(Photo courtesy societyforscience.org)

By Alexis Rios – Staff Reporter

National Math Honor Society is an academic club at Jonathan Law where students complete different math-related activities and competitions. 

NMHS allows students to work with their peers and to build more of an understanding of math.

“This year our goal is to promote math and to get an influx of membership,” math teacher and advisor Mr. Ruzbarsky said. “The club is to honor those who have a very good math average.”

Allowing students to participate in these events allows them to build on their teamwork and math skills. 

“I like how it is a community where like-minded people get to meet and share their interest in mathematics,” junior member Rachna Vipparla said. “I hope to explore my math interest and possibly pursue a career in mathematics.”

This club is open to anyone who has passed an Algebra II class and who has a strong interest in math. 

NMHS has three upcoming competitions to participate in within the next few months.

“I hope students are left with the notion that the field of mathematics is an amazing field to pursue a career in,” junior president Meghana Cheela said. “ The goal of the national math honors society is to spark interest in the mathematics field”.

Every student who joins will have to be an active participant in the events and meetings. This includes members who volunteer and try their hardest in competitions.

NMHS includes more than just math. This society also focuses on collaboration and commitment. 

“I’m looking forward to this year because I’m excited to participate in competitions and to work with others,” junior member Midori Hughes said.

NMHS is there for more than just exploring mathematics, it’s there for the students to have fun as well. This club wants students to enjoy and find fun in mathematics. 

“Many people associate math with a negative connotation and we want to fix that,” Cheela said.

NMHS encourages anyone to join who fits the criteria. To join the society, one must have above an 87 average in all math classes and one must have completed Algebra II. 

“I’m excited for this year in National Math Honor Society because I want to explore the mathematical field and work with others in competitions,” junior vice president Sreeya Gudlavalleti said.

(Photo by Adarsh Senthilnathan)

By Adarsh Senthilnathan – Staff Reporter

The Student Congress at Jonathan Law High School has been very busy this year, with over 30 members, it has introduced over eight bills and most recently passed a bill on recycling bins in the cafeteria. 

The Student Congress, run by history teacher Mr. Zuraw, consists of a House of Advisories and a Class Embassy. This is a similar structure to the United States Congress, which consists of a House of Representatives and a Senate. 

Students debate on significant topics, such as change in the school’s policies and guidelines, and also discuss about the best ways to foster change in the school.

Zuraw created the organization to give more students a chance to have their voices and opinions heard. 

He has noticed that not only do the students often have a better idea of the problems or issues happening in school, but they also sometimes have better ideas for solutions. 

“My hopes for the Congress are to get it filled so every advisory and every grade level has representation,” said Zuraw. “They just did recently pass their first bill and it was approved by Mr. Thompson so stay tuned for that announcement in the coming weeks.” 

The Student Congress is mostly affecting the students since it is debating issues such as dress code and cafeteria changes. 

The organization helps students learn about political strategies and put them in action while debating certain bills and widely talked-about issues. 

Senior Ruhail Akhtar is proud that all of the members of the Student Congress really care about the school and want to make it better. 

“Being in the Embassy, really helps you see things from the inside and it’s really great to hear so many ideas and voices from everyone on how to better the school,” said Akhtar.

The Student Congress teaches students about the government of the United States and how it runs on a day-to-day basis. 

Junior Edward Platonov said that, as a Representative, he is most proud of the fact that the Student Congress helps students learn about the nation’s government. 

“Student Congress will impact Law greatly because it allows students from all over each grade to debate together on things that would improve Law,” said Platonov. “It also replicates our real government so it’s a great way to implement real life into our school which allows students to participate in roles that might be prevalent in the future.”

Many students have joined the Student Congress because of its popular debates and the ability to change the school in a beneficial way.

Junior Hans Saludar said that he can easily connect with others in the organization because they are all into debating and politics. Saludar feels that many ideas that students want are not implemented in the school, however the Student Congress is currently fixing that.

“I wanted to join Student Congress first and foremost to help the students and being in the organization helps people voice their own ideas along with their peers’ ideas,” Saludar said. “At first I didn’t want to join, but I’ve always been into debating and politics, so I decided to go for it.” 

The bill passed by the House and Embassy regarding the recycling bins in the cafeteria was a very positive change and has helped keep the world a safer place.

Sophomore Julien Roy was very happy to hear about the ongoing process of implementing the recycling bins in the cafeteria. 

“The Student Congress shows a genuine passion and concern for our learning environment which presents positivity for the student body,” said Roy. “Most recently their ongoing implementation if recycling bins in the cafeteria displays concern for our worldly living space.” 

(Photos courtesy Amelia Mower)

By Amelia Mower – Staff Reporter

On Halloween, Jonathan Law’s National Honor Society sponsored a costume contest celebrating Bobo, Principal Thompson’s dog’s fifth birthday. 

It was $2 per person to enter the contest with the following categories: Best Female, Best Male, and Best Group. The National Honor Society raised $100 from the entries. 

“The National Honor Society is going to donate all the money we raised to a local animal shelter,” said Senior NHS President Morgan Taylor. “We will be going to the store and buying as much pet food and toys as possible.”

The 15-member NHS voted on the winners for each category. Costume entries included a dinosaur, Pac-Man, and scarecrows, along with many other creative ideas. 

The winners for Best Female and Best Male were Victoria Deluca and Neal DiBlase. The winners Best Group were and Joe Glorioso/Kailey Smith. 

“It feels very good to win the contest,” Glorioso said. “I thought we had a good idea.”

DiBlase was dressed up as the classic American man- Uncle Sam. 

“I actually got the idea for my costume from a really old Halloween photo of when I was still a baby dressed as Uncle Sam,” said DiBlase. “I’m happy that people appreciated the costume.” 

Deluca, transformed herself into a scary clown. The attention to detail in her costume put her far above the competition.

Glorioso and Smith dressed up as Steve and Robin from Stranger Things Season Three. 

“We looked at shows and realized we both enjoyed Stranger Things and we came to a consensus of doing Steve and Robin,” Smith said. “The inspiration was from how much the characters spent together and it relating to Joe and I.” 

The National Honor Society is a volunteer based organization, which has four pillars all members must encompass: Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character. 

“We usually switch the organization that we donate the money to each year,” NHS Advisor Ms. Turcotte said. “Since it was in honor of Bobo’s birthday this year, we decided to donate food to a local shelter.”

(Photo courtesy Briana Hernandez)

By Briana Hernandez – Staff Reporter

For the second consecutive year, Jonathan Law’s Food Service class took a field trip to the Yellow Farmhouse in Stonington, Connecticut, on November 7.

There were many activities that happened during the trip including picking herbs, hand-on cooking experiences, an extensive tour, and a luncheon.

“Besides touring the farm and learning about sustainable practices, we were able to actually cook with the produce we harvested,” Food Service teacher Ms. Ryan said. 

After being outside for a little bit, the class went inside to do a little bit of cooking themselves.

“I enjoyed how we went out twice, splitting the time spent in the cold in half,” senior Abigail Lonergan said. “We were able to take a break from walking and rest a bit and then go out while the food was cooking.”

The class was broken into two groups – one making a squash frittata, the other making a kale salad with a homemade vinaigrette.

“Inside the farmhouse, our class was divided into two groups, where one group started work on making a kale salad and vinaigrette,” senior Alyssa Denomme said. “In the other room, students were taste testing varieties of squash, and made mini frittatas using the squash, tarragon, onions, kale and fresh eggs from the farm, the groups then switched rooms and activities.”

The second to last activity that occurred was getting the extensive tour of the farm. Along the way the tour guide gave tips, techniques, and information about agricultural farming.

“We ended our field trip with a more extensive tour of the farm, sustainable farming practices, including soil rotation, ground crop usage, and the importance of natural nutrient replacement was emphasized,” junior Brian Green said. “Even the chickens are used to keep the soil fertile, as their pen is constantly moved to spread the love.”

The final activity of the day was sitting down with friends and eating the food that they had cooked before they went out for the tour. 

“We went back into the farmhouse and sat at two different tables, after being served the the mini frittata and the kale salad,” junior Mariah Cotto said. “We sat there for about 30 minutes enjoying the company of our friends, laughing and answering the questions that the helpers had handed to a person in the group.”

There were two trips taken to the Yellow Farmhouse in total, one taken last year by the previous Food Service and this years Food Service. Within both of those trips there were many differences. 

“I noticed the farm had a lot more workers this time, including a new tour guide and helper in the kitchen,” Lonergan said.  Another thing was the crops and chicken rotating to different places, as the guide had mentioned.”

The Food Service class is a business which sells breakfast, lunches and dinners to teachers. 

“I had attended a conference for Connecticut Family and Consumer Science teachers two years ago,” Ryan said. “The head of the educational center for the Yellow Farmhouse spoke on sustainable farming, which captured my interest, she also extended an invitation for teacher professional development and student field trips.”

The class is already planning more field trips to the Yellow Farmhouse due to how successful the trip was both years.

(Photo courtesy @jlawdrama)

By Mayur Somalinga – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Drama Club unveiled their rendition of “The Haunting of Hill House” on November 8-9.

The cast suited-up for one performance on Friday, November 8 at 7 p.m. and two performances on Saturday, November 9 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. The Drama Club blended quick-witted humor and kid-friendly horror quite elegantly in their performances, leaving the audience swaying between laughter and shock. 

“I think our performances went great,” said sophomore Sophie Maselli, who played Eleanor Vance. “The audiences seemed to love the show, and whenever something unexpected happened, we breezed right through it without a problem.”

However, this level of readiness was not just a matter of luck. The Drama Club and its affiliates practiced and worked tirelessly multiple hours a week to get the show as flawless as possible.

“We had about 9-10 hours of rehearsal together every week, and then we had to practice on our own outside of those rehearsals,” said senior Riley Pastir, who played Mrs. Montague. “The biggest part of putting on a show is making sure that everyone is on the same page, and we have to make sure that we are all communicating.”

Although, in the end, it was the cast that stood in the spotlight, the role of the crew was vital to the show’s overall success. 

“We helped make the ‘spooky sounds’ such as the pounding, and also helped the actors get in and out of costumes during quick changes,” said freshman crew member and understudy for Theodora, Quinn Scalfani.

As much as the Drama Club worked extremely hard to make the show as seamless as possible, some errors occurred along the way. However, oftentimes, the audience failed to realize that a misstep had happened because the actors were so in touch with their characters that they were able to continue as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. 

“I faced a few difficulties, one was that I had a lot of lines and I would during the show, stumble over my words,” said junior Joseph Soto, who played Dr. Montague. “My biggest difficulty was probably the beard; it wouldn’t want to stay on and during the final show it came off but it was before I was about to leave, so I played it off well I think.”

While all rehearsals were critical to the final result, there were a few rehearsals that stood above the rest and those were during tech week.

“During tech week rehearsals, we aren’t allowed to ask for our line; the first unstopped run through is completed, and we begin to play around with lights, sound, and the set,” Scalfani said. “This is also the first time the crew gets to practice.”

The Drama Club has many seasoned performers; however, they also have many new members that were initially unfamiliar with the intricacies and caveats of being in the club.  

“Everyone is just so talented, and I was worried that I wasn’t good enough,” Scalfani said. “But immediately everyone was so nice and welcomed me with open arms.”

Although members of the Drama Club all have very essential roles that help keep the show afloat, Soto considers just being yourself to be the most important one of all.

“Being yourself is always appreciated and can make you feel more comfortable in the club,” Soto said.

Being yourself is a core part of being a Drama Club member, but the Drama Club also offers the chance for its members to grow, develop, and become the best versions of themselves, both on and off the stage.

“I strive to make every show not just a performance, but a learning experience for these actors,” Drama Club Director Christina Kalafut said. “I want them to hold this experience with them and use what they have learned toward performances in the future.”

The era of “The Haunting of Hill House” might be over for the Drama Club, however, they will shortly begin preparing for their spring musical, “Footloose.”

As an audience member, it is quite easy to think of the possibility of being a part of the Drama Club for a successful production, such as “The Haunting of Hill House,” to be impossible. However, Kalafut begs to differ as she believes that as long as people are willing to face their self-doubt and audition for a role, there is always a possibility.

“Take a chance, believe in yourself, and come to an audition,” Kalafut said. “Understand that plays typically have smaller casts, so if you don’t get cast, be part of the crew.”

(Photo courtesy Lucas Greifzu)

By Lucas Greifzu – Editorial Editor

The Backyard Wrestling Organization, or BWO, come together on the weekends to put on a show for its fans not only on YouTube and Instagram, but throughout Milford as well.

During the winter the BWO will be putting on the largest tournament in its history, the BWO Winter Invitational. In this tournament people will be battling for points in their respective groups.

“I like that we are moving back inside for the BWO because we are back to the start and at least we’re not taking a break from the BWO,” BWO Superstar Brandon Bartholomew said.

The winner of the invitational will go on to face the BWO champion for the BWO championship in the first outside event of the next season. He will not only have to place in the top two of his group, but he will also have to win the playoffs as well. 

“You know, I think it’s a great way for new “talent” to show what they got, but in reality it’s not like any of them could really match up with me,” BWO Champion Noah Golden said. “I’m the BWO champion and that means that I am the greatest wrestler in the whole world, so honestly I could care less who wins because they’ll meet the fate of losing to me in the end.”

There are two groups in this tournament: the heavyweight division and the lightweight division. There are five wrestlers in each division, with the heavyweight division consisting of The Universe, VCW, Billy Hartnett, BWO Tag Team Champion Brandon Bartholomew, and BWO champion Noah Golden; and the lightweight division consisting of BWO New England Champion the Puerto Rican Prince, BWO Tag Team Champion Crazy Kevin Cap, Pretty Boy Brian Zirkel, Dan the Meme Man, and BWO Hardcore Champion Harrison Martin.

“Honestly this tournament is just going to prove to everyone that I am truly the greatest wrestler of all time and I will do that by being the first person to ever hold the New England and BWO Championships at the same time,” BWO New England Champion the Puerto Rican Prince said. “I mean honestly when my biggest competition in my division is Brian Zirkel who looks like a guy who serves McDonald’s (not that I would ever put something like that in my godly body) you know I’m the favorite to win”.

In order to make the playoffs, wrestlers need to be in the top 2 of your division when the tournament is over. In order to achieve this they need to gain as many points as possible; they can earn two points for a win, one point for a tie, and zero points for a loss.

“I know, not think, that I’m winning the whole thing and getting my title back from that clown Noah, and trust me I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve to make sure this tournament ends in my favor,” BWO Superstar VCW said. “In fact, the whole invitational was over before it started.”

In the first round of the tournament, Noah was able to beat the Universe even after taking a bad blow to the head, The Universe easily defeated Brandon Bartholomew, Dan the Meme Man defeated Brian Zirkel, and the Puerto Rican Prince fought to a draw with Crazy Kevin Cap. After that match The Prince turned on his best friend Brian, and acquired a new friend in BWO Champion Noah Golden.

“To be honest I’m still pretty confused about it, and as far as I know he had no reason to turn on me and I did nothing wrong,” BWO Superstar Brian Zirkel said. “I know we had some issues a while back but I figured we were on good terms.”

(Photo by Maddie Papcun)

By Maddie Papcun ─ Staff Reporter

On Halloween, the Jonathan Law Keyette Club partnered with the Red Cross to host another triumphant blood drive in Law’s old gym.

While it was neither the first blood drive to occur at Law, nor the first time the Keyettes have worked with the local Red Cross, this year’s event was extremely successful and beneficial to the community. 

“I’d say the blood drive was definitely a success this year because often during the fall season not a lot of seniors have reached the required age to donate,” senior Keyette officer Sandra Chaghin said. “Also, we received an email from the Red Cross that stated we had both higher turnout rates and lower deferral rates than usual, so all in all the day was full of good news.”

Eligibility requirements can be tricky to meet in high school, as donors must be at least 17 years old or older, thus eliminating underclassmen from participating. Additionally, participants have to meet certain height and weight requirements, among other specific rules involving recent piercings or time spent outside the country.

“The most surprising part about donating blood was how many different ways you can be determined ineligible for blood donation,” senior and first time-donor Nick Shugrue said. “You could be ineligible for something like getting a piercing within a year prior, so you have to make sure you meet all the requirements beforehand.” 

Nerves surrounding donating blood made getting participants to sign up difficult for the Keyettes. 

“We try to educate the Keyettes about what it is like to donate blood and the impact it can have on saving lives, so that they can convince people that may be nervous about signing up,” Keyettes advisor Mrs. Hull said. 

On the day of the drive, 22 people from the Jonathan Law community were able to donate blood successfully. A few other people were signed up to donate, but were deferred due to safety requirements not being met. 

“We were very proud of our donor turnout this year,” senior Keyette officer Sam Papcun said. “The Red Cross representatives were very pleased with the results, and personally the Keyette Club reached their goal number of donors, which can be hard to do, as not everyone who signs up will necessarily donate on the day of the drive.”

The Keyette Club has hosted these blood drives since 2001 to increase community involvement. The Red Cross representatives work hard to make it a pleasurable experience for all donors, but the event would not happen without willing participants. 

“By hosting a blood drive at Law, the Keyette Club hoped to accomplish a community service and therefore create an atmosphere of generosity that is so integral to the Jonathan Law community,” Chalghin said. “Moreover, the biggest accomplishment is giving to a noble cause, especially since America is currently in a crisis related to the recent Hurricane Dorian.”

The Keyette Club worked very hard to get the blood drive up and running this year, even volunteering on the day of the event. In hosting the drive on Halloween, more students are eligible to donate, as it was during the break between the fall and winter sports seasons, but the club still has ideas for improvements.

“This year I helped recruit students and teachers to donate and gave out snacks and drinks to people who donated blood on the day of the drive,” junior Keyette member Jenna Hanson said. “I hope to bring more attention to the teachers about the blood drive because many teachers seemed interested by didn’t know too much about it.” 

Luckily, Jonathan Law’s Keyette Club has no plans to stop running this annual blood drive in the future. With the recent success, the club hopes to increase donor turnout even more in the years to come. 

“To students still on the fence about donating blood I would say it’s not as big of a deal as it seems to be,” senior Keyette member and second-time donor Laney Smith said. “Being scared is holding many people back from helping patients who could possibly be saved with your donation.”

(Photo by Tyanna Xavier)

By Tyanna Xavier – Staff Reporter 

The Jonathan Law Acapella Club is back.

Junior and president of Acapella Club Ashley Leparik will be running the club and all of its upcoming activities. Even though the club has recently started, students from all grades are still free to join. 

“In our first meeting we discussed what songs we want to perform for our Winter Concert (December 17) and what voice part everyone will be and what we want to accomplish for the club,” Leparik said. 

Practices will be on Thursdays after school and sometimes Wednesdays in Mrs. Jones’ room (Room 129). Practices will be from 2-3 p.m. 

“I think it’s fabulous that a student would take their own agency to start a club and give other students the opportunity to learn and in prove their vocal skills in another form,”  choir instructor Mrs. Jones said.

In Acapella Club, students at Jonathan Law will have a place to experiment with music and  learn the value of working as a team for creating something great with music. The club believes that when time and effort is put into making music it can move people.

“I hope to learn more vocal techniques and to have the experience of learning from each other and everyone putting in our feedback to become a well oiled machine,” senior Justin Amaro said.

Acapella Club also puts the singer at an advantage for securing jobs as a performer. By learning acapella, students also will learn to recognize pitch, tone color, and rhythms by hearing and then demonstrating that through singing.

“I would like to sing pop and more recognizable songs that everyone can jam out to and really enjoy listening to,” junior Joey Soto said.

The goal of the club is for students to have a chance to shine no matter how high or low their voice might be. When singing acapella, students not only sing, but they mimic the sound of instruments with their voice making even more of an eye-catching performance. 

“Why I wanted to join Acapella Club was because I enjoy making music with friends and I’m excited for the journey of mastering a song,” junior Hayley Headman said.

Being in a club like this will make students more confident and help them get out of their comfort zone. One of the greatest strengths of acapella is that everyone has their own voice and can be heard.

(Photo by Morgan Taylor)

By Morgan Taylor – Editor-In-Chief

Jonathan Law chemistry teacher Ms. Turcotte received a $2,000 grant from the UConn ECE program this year.

With this grant, Turcotte was able to buy new interfaces that allowed labs in class to become much easier. 

“Labquest Mini is an interface that will allow the chemistry classes to connect different probes such as a pH probe and a voltage probe directly to the Chromebook,” said Turcotte. “They can graph in real time and take it home to analyze it.”

In past years, labs were more difficult to complete.

“Students used an older system which connected to a calculator and displayed the information there but then physically write it out in their lab notebooks at home,” said Turcotte. “Now they can just see their graphs on their Chromebooks and be able to look at data there.”

With the new one-to-one chromebook initiative, the decision to apply for the grant was easy for Turcotte.

“Every year they email us, as teachers of the UConn ECE programs, and offer $10,000 worth of grant money,” said Turcotte. “I wanted to be able to use the Chromebooks more in class and we already had the digital programs necessary for the new interfaces.”

The classes use the computer program Vernier in order to see the graphed information on their Chromebooks. 

The grant also supplied Turcotte with the funds in order to buy more chemistry equipment.

“I was also able to buy more probes to get a full class setup, previously only having six sets and now I have 10,” said Turcotte. 

In order to apply for the grant Turcotte had to complete many requirements.

“I had to write a grant proposal as well as get letters of support,” said Turcotte. “Mr. Thompson wrote my administrative letter of support and (Law student) Katherine Mao and Luke Morris wrote my student letters of support. I wouldn’t have been able to get this grant without their help.”

(Photo courtesy @jlhsband)

By Samiksha Mehta – Entertainment Editor

The Jonathan Law High School band has a lot planned for this year.

The band performed at a football game with eighth graders from West Shore and Harborside and at the recent Middle School Open House. 

“In September we did strong at the first football game, and the month was very productive,” junior Max Warner said. “The past 3-4 weeks have been pretty good, as we have nearly perfected ourselves in marching, Jazz Band has begun, and we are preparing for our parades later this year.”

Warner said the band is already prepping for the upcoming Thanksgiving Day football game – and for many more events down the road.

“We are hyped for the Thanksgiving game, which is huge for us,” Warner said. “This year it’s at Law, which will ensure turnout for a lot of Lawmen (an advantage for us!) We hope to have a productive Winter Concert in December and our band is very excited for the possibility of a Virginia trip. Until then we are back and better than ever for a ‘Lawmazing’ season.” 

The band has been working as hard as they can to make sure they can get as good as they can be for the Thanksgiving game and the possible Virginia trip. 

“I’m so excited for the events the band has planned for this year, and I’m very happy to be proud of what the band is doing this year,” said freshman Bridget Dwyer.

Junior Mike Nunno is excited about the possibility of a Virginia trip.

“The band has a possibility of a Virginia trip for this year which is really cool and the parades this year are super fun so I’m looking forward to that,” Nunno said. “I think this year is going to be super awesome over all, and I can’t wait to see what else we might be planning.”

The band has always worked hard to achieve their goals for any games or events they’ve had, even going to Six Flags for the Music in the Parks Festival.

Since then, the Band has been trying hard to improve as much as they can get for upcoming games and parades.

“I really believe that we have what it takes to be our best this year,” said freshman Chris Sandholm. “The band has been doing super great so far and I have no doubt that we will be able to keep it up. We’ve worked really hard to get to where we are now and it would be a shame if that hard work all went to waste.”

(Photo courtesy Mr. Morazzini)

By Bridget Kinross – Sports Editor

The Jonathan Law Fishing Club is planning on having a great turnout this year. 

Club advisor and Law science teacher Mr. Morazzini hopes that students will be excited to learn more about fishing this year. 

“To me, fishing is one of the most important things in the world and I would love for other students who share the interest to come out and fish with us,” Morazzini said. 

The club has lost some graduating seniors, but new members have joined, which shows a promising future for the club.

There are some new ideas and topics coming to the club this year that Morazzini and the new members are very excited about. 

“We are planning on trying to use one of the sports fields to learn and do some casting practice and work on our casting distance and accuracy. Both are very important when targeting fish from the surf,” Morazzini said. 

The Fishing Club is planning workshops in school to improve the new members skill levels and get the students excited to fish. 

“We are excited to run some to run some in-house workshops with the new anglers,” Morazzini said. “We love to work on our fishing reel maintenance, discuss tackle, talk about local fish species, and tie rigs to prepare for our field trips.”

There are many students at Law who have shown interest in the Fishing Club. When the students who show a common interest get together, the connection creates a good bonding environment. 

“Our love for the sport and enjoyment of the outdoors keeps us connected with each other and with nature,” Morazzini said.

(Photo courtesy carolinatheatre.com)

By Addison Schwing – Editorial and News Editor

The Jonathan Law Keyettes Club is holding its annual fall blood drive on October 31.

The blood drive is one of the Keyettes’ primary events, with members of the club, known as Keyettes, assisting Red Cross Volunteers. Keyettes Club Advisor Ms. Hull is responsible for organizing the drive and directing student volunteers in their duties. 

“We plan the drive and recruit donors,” Hull said. “We also have Keyettes volunteering at the drive in order to help register donors, hand out snacks, and walk donors between stations.”

The American Red Cross is a non-profit organization that supplies roughly 40% of all donated blood in the US. The Red Cross partners with Law every year to collect blood. 

“The Red Cross appreciates us running a high school drive because it encourages students to get into the habit of donating blood while they are young,” Hull said.

The blood drive will take place in the old gym on October 31, just in time for Halloween. The Keyettes are hoping for at least 20 units of blood. A single unit of blood is equal to 525 mL (one pint) of blood and can save up to three lives. 

Everyone who is able to donate blood is encouraged to do so. By donating, you are potentially helping save someone’s life who is in desperate need of a transfusion, or someone who has suffered a severe accident. 

Keyette Samantha Papcun is always happy to help the Red Cross during the blood drive. 

“Honestly, just knowing that what you’re doing is helping other people is really cool,” Papcun said.

(Photo courtesy titantimes.org)

By Malakai Pisacreta – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Debate Club is looking for new members to discuss real world topics.

The club, which had its first meeting of the year on October 7, focuses on discussing topics that the club members decide and research. With this they make sure to respect others opinions and treat others with the respect they deserve even if they disagree

The main goal of the club is for members to be able to see issues from different perspectives.

“Expand membership and open up to perspectives other than their own,” Debate Club advisor Mr. Evanko said. “ I like to have the students interact more but I do occasionally share my opinion”

Diya Daruka, a sophomore at Law, shared some of her experiences with the club so far. 

“It’s a really fun club that people would enjoy and adds to the Law experience and helps with essay writings and Mr. Evanko is a great advisor,” Daruka said.

The first topic for the club is discussing vaping and the impact on schools and people.

“I like the club; it’s fun and I think it’s a good addition to the list of clubs,” Daruka said.

The club meets on Mondays in Evanko’s room.

Photo by Morgan Taylor)

By Morgan Taylor – Editor-In-Chief

Jonathan Law has seen a lot of changes this year, the latest being the addition of the Wellness Wing. 

Law Principal Mr. Thompson wanted to have a safe space for students to improve their mental health and overall well-being. The Wellness Wing serves this exact purpose.

“Everyone is really excited about the Wellness Wing and for students to be engaged in taking a meta moment for their health and well-being so that they can be their best selves and maximize their learning here at Jonathan Law,” Thompson said.

The Wing, located in the guidance hallway, holds two main new additions, one of which is the Zen Zone. 

“The Zen Zone is a space for students who need some time to gather their thoughts or de-stress so that they can then move forward successfully throughout the day,” said Director of School Counseling Mrs. Dunnuck.

The other new addition is called the Wellness Room, located where the Support Center was previously.

“The Wellness Room will be a space for students and adults to engage in activities that promote social-emotional health and well being,” said Dunnuck. “Some activities may include group counseling, presentations, stress-reducing activities such as yoga and mindfulness, and other activities that help our students to be engaged and ready to learn.”

The administration at Law wants to see what the students want out of the Wellness Room, so its uses will be based off of students needs, they are still being worked on and finished.

“We don’t know what will specifically be in each room yet because it is all still a work in progress,” Thompson said.

The main purpose of the Wellness Wing is to give students a place to thrive.

“We decided to create the Wellness Wing in order to respond to students taking a more mindful approach not only to learning but to be in the right place for learning and their well being,” Thompson said.

This corresponds with the district’s approach to student health and wellness.

Other changes in the school to benefit students are also approaching, including a revamping of the senior cafeteria.

“We will also be working on transforming the senior cafeteria over the next year into a more user-friendly space,” said Thompson. “We want to tie it into the Teaching and Learning Commons while also keeping it as a nice senior space.”

(Photo courtesy psu.edu)

By Stephanie Caron – Entertainment Editor 

Natural Helpers is flourishing with new members and new projects this school year. 

The club is creating new opportunities for students to get involved and to lend a helping hand. 

“This year, the Natural Helpers club has grown to a whopping 50 members,” Natural Helpers advisor Ms. Smuniewski said. “With such a high number of students, we are hoping to make Jonathan Law’s ‘internal helping network’ better than ever. The Natural Helpers are the kind of kids who people go to with they’re stressed out or in need of advice, the kind of kids who notice when their peers are feeling down, and the kind of kids who are interested in helping their classmates with the anxieties of being a teenager.” 

This year, Natural Helpers teamed up with Sandy Hook Promise in encouraging students to “start with a hello.” This is aimed to combat violence in schools. 

“Our plans for the school year is to create activities for everyone that helps people feel more included in our school community and feeling good about themselves,” senior Katie Linn said. 

Natural Helpers also plan to do their annual De-stress Fest which gives students the chance to relax and have some fun before finals. 

“The annual ‘De-stress Fest’ is a week-long event where each day presents a new de-stress event,” Smuniewski said. “Some ideas we have for this include mindfulness activities (like yoga, meditation, coloring), games and puzzles, an ice-cream truck or build your own sundae day, and bringing a ‘Farm on Wheels’ to the school -basically a small petting zoo for students to hold/pet animals – it’s kind of therapeutic.”

Some of the other events that the Natural Helpers planned are, “Hey-Day”, decorating the wellness wing, and collecting canned goods around Thanksgiving.

“Goals I have for Natural Helpers is that I want everyone to leave here feeling proud to be a Natural Helper,” Linn said. “To make new friends and be approachable. I want everyone to have a good experience and feeling confident on how to handle certain situations.” 

(Photo courtesy Mia Cerrato)

By Mia Cerrato – Editorial Editor

Jonathan Law High School’s AP Art Studio class took a trip to the Milford Arts Fire House Art Gallery to learn more about the process of making art.

At the firehouse, they met Faustin Adeniran who was displaying his recycled art pieces. 

“Milford Art Council and the Fire House Art Gallery are two wonderful art resources in the community that foster visual and performing arts,” art teacher Mrs. Murphy said.

The students seemed to thoroughly enjoy the experience and took a lot from the field trip. 

“The trip went super well,” said senior Tess Rosato. “It was really interesting to meet a practicing artist and hear about his inspirations and career.”

Students were excited to meet a very experienced artist and take advice from him.

“I was able to meet an artist with works all over the world,” said senior Haleigh Neely. “I enjoyed the experience.”

Faustin went in depth about his aspirations and career for the students. 

“It was really fun and interesting to meet an artist and hear his story as well as the progress of his career,” said junior Rachna Vipparla.

Students were able to attempt their own piece of art using Faustin’s style, creativity and technique.

“I really liked when we got to try to make our own piece,” said junior Abigail Gattert. “It was very chaotic but also very fun.”

Through creating and working on their own piece, students are able to see the thinking process of Faustin Adenrian. 

“My favorite part was the workshop portion where we attempted to make a piece of art using Faustin’s style and technique,” said Rosato. “It’s harder than it looks!”

This trip influenced many student’s future work in their AP art class.

“Faustin influenced my artwork because he showed me that there are many ways to create mixed media pieces,” said Vipparla. “I learned that I should experiment with more materials and go out of my comfort zone with my work.”

Seeing the thinking process of another artist fuels more ideas for students and inspires them to try new things.

“It was nice to see some of his thinking process while making these unique pieces of art,” Neely.

The Jonathan Law art department Law has plans for future trips since this field trip was a success.

“We have many future plans for new field trips,” Vipparla said. “We are even going to an art museum in December.”

(Photo courtesy Alexis Broderick)

By Alexis Broderick – News Editor

The Jonathan Law Book Club is back and ready to discuss the books members read over the summer. 

For the first part of each meeting, the club discusses the book it is currently reading. There are no set discussion questions. 

“I like to have the conversation flow naturally based off of what everyone found most striking or compelling about the book,” librarian and Book Club advisor Ms. Briggs said.

For example, one recent book had them talking about how shocking the ending was. With other books, they’ve talked about the author’s world building, or whether the characters are relatable, or whether the plot kept them interested. 

Briggs said the Book Club has read a couple of duds, but for the most part they really tend to like the book picks. The club is essentially student-run; students or Briggs make a book suggestion which the students then vote on. The winner becomes the next Book Club book.

The club meets once a month during Common Time in the TLC. Typically, meetings are towards the end of the month so they don’t conflict with Advisory.

“Our pick for September/October is ‘Strange the Dreamer’ by Laini Taylor,” said Briggs. 

The club read realistic fiction over the summer and has been wanting to get back into fantasy, which is a popular genre for the group. 

In November/December, they’ll be reading “Artemis” by Andy Weir, a sci-fi novel about a heist on the moon.

The amount of kids in the club varies each month based on people’s availability, but each meeting typically has around six to eight students.

The Book Club’s primary goal is to enjoy literature. 

“Reading for pleasure can be hard to fit in when the school year is in full swing, but my wish for students is that they remember what they love about reading and use our books and discussion time as a fun ‘break’ from academics,” said Briggs.

Book Club began at Law in 2010. Before then, the library/media specialist before Briggs ran the club.

The club chooses two books to read over the summer. These are the books the club meets to discuss in September. 

“Picking summer books is nice because we have more time to read them, and it’s fine with me if this doubles as students’ summer reading,” said Briggs. 

(Photo by Morgan Taylor)

By Addison Schwing – Editorial and News Editor

This year, Jonathan Law is teaming up with Sandy Hook Promise to encourage students to “start with hello.”

Last week, the Jonathan Law Natural Helpers Club announced the beginning of the “Start With Hello” campaign at Law, which aims to combat violence in schools. Natural Helpers Club President and Senior Morgan Taylor hope that this program will do some good in combating social isolation and making Law’s social environment better for everyone. 

“ ‘Start With Hello’ is the idea that helping people can be as simple as saying hello,” Taylor said. “By approaching others and making them feel included, we can make this school have a better environment.”

Sandy Hook Promise is a nonprofit organization formed by parents of victims of the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012. “Start With Hello” was started by the organization to be implemented in schools across the nation to combat a rise in in-school violence. A representative from Sandy Hook Promise visited Law on September 23-24 to talk to students about their program and about how to help their fellow classmates in their time of need. 

School Psychologist Ms. D’Angelo works with Sandy Hook Promise. She believes that students should be the driving force of change at Law to support others. 

“Students are old enough to take responsibility, are more independent, and will rely on their friends as their confidants,” D’Angelo said.

The driving idea behind “Start With Hello” is the three-step process, which follows a straightforward formula: 1. See someone alone, 2. Reach out and help, 3. Start by saying hello.

Dean of Students Mr. Ragaini hopes that this program will help create a “culture of inclusion” at Law. 

“Social isolation is the overwhelming feeling of being left out, lonely, or treated like you are invisible,” Ragaini said. “Students who feel this way may pull away from society, struggle with learning and social development, or choose to hurt themselves or others. ‘Start With Hello’ teaches our students how to minimize social isolation and empathize with others.”

The Natural Helpers Club hopes to continue the positive momentum of the “Start With Hello” presentation. Taylor broke down some events the Natural Helpers plan to host this year. 

“The Natural Helpers are going to implement a lot of the ideas presented in the assembly,” she said. “We are planning to do a ‘Hey Day’ sometime soon. Hey Day is when we give out name tags to each student and ask everyone to meet someone new and ask them a few questions.” 

Natural Helpers meets weekly to plan events geared towards helping other students. For further questions, look for Taylor and other Natural Helpers, as well as advisor Mrs. Mercaldi. 

(Photo courtesy ghs.net)

By Briana Hernandez – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Latin Club meets every Thursday after school in Room 203.

These meetings are filled with Roman culture along with plans for fundraisers and field trips. Latin Club advisor Ms. Furs, came up with this year’s fundraiser which is to dress an administrator in a toga. 

This fundraiser will begin on October 1.

“Personally I was picturing Mr. Nigretti strutting around in a toga, and I don’t know about you, but that’s something I’d pay to see,” Latin Club President and junior Brianna Fraccola said. “This fundraiser is something fun and Roman themed, as an administrator would be wearing a toga.”

Events like these come from the community Latin Club. You don’t have to act like you’re something you’re not, it’s a very accepting community.

“Latin Club is a fun, chill environment where we can express out passion for Latin and the ancient world, we are a group of like minded people who all love Latin,” Latin Club Co-President and junior Rachna Vipparla said.

“Latin Club feels more like a get together of friends, the close knit, banter filled, lovely group of people,” Fraccola said. “What I gain is the feeling of belonging to a group of people where I can be myself, no judgement.”

There are many activities that go on within Latin Club from their fundraisers to their field trips. This year, they plan on trying again to go to Holiday Hill. As well going to the Metropolitan Museum in New York.

“I helped to start the Latin Club two years ago with the interest of my Latin 3 students at the time,” Furst said. 

Furst said she hopes the club continues to grow each year.

“My goal is that students will be able to participate and share the love of ancient languages with students around them,” Furst said. “I hope to incorporate students into the Latin Honor Society and to continue to grow an interest in a subject that is sometimes forgotten.”

In Latin Club, students not only get an indication of what the Roman culture was like, but they also look at the architecture and what types of foods they ate. They also get to hang out with friends and meet new people.

Students don’t have to be enrolled in Latin to join the club. Also, the meetings only last from 10 to 30 minutes.

(Photo courtesy twitter.com)

By Jaelynn Shelton – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Interact Club is excited to start the new year with events that give back to the community.

The club will have many opportunities for the members to get involved with and create new relationships.

“Interact club is a wonderful opportunity to get to meet like-minded students who want to help; they’re typically empathetic, and mindful of others,” Interact Club Advisor Ms. Jessel said. “It’s definitely a good club to give back to the community and by senior year you have an opportunity to possibly earn scholarships specifically just through Interact Club.”

The club tries to have between two and five events that members can sign up for each week. These events can contribute to members community service hours, which is great for college applications. 

“Community service is an excellent character builder; students broaden their perspectives and begin to look outside of their own life experiences,” said College and Career Center Coordinator Ms. Sylvia.

Interact Club allows students to get on board with new and interesting things. Students can also earn scholarships based on their community service from the club.

One annual event in particular is the OktoberFest, which is used to help raise money for Interact scholarships. These events are  made possible because of the club’s sponsorship from the Devon Rotary.

“It was really fun, there’s always a good time and I always had something to do,” junior Interact Club member Addison Schwing said.

Schwing said that when he volunteered he did security for the fest, which was unlike anything he’s done before, but he enjoyed the new perspective. 

Some other events the club does are a monthly Beth- El lunch on the weekends for just a few hours and selling raffle tickets for comedy shows.

The Interact Club is very flexible to those who are involved in sports or other clubs. They meet once a week for a few minutes after school in Room 228. They are always looking for new people to add to their tightly-packed group.

“You should join we meet once a week its for a few minutes and you get your volunteer hours,” Interact club member and sophomore Rachel Solkis said. “You don’t have to volunteer for everything we ask.”

The club has appealed the interest of a new freshman this year Samantha Burns.

“I wanted to be involved in the school, when we had the freshman welcome day they were explaining the club, and it sounded like fun,” Burns said. “It was a way to make new friends.”

Burns says she enjoys the club and the previous events she attended.

(Photo by Nora Sotomonte)

By Nora Sotomonte –  Staff reporter 

The Jonathan Law National Art Honor Society is looking forward to the upcoming year. 

The NAHS is a club run by art teacher Mrs. Murphy. The purpose of this club is to support its members to bring art education to the school and community. 

The NAHS has multiple events planned this year that the members are very excited about. Some of the events they have planned for this year are a new stepping stairwell and the students are planning something for the new Teaching and Learning Commons. 

This year, the group will work with the Milford Education Foundation to create a chair with a theme so they can raffle it off for student scholarships. Members are especially excited to be working on the stairwell. 

“This year we have a lot of plans for what we’re going to do,” senior Tess Rosato said. “Were going to paint another stairwell, were going to do some murals in the TLC and some at West Shore , were going to have our henna tattoo fundraiser so i’m just really excited to do all of that.”

The students are  excited to be a part of this club that gives back to their community.  

“I like it because it’s a good way for the art students to express themselves and practice art around the school and in the community,” senior Julia Bolcer said. 

Many students got involved in this club to share their passion for art and better themselves as an artist. It’s also a safe place to share ideas with each other and interact. 

“I enjoy doing art in school and interacting with other people,” senior Katrina Jakab said. 

The NAHS gifts members with the ability to have a setting where students can come and assist their community. The club is very united.

“Everyone in the club has a passion for art and I think we all just like to do things for the school and for ourselves to participate in the art culture here at Law,” junior Rachna Vipparla said.

Students are glad to have the NAHS so they can express their creative outlet.

The National Art Education Association (NAEA)  began the NAHS in 1978 to inspire and recognize students who had the skill and interest in the visual arts.  The NAHS aspire to assist its members in attaining the highest standards in art scholarship, character and service . 

Murphy has been advisor of this club for four years. Since NAHS is an honor society, students have to apply, show previous artwork, and write an essay to join. 

“I think it’s a great organization for artist in this school to come together and talk about art and participate,” Murphy said.

(Photo courtesy Law Key Club)

By Taylor Firla – Staff Reporter

With the new school year a month in, Jonathan Law’s Key Club has started and they seem to be excited for what the new year has to come. 

Key Club is a great way for students to branch out in Milford and help their community. For those who are also looking to graduate with distinction, joining the Key Club is an easy way to fill up volunteer hours.

“I expect them to do their best, I expect them to have fun, I expect them to work hard,” Key Club Director Mr. Boynton said. “Key Club is a volunteer organization, we have a lot of people in the community and school that are counting on us and I have no doubt that they will continue having success in making Jonathan Law proud.” 

Key Club officers have lofty goals for this year. Junior Key Club President Angel Santiago backs up Boynton’s point when talking about their goals they set for this year. 

“Our goals for this year would be to increase attendance as much as we possibly can and my other goal would be to get as many freshmen interested in leadership positions as possible and increasing the amount of hours each person does in Key Club,” Santiago said. 

Santiago said that students join the club for many reason.

“We help the community, joining looks good on college applications, and it helps you get into the National Honor Society,” Junior Key Club Treasurer  Noah Forsythe said. 

Key Club really seems to have many positive aspects. Volunteering is one of their biggest that they are known for. 

“Well we volunteer so helping out the community is our biggest positive,” Junior Key Club Vice President Jenna Bagdasarian said. 

Key Club members have their expectations set high for this year and hope to make an impact in their town and school communities. But there are steps to be taken to reach those expectations. 

“We should try to have more fundraising for the club and more funding to go towards the club would help us out a lot,” Sophomore Key Club Secretary Diya Daruka said. “More funding will make the school better.”

(Photo by Eliana Chico)

By Eliana Chico – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law High School will be hosting a Financial Planning Night in partnership with Barden Presentations on November 6.

The purpose of the Financial Planning Night is to educate all Milford students in high school (regardless of their grade) about the financial process – planning on how to manage the financial aspect of their lives, get prepared for college, learn about financial aid, use their resources, and so on in the time frame provided. 

The event will take place in the senior cafeteria at 6 p.m. and will end at 7:30 p.m, and both students and parents are welcome to attend and they are encouraged to ask questions.

For more information, parents and students may check their emails for a link about the event and how to sign up for it, or simply review the Jonathan Law page on milforded.org and click on the counselling section. If students and/or parents/guardians are not able to attend, another Financial Planning Night will be held in the spring.

“Financial planning as a whole is actually best to start sooner rather than later,” said College and Career counselor Ms. Sylvia, “I think it would be great if we had that excitement around financial planning so that students have a better handle on their plans for the future. This will make the process a lot smoother around graduation time and reassure students that they have more options and can feel a lot more settled and less stressed.”

Law students also had their own thoughts on the matter of Financial Planning Night.

“I think this will really benefit us in the future. I can definitely learn more about financial planning because it isn’t talked about much in this school,” junior Lexi Rios said. “I’m glad there are resources like these for us to take action on.”

Other Law students also had their own input. 

“There is definitely a lack of awareness about financial planning,” said Law junior Madison Lusignan. “This can definitely help us out in the long run. For sure, we’ll have a better handle on the financial aspect of our future. This can definitely help with any doubts, anxieties and worries in college and keep us prepared.”

Younger Law students are also engaged in the matter.

“This is for sure a resource that all of us in Law should take advantage of,” said sophomore Dominic Baldino. “I feel that we can all definitely learn a lot from Financial Planning Night.”

(Photo by Madison Lusignan)

By Madison Lusignan – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law High School is coming out with its own Student Congress.

The Student Congress was created to create a forum that allows for more student voices to be heard and for more student ownership of Jonathan Law to be taken. 

”I just want students to have a chance to get their voice heard, because I know there’s only so many members on the student council, and I have all the time in class to hear all the great ideas kids have about stuff,” Student Congress advisor Mr. Zuraw said. ”So I just wanted to give them a formal way to share their ideas and discuss them.”

The Student Congress will allow students to formally propose research and debate ideas they have about current issues or concerns at Law and come up with ideas about how to help fix them. 

Zuraw, who came up with the idea, has high hopes for the Congress, as does Law principal Mr. Thompson.

”I thought it was a wonderful idea, especially since it’s modeled after a social civil model that we use in our own government state and local and of course federal,” said Thompson. “And I think anytime you can have more student voice, the better, so the more voices and input from students the better our school will be so I thought it was a wonderful idea.”

Senior Ru Akhtar is excited to running for the Student Congress at Law and plans on helping out the community.

“I feel like it would be cool to have a voice and be apart of a congress because I think it’s an interesting part of the government, so I think it’s kinda cool that we’re gonna have it here,” Akhtar said.

Junior Shakiah Perry has high hopes for the election and is filled with bright ideas for Law.

“I wanted to run for student congress because I want to make an impact on my class, and I want to have everybody’s ideas heard and I feel like I can really bring that out by being an ambassador,” said Perry, who is running in the election.

Sophomore Aurora Rutkowski, who was one of the first few to turn in their applications for her class, is diving right into this new governmental Congress.  

“Even though I didn’t really think much of it at first and then I had my doubts about it, it still intrigued me. I just want to make Law a better place mainly mostly because of the students,” Rutkowsi said.

(Photo courtesy Law Choir)

By Tyanna Xavier – Staff Reporter 

On September 19, Jonathan Law Choir visited The University of Connecticut to attend the UConn Young Conductor Symposium.

The UConn Young Conductor Symposium is an annual event that happens once a year for choir students in high school to educate them on choral leadership and skills that will help you later on in your choir.  Although, choir is known for doing substantial performances small or big, at UConn, they learn will singing techniques on how to work on their vocal skills when performing. 

“This year was a memorable experience and had gotten more participation, the students learned how a professional college ensemble sounds like and were able to take away a lot of important information and apply it to our own ensemble,” choir instructor Mrs. Jones said.

The Jonathan Law choir has made a lot of improvement in there way of teaching and learning so everyone can cope in order for a good performance. Choir members said that they have never seen a group as committed as this one.

“The most important part about choir when singing is keeping everyone on the same page. By learning how to conduct each other it will make choir more on track when performing and giving our best performance,” senior Advanced Vocal Ensemble member Justin Amaro said.   

With the help of the music conductors and Jones learning from them as well, the choir will have more advantages when performing. 

“At UConn there were conductors there who were very experienced who taught us more techniques we can do with our voices, including breathing and coming on time with our queues,” senior Advanced Vocal Ensemble member Rani Roderick said.

Joshua East, who is a doctorate student at UConn and a part of the Connecticut ACDA, and Dr. Jamie Spillane, a Director of Choral Studies at UConn and a conductor for the CMEA regionals festival, presented on the trip the choir attended.

“I had a great experience getting to learn from Joshua East and Dr. Jamie Spillane because they are very well known at UConn,” junior Advanced Vocal Ensemble member Joey Soto said. “I’m glad Jonathan Law had the opportunity to have this experience because it will help us out a lot for the CMEA regionals festival.”

These techniques help the choir for Lake Compounce and other trips they take throughout the year, where they will compete against other schools. The Law choir has a reputation of bringing home a trophy from these competitions, and they hope to continue that tradition.

“We learned to express more when singing to bring out the emotion when performing and we also learned how to properly drop our jaws when singing for more diction,” junior Concert Choir member John Finn said. 

When singing, it is important for choir members to show emotion. Therefore, if the choir shows emotion when performing, the audience will feel it, too. 

(Photo by Sydney Simpson)

By Sydney Simpson – Staff Reporter

Sophomore Class President Eva Carroll has organized a Fright Haven fundraiser for the Class of 2022, which began on September 24. 

For the general public, tickets to the Fright Haven venue cost $30. However, for students at Jonathan Law High School, tickets will be offered at a price of $20, providing them with a $10 discount. 

“I’m very confident that this idea is going to pay off,” Carroll said. “Fright Haven is an entertaining and social thing, so people will buy tickets in groups which will result in a greater profit for our school.”

For each ticket sold, the sophomore class will receive $5 in profit, while Fright Haven takes the remaining $15. 

The money is set to go towards the Class of 2022’s Ring Banquet, to help make prices lower for students to attend. 

“They have a lot of activities there and from what I understand it’s supposed to be a real top notch production,” said Sophomore Class Advisor Mr. Boynton. “I’m hoping that we can get the interest of our students here and their families, and if we do, then it will be successful.”

Fright Haven has recently moved from a small venue in Milford over to a larger one in Stratford, located on 411 Barnum Avenue Cutoff, in Stratford, CT. 

“Everyone in our grade loves Fright Haven, lots of people that I know go every year at least once,” Sophomore Class Vice President Hailey Boyle said. “That’s how I’m confident that this will be a really relevant and successful fundraiser for our class.”

When people buy a ticket to Fright Haven, they can be involved in something fun while helping out the sophomore class. This is a timely and interesting fundraiser, which makes it stand out from others. 

“I hope it inspires other classes to think about doing something more than just shake the can at stop and shop,” Jonathan Law Principal Mr. Thompson said. “Maybe more interactive fundraisers like this can make more money for classes, which is what it’s all about.”

Traditional fundraisers such as shake the can do make money, but people don’t get anything in return. That is what makes this fundraiser unique, people can purchase a ticket for something fun and entertaining while still supporting the sophomore class. 

This idea was carried out through Boynton, who was originally approached with it by Carroll and Jonathan Law math teacher Ms. Loch. They got the idea at the Oyster Festival over the summer, when a representative from Fright Haven proposed the fundraiser idea to the Law Volleyball tent. 

The volleyball team, being in the midst of fundraisers already, didn’t need it, so Carroll took it upon herself to propose the idea to Boynton, who called Fright Haven to get it set up. The company then sent tickets to the school featuring the Jonathan Law logo for the sophomore class officers to begin selling. 

“It’s something for people to do to get pumped up for Halloween,” said sophomore Cydney Galasso. “I think it’s a very creative idea.”

As of now, there is no set end date for the fundraiser. Tickets will be sold for as long as Fright Haven is open this year. 

(Photo courtesy Sadie Willett)

By Sadie Willett – Staff Reporter

The Sophomore Class President and Vice President are working together this year to fundraise for the Sophomore Class Ring Dance. 

Sophomore Class President Eva Carroll and Sophomore Class Vice President Hailey Boyle are working alongside this year in order to fundraise for the class dance. 

The first fundraiser is selling discounted tickets for Fright Haven. Fright Haven is a haunted house located in Stratford that becomes popular throughout the Halloween season. 

The idea for the fundraiser was proposed and executed by Carroll and is being advertised by the entire sophomore class office. 

Tickets for the fundraiser are $20 and 25 percent of the profit will go towards the sophomore class.

Tickets are primarily being sold during lunch waves. However, if students are interested in purchasing a ticket, they may also buy one from any of the class officers if they see them around the school.

The fundraisers are not stopping there. Other ideas in order to benefit the Class Ring Dance are in the works. 

Several thoughts have been brainstormed.

A Chipotle fundraiser, where students can go to Chipotle to dine for dinner has been suggested by Carroll. A partial amount of proceeds will go towards the dance.

The fundraiser is not yet confirmed, however, Sophomore Class Advisor Mr. Boynton has stated that it is highly probable. 

Boynton has also stated that the fundraisers will have a very successful outcome. 

“I really hope they do turn out to be successful,” Boynton said. “My officers have some great ideas, we just need to sit down and work out some of the details.”

Costco is also a possibility for a future fundraiser. 

Customers of Costco would be given a specific span of hours to purchase their groceries. A percentage of profits made would benefit the dance.

Carroll believes these fundraisers are very likely to turn out in our favor.

“The Costco fundraiser I feel will be more successful because everyone needs groceries whereas Fright Haven, not everyone wants to go,” Carroll said. “But overall, we have seen good profit from the Fright Haven one and we plan to see more.” 

Boyle also has optimistic opinions on the year ahead. 

“I do think it will be successful because the fundraisers that we do we make sure are at places that people our age like to go to, like Fright Haven during the fall and Chipotle for dinner,” Boyle said. 

Both the Class President and Vice President as well as the Class Advisor are looking forward to collaborating with each other this year.

“I’m just going to support her,” Boyle said. “Whatever she wants to do I will help her do and I will work with her and not against her.”

Carroll looks forward to working with Boyle to assure a succeeding year. 

“She’s a close friend of mine,” Carroll said. “We have collaborated over things in the past in not only school, but socially as well.”

Members of the sophomore class are optimistic for the year’s fundraisers as well.

“It opens up new opportunities for our grade to either expand for certain casual events we have during the school year,” sophomore Solomon Mercado said.

(Photo by Eva Carroll)

By Eva Carroll – Staff Reporter

Freshman officer elections will be held at Jonathan Law in the Newsroom on October 10-11. 

Each candidate must complete a petition form to be put on the ballot. One must specify their desired position, collect 25 signatures from other students in their class, and have a completed and signed student evaluation from their teachers. 

“The old days of running for office and having it be a popularity contest or a joke, are over,” Jonathan Law Principal Mr. Thompson said. “There is an expectation that you are going to take it seriously, and you are going to make a difference.”

Before elections, students are expected to have prepared a speech to address their classmates. 

These speeches will be addressed on October 10 on Eagle Eye News. Candidates will read their speeches in order by positional rank, starting from most to least important positions. 

“When you are preparing a speech to introduce yourself to your classmates, be direct, be honest, and make it clear what it is you want to do for them,” Freshman Class Advisor Mr. Kravecs said. 

On October 11, Freshmen will cast their votes appointing their desired candidates during advisories. 

Advisors will project all the candidates’ names and aside, their corresponding numbers. Afterward, students will be handed a Scantron ballot and they will bubble-in the boxes next to their candidates’ number. 

Once the Scantrons are completed, advisors will collect the ballots and give them to Mr. Boynton, the sophomore class advisor. Boynton counts the votes per candidate, and whichever candidate has the majority vote, is appointed for their position.

“We need candidates that will be caring about their school, caring about the issues in school and able to relate to their fellow students,” Boynton said.

Depending on the year, officers will be announced on the overhead speaker the day votes are casted or a day soon following. 

There are six available positions in class office: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and two Senators. 

Class officers are responsible for establishing fundraisers, collecting class dues, accommodating complaints or suggestions laid out by peers, and organizing, as well as carrying out class events. 

“I want to run for class office because I have always been a good leader and I feel that class office is an opportunity to demonstrate these skills,” Lia Schulte, a freshman presidential candidate, said.

Students that are looking to run for office must be honorable, motivated and educated citizens, that genuinely want to benefit their class. 

“I definitely learned a lot about managing responsibilities, and had a great opportunity to connect with my classmates,” Senior Class President Tess Rosato said. 

(Photo by Amelia Mower)

By Amelia Mower – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law High School Senior Arunika Shee has been named a 2020 National Merit Commended Scholar.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic-based competition based on PSAT scores in the United States. Out of approximately 1.6 million entries, the top 50,000 students qualify for recognition as a National Merit Scholar.

“I don’t feel any different, but seeing it on paper and hearing it in person really made it sink in,” said Shee. “It’s really rewarding to see hard work pay off.”

In September, 34,000 of these students, including Shee, were selected to be National Merit Commended Scholars. With this status, students are nationally recognized and can qualify for special scholarships from certain businesses and corporations. 

“Not many students from Law have achieved this before,” Law Guidance Counselor Ms. Raymo said. 

The PSAT is broken down into mathematics, reading, and writing sections. Reading and writing scores are combined with math scores to earn a score out of 1600 possible points. 

Shee believes skills acquired in taking classes such as AP Language and Composition helped her on the exam. 

“We practiced close reading and inferencing,” English teacher Ms. Hanson said. “Analyzing text is important.”

Mathematics skills are built upon during high school from basic algebra to advanced manipulation of more complex equations. On the PSAT, there are calculator and non-calculator sections which challenge the students taking it. 

“Algebra II is more of an integrating the questions in the curriculum into the tests and do-nows,” said math teacher Mr. Ruzbarsky. 

Jonathan Law Principal Mr. Thompson is thrilled with all of the hard work and dedication students have been putting in over the past nine years he has been the Principal.

“I am so proud of Arunika because she really embodies everything about what we want for a Law student,” Thompson said. “She makes the most of her academic and high school experience.”

Shee plans on furthering her education with a getting a degree in Biomedical Engineering or Molecular Biology and attending medical school. 

“I’m really interested in scientific research and the creation of medical devices,” said Shee. “I would love to help solve medical problems in the future.”

(Photo courtesy Dan Wasserman)

By Adarsh Senthilnathan – Staff Reporter 

Recent Jonathan Law graduates are handling the start of their freshman year at college with ease due to the amazing experience they had at Law and the level of teaching they received from Law’s amazing teachers. 

Most Jonathan Law graduates are prepared for the rigorous course load that will be put on them because of the AP classes offered at Law. 

Nick Hanna, a freshman at the University of Michigan, is excited for what the future holds for him in Michigan. 

“The course load isn’t as bad as you’d expect but it really varies by class,” Hanna said. “For example, my computer science class keeps me up at night but the only time I think about my astronomy class is when I’m in lecture.” 

Hanna said that the course load is manageable with time-management skills, which are key to success. 

Many recent Law graduates are attending the University of Connecticut and they really love everything that they are doing there, academically and socially. 

Dan Wasserman, a UConn freshman, is studying business and is excited to become a businessman when he graduates college.

“I’m studying business at UConn,” said Wasserman. “The business classes I took at Law helped me gain basic knowledge of business, improved my ability to plan and organize, and overall taught me to think like a businessman.” 

Many students have also joined the numerous clubs and activities offered at their colleges. 

Andrew Ancheta, a freshman at UConn, has broadened his sphere of experiences by joining clubs. 

“At UConn, the only club that I joined, for now, is the Video Game Club,” Ancheta said. “In terms of how it has changed me, I believe that it helped me to become more social and interactive, especially with people close to or like me.” 

Throughout high school, Ancheta was very shy and nervous while meeting new classmates, teachers, etc. 

Ancheta said that although he is still shy and nervous, he would say that the friends he made in the video game club helped him break out of his shell even more, to become more comfortable and confident in who he is and who he wants to be.

Many of Law’s recent graduates are also playing sports at their current universities.

For example, Ethan Saley, last year’s captain of the Law football team, is playing football at Southern Connecticut State University. 

Saley said that SCSU football is very different from high school football. 

“College football is a lot different from high school ball because everything is taken very seriously, since I’ve been here I have learned that the game is a lot more mental than I thought,” said Saley. “What I mean by this is that there are so many things that you have to have going on in your head so you know the right moves to make and what to do before and during the play. 

Additionally, Saley said that college football is way more time consuming. He is at football for a total of 7-8 hours of the day in college compared to high school, where he was only there for 3-4 hours at most. 

On top of this, he said that the coaches there are a lot more strict in the rules that they have on and off the field. Saley said that if someone disobeys these rules, they could have some serious consequences.

Another recent Law graduate, Ronan O’Reilly, interested in history is attending the University of Southern Maine. 

O’Reilly likes to explore and take unique classes and the classes he took at Law have tremendously influenced his college experience. 

“My favorite thing at USM is probably the ability to take different and unique classes like Viking Age Iceland as well as living in a new place with new experiences,” O’Reilly said. “Law helped influence my college experience with classes like AP European History and AP U.S. History that helped prepare me for college type work.”

The college atmosphere is also very different than the atmosphere at Law because there are so many more people.  

Hanna who has attended parties and football games at the University of Michigan gives a description of the college atmosphere. 

“Well the parties and football games at Umich are bonkers,” said Hanna. It’s pretty common to see like 200 students at the tailgates before the games and the streets of Ann Arbor turn maize on game day.”

When in college, students have many opportunities to participate in adventurous and extreme activities. 

For example, Wasserman has recently had the opportunity to go parachuting with the Connecticut Parachutists. 

“I went skydiving for the feeling of excitement and thrill and I knew this was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Wasserman said. “This was one of the most fun experiences I’ve ever had and the view was amazing.” 

(Photo courtesy the Science Club)

By Alexis Rios – Staff Reporter

Science Club is a STEM-based club at Jonathan Law where students participate in a wide range of activities in the STEM field.

This club allows students to compete in events to gain and practice skills they already have to obtain new opportunities.  “

The goal is to get more kids interested in science and to get more kids competing, and hopefully place in different events,” Science Club advisor Ms.Turcotte said. 

The club will bring two teams of 15 club members on each to their Olympiads this year. Their Olympiads will be at Yale, UConn and Brown. 

Competing in the Olympiads at these universities allows students to catch a glimpse of different college campuses.

“I’m really looking forward to all of us collaborating together and working towards making this a great year for everyone,” Science Club president Arunika Shee said.  “Hopefully we can win some medals at the Olympics this year.”

Because most of the Olympiad students will compete, they will have to be prepared with research. These events include building events, biology events, engineering events, and more. 

“I love the knowledge and experience that I gain from this club,” junior Secretary Meghana Cheela said. “I like working with others who are just as dedicated and interested with science ̈.

This year, the Science Club will be doing fundraising at Chipotle and at a Shake the Can event. 

“This year I’m looking forward to the diverse topics and events to help me with my dream of making a career in medicine,̈  junior member Sanskar Shaw said. ¨I like to be creative and this club allows me to be.”

The Science Club uses buses as a transportation to get to each Olympiad. Brown University is an overnight trip meaning that students will stay for both days.  

The Club officers choose partners for the Olympiad based on the events, similar interests, and their past experiences. 

“The best part of being in the club is being able to explore my interests in the science field,¨ junior Rachna Vipparla said. ¨It will help me a lot with figuring out what I want to do in the future. ̈   

The club is supposed to give students with a passion for science an opportunity in the STEM field.

Science Club allows students to gain experience and expand their learning from hands on activities. The students can then compete with their research and projects if they choose to do so.

(Photo courtesy Maddie Papcun)

By Maddie Papcun – Staff Reporter

The Environmental Club at Jonathan Law is back and better than ever, working to raise awareness on the current pressing environmental issues.

After a long hiatus, the small club was reintroduced last year by students who have since graduated from Law: Ming-May Hu and Krutikka Gopal. 

“I advised an Environmental Club over 10 years ago, it ran for a few years, and then it stopped,” club advisor Ms. Bouchard said. “Basically Ming-May and Krutikka approached (history teacher and co-advisor) Miss Mannion about starting a club, so I offered to advise it as well.”

Many of the people involved in the Jonathan Law environmental club are extremely dedicated to stopping climate change and reducing environmental impacts. 

“I’m very passionate about the work that scientists and environmentalists are doing currently to prevent the continuation of global warming,” club advisor Miss Mannion said. “I just wanted to help out.”

Previously, the club has created a pollinator garden surrounding the flagpole in front of the school, and run many local clean-ups. They hope to continue with projects such as these in the current school year. 

“This year we’ve been tossing around the idea of an environmental fair for earth day, where we educate people on environmental friendliness and what climate change actually is,” senior co-president Sam Papcun said. 

Overall, the Environmental Club has big plans for the year. They constantly discuss current movements such as climate strikes, and what the school can do locally to help the environment. 

“During meetings we will cover anything from current events to current projects we are working on,” senior co-president Caroline Chesson said. “Some days we go outside to maintain our garden as well.” 

The club highly encourages underclassmen to join,especially if they want to have an impact on the local community. Meetings are right after school on Tuesdays in Bouchard’s room. 

“Come to a meeting, if you’re interested. It’s worth a shot,” Papcun said. 

A small group of underclassmen are already involved in the Environmental Club. These younger members are just as passionate as their older counterparts. 

“I want to be able to make a difference—however small—within our community,” sophomore club member Melanie Filippone said. “This is happening now. Although things are bad, we can still save the earth by raising awareness and putting in the effort.”

Largely, the Environmental Club advisors, presidents, and members alike are fighting to have a lasting impact. 

“I want to see students who are in the club enjoy what they learn, incorporating it into the practices they do and the decisions they make,” Bouchard said. “I believe it’s their generation that’s  going to help fix the messes we’ve all created.”

(Photo courtesy instagram.com)

By Lucas Greifzu – Editorial Editor

The Backyard Wrestling Organization, or BWO, comes together on the weekends to put on a show for its fans not only on YouTube and Instagram, but throughout Milford as well.

The BWO puts on events for its fans on a regular basis, these events normally occur on Saturdays. The BWO has also been putting on these events since the middle of July of 2018. 

“What makes me want to keep doing it a year later is that I have a lot of fun doing it with my friends,” said BWO wrestler and part-owner Angel Santiago. “Also, I feel that we’ve gained enough of an audience now where, a lot of people are starting to watch our content, so it’s important to me to service the people who are actually watching it.”

The BWO has an event this Saturday starting at 6 p.m. The details for this event are on their Instagram. They also have a busy schedule of events lined up on the horizon for their audience to enjoy. 

̈ ̈Working with the BWO is often times the highlight of my day because of the friends I get to work with and the crazy stuff we do,” said BWO co-founder, part-owner, and wrestler Vaughn Weston.

The BWO is also a place for friends to gather and hang out with each other, while being able to enjoy a common interest. 

̈The BWO to me is a way to hang out with friends and do something unique while doing that,” said BWO wrestler Brian Zirkel. ¨I see and talk to people there I never would have if I hadn’t joined and have met new friends in it too.”

People from all parts of Jonathan Law, as well as Milford, join the BWO for many different reasons.

¨I joined the BWO because it looked like a nice group of people and a fun thing to do,” said new BWO member Dan Folloni. ̈Also some people were on the tennis team with me.”

The BWO started off as a small group of friends in a basement, but it has grown substantially since then.

¨I am very proud of what I’ve been able to do with 6 friends in a basement, because honestly I never thought that this would turn into such a big thing, but now we ́re getting 300-400 views on a YouTube video and one of our videos is already almost at 1,000 ,” said Santiago. ̈ ̈Obviously everyone around the school knows what it is, so I ́m very proud of what we’ve been able to do with it.”

(Photo courtesy ci.milford.ct.us)

By Mia Cerrato – Editorial Editor

On September 4, the Jonathan Law Key Club began an exciting year discussing plans and goals.     

They reviewed accomplishments from last year and made plans to do even more this year.

“The plan for this year is to continue our usual service projects such as Salvation Army,” Key Club President Angel Santiago said. “We also plan on preparing for our district conference earlier this year.” 

Volunteering from last year included saving up for a well in Swaziland to provide clean water for the community with the assistance of the Thirst Project. They also volunteered at local hospitals. 

“My favorite activity for Key Club was volunteering at the daycare at Yale,” Key Club Bulletin Editor Meghana Cheela said. “It made me feel like I was helping the community and was also just a lot of fun.” 

There are so many enjoyable and simple volunteer tasks for students to get involved in through Key Club. Members said it does not take too much effort to be nice and reach out to the local community.

“I volunteered for St. Mary’s carnival and I enjoyed it,” Key Club Secretary Sreeya Gudlavalleti said. “You get to help out and hang out with friends.” 

During the summer, Key Club continued to contribute to the community and reach out a helping hand. 

“Over the summer, Key Club worked at the Oyster Festival and helped out with interviews for new teachers this year,” said Santiago. 

Although Key Club is already making positive differences in the community, they are always looking for new members to help out and join.

“We would love if new members joined Key Club,” Cheela said. “It is truly a great experience and is a lot of fun, it doesn’t even feel like work.” 

Members said Key Club is a good experience for everyone and is enjoyable. Everyone should reach out to their community because they want to, not because it is required. 

“We are planning on pushing the key club to new members,” said Santiago.

So far, the new members are looking forward to the upcoming year.

“I want to volunteer as much as I can and help out the community,” Key Club member Lucas Greifzu said.

Some of the goals for this year include even more volunteering and more inclusivity in the community. 

“We really want to continue our volunteer work throughout the year,” said Gudlavalleti. “We are one of the most hardworking and dedicated clubs.”

(Photo by Stephanie Caron)By Stephanie Caron – Entertainment Editor 

The members of the Class of 2023 are adjusting nicely into their new home. 

Freshman students from West Shore Middle School and Harborside Middle School are meeting new friends and adjusting to becoming lawmen. 

“My favorite thing about high school so far is the freedom,” freshman Anna Nash said. “The freedom is so much better in high school than middle school.” 

The change from middle school to high school can be challenging but the Class of 2023 seem to be doing just fine.

“I feel like I have for the most part adjusted to Law. Everyone is nice, caring, and accepting so it was a pretty smooth transition,” freshman Aislinn Burns said. “The school seems a little new, but I am already familiar with most of the community.” 

Many freshmen have joined a sport. Most have said it has helped them meet new people at Jonathan Law and also create fun memories. 

“I am looking forward to spirit rallies, sports games, and different activities we do,” Burns said. “ I’m also excited to have fun with my sports teams.” 

On September 13, Law is holding a freshman picnic and a freshman welcome day to get students comfortable within the school, and excited for the upcoming school year. This was also a chance for them to bond together. 

“My advice to freshmen is to get involved early and often,” freshman teach Mr. Young said. “Not only will they enjoy sports, clubs etc, they will also get great advice from the older Law students on their experiences. By getting involved, freshmen can begin to develop relationships that will help them succeed.”

Members of the freshman class explained how high school is a nerve-racking experience but also exciting. 

“I’m looking forward to my senior year and seeing how much I progressed,” freshman Olivia Coddington said. 

Young and other teachers have many goals for the Class of 2023. 

“By senior year, I hope all freshmen have embraced their opportunities at Law and developed into great leaders for the rest of the school,” Young said. “I hope they have benefited from their classes, experiences and relationships during their time at Law and are confident to achieve their goals after high school.”

(Photo by Alexis Broderick)

By Alexis Broderick – News Editor

Jonathan Law High School is back in session and there are some new, exciting renovations.

What used to be the Media Center is now called the Teaching and Learning Commons (TLC). The furniture and equipment in the Teaching and Learning Commons has been moved around and renovated.

“We gathered together an incredible committee of teacher leaders who spent a year researching other schools (including colleges) and, thanks to the support of our district, we have The Teaching and Learning Commons,” Law principal Mr. Thompson said.

Thompson presented a plan to Superintendent Dr. Cutaia to update several spaces at Law, including the Media Center and the Student Support Center. She suggested, instead of renovating multiple spaces throughout the building, combining these services into one renovation project to transform the Media Center into a one-stop shop for all student needs, whether it’s accessing resources, collaborating in groups, getting extra help, relaxing a bit, or creating a project.

Since the district has been purchasing more online resources including ebooks and databases and has become a 1:1 school with Chromebooks for all students, Law was able to cut down on the number of computers and bookshelves they had, creating the space they would need to achieve these goals.

“It was a great time to renovate,” librarian Ms. Briggs said.

Some of the renovations include collaborative work areas for group projects and classes, a student lounge area for relaxing and snacking, quiet study rooms, a student-run IT center, the Law Academic Student Support Center, learning centers, a new broadcast journalism room, and maker spaces. The IT center and maker spaces are still a work in progress.

“Seeing the TLC change in such a short amount of time was great,” media aide Mrs. Borer said. “So far from what I’ve seen and heard the kids are truly enjoy this space.”

The TLC space has already been reconfigured, and by December there will be all new furniture. The complete transformation will continue to take place over the next several years as Law works to update technology and expand services.

There has also been a Presentation Room added to the TLC. The Presentation Room can be used for classes, guest speakers, and special events. There is an interactive ViewBoard and plenty of seating, not to mention a really cool paint job. Students who want to use this space can e-mail Mrs. Briggs at sbriggs@milforded.org.

One of the things students and teachers are most excited about is the TLC staying open every day this year. It is a goal not to hold any meetings, events, or testing in this space since there are other spaces in the building to use for these purposes. As in years past, the TLC is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Students may visit during study, lunch, common time, or with their classes as well as before and after school.

The open floor plan of the commons and the different spaces (instructional, support, collaborative, relaxation) mean that  accommodating a large number of people working on a number of different projects at the same time. There will be some noise, but there will always be situations in which someone really needs some peace and quiet in order to concentrate. The Quiet Rooms are available to fill that need and to make sure that kids are getting the time they need to get their work done.

Not only did the TLC get renovated over the summer, the Cafeteria received a new paint job. There are many new designs and positive slogans added to the room.

(Photo by Morgan Taylor)

By Morgan Taylor – Editor-In-Chief

With a new school year beginning, the Advocate’s Editor-In-Chief, Morgan Taylor, spoke with Law principal Mr. Thompson on what this year will bring for the Jonathan Law community. 

Morgan Taylor: What are your goals for this year?

Mr. Thompson: My goal this year is to ensure every student is provided all the support and challenges to get the most out of the school year. I am honored to work with our faculty and staff to make this goal a reality!

MT: What is your advice to the class of 2023?

FT: As I told them at their orientation, I hope they seize all the opportunities available to them at Jonathan Law. This is a very special family and being a member of our school has so many great resources and with it comes a responsibility to enhance our community of learners by being a good and committed citizen.

MT: What is your advice to the Class of 2020?

FT: As I told this incredible class on our first day of the school year, I hope they savor every moment. It is a special year and this is an amazing class. Work hard and do good things – as leaders of the school, the staff and I are excited to support your year.

MT: What are you most excited about for this school year?

FT: I am really excited about the energy that is in our school – since before the year started! Everyone is excited about what is happening at Jonathan Law – students, staff, parents, and the community. I am excited to be a part of this energy and to support our students through a Lawmazing year!

MT: What did you do this summer?

FT: I spent 22 days (two trips) in the Dominican Republic. I have friends there and it was the best summer ever. When I was here, I was so grateful to see the transformation of the Teaching and Learning Commons take place. It was thanks to the incredible work of our facilities, maintenance and custodial teams at the school and in the district.

MT: What makes a “Lawmazing” student?

FT: I don’t think there is one answer to this question! Anyone who appreciates the good things going on at our school, works hard, cares about others and makes a difference – that, to me, is Lawmazing. Not just for students – there are so many Lawmazing teachers, staff members, parents and community members!

MT: What is your favorite part about Jonathan Law?

FT: That’s an easy one – the students!

MT: How will you make this school year the best one yet?

FT: You tell me! I am so excited to have four great classes and a faculty and staff that is committed to helping every student, every day. Whatever we can do to make this year the best it can be, just let me know!

MT: How do you believe the new Teaching and Learning Commons will better this school?

FT: I am so excited that the Teaching and Learning Commons will be available for every student. As the new furniture arrives and the innovation centers are on line, the opportunities for students to further their learning is limitless.

MT: What are some other new features to the school added over the summer?

FT: In addition to the Commons, our cafe has undergone a makeover, we are in the process of opening a wellness wing that will merge our health office, counseling suite and other student support services and make them available to all students, all the time. As well, we will soon be creating our “Zen Zone” for students. Stay tuned! While all of this is great new “stuff,” the most important part of Jonathan Law remains the people. Our new staff members are welcome additions bringing energy and enthusiasm to our Lawmazing community!

(Photo courtesy Ethan Fancher)

By Lucas Greifzu – Staff Reporter

Starting in September, the Jonathan Law High School Key Club will meet Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the Senior Cafe to discuss their plans for upcoming events.

The Key Club has concluded their 2018-2019 year with a bang. They have exceeded their fundraising goal that they set at the beginning of the year for the Thirst Project.

“Our number one goal this year was to raise $12,500 for the Thirst Project so we can get a well going in Swaziland, Africa,” said Key Club advisor Mr. Boynton. “And we exceeded that, we raised $13,476, which puts Jonathan Law on the map forever.”

However, the Thirst Project was not the only goal that the Key Club had for the year. 

“I think we accomplished all we set out to do last year,” said newly elected Key Club President Angel Santiago. “But, just like a sports team we are always looking to do better than the year previous.”

Next year’s Key Club leaders are hoping that they can get as many new people into the club as possible for the upcoming year. This a strong goal because they lost a lot of people with the graduating class of 2019.

“My goals for next year are to try to get at least double the amount of sophomores next year then there were this year,” said newly elected Key Club sophomore and freshman Officer Amir Elhelw.

The Key Club has other goals for the upcoming year as well. They want to improve their public image; not only around the community, but around the school as well.

“Being the public’s relation officer means that I have to stay in touch with most of the community, whether it’s going to builders club meetings, or even keeping a good relationship between our club and the Kiwanis,” said the newly elected Key Club Public Relations Director Hunter Fonck. “We are also working on a bulletin board, so that people can see what is going on in the key club and what there is to sign up for”

Finally, the new leadership of the Key Club are excited to be working with each other throughout the new year.

“I’m pretty excited to be working with my fellow officers because all of us are sophomores and most of the team consists of my friends,” said newly elected Key Club Treasurer Noah Forsythe.

All in all, the Jonathan Law High School Key Club is primed and ready to have another very successful year in and around the community of Milford.

(Photo courtesy ming-May Hu)

By Mia Cerrato – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law High School recently announced that the Class of 2019 valedictorian is Ming-May Hu.

Hu has been a successful, diligent student throughout her career at Jonathan Law. She will be attending Brown University in the fall.

“My sister was valedictorian of her class and inspired me to work for this goal,” Hu said. “It feels great to know that all my hard work paid off and that I am following in her footsteps.”

Many of Law’s teachers and administrators had the the same reaction to Hu earning valedictorian honors.

“I am so very happy for Ming-May,” principal Mr. Thompson said. “She is an incredible student and an equally outstanding person.”

Hu put hard work into all courses and extracurriculars.

“I always tried my best and put a lot of effort into all of my classes,” said Hu. “I studied as much as I could and made sure I was organized with all of my work.”

She has taken and successfully completed 12 Advanced Placement courses at Law.

“Many of those classes will translate into college credit before she even begins her freshman year at Brown University,” said Thompson. “She does so much in and out of the classroom that makes us all so proud of her.”

Chemistry teacher Ms. Turcotte said that Hu was always a standout student and leader of the Science Club.

“Ming-May is a highly motivated student who is always prepared and puts much thought and effort into her work,” Turcotte said. “She is an exceptional leader and I don’t know how we will manage the Science Club without her.”

Hu said that one tip to being a successful student at Jonathan Law is staying organized.

“Stay organized, use a planner, and always do your homework and hand it in on time,” Hu said. “Figure out how you learn and tailor the way you study to fit that.”

Thompson agreed.

“Students who do well in school share several common characteristics – they are organized, they do their all their work (on time), they utilize the many supports offered to our students (like the Academic Support Center) and, most importantly, they communicate with their teachers about their learning,” Thompson said.

Hu had some advice and guidance for students who want to achieve this goal as well.

“Don’t stress yourself out too much over school,” says Hu. “ As long as you try your best, everything will work out in the end.”

Hu already has plans for her future at Brown University.

“I plan on studying engineering in college and hope to go to graduate school after,” Hu said. “I would love to work in a field related to environmental science and sustainability.”

(Photo courtesy Kruttika Gopal)

By Samiksha Mehta – Staff Reporter

Senior Kruttika Gopal has been named the Jonathan Law Class of 2019 salutatorian.

The salutatorian is the student who is ranked the second highest in a graduating class. Gopal has worked hard over the past four years to achieve this goal, and all of that hard work paid off.

“I am so honored and excited to be salutatorian; as well as extremely grateful to all the people who have helped me to reach this over my four years at Law,” Gopal said. “To people working to achieve this goal, I would say challenge yourself and remember you can do it. There were definitely times when I thought work was just too hard, and it was extremely rewarding to do well after pushing myself to not give up. Also, don’t lose track of friends, family, extracurriculars, and fun – school doesn’t need to be the only thing you do.”

Gopal said that becoming salutatorian is not only about hard work; it’s also about making sure to have a clear mindset and a steady background.

“It’s such an amazing thing for anyone who works hard to see the pay off and recieve acknowledgement,” choir director Ms. Jones said. “But, it is quite the honor to become the Salutatorian Of course, given it is our very own Chorus Manager, Kruttika Gopal. I am absolutely delighted. Kruttika shines in so many ways and I could think of no better person to be highlighted with such distinction than our soprano, Kruttika Gopal. Sing on, Kru, and we will keep your voice alive where you always have a home in the Law choir family.” 

Gopal’s fellow choir members are excited and happy for her.

“I’m really proud of her and I feel like she definitely deserved it with all her hard work and dedication,” choir member Faith Mills said. 

(Photo courtesy Mr. Thompson)

By Anish Sikhinam – Staff Reporter

Recently, a group of teachers and administrators from the Milford School District and Jonathan Law planned to renovate the Law Media Center into a whole new space named the Teaching and Learning Commons.

The Teaching and Learning Commons, more simply known as the Learning Commons, plans to remake the media center, and creating a more open space for students to work, read, create, collaborate, present, use technology, and get help and support more easily all in a single area.

“I think we have an obligation as adults to provide the space for the students, and to give them the highest quality, most technologically relevant space for them to do anything they want to do in terms of learning,” Law principal Mr. Thompson said. “So whether it’s quiet study space, whether it’s collaboration, whether it’s a creative space, whether it’s a podcast, or whether it’s working with your teachers and peers, I think we have an obligation to provide that.”

The idea of a complete renewal of the Media Center first began during the beginning of this school year. Architects, teachers, and even some students from CAD classes were invited to join the committee to plan out the Learning Commons.

There were many ideas that the students, teachers, architects, and the administrators came up with, and finally – although not concrete – a general plan was laid out by the committee. The renovations are scheduled to begin this summer, and although the whole project will be completed over a span of three years, the Learning Commons will be fully functional and operational by the start of school in August.

“We’re going to start renovations over the summer, so when the students come back in the fall, there will already by changes made,” librarian Ms. Briggs said. “The changes will be mostly cosmetic, not architectural yet, and there will be more rearranging done during the summer.”

The furniture currently in use at the Media Center will be replaced by next year, as well as most of the computers, both in the main area, as well as in the “lab” near the main area.

This won’t serve to be much of a problem, the librarians say, as the district will be implementing its 1:1 Chromebook initiative next year, and every student will have a Chromebook. However, for the students that need to use programs that are only available on PCs and Macs, there still will be small clusters of computers where students can use them.

“I think there will be small banks of computers, but we’re not going to need the labs, because everyone is going to come with their own equipment,” librarian Ms. Borer said. “And the furniture’s going to have more charging stations, there will be tables with wheels so students can work together in groups or separately, there will be couches, chairs, and more comfortable settings.”

The lab near the main area of the current Media Center is planned to be remade into a small presentation space, where students and guest speakers can present to a class in a more intimate way.

In addition, there will be a video production and Eagle Eye News area with Mac computers in the classroom behind the front desk of the current Media Center, where there will be a large glass pane for students to watch the news being conducted.

“We are very excited that the Teaching and Learning Commons is going to be the new home of Eagle Eye News and even more excited that students who are interested in video can have spaces for editing, recording podcasts, and using the Macs for projects,” Broadcast Journalism teacher Mr. Kulenych said. “The new studio will help Eagle Eye News continue to evolve and involve more and more students.”

Math teacher and member of the Learning Commons Committee Mr. Ruzbarsky said the new space will expose students to classes and technology they normally might not have known about.

“A lot of the biggest things that teachers push for, other than newer furniture, is just having enough stuff there for kids to get into different ideas,” Ruzbarsky said. “A lot of teachers like kids to be exposed to other things. For instance, not a lot of kids know that Mr. K’s out there, and they could do video production, so one of our ideas was to move him there.”

There will be support staff at the Learning Commons for most subjects, as well as technology support available. 3D printers and Maker Spaces will also be available for students to use for their projects and other work.

Although there will be new bookshelves, and the books will be arranged, there will be no new books that will be ordered as a result of the Learning Commons renovations.

“There will be probably about the same amount of books, but there’s definitely going to be more flexible spaces where students can do whatever they want, whether it’s a quiet place to work or a large space for students to collaborate,” Briggs said.

Thompson pledges that after the Learning Commons is functional in the fall, the Media Center will never be closed during school again.

The student body has also provided input on the whole project, through a Student Survey sent electronically.

“We had a big student survey, and we had almost a quarter of the school respond,” Ruzbarsky said. “There were a lot of strong opinions to a lot of areas – some students were very strong about having quiet areas, a lot of students were asking for a lounge area to eat food, and other students were strong about having services in the Learning Commons for support.”

Although students seem to be skeptical about the feasibility of different aspects of the Learning Commons, they do seem to like the idea of the Media Center being renovated into the Learning Commons and the new developments that will be occurring overall.

“I think these changes are good, except for the fact that the Media Center is supposed to be a quiet place where people can study, and this may take that away,” sophomore Athena Homorodean said. “But other than that I think it’s good.”

Others say that the renovation of the Media Center will cause distraction but will be beneficial in the long run.

“During construction there will be a lot of commotion but after everything is done, for the new students, it’s going to be very beneficial for them,” sophomore Sevval Cinar said.

And many students students seem to be unsure of the benefits the Learning Commons will provide, compared to the current Media and Support Centers.

“I cannot say anything positive or negative about it until I compare it with our Media Center we have currently,” sophomore Sanskar Shah said. “But it’s good there is some type of development.”

All in all though, the students, teachers, and administrators are excited about the change that the renovation of the Media Center is going to bring.

“Overall, we are reimagining the Media Center to make a modern learning space for students to be able to create,” Thompson said. “I’m excited for it.”

(Photo courtesy Bridget Kinross)

By Bridget Kinross – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law science teacher Mr. Morazzini was recently named Milford’s Teacher of the Year for the 2018-2019 school year.

Morazzini has many students at Law who look up to him. It was no surprise to the students and staff that Morazzini was given this title.

“Receiving this recognition has meant a lot to me,” Morazzini said. “Having grown up in Milford and being a product of the Milford school system, I am honored to have the opportunity to represent the city where I was born and raised.” 

Morazzini loves to share his understanding and passion for science with his students. He enjoys working and being a part of students’ academic careers.

Many of Morazzini’s students speak very highly of him and thank him for a class experience that they can enjoy.

“I would rate his class a 10/10 because I feel that I can be myself in this class and we learned a lot more fun topics than you would expect,” freshman Cydney Galasso said.

Even after winning the Teacher of the Year title, Morazzini still recognizes the many other teachers and staff members who he looks up to and appreciates.

“It’s special knowing that I am even being recognized among so many other exceptional teachers and leaders who I work with, have learned from, and aspire to be like everyday,” Morazzini said.

The students who look up to Morazzini said that they have gained so much from his class.

“I have learned a lot from Mr. Morazzini,” freshman Spencer Hannon said. “He was my favorite teacher I’ve ever had. I thank him for all the smiles and laughs this year.”

Morazzini is a teacher who is seen by his students as easy to talk to and fun. Over his 13-year teaching career, Morazzini said he tries to continue to grow and get better every year.

“Morazzini is a great and funny guy,” freshman Seth Baker said.

(Photo courtesy chino.k12.ca.us)

By Nyasia McDonald – Staff Reporter

There will be a new Science Fair Club at Jonathan Law next year that sophomore Rachna Vipparla will be starting with science teacher Ms. Bouchard.

There is a already a Science Club at Jonathan Law, but Vipparla, who has been part of Science Club, wanted to do something a little different.

Vipparla has been in a Science Fair Club outside of school and wanted to replicate it at Law.

“I’ve always done it independently without the school, so I thought it would be fun and interesting to incorporate it into Law,” Vipparla said.

Rachna has been part of a Science Club for two years.

“I’ve started the new club because I’ve been participating science fairs for the past four years,” Vipparla said.

The current Science Club at Jonathan Law involves tests, competitions, and group work. The new Science Fair Club will have a hypothesis and the students who join the club will be experimenting with that hypothesis.

They will also be coming up with an independent research project.

“We will go to a state competition towards the end of the year,” Vipparla said.

There was an interest meeting at Jonathan Law for those interested in joining the club on Thursday, May 23. There will be additional meetings in the fall. Anyone interested in joining can contact Vipparla.

(Photo courtesy hcs-ct.org)

By Addison Schwing – Staff Reporter

The History Department held a special event in remembrance of the Holocaust for the Class of 2022 on May 2.

The Class of 2022 was treated to a viewing of “The Pianist” and then heard Holocaust survivors give their accounts of surviving. History teacher Mr. Dooley organized the day and has been doing so for 12 years, with assistance from history teacher Mr. Young.

“The first year coming in, myself and another teacher were brainstorming what we can do like this event, where we could get the students interested in the topic, and have a cumulative activity in our classrooms,” Dooley said.

“The Pianist” is a 2002 film that follows the story of  Władysław Szpilman, a Polish pianist who lived in Warsaw when Germany invaded Poland in 1939. Szpilman survived the ghettos and concentration camps and aided the Warsaw uprising by smuggling weapons. The film received critical acclaim for its raw depictions of life in the ghettos, as well as winning numerous awards, including an Academy Award for Best Picture.

“We chose ‘The Pianist’ because it is a true story, and how it expresses how it looked throughout the ghettos and the Holocaust,” Dooley said.

Young also lamented on the significance of the film and why it was chosen as a component of this event.

“It puts a firsthand view of what that experience was like and (Szpilman’s) survival towards the end,” he said.

Young and Dooley both teach Modern World History to freshmen, and together they have been successfully running this show for over a decade. World War II is one of the most prominent facets of this class, and with it, the Holocaust.

“Everyone in the history department recognizes how important it is to properly remember what happened, study what happened, and recognize how people who were involved tried to resist what happened,” Young said. “It’s important to ensure that this never happens again.”

Guest speakers from the Holocaust Child Survivors of Connecticut (HCSC) also came and shared their stories about growing up in a time that was incredibly unsafe and dangerous for them.

“Our speaker did a great job talking about how he experienced so much hate, but how he still has so much love for the world and people,” Young said.

Freshman Connor Richards said that the presentations had an impact on him.

“It made me realize how real the situation was, and how recent it was as well,” he said. “People were severely affected by this, as well as their parents, their homes and everything around them, and it changed the way they look at life. It makes you realize how real these things are, and that there are survivors who won’t be here for long. We need to embrace it as much as possible before it’s gone.”

Freshman Jayden Wyoda appreciated the authenticity of the guest speakers.

“I thought it was very interesting to hear a firsthand account of what happened during the Holocaust,” Wyodasaid.” It was very moving to me because it’s such a hard thing to talk about. The speaker was so proud to share his story, and he made sure to emphasize certain things so we would remember and ensure that these things wouldn’t happen again.

Freshman Lucas Piscelli said the entire day was memorable.

“I thought it was very interesting yet also very informal,” Piscelli said. “The movie showed how the guy escaped and survived throughout, and it was cool to hear how the speaker survived as well.”

(Photo by Morgan Taylor)

By Morgan Taylor – Editor-In-Chief

With the end of the school year approaching, the Advocate’s Editor-In-Chief, Morgan Taylor, sat down with Jonathan Law principal Mr. Thompson to talk and reflect on the 2018-2019 school year.

Morgan Taylor: What are your goals for next year?

Fran Thompson: We have some exciting changes occurring next year to support all our students in their learning! I can’t wait to roll out the good news over the summer in anticipation for the start of the new school year. Stay tuned…

MT: What was your favorite memory of this year?

FT: I have so many great memories of the year. All involve our Lawmazing student body and incredible staff members and the great things they do every day.

MT: What facilities will be improved for next year?

FT: Did I mention, stay tuned?

MT: How was this school year better than others?

FT: This was a school year that saw Jonathan Law continue to progress in achieving our academic goals. We continue to grow in student achievement and in our connections in the community. It was a great year in both areas!

MT: What is your advice to the incoming Class of 2023?

FT: Welcome! You are about to join a very special community of learners.  We will support you as you join the Law family. We are so excited to welcome you!

MT: What is your advice to the leaving Class of 2019?

FT: Be well. Remember all you have learned from your years at Law. We look forward to hearing all about your future – we believe in you!

MT: What changes have you seen within the Class of 2019 as they have grown from freshmen to seniors?

FT: What a special group of young men and women. They are ready for the next step in their life journeys. We are proud of you.

MT: What is your favorite part about this school?

FT: Every student, every day!

MT: What are your summer plans?

FT: I will be spending some time planning for next year and Bobo and I will spend a lot of time on our back deck enjoying the summer!

MT: Do you have any last messages to the Class of 2019?

FT: Keep us posted – you will always have a place here because you are always a Lawman!

(Photo courtesy @jlawchoir)

By Jess Owens – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s choir took a trip to Webster Bank Arena on May 22 to sing the national anthem for Housatonic Community College’s Commencement ceremony.

It was the biggest crowd the Law Choir has ever performed for and was a perfect way to end of their amazing year.

“It was definitely out of everyone’s comfort zone for Law choir and it was a new experience to have so many people watching us,” said choir member Ruby Garnett. “Overall, the performance went really well and I think we all did an amazing job.”

The choir has accomplished many things this year and has worked very hard to put their all into each and everyone of their performances.

“We did really well,” choir member Kruttika Gopal said. “I think we had a great year and it’s setting us up a lot for in the future. From winning competitions to all our performances, it’s been awesome.”

The choir continued to improve all year. They recently won a Superior Choir Award at this year’s competition at Hershey Park, following up last year’s win at a competition at Six Flags.

“It’s actually crazy to think about because everybody has improved so much,” choir member Carlos Acosta said. “A few years ago, the choir only had four people and now were up to 50 people and the amount that signed up for next year’s choir is over 90 students. It’s just great to see how many people are starting to get committed to music.”

From last year to this year, Law’ choir has had so many opportunities to perform in front of crowds throughout the state.

“Our bond continues to grow every year and that bond that growing is really creating an atmosphere where people wanna join and they want to be around us,” choir director Ms. Jones said. “The strength that we have as a group makes people drawn to it and it’s truly is a place that is welcoming.”

Choir member Ashley Leparik said that she will remember this year as a journey.

“It feels really amazing that as a whole choir we can perform together in front of people and share our music and our journey,” Leparik said. “We used to not be able to perform in front of so many people and now we’re finally getting the recognition that we deserve.”

Choir members said that their accomplishments this year have made them stronger than ever and that they can’t wait for next year to begin.

(Photo courtesy Stefanie Lojko)

By Stefanie Lojko – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s band, choir, and strings attended the Music In The Parks competition on May 3 in Middletown, Pennsylvania.

They started their trip out with a six-hour-long bus ride to Miller’s Smorgasbord in an Amish part of Pennsylvania. They were just over 30 minutes from Hershey Park.

“It was an amazing buffet lunch with beautiful horses as our backdrop” Ms. Jones, Jonathan Law’s choir teacher, said.

Then, they had competition at Middletown Area High School and Middle School. The group then traveled to to the Hershey Factory where they toured the factory and went shopping.

The band, choir, and strings then went to their hotel where the students did a late night swim.

“We went back to the hotel for some fun in the pool, chilling in the breakfast area and then much needed sleep,” Jones said.

On Saturday, the students headed into Hershey’s Amusement Park. They spent the entire day riding rides and eating good food.

“It was so much fun to see my students getting to be better friends with the members of the orchestra and choir,” Law band director Mr. Giampietro said.

At 3 p.m, they all gathered at the outdoor amphitheatre for the award ceremony. All three musical groups from Law did very well in their categories.

The band competed against St. John the Baptist Diocesan School, a private high school on Long Island, and the jazz ensemble and concert band received a rating of Excellent.

“We placed second to the other school in both categories, but we were especially close to first place in the concert band category,” Giampietro said.

Choir was awarded a Superior rating, first place for their division, and Best Overall Choir, scoring 191/200 points.

“We were super excited and proud when choir won first place in our division and Best Overall Choir,” Senior Kruttika Gopal said. “It was wonderful to know that all the work and rehearsal we put into our music paid off.”

Strings competed against a large orchestra and came in second place.

“They students had a great time and it was a successful trip,” strings director Mr. Burns said.

At 6:30 p.m., the students left Hershey and headed on a long trip back home.

“There are no words to truly express my pride in how the choir students represented themselves and the Law community,” Jones said.

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By Morgan Taylor – Editor-In-Chief

Jonathan Law High School recently welcomed the incoming Class of 2023 at an Elective Expo.  

Students were able to learn about classes, electives, clubs, sports, and more.

“The purpose was to inform our incoming ninth graders about all the opportunities beyond the core course offered to them,” principal Mr. Thompson said. “This was a new way of presenting the information – having both middle schools come to Law. We wanted to make it exciting and interactive for them.”

Tables were set up for different classes and electives such as cooking, choir, and journalism.

“I really enjoyed all the stations that showed us all the awesome electives and how everyone made us feel so welcomed,” eighth grader Emily Nobles said.

Many of these booths served the purpose of persuading the incoming freshmen to take those classes or electives.

“It was really an interactive experience for the eighth graders which made it a special event,” journalism teacher Mr. Kulenych said. “From guest-hosting Eagle Eye News to using robots to looking at small engines, kids got a hands-on look at all of the amazing elective opportunities we have here at Law.”

Volunteering students from Law helped out at the event, talking to eighth graders about some of their favorite classes at Law.

“The volunteers were the best part,” said Thompson. “I can’t thank them enough.”

There were also a few presenters who talked about their experiences at Law. Seniors Cameron Asmussen and Shayna Levay had a station where they recorded a live episode of their podcast, Subject Matters.

“Having a station at the Elective Fair was a lot of fun,” Asmussen said. “My co-host, Shayna, and I had fun hosting a podcast with the middle schoolers and we let them talk on it if they wanted. Hopefully, some of them are inspired to make their own podcast because it’s a lot of fun to have one.”

The event was a true success with great response from both Harborside and West Shore Middle Schools.

“The feedback I have received has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Thompson.

The Elective Expo was a great way for students to start to get involved with the high school before arriving.

“I thought it went very well and the eighth graders got just a little taste of what it’s like to be a Lawmen,” business teacher Mr. Beler said.

The information also allowed for incoming students to calm their nerves about arriving to high school.

“I loved how they explained everything to us slowly so we could get a real feel of what it’s like to go to Law and so we aren’t as nervous for high school,” said Nobles.

Thompson was elated at the response from student volunteers and staff.

“I am so proud of our school and our community,” said Thompson. “This was another example of how Lawmazing we are and I am so grateful to everyone who made it happen.”

(Photo courtesy @LawFran2015)

By Jordyn Wirth – Staff Reporter

The Class of 2019 danced the night away on March 15 at its last high school dance.

Law held its annual Senior Cotillion at Cascade Catering Hall in Hamden from 7-11 p.m. Senior class advisor Mrs. Kovacs said it was a delightful and successful night.

“Students all seemed to have a great time,” Kovacs said. “They were out on the floor dancing for most of the night and we had 174 students happily attend.”

The seniors are sad to say goodbye to their friends at the end of the year, but are happy they they got one last dance.

“It is very sad to say goodbye to my friends while we all go off to college because it’s always been such a fun time between us,” senior Emily Rednak said.

Seniors also enjoyed the Cotillion’s photo booth which included silly props to add to their pictures.

“My favorite part of Cotillion was taking pretty pictures with my friends and dancing all night long with my besties,” senior Julie Myers said.

The students really enjoyed the variety of Italian food that was served.

“The food was really good – there was some chicken, some pasta, and the meatballs were really good, too,” Myers said.

The students seemed to have a nice time on the dance floor.

“My favorite part of Cotillion was dancing with my friends a lot,” senior Brianna Felisko said.

Kovacs, who runs Cotillion every year, thinks the students looked amazing as well.

“The guys looked great with shirts and ties and the flowers that some of the girls had were very beautiful,” Kovacs said. “It was just a great night.”

By Jess Owens – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s Color Guard team is finishing its season strong.

The Color Guard team hosted its annual Home Show at Jonathan Law on March 16 and placed second against many other schools.

The team and its coach are very happy with their placing and are so proud of their hard work and dedication.

“Second place is nothing to frown upon for sure but our team values focus much more on striving for our personal best as a team more than scores or placements,” Color Guard coach Pamela Rossman said. “So we always want to go out each time and give it everything we’ve got.” 

The team has been placing first and second all season and the individual growth from each member is showing. As their season comes to an end, everyone’s hard work and dedication paying off.

“We’re feeling very positive for the last couple weeks of our season, we had practice last night so we’re very confident with our performance,” senior captain Olivia Ott said.

Color Guard is a unique blend of competitive performance with athleticism and artistry. It has created an unbreakable bond between the team.

“My favorite part of Color Guard is the fact that I’ve made so many friends because there’s a lot of different types of people on the team,” senior Stephanie Lojko said. “There’s a lot of middle and high schoolers on the team that are all interested in different things and we all still have such a great bond and created a strong family.”

The team is sadly saying goodbye to its seniors but they will always be a part of their family.

“We’re very sad because there are seven seniors and our coach already bawled her eyes out about seven times about us graduating,” senior Jessica Scherback said.

The team has championships on April 1 at 6:45 p.m. They also have their Family and Friends evening which is basically a celebration of the season with one last performance without the pressure of judges or scores.

“We’d love for everyone to come cheer and send off this incredible season with us,” Rossman said.