September 2007 Issue
By Jess Zellner-Kline
My favorite summer read was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. While I've enjoyed all of the Harry Potter books, the last installment was by far my favorite. As always, Rowling created a mix of action, adventure, humor, love, and sadness.
In Deathly Hallows , Harry is forced to deal with the deaths of mentors and friends as he attempts to defeat Lord Voldemort. It was one of the most serious books in that it was evident either Harry had to vanquish Voldemort or be vanquished himself. The knowledge that anything was possible in this novel made it the most gripping book of the series and kept me on the edge of my seat.
By Alex Schneider
Only a conversation with Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel could convince Anti-Defamation League (ADL) National Chair Abraham H. Foxman of the importance of recognizing the Armenian Genocide. The conversation could not have come at a more desperate time.
Over the summer, "No Place for Hate," a program run by the ADL's New England Office, came under scrutiny in Watertown when a sizeable Armenian population discovered that the ADL did not recognize the Armenian Genocide. Protests ensued and were met with a firm refusal by the ADL to change its position. The organization, founded in 1913 to combat anti-Semitism, has refused to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, fearing political retaliation by Turkey against Israel.
By David Gabriel
This summer I visited Italy, a nation that prides itself on its rich and fascinating history and culture. We flew into Rome. The first three days of our trip, we lived in an apartment a block from the Piazza Navona, a major square containing several churches, over two dozen restaurants, delicious gelato, and a beautiful fountain with a statue of the Roman gods. The plaza became a center for tourists and locals to interact and featured many performances. A local guitarist performed American rock songs by artists such as Pink Floyd and the Eagles. Another night, a break-dance group performed in the plaza with the beat of Italian and British techno and strobe lights.
By Elissa Spinner
Over the summer, Newton South went through extensive repairs and updates to prepare for the arrival of students and teachers.
The ventilation system was updated, and attempts were made to repair leaks in the roof.
In addition, a $300,000 loan provided by Mayor allowed the school to caontinue its progress on the punchlista. While there has been major progress on the punchlist items, these changes will continue to occur as the year progresses.
By Andrew Tye After the dust surrounding the rece nt New England Patriots cheating controversy settled, the team was fined $750 thousand, and could potentially lose at least one draft pick due to illegal video taping that occurred in their game against the New York Jets. More specifically, head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500 thousand, and Owner Robert Kraft was fined $250 thousand. The Patriots are accused of videotaping the Jets defensive coaches in order to "steal" their signs, and thus the knowledge of their plays.
"A wallflower in the spotlight can do one of two things: wilt, or blossom..." Melissa Walker's first book Violet on the Runway, which comes out this month, has been excerpted in Cosmogirl and reviewed in the September issue of Nylon .
Walker's book is about a high school senior named Violet Greenfield, and her journey from plain to fabulous as she is discovered as the next "it" model.
Walker, who has a bachelor's degree from Vassar College, has previously worked at both Seventeen and ELLEgirl magazines, and recently appeared on VH1's The Fabulous Life of Celebrity Kids.
Dear students,
Last month, many of you came to Newton City Hall and spoke in support of the synthetic turf playfields at your school.
As much as writing these lines pains me, I must tell you that you've been deceived. If the Board of Aldermen approves the Newturf proposal, you will not get beautiful new fields but a hot plastic spread sprinkled with rubber crumbs. Go to Newton Corner and see the new soccer field and track installed by New Balance at West Suburban YMCA.
By Tong Tong
The book Twilight by Stephenie Meyer captures the life of Bella Swan, a girl who recently moves to the small town of Forks. Though her arrival is met with wide anticipation, Bella finds life in Forks tediously monotonous--until she meets Edward Cullen. With the cadences of an earlier century, Edward is clearly not ordinary in any sense of the word, as Bella soon discovers. Although Edward appears uncomfortable the first time they meet, he has an odd tendency to appear whenever Bella finds herself in trouble. Despite his behavior, Bella becomes strangely drawn to him. She eventually learns that Edward is a vampire and soon becomes involved in a chain of events that ultimately lead to a situation where her life is hanging in the balance.
By Julia Sklar
This summer my aunt and I had the outstanding opportunity to visit Greece, a country whose influences are forever popping up in American culture. Greece is a beautiful and wonderfully hospitable country, where even the simple act of walking down the marble streets built so many yea rs ago is an awe-inspiring activity.
I had the good fortune to visit Greece during one of the worst heat waves since the 1980s. When my plane hit the tarmac, the pilot announced that it was a whopping 116 degrees Fahrenheit, and there was no cloud coverage. On my trip, we spent about ten days traveling around Athens, the Peloponnese, and the beautiful island of Santorini.
By Rebecca Goldstein
The Newton South main offi ce is now decorated with two inspirational quotes--one from Dr. Seuss and one from Ralph Waldo Emerson.
"I don't like bragging," Principal Brian Salzer said, "but I came up with the idea."
A South parent offered to cut the materials and attach the quotes to the wall.