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AP Test Survival Guide

No Author — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:23:00 EST

It that time of year again, the time when countless Pomperaug students are frantically preparing for the dreaded AP tests. AP tests tend to be very stressful, and preparing for them can be very difficult, especially when you are taking more than one test. Luckily, the Phoenix has prepared a few AP survival tips that will hopefully help you as take the AP tests in the upcoming week. . .

Recipe: Spiced Springtime Sugar Cookies

No Author — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:59:00 EST

Around the holidays, cookies are always a must-have. It seems like there is always a family member or friend willing to help roll out dough and decorate with colored sprinkles and sugars. Well, rolled cookies aren�t just for Christmastime anymore! With this recipe, you can make a fantastic spiced sugar cookie that is perfect for any time of the year. I made these last weekend and decorated springtime shapes with bright frosting and they were a huge hit!

The Froyo is Coming! The Froyo is Coming!

No Author — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:58:00 EST

Fans of frozen yogurt will have heard of the Peachwave that opened up in Newtown in March. This self-serve shop is soon to be eclipsed for Southbury residents by Froyo World, which is due to open sometime in the spring in the Southbury Plaza.

Review: Disney�s Newsies On Broadway

No Author — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:55:00 EST

This show takes place in 1899, New York City. It focuses on a group of teenage boys who earn their living by selling newspapers. Though they have never made much off of such a job, they are furious when the head of the newspaper decides to raise the price that they buy their papers for from 50 cents to 60 cents per 100 papers. To them, this is outrageous, as they have to sell even more papers just to make the same income. So, they decide to do something that has never been done before. They go on strike, demanding better wages and rights for �newsies� all over the city.

Political Gaffe: Is Ted Nugent Going to Kill Barack Obama?

No Author — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:54:00 EST

It�s campaign season, and that means it�s time for mudslinging, name-calling, underhanded tactics, horse race journalism, and the dreaded gaffes made by politicians and public figures. This campaign season has had no shortage of any of the above, but the past few weeks have given us some of the greatest gaffes of all time.

Waterbury Mayor Neil O�Leary Rejects Pension, Stirs Controversy

No Author — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:52:00 EST

Waterbury mayor Neil O�Leary has agreed to reject the $91,000 annual police pension offered to him by the city of Waterbury. The mayor has finally completed this campaign promise, as he pledged to reject such an offer since he would already be receiving large sums of taxpayer dollars.

Teacher Focus: Doc J

No Author — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:47:00 EST

Interview with Doc J!

Students Shave Heads to Help Sick Classmate

No Author — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:44:00 EST

It has been approximately one month since Tucker Gowen, a junior at Pomperaug, was diagnosed with leukemia. Shortly after he was diagnosed, the idea was concocted for people to keep their hair short in Tucker�s honor. Ryan Bartolotta, a junior, heard about this idea, and then suggested that we have a head-shaving event as a fundraiser for Tucker and his family. After receiving permission from the administration, the date was set for Tuesday, April 10.

Sports Report: 2012 MLB Season Preview

No Author — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:40:00 EST

The baseball season is underway after an exciting offseason. This season, the MLB has a new look, different teams are expected to achieve success, and others are vying for a coveted spot in the postseason. This year's free agency has changed divisions dramatically, and put various teams in contention, most notably the Anaheim Angels. After making a free agency splash by signing first baseman, and talented hitter, Albert Pujoles from reigning World Series champions Cardinals, and pitcher C.J. Wilson from the division rival, and AL pennant winner, Texas Rangers. The rejuvenated Angels look to compete with the Rangers for the top spot in the AL West.

Cohn�s Current Events 4/30/2012

No Author — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:25:00 EST

Not paying attention to the news? We�ve got your back! Read on for brief summaries of the most important world news from recent weeks.

4/30/2012 Editor�s Corner

No Author — Tue, 01 May 2012 22:24:00 EST

This is the fourth-to-last issue of the year. This may seem extremely insignificant, and in reality it probably is, but it just struck me how close I am to being done with my tenure as editor-in-chief. Next year, the two associate editors, Marlee Breakstone and Christy Dzubay, will be taking over as editors.

The Perfect Playlist for the Perfect Summer

No Author — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:08:00 EST

With warm weather warming our bones and the sunshine brightening our moods, it�s hard not to want summer vacation to start tomorrow. But, never fear! School ends in about 60-70 days, and I�ve got the perfect playlist for you and your buddies to jam to until that day comes. This playlist is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a bounce in your step.

Movie Review: The Hunger Games

No Author — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:06:00 EST

As I�m sure all of you know by now, The Hunger Games hit theaters on March 23rd. But what you probably don�t know is that it was the third most successful movie opening of all time. In my opinion, it should have been the first! It is a given that any book turned into a movie means that the movie will put the book to shame. However, there have been some surprising exceptions throughout time like the Harry Potter series and, in my opinion, The Lord of the Rings. After attending the midnight premiere of The Hunger Games, I believe that it did do the book justice. But, like with any book turned movie, there were parts that I felt could have been changed and parts that I wish they decided not to cut out.

One Word. Two Ruined Lives. Distracted Driving

No Author — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:02:00 EST

7:12am. Eight minutes until I have to be in class. No big deal. I drive this route every day, and with the exception of students, no one ever drives these roads, let alone slow me down. The road�s a straightaway, I can see fine. The stop sign�s three hundred yards ahead. Speed really doesn�t matter at this point, provided I get to school on time. Besides which, my 1992 Volvo is so old and decrepit that it can�t go fast enough to hurt people anyway. I hit the gas a little. I then hear the sound of my phone vibrating against the dashboard. It could be important. I check it. It�s a text from my best friend. �Is that paper due today?� He probably didn�t do it, so I better reply. �Yup.�

PHS Rallies Around Sick Classmate

No Author — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:54:00 EST

Simple events can turn your world upside down; such was the case for the Gowen family last Friday, March 23. Tucker Gowen, a junior at Pomperaug, went to the doctor with his mom for a possible case of swimmer�s ear. Upon further examination and tests, he was sent to the emergency room because the doctors suspected that he might have had pancreatitis. He was eventually diagnosed with leukemia. Tucker is currently at Children�s Hospital of Boston undergoing chemotherapy treatment. He will be there for about four more months. On Sunday, March 25, a Facebook page, titled �Luck2Tuck� was created to keep people updated on Tucker�s condition and what was being done for him. With the help of this page and other social networking sites and tools, the news of Tucker�s illness spread like wildfire. 

Teacher Focus: Mr. Richard

No Author — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 10:51:00 EST

Read Catrina Meyer's interview with our Biology teacher, Mr. Richard!

NHS Hosts Dodgeball for Diabetes

No Author — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:24:00 EST

On Friday, March 30th, the school got together to raise money for diabetes at the 3rd annual Dodgeball for Diabetes tournament. Pomperaug�s National Honor Society sponsored the event, organizing the tournament, acting as referees and collecting donations at the door. Twenty teams of five to six players entered in the tournament and played five rounds in a bracket format. Teams showed up wearing their sporty best, aside from the occasional toga, and team names included everything from D�Angelo�s Army to Team Trash. The winning team was the Flint Michigan Tropics, which included Andrew Reel, Stephen Consiglio, Taylor Ellsworth, Max Calvert, Gabrielle Holness and Chloe Benoit.

Sophomores Participate in Names Can Really Hurt Us Program

No Author — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:23:00 EST

On March 20th, the Names Can Really Hurt Us program was presented to PHS sophomores as an all-day assembly. It was developed by the Anti-Defamation League as a nation-wide way to encourage tolerance and acceptance among students and their peers. It had been very successful in other schools, so Mrs. Rodrigue was eager to introduce it to Pomperaug.

Tim Tebow Joins the Jets

No Author — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:02:00 EST

Tim Tebow is The Big Apple�s new topic of sports talk. With the recent signing of the future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, the Denver Bronco�s decided to deal Tebow to the Jets. Tebow had a miracle run last year, bringing the Bronco�s to the playoffs with an 8-8 record. Four of those were comeback wins. People thought that the Bronco�s season was over when they got off to a 1-4 record with their previous quarterback Kyle Orton. Then, when they called Tebow�s name, he stepped in and changed the pace of the organization to finish the season with a 7-4 record when Tebow was in.

Editor�s Corner

No Author — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:01:00 EST

Thank you for picking up this issue of the Phoenix! It�s a short one, but a good one. There�s been a lot going on in the PHS community recently, from school events to the leukemia diagnosis of a fellow student.