Berlin High School Newspaper
Issue #3
January, 2015
1
B.H.S. seniors, 1952
Capstone
Projects Completed !
A:
showcase their findings at a booth as
well as make a formal presentation.
an interview with Ms Mayette
Half the seniors at Berlin High have been
participating in the first full-scale Capstone
program in the school’s history. The
students’ experiences culminated in public
presentations and demonstrations of their
finished products. Parents, teachers, and
peers came to the school on the three
evenings of Capstone projects, and all
comers were impressed with the
achievements of the seniors. Ms. Mayette
and Ms. Nelson have led the Capstone
program this year. Ms. Mayette was kind
enough to respond to a few questions
about the program and its details.
Q; All that together sounds like a huge
task. Besides the mentor, and you and
Ms. Nelson, what other assistance do
the Capstone students make use of?
A: We utilize Schoology to keep students
informed and on task as well as provide
a platform to submit required documents.
Also, each student has use of a school
issued Chromebook. Senior advisors are
a big help, and students have had
access to our technology integration
specialist, Ms Niro, for technology, and
our library media specialist, Mr.
Scannell, for research support. Of
course, Mr. Kennedy, and the rest of the
school and district administrators have
been behind us 100%.
Q: What, exactly is The Capstone Project?
A: The Capstone Project is a culminating
experience for Berlin High students. Each
student engages in a personalized learning
experience. Each Capstone senior applies
and demonstrates interdisciplinary skills
and knowledge already acquired in high
school while investigating a specialized
area of interest.
Q: Has this first full fledged Capstone
Project been successful?
A: We are very pleased at the progress
the first semester Capstone seniors have
made. Evidence of their many successes
was clear during the first round of
Exhibition evenings. We plan to build on
this experience to provide an even better
Capstone experience for the second
semester seniors.
Q: What are the parts of the Capstone
process?
A: First of all, the student has to discover
an essential question that is personally
meaningful. This step is very important.
Then, the student identifies a mentor, who
will help with the project. Each student
devlops a proposal and an action plan, and
writes regular reflections about progress.
Effective use of appropriate technology is
also a required part of every Capstone
Project.
Q: How about the end...what is the product
of a student’s engagement in the Capstone
program?.
A: The student’s research will be
demonstrated in an annotated bibliography
of interviews, observations, articles, and
other readings related to the topic. And,
finally, the student has the opportunity to
demonstrate what has been achieved at a
Capstone Exhibition where students
2
A Great Musical Event, The 2014
Winter Concert
The Hobbit: The Movie
by Tyre Brinson
Reporting provided by Victoria Marino
The Hobbit was written by JRR Tolkien,
and it serves as a prequel to the Lord of
the Rings trilogy; it tells the story of Frodo’s
uncle, Bilbo Baggins. The book was
adapted into a movie trilogy that was in the
theaters on December 17th, 2014. I had
found the story really engrossing to read,
with all the characters fleshed out well. The
characters had a real sense of depth and
were always under a constant threat of
danger. The movie, however, fails to bring
this to life. The cinematic characters are all
either generic comedic relief, or mystical
people who never gives a straight
answer. One particular character is a dark
hero, who has a reason to act like a jerk
because of his tortured dark and tragic
past. This dark hero is not even in the book
B.H.S.’s most accomplished musicians
delivered a triumphant public performance
the evening of December 9th. Under the
direction of Ms Scherer and Mr. Sirois, the
Madrigals, Jazz Choir, chorus students, Jazz
Band, and Concert Band staged their
traditional Holiday Concert before a McGee
auditorium crowd packed with family and
friends.
More than 100 students performed that
evening, and, when not actually on stage,
they were able to sit in a special section of
the hall and enjoy the performances of their
fellow musicians. Musical selections included
pieces the various groups had been
practicing since the start of the school year,
and encompassed both holiday and nonholiday music. The high point of the evening
came when the assembled
students all took the stage to perform Ralph
Van Williams’ Christmas Medley. The crowd
was thrilled with this selection, and
responded enthusiastically.
There is never really any twist to the
plot since the characters always are knee
deep in a fight with orcs and arch-demons
and come out unscathed. In the book the
orcs are a threat and in many cases our
heroes almost lose their lives in horrible,
cruel ways from man and beast alike. The
novel is an epic quest about reclaiming
one’s home and not only that, but
reclaiming one’s place in the world. The
dwarves, Bilbo’s traveling companions who
seek to reclaim their mountain from the
terrible dragon named Smaug, are brave
and loyal, determined to fight for their
home. The book features only one
character from the Lord of the Rings trilogy
, which actually is a story on its own.
Following their successful Holiday Concert,
B.H.S.’s musicians have already started
learning new pieces, to be performed at the
Spring Concert. In addition, the Jazz Choir
and Madrigals will undertake various
performances through the winter.
3
In the novel, the protagonist, Bilbo,
is comfortable with his home life and is
reluctant to become an adventurer and see
the world outside the Shire. The movie
follows the same basic formula but adds
ridiculous appearances of characters from
the other movies, most notably Legolas. It
also adds a ridiculous conflict between
some orc and the leader of the dwarves,
Thorin, which was never in the books. At
various points in the movie, the characters
fall a hundred feet onto solid ground, are
dashed against rocks in a raging river, and
are pierced with poison arrows infused with
Thorin, which was never in the books. At various
points in the movie, the characters fall a hundred
feet onto solid ground, are dashed against rocks
in a raging river, and are pierced with poison
arrows infused with death magic. And they live!
At many points in the film, I genuinely wondered
if they were invincible to a degree - more like
superheroes than characters in a fantasy. I like
the book much better because of the realism it
brings when the characters are in danger.
Literary Magazine at B.H.S.
Berlin High has added a new opportunity for
student expression. In addition to contributing
this newspaper, students and staff are invited
to submit their more creative writing ( and
visual pieces !) to an on line publication, to be
published on the school web page.
Stories, essays, satire, reviews, and whatever
else you like to write or draw are welcome.
Mrs, Larsen will be the advisor for the new
publication. She can be found in her
classroom. Also, Mr. Scannell, in the library, is
available all day for a conversation about how
you can add to this new publication.
4
10 Good Study Tips for Final
Exams
By Mr. Grady
(adapted from Shana Libowitz:
22 Science Backed Study Tips)
1. Space it out: Break information
into small chunks and
consistently review them over
a period of time.
2. Write it out: We store
information better if we write
it out by hand. Try recopying
the semester’s most important
notes onto a clean sheet of
paper.
3. Move: Study the same
information in different places.
Be in a different room each
time you review the material.
4. Exercise: Get up and move
around. A half hour of exercise
will get your whole system
working better.
5. Take a break: Schedule your
studying, and stick to the
schedule.
6. Switch subjects: Think about
the different parts of what you
need to learn, and work on
each part . The best golfers
practice the whole game, not
just the drives.
7. Work together: Get a group
and get serious. Eliminate
distractions, and help each
other master the material.
8. Shut it off: Internet, texting,
twitter, whatever… close it all
down and concentrate on
what’s important.
9. Sleep: Staying up late actually
decreases how much you will
remember the next day.
10. Most importantly, discover
what works best for you; we’re
all different. And good luck.
Brooklyn Nets: Rebuilding or
Reloading?
by Sam Barton
A lot of people have had many questions
about the Brooklyn Nets, so here is a trade
scenario that may happen before the
deadline.
Nuggets receive: Brook Lopez
Nets receive: Danilo Gallinari, future draft
pick
This move would make sense on both
ends of the trade. Lopez still has a lot left
in his tank, and is a threat on both the
offensive and defensive side of the
ball. He would pair well with Kenneth
Faried in the paint. Gallinari, on the other
hand, also provides a lot of helpful things
on both sides of the ball. He is a solid
player who could step into a guard
scenario on the Nets. A lot like JJ Redick,
Gallinari is a great three-point shooter. So,
both teams would gain, and this trade with
work out very well for both the Nets and
the Nuggets.
Anderson
Nets receive: Iman Shumpert, Shane
Larkin, Draft Pick
This deal could be a blockbuster one
for sure. With Shumpert itching to get
out of New York for a while, the Nets
could be a great landing
place. Shumpert brings a lot to the
table, including defense, that the Nets
need. Adding in someone like Larkin
would definitely secure the deal. This
would help the Knicks as well. With a
ton of expiring contracts coming up in
the summer, the Nets are looking to put
together a solid squad of players with
lower salaries. Although Williams is a
high salary player, his contract is not
expiring, making him a great pick up for
the Knicks if they can land him.
Pistons receive: Brook Lopez
Nets receive: Greg Monroe
This one-for-one deal would make sense
for both sides of the deal. Monroe, who
signed a one-year deal with Detroit this
offseason, has a ton of talent. Since he
most likely won’t sign there this summer,
the Nets could possibly ink a long-term
deal in the summer. This may be a
mistake though. If Monroe doesn’t commit
to a long term extension, the Nets could
lose a marquee player in Lopez with
nothing but a half a season in return. For
the Pistons on the other hand, this deal
would work well too. The thing about
Lopez is, when he’s healthy, could be a
real game-changer. So in all, this trade
with help both franchises a lot.
Knicks receive: Deron Williams, Alan
Anderson
Nets receive: Iman Shumpert, Shane
Larkin, Draft Pick
Final Exam Schedule, Semester One
Jan 20: Exam 1 – 7:25 – 9:20
Exam 2 - 9:35 – 11:30
Jan 21: Exam 3 - 7:25 – 9:20
Exam 4 – 9:35 – 11:30
Jan 22: Exam 5 – 7:25 – 9:20
Exam 6 – 9:35 – 11:30
Jan 23: Exam 7 – 7:25 – 9:20
Exam 8: - 9:35 – 11:30
5
Tabs For A Cause!
by Nicole Cyr
helping a patient at the Shriner’s Hospital
and making a difference. Any questions?
Ask Ms. Hatton or Nicole Cyr.
The BHS Interact Club will be collecting
aluminum can tabs for the Shriner’s Hospital.
Tabs can come from many items, like the tab
on your soda can and the tab on your pet’s
food can. There will be collection containers
where you can drop off your can tabs in the
Interact Club Room. The reason why the
Shriner’s Hospital only takes the tab of the can
is that the tab is the only pure aluminum part
of the can.
Your cans can still be returned for deposit even
after the tabs are removed. If you do,however,
have cans and bottles that you would like to
donate to the BHS Interact Club you can bring
them to the collection containers in the
Interact Club Room. Tabs will then be brought
to the Shriner’s Hospital.
The money made from the can tabs will go to
purchase items such as a Baxter Infusion Pump,
which is used to dispense pain medication; an
Arthrometer, which is used to measure the
degree of instability in the knee; a Bullard
Laryngoscope, which is used by an
anesthesiologist to place a breathing tube in a
patient who has a complex airway; a 10-foot
trailer for the hospital van, which is used to
transport medical equipment and records to
outreach clinics throughout New England and
New York State; or a Computerized Pressure
Mapping, which is a force sensing array used in
evaluating pressure distribution for patients
requiring customized wheelchair seating
systems. All of these items and much more will
help the children at the Shriner’s Hospital.
Another option is to simply donate money to
the cause. Just remember, all you need to do
the next time you have a can is just simply pop
the tab off. By doing this, you will have your
kind deed of the day taken care of. You will be
helping a patient at the Shriner’s Hospital and
6
making a difference. Any questions? Ask Ms.
Hatton or Nicole Cyr.
Heisman Write-Up
by Sam Barton
So, with the Heisman trophy in its newest
home in Oregon, here were a few of the
deciding factors.
Mariota’s historic season: The trophy
was hard not to give to Marcus
Mariota. Mariota had a ridiculous
season, leading the Ducks to a 12-1
record, throwing for 38 touchdowns and 3
interceptions. This season for him was
historic as well. Only Florida QB Tim
Tebow was the only quarterback to ever
throw for a higher touchdown-interception
ratio, and, you guessed it, he won the
Heisman in 2007.
Melvin Gordon’s record was
broken: After Wisconsin RB Melvin
Gordon ran for a record-shattering 408
yards against Nebraska on November
15, everyone thought that Gordon was
the clear Heisman favorite. But, just a
week later, that record was once again
broken. An unheard of Freshman RB
from Oklahoma exploded onto the
scene. Semaje Perine ran for a once
week later, that record was once again
broken. An unheard of Freshman RB from
Oklahoma exploded onto the scene. Semaje
Perine ran for a once again record-breaking
427 yards against Kansas. This showed
that Melvin Gordon was still great, but he
wasn’t untouchable.
It’s nearly impossible for Wide
Receivers: Amari Cooper was the other
finalist that was left, and he was the only wide
receiver that was in the running. Historically,
it is typically almost impossible for wide
receivers to win. Generally, great college
receivers will generally have a great college
quarterback (Kelvin Benjamin with Jameis
Winston, Riley Cooper with Tim Tebow, Odell
Beckham with Zach Mettenberger, etc.) But
with Cooper this wasn’t the case. Cooper
absolutely dominated any cornerback that he
was put on. However, Cooper showed some
weakness. In the game against Alabama,
although he was hurt, Cooper only had 2
receptions for 22 yards against a defense that
isn’t anything special. Although Cooper had
a great season, he would have had to have a
much better season to win the trophy.
Newton, Heisman QB’s have not tended
to play well. But, a lot of people think that
Mariota is something special. I agree
with that, but here’s my only
argument. Everyone thought that Robert
Griffin III was going to be the best
quarterback in the NFL. Everyone
thought that the Colts made a huge
mistake drafting Andrew Luck over RGIII,
but look how that ended up. But, Mariota
does have a lot of potential, unlike these
recent winners: Johnny Manziel, too
small; Jameis Winston, not smart
enough; Robert Griffin III, injury
prone. Mariota has none of these
problems luckily. He is faster than Colin
Kaepernick and has a better arm than
Russell Wilson. So, all in all, I think that
Mariota will succeed in the NFL.
There were only 3 finalists: A big reason
Mariota won was because no other
quarterback in the country was anywhere
near as good as him. Since the last 4
Heisman winners were quarterbacks, Mariota
had luck on his side. Generally, there will be
5 finalists that make the trip, but the vote was
so lopsided that only 3 finalists made the trip.
Second Highest vote percentage in
history: Marcus Mariota was clearly going to
be the winner going into the voting. But, no
one thought that it would be thought it would
be this much of a landslide. Mariota received
91.6% of the votes. This was second most of
all-time, falling short behind QB Troy Smith.
Will Mariota succeed in the NFL?:
Statistically, Heisman Trophy quarterbacks
don’t tend to have great NFL
careers. Unless, your name is Jim Plunkett,
Roger Staubach, or, to some extent, Cam
Newton, Heisman QB’s have not tended to
play well. But, a lot of people think that
Mariota is something special. I agree with 7
that, but here’s my only argument. Everyone
thought that Robert Griffin III was going to be
Did you know…
In 1935, B.H.S.’s first year, the boys’
athletics offerings were basketball,
baseball, and tennis. The boys
played the games.
The girls also were offered
basketball, baseball, and tennis. The
girls “were instructed in the arts of
the games.”