray kept the pressure
on Reidy as they completed the course in 57th and 59th
place respectively. Sophomore Zach Parent and senior
Anthony Gay were the next two Cosmos' finishers
in 75th and 80th place. The Cosmos standings were
wrapped up with the 82nd place finish of junior Nick
Chlebak and the 90th place finish of freshman Larry
Bolduc.
The strong race by the Cosmos boys brought
their team score high enough to place 11th overall in
team standings out of 15 qualifying teams.
“The team didn’t seem up to par at this meet,”
said sophomore Sarah Gray. “My time was about two
minutes slower than the last time we ran at Thetford.
But as a team I think we ran as best as we could.”
Even though some runners agreed that this
state meet was not the finest showing of Cosmos run-
ning, the cross-country team performed well during the
season. For example, in the biggest meet of the cross
pg 20
Spandex from page 17
ago, my dad said that I should start wearing spandex.
They help keep the heat in so your muscles stay safe.”
In some sports, such as cheerleading, span-
dex is required. Athletes wear what are called bloomers,
also known as spandex. However, bloomers are more
like undergarments. They are required to insure coverage
throughout the time the cheerleaders are performing.
The bloomers are there in case the skirt rises up, so the
cheerleader will be covered.
Some athletes feel they must wear spandex.
However, some never wear spandex and can’t tolerate
the fabric. “I don’t wear spandex because I’m a guy and
guys shouldn’t wear spandex,” said sophomore Quinton
Ambrose. “I’ve never worn them and I never will.”
Varsity SHS field hockey coach Belinda
Hathorn has a distinct view of spandex. “I played bas-
ketball in college,” Hathorn said. “The only time we
wore spandex was in field hockey, which was in high
school. But I never wore them in basketball.”
SHS Athletic Trainer Matt Howland believes
in freedom of choice related to spandex. “[Spandex]
should not be required,” he said. “If one wants to wear
them then that’s fine. But they shouldn’t be required."
Howland, in fact, only requires athletes to wear spandex
if they need to be wrapped on the upper leg.
Spirit from page 4
participated in Spirit Week festivities,” said Coleman.
“We would all stay late after school and work on our
posters and skits until 9:00 at night. Spirit Week was a
real competition then.”
Sanderson is one who wishes that Spirit
Week at SHS would be livelier. “Personally, I think
school spirit is very important and people need to get
more involved, ” said Sanderson. “ I wish our school
could really get into it.”
“I think Spirit Week is the most important
week of the year and I’m sorry more people don’t take
part,” said SHS social studies teacher Susan Fog before
Spirit Week began. “So gosh darn it, dig out those
pajamas and bond with your classmates.”
country season, the Thetford Woods Trail Run, which
was held in the rain on October 3rd, many SHS runners
stood out in the crowd. Freshman Shelby Reardon
placed 3rd in the 5th seed (because this is such a large
race, the runners are divided into 5 seeds, or races, with
the 5th seed having the slowest average time and the 1st
seed having the fastest) girls race.
The majority of the SHS girls ran in the 5th
seed race but SHS was also represented in the 4th seed
race by a few runners and in the 2nd seed race with Anna
Vogell running solo for the Cosmos. Vogell placed 89th
out of 157 runners. The SHS boys ran in the 5th and
4th seed races except for junior Terry Reidy who ran
solo in his 3rd seed race. Reidy placed 27th out of 205
runners.
Overall, in the Woods Trail Run, the girls
team placed 45th out of 52 teams and the boys team
placed 57th out of 60 teams. Even though this was not
the best finish for the SHS runners, with teams compet-
ing from as far away as Rhode Island, most agreed they
had held their own against New England competition.
As the 2009 cross-country season drew to a
close on October 31st, some senior runners were sad to
participate in their last high school cross-country meet.
G r e e
Manifesto from page 10
ing people live their lives. And, Couple Retreat, the #4
film at the box office during the autumn, was a romantic
comedy. By defiition a romantic comedy is simply a
chronicle of characters like you and me. Shouldn't it be
more effective and satisfying to do the things we enjoy
watching or reading about?
Video games are even more grotesque in
this way. Playing a video game, we virtually maneuver
a character around a virtual world, often a world that
resembles our world, another oddity. This is not to say
I don’t enjoy watching people leading their lives on the
screen. Watching films, discussing films, and analyz-
ing films are chief elements of my free time. But I’m
confused about my choice to observe and not live life.
Maybe these entertainment options cut down
on our ability to survive? We sit and watch and become
obese. Maybe humans should be more fixated on sur-
vival than entertainment? Maybe these distractions from
suffering lead us toward greater suffering in the end?
Closed from page 7
and analyzed, students will create a multi-media
museum exhibition to be displayed in the marble
corridor at Park Street school,” Bull explained. The
exhibit will be presented in the spring.
Rawson has always felt comfortable and
enjoyed coming to work. She will be sad to leave
Park Street, but feels the transition will be easy. “It
will be different but I think it will be fine because of
the staff and of course the students,” Rawson said.
“Park Street School is a very important
building and has a rich history. Many people have
great memories of their time there,” Bull said. She
considers the closing of Park Street to be a difficult
but necessary decision. Bull hopes this project will
help the town accept the fate of Park Street School.
“I will be sad to leave Park Street," she concluded.
"But I think that this project will help us all find
closure as we move forward into our future school
homes.”
“States was fun," said Paulina Mei. "There were a lot
of people. I'll miss the Thetford course a lot and the
fries.”
Senior Dan Murray enjoyed his first, and
last, year of running SHS cross-country. Even though
this was Murray’s first year running, he ended up in the
third-seeded position for the boys. “The state meet and
cros-country in general is tough,” he said. “You really
have to push yourself past your ability and do what you
think is your best.”
“My last season on the cross-country team
was definitely my best,” said senior runner Anthony Gay.
“Between the coaches and the runners, it was also the
best season for team-building and team-bonding. I’m
really going to miss cross-country next year.”
"The cross-country season was awesome this
year," said senior Jess Watkins. "We had a really great
team. Everyone always had a really positive attitude and
were fun to be around."
Assistant coach Roger McNamara (RVTC
Guidance Counselor) was pleased with this season.
“[This season] a special group of individuals have
gained my upmost respect,” said McNamara. “I am
already looking forward to [cross-country] next year,
and summer camp.”
n H o r n
 Howland from page 18
and class act.”
According to Howland, two qualities are
important for sports success. "Work ethic, work ethic,
work ethic," said Howland. "You can’t preach that one
enough.”
Howland added, "The second quality is
humility. No team sport is built around an individual.
You could be the most athletic, most instinctive, player
on the field. If you have an ego, you’ll never be a great
athlete.”
Being an athletic trainer involves working
with people on a daily basis. “I have great relationships
with all of the coaches,” said Howland. “I get along best
with the coaches who understand the nature of athletics
and understand that I am responsible for everybody.”
Howland relates personally to athletes. “I
have athletes who come in and talk,” said Howland.
“They know I’m here to listen and help them out."
Howland has been seeing more athletes this
year and is now located in the boys physical education
office. He has moved a second table into his office in
the fitness room to accomodate these players.
Depending on the sports season, Howland
attends games that involve the most risk. "Most people
say I only pay attention to the football team," Howland
said. "That isn't true. If there is a girls soccer game and
a football practice, I'll go to the soccer game. If there is
a girls soccer game and a boys soccer game, I'll go to
the boys soccer game because that produces a higher
risk factor."
Like most professionals, Howland must
juggle work and family. Concerning his wife, Howland
said, “She [Alicia] is a huge SHS supporter. She hasn’t
missed a football game in two years. She also loves
going to basketball, soccer, and softball games.”
Howland wants to continue growing pro-
fessionally. “I plan on getting my Masters Degree in
Education," he said. "After SHS, I don’t know. I really
enjoy it here. I don’t want to leave here anytime soon
but unfortunately it looks like it’s shaping up to be a very
tough budget year. I’m hoping for the best so we’ll see
what next year brings.”
Interns from page 5
Thayer said. “I was the youngest there as a 7th grader.
The rest ranged from 8th graders to sophomores.”
Junior Maria Stern also joined the intern
program in the winter of 2007 when she was in 8th
grade. The first project Stern was able to work on as an
intern was researching Springfield’s role in World War
II. This research project was displayed and presented
to the public at the Miller Art Center.
“I learned that we [the town of Springfield]
were important in WWII,” Stern said.
Freshman Larry Bolduc joined the Spring-
field Art and Historical Society as an intern in September
of 2008 when he was in 8th grade. “I’ve always had an
interest in history,” Bolduc said. “I thought of this [the
intern program] as a way to broaden my horizon.”
Current SHS 9th graders Jenn Stein and
Courtney Page, and sophomore Sarah Gray, joined the
intern program in March of 2009 when Stein and Page
were 8th graders and Gray was a freshman. Stein was
especially excited for a chance to be an intern.
“I thought it would be loads of fun,” Stein
said. “It turned out better than my expectations.”
G r e e n H o r
Ambiguity from page 10
possible that some day all of our freedoms and rights
will be destroyed by the addition of new laws fostered
by technological progress?
Most troubling, perhaps, is the fact that so
many people don't realize how much of a chokehold
technology has on them. They are not aware of humani-
ty's dependence on computers, iPods, cell phones, or the
internet. People are oblivious to the dangers that tech-
nology brings. They aren't aware of the consequences
technological progress could have.
Like many others, I don't want to lose my
freedom. I don't want to be a slave to the computer. I
don't want my government telling me what I can and
can't do, or even worse, a robot giving me orders.
Shan Xu from page 6
cultures. Although so far away, it has had a remarkable
effect on our culture and many other cultures as well.”
Xu has shown empathy for her students
who are embarking on this new cultural adventure. “I
have faced many challenges in learning the English
language,” said Xu. “If you stay positive you can ac-
complish much. If you work hard, you get better and
the harder you work, the better you get.”
In fact, Fog feels she is in safe hands with
Xu.“You can tell that she genuinely cares that people
are getting it and enjoying themselves while learning,”
said Fog. “That’s the mark of a good teacher and a kind
person.”
Fog feels that China's time as a world leader
is coming. “I want to be able to understand and meet
them on their ground,” said Fog. “And although it [the
language] is hard to learn, it’s worth it.”
Tarbell agrees. She feels that SHS students
and staff should take advantage of this bridge to another
culture. “Take any chance to learn another culture and
language,” she concluded. “The more exposed you are,
the better you become.”
Former Springfield School District Para-
Educator Teresa Matracia was invited by John Swanson
to be an intern coordinator in 2008. Matracia, who
recently received her certification to teach social studies,
gladly accepted the offer. She believes that the intern
program teaches kids about history while helping them
academically.
“It teaches kids research skills, public speak-
ing skills, and writing skills,” Matracia said.
The interns conducted lantern tours of the
Miller Art Center in October. These tours gave the
interns and the intern coordinators a chance to dress
up in period clothing and tour groups of people around
the Miller Art Center. During the tours, the interns and-
coordinators narrated ghost stories that went with each
room of the Center. This fundraiser earned $250 for the
Springfield Art and Historical Society. The experience
also taught interns more about the history of the town
and the Miller Art Center.
“Springfield used to be a hard-working town
full of factories and people,” Stein said. “I wish I could
have lived back then. That would have been so cool.”
n pg
Serendipity from page 12
to complete) their capers---which the rest of the world
calls chores. Each cabin was given a daily score for
being thorough and clean, and at the end of camp, the
cabin with the highest total score was given a movie
night (and our cabin won---it was well worth it).
Just as I can't talk about camp without
mentioning capers and line-up, I need to discuss some
of my favorite places at Interlochen: the Craft Cabana,
the Melody Freeze, and Bud's. The Craft Cabana was
a lovely little cabin of craft-making, run by a master of
crafts named Sue. Students were always there making
hemp bracelets, earrings, and candles. My cabinmates
and I went there several times in the evening; my favorite
nights were those nights when Sue played nothing but
Michael Buble.
The Melody Freeze, known by all as simply
The Mofro, was an Interlochen-run ice cream stand that
sold soft serve for a dollar. I was there every night. I
probably could not have survived without it. (And I
often went twice. That was one of the greatest parts of
dancing seven hours a day: I ate just about anything I
wanted to and felt totally fine about it.)
Cabin 28 went to Bud's twice in the three
weeks we were there, but I wouldn't have minded going
every day. Bud's restaurant was a fifteen-minute walk
away, a walk well worth the cake batter ice cream and
veggie delight sandwiches with Tobasco. It was a great
chance for the bunch of us to talk and laugh together---
finally---usually after days of barely seeing the musical
theatre ladies, who constantly had late-night rehears-
als.
If camp life intrigues you at all, I'd advise you
to look into Interlochen Arts Camp. I learned much about
myself while I was there--and about dance, of course--
and met some of the most talented, kind, unforgettable
people I'll ever meet. And had a wicked fun time.
It was a place to make mistakes. Everything
I did in class was a mistake, because nothing was ever
perfect. Mistakes mattered not. It was a place for one to
be pushed, further and further, and the air of improve-
ment smelled great.
The next project for the interns will involve
the theme of Springfield disasters, including fires, floods,
and other natural hazards that have hit the town. This
project will be displayed next summer at the Miller Art
Center.
Projects like these help teach the interns
the importance of Springfield, Vermont. “My view of
Springfield before the internship was just that it was this
poor, small, and old town,” Thayer said.
“After the WWII project, and by being an
intern in general, I’ve seen that Springfield used to be a
very prominent town in New England," Thayer added.
"It makes me wonder if Springfield could ever return
to its former glory.”
The intern coordinators also have benefited
greatly from the multiple history lessons that come along
with working at the Miller Art Center.
“Me, not being native to Springfield, I get to
learn about Springfield’s industrial history,” Matracia, a
native of Indiana, said. “I understand what Springfield
used to be like.”
21
802 from page 1
Chester and Rampage in Ludlow recently closing. Many
music fans are happy to have 802 so close in Springfield.
“Having 802 in town is handy,” said sophomore Eibhilin
Whittemore. “It gives us something to do.”
However, success has often been, and con-
tinues to be, a threat for 802. Opening weekend for the
venue on August 8th and 9th proved that success was
clearly within reach. 802 thrived with a sold-out show.
People everywhere came to support and enjoy the live
music.
“Opening night was surprising,” said
McChesney. “It was amazing and very successful.
We had twelve bands each night and the place was
completely filled both nights. Overall we served about
200 people in one weekend.”
“802 Music welcomes all types of music,”
added Hinckley. Usually screamo, hardcore, and
acoustic projects are what one will typically hear at
802. Shows take place on Friday and Saturday nights.
There are also open mic nights for anyone who wants
to air talents."
A variety of bands from all over play at
802. “It’s as easy as contacting our booking agents via
our 800 number or through social networking systems
like Myspace,” said McChesney. “Our Myspace is
Myspace.com/802Musicspringfield. We are open and
always looking for new bands.”
802 Music is making an impact on Spring-
Balance from page 5
my sons work until they demonstrated responsibility,”
Slivka said.
Junior Justin Derosier, who completes
schoolwork by spending an hour working after school
before his shift, shares this opinion. When faced with a
lot of homework, he suggests a formula for success: “I
try my hardest," Derosier, "and maybe talk to my boss
about re-arranging my hours.”
Desmond Dana, however, finds this strategy
difficult since she is unable to negotiate her hours. In
an attempt to finish demanding coursework, she says,
“I bring my homework to work. It’s the only way
sometimes.”
Balancing schoolwork and a job is a task
that requires discipline, determination, and a sense of
one's priorities. To walk this line successfully, students
and teachers share the point of view that academics
must come first. Working students use their free time
to complete assignments and take necessary actions to
maintain excellence.
“School comes before work,” concluded
Derosier. “Definitely.”
Apocalyptia from page 12
the zombie’s body. The second rule is that it must be fast.
It’s important to balance both of these rules and several
of the factors above. For instance, a chainsaw is quite a
lethal weapon, and it is, in fact, the most popular weapon
in zombie fiction. But it’s a slow weapon because the
weight of the chainsaw increases the amount of effort
required to swing the chainsaw in rapid succession. The
chainsaw is also very loud and it relies on a fuel source,
which could lead to a perilous situation for you once the
tank is empty.
When you choose a weapon for the Zombie
Apocalypse use your brain. If you don’t, you may not
be needing it anymore.
pg 22
field. Good or bad, it’s got people talking. “Everyone
can have their own opinion about 802 but people should
know 802 Music is a fun and safe space for people of
all ages,” said Hinckley.
However, some Springfield High School
students formed an anti-802 Music group on Facebook.
The group is called Stop 802 Music Now-Operation
Hope. The group started as a joke. However, people
who attend 802 did not take it lightly. “Of course we
didn’t take this lightly,” said McChesney. “It makes our
venue look bad.”
“The group is not targeting individuals
or their style of music, more towards their outlook on
culture,” said SHS senior Zach Hall, who created the
group.
To the students who joined the anti-802
group, it’s not about the music to them. “I don’t like
how some people who go there represent themselves,”
said senior Eli Gosselin, a member of the anti-802 group.
“Some walk around with anarchy logos. I don’t think
that’s good.”
“Most people that hate it have never even
gone to 802,” said sophomore Victoria Blake, who often
goes to 802. “A lot of people think the only people who
go are skater-punks. There is actually a variety of people
who go to 802 Music and you can’t stereotype them.”
“I’m there every weekend,” added senior
Jalessah Jackson as she spoke about stereotyping. “I
Pfenning from page 15
season and tryouts Osborne and Pfenning competed
side-by-side for goal as they prepared for the season.
As autumn drew near, it was clear that Pfenning had
proved he was a better goalie and deserved the spot.
“I worked hard, because I had competition,”
Pfenning said. “But I not only had to work harder on
the field, but off the field, in the classroom. My team-
mates are the ones who pushed me to be a better goalie
and a better student. And that’s why I’ve been able to
play.”
His hard offseason workouts allowed Pfen-
ning to start in goal for the first game of the season. “The
first game I didn’t really have too much to worry about
because we dominated,” he said. “But the Twin Valley
game was a good experience.”
“It was a tough played game and it was the
finals of a tournament," he added. "It gave me good
experience for playing against a physical team and
playing in a pressure situation.”
Before the playoffs, Pfenning credited the
defense with great support during the year. “I would
have to say the thing that made the biggest difference
is how well the defense has played,” he said. “They’re
the reason I have six shutouts right now. They’ve made
my job a lot easier.”
NWEA from page 9
test was neither difficult nor easy. “The test wasn’t that
hard or that easy," he said. "I didn’t mind taking it except
I had to miss coming in on one of the days that I could
have slept in during NECAPs.”
The majority of each MAP test is not par-
ticularly hard for any individual student. The questions
on each test change based on the students' answers to
previous questions. For example, if a student gets a
question wrong, the next question is less difficult. On
the other hand, if a student answers correctly, the dif-
ficulty the difficulty of the questions increases.
G r e e
wouldn’t classify myself in any categories.”
802 Music appears to be a hot topic in school.
Many students in SHS go to 802 Music and many others
are a part of the anti-group. What happened Friday night
at the show or what was recently posted on Operation
Hope is often the topic of discussion for students, with
supporters and anti-802 individuals colliding. “It’s fine
if whoever goes to 802 wants to express themselves, "
said senior Bennett Chevalier, also a member of the anti-
group. "But leave 802 at 802 and school at school.”
“802 is the greatest thing that’s happened
to this town. It gives kids a place to be,” said freshman
Jeremy Moore. “The anti-802 group? Well, that’s just
ignorant kids hating on something new and exciting.”
Freedom of speech, choice, and one’s own
opinion seem to be the real topics of discussion when it
comes to 802 Music. “Our official stance is to go about
these disagreements peacefully,” Hinckley said. “I don’t
agree with how the opinions are being shown, but to
each their own. People who go to 802 are great. They
support and make the space fun. I encourage anyone
to go to 802 Music.”
Whether one agrees or disagrees with 802, it
doesn’t seem like the storm created from 802 is blowing
over anytime soon. “It’s like a loud clap of thunder,"
said Zach Hall, "that happens every Friday and Saturday
night.”
Powder Puff from page 17
but rain cancelled their practice plans.
Coming off their win against the Class of
2008 last year, the seniors were positive they could
keep up the winning tradition. Senior Melissa Tarbell
was confident in the success of her class. “Last year as
juniors we dominated so I think we can hold the title
for our second year,” said Tarbell, before the game.
The fact that football is traditionally thought
of as a boys sport didn't bother the Powder Puff teams.
“It’s just a game for fun,” said Stern. “I think when we
first got out there, we thought we couldn’t even throw
the football, but we’re actually pretty good.”
Senior Powder Puffer Ashley Richardson
agreed with that point of view before the contest. “It
makes the game more fun because no one really expects
anything from us,” said Richardson. “Our coaches get
more into it than we do.”
Junior class co-advisors Ruth Haskell and
Kirsten Aiello shared similar opinions on this topic.
“I don’t think they look at it like [football being played
only by men],” said Aiello. “I think they look at it more
as ‘This is going to be fun.’”
Haskell agreed. She said, “I think it’s one
way to show how much we support them [the SHS
football team] by choosing their sport.”
Guy also agreed with her colleagues and
students before the game was played. “This is a flag
football game. The kind you play in P.E. in middle
school,” said Guy. “I think it’s a creative way to fund-
raise.“
Office from page 8
a try?'”
The freshmen class officers have not planned
any fundraisers yet. The class earned money by sell-
ing popcorn at the Springfield football games. During
basketball season, the Class of 2013 officers hope to
raise more money with a half-court basketball-shooting
challenge.
n H o r n
Districts from page 9
District jazz chorus is more selective than
regular chorus and these students perform jazz pieces
instead of classical music. For their audition, Springfield
vocalists performed in front of four high school music
teachers, one assigned to each voice part, from the
District VI which runs from Brattleboro Union High
School to Black River High School to Woodstock Union
High School. Auditions were performed in a quartet with
one person auditioning for each of the four voice parts:
soprano, alto, tenor and bass. If a voice part was absent,
the judge for that part accompanied the auditioning
students.
Soprano Erika Anderson had
experience on her side. This was her fourth District
Festival. She tried out, and was accepted, last year as a
ninth grader. “It’s really fun,” she said of the audition
experience. “You learn a lot, too.”
Lindsay Turgeon was appointed to second
chair alto saxophone. Five saxophonists are accepted.
Like some of Turgeon's SHS music peers, she had expe-
rience on her side. The District Concert will be Turgeon's
fifth performance with the group. She participated dur-
ing 7th and 8th grade, and from grades 10-12. Since she
knew what to expect at the audition, Turgeon planned
her practice regimen accordingly.
"I prepared by practicing the song occa-
sionally throughout the summer and practicing more
intensely two weeks before the audition," she said. "For
my entire audition, I played my scales, sight read, and
worked on the piece for at least 15-20 minutes each
day."
The audition piece Turgeon performed was
"Largo and Allegro" by G.F. Handel.
Of the three tuba chairs, Springfield High
School students will be filling two of them. Chlebak
earned a spot as first-chair tuba. This is his third Dis-
trict Band Festival and fourth overall appearance in the
event.
“As a sophomore, I made it in both band and
chorus,” he said.
“All band auditions or All-States, work in a
similar fashion with three sections, which are your solo,
scales, and sight reading,” Chlebak said. “To prepare
for the solo I just practiced it, and maybe did a bit of
background research as to when it was written and how
the piece should be played.”
Movtivation from page 18
Their teamwork and hardwork paid off when
the boys took the Marble Valley League (MVL) title and
beat Mississqoui 1-0 in the Division II state finals on
Saturday, November 7th, in Randolph.
The girls soccer team was also looking to
grab a title this autumn after they finished the regular
season with a 6-8 record. A few members of the team
went away to soccer camps over the summer to get ready
for the campaign.
“I went to St. Michael’s soccer camp over
the summer,” offensive girls varsity soccer player Liza
Fontaine said. “It got me in really good shape and pre-
season was a lot easier.”
During pre-season, the girls trained by run-
ning, performing ball skills exercises, and completing
upper body strength-training to get in shape.
This year's SHS cross-country team boasted
34 determined runners. The squad finished first or
G r e e n H o r
AP Scholars from page 3
classroom atmosphere.
“They’re always analyzing what I say,” Dean
says of his AP students. “They force me to be a better
teacher.”
Adnams is one of those students who brings
a lot to the table. “Brittany catches onto material very
quick,” Jardina said about his former student.
Jardina thinks highly of John Dean, whose
students tend to receive very good scores. “I do expect to
get a 5 out of some of my students,” Dean said in reply
to Jardina’s compliment. Aside from his first couple
of years teaching AP Stats, during which time he was
learning just like his students, Dean has gotten at least
one 5 out of his students each year.
There are ten AP courses offered at Spring-
field, and by the end of her senior year, Brittany will have
taken seven of them. These classes include two English
classes, Statistics, Calculus, Biology, U.S. History, Art,
Spanish and two online classes taken through Virtual
High School, environmental science and English.
SHS Guidance Counselor Kelly Ryan sug-
gested that more AP courses could be added if SHS
creates collaborative agreements with Green Mountain
Union High School or Black River High School.
This year, the four AP classes Adnams is tak-
Coen from page 2
the students would brainstorm, and eventually write
a proposal. This will hopefully get students thinking
logically, and it can be applied to real-life circumstances.
This is not like writing a response to Macbeth. This is
real.”
Coen is excited about his job as a literacy
coach and feels that his classes will really help students.
“The school’s mission statement expresses that your life
is better the better you communicate,” said Coen. “In
order to better communicate, you need to be able to read
and write effectively. My class will empower students
to achieve their goals while teaching them lessons that
will apply later in life.”
Kevin Coen is a familiar face at Springfield
High School. Last year he was an American Literature,
Sophomore English, and Senior English teacher. He
graduated from the University of Maine at Orono,
majoring in secondary education with a concentration
on English.
second overall in many regular-season meets. Although
cross-country is an individual sport, the runners shared
a close bond.
“You would think it would be hard to be in
such a mind-set sport,” sophomore runner Olivia Thayer
said. “But our team is very close and that helps a lot.”
Though few cross-country fans travel with the team,
each athlete cheered their teammates on and made an
effort to watch all races.
To aid in team bonding, during Labor Day
Weekend, the team spent time in Fryeburg, Maine, at
the Gold Log Cabins. During their three-day stay in
Maine, team members ran a total of 10-20 miles and
grew closer through team activities.
Although the Springfield field hockey team
had to get used to both new coaches and new rules, they
finished the autumn with a 5-7-2 record. The stickers
started their season beating Bellows Falls 4-0. Most of
their losses came in close games, while other contests
n pg
ing inlcude Spanish, English Literature & Composition,
Calculus, and Biology. Adnams doesn’t take AP because
it looks good for colleges, however. In fact, the colleges
to which she wants to apply will not accept her exam
scores. Adnams simply enjoys being challenged.
“I would much rather be in an AP class
learning new things,” she said. “I learn best when I’m
challenged.” Many high school students could probably
agree with that. Procrastinators often claim that they
produce more work, more consistently, when they are
under pressure. However, there is no room for procras-
tination in AP classes.
Ryan commends Adnams or Kendall, or
anyone who becomes an AP scholar. “It’s a big deal,"
he said. "To become an AP Scholar is hard to do.”
Heartbreak from page 13
up a fight/ but not quite ‘cause you cut off my light/ But
my sight is better tonight and I might/ see you in my
nightmare, oh how did we get there/ ‘cause we were once
a fairytale/ But this is farewell.” The only problem is
the lyrics are sung by Lil Wayne (he just weasels himself
into everything, doesn’t he?) when they would sound
better and have more meaning if sung by Kanye West.
The album ends with the one song about his
greatest heartbreaker: the death of his mother. “Coldest
Winter,” sounds like the coldest winter. Synthesizers
paint the snowy sky, while more tribal drums play,
each tap of the drums a snowflake falling on the frozen
ground that is West’s heart as he sings “Goodbye my
friend/ will I ever love again?” It’s the shortest track on
the album, but also the most emotional and, of course,
heartbreaking track on the album.
Out of Kanye West’s pain comes not only a
great Kanye West album, but a great pop (that’s right,
not rap) album. Pop sensibilities abound, in West's lyr-
ics--rapping is absent verse after verse; in West's beats
(eat that, Timberlake); in West's structuring, an off-shoot
of his U2-anthem-mimic routine on Graduation. For
years to come when I will look in my dictionary under
heartbreak, I will see the words “see: 808s and Heart-
break.” It’s soulless pop with a heart, granted a broken
one.
were dominant wins or finished as ties. Kayla Perham,
Maria Stern, Sarah Trombly, and Jill Rushton put the
balls in the goal, while two-year varsity goalie Brittany
Grant kept them out. The girls also started their season
with two-a-day practices and captains held running and
optional practices weekly in the summer.
The field hockey team upset U-32 in the
quarter-finals, 3-1, but could not make it past Windsor
in the semi-finals.
Though each SHS sports team had differ-
ent motivations and practice plans, the two things they
shared was a love of the game and dedication.
“What really motivates me is helping my
team to win. If I don’t perform well then I do a disser-
vice to the people who I feel are like brothers to me on
the team,” defensive varsity football player Max Blake
concluded. “I think hard work and playing well with
each other are the biggest contributors to success on
our teams. ”
23

SHS Speaks Out
I
n late October, the Springfield School Board decided against a proposal to bring a School Resource Officer (SRO) into Springfield High School for disciplinary purposes. For
this edition of the Green Horn, the SHS Speaks Out question was: What do you think of having a School Resource Officer at the high school?
Mark Xu, Senior:
“It’s not going to stop anything kids are doing right
now. It’s useless.”
Leanne Souksanh, Junior:
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. Our school isn’t that out of
hand. In big cities like Baltimore, it can help keep things
under control. But I don’t think our school needs it.”
L
ast month was Spirit Week. One out of approxi-
mately 38 weeks of the school year when you
get to go all out and dress funky. Why not take
this opportunity? Let me guess, you’re one of those
kids who is too insecure to dress up. You care way too
much about people’s opinions of you. The truth hurts.
As for us, we loved Spirit Week. We dressed
up. Every day. Is it really that hard to wear pajamas to
school? Throw on some sweatpants and call it a day.
What’s more comfortable? Your jeans or sweatpants?
If you prefer jeans, something is wrong with you. Or
again, maybe you think someone will care or notice and
pick on you. No one cares. Dress how you want.
Just to be clear, though, try not to dress up
pg 24
Kyrsti Parker, Sophomore:
"It’s a good concept, but I don’t think they should carry
a weapon of any sort. Students may need an authority
figure, but a weapon is overkill.”
Codi Lynch, Freshman:
“It goes overboard. If the teachers were paying more
attention to the little things, we wouldn’t have to take
money out of other people’s pockets so we can have a
cop to babysit us.”
Bursting the Bubble
Dressing Up Unity
By Jenny Bradley and Olivia Johnson
as a witch or some kind of medieval person. Because
we will notice you and wonder what went through your
head when you got dressed that morning.
Anyways, back to Spirit Week. Why not take
pride in our school? We know sometimes we might hate
Springfield. We all complain about the small size and
the boredom. But it’s home. Take pride in that.
Green and White Day is pretty basic. Don't
you own anything green or white? Everyone has white.
Spirit Week is a time for our school to come together.
It’s a time for us to be more than individuals. It’s a time
for us to be a school.
There’s no I in team. The same rule applies
for school. We could all be geniuses on our own, but
together we are so much more. Together we can do
anything, accomplish anything. Together we can set the
world on fire with change.
We know this sounds way off topic, but what
G r e e
By Laurel Porter
Samir Mann, Freshman:
“I think it’s necessary. It’ll stop the little incidents that
are going around the school now.”
Eliza Pennell, Senior:
“It kind of makes me sick. I understand that some
schools may require a resource officer because things
are so out of control, but we don’t. That money should
be spent on education, not social justice.”
we’re trying to say is that dressing up and participating
in Spirit Week is a way for us to come together.
Sporting events are another time to show
your school spirit. But that doesn’t just mean the only
time to show your school spirit. You can’t just attend
the football games and call yourself school-spirited. You
have to be proud of yourself in and out of SHS.
Did you participate in your class skit? Or
were you too scared to risk being embarrassed? Class
skits should be fun. They should be a chance to come
together as a class. Can you imagine how fun they would
be if more than 10 people participated, and if we actually
took the time to plan them?
We’ve had our skits. And mainly they were
thrown together last minute. But they were fun. So
before your high school years are gone, and they will
be gone faster than you think, take pride in your school
and your classmates. Participate. Before it’s too late.
n H o r n