Green Horn - Volume 35, Edition 3

8/10/2019 Green Horn - Volume 35, Edition 3

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Whats Inside:

G reen H ornThe Award-Winning Student Publication of Spring eld High School

December 1, 2014 Volume 35, Edition 3

Seattle Shooting Shocks AmericaSchools Re ect on Safety and Rights

by Jordan Phelps

H omecoming prince, football player, and a popu-lar, happy teenager. Not the typical gunman to perform a school shooting. On Friday, October24th, 15-year-old Jaylen Fryberg texted ve of hisfriends, two of them cousins, asking to meet for lunchin the cafeteria of Marysville-Pilchuck High School. Theschool is located just outside of Seattle, Washington.Four minutes after entering the cafeteria, at 10:39 am,Fryberg shot ve friends himself.

Zoe Galasso, 14, and the shooter, died inthe cafeteria. 14-year-olds Shaylee Chuckulnaskit, GiaSoriano, Nate Hatch, and 15-year-old Andrew Frybergdied in the hospital in days following. Of cials are stillunsure of the shooters motive. There may never be anexplanation.

He [Fryberg] wasnt an outcast, said SHSPrincipal Bob Thibault, when asked to comment on thistragedy. Thats why it has shocked more people. Itseasy to pro le students as typical high school shooters,

but you have to dismiss those stereotypes. Jaylen Fryberg was a Native American, amember of the Tulalip tribe, an outdoorsman, and ahunter. Some students at Marysville-Pilchuck say itslikely he was upset that a girl (a victim of the shooting)wouldnt date him. As shown with his actions, Frybergwasnt such a happy teenager after all. In the months

prior, Fryberg posted many angry tweets; one in Juneread, Might as well die now! and in August he stated,

Youre not gonna like what happens next! According to the FBI, 1 in 10 active shootingsituations involve gunmen (almost exclusively male)who target family members, exes, or current partners.Shockingly, 25% of shootings take place in schools.

SHS junior Ian Morvan worries about schoolviolence. School shootings are going to continue hap-

pening, he said, unless we gure out a way to convincetroubled kids that its not the way to go. Brian Berry, SHS graduate of 1992 andDetective Trooper for the State of Vermont, also has re-

ections on school violence. I believe we have come along way since the Columbine shooting in 1999 as far aslockdown protocols and people being more observant,he said. However, we still have a long way to go. I think that SHS has good plans when itcomes to emergency procedures, added SHS seniorBryne Sidney. But I dont think all students understandthese procedures and what to do in each situation. Schools are doing the best they can, saidSHS Assistant Principal Bindy Hathorn. You can havea plan, but never really know what actions will be neces-sary [when an emergency actually happens]. You canhave a protocol and hopefully never have to use it. Itused to be that re drills were the only thing practiced.Things have changed drastically. We want to make sure everyone has a posi-tive experience at school, Thibault added. Thats why

we have advisory and Monday morning meetings, toconnect as a community. Emergency procedures at Spring eld HighSchool include lockdowns, re drills, building evacua-tions, and shelter in place drills. These procedures are

practiced for situations such as tornadoes, chemicalspills, shootings, and suicides.

Our high school tries to protect studentsand staff by having an emergency plan and exercisingit, said Drivers Education teacher Kevin Anderson,a former Vermont State Trooper. Staff are trained inemergency procedures and are required by Vermont

Education laws to do practice drills in preparation forthose emergencies. Prior to October 24th, 38 school shootingshad taken place in the United States this year. Weve

been very lucky at SHS, Thibault said. Kids have been responsible about leaving their weapons at home.In the hunting culture, and a rural community, violencetends to happen more than in cities.

I think that laws should be put in placemandating a school resource of cer everywhere, Berrysaid. Yes, they are only one person and not the cureall for everything, but statistics across the country showthat schools with a resource of cer have far less crime,

See Shooting page 15

MacBook Prosarrive p.4

Hepburn isiconic p.7

Varsity Clubsteps up p.8


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Green Horn Interview .

Alan Clough, Allison Naccarato, Jordan Phelpes, Tre Ayer, Kauhner Hunter,Jon Courchesne, Mathew Powers, Kyra Peoples, Ericka Schof, Isabelle

Vogell, Brenden Willey

GREEN HORN STAFF

Layout EditorEditor-in-Chief

Sports Editor Photo EditorAssistant Editor

T re Ayer ..................... .........

A. lan Clough ...........................

J ordan Phelps .....................

A. llison Naccarato .................. K auhner Hunter ...................

REPORTERS

By Kauhner Hunter

Elliot ThompsonRe ects on

Motivation, Film,and Zombies

S pring eld High School junior Elliot Thompsonwas awarded rst place at SkillsUSA in Televi-sion Production in Kansas last June. He was alsoselected as Octobers Student of the Month. Thompsonis as motivated as ever. SkillsUSA was held at H. Roe Bartle Hall,Municipal Auditorium and American Royal in KansasCity, Missouri, on June 25th and June 26th. All winnersreceive medallions and frequently receive tools of theirtrade. Thompson received $15,000 worth of videoequipment and scholarships to the Arts Institute.

Currently enrolled in the River ValleyTechnical Centers Audio Video Production program,Thompson has been working toward a career as a lm-maker since joining the program his freshman year.Thompson hopes the program, which helps him sharpenand strengthen his lmmaking skills, will enable him toattend a competitive lm school.

This goal alone is enough to keep Thompsonfrom slackening on high school assignments.

The Green Horn recently interviewedThompson about his aspirations and relentless motiva-tion, contributing factors in his award-winning career inthe River Valley Technical Center and Spring eld HighSchool.

What keeps you motivated as a person?There are many factors that help to keep me motivated.My passion for lmmaking is de nitely one. Becominga lmmaker is a goal that has helped me to persevere

through many challenges. My family and friends arealso key motivators for me. Everyday, they push meto do my best.

What keeps you motivated in school?I would argue that it takes a fair amount of motivation to

persevere through junior year, and I'm not even half waynished with it yet. As far as education is concerned,

my college goals are, by far, my largest motivation.The thought of being accepted into a competitive lmschool is enough to push me through every high schoolquiz and essay.

Where would you like to go after high school?My post-high school goal is to attend lm school inCalifornia. USC (University of Southern California) haslong been regarded as one of the best lm schools in theworld. I will de nitely be applying there.

What would you like to do for a profession afterhigh school?I think it would be fun to work as a cinematographer ona drama TV show like The Walking Dead . I admire thisform of entertainment because the image is so important.Just the right camera angle can make the perfect zombieshot even more chilling.

How have teachers and students helped you inschool?There hasn't been a day where my high school teachers

What do you consider to be your greatest motivation?My greatest motivation is de nitely my family andfriends. Each of them have their own talents that theyhave pursued, and they motivate me to do the same.

What does student of the month, and winning thenational competition in Kansas mean to you?Winning SkillsUSA nationals was both a surreal andhumbling experience. It was fun to challenge ourselves

and to see what we could accomplish, but it was evenmore amazing to see what other students could create.There was tons of talent in just our competition roomalone, let alone the rest of SkillsUSA. Winning Studentof the Month was a huge honor as well. Students chosento receive this award have represented our school in sucha positive way. It is exciting to have the opportunity todo the same.

What suggestions would you give someone who isstruggling to stay motivated?The most important thing you can do is aim high andset goals for yourself. Where do you want to be afterhigh school? What do you want to do with your life?One of the best things about our country is that, nomatter your profession, you can be successful. If your

passion is writing, then pursue writing to the best ofyour ability. If your passion is art, set a goal to be the

best artist you can. My personal passion is lmmaking,and my goal to become a lmmaker has motivated meto constantly improve.

What suggestions would you give to someone strug-gling to achieve their goals? If you nd it hard to reach your goals, look short termand set smaller targets that will help you to grow little

by little.

weren't there for me.If I feel like I have agood grasp on an as-signment, my teacherswill always push me togo further. In contrast, IfI'm struggling, they are

always there to help meout. Also, my peers atSHS have always sup-

ported my educationalendeavors. My friendsare undoubtedly myhardest critics in school,and they push me toexcel.


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FeaturesTaking the PSATShort Challenge, Long Consequences

by Kyra Peoples

During high school, students have opportuni-ties to increase their chance of success. ThePreliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)

represents one of those opportunities. If the test is completed to the best of student ability and if the results arewell-received by a college, the PSAT can earn a studentcollege scholarships. I hope the students will try their best onthis test," said Spring eld High School music direc-tor and test proctor James Chlebak, before the PSATswere administered at the high school in mid-October,"because I dont know if the students know all of the

bene ts they can get if they do well." The PSAT was completed by 86 sophomoresand 9 juniors in a two-hour and ten-minute time period.With a 25-minute deadline for four sections (criticalreading, math, critical reading, math), and 30 minutesfor the fth section (creative writing), students werenervous about the time restraints.

For sophomores, the PSAT was a chance forstudents to prepare for their senior test, the ScholasticAptitude Test (SAT), the one that, for many collegeaspirants, really counts.

Sophomore Ericka Schoff prepared for thetest by looking over the practice books that were givenout and working on the practice tests that resemble theactual test. However, even with the preview test, Schoffwas nervous.I am worried that I wont know whatIm doing, Schoff said before the exam. I dont wantto open the test and feel uneducated if I dont knowsomething.

Even though she was nervous, Schoff knewthe bene ts of taking the practice test. I feel the PSAT

will be useful because it will prepare me for the SAT,said Schoff, and when I get the results back in Decem-

ber, it will show me what I need to work on.Schoff also knew the bene ts of doing well

on the SATs in the future. I know that colleges look atthese scores, said Schoff. If I do well, then I have achance of going to school with a full scholarship.

After the test, Schoff was con dent about herwork.I dont think I could have prepared any more, shesaid. But I could de nitely work on my vocabulary.Schoff had a positive frame of mind going into the test.

Campus Connection Opensby Brenden Willey

T he Campus Connection, located in the RiverValley Technical Center Atrium adjacent toSpring eld High School, offers snacks, drinks,and school supplies for sale. The student-run store is arelaxing break for learners during lunch and free time. SHS senior Matt Graham, a Level 1 RVTC

business student who works in the Campus Connec-tion, is positive about the store. Its great, Grahamsaid before the grand opening in October. Im glad it'sopening. We have been anticipating this for a while. Wehave been doing work in the store and getting it readyto be open and now its a relief.

Its not bad working in the store, he added.We get class loads [many students] so it can be hecticat times. But, overall, its pretty good. SHS junior Diamond Bruso, a Campus Con-nection customer, is delighted with the store. I washappy the school store opened, Bruso said. Its reallyconvenient when youre in class and you want a snack

or something to drink. SHS senior Christian Chiesa, a Level 2 busi-ness student, was also pleased with the store opening. Iwish the grand opening was longer, he said but it wasgood. Chiesa noted changes in the store. We [have]ice cream and Country Meats, said Chiesa, which islike a Slim Jim. Two different levels of RVTC businessstudents run the Campus Connection. Level 1 studentswork in the morning and Level 2 in the afternoon. Level2 students work in the store for 2 years and Level 1 haveone year of experience. Level 2 business students payfor supplies and display items, under the direction ofthe RVTC business instructor Gabriel Vastola.

SHS senior Kyle White, a Level2 business student, manages the Campus Connection.Its a good experience for business management [mycareer choice], He concluded, so its a good start.

See PSAT page 15

Jim Chlebak was pleased withstudents he proctored for the PSAT.

I will go in there with con dence and a #2 pencil, shesaid beforehand. Another SHS sophomore, Matt Power, tookthe PSATs without fear. I think I will do well, saidPower previous to the exam.

Taking the test seriously to prepare for thefuture SAT was critical to Power because of the bene tsof the test. The PSAT will help you study for the SAT,said Power. And when we get our results back, we willknow what to work on and study for the future. Poweralso knew the SAT can earn a person a full scholarshipto college. The SAT is usually crucial because the testhelps to decide which college you are chosen for, andwill go to, he said. Power initially thought that he would do wellon the PSAT, and was reassured since most of the test

was easy for him. I feel the PSAT was rather easy,Power said. With the harder questions, I got an ideaof what I need to work on. With all of the bene ts this practice test canhave for a student, Powers thoughts about the PSATwere clear. Take the PSAT seriously, Power said. Itcan really help with your future. Proctors, teachers who administered thePSAT, read the directions of the test to the students, andmade sure students were comfortable and relaxed beforeand during the test. For the test on October 15th, nine

proctors (each supported by an assistant) were involvedin the exams.

One of the proctors, SHS physical educationteacher Joy Benson, was apprehensive proctoring the


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FeaturesGovernment Goes Red

The GOP Gains in Midterm Electionsby Tre Ayer

W hen people thought of Midterms this Novem- ber, they probably were wondering how to punish the Democrats without rewarding theRepublicans. At least thats what Chuck Todd of MeetThe Press believed.

But the Democrats certainly were punished

in the November 4th election. They lost the Senateand continue to be outnumbered by Republicans inthe national legislature, the state legislatures, and thestatehouses of America.

This may not necessarily be a bad thing.Political gridlock has been an issue, the past

two years in particular, because of a house divided. Now, every main governmental of ce has a Republicanmajority. If our nations government is a pyramid, everylevel except the highest level, the presidency, has aRepublican majority. It may be a bad thing for liberalsand Democrats, but it will probably be bene cial for the

progress-oriented, get-the-job-done Americans. As far as progress goes, though, it may notalways be forward progress. Tea Party Republicans havea tendency to turn back the clock in America, to a timewhen it was acceptable to yell racial slurs in the street,when women had as many rights as the family horse,and everyone was expected to go to church on Sunday.Unfortunately these extremists have considerable powerin the government. Though not gaining power in theelections and somewhat equivalent to liberal extremists,Tea Partiers have sullied the Republican name, sincemost Republicans are forward-thinking, good-heartedindividuals, no matter their politics. Clearly, the type of

progress made in the next two years will be determined by which group of Republicans retains the spotlight. Before the elections, most political analysts

predicted a Republican-controlled Senate. For the nexttwo years, the 53 Republicans and the 45 Democrats willmost likely be led by current Senate Minority Leader,and projected Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell. Mc-Connell won his election in Kentucky against DemocratAlison Grimes by 16 points. This will be McConnellssixth term, already spending 30 years in the U.S. Sen-ate. McConnell allied with Speaker of The House JohnBoehner encouraged many Republicans to be hopefulabout their chances to pass conservative legislation, Wedo have an obligation to work on the issues where we[Republicans and Democrats] can agree, McConnellsaid in his victory speech. He added, rather hypocriti-cally, that it is time for change.

While many Americans agree with McCon-nells attitude, myself included, change isnt re-electingsomeone who has been in power for 30 years, someonewho blames the opposition for all political gridlock,someone who ignores his partys contributions to thelack of progress. That is the exact opposite of change.This session of the Senate will be McConnells time to

prove himself as a leader. It will be his rst time com-manding the majority, and he seems eager for the chanceto prove himself capable. On election night, Republicans took sevenSenate seats from Democrats in battleground states.Even though Vermonts two senators werent up forre-election, this shift in power will affect their abilityto act. Patrick Leahy, the most senior member of theSenate, is about to enter his 40th year on the job. He is

currently serving as President Pro Tempore, third in linefor the Presidency of the United States. He is also theChairman of the Senate Committee of the Judiciary andthe Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture,

Nutrition, and Forestry. With the shift in political power,he is likely to lose all three positions to Republicans. The other Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders,one of the Senates two independents, is about to enterhis 10th year in the Senate. Sanders currently serves asthe Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Af-fairs, owing the title to his voting habits, predominantlyDemocratic, and the respect he commands from his

peers. His title could be in jeopardy. A self-identi edSocialist, he probably wont fare well with a highlyconservative base. Vermonts only member of the House ofRepresentatives, Peter Welch, was re-elected by a nearlandslide. He won with 65% of the vote. His Republicanopponent, Mark Donka, only accumulated 31% of thevote. Welch was so con dent in the election that hedeclared victory and gave a speech at 8:30 pm, not eventwo hours after the polling stations closed. He retired

by 9:00 pm.This will be Welchs fth term in of ce,

and his second time beating Donka for the seat. Thiselection, Donka gained seven percent of the vote over

his last election, opposed to the 75% Welch won in2012. Despite his wide margin of victory, Welch andhis Democratic comrades will be outnumbered in theHouse by 64 Republicans. The gubernatorial was the most interestingrace for Vermonters on election night. Incumbent PeterShumlin and challenger Scott Milne were locked in aheated battle. The race was so close that the legislature,in accordance with state law, will choose the winner intheir rst session in January 2015. Peter Shumlin leadsMilne by 1%, about 2,100 votes, with a total of 46.6%of the popular vote. If the state legislature votes infavor of the incumbent, which it probably will since ithas a Democrat majority, Shumlin will enter his thirdterm as governor. He is the sixth Democratic governorof Vermont and the latest Democrat opposing over a

century of Republican governors. There have only beenve Democrats in over 150 years. Both gubernatorial candidates ran a goodcampaign, Shumlin focusing on the jobs created by hisenvironmental policies, and Milne focusing on improv-ing industry throughout the state and reducing incomeand property taxes. Unfortunately for Milne, it lookslike his efforts to reduce taxes wont be enough to takethe governors seat away from Shumlin. The race for Vermont Lieutenant Governorwas even more predictable than Welchs. Phil Scott, a

popular Republican, strode to his third term with 62% ofthe vote. For the past two years, Scott has worked withShumlin to bring change to Vermont. While politicallyopposed to Shumlin, Scott was able to work well withthe governor to bene t Vermont.

It was an exciting year in politics, if one is aRepublican. Analysts are predicting that the Democratswill not regain either houses in Washington for anotherten years. While Vermont will always be the bluest statein the Union, the elections have great consequences forthe Green Mountain State. Vermont senators will mostlikely lose their powerful seats to their Republican op-

posites. This year was about punishing the Democratswithout rewarding the Republicans. But whether one isliberal or conservative, everyone seems to agree that the2014 midterm election was the time for change.

Senator Mitch McConnell at a rallyfor the 2014 election; Governor

Peter Shumlin delivering the 2014State of the State Address.


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FeaturesSmith College Museum of Art

An Artistic and Cultural Adventure

by Isabelle Vogell

F or approximately the last 15 to 20 years, Spring-eld High School Art teacher Lisa Murray has been taking students to visit the Smith CollegeMuseum of Art in Northampton, Massachusetts. Mur-ray enjoys bringing kids to Smith because she feels itsan amazing museum with multiple oors with different

permanent and changing exhibits organized accordingto time period. "I think it's wonderful," Murray said. "A lotof museums don't give anything towards the buses." The college, in fact, pitches in to help makethis trip possible by giving SHS a $150 bus reimburse-ment and free admission for the students attending. OnOctober 29th, the day of the most recent Smith College,40 students and three chaperones, social studies teachersSue Fog and Dave Slivka, arrived at the museum andwere divided into smaller groups.

Tours were given by Smith College students,art majors at the college. Freshman Theo Avent, who

participated in the trip, was impressed with the guides.

The students [guides] were fantastic, Avent said.Tour guides focused on a few paintings

and photographs with similar themes and asked SHSstudents what they noticed about the works of art.

I told them to focus on poverty, said Mur-ray, because the Empty Bowl [the SHS Empty BowlDinner on November 19th] is coming up. Murray encourages many of her art studentsto go to the Smith College Museum to see what they arelearning about in class. Currently SHS Advanced Artstudents in Murrays classes are learning about the arttopics of Impressionism and Cubism.

Murray believes that the museum has an impressive permanent collection. She especially enjoys the

oor with art by Picasso and Monet. My favorite partwas the art created after the 1950s, sophomore MaddiMacie said. I enjoy modern art a lot more because it'sweird and different. After touring the museum for about anhour, students and chaperones experienced downtown

Northampton. SHS students visited main street toshop and eat before heading back to Spring eld. Thechurches and buildings are just amazingly built, Aventsaid about Northampton. Murray likes this eld trip because of thedimensions of the visit. Northampton is sort of amini-city experience for Vermont teenagers [students],she said. A lot of people end up going back with theirfamilies. Because of the hour and a half bus ride back,the trip was on a tight schedule. I wish we had moretime Murray said. However she focuses on getting

back in time, so everyone can catch a ride home andwont miss their bus connections. I would encourage people to go to the SmithCollege Museum, Macie concluded. It 's always goodto open up your mind to things, like possibly going toan art college or just trying new [experiences] if you'venever been to an art museum before.

SHS students converse around a sculpture at Smith College, while other art students study classic paintings.


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OpinionAudrey Hepburn

by Isabelle Vogell

Icon is de ned as a an image or symbol or pictureof a sacred personage. Hollywood actress AudreyHepburn, who passed away in 1993 from cancer,ts this de nition. People of all ages are still fascinated

with the way Hepburn carried herself with a graciousoutlook on life and a perfect fashion sense.

Not only did Hepburn have an impeccablecareer in acting, modeling and humanitarian causes, butalso she had stellar taste in fashion which allows her to

be a model in the industry even today.After her role as Holly Golightly in Breakfast

at Tiffany s, portraying an eccentric girl living in NewYork City, Hepburns style evolved to iconic stature.

Hepburn, as Golightly, displayed a sophis-ticated image in the lm. She wore an expensive, little

black dress, as she attempted to become a socialite.Hepburn's particular gown in Tiffany's established theterm little black dress (LBD) made wildly popular infashion history. The out ts she wore also included twofamous accessories: wayfarer Ray Ban sunglasses anda cigarette holder.

The dress, produced by French designerHubert de Givenchy, was auctioned for just under $1million dollars in 2006. It is a sleeveless evening gownmade from Italian satin.

Including Holly Golightly, many of theout ts Hepburn wore in movies like Sabrina and Ro-man Holiday , have been offered as unique Halloweencostumes. Usually they consist of exquisite dresses andup-do hairstyles.

Audreys individual fashion taste was basedon simplicity. Her wardrobe was both chic and elegant,and, consequently, this simplicity has in uenced the way

fashion is portrayed today. Because of her slim, boyishgure, Hepburn favored clothes that complimented her

body type. Often she wore button-down blouses pairedwith high rise capri pants, or turtleneck sweaters with a

ballet at shoe. Celebrities today channel their inner AudreyHepburn. Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker ap-

pears in scenes as Holly Golightly, young actress Lily

Collins copies Hepburn's famous look with the classicfringe bangs and high neckline and Academy Awardwinner Anne Hathaway seems Hepburn-like with her

pixie haircut. These are just a few stars today who havehave been in uenced by the iconic Audrey Hepburn.

Hepburn also made accessories a memorable part of her style. She achieved balance as she madeher jewelry or apparel the focus in an out t. Large ear-rings and oppy hats were central to Hepburns fashion.These accessories were worn with sleek all-black out tsor with simple sundresses. Not only highly regarded for her remark-

able style, Audrey was admired for her physical ap- pearance as well. Unlike some celebrities today whoundergo surgery to boost their con dence and who

plaster makeup on their faces, Hepburn had rare natural beauty: doe-eyed, bold brows, de ned bone structure.These physical features drew even more attention to her. There are seemingly endless reasons why

people have found Audrey Hepburn to be such a signi -cant woman. Its unlikely the infatuation with Hepburnand her iconic grip on fashion will fade any time soon.

Hepburn in her little black dressas Holly Golightly in Breakfast atTi any's ; Anne Hathaway in theiconic style of Hepburn; Hepburn

as Princess Ann in Roman

Holiday ; Hepburn as SabrinaFairchild in Sabrina .

An Icon of Fashion and Style


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OpinionVarsity Club Steps Up

What's a School Without Schoolby Ericka Scho

T ake a minute and think about what school spiritwas like when the Baby Boomers were youthful.Pep rallies. Cheerleaders. Winning teams. Withthese spirited elements, Spring eld High School spiritwas in its prime during the 70s and 80s.

But in 2014, Cosmos athletes and fans arestill trying to gure out what made school spirit so ap-

parent in past generations. In 2012, Varsity Club (a groupof multi-sport varsity athletes recommended by coachesfor their leadership and school spirit) was introduced toSHS to rejuvenate joyful enthusiasm at the school.

SHS Athletic Director Joe Brown became theVarsity Club Advisor this year. As the advisor, I thinkit is important to build a positive climate and cultureon campus, said Brown. Student-led groups like the

Varsity Club help to promote this.This year Browns club has eight members:

three sophomores, two juniors, and three seniors.SHS senior Kaitlyn Stokarski joined Varsity

Club last year to help make changes. I wanted to be a part of Varsity Club so I could help bring school spirit back to our school, said Stokarski.I think it's importantto have the whole school involved in sporting events

because it brings support to our teams.Like Stokarski, SHS sophomore Alex Nac-

carato wanted to be a part of Varsity Club to help theathletes regain the support they had in previous years.I remember going to SHS basketball games in 2008.Both sides of the gym at Riverside were packed withstudents, family, and other community members, hesaid. Spring eld needs to return to the way it was.

SHS senior Michael Kollman believes Var-sity Club can help the community come together as one.Varsity Club bene ts SHS by showing the students thatwe should have pride in our school, he said. No matterthe record of our sports teams, no matter how our testscores are, and no matter where we come from, we goto school together, so we might as well enjoy it. Former Varsity Club member and 2013 SHSgraduate Kaylee Haskell believes the club can help notonly the community, but also its members. I think I

bene tted from varsity club in many ways, she saidin an email. I gained a better sense of how to organizeevents and how to budget and spend money when neces-sary.

Whether Varsity Club bene ts the student body, or members themselves, the group can make a

difference. This year the club meets once a week to planevents that will help students interact with each other.Varsity Club organized a pep rally for the fall sports se-niors and Homecoming games. The group will continue

planning events as the Cosmos enter their winter andspring sport seasons.

Kollman has various long-term goals for theclub. I want to be able to come back to SHS 10 yearsfrom now and see the Varsity Club, he said. I wantthe club to truly help improve our schools climate.

SHS English teacher Kevin Coen believesthat having student-led groups is always a good thing.He feels such organization broaden the number ofexperiences the students have. I think like everythingit [Varsity Club] had its ups and downs, said Coen.There have been some great and memorable pep rallies.At other times the club seems to disappear for a while.It's too bad we all don't have more time in our lives

because it would be more consistent and remain in theforefront of everyone's minds.

Varsity Clubs, a development in UnitedStates public schools, share a similar goal: to increaseschool spirit. School spirit may diminish because ofschool cliques which do not support for all students.

Despite this fact of school culture, SHSsophomore Kelsie Fraser believes that the SHS VarsityClub isnt doing their job effectively. I think VarsityClub should organize more school-wide events that

See Varsity Club page 15

Varsity Club Advisor Joe Brown wantsto build a positive school culture;Michael Kollman thinks studentsshould have pride in their school;Kaitlyn Stokarski would like to see

more support for teams; the SHS Var-sity Club organized a pep rally during

Spirit Week this autumn.


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Column

Music Review

Choice Spirit Music I Am Proud of...

by Kauhner Hunter

Born into the genre of progressive metal, Lon-don-based solo project Miroist has faced stiffcompetition. Choosing to stay anonymous, the

man behind Miroist has set himself apart in this arenaof music with the release of The Pledge in 2012, andhis newest album Curve .

Most solo projects use the same drum andcomputer programs. These programs create a session ofdrum playing, as well as background music, to comple-ment the organic music. For this reason, these projectstend to resemble each other.

However, Miroist sets himself apart fromthe pack by introducing the dreamier soundscapes ofambient music. Miroist evokes an atmospheric, visual,and conspicuous quality to the more standard progres-sive soundscapes by using background music.

Miroists creator has remained anonymousfor personal and creative reasons. I can be quite a pri-vate guy, said Miroist via email with this reporter, andso I'm not sure how I would feel about being 'known'. Ifthe most important thing about your work is the fact you

play an instrument, you're not thinking enough aboutyour art.

In an area of public expression that caresmore about image than art, music can be overshadowed

by personality. This can lead to mediocrity.

music," Miroist said, "it seemed that staying anonymouswas the way to go. I don't know if I will always be ableto stay that way, but for now it works. First playing music at the age of 10, the 30-year old Miroist wasnt originally interested in guitar.He became interested in the instrument by attendinglessons with his father. I just went to lessons with mydad, said Miroist by email. He was much more keenon it than me. But Im glad I did because it eventuallydecided the direction and main interests of my life.

Inspired by artists like Tool, Meshuggah, andAphex Twin, Miroist made music as soon as he played.He didnt record, though, until he enrolled in college andstudied music technology. Under the pseudonym Miroist, he releasedhis rst record, The Pledge , via Bandcamp. From thisinitial album, Miroist gained critical acclaim and fans.Miroist was then able to build enough support to run amodest crowd-funding campaign via Kickstarter to payfor a limited vinyl pressing and some t-shirts, which arecustomary to independent artists, like Miroist, who useBandcamp and the apparel to raise money.

In a genre that blends the loud aggressionand ampli ed electric guitar-driven sound of progressive

CurveScale The Mountain. Never Give Up.

I t has been hard to ignore the rapid increase ofone-man studio projects in progressive metal. Asthe technology becomes more advanced, the termbedroom producer feels amateurish, given the stan-dards of quality now possible.

With breakout projects like Cloudkicker, orChimp Spanner, competition within this genre is high.Into this overcrowded genre, London-based Miroist hasreleased his full-length album Curve .

Known for being experimental, progressivemetal should be more diverse than other forms of metal.And it is. However, in the realm of one-man projects,the genre lacks diversity. This lack of variety is whycompetition is so hostile. Although this may plague thereputation of bedroom producers in this genre, it alsomakes it easier for true artists to stand out. Miroists newest album, Curve, certainlystands out. Unlike many bedroom producers who sufferfrom the lack of words in their music, Miroist's ability asan instrumentalist more than makes up for the missinglyrics. With his dexterity as a musician, Miroist stillcreates energy and emotion. Curve is more of an adventure than an album.

by Kauhner HunterIt won't take listeners on a voyage into the fearsome

black waters of metal, though that isn't its goal. WithCurve 's atmosphere, chilling progressions, and climaxes,Curve is an inspirational experience.

As the album continues, the listener feelsdefeated. As the guitar playing weakens, and at some

point becomes nonexistent, left behind is a feeling ofhaunting desolation.

But as emptiness lls the listener, the guitar playing returns stronger than before. As one guitar playshigh soaring notes that burst into the atmosphere, theother slowly ascends a mountain, building momentumto a musical climax.

The ascent up this musical mountain restoresinspiration. The guitars never give up and the listener isempowered.

Miroist stands out in Curve in terms of thetheme of never giving up. Although he may use the samesound systems as other bedroom producers to programhis drums and background music, Miroist shines with hissense of composition. For this reason, Curve isnt justanother album to add to progressive metal mediocrity. Itis an album that never gives up until it reaches the top.

Although mediocrity may be a byproduct of popularity, Miroist acknowledges that as his followinggrows stronger, his anonymity may be threatened. Soto keep private, avoid clich and just keep the focus on See Miroist page 15


10/16

pg nroeG Hner10

Sports Field HockeyPositive Lessons, Experiences from 2014

by Kyra Peoples

T he Spring eld High School eld hockey team lostto Mount Abraham Union High School, 4-0, inthe qualifying round of the Division II playoffs.This season, 19 SHS eld hockey players

entered the sport with new coaches and an open mindfor the season. However, with a record of 3-10-1, the

players dedication didn't lead to great success.Sophomore and 8-year eld hockey player

Isabelle Vogell was upbeat about the year. I enjoyedthe season, she said. However, I dont think ourrecord was as good as it could be. Vogell thought thatthe unsatisfactory season and record resulted from thelack of participation in conditioning before pre-season.Most people, including myself, need to exercise before

pre-season, she said. I want to start running a fewtimes a week before pre-season next year.

The 2-hour long bus ride to Mount Abrahamfor the qualifying round of playoffs was nerve-rackingand the weather was dreadful, added Vogell. But I feltthe team was ready to make it to playoffs.

Even though the results werent what theteam was looking for, players felt they bene ted fromthe playoff experience. We dont play most of the teamsin playoffs in our season, Vogell said, so [playoffs]was like starting a new season. Vogell has personal goals for herself andthe team for the future. I think the team needs to workon stronger hits and shots on goal, Vogell said. AndI need to work on being more aggressive when I have

possession of the ball. Even with a poor record this season, eldhockey players are optimistic about next year. Next

season I hope for our team to push themselves, worktowards goals, and focus on winning, Vogell said. Freshman player Chelsi Millay also was

positive about the eld hockey season. I thought the

season went well, said Millay. We really grew as ateam but we do have room to improve. Millay believes that more off-season train-ing and initial assertiveness will really help her team besuccessful next season. I think I need to get out on the

eld and not be so shy, said Millay. I also think weshould start training a lot earlier so we can come out ontop in our games. After her first year playing on the highschool eld hockey team, Millay was motivated to goto playoffs. I was really happy to be going to playoffsas a team, said Millay. I didnt care if we won or lost.It was all about the experience.

Along with the experience of simply goingto the qualifying round of playoffs, Millay found other

bene ts of the game. This shows us how good theother teams are since we dont usually play them, saidMillay. Playing these teams is a great way of showingour team what we need to work on.

Millay was encouraged by her season. Itwas a lot more work, she said, but we helped eachother out and grew as a team. Sophomore eld hockey player, and 7-yearveteran of eld hockey, Ericka Schoff also was positiveabout the season. [It] went well regarding learning,growing, and becoming closer as a team, said Schoff.We werent as successful as we could have been. But

practice should help."

She also feels the team needs to maintainmotivation, even if they fall behind. Our team needsto stay con dent and play hard throughout the wholegame, said Schoff, even if the score is not good.

Schoff also thinks that her team should workto take more shots on goal and not be nervous aboutmissing. Schoff believes that taking those risks willimprove the team. After tough practices on Michelle PorterField behind SHS, Schoff felt her team was ready for the

playoffs. I was expecting to win, said Schoff. But Ifelt like some of the team just wanted to get the seasonover. If people had wanted to further their season, wecould have made it to the second round. Even though the results weren't what theteam hoped for, Schoff still has a positive outlook on

participating in playoffs. It gives us a chance to playthe northern teams," she said, "which are usually too faraway to play." First-year SHS eld hockey coach LyndsiePerkins enjoyed her role. Coaching eld hockey is verydifferent from the students that coach Renado and I teachsince we both work at Union Street, Perkins said. Weare excited to work with these girls in the future. Being new coaches, Perkins and Renadodidnt know what to expect. I thought the team did wellwith the conditioning portion of both our practice andseason, said Perkins. Of course, everyone can alwayscome into the season in better shape.

Perkins and Renado expect the athletes tostart pre-season much earlier next year and come intothe season in much better shape. Perkins believes that

by doing this, athletes can spend more time practicingskills. This should help them improve.During the last portion of the season, both

coaches were impressed by skills shown by eld hockey players even though the Cosmos didnt come out witha win. In the last three or four games, and in playoffs,we saw the girls working as a team, Perkins said. Wesaw passes up the eld and skills that we had not seen.But there is still room for improvement. Both coaches have some advice for the girlsnext season. Run during off season, said Perkins.And

by off-season, I mean now until August . Perkins believes that running in off-season will give the eldhockey team a head start on next year.

Come into the season wanting to win,Perkins added as important advice. We cannot give you

a drill that makes you want to win. It is something youhave to have internally that pushes you to go beyondyour expectations. Even though coaches Renado and Perkinshave expectations and advice for next year, they arestill proud about the team's accomplishments. Thegirls have so much heart, concluded Perkins. We seehow much they love the game. That makes it easier forus because passion is not something we can teach. It issomething that you already possess.

Kelsey Gould defends against Brattleboro. Emily Therrian waits for a pass.


11/16

nroeG Hner pg 11

SportsRunners Train Through Pain

by Kyra Peoples

Cross-country running occurs when a group ofindividuals race over natural terrain, typically 5kilometers long for high school runners. Train-

ing for a 5K race every week can be very dif cult andstrenuous for the body, since long distance runs canresult in injury. Runners who go through the trainingevery day to improve their time, speed, and stamina to

be ready for a race have many reasons for their running passion. Recently, Cosmos cross-country runners whoreally love their sport, explained why they chose torun.

Spring eld High School 9th grade cross-country runner Gillian Guy has one point to her running.I chose running so I could stay t for my winter sport,she said. In order for Guy to stay t and prepare forcoming meets, she attended cross-country practice eachday to maintain a healthy body and clear routine. Guythinks that consistently going to practice improved hertime in every race. In practice I was able to build myendurance and ability to keep my pace in the races, shesaid. Guy also set weekly goals to continuallyimprove her time and pace. My season went prettywell, said Guy after the rst two meets of autumn. Witheight meets scheduled for the season, Guy knew she had

plenty of time to improve before States in October. Itook six minutes off my time from the rst meet. sheadded during the season. But Guy felt that she could improve her timeeven more by October 25th, the scheduled state meet inThetford. I hope to have my time down to 28 minutes

by the state meet, she said before the big event. Even though Guy had a good season, sheencountered some obstacles. I had shin splints whichmade it hard to run and impaired my race pace and abil-ity to train fully in practice, she said. Despite the chal-lenges, Guy maintained a positive outlook throughoutthe season. Theres always food at the end of the race,she added as an incentive. Freshman runner Madee Stagner also spokeabout speci c reasons for running. I joined cross-country because it always made me feel good to bedoing a sport, she said, and my physical therapistrecommended running to me.

The season went well for Stagner becauseshe was able to see a difference in the distance she couldrun. I could run farther than when I started,' she said,"which made me want to keep pushing myself.

In order to train for each meet and increasethe distance and pace she was able to run, Stagner madesure to attend practice every day and push herself. Al-though the season went well for Stagner, she still felt shecould reduce her time to 28 minutes by the state meet.She also tried not to stop during the races.

Elliot Thompson and Eva Harris weretop Cosmos runners.

Throughout the season, Stagner encounteredknee pain which made it harder to run in practice andimprove during meets. Even with her knee pain, how-ever, Stagner maintained a positive outlook, and usedthe natural setting of the course to inspire her duringraces.

The trees were always next to me, she said,The roots were always there to trip me. But the rockswere always at my feet to push me forward and nishthe race strong.

Junior runner Ryan Cooneys cross-country journey began when former cross-country coach NathanMcNaughton convinced him to run during Cooneysfreshman year. Cooney stuck with the sport because ofthe family aspect that he felt when running with theteam. Cooney felt, however, that the team, consist-ing of 20 runners, did not do as well as they were capableof doing. He believed that injuries held the team back.Throughout the season, from his point of view, the teamwas able to improve on their speed, endurance, and race

pace.Cooney thought the season went poorly at

rst, in part, because the pre-season was shorter thanusual. Lack of pre-season is usually the cause of inju-ries throughout the season, he said. Team injuries mayhave resulted this year because the team didnt go ontheir annual 3-day camp trip to Maine, which usuallychallenged runners to do distance runs every day.

The new cross-country coach and SHSsocial studies teacher Stephen Lawrence used differenttechniques for team training sessions. These includeddaily warm-ups, distance runs, speed workouts, andcool down stretches. Lawrence felt that these offeredthe necessary skills to propel his team to the nish linewhile allowing them to break their personal records.Each practice was used to build up the runners' endur-ance and con dence.

To highlight his philosophy for running,Lawrence used a quote from the legendary runner StevePrefontaine, who famously said,To give anything lessthan your best is to sacri ce the gift. Lawrence usesdthis line to inspire Cosmos runners during their autumntraining and to ensure everyone ran to the best of theirability.


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pg nroeG Hner12

Sports

Boys Soccer Team Finds the PositivesRe ections on a Losing Season

The boys soccer team ended their season with a

record of 0-13-1. Their record didnt re ect how positive the season actually was.While the season didn't go the way we

wanted it to as far as wins go, it was a lot of fun, saidrst-year varsity coach Derek Graham. Moving for-

ward, the younger players from both varsity and juniorvarsity teams can take something from this year. I matured a lot from the experience, saidSHS senior Ed Shambo. It helped me see the positiveinstead of looking at the negative. We did some greatthings. This was the most fun I had in any of myfour seasons, SHS senior Patrick Clancy said. Havingyoung coaches and great teammates made it all worthit. I wouldnt trade it for anything. The captains, and the seniors in general,

provided a positive learning environment for the un-derclassmen, Graham added. It was great to see theteam come together. Our coaches this year were awesome,said SHS senior David Bryant. We were able to relateto them because they understood what its like to behigh school soccer players and they were easy to buildchemistry with. An example of the closeness of the team thatled to such a ne personal season, occurred in early Oc-tober. On Friday, October 10th, seniors Patrick Clancy,David Bryant, Ed Shambo, and coaches Derek Grahamand Ben Finnell attended the mens USA vs. Ecuadorgame at UConns Rentschler Field. The game ended ina 1-1 draw. Landon Donovan, who is considered to bethe best soccer player in major league history, played

his nal game that evening.The roar of the crowd as Landon Donovan

stepped off the eld in the 41st minute was amazing,Bryant said. It was record attendance for a US game:39,600 people. There was so much energy. Landon Donovan ended his career with 57goals and 58 assists. He helped the US mens nationalteam reach the quarter nals in the 2002 World Cup

but was left off the World Cup team this year by coachJurgen Klinsmann.

by Jordan Phelps

Seeing him [Donovan] play in his last game

was pretty unique, Graham added. He is talented,hardworking, dedicated, and all of those qualities madehim into the greatest American to play the game. From the time he [Donovan] started playingto the time he retired, soccer grew tremendously in theUS, Clancy added. He has the most goals and assists,

but more importantly he was a great guy.

I enjoyed spending time with coach Finnelland the seniors [at the game], Graham concluded. Allof the boys are incredible people off the eld and it wasnice to get to know them and see how they grew sincethe start of the season. While we struggled for wins, theteam became a family.

David Bryant battlesMill River; the boyshuddle during their

senior game;Cosmos seniors and

coaches watchedLandon Donovan

play his nal game.


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nroeG Hner pg 13

SportsO Season Training

The Key To Making It To The Topby Ericka Scho

T he power to be successful stems from innermotivation. Most athletes want to come out oftheir high school career both successful and proud of their team. But athletes cant be successful ifthey dont put in effort to stay conditioned during andafter their seasons end.

Spring eld High School truancy of cer and physical education teacher Todd Aiken believes in keep-ing athletes physically t year-round. It helps athletesto recover physically and psychologically, said Aiken.It can clean up any asymmetries [lack of equality] thatmight have been acquired during the regular season.It helps build strength, power, and speed to gain thecompetitive edge.

SHS sophomore Jonathan Courchesne, aManchester Monarch hockey player, agrees with Aiken.It gives me that extra edge, he said. How much workand how hard you work will make you stand out. Bellows Falls Union High School sophomoreFallon Vancor has a similar opinion. Vancor believes thather year-round training prepares her for eld hockey andtrack. Staying active keeps my strength, endurance, andmotivation up to par, she said. Staying active reallyshows when eld hockey and track come around. SHS Health teacher Krystina Fernandezfocuses more on the athletes and their personal successas she considers year-round conditioning. If athleteswant to excel in their sport they need to work on itthroughout the year, said Fernandez.

If youre serious about the sports you play,"

added Courchesne, "it [all-year training] is basicallymandatory to excel.SHS English teacher Anne Doton works out

to improve motivation and professional performance.Its really important to stay in shape and be healthy,said Doton. It makes me happier if I exercise and I ndmyself in a better place.

Even though being active year-round iscrucial for success in sports, some students nd it hardto stay motivated when they no longer have a coach

pushing them.Vancor admitted she has days when shestruggles to motivate herself. Staying motivated isnteasy, especially when theres no one there to push you,she said. When the workouts seem too long and hard I

just have to remind myself of countless practices whenit seemed to be the same. I tell myself that the workout

Im doing isnt harder than anything Ive done before. SHS sophomore cross-country runner andtrack athlete Kyra Peoples stays motivated by thinkinghow off-season workouts bene t her. I do gymnasticsyear-round to help me build strength and stamina saidPeoples. Doing strength workouts helps me when I amrunning long distance. It keeps my legs from gettingtired. Peoples workouts t Aikens ideal for off-season training. Focusing on just one physical activity,for example running, isn't the way to do it, said Aiken.

The best practice is to combine activities to hit differentareas of your body. Combining activity allows athletesto optimize off-season training, building endurance,strength, and agility. Some athletes may find themselves do-ing repetitive workouts which can lead to boredom.Courchesne likes to take advantage of hockey campsto improve his skills, be educated on the sport, andlearn to take care of his body. Vancor participates ina summer eld hockey at Mount Holyoke College, inMassachusetts.

Doton encourages students to try different physical activity. Youre in Vermont. Theres no ex-cuse, she said. Theres an endless amount of thingsyou can do.

Doton suggests that athletes try activitieslike cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the coldermonths and hiking, biking, or running on better days.Peoples is more relaxed with her off-season training.

She trains when the weather seems right to her. I loveto be outside doing things, said Peoples. If its a niceday, Ill go for a walk or a run.

Peoples may be categorized as relaxed, but Vancor dedicates herself to a routine. She tries toincorporate workouts that use her own body weightfor strength training. She has certain days dedicated todifferent muscles in her body. I run at least three daysa week," said Vancor. "These runs vary anywhere from25-60 minutes. Strength training is everyday. Then Ifocus on one speci c area: arms, legs, or abdominals. Athletes have a clear purpose when they areon a team. These athletes have a job when they compete.But dedication and discipline year round allow players

to prepare for competition. The players who work fortheir goals in the off-season come out on top.Peoples feels that athletes who are passionate

about their sport, and put in a full-year of effort, will besuccessful. Dedication is key, concluded Peoples.

Jon Courchesne participates in hockey camps; Todd Aiken encourages year-round workouts for strength, power, and speed; Anne Doton is happier with

more exercise; Krystina Fernandez feels success comes with all-year training.


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pg nroeG Hner14

SportsNHL Standards

Rookies Heat Up The Iceby Jonathan Courchesne

T he 2014-2015 National Hockey League (NHL)hockey season has kicked off with excitementand an historical event. On October 11th, thethird day of the new season, a total of 15 games werescheduled. This opening with so many games is onlythe sixth of its kind since 1917, when the NHL was

rst established.The NHL includes 49 rookies, which is about

an average amount for the league. But it is the skill thatthese players possess and present this year that is a bit

out of the ordinary. With some fresh faces making their debut onthe ice, NHL rookies are already changing expectationswith their performances. William Karlsson, a 21-yearold prospect from the Swedish Hockey League, was notexpected to have a position on the opening night rosterfor the Anaheim Ducks. During training camp, Karls-son went head-to-head against fellow Swede RickardRakell for a spot on the roster. Both were impressiveand forced the Ducks to give both players a spot on theopening roster.

Boston Bruins' 4th line rookie, Bobby Rob-

ins, has let his past make a statement. Robins is 33 yearsyoung with a reputation for ghting and penalties. Hehas spent the last three years playing in the AmericanHockey League (AHL), a league that is one step behindthe NHL. While playing all 275 games in the previousthree years, Robins somehow accumulated 687 penaltyminutes. With an average of 2.49 penalty minutes pergame, Robins is expected to offer some good ghts forfans this season.

Andre Burakovsky, a 29-year old Swede,

performed phenomenally in the 2014 training camp.Originally expected to anchor the 4th line as a center ofthe Washington Capitals, his hard work and persistencehave earned him the center position on the second line.

Besides the rookies, other young playershave already made league history. Tampa Bay Lightningalternate captain Steven Stamkos tied the franchiserecord for hat tricks against the Canadiens on October13th. In only the second game of this season, Stamkosscored his 8th hat trick of his 6-year career. As a 24-yearold power forward, Stamkos youth and his experiencegives him the ability to have an astounding season.

In goaltending news, there is nothing new. No rookies have overcome the veterans with their save percentages (average of percentage of saves) or overallranking. The top six goaltenders in the league haveremained the same since 2012, which sets a standardthat is hard to meet and/or exceed. The lack of rookiegoaltenders making their mark on the ice in the rstweek of the season does not mean that it wont happen.Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask leads the world insave percentage with a .930 while only playing fouryears in the NHL. With Rask as a model, youthful goal-ies seem destined to prevail.

The normal life of a rookie consists of hard

work during off-ice training and practices as they at-tempt to catch the eye of the coach. However, mostrookies do not play more than 10 45-second long, shiftsin their rst season.

Each NHL team consists of four lines andfour defensive pairings. Each line has an overall ranking,with line 1 being the best, line 2 being second best, etc.The coach will typically only let the rst three lines outon the ice consistently. If the players need a break, thecoach will send out the fourth line so the better playerscan rest. The fourth line usually consists of rookies. Thissmall amount of ice time is a rookies chance to provehimself by making a great play or working as hard ashe can.

Even though there are 24 players on the bench during a game, an NHL team has more players

that dont even get to put on their gear. The coach viewsthem as players who have to earn their spot. Expecta-tions are extremely high, from a coachs standpoint. Sountil the player meets his expectations, a coach will notgive them the opportunity to play.

The position a rookie is forced into seemsunfair. These athletes work their entire lives to live outtheir dream. But unless one is a standout player while

playing against the best players in the world, they wontachieve much except a name on a roster.

Despite the inequitable treatment, any truehockey player will do whatever it takes to be the best.The passion these up-and-coming players have is as-tounding. They eat, sleep, and breathe the sport, a stylefor their entire lives. They have sacri ced time, sleepand life experiences to live their dream. Whether theyget ice time or not, they are more than happy becausethey know that they have what it takes to make the bigleagues, which is more than most athletes can dream of.

Taking an overall look at the start of this new NHL season, it is apparent that rookies could potentiallyrun the league this season. Prospects with high expecta-tions, and even underdog youngsters, have proven theirability and have already begun to build a rock-solidreputation. Considering the rookie factor, the 2014-2015

NHL season will be packed with upsets, triumphs, andthe usual excessive and appropriate amount of love forthe game.

Steven Stamkos is a Tampa Bay Lightning forward and captain, drafted

in 2006 from the Ontario Hockey League team, the Markham Waxers.He tied his team's record for hat tricks in the 2nd game of the season.


15/16

nroeG Hner pg 15

or seem the same. For example, an early location theCursed One visits is Heides Tower of Flame, a huge areawith ooded and ruined buildings leading to a cathedral-like building. This location serves to show the former

beauty of Drangleic before it fell to ruin. An area thatis the exact opposite of Heides Tower of Flame, andserves to show the contrast between areas in Drangleic,is No-Mans Wharf. No-Mans Wharf is a large villagesurrounded by a swamp that will instantly kill the Cursed

One if they fall in. The area is also inhabited by Hollowsailors and giant spiders that can kill the Cursed Oneat any opportunity. It is this variation in locations thatkeeps Dark Souls II fresh even after one spends hourswith it. While Drangleic is a varied and beautifullocale, it would be nothing without its inhabitants. En-emies in Dark Souls II are just as various as the locationsthey inhabit. Enemies in Dark Souls II range from simplesoldiers that have become Hollow to minotaur-like

beasts that stalk the landscapes. Each is as dangerous asthe last. While in a different game, some enemy typeswould be given the role of grunts to act as fodder forthe player to kill, any enemy in Dark Souls II can killthe player with relative ease if the player is not careful.Since any enemy can kill the player, combat in Dark

Souls II is slow and methodical. The player has toconstantly be on their guard and be patient and cau-tious in combat. Otherwise, they will not last long inDrangleic. Also, if a player dies in combat or from oneof the many traps in Drangleic, they will lose not onlytheir Souls, the currency of the game, but also suffer a

penalty which lowers the amount of health the playerhas when they respawn. While the combat and death in Dark Souls II may seem daunting to a new player, in reality the gamecomplications serve as a learning mechanism to players.By threatning such a toll for dying, Dark Souls II teaches

players to be careful and try different methods to slip past obstacles. Also, while players lose their Souls afterdying, they can reclaim them by venturing back to the

place where they perished. By making death a learning

experience, Dark Souls II is able to be dif cult, but fair,allowing players to grow and become better at the game.This system of checks and balances is also

used to prepare players for Dark Souls II s most dif-cult challenge: boss ghts. In Dark Souls II , the way

the Cursed One can cure themselves of their curse is by procuring Lord Souls. Lord Souls are the souls of DarkSouls II s many bosses. In Dark Souls II , each area of Drangleicis administered by a boss. For example, one nds theFlexile Sentry in No-Mans Wharf. The Flexile Sentryis a warrior made from two bodies sewn together. So theSentry has four arms, each with a weapon. The player

ghts the Flexile Sentry in a enclosed area. With all ofthese factors, the Flexile Sentry ght can be dif cult, but

by being patient and avoiding recklessness, a player can

defeat the Flexile Sentry. Along with the Flexile Sentry,over a dozen different bosses are found in Dark Souls

II , each with their own unique designs and strategiesneeded to defeat them.

But no matter how dif cult a boss in DarkSouls II may seem, these adversaries can be surmounted

by an observant and patient player. In a similar manner, Dark Souls II itself can be surmounted by a player hav-ing not just the skill, but the will and strength to learnfrom their mistakes and ght on.

LNRL from page 16 PSAT from page 3rock, with more experimental, complex and pseudo-classical compositions of heavy metal, progressivemetal, ironically, lacks individuality. Miroist standsapart from many artists, though, who recycle the sameguitar riffs and ideas. Miroist shies away from usingcliche guitar melodies and has found ones he can callhis own. This individuality continues with his new-est album, Curve . Like The Pledge , this album delivers

intensity, abrasiveness, and melody. And with the inclu-sion of ambient soundscapes in Curve , Miroist has addeda new layer of depth to his music.

Deeply-felt meaning in this album makes thelistener think. Without actual words in the music, this isan impressive achievement, ampli ed by the additionof ambience, which adds atmosphere that is sometimeslost in instrumental music.

Although such achievement on two albumshas given this artist a widening group of fans, creating acareer out of his music isnt Miroists goal. I wouldn'thave chosen to do progressive metal if I wanted that [acareer]! said Miroist by email. If I could fashion anexistence from it then awesome, because it's what I lovedoing, but I wouldn't want it to become a job." Miroist has created his own genre, one that

he calls good music. I think about making good music,good art, something meaningful, said Miroist. Afterthat, people will either feel it or they won't. Successful thus far, Miroist wants to con-tinue to make music his way. [I want Miroist to be]Music Im proud of, concluded Miroist . I dont worryabout anything else.

Miroist from page 9

China is out of step with the times. HongKong has an emerging middle class, people are bettereducated, and they demand their rights. The ame ofdemocracy has been lit in communist straw. Chinais now an economic power, the people are wealthier,and more aware of the liberties shared by prosperous

nations of the world. Capitalists are pro-democracy,though communism seems opposed to business. Whenone considers Hong Kong, observers feel that emergingdemographics suggest revolution, an era where therewill be a ght for democracy in totalitarian China.

PSAT for the rst time. This is my rst time proctoringand there are many speci c rules that I have to follow,said Benson before the exam.I just dont want to messup anyones test.

One of the procedures for the test involvedgiving out #2 pencils, though calculators were not

provided. The proctors assistant wrote down the startand stop times of each section, and the proctor read thedirections for each section. The test time added up totwo hours and ten minutes, an appropriate length for the7:45-11:15 time period set aside for the test.

Although the test could be anxious for thestudents, Benson hoped she could work to the best ofher ability to direct her students. Its something newfor me, too, she said beforehand.

Band director James Chlebak also workedto the best of his ability to make sure his students werecomfortable. I want to make this a comfortable, con-venient, and quiet environment for the students takingthis test, said Chlebak, before the PSAT.

Chlebak felt that although the PSAT andSAT are important tests, some colleges have given upon looking at student scores as part of the admission

procedure. However, Chlebak was more concernedabout student attitude toward the test. I am concerned

that the students dont know the bene ts that this testcan have for them, Chlebak said. However, after the PSAT, Chlebak was

pleased with student behavior. I think they did agood job generally, said Chlebak. The students wereunfamiliar with the test and some went too fast. And Idont think the policy where .4 points are taken off formultiple choice questions was explained that well.

Chlebak wanted students taking the PSATto do their best and know that it could really help them.Dont cross anything off your list," he concluded,"before you know what it can do for you.

Umbrella from page 4

including acts of violence. There has been talk of bringing a resourceof cer to Spring eld High School. Hathorn thinks thiswould be a positive step for SHS. I hope it [a resourceof cer] would create a more positive relationship be-tween students and law enforcement, she said, not dothe opposite and make students more uncomfortable.Hathorn will be attending a statewide safety conferencein Burlington in late November. We cant make every bad thought or actiongo away, Berry concluded. I think the focus should

be on training, education, and enhanced security. I real-ize that we do not want to create an atmosphere in ourschools that make students feel like they are in prisonor locked down all the time. But there are securitymeasures, such as metal detectors, to make sure studentsarent bringing weapons to school.

Shooting from page 1

students can participate in, said Fraser. Varsity Clubcould be more effective if they put the club to betteruse.

But Coen thinks school spirit will increase because with more activities. Spirit creates traditions, but traditions create spirit, said Coen. I think we arein the process of building spirit. I think the more groups

we have like Spirit Committee or Varsity Club, the morespirit will occur because each group creates traditions. Varsity Club intends to make small changes,that, over time, bring big changes. Kollman wants to bethat change. As a senior, he is determined that the SHSVarsity Club will affect the future. You see pictures of[past SHS] students smiling and loving where they are,concluded Kollman. I want our school to be like that.

Varsity Club from page 8

Send an email to

[email protected]

for general inquiries or concerns.


16/16

pg nroeG Hner16

SHS Speaks Out

W ith winter approaching, many are tightening their boots for the mountain, preparing for winter sports, or drinking a soothing cup of hot chocolate.Green Horn

asked students and staff what they plan to do during the long winter

By Allison Naccarato

Column

LNRL: Dark Souls IISkill, Patience, and Strength Will Overcomeby Alan Clough

In the realm of video games, one of the most impor-tant aspects of a game is its dif culty. Dif culty in avideo game is a balancing act of utmost importance.

If a game is too dif cult, then players wont want to playthe game, such as a game with gameplay mechanics that

punish a player for being bad at the game by penalizingthem for dying. If a game is too easy, players may decidethe game isnt dif cult enough and those players mayabandon the game altogether. An example of this sideof the dif culty spectrum occurs when a game holds the

player's hand and gives them too many advantages overthe enemies of the game.

It is because of this careful balancing thatgame developers strive to create the perfect mix of dif-culty and reward in their games. With considerations

about ease and dif culty, Dark Souls II , a near-perfectmix of dif culty, is an incredible and rewarding experi-ence.

Dark Souls II , offered by Japanese developerFrom Software, is the sequel to the original Dark Souls .However, besides being set in the same universe, theyare quite different. While Dark Souls II and its predeces-sor are separate, they offer similar storylines. In Dark Souls II the protagonist, custom-

created by the player and referred to as the Cursed One,has been burdened with undeath and is forced to go ona journey to free themselves from their curse or risklosing their humanity.

Eventually, the Cursed Ones journey leadsthem to the main locale and attraction of Dark Souls II the fallen kingdom of Drangleic. Like the original DarkSouls primary location Lordran, Drangleic is a kingdomthat has succumbed to the disease of undeath hundreds

of years before the beginning of Dark Souls II .As a result, most of Drangleics residents

have become Hollow, people who have been undead forso long that they have become mindless husks, or beenkilled by the dark creatures that now stalk the landscapeof Drangleic.

As a primary story setting, Drangleic is bothdangerous and varied when it comes to different loca-tions. Almost no two locations in Dark Souls II look

See LNRL page 15

Senior Chelsea McAllisterPlay basketball and drink hot

chocolate.

Sophomore Emily AntonivichGo to All4One for community

service.

Sophomore Katherine MoultonPlay soccer, gymnastics, and go

snowboarding.

Math Teacher Michael RuppelSpend a lot of time skiing at Okemo

and playing in the snow.

Senior Michael KollmanPick up heavy things and put them

back down where they were.

Freshman Graham StevensEat Ramen and shred the gnar.

Documents

Green Horn - Volume 35, Edition 3