Today in history, 2004, the Red Sox reverse the curse and win the World Series. Boo yah. The Lobby Observer Volume IV, Issue IV Your Eye at Westborough High October 27, 2006 WHS Students Rally to Help Save David Rubenstein By Diana Katz The Westbor- expense. Therefore he been active and are in- ough community has needs to raise money to volved in raising money been gathering together pay for this life saving for Mr. Rubenstein. Re- to raise money and treatment. Fundraisers, cently, the Westborough awareness in order to in the community, are High School women’s a help save the life of well underway to raise cappella group, called David Rubenstein, a the needed $90,000 dol- Girls Meet World, and Westborough resident. lars, and an additional the Middle School con- Inside this issue: Mr. Rubenstein was di- $50,000 for other ex- cert choir, performed agnosed two years ago penses, for his trans- various songs at Tat- David Rubenstein 1 with Systemic plant in upcoming No- nuck Bookseller, in an scleroderma, an uncom- vember. effort to raise money. mon autoimmune dis- The NTF, or the Na- The two groups at- Teacher Profiles: Miss 1 Snider ease that harms inter- tional Foundation for tracted a large crowd, nal organs. At this time, Transplants, is helping and were successful in Teacher Profiles: Mr. 2 there are only 150,000 David earn money for supporting David’s Stillitano to 300,000 reported his transplant. The Na- cause. cases of this disease tional Foundation for “Girls a cappella is Best Buddies 3 across the country. He Transplants is a non- excited to be able to help needs a life saving profit organization that in the fundraisers for Pottery Club 3 transplant immediately helps transplant pa- David,” says junior to improve the chances tients who need finan- Tanya Savitt. “It’s an Weekly Weird 4 of survival. Since the cial aid and assistance. amazing feeling to know procedure is considered As well, groups and that we're making a dif- experimental, his insur- clubs at Westborough ference while perform This week in sports... 5 ance will not pay for the High School also have (cont.’d on p. 2) The Lockdown Procedure 6 WHS TEACHER PROFILESWHS TEACHER PROFILES The Fall Play 7 Miss Snider: A New Addition to the WHS Faculty By Mikayla Perri Ned’s Coffeehouse 7 Miss Dara Snider is a sity of Massachusetts ing done, it was time to first year Spanish Amherst for three years Project Runway 8 think about careers. Teacher at Westborough before graduating. Snider experimented High School. Snider is a Next, with teaching in working in an office and Top Ten 9 Westborough native; she mind, she went to the retail setting, and hated graduated from WHS in University of Granada both experiences. She 1998. After high school, in Spain for a year and (cont.’d on p. 2) Comics 10 she went to the Univer- half. Now, with school- PAGE 2 THE LOBBY OBSERVER VOLUME IV, ISSUE IV FEATURES WHS TEACHER PROFILES David Rubenstein, cont.’d ing our music!” The “Behind the Scenes” of the Great Joseph Girls Meet World plans on per- Stillitano forming again to fundraise for David’s cause on Saturday, Oct. By Liz Zuromsky 28, at 7 p.m., at the Modern Music Masters (Tri-M) David Ruben- In the small town of Westbor- stein Benefit Concert. They will ough, the music department is be among the many other musical lucky to have a talented choral groups performing in the high director, Mr. Joseph Stillitano. school auditorium in support of He teaches many classes, juggles Rubenstein. numerous outside programs, and The Westborough Student takes care of his family. Council is also trying to raise Stillitano grew up in Baldwins- awareness for David’s surgery. ville, N.Y. with his parents Mau- Colleen Hoyt a member of Student reen and Bill, and his three Council says “We are trying to younger siblings Matt, Paul, and help advertise ways to fundraise Katie. During high school, he for him.” . played hockey, listened to metal For those who would like to bands, and wanted to be an engi- offer assistance to people in need neer. During his sophomore year, of a transplant, in particular though, he made the musical and David Rubenstein, please visit his career interests changed. http://www.transplants.org/ to see “I like being able to make the how you can help. audience laugh then cry in one scene,” he explains. His junior year in high school, Stillitano also Miss Snider, cont.’d received the role of “Tevye” in the didn’t like being inactive or the musical, Fiddler on the Roof. By lack of human interaction. She then considered her interests. borough because it is a “good and Thailand, where she spent Snider has been interested in school district” and she believes the majority of her traveling time. Spanish since age twelve, and be- that the administration cares a lot Thailand was a special experience lieves that speaking a foreign lan- about its employees. because she had the opportunity guage is important. Snider de- The Westborough native feels to live with her extended family scribes language to be that WHS has changed since she for a month. One visit to a Bud- “fascinating,” and “provides or- was in high school, but these dhist temple, the former prime der…the world would be chaotic changes were for the better. She minister came up to her and without it.” She started her ca- feels that the school is a lot more started a conversation. These reer teaching English as a Second diverse and it is easier for stu- kinds of experiences could only Language (ESL) at Westborough’s dents to find their place and there emerge from Snider’s form of trav- Armstrong Elementary for two are more opportunities. She also eling, in which she prefers to see years. She then accepted a teach- thinks that the town is more de- and experience the cultures ing position at the high school. veloped. rather than traveling as a tourist. Snider loves her job. Teaching Although Snider enjoys spend- Miss Snider is a teacher who keeps her on her feet and busy. It ing time with friends and family, enjoys life-long learning. She is also aids her in being a lifelong listening to music, and reading, thoroughly enjoying her new job learner. Her teaching goals in- her favorite hobby will always be at WHS, and hopes to make a dif- volve trying to inspire students traveling. She has been to Spain, ference in her students. Miss and to encourage them to see France, Holland, Italy, Thailand, Snider is a happy, friendly, and what is out there in the world. Morocco, Canada, and Belgium, intelligent teacher. If you pass She refers to Westborough as “the and has traveled to every conti- her in the hallways, I highly rec- little bubble of Westborough.” nent except South America, Latin ommend that you take the time to However, she is teaching at West- American, and Antarctica. She meet her. especially enjoyed Spain, Morocco, VOLUME IV, ISSUE IV THE LOBBY OBSERVER PAGE 3 Mr. Stillitano, cont.’d a performing arts organization. then he knew he wanted to be With that, and the loads of paper- FEATURES around music in the future. He work he always has, and the fact went to Ithaca College in New that he is also working towards Best Buddies: How York and earned degrees in Music his Master’s Degree in Music Edu- Education and Vocal Perform- cation, leaves Stillitano busy. As You Can Make a ance. well, Stillitano also has to balance Difference By his sophomore year in col- his work and his family; his wife By Michael Josephs lege, however, Stillitano realized Heather and their dog Frodo. that he would rather teach music In whatever spare time he has Best Buddies is a national pro- than perform it. He has now been though, Stillitano loves to take gram that has been around since teaching for seven years. He walks and hikes, play golf, and 1989. The program reaches out to taught at West Genesee High watch sporting events. His favor- kids with mental disabilities and School for a year, before coming to ite sports teams are the Red Sox, special needs. It forms one-to-one Westborough. At the moment, he the Patriots, and the hockey team friendships between the buddies is teaching several classes and the Devils. His favorite music is and general education high school has taught many in the past. country and gospel and pretty students, and they keep in touch “The smiles and the joys” of the much any kind of music, except for through email and organized students is what keeps him going hip-hop and rap (of which he’s not events. And in some cases they and encourages him to teach. a big fan). He hopes to one day just hang out or go for walks. “The students are awesome. teach a professional or semi- The program in Westborough is The community, the administra- professional adult chorus and currently advised by two Westbor- tion, and the facility all support bring music education to a wider ough High School teachers, Ms. the arts,” he says. “The staff work scope. Piscia and Ms. Breeze. It’s been a great together and the students Stillitano has made a very part of WHS for a little under work hard and are encouraging to large impact in Westborough and three years, and its current presi- work with.” . has made giant leaps in uncover- dent is a WHS senior Caroline However, there are tougher ing Westborough’s talents.