By far, this was the best Spirit Week showing I have ever seen! It was kicked off with ‘Merica Monday, where HHS students patriotically paraded around the hallways draped in American flags. Personally, I expected to see most students wearing blue jeans and a red t-shirt, but, as made clear in the pictures below, Hanover High went big. Next, pajama day was an obvious hit. The dream of wearing PJs to school was finally realized. Many got creative with the pajamas, wearing full onesies and giant slippers. Third was Wacky Wednesday, but “wacky” seemed to be a bit of an understatement. Although this seems to be an annual theme, the students were in no way tired of it and dressed weirder than anyone in their right mind could ever anticipate. Thursday we got a chance to show off our Hanover pride. The hallways were decorated with the class themes: Founding Freshman, Selfie Sophomores, Juvie Juniors and Safari Seniors. To be completely biased, the juniors’ pod was pretty excellent. However, I think the Selfie Sophomores’ creativity, detail and makeshift photo booth impressed every class. On Friday, every class wore its colors loud and proud. It was thrilling to see — and hear! — so much class spirit.
All posts by The Hawk
Girls Soccer: Things are Looking Up
Hanover Girls’ Varsity Soccer hasn’t had its best season this year. Too many losses and not enough scoring. Despite being very competitive and talented, their efforts haven’t shown in the win and loss column. Earlier in the season, despite being winless at the time, the team was featured “on the bubble” in a local power 6 rankings. Those rankings were a true testament to the challenge they were presenting other teams. At this very moment, they stand at a record of 2 wins, 8 losses and 3 ties.
However, as the season winds down, the Indians made a huge statement with a 1-0 win over Duxbury. The Dragons, annually one the top programs on the South Shore, were defeated at home by a goal made by Sarah Miller. It marks the first time in at least the last 35 years, if not ever, that the Hanover Girls Soccer beat Duxbury. That win confirmed the fact that this team has the ability to repeat last year’s run in the tournament.
The team has clinched a tournament berth in D3 South and, after being hardened by a season of bigger, talented Patriot League schools, hopes to make a deep run. Not many teams have the ability to beat Duxbury and that win established that Hanover, who will be a low seed, will be a dangerous threat. Last year, despite a poor record and losing their starting goalie, Hanover pulled off a couple of upset wins and made the D3 South final four. They ended up losing a tight game to Cardinal Spellman but drew a huge crowd all the way down at Bridgewater-Raynham High School.
The team is also one of the most diverse teams at HHS, having 3 freshmen, 7 sophomores, 7 juniors and 5 seniors. The tribe has a couple of games left before tournament and you won’t want to miss them.
HHS Cheer: Spirit, Strength, and Smiles
Stand up and cheer, victory is here!
For the blue, gold and white,
We’re gonna win tonight!
The Hanover High cheerleaders are known for their loud, peppy cheers and bright smiles on the sidelines of each football game. The 21 girls on this year’s team have done a tremendous job of enthusing football fans, and despite rain and freezing temperatures, the team is always able to bring an immense amount of positive energy to every game.
Though the team puts forth a spectacular halftime show with optimistic attitudes every Friday night, most fans don’t realize the extent of true effort needed to launch a successful cheerleading season. This year in particular proved to be full of new struggles, for this is the first year with coach Emily Humphrey. Luckily, right off the bat, Coach Emily began to lead the girls in the right direction, assisted by senior captains Jaime Savage, Olivia DelTufo, and Skye Howard. The team spent many hot summer days fundraising for their competition preparation, and spent hours at a time learning strenuous routines and tiring stunt sequences. The opening weeks of the season went smoothly, and successfully laid down a strong basis for the many steps to be taken in the following months leading up to competition season.
However, like all other sports teams, the cheerleaders suffered many setbacks after they got the ball rolling. Freshman flyer Jaclyn Mignosa injured her arm while warming up for the football game at Pembroke High, eliminating her from the remainder of the season. Junior flyer Michelle Leary was also declared exempt due to an existing back issue. With two of the team’s important flyers out for the season, the girls had to rearrange and shuffle the entire routine in a pressing period of time. But much like their attitudes during football games, the team was able to remain upbeat and optimistic and has made heavy progress in re-working their routine to match their goals. It was not an easy feat to accomplish, however, to prevail over such drastic changes. The team showed an extreme dedication throughout the process, stretching practices late into Sunday evenings and even planning early morning practices before school. The girls truly prove that being a cheerleader isn’t as easy as putting on a smile and waving pom poms in the air!
The girls on the team are excited yet apprehensive toward their upcoming competition season. Their first competition is set for November 1, followed by the League Competition on November 8. They are proud of their efforts so far, and can’t wait for the good things to come!
Don’t be Square, Come to the Homecoming Hop!
So Mrs. McHugh wanted me to write another article for the paper and I was all like, “idk,” but then senior savage Isaac Bickford gave me the idea to tell people all about the Homecoming dance in the lingo of the 1950s. I responded to Isaac’s idea with, “That’s the stupidest best idea I’ve ever heard….let’s do it!” So if you’re curious as to if I’ve finally gone off the deep end, I have not. So here’s Homecoming, ‘50s style.
Hey you! Yes you! Do you often find yourself on the weekend devoid of a sock hop to attend? Does your gang of high school hellhounds need a place to chill cold? Ever wanted to spend an evening with a fine young honey? If so, well, I’ve got the solution for you, daddy-o! This Saturday night come to the Homecoming shakedown.
Now before you enter, you gotta know that if you have any silly juice in your system, you’re gonna have to hit the road, ace. Don’t get salty with me if you get kicked and thrown in the paddy wagon since you wanted a little underage fun.
Now, the tickets cost thirty big ones, so if you’re a bit skinny on cash, it’s time to save up your jukebox money. The dance is open to all ages of people from big daddys to little mamas so don’t feel like you’re too old or too young to have a jig. There are plenty of reasons to attend the dance such as the chow being served. Puccini’s will be catering the hop and I must say their food never fails to razz my berries. Disc jockey extraordinaire Molly Minnehan will be itching and scratching the latest records from Elvis, Fats Domino, and, if you’re feeling frisky, Ritchie Valens. With six songs in total, the gym will be a real hoppin’ joint. Remember, only the heartthrobs and tootses of HHS can attend the dance so if someone else from some other town tries to snake in, tell them to make like an egg and beat it.
Hey fellas, once you and your cool cats groove on down to the dance floor, be sure to ask a young dame to vibe with you. Don’t be a kook about it; if you think that young lady scorching the dance floor is pretty, buck up, tie your shoes real tight, make sure your pompadour is groomed, and ask that dame to shake it. Ladies, don’t be a two-cent floosie, save a dance for a real hunk, not some creep.
The dance will last until 9:30, so after that you can hop in a hot rod and goose out of there and back to your parents for a safe responsible evening. Keep in mind kiddos, this is for fun for everyone so don’t be a stick in the mud and ruin it.
Yeah, I just wrote that. You just read that. I feel bad too. Goodnight.
What the !#$%@#$ Did I Just Watch?!
Remember Home Alone? That family friendly movie with the kooky kid and incompetent robbers? Yeah, that movie’s great. Now take Home Alone, and add blood. Lots of it. Now you have the 1½ hour long limb-losing bonanza called The Collection.
Now before I begin going into any more detail about the film, I must inform you that originally it was fellow news club extraordinaire Andrea Bilton and her friend Ally Knight, both juniors, who started watching it. But within the first 10 minutes, I was forced to turn it off by both of them. I believe some quotes from Andrea were, “WHY WOULD SOMEONE MAKE THIS??” and “I WANNA WATCH MY DISNEY!!”
Now that that’s off my chest, on with the review. The Collection, directed by Marcus Dunstan and released in 2012 (now On Demand), is a gore fest with a leather-masked serial killer known as The Collector. It’s a sequel to an equally bloody film The Collector. Our tough female heroine is Elena, who is invited out to a new unknown club by her friend. Elena begins to party completely responsibly until she sees her boyfriend making out with another woman. She pops him in the nose then her friend flips him off (#teamwork.) After entering the bathroom, Elena stumbles upon a large red trunk which is moving and yelling. Due to this being a horror movie, where characters always seem to do stupid things, she opens the box. Out comes Arkin, our beat-up protagonist from the first movie and a former captive of The Collector. The opening of this box sets off a series of gears and cogs wired around the club and have you ever wondered what steak would look like if you put in in a garbage disposal? Well that’s what you’re going to witness once this trap begins to hit the dance floor.
So after we can no longer find anybody in the club with bottles full of bub, Elena is captured by The Collector and brought to his “not” murder dungeon. Arkin is contracted by Elena’s father to help find Elena since he is the only man to ever escape the killer. Arkin and a team of highly trained mercenaries, otherwise known as the ones who are going to die in the movie, enter The Collector’s quaint two bedroom, half bath cottage. Just kidding the place is an abandoned motel with a murder hole! I’m serious; there’s just a hole with dead bodies that he disposed of in his lair. The movie really starts here so I’ll give you the Sparknotes so you can watch it yourself: impalement, razor net, spiked coffin, drugged-out zombie people with doll masks, fun with meat hooks, blood, rebreaking a compound fracture, blood, blood, explosions, slo-mo, blood.
So if crimson-soaked, escape action movies interest you, then watch The Collection before the Halloween season is over. But be warned, you’ll never look at steak the same way again.
PS. This movie is rated R, for mature audiences only. So legally, only the seniors can watch this.
Where Do I Belong? – Clubs at Hanover High
There is an incredible range of clubs here at Hanover High School, truly something out there for everyone. But if you don’t know where to look, worry no more! Here is a complete list of clubs here at HHS! As you read on, I hope you’ll be able to connect with a club you like.
Art Club
Do you like to paint, draw, or simply unleash your wild creativity? Do you want to connect with other students who also love art? If so, art club is the club for you! Art club meets with Mr. Crawford in room 108 once a week and the room is always filled with young artists at all levels of expertise, gathered in an environment where they can bring their art dreams alive. Stop by anytime and find the inspiration to create something amazing!
Chess Club
Do you enjoy playing chess? Are you interested in the game of chess and want to try your hand at it? If you’ve ever been curious about chess, whether you consider yourself a beginner or an advanced player, drop by the club and join a welcoming environment where you can play chess with those who truly know how to play! The club is advised by Mr. Plummer and meets on Fridays in the auditorium.
Debate Club
Do you like the art of persuasive speech? How about arguing topics that are relevant to today’s society? Do you want to improve your abilities in public speaking and self confidence? If so, consider joining the debate club! Debate club meets every week and is a comfortable atmosphere where students learn to nurture and flourish their talents for debate and argument. The club is advised by Ms. Pavao, and if you have questions, feel free to contact her!
Diversity Club
Do you want to help promote tolerance throughout Hanover High School? Are you interested in joining a club that discusses ideas that have a huge impact on our society? If so, definitely join diversity club. The club prides itself on raising awareness of important events such as the day of silence, and also discussing relevant political and social issues worldwide. Meetings occur each Thursday and you can contact club president Lindsay Glover with any questions about involvement.
Fashion Club
Do you love haute couture, shopping for the latest styles or browsing fashion magazines? If so, the Fashion Club is for you. The club meets every other week in room 110. Members talk about trends and are planning to feature a best dressed teacher each month in the window they host near the library. They are also organizing a fashion show in March with more than 25 teacher models and town participants and vendors from Newbury Street and around the South Shore. For more information, see Mrs. Curley or seniors Bruna DaCosta and Hayley Martin.
Green Team
Are you looking for an easy way to help out the school and the environment? Do you enjoy being able to create a greener planet and better school atmosphere? Or are you even just looking for a simple way to pick up a handful of community service hours? Then Green Team is the club for you! Every Wednesday, the team disperses and spends a brief amount of time collecting recycling bins from all over the school and dumping the contents into the large recycling dumpster. Joining Green Team is taking a small step toward a big difference! If interested, meet in the guidance office after school on any Wednesday!
Junior Rotary Club
Do you enjoy helping others, both in the community and internationally? Have you ever wanted to take part in creating an original fundraiser or community service project? In that case, check out the Junior Rotary Club! As the junior division of the Tri-Town rotary club, Junior Rotary Club involves planning and participating in community service events and helping people locally and globally. JRC meets Mondays after school in room 317. You can contact Mrs. Aborn or junior Mike Meads with questions about involvement.
Lemonade Stand
Do you like putting smiles on the faces of people everywhere? Are you interested in getting opportunities to help those in need? If so, check out Lemonade Stand, a club of students who strive to make people happy by visiting sick patients at hospitals, donating time to nursing homes, spending time with children going through chemotherapy, and more! If you’re interested in getting involved, contact Kate Joy or Hannah Thurston.
Literary Magazine
Do you have a passion for writing? Do you wish there was a place where you could anonymously post poetry and short stories? Or are you even just looking for a place where you can unleash your creative energy? Well LitMag is the club for you! LitMag involves little commitment, only a few short meetings a year. Other than that, students post poems, stories, and more on the club’s website, hanoverlitmag.com. Check out the site or speak to junior Angela Mirisola, senior David Raab, or Mrs. McHugh for more info.
Math Team
Are you interested in math? Are you looking for a way to connect with others who have a knack for numbers like you? If so, consider joining the math team! Students from all grades and levels of math are accepted, whether you take geometry, algebra, pre-calc, or calculus! Math team meets every Tuesday night in room 218, and is advised by Dr. Defranzo. Senior Captains are David Raab and Megan Scribner.
Movie Riffing Club
Do you enjoy poking fun at bad movies? Do you love sarcasm and humor? Are you interested in criticizing film? If so, join the movie riffing club! The club has a good time laughing at bad movies every Thursday after school in room 222. Contact junior Linnea Martin with any further questions.
News Club
Do you want to try your hand at journalism? Do you want to get your OWN articles published right here on hhsindian.com? Are you interested in documenting student life, and also pressing issues in today’s society, just like a real newspaper? In that case, join News Club! Meetings are held on either Wednesdays or Thursdays after school in the “News Room” adjoining the library, and every week students have a chance to sign up and publish new articles about the latest news in both the school community and greater society. We are always looking for new writers, artists, and photographers to join! Contact senior David Raab, junior Andrea Bilton, or Mrs. McHugh with questions.
Robotics Club
Have you ever wanted to build a robot? Do you want to see what entering a robot competition is like? Do you like futuristic technology or computer programming? In that case, check out the robotics club! Students meet every Tuesday to build robots and program them using C code. Right now, students are also assembling a brand new 3D printer. Contact Mrs. Borgeson with questions.
SADD
Do you want to be a “student against destructive decisions”? In that case, join SADD! Students meet weekly to discuss heavy topics that have an influence on students’ life and behavior. If you are interested in becoming a part of such an important conversation about how to prevent the dreadful decisions that take a toll on student life, see Mrs. Rapalje-Fitzgerald for more information.
Student Council
Do you want to get involved in important decisions made regarding student life at HHS? Are you interested in student government or strengthening leadership qualities? Do you want to simply be part of an upbeat, welcoming group of people and take advantage of many opportunities involving school spirit and Hanover pride? In that case, definitely attend a student council meeting. Student council meets about twice a month on weeknights, and they discuss and plan events occurring in the school and also get involved in a vast array of community service projects. Student council is an easy way to always know what’s going on at HHS, and have a hand in planning events and dances that occur each year. Contact Mr. Hegarty or Mr. Centorino with any questions.
Yearbook
Do you want to help create everlasting memories for students at HHS? Do you like photography or designing page layouts? In that case, consider joining the yearbook committee. Yearbook meets every Wednesday and makes decisions involving the annual yearbook. The club is constantly looking for new members, especially those who like to take pictures and capture student memories as they happen. Contact Mrs. McCusker or Mrs. Coates with questions!
Question: What Time Do You Get To Bed?
Jared Schneider, Sophomore
I usually go to bed, most of the time, around 10:30. Sometimes, closer to 11:00, and the latest I have ever is probably around 4:00 am. I’m a pro at answering this.
Abby Lyons, junior
So mostly on school nights, I go to bed at like 11:00, usually. Although, the latest ever was 4 am, haha. Actually though, for school nights, I would have to say 11:30 because of music!
Jamie Knight, sophomore:
Hmmmm, interesting question. Probably around 11:30 I would say, and the latest ever would be closer to 3 am. That’s pretty late for me.
Jason Gallagher, senior
Okay, so the latest I have ever gone to bed on a school night, that is, is 3:45 am. Typically though I usually go to bed around 12:30. (Jason often finds a way to spend a great deal of his nights playing different computer and video games).
Danielle Shaw, sophomore
So, I usually go to bed anywhere from 10:30 to 11:00, depending if I have skating or not. Also, it depends on the amount of homework I have to do that night. The latest I have ever gone to bed is probably around 1:30, because of group chats!
New Security Plan Focuses on Armed Threat
The administration, faculty, and staff of the entire Hanover Public School District have been busy implementing a new philosophy towards the ominous threat of an active school shooter. In collaboration with the Hanover Police Department, new ALICE security training protocols are going to implemented. The ALICE program is specifically geared towards the mitigation of the threat of a school shooter.
ALICE is actually an acronym which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate. Simply put, those are the five points of any effective response to the threat of an active shooter. Alert means that all members of the school community should be lookout for anything suspicious or out of the ordinary. Lockdown is based on the traditional plan of hiding and staying put, but with a few changes detailed below. Inform means that communication in all mediums and between all people will be emphasized. Counter is your last resort option of physically evading or resisting an armed gunman. Evacuate is the idea that if it is safe to do so that you should leave the building and get as far away from the grounds as humanly possible. According to Mr. Galligan, assistant principal of HHS, that would mean at least West Ave if not farther. It is better if the school has to find you if you survive as opposed to staying in the building at the risk of survival. In order of preference, the first option is to Evacuate, the second would be to Lockdown, and the third would be to physically counter the attack.
Mr. Galligan is the ALICE coordinator for the high school. He explained to me the changes that will occur from a student’s point of view. Most importantly, the traditional lockdown that we have all become accustomed to will only be used if there is a threat outside the building. If the threat is inside the building, the traditional lockdown will cease to exist. Under the current way of doing things, during a traditional lockdown, students and staff are easy targets for an armed gunman. Under the ALICE plan, if students and teachers feel it’s safer to stay in their rooms than try to escape, they would be expected to barricade themselves in the classroom using desks and chairs. Another important change is that cell phones and other communication technology will be constantly used in order to keep everyone up to date. If at all possible, the location of an attacker will be announced live on the school’s PA system. Gone are the days of “tricking” people out of their classrooms. As a matter of fact, drills using the new protocols will be announced in advance and the element of surprise will be mitigated as much as possible.
More information will be coming directly from Mr. Galligan during individual grade level assemblies next Monday, October 27. In addition to words from administration, a student-produced video about the new changes will be shown. Some time in early November the entire school will practice new ALICE protocols during class. Changes in protocols are coming to Hanover and they will really be for the best of everyone.
See below for YouTube video made by Mr. Patch’s video production class that summarizes the key aspects of the ALICE philosophy.
Patriots Look Unbeatable After Rocky Start
The New England Patriots are back to their winning ways. After a roller coaster start, the team has climbed to first place of the AFC East and nobody has been able to stop them. The offense played well when the Patriots beat the New York Jets 27-25 on Oct. 16. My favorite play of that game was the blocked field goal kick at the end of the game by Chris Jones. If it wasn’t blocked, the Patriots would have lost 28-27.
The Pats also looked good in their 37-22 win against the Buffalo Bills Oct. 12. Brady threw for 361 yards and 4 touchdowns. But one bad thing that happened was the Patriots lost top rusher Stevan Ridley and starting linebacker Jerod Mayo to injuries. On Oct. 5, the Pats absolutely drubbed the Cincinnati Bengals 43-17.
The three-win streak was a welcome relief after a roller coaster start to the season. The Pats suffered a humiliating opening day defeat 33-20 at the hands of the Miami Dolphins, but came back to beat the Minnesota Vikings 30-7 on Sept. 14. Then, their 16-9 win against the Oakland Raiders on Sept. 21 was mediocre at best. The offense looked sluggish and Tom Brady threw for just 221 yards with a pass completion rate of 65 percent. Julian Edelman caught 10 passes while Rob Gronkowski got the only passing touchdown of the game.
Their Sept. 29 performance on Monday Night Football was dismal. The Pats suffered their second worst loss of the Brady-Belicheck era, losing 41-14 to the Kansas City Chiefs. The offensive line was awful and the defense was pitiful; they couldn’t manage the run or the passing game. For a team that very rarely has turnovers, the Patriots had three to the Chiefs’ zero. They even had to bring in backup QB Jimmy Grapalo. Though he was 6 for 7 with 70 yards passing and a touchdown, it was too little, too late.
Now on a three-game winning streak that has brought their record to 5-2, the Patriots can again think about the possibility of postseason play. They face the 3-4 Chicago Bears on Sunday.
Teamwork Carries Fockey to League Title
The HHS field hockey team has dominated this season. They have trampled the competition, earning 10 wins and only suffering one loss and four ties. With their Oct. 17 win against Silver Lake, they captured the Patriot League Fisher Division championship.
Coach Judy Schneider attributes their success to teamwork, not to mention incredible goalies Hannah McCorkell and Molly Cameron.
“The team is very coachable,” said Coach Schneider. “Everyone on the team has improved so much.”
Their one and only defeat was against Duxbury in a home game under the lights. After keeping up with them for the first half of the game, Hanover gave up two goals in the second half.
“We played really good in the first half,” said Brielle Prouty, a junior. “It was one of our best games as a team.”
“Duxbury has always been a powerhouse,” added junior Erika Nelson.
Senior captain McCorkell said even though the team lost to Duxbury, there were a lot of positives.
“It was our toughest game so far,” she said. “We did a good job keeping up with them and showing them that we could be competitive and not a joke.”
The team expects to make a strong showing in the playoffs.
“It’s been a really good season” said Cate Marchetti, a junior. “The team’s been working really well together.”
The Hawk 