By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor

Mrs. Van Peck is a new Spanish teacher at Jonathan Law. 

This is Van Peck’s eighth year teaching and she came to Law from a small charter school in Bridgeport. 

Van Peck is excited to be working at Law. She said the school gives off strong family vibes and the teachers and students are both very welcoming. 

“My hopes for the school year are to create some great connections with the staff and students. I look forward to being a part of the family community here at Law,” Van Peck said.

Van Peck also shares her goals for the 2025-2026 school year.

“My goals for this school year are to spread positivity and my love for the Spanish language and culture,” Van Peck said.

Van Peck encourages students to say “Hola” to her in the halls. She would also love some restaurant recommendations in Milford.

By Madi Black – Social Media Editor in Chief 

Jonathan Law welcomed a new Culinary teacher this year, Ms. Hawie. 

Hawie had been teaching at Harborside Middle School and is looking forward to joining a new community and lifestyle. 

“Before coming to Law, I taught Social Studies at Harborside,” Hawie said. “Teaching at a new school means I’m doing a lot of learning right now, but it’s really exciting.”

Hawie is adjusting to :aw and is looking forward to the school year ahead with her new coworkers and new students. 

“I’m loving Law so far – every single staff member has been so welcoming and helpful,” Hawie said. “The students are great and there’s a real feeling of community here.”

One of her students, sophomore Grace French, is grateful to have her as a new teacher and loves how she’s fitting in. 

“I love how Ms. Hawie teaches,” French said. “You would never know that it was her first year if you just walked in the room, she adjusted so well and so fast.”

Hawie can’t wait to see all the after school events at Law and can’t wait to share some of her favorite things with her new students. 

“I’m looking forward to sharing some of my favorite recipes with my students and seeing them take pride in what they create in the kitchen,” Hawie said. “I also can’t wait to see the JLHS Drama performance of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,’ because I’ve been a big fan of the Harry Potter series since the very beginning. I’m just excited to get to know new people, watch the students learn and grow, and be part of all the positive things happening here.”

By Ava Grippo – Entertainment Editor

Mrs. Duggan is the new Social Worker at Jonathan Law. 

Duggan came to Law from Guilford High School, where she was working as a Community Social Worker. She is also a Guilford High School graduate. 

Duggan said that she is enjoying working at Jonathan Law and that teachers and students have been incredibly welcoming. She believes that Law is a great community to be a part of due to the positive energy and welcoming environment. 

Duggan hopes that she will be able to help students and collaborate with other teachers. 

“My biggest hope is to build positive connections with both students and staff,” Duggan said. “I want to be someone students can rely on and staff can easily collaborate with. I also hope to help create an environment where everyone feels supported and encouraged.”

Duggan shared her goals for the year as the new Social Worker. 

“My goal is to meet students where they are and better understand what works best for them,” Duggan said. “I want to provide support that benefits both students and families whether that means helping set goals, working through challenges, or connecting them with resources. My focus is on being consistent and approachable so students at Law feel supported.”

By Anwita Puttam – News Editor 

The newest group of Jonathan Law freshmen recently began the first few steps of their high school lives. 

Members of the Class of 2029 are learning how to navigate themselves through high school, exploring different opportunities that surround them.

Law Principal Mr. Darcy has some advice for the newest members of our school.

“I’ve had a chance to be in classrooms, lunches and in class meetings with our 9th graders and I’m thrilled they are part of our JLHS family,” Darcy said. “They seem happy, supportive and engaged in our classrooms and I’m excited to see what the next four years will bring.”

Other teachers at Law agreed with Darcy’s statement about the freshman and said they are a very enthusiastic group of kids.

“They’re a really friendly, enthusiastic group, and I’m excited to get to know them better,” English teacher Mrs. Anderson said. “Everything is already off to a great start—I think it’s going to be a fantastic year.”

Darcy said it is important for freshman to try to get involved in the Law community.

“My advice is to get involved,” Darcy said. “Join a club, play an instrument, join Drama, or play a sport. The more involved you are in your school community, the more connected you are and the better you perform academically as well.”

Many of the freshmen have taken this advice, or are planning on following it in their future days at Jonathan Law. Most have joined clubs and sports, or are planning on trying them out and joining our extracurricular groups.

“I do like the teachers; they’re pretty nice and they don’t give much work for now at least,” Freshman Nina Hernandez said. “I like my cross country team. They’re all super nice and welcoming” 

The staff and students at Law have also helped make the freshman feel welcomed and comfortable in this new school. The people around them have helped his new group of highs choolers feel like Law is a safe environment.

“Every single student is so welcoming and all the teachers are so friendly,” freshman Vanessa Chen said. “On my first day of school, I immediately felt so welcomed and comfortable by everyone around me.”

Freshman Yunxi Ren agreed with Chen.

“So far Jonathan Law has been an amazing school for me,” Ren said. “The students here have been very helpful and nice.”

By Cora Aitkenhead – News Editor

Jonathan Law’s female student-athletes held an Athletic Clinic this summer to introduce incoming freshman to each of the fall sports Law has to offer. 

Law fall sports for females consist of: Soccer, Volleyball, Cross Country, and Swim and Dive. Organized by senior Girls Soccer Captain Fiorella Gargiulo, the event walked through a small activity for each sport that would give them a feel for what drills, stretches, workouts, that sport contains during the season. 

“The freshman girls got to experience each fall sport, no commitment, to get a taste of what type of player they envision themselves to be,” Gargiulo said. “Even committed upperclassmen got to see what a practice may look like for a sport they have never played before, which allowed them to get a deeper understanding and appreciation for our peers that may not be our teammates.”

For cross country, the freshmen were each paired up with an upperclassmen to go for a quick run. For soccer, freshmen were walked through a few drills focusing on footwork as well as finishing and scoring goals. 

For swim and dive, the group of girls sat in a circle and swim captains ran the group through a small workout that they do. For volleyball, the group headed to the gym to do some passing drills. 

“It was a great day to get our feet wet, so to speak, by getting a taste of every sport,” freshman Olivia DeSimone said. 

The upperclassmen running this event have shown great commitment to their sports over the last two to three years, but have also become great role models and friends to the incoming players. 

“The upperclassman created and led each activity,” Law Girls Soccer Coach Mrs. Francisco said. “They had to think of the level of the athletes participating, what would be a fun and engaging activity and how to best implement them.” 

The freshman not only learned a little bit about new sports, but learned why being a part of a team – especially at Law – is a special opportunity. 

“It really stuck in my mind that high school sports are so much more than just practicing and playing the game,” DeSimone said,.“It’s community, building relationships with people, and finding a group that you can be a part of because there’s something for everyone here at Law.”

Junior Alivia Bogert spoke on how her experience with Law sports had led to more involvement, friendships, and even potential opportunities even past what Law has to offer. 

“Law female sports is a great way to connect with the school,” Bogert said. “You can make so many new friends, and there are many sports scholarships if you want to play past the high school level.”

To conclude the event, the upperclassmen opened the floor allowing for questions, and spoke of what each team likes to do for team bonding, practices after school, and any other information important to the sport. 

By Henry Smith – Sports Editor 

Mrs. Bradford joined the Law community this year as a new History teacher.

Bradford is teaching Modern World history and AP Macroeconomics. She comes to Law from Foran High School where she taught Humanities and Model UN.

“My transition to Law has been relatively smooth except for figuring out where classrooms are,” Bradford said. “I feel a little like a freshman.”

Bradford’s arrival to law has been met with excitement from Law Principal Mr. Darcy.

“When I first met Mrs. Bradford I could easily see that she was kind, caring and passionate about her job,” Darcy said. “All of those attributes will allow her to have a lasting impact in the Law community.”

Bradford hopes to help students do their very best and learn along with her students.

“My goals for this year are to help my students do their very best and learn AP Macro (my first year!) along with my students,” Bradford said. “I am looking forward to getting to know everyone better as the year progresses.”

Law has been a very welcoming and positive environment to Bradford.

“I really like the vibe of Law,” Bradford said. “Everyone seems really friendly – staff, students, and teachers. It does feel like a family.”

As the year goes on, Bradford hopes to grow alongside her students and make a lasting impact on Law.

By Dylan Gaillard – Sports Editor 

Key Club is one of the most popular clubs at Jonathan Law.

The community-service-based club has many goals for the 2025-2026 school year.

“Key Club is an international high school community service program,” Senior District Bulletin Editor for New England Harshitha Kothapalli said. “There are many different levels to Key Club, such as Divisional, District, and International.”

Kothapalli said the club is aiming to increase membership and to continue to serve the community as the year progresses.

“One of my personal goals is to publish five editions of the district publication, The YanKey,” Kothapalli said. “As a club as a whole, our goals are to increase our membership, raise money for different charities like Camp Sunshine, and incorporate service projects into our club meetings.”

Key Club is open to anyone who attends Jonathan Law High School.

“Our first meeting is Wednesday, September 10, in the TLC at 7 p.m.,” Senior President Kayla Markowitz said. “Everyone is welcome to join us.”

Key Club is hosting many fun and exciting events during this school year.

“I’m most excited for the annual Kickball Tournament that all students can participate in,” Senior Treasurer David Guery said. “That is always fun to watch and host.”

Members said that Key Club has endless benefits.

“Currently, I am a member of Key Club, filling in many of the open positions and volunteering opportunities,” sophomore Yusuf Genc said. “The hours you get from this volunteer work are really beneficial for graduation, it stacks up every year, and also helping the community and boosting the future is a win for me.”

Key Club also has new events that they are hosting this year. 

“We would also love to plan more service projects like Trick or Treat for UNICEF,” Markowitz said. “We are hoping to start a new event this year, which would be a Walk-a-Thon for Camp sunshine.”

DECON is one of the main events that the club attends at the end of the year.

“DECON is a conference where we congregate with all the other key clubs in the New England Bermudan district,” Guery said. “They teach you leadership, and you are also awarded for your club’s accomplishments from the past year.”

The main goal of Key Club is to build community – at Law and beyond.

“First of all, the people you can meet are just amazing, it’s a fun space where you can meet new people,” Genc said. “The warm community key club offers is just unbelievable, and you never know whose story you will see next.”

By Molly Lynch – Editor-In-Chief

The SAVE Promise Club held its first meeting of the new school year on September 8 after school in Room 125.

The goal of the SAVE Promise Club is to empower youth to take a role in increasing school safety and violence prevention.The club has many exciting events coming up that bring a fun way to raise awareness on violence prevention and mental health.

“Some events we are planning on doing is a SAVE x Morgan’s Message Football game theme,” Senior President Sarah McCann said. “We would like to educate the school on how SAVE and Morgan’s Message are major mental health organizations, specifically Morgan’s Message with athlete mental health and what better place to spread the message than a football game.”

Mrs. Bregoli, one of Law’s special education teachers, is SAVE’s new Advisor this year.

“I wanted to take over as Advisor this year because I believe every kid should have someone to turn to, whether that’s a friend, teacher or trusted adult in the building,” Bregoli said. “No one should ever feel alone and I want to help spread our positive, friendly supportive mission to our community.”

Joining SAVE helps spread awareness about the global issue of mental health.

“People should join the club because it is a great way to spread awareness about mental health and it is such an important topic worldwide,” Senior Vice President Melissa Servas said.

The club goes on numerous field trips and hopes to create lifelong memories for its members.

“Some of my favorite memories are going to the Save Summit in Philadelphia and the hot cocoa carts we do every year,” junior Aislyn McKernan said.

SAVE Promise Clubs around the world come together to help provide a safe and inclusive environment for students and members of the Law community.

“The club works with organizations across the school, state, and nation that have a positive impact on students here at JLHS,” Law Principal Mr. Darcy said. “The club provides a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for every student and member of our school community.”

By Sebastian Beltran – Social Media Editor  

Jonathan Law Health and Safety teacher Mr. Sweeney teaches students how to think about their futures and make the correct decisions.

For more than 25 years, Sweeney has been teaching Health and Safety at Law. In his classroom, students don’t just learn facts for a test; they learn lessons they can carry into their futures.

“I chose to teach Health and Safety because I believe it provides students with the knowledge and skills that have the most immediate and lifelong impact,” Sweeney said. “Health education equips young people to make informed decisions about their physical, mental, and social well-being—choices that affect their daily lives both inside and outside of school.”

Sweeney said that he hopes his students learn lessons in Health and Safety that extend past the classroom.

“For me, it’s about more than just covering topics; it’s about empowering students to take responsibility for themselves, to recognize the importance of prevention, and to build habits that promote resilience and success,” Sweeney said. “Health and Safety also opens the door to important conversations about relationships, self-awareness, goal-setting, and making safe decisions that help students develop confidence and life skills.”

In class, Sweeney also talks about his life and teaches students how to make the best decisions. He believes that by talking about these important issues, students can better prepare for the challenges of adulthood.

Students in his classes agree that the lessons go beyond and really connect to their lives.

“Mr. Sweeney teaches us about things we will actually need after high school, like how to handle stress and make smart choices,” senior Jack Lefevre said. “It makes me feel more prepared for real life, not just school.

Sweeney hopes that each student leaves his class with something that makes positive decisions in their life – not just in high school, but throughout their lives.

“Mr. Sweeney always finds a way to connect what we learn in class to real life,” senior Samuel Porzelt said.  He wants us to think about our choices and how they will affect our future.

By focusing on skills such as decision-making, goal-setting, and life-saving techniques like CPR, he continues to give students the tools they need to succeed in high school, in their personal lives, and in the future.

“The most important skill by far is the CPR AED unit, because it provides first aid and life saving techniques,” Sweeney said.

By Aislyn McKernan – Social Media Editor-in-Chief 

The Morning Briefing aired its first episode of the year on September 8. 

Law’s morning news show serves as a daily report for all things happening in Law. It is a way for students to learn more about Law and keep updated on upcoming events.

“I would tell the freshmen class to watch the news daily because it has important information to help them get involved in the Law community,” Advisor Ms. Kelly said. “It also usually includes hilarious and incredible content created by our seniors that should inspire them to be on the news one day.” 

The Morning Briefing features announcements about events, clubs, lunches, activities, dances, and more. Each episode also features interviews and other student-produced stories and projects.

The show is produced live daily by Law’s Broadcast Journalism class. It also stars different seniors each day. 

“I wanted to take Broadcast this year because I think it’s a great way to produce content that really gives people an idea of all the great things going on at Law,” senior Kayla Markowitz said. 

Kelly and the Broadcast class have many goals for this year.

“One of my goals for the year is to highlight more content on the morning news,” Kelly said. “I want to help promote all of our incredible clubs and get our students involved.”

Senior Harshitha Kothapalli said the class is already brainstorming several new ideas for the show.

“Our goals for the Morning Briefing this year are for it to be a place that students can rely on for important information while also creating a sense of community at Law,“ Kothapalli said. “From recording ‘Man-On-The-Street’ videos to promoting our sports teams, it should be inviting students to get more involved.”

By Courtney Russo – Social Media Editor-in-Chief

Jonathan Law welcomed a new Spanish teacher this year, Mrs. Morazzini.

Morazzini first taught at Foran High School for 14 years. Then, she pursued opportunities in Stratford at Bunnell High School. Most recently, she taught at North Haven High School in North Haven. 

Morazzini is adapting nicely to the change to Law.

“My first few days at Law have been amazing,” Morazzini said. “The staff and students have been extremely welcoming and I am so happy to be here. It feels like home already.”

Morazzini currently teaches AP Spanish, Spanish 3 L1, and Spanish 3 L2. She has noticed how welcoming Law has made her feel.

“What stands out the most at Law is the community of students, teachers, and administrators,” Morazzini said. “The energy here is unique and special.”

Law staff have gone out of their way to make Morazzini feel welcome and at home. Morazzini said that the staff have welcomed her with smiles and hugs. She has worked with some of her colleagues at different schools once before and is now honored to be able to work with them again.

In her free time, Morazzini enjoys spending time with her husband (Law Science teacher Mr. Morazzini) and their three children, cooking, going to the beach, or enjoying her garden that is filled with hydrangeas.

Sophomore Dylan Gaillard enjoys having Morazzini as a teacher this year.

“I have really enjoyed the class so far this year,” Gaillard said. “ Every class is very engaging and fun.”

In high school, Morazzini was in the Marching Band and was the Clarinet Section Leader and Band President. 

By Courtney Russo – Social Media Editor-in-Chief

Jonathan Law is excited to welcome a new History teacher, Ms. Suson. 

This year, Suson is teaching U.S. History L2, History Through Film, and World History. Suson said her first days at Law have already made her feel at home.

“It’s been like a happy reunion running into students I once taught before,” Suson said. “The building is a bit of a maze for me, but teachers, staff, and students have gone out of their way to help me.”

Before Law, Suson taught sixth grade at Harborside Middle School for 11 years, and then moved to West Shore, where she taught for another 10 years. 

Sophomore Abbi Leydon shared how she’s loving Suson’s teaching strategies. 

“As a teacher, she is super sweet,” Leydon said. “When we do notes or work, she goes over everything fully so everyone understands it.”

Suson notices that she gets a lot of smiles throughout the day at Law. The staff and students constantly help and care for each other, which makes her feel very welcomed.

“My colleagues have been checking up on me since the summer, asking how I’ve been doing and offering their support,” Suson said. “The kindness has been overwhelming in the best way.”

Suson said teaching is something she truly loves, and she feels so lucky to share her passion with others.

Outside of teaching, Suson loves learning, exploring, and researching. She loves being creative and exploring new places.

By Kayla Markowitz – Editor-in-Chief 

The 2025-2026 school year has kicked off and Jonathan Law Principal Mr. Darcy is ready to have another great year. Editor-in-Chief Kayla Markowitz interviewed Darcy about the upcoming year. 

Kayla Markowitz: What are you most looking forward to this school year?

Mr. Darcy: All the events like Homecoming, Sophomore Ring Dance, Junior Cotillion, Prom, all the home games, all the pep rallies. All the fun student events we have throughout the year. 

KM: What are your thoughts on the new teachers starting this year?

MD: The great thing about all of them is that their character matches exactly what we’re looking for here at Law. They will always put students first, make strong personal connections with students, and have a kind, open mind to new ideas. 

KM: How do you think your last four years went and what are some things you want to improve on this year?

MD: One thing is Golf Pants Fridays. I think I have done a good job hearing from the students, but I always want to keep working on making sure I am listening to the students’ voice and making sure school policies impact the students in a positive way. 

KM: What is your advice to the new freshman?

MD: Get involved. Stay involved. That is the number one thing I say to all students because the more things you are a part of, whether that’s clubs, sports, Drama, the more connected you will be with the school, and the better you will do academically. 

KM: Do you have any advice to give to our seniors?

MD: Senior year can become very overwhelming. Not only are you working on schoolwork and activities, you’re also planning your future. My overall advice is to try to stay in the moment and not lose sight of your current life. Don’t let senior year fly by. Make that connection. Join that club. 

KM: What does it mean to you to be a Lawman?

MD: No matter what your life is like outside of Jonathan Law High School, no matter what your background is, no matter what your family life may be like, coming together every day and creating a close-knit, warm, loving community is what makes a true Lawman. 

By Harshitha Kothapalli – Editor-in-Chief 

Mr. Stanton, beloved Physics teacher and long-time mentor, is retiring this year after 29 years of dedication to Jonathan Law High School.

Known for his engaging lessons and boundless energy, Stanton has impacted generations of students and staff. Since arriving at Law in 1996, his ability to teach anything from complex physics concepts to simple life lessons has made him a favorite among students and faculty.

“Mr. Stanton’s ability to connect and build positive relationships with students is what sets him apart,” Principal Mr. Darcy said. “He has a personality that draws students into his classroom activities. He’s supportive, has a great sense of humor, and is probably the most active person on staff. He’s always on the move, doing something meaningful for his students or our school.”

Stanton began his teaching journey in 1991 at a school in Stamford before finding his forever home at Law. In addition to his teaching, he played a major role in the Science Club, supporting students alongside Ms. Turcotte and, more recently, Ms. Gagnon. 

“Our kids have done really well over the years, and it has been very satisfying to share in their successes,” Stanton said. “In the classroom, I think it’s just knowing that I have been a positive influence on students, that someone took away something that is helping them today … that’s a very satisfying thing to think.”

To many students, though, it’s not just what Stanton taught, it’s how he made them feel. 

“Mr. Stanton has helped me so much since I’ve come to Law,” junior Rose O’Connell said. “His constant support and guidance have truly inspired me. I will miss his brilliant blend of wisdom and wit, his way of turning even the most complex physics concepts into life lessons, all while making you laugh.”

Stanton reflects on his time at Law with deep gratitude, knowing he’s made an impact. He’ll miss the buzz of daily school life, the students, the faculty, and yes, even the intensity of it all.

“Everything and all of you,” he said when asked what he’ll miss most. “Maybe not some of the paperwork and meetings, but it’s been a tremendous experience here.”

After retirement, Stanton looks forward to trying new things – advice he also hopes to pass on to the next generation.

“First, each of us needs to realize that we have value and that we can do absolutely amazing things if we really want to,” he said. “Second, if we keep trying, we can accomplish really difficult things. And finally, please remember, it is never too late to go and try something new. That’s what I did when I came here, and it’s what I will be doing next.”

Stanton leaves behind a legacy of not just academic excellence but of inspiration, kindness, and a contagious passion for learning. His presence at Law will be forever missed, but never forgotten. 

By Sebastian Beltran – Staff Reporter 

Mr. Lui teaches Civics and American Government and AP U.S. History at Jonathan Law.

But in his lessons he gives students real world knowledge they can use, like what to do when pulled over by the police and understanding their rights as citizens.

“I really enjoy teaching about political socialization – basically what influences the way people form their political beliefs,” Lui said. “It’s always a fun topic because students bring in such a wide range of opinions, whether they lean more conservative or liberal. Their personal stories and perspectives make the conversations way more meaningful.”

Lui teaches his students how to stay informed about the government, while helping them understand their role as citizens, especially in this age where politics and social media blend together.

“Because everything from TikTok to taxes involves the government in some way, students are growing up in a world with a lot of political division,” Lui said. “They need to understand how the system works so they can be informed”

Mr. Lui’s passion for teaching Civics comes from his personal interests and a desire to make a difference. 

“I’ve always liked history and politics,” Lui said. “Civics just felt like a good fit. Plus, I wanted to teach something that helps students understand their rights and responsibilities and how they can actually make a difference.”

Students said that Lui’s lessons are very relatable and memorable.

“One thing that really stuck with me in Mr. Lui’s class was about the importance of doing things the right way while still having fun and being creative,” junior Brian Gonzalez said. “He didn’t just teach me about Civics, he taught us how to think for ourselves, understand what we were learning, and enjoy the process. That balance between structure and creativity really made his class stand out.”

Lui tries to make his classes entertaining so that students better understand politics and the government. 

“I do my best to make the topics relatable,” Lui said. “It’s always fun teaching civics when there’s an election year. I also try to mix up the different types of activities we do in class.”

Lui’s Civics class is different from a typical government class.  

“Mr. Lui’s Civics class stands out because it teaches students practical skills, such as understanding their rights and how to act in real-life situations,” junior William Soda said. “He also makes the topics fun and easy to understand, including creative activities and encouraging open discussion. He also connects politics to everyday life, such as social media and taxes, helping students understand how the government affects them personally.”

By Aislyn McKernan – Social Media Editor

With the end of the year approaching, Advocate Social Media Editor interviewed Law Principal Mr. Darcy to reflect on the 2024-2025 school year. 

Aislyn McKernan: What was your favorite memory of this year?

Mr. Darcy: My favorite memory is talking to students in the TLC. Just getting to know them and seeing how I can help has been a good memory. 

AM: What are your goals for next year?

MD: My goals for next year are to continue to improve how we provide feedback and assess our students. 

AM: What goals did you meet this year?

MD: We met all of our goals this year related to teaching, communication, and other factors.

AM: What is your advice for the upcoming Class of 2029?

MD: The advice for the incoming Class of 2029 is to get involved with a club, activity, or sport. The more involved you are, the more successful you become. 

AM: What is your advice for the graduating Class of 2025?

MD: Stay connected to each other. Don’t let the fact that you are leaving JLHS disconnect you from the people you are close with now. 

AM: Are there any changes you want to make going into next year?

MD: This will depend on what is needed. We adapt and change based on the students and families we are working with. 

AM: Any summer plans?

MD: I’ll be working here at Law for some of the summer, but also have some exciting plans. Our family owns a house in Narragansett near the beach, so we will be there for two weeks. We are also going to Jamaica towards the end of July. 

AM: What was your biggest victory this year?

MD: Our biggest victory will be when our students walk across the stage on June 10th. We have supported this class as much as possible and now it’s time to see them grow into influential people in society. 

AM: What was your biggest challenge?

MD: Professionally speaking, my biggest challenge is always time. When you’re a Principal of a high school, you need to find time for all stakeholders. I feel I’ve done a good job with this, but can always look into finding different ways to use my time effectively to help all.

AM: Any last messages to the Class of 2025?

MD: Feel free to email me anytime after you leave JLHS. Update me on how you are doing and if I can help in anyway. 

By Abigail Merenda – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law Class of 2025 danced the night away at the annual Senior Prom. 

Senior Class Advisors Mrs. Francisco and Ms. Russell planned Prom, which was held at Anthony’s Ocean View. Post-Prom, which was held at the Sports Center of Shelton, was planned by a Post-Prom Committee of Law  parents. 

“Planning Prom was easy this year,” Francisco said. “Anthony’s Ocean View is a beautiful venue and didn’t need much planning on the decorations side. (Spanish teacher) Mrs. Trombetta worked her magic on the centerpieces, balloon arch, and welcome table. The Prom Committee agreed on a theme quickly and we had a great night overall.” 

All of the seniors had such an amazing time. Senior Taylor Coretti said she enjoyed the beach venue. 

“I enjoyed Prom because the venue was very nice,” Coretti said. “It had a nice beach and provided good food. It was fun spending time with my friends whether it was going on the beach, or dancing on the dance floor.” 

Senior Ella Franzman said that she made so many memories at Prom. Franzman spent much of her time at the driving range during Post-Prom. 

“Prom was such a fun night,” Franzman said. “I had so much fun hanging out with all of my friends, dancing and just enjoying every moment together. The energy was amazing, and we made so many memories. Post- Prom was just as great, we spent a lot of time at the driving range and we had so much fun.”

Senior Tessa Piselli loved spending the night dancing with her friends. 

“Prom was a very fun night,” Piselli said. “I had a good time with all of my friends” 

Law Principal Mr. Darcy said that he was thrilled so see the members of Class of 2025 enjoy themselves at Prom.

“I received very positive feedback about the Prom from students,” Darcy said. “Anthony’s was the perfect setting right on the beach by the water. The outside area was a nice location for students to relax in between dancing. The food was great and the students seemed to have a great time. We are looking into booking the same location for next year as well.” 

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

Jonathan Law senior Deepika Chitirala was named Valedictorian for the Class of 2025.  

Chitirala, who will be attending The University of Texas at Austin in the fall of 2025, has compiled an outstanding resume in her time at Law. At UT Austin, Deepika will be majoring in Statistics and Data Science. 

“When I found out I had officially won the Valedictorian spot, I felt a mix of joy, pride, and relief,” Chitirala said. “It was the final culmination of all my years of hard work, late nights, and self-discipline, and that moment made it all worth it. I was proud to see my dedication recognized with the shining title and represented in such a meaningful way.” 

In Chitirala’s time at Law, she has taken 12 Advanced Placement courses including AP Computer Science Principles, AP Calculus AB, AP Computer Science A, AP Psychology, AP Macroeconomics, AP Latin, AP Environmental Science. She is a member and officer for many Honor Societies at Law, including the National Math Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Art Honor Society, Computer Science Honor Society, National English Honor Society, and Latin Honor Society.

Chitirala was also honored with the Bausch + Lomb Honorary Science Award in May 2024, The National Merit Commended Scholar in October 2024, and was an AP Scholar with Distinction Award in July 2024. 

“My first impression of Deepika as a ninth grader was that she was someone who was determined to succeed, was quiet and sort of kept to herself while doing really well in school,” Law Principal Mr. Darcy said. “Deepika has grown into a person who has a ‘quiet confidence’ about her. She not only does well in her classes, but has also opened up socially in our building while becoming a vocal leader in the Senior class.”

This marks the 11th consecutive year a female has been named Valedictorian, and the second year in a row that both the Valedictorian and Salutatorian are both female. 

Computer Science teacher Ms. Corriveau has had the privilege of teaching Chitirala all four years of high school, including two AP classes.

“I have had the relatively unique experience of having Deepika during every year of her high school career,” Corriveau said. “It has been an absolute pleasure of watching her grow not only as a student but as a conscientious, kind, and funny human being.”

Outside of school, Chitirala has also built an impressive resume. She serves as the President of The Greater New Haven Math League, she has been a Girl Scout for six years — where she was also awarded the Girl Scouts of Connecticut Daisy Dream Award in 2024. In addition, Deepika has contributed over 250 hours of volunteer service through various community organizations.

“Balancing rigorous classes, sports, club meetings, and work was complicated, but I managed everything by staying as organized as possible,” Chitirala said.” I always had a planner in my backpack to track my tasks, a whiteboard in my room to help me visualize upcoming deadlines, and a detailed calendar on my phone for all my activities and reminders. I also tried my best to maintain a journal, where I wrote my days, not just to document them, but as a way of keeping myself grounded and collected.”

When asked about her most memorable moments at Jonathan Law, Chitirala couldn’t pick just one. Instead, she highlighted her experience with Model U.N. 

“After four years in the club (three of them as an officer) and attending three NHSMUN conferences, I became part of a close-knit community of people who shared my interests in global issues and debate,” Chitirala said. “It was the perfect way to wrap up not only my senior year, but also a club that has been such a meaningful and defining part of my high school journey.”

As the top student in her class, Chitirala faced her share of challenges. She admitted that burnout and lack of motivation were some of the hardest hurdles. 

“Learning to break tasks into smaller and more manageable steps and setting boundaries helped me push through those moments and build healthier habits for the future,” Chitirala said. 

Chemistry teacher Ms. Turcotte, who was Chitirala’s teacher sophomore year and Science Club advisor for four years, said Chitirala has consistently demonstrated both academic excellence and strong leadership skills, especially in her role as President. 

“I did my best to make the most of my four years at Law, with each one bringing new memories and stories that I’ll always carry with me,” Chitirala said. “Now, as I’ve come to the end of high school, I appreciate everything I was able to experience and accomplish. While it’s a bittersweet feeling, I’m happy to close this meaningful chapter of my life and look forward to the next excitements.” 

By Harshitha Kothapalli – Editor-in-Chief

Jonathan Law High School has named senior Alexandra Fino as the Class of 2025 Salutatorian. 

Fino, who will attend the University of Connecticut this fall, has spent four years at Law building a strong academic and extracurricular foundation. She will continue her education studying subjects she’s deeply passionate about. 

“I am most excited about continuing my education at UConn and studying topics I am more passionate about,” Fino said. “I will be able to focus on specific topics and at a deeper level. I will also be exposed to a large number of new opportunities.”

In addition to maintaining academic excellence throughout her high school career, Fino has been involved in numerous school activities. She was captain of the volleyball team, Vice President of the National Honor Society, and Treasurer of the National English Honor Society. She is also a member of the Math, Science, and Spanish National Honor Societies. 

Her hard work and commitment were recognized with the Harvard Book Award, the SCC Scholar-Athlete Award, and Excellence Awards in Personal Finance, Geometry, AP Government, AP Language, and Pre-Calculus. She has also completed over 200 hours of community service. 

“Being Salutatorian feels rewarding,” Fino said. “Throughout my high school experience, I have worked very hard academically. Whether it was between late-night study sessions or doing my homework on a bus ride home during volleyball. I’ve held myself to a high standard, and earning this title feels as if all this work was worth it, and it was recognized.”

Fino shared that one of her biggest challenges was finding a balance between academics, extracurriculars, and personal time. 

“With taking more challenging courses, a lot of extracurriculars, and having a job, it was difficult to find a balance,” Fino said. “As much as I wanted to succeed academically and be involved in the school community, I also wanted to have time to spend with friends and loved ones. High school is such an important time to have fun and create memories, and I wanted to make sure to experience that as well.”

When asked about her most memorable experiences, Fino reflected on the value of both big accomplishments and small, everyday moments. 

“It is hard to pick the greatest experience when there have been several,” Fino said. “From holding back laughter with my friends in class or being named captain for volleyball, both the smallest and biggest events are so important to me.”

Fino credits much of her success to staying organized and motivated, especially when juggling leadership roles. 

“One method that has worked well for me is planning out everything I need to accomplish,” Fino said. “Whether it is in a planner, on my phone, or just in my head, having an idea of when everything needs to be done and how I will do so makes everything more possible. Staying organized is only half of it, but the other half, the more necessary half, is having the motivation to do what is needed.”

Above all, Fino looks back on her time at Jonathan Law with appreciation for the people and memories that shaped her.

“I enjoyed high school – not only was it a place where I was able to grow and learn academically, but it was also a place where I formed connections with some of the best people,” Fino said. “I’ve met some of my best friends in high school, whether it was through sports teams, clubs, or in class. I had a support system of peers, teachers, and administrators who only wanted to see me thrive. And lastly, I made some of the best memories during my time in high school that I will look back on.”

By Ella Hopkins-Gianotti and Anwita Puttam – Staff Reporters

The senior team won the National Honor Society’s annual Brain Bowl at Jonathan Law High School. 

The Brain Bowl is a annual event that NHS hosts to raise awareness as well as money for brain cancer research. This year, NHS raised $1,100 and donated it to The Cure Starts Now in honor of Finley Maguire. 

“I think that the results were great,” senior NHS member Madde Baranowsky said. “We had many donations and many people actually showed up to the event.”

The NHS has been planning for for the Brain Bowl since the beginning of the school year. It is a long process that includes voting on the themes, creating the tests and questions, making promotional videos, and raising money.

There were four competing teams – each team included four people – and the teams were split up by their grades. Each team put up a fight on stage answering academic and pop culture trivia questions, but the seniors beat the faculty team to win the competition.

“I wish the juniors had like done better but I’m glad like at least like one of the other classes won especially the seniors since i’m going to be a senior next year so now we have like a reputation to uphold,” junior Haliey Stephan said.

Even though they had the least amount of donation points to start the event, the freshman team answered enough questions to advance to the final round against the seniors. 

“Despite the freshman getting robbed of the win, it was such a fun experience that I know every student and contestant enjoyed taking part in,” freshman Vice President Cora Aikenhead said. “The fast-paced environment, responsive audience, and random questions kept everyone on the edge of their seats, and I can’t wait for next year’s Brain Bowl.”

The other two teams had also put up a strong fight for their spot.

“I was a bit disappointed that my team didn’t go on, but I was happy to see the freshmen team almost beat the seniors,” sophomore Everett Alogna said. 

In the end, the seniors had to face the teacher team which included Technology teacher Mr. Barcello.

“It’s always easier to answer the questions when you’re in the seats and then it’s completely different, it seems like, when you get on stage, because it’s more stressful,” Barcello said.

History teacher Mr. Roumeles enjoyed his time as a member of the teacher team.

“It was just a good time overall because the competition was really strong,” Roumeles said.

By Taylor Mola – Staff Reporter

Students from the Jonathan Law Choir attended a Broadway workshop on April 9 and saw the musical “Moulin Rouge.”

“We went to Sony Music Hall which gave students an opportunity to sing with their peers from other states and learn new vocal technicals in the style of musical theater,” Choir Director Mrs. Jones said. “They also get the opportunity to be lead, directed and guided by professional performers that are on Broadway right now either that are in the pit band or actors on stage with leads that they are preforming right now.”

The students went there to be able to enjoy the show but to also partake in a workshop with broadway members before the show. This gave students a chance to learn from some professionals and see what its like to be a broadway actor and got a big learning experience by the end of the day.

“We took a train to New York and we walked all the way to a workshop building where we sang with some of the cast from the play”, Assistant Manager Lexi Velez said. “After we did our workshop shop we all went our separate ways in groups for lunch before the show.”

The Choir ate at Ellen Stardust which was an interactive diner with lots of singing and dancing opportunities.

“My favorite part of the trip had to be Ellen Stardust because it had really good food and everyone was singing around me,” junior Ross Dejusti said.

Students took away many important lessons from the trip.

“I took away that if you work hard towards your dream of performing on stage one day you will be able to,” sophomore Ava Daniele said.

The Broadway members at the workshop taught students how to expand their singing and also showed them different ways that they can add to what they already know and do.

“My favorite part was exploring different types of music and singing with some of the people on Broadway,” sophomore Lexi Localzo said.

After the workshop, the Choir saw a live performance of “Moulin Rouge.” During the show, there were also a lot of performer interactions with the crowd.

“The show itself was my favorite part but more towards the end of the show was cool because we got to see confetti shoot out from behind us as it was ending,” Daniele said. 

By Aiden Ramos and Christian Galligan – Staff Reporters

The Jonathan Law Key Club hosted its third annual Kickball Tournament on April 13 on the Law softball field.

Twelve kickball teams faced off against each other and the Grazers were named champions for the third consecutive year. There was a $5 entry fee for the co-ed tournament.

“The money raised goes towards Camp Sunshine,” Key Club Vice President Kayla Markowitz said. “Camp Sunshine is a summer camp up in Maine that provides free support for children with life threatening illnesses and their families” 

Other Key Club officers and staff members assisted with the scoreboard, pitching, umpiring, collecting donations, taking pictures, and overall making the fundraiser run smoothly.

“My favorite part of the Kickball Tournament is the sense of community it creates,” Dean of Students Mr. Ragaini said. “Everyone comes together, whether they’re playing, cheering, or volunteering, all for an amazing cause. There’s so much energy and positivity, and it’s inspiring to see people having fun while making a real difference for Camp Sunshine.:

The Championship Game came down to JDubs Elite against The Grazers, and after a hard fought battle, The Grazers were crowned champions. 

“Our strategy for winning is that we try to hold teams to less than 10 runs,” senior Alex Rodriguez said. “That’s a number that we know we can beat. Our kicking strategy is to have two or three people get on base and have a stronger kicker try and clear the bases.”

“To make our team better next year we need to build our team chemistry up and have a better strategy on the offensive side,” sophomore Amilio Vendetti said. “If we get that all together, you don’t want to see us next year.”

Regardless of winning or losing, all teams had a great time and felt even better knowing what the money they spent went to.

“I would say the tournament was super fun for everyone involved, and it appeared everyone had a good time playing with and against their friends,” Senior Key Club President Addy Barber said.  

The tournament has hopes to continue into next year and will be looking to crown a new champion, as the Grazers are a team full of seniors.

Overall, members of the Key Club and faculty volunteers were proud of the turnout and the money raised during this year’s tournament.

“The Key Club did an incredible job as always planning this year’s event,” English teacher Mr. Kulenych said. “The tournament ran smoothly, the games were competitive, and most importantly, we came together as a school community to help a great cause.”

By Kishal Shah – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s Senior Prom will take place on Saturday, May 17, at Anthony’s Ocean View in New Haven.

The theme for the 2025 Prom is “Spring By The Shore” to celebrate the welcoming of spring and to keep in theme with the venue location.  

For those who choose to attend, Post-Prom will be held directly afterwards, at the Shelton SportsCenter, from 11:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.

In preparation for the event, the Prom Committee, consisting of Student Council members and seniors who have volunteered their time, helped to plan and communicate the theme and itinerary for the evening.

Senior class secretary Madelyn Baranowsky played a vital role regarding Prom preparations and planning. 

“My biggest piece of advice is to start prepping for Prom earlier than you think you need to,” Baranowsky said. “There are so many things that need to get done and you don’t want to be scrambling at the last minute.”

Baranowsky added that an essential aspect of planning {rom was time management and spacing out responsibilities.

“Make appointments early, and try to have somewhat of an idea of what you want your look to be so that you have time to decide,” Baranowsky added. 

Baranowsky also provided a breakdown of her outfit and what directed the style she chose!

“I didn’t have much inspiration behind my look – I just knew some key features that I wanted,” Baranowsky said. “Sparkles and beading were something that I really wanted, as well as having a fitted top and a flowy bottom.”

Prom has been historically known as an event to showcase art through fashion and clothing, and every attendee’s outfit incorporates personal style, while also paying tribute to the theme.

Senior Class Vice President Sunaina Khan has played an essential role in deciding the theme for the 2025 Senior Prom. 

“The Senior Prom Committee came together to decide on a beach-y and summery theme since spring was right around the corner,” Khan said. “Our Prom location this year is at Anthony’s Ocean View, which definitely played a factor into it as well since it has a beautiful waterfront.”

Senior class president Sarah Ahmed also worked concurrently with Khan to promote the theme for the event.

“Since the venue was at the beach we wanted the advertising and the venue to be beach themed, with it also tying into the spring season,” Ahmed said.

As Vice President, Khan also managed the responsibility of setting budgets and managing expenses for the event. 

“One of the biggest challenges has been managing costs and making sure we have enough funding to cover everything we want our seniors to experience,” Khan said. “Some of our Student Council meetings were entirely focused on allocating funds to make this Prom as memorable as possible.”

Ahmed looks forward to her own plans for the day of Prom, which includes spending time with friends prior to the event. 

“I plan on getting my nails done in the morning, going to buy flowers and make bouquets with my friends, and then getting ready at my house while listening to music or watching a TV show,” Ahmed said. 

Senior Elijah Dos Santos believes the most memorable aspect of the “Prom experience” is to celebrate amongst friends.

“As a kid, I imagined Prom being this huge, magical night, kind of like a Disney movie, with everyone dressed perfectly,” Dos Santos said. “Now that I’m older, I realize it’s probably more about enjoying time with friends, making memories, and just having fun.”

Senior Taylor Corretti will be one of the attendees at Post-Prom, and shared that she is looking forward to the games and social aspects of Post-Prom. 

“I plan on going ice skating, putting tickets in for raffles and probably go to the driving range,” Coretti said. “I think all of these activities will make the night even more memorable.” 

By Cora Aitkenhead and Dani Kotansky – Staff Reporters 

Jonathan Law hosted the annual Junior Cotillion on April 11 at the Patterson Club in Fairfield. 

The dance was a success for all students who attended and Principal Mr. Darcy felt the night was a great opportunity for the kids to unwind and have a fun night. 

“We became educators to support and celebrate our students,” Darcy said. “Holding events like this, allows us to show our students that we appreciate them as people, not just a student at JLHS.”

Junior Class President Layla Alogna found the venue to be a perfect fit for the junior class. 

“It was a beautiful place that took my breath away as I walked in,” Alogna said. ”Everything was beautifully decorated with pastel colors in the spirit of the beginning of spring.” 

One of Cotillion’s organizers, Law math teacher Ms. Loch, was pleasantly surprised about the event’s turnout. 

“I felt like students enjoyed the Cotillion and the new venue we found (The Patterson Club),” Loch said.

Alogna also spoke on the impact that the dance had not only at the venue, but on the days leading up to Cotillion. 

“Law holds events like this for the students to give them a night to enjoy and bond with their peers,” Alogna said. “In the days leading up, all the students were excited, which brought a positive energy to the school. Dances are also great fundraisers for their respective classes.”

Junior Kayla Markowitz also enjoyed the dance and appreciated the fun spirit of the event, allowing the junior class to let loose despite their end-of-year stresses. 

“I had a great time at Cotillion because I got to have a fun night with my friends and classmates outside of school,” Markowitz said. “I would say that my favorite part of Cotillion was dancing because everyone was having a good time together and got to forget about our school stresses for a night.”

By Matthew Sanchez – Staff Reporter

The annual Jonathan Law Key Club Kickball Tournament to benefit Camp Sunshine will be held on Sunday, April 13.

The kickball tournament is a fun, competitive, and enjoyable event for all participants. Multiple teams will be competing for the honor of lifting a trophy and other prizes. The co-ed tournament is open to all Law students as well as anyone in the Milford community.

“I think everyone who participates in the tournament would have so much fun,” Key Club President Addison Barber said. “Whoever doesn’t play is missing out on a fun game with your friends, not to mention we have a trophy and prizes.” 

Sophomore Ethan Pannella said that he’ is excited to participate in the event. 

“I honestly can’t wait to go to the tournament,” Pannella said. “I’ll be able to have so much fun with my friends while also competing against others to win the whole thing.”

Freshman Marcos Tepetl loves the competitive aspect of the tournament.

“For me personally, the best part about the whole tournament is having the ability to create your own team with your friends,” Tepetl said. “While also being able to compete against others, all in the hopes to win the trophy.” 

This tournament allows Law students of all ages to play. Law staff members will be also in attendance to help the competition run smoothly.

“The Kickball Tournament really brings in the Jonathan Law community,” freshman Vincenzo Mannino said. “It allows groups of people to work together as one, and getting as far as they get together.” 

Freshman Adrian Vitale is looking forward to competing and helping a worthy cause.

“I think that the tournament will be a great activity to get the Law community together,” Vitale said. “We’re competing for a good cause and also to win the entire event.”

By Ella Hopkins-Gianotti – Staff Reporter

Law recently celebrated National Pi Day with its annual Pi-lympics.

On March 6th and 7th, students from the National Math Honors Society (NMHS) came to every math class to have classes compete in the Pi-lympics for the chance to win the Pi-lympics trophy and a breakfast party. Five events took place this year. 

“We celebrate Pi Day because it is one of the most fascinating math numbers there is in math,” NMHS Advisor Mr. Ruzbarsky said. “It’s an irrational number that cannot be written as a fraction and is the ratio of the circumference to the diameter. As an Honor Society, we also celebrate it because it’s fun to do math and everyone else can enjoy math like we do.”

Mrs. Hull’s period 4 class was the winner of this year’s competition for the second year in a row. Their win was rewarded with a pancake breakfast party and the Pi-lympics trophy.

“I am so excited and proud of my class for winning the Pi-lympics again this year,” Hull said, “My class worked hard to prepare by memorizing pi and drawing circles. Ruz and the NMHS did a great job, as always, organizing the event this year, and all of the math classes showed great spirit and effort.”

This year, the NMHS decided to donate to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Two donation goals were met, leading to Ruzbarsky and math teacher Mrs. Francisco getting pied in the face on an episode of The Morning Briefing.

“This year we raised $470 to go to the St. Jude’s Foundation,” said Ruzbarsky 

There were a variety of games like Drawing the Best Circle, Guess How Many Are In A Jar, Memorizing Digits Of Pi, and Math and Pi Word Challenges. Students could get bonus points by baking a pie, by making pi-related art, and by donating.

“We had to come up with a few new competitions, one of them being the math challenges,” Senior NMHS Officer Madelyn Baranowsky said. “The Pi-lympics helps get everyone more involved with math and creates friendly competition.”

There were even a couple of competitions in which records were broken.

“Most notably, this year we had the most digits of consecutive Pi remembered broken this year with 136 – the previous record was 105,” Ruzbarsky said.

The students in Mrs. Hull’s Period 4 class took lots of time in preparation to get ready for the Pi-lympics.

“I memorized 75 digits of Pi,” freshman Emma Bonanno said. “I used ASAPSCINCE’s pi song. I liked learning the song because it was catchy.” 

This year, the games were run a bit differently than in previous years.

“Two years ago, we ran the Pi-lympics in the New Gym, inviting groups of math classes to come to the room together and move around to try all the activities,” NMHS President Deepika Chitarala said. “With this style, classes didn’t have a set amount of time, and collecting points was a little more complicated, instead this year, we opted to bring the events to the classrooms instead, allowing us to create a more controlled environment and even the playing field for all the math classes at Law.”

Since the games were set up in classrooms, each student was trying to get a better score than their peers.

“I got a 93% on the perfect circle game,” freshman Dylan Gaillard said. “I found it more fun because it was competitive.”

A new way of having the players compete in the competitions meant lots of planning from the NMHS.

“The NMHS officers spent a lot of time talking with Ruz and figuring out how to get everyone excited over this infinite number we call pi,” NMHS Officer Fiorella Gargiulo said. “We brainstormed ideas and ways to market the two block days to get everyone ready for one of my favorite parts of the year.”

Students and teachers participated in the events and all had an amazing time.

“My favorite part of the Pi-lympics is watching teachers and their students get super excited and nerdy over math,” Gargiulo said. “When people are bringing in baked goods or memorizing the digits of pi, it makes the event so much more fun.”

By Taylor Mola – Staff Reporter

The Model U.N. Club recently traveled to the National High School Model United Nations Conference which was held in New York City from March 12-15.

This U.N. conference was the largest in the world with over 3,500 students from over 70 countries attending. It was filled with many memorable experiences and learning opportunities for the students, and it taught them how to act as delegates from countries.

“This year we represented Indonesia, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago,” Co-Advisor Ms. Healy said.

To prepare for the trip, students spent the year writing research papers, learning about their assigned country and committee, and practicing their debate skills and public speaking. 

“Before the trip, we worked on preparing for the conference as best as possible,” President Senior Deepika Chitirala said. “This included each delegate writing a position paper on their assigned topic from their country’s perspective. We also studied parliamentary debate styles and learned the common vocabulary used by the chairs leading the sessions and by fellow delegates.”

One of he highlights of the trip was an in-person appearance from former President Joe Biden, who spoke about from him about his  journey through politics and public service. He also took questions from the audience.

Students gained many important skills from their time in New York.

“I got better at public speaking as I would have to regularly go in front of over 100 people and speak, as well as the opportunity to talk to people from all across the world,” junior Aryan Sikhinam said. “On this trip, I got to debate topics that affect the world and try to make a change in how legislation affects places around the world.”

At the conference, Law students spent 20 hours in their sessions with other students from all around the world. Every student was roleplaying as a delegate from a different country that they were assigned to, and had to work cooperatively to solve different international issues.

“The results of this trip are that all of our students’ committees passed resolutions to address these international issues,” Co-Advisor Mr. Evanko said. “Students also made friends from around the world and had fun expanding their debate and research skills.”

By Abigail Merenda – Staff Reporter 

The Sophomore Ring Dance was held on March 7 at the Race Brook Country Club in Orange. 

The dance was filled with many memories and enjoyable experiences for the sophomore class.

“My favorite part of the night was when a lot of kids were in the lobby of the country club and we were playing the piano and singing songs,” sophomore Courtney Russo said. “I also enjoyed dancing with the class and just spending time together.”

The sophomore class officers took months to plan this dance in order for everyone to have a good time.

“Planning the dance was fun,” sophomore Talia Hagan said. “We just bounced ideas off of each other. What was more fun than planning it through was seeing it in person and everyone enjoying it.” 

The class officers loved to see everyone having a good time after a long year of planning. 

“My favorite part about planning the sophomore ring dance was definitely seeing everyone’s reaction to the dance,” sophomore Amilio Venditti said. “It took us all year to plan.”  

The sophomore class only had amazing things to say about the dance 

“I had a lot of fun,” sophomore Katherine Wong said. “I thought it was run well and was a good amount of time I liked the food and music and thought the whole dance was a really good time.”

Law Principal Mr. Darcy said it was evident that everyone was having a good time. 

“The feedback that I received from both students and staff was that it was a fun evening for all,” Darcy said. “I saw students having fun, singing, dancing and just overall having a great time all night.”

By Logan Mullarkey – Sports Editor

Jonathan Law’s National English Honor Society (NEHS) and Quill and Scroll Honor Society recently held their induction ceremonies.

NEHS and Quill and Scroll have provided students with opportunities to engage in reading, writing, and journalism. These organizations not only recognize academic achievement but also encourage students to use their skills to give back to the community.

NEHS, in its first year at Law, has already made an impact.

“This year, the NEHS organized a Book Drive in the fall,” English teacher and NEHS Advisor Mrs. Lucia said. “We donated a few boxes of books to the Beth El shelter as a result of the donations from people here at Law.”

In addition to the book drive, NEHS members will visit local elementary schools this spring as “Guest Readers” to promote literacy among younger students. The organization also encourages creative writing and participation in contests, with plans to expand its activities next year.

“This was our first year, and there is so much the organization offers that we needed this year to see what would fit with our community here at Law,” senior Julia Ryan added.

Quill and Scroll, an International Honor Society for high school journalists, continues to support student reporters at Law.

“Quill and Scroll provides opportunities for students to engage with journalism beyond the classroom by offering contests and scholarships,” Journalism teacher and Quill and Scroll Advisor Mr. Kulenych said. “It’s a platform that recognizes and supports young journalists, fostering their skills and passion for journalism.”

The society recognizes and fosters young journalists by providing them with resources, competitions, and networking opportunities. Students who have completed Journalism 1 and rank in the top 25% of their class are eligible for induction into Quill and Scroll, further motivating them to excel in journalism.

“Being part of Quill and Scroll gives us a chance to take journalism more seriously and get recognized for our work,” senior Cesar Mendez said. “It’s great to have a community that supports student writers and reporters.”

Both NEHS and Quill and Scroll offer students the chance to refine their writing skills while making a difference in their community. Whether through storytelling, reporting, or service projects, these organizations continue to strengthen literacy and journalism at Law.

By Will Smith and Tim Firla – Entertainment Editors

The Class of 2029 has begun its transition from middle school into high school.

A group of incoming freshmen came to Law on February 25 to learn about the many different electives that are offered. After a presentation in the auditorium, students moved to the Old Gym where they visited booths for Food Service, Wood Tech, Choir, Journalism, Robotics, and many more.

The Food Service tent was one of the most popular. Students in the class gave out free samples of freshly-made pancakes and of several desserts that are made in the class.

“The simple pleasures of life such as food are an easy road to happiness and satisfaction,” senior Lucas Brotherton said. “And through us, they discovered they could build their high school career while also enjoying it.”

Law’s Journalism and Broadcast Journalism classes showed off articles they have written, FOX 61 Student News videos they created, and episode of the Morning Briefing.

Junior Advocate Editor-in-Chief Kayla Markowitz was excited to introduce incoming freshmen about Law’s Journalism program.

“Our goal was to reach out to incoming freshmen and show them what the Advocate has to offer,” Markowitz said. “I wanted to help recruit incoming students because I know how hard it is to get involved when starting something new and it always helps to have upperclassmen encourage you.”

Senior Nate Pacelli was part of the Wood Shop and Engineering table to showcase the opportunities students could have to learn in a different type of class environment.

“Having had the opportunity to take a Woodworking class and explain it to incoming freshmen was very fun,” Pacelli said. “It is a class that is very different from any other classes within the school. It is a very hands-on experience getting to use all different types of tools like saws, nails, and screws. You can learn all types of things from these classes, as well as an opportunity to see if it is a type of field you would want to pursue in the future.”

By Courtney Russo and Madi Black – News Editors

The Jonathan Law Science Club competed in its second Olympiad of the year at UConn on Saturday, March 22.

Law’s first Olympiad took place at Harvard University last month. The team is led by two science teachers, Ms. Turcotte and Mr. Stanton. Science teachers Mrs. Gagnon, Mrs. Bouchard, and Intern Mr. Lippert also joined the team on the trip.

“I enjoy the invitational events for many reasons,” Turcotte said. “The first reason is that we don’t have to run the events (at the state we work all day running and scoring events) which allows us to interact more with our students and watch them compete in the engineering events.”

At UConn, Law competed against 42 other teams. Their A team placed 11th overall and the B team placed 16th.

Many students on these teams won medals in their events. Two teams placed in the Write It, Do It category – senior Maddy Baranowsky and senior Sana Joshi took second place and senior Deepika Chitirala and junior Harshitha Kothapalli finished third. 

Two other teams placed in the Electric Vehicle category. Senior Matthew Berndt and sophomore Liam Snow finished second and junior David Guery and junior Aryan Sikhinam took fourth.

“In Electric Vehicle, you have to come up with a car that moves and brakes all by itself,”  Sikhinam said. “You don’t know where it needs to stop until the day of the event, so we have to test out a bunch of different distances.”

The club rotates between competing at Harvard, Brown, and MIT in the winter and competing at UConn in the spring. The Winter Invitational allows the team to improve for the spring Olympiad.

“I prepared by testing different scenarios so that my partner and I could compete with known problems, knowing we were prepared,” Guery said.

Some of the events requires students to take a test (Anatomy, Astronomy), while some require a test and lab (Chem Lab, Forensics, Materials Science), some involve a test that revolve around stations (Fossils, Rocks and Minerals) and others are engineering events where students must design, build and test something (Tower, Bungee, Helicopter, Electric Vehicle). 

“For Entomology, we had to identify real samples of bugs,” sophomore Sadie Timmeny said. “Once we identified them, we had to answer questions about them.”

Some additional highlights from the Olympiad included freshman Ziad Elsayed and junior Kayla Markowitz placing sixth in the Robot Tour event, sophomore Jeremiah Dos Santos and Elsayed placing seventh in the Helicopter event, senior Deepika Chitirala and Markowitz placing ninth in Geological Mapping, and Chitirala and junior Fiorella Gargiulo finishing ninth in Wind Power.

By Anwita Puttam – Staff Reporter

Senior Sarah Gutierrez and junior Lexi Velez were both recently accepted into the CMEA All-State Honors Festival.

The Honors Festival is a large Choir social event where students audition to get into Regionals, but only a select few get accepted into States. Those lucky students get to participate in the CMEA States Choir.

“I am beyond thrilled that two of our amazing Law choir students got into the CMEA All State Honors Festival, particularly this year – it was highly competitive because they took fewer students,” Choir Director Ms. Jones said. “To know out of thousands of students in the state our students were chosen is quite an honor and accomplishment.”

This year is Gutierrez’s last year in the Jonathan Law Choir and was her final chance to get accepted into CMEA. Gutierrez had the highest score out of all the CMEA participants from the Law Choir this year.

“Experience with CMEA is definitely interesting and keeps you occupied, you get to meet fun people and collaborate with musicians across the Southern Region of Connecticut and you meet wonderful directors who are very nice and talented,” Gutierrez said. “For CMEA last and this year I got a 192/198 and for All-State I got a 193/198. I am definitely proud of these scores since I think that these types of scores are very challenging to achieve and it takes a lot to be able to be ranked this high so I’m very happy.”

Velez posted a score of 180/198 at her audition which qualified her for the festival. She was an All-State participant last year as well.

“I am very excited for States because it is an experience that I would never want to miss,” Velez said. “I love and enjoy singing, so for me this is a huge accomplishment. I’m so excited to be able to see everyone and to be able to do this experience again for my second time.”

By Harshitha Kothapalli – Editor-in-Chief

Senior Advocate Editor-in-Chief Ella Franzman was recently named the New England Scholastic Press Association’s 2025 Connecticut High School Journalist of the Year.

Franzman was one of 17 students named to NESPA’s All-New England Journalism Team. The goal of NESPA, which based out of Boston University’s College of Communications, is to promote all forms of student Journalism, such as student newspapers, broadcast programs, yearbooks, and magazines.

Franzman was chosen out of a group of other aspiring journalists across Connecticut and New England for this esteemed award. Franzman has been passionate about Journalism, especially Sports Journalism, for as long as she can remember. Her love for sports was nurtured through years of watching games with her family. 

“I think I’ve always kind of known that I wanted to work in sports for my future,” Franzman said. “When I was younger I was always watching sports with my dad or grandfather so it’s always been in my life. But, I really knew about my passion for Journalism after my freshman year, after taking Journalism 1.”

Taking Journalism 1 at Law allowed Franzman to explore the field in depth as she found a way to combine her love for sports with her newfound passion for Journalism. 

As Editor-in-Chief of The Advocate, Franzman has had a chance to develop her skills beyond writing. Her leadership within the newspaper has made a significant impact, always guiding fellow writers to strive for excellence. 

Franzman has utilized her time in high school to grow her Sports Broadcasting and Journalism career. She remembers some of her most exciting moments announcing school events. 

“Being able to announce the Thanksgiving Day football games have been an amazing part of my career so far,” Franzman said. 

When Franzman was recognized by by NESAP for her accomplishments, she was beyond thrilled. 

“I feel so, so, honored,” Franzman said. “I know that a lot of other amazing journalists from Connecticut applied so I am not only grateful to have been named Connecticut High School Journalist of the Year but also to be awarded as the only Connecticut Journalist on the All-New England Team is truly an incredible honor.”

The process of applying for the recognition she received was no small feat. Franzman poured hours of effort, working on her application with guidance from Law’s journalism teacher, Mr. Kulenych. The process required submitting transcript and letters of recommendation, writing a personalized essay, and creating an online portfolio showcasing her four years of work at Jonathan Law. 

Journalism teacher Mr. Kulenych praised Franzman for her hard work and dedication.

“Ella contributes to The Advocate not only with the content she creates but more importantly, with the leadership she shows in and out of class,” Kulenych said. “If something needs to get done, I know that Ella will get it done effectively and in a timely fashion.”

Franzman’s future in Journalism continues this fall. She will attend Syracuse University, where she will study Broadcast and Digital Journalism at the renowned Newhouse Communications School. 

“I’m super excited to be attending Syracuse – the program they have at the Newhouse Communications School is just so prestigious, so I’m super excited to get to campus in the fall,” she said.

Her ultimate goal is to become a sideline reporter for the NFL, and she is determined to make that dream a reality. 

As Franzman prepares to leave Jonathan Law and start the next chapter of her journey, her dedication to journalism and her future is unmistakable. She has already built a strong foundation and is eager to take her skills to college and beyond.

Whether she’s covering a football game or editing an article, Franzman’s enthusiasm for journalism continues to shine through in everything she does.

“Ella has excelled as a student journalist because of her work ethic and the dedication she puts into all of her content,” Kulenych said. “Whether she is writing an article, editing a video news story, managing a social media account, or creating graphics, she works so hard to make the final product look professional. She is always looking for new projects, always coming up with new ideas, and her enthusiasm for journalism is a great example for the other students in the class. Syracuse is getting a future journalism star and I can’t wait to see how her journalism journey continues.”

By Aislyn McKernan – Social Media Editor 

Jonathan Law’s SAVE Promise Club participated in “Say Something Week” during the week of March 3-7.  

The club decided to participate in this week to encourage people to talk about mental health and speak up if they see someone who is struggling. 

“The club decided to do Say Something Week because it holds a very important message,” Junior Vice President Sarah McCann said. “We want everyone to learn the warning signs of someone who may be in danger of harming themselves or others and for people to know there are safe spaces around the school, that’s why we emphasize trusted adults.”

Members said the week was successful and that it created a safe space between teachers and students. On Trusted Adult Tuesday, many teachers wore Trusted Adult sunglasses and were awarded a Trusted Adult Award.

“My favorite part of this week was the Trusted Adult posters,” junior Ava Ambrusco said. “I think it was a great way to show your trusted adult, that they are your trusted adult.”

There were many activities for all classes to do throughout the week. Club Advisor Ms.Healy said the activities helped to spread a powerful message.

“I feel like the week went well,” Healy said. “Students really enjoyed the positive messages posted around the building, wearing their PJs to school, and everyone loves the fun glasses that get passed around.”

Sophomore August Oliveira participated in many activities throughout the week to show her support for SAVE and to spread awareness. 

“I really enjoyed the different activities I did and thought they were a good way to get everyone involved,”  Oliveira said. “I would definitely participate in this week again.”

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief and Haley Stroffolino – Social Media Editor-In-Chief

A group of students from Jonathan Law High School, including athletes, winter sports captains, and club leaders, went to Mathewson Elementary school on February 28 for National Read Across America Day. 

The Law students went to various classrooms where they had the opportunity to read to many different students. They were able to talk to the students, find out each other’s interests and enjoy reading. 

“I think my favorite part of Read Across America Day would be seeing the joy and excitement that reading brings to my students,” Mathewson second grade teacher Amy Bugge said. “It’s a day dedicated to celebrating books and stories, which is such a wonderful way to inspire imagination, learning, and curiosity in everyone. Having former students come back to read to my class has created such a meaningful connection between the past and present.” 

Many Law students attended Mathewson Elementary School, so many were looking forward to visiting their old school and seeing familiar faces. Others were excited to be able to see younger siblings. 

“I wanted to participate because I have a little sister at Mathewson and know how much it means to the kids when they see high schoolers come and read to them,” senior Aryanna Maldonado said. “I really wanted to bring a smile to their faces.”

Maldonado, who is a captain on the cheerleading team, was not only happy to see her sister, but was excited to go and read with her friends. 

“I was excited to go to Mathewson because I wanted to engage with the students and help them learn,” senior Tessa Piselli said. “I hoped the students had fun and potentially learned something from me.”

Many students at Mathewson were eager to be able to learn something new from the Law students. 

“Participating in the Read Across America day was rewarding because after seeing how much it impacted the kids and how excited they were interacting with the older athletes,” senior Chloe Konareski said. “It was so special to see and was a great opportunity to do something so small that will impact others so much.” 

Since 2018, students from Law and Joseph A. Foran High School have gone to Mathewson to read to the elementary students to celebrate RAM Day. 

“I believe RAM day is important because it celebrates literacy and brings awareness to the multitude of ways books create lifelong memories,” Law special education teacher Mrs. Drew said.

By Matthew Sanchez – Staff Reporter 

Law’s Black Student Union is a club that unites all Black students and creates a safe space, while simultaneously showcasing the accomplishments of Black people over the course of history. 

In the Black Student Union, there are activities for members, educational school-wide events, and field trips. Throughout the month of February, members of the BSU appeared on the Morning Briefing, and on March 6, the BSU sponsored a school-wide Advisory activity about Black history.

“Students should join the Black Student Union for community within our school environment as well as community within Milford,” Junior Black Student Union President Abigail Jenkins said. “In BSU, we get to spend time together as a unified club, as well as organize school-wide events and panels. During our meetings, we like to plan for future events, enjoy snacks and food, and do activities that promote Black culture.”

Jenkins said her goal is that the club brings students together while promoting Black culture.

Senior Black Student Union Co-President Sarah Ahmed believes one of the main missions of the club is to provide students a place for discussion.

“The mission of the club is to give students a safe space,” Ahmed said. “One where we can discuss our struggles, our history, and educate others on what it’s like to walk in the shoes of someone who is constantly misrepresented not only in the media, but within our own school.”

Junior Kiara Tavarez explained why she joined the Black Student Union and why others should join too. 

“I joined the Black Student Union because it provided a safe space and community for people of color,” Tavarez said. “Other students should join for a space to talk with others about their experiences and build a community.”

Senior Maximilian Akuffo described the club as very welcoming and inviting.

“I think this is a friendly and inviting environment where students can be themselves and create meaningful connections with each other,” Akuffo said. “Everyone is good company and it is a safe space to bring up any views and perspectives you have regarding race in our community.”

Sophomore Jenesis Michel said one of the most important messages of the club is education.

“I believe that the message of the club is to share and educate people about Black culture,” said Michel.

(The following is a personal account of freshman Cora Aitkenhead’s recent trip to Costa Rica as a member of the Builders Beyond Borders service organization.)

By Cora Aitkenhead – Staff Reporter

Builders Beyond Borders (B3) is a service organization that works with students from middle school and high school to perform small community service, as well as annual large service projects in South & Central American countries. This year the organization has been taking highschool students to Costa Rica where we built community center’s for two different communities. 

The organization consists of 5 teams: Odyssey, Amanecer, Equipo Esperanza, Rock-It, and B3 Local (no traveling middle school team). I am a part of the Odyssey team. 

In Tarise, Costa Rica – a community so small the airport had never heard of it – the Odyssey team of 19 students began building a community center that would be used for adult education services. The trip was 8 days long and most importantly, cell phones are prohibited. Out of 19 students, I was the only one from Jonathan Law and the other 18 attend Weston High School and Staples High School. I was nervous that I wouldn’t get to know the team, but the lack of phones made me closer with these kids in one day than I am with most people I’ve known for years. 

Our typical day consisted of a 6:30 a.m. wake up, 7:00 a.m. breakfast, 8:00 a.m. worksite, 12:00 p.m. lunch, 4:30 p.m. leave worksite, followed by some type of community play/downtime/excursion, 7:00 p.m. dinner, and three hours of downtime. The work we did included: moving gravel and hand mixing cement; digging trenches to run electrical wire through; building rebar as the building support structures; carrying/laying cinder blocks; filling cement cracks between blocks; etc. 

Doing labor work and mixing cement for eight hours a day, in the blazing heat, while getting your limbs destroyed by bug bites, isn’t something that is supposed to be fun. But that is why this trip altered my perception of what it truly means to be happy. My happiness had always been derived from having things whether it be security, authority, or receiving items I had no need for. On this trip I had nothing but a team and some shovels, and I can’t think of a time I did have a smile on my face. Parts of me felt guilty that I hadn’t missed anything back at home. But when you are in a beautiful country having the time of your life with your new best friends, how could you possibly miss back home. 

Aside from our eight hour work days, we got to play soccer games with the local kids, we got to go to a beautiful beach where we fed oranges to wild capuchin monkeys, we got to visit a natural pool/waterfall, and even got to see coffee plantations and pineapple farms. Every insecurity or worry I ever had about doing something out of my comfort zone vanished at the thought of, “When will I ever have the chance to do this in Costa Rica again?”

While the experience of building this community center and being immersed in Costa Rican culture was unforgettable, the connections I made beyond language barriers and even just with my team are worth more than anything. There’s a famous quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson that reads, “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” But if I’ve learned anything from this trip, it’s that it’s not the destination, it’s not the journey, it’s the company. 

Like I said, when it’s written on paper this trip sounds more like a task than a fun time. But I’ve learned that you’ll learn more in one day of poverty and discomfort than you will in a lifetime of riches and power. This trip evokes one of those feelings you can’t understand until you have it, and then even when you have it you can’t quite understand it. 

By Sebastian Beltran – Staff Reporter 

Spanish teacher Mrs. Trombetta is one of the most influential educators in the Jonathan Law community.

Trombetta is known for her passion for teaching and her ability to make learning a new language both fun and engaging for students.

What makes Trombetta stand out is her ability to build strong relationships with her students, and most importantly, she takes the time to get to know their individual learning styles and interests and uses creative methods to teach them.

“My approach to teaching Spanish includes practical, conversational skills rather than just solely focusing on grammar,” Trombetta said. “It incorporates immersive techniques, allowing students to engage with authentic materials like songs, movies, news clips, and social media in Spanish. Culture is also a focal point of my teaching. By encouraging real-life conversations and active participation, my goal is to foster an environment where language learning feels natural and relevant to daily life.”

Trombetta’s goal is to incorporates real-world scenarios and cultural experiences into her lessons.

“For example, students may engage in role-playing activities that simulate ordering food at a restaurant or traveling in a Spanish-speaking country,” Trombetta said. “We also learn, discuss and reflect upon real life events (from past and present), cultural celebrations and experiences.”

Trombetta’s love for the Spanish language dates back to when she was a student herself.

“I grew up speaking Italian, which helped me greatly in my study of Spanish because I was able to make linguistic comparisons between the two languages,” Trombetta said. “I studied Spanish for many years in school, including in college where I spent one year studying at La Universidad de Salamanca in Spain. This is where I truly learned the language and culture by becoming completely immersed in it. I also majored in Spanish at Quinnipiac. In addition, I spend time outside of class learning about the people and cultures of the many countries that make up the Spanish-speaking world. I keep up with my Spanish not only in class, but also outside of class by watching series, listening to songs, following Spanish-language social media accounts and reading Spanish news articles. 

Trombetta hopes she has a positive impact on students’ learning and appreciation of other cultures, as it is a primary focus in her class.

“In Spanish 4 we are reading about a teenager from the U.S. who visits Ecuador and experiences various cultural shocks and learns to appreciate another culture through his love for photography,” Trombetta said. “Before we started reading the mini novel, students researched Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands in order to gain an understanding for the country and its people. In Spanish 5 we are learning about a real life event that took place in 1972 in which Uruguayan passengers from a rugby team were stranded in the Andes mountains for almost three months after their plane crashed. We are investigating and discussing the moral, cultural and social implications of the events.”

Another one of Trombetta’s goals every year is to make sure that every student feels supported and engaged in her classroom.

“It is important to create a safe and supportive classroom environment because sometimes students are shy or feel embarrassed to speak Spanish in front of their classmates,” Trombetta said. “This is why I like students to work in small groups to discuss questions or topics first and then share out.”

Trombetta’s students love her Spanish classes for a variety of reasons.

“She has helped me build confidence in speaking Spanish, and she always finds ways to make lessons feel exciting and relevant,” senior Jacen Brewster said. “She makes sure that we understand how language connects us with people all over the world.”

Through her passion for Spanish, Trombetta is shaping the future of her students, inspiring them to appreciate language.

“Mrs. Trombetta’s teaching style has really made me appreciate the process of learning a new language,” junior Jared Saludes said. “She focuses on making lessons interactive and fun, which helps me feel more comfortable speaking Spanish.”

By Ella Hopkins-Gianotti – Staff Reporter

As the school year goes on, the French Club has been hosting some fun events at their meetings.

In November, the French Club recognized National French Week by coloring the flags of all the Francophone countries. Before break, they had a holiday party and a celebration of La Chandeleur/National Crêpe Day in France, combined with a Valentine’s Day party.

Now they are encouraging students to do Manie Musicale and recruiting others to join their club.

“The best part of the French Club is the people coming in since they’re the ones who make it all possible,” Senior French Club President Sarah Gutierrez said “Without the students who come into the French room after school, we would not have the club and we wouldn’t have this community of students interested in French culture.”

Many of the club’s activities have centered around movies and French food.

“The club and I have done different fun activities involving coloring, watching French movies, and eating snacks,” Gutierrez said. “For example, we just had our Valentine’s Day party in which our advisor, Dr. Evans, made delicious crepes for anyone who wanted and brought different other snacks to enjoy while watching a movie.” 

One of the most enjoyable recent celebrations was La Chandeleur.

“Recently we had a party to celebrate La Chandeleur, which is National crêpe Day in France,” Evans said. “The round warm yellow crêpe symbolizes the sun and the arrival of spring. Our party combined that holiday with Valentine’s Day, and we enjoyed making Valentines in French, making and eating crêpes, eating chocolate, and watching a short animated French film.” 

Both the French Club and the classes ask everyone to contribute to Manie Musicale, located on the wall to the right of Evans’s room (214). Maine Musicale is inspired by March Madness but is instead a French song competition, the competitors this year are from over 15 different French-speaking countries.

“Check out the giant bracket and the flags and scan the QR codes for the playlist, where students listen to and vote on French-language songs in a bracket-style tournament,” Evans said. “It’s a fun way to engage students with Francophone music, improve their listening skills, and expose them to different cultures.”

Senior French Club Vice President Reilly Hungerford has enjoyed all of the French Club activities this year.

“Three of the best things that have happened that I think have happened are the crepe party, the increase in membership, and how we’ve started to fundraise,” Hungerford said.

Club members still have many goals they would like to reach before the end of the year.

“The plan is that later on whether it is next year or other years students can make bigger events or even possible field trips,” Gutierrez said. “The goal for the club for the rest of the year is to gain better leadership for next year since we have a lot of seniors and have more underclassmen join.”

Junior Soleil Roberts became a member of the French Club last year and this September and became an official officer of the French Club after only attending for one year prior. 

“I’ve enjoyed being an officer,” Roberts said. “It’s nice to be a part of a club in a higher way, especially the French Club. It is so fun, and the club members are amazing and so smart and talented, and being a part of what makes it happen is amazing.”

Even though it seems that the French Club has celebrated many holidays in the time they have spent together, they are not done with celebrations yet.

“Coming up this spring we will be celebrating Mardi Gras/Carnival by making masks, April Fools Day (where the tradition is to put paper fish on people’s backs and joke around with your friends), and hopefully going outside for a picnic with traditional French foods when spring finally arrives,” Evans said.

To find out more information about the French Club, students can email any of the officers or Dr. Evans. Students can also follow the JLHS French Club Instagram and join the Google Classroom for more information.

By Adrian Vitale – Staff Reporter

The annual Elective Fair took place on February 18 in the New Gym during a special Advisory period.

The Elective Fair was an event for students to show off elective courses to their classmates. 

“The fair was a great chance for students to learn about opportunities of electives to take for next year,” freshman Fiad Rahman said. “It was also good for students to show leadership and teach other students about the electives that they are currently taking.”

The fair was also completely student-run with elective teachers also available to answer student questions.

“The fair was a great change of events to give students a chance to leave the classroom and go learn about how many fun electives they are able to take,” freshman Yusuf Genc said.

Journalism teacher Mr. Kulenych said he was impressed by the student involvement in the fair.

“The most impactful part of the Elective Fair – this year and every year – was just how involved and enthusiastic the upperclassmen are in promoting their favorite electives,” Kulenych said. “It’s one thing for student to hear about elective opportunities, but it means more when it comes from fellow students and those conversations were happening at every table during the Elective Fait. It was great to see that communication and that student-to-student recruiting happening.”

The underclassmen in attendance were grateful for the opportunity to hear about all of the electives that Law has to offer.

“I wish the event could have lasted longer, though I am still grateful for the chance to take part in the event and learn about many of my possible future classes,” freshman Vincenzo Mannino said.

The Elective Fair allowed students to use Advisory time to learn more about the school community and some course offerings that they may not have known much about previously.

“The event took up a good amount of our Advisory time and gave me the chance to meet with my friends and look around at the classes,” freshman Marcos Tepetll said. “It was a great chance to take a break from the school day.”

By Morgan Cappock – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law juniors Harshitha Kothapalli, Layla Alogna, and Kayla Markowitz recently gave two young aspiring athletes a day to remember through the Raffles For Wishes program.

Through the newly-formed Raffles For Wishes Club, the trio of juniors held a raffle that gave elementary school students a chance to participate in a basketball game alongside the Law girls and boys basketball teams.

One boy winner and one girl winner were chosen. The boys winner was Marshall Mercaldi, the 5th grade son of Law science teacher Mrs. Mercaldi, and the girls winner was Sophia Arias, the younger sister of Law junior Emma Johnson.

The raffle was inspired by the Make-a-Wish Program and all of the funds raised went to that program to fund children in need. 

“The program started in Daniel Hand High School and was brought to us to expand the experience,” Kothapalli said. “The program itself is so inspiring, the culmination of being able to give a young athlete an exciting varsity sports experience and also donating to a great cause is so amazing.”

Both raffle winners got to experience what it was like to be a high school athlete.

“What inspired us to start Raffles for Wishes at Jonathan Law was knowing that we would help unite the athletic communities in Milford while also raising money for an amazing cause,” Markowitz said. “Having the opportunity to see younger kids excited about coming to Law and being a part of the athletic community while also seeing our friends be role models for younger athletes was really rewarding as student-athletes ourselves.”

The leaders of the project found it most rewarding to see the children’s faces when they were playing basketball and spending time with all of the other players. The money also went to a great and rewarding cause so the leaders felt positively about the whole project.

“The most rewarding part is seeing the child’s huge smile after an exciting game with players they admire,” Alogna said. “It makes my day to make a kid’s day while raising money for a good cause. It’s a win-win.”

Markowitz credited several members of the Law community with helping to make the raffle a success.

“The process was definitely a bit challenging at first because it was the first time doing the raffle here, but once we got the ball rolling, we felt super lucky because all the coaches, faculty, and teams involved were so supportive and excited to be a part of something so meaningful,” Markowitz said.

By Taylor Coretti – Staff Reporter

The SAVE Promise Club recently held a Valentine’s Day-themed Movie Night, nicknamed a “Pal-entines” Night.

This event was held on February 12 and the featured film was “10 Things I Hate About You.” Club Advisor Ms. Healy said the event was open for everyone to create a fun experience for all. 

“No tickets were sold, anyone could come, we just hd a bake sale going on for anyone who wanted to snack while they enjoy the movie,” Ms. Healy said. “It’s really awesome to see the Law community show up to watch the movie while still supporting our club.”

Senior President Natalia Gagliardi said the Movie Night was one of many events that have helped the SAVE Promise Club raise awareness and get the community more involved. 

“This year we have been pretty successful with the club, we have participated in Candy Grams for Valentine’s Day, the Movie Night, Safe Schools Week, Start with Hello Week, Teacher Appreciation Week, and a lot more,” Gagliardi said. “Participating in all of this helps make our community a better place it helps get students involved while also educating our community on what our club is about.”

Junior Vice President of Operations Sarah McCann said the Movie Night was successful in different ways.

“The event is very beneficial for our club; it is a great way to raise some money as well as have a great time with friends,” McCann said. “The Movie Nights are also a great way to meet new people which is one of the biggest things our club helps to promote not only through our ‘Start With Hello’ week but just through simple activities like movies.”

Junior Melissa Servas is an active member in the club and enjoys being able to create other activities for the school that will help spread awareness. 

“I have participated in the club this year by helping plan our different themed weeks and activities,” Servas said. “I helped set up the Hand Tree which is located in the cafeteria, which was such an amazing activity as well as making posters and hanging them around school to spread awareness.”

Junior Ava Ambrusco attended the “Pal-entines” Movie Night and enjoyed being a part of the experience.

“The idea of the Movie Night that I enjoyed most was that it was the perfect way to spend a Wednesday night with friends and/or family, a great way to unwind after a long day at school, and to get a good laugh,” Ambrusco said. 

By Molly Lynch & Ava Grippo – Advocate Editors

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Ella Hopkins-Gianotti and Anwita Puttam – Staff Reporters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Inspiration for these doors came from various different places.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Sebastian Beltran – Staff Reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Carly Ranilla & Noah Oquendo – Staff Reporters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Madison Krauss – Staff Reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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