Author Archives: The Advocate Online

NEWS: Science Club Prepares For Upcoming MIT Olympiad

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(Photo courtesy twitter.com)

By Addison Schwing – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Science Club is preparing to partake in the MIT Science Olympiad Invitational on January 12, 2019.

The Science Club is an academic club that participates in science-oriented events across New England. They spend the majority of their time preparing for the Connecticut Science Olympiad, a statewide science-based competition held at the University of Connecticut wherein students form teams and complete a multitude of science-based competitions.

Senior Ming-May Hu acts as Club President, and Ms. Turcotte and Mr. Stanton from the Science Department advise the club.

This year, the Science Club will be participating in the Science Olympiad Invitational at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Ms. Turcotte cites the location as a change of pace for the club.

“Normally we would do Yale University, but in the past, we’ve done Brown University, and we’re doing MIT this year,” Turcotte said. “The nice thing about going to MIT is that it’s out-of-state, so there are lots of people traveling from all over the country, whereas the UConn event is just Connecticut exclusively. It gives us more variety.”

The event at MIT is an invitational, and the actual Olympiad takes place at the University of Connecticut; however, the invitational is modeled after the official event.

Hu said that the club has worked hard in preparation for the event.

“There are multiple events [during the Olympiad], and everyone has a few of them, and everyone prepares on their own,” she said. “It’s kind of like an independent study sort of thing. Depending on the event, there could be a test so you would have to study anatomy for example, and people will go to different teachers for help, or you might have to build a tower that has to hold a certain amount of weight so you would have to keep doing trials.”

Participants are under a lot of pressure to perform well during the event.

The competition lasts from the morning to the evening and is composed of a gauntlet of challenges with different themes, such as Chemistry, Thermodynamics, Forensics, and Herpetology.

Turcotte expects students to show up prepared to the event.

“There have been years where people haven’t shown up prepared, and especially with new members, they don’t know what to expect, and when you show up and see these kids carrying all their equipment in and are prepared, and you aren’t then it’s stressful,” Turcotte said. “Of course, we want to win medals, and we want to do well overall, but the most important thing is that they prepare and that they pull their weight with their team so that they have a chance of being successful.”

NEWS: Practice Pays Off For Law Band, Orchestra At Winter Concert

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(Photo courtesy @LawFran2015)

By Mia Cerrato – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s band and orchestra got into the holiday spirit during their annual concert on December 11.

The band and orchestra have been preparing and rehearsing to ensure that their performance will be exceptional.

“My class, the orchestra, practiced these songs for the last couple of months constantly to keep tweaking and getting everything perfect,” sophomore Meghana Cheela said.

The orchestra teacher encouraged his studenst to push themselves to the best of their abilities.

“Practice, practice, practice,” orchestra teacher Mr. Burns said. “ We had daily rehearsals and class rehearsals. Plus, the dress rehearsal the night before.”

The band and orchestra performed various holiday songs.

“The band performed multiple symphonies,” sophomore Lucas Greifzu said. “A few symphonies we played were ‘Elements’ and ‘Circus Days.’”

The orchestra performed a setlist as well.

“The orchestra played ‘Carol of the Bells,’ ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas,’ and ‘Festival of Lights,’” Cheela said.

The goal of the bad and orchestra was to make sure their performance puts the audience in awe. 

“I was truly impressed by the performance,” sophomore Jennifer Liu said. “I enjoyed all the songs and thought everyone did really good.”

The orchestra teacher had a similar reaction to the performances.

“I think it went really great,” said Burns. “ The orchestra played really precisely and the other groups performed really well.”

Members of band and orchestra seemed to be confident in their performance

“I think it went pretty good,” Greifzu said. “ We worked hard.”

Cheela agreed.

“The concert went amazing,” Cheela said. “ All the parents were very impressed and loved the concert.”

NEWS: Law Choir Wows Crowd At Annual Winter Concert

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(Photo courtesy @jlawchoir)

By Rachna Vipparla – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law choir conducted its Winter Concert on December 11 in the auditorium.

The Winter Concert is an annual performance that the Advanced Vocal Ensemble (AVE) and the concert choir participates in.

“This concert was a lot of hard work for the choir to put together, but in the end it was an amazing experience that I really enjoyed,” sophomore Sreeya Gudlavalleti said.

AVE started of the concert with several a capella pieces and then they were joined by the concert choir towards the end.

A few of the songs sung at the concert were “December Rose,” “Stars I Shall Find,” “Ain’t that a Rockin, Silent Night,” and “Magical for Christmas.”

“We invited the middle schoolers from Harborside and West Shore, which was also a very interesting experience,” sophomore Jefri Caballero said.

This year, the audience was also very involved throughout, singing “Silent Night” and a Hebrew piece.

“This year, we were lucky to have Dana Weiderhold perform with us, she came from Pennsylvania and played the violin,” choir teacher Ms. Jones said. ”This was a very special treat for us.”

The audience was captivated by the talent of the choir and its extraordinary performance.

“The concert was wonderful and I truly was never bored,” sophomore Alexis Rios said.

The choir practiced for the concert for almost three months.

Since the choir is now finished with the Winter Concert, members will have to begin working on the Spring Concert next.

SPORTS: Boys Indoor Track Team Races Into Winter Season

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(Photo courtesy @JLHSTrack)

By Justin Judge – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s winter sports teams have begun their seasons – including indoor track.

Indoor track includes many different events such as the 55M dash, the 4×200 relay, and many more. Many of the runners have different methods to get themselves race ready.

“I will usually listen to music to pump myself up and also think about how I’m not going to get better if I don’t push myself to my hardest,” sophomore Chris Wootton said. “Also, one thing that helps are the chants we do as a team. Beler will ask ‘How do we get better?’ and the team responds with ‘Win every day.'”

The runners for Law’s indoor track team each race have a specific mindset and they will push their bodies to the max just to “win every day.”

Some ways these runners do this is by training, practicing, preparing, but one of the most important things for these runners are their shoes.

“My cleats are one of the most important thing for me when I’m running,” sophomore sprinter Naheim Washington said. “If I don’t feel comfortable, then I can’t perform my best.”

Even during winter break, these athletes will still be training. During the cold, bitter winter weather, these runners will still wake up early in the morning just to make themselves a better athlete.

“I will prepare by racing against faster kids at practice and make sure my form is perfect,” junior Walker Stebbins said.

Being an indoor track athlete comes with the risk of being injured but many runners take extra precautions to avoid this situation by stretching and eating healthy.

“I haven’t gotten an injury yet something that helps are the team stretches in the beginning  of every practice to prevent the runners jumpers and throwers from getting injuries,” Wootton said.

Indoor track isn’t only running; one unique event is the shot put.

“I think that shot is more about technique in order to perfect it,” junior Erik Borgerson said. “However, lifting is very necessary if you want to throw the shot farther.”

As holiday break approaches, many runners are planning their training routine while out of school.

“I will train with some of the other runners and I will set certain marks I want to accomplish,” Washington said. “Also, I will push my body as hard as I possibly can to come back stronger and faster than ever.”

NEWS: Netflix Films Vaping Documentary At Jonathan Law

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(Photos courtesy netflix.com and milforded.org)

By Morgan Taylor – Editor-In-Chief

Netflix producers recently joined the Law student body to film a documentary about the effects of vaping at Jonathan Law High School.

In a series about teenage lifestyle, Law will be featured in an episode for the school’s past honesty and openness about their experiences with vaping by students.

“I was called by this production company used by Netflix called Zero Point Zero Productions,” said Principal Mr. Thompson. “They have done documentaries for Netflix in the past and this is their new project.”

The producers asked to meet some students from Law and follow them around their life in and outside of school.

Law senior Bella Carroll was one of these students.

“Overall, it was an interesting experience,” said Carroll. “They had come to my house after school and before school the next morning to get a feel of what the life of an average high schooler is like.”

The students were asked questions about how they have seen e-cigarettes affect the school.

“They mainly had filmed interviews of my three friends and I, asking about what role e-cigarettes, mainly the juul, had in school,” Carroll said. “They asked everything from how many of my friends I’ve seen use it, to how our school tries to prevent it.”

The series is going to cover all aspects of teenage lifestyle with this episode devoted to vaping and how its affecting students.

“They are going to talk to health specialists and areas of government to discuss the consequences of vaping,” Thompson said.

Thompson is unsure of exactly how the high school was chosen to take part in this series.

“To be honest, they called, we talked, they came down to Milford and filmed,” said Thompson. “We don’t know if there are other school’s involved around the country.”

Law has taken significant strides to prevent students from using these harmful e-cigarettes, including closing and monitoring some restrooms to help keep students safe.

SPORTS: Boys Basketball Team Eyes Return To State Tournament

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(Photo courtesy milfordmirror.com)

By Michael Loschiavo – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s boys basketball team is ready to take the court this season.

Senior Zane Birks believes that the team is prepared to have a great year.

“We are very hyped for the first game and while not underestimating the other team, we expect nothing but a win,” Birks said.

The Lawmen opened their season with a 65-27 win over Whitney Tech on December 13. Senior Tyler McKenna-Hansen led the team with 21 points, including a dunk.

Seniors Will Contaxis and McKenna-Hansen are Law’s two captains.

McKenna-Hansen has played basketball for the past four years at Law and plans to improve for his final year with the team as a player and a leader.

“As a captain, I have to make sure everyone is on task, paying attention, making sure they are giving max effort,” McKenna-Hansen said. “Also. I make sure everyone is on the same page and to be there for anyone when they need it.”

The Lawmen are determined this season and hope to qualify for states and move on to the second round.

Junior Jonathan Vitale set some goals for his team for the beginning of the season.

“As a team we are always looking to accomplish to get better than we were a year before,” Vitale said. “This year especially we have high expectations.”

The team’s record last season was 9-11 which qualified the Lawmen for the SCC and state tournaments.

Senior James Coleman plans to finish off his high school career strong.

“We are going to work twice as hard in practice and work harder than the other teams so we will be quicker on the court while being smart,” Coleman said.

Junior Ru Akhtar believes that he can add to the team’s success this season.

“ We’re really excited and looking forward to our first game and at the same time we are focused on following our game plan and executing it well,” Akhtar said.

Akhtar plans to get time on varsity this season and compete on a higher level.

Assistant coach Mr. McPartland feels like his team is ready to work hard on and off the court.

“Every day is a business day and we understand that in order to be successful we have to push each other to get where we want to be – as they say, iron sharpens iron,” McPartland said. “We’re always looking to get better both individually and as a team everyday, but I’d say one of our main goals this year is to lock up a home playoff game and go from there.”

NEWS: Law’s Ping Pong Club Back In Business

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(Photo courtesy kauifestivals.com)

By Noah Golden – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Ping Pong Club is looking forward to another year of meeting and playing.

Every Monday, the Ping Pong Club meets in the open area by the Freshman Wing. The first club meeting was on November 26.

“People can just come down to the open space by the freshman wing and play Ping Pong on Mondays,” sophomore club member Lucas Greifzu said.

During these meetings, the members of the club set up the table and then face each other in match-ups.

“It depends on how many people show up, but normally we will just have whoever wins keep playing against whoever wants to face them,” Greifzu said.

The club was organized last year by sophomores Angel Santiago and Owen Brennan.

“We had to play ping pong a lot in middle school, so Owen Brennan and I had decided that we wanted to make it a club and keep the tradition going,” Santiago said.

The club not only helps with continuing traditions, but also with the members’ sports and activities as well.

“It definitely helps out with tennis,” Santiago said. “Hand eye coordination helps out a lot. Obviously you don’t hit the ball as hard as you do in tennis. The hand-eye coordination and the little steps you have to take to get to the ball, and just the effort to get to every ball.”

People in the club also play it for the joy of the game itself.

“Ping pong is a sport that I enjoy and it’s fun to play it with friends,” Greifzu said.

The club also pulls in different people from different crowds.

“A lot of the people that come to it usually if for instance we have football a little bit later one day, the club would start and some of the football guys would come by and maybe some of the basketball players when they don’t have practice,” Santiago said.

The Ping Pong Club works together at all of its meetings.

“The Ping Pong Club collectively sets up the ping pong table in that open space next to the freshman wing and we just play ping pong,” said sophomore club member Anish Sikhinam.

The club plays all winter and spring which gives people in the club many opportunities to play and practice.

“It started on the 26th, and will probably end a little bit before the end of the school year,” Santiago said.

NEWS: Marketing, Business Students Take Trip To Sound Tigers Game

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(Photo courtesy Mr. Beler)

By Jessica Owens – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law marketing students recently took a trip to a Sound Tigers game for a Sports Marketing Day for students all over Connecticut.

Before the game, there was a presentation from the President of the University Of Bridgeport, and the Head of Student Development, who talked to the kids about different current college career opportunities.

The arena was sold out with over 7,000 people in attendance. Fifteen high schools, 20 middle schools, and 10 elementary schools attended the game.

“It was an educational day, put on by a formal alumni, which embraced the whole thing,” business teacher Mr. Beler said. “Overall I think it was a great success. We took 50  students all together.”

This event was hosted Law alum Tarah Kelly. Kelly was a former student in Beler’s business class and is currently the Head of Promotions for the Sound Tigers.

Students that attended the trip said they had many favorite moments.

“The fights – they were funny,” junior Brooke Nabors said.

Many of the kids, including Beler, enjoyed this part of the game, too.

“My favorite part of the game was probably the fights,” sophomore Justin Judge said.

Some kids enjoyed just interacting and having fun with the crowd.

“Mostly the crowd, like the singing and the wave, the game was fun to watch too,” senior Julie Myers said.

Students learned about marketing and met many new people at the game. Overall, the students seemed to have a fun, educational day.

“It was great to see, especially talking to the president about college and the University of Bridgeport, all the different college speakers and to see all the marketing put into place,” Beler said. “It was a pretty good day for the kids.”

SPORTS: Boys XC Team Crosses Finish Line, Looks Ahead

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Justin Judge – Staff Reporter

As Jonathan Law’s fall sports seasons come to an end, some members of the boys cross country team are already getting ready for next season.

The boys cross country is coached by Mr. Phillips.

“Cross country was welcoming, friendly , and the coach is very nice,” sophomore Justin Lazar said.

These athletes run everyday after school to prepare themselves for their race meets.

“We run everyday in practice which gets us in shape for winter sports,” sophomore Ethan Florio said.

Juniors Tyler MaKenna-Hansen and Michael Loschiavo were the two top runners for Law. They had a strong end to their seasons, running personal bests.

Loschiavo and other runners on the team worked hard to sustain a goal for the season  

“At Winding Trails I ran a 16:58 and that was a personal record for me and i was so excited,” said Loschiavo

These times and personal records come from practicing at 100 percent everyday.

“I need to go on runs in the summers to get in shape for the  season,” Florio said. “I will also go to the gym to gain more muscle mass and lose as much body fat as I can.”

The preparation is very important because a student’s most important year is the year that follows when they run cross country.

Lazar has his eyes set on some goals this season that he wants to accomplish for  next season.

“I will practice smarter, lift more, train harder and eat properly to sustain myself for my future seasons at Law,” said Lazar.

On October 19, the team competed at East Shore Park. The top five boys results for Law were Michael Loschiavo-  17:49, Tyler MaKenna Hansen- 18:06, Nick Shugrue-19:36, – Amir Elhelw – 19:49, and Charles Wang at 19:52.

“As the top runner for Law, I feel like the top five runners every practice work harder to try to stay with each other so that in the race we can score well,” said Loschiavo.

As new freshmen come to Law every year, many want to try out for cross country.

“Cross country is a very fun sport and it’s also a great way to spend time with your friends,” said Lazar.  “Any freshmen should not feel nervous running cross country because it just feels like one big family.”

Many runners for the boys cross country team that were not starters didn’t seem to disappoint head Coach Phillips.

“The biggest surprise came when four underclassmen besides Michael Loschiavo became state qualifiers,” Phillips said. “They were junior Nick Shugrue, and sophomores Charles Wang, Amir Elhelw, and Luke Pleimann.”

Many underclassmen stepped up and proved themselves as strong and passionate runners for their states competition.

“Another sophomore, James Marino, was our top alternate for states,” said Phillips.

Being a student-athlete requires a student to maintain a 2.0 GPA and have passing grades.

“The majority of our runners are honor students,” Phillips said. “And after finishing my 51st year of coaching at Law it is still thrilling, exciting, and enjoyable to see the progress that has been made by a majority of our runners.”

SPORTS: Unified Sports Team Excited For Action-Packed Winter Season

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(Photo courtesy Mrs. Daniels)

By Stephanie Caron – Staff Reporter

Law’s Unified Sports team is heading into an exciting winter season.

Unified Sports is an afternoon program that allows special education students to work with regular education students in a fun and safe environment.

“Unified Sports pairs students with disabilities and students without disabilities on different teams to compete with other teams,” Unified Sports head coach Mrs. Daniels said. “This program provides the students with the opportunities for social interactions, foster friendships, improve self-esteem and positive changes in attitude, behavior and performance.”

The team just finished their soccer season with a Unified dance, and soon will be doing Wiffle ball, basketball, bowling, volleyball, tennis, and track.

“I started doing Unified Sports because I thought it would be a good way to interact with and help the special education students,” freshman Makenna Sharpe said. “I already knew some people who were participating and you get volunteer hours for doing something so simple and but fun.”

Many of Law’s students volunteer their time on Mondays and Thursdays to help out with Unified Sports.

Not just do the volunteer students have fun, but the special education kids do as well. They have fun spending time with all of the students and coaches.

“I enjoy Unified Sports because I get to learn more about the special education students at Law,” Senior Mary Sullivan said. “Getting to know each of them is great because they all have unique personalities with different talents.”

Some members of the Law community are interested in participating in Unified Sports even if they aren’t volunteers.

“I would like the start tennis in the spring,” Daniels said. “The girls tennis coach (Mr. Kulenych) has reached out to have the team work with the Unified Sports team during a practice.”

“My goal for the kids is to get them to fully participate,” Sharpe said. “I want going to unified sports to be one of the highlights of their day.”

The athletes aren’t just friends with each other on the court, they are friends outside of this program.

“We stay connected with the athletes by having pizza after tournaments,” Sullivan said. “And just by talking to them when we see each other in the halls.”

All of the team members and coaches are hoping for another successful and fun year with all of the kids participating.

“Unified Sports help to foster an inclusive school community where the values of tolerance, patience and sensitivity are evident,” Daniels said.

NEWS: Law Choir Honors Veterans At Local Event

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(Photo courtesy twitter.com)

By Rachna Vipparla – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Choir performed on November 8 at the Progressive Insurance “Key to Progress” program to honor veterans across the country.

The choir performed the National Anthem when opening the ceremony and closed the event with “Battle Hymn of the Republic” to pay their respects to the veterans.

“We were lucky enough to attend the Milford ceremony, which honored one incredible veteran,” senior Krutika Gopal said.  

At this event, Progressive honored the veterans across the country by donating them cars. At the event they also gifted the veterans with gift cards for gas, oil changes, and tire rotations.

“I definitely teared up at the event because the gentleman that received this, the veteran, was highly motivated and has done a lot for our country,” choir director Ms. Jones said.

The choir was very proud and grateful for the opportunity that was provided by Progressive.

“We are thankful for the people at progressive for giving us the opportunity to appreciate the veterans by performing in front of them,” sophomore Sreeya Gudlavalleti said.

The choir performed at “Keys to Progress” last year as well. After Progressive e-mailed them again asking for them to perform, the choir returned to the event for the second time.

“I think that this is a really great way to honor the veterans,” Jones said.

In order to ensure that they could honor these veterans by singing, the choir took out close to two hours of their day.

“For me, personally, I was glad to be part of such a special group and a part of honoring the veterans,” Gopal said.

In addition to the choir’s performance at the Progressive Veterans Day event, they also sang for the veterans at Law.

“We had an opportunity to sing for the veterans who have served our nation and it really was an honor to do something like that,” junior Faith Mills said.

They performed the National Anthem in order to honor all the veterans who fought for the safety of America. They felt that it was an amazing way to show their gratitude to the veterans who have served us.

“It truly was an honor to perform in front of the veterans who deserve more recognition,” Gudlavalleti said. “I had a lot of fun at the event and I think many people in the choir did as well.”

NEWS: Milford Food Services Adds Hot Chocolate Milk To High School Menu

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(Photo courtesy Cameron Asmussen)

By Anish Sikhinam – Staff Reporter

Recently, Milford Food Services has introduced a new beverage to help make students’ stressful mornings better: hot chocolate milk.

The milk is currently only available during breakfast in the morning with a purchase of a full meal.

“It might be coming to lunch, but it’s not available yet,” high school kitchen manager Ms. Attardo said. “We’re working on it”.

The hot chocolate milk will not be served a la carte as of now, but it is coming soon.

“We’re working on a price,” Attardo said. ”We need more machines in order to continue serving throughout the day.”

Milford Food Services has found that high schoolers aren’t getting enough calcium in their diets. To encourage young people to drink more milk, Milford Food Services and the New England Dairy Council decided to bring the hot chocolate milk to both Jonathan Law and Foran High Schools.

Hot chocolate milk has never been on the school menu before and this is the first time that it has come to the Milford Public Schools.

According to the New England Dairy Council, heating chocolate milk and offering it as hot chocolate to older students is a great way to increase milk consumption and attract new customers to breakfast and lunch programs.”

The beverage will be made of one percent milk, which comes from a local dairy farm in Connecticut.

“They have a certain cold pasteurization process that they use that makes it very creamy,” Attardo said. “We have a wonderful machine called the Chocolady, and we take our gallons of chocolate milk and pour it into the machine, which slowly heats it up by turning it to a nice warm temperature of 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit.”

The beverage, being made of milk and chocolate, contains lactose. The hot chocolate milk is not for people who are lactose intolerant or are allergic to chocolate.

Attardo and the high school kitchen is currently unaware if there are plans to add any other beverages added to the school menu.

“The students will be the first to know if we did,” said Attardo.

Recently, the high school kitchen offered a free trial of hot chocolate milk to students in the morning, and most students seemed positive and liked it.

“I have tried the hot chocolate milk and it was pretty good,” said sophomore Amir Elhelw.

Others think that the beverage needs a little more improving before it can be sold.

“The hot chocolate milk’s good, it just needs some cinnamon,” said junior Alyssa Denomme. “It depends on when you get it.”

Most students, however, like the way the hot chocolate milk gives them energy during a tough morning.

“It got me energized and it was tastefully pleasing,” said sophomore Joey Merly.

Overall, the new hot chocolate milk seeks to provide students extra calcium and nutrition, while giving students a great way to start the morning with more energy and a good mood – a win for both the food service and the students.

(Some information courtesy https://www.newenglanddairycouncil.org)

NEWS: Law Badminton Club Looking For New Members

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(Photo courtesy teachpe.com)

By Stefanie Lojko – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s Badminton Club, run by seniors Susan Wischow and Sana Rana, needs students’ help.

Badminton Club started having meetings at the beginning of last school year and they were pretty sure the club would work out. Many students showed up and were super excited about the tournaments and the fact that they didn’t have to deal with the stress of regular sports.

It is a club that students can join whenever they like in order to have fun and relieve some stress every Tuesday after school.

“When we first thought of the idea, we proposed it to our friends and they all loved it,” Rana said. “We also went to the freshman orientation to promote our club and many people were interested.”

Starting a club and being in charge of it can be hard for Rana and Wischow as they are busy applying to colleges. Winter sports are also starting up and getting gym time can be hard considering.

“It’s also hard since were busy with school and work and college deadlines coming up,” Wischow said.

Nevertheless, Rana and Wischow hope to revive Badminton Club this year because of the community it brought. Everyone got along and loved to have games with their friends.

“Many people came and were very excited about the tournament we were going to have,” Rana said. “There was a lot of friendly competition.”

The tournaments were held every time they met. Each group would come up with a name and Rana and Wischow would bracket everyone to end up with a winner.

“The tournaments helped you get to know everyone in the club instead of playing with the same people every time,” senior Shayna Levay said.

A big staple of the club was that it helped to relieve stress from school and other sports.

“I thought the club was very fun and stress relieving,” senior Lola Hazarika said.

Everyone was able to let loose because of how relaxed the club was. There was never any attendance and students could join whenever you wanted.

“We want it to be a fun and relaxing place for people so they shouldn’t feel obligated to impress us or anything,” Wischow said.

This year, the club is trying hard to revive themselves as many students enjoyed the club. Their first meeting this year did not go as well seeing as not many people showed up.

“We are hoping to revive it this year since it was such a success last year,” Rana said.

NEWS: Kindness Club Helps Community Through Assembly, Service

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(Photo courtesy Mrs. Murphy)

By Mia Cerrato – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law High School had Jeanette Mare, the founder of Ben’s Bells, and Dr. Erin Bowen, the creator of Kisses for Conor, speak at an assembly entitled “The Kind Mind” which addressed the need for kindness in the community.

Kindness Club planned this PSA to encourage kind acts at Jonathan Law, which is the sole purpose of the affiliation.

“The purpose of Kindness Club is to spread kindness throughout the community and wants the community, especially at Law, to be kind and respectful towards one another,” junior Tess Rosato, a member of Kindness Club, said. “We try to promote that.”

Kindness Club got in touch with the founder of Kindness for Conor, Dr. Erin Bowen, back in September. Ben’s Bells, an organization that advocates intentional acts of kindness, also reached out to attend the assembly.

“Dr. Erin Bowen, a pediatrician in Milford, lost her 17-month-old baby, Conor in 2016 due to complications created by Sudden Death Syndrome and created ‘Kisses for Conor’ to spread kindness in Conor’s name,” Kindness Club advisor Mrs. Murphy said. “We invited her to the assembly and to meet Jeanette Mare who also lost her baby boy Ben from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.”

The women discussed the science behind kindness and the difference from being nice and kind. They also explained how students could practice kindness and encourage others to do the same.

“The purpose of the assembly was to spread kindness and allow Jonathan Law students to understand the true meaning of the Kindness Club,” said Rachna Vipparla, a sophomore in the club. “The assembly explained how everyone could show random acts of kindness and how impactful it could be.”

The assembly seemed to influence many students in the Jonathan Law community to cultivate kindness.  Many students decided to join the club as well.

“The assembly went really well and I learned how even small acts of kindness can make a big difference,” said new senior member Carly Mancinone. “I joined Kindness Club to get involved with the community and make a difference.”

The Kindness Club and their many generous acts all began after the loss of a beloved friend Maren Sanchez.

“One of the things Maren Sanchez was known for was her kindness and spreading kindness throughout the community,” Murphy said. “She was the girl that sat with the kids that had no one to sit with at lunch.”

The Kindness Club will continue to honor Maren and encourage positivity at Jonathan Law.

SPORTS: Law Powderpuff Team Ready For Annual Showdown With Foran

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(Photo courtesy Mike Loschiavo)

By Addison Schwing – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Powderpuff team is preparing for its annual game against Foran High School on Tuesday, November 20.

Powderpuff is an all-female football team that plays once a year during Thanksgiving Week.

Mr. Kulenych, one of the coaches for the team, has coached Powderpuff for 11 years.

“I got involved because I really loved going to the game before I started coaching,” he said. “I saw how fun it was for the girls to play. When the opportunity to coach came up, I took it, and it’s been so much fun ever since.”

Mr. Ruzbarsky, another coach for Powderpuff, has been coaching the team for eight years.

“Mr. Kulenych was the first one to wrap me in,” Ruzbarsky said. “I used to coach football before that, and he was really the one who piqued my interest in that.”

Powderpuff debuted in the 90’s and has been a hit ever since, always occurring right around the Lawmen’s final game on Thanksgiving. The event offers juniors and seniors at Law to learn how to play football, and Kulenych relishes in the experience while maintaining high standards.

“We have pretty high expectations,” he said. “We hold the girls to a high standard, and we want to keep our win streak alive.”

Ruzbarsky also has high expectations for the team.

“Every day [our expectation] is to grow and make sure that we aren’t making the same mistakes as previous days,” he said. “More or less, the expectation is to do our job so that our overall team will win the game.”

Traditionally, teams practice for up to a month to practice for the game, but this year, they only have eight days. The coaches put a lot of effort into preparing the players for the game.

“We teach the girls plays on offense and defense, getting them ready, teaching them the game of football,” Kulenych said. “The girls are athletic and play other sports but don’t play football, so it is just a matter of teaching them the ins and outs of the game, the rules, and everything, and just getting them ready to play.”

With only a few days remaining until the game, the coach and the team are feeling the pressure mounting. Despite all this, senior quarterback Gina Boccamazzo is in high spirits .

“I’m really excited for this upcoming game,” she said. “Last year, we kinda scraped Foran, and it’s always fun, beating Foran. We’re really ready, honestly. We’ve been practicing for a few days, and we already have all of our plays. We scrimmaged against our defense and did really well. We’re all evenly matched.”

Senior running back Jocelyn Wirthis also in high spirits.

“I’m really really excited to play Foran and tear them apart again, and keep the trophy here,” Wirth said. “Mr. K. said that we already seem super-prepared, even though we have a few things to fix. I know that the offense learned every single play. I think that we’re going to do really well.”

Senior Mary Lonergan is also excited to play next week.

“I’m really excited to play against Foran and keep the trophy at home again,” Lonergan said. “I know that for defense, I’m extremely confident to play the defensive line. We’re extremely strong and very fast, and we know all of the defensive set-ups. I’m really excited to take Foran’s flags off.”

Ruzbarsky said his most significant challenges with coaching is all of the new players.  

“This year, our defense is pretty much brand new,” he said. “There are challenges every day, with teaching them exactly what they should be doing in every possible position. We have two returning kids on defense, and everyone else is brand new, and they no nothing about it, so I have to teach them about football, I have to teach them general turns, I have to teach them exactly what to do. It’s a battle every day.”

Kulenych also expressed his challenges with coaching.

“I think the biggest challenge is trying to cram a lot of information in a small amount of time,” he said. I think it’s hard to teach kids an entire sport within eight days, but I think that we do a good job of giving it to them in doses and small pieces here and there so that they can absorb it easier. At the end of the day, it works out pretty well.”

Junior Michaela Mai, who is playing on the Powderpuff team for the first time, is feeling ready and excited about the game.

“I’m super excited for the upcoming Powderpuff game,” Mai said. “I think it’s going to be a good match. I think that we have a lot of preparing to do, but I really think that we can get there, and we’re going to do great and hopefully get the win.”

SPORTS: Boys Soccer Makes Return Trip To State Tournament

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By Ethan Harrigan – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law boys soccer team ended its season with a record of 6-8-2.

The team was led through the season by head coach Mr. Gruber, assistant coach Mr. Oliveira and four captains: seniors Will Contaxis, Troy Anderson, Kyle Goglia, and junior Jon Vitale.  

This year, the team made it to the first round of the states, finally ending the season in a loss against Joel Barlow High School.

“I thought the team fought hard in nearly every game,” Gruber said. “We had some really good results and got into states which the team was very happy about.”

However, the coaches and many players felt the team could have gone further.

“It’s always a goal to make states, so we accomplished that but our main goal was to progress in the tournament and win at least one game in states which we did not accomplish,” Anderson said.

There were a number of juniors this year who transitioned over to Law from other schools including Cole Zamora, formerly a student at Foran High School.

“ I felt like I was a part of the team right away,” Zamora said. “Also the coaches gave me a lot more advice and confidence in terms of my play rather than at Foran.”

A large number of freshman made the team this season and a many of them saw varsity playing time.

“I believe going forward we are going to have a very athletic team with the skill exponentially increasing with the new class coming in and our training,” sophomore Jonathan Contaxis said.

Freshman Jackson Warters talked about being a member of Law’s varsity roster.

“It was amazing to be a part of the team this season,” Warters said. “I am proud and excited to say that I made the team as a freshman.”

The team dealt with a number of injuries this year and lost senior players from last year like striker Kevin Lin and goalkeeper Jack Pincus-Coyle.

“We tried to address to the whole team that we needed to stick together as one in order to make states and other goals,” Anderson said.

Former Notre Dame student junior Connor DiMuro is already looking forward to the future of the team.

“We lost a lot of good seniors from this year, but I know that we will make it to states and be a solid team next year if we listen to our coaches and bring the same intensity and heart we did this year,” DiMuro said.

SPORTS: Girls Soccer Team Qualifies For States Again

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Thea Ryan – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s girls soccer team has recently finished another successful fall season which ended in a trip to states.

The team’s regular season record was 6-5-5. The team made it to the first round of the state tournament and lost to North Branford.

“Our greatest accomplishment this season was ending the regular season with a winning record,” head coach Mr. Rhode said. “Our schedule was about ten times more difficult than last season. Adding in the amount of injuries we had throughout this season, we had some great results and battled to a winning record.”

During their game against Amity, they were down 3-1 with about 12 minutes left in the game they were able to tie up the game with 5 minutes remaining.

“Amazing comeback,” Rhode said.

Junior Skylar Sosa agreed with Rhode.

“I believe a highlight from this season was when we tied against Amity, showing how as a team we never gave up,” Sosa said. “As a team we worked very hard and fought till the last second of each game this season.”

Senior Captain Samara Thacker guided her team to a successful season and accomplished her personal goals on the team.

“Personally, my greatest accomplishment was being a good captain and leader on the field and working to get everyone involved and being really vocal,” Thacker said.

The team finished this season with a winning record through hard work and dedication.

“We prepared for this season by doing a lot of summer and preseason training, especially with the guys soccer coach,” Thacker said.

The team had two victories against Foran this season.

“My favorite memory from this season was winning both games against Foran,” Sosa said. “This was my favorite memory from this season because Foran is our rival school and it is a huge accomplishment to get winning results both times we played them.”

Sophomore Ashley Shaw’s goal is to perfect the formation on the field with positive communication for next season.

“My goal for next season is to make the second round of states and get into SCC’s,” junior Jamie Jaser said.

The team plans to continue having a winning record next season and to make it to the second round of states.

“This is something that has never been achieved by the girls soccer team here at Law and it would be truly amazing if we were able to make history during my last season of playing soccer,” Sosa said.

SPORTS: Girls Swim Team Wraps Up Best Season In School History

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Alexis Broderick – Staff Reporter

The girls swim team at Jonathan Law recently ended an incredible season.  

The team finished with a meet record of 11-2 – and they’re expecting an even better season next year.

As this is the end of the season for the entire team, this is the end of a high school career for six girls: Julie Myers, Cali Jolley, Mary Lonergan, Bella Carroll, Christina Gleason, and Molly Sullivan.

“I am extremely sad that the season is over,” Jolley said. “This team has become a family,  we have so many memories together, grew as swimmers , and we all became more successful together.”

Junior Brooke Nabors qualified for states in the 100 fly and in the 200.

“I felt very accomplished making it to states since its an important goal I set for myself,” Nabors said.

Sophomore Hannah Rascoll qualified for states in the 200 and 500 freestyle. Rascoll placed 23rd in the 500 and 25th in the 200.

“Making states was exciting but I was a little nervous,” Rascoll said.

New personal records and better times were set by majority of the team.

At states, Athena Homorodean posted 200 freestyle time of 2:02.88, Brooke Nabors a 200 IM time of 2:22.94, and the 200 Medley Relay of Brooke Nabors, Hennessey Shane, Alexa Darak, Hannah Rascoll posted a time of 2:02.26.

Emma Savoie was 4th in the 50 freestyle with a time of 25.01, which was a new school record. Lily Baldieri had a 50 freestyle time of 25.31, Athena Homorodean a 50 freestyle time of 25.92, Hennessey Shane a 50 free time of 27.11, Brooke Nabors a 100 fly time of 1:03.68, and Alexa Darak a 100 fly time of 1:07.20.

Emma Savoie posted a 500 free a time of 5:38.45, Hannah Rascoll a 500 freestyle time of 5:52.58, and Hennessey Shane a 100 breaststroke time of 1:14.45.

Lily Baldieri, Hennessey Shane, Athena Homorodean, and Emma Savoie finished 5th in the 200 free relay with a new school record of 1:43.82. Tess Rosato had a 100 breaststroke time of 1:17.63 and Lily Baldieri, Brooke Nabors, Athena Homorodean and Emma Savoie finished 3rd in the 400 freestyle relay with a new school record of 3:46.51.

Christina Gleason finished fourth in the diving competition.

Carroll, Lonergan, Myers, and Jolley put on great events during the season and lead the team to an amazing finish.

“One thing I’ll miss from all the seniors is how nice, fun, motivating, and welcoming everyone is,” sophomore Stefanie Feher said.

The girls swim team Senior Night was on October 22 at the Foran Pool. On this night, the girls defeated Foran for the first time in years.

“My senior night went extremely well,” Carroll said.” It felt amazing defeating Foran for my first time.”

Swim brought laughter and fun times for all the girls.

”Knowing that next fall I won’t be swimming for Law anymore makes me really upset,” Lonergan said. “I feel like i’m leaving my family behind.”

SPORTS: Volleyball Team Makes Run To State Semifinals

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Bridget Kinross – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law volleyball team recently finished a historic fall season.

Law finished the regular season with a record of 15-5 and advanced all the way to the Class M semifinals before falling to Weston in four games.

“The team has worked so hard this season to make this a reality,” head coach Ms. Loch said. “The coaches are very proud.”

The volleyball team had not made it to the semifinals since 2009 so this was their biggest accomplishment as a team.

“I think we went farther than any of us could have ever imagined,” junior Emily Morey said.

The team has three coaches – Loch, Coach Johnston, and Coach Jaques – who helped prepare the girls for states.

These coaches all had different drills to teach the girls so they were prepared for anything that could be thrown at them in a states game.

“Having the three coaches be able to watch and observe each game helped make it easier to assist the girls during practices and games,” Loch said.

The team has been consistently been getting stronger but unfortunately they will say goodbye to three seniors – Pam Ellison, Katie Eighmy, and Erin Goodwin – who were a huge part of this team.

Ellison said she couldn’t have been happier with the way her senior season played out.

“It’s very memorable to end my career at Law going that far with a great group of girls,” senior captain Pam Ellison said.

The team also brought up sophomore Laura Ellison from JV to varsity to go to the states with them. She was a great help to the team.

“Being brought to states was such a great experience,” Laura Ellison said. “Our team worked so hard at practice and brought us so much closer.”

The girls who will be returning next year have a collective goal of making it back to semis or even further. They got to see what it was like to be a huge success and they are determined to do it again.  

“When we play with our hearts and dedicate ourselves it truly shows,” Morey said.

With a successful end to the girls season they are even more excited to start back up again next year.

The girls have learned so much from the seniors who are leaving and they plan to carry on all they have been taught them.

NEWS: Students Excited For Annual Homecoming Dance

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(Photo courtesy @LawFran2015)

By Gia Edwards – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law students are excited for the annual Homecoming dance which will he held on November 16.

The dance is open for all grades, and will include a DJ, snacks, and the announcement of Homecoming king and queen. This is the only dance the senior class hosts, and they sold tickets for $10 during all lunch waves.

“A lot of planning goes into Homecoming,” senior class advisor Mrs. Kovacs said. “We have to figure out what the theme is, we get the cafeteria ready, have snacks ready. We also need a lot of advertising which includes posters and e-mails sent out with information about homecoming to students and their parents.”

The freshman class is especially looking forward to its first high school dance.

“It’s cool that all grades get to go; it’s not just separated grade by grade,” freshman Lex Edwards said.  “I’ve never been to a dance that has a king and queen so that’s also different.” 

Upperclassman are also excited for the dance because it has become a fun tradition.

“I think it’s a great environment for people to be in,” junior Tori Kowalski said. “It’s every grade in one room so there’s a good sense of community and everyone has a good time.”

The dance will go from 7-10 p.m. in the cafeteria and students are reminded to dress their best.

SPORTS: Law Girls Cross Country Team Hits The Finish Line

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Michael Loschiavo – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s girls cross country team ended its season with a boom.

Senior captain Samantha Franzman said the team had high expectations this season and she thinks the team has reached them.

“With high expectations this season, we definitely reached our goals,” Franzman said. “(Head coach) Mr. Schulte wanted us to have a really good showing at SCCs which we definitely accomplished as well as a good showing at states.”

Franzman had a great end to her high school cross country career and hopes the best for her team’s future.

“As a captain, I will miss the girls,” Franzman said.” This year our team was really close and we had such a strong bond which I will definitely miss.”

Senior captain Laura Dennigan feels like her high school cross country career ended on a good note.

“We did so good at states this year because everyone had such great times and really pushed themselves,” Dennigan said.

The team competed October 26 at Wickham Park for the Class M State Championship and placed 11th out of 18 teams. The top five girls for Law were Katie Konareski – 21:21, Kaylee Brotherton – 22:54, Laura Dennigan – 23:00, Jenna Wasserman – 23:23, Lindsay Konlian – 24:02, Jordyn Konlian – 24:30.

Freshman Lindsay Konlian plans to be one of Law’s top runners next year. She ended her season well with her best time being a 22:46.

“I think I did reach my goals ,” Konlian said. “I worked as hard as I could and tried to get a good time every race.”

On October 19, the team competed at East Shore Park. The top five girls results for Law were Katie Konareski –  21:20, Kaylee Brotherton – 21:57, Jenna Wasserman – 23:13, Laura Dennigan – 23:24, and Jordyn Konlian at 23:50.

The results from the race ended with Law placing 9th out of 18 teams.

Sophomore Katie Konareski hopes to be  the top runners for Law next year.

“In the beginning of the season my goal was to get a 20:30,” said Konareski. “I pushed myself as much as I could and my teammates and Schulte also pushed me to do my best throughout the season.”

Konareski hopes next year that she can hit her personal goal, which she wasn’t able to do this year because she battled shin splints.

Franzman is sad to see the season end.

“Cross country taught me hard work, teamwork, and dedication,” Franzman said. “As a captain it also taught me to be a role model for the underclassmen as well as taking on responsibilities.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Justin Amaro About The Drama Club’s Performance Of “Arsenic & Old Lace”

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(Photo courtesy Cathy Rice)

By Morgan Taylor- Editor-In-Chief

Jonathan Law High School’s Drama Club performed its annual fall play, “Arsenic and Old Lace,” this past weekend. The Advocate’s Editor-In-Chief, Morgan Taylor, talked with one of the show’s stars, Justin Amaro, about his performance as well as that of the cast and crew.

Morgan Taylor: What was the show about?

Justin Amaro: The show was about two old aunts who live in Brooklyn. They have a room to rent in their house which brings in lots of men. They poison these old, lonely, men thinking they are helping them. Mortimer (my character) is their nephew and he finds one of the bodies and basically freaks out the whole show because he finds out his aunts are murderers. There are other aspects to the show as well. Overall is very complex and takes a lot of dramatic twists and turns.

MT: How was your performance?

JA: I believe that my performance went really well and so did the cast and crew!

MT: What was your favorite scene and why?

JA: My favorite scene was between me and Aunt Abby (Anna Malin) where Mortimer finds another body in the house but this time its someone Jonathan (Luke McDonald a.k.a the other brother) has murdered. Basically Mortimer is accusing aunt that it is her body and she refuses that she killed this one. This one was my favorite because I loved having a scene with my best friend Anna because we have never had scenes in other plays just us before.

MT: What is your favorite part about the shows in general and why?

JA: My favorite part about the shows are performing them in front of an audience because I enjoy performing and hearing the audience laugh and clap is just so rewarding. It makes you want to do better each time you perform.

MT: What can The Advocate readers look forward to from the drama club?

JA: They can look forward to our spring musical “The Addams Family” in April.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Mrs. Briggs, Mrs. Branco About Author Jason Reynolds’ Skype Visit

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By Morgan Taylor – Editor-In-Chief

Jonathan Law High School recently hosted a live Skype interview with Jason Reynolds, a young adult author who is known for his books “All American Boys” and “Long Way Down”. His book “Long Way Down” takes place in an elevator and the story is supposed to take place within 60 seconds. It is all about the main character, Will, contemplating taking revenge for his brother, Shawn’s murder, while visited by ghosts of his past. “All American Boys” is a co-authored book that is a coming-of-age piece which showcases the harsh reality of police brutality. Advocate Editor-in-Chief Morgan Taylor talked with Law media specialist Ms. Briggs and English teacher Mrs. Branco, who co-organized the event:

Morgan Taylor: Why did you decide to showcase this author?

Mrs. Branco: We chose this author because both these books tied into the curriculum perfectly. The first Socratic Seminar we did was on “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Emmett Till and the Scottsboro Boys. This unit focuses on ethics/ethical behavior and prejudices that occurred during the time.  Jason Reynolds’ books focus on topics like gun violence and prejudices of today, so we felt it was a good way to open a discussion on the past and present day.

Morgan Taylor: How did you get in contact with this author?

Mrs. Briggs: To contact the author, I got an email address for his team from his website.  I emailed and described the Socratic Seminar and how well the students did, and how thoughtful and sincere they are. I asked if it was possible to just do a Skype visit. Finally we got a reply – and a yes! After e-mailing back and forth we settled on a date and time. Mrs. Branco emailed her students with the news and we started preparing first thing when the school year began.

Morgan Taylor: Who was able to see this author and ask questions?

Mrs. Branco: After the success of the Socratic Seminar, Ms. Briggs applied for the CT Association of School Librarians Collaboration Grant which we received. We purchased copies of books by young adult author Jason Reynolds for each student which were similar in theme to the texts they analyzed and discussed for their Seminars. We selected 10 of those students who performed particularly well on the Seminar to come up with discussion questions for a mini-Socratic Seminar with the author during the Q&A portion of his presentation. We also had my current English 1 students attend to see what these discussions are like in preparation for their Socratic Seminars later this year. And we invited the Honors Creative Writing students in preparation for them publishing their own book next semester.

Morgan Taylor: What were some examples of questions that were asked?

Mrs. Branco: Some examples of questions were: “How does the dehumanization of people impact police brutality?” and ‘Where did you get the idea of having ghosts in ‘Long Way Down?’’”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Sophomore Noah Golden About Latin Club

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(Photo courtesy Noah Golden)

By Lucas Greifzu – Staff Reporter

Noah Golden is an active member of the Law community. He is a member of the Key Club, participates in indoor track, and is a member of the baseball team. He also plays baseball for Milford Babe Ruth in the 15 and 16-year-old division. Most importantly, he is a quaestor for the Latin Club and is going to be president of the club at the end of the year. Advocate Staff Reporter Lucas Greifzu interviewed Golden about the Latin Club.

LG: What is the Latin Cub?

NG: The Latin Club is a club (obviously) that focuses on Roman and Latin culture. We do different activities such as making Roman snacks out of chocolate. We also go on field trips. In November we are going on a field trip to the Metropolitan museum in New York City. Also, in the spring we will be going on a field trip to Latin Day in Holiday Hill where we walk around and just have a good time.

LG: What are the goals of Latin Club?

NG: Just to spread awareness of the language of Latin and to have fun with it. It’s a ton of fun being in the club and being creative with what we do. Plus, who doesn’t like making chocolate snacks?

LG: What is your current membership and how are you going to try and get more members?

NG: Last meeting we got around 14 people to show up, which is what we look to maintain throughout the year. We try to get more people by just advertising in different areas. We try to get our tweets retweeted by the Advocate, and Anish (Sikhnam) and I will be making posters for the club soon.

LG: What is the correlation between this club and the Latin classes in school?

NG: In Latin class you learn the language by learning about the Roman culture. The Latin Club kind of takes that and flips it on its head. You mainly focus on Roman culture by learning bits and pieces of Latin and doing fun activities.

LG: Why should people join Latin Club?

NG: It’s a ton of fun. We do field trips to different places, and the activities such as making snacks are fun as well. Plus, doing the Latin Club goes on your college transcript, which helps you get into good colleges.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Mary Lonergan About The Law Girls Swim Team

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(Photo by Thea Ryan)

By Thea Ryan – Staff Reporter

Mary Lonergan is a senior captain of the Jonathan Law High School girls swim team which is currently 8-2 on the year. Advocate Staff Reporter Thea Ryan interviewed Mary Lonergan about her swimming career.

Thea Ryan: How would you say the team doing so far?

Mary Lonergan: The team right now is having one of the best seasons law swim has ever had. We’re currently 8-2 and we have finally beat teams we never have beaten before, such as the Sacred Heart meet and the Woodland meet. We did face two hard losses and it was hard for the team to keep their heads up but it made us stronger and work harder for the next upcoming meets.

TR: Individually, how are you doing this season?

ML: Personally, I’m having one of my best seasons out of the four years. All my times have drastically dropped and each meet and practice I try to push myself harder to beat my time.

TR: How do you motivate your teammates for success?

ML: I motivate my teammates for success by always saying something before the meet. If it’s a close meet, I always tell the team that it’s the 3rd, 4th, and 5th places that win and the person who will win is the one who wants it most. I also always tell the girls “great swim” and always cheer them on doing their race.

TR: What have you learned from being captain?

ML: From being a captain the past two years I learned that you set the tone for the team and you must work together as a team. If you walk in with a negative attitude, the team will pick up on it and will also carry a negative attitude. If you’re in a good mood, the other girls will be in a good mood.

TR: What is your favorite memory of Law swim?

ML: My favorite memory from Law swim is hard to pick. The past four years have been filled with a lot of splashes and laughs in the pool. But one of my favorite memories was an SCC practice when Coach Rosner told us we were able to make synchronize swim routines and her. Mr. Simon and Kyle Lang used the divers’ cards to judge us. Another one of my favorite memories is the Foran and Law meets.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Angel Santiago About Being The Class Of 2021 President

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(Photo courtesy Angel Santiago)

By Noah Golden – Staff Reporter

Angel Santiago is a very active member within the Jonathan Law community. Santiago is the president of the Class of 2021. He volunteers his time for the Key Club and is the public relations director and plays tennis and football. Advocate Staff Reporter Noah Golden interviewed Santiag about his busy schedule.

NG: What motivated you to become class president?

AS: At first for the freshman office, I didn’t see change. I just wanted change.

NG: What will you be doing as class president?

AS: We are gonna be planning the ring dance, we’re gonna try to be making that as fun as possible. I’ve had the opportunity to go to the Lauralton Hall ring dance and see how they did it. I saw what they did well and what they didn’t do well. I’m going to use that to my advantage to make it really fun. We have a bunch of ideas out such as a suggestion box outside of Mr Boynton’s room. Students can suggest to us what they want to see happen, so that we can really get everyone’s voice and opinions in our meetings rather than assuming what people think.

NG: Why do you go so hard with everything? I know you play football and tennis and all of this stuff with Key Club, so why?

AS: A big part of it is that I want to go to a good school. I want to do that for a while. Law is the place I go to school, the place I get my education. I get a lot of opportunities. I get to play with the team I love. They give me a lot of opportunities so I just want to give back to the Law community. That’s why I do the Key Club and that’s why I am a part of the Student Council and all of that.

NG: What do you do in Key Club? Like, what is your position?

AS: I am the public relations director. I am also the sophomore and freshman officer. That means that I am in charge of all freshmen and sophomores in Key Club. If they have questions, they come to me. Public relations director basically means, for example, we are doing a fundraiser for the Thirst Project and it is my job to get people outside of the Key Club to donate. That would be the Keyettes or the Milford Bank. I got to sit down with the New Haven Register and talk with them. It is actually published on their website now.

NG: Now that we know what you do in school, what do you do outside of school?

AS: Lucas Greifzu and I do a documentary every year. It’s called National History Day. It’s where we do a documentary based on something in history. I like to volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club. I did volunteering with the Pumpkins on the Pier. I will just go there and help out however I can whenever they need me because they usually don’t get too many volunteers, especially this year. 

NEWS: Law Hosts Annual Middle School Open House

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(Photo courtesy @MilfordSuper)

By Morgan Taylor – Editor-In-Chief

Jonathan Law High School welcomed middle school students to this year’s Open House on October 11.

Law planned many activities for 8th graders who were coming to high school next year, including a “scavenger hunt,” an Activity Fair and an Academic Fair.

“The word is out in our community about how great Jonathan Law is,” Law principal Mr. Thompson said.

When students and parents arrived, they were given a “swag bag” with items such as free football tickets to Friday night’s game, sunglasses, and a piece of paper which served as their “passport.” They were instructed to get stamps along their tours at different locations in the school.

“ If you’re a Lawman, you have swag,” Thompson said. “It had to be done.”

The night started with a chorus performance of the national anthem followed by speeches from Mr. Thompson, two students currently attending Law, and a parent of two Law students.

The speeches served the purpose of explaining what being a Law student is truly about.

Next, the students were given a sample lesson by teachers from one subject. Some groups saw a science lesson while others saw an engineering lesson.

“I wanted to give the families a sample of what a day is like at our school,” Thompson said.  “We have so many wonderful teachers who offered to give a lesson and all the rooms were packed.”

Students were also shown a sample Eagle Eye News video which gave an example of what announcements look like at Law. This video also included a segment called “I’m a Lawmen” which showcased students and faculty doing different activities and saying what things at Law they took apart of.

“Eagle Eye News is our signature show (no offense to Technical Difficulties) so it made sense to put these two great parts together to showcase what we do everyday,” Thompson said.

Next, students were taken on guided tours of the school.

Along the way students collected stamps spelling out “JLAW!” and when it was filled out, received a T-shirt.

On the tour, 8th graders were shown an Academic Fair which included lists of classes one could take in the different subject areas at Law as well as the elective course options.

“Our academic offerings are most impressive,” Thompson said. “It was a chance for our middle school families to see why coming to Jonathan Law High School prepares students to be the leaders of tomorrow.”

Students were also shown an Activity Fair which included clubs and sports presentations.

“It is an important part of our school and I put it at as the last stop because our students, coaches and advisors get to spend time with middle school students and their families discussing all the opportunities beyond the classroom that makes Jonathan Law such a special place,” Thompson said.

Both the Academic and Activity Fairs included sign ups so that clubs, sports, and teachers could see the level of interest of incoming students.

“The energy and spirit of the event were great and I have received many compliments from middle school parents about how excited their family is to join ours,” Thompson said.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Sophomore Zach Werthmann About The Law Boys XC Team

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(Photo courtesy Zach Werthmann)

By Justin Judge – Staff Reporter

Sophomore Zach Werthmann is a runner for Law’s cross-country team. Everyday, Werthmann and the rest of his teammates push themselves during practice to become the best athletes they possibly can. Advocate Staff Reporter Justin Judge interviewed Werthmann about his accomplishments.

Justin Judge: Why did you choose running as a high school sport?

Zach Werthmann: It’s a good thing to get in shape for other sports.

JJ: What are some “little things” you do to prevent injuries?

ZW: It’s really important to stretch before and after runs.

JJ: When you train, do you push your body to the max or do you take it easy?

ZW: I usually push myself as much as I can unless it’s a practice a day before my race.

JJ: What is you goal by senior year for cross country?

ZW: I want to run a 18 minute 5K.

JJ: Do you get lots of support from your team during races?

 

ZW: Yes, my team wants to see me win and do my best.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Jill Hall About The Law Girls Soccer Team

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(Photo courtesy Jill Hall)

By Gia Edwards – Staff Reporter

Junior Jill Hall is the goalie for the Law varsity girls soccer team which has qualified for states. All summer, the team worked hard in conditioning, and have continued to work hard in practice, setting goals for the season, and bonding during pasta parties. Advocate Staff Reporter Gia Edwards interviewed Hall about her season.

Gia Edwards: What were your team goals this season?

Jill Hall: To make second round of states since it has never been done before. To have a team GPA over 3.5, and to have control and possession of the ball on the field. Hopefully having over 50 percent of possession than than the other team.

GE: What were your personal goals this season?

JH: To go All-SCC and to help my teammates on and off the field. To be a role model.

GE: How do you think the team has done so far this season?

JH: We haven’t lived up to our full potential. We have had some tough losses but we know how to bounce back. I think we could be so much better than what we are showing on the field.

GE: How do you deal with the pressure and sometimes even frustration with being a goalie?

JH: I try my best to communicate with the girls and say things like ”keep fighting” and “don’t give up.” Words of encouragement. It is hard sometimes to let goals in, but everytime it happens, I tell myself “You still have to be a leader to your team and keep your head in the game.”

GE: Do you think the team having a close bond contribute to success during the season?

JH: Yes, definitely. If our team is close, we will have better trust and communication with each other on the field.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Jenica Riley About Her Future Medical Leader Award

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(Photo courtesy Kathy Bonetti)

By Nyasia McDonald – Staff Reporter

Jenica Riley, a senior at Jonathan Law High School, recently attended a conference in Boston, Massachusetts. She earned a citation from the Congress of Future Medical Leaders for representing Jonathan Law at the conference. Advocate Staff Reporter Nyasia McDonald interviewed Riley about her award.

Nyasia McDonald: How did you get this award?

Jenica Riley: They had just told us that we would receive a medical award for attending and participating.

NM: Do you want to be a doctor? If so, why?

JR: I want to be a pediatrician because i just always felt like I was going to help others and just make a difference especially with kids because I love kids.

NM: Do you know what college you want to go to and what you want to major in?

JR: I think i want to major in biology but i’m not specific what college. I know i want to stay in Connecticut, though.

NM: How did you hear about the Conference in Boston?

JR: I got a letter from the school. They mailed it to my house.

NM: Was the conference just for one day?

JR: We stayed there for a week but the conference was only three days.                                                                                                

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Monica Pydipati & Joseph Fletcher About Being Named National Merit Scholars

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(Photo courtesy twitter.com)

By Jessica Owens – Staff Reporter

Seniors Monica Pydipati and Joseph Fletcher recently earned the title of National Merit Commended Scholar from the College Board. To accomplish this, they needed to place in the top 3.1% of students nationwide in the Preliminary SAT. This test is taken by almost 1.6 million students every year. Advocate staff Reporter Jessica Owens interviewed Pydipati and Fletcher about their accomplishment.

Jessica Owens: How does it feel to have the title of National Merit Command Scholar?

Joseph Fletcher: I’m honored to have it but at the same time it was very surprising.

Monica Pydipati: It feels pretty nice, it’s kinda like all my efforts are being recognized. And to know that I got one of the highest scores in the country is something I can be really proud of.

JO: What steps did you take to accomplish this goal?

MP: It was really just practicing over and over again making sure I was prepared for when I took the test.

JO: What colleges are you currently looking at?

JF: I am currently looking at University Of Hartford, RPI, and the University of Rochester

MP: My main goal would be Georgia Tech but I kinda have a dream of going to MIT too. A lot of mine due tend to be Ivy league schools like Columbia, Princeton, and NYU.

JO: What advice would you give to others who want to accomplish this?

MP: Really just set your mind to it, your not gonna get anywhere if you just don’t put the effort in. It’s really about all your hard work paying off.

JF: Work hard when you get the chance because it makes it easier for when you don’t need to do the work.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Mr. Boynton About The Key Club’s Thirst Project

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(Photo courtesy Mr. Boynton)

By Anish Sikhinam – Staff Reporter

The Key Club, with advisor Mr. Boynton, has recently been involved in the Thirst Project, an ambitious project to fundraise money to build wells in Swaziland. The wells will help provide clean drinking water to those who do not have it. To achieve this, the Key Club is turning to the Milford community as well as the Jonathan Law community. Recently, a schoolwide presentation by the Thirst Project was held, and was attended by the mayor as well as several other school officials. Advocate Staff Reporter Anish Sikhinam interviewed Boynton about the project.

Anish Sikhinam: Can you give me a quick overview of the Thirst Project?

Mr. Boynton: The Thirst Project is a project that is sponsored by Key Club International. Basically, they are working with underprivileged countries, such as Swaziland, and they are trying to provide the people of Swaziland with clean water. The country doesn’t have a water system, and the people are actually just drinking filthy rainwater, which has disease in it. What they’re looking to do is get them a way to get clean water.

AS: How did you get in touch with the people who run the Thirst Project?

MB: Actually, they got in touch with us. When we were at the District Convention last April, there was a presentation there. We expressed interest with them, and they contacted us.

AS: What motivated you and the Key Club to work with the Thirst Project specifically?

MB: Key Club is a service organization. We work within the city, the state, the school, and our basic goal is to help people. After the presentation last year – it was a very powerful presentation – we saw a serious need to provide these people with the opportunity to get clean, fresh drinking water. Because they were in such need, we felt that we would like to help these people out.

AS: How has Key Club been doing so far in supporting the Thirst Project?

MB: We started off with a schoolwide assembly, and the students were very generous during it. They put together their spare change and we raised $151. Since then, donations have been coming in slow. We received a $25 donation just yesterday from a former Key Club member who runs his own finance business. He donated $500 through his business. Right now, we’re just getting donations from the outside, but we’re looking into a project in the future which is going to involve the whole school. That will be determined at a future date because before we announce that we have to talk with the administration.

AS: What is your ultimate goal in supporting the Thirst Project?

MB: The main goal is to build a well, and we need to raise $12,000 for this. $12,000 will get them a full-fledged, working well which will provide a whole community or village with clean drinking water. Our goal is to get clean drinking water to the people living in a village in Swaziland.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…History Teacher Mr. Young About Freshman Team

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(Photo courtesy Ethan Harrigan)

By Ethan Harrigan – Staff Reporter

Mr. Young is a Modern World History, AP Humanities and AP Psychology teacher at Jonathan Law High School and is one of the three Freshman Team leaders along with Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Mercaldi. The Freshman Team is a group of teachers that meets every first period and works with freshman to get them accustomed to the environment at Jonathan Law. Advocate Staff Reporter Ethan Harrigan interviewed Mr. Young about the program and his involvement.

Ethan Harrigan: What is your role as a leader of the Freshman Team?

Mr. Young: To help organize the Freshman Team meeting, and set up ways to help invite the freshman to Jonathan Law and make them be as successful as possible.

EH: What are the goals of the Freshman Team this year?

MY: The goals of the Freshman Team are always to help incoming ninth graders, to get them introduced to Law, learn about what opportunities they can have here at Law, and then help them achieve their potential.

EH: How is the program influencing and guiding freshman?

MY: I think it’s influencing in the sense that it allows them the opportunity to meet upperclassmen and people that have really done well here at Jonathan Law. It guides them in ways of introducing them to extracurriculars and future classes that they might be interested in.

EH: Are there any changes in the Freshman Team this year?

MY: This year, we have two new members in Mr. Walsh and Ms. Smuniewski. In terms of our approach we have looked at new ways in terms of contact with students, and also with our welcome day, we made a few adjustments there to make sure that students are getting the most at their experience at Law.

EH: What do you and other freshman teachers do during your meetings?

MY: During our meetings, we try to focus mostly on what students are doing in the classroom, where they might need a little bit of extra help, or things that we can help them to do to perform better. We also discuss ideas on how to acknowledge students that are performing really well and we try to also come up with new ways in order to make students part of the Law community. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Law Art Teacher Mrs. Murphy About The NAHS

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(Photo by Stefanie Lojko)

By Stefanie Lojko – Staff Reporter

Mrs. Murphy, an art teacher at Jonathan Law, runs the school’s National Art Honors Society. This year, they welcomed 14 new students along with the returning six students. In previous years, they have done an induction ceremony, welcoming every new and returning student into NAHS and they have all come together to paint an adirondack chair. On Friday, October 19  in the front lobby and by the auditorium they will be doing henna tattoos on students. Prices range from $1-$10 to support the NAHS and all the activities they plan to do. Advocate Staff Reporter Stefanie Lojko interviewed Murphy about the club.

Stefanie Lojko: What do you hope for NAHS to accomplish this school year?

Mrs. Murphy: My goals are for students to collaborate, participate and plan a variety of activities and infuse the arts throughout the law community.

SL: How do you feel about the new student’s that joined this year?

MM: I’m very excited because we have wonderful leadership and this is the largest group we’ve had with 20 students.

SL: What’s one of the biggest events NAHS is doing this year?

MM: One event is the henna tattooing after school on October 19th and another is the induction ceremony on November 19th which we are combining with the Trim-M Music Honors Society. But we are also open to any new ideas.

SL: What have you done in the past that you’re doing again?

MM: The induction ceremony.

SL: What’s your favorite thing about NAHS?

MM: It’s a place where like-minded creative students can gather and share their love of the arts.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Captain Jocelyn Wirth About The Girls Soccer Team

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(Photo courtesy Jocelyn Wirth)

By Jordyn Wirth – Staff Reporter

Jocelyn Wirth, a senior at Jonathan Law High School, is also a captain of the Law girls soccer team. Wirth is in all honors and AP classes this year. Advocate Staff Reporter Jordyn Wirth interviewed Jocelyn Wirth about her accomplishments on and off the field.

Jordyn Wirth: How do you think your season is going so far?

Jocelyn Wirth: It’s not what I hoped it to be but, It’s still exciting because we are still winning games, but I wish we hadn’t had three losses.

Jordyn W: How do you think it will continue?

Jocelyn W: Hopefully, we will win the next two games we have coming up against Amity and Shelton giving us a chance to be runner up for division championships and maybe a chance in SCC’s.

Jordyn W: What is your role of being one of the captains for the Law girls soccer team?

Jocelyn W: I play one of the roles of helping to lead the team and staying positive but mainly keeping the team to focus on winning and improving together.

Jordyn W: What other extracurricular activities do you take part in?

Jocelyn W: I am in Science Club, Interact Club, the National Honor Society, Model UN, Vegetarian Club, and I play SCP club soccer outside of school. I also do indoor track and chorus.

Jordyn W: What are your personal goals for this season?

Jocelyn W: I would love to go All-State.

Jordyn W: Are you guys already thinking about states and what are you doing to prepare for this upcoming event?

Jocelyn W: Yes, last night’s game against Career is what got us into states and we have been training hard all season to get here and make it through.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Faith Mills About The Law Choir

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(Photo courtesy Faith Mills)

By Samiksha Mehta – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Choir has many important events lined up for the school year, such as Hershey Park, Carnegie Hall, and many fundraisers. Advocate staff reporter Samiksha Mehta interviewed junior Faith Mills on her Choir experience.

Samiksha Mehta: Do you feel any pressure on you about going to Hershey? Or anywhere when you’re in Choir?

Faith Mills: Kind of. I mean, there are a ton of really awesome singers in the Choir, and I know for a fact that they can sing better than me, so I can feel the pressure of the audience and the other choir members wanting me to do my absolute best and try my hardest. But then again, the pressure’s not there because it’s also about enjoying yourself and having fun.

SM: You said once that you thought Choir was like family. What do you mean by that?

FM: I mean, Choir is like my second family. They’re always there for me, especially my junior choir friends. Mrs. Jones always helps when I’m in need, choir-related or not-choir-related. I feel like I can really rely on them, go to them whenever I need help.

SM: How well do you think you get along with all the members? Friends? Not friends?

FM: I feel like I’m really good friends with them. They’re super funny and really nice to get along with. Some of them, I have a rocky relationship with, but that’s kind of to be expected since I don’t really know them that well. I try to become friends with some of them, because if you build a healthy relationship with them, I feel like your enjoyment in Choir will be much less painful and pressure-full.

SM: Individually, how do you think Choir is doing so far? And why?

FM: I feel like Choir is doing amazing so far because of the all the fundraisers and all the opportunities we get to sing in front of huge audiences. Sometimes we have our rough moments, but we fix that with a little teamwork. You know, teamwork makes the dream work.

SM: Individually, how well do you think you’ll do at Hershey? Are you confident?

FM: Honestly, I’m kinda nervous. I’ve never been to Hershey Park before and so the opportunity to go is cool and exciting, but the idea of singing there is also kind of nerve-wracking. I guess you could say I’m both excited and nervous.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Freshman Emma Savoie About The Law Girls Swim Team

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(Photo courtesy Andy Hutchison)

By Stephanie Caron – Staff Reporter

Emma Savoie, a freshman at Jonathan Law High School, is a member of the girls swim team. On October 15, Savoie and three other girls broke the 200 freestyle relay, with a time of 1:49.87. This is a big accomplishment for Savoie as it is only her freshman year on the swim team. Advocate Staff Reporter Stephanie Caron interviewed Savoie about her time on the swim team.

Stephanie Caron: How do you feel your freshman year on the swim team was?

Emma Savoie: Overall, my freshman year was a blast. Even though my sister Hannah was on the Law swim team for the past four years, I was still nervous about everyone liking me. But everyone was very open and welcoming on the team.

SC: How does (head coach) Mrs. Anderson motivate you and your teammates to do better in meets and practices?

ES: She never gives up on you, even when you aren’t doing your best. She pushes you to do your best at practices, and as a result we do well in meets.

SC: How does your relay team work together to keep on improving since you broke the record?

ES: We do that by practicing our relay starts. We also think about what times we each need to get to improve.

SC: What goals do you have for the team next season?

ES: For each and every swimmer to improve their time every meet and that they all hopefully make SCC’s. And for the team to walk away with an overall score of law winning and losing zero.

SC: What personal goals do you have for yourself next season?

ES: My goal for next season is to break all of the records. Also I hope to make all states just like my sister who was the first Law girls swimmer to make it, I hope to be the second Savoie to make it as well.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Arunika Shee About Law’s Science Club

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(Photo courtesy Arunika Shee)

By Mia Cerrato – Staff Reporter

Arunika Shee, a junior at Jonathan Law High School, is the treasurer of the Science Club. She is preparing the club to succeed at the Olympiad, among other many members of the club. As treasurer, she is encouraging other associates to work to their full potential and have fun. The club seems to have a very good chance to triumph at the competition due to their hard work and fundraising. Advocate Staff Reporter Mia Cerrato interviewed Shee about the club.

Mia Cerrato: What is the the candy bar fundraiser going towards?

Arunika Shee: The candy bar fundraiser is going towards funding our trips to the Olympiads.

MC: Can you explain the competition you will be attending?

AS: We participate in Olympiads a club. In the Olympiads, we have teams that compete in multiple events. Some of the events involve tests or labs, while other events involve the building of machines/various contraptions.

MC: What are some of the events you are doing?

AS: There are multiple events in the Olympiad. Currently, we haven’t completely finalized who will be doing what events. However,as a reference, in the past years I competed in anatomy and physiology,ecology and dynamic planet. Some other events include: forensics, chemistry lab and thermodynamics. I think this year there are about 22 events total.

MC: How was the outcome of these events in previous years?

AS: Past year outcomes were great! I’m currently a junior, but when I was a freshman remember our team medaled in “Game On, “ Disease Detectives” and “Chemistry Lab” at UConn. Last year, we got 6th place overall at Brown University and medaled in “Chemistry Lab”. At  UConn, we medaled in “ Write it, Do It”, and “Chemistry Lab”.

MC: What are your goals for the club this year?

AS: We have a few goals this year: do the best we can, try and medal in events if we can, be prepared for the events as much as possible, and most importantly, have fun.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Law Graduate Meghana Jaladanki About Life In College

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(Photo courtesy Meghana Jaladanki)

By Rachna Vipparla – Staff Reporter

Meghana Jaladanki is a Jonathan Law High School alumni who graduated in 2018. She now attends the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is a Computer Science major. Jaladanki was very involved with many clubs and activities at Jonathan Law and was a captain of the girls tennis team. Advocate Staff Reporter Rachna Vipparla interviewed Jaladanki about her adjustment to college life.

Racha Vipparla: How has your first semester been going?

Meghana Jaladanki: My first semester has been going great so far! I really enjoy my classes, because they are more focused on my major which I am really interested in. I love how college has been a whole new environment, giving me so much to explore and look forward to. I made a great group of friends who have made it easier to call UMass my home.

RV: What was your biggest adjustment when going to college?

MJ: My biggest adjustment going to college has definitely been managing my time. I have been following a fairly similar schedule the past few years, that it’s been difficult creating a new one here.

RV: What do you miss most about law?

MJ: What I miss most about law is the close relationship I have had with teachers. The environment was always very friendly, and I miss how easy it was to talk to my teachers and the administrators. It has been totally different in college, considering most of my professors don’t even know my name.

RV: How do you think Law has helped you in the process of adapting to college?

MJ: The amount of AP courses offered to me have helped me most in my college process. I was exposed to the fast pace at which classes go before I arrived here, so I have already developed the study habits necessary, making it an easier adjustment to courses here.

RV: Have you continued playing tennis since joining college?

MJ: I have not joined any club tennis teams because I am still trying to manage my schedule, but I still go once in a while to the tennis courts to play with my friends for fun. It has been a great way to spend times with friends while doing something I love.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Emily Morey About The Volleyball Team’s Success

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(Photo courtesy Emily Morey)

By Mia Powers – Staff Reporter

Junior Emily Morey is a member of the Law volleyball team that has qualified for states. Prior to making states, Morey conditioned all summer with her team, had bonding nights, and fundraised. She also competed in summer league games and helped her team win a championship. Morey and her teammates are very close, and because of that,  the team has great communication skills. Advocate Staff Reporter Mia Powers interviewed Morey about her accomplishments.

Mia Powers: What are your goals as a teammate this season?

Emily Morey:  My goals as a teammate this year were to always try my best in every practice and game and to always encourage and cheer on my teammates at all times. I love my team and I love to pump everyone up and be positive with a lot of energy.  

MP: What is your record so far and how do you feel about it?

EM: Our record is 12 and 4 and I am very ecstatic about our record because it shows all of our hard work, teamwork, and dedication.

MP: Personally, what is your biggest encouragement to play well?

EM: One thing that really encourages me during games is the energy of the whole team together and our positive and pumped-up attitudes.

MP: Are you looking to play volleyball in college?

EM: Yes, I would like to pursue volleyball in college. I just know I would have to work really hard and hopefully I would succeed in this journey.

MP: Why did you join the team freshman year?

EM: Honestly, the reason why I tried out for volleyball freshman year is because my aunt played in high school and college and she coached volleyball at Hamden High School and Lauralton Hall. It really encouraged me to try out the sport. I’m so happy that I took the opportunity to play this sport because I love it and enjoy every second of playing volleyball.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Principal Mr. Thompson About Law’s Open House

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(Photo courtesy @MilfordSuper)

By Alexis Broderick – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law held its annual Open House on October 11. Middle School students and their families gathered at Law and were thrilled to see what the school had to offer. Over 250 people attended the event. Principal Mr. Thompson received nothing but positive feedback about the night. Throughout the night, the students received a “SWAG BAG” containing Lawmazing sunglasses, a Jonathan Law Pop Socket, two tickets to a Jonathan Law football game, and some literature about the school. At the end of the night, the incoming Lawmazing students had a passport which they had to get stamped during the tour of the school. When the students received all five  of their stamps they received a “Class of 2023” T-shirt. Staff Reporter Alexis Broderick interviewed Mr. Thompson about the successful Open House Night.

Alexis Broderick: What is the goal of Open House?

Mr. Thompson: The overall goal of the Open House is to let middle school families know what a great place Jonathan Law is, so all of the offerings it had and why we are the best choice for high school.

AB: How do you think Open House was received by the parents and students?

MT: Based on the feedback I have received  both at the Open House and today the night was very well received.

AB: What do you think the highlight of the night was?

MT:  I think the highlight of the night was the current Jonathan Law High School students. All of the different roles they served whether it was Nick Hanna and Morgan Taylor giving the presentation to the whole parent group in the beginning. Whether it was all of our tour guides, the student leaders that were doing the passport stamps, or the students engaged in the club and activity fair, the overall  highlight was students.

AB: What is your advice for incoming  freshman?

MT: My advice for incoming freshman is come here first. When you’re here just be you and get to know everybody that’s what makes Jonathan Law so special.

AB: What does it take to be a successful Lawman?

MT: What it takes to be a successful Lawmen is the commitment you have to your studies, pursuing your passions and interests, making friendships and connections with teachers, and giving back to the community.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Soccer Captain Jon Vitale About The Team’s Season

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(Photo courtesy Jon Vitale)

By Bridget Kinross – Staff Reporter

Junior Jon Vitale was chosen to be the boys soccer captain this season. The current record for the team is 4-7-1. Vitale is one of three captains and he is the only junior selected to be captain this year. Staff reporter Bridget Kinross interviewed Vitale about his accomplishment and about the team’s season so far.

Bridget Kinross: What is it like leading a team?

Jon Vitale: Leading a team is very difficult because it varies on day to day. If you’re having a bad day it doesn’t just matter about yourself, you have to involve the whole team to succeed.  

BK: How has the team been doing?

JV: The teams been doing pretty well. We need two more wins to make states. All of our games are winnable.  

BK: What advice would you give to future captains?

JV: Make personal relationships with everyone on your team. They still need to respect you in order for them to listen to you. You must gain their respect, too.

BK: How do you feel you’re doing individually?

JV: I think i’m doing very well. Every time I get the ball I feel very in control. This is my best year all around.

BK: How far do you hope to make it this season?

JV:  Our goals went from freshman year, which was to just make states, to this year, where our goal is to win games at states, which we are capable of right now.  

NEWS: Law Key Club Helps Milford Community And Beyond

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Photo courtesy Mr. Boynton)

By Lucas Greifzu – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law High School Key Club meets Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the Senior Cafe to discuss its plans for upcoming events.

The Key Club raises money at many events around the community, but, outside of that this year, they have decided to work with the Thirst Project and are trying to raise $12,000 to help build a well in Swaziland.

Their next local event is called Shake the Can, where they help raise money for the Salvation Army.

“Our goal is to raise $12,000 over the next six months or so,” Key Club Director Mr. Boynton said. “We want to provide a community in Swaziland with a well system, so that they’ll have water.”

Just because it has taken on this bigger project this year doesn’t mean that the Key Club will stop working around the community in Milford. The Key Club is partnering with several local community service groups and with the Law Keyettes.

“(The Keyettes president) and I both agreed that this will be the best for both clubs, and so far it has,” Key Club Officer Angel Santiago said. “I have greatly appreciated their support and love for our community.”

The Key Club volunteers at many events throughout the year. For instance, they volunteered at St. Mary’s Carnival and Pumpkins on the Pier and they still have several events left throughout the year.

“We have six events planned for this month,” Santiago said. “I don’t know all of the events that we have because more keep getting added.”

The Key Club also has two conventions that the go to every year, one at the district level and one at the international level. Key Club members can run for higher offices within the district or international level.

“The district convention and international convention,” Key Club Lieutenant Governor Rohan Manohar said. “I’ll be running for International Trustee this year.”

Everyone in the Key Club is eager to volunteer when their help is needed. 

“When the opportunity comes to volunteer in the community, I’ll gladly accept it,” sophomore and member of the Key Club Noah Golden said. ”Even though I might not know when all of the events are I’m still glad to help.”

The Key Club is ready to have a very productive year and to raise $12,000 for the Thirst Project.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Sophomore James Marino About The Boys XC Season

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(Photo courtesy James Marino)

By Michael Loschiavo – Staff Reporter

Sophomore James Marino has been a key asset to the Jonathan Law boys cross country team. His times have been improving each race. On October 5, the boys competed at Eisenhower Park and Marino placed 12th with a time of 20:24. He looks to finish the season off strong. Staff reporter Michael Loschiavo interviewed Marino about his cross country season.

Michael Loschiavo: What are your goals for the season?

James Marino: My goals are to be the eighth alternate runner at the State XC meet and to run under 20 minutes by the end of the season.

ML:  How do you prepare yourself for every race?

JM: By drinking a lot of water, stretching out well, and warming up properly. I try to make sure that I eat the right foods during the day so I don’t get cramps or a stomach ache during the runs. Even on non-meet days I try to push myself to do my best in practice.

ML: What do you hope to run by the end of the season?

JM: By the end of the season, I would like to drop my time by around 20 seconds on a 3.1 mile course, making my time low 20’s and maybe even under 20 minutes.

ML: Do you look up to anyone on the team and why?

JM: I look up to both Dan Wasserman and Tyler Makenna-Hansen as captains of our team. But most importantly, I look up to my friend, Mike Loschiavo, that I’ve been running with since 6th grade. He has been pushing me for all of my short running career. Most of all he’s a great friend.

ML:  What motivates you before a race?

JM: While I’m on the bus I listen to subtle songs just to keep me focused. Then when we get to the meet I listen to some more hype music that gets me ready and motivated to run.

SPORTS: Law Football Team Looks To Continue Its Winning Ways

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(Photo courtesy dwphotography.com)

By Jordyn Wirth – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law football team is off to an amazing start this season.

The Lawmen are 2-2 through their first four games and are optimistic for the rest of their year. In their most recent game against Cheshire, the Lawmen won 33-30 in overtime. It was the second win of the year for Law, who also defeated Bassick 50-26 on September 21.

“As we start to improve and start to get some guys back who are injured we will start to improve as a team each week,” head coach Eric Larka said.

Senior captain Ethan Saley, who starts as a wide receiver, said that he’s really looking forward to continuing his season.

“The season can only go up from here,” Saley said.

Junior Zach Merchant, who plays both middle linebacker and tight end, is also optimistic.

“I think it will go pretty good and I think we should win some games,” Merchant said.

Freshman Spencer Hannon, who plays running back and safety, is enjoying his first year of high school football.

“I love it because we all act like a family,” Hannon said.

This season’s football captains for Law this year are Mike Plaskon, Saley, Austin Danville, and Sheldon Gorgano. Plaskon was injured and missed the team’s first three games of the season, but was back and was a major contributor in their win against Cheshire.

“It’s good to be back on the team contributing to Law’s second win,” Plaskon said.

Law’s next game is at home against Stratford on October 12. They play Branford the following week at home as well.

Law will finish its season with the annual Thanksgiving Day game at Foran. Last year, Law defeated Foran for the first time in 10 years in a thrilling comeback win that clinched the Lawmen a state playoff berth for the first time in school history.

NEWS: Natural Helpers Club Aims To Assist Those In Need

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(Photo courtesy slpecho.com)

By Jefri Caballero – Staff Reporter

This year, Jonathan Law has over 20 clubs and one of them is the Natural Helpers.

Natural Helpers is an organization with the goal to train students to help their peers when they are in need. The president of the Natural Helpers is junior Morgan Taylor. 

“Natural Helpers is a great way for students to get involved in helping their community,” Taylor said. “We try to make this school a better place for all students and faculty alike.”

The Natural Helpers work together on how to make the school community and the Milford community better. They work on being approachable role models for Jonathan Law students.

“I joined Natural Helpers because it’s a good way to get involved and be with a good group of people at Law,” junior Brooke Nabors said.

The club had its first meeting in mid-September and will continue to have meetings on F days during common time.The club is currently planning its activities for the year, a list which includes the Special Olympics. 

“Anyone and everyone should join because the skill set you gain by been part of the organization will make you asset to all the people around you,” Natural Helpers advisor Mrs. Mercaldi said.

Taylor revived the club because when she was a freshman, she was the only freshman, and the rest of the members were seniors. Her sophomore year, she was the only member left, so she found a new advisor for the club and tried to get people involved.

“I heard about the club from Morgan,” junior Thea Ryan said.

Taylor has promoted the club this year and many juniors have already joined.

This year, the Natural Helpers are also working on an anti-bullying campaign. Their idea is that “happy people don’t bully other people.” They are also really interested in organizing a de-stress event before midterms and finals.

The Natural Helpers work with the Milford Prevention Council which is their parent organization. This year, they would love to be more involved in the community and are always looking for new members.

NEWS: Law’s Science Club Prepares For Upcoming Olympiads

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(Photo courtesy Ms. Turcotte)

By Noah Golden – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Science Club is getting ready for another year of competing.

Annually, the Science Club competes in Science Olympiads across the state in different levels. They hope to do well this year and win some medals.

“It’s really just about having fun and learning new things that we don’t get to learn in class,” senior Ming May Hu, the Science Club president, said. “We get to do more in depth research about Science topics and it’s just having fun and competing with your friends.”

Most years, the Science Olympiads take place at UConn. This year, the Science Club will be going to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“Everyone has about three events and a partner, and they just compete in events,” Hu said. “We have building ones, like robots ands towers.”

Last year, the Science Club won a few medals and placed well in several events.. Senior Tyler Goodwin, who has been in the Science Club since his sophomore year, is one member who placed.

“I took 4th place in the Helicopter Tournament at the Invitational Level,” Goodwin said. “I also took 7th place at the Optics Tournament.”

Law science teacher Ms. Turcotte said that the team has improved over the years.

“At first we didn’t do very well when we started because we didn’t know what we were doing,”  Turcotte said.

This will be Law’s 6th year of competing in the competitions. Since they first started, they have shown improvement.

“We have shown improvement in the way of having more commitment to the club,” Turcotte said. “Every year they have more interest. This year we look forward to going to MIT.”

The commitment level has gone up to the point where Law now has two seperate teams.

Law is looking to earn some more medals this coming year. Now with Law having two separate teams, this gives them even better of a chance to get more medals.

“I hope we do well this year,” Hu said. “We did pretty well last year.”

The state competitions can lead to the national competitions, which is what Law hopes to make.

“We have some different events this year, but I hope we do well,” Goodwin said.

The Science Club’s first meeting was on Monday, September 17.

NEWS: Jonathan Law Choir Begins Busy Performance Schedule

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(Photo courtesy twitter.com)

By Samiksha Mehta – Staff Reporter

The Law community has no idea what choir has in store this year.

The choir will perform at several events including at Hershey Park, and possibly even Carnegie Hall next year. They recently performed at a ceremony for the new Jonathan Law Brick Walk, and are getting ready for another fundraiser to go to Hershey Park at the end of the year.

“I’m excited about all those things that seem un-choir related, but they actually really fill the bond in the group, and it becomes like a family,” choir director Mrs. Jones said. “So a lot of the new people that we have this year are really very interested in being there and we have our best attendance ever at a lot of our out-of-school functions this year. I’m really excited about everybody involved in choir this year and the efforts they’re making.”

Although many members graduated from last year’s choir, the choir hasn’t had any issues so far and is getting along swimmingly.

The fundraisers they hosted to get this far have been paying off and they’re almost ready for the Hershey’s event. The choir was able to raise over $500 by selling chocolates.

Members of the choir said that the extra work they put in class and at out-of-school functions to determine how well they’re doing. That work has paid off to get them where they want to be and where they are now.

The hard work they’ve put into their concerts and their performances earned them first place at Lake Compounce and their performance there boosted their popularity throughout the school.

Choir members said they are excited for their upcoming trips.

“We’re gonna go to Hershey this year and I’m so excited,” sophomore choir member Britney Delgado said. “I haven’t ever been there and I feel like it’s gonna be awesome.”

Travelling to out-of-school and out-of-state functions helps the choir to bond and become a family.

“What’s best about choir for me is the bond that we share and the bond that we create,” junior choir member Faith Mills said. “It makes it even better to perform, knowing we’ll always be family.”

The family bond that is created between choir members is what they look forward to and what they feel is most important.

“Being a new choir member is kind of hard, to be honest, because everyone else knows what to do and each other while I’m trying to catch up,” sophomore choir member Haley Hedman said. “It’s exciting, though, because it’s easy to make friends, since some of my friends are in that class.”

SPORTS: Law Girls Swim Team Dives Into New Season

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(Photo courtesy Mrs. Anderson)

By Alexis Broderick – Staff Reporter

The girls swim team at Jonathan Law is off to an amazing start this season.

As of October 2, the swim record is 5-1, and they’re only expecting it to get better.  They have beaten Branford, Sacred Heart Academy, West Haven, Sheehan, and Bunnell.

“We expect this season to be better because we have been working extremely hard at practice,”  senior captain Cali Jolley said. “At our meets girls have been setting new times which helps and improves us as a team.”

Junior Brooke Nabors qualified for states in the 100 fly and 100 back. Nabors’ time for the 100 fly is 105.61 and her time for the 100 back is 109.04

“It’s the best feeling knowing that all the hard work pays off,” Nabors said.

The 2018 girl swim captains are Bella Carroll, Mary Lonergan, Julie Myers, and Jolley. These girls work extremely hard before and during the season with head coach Mrs. Anderson.

“I meet with my captains before the season and we come up with some goals for the team together,” Anderson said. “I know we have great leadership, so I trust the captains to organize fun team bonding experiences, and act as liaisons between the coaches and the rest of the team.”

Carroll and Lonergan have been captains for their junior and senior years.

“I was excited knowing that I was captain again,” said Lonergan. “I know the other captains and I are going to lead the team to success and develop more skills.”

The captains enjoy setting up pasta parties and other recreational team building activities. It builds cohesion as a team and nurtures friendships between underclassmen and upperclassmen.

“Swim has built friendships because we are surrounded by each other every day so we get to know each other very well,” Carroll said. “We see each other in different circumstances than you usually would if you weren’t on a team with someone.”

The captains have been swimming for all four years of their high school swim career.  They all have been inspired to swim for very diverse reasons and will never regret their choice.

“What inspired me to swim was having a sibling who swam, but mostly that all my friends were planning on swimming and I knew how swim was very welcoming and accepting,” Myers said. “I knew as a freshman coming into a new school playing a new sport,  swim was my place to get away from things and enjoy the time I had with my teammates.”

NEWS: Jonathan Law Welcomes The Class Of 2022

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(Photo by Stephanie Caron)

By Stephanie Caron – Staff Reporter

The members of the Class of 2022 are settling nicely in their new home.

Freshman students from West Shore Middle school and Harborside Middle School are meeting new friends and adjusting to their new life at Jonathan Law.

“My favorite thing about high school so far is the freedom,” freshman Gabby Fino said.

High school is a big change from middle school, but the freshman class seems just fine with the big change.

“Middle school and high school are very different,” freshman Sadie Willett said. “Just because of how everything is handled, and how all of the classes are different.”

Many of the freshmen have joined sports and clubs. They said it helps them adjust and meet new people at Jonathan Law.  

“I know more people, and I know my way around,” freshman Moira Staples said.

During the second week of school, Law held a picnic and a Freshman Welcome Day to get the students excited for the upcoming years, and teach how to get involved at Law outside of the classroom. It was also an opportunity to bond with their classmates.

“My advice for the Class of 2022 is to make organization a top priority, and to get involved,” freshman teacher Mrs. Anderson said. “There are so many great opportunities for students here at law, and I think every 9th grader should try to join at least one club or sports team.”

The upperclassmen also attended the picnic to teach the freshman football cheers, how to get involved, and the clubs that they could join.

“The work is harder, but overall it’s more fun to be here,” freshman Emma Nelly said.

Freshman Troy Brennan agreed.

“It’s harder, because it’s a lot more work to do in a shorter amount of time,” Brennan said.

Members of the freshman class said that high school is an exciting yet nerve-racking experience, and they know it is important they manage their time wisely.

“I’m looking forward to all of the activities,” Staples said. “And all of the involvement outside of the classroom.”

Anderson said that high school is a fun experience and that it is important for freshmen to meet new people outside of their classes.

“The Class of 2022 seems to have a lot of enthusiasm,” Anderson said. “I can’t wait to see what they do here in the next four years.”

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