OCT.

2011

Wilmington High School

New School in the Making
By Kristin Esdale & Sara Hogan

HE new high school has taken hours of work and planning to create. There have been tons of meetings that started out as just people putting ideas out there and seeing what the designers can do. Now, the plan is mostly drawn up and everyone is just waiting for the towns approval so we can start building. The new high school was designed with the needs of future students in mind. Education is moving toward technology and projects and the new high school had to meet these needs. It will be three stories high with the gym, auditorium, cafeteria and elective courses on the first floor and academics on the second two. All of the academic rooms were designed with the needs of students in mind. They created these rooms called flex rooms that allow a small group of students to work

together on projects away from their classroom. These rooms would have computers and projectors and anything else needed for students to do projects in. Another addition will be the courtyard in the center of the school. It will have places for kids to sit or for photo classes to go outside and take pictures. We talked to both Mr. Tracy and Mrs. Benton about the new school and they are both excited and anxious for it to be built.

Interview with Mr. Tracy 1) What part of the new high school are you most excited about? Mr. Tracy - The building has tons of flexibility. It was designed around flexibility, so everything moves. Also, there will be more technology available and the whole school will have wireless Internet. Everything is going to be different. The cafe will have breakout rooms and there will be a Continued on 3

As We Remember 9/11...
By Alexa Worthington As the school year is now in full swing, the 9/11 Memorial Committee has officially been set up. Ms. Kassin and Mr. Staffier are the advisors and Matthew Palermo is the committees president. The committee is on its way to funding and designing the memorial. At some point, they plan on speaking with the architect of the new high school to find the best placement for the memorial. One thing that should be kept in mind is that this memorial is not just for the students who pass through Wilmington High School, it is for the residents of the town as well. As the committee gets started they are beginning with fundraising. One fundraiser they are doing is setting up decorated empty water jugs in each of Wilmingtons schools. Continued on 2

WILDCAT NEWS
The Republicans
By Kristin Esdale The 2012 Presidential Election is coming up! President Barack Obama will take the Democrat nomination, but who will his challenger be? Earlier this political season, it seemed as though Barack Obama would be an easy reelected candidate and the Republicans would send up a sacrificial lamb. However, with sinking approval in both Congress and in the Presidency, the Republicans have already chosen to change their strategy. Eight candidates have chosen to pursue the nomination for president. The front runner thus far is Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts. Mitt Romney is a good candidate for the Republicans because he will be able to sway the independent vote in his favor and stir up the votes from conservative Republicans. His experience in the private sector will be an obstacle for President Obama, and overall, Romney is a real challenger for Barack Obama. POLITICS could be a major blow to the Republicans, if he is nominated. His ideas are logical and are outside of the box, but people are hesitant to give Herman Cain credit, when he has no political background. Rick Perry, the governor in Texas has dropped to third place. He was the leader of the pack over the summer of 2011, but in the past debates, he has fumbled. Calling social security a ponzi scheme and his Dream Act have made many Republicans turn against him, even though he grabs the Christian-based Republicans attention and he is very similar to George W. Bush. Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, is currently in fourth. His performance in debates has been good, but he takes the heat off the other candidates when they argue, and turns Continued on 7

Herman Cain, the former CEO of Godfather Pizza is in second place. Cains major publicity comes from the skits of him on SNL. Unfortunately, no one takes Herman Cain seriously, which

As We Remember 9/11... (Continued)

The purpose of these water jugs is for people to drop spare change in them as they pass by. If you happen to pass by 9/11 Memorial Committee water jug, dont hesitate to drop in that pocket full of spare change you have. Another fundraiser the committee has is selling t-shirts. Recently they held a t-shirt design contest and voted on the winning design as well as a logo for the committee. Savannah Hubbard was the student who created the winning design for the first of two t-shirts the committee will sell. This t-shirt will be for Veterans Day in November. The committee is still in the process of finalizing everything for the t-shirt, however the general design is here and you will be sure to hear about it when the t-shirts go on sale. For future reference, the logo is on Page 1. If you ever see this logo around the school or town, you will be sure to know what it is for.

New High School in the Making (Continued)

balcony on the second level over the courtyard where kids can do yoga. The building is flexible. 2) What has your role been in designing the new high school? Mr. Tracy - My role has been similar to a consultant to the architects and designers. I know how our programs work and the numbers we have and I just gave them as much information as possible. I also did some research for 21st century learning and how education will change in the next twenty years and tried to incorporate that into the new school as well. 3) What is it like to work with both students and faculty on this project? Mr. Tracy - Awesome. There are so many differences in opinions and it was unique and fun to pull them together. Adults have a very grounded opinion on the school based on their own experience with technology and kids. The students have a very different opinion. They see the big picture. Bringing everything together and coming up with a plan was difficult, but it was great to have everyone involved. 4) What do you think will be the biggest adjustment for students and faculty coming from the old school and going to the new one? Mr. Tracy - The biggest adjustment will be learning to use all the new flexibility and trusting each other. Teachers will have to trust that students will do their their work when in one of the flex rooms and students will have to trust their teachers. There will also be more project based learning at the new high school and that will be a big adjustment as well. 5) Is there something that you want to be in the new high school that you know will not be there? Mr. Tracy - I always want what is best for my students, but the community needs to balance the budget and it is at $80 million. We cannot always buy the best and I will always want more space. A high school can never have enough storage space. We need to find that middle ground that will please everyone and it is a very fine line. 6) Is there anything you will miss about the old high school? Mr. Tracy - Mostly nostalgia. Its fifty years old and everyone is very close. There is a sense of organization and it is a very tight community. I will also miss the small school feel. 7) Any other comments? Mr. Tracy - I am very excited, I just want to see it in real life. It is exciting for the whole community because the new school will be able to host events and be available for student and community needs. Wilmington is a unique community poised to build an amazing project. Interview with Mrs. Benton 1) What part of the new high school are you most excited about? Mrs. Benton - I am most excited for the learning communities because they are designed around flexibility and will allow teachers and students to be able to do projects and this will allow us to move toward project based learning. There will be learning spaces separated by glass for students to use during class time. The freshman community will be in one pod, which will help them get used to high school. There will be a courtyard with a Zen garden feel that can be used as an outdoor art studio or classroom. There will also be in indoor track that could possibly be used by the community. 2) What has your role been in designing the new high school? Mrs. Benton - I have been to an awful lot of meetings and I have to focus on what we want and where we want it, like the small dining communities for those kids that feel uncomfortable in the cafeteria. I work closely with the architects and designers and tell them what our academic programs are about so they can design the school around them. 3) What is it like to work with both students and faculty on this project? Mrs. Benton - I was very excited to work with students. They think outside the box and understood the learning communities immediately where it took a lot of explaining for the adults to understand them. 4) What do you think will be the biggest adjustment for students and faculty coming from the old school and going to the new one? Mrs. Benton - The size. The new high school is going to be huge. It will be three stories and this will take some adjustment. Continued on 11

WILDCAT NEWS
Sign Language at WHS
By Shannon Williams Intro to Sign Language is a unique and new course being offered at Wilmington High School. The course is taught by the schools sign language interpreter, Mrs. Chanel Garcia. Along with learning to sign their names, colors, animals, pronouns, and places, the students in Mrs. Garcias classes are learning more about the Deaf Culture and what it really means to be a modern, Deaf person living in todays society. The students also play fun, interactive games like fish go and the elephant game that help them to learn and immerse themselves more into the Deaf ComSCHOOL NEWS munity. Intro to Sign Language 1 and 2 can be used for foreign language credits along with the other languages like French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin. This unique course is perfect for any student looking for language credits or a fun, educational class to take.

The Halloween Breakfast

By Alexa Worthington This year Halloween falls on a Monday. That means the annual Lamplighters Drama Guild Halloween Breakfast for faculty will take place on Halloween. This year the breakfast will be hosted in the Lamplighters home the auditorium. Last year, the club tried this for the first time and it worked out remarkably well. One small change has been made this year and that is that teachers will be asked to receive their food on stage, but eat it in the lobby of the auditorium. As usual, though, the stage will be decorated for the occasion. The breakfast will begin at 7 and go until the bell beginning classes sounds. As with previous years all the food that is supplied is brought by students and there will be several students dressed up in costume helping to serve some of the dishes. The Lamplighters Drama Guild hopes all of the faculty enjoy their Thank You for all the support that they give the club.

Get the Scoop

By Sara Hogan The ice cream social/ club fair for the freshman was held on Wednesday October 5th. It was a chance for freshman to learn and join clubs while enjoying ice cream. All of the freshman mentors were also there to guide the freshman in the right direction. All of the clubs were there from SADD to yearbook and all the ones in to the freshman about the importance of joining clubs as a freshman and not waiting until senior year. Many freshman signed up for clubs and had a good time. This night is very important not only because it increases the size of clubs, but also because it helps freshman meet people with similar interests to theirs and helps them start creating their college resume.

More Than Just a Cell Phone Policy

By Shannon Williams It started out as an idea, a possibility, a plea: to let students use electronic devices during lunch and in class for academic purposes. Our very own school Ambassadors, advised by Mr. Mahoney, came up with this idea from the words of the students and teachers, and decided to make a change. They formulated this idea into a plan and presented it before the faculty and then the School Committee, both of which took to it easily and made it into an official policy. Originally it was just supposed to be temporary, for a trial period, but the school committee made it permanent. Thus, the new policy was born, and now we can use electronics during lunch and in class for academic purposes, if allowed by the teacher. So far, Mr. Mahoney reports no problems, at least no significant ones, meaning that were using this policy to its full but not taking advantage. As long as we keep this up, well be able to continue using electronics during lunch and sometimes in class. Its up to us, as students, to be re-

sponsible in our electronic usage and prove to the Ambassadors that their hard work is appreciated.

The Courage to Move Forward

By Allie Carroll Imagine everything youve worked for, everything youve dreamed of, gone in just eleven seconds. This was Travis Roys reality after he slid head first into the boards at his first hockey game. Travis had dreamed of making it to college hockey ever since he was a little boy. After college he envisioned playing in the National Hockey League and then on the U.S. Olympic Team. These goals were not so absurd, since Travis
Wildcat News Staff 2011 Co-Editors: Feature Editor: Entertainment Editor: Art Editor: Layout Editor: Sara Hogan Kristin Esdale Alexa Worthington Stephanie Tran Cassie Peterson Brian Godfrey Editorial Advisor: Art Advisor: Staff Writers: Staff Artists: Assistant Editors: Allison Carroll Lizzy Hill Shannon Williams Kelsey Barbarossa Felisha Jean-Francois Cameron Medbery Mrs. Beckwith Ms. Hinman

had the talent and drive needed to accomplish them. Yet these goals could no longer happen because Travis broke his fourth and fifth vertebrae, making him a quadriplegic. Travis Roy is now the author of Eleven Seconds and is a terrific motivational speaker. Roy advocates the need to keep living, to never give up. He discusses how important it is to express your love for people, and to live life to the fullest since he is living proof that you never know what might happen in the future.

When Travis Roy came to Wilmington High School, he changed peoples moods from hectic and excited to respectfully observant. Travis connected with the group with ease, as if he knew every student and faculty member personally. Travis was able to make people laugh, even while talking about his tragic accident. One student, Meaghan Bransfield, said I thought his optimism was inspiring. Travis Roy is one of the most talented and influential motivational speakers to date.

WILDCAT NEWS
Visiting Colby
By Kristin Esdale The college process is an exciting and stressful time for seniors. The college process begins with picking out schools that might be a good fit, and then visiting! One of the colleges I visited was Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Its a small, liberal arts college, located in a small town- just the way I like it! Colby is my number one school, and taking a chance to visit it was a lot of fun! I visited during an open house day, so there were many activities for prospective students. The day started with a quick info session. These sessions are super important! The people who work in the admissions office tell you what they are looking for in an application, and they tell you how you will be judged when your application is read. I found this was extremely helpful, especially where I am a hard working student taking challenging classes, but not necessarily the highest SAT scores. Next, I went to a panel that talked about activities on campus. There were two students and two faculty members who lead the panel, and they were very informative on the types of activities there were to offer at the school. When looking at colleges, make sure they have the clubs, and activities that you want to do, so when you arent studying, you have things to do that you enjoy! For example, I want to continue to do community service in college, Colby has several different commuCOLLEGE VISITS nity service opportunities that I can choose from, so I can pick the one that appeals to me most! The best part of the day was lunch! Lunch is a crucial part to looking at a college. First, it gives you the opportunity to taste the food that you will be eating every day! So make sure it tastes good, and that there is a lot of variety! Second, lunch is a great way to interact with students who already go there. I ate with 6 freshmen girls, who told me all about their experiences and how much they love Colby! They were a lot more insightful than the admissions people were, because the girls were able to tell me about how they became friends and the lifestyle at the school. They even showed me Continued on 7

College Visits at WHS

By Stephanie Tran Your first day in high school always comes with the speech, Have no regrets, high school will fly by; before you know it, youll be seniors. At the time it seemed far-fetched, but little did I know it would actually happen to me. Fall season has started and its normal to see Seniors walking in and out of the Guidance Office constantly. Everyone is getting ready to take that next step College. As a Senior its important to have an idea of which schools you are most interested in and plan to apply to. Its always a good idea to visit colleges during the summer to get a feel for the school and judge how you would fit in. must juggle college and scholarship deadlines, as well as individual class homework. However, the less stressed you are about it, the easier the process will be. Along the way, to make it easier for Seniors, the Guidance Office offers college visits; a hired representative of a school comes to talk about the school and the application process. Recent college visits include Boston University, Suffolk, and Merrimack. Recently I signed up for the BU visit. With a permission slip from the Guidance Office, I was all set to go. Depending on the size for students Continued on 7

The first several months into senior year, granted, are stressful because its all about deadlines. Seniors

Visiting Colby (Continued)

their dorm room, and hung out with me before I had to go to class! If you go to visit a college, definitely talk to the students there because they will tell you everything you need to know. After lunch, I was able to go to class. I chose to go to Intro to Music. I loved the class, and I loved the professor, and the students enjoyed interacting with the class. College classes and high school classes are very different, so if you can, pop into one on your visit! Itll give you an idea on what your days are going to be like. Finally, I met up with Melissa Preziosi, an alumnus of Wilmington High School, who currently goes to Colby. I loved talking to her because she was able to show me around campus, tell me stories, and talk about the transition from Wilmington High to college. Whenever you go to a college, try to see if someone you know goes there so they can give you a unique perspective of the school. Overall, visiting Colby was a fantastic experience and I cant wait until all of my applications are finally done!

College Visits at WHS (Continued)

who attend, the visit normally occurs in the Guidance Office or in the Cafeteria. The whole visit covered a brief summary of the school, its atmosphere, and its fun events that happen. Its also a chance for students to learn about the application process and can ask any lingering questions. The visit was informative for students planning on applying to Boston University; it offered perspective on what colleges look for in an essay and during your senior year. If and once accepted by the school, that hard work doesnt stop there. Everything from that point on is crucial in setting the path for your future.

The Republicans (Continued)

it on to Obama. It seems that Gingrich is there to remind the Republican base that it doesnt matter who the nominee is, as long as they beat President Obama. Ron Paul, a Texas Representative, is in fifth place. Pauls ideas call for complete government hands off and states rights. Pauls radical ideas are controversial, and the Republicans arent too keen on his chances of beating Obama. Michele Bachmann, Representative of Minnesota, won the Iowa Straw Poll. Like Sarah Palin, Bachmann gains the votes of conservative Republicans. She was the front runner for a time, but some of her controversial statements have let her slip in the polls. Rick Santorum is the male version of Michele Bachmann. He is a Senator of Pennsylvania, and he has a lot of support from conservative Republicans. Since he started debating, he has made a name for himself and has been able to climb a little in the polls. Last but not least, Jon Huntsman, former Governor of Utah, is in eighth. Huntsman is the least known candidate because he was the Ambassador to China, and he doesnt have the name recognition of the other candidates. He is still considered a dangerous candidate in his ability to unseat President Obama. However, the lack of recognition will probably cost him the nomination. As the 2012 Presidential Election approaches, it will be very interesting to see which candidates will rise up, and which ones will fall.

WILDCAT NEWS
Does the X-Factor Have All the Factors for Success?
By Stephanie Tran After a long day at work or school and piles of homework to complete, nothing feels more relaxing than sitting on the couch with eyes glued to the television screen. Last week was Premiere Week for new and old returning television shows Glee, Castle, and Modern Family just to name a few. Wednesday seemed like a day people anxiously awaited for. The clock read 8:00 P.M (EST) as families congregated around the television. It was the return of Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul in The X-Factor. The X-Factor is a competition in which singers of all ages compete for a chance to win the ENTERTAINMENT

ultimate cash prize and a recording contract. Assumptions have been made that this show is simi-

lar to the hit-show American Idol, but The X-Factor has upped their ante. American Idol only allows 15-28 year old contestants and a guaranteed recording contract, The X-Factor allows the minimum age of 12 years old with no upper limit and will offer the winning contestant five million dollars and a record deal. Simon Cowell, former judge on American Idol is the creator and producer of the show. With tremendous successes this show has produced in Europe, Cowell was hesitant on bringing it over to the States. He was worried that the talent in Continued on 9

Diversions Before the Conflict Resolution in Castle: Season 4

By Lizzy Hill Castle ended its third season at its climax: our protagonist, famous writer Richard Castle, told his partner and inspiration, Detective Kate Beckett, that he loved her. Shed just been sniped at a funeral for getting too close to her mothers case, and Castle rushed to her side to whisper those three words in case he never got the chance. When the story returned in Season Four, Kate claimed not to have heard Castle, but we all know she did- she didnt have contact with him for three months and we saw her flashback and secretly remember. Besides, shes a cop. She doesnt forget details. Especially ones that flip her whole world upside down. Even if shes dying. The question is, when will she let Castle know? Its obvious that Kate cares about Castle, but how much? Will she lie even if she does love him because she doesnt want to forfeit their friendship? Kate will have to confront Castle, but it wont be until the end of the season, just to keep us hooked. Until then, the writers of Castle will keep distracting us with minor problems like each weekly case and Alexis future. Whatever the next distraction is, I know Ill be watching it on the edge of my seat next Monday at 10:00 p.m. on ABC with a bowl of popcorn in hand.

The Vampire Diaries

By Allie Carroll The Vampire Diaries, which is based off of the books by L.J. Smith, is in its third season on The CW. The main characters, Stefan and Damon, are vampire brothers who are both infatuated with the same human, Elena. The characters consist of vampires, werewolves, witches, and humans. There are sensational love triangles, outstanding characters, and exhilarating plot twists. The Vampire Diaries has won seven Teen Choice Awards and also won Favorite New TV Drama at the 2010 Peoples Choice Awards. The Vampire Diaries has been nominated for several celebrated awards. This show is a must see for science fiction and drama lovers alike. Catch The Vampire Diaries, Thursday nights at 8 on The CW.

Does the X-Factor Have All the Factors for Success? (Continued)
America wouldnt come in like it has in Europe. If the show flops, it puts a dent in his career. Everything is riding on this show. Another exciting aspect that viewers were awaiting for was the reunion of the Simon and Paula duo. Both were former judges on American Idol, but before leaving the show they clearly left a mark with viewers. Paula could be characterized as a fun-loving, kind, and inspirational judge. Simon on the other hand was more known for his harsh, metaphoric, to the point truths. What attracted this judging duo the most was the chemistry between the two of them. Their quirkiness offered comic relief during the show, despite their frequent disagreements. After Simon left American Idol it wasnt the same, I missed him, said Lauren Azevedo, a fellow viewer of the show. This past Wednesday the show finally premiered across the nation, creating lots of buzz the next day. When asked what she thought about the premiere episode of The X-Factor Lauren said, I loved it! It was wonderful! Comparing the two shows, Lauren said, The XFactor is better because it focuses on looking for true talent. The show featured both positive and negative reviews. Viewers like Lauren thought The X-Factor showed potential talent. Others thought the show was too hyped up just because it signified the return of Simon and Paula. The shows premiere night raked in a solid 12.6 million viewers, however, the last season of American Idol gained more than double with 26 million. Simon had said in several interviews, Anything less than 20 million would be considered a failure. I guess we will have to tune in to find out

WILDCAT NEWS
New Face in the Visual Arts Department
By Stephanie Tran Before we knew it, summer had come and gone. No more sleeping-in, going to beaches, or swimming in pools. It was August 30. It was the first day back to Wilmington High School. Wilmington High School was not the same as we had left it back in June. Policies were different, school lunches changed, but most noticeably there were new faces in the Mathematics, Science, World Languages, and Visual Arts Departments. Recently, I had the privilege of meeting the new Photo teacher, Mr. Fionte and he was kind enough to set aside some time to answer a few questions for the Wildcat Newspaper. Before coming to the Wilmington High, Mr. Fionte attended four years at the School of Museum of Fine Arts, taking classes ranging from painting to photography. He took a year off to work in Special Education, sparking his interest in becoming a teacher. He has had prior experience in teaching at the middle school level in General Arts in Lawrence for two years, but says he had always wanted to teach at the high school level. When notified by Mrs. Shack, a former Visual Arts teacher at Wilmington High School, about possible openings in the department, Mr. Fionte decided to check it out. Sure enough he got the job to be the new Photo teacher. Photo I and Photo II are popular classes among students, and when asked what he liked most about photography Mr. Fionte replied: I like it because you can capture the actual imagephotography is something that anyone can do. Some students find painting and drawing very frustrating because its harder to do -- they require motor skills that take a lot of practice, but anyone can do photography. He goes further by saying: Everyone is a photographer. Everybody has cameras that makes it more open to students. Now that a few months of the school have passed, I asked Mr. Fionte how the transition to Wilmington High is going and the students reactions to a new teacher. Its been a really positive thing. Every teacher here is great, every student I have in my classes has been very nice and very welcoming. Its been an easy transition with a lot of support. I followed up by asking what his opinion of Wilmington High School and its students were so far. I think its great, honestly, I feel really welcome. Every student in here has been very respectful and thats something I missed a lot in Middle School. Im liking it very very much. Being the new teacher in an unfamiliar school can be tough sometimes, but it seems like the faculty and students at Wilmington High School have done a wonderful job in welcoming Mr. Fionte. Personally Ive never taken a Photo course before, but after interviewing Mr. Fionte, his overall friendliness and his experience with photography would make any Photo class fun and interesting to be a part of.

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More Changes Made to Facebook

friends who are online and facebook chat. It led to inbox messages going directly to chat as well. Now, however, the changes have been too much. Users are becoming frustrated with them and express their dislike for the so-called improvements. This includes the changes to the News Feed on the home page. Now, there is a section for top stories, which are calculated by a specific algorithem. However, these top stories are seemingly random and bothersome for users. Another change Facebook users do not like is the ticker in the upper right hand corner. This is a Twitter-like feed of what your friends are doing at that precise time. It has become distracting as it is constantly updated and scrolling. Despite the unhappiness of Facebook users due to these changes, it is not the end of them. There are more improvements that will arrive at the site, whether the users like it or not.

By Alexa Worthington Lately, there have been more and more changes made to the Facebook website. It began with altering how you view

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New High School in the Making (Continued)

5) Is there something that you want to be in the new high school that you know will not be there? Mrs. Benton - I wanted a bigger auditorium, but the Massachusetts Building Society has a lot of rules that we had to follow if we wanted them to help with payment. There were a lot of rules on the size of the auditorium. It is only allowed to be big enough to fit two-thirds of the school, and the stage will still be pretty small. 6) Is there anything you will miss about the old high school? Mrs. Benton - No, there is not anything I will miss about the old high school, because the high school is not the building, its the people inside the building. N.B. - The Co-Editors appreciate the time that Superintendent Benton and Principal Tracy spent with them to respond to their questions.

Happy Halloween! Good luCk to all tHe wildCat teams!

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