Author Archives: The Advocate Online

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Head Coach Jamie Anderson About The Law Boys Basketball Season

(Photo courtesy Nathan Galicinao)

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief

The Jonathan Law boys basketball team is currently 3-6, racking up wins against Hamden, Joel Barlow and Guilford. Jamie Anderson is back for his eighth year as head coach of the Lawmen. The boys coaching staff consists of Mr. McPartland, Mr. Beardsley and Dan Maxwell. Advocate Editor-In-Chief and Editorial Editor interviewed Anderson about the season to date. 

Ella Franzman: What are your goals for the season? 

Jamie Anderson: We strive to get a little better each day, with goals of making both, our league and state playoffs and making as deep of a run as we can. 

EF: What do you enjoy most about the boys basketball team?

JA: The staff and I love being in the gym with guys that want to put the work in. The camaraderie with this group keeps it light while we work. 

EF: Who is filling in the spots vacated by last year’s seniors?

JA: Our whole group is stepping up where needed and a lot are being asked to contribute in different ways. Everything we do is based on each individual focusing on what they can do to help the team. 

EF: Change in coaching staff. How’s that working for the team?

JA: Yes, we added Coach Beardsley. We are a family first program and Coach Beard has always been a Lawman. Played here, teaches here and is a great leader. We are lucky to have him back home.  

EF: What do you believe is the biggest challenge the team has encountered so far?

JA: We’ve had a grueling schedule to start the season. As, we played our first seven games in 11 days. There wasn’t much time in between games to work on some of the finer details we are accustomed to.

SPORTS: Jonathan Law Gymnastics Team Prepares For Upcoming Season

(Photo courtesy Law Gymnastics)

By Haley Stroffolino – Social Media Editor-in-Chief 

The Jonathan Law gymnastics team is preparing for a successful season.

Practices are in full swing as gymnasts work on perfecting routines, focusing on individual strengths, and team building for upcoming meets.

“Each gymnast works on their own routine based on their strengths and ability to perform advanced elements,” Head Coach Pat Simon said. “Our goal is to qualify for the CIAC State Championships and have as many girls as possible compete in the CIAC State Open.”

The team has a strong foundation, supported by a well-equipped gym. Over the years, the program has expanded to host major events such as the CIAC Divisional Meets and this year’s New England Championships.

“We’ve added a lot of equipment over the years, which has made it possible for us to host these big events,” Simon said.

Senior gymnast Paige Kantor explained how the team is preparing for competition.

“We’re working on building and practicing our routines so we’re ready for the first meet,” Kantor said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what my teammates can do and having a successful season.”

For some gymnasts, their love for the sport started early. 

“I started gymnastics when I was really young because I thought it was fun to go on the bars and beam,” junior Lily Stankevich said.

Simon has been coaching the team since 1978 and continues to enjoy working with the athletes.

“The best part of coaching is working with excellent athletes and seeing former gymnasts return to support the program,” Stroffolino said. “It’s rewarding to see the program grow and thrive over the years.”

NEWS: Law Junior Coffin Performs In “The Nutcracker” At Shubert Theater

Maya Coffin (Photo courtesy Maya Coffin)

By Molly Lynch & Ava Grippo – Advocate Editors

Jonathan Law junior Maya Coffin recently performed in the New Haven Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker” at the Shubert Theater in New Haven. 

Coffin has been participating in the theater’s “Nutcracker” performances since 2017. 

I had a few roles this year because we  perform different parts on different days,” Coffin said. “On Friday and Sunday, I performed as Madam Choupette, which is a dance with Mother Ginger and the bon-bons and snow demi. On the Saturday shows, I performed as a mouse and a flower demi-soloist.”

Since she was a kid, Coffin has always been interested in participating in a “Nutcracker” performance. At the Shibert, she performed in front of four crowds that totaled close to 8,000 people.

“I started being interested in performing when I went to see the ballet as a little girl in New York City,” Coffin said. “I really wanted to be a part of that experience ever since then.”

Law science teacher Ms. Turcotte attended the performance and was greatly impressed by her student.

“Maya’s performances were incredible – the show that I attended had two different roles,” Turcotte said. “In Act I she was one of four snowflake dancers who were perfectly coordinated with each other, and in Act II she had a solo performance which was amazing.”

NEWS: Law Hosts Annual “Lawliday” Advisory Door Decorating Contest

(Photos by Ella Hopkins-Gianotti)

By Ella Hopkins-Gianotti and Anwita Puttam – Staff Reporters

As the holiday season begins, Law’s Advisories are hustling to compete in the annual Door Decorating Contest. 

Each Advisory class at Law is in the competition. This year, for the first time, the theme is Lawlidays Wonderland, and all doors are due to be completed by noon on December 20. 

“To celebrate this special time of year, we invite all Advisors to participate in a Lawliday Wonderland Decorating Contest,” Dean of Students Mr. Ragaini said. “This year, we encourage all advisors to incorporate elements from various winter holidays, such as Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and more, into their designs.”

This door decorating contest is a way for students to spread holiday joy. It’s also a way for students to express the many different ways people celebrate the holiday season, expanding on the many unique traditions that people celebrate.

“I think I was inspired because I’ve seen so much on social media about ‘Wicked’ and how popular it is,” Spanish teacher Mrs. Trombetta said. “I discussed it with my Advisory and we agreed that we could use the tagline ‘We are all popular at Law’ to promote inclusivity while staying on theme.”

One of the popular doors among the students is Ms. Trombetta’s “Wicked”-themed door. She and her Advisory got rave reviews by completely decorating their door to fit the theme of the new “Wicked” movie. They also set up little props to take pictures with.

“I am in Mr. Barcellos’s advisory and our theme for the door was the movie ‘Elf,’ – my suggestion, of course,” freshman Cora Aitkenhead said. “I think my class door has a shot at getting on the podium, but the ‘Wicked’ door looks pretty great, and I liked Mrs. Evans’s Law-themed cotton ball snowman door.”

Time and effort were put into making each of these doors. Many of these doors include candy cane balloons, movie references, books, snowmen, gift-wrapped doors, and even the students’ and teachers’ faces on the doors themselves.

“My favorite part of door decorating was easily getting to see all of our hard work come together as we assembled the door,” Aitkenhead said. “I put in a lot of effort to make pieces of our door at home, but it was awesome to see people pitch in and collaborate to make such an awesome finished product.”

Inspiration for these doors came from various different places.

“I have Ms. Russell for Advisory and my class wanted to create something that was funny,” freshman Cayleigh Glynn said. “We wanted people that were walking by our door to be able to laugh a little bit.”

The contest also kept people in the holiday spirit while also allowing them to be creative and have fun. 

“My classmates enjoyed the decorating,” freshman Dylan Gaillard said. “It was really fun and it kept everyone engaged.”

NEWS: Jonathan Law Music Department Excited For Annual Winter Concert

(Photo courtesy Choir Director Ms. Jones)

By Courtney Russo, Madi Black, Haley Stroffolino, and Aislyn McKernan – Advocate Editors

The Jonathan Law Music Department is preparing to have a wonderful winter concert.

The concert, which will be performed by Law’s Choir, Band, and Orchestra students, will be held at 7 p.m. on December 18 in the Law auditorium.

Choir Director Ms. Jones and her students have been preparing for months to ensure the concert goes smoothly. 

“To prepare for the Choir concerts we warm up with our voices and such, but also there’s a mental aspect of preparing myself,” senior Brayden Dollar said. “I just need to tell myself that the Choir will do great and there’s nothing to worry about.”

During the Choir’s portion of the concert, two different groups will perform: the Advanced Vocal Ensemble and the Concert Choir.

“As an Advanced Vocal Ensemble member, we learned eight songs for our Winter Concert,” sophomore Choir member Analiyah Velez said. “We prepare by cite reading our music in our sections, focusing on the correct notes and vowel shapes. We rehearse every day during class and recently had our dress rehearsal and potluck.” 

The choir had a three-hour rehearsal to perfect everything, including going on and off stage orders and where they will stand. 

“At the end of rehearsal, we all meet as a group in the cafe and have a potluck for all the hard work we have done,” junior Lexi Velez said. “I am looking forward to seeing everyone sing the pieces we have worked on for so long.”

The Band students will perform four songs in total directed by Mr. Pelaggi: two songs from the Jazz Band and two songs from the Concert Band. The songs consist of Christmas themes and classic upbeat pieces.

“The JLHS music program is so excited to present their Winter Concert,” Pelaggi said. “All of the performing ensembles will be playing – instrumental and choral. Our students have worked incredibly hard and we are ready to share it with friends, family, and loved ones.”

Members of the Choir and Band have been practicing very hard for this performance. There are 65 students in the Choir and 40 students in the Band.

“The Jazz Band started rehearsing in the first week of October,” sophomore member Ethan Panella said. “However, the Concert Band started rehearsing in mid-October.”

ENTERTAINMENT: “MLB The Show ’24” A Home Run For Video Game Players

(Photo courtesy nintendo.com)

By Brady O’Neil – Staff Reporter

“MLB The Show ’24” is the latest baseball game in the series, and it’s definitely a solid addition. It brings realistic gameplay, improved graphics, and a few new features to the table, but it doesn’t exactly change the game in a huge way. Fans of baseball and the series will enjoy it, but it may feel a little too familiar for some.

The graphics in this year’s game are really impressive. Player animations look super smooth, and the stadiums are full of little details that make them feel alive. From fans waving in the stands to the shadows changing as the game goes on, it all looks like a real baseball game. Even the way players’ jerseys move looks realistic, which is a nice touch. The faces of most players look spot-on, though a few less popular ones don’t look as well animated as others.

The gameplay is where “MLB: The Show” always shines, and it’s no different here. Hitting and pitching feel great, and fielding seems better this year, especially with diving plays and animations being smoother. The game rewards timing and strategy, which makes every at-bat and pitch feel important. The different difficulty options also make it easy for beginners to pick up while still being challenging for experienced players.

Modes like Franchise and Road to the Show are back, and they’re still fun, but they don’t feel all that different from last year. Franchise Mode lets you take control of a team and manage everything from trades to lineups, while Road to the Show lets you create a player and take them through their career. Both are still good but could use some fresh ideas. Diamond Dynasty is where a lot of people spend their time, and it’s fun to build a dream team, but grinding for top players takes a lot of time unless you’re willing to spend real money.

Overall, “MLB The Show ’24” does a lot of things right but doesn’t do much to stand out compared to last year’s game. It’s still the best baseball game out there and worth playing, but it might not feel like a huge step forward. For baseball fans, though, it’s hard to beat.

NEWS: Morazzini Inspires Students Through His Love Of Science

Mr. Morazzini (Photo by Sebastian Marino Beltran)

By Sebastian Beltran – Staff Reporter

At Jonathan Law High School, science teacher Mr. Morazzini has embraced STEM education.

With more than 19 years of experience, Morazzini is a beloved figure in the school community, known for his ability to make complex scientific concepts accessible to students of all levels.

“We have a great science department and we are all very close. We care very much about providing the best experience we can for our students in our science courses,” Morazzini said. “We also have so many outstanding course options that students can take in science.”

Morazzini’s ability to connect with students on a personal level is what sets him apart. 

“He’s the reason I’ve developed such a good foundation in science and tools to solve real world problems,” senior Cam Upchurch said. “Mr. Morazzini always makes sure we can see the bigger picture and how what we learn in class applies to our future.”

Morazzini takes the time to understand their individual goals and interests, in his lessons to help them thrive.

“Our Milford district science teachers have written all of our science units to be based around real-world phenomena, which are events that relate directly to what we can see and experience as part of our lives,” Morazzini said. “We hope that by basing our courses around this NGSS model (Next Generation Science Standards), students will be able to make more connections to their learning and actually figure out key concepts based on their questions.”

Beyond academics, Morazzini inspires students to think critically about their role in the broader community.

“Science is about making changes, big or small, “senior Jaden Oyola said. “Mr. Morazzini taught me that even small actions can make a big difference.”

Through his teaching methods, for science, and commitment to student growth, Mr. Morazzini is shaping the next generation at Jonathan Law High School.

“Last year around the holidays, I received a letter in the mail from a former Marine Science student,” Morazzini said. “He was attending UConn at the time and wrote to me about how our class was a big influence on him and that I had made a difference in his life. I’m sure a lot of teachers would feel that these are some of the moments that make us the most proud of what we do.”

SPORTS: Freshman Sprinter Genc Looks To Make Impact On Law Indoor Track Team

Yusuf Genc (Photo by Matthew Sanchez)

By Matthew Sanchez & Adrian Vitale – Staff Reporters 

Freshman sprinter Yusuf Genc is a new addition to the Jonathan Law boys indoor track team.

Genc has been running for years and hopes to bring that experience to the team. He feels that high school running is much more competitive and challenging than the competition he is accustomed to.

“I feel challenged but I feel as though I will be able to overcome them throughout the year to improve myself as a sprinter for the team,” Genc said.

Genc’s fellow freshman sprinters – Fiad Rahman, Erik Borowski, Marcos Tepetl, and Vincenzo Mannino – are excited to have him on the team.

“I think Yusuf is a very good fit for the team because he’s very athletic and smart,” Rahman said. “He’s always very focused in class, and I can tell he is determined about what he does.”

Mannino said that Genc’s printing talent is clear.

“When I saw him running, I knew he had the potential to be something,” Mannino said.

Tepetl said that Genc has the potential to have an immediate impact on the team.

“I think that he has great potential if he works hard,” Tepetl said. “He just needs to put his mind into it while also being consistent with his training.”

Borowski agreed.

“If he works hard consistently, he can become one of the fastest sprinters in the school’s team,” Borowski said. 

SPORTS: Senior Captain Hancock Looks To Make Lasting Impact On Law Wrestling Team

Brayden Hancock (Photo courtesy Brayden Hancock)

By Henry Smith & Amilio Venditti – Staff Reporters

With the 2024-2025 Law wrestling season underway, senior captain Brayden Hancock is looking to lead the team to a strong finish this season.

Hancock has helped the Lawmen in many ways, being a leader and good example that the team needs, from good power, and technique, and never fearing his opponents. He wrestles with passion and is willing to do whatever it takes to win on the mat.  

“I’m looking forward to seeing how far I can go this season in terms of States,” Hancock said. “Also, I’m looking forward to catching up with some of the wrestlers from other schools.”

Hancock has qualified for the State Tournament the past two years and looks forward to a third. He hopes to go further in the State Tournament than previous years.

“Brayden is always the hardest worker in the room,” senior Will Smith said. ”Our teammates see Brayden going 100 miles an hour during practice and seeing it makes them want to work harder.” 

Hancock has qualities that most wrestlers do not have. His stamina, power and a combination of technique helps him power through matches and to win.

“I’ve seen Brayden go from all power and a little skill to having good power and skill which really improved his ability to win,” Smith said.

Hancock has wrestled since his sophomore year. His success has come from the work that he puts in during practice.

“Brayden’s work ethic is unmatched,” Head Coach Matthew Schoonmaker said. “Day in and day out, Brayden commits 100% and works harder than virtually any wrestler I’ve coached in my 30 years as a wrestling coach.” 

Hancock’s work ethic is one of the examples he sets for the team.

“Brayden has been an outstanding leader for the team through both his actions and his attitude. One of the key ways he leads is by setting a strong example in training,” Assistant Coach Mr. Ruzbarsky said. “He consistently gives his best effort, showing up early, staying late, and pushing himself and others to improve every day.”

Hancock helps his teammates to get better every practice by pushing them harder and giving 100% all the time.

“Brayden is the lead example for the team,” senior Tim Firla said. “He never misses a rep and is always giving his all 100% of the time.”

SPORTS: Law Wrestling Team Has High Hopes For Winter Season

(Photo courtesy Henry Smith)

By Connor Ryan and Dylan Gaillard – Staff Reporters

The Jonathan Law wrestling team is looking forward to their upcoming winter season.

Law’s first match is at home against New Haven. This year’s coaches are Mr. Ruzbarsky and Matt Schoonmaker. 

“This season we have eight wrestlers returning that have done a good amount of off-season work,” Assistant Coach Mark Ruzbarsky said. “We are looking to have a 50% winning record as a team and some of our individuals have some very high goals personally as well.”

This year’s captain is senior Brayden Hancock. Hancock is looking to improve and lead the lawmen to a successful season.

“To prepare for the season, most returners have participated in offseason wrestling usually with a club such as Southside or Tugman,” Hancock said. “In addition, we’ve organized offseason team lifts to get in shape and get stronger for the season.” 

Schoonmaker expects to have multiple key players. He also hopes that they can improve record-wise.

“We are expecting to be above .500 this season, qualify four wrestlers to the State Opens this season and have at least one female State Champion,” Schoonmaker said. “Also, we are expecting five female State place winners at the women’s State Tournament and to finish Top three with two New England qualifiers and one New England Place winner.” 

The Lawmen are participating in many tournaments this winter. 

“This year we are bringing back our JK invitational tournament in February which we host,” Ruzbarsky said. “Also, we are very excited to have seven female wrestlers on the team and are very excited for the three girls tournaments we are attending. Lastly, the end of the season is always fun with our culminating girls and boys CIAC state tournaments.” 

Members of the team consider Law wrestling to be a second family.

“I am looking forward to spending more time with my team and supporting them,” sophomore Selena Batres said. “Also, I want to watch them succeed in their matches.” 

The Lawmen lost six seniors from last year’s team, so their main goal will be to fill these spots before their first match.

“The team has gotten multiple new wrestlers to replace seniors that left,” sophomore Henry Smith said. “They have learned a lot preparing for our first meet. Jaden Oyola will make a big difference at heavyweight.”

SPORTS: Senior Upchurch Hopes To Lead Law To Postseason Berth

Cam Upchurch (Photo courtesy Nathan Galicinao)

By Reid Moulton & Logan Thomas – Staff Reporters

As senior Cam Upchurch enters his fourth and final season on the Law basketball team, he hopes to make a deep run through the postseason.

Upchurch has been a starter for his last three years and was a member of the 2022 team that won 17 games.

“My goals for the season are to make States again and to win more games than we did last season,” Upchurch said. “To get ready for the season, we have been having open gyms, lifts, conditioning, scrimmages, and skill work to get ready.”

Upchurch is a role model for the varsity team on and off the court. He guides them to succeed and win games and helps them become a better team.

“Cam has grown in a number of ways, certainly as a basketball player, but also as a leader,” Assistant Coach Mr. McPartland said. “In terms of his evolution as a basketball player, the game has most definitely slowed down for him and each year he seems to see the floor better and better, he understands that the game wears and tears on your body and because of this, he has worked a ton on his pull-up jumper, which has improved tremendously. My hope for Cam this year primarily is that he stays healthy. He knows as one of the leaders of the team that he can never have a ‘bad day’ – that’s not to say that he can’t miss shots, turn the ball over on the occasion, or have off days basketball-wise, but he knows he needs to be focused, engaged, and vocal with the team.”

Upchurch plays a huge role as a captain of the varsity team, where he strives to excel on both sides of the floor.

“Cam brings so much to our team,” sophomore Emelio Garcia said. “His leadership and experience are invaluable, guiding us both on and off the court. He always motivates us to give our best and maintain a positive attitude even in tough moments, additionally, his ability to communicate effectively and make quick decisions during the game helps keep us focused and united.”

Over the past three years, Upchurch has gained his teammates’ respect on and off the court. 

“Cam is a great leader because he has a lot of experience of being on varsity and he is someone we can look up to,” sophomore Matthew Witteman said. “He helps us win because he contributes a lot to the offense and he is a great defender.”

ENTERTAINMENT: “Home Alone 2” Still A Holiday Classic Decades Later

(Photo courtesy imdb.com)

By Aaryan Doshi and Vaughn Kraynak – Staff Reporters

The 1992 sequel “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” takes Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) on another hilarious and heartwarming adventure. The movie is directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes, the movie shifts the action from Kevin’s suburban home to the lively streets of New York City, creating an exciting and festive atmosphere. 

This time, Kevin gets separated from his family at the airport and accidentally boards a flight to New York while his family heads to Florida. Alone in the city, Kevin uses his father’s credit card to check into the luxurious Plaza Hotel and explore famous landmarks like Central Park and Rockefeller Center. Everything seems great until Kevin runs into Harry and Marv, the burglars from the first movie, who are now plotting to rob a toy store on Christmas Eve. Determined to stop them, Kevin creates an abandoned townhouse with creative and hilarious traps. As the crooks fall for every one of Kevin’s tricks, the movie delivers plenty of laughs. Along the way, Kevin becomes friends with a kind lonely pigeon lady in Central Park, learning about the importance of kindness, forgiveness, and family.

Macaulay Culkin is great as Kevin, combining cleverness, humor, and charm. The new setting of New York City makes the story feel bigger and more exciting, especially with its magical Christmas decorations and famous landmarks. Kevin’s traps are even crazier than in the first movie, with everything from falling bricks to exploding paint cans, creating moments that are both ridiculous and hilarious. The film also has touching moments, especially Kevin’s friendship with the pigeon lady and the subplot about Mr. Duncan, the generous toy store owner who donates to children in need. These scenes balance the comedy with heartfelt holiday messages about giving and caring for others.

The movie follows a similar plot to the original, making it feel predictable at times. Some of the traps and slapstick humor are so exaggerated they’re hard to believe, especially with how much Harry and Marv endure. Kevin’s family doesn’t get much development, and their scenes mostly revolve around trying to find him again. Also, the characters outside of Kevin lack development. Kevin’s family, once again, is only focused on trying to find him after he gets lost. They don’t have much to do or grow as characters, which weakens the emotional impact of the film. The main focus is on Kevin and the burglars, so the supporting characters don’t get as much attention, leaving them feeling one-dimensional.

Overall, “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” is a fun sequel that brings back the humor and charm of the original movie. With its New York setting, creative pranks, and heartwarming moments, it’s a movie that families can laugh and smile at together every Christmas season.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

ENTERTAINMENT: New “Fortnite OG” Game Brings Players Back To Chapter One

(Photo courtesy epicgames.com)

By Aiden Ramos and Christian Galligan – Staff Reporters 

The new “Fortnite OG” mode launched on December 6 and has sent waves of excitement through the gaming community. Designed to recreate the original Chapter 1 experience, this mode reintroduces iconic locations, the classic loot pool, and nostalgic gameplay elements while incorporating modern features that enhance the overall experience.  

Players are transported back to beloved locations like Pleasant Park, Salty Springs, Retail Row, and Anarchy Acres, each bringing back memories for longtime fans and players. The simpler aesthetics of the graphics perfectly echo the original game, yet subtle modern improvements keep the visuals sharp and immersive. Weapon sounds, like the satisfying crack of the pump shotgun or the burst of the assault rifle, evoke a powerful sense of nostalgia, immersing players in the charm of early “Fortnite.” 

However, as many non-players see it, this isn’t just a walk down memory lane. Modern mechanics like sprinting, sliding, mantling, and healing while moving have been seamlessly integrated, offering smoother and more tactical, and much more understandable gameplay. Features such as Reboot Vans and visual indicators for sniper scopes strike a balance between preserving the essence of Chapter 1 and meeting current player expectations. This combination ensures that “Fortnite OG” isn’t just a nostalgic experience but also a competitive one that caters to both veterans and new players.  

Despite its many strengths, “Fortnite OG” isn’t without its frustrations, much like the original game. The loot pool, while faithful to the original, feels overly scarce. Common and uncommon weapons dominate the battlefield, making higher-rarity loot a rare find. Additionally, the absence of mini-shields limits healing options. With only big pots and slurp juices available, players often find themselves vulnerable during critical moments. While this mirrors the challenges of the original gameplay, it can occasionally detract from the fun, particularly for players accustomed to the variety and availability of modern Fortnite loot.  

“Fortnite OG” delivers the magic of its early days while embracing the quality-of-life improvements developed over the years. Blending nostalgia with modern mechanics creates an experience that feels both familiar and fresh. The challenges presented by the limited loot pool add a layer of difficulty that may frustrate some but also heighten the intensity of matches. For longtime fans, “Fortnite OG” is a thrilling return to where it all began. For newer players, it’s a unique opportunity for them to experience the roots of this cultural phenomenon.  

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

SPORTS: Law Wins Second Straight Over Foran In Annual Powderpuff Game

(Photo courtesy Nathan Galicinao)

By Yeiden Nieves & Cesar Mendez – Sports Editors

The Jonathan Law Powderpuff team defeated the Foran Lions 21-17 on November 27.

Law was led by captains Paige Kantor, Chloe Konareski, Ella Franzman, and Taylor Corretti. The offensive MVPs of the game were senior Chloe Konareski and senior Paige Kantor and the defensive MVPs were senior Tessa Piselli and senior Sophia Abbaspour.

Konareski scored three touchdowns – two rushing and one receiving – including one late in the fourth quarter to secure Law the win. She finished with close to 300 total yards on offense.

“It felt good to have someone step up like Chloe did after a rough first drive,” junior quarterback Charlotte Doyle said. “She kept on running hard and the rest of us did our best to do our job.”

The defense held strong throughout the game to limit the Lions to only 17 points.

“I felt that we all worked great together as a team and executed our plays very well,” senior linebackerTessa Piselli said.

This wins gives the Lawmen a two game win streak against the Lions and they have no plan on slowing down next year. This was the first back-to-back win for either team since 2015.  

“One thing I would tell the juniors next year, is to be aggressive,” Kantor said. “If you want to win, you can’t be afraid. You have to give it your all.”

Coaches knew going into the game that the game was not going to be easy and it would take lots of hard work. But all of the practices definitely paid off in the end and the win felt very rewarding. 

“I thought they did fantastic,” Head Coach Mr. O’Reilly said. “We moved certain athletes around very last minute and we were nervous with how they’d do but they excelled under the pressure of the game. “

Overall, this years Powderpuff game was one to remember and the seniors will never forget it. The juniors on the team are prepared to work hard and bring home a three-peat.  

“I was very excited going into the game because we were going up against our cross town rivals,” Abbaspour said. “Overall I was just very happy to be able to play and the win made it feel so much nicer.”

NEWS: Law Key Club Helps Those In Need With Annual Holiday Food Drive

(Photo courtesy Jonathan Law Key Club)

By Carly Ranilla & Noah Oquendo – Staff Reporters

The Jonathan Law Key Club’s annual Holiday Food Drive opened on December 11.

The purpose behind the annual drive is to provide holiday meals for Jonathan Law families who cannot afford it themselves. Law is holding a miniature competition between Advisory classes to see who can bring in the most canned goods. 

“We are hoping that we can get competitions going through Advisories,” Key Club Advisor Mr. Boynton said. “Whichever Advisory brings in the most canned goods and donations will win a pizza party on the return from our holiday break.”

Students also have the opportunity to personally bring in foods on their own. Whenever someone brings in a donation, they automatically get their names entered into a school raffle for the chance to win a $50 gift card.

“If people want to donate individually, Key Clubbers collect donations in front of the main office between 7-7:20 a.m. every day,” Boynton said. “And you have a chance to win a $50 gift card.”

Donations will be accepted until December 20. The Key Club will then take the food and create baskets full of different foods accessible to take home over the holiday break.

People should only bring foods or cans that are non-perishable.

“The only food that wouldn’t really be accepted is if it’s expired or will expire because like most other food drives, it really only collects non-perishables goods,” Junior Key Club Vice President Kayla Markowitz said. “We’re looking for things like box stuffing, cans, potatoes, anything like that.” 

Senior Key Club President Addy Barber said the drive helps keeps the holidays in perspective.

“It’s important to have things like this because the holiday season is a hard time for many people and we tend to take small things for granted,” Barber said. “So having this food drive reminds us to feel grateful for all we have.”

NEWS: Law’s FBLA Club Attends Bridgeport Islanders Sports Marketing Seminar

(Photo courtesy Mr. Beler)

By Madison Krauss – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s FBLA Club attended the Bridgeport Islanders’ Sports Marketing and Management Seminar on November 12. 

At the seminar, students had the opportunity to hear from business people within the Bridgeport Islanders organization as well as representatives from local colleges. These speakers spoke on careers in both the professional and collegiate sports industries that many students may not have previously known about.

“Many students are interested in playing and watching sports and are unaware of the various business jobs and career options available in sports and entertainment,” FBLA Advisor Mrs. Israelite said. 

The Bridgeport Islanders welcomed business students from across the state to participate in a Sports Marketing and Management Seminar. This event provided students with the unique opportunity to gain insights and advice from industry professionals and learn about careers in the business side of sports.

After hearing from the business professionals, students had the opportunity to participate in a Q&A session. This allowed them to ask the speakers questions at the seminar to gain deeper insight into the various career paths explored. 

“I enjoyed the q&a with the amphitheater representatives about the responsibilities the workers have the most, and obviously watching the game,” junior Natalie Rendon said. 

The goal of the Sports Marketing and Management Seminar was to open the doors for students who are interested in playing and watching sports, and who are also unaware of the various business jobs and career options available within sports and entertainment. 

The students learned many lessons from the seminar, including how they can have a future career in sports marketing, along with what goes on in the background of these careers. 

A majority of the student’s favorite part of the field trip was being able to stay after the seminar to watch a minor league hockey game. 

“I enjoyed watching the hockey game after the seminar,” junior Jack Lefevre said.

Another favorite part of the trip for the majority of students was having the ability to enjoy the hockey game alongside their friends.

“My favorite part of the game was watching the game with all my friends,” junior Yeiden Nieves said.

The field trip was centered around the seminar but also offered the opportunity to watch the hockey game which was new for some students. 

“My favorite part was the game when the players had their introduction and outros,” junior Amaya Lewis said.

LIFE AFTER LAW: Catching Up With Class Of 2023 Graduate Ashley Coretti

Ashley Coretti (Photo courtesy Ashley Coretti)

By Taylor Coretti and Abigail Merenda – Staff Reporters 

Jonathan Law Class of 2023 graduate Ashley Coretti changed her plans going into her sophomore year of college. 

Coretti went into Duquesne her freshman year as an Accounting major but felt it wasn’t the right fit for her. She decided to transfer to Southern Connecticut State University for her sophomore year to be closer with her family while also changing her major to Psychology. 

“It’s hard to know what you want to do when you are 17-18 years old,” Coretti said. “I finally made the choice to be a Psychology major, and I start next semester with that so hopefully it goes well.”

Coretti feels more joy in being closer to home and spending more time with her loved ones. 

“I transferred because I was eight hours from home and I would go months without seeing my family and that got to be very difficult for me,” Coretti said. “Now, because I commute, I get to see them all of the time so transferring was worth it for me.”

While she loves the switch to SCSU, the hardest part was leaving one of her best friends behind. 

“I think I miss my best friend from Duquesne the most because we were inseparable,” Coretti said. “She lived across the hall and we would do everything together, so not seeing her since May has been crazy but I’m definitely going to visit her soon.”

Coretti had some difficulties moving from Pittsburgh back to Milford.

“The most difficult thing about transferring is the ability to make new friends going into a new school as a sophomore when everyone is already in their own friend groups,” Coretti said. “Another difficult thing is waking up on time and giving myself enough time in the morning to get to classes on time.”

While transferring schools, there was one person that Coretti felt helped her most. 

“The person that had the biggest impact on me while transferring was definitely my dad,” Coretti said. “He has always supported my decisions and helps me whenever I need it.”

Since SCSU is located in New Haven, Coretti decided to commute instead of living on campus. 

“The adjustment to commuting to college is definitely different from what I’m used to,” Coretti said. “Going from leaving my dorm to go to classes, to driving to school from home has been exciting.”

NEWS: Law’s National English Honor Society Holds Holiday Book Drive

(Photo by Kishal Shah)

By Kishal Shah – Staff Reporter   

Jonathan Law’s National English Honor Society held its first meeting of the year in October and is currently running a Holiday Book Drive.

NEHS is a national philanthropic organization which aims to give back to the community by cultivating a vibrant environment where high school students and teachers can immerse themselves in experiences of promoting literacy and serving society. 

Law plans to contribute to NEHS’s values by organizing events and fundraisers that help spread the importance and prominence of  books and reading in a learning  environment. NEHS Advisor Mrs. Lucia believes members must think about the society’s impact on a larger scale than just within Law, and expand its influence throughout the city of Milford.  

“I hope that we continue to do charity projects outside of the book drive, and one of my goals is to get students into elementary schools for reading, whether it’s to just read with kids to help provide support or just take a story time off of a teacher’s plate and entertain the kids for a little while,” Lucia said. “That would be another way to involve students in the elementary school community that will eventually be coming to Law.”

NEHS Treasurer Alexandra Fino is collaborating with fellow officers to organize the society’s ongoing Holiday Book Drive, which they hope will achieve their shared goal of donating books to make reading more accessible for the citizens of Milford.

“One thing we are doing currently is a Book Drive, where students from the school can donate old books they are no longer using, so those books can be recycled to new people who can read and use them more,” Fino said. “Not only does this repurpose books, but it allows people who may not regularly have access to books to be able to read them.”

Apart from contributing to community fundraisers and events such as the Book Drive and reading in elementary schools, another requirement for members of the society includes required English Tutoring in the TLC after school during the Extended Learning Program (ELP) hours. 

Senior NEHS member Brianna Madelung is enthusiastic about helping other peers through peer tutoring as she finds it to be a personable way of giving back to the Law community. 

“I look forward to helping out during tutoring the most,” Madelung said. 

Senior Olivia Pisacane also believes peer tutoring helps build relations with peers and helps foster a positive literary learning environment in the Law community.

“I’m looking forward to fundraising more and helping others in the Support Center,” Pisacane said. 

This practice of tutoring during ELP hours is vital to the society’s mission and values because it is an obligation as a society member to spread the learning of literary knowledge, and helps other peers build their foundations in English to improve in their language skills in their respective courses.

NEWS: Law Hosts First Pep Rally Of The School Year

(Photo by Aislyn McKernan)

By Aislyn McKernan and Madi Black – Social Media Editors

Law held its first Pep Rally of the year on November 22 to celebrate fall sports and the Thanksgiving Week  football games.

The Pep Rally was held during Spirit Week, specifically on Color Wars Day. All students showed support by wearing the colors assigned to their class. There were many different activities during the rally, including a school-wide game of musical chairs – with a twist.

The winner of the game was sophomore Jackie Rivera.

“I volunteered to participate because it looked like a lot of fun,” said Rivera. “It was the main part of the rally and I didn’t want to miss out.”

The rally was hosted by a group of Law seniors including Cam Upchurch.  

“Hosting the Pep Rally was fun and I definitely would like to do it again,” Upchurch said.

The Law Band began the Pep Rally with a fun performance of the song “Hey, Baby.” Senior Riley Lapham was one of the lead drummers for the performance.

“I think the Band did really well,” Lapham said. “Playing at the rallies is a great way to show off what we learn and work hard on in class.”

The Law Choir sang the National Anthem.

“I was excited but a little nervous to sing, but overall I wouldn’t change anything,” junior Lexi Velez said. “I think the Pep Rally was a success and would take the opportunity again.”

The Law cheerleaders performed along with the Powderpuff boy cheerleaders. 

“I think the Pep Rally went well, we hit all our stunts and the crowd seemed to like it,” sophomore Maddie Nash said. “Training with the Powderpuff boys was fun. It was fun to see the boys try to do the stunts we cheerleaders do.” 

SPORTS: Jonathan Law Indoor Track Team Prepares For Winter Season

(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Logan Mullarkey and Chloe Edmonds

The Jonathan Law indoor track team is gearing up for an exciting winter season, ready to build on past successes and push for even better results.

The team kicks off their season on December 19 at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven.

“Our goal every season is to improve with each meet and make an impact at both the conference and state levels,” Head Coach Frank Gaines said.

Senior captains Faisal Karzoun and Riley Lapham are stepping up as leaders this year. Lapham hopes to inspire her teammates both during practices and on meet days.

“My focus is to set the tone with hard work and positivity,” Lapham said. “I want to make sure everyone feels supported and motivated to give their best effort.”

Karzoun, who specializes in sprints and relays, is eager to help his teammates succeed in every event.

“This year, I want to encourage everyone to push past their limits and have fun while doing it,” Karzoun said. “It’s all about building each other up.”

Sophomore Talia Hagan, a rising star in the 4×200 relay and 300-meter dash, is eager to make her mark this season.

“I’m really looking forward to competing against Foran and the friends I have made in the past few years,” Hagan said. “There’s always a friendly rivalry, and it motivates me to train even harder.”

The team has spent the preseason preparing with conditioning sessions and technique-focused practices. According to junior captain Alani Velez, the preseason training has been key in setting the team up for success.

“Before the first meet, we’re focusing on perfecting the technical details of each event,” Velez said. “We’re also prioritizing teamwork and building a strong sense of unity within the team.”

The team has a mix of experienced upperclassmen and eager underclassmen, which Gaines sees as a strength. With athletes excelling in multiple different events, the team is ready to face the competition.

Despite their challenges, including the loss of key athletes from last year, the team is determined to perform well and make the most of the season ahead.

“I’m really excited about the upcoming season,” sophomore Jeremiah Dos Santos said. “After competing in outdoor track last year, I’m ready to bring that experience to the indoor season and see what our team can accomplish.”

The indoor track team is ready to bring energy and determination to each meet, focusing on personal and team success throughout the season.

ENTERTAINMENT: Maureen Johnson’s Novel “Truly Devious” Keeps Readers Guessing

(Photo courtesy amazon.com)

By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor

“Truly Devious” is a mystery YA novel written by Marueen Johnson and published on January 16th, 2018. “Truly Devious” is the first book in the series. The story follows the main character, Stevie Bell, who gets accepted into Ellingham Academy, a boarding school in the Vermont mountains. Years ago, there was a kidnapping and murder of the school’s founder’s wife and child. Ever since Stevie discovered the case, she has been obsessed with solving it. 

When Stevie is accepted, she’s beyond thrilled, as this is her chance to really solve the case. When she arrives, she meets her new house members, Janelle, Nate, Hayes, David and Ellie. The five of them couldn’t be more different. 

“Truly Devious” is quite descriptive, not lacking in any details of the scenes. The story follows a more plot driven storyline, but even so, falling in love with the characters is quite possible. Janelle is a kind, outgoing girl whose talent is building things. Nate, an introverted writer. Hayes, an egotistical actor. David, a wild video game creator, and Ellie, the funky artist. 

This book has many character relationships to root for. Stevie and Janelle grow into best friends. The two of them are always there for one another, always supportive. Stevie and Nate create a bond through their share of social anxiety and Stevie and David can’t help but be attracted to one another. 

When one of the students at Ellingham is murdered, Stevie’s desire to solve cases intensifies. Stevie wants to find the truth, and figure out, is this murder connected to the ones in the past? 

Stevie is portrayed as a true crime fanatic, but through her layers, she deals with ongoing panic attacks and anxiety. She doesn’t let anything get in her way of investing the truth, though. Stevie is not afraid to take risks to fill her desires. She had always wanted to be a part of an investigation, but she’s not sure being a part of one lives up to what she dreamed of. 

Stevie’s thoughts include, “That was something they taught you in anxiety therapy – the thoughts may come, but you don’t have to chase them all. It was sort of the opposite of good detective work, in which you had to follow every lead.”

Throughout the stories, there are flashbacks to the time of the first crime, where readers get an inside look of what happened and how the characters felt. The book is a mix between the past and present, both keeping readers on their toes about the past and current mystery. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

SPORTS: Milford Mariners Lace Up Skates For 2024-2025 Hockey Season

(Photo courtesy @milford_puck)

By Dani Kotansky & Cora Aitkenhead – Staff Reporters 

The Milford Mariners hockey team – with a combination of players from Law, Foran, and Platt Tech – is kicking off its season on December 18 against Branford at the Northford Ice Pavilion. 

This year’s captains are seniors Sean Luxeder (Law), Nolan Fortier (Foran), Daniel Lavallee (Foran), and Connor Benz (Foran). Luxeder plans to guide underclassmen as a captain this season. 

“This season, my primary goal is to enhance my leadership abilities,” Luxeder said. “As a captain and senior, I aim to set an example for the underclassmen, helping them grow into stronger hockey players, supportive teammates, and future leaders.”

Joey Kerzner, a junior at Foran, has high expectations for the Mariners as a returning player this season. Milford finished last season with a record of 4-15-1 and is looking to make the playoffs this season. 

“Some goals for the season I look forward to is putting pucks in the back of the net and winning games as a team,” Kerzner said, “We have high standards for our team this year and we are confident that we can be a playoff level team.”

Freshman Blaise Strate (Platt Tech) is looking forward to hitting the ice with his new team. 

“Something that I am looking forward to this season is playing with my new teammates and getting to know them, along with the experience of high school hockey,” Strate said. “A skill I would like to develop more is my speed along with my shot and deceptiveness.”

The Mariners’ first home game will be played on December 21 against Fairfield Co-op at the Milford Ice Pavilion. To see the rest of the Mariners’ schedule, fans can go to @milford_puck on Instagram. 

Fortier plans to lead by example his final year and put the team first. 

“Things that make up a good team are players who are there for each other on and off the ice,” Fortier said. ”I believe a good player puts his teammates first and gives 100% effort no matter what the situation is, and the team this year has a lot of these types of players and I look forward to seeing what we can do this year.”

Junior and goalie Aiden Riker (Law) is ready to begin the season with a few personal goals. 

“One thing I’m trying to improve on and develop is my post plays and following the puck behind the net,” Riker said. 

SPORTS: Law Junior Krauss Takes The Ice With Hamden Co-Op Girls Hockey Team

(Photo courtesy Madison Krauss)

By Molly Lynch – News Editor

Junior Madison Krauss is getting ready to start the girls hockey season as a member of the Hamden High School Co-op team.

Krauss plays right wing and is one of the few Law – and Milford – students who play on Hamden High’s girls hockey team.

“I contribute to the team by being one of the few kids who are from Law that play for Hamden,” Krauss said. 

The Hamden Co-op team won the SCC Girls Hockey Championship last year. Krauss is a talented player and has been playing hockey since she was a kid. 

“She is really talented, a hard worker, and her skating ability is impressive,” former teammate an Law freshman Danielle Kotansky said.

Winning the SCC Tournament after losing the year before was Krauss’ most memorable moment from last season.

“The most memorable moment from last season was winning SCCs after losing the year before in double overtime in the finals,” Krauss said.

Off the ice, Krauss is excited to bond with her teammates this upcoming season.

“I am most looking forward to more team bonding like pasta parties this season,” Krauss said.

NEWS: Law’s National Honor Society Helps Those In Need With Annual Giving Tree

(Photo courtesy Tim Firla)

By Will Smith & Tim Firla – Entertainment Editors

It’s the season of giving and Law’s National Honor Society is helping those in need with the annual Giving Tree.

The Giving Tree is located in the lobby and members of the Law community can take a tag from the tree which lists an age and gift idea for the child in need.

“Each year the National Honor Society sponsors the Giving Tree,” National Honor Society Advisor Mrs. Goldbeck said. “We work with a non-profit in our community to receive gift ideas for children who may not receive gifts during the holiday. We place the ideas on the tree and the Law community does the rest. Staff and students take a tag, buy a gift and return it to the tree. The staff of the non-profit then comes to Law to pick up the gifts and distribute them to their clients.”

Senior National Honor Society President Maddie Baranowskiy is grateful to give back to the community during the holiday season.

“It feels great to help the community during the holiday season,” Baranowsky said. “Giving back is always super rewarding and brings the Law and the Milford community together.”

Senior Brayden Hancock, a member of the National Honor Society, enjoys the sense of community and helping others with the Giving Tree. 

“I like how the Giving Tree fosters a sense of community due to the communal aspect of helping others,” Hancock said.

Senior Katherine Cepetelli has made more than five donations to the Giving Tree this year.

“I donated because I feel that everyone should be able to experience the Christmas joy of getting gifts no matter their income or living situation,” Cepetelli said. “I believe that as someone who is more fortunate than others, it is my job to give back to the community and do my part in giving to people in need.”

NEWS: Law Drama Club Prepares For Upcoming “Hollywood Showcase” Production

(Photo by Taylor Mola)

By Taylor Mola and Morgan Cappock – Staff Reporters

The Jonathan Law Drama Club is making final preparations for its Hollywood Showcase on December 13 and 14.

This showcase is a fun way for the members to show off all of their talents and their love for what they do. The Drama Club has been working hard and is excited to invite everyone to come and watch.

We have been meeting up every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 3-6:30 p.m. which is such a short amount of time,” Junior President Chris Serrano said. “The club has been extremely dedicated to making a great production. Starting early this week, we have entered Tech Week, going from 5-9 p.m.”

This club has delivered a well-thought out showcase for this weekend and is thrilled to present it to the students and families of Law. The production will showcase scenes from “Barbie,” “Grease,” “The Breakfast Club,” and more.

“I came up with the idea of a Hollywood Showcase because I wanted to do something that would appeal to a wide range of people and I wanted to stay away from Broadway musicals,” Director Olivia Rivera said. “I also didn’t want to do a specific holiday or season like we did last year with the Spooky Showcase and because families are already attending so many winter and holiday concerts this month.”

Rivera wanted to include movies and plays that all audience members would love and relate to in some way.

“We are able to choose songs from the classics like ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ songs from movies that parents and grandparents grew up loving like ‘Dirty Dancing,’ and songs from newer movies like ‘Barbie,’” Rivera said. “There’s something for everyone in the showcase.”

Club members all had such a fun time learning and working together leading up to the showcase. Some members have been in Drama Club since they were freshmen and are excited to show off their talents in their last showcase before their spring musical.

“It’s definitely sad because I like working with all of the underclassmen that have been with me since the start,” senior Sarah Gutierrez said. “But at the same time as all of this, it is cool to see all of the growth and also I get to leave something to the people after me and I’m excited to see what the program turns into.”

Senior Tori DePoto said she is excited for the show but not ready for her Drama Club career to end.

“It’s definitely bittersweet,” senior Tori DePoto said. “I’m excited to get out and graduate but this is the one thing I’ve been doing since freshman year. I’m excited for it to actually be a show.”

SPORTS: Law Girls Basketball Team Eager To Start 2024-2025 Season

(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Courtney Russo – News Editor

The Jonathan Law girls basketball team is excited to start the winter season.

Law opens the season on December 13 at home against Amistad. This year’s captains are seniors Chloe Konareski, Tessa Piselli, Taylor Corretti, Haley Struffolino, Ella Franzman, and Lilly Baird.

“As a captain, I help incoming freshmen by always being there for them if they have any questions or need support on or off the court,” Stroffolino said. “I ensure they have fun and always feel part of the team.”

The Lawmen finished 10-10 last season and hopes to improve on that record this year. 

“This season I hope we better our record,” sophomore Maddy Bonnano said. “I think if we keep up how we have been playing at practice then we can achieve that goal.”

The team has been putting in a lot of hard work by consistently practicing and training hard.

“This year’s practice hours are 2:30-5:00 p.m. every weekday,” sophomore Madi Black said. “We also practice 9:00-11:00 on weekends.”

This year, the team has set goals to make sure they thrive and improve on the court. Team members described this year’s squad as energetic, determined, and committed.

“Im hoping that we can improve our communication skills and be able to talk more on the court,” Franzman said,. “I think a big factor that comes into some of our losses last season was our lack in communication skills.”

Nine incoming freshmen have also joined the team this season.

“My expectations as a freshman are to play good minutes on JV and work hard at practice,” freshman Addie McKenna-Hansen said. “Hopefully, that will get me on the varsity bench.”

Law added a new workout schedule this offseason to get ready for the year.

“Something we did differently this year was during the off-season we didn’t enter the fall league,” Franzman said, “We held open gym workouts twice a week which was super beneficial because we were able to work on ourselves and work on tons of drills.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Harry Fisher About Broadcasting The Powderpuff Game

Joey Kerzner and Harry Fisher (Photo courtesy MGAT YouTube)

By Logan Mullarkey – Sports Editor 

For the second straight year, students from Law and Foran served as play-by-play announcers and color commentators for the annual Powderpuff football game through the Milford Government Access Television (MGAT) YouTube channel. Advocate Sports Editor Logan Mullarkey interviewed Law senior Harry Fisher about his experience announcing the game.

Logan Mullarkey: How do you prepare before going on air for the game? 

Harry Fisher: I always try to get my nervous energy out before going on air. It can be overwhelming to talk on air when you know hundreds of people are watching you live on the broadcast. Therefore, I prepare before the broadcast by taking notes on both teams. I also jot down some ideas regarding what I want to talk about. Specifically, I try to find extra interesting information about the players and the sport I am broadcasting. 

LM: What was your favorite moment broadcasting?

HF: My favorite moment was when I got the opportunity to call the recent Powder Puff game. I got to broadcast a really good football game between two incredible teams – Law and Foran. The girls on these teams worked hard to be ready for the game. Both teams put a lot of effort into the game. It was exciting to watch.

LM: What do you do if something unexpected happens during the broadcast?

HF: I just try to stay positive. I try not to worry about mispronouncing a word or messing up a player’s name. I just try to stay positive and keep going. Technical problems are going to happen, so as a broadcaster you have to have the mindset of working through it. It can be exciting at times! It is important for you to know that our production team does an amazing job ensuring that everything runs smoothly.

LM: How did you try to engage the community during the broadcast? 

HF: First of all, I want to make sure the broadcast is entertaining for the community of Milford. I also want to relay what is happening on the field to the audience in a way that allows them to understand what is happening. Finally, I always like to teach the audience something new about the game to showcase my knowledge about sports. Every time I watch a broadcast for a sport, the broadcasters always share interesting facts or stories to engage the audience. Therefore, I try to do the same thing.

LM: What challenges did you face during the broadcast? 

HF: One challenge I face is staying calm while talking to such a large audience. Preparation helps to calm my nerves. It is also a challenge working with someone on a broadcast. You never want to talk over them. Finally, I truly feel that you have to let the game breathe sometimes.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Ella Franzman About Broadcasting The Thanksgiving Day Football Game

Ella Franzman and Joey Kerzner (Photo courtesy MGAT)

By Logan Mullarkey – Sports Editor 

For the second straight year, students from Law and Foran served as play-by-play announcers and color commentators for the annual Thanksgiving Day football game through the Milford Government Access Television (MGAT) YouTube channel. Advocate Sports Editor Logan Mullarkey interviewed Law senior and Advocate Editor-In-Chief Ella Franzman about her experience announcing the game.

Logan Mullarkey: How did you prepare before going on air for the game?

Ella Franzman: Before going on air for the Law vs. Foran Thanksgiving Day football game, I made sure I was thoroughly prepared by researching both teams. I studied their key players, season stats, and storylines that could add depth to the broadcast. I also reviewed the historical context, including past matchups, traditions tied to the game, and the unique aspects of the rivalry.

LM: What was your favorite moment while announcing the game?

EF: My favorite moment during the game was in the first quarter when the Lawmen recovered a fumble right after an unfortunate turnover on downs during a punt attempt. It was a turning point that gave the Lawmen another chance to strike first and set the tone for the rest of the game.

LM: What do you do if something unexpected happens during the broadcast?

EF: Unexpected moments are part of live broadcasting, and staying calm is key. If there’s a technical issue, like a microphone cutting out or a delay in the broadcast feed, I keep talking to fill the silence, engaging the audience with game analysis or interesting stories. If something unusual happens on the field, I make sure to acknowledge it and explain the situation, whether it’s a penalty, an injury, or an unexpected play. Luckily, our broadcast went very smoothly this time.

LM: How do you engage the community during the broadcast?

EF: We engaged the community by responding to comments left in the live chat area during the broadcast. We also gave shoutouts to family, friends, and teachers who have supported us, making the broadcast feel more connected to the community.

LM: What challenges did you face during the broadcast?

EF: Broadcasting a live event like this game comes with pressure, especially since it’s such a big community event. One challenge is staying accurate and energetic while keeping up with the fast pace of the game, especially when the action on the field gets chaotic. Weather also played a big factor; the tough conditions impacted the game and gave us more air time to fill, which required quick thinking.

SPORTS: Law Boys Basketball Team Ready To Make Run To Postseason

Matthew Witteman (Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief & Editorial Editor

The Jonathan Law boys basketball team is excited for the upcoming winter season. 

This season the Lawmen open up at Bridgeport Central on Tuesday, December 17. 

“The expectation for our program each year is to continue to get better everyday in order to make both our league, and state tournaments,” Head Coach Jamie Anderson said. 

Anderson has now been the head coach for the team since the 2017-2018 season. Alongside him, the team is coached by one of Law Spanish teacher Matthew McPartland, Law history teacher Nolan Beardsley, and Dan Maxwell. 

Senior Cam Upchurch is one of two captains for this year’s team alongside senior Alex Rodriguez. This is Upchurch’s second year as a captain and hopes to lead the team in all ways possible. 

“I hope to help this team by bringing my experience and helping guide them to success,” Upchurch said. “We have a young and inexperienced team and I hope to help them on and off the court and any way that can help bring us some wins.”

Another key player for the team last year was Matt Witteman. Witteman, who is now a sophomore, is looking forward to being a player that Anderson can trust and rely on. 

“I am looking forward to playing Foran this year because they beat us 2-0 last year and I’m excited to get another shot at them again,” Witteman said. “I am also looking forward to playing them because I have friends on that team that I grew up playing with.”

The team had been working hard all offseason, utilizing the summer workouts allowed by the CIAC, and any chance they had for open gyms in the fall. 

“Our goals before game one are to put in the repetition needed on both the offensive and defensive ends to execute at game time,” Anderson said. “We will also work extremely hard on our conditioning so we are in game shape.”

Anderson emphasized how the group of seniors on the team have been a huge part of their success. Along with Upchurch and Rodriguez, seniors Charlie Becker and Dalton Evans and a handful of others have been great leaders on the team. 

The Lawmen lost 11 seniors from last year’s team, so it will be their main goal to fulfill these spots before their first game. 

“I’m going to do my best to lead by example for the younger guys and work my absolute hardest for my teammates,” Rodriguez said. 

The Lawmen have been considered an “undersized’”team as they have struggled to fill the center spot. Previously, Class of 2023 graduates Nolan McKenna-Hansen and Aidan Ryan had been the go-to guys, since then the team has struggled to find their big. 

A big part of the offensive attack for Law has been their shooting as they have have been very successful outside of the three-point line. 

Before our first game, we’re looking to continue to get in game shape – we have to play fast, as we’re a relatively undersized team,” McPartland said. “It’s important that our guys understand their roles and feel confident in our offensive and defensive systems. Building chemistry is also a key priority this early in the season.”

SPORTS: Law Football Teams Storms Over Foran, Wins Annual Thanksgiving Game 3-0

Nick Cosmas (Photo courtesy Zach Moller – ZAM Photography)

By Kayla Markowitz and Harshitha Kothapalli – Editors-In-Chief 

The Law football team reigned victorious in the annual Thanksgiving Day Game against rival Foran for the fourth year in a row.

The Lawmen and Lions, both entering the game with 5-4 records and with a spot in the playoffs on the line, faced off in brutal, rainy conditions. Ultimately, the Lawmen’s defense rose to the occasion, securing a 3-0 victory. 

“I’m proud that the program found a way to keep its resolve under the conditions,” Head Coach Chris Haley said. “Especially proud of Aiden (Ramos) for the kick, as well as Jack (Distassio) and Jack (Lefevre) for the snap and hold. I’m also proud of Milford for keeping the game on as scheduled and playing regardless of weather. I don’t want them to ever change that.” 

Law was able to take the Mayor’s Trophy home for the fourth consecutive year. The win earned the Lawmen the #7 seed in the Class M State Tournament and a matchup against #2 Brookfield.

Despite the added challenges of the rainy conditions, the team achieved both of those goals by trusting their hard work and skills they’ve been building throughout the season.

“I was a little nervous going into this game becauseI knew a lot of people were going to be watching it, in person as well as on TV, but I try to not think about all the people counting on me so I can focus and play my own game,” sophomore quarterback Matthew Witteman said. “I felt very good going into the game but when I heard it was going to rain hard, I knew it was going to be a rough game.” 

Sophomore Aidan Ramos kicked a 33-yard field goal in the second quarter for the game’s only points. Ramos gave credit to his practice routine and mental preparation. 

“I handle the pressure by trusting my preparation and sticking to my routine,” Ramos said. “Every kick, whether in practice or a game, is part of building confidence in my ability. I also lean on visualization and positive self-talk.”

This year’s team prided itself on supporting each other and having close-knit relationships on and off the field. 

“The best part about playing Law football is being able to have a good time with all of my teammates,” senior linebacker Cesar Mendez said. “Every time we step on the field, win or lose, the experience of playing with all my brothers is like no other.”

During the off-season, the Lawmen will continue to work hard and keep practicing to prepare for the 2025 season.

“My biggest advice to underclassmen is to hold yourself to high standards and work hard during the off-season to be the best you can be,” junior captain Nicolas Cosmas said. “Play everyday like it’s your last game because soon enough it will be over.”

“TODAY AT SCHOOL WE…”: The Advocate Staff Reports On Their Favorite Daily Learning Experiences

Most of the articles written by The Advocate staff each month focus on Law’s extracurricular activities, sports teams, and student achievements outside of the classroom. But what about the lessons that students are learning in the classroom from 7:20 a.m.-1:58 p.m. every day? This special series – compiled by the Journalism 1, 2, 3, and 4 classes – takes our readers inside the classroom and answers the age-old dinner table question: “What did you do at school today?”

Thank you to all of the teachers who participated.


(Photo by Madison Krauss)

GLOBAL HUMAN GEOGRAPHY WITH MR. BEARDSLEY

By Madison Krauss – Staff Reporter

Mr. Beardsley’s Global Human Geography class has been exploring global cultures through a combination of in-class interviews and research projects.

Students were assigned with creating 20 questions about culture and religion. After they created their questions, they then asked the questions they created to their classmates. 

I was hoping that students learned a little bit about each other’s culture, and realized that although we are all different and come from different backgrounds, we share so many similarities with each other,” Beardsley said. 

The goal of this assignment was to gain insights into a variety of cultures and religious practices from the backgrounds of their peers. 

“My favorite thing about that assignment was getting to learn new things about my classmates’ cultures and religions,” junior Emma Johnson said. “It taught me a lot about other people’s backgrounds and it was interesting.” 

By interviewing each other, students gained valuable insights into many different backgrounds within the classroom, allowing students to expand a deeper understanding and notice similarities within different cultures and religions in real-time.

“Getting to know more about my classmates’ backgrounds was my favorite part of the assignment,” junior Lexi Kirby said. 

Students were not only tasked with interviewing their classmates but also had the opportunity to be interviewed themselves. 

I think by coming up with their own questions and being able to ask them to a classmate, students were able to find out things about their peers that they never knew before,” Beardsley said. 


(Photo by Christian Galligan)

CHEMISTRY AND THE EARTH SYSTEM WITH MS. TURCOTTE 

By Amilio Venditti – Staff Reporter

Students in Ms. Turcotte’s Chemistry class recently conducted a lab on Spectral Analysis.

With the use of handheld spectrometers, students observed the wavelengths of the unknown gas spectrum tubes and the wavelengths of the natural light from the sun.

“Students used spectroscopes to separate light into its individual wavelengths and used the data (the corresponding colors and wavelengths) to identify three elements,” Turcotte said. “First, they looked at white light from the sun which separated into what is a continuous spectrum (full rainbow), then they observed the light emitted from three different gas tubes (light bulbs filled with different elements in their gas form), to observe the line emission spectrum that resulted (specific individual lines of color).”

The goal of the lab was to learn about the wave properties of light, interactions of light and matter, and ultimately to identify the gases in the gas tubes by their line emission spectrum. 

“I personally enjoyed trying to discover which element I was looking at based on the spectrograph, I found the process of elimination and comparing different graphs and charts to be pretty fun,” sophomore Elizabeth Ramsauer said. “Then again, I could barely see the spectral lines due to a faulty spectrometer, so no wonder the part that required the least use of that to be the most enjoyable.”

This lab helped a lot of students understand how light is emitted, and showed that there is more than one way that elements can be distinguished from each other. In an environment where one would not be able to procure a scale that can measure the mass of an atom, using spectral lines could be a very helpful way for scientists to differentiate different elements.

“My favorite part was coloring the graphs of the spectral lines,” sophomore Harkaran Sekhon said. “I also understood that we only see a small part of the frequency table which is visible light.”


(Photo by Cora Aitkenhead)

ALGEBRA II WITH MS. LOCH

By Cora Aitkenhead – Staff Reporter

Ms. Loch’s Algebra II class has been exploring effective learning strategies by doing fun problem solving in class. 

Each day the class works through a Math Medic, a worksheet designed to use math material, problems, and equations in real world scenarios. Loch finds that the Math Medic worksheets give students a better understanding of what they are learning, and helps bring the learning to life. 

“Students can better understand the value of collaboration, technology, and persistence in tackling mathematical challenges,” Loch said. “By working through these types of problems, students not only improve their technical math skills but also gain a deeper understanding of how to apply those skills in various contexts.”

These worksheets however are clearly delivering messages to students of how to best budget money, all the way to the most efficient architectural structures and patterns. 

“Math Medic is very helpful, because it shows me why what I’m learning is actually important,” junior Jared Saludes said. “Especially when it comes to money, Math Medic is teaching me the most effective ways to use and account for it, which you can’t learn in many other classes.”

While learning is the most important thing, an occasional break for a game never hurts and is a great way to bring up a class’s energy. This is why Loch began implementing an occasional 2-5 minute break to play a round of Family Feud, encouraging thinking and problem solving skills during a break. 

“The competitive and interactive nature of the game helps students stay energized and motivated,” Loch said. “Students enjoy a moment of fun, helping to alleviate stress and creating a more positive classroom environment.”

This combination of a class where students learn and still get to include some high-competition fun has been immediately effective. Students have expressed enjoyment and appreciation for this teaching approach. 

“As a student, getting a break like this during class, even just for two minutes, is extremely helpful,” sophomore Sam Matist said. “We learn a lot, so the occasional break is pretty fun, and very important.”


(Photo by Dani Kotansky)

MARKETING 1 WITH MR. BELER

By Dani Kotansky – Staff Reporter

In Marketing 1, Mr. Beler’s students engage in fun activities to learn the fundamentals of marketing, especially the 4 P’s – Product, Place, Price, and Promotion. 

Students recently were assigned a slideshow to fill in about the three biggest marketing days of the year coming up, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Students filled in the blanks on the slides and used different websites to learn more about the history of these days and how they tie in to marketing, specifically price and promotion, 2 of the 4  P’s. 

“For marketing, these are the biggest sales of the entire year,” Beler said. “From Black Friday, to Small Business Saturday, to Cyber Monday, these are some of the top selling days in the entire year.”

Students found this activity interesting, and were able to have insights as to how market research and promotions make these shopping days big for people in the marketing field. 

Freshman Norah Fedigan felt the project was interesting to get insight into these holidays where all people do is shop. 

“I learned about how these days originated and when they were founded,” Fedigan said. “I can’t wait to go shopping on these days with deals coming up.”

Freshman Ella Aoki also found this project unique, as students don’t typically think about all the history behind holidays like Black Friday. 

“I love how we got to learn about these special shopping holidays, especially their history,” Aoki said. 

Beler felt this project was impactful for Marketing students, and they could learn a lot about these holidays that students don’t view as particularly important. 

“Students learn the importance of the marketing that takes place to make this a big event,” Beler said. “Now students understand how businesses come at consumers.”


(Photo by Aaryan Doshi)

ENGLISH 1 WITH MRS. ANDERSON

By Aaryan Doshi – Staff Reporter

Mrs. Anderson’s English 1 class recently learned about different causes that led up to the Civil Rights Movement. 

Students in Anderson’s class had to make a slideshow presentation about an event that led up to the Civil Rights Movement. 

“I hope students gain a deeper understanding of the struggles and achievements of individuals who fought for equality,” Anderson said. “I also want them to develop critical thinking and empathy by connecting historical events to current issues of fairness in their own lives.”

The presentations needed to be three to five minutes long and include interesting and important facts about the student’s topic. To keep the audience involved, the students needed to come up with some fun and thoughtful questions for the audience to answer. 

“In English, we are learning about the Civil Rights Movement, and we are working on a project about an event that caused the Civil Rights Movement,” freshman Logan Thomas said. “I learned a lot about the Civil Rights Movement and I am glad we did a project on it because it helped me learn about the Civil Rights Movement.” 

Students shared that this unit helped them better understand the Civil Rights Movement and its causes. The students especially enjoyed the creative challenge of designing a project with an interactive element, which made the learning experience more engaging. Overall, students found the unit both educational and enjoyable.

“In English, we worked on a project about the Civil Rights Movement and important events during it,” freshman Dylan O’Neil said. “I am doing my project on Jackie Robinson and about him breaking the color barrier and being the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball.”


(Photo by Ella Franzman)

BROADCAST JOURNALISM WITH MS. KELLY

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief & Editorial Editor

Ms. Kelly’s Broadcast Journalism class has been working hard on producing winter sports content and the Class of 2025 Senior Video. 

The students’ assignments have been to create either winter sports “hype’”videos, captain and senior interviews, and interviews with coaches. Another big task has been the Senior Video, which includes the traditional segments, “Where Will You Be In 10 Years?” or “What Is Your Favorite High School Memory?”

“We’re getting ready to start our Lawliday Season and Lawmas videos right now,” Kelly said. “I’m super excited to unveil this year’s Santa, and work with the students to create another great Lawmas video.” 

The Lawmas video has been a great tradition in the Jonathan Law community and they look forward to producing the video once again. 

“During Broadcast my group had been mostly working on filming and editing our podcast, but another main focus for our group has been to film for the Senior Video,” senior Addy Barber said. “We have been going around school during any free periods we have to make sure we can get as many members of the senior class as possible.”

Other assignments the students have been working on are recording episodes of their podcasts and working on producing The Morning Briefing each morning. 


(Photo by Taylor Coretti)

AP PSYCHOLOGY WITH MS. BURNS

By Taylor Coretti – Staff Reporter

Law’s AP Psychology classes are engaging in hands-on activities to help them learn more about different areas of the brain and body.

Students got to work in groups to create an endocrine amusement park where they pick a ride or element of an amusement park to represent the elements of the endocrine system. AP Psychology teacher Ms. Burns likes to create hands-on tasks for her students to create a fun and effective learning system.

“By designing an amusement park where each attraction corresponded to a specific structure, gland or hormone, students were required to research the functions of the structures and translate that information into an interactive and memorable format,” Burns said. This process reinforced understanding of the endocrine system’s components and their roles within the body.”

The goal of doing interactive activities is to help understand the topic better. Senior Maddy Baranowsky felt this assignment was effective in being able to remember the information learned about the endocrine system.

“Something I took away from the endocrine amusement park assignment was creative ways to remember the different parts of the system,” Baranowsky said. 

Everyone in each class got to pick their own group to work with. Senior Julia Ryan found that working with the people you want to work with makes the activity more enjoyable. 

“I enjoyed doing this project with my friends,” Ryan said. “It gave us an opportunity to do school work in a fun way as we all worked together and made the project creative and fun for us.”


(Photo by Kishal Shah)

AP LITERATURE WITH MRS. ROUMELES

By Kishal Shah – Staff Reporter

Mrs. Roumeles’s AP Literature class recently examined the prevalence of science and history in gothic literary works such as “Frankenstein.”

The class recently finished reading the novel “Frankenstein “by Romantic author Mary Shelley – previously known as Mary Wolfstowncraft – and is now dissecting the prevalence of topics such as science, religion, and history in this radical and gothic novel.

“Even though ‘Frankenstein’ is a fictional tale, what’s important is to not only learn about how it reflects the romantic ideals, but also its themes of human nature and that duality between good and evil,” Roumeles said. “We can kind of look at our own behavior and see what the catalyst is for behaving in a moral or amoral way, and how we can relate a fictional tale to how the themes play out in real life.” 

The class concluded after the lecture the relevance of other subjects and real world connections when discussing literary works such as “Frankenstein” because it helps students draw connections between famous themes in literature, and how those ideals are presented in sciences, history, and religion in the real world. 

“I liked this lesson because it allowed me to gain a further understanding on the background of the author’s life, and why she came to write such a radical and gothic novel in the 18th century,” senior Carol Jiang said.

The class observed how Mary Wolfstonecraft – who was a renowned feminist icon of the age – wrote the novel Frankenstein, which included romantic and gothic perspectives in her novel, which was considered a radical and progressive practice. 

Through a class discussion and observing a powerpoint presentation, the class comprehended how the overarching theme of Shelley’s novel was the separation of religion in the journey to acquire scientific knowledge. 

Moreover the class concluded through a lecture about how pursuit for knowledge for the sake of pursuit may sometimes be unethical, as represented in examples in history of unethical psychological experiments performed in society. 

“This lesson was like a continuation of previous lessons where we learned to think about perspectives you would gravitate to otherwise,” senior Naina Khan said. “In this case, the historical background and scientific and ethical questions were raised about the theme and concept of ‘Frankenstein.’” 


(Photo by Courtney Russo)

SPANISH 3 WITH MR. RODRIGUEZ

By Courtney Russo – News Editor

Mr. Rodriguez’s Spanish 3 classes for sophomores and juniors recently worked on a project entitled “Un Dia Inolvidable.”

Students were given first half of the story and were expected to write the second half. 

“The purpose of the project was to have students use the irregular preterite tense verbs and vocabulary about camping in sentences that simulate real-world situations,” Rodriguez said. “Having students use the grammar in sentences helps them to be able to put sentences together and form original thoughts, not just remember the conjugations of verbs.”

This was the class’s final assignment before having a test on irregular preterite verbs.

“This project helped me apply our vocabulary and grammar to real-world scenarios, boosting my speaking and writing skills,” sophomore Arnav Saxena said. “It also improved my understanding of harder sentence structures, making me more confident for the test.” 

Students had a great time being creative and using the Spanish that they learned in class. Rodriguez showed an example project and students created their work based on what they saw.

“I enjoyed incorporating the Spanish we learned in class on our project,” sophomore Kristia Gonza said. “I enjoyed working with all of my group members.”

After completing this project, Rodriguez hopes his students build a better understanding of irregular preterite tense verbs.

By the end of the project, the students were expected to recognize the irregular preterite verbs, conjugate them correctly, use them in a story that makes sense as well as pronounce the Spanish vocabulary during the recording portion of the project,” Rodriguez said.


(Photo by Tim Firla)

JOURNALISM 2/3/4 WITH MR. KULENYCH

By Tim Firla – Entertainment Editor

Thanksgiving Week was a busy one for Law’s Journalism 2/3/4 class and students posted numerous videos, articles and podcasts about the week’s festivities. 

Journalism teacher Mr. Kulenych was proud of the effort put forth by the Advocate editors. Journalism students posted serveral Thanksgiving articles and produced the annual “What Are You Thankful For?” video.

“The Thanksgiving season is always a busy time for The Advocate staff,” Kulenych said. “Our reporters and editors have to cover all of the Thanksgiving Week games plus all of the other school events and fundraisers that occur in November. On top of that, we’ve worked to put out our traditional Thanksgiving videos. We have so many fun Thanksgiving season traditions here at Law and it’s our staff’s job to keep the school community informed about all of them.”

Senior Entertainment Editor Will Smith has taken Journalism for four years and has been involved with many Thanksgiving Week posts.

“The month of November is a big month for The Advocate,” Smith said. “During this month, there are countless activities that are going on and its our job to report and get coverage on it.”

Each piece of Advocate content, whether it is an article, podcast, video, or social media post needs to meet a certain criteria before it can be published online.

“Our class is a little different because all of our assignments are posted for other people to read or watch so it’s important to keep up the quality of what we’re producing,” Junior Editor-In-Chief Kayla Markowitz said. “Our articles need to be reviewed and videos have to be edited before posted to ensure that what we’re putting on social media is not only entertaining, but also accurate  and informative.”


(Photo by Molly Lynch)

INTERIOR DESIGN WITH MS. CRISTANTE

By Molly Lynch – News Editor

Ms. Cristante’s Interior Design course gives students an overview on everything they need to know about the world of interior design. 

The course is split up into five units that provide all of the information necessary to pursue a career in interior design. 

As students are finishing up Unit 5 of the course, Cristante had pairs of 2-3 students go into the halls to locate and take pictures of various things they saw around the school that show examples of elements and principles of design. Students then had to submit those photos to a Google Doc and explain how each picture shows the principles of design. 

“Students previously had several opportunities to create visuals of the elements and principles of design,” Cristante said. “This assignment taught them how to identify them within already existing designs and challenged them to think differently (creatively) about a place they spend time in everyday.”

This course teaches students the deeper meaning of things they see everyday. 

“I find it beneficial to recognize that elements and principles of design are everywhere and to see how it is used in our lives everyday,” junior Jordyn Torres said.

Students engage in fun assignments that also help them understand the curriculum at the same time.

“I definitely had fun with this assignment,” junior Charlotte Baldieri said. “It was different than just sitting in a classroom doing online work.”


(Photo by Harshitha Kothapalli)

AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY WITH MR. ROUMELES

By Harshitha Kothapalli – Editor-in-Chief 

Students in Mr. Roumeles’ AP Human Geography class have recently completed their Family Migration Map.

Using Google My Maps, students were tasked with utilizing their new learnings about migration to create a map of the roots of their family. They were asked to pay special attention to dates, locations, and reasons for movement. 

“In Human Geography we very often look at human activity on a global scale, and sometimes forget our personal place within the big topics,” Roumeles said. “I assigned this project so students could interact with the concepts of human migration by applying them to their own family history. I really feel that the more personal and relatable a topic is, the easier it is to learn and understand; and that was the overall goal of the project.”

The project allowed students to discover new understandings about their own past and connect it with the ideas they were learning in class. 

“It gave me a new perspective on the way I see my background,” junior Kayla Markowitz said. “Being able to see my own history laid out on a map and also being able to understand the concepts behind it was so compelling.”

Not only did this project resonate with students on an educational and personal level, but it also let them get creative.

“I was able to talk to my parents and grandparents about where I came from and have conversations I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to have,” junior Santina Scarpa said. 


(Photo by Ava Grippo)

CREATIVE WRITING WITH MS. SMUNIEWSKI

By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor 

Students in Ms. Smuniewski’s Creative Writing class are wrapping up the first drafts of their short stories. 

Creative Writing, an English elective, is currently in their short story unit, working on their own stories. 

“My goal is that students write a short story that they are proud of,” Smuniewski said. “I enjoy this unit because I find that students are usually invested in their work and want to craft a story that is engaging and meaningful.”

The students are able to use their imagination on this assignment and create something unique. 

“I am writing a short story about a cowboy by the name of Fargis Santiago III who goes on a life changing journey to save the world from a gang called the Renegade who want to take over the world,” senior Izzy Vancho said. 

Students are learning how to better write and use their skills. 

“I hope to learn to better write things like dialogue and descriptions in order to properly convey the emotion or image I’m trying to create,” senior Brady Funk said. 

Smuniewski has high hopes for this assignment and is excited to see what the students come up with. 

“I’m hoping to see interesting, creative storylines that showcase the many skills and concepts we’ve studied throughout the semester,” Smuniewski said. “This unit is important because it allows students to write something that is entirely a creation of their imagination, which is an opportunity that doesn’t often come by.”


(Photo by Ella Hopkins-Gianotti)

WORLD HISTORY WITH MR. ROUMELES

By Ella Hopkins-Gianotti – Staff Reporter

In Mr. Roumeles’ World History class, students attended the Enlightenment Convention.

Over three classes, Mr. Roumeles’s students have been given one Enlightenment thinker to research and several others to lightly discuss for a debate on the following topics: government, religion, education, rights, and property.

“I wanted students to understand the big ideas about society that were challenged during the Enlightenment,” Roumeles said. “By representing an Enlightenment thinker, I ultimately wanted students to become aware of their thinker’s positions, but also scrutinize that of their contemporaries.”

The students learned about the different ways of thinking of each Enlightenment thinker. 

“I learned about philosophers’ different political points of view during the Enlightenment and how even though they were all trying to change the mindset of people around them,” freshman Anwita Puttam said. “I learned that their points of view are very different and very similar on different topics of religion, government, education, etc.”

All of the students were easily able to provide information on their Enlightenment thinkers during the convention.

“My favorite part of the Enlightenment Convention was how all of my classmates contributed to the conversation,” freshman Layla De La Cruz said. “Everyone did their part and were able to successfully talk about their Enlightenment thinker.”

Other students enjoyed this assignment for different reasons.

“It was kind of stress-free because I knew that I had enough time to do it, the research was easy, and the environment is good there,” freshman Isabelle Phelan-Clark said.


(Photo by Abigail Merenda)

JOURNALISM 1 WITH MR. KULENYCH

By Abigail Merenda – Staff Reporter

Mr. Kulenych’s Journalism 1 classes reviewed a band called “Almost Monday” and their album “DIVE.” 

Each class listened to two songs from the album – “Is It To Late?” and “Can’t Slow Down.” After listening to each of the songs the students had to write a review about their opinion. 

“The purpose of the album review lesson was to give students a real-world, real-time experience of being an entertainment reporter,” Kulenych said. “Students were given background information about the band, lyrics to two songs, and we listened to the album in real time in class together. Working collaboratively on writing a review of the album gave students the opportunity to bounce ideas off each other and make sure each review was detailed and complete.”

Students had mixed feelings about the band Almost Monday and their album. 

“Personally, I didn’t enjoy the band that much,” senior Taylor Coretti said. “This is because I wasn’t able to understand the lyrics and their music style is not something I usually listen to.” 

Senior Kishal Shah shared her opinion about the band and the themes of their songs. 

“I think the band’s music is definitely loud and energetic, and might sometimes only resonate with a specific target audience,” Shah said. “Although the general ‘summer vibe’ theme comes across, the songs themselves can be a little overwhelming and might only make sense in certain settings. Personally, I don’t love the songs I’ve listened to, but everyone of course forms their own opinions and has their own taste.”

Kulenych said that regardless of students’ opinion of the band, he was pleased to see them work through all stages of the review writing process.

“It’s always a fun lesson to do each year, regardless of whether students enjoyed the album or not, because they get to put themselves in the shoes of an actual reporter through all steps of the writing process,” Kulenych said.


(Photo by Logan Thomas)

HEALTH AND SAFETY 1 WITH MR. SWEENEY

By Logan Thomas – Staff Reporter

Health teacher Mr. Sweeney recently went over a lesson about good decision making and about how students can prevent themselves from making bad choices.

Students used what they learned about decision-making to answer questions and make slideshows about the topic. They also learned how to avoid bad decisions and how to prevent them from happening.

“You cannot make progress without making decisions,” Sweeney said.

During the lesson, students learned about different scenarios to prevent making bad decisions. They also worked on a project that made them create a character that was able to make a good decision or was able to make a bad decision. 

Students either chose their character to go home and study or they weren’t out to party. There are many different ways students could have made their character.

“In class, we are learning about decision making,” freshman Dylan Gaillard said. “The projects and what we do in class will help a lot when something happens in the future so we can make the right decision.”

Sweeney explained how students also have to make good decisions based on their self-values. Self-values are very important when making decisions. Self-values are what people focus on in their lives that change how they act or live around people.

“In health, we are learning about decision-making,” freshman Aaryan Doshi said. “We are working on a project right now and it’s a comic strip of characters making a good decision. This unit is all about making the right decision.”


(Photo by Dylan Gaillard)

ENGLISH 1 WITH MRS. EVANS

By Dylan Gaillard – Staff Reporter 

English teacher Mrs. Evans recently had her freshman students start their Social Justice Issue Project.

Students were tasked with choosing a topic they were interested in – income inequality, peaceful protests, and the #MeTooMovement were among some choices. They had to create a brief informative presentation that made their classmates aware of the issue while simultaneously engaging their audience with questions or interesting facts.

“I wanted to be sure my students have a clear understanding of social justice and what constitutes a social justice issue,” Evans said. “As I also believe in choice in learning, I’ve asked that we complete a mini research presentation on a social justice issue”

This project helped students learn more about Social Justice issues, and it was fun for the students because it is a topic that affects them and their lives. 

“At first, I was only slightly interested in researching the topic of Animal Welfare, but once I began researching I started learning a lot and it is a great topic to be educated on,” freshman Cora Aitkenhead said. “Through this project I got to learn a lot more about my own topic, but also learned a lot from everyone else’s presentations.”

Since not many classes at school regularly discuss Social Justice issues, students were excited at the opportunity to address the topics.

“I was very interested in the different things going on around the world,” freshman Patrick Mulligan said. “We never really learn about this topic in other classes so it was very cool to learn about Social Justice Issues.”


(Photo by Carly Ranilla)

CHEMISTRY LEVEL II WITH MS. TURCOTTE

By Carly Ranilla – Staff Reporter

Miss Doolan’s Chemistry Level II class focuses on the properties, composition, and the structure of elements and compounds and how they change. 

Students were recently put into groups and were all asked to watch a water-dropping experiment in the back of the classroom. After observing the system, students talked in their groups about what they saw and how the dropper had any relation to lightning. 

This exercise was a helpful way for students to witness examples of energy being transferred to create a lightning strike.

“I showed the Chemistry class the water dropper experiment as a way to simulate lightning in a safe way in a classroom,” Doolan said. “It was supposed to show them the process happening in a cloud and what produces lightning.”

Sophomore Joeliez Gonzalez was surprised by the results of the experiment.

“I noticed there was a spark in between the copper coins that were on top of the bucket,” Gonzalez said. “But it only happened because the water dripped into cups that connected to some wires that connected back to the coins.”

While making it an educational investigation for the students, Doolan also managed to make it a fun and memorable learning experience.

“My favorite part of watching the water dropper experiment was not only witnessing the spark between the copper coins, but also understanding the neutrons and particles that caused it to happen,” senior Kylee DelMedico said.


(Photo by Aiden Ramos)

HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY WITH MS. DOOLAN 

By Aiden Ramos – Staff Reporter

Ms. Doolan recently assigned her Human Anatomy & Physiology students musculoskeletal posters.

Students were grouped and tasked with tracing a classmate’s outline. Once completed, they divided the outline down the center, illustrating the muscular system on one side and the skeletal system on the other.

“The musculoskeletal project has my students create life-sized posters to show the major muscles and bones in the human body,” Doolan said. “I add in an opportunity for extra credit for the most creative poster so this adds a little bit of competition to the assignment. The project provides an opportunity for my students to work collaboratively together and be creative and engaged when learning the names and locations of the major muscles and bones.” 

Students work in groups and each group chose a different theme to base their skeleton and poster on. 

“I enjoyed getting to be creative and come up with my own ideas, and colors, but doing it while learning about science and the human body,” senior Christian Galligan said.

Doolan adds an opportunity for extra credit for the most creative poster which adds a little bit of competition to the assignment. 

“The most challenging part of the project was putting all of the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the correct places, and making sure that everything was the right size,” senior Cesar Mendez said.


(Photo by Henry Smith)

INTRO TO PHOTOGRAPHY WITH MRS. ROMANOWSKI

By Henry Smith – Staff Reporter 

Photography teacher Mrs. Romanowski recently had her students take pictures using a dynamic perspective, shallow depth of field, and rule of thirds.

Students were able to go around the building to capture images. Once students had taken their final images they turned them in on Google Classroom.

“I hope that students got a better understanding and level of control within their camera throughout this assignment,” Romanowski said.

The activity had the students focus on the aperture and manual focus challenging students to find the perfect settings. The students’ photos had to clearly capture a defined subject with the background completely out of focus.

“It was challenging but really fun,” senior Nick Morales said. “It took a while to get the right image, but it was all a part of the process.” 

It took the class three periods for students to complete the assignment. Each student took their time to create a creative and correct photo.

“It was fun going around the school and taking photos,” freshman Lukas Saraco said. “Changing the setting on the camera was difficult but with help I was able to use the correct settings and take a good photo.”


(Photo by Chloe Edmonds)

ENGLISH II WITH MR. HEALY

By Chloe Edmonds – Social Media Editor

Students in Mr. Healy’s English II class are reading “Catcher in The Rye” by J.D Salinger and  recently completed a reflection on Holden’s character. 

The lesson had several purposes: practicing skills students have been working on, encouraging collaboration, and helping students recognize key moments in the novel.

“We’ve been using notice and note moments pretty much every day trying to get reps in, so noticing those key moments, like ‘aha’ moments or words of the wiser, becomes automatic when you read,” Healy said. “Once you notice and note them, you can begin the work of deeper analysis by asking questions about their meaning, what the author’s purpose in including them, and what they reveal about characters.”

Students enjoyed the lesson and found it insightful to discuss Holden’s character. 

“Dealing with real world issues made me feel more connected to Holden’s character and made the message Mr. Healy was trying to get across much easier to understand,” sophomore Aiden Ramos said. 

The lesson was very in character for Healy’s teaching style as he finds assigning collaborative work better since students can feed off of each other. 

“The lesson has contributed to what we’ve already been learning in this unit,” sophomore Alivia Kaplanka said. “Reading the chapter as a smaller group of four people makes for deep discussions with my peers since it’s a lot more grounded when we read in class.” 

For this lesson, Healy wanted his students to ask meaningful questions about the text and record deeper thoughts about it. 

“Instead of me saying, ‘Holden keeps asking this same question. Why?’ and pointing it out to you, I wanted to see what you thought was important or meaningful,” Healy said. “And more often than not, you all both cover things I would have covered anyway, or bring up new and interesting ideas about the text that I never would have.” 


(Photo by Kayla Markowitz)

AP MACROECONOMICS WITH MS. HEALY

By Kayla Markowitz – Editor-In-Chief

Students in Ms. Healy’s AP Macroeconomics class created personal circular flow models to demonstrate how their very own factors of production impact their contribution to the economy. 

To combat the difficulty of understanding how the circular flow of an economy works, AP Macro students were asked to create a model showing how they contribute to the economy through providing labor, earring income, and putting that money back into the economy by spending it. 

“We started to do the Circular Flow Model project to give students a more real world idea of how money and goods flow in our economy on a more personal level,” AP Macroeconomics teacher Ms. Healy said. “Students create the model centered around themselves or a family member if they don’t have a job. Students get to take a much closer look at how they provide resources to the “factor market” through the hours they work each week, they get to see how their labor, and other resources like rent and materials, are purchased and utilized by businesses to then create products they then spend money on in an endless loop.”

By going through the process of finding out how much they work and their weekly income, learning how much money it costs for the businesses they work at to operate, and then estimating how much of their income they put back into the economy, students were able to grasp a deeper understanding of how money flows in the economy.

“Making my own circular flow model helped me understand how the economy flows because it gave me a visual to connect back to my own life,” senior Sana Joshi said. “By physically making a model of how the economy affects me, it allowed me to understand how the economy affected the general population”

The project encouraged students to be innovative because all of the information came from their own life experiences. 

“My favorite part about the project was how creative I could be with it, and overall I feel it deepened my understanding of this unit and the economy as a whole and how money and labor flows in their own life,” senior Basel Chwiki said. “The model is a representation of how students contribute to the economy with their labor and how they choose to spend their income.”


(Photo courtesy espn.com)

HONORS HUMANITIES WITH MR. KULENYCH AND MR. ZURAW

By Christian Galligan – Staff Reporter

In Honors Humanities, students are given the opportunity to learn about history, literature, and society.  

To begin their unit on Subcultures and Countercultures, teachers Mr. Zuraw and Mr. Kulenych gave students the opportunity to watch the ESPN documentary “The Fab Five,” based on five freshmen who played basketball at the University of Michigan in the early 1990s.  

“The Fab Five” introduced students to a famous counterculture in society and provided them with a sample documentary that they could use as a template for their upcoming Subculture Documentary Project.

“The documentary showed students the impact a counterculture group can have on society,” Kulenych said.  “Students also had to evaluate the director’s decisions in terms of who was interviewed, what B-roll footage was used, how certain shots were filmed, and how the story was told.”

The “Fab Five” documentary not only helped students understand the concept of countercultures but also allowed them to brainstorm ideas for the documentaries that they will produce on their own.

For the ‘Fab Five’ assignment we are learning about how to make a good documentary and learning more about subcultures in documentaries,” senior Ella Franzman said.  “The documentary is teaching us good angles and what types of shots we should have when we make our documentary for Humanities.”

The documentary was able to teach students about what cultural impacts look like and also helped them understand the background of the “Fab Five.”

“I learned they created a significant cultural impact through multiple perspectives, such as sports and fashion,” senior Ivan Galicinao said.  “They changed how people saw the game of basketball and what it represented, as they would wear baggy shorts and trash talk, which was never done before them.”

The documentary was viewed as a great start for students, as they are expected to have their own documentaries completed by the end of the quarter.  

“Watching this documentary gave students a template for how to film their own upcoming documentary projects,” Kulenych said.  “Humanities students will have to make all of the same producing decisions themselves when they produce their own documentaries on subcultures here at Law or in the Milford community.”


(Photo by Reid Moulton)

SPANISH II WITH MR. MCPARTLAND

By Reid Moulton – Staff Reporter

Mr. McPartland’s Spanish II class has just started a project for “hay que” and “se prohibe” vocabulary and how to use it.

The project is to help students understand how other countries around the world speak and how you can advance your knowledge with other languages. Students were able to work in pairs and had two and a half class periods to work on this. 

This project is supposed to give rules and things that incoming freshmen should do to be successful next year.

“I hope students learn how to effectively communicate rules and advice in Spanish beyond the language itself,” McPartland said. “The project also encourages them to think critically about what it takes to succeed in high school and how to express those ideas in a clear and concise way. Students are developing their ability to express things that should and should not be done in Spanish, which is an essential skill for practical communication.”

This project helped expand students’ knowledge of Hispanic culture, and helps students prepare for their future with languages. 

“The project helps me understand the unit better, and I think it will really make things easier to come,” freshman Daniel Rascoll said. “Being able to elaborate with other students really makes an impact with my learning.”

Students not only wrote about rules for incoming freshmen, they also got artistic by making drawings.

“It helps sharing ideas with other students and getting their perspective on what they think about the assignment,” freshman Arthur Rossi said. “The project allows me to get creative with my work, and lets me show my thinking outside of the Spanish.”


(Photo by Anwita Puttam)

FRENCH II WITH DR. EVANS

By Anwita Puttam – Staff Reporter

Dr. Evans’ French II Level 1 class recently had a group quiz focusing around the city Brittany in France.

The quiz was set up so that on the first day, students would have to answer 50 questions with just their general knowledge. Then they were given reading packets in French that broadened their information on Brittany. On the second day, students would work in pairs to compare each other’s answers, getting a new viewpoint on the questions while also negotiating with each other to prove which answers were right.

“My goal was to have you finish a quiz with more knowledge about the French region of Brittany than you started with; in essence, you were learning and processing new information while being assessed on previously learned material,” Evans said.

The goal of this style of taking quizzes was to expand the information of the students, while also seeing how far they had come with their knowledge on Brittany.

“Here it would have been nice to study everything that was on the quiz, yet we didn’t know all of the answers and even so, completing the quiz was still achievable with the ready, and even with the help of a fellow classmate,” freshman Breana Aquino said. “Breaking it down and comparing with somebody else was honestly beneficial, and helped us understand the questions and our answers better.”

This style of quiz taking allowed students to understand what they already knew, but also helped them gain new knowledge.

“This kind of style for quizzes is very unique and intelligent,” freshman Yara Saim said. “This style of taking quizzes would benefit students who might have trouble with the lesson. The given article can also teach students more about the topic at hand, showing them more than what they studied in the classroom.”


(Photo by Taylor Mola)

CHOIR WITH MS. JONES

By Taylor Mola – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Choir is working hard, rehearsing, and doing activities to prepare for their upcoming Winter Concert.

Choir Director Ms. Jones starts every day with different engaging warm-ups to prepare the students for class. The warm-up is followed by announcements so students know important dates and other information.

“We are working on so much in class,” Jones said. “I send out recordings for kids to work on at home, so by the time we get all back together the next day we are ready to work. We have a lot of part and section work that we do that needs to all be put together, so students need an idea so they are learning how it works all together.”

In class, students all gather together in their sections – Soprano, Alto, Tenor, or Bass – to work on the song or skill for that day. The Choir is consistently working on getting better day by day.

“I think everything is going really well,” senior Joshua Valentine said. “I know Concert Choir is the best it has been and Advanced Vocal Ensemble is going great. We all have most of everything down, and our class time is getting used very well. I’m just excited as this is my last Winter Concert and my last year of high school Choir.”

The Winter Concert is made up of six to eight songs that are all structured and performed differently. These songs help students to understand different kinds of music and learn how to be able to sing all types of music.

“We have a lot of great songs that are done very well and are going to be great,” sophomore Lexi Localzo said.


(Photo by Madi Black)

INTRODUCTION TO CULINARY WITH MRS. LOPEZ

By Madi Black – Social Media Editor

Mrs. Lopez’s Introduction to Culinary classes recently made cinnamon rolls. 

Students loved this assignment and Lopez enjoyed helping students to expand their horizons by making new food that they can easily make at home. 

“My favorite part of this activity is to see the satisfaction in my student’s that they gave it their all,” Lopez said. “Even though it wasn’t perfect, they tried and learned and that is what this is all about. Mistakes in the kitchen are guaranteed and should be looked at as a part of the learning process. I would absolutely do this activity and recipe again and again.”

Even though this was a complex activity, many students enjoyed making the food and later eating it. Sophomore Maddie Nash loved making the food and being able to remake the food when she made a mistake. 

“My favorite part about making the cinnamon rolls would be messing up and redoing it,” Nash said. “I like how Mrs. Lopez does not rush us and lets us take our time.”

Senior Cameron Upchurch said that the rolls were one of his favorite foods and it was interesting to be able to learn what went into making the food. 

“I love getting the cinnamon rolls from the mall,” Upchurch said. “When I found out we were going to be making them I was so excited.”


(Photo by Vaughn Kraynak)

ROBOTICS 1 WITH MR. BARCELLO

By Vaughn Kraynak – Staff Reporter

Robotics teacher Mr. Barcello recently presented his Robotics 1 class with a new challenge: to pull as much weight as possible using their robots with the addition of gears. 

Depending on the size and order of their gears, students could build their robot to gain speed or strength based on the challenge they are given. The students’ goal was to attach a bucket of weights to their robot and be able to pull the weight. 

“The purpose of this assignment is to discuss the idea of gear ratios,” Barcello said. “Combining the different gears affects the torque and power as well as the speed.”

Attaching a smaller gear to the motor and adding additional larger gears can cause the robot to increase it’s power and pulling speed. On the other hand, attaching a larger gear to the motor and adding additional smaller gears can lead to an increase in the robots speed. 

“My favorite part about the gear activity is figuring out how the gears work with each other to produce power and speed,” sophomore Abdulla Faial said. “I like being able to experiment with different combinations.”

To make things more exciting, Barcello has turned the challenge into a competition amongst his students. Sophomore Justin DeGregorio currently is at the top of class, with his robot successfully pulling 15 pounds. 

“I’m really proud that I was able to pull 15 pounds,” DeGregorio said. “It took a lot of changes to my robot and a lot of fails to make everything work right.” 


(Photo by Connor Ryan)

THE LIVING EARTH WITH MRS. MERCALDI

By Connor Ryan – Staff Reporter

Mrs. Mercaldi’s Living Earth Level 1 classes had some fun last week as they worked on an earthworm dissection.

Students had to cut open the earthworm using tools given by Mercaldi. They were assigned to write down measurements and identify the body parts.

“I enjoyed doing this dissection – I liked how I was able to work with my friends and classmates,” freshman Lia Veteri said. “I also was very unfamiliar with the tools and then after and during the dissection I understood how to use them.”

The students did not have to finish the dissection; this activity was just to have them learn how to dissect and if they enjoyed it. The students were partnered into groups of three, with two people being the experimenters and one being the note-taker.

“The experiment was meant for the kids to learn about how earthworms work and I really saw improvement in this experiment in the kids with the tools,” Mercaldi said

Students enjoyed the experiment and many said it was the most fun they have had this year.

“I really liked this experiment for multiple reasons,” freshman Ryan Woods said. “One, being able to work with my friends; two, being able to learn how to use new tools; and lastly, seeing my other classmates work hard and same with my friends.”


(Photo by Matthew Sanchez)

ORCHESTRA WITH MR. PELAGGI

By Matthew Sanchez – Staff Reporter

Band Director Mr. Pelaggi recently rehearsed songs with his Orchestra students to prepare for the upcoming Winter Concert on December 18.

The pieces that the Strings Orchestra will be performing during the upcoming Winter Concert are “Burst,” “Allegro Molto,” and “Swan Lake.” At the start of class, Mr. Pelaggi makes his students tune together so that they are ready for playing. During class, he works with the Orchestra for all parts: violins, violas, and cellos. 

“I usually start class with a warm up or exercise, then move into the repertoire we play at concerts,” Pelaggi said. “When it gets closer to the concerts, we spend more time on repertoire than exercises, and vice versa when we have more instructional time.”

Pelaggi works with all members of the ensemble right up until the concert. The entire Orchestra listens to each other before playing for tuning. Junior violinist Jared Saludes is excited to play the Winter Concert selections.

“I think they’re super cool, especially Swan Lake because it’s a well known piece,” Saludes said. “‘Allegro Molto’ is my personal favorite because of its changing dynamics.” 

Members of the ensemble enjoy playing their parts. They all work as a group and improve with every practice. 

Freshman violinist Erik Borowski said that Pelaggi has helped him improve throughout the year. 

“Mr. Pelaggi has helped me improve greatly,” Borowski said. “I wasn’t confident with my violin skills until I had his class. He helps me with bowing, fingering, reading the music, and lots more.”


(Photo by Logan Mullarkey)

AP U.S. HISTORY WITH MR. LUI

By Logan Mullarkey – Sports Editor

Mr. Lui’s AP United States History class recently worked on DBQ skills, focusing on reform movements from the early 1830s, like abolitionism, temperance, and women’s rights. 

The class was assigned a DBQ with seven documents where students had to describe each one, connect it to the topic, and create a HIPP statement (Historical Context, Intended Audience, Purpose, and Point of View).

“I was hoping that students could really hone their skills in analyzing primary sources and connecting them back to larger historical themes,” Lui said.

Students split into small groups to write responses for the three categories, then presented their work on the board for the class to review.

“I thought this activity was helpful because it gave us a chance to see what other groups came up with and how they approached the assignment,” junior David Guery said.

Afterward, the class participated in a gallery walk where students gave feedback on each other’s responses, providing new perspectives on the assignment.

“My favorite part was walking around during the gallery walk and seeing how others interpreted the documents,” sophomore Elizabeth Ramsauer said.

By the end, students not only improved their DBQ writing skills but also gained a deeper understanding of reform movements in American history.


(Photo by Brady O’Neil)

AP GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS WITH MR. ZURAW

By Brady O’Neil – Staff Reporter

Mr. Zuraw’s AP Government and Politics class offers students the opportunity to get college level information on different topics of the U.S government, including political institutions, public policy, and civil rights.

In order for his students to understand the different roles of government in the U.S, especially in individual states during massive catastrophes, Zuraw constructed a lesson using Hurricane Katrina to demonstrate the different levels of government and their individual involvement. Students were split into groups, and were given three separate levels of government – state, federal, and local.

The point of that lesson is to bring some of the content vocabulary from the unit to life,” Zuraw said. “The concept of cooperative federalism is much easier to understand when you are actively acting it out. So by having the students each take on the role of a level of government and discuss different solutions to issues that arose during the hurricane, it really highlights the need for the cooperation of the levels of government (and also highlights the difficulties).”

This lesson helped students strengthen their understanding of government and their involvement in the states. 

“I had trouble understanding the difference between the federal government’s involvement and the state government,” junior Cooper Pietrowski said. “This lesson really made it clear to me how the federal government has power over the other factions, but the lower levels try to keep the federal government from interfering with their work.”

Not only was this a great way for students to learn about government, but it was a very collaborative assignment that required students to talk to one another in order for full comprehension to take place.

“It allowed me to collaborate with people I usually wouldn’t talk to,” Pietrowski said. “I think it allowed me to be a lot more receptive to other peoples opinions because I usually don’t talk to those people, and it took bias out of the equation.”


(Photo by Sebastian Beltran)

MARINE SCIENCE WITH MR. MORAZZINI

By Sebastian Beltran – Staff Reporter

Students in Mr. Morazzini’s Marine Science class recently studied the chemical properties of water and its impact on marine ecosystems.

The assignment, “Water Polarity,” is essential for Marine Science students, as it allows them to understand many more ocean processes, from nutrient transport to climate regulation. By exploring how water interacts with itself and other molecules, students want to better understand the fundamental workings of the marine environment.

“The polarity of water leads to its high heat capacity which makes water resist changes in temperature, therefore moderating the temperature of the ocean making it suitable for marine life. Also because of this, living on the coastline of Long Island Sound we tend to have slightly warmer winter and cooler summer conditions than inland areas (due to water’s heat capacity),” Morazzini said. “Water’s polarity also affects its density which causes layering in the ocean and affects the way marine life interacts at different ocean layers. Sometimes you can find large schools of fish hanging out on a thermocline which is where water temperature changes drastically due to density differences.”

Water molecules have a slight positive charge on the hydrogen atoms and a negative charge on the oxygen atom, which creates a dipole moment. These properties, resulting from polarity, are the reason why water sticks to itself and other surfaces, influencing ocean currents and wave dynamics. Water’s ability to dissolve salts and gases is key to maintaining marine biodiversity and supporting food chains.

“It’s fascinating how such a small molecule can have an impact on the world,” junior Yeiden Nieves said. “Learning about the polarity of water and understanding why the oceans are so dynamic.”

The high thermal capacity of water moderates global temperatures, avoiding extreme fluctuations. This property allows small organisms to move across water surfaces and influences gas exchange in marine environments.

“Now I see why scientists say water is the lifeblood of our planet,” senior Evan Nash said. “It’s amazing how something so simple is connected to everything.”

Morazzini teaches the importance of the polar nature of water and helps students delve deeper into the science that shapes the oceans.


(Photo by Morgan Cappock)

THE LIVING EARTH WITH MR. MORAZZINI

By Morgan Cappock – Staff Reporter

Mr. Morazzini’s Living Earth class recently inspected the digestive system of earthworms in a lab. 

This lab took place during a block period and showed students how a real earthworm digestive system works. This hands-on activity engaged students in what the class had previously discussed in past lessons.

“Having the patience to go through the process of actually dissecting the earthworm engages the students,” Morazzini said.

Students were partnered up into groups of two and three and took turns dissecting the earthworm and writing data on their worksheets.

“It was new,”freshman Emilia Wojnarowicz said. “It’s something that is more fun to do than it sounds. And I feel like it’s a really good way to understand the earth better.”

The earthworms were preserved in formaldehyde and students cut along the middle of the skin just above the large intestine and over organs while pinning the skin to the base to open it.

“The experience of dissecting a once living creature is unlike any activity I have ever participated in,” freshman Malachy Conlon said. “The unexpected excitement was unique in every way. Not only learning, but seeing the digestive structure of an earthworm is fascinating.”


(Photo by Aislyn McKernan)

ADVANCED CULINARY WITH MS. RYAN

By Aislyn McKernan – Social Media Editor 

Students in Ms. Ryan’s Advanced Culinary class recently planned, prepped, and cooked their own personalized beef stew.

The students planned out a beef stew that they could customize to their own tastes. They had several days for meal planning and prep, and then on a block day, students cooked their stew. 

“Various lessons lead up to each person making their own version of the beef stew. They learned about the different cuts of beef, explored different spices and blends, searing and braising, and time management,” Ryan said. “Students were able to customize their stews, choosing seasonings, carbohydrates, and vegetables. The vegetarians in the class learned the same searing and braising methods using dense vegetables.”

The students in the class liked that they could customize their stew and thought it was a good learning experience. They got to experiment with different seasonings and food. 

“The only thing I would do differently is change the cooking time of the beef,” sophomore Eden Jordan said. “I was happy with all my other customization to my stew.”

This activity shows each student’s tastes in food and seasoning.

I like this lesson because since it is an individual cooking activity, I get to see each student put these lessons into practice,” Ryan said.

Students who prepared this meal had a very positive experience.

“I enjoyed the meal; it was a good combination of spices and ingredients,” sophomore Nicoletta Pacific said. “I would definitely make this meal again.” 


(Photo by Haley Stroffolino)

CIVICS & AMERICAN GOVERNMENT WITH MR. LUI

By Haley Stroffolino – Social Media Editor-In-Chief

Students in Mr. Lui’s Civics class are learning about how a bill becomes a law in a fun, interesting way.

Instead of just reading or writing about it, they’re creating skits, songs, and board games to show what they’ve learned.

Students benefit from this because it challenges them to think outside the box and collaborate with their classmates,” Lui said. “It also introduces some new vocabulary that students might not be familiar with which means they’ll need to ask questions and do research.”

The project is an opportunity to connect what students learn in class to the real world. 

“This is a good way to learn because it makes a boring topic more fun and engaging,” junior Emily Roos said.

For many students, the creative approach made the topic more interesting.

“I think this project was important because every student should know how the government works,” sophomore Natalie Rendon said. “I liked it because Mr. Lui lets us be creative and express ourselves while showing what we learned.”

At the end of the project, the students get the opportunity to play the board games they’ve designed and listen to the songs they’ve created.

“It’s awesome because they get to showcase and celebrate the hard work they’ve put into their projects,” Lui said. 


(Photo by Matthew Sanchez)

INTRO TO BUSINESS WITH MRS. ISRAELITE

By Adrian Vitale – Staff Reporter

Students in Mrs. Israelite’s Intro To Business class recently completed an assignment on the differences between McDonald’s franchises and other fast food franchises around the world.

The assignment showed students the differences in food menus in restaurants in different countries around the world.

The purpose of the project was for students to explore how different countries and cultures impact the menu offerings at McDonald’s locations around the world as part of our unit on global business,” Israelite said.

The assignment was originally done on a Google Doc, though students were given the opportunity to make the assignment into a Google Slides project and present it to the class for extra credit.

The project was fun and it was really cool learning about the different foods other countries McDonald’s had,” freshman Aaryan Doshi said.

Students learned about cultures in different countries through the lens of the McDonald’s menu.

“It was great, and learning about different cultures around the world was fun,” freshman Yusuf Genc said.


(Photo by Cesar Mendez)

SPORTS MARKETING WITH MR. BELER

By Cesar Mendez – Sports Editor

Students in Mr. Beler’s Sports Marketing class are starting to create their own sports franchises while taking into consideration cost and best location for the team.

Students picked a city to place their team and created logos and merchandise. They did everything necessary to create a fun and sustainable franchise.

”The purpose of this assignment is to show all of the different fascist of creating a professional sports franchise,” Beler said. “The research about the city of choice and does it have the capacity of supporting a team. The marketing behind all of the decisions of why you chose the team and the psychology of color schemes when selecting team colors. Once defined, creating a team and all of the marketing responsibilities such as team ticket sales, drafting players to define the organization, and creating a team website to keep fans updated in this social media world.”

The main goal of the assignment was to understand all the marketing and promotion that occurs for every sports team. 

“I had fun creating a team because it was cool to make a website and logos for everything,” junior Yeiden Nieves said. “It was also cool taking players of real teams and putting them onto mine.”

Students were able to take any players in the real word and put them onto their team to createthe best team available. 

“Putting good players on my hockey team made it fun to create the best new team in the NHL,” junior Jack Lefevre said.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Advisor Ms. Furst About Jonathan Law’s Esports Team

(Photo courtesy milforded.org/esports)

By Chloe Edmonds – News Editor

The Jonathan Law Esports Team just completed its fall season. Advocate News Editor Chloe Edmonds interviewed Advisor Ms. Furst about the team’s successes.

Chloe Edmonds: What is the Esports Team? 

Ms. Furst: Esports is a competitive take on video games. Several game makers, organizations, and businesses support the growing hype behind competitive gaming. Connecticut and the CIAC have embraced this new competition and are organizing events and tournaments that go all the way to the collegiate level! At Milford, we are looking to have students start competing in this new budding category and form the sport which we compete in two seasons a year. 

CE: When was the Esports Team founded?

MF: At Jonathan Law we started Esports last year. We just completed our first official fall season.

CE: What games are played? 

MF: We currently offer “Super Smash Bros,” “Mario Kart,” “Splatoon,” “League of Legends,” “Hearthstone,” “Madden,” “NBA2K,” “College Football,” “Street Fighter 8,” “League Of legends,” “Rocket League,” and “Chess.” We hope that the event organizer we work with will expand our options in the near future.

CE: How do the competitions work? 

MF: Currently we do competitions with other schools every week in a Swiss style format. At the end of eight weeks, then teams who qualify for playoffs will then face in a single elimination to see the winner. Most of our competitions are held at Law but we do stream them through milforded.org/esports.

CE: Why should students join the Esports Team?

MF: Esports is an awesome opportunity for students who are looking to develop their gaming skills and to be able to compete at the high school level. Colleges are also building amazing esports programs and are looking for competitive student athletes to join their teams! Even looking past the competitive aspects, it’s a chance to have fun gaming with others and trying out new games.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Advisor Ms. Healy About The SAVE Promise Club’s Youth Leadership Training

(Photo courtesy SAVE Promise Club)

By Aislyn McKernan – Social Media Editor

The SAVE Promise Club had recently attended Youth Leadership Training with several of its club members. Advocate Social Media Editor Aislyn McKernan interviewed club advisor Ms. Healy about the training. 

Aislyn McKernan: What happens at Youth Leadership Training?

Ms. Healy: At a Youth Leadership Training we get together with other SAVE Promise Clubs in our Connecticut area, whether that be middle or high school clubs. We all get to know one another, share what we’ve been up to and how we can better engage our schools and larger communities in our programs like “Start with Hello” or “Say Something” while also collaborating and sharing ideas we can take back to our own club.

AM: How did the training go overall?

MH: The training went really well. Seeing all the save clubs from around Connecticut was very impactful and helped our trainees with skills, ideas for our club, and more.

AM: How does Youth Leadership Training help students part of the SAVE Promise Club?

MH: I think these trainings are great for students in SAVE Promise because it shows them how many people are involved and care about such an important issue like violence prevention. It also gives them tools to engage their peers in meaningful discussion about change or problems they may be facing. 

AM: Why is Youth Leadership Training important?

MH: Youth leadership training is important for students who want to make an impact in and out of the club. It demonstrates skills to become a better leader and helps them take action in our community. It also helps kids feel more safe in our schools and stands up to violence. 

AM: Is there a next step to Youth Leadership Training? 

MH: After the Youth Leadership Training, we take what we learned back to Law and our Milford community which is great. We can implement programming and activities we got from this training in our communities to make Law, and Milford, a safer, more welcoming space for people. There will be a showcase in the spring for our region that we should be able to attend and share with our peers and other groups what we were able to accomplish this year. There’s also the National Youth Summit in April where we can meet with people in SAVE Promise clubs from across the country and participate in workshops, hear from guest speakers, and encourage, educate, engage and empower youth to look out for one another and prevent violence nationwide. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Sophomore McKenzie Forte About The Band’s Thanksgiving Performance

(Photo courtesy McKenzie Forte)

By Chloe Edmonds – Entertainment Editor

The Jonathan Law Band has been working hard in preparation for its annual Thanksgiving Day performance. Advocate Entertainment Editor Chloe Edmonds interviewed sophomore McKenzie Forte about the Band’s recent work.

Chloe Edmonds: What will this year’s performance be like and how will it differ from last year?

MF: This year, we are taking a more technical and much simpler approach compared to last year. This is because we have so many new students joining our program and want to be more welcoming with our show. With that being said, as the new members adjust, we had some more time to improve our show not just musically, but visually as well. Eli, our drum major, has added some visual effects during our show to be more appealing to the crowd. For example, at a “close” moment where we do not move, our heads will tilt slightly to the right, moving the large plumes on our heads as well to create some variety in our band’s shape. 

CE: How have you been preparing and working towards the Thanksgiving game?

MF: As a band, we have been rehearsing for the Thanksgiving game since Band camp in August. Learning the show, memorizing music, and learning how to march takes lots of time, of course.

CE: What pieces will you playing?

MF: This year, we’ve got lots of stand tunes, including “Not Like Us,” and for our show, we’ve included “La Lambada,” a Latin piece, “Evil Ways,” and “Havana” for some Hispanic representation.

CE: What are your practice hours like?

MF: As a musician who plays many instruments such as the oboe, english horn, and alto saxophone, outside of school I typically spend an hour outside of school practicing for fun. In school, we spend the whole class rehearsing, and sometimes students practice in the band room during their study halls.

CE: How long have you been preparing for the game? 

MF: Personally, I have been preparing to play at this game for months, though some members require more time to prepare than others. It really depends on how quickly the musician can learn, and how they execute their performance.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Soccer Player Ryan Nastasia About Being Named All-SCC

Ryan Nastasia (Photo courtesy @shotbyben)

By Cesar Mendez – Sports Editor

Senior boys soccer player Ryan Nastasia was recently named to the All-SCC Second Team. Advocate Sports Editor Cesar Mendez interviewed Nastasia about his season. 

Cesar Mendez: How do you feel the season went?

Ryan Nastasia: The season all around was one to remember. We held our own against tough competition throughout the entirety of the season. Everyone on the team got better as the season went on and that’s all you could ask for. We even made it to states so that was amazing to be a part of. 

CM: How does it feel to be named Second Team All-SCC?

RN: It feels really good. I felt I had an amazing season, so watching it be recognized is amazing. 

CM: What’s something you are going to miss about Law boys soccer?

RN: I’m going to miss all the memories I made with all my teammates throughout the past four years. Those are my brothers, so it’ll be sad to not play with them anymore. 

CM: What was your favorite memory from the past four years?

RN: My favorite memory was scoring in my last home game in States against East Haven. 

CM: What’s next for your soccer career?

RN: Only time will tell. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Freshman Tsviatana Tserakh About The Law Girls Swim Season

Tsviatana Tserakh (Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Harshitha Kothapalli – Editor-in-Chief

Freshman Tsviatana Tserakh finishes off her swim season with an exciting meet at Class M Finals. Advocate Editor-in-Chief Harshitha Kothapalli interviewed Tserakh about the season.

Harshitha Kothapalli: How do you think this season went?

Tsviatana Tserakh: This season was definitely a success with so many of our teammates getting personal best times. I don’t think it could’ve gone any better.

HK: What were your goals for the season and did you achieve them?

TT: My coaches had a lot of faith in me for the 100 fly so they said I could do it in 1:07. I was skeptical and chose 1:11. When SCC finals came along, I went a low 1:07 beating my coaches’ goal, and mine. 

HK: Why do you enjoy swimming?

TT: I think I like swimming because it’s just such a peaceful sport. Everyone works together to achieve each other’s goals and it’s such a welcoming environment.

HK: What is your favorite part about swimming with Law?

TT:  I really enjoyed the support from my coaches and my teammates. My teammates were there for me throughout the entire season, pushing me through hard times. My coaches taught me things I never knew and always believed in me. 

HK: What are you most excited about for next season?

TT: For the next season I’m definitely most excited for the new freshmen and the new goals I can achieve. I want to make the new freshmen feel as welcome as possible so they don’t have to be as scared as I was. I’m also excited to try and go for a 1:04 in the 100 fly getting me one step closer to breaking the school record.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Molly Croce About Being Named To The All-SCC Soccer Team

Molly Croce (Photo courtesy @shotbyben)

By Madi Black – Social Media Editor

Junior Molly Croce was recently named to the All-SCC soccer team. Advocate Social Media Editor Madi Black interviewed Croce about her fall season.

Madi Black: How would you describe the fall season the team had?

Molly Croce: The team did very well this past season. We had the best regular season record in Law girls soccer history with 13 wins. We also made SCC’s and States which was very exciting. 

MB: How does it feel to make All-SCC?

MC: It felt very exciting to make All-SCC. It was my first time making it and it gave me a lot of confidence.  

MB: What do you think you want to improve on for next season? 

MC: For next season, I want to improve on communicating with my teammates on the field and also my confidence. I played a lot more confident than I did last season but I feel like I can improve even more. 

MB: What pushes or motivates you the most to work hard?

MC: I am motivated by my teammates and by being a part of a team. We all put in a lot of hard work and effort in order to reach our season goals. 

MB: What are your personal goals for the next season?

MC: My personal goals for next season are to have more goals and assists then I did this past season.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Key Club President Addy Barber About The Thanks For Giving Food Drive

(Photo by Molly Lynch)

By Molly Lynch – News Editor

The Jonathan Law Key Club recently held its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. Advocate News Editor Molly Lynch interviewed Senior President Addy Barber for an overview of the event.

Molly Lynch: How successful was the Food Drive?

Addy Barber: We were pretty successful. We got four big boxes of donations.

ML: What impact did it have on Key Club and the community?

AB: These donations will be feeding many families on Thanksgiving and we are so glad to be a part of it.

ML: Are you considering holding another one in the future?

AB: Yes. We will hold another food drive for Law families around Christmas time!

ML:  Where did the food go to?

AB: The donations were taken by Boy Scouts troops to be distributed to members of the community.

ML: What was the goal of the drive?

AB: The goal of the drive was to feed families in our community on Thanksgiving.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior President Max Akuffo About The Bible Club’s Stuffed Animal Drive

(Photo courtesy Law Bible Club)

By Molly Lynch – News Editor

The Jonathan Law Bible Club is holding a Stuffed Animal Drive to spread holiday cheer. Advocate News Editor Molly Lynch interviewed Senior Bible Club President Senior Max Akuffo about the drive.

Molly Lynch: Why did the Bible Club decide to run this drive? 

Max Akuffo: We want to spread love to the children who are dealing with unfortunate circumstances during the holiday season. We want them to have the best holiday ever and make the most of it for them. We love helping the less fortunate and bringing joy and light to those communities. 

ML: What are the goals of this drive?

MA: We want to donate at least 20 stuffed animals to these children. We hope many students and staff in the school will contribute to this stuffed animal drive in an effort with Bible Club by donating what they can to make these children’s holidays the best they can be. 

ML: How does this impact the Law community? 

MA: This drive strengthens our compassion as a community for less fortunate people and allows us to be more involved with the community serving them. 

ML: Where are the stuffed animals going? 

MA: The stuffed animals are going to the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Connecticut.

ML: What is the deadline for the drive? 

MA: This Stuffed Animal Drive started at the beginning of November and will run until November 27th. We will deliver the stuffed animals in December.  

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Head Coach Mr. O’Reilly About The Upcoming Powderpuff Game

(Photo courtesy Ms. Russell)

By Harshitha Kothapalli – Editor-In-Chief

Law’s upcoming Powderpuff game against Foran on November 26 has quickly become the talk of the town. Law is looking to defend its title after the exciting 35-7 win last year. Advocate Editor-in-Chief Harshitha Kothapalli interviewed head coach Mr. O’Reilly about the team’s preparation for the game. 

Harshitha Kothapalli: How have you been preparing for the Powderpuff game this year?

Mr. O’Reilly: We’ve been preparing since our celebration dinner at Archie Moore’s last year. My fellow coaches and I will send each other plays that we could use for the upcoming season and we discuss what we would have done differently from the previous year so we can continue to get better.

HK: What are your goals for the season and how do you plan to achieve them?

MO: The goal is to create positive memories for all the student-athletes involved in this game. However, the best way to do that is to just win. 

HK: How do you help the athletes deal with the pressure of the game?

MO: The best way to deal with pressure is to get used to it. We create many different scenarios in our practices so the players can get accustomed to the atmosphere of the game.

HK: What is so special about this game?

MO: This game is so special because it’s one of the few games like it in the entire state. Most Powderpuff games are just thrown-together games with juniors vs seniors at the same school. They have very little practice, if at all. Here it’s a tradition that the entire town rallies behind. 

HK: What is your favorite part of the Powderpuff season?

O’Reilly: My favorite part is being able to coach so many senior and junior student-athletes that I wouldn’t normally be able to.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Captain Layla Alogna About Earning All-SCC Girls Soccer Honors

(Photo courtesy Ethan Pannella)

By Yeiden Nieves – Sports Editor

Junior Captain Layla Alogna was recently named to the All-SCC soccer team. Advocate Sports Editor Yeiden Nieves interviewed Alogna about her fall season.

Yeiden Nieves: What were your goals for this season?

Layla Alogna: My goals for this season were to be a leader on and off the field, have a winning record, and be close with everyone on the team.

YN: What are your goals for next season?

LA: I have similar goals except I believe we can grow even more making it further into the SCC Tournament and State Tournament.

YN: How do you feel the team played this season?

LA: I feel we drastically improved since last season but theres still more room for growth and improvement.

YN: What steps will you take in the offseason to help you and your team achieve their goals?

LA: We’ll have to put in work in the offseason, constantly getting better and practicing how we play.

YN: What responsibilities does being a captain come with?

LA: Being a captain means trying your best to guide your teammates while not being overbearing, having balance and being kind and understanding to everyone on the team. As a captain you have to be focused yet personable and that’s what I tried to do and will continue to do.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Captain Alexa Rosati About The Law Cheerleading Team’s Thanksgiving Performance

(Photo courtesy Law Cheer)

By Courtney Russo – News Editor

Senior Captain Alexa Rosati is leading the Law cheerleading team in its preparation for the upcoming Thanksgiving game where Law will perform at halftime with the Foran cheer team. Advocate News Editor Courtney Russo interviewed Rosati about the Thanksgiving game.

Courtney Russo: How are you preparing for the Thanksgiving game?

Alexa Rosati: We have been preparing for the Thanksgiving game by practicing weekly. We have had a few practices with the Foran cheer team to do our combined halftime routine that we did last year for halftime.

CR: Describe the Law cheer team in three words.

AR: If I had to describe my team in three words I would say we are determined, hard-working, and kind.

CR: What do your practice hours look like?

AR: Competition team has practice on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Game team has practices on Wednesday. Every practice is two hours.

CR: As a captain, how are you helping the new members of the team?

AR: As a captain, I help the new members by letting them know they can always come to me if they need anything. I want them to feel comfortable and supported so I spend time getting to know them and helping them with any questions or concerns.

CR: What is the team doing differently from last year?

AR: Most of what the team is doing this year is the same as last year. We are making our joint halftime routine with Foran a tradition. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Linebacker Cesar Mendez About The Thanksgiving Day Football Game

(Photo courtesy @shotbyben)

By Tim Firla – Entertainment Editor

The Jonathan Law football team is wrapping up their regular season with one final game against cross-town rival Foran on Thanksgiving. Advocate Entertainment Editor Tim Firla interviewed senior linebacker Cesar Mendez about the team’s season.

Tim Firla: What are you looking forward to in this Thanksgiving game?

Cesar Mendez: I’m most excited to have the whole city of Milford at this game watching this game. Being on the sideline of this game for the past three years, the atmosphere is one of one. I’m excited to see the intensity both teams bring to this game and i’m excited to hit Forans players. 

TF: What has been the best part of the season so far?

CM:  The best part of the season so far has to have been the gritty win against Amity. I played my best game. But at the end of the game, the way we won was electric. 

TF: How do you feel the team played this season

CM: This season was definitely my best year of my high school career. The defense overall was second to none this year. We all played our hearts out, rallying to the football, coming up with key stops when needed most. Defense truly locked in this year. 

TF: What are you most thankful for?

CM: Im thankful for my family and friends and to be able to play football with my teammates and coaches. 

TF: What are your predictions for the game?

CM: I’m hoping for a great team win for the lawmen and lots of takeaways for the defense. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Captain Aryanna Maldonado About The Law Cheer Team

(Photo courtesy Law Cheer)

By Haley Stroffolino – Social Media Editor-In-Chief

Aryanna Maldonado is a senior captain of the Law cheerleading team. Advocate Social Media Editor-in-Chief Haley Stroffolino interviewed Maldonado about the team’s upcoming Thanksgiving Game halftime performance with the Foran High School cheer team.

Haley Stroffolino: How do you and the cheer team prepare for the Thanksgiving game against Foran? How have you been practicing? With Foran?

Aryanna Maldonado: To prepare for the Thanksgiving game against Foran, our full team practices for two hours, 1-3 days a week, to perfect our halftime routine. We practice with Foran once a week on Mondays. They come to Law one week and then we go to Foran the next.

HS: Is there a specific moment or part of the game that you look forward to the most?

AM: I looked forward to performing the halftime routine.

HS: Have there been any memorable moments from past Thanksgiving games that stand out to you?

AM: The most memorable part is before the game. Every year we all wake up really early and eat breakfast and get ready together at my house. 

HS: How do you and your teammates handle any rivalry spirit from the opposing side?

AM: We try to stay out of any rivalry especially because we combine with Foran when performing, so there really is no rivalry within the cheer community. 

HS: What does the cheer team do to build school spirit in the week leading up to the game?

AM: To build spirit within the school we do Powderpuff cheer with the boys. During the game the boys cheer for the Powderpuff team.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Athletic Director Mr. Drew About The Thanksgiving Week Football Games

(Photo courtesy Ella Franzman)

By Ella Franzman – Editor-in-Chief & Editorial Editor

Jonathan Law’s Athletic Director Tom Drew is getting excited for the upcoming annual Thanksgiving week games against Foran. There are three games that take place the week of Thanksgiving: the Froshmore football game Monday evening at Foran, the flag football Powderpuff game Tuesday night at Foran, and the highly-anticipated varsity football game on Thanksgiving morning, that game taking place at Jonathan Law. Advocate Editor-in-Chief Ella Franzman interviewed Drew to see how he’s getting ready for the big week.  

Ella Franzman: Why is the Foran vs. Law Thanksgiving week so special?

Tom Drew: Thanksgiving in Milford is a true community event. You have a large portion of the school community either playing in the games, in the band, or participating in cheer. It is a day to showcase just how special Milford truly is.  

EF: You have coached football at both Law and Foran. How is your role different now as the Athletic Director at Law?

TD: I have coached football at both Law and Foran and the preparation that goes into playing a game on any Friday is significant. As Athletic Director I still feel the pressure just in a different way. My goal is to make sure the event takes place as seamlessly as possible.  

EF: Can you share some history about the Thanksgiving football game and its significance to the community?

TD: There are not many two high school towns in the state of Connecticut. Thanksgiving in Milford is important because it is what makes us unique. I think the rivalry is as healthy as it has ever been. Coach Haley and Coach Walker have done a great job of keeping the rivalry positive. I am very proud to be a part of this game. 

EF: How do the teams prepare for such a high-stakes rivalry game?

TD: The goal every year is that this game is not the last, both teams this year are still in the hunt for the playoffs so preparation has to remain the same. From a coaching perspective this game is like any other, all practice routines and preparation routines remain the same. Once 10:30am hits on Thanksgiving morning, it’s hard to convince the kids that it is just “another game.”  

EF: Can you talk about the impact that the Powderpuff and Thanksgiving day football games have on school sport and community involvement? 

TD: This time of year is special because so many Milford students have a stake during the week of Thanksgiving. Our numbers in Powderpuff are staggering, our cheer and band are culminating another successful year, and our football team is hopeful to extend their season.  The halls of Jonathan Law feel a little more alert this time of year, and the school pride is at an all-time high. It’s what makes the end fall season so special.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Captain Will Childs About Law’s Esports Team

Will Childs (Photo courtesy Will Smith)

By William Smith – Entertainment Editor

Jonathan Law’s Esports team is a brand new edition to the school’s sports teams this year. The coach of the Esports team is Latin teacher Ms. Furst. The team competes in games such as “Super Smash Brothers Ultimate,” “Mario Kart 8,” “Rocket League,” “League of Legends,” “Splatoon,” and “Street Fighter 6.” Advocate Entertainment Editor Will Smith interviewed Senior Captain Will Childs about the team.

Will Smith: What games does the Esports team compete in?

Will Childs: I compete in “Super Smash Brothers” and “Splatoon 3.”

WS: What is your favorite part about being on the Esports team?

WC: We all have very similar interest, so it makes talking to each other very easy.

WS: What does an average Esports practice look like?

WC: We play the games and review how we did during practice. Practices usually last for about an hour and a half.

WS: What are your biggest accomplishments this year?

WC: My biggest accomplishment was seeing something that was adopted into colleges being adopted at a high school level.

WS: What do competitions look like for the Esports team?

WC: The team is competing, preparing their system, and facing off in the team’s room.

NEWS: Law’s AP/ECE French Class Visits UConn For French Immersion Day

(Photo courtesy Dr. Evans)

By Kayla Markowitz – Editor-in-Chief 

The Jonathan Law AP/ECE French class made its way to UConn-Storrs on November 14. 

French class professors from UConn put together fun activities, games, workshops, and French trivia to help immerse high school students from all over Connecticut in the French-speaking world. Students got to participate in different programs to improve their French speaking skills and dive deeper into French culture. 

I planned this trip hoping that my ECE French class would feel motivated by the experience of seeing other students from around the state who are also working hard to become proficient in French,” French Teacher Dr. Evans said. “I knew that my students would enjoy and be inspired by all of the French speakers they would meet throughout the day.”

Students from different schools were put into different conversation scenarios and expected to converse throughout the day completely in French. These conversation groups were designed to introduce students to each other and encourage them to demonstrate their french speaking skills. 

“I was able to meet people and have interesting conversations in French while learning lots of new vocabulary and learned a lot about French culture,” junior Siya Patil said. 

The class also participated in a trivia competition against other Connecticut schools to test their knowledge on different French topics. 

“We got to participate in the Quiz Bowl which was basically a series of trivia questions aimed to not only encourage students to learn more about french culture but also sharpened our grammar and vocabulary knowledge,” junior Harshitha Kothapalli said.

After an unfortunate loss of the Quiz Bowl, the AP/ECE class went to enjoy some ice cream at UConn’s local Dairy Bar Ice Cream shop, and share about their experiences throughout the day.

“My personal favorite part was seeing my students’ smiles throughout the day and later hearing about the interesting ‘mini-classes’ they attended,” Evans said. “I also really enjoyed dreaming about winning the huge French Quiz Bowl trophy next year and enjoying ice cream from the Dairy Bar on the UConn campus.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Ella Franzman About The Law Powderpuff Team

(Photo courtesy Nathan Galicinao)

By Kayla Markowitz – Editor-in-Chief 

Jonathan Law’s Powderpuff team is getting ready to kick-off their game against Foran on November 26 at Foran High School. Advocate Editor-in-Chief Kayla Markowitz interviewed senior Ella Franzman for a play-by-play on how the Lawmen are preparing for the big night.  

Kayla Markowitz: How is the team preparing for the upcoming Powderpuff game?

Ella Franzman: Defensively, we are preparing for Powderpuff by first working in drills and position skill workouts and then putting it all together to then go and scrimmage with offense. We have been working very hard every day and constantly finding and using different strategies to figure out what works best for the team.Offensively we are working hard at getting the plays down and trying to get as many reps with each play that we can. We want to make sure that everyone is comfortable so that for the game everything just feels natural.

KM: What are some successes the team is having ?

EF: Some success that the team has been having is consistency. We have been all showing up with a positive attitude willing to work and to perform at a high level so that in a week or so we can go into Foran and have the positive outcome we want. 

KM: What are some challenges the team is facing? 

EF: Some challenges that we are facing is figuring out who is right and wrong for positions. We are trying to figure out exactly how we want to attack on defense and what we think will work the best. 

KM: What is your favorite part about the team? 

EF: My favorite part of the team is being out there with everyone and just having fun. We are serious at some points in practice but we are also able to have fun and play a sport that we wouldn’t ever think to play. It’s also so cool to see all these juniors and seniors come out for Powderpuff work hard for two weeks and then go to play a game. Learning all these different positions can be so difficult so it’s really cool to see everyone pick up a position and learn it in such a short time. 

KM: What are some team goals you hope to achieve?

EF: Some team goals we hope to achieve is to continue to work hard at practice and listen to the coaches’ feedback, and then ultimately get the win at Foran. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Sophomore Chris Volikas About Law’s New Creative Arts Club

(Photo courtesy Creative Arts Club)

By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor

The Creative Arts Club is a new club at Jonathan Law. It was founded by sophomore Chris Volikas and the Advisor of the club is Mrs. Roumeles. Meetings are held every Monday after school in Room 233. Advocate Entertainment Editor Ava Grippo interviewed Volikas about the club.

Ava Grippo: What is the Creative Arts Club? 

Chris Volikas: The Creative Arts Club is a multi-activity club where people can get to know each other more. 

AG: What do members do in the Creative Arts Club? 

CV: You can draw, write, play board games, catch up on homework, and socialize while eating snacks. 

AG: What influenced you to start the club?

CV: I wanted to join a club that was interesting to me, but I didn’t really find anything that seemed to be a fit for me, so I made my own. 

AG: Why should people join?

CV: If you want to join a club where there’s no stress to always show up, or if you’re shy to join a club with a lot of active involvement and you want a place to relax after school, then this is the place to go.

AG: What are the goals of the Creative Arts Club?

CV: My goals are for people to be able to make new friends and have fun. 

SPORTS: Jonathan Law Girls Swim Team Caps Off Memorable Fall Season

(Photo courtesy Ella Franzman)

By Harshitha Kothapalli – Editor-in-Chief 

The Jonathan Law girls swim season recently came to an exciting end with a record of 9-4. 

They also finished the postseason with many swimmers competing at the Class M State finals, including Senior Captain Ella Franzman.

“Another goal we had throughout the whole season, regular and postseason, is to make it to State Finals and I’m proud of all of us for working so hard to get there,” Franzman said. 

Head Coach Rob Rosner guided the team to a successful season, building athletes who have learned to persevere through the lows and maintain the highs. 

“I’d say a constant challenge is the mental and physical battle that comes with our long season,” Rosner said. “The ability to stay healthy but also stay focused on our goals.”

With the season wrapping up, the inevitable goodbyes to the seniors of the team have begun. 

“It is definitely a bitter sweet feeling that my senior year season has come to an end,” senior Sana Joshi said. “I am sad that I won’t be able to swim with this team anymore but also very thankful for all the people I met and the those I was able to build strong connections with.”

Junior Kayla Markowitz has had a season filled with victories, friendships, and personal growth but the biggest impression made on her were the ones created by her senior role models. 

“The seniors have made such a positive impact on the team this year by bringing everyone together and always being so supportive,” Markowtiz said. “It’s going to be hard to see them go but they have shown me what it means to be a leader on this team and I hope next year I can do the same for underclassman what they did for me.” 

Senior Captain Paige Kantor was proud of the ay she finished her final swim season.

“My goal for this season was to break my PR diving score of a 207,” Kantor said. “I was able to get a 208 on my Senior Night this year and it was so awesome.”

These moments filled the season and concluded with an incredible Senior Night win against Foran High School.

“It was a very close and nerve racking meet but we ended up on top,” Kantor said. “It was an amazing experience and I am so proud of our team for bagging that win on our Senior Night.”

Rosner coaches the team along with Assistant Coach Mr. Lui and over the past years they have greatly impacted every athlete on the team.

“I can speak on behalf of the team when I say we are so grateful for our coaches,” Senior Captain Natalia Gagliardi said. “They have put in an insane amount of effort every day, helping our team get better.”

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