Features
The Future of Bristol
by Logan Ladeau
Bristol, Vermont, is a small town located in Addison County and currently has a population of 2,000 people. Bristol has been around since 1762, a lot has changed from then to now, but what's next for the town of Bristol?
The town has come a long way from its beginnings, and many locals have spent their whole life building up and living in Bristol. Bristol resident Brian Ladeau, Sr. stated,”I've lived my whole life here, that's 70 plus years.” Although this isn't about the past, it's crucial that it's touched upon, because Bristol wouldn't be Bristol without its lifetime residents or the old foundations that were built up that still stand today. Most locals enjoy the small, condensed feeling of the town and Sam Tropp explained “it’s easy to walk around in and has everyone you could need in a short area.” This is great and all, but it's not necessarily going to stay like this, Bristol is evolving better and growing larger every day whether it's noticeable or not.
Bristol has seen new co-housing developments installed around town over the last few years. A Large portion of this housing is currently being put up by the local fire station on west street. Tropp defines that adding housing is on the agenda for the next 10 years saying, “There will be more renovations and projects such as the co-housing complex.” The idea of adding co-housing is fairly new and much more is expected to be built in the future. Bristol Village Co-housing is currently a community of 14 households located across the road from the village green. On http://www.bristolcohousing.com/ the co-housing project defines it’s only beginning and the future holds what's next.
The town is small and a majority is taken up by agricultural land. “There is only so much land that's currently available to build on,” said Ladeau and that number is shrinking every year. Most people are against the idea of turning agricultural land into residential and Tropp explained ,” It is expensive and often ruins habitats.” Not only would it be expensive, it would also take away the revenue generated from the land. If most residents are opposed to building on agricultural land, how much time do we have before we run out? Tropp siad, “it's only a matter of time,I'll give it 5 years or so.”
Bristol's future is bright and holds many new opportunities for its current and future residents. For now, it's up to the residents to chime in and help build Bristol better and keep it alive. Ladeau added, “I'm excited to see what's next, the future will determine if Bristol stays alive or not.”
Pictured is the Bristol,Vermont co-housing development on North Street.
Click on the link above to read the DUO stories that didn't fit in our Year End 2022 issue...
South Starksboro has Grown Through the Generations
By Jordan Hall '23
When thinking about South Starksboro, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the small town it is today, but looking back, it hasn't always been this way.
The community in South Starksboro used to be very small, with only about half a dozen houses being lived in. The community has grown from the very few homes to more houses and more families moving in each year. Local resident Meredith McFarland had referred to the community as ¨a picnic in the park.¨ Referring to the caring and kind people that live in South Starksboro. Today there are many family and community events, such as the Hunter´s Breakfast and the Jerusalem Schoolhouse yard sale, that have grown and improved the community.
About 60 years ago, most of the land in South Starksboro was open farmland with few trees and even fewer buildings. Over the years, many things have changed. Trees have grown in place of the haying fields, streams and rivers have carved out land, and wildlife has come back. While the land is still changing, it has come back from the openness it used to be to the deep green woods it is now.
Back in the 1960s buildings were scarce, but people started to come to South Starksboro for hunting, and camps started being built that later turned into year-round homes. A bit later, skiing became popular and people started building ski lodges that became year-round homes. Since the initial building of some houses, there have been a few old homes that have been turned over and remodeled as well as some new homes being built.
In 1965, Route 116, the main road running through South Starksboro, was paved. At the time, Route 116 was the only non-dirt road around besides the turnpike that went from just above Buel´s Gore Road all the way to Waitsfield. Within the past couple of years, the majority of Route 116 has been repaved. Just a few weeks ago, a shoulder in South Starksboro was washed out, causing construction and the re-pavement of that one spot.
When longtime resident Bob Hall first moved to South Starksboro, it was mostly farmland with about six good farms. Farming was the main way of making a living at the time. Hall said, ¨Milton Eliot had a very good farm. He was a good farmer. Then you came up the hill and there was Sam Stokes, who was also a good farmer.¨ Now, there are no fully functioning farms at the moment. There are, however, families with animals such as pigs, chickens, horses, and in the past, sheep. The closest thing to a functioning farm that's recently been in South Starksboro is a hop farm that went out of business in the past year.
Hall added, ¨When I came to South Starksboro, it had about 650 people, and now, I think there are over 2,000.¨ This really shows just how much the population has grown in the past 60 years. Despite this growth, there are fewer young people in the community. Mount Abe senior Eleanor Ragsdale said, ¨I feel like a lot of people have moved in, especially in the past couple of years, but you don't really see them because they're not in our age group.¨
Over the years, South Starksboro has become an amazing place to grow up. Ragsdale added, ¨Starksboro is a wonderful and beautiful town that I'm very appreciative to have grown up in.¨
COVID Guidelines Ever-Changing for Band & Chorus
By Caleb Atkins '22
Mt. Abe Baseball had Big Hopes this Season
By Tanner Harrier
Vermont Governor Phil Scott has been holding press conferences throughout the pandemic, changing COVID protocols for Vermont. One main point of interest in these conferences is the guidelines for musical classes.
The most recent changes have created freedom for these musical classes. Megan LaRose, director of vocal music at Mt. Abraham, explained these changes, saying, “The guidelines for music in our schools have been in flux from the beginning of the year, but in general, there was no playing of instruments that required air flow, and no singing in the building allowed for the first half of the year. Now, as we have entered a phase of the pandemic where the science of aerosols, droplets and air flow is better understood, we are finally able to open up rehearsals with further masking, distancing, and time restraints.”
Some people have viewed the change optimistically, while others have found it frustrating. Junior Eliza Bent, who is in band, stated, “I don't think (the changes) are the best idea, but they are definitely an improvement.” Bent continued, “They might make other students excited, but it's kind of frustrating for me.” Bent found the new rules frustrating because it allowed her to play her normal instrument, Trombone, but still had time and mask restrictions that forced her to use two instruments each class. Matt Tatro, instrumental music director at Mt. Abraham, stated, “I think the changes should be exciting for students. It’s a chance to get back and do some playing after a long year.” It has been a long year for these classes. Mt. Abe’s band and chorus classes were split this year due to hybrid learning, so only half of the students could play together. It was hard to decide whether to even play at all at the beginning, and looking where they are now, these students have come a long way.
While Tatro and LaRose agreed that the restrictions were needed in the fall and the changes have been a good step forward, they didn’t see a return to normal in the immediate future. Tatro stated, “I think things will return to normal in a year or two. For next year, I believe there will still be some sort of masking requirement to start with. I'm hoping they relax the guidelines as long as it's safe to.” LaRose added, “Although Vermont has really been responsive to guidance, there really is no guarantee that even by the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year that things will return to normal. I anticipate still needing to maintain certain restrictions of distancing and even masking. We have also lost an entire year of music. Our programs will need time to rebuild as students and families decide if they can invest again in instruments, lessons and time.”
Despite the restrictions, Mt. Abe has plans to hold a performance at the end of the year. LaRose explained, “We are looking forward to sharing a performance during the week of graduation. As we are allowed to have a live audience outside only, we will be performing under the graduation tent. Families and friends are invited to support our 30 musicians who will share their learning, and the performance will be live-streamed for the general public on NEAT-TV.” Tatro assured people that this was a good idea, claiming, “The guidelines don't allow for indoor performances, so this is the second best thing.”
Students and directors of music classes still have a lot of work to do, yet Larose remains optimistic about the future of Mt. Abe Music. “We know students and families are driven to bring back music, as the social-emotional benefits of having music in the school day, and in life continue to be imperative and cherished. We will always adapt to change, remain flexible, persistent, and work with focus, joy, and purpose.”
High School Students Contemplate Future Plans
By Harrison Bruhl '22
Plans for after secondary school are always on the minds of students as the conveyor belt of free education slowly churns them towards graduation. Is the class of 2022 ready?
There isn’t just one choice for after high school. Some have been working hard to get into a good college, some already know college isn’t for them, and there are a few that want to go to college, but not right away. There are also students out there that don’t have a clue. To get an inside look, three rising seniors shared their plans.
Mt. Abraham junior Tim Takeda had to think for a moment before talking about his plans for after high school. He finally came to the conclusion that a gap year might be good for him. “Evaluate where I'm at and then go from there”, He explained. After a gap year, he expressed some interest in pursuing secondary education. In contrast, Junior Amanda Kearns from Middlebury knew immediately that college was her next step. She planned to go into Musical Theater with a Bachelors in Fine Arts. Mt. Abraham junior George Collette also expressed aspirations of college, specifically Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts. “I want to go for a major in Broadcasting Journalism, with a minor in United States History,” he said, then noting his interest in military service to help pay off some of the debt acquired from college. He concluded, “I don’t know what I’m gonna do from there. It’s kind of a jumble.”
Students shared how they felt about this big step in their life, and what they felt had prepared them most. Takeda wasn’t sure there was much, stating, “I wouldn’t say there is anything astounding, educational-wise, that I’ve learned.” Although Takeda didn’t think that school provided him with much help on how to navigate the future, he noted that being in a school setting allowed him to practice the social interactions important to life. Kearns shared what she had learned from high school that would be helpful to keep in mind in college, explaining, “Even if you have a lot of homework, stressing about it doesn’t help.” Collette offered some similar advice: “Expect the unexpected, and be ready to snowball your way through everything. You don’t have to have a plan. That is one thing I’ve learned from going here.”
All three juniors wished they had learned more from high school so they would be better prepared. Takeda felt a little disappointed by the lack of preparation school provided him. “I wish there was some type of class that’s specifically on how to navigate through life after high school,” he said. He noted that Money Matters, Mount Abe's financial class, had helped him the most. Collette felt similarly to Takeda, in that he didn’t learn the basics of life after high school, like doing taxes. “I have no idea what I’m doing,” he said. “I’m confused, everyone here is.” Kearns offered a more overarching piece of wisdom that focused less on what the school didn’t do, but what she wished she had done more of, saying, “Asking questions is very important and teachers are willing to answer, so don't hesitate.”
Out of all the questions, what they looked forward to after high school was the easiest for the three to answer. Kearns, with no hesitation, said, “Performing”, as it would be a continuation of what she loved to do in high school, and that New York City would be the place to pursue that. Collette was specifically interested in meeting new people, and felt Massachusetts was the answer. “I think getting out of a state that only has 600,000 residents will help me achieve that goal.” Takeda was also excited to go to new places after high school, saying, “Hopefully I will travel as much as possible and just gain experience in different places in the world.”
When asked what they were worried about after leaving high school, Takeda expressed, “Not making it, and just not making anything out of my life and just failure.” Kearns was specifically worried about the financial aspects of being on her own. “I have to figure that out,” she added. Even though Collette plans on moving to a more populated area, he expressed some concern about losing his community. “I'm worried about being on my own,” he said, “ I’ve always had people I’ve known.”
Life after high school is a big step, but Collette ended with some important wisdom. “Roll with the punches,” he said, “Let's see where the road takes us.”
Ty Duell’s 9th-grade playlist: (Year End 2020)
The following songs were chosen because of certain events that happened this year, and in the order they happened:
Figure it Out - Royal blood perfectly represents the start of the year, and most of it to be fair. Figuring out how my schedule works, when to do work, how to turn it in, what’s due when and what class is next.
Sundays Best - Surface After a little bit of school work, I was feeling good, I had done most of my assignments on time, I was handing it all in, getting good grades. I was doing the best work I could, then it kinda… went downhill…
Don’t Stop Believin’ - Journey I didn’t give up though, I ‘didn’t stop believin’ in myself, I caught back up for the most part, and was doing solid work and effort for a while, I kept on going, raising my grades up to 2.5s and 3s.
Closing Time - Semisonic Then the pandemic happened, school closed down, we were forced to continue working from home, going to zoom meetings, spending countless hours in from of a computer screen…
Isolated - Casiio ft Dontcry I figured id add this song to the playlist because during quarantine I got into Lofi Hip-Hop and the name of this song fit, I haven’t seen another human besides my family since ADCA happened because I was sick right afterward.
No Sleep Till Brooklyn - Beastie Boys
When you replace ‘Brooklyn’ with ‘My work is done’ you really start to understand how this song ends up on this list. Some nights you have to stay up late to finish your work on time.
DUOs Help Teachers in Many Ways by Gabi LaFreniere, Winter 2020
In my DUO, I work with Ms. Norwood’s 7th-grade social studies class as a teacher’s assistant. Some of my responsibilities are to keep the students on track, help with classwork, and filing paperwork. If the students need help I work with them one on one. One thing I have noticed as a DUO is that middle school students are very very chatty. Something I enjoy in my DUO is talking to the different kids, learning about their days and helping them with everyday problems. They also ask me questions about high school. Some of the skills I have learned during my DUO are to be self-aware, listening, communicating, and time management.
Doing a DUO Teaches Responsibility by Kiah Hines, Winter 2020
DUOs Build Relationships with Students and Teachers by Sierra Birkett, Winter 2020
I am a DUO, which is a student assistant that helps out a teacher. I help Ms.Robnett in her Bridge to Integrated Math class by collaborating with the students in the class. I help the students with their math work. I also help the teacher by making copies of worksheets and just general housekeeping. One of the things I do is to work one on one with students to further learn and understand the material they are working on. My job is similar to a class aid. I have to be on time and be engaged. I have to be responsible by checking in and putting my attendance card in the envelope to let Mrs. Deppman know I’m here. The skills I’m graded on are being engaged, responsible and timely. In my DUO, I am learning how to be more responsible and how to help others. I've learned that it is hard to thoroughly explain how to do something. Ms.Robnett says that I am really positive and willing to do anything. I highly recommend that other students take on the challenge of being a DUO for a teacher, it's a fun way to learn new skills, and also figure out how much a teacher actually has to do.
I DUO in a seventh-grade class on Team Summit. I help out Ms. Norwood in many ways. I work with some students, copy/print assignments, check-in with students and run slides. I help out students in any way I can. Since I have been in the class as a middle schooler, if students have a question that I can answer, I will try my best to help them out. I have many responsibilities as a DUO. I have to make sure all of my assignments are in on time. I also have to make sure I am doing what I should be doing in my DUO and helping the teacher the best I can by doing everything that is needed. Some skills that I am being assessed on include engagement in my DUO, responsibility and preparedness, and finally that I’m on time to my DUO. My timeliness also includes completing all necessary assignments for class. I’ve noticed there is a clear difference between being a DUO and being a student because it makes me think about behavior and how I was as a middle schooler and how I behave now. This DUO has helped me gain some perspective. All around DUO has been fun and I’ve enjoyed getting to know the students. It’s a good place to meet new people and get better social skills, and it’s a lighter class that I don't have a lot of homework to do on a regular basis. A DUO provides the opportunity to spend time with a teacher that you like and get to know more over the semester. I think it’s a good opportunity for people who want something lighter and fun but still get to learn something out of it.
Practical Skills are Learned in a DUO by Mady Aube, Winter 2020
A DUO is a class where students go to a teacher’s classroom and help the teacher with anything they need. I am working with Ms. Debiasio in a middle school math class. Tasks that teachers might need help with are making copies, passing things out, and filing paperwork. A DUO also helps the students in the class. For example, if students raise their hands and the teacher can’t get to them right off, as a DUO I can try to answer the student’s question. Personally, I have learned a lot of practical skills, like filing and copying, which I can use in a real job. I learned about the importance of organization and how it takes form with filing. I have also learned how to multitask since I often had to switch gears between working on writing to answering questions. Since participating in DUO, I noticed that teachers do a lot more than I originally thought. Being a student in DUO makes you see things differently, a lot more goes into being a teacher than what you see on the surface. I recommend DUO to those ready to shift their perspective, gain real-life skills, and enjoy a challenge.
DUOs Gain Valuable Volunteer Skills by Lexi Tinker, Winter 2020
Being a DUO, in my opinion, is a great experience. In this class you get to learn a lot about volunteering opportunities. My responsibilities while I am working as a DUO with Ms. Pierpont is helping out the students who need help with their work, copying and getting papers for my DUO teacher and just simply being there to bond with the other students. When I’m in the classroom helping out the students I focus on letting them do the work but helping them if they need any help with what they are working on. My skills assessed are mostly based on H.E.A.R.T. and I self assess myself every week or two. Occasionally my DUO teacher will also assess my habits of work. Being a DUO has made me realize that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses while doing their work and they all have different ways of processing things. My DUO teacher enjoys me helping her because of how kind I am to her students and how much I help them. When I leave Mt. Abe being a duo is helping me with my volunteering skills with people I don’t know really well and making bonds with them.
Challenges of a Job Lead to a Lack of Nurses
By Sam Jackman, Year End 2018
Kristen Salter is an RN who works at Addison County Home Health and Hospice, and Wanda Bouvier is a school nurse for Mt. Abraham Union Middle And High School. They recently talked about the challenges of nursing and the reasons why there's a shortage of nurses today, both local and nationwide.
People become nurses for many reasons. Salter became a nurse because, “In 5th grade I studied the system of the body and this fascinated me and I knew I wanted a career in medicine.” Bouvier said, “I just loved nursing and did every offered program in college.” Both Bouvier and Salter are RNs, which stands for Registered Nurse. Some nurses are LPNs, which stands for Licensed Practical Nurse. It is required to be an RN to be a school nurse, but there are many other job opportunities for LPNs, which is the degree before RN.
Wanda and Kristen both acknowledge the nursing shortage in the United States, as well as Vermont. More nurses are retiring in Vermont than graduating. By 2024, there will be a shortage of 1 million nurses.” Salter believes the deficiency of new nurses is a result of 2 factors: “Nurses are retiring at a faster rate than new nurses coming in to the profession. “There are also not enough nursing schools,” she explained. Salter had some ideas about getting young adults interested in the nursing program. She said, “Having a career day where students can shadow nurses might help to highlight the variety of nursing jobs available.”
There are some benefits that come with being an RN, but it also has many challenges. Salter said, “You can pick up extra hours for extra money to go on a vacation.” Salter also listed the challenges: “Long work hours, dealing with death and dying, emotional patients and families and working holidays.” Wanda Bouvier has become very good at juggling the many aspects of school nursing. Bouvier explains, “Being a team member can be challenging at times.” She added that some of the downfalls of being an RN include “the cost of loans and after you start getting paid, working nights.” Bouvier also talked about the specific challenges of being a school nurse. She explained that schools base the number of nurses due to the number of children in need.
Hannah Jackman is a senior in the UVM 4 year nursing program.
Hannah states it was hard to decide on a career in high school. “I loved my teachers, and had many different interests. Ultimately it was when I volunteered in a medical clinic in the Dominican Republic that sparked my interest in the healthcare field. I knew then that I wanted to be a pediatric nurse practitioner and make a difference in the healthcare system in America.” Hannah is currently working as an intern in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit a the University of Vermont Medical Center, which is where she hopes to work when she graduates. Hannah is a Licensed Nurses Aide (LNA) in the hospital and experiences the nursing shortage first hand. “There are always jobs posted for nurses and shifts that need to be filled.” Jackman continues to to feel positive about her career choice. “I think the best benefit of working in the medical field is working with people everyday and making a difference. It is such a privilege to be there for a person during one of the hardest times of their life, and that’s essentially what nursing is.” Jackman is concerned about the stress of the job, and the risk for burnout. “My advice would be to take time for yourself. It is important to eat well, get at least 8 hours of sleep every night (or day if you do night shift), and do “something” for yourself every day. Whether that be read your favorite book, or binge-watch your favorite netflix show, or even meditate, taking care of yourself is so important so that you can take care of others!” Jackman's advice is to change the curriculum for nursing. “We don’t get involved in clinical until junior year, and I think that students should start learning basic care skills in a nursing home starting sophomore year.”
These three nurses all have one thing in common, they have persevered through the struggles of short staffing, and continue to maintain a positive attitude and give excellent patient care. Clearly, the shortage of nurses in a much needed field can be problematic, but with dedicated nurses like the ones mentioned, it can work. With the aging baby boomer populations in need of more medical care, it is important that this problem be addressed.
Preparing for Prom
By: Sierra Dessureault
Spring 2012
Sara Sayles, Rachel Lavoie, Sierra Dessureault and Paige Vincent
As the year comes to an end, it’s time to get ready to dance the night away at prom. Prom, originally referred to as promenade, is a night for high school students to celebrate the closing of their junior and senior years. Many people look forward to the big night to get dressed up and have fun with their friends. Other people, mostly seniors, use the night as a time to remember their years of high school and create the memories that they will miss most.
Students who choose not to attend prom generally end up regretting it for various reasons. Senior Miranda Lucia shared, “I regret not going to prom last year because I heard it was a lot of fun and I know I would have enjoyed it with my friends. Also, I have heard that prom this year isn’t expected to be as good, so I feel like I missed out.”
The tradition of prom certainly takes a lot of time to prepare for, but is worth it in the end. Some students have been lucky enough to go to prom before their junior year because they were asked by an upperclassman. Senior Sara Sayles explained, “Going to prom has been really fun the past three years, even though I only had a few friends with me the first two years. Last year, all of our dates were best friends, so it was a great time.”
Girls have been waiting for this night for a long time, and have been planning the details for months. There are various things a girl has to do in order to prepare for the night of a lifetime. Some girls begin searching through their Seventeen magazines for the look they want to go for, before they even have a date. Actually shopping for a dress and trying them on can take up to several hours. “After I made various trips to the dressing room with handfuls of dresses, I found the one I wanted. It fits perfectly, it’s exactly what I was looking for, and it was the first store I went to,” said Lucia. Some girls aren’t as fortunate in finding the right dress at the first store, so they will have to travel to the next one on the list. Still, months in advance, a girl has thoughts of who she wants to get ready with, where pictures should be taken, and has called to schedule her hair and other beauty appointments that day. Most girls get manicures and pedicures around the day of prom, and decide to go tanning a few times in the week before. If a girl’s dress doesn’t fit perfectly, then she needs to spare enough time to get it altered by a local seamstress. A few weeks before the day, she needs to make sure she has her dress, jewelry, shoes, accessories, and a most importantly: a date.
Although guys don’t have to prepare as much for the big night, their duties still play an important role in the agenda. Prom tickets need to be purchased well in advance before the night of prom, to assure that they are able to attend with their date. The corsage and boutonniere that are designed to match the color scheme need to be ordered ahead of time and picked up the day of prom so that they remain fresh. Reservations at a local restaurant also need to be made weeks prior to the event, because some schools host their proms on the same night, and restaurants get booked quickly. Guys also have to get their tuxedo and find out the color of their date’s dress so that they can match accordingly. Transportation to and from prom needs to be discussed, whether it be renting a limo or arranging who is going to be driving.
The day of prom has a big to-do list that comes along with it. Jonah Wheelock, a junior who went to prom last year, shared, “It took me about a half an hour to get ready the day of prom, after that I was waiting for everyone else. The only thing I needed to do to prepare for the day was to pick up my tux a few days prior.” Girls usually choose to get ready as a group, and have their dates come to meet them to take pictures. Pictures are usually taken at multiple locations, including people’s houses or a public location. People need to make sure they plan enough time for pictures before the dinner reservation, or the night will become stressful trying to get everywhere on time. One last tip on preparing for the big night is to bring an umbrella.
This year’s prom is fast approaching and Sayles added, “I’m looking forward to this year, mostly because it’s our senior class and our last time together as a group.” It may seem like a lot of work for just one night, but it’s worth it.
Addison County Young Life
By: Caisey Kurek
Spring 2012
Brian Jewell and Morgan Jackman enjoying activities
Young Life club is the best hour of the week for many high school students. Like a party with a purpose, Young Life is controlled chaos that’s almost impossible to describe. The leaders for Addison County Young Life are Todd Goodyear, Kathleen Clark, and Nancy and Greg Orvis. Before the fun ends, one of the leaders share a simple message about God’s love for them. Addison County Young Life is a great group that many youth participate in. Any high school students are welcome to attend. The group meets every Wednesday night 7:30-8:30 in the town of Bristol.
While at Young Life, teens sing together, and play all sorts of fun games, and have many opportunities to win prizes like Young Life T-shirts and bracelets. Young Life is more then just Wednesday night; they also take trips such as canoeing, bowling, ice skating, and even go to summer camp in Lake Saranac, New York. There are also opportunities for those who want to learn more about God on Wednesday mornings before school. This group is called “Campaigners” and this is where teens get together, read scripture and sure they truly understand the passages.
Sophomore Travis Bachand said, his favorite part of Young Life was “by far, camp was the best part of Young Life. The parasailing was awesome, and I just enjoyed the location because it was so uplifting and enjoyable.” Leader Todd Goodyear said, “ As a Young Life leader, I get to be a part of teenager’s’ lives as they discover the depth and richness of a life through fun, adventure, relationships and understanding of a God knows and loves them.”
Many say Young Life camp was the best week of their lives. Those who have not yet been able to experience camp say that club each week is the best hour of their week. “You won’t regret spending one hour each week with us! It’s a fun and comfortable environment.” Said Brian Jewell.
Cell Phones in School
By: Kyle Simard
Spring 2012
Hiding texting in class
Having cell phones during school hours has always been a debated issue at Mt. Abe, in part because some people abuse the privilege of having a cell phone.
It is a policy at Mt. Abe that cell phones are not allowed in the classroom. Students can use their cellphones in the hallway, on the balcony, between classes, at break, and during lunch. Although some teachers allow students to use cellphones for educational purposes, like looking something up on the internet, most teachers do not. One teacher said, “Cellphones are not to be used except as a browsing tool on the internet when appropriate.”
Students spend more time and energy trying to hide their texting instead of trying to learn in class. Students frequently get caught texting under the table while the teacher is explaining a lesson. When asked if students are texting in their classes, one teacher replied, “Yes, sneakily--so it is sometimes hard to detect.” Half the time, teachers don’t even see the students texting, but it is a problem even when you aren’t looking at your cell phone, because they either vibrate or make a loud noise, distracting the class. The only way to make cell phones not distracting is to turn them off. If cell phones were not in the classroom environment, it would be much easier to concentrate, and there would be a lot less distractions.
Some people believe that cellphones are actually helpful when students are at school because they have many other uses besides texting and calling people. On certain phones, one can browse the internet. This would be helpful in a lot of classes, when students need to go to a computer lab to get certain information. Instead of doing that, students could just go on their phones and get it done in a fraction of the time. Another reason students have cell phones is to have a form of communication during an emergency. That is why some teachers said, “I allow emergency calls and that is it.” Cell phones are not just annoying devices that people keep in their pockets. They have proven to be useful if you can act responsibly with them.
If cellphones were allowed in classrooms, students would basically have a “hand-held computer” to use in class. If people don’t act responsibly and use their phones inappropriately during discussions and lessons then they will be very distracting. Instead of making a good choice, they will text or use their phone in class even if the teacher has not allowed them.
Having cell phones in school is more distracting than useful, that is why they are not allowed in classrooms. It is fine to use cell phones in the hallways, considering you don’t need to listen to any teachers or learn anything between classes.
The Rise in Food Waste
By: Carina Viola Isebell
Spring 2012
