(Photo by Molly Mercaldo)

By Molly Mercaldo – Entertainment Editor

Eagle Eye News at Jonathan Law looks – and sounds – a lot different this year.

New technology, new students, and new projects have all been featured on the school news which streams live after the first period of every school day.

Broadcast Journalism, the class that is in charge of running Eagle Eye News, is taught by English teacher Mr. Kulenych.

“It’s been an exciting first few months of the year,” Kulenych said. “We’ve been looking forward to getting this new equipment and the kids have been amazing in learning how to use it.”

New high definition Sony cameras allow for higher picture quality than the old cameras and also have different featuring and settings that the class can use.

The news is now being streamed throughout the school online instead of being played on a channel on Law’s television system.

This year, the cameras and new studio equipment have been used to stream Eagle Eye News, record segments for the news, and to film projects outside of the news.

“I’m excited about all the new stuff we have this year,” senior Nick Owens said. “Last year, the old equipment broke down and was hard to work with.”

The Broadcast Journalism class is also currently working on making short news segments to be featured on the Fox 61 Student News. The Fox 61 Student News opportunity allows students from different schools in the state to produce and submit news stories to be featured on Fox’s news stations.

This contest also gives the students who produced superior video the opportunity to be rewarded for their excellence in news work with prizes such as cash rewards.

“This opportunity makes me feel like I have a voice to get information out and express creativity through a video,” senior Jack Pincus-Coyle said.

Also new to Eagle Eye News this year is a podcast network. 

Law’s current podcast lineup includes “Fran’s Friday 15,” a music podcast deejayed by Law principal Mr. Thompson, “Four Down Territory,” a sports podcast produced by seniors Nick Owens and Paris Champ, and “Technical Difficulties” produced by history teachers Mr. Zuraw and Mr. Roumeles.

The Jonathan Law iPads in Music class is also developing a podcast to show off its digital music.

“I like doing podcasts because it gives me the opportunity to have fun in school and talk with Roumeles,” Zuraw said.

The streaming technology has also allowed Eagle Eye News to add a radio station to its list of productions. This radio plays Billboard Top 100 music throughout the day and seasonal music for events and holidays.

“We definitely have a lot of projects going at once, but it’s been a lot of fun,” Kulenych said. “The kids are now able to get more real-world experiences in TV and radio and they have more avenues to make an impact on the school community.”

(Photo by Cole Egersheim)

By Cole Egersheim – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law is happy to welcome Mr. Lui to the history department.

Before coming to Law, Lui student taught at North Providence High School in Rhode Island and taught at Daniel Hand High School last year.

“I heard nothing but positive reviews for Law, so when their was an opening for a social studies position I immediately applied,” Lui said. “The students, staff, and community are all amazing”

Some of Lui’s goals for his classes are that all of his students are able to develop awareness and understanding for contemporary issues. He said he thinks it is mportant that students grasp how diverse the world is and understand the challenges that come with it.

He is currently teaching U.S. History, Civics, and Modern World History.

Before starting his teaching career, Liu attended Providence College where he was on the swimming and diving team and was captain his senior year. He made the Big East All-Academic Team all four years at Providence.

(Photo courtesy twitter.com)

By Dominick Buccitti – Editor-in-Chief

The Jonathan Law band has started the 2017-2018 school year with a bang – and a clash.

This fall, the band has had two major performances: marching in the Connecticut Day Parade at the Big E and participating in a “side-by-side” performance with the United States Marine Corps Band stationed at Base Quantico.

The members of the band sat with the Marines while they played pieces from their Tour of New England. Band director Mr. Giampietro got to conduct the Marine Corps Band.

“We’ve been much better in the past two years, and are continuing to work hard to get better,” junior band member Michael Bagdasarian said.

The band has performed a 10-minute halftime show at each of the home football games. They are also playing in the upcoming Milford Veteran’s Day parade.

“The band is good this year,” junior band member Jessica Scherback said. “We got a few new people which is always nice.”

Outside of marching band, the concert band and the Jazz ensemble will perform in the Jonathan Law Holiday Concert on December 13. Later in the school year, the band will travel to New York, to attend a clinic at Columbia University with the Wind ensemble director.

“I think that the experience we will have at Colombia will have a great impact on our program and I think it will allow us to improve and grow,” junior band member Hannah Swenning.

As the band has grown, they will be losing four senior members: Kyle Shugrue, Sam Serbin, Sean Patterson, and and Nelson Gomes.

“Each of these four young musicians has made an important impact on our band and it will be sad in June to see them go,” Giampietro said. “I am hoping that the commitment and dedication they have made to our progress and growth will make a lasting impact on our current band members.”

The band has current goals of growing even larger and improving their skills of musical problem solving.

“This year has already been an amazing experience of growth and achievements throughout the band, both through bonding together and welcoming in our talented new members,” junior band member Alyssa Decker said.

(Photos courtesy whitehouse.gov and kent.com)

By Cassandra Soda – News Editor

The Jonathan Law History Club is brand new to the school this year.

The club was started by history teachers Mr. Roumeles and Mr. Zuraw. The club meets on selected Thursdays after school in Room 191 throughout the year. The club is meant for students who share an interest in all things historical or having to do with social studies

“Mr. Zuraw and myself love history, politics, and social studies in general,” Roumeles said. “We wanted students at law who share those same feelings to have a club they can call their own.”

The club has more than 20 students attending the meetings, and they are planning activities such as movie afternoons, historical presentations, and possibly some field trips.

“I wanted to join the club because Mr. Zuraw and Mr. Roumeles both make their classes really interesting and they are both so fun, so I thought it would be a cool thing to do and talk about different topics,” junior Grace Wootton said.

Students are very excited for this club and cannot wait to see what is to come in the future.

“We are hoping we grow as a club and take on whatever activities and direction the students are interested in taking on,” Zuraw said.

***

Jonathan Law also has a brand new Computer Science Club this year.

The club is run by computer science teacher Ms. Corriveau and meets after school on Mondays in Room 125. Sophomore Neal DiBlase had the idea to start up the club.

“I really enjoy coding; it’s fun and kind of therapeutic,” DiBlase said. “It’s also what I want to do as a career and I thought it was a shame that there wasn’t anywhere to learn more.”

The club together learns various coding languages such as Python, C++, and Java. They also work on computer science related projects to help develop their skills while hanging out with like-minded people.

“I like seeing the students collaborate with each other and I love seeing their enthusiasm,” Corriveau said. “They are all so smart and motivated, it’s a great environment for creativity and big ideas.”

In the future, the club hopes to be working on projects all together, while teaching each other about computer science and programming unlike currently, where they are all learning together.

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By Molly Mercaldo – Entertainment Editor

The 13th annual Thanks for Giving Food Drive is taking place from November 10-12 at Wasson Field in Milford to collect food for over 250 local families.

This fundraiser is hosted by local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts with the help of Cub Scouts, and the Jonathan Law Key Club, National Honor Society, and Keyettes who collect and sort non-perishable foods and frozen turkeys.

“We appreciate all the past support from Key Club and National Honor Society and look forward to getting help again from the Lawmazing community,” event chairman Thomas Mercaldo said.

This tradition of giving back was started in 2004. A scout and his father decided that they needed to help out those in need especially because of the upcoming holidays.

“I think the food drive is a great way to have fun while helping the local community” senior Emma Caserta said.

In 2016, the drive collected 3,800 cans of vegetables, delivered 315 baskets of food, and received over $4,000 in cash donations. Since 2004, the turkey count as more than tripled.

“I think the turkey count is great because it allows the public to see the progress and feel motivated to get involved,” junior Tyler Goodwin said.

The volunteers help to distribute individually made meals to over 250 families in Milford and surrounding towns, as well as local food banks. Businesses that are collecting food for donations include Aquinas Consulting, People’s Bank, Milford Town Hall, and Give a Dog a Bath.

“I volunteer at the food drive because I want to give back to my community and knowing the work I’m doing makes a difference,” senior and Eagle Scout Ryan Lapadula said.

Although the food drive is mainly for food, the volunteers will also take miscellaneous items like clothes or toys that can be given to families.  

“The food drive has a friendly atmosphere where everyone is working hard to help out” senior volunteer and former Girl Scout Priya Gupta.

****

For more information on the food drive, please visit thanks4giving on Facebook or follow @thanks4givingfood on Twitter.

(Photo courtesy Mrs. Daniels)

By Cassandra Soda – News Editor

The Jonathan Law Unified Sports team is ready and excited to jump into the new school year.

Unified Sports is a program where special education students work with regular education students and play sports in a fun environment.

“I love coaching because I enjoy watching the athletes skills increase and them making new friends with the partners,” Unified Sports coach Mrs. Daniels said. “I also enjoy going to tournaments and meeting members of other teams.”

The team plays soccer, wiffle ball, basketball, bowling, and track. There are three tournaments for soccer, two tournaments for volleyball, and one tournament for bowling and track, and Law hosts a wiffle ball and basketball tournament.

The athletes enjoy all the sports they play.

“My favorite part about Unified Sports is when we do drills and kick the ball into the wall,” freshman Anthony Correia said.

Many students at Law volunteer for the club and attend the practices and tournaments with the athletes.

“What I like the most is they are always eager and excited to practice and try new things,” senior Ciara Boyd said. “They are such a happy and motivated group and it is so much fun working with them.”

The students who volunteer love to help and see the kids having fun.

“I like seeing the excitement the kids get when they are able to do a certain skill,” senior Jennifer Contreras said.

Seeing the kids work hard is very motivational and exciting to the partners who all love what they do in working with the kids.

“I like how every kid makes an effort to overcome challenges that they face regularly,” Contreras said.

The athletes work hard at every practice to try and improve their skills while also having fun.

“My favorite part is helping the athletes play these sports to the best of their ability while also creating a bond with them,” Boyd said.

The team participates in a Youth Leadership Summit in December where partners from other districts in Connecticut meet and attend break-out sessions to talk about leadership.

The team in the past has won the Michael’s Cup award and hope to win it again this year or in the future.

The team practices on Mondays and Thursdays from 2:00-3:00 in the old gym from September to June. The kids and partners are all looking forward to having a fun, enjoyable, and successful year.

(Photo by Dominick Buccitti)

By Dominick Buccitti – Editor-in-Chief

This year, Jonathan Law welcomed a familiar face, Mr. Hoggatt, as a new assistant principal.

Just before last school year ended, the position opened up when former assistant principal Mrs. Drew announced her retirement. The candidates for the job went through a series of interviews, including a student panel.

“I have enjoyed Jonathan Law and I wanted to get involved with administration,” Hoggatt said. “When this job opened up, I felt that it would be a good fit.”

Before becoming assistant principal, Hoggatt was a math teacher at Law for the past 13 years, where he had served as math department head for the past three years and athletic director three years before that.

“Mr. Hoggatt is knowledgeable, supportive, humorous, sympathetic, and authoritative,” senior Kayla Sharpe said.

Law principal Mr. Thompson feels grateful to have Hoggatt on his administrative team. Hoggatt was what they were looking for in an assistant principal.

“He has shown himself to be an excellent fit as an administrator,” Thompson said. “His love of Jonathan Law and his commitment to making all of us better is evident every day.”

Some of Hoggatt’s goals were to: continue to meet and learn about the students, try to get as many after school activities at Law, and to get into as many classrooms as possible.

“He understands their [students] needs and works with them to reach their full potential,” assistant principal Mr. Marko said. “In every decision that he makes, he considers the needs of the students first and then tries to make it happen.”

This year’s senior class and a portion of the junior class were the last classes to have Mr. Hoggatt as their math teacher.  

“He is a fair disciplinarian and is attentive towards the whole school,” senior Grace Piselli said. “He has a big heart.”

Hoggatt currently oversees the sophomore and senior classes. He has a piece of advice for the Class of 2018.

“Take advantage of all of the great opportunities Law has to offer,” Hoggatt said. “Don’t wish your senior year away.”

(Photo courtesy twitter.com)

By Molly Mercaldo – Entertainment Editor

Milford’s Relay for Life was held on Saturday, September 16, from 1-11 p.m. at Jonathan Law High School.

Relay for Life is a signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society that incorporates communities and volunteers in an effort to raise money in the fight against cancer, while also celebrating fighters, survivors, and their families.  

“it’s a good way to raise money for a well known and helpful organization. And there is so much to do there with your friends,” senior volunteer Ciara Boyd said.

Milford has held this fundraiser for 15 years and has raised a total of over $1.1 million since its inception.

According to the American Cancer Society, almost 22,000 people in Connecticut will have some form of cancer this year, which is one of the leading diagnosis’s amount per state.

“My mom had cancer and my grandmother had cancer; I have lost a lot of important people in my life to cancer,” Jonathan Law senior Brianna Lenotti said.

Relay for Life’s opening ceremonies began at 1 p.m., including speeches from Milford Mayor Ben Blake, and Milford Superintendent of Schools Dr. Feser.

This year, over 30 teams and clubs participated in the fundraiser this year, and raised money for the foundation.

“When I was 10, I got diagnosed with skin cancer and it was the scariest moment of my life,” senior cancer survivor Salma Samih said.

To fund raise, teams held stations where you could win a fish, take pictures, and get henna designs.

Along with stations, Relay for Life also had a lemonade stand, a food truck, and bouncy houses.

“We drew freelance henna pieces on participants who wanted a piece of art,” senior Mikaela Bravo said.

Law’s sports teams and clubs and Foran sports teams and clubs made Relay teams to help raise money.

Milford Public School teams included the Law National Honor Society, Foran Cheer, Law Girls Soccer, Foran Boys Soccer, and Law Girls Swimming and Diving.

Each team included adult supervisors and team captains some of which who are student leaders.

“I felt like I was doing a good deed because I was able to raise money for cancer research while I was having fun with my friends,” president of National Honor Society and team captain Robert Fisk said.

Closing ceremonies from Relay for Life includes a luminary lighting, a slide show featuring survivors and those lost to cancer, and a lap of silence for those taken by the disease.

(Photo courtesy Matt Marino)

By Kira Ortoleva – Staff Reporter

Many popular musical artists have revealed new albums and songs recently.

A group of Jonathan Law seniors will soon be joining that list.

Senior Matt Marino, a captain of the boys track team and a rap enthusiast, has been creating the music and lyrics to his own rap songs for three years on Soundcloud. He’s accompanied by seniors Connor Creane, Dean Pettway, Ronnie Spangler, and Jordan Beck.

“I just wanna get to the top,” Marino said.

Marino balances his academics and athletics with his rap career. He has several songs out on Soundcloud, and creates the music himself. He and his senior classmates formed the group The Jiggy Fellows and will drop their debut album, “Jiggy Forever,” this month.

Creane said he enjoyed the process of making the album.

“We gave tips back and forth,” Creane said. “Lyrics back and forth.”

As a boy, Marino was always infatuated with music. He’s played multiple instruments throughout his life, and started with jazz music.

He plays the trumpet, guitar and drums, and was inspired by his father, a music teacher. Marino grew up listening to rap music, and it eventually inspired him to make his own.

Of all the professional rappers in the industry, most of Marino’s inspiration comes from Logic and Kendrick Lamar. He’s based his type of music off of the type that Logic produces.

“He’s got a good mind,” boys track coach Mr. Beler said.  

Pettway is impressed with the diversity of Marino’s lyrics and messages.

“He has a few different flows which is what’s good about him,” Pettway said. “He can switch it up, his lyrics are meaningful, and every beat he uses compliments them well.”

Marino’s peers said they enjoy his music and that they see consistent improvement with each track.

“He’s getting better and better with each take,” Beck said.

Marino plans to become a doctor and study at a college in California. In the meantime, his peers and teachers are taking notice of his musical talents.

“He’s very creative,” technology education teacher Miss Corriveau said. “He’s an outside of the box thinker, and likes to get things done quickly and right. He’s extremely talented with writing lyrics.”

(Photo courtesy Mr. Morazzini)

By Cole Egersheim – Staff Reporter

Law’s Fishing Club is looking to reel new members in this fall.

The club is looking for all students,, from those who have never touched a fishing pole to experienced fisherman, to join. To get all the information on meeting times and trip info, students can text @fishing14 to 81010 or listen for announcements on Eagle Eye News.

Meetings are held after school in Mr. Morazzini’s room, Room 199B.

“Our goal is to go on a lot more fishing trips,” senior Fishing Club President Hunter Thomas said.

The club goes on freshwater and saltwater trips during the year. Science teacher and club advisor Mr. Morazzini is planning trips to Gulf Beach, Morningside Rocks, Maltby Lakes and the Middlebank Two charter by the end of the year.

The club is hoping students of all skill levels join. The club’s staff and officers are willing to teach those who are new to fishing. Club members bring their own gear and buy bait as a club for each trip.

History teacher and Fishing Club co-advisor Mr. Roumeles is also helping to expand the club. He brings freshwater fishing experience, allowing the club to increase their fishing locations.

“I bring a different perspective,” Roumeles said. “ I know Mr. Morazzini is the better angler, freshwater and saltwater, but I bring that experience.”

The club also does workshops that include reel maintenance, tackle organization and techniques, and knot tying.  These activities are held in Room 199B, so those who cannot normally go on trips can also be involved.

Morazzini usually gives away a lure for the biggest catch of the day.

“Fishing is a competitive sport and this adds a little extra fun to the experience,” Morazzini said.

Thomas and junior Nick Granito are the most avid anglers in the club, They help anyone in need of anything fishing related.

“(My favorite part of Fishing Club) is getting away from everything and going out doors to fish,” Thomas said.

(Photo by Cassandra Soda)

By Cassandra Soda – News Editor

Jonathan Law’s newest students have been transitioning nicely into their new home.

With a mix of West Shore Middle School and Harborside Middle School, students are now able to meet new people and make new friends.

“My favorite thing about Law is meeting new people and playing sports which also helps me meet new people,” freshman Jordyn Konlian said.

High school can be a big change for some students which Law tries to make as easy as possible for everyone.

“The adjustment from middle school to high school was a challenge at first because all of our classes were five feet away from each other in middle school and also now the expectations are higher,” freshman Sarah Paulus said.

To everyone in the Law community, the class as a whole seems to be adjusting well to their new school.

“I think the freshmen are adjusting really well, by joining clubs, teams and getting involved in activities,” principal Mr. Thompson said. “Most importantly, they seem to really be engaged in their learning and taking their classes seriously.”

Getting involved in the school community is very important and is advice that most teachers give to students.

“I would advise freshmen to make every effort to get involved in some type of activity, whether it is a club or a sport, early on in the year,” freshman teacher Mrs. Hull said. “It is a great way to know students outside of your classes.”

High school is an exciting time for students with many fun and new events to look forward to that they have not experienced before.

“I am really looking forward to playing varsity sports when I am older and I want to be on the morning news and help to plan pep rallies,” freshman James Marino said.

The school held a picnic for the freshman class in the beginning of the year which gave students the opportunity to meet new people and bond as a class.

Upperclassmen also attended the picnic to talk to students about what their next four years will be like and to show them the Law family.

Teachers at Law have high hopes for the Class of 2021 accomplishing great things and cannot wait to see what is in the future.

“I am most excited about the possibilities and opportunities awaiting this class,” Thompson said. “I hope they take advantage of all the opportunities awaiting them at Jonathan Law.”

Photo courtesy twitter.com

By Molly Mercaldo – Entertainment Editor

The second annual Jonathan Law 9/11 car wash was held on Saturday, September 9, at Dulin Automotive in Milford to raise money for the 9/11 Tribute Museum in New York City.

The car wash was started last year by Mrs. Rowley, a history teacher at Law, to remember 9/11 and to continue the Act of Kindness movement.

“The event went really well; we raised more money than last year,” history teacher Mr. Zuraw said.

Approximately 35 Law students participated in this fundraiser as well as several teachers, who worked together to raise over $300 for the Tribute Center.

The event was free for all first responders and cost $5 for anyone else who wanted to get a car wash.

“To help that organization means a lot to us as a department and as a school,” history teacher Mr. Evanko said.

Law has partnered with the 9/11 Tribute Center for years and currently has many student features in the center.

“The car wash was really well organized and successful,” said sophomore Morgan Taylor, who was a volunteer at the event. “We washed a lot of cars.”

This event was organized by the history department at Law, including staff members like Zuraw, Batson, and Rowley.

“The event went smoothly,” freshman volunteer Ashley Shaw said. “We all worked together for a good cause.”

The Law faculty members who arranged this event were very thankful for all of those who helped out at the car wash.

Members from Law’s Key Club volunteered to work at this event as well as other Law students.

“I loved being a part of something that has an impact on my community,” sophomore Skylar Sosa said. “Volunteering made me feel good because 9/11 had a huge impact on our country.”

Jonathan Law has opened its doors to several new staff members in a variety of subjects this year.

Here are some short bios of the new staff:

By Dominick Buccitti – Editor-in-Chief

Ms. Russell is one of the new additions to the math department at Jonathan Law.

Before coming to Law, Russell taught at Florence E. Blackham Middle School in Bridgeport for four years.

She came to Law because she wanted to have students who were willing to academically challenge themselves. She also came to Law because she loved Law’s sense of family.

“My cousin went through a hard time (at Law) and the staff went above and beyond to help her get through it,” Russell said.

Before starting her teaching career, Russell attended Sacred Heart University.

This year, Russell is teaching Geometry Level 2 and Statistics and Probability Level 2.

“This year, I hope to challenge myself and my students,”Russell said.

***

By Dominick Buccitti – Editor-in-Chief

Mrs. Sylvia is the newest addition to the guidance department.

Sylvia is Law’s new College and Career counselor.

Before coming to Law, Sylvia lived in Massachusetts and did career counseling at the college level.

“I recently moved back to Milford,” Sylvia said.

Sylvia thinks that being Law’s College and Career counselor is going to be a great fit.

Sylvia attended Eastern Connecticut State University for her undergraduate degree and attended the University of Bridgeport for her graduate degree.

This year, Sylvia has a couple goals for herself.

“I would love to know every student,” Sylvia said. “I hope to start to get the younger students into College and Career.”

Sylvia’s office hours are posted outside of her room. Sylvia also collects all volunteer hours and tracks every student’s progress towards graduating with distinction.

***

By Dominick Buccitti – Editor-in-Chief

Ms. Jessell is a not only a new member of the art department at Jonathan Law, but she is a new teacher.

Jessell attended of the University of Hartford and Southern Connecticut State University. She is actually a former graduate of Jonathan Law High School and had her now colleague, Mrs. Murphy, as an art teacher.

“I had a good student-teacher relationship with her [Mrs. Murphy] to teach with her,” Jessell said. “I was honored to work with her.”

This semester, Jessell is teaching Decorative Arts and Ceramics and Pottery. Next semester, she will be teaching Drawing and Sculpture.

Jessell had one goal for herself.

“I hope to get to know the students, faculty and the Law community,” she said.

***

By Cassandra Soda – News Editor

One of the many new teachers that will be joining the Jonathan Law community this year is Mr. Aguiar.

Aguiar was hired to be a science teacher and is excited to help students discover a passion for the subject. Before applying, he had heard many great things about the Law community.

“When I saw the job opening, I was very excited to have the opportunity to experience the school culture first hand and to get to know the students and staff here,” Aguiar said.

Aguiar attended Boston College where he majored in Environmental Geoscience and minored in Biology. During his junior year of college, he studied abroad in Ecuador and the Glapágos Islands, and then continued to attend Boston College to earn his Master’s in Education.

He is excited to become a part of the Law community and help out.

“I would love to help out with some clubs or after school activities,” Aguiar said. “I used to play volleyball and in college I was in an improv comedy group and also did a lot of volunteer work.

Aguiar previously taught Biology, Forensics, and Marine Science in Hamden and will be teaching Environmental Science and Biology this year at Jonathan Law.

***

By Cassandra Soda – News Editor

Jonathan Law is just as excited to welcome Ms. Furst as a World Language and History teacher as she is to be here.

Furst will be teaching Latin 1, Latin 2, Latin 3, and Ancient History this year, and is eager to teach and spur an interest in Latin in students. She is also excited to learn more and grow as an educator.

“When I asked about what the community was like in Law, I heard nothing but great stories and excitement,” Furst said. “So, when I was offered to teach here, I eagerly accepted.”

She attended the University of Arizona for college and after she taught at Long Island City High School and Weston High School.

Furst is ready to jump into the new year and hopes that students are ready and excited to learn.

***

By Cassandra Soda – News Editor

Jonathan Law is happy to welcome Ms. Ferron to the school community as a Family and Consumer Science teacher.

Ferron will be teaching Culinary 1 Foods and Nutrition, the Peer Culinary Class, and Culinary 2 Foods and Nutrition. She has many goals to help students this year develop a passion for cooking.

“I want to teach my students lifelong skills that they will use for the rest of their lives and help in guiding students to make healthy food choices,” Ferron said.

She attended the University of Wisconsin for college and has previously taught in Ansonia and at Daniel Hand High School.

Ferron loves teaching high school and thought that Law would be a good match, and the location is close to where she lives, which is convenient.

***

By Molly Mercaldo – Entertainment Editor

Jonathan Law High School recently hired Mr. Thomas as a physics teacher after he was a substitute teacher last year.

Thomas previously attended Southern Connecticut State University where he earned his teaching degree.

“I’m excited to teach here,” Thomas said. “I enjoyed the staff and the students last year and am excited to be back.”

He has set goals for his classes this year including having all of his students comfortable with hands on learning, and having a complete understanding of the subject matter.

Besides teaching at Jonathan Law, Thomas also teaches classes at Foran High School.

He is currently a coach of the Law baseball team and coaches the football team at Fairfield Prep.

***

By Molly Mercaldo – Entertainment Editor

Ms. Sinski is a new art teacher at Jonathan Law.

Along with teaching Art For Seniors at Law, she also teaches elementary school students at Pumpkin Delight.

“I love how subjective (art) is,” Sinksi said. “Students working on the same assignment given the same exact criteria and using the same media can create such unique and authentic work.”

As a teacher, Sinki appreciates having the opportunity to teach both elementary and high school art programs because she gets “the best of both worlds.”

Sinski attended Southern Connecticut State University where she received her bachelor’s degree in art education and hopes to go back to get her master’s degree as well.

Coming in not knowing what to expect, Sinski has instantly felt at home at Jonathan Law.

“I hope to help each and every student grow in their own unique way,” Sinski said.

Her goal as a teacher is to inspire a lifetime appreciation of art even to those who do not consider themselves artists.

***

By Nick Owens – Sports Editor

Ms. Georgetti has arrived at Law to hopefully make math a little easier for all of her students.

Before teaching at Law, Georgetti graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University. She double majored in Mathematics and Education.

Georgetti is a Milford native and attended Foran High School.

“My goals for the year is to learn as many names of students and to increase my students SAT test scores,” Georgretti said.

She is most excited to get to know her students.

Georgetti is teaching Statistics with Probability, a class that helps students learn critical thinking skills.

(Photo courtesy kiwanis.com)

By Marissa Pollack – Staff Reporter

From volunteering to winning numerous awards, Jonathan Law’s Key Club had an extremely successful year.

“It was another great year for the Law Key Club,” Key Club advisor Mr. Boynton said. “The seniors will be missed because they always leave us with a great nucleus for the upcoming year.”

Over the course of the year, the club volunteered at many events such as school awards nights, the Milford Oyster Fest, Salvation Army, food drives, football games, and the annual blood drive.

“The year went really well because we had a lot of new people join,” senior lieutenant governor Tyler Chavez said. “It was a lot easier to get people to sign up for service projects with so many members.”

At the club’s annual convention, The New England and Bermuda District Educational Conference, the club was awarded 2nd place in the video contest, 2nd place in monthly reports, and 1st place in single service for raising $4,010 for the Salvation Army.

“My favorite accomplishment and event was the district convention because we got recognized for all of our hard work,” Chavez said. “We were in a higher division this year but we still managed to be recognized and rewarded.”

The larger size of the club made it less challenging to find community service opportunities, but created higher demands for the club to thrive at convention.

“Our club has grown drastically since my freshman year which is a big accomplishment,” senior co-president Michael Jalaf said. “This was our first year in the platinum division which has a lot of competition and we did well winning some awards.”

Individually, junior bulletin editor Dominick Buccitti was one of three Key Club members in the district to receive the Sandy Nininger Award. Buccitti will serve as the Key Club’s president next year.

“It was an outstanding honor to be named one of New England’s best key clubbers,” Buccitti said. “Our Key Club overall did a great job.”

Junior Key Club secretary Christina Mohammed received the Outstanding Secretary Award at the convention as well.

“(I thank) my club for volunteering and doing so much for the community,” Mohammed said. “It made doing the secretary reports so much easier.”

The Key Club is looking forward to another successful and fun year next year. They want more students who are genuinely interested in getting involved to strengthen the club.

“Always remember – new members, new faces, and new ideas are always welcome,” Boynton said.

(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Mike Dattilo – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law has officially named Trisha Brady the Class of 2017 Valedictorian.

Brady has been successful during her entire high school career. She has taken 7 Advanced Placement courses, which include AP United States Government and Politics, AP Language and Composition, AP Macroeconomics, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Psychology, AP Human Geography, and AP Calculus BC.

She has also taken three UConn ECE courses at Bridgeport Regional Vocational Aquaculture Center, which she attends in the afternoon.

“In high school I wasn’t aiming to be valedictorian,” Brady said. “I took the classes that I wanted to take and was successful.”

Brady will be attending the University of New Haven in the fall majoring in Forensic Science. She hopes to one day work for the United States Government.

“During my six years here, Trisha is one of the finest people to go through Jonathan Law,” principal Mr. Thompson said. “Not only is Trisha gifted academically, but as a citizen and a person, she is the real deal, whether she’s here or at Aquaculture.”

Brady’s most challenging class has been Advanced Placement Calculus BC which she took her senior year.

“Trisha is the one of the most driven and reflective students that I’ve had,” math teacher Mr. Frank said. “I’ve seen her grow to take risks and try new things to improve herself.” 

Brady said that Frank’s course was her most memorable.

“Mr. Frank is a hilarious teacher,” Brady said. “You can tell he loves math and brings in a real life application to math whenever possible.”

In addition to being a great academic student, Brady also brought her talents to multiple extracurricular activities and to the Law tennis team.

“Trisha introduced me to tennis freshman year,” senior Maeve Rourke said. “ The day before try-outs freshman year, she went with me to teach me the logistics of tennis and to help me practice.”

Brady has been a member of the tennis team since her freshman year. She has qualified for State Opens twice, including this year when she and her doubles partner, fellow senior Brianna Arnold, finished undefeated for the regular season.

“For four years, Trisha has been the epitome of a student-athlete,” girls tennis coach Mr. Kulenych said. “She is an amazing teammate, a selfless player, and a role model in the classroom and on the court for the rest of the team.”

Even though Brady will be missed in the Jonathan Law community, she hopes to one day teach, and may be back at Jonathan Law.

“After I have an established career I would like to teach either at the high school or university level,” said Brady.

(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Dominick Buccitti – Staff Reporter

Kavitha Mohanarajan is the salutatorian of the Class of 2017.

“I was really excited,” Mohanarajan said. “I found out a couple weeks ago.”

Throughout her four years at Jonathan Law, Mohanarajan has been a member of the National Honor Society, the cross country team, the Fencing Club, the Drama Club, and the recently-formed Lawcapella group.

While being an active member of the Jonathan Law community, she also volunteers outside of school. During her four years of high school, Mohanarajan has been a volunteer at the Milford Public Library, Stratford Public Library, and Bridgeport Hospital.

Mohanarajan also has been a summer camp counselor and an intern for the Milford Democratic Party.

“Kavitha’s a great person who is always trying to involve herself in order to help others,” senior Ally Maccio said.

Mohanarajan began her AP journey sophomore year when she took AP US Government and Politics and AP United States History. She has since taken 8 more AP classes, totaling 10 AP classes in her high school career.

“(Kavitha is) smart, articulate, motivated, kind, and an absolute pleasure to have,” AP Psychology teacher Ms. Burns said. “She’s a gem.”

Mohanarajan has received much recognition over her four years at Law. Her awards include: Biology Academic Achievement (9), Latin Academic Achievement (9,11), the Dartmouth Book Award (11), The Society of Women Engineers Award (11), Friends of Milford Library Book Award (11), AP Scholar (11), and honors (9,10,11,12).

“Kavitha is an exceptional young woman,” Burns said.

Mohanarajan recently received the Friends of Milford Library scholarship. Given to one senior at Law and one at Foran, the honorees were chosen for their involvement in their school and community, academic achievements, and love for reading.

“It was truly a pleasure to nominate Kavitha for the FOML Scholarship,” media specialist Ms. Briggs said. “She is so accomplished as a student and as a person and is very deserving of this recognition.”

Mohanarajan will be attending the University of Connecticut. She plans to study Physiology and Neurobiology.

She also recently was accepted into the honors program at UConn. She strives to become a doctor.

“I’ve known Kavitha for four years now because she is in my advisory,” NHS adviser Ms. Turcotte said. “She is very intelligent and I have no doubt that she will have many successes in her future studies.”

Mohanarajan had a piece of advice for underclassmen and their future endeavors.

“Push yourself, don’t be afraid to try new things,” Mohanarajan said.

(Photo by Kristin Frank)

By Kristin Frank – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law’s National Honor Society hosted its annual Brain Bowl event on April 28 to bring the school community together and raise money for brain cancer research.

NHS students plan and prepare for this event and ultimate fundraiser for months in order for it to run smoothly.

“During our weekly meetings after school, we would brainstorm questions and themes and plan out characters and roles for the promotional video,” senior vice president Nisali Fernando said. “We spent several meetings coming up with hundreds of trivia questions and as seniors we used last year’s event as a drawing board, and thought of ways we could improve and make the Brain Bowl better for everyone involved.”

The club’s main goal is to organize an event that is both entertaining and educational. Their proceeds go towards brain cancer research.

“The Brain Bowl provides NHS with opportunities to get the whole school together as a community and raise money for a great cause,” NHS advisor Ms. Turcotte said.

There is an optional test that students and faculty are able to take in order to receive a spot on their specific grade’s team.

NHS students are involved in a lot of the work that needs to be done for the Brain Bowl.

“The students come up with a theme for the event and then create a video to raise awareness and interest around the school,” Turcotte said. “The students made up the qualifying test questions and designed t-shirts for the event during after school hours.”

The students in NHS divided up a wide range of questions for the qualifying test. Some of these categories were Science, Sports, Pop Culture, and Arts and Literature.

“I mainly covered the Pop Culture and Sports categories,” senior Owen Paiva said.

The remaining two teams for this year’s Brain Bowl were the junior class and faculty. The scores between the two were close until the last question, when the faculty answered it correctly.

Members of the faculty team were pleased with the outcome of the event.

“My favorite part was Mrs. Briggs reciting the exact line from the Star Wars film that had the answer to the final question. It held the sweet promise of victory,” science teacher Mrs. Mercaldi said.

Many of the students love the aspect of this event bringing the Law community together for such a great cause.

“The Brain Bowl is one of my favorite events that takes place at Law and since I was a freshmen we watched the event in our classrooms,” Fernando said. “I always loved the idea of the entire school coming together to support brain cancer research and to compete in a rousing game of trivia.”

Each faculty member had a unique trait that contributed to their performance that afternoon.

“I thought I could contribute basic science information and get lucky with some broad biology questions,” Mercaldi said.

The class that raised the most money was the junior class. They raised over $130 for brain cancer research.

“I think the event went really well, we raised a hefty sum of money and managed to involve the school in an event everyone pretends is lame, but what could be lame about trivia?” Fernando said.

“I believe this event provides a unique opportunity to raise a significant amount of money for brain cancer research and it takes time and extra effort on the part of the National Honors Society members and their advisor Ms. Turcotte to pull off such an event, Mercaldi said. “I respect the effort every year and was proud to be a faculty representative this year.”

(Photo by Tyler Chavez)

By Tyler Chavez – News Editor

Add physics teacher Mr. Mamrus to the list of teachers saying goodbye to Jonathan Law High School this year.

After four years of teaching at Law, Mamrus will be retiring from the science department.

Mamrus has a long and experienced career of teaching. He started as a math teacher at Stratford High School but after only just one year he went to Fairfield Prep to teach physics from 1986 to 2014.

“I took Fairfield Prep’s retirement offer because I didn’t want to teach full-time anymore,” Mamrus said. “Two months later I got an e-mail saying Jonathan Law was looking for someone to teach two sections of physics, basically from noon to 2 p.m. I had asked Fairfield Prep if they needed a part-time teacher and there were no openings, so this seemed like just what I wanted. And it was.”

His long history of experience has allowed Mamrus to form his own style of teaching physics. Other teachers have remarked how useful a teacher with experience is.

“Mr. Mamrus is unique in that he worked in the engineering industry before he became an educator, so his lessons and professional contributions incorporate a different perspective,” science teacher Mrs. Bouchard said. “He also introduced us to the University of Texas online assessment system, which he has his students do for homework and independent practice.”

Mamrus has left a mark at Law thanks to his teaching style that highly encourages participation and trying out something new. He uses physics in real life examples to show students how the science applies to their daily life.

“We are losing an excellent teacher physics teacher who does his best to make learning relevant to our students by applying physics principles to real life scenarios,” Bouchard said. “Even though he’s only been at Law for a short time, and in a part-time position, our department will be losing someone who actively participated in moving our department toward continuous improvement.”

Mamrus’ teaching lessons are sure to stay with his students who have been able to learn from him.

“My favorite part about having Mr. Mamrus as a teacher is that he doesn’t aim to make physics hard for us,” said junior Brianna Lenotti. “He also does not expect us to memorize equations; he just wants to make sure that we know how to apply them. That took away a lot of stress.”

Mamrus’ students have noted how his teaching method and problems have helped them grow their understanding of physics. His style of teaching is different than most.

“Mr. Mamrus has helped me understand physics because he always relates physics topics to actual real life events which I think helps students learn the material a lot better,” junior Ally Voytek said.

Mamrus’ teaching focus has had an impact on him as well. The importance of having students trying the problems and participating has allowed them to make connections in physics on their own.

“[My favorite memory is] whenever I see the light go on in students’ eyes indicating that they really understood something and it finally makes sense,” Mamrus said.

Just because he is leaving Law does not mean Mamrus intends to stop teaching. He will continue with his focus on independent learning and creativity.

“I have a job teaching two sections of a course involving the project design part of engineering at a private high school near my house,” Mamrus said. “Students work in teams of two to construct a design to solve a different problem each cycle using basic materials ( plastic straws, Popsicle sticks, cardboard, index cards, tape, glue, etc. ).”

No matter where Mr. Mamrus goes next, he will be remembered as a unique teacher at Law.

Photo courtesy Rhea Grant)

By Maeve Rourke – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law’s Rhea Grant has been honored as one of the first recipients of the Yale Bassett Award for Community Engagement.

The award winners are “emerging leaders who have distinguished themselves through a record of creative leadership and public service, academic distinction, interdisciplinary problem solving, and experience addressing societal issues.”

Grant is among 20 high school juniors, out of 800 applicants, to receive the award. She applied by submitting information about her academics and extracurriculars, a letter of recommendation, and an essay.  

“I love engaging with the community because I feel like I’m making a difference and helping to make a positive impact,” Grant said.

Some of extracurriculars include playing soccer, being a key member of the tack team, the Interact Club, Key Club, and the National Honor Society. She is secretary of the junior class and treasurer of the Science Club.

“This is a well deserved honor for someone who has really taken a commitment to make the environment a better place,” Principal Mr. Thompson said. “We are very proud of hr and her  commitment to the environment because that is what Jonathan Law is all about.”

Rhea was also sworn in for her second term as a member of the Girl Scouts of the Connecticut board of directors. She is currently preparing to earn her Gold Award, one of the highest honors in scouting.

Rhea is also a inspiration to her friends.

“Rhea is example of what a true ambitious student is : a leader and one who gives back to her community,” junior Morgan Macey said. “She is an inspiration to me and always pushes me to be better.”

Grant’s essay and work in an internship involving environmental justice are some of the key reasons she was selected for the Bassett award.

“I wrote about my experiences working for my environmental education internship at Groundwork Bridgeport,” Grant said. “The main focus of my essay was how I planned to use what I had learned at the national youth summit about environmental justice to address issues such as environmental injustice.”

While working at Groundwork Bridgeport, Grant participated in several community engagement projects.

“Through working with my internship I’ve done tree planting, beach cleanup, planting gardens, environmental education programs for the public (teaching people about issues in Bridgeport), and I also worked with a landscape company on a waterfront restoration project in Bridgeport,” Grant said.

Next year, Grant plans on applying to Yale and continue to advocate for environmental justice.

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By Nisali Fernando – Entertainment Editor 

The National Art Honor Society recently celebrated Jonathan Law’s innovative visual art students.

On March 22, The National Art Honor Society welcomed the best and brightest of the art community  into the prestigious club with a stunning ceremony. Students walked into the Media Center, candles ablaze, backed by the beautiful sounds of the Jonathan Law choir.

“I enjoyed having Ms. Jones and the choir sing for us as the students walked in, and I loved seeing their (the inductees) faces when they came up to get their certificates,” club advisor Mrs. Murphy said. “I felt such a sense of joy and pride for them.”

The clubs officers said a few words about what NAHS embodies and dove headfirst into the world of art by discussing form and color in artwork.

“The goals of NAHS is to provide an environment where artists can share their pieces and collaborate on pieces that benefit themselves, their school, and even their community,” junior co-vice president Dominick Buccitti said.

The NAHS was first introduced to Jonathan Law by Miss. Main, who then passed the reins onto Murphy. During the ceremony, Miss. Main and other insightful speakers poured out endless wisdom to current and new members alike.

“My favorite part of the ceremony was hearing some excellent, encouraging speeches from some of our school’s finest role models: Mr Thompson and Ms Main,” junior co-president Jordan Beck said.

New members could not contain their excitement, as the reputation of NAHS precedes it as a community of devoted artists who inspire those around them. Not only with their stunning artwork, but with their determination to bring art education to the attention of the school and community.

“NAHS encourages students to incorporate art into everything they do. This creative environment is what made me want to apply,” senior inductee Malena Araujo said.

Aside from a hard-working advisor, club officers play a tremendous role in cultivating a family atmosphere in this honor society.

“I ran as an officer of the NAHS because I love being able to guide my peers and help organize a really cool project with them all,” senior co-president Ally Maccio said.

The club is currently juggling several projects and will be working alongside the Kindness Club, also advised by Mrs. Murphy, to spread kindness and beauty during the Peace Love Music from Maren festival this weekend.

The club has hand-painted Ben’s Bells kindness coins and will be selling them alongside bookmarks of Maren’s garden, photographed by Advanced Photography student Nicholas Glorioso.

“This year in the NAHS we have numerous exciting new projects in store to try and give to the community with our talents, especially in the school,” Beck said. “I’m sure you’ve seen our mural in progress in the media center.”

The National Art Honor Society shifts the focus onto an incredibly under-appreciated group of students who apply themselves to make the world a little more beautiful. The club allows these students a chance to receive well-deserved praise and serves as a place where their devotion to the arts transforms into something they can be honored for.

“What I like the most about NAHS is the opportunity to collaborate with some of this town’s best and brightest artists to create works that greatly impact our community for the better,” Beck said. “With this in mind, I felt it was only necessary that I run to be a co-president so I could lead this great group and perhaps learn some responsibility along the way.”

(Photo by Mike Dattilo)

By Mike Dattilo – Staff Reporter

After 20 years at Jonathan Law and 27 years as a teacher, Mrs. Jaekle will retire at the end of the year.

Jaekle said she always knew she wanted to be a teacher.

“When I was five I started playing school with my grandfather, so I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” Jaekle said.

Throughout her career, Jaekle has been known to go the extra mile to help students succeed.  

“Mrs. Jaekle is a great teacher,” senior Evan Karlsen said. “She is always willing to stay after to work with you.”

During her time at Law, Jaekle has taught Physical Science, Human Anatomy, and Environmental Science.

“I loved Physical Science,” Jaekle said. “It was so much fun teaching electricity and magnetism.”

Jaekle said she will also miss all of her colleagues at Law, specifically the members of the science department.

“The science department has such dedicated teachers who have a love of science and a love of the students,” Jaekle said. “We are always trying to do are best to make a love of science for the kids.”

Jaekle has really enjoyed both the staff and students during her time at Law. In addition to teaching science at Law, she has also served as the Keyettes advisor.

“She has a passion for learning, and will certainly be missed,” science teacher Mrs. Bouchard said.  “In addition to her contribution to our department, she was also a dedicated adviser to the Keyettes Club.”

Keyettes is a community service club open to girl in all grades. The club has coordinated blood drives and organized entertainment events.

“My favorite thing [about Keyettes] had been the Mr. JLHS pageant, though unfortunately we hadn’t been able to run it the last couple of years,” Jaekle said.

Besides running the Mr. JLHS pageant as Keyettes advisor, Mrs. Jaekle also enjoyed running a school-wide talent show.

“About four years ago at the talent show Maren [Sanchez] was in it and it was the first time in public she sang ‘Home,'” Jaekle said. “That will be a memory.”

Many staff members have high regard for Jaekle, including principal Mr. Thompson.

“Thank you for your years of dedicating your time and talents for the betterment of all students, thank you for making a difference,” Thompson said.

Science teacher Mr. Koorejian agreed with Thompson’s sentiments.

“Mrs Jaekle has been a loyal supporter of Jonathan Law, the students, and the faculty for over 15 years and her dedication will be missed,” Koorejian said.

During her retirement, Jaekle plans to spend time with her grandkids and to volunteer.  

“I am going to miss being here, but I won’t miss getting up at 5:30 a.m.,” Jaekle said.  

(Photo courtesy Trisha Brady)

By Maeve Rourke – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law’s Science Club has finished a successful season of competition.

On April 1, the club traveled to UConn’s Storrs campus to compete in the Connecticut Science Olympiad. This year the club sent two teams to compete in each event.

“We are really proud of how our members performed this year,” club advisor Mr. Stanton said. “This was our second year running two teams which was really successful.”

The Science Olympiad consists of events that range from labs, tests, and building events. Each member had the opportunity to sign up for specific events compete against students from all around the country.

“I enjoyed competing because I loved the competitive environment and the fact that it revolved around scientific methods and ideas,” junior Grace Piselli said. “I really enjoyed meeting and talking to students from high schools all across Connecticut.”

The science club’s full team consists of students of all grades and two advisors Ms. Turcotte and Mr. Stanton. This year they sent an A and B team to compete in the Olympiad.

This year the teams placed very well in all their events.

“Overall, the club performed very well at UConn, we placed 4th in two events, and 3rd in one event, and 2nd in another,” junior club president Meghana Jaladanki said. “More people won medals at UConn compared to last year, and many other participants placed in the top ten. Both of our A and B teams beat Foran too!”

Senior Club member Nisali Fernando and sophomore Sana Rana placed 3rd in disease detectives. In this event the partners took a test consisting of multiple choice and open ended questions. They had to interpret graphs and case studies which required the ability to identify common illnesses. Lastly, they had to be able to come up with a plan to control hypothetical outbreaks.

“I think I was successful because Yale’s invitational in January showed what not to do and what I needed to improve on,” Fernando said. “I stayed after school every Tuesday and worked tirelessly with my partners until we felt prepared for the upcoming events.”

The club plans on improving more every year. Next year, the officers are already planning on ways to get more organized, and start working on their events early.

“I think that by having a large number of Juniors and junior officers, our team will have a good deal of experience going into next year and the team will be able to be more organized and successful,” senior vice president Trisha Brady said.

(Photo courtesy Dominick Buccitti)

By Emma Caserta – Staff Reporter

The Key Club at Jonathan Law provides an opportunity for students to become involved in their community and to earn service hours.

Volunteering is optional so the members of Key Club prove to be model individuals by donating their time in order to help others and contribute.

The Key Club when appointing presidents only chooses the most qualified and deserving members who prove to be serious about their commitments to the club.

Junior Dominick Buccitti was recently elected the next president of the club. His qualifications stood out among the other candidates.

“The importance of Key Club is to spread the idea that people can make an impact on their home, school, and community through community service efforts,” Buccitti said.

Over the course of Buccitti’s Key Club career, he has successfully accumulated over 450 volunteer hours.

In order to graduate with distinction, a student needs to have 200 logged volunteer hours, and the recently elected president doubled that before his senior year.

“Dominick Buccitti is what we call a go-to guy,” Key Club advisor Mr. Boynton said.  

Boynton said that Buccitti is a vital and reliable member of the club.

In order to be Key Club president, it requires a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication that cannot be found in just anyone.

“Within the school, I hope to grab the attention of more students by getting more members and getting more people to contribute to fundraisers and projects,” Buccitti said.

He added, “I hope to get people to understand the importance of making the world around us better.”

(Photo courtesy aces.org)

By Valeria Araujo – Editor in Chief

ACES Educational Center for the Arts students and staff are completing another year capitalizing on the amazing opportunities afforded to them.

ECA is a magnet school based in New Haven that is focused on certain sectors of the arts. Inside the brick stone building in New Haven is a staff of brilliant educators and hardworking students. 

“ECA is a model for arts infused education,” director Jason Hiruo said. “It builds skills in innovation and creativity and critical thinking that they don’t get to advance in their typical high school.”

Currently ECA has five departments: Theater, Music, Dance, Visual Arts, and Creative Writing. A student can apply, through the ACES website, for as many departments as they want but can only study in one of the departments throughout the year.

“If you plan on going into the arts in college or whether you just like writing/dancing/singing as a hobby, this program is for you,” Law senior music department student J.P. Amaro said. “You will gain so much knowledge and wisdom from ECA that regular high school students won’t gain.”

When applying, students must  submit portfolios at the department’s request which will help with the admissions process.

“It’s different from a club/after school activity because it’s an actual school,” Amaro said. “You have homework and it is graded, unlike after-school clubs. You get graded for doing what you love to do.”

Unlike after-school clubs, students from all over Connecticut begin their day at their home school and then attend ECA from 1-4 p.m.

“I enjoy ECA because there are so many other like-minded students here with me,” Law senior theatre student Jaden Esse said.

ECA is a rigorous curriculum that pushes students towards honing their skills in their artistic field. Students at ECA go above and beyond to make sure that the work they put out is their best and will help them in their field of study in the future.

“Managing regular school and ECA is a little hard at first because you are juggling two schools at one time, but when you get into the routine of things, it gets easier,” Amaro said. “I would say that being collected and organized is what will help you manage.”  

ECA provides the opportunity for students to pursue their passion in the arts which allows them to be creative and learn to take risk and to be individuals.

Students have expressed the wish for ECA to add more departments and elements in the future.

“Hopefully, in the future ,ECA will expand to encompass three more departments such as culinary, film, and a technical department (for theatre and film),” Esse said. “ECA is one of the only schools like it in the entire country. That alone makes this school important to me and unique.”

(Photo courtesy Nisali Fernando)

By Arianna Goenaga – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law will be saying goodbye to one of its most beloved art teachers this year.

Miss Main is retiring after 19 years at Law, but those ears were not all that her career in art entailed.

In a bizarre coincidence, Main’s teaching career started in the same room she teaches in currently. As a substitute teacher, Main sat in that room and dreamt how amazing it would be to teach art. Years later, her dreams became a reality.

As a young adult, she attended the University of Connecticut, Southern Connecticut State University, Wesleyan University (where she received her Masters degree), and then Vermont College (where she received her Masters of Fine Arts degree).

Before her career in the Milford school district, she began teaching at Saint Joseph’s in Trumbull. Then she moved on to Naugatuck High School, and then was an assistant professor for art and art history at the University of Bridgeport.

Main began teaching in Milford at Harborside Middle School in 1995. Two years later, she went to Foran for one year and then finally came to settle down at Jonathan Law.

Main has impacted the lives of so many students throughout her teaching career.

“She made me realize that I wanted to get back into art again,” senior Nicole Kopek said.

With her constant positive attitude and encouragement, Main has taught a lot of lessons rather than just art.

“Miss Main pushes us to do our best,” senior Rebecca Tighe said. “She believes in us when we don’t even believe in ourselves.”

Senior Brianna Marshall agreed.

“She is a great person; she brings out the inner artist in me,” Marshall said.

After retiring, Main plans to work on her own artwork, travel around the United States, and go to The National Gallery in London.

“I plan on eating some good pub food,” Main said.

Although her students will miss her, Main will miss them as well.

“I’m going to miss the energy of the students, my friendships with other teachers and staff members, and my big, beautiful art classroom,” Miss Main said. “Most of all I will miss my art department colleagues Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Romanowski. We’ve worked as a team to grow a quality visual art program for this school.”

Although she will be miss her family at Jonathan Law, Main still has a lot of exciting opportunities ahead of her.

“Working at Jonathan Law has fulfilled my dream of living and working in my hometown,” Main said.

(Photo by Tyler Chavez)

By Tyler Chavez – News Editor

The Jonathan Law choir hosted the choirs from Harborside, West Shore, East Shore, and Foran High School in a concert on March 20 to celebrate “Music in Our Schools Month.”

Each school performed songs directed by their respective choir teacher.

“Music in Our Schools Month” is a program created by the National Association for Music Education to focus on the importance of music education and to show people that all students should have access to music. Schools across the country engage in multiple activities and concerts to promote music education.

“This is a wonderful way to showcase students’ talent, hard work, rigor and team-work that shines through the beauty of music,” Law choir teacher Ms. Jones said.

The Law choir class prepared for the concert for weeks. Outside of class, they hosted a large rehearsal with the middle schools.

“The rehearsal went super well,” senior Chloe Erickson said. “The middle schools were incredibly well behaved and we were amazed by how good they sounded in our joint choir and how well they followed directions.”

The big draw to these concert was the fact that every Milford middle and high school were represented. Each school’s choir performed a number of songs.

“At first we weren’t going to do the concert because our chorus program at West Shore is small due to the large number of students who take General Music,” chorus and music teacher at West Shore Mr. Kalafus said. “Then I decided let’s do it and be different.”

The Jonathan Law choir performed two songs, including“Bohemian Rhapsody” by legendary rock band Queen.

“My favorite song to perform was ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ because the audience really loved it and the song explores a lot of different styles, which is always fun,” Erickson said. “The sheet music was like 20 pages long.”

There was also a finale song of every participating choir. The Jonathan Law stage was filled with talented singers from all over Milford.

“I think my favorite part of this experience was that we got to interact with everyone and everyone was involved,” freshman Brooke Nabors said. “It was amazing seeing everyone come and sing together.”

The concert had a profound effect on the teachers. They see “Music in Our Schools Month” as a very important cause.

“As I reflect on the concert, I hope the audience leave with a feeling that performing in a music ensemble is something that cannot be replicated or replaced,” Jones said. “Yo-Yo Ma, when speaking about the importance of music, said ‘To me, nothing is more totally engaging in mind, body, spirit, experience, tactile hearing, visual…that’s what the arts do.”

The concert was a positive experience for middle school students to grow in their musical endeavors.

“At first they didn’t believe we could pull it off because we knew the other schools were going to be three times our size,” Kalafus said. “In the end I think they saw that hard work and effort pays off.”

The experience also had an effect on the students. Students both experienced and new to choir gained a strong appreciation for music education and respect for their teachers.

“The music teachers at this school know what they are doing, and the fact that music programs are getting cut is scary, because studies show that music helps students excel in their other classes as well,”  senior JP Amaro said. “Music is something everybody needs in their lives, and music education is one of the most important and engaging forms of education I have ever known.”

The Law choir will start preparations for their spring concert in May. Jones said she is already looking forward to the show.

“Oh…and join Law choir,” Jones said.

(Photo courtesy twitter.com)

By Molly Mercaldo – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s Drama Club is rehearsing for its upcoming musical performance of “Bye Bye Birdie” on March 31.

This musical will feature characters such as Rose, the female lead, played by Law junior Margaux Accorda, and Albert, the male lead, played by senior J.P. Amaro.

“I have fun playing my character and watching everyone else play theirs,” Accorda said. “I also like the story line and the plot.”

This is Accorda’s first time appearing in a Law play. She auditioned and received the lead role.

The play will feature other Jonathan Law performers such as juniors Maddie Baldieri (Kim MacAfee), Berat Celik (Kim’s boyfriend), and senior Ally Maccio (Mrs. MacAfee). Freshman Justin Amaro plays the title character of Conrad Birdie.

The show follows Conrad Birdie, a teen pop-rock star, just days before he goes out to serve in the army. Albert, his manager, and Rose, Albert’s secretary, come up with a publicity stunt to make one lucky girl Conrad’s last kiss and hilarities ensue as plans go wrong.

“Here at Drama Club, we are just like a big family,” Celik said.

The director of the musical is Christina Kalafut. She directs the play and also works with the students on choreography and vocals.

“I was cast in this musical when i was in high school and took away many wonderful memories from it,” Kalafut said.

Seniors Sarah O’Brien and Ann Reed are helping Kalafut choreograph parts of the show.

“I’m always impressed with the talent everyone of my students have in drama club, both on, and off stage” Kalafut said.

Law chorus teacher Ms. Jones is also helping out with the vocal aspect of the show by helping the students sing well together.

“The show itself is entertaining,” Accorda said. “’Bye Bye Birdie’ has great jokes, music, and dialogue. The cast has worked really hard.”

The performance features many songs like “Honestly Sincere” and “An English Teacher,” two of the most popular songs from the original play.

The play is set in 1958 and is going to be set up to look like it is from that time period.

“This play is different because it is old-fashioned so the story is set in a different time period,” said Baldieri.

The shows debuts on Friday, March 31, at 7 p.m. There will also be performances on April 1 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Admission will be $12 for adults and $7 for students and senior citizens.

(Photo courtesy Ms. Burns)

By Marissa Pollack – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s Model U.N. Club recently welcomed Jane Ekayu, a speaker from Uganda.

Ekayu helps Rwandan victims with counseling and restoring them back to their old selves.

“I have learned to love humanity more, I learned resilience,” Ekayu said. “No matter how heavy the situation that puts you down, you can rise up.”

Ekayu has extensive experience as a child trauma therapist. While working at the Rachele Rehabilitation Centre from 2004-2006, her role was to receive child soldiers returning from captivity, assist them in their physical, emotional, and psychological healing, and facilitate their reintegration back into the community.

In three years, the Centre received over 3,000 child soldiers. Since the Rachele Center closed down in late 2006, Ekayu has continued her work with the children through Children of Peace Uganda.

Ekayu emphasizes a gradual process of forgiveness consisting of four main steps. In order to forgive, she says, one must understand why they should forgive, have the desire to forgive, decide to forgive, and finally begin completing acts of forgiveness

“Her mission was to teach us the healing process and how to forgive and move forward from our pasts,” Model U.N. co-president Sam Rossi said. “Aside from learning that, we were able to ask her questions that specifically pertained to our committees, topics, and countries.”

Ekayu’s visit to Law was organized through a conversation that history teacher Ms. Burns had with Scarlett Lewis, the founder of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Foundation

“Scarlett mentioned her foundation was sponsoring a presentation by Jane in Connecticut,” Burns said. “They had no speaking engagements scheduled for (that day) and offered to come to Jonathan Law. It was an incredibly fortuitous opportunity for us. I am thrilled Scarlett offered to bring such a distinguished speaker to our students.”

Model U.N. members will soon be attending their annual conference in New York City where they will be representing both Uganda and Rwanda. This special presentation helped the students prepare to speak about the countries with more knowledge.

“Everyone’s questions were so genuine and you could tell that everyone who was there was interested in what she had to say,” Model U.N. secretary Gina DiFederico said. “Being able to speak to someone from Uganda who has real training and experience in dealing with mental illnesses was an incredible experience.”

Ekayu was able to teach the students more than factual information. She left them with important life lessons.

“The guest speaker was so important for the Model U.N. because she spoke to our students in person about how to help people recover from a horrific conflict, psychologically and socially,” Model U.N. advisor Mr. Evanko said. “Her work exemplifies the best of what we hope our students will learn: problem-solving to create a more just, peaceful world.”

There are about 3,500 children at Ekayu’s center with about 12-15 full time staff counselors.

The organization receives no government funding, but the government does check the center’s progress. Most of the money is donated and fundraised by students, friends, and people who want to help make a difference in other’s lives.

“Hearing her speak was such an honor and a privilege,” Rossi said. “Listening to someone who has been all around the world to give speeches to people was a once in a lifetime experience.”

Students were extremely appreciative of this once in a lifetime opportunity.

“I think the most important message that we took from the speaker was forgiveness and that’s what she was teaching about,” Model U.N. co-president Jordan Negron said. “In addition to that even though going to Model U.N. conferences gives you experience and lets you see through other people’s views, I think this is more personalized because it was one-on-one and it was an even more eye-opening experience than what we normally see talking to International kids because of the struggles that her country went through.”