![After Massachusetts voted to remove the MCAS graduation requirement, policy makers are reshaping graduation standards. "The top-line understanding is that we’ve moved away from a system that we’ve known for about 24 years, which is one where every school district in Massachusetts had wide latitude to decide what their graduation requirements were in terms of coursework or other experiences, but every single student, in order to earn a diploma, needed to pass the MCAS in one English, one math and one science assessment," Massachusetts Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler said. "We’ve moved away from that now, by virtue of the outcome of [the MCAS] ballot question in November, to a place where communities can still decide what their graduation requirements are, but there’s no requirement for students to pass the MCAS.”](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/img_3067_720.png)
![Troy Hoyt finishes the Boston Marathon, running for the Hoyt Foundation. T. Hoyt is the son of Hoyt Foundation CEO Russ Hoyt.
“[Running a marathon] might seem like a big thing, when it’s presented to you at first, but if you break it up and just keep telling yourself, “Yes, you can,” you can start chipping away at it. And before you know it, you’ll be running the whole 26 miles, and you won’t even think twice about it.” T. Hoyt said.](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/C36E8761-1CBB-452E-9DF2-543EF7B1095E_1_105_c.jpeg)
![At 5:45 a.m. on April 19, a reenactment of the Battles of Lexington and Concord took place at Old North Bridge in Concord. The reenactment was followed by a parade, where several dignitaries, including Gov. Maura Healey, gave speeches. "This is our generation's time, standing here in this place at this moment, we must commit ourselves to defending [freedom]," Healey said. "That's what I will do, and I encourage everyone who knows our history and values our freedom to do the same."](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/93EBB942-34BA-42D3-85A5-220D17FE7E44_1_105_c.jpeg)
![From left to right, junior Ben Pyhtila, sophomores Aadith Charry and Owen Chislett play their cello instruments. Junior Jubin Kim also plays the cello and has been playing the instrument since third grade. "I think that [the cello] is a good balance between a high instrument versus a low instrument, and I just really like the rich sound that it makes," Kim said.](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_6540-1200x800.jpg)
In the weekly series, “In Case You Missed It,” News Editor Marissa Mendoza summarizes stories from the past week with links to the corresponding WSPN article.
News:
Staff Reporters Kyle Zhang and Mack Young wrote about the Class of 2028 breaking the freshman fundraising record. Editor Marissa Mendoza briefed the Student Council officer results.
Sports:
WSPN’s Bowen Morrison shared his predictions for the 2025 NFL draft. Staff Reporter Katie Collett reported on the sailing and crew team both practicing in the Wayland side of the Cochituate Lake. Staff Reporters Alex Evangelista and Ben Jackson predicted the NBA award winners.
Opinion:
WSPN’s Olivia Green discussed the impact of Trump’s decision to stop minting pennies. Evangelista shared his opinion on the impact of misinformation in politics. Staff Reporter Kate Goodman reflected on the benefits history classes would gain from having open discussions on current events.
A&E:
Staff Reporter Nina Gandhi as she interviewed March’s artist of the month, freshman Samantha Taurisano. Meanwhile, Staff Reporters Vanessa Taxiarchis and Jillian Mele spoke with March’s Fashionistas of the Month, seniors Leroyal Hairston and Joel Cabral.
Multimedia:
Staff Reporter Ainsley Jay produced a gallery on the Wayland Archaeology Research Group. Co-Editor Sofia Ciciarelli and Staff Reporters Annabel Orcutt and Grace Zocco photographed the Class of 2025’s Senior Show performance. WSPN’s Chloe Zilembo took photos of the girls varsity lacrosse team scrimmage against Wellesley.
Broadcast:
Staff Reporters Ravi Kapadia and Owen Harrington predict the March Madness tournament alongside freshman Ethan Rojas, sophomore Adam Capello and senior Jared Lappin. Co-Editor Carolina Sdoia and Staff Reporters Melina Barris and Kapadia broke down Wayland’s news in Weekly Breakdown Episode 114.
![On Tuesday April 1, Boston Globe journalist and Boston University professor David Abel answered questions about his award-winning film “Inundation District.” The film delved into the risks of extreme floods the Seaport region of Boston is facing amidst commercial development. Abel was inspired by his climate studies that revealed grave statistics. “I have covered report after report after report with projections about how our seas are likely to rise over the coming decades,” Abel said. “And it would seem, as I would get each new report, that the worst case projections would only get [more] dire. That left me feeling like this was a really significant story that needs to be told in ways that are hard to just tell in print.”](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-06-at-9.40.04 PM-e1743990080418-1200x800.png)
