We all know that cozy holiday feeling you start to feel as soon as you finish your Thanksgiving dinner. Not your post-dinner stomachache, but CHRISTMAS FEVER! I don’t know about you, but I find myself OBSESSED with the idea of Christmas. From the homemade gingerbread houses, to the scent of pine trees, to the kids telling “mall Santa” what they want to wake up to on December 25th. Everybody prepares for the holidays in different ways, but these are a few of my favorite things to do in preparation for Christmastime.
1.) Hang up some Christmas lights! Whether it be in your room, or on the outside of your house, make sure everybody knows you’re ready for Santa to make an appearance.
2.) Make a special treat to enjoy with family and friends! I know that I already ‘attempted’ to make some peppermint bark . . . but it’s all about having fun, right?! Look up some cool recipes for gingerbread, candy cane cookies, holiday brownies, and all sorts of fun holiday treats!
3.) Listen to some Christmas music! Senior Nick Ricciarelli just loves “listening to all of the songs on the Michael Buble holiday CD!” Other students, like Padraic McDonough and James Woods enjoy Mariah Carey’s hit, “All I want for Christmas.”
4) Shop for Secret Santa. Candy, gift cards or warm fuzzy socks all make great presents for your friends and family. The mystery of the exchange just adds to the fun. Who knows me well enough to buy me dark chocolate!! Who in the world thought I would like a leopard-printed snuggie?!
So , there you have it. Some tips to help you prepare for, and survive, this holiday season. Merry Christmas, everyone!
Black Friday has become nearly as prominent in America as the holiday that it follows. It has become rather like a holiday itself. It takes up almost as much advertising as Christmas. When I return to school after the break, I am just as likely to be asked where I went shopping as I am asked where I went for Thanksgiving. It is only a matter of time before the production company that created the movies Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve will create a film entitled Black Friday.
Unlike a real holiday, where folks look forward to time at home, Black Friday specializes in taking people out of their homes. Millions of retail workers are made to cut short or miss out on their Thanksgiving festivities in order to prepare their stores for the massive event. It not only forces people to leave their families on a holiday weekend to work, but it drives countless others to finish their turkey early and drive to the nearest Best Buy. As Black Friday hours begin earlier and earlier each year, often starting on Thanksgiving Thursday, it encourages shoppers to place their Christmas shopping ahead of the traditional American Thanksgiving plans. With these things in mind it appears as if Black Friday is Armageddon to those traditional Brady Bunch type families: placing consumerism above family values.
On the other hand, what is Black Friday if not another activity for your family during the holiday season? It may not be traditional or idealistic, but more and more families every year don matching T-shirts and charge into Target like the Pats into Gillette. Personally, I have not experienced this but I imagine that I would definitely bond with my family if we were out to claim or wrestle the last iPad mini out of the hands of our competitors at Walmart. Perhaps these families can become closer through this kind of activity than they would in reciting what they are thankful for over their best china dishes. All I know is that the closest I ever felt to my family over the holidays was when we watched the first two seasons of The Office together, spending hours at a time laughing. This is not the most traditional way to get close to one’s family, but it is my favorite way. So who is to say that Black Friday can’t provide a bonding, if not traditional experience to a family?
On November 4, nationwide and in Massachusetts, democracy was put in action as elections were held and changes in our government were made. Here’s how those results are going to affect you.
Governor
Republican Charlie Baker defeated Democrat Martha Coakley to become the next governor of Massachusetts. He won with a 67.3 perent margin in Hanover and carried the rest of southeastern Mass. except for cities. No surprise there as Hanover and the South Shore are typically very conservative. I’m sure most of your parents are happy with his victory and he will enact policies that appease his core supporters while trying to appear moderate.
Secretary of State
Bill Galvin will remain in office after dominating his over-matched republican foe, he received 57.8 percent of the votes in Hanover but most places he won more than 60 percent of the vote. He has been in office for awhile so h’es nothing too new to this state and isn’t going to cause some big change.
Attorney General
Democrat Maura Healey won Martha Coakley’s spot as Attorney General of Massachusetts. Again, as a Democrat, she isn’t a candidate that is well-received by the South Shore and we’ll see how she does. Martha Coakley certainly had her fair share of botched cases. Healey will be somewhat similar to Coakley. She did not win Hanover, only geting 46.3 percent of the vote.
Auditor
Suzanne Bump won state auditor in a position that high schoolers will hear very little about. She did lose the to the republican candidate in Hanover, getting 43.6 percent of the vote. Honestly, this office is not as relevant an office compared to others. She’s the one who makes sure our government spends its money the right way.
Treasurer
Deb Goldberg won the treasurer position, taking over for Steve Grossman. She had a closer race than some of the others, and got beat badly in the South Shore. She only received 38.6 percent of the vote in Hanover. Recently, the treasurer position has been a jumping ground to other positions, as both Steve Grossman and Tim Cahill have made bids for governor from that position. We’ll see what her ambitions are and hope she does a good job. Since the treasurer oversees the state’s cash savings, debt and investments, it is an important position
U.S. Senate
In a quiet race, Ed Markey won the senate seat he took from John Kerry after Kerry was made secretary of state. Markey, a liberal’s liberal, won Massachusetts with ease. He didn’t do as well in the South Shore, only gathering 44.6 percent of the vote in Hanover. He is a big Democrat and hardly represents the interest of the South Shore, but that’s nothing new in Massachusetts senate seats.
9th Congressional District
The 9th congressional district holds Hanover and a lot of the South Shore and Cape Cod. It is a region a Republican could and should win. But John Chapman didn’t run that hard of a campaign and Democrat Bill Keating won another term in office. Keating has done a decent job down in DC, and he still only got 47.2 percent of the vote in Hanover. It’s a republican-controlled house, so what he wants accomplished will not be easy for him.
Ballot Questions
Question 1 won with ease, meaning the gas tax cannot be indexed with inflation but rather must be set by real people. The Yes vote had 63.7 percent in Hanover. Question 2, the bottle bill, was a massacre. Hanover had a 83.4 percent No vote. The bottle tax will not be expanding and things will remain as they are right now. I hope you like to gamble, because Question 3 was defeated by a decent margin. That means the casino act will not be repealed so casinos will be built in Springfield and Everett as well as a slot parlor in Plainville. In Hanover it was a 63.2 percent NO vote. For Question 4, earned sick time lost by a slim margin in Hanover, getting a 48.95 percent Yes vote. Statewide, it passed and will mandate changes in the way sick time is handled by companies, small and large.
Nationally
Tough time for the Democrats, as the Republicans kept control of the House of Representatives and won the Senate. Things are going to get prickly in Washington, and it is my personal opinion that the gridlock we’ve been seeing is going to continue as conservatives do their best to beat up Obama and Democrats filibuster their way to salvaging some of their accomplishments.
Locally
Hanover’s own Rhonda Nyman lost to Norwell native and Republican David DeCoste for the state representative seat. Since it was by a mere 45 votes and provisional ballots finally counted today, the margin may have gotten closer. She has until 5 o’clock on Nov. 13 to request a recount. In other races, Tom Kennedy retained his state senator spot and Marc Pacheco the other. Matt McDonough of Marshfield, a Democrat who had maybe the largest overall sign at HHS that Tuesday, won Plymouth Country Register of the Probate. Sandra Wright of Bridgewater, a Republican, won Plymouth Country Commissioner.
On Tuesday, November 4, I was able to vote in an election for the first time in my life. I voted during 3rd period on that half day, seeing my neighbors and basking in their congratulation was great. It is something I have been waiting to do my whole life. Since I lived in Hanover, I have gone to many of the elections that HHS hosts. As a younger student, I enjoyed walking into the old high school gym with my mom to vote. She would always let me go in the booth with her, sometimes letting me fill in the circles. I even sometimes took advantage of that opportunity by voting independent of her thoughts. I enjoyed watching the results on TV in the evening. The whole spectacle of it always amazed me and I couldn’t wait to start. When i first voted, it wasn’t as surreal of a moment as i had expected, but it was great nonetheless. I have always been into politics. (Mr. Mahoney, if you’re reading this, I really wish I could have taken AP Gov in one of the last two years but it never fit into my schedule.) My mom is a town employee so I even take interest in small-scale Hanover politics.
It’s easy to make excuses, but as a citizen I think we should exercise our right to vote, even when we’re young
Voting is a right and just as we have the right to vote, we can exercise our right to abstain from voting. Often, among the youth and my peers, it is out of disinterest or laziness that they do not vote. I understand only seniors born before the election could register, but I would feel confident projecting that my fellow Class of 2015ers will not be in a rush to register when they turn 18. Maybe not ASAP, but I’d recommend to all of them that they should register. It’s a simple process, one slip of paper and a signature in a big book. You can go to the Town Clerk’s office and the main office may still have stuff for it. It’s really worth it, there were some close races in Massachusetts this year, locally and statewide. Some of us may live in Hanover and/or Massachusetts forever. We have the chance now to start shaping the future we want. Now if you have an opinion, you are a registered voter so you can influence something and now you matter more to politicians. It’s a well-known saying, “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain.”
Part of what made my experience great was that this was a juicy election: governor, a couple of good ballot questions, and other relevant positions to be voted on. Without divulging anything else, I did vote for Charlie Baker as governor and it was cool to see him win such a close race, especially because the South Shore returns were some of the last to come in and possibly put him over the top. I had mixed results in terms of the success on offices and ballot questions I voted for. But unfortunately some elections in Hanover can be meaningless. Don’t fool yourself, in presidential elections, your vote in ultra-liberal Massachusetts doesn’t matter. The Democratic candidate is taking all those electoral college votes and doesn’t give Massachusetts a second thought. The heavy conservative stronghold in Massachusetts is the South Shore and it can get discouraging watching the Democratic slaughter.
It’s elections like this week’s where moderate conservatives duke it out with liberals that make your vote worthwhile. A republican definitely could take down Bill Keating; one probably will but this year Chapman didn’t have the funding. Massachusetts has a thing for giving Republicans a close chance at governor, unlike may other positions. Maybe another candidate in the Scott Brown mold will come along and put up a fight for a senate seat.
Sometimes, Massachusetts seems so predetermined, but that’s not always case. When those years come where seats are up-for-grabs, you’ll wish you had a vote. Locally there are lots of changing developments on the South Shore scene and it’s good to have a say in those. For a political enthusiast like myself, voting is great and I’ve been waiting for years. It was a great experience and I’m looking forward to participating in as many elections as I can. I implore my fellow HHS peers to register to vote. It is an important practice for any American citizen. It is our future and our friends’ futures we can help to determine. It is good for us to hold political officials accountable and to take stances in issues facing our state and our nation. It’s an easy process to become a participant in the greatest democracy in the world.
A lot of people I know have to drive or ride all the way from Hanover to other towns or cities to go to fun skate parks. The closest skate park that is accessible to the public is in Hanson. There are others in Marshfield, Halifax and Hingham. But why bike or drive so far to have such little time there, if you could go right to our own Town Skate park and have more time and more fun?
Skate Park in Hingham, Mass.
Skateboarding and BMX riding has become pretty popular for older kids, and skate parks provide safe ramps and jumps to try out stunts. Young kids who ride scooters or bikes also would LOVE to go to a skate park. That being said, kids wouldn’t be able to have that much fun with the park so far away. How could a parent feel safe while they know their child could be anywhere between their house and the Hanson skate park? Anything could happen between here and there. So why not have our own park built here?! If the town of Hanover builds its own skate park, kids of all ages from little ones to young adults could use the park as they please. Parents would be able to relax knowing their child is still in their hometown, where they know many of the people around them as well as how to get around.
I myself am a founder and Rider of a BMX team (D3CKERZ). But when I want to practice, or any of my members who live in Hanover want to practice, we have to ride to other parks in Mass. just to train and have fun. The farthest I have gone for a skate park was Hyde Park. I rode my bike all the way there from Quincy. It took us 1 1/2 hours while riding on busy roads. If we are able to get a park built in town, people wouldn’t have to go on busy roads to get to a skate park.
Skate park in Lynn, Mass.
Not only will building a skate park keep kids safer because they will be closer to home, it will give kids a place to go that allows skating and biking instead of them getting into trouble. Without a skate park, kids are tempted to improvise, using busy parking lots, railings, stairs, curbs, benches and so on to create an obstacle course. This can make homeowners and business owners angry, and lead to injuries.
There are places around Hanover that a skate park easily could be built and monitored. One of them is Sylvester field. With the basketball court, tennis court, baseball field and playground already there, a skate park would be even more fun for kids to go to right in the center of town!! The field is big enough for a good-sized park that would easily be accessible. Not only could it be used by the public, but on days like Hanover Day, the town could hold a BMX/SKATEBOARD/SCOOTER Event just like the basketball events they already do!
On average, a skate park in Massachusetts can cost about $300,000 to build and keep in good condition. “How do we get so much money to build a skate park?” you might ask. Well, it will take a good amount of time before we can reach the goal, but we can have fund-raisers, apply for state and federal grants, and seek donations from local businesses.
I am collecting signatures for a petition to present to Town Hall about the idea. I need the signatures to get town officials to consider the idea. If you would like to support the effort to bring a skate park in town, contact me by going to the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Get-Hanover-a-Skate-Park/233639586822352?ref=hl
Campaign ads are irrelevant but you can’t avoid them no matter how hard you try. It’s like that kid that confidently shouts the wrong answer every day in class. No matter how hard you try to ignore them, they seep into your life. Half the time they spout false information. Did you know that Nancy Pelosi is a Nazi? Nazi Pelosi? Obviously they’re not this extreme but they are more often than not incredibly inaccurate. The point of these ads should be to spread information about the candidate featured in the ad. Instead, the ads use slander, propaganda, and vicious lies to make their favored candidate look better. How mature that the people empowered to change our way of life act like schoolyard children who are angry at each other. Oh wait, no, that’s horrible actually.
This isn’t a recent insurgence of ignorant info, this has been happening since the advent of campaign ads, which accompanied the rise of television. It seems people find it easier to paint others in a negative light rather than just say the true facts of how they want to change things. As Election Day on Nov. 4 approached, the ads never stopped, ever. Nonstop I was told how bad Charlie Baker and Martha Coakley are as candidates for governor. EVERY SINGLE SECOND. With both people being portrayed as evil, big-business loving, heartless monsters, why would I want to vote for either? People become desensitized to the over-saturation of these two politicians that no one really cares or wants to take the time to figure out who they feel strongly about.
It’s not limited to the governor’s race, either. Every campaign, no matter where in the country, big or small, reverts to this trash talking. Time magazine and other media have compiled long lists of the bad, worst, and cheesiest ads circulating this election season. (Google it)
An easy way to fix this would be to, I don’t know maybe, TELL THE TRUTH. People want the truth, not some fabrications, and it is ludicrous to think that this is what our politicians are presenting to us. I have the right to vote since I’m 18 but both Coakley and Baker are children in my eyes, unable to settle things rationally and instead reverting to the behavior of apes, throwing #$%&#$ at each other and hoping it sticks.
So, to Charlie Baker and Martha Coakley, you both lost my vote.
Every year at HHS, the halls are flooded with new faces, the innocent eyes of freshmen scanning the crowds of upperclassmen. When you’re catapulted into high school so suddenly, everything can seem overwhelming. It’s hard to pinpoint what new things you want to try or experience when so much is being quickly thrown at you. With high school comes endless new opportunities — new clubs to join, new events to attend, new groups to get involved with. Being a freshman, or rather, any high schooler, can be daunting when you consider how much goes on around you. You might be so enthusiastic about all of these potential opportunities that you’re afraid to miss out on something, and yet you also might be nervous to step out of your comfort zone and try something you never have before.
But on graduation day, when you step up to receive your diploma and take one last look back on your high school career, you want to be sure to have no regrets. I’ve compiled a list of experiences you definitely do NOT want to miss out on during high school. Whether you’re a freshmen, sophomore, junior, or even a senior, I hope you attempt to check off a few items on this high school bucket list before the bell rings on your final day and it’s too late.
1) Go to Homecoming!
Many people are intimidated by the idea of Homecoming; with hundreds of kids packed into a hot gym, it’s hard to know what to expect. But every high schooler needs to experience Homecoming at least once in their life, as sort of a rite of passage. As a freshman especially, students might be scared off by the prospects of dancing in a crowd of strangers. But I promise you, whether you attend Homecoming and hate it or whether you find that you love it, you won’t regret checking it out. Homecoming is a high school event that you can’t miss out on; even if you only go for one year, definitely try it out. If anything, do it just for the pictures!
Taking Wacky to New Levels
2) Dress up for Spirit Week!
In conjunction with homecoming, HHS initiates a Spirit Week every October where students dress up according to crazy themes. Every day brings a new theme and new possibilities! Spirit week is an amazing way to bring unity and spirit to the students, and don’t regret not participating. Be creative, be spirited, and definitely don’t miss out.
3) Go to prom!
Prom only comes once a year for juniors and seniors; don’t regret missing out on what many students consider to be the greatest night of their high school career. Tickets are expensive, this is true, but whether it be senior or junior prom, definitely attend at least one before you graduate. It’s always a memorable evening with friends, food, and dancing. It’s also a chance to get dressed up and take some amazing pictures that will last your lifetime!
4) Join a sports team! Throughout the fall, winter, and spring, there are countless sports teams that are always looking for new athletes. There truly is opportunity for those of all athletic abilities — cross country and track are the easiest sports to join, and have the biggest group of students who participate each year. Most sports at HHS require you to try out before playing on the team, but tryouts can be a great way to meet friends who are interested in the same sport as you. Joining a sports team is an awesome way to get involved in something you enjoy, and is something that will leave lasting impressions on you.
5) Attend a student council meeting!
Student council may not be for everybody, but at least once throughout your four years at HHS you should try to make a meeting. Student council can have a huge impact on your future as a high schooler since the group plans so many school events (such as Homecoming and Spirit Week), and it can be very rewarding to have your voice heard at meetings. Not to mention that meetings, which are on evenings twice a month, are packed with fun and positive energy that gets everybody in a good mood!
6) Find a club that fits you!
If you’re looking for an easy way to make friends that have the same interests as you, definitely step up and join one of the countless clubs offered here at the high school. There is a club offered for a huge variety of interests, and if there isn’t, then why not make a club of your own?
7) Go to a football game!
Senior Fullback Steve Cockey picks up some yards after a reception.
Attending home football games is an incredible way to join in on school spirit; what better way to spend a Friday night than cheering on your school’s football team surrounded by your classmates, drinking hot chocolate, and listening to the great music provided by the band? Every student should see the football team play at least once during high school. After all, it wouldn’t be a quintessential high school experience without Friday night football!
8) Buy class T-Shirts!
Every fall, classes work diligently to produce a creative class t-shirt sporting your class color and year of graduation. But there’s only one chance to buy them every year, and if you let that time pass without getting one, you’ll most likely regret it.
9) Get your art displayed!
High school wouldn’t be complete without taking an art class — and if you do take an art class, strive to get your art displayed in the art wing of the high school! Seeing your artwork displayed for the public’s viewing pleasure is something that can always brighten your day.
10) See the hypnotist!
Every year, the seniors hire a hypnotist to cast his spell over a selected group of seniors one evening in the spring. The night never fails to bring loads of laughs to the student body, and it’s a night that students of all ages should not miss out on. Better yet, if you’re a senior, sign up to be hypnotized! Who knows? Maybe you’ll get picked!
11) Eat lunch in the courtyard!
When the warm weather rolls around, the cafeteria doors are opened up at lunch and the sunny courtyard is opened up for students at lunchtime! Whether you bring or buy your lunch, don’t miss out on a chance to eat outside with your friends. It’s a great opportunity to get some fresh air in the middle of the day, and take advantage of this chance as many times as you can before it’s gone!
12) See the school play! From Romeo and Juliet to the Crucible, HHS has put on fantastic productions throughout the years. You definitely do not want to walk out of the doors on graduation day without seeing a drama production, especially when so many of the school’s students are so skilled when it comes to performing. If you are indeed one of these skilled performers, what are you waiting for? Audition for HHS’ next production before it’s too late!
13) Girls: Play in the Powderpuff game!
When you’re a junior, Thanksgiving always brings about the Powderpuff football game for girls. This is something you definitely want to take part in. Even if you may not be gifted athletically, join the team to help spread school spirit!
14) Participate in the senior Lip Dub!
Want to be remembered by all of the future students that make their way through Hanover high? Take part in the Lip Dub when you’re a senior! It’s a fun way to unite with your class before you graduate and make lasting memories that will live on forever — on Youtube and in your memories!
15) Buy a yearbook! This list would not be complete without the final thing to do before you put on your cap and gown: buy a yearbook! Without one, you won’t be able to cherish your high school memories or look back on all of the fun times and experiences you had throughout the past four years. High school may seem long at first, but without a doubt it flies by, and before you know it, all of the opportunities you had to make high school memorable will be gone. So take advantage of the time you can before it’s too late!
In the last two years, a hot topic in the sports world and in mainstream society has been whether the Washington Redskins should change their name. I would say no.
Now there’s no way of getting around it; the term “Redskin” was once a slur toward Native Americans and had a negative connotation to it. The term has been out of use since the 1960s except as team names. It is considered taboo to use in modern society where we are supposedly over bigotry. It has been debated whether or not the term was initially intended for all Native Americans or just tribes who used red face paint. The majority of people today consider it a racial epithet but others feel the term has become harmless.
Despite apparent disinterest from Shelley, Dan Snyder has developed a good rapport with Navajo Nation
Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins, has long been an outspoken owner. Recently, while some schools and colleges have bowed to pressure to change their team names, he has held a very public stand against a name change. He has immense pressure on him to change the team name. He has put up a firm resistance, arguing that the team’s first coach, William Henry “Lone Star” Dietz, was a Native American and the team was named to honor his heritage. He has also pointed out that Walter “Blackie” Wetzel, a former president of the National Congress of American Indians and chairman of the Blackfeet Nation, helped design and approve the team’s logo. “We’ll never change the name. It’s that simple. NEVER—you can use caps,” he told USA Today.
But Snyder has also made some statements that have hurt his case. Among other things, he once claimed something along the lines of “We have this name out of respect for Native Americans,” which angered many Native American groups who equate the term “Redskins” with the N-word. The Washington Redskins trademark was pulled by some self-righteous government officials who must’ve thought they were going to be received as heroes or something. President Obama, a sports enthusiast, butted in with his two cents, saying “I would think about changing the name.” He was quick to back off, though, by reconfirming he isn’t a team owner and has no stake in the matter. There have been boycotts and protests for several years now. It hurts Redskins’ sales that their licensing isn’t exclusive. Lots of papers refuse to print the name anymore.
Other individuals and groups have taken their own stands on smaller scales. Neshaminy High School in Pennsylvania also has sports teams called Redskins. The school paper has refused to print the term. Eventually, the principal and School Committee applied tremendous pressure to have them use the name. Suspensions were doled out, including to a former Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year who backed the students. In my opinion everyone involved in the school skirmish came out looking foolish. I mean come on, it’s your school’s mascot. The team members probably don’t make fun of Native Americans; your district didn’t choose the name to slight them; and a lot of members at your school are probably indifferent. So just because one might have a personal problem with it isn’t a reason for this whole clash to occur. However, the school administrators looked juvenile in their handling of the matter, using threats and constantly complaining.
A lot of college teams have faced similar problems. North Dakota, infamous for the mascot “Sioux,” had to change its name or the NCAA would ban them from postseason play. Other schools have had to do similar things. Yet the Florida State Seminoles and Central Michigan Chippewas use their mascot names with support from the tribes themselves.
Recently, the Comedy Central TV show South Park made a huge mockery of the Redskins football organization. In an episode where Cartman and his friends want to start a company, they end up with the name Washington Redskins because their trademark had been pulled. Dan Snyder throws a conniption after they start to soil the Redskins name, which leads Cartman to deliver the line, “We use the name out of respect for your organization and all you’ve done.” It did a good job mocking the Redskins and presented some reasons why the name is a problem.
But back to real life. The key word is indifference. All these sanctimonious people who are making this big stink are under the impression that it matters. In reality, it appears Native Americans and sports fans alike wish they’d just go away. Dan Snyder made a huger power move recently when the president of Navajo Nation, a powerful tribe based out west, sat with him in his private box at a Redskins home game. A 2013 Associated Press-GfK poll showed that “Redskins” still enjoys widespread support nationally. Nearly four in five Americans don’t think the team should change its name, the survey found. Only 11 percent think it should be changed, while 8 percent weren’t sure and 2 percent didn’t answer. In a current ESPN Sportsnation poll, 71 percent of fans support the team keeping its name. A couple of Native American high schools proudly have “Redskins” as their mascot. So who do these people think they’re helping? What do Native Americans gain out of a name change? Not much, maybe some self pride but nothing palpable to counter the poverty, alcoholism and other issues plaguing tribes across the country. Native Americans have bigger fish to fry then a pro sports team in which as whole they are divided on.
As a Hanover High School Student, I am proud to have “Indians” as our mascot. I remember a time when the rumor around town was were going to become the “Skyhawks” and I’m glad we didn’t. I don’t care if it is politically correct to say Native American. Hanover as a town doesn’t use the term Indians as a slight or stereotype in any way. In my opinion, people who go through Hanover are proud to have done so. There is a lot of Indian pride in our town and it would be that way most likely even if the name changed. But there is no need for a change. People in Hanover genuinely like the Indian mascot.
I think the same thing applies to the Washington Redskins fans. Redskins fans are notoriously among the best in the NFL. Especially in the pas,t they were known for being the most wild. They are proud to be Redskins fans. They have worn face paint and headdresses to games to support the teams. They never mean any injustice to Native American heritage and I think a lot of rational people realize this. The Redskins logo is one of the coolest in the NFL. Their fan base doesn’t want their traditions and their pride to be ruined. I think a lot of fans, like a lot of Americans, realize Native Americans have been wronged throughout history. That’s why they don’t support what the term once meant. They are just supporting the team on the field. That’s why there’s no need to change the name. I think American Indians are jumping on this movement because they need something to jump onto, and the Redskins are being made the sacrificial lamb. I believe Dan Snyder will hold strong and I’ll be proud of him. Let me make this clear, if Hanover ever tries to change their mascot for a similar reason, you’ll find my name atop the petition against it. There’s just no need for change when it’s not a problem.
Absolutely they should, phones are a part of our world, they are useful tools, and students use them anyway. If you were to walk through a public space, regardless of where, you will most likely see people using their cell phones. They are everywhere, absolutely everywhere, and they are not going away. According to Pew Research’s article, released in January of 2014, 90 percent of adults own a cellphone. Obviously cell phones are everywhere and a part of adult life, so shouldn’t schools prepare students for use with them as they do with anything else in life? Schools could teach students how to use cell phones respectfully, how to moderate usage, and how to not get into trouble with them. Students should be taught social etiquette with these devices, such as not using cell phones while someone else is talking, or during a class lecture. Why not teach kids about the times they can use their cell phones respectively? During the free moments in class and times of boredom, there should be no reason why a student should not be allowed to use their phone. Teachers who have a stigma against the usage of cell phones should adapt to the changing world and technology in school the same way they have in the real world. Students should also be taught to safely use their cell phones, understanding there are risks that come with them. We should be educated on how to change our phone’s settings to make certain aspects anonymous, and we should be taught certain important facts, like phones aren’t as safe from viruses as computers. Students need to know the precautions about what they send and with which apps, so that they understand what is safe and what is risky. Most importantly, students should be taught how to use their phones as the invaluable tools that they are.
If students were instructed on how to find reliable information quickly and easily using their phones during English class, research papers could become a breeze-through item in daily class. Students could also be shown how to use their phones in science classes to instantly create data tables and graphs right on Google Drive, without ever having to use an individual computer. Understanding the ins and outs of smart phones could make school and workplace tasks easier. This is especially important. In the workplace you are expected to have knowledge of your phone and be able to use it competently for practical uses. Whether its making conference calls or sending out an email blast, you need to be self-sufficient in using your phone, and no employer wants the person who can’t keep up with the rapid pace of technology.
Finally, students use their cell phones anyway, so why not just simply allow them to? Why should we punish students and give them detentions for using their phones in class? How does this help them learn more productively? Sure, by taking away their phones you prevent them from being distracted by them, but would this serve any real purpose to their learning? All that this teaches them is that their lives will be controlled and that they will have no responsibility for their own actions. People need to learn that if they don’t pay attention and use their phones instead, then they are the only ones to blame; don’t make it the teachers’ responsibility.
This all leaves us at a sort of tipping point: do we allow people to get punished for doing wrong, or do we preemptively ban any possible wrongdoing? I say we let people make their own decisions as we try to get them ready for the job market.
Many students my age have been frequently told that we have nothing to worry about. Teachers, parents, coaches, or whoever tell us that we are just kids. We supposedly have it easy. We do not have mortgages to pay, or a nine to five job. We get summers off, we go to football games, we sometimes cause a little trouble, and we have fun doing it. The only thing we have to focus on is being young and wild and free. (Or at least that’s how the song goes.) We should have nothing to stress over, right? Wrong.
Let’s start with grades. It is no secret that career opportunities are not currently running rampant through the streets of the US. In the “good old days,” you only needed a degree to land a reasonable paying job, but now graduates are having a tougher and tougher time finding a job. Now, in order to land our dream career, we not only need to have a college degree, but this degree has to be from a top notch university if we want to compete with all the other job-hungry graduates out there. This naturally leads to the question of how do we get into these remarkable academic schools? By having a distinguished transcript, of course. For that reason, most high school students push themselves to get good grades so they can make it into one of these prestigious colleges.
It would be manageable if the only thing we needed to stress over were grades, but they are no longer enough in the era of the “well rounded student.” You may ask, “What is a well rounded student?” It is commonly defined as a high schooler who in addition to having exemplary grades plays at least two different sports, is probably captain of one of those sports, holds an office position in student council, stars in the school play, twirls the flags in the marching band’s color guard, and spends all of his or her spare time volunteering at the nearby homeless shelter. While high school students do not need to pay a mortgage or go to a nine to five job, they do have to try to schedule time between soccer practices and play rehearsals to finish their homework. Homework is important because if it is not completed correctly it could deflate your grade in that class. If you do poorly on the homework and subsequently your classes, then you will not have a well paying job to support your future family. And then all of the hours spent cooking soup for the homeless while writing your speech for class treasurer and twirling flags until your fingers were numb were a total waste because your dream school cannot get by those grades.
The Hawk 