Volume 5, Issue 2

March 23, 2012

The Importance of Art Education

By Maggie Ackerman
WHS Junior and MiSS THouSand iSlandS ouTSTanding Teen

Rachel Schwartzman, a student at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, a performing arts high school in New York City once said, Art, unlike us as humans, is immortal. No matter how much others try to censor it, question it, criticize it or destroy it, art is a central part of this world -- and it should be. The performing arts and any form of art are being removed from many schools. As an art student and performer of the arts, this is important to me. The importance of these classes is immeasurable. Any version of art entails expression, creativity, heart, and soul. In this difficult economic time, budget cuts are a reality. Due to the laws requiring core classes, schools eliminate the funds for art programs. Art is everywhere and necessary for daily life, Miss Thousand therefore it should be Islands Outstanding a necessity in school. Teen Maggie These classes are ofAckermans ten the reason many platform was stay in or even go to the importance school. The ability for of saving art a student to express education. themselves and interact with others, who share their love for creative expression, gives them a purpose for being in school. Although these classes may only be for a portion of the day, it brings students together while allowing them to retain their individuality. The expression, creativity, and relaxation elements of the arts give students a break from reality in which they can venture into a realm where anything is possible. Regardless of the students skills, art can still be a passion. Both art and academics are important because

Maggie Ackerman expresses herself through her painting. Here she is shown using acrylics.

without this combination a students performance would decrease. There would be no a way for students to express themselves when words simply do not work. It is also a fact that students who participate in art programs have a higher acceptance rate. Employers often seek creative individu-

als when hiring. The creative and critical thinking the arts provide are the keys to success. Without these classes, these skills would be lost. Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, said: The Arts can no longer be treated as a frill. Arts education is essential to stimulating the creativity and innovation that will prove critical for

young Americans competing in a global economy. The epidemic of canceling art programs need to be shut down before it is too late. The arts make life seem a little less dreary and provide a gateway for expression. Although art has its technicalities, art is never wrong.

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What Will Next Year Bring For the Watertown City School District?
By Tori Butler As the school year approaches its end, students and teachers at Watertown High school are waiting apprehensively to learn what changes the next school year will bring. (Last year, the district lost fifteen teacher assistants and twelve teachers.). Mr. Terry Fralick, the Superintendent of the Watertown City School District said that these cuts were a Great Loss to our district. He also indicated that while he is yet unable to identify exactly how many positions will be cut for the 2012-2013 school year, he would like to avoid as many cuts as possible. With the election of Andrew Cuomo as the Governor of the State of New York, the amount of money, which has been designated for education, has rapidly changed. This change has seriously affected most school districts, especially in northern New York; however, Mr. Fralick indicated that the Watertown City School District is not really in bad shape. The school board does realize that the importance of maintaining staff. Reducing staff would have a drastic effect on our schools since most of our classrooms are already filled to capacity. The school budget, just like our home budgets, is broken down into two major divisions: revenue and expenditures. Expenditures include all of the money that the district has to spend while revenue is the money that the district receives. This revenue comes primarily from federal and state aid and from property taxes. The property taxes for the City of Watertown are typically low (about two percent).The problem is that aid from the state was reduced by 2.8 million dollars this school year, and our federal aid is not as high as it is in neighboring districts because only about twenty-seven percent of our student population is military dependents. Therefore, the Watertown City School District receives much less federal aid. The biggest issue at Watertown is that while our revenues have decreased, our expenditures will increase about 1.7 million. These expenditures include salaries and benefits. The rising gas prices are also a huge issue for transportation for schools. Without district transportation, there would be fewer extra-curricular activities, including field trips, and fewer opportunities for after school tutoring and assistance. Another problem is that New York State keeps requiring schools to institute programs (called mandates), but the schools truly dont have any money to spare. This, of course, causes serious budgetary problems. Mr. Fralick ended our interview with some things for students, teachers, parents, and politicians to consider. He indicated that political leaders need to spend less time criticizing school and more time encouraging students to stay in school. He also said that the community and the state need to work together to find what motivates people to want their education. Lastly, he reminded us that despite the hardships, It is important to have a positive attitude.

A Falling Star: Remembering Whitney Houston

By Nick Cavaliere Impact, skill, talent, and devotion are all key factors that epitomize the expertise of Whitney Elizabeth Houston. Born to a family that consists of Dionne Warwick, Darlene Love, and Aretha Franklin; it was destiny that Houston would achieve stardom. Whitney Houston is one of the worlds best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums, singles, and videos. Her pristine vocal ability and prominent pop appeal have influenced an array of other artists and has secured her a position as an international icon. Acknowledging Houstons achievements is beyond necessary; however, one must first recognize both her illness and horrific drug addiction. What makes her so approachable is the fact that she is human and, like humans, she has made mistakes. Are her actions justified or right? No. But dwelling on her dark side lessens her greatness. She is the most awarded female-act of all time and should be treated so. Houston is a mother, sister, and daughter to someone else and we all must respect that. Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Whitney Houston was a delightful young spirit, who belted out the hymns of God in the local choir. Her voice was heavenly and was strongly influenced by her close friends and family, as well as, other noted performers, such as Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, and Roberta Flack. Music was in her soul and she was putting hers into the music. After a quaint and short modeling career, Houstons potential was approached by multiple recording labels. But it was Clive Davis, head of Arista Records and father-like figure to Houston, that put her on the map. Whitneys success had reached an enormous height. Her reputation and record sales were soaring. Her signature hits Saving All My Love For You, How Will I Know, and I Wanna Dance With Somebody, catapulted her career and gained her a massive audience. Yet it was her rendition of the Dolly Parton track I Will Always Love You, for the motion picture The Bodyguard, in which she starred, that initiated a new age for singing and music, in general. Houstons impressive pieces and musical works over the years place her on a pedestal, where no one can touch her and where she can graciously touch our hearts. It hasnt been since the death of Michael Jackson that the music world has felt such a loss. Whitney Houstons death has highlighted her many talents but it is her tremendous influence that allows her to survive today. A number of artists have acknowledged Houston as an impact on them, including Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys, and Beyonce (all women who are iconic themselves). Powerhouse vocalist Jennifer Hudson perfectly stated that Houston knew the difference between being able to sing and knowing how to sing, generalizing how idolized Houston really was. Houstons singing arrangement and vocal style built a house of empowerment and is the main reason why she was adorned with countless awards and honors and why she remains among the Greatest Singers of All Time. Whitney Houstons career was one that had every aspect of a human life. It had its high points and its low points. Although her cataclysmic relationships and destructive choices force us to focus on her low points, it is her highest points that allow us to remember who she really was: a legend. I consider myself a true aficionado of music and anyone who truly appreciates music will, forever, always love Whitney Houston.

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Addicted to Music
By Morgan Stevens Music has played a very important part in society for as long as people have been able to sing. It is obvious how people connect to music in ways that seem inexplicable; however, perhaps these connections are not as unexplainable as they seem to be. Music has the ability to change a persons mood: to make that person more joyful; to make him or her feel nostalgic; or to make him or her feel great sadness. The aspect of the brain that seems to be triggered the most by music is memory. Music affects, not only the emotions, but also the body as well. Music influences such things as heart rate, respiration, and brain waves through the vibratory rhythm of the music. In terms of tone, every note, though produced by distinctive rates of vibration, has both physical and psychological effects. Music has both positive and negative effects: it may stimulate or shut down emotions; create harmony or discord; or create calmness or tension. David Huron, a professor of music and of the Center for Cognitive Science at Ohio State, has a theory that people who enjoy sorrowful music are experiencing the consoling effects of prolactin, a hormone that is usually associated with pregnancy, but that the body also releases when a person is sad or weeping. People who dislike listening to sad music, Huron says, dont get that prolactin rush, which is why instead of being addicted, they only feel sad. Valorie Salimpoor and her McGill colleagues have been studying how pleasurable music triggers intense emotional arousal, causing changes in pulse, heart rate, breathing, and body temperature. They discovered that a series of sounds could arouse psychological responses, such as chills, while also releasing endorphins in the brain. During a study to show how music creates chills, these scientists had some people listen to music that did not excite them, and had others listen to music that they really liked. As the researchers watched the brain waves of both groups, they discovered that the music that people liked caused a surge of dopamine to be released at the exact moment when individuals felt the chill. According to these studies, this is why people become addicted to certain music.

Have You Considered A Life Without Sports?

By Mason Phillips that some students dare to dream, and they are an avenue for some Sports are primarily viewed students to go to college. In some as hobbies that keep a person in ways, participation in sports saves shape, but to an athlete, sports are the lives of some students and opportunities that provide life lesprovides them with a reason to sons and build character. The truth consider college; however, most is, however, as many students apyoung athletes still have to conproach the end of high school and sider other options. as hard as it is to imagine, for some Creating a backup plan is the of them, their lives as competitive Masons Corner most important decision in an athathletes may be over. letes life. Every athlete should purThere are many athletes who, as a kid, want to become professionals in some sue his sports- related dream. It does not sports. The older these individuals get, the matter how unrealistic or how hard it may more that they begin to realize that the be to achieve those dreams. However, there odds of going pro, or of even playing college always needs to be a backup plan. Students sports, in general, is very slim. The percent need to have an idea of what this plan might of athletes playing college sports right out be and should begin to consider what to of high school is slightly over three percent, study in college. Every athlete wants his world to revolve and the percent making the transition from college to professional athlete is only about around sports, but unfortunately this two percent. So, the more that young ath- fantasy cant last forever. Without sports, letes begin to understand the slim chances many high school students would be irreof playing at the next level, the more they sponsible, uncommitted, and depressed in a way others could not imagine. With a should start thinking about a backup plan. I do not mean to imply that high school dose of reality, these same students can be sports are not important. Participation in happy and healthy adults who are able to sports does a lot more than most people contribute to society and who can continrealize. Sports are the reason that some ue to participate in sports in order to stay kids are still in school; they are the reason healthy and have fun.

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The Heartache of a D.W.I

By Brendan Cooley Sometimes your whole life can be altered by the choices people make as teenagers. Throughout your teenage years you will often make choices that alter your ability to make good choices. One of these decisions can include drinking alcohol. Regardless, drinking is not to be condoned, but teenagers are going to do what they want to. Sometimes the best thing to do is to be open with your children, and be there with a ride if they do call home drunk. No matter the age, teenager or adult, there are responsible and irresponsible choices that can be made when it comes to drinking alcohol. One of the most common and highly risky things you can do is have your keys in your pocket as you make your decisions throughout the night. The results from drinking and driving can be devastating for anyone involved and can sometimes even ruin lives. When it comes to drinking and driving, stepping into that car puts you in a whole different situation. Drinking and driving is a reality and the consequences can be harsh. When a drunk driver is on the road, they not only are causing a risk to themselves, they are risking the lives of everyone else out on the road. Getting pulled over while drinking can change your whole life. You might want to ask yourself the question Is drinking and driving really worth it? Every single injury and death caused by drunk driving is totally preventable. Although the proportion of crashes that are alcohol-related has dropped dramatically in recent decades, there are still far too many such preventable accidents. Unfortunately, in spite of great progress, alcohol-impaired driving remains a serious national problem that tragically affects many victims annually. Underage drunk driving has decreased over the past few decades. The rate of alcohol related fatalities per 100,000 people in 2010 was about 3.3 percent. This is com-

Cross at the crime scene of a lost loved one

pared to 6.6 percent in 1991, which is about a 48 percent decrease. Even if drinking is slowing down as a whole, it still is not safe for teenagers to drink. When teenagers do party and drink, they binge drink to excess amounts which is usually unsafe, compared to doing it in responsible amounts at a lower drinking age in a responsible environment. Regardless of drinking age, the proportion of alcohol-related crash fatalities has fallen 35% since 1982. Although progress has been made, the reality of drunk driving really hits home when it gets personal. I did not realize how much of an impact drinking and driving really had, until I met Adam Rouda. Adams Uncle, Robert B. Burkard was killed by a drunk driver on June 28th, 2009. The aftermath of a drunk driving accident can leave sorrow in the hearts of each family involved. Rouda has said that the choices that others have made are going to affect the choices I choose to make in my future.

The impact of a DWI accident is more than just a crushed car.

Adam Rouda told me about how his family tries to help raise awareness of drunk driving by attending shows with the vehicle that Robert was hit in. This vehicle is on display at Watertown High School and also at shows at Jefferson Community College for spectators to get a realistic idea of the damage a drunk driver can do. The issue of drinking and driving becomes such a reality when someone close to you has lost someone due to drinking and driving. One irresponsible decision can cost many lives,

and affects even more lives of the families and friends involved. This issue is based upon other peoples bad choices, and is unfair to people who arent even drunk. There are many ways to avoid driving drunk. The price of a cab definitely costs less than the emotional toll of losing a loved one. People need to realize, you dont need to take the risk.Together we need to step up and make responsible decisions, because when you drink and drive you hurt everyone, not just yourself.

Night Road: Required Reading for Parents and Teens

By Morgan Stevens With the problem of underage drinking becoming more and more prevalent in our society, there is little doubt that parents need to take every opportunity to talk with their children and to protect them. The book Night Road deals with this exact situation and leaves all readers, whether teenagers or parents, with a message that is unforgettable. The main character in the book is a young girl named Lexi Baill. Lexis mother is a woman who has a history of drug and alcohol abuse; and for that reason, Lexi has spent a lifetime moving from foster home to foster home. Her luck changes when she is sent to love with her long lost aunt, and she meets Mia and Zach Halliday. Mia and Zach are her age and the three become inseparable as Mia and Lexi become best friends, and Lexi and Zach become boyfriend and girlfriend. Jude Halliday, the mother of the twins, spends a great deal of time with all three of the young adults and is always ready to lend a helping hand. When the trio enters its senior year, parties become a part of their social lives. Zach feels pressured to drink because he is one of the cool kids, and Mia uses alcohol to allow her to relax and to fit in. (Lexi is hesitant about the use of alcohol because of the problems that her mother has had.) Because Mrs. Halliday understands that it is likely that alcohol will play a part in all of these parties, she makes a deal with the three of them: she advises them to call for a ride if they need one. She, however, shows her disapproval after such a phone call, and the three vow never to call again. The results of that decision include the death of one of the three and the imprisonment of another. This realistic story of what can happen when teens mix alcohol and driving is one that every parent should read with his or her child. The warning that it provides is sure to stick with everyone who reads it, and definitely encourages open communication between parents and children about alcohol and about the dangers of drinking and driving.

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You Can Only Imagine What Your Dog Could Do for You
By Tori Butler Dogs are most commonly used as mans best friend, but they have also been known to save lives. Dogs have been trained for police use and for the use of the visually impaired. A recent use for dogs is in cancer detection. Mr. Glenn Ferguson, my uncle from Quebec, with the help of others, has trained four dogs to detect cancer. The training process is not yet completed, but with the training that has been done the dogs have detected cancer in 150 people. In order to train the dogs they were given breath samples from people who have cancer and have yet to be treated for it. The samples are put into everyday containers and the dogs must sniff out the samples. Once they have been able to remember the scent of a cancerous sample, they are given a healthy sample and they learn to ignore other scents and to find only the cancer samples. Throughout the testing, the dogs have shown some success. Scientists took samples from over thirteen hundred people and the dogs correctly detected cancer in one hundred and fifty of them. Many of the people have yet to confirm, but a few have checked with a doctor and found out they do have cancer. Since they were identified by the dogs before they had any symptoms, the cancer was found early, which gives them a higher chance of survival. The dogs cannot determine the exact type of cancer that a person has so these individuals still have to see a doctor, but the dogs give each person an incentive to confirm it with a doctor. The use of the dogs has also unveiled new information and discoveries. It has been discovered that the dogs alert to pregnant women. Several pregnant women were tested and all came back positive for cancer. Whether or not it was a false positive for some of them has not been discovered. After they deliver their babies, these women must be tested again in order to find out if the diagnosis of cancer was correct or if the dogs were responding to the HCG hormone from pregnancy. The cancer dogs organization started after my Uncle Glenn watched a documentary on BBC about whether dogs can detect cancer. He says that he believes that some medical establishments are unwilling to use dogs to detect cancer; however, he also says that one reason to consider using the dogs is that they provide an inexpensive way to detect cancer at a very early stage. This early detection could help to save a persons life. Dog testing for cancer is not yet available to the general public because more tests need to run, but there is hope that these tests will begin being offered in about five months. And that fact gives us one more reason for the expression, A dog is a Glenn Ferguson with Romeo, a cancer-detecting dog. Together, they hope to discover the mans best friend. key to detecting cancer.

The Pond Generation: A Legacy of Excellence

By Mason Phillips Ability and skill often define how an athlete is viewed. It is well known that Dustin Pond is a star among the basketball players at Watertown High School; however, it is his towering achievements in other athletic fields that separate his competitive personality from his innate talent. As a child, Dustin was always collecting baseball and basketball cards and was always playing basketball.. Basketball, however, was not the only sport he played as a kid. He started playing Midget League Baseball and attempted to play Pop Warner Football. Dustin liked baseball and has played every season since, but Pop Warner was clearly not his favorite and Dustin did not finish off the season. The truth is that Dustins father signed him up for baseball and football; he always wanted to play basketball, without any encouragement from anyone else. Dustin was around the age of seven when he was introduced to the sity Basketball career. Varsity Basketball Program. Dustin was becoming a better Dustin was chosen to be the manplayer year by year. During his juager of that team, and watched as nior year, he broke his older brothhis older brother Sid broke the reers rebounding record and during bounding record. his senior year, he did the unthinkSid was also an athlete as a kid able: he surpassed his brother on only Sid chose to try everything. the All Time Scoring List and by the Whether it was wrestling, lacrosse, end of the season, he was number basketball, baseball, soccer, or one in scoring. football, Sid gave it a try. In his juDustin said it all started at home nior year, Sid made the decision to with his brother, Sid was very comfocus on basketball and nothing Dustin Pond petitive at home. The nine year difelse. In his senior year, he signed a ference between the two brothers Letter of Intent and went off to Lemoyne to made it necessary for Dustin to try to complay basketball and study accounting. pete at the level of excellence as his brother. While Sid was making his way through I asked Dustin if his brother was mad about college, Dustin was playing basketball and the fact that he had broken his record, Sid getting closer and closer to playing on the said, . . . rather him [Dustin] than anyone Varsity Squad. Two years after Sid gradu- else. Sid is very proud of his younger brother ated from college; his younger brother was and all of his accomplishments. Dustin is starting on the Varsity Team as a freshman. also proud of himself and his hard work that This was the start of Dustins four year Var- has clearly paid off. I had asked Dustin what meant more to him, breaking the rebounding record or the scoring record? Very indecisively he said, The rebounds were just bragging rights to my brother. Therefore, the points must have been the icing on the cake. It is very rare to find athletes like Dustin Pond in the area. Was Dustin a natural born athlete? Was his talent genetic? His mother is on the record board for discus in womens track and field and his older sister holds a record for volleyball. This leaves his father as the only one in his family to play a sport and to fail to hold a record. His parents are very proud of him and very sad at the same time. When I asked his mother, how it felt to have two unbelievably successful athletes as sons, she told me It is an honor. I am happy, but sad knowing its the last one. Unfortunately, the Pond Generation seems to have come to an end. Congratulations Dustin on your historically successful season.

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An Evening at The Black River Valley Club

By Kenneith Teamoh It was recently decided that the Senior Prom for the Class of 2012 is going to be held at the Black River Valley Club. Some students are concerned that this is not a good choice, but my recent experiences at this venue should calm some of the apprehension. On January 9, I went to the Black River Valley Club to attend a dinner and theater event. It was an interesting and enjoyable experience, to say the least. The Black River Valley Club is a club that is actually a private social club, but it is really quite easy to get in, and I must admit that I enjoyed myself while I was there. The club also serves dinners, and the food was quite delicious. (I had haddock stuffed with crab.) The service was also very good and the employees of the club were very pleasant in demeanor. I also thought that the overall atmosphere of the club was very agreeable. The play that we watched was called The Nerd, and is the comedic story of a thirty-year-old man named Willum Cubbert. Willum has an unexpected houseguest because Rick Steadman has recently shown up at his door asking for help. Willum cannot turn him down because Rick once saved his life while they were in Vietnam. When Willum decides to host a dinner party, Rick manages to turn everything upside down with his humorous antics. I almost died of laughter while watching the show and found that the two main characters were wonderful in the way in which they played off one another. Overall, both the play and The Black River Valley Club were far more enjoyable than I expected. The students of WHS and the citizens of Watertown should find time to visit this wonderful venue, and should take part in a dinner-theater experience if the opportunity should arise.

Prom: A Dilemma for Girls

By MaKenzie Rogers After twelve years of unwanted drama, homework, and difficult math problems, what we thought was far away is finally coming to fruition. Graduation day for the class of 2012 is almost here, and right before that special day is another very important night that we have long awaited: prom night. Prom night should be the one night in which all seniors should be comfortable in being themselves. Prom night signifies the celebration that takes place as young people move from childhood into adulthood. What students need to realize is that prom is what you make of it and many students, who will be taking part in after-prom parties after will make mistakes based on poor decision making that may change the whole nature of the evening and that could end up being very costly. Prom is supposed to be that fairytale night in which every girl becomes Cinderella and gets swept off of her feet by her Prince Charming; however, prom also involves the excitement of after-prom parties. The problem with these parties is that they can pose serious dangers to those who choose to attend. In reality, alcohol is a part of the lives of many teenagers. (According to the Century Council, more than 10 million youths, ages twelve to twenty have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days.) And in a year when many of us will be turning eighteen and begin the true journey towards adulthood, many of us forget that every summer; our newspapers are filled with statistics that represent the casualties from prom night and after- parties. Unfortunately, many teens make the wrong decision and that can impact the rest of their lives. Statistics show that on Prom Night, six out often teens will use drugs or alcohol, and more than eight out of those ten teens will get behind the wheel of a car. It is important to remember that one simple phone call could save both the teens life and the lives of others. We must not be that individual who tries to look cool and ends up putting the key into ignition after a night of partying. That one simple act, which might take seconds, could cause irreparable damage to our futures. We also need to look at another matter that is of serious concern to parents, and that is the very serious to parents and that is the expense of Prom Night. Approximately four million prom dresses were sold in the year 2005 and the cost of those dresses is on the increase. Girls know how expensive prom dresses can be. Approximately eighty-four percent of teen girls will spend between two and three hundred dollars for a single prom dress. In addition to the cost of prom dresses, there are also other expenses, such as the costs of having ones hair and nails done, and the cost of accessories. These additional expenses can easily reach one hundred and fifty dollars. Moreover, there is the cost of the prom ticket, and of transportation, especially if a limousine is involved. This night is supposed to be magical moment for seniors, but are we truly considering the costs involved? Is spending more than five hundred dollars for a single night truly worth it in the end? The truth is that this night is about being together and not about the importance of looking better than our friends. Prom is the last dance of our high school years, but with expenses on the rise, will be able to do what former classes have done or will we have to spare expenses and remember the true meaning of this night.

Attention Needed for Cancer

By Morghan Angus It seems that everywhere that we look, there is a canister, a campaign, or a race supporting the fight against breast cancer. This is even true of schools: almost every school in the area has a Pink Out game, which is an opportunity for students, parents, and coaches to support this worthy cause. The fight against breast cancer is definitely a worthy cause; however, the truth is that we are a school. Shouldnt some emphasis be placed on the cancers that affect young people? Locally, one cannot ignore the story of Maddie Musto, who lost her life to a rare form of cancer or that of Ben Towles, a South Jefferson High School who is struggling against large B cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The fact is that young people also suffer from cancer and the families of these individuals need support. No one is suggesting that we cancel future Pink Outs; instead, we should consider holding a Cancer Awareness Day, which draws attention to other kinds of cancer, especially those that affect children and young adults. Perhaps, we could encourage individuals to wear a ribbon that represents a type of cancer that has affected one of their loved ones. We are a school; it is our responsibility to educate people. Lets start by calling attention to the many forms of this horrible disease.

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Stop Stressing about Summer

By Isabella Sofia Spring time is the time where people start to stress out about their appearance, especially because of the onset of summer. Most people set resolutions for themselves, especially losing weight. The two main problems people face when not losing weight are not exercising enough or not choosing healthy foods. Putting it simply, we forget to keep track of the calories that we eat and we often overestimate the calories that we burn. It is important to remember that everyone is different. This includes our heights, our weights, and our body types. These factors are important because they affect how many calories we should eat and burn. To find out information that is specific to ones self, go to myplate.gov and click super tracker. There are tools on this website that include a place to keep track of what you eat, how much you exercise, and how much weight you have lost. This will make reaching a weight goal a better and easier experience. Many people think that in order to lose weight, one only has to eat healthy and exercise a lot, but there is much more to consider. One food group that we should eliminate from our diet includes white foods, such as white potatoes, rice and breads. This is because white bread is made with refined flour, which has no health benefit; whole grain bread is a much better choice. Something else that is important to eliminate from our diet is whole milk. While this drink is nutritious, it is fattening and is meant for children two years or younger. A better choice is skim milk, which has no fat and is full of nutrients. The most important foods we should cut out of our diet are foods with saturated fat, which is also known as the bad fat. Saturated fat raises the cholesterol level in our body. Instead, we should eat foods with unsaturated fats, such as avocados, nuts (almonds, pecans, etc.), peanut butter and olives. Mrs. Susan Lauraine, the Home & Career Skills teacher at Watertown High School, says that the main foods that people need to have more of in their diets are fruits and vegetables. When we are eating a meal, half of our plate should be fruits and vegetables. We should try to vary the colors we eat; the deeper the color, the better.( The deeper the color, the more vitamins and minerals consumed.) Fruits and vegetables also have high amounts of antioxidants, which help to reduce the risk of developing diseases, such as cancer, because they

Healthy food is a must for any diet.

Growing up in a Military Family

By Jessica Wolsifer Life in the military for children and young adults has its ups and downs. It is a difficult life style because of the moving that is often required, but children learn to accept this as they grow older. Children of military personnel are often referred as military brats; however, being the child of a military parent provides them with the opportunity to experience new and wonderful things and allows them to say Ive been there, done that. They get to travel to new countries and learn about the customs of other nations. Most children will never be given this opportunity, and the opportunity allows military children to gain a different perspective on life, which will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Moving so often, however, also provides great challenges for children and young adults. Military dependents struggle with the constant relocation, which occur every few years, and sometimes, every few months. It is extremely hard to say goodbye to everything that they have become used to, including friends and school communities. The children of the military have to start a new life with new people, new rules, and sometimes, even new cultures. That is just the beginning of their struggles. Children go without seeing grandparents, aunts and uncles for years or more, so that have to take advantage of each opportunity that they have. Deployments are another difficulty that teens and children face. Children may begin to feel neglected by that parent who is overseas because they may not understand why that parent has been gone for such a long time. Even the opportunity for a visit from that parent becomes difficult when the child realizes that no amount of time (these visits last about two weeks) ever seems to be enough. Military parents miss many of the important days in the lives of their children: they are often deployed or at school on these days. So children learn the disappointment of not having that parent on birthdays, at Christmas, or even on graduation day. Life, however, is not that glum. In the end, a military brat is left with countless memories to remember and to treasure. Even though it was hard to grow up with that lifestyle, most of us wouldnt trade it for anything else.

stabilize free radicals in the body. Another food that is extremely healthy is chicken. Chicken has less saturated fat and is a great source of protein, iron and zinc. Just four ounces of chicken is two thirds of your daily protein requirement. One last thing that we should watch is the amount of fatty foods that we consume. Fatty foods contain lots of calories and no nutrients. Examples of these are cakes, sodas, pizza and ice cream. Remember if we want to lose weight and get healthier, we must try to decrease the amount of calories consumed every day and eat healthier food. The last, and one of the most important factors of losing weight and being healthy, is exercising. To be healthy, we need at least thirty minutes of moderate to physical activity. If ones goal is to prevent unhealthy weight gain, he or she must work out for at least sixty minutes daily. For losing or maintaining weight loss, work out for at least sixty to ninety minutes daily. Moderate physical activities are things such as hiking, walking three and a half miles per hour, or

even palates and yoga. Examples of vigorous physical activity include running/ or jogging five miles per hour, aerobics, walking four and a half miles per hour, or swimming. Two hundred fifty minutes of physical activity a week is recommended. Make sure to drink water before and after each activity and make sure you get plenty of sleep. If you have a pedometer, try to get at least ten thousand or more steps a day. So, to be bathing suit ready and healthy, remember to eat as healthy as possible! Half of the meal should be fruits and veggies, while the other half should be whole grains and protein. Also, drink water instead of sugary drinks. Make sure to drink enough milk,; three cups a day is recommended for our age group. If milk is not part of your regular diet, try yogurt or natural cheese. Avoid oversized portions, and try to eat fewer foods high in fat and sodium. There is no need to stress over summer or about achieving the goal of losing weight: it really is much easier than most people think.

Restaurant Review: Five Guys

By Brendan Cooley If you are looking for a perfect place to take a special date, try Five Guys. It is obvious that this is not a typical fast food restaurant as soon as you enter the door because you are immediately greeted by friendly employees. One look around the crowded dining room will prove that many others have already discovered this special place. Five Guys, however, does not serve a typical, inexpensive hamburger. Burgers are more expensive, but the price of these burgers reflects both the size and the quality: portions are generous and each mouthful was a pleasure. For this reason, it is truly impossible for the true lover of burgers to leave this restaurant hungry or dissatisfied. Another feature of Five Guys that captures the attention of customers is the new drink station. This station has a touch screen, which allows customers to choose

Five Guys is located in City Center Plaza, Arsenal Street.

from a vast selection of drinks, including a number of special lemonades. A trip to Five Guys will leave you wondering when you will be able to come again. The service is good, the employees are awesome, and the entire experience is well worth the trip. In a nutshell, a meal at Five Guys is sure to hit the spot.

8 Friday, March 23, 2012

Maria Bufalini as Kim.

Dennis Caughlin as the Engineer.

Miss Saigon: A Review of the Musical

By Alphonse Renzi Mr. Faunce and the Watertown High School Select Choir have done it again with another eye-popping, jaw dropping musical performance with the display of one of Broadways most famous works, Miss Saigon. From February 9th to February 12th, Miss Saigon attracted wide attention with five shows filled with intense drama, heartbreaking romance, and an ending that left the audience breathless. The setting of the stage displayed a colorful setting of Vietnamese culture and the props were so lifelike and believable that the crowd was already excited after only a few minutes. The light shows, frightened voices and sounds, and the dark atmosphere of the musicals nightmare scenes had the audience feeling as though they were actually in Saigon on the day that it fell. No other musical, play, or stage performance can be compared to the wonderful shows that the Select Choir works so hard to perfect at Watertown High School. Mr. Faunce stated that when choosing a musical, he pays close attention to the characters that are valid to the plotline in order to see if any member of the Select Choir can fit the character. He focuses first on the singing; and later, on the stage and on acting, referring to the mix as sixty percent singing and forty percent acting. For those who are unfamiliar with the story of Miss Saigon, it tells the story of a young Vietnamese girl named Kim (portrayed by Maria Bufalini) who becomes a bargirl at a club called Dreamland, which is run by a creepy, but loveable man known as The Engineer (portrayed by Dennis Caughlin). At the club, Kim meets and falls in love with Chris Scott (portrayed by Mark Anthony Taylor) a U.S. soldier who is soon to leave Vietnam and return to America. The musical also took time to tell the tragedies of the children, who were born to United States Marines and Vietnamese women during the Vietnam War. These children are better known as Bui Doi, one of whom is the son of Chris and Kim. The experiences of these children are summed up by Chris, friend and former U.S. soldier, John Thomas (portrayed by Nieko Crescenzi) in the lyric conceived in hell, and born in strife, showing the long lasting horrors and trials of these children both during and after the war. The story also shows how the war has been compromised by modern day history textbooks, vandalized by ignorant social media, and emulated by games like Call of Duty: Black Ops. Each and every moment of the performance was spectacular, especially when Kim shows twice the true, indestructible strength of love that a mother holds for her child. This strength is powerful enough to strike down her hateful cousin Thuy (portrayed by Jack Wiley) who is an officer in the Communist Vietnamese army and the main antagonist of the musical. (Thuy attempts to murder Kims son for being the child of an American), and in the end, to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that her son shall live a happy and prosperous life in America with Chris and his stepmother Ellen (portrayed by Sara Glover) far away from poverty and the blood-stained hell that is war. She accomplishes this by destroying the one thing that would keep the boy in Vietnam: herself. The success of these five performances shows that when a talented team of people put their heads together and see their objectives to the end, they can accomplish almost anything they were even able to transport an entire audience from a high school auditorium in northern New York to a city in Vietnam. A job well done Mr. Faunce, the Select Choir, and all others involved, and the best of luck with future projects.