Sturgis Arts Cafe a Success

by Cooper Heilmann, staff reporter

This Thursday, November 29th, Sturgis held an Arts Cafe in the Sturgis East Annex.  The idea behind the cafe is that students would come and perform various types of arts such as music, poetry, and theatre acts in front of an audience of parents. 
The event was open to the public, so a few unassociated visitors came as well.  The money that was raised by the five dollar donations at the door went to help Hurricane Sandy survivors.  
Hosted by sophomore English teacher Ms. Watts, the Arts Cafe was held at the school; the audience filled up a full room and a half, and there were food and drinks served at the table. Students from both Sturgis East and West came to perform.
    The first event was an encore presentation of the S.T.A.G.E play Degas C’est Moi performed by mostly East students- a brief but witty comedy about an average man who wants to live a day of his life as Degas. The next performance was a song called “I Kissed a Girl” by Ella Hunt, who sang beautifully with a guitar accompaniment. Another performance was a cover of “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz, which was skillfully performed as a duet by sophomores Jacob Tobey and Katie Roderick. Finally, Senior Jackson Fryer performed a song on his banjo: “June Hymn” by The Decemberists.  
    The Arts Cafe was a great opportunity for Sturgis students to show off gifts few knew they had, and support one another in the skills they are developing.

Girls' Basketball Team Sets Goals for Season

By Jacob Tobey, staff reporter

  After losing 6 seniors this year, wouldn’t you think the Sturgis East girl’s varsity basketball team was looking at a rebuilding year? Well, that’s not Coach Henry Colon’s attitude. Yes, his team has no seniors this year, but surely there is still veteran leadership on his team. The preseason is over and the regular season is about to start. In the words of Coach Colon, “It'll be a roller coaster ride, luckily they all meet the requirements to get on and have their seat belts on tight!”

Leadership on this girl’s basketball team is no different than any other team. It’s valued, and it’s needed on a team to be successful.  Sturgis has two captains: Junior forward Brittany Gayton and sophomore forward Meaghan Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald burst onto the scene last season as she started as a freshman and was the most productive player on the team. Coach Colon commented on the leadership of his two captains, “They lead both on and off the court and have implemented a ‘big sister’ model for the girls that are new to the game. Both have led by example and I'm pleased by that.” 

Additionally, the captains will frequently try to have the girls bond with one another by having movie nights. Gayton is the oldest on the team and has a lot of pressure on her. Trying to lead the team and be one of the better and productive players isn’t easy, but she is certainly up to the task.  

From what I have seen at the girls’ practices in the preseason, they are working very hard, starting out every practice with conditioning to get ready for the long season. If you want to be a good team, you have to keep your energy and not get tired at the end of the game when it really counts. In their recent scrimmages, the girls haven’t won a game, but of course that’s not the point.  The point of the preseason is to get better and to build chemistry, and that’s what Coach Colon is seeing: “The preseason so far has been great. The girls are working hard on their skills and bringing 100% effort to practice and scrimmages. They are a very focused team which makes us as coaches very happy.”  

Each team sets its goals for the season, and I asked Coach Colon what his were for this team.

“The goal every year is to improve during the season and qualify for the tourney,” he answered, “Although we are very young, that goal will not change. We will need to work very hard to accomplish it.”  

Certainly, with a lot of hard work and dedication these goals can be reached.  Each and every one of these girls can continue to grow and get better and as a team to complete the goals that Coach Colon set out for them.

Boys' Basketball Falls in Home Opener

By Kevin Agostinelli, staff reporter

The Sturgis boy’s basketball team’s highly anticipated home opener against Nantucket on December 10 ended in disappointing fashion as the Storm were defeated 48-29.
In front of a large, excited home crowd, Sturgis’s starting five - made up of sophomore Jacob Tobey, juniors Luke Chevalier and Mitchell Starr, and seniors Kyle Garvey and Aidan Fitzsimons - had trouble finding a good rhythm in the game. Chevalier led the offense with 15 points, 4 assists and 4 steals, followed by Tobey with 8 points and 4 assists and Garvey with 8 points and 4 rebounds.
Tobey helped to explain the lack of offense in the game: “We turned the ball over a lot and our heads weren't in the game because we got frustrated with the refs.” This frustration reached its peak in the 3rd quarter, when Mitchell Starr was given a technical foul after being accused of slamming his hand on a bench chair. 
Despite a subpar offense, the Storm stopped Nantucket from taking full control of the game and played fairly well on the defensive half. Aidan Fitzsimons collected 5 rebounds and a couple steals, while freshman Kyle Coolidge was very solid in 10 minutes to mark his Sturgis debut. 
The Storm are now 0-1 to start the season, but they will look to get a win in their second game next week at Falmouth Academy.

Boys' Soccer Coach Reflects on Historic Season

By Kevin Agostinelli, staff reporter

The Sturgis East boys soccer team recently completed its historic season, finishing with an 11-4-1 record including the playoff loss to Seekonk, and longtime head coach Brian Hastings certainly played a major part in the success of the squad. Coach Hastings, a retired Sturgis teacher who also coaches the girls’ tennis team in the spring, took the time to speak with the Stormwatch about his experiences and perspectives on the soccer season.
    When asked the popular question of whether this was the best year in Sturgis boys’ soccer history, Coach Hastings made sure to acknowledge the success of all Sturgis soccer seasons.
    “Every team has been challenged yet able to be 'first' at some milestone in our program. This year's team had the best record by far, was the first team to shutout and not to lose to Nantucket, and had the highest seed ever in the State Tournament. From that aspect, yes, this team accomplished the most; but I wouldn't want to slight the other years for what they accomplished too.  I am proud of all of them and I always will be.”
    Despite the best efforts of the Storm in the state tournament, they lost 2-1 to Seekonk at home to put a sad ending onto what was otherwise a fantastic year. Coach reflected on this disappointing loss, “Just by the nature of sports, you don't win all the time…In our game with Seekonk, I don't think we played our best but we did try as hard as we ever have.  I think we were nervous and made some mistakes. That's life!”
    Arguably the greatest addition to this year’s soccer season was the East-West rivalry that now has enough drama, controversy, and passionate fans to last for many years. Coach Hastings gave several words of wisdom while discussing this rivalry:
    “Rivalry and competition are not bad things as long as we never lose sight of the fact that all of athletics is just a game…Sometimes I think we have to work harder, when the opponent is our sister school, at playing hard but leaving the game on the field.  Fans sometimes don't understand that.  Having said all this --- GO EAST!”
    Furthermore, Coach Hastings could not have been more proud of the senior class this year, especially senior captains Chris Dennison, Chris Dedecko, Ben Duncan, and Kyle Garvey: “I always count on all of the seniors to set an example for the rest of the players…the captains this year were very influential in keeping our team on track to the successes that we achieved.”
    The boys’ soccer team will definitely be a new-look team next year, with six starters and nine overall varsity players being seniors. State tournament qualification hopes aside, Coach Hastings gave a simple answer to his expectations for next year’s squad:
    “Each team builds its own attitude and character.  My expectations are always the same:  To help to develop a group of young men to maximize their potential and see where that takes us all.”

Turkey Basket Collection a Success

By Meghan Agostinelli and Alicia Pollard, staff reporters

Jack Goldstein and Kit Freddura preparing the turkey baskets in Dr. Albis' room.

On November 16, Sturgis advisories finished their turkey basket collection for the 2012 holiday season. At Sturgis twenty-one baskets were collected for the program, which donates items for Thanksgiving meals to local needy families.

Sturgis's efforts were spearheaded for the second time by Latin teacher Dr. Albis. He said, "This was definitely a success. This year, it was different in that we had to deliver the baskets."

Jack Goldstein, Kit Fredeura, James Peterson, and Bella Springer helped Dr. Albis deliver the baskets to the Hyannis Harbor Hotel where the Community Action Committee of Cape Cod and the Islands picked them up to distribute them. Fredeura, a junior, remarked that he could tell "the people were especially grateful." 

Jack Goldstein, Kit Freddura, Bella Springer, and James Peterson with a pickup full of turkey baskets

Peterson, also a junior, said: "There was more than I thought there would be. It was good to know that there would be a lot of baskets going to families who needed it."

Dr. Albis.

Leadership Key to Successful Girls' Soccer Season

Sara Sweeten

Hayara Cardosa

By Jacob Tobey, staff reporter

“Rebuilding” was a term that was going to be used a lot around the Girls Varsity Team this past season, but instead they quickly turned a “rebuilding” season into a season of excitement and surprise.  If you were the coach of a team that lost eight starters, nine seniors overall that previous year, wouldn’t you be thinking, “Rebuilding?”  That’s just what coach Steve Austin was thinking as he entered the 2012 campaign.  But he was way off and that’s what you’ve got to love about sports: There are tons of things that will surprise you and make you think, “Wow.”  The Storm had seven Cape and Island League All Stars on the team: Hayara Cardoso, Dorothy Paul, Maggie Paul, Lindsey Allin, Brittany Gayton and Kaleigh Fallon.

With nine seniors leaving after the 2011 season, the seniors of 2012 had to step up big in the leadership department, especially the two captains Hayara Cardoso and Sara Sweeten. Starting forward Cardoso had an excellent year in which she scored 11 goals.  She was a leader on and off the field.  Every game Cardoso tried to keep the team’s heads in the game and tried to pump them up by giving pep talks during the pregame and halftime.  She was a very good captain and also one of the more skilled players on the field.  Her other captain, Sweeten was a leader by example as well.  “As seniors and captains, we knew that as the leaders of the team, it was most important to lead by example. We wanted the new players to feel welcome and involved.”  Brittany Gayton was the leading scorer on the team with 13 goals this season.  Gayton and Cardoso were feared by other teams as they were a talented forward combo.  Sweeten, who led by example, had a very good season playing the field.  She was a midfielder and helped distribute the ball to the forwards and also got back on defense and stood her ground. Having two really good captains on this team really helped the young players grow and mature, and Cardoso and Sweeten helped make each and every player better.  The two captains wanted the team to bond together.  “We had a movie.  But most importantly, we built our relationships on the field in games and at practice,” said Sweeten.  She was rewarded with her work on the field with the MVP award.   

        The team started off the season a little slow with a couple blowout losses to Pope John Paul II and Nantucket.  In their first 5 games, they started out 1-3-1.  That’s not what they planned on doing.  This record woke them up and this is when they started playing better.   They Storm in another stretch of the season went 2-2-2.  Playing much better on offense and defense, the Storm knew that their hopes for making the tournament could be filed.  They then found themselves in the State Tournament and ready to make a solid playoff run.  They played Cape Cod Academy at home and they lost 1-0.  Coach Austin had some thoughts on the game, “Against Cape Cod Academy we had early chances to score a goal. Their keeper had a great game and we missed several good chances. They defended our forwards well and we probably should have dropped more balls back to the midfielders for shots from farther out.” CCA scored with only about eight minutes left in the game and the Sturgis could not make a comeback.

Hayara Cardoso commented on the chemistry of the team throughout the season, “Our chemistry became stronger throughout the season. We got better at communicating on and off the field and working collaboratively with each other. The chemistry between the central mids (kaleigh and Sara) and the forwards (Brittany and me) were really strong and beneficial.”  Both Captains gave an A- for their season grades of the team/season.  The Storm really played every game with an attitude that they could win every time.  Both captains are seniors and were starters on this team.  There are big shoes to fill for whoever steps up into those positions.  “My hope is that we will once again have a good chance to qualify for the tournament and this time win at least one game,” says Coach Austin.  With the talent the Storm still has this should be a realistic goal for the girls.

        There will be a change in leadership next season.  Brittany Gayton and Kaleigh Fallon will be the new captains.  The Sportsmanship award went to Lindsey Allin who showed how to be a very humble player who had very good sportsmanship toward opposing players and the referees.  The Most Improved Player award went to Dorrie Paul.  She really worked on her skills throughout the season and you could see the effects of that hard work.  The Coaches Award went to the captains of 2013: Brittany Gayton and Kaleigh Fallon.  As I said before this season was full of surprises and will never be forgotten by the 2012 Sturgis Storm Girls Varsity soccer team.    

Senior Trip Chili Fundraiser at the Hyer's Home

Senior Trip Chili Fundraiser at the Hyer's Home

All photos and text by Ted Jameson, staff pseudonym

The Chili Crew on Saturday, Nov. 17 at the Hyer's house in Wellfleet

On Saturday, November 17, thirteen seniors and Jeff and Denise Hyer worked together and made 20 gallons of Jeff's chili to help raise money to defray the cost of the Senior Trip next May. Prior to Saturday, there had been 73 quarts of chili pre-sold. Including what has been sold during lunch, the seniors have raised over $600. This amount is possible because of the generosity of parents who donate the ingredients or Stop and Shop gift cards, which allows the sales to be 100% profit.

For 20 gallons of chili the quantity of the ingredients is staggering: 30 pounds of steak, 32 28-oz cans of tomatoes, 45 cans of beans, 24 onions, 132 cloves of garlic, 200 ounces of beef broth, 140 cubes of beef bouillon, and so on. 

To tame the large quantities of ingredients the students were assigned teams and worked at various stations, such as onion and garlic cutting, steak searing, steak cutting, onion/garlic sauteing, can opening, bean draining and rinsing, and pot stirring.

The process began at 9 a.m. and ended at 5:55 p.m. when several students took all of the packaged chili quarts to the school to be stored in the student refrigerators. Those who purchased the chili are able to pick it up during Parent-Teacher Conference Day on Nov. 19.

Ingredients and supplies ready to go.

24 large white onions and 132 cloves of garlic being chopped

Grillmasters Ketryn and Kylie sear 30 pounds of steak over a wood fire

Denise Hyer teaches Ben and Casey how to cut across the grain of the steak so it is more tender

Sturgis Volleyball Makes History but Loses State Game

By Grayce Rogers, staff reporter

On November 4, 2012, the Girls Varsity Volleyball team made Sturgis history with their state tournament game against Case High School. With Sturgis adding volleyball just three years ago, this game was the first time the volleyball team made it to states. Sturgis ranked 11th out of 12 possible seeds, and Case High School ranked 6th. The Storm lost the game 3-0, but they still put forth a  quality game.
Sturgis started out anxiously dealing with the excitement of being at the tournament and the and with nerves to see what they were up against. The girls lost the first set but they would put up a fight for the next two sets.
    In the second set, the court lit up with phenomenal kills by Captain Makaila Lyons, who was assisted by Captain Shannon Slater’s sets. The girls were able to pull a lead through the second set, but their effort was not enough to win the set.
    The Storm girls approached the court with determination at the start of the third set. Emma Nemes continued her pivotal blocking and Amanda Sullivan’s defense was spot-on in saving many balls for the Storm. Unfortunately, even with the girls’ great efforts they lost the game.  
     After the game the girls walked off the court with smiles still on their faces. Captain Shannon Slater and senior Kelsi Murphy were spotted crying due to this being their last game of their high school careers. The seniors are certainly leaving footprints behind for future players to fill. The Storm Volleyball team might have lost, but Sturgis, as they have always shown, didn’t go down without a fight.
      After the game, Stormwatch staff member Grayce Rogers was able to ask Makaila Lyons a few questions. When asked how she thought her team played at states, she replied, “ We played our game and we went in there thinking we were going to get crushed, but in reality we could’ve won. Even though we didn’t, we focused on what we’ve been working on all year and gave it our best shot. Either way we made history.”  

Reflecting on this season, she said, “ The team as a whole, I’m impressed, we’ve progressed a lot I think, but I’m so proud of the fact we made it to states. I’ve seen everyone improve, even if it’s in a small way, it was great to see the end result.” Lyons, a junior, is also looking forward to next season. She explained, “ I’m really hoping we can make it to States again and go even farther if possible. It would be amazing. I’d love to improve on things we didn’t get a chance to as much as we wanted this year as well.”           

 

Sturgis Storm Volleyball have made their mark not only at Sturgis but also in the state tournament. Congratulations girls and good luck next season!

Student Spotlight: Lily X. Haselton

by Skye Kuppig, staff reporter

Sturgis East Junior Lily X. Haselton has distinguished herself at Sturgis for her talent in face and body painting.

Somehow between her homework, art club, her job at Stop and Shop, and Chinese lessons, she finds time to design, draw, and paint.

“I try to plan my artwork on days with minimal homework,” she said.

Lily started her own business, Facepainting by Lily, over the summer and has traveled to birthday parties and events all over the Cape to face paint. She is also working under a magician by the name of Marcus, whose son just graduated from Sturgis. She knows him as a family friend because he had also adopted a daughter from China.

Lily’s interest in art began when she was very young, as she explained. Her mother is an artist, and used to own a scrimshaw gallery, and so that she was always surrounded by art and creativity. Her face painting career began at age eleven, when her gymnastics coach noticed Lily’s interest in art and decided to bring her along to some of her face painting gigs. She took a liking to face painting, and has been working to develop her skill in it ever since.
Like almost all artists, Lily draws inspiration from the world and culture around her. She’s especially inspired by pop culture, saying, “ I think it’s interesting to take a costume from a movie and transform it into body art.” 
Lily also draws inspiration from other artists. Being on the Cape and access to the great art galleries (for example, the Norman Rockwell exhibit in Sandwich) has been an advantage to her.

“I look at other people’s art and apply their style to my own,” she explains.

However, Lily’s greatest inspiration may come from Sturgis itself. “I’m inspired by the people at Sturgis, because I’ve made a name for myself and the feedback they give me inspires me to do more,” she said. She says that taking IB art at Sturgis has helped her grow as an artist and has helped her to organize her ideas as well.

Lily is already planning for her artistic future. Art school is an attractive option, and she’s especially interested in the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Recently, she had an interview with Heritage House and Gardens Museum in Sandwich for an eight week art internship. After high school, her plan is to grow her small face painting business. Someday, Lily dreams of working for big productions like movies and Broadway shows.

Boys Soccer Falls in State Tournament

By Kevin Agostinelli, staff reporter

Despite being the 5th seed in the state tournament with an 11-3-1 record and automatically advancing to the Round of 16, the Sturgis boys soccer team lost to 12th seed Seekonk on Sunday night. A few hundred Sturgis fans attended the highly anticipated home game at Old Townhouse Field, but they ultimately left disappointed as the Storm fell to the Warriors 2-1.
Unfortunately for the Storm, their performance in the first few minutes of the first half was a microcosm of the entire match. The Sturgis boys were thrown off their game by a fast, physical, and no-nonsense Seekonk team which was content with booting the ball downfield and putting more pressure on the Storm’s defense to clear each long ball. This led to Seekonk’s first goal of the game, when a Seekonk defender stole the ball at midfield, kicked it downfield, and managed to have the ball bounce off a Sturgis defender and go out of bounds for a corner kick. The ensuing kick found Seekonk forward James Eline after several failed clearances, and he finished to shock the home crowd and give Seekonk the lead. However, the Storm’s determination and improved play towards the end of the first half led to a crucial goal by junior midfielder Jonny Gomes off an assist by senior forward Chris Dedecko. At the half, the game was tied 1-1.
Sturgis then began the second half as roughly as they began the first and struggled to find the passing game that had so often led them to victory in the regular season. Seekonk took advantage of the Storm’s struggles and began to attain more and more possession, finally punishing Sturgis with a devastating goal halfway through the second half. This goal was once again the result of three failed clearances from the Storm’s backline and a lucky bounce that just beat the outstretched arms of senior goalkeeper Kyle Garvey. Although the game was far from over, Seekonk took advantage of the Storm’s sloppy play in the attack and continued to kick the ball downfield until the ref blew the final whistle to end the game.
The boys soccer team finished their season with a record of 11 wins, 4 losses, and 1 tie, giving them the best record in Sturgis boys soccer history. Stay tuned for the upcoming recap of the entire boys soccer season, which will include highlights, analysis, and interviews with players and coaches!

A First for Sturgis Sports

By Jacob Tobey and Parth Patel, staff reporters

Sturgis, as academic as it is, recently acquired a new sports record.  For the first time in school history the Storm have 4 teams in the state tournament in a single sports season:  Girls volleyball, Girls Soccer, Boys Soccer and Cross Country.  This can assure that with each year of Sturgis being around since 1998, sports are getting better and better by the year, and soon enough, Sturgis will find itself at the top of the rankings in both academics and sports.     

       “I want to win at least one game in states before I graduate,” says captain Ben Duncan.  Boys Varsity Soccer is having one of its best seasons in school history.  They have an explosive offense, with forwards Aidan Fitzsimmons and Captain Chris Dedecko.  Fitzsimmons has 6 goals on the season, and Chris Dedecko has 12.  Captain Kyle Garvey has also been very impressive in net with more than a couple shutouts.  Captain Ben Duncan has been The General for the Storm’s defense; being a real leader and shouting out directions of where players should be on the field.  Hence his team nickname, “General fluffy.”  The defense as a whole has been very good for the Storm, and the team aims to go into the playoffs with one of the better records on the Cape.  This is the fourth year in a row the Storm have qualified and are looking to make some noise in the playoffs and really open people’s eyes.   

The girls varsity volleyball team has had a very good season.  Their record at the moment is 7-5.  It has been a breakout season and they are a real gem to watch.  Their intensity and passion for the game is excellent.  When the Storm are rolling, their passing and serves are really sharp and on target and that helps them win.  “Serving is really important.  We always play so much better when we are all having a good serving day, but passing is super important too because the play either starts or ends with the pass,” said Junior Captain Makalia Lyons.  With a great deal of talented players, the Storm should get ready to make a solid playoff run, and make it worthwhile.  They are the first Volley team in school history to make it to states, and can still set another record:  To be the first girls Volley team to win a state tournament game.    

The cross country team has been preparing for this moment all season. The two hour long practices that the team has put in after most school days are proving to be extremely beneficial to the teams success. Conditioning and other methods of training are going to help out when the state tournament starts.  They have put in a lot of hard work and dedication to try and go a long way into the state tournament.  Every person on the team tries their best and wants to become a better athlete.  Their dedication and love for the sport is what drives them the most.  On Wednesday, October 24, the Sturgis cross country team was not there to disappoint. The cross country team battled hard and posted impressive results. The score for the boys was 16-45, while the final score for the girls was 15-46. This recent victory brings the boys up to a record of 5-1 and the girls to a record of 4-2.   All eyes now turn to the state race at Franklin Park, which will take place on Nov. 9th in Boston.  

The girls varsity soccer team also made it into the big dance with a record of 6-5-2.  A lot of Sturgis’ best players last season were seniors, and but this years’ team certainly told off the critics.  Sturgis has one of the most explosive offenses in the Cape and Islands League, with forward Brittany Gayton leading the way for the Storm with 13 goals and looking for more as the post season rolls along.  Hayara Cardoso has also had a strong season playing alongside Gayton at the forwards.  The defense for the storm has really improved throughout the season.  Goalies Monique Legault and Maggie Paul have really done a solid job in net, keeping the goals against to a minimum.  They go into the tournament with their heads held high and ready to tell the story of Sturgis Soccer.   

Note: Since this article has been published, both soccer teams and the volleyball team have been eliminated from the state tournament.

StormWatch Staff Travels to Harvard Journalism Conference

By Katie Curran, staff reporter 
 
On Saturday, October 13th, members of the Sturgis East Stormwatch Newspaper along with advisor Mr. Hyer attended the Harvard Crimson Journalism Conference at Harvard University. I was lucky enough to have this amazing opportunity to learn about journalism.
    We arrived at the conference at 9:30 in the morning and were welcomed by members of the Harvard Crimson newspaper, the nation's oldest continuously published daily college newspaper.
    Along with several classmates, I started off my day by attending a workshop called "Techniques for News Writers". During the workshop, we learned what it takes to be a good writer. The leader of our session then sent us outdoors on an assignment to ask people what they plan to do for Halloween. The other students and I talked to people from all over the world including the US, South Africa, and England. We learned a lot about the culture of each person during the interviews. Interviewing people taught us how to be sharp with our interview skills. It also allowed us to become more comfortable interviewing people. This was an extremely rewarding assignment and exercise that truly showed us how to use our reporting skills. After the interviews, we went back to the Harvard Crimson headquarters and wrote articles about Halloween as experienced by people from around the world.
    Later in the afternoon, we had two classes that were an hour each. I went to a class about writing for magazines and capturing the culture of campus life. I learned a lot about feature stories and how to improve my writing skills. It inspired me with some great ideas of what to write about at school. I also took a videography class. This class taught me what I could do to provide students with multimedia videos on our websites. Each Harvard student that taught classes during the day really inspired all of us.
    We also listened to keynote speaker David Abel who is a staff reporter for the Boston Globe. We heard his inspiring story of how he became a journalist and his experiences in the world of journalism. We also had the chance to ask him questions. He told each of us that we are extremely lucky to have this opportunity to attend the journalism conference at Harvard, and he wishes that he could have attended it when he was starting out as a journalism student.
    We had a great day in Cambridge and definitely learned a lot. I never would have had the opportunity to do anything like this if it wasn't for the Sturgis Stormwatch and the Harvard Crimson reaching out to us. It was an experience like no other, and I was so fortunate that I had this opportunity. I certainly hope to attend the conference again! From driving up to Cambridge with Mr. Hyer, eating lunch and dinner with Sturgis classmates, taking classes, and walking around Harvard, this experience was unforgettable.  

Sturgis East Sweeps West in Evening Showdown

By Kevin Agostinelli and Miguel Cruz, staff reporters

Sturgis East sports kicked off the week in emphatic fashion, beating Sturgis West in boys’ junior varsity and varsity soccer, girls’ varsity soccer, and field hockey on Monday night, October 22. All four games were important for the team as a whole but especially important for the seniors, having played in their final night games in their Sturgis sports careers. As expected from such high-stakes rivalry matchups, all the games were filled with intensity, non-stop action, and a lot of goals. 

The Sturgis girls’ field hockey team achieved a solid 1-0 win over Sturgis West on Monday afternoon. Although the Storm struggled to take hold of the game, senior captain Abbie Titcomb scored the only goal to lead her team to victory. “We didn’t have a good start but once we got into our ‘game mode’ we did really well,” sophomore Laurenn Dedecko explained, “Overall the game went well and we were able to get a positive result against our rivals Sturgis West.” Despite the win, the girls improved their record to just 2-10 after a trying season abundant with narrow losses and missed opportunities. They hope to keep up the momentum and sweeten their record against Nauset later this week. 

Meanwhile, the JV boys’ soccer team had a great game against West and won 5-2. With Aaron Nadler, Ahmad Akkawi and Taylor Scott contributing to the scoreline, the JV had a great match. “We worked hard for this win,” sophomore Aaron Nadler stated, “ We wanted it more than they did and I think that’s what put us in this position. Overall we beat them and contributed to the sweep.” In the game Aaron was a star player, scoring two goals and directing his team to victory. Freshman Ahmad Akkawi also scored two goals, while freshman Taylor Scott hit the back of the net successfully after many attempts. Although Sturgis West scored 2 goals, they failed to take advantage of their own opportunities and were essentially dominated by Sturgis East. 

At Old Townhouse Field, the Sturgis East girls’ soccer team became one step closer to the state tournament with a commanding 4-2 win over Sturgis West. Senior Hayara Cardoso and junior Brittany Gayton led the attack for the Storm, each scoring two goals to put the game beyond all doubt even with the West girls fighting back with two goals. Hayara was aided by assists from senior Sara Sweeten and junior April Schaefer, while the speedy forward also helped set up one of Brittany Gayton’s goals. “Playing against West is always fun, and it’s definitely a friendly rivalry but a rivalry nonetheless,” Hayara Cardoso remarked, “I feel like we gave them a good fight this year and proved that we deserved to come out on top.” The girls now have a record of 4 wins, 5 losses, and 2 draws, needing just six more points in their final few games to qualify for the state tournament. 

East’s boys soccer ended Monday night with a bang under the lights of Old Townhouse Field. With a final score of 2-0, the boys walked away with giant grins and giant hugs from the loud and supportive fans. Sturgis East seemed to dominate the first 15 minutes of the game with quick passes and good communication, but the score was 0-0 at halftime. However, within a few minutes after the start of the second half, junior midfielder Jonny Gomes scored off a pass from Dylan Steven. Sturgis West’s goalkeeper never stood a chance on the second goal scored by senior Aidan Fitzsimons, who hit a perfect volley off a cross from junior Alex Smith. Sturgis East celebrated after the game was over, and the rivalry series during the regular season was officially won by the Storm, two games to one.

A Wild Week for the Storm

By Jacob Tobey, staff reporter

On a cold Monday afternoon on October 15, the Sturgis Girls Varsity Soccer team felt good after a 4-1 win against CCA at Old Town House Field in Yarmouth, the home field for the Storm.  As usual, the offense, which is key to the Storm’s success, was a force scoring 4 goals in the first half.  Forward Brittany Gayton scored 2 goals, adding to her team leading 9 goals.  Hayara Cardoso then scored two more in the first half and at the half it was 4-0.  Monique Legault was near perfect in net, just letting in one goal half way through the second half.  She injured her hand when CCA scored.   She got taken out of the game, and is most likely done playing goalie for the Storm this season, but can still be an important piece to the puzzle on the field.   

Their next opponent was a team that always gives them trouble:  Nantucket.  The game was one Wednesday, October 17.  The last time the Storm played them, it was a blowout for Nantucket, winning 9-0, but this time, Sturgis’ defense was solid. The Storm lost 3-0, but the loss was a big improvement from the last time they played Nantucket.  “We played really well,” said defender Rowen McEnaney, who was one of the bright spots on defense for the Storm to keep the Nantucket offense to a minimum.
Their last game of the week was Friday the 21st.  With the state tournament looming, the Storm had to come out with either a tie or a win.  They ended up tying South Shore Christian Academy 0-0.  Again, this was a showcase game for the Storm’s defense.  Each and every game this season, it seems the defense has gotten better.  If this team can make the playoffs, watch out because their young defense can catch you off guard and the offense always a threat to score.

Note To Our Readers

Due to an editing error, the StormWatch staff would like to apologize for the use of a strong adjective used to describe an opposing sports team in "Girls' Varsity Soccer Trying to Get Back on Track." It has since been corrected. StormWatch regrets the error.

Boys' Soccer Clinches Postseason Berth

By Kevin Agostinelli, staff reporter

The Sturgis boys’ soccer team completed its goal from the beginning of the season by clinching states for fourth straight year after two strong wins against Upper Cape Tech and Pope John Paul II. Sturgis improves its record to 9-2, becoming the fastest team in Sturgis boys’ soccer history to clinch the state tournament.
On Tuesday, October 9, the Storm wasted several opportunities but still came away with a 2-1 victory against Upper Cape Tech thanks to a goal from Chris Dedecko in each half. Despite dominating possession and combining cleverly in the attacking third, Sturgis found it difficult to break the deadlock until Aidan Fitzsimmons won the ball on the left side and sent a killer pass to Dedecko. The senior forward made no mistake on the play, slotting the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper. However, the UCT Rams took advantage of a controversial free kick call 20 yards from the goal and beat Storm goalkeeper Kyle Garvey after an unlucky deflection. Luckily for the Storm, Chris Dedecko scored early in the second half off a beautiful shot outside the box that ricocheted off the post and into the net. Several key saves by Garvey sealed the deal as Sturgis’s 8th win of the season qualified them for the state tournament. 
The following day featured a hardfought 4-0 win for Sturgis over local rivals Pope John Paul II. In the first five minutes of the game, Chris Dedecko collected a ball from Dylan Steven at the center of the box and shot a low drive past the goalkeeper to give the Storm an early lead. Soon after, junior midfielder Alex Smith lobbed the ball over to Dedecko, who hit a magnificent volley from 25 yards out that easily beat the goalkeeper. This marked Dedecko’s 11th goal in 11 games, keeping him on pace to beat Sturgis graduate Matt French’s record of 15 goals in one season. Not to be outdone by his teammate, junior playmaker Dylan Steven also fired home on a volley after a short clearance from PJP’s defense for his first goal of the season. Late in the game, senior forward Nolan Gibbons rebounded a shot from freshman Ray Todoroff to complete the scoring for the Storm.
The Sturgis boys continue their historic season with a games against Cape Cod Academy on Monday, Nantucket on Wednesday, and South Shore Christian on Friday of next week.

Girls' Varsity Soccer Trying to Get Back on Track

By Jacob Tobey, staff reporter

On Wednesday, September 19, the 0-2 Sturgis girls varsity soccer team was shutout in a dominating win by Nantucket.  The game was at the Storm’s home field, Old Townhouse, but the Storm couldn’t protect it as they lost to Nantucket 9-0.  The Storm’s defense simply could not stop a more skilled and experienced front line.  Maggie Paul, the goalie that started the match, had a lot to deal with and had a rough day in between the pipes.  Defense has been a problem for the Storm early on in this season, but the offense has a lot of promise. 
Their next game was against Southbridge on Friday 21, and it was much better attempt at trying to get the first win of the season but still came up short and tied Southbridge 1-1.  Brittany Gayton, who has gotten off to a good start this season, scored another goal with an assist from Monique Legault.  The defense was a lot better in this game as they only let up one goal.  Defenders Rowen McEnaney and Dorrie Paul had strong performances in the backfield. 
Finally, on Monday, September 24, the Storm got a win against their rival Sturgis West.  Captain Sara Sweeten scored the first goal unassisted in the first half.  It was her third goal of the season.  Then the leading goal scorer (4) for Sturgis East, Brittany Gayton, racked up two goals in the second half , one of them being assisted by April Schaefer.  “We were at the top of the 18, and she (April) did a 5 yard pass to me and I shot to the far post,” said Gayton. When the question was asked, “How excited are you that you scored two goals in a game?” She responded, “Super excited, oh my god.”  The offense really exploded in this match and it showed that Sturgis East is a legit threat on offense.  Monique Legault who assisted Gayton in the previous game, gave an outstanding effort in goal as she got the shutout. 
The Storm now stand at 1-3-1. They would like to get to .500 or better in the coming weeks as the play Upper Cape Tech on Thursday, September 27.  

Student Spotlight: Josh Cox

By Alicia Pollard, co-editor-in-chief

Freshman Josh Cox decided to take his passion for movie-making and create a club here at Sturgis. Josh shared with co-editor-in-chief Alicia Pollard information about his hobby and the club. 

When did you first become interested in movie-making?

Probably when I started getting involved in theatre, which was like 10 years old. I just had like gone to see shows when I was little and I thought it was fun and people said I had a talent for it.

What kind of work have you done?

Back in April I started this movie with one of my friends from the theatre; it’s like a drama... about this girl who finds out she had a twin and the twin isn’t human, she’s a clone and she’s trying to kill her. It was just fun to make and we’re making a second one too. I created a page advertising it on Facebook where I post pictures about what we do on set, and and lot of friends of ours are interested in it.

Is this more of a career interest or hobby for you?

Career interest, definitely, I’ve always wanted to be a famous actor and then go into directing stuff

What made you decide to start the club?

A lot of people were interested in how I made the movie and a lot of people said they’d always wanted to do something like that... I wanted to do anything I could do to help.

What kinds of things are you planning for the year?

Basically, ..I..ask them to write their own script. Each one gets to come up with their one movie. A lot of people are interested in making a documentary of being an IB student; others are interested in sci-fi or mystery. [They] can create a full product and present it.

Breaking Point

by Cooper Heilmann, staff writer

I’ve always wondered which side to choose: which side is right?
Everyone has something to lose in this unending fight.
We fight and scratch at each other’s hides and stress is in the air,
And then we finally begin to realize that it brings us nowhere.

Sometimes I wish it had never happened,
Sometimes I wish it would end.
But now I’ve finally found that
You have to be hurt sometime in your life
Or you’ll grow up thinking you’re invincible.
So I...

So I’ll find my own way
Someday.
So I’ll find my own way
Someday.  
So I’ll find my own way
One day.  

Maybe there is no truth; maybe there is only opinion.
Maybe there is no good and evil, just people’s views
Of this beautiful, but faulty world.
So maybe I’ll just...

Find my own way
Someday.
So I’ll find my own way
Someday.
So I’ll find my own way
Someday.  
So I’ll be my own way
Someday.
So I’ll live my own way
One day.

Sturgis' Surfin' Safari Saturday

Surf Clubs of Sturgis East and West 

Enjoy Day at the Beach

Photos and Text by Ted Jameson, staff pseudonym

The Sturgis East and West Surf Clubs at Marconi Beach on Saturday, October 6

The surf clubs of Sturgis East and West enjoyed a terrific Saturday afternoon surfing at the National Seashore's Marconi Beach in Wellfleet Saturday. East advisor Mr. Mathews and West advisor Ms. Anthony led the trip to the waves. And, yes, that is Latin teacher Mr. Bihl with the group (third from the left). Not pictured, thankfully, sharks.

After several hours riding the waves, the day ended around a campfire with hot cocoa and smores.

The clubs are traveling to Costa Rica to surf during February Break.

East student Jon Bruce hauls out his board after an hour on the water. Yes, the board is as heavy as it looks.

Mr. Mathews Seeks Even More Excitement

Mr. Mathews sought an even greater challenge by using a seal (seen in the upper left) as great white shark bait so he could have a greater challenge racing it back to the shore. Sharks never showed up much to Mathews' chagrin. All the other members of the club were thankful. Sharks had been sighted recently at the beach, according to the NPS.

Mr. and Mrs. Hyer's dogs, Cha Cha and Boo, attempt to snag a grape from Eloise, the daughter of Madame Blanc, around the campfire Saturday evening. Andrew Knittle, right, watches.

Curran Becomes Freshman Representative

By Katie Curran, staff reporter 

 On Tuesday, September 25, 2012, the freshman class of 2016 voted to elect their new Freshman Rep. for Student Council.  There were a large number of candidates this year with diverse interests and goals for the position.  Each candidate campaigned through posting signs and meeting and greeting with fellow students.  As far as hard campaigning went, candidates passed our cookies, pens, and candy to prospective voters the day before the election.  Each of the candidates’ campaign statements were posted in the online edition of the Storm Watch Newspaper.

The candidates for the position of freshman representative were as follows: Meghan Borowski, Elizabeth Campbell, Katie Curran, Dan Labbe, Zoe Neal, Chris O’Brien, and Hannah Trelegan.  Each ran unique and strong campaigns.  Among the goals expressed by many of the candidates were: school safety, organizing student events, raising money for dances and field trips, and for a more active student body.
The election results were announced Tuesday afternoon.  I, Katie Curran, am so grateful to be announced the winner as the new Freshman Rep. for our class.  It is such an honor for me and I am looking forward to a great year.  I have a lot of exciting ideas that I hope to implement this year, such as: more social functions to amplify our school spirit.  I look forward to listening to the ideas and concerns of the Freshman Class.
So far, I have talked to many students about the year ahead, and I have created a Facebook page for the grade.  I encourage your input so we can explore a variety of enriching activities.  It was a pleasure meeting so many of you during the campaign.
If you are interested in being part of the Facebook Group, you can become a member of the Sturgis Charter School Class of 2016-East Page. If you don’t have a Facebook, feel free to come up to me in the halls anytime with your concerns.  I am very approachable and can’t wait to talk to you all!
My goal is to create exciting school events that will enhance school wide spirit and increase participation from the entire student body.  I am looking forward to a fantastic year.  Thank you all for your support.

Camp Burgess Fun for Freshmen

By Khirdra Weisman, staff reporter 

There was mutual excitement as freshmen eagerly waited for their names to be called for their designated buses; the destination: Camp Burgess. As I talked to Katie Curran, Isabella Cantillano, and Patrick Keigans, about what they expected from Camp Burgess, all found the concept of “bonding time” ridiculous. Others were not sure what to expect, as to what sort of activities they would be participating in. Some freshmen were genuinely excited, Sky Kuppig said,”I expect Camp Burgess to be a fun day with friends! Meet new people, bonding time!”. On the bus I asked Jensen Simmons what she expected her day to be like, “I think I will have fun. I am excited about Camp Burgess, but not the climbing trees part. I hope there are many hands on activities. I think I will probably make new friends. I definitely prefer this over an academic day.” To Jensen’s relief, there was no tree climbing involved in our activities. By the time we were doing the beginning activities most people were laughing and having a nice time. We were soon separated into small groups to begin the bonding exercises. Some activities that were done were the spider web course, flipping the tarp, human knot, ninja hide, and keeping the balance. 

All of the games builded communication skills, improved teamwork skills and encouraged thinking in new ways. These activities were fun and engaging; and encouraged communicating with and cooperating with your teammates, qualities that are very much encouraged at Sturgis. Our councilors were extremely nice and helpful and always ensuring that we were having a good time. By lunch time everyone was sitting with their friends and seemed to be in a good mood. I went around and asked what they thought of Camp Burgess so far, many said they found it the good kind of “cheesy”. After lunch we regrouped and squeezed in some past activities. Everyone had a memorable fun day. We ended the day by going to the Harbor and signing the log book and ringing the bell, signifying the beginning of our journey in Sturgis.

Local Bald Eagle Population On Rise

By Joey Benedict, staff reporter    

     Fifty years ago, if you told anybody that you saw a bald eagle on Cape Cod, nobody would believe you. Quite frankly, bald eagles didn’t exist on the Cape then. Fifty years ago, this national bird was on the endangered species list.

     The bald eagle decline began during the World War II time period as a result of habitat loss, hunting, and most notably the widespread use of DDT pesticides. These DDT pesticides affected the durability of eagle eggs and prevented the eagles from reproducing. It was not surprising then that the species quickly recovered after the United States and Canada banned the use of DDT and made shooting eagles illegal as well. In recent years, bald eagles have begun to inhabit Cape Cod.

     Although there are no “official” breeding pairs on Cape Cod yet, there have been a good number of sightings; and in the past few years, sightings have become fairly common in Mashpee and Provincetown. According to the recently compiled Breeding Bird Atlas 2, there have also been sightings across the Vineyard in the last five years. Hopefully, a couple nests will be discovered in future years. However, in the mean time, it’s good to know that bald eagle sightings are now at least believable. 

Girls' Varsity Volleyball Kicks off Season

By Samantha Silverbrand, staff reporter

Photo by Emma Nemes

The girls varsity volleyball team set off the season with a spectacular win against Bethany Christian Academy last Saturday and another against Sturgis West on Monday. Sadly their winning streak has been cut short this Wednesday with a loss against rivals Pope John Paul II.

Starting off the season with a boom, captains Shannon Slater and Makaila Lyons made some astounding plays on the floor, Makaila scoring first point against Bethany with a resounding spike over the net. Winning the first set, Sturgis carried on with confidence. Throughout the second set there were some amazing plays made by some of the newer players this year, freshmen Deja Andrews and

Lauren Smith. Throughout the set Bethany

Photo by Emma Nemes

made some surprising plays, giving Sturgis East a tough time trying to win against them in the second set and  Bethany ended up winning 25-22. After losing the second set, the Sturgis varsity girls gained the determination to do better in the next set. Upping their game to their best playing, they ended up winning the third set 25-14 with their willpower and concentration on the game. Entering the fourth set, the Sturgis East girls went in with their hearts set on the win. Grayce Rogers made some fantastic digs, passing the ball for the winning point in the fourth set, final score being 25-22, giving Sturgis East their first win of the season.

Monday brought the anticipated game against Sturgis West. Already feeling the heat of East, Sturgis West brought their A-game, making some good volleys, but not quite good enough. Sturgis East dominated the court making volley after volley, some terminal hits being made by junior Hannah Taylor and sophomore Emma Nemes. The Sturgis East volleyball team had come to win, winning the first three sets within a time period of only 45 minutes to complete the game. All and all it was a good day for Sturgis volleyball on both sides of the net. Sturgis West showed great competitive spirit and sportsmanship, and their games will always be anticipated in the future.
Finally on Wednesday was the game against PJPII. It was a hard fight for the win in the first set, but Sturgis finally won 26-24 with a well deserved win for the first set. After the first set things seemed to change, and Sturgis was a little too off their game, letting Pope John Paul take the initiative to win the next three sets. Even though Sturgis lost the game, the first set was the best of the season.  
The Sturgis East varsity volleyball team will continue the season with their next game on Saturday in Hanover against South Shore Regional Technical School. They hope to keep a positive attitude for the outlook of the season and to come out as a better team this year by  improving their skills and working as a team.