Bird's Eye View

Tiger Woods - Jesse Bashaw

2010-06-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows the inside story about Tiger Woods, and his “issues” at home. He admitted to being unfaithful to his wife after having multiple affairs. This has put a lot of pressure on him to turn his life around and put his mistakes behind him and move on. The question everyone in the golf world is now asking is “Can Tiger come back?” The Masters was last week and Tigers performance could’ve been better.
This was his first tournament in almost 4 months, and all eyes were on him. Tiger has been known to bounce back after events in his life that people thought he wouldn’t recover from. The big one that stands out was the death of his father, Earl Woods. Not a lot of people thought Tiger could handle that and still maintain his status as the best golfer in the world. He came back by winning the British Open just two months later.

Tiger came to Augusta wanting to win. He ended up tied for forth at 11 under par, only five shots behind the winner, Phil Mickelson who shot 16 under. If you looked at the standings on Sunday you would see Tiger in forth, very close to the lead. If you watched how he played, you wouldn’t expect that outcome. Tiger didn’t look like himself, his swing was rough and off tempo. His consistency wasn’t there and his frustration made things worse. He couldn’t put his tee shots in the fairway, and his putting lacked. Tiger put up scores of 68, 70, 70 and 69. Tiger put up great scores that kept him in the hunt, but the way he got them wasn’t tiger-like. A lot of people expected to see the typical amazing tiger that everybody loves to watch, but that wasn’t what we got.

Mt. Abe Baseball Preview - Craig Camara

2010-06-01T07:38:00.000-07:00

Led by returning seniors Shawn Marcelle, Ryan Siegle, Steven Patterson, Adam Pouliot, Andrew Doucette, Shawn Thurber, Sam Lieberman, and Mickey O’Connor, the Mount Abraham High School Eagles are hoping that they can continue the success the team has had in recent years. Last year the Eagles had a very successful campaign, posting a 16-4 record and making the Division II championship game, where they lost to Lyndon. However, this year’s team will be very different, as the team is losing six of the seniors that started last year.

According to a high ranking source, Shawn Marcelle and Mickey O’Connor are expected to be the starting pitchers, with Adam Pouliot, Mark Dickerson, and Ethan Heffernan ready to come in for relief. Both Marcelle and O’Connor had varsity experience last year, so the team will be expecting a lot out of their two star pitchers. “We need our young pitchers to step up this year to fill in the spots left by last years seniors,” says Marcelle. With the two dominant starters from last year gone, this is very true. The younger pitchers are going to have to step up in relief of Marcelle and O’Connor to keep the strong bats of their Metro division opponents at bay. The Metro division is traditionally the strongest division in the state and the teams the Eagles will face are very strong.

O’Connor is also expected to play first base when he is not pitching. Both Adam Pouliot and Andrew Doucette had experience playing second base last year, so one of the two will start there. We will most likely see the two switching off at second. At short stop, speedy Ryan Siegle is expected to be the starter. Returning starter Sam Lieberman is expected to take back his position at third base. The position of catcher is up for grabs between senior Shawn Thurber and sophomore Nick Ouellette. The experience of the players in the infield is definitely going to be the strong suit. With strong fielding, the eagles hope to get easy outs and keep the other teams off the board.

In the outfield, Steven Patterson will play left field, while Marcelle will play center when he is not pitching. Right field is uncertain at the moment, but we will find out after the preseason and there may be a rotation of younger players there.
The Eagles are hoping to build off of their pitching and strong defensive play to produce a strong season. Once again the team will be playing in the Metro division, which they won in the regular season last year. However, last season is behind them and the team is hoping to look forward to a great 2010 season this year.

Math League - Bailey Cote

2010-06-01T07:36:00.000-07:00

Mount Abraham has numerous extra actives that people are aware of, like sports and the fall musical. Not many people know about the Math League team. Math League is an extra academic activity that counts as a challenge credit. The Math League is a small group of students in grades 9-12. Mrs. Fitz-Gerald would love for more people, especially girls, to come out for the team since there are not tryouts. “If you like cookies and if you like math, then Math League is for you.” The practices for the Math League are very flexible for students who do other extra activities. Ms. Fitz-Gerald said, “Math League is a good place to meet other students and extend your math knowledge.”

There are currently eight students in the Mt. Abe Math League: Greg Scott, James Buchwald, Adam Rainville, Andrew Rainville, Spencer Griswold, Kenny Micklas, Amanda Wetter, and Mishelle Nomchin. “This year was a lot of fun. Even though we may not have been the most competitive team, we were able to have some great meets! As a senior looking back, I am glad I participated in Math League with some great people.”- Greg Scott. To be in Math League, the students need to be in Intergraded 2 math or higher. Ms. Fitz-Gerald likes to have about 8-12 people on the team, so everyone gets a chance to try different types of math. Vermont has eleven Math League teams from Division one and two schools: Mt. Abe, CVU, South Burlington, Burlington, Essex, Rice, Mount Mansfield, Colchester, St. Albans, Missisquoi, and Mount Abe’s rival team, Vergennes. The Mount Abe team placed about 8th overall for the season. This year, the team reached two of their important goals. One goal was to hit 6th place, and the second goal was that they would score over one hundred points at a meet.

The Math League season normally runs from about October to March. During this time, the team will travel five times for competitions. During a competition there are four different individual events: Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra, and Advanced Math. A team event consists of five students working together on a longer set of problems. There is also a relay style event. This is where one student solves a problem and their answer is part of the second students’ problem. That answer is then given to the last player to work with. Each problem has a certain amount of points and if a team gets the problem correct, that team will get the points. All of the students get to try all of these different types of problems.

All of the students on the team have worked hard and had fun this year. The Math League season has recently come to a close and with that, there are a few seniors that will be leaving the team. Mrs. Fitz-Gerald hopes that more people will come out for the team and show their love for math.

Iceland Volcano Erupts - Myles McGowan

2010-06-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

On April 14th the Eyjafjallajokull Glacier’s volcano erupted with smoke and ashes pouring out. The ashes consisted of small rocks and volcanic glass the size of a grain of sand. These particles were actually bits of frozen lava, making silica. The ash cloud reached the troposphere, which is 35,000 ft from sea level. Because of the air currents, the massive ash cloud moved toward Europe shutting down almost all airports by the 16th. Airports ranging from Greenland to Italy were closed, creating havoc for flyers and any industries that required these flights.

The volcano was still spewing smoke by Thursday the 22nd, but the smoke has decreased since the initial eruption. Airlines in Europe are beginning to open and are trying to fly out their passengers as quickly as possible. The closing of the airports for this week has caused the airlines to lose millions of dollars because of the stalling of flying. According to TIME Magazine, 100,000 flights were cancelled, and British Airways lost almost $30 million a day during the week of closings. The amount lost in total in airlines and other industries affected is about $15 billion.

By April 21, most of the airspace in Europe was reopened, but because of the closing of all those flights the wait for a return flight or a flight into Europe may take a while for some customers. The airlines are doing their best to fix this problem, and hopefully flights will begin to resume on time. Luckily because of the railroad system in place in Europe, travelers could find open airports and fly out sooner. Southern Europe was not as affected as long as northern Europe, so travelers could fly out sooner if they traveled south.

Hunting in Vermont - Melissa Jewel

2010-05-21T07:47:00.001-07:00

Deer hunting is a big deal to many young Vermonters. It means getting up early, getting ready and hopefully getting a big buck. A lot of high school students, both male and female, take on the challenge of hunting deer in November. “I love venison jerky and I look forward to hunting every year and going to deer camp”, says Ken Ryan. Some people spend countless hours in the woods on weekends tracking and looking for that big buck.

Some hunters go to great lengths to hide their smell and camouflage their looks. To lure in a big deer, buck lures and camouflaged clothing are necessities used by many serious deer hunters. One can expect to spend close to a hundred dollars each year on hunting supplies including clothes, ammunition and a variety of other provisions. Vermont’s economy benefits a great deal from the money spent on hunting.

For two weeks every year in November, camouflaged hikers can be seen on the back roads and the scent of grilled venison lingers in the air as people drive by. “I like being outside and walking through the woods, but not with my brother; only with people that are quiet”, says Jake Johnson. A lot of people start hunting at a very young age and continue to hunt throughout their lives. Most people like hunting for the chance to be outside, but there are many other reasons to enjoy hunting in Vermont. The biggest challenge is having patience while out in the woods, but in the end, it’s all worth it.

Pete Caroll - Myles McGowan

2010-05-21T07:45:00.001-07:00

Through the past nine years Pete Carroll has been the head coach for the USC football team. He has led them to 97 wins and only 19 losses. And 7-2 in bowl games, with two National Championships. Unfortunately he has now resigned from head coach and will be coaching for the Seattle Seahawks.

Prior to becoming the USC head coach, Pete Carroll was a coach in the NFL for both the Jets and the New England Patriots. His NFL career is much worse then his NCAA record; with only 33 wins with 31 losses. By looking at these records it is clear which coaching job is meant for him. College football is changing, and with allegations about paying players to come to USC about it is a bit understandable for him to be leaving, but he is leaving a prestige team.

This year USC ended a 6 season record of Pac-10 championships. Even with new players coming into the program Pete Carroll has done very well. For him to pass this all up for another NFL career is terrible. USC’s football program shouldn’t change too much because Lane Kiffin, a former assistant coach to Pete Carroll, has now gotten the head coach job. With a former coach at USC and knowing Pete Carroll’s teaching tactics perhaps USC will do fine in the seasons to come.

I hope that Pete Carroll will do well in the NFL, but I doubt that. Out of the last 4 college coaches that went pro, none of them entered the preseason. This shows how different college football is to the NFL. Pete Carroll may think he made a better decision, but we will find out soon.

Teen Drivers - Alex Lucia

2010-05-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

People have always known that teenagers are not exactly the most responsible of drivers. Parents and authority figures see us as reckless, irresponsible liabilities behind the wheel, and so far, we haven’t done a very good job at disproving these statements. Now this is usually where I would tell the reader how these rumors are all false, but this is where I tell you that it’s all true.

December 17, 2009: It was an especially frigid winter afternoon just outside the small quiet town of Bristol, on the straight away just after the road to south starksboro. The sound of the engine in my friend’s pickup truck is the only sound to be heard, no cares, no worries, besides the Subaru raging towards us at approximately 60 miles-per-hour. (I failed to mention we were on the opposite side of the road going about 70 and a car was in the right lane directly next to us showing no signs of reducing speed.) The placid quietness of the interior of the truck was broken by the words “Oh geez!” as my friend abruptly jerked the wheel to the right, coming just feet from a fatal head-on collision, and merely inches from clipping the car to the right of us. Now there’s a new problem to confront- the fact that were going 70, fish tailing at a 45 degree angle with a car directly behind us on icy road conditions. For about the next 50 feet, my friend tried to even us out, and not skid off the road and finally we were facing straight. There was silence for a few seconds, followed by uncontrollable laughter.

This story is one hundred percent true, and is a perfect example of how teen carelessness puts lives in danger. Statistics show that teens are most likely to get in accidents; this is because they are inexperienced, reckless, and tend not to drive alone which causes distractions. I am not trying to say that teens shouldn’t be allowed to drive, but that one should take extra caution around them. Besides, everybody needs to gain experience somehow.
All in all, drivers ages sixteen to nineteen are more likely to cause or be involved in car accidents due to their lack of experience and the fact that they get distracted easily. So if you are around any younger drivers, be careful, you might find yourself heading towards a fishtailing pickup truck going 70 with a bunch of kids in it.

Drag Me to Hell - Alex Lucia

2010-05-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

Opinion

From the director of “Spider Man” and the classic horror/comedy “Evil Dead” trilogy, comes this awesome, goofy and ultimately entertaining horror movie. Filled with everything one could ask for in a horror film from demons and hellfire to a cursing possessed goat, “Drag Me to Hell” keeps your eyes glued to the T.V. screen and has what I consider to be one of the best movie endings ever.

The premise to the movie is very original. The main character, Christine Brown (Allison Lohman), is forced to make a tough decision at her job as a banker, which takes an elderly woman’s home from her. Christine then becomes cursed, and has three nights to banish the Lomnia, a shadow goat demon (I know, right?) before she is dragged to the depths of hell to spend an eternity of anguish and torment. The only people she can turn to for help are her boyfriend (Justin Long) and a fortune teller (played by a relatively unknown actor).

My favorite parts of this movie had to be the bits of action. Just the fact of how ridiculous it was alone made it funny. The incredible makeup work and horror images only heightened the experience. For example, during Christine’s second encounter with the elderly woman, they break out into a fight in Christine’s car. The old woman catches a few staples to the face (including one to the eye) and when the car crashes and she looses her dentures, she proceeds to try to gum Christine to death. My only critique for the movie is that it could have been a lot scarier, but the crazy action scenes kept me smiling anyway, so it’s all good.

In summation, if you’re looking to watch the freakiest and scariest movie you’ve ever seen, this might not be your movie. However, if you’re looking for a freaky, intriguing movie with a few laughs and more than a few cringes, “Drag Me to Hell” should more than meet your standards. It’s an all around good time in front of the tube that is sure to leave you satisfied

New Moon - K. Oullette

2010-05-21T07:38:00.000-07:00

(Opinion)

Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner start some steamy romance in Chris Weitz’s fantasty film when Robert Pattinson has to leave her behind in Forks.

Blood sucking vampires and werewolves seem to be the world’s new superheroes. Thousands of people lined up all over the U.S. to watch the second part of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga. It opened in 3,514 theatres on November 20th, 2009 and broke through the box office roof. It cost $50 million to produce the movie, and opening night alone made $26.6 million of it back.

Chris Weitz also directed The Golden Compass, and in the past has directed movies with his brother, Paul Weitz, including: American Pie, Down to Earth, and About a Boy. I think Weitz did a very good job with taking the setting of the book and transforming it into a movie. The scenery was similar to what Meyer tried to convey in the book, and the setting plays an important part of the story.

I think the characters were represented and played very well in the new movie. As most of the female Twilight fans recognized, Jacob definitely buffed up quite a bit from the first movie, and in some of their opinions he might be hotter than Edward himself. Personally, I think the hair cut helped him fit the part, as well as him hitting up the gym. Edward, of course, who has been the dreamy one from the beginning, sadly left Bella behind in Forks, so we didn’t get to see much of him. This made some Twilight fans a little upset, but I think the third Twilight movie, Eclipse, will make up for this, considering what happens in the book.

As most people know, Twilight is a four book series written by Stephenie Meyers. There was a lot going on in the second book, New Moon, and some people were disappointed after watching the movie interpretation, because they skipped a lot of the important parts. A lot of Twilight fans notice the little details and can easily compare the book and movie, and the consensus was that the movie isn’t as good as the book because little details or important lines have not been addressed. I would have to agree that the movie could have had included more that was in the book, but I also understand that they didn’t want the movie to be incredibly long. Most of the people who haven’t read the books have said they thought the movie was really good, but of course they don’t have anything in which to compare.

The crowd for the third movie is going to be more insane than the first and second, because people liked the plot of the third book more than the second, since Edward left Bella in the second book. Everyone is excited for the third movie, Eclipse, to come out on June 30th, 2010.

Go Green or Go Home by Cassie Marion

2010-05-13T08:12:00.001-07:00

Being the worlds best is what it’s all about. The Winter Olympics are always getting bigger, better, more entertaining, more dramatic, more cultural, and continue to push the human body to its limit, all for the precious gold metal. The 2014 Winter games are set to be hosted by Sochi, located in Russia’s Krasnodar Region between the Black Sea and snow-capped Caucasus Mountains.

Sochi residents as well as government and environmental groups protested against the construction, set to begin in July 2009, in an attempt to preserve Sochi’s Caucasus Nature Reserve. In response to construction, the Environmental Watch on North Caucasus (EWNC) said, “This is a very significant development because it removes the danger of building an ecologically dangerous unit on the Black Sea coast, which threatened the ecosystems of Black sea, ecological prosperity and the recreational resources of Sochi,”. Due to the concern of residents, UNEP has involved themselves to make the Winter Olympics of 2014 as green, clean and Sochi friendly as possible.

The main goal for these Olympic games is to be as “green” as possible. The city of Sochi is planning to invest $1.7 billion towards renewable energy and energy conservation (Stallone, June 15, 2009). “We developed the Sochi 2014 environmental strategy and this will ensure that the ecological situation in the Krasnodar Region is enhanced for generations to come,” said the President and CEO of Sochi Winter Olympics 2014, Dmitry Chernyshenko (Stallone, June 15, 2009). Doing everything they can to keep their city clean, Sochi already has plans to make room for many new facilities including one plan to move the bobsled and luge tracks to help preserve the Caucasus nature reserve from the fans, athletes, coaches and tourists who will soon be on their way to Sochi for the 2014 Olympics. The agreement to be as green as possible was marked with the planting of trees, showing the support for Russia’s United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) billion trees campaign. Helping to improve the environment, the Sochi Olympics are expected to be greener than ever before.

Not only is the competition going to be intense in the games, but in construction for green, environmentally safe facilities as well.

Lunch Program: What Will Happen Next Year? by MacKenzie Lebeau

2010-05-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

(Opinion)

As of right now, the lunch program is under fire and jobs could be lost. As lunch prices have been rising over the past few years, so has the concern for a healthier local lunch. In my opinion, school lunch is not supporting our local community, nor is it providing health benefits to the individuals eating it. The School Board is reviewing changes to take place next school year. As of right now, all lunch staff jobs will be cut on June 30, 2010 (B. Hall 2/2/10). Different ideas are being considered right now: either outsourcing to another bid or reorganizing the program we have now. Something drastically needs to be done to provide a healthier lunch. Either way, changes will be made for the 2010-2011 school year.

One consideration is to hand the lunch program over to The Abbey Group, a catering company in New England. I don’t agree with that plan because we live in Vermont, where we have farmers all around us. Why can’t we provide a healthy local lunch at school? During a meeting I had with one of the lunch ladies, I proposed the idea of switching to Monument Farms milk and converting to dispenser systems instead of cartons to save money and reduce trash waste. Mrs. Curtis replied, “They had looked into dispensers from Hood and it was a proposed idea.” Most Addison County farmer’s milk goes to Cabot or Monument farms which are both local. So why are we buying milk from Hood and not supporting our local farmers in Addison County?

I think the best bet would be to continue growing the Mount Abraham Union High School (MAUHS) garden as well as buying shares of local farmer’s crops from surrounding vegetable and fruit farms. If we turned the lunch program local, it would help out the local economy as well as cut down on expenses. I personally feel the only logical thing to do is keep as much money local as we can to support the community and in return the community will keep supporting the school. MAUHS has an obesity rate starting at 25% (2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey) for this year’s seniors and juniors, and with every class proceeding, the obesity rate rises more than the grade before. Something needs to be done; we need to restructure the lunch program to provide a healthier lunch, supporting the fact that healthy does taste good. If we could show kids at a younger age how to eat healthier we could instill life long eating habits into America’s youth. I feel there are so many positive changes that could take place in the next school year that we should do all we can. Brain research has shown that the better foods children eat, the better they perform on tests and in focused situations like school. Foods high in antioxidants help people perform better (Global Health Center). With NECAP (New England Common Assessment Program) scores showing that Mount Abraham is in the bottom ten schools in Vermont, we should do everything we can to boost brain function. With healthier eating habits, teenager’s self image problems, brain function, and lifestyles can all be improved for the better.

Solar Power at Mt. Abe? by Courtney Devoid

2010-05-13T08:04:00.000-07:00

Essex is doing it, why not us? We already have the wood chip facility taking care of our heating needs. Naturally, the next step is to install solar panels to take care of our electricity needs. Solar panels, installed on the roof of Mount Abraham Union High School (MAUHS), would collect energy and store it in the electricity grid for our school to use. Just like with the MAUHS wood chip facility, there are many options to make this idea possible.

MAUHS installed the wood chip facility three years ago as a way to transition our heating needs to a more sustainable form of technology. Solar power could be the next step for our school to reduce our dependency on foreign oil. Currently, the world is hooked on fossil fuels that take millions of years to produce (American Association of Petroleum Geologists.) The supplies of non-renewable resources are quickly dwindling, so before the prices skyrocket again, it would be wise to make the switch at our school to solar powered energy. One reason to switch to solar power is because it is a renewable resource. A renewable resource is a form of energy that can be harvested faster than the rate of human consumption. Solar energy has the potential to provide 1,000 times more energy than the world demands. (American Energy Independence.)
The nuclear reactor that provides half of Vermont electricity, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, will soon be shut down (Safe Power Vermont, VPIRG.) This means that the source of electricity for most of the state is soon going to be gone. Electricity will have to come from farther away and will be more expensive, costing tax payers in our district more money. Although harmful to the environment, nuclear power is cheap and the power produced at Vermont Yankee is local so it costs less. To get power from sources outside of the state, which is our only option right now, will cost more money because it is farther away. Since our school budget is partially supported by tax payers, increased electricity prices will cost them more money.

One easy solution would be to transition MAUHS to solar power. To do this, we would have to initially invest in the purchase of the panels. This could be pricy as one panel could cost more than $12,000, however, the pay off is quick (Galbraith, Katie. Nytimes.com.) Essex Middle and High School is currently making this transition with federal grant money. The money was received from a federal stimulus grant as a way to put money into the economy by focusing on sustainable technology.

Right now, our economy is going through hard times, so fuels are inexpensive. As quickly as fuel prices dropped, they will rise again, and fast (Brian O'Keefe, CNN Money.) We need to make this transition as soon as possible. There are many options to make this happen at MAUHS. One option would be to apply for a grant to supplement the cost of the solar panels. Another option would be to spend the money on the solar panels and pay back the loan from the electricity savings. Or, a Co-op model could be used. Cooperatives are groups of people that get together to support a certain cause. Basically, residents of Addison County who do not have good solar access would purchase solar panels to go on the roof of MAUHS. The electricity generated from the panel would go into the grid and be used for the resident who purchased the panel. Excess electricity would be used for our school.

Clearly, there are many options to transition our school to be more environmentally friendly. We should seriously consider the option of solar power because of all the benefits it has. “Solar power makes a lot of sense,” said MAUHS physics teacher, Tom Tailer. “Mt. Abe has a good flat area with lots of solar access. It is one of the critical components to developing a sustainable energy economy.”

Thunder Road by Jesse Bashaw

2010-05-13T07:59:00.000-07:00

Barre, Vermont has enjoyed its quiet time, but on May 2nd, at 1:00pm, the thunder comes back to the barre high-banks for its 51st season. The 2nd marks the season opener for Thunder Road. The asphalt quarter-mile oval will once again be alive as 150+ cars come to play.

Thunder Road has 4 divisions of cars: the 8 cylinder American Canadian Tour (ACT) Late Models, the 8 cylinder Bond Auto Tiger Sportsman’s, the 4 cylinder Allen Lumber Street Stocks, and the 4 cylinder Power Shift Junkyard Warriors. Thunder Road will have 18 events in the 2010 season. 10 races are on Thursdays and the other 8 are Sunday races.

Thunder Road is known for the exciting races and family friendly atmosphere. Thunder Road also hosts some ACT Tour events. The day starts early and the drivers and teams are at the track hours before the fans. Each division has a specified time to practice, and make adjustments to their cars. After the drivers are satisfied with their cars, qualifying begins. Qualifying for Thunder Road races is done with heat races. These are just smaller races with about a quarter of the cars. After all the heats, the field is qualified and the sun goes down, and the real fun begins. The feature races are fun under the lights.

Thunder Road also hosts some of the ACT Tour races. The ACT Tour consists of Late Model teams from all over New England and Canada. These are the same Late Model cars that race at Thunder Road every week, but not all of the Thunder Road Late Models run the ACT Tour. The Tour consists of the Top Late Model teams in all of New England, so the competition is taken a lot more seriously. The tour runs events all over New England. The ACT Tour has 82 cars on its Roster as of March 25th.

A big name in ACT is coming back. Tracie Bellerose is returning to Thunder Road to run the full schedule after becoming the Fist Female Driver to win a Thunder Road championship in 2000. She stopped driving after she had a horrifying wreck and got injured. Thunder Road never fails to supply fans with hours of great racing and this year won’t be any different. Many fans, drivers, and crews (including myself) can’t wait to get back to the “Nations Site of Excitement” for another fun year. I can already smell the burnt rubber and race fuel.

Inglorious Basterds - Alex Lucia

2010-03-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

For some there really could not be a better theater experience than a couple of hours of intense Nazi killing, and that is exactly what you get with Quentin Tarentino’s latest film, “Inglorious Basterds”. This entirely unique film takes place in Nazi-era France and stars Brad Pitt as the leader of the “Basterds”, a team of Jewish-American soldiers on a mission to kill as many Nazis as possible. The film also stars Christoph Waltz who does an incredible job portraying the Nazi in charge of finding Jewish families in hiding
Similarly to some of Tarentino’s past films, “Inglorious Basterds” is composed of a fine combination of long, drawn out dialogue scenes with bits of intense action sequences, never giving any hints as to what might possibly happen next. This film also contains some very graphic scenes of violence, hence the “R” rating for the movie.
Despite praise from critics, there is a somewhat mixed reaction to the movie.
Some people thought that the movie was boring, and that the scenes of violence were too graphic. However, other movie-goers thought that the violence improved the movie and only added to its greatness. But why is it that the excessive violence is acceptable and praised in this particular movie? Perhaps it is because the pain is being inflicted, for the most part, on the bad guys. It might also be because the whole movie isn’t grotesque and violent. Those violent scenes are very intense but they are spaced out throughout the movie. I personally thought that the scenes were done tastefully and all in all, made the movie better. I also thought the movie was anything but boring; I think the talking scenes were clever and artistically done.
To sum up the movie, it is very entertaining and well worth the ticket fee to go and see it. If you are a fan of Quentin Tarentinos earlier films, such as “Pulp Fiction” and “Kill Bill”, you will love this movie. The movie is carried by award-winning actors Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz and keeps you intrigued and satisfied for the whole time. Enjoy the show.

Don't Forget - Robin Larrow

2009-11-12T08:37:00.000-08:00

Don’t forget

Think back to recess, classes all in one room, gym in the lunch room and home work was only one page.
Getting in trouble was a time out or staying in at recess.
Teachers read out loud and moms went to all the school events.
The way you looked didn’t matter and mud on your pants was cool and always came with a story.
Your best friend was anyone who would listen or share their cookies.

Some where between then and now, mud got dirty…

Advisory Survey by Aliza Rudinski

2009-09-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

Advisory was first introduced to Mt. Abe high-school students at the beginning of the school year in 2007. It was initially met with mass disapproval by the student body, and while things have calmed down a bit, it still remains a topic of heated discussion among students and teachers alike. It is the continual bickering about advisory heard in the hallways that inspired me to get the general consensus. I presented a set of questions to 100 students to find out how they feel about advisory.

When asked if they enjoy advisory, 80% answered no. Somehow, this did not come as a surprise. 32% of students said that they feel like they do fun activities at least sometimes in advisory, while 68% do not. 64% of students interviewed said that they have skipped advisory at least once, and 42% said that they go to other advisories often because they are not content with their own. 71% of students said that they do not even get along with their advisors, and 51% of kids said that they feel as though their advisor doesn’t even enjoy the time spent in advisory. Of course that isn’t an accurate representation of how many teachers do or do not enjoy advisory, but is merely the way the student body perceives the attitude of their advisors during advisory. When asked if they would prefer not to have advisory, 85% answered yes.

The dislike for advisory appears to remain as strong as it did when it all began. That leaves me with one question; why do we continue to use a system that clearly is not working?

Decline In Students Causes Budget Problems by Ryan Sullivan

2009-09-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

The administration has had to slash several of the schools department budgets because of a decrease in population of Mt. Abraham students and it is affecting staff members and students alike. Many departments are having to downsize their budgets because of lack of currency to support them. The school gains about $1,000 to $1,200 per Mt. Abe student (multiplied by approximately a 3.5% increase per student), and some staff members are troubled by the decrease in population. In order to save money the school is cutting student and staff members to bring the budget back in order. Students who worked in the school, through Horizons were cut as of January 2009, or any other department that had students under employment.

The senior and junior classes are the largest at the moment," says Steve Jarvis, a computer technician for the school, "and you take a look at the middle school classes and below... and they’re just tiny." Steve is part of the IT (Information Technology) department of Mt. Abraham, which provides the school with all of its computers and networks. Steve is only allowed to have two students work under him this summer to assist him with all of the computer work. This work requires moving all of the computers out of every room and computer lab and into designated destinations. When the school year comes around, he will move all of the computers back to their appropriate location. On top of that, there are computers in the school which are around 10 years old that are still in use and because of the IT’s budget, they are not able to provide and upgrade the schools computers.

I spoke with Bill Connor of the Horizons office. He told me that jobs would still be provided for students through Horizons, but would only be offered out in the community. "It’s a way for students to learn work ethics, customer service, respect, and responsibility. It’s also a job for them to make a little extra money doing," said Mr. Connor.

Reg Wedge, the head custodian of Mt. Abraham, shared Mr. Connor’s views on student work. Wedge had a student working under him that he was forced to let go, but luckily for that student the job will be back soon if he is interested. Several teachers may lose their jobs because of the budget cuts. It all comes down to the number of students enrolled and we won’t find out how it’s going to look until the next generations of Mt. Abraham students arrive in the future. Hopefully, it will be a larger class.

Barney and Leo's Epic Tale

2009-09-08T07:49:00.000-07:00

On a rainy may day, while in the over heated; stress driven computer lab, doing spins until our stomachs curled like that of week old milk left on the counter. We had a sub and were being locked up in the lab. The decision was made to experience the epic journey of rollin’ through the halls of Mt. Abraham.

After regaining stabilization, Leo and Barney took a once in a lifetime ride with the relaxation and comfort of a five-wheeled beast powered by the oldest engine known to mankind.
After James Bonding it out of the room came the first challenge--getting through the horde of middleschoolers, about to make their way to one of the day’s envious moments: lunch! Undermining the difficulty of the challenge, the woes of the middleschoolers ended in laughter as we induced a large mob to follow us down the halls.

Upon answering questions of curiosity and comical states, the towering ego known as next year’s principle approached. "Barney and Leo, what are you doing with the chair?" Without hesitation we broke the first commandment of the "TREAT" policy.
"It’s broken, Batman, we’re makin’ our way to the janitor’s office."
"Oh, ok", he responded before briskly going on his way. Laughing at the ease of deception of a future principal, we rounded the corner to the bumpy road of the lobby. Exiting the mail room was long time sub and student-parent, JFK.

She raised her head with a smile, and in a soft-indulging way asked, "What are you doing?" As we jumbled our words to get the answer there arose a blinding light. Upon further investigation, it was the reflection off a balding middle-age skull of Sergey Bubka. JFK leaned in, breaking the stare-down that would make Butch & Sundance stay in the house, whispering, "I’ve always wanted to do that!"
"WHAT?" the puzzled balding man asked. Knowing what his one-worded question pertained to, we told the story of how the chair was broken and deceived yet another gullible science teacher. passed the office.

Wheeling down the lobby, we saw the oncoming Dean of Students, running out of excuses we detoured to the elevator. When appeared the shadow of Gary Nolan the Judge, Jury and Executioner. Fearing that Nolan would make Leo ride the pine, we pressed the button more times than Desmond Hume in the Hatch. Once the door finally opened, we dodged into the cramped space, and shut the doors in the nick of time.
Making it safely to the second story, we cackled our way out of the elevator, and all the

Losing One of the Best by Ethan Mitchell

2009-09-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

Joanne Fuller came to Mount Abe at the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year. She immediately took on the hefty responsibility of Yearbook Advisor and has been turning them out with incredible creativity and dedication ever since. Although many students don’t know, Joanne has been committed to education for eleven years and running. Before coming to Mount Abe, she taught for four years at Wilder Middle School in Henrico, Virginia and three years at Deep Run High School in Richmond.

Since Joanne started teaching at Mount Abe, she has been involved with various committees including the democratic schools committee, the advisory steering committee, and the Amazing Sophomore Race committee. She has proven to not only care about the education of her students, but their general well being as well.

Over the past four years, she has built valuable relationships with her students and many of her co-workers. She has become a valuable addition to our school, teaching English 10, Creative Writing, Yearbook, and more recently: Journalism. We could have never put these newspapers together without her guidance and encouragement.

It is sad to say that Ms. Fuller has left the Mt. Abe community to pursue her masters in English at the University of Vermont. Along with her daughters Cordellia and Miranda, and her husband Ithiel, Joanne will be moving to Brattleboro in the near future to start a brand new chapter of her life. We can only hope that she will continue to inspire all those she comes across, and continue to educate the youth. Ms. Fuller, we thank you for all that you’ve done for us here at Mount Abe; as a teacher and a friend.
　

Radical Rodents by Aliza Rudinski

2009-09-05T10:57:00.000-07:00

It is not hard to notice the intelligence of rats, especially when you spend as much time around them as I do. Sure, some of you may be squirming in your seats at the thought of even nearing such a critter, but I assure you they are not so bad. Rats are some of the most clever and loyal pets there are to (legally) own.
My love for rats began two years ago, when I adopted my first. Zoe, as I decided to call her, would grow to defy so many of the misconceptions there are about the species. Since the adoption of Zoe, I have gained three more precious rodents. Each rat has a noticeably different personality and temperament, creating unique relationships between them and myself.
Rats make such great pets, because of their persistence in pleasing their owners. Similar to dogs, rats will pick up new behaviors and tricks fairly easily. They enjoy having power over things, and will often hoard food or take charge of a specific space within their confinement. Rats are also extremely social, and have very complex relationships with their cage-mates. Their relationships, not only with their mates but with their owners, are such an important part of their lifestyle that they can actually die from social stress. If there is a drastic change in social surroundings, say, the death of a companion,
a rat will often starve itself to death. They are also extremely affectionate animals. They show their affection towards people and their cage-mates with their persistent licking and grooming. When they are especially content, they will grind their teeth until their eyes appear to be vibrating. This is called "bruxing". Rats love to be petted. They enjoy being rubbed
behind their ears or scratched on their shoulders. Some rats will roll over on their back so their owner can rub their tummy. When feeling playful, they will wrestle with your hand just like a kitten.
Rats are some of the cleanest animals there are.
They can be seen constantly grooming themselves and each other, and will typically bathe themselves more than six times a day. Believe it or not...they don’t smell, either! I have been fortunate enough to have rats that will actually do their business in a litter box, with very little training. The absolute best part about them is that when it’s time to come out and play, they tend to hold off on the excrement until they are back in the cage. This is because rats are very private animals, and prefer to go in their own personal area.
In the two years I have owned rats, I have never been bitten. In fact, rats rarely bite, especially if they are handled regularly and properly cared for. Typically, when a rat bites, it’s because it presumes you are holding food. Rats will bite when feeling threatened, obviously, as any animal would. Rats really aren’t such nasty vermin after all. They deserve the love and respect that any other animal receives, and it’s a shame that they are looked down upon in the manner that they are. More people should get to experience owning them as pets, and get to see what amazing creatures they really are.

Exam Stress by Ellen V.

2009-02-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

For many students, there are two weeks which compete for the “Worst Time of the Year” title – the week of midterms in January and the week of final exams in June. It is the time of year when high school students are stretched to their highest extent, are constantly working under an enormous amount of stress and sleepless nights are taken for granted. Ironically, this is the time when academic performance is expected to be at the highest.

Taking a study break to go on facebook (I swear I’m not procrastinating), my friends’ statuses are littered with cries of desperation over exams. Exempting the names, so-and-so “has to much to do and all stressed out”, “is stressed like no other”, “is chemistry=instant stress”, “is stressed >P”, “is chillin at home, studying. ugh, i hate exams”, “is gunna fail midterms”, “cant wait for exams to be over”, “is stressed”, “is O My exams r coming so very soon”, “is doing homework for the rest of eternity” and “is dying under exam pressure”.
With two free blocks total this semester, I’m getting off easy. The only exams I have to study for are the French, English, History, Chemistry, and Journalism exams. Still, even with this “lax” schedule, I easily study for multiple hours every night.
This year, as a sophomore and last year, as a freshman, I have had the same experience in studying for exams. Teachers give out study guides during class, and when looking them over, I always am confused about whether we ever even covered that subject in class. I pride myself on being an engaged student, so I figure if I have never even heard of the subject matter, chances are we were not taught it thoroughly. There is always at least one class each semester where I feel as if I am teaching myself a semester’s worth of the class through the text book or off Wikipedia in the time period of a little over one week. Then when I actually get to the exam, the entire thing is guess work.
As January is the time when the semester is coming to a close, it is also the time when other extra-circulars are finishing up. This week when I am frantically cramming for exams I also have hours of Vermont Youth Orchestra rehearsals and a concert, I have an audition tape for a highly competitive summer music camp due, and I have a violin competition just around the corner. With all this in mind and the zero degree weather outside, I can easily call this one of the worst weeks of the year.

Mount Abraham Music Department’s 2008 Winter Concert by Yuki D.

2009-02-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

On December 16, Mount Abraham Union High School’s Music Department had their annual Winter Concert.

The High School Concert Band, Sweet Transition, High School Jazz Ensemble, and High School Performing Chorus all performed winter themed songs for the surrounding community.

Members of the Music Department decorated the lobby and stage beautifully, with tinsel, twinkle lights, poinsettias, snowflakes, and spray painted stars.

First to perform was the Concert Band. To start their program, they played a season-appropriate, upbeat song, “Winter Holiday.” They then proceeded to play a slow song, “Abide with Me” and a moving, grand piece, “Choral and Shaker Dance II.”

Next was the a cappela group, Sweet Transition. All members were whimsically dressed, with Santa hats, tutus, matching scarves, and ski goggles.

The first song they performed was the “Carol of the Bells,” a typically Christmas-time song. Next, the group sang, “And So It Goes,” by Billy Joel, with solos by Gloria Kamencik and Ryan Conant. Then, they sang, “Everything” by Michael Buble. Choral teacher, Megan LaRose, and junior Shanna Gebo arranged this song, and it featured wonderful solos by Maren Granstrom and Jon Martin, acting in love. Sweet Transitions last song of the evening was “Can Can” from the Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld. This was a very fun piece with lively choreography by Mt. Abe alumna Christi Kroll, including fake bass plucking and a kick-line.
Third in the program was the Jazz Ensemble. Instrumental music teacher, Matt Tatro, introduced them, saying that they had worked on a variety of music which requires a lot of effort and skill.

The first song they played was a mellow piece, “A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square.” This featured a solo by Dan Thompson on the trombone. Following that, the vocalist, Hannah Miller, came up to perform “Stormy Weather.” Next was “Moanin,’” a contemporary jazz piece featuring intentional chaos and an overall intense atmosphere. Teacher Matt Tatro on the baritone saxophone and Toby Salas on tenor saxophone were both featured with solos. The piece was very well done, and the audience thoroughly excited. For the final piece, “Orange Colored Sky,” Hannah Miller sang again, portraying her bright self in an upbeat song.

The last to perform was the Performing Chorus. They began their first song, “Winds of Change,” by singing in a round while walking up the rows and onto the stage. Next was “The Sleigh (A la Rousse),” a cheerful and lively song. Then, they performed “Longer,” a piece from the seventies. When they started to learn this song, tons of stories came back from parents, saying that “Longer” was their wedding song. Megan LaRose dedicated the piece to those in love. The piece started with solos from Morgan Doane and Nathan L'Heureux. For their fourth piece, the chorus performed Mozart’s “Lacrymosa (from the Requiem).” This was a beautiful piece, featuring sophomore Ellen Vitercik on the violin. The final piece of the night was the famous “Hallelujah Chorus (from the Messiah).” Any alumni in the audience were welcomed up to the stage, most of which were highly involved in the music department.

It was an enjoyable concert, and each of the four ensembles played wonderfully. This was a practice performance for a competition the department is going to in April in Annapolis, Maryland. There they will be able to work on something that will provide to the larger community.

The next concert for the department is the Pops Concert, a themed concert featuring snacks and a silent auction. This will be happening on March 12th.

What Happened to the Passion? by Ethan M.

2009-02-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

I don’t know if there is anything else in this world that I enjoy more than music. It is the one thing in this world that can completely turn things around. It’s something that we can connect with, something that we can channel all our emotions into. It can mean many different things to different people, but the one thing that is true for us all is that it is one of the strongest defining points of who we are. Music is one true form of expression and human passion; the hardships and reality of life, poetry straight from the heart. So it’s not surprising how we can connect with these songs and the lyrics. That is real music.

But today, we are seeing the meaning fade. More and more young musicians are throwing away the actual music, for an image. Everybody wants to be a rock star; I mean doesn’t being rich and famous appeal to you? That image is constantly burned into this generation of teenage minds. The image is becoming more powerful that the meaning and we see more and more teens conforming to these MTV labels. Everyone has their own taste in music; you just need to find it. When you can really connect with a song and the words mean more than just ink on a piece of paper; that is real. We don’t need to dress a certain way to fit in with the crowd.

When it began, for those who don't know
It didn't matter how you looked or what you wore to a show
Dress codes, F*** NO! we didn't care
About the brand of your jeans and all that s*** in your hair

But now the biggest part is all about the image and not the art
Fashion before passion!
And at nights, it makes me mad that I should have to ask:
What happened to the passion? (passion!)
What the reason for screaming?
What happened the music and the message that I love?
What happened to the hard work? (hard work!)
And why does everybody look the same?

What happened the music and the message that I love?

-H2O

This song pretty much defines all I’m trying to get across. We constantly see teenagers falling into this conformity, adopting something that’s not themselves for the happiness and acceptance of others. It’s something that’s happening way too often, our youth are not being true to themselves or anyone else and they lose themselves completely as a unique individual. We need to understand that we can be whatever we want to be, but these images have become so strong that everyone is afraid of being different, afraid of saying what they really feel, of expressing true emotion. Well I say stand up and show us who you really are.

Bolton Trips by Patrick H.

2009-02-02T08:59:00.000-08:00

There is always a great amount of anticipation when ski and riding season
starts, but nothing is comparable to the first night of the Bolton trips. Students hear skiers and riders excitedly raving about the near future ski trip. They are counting down the weeks, then the days, the hours, the minutes and then the last few seconds before they hop on the bus, bearing either skis or board. No matter what they have clasped in their hands, a Burton board, twin tips, or even teles, they still wear the same crazy excited smile. It has been like this for several trips over the years, but this time the Boltoneers are especially eager. The park rats, glade gladiators, and cruiser crusaders alike have been starved of these trips. Last year’s trip did not happen, and the year before was not much more pleasant than Alcatraz.
Even after paying the high prices it costs to shred the mountain, the bus always left almost two hours early on some nights, due to the will of the chaperones. We were able to have a few good nights that year, but with the follow up of having no trips at all the next year was too much. We tried desperately all year to get the trips rolling, but no such luck.
This year however, will be the greatest Bolton session of all time. A great chaperone, David Gratton, has stepped forth and has sworn to be fair and let us board and ski until the lifts are unmoving and the lights shut off. We have a great group this year and the conditions are already of high quality.

Fighting for an Education by Yuki D.

2009-02-02T08:57:00.000-08:00

I recently attended a program on Thursday January 8, at Lawrence Memorial Library for its One World Library Project about growing up in Afghanistan and the struggle to find education. The presenter was Shabana Basij-Rasikh, an Afghani Middlebury College student. During a time when women were not allowed to receive an education, Shabana fought against the Taliban rule by attending a “secret school.” Every day she would go to an older woman’s house acting as family and be taught all of her subjects. Shabana risked her life from ages six to eleven, ages where American children are frivolously playing and studying insignificant subjects.
After the United States overthrew the Taliban in 2002, Shabana was able to attended public schools. At age sixteen, she received a scholarship to study in the United States, where she spent her senior year in Wisconsin. Now, she is studying Women’s and Gender Studies and Middle Eastern Studies at Middlebury College. Shabana has managed to become a sophomore at a very prestigious liberal arts college at the age of only 18! That is even the age of some seniors here at Mount Abraham.
Ever since she began her studies at Middlebury, Shabana has been intent on giving back to her home Afghanistan. No matter where she goes and even if the reign of the Taliban was so horrific, Shabana insisted that Afghanistan would be her home no matter what. Last summer, she received money from the Davis Peace Project to drill wells in villages near her home. While in Wisconsin, Shabana was also able to help build a school in her home village. Now she is focused on getting enough money to open the first all-girls high school in her area of the country.
Shabana hopes to become a politician in the future, helping her home country. She believes that education is the answer to the women’s rights in her country. If they had only learned how to make money for themselves, they could become successful, independent women. She hopes that in the future even more girls from her country will choose to become educated and to fend for themselves.
This young woman’s talk about the value of her education made me reexamine how much I appreciate the ability to study freely in my own country. Not only does our society encourage children to go to school, they force it upon us. Personally, I think that I take my education for granted. I always complain about school, so hearing these stories about these children, girls especially, who fought and risked their lives in order to go to school made me appreciate my education and ability to attend school even more.
I wish that everyone who goes to school in the United States could hear what Shabana has to say. Everyone would think their education, and maybe they would take it more seriously. We should all make the best of our educations, even though it may be difficult, on a day to day basis. We have what many around the world fight for everyday, and if we all made the best of it, maybe we could help spread our good fortune.

Nobody Cares by Erica S.

2009-02-02T08:54:00.000-08:00

Public bathrooms are always a discussion of squalor. I’ve heard of people who flush the toilet with their foot or with tissue wrapped around their hands, or coating the seat with a wazoo of toilet paper or whatever. But the thing that baffles me the most is this: who takes the time out of their day to actually go and write on the bathroom wall?
I can name countless times when going to a public restroom in a place like the mall and seeing weird writing, such as: “Cherie was here” or “MJ [hearts] TV”. Those, I don’t have as much a problem with, but I am astounded at the amount of inappropriate writings on the wall in our own bathrooms.
First, I’m proud that you feel you need to announce your sexuality to the world by putting it on a public wall, BUT if you don’t put your name on it, it doesn’t count as coming out. It doesn’t make anyone proud to go to our school when you do things like this.
Second, for those of us who are REALLY proud of their sexuality, do we need to know what you’ve done? Again, it doesn’t make me proud; it makes me want to drop kick you over the sand pit.
The funny thing about the writing is the fact that it is over the new painting in the bathrooms. People didn’t get the hint that they were trying to cover up the nastiness the first time? And the bathroom closest to the cafeteria, several people worked very hard on beautifying that bathroom and people go on and destroy it with their “I’m Bi” or “So and so’s a fatty.” It’s a shame that something so primitive has become such a problem. At least the jellyfish are still in tact.
Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with some administrators about this problem. Surely I am not the only one who notices.
Now, I’m always worried that whenever I use a public bathroom I will be subjected to endure the hatred and stupidity that is written on those walls. There are few stalls left in the girl’s bathrooms that have nothing on them, I hope it stays that way, but I don’t know how long that will last.
Often times I thought about what I would write if I ever had to write on the bathroom wall. So I figured something out after a discussion with a friend: “Long ago in a far away kingdom, nobody cared. The forest was filled with exotic animals and plants, nobody cared. There were beautiful people living in this kingdom, nobody cared. Wondrous and amazing things happened to these people, nobody cared. They were very rich and lived long and fulfilling lives, nobody cared. The end.” What is the message of the story?
Anyone even thinking about desecrating our bathroom walls, I have a news flash for you, “nobody cares.”

Rally for Sustainability! An Environmental Column by Yuki D.

2009-02-02T08:50:00.000-08:00

Energy dependence is a problem that has been left by the politicians and people of the current generation to the world’s next generation, our youth, to solve. This was the main reason behind the Vermont Sustainable Heating Initiative powered Rally for Sustainability on Friday, December 5. Over thirty high school and college students from Mount Abraham Union High School, Montpelier High School, and the University of Vermont showed up in Montpelier to support the student’s hopes for a sustainable future.
The evening started with poster and t-shirt making in Montpelier High School’s library. For t-shirts, there were mottos like, “Sustainable is Attainable,” “I’ll Make You Hot” (with a picture of a pellet stove), “It’s Electric!” (with an electric car), and “Local Food Tastes Better.” It was obvious that the rowdy UVM students definitely brought of energy to the event.
Carrying their posters and dressed in their new “green” t-shirts, the students marched from the high school to the steps of the capital building. All the while, the participants braved through the cold, shouting sustainability chants and pumping their arms to have cars honk their horns. Overall, it was a fun, yet freezing, walk to the statehouse. Since it was dark out, there was not much of a crowd outside. Nevertheless, the students started to dance to techno music provided by some of the students.
Around six-fifteen, the students moved to inside the statehouse for a question and answer session with some state legislators. These politicians were Representative Dave Sharpe, representing the Addison-4 District; Representative Tony Klein, representing East Montpelier and Middlesex; and newly voted Representative Kesha Ram, representing Chittenden 3-4. Representative Ram just graduated from UVM where she was Student Body President. She is very excited to be serving for the youth of Vermont.
The next hour or so was taken up by questions from the students about environmental issues like the relicensing of Vermont Yankee, agricultural run-off, the readiness of Vermont for alternative energy, the future of wind energy, the toxicity of everyday plastics, and the possibility of changing the culture surrounded around the democratic process.
All three of the politicians answered the questions thoroughly, although sometimes getting off topic. Most of the topics came down to finances, the raising of certain taxes, and the youth taking power and changing the way the Vermont government thinks about environmental policies. Representative Sharpe mentioned Mount Abraham’s own Vermont Sustainable Heating Initiative as a group of individuals working to change the view of high school and college students.
All three representatives were absolutely towards alternative energy in Vermont, but unfortunately, they believe that the state is not going to get anywhere without an executive official to support wind, biomass, solar, and hydroelectricity.
Representative Ram ended the night with telling students to speak up and stay connected to people, not just electronically, but face to face. Also, she encouraged students to run for office if they want their voices to be heard.
Overall, it was a great night, filled with techno dancing, sustainability, marching, attention, t-shirts, and hopes for the future of Vermont.

Interview with Greg Clark by CJ J.

2009-02-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

Interview with Greg Clark

When tasked with finding someone to interview, my mind immediately jumped to Mr. (Greg) Clark. I knew he had been teaching for a fairly long time, and he is often regarded as one of the funniest and most easy going teachers in the school. He is also on the state senate, leaving Mt. Abe every second semester to attend the conferences. He’s totally unpredictable which I thought would make for a fairly interesting interview. Here’s the result.

CJ: How long have you been teaching?

GC: I’ve been teaching for 15 years but I’ve been learning for 60.

CJ: Have you taught anywhere else?

GC: VUHS. I was there for a mere 3 years, and then I came to Mt. Abe.

CJ: Not only have you been a teacher for 15 years, you are also on the state senate. Were those always your life goals? Or did you have other plans when you were younger?

GC: I wanted to be the president of the United States, but I thought it would be a good idea to get a real job before I did that, so I decided to be a teacher until I got elected.

CJ: What college did you go to?

GC: Johnson State.

CJ: What are some of your fondest memories of Johnson State?

GC: “Dog’s Head.” I’m not going to tell you what that is [laughs]. I liked the dining hall that was built when I was there, and playing soccer.

CJ: Is “Dog’s Head” something you think inappropriate for a school interview?

CG: I just think it’s more interesting for people to wonder what it is without actually knowing. I will say, though, that is not an actual dog head.

CJ: What are some of your fondest childhood memories?

GC: Well, I’m not ‘fond’ of it per say, but when I was young I let one of my neighbors horses out of its pen and left it to roam free. It ended up wandering into the road and it was killed by an oncoming car. The neighbor’s daughter was very sad. I tried to lie, but eventually I admitted I had let it out. I learned an early lesson about lying.

CJ: Any happy memories?

GC: I liked my first day at school; my first girlfriend. She was a beauty. She thought I was a real dreamboat.

CJ: How much longer do you plan on teaching?

GC: Until I become governor or until Mr. Desorda kicks me out, whichever comes first. When Mr. Desorda starts easing me out I’ll know.

CJ: You are very good friends with your colleague Mr. Brewer. How long have you known him or been friends with him?

GC: I met Mr. Brewer when I first came to Mt. Abe fourteen years ago because he was a full time science teacher. We immediately became friends and we’ve stayed that way ever since.

CJ: What do you like most about teaching?

GC: Absolutely nothing. I hate it. [Laughs] Honestly, what I really enjoy the most is sharing stories of our country’s past with the nice students of Mt. Abe.
CJ: What do you find most valuable in life?

GC: I think the good upbringing I had from my parents… the friends I had when I was young, and the good relationships I’ve built with my students and colleagues over the past fourteen years.

Whether leading from the state house or the front of the classroom, Mr. Clark is a laid-back and funny guy, but if you’re paying attention, he has some wise words to share.

Cell Phone Ban: Response by Alex K.

2009-02-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

Due to unnecessary complaints about my other opinion article published in the last issue of The Bird’s Eye View about The Cell Phone Ban at Mount Abraham, here are some revisions. Thomas Shearer, an active member of the Admin Team and the Middle School "Behavior Specialist,” told me the reasons for having it. The team's main concern for having a cell phone ban was because allowing cell phone use during the school day does not support our school’s mission. According to the team, cell phone use allowed for apparent bullying and does not promote an active learning environment. Nancy Yannett, the Dean of students for grades 10 through 12, says that last year every advisory should have gotten a sheet of paper explaining the new policy; I personally did not get one of these sheets and was not aware of the explanation. Nancy said "I personally looked at every paper handed back and answered each question from the advisories." The question and answers were then printed in the parent-student newsletter.
I did not see this in the newsletter and I did not get the sheet explaining it in advisory. Everyone that I have spoken to, my friends and acquaintances, have told me that they did not really know why we have the cell phone ban in our school and that it was never really explained to them in reason. I still believe that Cell Phones should be allowed during certain times during the school day: possibly during a free block or lunch break. But I do understand that the administration does not want to keep track of all of the kids that could not be in a free period but are really in a class, who is going to keep track of them? The students should be responsible enough to not use them when they shouldn't, but that's not the case and we all know it.

Monkton Recycling Center by Erica S.

2009-02-02T08:38:00.000-08:00

Most Saturday mornings, teenagers will wake up at around 11 or so and spend their day free of school. This is not the case for the Monkton Maples.
Every other Saturday, these teenagers spend three hours from 9 to 12 supervising and running the Monkton Recycling Center. The students are hard to miss with their brand new fabulous orange vests for easy identification. They help the townspeople with their recycling, making sure that not too many unwanted recycling items go in their two Cassella bins, corrugated cardboard separate.
Most of the time, the students don’t face any trouble with the townspeople who are polite and friendly with the volunteers. But there are few other times where there have been problems. “Sometimes, when you tell people not to recycle something, they do it anyway. Other times, they get hostile.” said one volunteer, “I don’t think they understand that we don’t get paid to spend our Saturday telling them what NOT to recycle.”

In the Bin
Monkton is a member of the Addison County Solid Waste District. Don Maglienti, the ADCWD spokesman says “Every town manages its own recycling, which is paid for either through that individual town's taxes, or at time of drop-off by that town's residents. As such, the Town of Monkton would need a special arrangement with Bristol (or with any other town) to accept recycling from [Monkton] residents, and Bristol would likely require some form of payment from Monkton. Bristol is not a member town in our District, either, but that isn't really relevant, since Monkton would have to work out a deal with any town, District member or not. The Solid Waste District doesn't get involved too much with individual town recycling arrangements, other than promoting recycling in general.”
One common phrase used at the center has been the motto for the Addison County Solid Waste Department’s policy on plastic. “No film, no foam” meaning, that plastic bags and styrofoam cannot be recycled. Although plastics numbered one through seven are now acceptable for recycling, just because it has a number on it, does not mean that it can be recycled.
Common mix-ups between the Chittenden Solid Waste District rules and the Addison’s are plenty cause for confusion. One incident at the recycling center involved the disposal of 5-gallon pails. At the Monkton Recycling Center, they are not acceptable in Addison, although they are listed on the CSWD sheet as being ok. Anywhere else that accommodates them asks that they should be pretty clean, however, and not full of paint residues or dried spackle, etc.
The Monkton center also asks that feed bags for animals not be thrown in the bins, as well as anything encrusted with food or dirt. The recycling should be clean, otherwise the town pays for it.

Where it Goes
The recycling that is put in the Monkton bins goes to the Chittenden Solid Waste District's Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). At MRF, large loads of recyclables are sorted and prepared for market. Recently, there has been a switch from separating bottles and cans from paper and plastic, to All-in-One recycling, and new equipment at MRF has also been accommodated for the switch. The new equipment mechanically separates bottles and cans from mixed paper. After the initial sort, workers manually separate the recyclables (except for glass, which is crushed to create aggregate for use in a variety of local civil engineering applications) into different material types that are then compacted into bales and shipped to market where they are made into recycled products.

Team Spirit at Mt. Abe by Maren G.

2009-02-02T08:37:00.000-08:00

You can always tell when it’s game day at Mt. Abe; just look around the halls at how people are dressed. Are there some interesting outfits? It’s probably “team spirit” or dressing up as part of a sports team, a popular way to get pumped up for a game. It can range from wearing formal dresses to camouflage to just a team jersey.
What are some of the players’ favorite outfits? “80s!”said senior soccer player Molly Eaton enthusiastically. “Hm… I really liked Boy Day,” said Sierra Urich, a senior on the varsity field hockey team. Boy Day, at the end of September, certainly was fun. Each member of the field hockey team dresses up like a “boy,” from gangta to geek.
That is just one example of the many creative outfits created over the years. Some recent ones have been “shiny day,” “gypsies,” “kilts and high socks,” “pirates,” and more. Sometimes it just means wearing mismatched or clashing clothes, but whatever the team decides to do, it’s a great way of bringing the players together.
“It bonds people,” Molly and Sierra agreed. “You talk about the game all day.”
Team spirit seems to be a female phenomenon. It’s rare to see guys wearing anything as a team, though jerseys or shirts and ties are occasionally worn.
There are ways for non-athletes to get involved. About once a year, there is a school wide “spirit week” when everyone comes to school wearing a theme, such as school colors.

Age of Legality: Community Project by Ethan M.

2009-02-02T08:35:00.000-08:00

Scott Beckwith’s 11-12 Age of Legality class has taken on a Family in need for this Holiday Season. In the beginning of the year the class devoted their time to researching poverty issues in Vermont and raising money to help out a local family.

Through fundraisers like “Fall Fest 4 Families” and the Halloween Candy Bags, Mr. Beckwith’s class has raised over $500 dollars to donate to a struggling family this winter. The class, through The Addison County Community Action Group (ACCAG), has adopted a family to shop for everything on their wish-list.

Throughout the semester the class has taken an in depth look at poverty in Addison county and Vermont. Each student has drafted a letter addressing the poverty issue in Vermont that will be mailed to a newspaper editor or public official.

With the semester winding down, the class is scheduled to make a trip to Burlington on Friday, December 19 to see what kind of dent they can make in the list and give back to the community.

Cult Films by Ellen V.

2009-02-02T08:34:00.000-08:00

The knowledge and following of cult films in out generation seems to be a dying art. A cult film is a film that often failed in the box office but has a small, rabid following even years after its opening. Though many may be duds to varying personal opinions, one finds one they like, it will likely become a movie one will watch many times afterwards. This is a review of some of the best in cult film history.
The Big Lebowski, made in 1998, is a movie about Jeffery Lebowki (Jeff Bridges); self titled “The Dude”. Living in Los Angeles, he is mistaken for another Lebowski, this one a millionaire. Two thugs, thinking he’s the millionaire Lebowski, urinate on his rug because they think he owes them money. After confronting the millionaire Lebowski, the Dude gets pulled into a one-time job for a great deal of money. With help from his friend Walter (John Goodman), he gets too far into the job for his own good. The Dude, high in almost every scene and swearing every other word, somehow figures out this mystery almost impossible for a rookie to conceive.
Five Deadly Venoms is a ‘70s Chinese movie dubbed over in English. A dying kung-fu teacher asks his last student to track down his five former pupils. He taught each pupil a unique form of kung-fu, The Centipede, Snake, Scorpion, Lizard, and Toad. His last student knows a little of both. The teacher wants this man to figure out which former students are good, and which are evil, whom the final student must kill. The beauty of this film is in the kung-fu moves; it is easy to tell that the kung-fu fighters are not actually touching each other and there is a cracking sound very much like clapping at each blow.
Harold and Maude (1971) is about teenaged Harold who likes to scare his mother be performing very elaborate suicides for his mother. When attending a funeral for a man he did not know – he does this quite often – he meets seventy-nine-year-old Maude. They become friends and very soon they fall in love. If you can get over the weirdness of this situation, the extreme cuteness of this movie shines through.
Mocumentary This is Spinal Tap, tracks the sad, sad attempt at an American comeback tour by British heavy metal band Spinal Tap. This monumental movie is widely viewed as the funniest movie of all time. The forerunner of famous movies such as Best in Show, this movie exceeds all like it in every way. An absolute must see.
Finally, the legendary Rocky Horror Picture Show. There is no other movie like this one. Brad and Janet are newly wed at the beginning of this film. When driving in the rain, they get caught with a flat. Looking for to use the phone, they stumble upon transvestite Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s castle. Death, lust, and the making of a man follow, accompanied by a wide variety of unforgettable songs. The first time, the viewer may be unable to get over the undeniable weirdness of this movie. But if given another chance, it will be seen as unbelievably brilliant.

Rock for Uganda 2 by Patrick H. and Ethan M.

2009-02-02T08:24:00.000-08:00

Over $700 was raised at the beneficial concert, Rock for Uganda 2.

The money was raised for the Invisible Children movement, a group whose mission is to bring attention to and change the quality of life of war-affected children in northern Uganda. They have been terrorized by the LRA, a dangerous rebellion group opposing Uganda government, since the late 80’s.

Four local bands played at the event located at Holly Hall: Nate L’heureux, Burritos for Breakfast, Rush Angel, and Busted Brix.

There was an incredible amount of crowd involvement, especially when Rush Angel played “Kids in America”, originally sung by Kim Wilde, an English pop singer, and covered by several other bands, from the Jonas Brothers to Lens in Digimon: The Movie.

All bands agreed that each band had a good set, and Erin Castles-Brown of Burritos for Breakfast explained in a short interview that they “played the best set they have ever played.”

Rush Angel played three new originals: “F*** Alarm Clocks,” “Girls with Boyfriends S**k,” and “Confusion.”

A Bristol resident complained about the noise level in the later hours.

There were several food and drink items that added to the lump of cash the bands graciously handed over to Invisible Children.

Vermont Sustainable Heating Initiative Profile by Yuki D.

2009-02-02T08:19:00.000-08:00

Sustainability is a growing issue in Vermonters’ minds as we gear towards heating season. No one really wants to pay over three dollars on a gallon of heating oil. Luckily some high school and college students have the answer. The Vermont Sustainable Heating Initiative (VSHI) supports the use of locally grown and produced biomass (grass, wood, natural fibers) pellets as a way to affordably heat your home. This could help to sustain Vermont’s heating industry and keep people’s money in the country. VSHI believes that assorted prairie grass to make such pellets could be grown on the approximate 100,000 acres of underutilized agricultural land in Vermont.
In the middle of January 2008, a seed for VSHI was planted at the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont Winter Weekend. A weeklong program with a focus on attacking global climate change from different areas: youth activism, engineering, arts, and mind, body, spirit. It started in the engineering group when leader Tom Tailer suggested a project. Then, it spread like a virus. By the end of the weekend, the group had rounded up over 100 teenagers from about 26 high schools from around the state.
After a few meetings and many logistics to work out, VSHI planned a rally in mid-February of 2008. On that day, the fifty high school students marched from Montpelier High School to the Vermont Statehouse. The night began with a short speech from Mount Abraham Union High School student and VSHI board chair, Jessie-Ruth Corkins. It proceeded with techno dancing on the courthouse steps. The date happened to correspond with an oil hearing hosted by the House Natural Resources and Energy committee. There, the well prepared group astounded politicians and alternative fuel specialists with their vast knowledge and clever strategizing.
This lead to more presentations and tons of contacts from around the world to today, as VSHI has grown and networked like crazy to get support from all sectors of society. Currently, the group has started their own pilot project, formed in order to show that there is a market for pellets in Vermont. Hopefully this will lead to Vermont produced grass pellets. In the pilot project, VSHI is teaming up with the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Interested LIHEAP applicants in the five town area had the chance to fill out a program application. Then, their home was checked to see if it was possible to put a stove in. As money rolled into VSHI’s account, they purchased wood burning pellet stoves from Home Depot. With the assistance of an experienced professional, VSHI members have already installed three stoves and two others ready to go in.
To fund such a project, VSHI has established a carbon offset program. For $12, one ton of the carbon you have admitted is offset. Unlike other carbon offset programs, VSHI’s is completely transparent, meaning all of your money goes straight to the pilot program. For more information, visit their website www.sustainableheatingvt.org or talk to Tom Tailer at Mount Abraham Union High School.
Any way you decide in supporting our sustainable future, whether through buying carbon offsets, joining VSHI, or just buying a pellet stove yourself, what you are doing is helping. Anything people can do will help make sure our earth is healthy forever. VSHI is helping this feat by finding a renewable and better to keep your house heated this winter. As prominent VSHI member Courtney Devoid said, “We are giving people hope that they will be able to stay warm in the immediate future and for many years to come.”