Last week, Pope Francis crossed the pond for an abridged tour of the States and caused quite the commotion. Through social media and word-of-mouth, I learned that the arrival of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church sparked the creation of its own website (popefrancisvisit.com, in case you were seeking another way to procrastinate), a new drink flavor at numerous coffee shops (wondering where that pumpkin spice latte you love went? You might want to try asking for a Pope-kin spice flavor next time), and even its own hashtag (#lovelikefrancis . . . and yes, you can buy sweatshirts bearing this message!). Ok, so it sounds like Pope Francis has definitely made a splash on the Internet, no small feat considering he doesn’t seem like the type to be a computer nerd. But what did one of our world’s most influential leaders actually do in America?!

Well, Pope Francis’ visit began in Washington D.C. last Wednesday, where he was formally greeted by President Obama. Just a few hours later, he was parading down the National Mall to the delight of millions and held a midday prayer at St. Matthew’s Cathedral. The next day, the Pope spoke to the Senate and House of Representatives, made a brief appearance outside the Capitol (the perfect opportunity to take a selfie with the Pope in the background and put that hashtag to good use!), and visited St. Patrick’s Church where he did, you know, Pope things.

He left that night for his first ever trip to the Big Apple! The Pope arrived and hit the ground running: he spoke at the United Nations, blessed the 9/11 memorial, and visited underprivileged children at public schools in Harlem. After a papal motorcade through Central Park, Pope Francis conducted a sold-out mass at Madison Square Garden. Tickets to the event were supposed to be free, distributed to churches in the area, but some scalpers got upwards of $1,500 a seat.

The final stop on the Pope’s agenda was Philadelphia. Just an hour and a half after arriving, he gave a mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul that attracted thousands; there’s no time to stop for a Philly cheese sub when you’re the head of a religion, I guess! He also made an appearance at the Independence Mall and held a prayer vigil later that night with the World Meeting of Families. Pope Francis departed for Rome at 8:00 pm on Sunday, September 27th after five days of spreading his message of hope and faith.

The grueling schedule probably left the 78-year-old exhausted, but on his first visit to America the Pope touched millions of lives. To be honest, I’m disappointed he didn’t make it closer to Hanover. I think it’s pretty cool that Pope Francis had showers installed at the Vatican for the homeless to use whenever they want, and auctioned his custom Harley Davidson for almost $350,000. All of the profits went to a soup kitchen in Rome and will fill countless hungry stomachs over the next few years. It seems like the Pope doesn’t just talk the talk, he is dedicated to walking that spiritual walk.

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Additional photos taken by Mr. Ryerson can be found here.

Hanover High hosted its very first blood drive this week, organized by one of its many new clubs, Red Cross. Early as 8 amTuesday morning, nurses, facilitators, and volunteers crowded the multi-purpose room along with donors themselves, eager to donate, yet somewhat scared for the needle’s “deadly” prick. As a donor myself, and a  lover of blood during every anatomy class, I was still nervous for my first time giving blood. Students aged 16 required a parent’s permission to donate; students 17 and older were able to donate with just a photo ID.

When it was my turn to donate, I answered a frenzy of questions, asking if I’d traveled to various countries, recently had tattoos, or run into any highly diseased people recently. From there, I was laying on the makeshift bed and had mustard yellow iodine smeared on my elbow, and boom . . . the needle was in my vein and blood pooled into a bag. Although many may have had anxiety about donating, usually about the potential pain that may come with it, a universal happiness shared by all donors is the fact that the blood we give can save the lives of three people. As weird as it sounds, I find it to be a beautiful thing that my blood will circulate in someone else, a little piece of me keeping them alive.

President and Vice-President of the Red Cross club, Annika Rowland and Sarah Kelly, were pleased with the results of the school’s first blood drive.

“The blood drive went much better than I thought it would go,” said Annika, a junior. “We had so many people interested in donating, which was amazing to see how much the school supported us. It was life changing to see so much positive energy happening in the little room.

With about three dozen donors, the five-hour drive collected enough blood to save about 114 lives, added Sarah, also a junior. “It made me so happy to see so many people willing to give.”

It’s the end of the year, the weather is getting warmer, pools are opening, ice cream runs are becoming a regular Friday night event, summer is almost here . . . oh, wait. Before the mental rest and relaxation of summer can begin, students need to kick it into high gear one last time for finals. These tests assess at least half of the year of learning in each class and altogether account for 1/9th of your class average. While this isn’t enough of an impact to affect your performance too seriously, the time to drop the ball definitely is not on finals. It’s easy as a freshman to stress yourself out over these assessments, picturing the tests as the end-all,be-all, but let me tell you, finals are nothing like the standardized monsters made infamous in movies. Most teachers understand that with freedom in such close reach, it can be difficult to do one page of homework, let alone review (and sometimes relearn) the entire year. With the right preparation and mental attitude, the dreaded final week of school will be over before you know it.

Necessity #1: Study Guides

The best way to study for any test is to know exactly what to expect. If your teachers don’t hand out study guides, ask them which chapters or units will be covered on the final and make your own. Studying too much can sometimes be just as harmful as not studying enough, and an overload of information will just cause you to forget things and feel even more stressed. Sticking to what the teacher says will be on the final will help ensure that you will be fully prepared to ace the test. Also, going through the process of looking up information from old notes and compiling it into your own personal study guide is studying in itself!

Necessity #2: A Distraction-Free Zone

Setting aside a certain area for studying is more important than you think. You brain will actually become more focused if you surround yourself with people hard at work. Taking your books to the town library or a coffee shop eliminates any chance of getting sidetracked at home. Try your best to avoid the TV and “before bed study sessions.” As I’m sure we all know, studying on the couch with the TV on for background noise can quickly turn into learning more about America’s Top Model than the biology chapter sitting at your feet. I’ve found that I usually study the best in the late afternoon or evening. Once I get into bed I always somehow find that I start reading the notes I have so carefully written and wake up the next morning with ink on my face . . . Wherever you decide to prepare, make sure that it is quiet and organized,  and it’s hard to make excuses for getting distracted.

Necessity #3: Music

I don’t care how motivated you are, sitting all alone in a silent room trying to study is not fun by any standard. Plugging  your speakers into your phone can make a huge difference in your attitude toward studying. Whether it is putting on hardcore pump-up music to get you amped for your good grade or classical piano solos for concentration, music can never be a bad idea. If music is more of a distraction for you, try putting on white noise. There are lots of free apps that offer sounds ranging from waves to rain to waterfalls that can really help to block out noises from your surroundings.

Necessity #4: A Schedule

High school is a procrastinator’s natural habitat: walk into the library on any given day and you will find students rushing to type a paper the period before it is due, and the pods in the morning are filled with kids comparing answers on homework. The study-everything-you-can-in-five-minutes-and-hope-for-the-best approach may work for you sometimes, but I wouldn’t necessarily go into finals with this mentality. Instead, plan out when you will have your tests and study accordingly. It is much easier to study for 30 minutes a day for three days in advance than an hour and a half the night before. Also, focusing on each class at a time and breaking what you need to know down into more manageable sections will help to make the tests seem less overwhelming.

Necessity #5: Snacks

We can’t have fatigue or hunger taking away from our studies! Stock up on some snacks to eat while you are working. Try to choose foods that are healthy but still filling so both your brain and body are ready to go. Some suggestions are grapes, crackers with peanut butter, berries, popcorn, or apple slices. And hey, don’t be afraid to reward yourself with a cookie or two . . . you deserve it after all the hard work you have been putting in. I also just found out that mints or minty gum have  been proven to lead to faster brain activity and higher test scores, I don’t know about you but I’m definitely going to take advantage of this . . . I need all the help I can get!

Necessity #6: Positive Reinforcement

This last tip is probably the most important. Having an incentive or reward to get you through finals is sometimes key to pushing yourself further than you thought you could go. Pick something you really like but don’t get to do often, maybe it’s getting your nails done or going in for a facial. Maybe it’s that new pair of headphones you have had you eyes on for weeks, or a double cheeseburger with bacon. Whatever it is, promise yourself that it will be yours if you get above a 90 on all of your finals or some other goal you are trying to achieve (like not dying from all the studying). With this goal in mind, it will give you a purpose to try your hardest even when the easy thing to do would be to lay out by the pool and hope for the best.

Good luck to everyone on finals this year!

So, here I am. Last day of classes, last day of caring, last true day of high school. High school, oh what a time. Seven hours a day with hundreds of other kids in the same position as me, confused. We’re confused why we’re here, what we’re doing, the whole point of it all. Confusion can sometimes lead to anger and I felt plenty of that during my stay here. But I’m older now, and a lot smarter. I know to not look back in anger at this place. The amount of good and growth this school has shown me and offered me far outweighs the bad.

When I first stepped in here I was afraid. I was afraid because I didn’t know who I was or what was going to happen. I’m still afraid because I don’t know what’s going to happen. But I know who I am now and so does most of the school. I don’t show it, but I am very sad about leaving this place. I have made so many friends with both students and staff, and leaving them seems painful to me. I don’t care about the grades or the elite clubs. I care about the connections I’ve made with people because those mean more to me than any test grade ever could. I need others to be alive, what I mean by that is without people to entertain, I’m hollow. I like making people emote or have a reaction and what better place to do this than a place where those things are frowned upon. Being different is not bad, emotion and reaction are not bad. As much as you may feel that standing out even a little is bad, it’s not. I’ve done so much by standing out and I wouldn’t be who I am without embracing the part of me that’s weird. You guys helped me do that and for that I am infinitely thankful.

This isn’t that profound or groundbreaking and I know that maybe I just felt this necessary to make Mrs. McHugh happy that I wrote another article, or so that people will see me as a writer and not just a goon. The truth is, I’m writing this because I’m going to miss you all so much, my friends, my teachers, and I have trouble showing such emotion so this is my way of letting it all out. Truly, I’m a little choked up writing this at the moment, but I need to, and I also need to say that I love all you guys, really. So this is it, the last sentence, last long-winded article, last goodbye . . . thank you.

This past Thursday (May 7), Hanover High School hosted its own poetry slam featuring the poetry of faculty and students. Sponsored by the Hanover High School Literary Magazine (www.hanoverlitmag.com) and the HHS Indian newspaper group, the event displayed the incredible talents of almost a dozen performers.

Senior David Raab emceed the occasion along with the help of junior Angela Mirisola. To start off the evening, snacks were served while music played softly in the background. After the crowd had filled up the multipurpose room in the high school, Raab announced the first guest. Mrs. Hughes, assistant principal at Hanover Middle School, began the night with a hopeful, touching poem called “Moving Ahead.” High school poetry teacher Mr. Hopkins rose next to share a few intriguing works including one poem titled “There was that Night.”

The audience sat eagerly as each poet entered the spotlight to deliver creative, descriptive and emotional pieces. Mirisola presented a beautifully written poem herself, painting a picture with her words for keen listeners. The night was very special for the performers—it was a time not to compete for the best poem, but rather one where each person could simply share a beautifully crafted piece of themselves. Many of the reciters read their own poetry—like senior Lindsay Glover, who expertly performed a heartfelt, genuine poem titled “This is a True Story.” Jill Drummy, a junior, also performed a moving original piece.

Along with sophomore Lauren Bilton, Drummy recited a powerful work by W.D. Snodgrass called “A Locked House.” Despite its mysterious essence, the two girls were able to unlock the poem’s wisdom and eloquence in their excellent ability to present it. Other performers included junior Sarah Kelly, who got the audience thinking hard when she gave a beautiful recitation of the surprisingly hopeful poem, “Why I Think the World Should End” by Prince Ea. Andrea Bilton, a junior like Kelley, presented some of her own work and captivated the audience. One of her well-expressed works was “Under the Influence of a Dream.”

As the night came to a close, sophomore Julia Goslin and junior Chloe Minnehan sparked a grand finale. Goslin enthralled the crowd with several poems, including a moving piece titled “Injustice.” Minnehan entered the spotlight next and recited Shane Koyczan’s “The Crickets Have Arthritis,” a hopeful, heartbreaking poem about one man’s experience at a hospital.

As the event neared closing time, Raab announced the winner of a raffle sponsored by the event. The lucky one chosen would win a year’s supply of bread from Panera Bread. The bread went to performer Chloe Minnehan—a well deserving recipient! All in all, the night was a showcase of the excellent talent of the students of Hanover High School, both reciters and performers alike.

Senior Prom was last Friday (May 8th) at the Venezia in Boston. However, the festivities of prom began long before the busses arrived at the venue. Starting at 5:30, there was a red carpet event at the High School where everyone could walk in and get their pictures taken by none other than Mr. Ryerson. It was a perfect opportunity for people to see the seniors all dressed and ready to have a great time.  By the time the busses arrived at 6 pm, everyone was ready to leave their parents and siblings behind and embark on a night of fun as a senior class.

The first three busses quickly made it to the Venezia but the last bus broke down while leaving the high school and a replacement had to be dispatched at the last minute. When the last bus finally arrived at the venue, many of the occupants were greeted by uproarious applause as it meant that the dance could finally begin. Before I could even put my fork down after dinner was served, the DJs started to get people out onto the dance floor. Within about 10 minutes, the tables were deserted and everyone was getting it down on the dance floor. It might sound cliche, but the senior class really came together and everyone really got into dancing, my date and I certainly included.

An important part of every prom is the announcement of the prom court, which is decided by the chaperones in attendance. Guys included Patrick Turpin, Jon Crespi, and Devin Depauw. The girls were Dominque Notarangelo, Hannah Joy, and Olivia Deltufo. The prom king was Andrew Martin and the queen was Amy Leonard.

A special thanks should go out to the senior class officers: Mike Vigneaux (President), Molly Minnehan (Vice President), Nick Ricciarelli (Treasurer), and Andrew Nelson (Secretary) for spending most of the year planning the festivities. The event also would not have been possible without the class advisors Mr. Hegarty and Mr. Rodday as well.

Senior Prom is one of those many rites of passage that marks the end of high school and the beginning of life beyond the walls of HHS. It’s sort of bittersweet for me to realize that this will be my last school dance at HHS. On a positive note, everyone I talked to, whether they went with a traditional date or a group of friends, had an amazing time.

If you have any pictures that I can include in this gallery, please email them to me at draab15@hanoverstudents.org or Mrs. McHugh at smchugh@hanoverschools.org

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Thanks to all the students, teachers and staff who supported News Club and the Lit Mag by entering our contest. It was a close race. The winner of the $20 gift card to Dunkin Donuts was Karen Bernier with 16 correct answers.

Talent shows get a bad rap. People always envision lame singing acts or bad comedy performances. I think those people should shut their pie holes because I’m about to drop factual bombs over Baghdad about how sick the HHS Talent Show was this year. Now sadly due to me loving naps far too much, I missed the first couple of acts 😦 So I’ll ask other people how those went.

When I arrived, Junior Sophia Ruggiano was just beginning her rendition of “Pawn Shop Blues” by Lana Del Ray. Soph, I knew you did the theater thing, but I thought this performance was fantastic, truthfully. Up next was Chloe Minnehan Singing “Chandelier” by Sia. She even had a chandelier present while singing, such dedication to the source material. Of course it was good and I actually listened this time because it wasn’t the radio version.

Then came Max Meallo and Andy Nelson on the tambo, Amy  Leonard on electric keyboard, Gina Carbone on piano, Eric Smith on Bass, Dante Nicotera being the jazziest sax man this side of the union line, and Molly Minnehan banging drums. This steam train of musical talent jammed out to “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” by Billy Joel and boy, was it a doozy. From Gina’s fingers igniting from laying waste to the ivory keys, or all the girls in the audience crowding around Dante when he played that sax riff, it was a lot of fun to watch.

After that, von Trapp household chief Zack McArthur sang “Cry Me A River” and tears were shed from every man, woman and child in the seats. ‘Diablo Rojo’ Taylor Grady, with the guitar accompaniment of the better, handsomer, musically gifted Eric — Eric Smith ––  sang “Medicine” by Daughter. T,  gotta say girl, this was incredible. If anyone sees Taylor in the halls, corner her and force her to sing, it’s fine.

The ladies from Vox then sang “Watcha Say” by Soulja Boy or something. Who cares? It was cool because their voices went up and down and it sounded neat. There were lots of singing acts, which is to be expected since we at HHS rock so many faces off on a daily basis. But the other singing acts I saw were Lindsey Glover with “Dope” by Lady Gaga and Lauren Murray with “This Time”
from the show Glee. Ladies, excellent job, you’re going to Hollywood for the second round.

Ever see someone bang a metal drum? The answer’s yes, Mr. Schu. But ever see three people do it at the same time while being sick nasty at it? No? You missed out then. This is exactly what happened when Swaggy Min, Better Eric, and Joshua “can man” Khun made their triumphant return to the stage to once again make us feel alive. It’s been four years since these prophets first congregated to form the holy trinity of bang drumming . . .  it was well worth the wait.

Can’t forget about young misses absolutely scorching the dance floor with their intricate and forbidden dance moves. Erika Nelson, Molly McMahon, and Lauren Galotti formed the dance group and well . . .  words can’t describe this act, people. You witnessed the birth of an art form if you were there, if not I’m sorry.

Wrapping everything up we had Lindsey Glover and Skye Howard giving a sasstacular rendition of “Senorita by JT .” So sassy, girls, rwarr.

In summary, if someone calls  talent shows “lame,” suplex them through the nearsest wall and tell them about HHS’ incredible talent.