BOOKLETTERS

PORTFOLIO PROJECT TERM III: Option 1:

Sam Stone, who was named captain of the Wellesley High School Football team earlier this year, appears ready to tackle the new challenges of responsibility and leadership. (Pun definitely intended..) Stone is excited about the prospective season and this off-season has been working hard on “getting kids in the weight room”, something that has clearly worked judging from the number of players lifting at five-thirty in the morning on most days. According to Stone, the winter has also been spent “making sure everyone stays interested”. The team is also doing something that most would not expect from the traditional tough-guy images the players carry- organizing fundraisers for charity, something that Stone allocates a lot of time to. Despite the progress and work ethic demonstrated now, Stone is aware that preseason is not easy, and said in reference, “They are terrible, pretty tough…the worst are the four-a-day practices, it’s getting up at six o’clock and then leaving at six o’clock.” Stone, however, is optimistic that the hard work will eventually pay off in the games against tough opponents in the Bay State League. He acknowledges that the games are different from those of Jayvee and said, “Varsity is a lot different, you’re more nervous, [you have] more responsibility”. Despite this, Stone has faith in the newcomers, and believes they have talent, and as a collective team will be a lot stronger than last year although Stone said, “we lost a lot of leaders”. Stone is ready to step up in that position, and is most excited to play the archrival Needham in the Thanksgiving game. Although he refers to the Needham players as “good guys” and “loves playing” them, Stone believes that the rivalry has only increased this year and feels the need to avenge both “last year’s lost and the hockey loss”. Stone concluded that he is “most excited about winning”, something he will get a chance to do when the Raiders take on the “pretty good” Walpole Rebels during their first game. No matter the outcome or success of the season, one thing is apparent; Stone is ready to lead.

Wednesday:

Stories covered: Obama stays on roll with Sweep Pressure’s on Massachusetts superdelagates Nonfamily humor, straight from home Senate OK’s immunity on wiretaps Care, cost stressed in R.I. initiative T tweaks train schedule to reflect reality DiMasi offers olive branch New details in Medfield bludgeoning are released Special Delivery: greetings from 1929 Ex-officer sentenced to prison Teenager Charged in fatal Dorchester shooting $1.3m in luggage lands father in jail Ex-student testifies in Marshfield plot trial Ex-official admits falsifying veteran status Harvard’s faculty votes to post research online Milton is chided in school dispute Natick schedules nonbinding vote on Redmen name

Ex-student testifies in Marshfield plot trial This article discussed the trial of Joseph Nee, a 21 year old charged with conspiracy to commit murder, promotion of anarchy, and threatening to use deadly weapons at school. We could incorporate this into our newspaper by researching the safety and disciplinary guidelines that Wellesley High School has in place in case of an event like this. Also, we could see if the school policies have evolved from Columbine to Virginia Tech to now. Further, one question I have personally involves the absence of the Sign-In desk that was located in the main hall last year. Why is it gone?

Natick schedules nonbinding vote on Redmen name The article delves into the issues surrounding the Natick mascot and sports name, the Redmen. Some view this as incredibly offensive and degrading, but some want to preserve the name. It would be interesting to find out the history of the “Raiders” and discuss the logos and names that have changed over time. Is/ Was there any opposition to the name? Why are we the Raiders?

Thursday:

1 in 10 patients get drug error Going to the heart of science Sullivan ATF confirmation blocked Radio Firm OK’s deal in R.I. fire C-sections leap to 1 in 3 births in Bay State, to outstrip US 1892 warship’s bell is back at home in Marblehead Sounding an alarm Four charged in fatal Cambridge shooting Use of free care drops, hospital says Taveres won’t get death penalty Up to 3 ½ inches of rain prompts flood watch Lawmakers urged to create panel to study black males School finds fortune on beach in sale of grad’s gift Sate to launch crackdown on hospital infection rates Prevention efforts

Taveres won’t get the death penalty A convicted killer who jumped bail in Massachusetts only to kill a couple in Washington will not get the death penalty. This could potentially relate to the Bradford and the upcoming elections. We could research the laws in Massachusetts regarding the death penalty, and then ask students their opinion on the issue. This would relate to the presidential candidates’ views on the topic as well as the governor’s.

Going to the heart of science Harvard students are holding an all day event, today on Valentine’s Day honoring the ‘sexy’ part of science and Valentine’s Day. We could talk about the Singing Valentines that everyone hates (but secretly loves) to receive, and their origination. The students’ and singers’ thoughts on the tradition would be very interesting. Also, I want to know where the money they raise goes.

Tuesday:

City gets a say on BPL trusts Bypassing detention centers N.H. group makes pitch for new taxes GOP aide calls for DiMasi inquiry MassBay under fire for big spending City hopes to turn food scraps, yard clippings into electricity Parents sought to regain driver’s license for teen Mediating a mess Audit finds larger deficit in Salem schools Mercury leaks found as new bulbs break What to do when compact fluorescents crack Demolition of bridges set for weekend Night spot closes as police, city probe melee and shooting Revere woman, 42, is stabbed to death Judge orders evaluation in three Maine slayings

Parents sought to regain driver’s license for teen

Parents of a Brookline High School student tried to appeal the court’s decision to suspend his license after he was caught speeding in July of 2007. Last Saturday he was again pulled over, but this time he was arrested for inebriation and hitting a woman while driving. I think it was very interesting that parents were appealing the decisions regarding the law. I know that we did do an article on the new driving laws for teens, but it may be interesting to do a follow up which shows the results of the new laws and the number of teens in Massachusetts who have been caught.

Audit finds larger deficit in Salem schools

The Salem school district now has an estimated 5.7 million deficit. It would be interesting to see what our school budget is, and how we compare to those of other towns. In addition we could find out how much is allocated to different things and see if Wellesley has a deficit. Further, I believe there is some talk about overrides and cuts, so we could look into that.

Wednesday:

City gives 57 bars more time to install sprinklers Vatican ruling is bad news for opponents of parish closings Convicted murderer looks to Patrick for a 2nd chance Fernald woman forced to move, advocates say Teenage cigarette use drops in Mass. A rocky alliance Aide’s remark on 1-93 tolls fuels debate, worries of congestion Plea deal could free ex-mob boss Salemme this year Son arraigned in Revere woman’s fatal stabbing Mother was worried her son was ‘lost soul’ State education chief to earn $206,000 Feeney forges ahead with community summit plan Reforms have improved state's judicial system, judges say DiMasi polling lawmakers on casinos before hearing, Patrick, on Capitol Hill, decries US limits on Mass. healthcare Inmate awaiting a sex change says state has stopped treatment Man who helped spark Station fire to be freed

City gives 57 bars more time to install sprinklers The fire department is giving 57 bars within the Boston area an extension on the decree to comply with the state fire laws. The Bradford could write about the sprinklers in the school and the fire drills that the students love. The school’s efficiency in these drills, the nonchalant attitude towards them and the history of fires at our school could be discussed. Also, I think everyone wants to know whether the safety showers in the science labs actually work!

State Education chief to earn $206,000 The chief of State Education, Michael Dan Chester, will earn $206,000 when he begins his tenure in Massachusetts in May. He previously worked in Ohio. We could look into how the education practices might change. In addition, I believe that a lot of people question the efficiency and effectiveness of the MCAS tests. We could get the opinions of both students and the administration on the tests. Further, we could look at the advantages and disadvantages to the state education requirements for graduation.

Friday:

Boston fire test will be voided Busing for private pupils scrutinized Amtrak riders may face new hassles Bay State pulls back on health contracts Football team to be funded by boosters Celtics diehards pass test of time Lost art is found. Now, whose is it? Do nothing is a better fix Malden reels after slaying of stylist Two on sex offenders list captured during manhunts Officials ask public for tips on arson fire Guilty plea could lead to ex-imam's deportation Mailed flu shot list lost; probe on Assabet Valley finances rapped Critics rap Prop. 2 1/2 exemption measure DiMasi promotes eight to House leadership positions.

Football to be funded by boosters

In Wellesley, we have the athletic program and fee which support our programs. The Groton- Dunstable team does not have the taxpayers support. The Bradford could look into how teams spend their money and how it is allocated. Do teams receive equal funds? Also, how much do different teams pay including team dues etc. Further, are they going to raise our athletic fees? Should they do it for performing arts and clubs?

Celtics diehards pass test of time

Many people once had trouble getting rid of their tickets, and now, people everywhere are dying for some. Supporting sports teams depends on their record for a lot of people. The Bradford could survey students and figure out why they like the sports teams they endorse. Is it the winning? The players? Tradition? Boston is a pretty great place to be for sports teams right now, and it would be interesting to see how students feel about this.

PORTFOLIO PROJECT #2 Columbia Scholastic Press Review Portfolio Project

I reviewed the October 2007 issue of The Bradford and found many positive contributions and features that should continue to be included in each issue. However, there are some things that can be improved upon in the upcoming editions. Overall, I feel as though The Bradford is balanced and takes into account the opinions and interests of many different students. For example, there are articles devoted to not only to the fall sports, but also the fall musical and theater production. When issues are discussed, there are typically two sides to every story, as in the feature article about the new driving laws and the editorials about the new religion based club called "The Way". On the other hand, I think that although the students opinions are contained in the articles, sometimes the voices do not completely come through. One way to solve this would be to have a column that a guest, either a student or a faculty member, write in response to an issue going on the school, or something they feel needs to be addressed. Another way to establish more of a balance would be to get opinions and interviews outside of the writer's group of friends or even grade. By getting the views of people that probably do not have the same interests or ideas as the writer, it is less likely that there will be a clear bias in the article. There were some biases in the articles, but I understand it is difficult to be completely neutral. Perhaps the writer should go over their work pretending to be someone who is not involved or who does not share the same views. Some features of this edition really stood out for me, particularly the headlines. They were very catchy and drew my eye to the article. Some left some mystery that left me intrigued, "Controversy around the wrestling mats", while others gave the basic idea of the column while still leaving me interested: "Raiders drop close game to Wildcats". However, the lines that follow the headline-the leads-are often longer than one sentence, and the interest fades a little bit. The story ideas were also relevant to the students and the time, and I did not see many 'filler' stories. The graphics, especially in the centerfold were eye-catching and interesting ways to display information regarding the articles, such as the percentage of students who drive to school. However, the majority of the pictures within the issue are either posed or not high quality images. I am unsure if the picture of David McCullough on the front page was distorted as a result of the printer or the actual picture. Most of the other ones are either out of focus, grainy or mislabeled. For example, the caption of one photo states that the runner is Billy Littlefield, while in fact it is Nick Carroll. Also, a lot of captions say, "so and so poses here", which is one quality that the review did not want to see. One suggestion that I have to improve the paper would be to add a larger opinions section because the judge mentioned a couple of times the necessity of an editorial section with an unsigned editorial in every issue. There is no editorial which represents the position of the paper that is unsigned in this issue. I do not know if this is something we would like to do, but the judge took off 15 points in a 50 point section for this. We should continue to write interesting articles that grab the reader, making sure that we get everyones opinions, not just those of our friends.

BOOKLETTER #1

If You Can't Say Something Nice is a collection of columns written in the 1980's by Calvin Trillin, a journalist. In this third of the book, he has written about his pay increases to chicken to marriage. His style of writing is very interesting, but at the beginning it takes time to get used to because it is very blunt and direct. Trillin typically brings up an idea, or makes a comment about society within the first few sentences. He then proceeds to tell a story and give details on this idea throughout the column. Trillin repeats his original idea in the last few sentences of the column to conclude. This style is repeated in each column. Calvin Trillin gives his opinion on many issues, one of them being the slogans that candidates use to get elected. He decides that his would be "Never Been Indicted" (11). This shows that Trillin believes that the government is corrupt and that each candidate has a history, a criminal history. I do believe that sometimes it seems as though our leaders are trying to cover things up or explain the past, but leading a whole country is extremely difficult and no one is perfect. Trillin also believes that there is too much structure and too much time spent at work which I agree with. People should relax and appreciate their current life, and forget about the stress and pressure. Trillin says that people, "Cheat, bribe, pollute, steal, kick, bite, scratch!" (49) to get to the top of the corporate world instead of spending time with family or playing fair. Sometimes people compromise too much in order to be 'successful' even though success does not have to be measured in income or status. Trillin uses stereotypes to convey the characters and images and to establish their ideas. These may be stereotypes, but we as a population do believe some of these things. For example, when discussing the manner of rich people when he imagines a scene of rich people being dropped off after charity balls saying, "'It was marvelous darling!' 'Wasn't it marvelous darling?' 'Yes it was marvelous darling!'"(64). I could picture this scene in my head with accents and expensive dresses. This image has been reinforced to me through books and movies although it is most likely not true. He also talks about another stereotype of the West when he has a character say, "Then send them to Idaho or Iowa or one of those places where there aren't any stoplights. It is taken for granted by most New Yorkers that all states beginning with 'I' are interchangeable parts of the same vast unpeopled prairie" (66). this is something that I subconsciously think despite knowing that is is incorrect. I do associate many states like Idaho and Iowa to have a very small population and old-fashioned. Trillin really identifies with the reader and their subconscious while still being funny, something that makes him successful.

Bookletter #2

In the second third of the book, Trillin continues to discuss whatever comes to his mind. It seems as though he has thousands of ideas swirling in his head that relate to the events in his week. He has a lot different topics and that keeps the reader interested. Also, each column is a only a few pages, so it does not get boring. I like how Trillin focuses solely on one topic per column and this allows the reader a lot of insight into Trillin's head. One thing that I find difficult and confusing about this novel is the time in which it is written. It is written in the 80's and although that may seem only a little while ago, for me it was a long time ago. I have trouble understanding statements about Reagan because I've only known two presidents in my lifetime, Clinton and Bush. When Trillin talks about events associated with Reagan and the world at the time, it is a little hard to comprehend the commentary Trillin puts forth. Some topics Trillin writes about differ from today, but it is very strange and scary to discover that some of the issues are still prevalent in today's society. For example, one column talks about Fidel Castro and his leadership. Today, this is constantly being brought up as his age increases and the cruelty in Cuba is in the news. Trillin also mentions, "Americans' fear of terrorism" (95). in 1986. Today, this is still a large problem which results from September 11, 2001. There is also a column about insider trading which is still an issue today. I can relate this to the Martha Stewart scandal. It is funny how things 20 years ago are still occurring today. One difference which really showed the advancement of technology apparent when he continuously talked about written communication. Today we live in a world full of e-mail and less personal responses. As I continue reading, I am getting familiar with Trillin's style. He makes extremely funny comments which I can see people in my own life make. My favorite line so far occurs when Trillin writes a column on his obsession with wells. His wife uses this against their children to do things when she says, "Clean up your room or I'll ask Daddy to explain how wells work" (131). I find this very funny and I can see my Mom saying the same thing to me about one of my Dad's obsessions. I am still interested in what Trillin has to say because his witty interpretations keep the reader craving more. I dislike how a lot of the comments he makes are negative. Trillin really seems able to criticize society instead of enjoying it. I think this reflects the society we live in, where something is only funny if it makes fun of other people.

BOOKLETTER #3

The third part of the book deals with a lot of political situations and events that were current at the time the book was written. This is a bit confusing because I have no prior experience with these issues. For example, there was a lot of talk about relations with the Japanese and Americans, specifically the industry and American lawyers. I have no background information on this and to be honest, it is not one of my interests. The biggest difficulty when reading the book continues to be the time difference because I am not old enough to understand some of the opinions being given because I do not understand the events. In the future, I would read books by him which were written not as long ago because this way I would completely understand his commentary. Trillin continues his style and brings up an interesting point regarding the 'well-off' population. He believes that in our society the rich people have more perks and are treated with more respect. He brings up a situation at a hotel, where people who acted like they had money received limousine services and "terry-cloth robes". The issue of social status comes up a lot in this book, and often those who have money have a negative connotation. I believe that Trillin is someone who believes in hard work to earn money, not just inheriting it. When telling a story, Trillin has a young man proclaim that, "I'm a rich person. We live in an era that celebrates rich people. Rich people are shown in the newspapers in the company of movie stars and famous novelist and distinguished dress designers. The names of the richest corporate raiders are known to every schoolboy. There are rich real estate sharks whose faces appear on the covers of glossy magazines" (255). He illustrates the amount of attention rich people receive. I agree, I watch the news, and Paris Hilton getting out of jail is the headline. She has little talent, yet her money gets her places in the world. I find it interesting that people who choose careers such as teaching or medical jobs do not get nearly as much credit or gratitude that celebrities and rich people do although their work is more important. When Trillin brings up that schoolboys know the names of rich people, it shows how much we have let social status and standing infiltrate our daily lives. The innocent 'schoolboy' has been compromised and is now subject to daily issues surrounding money. I feel as though I can learn a lot about journalism from Calvin Trillin. It is important to try and connect with the reader and evoke an emotion or response. Trillin is very successful at this, and at times I laughed out loud or sighed. I think that it is sometimes appropriate to add humor to your story in order convey your opinion and keep the reader interested. However, in some serious situations, humor should not be present because the content does not warrant it. I have also learned not to critique every single issue or idea, because at a point it just becomes redundant. Overall, I really enjoyed Calvin Trillin's style and I would be open to reading other books he has written.

Portfolio Quarter 2 Portfolio Project: Satire 11/9/07

Pigskin problems plaguing player

Unfortunately, a member of the Wellesley High School football team, who will remain nameless because of security reasons, is facing charges from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) after his performance last Saturday. The wide receiver, who did not have a high IQ, showed up at the game with the skin of pig. Apparently, he did not understand the coach’s request to bring a pigskin, and in doing so, stole the pig of his great aunt. His desperate attempt to get back on the coach’s good side came a week after his embarrassing gymnastics routine during practice. He drew comparisons to Amelia Bedelia, and the investigative news team at the paper discovered that she was in fact, the sister of his cousin’s friend’s uncle who lived in Idaho with his grandmother and pet dog. Regardless of the situation, he still faces criminal charges for the slaughtering of a pig, and not guilty by reason of mental disability has been ruled out. Although he is in hiding to protect himself, he was able to communicate this message: “52”. The investigative news team has no idea what it means, but a member, Joe Shmoe, says, “We take it to be a good sign, and we are looking at all possible combinations of this message. So far, we have two”. With the criminal case getting started, it appears as though this could be a tough one for our accused football player. The presiding judge, Judge Smith, lives on a farm and has an adopted pet pig. This could be problematic, as Judge Smith is most likely to sympathize with the deceased pig. Confidential sources say that the deceased, Tabitha, was the mother of three, and loved by all. Marge, the football player’s aunt, will testify, and yesterday said through tears, “I don’t know what I’m going to do without her, she was everyone’s best friend”. The jury will not take this information lightly, and the school population is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the trial.