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Digital Learning Requirement Changed for Class of 2028

December 13, 2024

By Christina Saad
STAFF WRITER

In past years, the requirement for Digital Learning was grouped with Fine Arts as a 1.5 credit graduation requirement. This meant if someone took all art courses, they wouldn’t have to take any digital learning courses. The School Committee decided last year that it would be better to have these classes separated from then on so that students could experiment in both departments.

“We want kids to be exposed to the arts,” Shereen Rancourt, the Executive Director of Secondary Instruction said, “and also be exposed to things like business and computer design, so that’s why it’s different for the Class of 2028 and beyond.”

In the Andover High School Program of Studies, courses grouped under Digital Learning consist of Business, Web and Game Design, Film and Video Production, Broadcast Journalism, and the recently added AP Economics class. However, some Digital Learning classes are grouped under multiple departments, so they may be found elsewhere. For example, Computer Science classes count as a Math credit or a Digital Learning credit.

CORRESPONDENT PHOTO / Ethan Nguyen
The Computer Science room.

“If you need it for one or the other, you kind of use it where you need it,” Rancourt said.

Although for some students taking the courses may just mean fulfilling a requirement, program coordinators and teachers emphasized its importance beyond high school.

“The decision… also came from some of our program coordinators who were interested in giving more options to students,” Assistant Superintendent Julie Riley said, “[to] test out things they were interested in before… applying to colleges, so people have more of an understanding of what they may want to go into.”

Marianne Bezaire, a technology teacher, explained how Digital Learning is an important life skill to have in this world.

“Just like communication in general in math, I think digital literacy is important…,” Bezaire stated, “Not everyone needs to necessarily be learning the intricacies of Java… but I think it’s great if they can understand some of the concepts of logic and design.”

Articles Sports

Swim captain reflects on value of sports as final season approaches

December 13, 2024

By Avery Slaughter
STAFF WRITER

Luke Suh, a senior at Andover High School, is entering his final year on the boy’s swim team as a newly-appointed captain.

While he won’t be continuing to swim competitively in college, the sport has played a vital role in his relationships and identity as a person.

Though he had been swimming competitively since first grade, joining the school’s team in his freshman year was a big adjustment. The focus on community was very different from what he was used to on his various club teams, but the change was an overall positive one. While club swim had a more individualistic approach with an emphasis on personal skills and abilities, the AHS team focused on how they made each other better.

“On the high school team, I definitely feel like I’m doing something more than just for myself,” Suh said.

The emphasis on being a cohesive team assisted Suh in finding many friends at AHS through swimming. This was especially true when he was an underclassman. The shift up to high school was made significantly easier by his position on the team.

In addition to gaining a sense of community, competitive swimming has also helped him build character and leadership skills. As someone new to AHS, the sport assisted him in finding his place in the school. Alternatively, as a sophomore and junior, it allowed him to develop perseverance and discipline in an environment removed from academics. As a captain, that responsibility will be emphasized, but he plans to meet the new challenge head-on.

“I’m supposed to be a good example and all that does definitely build character,” Suh said.

Like many of the sports at AHS, the boy’s swim team is a large commitment. During the season, they meet every weekday for around an hour and frequently meet on weekends as well. Despite the long hours on the weekdays and the occasional meetings during Winter Break, Suh has kept a firmly optimistic attitude regarding the crowded schedule.

Suh said a student should do clubs and sports because they enjoy them, not because they feel obligated to do them. In addition to swimming, Suh also participates in DECA and the Quiz Team. Because of these three activities, he doesn’t have a surplus of free time. His mindset has helped him balance all of his responsibilities.

“It’s a commitment that you make,” Suh said, “and so I just tell myself that I’ve decided to do this, and I’m going to do my best with whatever I’m assigned to do.”

While he still loves swimming, Suh won’t be continuing his competitive career in college. Regardless, he will continue to swim as a recreational activity. It helps him maintain his physical health, but, more importantly, there is another major benefit he gains from it.

“I’m doing [swim] because I enjoy it,” Suh said. “So I don’t care how much time I have to spend or how much sleep I lose. I don’t care. It’s just about doing well.”

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How Much Pep Could a Pep Rally Rally, If A Pep Rally Could Rally Pep

December 13, 2024

By Jillian Slotnick
SPORTS EDITOR

Student Government and the Jungle organized the celebration, which consisted of pie-eating contests, tug-of-war, and team competitions. This year, students took a major role in planning, as opposed to last year’s rally, which was mainly coordinated by Interim Principal Betty Taylor. The rally was attended by the entire school and had participation from students, teachers, and even Principal Jimmy D’Andrea.

The pep rally is a tangible example of all the work student organizations, such as Student Government and the Jungle, do. Senior Salma Ali, a member of Student Government and one of the main pep rally organizers, said, “We want to get more people excited. A lot of people want to skip the last day or skip the pep rally, so we want to get people more excited, which is why we’re having the Jungle leaders as MCs. [Hopefully] they’ll get people hyped and push them to get involved and be a part of it for the next [few] years.”

Student participation is the heart of any successful pep rally, and at AHS, the energy students bring is unmatched. From chanting school cheers to yelling for their friends, the enthusiasm from the students sets the tone for the event. This year, a number of fall sports, from girl’s swimming and diving to golf, participated in the pep rally. The event planners hoped that competing in events like tug-of-war will serve as bonding experiences and demonstrate team unity.

Unlike in past pep rallies, there was no teacher dance or speech from football coach Ernest Perry. Additional activities are the balloon relay, band performances, and Jungle Leaders also acting as MCs. These changes will hopefully allow for greater student engagement.

STAFF PHOTO/ Jillian Slotnick
Students collide during relay game.

The planning and care put into the pep rally is obvious, and reflected by the palpable excitement shown by the students during the event. Connor Acheson, a captain of the football team, said, “I love [the pep rally]. I think we should have more [of them]. I think the team and everybody in the school get super excited, and it’s a lot of fun: super high energy. And it definitely helps before the big game.”

Perry expressed a similar opinion. “The school really likes it and the players seem to like it [as well],” he said. ”Everybody’s really into it. The energy is great, especially so close to the game. I think it really gets us into that mindset of the Thanksgiving [game] and needing to give it our all because it’s the last time we’ll step on that field this season.”

According to Ali, the annual pep rally does not only increase excitement for the Thanksgiving Day football game, but also elevates overall school pride. By bringing the whole community together, it forms a stronger bond between AHS students. Even administrators have noticed the positive change pep rallies and the presence of the Jungle has on school spirit.

Athletic Director Wayne Puglisi said, “I think that the Jungle has had some great turnouts for our home football games. They’re very supportive of other sports [as well,] which is great to see since that’s not been the case in the past. I feel like school spirit is slowly coming back [after COVID and our changing leadership]. Just the way that students act in the Jungle, how they cheer, and what they do for the different teams and different programs; it’s pretty cool.”

Articles Community

Germs Gone Viral

December 13, 2024

By Samantha Sun
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

As the crisp autumn air gives way to the chill of winter, the familiar sounds of sniffles and coughs fill the hallways of Andover High School. Inside, classrooms are sprinkled with empty tissue boxes, weary faces, and feverish temperatures.

For many students, this is a yearly struggle: balancing rigorous schoolwork while battling illnesses that leave them drained and struggling to keep up.

Junior Aki French knows the struggle all too well. On a recent chilly Sunday, a dull headache settled in, followed by dizziness. “I noticed my head [started to] hurt [and] I got super cold,” French said. Outside, she bundled up in six layers, trying to fight it off despite the weather. Already, she suspected that the illness might be more serious than the average cold.

The confirmation came swiftly—through a COVID test, she discovered the coronavirus had struck for the second time, the first time being in 2021 over quarantine. French wasn’t surprised; a friend of hers had recently tested positive for COVID. French theorized she caught the virus from her friend. French’s first and second experiences were similar; her days were filled with fevers, headaches, and resting to recover quickly. However this time, the sickness felt more daunting as a junior in high school.

Finally returning after a week of recovery, she found herself with a mountain of work. “I missed three quizzes and two essays because I got COVID,” French said with a sigh. As a hardworking student taking two AP courses, she had to put in extra effort to catch up with the rest of her classmates. This meant staying after school for tutoring from her physics teacher, finishing quizzes during H-Block, and getting through homework as quickly as possible.

“It was very hard to manage… I think I managed it,” French laughed, reflecting upon her efforts to catch up. “But a lot of teachers and my guidance counselor helped me to arrange the schedule of testing and homework.” This was something French gratefully advised all students to do: ask for help from counselors, teachers, and parents.

Health teacher Candice McVeigh expressed a similar opinion. “It’s important to advocate for yourself if you are feeling overwhelmed,” said McVeigh. Oftentimes, getting support helps lessen the stress and burden of getting back into school and making up work.

Cases like French’s are all too common. Students often find themselves buried under work after just a few days away due to illness. Due to less sunshine and being indoors more, it’s easier to contract an illness, McVeigh explained.

“Schedules tend to get busier with the change of seasons,” said school nurse Heidi Katz. “People get run down and self-care is often not high on the priority list.”

The most common illness? The common cold, which prompts the most visits to the nurse’s office. The flu is the second most common contender at AHS.

The flu and common cold are contracted through coughing, sneezing, or touching contaminated surfaces. The best ways to prevent them is by washing your hands thoroughly, getting lots of rest, and drinking enough fluids. There are also annual flu and COVID vaccinations, which can help lower the chances of catching them.

“Everyone is so busy and anxious about missing school, clubs, sports, they don’t allow themselves to fully recover,” said school nurse Melissa Sucharewicz.

While it can be nerve-wracking to miss a lot of school from being sick, if illnesses are not properly treated, they can potentially increase the length and severity of the sickness. It is best to let the body heal on its own before tackling school work, extracurriculars, or sports.

McVeigh observed that a lot of upperclassmen, especially those taking harder classes, often prioritize school work over their health. “First and foremost, I believe—maybe it’s because I’m a health teacher—that you have to take care of yourself to make sure that there is a balance [in your schedule],” she said.

She emphasized that finding a balance includes taking care of homework assignments, having downtime, and taking care of the body properly.

Finding time for each of these factors is the hardest part, as time management is not an easy task. Too much or too little of either of these can create a dysfunctional schedule. While schoolwork is a priority as a student, so is taking care of our health. It’s important for all students at AHS to remember that self-care is equally crucial as keeping up to date with homework and tests.

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The Empowering Role that Principals Play

November 13, 2024

We are all in different places in our educational careers. Some of us are just starting high school, while others are getting ready to move on to college. But as we walk different paths forward, we have one thing that unites us; one thing that makes us all smile in the mornings, a constant presence in our lives. In the crowded hallways of AHS, we all can stand on common ground: our love of our new principal, Jimmy D’Andrea.

We believe he is the key to raising school spirit and community at AHS. This year will be filled with a continuation of the joy that Jimmy has brought so far, and we can’t wait to see it. His enthusiasm is infectious, as we see him show up game after game and concert after concert, Every morning when we hear Jimmy’s bright voice over the loudspeaker, when he shows up time and again to sports events, concerts, and club meetings, his love for AHS is clear. He has demonstrated true care and commitment to the student body, even in his admittedly short term, and we love him for it.

Jimmy’s legacy at AHS has just begun, and we can’t wait to see him continue to build the school community.

New APs Coming to AHS

November 13, 2024

Harry Guo

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

There are simply not enough APs! It just feels like the amount of homework is just not enough for us students who are underworked and unoccupied with other activities. To remedy this issue, the College Board has announced a bunch of new APs. I’ll go through the ones that are coming to AHS this school year:

APULL: The class for students to enroll in during their senior year after taking APUSH (AP US History). The topic of this class is seduction, with the goal of helping students pull a girlfriend or boyfriend. However, designers are still struggling to get a higher average class grade than 0% in recent trials.

AP Brain Rot: In this introductory college-level skibidi studies course, students cultivate their understanding of brain rot from the founding of the Sigma to the present through analyzing historical sources and learning to make connections and craft historical arguments as they explore concepts like John Pork identity; doom scrolling, rizzing, and mewing; geography and the Grimace Shake environment; looksmaxxing and mogging; the role of Fanum Tax; brain rot from the screen to the ring to the pen to the king; brain rot and TikTok Rizz Party culture; and social structure of the Costco Guys.

AP Algebra II: In an effort to make more money—I mean, to enrich the skill sets of high school students—the College Board will introduce AP Algebra II, the prerequisite for the newly formed AP Precalculus course.

AP Personal Fitness: Focuses on the art of pretending to work out when the teacher walks by.

AP Computer $$$cience: I did NOT fumble on the keyboard. This course might look like a long-lost cousin of AP Computer Science A or AP Computer Science Principles, but it’s a completely different beast. I’m talking about a class designed for those future computer scientists who’ve got nothing but dollar signs in their eyes. The course kicks off with a unit composed of how to find a job in an oversaturated job market, with the last unit teaching students about how to handle a midlife crisis. What’s a computer science career without a dash of existential reflection?

AP Lunch: Lettuce not get carried away here, this class won’t be as easy as pie… the steaks in this class are very high. Let’s get to the meat of the situation: if you don’t get at least seconds during lunch or don’t have the money in your account to, you’re going to end up in a pickle. This AP isn’t for everyone, it’s going to cost a lot of cheddar. Eggscuse me with how corny I was milking all these puns just now; there is good news, despite how fishy this course may seem. If you get a 4 or 5, you walnut have to take lunch in college.

AP Calculus ABC: If you’re the kind of student who tackles AP Calculus BC with the grace of a baby giraffe on roller skates, and then makes an exit to AP Calculus AB, where you can’t help but yawn at the pace of the lessons, then AP Calculus ABC is perfect for you.
AP Pig Latin: In this in-depth course studying the ancient language of Igpay Atinlay, students will tackle the language’s rich vocabulary and complex grammar while covering various classic titles, such as Evernay Onnagay Ivegay Ouyay Upyay by Ickray Astleyyay.

New Weekly Phone Calls Keep Families Involved

November 13, 2024

Luka Oatman

STAFF WRITER

Principal Jimmy D’Andrea has introduced a new method of communicating with AHS families this year: a newsletter delivered via phone call.

In previous years, AHS updates were only conveyed to families through email. While this method worked for some parents, others who may not have had time to thoroughly read the letter had to rely on their students to learn about school news. However, with a new principal comes new traditions, as the school has seen during D’Andrea’s time at AHS.

These Sunday-night phone calls go live every week around 7 P.M. They include around two minutes of information about events and changes around the school.

“I try to think from the perspective of, ‘What are the key things that parents and guardians need to know related to the school as a whole?’” said D’Andrea when asked about how he decides what to tell families about each week. “They’re things that students may mention to their parents, but it’s also helpful for the parents to have access to this weekly news so that they can support their student.”

Students and parents around AHS have expressed appreciation for the new form of news, feeling that it helps make it easier for families to stay connected and involved with the school.

“Every Sunday night, when the phone rings, my parents are quick to answer the phone. They’re very excited to hear the principal’s message,” said Henry Kane, a senior. “I think it’s really helpful for families to stay informed and be prepared for the week ahead.”

D’Andrea hopes that parents and students alike will benefit greatly from these quick and easy broadcasts, learning about school events from parent-teacher conferences to homecoming dances and getting more involved than ever before.

Athletes Navigate Unique Challenges in College Sports Recruitment

November 13, 2024

Brandon Nguyen

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Andover High School’s athletes face a vastly different college application process than their peers, navigating the complex world of sports recruitment that involves early outreach, performance assessments, and competitive pressure.

The recruitment process starts early, often around sophomore or junior year, and can be overwhelming, according to Kerry Cashman, the assistant athletic director at Andover High School. “The heaviest amount of recruitment is happening in sophomore and junior years,” Cashman explained. “It really depends on the sport and skill level, and some sports can start as early as middle school.”

The process itself can be daunting, as senior swimmer Amelia Barron described. “It was a little weird at first because no one really tells you [what to do]… so I just started emailing random coaches,” she said. Athletes are often left to initiate contact with potential schools on their own, attending recruitment camps or sending game footage when campus visits aren’t feasible. Barron will be headed to Pomona College next fall to compete on its swim team.

The recruitment process also requires resilience, as athletes often face rejection from coaches. “Some schools just didn’t write back, or they’d write back and say no,” said Barron. “But honestly, just don’t get discouraged because there is a place for you somewhere.”

Senior and lacrosse goalie Addison Glavin, who will be headed to Colby-Sawyer College, also emphasized the pressure of maintaining communication with coaches. “Reaching out to coaches is really difficult… you just think, ‘They’re going to hate me, they’re going to hate me.’”

But both Glavin and Barron agreed that if they had any advice for students going through the sports recruitment process in the future, it would be to have confidence and reach out to colleges as much as possible. As senior Jed Gallaudet put it, “The worst [colleges] can say is no.”

For some athletes, the sports recruitment process can reduce stress around traditional application requirements but adds new forms of pressure, both during and after recruitment. “Once you commit, there’s a little more pressure,” said Gallaudet, who will be part of the cross country and track and field programs at Colby College in the fall. “Now everybody knows you have the skill to compete at the next level.”

Gallaudet also reflected on the pressure of the recruitment process: “[The process] was time-consuming, and it can also put pressure on races that maybe can take away from some of the fun that the sport brings. It sometimes feels like coaches see you as a number.”

Cashman, who was also on the other side of the recruitment process as a college basketball coach at UMass Lowell, emphasized that coaches look for much more than athletic stats: “How did they handle mistakes that they made or their teammates might have made? What was their demeanor on the bench? How did they interact with their coaches? Those were hugely important,” Cashman explained. “I don’t think high school students necessarily know that… they think it’s about how many points they score or how fast their times are. They want kids who are high-quality, high-caliber, and just really good kids.”

For students like senior and field hockey player Lucy Baker, the school for you might not be the one you first expect. Baker, who is committed to Kenyon College, shared, “I thought the recruitment process was already over when Kenyon reached out. It was exciting, but also a little overwhelming to add another option to my list.” Originally looking for schools on the East Coast, Baker decided on Kenyon after visiting their campus in Ohio. “Their academic programs felt like a good fit for me as someone interested in the liberal arts programs they had.”

While each student-athlete’s journey varies, the thread of persistence, early preparation, and adaptability runs through them all. According to Barron, “It’s about finding the place where you fit, both with the team and in the classroom.” All students interviewed emphasized finding the college that speaks to you. As Baker said, “While the process is daunting, what people should really focus on is finding a community of like-minded people at a school and a place they can be happy at.”

Club Spotlight: Ink Magazine

November 13, 2024

Avery Slaughter

STAFF WRITER

ANDOVERVIEW sat down with Ink Magazine co-Editor-in-Chief Keira D’Angelo to discuss the literary club’s purpose and impact within AHS.

When and where is it?

Thursdays after school, Room 222.

What does a typical club meeting look like?

It depends what we’re working on. The past couple of weeks, it’s been us trying to figure out how we’re going to get this year up and going. We have a lot of ideas for different themes we could do for our magazine. Last week, we were working on how to publicize, so we were talking about flyers and social media and stuff like that. But it’s all still up in the air as of right now. This Thursday, we’re gonna solidify some stuff [and] make it more intentional.

How will students who attend benefit from this club?

We’re a literary magazine, so we do a lot of art stuff. We’ll pick a theme, and then you can submit anything from photographs to short stories. A lot of people submit poems, and a lot of people submit drawings. You’ll benefit from learning what it’s like to be in a published magazine. You’ll also learn how to be creative within a theme. I think that’s a lot of what holds people back from submitting. They feel like the theme isn’t what they fit in to, but it can be interpreted in so many different ways and I’m sure whatever you’ve created will be totally fine.

How does the club impact and contribute to the Andover High community?

I think it offers a creative outlet for a lot of people, because a lot of clubs here are very STEM-based. It’s all very, “this is what’s gonna look good on college apps or resumes,” and I think it’s really important to have a place where you can go to just have fun at the end of the day. I think a lot people can benefit from just letting their STEM side take a break and letting their creative side take over a bit.

Ink is currently looking for submissions to the magazine (which has no theme at this time). Please email your pieces to ahs.ink.magazine@gmail.com!

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‘Into the Woods’ Expands with New Characters

November 13, 2024

Janaesa Macasaet

STAFF WRITER

Andover High School’s fall musical, “Into the Woods,” incorporates new fairytale characters into the beloved 1986 Stephen Sondheim musical, adding more roles.

The new characters Hansel, Gretel, Goldilocks, Rumpelstiltskin, the Huntsman, and Tom Thumb each shed light on views never seen before. Director of Theater Arts Susan Choquette previously directed the musical 18 years ago, and has once again decided to add new characters to challenge the cast and include more people in the production.

While “Into the Woods” has many feature roles, there is no ensemble. Gabriel Cordio, a freshman playing Rumpelstiltskin, finds the new characters make the stage and songs sound fuller.

“On the stage, all the fairytale characters are going to be in their costumes, so it’s cool to see there’s Rumpelstiltskin, there’s Goldilocks… It helps fill out the play. [Because] “Into the Woods” is all the fairytales combined, adding more is going to look cooler,” said Cordio.

Many find the addition of new characters to be beneficial to give more people a chance to participate in the show. In addition to supporting upperclassmen who plan to pursue theater beyond high school, the production also provides underclassmen, especially freshmen like Cordio, valuable opportunities––even in smaller roles.

“It allows the Drama Guild to be more inclusive,” said Grace Armstrong, a sophomore playing Goldilocks. “I think they added the parts to show that you [could] still be in the production even if you don’t have a main role.”

The lack of ensemble in the original “Into the Woods” leaves out many possibilities––the incorporation of new characters explores these possibilities.

“I think it creates a larger world,” Choquette said. “To expand the world, especially when the giant starts to wreak havoc… the giant impacts more characters than are in our focus. There’s a whole kingdom out there that’s being affected.”

Armstrong echoed this opinion, pointing out that the added characters give the audiences different perspectives and reactions to the conflicts in the musical.

Nonetheless, the addition of new characters does not come without a lack of challenges. Without direct guidance from the original script, actors must research and explore the resources given to them by Choquette in order to depict their characters the right way.

“When you’re trying to portray a character that’s not in the actual play, you have to make sure you portray the character, but also not take away from the actual story,” said Cordio.

Some roles, on the other hand, have a different type of challenge altogether. Armstrong mentioned that as Goldilocks, she doesn’t have any lines, making it difficult to show different emotions. Some actors must rely on body language to portray their characters.

Despite these unique challenges, the fundamental work stays the same. All roles require research, whether the role is a fictional character or one that has always been part of the script, according to Choquette.

“I hope this experience has given actors in this show some practice doing that research, because the next play they do, they’re going to have to do the same thing,” said Choquette. “What they can’t find, they get to add. And that’s really the fun of being an actor.”

Still, when choosing new characters, Choquette made sure they contributed to the original musical’s theme. They go into unfamiliar territory, which creates conflict and drives the story.

“They go into the woods, wherever that is, in search of something…they get in trouble, and a lot of these characters share that,” said Choquette.