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EDITORIAL: Vape Detectors, Enforced Sign-In Process Would Help Solve Law’s Bathroom Dilemma

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(Photo by Eva Carroll)

By Eva Carroll – Staff Reporter

Two years ago, the administration at Jonathan Law made the decision to close off some of the school bathrooms. Currently, there are five student bathrooms at Law, but only two are being used by students. One of these bathrooms is near the new gym on the first floor and the other is upstairs. The reasoning behind this action was to minimize teen vaping at school and to stop the fighting and vandalism that was occurring in some bathrooms.

A sign-in sheet was set up for the bathrooms in which students are supposed to log in their name, time of entrance and exit, and where they came from. By keeping track of who uses the bathroom and for how long, it would be easier to identify vapers who have been reported by other students. By limiting the number of open bathrooms, they would become more concentrated with students. As a result, the chances of a staff member or a concerned student encountering and reporting teen vaping or other misbehaviors would increase.

In theory, this idea does seem effective; however, in practice it is not. While vaping has decreased, this system has failed to completely eliminate teen vaping and other misbehaviors and, over time, has actually created additional problems for students. Due to the inconvenient locations of these bathrooms, using the bathroom takes even longer for students. When students have to use the bathroom during class, more time is taken out of learning. Further, there is sometimes not enough time in between classes to use these bathrooms and still be on time for one’s next period class. 

One solution to modify the current bathroom system is to re-enforce the sign-in sheet. As of right now, the sign-in system has not been enforced properly. Even though teachers do monitor the bathrooms, students have not been giving accurate or complete information on the sign-in sheets. Students will put fake names or just scribble their names so it can not be read. Students also leave sections blank which is an issue because it is much more difficult to pinpoint teen vapers without the full sign-in complete. For example, students will write their names, but will leave the time section blank. It should be mandatory that all students are signing in and if they are not doing it properly, there should be consequences for the student. Maintaining a stricter sign-in sheet will make it easier to identify student vapers and it will also help to prevent students from camping out in the bathrooms as well. A lot of this responsibility lies on the students for not taking the sign-in sheets as seriously as they should. If students are caught not filling out the sign-in properly, there should be a consequence put in place. If a student is caught the first time, students should get a warning. If they are caught a second time, they should receive a more severe consequence. While many students enjoy complaining about the bathrooms, nothing will change if students can’t maturely handle something as simple as signing their name, time in, and time out to a piece of paper.

Another solution to modify the current bathroom system is to install vaping detectors in the opened bathrooms. Even though the bathroom system has decreased teen vaping at Jonathan Law, it has not eliminated it entirely. If administration were to install vaping detectors, the school would be directly notified every time the sensors detected vaping. Vape detectors have become increasingly popular in high schools all over the nation. These specialized detectors closely resemble standard smoke or carbon monoxide detectors. One popular smoke detector brand called Halo has designed its smoke detectors to pick up on smoke, vapor, and THC oil, a compound commonly found in marijuana products. Their sensors even pick up on abnormal and loud sounds such as gunshots, screaming, and aggressive speech. With the installation of these detectors, administration know when vaping takes place and it will be much easier for them to identify students that have been vaping in the bathrooms. Further, these sensors will also eliminate concerns of other bathroom misbehaviors such as fighting, bullying, and shootings. The school dministration can even link the notification from the sensors directly to the teachers who are monitoring the bathrooms so fast action can be taken.

Recently, Hargrave High School in Texas has installed Halo vape detectors in its school bathrooms. Hargrave High School Assistant Principal Robert Murray said, “We have actually had a high percentage of success rate with actually finding the vapes when we get the notification and are able to address it in a timely manner, I want a kid to make a conscientious decision, is this decision worth this? If I get discovered with this, is it truly worth it.” These sensors are the most promising method to secure bathroom safety at Law.

It is understandable to see why some individuals may be reluctant to make these solutions. Creating a stricter sign-in system will be more of a hassle enforce and will require more maintenance to deal with guilty students. Smoke detectors take a lot of money to purchase and install. However, these measures are necessary in ensuring the health and safety of students. The FDA has recently discovered that some lung injuries are associated with the use of vaping products. If putting in that extra mile to get those detectors or to change the sign-in system decreases the use of teen vaping than there is no greater reason not to take action. As a school, Jonathan Law must make sacrifices to ensure the well-being of students. Additionally, once students prove that they can handle to behave responsibly in the school bathrooms currently open, maybe the administration could consider reopening the closed bathrooms. This action will stop the inconveniences the current system has inflicted.

NEWS: Law’s Latin Students Enjoy Learning New Language

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(Photo courtesy ekathimerini.com)

By Eliana Chico – Staff Reporter

As Jonathan Law students begin the course selection process this month, one of the lesser-known language options is gaining in popularity.

Taking Latin can help students on the SAT, allow students to learn about their roots and Latin, and help students to understand everyday terms. 

There are 40-50 Latin programs in high schools all over Connecticut, which is low compared to the plethora of Spanish and French programs in Connecticut high schools. Taking Latin gives students the opportunity to learn a rare, ancient, ethereal language. 

Jonathan Law Latin teacher Ms. Furst said students who are interested in Latin should give it a try.

“If you are considering taking Latin, try to see how much Latin you actually see in your life and try to take advantage of the fact that Latin can really help you out,” Furst said. “It’s an exciting, unique adventure for everyone to go down. It’s very helpful if you have an interest in history, and in fact, all writing was in Latin until 1100. It is definitely a beautiful language that gives us a view into history and our own humanity.”

Furst’s students said that Latin has quickly become one of their favorite courses.

“Ms. Furst has a very unique way of teaching,” sophomore Tiffklasia “T.T.” Whittaker said. “She makes sure that everyone understands what is being taught and teaches at a good pace. Honestly, taking Latin has even helped me with English.”

Sophomore Hamia Mirza is happy she joined the club.

“Honestly, I love Latin. It’s definitely worth taking,” Mirza said. “The work is manageable and I actually understand what’s going on.”

SPORTS: Law Boys Indoor Track Team Takes Third At Class M Meet

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(Photo courtesy @jlhstrack)

By Lucas Greifzu – Editorial Editor

The Jonathan Law boys indoor track team finished its season off on February 15 after placing third overall in the Class M State championships.

Not only did the Lawmen place third overall, but they also won three events (55M, 300M, and 4x200M), placed second in the high jump, and placed third in the 55M hurdles. 

“We’re probably the most complete team that we’ve had at Jonathan Law because we’ve had jumpers, we’ve had sprinters, hurdlers, the whole thing,” head coach Mr. Beler said. “We’re probably the most complete team that we’ve had in my nine years here.”

Senior Rayshon Jacobs, who won three events at the Class M State Championships, enjoys competing at a high level in his sport. He also has enjoyed being someone that his teammates can look up to as a senior.

“Knowing that this will be my last year doing track I feel like the big brother on the team and I just can’t let my brothers down while I have the chance to be great,” Jacobs said.

Junior Jon Contaxis, who placed second in the high jump at Class M State Championships, said that the team’s camaraderie was key to its success this season.

“The environment is amazing as all of the other athletes are unified by the same goal which is to improve,” Contaxis said. “I love competing at a high level as it gives me something to work for and is overall exciting”.

Sports are more than a competition to a lot of people. Members of Law’s track team embody this point of view.

“Since I was little, sports was my therapy,” Jacobs said. “If I was to have a bad day playing football in the park or playing basketball felt like my vacation a trip to relax my mind and see mentally how to bounce back and be better.”

Since the indoor track season has come to an end, the track team must start to look forward to the outdoor season. Beler has some things on his mind that might need improvement as the team moves outside.

“For the outdoor season we need to probably improve a little bit on our field events as a whole,” Beler said. “We had a good start, we had a good nucleus of young jumpers and throwers. Last year we lost our pole vaulters. We got new pole vaulters coming in this year.”

NEWS: Jonathan Law Seniors Prepare For Internship Program

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(Photo courtesy Ms. Burns)

By Amelia Mower – Staff Reporter 

Beginning on May 11, 12th-grade students at Jonathan Law have the opportunity to spend the last month of their senior year exploring a field they hope to pursue in the future through the Senior Internship Program. 

Participants in the program will not regularly attend the last month of school days. Instead, they will be doing work directly with their internship. This work will total about 30 hours per week, giving students exposure to what having a job entails. 

“I started the program eight years ago after being put on a committee in which they asked us to look into college and career readiness, with a study in internships,” program advisor Ms. Burns said. “I found that Milford didn’t offer senior internship opportunities, but other school districts near us did, and felt that needed to change.”

Students with all aspirations for the future can secure an internship through many fields. Along with the program application, students are encouraged to reach out to places they are interested in learning more about. 

“I plan on becoming an Industrial-Organizational Psychologist,” senior Mayur Somalinga said. “I’ve been looking at places in New York City because that is where I wish to work in the future.” 

Milford Public Schools has been helpful to students at Jonathan Law in their search to secure internships. Senior Morgan Taylor hopes to intern at Mathewson Elementary School in a second grade classroom, focusing on special needs children. 

“In the future I will be majoring in Human Factors Engineering and minoring in Child Development,” Taylor said. “I want to eventually create technology that makes children with either a mental or physical handicap be able to live their lives easier.”

Jonathan Law social worker Mrs. Meyer-Farrell has also been instrumental in using her resources to assist students in finding internships. Seniors Rohin Manohar and Maddie Papcun both hope to intern at the Milford Prevention Council or similar local non-profit organizations, due to the help of Meyer-Farrell. 

“I plan on being a Clinical Psychiatrist,” Manohar said. “The Milford Prevention Council was recommended to me due to the work they do with Law such as supporting the Natural Helpers Club with their De-Stress Fest.”

The Senior Internship Program provides opportunities for students to gain knowledge about a certain interest prior to going to college and creates opportunities that may not have been taken advantage of otherwise. 

“In doing an internship, I hope to gain hands-on experience as early as possible, so I can begin to narrow down my future career path,” Papcun said. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Meghan Cheela About National Math Honor Society Inductions

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(Photos courtesy Meghana Cheela)

By Stephanie Caron – News Editor

Law junior Meghana Cheela helped to start the National Math Honor Society this year along with math teacher and advisor Mr. Ruzbarsky. The National Math Honor Society students have to meet a specific GPA requirement, take Algebra 2 and have recommendations from their teachers. The NMHS was created to honor those who excel in their math classes. Advocate Entertainment Editor Stephanie Caron sat down with Cheela to talk about the society.  

Stephanie Caron: Why did you want to start National Math Honor Society at Law? 

Meghana Cheela: I wanted to start it because I noticed that there weren’t any huge math clubs in the school and I thought it would be a great opportunity for students who excel in math to be recognized.

SC: What are the goals for this year and next year for the society?

MC: This year is mainly to just get the society started. We hope to host a few events for pi day and math month, in the school as well. Next year, we want to compete in more competitions along with hosting events. 

SC: How do people join?

MC: To get into the NMHS, students have to apply at the beginning of the school year. Students have to have a certain GPA, have taken Algebra 2, and have good recommendations from teachers to be accepted.

SC: How did National Math Honor Society get started?

MC: Mu Alpha Theta is a mathematics honor society available to students after completing Algebra 2 for excellence in their math courses. The purpose of Mu Alpha Theta is to spark interest and discussion around mathematics and spread that interest to others.

SC: How did you get the NMHS started at Law?

MC: I got the NMHS started because I was really interested in math and realized that there were no math clubs in the school. After doing some research, I found out about Mu Alpha Theta and decided to open a chapter at our school.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Law Principal Mr. Thompson About The Elective Fair

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(Photos courtesy @jlawadvocate)

By Bridget Kinross – Editorial Editor

The Elective Fair is an important annual event at Jonathan Law High School to welcome and introduce incoming freshmen from West Shore and Harborside to the courses offered at Law and to inform Law’s current freshmen, sophomores, and juniors about the elective options they have. Law principal Mr. Thompson and a mix of teachers, school counselors, and students help to run this year’s event. Advocate Editorial Editor Bridget Kinross interview Thompson about the success of the fair.

BK: How do you hope this year’s Elective Fair benefits the incoming freshmen? 

FT: It gave the incoming freshmen not only an opportunity to see the offerings we have as they begin their high school journey and hopefully gave them information about planning, but it also got them to see our family. 

BK: What is your favorite part of the Elective Fair? 

FT: My favorite part of the Elective Fair is when our students greet the eighth graders when they come into the gym. It is a whole different world and they get to see it right away. 

BK: Were there any changes since this event started at Law? 

FT: Yes, this is the second year the eighth graders come to the schools. Also, this is the first year we did it right around course selection time so the timing was much better than last year. This is much more interactive. 

BK: What was your main goal for this event? 

FT: My main goal is to provide all of our students first-hand information about what is available and also being able to ask questions so when they meet with their counselor they will have a frame of reference. 

BK: Do you believe the Elective Fair was a successful event? 

FT: Yes, I sent the students and parents home with all the information so they can look over and be prepared. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Tyanna Xavier About The Drama Club’s Upcoming Performance Of “Footloose”

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(Photo courtesy @jlawdrama)

By Gillian Rees – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law High School Drama Club is soon going to open the curtains for its annual musical performance. On March 27, the club will perform “Footloose.” Roles for the play are: female lead Ariel Moore (junior Alaina McCarvill), male lead Ren McCormack (senior Justin Amaro), and supporting female lead Rusy Rodriguez (junior Tyanna Xavier). Advocate staff reporter Gillian Rees interviewed Xavier about the upcoming performance. 

Gillian Rees: How much work is it to put on performances like this? 

Tyanna Xavier: It’s a lot of work trying to put in a performance like this because we have practice four days a week for three hours going over every last detail to make sure everything is ready for the night of the show 

GR: What’s one of the biggest difficulties you guys have when preparing and putting on these musicals?

TX: It is very difficult trying to learn the dances because there are so many. Singing and dancing at the same time is a challenge for a lot of us in drama club, but I believe we can pull it off.

GR:  What is your favorite part about rehearsals?

TX: My favorite part is practicing with everyone, having a good time, giving feedback on how to make our scenes better .

GR: What is the plot of “Footloose?”

TX: The play takes places in a town called Bomont where dancing and playing loud music is illegal.  Ariel Moore, the girl who loves to dance, is the reverend’s daughter, who does not approve of any of it. Later, a character challenges the law to make dancing legal once again to make everyone happy and show love through the community.

GR:  Are you guys nervous about opening night? 

TX: Very nervous because this is not like any show I have ever done. It is very intense, but it is also a lot of fun because we get to really show our talents and for everyone to enjoy the night of the show. 

NEWS: Law Choir Members Audition For All-State Honors

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(Photo courtesy @jlawchoir)

By Tyanna Xavier – Staff Reporter

A select group of Jonathan Law’s choir students auditioned to go All-State on February 8.

The All-State program gives choir students who passed Regionals the opportunity to get to the next step in their musical learning careers. 

“I’m really proud of my students and the tremendous amount of growth I have seen from each and every one of them,” choir director Ms. Jones said. “They have all shown me they are not afraid to chase after something they want and really work for it no matter the challenge.”

Jones has worked to prepare her students to the best of her ability when auditioning, so they can give their overall best performance. 

“During All-State auditions it was definitely a scary moment that I and other choir members have been waiting for,” senior Brooke Nabors said. “During the audition I sang the required song and after it was done it felt like a breath of fresh air and I felt really confident in myself.”

States are a major milestone in the choir community that takes lots of practice to just make it to the audition stage. Many of these students have been practicing their performances since December.

“This is more of a competition with yourself more than with competing with other schools because it’s a good way to see how far you can push yourself to reach the goal of making it into All-State,” senior Justin Amaro said. 

The students who tried out are all very confident and have worked hard with their vocal techniques.

“I wanted to audition because I wanted to challenge myself and knew that it was going to be very difficult,” junior Joey Soto said. “Even though I did not get in I did learn a lot from the experience and I now know not to feed on the energy of the room and be myself.”

Auditioning for Regionals and All-State might be the most nerve-wracking performances of the year for these choir members. However, these students get to learn from the judges giving them personal feedback. 

“The Jonathan Law choir has definitely done a lot of showstopper performances and we have all grown so much as a team,” junior Ashley Leparik said. “A lot of students now feel more confident when singing because of how much they have learned from being in choir.”

ENTERTAINMENT: NYPD Detective Uncovers Massive Conspiracy In Exciting “21 Bridges” Movie

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(Photo courtesy criticalhit.net)

By Adarsh Senthilnathan – Staff Reporter

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS

“21 Bridges”, directed by Brian Kirk, is about New York Police Department detective André Davis, played by Chadwick Boseman, and his involvement in uncovering a huge conspiracy involving corrupt police officers. 

“21 Bridges” has amassed over $48.9 million worldwide and over $28.5 million in the United States of America. 

The movie focuses mainly on Detective André Davis and how he discovers that there are some police officers that are not following the law and participating in illegal activities, but it also includes people like Captain Matt McKenna, Detective Frankie Burns, Michael Trujilo, and Ray Jackson. 

The movie starts off with Davis at his father’s funeral service at a Church in New York City. Davis’s father, Reginald, was a police officer who was murdered during one of his shifts, therefore there was a closed casket ceremony. 

19 years go by in the movie and then André Davis becomes a detective in the NYPD. Davis gets assigned to a case involving two drug thieves breaking into a building to steal a rival gang’s cocaine. At this point, Davis does not know that the responding officers to the break-in were actually trying to steal the cocaine themselves as well, but later on in the movie he will figure this out. 

Federal Bureau of Investigation agents Butchco and Dugan attempt to take over the case from Davis and Burns, but at the end of this argument Davis and Burns are allowed to lead the case. 

During the chase of Michael and Ray, the two suspects, Davis mortally wounds Ray and then Michael manages to keep Burns at gunpoint. Michael tells Davis how suspicious the whole everything is on the drives that he received from the money cleaner that they went to after getting cash from Adi, their drug dealing friend. 

Eventually, after looking at Burns’s phone, Davis realizes that she is a corrupt police officer and she was in on the plan to raid the drugs in the building. 

One of the best parts of the movie is when André Davis is in Captain McKenna’s home and he tells Captain McKenna that he knows that he was in the ring of corrupt police officers because he has proof from the drives. 

Soon after this, corrupt police officers and the two corrupt FBI agents, Butcho and Dugan, come to shoot Davis but he shoots them down and shoots Captain McKenna because he attempted to kill him. Davis then arrests Burns because she put down her weapon and badge. The movie ends with Davis driving off with the drives in a cup holder in his car. 

However, the movie could have been a little more clear in the beginning of the movie with the drug stealing scene and the aftermath of that scene. 

Overall, the director did a really good job at making the movie interesting and memorable. 

“21 Bridges” can be compared to other movies involving police officers and law enforcement agencies like, “21 Jump Street” and “The Heat”. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

SPORTS: Law Girls Indoor Track Team Finishes Record-Breaking Season

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(Photo courtesy @jlhstrack)

By Sydney Simpson – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law girls indoor track team had a record-breaking season this year, with many athletes qualifying for both the SCC meet and the Class M States meet in their 2019-2020 season. 

Many school records were broken this season for the girls, including the 4×800 meter relay’s previous record of 10:58.32 and the short medley relay’s previous record of 4:44.88. 

“Overall, I thought it was a great season,” said head coach Mr. Beler. “We broke four school records, and we had numerous people who contributed to that from freshmen all the way to seniors.”

Freshman Eira Rodriguez, junior Alexis Voytek, sophomore Emma Savoie, and junior Hannah Rascoll make up the state-qualifying, record breaking 4×800 meter relay team with a time of 10:29.10, which beats the previous record by over 25 seconds. 

“We already broke the school record, but next year my goal is for the 4 by 800 team to be at a higher place in the state,“ said Rascoll, the anchor on the relay team. 

The girls SMR, which is made up of four runners who run 200 meters, another 200 meters, 400 meters, and then 800 meters, also qualified for the Class M States meet and ran a time of four minutes and 39.77 seconds. This time shattered both the team’s personal record and the school record. 

Freshman Demi Carrapico, senior Captain Nia Mayo, freshman Elly Van Waveren, and freshman Eira Rodriguez are the runners in the SMR, which shows the talent that the Slass of 2023 brings to the track team. 

“We’ve been running this event since the beginning of the season and our main goal was to make states,” said Mayo. “We would dedicate a lot of time during practice so we could make this happen, I’m really proud that we were able to accomplish our goals.”

Mayo, along with junior Brooke Dillman, was also able to run the 55 meter dash in the SCC Championship meet, after receiving a qualifying time in the SCC meet. Mayo ran a time of 7.89 seconds, and Dillman ran a 7.91 second race. 

School records were also broken this year in two individual events, the 55 meter hurdles and the 600 meter run. 

Junior Andriana Bruno broke the hurdles record with a time of 9.39 seconds, and Rodriguez also broke a school record during her first indoor track season, running a 600 meter race with a time of 1:48.41. 

Many people this season also came close to school records set by previous Law athletes. Rascoll ended her season with a time of 3:23.15 in the 1000 meter, the second fastest time in Law’s history for that event. 

Her goal is to be able to bring her time down for her senior season, and to possibly beat the school record. 

Rascoll is also ranked third in the school for the one mile, with a time of five minutes and 49.31 seconds. 

Also, the girls 4×200 relay team ended their season with a time of 1:52.85, only one second away from the school record. 

“I really want to break the school record next year for the 4×200,” said Van Waveren, the third runner in the relay. “I think with a little more work, we can definitely do it.”

Kayden Prevost, a freshman thrower, also made top five in Law’s record book. With a throw of 30 feet, 2.5 inches during this year’s states meet, Prevost landed in fourth place on Law’s leaderboard. 

“Our team was really successful this year,” said sophomore Hailey Boyle. “Lots of people qualified for states and for SCCs, and there were girls on our team that were able to lap people from other schools during long distance races.”

ENTERTAINMENT: “The Flash” Season 6 Emerges As Comeback Season For The Show

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(Photo courtesy cbr.com)

By Mayur Somalinga – Staff Reporter

“The Flash,” ever since its pilot episode aired on October 7, 2014, has been a favorite among comic fans alike as a dynamic extension of the “Arrowverse.” However, in recent years, namely in 2016 when Season 3 debuted, the love for the show began to die out due to retcon inconsistencies, repetition, a lack of lightheartedness that made the previous seasons of the show successful, amongst other issues. Season 6, however, so far, seems to be an impetus for redemption for the show as a whole that has allowed for the return of viewers that were not fond of previous seasons.

[WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers for “The Flash” Season 6 Episodes 1 – 11 and Crisis on Infinite Earths. Read ahead at your own risk.]

The show features Iris West-Allen played by Candice Patton, Dr. Caitilin Snow/Killer Frost (Dr. Snow’s alter ego) played by Danielle Panabaker, Cisco Ramon played by Carlos Valdes, Joe West played by Jesse L. Martin, Cecile Horton played by Danielle Nicolet, Ralph Dibny (aka Elongated Man) played by Hartley Sawyer, Harrison Nash Wells (this season’s rendition of the Harrison Wells character), Allegra Garcia (the newest addition to “Team Flash”) played by Kayla Compton, and last but not least, Barry Allen, or better known as the fastest man alive, The Flash, played by Grant Gustin.

Season 6, while humorful, starts in a dark place as it begins right after the disintegration of Nora West-Allen (played by Jessica Parker Kennedy), the daughter of Barry and Iris that traveled back in time to see them. Although Nora is quite distant and mysterious in the beginning, especially with Iris, she eventually develops a tight-knit relationship with her parents which makes it all the more difficult for them to say goodbye after Nora disappears into thin air after a confrontation with The Flash’s archnemesis, The Reverse-Flash. To add insult to injury, Barry and Iris discover that Barry is fated to die during Crisis on Infinite Earths, an event that threatens the very existence of the multiverse.

However, no season of “The Flash” would be complete without a formidable antagonist and for this season, the directors introduced Ramsey Rosso (played by Sendhil Ramamurthy), a seemingly mild-mannered doctor who after witnessing his mother fall at the hand of HLH (a rare blood disorder), and knowing that he also will contract the disease, goes mad trying to develop a cure which leads him to break the Hippocratic Oath and become the villain known as Bloodwork. Bloodwork is unlike any of the other villains seen in past seasons as he is not a speedster but rather he is a meta-human that possesses the ability to infect others to create invincible henchmen that he can command. Overall, due to the uniqueness of the character and his motives, Bloodwork has proven to be a worthy adversary of The Flash so far.

As stated before, Season 6 of “The Flash” is more of a reboot for the show in terms of its reputation amongst its fans. The primary reason for this being the case is the fact that this time around the show has been made to mirror the cheerfulness and humor that was the cause of Season 1’s enormous success. Also, in past seasons, namely Seasons 4 and 5, Iris has played the role of leader of “Team Flash,” and while there is no doubt that Iris and Barry are soul mates, most fans would agree that the role of leader does not highlight Iris’ strengths as a character and that showcasing her as the intrepid investigative journalist that she is by nature would be a lot more beneficial to the show which is how Iris has been portrayed thus far in the season. Another highlight of this season, in particular, has been the version of The Flash suit Barry has donned which compared to the previous 5 seasons, is the most comic-accurate and aesthetically pleasing with the reintroduction of the chin strap and overall minimalistic design. This season also displays the adept acting ability of the cast through the perfect combination between intense emotional scenes and those that present the dorkier and more hilarious sides of the characters. All of the previously mentioned high points of the season are worth discussing, however, the most impactful was the fact that as a result of the aftermath of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the multiverse was destroyed which means that all the superheroes and villains now reside on one Earth, known as Earth-Prime. Of course, this is also quite unfortunate as many of the fans fell in love with the concept of the “Arrowverse” characters being able to travel to other worlds, often intensifying the plot. However, with all that being said, it is quite an exciting installment as at the end of Crisis of Infinite Earths Barry creates a union amongst the heroes, much like DC Comics’ “Justice League.”

Although just above, the death of the multiverse was stated as a positive, there is one repercussion of the end of the multiverse that makes the event seem very indecorous, indeed, which is that, with the multiverse being a construct of the past, it eliminates the possibility of another Harrison Wells character being introduced. This is quite upsetting to fans as the introduction of a new Harrison Wells character every season has garnered the affections of many fans and has been very helpful to “Team Flash” as they work to quell their ever-expanding rogues’ gallery. In contrast, now, “The Flash” is left with Harrison Nash Wells being the only version left to assist “Team Flash,” however, the accuracy of that statement may need to be furthered examined as at the end of Season 6 Episode 11 (“Love is a Battlefield”) there is a shot in which Harrison Nash Wells sees Harrison “Harry” Wells (first introduced during Season 2) for a quarter of a second before he disappears. It is currently unclear what the implications of this happenchance are, however, fans theorize that it may be a hallucination caused by the guilt he faces since he incidentally started Crisis on Infinite Earths out of hubris leading to the subsequent destruction of all other worlds and thus all versions of Harrison Wells, also. 

Although most viewers have stopped watching since Season 3 onwards, as alluded to previously, Season 6 is a perfect opportunity to return without any feelings of regret with the introduction of the Season 1 inspired approaches to plot construction and character development.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

NEWS: Jonathan Law Choir Performs With The Dizzyfish Band

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(Photo courtesy Maddie Papcun)

By Maddie Papcun – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s choir collaborated with Foran’s choir and The Dizzyfish Band at Parsons Auditorium on February 8, in an exciting concert celebrating “The Best of the 70s” music. 

The choirs closed out the concert together, joining the band for three songs in total, including “Stairway to Heaven,” “Let it Be,” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” 

“The idea for the concert came from the band’s leader, Eric Herbst,” Jonathan Law choir teacher Ms. Jones said. “The band director at West Shore knows him, and he suggested Milford’s choir perform with their band.” 

In order to put on such a concert, members of the Choir Board had to follow field trip protocols, organize group pictures for advertising, and hold extra rehearsals with Angela Clemmons, a backup singer for The Dizzyfish Band. The work choir’s event organizers put in came together for a fun-packed night.

“In preparing for the concert we had three rehearsals, and additionally we all practiced with the recordings of our parts on our own time,” senior Choir Board member Sam Papcun said. 

Jonathan Law’s choir is always looking for ways to branch out and get involved in Milford’s local community, this concert was yet another example of their dedication.

“Choir’s goal for the concert was to adventure new opportunities; we are grateful for the chance to perform with DizzyFish,” said junior Choir Board member Joey Soto. “Our other goal was to put on a good show and entertain the audience.”

For many choir members, taking part in a rock concert was an entirely new experience. 

“It was a very different atmosphere than I have ever been involved in before this,” senior Choir Board member Justin Amaro said. “Usually choir concerts are more structured and professional, but singing with a real live rock band was very different and exciting.” 

Overall, the concert was a high energy, new experience for Jonathan Law’s choir, Foran’s choir, and The Dizzyfish Band. 

“People were singing along with the music; they were all very enthusiastic,” senior choir member Laney Smith said. “The crowd turnout was much bigger than I anticipated; I had never heard of this venue before.”

Ms. Jones expected that the concert would require flexibility and openness from her students, but believed they could pull it off in the end. 

“I can say, without a doubt, I am beyond proud of these students,” Ms. Jones said. “Their continued commitment, dedication, perseverance, excitement, energy and musicianship is a testament to the ‘Lawmazing’ people they all are.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Michael Loschiavo About Winning The Youth Of The Year Award

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Photo courtesy boysandgirlsclubofmilford.com)

By Samiksha Mehta – Entertainment Editor

Jonathan Law senior Mike Loschiavo recently won the Boys and Girls Club of Milford’s Youth of the Year Award. The Youth of the Year Award is presented to one teenager every year by the Boys and Girls Club of Milford to award and signify their leadership, community service, academic excellence, and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle. Entertainment Editor Samiksha Mehta interviewed Loschiavo about winning the award.

Samiksha Mehta: How did it feel to receive the Youth of the Year Award?

Mike Loschiavo: It felt great to receive the Youth of the Year Award because I feel like I put a lot of time into the Boys and Girls Club of Milford and it was a great achievement for me because I always aspired to one day be the YOTY.

SM: What are the qualifications for the Youth of the Year Award?

ML: Youth of the Year is part of the Boys and Girls Club of America’s premiere recognition program. It celebrates young people, ages 14-18, for their commitment to community service, academic success, good character, citizenship, and establishment of long-term goals.

SM: Does the Youth of the Year Award have any special significance to you?

ML: Yes, because I was a club kid once and I always looked up to young teens that received this award and now I feel like my dream has come true by receiving this award myself.

SM: What was the most difficult challenge for you in winning Youth of the Year?

ML: It’s a great honor to be the Youth of the Year because it’s something that’s really hard to get. Before advancing on to the next round, you need to speak in front of judges and have a well-written speech prepared.

SM: What does Youth of the Year mean to you?

ML: It feels extremely great to receive this award because young people look up to getting this. The Youth of the Year is only handed out to a young person that exemplifies leadership, community service, academic excellence, and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Culinary Teacher Mrs. Ryan About The Food Service Class’ Luncheon

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(Photo courtesy @MilfordSuper)

By Mia Cerrato – Editorial Editor

Law’s Culinary students hosted a luncheon on February 5 to faculty and staff. This was the final exam for Mrs. Ryan’s Food Service students. Mrs. Ferron’s Culinary students contributed by setting up the tables and guided students in waiting or bussing the tables. Advocate Editorial Editor Mia Cerrato interviewed Ryan about the event. 

Mia Cerrato: What was the purpose of the event?

Mrs. Ryan: The purpose was to teach my students to practice a sit down service. It will give them experience for the future. 

MC: What were the meals served? 

MR: We made potstickers, sesame noodles with beef, along with peanut sauce, chocolate parfait, Asian broccoli slaw, green tea, and iced hibiscus tea. 

MC: How did it go? 

MR: It went very well. My students impressed me and executed it nicely. 

MC: Who attended the luncheon? 

MR: Superintendent Dr. Cutaia and her Assistant Superintendent Mrs. Fedigan attended the luncheon. Teachers came to enjoy the food as well. 

MC: Which dish seemed to be more popular? 

MR: The sesame noodles with peanut sauce seemed to be the most popular in the beginning. But towards the end, as the faculty and staff saw the chocolate parfait they began to change their mind. Everyone thought it looked very appetizing.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Johnny Vaccino About His New Podcast

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(Photo courtesy youtube.com)

By Michael Loschiavo – Sports Editor

Junior Johnny Vaccino has hit the airwaves with his new podcast, “The Johnny & Fran (But Not Bobo) Podcast.” Sports Editor Michael Loschiavo interviewed Vaccino about his podcast.

Michael Loschiavo: Why did you want to start a podcast?

Johnny Vaccino: The reason I started a podcast is because I wanted to know a little bit more about Mr. Thompson and I knew if I started a podcast with him he would be on board to start one.

ML: What are the podcasts about?

JV: The podcasts are about everything you can hope for and we hope to invite special guests every month to make the show enjoyable.

ML: What makes your podcast different from other podcasts?

JV: What makes our podcast different than the others is we have special guests. We enjoy doing it and everyone smiles.

ML: Your first episode featured interviews with Law media specialist Ms Briggs and Law girls basketball player Katie Konareski. What will your next podcast be about?

JV: We don’t know what our next podcast will be about but we will have a meeting this week to discuss what we will be talking about in our next show.

ML: What are some of the guests you hope to have on the show?

 JV: Eventually, we hope to have the superintendent, Dr. Cutaia, on the show but I will have to do a little work to get her on the show.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Sophomore Moira Staples About Student Congress’ Recycling Bill

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(Photo courtesy youtube.com)

By Addison Schwing – Editorial and News Editor

Sophomore Moira Staples is a member of the Jonathan Law Student Congress. The Student Congress was created by history teacher Mr. Zuraw to allow students to pass “legislation” that will impact the student body. Last week, Staples attended the signing of a bill she created to implement recycling bins in the cafeteria. Advocate Editorial and News Editor Addison Schwing interviewed Staples on the success of her recent bill. 

Addison Schwing: Where did you get the idea for the bill from?

Moira Staples: I got the idea for the recycling bin bill from watching a video of Greta Thunberg and I was inspired by the great strides she had been making in the world by addressing the United Nations. By hearing her I began to look for some way that I try and contribute to helping the environment and noticed the lack of recycling bins in our cafeteria.

AS: What was the process like for getting the bill approved and signed?

MS: I emailed Mr. Zuraw with my proposal and he made it into a document which he posted onto our google classroom page for people to make comments to it. 

AS: How do you think this bill will benefit students? 

MS: This bill will benefit students by making them more environmentally conscious.

AS: How successful have the recycling bins been since they were introduced in the school?

MS: The bins will take some time to get used to, but I’m sure they will be very successful soon.

AS: What legislation do you hope to pass in the future?

MS: I am unsure of what legislation I will pass in the future, but I do hope that the Jonathan Law community will be making greater strides towards environmental awareness.

NEWS: Law’s Indoor Track Team Hosts Annual Lip Sync Battle

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(Photo courtesy Joe Glorioso)

By Alexis Broderick – News Editor 

The Jonathan Law track team hosted its annual Lip Sync Battle on January 23.

The Lip Sync Battle is an annual fundraiser held after the holiday season. It is a fun way to get not only the track kids involved, but kids who may not run track as well. 

“This is a great way to get everyone involved and is great for the track kids because it pays for the banquet and part of the apparel,” head coach Mr. Beler said.

There are usually about 10-12 teams that participate in the Lip Sync Battle every year, and that includes some teachers who also get involved. 

“The entire team is required to play a role in the Lip Sync Battle whether it’s performing, helping backstage, or doing the lights,” Beler said.

The Lip Sync Battle helped the track team together as a group, and individually, it brought them together to make this event work out perfectly. 

Although the Lip Sync Battle is a great way to bring the Law Community together there is also a $150 cash prize if you win. 

“Not only do you have to run with your partners on the track, throw your weights, or jump your events you have to learn to shake it out there as well,” Beler said. 

The winners of the Lip Sync Battle this year were “The Shakira Babes.”

“It was great to win, and really exciting because we took it more like a joke and then when we won it felt good, especially since we had so much fun,” junior Midori Hughes said.

The runners-up were were last year’s champions, the JL Backstreet Boys. 

“It was pretty cool to win (last year) because we all wanted to have fun and I thought we put on a pretty good show,” senior Mike Loschiavo said.

Beler and the indoor track team as a whole were amazed by the turnout this year with an estimated 400 people in the audience. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Athletic Director Mr. Sarullo About Law’s New Baseball, Softball Fields

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By Morgan Taylor – Editor-In-Chief

Jonathan Law’s Athletic Director Mr. Sarullo recently announced the future construction of new turf fields where the previous grass softball and baseball fields are placed now. The Advocate’s Editor-In-Chief, Morgan Taylor, sat down with Mr. Sarullo to talk about the new addition to the sports facilities.

Morgan Taylor: Why did you decide to get new fields?

Mr. Sarullo: The city, the mayor, and the school administration worked together to provide funding for Jonathan Law, Foran, and city fields.

MT: How much will all the renovations cost and what exactly is being done to the fields?

MS: We think the fields here will be about $2.5 million and the plan is to completely turf the baseball and softball fields. Sports such as soccer, lacrosse, or football could all practice and play on it.

MT: How will this affect the different sports teams?

MS: All our baseball and softball teams will have the best facility in the state to practice and play on. This will also allow us the opportunity to have all of our teams practice out there. As an example right now football cannot practice out there because they would do too much damage to the grass field but now they’ll be able to go out there. The JV soccer team will also be able to play on turf.

MT: When will the renovations be taking place?

MS: We’re not sure exactly when but our goal is to get it started as soon as possible. I think in an ideal world it would begin this summer. There are still a lot of steps in the process before we actually start construction.

MT: What are you most excited about for the upcoming spring sports teams?

MS: “I think all of our teams return a lot of excellent players. We’re excited about our new boys lacrosse coach that has come on board and we think that all of our teams have a very good chance to be successful and make their state tournament.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Rayshon Jacobs About Football Signing Day

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By Alexis Broderick – News Editor

Senior Rayshon Jacobs committed to to play football at Central Connecticut State University on February 5. Central was Jacobs’ top school and he received a full athletic scholarship. Advocate News Editor Alexis Broderick interviewed Jacobs on his commitment to Central. 

Alexis Broderick: What made you commit to Central? 

Rayshon Jacobs : Central had a great athletic and academic program, and they have a lot of opportunities for Connecticut students such as myself. 

AB: What are you looking forward to at Central? 

RJ: I look forward to the change from high school to college and meeting new people and meeting all of my new football teammates. 

AB: How did Law prepare you for college?

RJ: Law prepared me for college mentally and my coaches suggested that I work harder and be the best version of myself. This got me to where I am today and I couldn’t be anymore grateful. 

AB: Do you personally feel like you’re ready for college? 

RJ:  I personally feel like I’m ready for college, but I do know that struggle is going to occur. I will have to apply time management skills and prioritize things better to be the successful student I want to be. 

AB: Why did you choose football over track? 

RJ: I chose football over track because I’ve played football since I was seven years old. I started track my junior year of high school, but football has a bigger place in my heart. Although I had an amazing track season this year, Central and football is where I know I would be the happiest. 

AB: Is there anyone you would like to thank for helping you over the years? 

RJ: I would want to thank my mom for being so supportive and always pushing me to strive. I would also like to thank my Uncle David for being a great support system as well and always staying on top of me academically and making sure I stay for my athletic career as well. Lastly, I would like to thank Mr. Beler for advice and doing so many amazing things for me. I really don’t know where I would be today without him.

NEWS: Law’s Culinary 1 Class Hosts “Souper Bowl” Competition

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(Photo by Morgan Taylor)

By The Advocate Editors

The Culinary 1 class at Jonathan Law hosted its very own “Soup-er Bowl” competition on February 12  in which four groups of students created different soups to be judged by their peers. 

The four different soups were chicken noodle, chili, cream of vegetable, and cream of mushroom. 

“Winter time is a great time for having soup and on because the Super Bowl was on Sunday, I thought I would do the S-O-U-P Super Bowl,” Culinary 1 teacher Mrs. Ferron said. “This gives my students that are just coming in this semester knife skills as they learned how to cut and chop. It was a great and fun thing for them to do.”

Students such as Amelia Mariani and Elly van Waveren learned valuable cooking skills from this project.

“It taught me what not to do and what to do in the kitchen,” Mariani said.

“Because of my mistakes, I know to use more salt in my chicken noodle soup and to cook my carrots for longer,” van Waveren said.

Student Gabby Lira also learned about the basics of cooking.

“We learned how to put the right measurements of salt and pepper so that the soup doesn’t taste bad,” Lira said.

The winner of the contest was the cream of vegetable soup. The chili was awarded second place.

NEWS: Pep Rally Hypes Law For Winter Season, Rivalry Games

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(Photo courtesy @jlhsathletics)

By Addison Schwing – Editorial and News Editor

Jonathan Law hosted a Winter Pep Rally on January 24 in celebration of both the winter sports season and of a doubleheader basketball event against Foran High School. 

The pep rally featured performances from the Law cheerleading and gymnastics teams and an encore performnace from one of the Lip Sync Battle acts from the previous night.

The pep rally was hosted by seniors Mike Loschiavo, Morgan Taylor, Brooke Nabors, and Eden van Waveren, who were assisted by Ms. Francisco, Ms. Russell, and Mr. Sarullo. 

“We wanted a really large crowd and people to participate and I think we got that,” Loschiavo said.

The four worked tirelessly to plan fun activities for the students. While this pep rally was just 40 minutes, it was filled with festivities and a celebration of Law’s sports programs. 

“This pep rally was tight on time hence we weren’t able to do some things we had planned to do,” van Waveren said. “We had higher expectations and hope to achieve them for our spring pep rally.”

One of the pep rally’s biggest functions was to garner support for Law’s basketball teams, who would face longtime rival Foran High School that same night. Boys basketball beat the Lions 73-49, improving their record to 8-3 for the season, while the girls easily secured a 61-28 win, improving to 7-4 for the season. 

The pep rally also showcased the talents of the cheerleading and gymnastics teams, with the Gymnastics team performing for the first time ever during a pep rally. 

The gymnastics performance featured a choreographed dance routine, as well as exhilarating acrobatics set to “Cruisin’ for a Bruisin” from “Teen Beach.”

Junior Alexis Rios performed with her team and was quick to give praise to her fellow gymnasts. 

“We’re so used to performing for a judge, but this time it was more for the fun of it,” Rios said. “Everyone worked so hard and did such a good job.” 

The next pep rally will see the passing of the metaphorical torch from the current MC’s to four new juniors. This will be an important responsibility for the incoming seniors as they will be responsible for every pep rally thereafter. 

“Having pep rallies is important to showcase our students in a non-academic way,” Francisco said. “It boosts school spirit and sense of school community. High school should be about the memories as well as academics. “

Members of the pep rally committee said that pep rallies offer students the opportunity to celebrate the idea of being a part of something greater than themselves – a community, more than a school or grade level.

“School spirit is important because it helps pump up the athletic teams along with the student section,” Nabors said. “When both of those groups have spirit, the games have a better turnout. It also allows us as a school to share spirit together as one community.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Amelia Mower About Milford’s Suffrage Centennial Kickoff Event

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(Photo courtesy Amelia Mower)

By Morgan Taylor, Bridget Kinross, and Stephanie Caron – Advocate Editors

Jonathan Law senior Amelia Mower read an excerpt from “The Constitutional Rights Of The Women Of the United States” by suffrage leader Isabella Beecher Hooker of Connecticut at the Suffrage Centennial Kickoff Event at Milford City Hall on January 28. This year marks the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage and this event was very important to continuing this movement into the present. Advocate editors Morgan Taylor, Bridget Kinross, and Stephanie Caron sat down with Mower to talk about her experience.

Advocate Editors: How did you get involved with the Suffrage Centennial Kickoff Event?

Amelia Mower: After getting involved with the Daughters of the American Revolution through their essay contest and scholarship program, (Law principal) Mr. Thompson asked me to read this excerpt as it pertains to women and how they influence society.

AE: How did this impact your views of the women’s suffrage movement?

AM: I think it is very important that people know that the women only got the right to vote 100 years ago and that we are still working towards having constitutionally equal rights in the future.

AE: What was the most memorable part of the event for you?

AM: When Denise Merrill, the Secretary of State of Connecticut, spoke, I was really inspired. When she, as a person of high authority in Connecticut, is recognizing the importance of this movement in Milford especially, it makes me feel hopeful for the future. She wouldn’t have been elected to office if it wasn’t for this movement.

AE: What was the significance of everyone wearing white and why?

AM: We all wore white because that is what the women who were marching to have voting rights wore in order to protest. In pictures of the march, all the women are wearing white while the men are wearing black on the side, showing a truly symbolic comparison of the genders.

AE: What goals do you have for the future of the women’s suffrage movement?

AM: I definitely cannot wait to vote when I turn 18. I think it’s extremely important to use my 19th Amendment right. Women struggled for so long to get this right that I feel like that not taking part in voting is a waste of their struggle.

SPORTS: Law Names Haley New Head Football Coach

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(Photo courtesy John DiFederico)

By Lucas Greifzu – Editorial Editor

Jonathan Law High School officially hired Chris Haley to be the new head coach of its football program on January 17.

Haley was one of five candidates that was selected for a first-round interview, and he was one of three selected for a second round of interviews.

Haley, who served as interim head coach for the second half of last season, has many ideas about how he wants to improve the program.

“Many of my plans have already started to be put in motion,” Haley said. “First, the addition of Coach Ryan Pearson as our new offensive coordinator is an exciting announcement. He comes to us from New Canaan,and will be a great asset for our athletes.”

Haley also has some big plans for the offseason at Jonathan Law. 

“A major addition to our offseason programming is our partnership with VOLT Athletics,” Haley said. “This is a game-changer and provides our players with some of, if not the best, in strength and conditioning programming, along with endless resources for nutrition and overall wellness.”

Athletic director Mr. Sarullo said Haley stood out in his interview because of his long list of ideas to improve the program as well his desire to be involved in the school community as well.

“I think that we had a lot of qualified people for the position,” Sarullo said. “But his passion for working with our kids, his knowledge of the sport, and the culture that he wants to build, in being good members of the community and good representatives of the school really made him stand out.”

Haley’s leadership style stands out to his student-athletes. 

“Coach Haley is different because he doesn’t put winning in front of things that actually matter such as grades and being an overall good person,” said Jonathan Law junior and three-year member of the football team Angel Santiago. “He’s willing to do anything to make us better people which is hard to come by today.”

Coaching runs in Haley’s family and he is eager to carry on that coaching tradition at Law. As a long-time resident of Milford himself, Haley is very happy to be able to give back to his community in more ways than one.

“Aside from football, I’m honored to be carrying on a legacy,” Haley said. “My father has been in coaching 50 years, and I love Milford. It is a phenomenal place to live and raise a family and if coaching its high school football team helps make it an even better place, and can help produce even better people, then sign me up.”

Haley has managed to get his assistant coaches to rally beside him as well. With an experienced coaching staff on board, Haley is prepared to lead the Law football program to a success filled year.

“Coach Haley is a guy who follows through,” said Jonathan Law attendance officer and assistant football coach Mr. Boynton. “If there were 28 hours in a day, Coach Haley would work 28 hours a day to make sure that his program is successful, because his name is on it, and our name is on it, and we’re going to work hard for him.”

Law’s returning football players are also very pleased to have Haley be the new head coach. 

“I’ve trusted Coach Haley and I’ve definitely enjoyed him coaching for these past two years,” junior Vaughn Weston said. “I really like the way that the program changed when he became in charge.”

SPORTS: Law Boys Lacrosse Team Welcomes Clark As New Head Coach

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(Photo courtesy Coach Clark)

By Michael Loschiavo – Sports Editor

The Jonathan Law boys lacrosse team recently welcomed a familiar face to a new position.

Garrett Clark, who works in the Information Systems and Technology Department for the Milford Public Schools, has been the JV lacrosse coach at Trumbull High School the past five years. He was also the JV head coach and varsity assistant coach at Shelton High School for two years and has been heavily involved in the Trumbull Youth Lacrosse program.

He said he is excited to start the spring season.

“I was extremely excited to be named the new head coach for Lacrosse at Law,” Clark said. ”Becoming a varsity head coach is something that I’ve had in the back of my mind for a long time, so when the opportunity presented itself I couldn’t wait to throw my hat in the ring.”

Senior Jack Chizmazia plays attack and believes that the team is prepared to have a great season with a new head coach.

“I’m looking forward to our new coach pushing the whole team to master the basics of lacrosse,” Chizmazia said. “He is setting new standards for off-season work with essential wall ball routines, an indoor league team, and lifting/conditioning all designed to help build well-rounded lacrosse players. I’m definitely looking forward to playing for Coach Clark, as he has much defensive knowledge to share with the team from his experience as a college long-stick defenseman.”

Senior Noah Kharbouch has played lacrosse for Law the past two years and is excited for the upcoming season.

“I think the new head coach is pretty cool and I feel like he will help us learn a lot,” Kharbouch said.” We are looking forward to learning new plays on the field and building better team chemistry.”

Senior Zack Passaro thinks Clark was a good choice for the team.

“I’m looking forward to getting to know our new coach and how he’s going to change the program,” Passaro said. “We hope that our record gets better than last year and that we all become closer on the field.”

Senior Chris Lill plans to be a key asset to the team this season.

“I’m looking forward to a better record and better connections between players,” Lill said. ”Coach Clark seems very knowledgeable about lacrosse.”

Clark said he is looking forward to helping his players on and off the lacrosse field.

“I am definitely looking forward to the Foran game; there’s nothing better than a little cross-town rivalry,” Clark said. “I also want the players to have a great experience and finish the season better lacrosse players and want them to take away concepts that they can use long after lacrosse is done.”

NEWS: Law’s Band, Choir, Orchestra Host Annual Winter Concert

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(Photo courtesy @jlawchoir)

By Mia Cerrato – Editorial Editor

Jonathan Law’s band, orchestra, and choir displayed their many talents at their recent Winter Concert on January 9. 

Each musical group constantly practiced in class, met in groups, and practiced at home. 

“My section, the orchestra, practiced these songs for the last couple of months constantly to keep improving and getting everything perfect,” said junior orchestra member Meghana Cheela.

The band put a lot of dedication into the concert as well the many practices leading up to the show. 

“Our teacher gave a lot of at home assessments for us to work on and rehearse,” said junior band member Lucas Greifzu. “We also ran through songs many times.” 

The band’s song choices were upbeat and fun.

“We performed multiple pieces,” said Greifzu. “Some of them included ‘Gallup’ and ‘Cave You Fear.’”

The choir’s performances included great songs as well. 

“We performed ‘Silent Night,’ ‘Winter’s Night,’ ‘Away in a Manger,’ ‘Noel Alleluia Madrigal,’ ‘Winter Finale,’ and ‘Baloo Baleerie,’” said junior choir member Joey Soto.

Due to all the preparation, the concert ran smoothly for all sections. 

“It was a very successful concert,” said junior choir member Sreeya Gudlavellti. “I think the audience really enjoyed it and this was one of our best concerts.” 

The performances were all entertaining and enjoyable. 

“My favorite part was when the whole choir sang together,” said Gudlavellti. “It really showed that hard work paid off.”

All sections are excited for future performances as well. 

“I hope the choir, band, and orchestra can come together to perform more songs,” said Cheela. “It was a very memorable experience.”

NEWS: Law’s Advanced Creative Writing Class Hosts Children’s Reading Night

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(Photo courtesy Mr. Healy)

By Morgan Taylor, Bridget Kinross, and Stephanie Caron – Staff Editors

Jonathan Law’s Advanced Creative Writing students hosted a Children’s Reading Night on January 24 in order to raise money for their upcoming book release.

This is the first event of its kind, and for only $5.00 per ticket, children were read to by the Advanced Creative Writing students.

“I could see that the students were having a great time, not just the children,” said media specialist Ms. Briggs. “They were smiling, laughing and having a great time.”

Parents and children brought their favorite stories from home for the students to read to them.

“We came and set up in the library with snacks and refreshments for the kids and their families,” said Advanced Creative Writing student Marly Ackley. “We read to the kids for about an hour and a half and then played some games.” 

With the money raised at the event, the students are now preparing for their novel release.

“My first story is about a girl that gets deserted on an island and it’s a whole story about how she is surviving,” said senior Megan Ruzbarsky. “It has a really interesting ending so I am not going to spoil it.”

The title for the book is “Paper Prison” and all the stories are written by the Advanced Creative Writing students.

“My story is about a corrupt banker who money launders and gets caught,” said senior Erik Borgerson “I’m excited for the book to be released.”

The book is going to be published between late May and early June and then the class will be going to Book Con in New York to sell copies.

ENTERTAINMENT: Mecha Noodle Bar Brings Taste Of Asia To The Gold Coast

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(Photo courtesy yelp.com)

By Addison Schwing – Editorial and News Editor

At first glance, Mecha Noodle Bar is quite unassuming. It’s tucked away in a side street off of US Route 1, nestled carefully among boutiques and grab-and-go restaurants, with only a bright orange sign out the front. They don’t take reservations or call ahead seating, and they don’t deliver either. With locations in Stamford, Norwalk, and New Haven, one would assume it’s just another chain. However, once crossing through the double doors and past the curtains, you’re immediately greeted with quite the spectacle.

Every surface of the restaurant is covered with black metal and hardwood furnishings. Diners sit at communal tables chowing down on soup as waiters weave their way through the crowded dining floor. Behind a counter of noodle chefs sit shelves stocked with various Japanese foodstuffs. A portrait of the late Anthony Bourdain hangs behind the diligent chefs behind the counter, tucking into a bowl of ramen. It’s small and crowded, packed to the brim routinely with hungry patrons looking to warm up with a hot meal.

I was seated after a while and presented with the menu, which offered both ramen and pho, a handful of appetizers, and an extensive drink list on the back. The menu, while small in terms of individual items, offers many customization options for its dishes, such as soft boiled eggs, scallions, and corn. I opted for the Red Oil Dumplings and the “Tonkatsu Ramen,” two obvious favorites given everyone else’s orders at the tables nearby. To drink, I ordered one of their house-made sodas, a ginger beer. 

My appetizer arrived; four hefty dumplings sitting in dark red chili oil garnished with scallions and fried shallots. They were big, stuffed to the brim with pork and shrimp, and perfectly pan-fried, with a satisfying crunch to boot. The heat and acidity of the chili oil cut through the richness of the dumpling, which acted more as a vessel with which to deposit some of the hoisin sauce sitting at my table. It was fantastic; rich and spicy and flavorful all in a hand-sealed package. My ginger beer was spicy with a sweet, tart undertone – a perfect palate cleanser.

Eventually, my ramen arrived, and what a sight it was. It was unlike anything I had ever seen; a big blue bowl of thin noodles swimming in a light brown-ish broth, with a slice of chashu pork belly, a half of a soft boiled egg, and wide strips of nori flanking the bowl. At first bite, I was enthralled by the complexity of the broth, offset by the firmness of the noodles. The taste was indescribable; traditional tonkatsu broth takes anywhere from 24-48 hours to make, and its time on the stovetop certainly lent it a rich umami sensation accentuated by fragrant spices. The pork belly was tender and pleasantly fatty and not at all conflicting with the rest of the dish, the soft boiled egg was soft and, while a little bit strange to eat, was still delicious in its own right, with delicate savory notes poking through the richness of the broth. The nori served little purpose other than some textural difference, but it was a welcome change of pace from the rest of the dish. By the end, I was totally full, and after paying my bill, I actually had some difficulty getting back to my car, thoroughly incapacitated by the delicious meal I had previously consumed.

Fairfield, Connecticut is a haven for restaurants such as Mecha, boasting a wide array of restaurants, from simple pizza and sandwich joints to upscale gastropubs. Mecha Noodle Bar is an unpretentious, yet satisfying restaurant that serves filling meals made with quality ingredients and prepared with care. Even if it may be a little pricy (my meal for one ran me around $30), it’s well worth the cost and the drive to get there. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

COLUMNS: In The Kitchen…With Addison Schwing – Homemade Cranberry Sauce

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(Photo courtesy Addison Schwing)

By Addison Schwing – Editorial and News Editor

Cranberry sauce is traditionally a Thanksgiving side dish, and for good reason. Cranberry season is typically in early fall, and as such fresh cranberries are only available then. Thankfully, you can buy frozen cranberries at your local grocer, so delicious homemade cranberry sauce can be made year-round. This recipe is a simple sauce that can be flavored with ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now, such as cinnamon or orange peel, but is totally serviceable on its own. This recipe shows you how to make fresh cranberry sauce, as well as how to sterilize jars for canning. 

Ingredients:

  • 1 1lb bag frozen cranberries, thawed
  • ¼ cup of sugar
  • Water 
  • Glass mason jars

Directions:

  1. Place cranberries and sugar, as well as any spices in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. 
  2. Simmer the cranberries until they audibly pop and the skin splits. This should take no more than 15 minutes. 
  3. Place your mason jars in a large, high-walled stockpot upside down. Cover with hot water from the tap. Bring water for a raging boil and let jars sit in the boiling water for about ten minutes. 
  4. Remove jars carefully from the water. Transfer your hot cranberry sauce to the jars, leaving about a ½ inch headspace between the mouth of the jar and the lid. Transfer the jars back to the boiling water for 10 more minutes. Allow cooling for 12 hours, during which a pressure seal will form.

NEWS: Natural Helpers Set Up “Lunch Bunch” In Wellness Wing

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(Photo by Stephanie Caron)

By Stephanie Caron – Entertainment Editor

The Natural Helpers Club recently created a Lunch Bunch program in the Wellness Wing for students who want an alternate lunch setting.

“The ultimate goal of Lunch Bunch is to provide a safe, quiet, comfortable space for students who wish for a different environment in which to eat lunch,” Natural Helpers advisor Ms. Smuniewski said. “There will be at least two Natural Helpers in Room 170 during each lunch wave, and they are there to engage in conversation with other students who come by if that’s what the students want to do.” 

The goal of the Lunch Bunch is to give students an alternate opportunity to eat their lunch and to make new friends. 

“It is open to all students,” senior Morgan Taylor said. “We want everyone to stop by even if you just need a break from the loudness of the cafeteria and to study or do homework during lunch.” 

Making the new lunch program can help students feel more welcomed and less anxious in the lunch room if they do not have anyone to eat with or want a different lunch setting. 

“Students who come by can just use the space as an alternative setting if they just want to be alone, too (they don’t have to interact with the Natural Helpers),” Smuniewski said. 

In the room there are board games, coloring, and activites to get students to relax. 

“As for things to do in there, we currently have board games, card games, coloring sheets/colored pencils, and conversation starter flashcards for anyone to use,” Smuniewski said. “We plan on doing it throughout the year.” 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Meghana Cheela About The Upcoming Winter Concert

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(Photo courtesy Meghana Cheela)

By Mia Cerrato – Editorial Editor

Junior Meghana Cheela is a member of the Jonathan Law orchestra. Cheela has participated in the music program at Law for three years and is currently preparing with the orchestra for the Winter Concert on January 9. Advocate Editorial Editor Mia Cerrato interviewed Cheela about the upcoming concert.

Mia Cerrato: How will the orchestra prepare for the concert?

Meghana Cheela: We prepared by constantly practicing in class, meeting in groups for sections, and practicing at home. 

Mia Cerrato: What songs will you be performing? 

Meghana Cheela: We will be performing “Christmas Finale,” “Fiddle Like the Dickens,” “Moon of Winter,” and “Holiday Hanukkah.”

Mia Cerrato:  What is your favorite part about orchestra? 

Meghan Cheela: My favorite part of orchestra is coming together with other students to perform pieces.

Mia Cerrato: How do you think the concert will go?

Meghana Cheela: I think we will do well at the concert because we have practiced a lot and put a lot of effort in. 

Mia Cerrato: What are you most excited for?

Meghana Cheela: I am most excited for the Christmas finale because it is the first time that the choir, band, and orchestra have come together to perform a song. It will be a very cool experience and memorable for us and hopefully our audience.

ENTERTAINMENT: New “Jumanji” Movie Features “Next Level” Action

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(Photo courtesy geekly-gadgets.com)

By Samiksha Mehta – Entertainment Editor

The sequel to the bestselling “Jumanji” movie is now here…and it’s a movie viewers don’t want to miss.

[WARNING: Review of this movie comes with spoilers. Read ahead at your own risk.]

“Jumanji: The Next Level” came to theaters on December 13 starring Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas (all returning) and a new cast member, Awkwafina.

The movie starts off with Spencer coming back home from college in New York. He’s made plans to have a sort of reunion with his friends from high school: Bethany, Martha, and Fridge at their favorite diner, now called “Nora’s”. When Spencer gets home, he finds out he’s sharing a room with his grandpa, and things get interesting from there on.

When Eddie’s (Spencer’s grandfather) old friend comes by his house for a visit, Eddie gets mad because Milo (old friend) abandoned their old restaurant to “retire” and relax. Milo gets mad back at Eddie for taking things to the extreme and says that he just wanted to relax with his wife and retire because he knew his “time” was up.

Spencer rediscovers the Jumanji game, after thinking that it was gone after the last time he went in. Curious, he goes in again, and goes missing. When he doesn’t show up to the diner with his friends, they get worried and go to his house to figure out where he’s gone. They snoop, and they find the game in the basement, shock taking over all their faces after they see it. Since Spencer’s grandfather is down in the basement with them, he gets sucked into the game with Milo when they start and Bethany is left back in the real world.

The roles are switched when the characters enter the game. Instead of Spencer becoming Dr. Bravestone, Eddie becomes Dr. Bravestone, and Fridge becomes Prof. Shelly Oberon. Martha is still Ruby Roundhouse, and Milo becomes Franklin Finbar. Milo and Eddie are confused when they find out what they are, and because of their short-term memory, Fridge and Martha have to keep telling them what’s going on. Meanwhile…Bethany, having been left behind from the game, goes to Alex to help get them back. When Bethany and Alex get into the game, she turns into a flying horse and Alex turns into the famous Nick Jonas, who is Alex in the game as well. 

The goal to get out of Jumanji is to recover a stone from Jurgen the Brutal, and to do this, they need to get Spencer, who turns into Awkwafina, whose character is someone skilled in lockpicking and stealth. Spencer, while in the character’s body, feels even worse about himself, because being in that specific body reminds him of who he is in real life, and he’s devastated because instead of becoming Dr. Bravestone, he’s basically another version of himself. 

The movie follows the main cast as they retrieve the stone and save Jumanji, once again. Once they get back home, the four friends decide never to go back in and they destroy the game console. Martha and Spencer are back together, and everything is just as it was in the first film. 

A strong point in “Jumanji: The Next Level” is when the characters switch avatars. This is a strong point because it shows how the different characters can make the avatars their own and it shows independence and that people don’t have to always be the same person; they could always use different personality traits to express themselves.

A weak point in “Jumanji: The Next Level” is when Spencer goes back into the game without notifying his friends. The whole foundation of their friendship is honesty, because when they first became friends, they had to depend on each other to survive. Him not telling his friends about going back into the game was a breach of that.

Overall, “Jumanji: The Next Level” is a really good action movie, and it’s not one moviegoers want to miss. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars 

SPORTS: Hannon Looks To Make Mark On JV, Varsity Basketball Squads

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(Photo courtesy Spencer Hannon)

By Nora Sotomonte – Staff Reporter 

Spencer Hannon is a sophomore member of the Jonathan Law JV basketball team.

This year his goal is to improve his game from last season. 

“I’m going to go in to every game knowing we can win, knowing we know what we can do, and practice hard,” Hannon said. 

Hannon is not only confident and hard-working, he always finds something he can improve on. He pushes his team as well as himself. 

Teammates talked very highly about Hannon’s work ethic and leadership.

“I feel Spencer is a great teammate,” teammate Dan Maxwell said. “He will push every single person on the team. He will put in the most effort to get the most of his teammates and because of that it makes people want to be around him more and more.” 

This year, Hannon is going to do the best he can to help his team make the playoffs and states. Hannon said he will take it one day at a time. He is very patient and works hard to achieve his goal.

His coach also believes he is a model player. 

“Spencer is a kid that would pretty much do anything you ask as a coach,” assistant coach Mr. McPartland said. “If I ask Spencer to run through a brick wall he would without asking questions.”

McPartland said that Hannon has the key characteristics that make him a model player. He inspires the upperclassmen as well as the incoming players.  

Teammates have noticed his growth from last year.

“Spencer has become an even better player than he was last year. He will give you everything he has no matter the score or the record of the team,” Maxwell said. “Coming off of last season of him not playing that many games, I look to see him come back this season with even more dedication than he did last year.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Softball Coach Mrs. Blude About Law’s Danni Kemp Fundraiser

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(Photo by Sadie Willett)

By Sadie Willett – Staff Reporter

The Danni Kemp fundraiser is an event organized by the Jonathan Law Softball Team and head coach Mrs. Blude. Blude arranged the fundraiser in hopes of raising money for the Danni Kemp Memorial Fund. Danni Kemp was an All-state softball player at Foran High School who passed away in 2017 of a brain tumor. Kemp went All-State her junior and senior year of high school and event spent a small amount of time playing for the Stratford Brakettes. The term “Danni Strong” has been printed onto many shirts, bracelets, stickers, and are even worn on the helmets of hundreds of softball players throughout Milford.

The softball team has already raised over $1,000 towards the fund and is looking forward to raising more. The fundraiser consists of Pura Vida bracelets specially made for Kemp with blue and white string, which depict the “Danni Strong” symbol. Bracelets can be worn in any way and are being sold for $5 to support this amazing cause. Advocate Staff Reporter Sadie Willett interviewed Blude about the fundraiser.

Sadie Willett: What is the Danni Kemp fundraiser about?

Mrs. Bludé: The Danni Kemp fundraiser was done by people involved with the softball team at Law aiming to raise money to donate to the Danni Kemp Memorial Scholarship this coming softball season.

SW: What is the purpose of this fundraiser?

MB: Foran has a new turf field that will be named after Danni and the dedication will be held the day Law travels to Foran. We wanted to help out the Kemp family in any way possible and this seemed like the perfect time to do so. 

SW: What prompted the softball team into organizing this fundraiser?

MB: Danni was an incredible student-athlete at Foran, one all young athletes should strive to emulate. Those of us that coached and played against her will never forget what she brought to the field and I believe her legacy will live on forever, especially with this field dedication. 

SW: What is the main goal for the outcome of this fundraiser?

MB: The girls here were hoping to raise a few hundred dollars to bring to the dedication, but it turns out we have raised way above and beyond that please attend the game to see what the final numbers are!

SW: How will the softball team accomplish this goal?

MB: The softball team will accomplish this goal by selling Pura Vida bracelets made for the Danni Memorial Scholarship that are $5 each.

SPORTS: Eady Ready To Lead Lawmen Back To State Tournament

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Tyanna Xavier – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law senior Diontae Eady went All-State in 2018 and is trying to repeat that feat this winter.

Eady has been playing basketball his entire life and is very excited to say that he has reached one of his goals.

“Basketball is the first sport I was playing since age four,” Eady said. “My mom got me into it and ever since she put that ball into my hand and it’s the one sport I really connect with.”

Eady has a passion for the sport of basketball and having his mother and his teammates as supporters pushed him to overcome obstacles.

“My team definitely helped me a lot in accomplishing All-State because without them I would not be able to play,” Eady said. “There’s no ‘I’ in team and it’s a five on five game, not a one on five.”

Eady’s teammates enjoy being on the court with him and have integrated his skills into their own games.

“Playing with one of the best guards in the SCC means a lot because I pick up from his game and put it into mine,” senior Antonio Brown said. “Overall, Diontae has a bright future.”

Eady said the Law basketball team is more of a family than a team. They always have each other’s backs on and off the court. The players pick up skills from each other, work together, and have open communication which is always important during a game.

Assistant coach Mr. McPartland said that Eady contributes to the team in many areas.

“Diontae is a great athlete with a lot of God-given talent,” McPartland said. “He’s a great asset to the team because he brings energy, leadership, and does a lot of controlling the basketball.”

McPartland said Eady is a very humble player that works with his teammates to take down them competition.

Eady is excited for his final year to get started.

“My main goal for this year would be would be to go All-State and win the state title for my last year,” Eady said. “I have been scouted by one coach at Curry College and it’s great to see that my hard work is paying off.”

NEWS: Disney Plus App Brings Joy To Many In Law Community

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(Photo courtesy disney.com)

By Madison Lusignan – Staff Reporter

Disney Plus is a new app and streaming service of Disney shows and movies.

It is available for $6.99 a month. Those who have Verizon Unlimited can receive it free for a year.

This service came out on November 12, so people are starting to discover it and are exploring the app.

History teacher Mr. Young uses the app to his advantage with his kids.

“It seemed like a perfect idea for my two boys, especially during the winter,” said Young.

Sophomore Lauren Davis recently purchased Disney Plus, and is quite happy with her purchase.

“I wanted to get Disney Plus because it has every Disney show and movie that I watched as a kid,” said Davis. “I wanted to watch old shows like Hannah Montana, Suite Life, and Good Luck Charlie.”

Freshman Jake Ackley shares the family app with his two sisters and his mother and father.

“I enjoy how most of the time any obscure show or movie you can find as long as you remember the name,” said Ackley.

Junior Joey Soto loves to browse through the endless findings on Disney Plus.

“I enjoy the app because it’s like Netflix where it saves where you leave off and you can skip and there are no adds and there is a lot of wonderful content to view,” said Soto

Senior Eden van Waveren is embracing her Verizon Unlimited and enjoying the magic inside the app.

“My favorite shows on Disney Plus are Wizards of Waverly Place, Hannah Montana, and The Suite Life On Deck because those are the main shows I watched as a kid so I love re-watching them and reminiscing my childhood,” van Waveren said.

Overall, Disney Plus is an enjoyable app and streaming service.

Although from collected reviews and comments, it seems as though Disney Plus does have some missing shows and movies that their viewers are unhappy about.

SPORTS: Law Gymnastics Team Vaults Into New Season

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Hanna Broderick – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law High School gymnastics team is getting ready to have a great season.

The team has had successful seasons in the past and returns many talented gymnasts. Aside from that, all of the girls are really close, and have a lot of fun.

Head coach Mr. Simon has been coaching gymnastics at Law for years. After coaching as new girls come and go every year, he’s been able to make a strong team. 

After last year’s extremely successful season, the team is ready to work hard to get even better. Last season, the team didn’t score lower than a 120 in any meets. 

Even though gymnastics events are scored individually, it is still a team sport and everyone needs to work together. Junior Amanda Dew is excited to grow as a team.

“We support each other,” Dew said. “I think that’s what makes us a strong team, we all help each other out.” 

The team lost great seniors who contributed a lot to the team, but they also have great underclassmen who are only getting better. 

Junior Greta Valvo is going her third year on the team. She has seen the team grow from season to season.

“We’ve all gotten a lot closer,” Valvo said. “We’re all friends and it helps us to get better because of that.”

The team really likes having students there to support them. They like to have as many people cheering them on as possible. 

“I’d like to have students at our meets against Foran,” sophomore Emma Nelly said. “That’s a big meet for us.”

Team members believe they have the ingredients to be a great again this year. Now, they said, it’s all about putting in the work individually and as a team.

SPORTS: Boys Indoor Track Team Races Into Winter Season

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(Photo courtesy yerbookavenue.com)

By Gillian Rees – Staff Reporter

The winter season is up and running for the boys indoor track team. 

The boys indoor track team has been a very successful team the past few years and looks to continue that this season. 

“I feel excited for a new season because of how much bigger a team and some really good runners we have,” freshman Jake Ackley said. “I’m hoping for a great season and hopefully get a banner.”

The track team is the biggest team at this high school with over 100 participants.

“It can be difficult to manage the large amount of athletes and all the different events they do; thankfully, we have the captains step up and take charge and help out a lot, we also have different coaches for the events, ” assistant coach Ms. Corriveau said. “We really divide and conquer.” 

For some of the boys on the team it is their last season, one of which is senior Rayshon Jacobs. Jacobs is one of the team’s sprinters and last year attended nationals for the 800 meter medley. 

“I would like to improve on how we come together as a team earlier in the season and not just when the season is over,” Jacobs said. “If we work hard from the beginning to end, our record should come out better.” 

Team members said that indoor track meets are a very enjoyable experience.

“I’m pretty hyped for the season this year; we have a great team trying to improve,” junior Ethan Harrigan said. “I’m looking forward to the indoor meets because there’s always a great atmosphere and everyone has fun.” 

The boys and the coaches are really looking forward to this season and with the hard work they have already been putting their there will be great results expected. 

“I’m excited to see how different indoor track is from outdoor and cross country, I’m expecting people to get new PRs since every practice I feel improvement and so does everyone else I talk to,” senior Jacob Ciolkosz said. “My favorite part of the season is meets where we can all show how hard we have worked in practice.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Stephanie Ferrara About Gymnastics Season

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(Photo courtesy Stephanie Ferrara)

By Taylor Firla – Staff Reporter 

Stephanie Ferrara is a junior at Jonathan Law who is currently starting her second year on the gymnastics team. Advocate Staff Reporter Taylor Firla interviewed Ferrara about her preseason thoughts. 

Taylor Firla: What made you decide to try out for the gymnastics team? 

Stephanie Ferrara: I joined the gymnastics team because I wanted to try something new. 

TF: What do you enjoy most about participating on the team?

SF: I enjoy bonding with my teammates and doing floor and beam, which is two out of the four events that you can do on the team. 

TF: What’s your favorite event and why do you like it? 

SF: My favorite event is floor because I like to tumble a lot and I’ve had the skills from cheerleading so I thought it would be the best for me. 

TF: How do you guys work on improving your bond as a group? 

SF: Our team is close and during practice we’ll talk to each other, help each other out and that just automatically brings us together. 

TF: Jonathan Law recently suffered the loss of alum Melanie Coleman, who was an All-State member of the gymnastics team. What is the team doing throughout the season to honor her?

SF: We all love Melanie a lot, and this year our meets are going to be for her. We made bows to wear every meet to honor her.

EDITORIAL: TLC Quiet Rooms Have Been Beneficial For All Students, But Have Opportunity To Be Even Better

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(Photo courtesy Sydney Simpson)

By Sydney Simpson – Staff Reporter

This year, Jonathan Law High School debuted a new and improved Teaching and Learning Commons, complete with couches, tables, a presentation room, and quiet and collaboration rooms. The TLC in general was created to act as a resource for students, specifically with the peaceful atmospheres of both the quiet rooms and the collaboration rooms. The quiet rooms are places where students can go to get work done in a quiet and productive space, and the collaboration rooms are places where students can go to concentrate on group projects, work together, and be creative and productive. 

Both the quiet rooms and the collaboration rooms at Law have proved beneficial to the student body this year for many reasons, but there are also flaws hidden in their design. The pros of the quiet and collaboration rooms are that they are productive spaces for students to get work done, and they provide students with an escape from the crowded cafe during study halls. The cons, however, are that some students do not utilize the quiet and collaboration rooms for academic purposes, and the same students often use these rooms daily, not allowing for other students to get a chance to experience the benefits. Also, many students do not know the difference between the quiet rooms and the collaboration rooms, which can affect the experiences of other students trying to work.  

The specialized rooms in the TLC are beneficial to students for many reasons. They are productive spaces and can help students focus on their work. They are closed off from the rest of the TLC, providing a less crowded and noisy place for students. These rooms allow kids to work diligently without getting distracted by their surroundings, and with the popularity of the TLC and the amount of students there each period, it is easy to get distracted by noise and by people passing through. Some students have trouble working in noisy atmospheres, and the quiet and collaboration rooms can help these students to focus. The rooms also supply the kids at Law with an alternative to a crowded cafeteria study hall. Law’s cafeteria can get extremely crowded, especially when there are four study classes in there at once.

The quiet rooms in the TLC give students another option by offering an escape from the often noisy cafeteria. Study hall is a time for students to utilize and to get work done, and it should be used to its full potential by all students. It can be hard for kids to utilize their study periods in loud, crowded places; the quiet and collaboration rooms provide secluded and productive areas for kids to do their work. Although there are not enough quiet rooms for every student to go during their study every day, students can rotate between staying in the cafeteria during study and going to the TLC to let other kids have a chance to utilize these rooms. With at least some students visiting the TLC each day, cafeteria study halls will become less crowded, letting the remaining students have a more productive, quiet atmosphere as well. 

Although the quiet and collaboration rooms located in the TLC help Law students academically, there are some issues that still need to be addressed. First off, some students do not use these rooms for academic purposes, taking away the opportunity for students who are trying to utilize the quiet atmospheres to focus on school work. Many kids use these rooms to relax and take a break from their busy school days, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but there are many other places they could go to do this. For example, if coming from a cafeteria study, students can stay there to talk and socialize. They could also make a visit to the couches set up in the main area of the TLC, or the other cool new furniture that was installed. By doing this, other students could use the quiet rooms and the collaboration rooms more appropriately, for academic purposes rather than for socialization and Tik Tok dances. Secondly, the same students often use these rooms daily, not allowing for other kids to experience the benefits that the quiet and collaboration rooms have to offer. This could be fixed by having a sign-up sheet in the TLC for students who want to visit the rooms during their study periods. This way, quiet rooms can be previously reserved, and kids don’t have to rush to sign into their study and get to the TLC before all the rooms are taken. By only allowing kids to sign up for quiet rooms twice a letter cycle, it gives everyone an equal amount of time to use the quiet rooms if they want to. 

The intended differences between the quiet rooms and the collaboration rooms at Law are not widely known by the student body. Most students use all four rooms in the same way when they are meant to be utilized for different things. The two quiet rooms are supposed to be places for students to go where they can get individual work done fast and efficiently. Kids can work in silence to increase productivity and to have less distractions. The two collaboration rooms are creative spaces where students can work together on assignments or group projects and still get work done efficiently because there are no outside distractions. These rooms should be filled with students exchanging ideas and helping each other through academic assignments. If more students at Law knew the differences between the quiet rooms and the collaboration rooms and used them correctly, productivity in both rooms would increase.

The quiet and collaboration rooms at Law have both benefits and issues associated with them. These issues are easily fixable, and by the end of the quarter, these rooms could be better utilized by the student body.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Cameron Neely About Studying Abroad In Moldova

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(Photo courtesy @chisinaucamecdotes)

By Mayur Somalinga – Staff Reporter

Cameron Neely, a student at Jonathan Law for the past three years is now studying abroad in Moldova for a year, learning Russian in collaboration with the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y). Cameron has been documenting his experiences during the past four months and will continue to do so, on his Instagram blog (@chisinaucamecdotes). Although Cameron posts daily on his blog, it only provides so much information about his time overseas, so Advocate Staff Reporter, Mayur Somalinga, decided to reach out to Cameron Neely to learn more about how studying Russian in Moldova has been so far.

Mayur Somalinga: Could you please briefly describe what NSLI-Y (National Security Language Initiative for Youth) is about?

Cameron Neely: NSLI-Y (National Security Language Initiative for Youth) is a U.S. Department of State program that provides full merit-based scholarships for high school students and recent high school graduates to learn less commonly taught languages in summer and academic-year overseas immersion programs. The NSLI-Y program aims to provide opportunities to American youth that will spark a lifetime interest in foreign languages and cultures. NSLI-Y programs offer intensive language immersion in a variety of locations around the world. Beginners are welcome to apply for any of the target languages; previous language experience is not required.

MS: What inspired you to join NSLI-Y and beyond that, why did you choose to study Russian?

CN: I am an alumni of the 2018 NSLI-Y Russian summer program (my program was also located in Chisinau, Moldova), so I applied again knowing how great of an impact full immersion has on your language level! I went from beginner in Russian to intermediate in just one summer, so I am so excited and grateful to be spending an entire year here! As far as Russian: Russian has been something that I have been interested in for about three years now. It started out of general interest in languages and linguistics – Spanish was my favorite class, and I became very invested in Finnish language and culture too. When I stumbled across Russian, I immediately fell in love with it – I started small with learning the alphabet just for fun, which turned into some new words and greetings, to numbers, and then before I knew it, I found myself at Yale University’s language program for high school students, “World CLASS,” in a Russian class. I learned a lot in the class, especially as my teacher was a native speaker from Azerbaijan and the class was very small (five students.) After studying Russian in Moldova with NSLI-Y in the summer of 2018, I participated in the World CLASS program again, but there was originally a problem since I was intermediate and they only offered a beginner and advanced class. They were kind enough to offer me a one on one class with a native Russian speaker studying at Yale on a Fulbright scholarship, and I could not be more grateful! Finally, I am here in Moldova, studying Russian for my third year.

MS: What has been your favorite thing about being in Moldova so far?

CN: This is the hardest question you have given me! If I only had to pick one, I would say that Moldova has given me more opportunities to pursue my interests than I could have even imagined! I go to school here for four hours a day, and all of my lessons are related to Russian language – I have two Russian grammar classes a day, and then two phonetics/speech classes. We also have specialized classes weekly to learn more about Russian culture. To give you an idea, the names of some of the classes are “The Russian Mentality,” “Russian Songs,” “Russian Geography,” etc. We also have constant excursions within the city, and there are also out of city day trips that we go on in the spring and fall! We also have language partners, which are Moldovan volunteers that spend time with us to further our Russian skills. We all live with our own Russian speaking host families too, so we are definitely in an immersive environment! Russian is not 100 percent of my time here though – I often volunteer at International Language cafes to help Moldovan students practice their English. I host tables where we talk about a certain subject (for example, topics in the past have been Halloween, Outer Space, Thanksgiving, and Christmas is coming up!) and then play interactive games (charades is a favorite!). I also sometimes volunteer by cleaning up trash in parks, and I will definitely be volunteering more in the future. I do a lot more here (they keep us busy!) but that is a start… 

MS: What advice do you have for those who want to join NSLI-Y or just learn Russian in general?

CN: I think my answer could apply to any language. There are so many resources out there, no matter how old you are! NSLI-Y is not the only program that is completely paid for – there is also YES Abroad, CLS, and tons of other programs that have scholarships available, and that is only for high school.

MS: What plans do you have after your year abroad in Moldova?

CN: I am not sure yet – I have a few ideas, but it is all going to depend on many things. I am looking into other programs similar to the one I am on now where I would be able to study Russian and graduate high school / apply to colleges at the same time, but if that doesn’t end up happening, I can of course simply go back to Jonathan Law. There is also the program at Law connected with Housatonic where I could get some college classes out of the way, so I would definitely do that if I end up in Milford next year.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Key Club Advisor Mr. Boynton About The Holiday Food Drive

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(Photo courtesy kiwanis.com)

By Nora Sotomonte – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Key Club is currently holding its annual holiday food drive. This food drive has been going on for 25 years at Jonathan Law and the Key Club members are happy to help and keep it running. Advocate Staff Reporter Nora Sotomonte interviewed Key Club advisor Mr. Boynton about the food drive.

Nora Sotomonte: Where do you donate the food to?

Mr. Boynton: We donate food baskets to needy Law families. Last year, we made up 13 baskets. What’s left over we donate to the Law food pantry.

NS: When did this start?

MB: The Key Club has been running holiday food drives for as long as I could remember – at least
25 years.

NS: How does giving back to the community make you feel?

MB: I have always loved the holidays and knowing I could help make others a little happier. With a holiday meal, it makes it that much better.

NS: How do you think they feel receiving these items?

MB: I would hope they would feel thankful and I hope it would make the families a lot less
stressed knowing they are guaranteed a nice meal during the holiday season.

NS: How many cans do you expect to give this year?

MB: I am hoping enough to fill all the baskets requested, plus some more.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…College & Career Aide Ms. Sylvia About Instant Decision Day

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By Amelia Mower- Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law hosted an Instant Decision Day for seniors on Friday, December 6. The day consisted of several colleges in which students could receive admittance to through an on-the-spot interview with their admissions counselor. Advocate staff reporter Amelia Mower sat down with College & Career Aide Ms. Sylvia to learn more about Instant Decision Day. 

Amelia Mower: What schools participated in Instant Decision Day? 

Ms. Sylvia: For the college admissions Instant Decision Day we had Southern CT State University, Central CT State University, Quinnipiac University, University of New Haven, University of Bridgeport, and Albertus Magnus College

AM: How many students took part in it and how many got into each school? 

MS: We had 15 fabulous student candidates participate, many that met with more than one college representative on that day. Every student received at least one acceptance!

AM: What did the students need to do to participate? 

MS: Students were required to have their application process completed, specifically the Common Application online. They also need to provide the admissions representatives with their transcript, and some schools needed to review SAT or ACT scores.

AM: Why is this opportunity good for students? 

MS: The Instant Decision Day, also known as On-Site Admissions Day, allows students to connect face-to-face with an admissions representative about their application, ask any final questions about the campus or program they are interested in, and then receive an admission decision on-the-spot! It’s a chance to have a personal interview and make an impression on the admissions department. If for some reason the admissions person can not offer you an acceptance on that day, the rep can go back to their department and speak to their colleagues about what would make you a good fit for their school based on the conversation they had with you. It’s an exciting opportunity! Side note: Some students that heard about the program this year were a bit confused by the name “Instant Decision”; this does not mean that the student must make a decision immediately, instead the admissions person is making the decision to admit the student or not.

AM: What advice do you have for seniors over the next few months as they prepare for college? 

MS: As you receive notifications of acceptance please let me and your school counselor know! Also, update your Naviance account to reflect your acceptances, denials, or if you have officially committed to a college. In addition, this is the time to research and begin applying to scholarship opportunities if you haven’t already started. You can start by using Naviance to see a list of scholarships, and you should check out each college’s financial aid webpage. Fastweb.com is another site where you can research and apply to scholarships, and it’s free to create an account. Lastly, don’t forget to continue working hard in your classes. Colleges will receive a final transcript at the end of your high school career and you want to finish strong here at Law!

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Joey Soto About Law’s Drama Club

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(Photo courtesy Joey Soto)

By Alexis Rios – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Drama Club performs plays every year and continues to look for new students. Junior Joey Soto has been starring in plays since his freshman year. Staff Reporter Alexis Rios interviewed Soto about his experiences in the club.

Alexis Rios:  What’s your favorite part about Drama Club?

Joey Soto: My favorite part about drama club is that I get to be a part of the amazing productions we put on. I love to preform and I enjoy seeing the reaction from the audience.

AR: What have you learned from Drama?

JS: I’ve learned to express myself more and how to spread kindness and include everyone because you never know what others are going through.

AR: What are you looking forward to this year?

JS: I’m looking forward to our spring musical “Footloose.” (Be there!) It’s going to be an amazing production and everyone is encouraged to join. Our sign up sheet is near the office.

AR: Any exciting upcoming events?

JS: Not until after break – we have the auditions for “Footloose” on January 6. Everyone’s welcome to audition.

AR: What are some issues or obstacles you have had to overcome?

JS: Some obstacles I’ve had are the rehearsals. We have them almost everyday in the week from 4-7 p.m. which can be tiring but at the same time it’s not a problem because we have so much fun that you don’t even realize rehearsal is over.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Boys Swim Captain Bruno Sequera About The Upcoming Season

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(Photo courtesy Bruno Sequera)

By Adarsh Senthilnathan – Staff Reporter

Bruno Sequera is a senior boys swim captain who is very excited to accomplish his personal and team goals this year. Sequera has been on the team for three years at Law and has been swimming since 3rd grade privately outside of school. Sequera is a part of the 400 relay team that holds the record at Law. Advocate Staff Reporter Adarsh Senthilnathan interviewed Sequera about the upcoming swim season.

Adarsh Senthilnathan: What events do you swim?

Bruno Sequera: I swim the 100 free, 200 free, and the 400 relay.

AS: What was your reaction like when you were announced to be this year’s boys swim captain?

BS: When I was made captain I was very excited. I felt like I earned the spot and I felt honored to lead the record breaking team (debatably the best team thus far).

AS: How are you preparing for your first meet on December 19th?

BS: For the first meet, we are practicing for longer, and doing dry land running and ab exercises.

AS: What are your personal and team goals for this season?

BS: Personally, I’d like to make the state finals individually in the 100 free event. And go to the state finals as a relay team.

AS: How do you balance academics and swim?

BS: I don’t use senior priv. I prefer to stay in school and get my work done. Also, I don’t put off work, I’ll get it done as soon as possible.

NEWS: Jonathan Law Stirs Up All-New Cooking Club

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(Photo by Addison Schwing)

By Addison Schwing – Editorial and News Editor

Jonathan Law’s all-new Cooking Club is making its debut this year. 

The Cooking Club is run by Culinary teacher Ms. Ryan and meets bi-monthly on Tuesdays. The club is open to any student that is interested in joining and learning how to cook. 

“This is a club where all abilities are welcome,” she said. “The only prerequisite is the willingness to get your hands dirty.”

The club was founded by junior Phethsamai Kingkittisack, who wanted to further her own cooking education. She thinks that everyone should learn how to cook, as it is an important skill for everyone to learn. 

“It would be beneficial to learn how to cook since it is a basic life skill,” Kingkittisack said. “People will need to know how to make food for themselves when they grow up, so it is good to learn basics now.”

The cooking club is a member of SkillsUSA, an organization that partners with schools across the country to help bring technical instruction into the classroom. Ryan is eager to explore all kinds of cuisines and skills with members. 

“Although we will explore different dishes, we will first focus on making healthy snacks and beverages,” Ryan said. “Our hope is to compete in at least one state competition. 

There are no requirements to join the club, and everyone is able to join regardless of ability. The club offers the chance to learn how to cook without having to sign up for the semester-long class, while also functioning as a social avenue. 

“Even if you do not what to seriously go into cooking, join for the fun experience and to hang out with friends,” Kingkittisack said. “Also, possibly learn something on the way.”

Students interested in joining the club should visit Room 112 by the cafeteria and speak to Ryan, or send her an email. Meetings will be held twice every month and will consist of both cooking sessions and planning events throughout the year. 

“Whether you’ve had experience in the kitchen or not, I encourage you to try cooking in a fun atmosphere,” Ryan said.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Jonathan Law Culinary Teacher Mrs. Ryan On Her Passion For Cooking

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(Photo by Briana Hernandez)

By Briana Hernandez – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law culinary teacher Mrs. Ryan does many things other than just teaching culinary and food service at Jonathan Law. Advocate Staff Reporter Briana Hernandez interviewed Ryan to see what makes her unique.

Briana Hernandez: What inspired you to cook?

Mrs. Ryan: In my previous career, I traveled to developing countries where the food awoke my taste buds.  In these countries, people could not afford expensive foods, so they doted on flavor and technique. When I returned home from trips, I wanted to replicate the foods I tried overseas.

BH: When did you start to make your own recipes? Why did you start to make them?

MR: When you first learn to cook, typically you follow a recipe.  Like anything in life, the more you practice, the easier an activity will become.  Cooking is no exception. There were many times when I liked the “bones” or the structure of the recipe but wanted to try substituting a flavor, a starch or protein.  This experimentation can lead you to create new dishes, and thus, new recipes. After a while it becomes second nature. I collected these recipes and offered them to my clients when I was a personal chef and cooking instructor for adults.  Later I was hired to write recipes for food retail outlets.

BH: Who do you look up to in regards to cooking?

MR: I like the writing style of Ina Garten and the bold flavors of Bobby Flay.

BH: What did you want to be before you wanted to be a chief?

MR: I did enjoy my career in international economic development.  In that capacity, I was able to work with small and medium sized business owners in countries like Egypt, Sri Lanka, and Peru.  The organization I worked for had employees like myself, as well as over 40,000 American retirees, who volunteered their time on projects in 125 countries around the world.  It was a wonderful experience, and I learned that something we all have in common is food and eating.

BH: What are your hobbies other than cooking?

MR: I do like to ski, I use to play the clarinet and saxophone, and I enjoy speaking Spanish.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Broadcast Journalism Teacher Mr. Kulenych About Lawmas Season On Eagle Eye News

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(Photo courtesy youtube.com)

By Eva Carroll – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law is broadcasting its annual Lawmas videos on Eagle News next week. Every year, the Broadcast Journalism class makes a series of entertaining, Lawmas-related segments to air during the days leading up to Christmas break. Mr. Kulenych is the Broadcast Journalism teacher at Law. Staff Reporter Eva Carroll sat down with Kulenych to learn more about the upcoming special. 

Eva Carroll: What are the Lawmas Specials you have planned for this Christmas season?

Mr. K.: Each year, we produce three videos to celebrate the Lawmas season and this year will be no different. We are excited to debut this year’s rendition of “Twas The Night Before Lawmas,” a lip dub video, and a video that asks the Law community what they want for Lawmas this year.

EC: What is your favorite segment out of those planned for this year’s Lawmas special? Why?

MK: “Twas The Night Before Lawmas” is so much fun to write and produce 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.

EC: Why do you do annual Lawmas Specials on Eagle Eye News?

MK: Law is a special place every day, but especially around the holidays. The Law family is there for one another and Lawmas is just another way to celebrate that togetherness and to have some fun at the same time.

EC: How are these segments going to be different than last year’s segments?

MK: Each year we pick a different faculty member to be the “Santa” in our “Twas The Night Before Lawmas” video. Last year, Mr. Sarullo was “Santa” and we’ve also done editions with Mr. Thompson and Mr. Ragaini. This year’s “Santa” means a lot to our school – and they don’t mind laughing at themselves a little bit which helped. The kids who produced the lip dub video did an amazing job as well – there are some pretty hilarious scenes and cameos in there.

EC: How do students in Broadcast Journalism film/prepare for the Lawmas Specials?

MK: As a class, the Broadcast students write the script for the video and then they go out and film and edit it. It usually takes about a week to produce each video and this year’s process went pretty smoothly. Be sure to tune in to Eagle Eye News and YouTube every day next week and check them out.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Justin Goglia About The Boys Swim Season

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(Photo by Hanna Broderick)

By Hanna Broderick – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law boys swim and dive team is preparing for the new season with their first meet on Thursday, December 19. Junior Justin Goglia swims both for the school and for an outside club team. He has been swimming for seven years and is excited for another successful season. Staff reporter Hanna Broderick sat down with Goglia to talk about the season. 

Hanna Broderick: What are you most excited for this season?

Justin Goglia: I’m most excited to improve my times and to grow as a team. I want to improve my swimming overall along with the rest of the swim team.

HB: What are the main events that you swim?

JG: I mostly swim the 500 freestyle and the 100 backstroke. I like the 500 free better because it’s an easier stroke than the back, and I mostly like distance events better. My 500 PR is a 4:47.95 which I’m really proud of because I worked really hard to get to that point. My 100 Back PR is a 56.43 and I’m really happy with this time because my main goal in Freshmen year was to get the record and this time reminds me of it.

HB: How have you improved from freshman and sophomore year individually and as a team?

JG: Personally, I have brought my times down, especially in the 500 Freestyle and the 100 Backstroke. In Freshman year my 500 time was 5:22.44 and my 100 Back time was a 1:01.86. Now my times are a lot faster than they were in Freshman year. As a team we have improved all together with getting closer and bringing all of our times down. We all helped each other to achieve our goals.

HB: What helps you stay motivated and stick with a sport for so long?

JG: To me swimming is just fun, me wanting to bring my times down is my motivation to keep swimming. Also I’ve made some of my closest friends through the sport.

HB: What has been your favorite part of swimming for Law?

JG: My favorite part about swimming at Law would be having a fun team that makes your time entertaining and how we all help each other beat our goals.

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