NEWS: A Look Back At Law In 2022
Compiled by The Advocate Editors
As we welcome 2023, the editors of The Advocate took a look back at 2022 and the events and experiences that affected the Law community.
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5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior John Neider About Winning Gatorade State Football Player Of The Year
(Photo courtesy Gabby Caruso)
By Olivia Augustine – News Editor
John Neider is a senior football captain and was recently named Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year for the 2022 Connecticut high school football season. Advocate News Editor Olivia Augustine interviewed Neider about receiving this prestigious honor.
Olivia Augustine: How did it feel to win the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year award?
John Neider: It feels great being the Gatorade Player of the Year. When I first found out I was overwhelmed with emotions and was shocked that I accomplished one of my main goals.
OA: What do you win being the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year?
JN: One of the main things I will get for being Gatorade Player of the Year is an $1,000 grant to a charity of my choice. I think that is great and I think that is the best thing I get from this accolade.
OA: How do you think this past football season helped you earn the award?
JN: The football season helped me earn this because it pushed me through all types of adversary on and off the field. The entire team would push each other to perform their best and work their hardest. Without all the ups and downs throughout the season I don’t think this award would have been possible.
OA: How did you apply to be Gatorade Player of the Year?
JN: I actually did not apply myself. I reached out to my coach giving him the idea of applying for it and he did it. I thought it was a huge goal and would be historic if I won it for Law and for the football team.
OA: What was your goal for the end of the football season?
JN: Our goal towards the end of the football season was for the season to go on for as long as we could. Our main goal was not to win every game. I believe that it was to buy more time with each other and to push this thing we have going on to the very end.
SPORTS: Law Wrestling Team Finds Early Success This Season
(Photo courtesy Josh Goldin)
By Truman Martin – Entertainment Editor
The Jonathan Law wrestling team grappled to a win in their first match of the season against Cheshire.
The score was 45-24, and it was a dominant performance by both majority returning and new members of the team, including sophomore Braden Hancock who walked away with a decision win at 126 pounds.
“I was pretty nervous before my match,” Hancock said. “I ended up walking away with the win and I am happy with my performance.”
This year, the wrestling team also has a returning assistant coach in Mr. Ruzbarsky.
“I am very excited and enthusiastic to be back coaching for this season,” Ruzbarsky said.
In other early season results, junior captain Zack Sulkis finished third in a large competitive heavyweight bracket at the CJ McCormack Invitational at Berlin High School. This was the first placement on the podium of the season for the Lawmen.
“My goals are to make sure the entire team is putting in the maximum effort to win matches,” Sulkis said. “The team has a collective goal to go over .500 this year because we got really close last year.”
Sophomore wrestler Will Smith went 5-0 at the Joe Beler Sr. Duals in late December.
“I was proud of my performance,” Smith said. “I look forward to having more days like that.”
Later this season, the Law wrestling team will be hosting the Class M State Tournament as well as the Jonathan Law Invitational for the first time in three years.
“I am looking forward to both tournaments we are hosting, a goal of mine is to place at both, most importantly Class M’s,” said Sulkis. “Placing at M’s and qualifying for states in my own school motivates me the most practicing after having to sit out for that tournament last season.”
SPORTS: Indoor Track Team Already Breaking Records This Winter
By Katie Servas – Editor-in-Chief
The Jonathan Law High School indoor track team is racing for those school records.
This past week, the boy’s indoor track team was invited to run at The Armory in New York for a chance to compete at Nationals. The highlight of the trip was the boy’s sprint medley relay team of Shane Pritchard, Liam Fedigan, Gabe Garnett, and Jack Bretthauer, who broke the school record with a time of 3.44.29.
The preparation for this meeting involved team building and setting goals to achieve throughout the season.
“My goal for the season is to be the best leader that I can be,” said junior captain Jack Bretthauer. “Whether that is helping organize things or guiding kids on how a meet works, I just want everyone to have a fun season that can run smoothly (no pun intended).”
This year’s team by new head coach Frank Gaines, who takes over for longtime indoor track coach Mr. Beler. Beler made the decision earlier this year to step down as indoor track coach due to family obligations.
A handful of captains this season are seniors who are competing for the last time with the team. Many of them have set goals for themselves as well as the team collectively.
“This season I am most excited to try new things and watch the team grow and have success together,” said senior captain Aislinn Burns. “I am excited to watch the hard work pay off for our athletes and I am also excited to try to get personal records throughout the season as well as make sure I am a reliable and hardworking captain to set an example for the rest of the team and be there for others if they need anything.”
The team includes both boys and girls who compete in events such as sprinting, long distance, shot put, long jump, pole vault, and more.
There are many events to compete which allows flexibility for athletes who want to try new events.
“It’s cool being a captain on a big team, and my goal for the season is to make nationals for the SMR and the 55-meter dash,” said senior captain Gabe Garnett. “My other goal is to help younger athletes on the team get better at outdoors or other sports they play.”
Many of the members of the team compete with multiple teams at Jonathan Law as well as some outside of the school. With practices continuing throughout the winter, there is a lot of flexibility with times and scheduling to allow as many athletes to participate as possible.
These practices have been rewarding for senior captains who have seen growth with younger athletes who are new to the sport.
“Being a captain is very rewarding,” said senior captain Kalli Kinsman. “It’s kind of a full-circle moment for me because I looked up to my captains as a freshman and now I get to help coach the current freshmen so it’s really cool especially since I want to see them get better with every practice and every meeting.”
Though there are multiple senior captains, there are a few junior captains stepping up to lead and support the team.
“I am most excited about how much we are going to accomplish on the track,” said junior captain JT Nelly. “I am very confident in my sprinter’s abilities to perform and represent our team and my goals for this season are to win the 4×2 at states and to break the school record for a long jump.”
The boy and girls indoor track team is projected to have a record-breaking season as well as many new personal records.
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Jake Ackley About The Boys Swim Season
(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)
By Timothy Firla – Staff Reporter
The Jonathan Law boys swim team officially began its season in early December. Senior Jake Ackley is one of the captains on the team and is helping team members improve their skills. Advocate Staff Reporter Tim Firla interviewed Ackley about his senior year on the team.
Tim Firla: What is your role as a swim captain?
Jake Ackley: Being a captain is mostly the same deal just with a few more responsibilities and making sure everyone gets on the bus.
TF: What are your team goals for the season?
JA: Overall, I think it’s just to improve individually and do our best so we can do well during the season.
TF: What are your individual goals for the season?
JA: Just to improve my stamina and try to swim a long distance event during the season.
TF: What made you join the swim team?
JA: I was always intrigued by it and it sounded like a better alternative to track because at least it was inside. Plus some of my friends were doing it and the coach was Mr. Lui, so win-win.
TF: What are you looking forward to most this year?
JA: I’m looking forward to the Hand meet.
SPORTS: Sophomore Upchurch Excited To Help Lead Law Basketball Team
(Photo courtesy ZAM Photography)
By Helen Chizmazia – Social Media Editor
Sophomore point guard Cameron Upchurch is ready to lead the Jonathan Law boys basketball team this winter.
The Lawmen are off to a 3-1 start this season with wins over Cheshire, Pomperaug, and rival Foran. Upchurch said that he and his teammates are excited about how they have played so far, but they also have bigger goals in mind.
“Some goals I am planning to accomplish are competing for a state championship and getting better as a team,” Upchurch said.
Upchurch has been on the varsity team since his freshman year.
“I am expecting my teammates to help me get better,” Upchurch said.
He started up his basketball career in Bridgeport and played there until he moved to Milford in fifth grade.
“I expect this to be a great season and we expect a better result from last season,” Upchurch said.
Upchurch also plays football in the fall.
“This season I am most excited about winning games,” Upchurch said.
Assistant basketball coach Mr. McPartland is also excited about the potential of Upchurch and this year’s team.
“Ultimately, our goal is to be playing at Mohegan Sun in March for a state championship,” McPartland said. “However, for that to happen we have a number of ‘micro-goals’ including qualifying for the state tournament and winning every practice by getting better each and every day both individually and as a team.”
McPartland has lofty goals for his Upchurch and the rest of the team this season.
“Their best. Every single day,” McPartland said. “Our expectation never changes – give us your best every single day and we’ll grow together as a team. I’m certain it will be a great time. Wins and losses aside, every year I look forward to working with the boys, watching them grow individually, and growing as a team.”
McPartland hopes his positive attitude will leave the team in a determined mindset.
“I love coaching, I love basketball, and I love the relationships I have with each student-athlete and coach that is a part of the team,” McPartland said.
McPartland makes sure he maintains a good relationship with his athletes.
“Being around the guys and battling with them every day,” McPartland said. “I really look forward to continuing to build the relationships I have with each of them.”
Overall, the Law boys basketball team has big expectations this season. They are ready to fight challenges that are yet to come their way.
SPORTS: Milford Mariners Hockey Team Skates Into New Season
(Photo courtesy @MarinersMilford)
By Harrison Fisher – Sports Editor
The Milford Mariners hockey season is off and…skating.
After a busy off-season and the hiring of a new head coach, the team is ready to take on a tough schedule. The Mariners had an up-and-down season last year, and have been working hard at practice for their upcoming games.
The Mariners’ first scrimmage was against Staples which afforded the team a chance to practice solid plays and form aggressive new lines. The team’s first regular season matchup was a tough matchup against Amity at Bennett Rink in West Haven.
Shaun Malay is in his first year as head coach with the Mariners. Malay has had tremendous experience with CT high school hockey.
Malay is looking to lead the Mariners to a successful year and has done a tremendous amount of preparation and training for the games coming up.
“We are looking to have a successful season in all facets of our Mariner organization both on and off the ice,” Malay said. “A ton of organization goes into running a high school team with any sport. Ice hockey is particularly complex given we are a co-operative team with Law, Foran and Platt Tech. And although our home rink is in Milford, we do not play onsite at any of the schools. There are different procedures across the schools. We have players from different towns. And yet we need to bring the entire Milford hockey community together, which is a unique and wonderful opportunity.”
Malay’s goal is that the team is greater than the sum of its parts.
“Creating that ‘whole’ is what I would like to accomplish,” Malay said. “Although it would be great to win lots of games and play and win our conference and state championship, we really have one goal for the season. It is to show up every day and work as hard as we can. If we do that, everything else will fall into place.”
Malay said he is happy with the effort he has seen from the Mariners to start the season.
“They are a tough and speedy bunch who can skate with everyone we play against,” Malay said. “The players will need to trust themselves and their teammates and always work as hard as they can. And if they do, we should be very competitive this year”
Foran senior Chris Adkins is one of the three captains for the Mariners.
Adkins, who plans to attend Eastern Connecticut University next year to play lacrosse, has played for the Mariners for four years and has become a leader for the club. He has high hopes for this team and looks to set an example for all his teammates.
“A personal goal I have is to develop throughout the games and be able to look back and see areas of improvement,” Adkins said. “Some of the strategies that we have are just working hard in practice every day and getting our team chemistry going. We have been having pasta parties before the games to try and get us closer as a team.”
Senior defenseman Connor Chirico from Law is also a captain this year. Chirico is a leader on the ice and is ready for a full competitive hockey season.
“I think that we will definitely improve from next year,” Chirico said. “A personal goal is to score a hat trick in a game. A team goal is to qualify for states. My favorite thing about hockey is the relationships I’ve made through the sport. We have prepared for the season by practicing every day. We also workout as a team and have pasta parties to prepare for our games as a team.”
Chirico said he is excited to begin his final season with the Mariners.
“This season means a lot to me because it’s my final season playing hockey,” Chirico said. “It is also important to me and the team because we want to make a good impression for the new head coach.”
Platt Tech senior Matty Wright is the third captain for the Mariners this season.
The team is encouraging all hockey fans to head over to the Milford Ice Arena this winter to catch a game. Fans can also follow them on Twitter (@MarinersMilford).
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Key Club Vice President Maya Rosado About Salvation Army Fundraising
(Photo courtesy salvationarmy.org)
By Aryan Sikhinam – Staff Reporter
Jonathan Law’s Key Club has started its annual Salvation Army fundraiser. Key Club is one of the largest clubs at Jonathan Law with students actively participating weekly. Key Club is run by Co-Presidents Hanna Keating and Caroline Doyle and Vice President Maya Rosado. Mr. Boynton advises the club and helps run and organize it. Key Club meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the cafe. Staff Reporter Aryan Sikhinam interviewed Vice President Maya Rosado about Key Club’s fundraising for the Salvation Army.
Aryan Sikhinam: How do you fundraise for the Salvation Army?
Maya Rosado: For Salvation Army, we are given shifts on Friday and Saturday where we sit outside stop and shop and ring a bell asking for donations. We always make good money at the end of the day because people are very generous.
AS: When and where does Key Club fundraise?
MR: Key Club fundraises in many different ways depending on the cause. We do a cookie dough fundraiser that gains a lot of profit for the club but we also do others like the Pura Vida bracelet sale that goes to Camp Sunshine. We generally do these fundraisers at our meetings and are given a few weeks to gain profit.
AS: Where does the money go?
MR: The money can benefit our club by lessening the cost of DECON (a trip we attend in Massachusetts) which is great. It also may go to other charity organizations that we choose to support.
AS: How much money have you raised so far?
MR: We raised about $1,680 for Salvation Army. For the cookie dough, we raised about $1,200.
AS: What other events is Key Club involved in?
MR: We are involved with the Governors Project which is an International Key Club project. This fundraiser is for Camp Sunshine which helps kids that have life-threatening illnesses have a fun experience for a few weeks.
SPORTS: Law Girls Basketball Starts New Season With New Coach
(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)
By Bobby Black – Sports Editor
The Jonathan Law girls basketball team is excited to start the 2022-2023 season.
Law opened its season against Mercy on December 16. The team is looking forward to upcoming games against West Haven on December 20 and Foran on December 22.
“We’re preparing for the season by just taking it game by game and working on our weaknesses and mistakes during practice improving everyday,” sophomore Chloe Konareski said.
This year, the girls team has a new head coach, Kevin Wielk. Wielk, who takes over for long-time coach Dan Young, was formerly the boys basketball coach at St. Joseph’s.
Last year, the team finished with a record of 12-8 and qualified for the SCC and state tournaments.
“We have a very tough, and well deserved schedule this year,” senior captain Sabrina Lawless said. “To prepare for it we have been working very hard not only in our practices but also going over our plays at home.”
This year’s team has a collective goal of making both tournaments.
“Some of our team goals are the same as always like making both tournaments but having a new coach this season and some of our goals are different than most having to quickly build new relationships,” Lawless said.
The team wants to continue the momentum from last season and to do that, they need to build relationships with each other the new coaching staff.
“Losing four starters and our past coaching staff makes it more difficult as well as having a young team, but I think a fresh start is going to be good and think we can be very successful moving forward,” Konareski said.
Lawless said she has set several team and personal goals this season.
“Some of my personal goals for the season are to average 10 points and five assists a game and to make All-SCC,” Lawless said.
ENTERTAINMENT: Will Ferrell Shines In Classic Holiday Film “Elf”
(Photo courtesy imdb.com)
By Olivia Hudak – Entertainment Editor
“Elf” is a 2003 film about the famous elf, Buddy. This is a hit Christmas comedy movie that is a must-watch every Christmas. This movie stars Buddy (Will Ferrell), as well as his love interest Jovie, his long lost father Walter, and his “step-brother,” Michael. This is a family comedy movie that consists of jokes, laughs, and holiday cheer.
“Elf” is about Buddy the elf who was a human raised by Santa’s elves. He goes on to learn about his origins and leaves the North Pole to head to New York City to meet his biological father. His father, Walter Hobbs, is a very serious business man who isn’t interested in any games or laughter, which buddy opposes. Walter thinks that Buddy is just a random crazy elf that just roams the city streets but then after a while gets a DNA test to see. It comes back to show that he is Buddy’s father so they then try and form a closer relationship. The theme that is developed in this film is the idea of finding your place in the world where you belong. Buddy has a hard time fitting in with the elves and even with humans. Viewers watch throughout the film how he is accepted and watch as his true self is discovered.
This movie really shows the holiday spirit need in every Christmas movie. It’s a great movie for children and even adults. It shows you the real life Christmas spirit that you always need even as an adult. “Elf” focuses on different holiday themes in a nice, heartwarming way. This movie is also very unique and unlike any Christmas movies people have seen. It’s very original and it incorporates a lot of well thought-out humor. It’s a fun and cheerful movie but it also captures a message for viewers to take in and learn from.
The only weakness in the movie “Elf” was how Buddy and his father’s relationship was kind of very sudden and not realistic. In the movie, Buddy annoys his dad and makes him angry. He then ruins his important business meeting and makes him lose out on money. So how did Walter forgive Buddy so easily and come to quit his job for him when they didn’t even have that close of a relationship before? The directors could have fixed that part of the movie. But overall, “Elf” is a great movie that everyone needs to watch during the holidays.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
NEWS: Students, Faculty Celebrate “Lawmas” With Week Of Activities
(Photo courtesy Eagle Eye News)
By Caden Simpson – Social Media Editor
Jonathan Law High School has kicked off Lawmas Week to get students into the holiday spirit during the last few days before break.
Starting on December 8, teachers and their Advisory groups began decorating their classroom doors to participate in a Door Decorating Contest – just one of the few activities Lawmas has in store.
“The purpose of the contest is to promote community spirit and group dynamics through a seasonal activity while encouraging creativity, craftsmanship, and teaming skills,” said Dean of Students Mr. Ragaini, who is conducting the contest. “Each Advisory class will work together to decorate around their classroom door or around another designated door at Jonathan Law in celebration of Lawmas.”
Teachers had December 9, December 16, and December 19 to decorate with their class, and almost every teacher has participated so far.
“I have a combined advisory with Mrs. Branco and three doors so we are doing a few different themes,” science teacher Ms. Doolan said. “Each of my students decorated a snow globe that has their picture in it, and we even made snow globes for my dog Bucky and Mrs. Branco’s dog Delilah. We also made an interactive ‘What brings you JOY’ sign for students to write on.”
The contest continues throughout the last week before break, and the winner will be, determined by a secret panel of judges
“The winning advisory class will be given a special treat when we come back from break,” Ragaini said.
Not only is the door contest underway, but the Broadcast Journalism class has once again produced two Lawmas videos, “Twas the Night Before Lawmas” and “What Do You Want For Lawmas?”
“Each year, we produce two videos to celebrate the Lawmas season and we are continuing that tradition again this year,” Broadcast Journalism teacher Mr. Kulenych said. “We are excited to debut this year’s rendition of ‘Twas The Night Before Lawmas’ and a video that asks the Law community what they want for Lawmas this year.”
Students and staff at Law have the entire week planned out to fully embrace the Lawmas spirit.
“The goal of all these activities is to get the entire school in the Lawmas spirit and to have a fun final week before break,” Kulenych said.
Mingle and Jingle Lawmas Day will occur Thursday, December 22, where students will choose between numerous activities to participate in rather than going to their classes for the second half of the day.
“Students are able to choose between basketball, bracelet making, a dog room, and even yoga as options,” senior Ben Rossi said. “Students can choose two out of 20 activities to do in place of 7th and 8th period classes.”
Spirit week will take place throughout December 19- 22, with Pajama Day kicking it off.
“In order, the Spirit Week days are Holiday Pajamas, Ugly Sweaters, Warm Winter Clothes, and White Out,” Broadcast student Elly Van Waveren. “Spirit Week is just another attempt to get students to participate in Lawmas and get excited for the holidays.”
ENTERTAINMENT: “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Pays Tribute To Chadwick Boseman
(Photo courtesy ign.com)
By Gemard Guery – Editor-In-Chief and Editorial Editor
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was released on November 4. It was directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Marvel Studios. It was the sequel to the original “Black Panther.” The movie was also intended to be a tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman. It stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, and Michael B. Jordan.
The story takes place in Wakanda who’s mourning the loss of their King T’Challa (Boseman’s old role). Queen Ramonda, Princess Shuri, M’baku, and the Dora Milaje must protect the country from a new underwater foe who also has access to vibranium, the strongest metal on Earth. While they try to protect Wakanda, they must also try to prevent war from starting between Wakanda and this new kingdom.
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was an amazing sequel to a wonderful movie. The movie was quite emotional and often had the audience getting teary-eyed. The movie was incredibly bittersweet and full of various cliffhangers that audience could not see coming. It was also such a phenomenal tribute to Chadwick Boseman and truly touches upon the grief people feel when they lose a loved one. It was also rooted in actual history and simulates real life issues that countries face today. The story was so creative and unpredictable. It also maintained an amazing sense of humor despite being sad because grief was such a big part in it. The soundtrack was also top-notch. It truly added to the various feels of the movie and had people listening to it just in general. From the set to the plot to the soundtrack, everything about this movie was amazingly creative and innovative.
The movie didn’t really have any weak points. (Maybe it needed more Lupita Nyong’o.) Other than that, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was perfect.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Mr. Ragaini & Mr. Kulenych About This Year’s Lawmas Activities
(Photo courtesy Jack Bretthauer)
By Jack Bretthauer – Staff Reporter
Jonathan Law celebrates Lawmas every December. This year for Advisory, Dean of Students Mr. Ragaini organized a door decorating contest. Also, on December 22, there will be a half-day schedule with activities and a student-faculty basketball game after. The Broadcast Journalism classes will also produce two Lawmas-themed videos for Eagle Eye News. Advocate Staff Reporter Jack Bretthauer interviewed Ragaini and Broadcast teacher Mr. Kulenych about these Lawmas activities.
JB: What is the plan for the Lawmas activities?
MR: The plan for our “Mingle and Jingle Lawmas SEL Day” is to kick off the holiday break with some fun activities that our students get to choose which activities they would like to be part of. We will have a one hour block that will be broken up into two half hour sessions. Students will be able to sign up for two different activities. Some of the activities are as follows:basketball backyard games, ping pong, video games, karaoke, therapy dogs, Tik Tok room, gift wrapping, anime, holiday movies, painting and poetry, silent room, knitting bracelets – although these are not all. After these two sessions, we will have a student-faculty basketball game where the faculty will romp the students.
JB: Is this going to be an annual event?
MR: That’s a great question. We are hoping to do this on the last day before break each year. We will probably have to make some tweaks and adjustments after this year. I want to get feedback from the students once we get back to school in January and see if they enjoyed the event.
JB: What do you hope the kids get out of the activities?
MR: I hope all students take advantage of this day. We all know that everyone is feeling a little stressed and overwhelmed at this time of year. Hopefully, we can take a break from the fast pace and our studies to enjoy our first “Mingle and Jingle Lawmas Day”.
JB: What are the Lawmas activities you have planned this year?
MK: Each year, we produce two videos to celebrate the Lawmas season and we are continuing that tradition again this year. We are excited to debut this year’s rendition of “Twas The Night Before Lawmas” and a video that asks the Law community what they want for Lawmas this year. The Broadcast and Journalism classes have been working hard for the past couple of weeks to put both videos together and we hope they add some Lawmas cheer to the last week of school before break.
JB; What is your favorite segment out of those planned for this year’s Lawmas special and why?
MK: “Twas The Night Before Lawmas” is so much fun to write and produce as a class each year. It’s a whole-class effort and we try to make it as funny and heart-warming as possible. This year’s “Santa” is a fun one, so people will have to tune in and see how that person saves Lawmas.
NEWS: Law’s National Math Honor Society Holds Annual Induction Ceremony
(Photo courtesy @JLHSPrincipal)
By Olivia Augustine – News Editor
The National Math Honor Society held their annual induction ceremony on Thursday, December 1.
The NMHS hosts activities for Pi day and April Math Month. Members also volunteer at Law’s Extended Learning Program which held after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
“Mu Alpha Theta is a mathematics honor society available to students who excel in their math courses,” math teacher and NMHS advisor Mr. Ruzbarsky said. “The purpose of Mu Alpha Theta is to spark interest and discussion around mathematics and spread that interest to others.”
NMHS members are able to help other students who struggle with math.
“Throughout the year, the NMHS tutors students in math after school at the ELP on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” senior NMHS senior president Aislinn Burns said. “We also run activities for April Math Month and Pi day.”
Students decided to join the NMHS because they enjoy learning math.
“I decided to join the National Math Honor Society because math is something that I enjoy and strive for success in,” senior Macie Rascoll said. “I like being a part of a group of students that feels the same way.”
Students join the NMHS to be able to encourage math within the school.
“I decided to join NMHS because I’ve always enjoyed math and wanted to go further with my learning around other people that enjoy it,” junior Isabelle Masselli said. “I also wanted to encourage math within the school community, whether that be helping other students with math or even just arranging fun math-related activities.”
Sophomore Madelyn Baranosky is happy she joined NMHS.
“I joined the National Math Honor Society because I have an interest in math and I enjoy it, and I want to encourage other students to enjoy and learn more about math,” Baranowsky said.
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Tyler Nethercott About The FBLA Club’s “Winter Wonderland”
(Photo courtesy @JLHSTrack)
By Quinn Willett – Staff Reporter
Law’s Future Business Leaders of America club hosted a “Winter Wonderland” fundraiser to raise money for Veterans with PTSD on December 13. Junior Tyler Nethercott is the Vice President of the FBLA Club and helped organize the event. He created posters and hung them up to advertise for the event, which was attended by dozens of children of all ages Advocate Staff reporter Quinn Willett interviewed Nethercott about the event.
Quinn Willett: What went into planning this fundraiser?
Tyler Nethercott: A lot of planning in collaboration with other clubs like Wood Shop and Food Services. It took lots of time and dedication. The planning started in October.
QW: What are the benefits and goals of this fundraiser?
TN: We created this to raise money for veterans with PTSD. A goal we have is to have this fundraiser yearly.
QW: What activities did kids have at the Winter Wonderland?
TN: We had games, pictures with Santa, letters with Santa, cookie decorating, and arts and crafts.
QW: What do you hope families get out of this fundraiser?
TN: I hope families get an opportunity to have holiday spirit, and an amazing, fun experience. I hope they want to come back every year.
QW: What other events is the FBLA working on?
TN: After this we will start working on new events. This is our big event this year to fundraise.
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Gemard Guery About The Black Student Union’s Holiday Card Drive
(Photo courtesy @MsKellyJLHS)
By Kruthi Nandam – Staff Reporter
Jonathan Law’s Black Student Union is a community that aims to bring people together. The BSU promotes teamwork, social, and ethnic diversity. Advocate Staff Reporter Kruthi Nandam interview junior BSU co-founder Gemard Guery about a recent meeting where they wrote holiday cards for the homeless.
Kruthi Nandam: What homeless shelter do the cards go to?
Germard Guery: The cards are going to be given to the New Haven Housing Authority in New Haven.
KN: Approximately how many cards were made?
GG: We made about 20 cards or so.
KN: Why did you decide to make these cards?
GG: The other BSU co-founder, Ike Opayemi, and I wanted to have some kind of community service activity during this holiday season and felt that making cards for those who may not have it easy would be an amazing activity to do. We really wanted to give back.
KN: How do you hope they feel when they get the cards?
GG: I hope they are happy to see the cards and all the effort that went into making them. Some of them came out really nice.
KN: What other activities do you have planned for the future?
GG: We are planning on having some kind of school movie night in January (around midterm season) and planning on also doing some school-wide activities for Black History Month.
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Captain Olivia Coddington About The Gymnastics Season
(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)
By Hannah Engel – Staff Reporter
Olivia Coddington is a senior captain of the Law gymnastics team. Advocate Staff Reporter Hannah Engel interviewed Coddington about the upcoming winter season.
Hannah Engel: What responsibilities do you have being captain?
Olivia Coddington: Being a captain, I have to help keep the team in check as well as create a relationship with everyone on the team. I find it most important to welcome the freshman into our team and make them feel a part of a family which is something I try my best to do as a captain.
HE: What are your personal goals this year?
OC: Personally I hope to score higher than I did last year and help the team go far throughout our season.
HE: How do you feel about the upcoming season?
OC: I’m excited about the upcoming season, although it is bittersweet because it is my last season. I just want to create bonds within our team and have an all-around fun time.
HE: How do you feel about this being your last season of gymnastics?
OC: I’m definitely upset that this is my last year at Law gym. I’m going to miss my coaches and team so much but I know that they will all do great next year and I can’t wait to come and watch.
HE: How were your past four years doing gymnastics at Law?
OC: Law gymnastics has been a very rewarding experience over the past four years. I have learned a lot about what it is like to be a team player and how to manage time. This team has been a family to me that I thank for everything and will never forget.
ENTERTAINMENT: SZA Drops Her Long-Awaited Album “SOS”
By Asim Medina – Staff Reporter
This past Friday (12/9/22), SZA had dropped her new album “SOS.”
“SOS” by SZA is a follow up album to her debut album “CTRL” which was released in 2017. Before dropping this album, SZA had stated in an interview with Rolling Stone that new music will be coming out, but it may not result in an album. The singer had also stated that she plans on releasing a trilogy of albums, then she’ll retire from music. For this album, SZA has worked with producers such as Timbaland, Babyface, Benny Blanco, DJ Dahi, Freaky Rob, Shellback, etc.
Musically, the album is contemporary R&B-inspired, with influences from hip hop and pop. The album samples sound references from soul, gospel, jazz and melodic rap. The sound of the album was described as “a varied palette,” combining “surf rock” and “grunge” elements, alongside “her beloved lo-fi beats.”
“SOS” has received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 based on reviews from critics, the album received a score of 91 out of 100, based on 14 reviews, indicating “universal acclaim.”
Rating; 5 out of 5 stars
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Connor Chirico About The Milford Mariners Hockey Season
(Photo courtesy @MarinersMilford)
By Alana Pires – Staff Reporter
Connor Chirico is a senior captain for the Milford Mariners hockey team, which consists of players from all three high schools in Milford – Jonathan Law, Foran, and Platt Tech. Advocate Staff Reporter Alana Pires interviewed Chirico about the upcoming season.
Alana Pires: How are you and your team expecting the season to go?
Connor Chirico: I think that we will definitely improve from next year.
AP: What are some personal and team goals for this season?
CC: A personal goal is to score a hat trick in a game. A team goal is to qualify for states.
AP: What do you enjoy most about hockey?
CC: My favorite thing about hockey is the relationships I’ve made through the sport.
AP: What are some things you and your team have been doing to prepare for the season?
CC: We have prepared for the season by practicing every day as well as workout sessions and pasta parties.
AP: What does this season mean to you and the team?
CC: This season means a lot to me because it’s my final season playing hockey. It is also important to me and the team because we want to make a good impression for the new head coach (Shaun Malay).
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Zack Sulkis About The Upcoming Wrestling Season
(Photo courtesy ZAM Photography)
By Cesar Mendez – Staff Reporter
Zack Sulkis is a junior on the Jonathan Law wrestling team. Sulkis has been wrestling since he was a freshman. Advocate Staff Reporter Cesar Mendez interviewed Sulkis about the start of the wrestling season.
Cesar Mendez: What are you most exited about for the upcoming season?
Zack Sulkis: I’m most excited about getting to compete this season. I put in a ton of work this offseason so I could do better than I did last year. I had a ton of matches I lost from stupid mistakes such as riding too high on top or turning into half nelson’s.
CM: What are some of your goals for the season?
ZS: A goal of mine that also stands for the team this year is finish over .500. With our schedule it’s very doable if everyone goes out and gives 100% every match and the returners go out and use their extra experience to their advantage. My personal goals are to place at heavyweight for at least three or four tournaments one of them being the Class M State Tournament and make it to the State Open this year.
CM: What meet are you most looking forward too?
ZS: I’m most looking forward to the Snitkin duals at Norwich Free Academy. When we went there last year I just didn’t have it, and I lost my matches. This off season I worked whenever I had the chance so I could become better than I was last season. With the schools there now I’m really looking forward to those matchups because they were matches I should’ve won then and they are matches I’m fully capable of winning now.
CM: What is your favorite part about being on Law’s wrestling team?
ZK: My favorite part about wrestling for Law is how competitive we are as a team and how everyone is there for each other to help those who are new or lost. I also like the history the program has. Last year I helped the team get its 600th all-time win by pinning Cheshire’s heavyweight. We are, I think, one of the top 18 winningest programs all-time in Connecticut.
CM: What is the team doing to prepare for the season?
ZS: We have been wrestling hard in practice with more conditioning drills this year than last year. Me and some others got group conditioning sessions together before the season to make sure we were ready for practices. I also did lots of offseason training with a wrestling club I joined, competed in tournaments, and participated in camps. If you aren’t wrestling in the offseason when you comeback after your last year, you’re the same wrestler, just a year older.
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Captain Jack Bretthauer About The Indoor Track Season
(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)
By Tanner Matchett – Staff Reporter
The boys indoor track team had their first official practice on December 1. Back in March of 2022, captains were named by previous head coach Mr. Beler. Those captains were Jack Bretthauer, Liam Fedigan, JT Nelly, and Gabe Garnett. Bretthauer has been looking forward to this season, putting in a lot of hard work during the spring and summer. Last spring, Bretthauer put up points in the 4x4m state championship and made SCC championships for the 400M. He also qualified for states in the 200M and 300M. Staff reporter Tanner Matchett interviewed Bretthauer about the upcoming indoor track season.
Tanner Matchett: What are your personal goals for this season?
Jack Bretthauer: Like every season I’m just looking to improve on the times that I had in the past. My biggest goal is to help the team improve. It’s my first year as the captain and I want to leave a mark on it because I have another year as captain next year. With the new coach there are also a lot of adjustments for the team and I want to help make it as smooth as possible.
TM: What’s your team’s goals for this season?
JB: We always want everyone to make it to at least some of the meets that you need to qualify for whether that is to state or conference. We also overall want to see improvements with times across the team with new personal bests throughout the season.
TM: What have you done to prepare for this upcoming indoor season?
JB: I have been doing a lot of offseason work throughout the summer and the fall. I ran a couple of meets unattached to keep track of how I was doing and I play to improve a lot of my times.
TM: What events do you plan on running in?
JB: I plan on doing a lot of events for the open sprints by myself. I plan on doing the 55 meter 300M and the 600M and hoping to make states in all of them. For the relays I am doing the 4x200M relay, sprint medley relay and doing the 400M leg, and I may try a bit of the 4x800M throughout the season. I am also going to try the shot put at a developmental meet.
TM: How does it feel to be named captain?
JB: Being named captain doesn’t really change anything, I am still just a member of the team and just want everyone to get better. I am going to do my best to help lead the sprinters through their workout and help the team be ready for meets and know what to do. I am very excited for what this team can do.
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Atiana Tandon About The Natural Helpers’ Ornament Decorating Contest
(Photo courtesy @helpersjlhs)
By Kayla Markowitz – Staff Reporter
The Natural Helpers Club is hosting an ornament-making competition taking place in the TLC starting December 14. Blank ornaments will be provided along with markers and string for students to make their own ornaments and get a chance to win a prize. Winners will be judged in three different categories – Nicest Message, Most Creative, and Best Overall – and will each win a Dunkin’ gift card. The competition will take place from December 14 to December 20. Advocate Staff Reporter Kayla Markowitz interviewed junior Atiana Tandon about the upcoming holiday-themed ornament contest.
Kayla Markowitz: What is the goal of this activity?
Atiana Tandon: The goal is to have this activity serve as something for people to express some creativity and positive messages while also socializing with some friends.
KM: How did you come up with the idea for this?
AT: The whole idea originated with the rock decorating contest that our club hosted last year, but this year, we decided to add a little spin on it and decorate ornaments instead, as a way to spread some holiday cheer.
KM: What other things are you planning for this school year?
AT: The specifics for other activities aren’t necessarily planned out right now, but we will definitely be hosting the De-Stress Fest later in the year, and until then, we will continue to try to plan small events throughout the school (similar to the Halloween Bingo we hosted back in October).
KM: What are your hopes for this activity?
AT: The hopes for this event are that this competition can bring people together and serve as a small way for everyone to spread some holiday cheer and socialize with new people as they decorate their ornaments.
KM: How do students enter the contest?
AT: To enter the contest, write your name on the back of your ornament, and then either tweet a pic of it and tag @helpersjlhs or show a Natural Helper/Ms. Smuniewski your ornament.
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Sophomore Chloe Konareski About The Girls Basketball Season
(Photo courtesy Kaylee Hannon)
By Harshitha Kothapalli – Staff Reporter
Chloe Konareski is a sophomore on the Jonathan Law girls basketball team. Konareski plays as a varsity point guard in the upcoming season. Staff Reporter Harshitha Kothapalli interviewed Konareski about the start of the season.
Harshitha Kothapalli: What are your goals for the season?
Chloe Konareski: My goals for this season are to improve as a player myself, and grow as a team. Even though we have a tough schedule I hope to qualify for postseason tournaments and build a foundation for years to come.
HK: What are you most excited about this season?
CK: I’m excited to see what our new coach brings us. With a brand new coaching staff and us losing players last year, I think that we still have a lot of potential together, and am looking forward to what it will all bring for us as a team. I’m also excited for the annual Law/Foran game Christmas week.
HK: What do you enjoy most about basketball?
CK: I enjoy the family feel that the team offers and the game in general. I like how fast pace and exciting it is to play and watch, and the skills pass over to other sports.
HK: How does it feel to be starting this season?
CK: It feels good to start. As a sophomore, I feel that I have a big role to fill and I’m up to the challenge. I’ve worked hard and am looking forward to the future.
HK: What do you think is going to be your biggest challenge this season?
CK: I think our biggest challenge this season is going to be our schedule, the teams we’re playing are tough. We only returned two starters from last year so we’re starting off kind of new but it will be good to work with what we have and keep learning from each other.
NEWS: Law’s SAVE Promise Club Raises Awareness For Mental Health
(Photo courtesy @jlhsSAVE)
By Lana Hanania – News Editor
The Jonathan Law SAVE Promise Club is exposing students to new activities this school year.
SAVE stands for ”Students Against Violence Everywhere” and is dedicated to raising awareness of mental health issues and educating students to be advocates. The goal of SAVE Promise is to create a place where Law students do not feel alone.
Law history teacher Ms. Healy is the advisor of the club. She and club president Aislinn Burns helped to plan a recent series of appearances on Eagle Eye News in support of Sandy Hook Promise, leading up to the anniversary of Sandy Hook.
“This year, I’ve been a fan of our 14 Days of Action leading up to the 10 year anniversary of Sandy Hook on December 14th,” Healy said. “We also have our ‘Say Something’ Week in March that I really like. It focuses on learning warning signs and how to react to them, which is important.”
The 14 Days of Action taught students about the warning signs of violence and suicide and highlighted mental health awareness and support systems in place for students.
“My favorite activity for SAVE is the 14 Days of Action for Sandy Hook,” senior Macie Rascoll said. “I enjoy this activity because it gives students a variety of ways to connect with others as well as spread awareness about an amazing cause.”
The club has taught many students about these causes and has brought them closer.
“I think students should join the club because it’s a good opportunity to get involved with the school and it’s a good cause,” junior Maya Markowitz said.
SAVE Promise is just one of the clubs at Law that give students opportunities to get active in the community as well as their school.
“This year I have been taught that I can be an advocate for student mental health and safety in schools,” senior Caroline Doyle said. “SAVE has taught me to speak out on issues in our community and school that I can help combat as a student.”
The club will continue to try to make Law a more secure and friendly place. It also allows students to be taught to speak up and create a save environment.
“SAVE Promise has helped me better my advocacy for my fellow peers and helped me understand my role as a student,” senior Giuliana Aguilar said.
SPORTS: Law Gymnastics Team Flips Into New Winter Season
(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)
By Maya Rosado – Editor-In-Chief
The Jonathan Law gymnastics team is flipping into the start of a new season.
The team is led by senior captain Olivia Coddington and junior captains Claire Moulton, Lexi Borecki and Natalie Morrell.
The captains have high hopes for the team and want to build a strong relationship with the new girls in order to come out of the season with many wins.
Despite having a small team, the girls feel ready for their upcoming meet against Oxford and Pomperaug on December 21.
“I’m really excited going into this season, we have a lot of new girls and new talents on the team so I’m excited to see what the season holds,” Moulton said. “With a few more practices I think we are going to be ready for our first meeting next week.”
The team is scheduled to have nine regular season meets as well as CIAC Championships and CIAC Opens.
The girls have worked hard in the off-season at their own gyms to improve their skills and master the skills they already have.
The team has been very successful in recent years, winning two consecutive SCC championships in 2020 and 2021.
The girls hope to accomplish something similar this season.
“I really hope to go all state this year, I will work really hard to achieve that goal but we will see how the season goes and I hope that this is something I will accomplish,” Moulton said.
The girls are coached by Pat Simon. Simon competed on the men’s gymnastics team at Southern Connecticut State University from 1965 to 1969.
Through the years Simon’s coaching style has never changed.
“You know what I tell the girls: just have fun,” said Simon. “I say to the girls, go out there, show off and have a good time doing it. If they have a score they want to reach and they get it, great. If they don’t get there this time, well we’ll work on it.”
There are many reasons to be excited for the first meet of the year but most of the girls are most excited to get back out on the mat and perform.
“I am most excited for our first meet of the season,” Coddington said. “Just being able to perform and practice together as a team is the best part.”
The girls have stayed focused during practice and are hoping for many positive outcomes this season.
NEWS: Jonathan Law Music Department Ready For Winter Concert
(Photo courtesy @jlawchoir)
By Kaitlyn Goldberg – News Editor
The annual Jonathan Law Winter Concert is almost ready for showtime.
Hosted by Law’s music department, Choir Director Ms. Jones, and band and orchestra director Mr. Pelaggi the winter concert is where the choir, band, and orchestra showcase their music from the first half of the year. The concert is on Thursday, December 15, at 7 p.m.
The music department is very excited to have its first winter concert in almost three years. They are looking forward to performing for a crowd and having the students’ hard work pay off.
“I’m always excited for our students to perform the music they’ve learned,” Law Band Director Mr. Pelaggi said. “This semester we didn’t have too much time with the music, so it was a great time getting everything together in a short period of time.”
There is a lot of prep work going into the concert to make sure that everything goes smoothly, and the performers are confident.
“The prepping for the concert is stressful and requires a lot of time and effort, but it is very rewarding when everything gets put together, and we can put on a great show,” junior choir member Kiley Sherman said.
While the prepping can be stressful, there are some helpful ways students get ready to perform.
“We have our rehearsals where we build skills and work on specific performance repertoire,” Pelaggi said. “Usually, those two parts of the rehearsal are connected, and we also had a special guest conductor come in this year from Western Connecticut State University, and he worked with our students on one of our more traditional pieces of repertoire that we are performing at the concert.”
Overall, the music department is extremely excited to finally be putting on a winter concert and showcasing students’ hard work over the first half of the school year.
“I am most excited for people to be hearing the songs that we have worked so hard on for so long,” sophomore Reilly Hungerford said.
ENTERTAINMENT: “The Muppet Christmas Carol” Still A Holiday Season Classic
(Photo courtesy imdb.com)
By Zack Sulkis – Social Media Editor
The Muppets’ take on the Charles Dickens classic, “A Christmas Carol,” is a must-watch during the holiday season. While it isn’t as talked about as much as the traditional Jim Carrey version, it is still an entertaining and charming version of the story everyones probably heard is a great movie to watch on a cold winter night.
The film takes place on Christmas Eve in 19th century London and is narrated by Gonzo, who is Charles Dickens, along with his friend Rizzo the Rat. The two make appearances throughout the film in which they tell the story of Ebenezer Scrooge.
Scrooge is a heartless moneylender who no one likes; all he cares about is money and he hates Christmas. When he goes home on Christmas Eve he is greeted by several different ghosts who show him the past, the present, and the future if he changes his ways. At the end Scrooge is a very nice guy to everyone, donating to charity and attending Christmas dinner at Bob Cratchet’s (played by Kermit The Frog).
Throughout the film, there are many appearances from Muppet characters playing roles in the story such as Kermit as Cratchet, Statler and Waldorf as Scrooge’s dead heartless co-workers, Fozzie Bear as “Fozziwig,” the Muppet version of Fezziwig (Scrooge’s boss when he was younger), as well as many other familiar classic Muppet characters like Beaker, Sam, and more.
“The Muppet Christmas Carol” is a heartwarming holiday movie that has some funny moments in it as well. It is a movie that shows how you should treat others how you want to be treated and know that what you put out into the world comes back to you.
Because it is a play on the classic “A Christmas Carol,” this film has many musical numbers from the Muppets.
This movie is not talked about enough for how well-filmed it is, especially for a movie with lots of puppetry from the early nineties. This is the first film featuring The Muppets that was made after the passing of Jim Henson, the creator and puppeteer. He founded The Jim Henson Company, a modern day entertainment juggernaut that makes Muppet films to this day as well as Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Captain Brendan Buchner About Boys Basketball Season
(Photo courtesy ZAM Photography)
By Maya Markowitz – Staff Reporter
Brendan Buchner is a senior captain of the Jonathan Law basketball team. Advocate Staff Reporter Maya Markowitz interviewed him about the upcoming season.
Maya Markowitz: What are your goals for this season?
Brendan Buchner: My biggest goal for the upcoming season is for our team to make the state playoffs and make a deep run in the playoffs. This is a very achievable goal with the players we have on our team.
MM: What are your biggest responsibilities as captain?
BB: My biggest responsibilities as a captain are communicating with coaches and teammates, leading by example, and maintaining a positive attitude.
MM: How has the team been preparing for this season?
BB: Our team has been preparing for the season since the start of October. We would have lifts, conditioning, and open gym daily to help us get in shape. Now that the season has started, we have been practicing regularly, and we also had a scrimmage.
MM: What are the challenges you’ve had this year as a team?
BB: So far, the biggest challenge we have had as a team is creating chemistry with each other on the court. We have only had a handful of practices and little time to build chemistry with each other. However, as the season goes along, our team chemistry will improve.
MM: Are you going to continue basketball after graduating?
BB: I have no plans to play basketball in college, but I would still like to play basketball for fun.
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Freshman Class Officer Kayla Markowitz About The Class Of 2026 Holiday Movie Night
(Photo by Kayla Markowitz)
By Chloe Konareski – Staff Reporter
Kayla Markowitz is Senator of the Freshman Student Council. Advocate Staff Reporter Chloe Konareski interviewed Markowitz about the upcoming 2026 Holiday Movie Night.
Chloe Konareski: What are your goals for the Holiday Movie Night?
Kayla Markowitz: We’re hoping to get a lot of students to go and be a part of something we hope will be really fun and a great way to spend time with your friends before the winter break.
CK: What should students expect at the Holiday Movie Night?
KM: Definitely a movie (“Home Alone”). Also just a fun way to have students to come together. We’re also doing a bake sale so people can purchase snacks during the movie.
CK: Who came up with this idea?
KM: “I think it was a group effort. We all definitely agreed that we wanted to do something before Christmas break because we know it’s a stressful time and we wanted an opportunity to do something fun for students.
CK: What do you hope students get out of the event?
KM: Honestly we just want people to have fun. We made it free to get in because our goal is just to bring friends and students together before the holidays.”
CK: What other activities are the freshman class planning?
KM: Right now this is the most important thing on our minds but we’re coming up with ideas we can do later in the year when the weather gets warmer. We put out a form to all the freshmen asking what events they would like for us to do, a big one was an outdoor event so we’re waiting for the weather to become warmer in order to plan that.
SPORTS: New Head Coach Gaines Excited To Lead Law Indoor Track Team
(Photo courtesy @JLHSAthletics)
By Gabe Garnett – Sports Editor
After coming off an amazing 2021-2022 season the Law indoor track team will step back out on the track in a few days to kick off the indoor season.
Last year’s indoor team finished second at the Class M Championships last year and hopes are high for the 2022-2023 team.
This year’s team is led by new head coach Frank Gaines, who takes over for longtime indoor track coach Mr. Beler. Beler made the difficult decision earlier this year to step down as indoor track coach due to family obligations.
“Due to my family obligations, I stepped down as the head indoor track coach,” Beler said. “I am staying on as the head boys outdoor coach. After a long family discussion, I can not put the night hours that the indoor coach requires.”
Athletic Director Mr. Sarullo hired Gaines as the new boys and girls indoor coach. Gaines then brought in Law alum Mike Loschiavo to be the new assistant coach. Loschiavo ran track and cross country for four years at Law. He plans to help the distance runners succeed throughout the season.
Gaines has many goals for the upcoming season.
“I want to develop talent, get athletes to reach their PR’s, and build team camaraderie,” Gaines said.
Gaines previously coached football at Masuk and is currently a coach for the football team here at Law. He also coached indoor and outdoor Track at Trumbull High School for five years. Gaines is also a certified personal trainer and a counselor for juveniles coming out of detention centers.
NEWS: Annual Thanks For Giving Food Drive Helps Those In Need
(Photo courtesy facebook.com)
By Will Smith – Entertainment Editor
The Thanks for Giving Food Drive took place on the week of November 17 to collect food for those who may not have enough for a happy thanksgiving.
The Jonathan Law Key Club, the Jonathan Law National Honor Society, and the Boy Scouts of Milford Troop 1 hosted the food drive. The food drive has been going on for eleven years with over 70,000 pounds worth of food collected and 1,600 turkeys collected.
“I have been helping out at the Thanks for Giving Food Drive for at least 5 years now,” senior Key Club member president Kyle Chy said. “Every year, going down there and working with everyone to gather canned goods and prepare the boxes of food has always been rewarding, especially when delivering them to the recipients and seeing how grateful and appreciative they are for the food drive and what we do.”
In total, 350 meals were delivered to Milford families, 354 turkeys were collected, and there were over $2,500 in donations.
The meals and turkeys were delivered to the Milford Food Bank, Cornerstone Food Pantry, John Rigley Food Pantry, First United Church of Christ Food Pantry, Saint Gabriel Food Pantry, Food 2 Kids, Truth and Lies Ministries, Ronald McDonald House, and the Storehouse Project.
“When collecting food here at Law and watching how much the Law community has donated to the food drive, it was so fulfilling to see,” Chy said.
Any money that was collected was used to support Beth El Shelter, Bridgeport Rescue Mission, Ronald McDonald House, Storehouse Project, and any other Milford area food and support areas.
ENTERTAINMENT: “Home Alone” Remains A Holiday Classic Decades After Release
(Photo courtesy radiotimes.com)
By Maddy Gaillard – Entertainment Editor
“Home Alone” is arguably one of the best Christmas movies of all time. After its release on November 10, 1990, it has gained an insane amount of attention and love from fans worldwide. The film follows Kevin McCallister and his family as they prepare for a Christmas trip to Paris. The movie idea stemmed from John Hughes (the writer and producer of the film) while he was on vacation.
The film begins with the entire McCallister family in a hassle to try and get things organized the night before their trip. The mom, Kate McCallister, and her son Kevin get in a fight and she punishes him by sending him up to his room. When the family wakes up late the morning of their flight, they are in such a hurry that they forget Kevin. Since Kevin is home alone he has to create obstacles to defend himself and his home from two burglars.
This film is a Christmas classic and gets whoever is watching into the holiday spirit easily. It is entertaining and funny which keeps the watcher involved. The movie does a great job in letting the audience build sympathy for Kevin and also appreciate his intelligence and wit. There is never a boring scene and how the movie stays interesting for the entire time.
“Home Alone” truly captures the Christmas spirit and keeps the viewers entertained throughout the film. The plot is interesting and entertaining for viewers of all ages. It builds different kinds of emotions for the audience which allows this film to fit into different genres. “Home Alone” gives the viewer a hint of suspense but it is overall a great holiday movie and will forever be a classic in many homes.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
SPORTS: Law Boys Basketball Team Looks To Start Season Strong
(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)
By Ella Franzman – Sports Editor
The Jonathan Law boys basketball team is ready to have a very successful winter season.
The team starts off their season with its home opener on Thursday, December 15 against Cheshire. The freshman team plays at 3:45 p.m., JV plays at 5:15 p.m., and varsity plays at 7 p.m.
“Ultimately our goal is to compete at Mohegan Sun and get better every day at practice, sophomore Cam Upchurch said.
The whole team has a collective goal of making it to the state championship together and to improve on their record from last season.
“Every game is a big game and you should take the same approach to every single game because you should never play down to your competition,” junior Liam Valvo said.
The team’s record last year was 10-12. This year, captains Nolan McKenna-Hansen, John Neider, Aidan Ryan and Brendan Buchner are hoping to lead their team to the postseason.
“Before our first game we hope to get ready for the season, meaning we are well conditioned, know the plays, and just all around ready for the start of the season,” McKenna-Hansen said. “We have little time, so we need to make the most of our practices.”
The team is hopeful to start off the season by picking up a win against Cheshire.
“Our student-athletes work extremely hard all season and before we get into gameplay we focus on getting in the best condition possible, so we’re ready to compete,” head coach Jamie Anderson said.
Upchurch said that on every game day he stays focused during school, gets his work done so that by game time he’s focused and ready to play.
“We pretty much treat every game the same no matter how good a team is, usually we have a scouting report on them and use that to help guide what we will do in practice the night before,” Hansen said. “But, some games are bigger than others and we just have to be ready and amped up to play.”
The team is looking forward to having a normal season this year with no masks.
“My expectations for this season are very high, I think we have a chance to be great this season if everyone goes hard in practice and stays focused,” Valvo said.
The boys are very well connected on and off the court which helps them play better and be able to work together to achieve their goals.
5 QUESTIONS WITH… Senior Captains Nicolina Salanto & Sabrina Lawless About The Girls Basketball Season
(Photo courtesy Chloe Konareski)
By Chloe Konareski – Staff Reporter
Seniors Nicolina Salanto and Sabrina Lawless are both captains for the Jonathan Law girls basketball team. Advocate Staff Reporter Chloe Konareski interviewed Salanto and Lawless about the upcoming season.
Chloe Konareski: What are your goals for the upcoming season?
Nicolina Salanto: My goals are to leave an impact on the team after I have left. I know that we are a younger team and I want to leave a lasting impact on the younger girls that they will never forget about. My goals are the same as years past, to have a very successful regular season, qualify for postseason tournaments, and have a good run in the postseason. Due to our success of last year we have a difficult schedule but with newer program and a new coach we are all really excited to see what will come of this season
CK: As a senior, what have you seen in the past that you would like to change as a captain?
Sabrina Lawless: Something I would change as a captain from the past is having a good relationship with all of the girls on the team, whether on JV or varsity.
CK: What are your expectations for the 2022-2023 season?
SL: Although we have a tough schedule, my expectations for this season are to progress as the year goes on. To start off strong and continue to get stronger.
CK: How do you motivate your teammates in practice and games?
NS: I motivate my team during practice and games by constantly trying to uplift the energy even when everybody is struggling. I know what it feels like when you’re not having a good day and then a bad practice can really be hard. I want to make sure that everybody feels that basketball is a safe place and somewhere they can feel comfortable. I am always cheering on my teammates and when they mess up and make sure to help them out and not make them feel bad for messing up. I know it’s hard being an underclassmen sometimes and being shy but I want to make the team feel like a family.
CK: How do you think the team will be next year?
SL: Next year, I think the team will be able to work better with the coaches and be able to understand each other better. They will know each other better and know how to work with one another.
NEWS: Law Junior Chris Rickard Plays In National Music Ensemble
(Photo courtesy Chris Rickard)
By Maddy Gaillard, Helen Chizmazia, Oliva Hudak, and Caden Simpson – Advocate Editors
Jonathan Law junior Chris Rickard recently realized a life-long dream when he was invited to the National Association for Music Education All-National Honors Festival in Washington, D.C.
Rickard, who plays the euphonium, initially qualified for the All-State Festival and then from there he was able to audition for All-National Ensemble. Approximately 121 students in the nation, including senior Noah Held from Foran High School, were invited to participate in this year’s Ensemble.
“The Nationals Ensemble was so fun,” Rickard said. “The music was excellent, and provided challenging but enjoyable music to not just listen to but to play as well. It was nice to not constantly be at the top of my section, but to be around other musicians of similar or better caliber, and see how I can learn from them.”
Rickard said he was extremely impressed by the quality of the musical talent and by the passion of the directors and musicians alike.
“The musicianship was incredible from everyone across all ensembles, being able to meet in one day and be able to perform a full concert of challenging music in the span of three days or less,” Rickard said. “Watching all the ensembles play really put into perspective the expectation I would be held to play at when it was my time to go on stage. Beyond the musical context, the people were great from directors, to performers, or even just the volunteers that helped out.”
Being a member of the Jonathan Law band has been a big part of Rickard’s high school career and helped him receive this recognition.
“Students who want to participate in these types of groups can definitely be helped by participating in the band at Law,” Law Band Director Mr. Pelaggi said. “We offer a lot of experiences similar to those at these ensembles. Just this week we had Dr. Matthew Doiron from Western Connecticut State University come and run our ensemble for a day. Last year, we commissioned a piece by a professional composer. These activities are similar to those that would happen at festivals like All-State and Nationals.”
Rickard went through a long journey to qualify for this Ensemble event.
“I was invited after submitting an audition tape to the National Association for Music Education (NAfME),” Rickard said. “Why I auditioned was because I just felt like it, but didn’t expect to make it by any means. I just thought it’d be cool to at least audition to see and go a little past All-State.”
In order to submit a National Ensemble audition, Rickard needed to participate in All- Regional and All-State events for your respective State Music Educators Association. Both of these require auditions as well as a short application on past experiences as a musician.
“Normally, all music prepared are solos typically known ahead of time accompanied by a major scale of the Connecticut Music Educators Association’s choosing along with a chromatic scale, both of two octaves if possible for that major scale,” Rickard said. “For the Nationals audition, just the solo preparation would be required, however only about a month would be given to prepare, film, and send the tape. The solo, Sonata for Euphonium, was pretty challenging to learn, and I didn’t even think it was gonna make it. In addition, a second piece may be optionally chosen that is under two minutes to go with the rest of the audition. For this, I played the first movement of The Carnival of Venice. I submitted one of the last auditions on the day they were due.”
Pelaggi said he was happy that Rickard was able to expand his musical career outside of Law.
“I’m happy he was able to get to these events, but I hope he has learned more from participating in them,” Pelaggi said. “It is more important to me that a student learns, whether from me or from another source. Sometimes achievements can be hollow, but I know his path to this event was full of excellent learning experiences. I’m always happy to help my students with their goals. My mission is for my students to become better people and then better musicians. If this path is in their future, I’m happy to assist them in their journey.”
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Marissa Wargo About Being Named Law Powder Puff MVP
(Photo by Gabby Caruso)
By Bobby Black – Sports Editor
Foran defeated Law 7-0 in the annual Powder Puff game on November 22. Each team names a team MVP at the end of the game, and this year the honor for Law went to junior linebacker Marissa Wargo. Wargo led the team in tackles in her first season playing Powder Puff. Advocate Sports Editor Bobby Black interviewed Wargo about the game.
Bobby Black: How does it feel to be the MVP of the game?
Marissa Wargo: If feels awesome to be a junior year MVP, let alone the MVP of the game.
BB: What was your favorite moment of Powder Puff?
MW: My favorite moment of Powder Puff was during the practices we all had fun and got a long really well.
BB: What are your goals for next year?
MW: My goals for next year is to improve not only as a player, but also as a team. And to win next year!
BB: How can you and the team improve next year?
MW: I can improve by communicating more on and off the field. The team can improve by having good communication and more practice time.
BB: What do you enjoy most about playing Powder Puff?
MW: The things I enjoy most about football is all the emotions, the competition, and teamwork that needs to be done to succeed.
NEWS: National Honor Society Begins Holiday Season With Annual Giving Tree
(Photo courtesy The Advocate Editors)
By Olivia Augustine and Kaitlyn Goldberg – News Editors and Reilly Hungerford – Entertainment Editor
The National Honor Society has begun the holiday season with the annual Giving Tree.
The Giving Tree is a tree in the school lobby where students are encouraged to buy gifts for less fortunate children in Milford, hosted by the NHS. Anyone who wants to participate can choose a card from the tree, purchase the gift and return the unwrapped gift with the card to the tree or Room 212B by December 14.
“The Giving Tree is a community project that our National Honor Society members do every year for the holidays,” NHS advisor Ms. Turcotte said. “We work with Bridges Healthcare of Milford, who provide us with the holiday wish lists of the children of their families in need.”
The NHS makes it their goal to provide gifts for less fortunate kids every year.
“The goal of the giving tree is to get people in the law community to give back to children in need by getting them a Christmas gift that they specifically want so that they can have plenty of gifts this Christmas season,” senior president Kyle Chy said.
NHS members look forward to the Giving Tree every year.
“I enjoy picking gifts out for the kids based on what they ask for,” senior Caroline Doyle said.
Members enjoy being able to give back to kids less fortunate than them.
“I enjoy that the giving tree provides the opportunity for anyone in our school to give back and help out less fortunate kids,” senior Maya Rosado said. “It’s a simple and easy way to help others and that’s what I like most about it.”
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Molly Simler About Law’s Bristol Police Department Fundraiser
(Photo courtesy nypost.com)
By Caden Simpson – Social Media Editor
Throughout the months of October and November, history teacher Mr. Batson and physical education teacher Mrs. Bludé conducted a fundraiser for the Bristol Police Department. Several students also helped with the fundraising effort, including junior Molly Simler. The fundraiser is still underway and all donations go towards Sgt. Dustin Demonte and Ofc. Alex Hamzy’s family in the wake of the tragic shooting which took both officers’ lives on October 12. Advocate Social Media Editor Caden Simpson interviewed Simler about the fundraiser.
Caden Simpson: How did the fundraiser begin?
Molly Simler: The fundraiser began all thanks to Mr. Batson and Mrs. Bludé in order to help out the families of the Bristol police officers who were killed in the line of duty.
CS: How long has the fundraiser been going on for and can people still donate?
MS: The fundraiser has been ongoing since October to show our support for the Bristol Police Department as we continue to raise money.
CS: Where will all of the money from the fundraiser go?
MS: The money raised all goes towards the families of the two officers to show our support and sympathy.
CS: Have you reached your fundraising goal?
MS: We have raised more than we had hoped for and I am appreciative of law being such a supportive, giving community.
CS: In your opinion, how has this fundraiser impacted our school?
MS: I like to think it has helped the community come together to remember the two officers who died in the line of duty and opened some students’ eyes as to how we should never take anything for granted.
ENTERTAINMENT: Young Adult Readers Will Love Kiera Cass’ “The Selection”
(Photo courtesy amazon.com)
By KruthiNimilya Nandam – Staff Reporter
“The Selection” is the first book in a five-book series by YA author Kiera Cass. America Singer, the main character, is a a member of a middle-class family and they live in a world of kings and queens.
America is an average 16-year-old. America and her family live in a country called Illéa. In this country, everyone is rated by their caste number – one being the highest and eight being the lowest. America and her family are fives. This means they have barely any money, they are required to get a job as an artist or musician. It doesn’t matter if they are good at it or not.
America receives a letter from the castle about taking part in The Selection. Basically, it’s a reality show competition where 35 young women come to “fight” to win the prince’s heart. This can be a great support for their family because of their status but America doesn’t seem interested. His mom wants her to participate but something stops her from accepting. This is because America has a secret boyfriend named Aspen.
They have been together for a while and are even talking about getting married soon. But if they do get married, America would be even more broke because Aspen is a six. Even if they do marry each other, they would be breaking the law. Aspen suggests that America accepts the offer thinking that she won’t be selected. But, later she does get selected.
When she gets to the castle she unexpectedly meets the prince of IIea, the reason she had a panic attack on the first night there. They had a rocky start but slowly started to be a little more than friends. Keep in mind Aspen and America broke up because Aspen felt that he couldn’t trust America when she went to IIea. Aspen got a job at the castle and he saw that Maxon and America were always together which made him mad.
Later on, America finds out that he was also working there. So they started to meet up to talk about their relationship secretly without Maxon knowing. So now America has to choose between Prince Maxon and Aspen. For readers who enjoy love triangles, this is a really great book to read.
Some of the strong points in this book are character development. Not only does the main character go through changes but the people around her also do as well. It is up to them to choose if they want to be a better person or ruin their reputation because of their ranking in the social class. It is interesting to see the characters grow throughout the story. Seeing these changes shows the reader the ups and downs the main characters come across. In addition, emotion is very vividly written in this book. Maxon has 35 girls to observe and their characters and emotions are expressed through a reality show.
Some weak points are that this book can stay on a topic for a few chapters. “The Selection” starts off slow and near the end, progressively feels a little rushed. It also contains some violent scenes so it may not be suitable for all ages.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
SPORTS: Lawmen Beat Rival Foran On Thanksgiving, Set Sights On Playoff Run
(Photo by Eric Relucio)
By Ella Franzman – Sports Editor & Maya Rosado – Editor-in-Chief
The annual Thanksgiving Day football game between Jonathan Law and Foran drew a huge crowd for the showdown between the two talented teams.
Foran came into the game with a record of 9-0 and Law entered 8-1. Law came out on top beating Foran 60-29 for the Mayor’s Trophy at at Law on Thanksgiving morning.
Head coach Chris Haley said he was proud of the way the team handled themselves in the much-anticipated game.
“It’s not pressure to me; it’s a platform, 5 or 5,000, we’re expected to play and perform the same way,” Haley said. “This is our community, there’s no pressure, it’s simply an obligation to perform at the level of their expectation, not necessarily deliver a result.”
The game was back and forth for the first half with Law consistently leading till they eventually were able to pull away in the second half.
“Going into the game I felt really confident that my team would be able to hang in with Foran and I knew it would be a good game,” sophomore Michael Merchant said.
Senior quarterback John Neider, the SCC Tier III Player of the Year and the game’s MVP, accounted for 377 yards and six touchdowns.
Neider threw for 236 yards and two scores and added 141 rushing yards.
The two teams came into the game expecting to put up big numbers. Each team compiled for a combined 926 yards of offense, including four touchdown passes.
With all the offense, the game turned on an interception late in the third quarter. Trailing 41-29 and driving deep into Law territory, Foran’s drive was stopped on an interception by Tyler Nethercott at the Law 38 yard line.
Law improved to 25-22-2 all-time in the city series and 9-1 overall this season. Following the win against Foran, Law advanced to play in the Class M State Tournament where they beat RHAM 42-13 in the quarterfinals.
“Our hopes for the playoffs are to make history and to win as many games as we can,” Neider said.
Merchant agreed.
“Our hopes for the playoffs are to play as many games as possible so that we can make it to the championship game,” Merchant said.
After their win against RHAM, Law next faces #2 seed Notre Dame-West Haven in the semifinals on Sunday. The Lawmen know they will have to play well on both sides of the ball if they want to win.
“Going in, I know I want to improve more on my tackling,” sophomore Michael Smith said.
(Game statistics courtesy gametimect.com)
NEWS: Celebrities Logan Paul, Mike Majlak Make Appearance At Law-Foran Thanksgiving Day Game
(Photo courtesy @editedbyer)
By Editors-in-Chief Katie Servas and Gemard Guery, Entertainment Editor Truman Martin, and Social Media Editor Zack Sulkis
The 2022 Jonathan Law-Foran Thanksgiving Day game was an incredibly memorable experience for the Jonathan Law community.
Not only did the Lawmen win the game and make the playoffs for the second time in school history, but two celebrities were also in attendance.
Logan Paul and Mike Majlak attended the game along with approximately 5,000 spectators. Majlak, a Foran alum, was in Connecticut for Thanksgiving and decided to attend the game with his friend, Logan Paul.
Law Principal Bryan Darcy and Milford officials learned of their impending arrival the week of the game.
“I found out that Monday morning prior to Thanksgiving, and we knew it was a possibility because their people contacted our people downtown and there had to be some logistical things,” Darcy said. “They were coming no matter what, but we had to prepare to ensure that they had security and everyone was safe here.”
When Paul and Majlak arrived at the game, they sat in their own designated seats on the track to avoid energized fans.
“It was a nice experience for me because I actually spoke to (Logan Paul) for about 10 minutes on the field, and I know he’s famous for a lot of things, but we had a very nice, normal conversation,” Darcy said. “He was nice, he was genuine and I when I asked and he was willing to meet students.”
Some students taking photos were also able to have conversations with Paul and Majlak.
“It was unbelievable that they were there, because I’ve been watching Mike Majlak ever since he started vlogs and have told him my appreciation about all the love he gives back to the Milford community,” said senior and photographer Eric Relucio. “Doing what I love like filming alongside them only helped support my passion and the whole experience has given me the determination and confidence to continue to do what I love knowing that anything is possible.”
During the halftime show, Paul and Majlak came over to greet students who were eager to meet them. Many students had their phones out and some even brought Sharpies so they could sign their phone cases, PRIME drink bottles, and sweatshirts.
“It was-life changing. He held my phone and I’ll never forget that for the rest of my life,” said junior Samantha Chy. “It made my Thanksgiving.”
Paul and Majlak stayed until the end of halftime before exiting the field. After their departure, the Law would conclude the game by defeating Foran 60-29.
Majlak later posted photos and videos of their appearance on his social media accounts.
SPORTS: Law Falls To Foran 7-0 In Hard-Fought Powder Puff Game
(Photo courtesy Lana Hanania)
By Lana Hanania – News Editor
Foran defeated Law 7-0 in the annual Powder Puff game on November 22.
Although the result of the game wasn’t what they had hoped for, members of the team had fun playing and working together.
“During the game I played aggressively,” junior linebacker Talia Salanto said. “It was enjoyable and fun for me which made it easier to dive at the other team and helped me be a good linebacker.”
Junior running back and wide receiver Samantha Chy agreed.
“I think I did pretty well – I had a 50-yard run but I could have ran more vertically than horizontally during my other runs to get more yards,” Chy said. “Overall, it was fun and I enjoyed playing.”
The result did not stop the team from having fun. They enjoyed the atmosphere and excitement of the game and loved competing against their crosstown rivals.
“If I could have done better It would have been to talk with the other lineman more about what we can do individually and together to have defended our offense better, “ senior center Nicolina Salanto said. “Foran’s defensive line came out strong.”
Head coach Mr. O’Reilly said he was proud of how hard the girls fought throughout the game.
“I thought despite the loss we handled ourselves admirably. We never gave up, and we put so much effort into those two weeks,” O’Reilly said. “Moving forward, I think a big thing to focus on next year is to win the battle of the lines. And get as much speed on our offense as possible.”
After the game, junior linebacker Marissa Wargo, who led Law in flags pulled, was named Team MVP for the game.
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Class Advisor Ms. Russell About The Homecoming Dance
(Photo courtesy @JLHSPrincipal)
By Quinn Willett – Staff Reporter
Jonathan Law’s Homecoming dance was held on November 18 in the New Gym. Due to COVID-19, this was the first time since 2019 that Law had an indoor Homecoming dance. Senior Class Advisor Ms. Russell planned the Homecoming dance along with a group of faculty members. Advocate Staff Reporter Quinn Willett interviewed Russell about the dance.
Quinn Willett: Who was involved in the planning of Homecoming?
Ms. Russell: Myself with Mrs. Francisco and Mrs. DiPrimio – and Ms. Kelly helped with the venue change and balloon arch.
QW: What was the planning process?
MR: This was my first year planning Homecoming inside. It was tough this year because we had such a great turn out of students, we were planning on having it in the cafeteria, but once we had the final number (547 students) we needed to change it to a bigger space.
QW: How do you think it went?
JR: I think it went great! Mr. Healy did a great job in his DJ debut and I think everyone had a great time.
QW: What do you hope for next year?
MR: Next year we will plan to have it in the gym, so we can get the lighting and everything ironed out. I also hope to have a committee of students to help plan so we can have some more decorations and have some input from students.
QW: What was your favorite part of Homecoming?
MR: I was just so happy to see so many of out students together in one space, looking so fabulous and having a great time.
NEWS: Law Celebrates Thanksgiving With Annual Spirit Week
(Photo courtesy @JLHSAthletics)
By Hannah Engel – Staff Reporter
Jonathan Law recently held a “Spirit Week and a Half” and a pep rally the to get students ready for the Thanksgiving Day game and Powder Puff game.
The Spirit Week themes were Student-Teacher Swap, Country/Country Club, White Lies, Multicultural Day, Twin Day, Pajama Day, Blackout Day, and Law Gear.
“It doesn’t matter if you play a sport, or participate in choir or band,” math teacher Ms. Russell said. “Spirit weeks can help students that don’t necessarily participate in school activities feel like they are a part of the Law community.”
Throughout Spirit Week, students dressed up according to the theme.
This year’s Spirit Week continued for a week and a half. This led up to the annual Law vs. Foran football and Powder Puff games. Spirit Week also featured a pep rally on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving to get students excited for the upcoming games.
The pep rally was held in the new gym. Each grade was involved in all activities.
Students participated in activities such as musical chairs and other games and competitions. There was also a performance from the choir.
The purpose of the pep rally was for students to get excited for the upcoming games.
“The purpose of this week’s spirit week was to get students excited for the Powderpuff and Thanksgiving Football game,” sophomore Sarah Ahmed said. “Showing school spirit is a very important part of every school event.”
Russell said she was happy with the results from Spirit Week.
“I think we had a little more participation in the first Spirit Week of the year,” Russell said. “I think we still need to keep it a little simple with the themes so that they are easier to participate in. Once we have a better Spirit Week culture, we can start adding in more ‘out of the box’ themes.”
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Cross Country Captain Claire Moulton About Going All-State
(Photo courtesy Claire Moulton)
By Harrison Fisher – Sports Editor
In her third season of running cross country, Claire Moulton went All-State for the second year in row. Moulton has served as a leader and captain for the Law girls cross country team. She finished Second Team All-SCC and competed at states and state opens this year. At states, Mounton finished in the Top 10, finishing sixth overall. Moultion will be heading into her senior year next year and hopes to close out her high school career on a positive note. Advocate Sports Editor Harrison Fisher interviewed Moulton about her junior season.
Harrison Fisher: Did you accomplish all of your goals this season?
Claire Moulton: Yes, all my goals I made this season were accomplished.
HF: How does it feel to go All-State for the second time in a row?
CM: It’s really exciting to go All-State back to back. Hopefully I’ll do it again next year.
HF: Were the results at the end of the season you wanted?
CM: Yes, I was happy with my results looking back on the season.
HF: What was your favorite moment of the cross country season?
CM: My favorite moment was states. It was a really exciting time to go All-State and celebrate with my team after I ran.
HF: Overall how do you think the season was?
CM: I think the season ended on a positive note and Im really excited for next year’s season.
5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Cross Country Captain Liam Fedigan About Going All-State
(Photo courtesy @LawBoysXC)
By Harrison Fisher – Sports Editor
At the end of the Jonathan Law cross country season, senior standout Liam Fedigan again went All-State. Fedigan has now gone All-State twice in a row and this year, he became the first ever Law boys cross country runner to compete at Regionals. Fedigan will attend Iona University next year where he will continue his academic and athletic careers. Iona is a Top 25 program in track that has produced 27 All-American cross country runners. In his time at Law, Fedigan was the leader of the cross country program and served as team captain for two years. Advocate Sports Editor Harrison Fisher interviewed Fedigan about the end of his high school cross country career.
Harrison Fisher: Did you achieve all of your goals this season?
Liam Fedigan: I accomplished all of my goals. I made it to New Englands, and more importantly, I feel like I demonstrated good leadership. I am confident I left a good mark on Law boys cross country and I am excited to be back for the meets next year.
HF: How does it feel to go All-State for the second year in a row?
LF: I feel very excited and happy. I am very grateful first and foremost to everyone who helped me to get to this point. The bigger idea behind the words “All-State” is all the hard work and hours in the gym that I consistently put in. It is all working itself out.
HF: Were the results at the end of the season what you wanted?
LF: Yes they were. Everyone enjoyed the season and we got super close. That is what makes me most happy and most fulfilled.
HF: What was your favorite moment of the cross country season?
LF: My favorite moment was by far when other people PR’d and ran their best times. Every meet we had a few people run their best and that made me super happy. Lots of people put in hard work so it was nice to see that paying off for everyone. In terms of myself my favorite moment for me was making New Englands and getting that experience.
HF: Overall how do you think the season went?
LF: Overall, the season was a success. I know the coaches had a great time coaching and the runners had fun running. That was the goal and everyone played a part to make that happen.
EDITORIAL: Class Rank System Does More Harm Than Good
(Photo courtesy tasseldepot.com)
By Gemard Guery – Editor-in-Chief & Editorial Editor
Class rank is a system that ranks students based on their cumulative grade point average. Typically, it utilizes the weighted GPA that takes the difficulty of the classes into account in addition to the grade earned in the class. This system is in use in schools all around the world. However, in recent years, many schools have begun to change their class rank systems.
Class rank doesn’t truly benefit students and should be abolished or changed within high schools.
High school is meant to be a time where students explore and discover interests they may have. Class rank prevents students from exploring their interests. Students often worry about how their rank will be affected if they take classes that they’re actually interested in so they take the hardest classes robbing themselves of the opportunity to learn more about what they like. Rather than taking classes students may be interested in, they take classes that may raise their GPAs higher.
Additionally, more than half of all high schools have completely done away with class rank. A lot of private and top-tier high schools have realized that class rank penalizes many students who have done amazingly during their high school career, but are unable to make it to the top 10% despite maintaining a phenomenal academic record.
Class rank is also incredibly relative based on what school you attend. Schools, curriculums, and grading scales are all different based on what school a student may attend. Even the way class rank is calculated is different around the country and the world. Some schools take personal qualities and school involvement into consideration in addition to GPA. Some schools decide who gets the valedictorian honor based on whether you earned a certain GPA rather than if you had the highest. The system is so different based on where a student goes to school and a student with amazing grades may be low at one school whilst a student with simply okay grades may be at the top of the class.
Even college admission officers all around the country (especially at selective schools) have realized that class rank may not be an important factor in admissions decisions. Colleges already have so much information about a given student with GPA, their transcript, extracurriculars, and recommendations that class rank is becoming less important in admissions decisions.
Class rank can also contribute to an incredibly toxic school culture. Oftentimes, schools pride themselves on building a community and being part of a “family” within your school. Class rank works against it as students want to have the highest number possible. School can easily become an unhealthy competition where a student may want to see their peers do worse than them or fail. This competition also makes students who work really hard feel really bad about themselves because despite trying their best, they aren’t number one.
Class rank doesn’t take into account extenuating circumstances that may have affected a student’s academic performance. It ranks you and has no regard for what a student may have gone through during the course or any moment within their high school career that may have resulted in their grade point average lowering. Many students entered or experienced most of their high school careers in the midst of a pandemic. Nothing about those school years during the pandemic were normal and a lot of students had personal, familial, mental, and physical issues that had an impact on their academic performance. It’s truly unfair to those students and even if they get back on track, their GPA and therefore class rank will still be affected.
Some may argue that eliminating class rank is unfair to students who may be at the top of their class and want that honor to be included in their application. This argument is wrong because students are honored for their commitment to academic excellence all the time. Through honor societies, honor roll, awards ceremonies, and more, those students are given many opportunities to be recognized for their academic and personal achievements. Eliminating class rank doesn’t stop those students from getting the recognition they deserve.
There are many solutions or routes that can be taken with class rank in addition to eliminating it as a whole.
One solution is to make rank optional. Many schools around the country have made rank optional and given students the opportunity to decide whether or not their rank gets reported to colleges. By giving students the option to omit their rank, students aren’t put at a disadvantage if they don’t like their rank because colleges won’t have to see it.
Another solution is changing our ranking system to the Latin honor society. Rather than ranking by number, utilizing the Latin Honor Society and recognizing students by naming them Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, and Cum Laude would still honor students who have maintained great standing in their high school career. Students can be more focused on themselves and their performance rather than the performance of everyone else.
Schools can also simply rank until a certain point. Some schools just rank until the top 10 or 25 percent of the class and everyone else simply goes unranked. That way, those students aren’t put at a disadvantage in their college application process.
Class rank truly does more harm than good and serious discourse must be had about how it can be changed or eliminated in order to achieve school’s main purpose: ensuring every student reaches their fullest academic and personal potential.
SPORTS: Law Boys, Girls Soccer Teams Host Breast Cancer Awareness Game
(Photo courtesy @LawGirlsSoccer)
By Jack Bretthauer – Staff Reporter
For their rivalry games against Foran, the Jonathan Law boys and girls soccer teams decided to raise money for breast cancer awareness to benefit the Get In Touch Program.
The boys and girls played against Foran on October 27. The Foran girls defeated Law and the Law boys tied Foran 1-1.
The night before the fundraiser, the Lawmen soccer players created signs that were later posted up in the cafeteria. The captains of both boys and girls soccer went around during lunch waves to collect money.
“While going table to table fundraising in the cafe, we had a lot of people wanting to donate what they could,” senior girls soccer captain Elly van Waveren said. “If they did not have cash on them they would use our Venmo to donate.”
The fundraising was fun for the teams themselves.
“I had a lot of fun fundraising”, van Waveren said.
Together the teams were able to raise almost $700 for the foundation.
“Sports are so much more than winning and losing,” girls soccer coach Mrs. Francisco said. “I think that it is important to give back to the community and help instill those values into my players as well.”
The fundraiser was a great success and had a positive impact on the community. The atmosphere of the games was also affected by the fundraiser as it added more hype to each game.
“I think it makes the girls play a little harder when they play for a cause,” Francisco said. “Of course, we chose to play our charity game against Foran so we were able to raise the most money as it is always a big game.”
The players also felt these impacts as there were more people at the game.
“The crowd was super loud and all I could hear was the different sides screaming,” senior captain Demi Carrapico said. “On one side of the field you have people cheering you on.”
Boys soccer team members said they were extra focused going into the game because it was against Foran.
“It made us more competitive and more ready for the game because we were hyping it up,” junior captain Elliot Melgar said.
The younger members of the boys team stepped up in one of their first rivalry games against Foran.
“Everyone fought for one another and had each other’s back all game long,” junior captain Cooper Fitzgerald said.
SPORTS: Law Girls Soccer Team Finishes Strong Fall Season
(Photo courtesy @LawGirlsSoccer)
By Alana Pires – Staff Reporter
Jonathan Law’s girls soccer team has finished an excellent 2022 season.
Senior captain Sabrina Lawless was impressed with how much the team improved over the course of the season. Law finished with five wins and two ties.
“We did fall just short at the end unfortunately so we didn’t make our goal of making states but in my opinion we had a good season, much better than I thought we would have from the start,” Lawless said.
Lawless is also proud of the individual achievements she had this season, including making All-SCC and winning several other awards.
“My goal from the beginning of the season was to make All-SCC which I achieved,” Lawless said. “I did win a few other awards which I am very grateful for like the GNHSOA Outstanding Female Player, and SCC Fall 2022 Scholar-Athlete Award.”
Senior captain Demi Carrapico said the 2022 season was one to remember.
“I’ve never felt so close to a group of girls before and every single day I got excited to see them and play soccer with them for the next two hours. They felt like my home away from home and I wouldn’t change a thing,” Carrapico said. “The season did end a little earlier than I would’ve liked, but everything happens for a reason.”
Sophomore Taylor Coretti recalled preparing for the season, especially before games.
“I made sure I had a good mindset going into the game and warming up well,” Coretti said. “My teammates did a great job of hyping us all up during and before the game.”
The welcoming atmosphere is definitely an important factor to the incoming freshmen. This year, freshman Fiorella Gargulio, has had an amazing experience with her first year as a freshman.
“It was really great, everyone was so welcoming and I couldn’t have wished for a better high school team,” Gargulio said.
Sophomore Maddy Baranowsky has also seen a lot of growth and development for the team since the beginning of the season.
“I think this year has gone well for me and for the team. I think we grew a lot and learned a lot,” Baranowsky said. “It was also nice that we were able to do a lot of team bonding along the way, which helped contribute to our team bond on and off the field.”
ENTERTAINMENT: Drake, 21 Savage Collaborate Successfully On “Her Loss”
(Photo courtesy vulture.com)
By Tanner Matchett – Staff Reporter
Aubrey Drake Graham, or Drake, officially released his 7th studio album entitled “Her Loss” on October 22. The album was set to be a collaborative album with rap artist 21 Savage.
The album consisted of 16 songs total. Eleven songs were colab songs by the artists, four songs were by Drake, and one song was by 21 Savage. The album consisted of one feature, including other popular rap artist Travis Scott. The artists have collaborated before for a couple songs, “Jimmy Cooks” which came out on June 17 and “Knife Talk” which released on September 3, 2021. They also came together on a song called “Sneakin’,” which was released on October 29, 2016.
“Her Loss” pulled in a lot of great reviews and positive feedback. Drake and his producing team did a good job creating different types of songs. Some songs are slow and relaxing, other songs more exciting and can pump listeners up. A couple of the songs consist of both, having a transition from the slow beat to more upbeat and exciting. The album length was perfect for its listeners. Not a small amount of songs and not a large amount to tire its fans. The most listened to songs included “Rich Flex,” “Major Distribution,” and “Circo Loco.”
Their audience did notice that the album was a little lopsided. They noticed that Drake had done a lot more singing than 21 Savage had done. If they had split the singing down the middle, the album could have been slightly better according to its audience. Other than this, fans and listeners did not have a lot of negativity towards this album. Everyone thought 21 Savage and Drake collaborated very well together as they did with their previous couple songs.
Overall, this album should definitely be recommended to all fans, not just hip-hop/rap fans.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The Advocate Online 