The Chief Advocate • February 2019 Nonnewaug High School Volume XVIIII
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The Chief Advocate • February 2019 Nonnewaug High School Volume XVIIII . Issue 2 • Nonnewaug's Agriscience Success Snow Days Dani Forte at Nationals. Bill Davenport, Direc- fort they put in this program is why we are tor of Nonnewaug’s Ariscience pro- one of the best in the country.” Untiet has Junior gram, praised the students and their gone to Nationals for the past two years. initiative, considering the students She describes it as a place to meet people and APs October 27th, Nonnewaug High that qualified are a part of the .05% of from across the nation with the same in- School sent 7 teams to the FFA Na- FFA students that make it to the Na- terests and to participate in workshops to Thayer Daly Lehman tional Convention in Indianapolis. tional level (www.woodburyct.org). develop different skills. There is also a col- This year, Nonnewaug finished with The Nonnewaug Agri-Science Depart- lege fair and state booths which helps stu- Sophomore five silver team medals and numerous ment fosters a supportive and family- dents develop a plan for after high school. individual med- "Nonnewaug High School's Agriculture Education program is The opportuni- High school students are constantly als (two gold, without question one of the most outstanding in the country," said ties offered in faced with piles of homework and stress, twenty silver, both the class- so one can imagine how a snow day and two bronze). Amanda Thomson, Vice President of the Connecticut Association ofroom and in- may not be too beneficial for them. In To enter Na-Agricultural Educators as stated in National Association of Agricul-volvement in the end, it might end up creating more tionals, students tural Educators Website." Nationals draws work for them and cause their stress need to get into in many people levels to skyrocket. Now, this is just the top three in the state and/or re- like community for students to succeed in the surrounding area, like Untiet, who what the average students deals with. gional Career and Leadership Devel- at this competition. “The staff that runs lives in Prospect, and even the current How do snow days affect AP students? opment Events in their subject. Hours the Agri-Science program does not get freshman Agri-Science teacher, Ms. Bed- Students taking advanced courses of studying to master their subjects enough credit for what they do,” said ron, both of whom came to Nonnewaug have more work than others, as well as and honing public speaking skills are Monica Untiet, a junior. “The amount to pursue their interests in animals. Since harder tests and a shorter time frame. critical to demonstrate to the judges of hard work, devoted time, and ef- continued on page 5 With AP testing in May, there is a lot to cover. Their stress levels are also argu- ably higher due to yhe workload and the fact that college credit depends on their test grade. Snow days can have both New Tardy Policy Put in Place negative and positive effects on them. tioned in the past students who were pectations,” said Mr. Curtin. Student, Tif- fany Brum, senior and president of student Snow days lessen the time that AP Sophie Guillemette late and brought in a note, got away students spend in class, giving them without a consequence. Mr. Curtin be- council said that this “prepares you for the real world because there are consequences less time to prepare for the exam with Freshman to coming in late and you can just show up their teacher. “We lose time in terms With every new school year a differ- at a time that you need to stick to a sched- of going over the content,” said Mrs. ent problem presents itself. One policy ule and there when you’re needed,” said Christoff, AP psychology teacher. “And in particular has caught great atten- Brum. Mr. Curtin reminds students that making up snow days does not help tardies even with a note are unacceptable. tion from both students and teachers. us because we have a time constraint, This revised tardy policy states in the On the contrary, some students find that student handbook that if students are this policy is unfair and the consequences with the exam in May.” The ultimate ten minutes late on a regular day and too harsh. “It puts a lot more pressure on dilemma for those in advanced classes twenty minutes on a block day it is the students to be on time because it's a is clearly the time constraint because it qualified as tardy. If a student is late little bit higher stakes,” said Michael Auri- makes them fall behind, which wors- five times in a semester that student ana, Senior and Treasurer of Student Coun- ens their workload and stress. “You must attend detention; at ten tardies, cil. “I see no difference. Kids are going to find yourself to be set behind since show up late if they want to,” said Auriana. that student must attend an extended there are so many things to cover detention and if that student has fifteen He believes that the policy is unnecessary. with so little time to the day of the tardies, he or she must attend an ISS. lieves tardies in general are not a good While opinions have been mixed, exam,” said Elena Eschmann, junior. The new policy is to influence stu- example of future expectations. “We the enforcement of Nonnewaug’s dent arrival time. Mr. Curtin men- are trying to mirror college and life ex- tardy policy is for student benefit. continued on page 4 News Editorials Features Arts Q&A Sports School Bus Is Christmas too The Newest Super Bowl Half- Questions for Mascot Contro- Stop Safety Commericial? Trends time Show Administrators versy Page 2 Page 3 Page 5 Page 8 Page 10 Page 11 February 2019 The Chief Advocate Page 2 News The Aftermath of the Flames That Burnt Down California and ways to help with the victims to stay (free of Kiley Bushka es and trauma from the fire. The cause of the wildfires drought like conditions,” charge) with people who Junior are not known for certain, said Mrs. Yocis, NHS biol- are living in Airbnb homes. On November 8th, Paradise but it is presumed a camp- ogyNovember and chemistry 2017 teacher. Celebrities like Miley (a town in Northern Califor- fire may have started it. It is Allison Ogle, senior, said Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth nia) was engulfed in flames believed that climate change that while weather cannot and Khloe Kardashian which spread throughout and human error (such as lit- be controlled, “human cat- have also pitched in to help California, leaving 85 peo- tering cigarettes and, like alysts” such as campfires, the victims and firefight- ple dead and thousands ei- in this case, out of control barbecues and smoking can. ers by donating a fortune. ther missing or homeless. campfires) can cause wild- In times like these, the In times of crisis, people While the most destruc- fires. Dry weather condi- kindness and generosity must unite to help those in tive fire in the state his- tions and harsh winds made of strangers is necessary. need. It is critical to con- tory was finally contained it easy for the fire to spread People have been opening tribute towards the long, ex- at 153,336 acres, ashes are rapidly throughout North- their homes and donating pensive process of rebuild- being sifted through for hu- ern and Southern California. money, food, clothes and ing Northern California. man remains and 19,000 “To help stop the possibility other supplies to victims buildings were burned of these devastating fires in of the fire. For example, To donate, go to red- down. It will take years the future we need to have Airbnb has an Open Homes cross.org/donate. to clean up the the mess- emergency plans in place Program which allows fire School Bus Stop Safety Concerns many past occurrences that have at- are enough traffic dangers. Not of the students survived. These Thayer Daly-Lehman tributed to parental concerns. A thir- all drivers obey to rules of the incidents serve as an awaken- teen year old girl in Texas received road and stop for buses. In late ing for parents, kids, bus drivers, Sophomore a heart transplant in January 2018 October and early November of authorities and school officials. Recently, all across the nation, after surviv- Following the apparent increase parents have had their worst night- ing a simi- in bus stop crimes, police are urg- mares realized as bus stop attacks lar unpro- ing parents to talk to their kids have become more common. Par- voked act of about safety and to escort them to ents entrust bus drivers with the violence. In the bus stop. Authorities also say lives of their children. With this 2013, a thir- that it is best for children of any trust comes the expectation that teen year old age to not travel alone. Past occur- their kids will get to and from boy in Wyo- rences show that there is definitely school safely. With the increase of ming was strength in numbers. “It is impor- bus stop attacks across the nation, hospitalized tant for both kids and parents to parents have begun to question the in the in- be vigilant,” said Officer O’Toole, safety of leaving their kids at the bus tensive care Nonnewaug’s school resource of- stop and letting them walk alone. unit after ficer. “99.9 percent of the time, It also pegs the question of what being beat- google.com nothing is going to happen, but can be done to ensure the safety en by a sixteen year old boy at his 2018, there were multiple ac- there is still that .1 percent that you of kids during their school travels.