Grafton Globe Newspaper
Winter 2020 Edition
Do I have something I can call my own?
Long had he pondered such a question to himself; always searching for something like that—something to call his own. Ever since they were children, the two twins, two boys who were both as much different as they were similar, had always been distant. Always, always, always. The older of the two had always been more reserved, more solemn. The younger had always been more open, more lighthearted. Often times, they were compared as to the night and the day. Two parts of a whole sky, yet still isolated. The younger of the two was not only quite popular at school: classmates, teachers, other staff, he succeeded in all he tried to do with flying colors, ranging from any sports to club activities. The other was hidden in his brother’s shadow. Although not any less kind hearted than his brother, his personality was unattractive to many. He never scored any higher than his brother could despite the effort he put into his studies. And when he tried new activities or sports, his brother would always follow, outshining him in mere days of joining. He never could escape the shadow cast upon him. Yet now, he had found something that could be his own. The older brother had walked by the music store on the way home from school that cloudy evening. Normally, he would walk on by but today was different. As he walked past, one of the clerks outside of the shop stopped him. The clerk seemed to be about the same age as him—perhaps even someone who went to his school. But he didn't recognize this clerk, so that couldn't be a possibility. “Do you perhaps play an instrument at all?” the clerk inquired. He thought for a moment. He couldn't recall ever playing an instrument throughout all his years. Even if he had, it would've been for such an insignificant amount of time as to be forgotten within a few months. He shook his head. The clerk looked surprised for a moment then apologized to the other for bothering him. The passerby gave an understanding nod and started to continue walking. No more than five storefronts, the boy felt a drop of rain on his head. Then another. And three more. Soon, an onslaught of pouring rain attacked. The weather reports had just predicted cloudiness, not rain. He needed to find somewhere to take shelter. He ran back to the music shop to escape the rain. The same clerk greeted the exasperated boy inside. The clerk peaked out the store’s front window, then checked his phone with the weather report. The rain would not stop for another half hour. The boy had no choice but to stay in the shop for that time. But eventually, the boy would come to find this unexpected excursion as a memory he would hold dear. The clerk walked into the back of the shop and brought back a towel for him. As the boy dried himself from the rain, the clerk looked inquiringly at him. The other boy finished with the towel and handed it back to the clerk. Then, he asked: “What instrument do you think would suit me?” The clerk thought for a moment. He shrugged. “I can't really say. Anyone can play any instrument they want, I guess”, he chuckled. The boy was somewhat shocked, as he had never provoked any form of positive response from another person. The clerk injected his thoughts eagerly, “I myself can demo the guitar for you, but that’s the only instrument I can play.” Once again, he found himself considering the possibility. Him? Playing the guitar? It could happen, he guessed. Then, his brother came to mind. What if his brother found out and started playing as well, he questioned. No, he wouldn't think about that now; he couldn't when this clerk was so ecstatic about this. “Please. I would greatly enjoy that,” the boy replied. The clerk’s eyes lit up, and he nodded in agreement. Then, the clerk went to the back of the shop once again with the towel and returned with a brilliant guitar, red in color, which glistened in the studio’s light. When he started to play the instrument, the audience of one felt his body fill with a strange sensation. The clerk’s playing was far from perfect, and even as someone with little musical experience, the boy knew that. Some of his notes sounded off. The tempo was uneven and inconsistent. Yet somehow this performance was making him feel something new he had never felt in his life. Something he had never experienced in any other activities in his life. This instrument, this playing… this was it! After he finished the song, the clerk wiped sweat off his forehead, then looked up to see the boy, entranced by his performance. The boy walked up to the clerk. He had lost his usually cool and collected mannerisms, in awe by the mediocre demonstration of this store clerk. “Let’s form a band,” the boy asked impulsively. He knew not how to play any instruments, nor did he believe he had the potential to be a vocalist. But he knew that he had to play with this clerk again. This was what he had always been looking for; that “thing” that could be his own. The clerk seemed just as in shock as the boy seemed startled by his own impetuousness. Still, the clerk could see the determination in this boy’s eyes. He had a sincere desire to play despite not knowing how to play a single instrument. And that determination was something he could admire. “Alright,” the clerk agreed, “but you don’t know how to play right? I guess I can teach you some of the basics. Although I wouldn't say I’m the best by any standards.” The boy’s eyes glistened with admiration. “Thank you…” the boy trailed off. “I’m Ren,” the clerk replied. “And you?” “Shin” the boy replied, “It’s a pleasure!” And so the boy had found someone he could call his own. He had made a new friend, he had found something new to do with himself that he could keep to himself. Through his trials and tribulations, he would eventually become a guitarist that even his brother wouldn't be able to compare to, and even if he did, their playing could never be the same. He had found what he had been searching for; he found his sound. For the last four years, Seniors had the option to choose what English class they wanted to take, and those options included in many half year classes: Powerful Warnings, Power of Words, Literature and Film, Human Condition, and Writing in Different Voices. Having options was beneficial for the Seniors since they would be able to choose whether to take the normal English class or AP English Literature, or to take a half year course of their choosing. However the English Department decided that starting next year, the half year courses won’t be offered to the seniors anymore, and instead they would choose between taking CP English or AP English Literature.
In other subjects such as science and math, multiple courses are offered for the students within the subject. In science for example, there’s a big difference between Anatomy and Chemistry. Sophomores are given the opportunity to choose between those two classes, and both classes differ greatly, leading you down two different paths. In math, the seniors will be given the chance to choose between Statistics, Pre-Calculus, and Quantitative Reasons, all of which differ greatly. In both cases, the class you choose is based off of your future plans, and what you’re interested in. Additionally, the subject material in the different courses within the subject are much different. So could the same be said about Senior English? Are all the half year English courses much different from the normal full year class? If so, then losing these half year classes would be concerning, because now the option to take classes based on what the students are interested in is completely eliminated. Fortunately, the short answer to that question is no. The half year courses don’t differ too much from the full year class. Sure, some of the subject material would differ between the classes, but overall there’s more in common than you may think. Ms. Miele, an English teacher summed up that the students are getting the same things out of all the courses, stating that “the classes offer the same skill sets. They meet the same standards and skills, same continuation.” The half year courses are still normal English courses, and as Ms. Miele summed up, there still would be papers, presentations, and other assignments that would need to be done in both classes. So taking a half year course versus taking the full year course would still lead you down the same path, because all the classes would provide the same continuation of Senior English. Despite the half year courses and full year course being similar, there is a difference between them, however it is small. There obviously will be small differences here and there, but the only big difference Ms. Miele stated was that “the teachers of the different courses can tailor the books that they read, maybe with different themes and messages and things like that.” Teachers may be able to adjust the books that they read based on the course, and perhaps teach different themes and messages from the book. In the big picture, the same thing is being taught, the only difference is that it's being taught through different books with different themes and messages. In the end, the students are still learning the same skills from all the classes, so the difference isn't anything to worry about. You may think that by only having one option for an English course rather than having multiple is a bad thing because the students don't get to decide (despite the minor differences), but the classes were being removed for a good reason, and there’s an upside to this. The upside comes from the fact that a good majority of the seniors will be taking the same English course (Seniors can also choose to take AP Literature and AP Language but most students have and probably will choose CP English). Mrs. Wrenn explained the upside to this as she stated “the senior team will be able to work more closely together and bounce ideas off of each other because we won't be in that separate bubble of elective.” Since most seniors will be taking the same course, the entire class would be learning the same content and going at the same pace for the entire year. This can help the seniors greatly. For example, if you have a question about a class or need help with it, you can turn to almost anyone in your grade to ask. You don’t have to worry about whether they’re in the same class as you or not, because almost the entire grade would be at the same level. And as Mrs. Wrenn said, the seniors will be able to “bounce ideas off of each other.” This wouldn't have been possible in previous years because all the seniors were in all different classes, so it would be difficult to work with peers in different classes, because the content would be different. Having most of the seniors taking the same English course will make it easier for them to collaborate with each other, which only makes learning better. And this was the main reason why it was decided by the department to switch back to eliminating the half year courses. Another thing to note about next years English course is that the English teachers are trying to incorporate some visual and literary film into the English course next year. Mrs. Wrenn explained “we are talking about trying to incorporate that into senior English as well, some sort of component that works with visual literary and film.” For anyone who wanted to take the Literature and Film half year course next year but now can’t, you might just be in luck since the teachers are making an effort to add some components of that into next year’s English course. Powerful warnings, Power of words, Literature and film, Human condition, Writing in different voices were all the classes that the Seniors won’t be able to take. This may seem really bad at first, but it isn't as bad as it sounds. As Ms. Miele and Mrs. Wrenn summed up, all the English courses are providing the same skills test and same continuation of Senior English. And sure, deciding what class to take was a good option, and it is a downside that it’s gone, but I believe that the upside to this outweighs the downside. Mrs. Wrenn said, summed up the Seniors will be able to collaborate with each other more than ever before, and I believe that’s a great benefit. So yes, it is big news that the senior only have one option for English next year, but in the end, this will only benefit the seniors. The Grafton Boys Varsity Basketball team currently stand with a record of 10-6. They just came off a dominant win against Auburn by a score of 68-44. Surprisingly, playing on the road hasn't affected the team at all, as they have 5 wins and 3 losses both on the road and at home. They have 3 games left in the season, including in a rematch against Milbury who they previously lost to this season. Grafton is hoping to finish the final 3 games with a win, which would put their record at an impressive 13-6.
Grafton has been playing much better in the 2nd half of this season. They didn't have the best start, as in their first 7 games they were only able to win 3 of them. But in their last 9 games, Grafton has caught fire and they have won 7 out of 9 games. Their offense has shown improvement, as in the first 7 games of the year, they scored an average of 53.4 points per game, and in their last 9 games, they’ve been scoring an average of 59.4 points per game-- an increase of 6 points. Recently, they’ve scored at least 56 points in 7 out of their last 9 games. In the beginning of the year, the offense wasn’t showing much consistency, as their shots weren’t falling at a consistent level. Some nights they had the hot hand, and other nights they were cold. However as the season is going along, the team has shown consistency in their offense, and that's a great sign. Ryan Jack and Sean Tyldesley lead Grafton in scoring, as Ryan Jack averages 15.4 points per game, and Sean Tyldesley is right below him, as he averages 15. Marc Salvatelli is the next leader scorer as he adds 11.2 points per game. The scoring improvement has shown over the season by the players. In the beginning of the season, Marc Salvatelli would have a big night one game, and then a quiet one the next. But his consistency has shown over the past several games, as he’s lately been consistently scoring 12-13 point every game which is good. In the first 8 games of the year, Grafton’s scoring leaders- Ryan Jack and Sean Tyldesley put up 20 point performances a total of 3 times combined. But in the last 8 games, they’ve put up 20 point performances a total of 5 times combined. Grafton has been more explosive and consistent in terms of their scoring and offense, and this shows that they’re headed in the right direction. Grafton’s biggest weakness is their disadvantage in size. Since Grafton is a team of mostly guards, they would be the smaller team on most nights. Because this, it’s difficult for Grafton to dominate the paint defensively, and it would also be difficult for them to get rebounds. An issue for the team has been allowing second chance points, because if they have trouble getting the rebound, the opponent could get the offensive rebound and have an extra possession. There size weakness reflects the scoreboard as they haven't had any improvement defensively. In the first 7 games of the season, they allowed 52.3 points per game to their opponent. And in their last 9, they allowed an average of 53.6 points per game. Unlike the offense, there hasn’t been any improvement defensively. This of course doesn't mean Grafton has a bad defense, because Grafton’s biggest strengths is the team’s chemistry and effort. The Grafton players put everything they have onto the court, and they give their very best effort every game. As a result of this, Grafton is still able to play good defense. The team’s chemistry is their great strength, and it has only gotten better throughout the season, which is shown by their improvement in their offense. The Grafton Indians currently stand at 10-6 on the year, with 3 games left in the season. They’ve shown improvement over the year, as they’ve not only been scoring more consistently on offense, but they’ve also been winning-- going 7-2 in their last 9 games. The biggest game of the year for Grafton will be their final game of the year; the game at Hudson High school. Hudson High school has an incredible 16 wins to only one loss record, and this will be Grafton’s biggest test yet. They're coming off of 13 straight wins, but Grafton will give them a good fight. With the Grafton Indians only getting better, they should be able to end the season strong, and maybe even win all of their final 3 games. hi. i’m jack. i made jack’s snacks earlier, then i lost motivation. ended up not doing anything for a whole year. so, yeah, that’s gone now. but now we have this!! oh man. you’re gonna love this. unless you got a problem with lowercase letters and really informal writing (this will be very informal! ya don’t need big fancy words to be interesting). oh yeah also this is about vidya games. even if you’re just like “what da heck is a video games” i think you can still enjoy this. another great thing about this is that there’s a whole lot to talk about, so there’s nothing really able to halt this unless i lose motivation again! i hope that doesn’t happen. for this series, i will be using gms2, but you can really use anything. i think unity is great (also free. if you are starting out, probably use that). everything here will never be engine specific so don’t worry about it. also, i have a real video game (http://joecularchaos.com)!! i have been working on it for a while, and i will be working on it for forever! it will be released, for money, eventually. oh yeah, i’m supposed to be writing about interesting things. i will do that now today i will talk about… MOVING! i’m gonna start the series off with something simple (relatively). movement. games tend to have that. usually when you play a video game, you can press buttons to move. seems pretty simple, but there are a couple things that are overlooked all the time. first thing, diagonal movement. so many new developers get this wrong!! usually, it’s not that big of an issue, but if moving is important in your game (which it usually is), it’s gonna be a problem. so, what am i talking about, anyway? well, a lot of people think of programming movement like this: if you press right, move the character right 1 unit if you press left, move the character left 1 unit if you press up, move the character up 1 unit if you press down, move the character down 1 unit seems like there’s nothing wrong with this, but there’s a big issue. if you hit right and up at the same time, it goes right one unit and up one unit. again, seems like everything is fine. but, have a look at this: see what i’m getting at? diagonal movement is faster than cardinal movement (up, down, left, right). that’s a big no no. math paragraph! moving diagonally multiplies the regular speed by √2 because right triangles are really funny. if the two sides of a triangle that make a right angle are 1 unit in length, the hypotenuse has a length of √2 (1^2+1^2=c^2, 1+1=c^2, c^2=2, c=√2). so, moving diagonally moves you more distance from your starting point than moving cardinally. so, how do we fix this? well, there’s a bunch of ways. the most efficient option really depends on the engine you’re using. i don’t really want to get into it since it involves circles and triangles and a lot of math. depending on the way you do it. alright! there’s our new movement, lookin’ real nice there. but there’s one issue... there’s no collision! you just go right through the wall. let’s go over some basic collision, and work our way up from there (there is a lot to be done). first, we’ll check if the player will collide with a wall if he moves. if there’s a collision, it doesn’t move. simple, right? well, it works. but there’s a problem... if you move diagonally into a wall, you completely stop. that’s probably not good. the way to fix this is to check for x and y collision separately. that way, if you’re moving up and right into a wall to the right, you will stop moving right but continue to move up. here’s what it looks like when this is fixed. but there’s another issue! kind of. it’s not necessary, but it makes things look a lot nicer. if you look closely, you should be able to see that the player isn’t always touching the wall, sometimes a couple pixels off. the way to fix this is to “snap” the player to the wall if it gets close enough. basically, if a collision is detected in a direction, a loop moves the player one pixel each repetition until it’s touching the wall. that way, whenever there’s a collision, the player is always right up against that wall. here’s that in action. another small thing to add is flipping the sprite horizontally depending on where it’s going. and there you go! basic movement in a game. yeah, not exactly simple. and that’s only step one!
alright, well, that’s the first entry in whatever this is. go vote for the next topic here: https://goo.gl/forms/k2969JISSuD4FhcD3 One of the misconceptions of high school, and quite possibly one of the worst stressors, is how we have it in our minds that “Grades define who we are”. In high school, we [students] work very hard to get the grades to make it to graduate.
Speaking as a high school student, my mindset includes planning and overthinking. I had the mindset that I need to get this grade for this assignment so I can pass this class and graduate. I have spoken to numerous students from every grade and it seems to be a pattern. We all somewhat have the same mindset in a way. Students from middle school all the way till college have gotten overwhelmed about grades, because well, they matter. They can sadly affect our chances into doing certain things that we want to do in our lives. We hear it from our parents, teachers, friends and the student next to you bragging about their grade; it is all about the subtle messages about how the worst thing we could possibly do is ultimately fail. But often time we don’t hear this: Grades do not define us! In this thing we call life, we all are going to fail at something, at the very least. We see a lot more than just that test we failed in October. The “F” you got on the assignment, test, or even class (or might possibly get in the future) does not make you any less intelligent than the person who got an “A” in that class. The “F” will become a chance to improve on yourself and become a lesson on what you need to work on. Failing is nothing more than failing. It does not define you, it does not become you, it is not anything more than just failing. The work you did, the all nighters you pulled, the long days of studying and staying after school for extra help without receiving the ideal grade to reflect that effort is not everything in life. The wisest people in life are the people who fail the most. The charming scent of sweet peaches that hung upon the branches of grave trees lended itself into the barren walls of that ancient abode, which stood just beyond those fruitful rows, overlooking a lake of lifeless glory. How bright was that morn that it needed no candle to illuminate but the darkest of its desolate corners. Yet, there dwelt the faintest presence of a warm May fog about the ghostly company of that arid vision; dare one claim, perchance, it allowed its being the greater half of its lovely and mystically picturesque expression.
It was on a fine Sunday that some several guests paid visit to the curious company of that vacuous lakeside, prattling over the idle endeavors of a seemingly pretentious glory that must only thrive in the presence of a wonderful youth. How their words did ring harmoniously off the lustrous surface of that mirrored countenance, which appeared almost entirely coruscated with the enkindled reflection of pellucid sunbeams. The entirety of its life did exist merely beneath the surface of an alluring falsity, for all did dwell in the depths of a chilled darkness that allowed no touch of light upon the depths of its vast being. How true those sweet vistants did believe this be! No being did they fancy could hold so great a forbearance that it may care to dwell in the emptied corridors of that ancient abode, and too desolate an existence was it to occupy the etiolated greens that did surround the perimeter of that glistening lake. Casting down those mahogany rods, they felt at once the gust of a spritely chill come over their whimsical young beings, until, at last they espied what all may deem but an illusive vision of youthful pursuit. But there, upon the surface of that earthly soil, stood the apparently mythical presence of a ghostly spirit, smiling with great fright, so that she might conceal the uncertainty that rested beneath that lifelessly fair countenance, whilst those soft lips were parted so stiffly that they could conceal not the slightest anguish, in earnest. There came at once a frightful wail from the gathering of jolted souls, which appeared only to have bounced off that silvery lake into the dismayed transparency of that lingering vision, for she convulsed at once with a cry of great fright. How curious they did believe it be that the spirit stood so timid when all tale should only suggest a result of vast variation from that of reality. There came no haunting nor terror from the wretched vision that stood before them, but only a sensation of sincere pity for the dolorous sight before their eyes. How utterly dejecting was it that she dwelt in an eternal state of the greatest, and most melancholy woe they had yet encountered. No life was it to be so alone, whilst all around did gleam bright with the glorious awakening of a new dawn. It was on that fine Sunday some many years ago that there was born a companionship that many fancied entirely unattainable, until met at eye with a proof that should rattle but the very depths of their false perception, for no longer did she rest in the solitude of a barren existence, but she acquired an acquaintanceship of which allowed vision of the cheer that had always embraced her desolate surroundings. No longer was she a wretched soul set to wallow aimlessly through the land, pining for that which she could never seem obtain, but she was at last free to bask in the wonder of those fruitful rows. The End. Nestled in the sweet company of a vast atelier dwelt a wonderful canvas of variegated tint, which did reflect the glistening of a light like none other; a radiant glare of fantastical means; a spritely presence was it to be deemed by all! How lovely were those hues that they might allow an elate countenance of picturesque beauty to that otherwise grave chamber of little vibrancy, other than that which did exist strictly in the keepings of masked treasures.
A young girl bided timidly in the corner of that prodigious chamber, gazing at the charming expression of a most divine canvas, whilst her soft hands rested gently upon the surface of a lovely satin dress. How greatly she did desire its closer company, but only did there exist an essence of which frighted her girlish being for all its mystical allure. Never had she espied a sight so lovely that it may be of deterrence to her wishful mind; indeed, it glowed bright with a glister like none other; so lovely a wonder was it that the young girl could bear no longer the distance, and hastened at last to its side, where she layed touch upon an image of ghostly pansies, embraced by the presence of a moonlit valley. Overcome was she by the pulchritude of its unique being, which did ignite in her once torpid eyes a blaze like none other, for only now did they burn bright with the passion of a fiery admirer. There, she could remain for an eternity, perchance, as many may desire, without but the slightest wish for departure. No longer was her vivacious spirit trapped beneath the surface of a subfusc countenance, but, alas! it was free to frolic about a world, in which had since been disenthralled from the withering chains of a dull reality. Before her stood lovely florals of every shade, and the moon shone bright upon a miraculous scene of pure delight. Left was she to the company of all that one may desire in earnest, for no longer did she dwell in the secrecy of her own solitude, but there she basked in the company of that glorious state. It was a presence like none other, and stole from her all desire and ability to be of her own youthful spirit. Mesmerized had she become by that which should always be of eternal company to her once solitary being. There she stood in final stance, dripping in the silvery reflection of an eternal moonlight, whilst masses flocked to see the beauty of that canvas where she did dwell. Those pale rose cheeks now sat flat upon the surface of her soft countenance, and her emerald eyes had frozen in their gaze, and were masked at once with a pigment that could capture not their once glorious glister. One was she with all she did praise, though seldom could she take so great a pleasure in it, or frolic about as she once did in utter delight. Only now could she remain fixed in place, crying out pitiful pleads that bounced softly like sweet hymns off the achromatic walls of that vast atelier. The End. Today, in modern media, there has been an increase in the number of shows and movies that include LGBT themes or characters. In 2018, according to GLAAD, “The percentage of LGBTQ series regulars on broadcast primetime scripted programming is up to an all-time high of 8.8 percent” (GLAAD.org). Back on January 4, Grafton High School’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) had a discussion surrounding the topic of LGBT+ characters in media, good vs. bad representation, LGBT+ role models and LGBT+ media in general.
Members from the club shared their role models which ranged from actors and voice actors to singers and youtubers. Some of the role models included Brendon Urie from the band Panic! at the Disco, Isabella Bennett from the band Steam Powered Giraffe, Shane Dawson the youtuber and more. Our discussion on good vs. bad representation focused on how there has been an increase in positive LGBT+ representation in the past few years but also an increase in bad representation as a result. Some of the positive examples included popular television shows such as Steven Universe, Yuri on Ice, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the O.A and Adventure Time. However, one of the more popular, if not the most popular, LGBT+ representations to come out in the past year was the movie Love, Simon based on the book Simon vs. the Homosapien Agenda by Becky Albertalli. However, as mentioned, we also talked about bad representation as well. Some of the topics that came up included The 100, Voltron, Call Me by Your Name and Orange is the New Black. Most of the examples mentioned used the popular “bury your gays” trope except for Call Me by Your Name which features a minor dating a 24 year old. The “bury your gays trope” is when a show kills off a LGBT+ character solely for the purpose of progressing the main, usually straight and cisgender, character. The trope also refers to the stereotype found in television where gay characters won’t have happy endings. Another topic that came up is the topic of Queerbaiting, or the act of hinting at, but not actually confirming a same-sex romantic relationship. This concept also is used when describing a show that uses representation to attract an LGBT+ audience, but the representations is superficial or full of stereotypes. The discussion was an overall success, one member exclaiming in response to it that “It’s so incredibly important for LGBTQ youth to be allowed to see themselves in the characters they encounter in the media in a healthy way”. The GSA’s next meeting will be held on March 1; the topic of the meeting is to be determined. |
Grafton Globe NewspaperStudent created articles in a student run digital newspaper. CategoriesArchives
February 2020
CategoriesHumans of Grafton High |