Madeline Maurer: Theater is a great way to learn empathy
February 3, 2020
The red velvet curtains roll back on the WHS main stage, and the lights grow brighter. An actress croons the first line of the musical, then the band strikes up a tune. Behind the action onstage, junior Madeline Maurer sits in the sound booth, making every light, sound and curtain call during the show. “The...
Tony Pilla: I do it for the kids
January 13, 2020
While students zip their bags and close their binders, highly anticipating the bell ring at 3:10 p.m., one unsung hero is just starting off the work day. Custodian Tony Pilla is one of the most well-known faces who walk the halls after hours. He can be found listening to music in the Commons at night,...
Savannah Sugar: Horseback riding is a really special experience
January 9, 2020
Many students would think that driving to practice forty-five minutes, six days a week would seem exhausting, but Senior Savannah Sugar loves it. Sugar horseback rides at Holly Hills Farm in Harvard, Massachusetts, a part of her life since she was very young. “I started horseback riding when I was...
Joe Tardif: It’s about the hunt, not what you hunted
December 4, 2019
Over the span of a human’s life, different interests come upon them. Some come and go, others stick with you. For junior Joe Tardif, the drive and passion of hunting is something that has stuck with him since a young age. This is to the point where Tardif hopes to be hunting for the rest of his life “I...
Logan Homyak: The motion of flying is just exhilarating
November 25, 2019
The first half of senior year looks the same for most students: grinding out college applications and then relaxing when it's all over. Senior Logan Homyak, however, is planning to take a different path. When Homyak was just 15 years old, he joined a program that would kickstart his dream of becoming...
Mia Veljanoska: It was always a dream of mine to come to the USA
November 21, 2019
Similarly to most teens, senior Mia Veljanoska dreamt of traveling to a new country to explore the culture, make new friends and learn to be independent. Veljanoska’s dream came true after a series of interviews, exams and essays, when she found out she had been one of twelve Macedonian students chosen...
Annie Long: Start it if it’s really a passion and a hobby, and you won’t really care if you blow up
Joyce Wu
November 5, 2019
Setting up her tripod in her room, eighth grader Annie Long checks to make sure the camera is in focus, the audio is working and the legs are stable. Taking a deep breath, she hits record. “Hey guys,” she muses to the camera. “Welcome back to my channel!” Since the third grade, eighth grader...
Lilly Brooks: I like the creativity that comes with making bracelets
November 4, 2019
The average teenager may earn their money through babysitting, working at a cash register or running errands, but senior Lilly Brooks makes her own salary from her self-run online jewelry company: Avocado Avalanche. It didn’t take long for Brooks to find her passion for jewelry making – she was...
Ciara Murphy: I could make a difference in peoples’ lives
October 31, 2019
Many students at WHS plan to pursue their interest in the medical field once they head off to college. Yet, there are a lucky few who get to chase their passion during their high school years. Senior Ciara Murphy has been lucky enough to work at the Armstrong Lab, a pediatric oncology lab that is a part...
Kristin Cowell: Strengthening teaching through weightlifting
October 25, 2019
Students at WHS have come to know science teacher and yearbook adviser Kristin Cowell, but few know about her weightlifting teaching and pastime. Cowell’s hobby started when she began taking “body pump” classes at her gym, Wayside Racquet and Swim. “I started a year ago [by] taking classes...
Lucas Alvarado: Music is the one thing that connects us all
October 9, 2019
Usually, if you saw a three-year-old sitting in front of a piano, you’d want to cover your ears and hope for the best as they bang their hands across the keys. One particular three-year-old, however, might have surprised you as he ran his fingers lightly across the keys, playing a familiar tune. From...
Andrea Shang: If you lose, you have to tell yourself, ‘I can get better’
September 16, 2019
Junior Andrea Shang steps onto the fencing strip, readjusting her lamé and pulling down her mask. Heart pounding, the unranked Shang faces down a ranked opponent named Czarina Alfonso in a regional competition in New Jersey. The referee utters “en-garde.” Gripping her foil sword, Shang enters her...
