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The Bulldog Boutique at Westerly High School is more than just a space—it's a symbol of community, care, and the spirit of giving. Named after the school’s beloved mascot, the Bulldog, this initiative provides students with free access to clothing and accessories, no questions asked.

From everyday essentials like jeans and t-shirts to special occasion attire for prom, including tuxedos and formal dresses, the Bulldog Boutique has everything students need to feel confident and ready for whatever life throws their way. This project wouldn’t be possible without the overwhelming generosity of the community.

The Bulldog Boutique has been blessed with donations from all over Westerly, and even from across the state. As the donations continued to pour in, the original space we were using—Mrs. Lj’s classroom—could no longer hold everything that has been donated. That’s when the Bulldog Boutique team decided it was time to take the Bulldog Boutique to the next level. They began transforming an old storage room into a fully functioning boutique, and the results are nothing short of extraordinary.

The renovation project is a true testament to the power of collaboration and hard work. Senior Chris Bueler took the lead on this transformation as his senior project, working with the school’s construction department to turn the room into a beautiful and welcoming boutique. Thanks to Chris’s dedication, the space now features a full dressing room, making the experience of shopping for clothes feel just like a real boutique.

The room itself has been painted with care by Senior Julianna Brown for her senior project, who brought our Bulldog spirit to life with two shades of blue—the school’s colors—and added vibrant flower designs to the walls. Her artistic touch turned the space into something truly special.

The Bulldog Boutique also owes a huge debt of gratitude to the Westerly Education Endowment Fund, as well as those who supported our golf tournament that was co-hosted by Ocean Lombard this fall to help fund this project. The behind-the-scenes team that made all of this happen includes Mrs. LJ, the visionary creator of the Bulldog Boutique, as well as Mrs. Steverman, Mrs. Welch, Mrs. Stoher, and Ocean Lombard, who have all contributed their time and resources to ensure the continued success of the Bulldog Boutique.

In recognition of the impact the Bulldog Boutique has had, Channel 12 News chose to feature our story in their Street Stories series, which highlights stories of hope and the human spirit.

The segment, by Mike Montecalvo, allowed the Bulldog Boutique to share their mission with the greater community, elevating the work we do here and spreading our message. With all of the work behind us, we are thrilled to announce that the newly renovated Bulldog Boutique will be ready to open its doors this fall. And in even more exciting news, Mrs. Moulin has generously provided the Bulldog Boutique with two additional classrooms to further expand next year.

The Bulldog Boutique room is right in between Mrs. Stoher’s and Mrs. LJ’s classrooms—come check it out! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Ocean Lombard, Mrs. Ljungberg, Mrs. Steverman, Mrs.Stoher, or Mrs Welch. The Bulldog Boutique also has an Instagram! Follow us at @whsbulldogboutique to stay updated.

Westerly High School aims to foster a diverse and inclusive environment where students can explore various clubs and after-school activities tailored to their interests, with a wealth of options available to support the varied passions of our student body. For those inclined towards community engagement, WHS initiatives provide a valuable platform for students to participate in meaningful activities.

The Environmental Club organizes campus clean-up events and raises awareness for environmental issues while finding new solutions to old habits for a better future. In addition to the Environmental Club, advisor for the Outdoors Club, Mr. Servidio, encourages others to join, stating, “The WHS outdoors club is a wonderful opportunity for students to go explore nature, hike the trails, and participate in outside activities like kayaking, rock climbing, ropes courses, horseback riding, and many other activities. It's just a great way to get to know other students and enjoy our natural environment.”

Westerly High also promotes engagement within the school; the Student Council “is run by a group of students that get together and have a chance to make a difference in the school,” says Ms. A, the Student Council advisor. Student council members plan various events including homecoming, spirit weeks, and blood drives. Individual Class Councils, which are separate from the Student Council, annually elects six officers to oversee its affairs. Working with class advisors, these officers coordinate fundraising, social activities, and other school affairs for their specific class.

Clubs like Peer-to-Peer and Character Ed check on the mental wellbeing of the student population and help those in need. Peer-to-Peer seeks to promote mental health awareness around the school, while the Character Education committee works on projects to assist members of the high school and the community. They coordinate many drives for food, toiletries, diapers, clothing, and toys during the holiday season.

While all of WHS clubs are welcoming to everyone, Alliance is where being yourself is just that—a non-judgmental, loving support network that works to inspire and empower a community that embraces individuality. Alliance meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month and is run by Mrs. Riley, who states, “We create a safe space for students to feel heard, and we promote certain days for the LGBTQIA community. We also like to raise money for any local organizations around town.” The overall goal of Alliance was that everyone is accepted as who they are.

Students can also jump into the rich cultural experience by joining the international club. Helping us connect with our culturally diverse school community, one of the members, Rainah Giorno, says, “International Club is a fun way to talk about countries and their cultures. We mostly focus on what type of holidays they celebrate and what food is centered around it.” This club organizes many popular events, such as the International Dinner and Goes Global, exposing students to the cultures and languages of French, Italian, and Spanish-speaking countries while celebrating diverse heritages and traditions.

WHS sports teams promote teamwork and physical wellness, with clubs like V.A.S.S.A. (Varsity Athletes Against Substance Abuse), a peer leadership program in which high school varsity athletes pledge to remain alcohol and drug-free. The athletes are trained to address younger students as positive role models, primarily visiting the middle school and speaking to incoming freshmen, encouraging them to join.

WHS also offers literary clubs like the Ink Bandits and The Barker that encourage emerging writers to express their creativity and share their works. While our book club expands the minds of avid readers, WHS’s theater program allows aspiring actors and actresses to enrich themselves in the arts of theater, with three shows a year: one in the fall, one in winter, and one in spring. This year's shows included The Importance of Being Earnest, A Christmas Carol, and Hadestown. Students do not have to be an actor or actress to participate, as there are many roles involved in producing a show, including prop making and technical aspects.

Film club is another club at WHS; it engages its members in interacting with a variety of movies. During the winter, the film club hosted a movie night and collected canned goods for the Jonnycake Center on behalf of the club. Everyone is welcome to join, and it meets every Wednesday.

Another large category of clubs within the high school includes technical clubs such as the robotics team and SMILE. SMILE is a pre-college science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)-based after-school program that includes students statewide. Member Lexi Yemma explains, “During SMILE, we do a lot of building challenges using a lot of critical thinking. What's also really cool about this club is we do go on many field trips and gain a lot of community service hours. I've gotten most of my community service hours just by doing this club, and at the end of the year, we go to the park and get Mels, which is a good thing to look forward to.”

Unfortunately, SMILE might not be running next year because they don't have a teacher to run it, so they are in dire need of a teacher looking to take it over. If any WHS staff members are interested and willing to do it, it would be highly appreciated by its members. The Robotics Club enhances understanding and knowledge about robotics, including coding and program-writing tasks, building robots for specific objectives, and fostering innovation.

WHS also offers clubs for students interested in competing academically against other schools. The Academic Decathlon is a statewide competition scheduled for the first Sunday in February. This all-day event tests skills in language and literature, economics, math, science, history, fine arts, essay writing, and speaking. Medals and cash awards are given for outstanding achievements. Meanwhile, the Math Team participates in the RI Math League, competing in four meets a year with over 30 schools from within the state, focusing on arithmetic, algebra I, and geometry.

D&D is another popular club, where students gather to play the tabletop role-playing game, creating a world where characters embark on adventures in a fantasy setting. Participants collaborate to craft their narratives as a team, ultimately completing the final battle or retreating when necessary.

Each of these activities contributes to a well-rounded educational experience, helping students find their place within our vibrant community.

On Friday April 11th, Westerly High School held its annual health fair in the Federico Gymnasium. This event showcased a variety of equipment and provided an opportunity for the Medical Pathway students to demonstrate and share their learning.

The Medical Pathway at WHS comprises 4 classes: Introduction to Medicine, Emergency Medical Responder (EMR), Emergency Medical Technician 1 (EMT 1), and Emergency Medical Technician 2 (EMT 2). The health fair brings together aspects from each of these provider levels while highlighting their differences.

Leah Vartebedian organized the event for her senior project, working alongside her mentor, Mr. Scott. She communicated with each individual who would showcase their senior project at the health fair, along with the underclassmen who would promote the CTE program as a whole.

Leah noted, “...coordinating the health fair was honestly a really cool experience. I got to see how the different parts of medicine come together, and it was nice that students were able to go straight to the area that interests them.”

The morning of, the Medical Pathway students brought the equipment to the gym and set up the tables for each station. The program’s teacher, Mr. Maranda, offered guidance and helped with assembly. Once they finished setting up, the other WHS students visited the health fair in waves.

A group of freshmen ran the airway management station, showing staff and students how to deliver oxygen through a bag valve mask (BVM). They also displayed an oropharyngeal airway (OPA), a tool used to stop the tongue from blocking the airway, ultimately allowing for better respirations.

One station, run by seniors Abbey Donato and Tori Gabriele, featured a more advanced technique. They used two mannequins to simulate childbirth, a skill learned toward the end of EMT training. This demonstration familiarized other individuals with the procedure for active labor.

The health fair also serves as an outlet for seniors in the Medical Pathway to exhibit their final projects. One senior, showcased her project: “Restoring Nerve Function after a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).” The table presented an informational poster board as well as a 3D brain model that she built from clay and yarn.

The Medical Pathway consistently looks for ways to share information and grow the program, even visiting Westerly Middle School for a similar event in the winter. Although WHS holds the health fair annually, students bring it to life in unique ways each year.

As the spring comes to a close, the Westerly High School Class of 2025 is approaching their graduation. The students in the Class of 2025 have accomplished many achievements over the past four years.

The 2025 Class President is Dylan Tallardy. Dylan has been class president for all four years, during this time his favorite part “has been bringing people together.”

He has worked hard to create “moments that make the class feel connected and proud.” With the upcoming senior events, Dylan is ready to “celebrate everything we have accomplished and make unforgettable memories.”

The 2025 senior events take place from June 2nd through June 13th. Monday June 2nd is the Senior picnic, which will take place from 7 am to 5 pm. The following Tuesday, June 10th, is the Baccalaureate. This will begin at 6 pm.

Wednesday June 11th is the senior prom. Tickets are free this year for all 2025 students. The dance will take place from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm at the Lake of Isles.

The senior banquet will be held June 12th and 6 pm. Then finally, Graduation. The class of 2025 will be Graduating from Westerly High School on June 13th at 6 pm.

Graduation is the final event the seniors have while still attending high school. The night will be used to celebrate and reflect on all the hard work these students have given. When Class President Dylan Tallardy reflects on his personal last four years, and the fact they are almost over, he remarks that “it's been an honor to support and uplift the class as we close this chapter and step into the future.”

The class  of 2025 is full of students who will continue to strive for excellence. With the rest of Westerly High School cheering the 2025 seniors on, the class will move onto their future with success and greatness. We wish these students the best as they transition into the next chapter of their lives.

As of 1922 Westerly and Stonington High School’s have been competing in a head-to-head football game on Thanksgiving. For Westerly to get students in spirit, the school hosts a pep rally.

This long tradition has been student-run for years. Each year, 3-4 students work with each other to put on a thrilling, funny, and interesting rally for the school. The students are always seniors who have the most knowledge and experience with Turkey Day games and rally days.

In the 2024-2025 school year, the MCs for the rally were Erica Nyberg, Colton Barrese, and Marinn Kyan. They put together interactive games for the students, speeches, and slideshows to honor the football team, and even shows from the Westerly band, dance line, and cheerleaders.

MC Marinn Kyan not only put together and ran the rally, but also performed in it. When asked what it was like to both participate and create she responded, “It was stressful but also rewarding to have been able to be involved in the rally. It was a prideful moment that I will cherish.”

When Erica Nyberg was asked about the stress level and the excitement of this project she gave the answer, “The pep rally was a really fun experience but it was a lot of work. It was more time-consuming than I thought it would be, we had to spend hours planning and practicing but it was really worth it.”

The Thanksgiving Game Pep Rally is fun for students, faculty, parents, and community members to watch, either in person or on a livestream. There is a ton of behind the scenes work from the MC’s, the Pep Club, led by Mrs. Sacco, cheer, danceline, and band. Following this years’ rally, Westerly took home the win on Thanksgiving day.

Children in today’s society face an influx of mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, far more often than previous generations have. This influx can be attributed to the negative exposure children in today’s society face during crucial developmental years, especially with the rise of social media and other modern technology. As a result, actions must be taken to make a difference.

According to the Enlightenment Philosopher John Lock’s concept of Tabula Rasa, a child’s mind, at birth, resembles a sort of blank slate: a mind not yet affected by the outside world. With that, children, during development, are completely vulnerable to the information and experiences they face as these exposures occupy the “blank slate” that is their mind, forming impressions on their identity that can last throughout their entire lives. Problems arise, however, when the experiences children face at this time are mostly negative, which seems to be the case in modern society.

Today, children are given electronic devices at much younger ages than previously reported. With these devices they can play games or access videos often exposing them to a lifestyle that is far too mature for their ages. Some children have even developed addictions to these devices, depriving them of typical healthy childhood experiences.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, beginning in 2020, children were stuck inside with limited activities, so many turned to their cellular devices. These devices also became a way for them to contact individuals that they could not see due to social-distancing restrictions.

Children’s screen time increased greatly “with 12- to 13-year-olds more than doubling their recreational screen time to 7.7 hours a day in 2020” (Lambert). As a result, many young children develop addictions to their devices that remained even after the pandemic subsided.

Exposure to violent video games is also extremely abundant in today's youth. According to the Pew Research Center reported by Harvard Health Publishing “in 2008 … 97% of youths ages 12 to 17 played some type of video game and … two-thirds of them played action and adventure games that tend to contain violent content” despite the age requirements for the games (McCarthy).

During the ages of 12 to 17, children and teens exist at a crucial developmental stage, the fate of which determines elements of their future personalities and behaviors. When children face exposure to individuals shooting one another and behaving criminally or violently, it provides them with a model of actions, language, or attitudes that they may idolize or even imitate.

Due to this exposure, there has been a rising mental health crisis in today’s youth. Anxiety is the leading cause of several challenges in children and a growing concern for various aspects of their lives. Ranging from academic performance to social interactions to emotional well-being, anxiety is present and is changing how kids live their youth.

While it's normal for a child to feel anxious at times, when anxiety becomes persistent or overwhelming, as it has in today’s society, it can affect their emotional and physical well-being, development, and behavior.

Depression in children is a mental health condition that affects their emotional, social, and academic development, and, in the most severe cases, self-harm or suicide. This ongoing issue is more frequently prominent today in children due to a complex combination of societal, environmental, and individual factors.

While it (depression) has always been a concern, recent years have seen an increase in its impact among children. This being said, it is important that parents provide children with the tools, support, and resources they need to cope with the pressures of the modern world.

Through the exposure they face online, on social media, playing video games, and other technology, children have developed increasingly sensitivity to developing mental disorders that has left a large portion of them contemplating suicide.

According to Children’s Hospital Association’s Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) suicide, self harm, and mental health conditions are the most common cases at pediatric hospitals (“Addressing Pediatric Suicide”). In fact, there has been a 166% increase in emergency room visits for suicide or self harm attempts in children from ages 5 to 18 (“Addressing Pediatric Suicide”). With that, suicide has become the second leading cause of death in children and young adults.

These effects are developing more abundantly in today’s youth with the persistent access to unfiltered online material. Witnessing disturbing content online causes children to develop more vulnerability to disorders that can remain a part of their identity forever. According to experts, if no action is taken to intercept children’s tendencies to form addictions to online devices or face exposure to negative information online, the mental health crisis in today’s youth will continue to grow.

Children live in a world of possibilities, yet many face challenges that impact their futures. As we grow, it’s important to recognize these struggles and take action to improve the lives of both ourselves and future generations. The world offers great potential, but we must work together to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Over the 2024 holiday break, Westerly High School hosted the 40th annual Westerly Community Credit Union Holiday Basketball Tournament. This yearly tournament includes four high schools; Chariho, Stonnington, South Kingstown, and Westerly. These teams compete in both girls and boys games over the course of holiday break and raise money for sports boosters.

For the Westerly Girls team, on Thursday December 26, they came up short losing 59 to 56 versus Stonington. Ella Reyes kept westerly in the game with 16 points and 9 assists.

In the consolation game that Saturday, Westerly won 52 to 17 over South Kingstown. Ella Reyes was again the top scorer, and captain Kate Rafferty led the team with four steals.

The girls championship was awarded to Stonington High School, beating Chariho 54 to 25. The girls junior varsity championship was won by Westerly, led by team MVP, Luciana Marchionne. Phoebe Brennan and Casey Macera made the all-tournament team, along with Ella Reyes who made the varsity all-tournament team.

For the boys basketball, Westerly started strong winning 69 to 49 over Stonington. Tyler Brayman led the bulldogs with 13 points.

Westerly then moved on to play South Kingstown, who beat Chariho 82 to 56 in game one. On Monday night, Westerly lost to South Kingstown in the championship game 70 to 63.

Brayden Antoch started the second half with a three pointer and made the varsity all-tournament team along with captain Lucas Pennell. Both varsity bulldog teams ended the tournament 1-1.

This tradition brings the town of Westerly’s community together, fostering teamwork and sportsmanship among players. It is a cherished event that strengthens local bonds and promotes a community spirit like no other.

The Westerly High School Stagedogs presented their winter production, A Christmas Carol in Babcock Hall Auditorium on December 6th, 7th & 8th.

A Christmas Carol is a story about a miserly old man named Ebenezer Scrooge who, after being visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve, undergoes a journey of redemption for a better life.

The Stagedogs worked hard to produce the play, with the process starting in September, when cast members also auditioned for the play, along with the first production of the year “The Importance of Being Earnest.” As soon as the fall production was over, they quickly jumped into rehearsing A Christmas Carol, which was set to be performed only four weeks after the previous production.

In the play, senior Dylan Tallardy portrayed the male protagonist Ebenezer Scrooge. Tallardy had to undergo a significant transformation during the show, as he shares that the most challenging part of portraying his evolution was, “having to show the difference between Scrooge being a grumpy old man at the beginning and him being happy and excited about Christmas at the end.”

Aashni Amin, a spectator, shares that Scrooge's transformation was the most memorable, as “Scrooge was able to find peace and become happy with his choices and enjoy Christmas again.”

Zachary Johnson, another spectator, points out that Scrooge was the most interesting character because “he brought out the negative traits within ourselves that we may need to reflect on.”

Tallardy goes on to talk about the enjoyment of working with the children in the production, and how it “gave us all an opportunity to work with kids.” The production included many younger children, who were all cast members’ siblings.

Tallardy shares how it was a great way to incorporate other schools into the Stagedogs production.

Tallardy shares that his personal favorite scene was when, “Amy came in as Bob and he was late and I had to pretend to be angry but I was actually just fooling Bob.”

Most of the actors in The Christmas Carol had not worked on the show before. Tallardy shared his enthusiasm for the play, explaining that he was "excited for the opportunity" to take on something new.

The play was directed by Mr. Zemanek, the director of the Stagedogs. He chose to plan the production, explaining, "Stagedogs had not done a Christmas play, and I thought it would be a good experience for the students."

The play stood out from many of their previous productions due to its “minimalist version.” Since they had not done a “minimalist black box” style show before, Mr. Zemanek wanted to “provide the students with that sort of experience.” He sees his role as “offering a wide variety of experiences throughout their high school years.”

Zemanek recalls a pivotal behind-the-scenes moment involving Dylan and Felicity, who portrayed Scrooge and Marley in the show. He shared, “Both of them put in a tremendous amount of work into that short scene, and it was during that moment that the show truly came to life in the rehearsal process.”

He also shared his personal favorite scenes from the play: the “alley scene” and the “miner scene.” Reflecting on the alley scene, he said, “When I was younger, the alley scene was particularly scary to me, and the ladies who performed in it did a fabulous job of making it frightening and conveying a wide range of emotions.” He appreciated the miner scene because “it’s not a scene typically included in productions of A Christmas Carol, and I thought the singers did an outstanding job capturing the magic and mystery of both the song and the scene’s circumstances.”

The show would not have come together without the dedication of the Stage Crew. Paul Albamonti, the stage crew manager, explained that “the hardest part about backstage is crowd control.” While managing props and lights, he also faces the challenge of “keeping everyone quiet and ensuring they’re in the right place.”

Albamonti is “really proud of how fast we put everything together, such as the lights, and other elements that helped bring the stage to life.” He emphasized that without the stage crew, the play couldn’t have been produced successfully.

He also offered advice for those thinking about joining the team. He emphasized the importance of being adaptable, explaining that one would need to “stay on their toes” and “learn to communicate effectively with the stage managers.

Another stage crew manager, Lexie Yemma mentioned how the hardest part of her experience was “making room” as it gets “tight back there with set pieces and people.” It becomes hard for the stage crew to “get the bigger set pieces out on time.”

This is her first year as a stage manager and she is “really proud of that accomplishment.” She also contributed to the production by operating the fog effects. She explains how “it was fun having to sneak under the stage to work it.”

Her advice for anyone considering joining the experience is to “make sure you're listening and focusing when you need to,” as it’s “important to know what you need to do during the shows and not miss a cue.” She emphasized that while it’s okay to have fun and joke around, when it's time to focus, one must “do what they’ve got to do in order for things to be successful.”

Aashni Amin also praised the Stage Crew, noting that "the special effects made it fun to watch." Although she had not seen the play before, she shared that it had "an amazing plot and story to follow." Zachary Johnson also acknowledged the crew, highlighting how "the lights in this play stood out, as they truly brought the show to life."

Stay tuned to see the Stagedogs spring production, Hadestown in March.

The Rhode Island Blood Center and Westerly High School have been partners for over 30 years, dating back to 1991. The blood drives at Westerly High School are organized with the Rhode Island Blood Center, and every donation has the potential to save up to three lives.

The high demand for blood in Rhode Island is constant, especially for individuals who are seriously injured or fighting illnesses. By participating in one of the WHS blood drives, which take place multiple times each year, you can make a significant impact on the lives of the receivers, and those who surround them. In addition, you earn two hours of community service for donating and making a difference.

There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work and planning when coordinating blood drives at Westerly High School. It can take, “a few weeks to a few months to plan a blood drive; most of the major information gets planned in advance, which is date, time, and appointment schedule, while minor details are planned sooner,” explained Dylan Tallardy, this year’s elected Blood Drive Coordinator.

At the most recent blood drive, on November 8th, about 75 students donated blood. There are some restrictions to who can donate. To ensure eligibility, nurses from the Rhode Island Blood Center check blood pressure, temperature, and iron levels before drawing blood.

One of the blood drive coordinators and a regular donor, Ms. A, suggests that students, “be hydrated and have a good dinner and a hearty breakfast before donating.” In order to prepare for donating blood, “I will start drinking at least 90 ounces of water each day, starting four days before the drive,” she adds. Students who are dehydrated often do not feel good after donating blood, so make sure to drink lots of water.

Another tip from Ms. A is to eat foods that will boost iron levels, such as, “spinach, blueberries, and steak.” Students whose iron levels are high and are hydrated often meet the requirements, and are able to donate blood.

After donating blood, students have to sit with the nurse for about 15 minutes, and are recommended to eat shortly after and sip on Gatorade for the remainder of the day. It is important that those who donate take it easy, and do not participate in sports that may take place later in the day. The next day, students can go back to their normal routines. It is important that students who donate allow their bodies to fully recover, and stay replenished with water and iron-rich foods in order to raise iron levels back up to normal.

Dylan Tallardy has been giving blood for a year or so, completing fifteen donations in 2024, and encourages others to do the same. The next blood drives are scheduled for Wednesday, February 5th, and Wednesday, April 9th. Consider making a difference in someone’s life, and stepping up to donate.

Each class at WHS is eager to raise money this school year in order to save up for important events, such as prom. What does your class have planned? Find out below.

The Senior Class of 2025 is in the midst of planning their annual Bulldog Bazaar, set to take place on November 30th.

Local gifts, souvenirs, and crafts will be sold and on display to the public from local crafters and businesses. Tables are $30 for anyone interested in selling!

Class President Dylan Tallardy tells The Barker, “we’ve had multiple Dine in Nights” and are looking forward to their next one. Additionally prom tickets are being sold starting April 1st.

For more information and updates visit their instagram at @whsclassof2025.

The Junior class run by President Aashni Amin is “excited to have many fundraisers and expand our horizon!”

With plans for prom already underway beginning last year the class of 2026 is planning fundraisers, Dine-to-Donates and more with the “help of our entire class.”

To be updated on these events visit their class instagram at @westerlyhigh26.

Francesca Decaro, President of the Sophomore class tells The Barker that “last year went really well for us, and was definitely a learning experience.”

The Class of 2027 already partnered with the Haversham Tavern in October, and Casa Della Luce in November for Dine-to-Donates.

Francesca is working to “finalize Dine-to-Donates very early so we can focus on planning larger fundraisers.”

To stay tuned for these “larger fundraisers” the Class of 2027 can be found on instagram at @westerlyhs2027.

The Freshman class recently elected their class council representatives. Good luck to all who were elected, we hope to see some action soon.

President- Jenna Parker

Vice President- Abby Sammataro

Treasurer- Lydia Lamb

Secretary- Isabelle Falcone

Social Media Rep- Riley Gabriele

Student Council Rep- Joslyn Samo

As of last year, Westerly High School has started to reduce leniency on phone usage for students. This year, the school has laid down new rules, making the policy more strict.

For example, students are no longer permitted to have their phones in their pockets while walking to and using the bathroom. In addition, students are not allowed to have their phones on them during gym class, a major change from last year.

However, Westerly is not the first school in the area to do this. The Rhode Island Department of Education as a whole has come to the consensus that schools need to adopt stricter phone policies.

Students from WHS were interviewed on their opinions surrounding the new rules and restrictions on phones. Returning students discussed their opinions on the change from last year, and new students shared initial feedback without experiencing the old policy in past years.

When Sophomore Aliza Guido was asked about the change, she believes that, “The new phone policy gives us even more a chance to have undistracted learning.”

Freshman Addison Poole, providing a new perspective on the topic, noted that, “In middle school we didn’t get any freedom with phones.”

She believes that in high school, even with the phone policy, students receive more freedom, as there are times, “when you can use them outside of the classroom.”

So far, students have been willing to put their phones away and cooperate with the new rules. Westerly High School will continue to tweak the phone policy in order to make sure that it is fair, while also eliminating distractions in the classroom.

The 2024 football season has arrived, and the Westerly High School Dawg Pound is back! As always, there are four new leaders from the 2025 senior class. This year's dawg pound leaders are seniors Maggie Scanapieco, Brooke Powers, Jack McGovern, and Vince Gervasini.

This year's leaders are all determined to continue the energizing legacy of the Dawg Pound, but one specific leader was willing to share that excitement. When asked how the dawg pound has felt this fall compared to previous years, Brooke Power stated, "This fall has been a lot warmer, so the themes have been much easier to do compared to previous years as it was freezing, making it much harder to dress for the games."

Brooke also expressed how the warm weather took the energy at the games to an entirely new level. However, Brooke thinks, "This year, the energy has been all right. There is always room for improvement, and we can always be louder, but overall, people show up in theme and bring spirit!"

Although she believes the Dawg Pound could improve, she is excited about the school's commitment to attending games and being involved. Brooke is also not just saying there is room for improvement; she has a vision of increasing the Dawg Pound's energy and excitement as the year progresses.

When asked about her plans with the Pound as the year goes on, she stated, "Our future plans are definitely going to focus on the basketball games. Vince, Maggie, and Jack are really trying to make those games as exciting as they were our freshman year!"

The leaders' plan for the Dawg Pound is to bring back the glory and excitement from previous years. With the history behind the Dawg Pound, which implements fear in its opponents with overwhelming energy, there are very high expectations for Brooke and the rest of the leaders. But with the four's determination and dedication, there is no doubt that the Dawg Pound is in good hands.

With the football season wrapping up and basketball season just around the corner, there is tons of excitement in the Dawg Pound. The leaders are ready to bring energy and support to all Westerly High School games.

Westerly High School has implemented a new daily schedule aimed at improving student learning.

Students are adapting to the new blue and white days, a significant shift from the traditional A and B day schedules.

Many students have "skinny blocks" built into their schedules as part of this change.

"Skinny blocks" allow the previous hour and a half classes every other day to be split into two forty-five-minute blocks. Those who have a "skinny," forty-five-minute class have it every day instead of every other day.

These shortened blocks are designed for classes such as language or mathematics, where it is beneficial for students to meet every day.

The schedule change initially caused some confusion among students, but it appears to have grown on them as the year progressed.

Olivia O'Neil, a Sophomore at Westerly High School, has a skinny block for her Spanish and math classes. At first, she found the schedule strange.

"At first, the shortened blocks seemed weird because having a class every day sounded annoying," she explained.

However, as the school year progressed, her perspective changed.

"As the school year continues, the skinny blocks are refreshing. Having a shorter math class every day is so much better than sitting in that class for 87 minutes," O'Neil said.

A new student to the school, Freshman Ryley Cody, shared her thoughts on the schedule. She replied, "I like the skinnies because I learn more in five 42-minute classes than in two to three 87-minute classes."

Although she didn't experience the old schedule, Cody said she "like[s] the new one."

Westerly High School is trying new ways to enhance learning retention among all students, and one of these methods is implementing "skinny blocks.”

The feedback from students has generally been positive, although there was some skepticism at the start.

The 2023-2024 school year changed Westerly High School's student schedules. The traditionally combined Advisory/WIN block, where the whole school had a free period simultaneously, was switched to individual, separate blocks throughout the week. 

WIN allows students to get work done at school so that their workload at home is lighter. Students use this period to contact teachers about grades or assignments. It is a study hall for students to catch up on their schoolwork.

Now, not everyone has this free block at the same time. However, students of all grades have a 30-minute advisory period every Wednesday at the same time.

The change allowed students to branch out from their advisories. However, it prevented them from visiting teachers who had a different WIN block than them and were busy teaching. 

Junior Indiana Hurley describes the new WIN schedule as "a drastic change. I do not like the fact that I can not meet with my history teacher because he has a class."

Upperclassmen tend to have the same reaction as Indiana. Last year, students could get a pass and visit their teacher during WIN without interruption. Now, if a teacher teaches a class during one of their students' WIN blocks, the student may struggle to receive the help they need.

However, the freshmen have different opinions. Freshman Alison Maranda states, "WIN has helped me a lot. I have been able to meet new people of different grades, and I have had time to do my homework at school."

If students are lucky enough, they might get placed in the same WIN as one of their teachers or a few of their friends whom they can complete homework with. Students who are not as lucky might get stuck in a WIN with a teacher they have never had, in a block where a teacher in a subject they struggle with has a class, or without friends to ask for help.

WIN also allows students to go home early during exam week. With good grades (approved by teachers), students can leave after their first exam of the day and do not have to stay at school for their WIN block. This feature promotes good grades to students as they try to get them up before exam week.

The new WIN schedule has created some feud between upper and lower classmen. Students exposed to last year's schedule tend to like it better than this year's schedule, whereas new students appreciate and value their WIN block this year. WIN has allowed students to readjust their hectic schedules, energizing and preparing them for the rest of their day.

Congratulations to this year's National Honor Society inductees! The National Honor Society is one of the oldest organizations that recognizes students for having outstanding grades, service to their community, leadership, and character. On March 26th, 2024, Westerly High School held its annual National Honor Society ceremony. The following students were inducted into this year's National Honor Society:

Nicholas Robert Allario, Sara Marie Arnold, Ariana Luisa Arruda, Tyler Anthony Brayman, Sofia Anabel Cillino, Abigail Lynn Donato, Roan Michael Doyle, Allyson Brooke Faubert, Kailyn Marie Fister, Ashley Nicole Franeski, Makenzie Jaye Gabriele, Simone Hackett, Cassidy Hayden Hetu, Chloe Sofia Hetu, Penelope Helene Hooper, Matthew Vincent Horton, Indiana Italia Hurley, Marinn Chwan Kyan, Ava Grace Lauria, Michaela Immacolata Magliari, James Cosmo Manfredi, Jr., Noah Joseph Manfredi, Ellis McLaughlin, Kailey Jessica Mitchell, Erica Jane Nyberg, Keira Elise Poquette, Katren McKenzie Rafferty, Celeste Ann Renna, Avery Lynn Rojas, Alex Michael Sammataro, John Lucas Santiago, Margaret Angelina Scanapieco, Addison Margaret Serra, Dylan Christopher Tallardy, Aaliyah Iman Terras, Caelyn Nicole Torrez, Ava Rose Ulrich, Cali West, and Amy Wairimu White.

Westerly High School's classes have worked tirelessly this year to reach their goals. You can help support your class by participating in the following fundraisers to make your time at WHS the best it can be!

According to President Francesca Decaro, the freshman class of 2027 is doing "really well." In the spring months, they are working towards fundraisers that "involve the community and our class." 

In the past few months, they have hosted a variety of dine-to-donate nights and appreciate everyone who came to support them. The class of 2027 is currently looking to incorporate ways to give back, so stay tuned! You can see more of the class on their Instagram page, @westerlyhigh27.

The class of 2026 is beginning to take on the task of looking at prom venues for their upcoming junior prom in 2025. The class is also working towards a "beach clean up" to give back to the community.

President Nathan Paciga says, "The class is still running strong with its lineup of dine-to-donates within the community." The class appreciates anyone who has supported it at one of its recent fundraisers. Support the sophomores at Fuel Good Nutrition on Saturday, April 6th, where 25% of sales will be donated to the class.

The class also plans to host more car washes in the warmer months. For more information on the class of 2026, you can follow their Instagram page, @westerlyhigh26.

The Junior class sure has been busy! They are in the final stages of arranging prom, as ticket sales started on April 1st. They have also had multiple dine-to-donate fundraisers throughout the past few months and thank anyone who has supported them recently at Lucky House or Evies. 

President Dylan Tallardy says that the class has been working very hard and is very excited for the coming months. For more on the class of 2025, check out their Instagram, @whsclassof2025.

The graduating senior class has many upcoming events! President Camden Kelly tells The Barker staff he is looking forward to Senior Shadow Day and their senior Six Flags trip. 

Kelly reports that the seniors are also in the process of planning the Senior Prom, banquet, and a "seniors versus Westerly Police Department basketball game." For more on the senior class of WHS, head to @westerlyhs2024 on Instagram.

Westerly High School offers a variety of Career and Technical Education Programs, including PTECH, medical, culinary, cosmetology, criminal justice, construction, art design, and technology.

WHS students enrolled in one of the eight programs are eligible for college credits, workplace experience, and a CTE certification on their diploma.

Assistant Principal and Director of Career and Technical Education Mr. Cronin recommends that anyone interested in one of the programs should "see if they have a true passion for it."

If a student joins a CTE program and discovers that they no longer have an interest, he adds that it is "totally fine" and that students can un-enroll any year throughout high school.

He believes it is better for students to "find out in high school rather than in college if they are not interested in a field."

Ms. Cardillo, a technology teacher at Westerly High School, is excited that so many of her students are "really into computer science" and "enjoy being a part of the program."

She believes that students considering the computer science field should look towards the technology program at WHS as they will become exposed to "programming, coding, critical thinking, and problem-solving," which will help them throughout their future careers.

Jeffrey Schroeder, one of Cardillo's students, says he enjoys "the programming aspect of the class" and plans to use the programming skills he's learned for future endeavors.

Westerly High School's criminal justice program is full of crime scene investigations and hands-on learning. Students can expect to attend many field trips throughout the year, as Mrs. Muccio, the criminal justice teacher at WHS, can now drive the field trip bus!

By incorporating field trips and real-life experiences into her classes, Mrs. Muccio says that she is able to "make the textbook come to life."

This year, Mrs. Muccio has brought her students to police stations and courthouses. Gabi Ferraro, a junior in the program, enjoys this aspect of the course, along with "getting to work with town officers."

Of every CTE program at Westerly High School, The medical program may be the most hands-on. Mr. Maranda has transformed his classroom with state-of-the-art equipment, which he loves to see his students "become comfortable with and learn how to apply to a real-life patient."

Students considering joining the medical program can expect "practicals" at least every other class that will "put them through stressful situations while using the skills they have learned," Maranda says.

Avery Gingerella, a sophomore in the medical program, values the "SkillsUSA competitions, health fairs, ambulance ride time for seniors, and practicals" offered alongside the program.

Avery believes the medical program helps her "learn valuable skills that will be needed for future employment in the medical field." She plans to go on to college for nursing and ultimately earn a paramedic license. 

Any students interested in hair, makeup, or nails should consider Westerly High School's cosmetology program. Mrs. Marulanda and the other cosmetology teachers allow cosmetology students to "work alongside professionals from the industry." By joining the cosmetology program, students can open doors and form industry connections. 

If students are truly passionate about the field, they have access to compete in the Skills USA competition. WHS's cosmetology program had a handful of medalists this year.

Students looking to form relationships with their teachers should consider the cosmetology program, as "our students become colleagues with their teachers over their high school journey," Mrs. Marulanda says.

Sophomore Sophia Bowen enjoys working with hair during her classes and wants to "go into a salon and work with the skills I've gained throughout the course" after graduating from WHS.

Cosmetology students attend field trips, such as a trade show in New York City and visits to the G Spa at Foxwoods. These experiences allow them to connect their learning to real life.

Any student with a creative side and artistic talent should consider the art design program at Westerly High School. The program primarily consists of studio work that introduces students to basic techniques while giving them the skills to help them in the future job market.

One of Westerly High School's art teachers, Mr. Kelley, enjoys "watching how much my students grow in skill and confidence in the work they produce as they go through the program."

The AP art classes included in the program conclude with a portfolio that students submit to the College Board. This portfolio can also be utilized when applying for future jobs and colleges.

Celeste Renna, a junior art student, notes how much "creative freedom" students in the art program receive "so that they can create pieces that are deeply personal to them."

Westerly's culinary program continues to grow each year, with new equipment installed and new experiences created for culinary students. Chef Finkelstein tells prospective students to expect "real-world experiences" when joining the program.

Easton French, a junior in the culinary program at WHS, notes that "the chefs have become the best mentors in my life" and that he loves "being able to use a mix of recipes and my creativity for cooking."

Any student interested in construction or manufacturing should consider Westerly High School's construction or PTECH program. A junior construction student, Noah Roberts plans to major in construction management in college.

"Unlike all other classes, your tasks and materials change frequently, and you get to work hands-on," Roberts says.

Noah adds that construction and PTECH students attend field trips and other events to improve their techniques and "work in different environments."

Westerly High School offers many programs for every student interested in thinking ahead and planning for their future. Students enrolled in a CTE program at WHS can access many unique opportunities not offered through other schools or regular classes.

Upperclassmen who realize late in their high school journey that they would like to pursue an interest "can look towards a pathway endorsement," Mr. Cronin adds. Pathway endorsements require fewer classes and are often more realistic for students who do not have room in their schedule for CTE classes and credits.

Students on the fence about joining a CTE program should not hesitate to reach out to any of Westerly High School's CTE teachers, who are each full of advice and knowledge about whether their program is the right fit for you!

The winter sports teams at Westerly High School have finished another season. As spring sports begin, winter athletes are reflecting on the past season.  

Torey Augeri is a senior at Westerly High School and just finished his final season of high school basketball. 

When asked about his goals for the season, Augeri hoped to "improve and have fun, especially since it is my last year." His favorite part of the season was "the Christmas tournament; the atmosphere was very loud and brought the best out of our team." 

Emerson Federico is a sophomore at Westerly High School and finished her second basketball season.

Federico's favorite part of the season was "the teamwork that my teammates and I built throughout the season." Even though Federico runs track in the spring, she "plans on working especially on ball handling in the offseason." 

Ryder Cassady is a senior at Westerly High School and a multi-sport athlete. He just finished his final swim season and is now pursuing his final season of high school lacrosse.

Casady's favorite part of the season was "Yoga with Coach Mike and spending time with the team outside of the pool." Mike Reed is the new Westerly boys swim coach who introduced many new activities to help bring the boys together and help them reach their goals. 

Casady reached many of the goals he set for himself this past season. "I attained my goal with an all-division placement," Ryder said. On top of that, Casady also "placed sixth in the state in the relay."

Outside of his personal goals, Casady was also very proud of his team's accomplishments, as "we competed extremely strong in the division meet and came second in a talented division."

Although Casady will not continue his swimming career, he plans to play lacrosse at Eastern Connecticut State University. 

Theo Pesch is a sophomore at Westerly High School and finished his recent wrestling season. 

Pesch's primary goal going into the season was to "pin my way through sectionals and win states." Unfortunately, Pesch could not reach all his goals due to a concussion. 

During the offseason, Theo is "going to work on mobility and strength. I also am going to a wrestling club called Mayoquanchi because they consistently produce the best wrestlers in the state." 

Eliza Gencarella is a senior at Westerly High School who just finished her final season of high school cheerleading. 

Gencarella's favorite part of this season was "bonding with my team and cheering at the football games."

Gencarella is "satisfied with how hard my team worked and all we were able to accomplish." However, Gencarella wishes they accomplished more when it came to their competitions. 

Ava Ullrich is a junior at Westerly High School and just finished her gymnastics season. 

Last season, Ullrich suffered an intense ACL injury and missed some of her season. This year, she says, "It was a little tough coming back from a season-ending injury, but I felt like I was able to return to gymnastics with full force." 

Gymnastics is thrilling, but Ullrich says, "My favorite part of the season was the bus rides. It was so fun spending time with my teammates and bonding with such an amazing group of people."

Although Ullrich plays for the Westerly girls' lacrosse team in the spring and the Westerly girls' volleyball team in the fall, in the off-season, she still plans to "continue practicing competitive gymnastics at South County Movement Center and try to get more skills and become ready for senior year." 

Ullrich achieved her personal goals but also says she's "very satisfied with our team's results. We had a lot of new people on the team this year who have never competed and were able to excel and do amazing at meets and practices." 

Ullrich also highlights the team's relationship and adds, "We had a good team bond, and although we were not the best in our division, we tried our best and had fun doing it."

Westerly High School's boys' and girls' indoor track and field teams competed this winter, reaching many goals and setting many personal records throughout the season. Shout out to the WHS dance and cheer teams, who both created a special environment at each basketball game, spreading Bulldog Pride!

All of Westerly's winter sports teams excelled in the past season, making Bulldog Nation proud. Look below for each individual team's records, along with a photo gallery from the season.

As the winter sports season comes to an end, athletes are starting to prepare for the upcoming spring season. A variety of spring sport athletes were interviewed about the upcoming season: 

Abi Emery- Abi Emery is a sophomore at Westerly High School and a multi-sport athlete. During the fall, Abi plays volleyball, and during the spring, she plays softball. Throughout the off-season, Abi continues practicing her skills.  

Emery’s favorite part of the softball season is “being with teammates and hopefully being able to go far in playoffs.” 

Emery is excited to get back on the field and hopes the team will accomplish “playoff wins and have a better record this season.” 

Zach Johnson is also a sophomore at Westerly High School. During the spring, Zach is on the golf team and part of the school marching band. Johnson looks forward to enjoying the outdoors with his friends on the golf course and winning a match. 

His favorite part while golfing is “talking and enjoying my time with friends on the team, even if we should be focusing more on golf.”

Erica Nyberg is a junior at Westerly High School and is a multi-sport athlete who plays tennis in the fall and lacrosse in the spring. Erica strives on the lacrosse field and is a team player.

Nyberg looks forward to “coming back as a team, getting better, and spending time together. Being on a team full of friends makes the season really fun.”

Erica says her favorite part about playing lacrosse is “being able to watch myself and my teammates improve and work together to do so.”

Nate Paciga is a sophomore at Westerly High School who plays volleyball on club teams throughout the winter while also playing for our bulldogs in the spring. Nate enjoys photographing different Westerly sports teams during his off-season. 

When asked about his favorite part of volleyball, Paciga says, “I love the intensity of volleyball and the technicality of it all when playing against other competitive teams, and it’s something that really drew me to the game.”

As the season approaches, he hopes the team “can really make a statement as a team as we only lost one senior last year and have continued to grow as a team compared to last year when we were still a young and relatively new team.” 

Prom is a special night for high school students, but it can also be a source of stress and financial burden for some families. With the cost of dresses, shoes, and accessories adding up quickly, attending prom is not possible for some students. Not only is prom around the corner, but many other events are planned for upper-class students. The Bulldog Boutique is a place that provides free dresses to women who cannot afford to purchase one, or may be attending multiple proms. In addition to women's clothing, the store also offers a  selection of apparel for men, including shirts, ties, and pants.

The Bulldog Boutique is in the midst of an exciting transformation as it embarks on creating its own unique space that connects to Mrs. Ljungberg's room. The construction department, with Mr. Patty taking the lead, has created a dedicated team to plan the details of this new area. They have taken measurements and brainstormed innovative ideas to install shelves and racks that perfectly complement the boutique. This project will elevate the experience for students and provide a new space to display the clothes.

Bulldog Boutique depends on the generosity of the community. If you have anything you would like to donate, please do not hesitate to contact Ocean Lombard or Mrs. Ljungberg. Your contribution will help make a difference in the lives of high school students who cannot afford to purchase the necessary items for prom or other events. Our community can work together and make events like these memorable for all high school students. 

If you want to look at the Bulldog Boutique items, please visit B304. Additionally, you can contact Mrs. Ljungberg at sljungberg@westerly.k12.ri.us 

The Westerly High School girls' and boys' basketball teams face other local schools in the annual Holiday Basketball Tournament. The tournament is a highly anticipated event hosted by Westerly, bringing many viewers. 

The basketball teams from Chariho, South Kingstown, Stonington, and Westerly competed in this tournament from December 26th to the 29th. 

Players on the Westerly girls varsity basketball team shared their thoughts before competing in the tournament.

When asked how they felt about playing in the upcoming tournament, Senior Riley Peloquin said, "I'm excited, and I think that we'll do better this year." 

Sydney Haik, another senior on the varsity team, stated, "I'm very confident."

"I'm excited because we get to play Chariho, and I really want to beat them," sophomore Cece Saint, also on varsity, commented.

The Westerly boys basketball team won the tournament and defeated Stonington in the championship. The Chariho girl's basketball team defeated South Kingstown in the championship to secure the trophy.

The audience and the players had fun, so be sure to check out the holiday tournament next year.

This year at Westerly High School, the administration passed a new bathroom policy. 

The administration began noticing vandalism and loitering in the boys' and girls' bathrooms and decided to take action. To keep the bathrooms in good condition, they started having teachers sit outside the bathroom and log the students who entered. 

Now, only three individuals can use the bathroom at the same time. Bathroom attendants must record students' time in the bathroom from start to end, allowing up to five minutes per student. 

Bathrooms that do not have administration outside of them are locked, so students have to use bathrooms with attendants. During the passing time between blocks, the bathrooms are also no longer used.

As this policy has been in effect for the past few months, many students have different issues and opinions regarding the new bathroom policy. 

Aashni Patel is a sophomore at Westerly High School. Regarding the bathroom policy, she thinks "it is unfair at times and inconvenient, but it is understandable due to the extensive damage." Her personal experience with this policy is that "it takes away from class time as I have had to search for an available through the entire building. Also, I think it inconveniences students as many teachers aren't available to sit outside the bathrooms." She thinks the policy can improve by "making a list of the bathrooms available so students do not take up class time trying to find an open one." 

Aashni believes that the current policy can be improved to suit the student's needs better. She suggests that the school administration should make a list of all the available bathrooms so that students save their class time trying to find an open one. This would ensure that students are not inconvenienced and can make the most of their class time.

She has noticed the "5-minute policy and three students maximum is not completely enforced, but the idea is lessening students' ability and freedom in school." Therefore, she believes "it feels like an impulsive decision, but if improved upon, it can be beneficial to the education of students." She hopes that the administration works towards making the necessary changes to the policy to ensure that students have a comfortable and safe learning environment.

Another student from Westerly High School, currently a junior, also shared his opinion on the policy, Easton French. This year, he transferred from East Greenwich to Westerly. 

He explains how "it is not too different from my old school as each person had to sign in through their class and name with a pass. However, the time in the bathroom had no limit at all." 

Regarding the five-minute limit, he "doesn't agree with the limit time as some people may need more time for certain issues regarding them personally." He continues to bring up this issue by noticing how a "person having an emergency may need to be in the bathroom for more time than allowed." He thinks that the policy, although very strict, is necessary for keeping the bathroom environment less corrupt." To keep it a better environment, "the teachers monitoring is keeping the bathroom less chaotic." With the monitoring, he thinks "it is necessary to address the problems because since it has started, it has improved the environment so much as there is less vandalism as well as destruction." With education time, "it does not take away from educational time. However, a person who has been kicked out of the bathroom once the limit has been reached but did not finish what they needed to do may have their education affected as they will focus on their personal emergency instead of the material gone over within the class." So, he feels "the bathroom policy with a few minor flaws is very effective."

Though students have their opinions on the policy, so do the teachers and administration at Westerly High School. One of the art teachers in our school, Mrs. Asselin, thinks of the policy as a positive change in the high school. 

She believes the policy has "dramatically helped reduce the vandalism in the bathroom." From a teacher's perspective, she notices the difficulties experienced in the bathroom. She explains that "we wouldn't have to do this if there wasn't a ton of damage, and since there was no knowledge of who did it, these are the measures we felt we had to take." 

Though some may find this unfair, she mentions that "kids are missing less class time because they are now going faster." Mrs. Asselin looked on the positive side for the students, bringing up how "now it fair for everyone to go in and feel safe." Throughout the past months, she has had students tell her how they used to be scared to use the bathroom and wouldn't use it, but now, with this policy, they feel safer. 

With all the positives, she thinks, "the only thing I see as an issue is if there is no coverage for the bathroom, then sometimes students will struggle to find one." She thinks a good solution would be a bathroom schedule so the students can know which bathrooms are open. But overall, she believes it is working, and it is beneficial for the majority of the students. 

There are varied opinions regarding the new bathroom policy and only time will tell what will become of this policy.

What's going on? The classes of ‘24, ‘25, ‘26, and ‘27 have some big events and fundraisers coming up soon! Support your class by participating in some of these bulletins and spreading your bulldog school spirit! Go Dawgs!

Starting off strong our Freshman class, president Francesca DeCaro has some high hopes for the future. “We are trying to host our first fundraiser soon!” she told the Barker staff. With goals of incorporating all students DeCaro set a long term goal “to have the best senior week.” Stay tuned for all class announcements by following the @westerlyhigh27 Instagram account. 

The Sophomore class sure is busy this year! Dine to donate is a new idea incorporating local restaurants generously donating a portion of their sales. Held each month, there are many chances to support including November 15th’s at The Haversham Tavern and December’s held at Lucky House on December 7th. “We are also still in the works with more car washes in the future and we are currently exploring other ways to fund-raise for the class,” president Nathan Paciga relays. 

The Junior class is on their game this season! With already two car washes down and more to come Dylan Tallardy lists some of this month's new and upcoming events. “We have started a snack cart” Tallardy tells us. During Wednesday advisories be sure to support, and purchase some snacks all for $1! Something sure to be a hit is the Bulldog Bazaar, bringing in vendors from across town to showcase unique crafts, sweets, and souvenirs. New this year the Holiday Hustle comes to WHS. With only $20, daily motivation, fitness ideas and open invitation walks create healthy habits and a positive community.  

And finally for our seniors. Off to a successful senior year, President Camden Kelly has a lot in store. Already having senior picnics, parking spot painting, and the famous Halloween dance, this year is well on its way. Being the top dawgs of the school this senior class is set to organize their class gift, senior banquet and varying fundraisers. If you're a senior watch out, the parents are in the works of planning a 6 Flags trip! The most current details are released on the @westerlyhs2024 Instagram page.

Have you ever needed a dress for an event at Westerly High School? Look no further than the Bulldog Boutique!

Mrs. Ljungberg, inspired by her love of fashion, launched the Bulldog Boutique last year. She followed the growing interest in upcycling and decided to repurpose expensive garments. When talking about the aim of this project, she wanted to provide students with "an opportunity to save money, especially for those who attend multiple proms or dances, as it can be quite expensive."

The Bulldog Boutique offers a diverse collection of short and long prom dresses, fancy dresses, jewelry, shoes, and more. They are currently expanding to include men's clothing. Generous people in the community have donated all of these items to support this great cause, and more donations will likely come in as the boutique grows.

At the Bulldog Boutique, Mrs. Llungberg's biggest hope is that "students feel at ease while selecting their items." She strongly believes in reusing clothing to give them a new life. She thinks, "Unfortunately, people often spend a lot of money on clothes that don't get worn again."

As the Bulldog Boutique develops, many aspects of the project will be enhanced. Currently, the boutique's dresses are on racks in Mrs.Llungberg's room (B304), but it will soon have its own dedicated space. The construction department will help achieve this by painting the room and creating racks to hang the dresses, making them more accessible for students to see. Students can make appointments to try on or browse the available items. Additionally, the Bulldog Boutique is promoted solely through word-of-mouth among community members or during school meetings. However, once the room is completed, the Westerly Sun will also publish a story about the boutique.

If you are interested in donating items or looking at the items at the Bulldog Boutique, please visit B304. Additionally, you can contact Mrs. Ljungberg at sljungberg@westerly.k12.ri.us 

Are you looking to join a sports team this winter?

The Westerly High School swim team has their first practice on Monday, November 27th. 

According to Swimming - Health Benefits, by Better Health Channel, “as well as being fun, swimming is a great way to keep fit and make friends.” Swimming is proven to increase your endurance, strengthen your muscles, and enhance your cardiovascular fitness.

As well as its health benefits, as stated in, Reasons to Start Competitive Swimming by SwimLabs, while swimming, “You'll build lasting friendships, bond over shared goals, and find a sense of belonging within your team.”

Matthew Horton is currently a junior at Westerly High School. He first started swimming last year as a sophomore. 

According to Matthew, “The culture of the team, I would say it’s like we're a family. Even though I was a new member, I never felt left out of anything. It was always fun swimming with my teammates.”

Sofia Cozzolino is a former Westerly swimmer who is currently swimming at St. Michael’s College. Sofia first started swimming as a freshman in high school, because she wanted to try something new. She had hope for swimming, but did not think much of it at the time. Now look at her! 

Sofia says that she “would undoubtedly encourage anyone to begin swimming at any point in high school because it’s never too late.”

If you are interested, follow @whsbulldogsswim on Instagram and reach out if you have any questions!

The Westerly High School StageDogs presented "Clue" in Babcock Hall Auditorium on November 10th, 11th & 12th.

This year's fall play was based on "Clue," a popular detective board game. The story revolves around a group of strangers invited to a mansion for dinner and subsequently trapped there. A murder takes place, and they must work together to solve the mystery and uncover the killer's identity before it's too late.

In the play, Dylan Tallardy played the protagonist, Wadsworth, the butler. The cast had been ¨rehearsing since the second week of school, three months,¨ Tallardy said. They put in hard work and effort to perform in front of us. He believes ¨the shows went well, and our turnouts were good.¨ Also, when asked about the character he played, Dylan, ¨loved playing him; Clue is one of my favorite movies.¨

Another fellow actress was Ocean Lombard, who played Yvette, the French maid. This was her first production on Stage Dogs, and she was happy to be a part of it. She says, "The show was really funny, and I think it's what made people enjoy the show." A difficulty with her characters was that "since I play the French maid, I had to say my lines in a French accent, meaning I had to learn how to speak in an accent." Also, when rehearsing, she says, "The hardest scene was my death scene because I had to make it look natural." Since it was her first performance at Westerly High School, she enjoyed returning to the stage as she used to perform in the Theater Scrapbook plays. 

This play was put together by the director of Stage Dogs, Mr. Zemanek. He enjoys being the director as it is, "an enjoyable experience as I get along with the students, and it gives me an opportunity to get to know them and work with them." After all the participants auditioned, he had to choose who to give the roles to. He says, "It is always difficult because the students bring different talents to the process, and it is mostly about figuring out who fits in where best as several students can fit different roles." When watching the play to see how the students were on stage when applying to how they portrayed their characters, he says, "It wasn't an issue of how specifically I wanted them but a blending of what they are bringing and what I want them to do. It is between the two of us to make something bigger out of both aspects." Also, in the play, "Two scenes that stood out to me were the running scenes where they came out of different doors at different times a lot as it was fun to direct. Also, the introduction of Mr. Body because of the blocking and lighting." With the individuals, he says, "they all have different elements that are fun to work with."

Congrats to the WHS stage dogs for putting on a fantastic production; and make sure to check out their next show, Beauty and the Beast in the spring! 

Covid-19 brought many challenges to high school students, one being the lack of the visual arts on stage at WHS. 

The StageDogs were thrilled to perform their fall play, The Mousetrap, an eventful murder mystery written by Agatha Christie. The story dove deep into the lives of Mollie and Giles Ralston as their idea of turning their home into a guest house, known as Monkswell Manor, is disrupted by the news of a local murder and the involvement of someone in the home to the case. 

The plot took many twists and turns and kept the audience on their toes throughout the duration of the performance. When asking actress Kendyll Gaccione, who played Mollie Ralston, what being back on the stage meant to her after not being able to act throughout the pandemic she said, “it meant everything to me. Not having theatre left a hole in my heart and finally having it back filled it so quickly.”

Dominick Lombard who played Mr. Paravicini said that being on the stage was “exhilarating” and that “after 2 years it was amazing to be in another show with such a great cast, crew, and director that made everything feel so normal again.” Being classmates with members of the cast, I was able to see how much they all were truly missing being on the stage. 

All watching in the audience were able to see each and every actor/actress bring their characters to life and could see how special it was for them to be back on the stage. But, the performers were not the only ones involved in this amazing production. 

The students of the cosmetology program were able to put their talents to use by doing the performers hair and makeup. Artwork featured on the stage were brought to life by some of the WHS artists. The construction program was able to create the setting of the Monkswell Manor and bring the entire production together. 

After taking over the theatre program this year, Mr. Zemanek successfully direted a spectacular performance that resulted in many leaving the theatre speechless. A big congratulations to all involved in the play's success and this reviewer cannot wait to see what the Stage Dogs will bring to the Babcock Hall in the springtime. 

On September 11th 2001, Josh Piver, a Stonington graduate and soccer player was killed during the attacks of 9/11. Unfortunately, he was working on the 105th floor in the North Tower of the World Trade Center when the attacks occurred. 

This soccer tournament was created five years ago in his honor, and has been held each year since. The tournament is named after Josh and is referred to as the “Piver Cup.”

Local teams from Rhode Island and Connecticut compete each September. The Stonington Boys Varsity team had been victorious for four straight years, until this year, when Westerly took home the trophy for the first time.

During the boys championship game, Westerly and Stonington tied 2-2 at the end of regulation. Overtime followed with neither team scoring. The game ended in penalty kicks, Liam Cody scored the winning goal.

After speaking with Liam Cody, it was clear that this win was historical for the Westerly boys soccer team.

  “I think that game was a big confidence booster and will hopefully carry on into our regular season.”

Westerly is certainly ecstatic about winning this tournament. While remembering Josh Piver and all other 9/11 victims, this trophy meant so much to our Westerly soccer players. 

The 2021 annual Powder Puff Game at Westerly Highschool quickly became an instant classic at Sal Augeri Field. Powder Puff is a series of competitive flag football games among the school’s female students and athletes, in order to increase school spirit and raise money for each class. The Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior classes compete against each other in an elimination tournament until the superior team remains.

The event started off strong, with record breaking funds raised for the classes. The games raised a total of $2,705, which was to be distributed among the classes. However, the money raised wasn’t divided evenly. Each team was competing for their share of the funds. The two teams who fell short in the first round would both be given 15% of the money, the runner-up class receives 30%, and the competition’s winners were awarded 40%, which they can use for various class events and dances.

Crowd attendance was immeasurable, the entire town was pumped up to witness Westerly’s finest female athletes hit the turf. The event’s organizer, Westerly Highschool Teacher Sue Haik, said “I think after Covid everyone just wants to get out and support each other.” The games received an overwhelming amount of help from the Westerly Highschool staff that dedicated their time and effort into the competition. From coaching and refferrying, to keeping the crowds in order, teachers and administrators were on the job and the student body owe them a great deal of gratitude.

To kick off the competition, the Sophomore class of 2024 took on the Senior class of 2022. The Seniors were the favorite coming into the match up, and they sure delivered. Their domination on both sides of the ball in front of a packed Dawg Pound established the seniors' credibility as the team to beat. Early Touchdowns from Mia Woycik and Nina Cillino gave the seniors a lead, which they were able to maintain for the remainder of the game, eliminating the Sophomores and advancing to the final.

Round two of the semi-finals was a shock to some, but not to many. The Junior Class of 2023 was tasked with containing a speedy, loaded Freshman class of 2025. As the hype built, the Freshman quietly emerged as the favorite to win. The rumors were upheld when the Freshman defeated the Juniors in a 22-8 victory. The Freshman defended a solid lead throughout the game thanks to some stellar defensive play, the lead they gained thanks to a pair of touchdowns scored by Freshman Returner and Receiver Kate Rafferty.

The matchup was set. The Seniors and Freshman lined up across from each other for the final. Itching to show the other side what they had in store. This was an explosive game from the moment the first kick was caught. For the second time of the night, Kate Rafferty was once again too quick for the competition and returned a kickoff all the way back for a touchdown. An upset was on the horizon, but the seniors were far from finished. They fired back with two touchdowns via star receiver Nina Cillino, giving the opposition all they could handle. Despite the deficit, an opportunity was presented for one player to make a name for herself. Freshman Quarterback and Safety Ariana Arruda flipped the switch for her team when it mattered most. One of the team’s best leaders went on to toss two touchdowns, making the score 22-14. With only a few minutes to play, she also came up clutch with a game sealing interception for the underdog Freshman. 

The speculation among the crowd became, how did such an upset occur. Putting aside the strong quality of their practices, the Freshman’s key to winning may have been their ability to make in-game adjustments. Arruda’s post game thoughts gave an inside look to how the Freshman Class outsmarted their opponents. “The seniors had a tough play with the quarterback running and a short pass, Mr. Gorman [Freshman Head Coach] realized and told players to follow the quarterback which led to an interception” she said. The team also seemed to share great confidence. “This powder puff team all had trust in each other,” Ariana went on to say, “Honestly I loved how the class of 2025 had team chemistry.” It was this chemistry that led the Freshman Class directly to everything that they had worked for. 

 In front of their town, all four teams displayed great sportsmanship and adversity, but the Freshman reigned superior. The class of 2025 was awarded $1082 in funds, and maybe even better, bragging rights until they touch the turf again next year.

Entering a new school year can give rise to a great deal of emotions. Although the excitement in the air can be indisputable, there is undoubtedly a combination of emotions that can come along with the joy of the year rising upon us. The stress and uncertainty of the change in teachers, classrooms, peers, and overall lifestyle, can be overwhelming for everyone. With that in mind, it is beneficial to know that many students and teachers are in the same position. Whether someone in your life is a critical help to you or even just a friendly smile in your day-to-day schedule, it is helpful to know someone is there for you. Although stress throughout the school year is inevitable, there are methods that can be practiced in order to alleviate the daily stress that comes along with being a high school student. 

1. Getting and Staying Organized

This is an obvious tip, but a very important one. Preparing for the school year has a very rewarding outcome and can take a great deal of excess stress away from your life. Whether it is turning in those last minute summer assignments or writing down the weeks ahead of you. Organizing your thoughts and school work is easy and incredibly valuable. Many people entering a new school year begin their academic journey with an organized schedule and mindset. A major mistake that many students often make is losing their organization skills throughout the school year. Don’t fall into that trap! Take it day by day and you will be able to successfully assemble your course load.

2. Making Time for you!

Clearing off some time in your day to devote to yourself is influential on your success in and outside of the classroom. Whether it is exercising, listening to music, drawing, or reading (a book of your choice), setting this time aside is important. If you create an environment around you that can send your worries or spiraling thoughts to an alternate world, then do it! Enjoy the time you make for yourself because it will only make you a more proficient student and allow you to perform better in life. One of the Westerly High School social workers, Mrs. Castagna gave her insight on the topic of dealing with stress during the school year. She mentioned,“The first thing you should check off is self care. Are you eating and drinking enough and making sure you sleep well? Exercise regularly because physical activity is an essential stress reliever for people of all ages.” 

3. Talking To Your Peers and Friends.

Communicating with the people around you can give your mind a sense of relief. Always keep in mind that the people surrounding you could be having the same thoughts as you! In most cases, other students are looking for someone around them to clarify their thoughts so they feel a sense of reassurance. If you become that person to speak out about your questions and concerns, whether it is to the teacher or another student, you and the people around you can relax for a moment. Mrs. Castagna also explained the importance of reaching out with others by stating, “There are many people you can talk to at the high school if you're feeling overwhelmed or stressed.  First, students can check in with their guidance counselor or they can reach out to the two social workers who are me, Ms. Castanga, and Mrs. Unkuri  or the school psychologist, Mr,Simone.” Don’t be afraid to express your thoughts with others. Working in pairs or studying in groups can improve your schoolwork and allow others around you to clarify some issues you may have with your work. 

4. Keep a Healthy Diet in Mind.

In many cases, students work so much that they forget to maintain a nutritious diet. Preserving healthy eating habits can improve your mindset.  If you feel overwhelmed with your course load, take a break and eat something! This may seem obvious and I am sure all students have been told to continue to keep a healthy eating style; however, not only is this tip important for your body, it is critical to keeping your mind clear and ready to learn. Before starting the day, be sure to eat something for breakfast. An empty stomach can drag you down. Remember, setting time aside for you is important and eating healthy is a priority.

5. Create a Balanced Sleeping Schedule.

Between school work, after school clubs, sports, and homework, a steady sleeping schedule slowly fades away. It can become incredibly difficult to get to bed on time. Nonetheless, our minds can become extremely fatigued during the school year. Be sure to designate a bed-time! Creating a balanced sleep schedule can give your mind a break. Put your electronics somewhere unreachable and keep your environment quiet and peaceful. It is no secret that the school day begins early in the morning. Don’t go to bed at 3 in the morning! Many students have stayed up tremendously late to complete assignments that were saved until the last minute. Prioritize your school work and give yourself some time to rest and relax. An improved sleep schedule can do wonders for your mental state.

6. Practice Breathing Exercises, Meditate, and Stay Calm!

Most students know that feeling. You are sitting at your desk, taking a quiz or test, and all of a sudden your mind goes blank. So many students in school can relate to this issue! Although there is not much that the others around you can do to help in these situations, there are methods you can use to support yourself. During these stressful times, it is extremely important to remember to breathe. Many people don’t realize that they are forgetting to breathe when they are in panic mode. Before you lose control of your mind and knowledge, close your eyes. Breathe in and out. It may be a simple pointer, but it makes a big difference in your reactions to your environment. In-the-moment breathing exercises are very useful; so is breathing before or after your day. Meditation is a great way to calm your mind and bring your thoughts to a steady state. Whether you have time before rushing to your first class or you use the last minutes of your day, meditating is a great resource for stress-relief. Even 5 minutes a day can be profitable for your health. Mrs. Castagna also noted, “If you know what is triggering your stress, try and reduce the triggers. What I find to be a common trigger with teenagers is perfectionism and I try to help them to set realistic goals and expectations.” This is great information to keep in mind!

It may not be easy to put these tips into action but it is worth trying. If you feel that your work is becoming too overwhelming or you just need someone to talk to, be sure to reach out to the trustworthy people in your lives. Don’t allow the dark thoughts to get the best of you. Reach out to your teachers, parents, friends, or counselors. Mental health is a priority and it is important to know that there are so many people in this world --in this school-- that are experiencing the same feelings as you. Refer to this article if you feel stuck throughout the year or just need a reference when the stress around you increases. Hopefully, this article will improve your school year and give you a sense of relief this school year. 

This information was gathered from https://nami.org/Home. For more information on this article or more health tips, please visit this website and feel free to read through the great amount of information that this website provides.

To welcome our 2021-2022 WHS class officers, The Barker asked all of them questions for the student body to get to know them better.

When asked why they ran for their officer position here is what Megan Cavallo, senior class student council representative had to say:

“I ran for student council representative in such an important year of high school because I really wanted to make it a great year for myself and my peers.” 

Like Cavallo, many of her fellow senior officers are preparing for what their final year in high school has in store for them. Some fundraisers are, prom, and senior week festivities. 

“We are trying to raise the most money we can to make our senior week as fun as possible and so that our senior week does not cost a lot. We just want to have fun because last year was really hard because we couldn’t do a lot so we are trying to make up for it.” states Jillian Octeau senior class Vice President.

Other classes are also getting ready to raise money for the start of this year and to catch up after the covid school year last year.

Our class officers all take on huge leadership positions when in office. Many agree that they are all leaders no matter what officer role they play for their class.

 Kelsey Gabriele, junior class secretary talks about how the meetings in her class work:

“We collaborate together and when we are there we just get in the zone… we are all there for a purpose and we try to do what’s best for our class.”

Both Gabriele and her friend Kendyll Gaccione, who is the social chairman for their junior class, talk about how their officers all work together to get things done during their meetings while all taking on their different roles. 

Dominick Lombard, junior class president talks about his role and defines its vague description:

“My role as president I would define it as someone who takes everything into consideration like the concerns and needs of my fellow classmates. To try to make priorities for what we do because we have a lot of specialized officer positions. I’m really there to help everyone and make sure our class is unified so that everything is for the students. Hopefully we can lead some events to help everyone get what our class wants to get done.”

Some events coming up in this school year that many of our student body are excited to finally participate in after being absent last year are the school dances. 

The sophomore officers are getting ready to plan their first function for the beginning of the 2022 year. The Winter Ball is an all school dance that Marissa Panciera the social secretary of her class is taking the lead on.

“Responsibility, Accountability, Leadership, and Organization” Panciera responds to what characteristics she believed is needed to be successful during the planning process.

Alongside of Marissa, Kayley Chim who occupies the position of treasurer for the sophomores has an idea of how she plans to help her class plan all their fundraisers:

“I plan to make sure that I keep everything in order so that we can make sure things are organized and to manage our usage of money so we can provide for our fundraisers and events.” 

The freshman class is just starting out fundraising for this year. Finding creative ideas like their “Bulldog Bouquets” carnations. 

“Basically just to raise money for freshman year.” Maggie Scanapieco tells The Barker.

Both freshman Ava Ullrich and senior Chiara Andrews both play similar roles in their class. Both were interviewed with the question “Why is it important to advertise?” 

“So that people can go to events” says Ava Ullrich who has a new role of social media representative for the ninth graders.

Chiara is her class's social chairman who talked about the importance of social media and how advertising is easier because of the platform they have to share with everyone. 

“It is important to advertise because gets the word out therefore all decisions we make incorporate the voices of all of our classmates” states Andrews.

On top of the classes, sports, or clubs all these students take they also hold much responsibility and pride in the office positions they obtain. 

Listed below are all the 2021-2022 class officers: 

Seniors:

President: Jake Serra 

Vice President: Jillian Octeau 

Secretary: Alexa Falcone 

Treasurer: Sienna Fusaro

Social Chairman: Chiara Andrews

Student Council Representative: Megan Cavallo

Juniors: 

President: Dominick Lombard 

Vice President: Mikayla Sousa

Secretary: Kelsey Gabriele 

Treasurer: Kaya West

Social Chairman: Kendyll Gaccione 

Student Council Representative: Emily Michell

Sophomores:

President: Camden Kelly

Vice President: Shelby Boylan

Secretary: Cadence O’Neil

Treasurer: Kayley Chim

Social Secretary: Marissa Panciera 

Freshman: 

President: Dylan Tallardy 

Vice President: Maggie Scanapieco 

Secretary: Mallorey Clark

Treasurer: Marinn Kyan

Social Chairman: Penelope Hooper 

Social Media Representative: Ava Ullrich

It is no secret that the 2021-2022 Westerly High School schedule has drastically changed in comparison to past school years. 

The duration of each period has notably been the most pressing topic regarding this year's schedule. Another discussion that many students have engaged in, is the new advisory/study block. 

The WIN period has been moved several times in the past three WHS school years. 

Currently, this block of time takes place immediately after the thirty-minute advisory period. WIN now consists of a fifty-six-minute period where students are expected to use their time to accomplish schoolwork that needs to be completed. 

Some students have admitted that the new WIN block has been very helpful for their busy schedules whereas others believe the amount of time given to them is unnecessary and time-wasting. 

Westerly High School students argue over whether or not the longer WIN period is truly helpful. With some students claiming this time is critical to their education while others complain that the time is wasteful, debates continue to float around the school. 

After asking several sources if they believe the WIN block is useful or not, it became apparent that the discussion is split between students. 

One WHS student explained, “Yes, I believe so. It allows me to seek assistance from other teachers when I need a question or one-on-one help with a teacher.” 

Other students throughout the school strongly agree with this opinion and hope this scheduled study time continues in the future.

Alternatively, some students have expressed their negative feelings towards the WIN period. One source not only claimed that the block was not useful but also presented a solution or revision for the schedule. 

“No, it is not useful. It would be better if it was at the end of the day instead of the second block because we could do more homework,” the source explains.

Hopefully, the school will take into account the differing views of the schedule this year. Trying to fit all of the students' expectations is challenging but communicating with the school administration and voicing concerns and comments is beneficial for finding the perfect solution. 

With WIN being just one of the major schedule changes this year, many students have reacted either positively or negatively towards the noticeable adjustments. Be sure to keep up with the school’s block schedule and use class time as efficiently as possible. 

It can be difficult to balance schoolwork with a new schedule. As long as students and faculty are cooperative with one another, there are compromising ways to discover a WHS schedule that works for everyone.