By Malena Araujo – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Drama Club recently performed the famous musical “Annie” for their annual spring show.

“Annie” is a 1977 family musical about an adventurous, 11-year-old orphan who finds love and family in people who were once just strangers.

“Annie was one of my favorite films growing up,” sophomore Nisali Fernando said. “Bringing it to Law allowed us to make this classic story our own, allowing the cast to become a family.”

The cast consisted of mainly Law students except for one student who was from Notre Dame.

The whole cast showed so much dedication for this production. Each student devoted a lot of their time for rehearsals and the cast spent an average of nine hours each week for about two months rehearsing for the play.

“My favorite part of rehearsals was being able to make new friends and then rehearse with them.” sophomore JonPaul Amaro said.

Amaro showed a good deal of dedication himself when he shaved his head for his character Oliver Warbucks a few days before the first performance.

“To see someone I’ve known for two years go bald, was incredibly funny yet inspiring,” Fernando said. “JonPaul was so committed to his role.”

Although viewers find this musical very heartwarming, it is also very humorous because of the lively characters. Ms.Hannigan (played by senior Brie Williams) quickly became a crowd favorite and received many laughs for her wacky and funny character.

“My favorite character was Ms. Hannigan because she was all out hilarious,” sophomore Vanoulith Sirisouk said.

Directors and stage managers adopted a toy dog named Sandy (who represents the actual dog in the play). Sandy was given to one cast member for a night based on whoever had worked the hardest during rehearsals. Sandy helped to keep the cast members motivated and excited about the play.

“Annie” involved a great deal of choreography for the entire cast. Tap dancing was new to most members of the cast. These members included Amaro, who surprisingly didn’t have tap shoes until a half an hour before the first show.

“The last show I did I was really comfortable with it and was tapping my heart out,” Amaro said. “I’ve never tapped a day in my life before then and it was truly great to feel it all.”

By Leslie Terres – Staff Reporter

Members of Law’s junior class and their guests had a blast at this year’s prom.

The event was held on May 29 at Vazzano’s Four Seasons restaurant in Stratford and was followed by the post-prom, which was held at the Sports Center in Shelton.

“It was so much fun to get dressed up with all of my friends,” junior Megan Grabowski said.

Many students and families gathered at The Laurel Beach Green before the dance for pictures. Limos and party busses transported students from the green to Vazzano’s.

“It was nice having all my friends on the same bus as me,” junior Ian Hugo said.

Food options included chicken parmesan, penne a la vodka, vegetables, salad, and dinner rolls. A few tables at a time were called up to choose what they wanted. Chocolate and vanilla cupcakes were served for dessert.

“The food was amazing; the pasta and bread were the best part,” junior Niamh Nelson said.

Students lined up to pose with props and take pictures with friends and dates in the photo booth. Photos were printed there and handed to the students before they left the event. Students were also given frames for the photos along with portable chargers and Ben’s Bells, which were left on the tables for them.

“I love the photo booth because it was a good alternative for people who didn’t like dancing,” junior Bryan Pingarron said.

The DJ played many upbeat songs throughout the night, including “The Cupid Shuffle,” “Come On Eileen,” “The Cha Cha Slide,” “Wobble,” and others. The slow dance songs were “Thinking Out Loud” and “Home” by Phillip Phillips, which was dedicated to Maren Sanchez. The DJ also called students up for a scavenger hunt type game that many played.

Senior Mick Murray DJed the last hour of prom and junior Bobby Phong performed a few of his original raps.

“I loved all the music,” sophomore Colleen Rice said.

At post-prom, there were tables of food including Subway sandwiches, wings, pizza, and desserts and pastries. Students entered raffles and had a choice of  ice skating, mini golf, a driving range, batting cages, and laser tag until shuttle buses came to pick them up at 3 a.m.

“Prom and post prom were a fun experience,” junior Asia Santos said.

By Valeria Araujo – Staff Reporter

After 39 years of teaching, Mrs. Reshenk is retiring.

Reshenk said she will end her career with fond memories and longtime friendships.

“My best memories are actually when I am out of school,” said Reshenk, “and I run into people that I taught and they remember my class and really enjoyed taking the class and doing the work.”

Although Reshenk is retiring, she will return to Law in the fall to work in the library for the first three weeks of school.

In her early years of teaching, Reshenk said she was very stressed because of how big the classes were back in the 1980s. That stress caused her to find some neat ways to calm down.

“I would come home and eat a 12 oounce bag of Doritos and turn on the Muppets and Mr. Rogers and I would calm down and that is the only way I got through the first five years of teaching,” Reshenk said. “But then I discovered running.”

Reshenk had very interesting ways of giving detention in her many years of teaching at Law.

“I used to make students run the track with me for detention,” Reshenk said. “I could be out there for hours with kids doing make-ups on the track and it was good.”

Running wasn’t Reshenk’s only creative detention.

“I would make students wave goodbye to students leaving on school buses, and also I made kids sing Christmas carols to students going onto the school bus if they were talking in class,” Reshenk said.

Dante Hayden, a former student of Reshenk’s who is now a special education paraprofessional at Law, said his fondest memory of Reshenk was when she found a student cheating on a poetry test and made a grand deal of it to the delight of the class.

“I had a really good class; I had some really good friends in there and Reshenk being Reshenk made the class interesting,” Hayden said.

Law principal Mr. Thompson said that his fondest memory of Reshenk came when he first took over as principal.

“This woman comes in like the Tazmanian Devil, she looks at me and I’m like ‘Hi, how are you, I’m Fran Thompson!’ and she says ‘What do you think about grammar?’ and then she was gone,” Thompson said. “Four years later, there is nobody who better represents what teaching is all about than Mrs. Reshenk.”

Law history teacher Mr. Evanko has many fond memories of Reshenk.

“She’s a very honest person,” said Evanko. “She always tells you how she feels, she’s committed, and she cares about this building, the students and the faculty.  There is nobody who represents law more than Reshenk.”

Reshenk has taught many students in her 39 years and has given them not only English lessons, but life lessons as well.

“She still corrects my grammar to this day,” Hayden said. “She’s also taught me the life lesson to appreciate the little things.”

Members of the English department said that is going to be very strange not having Reshenk in Room 202 next year.

“Mrs. Reshenk is everything that is right about teaching,” English teacher Mr. Kulenych said. “She is Law. She’s a legend and she will be impossible to replace.”

By Emily Carroll – Staff Reporter

After working at Jonathan Law for the past 15 years, the last four as Mr. Thompson’s secretary, Mrs. Attruia is saying goodbye.

Having graduated from Law in class of 1973, Attruia followed her mother’s footsteps into education.

Trying to find someone to fill in the shoes she is leaving is going to be a difficult task.

“I think they’re a size 22,” Thompson said.

Thompson has been especially grateful for Attruia’s help over the years because she is a link to the history at Law. They have a close relationship because they have the same sense of humor and interest in movies and TV shows.

“He’s kind of like the much younger brother that I never had,” Attruia said.

Being a part of the Drama Club shows is something very close to Mrs. Attruia’s heart. Over the past few years, she was in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “All Shook Up,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Hairspray,” and “Guys and Dolls.”

“When I was a student here, I was president of the Drama Club and I loved being on the stage so I was able to rekindle that love a bit,” Attruia said.

Being office neighbors with Mr. Cavanna, Mrs. Drew and Mr. Ragaini and developing close bonds with them will make it hard to say “goodbye.”

“She always has a smile on her face as she performs all the behind the scene tasks for Mr. Thompson,” Ragaini said. “Mrs. Attruia is definitely Jonathan Law’s unsung hero.”

Attruia said that saying farewell to her fellow secretaries, members of the guidance department, and the school nurses will make leaving tough as well.

“I will miss them all terribly,” said Attruia. “I have many close friends in the teaching and student service staff, and our custodians, security, and kitchen staff have always been very kind and helpful to me all these years.”

The people won’t be the only thing she will miss. Attruia is responsible for is the Student Ambassador Program which gives eighth grade students an opportunity to get high school experience by shadowing a student that attends the school.

This program has been running for three years thanks to Attruia’s hard work.

Attruia’s retirement plan is to sell their house and to move to Florida with her husband, their daughter, and their future grandchild.

By Nicole Macchio – Entertainment Editor

The annual Brain Bowl was hosted by the National Honor Society on May 22.

Brain Bowl is an annual competition that pits grade against grade and students against faculty, all the while raising money for brain cancer research.

Students and faculty took a test that was created by the National Honor Society members to see who qualified for the team.

The main goal of Brain Bowl is to raise awareness and money for brain cancer, and this year there was a pretty good haul. Almost $700 was raised in donations from students and from local businesses.

 “Everyone put in so much effort and worked really hard to make sure that everything ran smoothly,” senior NHS president Sofya Calvin said. “I am very proud of all the members for coming together and making it happen. If they hadn’t we wouldn’t have been able to raise upwards of $700.”

Every $10 that was donated counted as a point for that team. Seniors started with 15 points, the juniors had 10, the sophomores had 6, and the freshmen had 3.

Once the game began, a point was earned for every correct answer unless a judge ruled otherwise. The first round was sorted out with some of the easier questions and the questions get progressively harder.

The questions cover five categories:  Arts/Literature, History/Geography, Math/Science, Pop Culture, and Sports/Leisure.

The freshmen team included John Fowler, Nick Dostal, Jillian Parsons, and Grace Piselli. The sophomore team included Tyler Chavez, Kevin Chesler, Kyle Krois, and Paula Perez. The junior team consisted of Logan Danville, Samantha McCarthy, Adam Streeter, and Jennifer Rondinelli, and the senior team was Ben Longobardi, Sean Berg, Nicole Palmer, and Nick Nunno.

The faculty team featured Miss Mannion, Mr. Stanton, Mrs. Moe, and Mrs. Briggs.

The Brain Bowl theme is always an integral part of the competition and this year’s theme was “The Wizard of Oz.”

“This year, it was a close race between ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and ‘Alice in Wonderland,’” Calvin said. “But I’m happy we went with ‘The Wizard of Oz.’”

At the end of the first round, the sophomore and junior teams were eliminated, leaving the freshmen to face off with the seniors. In this second round, it seemed like the freshmen might secure a win but thanks to their fundraising, the senior class won the round with a few points to spare.

In the last round when the seniors went against the faculty, the seniors managed to keep their lead and win this year’s competition.

“It was very successful,” NHS advisor and chemistry teacher Ms. Turcotte said. “We were able to raise a good amount of money and everything went smoothly.”

By Darby Hudd – Sports Editor

Earlier this month, Law’s Spanish Club held a fundraiser called the Pulsera Project to help raise funds for the people of Nicaragua.

“The idea of the project was mentions to me by one of my students,” Spanish Club advisor Mr. May said. “She said she had seen a Pulsera sale before, at her middle school, and thought it would work at Law, too.”

The Pulsera Project is a non-profit organization which provides individual and community assistance in Nicaragua. A pulsera is the Spanish word for bracelet and the colorful woven pulsera is made by young people in Nicaragua to express friendship.

“I loved when I bought the bracelet it had a picture of who made it,” senior Kelsey Kopazna said. “It made it more meaningful to know where the money I donated was going to.”

The pulseras sold by the Pulsera Project each come with a tag. Those tags contain the pulsera makers’ name and photo. All of the money raised goes back to their community and helps provide economic assistance for schools, for school aged children who face having to drop out for lack of money, farm help.

“It is an exchange of kindness: our money to help them, their pulsera to show gratitude,” May said.

The club raised over $1,000 during the week of sales and they plan to raise even more next year.

Junior Laura Gonzalez, who heads the Spanish Club, was a huge part in getting the word out about the Pulsera Project. She and junior Stephanie Acero spent most of their time during the sale manning the table in the cafe during all three lunch waves.

“Without their help we probably wouldn’t have sold nearly as much,” May said. “I want to thank everyone in the Spanish Club for all their hard work.”

If anyone is interested in finding out more about the fundraiser, there are many videos about the Pulsera Project at www.pulseraproject.org.

By Morgan Hennessey – Columns Editor

Jonathan Law hosted the first ever Caring Closet Clothing Drive on Saturday, May 9.

The idea came from sisters Gianna Laezzo, a junior, and Madison Laezzo, a sophomore.

Gianna Laezzo first came up with the clothing drive because she was inspired by the community service work she has done in Keyettes.

“I have been in Keyettes for three years now and I liked the way we helped out underprivileged people in the community,” Gianna Laezzo said. “So, I decided that I wanted to help out myself.”

The Caring Closet’s mission is to donate all the money they raise from selling the clothing items that have been donated from people all over Milford.

“People in our community, students, and teachers all donated clothes and the Keyettes and I sell them back to the community for cheap prices,” Gianna Laezzo said. “All the proceeds will go to the Bridgeport Hospital Toy Closet which buys toys for kids in the hospital.”

The Dr. Tom Kennedy Toy Closet classifies itself as a program “committed to helping children and their families cope with the stress and fear of hospitalization and to promote the continued growth and development of each child while they are in the hospital.”

It is a program that people can easily involve themselves in, and the Laezzo sisters created a great opportunity for everyone in the community to get involved.

“We started the Caring Closet because we just wanted to have a way to help out the community and give back for all that they have done for us,” Madison Laezzo said. “We thought it was an easy way for people to donate us their clothes so we can sell them back to the community.”

The Laezzo sisters hope to continue this fundraiser next year, as it was very successful this year.

“We made $325 to donate to the Toy Closet,” Gianna Laezzo said. “And we will donate the remaining 400 pieces of clothing to the United Way.”

By Kayla Patrick – Sports Editor

Three students from Law recently helped their team win the Summit Championships in the All-Star Cheerleading League.

Senior Darby Hudd, sophomore Megan Mower, and freshman Stella Patrick contributed to their Spirit All-Star Sapphires team win the international competition in Orlando, Florida.

Summit Championships are held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Disney World where teams practice and compete.

Throughout their trip, the girls got to spend time watching other teams and spent a lot of time team bonding in parks and at the resort.

“I really enjoyed the team bonding we had in the parks and going on the rides,” Hudd said. “It was also nice to enjoy Disney as a vacation with my family after the competition.”

The girls participated in many competitions throughout the year and did well enough to earn a bid at Summit.

“Receiving our bid was an awesome feeling,” Mower said. “That’s what we worked for and after we got that chance we had to work even harder to do well at Summit.”

The Summit competition consisted of being judged on two different days. In order to make it to the finals on Day 2, the team has to be in the Top 5 after the Day 1 series.

“I thought all the teams were very strong and the competition would be evenly matched,” Patrick said.

During Day 1, the Sapphires competed against nine other teams. On Day 2, the team competed against the other Top 5 teams and won first place at the awards ceremony.

“Hearing our names called as first was like no other experience,” Hudd said. “Knowing all of our hard work paid off really made winning with my team worth it.”

The team received a large “National Winner” banner and each team member received a smaller personal banner and a championship ring.

The team competed in six competitions throughout the year. The team practices three times a week year round perfecting their routine.

The Spirit Zone All-Stars gym is located in Hamden, CT. The gym coaches a dozen teams of all levels and ages.

By Emily LaLuna – Sports Editor

The Jonathan Law Interact Club is holding a raffle fundraiser for Arapahoe High School in Colorado.

The school lost one of their students, Claire Davis, to a tragic event back on December 13, 2013.On the same day, their school library was also set on fire.

The school is looking to restore its library in Claire’s honor and is looking for donations to help them complete it.

“Law has been comforted by the support we have received from high schools across the nation,” Interact Club advisor and guidance counselor Mrs. Haramis said. “This is an opportunity for us to pay it forward and let Arapahoe staff and students know our high school in Connecticut is thinking about them.”

Arapahoe High School said that anyone who donates, besides individuals and families, $500 or more will be given their own book in the library with the name on the spine and it will forever be kept there and proudly displayed on a bookshelf for everyone to see.

“It feels great to be able to give back to a school who experienced something similar to us,” senior Interact Club member Tiffany Coleman said.

The Interact Club and School Resource Officer Kiely came up with the idea of selling raffle tickets for $1.00.

Everyone who buys a ticket will make a guess for how many pieces of candy are in a jar and the closest guess will win the entire jar.

“I’m very excited to be a part of this fundraiser,” senior Chelsea Bernal said. “I think it will be cool to have a book with our school’s name on it across the country.”

The club will be selling the tickets May 26 to May 29 during all lunch periods.

Donations may be made to the Arapahoe High School Moving Forward Fund through credit cards and by check payable to the LPS Foundation.

For a slideshow of over 400 photos from “Peace, Love, and Music From Maren” click HERE.

By Kayla Patrick, Emily LaLuna, and Darby Hudd – Sports Editors

Thousands of people came together to celebrate the life of Maren Sanchez on Saturday, April 25.

“Peace, Love, and Music From Maren” took place at Jonathan Law High School from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The day marked the one year anniversary of the Maren’s passing.

All proceeds from this event went to the Maren Sanchez Scholarship Fund. An estimated $30,000 was raised throughout the day.

“We thought it was really important that we remember that this was about her, it was about the many things that she loved to do and the lives that she touched and continues to touch just in her memory,” Law principal  Fran Thompson said.

Opening remarks from Mayor Ben Blake, Milford Superintendent of Schools Dr. Elizabeth Feser, and Thompson officially opened the event.

The day started off with over 600 participants running a 5K Fun Run which began and ended at the school. The day also included a kickball tournament, a mural art competition, a raffle, live music all day, 18 bounce houses, 13 food trucks, and over a dozen local vendors.

The celebration took place near Maren’s Memory Garden. The purple garden, which now includes three benches, is open to the public and is often a spot for students to sit and during the day.

“Peace, Love, and Music From Maren” was coordinated by a committee made up of Thompson, Law history teacher Kelsey Burns, parents Elena Garet Herbert, Jessie and Mike Hudd, Karen Pasacreta, and more. The day was also very successful because of the generosity and volunteerism of students and members of the Milford community.

Several members of the Law faculty helped organize the kickball tournament which  took place on the softball field. The tournament featured 22 pre-registered teams, and former longtime Law football announcer Larry Kochiss was on hand to do play-by-play. The “Flat Foot Foosies” won the tournament and each member took home donated gift cards from the Shelton Sports Center.

“Winning the tournament was awesome and I had a lot of fun playing with my friends,” junior Nick Catandella said. “The best part was knowing we were celebrating Maren’s life at the same time.”

The mural art contest featured 4×4 foot pieces of masonite that the artists used to create their own design related to the event. There were a total of 14 artists that submitted their work.

Three murals were announced as winners and will now be displayed placed around Law. Other entries will also be displayed around Milford.

The raffle was put together by Jonathan Law’s Interact Club and prizes were sponsored by businesses around Milford. By the end of the day, all raffle tickets were sold out.

Each raffle basket was valued at least $500 or more. Among the prizes in the 30 baskets were a kayak, a laptop, a TV, a sound plate, and a grill.

“When we began reaching out to businesses to ask for assistance in fundraising for the raffle, we had no idea what to expect,” Law Interact Club advisor and guidance counselor Mrs. Haramis said. “The outpouring of support from businesses, community members, and our parents was tremendous. It was truly an amazing day.””

The stage was set up on the football field and featured live music throughout the day from local bands, Law students, the Law choir, and alumni. Seniors Rachel Escobar, Mick Murray, and Craig Calderone performed Saturday afternoon in honor of their friend who adored music and singing herself.

“Maren was all about ‘just doing it’, so I knew when I was given the opportunity to sing I couldn’t pass it up,” Escobar said. “I promised her that I would not let her be silenced and I meant it. I know she was singing with me through it all.”

Radio personality and Law alum Brian Smith served as the official Master of Ceremonies for the event.

The bounce house extravaganza was a great way to attract all ages to the celebration. Kids and teens enjoyed the bounce houses, the bull riding, the velcro wall, jousting, the obstacle courses, a bungee run, a slam dunk challenge, and more fun activities.

A wide variety of food trucks served food at the celebration to the attendees. The food trucks offered local favorites. Some trucks that attended were Poutine, Chompers, Cafe Romeo, Mama Dee’s Italian Kitchen, and more.

“The food trucks were so good and had all types of food that everyone would love,” senior Kelsey Kopazna said. “I had the strawberry cloud fried dough; hands down best fried dough ever.”

Several activity tents at the event were hosted by local organizations, student clubs, and teams. The Law softball and volleyball teams manned the dunk tank.

Vendors Flip Hair Salon, where Maren had worked, and the Title Boxing Club, where Maren was a member, were two local businesses who attended the event.

Other vendors offered face painting, Maren memory locks, cupcake decorating, henna tattoos, purple hair extensions, and more. Donations were suggested at individual booths.

“We wanted to have as many activities as possible for everyone to have fun and something to do,” Burns said.

The Maren memory locks were very popular for students and attendees at the celebration. Supporters were allowed to write anything they wanted on a lock and latched them to the fence on top of the hill leading to the athletic fields.

“Theresa Patrick who runs the junior post prom committee came up with the idea and she thought it would be a great last tribute to her,” Burns said.

Attendees of the celebration loved the event and had a lot of fun. Students and faculty thought it was a great way to spend the day.

“I was happy to see such a great turnout,” senior Jarrod Butts said. “The music and activities were an amazing tribute to Maren’s life.”

The senior class was thankful for the “Peace, Love, and Music From Maren” celebration for their fellow class member. The day was what Maren would want – with everyone together and smiling.

“To make it from her it was kind of like she was giving us this day, she was there with us for the weather and it was a really great day for everybody, a bunch of smiles,” Thompson said.

The following is a slideshow of all Twitter-submitted photos of Peace, Love, & Music From Maren. Additional photos taken by Editor-in-Chief Hayley Sanchez.

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By Hayley Sanchez – Editor-in-Chief           

Jonathan Law seniors Dana Laufer and Jeffrey Eng recently won Outstanding Arts Awards.

Each year, the Connecticut Association of Schools hosts its Annual Arts Recognition Banquet to honor high school visual and performing arts students.

Laufer and Eng attended the recognition dinner at the Aqua Turf Club on April 6 along with Law principal Mr. Thomspon. Two seniors from each high school in Connecticut were represented at the dinner.

Laufer and Eng both received a plaque for excellence and distinguished service for their school.

Laufer won the award for Excellence in Visual Arts and for her leadership in her art class. She was chosen for the award by the art department at Law.

“I was really surprised that I got an award like that,” Laufer said. “I did not think I would get an award like that.”

Eng won the Outstanding Arts Award for his outstanding performance in the school band. He was chosen by the music department teachers.

“I really appreciated getting this award,” Eng said.

Each member school of the Connecticut Association of Schools selected two seniors who are outstanding in the areas of performing and/or visual arts. Some of the programs honored include art, dance, drama, or music.

By Emily Carroll – Staff Reporter

Sophomore Melissa Chodziutko got to be “Fran for a Day” at Law on April 10.

This year’s “Principal for a Day” contest was held as a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club. Students purchased tickets for $1 and over $200 was raised for charity.

“(This was) more about the cause than the event,” principal Mr. Thompson said.

While Thompson was following Chodziutko’s B Day class schedule like other students, Chodziutko and her dog Rocky were equipped with a walkie-talkie. She said that the walkie-talkie helped her find teachers and organize her day.

Chodziutko said she loved being “in charge” of the school.

“Everyone started referring to me as ‘Principal’ or ‘Miss Chodziutko’,” Chodziutko said.

Chodziutko learned that being principal is a busy job. She had to take notes, make observations, and stay focused.

“It’s not exactly easy, but it is fun,” said Chodziutko.

As Chodziutko patrolled the halls, Thompson took notes in class – and even took a math test.

“He (math teacher Mr. Hoggatt) saw me later in the day, shook his head, and said, ‘You took a math test and didn’t put any numbers for answers’,” Thompson said. “What can I say? I’m an English teacher.”

Thompson was dressed like a student and was following classroom rules, but Chodziutko decided to make the day fun by taking away his phone and sending him to the ISS room for a period.

“I wasn’t crazy about being sent to ISS but she was the boss,” Thompson said.

Some staff members thought the switch of positions between Chodziutko and Thompson was a nice change.

“School has never been run more efficient with Melissa at the realm, with Mr. Thompson in class, and Mr. Cavanna off on maternity leave,” joked Dean of Students Mr. Ragaini.

At the beginning of the day, Chodziutko made announcements introducing herself, wishing staff members a happy birthday, and most importantly, introducing Law’s newest student, Fran Thompson.

As much as Thompson hoped to get a student who had all English classes, he took over for a student who loved science. Since Chodziutko usually goes to Aqua in the afternoon, Thompson had half a day to change roles.

Overall, the day for fun for all involved.

“I am hoping Mr. Thompson can have (Melissa) cover in the future when he is out of the building for meetings,” Ragaini said.

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By Laura Gonzalez – News Editor

Law’s Science Club discovered just how much it has improved while competing at the 2015 UConn Science Olympiad on March 28.

Science Club members and advisors agreed the club has made unprecedented progress throughout the course of this year. They recently placed 35^th at the MIT Invitational and then jumped to 15^th place out of 40 teams at the UConn Science Olympiad.

The team won first place the “Mission Possible” event thanks to seniors Alessandra Alling and Rasheeda Samih.

“We had two first place medals so we didn’t go home empty. Last year and the year before we were totally blanked, we didn’t win anything,” said Law physics teacher and co-advisor of the club Mr. Stanton.  “And in other events, even those we didn’t place in, we got some fourths, eighths, and elevenths. So you figure there are about 40 teams, anytime you do above 20 or 21, you’re pretty much in the top half. It looked like in almost all the events we moved up a bit, or actually quite a bit. I would hope that next year we could find ourselves moving up to the top 10.”

Law chemistry teacher co-advisor Ms. Turcotte said competing at the MIT Invitational allowed members to gain the confidence, experience, and motivation that allowed them to compete with schools such as Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youths, The Taft School, Amity Regional High School, Richfield High School, Miss Porter’s School Home at the UConn Invitational.

“At the UConn Invitational we were more prepared since students got to learn from their mistakes at MIT and fix them for the Olympiad,” Turcotte said. “Especially for some of the building events, because they were given some feedback and they also got to what other more experienced teams were doing.”

Senior Sravya Jaladanki, the founder and third-year president of the Science Club described leaving the club as a “bittersweet” prospect, since it is a project she has put so much effort into.

“I try to stay on top of things as much as possible, whether it is communicating with Olympiad directors, sorting out trip logistics, or just being there as a source of moral support for my teammates,” Jaladanki said. “[Science Club] has been a huge part of high school for me and I’m really going to miss the team and the competitions. But I’m excited for college, and also can’t wait to see what the future has in store for the club.”

Alling and Samih also said leaving would be sad but they are excited to begin their college careers with all the experiences and knowledge they gained in the club. Of course, they are happy to leave on such a positive note.

“We were called up for having first place at the award ceremony at the end of the day. We were super excited about it,” Samih said.

After the MIT Olympiad, at which senior Kavita Rana placed first in the “Bungee Jump” event, and Alling and Samih took fourth place in “Mission Possible” they redesigned their machine to include two more energy sequences and while they were optimistic, first place seemed out of reach.

“I was cautiously optimistic. I was hoping we would place, but I really didn’t believe we would get first, just because all the teams there are so good. I was ecstatic when they called our team for first place,” Alling said.

As the club bids farewell to nine seniors, they hope that with their recent accomplishments will come more success and new enthusiastic members.

For the remainder of the year the club will be recruiting, planning for next year, and holding elections.

By Carol Phillips – News Editor

Law’s Badminton Club has reopened for the spring season.

The club stopped meeting for the winter due to winter practices being held inside both school gyms.

The goal of this spring is to gain more members so the club can finally have tournaments. These tournaments will be held with teams within Law’s club.

“It’s a great sport that brings people together,” Badminton Club president Nick Lawrence said. “We want to get more members, and we will not stop until most of Law has attended at least once.”

The club will meet on Tuesdays after school in the old gym. However, once May starts, the meetings will be on Fridays.

“We want to leave a legacy on this school in a fun, positive way,” senior club member Alberto Principe said.

Everyone in the club is very excited to start up the year again, especially the club advisor, Mr. Kravecs.

“I have immense trust in Nick with this club, and when he asked me (to be the advisor for the club), I said ‘yes’,” Kravecs said.

The Badminton Club’s main goal is to create a relaxing environment where students can escape the stress of school. Anyone who wants to join can, whatever day they want.

“It’s a good way to let off steam and with the rising stress levels, any way we can help is good,” Lawrence said. “It’s a casual-competitive fun, just a little fun with friends.”

By Ian Hugo – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law junior Jaret Petrie has recently been named as a finalist in a national photography contest.

There were over 17,000 entries in the contest, which was sponsored by Photographer’s Forum Magazine.

“I was ecstatic when I found out that my entry was a finalist considering the number of entries,” Petrie said.

Petrie’s photo will be published in the book Best of College & High School Photography 2015, a compilation of the work of winners, honorable mentions, and finalists published annually after the completion of that year’s contest.

Petrie cites his photography teacher, Mrs. Romanowski, as a driving force behind his photographic success.

“Mrs. Romanowski has helped me become a better photographer by critiquing my pictures in class,” Petrie said.

Romanowski’s critiques and Petrie’s hard work have gone hand in hand towards Petrie’s photographic success.

“Jaret works really hard to improve his photography skills and it shows,” Romanowski said. “I am so proud of him.”

Petrie’s photo, a silhouette of a fisherman wading in the water, is truly impressive and shines, just as the waves do in the reflection of the sun in Petrie’s photo.

“I had to wait for the sun to set so I could capture the silhouette of the fisherman,” Petrie said. “It was taken at Gulf Beach at around 6-7 p.m. when the sun was setting.”

Petrie says that the photo was not staged and that taking it was a process. It took Petrie multiple pictures with different settings to get the perfect shot.

As for the fisherman in the photo, Petrie says he doesn’t know what the man’s name is or who he is.

“I saw him fishing and I had to get the shot,” Petrie said.

This comes as no surprise, as Petrie says his favorite part about photography is taking pictures and capturing moments when he sees them.

As for next year, Petrie plans on entering this contest again but is also looking forward to entering the Spring Contest sponsored by Photographer’s Forum and already has one or two photos he plans on submitting.

Petrie hopes to continue photography throughout his life as a hobby or side job and pursue a minor degree in photography in college. He also plans on attending the New England School of Photography after he attends college and has a career.

In addition to this contest, another one of Petrie’s photos is currently being displayed at the SCC art show in New Haven.

“My advice is to just always have your camera with you because the perfect picture can be anywhere at any time and you should have your camera to capture the moment,” Petrie said.

Petrie cites his artistic influences as RiFF RAFF and Lil B from the Pack.

Petrie’s photo is pictured above. Visit pfmagazine.com for more information on this and upcoming photography contests such as this one.

By Malena Araujo – Staff Reporter

Law’s Gay-Straight Alliance is hosting a Day of Silence on April 22 – the first Wednesday after spring vacation.

The goal of the Day of Silence is to bring awareness to and to memorialize victims of anti-LGBT bullying/harassment, homophobia, and transphobia. Students interested in participating must see GSA advisors Miss Kowalsick in Room 143 or Mr. Evanko in Room 193 for guidelines. A list of the participants will be sent out to the faculty.

“I think it’s very important that we address bullying in our school community especially those that are directed at gender and sexual minorities,” Evanko said.

The Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network created the Day of Silence and the official date for it this year is April 17.

This is the first time in many years that Law has decided to partake in the Day of Silence. The day will be recreated on a school day to encourage all students to get involved.

“We feel the GSA should be active in the school,” Evanko said.

Some club members felt it was important to participate because they have seen an increase of reported harassment and suicide in the LGBT community and wanted to bring recognition to it.

“Though it’s been a serious problem for years, this year there seemed to be an increase of news coverage around violence and suicides involving LGBT people, especially transsexual people,” junior club member Casey McDonald said. “It just seemed like something that we needed to bring awareness to, since it’s so prevalent.”

Although there has been some coverage, some members feel that people don’t understand the severity of homophobia and transphobia because there is lack of representation in the media.

“People typically don’t hear about these sort of things,” senior club member Victoria Millican said. “I want people to know that there are people out there dealing with a lack of tolerance, who don’t feel safe in their own home just because they want to change their gender.”

Also, the Day of Silence represents the silencing of the LGBT community in today’s society.

“People seem to forget that we don’t have complete equality yet,” sophomore club member Simone Fletcher said. “We are still discriminated against and there are a lot of social restrictions placed upon us.”

Participants feel that the campaign will brings awareness and they hope to make the Day of Silence an annual event at Law.

By Leslie Terres – Staff Reporter

Law was well-represented at this year’s Leprechaun Leap which took place on Monday, March 23.

“Leapers” of all ages collected donations from family members, co-workers, and friends and jumped into the ice cold ocean water for charity.

“The water was freezing but I had a lot of fun,” junior Gege Romero said.

All proceeds collected by “leapers” benefit The Literacy Center of Milford. Donations of any amount could be submitted. Many participants raised at least $30 and received a complimentary T-shirt.

“We had great participation from Law as usual,” Key Club advisor Mr. Boynton said. “The water was cold but refreshing.”

There were a variety of different awards participants were eligible to win, including Best Costume, Most Enthusiastic, Best Group Theme, Largest Group of Leapers, Most Individual Pledges, Highest Group Pledges, First One In the Water, First One Out of the Water, Bravest Junior Leaper, Favorite Literacy Leaper, Best Leprechaun Costume, Best Tailgate Party, and Best Civic Organization.

“The water was so cold, but it was funny seeing everyone’s reactions,” junior Niamh Nelson said. “I really had fun at the event.”

Participants raced into the water, but because of the almost freezing water temperatures, many quickly ran right out.

“I really enjoyed the event, especially because a lot of my friends participated,” junior Joe Coury said. “Out of all the years I’ve participated in the event, this year the water was definitely the coldest.”

Many leapers dressed up in costumes to show their enthusiasm for the event. From normal bathing suits to duck and leprechaun costumes, everyone at the event really went all out.

“I had a lot of fun,” sophomore Nia Cordero said. “It was a good experience because I’ve never done it before. I plan on doing it again next year.”

The after-party was held at the Bridge House restaurant. All participants were welcomed to come socialize and eat following the leap.

By Michaela Pounds – Entertainment Editor

Law’s National Honor Society inducts new members each year who display the qualities of scholarship, character, service, and leadership.

NHS recently held their annual induction ceremony. The new inductees included juniors Michael Capobianco, Gianna Laezzo, David Patrick, David Carelli, Nicole Macchio, Kavita Rana, Maxwell Caserta,       Vishal Manglani, Amita Sastry, Laura Gonzalez, Leo Merturi, Kelly Scianna, Jenelle Grant, Ireoluwa Opayemi, Emma Shea, Veolette Hanna, and Alyssa Paladino. The senior inductees were Jeremy Doucette, Mathilda Hill, and Annie Khamhoung.

“I’ve been looking forward to being in NHS since I was a freshman, and now that I’m finally inducted, it was everything I expected it to be,” Sastry said. “We all work well together and love what we do, so it’s always fun going to meetings. I loved getting involved with the Brain Bowl and can’t wait to get started with all of the other events they do.”

The NHS advisor is Law chemistry teacher Ms. Turcotte. She has been the advisor for the past five years. Sofya Calvin is the National Honor Society president, Ming-Yeah Hu is vice president, Sravya Jaladanki is treasurer, and Raeven Grant is secretary.

“We have a great group of kids taking over for next year and it’s always exciting to see what type of ideas they will come up with for the club,” Turcotte said.

The induction ceremony began with all existing NHS members entering with candles. The new inductees then walked in and Calvin and Hu gave speeches about the four characteristics that each new member needs to be in the club.

Law principal Mr. Thompson also gave a speech about the new inductees. Each new inductee received a stole and a pin and then got to sign their name into the National Honor Society book. They then shook hands with Turcotte.

In order to qualify for National Honor Society, the grade point average needed is a 3.6, but the grade point average differs and adjusts each year. The student needs to be involved in clubs and have leadership positions and needs to receive recommendations from their teachers to show that they are qualified for the club. Volunteer hours are also required.

“National Honor Society is a great group to belong to because we give back to our community through volunteering,” senior Kelsey Kopazna said. “I’m excited to see what the new inductees offer the club.”

By Carol Phillips – News Editor

The Jonathan Law Key Club hosted its annual blood drive on Wednesday, March 25.

Over 40 people donated this year despite the fact that there was a field trip held the same day.

“The turnout wasn’t quite as large due to the college fair that occurred (that day), but we appreciate everyone that came out to donate,” Key Club advisor Mr. Boynton said.  “Overall it was still a huge success.”

The Red Cross is an international organization whose main goal is to connect to people and help those who need it most.

The American Red Cross is the largest blood collecting organization in the country. This organization provides for more than 40 percent of blood and blood productions used in the nation.

“I donated because I know with it, I could be saving a life,” senior Nelson Vazquez said.

The blood drive occurred all day in the old gym, where throughout the day 17 Key Club members helped run the event and make sure it went smoothly.

“The Key Clubbers arrived around 6:15 to greet and set up for the Red Cross. They set up and broke down the drive,” Boynton said.  “The support for the blood mobile was overwhelming.”

The nurses were very happy with the enthusiasm of the people who donated and with the number of people who donated.

With one pint of blood, up to three lives can be saved.  The blood is used for transfusions, accident victims, cancer patients, and many more situations. Since blood is always in demand, it is important to consider donating.

“I donated because I had the ability to. I was able to help someone, so I did,” senior Sean Berg said.

 

By Emily Carroll – Staff Reporter

Law Principal Mr. Thompson presented this year’s Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents Awards to seniors Ming-Yeah Hu, Sofya Calvin, and Jeremy Doucette in a ceremony at Law on March 12.

“Each (of these students) has incredible leadership credentials,” Thompson said.

The ceremony was hosted by Milford Superintendent of Schools Dr. Feser and honored students from all of Milford 14 schools. At the high school level, the CAPSS Award honors members of the Top 10 of the senior class for their academic, leadership, and service accomplishments.

Hu, Calvin, and Doucette are a part of the National Honor Society at Law, are involved in sports, and have over 200 hours of community service which allows them to graduate with distinction.

All three agreed that time management and late nights are what helped them to earn the CAPSS Award.

“I’ve managed to survive by tracking my assignment pad to keep track of homework,” Doucette said. “My mom helps me out with remembering things, too.”

None of the three Law honorees knew such an award existed until they were notified that they were selected to receive it themselves.

“I get involved because I genuinely want to, as opposed to just getting awards, recognitions, and everything else that goes with it,” Calvin said.

Law science teacher Mr. Koorejian, who teaches all three students, said he “doesn’t know when they all sleep.”

Making sacrifices to spend more time with family and to hang out with friends is a big part of how all three they keep their mental sanity.

The recognition of their hard work by the superintendent and the teachers at Law has shown these three students that they have the potential to achieve the goals they have set for themselves.

“This award made me feel recognized for my hard work and made me realize that people actually acknowledge my accomplishments,” Hu said.

Doucette said that the honor was a nice reward for working hard in and out of school. He also offered some insight into his mindset about school.

“If you set your mind to something, you are no longer limited to what you think you can’t do, but rather you can tackle and accomplish anything,” Doucette said.

By Valeria Araujo – Staff Reporter

Law’s students and staff are campaigning to stop the use of the R-word in school.

During all lunch waves on March 30, students and staff members will be encouraging people to sign a poster to show support for the “Spread The Word To End The Word” campaign. They will also be giving out free bracelets to those who sign the poster.

Law’s Unified Sports Team also recently sold T-shirts for the campaign.

Mrs. Daniels, a special education teacher at Law, started the campaign three years ago when she heard about it at a Unified Sports tournament.

“One of our previous students – her mother, was very involved in the R-word campaign in other areas of Connecticut,” Daniels said. “She kind of put the bug in my ear and that’s what made me decide to start one.”

The campaign has grown every year with continued support from the students and staff at Law.

Mr. Winebrenner, a special education teacher at Law, also believes the word should be abolished and joined the campaign to help.

“I hope the campaign makes everyone realize how hurtful the R-word can be and that the R-word has an effect on people,” Winebrenner said.

Winebrenner said the R-word has no place in society and that it hurts not only the people who are called the R-word but the people who care about them as well.

“I’ve been working, in my classroom, for the last 10 years and my students are part of my family,” Winebrenner said. “I love them and any word that can hurt them would obviously hurt me. I would never want anything to be said to them that would hurt them, they are my children – you don’t say mean things to your kids.”

The campaign is also being heavily run this year by Law students.

Senior Emily Fetter said that stopping the use of the R-word is a “good example for the younger classmates.”

The students involved are all very passionate about the R-word campaign as well.

Senior Kristin Connolly said she “encourages students to not use the R-word and to support their cause.”

Junior Richard Anderson said, “(Someone being called the R-word makes me) sick.”

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By Laura Gonzalez – News Editor

Law history teacher Mr. Zuraw and senior Josh Weizel were recently recognized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars for their dedication to politics and democracy.

Zuraw received the VFW Teacher of the Year Award for his nine years of service to Law teaching Government and Politics, Survey 20^th Century America, Crime and Violence, and others. Weizel received his award for his Voice of Democracy essay.

The Teacher of the Year Award nominees were teachers who promoted civic responsibility, flag etiquette and patriotism. Zuraw fulfilled these requirements daily during class by using different activities to get students interested in American history and politics. He and history teacher Ms. Burns also organized a day for veterans to visit and speak to Law’s students about their wartime experiences.

“That’s the best part about [teaching], it’s the challenge of teaching teenagers because the last thing they want to do is sit in a class for a 181 days and learn about government,” Zuraw said. “I think that is my favorite part about it, getting them to care about something that they don’t really care about.”

Zuraw has stepped up to that challenge and has provided students with the necessary support and motivation to do well in class and on exams even with the intense schedule of Advanced Placement classes.

“I noticed throughout the year how thoroughly Mr. Zuraw reviewed content, regardless of how little time we had, and always made sure we understood it,” former AP Government and Politics student Alyssa Paladino said. “I think that’s why the class wasn’t so hard for me. Also, no matter how boring the topic we were learning was, Mr. Zuraw always found a way to make us laugh.”

Weizel fulfilled his requirements by writing a powerful essay on the importance of veterans to the nation’s history and to its future.

“The topic for this year’s Voice of Democracy contest was the importance of our veterans, and that got me thinking about just how significant a role they have played in our survival as a free and thriving nation,” Weizel said. “I have come to realize that not every individual in the world enjoys the liberties that we have in the United States and so I have a strong passion for the sacrifices of veterans who made helped preserve our freedoms.”

While both Zuraw and Weizel were pleasantly surprised to find out about their awards, Zuraw experienced a slightly greater surprise since he was unaware that he had been nominated for the award.

“With so many things going on in school the last thing on my mind is winning awards, but of course I was excited and honored,” Zuraw said. “Teachers don’t get recognized that much so it was a nice moment.”

Although Weizel received the news with less surprise, he received it with just as much enthusiasm, and excitement to be able share his passion with VFW members, the Patriot’s Pen contest winners, and the middle and high school Teacher of the Year Award recipients at the awards luncheon.

“When I found out I won the contest I had a great moment of realization where I decided I can go as far in life as I want,” Weizel said. “There was a small group of people at the ceremony, but I felt very optimistic giving my first public speech as I have always had a strong interest in history and politics and have always stood up for what I’ve believed was right. “

Zuraw said he will continue to entertain students while teaching them about government. Weizel said he plans to continue publicly advocating for different issues he believes in and will soon be joining the Students for Liberty organization.

By Taylor Loughlin – Entertainment Editor

A few months ago, Law opened its doors to a new school counselor, Mrs. Dunnuck.

Dunnuck is the new director of the school counseling department. She replaced Mrs. Reeves, who retired in December.

Before working at Law, Dunnuck worked at Derby High School and Trumbull High School. At these schools, she worked as a counselor as well, helping students and getting them ready for college. Dunnuck has been a counselor for nine years and is prepared to take on her new director position.

“Everything that the counseling department entails, which is a lot, I am in charge of,” Dunnuck said. “First and foremost, I advocate for my students.”

Prior to coming to Law, and even before she became a school counselor, Dunnuck worked at the Kennedy Center in Trumbull and ran their Opportunities Unlimited program. Opportunities Unlimited specializes in supporting kids from the ages of 3-21 with socialization and education programs run by volunteers usually recruited from local high schools and universities.

When asked what she does in her spare time, Dunnuck replied with a laugh.

“I have three small children that are under the age of three,” Dunnuck said. “They are what I do in my spare time. I’m a full time mom.”

 

 

 

By Morgan Hennessey – Columns Editor

This year, Jonathan Law High School has started its own chapter of the National Art Honor Society, and thus far, it has been a major success.

With Miss Main, one of Law’s visual art teachers, as the chapter’s sponsor, and senior Mathilda Hill as President, the society has many plans for the near future.

“The National Art Honor Society recognizes students with outstanding artistic ability,” Main said. “We specifically focus on the discipline of visual art.”

The chapter currently has 12 members composed of 11 seniors and one junior. They hope to reach higher participation in years to come.

All 12 members were inducted February 24 during an intimate ceremony involving families and friends in Law’s media center.

“The Art Honor Society is a really great opportunity for the students in this school who want to pursue art as a career or are just interesting in beautifying the community,” senior Katie Frawley said.

Frawley is also the Chair of Awards and Ceremonies, and spoke at the induction.

Their initial project was setting up a display of the members’ personal artworks in the school’s lobby. There are currently paintings, drawings, and sculptures on display.

“One of my favorite things we have done so far is putting up our display case,” Hill said. “I love seeing me and my friends’ artwork up for the entire school to see.”

The members are currently working on projects to enter in the Unified Arts Council Student Show and other art shows in the area

With artistic intentions, the National Art Honor Society involves themselves in community service projects schoolwide and citywide to promote art everywhere.

They will be helping out in all ways they can during the “Peace, Love and Music From Maren” celebration, which will take place on April 25.

“The members are all really looking forward to it,” Main said.

Although they are only in their first few months, the members have put their heart and soul into their society with the overall hope in promoting art around Law and around Milford.

“I am so overly impressed with the hard work and dedication of our art students,” said Main. “And I am so proud to be the faculty advisor of the Jonathan Law High School chapter of the National Art Honor Society.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Carol Phillips – News Editor

The Jonathan Law Key Club is heading into the spring with a busy schedule.

The club recently finished several successful events and fundraisers and members are now looking forward to the upcoming events that lead up to convention.

One of the biggest fundraisers Key Club was a part of this year was the Salvation Army. The club raised funds from after Thanksgiving up to Christmas.

“Salvation Army was a great experience for the fact that I helped raise money for people who need it and it was fun to do,” senior Key Club member Brittany Bajerski said.

Recently, the club has been involved in the Unified Sports Tournament that was hosted at Law, a fundraiser selling cookie dough for the Kiwanis Club, and an induction banquet for new members of the club.

The club also ushered for the last school play called “Steel Magnolias,” collected jeans for the “Teens for Jeans” fundraiser, and raised money for leukemia.

“We have had a great year and I’m proud to be a part of Key Club,” senior Key Club president Max Slusky said .

The club is looking forward to volunteering at the “Minds in Motion” event at Law on March 7. This event is a fun, activity-filled event where children from kindergarten to eighth grade can learn about a variety of different topics, including science and the preforming arts.

“I did it (Minds in Motion) last year and had a lot of fun doing it and loved seeing the classes that were being offered to the kids,” sophomore Key Club member Tyler Chavez said. “The teachers I talked to were really cool and they had things being taught in so many different fields and subjects.”

The Key Club will also be walking with the Kiwanis club in the Milford St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 14.

One of the bigger events later this month is the Leprechaun Leap. Club members will raise funds for The Literacy Center and jump into Walnut Beach on March 21. The Key Club annually has both members and its advisor, Mr. Boynton, jump into the water along with other members of the community.

In April, the New England and Bermuda District Convention will be held. This event is from April 10-13, and is in Springfield, Massachusetts. The convention is where all Key Clubs in the district go and have meetings, share ideas on fundraising techniques, and meet new people who have the same interest in volunteering.

The second night of the convention is Awards Night, and for the past few years, the Law Key Club has represented well. The goal for this year is to do as well as in years past and to learn some new skills to help enhance the home club.

“I love going to convention because it’s such a great way to meet other Key Clubbers from all over New England and Bermuda,” senior Key Club secretary Haley Palmer said. “It’s fun to talk to people who have such a strong passion for volunteering like our club does.”

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By Laura Gonzalez – News Editor

The Unified Sports team’s ninth year at Law has been full of exciting news for its coaches and members.

Head coach and co-founder Mrs. Daniels was named Coach of the Year by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association and the team itself received the Spirit of Life Award from the Special Olympics.

“I didn’t even know [the award] existed so I was very surprised to receive the letter, but I’m excited,” Daniels said.

The Unified Sports team brings together many groups within the school – special education students, regular education peer partners, teachers, and coaches.

“We all work as a cohesive unit and it all works out really well, everyone watches each other’s back … and of course the peer-partners are there to help with training, keeping students on track, and modeling,” Daniels said.

The team members are active all year practicing every Monday and Thursday and competing for their five sports: soccer, basketball, bowling, volleyball, and track. Daniels said they receive amazing support from other athletes during practice and from students and faculty at tournaments.

The Unified Sports team is currently in its basketball and bowling seasons. The team held a five-school basketball tournament on February 19 that featured a large crowd, the Law cheerleaders, and plenty of fun for all involved.

For this year’s athletes, the team is about more than just sports. It is also about having fun, spending time with other people, and getting that extra motivation.

“I like seeing my friends play every day, and I like when people come to cheer me on,” Unified Sports team athlete Jennifer Gill said. “It’s really fun.”

Unified Sports athlete Luigi DeCastro said that “everything and everyone” on the team holds a special place in each athlete’s heart.

“The people involved are my friends, and we have a lot of fun together. It feels good to help out,” said junior Michael Capobianco, a peer-partner for Law’s Unified Sports. “My uncle has Down Syndrome, so this is part of my family. What Unified Sports means to me is not something I can really put into words.”

Law paraprofessional Mr. Hayden said that this “cohesive unit” is extremely proud and grateful to Daniels for all her hard work.

“She’s a nice woman,” Hayden said. “She runs the program really well. My brother loved being a part of Unified Sports and my [one-on-one] student does too, so I really appreciate what she does and how hard she works to set up tournaments and get a good amount of teams to come.”

The Unified Sports team is looking forward to supporting Daniels at the awards banquet this March.

“It’s a well-deserved award, and I’m very proud of her. We are so excited to be there cheering her on when she received her award,” said Law paraprofessional Mrs. Aranda, a seventh-year Unified Sports coach.

By Leslie Terres – Staff Reporter

Law’s Unified Art Club has been a rousing success at Jonathan Law so far.

The club, which started in 2009, is open to special education students and regular education peers. Law is one of 12 schools to pilot the program in Connecticut.

Unified Art holds its meetings every other Tuesday.

“The students’ favorite part of each meeting is probably painting,” Unified Art coordinator Mrs. Daniels said. ”And snack time, of course.”

Students create pieces of artwork using different materials at each meeting.

“It’s always nice when they complete their artwork and we’re able to display it throughout the school,” Daniels said.

The club is hoping to create a calendar by the end of this year. Calendars would be filled with artwork and will be sold to anyone in the school that would like to purchase one.

Students who volunteer to help the special education students with their artwork find it to be a very rewarding experience

“It’s fun helping other students out;” senior Emily Fetter said. “The club is awesome.”

This year, Unified Art will be participating in the Play Unified Project. Special Olympics launched the campaign to encourage young people to make a difference and to help create more unified communities.

“The event should be a great experience for them,” Daniels said.

For the Play Unified Project, Law’s Unified Art students will be creating a big red ball with the Special Olympics logo on it that will be displayed at the Special Olympics at Southern Connecticut State University this year.

The project will be funded through a grant that Daniels received from the Milford Education Foundation.

Anyone who is interesting in joining Unified Art is welcome.

“It’s a great way to connect with the kids and have a fun time,” junior Tyler Papallo said.

By Emily LaLuna – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law recently introduced a new way to help the students know what electives the school has to offer.

On Wednesday, January 29, an Elective Fair took place in the new gym. Students spent part of their Period 8 class looking at tables and displays that were set up in the gym which gave information about all of Law’s elective courses.

The Elective Fair was coordinated by technical education teacher Mr. Robinson.

“The elective classes have always been advertised by word of mouth,” Robinson said. “If we do not have enough students taking the classes, programs will not run and everyone loses out. It affects how many teachers remain at Law and what types of cool learning opportunities are available for students”

Robinson wanted to host the fair to give students an idea of all of the elective choices available to them and let them know what each class entails.

“So many times shortly after students choose classes you hear them say ‘I didn’t know we had that class’ or ‘I wish I knew we taught that I would have taken it’”, Robinson said. “This event allowed the students to see all the courses we offer that don’t just appear on their schedules.”

Students were allowed to freely roam and visit the tables that included everything from art classes to technology courses.

“I liked Journalism the most,” Hudd said. “It seems like a lot of fun and I really enjoy writing. I’m looking forward to taking it.”

Current Law seniors helped run the tables in the elective courses that are currently taking.

“I think (the fair) helps out because they can see upperclassman like us enjoy electives and be in our position next year,” senior Cori Kalafus said.

The seniors said they had a good time helping show the electives to the students because they enjoy the course.

Electives are made to be fun but also they also help students get an idea of what they want to pursue in the future.

“Why not love what you are learning?” Robinson said. “Take electives. It will change the way you think about school.”

The wide range of electives offered at Law is unknown to some students. The Elective Fair tried to give students more awareness of their options.

“Being a freshman and not knowing much about the classes Law has to offer I learned a lot about them at the fair,” freshman Kiana Walker said. “It helped me out quite a bit to figure out what I want to take as classes next year.”

By Taylor Loughlin – Entertainment Editor

Jonathan Law recently welcomed some new staff members.

Mrs. Branco

Mrs. Branco is the newest member of the English department. She teaches Level 1 and Level 2 freshman English.

This is Branco’s eighth year teaching in the Milford school district and her first year teaching at Law. She previously worked at Foran High School. She is excited to come to Law for the second half of the year.

Branco was a full-time teacher at Foran, but at Law she is part-time. She made the switch because she has a newborn son who needs her attention.

“I felt like part-time was the best decision” said Branco, who added her experience at Law has been great so far.

Mrs. Intelisano

Mrs. Intelisano is now in charge of the College and Career Center at Law after taking over for Mrs. Lindsay.

“This is my first experience doing this so I’m going to be learning right along with all of the students,” Intelisano said.

Previously, Intelisano worked at Meadowside School as a greeter. She has also worked at a bank and for an insurance company. First and foremost, she said, she is a mom.

Outside of school, Intelisano said she enjoys spending time with her children, reading, and hanging out with friends.

 

By Valeria Araujo – Staff Reporter

A group of Law students is starting to prepare its swim team for this year’s Special Olympics.

Special Olympics is an organization for mentally disabled children and adults that gives members the opportunity to play and compete in sports.

“The Special Olympics swim team is (for people) to become better swimmers, become better people, and build bonds with other athletes that are everlasting between towns and other events through Special Olympics,” said Law senior and Special Olympics volunteer Barbara Perugini.

Volunteering for Special Olympics is also a great opportunity for community service.

During the event, which is held in mid-June, the Milford Special Olympics team competes against teams from nearby towns.

“From the coaches to the athletes meeting other coaches and athletes, seeing the different outcomes of each race, and just seeing everyone’s faces when they’re done racing and the know they’ve won, it’s just such a heartwarming experience,” Perugini said.

The Law volunteer coaches work their hardest to motivate and keep the member moving forward.

“As a coach we set up different sets that they’re doing,” Law junior and Special Olympics volunteer Camila Araujo said. “We also assess how they’re doing during the sets to help them improve.”

Special Olympics encourages its members to always try their best.

“I’ve always thought of people with disabilities as just as capable as anyone else, yet it takes more work for them to do things everyone else does but with support and encouragement I believe they can, so I thought it’d be great to be able to be that support and motivate someone to do their best and show everyone that they are just as capable,” Law junior and Special Olympics volunteer Laura Gonzalez said.

Special Olympics also creates a safe and nice environment for its participants, which makes it enjoyable for them.

“It’s supposed to be a fun experience for all of them, no pressure at all,” Law junior and Special Olympics volunteer Alyssa Paladino said.

It is not only enjoyable for the members but the coaches as well.

“When you tell them ‘good job’ or ‘well done’ they give you these huge smiles or sometimes one of them will just come up to you and say ‘I love you’ and it’s amazing to see how grateful they are for something so simple like a ‘well done’ or ‘good job’,” Gonzalez said.

All students from Law are volunteering because of their desire to help.

“I was first referred to Special Olympics by the law girls swim coach, Ms. Paolini,” Paladino said. “Once I went for the first day, I actually loved it and enjoyed working with all the athletes.”

By Darby Hudd – Sports Editor

The Jonathan Law Drama Club put on its performance of “Steel Magnolias” in three shows on January 16 and January 17.

“Steel Magnolias” is a 1989 American comedy-drama based on a bond a group of women share following a death in the family. The title suggests the characters can be both as delicate as a magnolia flower and as tough as steel.

Members of the this year’s Drama Club were very excited about how their three show went.

“I thought the shows went great,” junior Molly Krupienski said. “We had a really strong cast and it was a great way to start the year with a new director.”

For a slideshow of over 350 photos and videos of the show, click here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0eugkw5dn64ro2l/AAChfvQEybrySM8u0c3OqfVka?dl=0#/

The cast consisted of six female roles played by Law students and one role played by a student at Foran.

Auditions were held back in October and the cast said the callbacks were very competitive this time.

“Forty-five kids showed up for the callbacks,” sophomore Jill Bendlak said. “I was really nervous thinking, oh my gosh, cause only six of us are going to be casted.”

The cast then practiced for three days a week until the show trying to perfect every detail. The cast even had to learn all their lines in a southern accent, which was challenging for most.

“Learning my lines wasn’t too bad, but it was the southern accent that through me off, it took me a few months to get it completely down and not having it sound fake,” Bendlak said.

Along with learning the script, the cast said that they all tried to watch the movie multiple times to really learn their character. The result was a more cohesive performance on stage.

“It was fun performing when you have a close knit group of friends who are also playing the role of a close knit group of friends,” Bendlak said. “You really believed it on stage.”

This year the Law’s drama department welcomed a new director, Christina Kalafut.

“She’s such a great director,” said freshman Emma Hudd. “She really wanted us to put on a great show and we did thanks to her.”

Along with faculty and students at Jonathan Law, members from the entire Milford community came to see the play.

“We’d like to thank everyone who came out to support us,” Bendlak said. “It means so much to see everyone in the audience.”

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By Emily Carroll – Staff Reporter

Law senior Hannah Naiburg, a self-taught dog trainer, has been winning competition after competition for the past four years.

This past November, at the fourth annual American Kennel Club’s national competition, Naiburg competed with Molly, one of her rescue dogs, in the Junior Excellent classes and won first place, breaking a world record in the process. Naiburg and Molly were in AKC’s Agility Competition performing in a timed obstacle course which included tunnels, weave poles, jumps and seesaws.

Naiburg’s win was a surprise to many in the Law community who were unaware of her dog training accomplishments, but some of her teachers were not shocked by her victory.

“Her whole wall at home is ribbons,” said Law special education teacher Mrs. LaDue.

After starting with just two dogs, Naiburg researched and became interested in becoming a dog trainer. After all the research, she started making her own supplies and began teaching on her own.

“I have high energy dogs,” said Naiburg. “So I looked online what to do and homemade everything.”

Naiburg started taking lessons at a K9 training center in Hamden called “Paws ’N Effect” and is also now doing an internship there. Paws ’N Effect specializes in positive training of dogs of all ages.

When she started adding more dogs to her family, some were too young to start competitions.

“They have to be about 18 months to enter competitions,” said Naiburg.

Naiburg starts the dogs off with foundation moves then works them into the big equipment when they reach the right age. Some basic skills that she starts off with her dogs are jumps, tunnels, and weaving through poles.

Before she even decided she wanted to start doing competitions, Naiburg started getting all the equipment needed to do it on her own.

“They liked it so I got more dogs and more professional equipment,” said Naiburg.

She also does competitions in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Orlando, and all over.

Hannah also goes to Eisenhower Park in Milford to train a dog for a couple from Yale University.

Naiburg doesn’t just have her seven dogs, though. She also has rats, ferrite, snakes, turtles, and even bearded dragons.

“The rats and ferrets are pretty smart,” said Naiburg. “They are smarter than my dogs sometimes.”

After all the time and energy Naiburg put into training and competitions, one of the trainers at “Paws N’ Effect” said that she thinks Naiburg will be making it to worlds one day.

Naiburg also dabbles in photography and takes pictures of her dogs and other pets as another activity.

She said that dog training is something she will continue to keep doing as a sport and as a career.

By Ismar Junuzovic – Entertainment Editor

Senior Cori Kalafus has made her mark on Jonathan Law community.

Kalafus is a hard-working member of the student body. Her dedication to her grades and to Law athletics are only a few of the things that make her a valuable member of the senior class.

This year, Kalafus is a host of Eagle Eye News, Law’s morning news show, and an editor of the yearbook.

“Cori is such an enthusiastic, hard-working kid,” Broadcast Journalism teacher Mr. Kulenych said. “She No matter what she does, she always gives it her all and her love for Law is unmatched.”

Senior year brings about many challenges for all seniors, but Kalafus has decided to stay focused and to constantly be challenging herself in and out of the classroom.

“I decided to demand more out of myself by taking more challenging classes this year,” Kalafus said. “I began my college research early by doing constant research on all schools and how they fit to my interests by always going to College & Career and using the Common App.”

Kalafus is constantly working hard in school and is also a three-sport athlete. She was named captain for all three sports she participates in – soccer, indoor track, and outdoor track.

Where she truly shines and feels most at home, though, is on the football field during Powder Puff season. This year she helped lead the Lady Lawmen to a 13-0 victory over Foran. Her seven flags on defense were tied for the most on the team.

“(Winning Powder Puff) was one of the best feelings I had out of my four years at Law.” Kalafus said.

Kalafus, like many students, has a busy schedule outside of school but she always finds time to come and support Law by volunteering for events such as fundraisers or supporting Law’s sports teams in the student section.

“Cori is a hard worker when it comes to anything she does,” senior Justine Bannon said. “Whether it’s with sports, academics, or even friendship she does everything the absolute best that she can.”

Kalafus’ outgoing personality and positive attitude towards any situation show that she is always willing to do whatever she can for others.

“I think Cori is definitely loved at Law because she makes friends so quickly with how open and kind she is with everyone,” senior Medo Radoncic said. “She is one of my best friends for sure.”

Kalafus’ teachers also speak highly of her work ethic and enthusiasm for life.

“She is one of the most honest and hard-working students I have ever seen and I truly have been amazed watching her mature through her four years,” Mr. Sweeney said.

Over the past four years, Kalafus has had a tremendous impact on the Law community and her influence as a student and leader is only growing.

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By Morgan Hennessey – Columns Editor

The Jonathan Law community celebrated a holiday this season which demonstrated the immense amount of spirit and respect found at the school.

The holiday, deemed “Lawmas,” consisted of a door decorating contest, an ugly holiday-themed sweater contest, and a lip dub video to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For [Lawmas] Is You.”

“Lawmas is such a special time of year, it makes us realize how much we love everything about Law,” said Dean of Students Mr. Ragaini. “We love the teachers, the students, the faculty, school spirit and the Law community in general.”

Advisory classes decorated the hallway outside of their classrooms to show not only winter themes of snow and lights but also school spirit.

“We have finally found a way for us all to celebrate during the holiday season and still have respect for all the diversity found in our school,” science teacher Mrs. Bouchard said.

Some decorations expressed all of the students and faculty love about Law. Other decorations promoted respect and love in the school.

“The door decorating contest was just so neat,” said senior Zachary Mullins. “It made the hallway look great and it sent a positive message.”

The music video created by senior Phoebe Herbert was a hit among the school as well as the entire Milford community, with over a thousand hits on Eagle Eye News’ Dailymotion account.

“It was a great way to fit school spirit into the holiday season,” said senior Brittany Bajerski.

The ugly sweater contest took place on the last day of classes before break. Many students and faculty members took part and it was a great final celebration of Lawmas.

“Lawmas was SNOW much fun,” said junior Katie Sabo. “It brought the school together to celebrate our own holiday and I think our school has become a more family-oriented place because of it.”

By Michaela Pounds – Entertainment Editor

The Jonathan Law Key Club has recently completed its annual poinsettia sale and Salvation Army fundraiser.

The poinsettias were sold for the Kiwanis as a fundraiser. This year, the Law Key Club sold 104 poinsettias. The number of poinsettias sold was greater than the sales at Foran and Lauralton High.

The Salvation Army is an organization that raises money to help those in need by providing them with hold of food, shelter, and other donations. The Key Club fundraises for the Salvation Army every year.

“My favorite part of volunteering for Salvation Army was that there were so many people who told us their personal connections and why they think Salvation Army is such an important charity,” Key Club secretary Haley Palmer said. “It really helped put exactly what we were doing and what we were volunteering for into perspective.”

The Key Club volunteers for the Salvation Army by ringing a bell outside of Stop and Shop from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

“I think volunteering for the Salvation Army is fun; it’s a good feeling when someone donates money cause I know it’s going to a better cause,” Key Club bulletin editor Carol Phillips said. “It’s good to know you’re making a difference by ringing a bell.”

All of the members in Jonathan Law key club are permitted to take part in volunteering for the Salvation Army to help fundraise.

“The Salvation Army teaches our students good responsibility and helps them care for the community,” Key Club advisor Mr. Boynton said. “There are so many factions that the Salvation Army contributes to. Having the students volunteer by ringing the bell and receiving donations can mean a meal for a family or a heating bill paid. This opens students’ eyes, because some families have it better than others.”

The holiday season is all about giving and helping others. The Key Club has been volunteering for the Salvation Army for 12 years.

“I believe it is a good thing that our Key Club takes part in the Salvation Army because the money we raise helps out thousands of people and families, and to see the generosity of people, especially during the holiday season, is amazing,” Key Club president Alexis Maltes said.

This year, the Key Club has raised over $3,000 for the Salvation Army. This money will help benefit many families who need the support. The students are all proud to say they were involved in raising this money.

By Hayley Sanchez – Editor-in-Chief

Law’s Model U.N. Club hosted their first annual “International Eatery” on December 19 to help raise money for the club’s trip in March to New York City.

The eatery had a ton of food from many different nationalities.

The lunch consisted of many different dishes and desserts from around the world for all the students and faculty to try during their lunch waves.  The club was able to raise over $500 between all three lunch waves.

“Students got to come eat the food offered instead of eating the school lunch,” senior president Sofya Calvin said.  “Local businesses and students in club all donated food from all nationalities.”

The cost to get one plate of food was $5. All of the money is going to help fund a field trip the club is taking later this year.

There were many different kinds of rice and pasta dishes that were offered and local businesses such as Papa’s Pizza donated pizza for the event.  Other local businesses such as Honey Spot and Napoli also donated food for the eatery.

The event took a lot of planning and club members had to make sure there was enough food for all three lunch waves.

“The students did really well and felt strongly about the event,” Model U.N. Club co-advisor Ms. Burns said.  “They all worked hard to create the event and did a great job.”

The club hosted the eatery to help pay for a trip to New York City in March where they will meet with other high school Model UN students from the U.S. and around the world.  This will be the second year that the club will be going on this trip.

“The eatery was entirely student run which was pretty remarkable,” Model U.N. co-advisor Mr. Evanko said.  “I’m extremely passionate about the club and I am glad that there are students who are excited about the club and want to participate.”

The food was buffet style where the students were able to fill up their plates with as much as they wanted and were able to sit with friends in the auditorium and eat their lunch there.

The eatery gave students different options of food to try instead of bringing in their own food or eating the lunch offered at school.

By Carol Phillips – News Editor

Law’s National Honor Society hosted the Giving Tree once again this year.

The Giving Tree, which is located in the main lobby, features gift tags that indicate what presents children within our community want for the holidays.  All donations are anonymous so anyone was able to donate whatever they could.

This year, over 100 gifts were collected for 50 children in the community.

“It’s a great way to spread the holiday spirit,” NHS president Sofya Calvin said.

The purpose of the drive is to connect the community and give back during the holiday season.  Law partners with Bridges in Milford and fills the lists of the children within the community.

“People want to give back but don’t know how,” Calvin said.  “No one realizes that one gift makes a difference, and it is a big difference to those kids.”

The Giving Tree started in the beginning of December and ended Tuesday, December 16.  Law’s students, faculty, and family members all helped purchase the gifts the children wanted for the holidays.

On December 18, the counselors from Bridges came in to pick up all of the gifts for their children.  All of the gifts received were well though-out and each child got everything they asked for on the list.

“These kids have something to looks forward to now in the holiday season,” NHS secretary Raeven Grant said.

The NHS looks forward to hosting the Giving Tree in the future.

“It is a really nice program and it helps foster peoples generosity,” NHS member Rasheeda Samih said.

 

By Ian Hugo – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law has had a new club this year which is looking to take the school by storm: Video Game Club.

Video Game Club, which meets every Tuesday after school in Room 198, is headed by Jonathan Law math teacher Mr. Ruzbarsky. The purpose of Video Game Club is for people to get together, create strategies for certain games, and to play them as well.

“Everyone in this day and age plays video games at some level,” Ruzbarsky said.  “I wanted to start a club that could bring people from all sorts of backgrounds together and share in our common interests.”

Any game that is school appropriate is fair game, and students can expect to be playing on consoles such as the Xbox 360/Xbox One, Playstation 3/Playstation 4, and even the occasional throwback to old-school consoles such as Atari.

The club seems to be very popular with students, with around 15-20 students showing up after school each Tuesday, eager to see which game they will be playing next.

“I really like it, you play a lot of games on different consoles,” senior Ernest Gonzales said. “You don’t just play on a modern console, you can play on Atari, Nintendo 64, and Gamecube.”

Ruzbarsky got the inspiration to start this club after watching eSports and seeing a highlight of a teacher who started a club for the extremely popular computer game called “League of Legends.” “League of Legends” has quickly become the most popular game in the eSports community in the past four years, requiring huge amounts of teamwork and strategy.

“My inspiration came from [League of Legends] to start a club where students can play together,” Ruzbarsky said.

Ruzbarsky, an avid gamer, is currently very involved with League of Legends, a game he describes as being not only cooperatively based, but also very individually based, as well as several app titles, such as “Clash of Clans,” “Boom Beach,” “Brave Frontier,” and “Marvel Contest of Champions.” Ruzbarsky has also been involved with MMO games such as “World of Warcraft,” “Ultima,” and “Everquest.”

In terms of long term plans for Video Game Club, Ruzbarsky says his initial goals are to have end of the year tournaments and have students compete for the title of champion of various games for the year.

Ruzbarsky isn’t prepared to stop there, though. He is hoping that in the future there will be some sort of league where students from surrounding schools can get together and compete against each other in various video games, just as any other sport or extracurricular activity does.

Most importantly, students should know that Video Game Club is open to everyone and a great way to have fun and make new friends.

“It’s a great time to just come and relax and share in what everyone enjoys,” Ruzbarsky said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Laura Gonzalez – News Editor

Jonathan Law and Foran High School joined forces withBarnes and Noble once again for their annual holiday book fair on Sunday, December 14.

Schools and other nonprofit organizations have been pairing up with Barnes and Noble to encourage students and adults to join in on the love of books and literature.

“It’s a win-win partnership because the schools get to earn money in a fun and party-like atmosphere,” said Karen Dydzuhn, Barnes and Noble’s Business Development Manager.

Barnes and Nobles provides a location, a variety of products, and personalized support by Dydzuhn. The store also sets up the fair and advertises it to the public.

This year’s holiday fair included an arts and crafts table, face painting, student artwork, a raffle, Christmas carolers, a gift wrapping table, and meet and greet by some children authors, including Mr. Woodbridge, a Latin teacher at Foran, and his wife.

“This being the holidays and there being a lot of people out shopping for the holidays with their kids and families we thought we would do a more family oriented event,” said Mrs. Briggs, Law’s Library Media Specialist.

Ten percent of all purchases (including the Starbucks café and online purchases made until December 19) made by each school’s supporters is given to the school’s media center as Barnes and Noble gift certificates, which are used to purchase new books and make any special requests for students.

“I think the student turn out is great this is the first time I’ve had nearly this many Foran students,” said Foran’s Library Media Specialist Mr. Pellegrino. “Usually I don’t get too many volunteers to come, so I think it’s been wonderful, and everyone seems to be having a good time.”

Mrs. Nancy Garfield Woodbridge, author of “Daniel’s Return,” “Hilary and the Secret Skulls,” “A Bouquet of Fairy Tales,” and other children’s books, also expressed her surprise at the large amount of students and adults.

“I was surprised to see so many people her today. It’s great,” Woodbridge said. “I write children’s books which a number of people might have an interest in, so I wanted to be here.”

Each school brought student volunteers to help with guidance and at stations with face painting and arts and crafts.

“I love supporting Law, and I think it’s great that we can get money for our school to support us,” said Law freshman Dominick Buccitti.

All the volunteers said they were glad to see so many people and so many activities, and they were proud to be able help their schools in such a simple and fun way.

“I wanted to help at the book fair because I really care about my school and its library, and I wanted to help raise some money to make them better,” said Foran junior Emma Bromley.

By Michaela Pounds – Staff Reporter

Homecoming turned out to be more exciting than usual this year, with many creative Homecoming proposals and students buying more tickets than ever before.

Some of the well-thought out proposals included Jeremy Doucette’s “Homecoming?” sign in the student parking lot, and R.J. Lynch asking Kelly Scianna with a football that said, “Will you tackle homecoming with me?”

“The homecoming proposals were cute and romantic,” senior Ismar Junuovic said. “I wish I was asked.”

The dance was organized by senior class officers Sofya Calvin, Ben Longobardi, Ming-Yeah Hu, Kelsey Kopazna, Mathilda Hill, and Nina Martinez as well as senior class advisor Mrs. Kovacs.

“Seeing the positive response from Homecoming was the best part about putting it together,” Calvin said. “In previous years I’ve noticed that people said Homecoming was boring, but this year there was a great turnout and people had an enjoyable time.”

Homecoming was held in the cafeteria, and the senior café was filled with beverages and snacks that students could purchase. There were 440 students who purchased tickets and came to the dance.

The senior café became a good place to relax when dancing became too tiring.

Students agreed that they enjoyed their time at Homecoming this year.

“The best part of Homecoming was getting to dance with everyone, and I had a fun time with my friends,” senior Chelsea Bernal said.

Freshmen who attended their first Homecoming were excited and surprised about how fun the dance was.

“I’m so glad I came to Law,” freshman Chloe McCullough said. “I already feel like part of the family because of all the new friends I’ve made and the awesome time I had at Homecoming.”

Students said that the dance had awesome music as well. Seniors Craig Calderone and Mick Murray helped to DJ the event.

“During my freshman year there weren’t that many kids,” senior Morgan Colombo said. “Compared to this year, there were more people and more decorations, so everyone had more fun.”

 

By Hayley Sanchez – Editor-in-Chief

Midterm exam week is going to look a little different at Jonathan Law this year.

In previous years, the schedule for midterms was five consecutive half days with two midterms per day, with students leaving after they had completed their midterms for that given day. In January, midterm week will be held, but students will take exams for part of the day, and then go to class the rest of the day.

“I believe that the district feels more instruction time will benefit all students,” Law principal Mr. Thompson said.  “I feel that any time students can be in class with teachers is beneficial.”

With the new midterm schedule there will not be any half days and the exams will alternate between class periods.  The grade that the students receive on the exam will be calculated into their second marking period and will no longer count as 10 percent of their year-end average.

The primary reason behind these changes is to increase the amount of time students spend in class.

“I really like the fact that students can take eight courses now,” Assistant Superintendent Mr. Cummings said.  “I am concerned though that there is less instructional time in each of those classes.  On the midterm schedule, I do think more time in class is good for learning.”

The exams will be given out on the “E” and “F” day schedules where the Tuesday and Wednesday of midterm week are “E” days, and the Thursday and Friday of midterm week are “F” days.

Exam periods will be 88 minutes, not two hours like in previous years.

The exams will start on Tuesday, January 13, 2015, when students will take their first and fifth period class exam. Between the two exams students will go to their third period class, and after the fifth period exam, students will report to their seventh period class.

The opposite will happen on Wednesday, when students take their third and seventh period class exam. Before students take their third period exam, they report to their first period class, and after they take their third period exam, the students will go to their fifth period class before going to the seventh period exam.

On Thursday, students will take their second and sixth period exam but also report to their fourth and eighth period class.  The opposite will happen on the Friday where the students will take their fourth and eighth period class exam and will go to their second and sixth period class.

Make-ups for the exams must be arranged between the teacher and students and if a common time cannot be agreed upon, the school will arrange a time for make-ups.

Many students and teachers are taking a wait-and-see approach to the new schedule.

“New things are always met with questions and anxiety,” health teacher Mr. Sweeney said. “We will have to see how it plays out to really have an opinion or perspective on the new midterm schedule.”

All courses will have an exam except for those who have been exempt from exams in the past.  Seniors that are CAPT scholars, have an average of a B+ or better in the class, and no cuts are exempt from taking the final exam for semester courses.

While most students seem receptive to the changes, others were a little concerned with the timing of the announcement.

“I’m not a fan that the schedule is being changed this far into the year,” senior Carol Phillips said. “It’s nerve-racking that we don’t know really what is going on when midterms are coming up in about a month.”

By Carol Phillips – News Editor

Jonathan Law celebrated Veterans Day twice this year.

On Tuesday, November 11, the morning began with a special episode of Eagle Eye News that included three special guests.

Sophomore Sarah Golden sang the National Anthem, and then Sergeant Kyle Stafford, who is a full-time National Guard soldier, and retired Air Force member Mike Thibodeau joined host Melissa Hanania on set.

Sergeant Stafford spoke about his experiences in Afghanistan and how being in the military shaped him as a person.

“Just the things that I’m able to withstand and deal with on a personal level, I’ve been able to deal with them,” Sergeant Stafford said. “It shows me a lot about myself and what I can do and how I can go about doing things.”

Thibodeau also shared his thoughts on Veterans Day and what the holiday means to him.

“It’s a mixed feeling; it’s sad to say you have to think about the ones who have passed and the ones who are still coming up,” Thibodeau said. “And there’s a lot of stuff going on in the world where you need them.”

During common time, students throughout the school participated in an activity where they wrote a message to veterans on strips of red, white, or blue paper. These strips then were linked together to make a large chain and was given to the VFW of Milford.

“I thought that writing to the veterans was very important because they deserve recognition for all that they have accomplished and am glad I was able to thank them,” senior Michaela Pounds said.

On Eagle Eye News, Dean of Students Mr. Ragaini asked students to “think about the men and women in our armed services who have served the country in peace and war and the sacrifices they’ve made to defend our country.”

On Wednesday, November 12, Law invited two very important men to come talk to selected history classes. Both men shared stories about their experiences in World War II.

Walter “Bud” Smith is a 90 year old World War II veteran who was a part of the Battle of the Bulge and a Prisoner of War.

His job was to scout the German tanks. He jumped into a foxhole with some other soldiers for protection, and soon after a German soldier put a gun to the back of his head and captured them. He was a POW for over five months.

The other man was Lou, a 93 year old World War II veteran. He was a tank destroyer, and his job was to hold a road in Belgium and not let any German soldiers advance.

These two men met at a club playing golf and have been friends ever since.

“I thought the two gentlemen that came and spoke to us were really cute and inspiring,” senior Hayley Sanchez said. “What they said actually has some importance to me in the fact that I have a lot of family in the military.”

Here is a slideshow of all of the Homecoming invites that were sent to us on Twitter.

Some creative stuff…

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This slideshow requires JavaScript.

By Laura Gonzalez – News Editor

Jonathan Law’s award-winning marching band and color guard finished their seasons on a high key.

The band and guard, which have a total of 43 members (32 band and 11 guard), earned two first places and four second places over the course of their competition season.

Mr. Marino, the band and guard director, said he is very pleased with the effort put in this season and he feels the results are a good reflection of this, but most of all he is glad students enjoyed themselves.

“The kids seemed to have had a lot of fun this year,” Marino said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Marino listed some of his key players as Caitlynn Murphy on drums, April Ospina on saxophone, Max Caserta on trombone and guitar, Gabe Tan on trumpet, Jeffrey Eng on clarinet, and Jaime Georgelos on keys.

Caserta, a junior and an aspiring musician, said he too was impressed with the group effort and cooperation between band members and Marino.

“The band as a whole, every year comes such a long way from the beginning of the season. We are learning musical techniques every year from Mr. Marino,” said Caserta. “And at every competition the band does something to get better, whether it’s listening to see if we are in tune or paying attention to the tempo.

Amanda Norman, also a junior and third-year band member, agreed with this comment and complimented the freshman class’ improvement over the course of the year.

“Everyone worked really hard this season to improve their sound and their marching; the freshmen especially came a long way since the beginning of band camp,” said Amanda Norman.

Band and guard hold their practices twice a week during marching season, usually from 7 to 9 p.m., and they compete on Saturdays. They also performed at citywide parades, including the Veterans’ Day Parade and this year’s Milford 375^th Anniversary Parade.

This year will complete Marino’s 27^th year as band director and he said his wish for the future is to see more students involved in band and guard.

“This season was hard because overall membership was down which detracts from the sound of a marching band, but we were constantly striving to improve,” said Georgelos, a senior and pit section leader. “Our score went up every week, and we gained about 10 points over the course of the season.”

Band and guard members also recently paid a visit to West Shore Middle School to play a show and to recruit new members. They welcome both experienced and unexperienced students.

Paris Ramirez, a West Shore eight grade student who plays with the Law band, said band has help him on both a personal and a musical level.

“I used to be a person who just plays games, but ever since I joined the marching it has made me more active and social,” Ramirez said. “I’ve learned along the way. I learned all the notes around two weeks because (the section leaders) teach me every day.”

Both band and guard members describe the band as a second family that they are proud to be part of and that they wish to continue with through their high school careers.

“Overall, everyone in band gets along very well, shares blankets at the competitions, which get very cold, and generally looks out for one another because we recognize the importance of working as a team and as a unit (after all, this is marching band- we have to be in unison),” Georgelos said.

Junior color guard member Megan Casey said she loves being part of the band and color guard family.

“I want to be a part of band because it’s like a little family… and I’ve never had more fun in my life,” said Casey. “Yes, you have to work hard but the reward is definitely worth it.”

Now that they have finished with competitions, the band will continue to play at Friday night football games.

They have their last show of the year on November 27 at the Law vs. Foran Thanksgiving Day football game and will then reunite for the St. Patrick’s Day and the Memorial Day parades.