The teachers danced to “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore with a routine choreographed by junior Sydney Schaefer and senior Nina Price.

Barber originally thought of the idea of doing a flash mob.

“We enjoyed it, and we think the students did too … I think the students enjoy seeing their teachers in a different light,” Imbornone said. “Sometimes it is fun to just act silly and to not take everything so seriously.”

The teachers also performed this dance during the Student/Staff Talent Show on the evening of Tuesday, May 21 along with vice principal Allyson Mizoguchi and science teacher Kristin Wheeler.

Nick Condry | WSPN

This week, Caitlin recommends boxing as a great new work out.

Coincidentally, I went to a boxing class the very next day with two of my friends. Boxing provided exactly the kind of exercise I was looking for to challenge my body and my mind. The class provided a fast paced, interval based workout. From the very beginning, I felt like a pro as I wrapped my hands and threw on a pair boxing gloves. After the class actually started, we did three minute sets, splitting a minute in various ways (20-40, 30-30, 40-20 seconds), the first fraction we spent doing a combination with the heavy bag, and the second fraction we spent doing pushups, burpees, or some other kind of cardio like jumps or jumping jacks.

The pace of the class, as well as the variety of the combinations at the bag and off the bag made it difficult to be bored. I found that the sets were long enough to be a muscular and cardiovascular challenge, but short enough that they weren’t demoralizing — I always knew that I could make it. Also, there is an actual technique required in boxing, and focusing on correct technique kept my brain occupied.

The class was difficult for me, but by no means impossible, and I recommend it to any fitness junkie looking for a new way to spice up their routine. Boxing is a great way to release aggression and build focus. Also, boxing is like an exercise mashup, activating all muscle groups, your aerobic and anaerobic respiration, and many other elements of fitness such as power and coordination. Boxing can also be a great core workout, as it requires a lot of support from the core and requires more twisting than I was expecting. My obliques definitely were feeling it as much as my arms the next day.

Although boxing was a challenge, I would recommend it to fitness beginners or those who aren’t as excited about exercise as me, as well. Although it is a very intense workout, you can go at your own pace, and I think that the challenge of completing a difficult class would be a great way to show yourself that you can accomplish your health goals or make boxing the goal. If you aren’t confident in your training abilities, use the promise of taking yourself to a boxing class as motivation to continue your training.

If you hate working out, this isn’t for you. But, if you are a self-described couch potato, I urge you to keep an open mind. True, you will sweat, your lungs will work, your muscles will ask you to stop, and you will be sore the next day, but you will also receive a rush of endorphins that will keep you happy all day, and you will feel the strongest you’ve ever felt, and that is what working out is all about.

Courtesy of David Rockermann

Pictured above is English teacher David Rockermann's Rhode Island farm property. This will be Rockermann's last year at WHS before he embarks on a new career in farming. “With each reading of 'Walden,' I’ve wondered what it would be like to try to simplify,” Rockermann said.

To explain this decision, Rockermann described how his teaching motivated him to follow his own passion.

“Spending the past nine years exploring great works of literature with inquisitive and imaginative students has been a very significant inspiration. ‘Self-Reliance,’ ‘Walden’ and ‘Leaves of Grass’ immediately come to mind,” he said. “With each reading of ‘Walden,’ I’ve wondered what it would be like to try to simplify.”

One of the main themes in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” is the value of simplicity, and Henry David Thoreau, who was influenced by this work, embodied that idea during his time at Walden Pond by removing himself from the materialistic society that was developing around him. Rockermann teaches these works each year to his Honors American Literature classes.

Over the course of the 2012-2013 school year, Rockermann and Anne acquired the materials for this endeavor and began the planting process. First, they bought peony rootstock — the part of the peony plant from which new flowers can be grown — and by December, they had planted the first twelve rows of the sixteen they planned. By March, Rockermann had committed to being on the farm next year.

Courtesy of David Rockermann

In terms of planning, Rockermann spent a lot of time writing, particularly about the work and ways of living outside the classroom. He also made lists of potential benefits and losses, and eventually these writings culminated in his final decision to begin this new chapter.

“I won’t know what it will be like until I try it, but writing about it has been a helpful process,” said Rockermann. “I plan on taking it one day at a time.”

While Rockermann said that it was difficult to tell people about his intentions to leave, he said that the response and support has been overwhelming. Brian Keaney, the English department head, expressed his appreciation for Rockermann’s work.

“Though for selfish reasons I hate Mr. Rockermann’s decision to leave teaching, I admire his courage to pursue something that he feels strongly about and will be fulfilling in a different way than teaching,” Keaney said. “I’m sad that Mr. Rockermann is leaving, as he is a fantastic teacher and colleague. He is absolutely authentic in teaching what he values.”

Wikimedia Commons User: Miskatonic

Senior Lilyanne Lewis and sophomore Tommy Lewis compete in ballroom dancing competitions all over the world. They were introduced to ballroom dancing by their mother, who used to compete. "We become closer as a family," Lilyanne said.

The brother and sister dance competitively with the United Country Western Dance Council (UCWDC), a type of ballroom dancing with a “western twist.” Tommy started four years ago, and Lilyanne followed a year later.

While they don’t dance as a pair or compete against each other, they do spend time together frequently while practicing, and they attend some competitions together.

“We’re closer, but I don’t think it comes directly from the fact that we dance,” said Tommy.

“I don’t really think that there are any negative things that happen because we dance together. It just means that we become closer as a family,” added Lilyanne.

Besides getting to spend time together as a family, the Lewis siblings also benefit from watching each other.

“There’s definitely still a lot to learn from watching anyone else, even if they’re at their first lesson. You can always learn from watching someone,” said Tommy.

Through their competitions, the pair has learned about different cultures and have matured as individuals.

“Dancing has made me come out of my skin. I used to not talk a lot, but meeting all these people, and everyone’s so nice and so social, you just definitely grow as a person,” said Lilyanne.

Lilyanne and Tommy’s visions for the future differ. Lilyanne plans to keep dancing as a hobby. Tommy wants to continue dancing for the rest of his life, and hopes to see this type of dancing become an Olympic sport.

“I hope to continue with it my entire life, but I think I’m a little more serious about it, in that I would like to stay in the competitions forever, as long as I can,” said Tommy. “It will always be something I do.”

Caitlin O'Keeffe

Across the country, a dangerous amount of emphasis is placed on college admission, detracting from learning in high school. WHS could do more to combat this trend. Delaying the creation of Naviance accounts is a good place to start.

At WHS, the emphasis on college acceptance has reached an all time high. From day one, everything is about putting together a strong college portfolio and preparing for collegiate admission success. This transfer of focus from high school learning to college acceptance is dangerous.

According to Fifty Years of College Choice: Social, Political and Institutional Influences on the Decisionmaking Process by Jillian Kinzie, Megan Palmer, John Hayek, Don Hossler,
Stacy A. Jacob and Heather Cummings, top colleges’ admission selectivity has been on the incline since the 1980s. This increased competition requires students to spend more time, energy and money on the admission process.

Before this spike in college admission competition, students better utilized high school to obtain well-rounded educations and pursue subjects of interest. Now, students are increasingly using high school to put together strong college resumes. According to a recent USC study, students are passing up on courses of interest to better their admissions success probability.

Students at WHS are following the trend of prioritizing competitively applying for college over all other aspects of high school. Consequently, WHS students are putting less time into learning.

Putting so much effort into college admissions isn’t wise. College isn’t right for everyone, and grades aren’t everything. More importantly, emphasis in high school should be on getting a solid education instead of getting into the ideal college.

This problem extends far past WHS; nonetheless, WHS administrators are partly responsible for placing too much emphasis on college preparation.

At WHS, classes are identified as “college preparatory” courses. Teachers post grades online immediately via Engrade, so students can keep up to the minute tabs on their GPAs. Worst of all, Naviance accounts are given to all students at a premature age.

Naviance is a site that compares students’ grades and test scores to the scores of applicants accepted into various schools. Any stat that is below the average acceptance rate glares at users in red font.

When used in moderation, the site is helpful. It gives students a rough idea of what schools are in reach. Unfortunately, there are many downsides to Naviance.

First, it is rare to find someone who uses Naviance in moderation, as prowling through the colleges is addicting. Many WHS students who use Naviance find themselves hooked and spend their free time comparing themselves to their “dream schools’” accepted students. Using these accounts deducts attention from high school work, and instead causes students to obsess over college acceptance.

More dangerously, Naviance does not account for what WHS students do outside the classroom. Extracurriculars play a big part in high school learning and remaining well-rounded and healthy. Unfortunately, Naviance disregards this important piece of high school, downplaying the significance of putting effort into work that does not boost GPAs.

A good step to restoring value in the worth of a high school education at WHS is to stop handing out Naviance accounts to students so early.

While Naviance is a valuable resource for junior and seniors, there is no reason a student should be receiving an account in January of their sophomore year. At that stage, the GPAs on Naviance are based solely on grades from freshman year.

What matters most is what I take away from my time at WHS. The skills I learn and the memories I make will stick with me forever. The college where I initially apply these skills isn’t imperative.

So lets put away Naviance and Engrade for a little longer. Maybe we can use this time to learn more and make some memories.

There will be plenty of time to get excited about colleges and look ahead to the extended future. But for now, as a sophomore, I’m going to focus on high school and on earning a high school education. Well, at least I’m going to try. Let’s all push the college letters a little further from our minds. We’ll open them when they’re here.

Miles Adler describes his newfound passion for drama

Carter Pedersen explains his behind-the-scenes role

WSPN looked into some statistics of the class of 2014′s prom. WSPN has reported the number of people in each grade attending prom and the number of people who ordered each type of meal.

Martin Narciso | WSPN

Wandering Backpack asks what would you bring if you had 10 minutes to pack a bag with your most treasured items, knowing you wouldn’t be back for years.

Wallet: This has my license and credit card so I can identify myself and buy things.

Cards: So I can risk my life in dramatic poker duels in Cold War Russia.

Fake mustache: For self defense.

Deodorant: This is a necessity.

Grip trainer: This is an obsession.

Emblem of karate dojo: A huge part of who I am.

Audio book: It’s an audio book of my favorite book, which keeps me connected to my childhood love of story telling.

Works of Shakespeare: The greatest poet in the English language.

Martin Narciso | WSPN

CC/Flickr user: stevendepolo

A standard tuxedo is pictured above. In the months preceding prom, attendees must decide what style they'll wear at the event.

What’s the best way to pick a tuxedo for prom night? Coming from the guy who wore a collared shirt to my neighbor’s formal wedding, there are a few. With prom right around the corner, now’s the time for the gentlemen of WHS to find the right tuxedo and look our best for the big night.

After my second time renting a tuxedo for prom, I have come to a few conclusions. Prom-goers seem to fall into two categories: those who want to blend in and those who want to stand out. Which approach you take is up to personal preference, but that decision is only the first step toward getting the right tuxedo for the right price.

Before making any final decisions on your tuxedo, make sure that your date approves of your choice. Even if you are determined to get a certain kind of tuxedo, be prepared to make some compromises to adjust to what your date wants. It’s the gentlemanly thing to do.

The first thing people will notice about your tuxedo is its color. While there’s a minor obligation for guys to match at least one part of the tuxedo with the color of their date’s dress, there’s still an opportunity for them to choose some of the colors they want.

For the traditional tuxedo look, black and grey tuxedos do the trick. Remember, choosing to blend in with the masses doesn’t have to mean looking mediocre. A colored tie with a black jacket can be a great combination for guys who want to look slightly different without standing out.

For those looking to steal the spotlight, there are white jackets, pink bow ties and blue vests. Fewer people choose this option, but that’s what makes it more unique.

The second most important aspect of your tuxedo is its style. Although the main decision may be whether to pick a tie or a bowtie, there are smaller decisions to make, too. Different styles can allow even a simple black tuxedo and vest combination to look great. Tuxedo shoppers can pick different lapel sizes, tie styles, jacket pockets and jacket cuts to improve the look of a tuxedo and stand out as much or as little as desired. Finding the right style of tuxedo can provide the right balance of flash without attracting too much attention.

The great thing about picking out a tuxedo is that it allows boys to turn as many or as few heads as they want. You can choose to fit seamlessly into the crowd or be the life of the party; either way, you can have a night to remember.

Remember, clothes certainly aren’t everything. They won’t dictate how well you get along with your date or the overall success of your prom. But putting effort into finding the right tuxedo can boost confidence and help guys look special, providing a change from the daily t-shirts and shorts.

Amidst the boys’ search for the perfect tux, the ladies of WHS search tirelessly for dresses, posting their choices in a rather large facebook group to ensure no one else buys “their” dress. The guys will likely never match this level of dedication to prom fashion, but picking the cheapest tux available is a missed opportunity.

Prom is their perfect occasion to coordinate fashion and dress up for a change. Renting a tuxedo gives guys the opportunity to shine. Styles change, but tuxedos always remain classy.

Finding the right tux can help out the gentlemen of WHS as it presents a shot for boys to match with their date and take good pictures together.

More importantly, picking out a tuxedo allows boys to turn as many or as few heads as they want. For the flashy kids, there are white jackets, pink bow ties and blue vests.

For those of us who want to better fit in with the crowd this year, black and grey tuxedos do the trick. However, choosing to blend in with the masses does not have to mean looking mediocre.

Different styles can allow even a simple black tuxedo and vest combination to look great. Tuxedo shoppers can pick different lapel sizes, tie styles, jacket pockets and jacket cuts to improve the look of a tuxedo and stand out as much or as little as desired. Finding the right style of tuxedo can provide the right balance of flash without alienating oneself.

Clothes certainly aren’t everything. They won’t dictate how well you get along with your date or the success of your prom. But putting effort into finding the right tuxedo can boost confidence and help guys look special, providing a change from the daily t-shirts and shorts.

I’ll never have the dedication to fashion that many have, but I enjoy getting dressed up every now and then. Prom tuxedos are a shot to do so. Different styles offer a variety of choices, but only for those who take the time to shop. So unlike the average morning, I’m going to put some effort into how I look for prom. Tuxedo rentals offer guys an opportunity, let’s not miss out.

Choosing a dress

A lot goes into planning prom. Whether you’re finding a date, organizing transportation or choosing your table, there are many choices to be made. For girls, one of the most important choices is your dress. We’ve all heard stories of dress successes and failures, and even rumors of the infamous dress Facebook group, where girls claim their dresses. For some girls, choosing a dress can be a pretty big deal.

Girls can spend months searching for dresses, and some of them have their dresses before they even have their dates. Typically, girls visit websites (thanks, 1:1) to look at dresses and check out the latest styles. Department stores are also useful in figuring out what you want in a dress.

Once you have chosen a dress, it’s time to claim it. In my opinion, this is the weirdest part of the entire process. There is a Facebook group dedicated to claiming dresses. As soon as a girl finds a dress, they post a picture or a link to it on this group. Then, other girls “like” the post or comment on it.

Once a girl has posted and claimed her dress, that specific dress is hers. If another girl wants to wear the same dress, she has to ask the girl who posted a picture of it. I personally think this is rather stupid. I understand that people want to be unique, but I don’t think that desire should prevent people from wearing what you want to wear. I think every girl should be allowed to wear whatever dress she wants, even if someone has already “claimed” it. People want to look their best at prom and they want to wear whatever suits them. Also, if you think a particular dress is special, chances are someone else will too. I don’t think one person’s desire to be unique should prevent others from wearing a dress they love.

I think the idea of claiming a dress is bizarre, but I have to admit, I posted my dress relatively early. I didn’t find and post my dress early because I wanted to claim it, but I posted it because I wanted to get the process over with. Why? Because I liked the dress and I didn’t want to spend too much time obsessing over it. For some people, their prom dress is a big deal, but personally, as long as I like the dress, then I’m fine with it. While some girls are spending hours looking for their special dress, I chose the very first dress I tried on.

Just because I didn’t want to spend too much time looking for a dress doesn’t mean I understand why some girls do. It is definitely important to feel beautiful and confident at prom, and if you need a particular dress to feel that way, then do what you need to find it. Personally, a dress isn’t the most important part of prom for me. I don’t want to remember my prom as a stressful time. Instead of stressing out over minor details, I would rather enjoy my prom and remember it for the fun time I had instead of the style of my dress.

Sammy Keating | WSPN

Above, senior Nikhil Mysore works on his senior project. Mysore is currently developing five different portfolios with different investment strategies for his senior project. "I thought investing would be a good idea to see if I would want to do it in the future," Mysore said.

During the second semester of the school year, seniors are given this choice in the form of senior projects. Seniors can choose to work on a project about the topic of their choice and, in exchange, drop at least one of their classes during the last part of the school year.

“I thought it would be cool to do something different and try something a little out of the ordinary for the ending of my senior year,” said senior Nina Price.

This year, eight seniors chose to do a senior project. The topics of this year’s projects vary from creating jewelry to investing in the stock market.

Students will dedicate anywhere from five to 20 hours per week on their projects.

Influenced by her love of dance and choreography, Price is taking the opportunity to study the evolution of jazz, ballet and hip-hop. She will write papers on each of the styles and choreograph dance routines in each style as well.

“I was interested in learning more about where dance came from,” Price said.

Price does not aspire to a career in dance, but, unlike her, several other students have opted to study topics that they are interested in pursuing as careers. Senior Nikhil Mysore plans to create five different portfolios with different investment strategies and to observe how his investments grow over a five week period.

“I thought investing would be a good idea to see if I would want to do it in the future,” Mysore said.

Also hoping to use her senior project to further her career, senior Kiara Maloney is working with senior Jaimie Forti to make several stranded necklaces made of gladdis yarn and beads. These necklaces will be sold at an artisan fair, and the profits will go to the Jim Griffin Fund.

“We’ll hopefully make a large inventory of different styles of necklaces, and we’ll see how much money we make,” Maloney said. “I definitely want to do something with clothes or jewelry [as a career].”

The level of research required of students is just as varied as their project topics.

Some students, like Maloney and Forti, are not doing extensive research because their projects will be made physically. Similarly, senior Sorenna Brown is creating a silent movie for her senior project, and Laura Mead and Amelia Haney are designing and creating original outfits from fabrics and clothing found in secondhand or vintage shops.

However, students like seniors Madi Brown and Price have taken alternative methods for researching their topics.

Brown, who is digging into her family history to find her connection with Civil War Lieutenant E. Elmer Ellsworth, has been studying Ellsworth’s letters and journals that her grandmother gave her.

Price, on the other hand, has been watching videos of jazz, ballet and hip-hop in order to visualize the styles’ evolutions.

All eight seniors will be presenting and discussing their projects in the Media Center on May 28 at 7 p.m. The participants’ teachers, mentors and family members are invited, and all students are welcome as well.

Nick Condry | WSPN

This week, Ally reviews Shake Shack, and raves about their 'Shroom Burger.

Shake Shack has been the talk among many students for the past few weeks, and I had been looking forward to trying it out myself. Now that I have, I can confidently say that it’s a “must-try.”

It was difficult to miss the huge “Shake Shack” sign written in all caps and positioned next to a metal hamburger outline on the exterior of the building. I pulled into the parking lot, and was lucky to get a space because it was quite crowded. Excited to get my food, I walked past expansive outdoor seating to stand in the long line that started upon entry into the Shack. I was expecting a long wait, but the line moved surprisingly fast.

The menu was enlarged on the wall, as well as on the outside of the Shack. I scanned the different categories with a grumbling stomach. There is really something for everyone at Shake Shack. Between burgers, hot-dogs, custards, shakes, fries and more, you can’t go wrong with your order.

I wasn’t very impressed with the decor. There were simple benches, tables, chairs and two flat screen TV’s on the walls. They did have a spigot of tap water with plastic cups as a free drink option, though, which I thought was a good idea.

The simple decor was a minor blemish; the mouth-wateringly delicious food completely made up for it.

Their burgers are 100% all-natural angus beef and are cooked medium unless otherwise requested. They start as cheap as $3.75, and the most expensive burgers are $8.50. It was very difficult for me to decide what to eat, but I finally settled on the ‘Shroom Burger (a crisp fried portobello mushroom burger filled with melted muenster and cheddar cheese, topped with lettuce, tomato, and ShakeSauce), cheese fries and a chocolate peanut butter shake.

The ‘Shroom Burger was to die for. It was crispy on the outside with warm, melty cheese under the fried coating. The crinkle cut Yukon potato fries were seasoned with salt and pepper and came with a sauce that was blended with cheddar and American cheese. The fries were flavorful on their own, but even better when dipped in the sauce.

The chocolate-peanut butter shake was the best shake I have ever had. It was smooth, creamy and thick, with rich chocolate and peanut butter flavor. No matter what you are in the mood for, a Shake Shack shake is a must-buy. Shake Shack also offers the option of Concretes, which include Shake Shack’s special custard blended with a variety of optional mix ins.

This month, if you donate $2 to their No Kid Hungry campaign with your order, you will receive a card for a free shake on your next visit.

My dining companions all ordered burgers, and they raved about the quality of the beef. They especially loved the Double Shack Burger, complete with two patties, lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce. The one recommendation I have is for the Shack to increase its burger topping options for a more customizable order.

Overall, I would highly recommend Shake Shack when you are looking for an inexpensive, casual and high-quality bite to eat. It is a must-visit for sure. I cant wait to go back!

Open daily: 11AM – 11PM

Sam Breslin

The logo for Platform Athletics is pictured above. WHS football coach Sam Breslin and his former Colgate teammate Alex Relph founded Platform Athletics, a company that creates online training schedules for teams during their seasons and off-seasons, at the beginning of this year. “It evolved into something that we think a lot of other people could use too, so we decided to run with it,” Breslin said.

These are just a few exercises you would find on one of Platform Athletic’s off-season training schedules. Each schedule is tailored to a specific team’s athletic needs.

Wayland High School football coach, Sam Breslin and his fellow Colgate graduate and teammate, Alex Relph, launched Platform Athletics online in January 2013 to create a program that gives high school coaches access to knowledge that only strength and conditioning professionals might have, so they can create the most effective off-season training program for their players.

“It’s a way for teams of any level to implement a full in season/off-season workout schedule, along with all the other things that come with running an athletic program,” Breslin said.

They originally created the program to address the issues they had faced while coaching football teams.

“It evolved into something that we think a lot of other people could use too, so we decided to run with it,” Breslin said.

Breslin works with the programming for strength and conditioning training, while Relph works more with the networking and business aspects of the company, although they share most of the responsibilities.

In order to get the word out about their company, the duo traveled to different football and strength and conditioning conventions.

“It’s a lot of fun, but it’s a lot of work too, especially at the first couple conventions where no one really knew who we were. It was kind of hard to break the ice and get people to understand what you’re there for,” Breslin said.

After attending numerous conventions, the company became better known to coaches, and Platform Athletics now has personalized off-season training schedules for around 15 schools including Wayland High School, Wellesley High School and Newton South High school.

Breslin and Relph are currently working to become more known in the athletic community, as well as get feedback on their business. Within the next year, they hope to finalize Platform, and within the next year and a half, their goal is to have 100 or so schools to work with.

Breslin’s passion for the company stems from his love of football and coaching.

“It follows our passions — football, coaching, strength-training and conditioning are all things that I live and breathe every day. It’s something I use on a regular basis, so I care about it just as much as I care about it being successful.”

Nick Condry | WSPN

This week, Harry argues that referees deserve more respect than we've been giving them.

This past week, there were two blown calls in the MLB, one that even blew a game. In one of the calls, the umpire simply did not know the rules (he has been suspended), and in the other, the umpire simply blew the call even after watching video replay. People were calling for these games to be replayed. There were huge outcries over these two calls.

The reason I am bringing this up is to calm everybody down.

Human error is part of the game. As a baseball player, I try my hardest not to talk to the ump or disrespect him. He has a hard job. I know that some players act differently. Some of them even like to argue to get calls turned their way.

But in reality, it doesn’t matter. There are blown calls at all levels of the game. Believe it or not, refs couldn’t care less about us. Do you think they really care who wins a high school sporting event? We complain about refs and umpires way too often.

Yes we should always play hard, but calls won’t always go our way. When I hear people arguing that referees should just be computers and robots I get offended. Sports are fun and are supposed to be carefree. Do we really need robots running our life? No we don’t. Human error is a part of the game. Just deal with it.

In other news, congratulations to the sailing team for going 9-1 on the season. In only their third year of existence, they have become successful.

Also, congratulations to sophomore Will Sharton who was ranked fourth overall in the boys 16 and under bracket.

Keep checking Warrior Scores for all of your daily score updates as we get closer and closer to tournament time. Believe it or not, it is actually updated daily.

“I didn’t mean to hit the umpire with the dirt, but I did mean to hit that bastard in the stands.”
— Babe Ruth

Martin Narciso | WSPN

Wandering Backpack asks what would you bring if you had 10 minutes to pack a bag with your most treasured items, knowing you wouldn’t be back for years.

Chocolate: I can’t live without it.

Passport: So I can go anywhere.

Scarf: It’s the best fashion accessory.

Globe marble: I’ve had it since eighth grade and I take it on any big trip.

Little cross: To remind me what’s important to me.

Kindle Fire: So I can read and stay connected.

Journal: So I can write about what I experience.

French book: To help me keep my French sharp.

Pictures of family: Because I love them.

Martin Narciso | WSPN

Martin Narciso | WSPN

Nate and Blake break down the stock market for the average high school student.

You might find yourself asking the question: Why does the stock price increase solely because there is more demand? The answer is that when demand increases, eventually buyers outnumber sellers, and these buyers are willing to pay more for the stock. This means that there are buyers competing to get stock in the company, also known as shares, and the price will rise. The opposite would happen if you were dealing with a decrease in demand for a stock because, in that case, there would be more sellers than buyers, causing the sellers to drop prices because they are competing with other sellers.

Now, you may be wondering why people are so interested in stocks. Many people spend hours following the Dow Jones and other stock market indicators, but most high school kids don’t know why. The answer is simple; other than getting a good education and a job, stocks are the number one way to make money. In the course of its lifetime, the stock market has averaged 9% growth per year, and in the long run, over 90% of stocks see a rise in prices. So, not only are you beating inflation by investing in the stock market, but you are also making far beyond what you would with any reasonable alternatives. If you stored money in a savings account, your money would experience roughly 1% growth at max, and bonds make about 4.8% in interest a year. With today’s high schoolers needing an estimated five million dollars to retire, making as much money as possible is critical.

Many high school students are overwhelmed by the idea of getting involved in the stock market, mainly because it seems so complicated and foreign to them. Our overall goal is to make stocks easy for the average high schooler to understand. Now that you understand what a stock is, you will need to know how to go about buying them. For a high school student, we recommend an online brokerage (a company that facilitates the trading of stocks on the Internet) because of their low cost and simplicity. We both have Scottrade accounts, and we would recommend one to anyone who wants to get into buying stocks. You need $500 to start an account, and you can purchase and sell almost any stocks for a flat rate of $7 a transaction. You must be 18 to have your own account, but luckily Scottrade makes it easy to set up a custodial account, an account in a parent’s name that the child has control over.

Keep in mind, though, that stock brokers make money whenever you make trades. This means that a broker should be considered a salesperson first and an advisor second. Make sure when you invest in a stock you are doing it because you believe the company will succeed. The stock price depends completely on how the company is doing and investor confidence in how the company will do in the future. This is our first word of advice on purchasing stocks, and next month’s article on choosing the right stocks will explain other ways to evaluate stocks you are considering buying.

The flash mob served to promote Window’s upcoming performance, “Wonderland,” which the dance ensemble is currently selling tickets for in the commons during lunch.

“I thought it was great, and it got us pumped for the show. We all have a lot of fun together, and it will be awesome performing after we’ve worked so hard,” freshman dancer Liana Frangioni said.

Performances of “Wonderland” will take place at 7:30 p.m. this Thursday night through Saturday night on the main stage, with tickets costing $7 for students and $10 for adults.

The completely student run and choreographed performance was directed by senior Nina Price and juniors Sydney Schaefer and Rose Cormier.

“I’m really excited to perform and we’re excited to be back on the stage again,” Price said. “Hopefully we’ll have a good audience.”