Merrimack High School April 2011 Trumpets Sound for 2010-2011 Mr. MHS! Becca Maille questions. Not knowing the question they would receive, the contestants had to answer on the spot. Despite this, The work of many students each contestant answered his question and teachers coordinating together thoughtfully and tried to put forth what helped to bring about the second suc- he would bring to the table if he was cess of the Mr. MHS pageant at Merri- crowned Mr. MHS. As the last question mack High School. Strong teamwork was answered, the judges left to reach between the members of both SADD a decision about who would receive the and NHS helped to make the event run crown. In the meantime, the audience smoothly and be as enjoyable as last enjoyed performances from Broadway year's. From the early stages of just for- Bound dancers who put on an excellent mulating the idea to working together in-between show. to plan and plot each moment of the Then the contestants re- production, there was a consistent and turned to the stage and hosts Jimmy ever present feeling of teamwork and Bigwood and Bethany Bucciarelli an- definitely a sense of accomplishment nounced the winner. Congratulations to with the final minutes of the evening. runner-up Kevin Grosso and the new In the words of the NHS president sen- Mr. MHS Cody Gladstone, both of ior Kara Jolly, "It went wonderfully!" whom put forth an excellent effort and But SADD and NHS were not the only showed the school what being Mr. ones who helped create a much en- MHS is all about. The support you joyed show. gave to your teammates and the school The eight participants- Cody spirit you exhibited is something all Gladstone, Kevin Grosso, Mike Barry, students and teachers at MHS appreci- Jacob Serrentino, Jack Luk, Kyle Val- ated seeing. lace, Artie Costa, and Travis Gillian - Talents ranging from play- put on a fabulous performance. Each ing Mario to juggling to playing the category (Talent, Outrageous Arm, guitar with Spiderman and even yo- Dance Move, and Q & A) roused a sup- yoing - the student body has been rep- portive laugh and cheer from the 300 resented through yet another great Mr. people in the crowd. Each contestant MHS pageant. Great job contestants for gave his all and worked hard after showing the many talents, gifts and school to help make sure that the show personalities that make MHS great. was the best it could be. Congratula- A special thanks goes to all tions to the guys and their sponsors! the performers between contests, in- When it came down to the cluding The Disputed , Broadway final cut, the audience members were Bound, and soloist Luisa Forger. Also, thank you to the judges for taking the sitting on the edge of their seats. After Photo: Becca Maille such great performances the choice time to find the Mr. MHS of 2011. would be hard. Having four contestants Newly crowned Mr. MHS, Cody Gladstone, smiles for the camera with his fel- left, it came down to one last set of low candidates and their sponsors. The Yearbook Seeks New Advisors Alison Amante she has gotten more involved in activ- help design page layouts, add pictures ities that she may not have been in- and text, type senior write ups, and volved with otherwise. work on paperwork relating to parent According to Ms. Monty a great ads. Kaleigh adds that working hard on Current yearbook advisors challenge in advising is, "Editing! Ed- the yearbook pays off and "if you work Mrs. Cloutier and Ms. Montemerlo iting! Editing! Even if you look at a hard enough, not only do you get a free will be resigning after this year and page a thousand times you can still yearbook, but you also gain the satis- will pass on the title to future advisors. find something that can be improved." faction that you put your all into some- The position of year book advisor has On top of editing, she finds that meet- thing, and came together with others to not been filled for the 2011-2012 ing deadlines can be a bit of a concern reach a common goal." school year. The position of yearbook because if a certain part of a yearbook Another volunteer and former year- advisor is first opened up to the is not submitted by the given time, book class student, senior Lauren school's faculty members, but if the po- there is a late fee. Calvino enjoys working on the year- sition is not filled, administrators will The school is not only look- book because it allowed her to make seek volunteers within the community, ing for prospective yearbook advisors, new friends, get to be creative, and add according to Assistant Principal Berg- but also in volunteers to complete this her own spin to the yearbook. "In a few eron. years yearbook. This semester, there months the yearbook will be out and Current yearbook advisor, Ms. only seven people in the yearbook completed and I will feel greatly satis- Montemerlo, who has advised the class, which contributes greatly to the fied knowing I contributed," she said. yearbook for 4 years, commented that yearbook's completion. The yearbook Students interested in volunteering being a yearbook advisor lets her see staff has sought help in volunteers to can contact either Ms. Monetmerlo or students in a different light, where the complete this years yearbook. Mrs. Cloutier. focus is more on their creativity and Photo: Rachel Lewis One of those volunteers and for- imagination. She also notes that mer yearbook class student, senior through her job as yearbook advisor Kaleigh Craig, said that volunteers 2 The Hawk April 2011 Photo: Sara Engelsman Leaders Jen and John flash the "I love you" hand sign; the students were instructed to do they same each time they wanted to show respect and sympathy for their peers. Three hundred NHS students and seventy-five lenge Day. Both became involved in the program MHS teachers attended a program called "Chal- six years ago, however both took a different path lenge Day" at Merrimack High School over a Challenge Day Surprises the to get there. Jen was an actress who felt completely three day period. This program entails a six and a unfulfilled with her life. When she was going half hour session that encourages teens to ac- through some hard times, she attended a Challenge knowledge issues they deal with everyday such as Students of Merrimack High Day with a friend and said it changed her life and harassment, gossip, stereotypes, negative judg- knew it was what she wanted to do. During Chal- ments, and drug abuse. lenge Day, as she shared her personal stories with Founded by couple Yvonne and Rich Dutra St. the crowd tears streamed down her face but she John in 1987, the program has helped over School was not ashamed, even encouraging others to do 1,000,000 students in 400 cities, 45 U. S. states Sara Engelsman the same. and Canada. On average, the 25 leaders, in pairs, For Jon, a high energy individual who contin- attend 900 schools per year where 90,000 teens uously rapped and danced even when he wasn't participate in the program, according to the addressing the crowd, the process of becoming a group's website. question of which 300 students would attend. Se- don't think we have a problem, maybe I just don't Challenge Day leader was "pure dumb luck." In- From the beginning of the 2010-2011 school lected randomly, students were informed by mail see it," said senior Ciara Grubbs. jured and laying in bed for three months, he felt year, students were hesitant about the idea of Chal- that they had been chosen to participate. However, When the morning of March 8th came around, that he needed something more in his life. By lenge Day coming to the high school. What was not many replied to their invites. Due to lack of in- students were surprised to hear that not only was chance, he saw an advertisement for it on the in- known about the program was strictly from the terest, permission slips were available to anyone in the program full for all three days, but there were ternet, and although he thought it was cheesy at show "If You Really Knew Me" which aired the the student body that remained curious. Some stu- waiting lists of students hoping to attend as well. In first, the travel opportunities, no working summers, summer of 2010 on MTV; a day of sharing feel- dents admitted to signing up just because it would the beginning, the tension in the room was high as and no strict dress code seemed promising. ings, deep secrets, and crying. Additionally, when get them out of class for the day, "I was invited but students sat on blue plastic chairs in a circle, risk- Even having experienced many different Chal- the student body was informed that $10,000 would really I don't want to go to class Senioritis," ex- ing side glances at each other in attempt to see lenge Days they knew Merrimack's experience was have to be raised, the idea became a laughing mat- plained senior Michael Murgo with a laugh. what their peers' reactions were to what was about one of a kind. "Although we've traveled to a lot of ter to many. Although skeptical, some students to take place. schools and places we can say without hesitation Mrs. Larkin-Perez, inspired by her husband's ex- began to sign up and encouraged others to join Jennifer Wilson of San Francisco, Cali- you've got a special place here," said Jon.