The Juvenile Juulers

Josh Finkle ~ November 1, 2019

The Crusader Community used to be fun, safe, and a place people would not necessarily enjoy going, but they did not always hate it. However, it is now a place dreaded by many people. The reasoning behind this feeling is because of the horrendous behavior, vandalism and inability to walk around the halls without feeling threatened and having offensive names thrown at people.

This year has been hell at Littleton High School. I knew coming into the year that a certain group of children would make the school a horrible place. I did not properly anticipate how bad it was actually going to be.

The bathrooms in the school always had doors that were unlocked and students were able to enter the bathroom and have a door close behind them so there was some sort of privacy. However, a few weeks ago, a piece of the door was kicked in, making it look like a doggy door on the back entrance leading to Grandmom’s kitchen.

All of the doors were taken down by administration. Now because of this attack on the door by a group of freshmen and eighth-graders -- who shall remain nameless in print, but are known throughout our hallways -- we have no doors on all the bathrooms except the ones that are used by only one person at a time. As you stroll the hall make sure you peek in the bathrooms around the school and say “hi” to the people in there. Hey, maybe even walk in while you’re at it.

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An interview with junior Jason Hamilton about this matter was conducted on November 6:

How do the freshman make you feel on a daily basis?

Jason: Mad, discouraged, and disappointed. These students are disrespectful and they do not respect the school’s policies.

What do you think could be done to fix this matter?

Jason: Expulsion.

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Another person interviewed was Landon Bromley:

How do the troubled freshman make you feel?

Landon: Um, it’s kinda heartbreaking to see their actions to take a toll on the community and students along with staff and it really brings the morale of the school down.

What should be done to stop this and who is the biggest troublemaker?

Landon: I think we need to use our strength as a community and take down the people who are making the school a bad place, and if we work together then we can expose them. Alot of them are troubled at home and they (the Juul Squad) resort to drugs to get the attention they want.

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My peers in this school strongly disapprove of the Juul Squad and want something to be done. An anonymous source told me that they feel threatened and scared at school and I don't blame them, but what is the answer? A number of offenders have been suspended and when they come back nothing changes.

Overall, the school is going through a very rough patch with the “Juvenile Juulers”, the school is doing the best it can to contain the problem, but it is a very tiring job and I am sure the administration is sick of it.

The Juul Squad is a very difficult group of young individuals who think they are cool, but they are not and the school is tired of them. One day I hope they do learn and look back on the year 2019 to realize how ridiculous they really were. For now, we have to deal with their lack of maturity and mindless misbehavior the best we can.

The Idea for School Board Representative

Andrew Smith ~ November 1, 2019

The School Board, it’s the presence that controls a lot of what happens here at LHS. But, it is also the topic almost no one talks about. Things like our ability to have Chromebooks or phones in school, down to how much money our teachers can spend on pencils, is controlled by the school board.

Now, think about this, how many students have you seen at the school board meetings giving their opinion on how our phones should be used in school? Can’t think of any? Yeah, neither can I. As of now, the only true representation of the student body in the school board are two parents who are currently on the school board and our principal, Mrs. Carbonneau, and assistant principal, Mr. Fillion.

As I see it, the school board affects the way the average day works here at LHS quite significantly. If you take a look at the school board, the only representation of the student body is four adults who have not been in high school, as students, for years. Now, don’t get me wrong, I I am sure these people are doing their best to ensure student life here at LHS is fair and productive, but is it time for there to be a student or students to represent us on the board?

I went in to speak to Mrs. Carbonneau about the subject. I started by asking this question, “Do you think there is a good representation of the student body in the school board?” Now I really do enjoy interviewing with Mrs. Carbonneau because she gives long detailed answers that always help with my article, but sometimes they are a little too long to put into my articles.

So, I’ll simply summarize for you what she said. She stated that there was no student representative on the school board so there is no real point of view from a student, but there are some parents on the board which can give somewhat of a voice on the students. Mrs. Carbonneau and Mr. Fillion can also voice their beliefs on behalf of the students, though it is from an administrative point of view.

I sent out a survey to the student body. Approximately 30 people responded with quite a surprising amount of difference in opinions. I asked the students the same question I asked Mrs. Carbonneau: “Do you think there is a good representation of the student body in the school board?” 54% of students said no, they don’t believe there is a good representation. 46% said yes or that maybe there is a good representation. Also, at the end of the survey, I gave students the opportunity to voice their opinions in their own words.

Most people had things to say on the lines of that they never see school board members actually walking around school. One student said, “I don't like that the school board makes decisions for us without consulting with students. Of course, it is okay to an extent, but I don't even know who the members of the school board are because they aren't in our school, at least not during the school day.” Some people also have opinions on how many people should be on the school board representing the student body. Another student said, “One person is only one person’s point of view. If we want student representation there should be multiple students so that no just one point of view is presented.”

Whether students believe there is enough or there is not enough representation on the school board, almost all of the students who were surveyed think there should be at least a student rep from the student body. So, what do you think? Should we change to something along the lines of a representative directly from the student body or should we just keep our current representation? Send your response to me and I will gladly follow up on it.

Lucas Shows Off Advanced Moves

Celebrating Thanksgiving!

Sadie Lucas ~ November 1, 2019

Why is it essential to celebrate Thanksgiving Day? Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States. Families will get together and eat dinner. It is necessary to spend time with your family on the day of giving thanks. Always be thankful for the food that is available to you. The first Thanksgiving ever held was in 1621, with the Plymouth Plantation and Indians. In 1863 it was decided that Thanksgiving day should be kept on every fourth Thursday in November.

Since Thanksgiving is a holiday to share with family, airports are very busy. Usually between November 16th until after Thanksgiving. In 2018 about 30.6 million people traveled on U.S airlines. During 2018 AAA predicted 54.3 million people drove to get to loved ones for Thanksgiving. The busiest travel days are during thanksgiving week is Wednesday evening and Sunday afternoon.

Thanksgiving is a blend of two traditions. One of them is the New England celebration after the successful harvest. The other is a Puritan religious observance of prayer and feasting. The National Museum states that Wampanoag Indians attended the first Thanksgiving. They helped the colonists survive the first year they arrived in the year of 1620. The pilgrims ended up living in the Wampanoag village, which was abandoned four years earlier because of the plague. Squanto, a Wampanoag Indian, helped pilgrims plant corn. Pilgrims were very grateful.

The holiday Thanksgiving has a lot of popular traditions. The common foods that people eat are turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. At the 1620 Thanksgiving, there was duck, venison, ham, lobster, clams, berries, and pumpkin. Many people have pie for dessert pumpkin, pecan, or apple. There are many parades on Thanksgiving. One of the most famous parades is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade held in New York City. It includes marching bands, floats, songs, performances, and big helium balloons. The huge Snoopy helium balloon has been in this parade since 1968.

In Littleton NH, there is a tradition of a Christmas parade always held the Friday after Thanksgiving. There are many floats; some of them have kids throwing out candy to the kids on main street. It is a wonderful way to celebrate the community getting together. The First Presbyterian Church of Littleton looks for volunteers to help cook Thanksgiving meals. They deliver the meals to people who are unable to leave their homes. Also, they have a sit-down meal at the church.

LHS/DBMS Veterans Day Celebration

Christian Shafer ~ October 31, 2019

On November 11 our country will be acknowledging and paying respect to the sacrifice of our veterans. Originally, November 11 was celebrated as “Armistice Day”, marking the end of World War I. But in 1926, Congress passed a resolution for an annual observance, and November 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938. Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans; living or dead.

In the United States, there about 18.2 million veterans; soldiers who risked their lives to preserve the freedoms we so often take for granted. For some, it’s just another day. but for 18 million families, this gives them a chance to acknowledge a family member who served.

This is why Littleton High School held an assembly to pay tribute to our veterans. Here, heroes of the community, our veterans, came together for our school to honor their service.

At the onset of our assembly, the White Mountain Regional JROTC showcased the posting of the colors. This is practiced in the armed forces to begin a ceremony.

Members of our National Honor Society each prepared a passage where they spoke about the honor, sacrifice, and service of our veterans, as well as the gratitude they have towards our local heroes.

During this time, Father Mark Dollard from St Rose of Lima Catholic church offered a prayer for our veterans, thanking them for their service, and praying that the school community can find gratitude in their hearts towards the veterans that made it possible for us to bear the freedoms that we otherwise couldn’t afford.

They recognized veterans from specific branches of the military, as our LHS band and chorus performed the anthems for each branch.

As the flags came up and our vets rose for the branch in which they served, the number of teachers in our school community who rose alongside those retired from the citizen world was quite impressive.

During this honoring of our soldiers from the past, we took the time to encourage a generation for the future. Nicholas Pack, a local Air Force recruiting officer, stepped up to the podium to discuss the value in public service and the dreams he had when he was in school. He spoke on the lessons he learned in the military and the importance of service as a whole.

Towards the end of the ceremony, Principal Jennifer Carbonneau offered words of encouragement to the students and reassured our veterans that the students and faculty at Littleton High School are grateful for their service. She mentioned that while schools may put a special emphasis on college, success is defined by the individual, and the military can offer a lot to not only the country but to the individual as well.

Finally the JROTC showcased the retiring of the colors. This is practiced at the end of a ceremony before the transition to informal social activities.

On November 11 our nation honors all who have served our country, but the intimacy that comes with the ceremony at Littleton High School allows us to see a bigger picture before they give us the day off. I asked Tucker Callahan how he felt about the ceremony and he had this to say “Being there in the same space as our veterans allowed us to put a face to the holiday, so we could leave knowing that the freedoms we bear are not at the will of a courageous few, but of all who are passionate and willing to serve. Seeing teachers and members of the community sitting in those seats made this clear to us.”

The Patriots & Fantasy Football Sunday

Austin Marquis ~ November 15, 2019

The New England Patriots winning streak was ended on Sunday after losing to the Baltimore Ravens. This is the Patriots' first loss of the season; however, they are still ranked first in the AFC. This may be surprising to some after the Patriots lost eleven players from their Super Bowl 53 roster, including key players TE Rob Gronkowski and DE Trey Flowers. Many thought that the 2019-2020 season would be more of a rebuilding year, but that's not the case.

The Patriots started their preseason off strong, only losing to the New York Giants in a very close game with a final score of 31-29. A week later, they opened their season off to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They easily won, scoring 50% of the time they were in the red zone and ending up with 33 points. In the following week, Oakland Raiders released Antonio Brown, so the Patriots signed him on a one year deal up to $15 million.

The Patriots played the Miami Dolphins for week 2. Brown had four receptions and ended up with one touchdown, helping them win 43-0. A couple of days later, Brown was released do to another sexual misconduct allegation.

In weeks 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, the Pats continued to keep their win streak alive. On week nine, the Pats played the 6-2 Baltimore Ravens. They played poorly and, as a result, lost 37-20, making them 8-1. If they had won, they would have been the first team to go 9-0 since the Carolina Panthers did back in 2015.

Next Sunday, the Patriots play the Philadelphia Eagles, who are 5-4. They are going to have to watch out for TE Zach Ertz. Last week he had over 100 receiving yards and nine receptions, meaning that he scored a lot of points for fantasy football.

If you don't know what fantasy football is, it is a competition where participants draft their team from players in the NFL and score points according to the actual performance of their players. This is the fourth year that my friends and I have had a fantasy football league. This year we have a total of eight teams.

Each week you have to manage your lineup and choose players who you think will score the most. You can also trade, drop, and pick up players throughout the 13 or 17 week season if you make it to playoffs. Since our league only has eight teams, only four players make it into the winner bracket, and the others are put into the consolation bracket. At the moment, Parket Paradice, Stephen Lucas, Jason Hamilton, and Parker Briggs are predicted to be in the winner's bracket while Landon Bromely. Josh Finkle, Kyle Huyn, and I are projected to be in the consolation bracket.

Here are my start/sits for fantasy football in week eleven. Starting off with the QB, starting Derek Carr is an excellent move because he has thrown between 28 to 32 passes every game since week three and will be playing the 0-9 Cincinnati Bengals. I'd sit out Kyle Allen because he has just three touchdowns to the five interceptions that he has thrown in the last three weeks.

For RB, Brian Hill looks like a great player to start because he is replacing injured Devonta Freeman and is going against the Carolina Panthers who have one of the worst run defense. Adrian Peterson is on my sit list this week due to the return of Derrius Guice and the fact that they are playing New York Jets, who have one of the best-run defense.

New WR Mohamed Sanu should be a starter this week after coming off a bye. He has had more time to learn the Patriots offense and how Brady throws the ball. WR Robby Anderson is an obvious sit after only having 97 total yards over his last four games.

Jarked Cook, the TE for the New Orleans Saints, should be starting after playing great for the past three weeks, where he has had 152 total yards and two touchdowns. TE, Kyle Rudolph should be sitting out after finishing below 25 yards three times in the past four weeks. Hopefully, these players perform well, but only time will tell, good luck if you have started or benched any of them.

Boys Soccer Playoffs Ahead

Stephen Lucas ~ November 1, 2019

The playoffs for the 2019 soccer season are coming up, and the Littleton boys team is going to be the fourth seed with a record of 12-2-2. Their first playoff game is scheduled for Wednesday, October 30, against thirteen seed Farmington. The playoff format is the one seed gets a bye to the second round, and the second seed plays the fifteen seed, the three seed plays the fourteen seed, and so on. Every game is a win or go home, so there can be significant upsets with just one bounce of the ball. As the playoffs go on, there are upsets and dominating wins that can make or break a particular team.

This year the LHS team has gone through the playoffs beating Farmington 5-1 in the first round and then beat Lin-Wood 3-0 in the quarter-finals advancing to play Newmarket in the semifinal round. Newmarket also had trouble on the field with one of the better players getting a red card with five minutes left in the quarter-final game and having to sit out the semifinal game. This year the semifinal game was a close 2-0 loss, with the game being tied 0-0 until about 70 minutes in when one of the Newmarket forwards poked a goal in off a rebound.

The Crusaders were putting the pressure on the Mules from the start, but sophomore Michael Hampson went down with a knee injury and was out for the rest of the game. The Mules advanced and then played the Sunapee Lakers in a Sunday match for the championship, where the Mules had topped the Lakers to win it all in a 2-0 final score.

As is every year, Littleton was a contender for making it to the championship in 2016 as well as 2017 and losing both times, and in their 2018 campaign, they made it to the semifinal round and lost in double overtime on a free-kick. This year the team is looking very promising being one of the top four teams with a good shot at winning it all.

With the end of soccer coming up, basketball season is starting. As well as soccer, Littleton is a contender in basketball, too. The Crusaders are making a strong playoff push this coming year, having lost only Jason Brammer and Christian Silvera. Last year the Crusaders had made it to the championship game and lost to Epping and its player of the year Hunter Bullock. The Crusaders lost leading scorer Danny Kubkowski to a knee injury before the quarter-final game, making the team play together and win out to the championship game.

Junior Jason Hamilton says “”The outlook for the team is going to be high, with them having an excellent chance of bringing home the chip.” The Crusaders feel like they can band together and steamroll through their division and win it all, but they will have to go through some tough matchups such as Woodsville, Newmarket, and Sunapee to be the champions.