Volume IX, Issue II O C T O B E R 2 0 0 9 135 Back RImmon Road, Beacon Falls, cTWoodland Regional HigH ScHool

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Turn to page B4 for coverage of the recent visit of the Warrens, paranormal investigators.

news

Pick a side in the epic battle of twin versus twin, as they go point to point on the controversial new cell phone policy.

spoRTs

The Girl’s Cross Country team takes the gold for the second consecutive year at NVLs. Read about their win on page C1.

FeaTuRe

Ariel Dowski is one of Woodland’s most talented artists. Find out why on page B1.

Bakery Set Ablaze At 2:51 a.m. on October 16th, firefighters rushed to the scene that lay before them. The new and beloved Beacon Falls Bakery and Deli was engulfed in flames. The firefighters fought with fury as help rushed to the scene. The Naugatuck Fire Department provided the needed assistance, and the fire was soon brought under control. Nearly an hour before the blaze at Beacon Falls Bakery and Deli, the Purdy Hill Bakery and Deli in Monroe, Connecticut, was set ablaze. While the fire was not as damaging as the one that occurred about an hour later, repairs will still need to be made. Both bakeries are owned by Kassie Mastro. When asked about her outlook on the fire, she had no comment for the moment. Whether the fires are connected or not is still under investigation according to Lieutenant J. Paul Vance of the Connecticut State Police. Once the flames were extinguished the

building was completely gutted. However, no injuries were reported. The Beacon Falls Bakery and Deli is going to require serious repairs after suffering major damage. Over the past weekend, arson investigators surveyed the scene. According to Vance, the investigators found suspicious articles at the Beacon Falls Bakery. Major crime detectives were called to the scene, and the detectives are still under investigation. There is no police report on file yet. Citizens of Beacon Falls were very upset at the loss of the new bakery. Those that purchased items at the bakery were devastated that they could no longer get their “favorite cannolis.” Those that did not go to the Beacon Falls Bakery and Deli for their sweet tooth craving still felt bad. Jennifer Crowley, junior, felt bad that the bakery burnt down. “I thought that it was kind of a let-down because it just opened,” she said. WRHS Media is still investigating this story, and will keep you informed as the case continues.

By Alyssa Klancic

HAWK HEADLINES

Once upon a time, in the land of the woods...

The new cellphone policy is raising controversy and intense debate among both students and staff. Turn to page A2 to read two twins’ opposing views on the issue.

alyssa klancIc / WRHS Media

Page B2

The sophomore English classes recently took a trip to Central Park. The students saw many a sight, including Holden Caulfield’s favorite carousel from Catcher in the Rye, above.

alyssa klancIc / WRHS Media

Ten of Woodland’s most pristine musical performers will all be brought together in a few weeks in a compilation of musical talent. Julian Iwinsky, producer of the event. Mr. Ralph Riello, co-producer, and the rest of Hawk Productions will be adding a very exciting twist to a normally plain Open Mic Night. Hawk Productions is the name of the club producing the show, with the help of the Digital Media 3 class. The DM3 class was introduced at the end of last year, and was open to those who attended the Digital Media Club last year. DM3 is a class where students can express their creative interests by making short movies and public service announcements. Hawk Productions is a club that was first introduced to students during Woodlands first Annual “Clubbin’ at Woodland.” A half hour slot will be opened on a local television station where Woodland Unplugged, as Riello and his squad have aptly nicknamed it, will be aired. Several seasons of the show are in the making, with the hopes of enough performers auditioning. Two rounds of auditions have already been held for the event. So far the auditions have shown great promise, since after two already, there are still between eight and ten people waiting to audition.

“I’m satisfied. So far we have enough musical talent to put together one full season,” said Riello. Each episode will be one half hour in length and a season will consist of six episodes. One promising musician, sophomore Ryan McVeigh, performed two pieces at his audition; Patience by Guns N’ Roses and Every Rose has its Thorn by Poison. The layout of the show will be similar to that of MTV’s MTV Unplugged. Two students from the school will host the program, a male and a female, and will provide viewers with interesting tidbits about the performers. Riello is also holding auditions for the host position, and is planning to swap both hosts in and out of each episode, as the crew will contain more than two hosts. The show will be opened with a pre-taped entrance that will remain in place for one season. Each subsequent season will contain a new entrance theme that may contain performances from the previous season. The entrance to each show will also be laced with original music created by the producers. The hosts will also provide the entrance theatrics to the show and will possibly close it

out with some work of their own. Each performer will be allotted a five minute time slot on the show in order to show their stuff. In between performances the show’s hosts will introduce endorsements for local film festivals, local musical performances and even local

people and businesses who have donated to the schools programs. Riello is hoping to have an episode of the show available every week. His performers will be presenting musical pieces written by themselves or will be showing their rendition on someone else’s piece of art. Riello is not only going to help produce this artistic show, but he says

he may even be featured as a performer in a few of the episodes. Several other teachers who also share a certain passion for music have also volunteered their time to help with the show. Craig Skegan, William Carangelo and Meghan Hatch will all be performing on the show. Riello’s DM3 class will soon be receiving an extensive amount of equipment that will be used to create the show. A control room, camera and light setups have

all been ordered in order to enhance Hawk Productions and Digital Media 3 capabilities. “We have not gotten the equipment yet but it will be here very soon,” said Riello, “not only will Digital Media 3 be using it, but so will Hawk productions.” This show does not include a competitive element to it. “This is just a way to give students an opportunity to play in front of their friends and along with staff members,” said Riello. At the height of the season, the performers on the show will be playing at an official open jam at Full Harvest Grill in Beacon Falls. This is to give students an opportunity to share their talent and love of music with the community. “Mr. Carangelo and I hosted three open mic nights at this restaurant during the summer in order to check out the atmosphere, and it turns out that it is a great place to perform,” said Riello. This project is going to be a huge task for these teachers and students to take on. However they all have the skill needed to do so. “My main goal is to give students a place to share their love of music and bond with each other,” said Riello. A personal love for music and the need for a creative new idea for a class project gave Mr. Riello the inspiration for this idea. “I just want to show that you don’t have to be a rock star to keep playing your music,” said Riello, “you just have to have fun.”

Hawk Productions Presents Woodland Unplugged By Alyssa Klancic

”“ You don’t have to be

a rock star to keepplaying your music.

You just have to have fun. -Ralph Riello

Most students are aware of the dress code. They know that wearing hats and opened toed shoes are not allowed. However, many are not aware that the same rules apply to wearing the hoods of sweatshirts. As stated in the Student Handbook, the hoods of sweatshirts are not allowed to be worn dur-ing school, just like hats. The “hoody and hat policy” is being strictly enforced by the administration this year. How are faculty members going to enforce this rule? It is simple. The sweatshirts will be taken away.

However, if the student refuses to give it up, a series of harsher punishments, ranging from dentition to an in - school suspension, will be put into action. Yet, many students wonder how a teacher can take away their sweatshirt if it is not written in the Handbook. The Handbook only mentions that the hoods are not allowed to be worn in the building. According to Maureen Carroll, an assistant principal, it is a board policy. If the hood of a sweatshirt is worn, the sweatshirt must be taken away.

Hassle over Hoodies

See Hoodie Hassle, A2

By Jess Pelligrino

Point...set...match. Steph Badale leads the team toward a potential NVL title. Turn to SPORTS for details.

HAWK HEADLINES

Journalism Staff

Woodland Regional High School135 Back Rimmon Rd.

Beacon Falls, CT 06403

Unless signed by the Hawk Headlines Staff, pieces that appear as Commentary are

intended to reflect the views of the individual author.

The staff however, does accept and encourage Letters to the Editor in response to any

published articles. Submissions can be edited for grammar by the staff but not for content.

Letters are encouraged to keep to a maximum of 250 words.

If you would like to submit a letter to the editor, please send it to Woodland Regional

High School, Attention: Journalism Department.

If you would like to place an ad in The Hawk Headlines please contact our business

department at 203-881-5551, ext. 227.

James AmatoJournalism Director

Rachael ContiPhotograPhy eDitor

Shannon Magranelayout Director

Jared Mikulskimanaging eDitor

Ali WalshsPorts eDitor

Theresa Gillettelifestyle eDitor

Alyssa Klancicnews eDitor

commenTaRya2 hawk headlInes Volume IX, Issue II ocToBeR 2009

Starting out as being large and brick shaped to now having touch screens and cameras, there is no doubt that cell phones have come a long way over the years. Cell phones have grown to be that item that people claim they “cannot live without.” People own cell phones for a variety of reasons. They might own one for emergencies, for keeping in touch with family members, or for talking to friends. In 1973, when cell phones first came out, the question as to whether cell phones should be allowed in school or not was unheard of. But in today’s modern world of technology, that question is highly debatable. After students at Woodland read an article in advisory that debated reasons on whether or not cell phones should be allowed in school, people have been expressing their opinions. Most faculty members will probably agree that cell phones should not be allowed in school. While many students will argue that they should be allowed. This is the cause for a lot of controversy. Although there are many different opinions on why or why not cell phones should be allowed in school, I took my own approach. I believe that cell phones should be allowed in school. Now, I am not saying that students should sit in class all day and text their friends. I am saying that cell phones should be used for emergencies and at appropriate times. According to an article read in advisory, some parents want their children to have their phones in order to call them when they get to school in the morning and when they leave in the afternoon. This may sound a little strange, but it is reality and students are not going to go to the office in order to make these calls. Cell phones are crucial for students who participate in after school activities, whether it is a sport or an extracurricular. Students need to call their parents when they are finished to get picked up since pick-up times are not all set in stone. If there was an emergency at home and one of the parents wanted to quickly contact their children, they would most likely send a text. Texts are quick and reliable which will ensure that the student gets the information. This method is way more personable than the parent having to call the school and relay the information that way, especially if it was private. Even if schools wanted to ban cell phones, that would be a little hard. The school authority is most likely not going to go through each and every students’ personal belongings. So, exactly how are they going to know if the student has a cell phone or not? In Woodland, most students know by now that if a faculty member sees their cell phone, they are going to get it taken away. If the students are still irresponsible enough to take out their cell phones when a teacher is around then so be it. It is their fault if they get their cell phone taken away and they should have known better. As long as students have their cell phones off while in school, problems with banning cell phones should no longer arise. Banning cell phones from school would not be such a smart idea. In certain situations, cell phones can be extremely important and that is when they are needed.

By Kelly Diurno Cell phones seem to be the .piece of technology that people cannot live without. But, are they really necessary to be used

during classes? There is a lot of controversy as to whether cell phones should be allowed in classes. The answer is simple- no they should not. Yes, parents can argue that their children might need it in case of an emergency. However, the school has phones, and an office that receives calls. So, exactly why should they be allowed in school? Do parents want their student to be distracted, and texting while in class? The last time I checked, texting does not help or contribute to the learning of a student. If we are in school for education, why are we using our cell phones? Learning does not require a cell phone. It is understandable to bring the cell phone to school, and place it in a locker. But to carry it around, with it on for the day is just asking to receive a poor grade. If you think about it, how many people can go without touching their cell phone for the whole day? There is a temptation to see who texted, or the latest gossip. Some students claim they just checked to see the time. But what if their friend texted them, suddenly learning about a subject is less important than texting. I did not know that texting, while in class, improves a student’s grades. That is because it does not. While texting, the material that is being taught becomes obsolete. You could be texting and missing notes that are helpful for your test the next day. Due to constant cell phone use, grades are dropping, and school is getting overwhelming. The reason is because of a cell phone. Before you know it, you just failed a class and are in summer school. Cell phones will then make you regret ever using it in class. The worst part is, it could have been prevented. Having a cell phone can seem like such a little problem, but truthfully it is not something to joke around with. Cell phones now days have internet, which leads to facebook. Instead of learning, let us look at everyone’s’ statuses to see what they are doing. Oh, look they are in school… but on their phones. It is understandable to have a phone. It is a necessity outside of school,

for rides and other purposes. But, phones are not as standard as they used to be. Having a phone leads to games that can be played, texting, internet and so many more distracting features. Unless the course says that it is required to have one, then cell phones should be out of classrooms and out of sight during classes.

By Tina Diurno

RetractionsThe staff of the Hawk Headlines would like to recognize the following errors in the previous issue:

•Matt Hale deserves partial credit for the story, “Trip Prepares Students for Contemporary World.”

•Amber Martin not Alyssa Klancic wrote the story “Woodland Offers UConn Course.”

•The picture used in Anatomy of a Cross Country Runners is from the archive photos because we had a limited amount of photos taken at that particular angle.

•Mike Uszakiewicz is the one pictured on the bottom right picture of the back page of last issue.

The staff of the Hawk Headlines would like to apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

2pointpointDiurno TwinsFace Off Again

The pen is mightier than the sword as two twins duke it out for bragging rights and verbal dominance. Fists fly, tempers run wild and insults are hurled like stones when journalists go POINT-2-POINT.

Cell Phone Policy

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To Ban ‘Em -- or -- Not To Ban ‘Em

While the students like wearing their hoods to make them more comfortable, teachers and fac-ulty see it as something else. Most regard it as a sign of disrespect. However, some say the hood is used to hide behind. Dr. Frank, principal of Woodland Regional High School, feels that the students are trying to shy away from their work when their hoods are up. “We want students to be wide awake. Wearing these hoodies is just another way for students to hide from their work,” he said. This rule has been around for several years. However, it has never been enforced in regards to hoodies. This is therefore causing confusion among students as to why it is being strictly en-forced this year.

“It is not that. It is a bigger issue this year, with the new cell phone policy,” says Dr. Frank. Students disagree. They feel that they should be able to wear the hoods of their sweatshirts. “I think we should be able to wear hoods when it is cold because it does get cold in school. No-body wants to walk around wearing earmuffs over their ears when they get cold,” says Wood-land sophomore and hooded sweatshirt-wearer, Michelle Hultgren. According to Carroll, things have been going quite well. Most of the students have refrained from wearing their hoods in class. The only stu-dents who seem to be unaware of this are the freshmen, who caught on quick. This new policy seems to be perfectly fine with the students. However, it is only October. Once the weather turns colder the hoodies will be up and controversy will start.

Hoodies Hassle

By Jess Pelligrino

Continued from A1

DOWSKIBy Shannon Rafferty Now a senior at Woodland, Dowski is in AP Art, Advanced Photo,

and Graphic Design III. “All my art classes are different. I cannot say I like one over the other, but I do enjoy photo,” said Dowski. In Advanced Photo, students are required to know all of the technical aspects that go into photography. This class involves digital and conventional photography. Students also learn about Adobe Photoshop and the darkroom. Dowski said, “Photoshop is my favorite part of advanced photo. It’s fun to go around and capture a piece in time. You can manipulate anything you want.” Every student has the ability to learn something new. There are different techniques one must use for conventional and digital photography. For example all the technical aspects are covered in photography I and II. Adriana Ambari, a sophomore at Woodland who is currently taking Photography I with Ms. Langle, said, “I am currently learning how to take pictures with a conventional black and white camera.” Ambari is also taught how to edit pictures in Photoshop and develop photos in the art room. Lighting and other various quintessences are also taught. When taking a conventional photo, outside lighting is the best. “Although outside landscape shots might be easier, I like to take pictures of people,” said

Dowski. A black and white photo of a heart drawn in the sand with a foot is featured in the Citizen’s News and is one of Dowski’s favorites. Another favorite photograph is a hand in front of her sister’s face. Dowski gets her inspiration from other artists in her class and from other well-known artists. In her Advanced Photography class there are many other students that show this creative talent and ability to capture beautiful pictures. “All of my students show true potential, one way or another. They each have their own thing that makes them different,” said Chris Miseraca, Advanced Photography teacher. Miseraca has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a concentration in photography. “In Advanced Photo, the students are expected to know all the technical aspects that go along with taking a photo. I may show them modern alternatives, but I focus more on teach-ing them about working creatively,” said Miseraca, “As far as Dowski is concerned, she is meticulous and persistent in her work. She is not afraid to make mistakes.” Miseraca often tells his students to take an abundance of pictures so they have a lot of choices when picking the final product. He feels that Dowski does just that. She takes many pictures and gives herself a variety of options. With persistence any student can successful. Although Dowski does not know if she wants to continue photography in collage but it remains an open possibility for the future.

Since her sophomore year Ariel Dowski has dedicated a big portion of her life to art classes—photography in particular.

Rachael conti/ WRHS MEDIA

Ariel’s Works of Art

theResa Gillette/ WRHS MEDIA

hawk headlines lifestyleB1 Volume iX, issue ii 135 Back Rimmon Road, Beacon falls, ct octoBeR 2009 Woodland Regional High School

From a business view point, opening another salon in

Beacon Falls seems almost foolish. There is Kelly’s Kuts, New You, Salon Luxuria and now a new comer to the market—SoHo Salon. This bright pink building on the main road in Beacon Falls is truly eye catching and has attracted many costumers, a rare event in a town that doesn’t embrace change. For ten years Gloria Salazar has been cutting and coloring hair. Formally a stylist in Greenwich, Salazar wanted to give the same business available in Grenich to the people of Beacon Falls for an affordable price. “I like to focus on quality,” said Salazar, “I will spend forty five minutes easily on a cut, working until I get it just right.” This laid back pace is unusually refreshing in today’s modern world. The fine attention to detail is admired by Salazar’s clients. Sam Starkey, a sophomore at Woodland, needed to get her hair cut for picture day. On the day before picture day, Starkey headed off to the salon for her hair cut. After Salazar finished the cut, Starkey said, “I liked how everything was about me. I said cut it an inch and she cut an inch.” Salazar is genuinely concerned about her clients, but even more so about their hair. She has boldly said she will turn you down if she feels what you want will bring further damage to your hair. “Just the other day I turned down a girl who had damaged hair and wanted it bleached. My main goal is to protect the hair. I do not want to be responsible for further damage,” said Salazar. To further her clients comfort she has set up a “color bar”. Here Salazar mixes all of her colors so her clients can personally see what is going into their head. With this honesty and incorporation of her clientele, only the best products are used. All of the dyes are L’Oreal. SoHo Salon provides a friendly relaxing atmosphere. “Everyone was really nice and friendly. I felt really at home. At the last place I went, they completely botched my haircut, but here they focused on what would make me look good,” said Starkey.The décor is modern and unique

compared to the traditional brick buildings that dot Connecticut. There is a checkerboard floor paired with sliver paint. River smoothed rocks are on the floor, but not in, high traffic areas. The small attention to detail creates a refreshing new take on interior design incomparable to other businesses in Beacon Falls, like the Beacon Falls Market. The decorating is not the only thing that lies inside the salon. The attitude of the people is another outstanding characteristic. “I liked the fact my stylist seemed really interested with how I was doing, I felt really comfortable during the cut,” said Starkey. Although there can be up to as many as three stylists working at a time, Salazar is responsible for many of the cuts at SoHo is her family owned salon. She shares a co-ownership with her daughter Karen Salazar and Karen finds this a personal challenge. “The hardest part about opening up a new business is being a full time student at Uconn and being at the salon as much as possible,” said Karen. Although Karen is taking several business courses at Uconn she says that she has learned the most about running a business in the real world, actually co-owning a business. Quality styles and friendly personal is what is to be expected at SoHo Salon. If the citizens of Beacon Falls remain welcoming to this new business, then it will remain a prominent business in town.

In a beautiful wooded glade, there lived a peaceful society of woodland creatures. Innocent young rabbits scurried through the brush as adorable beavers worked steadily to build themselves a home. Crafty foxes busied themselves with their crafty business and the polar bears (yes, polar bears) presided over all with their infinite wisdom.

The clearing existed in great peace and prosperity for a while. Under the watchful eye of the polar bears, the creatures of the woods gained knowledge and grew into a cohesive community. The foxes frequently hung out with the rabbits (they went to the movies) and the bears typically chilled with the studious beavers for a nice cup of joe and intelligent conversation. The polar bears tried extremely hard to maintain order while still allowing the other animals their freedoms. All creatures were allowed to talk freely and use cell phones whenever necessary. They could also come and go from the clearing as they pleased, with no questions asked. The bears were pleased with their subjects and the subjects were pleased with the bears, and everything was copasetic. For a time. One dark, blustery day, a mysterious visitor showed up in the clearing. The animals welcomed this visitor, a human male, with open arms and were excellent hosts. The bears gave the Man their den to sleep in and plenty of honey and water. The Man took great care to explore all parts of the clearing and ask many questions of the bears. Tragically, they did not know what this mysterious man’s intentions were. They were about to find out. After a few days of relaxing in the glade and relishing in the hospitality of the animals, the man left as mysteriously as he arrived. The animals, puzzled at his sudden disappearance, decided not to stress about it and went about their normal

lives. Soon, however, the Man returned and He wasn’t alone. He marched into the peaceful glade one day with a group of armed men and demanded to see the bears. The animals, scared out of their minds, led the group to the bear den. Once the bears emerged from their cave, the Men jumped them and tied them in chains. “This is our woods now!” they declared. The other animals, distraught at seeing their powerful leaders in chains, submitted. Over the next few months, many changes came to the woods. The once proud oaks and pines were chopped down, their roots viciously dug up, to make way for new structures. The humans constructed homes for themselves and began burning the trees to keep warm. Thick smoke filled the clearing and the air reeked of death and destruction. Stores, theaters and restaurants were erected as more and more trees were cleared. And, around the perimeter of the new town, the humans erected a monumental chain-link fence. Fifty feet tall and complete with a pair of massive gates, the fence was impenetrable. Life inside the fence was unlike anything the animals had experienced before. The barrier cut off the bears from their beloved den, while preventing all the animals from freely exploring the woods that they previously called home. The animals were instead forced to sit in school for hours on end, learning manners and how to walk on two legs. The doors to the fence were locked with nearly-indestructible locks and watched by armed guards. No animal was allowed to enter or exit while school was in session, not even the bears. The humans had perverted the once-peaceful woods into a place of strict rules and regulation. They ruled over the animals with an iron fist, punishing all those who stood in their way with detentions and suspensions. The glade became a mecca of smog, noise and industry. And rising above the landscape was the monstrous fence and its cold gateway, complete with an arch reading “Welcome to Woodland”.

lifestyleB2 hawk headlines Volume iX, issue ii octoBeR 2009

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Sam Starkey After a Date with SOHO

One Upon A Time...

By Jared Mikulski

shannon maGRane/ WRHS MEDIA

So you think you’ve outgrown a story you read when you were five? You’re not interested in make-believe creatures anymore? It’s a shame. You’re missing out on quite the adventure. Where the Wild Things Are is the story of a young boy, Max, who, after being punished for his manic behavior, finds his way to a fantasy world filled with vicious beasts. Being wilder than these “wild things,” Max is able to subdue the beasts and become their king. The boisterous bunch bonds as they dance and play the night away. However, the company of the beasts cannot fill the emptiness which Max feels from being away from his family. As soon as this epiphany sets it, Max hastily returns home to the love of his family. This general overview holds true for both the book and movie versions of Where the Wild Things Are, but the two versions are still somewhat dissimilar. The differences all stem from one simple fact: A

f e a t u r e film can be more d e t a i l e d than a children’s book. Both versions of this story are based

on the premise that familial love endures despite discord and distance, but the film version is able to portray this message more efficiently because of its more developed context and greater details. While all the reader knows about Max from the book is that he causes mischief by nailing blankets to walls to make a fort and chasing his dog around with a fork, his impish nature has more depth in the film: Max does not have any friends; his mother, a single parent, is preoccupied with work and her dating life; He does not understand how to relate to other human beings. With this background, it is understandable, almost logical, that Max seems a bit “off.” He has a proclivity to be unreasonably obstinate and is not afraid to scream, destroy things, and even use a bit of violence in stressful situations. But Max is not as cruel as he appears; hiding behind his feral exterior is a boy who feels lonesome and unloved. He runs away and stumbles upon the land of the wild things, where he finds creatures who, like him, seem ferocious on the outside but are really just lonely and want to be loved. The wonder of the prodigious children’s book is miraculously surpassed by this movie. It is as if Maurice Sendak, the author of the book, had envisioned this movie and then written his book as a brief synopsis. The moral is lucid and each added detail contributes to the story’s depth. Despite the fact that Where the Wild Things Are is meant to teach a lesson, it is not tacky; at no point does the audience feel as though they are being lectured. In fact, the moral is somewhat shrouded by adventure and humor throughout the movie, until its culmination when the viewer is left to ponder Max’s adventure and determine for himself what the story means. This movie is simply amazing; anyone with a heart will leave the theater with a warm and fuzzy feeling and the urge to roar at his friends.

The iPod touch is no longer the leader in book applications. Kindle Reader is a 6 inch flat hand held device to download an assortment of over 260,000 books, blogs, and newspapers. This is a huge advancement in technology. No longer do you need to carry around heavy books- just download it wirelessly onto your Kindle Read-er. The Readers are a little pricey but are perfect for school and leisure activities.

Chris Daughtry sang his way into the top five of American Idol during the 5th season in 2006. Despite getting voted off of the show, Daughtry accomplished fourth place overall and did not give up his dream. Instead, he pursued it, becoming a true American Idol. Chris Daughtry is now part of his self titled band Daughtry. Daughtry is a vocalist with four band members also playing crucial roles. Josh Paul is a bass player. Joey Barnes plays the drums. Brian Craddock and Josh Steely both play the guitar. The band was created in 2006 and has been successful since. Daughtry has been in the Top 5 of the Billboard Top 200 Albums, and they have remained in the Top 3 Albums for nine weeks. Daughtry’s most recently released album, released this past July, has been Leave This Town. The combination of band members in Daughtry are able to make music that can simply sweep one off of their feet. With lyrics that bring both emotion and motivation, you can’t help but to listen. “No Surprise”, a song in “Leave This Town”, is currently the only Daughtry song on the Billboard Hot 100. “No Surprise” ranks number 41 and has been on the charts for 22 weeks. There is no question that “No Surprise” has certainly been a hit. This song could most likely be heard on various radio stations along with the VH1 channel. With a quick ear to Daughtry’s album, you may find the beats of the songs to be appealing. But what can really keep one listening are the lyrics. The lyrics contain lines that make the mind think, which is always good once in a while.

“September” is a song that reminisces on the month of September. Although some may think this song would be categorized as sad, others may find it motivating. With lines like, “With nothing to lose but everything to gain” and “Reach for something that’s already gone” how can someone not find these lyrics worthwhile. These lyrics go deep, like Daughtry’s personality. Despite Daughtry’s appearance of hardcore rock guys, they do have a soft side, adding songs about love into their album. But, then again, when was the last time an album did not have a song about love in it? It’s probably been a while. If someone was planning on giving up on love because of non-mutual feelings, then they should listen to “Learn my Lesson.” “Learn my Lesson” preaches that if you love someone that much, you won’t stop loving them. It doesn’t matter how much pain and hardships you have to go through, you’ll keep going right back. “You know I would die here without you.” Whether this line is an exaggeration or not, it is considered strong and in the song “Life after you.” The song is about a guy that really loves a girl and one day he tells her that they don’t belong together. But, later on he realizes that he must’ve been completely stupid to say that. It is reminiscent of an apology letter with possible thoughts of suicide in it. One of the weak songs in Daughtry’s album is “You don’t belong.” The lyrics are semi-confusing and make the song sound like someone is disowning another person because of previous lies. Aside from the few misunderstood songs, Daughtry’s album with concise lyrics and vast rhythms is a must buy, or download for that matter.

By Kelly Diurno

Daughtry Sings His Way to the Top

ReViewsB3 hawk headlines Volume iX, issue ii octoBeR 2009

By Chelsea Broe

There is a Wild Thing in all of Us

The musT haves Items we can’t wait to get our hands on

By Shannon Rafferty

Photo courtesy of amazon.com

The Kindle Reader

Price - $298 on walmart.com

“No Surprise,” “Leave This Town”Key Facts: $9.72 at WalmartImportant Tracks Price

Rachael conti/ WRHS MEDIA

Top Box Offfice

Michael Moore’s latest documentary about capital-ism in America follows the

typical style of his previous works. With shocking accusa-

tions and heart-wrenching sto-ries, Moore has created another eye-opening worth-while film. Capitalism: A Love Story discusses controversial top-ics about our present economy and how we have, as a people, allowed things to spin out of control. Capitalism is defined as the economic freedom to choose. This is not such a bad plan until those in government offices are swayed by those with money. Moore puts the blame of Wall Streets control in our government on Ronald Regan and his time in office. Ever since this country has been in the hands of some of the richest, most corrupt human beings on the planet, like Gary Paulson and Christopher Dodd. Moore captures the audience’s sympathy with stories of personal set backs. For example, a couple w e r e unable to pay their mortgage on the f a m i l y farm were evicted. They packed up everything they needed and were forced to burn everything they could not take with them. Their bank gave them a check for $1,000 when they left the house in move-in condition. Also, staggering statistics brought even more disdain to the present state of America’s economy. 95% of the working class’ gross domestic income combined is less than the 1% population of the annual income of the wealthy. Even though there are no big name stars who appear in the film, its focus solely on the average middle and lower class Americans is a bigger appeal than any millionaire actor portrayal. The only downfall of the movie is the credibility of its director, Michael Moore. He has been known to stretch the truth on numerous occasions. Despite these facts, Capitalism: A Love Story leaves the audience with a revolutionary frame of mind and desire to go out and change the nation.

Capitalism: A Love

Story Tells All

By Shannon Rafferty

1 Where the Wild Things Are

2 Law Abiding Citizen

3 Paranormal Activity

4 Couples Retreat

5 The Stepfather

$32.5 million

$21.3 million

$20.2 million

$17.9 million

$12.3 millionCourtesy of moviefone.com

It is the witching hour on a dark, moonless night. You

are huddled with friends around a wooden board in an old attic

surrounded by only candles. You’re taking turns telling scary tales you have

once heard. Someone has just recounted a particularly eerie Ouija ghost story, insisting it was true.

You sit silently, staring self-consciously into the flames of the candle, reluctant to let out that the story actually made your skin crawl. Then someone in the shadows clears his throat and speaks, “Are you ready to play?” The Ouija Board is the only portal that connects you to the “other side,” needing no previous experience and no psychic skills. This unexplainable board game that somehow knows all the answers never seems to fail amusement. Myths and superstitions attributing magical and mysterious properties to Ouija Boards go back to ancient times. Nearly all of them contain some element of foreboding. The most familiar of these lingering into modern times is the old superstition of letting the “evil one in.”

The ones to blame are Kate and Maggie Fox from the 1800s. They were the first to use a coffin to

contact the other side. They tried table tilting, automatic writing, and the typical scenario of a séance, but the easiest

communication was the Ouija. Even though the coffin-made

Ouija board has made its way to wood and plastic, the mystifying oracle has the same clear medium to

contact forces beyond anyone’s control. Propped on four legs, the board lays flat on all the players. The board consists of numbers, letters, yes, and no. This “game” can send a clear message from an outside source to create conversation. The four simple words, “Is Anyone Out There,” has been said to contact mysterious spiritual figures that can enter your life forever. However, this game is nothing to fool around with. The mystery of this spirit communication can send a direct link to the dark side. Evil can come into control of the board. But is it just a toy as many claim, or is it really a portal to communicate with spirits? Is it all in our heads or are we really creating a doorway to disaster? Conversation and personal experiences can measure the superstition to conclude if you believe or don’t. I personally thought it was all a hoax, so I began messing with the outside world. But let me tell you that once you start, the wonders and myths never leave your mind. But for one, it all depends who you are playing with. If you have people who are not serious and who are going to move the piancette, then there is no point to waste time talking to yourself. If you are going to do it, you have to get serious. I used to set up soft colored candles within a dark atmosphere huddled in a corner of a small tiny room. All the players would then start the séance. Call me creepy, but it is all about the fun. Right? The Ouija Board lets you feel the presence of something around you in the air. We put our hands on the pointer and I could feel its energy heating up. We began asking a few questions to get to know who exactly we were dealing with. Through my own experiences with the Ouija Board I have

discovered that almost every “spirit” has a story to tell or something to say. When I asked one particular person, I admit that there was an unexplained evil behind it. One of us asked for the spirit to let us know if it was really there. All of a sudden, the pianchette started going berserk going to all four corners of the board and continuing to make a figure eight. These are two clear signs that an evil presence is at hand. Her name was Sarah. She was an eight year old little girl. She stayed with us for years. Weird things happened in the house. Doors would open unexpectedly, bathroom mirrors would leave hand prints when no one was in the room, and ghostly figures would be seen by more than just my family. After researching how to get these paranormal figures out of our house, I found out the only way was to get rid of the Ouija board. We broke the board in seven separate pieces and buried it. I will never touch one ever again. Many ask, “Is this dangerous?” In all honesty, it truly relies on the operator. People should not mess with it unless they are prepared to handle what consequences that may come up. This unique game provides mysterious entertainment that lets us form a companionship with an outside world. Do you want to play?

hauntedB4 hawk headlines Volume iX, issue ii octoBeR 2009

Warrens Shed Light on ParanormalSkeptics are made believers at a presentation from Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigator, hosted by Woodland’s

Class of 2013. The Warrens have dedicated their lives to investigating some of the most infamous ghost stories.

The Ouija Legen d

Ghosts, apparitions, and spirits, oh my! Woodland was the host of the annual presentation given by the Lorraine Warren, paranormal investigator. Devoted Christians residing in Monroe CT, Lorraine and late husband Ed dedicated their adult lives to help people who seemed to have paranormal problems. They

worked diligently to get rid of all unwanted spirits to give the people help, security and peace of mind. A typical day for the Warrens was receiving a call from a concerned family. The family would describe what unnatural happening they experienced, and the Warrens would do what they do best - investigate. They would investigate the happening by finding out if some kind of catastrophe happened on the property in the past, the proximity of the household to the nearest graveyard, or contacting local officials and clergy. They would even get in contact with trained professionals to perform exorcisms on those who were severely afflicted. Lorraine has the special ability to sense - to see, hear, and feel - things beyond what the majority of ordinary humans can. see, hear, and feel. Helping people out is just one of the Warren’s duties. They also conduct presentations at local schools and facilities to tell people about their fascinating cases. The presentation hosted at Woodland was a two hour eye-opener for the skeptics in the audience. Lorraine started off the presentation by explaining how to let spirits into a person’s life. One of the biggest ways mentioned was through the Ouija Board, sold at toy stores. However, Lorraine made it clear that it is not the Ouija board opening a portal to the other world, for it is merely a piece of cardboard and a plastic planchette. But it is the soul wanting to communicate with the other world. Even sitting in a room in the dark repeating “I want to see a spirit” will open up doors into the other side. The presentation continued with a plethora of photographs taken by the Warrens and also by people who send them to the Warrens to be checked out. The first collection was demonstrating how someone can take a photo of a spirit in a graveyard at night. “Take a full roll of film, [take the picture] three or four times in one location,” said Warren at the presentation. That was the trick to get the perfect shot of a ghost in a graveyard. There were many photographs in which it was apparent that supernatural forces may actually exist. What was even more shocking to the audience were the pictures that the Warrens received. Some pictures had reflections of a person’s face

in a television set or displaced somewhere in the photo. It was clear that these images were not photoshopped into the picture, but were preexisting when they photo was processed. Photos from their most famous cases were also shown. The Amityville Horror Home was the site of a murder of the DeFeo family by their son and brother Ronald DeFeo. Nicknamed “Butch”, DeFeo murdered his family with, a shot from a high powered rifle in the back of the head, during the middle of the night. He then took the bodies to the “red room”, in the house. Ever since that night, the house has been the most haunted place in Connecticut and a nightmare for the family who bought it next. The Warrens were two of the very few people who were allowed to enter the Amityville Horror home. Lorraine and Ed brought many notable people into the home such as parapsychologists, physics, and paranormal investigators. The house was located in an area with houses closely surrounding it. They were so close together, the neighbors could share yards. “How did Ronald DeFeo, using a high powered rifle, go from the third floor to the second floor, kill every member of his family, and nobody [the neighbors] woke up? They were all killed from the back. These are areas of this case that we may never know,” said Warren. While in the house, Lorraine was asked what she felt in the red room. She responded, “I hope this is as close to hell as I ever get.” The ending of the presentation was marked by the showing of a real exorcism in which a number of audience members felt the need to leave the auditorium. The exorcism was of a man who was severely inflicted, and the spirit was speaking in Latin through him during the process. The afflicted individual started to get red in the eyes and a strange look crept across his face. It was a graphic display of what the Warrens have been doing for their entire lives. Now, there are ways to protect yourselves from these spirits from abruptly interrupting your life. Lorraine explained that everyone has an ora, which is the light of Christ, that blocks out all spirits when you imagine it glowing around you. Lorraine closed the presentation by sharing a story that never fails to make her tear. Ed whistled on a regular basis, and it always put Lorraine in a good mood. While Ed was alive, he and Lorraine regularly dined at a local restaurant. After Ed passed, Lorraine went to the restaurant alone. Lorraine’s waitress was very concerned about something that happened earlier that day. Knowing Lorraine was a highly credited paranormal investigator, the waitress asked her for advice. She told Lorraine that one of the cooks clearly heard a whistling sound. Frightened, he went home for the day. When Lorraine heard this, all she could do was smile and say “I guess he got here before me. He always used to kid me about being late.”

By Brooke Dragon

By Paige Christensen

Hawk HeadlinessportsC1 Volume Viii, issue V 135 BaCk rimmon road, BeaCon Falls, Ct marCH 2009 Woodland Regional High School

Girls’ X-Country Undefeated Again

The Woodland Regional High School Girls Cross Country has accomplished the unthinkable; an undefeated season for two years in a row. This year they won eleven dual meets. Some of these dual meets ended very close, and most of them were only six point deficits or less. One of these meets was Woodland against Holy Cross, which had a final score of 27 to 28. If there had even been one slip up in this meet the end result would have been very different. Senior and team captain Brittany Albright came in third that race, right after the first Holy Cross runner. Being undefeated is a great honor, but the Albright knows they have earned it. “Being undefeated is a big accomplishment for both me and my team. It was important for me to push the team so we could reach our goal, and it’s an amazing feeling to know I accomplished that,” said Albright. Albright was a huge help to the team coming in the top three in all of her meets. The teams that Woodland beat to receive their undefeated title were Torrington, Holy Cross, Sacred Heart, Naugatuck, Seymour, Watertown, Wilby, Crosby, Wolcott, and Kennedy. Coach Lowndes was very proud of his team for their amazing season. “We did this good because of

perseverance and dedication. It also helped that a good core of the talented girls from last year ran again this season,” said Lownds after the season’s last dual meet. Senior and one of the top runners for the team, Kelly Smith has improved a lot over just a year. Crystal Steinfeld, junior and a top runner for the team, was also very proud. “It takes hard work and dedication to achieve great things, but once you achieve them it feels that much better,” said Steinfeld. Senior Kelly Smith has improved a lot over just a year. The team is honored to have received the award and proud that they worked hard to earn it. “It was a great accomplishment, and felt good because I was a bigger part in helping to be undefeated this year than I was last year,” Smith thought. Rookie runners also had something to say about their excellent season. Freshman Julianna Petit thought, “Coming onto a team this good my first year was great, and should help me to get better.” The girls also went on to win the NVL championships. It was the first time is school history that a sport has gone back to back years undefeated NVL champions. “I knew it was possible but we just had to work.” Albright said. Stephanie Symolon, a senior varsity runner,

was excited after the meet. “We have accomplished a lot more than we were expected to in the last two years because everyone viewed us as new and inexperienced.” In between the race and the award ceremony there was a lot of anxiety, but as soon as Woodland’s name was called for first place everyone was thrilled. Even though the team is losing Albright next year they still hope to keep the streak alive.

The Woodland Regional High School Girl’s Cross Country team has had an unstoppable season. After an successful 2008 season, the lady Hawks have done it again, finishing up this year’s season with zero losses and an NVL trophy.

By Drew Cullen

Sarah Melville runs past opposing teams with ease.

drew Cullen / WRHS MEDIA

Cheerleaders Prepare For United Cheer Association Regional Competition

ContriButed pHoto

Woodland cheerleaders show off heel stretches at Municipal Stadium, one of the many stunts they practice every week.

The countdown for competition has begun early for the Woodland Cheerleaders because they are on their way to Nationals. Cheer coach Amanda Broccoli decided to challenge the girls and to promote Woodland’s name with an opportunity to compete at an extreme level against other teams in the country. However, to get to Nationals, the girls have to get a certain score at the Regionals competition to even qualify. Regionals are taking place at Hofstra University in New York City on November 22nd. “It’s December in September, January in October,” Broccoli keeps telling the Lady Hawks. The earliest the Woodland cheerleaders have competed was January, and so to get a routine that is difficult and polished by November is definitely a challenge for the girls. “I have cheered all my life and never had to have a routine done by November,” said senior captain Meghan Killinger, “But with our talent and a good mind set, I am confident that we will be ready.” Broccoli set the standards high back in April when she held tryouts and had practices within the same week. “We set high goals for ourselves. If the girls want it, then they will get it,” said Broccoli. “It’s just about the amount of hard work and dedication the girls will give.” The team has better depth; literally and mentally. The team lost two seniors but gained nine freshmen, filling up every

formation on the big blue mat. The cheerleaders also have more chemistry with this addition. “I felt like I belonged the first day I stepped foot on the mat,” said freshman Olivia Harrison. “Everyone loves each other and we are just one big family.” With more difficult stunts than previous years, the ladies are pushing their limits at every practice. Many of the stunts incorporated in the routine are stunts that these cheerleaders never dreamed of actually perfecting. Things like full-ups, double downs, and kick-fulls. Full-ups are when the flyer does a full twist on the way to the top, with her bases arms fully extended. This stunt is extremely difficult to master and requires a lot of strength and control for all parts of the stunt group. Double downs are when the bases and back-spot throw their flyer in the air and she completes two full twists by the time her bases catch her. Flyers have to pull hard from their hips to complete the twists quickly and beautifully. Kick-fulls are a type of basket toss. The flyer is thrown into the air and does exactly what the name of the stunt says. One kick and a full twist back down into the arms of the bases creates a gorgeous sight to see from the judge’s point of view. With complicated and intriguing stunts, the Hawks cheerleaders are really improving. The constant reminder of the approach of the Regionals competition is always in their minds, and the girls are eager to show to the UCA staff what they can do.

By Paige Christensen/Ali Walsh

Fewer Freshmen Athletes Affects Woodland Sports

Every year the Woodland Regional High school sports consist of three teams: First year team, Junior Varsity, and Varsity. But this year, the thing that is lacking are the freshmen. It is not just one particular sport, but a low amount of freshmen for most sports. Having a low number of freshmen makes a big impact on the sport as a whole. “Without enough freshmen, the freshman coach is not able to run a team. It affects the team as a whole because without a good amount you cannot develop an upcoming championship team,” stated girls basketball head coach Gail Strumpf. Varsity and JV can be a mixture of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. That is much more of a variety to make a team. Freshmen teams are made up mostly of just freshman, and some first year players if decided to play. This year the First Year volleyball team has only four freshmen. Without the first year sophomores, it would have been difficult to put together a team. “If there were not first year sophomores on the team, we might not of been able to have a team since there needs to be at least six people on the court at one time. The freshman team is the feeder program for the varsity squad. If there was no freshman team, fewer students would be able to play. In addition, the freshman program is the foundation of the program, here the players learn the necessary skills to be competitors at the JV and Varsity level,” said Freshmen coach Krystle Levinsky. It is not clear as to why there are not a sufficient amount of freshmen. It could be the transition from middle school to high school. It could be the demanding practices, and weekend practices. It could be the rumors that are spread from bad experiences with the sport. Whatever the reason, when the season is starting, it is a problem. Strumpf thinks that the cause to the lack of freshmen is having a bad encounter with the sport. “If you have a positive experience while you are playing, other people are going to want to come and have fun,” said Strumpf. Not every athlete at Woodland has their best experience with a sport. With that being said, people can spread rumors about the coaches, practices, and the sport as a whole that will make a freshmen not want to play. At Long River Middle School, where most of the freshmen played a sport, there was not weekend practices. At Woodland, you are devoted for that whole season, including Saturdays. There are usually practices every Saturday, and if not, it is filled with a game or a meet. That means giving up your weekend, and your plans, for the sport. Freshman Brooke Leshin wants to be able to do things on the weekend. “I would want to going skiing on the weekends. It’s something I do and I don’t know if I would want to miss it for practices,” said Leshin. There are many reasons a freshman may not participate in a sport at Woodland. Former athletes at Woodland have to encourage the younger ones that the sports are a way to have a good time while being a winning team. Having a filled team makes the environment and camaraderie within the players a much better experience.

By Kristina Diurno

Shea Returns For Second Season

Coach Tim Shea has been in the Woodland High School football organization for eight years. He began coaching in 2002 as a Defensive Coordinator Coach, a position he held for six years under Head Coach Christopher Anderson. In 2008 Anderson resigned as Head Football Coach leaving the job vacant. In 2008 Shea was promoted to Head Coach. Shea’s first season in his new power position ended with a record of 4-7. The team was able to reach the Copper Division Championship game at Municipal Stadium against the Kennedy Eagles. Kennedy rolled on to win with a score of 16-13 as Woodland Hawks traveled back to Beacon Falls with a loss. The Woodland Hawks 2008 season lost three key players due to season-ending injuries. Quarterback Steven Petracca injured his shoulder by a defensive hit. Running back Jon Murren injured and broke his leg by getting tackled during a defensive play. Lineback Kile Coty injured his shoulder by delivering a tackle to the offensive line. Petracca was moving the team down the field before his injury with a nearly 50 percent completion rate and two touchdowns. The injury that Petracca received had a negative effect on the team last season. “Petracca’s injury was one more thing we had to overcome,” Shea stated. Murren added a run game. He racked up 656 yards on 110 carries and scored seven times. Coty held teams from scoring against

Woodland with his 21 tackles and 39 assists. The only team the Hawks will not play this 2009 season is their rival, the Ansonia Chargers. The timing of the NVL has forced the number of scheduled games down to ten this season. “Coaches have to have the attitude that they are going to win a game,” Shea stated. Shea seemed disappointed about last year’s record of 4-7 for the season. Shea accepted the loss with a gracious attitude.

“I understand that we are not always going to win.” However, this season is going differently this year. In order to turn this season around, the team is going to work harder. Shea hopes that the team becomes faster, stronger, and better due to all of the practice. Shea’s second season so far has had its ups and downs, but he and his team are determined to make themselves a threat in the 2009 season.

By Evan Smith

Above: Coach Tim Shea has a talk with his offensive linemen during a recent game. So far this year, Coach Shea has lead his team to a record 4-2.

tHeresa gillette / WRHS ME-

Woodland Football Coach Tim Shea comes back for another round of NVL football.

sportsC4 Hawk Headlines Volume iX, issue ii oCtoBer 2009

After starting off the season with a winning streak of seven, Seymour ended it, leaving the Woodland Hawks at 12-1. The girls then came back for their next matches, fired up, dominating in all of them. Woodland is working hard to finish their season on a good note with a variety of players contributing. Seniors Erika Barnett, Kaiti Lembo, Emily Hutvagner, Kate Frenette, and Lindsey Wirsing have been helping the team with their experience and leadership. Junior Jessica Patrizi has been a great contributor, giving Woodland plenty of great play. One key player of the varsity team is senior, Steph Badale. This talented outside hitter is a real asset to the team. The Junior Varsity squad is on the same track as varsity, losing only one game to Ansonia (1-2), the Hawks are 11-1. Being dominant is something this team is good at. They won six of their games 2-0 while winning with the score of 2-1 against both Naugatuck and Kennedy. This team is mature as they have a majority of juniors along with sophomores. Juniors Lindsay Boland, Chelsea Frenette, and Romina Halim have been playing hard for this JV team. All are expected to be major contributors to varsity next year. Sophomores Sam Edwon and Adriana Ambari are worthy players to complement the juniors’ play on JV. The first year squad has only four freshmen, but the sophomores that are on the team add leadership. They are coached by Krystle Levinsky. “The team as a whole is improving daily, the players are learning to work together and their skills are progressing quickly. We lost a few games early in the season, but have been working really hard to compete against the teams we’ve lost to,” said Levinsky. Levinsky also thinks that having sophomores on the team helps to run the team. “It has definitely been easier having sophomores on the team. The sophomores know the expectations of being an athlete at Woodland and that has filtered down to the freshman,” Levinsky said. The girls are all very dedicated to learning and improving their game. Rising freshmen players freshmen that are on their road to have an impact in the years to follow are Freshmen Nicole Fowler and Tayler Boncal. “Nicole Fowler and Tayler Boncal have been really good, not only with their play but with their leadership as well,” Levinsky stated. All volleyball teams are on their way to finish their seasons’ successfully. With a great variety of players that are willing to work hard and improve everyday, it is safe to say that it will be a victorious year for the Varsity team with not only regular season accomplishments, but NVLS and states as well.

By Kristina Diurno

This is the reason why Badale decided to play volleyball when she came to high school. Unfortunately volleyball is not a competitive sport in middle school so Badale had to wait until she came to high school to play. She has been playing volleyball for four years, two of which were on varsity. Badale plays the position of outside hitter. The most common job of an outside hitter is to attack the balls that the setter sets. In case you are not too knowledgeable with the lingo of volleyball, a setter is basically the playmaker. If volleyball was being compared to basketball, the setter would be similar to the point guard. While Badale is playing the position of outside hitter and attacking the balls, she enjoys the energy that is brought with it. “I love the energy of the game, it’s always so upbeat and exciting,” said Badale. Badale also enjoys hanging out with her friends from the volleyball team, while participating in something she enjoys. Badale love the Woodland volleyball program in particular because of the coaches. “I love the coaches of the volleyball team because they love to have fun but keep the team in line at the same time,” said Badale. Badale’s role model when it comes to volleyball is Woodland alumni

Jessica Gruemken. Gruemken graduated with

the Class of 2008. She played volleyball for Woodland and Badale believes that Gruemken is the person who made her want to become a better volleyball player.

“I look up to Jessica Gruemken because her hitting gave me drive to hit harder and better,” said Badale, “Her hitting is so amazing, I want to strive to hit like her.”

When Badale graduates from Woodland in the spring of 2010, she plans on going to college and has an interest in playing intramural volleyball. In college, intramural sports are sports that are played within the student body, as opposed to regular athletics in college where some teams might travel around the country to compete. Badale is a crucial ingredient to the Woodland volleyball team. With her devotion and love for the sport, she brings a lot of heart and skill to the court every night.

By Kelly Diurno

CHelsea Frenette/ WRHS MEDIAAbove: Steph Badal passes the ball in a 3-0 win over Wolcott.

After playing the game in middle school gym classes and watching it on TV, Senior

Stephanie Badale fell in love with the sport of volleyball.

”“ I love the energy

of the game; it’s always so upbeat

and exciting. -Stephanie Badale

Hawks Spikers Set Season Goals The Woodland Girls’

Varsity Volleyball team is having a

strong season, losing only one

game to Seymour but bringing home

victory in 11 others.

Stats: Season Stats

Team Results Wins Losses Ties Win% GW GL Home Away Neutral League

15 1 0 .938 45 9 7-1-0 8-0-0 0-0-0 15-1-0

Offensive Stats Serves Attacks Ball Handling# Last Name, First Name GP SA A E PTS A/G A% S% ATT K E K/G H% K% BHA Ast Ast/G BHE

# 3 Barnett, Erica 51 0 0 0 - .0 .0 - 257 95 32 1.9 24.5 37.0 33 10 .2 4# 4 Frennette, Kate 54 190 29 23 - .5 15.3 87.9 10 0 3 .0 -30.0 .0 15 3 .1 3# 5 Boland, Lindsay 3 1 0 0 - .0 .0 100.0 8 0 3 .0 -37.5 .0 2 0 .0 0# 7 Patrizi, Jess 54 264 59 22 - 1.1 22.3 91.7 164 38 20 .7 11.0 23.2 1149 364 6.7 12# 9 Badale, Steph 54 141 17 14 - .3 12.1 90.1 391 145 45 2.7 25.6 37.1 60 13 .2 2#10 Hutvagner, Emily 54 13 5 1 - .1 38.5 92.3 315 85 38 1.6 14.9 27.0 41 11 .2 6#12 Dowski, Ariel 14 31 5 3 - .4 16.1 90.3 5 1 0 .1 20.0 20.0 2 0 .0 0#13 Wirsing, Lindsey 51 167 28 26 - .5 16.8 84.4 20 3 4 .1 -5.0 15.0 24 3 .1 0#14 Duby, Desiree 52 221 30 15 - .6 13.6 93.2 216 55 39 1.1 7.4 25.5 211 45 .9 12#15 Conti, Rachael 11 13 3 2 - .3 23.1 84.6 4 2 1 .2 25.0 50.0 21 8 .7 3#20 Lembo, Kaiti 54 182 33 29 - .6 18.1 84.1 289 89 65 1.6 8.3 30.8 28 5 .1 4#21 Jaxzhi, Robin 11 9 3 3 - .3 33.3 66.7 28 7 10 .6 -10.7 25.0 6 1 .1 1#24 Framski, Heather 11 15 0 0 - .0 .0 100.0 33 14 6 1.3 24.2 42.4 10 3 .3 1Team Totals 54 1247 212 138 - 3.9 17.0 88.9 1740 534 266 9.9 15.4 30.7 1602 466 8.6 48

Defensive Stats Receptions Blocks Digs# Last Name, First Name GP R E R/G BS BA TB BE B/G D DE D/G

# 3 Barnett, Erica 51 0 1 .0 34 0 34 2 .7 12 3 .2# 4 Frennette, Kate 54 122 18 2.3 0 0 0 0 .0 96 14 1.8# 5 Boland, Lindsay 3 0 1 .0 0 0 0 0 .0 1 0 .3# 7 Patrizi, Jess 54 17 0 .3 1 0 1 0 .0 74 8 1.4# 9 Badale, Steph 54 113 14 2.1 5 0 5 2 .1 66 10 1.2#10 Hutvagner, Emily 54 1 0 .0 22 0 22 2 .4 9 2 .2#12 Dowski, Ariel 14 12 2 .9 0 0 0 0 .0 12 1 .9#13 Wirsing, Lindsey 51 122 15 2.4 0 0 0 0 .0 104 8 2.0#14 Duby, Desiree 52 114 24 2.2 3 0 3 0 .1 61 2 1.2#15 Conti, Rachael 11 2 1 .2 0 0 0 0 .0 4 0 .4#20 Lembo, Kaiti 54 72 20 1.3 1 0 1 0 .0 63 7 1.2#21 Jaxzhi, Robin 11 2 0 .2 0 0 0 0 .0 4 0 .4#24 Framski, Heather 11 0 1 .0 2 0 2 0 .2 1 0 .1Team Totals 54 577 97 10.7 68 0 68 6 1.3 507 55 9.4

Woodland Regional Girls Varsity Volleyball Fall 09-10

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