Edition 3 Winter 2008 INDEX 2-3 4 Student Opinions 5 - Bombadier Bunker Cheerleading You have a friend in me 6-7 Do- mestic Violence STI n o s n i b o 8 - Gurl.com R n n e Debit J Homemade Bombs 9 - 2008 Pres. Elec- Buddy Mentors l-r: Mac Borgellas, Lauren Beland, Mario Andrade, Diana Ramos, and Cedric Wright tion Dedication Freshman year is a Buddy Up emotional piece involved with very overwhelming time for By: Jenn Robinson coming to school. The kids who most students. They are being talked about it years later, he a different school. don’t connect are the ones at thrown into a new school–one told me he disliked school. I “I focus on students’ risk for dropping out,” she said significantly larger than middle loved high school. It is amazing social and emotional Crawford also hopes school–with new teachers, new how people can have vastly problems,” explained Craw- that the program will benefit the classmates and students much different feelings about the ford. Because of this, she meets mentor as well as the buddy. older and more mature than they same experience [high school]. students who do not feel they “Hopefully, it will increase their 10- Tracks to be are. This can be nerve-racking The difference is knowing belong and have trouble staying self-esteem, the morale of the for any 14-year-old. people and feeling connected to in school all day and school and give them a published But freshmen, fear no the school and community. His socializing. purpose,” she said. Truth more. Adjustment Counselor experience is what has inspired Through Buddy Up, To become involved Ms. Kathryn Crawford has me to create this program,” said students will be paired with with Buddy Up, students need Bergenholtz come up with a solution that Crawford. mentors who will check in with to contact Crawford who is will make incoming students The Buddy Up Club them during the course of the located in Office 4, the office 11 - Girl feel a bit more comfortable – pairs older students who feel day, help them with problems in the far right corner above the Power the Buddy Up Club. comfortable with the school they may be experiencing, and library. From there, students are Far From “I went to high school with new students who need a encourage them to become required to obtain one teacher with my husband. He had just little help becoming familiar more involved. They will recommendation and fill out an Distant moved to the town and was with it. This includes freshmen simply befriend them. interest survey in order to be feeling out of place. When we and students who transfer from “There is an paired up appropriately. 12 - Socks Dispatch I Am Legend effects on my health. After Wearing the mascot wearing the moldy suit in messy uniform makes you a role weather conditions, I decided it model. Elementary and middle was time to do something about school students look up to you it,” said Bonin. and welcome the mascot’s AHS sports teams will presence. Children stop playing y a m have a more adrenaline pumped their games at the football e L l e up vibe as the mascot brings games and say hi to the mascot, h c a new life to the crowd. giving him a high five now and R “I was the first one to then. New Mascot try it on. I took it out of the box “It feels good to be and I like this mascot better than looked up to and be considered Dawn of New Eagle the old one,” said Brianna a role model to the community,” Chatfield (12). said Skerker. By: Dan Silveira The mascot also Attleboro High School Being the school It’s here! It’s here! The Craig Bonin, led the fundraising mascot is a coveted position and performs with the cheerleaders 100 Rathbun Willard dawn of a new day has come last year. a privilege. As a mascot you during cheers and sometimes Drive upon us. The new mascot With a call to The Sun don’t just represent your school the half-time show. He will help Attleboro, MA 02703 uniform is in and ready for Chronicle, the community’s but your community. Having pump up the crowd and grab Phone: 508-222-5150 action. Boys and girls can support and lunchroom spirit, dedication, maturity and their attention, encouraging Fax: 508-223-1579 rejoice as their furry friend is canning, Bonin raised the the ability to withstand hot them to be involved in the Web Address: <http:www. back with a new “blue” look. money needed to purchase the temperatures is required for the cheers. attleboroschools.com> The new uniform cost uniform. job. The time of a new era Principal: about $1,400 and was raised to “When I was the “Being the mascot has come, as the mascot proudly Donald Frederick give our friendly “Baldwin” a mascot, I did it because I feels good. At times it is supports all the sports teams in total well-deserved makeover. genuinely loved doing it. difficult but most times it’s his new blue form. There is no Superintendent: Former mascot, journalism However, I didn’t care for the rather easy,” said school mascot more moldy, sweat soaked, Dr. Pia Durkin student, and 2007 graduate, condition the suit was in and its Ben Skerker (11). worn out uniform for this eagle. Edition 3 Winter 2008 g p j . e u g a r p - y a g / s c i p / a i d e m / m o c . e f i l - e u g a r p . w w w / / : p t t h Photo advertising gay rights in Prague www.pride.org/march Gay Myths, Busted By: Katie Tadlock How is it possible, in heterosexual men who live with this lifetime, that we, as a a woman,” said a recent study country who believes in equal done by the University of New > rights, can still believe in beliefs Hampshire Whittemore School m o c . and ideas proven to be of Business and Economics e d i r p e inaccurate? The answer is fear. (<http://www.medindia.net/ r o d e l Society holds certain news/Homosexual-Men-Suffer- b m u D myths about gay men and Discrimination-at-Work- < women. One of them is that 28541-1.htm>). being gay is an illness that can Massachusetts was be cured with medication and/ one of the first states to legalize or good sex with a member of gay marriage and is home to one the opposite sex. of the only insurance companies The American that will allow a gay man or Psychiatric Association woman to claim their partner on T-shirt from Dumbledorepride.com removed homosexuality from their insurance. The its list of mental illnesses in Commonwealth is also home to 1973 and the American one city that has an openly gay Wizard Headmaster Outed Psychological Association did mayor and another one whose By: Sarah Surprenant the same a year later. population is predominately Harry Potter fans orientation doesn’t affect any Dumbledore with the slogans In order to “cure” gay. recieved their last dose of major plot points. “Wizards are gay,” and “We homosexuality, a homosexual According to the literature this summer with the “She’s the author – she always knew.” A percentage of just needs to have “good sex” National Gay and Lesbian Task release of book seven – Harry can do what she wants. I don’t the T-shirt proceeds go to with someone of the opposite Force National Anti-Gay/ Potter and the Deathly Hallows really care, because it has organizations for the positive sex. False. Lesbian Victimization Report, – on July 21. However, Potter nothing to do with the story,” portrayal of homosexuality in Gayfamilysupport.com states 45 percent of gay males and 20 author J.K. Rowling, has fans said Jennafyr Giuffrida (11). the media. that many gays and lesbians percent of lesbians surveyed buzzing again. No, she’s not On the other hand, One of society’s have had satisfying reported having experienced writing a new book – she’s Lucas Mello (11) feels that favorite book series now carries heterosexual relations in their having experienced verbal forced everyone’s favorite Rowling’s decision was a bad a sexual connotation, lifetime, but most gays and harassment and/or physical headmaster out of the closet. one. “What’s the point of that confirming the beliefs of those lesbians would never choose to violence during high school as On Friday, Oct 19, if he’s dead?” Mello who were suspicious of be sexually active with a result of their orientation. Rowling released a statement questioned. Dumbledore’s orientation to members of the opposite sex. In 1993, the Report of confirming that Albus Giuffrida is begin with. Another myth is that Massachusetts Governor’s Dumbledore, the headmaster of concerned, however, with the “Now we know what gay men are paid a lot more than Commission on Gay and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft reputations of Harry Potter and he saw in the Mirror of Erised,” anyone else. “Gay men who live Lesbian Youth, said that 97 together earn 23 percent less percent of public high school and Wizardry from the Harry Dumbledore. “The only thing said Laura Devine (11). Potter series, is indeed that bothers me is that people than married men, and 9 percent students reported hearing homosexual. According to are going to start talking about less than unmarried homophobic remarks by their CNN.com, Dumbledore had Dumbledore and Harry’s peers, 53 percent reported been in love with rival sorcerer, relationship.” hearing remarks made my Gellert Grindelwald, before he Rowling made similar school staff members.