Peter Lambert
Editor-in-Chief
(Staff writers Nick Robert,Wes Calhoun,
and Sam Pouliot contributed to
this report)

This year a popular idea for a high school student is a car. With many teenagers turning through the ages in which a car is important, it is sure to be a gift that will hold the interest of many people.

Senior Alex Portno, wants a car, was much more specific with the details of a car, “For Christmas I’m looking at getting a car, specifically I’d like an SL 500 black Mercedes.” Whether the person interested cares about the type of car he or she could potentially get, one thing remains constant with the purchase of a car.
That one thing is the price. No car comes without a steep price paid by the buyer. If the person buying the car is willing to pay up, then a car is certain to be a great gift every time.

Another gift idea that is sure to impress is the idea of tickets. Tickets can range from a concert to a sporting event. Tickets to most events are pretty tough to get and they are a gift that almost always satisfy.

Senior Will McDonough mentioned that he is interested in a set of tickets for Christmas, “Tickets to a Green bay Packers game would be awesome for me.”

Money is always a simple and sought after gift. Freshman Casey Baker said, “As of right now I’m not positive with what I want, but just getting money would be pretty sweet.” Although money might not be the most original idea, it is sure to have lots of value anytime.

While the video game consoles, MP3 players, and other electronic devices are sure to brush upon peoples Christmas lists, there are many other concrete items that can have equal value. While these other items may not have the same appeal, they are sure to please on Christmas Day.

But what might matter more, is what people want after Christmas and for the New Year.

As the year 2009 approaches, people all over the world think about resolution, something that they’ve wanted to change about themselves or something they aspire to accomplish.

This tradition dates all the way back to 153 B.C. It is said that the idea of new years resolutions come from the mythical King Janus of early Rome, named after the first month of the year to represent new beginnings. Janus had two faces and those faces were placed at the top of each calendar. One face reflected on the events of the past year, and the other looked ahead at the year to come. Over time Janus’s two faces led people to reflect the events of the previous year, and consider what they could change when they began a new year.

This tradition is carried on across the globe, including SHHS. Many students compose their own resolutions in hopes that the New Year can be a fresh start, or a blooming opportunity. Freshman Juliette Chenier said “I’d like to go to Europe at some point and I plan on saving up for that just because it’d be an amazing place.

Sophomore Lindsay Brandt’s resolution said she would like to actually start doing her homework.

Connie Flachs, junior, has decided to make a different kind of resolution. “I think it’s going to be to not complain as much,” said Connie, “there are other things that I could spend my time doing that are much better than complaining.”

Sticking to a new year’s resolution is easier said than done though. According to family.go.com, only 34 percent of people actually follow a plan of action and achieve their goals. Picking a realistic goal and informing friends may be the correct way for people to go when thinking of resolutions.

“Twilight‭” ‬is definitely geared towards it’s main demographic,‭ ‬teenage girls.‭ ‬The two stars,‭ ‬Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattison,‭ ‬exude teenage angst.‭ ‬Their two characters,‭ ‬Bella and Edward‭ (‬respectively‭)‬,‭ ‬are the cliché teenage outcasts.‭ ‬Bella is the every day girl that has trouble fitting in to her new atmosphere at school,‭ ‬while Edward is the typical anti-social hunk.‭ ‬Sometimes you wonder if Bella is more in love with Edward’s hair than his personality,‭ ‬as the cinematography seems to emphasize his follicles in slow motion‭ (‬although my female companion thought he would look better with scruff‭)‬.‭ ‬The love story is arguably the strongest part of the film.‭ ‬Relying upon the everlasting concept of forbidden love,‭ ‬the chemistry between the Edward and Bella evokes Romeo and Juliet.‭ ‬Still,‭ ‬the events leading up to the revelation that Edward is a vampire are awkward and seem to drag on forever.‭

The actual acting is what can be expected from a relatively greenhorn cast.‭ ‬The cast is able to meet your expectations,‭ ‬but there’s no real stand-out.‭ ‬Pattison seemed to have a problem with perfecting his American accent,‭ ‬which detracted from his character as a whole.‭ ‬Stewart as Bella was too plain in her portrayal of the character.‭ ‬

Her willingness to accept the fate of dating a vampire and her later interactions seem inane.‭ ‬I wasn’t able to sense the inner conflict on her having to juggle life.‭ ‬Nor was I able to sense compassion between Bella and her fellow students.‭ ‬Overall,‭ ‬I felt that Bella wasn’t a likeable character.‭ ‬And the other vampires seemed as if they were added at the last second,‭ ‬contributing little to the story.‭

The final redeeming factor of the movie is it’s ridiculousness.‭ ‬I found myself chuckle when Edward running looks like the spider-walking girl from‭ “‬The Exorcist‭” ‬or when the‭ “‬bad‭” ‬vampires emerge from shrouded fog.‭ ‬Overall,‭ ‬I’d have to say this film could be a lot worse,‭ ‬but I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone except for those who are diehard fans of the series.

The week before Thanksgiving was a momentous occasion at SHHS, with each day celebrated with a different theme, whether it is camouflage or pajamas. Each individual theme climaxed at a Wednesday pep rally and was glorified by a victorious football triumph against Chicopee Comp on Thanksgiving.

Spirit Week was liked by many students and staff. When trying to capture the essence of Spirit Week, Breckon Halliday, junior, feels “it is phenomenal.”

Randy Fuller, a coach at SHHS, feels Spirit Week’s success “this year is due to increased organization over previous years.”

Fuller enjoyed spirit week, but feels “school spirit needs to be more consistent and not just one week of the year.”

Spirit Week seemed like a successful celebration to most atSHHS, but some see it differently. “It sucks,” said Benji Arnold, senior.

Arnold felt “certain events lacking in originality and enjoyment should be changed and replaced…I don’t like fashion disaster day or pajama day at all.”

The week was a celebration loved and hated by many. Some saw it as a fun and interesting rally of Tiger Pride, while others saw it as a redundant tradition that desperately needs change. Spirit Week invigorated student’s emotions and brought out the Tiger Tenacity of SHHS.

The referendum questions this election also mimicked SHHS students. Question One, whether or not to eliminate the income tax, was answered “no.” Therefore, the income tax will stay. This means that the state will not need to cut funding to social programs such as schools, hospitals, and other such initiatives. The state will keep over 40% of its budget due to the rejection this question.

Question Two, whether or not to decriminalize marijuana, also returned the same result as the mock election. Now, if one is over eighteen years old and caught with an ounce of marijuana or less, one will only need to pay a $100 fine. This will allow more young people to avoid a felony charge.

The people’s reaction to Question Three, whether or not to ban dog racing, is based on opinion. Some will be happy that this will stop abuse and inhuman treatment of dogs.

Senior Molly Greaney said “I am pleased they banned dog racing because the way the dogs are treated is inhumane.”

Every result was in line with the SHHS mock election. Students elected Barack Obama, John Kerry, and Richard Neal. They voted “no” on Question One, “yes” on Question Two, and “yes” on Question Three. All of these came to pass in the nationwide and local elections.

Overall, the 2008 election brought change to both the nation and the state. With a new president and controlling party, American voters have voiced their desire for change, and have received this wish. Senior Margo Hess echoed this sentiment. “This was what I wanted, so I’m happy.”

On Friday, Nov. 14, Anderson made an hour-long presentation during F-Block for primarily sophomores who had been reading her most popular novel, Speak. However, SHHS students were not the only audience. A live webcam feed was connected to Chicopee Comp High School, allowing their sophomores to enjoy the opportunity as well.
Anderson displayed good humor throughout the presentation. At one point, she said, “If I were you, I’d be the one skipping class to see me too!”

Anderson gave a PowerPoint on things ranging from her early childhood to writing novels to the basis of her new book, Chains. The first 20 minutes of the presentation showed pictures and diary entries from Anderson’s childhood. “I was kind of a red neck, I won’t lie.”

Something a lot of people may not know about her is that Anderson was raped before her freshman year. After revealing this, she talked about it and moved on as though it was only a small detail in her life. As expected, she told the audience this was the inspiration for her most popular novel, Speak.

It was a special day for South Hadley and CCHS alike. It’s not everyday that a nationally renowned author speaks in a small town school library.

Anderson made South Hadley a stop on her book tour, and the students of the high school are extremely thankful.
Rebecca Mazur, who organized the event with the Odyssey Bookshop, thought it was the highlight of the school year. “I loved it. My favorite parts were when she said not to use Wikipedia.”

The death not only sent shockwaves through the nation, but brought up the question of stricter gun control. Some feel that if stricter laws were in place this boy’s death could have been prevented.

In Massachusetts the first step in using a gun, unsupervised, is to take a firearm safety course.  This course is eight hours long and teaches safety techniques and maintenance of firearms.  After completing this course, one must then purchase an Firearms Identification card (FID) from any local police station for $40.  These prerequisites are designed to train and register any resident planning to use a firearm.

Minors have more requirements to acquire a gun permit.  To hunt, minors need to purchase a Minor Resident Hunting License which encompasses ages 15 -17 and costs $11.50.  In response to the gun control of minors, Mike O’Neal, senior, feels that “no one should be allowed to use guns until they are at least 15 years old.” These feelings empathize with a certain compromise which would prohibit pre-adolescent children from handling firearms.

This debate has differing points of view from many diverse groups. “No, we have the right [to bear arms] in the Second Amendment,” said Junior Rob Ryan, who is a habitual hunter, using a Remington 87 shotgun. 

In regard to the Westfield gun show, certain hunter’s feel the tragedy hasn’t changed their view of safety.  Both Ryan and O’Neal feel they are already safe with their guns and that they already use safety whenever they use firearms. They believe that with proper training and registration all hunters can feel safe with weapons.

The gun show accident was the first accidental firearms discharge fatality to occur in recent years.  Jake Macko, a junior and avid hunter, said “these situations are inevitable and there is no way to prevent every accident from happening.” He feels that no matter how strict the laws become it is impossible to avoid every gun death. 

The Westfield gun show resulted in a single fatality.  This death questioned the gun safety regulations of the Western Mass. community. In all societies, the argument of gun control is prevalent and in Western Mass. it is no different.

Unfortunately, T-Mobile has been having problems with the 3G network in the greater Springfield area.

While the iPhone, the G1 competitor made by Apple and run by AT & T-Cingular, has been having tremendous success in the area, the G1 is not receiving the same treatment.

The G1 phone, which has a touch-screen as well as a QWERTY keyboard, has not been granted a full-release due to the incapability of the phone with the 3G network.

According to Tmobileg1.com, the G1 phone “…lets you touch, tap, swipe and scroll your way through all the coolest applications, your contacts, the Web and more. That means instant access to your information with a touch of the finger.”

T-Mobile decided not to release the phone in the greater Springfield area because of a possible lawsuit, according to a T-Mobile representative at the Ingleside Mall. If a customer received a G1 phone from a T-Mobile store in this area, they would not have full capabilities.

A representative at the Apple Store, located in the Ingleside Mall as well, gave out information about how the iPhone was allowed to use the 3G network while the G1 phone could not. He explained that T-Mobile has a limited 3G network, and does not have it in all areas.

He also explained that T-Mobile’s 3G network is being set up in the area, and they are not releasing the phone until it is fully set up.

For those wanting the G1 phone, there are other options. One of which is ordering the phone online from the T-Mobile website. The phone, according to a T-Mobile representative, will still work although may not have full capabilities.

T-Mobile kiosks in the mall released the phone for one day in October, but quickly were told to recall them after receiving complaints.

Unfortunately, a representative explained, on Nov. 18, that there is a possibility that the phone may even be released later than that date. January, and the end of next year are possible release dates.

This new wave has come to South Hadley and the surrounding areas. By day the numerous straight-aways and highways riddling South Hadley are just pedestrian road-ways. By night, they become raceways for adrenaline-craving street racers, and speed demons. Listen carefully at night, especially on weekends, and you might hear the screeching and tire burning on the notorious “race ways” of route 16 and 202.

Speeding has become a pretty big problems amongst students at SHHS. Officer Todd Dineen explained that three students came to him after one weekend, asking for consequences of speeding under JOL law.

Senior student Patrick Ginley is proud of his Jeep Cherokee, and proud the speed that in can achieve. “I race twenty-four-seven, it’s awesome… When I think of street racing I think of me going 120 down Newton [Street].”

Numerous other students who declined to give names race at the high school, and the unanimous agreement among them is to go as fast as possible.

While under JOL rules, if the driver is speeding and is pulled over for a first time offense, they will suffer a from a 90-day suspension of their license. Oh, and pile on a $500 reinstatement fee and five three hour classes to get the liscense back.

Local South Hadley High School student Nick Os often bragged about his 2004 Dodge SRT-4 that could do 160 mph. “I’d pull up to a car at a red light, and he thought he could beat me on a straight way. I won. Always.”

Before an unfortunate crash, Os’ car was one of the best looking cars in the SHHS parking lot.

Os and friend Rob Engelson, senior, on the afternoon of September 20, suffered from a car accident. “I was driving on [I-91] and a nice Mitsubishi Eclipse managed to pass me going over 100. I tried to catch up but we came up fast on some other cars going around a bend. I panicked and slammed on the brakes. Next thing I knew we were flipping through the air.”

The crash broke both of Engelson’s legs and totaled the car the senior class of South Hadley High School once voted “nicest car.” Os was convicted recently, and has been given 30 hours of community service, probation for one year and will take a driver attitudinal course soon.

Os did not consider the serious risks street racing possesses, but luckily both Os and Engelson escaped their terrific crash with their lives.

Speeding has affected Western Mass and South Hadley in many other ways. Local students Scott Rainaud, senior, and Ryan Sheehan, junior, had nothing good to say about speeding and the people who do it, “they’re endangering innocent lives. I wouldn’t ever do it.”

Numerous laws have been enacted to crush drag racing and its culture, such as the local ban on over-loud music emanating from a car. The fines and punishment for street racing has also been increased since 2007, according to Leader Newspapers; up to 3 years jail time, a fine of up to $1,000, and license bans up to 180 days.

SHHS teacher Tiesa Graf spoke about her feelings towards the unfortunate news of Abraham Briggs, the suicide victim. “It was very disturbing. It had been broadcast for such a long time, and even when he had said he was going to kill himself, most people did nothing to help.

Graf does not remember any times when something like this happened in our school community.

Graf’s opinions were shared with SHHS sophomores Anna Sullivan and Claudia Bustamante. Sullivan said, “I know that if I had been watching it, I would have done something about it”.
Bustamante also thought that this incident was very tragic. “I can’t imagine what his family and friends must be thinking now. He was so young, it’s really sad.”

The school adjustment counselor at SHHS, Watson-Menkel, also has very strong feelings when hearing about this event. “I was horrified. When people become severely depressed, they lose their lack of judgment, and therefore do not use good judgment. They don’t think of the consequences of their actions,” she said. Watson-Menkel also spoke on what she does for kids with issues at the school.

As a shocking turn to this already shocking suicide, the police, who came to the boy’s aid, found that he had broadcast his whole suicide live, via an on-line broadcast. Victim Abraham Briggs, a 19 year old Broward College student, had been egged on by viewers as he declared to kill himself. Viewers comments did not try to stop him, but urged him on, even after his death had been viewed, comments were seen ranging from “oh my god,” to the disturbing ones that said, “That’s some funny stuff”.

While some people tried to save Briggs by trying to talk him out of it, others used obscene language to push Briggs to a point where he would commit suicide. Briggs parents were horrified and angered that their son’s suicide had been broadcast live and that people had provoked him on for almost 12 hours as Briggs contemplated his fate. A suicide note had been left that same day, yet no one was there to help.