Sturgis Students Attend James Otis Lecture Series in Boston

By Katie Curran, news reporter

Sturgis East and West students pose for a picture at Faneuil Hall

On September 17, 2013, I joined my fellow Sturgis students from East and West to visit Faneuil Hall in Boston for the James Otis Lecture Series. This program was presented to us by the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), who created the lecture series. Every year, James Otis Lecture Series' are held throughout the country on Constitution Day. James Otis, a great American lawyer, played a central role in the birth of the American Revolution and in the foundation of our Constitution. On Constitution Day, the ABOTA’s goal is “to have the lecture series inspire us all to remember that one person, armed with courage and reason, can accomplish much in free society.”

We arrived in Boston in the morning and spent time enjoying a walk around Faneuil Hall Marketplace. We then entered the Faneuil Hall Meeting House to listen to the lecture, which was about Lelia Robinson and her quest for equality. Lelia Robinson was a true pioneer and female leader in the legal world who dared to challenge the social convention.  More than 200 students and teachers from across the Commonwealth sat down to hear the story of Lelia's success.   

During the talk, we heard from various distinguished speakers such as the Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Court and the Dean of Harvard Law School. Each of the speakers gave us an insight into the progress women have made in law during the course of our nation’s history.  We learned about each speaker’s experiences in the law profession and what we can do to be a voice of change, becoming "James Otis Scholars" in the process. Overall, I had a wonderful time at the 6th Annual James Otis Lecture and was fortunate to attend and hear from such brilliant speakers.  

Experiencing the Czech Republic

By Katie Curran, news reporter

Reporter Katie Curran with her host sister at a Czech Castle

Deep in the heart of Eastern Europe lies Czech Republic. With approximately 10.5 million inhabitants, Bohemia is home to breathtaking sights and extensive history.  This summer I was able to experience such an incredible country firsthand as an exchange student.  I experienced various European countries including Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic with my Danish host family. Spending time in Czech Republic was an unforgettable experience that really changed my life.

I arrived at the airport in Copenhagen greeted by a foreign family that I had never met in person. I could never have imagined how close I would soon become with them, but the moment they gave me a big hug, I felt an instant connection and a part of my new international family. During my home stay, I lived with my Danish family, which included two sisters age 14 and 15 , my host “dad” and host “mom”.  My host mom was a refugee to Denmark from Czechoslovakia in 1968. Their family story of life behind the Iron Curtain was absolutely incredible. I was going to be spending my summer with a family that is living history of what Eastern Europe has endured. The lessons I had been taught in history class were coming alive too.  And so we traveled to Česká Republika, where I was able to meet their Czech family and witness an endless love that has survived through the tests of time.

To begin my Czech adventure, we spent nearly a week in Prague. I remember the first night we arrived at our pension along the Charles Bridge. Glowing lanterns lit up the cobblestone streets and the shadows of breathtaking architecture cast over us. As we took a stroll over the bridge, I could see in the distance the Prague Castle, watching over the city. The warm July air enveloped my skin and I felt a soft breeze. I could hear traditional Czech songs playing down the narrow roads and I instantly felt at home. It never felt as though I was a world away. Everywhere you looked there were countless nationalities, all exploring one of the best cities in the world. Prague isn't like anything I have ever experienced before. It was like I was living in a dream.

An aerial view of Prague (photo credits to Katie Curran)

I definitely didn't see the city as a typical tourist. I got to see the city from a perspective of a native Czech. Everywhere we went, my host “mom” would always speak Czech to the local people.  I didn't seem like a foreigner, but rather a guest into my European family's international world.

In Praha (as we say in Czech), everything was spectacular. We dined at authentic Czech restaurants and ate national delicacies like Schnitzel and Knedlíky. Some of the highlights of my stay were exploring the Prague Castle, taking a climb to the top of the Petrin tower (which resembles the Eiffel Tower), shopping in the main square of the city, visiting cathedrals, going to a Vietnamese market, and spending time at the Jewish Quarter of the city. Being in the Jewish Quarter really affected me. It was hard to keep back tears as I stood in the Pinkas Synagogue which is a memorial to the 80,000 Jewish Victims of the Holocaust from Bohemia and Moravia. I walked along the white walls inscribed in red and black with my host mother.  She took me to the part of the memorial where her hometown in Czech Republic was listed. My heart sank as we read the list of all the lives lost from her city.  Putting the face of a real family to a story was so powerful. I felt like I was part of the Kaderkova family now and that Czech Republic was a part of me. My heart was broken to imagine what this country so dear to me had been through. Afterwards we sat in a Synagogue and I reflected on everything that had happened in history right where I had stood. For one moment in time, I felt like I connected with an entire race.  Looking deep into the eyes of the lost in such a holy place like their synagogues was so overpowering.  I never expected to connect with humanity in such a unique way.    

While in Prague, we visited my host family's extended family. When we had dinner together, I could just feel the endless love radiating from each one of them. The Iron Curtain had separated them for so many years, but seeing them happy and safe together was one of the best feelings in the world.  Just the simple feeling of having your brother and sister by your side is something so many of us take for granted.  It’s something that has been robbed from so many over the course of history.  My host sisters do not speak the same languages as their little cousins due to growing up geographically divided.  Even simple things like communication have been hindered due to the lasting effects of the Soviet Union Era.

Katie Curran and her host family in Česky Krumlov

Our next stop across the Czech Republic was a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a city called Česky Krumlov. As we drove toward the city, which was not too far from Austria , I could see announcement speakers along street lamps from where the Communist regime once gave daily orders. It was eerie to see them still lined up on the streets, no longer used, but a constant reminder of the country's past. However, aside from that, Česky Krumlov was a fairytale city with exquisite old buildings and rolling hills. My host sisters and I ran around the Royal garden, sharing laughs and taking in the beauty of the landscape.  We climbed castles, ate zmrzlina (ice cream), visited a Czech puppetry museum and went river rafting on the Vltava River.  In the Czech Republic, the sleepy city of Česky Krumlov is a must see for its exquisite views.    

Our last stop on our trip was visiting my host family's mountain cabin in the Jeseníky Mountains along the border of Poland.  The quiet little village was very cozy and friendly.  There was one local restaurant that we ate at that was extremely inexpensive.  I could eat like a queen for under $5.  With ice-cream costing 40 cents a scoop, it was hard not to indulge.  We took an hour ski lift up to the top of a Mountain in Czech Republic.  You could see for miles on end the picturesque view of villages scattered around Poland and the Czech Republic.  It was incredible!

I fondly remember one chilly night under an endless starry sky, sitting with my host family and Czech neighbors singing along to Czech Songs. I began to believe that language isn't a barrier that prevents us from becoming friends because everyone was smiling in the same language.  On that night, I felt as if we were all speaking the same language.  I was laughing with elderly Czechs who couldn't speak a word of English, but we still understood each other.  I sat there looking at the stars, looking at Poland, looking at my new international family, and I saw that we as people aren't actually that different.  I felt like I was being a tolerant, global-minded 15 year-old ambassador for the United States.  My host family that I had met just a few weeks ago was so similar to me, especially my host sister Carolina, and we have continued our international friendship. in my opinion, life is a chance to experience the wonders of the world through global friendships.

Sturgis East Cross Country off to the Races in 2013

By Cooper Heilmann, staff reporter  

Tom Homand (left center), Jon Greeve (center), and Liam Doherty (far right) begin the race at Martha's Vineyard. 

This year’s Sturgis East cross country team has had a very strong start to the season.  Despite losing an excellent senior group last year, which included the Ohm twins, Noah Lonergan, and Mitch Kimber, the Storm have several returning veterans who are quickly and successfully stepping up to form a very competitive squad. This core group includes seniors Jonah Greenberg and Jon Greeve, and juniors Tom Homand, Liam Doherty, and Parth Patel.There is also a large number of new, upcoming runners who have already brought success to the team. One good example is brand-new freshman runner Caroline Sullivan, who just recently recorded one of the top times for girls in Sturgis Cross Country history (In cross country, runners are timed by how quickly they can run a distance of 5 km, or 3.1 mi).

Junior Caitie Pollard amidst a crowd of girls' varsity runners at Martha's Vineyard.

The season started out with an invitational meet on Martha’s Vineyard, where hundreds of runners from different schools throughout Massachusetts came to race. The boys didn't finish as well as they feel they could have, but the boys’ junior varsity excelled, even beating some of the varsity players’ times. The girls’ varsity efforts were highlighted by a superb performance by Caroline Sullivan, who finished with a time just under 22 minutes. The JV girls also ran very well and finished with solid times across the board.

Sophomore Holden Romage (middle) making a furious finish in the boys' JV race.

    On September 17, the cross country team had their first head-to-head race against Pope John Paul II at Bayberry Golf Course. This course is traditionally the most challenging course of the season, but Sturgis experienced a crushing victory nevertheless, taking the first five spots as well as seventh and eighth place. Jon Greeve took first place in the meet, while Caroline Sullivan and senior Cadance Sullivans helped lift the girls to victory.

Senior Jonah Greenberg (middle) and Tom Homand (behind) help the Storm defeat PJPII. 

The Storm cross country team is currently preparing for its next race on Tuesday, September 24, against Mashpee and Carver.

Boys' Soccer Coach Discusses Upcoming Season

By Peter Keefe, sports reporter

The Sturgis East boys’ soccer team has kicked off the season with two wins against Sturgis West and Cape Cod Academy, a loss against Nantucket, and two draws against South Shore Christian and Cape Cod Tech. As the Storm aim for their fifth consecutive state tournament berth, Stormwatch sports reporter Peter Keefe met with boys’ soccer coach Brian Hastings to talk about the team and the coach’s hopes for the rest of season:

1) First of all, what are your goals, as a coach, for your team this year?

Every year our goals are to help each player reach his potential and do his best.  As a team, we'll always have "ups & downs" so our overall goal is to leave a game knowing that we did all we could to win.

2) With a loss of so many valuable seniors last year, how are you filling their roles on the field in games and practices?

        Each year, the "holes" get filled.  Players step up and improve to the point where they can fill what needs to be filled.  

3) Have you seen any new rising stars this year?

Even as we fill the holes, there are always some surprises.  This year we have three very skilled freshmen on the varsity:  Sawyer Gibbons, Mark Agostinelli and Jake LaMotte.  These three players have all contributed to our success so far.

4) What do you think is the toughest team to beat, and how do you plan to beat them?

Nantucket is always tough.  Last year, we tied them for the first time in school history.  In our first meeting this year, we didn't do so well (4-0 loss) but, we're all looking forward to a rematch in October. Our plan to beat them is to score more goals than they do !!!

5) What are your hopes and plans on getting to the tournament?  

This year, we have the toughest schedule that a boys’ soccer team has faced at Sturgis.  We've added Cardinal Spellman, Falmouth Academy  and Mashpee.  That said, we still have a reasonable chance to qualify for the states.  Only time and effort will tell.

6) How do you find each player's best position and the best starting lineup for the team, without disrupting team chemistry?  

It's important for a coach to define roles and communicate them clearly.  Some players are asked to play a different position because of a need in our system.  Kevin Agostinelli is a good example of this.  This year I've ask him to play a sweeper position because he is very talented and can "anchor" our defense.  Although I sure Kevin would really like to be in another spot, he's doing is best to help our team.  A starting lineup can vary depending on injuries and effort.  It's still important to define roles and communicate changes ahead of time.

7) In your time as a coach here, do you believe that the talent level at Sturgis has increased year after year? If so, how has it improved?  

That's a really tough question.  In my first year we only had 16 players total and most of those players were freshmen.  What I think is more appropriate to point out is that as Sturgis athletics finds success in many of its sports, the pride & tradition that athletes bring to the fields of play make them better as a team.

8) Finally, what do you feel is the most crucial aspect of a team to achieve success in a game?

I'm a firm believer in the fact that athletics can teach things that can't be learned in a classroom.  While "winning" is always the goal of an athlete, nobody "wins" all of the time.  That's as true for life as it is for athletics.  The best that we all can do is to give our best (not almost best but BEST) effort in all that we do.  We can't always control the outcome of things but we can control ourselves.  If we've done all that we can, there is some success in there, just maybe not a "win".   Over my career at Sturgis, I have seen "milestones" in the soccer program such as our tie with Nantucket.  Just last week, we came from behind to tie South Shore Christian with 5 minutes left in the game.  Was it a win...no.  However we proved to ourselves that if you don't give up and work together, good things can happen.  That's success.

The Sturgis Storm (2-1-2) continue their season with an away game against Cardinal Spellman on Friday.

Fiddler on the Roof: An East-West Production!

By Dan Souza, feature writer

The famed Broadway musical, Fiddler on the Roof, written by Sholom Alcheim, is now being performed at Sturgis! It is being put on by Sturgis’s theater department, otherwise known as S.T.A.G.E.

The show, famous for such numbers as “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Matchmaker,” follows a poor Jewish milkman named Tevye, played by East junior Liam Prendergast, as he struggles to maintain the traditions of his village, while at the same time dealing with the oppression of the Russian government in the early 20th century. He runs into such struggles when his three oldest daughters, Tzeitel (Rachel Walman), Hodel (Hannah McLaughlin), and Chava (Ella Hunt) fall in love with three unexpected men, forcing Tevye to bend his morals and decide between tradition and the happiness of his family.

Commenting on the overall message of the play, senior Hannah McLaughlin, remarked, “Sometimes breaking traditions brings out the best in us.” Love, which helps to bring about this tradition-breaking in Fiddler on the Roof, is a recurring theme in the show. 

Liam and his daughters, as well as his wife, Golde, played by Ali Waithe, will be supported by a large cast including Sophia Braddel, Jack Watters, Ethan Bailey, Chris Dumont, Dan Souza, Claire Thomas, Rebecca Mann, Johnny Travers, Danny O’Connell, Connor Mahoney, Molly Brennan, Ethan Michael Piers, Maddie Williams, Jennifer Suslo, Dominic Fucile, and Daniel Kamb, as well a remarkably talented ensemble!  This is the first combined theatrical effort between Sturgis East and West, with the play being directed by one East teacher, Rachel Ollagnon, and one West teacher, Anna Botsford. 

When asked about how she feels to be part of the first S.T.A.G.E. collaboration between East and West, ensemble member Zoe Neal explained, “I think it's a wonderful opportunity to bridge the gap between the cultures of both schools, and that it is a great way to share a common love of music and theatre with other students.” 

Sophomore Anna Rohlf, also a member of the ensemble, agreed with Zoe that the production will be "a really exciting show with a huge variety of talent!”

The music is being taken care of by Ms. Moore from West, and the pit orchestra will be directed by Mr. Lee, also from West. The show will be performed at Nauset Regional Middle School on November 14th, 15th, and 16th. Be sure to make the trip over and watch your talented Sturgis students light up the stage!

Sturgis East Girls Beat West, Lose to Nantucket

By Jacob Tobey, sports reporter

It’s that time of year again, and the Sturgis Storm girls’ varsity soccer team is back on the pitch and ready to begin the soccer season. After a disappointing loss last year in the first round of the Division 3 South State Tournament game, the girls look to have another impressive season. Senior Captains Brittany Gayton and Kaleigh Fallon hope to bring great leadership to the team and to build chemistry with all the young talent.

Gayton commented about how she wants to lead the team in her final soccer season at Sturgis:

“Both Kaleigh and I hope to just pull the team together and push them in the right direction. We both want the same thing (states) and we know that in order to achieve that, we have to lead by example and play hard during every practice and game.”

Sturgis played its first game on Wednesday, September 4th against rival Sturgis West at Old Townhouse Field in Yarmouth, the team’s home field. The East girls won the match 2-0, as Gayton scored the team’s first goal of the season with a shot to the top left of the net, assisted by her co-captain Kaleigh Fallon. Senior April Schaefer scored the second goal for the Storm in the second half of the game, juking the goalie with a couple of moves and finishing on a wide open net to lengthen the Storm’s lead. Gayton assisted on Schaefer’s goal to improve upon an already productive offensive day. Sturgis East’s defense, anchored by junior Rowen McEnaney also put on a stellar performance, not allowing the ball to be deep in their defensive zone. Rowen Mcenaney had a very good game as she played solid defense.  

The girls next traveled to Nantucket on Monday the 9th  for what always is a very tough game to play. The Storm’s defense was not as it was in the season opener against West, as they let up 6 goals en route to a 6-0 loss.  The offense for Sturgis was shut down by a very skilled and intimidating Nantucket defense. Gayton, on the boat ride home from the island, voiced that it was a “disappointing game.” For historical reference, Sturgis East, between both soccer programs, has never beaten Nantucket, although both squads have tied the Whalers in previous years. Sophomore Tess Puopolo had an impressive game against Nantucket as she held the midfield position, while Sarah Clifford did well in goal against one of the top offenses in Division 3.

Senior Captain Kaleigh Fallon talked about her objectives for her final season at Sturgis, “A few goals for the season are to obviously make it to states but to also make sure the upcoming lower classmen are ready to take the role of the seniors next year because more than 8 of us on the varsity team are seniors this year. But overall I'm looking forward to a really great season and I think we have what it takes to make it to states again!”

Overall, the first week brought a solid start to what hopefully will be an entertaining and competitive season for the Sturgis East girls.

 

Sturgis East Student Council Candidates 2013

By the Stormwatch Staff     

     On Thursday, May 30, during advisory, the freshman, sophomores, and juniors will be voting on their class representatives for the Sturgis East Student Council, or STUCO, for the 2013-2014 school year. These same grades will also be voting on a president-vice president pairing for student council next year, as well as STUCO's secretary and treasurer. Here is a breakdown of the student council candidates:

* The incoming freshman Class of 2017 will be holding their class representative elections in September.

2013 Sophomore Class Rep: 
Maura Coughlin
Katie Curran
Victor Dominatto
Holden Ramage

2013 Junior Class Rep:
Kevin Agostinelli
Matthew Cappucci

2013 Senior Class Rep:
Quinn Coughlin

2013 President-Vice President: 
Adam Bennani (Senior) - Kit Freddura (Senior)
Kaleigh Fallon (Senior) - Maggie Randall (Junior)
Meredith Sullivan (Senior) - Liam Prendergast (Junior)

2013 Secretary: 
Catherine Etienne (Senior)

2013 Treasurer: 
Laura Sirhal (Junior)

The following video features each candidate's campaign speech, in the following order:
Freshman Class Rep, Sophomore Class Rep, Junior Class Rep, Senior Class Rep, President-Vice President,  Secretary, Treasurer.
Here is the link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsApPbX2jIM

Boys' Baseball State Game This Friday at Lowell Park

By Jacob Tobey, staff reporter  
 
With the fourth seed in the Division 4 state tournament, it was revealed on Tuesday that Sturgis East will face Westport on Friday, May 31, at 4:00, at the Storm’s hometown ballpark of Lowell Park in Cotuit. Come with friends and family to show school pride and support the Sturgis Storm in their quest to win the first state tournament game in school history!

If you can’t make it to the game or just want to listen to it, you can listen to the first-ever live broadcast of a sports game for Sturgis. I will be conducting the radio broadcast, and I will be joined by former Boston sports radio commentator and current history department director Jim Barasso, sophomore commentator Nick Goetz, and our sophomore producer Parth Patel. We will be using the website http://www.blogtalkradio.com/, so look for a specific link from this website to be posted on the front page of the Sturgis Charter School website, http://sturgischarterschool.org/, and on the front page of the Stormwatch website, http://sturgisstormwatch.blogspot.com/. 

Boys’ Baseball Completes Historical Regular Season

By Jacob Tobey, staff reporter

The Sturgis boys’ baseball team finished the 2013 regular season with a 13-3 record, the best record in Sturgis baseball history.

    On Wednesday, May 22, the Storm played their rivals Sturgis West for the third time this season.  After beating them 13-0 in their last game, it shockingly took ten innings to finish this one as East came out with a well-deserved 2-1 win. The game was characterized by an exciting pitcher’s duel between East junior Luke Chevalier and West junior Tom Cunning, both of whom pitched all ten innings, with Chevalier eventually emerging as the victor, recording a season-high 14 strikeouts.

    In the bottom of the seventh inning with a man on third, Tom Cunning hit a RBI single to tie the game up at one to send the game to extra innings. In the top of the tenth inning, sophomore Ryan Havey gave the Storm a 2-1 lead on a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to drive in a run. Then, in the bottom of the tenth, with a runner on second base, Chevalier caught a line drive and threw it to second for the double play, ending the game and giving Sturgis East another impressive victory. Although East’s offense was really contained in this game, both Austin Taubert and Connor Bryant had two singles.

    The boys next played New Testament on Thursday, May 23. They won with the final score of 12-0, with Coach Levine sitting some of his starters, giving Kyle Garvey, Chevalier, and Havey a rest. Sophomore Cooper Gavin got his second start on the mound this season and struck out six. He was on his game against a poor New Testament lineup. With Havey getting the day off, junior Ryan Bracken got the start at second base and went 4-5 with two doubles, and senior first baseman Ben Duncan went 2-4 and scored twice.

    Several milestones were achieved during the 2013 season for the Storm.  Along with having the best record in Sturgis baseball history, another accomplishment was senior Kyle Garvey becoming the winningest pitcher in school history after attaining 8 wins. The third milestone was making the state tournament in back-to back years for the first time in Sturgis baseball history. This goes to show that Sturgis East sports are clearly on the rise and becoming more competitive.  

    

Video: Sturgis East Field Day

By Katie Curran, staff reporter & videographer

On Thursday, May 23, Sturgis East held its annual Field Day on the fields behind Pope John Paul II High School. The day was relaxing and enjoyable for all, especially after the sun began to shine! Special thanks to STUCO, Sturgis East's student council, for hosting the event.

Watch this video to see some highlights of Field Day (0:49 min): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fkdkIZ_3Xk

Key Club Zumbathon A Resounding Success

By Parth Patel, staff reporter

 The Sturgis East Key Club held a Zumbathon on Saturday May 11th as a fundraiser to support Camp Sunshine, a retreat in Casco, Maine for children with life-threatening diseases and their families. For those of you who don’t know, Zumba is a dance Fitness mini-marathon event that uses music and dance to help unite people, while having a party in the process! Zumba Fitness® leverages dances such as Salsa, Cha Cha, Samba, Tango, Merengue, and hints of Flamenco, Calypso, Hip Hop, Celtic, Rock-n- Roll, and Belly Dancing. Zumba® is for all ages and all fitness levels.

Each day around the world, the Zumba program makes a positive impact on millions of people’s lives, and it’s in this spirit that Zumba was founded. The mission of Zumba is to foster charitable initiatives that raise funds and awareness for important global health causes, and to celebrate the joy of giving through dance, fitness, friendship and love. Powered by the energy and passion of its Zumba Instructor Network and Zumba fans worldwide, it has raised millions of dollars for breast cancer, motor neurone disease, heart health and more through thousands of Zumbathon charity events and other Zumba activities.

The Zumbathon began at 1 P.M. when instructors began arriving through the doors of the Hyannis Youth & Community Center. The music was turned up and the Zumba instructors started dancing and urging people to Zumba along with them. There was great participation among everyone who came along to support the cause. There were teachers from Sturgis East as well as a great deal of students. Instructors took turns coordinating their dances, which were very upbeat and creative. At the end of the Zumbathon everyone was tired and dripping in sweat, but it was well worth it. Not only was there Zumba, but there was also a raffle which included gift cards and prizes from a variety of stores such as Ben & Jerry's, The Silver Sea Horse, Trader Joes and Common Ground. 

All in all, the event was a success in that it was entertaining and exciting and that it raised a lot of money for a great cause. Everyone who participated had a great time with their friends and family and everyone also had the opportunity to win great prizes during the raffle. The instructors were a crucial part of this Zumbathon and it would not be possible without them. Also, Sturgis East Key Club hosted a great event that brought a number of people together for a cause, which will provide a retreat for kids and families with life-threatening diseases.

The Journey Continues: Sturgis Baseball, Tourney Bound

By Jacob Tobey, staff reporter

The Storm experienced a busy but very successful week as they had five games between Monday the 13th and Sunday the 19th. 

On Monday, the team played the first of two games against South Shore Christian at Lowell Park and won 14-2. Sophomore Cooper Gavin was on the mound as he got his first start and pitched six innings, recording seven strikeouts, walking nobody, and only letting up three hits. Senior captain Connor Bryant went 2-for-2 with a walk, sacrifice fly, a single, a double, and five RBI. Sophomore Ryan Havey was up in the bottom of the sixth and hit a two RBI double to win the game on a “slaughter rule” (the games ends if the deficit is at least 12 runs after five innings). 

Havey commented on what it felt like to get the deciding hit, “Well I approached the plate with a lot of confidence and I knew I would drive the ball hard somewhere. When I made contact I knew it was good. It was a good feeling ending the game like that.”  

On Tuesday, the Storm played at Cape Cod Academy and kept the winning streak going as they won 6-4. The Storm’s ace Senior Kyle Garvey was on the hill and pitched a complete game, striking out seven while allowing seven hits and walking three batters. When Sturgis was down 4-2 in the fifth inning, Garvey hit a two-run double to tie the ballgame up, and Connor Bryant followed with a single for the go-ahead RBI, one of his five RBI on the day. Senior captain Ben Duncan went 2-for-4 on the day. With this win, Sturgis East officially made the state tournament for the second consecutive year.       

Sophomore Kevin Agostinelli explained how he felt after qualifying for the tourney for the second time in his Sturgis career, “It definitely feels good, but our objective at the start of the season was to at least qualify. I think we've come to the point where we as a baseball franchise believe that making the state tournament should be an annual routine. As for winning a state game at Lowell Park? That is our ultimate goal for this year."  

East next played on Wednesday against Cape Tech at Lowell Park and Luke Chevalier dominated as he collected twelve strikeouts in a 5-0 win. He pitched a complete game, which is becoming a normal thing for him and for Kyle Garvey. Seven of the nine Sturgis batters got a hit in the cohesive win. Ben Duncan went 1-for-2 with a walk and drove in two RBIs, while Ryan Havey, Kevin Agostinelli, and Ryan Bracken recorded the other three RBIs. Connor Bryant also went 2-for-3 with a single and a double.  

Thursday, the Storm kept on rolling as they won in a blowout fashion, 11-2, against South Shore Christian for the second time in four days. Despite committing four errors, the team was boosted by their power hitters Connor Bryant, who went 2-for-3 with four RBIs, and Austin Taubert, who went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Coach Levine sat Chevalier, Havey, Duncan, and Agostinelli as he wanted to give a chance for the bench players to get some time on the diamond. Ian Devine threw a gem in his second start of the year, allowing just one hit in six innings and striking out nine batters. 

Sunday was a matinee game against East’s rival, Sturgis West. With arguably the largest crowd on hand this season for the Storm, the fans got to see a show as Kyle Garvey pitched his second no-hitter in two seasons at Lowell Park, leading Sturgis to a 13-0 victory. Garvey threw the first no-hitter in team history last spring against New Testament, and he was on his game as usual as he fanned nine batters and had zero walks.  Garvey also had a good day offensively, going 3-3 with a pair of doubles, three runs scored, and one stolen base. In the bottom of the fifth inning, senior center fielder Ian Devine made a phenomenal diving catch to preserve the no-hitter. 

Garvey reflected on his second career no-hitter, “It felt awesome, especially against West. The coaches told everyone not to say anything and told the people playing to make all the plays, and that’s why Ian made that great catch to save the no-hitter.”

Sturgis now sits at 11-3, 5-2 in the Cape and Islands League. The boys look to continue their eight-game winning streak against Sturgis West for the third time this season on Wednesday, and they will travel to New Testament High School on Thursday to finish off their season. As Coach Levine has reiterated for the past couple of weeks, “The journey continues.”  

My School Trip to Roger Williams and UMASS Dartmouth

By Cooper Heilman, staff reporter

This past Tuesday April 30th, a number of my fellow Sturgis classmates and I went on the sophomore college field trip to Roger Williams University and Umass Dartmouth.  We were all excited to see what college was really like firsthand.  
The bus left school early in the morning and we headed out to Roger Williams University first, which was right near the Rhode Island/Massachusetts border.  The college was on a small peninsula next to the water.  My first impression of the campus was a good one; there were water fountains at the gate, green grass everywhere, and neat buildings.  The campus was like its own little town.  We met with our tour guides in the morning, and they showed us around the whole campus.  They were both very nice and thoughtful.  First, they showed us the gym and athletics department, which had large indoor basketball courts, soccer courts, and a track, its own cafeteria, swimming pool, gym, and much more.  It was a very inviting place overall.  What I remember most were the windows from the gym that overlooked the water.  It was a pretty sight.Roger Williams University library (above)
The tour guides continued to lead us to the biology labs and the dorm rooms.  The dorm rooms seemed cozy and clean, with plenty of windows overlooking the water.  It looked like a place I might want to live in while at college.  Finally, they showed us the library and the cafeteria.  The cafeteria was a huge plus; it had about every variety of food you could think of.  As our tour guides informed us, Roger Williams takes pride in its architecture program, which happens to be one of the top architecture programs in the country, and we were able to see many impressive works and models of architecture on our tour.
    As far as the academics went, there was a decent variety of majors (43 to be exact), and plenty of clubs, sports, and other activities to get involved in.  However, the academics were not as impressive as the campus itself.   
Roger Williams University tour
 
As far as Umass Dartmouth was concerned, I was not impressed in the least bit with the campus, and after talking with many of my classmates, I figured out that the majority of them shared my opinion.  We visited the dorm rooms first, which left a bad first impression on me.  The hallways that led to the dorm rooms were dark, milky-white, and stuffy, and the room numbers were painted on the grungy walls above the rooms. However, the rooms themselves were not as bad; they had plenty of space.  
    Once we got to the main campus, the buildings improved a little.  The architecture would have been interesting if it weren't made of the same gray cement everywhere.  The architect seemed to have had many great ideas, but they just did not seem to have worked out.  The stairs were built awkwardly so as to “slow people down so they can think about life” as our tour guide informed us, and there was a very tall radio tower that also functioned as a bell tower.  The central yard and fields were pretty enough.  We visited the arts building, which was definitely the most impressive area of the campus.  This was no surprise to me, because Umass Dartmouth prides itself in its arts program.  
    Overall, however, I was much less impressed with Umass Dartmouth than Roger Williams.  Roger Williams had a beautiful campus and decent academics, as it seemed to me, whereas Umass Dartmouth’s campus was unpleasant, although it would be a great college for an arts student.  
    The best thing I gathered from the college field trip was a sense of what a college campus looked like, and what life will be like for me when I go to college.  After visiting these colleges, regardless of their academic rating, I found myself actually excited for my future in college.

Sturgis Senior Runs Marathon in Honor of Boston Victims

By Parth Patel, staff reporter

The Boston Marathon bombings were a tragedy that will forever remain in the hearts of Boston residents as well as those of the nation. It was a catastrophe that killed three spectators and left more than 200 people injured.

A marathon is by no means an easy task and requires extensive training and dedication, but Sturgis East senior Noah Lonergan decided to try and run a marathon in order to honor those who had lost their lives and those who had been injured in the Boston Marathon bombings.

Noah Lonergan said, “What we do for ourselves dies with us what we do for others lives in the hearts and minds of the living." He also commented saying, “For those who got injured or died I just wanted to let 

them know they changed my life and will live in my heart and mind until I die; forever inspiring me with their sacrifice and determination.”

The night before that he decided to run the marathon, he designed a shirt with the front side saying, “Yesterday I ran for the dream” and the back side saying “Today I run for dreams lost.” He ran with the shirt on not to really accomplish anything, but just to try and make what those people got injured and died for worth more. He did it to show that what happened to them inspired him and hopefully many others as well to sacrifice for running.

Noah encourages people to donate to The One Fund Boston, the purpose of which is to raise money to help those families most affected by the tragic events that unfolded during Monday’s Boston Marathon. He also urges people to join him and others for a run on May 25th which will give runners and spectators an opportunity to experience the final mile of the marathon and to honor the victims of the bombings.

Sturgis Baseball Improves Record to 5-3

By Jacob Tobey, staff reporter

The Storm hosted Pope John Paul at Lowell Park on Monday, April 29, and with a three-game winning streak coming in, they felt pretty good. Unfortunately, Pope John also brought their game as they beat Sturgis 12-0. That is the second time the Storm have lost by double digits to the Lions in two weeks. To give Luke Chevalier and Kyle Garvey a rest from pitching, senior Ian Devine pitched and only let up three earned runs, since the Storm committed a season-high total of six errors. Senior Ben Duncan relieved Devine in the 6th inning and pitched well, letting up just one run. 

East, which had a couple days to readjust, came back with an impressive 8-5 win over Cape Cod Academy. The team's pitching ace, senior captain Kyle Garvey, had a no-hitter through four innings, but eventually let up 5 runs (3 earned) as CCA began to hit better in the fifth inning. Ian Devine had an outstanding game, going 3-3 with a walk and three RBI. Austin Taubert had two hits as well to help propel the team to a victory.

Friday was a different sort of game as the Storm didn’t have their usual starting lineup versus New Testament. The team had seven players with various injuries. Another notable injury was the broken finger of senior captain Connor Bryant. With Garvey and sophomore Ryan Havey out with apparent leg injuries, and with Ben Duncan out with a back injury, Coach Levine was forced to make several changes to the starting lineup. Junior Ben Brown started at first base and Grant Dauwalder started at centerfield, moving Ian Devine to shortstop. 

Before the first at bat for the Storm, Levine was repeating to his players, “ Let's do what we do, ” as motivation to hit the ball well like Sturgis normally does. Luckily, the injuries didn't affect the Storm much as they won 14-0. Despite his broken finger, Connor Bryant was fantastic at the plate, going 3 for 3 with 4 RBI and a double. Austin Taubert also had a four RBI day. These big bats in the lineup really complemented the gem thrown by Luke Chevalier. He went all seven innings with thirteen strikeouts. In the fourth inning, clearly his best inning in the game, Chevalier struck out the side with three strikeouts in nine pitches. It was a dominating win for the boys to say the least.

The injury-ridden Storm look to continue this domination as they look to journey on into the rest of the season. There is great news on starting second baseman Ryan Havey as he got his MRI results back on Monday.  He is not out for the remainder of the season(as first reported) as he has some bone bruising around the knee and a sprained ligament. The doctor has cleared Havey to play, and he will surely help the Storm with his bat and his glove as he was the original starter. The team’s record is 5-3, and they are playing Cape Tech today at Cape Tech in Harwich.  

Make sure to check http://www.sturgisstormwatch.blogspot.com/ for exclusive videos on the New Testament game.  

My Home: Boston Strong

By Katie Curran, staff reporter

I was born in Boston. I've grown up with Boston. Boston is my home. I could have never imagined what had happened to my home of Boston in one week.

    It was April 15, 2013 on a bright sunny morning in Boston.  It was the 118th Boston Marathon, where runners from all across the world come together for a friendly competition.  It was planned to be the perfect day with perfect weather and a perfect day of events. But then everything changed at 2:49 pm.

    I remember where I was at that exact second, in our car on our way to Boston, the perfect way to spend our April Vacation. The Boston Marathon had been bombed. Two bombs were set off, killing 3 and injuring 282 innocent victims (according to more recent reports by the Boston Health Commission). At that second, no one knew it was a bomb.  Reports first said it had been a gas explosion, but everyone quickly found out the real news.  No one knew at the time what the next week would consist of in Boston. A whole story would unfold.  

    Everyone was frantic and upset, and no one knew what was going to happen next.  An unrelated fire broke out at the J.F.K museum. The news began to blow up.  Boylston Street was shut down for an ongoing investigation. The FBI and state police went on a search for the Boston bombers.

    I was staying at a hotel in Cambridge when things began to unravel. A Multi-Faith service was held in South Boston for the public and victims. President Barack Obama, along with a variety of other political and religious leaders, spoke to give their condolences to all those affected by the bombings. Luckily, I was able to head home to the Cape before the city went into lock down. On April 18, the FBI released a video of the two bombers. Overnight, a treacherous series of events occurred, resulting in the loss of life of M.I.T. Officer Sean Collier. I woke up to the news stating that the first bomber had been killed and that the second bomber was on the run.  

    I felt as though I was watching something that was out of a movie on tv.  My eyes were glued to the television as the news covered the intense situation all day.  I had never seen anything like it and probably never will again in my life. After the hard work of dedicated officers, Boston’s mind was eased. The second bomber was caught.

    My April vacation consisted of complete utter shock and disbelief.  However, I noticed that there was one thing that always remained in the hearts of the Bostonians: unity. We are Boston Strong. The community of Boston cannot thank the wonderful first responders and officers enough, who quickly jumped into action to save the lives of so many. Their selfless acts will never be forgotten. They ran towards the explosions not knowing what to expect. They ran into an empty city, not knowing what would turn up at each corner. They risked their lives.

    The injured and killed were helpless and innocent, with lives full of so much potential. Three spectators were killed: Krystle Campbell, Lu Lingzi, and Martin Richard.  They will never be forgotten.  

    Many Americans have reached out to help Boston.  Boston has proven to be extremely resilient and strong. The One Fund Boston has been set up to reach out to those affected and has already raised over $25 million in donations. Everyone in our community has made a difference. We are Boston Strong.