The Bear - Maranacook Community High School

V o l u m e 1 , Issue 5
No-Tanning Pledge a Success for Junior Class
Abby Mace, Staff Writer
T h e B e a r
J u n e 2011
A M a r a n a c o o k C o m m u n i t y H i g h S c h o o l P u b l i c a t i o n
Congratulations to the Maranacook junior class for signing notanning
pledges! Last month, the junior class participated in a contest sponsored
by the Melanoma Foundation of New England. Health center nurse
Sandy Hunter, with the help of juniors Sarah Adams, Abby Mace, and Ashley
Walklate, discussed the dangers of artificial tanning and tanning outdoors
before they encouraged class members to sign pledges stating that they
would not tan prior to the school prom.
Schools with at least 70 percent of class members pledging would
be entered in a drawing to win prize money of up to $1,000. Since 72 percent
of Maranacook juniors signed the no-tanning pledge, they were entered
in the drawing and won $500 towards project graduation. Maranacook was
one of just ten winning schools in New England!
Advice
Anthony Salpietro, Staff Writer
Well, hello, the end of the year. In a previous article, I discussed graduation, moving on to college, the next big step. For
those of you who will come after, and those who are approaching that time of visiting and applying to colleges, let me
give you some advice.
First off, for those starting their visits and applications, remember to relax. If you approach applying with an
open mind and determination, the acceptance notifications will start rolling in. Trust me. Worrying and stressing will not
help. Whatever happens, happens. It all goes down for a reason. You will get out of the application experience what you
put into it. If you put in hard work, things will turn out great. Conversely, if you put little or no effort in, you will get
little or nothing in return. Simple formula, right? I was rejected by my top college, and my acceptance rate stood at 4 out
of 7. However, my second favorite college accepted me wholeheartedly, and I will be attending that college in August.
Secondly, remember to ensure that the school will be a good fit for you. You'll be spending four years and a lot
of money to be there, so make sure you feel comfortable. There's no reason to put yourself through discomfort for four
years. Find the best fit for you. I heard that over and over from guidance counselors,
Inside This Issue
and I didn't believe them. I was wrong. So very, very wrong. Some of the colleges I
visited made my skin crawl, while others almost felt like home. I would never have
Silent
Pg 3 known to find the best fit for me if it hadn't been repeated so many times.
Superhero Summer
Original Staff
Teacher Faces New
Challenges
Ryan Fish’s Robot
And more...
Pg 4
Pg 5
Pg 7
Pg 8
Lastly, to the underclassmen. Enjoy high school. Even with drama and craziness,
you may find that you will miss it after 4 years. I certainly thought I wouldn't regret
leaving, but now I feel a little differently about that. It goes by faster and faster as
you get older, so remember the good times, and the bad times if you so choose, as defining
events in your life. What you learn here will follow you always. I believe that a
quote from a movie sums it up, ―what you do today echoes through eternity‖.
For you, this is the today. You must ensure you can be remembered through
eternity. Thank you for reading, and enjoy the pending summer vacation. 1

“The Bear” is Online
Amanda Harris, Staff Writer
Hello, Maranacook students! Thanks to Ms. Labbe in the front office, ―The Bear‖ is
now accessible on the Maranacook website. Look for the little dude on the right.
Life in Comparison
Shelby Potter, Staff Writer
Have you ever
thought about what the
world was like when your
grandparents were our
age? Well heres some
insight for you! After the
largest stock market crash
in America's history,
most of the decade was in
an economic downfall
called The Great Depression
that had a traumatic
effect worldwide. Minimum
wage was 25 cents
an hour and gas was only
ten cents a gallon in the
1930's!! When my grandmother
was about elevenyears
old she found
twenty dollars on the side
of the road. She says she
used that money all
through summer and still
had money left over. This
twenty dollars helped pay
for five people the entire
summer, they went to the
movies and they bought
candy bars and did many
other things; They said it
was the best summer they
had ever had!
Now we’re skipping
in to the 1970's
where everything was
retro and everyone loved
each other and they were
against fighting,
they were
2
also teaching
each other how to sing.
―This was a marvelous
time period because of the
fact that everyone was so
“We’re living in an expensive
world everything
you do always
costs so much money..”
nutty because all anyone
would ever do was smoke
weed‖ said Jacob Marcus a
46 year old man living in
Fayette, Maine. Minimum
wage was $1.60 an hour
and gas was 39 cents a gallon.
When Mrs. Philips
our fabulous art teacher,
said that in one week she
would only spend 10 dollars,
which was a lot because
she was working and
you really didn't make a lot
of money for the time you
spent working at our age...
she worked at Sears in Augusta
and Mister Market in
Winthrop.
Mr. Streeter, one of
the U.S History teacher at
Maranacook, said that he
spent 12 dollars a day on
going to the movies, mini
golfing, bowling, or going
to dances with his girlfriend.
Now in 2011 today’s
minimum wage is
$7.50 an hour and gas is
$3.85 a gallon but the
price is constantly changing
and you really can't
buy anything for under 5
dollars. We're living in an
expensive world everything
you do always costs
so much money for example
when you go on dates
with your friends you'd
typically go to the movies
that would cost you about
$8.50 per ticket, you'd go
out to dinner and depending
were you go it could
be really expensive or
you'll spend about 7 dollars,
then we always go
shopping afterwards... you
feel committed to go with
your friends and spend the
money even when you
don't have it. You're being
pressured without knowing
it. What's the pressure
that you have to spend
money?
Prices in the 30's
and 70's compared to now:
A home in the 1930's cost
$3,750; today its $100,00
or more.
In the 30's a gallon of gas
was 10cents; now its
$3.85
In the 30's the price range
for a vehicle was $640-
700; now it's $20,000 or
more.
Frozen TV dinners in the
70's were 39cents now
they're about $5
In the 70's tooth past was
75 cents; now it's $6 depending
on which brand
you choose
In the 70's sugar was
about 39 cents for 5
pounds; now its 10 dollars
or more
In the 70's coffee was
$1.90 per pound; now it's
about 5 dollars per pound
In the 70's a loaf of bread
was 25 cents; now it's 4 or
5 dollars
In the 70's steak was 20
cents; now it's more than
$9 per pound.

Silent
Christina Greenleaf, Staff Writer
Look around, what
do you see? A person,
maybe two, just walking by
living their daily life. Looking
at them you can tell
many things , the color of
their hair, the types of
clothes they wear, maybe
even what mood they're in,
but what can't you see? This
is a question we rarely ask
ourselves, because people
we see all around us are just
faces, we don't know them
personally, so they are not
interesting to us. But in all
reality, the common
stranger should have just as
much interest to us as our
own family members. Why
you ask? Well, because one
of those strangers that
passed you on your way to
get a cup of coffee down at
the corner store has AIDS.
AIDS is a virus that attacks
the immune system and kills
off all the body's white
blood cells, which makes it
impossible for your body to
have any defense mechanism
against sicknesses, so
your body slowly deteriorates.
Not to mention your
body also loses massive
amounts of body mass ,
brain tissues, and weight.
But just by looking at them
or even shaking there hand
you would never know, because
AIDS is not something
that is easy to identify.
Just like a stranger on the
street, you don't know them,
but their there. In fact AIDS
is all around us, some people
aware of this contagious
disease, while some are still
waiting to find out. Either
way, AIDS is a deadly disease,
and according to re-
cent studies, over 3.3 million
people around the
world are living with AIDS.
In fact in today alone over
five thousand people will
die do to the HIV/AIDS influenza.
But what’s even
more upsetting then that
already harsh reality is that
2.1 million of that percentage
are children.
It's disappointing to
accept the fact that children
and teens are the highest
known carriers for the HIV/
AIDS virus, reasons being
that most cases reported
from around the world are
due to things such as unprotected
sex, where teens can
become infected from other
teens through body fluids
like blood and semen. Some
steps that the medical and
family planning units have
done to embrace the practice
of safe sex is supply free
contraception methods .
These items are free so that
teens who can't afford things
like condoms and birth control
are still offered the same
opportunity of remaining
healthy and practicing safe
sex. Although encouraging
the practice of safe sex for
upcoming generations is a
important key factor, the
only real guarantee for prevention
of the HIV/AIDS
disease is through abstinence.
But not all teenagers
or people feel that abstinence
is the way to go, so
careful planning and using
safe contraceptive methods
are very important, and is
being encouraged everywhere.
But not only can
HIV/AIDS be spread
through just sex, it can also
be spread through saliva,
breast milk, contact with a
open wound, or just by being
involved with someone
else's blood who is already
infected. That is why when
referring to drug users people
commonly mention to
never do drugs let alone use
dirty needles, with anyone
because the risk is very high
for possibly transferring the
virus through blood, already
present on the needle from
the person who used it before.
Sometimes even
babies are infected with
HIV/AIDS because their
mothers had this horrible
disease after contracting it
through drug use, sex, or
some other way, so while
carrying the baby for nine
months, the antibodies were
transferred from the mother
to the baby through the
same blood circulation. In
some lucky cases thou, babies
have been known to not
contract the virus from there
mother, but then later are
infected to do breast feeding.
The scariest most
surreal part of the this entire
epidemic is that symptoms
don't show for months, even
years at a time. Never
knowing you have this disease
means that the chances
of spreading this disease are
doubled. Sadly, there is no
cure for this disease, but
there is a lot of dedication
and support towards this
disease,that sponsor these
events to earn for research
money towards this cause.
Some events and things
dedicated towards this cause
are the walk for AIDS association,
the Disease Control
Center, and even the ―World
AIDS Day.‖
HIV/AIDS is a
huge uprising health concern
for teens and other generations.
An even thou, there is not
yet a cure, there are many
steps our would is taking to
prevent the spread, and
growing numbers of this
most awful disease, from
using healthy sex methods,
to not doing drugs, to be
cautious with what we do,
we are taking a stand. It is
my hope, and the hope of
people and victims, that we
will someday see an end to
this devastating problem.
Furthermore, as a
student I would like to see
my school, and many other
schools be more ―disease
aware‖ of this life taking
problem. I feel it is important
to step up as a school
and community to help people
living with this disease
everyday. School pep talks,
and events could really help
out in bringing money into
the research centers here in
Maine, and around the
world. Finding the motivation
will not only better my
understanding of the HIV/
AIDS disease but it will offer
support towards the victims
too. An by doing this
my hope is that students,
and schools will stand beside
me, offering support,
speaking out, no
longer remaining
silent.
3

Super Hero Summer
Colby Wieland, Staff Writer
It's that time of year again.
Beaches open up, families go on camping
trips, and the smell of barbecue
fills the air. Yes it's summer time, and
as tradition dictates all the big super
hero movies will come out in these
next few months. Here today, you'll get
a new look at the six blockbuster super
hero hits you need see in the days to
come...
Thor (May 6)- The first Marvel movie
coming out this year, this is the story
of the Norse God of Thunder known as
Thor (Chris Hemsworth ), who gets
stripped of his powers and is cast down
to earth by his father Odin (Anthony
Hopkins) for bringing war to their
world. Now, he has to regain his worthiness
to hold his hammer, Mjolnir, so
that he can save that world from the
forces of the evil frost giants and the
inferiority complex of his brother Loki
(Tom Hiddleston).
X-Men: First Class (June 3)- In our second
Marvel release of the year, we go
back in time to the events surrounding
the creation of the X-Men. Before they
became Professor X and Magneto,
Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and
Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender)
Track and Field
Chris Pelletier, Staff Writer
Last year the Maranacook boys Track& Field team fell just eight
points short of victory at the state meet. This year our team is packed full of
returning athletes (Harry Lanphere, Evan Vincent, Taylor Watson, just to
name a few) whom are determined to improve upon last year’s strong season.
Several of these athletes have already set new personal records this season
and are continuing to improve. In addition to this strong core, several
newcomers are making a big impact on the team. Adding to the teams overall
depth and athleticism, and most importantly, scoring a lot of points. We
have now our first three meets, beating a couple of class A and B
schools and several of our class C rivals. After getting off to a very
strong start, this team is poised for a state title.
4
were best friend with mutant powers,
trying to discover themselves and save
the world from a threat s great that they
needed to form a team to do so.
Green Lantern (June 17)- Representing
the only DC movie this year (but definitely
the biggest one in a while), this is
the tail of Hal Jordon (Ryan Reynolds),
a cocky test pilot who is given a strange
and powerful ring by a dying alien. After
putting it on, he turns into a Green
Lantern and gets transported to the
Green Lantern home world, where he
trains to use his new found powers.
However, with the threat of a new evil
presenting itself as wanting to destroy
the earth, Hal must became greater than
any Lantern before him in order to protect
his world and the rest of the universe.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (July 1)
- Coming back for a third movie, the
ever heroic Autobots learn of a possible
Cybertronian vessel hidden on the
moon. They must race to get their and
obtain its secrets first before the evil
Decepticons can get their claws around
it. Shia LaBeouf makes his return as
human ally Sam Whitwicky, while actress
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley re-
places Megan Fox in the role of
Carly.
Cowboys & Aliens (July 29)- In this
Western meets Sci-fi story based on
the popular Graphic Novel, the Arizona
of 1873 finds itself being attacked
by aliens. The hero of this
story, Jake Lonergan (Danial Craig)
finds a piece of the alien's technology
strapped to his arm during the initial
chaos, and finds he's the only one who
can stop them. Now, he needs to
gather a posse of both cowboys and
Native Americans to fight together
against the common enemy they all
now share.
Captain America: The First Avenger
(July 22)- In the third and final Marvel
movie of the Summer, we go back in
time to the 1940's of that world. After
being told that he wasn't capable of
serving the military in the war effort,
Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) opts to
volunteer for a top secret super soldier
project. This process turns him into
Captain America, a hero fighting for
the ideals of America. Now, he must
fight against the new menace known
as Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) and
stop a threat not endangering just the
U.S, but the entire world.

Original Staff Members Retiring
Ashlynn Williams and Nick Harger, Staff Writers
Maranacook High
School opened in the year of
1976. There were so many
young and inexperienced
teachers, who still had a lot
to learn themselves. The first
staff of Maranacook High
School created a lot of the
fundamental activities we
participate in today, such as
the advisee system. Who
would have known that one
school could possibly come
together so much in just 35
short years?
Some of the teachers
have come and gone, however;
there are still two remarkable
teachers that still
teach at Maranacook to this
very day. They have been
here from the first day the
school has opened, they have
watched the school as it
grew into a small community.
These people deserve to
be recognized from all the
time they have spent in this
school. The teachers we are
saying goodbye to this year
are Paula Reurteshan and,
Peter Poulin. However; now
is there time to move on with
the rest of their lives.
Paula Reutershan
has been here since the first
day the school opened, Mrs.
Reutershan ( English
teacher ) decided to retire
after her thirty fifth year of
teaching at Maranacook
High School. Mrs. Reutershan
feels like her retirement
is going to give her an opportunity
for something new.
She plans to take the summer
off and spend time with her
family.
There are a lot of
things that Mrs. Reutershan
will miss, like her daily routine,
and the first day of
school. She says she will
have to keep herself busy on
the first day of school.
― Good friends, good
people, lots of support.‖ -
Mrs. Reutershan
Peter Poulin ( Biology
teacher ), another
teacher who has been at Maranacook
High School since
the very first day it has
opened, will also be retiring
this year. after many years of
teaching he has decided that
he will be heading west for
four months to hike, bike,
and camp. He will be travel-
ing to Colorado, Wyoming,
Montana, Washington, Oregon
and Utah. Of course he
will be back though. Mr.
Poulin plans to come back
and be a substitute teacher.
While having another part
time job.
Mr. Poulin has
really enjoyed the years he
has ben here. He plans on
staying in touch with the
teachers at Maranacook.
Mrs. Reutershan and
Mr. Poulin will be greatly
missed around Maranacook.
The way they taught students
was unbelievable. The english,
and the science department
will never be the same
again.
5

Why We Need to Get Real about Rail
Anson Olson, Staff Writer
Suppose you’re going
to see your brother at
college in North Carolina.
How will you get there?
Most people consider driving,
but it’s quite a long
way. Perhaps you could fly;
tickets are, after all, pretty
inexpensive. Buses aren’t
comfortable for traveling
long-distance, nor are their
schedules competent.
What about taking
the train?
When considering
travel options, rail is one
mode that most people overlook.
Why? Train travel is
a very handsome option!
Large seats, ample legroom
– more than any airline, generous
picture windows, and
beautiful scenery – what’s
not to like?
How did the world’s most
luxurious way of traveling
come to be so lowly? Ever
since the dawn of the jet
age, large, fast passenger
aircraft have dominated the
travel market. For some
reason, the general public
still clings to pre-conceived
notions about trains:
They’re slow, late, dirty,
and old. These ideas are
reflected in the statistics:
Americans not only take
trains less than other forms
of transportation (0.3%), we
are also dead last in terms of
total rail usage – actually,
we’re tied with Turkey at 80
km per year per person.
Compared to countries like
Switzerland (over 2,400 km
of rail travel per year per
person) and Japan
(trains accounting
6 for 27% of all
6
travel), our num-
bers are downright shameful.
On the bright(er) side,
the on-time performance of
America’s only inter-city rail
network, Amtrak, was over
80% in 2010. Flights in 2010,
for comparison, were less than
78% on-time. Amtrak has is
currently in the process of refurbishing
old train cars, and
has ordered 70 new engines
and cars to supplement and
replace old ones.
While all this is well and
good, America needs highspeed
rail in order for train
travel to be able to compete
with airplanes – specifically,
in popular routes such as the
Northeast Corridor.
The Northeast Corridor
is the most heavily-used
section of passenger rail in the
United States. Starting in
Boston’s South Station and
ending in Washington, D.C.’s
Union Station, the Northeast
Corridor also connects to the
major cities of Baltimore,
Philadelphia, Trenton, Newark,
New York, New Haven,
and Providence. With over
228 miles of fully-electrified
track, and thirty stations along
the way, the line remains not
only the busiest, but one of the
most important in America.
However, the Northeast
Corridor is in trouble. If
it cannot support the regularspeed
trains that travel its
length, can we expect it to
properly support high-speed
trains?
No.
Back in the 1990s,
Amtrak started work on a project
to bring high-speed rail to
the Northeast Corridor. A
plan was unveiled in March
of 1999, and the first trains
were put into scheduled service
in late 2000.
Amtrak called it the
Acela Express; ―Acela… [is]
based on the ideas of acceleration
and excellence.‖ The
new train sets sure looked
promising. They still do,
looking at the specifications:
*Top speed of 165 miles per
hour, and able to legally
travel at speeds up to 150
miles per hour.
*6.8° tilting chassis to enable
higher speeds on turns, with
greater passenger comfort.
*The tilting was reduced to
4.2° in order to fit within the
narrowest of track sections.
While all this is very
impressive on paper, the
trains’ abilities are severely
squelched by the track of the
Northeast Corridor.
By train, the journey
from Boston’s South Station
to Washington D.C.’s Union
Station is over 450 miles.
The Northeast Regional, Amtrak’s
regular-speed train that
serves this route, usually
completes the trip in 8 hours
and 9 minutes. This means
that the average speed of the
Northeast Regional is 57
miles per hour.
The Acela Express?
Despite all of
its fancy features and
grand promises, the
―high-speed‖ train
completes the journey
in 6 hours and 37 minutes
– one hour and 32
minutes faster than the
Regional. However, its
average speed is a
BTUs per Passenger Mile
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
mere 67 miles per hour – an
unimpressive 10 miles per
hour faster than the ―slow‖
train, and far less than half of
its advertised speed.
As far as cost is concerned,
the Northeast Regional from
Boston to D.C. costs
$148.50. A ticket on the Express
will run you about
$246.56 – nearly $100 more
than the Regional.
An extra $100 for a
speed increase of 10 miles
per hour? That’s absurd!
Let’s compare these
trains to an airplane.
The cheapest flight
from Boston’s Logan International
Airport to Washington
D.C.’s Baltimore-
Washington International
Airport was $120. At that
price, there were 18 flights.
Each had a stopover at New
York’s LaGuardia Airport.
From take-off in Boston to
landing in Washington, the
total travel time is 4 hours
and 58 minutes.
So, the cheapest
flight is nearly $30 cheaper
than the slowest train, and 2
hours and 11 minutes quicker
than the fastest train.
Where have we gone
wrong?
Consider this graph:
Transportation Efficiencies
3437
3051
2398
2656
4348
Mode of Transportation
6830
Continued on Page 7
Intercity Rail - Amtrak
Commuter Rail
Passenger Airplane
Passenger Car
Passenger Bus
Light Truck

Continued from Page 6
As we can plainly see, out of all of these transportation modes, trains hold the
number one and two spots for energy efficiency. Though Amtrak is currently the
―greenest‖ mode of transportation, it’s becoming greener still.
Those 70 locomotives mentioned before? They will sport all-electric designs,
a peak power of 10,000 horsepower, and will arrive in 2013. These new models will
be from Siemens, and based on a design already popular in Europe. While using the
same amount of energy as current models, the new trains will come standard-equipped
with regenerative braking. A feature already common on cars like the Toyota Prius, it will turn the electric motors into
generators, allowing both the train to stop and energy to be fed back into the power grid. The new trains will come with
solar panels on the roof, totaling 2 megawatts, which will further help in cutting back the 5 megawatts that the engine
draws.
Maranacook Teacher Moves on to Face New Challenges
Abby Mace, Staff Writer
Throughout her life,
Maranacook English teacher
Susan Melcher has faced her
share of challenges. She began
her job at Maranacook
on February 1, 1999, the first
day of the second semester,
as a brand new teacher. Her
classroom was located in a
portable unit, detached from
the main building, in which
she said was hot during the
warmer months as well as
unsanitary. Despite difficult
working conditions, Melcher
persevered: after all, her new
life as a teacher was easy
considering the obstacles she
overcame to achieve it.
Prior to teaching,
Melcher had worked as a
pharmacy technician in
Skowhegan and Portland.
However, when she decided
to earn her teaching certification,
she returned to college
but was forced to quit her job
to manage the full-time obligation
of school. Her schedule
was demanding. Classes
and time spent studentteaching
consumed her day,
and without time to work,
Melcher was unable to earn
an income. She became so
poor that she was forced to
live in her truck—she was
homeless.
Yet Melcher, strongwilled
and determined, earned
her teaching certification as
planned. Her career at Maranacook
proved to be a worthwhile
one, as the close-knit atmosphere
enabled her to make
close connections with students,
advisees, and coworkers.
―The spirit of community
here and the caring
people who will do anything
for one another makes me want
to help out other people,‖ she
says.
But when the 2010-
2011 school year concludes,
Melcher will be finding her
place in a new community: the
family farm in Bowdoin,
Maine. While Melcher possesses
strong passions for reading
and writing—she always
carries a notebook to jot down
story inspirations—she feels
she is ready to ―craft a new
future.‖ This future will revolve
around her love of the
environment. In Bowdoin, she
plans to assist family members
in tending to an organic farm, a
choice that fits well with her
already active lifestyle.
Fit and wiry, Melcher
embodies a daily routine that
is both stoic and admirable.
Owning no car, she makes the
ten mile trek from her home to
Maranacook by bike. In addition
to biking twenty miles
each day, Melcher pursues
other outdoor activities such
as gardening and running, and
she has even competed in trail
runs and triathlons.
Life on the farm, too,
is sure to have its challenges,
but judging by Melcher's history
of a quality work ethic,
she will exert her best effort
no matter what the circumstances.
While in the classroom
at Maranacook, she tried
her best to make students' academic
experience engaging
and meaningful, even though
she said she didn't always succeed.
―I worked really hard to
make learning fun for students
so that they could craft a productive
future for themselves,‖
she says, ―but some
students still didn't seem to
care.‖
The successes of the
students who challenged
themselves in high school is
thrilling to Melcher, who recalls
―super-exciting, highenergy‖
Senior Class Day as a
highlight of her years at Maranacook.
―The vicarious sense
of going off into the future
can be experienced through
the students,‖ she recalls.
―You get to be a part of something
greater than yourself.‖
Melcher will enjoy
this infectious hysteria once
again, as she is a senior advisor
this year who will be present
to dole out diplomas to
students at graduation. Yet
this spring, graduation will be
different, as her students aren't
the only ones starting a new
chapter. She herself will be
graduating, and that
―vicarious sense‖ of delving
into the unknown will not
only be experienced by her
students but by herself as
well.
Upon consideration,
Melcher's new direction is
hardly shocking. She is audacious
and ambitious, seeking
diverse activities, people, and
challenges. ―There's a Tom
Petty song that goes 'gotta
move on, gotta keep going,
what lies ahead, there's no
way of knowing.'‖, she says,
justifying her decision.
―It's kind of
like that.‖
7

Robotics
Ryan Fish, Guest Writer
You may have seen a threefoot
high, aluminum and plexiglass
box balancing precariously on four
wobbly wheels in the halls. Perhaps
you’ve even witnessed it chasing down
a student wearing bright red or deep
blue (standard issue colors for classroom
flight risks, as deemed appropriate
by our esteemed dean, Mr. D) when
it’s all hooked up to its various batteries,
motors, webcam and laptop, it
could, quite generously, be called a
robot. It’s also my senior project. The
way it works is pretty simple:
It ―sees‖ through its webcam, a
program on the laptop takes these images
and runs them through filters to,
for example, get rid of everything except
the bluest object it can see. Then
the program finds the center of the blue
object and checks if it is left, right or
center on the screen. Now that it knows
where the object is, the laptop sends a
command to the motors to let them
know to turn or keep going straight
towards the object. The robot is now
following anything blue; I’ve used
backpacks and shirts so far. This incredibly
simple program highlights the
basics of robots with the ability to
―see‖ : open your eyes, identify what is
important, figure out where it is, decide
what to do about it, execute your decision.
Though these may sound like the
steps to safe driving (SIPDE!), they are
the foundation of robotics, and really
all decision making.
Senior Skip Day
Colby Wieland, Staff Writer
Robotics is increasingly becoming
an affordable and simple
hobby and educational tool. I was first
introduced to this fun and challenging
activity in middle school with the Lego
Mindstorms robotics kit. Ordinary
Legos would never again have the
same magic unless I could make them
move, and think, all on their own.
Easy-to-use and cheap kits like Mindstorms
have been attracting kids’ interest
to the thriving field of robotics for
almost a decade. They are an excellent
primer to both programming and robotics,
and certainly sparked my interest
in these fields. The Gifted and Tal-
After the announcement made by the school saying that anyone who participated in senior skip day this year
would have detention on Saturday, many students have a negative stance on the event. Here are some of the things being
said:
“I don't plan on going, as I don't want to go to school on Saturday” - Chris Morris
“I don't want to have to spend 8 hours of my time at school on a Saturday” - Kara Whitrell
“I have a track meet Saturday, so I wouldn't be able to go anyways” - Luke Wenzel
8
“I don't know if it's worth going through 8 hours of detention, and I personally don't like the location where
we're going” - Colton Laferriere
“I'm not going to do it, as I don't want to miss out on my Saturday” - Sean Daigle
ented program that brought Lego Robotics
to me and others in Middle
School could easily be expanded into a
more advanced programming and electrical
engineering enrichment course.
At only $30, the Arduino Uno microcontroller
features 14 fully programmable
inputs and outputs that can turn
lights on, check if a switch has been
flipped, or run motors. It is perfect for
students who wish to program their
world and learn how easy it is to take
simple commands do complex tasks
automatically. I believe that there are
plenty of students who would be interested
in working with something so
cool and simple, and would benefit
greatly from having guidance in learning
more about electrical systems and
the logic of computers. Robotics and
microcontrollers can be a lot of fun and
are great ways to be introduced to new
career opportunities and the emerging
technologies of tomorrow. As inexpensive
supplements to existing science
education, I would like to see
some addition of electronics to the science
curriculum, or at least the availability
of these kinds of resources to
driven students. There is a font of information
online; check out
www.societyofrobots.com, arduino.cc,
mindstorms.lego.com and instructables.com
for kits, projects, how-to’s
and help forums on starting your own
robotics or electronics projects.

B W G H S U R R V P D J K Z H
H F H R I R E E A F Q W O I I
J B N Y A G E C M X B T O S G
J Y W O E D M H A M D Z B G H
R S B L I Z U W C F U L R S S
M T L Q D T L A W A M S A E C
P O O P M P A C T A E J E C H
C S A U N N R R R I T T Y N O
D L E I F L L A B T O O F E O
S L A N I F N Z F E D N F I L
U M U V I A I A M A L C I R N
C X C Q C O M S R W Y E X E W
C Q F O U I R G B Q D O C P O
E I O Z L N T S C T W W Q X G
S K X Y M C B S E I R O M E M
S V C S E N I O R B E A C H Y
Y Y V J T O H L D B A V I Q A
U A O F R I E N D S Z Z I J M
D R F X G R C A C Y J K Q K T
P Z A J X W O J G W T L D X Q
RIDDLE OF THE DAY
I have a tongue but no mouth
A heel but no foot
A sole but no heart
What am I?
Maranacook Word Search
CAP
CELEBRATION
COLLEGE
EXPERIENCES
FAMILY
FINALS
FOOTBALLFIELD
FRIENDS
GOWN
GRADUATION
HIGHSCHOOL
MARANACOOK
MEMORIES
PROJECTGRAD
SENIORBEACH
SENIORS
SUCCESS
SUMMER
TEACHERS
YEARBOOK
Random Word Scramble
omrlmitra
gpunein
nxlheyoop
psrhsoocoe
mizebo
alqui
trjiuep
deshlceu
ftbekaras
txnsya
ricpsoeaur
everneta
ilsewht
utrcaiertch
utelieartr
__________________
___________________
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9

How She Made Her Mark On Maranacook: The Career of Paula Reutershan
Abby Mace, Staff Writer
As she sits at a student desk
grading another year's batch of I-
Search papers, Paula Reutershan
works diligently and efficiently, as
someone who has much experience
doing a particular task would. She
is silent and contemplative, so much
so that one hesitates to interrupt her
in fear of tainting a perfect process
of thought.
Yet, like a light switch,
Reutershan brightens as she begins
to speak. Her eyes light up, and in
them swims a reverie, looking back
to the day when she secured a position
teaching English at Maranacook
Community High School.
―I walked into an empty
school in 1976,‖ Reutershan says of
Maranacook's beginnings. ―They
said 'make up a school,' and we did:
we made up an advisee system, a
disciplinary system...‖ Her voice
trails off, perhaps too engrossed in
the memories of her early days
when she walked through the doors
of a new high school, young and
fresh out of college, where she had
recently received a minor in Russian
and studied abroad in the Soviet Union.
Reutershan, along with her
new colleagues, established the principles
that, thirty five years later,
still guide Maranacook today.
Among these principles was a strong
sense of community that enabled
teachers to work closely with students
due to the small-school environment,
which, Reutershan says,
makes not only the child's learning
experience more beneficial, but her
career as well.
―The most rewarding part of
my job is seeing students grow and
mature over time, knowing
10
that they're proud of something
they accomplished,‖
she gushes.
One of Reutershan's favorite
assignments as a teacher has been the
I Search project, in which tenth grade
“Reutershan’s eyes have
now evolved from twinkling
to misting, exemplifying her
fondness for the many
memories she’s experienced
here.”
English students research careers or
colleges that they're interested in.
Then, compiling this information, they
write a formal research paper. While
she admits the project can be extensive
and overwhelming at times,
Reutershan understands the significance
of the project as it is a great opportunity
for students to discover their
interests and explore future life
choices. ―Because of the I-Search,
students get excited for their future
and gain a sense of accomplishment,‖
she remarks.
As taking part in the development
of students is an integral role of
Maranacook educators like Reutershan,
no event celebrates achievement
better than graduation. For Reutershan,
the ceremony is her favorite
memory of her years at Maranacook.
―I remember standing at graduation,
giving diplomas to students and hugging
them,‖ she reminisces, her eyes
twinkling with adoration. ―It's a great
moment to feel like you've been a part
of these kids' lives. It's an adventure.‖
Reutershan's eyes have now
evolved from twinkling to misting,
exemplifying her fondness for the
many memories she's experienced
here. Though the good times were
numerous, she admits that she feels
society doesn't fully appreciate the
effort that educators expend into their
careers. ―Society may not put a lot of
value on teachers, but they are important.
They work a lot harder than
some people realize,‖ she says.
While she has always valued her profession,
she notes that society's lack
of understanding of teachers can, at
times, be challenging to handle.
Challenges notwithstanding,
Reutershan is confident that her career
at Maranacook has been driven
by a passion for reading, writing, and
language and the desire to help others
succeed. After thirty five years of
pursuing these passions, she remains
bright and energetic, eager to explore
new interests while still devoted to
her lifelong ideals. Donning a lime
blazer as vibrant as her spirit, Reutershan
explains how she plans to spend
her retirement years jewelry making
and learning another language, perhaps
Spanish, to add to her knowledge
of German and Russian. To
continue her passion of English language
and literature, she plans to read
often, of course. Providing for her
family will remain a top priority as
well, especially as her elderly father
will require additional care.
Although retirement will be
filled with exciting experiences,
Reutershan knows Maranacook will
be hard to leave. ―I'll miss my kids,
friends, and colleagues,‖ she says
with a sad smile. Because for
Reutershan, her profession was more
than just teaching: it was about inspiring
students to learn and grow.
While Maranacook has
changed over time, the sense of community
that has always pervaded the
campus holds a special place in
Reutershan's heart. ―I never thought
I would be in one place so long,‖ she
says. ―I guess that says a lot about
this school.‖

+ + G + S + R + + P + + K + H
+ + + R + R E E A + + + O + I
+ + N + A G E C M + + + O + G
+ + + O E D + H + M + + B + H
+ + + L I + U + C + U + R S S
+ + L + + T + A + A M S A E C
+ O + + + + A + T A E + E C H
C S + + + + + R R I + T Y N O
D L E I F L L A B T O O F E O
S L A N I F N + F E D N + I L
U + + + I A + A + A L + + R N
C + + + C O M + R + + E + E W
C + + O + I R G + + + + C P O
E + O + L + T S + + + + + X G
S K + Y + C + S E I R O M E M
S + + S E N I O R B E A C H +
+ + + J + + + + + + + + + + +
+ + O F R I E N D S + + + + +
+ R + + + + + + + + + + + + +
RIDDLE OF THE DAY ANSWER
A shoe
Game Page Solutions
Random Word Scramble Solutions
immortal
penguin
xylophone
horoscopes
zombie
quail
Jupiter
schedule
breakfast
frustrated
syntax
precarious
enervate
whistle
architecture
bandana
literature
11

Gemini
May 21– June 20
You can do more than you give
yourself credit for and you may find your
limitations narrowing, mentally and
physically.
Virgo
August 23– September 22
Circumstances may appear to
bring very sensitive issues to your attention.
Changes you want to make may be
challenged by someone close to you or
by events.
Sagittarius
November 22– December 21
This is a very good day for job
related events; you may shine in your
particular job. You will meet interesting
people this afternoon, perhaps a new coworker
or neighbor.
Pisces
February 19– March 20
You could have the inclination to
engage in near projects or invest in what
is best described as shaky investments.
Interesting Facts
Horoscopes
Cancer
June 21– July 22
Things are happening in your
career that will become quite positive,
a path will open up and present some
good opportunities for you.
Libra
September 23– October 22
A co-worker confines in you
this morning, you seem to be able to
calm others and pass on some of your
philosophy to those who may have lost
their way.
Capricorn
December 22– January 19
You could be teaching someone
today, particularly regarding a new
project or style of working, this day is
charged with lots of energy and new
beginnings.
Aries
March 21– April 19
Others may challenge some of
your ideas; you will be a tough opponent
to beat, this evening you may decide
to throw yourself into a creative
project.
The white stuff on the inside of an orange is called the pith.
Leo
July 23– August 22
You must realize that friends
and relatives rely on you as much as
you depend on them, mental stimulation
from others is key for you right
Scorpio
October 23– November 21
A friend may offer to help
you with a domestic do-it-yourself
project this evening. You could feel
loving to those around you and you
are appreciative of your own life.
Aquarius
January 20– February 18
You have a quick thinking
mind, always thinking of how to
make things better. This is beneficial
for investigation work.
Taurus
April 20– May 20
Your attitude is positive and
upbeat. You will be a good teammate
and work with others but you are
basically an independent worker.
According to some estimates, Americans are sitting on $30 billion worth of unredeemed gift cards.
When glass breaks, the cracks move at speeds of up to 3,000 miles per hour.
47% of people have a nightmare at least once a month.
In a lifetime, an average person walks the equivalent of 5 equators.
Wearing headphones for an hour increases the bacteria in your ear 700 times.
Every cigarette smoked cuts at least five minutes of life on average, which is roughly the time it takes to
smoke one cigarette.
The can opener was invented 48 years after the can.
12
Rice paper does not have any rice in it.