By Tyler Chavez – News Editor

Jonathan Law’s freshman class recently took part in a seminar aimed to help them adjust to high school life.

The seminar also covered topics such as athletics, academics, extracurricular activities, and school spirit.

“I think this seminar encouraged the freshman to approach challenges in and outside the classroom with a positive mindset,” history teacher Mr. Young said.

The seminar covered multiple topics such as school activities, adjusting to life at Law, and meeting new people. Juniors and seniors talked to freshmen about athletics, academics, clubs, and school spirit in groups.

“I liked how we got to introduce ourselves to other people,” freshman Jillian Hall said.

The freshman seminar has evolved from the freshman academy to be only a day long including a cookout at the end compared to the previous multi-day model.

“The freshman seminar/academy has shifted from a set of academic preparation and goal-setting objectives to objectives that focus on helping students become a part of the JLaw community,” science teacher Mrs. Mercaldi said. “This was done by encouraging a shared mindset, participation in extracurricular activities, and being an inclusive population of people rather than exclusive.”

Freshmen have found the adjustment to high school life fairly simple. Support from other members of the school has made the change smoother.

“The first week of school was confusing but it was really fun and the students and staff really helped me out,” freshman Riley Pastor said.

Freshmen have noted how the positive, helpful attitude of other students and faculty have made them more comfortable and not as scared.

“Everyone is actually really nice,” freshman Edrianah Martinez said. “I only got lost a couple times but whenever I asked for help they actually pointed me to the right place.”

The freshmen took away valuable information regarding being involved in multiple activities and balancing clubs and sports.

“I was eerie about joining clubs because of sports,” Martinez said. “But they said that you could join clubs and go to sports a little later by talking to your coach.”

Faculty members hope that the experience of the freshman seminar has helped prepared them for Jonathan Law and has made them more aware of what they can accomplish.

“I hope they are aware of the number of opportunities they have to be involved in with the school and the community,” Young said.

After the seminar, the freshmen were treated to a cookout lunch near the football field with burgers, hot dogs, and snacks.

“My favorite part was the enthusiasm that was brought to each block of the seminar,” Young said. “It was a great representation of what it’s like to be in the Law community.”

The Jonathan Law community has opened its arms to the freshmen class. The praise of the seminar by freshmen show that they learned valuable lessons and feel welcome at Jonathan Law.

By Maeve Rourke – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law’s Science Club is excited for a big year of competition.

The Science Club meets every Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Room 212B. The club is run by science teachers Ms. Turcotte and Mr. Stanton.

“Our goal is always to try to improve, especially returning members who have competed before,” club advisor Ms. Turcotte said. “We also strive to generate interest in new members so they can run the club in the future.”

The Science Club gives students the opportunity to work with other passionate about science and compete with other scholars  from the around the United States.

“People should join science club because it introduces them to many different fields of science, some that are not taught about in school,” junior club president Meghana Jaladanki said. “The club is also a great way to meet new people and forge friendships.”

Every year, the Science Club participates in several competitions in the Science Olympiad for Division C. This will be the club’s 5th year competing.

This year, every member gets the opportunity to attend the Yale and UConn science olympiads.

“A goal for our team is to do even better than we did last year, at both Yale and UConn,” junior club treasurer Colleen Hugo said. “Each year our club seems to place higher and higher, so we want to keep that going.”

Last year the club placed 11th out of 43 teams at the UConn Science Olympiad, which is the best that they have ever placed. The team also won medals in the events: Game On (3rd place), Experimental Design (3rd place), and Write it Do it (2nd place).

Everyone  in Science Club is excited for this year’s competitions, and is heart set on making improvement.

“We can improve this year by making sure that we are more organized, because we have a lot more students joining this year than the past few years,” Jaladanki said. “Everyone, including me, can improve by spending more time on working on their events, because it will help us place higher at Yale and UConn.”

In the Olympiads, members get to build different mechanisms, study a range of scientific studies, and conduct interesting labs with friends.

The members of the science club are assigned to different events to compete in. Each year there is a new rotation of events.

“My favorite event is experimental design, in which you’re given a bunch of seemingly random supplies and you have to create and perform an experiment pertinent to a specific topic,” senior club vice president Trisha Brady said. “It’s fun because it encourages creativity and you have to work insanely fast.”

This year’s Olympiad include events such as Disease Detectives, Ecology, Invasive Species, Forensics, Helicopters, and many more.

“I hope to compete in Anatomy and Physiology this year,” new member Nisali Fernando said. “I would like to go into medicine and this event encompasses that field.”

By Owen Paiva – Entertainment Editor

Officer Goldfuss is ready to protect and serve the students and faculty at Law as the new School Resource Officer.

Goldfuss has experience as a School Resource Officer, spending some time as West Shore’s SRO. He has been an officer for three years in the Milford Police Department.

Goldfuss is happy to be Law’s new School Resource Officer, and wants to make that clear.

“I am always available,” Goldfuss said. “I am here to help and I want to be here.”

Goldfuss is in his element as School Resource Officer, as being a police officer was the career he always wanted.

“I always wanted to be a police officer since I was a kid,” Goldfuss said. “It puts me in the best position to help people, especially families.”

Goldfuss primarily did patrols during his time working with the police force before becoming the School Resource Officer.

He enjoyed his routine patrols, and in addition enjoyed taking calls. Certain calls involving families were the ones he enjoyed the most.

“The calls I like to do the most are families and kids who might be struggling, and help put them on the right path.”

He likes the Law community, and is happy to have Law as his home school.

“I like Law so far,” Goldfuss said. “It’s a good community that is tight knit and the students seem prideful in their school.”

The Law community is equally happy that Officer Goldfuss is the new School Resource Officer. From the students, to the faculty, all the way up to the principal and administrators, the feeling is the same.

”We are very excited and fortunate to have Officer Goldfuss join the Jonathan Law community,” Principal Mr. Thompson said. “He is a knowledgeable dedicated public servant who will bring new ideas and energy to our team.”

Thompson feels that Goldfuss will continue the standard brought to Law by Officer Kiely, the previous School Resource Officer.

“He is replacing a very special person, Officer James Kiely, but I know he will bring the same level of commitment to our school, “ Thompson said.

Goldfuss and Thompson work in tandem to make sure that things are running smoothly at Law.

“We operate as a team and Officer Goldfuss has already jumped in and made an impact,” Thompson said. “His connections to students and staff has been impressive and he is willing to help everyone, and we are lucky to have him!”

Senior Zach Anderson is also enthusiastic about Officer Goldfuss’ arrival at Law.

“I think SROs are necessary in high schools,” Anderson said. “I think we can all feel a little safer knowing we have a law enforcement officer in the building.”

The way students at Law feel about Goldfuss is also noticeable.

“While I do not know Officer Goldfuss on a personal level, he is a good guy who cares about his job and our school,” Anderson said. “Kids around Law really seem to like his friendly attitude and approachability.”

By Valeria Araujo – News Editor

There’s no second guessing as to who Jonathan Law’s valedictorian is this year.

Amita Sastry has earned the title of valedictorian for the graduating Class of 2016. She has worked extremely hard to achieve this honor and is excited for the future ahead of her.

“I’m really proud of myself for achieving this goal because it was a goal I had since freshman year,” Sastry said. “My sister was the salutatorian and since then I wanted to follow in her footsteps but maybe go a little bit further and become valedictorian. It’s really nice to know that all of my hard work paid off and that if you worked towards a goal you can really achieve it.”

Sastry will be attending Brown University. She was accepted into the school’s medical education program which guarantees admission to their medical school, Warner Albertus, after she finishes her four years of undergraduate school. In college, she will be studying neurology and neuroscience and her hope is that after eight years she is going to become a neurologist at a hospital.

“She is truly a remarkable person because she always gives it her all,” Law principal Fran Thompson said. “I’m very proud of her and she truly deserves to be valedictorian.”

Sastry said that she took many steps throughout her high school career that brought her where she is today.

“The first step was taking courses that really challenged me,” Sastry said. “It wasn’t just taking classes that would be easy and that I would get the grade. It was more about challenging myself in courses I knew would be hard and that I would put forth my best effort and actually learn the material. Also, by having great teachers who supported me and being able to go to them whenever I needed help assisted me in getting good grades which brought me here.”

Sastry believes that education is an important part of becoming the best version of yourself.

“I think it really important (to work hard in school) not only to get into a good college but for yourself as well to challenge yourself and to push yourself to your greatest abilities,” Sastry said. “Don’t sell yourself short. You never know what you can achieve by working hard. This way you can keep moving forward in not only school but in life as well.”

Sastry lettered in three sports (cross country, indoor track, and tennis) and was an active member of the National Honor Society, Science Club, and STEM Club.

Science teacher Ms. Turcotte recalled some of her fondest memories with Sastry.

“I don’t know how I could pick one memory because it was a couple of years of getting to know her and she’s just such an amazing girl,” Turcotte said. “But I’d probably say that all of us (in the Science Club) driving up to MIT for a competition through a crazy snowstorm was one of my favorite memories because we ended up doing so well in the competition.”

Last year, Sastry tarted working in a lab on the Yale University campus and also worked as a math tutor at Mathnasium. She also volunteers at Milford Hospital and previously has volunteered at the Milford Library and the YMCA.

Sastry admits that at times it was tough for her to budget her time but also explained how she overcame this roadblock.

“I noticed in the beginning I was trying to do everything and put my time into everything,” Sastry said. “It was getting to be a lot so I cut down on the amount I was doing and narrowed it down to a few activities and focused on doing them really well.”

The Law community has proven to be a place of many fond memories for Sastry and for those closest to her. 

“It was Christmas time our freshman year and we were all opening presents together,” senior Saniya Mumtaz said. “I realized what a great person she was, how fun she is to be around, and that she’s the type of person I want to be friends with forever.”

Sastry said that she is going to miss high school, but said she leaves with so many fond memories.

“All of my classes have been memorable because all of my teachers were so nice and funny and kept everything light and humorous,” Sastry said. “Also, having a lot of my friends in all of my classes has been really nice and I really felt like it was home, like a family.”

By Ian Hugo – Sports Editor  

Senior Emma Shea has been named salutatorian of the Jonathan Law Class of 2016.

Shea, an active member of the Law community, was officially given the title of Jonathan Law Class of 2016 salutatorian at the senior scholarship awards ceremony last Wednesday.

“I’ve never met another student with the work ethic that Emma has,” English teacher girls tennis coach Mr. Kulenych said. “She expects to be the best at everything she does and that drive and determination has helped her get where she is today.”

Shea, who accumulated an impressive 4.6147 GPA over her four years at Law, achieved this feat while simultaneously balancing a smorgasbord of other time consuming activities on her plate, so to speak.

“It has been tough to manage everything because I do so many sports (Soccer, Indoor Track, Tennis) and activities (National Honor Society, Science Club, Model United Nations, Keyettes) throughout the year,” Shea said. “With long practices and games/meets/matches, I come home exhausted.”

Although Shea has found time to fit everything into her packed schedule, she admits she does tend to procrastinate now and again. However, she always gets whatever she’s working on done, no matter the cost.

“Honestly, I can be a major procrastinator, but because I care a lot about turning in a well-done assignment, I always seem to get my work done, though this might involve pulling an occasional all-nighter,” Shea said. “I manage to complete my work because although I procrastinate, I prioritize my work: I’ll work on homework first, but if I have a little extra time, I might begin an assignment due at a later date. When it comes to studying for important tests, I try to first get all my study materials and notes organized, and then I just buckle down to study, often for hours at a time.”

Shea says that her hard work in the classroom can be pinned down to simply being a habit for her.

“I have always seemed to work hard and do my best in school, and now, that’s me,” Shea said.

Shea says that her parents and sisters have always been there for her these past four years, whether to motivate her, help her focus, praise her, give her advice, or simply to let her vent when she needs to. Shea says that her parents have always encouraged her to be who she is and do what she likes for the right reasons.

“Sometimes, if we happen to be discussing grades, my dad has told me that he wouldn’t mind if I got a C or if I got an A,” Shea said. “Although of course he wants me to do my best, he and my mom think that it is important that I am motivated intrinsically; my motivation shouldn’t be to please them or to please others. It needs to come from within.”

Shea, who has taken 11 AP classes the past four years ranging from AP Chemistry to AP Psychology, has some advice for underclassmen looking to emulate her achievements.

“Take as many challenging classes as you can handle (mentally, emotionally, physically),” Shea said. “However, I believe the goal is to challenge yourself, to be successful, and to reach your potential as a student. The difficulty of courses will vary for each person and it can be definitely tricky to manage your time.”

Shea will be majoring in biology with a concentration in either neuroscience or genetics next year at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and hopes to do research in one of their many labs, or possibly conduct some research of her own.

As for her post-grad plans, Shea already has an idea for what she sees herself doing.

“I see myself attending medical school after college, possibly to become a neurologist or some kind of surgeon, but I haven’t completely decided yet,” Shea said.

Shea has received many awards and honors over her four years of high school. They include: High Honors (9, 10, 11, 12), AP Scholar with Distinction (11), Harvard Book Award (11), Letter of Commendation National Merit Scholarship (11), President’s Education Awards Program (12), NHS Award (12), Advanced Placement Biology Academic Achievement (12), Advanced Placement Literature and Composition Academic Achievement (12), Latin Academic Achievement (9, 10, 11), Spanish Academic Achievement (10, 11), Geometry Academic Achievement (10), English Academic Achievement (9), History Academic Achievement (9), All Academic Team (Soccer, Indoor Track, Tennis all four years), and SCC Scholar-Athlete of the Spring this year.

Shea had one final word of wisdom for underclassmen looking to do well throughout the rest of their high school careers:

“I would encourage students to make school a priority, to challenge themselves, and to try your best in all that they do,” Shea said.

By Layla Corona and Amanda Downs – Staff Reporters

Milford hosted its annual art show at the Parsons Complex on May 16.

The art on display consisted of photography, pottery, paintings, graphics, sculptures, and drawings from students who attend Milford public high schools.

“We look forward to putting up the exhibit each year as a means of showcasing the hard work and talent of so many of our art students,” Law art teacher Ms. Main said.

A lot of work was put forth in putting the art show together.

Although Opening Night was on May 16, all of the art work is on display until the end of May.

Superintendent Feser goes to the art show each year and selects a work of art from a senior of each of the Milford schools, and buys a piece of their work from the show to frame or mount in her office.

“I am so proud of all of my photography students,” Law photography teacher Mrs. Romanowski said. “Their work is a tremendous accomplishment which is illustrated through the variety of images they captured.”

Even though the art show has been going on for at least 20 years now, photography has not always been a part of the show.

“With addition of photography the show has been enlightened with color and black and white photos, along with graphics,” Main said.

The art show featured artwork from many students which whom attend Jonathan Law or Foran.

Many students were very pleased to have received recognition for all of their hard work.

“I liked the way the art show was set up and how everyone’s artwork and photos were equally displayed,” Law senior Kayla Carollo said. “I loved having my own photos hanging in the hall with the other students’ art work because it made me feel like the hard work I put into my class did not go unnoticed.”

Many students that have a passion for art have been in the art show for multiple years throughout their high school career.

Some students even have more than one of their art pieces displayed in the show, such as Thomas Kinross, a Law senior who had many of his photos on display.

“I have been a part of the art show for four years now and it has been an amazing thing to be a part of,” Law senior Gabby Gluhanich said. “This year I had the privilege of helping to set up for the art show and it was a cool process to be a part of.”

Gluhanich said that she felt “honored” to have her work on display.

“Getting to see the creativity of the students from Law and Foran is something I think is very special,” Gluhanich said. “I think it is a great honor to have my artwork featured in the art show. It is nice to work hard to create pieces all year round and be able to showcase that hard work for other people to see and hopefully admire.”

Law sophomore Emma Caserta agreed.

“It is my second year in the art show and it is a great experience to be a part of,” Caserta said.

By Isabela Roldan – Staff Reporter

With the end of this school year quickly approaching, class elections for the upcoming year have finally been set.

The Class President, Vice President, Senator, Treasurer, and Secretary for each grade were selected by peers during Advisory.

In order to run for class office, students were required to fill out a form consisting of their student information, which class office they wished to run for, followed by a list of peer signatures who approved of, and supported the candidate.

The approved candidates began campaigning around school by flooding the halls with creative and humorous posters to encourage the potential voters.

Final candidates from each grade were then required to appear on the morning news in order to give a speech to the student body explaining why they should be elected for class office, and the possible benefits of their success.

“Electing class officers is important because the people elected help out and organize important events for our grade and try to make things a little easier for us,” junior Jessica Cuevas said.

The upcoming senior class officers include Nisali Fernando as President, Casey Lascola as Vice-President, Olivia Tramuta as Secretary, Jill Bendlak as Treasurer, and Matthew Zancewicz alongside Melissa Chodziutko as Senators.

“I’m glad I can help to make senior year the best it can be,” said Junior, Olivia Tramuta.

Fernando is looking forward to her term as President.

“I wanted to run for office because I believe that students have a voice and I wanted to be able to advocate for my fellow classmates,” Fernando said. “High school is painful enough already and hopefully I can do something to make someone’s experience more positive.”

Upcoming junior class officers include Morgan Macey as President, Colleen Hugo as Vice-President, Rhea Grant as Secretary, Colleen Goodwin alongside Salma Samih as Co-Treasurers, and Nick Dostal alongside Shawna Winters as Senators.

“I’m very surprised by the outcome of the election,” sophomore Christina Mohammed said. “I think they’ll do well planning prom.”

Upcoming sophomore class officers include Hasher Mirza as President, Adrianna Izzo as Vice-President, Cali Jolley as Secretary, Julie Meyer alongside Andrew Berger as Co-Treasurers, and Cora Sala alongside Troy Anderson as Senators.

This year’s class elections may even encourage other students to run for the ensuing elections of 2017. The responsibilities of running the grade come with great benefits and joy to the candidates.

“I think this year’s candidates will do a great job at making sure they meet the needs of the entire student body,” junior Zach Bender said. “I can’t wait to see what next year has in store for us.”

By Nia Cordero and Arielle Eighmy – Staff Reporters

Jonathan Law’s junior prom was a tremendous success from dancing to food to the beautiful weather.

The event was was planned by Law’s Student Council.

Junior Jillian Bendlak, who is a part of the Student Council, said everyone worked hard and worked together.

“First we had to choose a venue. We chose Villa Bianca this year, we had some other choices but they ended up being too expensive so we thought this was the perfect choice,” Bendlak said

Villa Bianca proved to be a gorgeous outdoor venue, perfect for dancing the night away and attending events like prom or even a wedding.

“It was beautiful, it was outside and luckily we had a beautiful day with no rain,” Bendlak said.

Along with the appealing scenery there was a variety of delicious food served.

The variety of food included tacos, steak, pasta, appetizers, and, of course, dessert.

“We looked at the menu and looked at the different food styles so we would have four stations to choose from,” Bendlak said.

A lot of thought went into how the venue looked to all the students.

“After we got all that set up we got to go into more of the details like colors which were blue and silver, we got to choose flower arrangements and seating arrangements,” Bendlak said.

Months of preparation went into making this night great for everyone.

“We started planning in October and it took months,” junior Zach Anderson of the Student Council said. “After all the stress and hard work we put in it was all worth it in the end.”

Members of the Student Council were excited about being in charge of planning the prom.

“The fun part of planning prom was knowing that it was our own prom, and knowing that we had a hand in it all,” junior Lanie Ackley said

Before heading to the venue, many students met at the Green downtown to take pictures together.

“It was really fun seeing everyone dressed up and having fun,” Ackley said

Everyone had their own way of transportation from party buses to limos.

When arriving to prom, students were given their table numbers and received their prom favors.

“The night started off slow with people just socializing and eating,” Ackley said

Prom was filled with fun music and a photo booth.

“As the night progressed people started to get up and dance more, the pictures from the photo booth came out great and there were a lot of fun props to use,” Ackley said.

By Abby Williamson – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s National Honor Society hosted its annual Brain Bowl on May 19.

The Brain Bowl is a contest that challenges students and faculty to test their knowledge while raising money for mental health awareness and brain cancer.

“The Brain Bowl has been a tradition at Law for 10 to 15 years,” NHS advisor Ms. Turcotte said.

During the weeks prior to the Brain Bowl, the NHS walked around and collected donations during lunch.

Every dollar donated counted as 10 points for whichever class the donation came from.

“We were able to raise roughly $500 from walking around lunch waves alone,” senior NHS member David Patrick said.

This year’s Brain Bowl raised roughly $775, the best outcome in years.

A total of $550 was raised by students and faculty. An additional $225 was raised by business advertisements in the program.

For the first time, the money was split between two organizations. One, helping physical health of the brain and the other, mental health (in honor of Laura Gonzalez).

“We decided to divide our profits to two organizations in order to honor former NHS member Laura Gonzalez,” junior NHS member Melanie Coleman said.

The sophomore class raised the most money, and also won the Brain Bowl.

To get into the Brain Bowl, students and teachers took a 50 question quiz on random topics.

The top four testers of every grade/faculty were selected to be featured in the Brain Bowl.

“We didn’t have a great turnout when it came to the number of people taking the test, but we did raised a lot of money which is the most important factor,” junior NHS member Lexi Fisk said.

The freshmen team consisted of Jessica Postighone, Samara Thacker, Lola Hazarika and Spencer Mehan. The sophomore team was Meghana Jaladanki, Colleen Hugo, Jordan Beck, and John Fowler. The junior team featured Melissa Chodziutko, Madison Murphy, Kevin Chesler, and Sam Rossi. The senior team included Jennifer Rondinelli, Adam Streeter, Jake Fucci, and Dan Ouellette. Mrs. Briggs, Mr. Barcello, Mr. Stanton and Mr. Vitelli completed the faculty team.

The competition pinned freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors against each other. The winning class, the sophomores, then went against the faculty.

This year’s theme was “High School Musical” and the final question was based on just movie.

The sophomore class took the victory when they got the final correct answer and the faculty did not.

By Emily Carroll – News Editor

As the school year comes to a close, principal Mr. Thompson took time to speak with Advocate news editor Emily Carroll about his his fifth year at Jonathan Law. Here is what he had to say about the past year and what is on the horizon for the Law community:

Emily Carroll: What are some of your best memories from this year?

Mr. Thompson: I think my favorite memory is yet to come. When I see the Class of 2016 receive their diplomas, knowing they are ready for the next chapter in their lives, I will be so excited for them and anxious to hear about their success.

EC: How do you think Law did academically, socially, and athletically this year?

MT: Academically, I think this was a very strong class. We had over a third of the school at the Honors Breakfast which says something about the direction we are heading. I made a reference in my speech at the breakfast to Dr. Barbiero who is the District Supervisor for Social Studies, a former Law teacher and assistant principal who is retiring, and he said to me that there used to be such a small breakfast. To have that cafe packed makes you realize that you can achieve and deserve to achieve. Socially, I think we are a very caring community. There are a lot of different jobs out there at different schools, but we all like to stay here because we are part of a real community. It’s a very exceptional place, one like I’ve never seen. And athletically, all the spring sports are going to the state tournaments which is really cool and is a great way to end our year. I think that the path ahead for our fall sports and winter sports look brighter so I think that’s pretty exciting.

EC: Some students were wondering what keeps you so positive?

MT: Coffee. No, all kidding aside, it’s gratitude. I am very grateful. It’s not really a job. It’s a vocation for me, not an occupation. That makes the bad days greater in their struggle and it makes the good days really awesome. I think I have been very blessed from my family to just learn how to be grateful. And coffee.

EC: What is your favorite part about the Jonathan Law community?

MT: My favorite part about the Law community is the fact that everybody cares about everyone else. We have good days and bad days, but at the end of the day there’s a lot of love and that’s what keeps me coming back every day.

EC: What are you going to miss most from the Class of 2016?

MT: I am going to miss the individuals. I am going to miss so many people in this class who brought so many different strengths to our school and who have so many special gifts. I know that sounds silly but I am really going to miss those individual moments where there’s a conversation with some of the seniors. Everybody has so many different areas of interests and it’s really great to be able to be more personalized.

EC: Are there any big plans for next year?

MT:  We are actually starting on Friday (May 26th). We have an eighth grade picnic from all the kids from west shore. They will be here to celebrate an end of the year picnic and that’s 75% of our freshman so we will be able to meet them. We are going to be doing some different things with the freshman academy next year. We will have the kids go to their first few days of classes and do some work to help with their transition into high school. From all that I hear, it is a nice group of kids and we are excited about that.

EC: Looking back to when the Class of 2016 were freshman, what sort of changes and improvements have you seen?

MT: This will be part of my graduation speech. I have been really struggling with it because it’s very easy to say this was the forgotten class or this was the class that experienced a lot of loss and tragedy and we had to run to heal and help, but that’s just not true. This class has so many different individual strengths that I have seen leaders emerge from sophomore to junior to senior year. I’ve seen so many different skill sets.  So, I have seen a class that has really grown into its own and no one should make any type of generalization because they would be nonsense.

EC: What advice do you have for the Class of 2016 and their journey to college?

MT: Aww, listen to my speech. I can’t give you all of the stuff. Don’t ever let anyone tell you ‘you can’t,’ because you’ve proven over the four years that you can. So, just don’t let anyone tell you ‘you can’t,’ because that’s just not true.

EC: What are your plans for this summer?

MT: I am going to the Dominican Republic in July. My happy place. I’ve been going every year for the past three years. I will also be doing a lot of yard work. Right now my yard looks like a parking lot. It’s in really bad shape, but that will be my summer project.

EC: Is there anything else you would like to say to the Jonathan Law community?

MT: Just, thank you. Thank you for letting me be part of your community. Thank you for each and every day. It’s really a great place to be. It’s Lawmazing!

By Tyler Chavez and Nisali Fernando – Staff Reporters

Jonathan Law’s Drama Club struck gold with its production of “Seussical the Musical.”

On April 15 and 16, the Jonathan Law Drama Club put on a production of “Seussical the Musical.” The “lawmazing” cast of 25 performers wowed the audience with bright colors, catchy music, and a story of triumph in the magical world of Seuss.

The show, which was the last production of the year, marks a successful run for the Drama Club.

“This year was really successful,” said Junior and stage manager Ann Reed. “We had two great shows and we really came together as a family”.

“Seussical the Musical” tells the story of multiple Dr. Seuss characters, focusing mainly on the story of “Horton Hears a Who”.

“What I think is really interesting is that this is a kids show,” said junior Jill Bendlak, who played one of the Whos. “I have never seen a show with so much color in it before!”

The show follows Horton the Elephant  as he tries to protect a clover carrying the small planet of Who where JoJo, his family, and the rest of the Who’s live. Along the way, Horton is impeded by the Sour Kangaroo and the Wickersham Brothers, but is assisted by his neighbor, the bird with the one-feathered tail, Gertrude McFuzz.

“I was really impressed with how simple, yet beautiful and colorful the stage was,” said Spanish teacher Mrs. Fortin, who saw the show with her children.

The show is known for its vibrant, colorful atmosphere that can reach an audience of all ages. Younger fans love the music, colors, and humor, while older fans enjoy seeing the classic Seuss characters on stage and interacting together.

“My kids loved the show,” said Fortin. “They had never seen anything like it.”

The musical was a family favorite bedtime story brought to life. Familiarity and youthfulness flooded the atmosphere, in the world of Seuss it’s okay to be a little silly.

Earlier in the fall, the club performed, “Almost, Maine” a romantic-comedy play following the stories of nine interconnected couples.

“I had such a great time getting to know everyone in the club and performing for everyone who came to the shows,” junior Nikita Potnis said.

Current members of the Drama Club were pleasantly surprised to see new people join and contribute to the club.

‘It’s great because your family grows and you make a lot of new friends,” Bendlak said.

Members of the “Seussical” cast, both old and new, hold fond memories about preparing for the show and learning their parts. Rehearsals were considered a fun, energetic time.

“I think my favorite part [from rehearsals] was when we would play games and dance for warm-ups because everyone was always having such a good time and enjoying themselves,” Potnis said.

The show has also left an imprint on those who took part. Its charm has created memories for those onstage.

“I loved the opening number,” Potnis said. “It’s so high energy and fun and it was so great while we were performing on opening night and people started cheering before the song even ended.”

Offstage, stage managers work tirelessly to keep the show running smoothly. From managing props to preparing sets, without them the show would be at a complete standstill.

“Backstage is where everything comes together, there’s a lot of moving parts that have to work together,” Reed said.

Stage managers are constantly on edge, as they have juggle many things at once.

“I have around 15 nightmares before every show about certain scenarios happening backstage,” junior and stage manager Sarah O’Brien said.

Through the hard work of the cast and crew, the show sold out opening night, and rave reviews followed every viewing.

“It was a riveting experience,” junior Sam Rossi said. “I was really impressed with Maddie Baldieri and Emma Hudd and JP has the voice of an angel.”

Seussical the Musical, kept its audience on the edge of their seats. The show was interactive (live auctions and questions to the audience) and during moments of sadness, there was not a dry eye in the house.

“My favorite part was the auction,” Rossi said. “I got to participate and it was amazing.”

Current members are already looking forward to what the future has in store for the Drama Club.

“Here’s what’s happening: new merch, new shows, new team building, and new choreography,” O’Brien said.

As the school year comes to a close, members who will be reaching their final year of Drama Club reminisce on the success of the program.

“When we joined freshman year the club was very small,” Reed said. “But it’s been great to see it grow and I can’t wait for us to come full circle in this now successful program.”

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By Ian Hugo, Emily Carroll, Valeria Araujo, and Nicole Macchio – Advocate Editors

Jonathan Law hosted the second annual Peace, Love, and Music from Maren Festival on April 30 to celebrate the life of Maren Sanchez.

This year’s PLM planning committee consisted of Law history teacher Ms. Burns, Jesse Hudd, Mike Hudd, Elena Garet, Karen Passecredo, and principal Mr. Thompson. The six committee members have met every Wednesday since January to discuss the plans for the event.

For the second straight year, Colony Grill sponsored the event and made a sizable monetary donation. Over 30 raffle prizes were donated by local businesses.

Dozens of volunteers help throughout the day, including many Law faculty members.

“I think that having the festival every year it’s a really nice way to see the Milford community come together and see the kids come back that were really good friends with her be here and help each other heal,” Burns said. “Our school staff is unbelievably supportive and they are willing to be there to do anything. It wouldn’t be possible without them.”

Sanchez’s friends were moved by how the Law and Milford communities came together again to honor Maren. Thousands attended this year festival, which was held on Law’s baseball and softball fields.

“The event means so much to me it makes me so happy seeing everyone back at Law celebrating Maren’s life,” said alumni Darby Hudd.

The day kicked off with ahundreds of runners taking part in a 5K race around Milford.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the festival go back to Milford students through the annual Maren Sanchez Scholarship. The scholarship is not based solely on academics; it honors a well-rounded student that embodies all of the qualities that Maren possessed.

Besides games like dunk-tanks and bouncy houses the event also had booths with many different activities. Those at the event could browse through booths set up by local businesses as wells as booths run by many Law clubs and students that promoted their individual causes.

The Kindness Club, which was created in memory of Maren, celebrated her legacy by painting Ben’s Bells and giving kids stickers as they talked about how to promote kindness. Law art teacher Mrs. Murphy, wanted to spread the kindness that was shown to them when they needed it most.

“It’s important to remind you of what it means to be a good person what it’s like to care for other people just the be a better person in general,” junior Kindness Club member Nisali Fernando said.

There was also a booth set up in memory of former Law student Laura Gonzalez, who passed away last year. Those at the booth were just happy to be a part of the event and celebrate the lives of two of the friends and classmates.

“We wanted to prevent suicide prevention and honor our loss,” Law senior Amita Sastry said. “Being able to remember her at this event means a lot to us.”

One of the highly-anticipated events of the day, the second annual Peace, Love, and Music From Maren kickball tournament, kicked off at 10 a.m. on the softball field.

The tournament consisted of 23 teams, each made up of at least six people including two girls, which were mostly comprised of Law students ranging from freshmen to seniors. The bracket was set up with five rounds, the first two consisting of games lasting five minutes, the third round lasting seven minutes, the semifinals lasting ten minutes, and the final lasting ten minutes as well.

“[The tournament is] just some good old-fashioned recess fun…like I’m back in elementary school,” said Law senior Nolan Beardsley of the eventual tournament winners The Kickballerz.

The tournament was overseen and run by Law staff with Mr. Young and Mr. McPartland taking turns pitching, Mr. Ragaini as catcher/umpire, Mr. Sarullo, Mr. Kulenych, and Mr. Bainer as umpires, and Mr. Boynton as the day’s exuberant announcer.

While a day for fun, tensions ran high all throughout the games with collisions on the basepaths, diving catches, slides (even though they were not allowed), lots of strategy, and big kicks into the outfield. Along with the intensity, most teams brought a sense of formality with some teams donning matching shirts, headbands, eye black, and even some players opted for cleats to help them dig into the field’s dirt basepaths.

With each team bringing their A game as soon as they stepped out onto the field it was a spectacle for all those on hand to watch.

Last year’s tournament winners Recess All-Stars lost a thriller in overtime to Balls & Dolls, in which the objective was to see who could kick the ball and have it land closest to the cone, as Balls & Dolls kick landed closer to the cone than the All-Stars’ kick which saw the upset complete.

With all teams confident in their abilities it was always going to be a closely-contested tournament with each star-studded team putting their best foot forward to edge closer to the coveted championship trophy.

After an exciting day of play and fun, the Kickballerz came to reap the spoils of victory after defeating the Dirty D’s in the final. The Kickballerz, whose roster consisted of Erin Saley, Destin Johnson, Nolan Beardsley, Paige Szygiel, Laura Dulin, and Jess Centore, had a strong run of play throughout the tournament and came out on top.

“It felt good to win knowing we were underdogs coming in,” said Johnson, a Law senior.

While the spirit of competition was high, the tournament ended up bringing the community together while providing some fun for all those involved, whether they be playing, officiating, or just simply watching.

“It’s a great day to remember Maren and it was fun to play in the kickball tournament, it brings people together,” said Law alum Tyler Curtin.

With a great turnout this year, PLM attendees will be hoping the kickball tournament is a staple of the event for years to come.

“The kickball tournament was such a fun event to be a part of,” Kulenych said. “We had players of all ages, a lot of close games, and everyone had a blast.”

Another major aspect of PLM is the music played throughout the day. Local artists and even students perform at the event to provide song and dance for the event. To kick off the day, the choir sang a show tune medley.

“I think the music is very important,” said history teacher Ms. Mannion. “The music keeps people dances and singing and brings back memories for people and it’s really important. It is peace love and music.”

The music had a great variety with songs for everyone to enjoy.

“I think that it’s nice that there is a variety and that it’s for all different ages,” said alumni Haley Palmer. “There was rock and roll for the parents and rapping for the younger kids and it’s all positive music.”

There were 12 bands that volunteered their time and talent throughout the day, headlined by the Rum Runners. Seniors Max Caserta, Anna Downs, and Bobby Phong were among the performers, as well as alumni Kira Topalian.

“I had a great time,” Phong said. “It was good representing for Maren and Laura because Laura was a good friend of mine.”

Law alum Jeremy Doucette agreed.

“The music is very enjoyable and is a nice background for the event, its keeps up the real social mood and keeps everyone’s spirits up,” Doucette said.

All in attendance said that that had a great day honoring an amazing life.

“I’m from Sandy Hook, so I get it,” said Newtown resident Judy Byron. “It’s a great idea and it’s a great way to make people remember and not forget and that make people all over become more proactive because of activities like this.”

English teacher Mr. Nigretti said, “My favorite part of all of this is that it’s for Maren, but it gets everyone to come together and forget about all the petty stuff that really doesn’t matter and that is what this day is about.”

By Bianca Hanania and Abby Williamson – Staff Reporters

Jim Spinnato left the participants sleeping and the audience wide awake during his hypnotic show that took place at Jonathan Law on March 28.

Spinnato’s production was a fundraiser for Law’s Post Prom and was organized by parents Lesley Anderson and Sharon Edwards.

“The hypnotist was an amazingly funny show,” Anderson said. “The audience was engaged and laughed for over an hour and a half straight. The volunteers that were hypnotized were great sports and were hilarious.”

Edwards was also very proud of the show’s accomplishment.

“It was a great fundraiser for Post Prom,” Edwards said. “Hopefully because everyone liked it we will have an even better turnout next year. I am glad that everyone who attended had a great time and enjoyed benefiting the junior class.”

Sharon Edwards’ daughter, junior Bethany Edwards, wasn’t disappointed the night of the hypnotist show.

“The show was really interesting, I was entertained the whole time,” Bethany Edwards said. “I will definitely go next year and encourage more people to come.”

Some people, like junior Matt Zancewicz, were skeptical of hypnosis before Spinnato came to Law.

“I didn’t think it would work, so I thought trying it would be fun,” said Zancewicz.

Zancewicz was hypnotized into doing many things including chasing a dog named “Fluffy” around the audience.

Spinnato also hypnotized junior Victoria Contaxis into thinking her belly button spoke and made her cry at the “Itsy Bitsy Spider.”

“I believed in hypnosis but this is the first time I have ever experienced it,” Contaxis said. “I only started remembering what I did once people told me, but it definitely was a lot of fun.”

Junior Brianna Arnold enjoyed the show from the audience.

“I didn’t really believe that hypnosis worked on people but watching my friends being tricked into doing things they would never do in their right minds proved that it does,” Arnold said.

Law’s Post Prom is being held at the Shelton Sports Center on May 20. This show was a major benefactor towards the Post Prom.

Including the raffles and tickets sold, the show raised a profit over one thousand dollars.

Because of how well the show went, the Post Prom committee is planning on having it again next year.

“I would definitely go to another hypnotist show,” Contaxis said. “But this time I would like to watch the people get hypnotized.”

By Cyntia Santos – Staff Reporter

In a short time, Ms. Laise has already made an impact on the Jonathan Law community.

Laise began teaching at Law last year and is a proud member of the Math Department. She teaches Statistics, Algebra 2, and Geometry.

“She is a great teacher who is willing to go the extra mile to help her students out. She really makes math look easy and teaches us really well,” sophomore Ryan Lawless said.

Laise attended Fairfield University for five years. She majored in mathematics as an undergraduate and secondary education in graduate school.

“Ms. Laise’s positive energy has been the perfect addition to our math department,” math teacher Mrs. DiPrimio said. “She is a team player who always contributes new ideas and strives to do all she can to make her students’ succeed.”

Laise loves that math is very structured. There is always a step by step process to get to the answer.

“Ms. Laise is a fantastic teacher and is very kind and easy to talk to,” senior Thomas Marchitto said. “She’ll take time out of her free periods to help students who need extra help and will stay after school for however long the students needs.”

She also likes that math is a universal language. For example, her family lives in different country and speaks a different language, but she can help them solve math problems the same way.

Laise was inspired to become a math teacher because she enjoys helping others understand math. During her freshmen year of college, she was convinced to be a math major by Calculus professor.

“The final step that helped me decide I wanted to be a teacher was when I tutored Calculus on campus my sophomore year at Fairfield,” Laise said. “I decided I love to help others with math so I minored in education to be on the path of becoming a teacher.”

Laise likes that high school students keep her on her toes and she loves how honest they are. She believes that every student that comes into her classroom with a different story, a different way of learning, and a different attitude towards math.

“I like that Ms. Laise has your best interest at heart and she makes sure you don’t slip up during class and she’s always trying to make sure you get whatever material that were doing,” junior Larissa Santos said.

Laise said that if it was not for the great school environment at Law, her first year of teaching would not have run as smoothly as it did.

“I must shout out the math department for being so supportive and helpful; it makes being a new teacher not so scary,” Laise said.

By Maeve Rourke – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s National Art Honor Society inducted its newest artists this month with a beautiful ceremony in the Media Center.

The ceremony included a song played by the Law orchestra, and a speech from Maria Thibodeau, who graduated from Law in 2011 and is currently receiving a degree in art education.

“Maria delivered a beautiful and inspiring speech to the inductees,” National Art Honor Society Advisor Miss Main said.

The NAHS is designed specifically for high school students who have shown an outstanding ability and interest in art.  It gives its members the opportunity to receive national recognition and art scholarships.

“We enjoy sharing ideas, and bringing many different kinds of art to the club,” Main said. “It’s a good way for students to discover different kinds of art.”

The National Art Honor Society serves as a great place for young artists to come together and talk about their art.

“I enjoy the club because it is composed of  the school’s most passionate artists,” senior co-president Julia Streeter said. “It’s nice to talk to each member, and learn about their ideas for their next art project.”

The National Art Honor Society also aims to raise awareness of art education throughout the school and community.

“I’ve always loved art, it’s something that has always been apart of me,” senior co-president Kristen Plouffe said. “It’s a great way to give back to the art community.”

The NAHS is currently working on a mural, granted by the Milford Education Foundation, in order to show the importance of art to teenagers in modern day. Each member will create their own piece of art for the mural, and collaborate to make them connected.

Once the piece is finished, all members will be presenting the mural at a special breakfast sponsored by the foundation in June.

Working on this mural has taught the members valuable life skills.

“Communication is crucial to have,” Plouffe said. “When you have lots of artists together, you have to compromise and figure out which ideas you want to include.”

Overall, every member of The Art Honor Society loves being apart of the group and showcasing the art they worked hard on.

“This club gives the opportunity for many people to develop their passion and skills for art,” junior member Deanna Melillo said. “Being a part of this club helps to show others  how a group can come together and make something truly amazing, and I can’t wait until our mural is complete so the community can understand what I mean.”

By Emily Carroll – News Editor

The Principal’s Advisory Council, coordinated by Mr. Thompson and Mrs. DiPrimio, meets three times a year to discuss different ways that Law can work with and strengthen ties to Milford’s community.

It is a group of partners representing education, employers, industry groups, associations, and other stakeholders in the community who provide input for school improvement. Their objective is to provide recommendations regarding the goals for the school.

“This is a unique opportunity for community and business leaders to join students and staff to discuss opportunities and areas for development in the Milford community and how Jonathan Law can lead the way in making our community the best it can be,” Thompson said.

Members include Assistant Principals Mrs. Drew and Mr. Marko, Dean of Students, Mr. Ragaini, College and Career Coordinator Mrs. Intelisano, and Law’s class advisors.

“It’s showing the community that we are such a great school with a positive environment and it’s a place where our kids can succeed academically and emotionally,” DiPrimio said.

Senior Leo Merturi, junior Jill Bendlak, and sophomore Matt Tournas are the student representatives of the council. Each student was chosen through teacher recommendations.

“I wanted to be apart of the Principal’s Council because I believe it’s very important for students to be represented in school related discussions and relations,” Merturi said. “I would say, in regard to goals, my main objective as an advisor is to represent the student body, specifically the senior class.”

Brian Smith, a professional speaker and community member, and Priscilla Lynn, who is a part of the Downtown Business Association, also attend meetings. Smith will be hosting a forum discussing the importance of public speaking.

Some events the council was involved in were the Lamplight Stroll and the tree lighting downtown. The council has also partnered up with the Law Interact Club.

“The council itself is so cool because it does have community members on it, it has faculty, but it also has some students so you’re getting a different perspective from so many different people and everyone is working together,” said Intelisano, who also advises Interact Club.

DiPrimio is excited that Interact has joined forces with the Principal’s council because it allows more members of the Law community to be involved.

“If students want to be a member of the Principal’s Council and volunteer with all of the opportunities that we offer, they can join the Interact Club,” DiPrimio said.

The council’s next meeting is in May. They will be discussing upcoming events such as the Boys and Girls Village Golf Tournament held on June 6 and Pirate Day on June 12.

“Serving and giving back to the community is at the core of what our school believes and we are able to foster opportunities for this to happen through initiatives like the Principal’s Council,” Thompson said.

The council is looking for any members who would like to participate in any community volunteering to give back for all the support the community provides for Law’s success.

“The Principal’s Council is a great way to celebrate this partnership and ensure Jonathan Law remains Milford’s community school,” Thompson said.

By Cyntia Santos – Staff Reporter

For 20 years, Mr. Bellard has been a loyal, inspiring, and hardworking chemistry teacher at Jonathan Law.

After this year, however, his time in the classroom will come to an end, as he plans to retire.

“I don’t have any plans as of yet (after retirement),” Bellard said.

Bellard started his teaching career in 1990 after he lost his job. He said he always wanted to be a teacher, so he decided to pursue it.

He said that he loves chemistry because chemistry is the basis of all things, and it is easy for him to understand.

His students have enjoyed his passion for science.

“I like Mr. Bellard’s teaching ways,” sophomore Jack Pincus-Coyle said. “I feel like I can learn a lot but have a lot of fun at the same time.”

Bellard chose to teach at the high school level because he likes the way that high school students can interact with one another and become friends. He also likes their energy and their unpredictability.

“I think that Mr. Bellard goes above and beyond and is an amazing teacher, an amazing friend, and he’s always there to help guide anyone, no matter what they need,” junior Abigail Williamson said.

Bellard inspires not only his students, but other faculty members at Law as well.

“Mr. Bellard has really been an asset to Jonathan Law, from the first day I walked into this building, when I first came here he was like a role model for me as a teacher,” said Dean of Students Mr. Ragaini. “I know all the students love Mr. Bellard and he is usually one of the most popular teachers in the school.”

Many memories have been made in Bellard’s classroom that his students won’t forget.

“I like that he’s funny, and he makes me want to learn,” sophomore Irmina Chrzastek said.

Bellard said that he will miss everything about Law, but he will especially miss the kids. He believes that now it is time to move on with the next phase of his life.

“The best thing I can say about my ‘B and B’ brother is it’s just too bad that my son won’t be able to be in his class, I think Mr. Bellard is the best science teacher ever,” business teacher Mr. Beler said.

Bellard has been married for 35 years and has two children and seven grandchildren.

“He will really be missed and I just want to congratulate him on a great career and he will be missed by everyone,” Ragaini said.

By Bianca Hanania and Abby Williamson – Staff Reporters

After teaching at Law for just two years, Spanish teacher Mr. Toussaint has already had an impact on students’ lives in and out of the classroom.

Toussaint, who lives in Norwalk, commutes to Milford everyday to pursue the profession that he considers himself to be “destined” to take part in.

“I was born to teach, that is my vocation,” Toussaint said. “I absolutely love it.”

Although Toussaint teaches Spanish at Law, he fluently speaks seven languages, with French being his native language.

Even though he is fairly new to the Law community, Toussaint has had no trouble fitting in with the other enthusiastic teachers in the foreign language department.

“Mr. Toussaint brings multicultural experiences which enriches our school,” Spanish teacher Mrs. Fortin said. “He fits in well with the group of staff members in the language department.”

Toussaint provides a relaxed, laid back classroom environment where students have the opportunity to engage with each other. He ensures that students see learning and participation less like hard work and more like interacting with others.

“He is one of the more eccentric teachers at Law and his teaching is unique to his personality,” junior Nisali Fernando said. “During class, he is able to pull you out of your comfort zone and make you feel like his number one priority.”

With his excitement and motivation, he encourages students to work to the best of their ability with every new topic.

“[Mr. Toussaint’s] class is very enjoyable and there’s never a dull moment,” junior Jade Mihalick said.

Not only does Toussaint go above and beyond to help students succeed in the classroom, he does just the same outside of it as well.

“Mr. Toussaint is a very humorous teacher,” said junior Savannah Snow. “He is constantly making jokes in class to the students to create a fun environment and he made me love spanish.”

He has experience in teaching homebound students who are not able to attend school, which is where he got the idea to offer services to students who need it on his own time.

Toussaint never fails at helping a student, whether it is school related or not. He has developed such strong bonds with so many students who consider him a person they could vent to if needed.

Because of this, Toussaint has created an environment where students feel comfortable reaching out to an adult, if needed.

“His class is very laid back and fun,” sophomore Nick Dostal said. “We do tons of stuff in class and he’s great at teaching it and Spanish is definitely one of my favorite classes.”

Education is a very important part of life, according to Toussaint, which is why he offers tutoring services to any language learning student in need, free of charge.

“Even though he is not my Spanish teacher, he reaches out to me during Advisory to make sure I understand the concepts we are learning in class,” freshmen Lisa Hanania said. “He shows commitment to education of others, even when they’re not his students.”

Toussaint enjoys tutoring his students, even the ones he doesn’t have in class.

“I have been tutoring for about 10 years and I am constantly announcing to students to reach out to me after school if any help is needed,” Toussaint said. “It can be anyone, even if they are not my student.”

By Maeve Rourke – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law Model U.N Club recently spent a fun-filled four days in New York City.

Model U.N Club members traveled to New York City to participate in the National High School Model U.N. conference, along with participants from approximately 40 different countries. The conference took place at the United Nations Headquarters and the New York Hilton Hotel.

“My favorite part of the trip was seeing the kids in their committees engaged in debate with others from around the world,” Club Advisor Mr. Evanko said. “They performed really well…[the conference] proves teenagers aren’t apathetic and like to be engaged in their assignments and research.”

Throughout the four days students worked as delegates for their assigned countries, and resolved realistic issues occurring within and between their countries. They had to compromise with countries and states that may have policies they did not agree with, analyze all positions, and propose constructive solutions that would benefit all parties.

“The most valuable skill we need was how to collaborate with people from all over the world representing a number of different nations,” senior and Model U.N. Club vice president Katie Sabo said.  “You have to take into account each country’s opinions and policies which can sometimes be difficult to do, but in the end, we accomplished it with two resolution papers passed.”

Students had the opportunity to meet mission representatives from the countries they represented. They also spoke and voted in the United Nations General Assembly Hall. Various members had the chance to stand at the podium in front of hundreds of other students and give their positions.

“I learned a lot of public speaking skills,” junior Jillian Bendlak said. “It’s really daunting to stand up in front of 100 to 400 strangers and talk, but it’s an extremely valuable experience.”

The conference also included workshops featuring educational theorists and international relations experts.

By the end of the trip, students found themselves to be more open-minded and flexible.

“I enjoy being part of this trip because it gives you exposure to different viewpoints from around the world. It also broadens your horizons and you get to meet so many international students,” junior and Model U.N. Club secretary Jordan Negron said. “[The experience]really makes you realize how large the world is.”

The Club has already commenced planning for next year’s conference.

“Next year we want to make sure that we’re twice as prepared, and we are planning to do mock debates and practice resolution writing before we go to the conference next year,” Negron said.

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By Tyler Chavez – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Model U.N. Club participated in the National High School Model United Nations conference in New York City from March 2-6.

Twenty-two Law students represented the country of Algeria. Students were assigned committees to work on by doing research, writing position papers, and participating in committee conferences.

“We were representing the nation of Algeria,” club advisor and history teacher Mr. Evanko said. “So we had to research their stance on a variety of topics.”

The NHSMUN also featured kids participating from all over the world who flew into New York City to represented other countries.

“They worked alongside students from over 25 countries; including Australia, Nigeria, Lebanon, Croatia, Ghana, Malaysia, Ecuador, Italy, Finland, and Egypt,”club advisor and history teacher Ms. Burns said.

Students would work in a specific committee that would tackle a certain range of issues such as security, education, or health.

“I was a part of the Disarmament and International Security Committee (DISEC),”  senior and club co-president Ian Hugo said. “Our job was to work on the sale of arms in the Middle East.”

The committees featured at the conference reflect real committees used by the actual United Nations.

“This year I was glad to be part of the World Health Organization,”  junior and club secretary Jordan Negron said. “We had two topics this year: the distribution of pharmaceuticals to underdeveloped countries and building health infrastructures in developing countries.”

The representatives from Law made big moves and were very active in their committees. At the end of committees, representatives make resolutions that combine their ideas and needs.

“Our students sponsored or were signatories on at least 30 different working papers or resolutions,” Burns said. “This means they had to work in moderated and un-moderated caucuses to advocate their positions, some speaking in front of rooms with 300 peers.”

The international environment presented a new challenge for students but also offered an amazing opportunity.

“It’s kind of intimidating at first – seeing all these kids at the Hilton Hotel from around the world in western business attire,”  Hugo said.

Yet the experience of working with people from all over the world open new doors for the Model UN club.

“It gives you exposure to different viewpoints from around the world,” Negron said. “Talking and working with other students from Italy, China, and Australia is an eye opening experience.”

Evanko said that the club members have set a model for all other high school students.

“We talk about students being apathetic and not participating, and to anyone who says that about modern high schoolers, I would just point them to this conference and say ‘This is it’,” Evanko said. “There is not a generational problem.”

The Model U.N. Club is already setting their sights on what they want to accomplish in the future.

“I want it to be more organized in the future,” Evanko said. “I’m hoping for the students to have more responsibility for fundraising and running the meeting.”

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By Kristin Frank – Staff Reporter

The month of March caused some spring fever at Jonathan Law.

A pep rally was held on March 4 in the school’s gymnasium to kick off a season of warmer weather. Law has had many pep rallies in the past that celebrated the school’s sports teams, but this one was held for a different reason.

Principal Mr. Thompson described this year’s pep rally as a way to kick off spring and a way to get rid of those “winter blues.”

“This event helped us remember Law is a great place,” Thompson said. “We had a lot of fun and celebrated everything good about our school not just the sports.”

To go along with this school event, the different grades participated in a color war and a black and gold day throughout the week. Whichever class had the most school spirit would gain points to try and win an ice cream party.

At this pep rally, there were a handful of contest and activities to keep the students in good spirits.

There was a dance-off as well as a “chubby bunny” contest which seemed to excite the crowd.

“The chubby bunny contest was great,” junior Angela Sciuto said. “I helped my class gain more points toward the ice cream party.”

Another member here at Law enjoyed this contest as well. Even faculty engaged in these humorous activities.

“This contest was a lot of fun and interactive,” math teacher Mr. Ruzbarsky said.

The activity that appeared to have the sea of students on their feet was the dance-off.

Both the student body and faculty members were amazed and cheered excitedly.

“The dance-off was my favorite part of the pep rally,” Thompson said. “(Senior) Joe Corey was awesome.”

The students also put together a cheer competition.  Each grade had their own cheer they had to say at the pep rally.

“My favorite part was the cheers,” junior Maddie Murphy said. “Everyone got involved and definitely improved our school spirit.”

The reason this pep rally was such a success is because of the school spirit all grades had. The whole week was filled with positive energy from the students and faculty.

“This pep rally was one of the best ones we’ve had here at Law,” senior Kailee Frank said. “The students were really hyped for it.”

The unique experience was especially exciting for the freshmen class because of their newness to the school.

“The pep rally was a lot of fun and exciting,” freshman Pam Ellison said. “ I really liked the cheer competition between grades.”

The staff here at Law also participated in the event to raise everyone’s school spirit.

“The staff did great and we all did a good job getting the students excited for this event,” special education teacher Mr. Rhode said. “I loved seeing the teachers in black and gold.”

By Paige Szygiel – Staff Reporter

A new math teacher has joined the Law faculty and he has been a perfect fit.

After teaching at Foran for 15 years, Mr. Bracnaro made the move over to Law this year and immediately felt at home.

“It is so rewarding to see the smiling faces of my students,” Bracnaro said. “The greatest reward is seeing all of them being active in class and succeeding.”

Bracnaro provides a very positive learning environment to make all of his students feel comfortable. In his classes, he focusses on making sure the students fully understand the material using his style of open teaching.

“Every student is unique and I don’t believe in a cookie-cutter approach,” Bracnaro said.

His students enjoy this approach.

“Math isn’t my best subject; I actually tend to have a lot of difficulty,” senior Niamh Nelson said. “I enjoy going to class because I know that I will be getting all the help I need.”

Students in Bracnaro’s class get positive energy when they enter his room.

“I love going to his class everyday,” senior Azemina Radoncic said. “He makes sure we understand the material fully and doesn’t stop until we do.”

Before coming to Law, Bracnaro said he made goals for himself and for his students.

“My goal is to get the best performance I can get out of every student,” Bracnaro said. “Even if they perform at different levels I want them to perform to their fullest.”

Bracnaro’s goal isn’t just for his students to succeed in the classroom; he wants to make sure they also succeed in life as well.

“It’s not all about books and academics,” Bracnaro said.” I want my students to develop into good contributing members of society.”

Students in his classes said that they can see how much time and effort he puts into his students.

“Mr. Bracnaro goes over all the material over and over again until we fully understand it,” senior Bryanna Jennings said. “He always offers extra help and I find it very helpful.”

If students are having problems in school or at home, Bracnaro is a very easy person to talk to and really cares about the feelings of all of his students.

“Law is the best thing that has happened in my career,” Bracnaro said.

By Emily Carroll – News Editor

Law’s unused courtyard will soon become a sustainable garden for students and faculty.

Students in Mr. Barcello’s class made several garden boxes from recycled pallet boards. Solar panels, moisture sensors, rain collectors, and seeds for the plants are in the process of being purchased as well.

“It’s a real world project that we can use to teach life skills and different ways to use technology such as renewable energy, recycling, and programming,” Technology Education teacher Mr. Robinson said.

The idea for the garden emerged from Family and Consumer Sciences teacher Mrs. Juhase, who wanted to do a unit on garden-to-table food with her Food Services class. She started the idea at the middle school in Southington she used to work at and wanted to bring the concept thing at Law.

“It is going to be a lot of fun and I am really excited to get started because I think all of the nutrition classes with benefit from it, the Peer Assisted students, and even the staff,” Juhase said.

Guidance counselor Mrs. Haramis recommended Robinson to the Milford Environmental Protection Initiative (MEPI) and Law was awarded a $1,000 grant to get the project started.

“This is the exact project they were looking for,” Robinson said. “They were blown away when they heard our idea and could not wait to help us.”

The garden will include tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, summer squash, lettuce, eggplant, and corn. Law’s special education classes will start the seed in the greenhouse and the plants will be transported to the courtyard when they are grown.

The garden will be maintained by Technology Students Association (TSA) and by the Peer Assisted Foods Classes. Special education teacher Mrs. Andrews and Law’s culinary students will be picking the produce daily, as needed, to limit any waste.

“I am excited for this project,” Andrews said. “It is a great way to bring so many students and classes together for one great purpose.”

Seniors Mark Dow and Nikolai Jaisiree are helping with the planning and creation of an automatic watering system. The students in TSA have brainstormed the idea.

The system will drain water from the roof and then collect rain in barrels. It will also detect the moisture level in the plant boxes so the water collected will be released at a certain percentage.

“What the project means to us is a way for us to give back to the Law community by creating a sustainable way to make produce that will be sold to the faculty of Law and used in cooking classes,” Dow said. “It is also a personal challenge to create an autonomous system of watering that is effective.”

Robinson, Juhase, and Andrews will also be taking turns maintaining the garden during the summer.

“We are setting an example of how easy it is to make a difference in the environment with little effort and having fun doing it at the same time,” Robinson said. “It is going to be a fascinating experience for all.”

 

By Arielle Eighmy – Staff Reporter

Law’s Key Club is seeking make a difference for children in Vietnam.

The club has been hosting a school supply drive throughout the year to benefits kids in need.

“We are sponsoring a school supply drive, where we are collecting any school supplies such as notebooks and pencils,” Key Club Lieutenant Governor Tyler Chavez said.

Every district’s Lieutenant Governor chooses a project to run and organize and Chavez selected the school supply drive.

“I decided to bring this project to Jonathan Law and other schools so we can all work as one to get as many supplies as we can,” Chavez said.

Chavez wants to do more for the children in Vietnam than just giving supplies, however.

“What we are doing and what we are giving to them is more than just school supplies, it’s the ability for them to really learn and have an education,” Chavez said. “I hope that through this drive we will be able to help these kids succeed.”

Not only is Key Club doing a supply drive, but they are helping out the school in other ways.

“We have been running the refreshments stand for all athletic events,” Key Club advisor Mr. Boynton said.

Key Club recently completed their annual Salvation Army drive which raised almost $3,000.

Members are excited that the club has increased its membership since last year and for the club’s upcoming events.

“I am looking forward to the upcoming convention; we have done a lot of work this year and have increased our membership a lot from last year,” vice president Jordan Negron said. “We have around 80 kids in total.”

Students that do not belong to Key Club can help the club by making donations.

“They can help us by donating backpacks and school supplies, also attending events at school like the basketball games that we are doing concession stands at,” Negron said.

The club is also hosting an upcoming cookie dough fundraiser. 

Boynton said that the club is always looking for new members.

“I hope that we can continue working hard, and anybody that is interested in joining the Key Club they can always come and see me in Room 215 or during all lunch waves,” Boynton said.

 

By Ian Hugo – Sports Editor

The Jonathan Law Science Club recently took part in the Yale Undergraduate Science Olympiad on Saturday, January 30.

Law travelled to Yale to participate in the competition which pitted students against other schools in a variety of events meant to test their scientific ability.

“It was a good experience and we learned a lot from how the other schools performed,” senior James Mercaldo said.

Events were broken down into two categories – building and testing – which the students sign up for in partners and participate in.

Building events consisted of students constructing something (such as a robotic arm) and demonstrating its proficiency performing a task against students from other schools.

The testing events required unique skill sets and knowledge from the teams in order to accomplish a goal.

Law’s full team consists of 30 students and two faculty advisors, Ms. Turcotte and Mr. Stanton, and was split into two teams for the event, the A team and the B team, which is the first time Law’s had enough members for a B team since its induction four years ago.

This large influx of new members came after senior Emma Shea took over as president.

Under Shea’s leadership, the club has been holding members accountable for their events: back in December, members from each event presented what they had been working on and what they still had to finish to make sure members weren’t waiting until the last minute to finish their projects.

“This year we have a lot of smart kids who enjoy delving into the different sciences,” Shea said. “At the Yale Olympiad in January, we saw different ways we could improve our projects and scores.”

At the end of the day and the conclusion of the event, events were given individual scores and the top three partners from each event were given awards as well as the top three schools overall.

The event kicked off at 8:30 a.m. after all students had finished impounding their devices. There were six time slots, each an hour long, spaced throughout the day in which students would participate in three out of the six.

When students had free time, they spent it with the team, exploring Yale and enjoying a warm hot chocolate.

The Yale event was a practice event for the UConn Science Olympiad, which is held on April 2 at UConn and is hosted by the official Science Olympiad organization.

“As a team, we have a lot of potential for success at UConn and I hope we can come together to do our best and represent our school,” Shea said.

By Catie Rice – Staff Reporter

Most people know him as “Ruz.”

Mr. Ruzbarsky currently teaches math in the Academic Support Center as well as Algebra 2 Honors. He has been a math teacher at Law for eight years.

“I enjoy the Support Center fully and completely,” Ruzbarsky said. “I enjoy it as much as teaching a normal schedule.”

Ruzbarsky has taught a variety of subjects such as Algebra 1 Level 3, Algebra 2 Levels 1-3, Geometry Levels 2-3, Pre-Calculus Level 2, and Trigonometry and Statistics.

“Ruz is very passionate about what he teaches and it helps us understand the material better,” senior Paige Szygiel said.

There is a new learning tool called the Academic Support Center that all students seem to benefit from.

“I go to the Support Center a lot if I’m not understanding a topic and Ruz always prepares me for my test,” junior Colleen Rice said

Currently, Ruzbarsky only teaches Algebra 2, but has a big role in the Support Center, where students can come down to to get extra help in numeracy and literacy. The center helps students that drop in for help and also helps students that are recommended by their teachers.

Along with teaching Algebra and the Support Center, Ruzbarsky coaches the Law wrestling team.

“He’s a good coach and pushes us to be better with tough love,” Junior Matt Grace said.

Ruzbarsky enjoys coaching the wrestling team. He said that the Lawmen have had a successful season so far.

“I love coaching wrestling,” Ruzbarsky said. “I love the sport and I love giving back to the community that I was once a part of here at law.”

Ruzbarsky was a student at Law, so he takes pride in teaching at the same school that he went to.  

“Times have changed a little from my 2001 graduation but most of the problems that my own teachers helped me through are still prevalent at Law now and I enjoy giving back and guiding the students,” Ruzbarsky said.

Ruzbarsky also tries to talk to students about life after high school. 

“Ruz is a great role model and an inspiration to all students at Law,” Dean of Students Mr. Ragaini said. “His thumb drive and assortment of pens that he carries are outstanding.”

By Nia Cordero – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s Drama Club is performing “Seussical the Musical,” a fun and new spin on Dr.Seuss’ classic stories, this spring.

The Drama Club members participating in this production say it is a lot of fun to be a part of.

“It’s a really good environment where everyone can be themselves and have fun,” junior crew member Ann Reed said.

Members know what it takes to be productive and know the hard work is worth it.

“It’s fun,” sophomore Emma Hudd said. “Of course, putting in work is difficult sometimes and acting takes out a lot of emotion in people, but it’s worth it in the end to see the finished product and put yourself in a fun situation.”

This fun environment has drawn many students to join the production.

“I saw all the productions in my sophomore year and thought it looked like a lot of fun and I never did anything like it so I joined in the fall with ‘Almost Maine’ and I loved it and had a lot of fun,” said junior Tyler Chavez, who will play in “The Cat in The Hat.”

Members of the musical think the audience will really be able to see the hard work they put into it and feel the emotions of their performance.

“I’m excited for people to come out and see this show because I think they’ll be able to tell that it’s a lot of fun, we’re having a lot and fun, and everyone is doing a great job,” Chavez said.

The musical is a fun show for all age groups.

“It’s fun learning how to perform for little kids,” stage manager Sarah O’Brien said.

Though the musical brings a lot of fun and excitement, it also has its challenges.

“When we’re all working hard and lacking sleep for weeks it gets a little tense, but we’re like a family so it’s like your sisters and brothers,” Hudd said.

The play is approximately an hour to an hour and a half with no intermission.

“Once you mix the choreography with the lyrics and actually sing in it, it gets difficult because you have to keep track of your breath and make sure you have breath to not only sing but also run around and do whatever steps you have to do,” Chavez said.

The play will take place at Law on April 15-16.

Members of the play are excited and are hoping for a happy crowd.

“The show is great,” Chavez said. “I’m so excited to be a part of it and I’m super happy that I joined it.”

By Renee Lynch – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law seniors are excited to end their last semester of high school with a bang as they are starting to receive their college acceptance letters.

Students so far have received acceptance letters from schools across the country, including some Ivy League schools, and are waiting for more to come. Seniors have been accepted to schools such as Yale, the University of Tampa, the University of South Florida, and Fordham University.

“I’m super excited about getting into University of Tampa,” senior Megan Grabowski said. “Being so far away from home seems scary, but University of Tampa is very high up on my list and I can’t wait to see where I end up.”

Senior Amita Sastry has recently been accepted to Yale University and is excited to take on an Ivy League. Sastry has been working hard all throughout her high school years and years previous and is glad all the hard work paid off.

“Getting into Yale was one of the most exciting experiences of my life, making all my hard work during the past four years worth it,” Sastry said. “I can’t wait to see what amazing opportunities are in store for me there.”

The next step for those planning on attending college is to apply for FAFSA for financial aid.

It is, also, very important for students to start applying for scholarships as they are an easy way to earn money towards their schooling, to cut back on some student loans.

However, some students plan to take a different path that doesn’t involve academics, such as joining the military.

Senior Seamus O’Reilly plans to join the armed forces to fight for his country.

“I am very excited to enlist in the military,” O’Reilly said. “There are so many options and career paths I can chose when I’m there and it will be a great experience.”

As students become accepted into colleges or decide their next path they choose, they are encouraged to let Ms. Angela in College and Career know, so she can post acceptances on the board next to guidance.

“Students should advise their counselors as they receive decisions from colleges,” guidance counselor Ms. Haramis said. “They now have the importance decision of determining which of the colleges they will commit to attending.”

Students have a lot of thinking to do about where they want to spend their next chapter of their lives, and guidance counselors are happy to assist.

“Part of this decision process includes applying for financial aid by the college’s deadline, receiving a financial package from the colleges, visiting campuses and talking about their options with their families,” Haramis said.

Seniors also need to update Naviance with college decisions as time gets closer to May 1, when decisions must be made and deposits for schools must be sent out.

Students who have been deferred from colleges should start to hand in their blue forms to Mrs. Stofko in guidance, as first semester grades have been finalized.

For any assistance with FAFSA or college decision makings, students are encouraged to head down to College and Career to see Ms. Angela as senior year is quickly going to come to an end.

By Brianna Arnold – Staff Reporter

Friends Forever is an after-school club that works with the special needs students at Law

The club holds meetings on the third Tuesday of each month. At every meeting, there are planned activities and snacks that are designed with a buddy system so that everyone has a friend that they can build a better friendship with.  

“It is designed for the buddy to have a friend that can look forward to meeting and talking about things and building a close friendship so that the buddy has someone to go to if they ever need to talk,” junior co-president Leea Palmer said.

Palmer and junior Sydney King are co-presidents of the club and work very hard to make it a fun and relaxing time every month.

“Friends Forever offers its special needs members a place to build relationships they otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to have,” King said.

Friends Forever has new and exciting plans coming up for next month. They hope to take a trip to the movie theater and then start having a bowling night at least once a month in the spring.

There is going to be fundraiser put in place for the club so that they can all go to these fun events.

“Being in the club is very rewarding and lots of fun,” Palmer said. “When you see the smile you can bring to another’s peers face it makes all the hard work worth it.”

The club is holding a raffle starting this week. Tickets are going to be sold for $1 for three tickets or $5 for 15 tickets.  

“Tickets are going to be sold during lunch waves and the raffle includes gift cards to local restaurants such as Mr. Mac’s,” King said. “It is for a good cause and would be great if everyone could participate.”

This club is open to any student at Law and welcomes new members at any time.

“Friends Forever is a no judge zone that can sometimes be hard to find in high school,” King said. “We always like to see new people join the club and are happy to welcome any new students.”  

Club participants Jen Gill and Luigi DeCastro love coming to this club every month. They are excited to meet new friends and learn how to build friendships.

“My favorite thing about Friends Forever club is being able to hang out with my friends,” Gill said.

Everyone is excited for the next meeting coming up on February 16th in the senior cafe.

“I love seeing all my friends,”  DeCastro said.

Junior club member Abby Williamson enjoys spending time with her friends, including Gill and DeCastro.
“Friends Forever is a fun way to interact with people that you do not get to connect with during the regular school day,” Williamson said.

By Abby Williamson – Staff Reporter

Law’s Unified Sports team hosted a basketball tournament on January 28. 

Law played against four other Unified Sports teams – Amity, Foran, Bassick and Lyman Hall – in multiple games of basketball.

“We played basketball games with our friends,” Unified Sports athlete Atul Joseph said. “It was fun.”

The Unified Sports team will continue to practice every Thursday up until March 3.

Their next tournament is on February 22 at the New Haven Athletic Center followed by another tournament March 10 at Bunnell High School.

Many people including friends, family and teachers came out to support Law’s Unified Sports team, which is directed by special education teacher Mrs. Daniels. One person who made an appearance was Ms. Andrews, a teacher of a few of the athletes.

“Our kids played fantastic,” Andrews said. “They had great sportsmanship and were great at sharing the ball.”

Because Andrews has such a close relationship with the athletes on Law’s Unified Sports team, she was proud to see her students enjoy themselves by making baskets with their friends from all the different teams.

“It was really fun, the energy was great and everyone was really excited and supportive,” junior spectator Sydney King said. “It was less about the score and more about cheering each other on and our team did amazing.”

Given the energy of everyone on and off the court, the game was an exciting atmosphere for everyone who attended.

“The tournament was fun, I’m a partner  so helping the athletes was a lot of fun,” junior partner Jessica Villa said. “Helping out and shooting baskets with them was exciting.”

The athletes not only enjoyed playing with their team, they had fun playing with all three other schools, and they showed lots of good sportsmanship.

“They were giving highfives, they were saying ‘good job’ to their other friends, especially their Foran friends,” Andrews said. “When the other teams scored, they clapped.”

The game was not about winning, how many points they made, or which team was doing better, but about how all of Law’s athletes recognized how well they did playing basketball and sharing the ball with the other team.

“I [shot] a lot of baskets,” Unified Sports athlete Luigi DeCastro said. “I cheered for the teammates.”

Unified Sports athlete Jen Gill said that what she and her friends most enjoyed about the game was having a good time.

“I had fun at the tournament,” Gill said. “I would do it again.”

After the game, pizza was provided to the athletes which they really enjoyed.

DeCastro said besides cheering on the other team, eating pizza was his favorite part of the game.

By Valeria Araujo – News Editor

Law’s Multicultural Club is here to welcome students from all countries and backgrounds.

The club has started back up again this year and is looking for new members. They are looking to raise awareness about all cultures at Jonathan Law. The club meets every Monday after school from 2-3 p.m.

“Everyone in the club is so friendly and nice,” English teacher and Multicultural Club advisor Mr. Healy said. “If you want to make instant friends, come on down. Plus, there’s the chance of eating some delicious ethnic food.”

By joining Multicultural Club, students learn about cultures other than their own.

“I have learned about Saudi Arabian, Egyptian, Polish, Italian, Syrian, Indian, Chinese, Philippines, Colombian, Mexican, Ethiopian, Turkish, Puerto Rico, Irish culture, and a few more,” junior club member Shanza Qaiser said. “It’s always nice to learn about new cultures and I would like to meet more people from different cultures.”

Meetings consist of discussions on worldwide issues. Sometimes, students bring cultural food that they love and would like others to try.

“The discussions we have a really interesting and thought provoking,” Healy said. “We talk about racism, world conflicts ,and also discuss ways on how to make the world a better place.”

Besides learning about other cultures, students make lifetime friends.

“I have made some really good friends,” Qaiser said. “I was able to relate to most people and I realized how most people of different cultures go through the same situations as me.”

Healy said that he was excited to be asked to advise the club.

“I love learning about new cultures and wanted to get more involved in the Law community, so advising was a no-brainer when I was asked,” Healy said.

In the club, students are also able to express their personal feelings without fear of discrimination.

“Don’t ever be afraid of doing something new,” Qaiser said. “Multicultural Club is the most fun and friendly club, and once you join it you will be able to relate to a lot of people and love how different cultures have similarities.”

The club is currently working on fundraisers to hold at Law.

“We want to hold a food drive where we sell authentic foods from our cultures,” Healy said.

The club is also looking forward to trips to New York and other locations in the future to experience different cultures in other parts of the world.

By Emily Carroll – News Editor

Junior Alex Rednak is asking the students at Law to take the time to donate and drop off dog food in the main lobby of the school. He explained why he is helping collect everything for the Milford Animal Shelter.

Emily Carroll: What made you decide to help the local dog shelter?

Alex Rednak: I love animals. Anything that involves helping them is what motivates me. I saw all of the dogs there and they looked so sad so I wanted to get some things together and do what I could to help.

EC: What other items are you collecting to bring to the shelter?

AR: Anything will help. Any food, treats, litter, and even beds or blankets can be donated.

EC: How many items are you trying to receive?

AR: To get as much as possible. As much as I can get to get them through the winter.

EC: How did you find out about the shelter?

AR: It was online on their Facebook page. I follow their page and they are always posting that they are taking donations.

EC: How does it make you feel taking the time to help the animals in need?

AR: I try as hard as I can to go once a week to visit them and see how they are doing. One of them I want to adopt. I am trying to convince my mom. I am extremely close with animals. I have a dog and two cats at home and thinking of them suffering makes me want to help those animals that much more.

EC: What are some ways for people who are interested to get involved?

AR: Well first, one way to help is to definitely donate. If someone wants to get involved they can visit the shelter and fill out the sheet to volunteer.

EC: What made you decide to bring this awareness to school?

AR: Since Bobo is a big part of this school, I knew that the school would allow me to do something like this. I want students to think about what it is like for those animals and really consider helping them.

EC: Do you have anything you would like to say to the students at Law?

AR: Just think about Bobo and if something like that was happening. To take in consideration that if you saw someone you love out on the street or starving you would want to take action and help.

By Arielle Eighmy – Staff Reporter

The Natural Helpers Club is benefiting Law’s students in more ways than one.

Members of the club were recently professionally trained to give advice to their peers and to help their peers problem solve. The Natural Helpers are also making stress balls for the students at Law.

“(The Natural Helpers) learn that if a peer comes to them with a concern, how to manage it and see if they can help them and if they can’t they know to refer to an adult who can help them,” advisor Ms. Hanson said.

The Natural Helpers are also currently fundraising for upcoming trips.

“We are focusing on fundraising because there is an annual trip at Camp Hazen where we do trainings,” Natural Helpers president Kavita Rana said.

Natural Helpers isn’t only about raising money. The club is focused on meditation and helping peers get through difficult situations.

“Interact Club is here for charity, but Natural Helpers is really building peace and are there for people who are suffering and stressed,” Hanson said. “So the students at Law know that there is a way out, and this is why our club fits in and we are more noticed in school.”

Since their training, the Natural Helpers have given advice to their peers during the months of November and December

“Not only do we fundraise to get money in order to help supply the (club trips) but we are also getting money so that at the end of the year we can go on an overnight training to reinforce helping skills,” Hanson said.

President Kavita Rana wants to make sure that kids at Law know about the Natural Helpers.

“This year I really hope that we make a presence in school, because over the years people normally didn’t hear much about the club, and how we give back to the community also doing fundraisers for charity groups,” Rana said.

Anyone in need of a Natural Helper can see Hanson or juniors Jill Bendlak and Gina DiFederico.

Members stressed that they are always here to help, no matter how big or small the issue may seem.

“In Natural Helpers, the premise of the club is to seek to help people in the school and talk to students are who are needing guidance,” treasurer Tanner Georgelos said. “We learn how to talk to people with their issues in different situations, and know when to confront an adult about it.”

By Valeria Araujo – News Editor

Jonathan Law’s National Honor Society is giving back to the community – with a tree.

The annual Giving Tree has returned to the Jonathan Law lobby. The tree features tags with gift ideas written on them that underprivileged children in the local community want for the holidays.

Students and faculty can take tags from the tree and buy the gift listed on the tag. They must leave the tag and the unwrapped gift under the tree or bring them to Room 212B by December 15.

“Everyone loves opening their own presents, so (students) should help make that possible for others kids whose parents may not be able to afford them,” National Honor Society President Alyssa Paladino said. “Sometimes giving is better than receiving, and the Giving Tree can help people see that.”

The National Honor Society has many goals they would like to accomplish by participating in this annual toy drive.

“We want to improve the holidays for these families that are in need,” science teacher and National Honor Society Advisor Ms. Turcotte said. “We are also trying to get our school community to give back.”

The National Honor Society works with Bridges, a local service that helps – and during the holidays collects gifts – for children that are in need. The counselors for these children and families give the National Honor Society a list of presents the children would want and the National Honor Society tries to get at least five gifts for each child so that they can enjoy their holiday season.

“It’s important that everyone celebrates the holidays no matter what because it should be a time of joy for everybody and I think that it’s important to give back to the community,” senior National Honor Society Vice President Leo Merturi said.

After collecting all of the gifts bought for the children in need, the National Honor Society organizes the gifts for each child and then gives it to the Bridges counselors. The children receiving gifts each year ranges from infants to teenagers.

By participating, students are able to learn that not everyone’s holidays are as joyous as theirs and that not every child is as fortunate.

“By doing this you can give someone a much-needed and much-deserved present that they wouldn’t be able to afford otherwise,” Paladino said. “The thought of just making a little girl or boy smile by opening  their present is important to me.”

Most of the gifts that the children want are items they need instead of just toys and expensive items.

“Some people are asking for clothes for the holidays because they really don’t have much,” senior Honor Society Member Kelly Scianna said.

Members of the National Honor Society enjoy the feeling that participating in this charity gives them and they said they will continue to do host the Giving Tree for years to come.

“When we are going through the gifts and (the National Honor Society members) are seeing what we are doing for these kids, they get to feel like they’re making a difference,” Turcotte said.

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By Emily Carroll – News Editor

Law’s AP Psychology classes hosted the first annual “Brainsgiving” on November 25.

Students in Ms Burns’ and Mr Young’s classes created brain models, zombie menus, and snacks that represent the different parts of the brain. Instead of presenting the projects in class, the assignment was turned into a fair for other classes in all grades to see.

“Mr. Young and I work really close together so I think it was good so all the kids can see we do do the same thing,” Burns said.

Many classes went to show their support for the event, which allowed teachers and peers to take a look at how AP students work.

“It was cool to see how your creativeness stacked up against everyone else’s,” said senior AP Psychology student Evan Carollo.

The different groups came up with creative names for their zombie menus like “Raging Flesh Eater” and “Alice in Wondergland.” The brain models were also represented in different ways from clay replicas to 3D computer images.

“We felt that this activity was at a higher level that would get everybody involved where they could demonstrate their learning over and over again to help them immensely in class,” Burns said.  

Every group had the same rubric for the assignment but there was something different that they showed so people walking around did not see the same thing over and over.

“I thought every menu, every presentation of the brain, all the dishes were really unique and creative,” Young said.

The expectations for the project were to have the students be able to demonstrate that they understood the parts of the brain without having to just take notes or memorize information.

“I think what stood out the most was the enthusiasm,” Burns said.
The snacks that were made were put on display and were sampled by the teachers, students, and other attendees at the fair.

“I got to learn different things about the brain and it was really interesting because they offered us treats that corresponded to different parts of the brain’s functions,” senior Maria Finitsis said.

The fair demonstrated how AP students do creative activities and allowed underclassmen to consider taking the class.

“I think it was a really great way for the students to display what they’ve learned and spark an interest in possible future students,” junior Sydney King said. “I’ll definitely be looking into taking the class next year.”
Students were graded based off of the rubric that they received for the project and a discussion between Burns and Young. Students who attended the fair voted for their favorite menu as well.

By Emily Carroll – News Editor

Jonathan Law’s Drama Club presented “Almost, Maine” directed by Christina Kalafut on November 13 and 14.

The play, written by John Cariani, is made up of nine short plays that explores loss and love in unexpected and somewhat hilarious ways, in the fictitious almost-town, Almost, Maine.

“It’s a moving and realistic play everyone can relate to,” Kalafut said.

This was Kalafut’s third production with Law’s Drama Club,. Her main goal is for the students to forget about all that is happening in the world and have a great time with their friends in the stress free environment.

“One of the strongest parts of the production is how we all came together,” said senior Taylor Schultz. “At first some of us haven’t even met, but once drama started we started talking and getting used to know each other.”

The dialogue of “Almost, Maine” was natural and relatable, which made the play funny to watch.

“From my actors on stage to my stage crew backstage, they’re all stars to me,” Kalafut said. “They all put so much time and hard work into our production process.”

The cast and crew help a lot with the production. They spend time building and painting the set and collect other things they might need for the show.

“A lot of hard work went into this play,” Schultz said. “We started in September and we worked right up till opening night to perfect it for everybody who saw the play.”

The members of Drama Club really put a lot of passion into the shows and so the people that go to the plays can enjoy themselves.

“It is an indescribable feeling to be part of something like this Drama Club,” junior Sarah O’Brien said. “It’s a lot of different people coming from different groups and grades that mash together into one family by the end”

In “Almost, Maine,” Tyler Chavez, J.P. Amaro, and Myles Boyd made quite the impression by taking on two roles each in the production.

The upperclassmen who started in Drama Club their freshman year have taken notice of how the underclassmen share the same passion they experienced when they started.

“(Freshman) Cameron Asmussen did a great job at staying in character and (sophomore) Emma Hudd  is such an experienced, talented actress that she really steals the show,” Chavez said. “It’s great to see how the freshman and sophomores are.”

They were some memorable moments from the production that the cast were able to share together.

“My favorite part of the play was when the actors came off stage after they performed,” said O’Brien. “Just seeing them feel all of their hard work pay off is well worth it.”

O’Brien and junior Ann Reed are the stage managers and get to watch the progress of the performers from the start of rehearsals to opening night.

The Drama Club’s spring musical, scheduled for April, is going to be “Seussical.” Auditions will be in January for anyone who wants to join.

By Ian Hugo and Valeria Araujo – Advocate Editors

Jonathan Law gave a school-wide “thank you” to a group of invited veterans on November 11.

During the nearly two-hour ceremony, students learned about the armed forces, its members, and their experiences protecting America’s freedom.

“I think it was great what the veterans have done for us because they have educated us about a lot of different things,”  principal Mr. Thompson said. “The fact that we were able to say ‘thank you,’ we don’t get to do that often.”

Law’s history department worked very hard to put together the event for the veterans.

“The whole idea of this was to honor and respect our veterans and it was so great to see a wonderful turnout of veterans from all branches,” history teacher Mr. Batson said.

The day began with the Jonathan Law band leading the visiting veterans down through the auditorium and onto the stage, followed by a warm welcome to all those in attendance.

Law’s senior class officers then led the school in saying the Pledge of Allegiance and the choir sang a beautiful rendition of the national anthem.

“The whole choir was honored to be asked to sing the national anthem at the Veterans Day ceremony, knowing we were going to be singing it for veterans who have fought for our country, so we worked very hard at making it one of our  best performances that we could do,” choir teacher Mrs. Rizzotti said. “We did a really great job. I think everyone enjoyed it.”

The choir’s performance of the national anthem brought many of the veterans back to the past.

“(One of the veterans) he said that after hearing the national anthem that it brought back a lot of memories from when he was in grammar school here in Milford,” Rizzotti said. “It was pretty amazing to be able to be that group that brings back those good memories for all of those men and women who have fought for our country.”

Junior class senator Jill Bendlak then read a short history of Veterans Day in the United States which was followed by Thompson’s introduction of the Veteran’s Assembly Co-Coordinator Lt. Col. Joseph Viscount.

“I talked about the history of Veterans Day, Armistice Day, and how they’ve changed since it was established in the 1930s,” Bendlak said. “It was really interesting to find out the progression of what’s happened over the years.”

Viscount began with introducing the panel of veterans to the Law community by saying their name, which branch they served in, and giving a short background about them which allowed students to get to know the individuals they were honoring better.

After the greetings, Viscount, Staff Sgt. Shane Simpson, and Staff Sgt. Byron Larrea invited students to come up on stage and participate in Drill Games, similar to what members of the Armed Forces experience in basic training.

“I was  in the U.S. Navy, I was a second class petty officer, and I did radar on the ships,” veteran Miles McKenzie said.

Viscount invited 10 members of the audience to come up on stage, however audience members flocked to the stage which had students stretching from one side to the other following Simpson’s lead.

“It was more difficult than I thought,” senior Ireoluwa Opayemi said. “It was very hard to stand still but it was a very rewarding experience. It gave me a little insight into what veterans and soldiers do daily.”

After students were given a taste of what goes on in basic training, Viscount’s close friend Lt. Richard Platt showed a presentation of Milford’s War Memorials, from 1776 to today.

“I was on (an amphibious transport for the Navy) for two and a half years and made deployments all they way to Japan and pacific combat and I just noticed that they had a thing on the public television for Iwo Jima and we had a practice landing there on the 11th anniversary of the actual landing in 1956 so you could say I’ve been to a lot of places people haven’t been because of my time on the Navy,” Platt said.

Many of the veterans were honored to participate in the event and were touched about the recognition given to them.

“It was very emotional, it’s very nice,” said ET1 (SS) Justin Knight. “Most veterans don’t seek attention and are very humble when it happens, it’s just kind of like ‘We did what we did and it’s part of our life and it’s part of us.’ We consider it an everyday thing and not that important, and then to see other people who respect it and show the respect for it, it is a very humbling experience.”

Senior class officers then read quotes from Law students about what Veterans Day means to Law, followed by individual readings from junior class president Zach Anderson, senior class senator Janelle Grant, and senior class president Leo Merturi.

Anderson and Grant recited readings from “In Flanders Fields” and “We Shall Keep the Faith,” respectively, while Merturi discussed the symbol of the poppy.

“I thought it was great that we gathered as a school and commemorated all the brave and selfless veterans,” Merturi said. “I thought the readings were the best way to commemorate the veterans for all they’ve done for our country and to educate students about the history of Veterans Day.”

The ceremonies were wrapped up with a video “thank you” to veterans from the Law community accompanied by an enthusiastic applause and a salute from students and teachers alike.

“My favorite part about the day was what we did to thank the veterans – the video of what Veterans Day means to us as a Jonathan Law family,” Thompson said.

History teacher Mrs. Rowley, who coordinated the ceremony, said she was very proud of everyone involved.

“I felt very proud today to be able to be a part of the planning of a Veterans’ appreciation event,” Rowley said. “I think that it was very well received by the students and I think the veterans have expressed enjoyment in being here.”

By Tyler Chavez – Staff Reporter

Law’s freshman class recently held elections for class officers.

The new freshman class officers include Ming-May Hu (president), Samara Thacker (vice president), Cora Sula (secretary), Kruttika Gopal (treasurer), Troy Anderson (secretary), and Spencer Mehan (secretary).

“When I first heard that I won the election, I was thrilled because I’ve wanted to run for class president since the beginning of eighth grade,” Hu said.

The freshman class holds their class officer elections in the beginning of the year while the other grades hold theirs at the end of the year.

“The job, basically, is to help them transition into the next three years of high school,” Student Council adviser Mr. Boynton said.

The class officers’ main responsibilities include class fundraisers.

“Mostly we collected dues and planned fundraisers such as the duck tape project and pajama day,” former freshman class president and current junior officer Jill Bendlak said.

The officers still set their own goals to succeed at their positions.

“One goal I have for the year is to become acquainted with everyone in my class,”  Hu said. “I plan to accomplish this goal by joining clubs and attending school events to meet new people.”

The officers still need to work together to accomplish their goals.

“The big thing is that they have to communicate with each other,” Boynton said. “Communicate, set goals for themselves, and once they set goals, do their best.”

Each officer has their own reason to run for office.

“I decided to run for this position because I wanted to be more involved with school activities and I want to assist the freshman class alongside with my fellow officers as much as I possibly can to make this year memorable for everyone,” Sula said.

Being a class officer not only helps with getting involved in the school, it also gives students strategies and experience for success.

“Being a class officer always expands your leadership abilities, it helps with public speaking, getting to know people, and just life skills in general,” Bendlak said.

Each officer has their own significance to work together.

“Being secretary is important to me because I love to write and I am also very organized, and I promise to handle any situations that may occur in the freshman class with responsibility,” Sula said.

The officers know what they need to do in order to succeed at their jobs.

“I plan to accomplish my goals by really listening to the freshman class and any suggestions they have,” Thacker said.

They also know that the benefits of being a class officer can be very rewarding.

“This position is important because I know it can help me be a better student and communicate well with others,” Thacker said.

The freshman class officers know what they want to accomplish, and are ready to work together.

By Nisali Fernando – Staff Reporter

Bless you, Batson.

Mr. Batson is a 20th Century Survey and AP U.S. History teacher at Law. Along with these classes, he also teaches night classes for Housatonic College and is assistant coach for the golf team. 

“I had a number of teachers in high school that were passionate about History and until then I wasn’t really interested in it,” Batson said. “Seeing them convey that passion I thought oh this is really really cool and something that I would really love to do.”

Batson knows the true importance of teaching and understanding this subject.

“If we don’t learn our history so much of that could be forgotten,” Batson said. “Small town monuments or houses, if people stop caring about that we lose all our history.”

Batson hopes to connect his classes to modern day occurrences. He sets up his classes so his students can have an “a ha” moment whilst learning.

Before pursuing teaching, Batson also considered other careers.

“Fire service just for fun, I stunk at sports but I loved to play them, I always thought the fire service was always a lot of fun,” Batson said. “I flirted with the idea very briefly in high school of going into the coast guard.”

After nearly 16 years of teaching, Batson has moved a long way up from his first job teaching juvenile offenders. Through these years of experience he has created an atmosphere where students feel safe and ready to learn.  

“I was more intimidated by the class rather than I was by Batson, but once I sat in the class and listened to him I was more at ease,” junior Tyler Chavez said. “I realized this guy is easy to talk to and he’s easy to work with and…handsome.”

From jokingly accusing students of witchcraft during the unit on the Salem Witch Trials or of communism during the unit on the Cold War. Former students of Batson can remember the moments when their teacher made class fun.

“My favorite moment was when we were learning about the Salem witch trials and he called me a witch,” junior Ashley Boehm said.

In and out of the classroom, students and faculty find themselves constantly laughing with Batson.

“Right before a (golf) match I was taking practice swings with my club and he (Batson) put his hand out to take the club to check it out, but I wasn’t sure what he was doing so I gave him a handshake instead,” junior member of the golf team Casey LaScola said. “Now we have a very professional relationship.”

Batson is also described as a “ladies man” is well known for his close friendship with physical education teacher Ms. Paolini.

“We’re always taught not to judge a book by his cover but with Batson I knew he had to be an amazing guy because that’s just what I saw on the outside as well,” Paolini said.

Batson’s favorite memories  from Law include Ms. Paolini

“When Milford hired Ms. Paolini and we locked eyes and instantly I knew we were going to be best friends,” Batson said. “We hang out and make snow angels because she’s a angel”

Batson said he comes to the school ready to teach and learn from his own students.

“A lot of friends will claim how do you deal with those kids?” Batson said. “But really you guys are the best part of the day.”

 Staff Reporter – Abby Williamson

Law’s Friends Forever Club met on October 20 for their monthly meeting.

After a successful meeting, they will continue to meet one Tuesday every month. Their next meeting, which will be on November 19, will focus on being thankful.

“All of our kids were really excited,” junior Co-President Leea Palmer said. “They were smiling and giggling which is always fun to see.”

An large amount of Law’s students showed up to get involved in the club.

“It was nice to see so many people join Friends Forever,” Palmer said. “I wasn’t sure how the turnout would be but I’m glad that so many people are eager to build friendships.”

During the October meeting, students and peers were paired up with buddies that are set for the rest of the year. The club officers also started working on having T-shirts made.

“I made many friends and I see my friends in school,” senior club member Jen Gill said.

Everyone was able to participate in painting pumpkins and putting together candy gift bags to take home.

“I had a great experience interacting with the kids because they are all so sweet and it was fun to paint pumpkins and color with them,” junior club member Brianna Arnold said. “They are always so excited when the see new faces excited to play with them.”

Filanowski Farm, a family-owned farm on Wheelers Farms Road, were very generous and didn’t hesitate to donate pumpkins once they found out where the pumpkins were going.

The buddies also colored spooky pictures and ate snacks.

“I liked coloring pages and eating snacks like Cheet-Os and desserts,” senior club member Luigi DeCastro said.

Following the monthly theme, November’s meeting will focus on being thankful.

“For this meeting, we are going to make a leaf turkey and everyone will write what we are thankful for on a leaf,” Palmer said. “We are also going to do some activities to get to know each other so our students feel even more comfortable with their buddies.”

Knowing more about their buddies, peers will be able to have a close connection and become even better friends.

The co-presidents think this will be helpful when the club going on outing outside of school because the members will be able to always have a friend to turn to if needed.

Even after one meeting, Friends Forever is already successful at building connections.

“I like making friends,” junior club member Hunter Cain said. “I think this year is going to be fun.”

By Catie Rice – Staff Reporter

Mrs. Almonte est le professeur de Francais au Jonathan Law.

Almonte has been teaching at Law for 31 years. Throughout those years, she has taught Global, Russian History, Modern Social Issues, and now, French.

She has been teaching French for the past five years. She decided to teach this class because the enrollment went up at Jonathan Law, but she still loves Russian History just as much.

“I encourage everyone to take French because it is spoken in more countries around the world than Spanish,” Almonte said.

Most students continue to take Spanish when they enter high school, not knowing they have the option take another language.

“French is very enjoyable so it makes learning easy,” senior French student Paige Szygiel said. “Although it is difficult to pronounce some words.”

Almonte is a hands-on teacher and does many group activities so the class can interact as a whole.

“I love Mrs. Almonte, she is one of my favorite teachers that knows how to make the class fun and still teaches us a lot,” junior honors French student Colleen Rice said.

Szygiel agreed.

“She is very a loud and friendly teacher that makes it easy to talk to,” Szygiel said.

Almonte loves to laugh and get close to her students, so it is easy for students to talk to her.

“My first year of French was great and I am very interested in learning more,” sophomore French student Jake Bombace said.

Almonte is also the advisor for Law’s French Club.

“I recently joined French Club this year and encourage everyone to join it,” Rice said.

French Club meetings take place on Thursdays. Starting this month, the club is selling Bon Bons, a French candy, for $1 throughout the school day.

Each May, after AP exams, the French Club goes to the Hill-stead Museum in Farmington. They look and learn about French artists as well as the paintings they’ve created.

French Club is a relaxed club that has in-depth discussions of the French culture. They also eat French food and enjoy French films.

“The club allows all students in Jonathan Law to embrace french culture by watching french films as well as participating in field trips related to the language of French,” junior French Club treasurer Michael Dattilo said.

Students who do not take French as a class or know how to speak the language can still join the club if they are interested.

By Amanda Downs – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s art teacher Mrs. Romanowski enjoys all of her classes.

Romanowski loves teaching her Digital Photography classes and interacting with her students. She teaches Digital Photo, Advanced Photo and Advanced Photo 2.

“I find fulfillment teaching students how to express themselves creatively through a variety of media,” Mrs. Romanowski said.

Romanowski has been teaching for 17 years and was inspired to become a teacher from her elementary art teacher whom she looked up to.

“Mrs. Romanowski is a gem, I really learned a lot when I took her class and would’ve loved to take more classes with her,” senior Anna Downs said. “She is one of the kindest teachers I’ve had and really shows interest in all of her students.”

Romanowski went to Southern Connecticut State University and graduated with a double baccalaureate degree in Art Education and English.

Her first teaching job was at Jonathan Law and Alternative Education class. She then worked at Foran, West Shore, and now at Jonathan Law.

“I’ve always loved working at the high school level and I’m so happy at Law,” Romanowski said.

In her past she has had two self run businesses for dog training and a dog treat business, but loves what she does now and would not change it.

“Mrs. Romanowski really cares about her students, like when you have problems outside of class or if something cool and exciting happened and you bring it up to her she’ll listen and talk to you about anything that’s on your mind,” senior Erik Brzoska said.

Romanowski likes to focus on getting to know students and their individual personalities and most of the students love her for that. She hopes that she can impact students the same way she was impacted by her teacher.

“I’ve taken three classes with her and she’s been one of my favorite teachers throughout high school,” senior Jaret Petrie said.

Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Romanowski is interested in hiking, writing, the state of Oregon, and nature. She also loves animals such as snakes, donkeys, and sloths.

“I really like taking photography here at Jonathan Law because it gives me and other students the opportunity to either learn or perfect our skills with photography,” said freshman Amira Samih. “Mrs.Romanowski is very helpful and makes sure that we fully understand every concept she teaches us.”

By Emily Carroll – News Editor

Jonathan Law students and faculty represented their school on Thursday, October 15, at Law’s annual Open House.

Eighth graders and their parents were given ‘swag bags’ after they signed in to the event. Each ‘swag bag’ contained literature about the school and course offerings, Law accessories, and tickets to a volleyball or football game.

“Our school pride and spirit really came through thanks to all the students, teachers and staff that came out and volunteered their time,” Principal Mr. Thompson said.

Students Ian Hugo, Emma Shea, Tyler Chavez, Leo Merturi, and Abigail Williamson spoke in the auditorium about the academics, extracurricular activities, electives, athletics, and their overall experiences at Law. A “We Are Lawmen” video produced by the Broadcast Journalism class was also shown.

“I tried to make it more sentimental in front of the parents and make Key Club as appealing as possible to show how it can help students in other areas in their life,” Chavez said.

After the speeches, the eighth graders and parents moved to classrooms where teachers gave mini-lessons. Law students and teachers then gave guided tours of the school.

“Both the parents and students in my class seemed very excited about the school,” English teacher Ms. Rosner said.

The mini-lessons were an opportunity for the eighth graders to see how an actual high school class would be taught.

Thompson’s presentation in the auditorium was a highlight for many eighth graders and their families.

“I did not know Law was ranked highest (in terms of) AP courses,” eighth grader Connor DiMuro said.

After the guided tours, everyone moved into the new gym for the Academic and Activity Fair, where sports teams, clubs, and subject areas set were on display..

“You could tell that there is a lot of school spirit (at Law),” parent Mrs. LaBanca said.

Law’s band and color guard also showed their pride and talent by playing music outside of the new gym.

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By News Editor – Valeria Araujo

The Jonathan Law Unified Sports team attended a tournament at Amity High School on October 14.

They won all three games they played including a hard-fought victory against Foran. Members said that the team has worked really hard to get where they are, and they are excited for their upcoming scrimmage against against Foran on October 28 and their next tournament at Staples High School on November 2.

“I like when we have tournaments and I’ve made (many friends),” senior Unified Sports athlete Jennifer Gill said. “Hunter is my friend, Luigi is my friend, Robert is my friend, Elizabeth is my friend, Ashley is my friend, and Kristen is my friend.”

The Unified Sports program pairs disabled students and peer partners to play on the same team.

“Mostly I’m paired up with Richard – he has this attachment thing to help him with soccer and I help him out a lot with that,” sophomore club member Matthew Mainieri said, “It’s how I like to spend most of my time here.”

Law’s Unified Sports program also offers wiffle ball, bowling, volleyball,soccer,basketball, and track. After soccer season, the team will start playing wiffle ball, and then in January, they will begin basketball.

“I like bowling because when we bowl it’s really fun, there is a lot of disco lights every time we go and all the kids are having fun and it’s such an easy sport,” senior member Elizabeth Mainieri said.

Unified Sports runs from September to June and meets for practice on Mondays and Thursdays. If anyone would like to join the team, they can come to the old gym on those days at 2 p.m.

“I like to practice and have a game with my friends and play basketball,” senior athlete Jennifer Gill said.

Unified Sports has created long lasting relationships that continue after graduation between the athletes and partners. It gives members a chance to play an organized sport that the may not have been able to play before.

“Unified Sports is great because everyone gets to participate and have fun,” Unified Sports organizer Mrs. Daniels said. “It is amazing to see how much the students skill level has increased.”  

The students work extremely hard and get better everyday.

“My favorite part of Unified Sports is going to the tournaments, meeting the other team members and connecting with the coaches,” Daniels said. “I also, enjoy hosting a basketball tournament at Law and having our Law family see what the students  can do.”  

The overall environment of the Unified Sports club is inspiring to all involved. Students are very eager to help and everyone shows great teamwork.

“The joy of accomplishment, camaraderie and competition no matter who wins (is the best part),” Unified Sports advisor Mrs. Holden said. “Athletes, partners and coaches all cheer for everyone.”

By Ian Hugo – Sports Editor

The Jonathan Law STEM team recently placed first at Module One of the Sikorsky STEM competition.

The competition took place at Cheshire Airport and pitted Law students against STEM teams from nine other schools in the area. The schools were tested on their knowledge of Corsair and search and rescue helicopters and took part in interactive team building exercises.

“I enjoy STEM because it allows me to cooperate with my peers, work together and compete against other schools,” senior James Mercaldo said.

The task at hand was for students to create a business presentation explaining the history and functionality of Corsair (a World War II fighter bomber) and search and rescue helicopters, which teams researched leading up to a presentation in front of Sikorsky staff.

The presentation consisted of five speakers, each of which were responsible for explaining a certain aspect of the team’s presentation. Amita Sastry introduced the presentation, Jake Fucci explained the history of Corsairs, Dan Ouellette detailed the five main Corsairs used throughout World War II, Mattheus Mejia spoke about the history of search and rescue helicopters, and James Mercaldo discussed why helicopters became the go-to vehicle in the search and rescue industry.

“Presenting was difficult but it ended up turning out well so all our efforts paid off,” Ouellette said.

After Law’s presentation, the team participated in a team building exercise, competing against other schools taking part in the STEM presentation. Once the team-building exercise had ended, the top three places were announced and Law was revealed as the winning team.

“I knew we had a good chance because we have a lot of good members on the team this year that work really hard,” Sastry said. “But I was still really surprised and excited when they announced that we got first place.”

Law has been working hard towards this result, improving the place in which they finished each year since the induction of STEM two years ago. Law did not place their first year – they finished third overall – and so far this year Law is in first place.

Law’s STEM team expects to compete in four more modules this year: free body diagram, trade study, the planning module, and the final project which comes in April. The team is currently working on the planning module, which is due on October 26, and working towards the long term goal of the final presentation at Sikorsky and winning the overall Sikorsky STEM competition.

Each module is worth a fixed amount of points, with the final project being worth double, making Law’s preparation that much more important. For the rest of the year and for the remainder of the modules, Law is confident in their abilities and that they’ll place high come the final project.

“I think we’re off to a good start, and that our first place position in this will kind of catapult us to first place in the final event,” senior Emmanuel Alesna said.

By Emily Carroll – News Editor

Mr. Marko recently joined the Jonathan Law community as the new assistant principal.

Before he came to Law, Marko was the Dean of Students at Tomlinson Middle School in Fairfield. He replaces Mr. Cavanna, who was named principal at West Shore Middle School.

“He is eager to meet everybody and very welcoming,” principal Mr. Thompson said. “He is going to do a great job complimenting our team.”

***

Marko sat down for an interview with Advocate news editor Emily Carroll. He discussed his early impressions of Law as well as his plans for the future.

***

Emily Carroll: What made you decide to be an assistant principal?

Mr. Marko: I really enjoy being with students and the dean’s role really gets you in with the students, but I was missing out on a piece that I also liked which is the academic role. I was a teacher before I became a dean. The assistant principal role does still lend itself for me to be with the students in a dean-type of position. It also allows me to work with teachers and students in the classroom.

EC: What made you come to Milford?

MM: I was looking for a place that I thought that I would really enjoy going to and the reputation that Law has is that it is a great big family. When I came to interview for the position, that is the feel I got here. I like that the students look like they love to be here, that they take pride in their school, and wear their colors. That was the type of atmosphere I was looking for and Law seemed like the perfect fit.

EC: What are your long-term and short-term goals for this year?

MM: My long-term goal this year is to assimilate myself to become a part of this community and to really entrenched to get a feel for what makes this community so special. Really that’s my short-term goal, too. I want to help take Jonathan Law to the next level. It is already great, but even when you are already great at something there is always room for improvement.

EC: Do you have any idea for how you would help improve Law?

MM: I call it the “look, listen, and feel” aspect of being the assistant principal here. I don’t really have an idea of what is really here yet.

EC: What were some reactions and emotions you felt after your first day?

MM: I was kind of like a whirlwind. You don’t really remember much of what was going on. I think it was meeting the people. Anyone who walked by stopped and said hello. I think when you have an environment where someone new comes in and every person at least smiled or came to shake my hand and introduce themselves – student, teacher, everyone – I think that’s a type of environment i’m going to enjoy really working in.

EC: What are some of the things you like to do outside of school?

MM: I like to travel. That’s one of the things I really enjoy doing to try and get away. I have a wife and two children, a 12 year old and a nine year old. So a lot is based upon their lives. I like to go play golf and to just really enjoy my family.

EC: Is there anything else you would like to say to the Law community?

MM: Just a big thank you for being so welcoming and for just taking me in as one of their own already. Usually it takes a little bit of time, but I really feel very comfortable here and it really is the way that everyone is treating me here.

By Justin Bartolomeo – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law High School is adding a Technology Student Association club this year.

TSA, which is run by Mr. Robinson and Mr. Barcello, offers students an opportunity to complete a variety of projects in and bring them to enter them in national conventions. Projects are focused in areas including engineering, science, and arts.

“It’s not just for the tech students,” Robinson said. “It’s a great way for them to display their creativity and put it toward a competition.”

The club offers a great outlet for students to be able to create projects for competitive purposes and to win great prizes. It also gives students the chance to show their abilities worldwide.

“We offer competitions ranging from animatronics, biotech design, desktop publishing, engineering design projects, photo stuff, software developments, videogame design, and even music and art,” Barcello said. “It’s really not just for engineering nerds.”

TSA offers a very expansive list of possibilities to its students.

“We basically guide the kids throughout their projects and what they wanna do, we just try to help them organize with the leadership and the overall schedule of events,” Robinson said.

The students in TSA know that they will get everything they need to succeed from the advisors, from their peers, or from the few great officers that help run the club.

The president of the club, senior Nikolai Jaiseree, is very active and willing to help in any way he can. He helps set up and run meetings, leads projects, and helps out any members in need.

TSA aims for students to achieve their creative goals. Students in TSA learn everything they need to know about any field they decide to pursue by putting their knowledge to the test.

“TSA is for any student that wants to further his or her knowledge in science, mathematics, engineering, or even photography,” senior member Mark Dow said.

To join TSA, student should see Robinson or Barcello in the tech wing.

By Emma Saley – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Drama Club is currently prepping for its upcoming fall play, “Almost, Maine.”

In “Almost, Maine,” nine couples embark on a journey of love. Similar to movies like “Love Actually,”  these couples’ stories intertwine, and nine different scenes turn into one large story.

“The play’s coming along very well,” Drama Club vice president Ann Reed said. “We’ve got a lot of talented actors this year.”

Drama Club meets once a month, usually on a Friday after school and rehearsals are every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 4 p.m.

At meetings, the play is discussed, and there are talks about how to get involved backstage. They also discuss ways for those without parts to get involved.

“We started rehearsals three weeks ago and have already completed staging the show,” Drama Club director Christina Kalafut said.

The play takes place on a cold, clear, moonless night in the middle of winter. All is not quite what it seems in the remote, mythical town of Almost, Maine. Almost’s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways.

“I’m very excited for ‘Almost, Maine,’” junior Jill Bendlak said. “I feel like it will be so well done and because it’s a smaller cast, everyone will get along better.”

Unlike last year’s fall play, “Steel Magnolias,”  which featured an all-female cast due to a shortage of boys, in Drama Club, this years play is more diverse.

This year, five boys will be featured. Some will even be playing multiple roles.

“There are a lot of freshman in the play this year, and we have more boys which is exciting,” Bendlak said.

For many, Drama Club is an outlet and a way to express themselves without judgement. Last year, Law junior Nisali Fernando joined Drama Club as a way to conquer her shyness.

“I was determined to get out of my shell sophomore year and what better way to do that than by singing and acting on stage,” Fernando said. “I knew I wanted to commit myself to something and ended up falling in love with Drama Club.”

Drama Club is always looking for new members, and is open to anyone who would like to join.

The Drama Club will also be performing a musical in the spring.

Auditions will start in January, right after winter break.

By Brendan Felag – Staff Reporter

Mr. Ruzbarsky and Mr. Evanko are looking to make Video Game Club a hit again this year at Jonathan Law.

The first meeting of the club was held two weeks ago in Room 193. There was a big turnout of interested students ready to game.

“The Video Game Club is more focused on variety this year. We are planning on switching consoles every two weeks to enjoy different games more than last year,”  Evanko said. “For example, right now we are playing the Wii U and Gamecube, while in two weeks we will likely switch to the Sega Dreamcast and N64.”

The main focus of the club is to play multiplayer games (especially 4-8 player games) so everyone can get a chance to play.

Ruzbarsky and Evanko plan on expanding the selection of games this year.

“We are planning on playing Wii U and Gamecube games, including ‘Super Smash Bros.,’ ‘Mario Kart 8,’ ‘Nintendoland,’ and others,” Evanko said. “Club members bring in whatever they feel like playing so long as it is school-appropriate.”

Club members most enjoyed “Super Smash Bros.” and “Mario Kart 8” last year, but now with this wider variety of selections, that could change.

The students in the club can really play any games they want as long as they own the game and is school appropriate.

“(Kids can play) any game, as long as the person owns it, it’s up for play,” Ruzbarsky said.

This club is even good for the students that aren’t really into video games; it can introduces them to a type of game that they may like.

“We are trying to expand everyone the genres of games that everyone plays,” Ruzbarsky said.

Evanko and Ruzbarsky enjoy advising this club and hope that it lasts for many more years to come.