Speech & Debate Team Having Another Good Year by Ryan Szantyr

Poland Regional High School played host to a Speech and Debate tournament on earlier this month, and the event proved successful. Poland’s Speech and Debate team, coached by D’Arcy Robinson and captained by Elijah Breton, worked throughout the week to get the school ready for the tournament––the biggest of the season so far.

Ms. Robinson felt the tournament went smoothly.
“We placed fourth out of twenty-two schools, and given the expectations for us to put on the tournament, I think we did pretty well,” Robinson said.

Elijah Breton, who placed second for his event, had a bittersweet response to the tournament. Despite the tournament’s success from a hosting standpoint, Elijah was critical of the lack of support on the part of the school’s administration and faculty.

“To me, its hard to see administrators going to almost every home sporting event there is, but not go to one of the two Poland tournaments,” Breton said. “There isn't any reason why they can't come and support the team as well as Ms. Robinson's hard work. We have such a great team, and I enjoy what I do very much. But, sometimes I question why I get up almost every Saturday morning when I know there is no support.”

Although Ms. Robinson had similar sentiments, she acknowledged the support of co-curricular director Don King, who attended the tournament, as well as the Boosters.

“It’s always nice for people support the team and see how hard the kids work,” Robinson said. “There is some real value for the students.” Ms. Robinson also acknowledged the support from parents who helped set up for and facilitate the tournament.

The real success for the tournament, from Ms. Robinson’s standpoint, was that “we worked as a team. We did what we needed to do, and I’ve gotten several e-mails from the coaches of the schools that participated telling me how smoothly it went and how happy they were that we were able to finish on time and even early, which is quite an achievement for Speech and Debate.”

Another tournament -- speech-only -- was scheduled for Saturday the 17th at Mount Desert Island High School. If you see Speech members in the hallways and classrooms, be sure to check in and ask them how their team performed. They’re representing our school, they compete against the best in their field, and they need our support.

Book Bags, Safety & Two Sets of Rules By Alexandrea Savard

The school's new book bag rule generated a lot of debate early in the semester.  Sophomores seem to care the most, because they're supposed to leave their backpacks out of the classroom, while juniors and seniors can carry their bags everywhere. Sophomores are afraid they will be late for classes, miss a bus, or forget something in their locker. They want their bags with them.

Students seem to agree that backpacks on the floor create safety problems,  but they argue that it's  already difficult to get to class on time without a trip to the locker. It's just more convenient and efficient to have your bag with you in class. Teachers, of course, say students have plenty of time to go anywhere all day.

Safety is a huge issue with book bags. One issue students don't often consider is that nobody but you knows what's inside your bag. In countries where citizens face more national security issues than we do, leaving a book bag on the ground, unattended, is considered dangerous. There could be something inside the bag that can hurt people. Other safety issues are simpler – if the fire alarms go off people can trip over the book bags, making it more difficult to get out of the building on time. 

And then there are health issues.  Students go to the school nurse all the time with back pain. Could we reduce the traffic of students leaving class for the nurse's office if we reduce the weight on students' backs? Think about it.

Getting to class on time shouldn’t be an issue. The time between classes has been extended this year.

Unfortunately, there's a fair amount of circumstantial evidence that shows PRHS kids don't know how to operate a combination lock, a situation that will make some hesitant to stuff their backpack in the locker. 

“I think that if they are going to to make kids keep their bags in their lockers, they should have key locks on them or they should have no locks at all on them, because there are a lot of kids in the high school who can't use a combination lock,” said Kristopher Lugner, a PRHS senior.

And let's not forget the resentment that sophomores feel about different sets of rules for them and upperclassmen.

“I really don't like it at all, but I think that eventually we'll have to get used to it, “ sophomore Natasha Thoits said about the new book bag rule. “It's not that bad, we just need to adjust. But what I can't stand is that only freshmen and sophomores are the ones who have to follow this rule. Freshmen are used to using their binders and stuff, while sophomores are already adjusted to using their backpacks.  Juniors and seniors should have to follow this rule as well.” 

Which raises an obvious issue. If backpacks in the classroom are such a safety concern, why does this concern apply for only half the school?

Spirit Week: Penny War, Dress-Up Days, Community Service, The Works! By Stephanie Lafreniere

Spirit Week is a time of fun and friendly competition at PRHS. Each class is pitted against each other in the various activities of the week; whether it be dressing up to fit each day’s specific theme, or a war of pennies and collection of food. And of course, with every Spirit Week there must be a celebration!


The Penny War is one of our fundraisers during Spirit Week this time around, but not all the profits go to PRHS; we are donating revenue to heating assistance programs for needy families. Times are tough, people are losing jobs, so we decided to help out the community. 

A portion of the Penny War proceeds will go to the winning class, however. The basic concept of a penny war is to collect the most pennies for your class; each class is given a huge container to dump their pennies in. So if you ever have some spare pennies dump them into your classes container. But, everything else--dimes, quarters, nickels, dollars--is bad and the amount of money the silver coin stands for will be subtracted from your amount of pennies. So, if my class had ten pennies (10 Points) and one nickel (-5 Points) we’d be left with 5 Points. So don’t put anything other than pennies into your classes container! It’s a pretty simple game and it brings a lot of hype and excitement from the classes. 

We’re also going to be holding a food drive for anything non-perishable, such as canned goods, or basically anything packaged that won’t go bad. The food we collect is going to go to the food bank. How does this help us, though? Well, during our Spirit Week assembly each class will be given approximately 15 minutes to create a castle out of all the food their class brought in. Though it’s not set in stone yet, it’s been rumored that the best castle wins points that will go towards their Winter Carnival score. A couple extra points would be helpful, right? Might be just the edge to push a class to the top!

Each day of Spirit Week holds a special “meaning”; in other words, each day has a certain theme we’re asked to abide by. Our beloved Valentine’s Day comes early this year on Monday. How does one go about dressing up for Valentine’s Day? Other than wearing pink or red of course...maybe we’ll get some cupids. That would be hilarious. Tuesday we’ll need some of those ‘lil Freshman to put on some green hats and dance around, as it’s St. Patrick’s Day! Be sure to wear some green! Oh yeah, are fireworks legal now? Because Wednesday is the 4th of July for us; be sure to wear some red, white, and blue! (Seriously, don't bring fireworks.) Thursday we’re going back in time about two months to relive some yummy candy goodness; Halloween is back so be sure to bring in enough candy for everyone! And finally, we have Friday. Now you’re probably thinking, ‘oh, Friday must be Christmas or some other fantastic holiday!’. Well, I wish I could I entertain your enthusiasm, but it’s no other than Ugly Sweatshirt day. Don’t be embarrassed, dig out your most revolting sweatshirt and wear it to school! Maybe you can find an old Christmas sweater your aunt gave you to keep the holiday spirits going. 

If dressing up isn’t your thing, maybe you’ll enjoy a nice casual dance? We had hoped to have a dance on Ugly Sweatshirt day, but it turns out the Middle School already has a dance planned that night. But, there’s a possibility of a casual dance on the Wednesday before vacation that is probably going to help the Senior class raise money for their class trip in the spring. So everyone should attend to help see their favorite Seniors off!

Spirit Week is the perfect way to wind down that last, almost unbearable, full week of school before Christmas Vacation. Everyone gets out some holiday cheer with the competitions and we get to see our teachers embarrass themselves with their goofy themed outfits. We also get to spread some holiday joy to those in need with our fundraisers. Next week will be a good one!

Spirit Week is 12/12/11 – 12/16/11

Monday: Valentine's Day

Tuesday: St. Patrick's Day

Wednesday: Fourth of July

Thursday: Halloween

Friday: Ugly Sweatshirt Day

Are the kids in charge of PDA enforcement? By Caitlyn Currie

As we all have been reminded multiple times, PRHS policy limits public displays of affection (PDA) to "holding hands and brief, friendly hugs" and no further. Pretty simple, direct and straightforward. But for some reason, many students interpret this as:

"The rules to PDA are up to the discretion and morals of each individual student."

 In other words, "Rules? What rules?" What we all need to hear and realize is PDA affects everyone, including many of us who have no choice but to observe kids making out, groping and grinding in the hallways. 

Of course, many students witnessing PDA in the school say it doesn’t make them feel uncomfortable, or they just “don’t care.” Maybe that’s why we hear so many complaints about the rule. Maybe, just perhaps, that’s why we need the rule.

 Hear me out here. 

Is it possible we've become immune to PDA? I believe we’ve come to a point where we don’t notice the couple playing tonsil hockey in the middle of the hall. It’s just being ignored. If it’s getting to a point where it is that “regular” or “normal,” well,  that’s a sign it needs to stop. This is where the rules play in.

We don't make the rules, despite the fact that we like to believe we do. And the lack of enforcement by most teachers leads most of us to believe that we carry more than a little authority throughout the school. Personally, I have seen some of that same attitude carried out with some of the other school rules as well. Although the teenager inside me wants to rebel, well, just to rebel, the rules are the rules. But teachers don't do us any favors with selective enforcement.

I know we’ve all heard it before: “It’s a distraction to your learning.”  And, whether one would like to admit it or not, school is a work place. Here we are learning appropriate behavior for our future work places. And tell me, if you were at the office ten years from now, how unsettling would it be to have to dodge smooching couples on your way to the copier, or to have two people locking eyes like they’re straight out of “The Notebook,” standing right next to your cubicle while you’re trying to do your work? Or to sit in a meeting between two people who just had their hands on each other's butts before the boss walked in? Exactly.

So, you PDA newcomers, (those of you in a sparkly new relationship),  and you regular offenders, listen up: Your peers, teachers, and future co-workers would be very grateful if you could take it down a notch. Take a deep breath. Lower the heat. 

We Came, We Defeated, We Partied.

Photo by Isabella Baker

The rest of the pictures can be found on our Facebook (please like us!). Who knows, maybe you might be in our stash. We'd love more writers! You get to be part of an awesome team, and even get a co-curricular credit.
Any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas, email or contact Lauren Harris (3lauren4@gmail.com), Stephanie LaFreniere (steph.lafreniere13@gmail.com), or Mr. Chutchian (kchutchian@rsu16.org). We'd love to hear from you!

Photo by Isabella Baker

Photo by Isabella Baker

Photo by Isabella Baker

Photo by Isabella Baker

Photo by Stephanie LaFreniere

Photo by Stephanie LaFreniere

Photo by Stephanie LaFreniere

Photo by Stephanie LaFreniere

Photo by Stephanie LaFreniere

Photo by Stephanie LaFreniere

Photo by Stephanie LaFreniere

Photo by Stephanie LaFreniere

Photo by Stephanie LaFreniere

Photo by Stephanie LaFreniere

Poland freshman address 9/11, Islam and the Constitution

Students in the Humanities I class taught by Ms. Thornton and Mr. Truman recently wrote letters to the editor about a proposed mosque near Ground Zero. The city of New York approved construction, but raw emotions over 9/11, Constitutional rights and backlash against Muslims still exist.

Mosque Letter Five

Dear Editor:

Building a mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero has been a recent news headline that has identified the tender boundaries of our Constitution. But as a United States citizen I oppose the idea of building a mosque strongly. The mosque two blocks away from Ground Zero should NOT be built, it violates and disrespects every lost life of 9/11. I also do have to say that I am not prejudice or have any bad feelings toward the Islamic religion. But to say that I don't find the idea of building a mosque near Ground Zero offensive would be a lie.

It does indeed make it difficult to draw the line from the foreign Muslims to the American Muslims. In fact 35% of Muslims worldwide are American. Constitutional rights state the freedom of religion, but there is also a point to where a human respect should come to mind. Listen to us, it is not only Muslims who can play the American Rights card. Under our beliefs every single person should have their opinion heard. According to our Humanities class research, 67% of Americans people believe that they have the right to build a mosque at Ground Zero, although 71% of Americans state that to build this mosque would be inappropriate. Tell me if I'm not correct, but that is a large amount. Still the inconsiderate ordeal rages on. There are about 1,900 mosques in the United Sates, plenty for the amount of Muslims in the U.S. So why build one so close to a place of tragedy? It is like a bandaged wound, this cruel proposal is just like ripping it off and once again exposing the very sensitive cut in our history.

As Charles Krauthammer writes in Washington Post: “When we speak of Ground Zero as hallowed ground, what we mean is that it belongs to those who suffered and died there – and that such ownership obliges us, the living, to preserve the dignity and memory of the place ... It's why, while no one objects to Japanese cultural centers, the idea of putting one up at Pearl Harbor would be offensive.”

Two thousand, nine hundred and ninety-six people died that day on 9/11. Why bring up the touchy situation once again? I strongly believe that there are other spots to build a mosque. Why choose this place? Media attention? We don't know, but this definitely was NOT necessary.

Sincerely,

Zoe Thomas

Mosque Letter Three

Dear Editor,

I’ve remained dumbfounded that this controversy over the proposed community center/mosque at the Park 51 site in New York City is still being discussed and debated. First of all, the site is not even at Ground Zero, it is 2 blocks away, on a piece of land that is owned by a Muslim, not the city or state. However, I am even more stunned in disbelief over what debates concern when discussing whether or not Muslims should be allowed to build this center, because the comments some protestors have used astonish me.

In a despicable attempt to try and deprive Americans a place to pray and worship their beliefs, protestors raise their “concerns.” These concerns are supposedly meant to highlight their points or beliefs, but many just highlight their bigotry, ignorance and prejudice towards Muslims. The city already approved this project. The mayor of New York and the President of the United States feel that this is a project that should be followed through on.

Now I understand that there are many people who feel that this is a disrespect to the families who lost someone in the attack of 9/11. But the critical fact that is usually ignored by protestors who can’t see past their own conservative close-minded opinions is that we are punishing all Muslims for the tragedy induced on us by a few men. That is the biggest grudge I will hold – this country keeps punishing the whole class for one kid’s mistake. Are we really going to be the country that stereotypes the whole Islam religion because those who attacked us on 9/11 were also a part of the Islam faith? Muslims should not be treated inferior to us because a few Muslims committed such a disastrous crime.

Islam is a religion, not a race, and this harsh treatment we put Muslims through such as denying innocent people a place to worship is cruel and unfair, and ignores part of our Constitution. By denying Muslims freedom of religion, what are we really getting? The only result I have seen so far is arguments and hatred. A tremendous amount of hatred. People are either blinded by the tears they cried and emotions they felt due to the tragedy at 9/11, or just blinded by smoke caused by their heated opinions of Muslims, which does nothing but pollute the air around them and others. If so, then I beg that you consider the point of view of the Muslims who want this center, because Catholics, Jews, Irish, Japanese, Germans, and many other religions and nationalities have been excluded against in the past, and next time, who knows, it could very well be you.

Sincerely,

Hannah Paradis

Mosque Letter Four

Dear Editor:

There has been a prodigious ongoing controversy over the topic of whether Muslims should be permitted to build a mosque and community center that would include a pool, 500-seat auditorium, and prayer space near Ground Zero in New York City. The building, now called Park 51, would rest two blocks away from Ground Zero, also known as the scene of “the worst terrorist attack in U.S. History.” Many people have not failed to remember that it was Muslim extremists that took over the airplanes and flew them into the World Trade Centers; and because of that, they believe that the Muslims should not be allowed to build anywhere near there.

What many people have failed to remember was that it wasn’t just non-Muslims who lost family in the crash; many Muslims lost beloved family members and friends as well. In my opinion, I do not think that anything should go there, whether it be a mosque, synagogue, or even a church. The 9/11 attack at tdid occur two blocks away, and many of us were forced to face the reality that at any point in time it could happen again. Nevertheless, we claim to be a country with the freedom of speech and religion, and because of that I believe that we should allow the Muslims to build a mosque where they please, as long as they are doing it for all of the right reasons, and nothing illegal is taking place during the meetings. Go ahead and let them build a mosque and community center; let them have a place where they can relax and have fun. A place where they do not have to deal with the glares and nasty comments that they are getting throughout the day, just because a couple of people from a religion filled with millions did something horrid. Our President Barack Obama said on the topic, “This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable.”

Many people such as Diana Serafin will argue that Islam, “Is not about a religion. It’s a political government, and it’s 100 percent against our Constitution.” However, don’t all religions cross the line from where it goes from being a belief in the spiritual world, to laws about how one should live?

So I ask you, would you suspend the entire grade of students, because one of them threw a rock through the principle’s window?

Sincerely,

Anna Poirier

Mosque Letter Two

Dear Editor:

I don’t think there should be a mosque at Ground Zero. There are already 3 or 4 mosques in the city of New York, so we don’t really need another one. Also, putting a mosque at Ground Zero is disrespectful to the families of 9/11. Some people are saying that even the most Americanized Muslims secretly want to replace the Constitution with Shariah or Islamic Law.

This is America and that’s OUR Constitution, and if you choose to live here, you need to be willing follow the Constitution, laws, and wishes of the people. It may be a Muslim right to build a mosque according to the Constitution, but it is inappropriate and inconsiderate. According to our class research, “71 percent of [Americans] say its inappropriate to do so.”

Overall, there should be no Mosque built at Ground Zero. It is disrespectful to the people who died there and their families. Also, for better or worse, many Americans connect mosques with terrorism, and there is some concern and fear of America being attacked again.

Sincerely,

Nate Spear

Mosque Letter One

Dear Editor:

I have noticed that there is a community of Muslims in New York that are trying to build a mosque a couple blocks from Ground Zero. I was surprised to find that after the mosque was already approved by the city there were people still protesting the idea. Even though the protesters were outnumbered by supporters, I still find it absurd to be protesting the mosque. The Muslim community owns the land that they wish to build the mosque on and they are U.S. citizens through birth or naturalization. These people are no less U.S. citizens than anyone else. They have the same rights. One of these rights is the freedom of religion. The Muslim community has the right to follow whatever religion they wish. By protesting the mosque people are protesting this right in the Constitution.

Many people saying that they believe the mosque shouldn’t be built are afraid of terrorism and also say that it is an insult to the people who lost their lives because of 9/11. These people are not the people who helped in the 9/11 terrorist attack. The only way it would be an insult would be if the Muslim terrorists who helped in the 9/11 attack were asking to build a mosque. The mosque that is going to go up isn’t even going up on Ground Zero. It is two blocks away and is owned by the Muslim community. If they wish to build a mosque on their land then they have every right to do so. The mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, also believes that the mosque should be built, saying,“ The attack was an act of war, and our first responders defended not only our city but also our country and Constitution. We do not honor their lives by denying the very constitutional rights they died protecting.”

According to an article in Upfront Magazine, “Islam: Not In My Backyard,” 67% of Americans believe that the Muslims have the right to build the mosque. However, 71% say that they find it inappropriate. The mosque is not inappropriate, however, because it is not being built on Ground Zero. Also according to this article, 43% of Americans say they feel at least a little prejudice towards Muslims. The reason that people do not think the mosque should be built is because they do feel prejudice towards Muslims. People are trying to take a couple of Muslims who were terrorists and group them with every other Muslim out there. This not the right thing to do and should not be the reason why the mosque isn’t built.

Sincerely,

Josh Gary

Ten Years After: What's Next after bin Laden? By Grahm Kwasnick

Even if you live in a cave in Pakistan, by now most of you of have caught wind of the news that the mastermind behind the terrorist attacks of September 11^th, 2001 -- Osama bin Laden -- has been killed by United States troops.

Since 2001 bin Laden has been in hiding in the Middle East with the aid from his al Qaeda allies. This game of hide and seek came to a patriotic end when in the midst of a 48-minute firefight, Osama and three other men were killed. Thankfully, no civilians (or American solders) were killed in the firefight that erupted in the suburban city of Abbottabad. Osama bin Laden was killed and his body was buried in the sea by American solders. Back home in America, millions celebrated the death of the terrorist and voiced their patriotism in parades, breaking out into song and speaking proudly and passionately to reporters on the scene of the many celebratory gatherings.

But as the media storm and celebration settles, what's next? Are we going to pull troops from the Afghanistan and bring them home to their families and loved ones for good? Or are we sitting ducks for a retaliation attack on bin Laden's followers?

The death of Osama bin Laden swept across the nation and thousands of Americans hit the streets to celebrate the death of the wanted terrorist. But now that the celebration is over, and some weight has been lifted off America's shoulders, what comes next? While the death brought joy upon American citizens, it also brought fear for a possible retaliation by Pakistan.

The Obama Administration had this to say regarding this fear, “There's no intelligence yet pointing to specific or imminent plans for future attacks, but its spies are watching and eavesdroppers are listening carefully for any such signs.”

While we may be “safe” for now as far as global terrorist attacks are concerned, there are indeed possibilities for attacks here in America. The FBI and Homeland Security made sure that all law enforcement officials should be vigilant for extremists that wish to retaliate on American soil. Precautions are still being taken as far as suspicious behavior elsewhere in America – so not much has changed since the immediate aftermath of September 11, 2001. Monitoring airports, background checks on employees, and other curtailments of our cherished freedoms will continue.

Don't expect our president to bring the troops home soon and calling it quits on the current relationship we have with Pakistan, Afghanistan or even al Qaeda. Our troops will still be overseas making sure that things continue to cool down and we develop a stronger friendship rather than a stronger enemy with Pakistan.

You can read much more about the death of bin Laden as well as what many believe is next for America at these links, each of which were used for this story:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com

http://www.foxnews.com

http://www.nytimes.com

Governor LePage, reality TV star? By Matthew Principe

As we get to know our governor Paul LePage I guess we can say he likes to speak his mind, a lot. He is different then most governors. In just four months he has sparked controversy many times with his words and deeds. Just when I thought he was settling into a routine, Governor LePage came up with another great idea. Turns out he's just like many of us – he wants to be a TV star. Paul LePage wants to launch his own television show called “Inside the Blaine House.”

I didn't know what the Blaine House was until I researched this article. It's the governor's mansion, basically, and LePage wants to be in a reality show from his house. His reasoning for doing this is to get his message across to the Maine people without all the interference from the state house press corps. LePage has had a strained relationship with the media. He wants to speak to Maine people directly, not through the press. According to the Lewiston Sun Journal, “There will be no edited sound bites or one-sided stories.” LePage believes this is the best way to to talk about the issues with Maine people while encouraging them to find out the facts with their own research.

The show would air via the Internet and Channel 9. Democrats, however, say Governor LePage is stepping away from his promise of government transparency. Time Warner Cable said that LePage's show would first start out on the Internet on a biweekly special at 5 p.m. Next it would move to cable on Channel 9. Everybody is not totally OK with the idea. However a former governor of Maine, Angus King had is own call in TV show called the Capitol Connection. He loves the idea and supports LePage fully.

“It’s a chance for the governor to speak directly to the people in a direct and unfiltered way,” King told the Lewiston Sun Journal. “I think it’s a a great idea. I applaud him for it.” Meanwhile, Maine State Historian Earle Shettle worth doesn’t ever remember any other governors with T.V. shows.

Although the governor's idea reminds some of an Augusta version of “Jersey Shore,” producers of the show have said that some pre-taping will ensure quality dialogue about meaningful issues. Cameras will shoot people asking LePage questions and the governor answering them at the Blaine House. The idea is unfiltered messages from the governor, although to some it may look like propaganda. Says Brain Pomerleau, a former electrical engineer doing video production “Were trying to provide a platform where these people can speak directly to the public... without being controlled by the media.” When he refers to “people,” he is talking about government officials.

Who knows what Governor LePage will think of next.

(Material from The Lewiston Sun Journal was used for this story)

Japan's tragedy is our tragedy By Grahm Kwasnick

Over the past month and a half, through many forms of media that shrink the globe each day, one key event that shook the world on March 11 towers above every other story.  Newspapers have printed thousands of stories covering the event, radio stations have rambled countless hours about the event and news stations have had daily reports updating those who don't know about the earthquake that devastated Japan.
   
My generation needs a reminder that there are much more important things happening around the world than, “Oh my god! Can you believe what happened on Jersey Shore last night?”

Why do I feel compelled to report this story? Simple. It can affect you directly, and it probably already has. 

On March 11th a magnitude 9 earthquake shook all of Japan – in fact the world – on the northeast coast of that country. It was the biggest earthquake Japan has had in 100 years. Aside from the obvious damage to Japan's buildings, homes, cities and towns, the country's nuclear reactors took an unexpected hit. What many people think occurred was that the earthquake crumbled their power plant, which is false. What actually occurred was that due to the earthquake, the power plant's cooling system was affected and the fuel in the nuclear reactor was getting far too hot to be contained. However, Japan made a very intelligent move in making this plant, because thinking that an event like this may happen some day, the reactor's thick steel lining kept the fuel contained. Once the reactor became aware that its cooling system had given way, the backup generators kicked in. All seemed fine.

Then, one hour later, a second disaster hit Japan. A tsunami had taken out more of Japan's civilization as well as the generators and oil storage tanks. The Fukushima plant was designed to withstand a 6-metre tsunami, but the one that struck Japan was a massive, 15-metre tsunami –  which proved to be too massive for the plant to hold back. This tsunami killed 10,000-plus people, which left thousands in grief, as well as thousands missing among the wreckage.

Once this occurred, every reactor that was hit went into what is called “cold shutdown,” which cools the hot fuel in the reactors, but keeps the water circulating. However three of Japan's oldest plants weren't so lucky. At these three plants, once the power was lost, the water pressure drastically rose, causing the temperature of the plants to rise into unsafe amounts. The lining of the three plants couldn't sustain the temperatures, and burst. This is the image that captivated television viewers and web surgers.

Once the quake shook, the tsunami hit and the three reactors blew; the number one priority was to evacuate those that were in danger. Thousands were highly recommended to evacuate homes or businesses anywhere near the Fukushima area. Once this news made its way to the United States, the US Air Force assisted by flying emergency coolant to the site to cool the plant's damaged reactors down and ensure safety for civilians who hadn't yet evacuated.  However, in a bold move, Japanese declined the Air Force's offer and said that they wanted to handle this problem themselves.

So how can this affect you? Well, we may be temporarily safe here on the East Coast, but those who live on the West Coast face a much scarier reality. Those who live near the coasts of California, Washington and Oregon were ordered to evacuate due to the suspicion of another quake hitting the United States. Or, has it already made its presence?

California has been long overdue for an earthquake much like the recent one in Japan. California is home to the San Andreas Fault. However geologist Mark Johnson recently gave Capitol Weekly some reassuring words on a quake hitting California: “A magnitude 9 earthquake requires rupturing a fault surface thousands of square miles in area. The shallow faults making up most of California’s fault systems, including the San Andreas, simply do not have sufficient area to generate such an earthquake.”

There are many reports and stories out there confirming that California's San Andreas Fault simply cannot produce a magnitude 9 earthquake like the one that struck Japan on March 11th. Others insist that California is a ticking time bomb; the most pessimistic say it is bound to happen within the next five years. However many people are unaware that California has earthquakes daily. While they may not be as massive, they still shake the feet beneath Hollywood and give its inhabitants a good old fashioned “Hello” from mother nature. Nevada had a 4.2 magnitude earthquake in mid-April. But these are nothing like the aftershocks that Japan is still receiving today. On April 12, as we were thinking about April vacation, there was a 6.0 magnitude earthquake in Eastern Honshu, Japan. Nobody knows when they will subside.

By now, hopefully, you are aware of the immense travesty that is occurring overseas for the people of Japan. There are many relief funds to help aid the people who have lost everything, one being the Japan Earthquake Relief Fund, which had rasied $3.6 million as of mid-April. Your donations are most helpful as you can imagine. You can donate to the organization through this link: http://www.japansociety.org/earthquake

Information for this article came from the following sources:

http://articles.cnn.com

http://bbc.com

http://www.huffingtonpost.com

Yuck! Plagued With PDA by Isabella Baker

The student handbook clearly states: “Public Displays of Affection are not permitted. Hand holding and brief friendly hugs are permissible.” Why, then, do we see it so often?

There are some teachers who don’t pay attention to PDA, because it is no use stressing over an issue that will likely never be resolved since the culprits involved are a bunch of “in love” hormone-crazed teenagers. We all know that every teenager has authority issues to some extent, and who is really going to care about one school rule when it involves your relationship? You would do anything for that one special person, wouldn’t you? So who cares about the possibility of a silly detention? I mean, it is your life and you do have rights ... right?

Well, especially for any of us who have taken Mr. Carter’s Comparative Government class, you know that while we are in school, we give up some of those rights. For example, if you are at a store or a restaurant with your boyfriend/girlfriend and you kiss them, you have the right to do so. Chances are no one will say anything and you won’t get in trouble. However, when you kiss or make out with your boyfriend/girlfriend in the hallways at school, students react and teachers either call you out or at least notice and keep an eye on you from time to time. Think of school as your job. Wherever you work, you have to abide by the rules. You have to follow the dress code, behavioral rules and more. If you do not follow those rules then you get punished. These punishments, however, will differ greatly. In school you get warnings and detentions. At work, you can get fired.

How many times a day do you witness PDA? Once? Maybe twice? Many of us witness it two or three times on our way to each of our classes, which is a problem. Some people may think it’s cute or they may make jokes about it just for fun, but the real issues are the reactions we do not see or hear. That’s right. A lot of people -- young people -- get disgusted when they witness PDA.

When I asked how often they witness PDA in our school over the course of one day, 40 percent of students asked said 1-10 times, 20 percent say 10-20 times, and 40 percent say they witness it multiple times whenever they are in the hallway. This is clearly an issue.

Also, when asked how they feel about PDA in the school hallways, one student said “I feel like it is a distraction to my learning.”  Another student said “If you care that much about someone, you don’t have to show the whole world.”  Many students said PDA is disgusting or unacceptable, while some said it does not bother them. Some students even say that they see some people get away with more than others do.

Which leads us to the next question: “How well do you think the teachers do enforcing the ‘No PDA’ rule?”  This question was particularly interesting. Many students believe that the teachers just don’t enforce the rule or that they only care about the more extreme things, others say they do enforce it but are not successful. Some students even said, “There’s a rule?”  If the majority of students are saying that nothing is really being done, something is wrong.

According to students, most PDA occurs in the stairwells, where hallways branch out on both floors, and especially right outside of classrooms. If this is the case, why isn’t it being stopped? Do teachers really know how students feel about the PDA in our school? If not, would they make it clear that they are trying to fix it? My answer is this: it is not solely the teachers’ job. It is everyone’s job. We as a school should work to stop or at least reduce PDA. If it bothers you, tell someone. If you are a common offender, save it for outside of school. A relationship should be between two people - not the whole school.

Smart dogs train at PRHS to help college students by Kelley Handy (Photo credit to Bianca L'Italien)

You’ve noticed a few dogs running the halls here at PRHS, right? OK, maybe they're not running, but they're walking around with students and they're easy to spot. They are, quite literally, college bound.

These dogs are in training to become service dogs for college students who have physical impairments. I am sure you have seen or heard about me taking a few falls here and there. Picture someone like me in college with a  dog that is trained to help people walk, open doors, pick things up, and do “every day” activities that most of us take for granted. Of course, these dogs make for great companions.

These five puppies come to school every other day to learn the correct way to behave in a school setting. Students and their parents work 24/7 preparing these dogs. While most of you are sleeping on Saturday mornings at 8 a.m., student dog trainers and their dogs are at PRHS, working on and learning new skills.

Emily Buell and her family started the College Bound Canines program here in Maine when she moved from Arizona. The program there was going well until unforeseen and unavoidable situations developed. When Titan was left with no handler, Emily happily stepped up to the plate. Sadly, Titan could not be remain in the program due to bladder issues. But the Buells kept him at home, even though he was no longer a PRHS student! Now he is the ambassador of the program and demonstrates his skill whenever needed.

There are many different feelings surrounding the dogs being here at Poland. But for the most part, students seem to enjoy having them.

“It makes it feel like you’re more at home, and more comfortable with them here,” said Ms. Ross, who has helped with this program as well.

The major concern is allergies. “We want this program but there’s only so much we can do, said our principal, Ms. Medd. “I know it’s a huge commitment and these students should be commended for it.”

Although her dog training job is stressful, Emily Buell enjoys the rewards that this program gives. She enjoys helping people and dogs. Put these two together and it is a perfect fit for Emily.

"It's going to give (college students) more independence,'' Emily said. “ It's going to help them out all the way through the rest of their dog's life. It'll open doors for them in college. It'll make a difference in somebody's life in a really, really positive way."

College Bound Canines continue to move forward every day one step at a time. If you are interested in learning more about this program please visit www.collegeboundcanines.com and watch a video showing what these dogs will be able to do after there training!

Is This Any of Your Business? By Grahm Kwasnick

Students here at Poland Regional High School are part of a small community. With roughly 2,800 people in Minot, 2,500 in Mechanic Falls and 5,000 in Poland, you can safely say we’re no big city. Within our three towns, there are many families and locally owned businesses that keep the community running. They also help define the community.

Over the past ten years, there have been some bigger businesses making their way into our towns. They offer more products, perhaps even better products, and their service is unmatched – they are next-door neighbors of the school, in fact. But they are not locally owned. The change has been slow and steady, so it's easy not to notice – unless you take a long, hard look at your hometown.

Where once stood an old warehouse, now stands Dunkin Donuts, Subway, a bank, a natural foods grocery store, a physical therapy center and a Family Dollar. We're not talking mega malls, but we are talking about brand name businesses we see advertised around the world. They are popping up in more and more places around the state, and throughout the country. But as delightful as getting that warm cup of coffee before school is, could these businesses slowly kill off the local ones that have been around for years? Are they paving the way for even bigger business to make our towns look like any other place in the USA?

The Subway situated next to Dunkin Donuts, less than a half-mile from our school, has become a hot spot for athletes looking for a meal after a long practice. The Family Dollar is perfect for picking up last-minute things you may need around the house (or a Roundtable party, for that matter). But we can all say that the Dunkin Donuts is grabbing most of the attention from students and faculty members of our school. Every morning in the PRHS lobby I sit and watch how many people come in with Dunkin Donuts. Within minutes I have lost count.

(Which reminds me, why is it that students get such beverages as Coffee Coolatas or Iced Coffees when it's freezing outside? It just never clicks in my head. You’d think, “Oh it’s cold outside, I had better get something warm to drink.” Nope. OK, maybe it’s just me.)

A more important question is whether national chain stores are taking over our towns and putting family-owned businesses out of work. The students and faculty alone keep that Dunkin Donuts afloat. PRHS must be responsible for several hundred dollars of revenue there before the bells ring for A or F blocks. So what's next, if we're all creatures of habit and convenience?  Burger King? Pizza Hut?

How about the Big Daddy of them all?  Wal-Mart, welcome to Poland!

But first , let's talk about why these national chains succeed. With a full cash register at the end of every day, Dunkin Donuts plans to stay here for a long time. New students will always come in. And they will soon realize that the “icky stuff”  Dad drinks all the time is actually pretty good. More consumers equals more profit and more word-of-mouth advertising (which doesn't stop the television or radio commercials).  If a Burger King moved into one of the open buildings on Route 26, would it get business? You bet it would! You think caffeine and sugar are addictive? Never underestimate the power of salt, grease and fat!

The same economic principles apply to Wal-Mart. They provide products that people use, prices that people can afford, and they are right there, just a quick drive away. Every day.

Despite its track record of swallowing up locally owned and operated business,  Wal-Mart is and has been leaving a rather positive mark in connection with its name. Wal-Mart has become one of America’s “bests.” If the game is capitalism and a free-market economy (our game of choice in America), Wal-Mart is winning. 

In a very lengthy article I stumbled upon on the Internet, a man named Paul Kirklin had a lot of positive things to say about Wal-Mart. Here's his opening paragraph:

“Wal-Mart is one of the great shining examples of what a market economy can achieve. If I were to give a tour of the United States to visitors from a socialist country, who are used to experiencing chronic shortages of almost everything, Wal-Mart would be one of the first places I would take them. It is a perfect symbol of one of the most remarkable things that we have — an enormous variety of high quality, low cost products that are available to virtually everyone throughout the United States.” You can read the rest of his article at (http://mises.org/daily/2219).

Wikipedia offers some chilling stats on Wal-Mart – draw your own conclusions:

 “In 2005, Walmart had $312.4 billion in sales, more than 6,200 facilities around the world—including 3,800 stores in the United States and 2,800 elsewhere, employing more than 1.6 million 'associates' worldwide.” Those statistics are six years old. It's a safe bet that Wal-Mart has not slowed down, even during the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

If you fear Wal-Mart, rest easy. There's one in Oxford and another in Auburn, 20 miles apart, so it doesn't appear to make a lot of sense to put one in the middle.

On the other hand, if you love Wal-Mart (that would be an interesting PRHS poll), you may be overjoyed to avoid those trips to Oxford and Auburn. Think about it. Add a Wal-Mart to the Dunkin Donuts, Subway and Family Dollar … you may never, ever leave Poland!

Just don't call it your hometown. That baby is long gone.

*Photo credit to http://www.onefastbuffalo.com/Post.aspx?ui=10&title=La&nbsp%3BMadeleine&nbsp%3BEmbraces&nbsp%3BFrench-ness&postid=129*

Go Green Club starts small, thinks big, By Nicky Landry

The Go Green club is trying to raise money by collecting bottles and find new ways to recycle and save energy. Its ultimate goal is to save the planet.

Every Friday the Go Green club goes to every class and picks up bottles during lunch and roundtable. This helps with recycling and raising money.

Members of the Go Green Club talk about fund-raising, projects to help the environment, and how to use their revenue for those projects. The meetings usually run for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how many kids show up, how many bottles have been collected, and how many ideas the kids have.

The Go Green Club needs your ideas. This  is a great place to share your ideas and thoughts about how you can make the school a lot more “green.” If you would like to get involved with the program so you can help too, you can start by helping the Go Green Club collecting bottles on Fridays. You could be saving the environment, and just you and a few of your friends could be a big part in saving the world.  See Ms. Smith in teacher pod D204 for details.

Right now the club is still in the brainstorming stages. Last year they recycled bottles and decorated a Christmas tree with helpful tips on how to save the environment.

Go Green is a start for tackling some really important environmental issues in the world such as  global warming and lack of public transportation.

This club is a great way to get together with some of your peers and talk about better ways to save our planet, and other ways to save energy. If you just want to help out a little  you cans start small by recycling papers that you don’t need anymore, or just putting your used bottle in recycle bin. Just by doing that you can help out a great amount with saving the Earth. If you think these simple acts can change the world, then the Go Green Club is right for you. If you're into more talk than action, then show up for Go Green Club meetings and share.

Check out http://www.worldwatch.org/resources/go_green_save_green if you want to get some great ideas about how to go green.  Get a bunch of friends together and you could be a huge part in saving your school, neighborhood, and even the world!

Living the Big Dream: A rocker’s journal By Grahm Kwasnick (Photo credit to Lauren Harris)

For most teenagers, a Friday is considered a weekly holiday. Once that final bell rings throughout the hallways, our spirits soar. As a musician, my spirits soar on weekends also. But not on Friday afternoon. On Friday afternoon, my work has just begun.

Friday 2:05pm. I walk amongst the many students toward the student parking lot, easily spotting my vehicle.  A 1993 red and white suburban, or “Burb” as we call it. For my band members, that suburban is much more than some ancient piece of metal and wheels. It’s our band vehicle. That suburban’s job is to lug a drum set, cymbals, cymbal stands, amplifiers, guitars, bass guitars and of course the band itself. That suburban has a history to us, and is much more than some vehicle. It is practically a member of the band. Sure it might reek of fast food and sweat, but it’s a smell we know to be one unlike any other. 

2:10pm. Buckling into the suburban, turning on music and setting aside our bags is something we do reflexively. It’s us removing the school side of us for the day. We’ll talk about our day at school, but then we move onto The Show. Where it is, what time “load-in” is at. When we’re going on. What we need to get. All of this consumes us as we make our way to our guitarist’s house to start packing up our gear. 

2:30pm. Arriving at guitarist Shawn Verrill’s house is a routine thing also. We enter with a direct path to food. Going a whole day without junk food is pretty hard for three teenagers with high metabolisms. After grabbing what we can, we make our way up to Shawn’s room and grab guitar chords, guitar pedals, his amplifier head and cab and, most importantly, his guitars. Trying to be as efficient as possible, we load in all the equipment into the suburban. Knowing Shawn as long as I have, I have observed some things he does before shows. Shawn will apply his Bose over-ear headphones and listen to his iPod as he gets dressed. Pumping himself up for the night is his main goal. Making sure that when his feet hit that stage he will be ready to perform at his fullest. 

3:30pm. Once we’ve told Shawn’s parents where we’re playing and what time we hope to be back, we’re off to our second destination, Richard’s house. Richard is the drummer in our band and the frequent driver of the suburban. Once at Richard’s house we all begin the procedure of putting all the drums into cases and into the suburban. But you cannot just throw the drum set into the suburban and call it alright. Richard won’t let that happen. Richard treats his drum set much like he would a mother caring for her child. Richard, and only Richard, puts the drums into the suburban. Shawn and myself simply help if he asks for it. Once the drums are in place, Richard gets his last minute things together and we move to our third destination, my house.

3:55pm. At about this time, we’re at my house. Shawn and Richard stay in my driveway in the suburban while I take care of my equipment and myself. This is one moment during the evening where I can get myself into the mindset I want to be in. But I don’t fully get into it just yet. Instead I focus on making sure I have all the cords I will need, my basses are in playable condition and most importantly, I make sure that I am. During this time I pace around my room countless times. Saying out loud all the things I have and all the things I will need for the night. “Okay got my bass cords, bass one, bass two, clothes for Shawn’s house after the show, my wallet, picks, toothbrush..” The list goes on for at least five minutes. But once I have checked off everything in my mental “Bring To Show” list, I load in my amps and guitars, and we begin the long drive to our show. 

4:00pm. Load-in is at six a’clock. The show is in Kennebunk. We’ve never played at this venue before. But we don’t really worry about it. We don’t worry about much of anything on that ride to the venue. Except our performance. This is when I enter my most focussed mind set. I don’t block myself from the world with music, I don’t close my eyes and try to relax. Nothing like that. I simply look out the window and think of my dream. The dream that has gotten me through two years in this band, over fifteen shows and countless hours of practice. The dream that one day soon, my band will be famous. I try to envision it the best I can. Picturing huge shows, thousands of people, everything you can imagine a famous rock star has and experiences. As I look out the window, that’s what I think about. And then once I have told myself that one day soon it will come true, I am back in the suburban. On the highway heading to our show. 

6:00pm. After the usual, “Dude where is this venue” fiasco, we arrive at the venue. Once we’re at the venue the three of us all head inside and we do the same thing we do at every show. We stand in the middle of the floor, looking up at the stage where we will be playing in a few hours. Then, the load in process begins.

7:00pm. We’ve brought in all our gear, one of us manages to have stubbed their toe or banged their leg on something in the process. It always happens. Lugging around forty pound amps isn’t safe, you know. But by this time the show has started, the first band starts their first song. And we arrive back at the middle of the floor, watching the band play. Richard always focuses on the drummer, making sure their drummer keeps proper time. When it comes to other drums, Richard critiques them no matter what band they’re in. He checks if they have any style when they drum, if their drum set is adequate or if the drummer does anything funny when he plays. Richard usually catches it before any of us. Shawn always pays attention to the overall song the band plays. Catching key parts where the band did well and didn’t do so well. As for me, I focus on the bass player. I have always believed that the bass player should be just as important as the guitar player. Bass players should just stand still. They’re the segway between the drums and the guitar. They’re the piece of the puzzle every band needs. I always make sure that I am the bass player that moves around the most by the end of the night. And from my perspective, I usually am.

8:30pm. The moment that I have been awaiting since 2:05 today finally presents itself. We’re on. I tune my bass. Make sure my shoes are tied and I make my way up to the stage. Once my feet have made contact to the floor, it’s near impossible to take them off. A lot of people would be really uncomfortable being up in front of fifty to a hundred people they have never seen before. But to me it’s just a challenge for me to obtain new fans. I make sure my bass is on, I make sure it’s loud and I make sure Shawn and Richard are all ready to begin. Once I get confirmation from the two. I command the audience to move around to our music, I tell a few lame jokes that are usually inappropriate and mostly make fun of Shawn or Richard. We laugh about it in that brief moment. And then we begin our first song in our set list. 

9:00pm. I don’t ever fully remember a show. I will have jumped around so much that I somehow how scrambled my own brain into only remembering bits and pieces of shows. Once we’re off stage we begin the rat race going back and forth from the stage to get our equipment off and lug it all the way back to our vehicle. Among these frequent trips is when we get a chance to talk with our fans and other bands. Richard always hears about  his fast, obnoxious drumming by other drummers. Shawn and I mingle with fans, sell merchandise and talk about the evening. We don’t like be boring. So we do our best to make sure we’re as amusing on stage as we are off the stage. As all this happens, in my head I slowly start to think less about the rest of the show and more about getting something to eat. But we need money to get food. So then I start to think about money. And once my mind sprouts the question, Shawn and Richard subconsciously wonder it also. “When are we getting paid?”

10:30pm. The final band has just played, and other bands are starting to wonder the same question. Among the three of us, Richard is usually the one to go and ask the question that’s on everyone’s mind. He tends to be good at cutting right to the point of things. With Shawn and I however, we feel a little rude asking for money. But driving from Poland to Topsham and playing half an hour should be rewarded with a little money. But we all enjoy playing the show more than we do getting the money for it.

10:45pm. This is usually one of my favorite times of the evening. We got paid, all our gear is loaded into the suburban and we’ve said goodbye to our fans. We go to the nearest fast food restaurant and we talk among ourselves about the show. This is when we reflect, when we say what was good and was was bad. We play every show as if it’s our last. And we always want to make sure we’re satisfied with our performance. 

11:30pm. Being back in Poland the only thing on our minds is going to sleep. Nothing else seems to concern us at that moment. All we want is sleep. By the time we arrive at Shawn’s we simply don’t have the energy to bring all our gear back inside. So we leave the suburban in the garage, lug ourselves up the stairs to his room and fall down wherever is comfiest. 

11:35pm. After a few minutes of laughing about the tiniest of things that would be tasteless in the daytime, we all return to the place where we started our day in. Fast asleep, dreaming about our next show. We’ll shift into high gear on a Friday afternoon, when most of our classmates are winding down.