Northwest Catholic High School Students to Be School
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NORTHWEST PASSAGES VOLUME XLV Northwest Catholic, 29 Wampanoag Drive, West Hartford, Connecticut 06117 November 2007 Northwest Community Works Together to Reach Magazine Drive Goal By Keelan Ledwidge reasons. One of the biggest Before and during every magazine the prizes. In the spring and the and community involvement is reasons for its existence is to raise drive, many people put in an summer, the magazine staff meets one of the biggest parts of our The Northwest Catholic money for school-wide projects enormous amount of work. Mr. and discusses the year’s drive and school,” says Mrs. Williamson. magazine drive has been a and student equipment. “All the John Mirabello leads the staff and how it can be made better. Many However, following a yearly tradition at the beginning of money, it all goes back to your students who run the drive at ideas for incentives are discussed, tradition, the seniors held most every school year since 1969. A [the student’s] from the traditional senior mug of their orders until the last turn- multi-week event now in its benefits,” says with the names of each member in day, helping reach the school- thirty-eighth year, the drive is the Principal Mrs. of the senior class, to the coveted wide goal and making them the only school-wide fundraiser in Margaret and colorful senior “Weepuls”, to top-selling class of the drive. After which every student can be Williamson. While coffee mugs with the Northwest the drive ended, the school was involved and contribute in a the money raised year logo, to decorative cell phone treated to a chorus of “We Are substantial way to the overall after year by the drive holders. These incentives are two the Champions” instead of the maintenance and improvement of is a huge reason why ways of earning up to $20 or $50 incessant playing of “Life is a the Northwest Catholic it is in place, it is not for bringing in magazines. Despite Highway,” the freshman song. community. the only motivation such great preparation, Mrs. The drive officially ended at the When the time comes in the for continuing the Williamson says that Mr. fall pep rally. It was highlighted middle of September for the tradition. Says Mr. Mirabello “is still always nervous” by the always entertaining “Mag magazine drive, announced with Richard Callahan, every year! Ball Shoot-out,” a basketball the much anticipated pep rally, “The magazine drive For the first few collections in this shoot-out competition between the students are all involved. is great for several year’s magazine drive, the class representatives from each Whether they sell magazines and reasons. One, it raises freshman class was the top-selling top-selling homeroom. Also at earn great incentives, such as much-needed money class. Almost every year since the the pep rally, the top individual dress-down days and pieces of for the school. Two, magazine drive started, the sellers in the school were candy, or simply have to endure it’s great for freshmen have been the most announced and collected their the irritating theme songs of the community building. enthusiastic class to begin the monetary prizes. top-selling class in the hallways, And three, it pulls fundraiser. There are many This year, the students brought in every student is affected. Each classes together. This reasons why this is true. Says over $53,000 worth of orders, year, the involvement of the is very important and Mrs. Williamson, “The freshmen passing the $50,000 goal. By majority of the student body is one of the biggest Carolyn Spalluto are always very enthusiastic, and reaching heir goal, the community tangible, as the designated school- reasons why we do One of the student homeroom representatives, they want to please. And I know will receive a day off, likely the wide goal for the amount of it.” It is not an Antanisha Williams, updates the drive’s total. they like the dress downs.” Monday after Thanksgiving. money needed to be raised is exaggeration to say the entire Northwest, and Mr. Tom Another huge reason for the With all of the students’ usually reached with ease. community gets involved, as Flannery, who has spoken to freshmen’s involvement is their contributions and hard work by The magazine drive is many teachers bring in their own students at pep rallies since 1979, homeroom teachers. “They do a staff members, the magazine drive tremendously important to orders for some days in jeans and has representatives who count the great job year after year was a huge success, just as it has Northwest Catholic for many sneakers. money and orders and supplies encouraging them to get involved, been in years past. Four Students Receive National Merit Recognition Professional Learning Community By James Duncan Corporation has recognized over present throughout their high three million students and school careers. In February 2008, Improves Northwest Curriculum Every year at this time, the provided almost 324,000 fifteen thousand semifinalists will By Melissa Cartagena features distinguish professional National Merit Scholarship scholarships totaling be chosen as Finalists. Finalists learning communities as Corporation (NMSC) recognizes approximately 1.2 billion dollars. continue in the competition in Have you ever found that your exceptional schools. around fifty-five thousand In order to be recognized in this hopes of being chosen for a friend can factor polynomials The program is run on a students as National Merit prestigious program, the students National Merit Scholarship. better then you can? Or that you departmental level. Mrs. Scholars or National must participate in the Starting in March and continuing understand The Odyssey while Williamson explains, “Each Achievement Scholars. Of these Preliminary SAT/National Merit through June, eighty-two your friends are left scratching department has one or more high scorers, over hundred finalists their heads? Does the classmate specific goals and is working in 10, 500 receive are notified at their who sits behind you in chemistry teams on the goal. Teachers look scholarships homes, by an know the best way to remember at [the] syllabus and determine the totaling around NMSC the periodic table? Naturally, your things that students should be fifty million dollars. representative, that friends might ask you to explain able to demonstrate. Teachers This year, the they will be the journey of Odysseus for meet regularly to compare NMSC has awarded a English class, and you might e- student progress.” The purpose recognized not one, National Merit mail your classmate for the trick of the Professional Learning but four seniors Scholarship. to that pesky periodic table. Community is to improve student from Northwest The faculty at Techniques such as these, that learning. Northwest’s Academic Catholic High Northwest is students have been using for Dean, Mr. John Cusson, notes School as National proud to have a years, have finally reached that the reason for implementing Merit Scholarship Mrs. Murphy remarkable teachers nationwide. A program this project is, “to make certain Semifinalists. For number of called Professional Learning that each student who Northwest, this is a National Merit Semifinalists, from left to right: Carolyn Spalluto, National Merit Community has come to successfully completes a class at high number of Jessica Gioia, Kenneth Rousseau, and Hannah Pelton. Scholars at the Northwest Catholic. The Northwest Catholic High School students to be school. “These Professional Learning has the same set of skills and honored with this degree of Scholarship Qualifying Test students have worked very hard Community is a developmental information.” He goes on to say excellence. The students are (PSAT/NMSQT) in their junior to excel not only in their studies, model that calls for teachers to that “student learning will be Jessica Gioia, Hannah Pelton, year of high school. The fifty but also in numerous activities,” work together in teams in order increased. A variety of Kenneth Rousseau, and Carolyn thousand highest scorers of the says Principal Margaret to enrich their students as a instructional methods, especially Spalluto. Three students have also 1.4 million students who take this Williamson. “They continue to whole. It was suggested by the using technology, will be received the distinction of test are contacted by the NMSC enhance the community of administration after Northwest’s developed.” Students who are Commended Scholar: Rachel the following April. The Northwest with their gifts.” The Principal, Mrs. Margaret having academic difficulties will be Godbout, Taylor Knortz, and corporation invites those it students themselves are delighted Williamson, attended a workshop able to get the help that they and did research about the Keating McKeon. contacts to name two colleges or to have been given the continued on page 3 Since its establishment in 1955 the universities to which they would opportunity to benefit from their concept. She says, “The NMSC, an independent, non- like to be referred by NMSC. In high PSAT/NMSQT scores. administration discussed how we profit organization, has September, roughly two-thirds Recipient Kenneth Rousseau says, might be able to implement this INSIDE this Issue... conducted its annual (about 34,000) receive Letters of “I’m honored to have my PSAT model to continue our teachers in competitions in order to identify Commendation. The other third scores recognized as one of the their professional development Find Your Dream academically talented high school of the high scorers, highest in the nation. I consider and, therefore, keep students College...Pg. 5 students throughout the United approximately 16,000 students, is myself lucky to have such an learning more and [learning] States, to increase support for notified that they have qualified opportunity.” The Northwest better.” Following this model, Class of 2011 Arrives...Pgs. these students’ educations, and to as Semifinalists.