"IS HE DEAD?" OPENS TONIGHT!

 THE STUDENT PRODUCTION 2022: IS HE DEAD?

By Kavya Kamath

Imagine: you’re a young French painter of genius, wracked by debt and despair, threatened with prison by the villainous picture-dealer Bastien Andre, and just wishing you could marry the love of your life…who happens to also be the love of Andre. The solution? Kill yourself…at least that’s what the public should think. After all, painters do not glean fame nor fortune until they’re dead.

But how to live as a dead man and still pursue your passion, love, and life as you know it? That’s the conundrum of Jean Francios Millet in Is He Dead?, a comedy written by Mark Twain, adapted by David Ives, and being presented by the Sparta High School Drama Club this Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm in the MRC. The SHS Drama Club has been working since March on Sparta High’s third theatrical production of every year. In fact, the Student Production is chosen, cast, directed, and performed entirely by the students of Drama Club.

Directed by Laurel Ferguson and starring Mel Schweizer as Jean Francios Millet, the two renowned names aren’t the only fan-favorites you’ll see. Katie Sheeran, Meghan Smith, and Paige DeGiovanni feature as Millet’s lovable trio of sidekicks while Tyrese Nagamos and Gianna Ramieri play plucky neighborhood ladies, amongst other parts. Miranda Smith (no relation to Meghan, unfortunately) and Shea Harrison both play an assortment of characters while Julianne Handzus, Hana Kachersky, and Joey Flynn play Millet’s lover and family. Finally, the infamous Bastien Andre, the foil to Millet, the ruin of Leroux (played by Joey Flynn), and the creditor from hell, is brought to life by Julia Kadar. Aside from the brilliant cast, the stage crew (headed by Annika Noel) worked to create sets reminiscent of a poor painter’s flat and wealthy widow’s parlor. Lighting designer Kaden Kambak managed to bring lighting to the MRC even with a lack of technical infrastructure and sound designer Frankie Lloyd pulled a soundtrack together in a week. Truly an incredible group, in both talent and resolve in the face of almost every challenge, the 2022 Student Production isn’t one to miss.

Besides embodying natural comedy and the hard work of over two dozen students, what the Student Production really represents is honest, genuine, grassroots theater. It is love of drama for its own sake, no fame or fortune or glitz or glamor (like pre-‘death’ Millet)... which makes for a beautiful show.

Tickets are $5 for students and seniors, $10 for general admission, and can be bought with cash only at the door of the SHS MRC. As mentioned prior, the shows are at 7pm on Tuesday, May 24th, and 7pm Thursday, May 26th. We cannot wait to see you there!

Cast Photo :)

JUNE 1- SPARTA STUDENT MUSICIANS PERFORM FOR A CAUSE

 UPCOMING CHARITY CONCERT

By Hayley Lane 

Mark your calendars because SHS is hosting its first ever Charity Concert! This event will be held on June 1st at 7:00pm at Sparta High School. There will be performances by TheCreatorWolfe, Dumpster Babies, Lifeboat, and Sarah Kosker. Tickets are $10 at the door. All proceeds will be donated to the Sparta Food Pantry. Let’s support our fellow student performers for a great cause! 

Image from clipart-library.com 

Celebrating Sparta: The Top Ten Dinner

Celebrating Sparta: The Top Ten Dinner

By: Kavya Kamath 

On Tuesday, May 17th, Sparta High School held the Class of 2022 top ten dinner. Hosted by The Lafayette House, the evening was full of speeches, tears, and words to remember. Each student in the top ten was seated with a teacher whom they selected as having the greatest influence on them—be that their achievements, future plans, or the fabric of their character. The students and who they brought is listed below:

Sarah Bargfrede, Salutatorian: Mrs. Margaret Incantalupo

Matt Bouma-Hannam: Mr. William Brennan

Jack Budofsky: Ms. Loni Bach

Laurel Ferguson: Ms. Angela Deluccia

Kavya Kamath, Valedictorian: Mr. Brent Rivers

Colin Kowalski, Mrs. Cherie Shefferman

Jack Maraziti: Mr. Andrew Bayliss

Jake Ryan: Mr. Eric Hood

Paige Sumowski: Mrs. Dana Miller

Kaleigh West: Mrs. Sarah Pisano

Other speakers of the night included SHS principal Dr. Edward Lazzara who introduced each student-teacher duo’s remarks and board vice president Niamh Grano who offered a general congratulations. The night ended with pictures and the presentation of a gift to the valedictorian and salutatorian.

From the Oracle staff to the Top Ten and all of Sparta High’s Class of 2022, we extend the greatest congratulations for all the work everyone has put in and don’t doubt the success the future entails.

SPARTA HS's TOP TEN

 MEET THE TOP 10 STUDENTS OF 2022

By: Noelle Hanek

The top ten students of the class of 2022 have been revealed! These hard working and determined students achieved the highest GPAs in the class. Below is the name of each top ten student (listed in no particular order) along with the school they are attending next year and what their major and/or future plans are. They also responded to the question, are there any words of wisdom you would like to share for underclassmen and/or any final words about your high school experience that you would like to share?

Kavya Kamath: Valedictorian 

Kavya Kamath will be attending Princeton University where she is majoring in molecular biology and minoring in Quantitative and Computational Biology. Her future plans consist of research, pharmaceuticals, and education. 

“There are so many opportunities around you- take advantage of them. Learn and experience and be as much as you can.”

“Consistency is key. One good grade or game is great, but it’s sustaining greatness that differentiates great from exceptional.”

“Have fun. Though I've tried to be better about it my senior year, there were many times where I prioritize work over fun and though in some ways it paid off, in other ways I wish I spent more time simply having fun. You only have one high school experience so do your best to make it a balanced one.”

Sarah Bargfrede: Salutatorian

Sarah will be attending the University of Michigan where she is majoring in Computer Science in the College of Engineering. 

“My advice for other students would be to find your interests whether academic or otherwise and take every opportunity to pursue them. Don’t let anyone deter you from doing what you love and do things, not for the numbers or resumes, but for yourself.” 

Jake Ryan 

Jake will be attending University of Notre Dame in the fall where he is majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior and minoring in both Russian and either Compassionate Care in Medicine or Patient Advocacy.  

“Be able to laugh at yourself and appreciate that perfection is unattainable.”

Colin Kowalski 

Colin will be attending Dartmouth College in the fall where he is majoring in Neuroscience on a pre-med track. 

“Ambition has no bounds, so dream big and never let up on those dreams” 

Jack Maraziti

Jack will be attending West Point (USMA) and will study mechanical engineering.

“I would like to thank all of my teachers, coaches, and peers who have helped to make my high school career so great and memorable.  I would also like to add for the underclassmen that it is important to find a balance and join clubs or sports throughout high school.  It is often very easy to be consumed by rigorous coursework, however, you have to remember that you have to have fun with friends while working hard.”

Matthew Bouma-hannam

Matthew Bouma-hannam will be attending the University of Rochester and is majoring in the Russian language and possibly minoring in international relations. He will also be participating in Army ROTC in college. 

“My only words of wisdom to younger students would be to find what you are passionate about, and make that the focus of your academics and extracurricular activities. You will likely get more out of high school if you do what you want to do, rather than what you think college admissions wants you to do.”

Kaleigh West 

Kaleigh is going to The University of Virginia and is majoring in neuroscience. 

”In terms of advice for underclassmen, I would say to always remember that you’re human and that it’s okay to make mistakes. In fact, making mistakes is crucial to helping you grow as both a student and a person, so don’t let a bad test, a bad day, or even a bad marking period dampen your confidence. Just think about all of the good tests and good days you’ve had and look forward to having more in the future— because no matter how much it might not seem like it in a given moment, you WILL have more good tests and good days in the future. In short, a few mistakes or bad days don’t outweigh all of your accomplishments.” 

Laurel Ferguson 

Laurel will be attending Hofstra University and they are majoring in Computer Science. They are not exactly sure what they want to do with it in the future, but they are planning to explore cybersecurity and networking. 

“My advice for underclassmen is to be proactive and don’t hold back from creating opportunities for yourself.”

Paige Sumowski

Paige will be attending University of California San Diego in the fall where she is majoring in neurobiology. 

“Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good. I've spent so much time procrastinating on work, social events, and clubs because I was afraid of not being perfect, that I ended up missing out on a lot of good. My advice is to pursue whatever it is you're passionate about and enjoy all of the "good" that high school has to offer”

Jack Budofsky 

Jack will be attending Brown University in the fall. 

Congratulations to the top ten for all their academic accomplishments and hard work over the years!  

A NEW "CHAIN" of EVENTS---- LEARN TO CROCHET

 NEW CLUB ALERT: CROCHET CLUB

By Emma Muth

Do you like to Crochet or would like to learn how to crochet? Then you should join the Crochet Club! This new club was recently formed by Freshman Julianne Handzus. When Handzus was asked why she formed the club she said, "I first got the idea from Ms. Bach when she was talking about how her daughter's school has a club where they meet at a coffee shop to crochet/knit and donate the projects. I thought that would be a great idea for our school, especially since a lot of people have expressed interest in learning to crochet. I hoped to make a club that would help people in our school and the people we donate to."

If you would like to join this club they meet every Thursday, during lunch, in Room 525(Orchestra room). No previous experience in crochet is required! The club is currently crocheting hats for babies. We hope to see you there!

image from istockphoto.com 

THE DESCENDANTS TAKE THE STAGE

Sparta Middle School Presents the Descendants!

By Emma Muth

If you liked the movie Descendants, a story following the children of some of the most notorious Disney villains, then you should consider coming and seeing the show. SMS theater has been working on this show since early February, and finally it is time for the show to begin. With songs from the first two movies, along with a variety of set pieces, this musical is very well put together and the students involved put a lot of effort into the production. 

There are three opportunities to see the show: Friday, May 6th at 7pm, Saturday, May 7th at 2pm, or Saturday, May 7th at 7pm and it will be held in the Sparta High School auditorium.  Tickets will be sold at the door for 10 dollars! The cast hopes to see you there! 

NHS GETS THE SPOTLIGHT

 NHS Induction Ceremony 

Noelle Hanek

On April 7th, the National Honor Society Induction was held at 7 pm. Juniors and seniors applied earlier in the year to become a part of NHS, and were later notified of their acceptances. The ceremony was held to honor their hard work as students and leaders both inside and outside of high school. Seniors who were already members of the NHS also attended for the rose dedication ceremony. 

After a few speeches, the ceremony began. Each new inductee was called in alphabetical order, and a brief description was read about them and their future goals as they walked across the stage and picked up their gold cord. This year offered a variety of students who each had their own goals and achievements. 

The rose ceremony then began. Seniors selected people in their lives who meant a lot to them so they could be honored during the ceremony. After each senior’s name was called, the reason that they chose their special person was explained, and that person was given a rose.  

At one point, as the list of names was nearing the end, the large storm going on outside caused the power to go out. It was definitely a memorable moment of the event! However, the event continued on, and everyone turned on their phone flashlights to create more light. Luckily not long after, the power came back on, and the ceremony was able to continue as normal. 

Congratulations to all new inductees of the National Honor Society! 

 

Families turn on their flashlights during power outages      

Image from https://www.ochspioneers.org/ochs/national-honor-society-nhs 

THE DECISIONS AFTER DECISION DAY!

 Should I Bring This? 

Things you may not know you need in college!

By: Hayley Lane

As National Decision Day becomes closer by the day, seniors are currently making important decisions such as where they want to go after high school, what they want to study, and if they want to commute or live on campus. For those who decide to live on campus, there are many checklists available to assist you on what to bring and what not to bring to your dorm. However, there are a lot of items left off of these lists that incoming students may not have thought of, but wish they had brought with them. Here are 15 ideas that may help you later on! 

1. Bed rail

If you are sleeping on a bed that is much higher than your bed at home, such as a bunk bed, it becomes much easier to fall off!

2. Amazon Echo Dot

The Amazon Echo Dot cannot only be used as an alarm and speaker, but you can also set your Alexa to have special skills such as flashcards- a perfect study buddy!

3. Noise canceling headphones/Earplugs

These are perfect for those times when you just need peace and quiet while studying or reading.

4. Bike

This won’t apply for every college student, but a bike may be an efficient transportation method to get to classes and places around the campus without having to pay a parking fee. 

5. Portable charger

This item will come in handy when our phones start running low in battery, for instance during your back to back classes or on a night out. 

6. Themed clothing

A few examples include Hawaiian shirts, random sports jerseys and construction vests. 

7. Tide stain remover stick 

If your college doesn’t include the price of laundry in the tuition, it can start to get expensive! A stain remover stick is a quick and cheap solution if you spill something on your clothing. 

8. Bed caddy

Creating more storage is always a wise idea, especially if you plan on living away from home for a few years! Some extra storage on your side table can help keep things in order. 

9. Food containers

A perfect place to store dining hall food and snacks for later if you don’t feel like leaving your dorm room but want something to eat. 

10. Mini projector

If you’re unable to bring or fit a TV into your dorm, projecting a movie onto the wall or ceiling is a good solution! 

11. Safe

Unfortunately lots of jewelry and valuables get stolen. It is a good idea to keep your valuables in a safe area, to not only keep them protected, but to also help give you peace of mind knowing they are in a secure place rather than buried somewhere in your room. 

12. Umbrella

A simple and very practical for rainy days, but an easy item to forget.

13. Planner/Agenda

Managing a whole new schedule is difficult, which is why a book to plan out activities, classes, and work can be super helpful and help ease stress. 

14. Cables and Tv Devices (Ethernet, TV cord, Roku, Firestick)

If the wifi is ever down, or if you want to stream, having a TV device is great to have on hand to keep you busy. 

15. Over the door shoe hanger

This is another efficient way to conserve space. An over the door shoe hanger is perfect for convenient shoe storage. Since there are so many pockets, you can even share with your roommate if you want, or use it to hold additional things. 

Image from cnn.com