T H E V I K I N G

The Student Newspaper of East Lyme High School East Lyme, Connecticut

Volume XLIEdition 12

February 25, 2008

C S P A G o l d M e d a l i s t

A touch of Seattle comes to East Lyme

by Kit Brown

A group of high school girls reunite over delicious food and even better coffee. They chat and laugh as soft, ambient music provides the perfect backdrop to their new favorite gathering place. Sitting comfortably in cozy seats, they sip their Frappuccinos, perfectly content. “Starbucks is the greatest thing to happen to East Lyme,” says junior Joy Harriman, an avid fan of the Seattle-based coffee chain which recently opened its doors in East Lyme on January 25.

Saga

Thirsty students now fl ock to the newest after-school hang out spot. The most recent addition to the town, Starbucks Coffee Shop, offers a wide variety of coffees, teas and pastries. It is conveniently located on Route 161 near the Interstate 95 entrance. From left to right:sophomores Chloe Hop and Amanda Raynes, junior Lexi Houston, senior Maura Lasky, junior Joy Harriman and Fitch High School junior Meghan Thompson, sit down for a bite to

eat with their refreshing drinks on a Saturday morning.

A Sweeter Sip Comes to Town “It has a good mood,” adds senior Maura Lasky. If foot traffi c is any indication of its appeal to other customers’ then Starbucks must be a hit! The business was teeming with customers throughout my mere 15-minute stay. This actually presented a few problems for the quaint coffee shop, which only holds about seven tables. The ambiance at Starbucks may be unmatched, but there is certainly another perk that keeps customers returning: the beverages. Starbucks offers everything for coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers alike.(See Starbucks page 7)

INTHISEDITION

M U N U C X XELHS students

travel to 20th annual Model United

Nations at University of Chicago

by Hannah Barner

Being lost in 20 degree weather, reenacting scenes from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and being verbally harassed by servers are just a few exciting events

Mall Updatespage 6

Theft in School?page 4

Recsketball page 9

School Books you Love and Hate

page 10

Saving Lives for Funpage 7

of the fi ve-day adventure. On January 30th, 12 students from the Contemporary Issues class left East Lyme High School and headed for Chicago. Led by social studies teacher Rose Ann Hardy, the group soon landed in Chicago and headed for the Palmer House Hilton in downtown Chicago, where they would be joined by several

hundred other students forthe conference. “It’s like being in a new class; who shows up? Who’s interested? Who wanted to do the work?” explains Ms. Hardy. Separated into teams of two on six different committees, the students had to work toward fi nding solutions to issues such as adult illiteracy, climate change and trans-

national crime. Representing the country of Tuvalu, an island located above Australia, the students worked on ‘Working Papers’ which addressed a given problem and came up with specifi c solutions geared towards all countries. “It was stressful and time-consuming, but in the end it was all worth it,”(See Model UN page 4)

K. Brown/Saga

The Viking Saga Opinion February 25, 2008

Page 2

O u r T w o C e n

I initially diagnosed myself with a vicious premature case of senioritis sometime in the beginning of my junior year after visiting colleges for the fi rst time over the summer. Little did I know that this was only the beginning… Somewhere in the month following my signing on the dotted line with the school of my dreams, senioritis hit… like an echoing judicial gavel. Ever since, I have suffered from hours of procrastination and daydreaming, and there is always the never-ending complaining about any activity that

remotely suggests any form of work on my part. Experts believe that I will not make a full recovery for another three to four months. Unfortunately there is no cure for senioritis known to man. I have tried many an amateur remedy –setting my class rank and GPA on Naviance to my homepage, making to-do lists and offering myself rewards for proactive behavior. However, my developed lack of discipline only leaves me depressed, (upon realizing I have spent hours on Naviance agonizing over all of the scholarship opportunities that I will never take advantage of), environmentally hostile (throwing away hundreds of failed to-do lists) and full (after eating all of my ice cream sandwich rewards in my self-induced depression.) I have tried to think of other treatments, but I have been limited by my insatiable ambivalence. For the last four years, we seniors have been poked and prodded down the “path” toward our “future goals” (which for most of us means some sort of continued education), but now that the application envelopes have been licked, the interviews have been nailed and the acceptance letters are drifting into mailboxes, there is

an overwhelming feeling of “now what?” Everything we have done up to this point has been to put our best foot forward in the college application process. But now that that is done, what is our purpose? It is quite the psychological conundrum, building almost your entire life for one goal—once that goal is met; there is no more sense of motivation. Seniors become trapped in a place where we are forced to work independent of all external motivation and thus, senioritis takes over. Clubs go unattended, assignments go missing, and morale is at an all time low. Ah, yes, the months of the senioritis slump. I would love to continue with this thought to the bottom of this column, but I just don’t care enough to fi nish. (The mallet strikes again...)

What is the most important thing that you consider if you could vote for a presidential nominee?

“How they can deal with the issues and resolve them, specifi cally the war and

the environment.”-freshmen Tory Luce and Emily Gilstrap

S. Felitto/Saga

“It is important to know if they are going to try to pull out of the war and if they are going

to try to cut back on oil.”-freshman Kaylee Williams

S. Felitto/Saga

“Stopping the war and helping the environment.”

-freshman Kaitrin Acuna

V.Ferdon/Saga

The Viking Saga Opinion February 25, 2008

Page 3

Stefanie Felitto &Valerie FerdonEditors-in-ChiefJohn Kleinhans

News EditorMollie Teeter

Features EditorKyle WeissSports and

Back Page EditorKate EberleEntertainment

EditorJeff Beale

AdvisorAriel Nicolosi

Featured Illustrator

The Saga Staff :

Featured Writers:

Alex Addabbo

Hannah Barner

Kit Brown

Andrea Chrunyk

Ryann Foulke

Matthew Heath

Ellie Kleinhans

Amy Li

Emily Newton

Ramona Ostrowski

Brendan Welch

t s a r e F r e e :

In Mr. Sandford’s room there is a blackboard that is reserved for one thing: College Plans. This board has become part of the classroom décor as students anxiously await their turn to add their name and institution to the growing list of college-bound seniors. For the upperclassman of ELHS, this board sums up the focal point of that past two years: getting into your fi rst choice school. However, it is about time someone addressed the fl ipside of this circumstance, the inevitable: not getting in. This goes out to everyone who has or

will be receiving the dreaded standard business envelope enclosed with a letter that reads something like this: Dear (insert name here), We regret to inform you... limited spaces…many qualifi ed applicants… good luck with your future plans.

Now, whether you are the valedictorian with your heart set on that Ivy League university, the student eager to be a UConn Husky, or the youngest child feeling the pressure of continuing the family legacy, rejection is never easy. Every one of us has experienced setting foot on a campus and immediately feeling at home, and we all have our stash of apparel that we begged our parents to buy at the bookstore. When told outright that we will not be spending the next four years on that campus, it is earth-shattering.

It is common knowledge that there is a record number of students applying to college this year and that this trend it true for almost every institution nationwide. This statistic is used by admissions offi cers, guidance counselors and parents in attempt to pinpoint one solitary reason for rejection. For students whose entire high school career

is replaying in their minds in hopes to fi gure out what they could have done differently in order to be accepted, the fact that applications were higher this year is far from consoling. The real fact is that you didn’t get in. You tried your hardest, you gave it your best shot, but the college didn’t want you...and that is okay.

As we prepare to leave home and start a new chapter in our lives, we are beginning to gain adult freedom and responsibility. We are choosing where we will be furthering our education and what career path we will be pursuing. But part of becoming an adult is learning to deal with failure. In the real world, you won’t always get the job or get the girl. As hard as it is to accept the harsh reality, we have to keep our head up and think of this event as the fi rst of many disappointments in life. No matter what size envelope your mailbox holds today, remember that someplace wants you, and when they send the good news, and there will be a spot on Mr. Sandford’s board waiting for you.

H a v e a n o p i n i o n ?

S. Felitto/Saga

“To have a personality... to be a people person.”

-sophomore Gino Lozada

“Someone who will pull all the soldiers out of Iraq.”

-freshman Ken Compton

“The person’s plan about what will be done about the widening gap

between the upper and lower class.”-freshman Katie Cannamela

V.Ferdon/Saga

V.Ferdon/Saga

Send your letters, questions and comments to Th e Viking Saga at

elhsvikingsaga@gmail.com

The Viking Saga News February 25, 2007

Page 4

(Model UN continued from front page)states Contemporary Issues student junior Ryan Baldassario. Usually a selective conference, this year the organizers prided themselves on being the largest Model U.N. for high school students in the nation. This attributed to a much more competitive atmosphere in debating and discussing ideas, being the conference’s one disadvantage. “The idea was well-intentioned, but the way it came out was counter-productive, because the same countries or representatives kept getting picked to speak,” explains senior attendeeVera Solliman. Spending approximately fi ve days in Chicago, the ELHS students spent most of the time in six committee sessions lasting four hours each. During these sessions, the

delegates discussed real world policy, as ambassadors do in the real United Nations building in New York City. The down time was spent touring Chicago’s must-see sights. “The food, the local dinners and the deep dish pizza,” replied Baldassario when asked what his favorite part was, adding “also the Museum of Science and Industry and the Art Institute of Chicago because I got to reenact a scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” “Defi nitely lunch at the John Hancock Building,” stated Vera Solliman with excitement in response to the same question, “The food was excellent as well as the service and the waiter played games with us.” Though sacrifi cing watching the Super

Bowl in order to attend, most who did will agree that it was defi nitely a worthwhile and eye-opening trip. “They are better informed students because of this experience,” said Ms. Hardy.

Thrifty Thefby Emily Newton

“I don’t understand why someone would blatantly take someone else’s stuff,” remarked

junior Stephanie Lawton. After having her iPod stolen two years

a g o in physical education class, Lawton is now extremely careful when carrying anything valuable. Although she has learned from her mistakes, not everyone understands the dangers of theft still at ELHS. Security guard James Barnes has seen his fair share of theft within the school. “The three most stolen items are phones, money and iPods,” said Mr. Barnes. The majority of these items, according to Mr. Barnes, are stolen while students leave their personal belongings unattended, whether that is in the commons or during a gym class. While personal belongings are often stolen

from the commons, there is a slightly higher rate of stolen items in physical education class for the simple fact that not everyone locks their locker. “I had my Nike Shocks stolen last year because I couldn’t fi nd a locker that was open,”

says junior Eden Brevik. She has not seen them since. Mr. Barnes offers a solution to this common excuse, saying that if you do not have a locker, you can always give valuables

to gym teachers. “We have taken a lot of measures like having a monitoring table and closing the locker rooms to stop theft,” said physical education teacher Amy Fabry. As Mr. Barnes said, the “bottom line is, don’t bring anything of value here.” To some, it is unavoidable to bring valuables to school, and inevitably theft occurrs. Mr. Barnes has helpful advice if you are ever robbed. “Come to me right away if something goes missing,” said Mr. Barnes. He will fi le a complaint in order to get your items back. “After my iPod was stolen, I went to Mr. Barnes and got it back within the day,” Lawton recalled. The suspect was found

using only the information she gave to Mr. Barnes. Although iPods and phones can be returned, Mr. Barnes explained there is no way to return money. His only suggestion is “don’t bring a lot of money to school.”

Even though seeing a roll of money out on an empty table may seem tempting, especially for those who may not be able to afford their

own iPod, remember the repercussions of theft are quite severe. Being dismissed for the day, paying a large fi ne and suspensions are all possible punishments for stealing a classmate’s property. Is one iPod really worth having a mark on your permanent record? If you ever fi nd someone’s valuables left unattended, the best course of action is to turn the items into a teacher or an administrator. All in all, theft will always be a problem in society, and thus in the microcosm of ELHS. However, by keeping valuables close and always being wary, students can protect themselves by reducing theft in and out of school.

‘After my iPod was stolen, I went to Mr. Barnes and

got it back within the day,’- junior Stephanie Lawton

Have you noticed anything missing from your locker or your backpack lately? Keeping your valuables at home may prevent your favorite necklace or iPod from

being stolen. Here’s an update on the crime at East Lyme High School.

The Contemporary Issues crew ready to take on the world representing the small island nation of Tuvalu

Submitted by Carmel Lynn

t

Page 5

The Viking Saga News February 25, 2007

Students have all tried it before, joining a community service club to better college resumes, then dropping it after the second meeting, when we realize it will never fi t into our schedules. Well, as the 2008 presidential candidates would say, it is time for a change. This change comes in the form of Teen Council. “It is an effort from some leaders in the town government as well as local business owners to effectively use the town’s resources to improve and expand education for East Lyme students,” said Career Internship teacher Mike Manifold. Founded by First Selectman Paul Formica and his advisor Amy Leigh, Teen Council is a program that gets high school students involved in the community through projects that are appealing to students of all interests. For those who love the environment, join the Energy Task Force. “Our goal is to reduce energy in the town hall buildings by 20%. Having kids do this research will be more effi cient than me,” said Mr. Formica. As for the entrepreneurs at East Lyme High School, try taking part in the Open Space Project. This is where teens will work hand in hand with two Mitchell College students to decide what to do with the 21 acres of land that has been deeded to the town. So far only a dog park and skate park have been suggested, but other ideas are certainly welcomed. More projects include a student-run restaurant at the Youth Center in East Lyme, and a committee to help with “Celebrate East Lyme” festivities that take place in July. Overall, the idea is to work on the projects when it is convenient for the students. Meetings will be held depending upon the project that a student chooses to partake in. Here, they will

discuss possible solutions and eventually put their thoughts into action. “Celebrate East Lyme meetings will be different than Open Space meetings, which will differ from environmental meetings,” explained Leigh. For now, however, the entire group will meet every Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. in the main offi ce conference room at ELHS. The individual project meetings will be scheduled once interest grows and groups are determined. Currently, Teen Council is hosting internships through Mr. Manifold’s class during the second semester. Seniors and juniors will be going

to local businesses for a minimum of 90 minute sessions to get the inside look on “everything from day care to auto repair to banking,” said Mr. Manifold. “Regardless of how you take advantage of the program,” history teacher Chris Sandford said, “it allows students to be more involved and have a much larger say in the town.”

T e e n s T a k e C h a r g e i n T o w nby Ellie Kleinhans

Online Registration: Do you fi nd the course selection process tedious and diffi cult? Then have no fear! Starting this year, course selections will be online. Teachers will go through their class list on Edline and enter recommendations for each individual student. The students will then log onto Edline, open the “course request” link and pick their classes. Although this process was never used before, guidance counselor Marcia Goldreich explains that NFA and Fitch both select classes over the Internet and “with less paper…the registration process would be more accurate.” By having the list of courses already entered into the computer, guidance counselors no longer have to enter each course individually, making mistakes less likely. In addition, this process will help familiarize students and parents with Edline, promoting the website as a useful tool for posting school notifi cations. More restrictions: Drive carefully, do not drink and drive… we have all heard these warnings before, and although some drivers are careful to follow them, the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles is still concerned with the number of teenage driving fatalities. In November of last year, Governor Jodi Rell created the Teen Driving Task Force to enforce teen driving laws. Toward the end of January, the task force proposed modifi cations for stricter teenage driving laws. Proposals strengthening a mandatory license suspension for any teen driver caught breaking cell phone, curfew or passenger laws, are being considered as part of the modifi cation. Governor Rell also hopes to impose a stricter punishment for any 16 or 17-year-old caught driving drunk. Any underage drivers caught would have their licenses suspended for at least one year and be mandated to attend a mandatory Substance Abuse Training Program. On January 21, 2008, the Teen Driving Task Force met in Hartford to discuss these laws and a fi nal conclusion of newly enforced teen driving laws is to be expected by April.

Extra! Extra!What’s going on around town?

by Amy Li

‘Regardless of how you take advantage of the program, it allows students to be more involved and have a much

larger say in the town.’ - history teacher Chris Sandford

Internships include working to make Celebrate East Lyme Day more youth-friendly

brownbearcreative.com

WE’RE TAKING

OVER

The Viking Saga Features February 25, 2008

Page 6

Finding a job that meets all of your expectations can be next to impossible, especially for teenagers. Whether it is the people, the environment, or the nature of the job, most high school occupations are not fun. Here are some of the worst.

Have you been to the mall lately and noticed vacant spaces where your favorite stores used to be? Recently, leases and rental rates for fl oor space at the Crystal Mall have become too high for many store owners, causing them to close down or relocate their store. The Limited, located next to Hollister Co., closed down in the last few months, allowing Eastern Arts, an Asian imports shop previously located on the upper level, to move a few stores down and expand its store space. Various Asian antiques and accessories have already been moved and the store will be reopening with a wider range of items. On the lower level of the mall, DNJ Gifts, which sells hair clips, jewelry and various other accessories, will be closing soon due to the high rental price. Down by the food court, Mrs. Field’s Cookies also closed due to lease problems and high rental rates, leaving many East Lyme High School students disappointed. “I was devastated when I walked by and saw Mrs. Field’s Cookies boarded up…I can’t buy those M&M cookies anymore!” lamented junior Moira Bence. With various stores gone, the mall may seem empty and bare. The emptiness will not last long, however, because the Simon Property group promises new stores soon. This spring, a series of new and exciting stores will begin moving into the mall one by one. In March, Bed, Bath and Beyond will become the new Filenes on the upper level, while The Christmas Tree Shop will replace the former department store’s lower level. Also, in the next few weeks, American Eagle will expand its product line even further, in the opening of Aerie, which will exclusively sell women’s dorm wear. Junior Katie Gage explains that she is excited for the grand opening of these stores since they will “bring more life to the mall.” The mall’s ultimate goal is to satisfy its customers and accommodate their needs. “We want [to open] stores that are more attractive to customers than the previous ones,” Simon Property Group Manager Les Morris explains.

You say Goodbye, I say Hello

Crystal Mall welcomes new stores by Amy Li

J u n i o r Rachel Lyon gets to know her horses very well.Occupation: Volunteer at High HopesExplanation: “I have to take care of the horses, and when there is

nothing else to do I have to shovel horse poop out of the stalls,” she explained. “It’s really heavy.” While the job may seem like torture to some people, Lyon enjoys it. “I do love it because it’s for the horses, and I get to hang out with them.”

Junior Vinny Barone has a summer job that is all but glamorous.Occupation: Beach cleanerExplanation: “I rake up the seaweed at Crescent Beach, then pick it up with a truck,” says Barone. While his job does include picking up gross things like seaweed, he admits that it is not that hard. “It’s the easiest job ever,” he said.

Senior Taylor Lynch works one of the most popular jobs for East Lyme High School students.Occupation: Cashier at Stop & Shop grocery storeExplanation: “People are not too forgiving when things go wrong, like having the wrong coupon. People will yell at you and you can’t do anything about it. I also stand for four hours with the occasional break, and it’s very tiring.”

C h e m i s t r y teacher Carl Reichard has had his fair share of bad jobs.Occupation: Tie between Night Club Bouncer and S u m m e r S c h o o l R e m e d i a l

Geometry teacher.Explanation: “The fi rst job was bad because there was a chance of getting beat up,” to which junior Alyssa Andres asked which of the two jobs he was talking about. He continued on to say, “The second job [summer school teacher] was bad because the students didn’t really want to learn.

Down and DirtyStudents roll up their sleeves for tough work at East Lyme High School

by Andrea Chrunyk

So there you have it, some of the worst jobs at ELHS. Just be happy

that they aren’t yours.

Not Taking CAPT? Saga tips on how to keep yourself amused on

those lovely mornings offGo out to brunch- Personally, we recommend the Shack.Get an extra few “z’s”- Make up for all of the sleep you lost during fi rst semester.

Host a themed movie marathon- With a group of friends, a bowl of overly-buttered popcorn and fi ve of your favorite movies, what could possibly go wrong?If you are a junior- Utilize your free time working on your Warykas research paper. If you are a senior- Enjoy a little rest and relaxation; nothing matters for you anymore.

A. Chrunyk/ Saga A. Chrunyk/ Saga

A. Chrunyk/ SagaA. Chrunyk/ Saga

Page 7

The Viking Saga Features February 25, 2008

You may know her as captain of the swim team, captain of the crew team, or a member of the top 1% of East Lyme High School’s highly competitive senior class. With all of her responsibilities, it would be hard to believe that this girl has time for anything other than practice and homework. Seemingly doing the impossible, senior Kristin Summers juggles school and sports in addition to volunteer positions as a fi refi ghter and an Emergency Medical Technician. Her decision to become a volunteer fi refi ghter in September 2004 was infl uenced by the example of her father, Dan Summers, Fire Captain of the Niantic Fire Department,

as well as her brother, Frank Summers, a volunteer. “I noticed [her] interest when I was 14; we would go down to the fi rehouse and take calls together. We would bike to fi re calls just to watch and see what they do,” Frank says. As a volunteer, Kristin receives calls on a pager which can come at all hours of the night. Once she hears the pager, she decides whether or not she is available to help at the scene. Close friend and fellow senior Mirella Cole says, “It’s crazy how she gets a call at

like 2:30 in the morning, gets home at 6:00 and then comes to school.” Despite her busy schedule, Kristin says that she responds to “anywhere between 65% and 70% of the calls, not counting when I’m in school.” Once on the scene, Kristin has multiple jobs. When responding to a fi re, she and the other Junior Firefi ghters are responsible for starting the water fl ow from the hydrants along with setting up the ladders. After the fi re has been put out, they help load the hoses back into the truck. When responding to a car accident, they are responsible for cribbing cars and setting up the “jaws of life” so that the fi refi ghters can safely extricate people who are trapped in their cars. The most extreme fi re that Kristin has ever responded to was in Crescent Beach on March 5, 2007. “The heat was unbelievable,” she says. “It was peeling the paint off the engines.” At the scene, there were “embers the size of bricks” falling everywhere, so after she and another Junior Firefi ghter hit the fi re hydrant, they went around the neighborhood waking people up to explain the situation. “It was an indescribable feeling that you’re helping people, just waking them up and warning them,” she says. In September 2006, Kristin started

taking classes to become a certifi ed EMT. By February 2007 she had graduated as the valedictorian of her class. “When you go to an accident scene as a fi refi ghter you are just working to save their property. As an EMT, it’s more personal because you’re actually working to save a person’s life,” she says.

At the Crescent Beach fi re, Kristin did more than wake people up and hit the fi re hydrants. After the man was saved from the fi re, he started to fade in and out of consciousness. Kristin put her EMT certifi cation to work as she put him into an ambulance and treated him for

smoke inhalation as he was rushed to the emergency room. After graduation, Kristen will attend University of Rhode Island to pursue a nursing degree on a full academic scholarship. “I always wanted to be an EMT, and that kind of led me to wanting to work in a medical fi eld,” explains Kristin. Her eventual goal is to be a nurse practitioner. With her strong work ethic and the love and support of her friends and family, there is no doubt that Kristin will reach this goal. Her father says, “She’s defi nitely got a type-A personality. She sets her mind to something, it gets done. She’ll succeed in anything she wants to do.”

(Starbucks continued from front page) From their classic coffee drinks to their Frappuccinos to staples like hot chocolate, they have it all. Starbucks’ regularly brewed coffees are certainly not for the faint of heart. Their roasts are typically dark, meaning they have an extremely strong taste. Lightweights, you may want to stick with Dunkin’ Donuts for your caffeine fi x. For those who may not be particularly fond of coffee, hot drinks should not be ruled out altogether. Look for drinks that combine coffee and another fl avor, such as caramel or chocolate, which will yield a less powerful expresso taste. I ordered a white chocolate mocha and was astounded by the delicious combination of espresso, white chocolate, milk and whipped cream. Other less intense options include the Caramel Macchiato and the Cinnamon Dolce Latte. Of course, no Starbucks review is complete without discussion of everyone’s favorite: the Frappuccino. This drink, nicknamed the “cold cappuccino,” was created especially for Starbucks. It is a fan favorite

because of its versatility; Frappuccinos can come with or without coffee. My personal favorites include the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino and the Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino. Or, whenever I am in need of a caffeine buzz, the trusty Caramel Frappuccino never lets me down. “It’s scrumptious,” says sophomore Chloe Hop of her Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino. For the less adventurous, Starbucks also offers several caffeine-free alternatives including their caramel apple spice cider. I decided to sample one alternative–the vanilla crème. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed. If I had wanted a glass of warm milk, I would have run over to Tri Town and nuked a gallon. My advice is to stick to the Frappuccinos. Meanwhile, as the group of girls continues their conversation only allowing slight intervals of slurping from their nearly fi nished beverages, Harriman exclaims “I want another drink!” As her friends giggle, another says, “I’ll have one too!”

Senior Kristin Summers will come to your rescueby Alexandra AddabboCal l 911!

Submitted by K. Summers

‘When you go to an accident scene as a fi refi ghter you are just working to save their property. As an EMT, it’s more personal because you’re actually working to save a person’s life.’

-Kristin Summers

Kristin puts her EMT skills to work on a patient

The Viking Saga Sports February 25, 2008

Page 8

College Athleticsby Ellie Kleinhans

Annie ScullyELHS ‘07

Northeastern ‘11Women’s Cross Country, Indoor Track and

Outdoor Track In high school, she focused on soccer. In college, she is excelling in three sports that she never envisioned herself participating in. “I’ve always known that I wanted to play a sport in college, but pictured myself playing soccer. It wasn’t until the end of my junior year that I decided that I wanted to run in college,” said Scully. Well, her dream has come true, and she is running at Northeastern, a Division I program, on a partial scholarship. Scully just completed her fi rst-ever season of cross country last fall. She said, “I think playing a sport in college is a great way to meet people and make friends and it really helped me to adjust to college life.”

Matt WalkerELHS ‘06

University of Hartford ‘10Men’s Baseball

After his freshman year playing Division II baseball at Catawba College in North Carolina, Walker decided it was time to move back north and experience the life of playing for a Division I program at the University of Hartford on a half-scholarship. “Catawba was great. It was one of the better DII programs in the country,” said Walker. So why did he leave? Walker said that he was the only “northerner” down at Catawba and that up here his teammates have more in common with him. Practicing at least four hours (with his teammates each day), team camaraderie is very important. “Playing for a good college program, whether DI, DII, or DIII, you have got to give a lot of your time. Get your work done before practice, because after it you are too exhausted,” hinted Walker to all the future college athletes of ELHS.

Adam RandELHS ‘07

Stony Brook University ‘11Men’s Lacrosse

He has been playing lacrosse since the fourth grade. Now a freshman in college, Rand plays the sport he has always loved on a partial scholarship for Stony Brook’s Division I men’s lacrosse team, a program that ranks 25th in the nation. “From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. you always have something to do,” said Rand, who has three- hour practices almost every day, plus two weight lifting sessions a week. Academically, the fi rst semester was diffi cult for Rand. But now that the second semester has begun, he explained that he is doing better due to their strict in-season schedule. As for the social aspect of college, he had no problem fi tting in. “I came in and had 35 good friends. I didn’t have to worry about making any new ones,” said Rand of his teammates. “Overall, it’s a lot of fun. A lot of people say playing sports in college is too much, but it’s really worth it if you love the sport,” said Rand.

Amanda AdamsELHS ‘06

Central Connecticut State University ‘10Women’s Soccer

High school freshmen often complain about coming back to school a day early for orientation. Imagine cutting your summer vacation three weeks short. If this is realistic, perhaps you have what it takes to be a Division I athlete. Adams does this and more in order to play for CCSU’s Lady Blue Devils. She is also required to help out the community at least twice a week, run at 7:30 a.m., and lift weights in the afternoon three times a week in the off-season. “College soccer is a much bigger commitment than high school. Between games, practice, conditioning, lifting, community service and school it is hard to juggle everything,” said Adams. “But I loved my fi rst year and my second year is already going awesome.”

Have you ever dreamt of being the next Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan, or Mia Hamm? To get anywhere near their level, put on their shoes and experience their years in college, the stepping stone between high school and the professional leagues. Rather than interviewing a

famous athlete, we have talked to our friends, the alumni of East Lyme High School, to bring to you the truth about...

Annie Scully running for Northeastern University

Photo Submitted

Photo Submitted

Photo Submitted

Matt Walker, the Legacy

Amanda Adams playing soccer at Central Connecticut State University

Page 9

The Viking Saga Sports January 30, 2008

While most students are in the comfort of their own bed, resting up for a long, stressful day, a group of male swimmers awake at 5:30 a.m. in order to make 6 a.m. practice at East Lyme High School. They run out of their houses, granola bar in hand, knowing that food is the only thing that will help get them through the practice. After getting changed, the boys clench their jaws, grip their fi sts, and take the fateful jump into the cool water. [The boys barely live through] the fi rst hour of practice, only to come back to the pool as soon as the school day ends. A strenuous day to say the least, these boys continue to be dedicated to their sport- and it shows. Following the tradition of captains’

practices, the boys started their season in early November. “The captains’ practices really helped this year… we learned a lot,” says sophomore Ross Sanfi llipo. The boys also went through an intense weight training program in order to bulk up for the season. This has apparently helped, as the boys are currently undefeated. “We have an 12-0 record and a lot of kids have stepped up,” says head coach Jack Stabach. These boys include junior Andrew Lewis, sophomore Andy Chen and sophomore Brendan Wilcox. “The varsity guys know how to swim fast and they have done a good job of teaching the new guys how to do that so we can win,” explains assistant coach Jamie Barnard. Captain senior Travis Williams agrees, saying, “We motivate each other, pushing ourselves to keep going when it hurts … no matter our experience level.”

Boys’ swim and dive team off to a stupendous start

by Emily Newton

Nothing

FishyHere

This has led the swim team to many big wins. East Lyme has come out victorious in meets against their biggest competitors, Ledyard-Stonington and Fitch, beating both schools by nine points in each meet. Stars arose in both meets, with swimmers such as senior Jesse Sweeney, Williams, junior Harry Traystman, and diver junior Bryan Rowe and senior Marcus Giansanti raising the bar. In addition to having star swims and dives, numerous records were broken and many more qualifi ed for the big state meet. After coming in fi rst in their two biggest meets, the boys have faith that they will do well at the championship meets. “I think we have a really good chance this year at both winning ECCs and coming in the top three in States,” says junior Matt Baer. The rest of the team shares this common belief, and they constantly remind themselves what they are working for. “For me, having teammates with the initiative to fi re each other up to train harder during their few seconds of allotted rest between pieces exemplifi es the maturity of this team,” says Williams. Full of promise, the boys’ swim team will surely make waves by the end of the year.

Basketball: a sport with more variations than East Lyme has unexpected days off. There is the standard basketball, streetball, knockout, horse, around-the-world, half-court… And then there is Recsketball. Every Wednesday and Thursday, East Lyme High School’s greatest pioneers of recreational basketball storm the gym at Lilly B. Haynes for their own version of practicing, drilling and training in the fi ner arts of the game. “It’s really just an open gym,” said junior

Brendan Eller, who has been playing in the rec basketball league since fi rst grade. ”Everyone just picks teams there and just plays. We don’t run sprints or anything, we

just play ball.” There are three rec basketball (affec t ionate ly referred to as “recsketball” by its passionate players) teams from East Lyme that play games against a teams from S a l e m , H e b r o n and Marlborough. Eller claims that his team is the

most talented on the court. “We’ve won two games. We rock,” he sarcastically insisted.

RecsketballRecsketballby Brendan WelchIt is a religion.

Junior Ashwin Maheshwari, who is on one of the other East Lyme teams, enjoys recsketball because it is so easy to manage. “The practices are only about two and a half hours, and you can just come and go,” he said. “And then when game time comes, you just own.” The games are played at Lillie B. Haynes, Salem School and RHAM High School in Hebron. True to the spirit of recsketball’s laid-back nature, the teams mostly improvise rather than fi elding complex schemes and plays. As Maheshwari explained, “I go in the arc, senior Dan Mascaro goes deep, we work it down low and do some kick outs, pop some J’s, and what do you know, we win by 16.” “The games don’t matter, so you can just have fun, and still get to play ball,” said Eller. “It’s really laid back, it’s like the best thing.” In a sporting world rocked by steroids scandals, illegal videotapes, and tainted records, sometimes a recreational league is the only place where the true meaning of sports can be unleashed. In the end, it is all about enjoying yourself and, as Maheshwari is quick to point out, “Owning the other team.”

Old school rec basketball players still ballin’ in high school

photo submitted

The Viking Saga Entertainment February 25, 2007

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A Look At The Books: The hits and misses of required reading at ELHSby Ramona Ostrowski

“Read the next three chapters for homework.” It is statements like this that often elicit groans and complaints from students in every English class. Though some of the required reading is legitimately protest-worthy, students are often prejudice against novels simply because they are assigned in school.

Freshman year: High school gets off to a good start with Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. The story of racism and growing up in the South during the 1930s strikes a nice balance of humor and sadness, and is enjoyed by many students. “The experiences... and the language [are] more approachable,” says English teacher James Buchan. Junior Haley Berl agrees, saying, “It got across a really big message in a really subtle way.” Homer’s The Odyssey is less appreciated by students. The summary does not sound half bad – sea monsters, vengeful gods, and a seductive sea nymph – but the problem is in the writing. “I didn’t like the way it was told,” says sophomore Kelsey Nickerson. The book’s far-too-detailed descriptions and unpronounceable names have earned it a lot of enemies.

Sophomore year: After surviving their fi rst year of high school, sophomores are rewarded with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. This engrossing but heartbreaking tale of unrequited love and the American Dream is one of the most popular books in high school. It is set during perhaps the most fabulous era of American history: the 1920s, leading junior Sarah Showalter to say, “I like the time period and how everything is so party-centered and classy.” Like all good parties, The Great Gatsby cannot last forever. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is also included in the sophomore curriculum. Though the story of a young runaway’s trip through the South on a raft sounds fun, the book has few fans among the student body. “When I’m reading it, I get so bored I fall asleep,” says sophomore Billy Dahn. Commenting on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’s lack of popularity among students, English teacher Kate Rand says, “It’s the [books] that they don’t like as a student that they’ll appreciate when they get older.”

Junior year: If you think it would be fun to be stranded on an island with a band of boys, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies will make you reconsider. This shocking but enthralling story of a group’s moral collapse “really showed the animalistic nature of humans,” says junior Ashley Rotchford. English teacher James Buchan mentions another reason for its popularity: “It’s an action book.” At the opposite end of the excitement spectrum is Maggie: A Girl of the Streets by Stephen Crane. “It didn’t really captivate my interest,” says junior Anne Cullen, adding, “It was really depressing.” As situations get

worse and worse for the title character, the book seems to get worse and worse for the reader. Luckily, this story of a poor girl’s life and death in New York City is only read by Humanities students.

Senior year: By senior year, students are often looking beyond high school. One 12th grade AP English book, however, generally captures their interest. Ivan Turgenev’s Fathers and Sons, the story of the difference between generations in a 19th century Russian family, is usually reviewed favorably. “It was actually entertaining,” senior Liz Salesky says.

You would think that a book considered exciting enough to be made into a blockbuster movie would be a good read. Not so with Beowulf. “It’s just so long, and it takes so long to say anything,” says senior Jenn White. Senior Niko Ewers goes even further, calling the book “pointless.” He says, “It’s just the oldest thing we can fi nd that we can call English - that doesn’t make it relevant to life,” adding that Beowulf is as relevant to us now as modern sitcoms will be to people in 1000 years. Still, Beowulf has been around for over 900 years, and it is unlikely that it will go away before underclassmen are assigned to read it.

Can You Handle The Truth?The Moment of Truth puts a price on dignity

by Matt Heath

FOX’s new game show The Moment of Truth unravels contestants’ private lives in a matter of minutes. Before the show starts, players take polygraph tests and are asked 50 personal questions. When the show begins, a set of six questions from the original 50 are given to the contestant by host Mark L. Walberg (not to be confused with the actor known as Marky Mark). If the contestant answers all of the questions truthfully, he can either walk away with $10,000 or go to the second level, which has fi ve questions. The game goes on this way until the sixth level, which has one question worth $500,000.

Contestants on the show also bring their family and friends to witness them answer questions. It may seem easy to tell the truth in front of loved ones, but some questions are extremely delicate. One woman even admitted that her father tore her family apart and that she was still in love with her ex-fi ancé. It is almost disturbing to watch people dig themselves into a hole, only able to climb out by telling the truth. Even though you might feel bad for the contestants, the show is still entertaining. Who doesn’t want to see a retired NFL player/personal trainer confess to sneaking a peak at other teammates’ private parts? Despite the

embarrassment of that question, Tinker Keck ended up losing the game anyway when he lied about touching a client inappropriately. Not only did he lose the game and his self-respect, but possibly his wife. The truth is something that often should be told, but at what cost? Are destroying relationships with people you care for and losing your dignity in front of a live studio audience really worth winning a few thousand dollars? In the words of Homer Simpson, “It takes two to lie; one to lie and one to listen.” Well, on Wednesday nights at 9 pm, the nation becomes the listener.

K. Eberle/Saga

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The Viking Saga Entertainment February 25, 2007

The Junk Drawerby Kate Eberle

Thanks to the innovations of the digital age, never again will anyone need to wait impatiently through the week for Saturday Night Live in order to get some laughs from sketch comedy. Now, the wonder that is YouTube provides thousands of sketch comedy videos from hundreds of

comedy groups who post their work online. Among the best: Barats and Bereta. Do a YouTube search for their name and you’ll have a plethora of hilarious videos at your fingertips. Each video features Luke Barats and Joe Bereta, who met and began creating their

hilarious videos in college. One of their funniest videos is “Suburbanites,” a music video for their

satirical rap about the difficulties of suburban life, which includes lyrics like “Son’s got a ball game and I gotta go to it/ Missed it last week because work wouldn’t end, my friend/ I won’t diss my little homie again.” Their video “Completely Uncalled For” even manages to fit

all its humor into less than 40 seconds. So, what exactly is completely uncalled for? You’ll just have to

click on over to YouTube and find out for yourself.www.kevinrsmith.com

The lights dim; a fl ash of red appear on the screen behind the stage and the shadow of a man with his guitar becomes visible above the stage. A drum begins to beat and he starts to sing softly as the

crowd looks on with anticipation. Finally, the lights come up, revealing the man they had all been waiting for – Keith Urban. The show began with a performance from former American Idol Carrie Underwood, who performed songs from her debut album, Some Hearts, as well as her newest, Carnival Ride. Those who have not followed this singer’s budding career have been missing out. She has a powerful voice yet has the

ability to make it seem effortless. It does not matter if you have a bias against country music, Australian people, or Keith Urban himself; being at one of his concerts will immediately make you want to join his fan

club. He exudes energy and passion at all times, whether he is belting out lyrics or strumming intricate guitar solos on his Fender Deluxe Telecaster. The best part of his

shows is not the skill of his band or the spectacular

light show that accompanies

it, but the connection he shares with his audience. In fact, during this show Keith Urban actually jumped off of the stage and went up into the stands to sing “You Look Good in My Shirt.” He shocked everyone when he retrieved a sharpie, signed his guitar, took it off and handed it to a fan who just happens to attend East Lyme High School. Sophomore Leo Pelletier said, “I was standing there and he starts to come off the stage and starts to come near our row…next thing I know he’s standing on my chair and when he fi nished the song he unplugged his FM transmitter, took out a sharpie, signed it, and handed it to me.” When asked his reaction to the sudden event he said, “I was just shocked and in awe. The only thing I remember is somebody telling me to hold it up, so I did.” It is easy to see that Keith Urban is an incredibly talented musician. What sets him apart from other musicians is that he is also an entertainer and that is what made the concert one that those in attendance will be unable to forget. Keith Urban rocking out at

Mohegan Sun

Photo Submitted

www.synergystore.com

Urban LegendCountry stars rock Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arenaby Alexandra Addabbo

At Long Last...Writers Guild of America

strike reaches its endby Kate Eberle

“The strike is over.” These long-awaited words were spoken by Writers Guild of America (WGA) West president Patric Verrone on February 12, when the WGA offi cially voted to put an end to their widely covered 14-week-old strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). After the contract between the WGA and the AMPTP ran out, negotiations over issues such as residuals from DVDs and the internet could not be settled. As a result, the strike began on November 5. The strike has been referred to as the most damaging dispute in the entertainment industry in 20 years. The last WGA strike took place in 1988, which lasted for 21 weeks and resulted in a loss of approximately $500 million; this most recent strike, though lasting almost two months shorter, resulted in a much greater loss of about $2 billion. So, when can you expect your favorite TV shows to return? Most popular shows, including 30 Rock, Gossip Girl and The Offi ce should be back in April or May, while others, such as 24, won’t return until early 2009.

The Viking Saga The Back Page February 25, 2008

Page 12

This week the Saga asks,“What teacher would you like to see on American

Gladiator?’”

“Ms. Anthony because she could twirl a mean baton.”

-junior Leona Purvis

“Mrs. Nowak because she is often inspired to be vicious by the

book, Beowulf.”-seniors Stefanie Felitto and Valerie Ferdon

“Ms. Burton! My Gladiator name

would be B-Nasty!”-Spanish teacher Ms. Burton

“Mr. Warykas because he would talk his way to

victory.”-senior Jessica Stark

K.Brown/Saga

“Mr. Laconti

because he is jacked.”

-junior Chris Stevens

K.Brown/

“Ms. Shaw because underneath that librarian façade there is an

inner warrior.”-history teacher Mr. Hine

“Mr. Hine because he

would totally pound on

Wolf.”-freshman Austin

BeginE.Kleinhans/Saga

“Ms. Rand because I know she’s got secret muscles.”

-English teacher Miss Poole

E.Kleinhans/Saga

Coaches, Parents and Athletes Survey of East Lyme Athletic Program

In order to complete our self study of the East Lyme High School Athletic Program, data must be collected from those

most involved.Go to: http://www.casciac.org/eastlymesurverys/

The codes are:Coaches-elhs2145cParents-elhs3279pAthletes-elhs6659a

Please complete by April 11. The results will be compiled by CIAC and used by the Self-Study Committee as part of their

analysis of the athletic programs.

J. Beale/Saga