Author Archives: The Advocate Online

NEWS: New-Look Key Club Returns, Looks For Volunteer Opportunities

(Photo courtesy Maya Markowitz)

By Julia Ryan – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s Key Club started up again on September 21 for the 2023-2024 school year. 

Advised by Mr. Boynton, Key Club aims to help out around the community while giving students a chance to earn volunteer hours. 

“We lost a lot of our officers this year so we are starting fresh,” Boynton said. 

New officers were elected at the end of school last year. 

“For the past couple years, Law’s Key Club has been extremely successful under the leadership of Caroline Doyle, the NEBD’s (New England Bermuda District), former District Governor,” Vice President Atiana Tandon said. 

Key Club aims to get a lot of new members this year and around 30 new members attended the first meeting. 

“The first meeting was very exciting,” President Maya Markowitz said. “We got good attendance and set the tone for the rest of the year.”

There are many returning members this year who are excited to become involved and a part of the Key Club community. 

“I’m definitely more excited to become more involved in the club and get volunteer hour opportunities,” returning member Kayla Markowitz said.

Throughout the school year, Key Club focuses on volunteering and helping others. 

“I hope that everyone can find volunteer opportunities throughout the year and become more involved especially as we prepare for DECON,” Maya Markowitz said. 

The club officers have many goals for the new year and are excited to prepare for DECON in the spring. 

“This year the main goal of me and our Club President, Maya Markowitz, is to rebuild the club and continue its streak of success, so we can showcase all of our club’s hard work at the District Educational conference in the Spring,” Tandon said. 

Key Club is a great opportunity to get involved in the school community. 

“Our main goal is to be busy and work well within the community and school,” Boynton said. 

NEWS: “Freshman Welcome Day” Helps Class Of 2027 Learn How To Be Lawmen

(Photo courtesy Yeiden Nieves)

By Yeiden Nieves – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Class of 2027 learned what it means to be a Lawman at a “Freshman Welcome Day” on September 22. 

The Freshman Academy started the event off with trivia and fun games to help the freshmen learn their advisory classmates. They followed that with a cookout, held fun field games, and rotated students around the building learning about the characteristics of a Lawman. 

“My favorite part of the event was the scavenger hunt,” freshman Matthew Witteman said. “It was a really fun way to learn the school more.”

Being a freshman can be a challenge, so many upperclassmen stepped up to help encourage the freshmen to get involved with the community. They hosted presentations around the building that showed the freshmen what it means to be a Lawman. 

“I encouraged the freshmen to get involved in the Law community by sharing with them how I got involved and my experience with extracurriculars,” sophomore Kayla Markowitz said. “I hope that by me sharing with them all the great things Law has to offer and my positive experiences that they become more inclined to become a part of the community themselves.”

This day was a great opportunity to show the freshman how to be involved with their community and what it means to be a Lawman. Building relationships between the freshmen, the community, and their upperclassmen was a key goal in this event.

“The overall goal of this experience is for ninth grade students to receive important information about our school, activities, and programs from upperclassmen who have experienced them,” Principal Mr. Darcy said. “It also helps continue to build on our positive school climate and family atmosphere.”

One of the most important factors in the event were the upperclassmen. They were tasked with the biggest job of supporting the freshmen.

“The upperclassmen helped show the freshmen what it means to be a Lawman,” junior Ella Franzman said, “We prioritized showing them on how to be better leaders and how they can get involved in their community.”

As a freshman, having support from upperclassmen can help a student feel welcomed – and that’s certainly how the freshman felt. 

“The upperclassmen encouraging us to be active in their activities and our community helped create a positive environment among us,” freshman Sophie Kalagher said. “They truly helped me feel welcomed into the Law community.”

The freshmen ended their day off with a BBQ and playing fun games with their peers and upperclassmen. The activity was far followed by a school-wide pep rally.

NEWS: Natural Helpers Club Looks To Bring Law Community Together

(Photo courtesy @helpersjlhs)

By Molly Lynch – Staff Reporter

The Natural Helpers Club is holding its first meeting of the year on Tuesday, October 3, after school in Room 206. 

This club’s main goal is to focus on students’ mental health and well-being while also bringing the school community together through many activities/events. These events are a great way to get involved with the school community and make new friends.

This club is also great for students who want to be more involved in their schools community and with the peers around them.

“We plan to repeat some of our favorite events from last year, including after-school Halloween Bingo (with prizes!), collaborative team-building competitions (like our cookie decorating event), and little activities along the way designed to bring a smile to people’s faces,” Natural Helpers Club Advisor Ms. Smuniewski said. “Whatever we do, our goals are to try to bring students together in a way that ensures all students feel safe and connected in our school.”

These events are a great way for students to come together and feel safe and connected with their school.

“Our annual De-Stress fest I would say is the most impactful event on the Law community,” junior club president Sarah Ahmed said. “It’s an opportunity for us students (and staff too!) to relax and have fun with the options of many activities before finals.”

The De-Stress Fest and other activities that the club holds are great sources for stress and anxiety relief and easily accessible safe spaces to relax. 

“Our club helps to give kids a space to make new friends and step out of their comfort zone,” sophomore club member Charlotte Baldieri said. 

This club gives students a safe space to feel comfortable enough to leave their comfort zone and make friends.

“Kids should join this club because it is an opportunity for leadership in the school,” club member junior Sana Joshi said. “It is a fun way to get involved in extracurriculars in the school and meet new people as well as create friendships and bonds,” 

This club provides leadership opportunities, involvement in extracurriculars, and the creation of new friendships and bonds.

“I love that Natural Helpers assists with bringing everyone together to support students who might be struggling socially or emotionally,” Law Principal Mr. Darcy said.

This club is a great outlet for people who may be struggling socially or emotionally and gives them a safe and secure place to go to.

NEWS: Model U.N. Club Returns, Makes Plans For Annual Conference

(Photo courtesy un.org)

By Ava Grippo – News Editor 

Model U.N’s first meeting of the year took place Friday, September 28, after school. 

The meeting was held in Ms. Burns’ room, Room 185. The club’s goal for this year is to carry on with building their memberships and raise money for their conference in New York in March. 

“I am most excited to help students practice their parliamentary debate and research skills as they prepare for the conference,” Model U.N. Co-Adviser Mr. Evanko said. 

Model U.N. is all about simulating international relations and members learn about debate and research skills. 

“My favorite part of Model U.N is learning about the different world issues that are occurring right now and to effectively debate and solve them,” senior Club Officer Moulika Sivalenka said

During the New York conference, members of Model U.N. take the role of delegates from countries around the world and solve a number of issues such as wars, food insecurity and climate change. Members have the chance to meet people from nations across the globe. 

“I am most looking forward to the conference and getting the chance to meet new people”, senior Club Officer Gemard Guery said. “The conference was really so much fun and I was able to make new relationships and strengthen relationships as well.”

With a new wave of freshmen, the Model U.N. Club should be expecting new members. 

“It seems like a lot of fun,” freshman Jackie Rivera said. “I heard about a trip to New York that seemed fun and meeting new people, doing new things, being helpful.” 

The conference in New York is the most important event that the members of Model U.N do. The club works hard all year to prepare for the conference. 

Co-advisor Ms. Burns said that last year’s conference was successful and fun for everyone who attended.

“It went really well,” Burns said. “It was our first year back after COVID and it was a lot of kids’ first time to come. I think the kids did really well in their committees. We raised a lot of money and it was a really good time.”

NEWS: Jonathan Law Students Apply For New Social Studies Honor Society

(Photo courtesy socialstudies.org)

By Sophie Kalagher – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law High School is excited about the arrival of a new club, the Nation Social Studies Honors Society. 

The admissions were due on Tuesday, September 26, and were available only to juniors and seniors. History teacher and advisor Mr. Zuraw is excited for the start of this new club. 

“I expect members to be engaged and active in the club’s activities because it is really important for a brand new club to start off strongly and keep interest high,” Zuraw said. 

The club has many new applicants and is still working on plans for upcoming events. 

“Honestly, the plans aren’t set yet because we are focusing on getting the club up and running,” Zuraw said. “Once that happens, and we will have a couple of meetings and elect officers, then the students can begin to decide exactly how they want this club to work and what the plan is for the rest of the year.”

The application process included meeting the GPA and course criteria that are set by the National Chapter of the Honor Society, and there was a Google Form application and a letter of recommendation needed from a teacher. Many were a part of this application process. 

“I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects and engage with like-minded individuals who share my enthusiasm for the past and its impact on the present,” senior applicant Raymond Dong said. 

Many of the applicants are well-rounded students who are participating in other extracurriculars. But many have come to the consensus that the NSSHS will be one of their top priorities. 

“I am planning on balancing this with my extracurriculars by putting this in priority to other clubs,” junior applicant Maddy Baranowsky said. 

The members of the NSSHS are expected to stay engaged and active with the club and activities. Zuraw encourages this in order to help keep the interest high. 

“I’m hoping to showcase my skills and things I’ve learned from the history department,” junior applicant Addison Barber said. 

Most of the applicants are very excited and passionate about the start up of the NSSHS. Applicants are looking to grow their abilities and learn from new experiences. 

“I am hoping to gain more appreciation and knowledge when it comes to Social Studies,” junior applicant Sarah Ahmed said.

NEWS: Law’s National Math Honor Society Returns For Year Number Five

(Photo courtesy Fiorella Gargiulo)

By Fiorella Gargiulo – Staff Reporter

The National Math Honor Society is starting back up for its fifth year at Law.

 Math teacher Mr. Ruzbarsky is the advisor for NMHS. On the board of NMHS are President Moulika Sivalenka, Vice President Srivarsh Gudlavalleti, Treasurer Sara Moshirzadeh, and Secretary Max Lula. 

Ruzbarsky founded the NMHS at Law and has been leading the society since the fall of 2019.

“A few years ago, some students came to me with the idea of starting a math honor society,” Ruzbarsky said. “We looked into it and decided it would be a great idea to start and promote mathematics in our building and community.” 

Sivalenka was elected in May 2023 and is excited to have the privilege of leading her fellow inductees.

“I would say a huge part of my job is making sure all the members are participating in activities and that our honor society is making sure math is an important part of the Law community,” Sivalenka said.

To join the NMHS, students must complete Algebra 2, have an overall GPA of at least 3.8, and an overall math grade of at least an 87. The society aims to involve as many people from the community as possible to enjoy math-related activities. 

“The NMHS definitely helped develop my leadership, time management, teamwork, and problem-solving skills,” former NMHS President and Law Class of 2022 Valedictorian Aislinn Burns said. “These are skills I use every day when adjusting to college, especially college mathematics.”

Last year, the NMHS hosted events like the Pi-lympics and April Math Month. Along with these events, they provided peer math assistance after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“I would say that joining NMHS has taught me to learn how to help others with their math through the extended learning program in the TLC on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Gudlavalleti said. “I like being involved in the process of helping our members and our society be the best that they can be.”

With the NMHS, Law also has the National Honor Society, the Science National Honor Society, the National Art Honor Society, and the Social Studies National Honor Society. Each honor society accepts applications with different requirements.

“I think being in an honors society means being recognized and celebrated for your advanced academic and math skills and being able to collaborate with other math students in the school,” junior member Deepika Chitirala said. “If someone was considering joining, I would definitely encourage them to apply, even if they don’t know if they’ll get in or not.”

NEWS: Law’s Cooking Club Preparing Recipes For New School Year

(Photo by Gabriella Coffin)

By Gabriella Coffin – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Cooking Club is starting up once again for the 2023-2024 school year. 

The Cooking Club meets on two Thursdays per month. The October meeting dates are October 12 and October 26. 

“Each year the club builds momentum, so I’m excited to see how students will lead its direction,” Cooking Club Advisor Ms. Ryan said. “The club’s mission centers on building individual cooking skills and community service.”

Many new members are excited to learn about cooking and eat unique foods.

“I am looking forward to eating and making my own food instead of someone else making it for me,” sophomore Kiara Tavarez said. “I want to learn good techniques for cooking.” 

The club has two student leaders this year – seniors Juan Pineda and Mia Arias – that are excited to immerse into the world of cooking.

“We are looking forward to pursuing our favorite hobby which is cooking, and having fun in the cooking club,” Arias said. “We are excited for the cooking club to start, especially since we get to have more meetings this year.”

The Cooking Club allows students to gain volunteer hours while also helping the community. 

“We bake and cook for the Beth-El Shelter, and we get volunteer hours in return,” Pineda said. “We plan beforehand what we are going to cook and use the ingredients that the beth-el shelter donates to us.”

Last year, the club made many delicious foods such as soup and falafel as well as many different cookies. The Cooking Club also works closely with the Beth-El Shelter and other honor societies within Law. 

“We previously  teamed up with the National Art Honor Society to sell homemade soups with hand crafted soup bowls,” Ryan said.

This is Cooking Club’s fourth year running and club members cannot wait for the starting date on October 12.

“I am looking forward to do more recipes and volunteer while also having fun,” sophomore Jud-Arah Guilluame said. 

Many new members are interested in joining to learn more about the world of cooking.

“I am excited to broaden my cooking skills,” sophomore Hailey Stephen said. “I am hoping to learn better knife cutting skills.” 

The Cooking Club is a great way for students who couldn’t fit culinary into their schedule this year to still learn about cooking techniques and its lifestyle. 

“Many students are members because they couldn’t fit culinary classes in their schedules, but still wanted that creative culinary outlet,” Ryan said.  “I think our students feel a sense of pride in having a mission of service to others.”

NEWS: Jonathan Law Kicks Off New School Year With Spirit Week 

(Photos courtesy @jlawadvocate)

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief 

The Jonathan Law Senior Student Council organized this school year’s first Spirit Week the week of September 18.

The Spirit Week consisted of Pajama Day, Tropical Tuesday, Barbie & Ken Day, Student/Teacher Swap Day and Color Wars. 

Throughout the entire week students and staff dressed up according to the days and the week ended with a pep rally in the gym. 

“My favorite day was the Teacher-Students swap,” Law Principal Mr. Darcy said. “It was fun to see students and staff who dressed as each other, took photos, Tweets, etc. I even had a student dress up like me which was a surprise.” 

Senior Class President Ike Opayemi, Senior Class Advisors Ms. Russell and Mrs. Francisco, and other Student Council members planned the themes and pep rally.  

“We always wish for more and more participation, different spirit days, and other fun competitions at the pep rallies,” Francisco said. “We also want to see hallway decorations in the near future.”

There will be more spirit weeks going into the school year, one before thanksgiving, another in the winter and one or two more in the spring. 

“My favorite part of spirit week was getting to see all of my friends’ outfits they wore and getting to coordinate fun outfits with my classmates and teachers,” sophomore Kayla Markowitz said.

The goal of spirit week is to bring the school together and increase pride, energy, and school spirit. 

“My favorite day of spirit week would definitely be the Barbie/Ken theme,” Opayemi said. “Our school never had the opportunity to do a theme like that and I loved seeing everyone dressed up in their outfits.” 

The Barbie/Ken themed day emerged from the release of the “Barbie” movie which came out over the summer. 

“My favorite part of spirit week is seeing the amount of students and staff that participate on any given day,” Darcy said. “I’ve worked in other schools where participation is low. At Law, we always have a ton of support for our spirit days due to the positive school climate.”

NEWS: Eagle Eye News Back On The Air For New School Year

(Photo courtesy youtube.com)

By Maya Markowitz – Social Media Editor

Eagle Eye News returned to the airwaves on September 19 for its first episode of the 2023-2024 school year.

Now in its 18th season, Eagle Eye News is Law’s live daily morning news show. The show runs everyday and informs students about everything going on at Law.

The program runs every second block on A-D Days and Common Time on E and F Cays. 

“I am super excited to learn how to host the news and learn more about Broadcast Journalism,” senior Broadcast Journalism student Helen Chizmazia said. 

Every semester, the show chooses a new “intro” that is usually based on a popular show or movie. This year, they have taken their own spin on the theme song for the hit show “Law and Order.”

The first Eagle Eye News episode of the year featured a special welcome message from Principal Mr. Darcy.

“We have all been preparing for Eagle Eye News to air since the start of school,” senior Olivia Hudak said. “People never realize how important the behind-the-scenes are.” 

Broadcast students have also started to put together creative projects to air on the news that relay important information to the school.

“It’s important for the community to know about new things going on and it is important spreading school spirit,” senior Maddy Gaillard said.  

A new feature on Eagle Eye News this year will be an ongoing reminder about when each club meets during the week. 

“I like that we can remind people weekly of their clubs because it adds consistency to the news and helps clubs be full,” Broadcast Journalism teacher Ms. Kelly said.

All episodes of Eagle Eye News can be found on the Eagle Eye News YouTube channel at youtube.com/JLHSEagleEyeNews.

SPORTS: Senior Captains Borecki, Chizmazia Lead Volleyball Team On, Off Court

(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Addy Barber – Staff Reporter

The Law volleyball team is off to a strong start led by senior captains Ashley Borecki and Helen Chizmazia.

The seniors have worked hard during the offseason to prepare themselves and the team for the demanding schedule. The volleyball team is currently 5-1, and they are setting their sights on states under Borecki and Chizmazia’s leadership.

“My personal goal for the season is just to bring everything to the court every game,” Borecki said. “We have a pretty tough schedule this year in terms of teams and the actual schedule itself, so I just want to give it my all every time.”

Borecki has been on varsity for three years and has been a captain for two years. Chizmazia has been on varsity for two years and it is her first year as a captain. 

“I chose my captains based on what I had seen over the last few years,” head coach Ms. Loch said.

Both captains are passionate about the team and the game.

“Ashley’s passion for the game and her drive on the court is contagious,” Loch said. “Helen is a fireball. She gets pumped up, excited, has a great attitude all the time and works hard always.”

The team also spends time together off the court. They hold pasta parties and enjoy team bonding activities.

“I think a huge part of what makes our team dynamic so good is our chemistry with each other,” Chizmazia said. “Communication on and off the court is a huge reason that keeps us so close and a comfortable place to be.” 

The captains try their hardest to keep the team’s morale up throughout the season.

“Captains keep team morale up in lots of different ways,” senior Caden Simpson said. “It could be as simple as cheering and staying positive on the court, or as much as organizing things outside of school such as pasta parties.”

The captains have led the eight seniors and six juniors on the team to their 5-1 record.

“Each senior brings something to the table to be a leader for our team,” Loch said. “It’s been exciting to see them grow and improve through the four years on this team. They are all a great asset to Law volleyball and we will miss them all so much next year.”

The captains started preparing for this season with the team over the summer.

“They organized a summer league for us to get ready for the season and practice playing other teams,” junior Hannah Engel said.

SPORTS: Law Volleyball Team Off To Strong Start, Sets Sights On States

(Photo courtesy Eric Relucio)

By Gemard Guery and Bobby Black – Advocate Editors

The Jonathan Law volleyball team is off to a great start to the 2023 season. 

The team is captained by seniors Ashley Borecki and Helen Chizmazia and coached by Ms. Loch, a math teacher at Jonathan Law.  

The team is currently 5-1 with wins over Foran, West Haven, Lauralton Hall, Mercy, and Sacred Heart Academy. Their only loss came in their season opener against New Canaan.

“I think the season has been going really, really well,” Borecki said. “We are very scrappy and have a good relationship on and off the court which I think shows in our gameplay.”

Law graduated several key seniors from last year’s team, but they have continued to work well together this season. Some key members of the team this season have been Borecki, Chizmazia, seniors Olivia Hudak, Zoe Johnson, Caden Simpson, Kiley Sherman, Angie Robinson, and Samantha Chy, and juniors Addy Barber and Hannah Engel.

“I think our chemistry is super solid right now and I hope to continue to make the team a super place to be.  We all really want the best for each other and I definitely want that gratitude to carry throughout our season,” Chizmazia said.

While the team is having a lot of fun, it can also be challenging at times.

“The beginning of the season is always so hard because we are getting back into a routine and schedule after having no specific schedule and no school in the months leading to our season,” Loch said. “We are all readjusting to ‘back to school’ and keeping our energy up.”

Barber said the team is looking to improve collectively and individually as the season continues.

“I am working to improve my blocking and attacking transitions,” Barber said. “As a team, we are also working hard to improve our weaknesses.”

The team is working hard to go to SCCs and states this year and are also trying to just have fun and enjoy the season.

“I’m most looking forward to just enjoying the season to its fullest and playing my best,” Borecki said. “This is my last season, so I am looking forward to using what I’ve learned over the past three years and seeing it translate onto the court.”

SPORTS: Law Cheerleading Team Debuts New Routine, Preps For Competition Season

(Photo courtesy @jlhscheer)

By Quinn Willett and Haley Stroffolino – Social Media Editors

The Jonathan Law varsity cheerleading team has been on the sidelines for the past two Jonathan Law football games rooting the team on.

These games are part of the start of cheerleading season which begins in the fall and continues through the winter.

“A goal I have for this season is for everyone to push themselves,” junior captain Alexa Rosati said. “I want people to feel like they have people to talk to about anything even outside of cheer and build long lasting friendships.”

The cheer team is excited to participate in competitions in the winter and to win some titles.

Head coach Morgan Colombo has shared some goals that she has herself as well.

“It’s been a while since this team has competed and I can’t wait for them to shine on the competition mat,” Colombo said. “I’m not pushing for a first place trophy, but my goal is to hit zero.”

As the season begins, new members of the team are starting off strong and already improving. 

“I think this season will go pretty well for us,” freshman Avery Dubielewicz said. “We have to keep improving but I think the season will go very well for us.”

The team as a whole is excited for the annual Thanksgiving football game and for their new halftime show. 

“I am really looking forward to the Thanksgiving game,” Colombo said. “I graduated from Law in 2015 and am a Law cheer alum. Being back in general is giving me déjà vu, but the Thanksgiving game has always been one of my favorite law events and I can’t wait to be back, but, on the other side.”

The team has made great progress since last season and team members are working on new skills, stunts and routines. 

“Since last season, we’ve made great progress in synchronization and tumbling,” senior captain Mikayla Capobianco said. “It’s amazing to see our progress and how our hard work has been paying off.”

Along with goals and improvements, the team has also had some struggles they have overcome. 

“Our struggle is boosting self-confidence, but we’re committed to overcoming this,” Capobianco said. “Confidence is key.” 

The Jonathan Law cheer team has new exciting things to share this season and cannot wait to show the fans.

SPORTS: Talented Law Girls Soccer Teams Kicks Off Fall Season

(Photo courtesy Eric Relucio)

By Will Smith and Tim Firla – Entertainment Editors

The Law girls soccer team kicked off their season on September 9.

The team currently has a record of 2-2 with wins over Lauralton Hall and North Haven and losses to Hand and Amity. 

Law math teacher and head coach Mrs. Francisco is excited for what is to come this fall.

Every season brings new challenges, but some always stay the same,” Francisco said. “Learning to play with new teammates and build a strong team chemistry is always the first challenge we want to tackle.” 

Being a young team in the SCC with only two seniors starting is not easy, but Fransisco said it is promising to see how the underclassmen have stepped up this year.

“I am looking forward to seeing how the underclassmen step up this season,” Fransisco said. “With a team that currently only starts two seniors, it’s exciting to see how the younger players take charge not only on the field but within the SCC. We are definitely going to be turning some heads this season.”

Key players for the team so far this season include senior goalie Chloe Haasch, junior captain Maddy Baranowsky, sophomores Layla Alogna and Avery Moulton, and freshmen Sophie Kalagher and Emily Vella, who had two goals in the team’s win against North Haven.

Macy Tiche is one of the two seniors that start for the team and has high hopes in her personal goals this year to help the team.

My goals are to make states, and further my soccer career in college,” Tiche said. “I would like to play club Division 1 or Division 2 soccer at a nice school somewhere down south.”

Junior Tessa Piselli is starting her third year on varsity and is excited for the soccer team to reach new heights this year.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how far our team goes, bonding with my teammates, and facing new teams and competitions,” Piselli said.

SPORTS: Jonathan Law Girls Swim Team Dives Into Fall Season

(Photo courtesy Sherri Franzman)

By Zack Sulkis – Social Media Editor-in-Chief and Cesar Mendez – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law’s girls swim team recently started their 2023 season. 

The captains and members of the swim team have all been practicing hard and are ready to dive into this season

“I am so excited for this season and  I love the girls and the environment,” senior captain Christina Ayala said.  “I can not wait to see everyone’s improvements through the season.”

As of September 22, the swim team as a record of 2-1 with wins over Hamden and West Haven.

The captains this year are very excited and are focused on doing whatever they can to ensure the team performs at its best. The whole team spends lots of time together to grow their bond within each other.

“As a captain, I serve as a leader and make sure that there is always a positive attitude among the team,” senior captain Gianna Gagliardi said. “We also plan fun things as a team, we do team bonding, frequent pasta parties, secret psycher, and more to ensure that everyone is having an enjoyable time on the team.”

There are a lot of big expectations for all of the girls to compete at high levels and break their own personal records. Many girls swimmers qualified for states last season, so the team is hopeful they can repeat this previous year with even more girls going to states.

“I plan to improve from last season by working hard everyday and giving my 110%,” junior Sana Joshi said. “My biggest goal is to break the 100 breaststroke time this year.”

Seniors this year are trying to leave a good mark on this team especially because they won’t be back next year to help the other girls.

“I am very excited for this season especially since it’s my later year,” senior captain Sarah Bagdasarian said. “ I have to be a good role model and make sure that everyone is feeling safe and well heard on the team.” 

Assistant coach Mr. Lui is very excited for this upcoming season and what it has ahead. He is also very excited for this year’s Senior Night and is going to miss the Class of 2024.

“I know it’s about a month away, but I’m excited for our senior night against Foran,”  Lui said. “Last year’s meet was extremely close and we’d like to come out on top this season. Senior Night is always a fun way to celebrate the achievements our veteran swimmers have accomplished.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Ms. Kelly About Her New Role As Eagle Eye News Advisor

(Photo courtesy Ms. Kelly)

By Harrison Fisher – Sports Editor 

Eagle Eye News, Law’s daily morning news show, returned to the air for its first show of the year on Tuesday, September 19. This year, Ms. Kelly is the new advisor for Eagle Eye News. She takes over for Mr. Kulenych, who was the Eagle Eye News advisor for the past 17 years. Kelly is excited and eager to keep the Law community up to date on the news of the day and she is entertaining some creative ideas to keep Law captivated. Kelly is an English teacher, the advisor for the Keyettes and the Black Student Union, and the freshman class advisor. In her role as the new advisor of Eagle Eye News, she will work with the members of the news team to keep Law’s students and faculty informed. Advocate Sports Editor Harrison Fisher interviewed Kelly about her plans for the new season of Eagle Eye News.

Harrison Fisher: How do you feel about your new role as the advisor of Eagle Eye News?

Ms. Kelly: I’m really excited about my new role as the advisor of Eagle Eye News. I was a little nervous at
the beginning because the class is so new to me, but Mr. Kulenych really helped me.

HF: What aspect of Eagle Eye News are you most excited about?

MK: I love to edit and film videos and content, so I’m really excited to support their filming and editing of their videos.

HF: What are your future plans for the news?

MK: Our future plans for the news is to rebrand. The name will be new, including the logo, and all of the marketing for the news. We also hope to make new types of videos and revamp the Senior Video.

HF: What advice do you have for the news crew this year?

My advice for the news crew is to have fun with it. The world is your oyster – you can create
any videos you want highlighting our JLHS community.

HF What type of stories will you and the news crew be reporting on?

MK: Our crew will be interviewing teachers, administration, and more. Also, they will be filming and highlighting different sports teams by creating hype videos for them. Another fun type of video you will see will be skits and comedy videos.

SPORTS: Law Cross Country Teams Starting Their Seasons Off Strong

(Photo Courtesy Mr. Beler)

By Kayla Markowitz and Harshitha Kothapalli – News Editors

The girls’ and boys’ cross-country teams at Jonathan Law are three weeks into the season and are off to a great start.

The teams have already participated in three meets and are working every day to get better.

“The season’s going pretty well,” senior Claire Moulton said. “The frst meet was very good but there’s definitely room for improvement.”

This year, the teams are being led by Coach Beler and Coach Schulte. Head Coach Beler is ready to lead the team this year and he is excited for the season.

“The team has demonstrated a strong work ethic and we have shown constant growth every meet,” Beler said. “We are excited as we enter the competition portion of our season with meets at Winding Trails and Wickham Park as well as SCC Divisions and the Milford championships.”

This year’s captains on the girl’s team are Claire Moulton, Alana Pires, and Skye Hamilton. The boys’ captains are Tanner Matchett, Matthew Barrett, Aidan Hope, and Chris Rickard.

Matchett is ready to be a leader for the team and has lofty goals for the team and individually.

“My goals for the season is to improve my times each race and continue to lead by example as a senior and captain for the next athletes and upcoming runners,“ Matchett said. “My personal goal for the season is to hopefully break 20 minutes or even 19 as the season progresses and place well in SCCs and states.”

This year, the season started off a little rocky with back-to-back meets and constant schedule changes due to excessive heat and rain. However, the teams took it as an opportunity instead of a challenge.

“It definitely has been stressful but we have been starting dynamic workouts and jump rope at the beginning of practice to warm up our bodies in different ways,” sophomore Dulce Paz-Gomez said. “I can already tell it’s helping and bonding the team making us stronger going into our races.”

The team has been preparing for the upcoming season over the summer to be in the best shape possible.

“As a team, we prepared by having captains practice five times a week during the summer starting in late June,” Matchett said. “This gave us time to get into good condition when the season comes around.”

Both teams are excited to watch the growth of each of their teammates and are ready to encourage all members.

“My favorite part of being on the team is seeing my friends and teammates improve,” sophomore David Lickteig said.

Moulton and other captains are making sure all of their teammates are prepared and ready.

“We lead the team during runs but also make sure we always create a safe space for the team to talk if they ever need anything and we let them know we are here for them whether it’s running-wise or not,” Moulton said.

NEWS: Law Says Bonjour To New French Teacher Dr. Evans

(Photo courtesy Kayla Markowitz)

By Kayla Markowitz – News Editor 

Dr. Evans joins the Jonathan Law community this year as a new French teacher.

Dr. Evans teaches five classes this year, French 1, 2, 3, 4, and AP French Language and Culture. She is excited to be a part of Law and already feels very welcomed.

“I love everything about it here at Law – the great students, the wonderful and supportive administration, my warm and friendly colleagues, the helpful staff,” Evans said. “I already feel very much at home here.”

Evans attended the University of New York at Albany where she got her bachelor’s degree in French and received her Master’s degree in French at the University of Colorado Boulder. She also earned her Ph.D. in Foreign Language Education from the University of Iowa.

Before coming to Jonathan Law, she taught French classes at Foran for one year.  Before working at Foran last year, she was a Professor of Teacher Education and French at Southern Connecticut State University and directed an American school in France. Prior to that, she was a Professor of Teacher Education and French at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC.

Law principal Mr. Darcy said that Evans stands out because of her positive attitude and enthusiasm about the French language and culture. 

“I believe she will be a great addition to the Law community,” Darcy said. “She’s a master of her content and wants to educate students about the language and fully immerse them into the French culture.”

This year, Evans hopes to share her love for French cultures with her students and is excited to educate young minds.

“I love sharing my passion for the French language and Francophone cultures around the world,” Evans said. “I love the creativity of being in the classroom and I love helping Law’s community of French learners to reach new linguistic heights and to embrace new and different perspectives on the world around us”

Students are excited to learn from her and participate in her class.

“She’s always really enthusiastic and interactive with the students,” sophomore Harshitha Kothapalli said. “So far her class and teaching style is really enjoyable.” 

So far, Evans is adjusting well to life at Law and is excited to see where the year takes her.

“I couldn’t be happier with the way the year has started,” Evans said. “I would like to thank my students and colleagues for welcoming me into the Law family.”

During her free time, Evans likes to bike, cook, and watch movies with her family.

NEWS: Jorge Excited To Be New Physics Teacher At Law

(Photo courtesy Will Smith)

By Will Smith – Entertainment Editor

Mrs. Jorge is Law’s new Physics teacher.

Jorge is from Trumbull and graduated from Fairfield University. She was studying Physics there until she decided that she wanted to pursue teaching.

She then transferred to Southern Connecticut State University where she graduated with a Physics degree and a certification in Physics 7-12.

Jorge said she’s excited to be a member of Law’s faculty.

“I like that all our staff members are really kind, the students are really nice, and it’s like a family,” Jorge said

Outside of school, Jorge is a soccer coach. She runs 2 and 3-year-old classes with the recreational program in Trumbull. Jorge coaches an 8-and-under girls team with Trumbull United and is currently the Bunnell girls varsity soccer coach. 

When she isn’t working, Jorge and her husband like to hang out with their friends and go out to dinner.

NEWS: Schacht Joins Law Staff To Teach Behavioral Support Program

(Photo courtesy Bobby Black)

By Bobby Black – Sports Editor

Mr. Schacht is a new Special Education teacher this year at Jonathan Law.

Schacht came to Law after previously teaching at Naugatuck High School. 

“The staff and students at JLHS have been super friendly and helpful,” Schacht said. ”During the first week there was excited energy and good vibes in the building with everyone excited for a new year.”

Schacht is excited to teach the Behavioral Support Program at Law. 

“The most promising trait that we see is that Mr. Schacht will never give up on any student, no matter the circumstances,” Law Principal Mr. Darcy said. ”He’s willing to work closely with students to ensure their individual success.”

Schacht chose to apply for the job after talking to a friend in the building who recommended the Milford Public Schools, and Law specifically.

“I met Mr. Schacht through our Special Education Supervisor, Mr. Paradis,” Darcy said. “He recommended him for the position due to his prior experiences.”

Darcy and others believe that Schacht fits in perfectly with the community at Law. 

“Mr. Schacht fits in perfectly with our Law community because he has the same views we share,” Darcy said. “We believe that all students can learn and we treat each other like a large family.”

SPORTS: Jonathan Law Boys Soccer Team Confident About Upcoming Season

(Photo courtesy Eric Relucio)

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief

The Jonathan Law Boys soccer team kicked off their season earlier this week and are super pumped for the 2023 season.   

The Lawmen are led by captains; Cooper Fitzgerald, Elliot Melgar and Declan Wywoda. Their next game is Tuesday, September 19 against Sheehan at Lawmen Stadium. 

“I am looking to see how we compete against the top teams in the state,” head coach Mike Gruber said. “Our schedule doesn’t have any easy games so each game will be a battle and will be very competitive.”

The team unfortunately fell short when they opened up against Daniel Hand, they also played Hamden on September 14 and ended the game in a tie 2-2.

“I’m expecting a big improvement from last year, I’ve been working with all the younger guys since last season ended,” Fitzgerald said. “We’ve developed a lot as a group both physically and tactically and I’m excited to see what we can produce this year as a team.”

The team’s expectations are always to make it to the SCC Tournament and the State Tournament and go as far as possible.

“I plan on making practice as difficult and challenging as possible so that when we play in-game, it comes easy,” Wywoda said. “Practice needs to be at 100 percent at all times so that the speed of the game doesn’t surprise us.”

The team has a lot of talented players, and a lot of leaders, that are not just the captains. 

“The transition to the high school game is tough but they are acclimating very well and I see them getting better each and every day,” Gruber said. “They are a big part of the future and I am excited to see growth from them in the next four years.”

The team lost eight seniors last year, leaving spots for new players or freshmen to fill. This year the team got 7 freshmen. 

“I plan to lead by example and work as hard as possible, so that our team will be able to make the postseason tournaments,” junior Alex Rodriguez said. 

A few players from the team commented on the fact that they always look forward to Law Vs Foran rivalry games. 

“I am also looking forward to seeing these student athletes gel both on the field and off the field and make long lasting friendships that they will have throughout their life,” Gruber said. “We are a tight knit group and everyone looks out for each other which is nice to see.”

Last year the Lawmen ended their season with a record of 3-10-3. Playing top teams in the state made it hard for the Lawmen to have a promising record. 

“We played and competed with high-level teams in the state in order to get in shape to prepare for the season,” Wywoda said. “We got our conditioning up and played more as a team so we could start the regular season strong and make the state tournament.”

SPORTS: Beler Era Begins For Jonathan Law Cross Country Teams

(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Harry Fisher – Sports Editor

The 2023 Jonathan Law cross country season is in full swing under the direction of new head coach Mr. Beler.

Beler replaces Charlie Phillips who retired from coaching the boys cross country team at Law for the past 55 years. He is excited to see the Lawmen compete in their first meet of the season.

I am excited for all of the meets,” Beler said. “Every chance we have to get better gets me excited as a coach.”

Beler is highly motivated to take over and help each individual on the team achieve their personal best. He has reached out to some notable coaches in the area and researched some intense workouts to ensure each practice is designed to push the Law runners toward success. 

“We are mixing up workouts with distance, threshold, anaerobic and aerobic workouts to increase our wind and speed,” Beler said.

The weather has delayed some of the opening meets, but the Law runners are ready to attack the course in the rescheduled events this week.

With a full season on the horizon, Beler is planning new ways to help get all of the cross country runners in shape for the upcoming season.

“I am looking for constant decrease in times so by the time we get to the SCC and Milford Championships we will be running our best times,” Beler said.

He hopes that all of the cross country runners are ready to run there best times at every meet. The main goal for the cross country team is to win everyday by working and training everyday.

“The main goal is to win every day,” Beler said. “As a team we will continue to work hard to get PRs.”

NEWS: Evans Joins Jonathan Law Faculty As New English Teacher

(Photo courtesy Quinn Willett)

By Quinn Willett – Social Media Editor 

New English teacher Mrs. Evans made the move to Jonathan Law High this year. 

Evans worked at two other high schools – Masuk High School in Monroe and Oxford High School – is loving the change to Jonathan Law. She is enjoying her time with her freshman classes and is also excited to teach Creative Writing. 

“I like it a lot,” Evans said. “The kids are fun and engaged in school, easy to work with, and the teachers are nice and supportive.”

Evans said she also loves the supportive administration at Law. 

“Here at Law the administration is in it with us,” Evans said. “Teachers and administrators are in it together and they all work together as one.”

Evans’ students said that she is a super-understanding teacher who goes out of her way to help students. 

“Mrs. Evans is a great teacher,” freshman Cole Alogna said. “She’s kind and understanding and always offers to help us.”

Besides teaching English, Evans has 13-year-old twins and a dog named Milo. She enjoys exercising and spending time with her children and husband. 

NEWS: Jonathan Law Class Of 2027 Adapts To High School Lifestyle

(Photo courtesy Harshitha Kothapalli)

By Harshitha Kothapalli – News Editor

As the new school year begins, Law’s freshmen are becoming well-adjusted to their new classes and environment.

After a great start to the year, freshmen at Jonathan Law are now familiar with the school and faculty members.

“High school’s been great,” freshman Nik Misra said. “I know where all my classes are now.”

The Freshmen Academy teachers are always trying to get freshmen well-adapted to the new school and year. 

“We are a group of teachers (The Freshmen Academy) who meet with freshman students throughout the year to check on their progress,” science teacher Mr. Morazzini said. “We also design experiences with the help of the upperclassmen (such as Freshman Welcome Day) to introduce our students into the law community.”

This year’s freshmen seem to have had a smooth transition from middle school to high school with the help of their teachers.

“It was pretty seamless because we were taught everything we needed to know and the orientation definitely helped,” freshman Carson Ferguson said.

Assistant Principal Mrs. Sulzycki stressed the need for freshmen to join Law’s extracurricular activities. 

“I think it is so important for freshmen to get involved,” Sulzycki said. “It’s the best way to meet people and feel comfortable in their environment.”

Freshmen have also learned the importance of high school and the differences between middle school and high school.

“You have a lot more freedom,” Misra said. “Teachers let you do your own thing but also make sure you’re on the right path.”

Teachers are excited to work with the new freshmen to make sure they are ready to take on the year.

The freshman class seems great this year, and as part of the Freshman Team we look forward to developing different experiences for the freshmen to get them acclimated to the law family,” Morazzini said.

Upperclassmen are also always willing to help freshmen out and make sure they know where they are going.

“Everyone’s really nice,” freshman Matt Whitteman said. “Going to my classes has been very easy. I just ask people and they show me the way.”

NEWS: An Interview With Law Principal Mr. Darcy On The New School Year, New Teachers, And More

(Photo courtesy Zack Sulkis)

By Zachary Sulkis – Social Media Editor-in-Chief

Jonathan Law principal Mr. Darcy is looking forward to his second year leading the Lawmen. Social Media Editor-In-Chief Zack Sulkis interviewed Darcy about the 2023-2024 school year

Zack Sulkis: What are you looking forward to most about this school year?

Mr. Darcy: I’m looking forward to seeing students grow academically while working with our great staff members. I’m also looking forward to getting to know more students and understanding how I can support their needs. 

ZS: What are some events at law this school year you are looking forward to?

MD: All of the special events like Prom, but also seeing our talented students in musical acts, art and athletics. 

ZS: What is one important thing that the staff and students should know about your third year as principal?

MD: In year three we are really working to organize and structure our supports we have in place for students when they are struggling. I want students and staff to know that we will do our best to make sure every student is supported to be successful. 

ZS: How do you feel your first two years went as principal at Law?

MD: I feel my first two years went well, but for completely different reasons. In year one, I came in October so I had to learn as much as possible about the school, staff and students. I didn’t get to really dig into details, but only really learned traditions and organizational items. In year two, we were able to adjust some supports we had in place for students and provide more activities for students than in prior years. I was finally really able to get to know more students and staff on a personal level. 

ZS: What are your thoughts on the new vice principals?

MD: Mrs. Sulzycki and Mrs. Farotti have already started to build positive relationships with staff. I know they are the right choices to help lead us based on what I learned about them in the interview process and I’m excited to work with them for many years to come. 

ZS: What are your thoughts on our new athletic director? 

MD: Mr. Drew was definitely the right person to become our new AD. He was the football coach at Foran, but his teaching and coaching roots started here at Law. He’s a Lawman and this is sort of a homecoming for him. I have no doubt he will lead us to the next level with our already successful athletic program. 

ZS: What are your thoughts on all of the new teachers this school year?

MD: Our new teachers have one very common trait. They all love having an impact on students and I’m excited to see what they are able to do this year. 

ZS: Any advice for the incoming freshmen this year?

MD: My advice is to get involved with something. Play an instrument, play a sport, join a club or even start a new club. The more involved you are, the better your high school experience will be. 

ZS: Any advice for this year’s seniors?

MD: This year is going to fly by. Take the time to recognize special moments throughout the year because once you have them, they are gone. 

ZS: What does it mean to you to be a Lawman?  

MD: Being a Lawman comes down to treating everyone as a family member. We aren’t always going to agree with our family members, but we support them and respect them. Law is a special place because of the family we’ve created together.

NEWS: Law Welcomes Sulzycki As New Assistant Principal

(Photo courtesy milforded.org)

By Gemard Guery – Editor-In-Chief and Editorial Editor

This past summer, two new assistant principals joined Jonathan Law’s faculty.  

Mrs. Sulzycki is one of those assistant principals for the freshman and junior classes. While she only recently started her new job, she is already loving her time at Law.

I am having a great year so far – enjoying getting to know students and staff here,” Sulzycki said. “My favorite part of working here is the true sense of community that I feel. All the adults in the building seem like they truly want what is best for students. Staff and students seem like they genuinely enjoy being here every day.”

Sulzycki graduated with a degree in Psychology from the University of Connecticut and has a Masters in school psychology from Southern Connecticut State University.  Prior to Jonathan Law, Sulzycki worked as the Director of Pupil Services in Plymouth and an assistant principal at Ox Ridge in Darien. 

“Through the interview process, I could tell she would be good for the school and knew she would be good for students as well,” Law Principal Mr. Darcy said. “She also has a background in psychology and special education which is a great addition for our students and school environment.”

The Law community convinced Sulzycki to apply.

I applied for a job at Law because I love the Milford community,” Sulzycki said. “I have strong ties to the town (my husband is a Lawman, Class of ’99) and I know that Milford is a progressive school district that has the best interest of students at heart.”

At her past school, Sulzycki developed bullying prevention plans and used restorative practice to implement new discipline procedures.  She was actively involved in professional development that prioritized SEL (Social Emotional Learning)

This school year, Sulzycki is looking forward to getting to know the students better.

“I plan to go to club meetings as they get up and running and attend sporting events so I can see students outside the classroom,” Sulzycki said.

Outside of school, Mrs. Sulzycki loves to read and spend time with her husband and 11-month-old son, Alex.

SPORTS: New Athletic Director Drew Ready To Lead Law’s Sports Teams

(Photo courtesy Cesar Mendez)

By Cesar Mendez – Sports Editor

Mr. Drew is Law’s new Athletic Director.

Drew takes over for Mr. Ragaini, who was the interim Athletic Director last year after Law’s previous Athletic Director, Mr. Sarullo, left for Staples High School.

Drew said he has had a great time here at Law so far. 

“My experience so far has been great,” Drew said. “We have wonderful coaches here at Law who care about their student athletes.”

Drew has big plans for the future of Law athletics. 

“My goal is to continue to encourage our student athletes (if they are not already) to become multi-sport athletes who are well rounded in the classroom, community, and in competition,” Drew said

Before coming to Law. Drew was a Special Education teacher at Foran and also taught Special Education at Law. He was also Foran’s head coach for football and girls lacrosse and he hopes to grow more at Law.

“I started off my teaching career in Milford at Law,” Drew said. “I love the culture, the community, and the school pride that exists. Law truly is a special place.”

A group of administrators, coaches, and captains were involved in the interview process to hire Drew. 

“I think he is a very good Athletic Director,” senior football captain JT Nelly said. “He handled the high temperatures very well and I believe his background in coaching brings in certain skills that other possible athletic directors may not have. His long term plans for the school are something to look forward to seeing develop after I graduate.”

NEWS: Spose Joins Jonathan Law Faculty As New Math Teacher

(Photo courtesy Haley Stroffolino)

By Haley Stroffolino – Social Media Editor

Mrs. Spose is a new math teacher who recently made the move from Joseph A. Foran High School to Jonathan Law High School.

“I am absolutely loving the new and exciting environment at Law,” Spose said. “The students, people, and administration at Law makes me feel right at home. The family-like atmosphere and the strong sense of teamwork and collaboration are what really stands out.”

Although Law is a smaller school than what Spose is used to, it just adds to the super calming atmosphere, sweetness, and helpfulness of everyone here. 

Spose is most excited to teach Pre-Calculus and make math exciting for her students.

“Mrs. Spose is incredibly helpful and nice,” junior Jack Distassio said. “Whether it’s explaining a tough concept or accepting corrections to get a better grade, she is always there to help.”

Outside of school, Spose is a dedicated coach for Foran’s volleyball and outdoor track and field teams. She also has a set of four-year-old twins (a boy and a girl) to keep her on her toes.

NEWS: Farotti Joins Law Community As New Assistant Principal

(Photo courtesy milforded.org)

By Maya Markowitz – Social Media Editor

Over the summer, Jonathan Law welcomed two new assistant principals into the school community. 

One of the new administrators, Mrs. Farrotti, is assigned to the sophomore and the senior classes. Although school only started on August 30, she already feels welcomed into the Law community. 

“It has been a very smooth transition here,” Farotti said. “I feel very welcomed by students and staff as they are genuinely interested in getting to know me.”

Farotti completed her undergraduate degree at Sacred Heart University and earned her Masters in Education from the University of New Haven. 

Before joining Law, Farotti worked as an assistant principal in East Haven. She also previously worked in Milford as a science teacher at Foran High School where she was involved in many student activities, including the Key Club.

“I believe that through her relatability to students and other staff members, she has really made a great adjustment to the school,” Law Principal Mr. Darcy said. 

As the year continues, Farotti hopes to become more involved with the student body and to get to know students and families.

“Developing strong relationships is very important to me so that when someone needs something they know that they can come to me,” Farotti said.

Outside of school, Farotti enjoys reading and hanging out with her husband and two children. 

SPORTS: Law Football Team Fired Up For Start Of 2023 Season

(Photo courtesy Eric Relucio)

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief

The Jonathan Law football team is hoping to pick it right back up where it left off last year.

Last season, Law made it all the way to the Class M semifinals for the first time in program history before losing to Notre Dame-West Haven 28-14. 

“I feel spectacular about our returning players,” junior Cam Upchurch said. “I think we are gonna be even better than last year and we have new players that will definitely help us out too.”

The team has been preparing for the season for a couple weeks now being led by their two captains: JT Nelly and Chase Sisto. 

“I feel like we have a strong set of returning players that will play big roles this season,” sophomore Nick Cosmas said.

They have had a handful of scrimmages against Platt, Lyman Hall, Woodland, Seymour and Brookfield. 

“This year saw a talented and capable incoming freshman class,” head coach Chris Haley said. “A number were already physically committed to being ready for football when they arrived and came in beyond some returners.”

Last year, the Lawmen graduated 13 player, including Gatorade State Player of the Year John Neider (QB), Matt Hagerty (WR), Jack Sellman (LB) and Devin Calvin (OL). The team is excited to see new players step up and fill these roles. 

“This year saw a talented and capable incoming freshman class,” Haley said. “A number were already physically committed to being ready for football when they arrived and came in beyond some returners.”

The team starts their season off on September 8, at Lawmen Stadium against defending Class SS state champions Joel Barlow. 

I feel pretty comfortable with the fellas because they already know what to do,” junior Charlie Becker said. “I’m excited for this season and can’t wait to see what happens.” 

Becker is at quarterback this year for the Lawmen. Last season he saw some time at wide receiver and is now eager to lead his team. 

“I’m excited about the move to Tier 2; it gives us a new slate of opponents mixed with some familiar ones,” Haley said. “We’ve been working towards this as our destination over the past couple of years.”

The Lawmen are anxious for the season to start and are hoping to kick off the season with a win. 

ENTERTAINMENT: “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” One Of The Best Games Of 2023

(Photo courtesy wired.com)

By William Smith – Entertainment Editor

“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” came out on May 13. The game is an action-adventure game for the Nintendo Switch. The game won the most anticipated game of the year last year. It is also the first Nintendo game to be priced at $70. 

Tears of the Kingdom takes place a couple of years after the event of the previous game Breath of the Wild. When starting the game Link (you) and Princess Zelda go below the depths of Hyrule castle to investigate the source of the gloom that is plaguing Hyrule. While investigating the gloom the place the source is coming from is filled with Zonai ruins. The Zonai are an ancient race of people who lived during the creation of the kingdom. When they finally find the source of the gloom it’s an old and rotten corpse with a glowing magic hand on his chest, and when they try to investigate further the hand disappears and the corpse wakes up. The corpse wakes up and attacks you causing you to lose all of your abilities and the master sword while also causing Zelda to fall off a ledge Link goes to catcher but fails and she falls but before she falls she glows and is transported somewhere while Link is caught by the glowing hand that was sealing the corpse. It cuts to black then Link is transported to the great sky island where he gains new abilities and recovers his strength. After he completes his recovery he is free to leave the sky island and find Zelda.

Some positives about the game are that there are so many things to do it’s easy to get distracted from discovering a new cave, doing the lucky clover gazette quest line and just exploring the old but changed Hyrule. There is so much to do. The game also fixed everything that was bad from the last game, so now every mainline dungeon and every shrine are way harder than they were in Breath of the Wild, they made it so side quests would give relevant rewards like armor or food instead of just currency, they also made the story slightly more linear unlike that last game but you can still go straight to the final game boss just it’s less hinted at in this game on where it is and what to do but you still can go do it just like Breath of the Wild.

There really isn’t anything negative to say about the game besides that the game was priced at $70 when normally all other mainline Nintendo games are priced at $60. Another negative is the game can get very laggy when the game is in a dense area.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Sprinter JT Nelly About The Boys Outdoor Track Season

(Photo courtesy @JLHSTrack)

By Caden Simpson – Social Media Editor

The Jonathan Law track team continues to break records and qualify for Nationals as the 2023 school year comes to an end. The boys 4X100 ran a qualifying national time at the Amity Invitational, while simultaneously making SCCs and States. The 4X100 team has been drastically improving all year, and placed 7th at the CIAC States Meet. Advocate Social Media Editor Caden Simpson interview junior JT Nelly, the first leg of the 4X100 relay, about his season and where the team will be next year.

Caden Simpson: What was done differently in order to make the national qualifying time for the relay?

JT Nelly: Nothing really was done different, it was the consistency we had that led us to qualifying. Showing up everyday to practice, constantly critiquing our handoffs, and increasing the workout intensity.

CS: What did a normal practice look like for you specifically?

JN: For me, a normal practice was getting handoffs in, doing the sprinter workout, and then training for the decathlon. I would either go to long jump, high jump, shot, or javelin.

CS: Did you find it difficult adjusting when the anchor of the relay got injured?

JN: Losing our anchor was definitely challenging and changed certain aspects of the relay, although I wouldn’t say it was difficult to adjust. Our alternate Derek was prepared and there was a smooth transition between runners.

CS: How do you suspect the 4×100 will do next year, now that the two fastest seniors will be leaving?

JN: It will definitely be an adjustment, but I am confident that our 4X100 will be solid, and qualify for states again next year without a doubt. We have a lot of sophomores and juniors right now with a lot of potential, and once we get them to where they need to be, the team will be successful.

CS: What would you like to see done differently with the team next year?

JN: Next year, I would like for there to be more efficiency during practice. Getting down to the field and getting to work right away is how I want to conduct practices next year.

ENTERTAINMENT: Holland, Wahlberg Star In Suspenseful Movie “Uncharted”

(Photo courtesy imdb.com)

By Kruthi Nandam – Staff Reporter

The movie “Uncharted” was released on February 18, 2022 and features Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg. 

Tom Holland stars as Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as Victor Sullivan. Both of these actors did a great job portraying these characters. This movie is supposed to be a prequel to the events in the 2007 video game.

Nathan and Sam were at the orphanage and only had each other. They both got caught trying to steal the map for the treasure which later led to Sam being evicted. Before he could get evicted, he left and promised to return but hasn’t. 

Nathan is determined to go on a journey to find the ancient treasure later on Victor “Sully” Sullivan joins him in his quest. Sully claims that he knew Sam and helped him through the process. Both of them want to find this treasure because it can change their lives and Nathan can try to find his brother who disappeared a while back. 

On their journey, they encounter many other people who are hungry for the treasure and try to steal the map or clues Nathan and Sully have to get one step closer to finding the treasure. Turns out that there were a lot of people aware of the treasure and came after it. 

As the movie goes on there are a lot of twists and turns and people betraying each other. When Nathan and Sully are in a hidden cave they find an old ship that was wrecked very badly. They decide to check it out and all of the gold was inside the ship this whole time. 

Many more people come across the ship at the same time and they start arguing over who the gold “belongs’ ‘ to. Sully gets hold of a helicopter and tries to take the ship out but there was more fighting and in the end the ship sank to the bottom of the ocean floor. Later, Sam comes back and explains what happened with him trying to find the gold. 

A strong point in this movie is that the characters showed a lot of determination to find the gold. They worked together and put their very best effort to find what they wanted. Near the end Sully has a character development of learning how to value the right things and not be greedy. 

A weak point in this movie is that sometimes there was too much going on and it was hard to keep up. Newer characters came up which kind of messed up the understanding of the movie. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Advisor Ms. Healy About Jonathan Law’s SAVE Promise Club

(Photo courtesy @JLHSsave)

By Zachary Santarcangelo – Staff Reporter

The SAVE Promise Club was a new club this year at Jonathan Law. Advocate staff reporter Zachary Santarcangelo interviewed Club advisor Ms. Healy about what the club did this year and the club’s plans for the future

Zachary Santarcangelo: What did the SAVE Promise Club do to wrap up the year?

Ms. Healy: The SAVE Promise Club appointed new officers to run the club next year and they ran the last two meetings of the year. In one meeting they ran a fun team building activity where teams of members build cup towers with strings attached to a rubber band. It was really fun and a great way to all work together at the end of the year. We also started planning for next year! We don’t have a lot of time for club meetings before our Start with Hello week so we wanted to get some plans started early.

ZS: How do you feel the club helped the JLHS community throughout the year?

MH: Our club has been really great at engaging in the school community this year given we are such a new presence. We held different events throughout the year meant to help create a more welcoming and safe school environment. Our Start with Hello week at the beginning of the year really helped set the tone for the year and helped start to create that culture of welcoming community for those who were new and returning to Law. The school participates in the Say Something training every year and helps educate students on warning signs and how to identify a trusted adult in the building in order to create a more aware and safe school environment. We got a lot of engagement in our violence prevention week and our t-shirt fundraiser which was awesome to see. 

ZS: What changes are being made in the club for next year?

MH: For next year, we have our new officers who are full of great ideas on how to continue to expand the club. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @jlhssave to keep up with what we’ve got going on!

ZS: What more is the club going to do next year?

MH: I know some members have been talking about working with other schools in the district to try and get more SAVE Promise Clubs in Milford. That would be awesome to be able to accomplish. 

ZS: What direction do you want to take the club?

MH: The direction the club goes in is up to the students! It is a student-led club so our members are the ones who are working to put together these activities and events for the school community. We have an amazing group of student leaders in this club so I am really looking forward to what they do next year.

COLUMNS: Law Laughs: Junior Sara Moshirzadeh Hosts A Unique Birthday Party

(Photo courtesy Gemard Guery)

“Law Laughs” is a new column by Advocate Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Editor Gemard Guery which will detail fun “news stories” from around the Law community.

By Gemard Guery – Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Editor

One Jonathan Law student recently promoted self-love in a very unique way.

On May 20, Jonathan Law junior Sara Moshirzadeh threw her 17th birthday party along with some of her closest friends.  However, the theme truly set the party apart from any other birthday party.  The party was entirely Sara-themed.

“Initially, I wanted to have a bouncy house in my backyard for my birthday party, but for the past few years there’s always been rain on the day of my birthday party and I didn’t want to take any chances. Also, it was pretty hard to find the right size bouncy house for 20 high schoolers. I had to think about what I wanted the party to be centered around,” Moshirzadeh said.  After a while I realized that this whole year I’ve had a running joke about how amazing I am, and I decided to take those jokes a step further and make it a me-themed party and the ‘I Love Sara’ shirts to get other people to take part in the joke.”

Sara’s party consisted of ribbon with pictures of herself on it, a paper doll chain of Sara’s, a bunch of pictures of herself on a cork-board above her fireplace, and a five foot cut out of herself. The party also consisted of Sara-themed games such as trivia and a dress like Sara competition.Her party also consisted of a cake that said “Happy Birthday Queen” and a stick figure drawing of herself.

Sara’s friends were incredibly excited about the theme and party.

“It was great and definitely a representation of self-love,” senior Chris Lambiase said. “I really love the positivity she has for herself.”

At the party, some of Sara’s friends were given a shirt that said “I Love Sara” on it as a prize for winning the dress as Sara competition.

“I was so excited to spend time with friends especially Sara and appreciate all the laughs that she’s given me.  It was actually an amazing time,” junior Helen Chizmazia said.

After the party, the “I Love Sara” shirts were in high demand. Sara ended up deciding to make more and a friend suggested wearing them all to school that following Tuesday.  So many friends wanted the shirt that not everyone was able to get it.

“I wanted a shirt to match with all my fellow Sara fans.  Not getting it made me feel disappointed because I thought Sara would treat her fans better,” junior Toni Cepalia said.

Though some friends (such as myself) didn’t get a shirt, overall, the experience was just really fun for all involved and created lots of laughs between friends.

“I feel like throwing a birthday party is kind of like having a ‘you’-themed party,'” Moshirzadeh said. “I just decided to embrace that fact and have some fun with it. My friends know me well enough to know that this was on brand.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Jaden Archuleta About The Golf Season

(Photo courtesy @JLHSAthletics)

By Bobby Black – Sports Editor

Junior Jaden Archuleta is a member of the Jonathan Law golf team. He recently shot a 79 in the State Tournament – the first Law golfer to break 80 in school history. Advocate Sports Editor Bobby Black interviewed Archuleta about the season.

Bobby Black: What was your favorite moment of the golf season?

Jaden Archuleta: My favorite moment of the golf season was the day of states and waking up early knowing that I would play golf all day. 

BB: What goals did you accomplish this season?

JA: Goals I accomplished this year was averaging a 40 or lower and being able to be more consistent on the golf course this season.

BB: What goals are you going to set for next season?

JA: The goals I am setting for next year is going All-SCC and All-State and breaking the school record for lowest score in nine holes.

BB: How has the team been able to build chemistry this season?

JA: The team has been able to build chemistry by understanding one another’s play style  and being able to help one another out. 

BB: How have you improved your game this season?

JA: I have improved a lot on my long game and my iron play and overall consistency. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Law Drama Club President Sofia Mazzella On Her Senior Internship

(Photo courtesy dtcab.com)

By Reilly Hungerford – Entertainment Editor

Many Jonathan Law seniors recently completed their internships and Drama Club President Sofia Mazzella is no exception. Entertainment Editor Reilly Hungerford interviewed Mazzella about her internship at the Bridgeport Cabaret.

Reilly Hungerford: What was the subject of your intership?

Sofia Mazzella: My lovely internship is at the Downtown Cabaret Theater in Bridgeport Connecticut. The downtown cabaret, theater horse, Broadway, musicals, as well as children’s musicals, and other fun events that are theater related. It’s truly is a great place to go with your family to watch a professional show and hang out.

RH: What did you do on a daily basis on your internship?

SM: At my internship, I mainly observe the interactions that the actors have with the directors during rehearsal. I also get to work hands-on with the director to help give the actors notes at the end of their run-through rehearsals! I also discuss the plan for the day with the stage manager, Director, and choreographer.

RH: Did you enjoy your internship?

SM: I adored my internship. After working in a high school theater setting for the past four years, being able to observe in a more professional setting is absolutely fascinating to me. I love being able to see a professional show come together, and see how the actors adapt into their character. it truly makes me so excited for my future theater career. 

RH: What were some of the favorite things about your internship?

SM: One of my favorite things about my internship is the fact that I get to see how a show comes together from the outside. My whole life, I’ve been on the inside, helping the show come together, and being part of the show. But, being able to sit back and watch all the pieces get put together is something that has been very fun for me! I also love the fact that everybody there is kind and respectful to me. I’ve also loved getting to know the actors and their true personalities. Not to mention that the location of the internship is in the city. The city of Bridgeport is beautiful at night time, so I love seeing that.

RH: Would you recommend other seniors interning there?

SM: For anyone who is interested in a theater related career, I would 100% recommend interning here. I definitely feel it is one of the many great theaters in Connecticut that hosts fun and exciting shows that are affordable to go and watch. Being able to go behind the scenes and see how everything comes together is definitely a skill that any theater professional would be lucky to have, and get exposed to at a young age. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…President Gemard Guery About The BSU’s Donation Drive

(Photo courtesy bethelmilford.org)

By Kruthi Nandam – Staff Reporter

This year, the Black Student Union started a donation drive for the Beth-El Center in Milford. They are accepted personal hygiene products, sponges, rubber gloves, dish detergent, and more. Advocate Staff Reporter Kruthi Nandam interviewed BSU President Germard Guery about the drive. 

Kruthi Nandam: Has the Black Student Union done something like this before?

Germard Guery: No, we haven’t done something like this before.  This is the first year of the Black Student Union, but we knew we wanted to do some sort of service project.

KN:  Do you have any long-term goals for this donation drive? 

GG: Our long-term goal is to continue to support them over the course of the coming school year.

KN: Has BSU done something for this center before? If so what?

GG: We haven’t really done anything to support the center prior to this drive.

KN: Why do you want to support this center?

GG: We wanted to support a local shelter that helps the community and felt the Beth-El shelter was just a great option.  We realized our school does a lot of food and toy drives to support the center, but not nearly as much in terms of hygiene and cleaning products so that was our thought process behind the drive.

KN: Is BSU going to support the center in the future? 

GG: BSU does plan on supporting this center in the future. We plan on continuing the drive early next year as well.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Shane Pritchard About The Outdoor Track Season

(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Asim Medina – Staff Reporter

Senior Shane Pritchard is a captain of the Law outdoor track team. Advocate Staff Reporter Asim Medina interviewed Pritchard about the spring season.

Asim Medina: How do you feel about this season?

Shane Pritchard: Everyone accomplished something and everyone had goals for themselves and they achieved them by working hard.

AM: What do you do before a meet to get ready?

SP: I listen to music to get me ready, but when we arrive I take my headphones off to listen to my mind and body. Most importantly, I stretch with the team and get my body warm.

AM: What is your role as a captain?

SP: As a captain, I make sure that if my teammates need help with something, whether it’s practice or school-related, I help out. After every meet or even sometimes practice some of us will go out to eat and chat.

AM: What is one thing you could change about this season?

SP: One thing I could change about this season is definitely when I got injured because it not only impacted me but also my teammates.

AM: Compare last season to this season.

SP: This season compared to last season was definitely different because of the seniors we lost last year but that didn’t stop anything. This season, everyone got closer and helped out each other and cheered for one another when running our events.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Devin Calvin About His Internship As An Audio Engineer

(Photo courtesy Devin Calvin)

By Will Smith – Entertainment Editor

Senior Devin Calvin is part of Law’s senior internship program. Advocate Entertainment Editor Will Smith interviewed him about his experience. 

William Smith: Where did you intern?

Devin Calvin: I interned with my dad for live sports broadcasting companies such as FOX Sports, SNY, and YES.

WS: What did you do there?

DC: I assisted my dad with tracking cuts of audio and controlling audio levels for live TV for sports games such as the Mets, Westminster Dog Show, and the Connecticut Suns.

WS: How has your internship experience been?

DC: It’s been very fun. I was finally able to experience what my dad does for a living and understand the pressure of working for live TV arhat thousands of people are watching.

WS: What was the best part about your internship?

DC: I think the best part of the internship was spending some time with my dad and his coworkers.

WS: Did anything surprise you during your internship?

DC: It was very funny hearing what producers and directors would say about the event behind the scenes.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Mr. Drew About His Role As Law’s New Athletic Director

(Photo courtesy ctinsider.com)

By Aryan Sikhinam – Staff Reporter

Tom Drew was recently selected to become the next Athletic Director at Jonathan Law, replacing VJ Sarullo, who became the Athletic Director at Staples High School. Advocate Staff Reporter Aryan Sikhinam interviewed Drew on becoming the new AD.

Aryan Sikhinam: What did you do before becoming the new AD at Jonathan Law?

Mr. Drew: I have been coaching at the high school level for the past 15 years, and during that time I have coached lacrosse, football, track and field, wrestling, Unified Sports, and basketball to name a few. I have coached in a few different districts – Madison, Clinton, Guilford, and Milford both at Law and Foran. I have been a Special Education teacher during this time and have enjoyed working with all types of students and athletes both in competition and in the classroom.

AS: How did it feel to be named the new AD of Jonathan Law?

MD: I am thrilled to begin this next chapter of my life at Jonathan Law as the AD. Athletics has been such a major part of my life, in large part I am who I am today because of the values instilled in me by some of the great coaches I have had over the years. I am excited to have the same kind of impact with the Jonathan Law community.

AS: As the new AD, what are you most excited for?

MD: Creating connections with the student athletes at Law and helping them achieve both their short term and long term goals as a student athlete.

AS: What made you want to become the new AD?

MD: I have a strong passion for athletics. I am excited to have the opportunity to impact as many kids as I can in this new role. The path to success in sports like life is a bumpy one, filled with ups and downs, athletics is a great tool to teach us about how to deal with successes and failures.   am excited to work with all of the student athletes during their academic and athletic careers at Jonathan Law.

AS: What changes can students expect in athletics in the upcoming years?

MD: I want all of the student athletes at Jonathan Law to believe that they are the gold standard in athletics within the state of Connecticut. Athletes at Jonathan Law will possess GRIT where no matter what the result we will have resolve and carry ourselves with class and character.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Captain Jack Bretthauer About Outdoor Track Season

(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Cesar Mendez – Staff Reporter

Jack Bretthauer is a junior captain of the boys outdoor track team. Advocate Staff Reporter Cesar Mendez interviewed Bretthauer about the spring season.

Cesar Mendez: How did the season go for you?

Jack Bretthauer: This season has gone very well so far. We have a lot of kids PR and some made States and Sectionals.

CM: How do you feel you improved from last season?

JB: I improved this season a lot on not only my racing, but my knowledge of the sport. Because of this I am able to help kids have better for,, better starts, and better race knowledge

CM: What were some goals you set for yourself and did you achieve them?

JB: A couple of goals I set this season was states in all my events (100M, 200M and 400M) which I did achieve. I also wanted to go to Nationals for 4×100 which I have also been able to achieve with the help of my teammates. My last goal I wanted was to medal at SCCs and I was able to medal in the 4×100 (5th) and the 400M (4th).

CM: What are your goals for next season?

JB: The goals for next season are to beat the 100M and 200M school record and take a shot at the 400M record. I also want to make Nationals in an individual event. Lastly, I want to be a Top 10 decathlon athlete.

CM: What were your best times this season for all your events?

JB: The times for all my events were 11.3 in the 100M, 23.04 for the 200M, and a 51.9 in the 400M.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Freshman Aryan Sikhinam About Winning Class Of 2026 Vice President Election

(Photo courtesy Aryan Sikhinam)

By Jack Bretthauer – Staff Reporter

Aryan Sikhinam is a current freshman at Jonathan Law. He recently was voted to be the vice president of the Class of 2025. Advocate Staff Reporter Jack Bretthauer interviewed Sikhinam about the recent election.

Jack Bretthauer: Why did you want to run for vice president?

Aryan Sikhinam: I wanted to run for vice president because I saw that this year’s council didn’t do much for our class, and I wanted to change that, and create better and more successful fundraisers. I wanted to give our class the best sophomore year possible

JB: What was your campaign strategy?

AS: To put your name everywhere, create massive posters and billboards, and tell every single person you know that you’re running, as well as create eye-catching and funny posters

JB:What are your plans for the year?

AS: My plans are to create fundraisers for the Ring Dance, which can get us a lot of money.

Jb: Why did you decide to run again this year?

AS: I decided to run because I knew that I could win against my competitors. I lost my race for treasurer last year, so I learned from my mistakes that I made last year, to make sure that I’d win.

JB: What makes you a good vice president?

AS: I’m a responsible student, and have good grades, as well as good work ethic, so I feel these qualities make me a good candidate for the vice president role.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Talia Salanto About The State Softball Playoffs

(Photo courtesy Talia Salanto)

By Lana Hanania – News Editor

Junior Talia Salanto is a member of the Jonathan Law softball team. The Lawmen play Bristol Central in the semifinals of the Class L State Tournament on June 5 at West Haven High School at 7:00. Advocate News Editor Lana Hanania interviewed Salanto about the team’s season.

Lana Hanania: What are you focusing on the most as the state tournament goes on?

Talia Salanto: I think I need to work on how I contribute to mentally preparing my team for postseason games because it’s easy to make mistakes in stressful games like these, we all know when we lose we’re done and that’s a big deal for our team. 

LH: What has been your proudest moment this season?

TS: My proudest moment this season has been how the team has overall become really close and have adjusted to everything that has been thrown at us. We started off a little quiet and we have become a team and not just a bunch of individuals playing on a team.

LH: How do you want to end the season? 

TS: I want to end the season being satisfied. Whether that is winning the state championship or coming up short but knowing we did everything we could to put ourselves in a position to succeed.

LH: What is your role as a team leader?

TS: I help my team by being a leader and pushing them all to never work at  anything less than 110%. I also do all of their eye black because they can’t do it themselves.

LH: Overall what does your team need to continue to work on? 

TS:  We are in the part of our season where we are no longer working on certain things and that we are now preparing for games. I don’t think there’s anything that needs to be worked on as a team.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Sophomore Dean O’Donnell About The Boys Tennis Season

(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Aryan Sikhinam – Staff Reporter

The tennis team just wrapped up their spring season with a record of 7-13. Sophomore Dean O’Donnell was a key singles player for the team this year. Advocate Staff Reporter Aryan Sikhinam interviewed O’Donnell about his season. 

Aryan Sikhinam: What position do you play?

Dean O’Donnell: I played singles 2.

AS: How do you feel you did this season?

DO: I feel I did pretty good this season and was happy with my personal record and our record as a team.

AS: Was there anywhere you think you could improve?

DO: I think I could have been a better teammates and when they needed it helped them on their game.

AS: How have you improved since when you joined the team?

DO: I have improved a lot since I joined the team as a freshman last year.

AS: What was the best part of being on the team?

DO: The best part of being on the team was the away matches because it grew all of us closer as a team. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Captain Rishabh Nair About The Boys Tennis Season

(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Maddy Gaillard – Entertainment Editor 

Rishabh Nair is the senior captain of the Jonathan Law boys tennis team. Entertainment Editor Maddy Gaillard interviewed him about the past season. 

Maddy Gaillard: How do you think the tennis season went?

Rishabh Nair: Although we didn’t meet our preseason expectations at qualifying for states, it was one of the most memorable seasons I’ve had at Law and I’ve learned a lot as not only a captain but also a player.

MG: What was your favorite moment of the season? 

RN: There have many memorable parts of this season but if I had to pick one it would be our match against Abbott Tech. The match score was tied 3-3 and it came down to the last court where our Doubles 1 team fought and won, 9-7, and with that we won the entire match, 4-3. Supporting and cheering on my teammates in that final game is what made this match so special to me.

MG: What were you most looking forward to at the start of the season? 

RN: I was most looking forward to getting some wins and working with the new players on the team to help them improve.

MG: As a senior, what advice would you give to people who wish to start tennis? 

RN: I only started playing tennis during my sophomore year but I was able to improve significantly in 2 years. So my advice to new players is to consistently practice, stay patient, and most importantly enjoy the process of learning and improving.

MG: What do you think you will miss the most about your tennis career at Law? 

RN: I’ll definitely miss the memories I’ve made the past three years, the close relationships that I’ve had the pleasure of making, and my two amazing coaches that I’ve had during my career at Law. 

SPORTS: Law Boys Track Team Finishes Another Successful Spring Season

(Photo courtesy @JLHSTrack)

By Hannah Engel – Staff Reporter 

The Jonathan Law boys outdoor track team season is coming to a successful end. 

This season, athletes from Law have been setting multiple personal records as well as qualifying for states in several events. 

JT Nelly, Gabe Garnett, Jack Bretthauer, and Shane Pritchard qualified for New Balance Nationals in the 4×100  This will take place on June 15 in Philadelphia. 

Athletes have a large variety of events they can compete in such as sprints, long distance, long and high jump, pole vault and more. 

Head coach Beler had goals set for the whole team this season. 

“The goal of every track team is to win a division and state championship,” Beler said. “The goal for every athlete is to win every day, which means the goal is to get a personal record every meet.” 

The team has also set individual goals to achieve throughout the season. 

“One of my goals was to see my mile time get better,” senior Jake Ackley said. “But my overall goal throughout the season was to break five minutes on my mile.” 

Many captains have been able to see growth and improvement in younger athletes. 

“We have promising underclassmen getting better and better throughout the season,” Nelly said. “I am excited to see what the future of this team will look like.”

Garnett shared his favorite part of track. 

“My favorite part about track is definitely running and winning of course,” Garnett said. “But what leaves the biggest impact on me is the friends I have gained from the sport and the memories I have made with all of them.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Goalie Aiden Stassun About Breaking The School Saves Record

(Photo courtesy Aiden Stassun)

By Zack Sulkis – Social Media Editor

Junior Aiden Stassun is the starting goalie for the Jonathan Law boys lacrosse team, and he recently broke the school record for most saves in a single game. Social Media Editor Zack Sulkis interviewed him about his successes this season.

Zack Sulkis: What is your biggest take away from the boys lacrosse season?

Aiden Stassun: My biggest takeaway from this season was teamwork. Our team worked best when we worked together.

ZS: What were the records you broke this year?

AS: I broke the record for most saves in a single game with 24.

ZS: How is the game different playing goalie instead of a position like attack or defense?

AS: The biggest differences between goalie and other positions like attack or defense is you need good reaction time. You also need to be good with the mental aspect of the game.

ZS: How did you get into Lacrosse?

AS: I got into lacrosse because of my friends. They convinced me to play.

ZS: What are your goals for next season?

AS: My goal is to break even more records and to have a save percentage higher than 55%.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Lexi Borecki About Breaking The School Pole Vault Record

(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Kayla Markowitz – Staff Reporter  

Lexi Borecki is a junior member of the outdoor track team and recently broke a school record for pole vault. Advocate staff reporter Kayla Markowitz interviewed Borecki about the recent accomplishment and the outdoor track season.

Kayla Markowitz: How did you along with the rest of the team improve over the season? 

Lexi Borecki: The whole pole vaulting team improved so much this season! We have had so many PRs and we all have learned so much!

KM: How did you feel about breaking a school record? 

LB: When I broke the girls’ record I was so excited!. I worked all season getting better with the little details that I knew would help me reach my goal and It was so awesome to see all my hard work pay off.

KM: How have you grown since freshman year?

LB: Since freshman year I have learned that patience and confidence play a big role in this sport and that I am not going to just improve overnight. I also have a better understanding of how specific this sport is and I have learned how to adjust my workouts to help me reach my goals.

KM: How did SCCs go?

LB: SCCs went really well for me. I placed second and I made the All-SCC Second Team.

KM: What are you hoping to accomplish next season? 

LB: Next season I really hope to continue improving with the little things that I wasn’t able to fix this year. I also hope that by the indoor season next year, I will clear 10 feet and higher.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Math Teacher Mr. Walsh About Leaving Law, Moving To Georgia

(Photo courtesy Quinn Willett)

By Quinn Willett – Staff Reporter

Mr. Walsh is a math teacher at Jonathan Law. He has worked at Jonathan Law for five years, but this is his last year at Law as he is moving to Georgia this summer. Advocate Staff Reporter Quinn Willett interviewed Walsh about his years at Law. 

Quinn Willett: What made you decide to become a math teacher?

Mr. Walsh: Before I was a teacher I worked an office job in market research. I did not like sitting at a desk all day and answering emails. I like being on my feet and discussing ideas with students much more.

QW: What do you like most about teaching math?

MW: Mathematics serves as the basis for so much of the world around us. Without mathematics you wouldn’t have GPS, ChatGPT, encryption, and many other features of life in the 21st century. Some students obviously don’t love math or don’t have a special gift for it. Math class can still serve as a place to learn perseverance and determination — it is not easy to learn those things if you are just taking easy classes that you enjoy. I also tell students that we need to offer it to everyone since we can’t know in advance who will love it and who won’t. It’s the only fair and equitable way to find people that might be interested in math related careers.

QW: What went into your decision to leave Jonathan Law?

MW: My wife got a job as a professor of Anthropology at Georgia College. She works in a very specialized field and if you can get a job as a professor with tenure you really can’t pass it up. Also her family lives down there so I will have my in-laws nearby.

QW: Where are you teaching next?

MW: I don’t know my classes for next year yet but it would be high school math of course.

QW: What will you miss most about teaching at Law?

MW: My colleagues! I will also miss the students but the thing about that is they all cycle out after 4 years anyways. Some of my fellow teachers have become close friends. 

NEWS: Law’s Natural Helpers Host 2023 De-Stress Fest

(Photo courtesy @jlhshelpers)

By Zachary Santarcangelo – Staff Reporter 

The Natural Helpers Club will be holding a De-Stress Fest on June 1 at Jonathan Law to help students relax before final exams with a variety of activities.

The club will have many activities for students to participate in along with opportunities to relax. The activities will be available in Rooms 185, 187, and 193 in the freshmen wing. There is also basketball in the new gym along with the petting zoo in the student parking lot.

The festivities will start at 2:15 p.m. and will end at 3:30 p.m.

“There will be many different ‘rooms’ that students can check out,” advisor Ms. Smuniewski said. “Including the ‘cozy room’ with movies, games, and snacks, the “arts and crafts room” with friendship bracelet making and rock painting.”

This is just the start, though. There are even more activities for students to enjoy. These activities include an ice cream truck, a petting zoo, a karaoke room, and basketball in the gym. 

“There will be a ‘karaoke room’ where students can sing their favorite songs,” Smuniewski said. “There will also be basketball and other games in the new gym, and an ice cream truck and petting zoo in the student parking lot.”

The De-Stress Fest was started as a way to help students come together and make new friends. The De-Stress Fest also gives students the opportunity to calm down before final exams. 

“We thought that having a big event with a variety of fun activities would be something students would appreciate to help them ‘de-stress’ before final exams,” Smuniewski said.

The De-Stress Fest was also started to give students many different methods of relaxation that can fit their own personal preferences. The event will have an activity for everyone to do in order to relieve their stress.

“The variety of activities we have planned allows students to pick whichever method of relaxation best suits them,” Smuniewski said. “Whether it’s games, crafts, ice cream, animals, or all of the above, there’s something to help everyone unwind a bit as they begin to prepare for exams.” 

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