Click Below to View a Video of Color Wars 2018
Spirit Week 2018
Monday: Pajama Day
The score:
Freshman: 100 points
Sophomores: 200 points
Juniors: 300 points
Seniors: 400 points
Ever since the Internet, and even before, memes have been icons of pop culture; and especially now, memes are created as quickly as they are forgotten. There are those, however, that aren’t so easily forgotten; Sturgis students were seen dressing as those memes, and it was joyous fun recognizing everyone’s choice of memes and how they chose to represent that meme!
There were those who went the route of choosing to dress as twins; and whether they were dressed twins or memes, they still earned points for the grade. The seniors emerged on top for Tuesday with 400 points, followed by the juniors with 300 points; next were the sophomores with 200 points, and finally, the freshmen with 100 points.
This year, students and teachers dressed up in a ton of creative costumes. Halloween is a perfect opportunity to put care and effort into a costume, and to have it pay off when you go out on Halloween night to collect your well-deserved stash of candy! Or, if you’re not a trick-or-treater, you can show your love and spirit for the holiday by dressing up during Spirit Week!
The juniors scored the most points on Halloween Day with 400, followed closely by the seniors with 300; the freshmen placed third with 200 points, and, last but not least, the sophomores collected 100 points.
Freshman: 60s
Sophomores: 70s
Juniors: 50s
Seniors: 80s
Teachers: 90s
Students Dance the Night Away at Homecoming 2018
Students danced to a playlist created by Sturgis’ Student Council. The dance was a huge success. Student Council Sophomore Representative Mariana Furner commented that “the Homecoming dance was so much fun and the music was great to dance to with my friends. Everyone had a lot of fun!”
Professional photographer Jarvis Chen takes high quality photos at the dance each year. The photos can be found at: https://jarvischen.zenfolio.com/f802673462.
Sturgis East Battles West at the Annual Homecoming Soccer Match
A collective sigh could be heard from both sides of the field as a shot on net went wide. In typical East-West tradition, the support of the fans for both teams was out in full force. Bullhorns, signs, and noisemakers were held by East fans as they anxiously awaited the turning point of the game. After a back and forth effort by both teams, a scramble for the ball broke out in front of the West goal as the clock winded down and was kicked in by an East player. Screams of “East is Beast” deafened spectators around the field. Even West’s most valiant efforts couldn’t penetrate the East Boy’s defense, anchored by Captain Aidan Smith. As the end of the game drew near, the Storm offense took on a life of its own. Senior Brendan Boy scored two goals to put the Storm up 3-0. East fans screamed and chanted as their star players ran off the field, eager to celebrate the victory over their archrival. The boys team received strong contributions from seniors Will Furtado, Franz Abagat, and Charles Peterkin as well as junior Noah Whelpley. Freshman Alex Stec had a huge impact on the momentum of the game and kept the Navigators off balance.
The conclusion of the boys game was only the halfway point of the exciting Homecoming action. The East and West girls teams showed support for breast cancer awareness as their “Pink Game” rolled on. Sturgis East seniors Hanna Blake, Emily Boyle, and Emily Simonian were honored before the game. A sign of Captain Emily Boyle was created by a fellow senior and used to generate cheers from the Storm sidelines. This time, though, the West girls prevailed, winning 3-0 in a tough game. The East girls had key contributions from their three seniors, junior Maggie Sandland, and many others.
All in all, it was a great night for both East and West. The games renewed the rivalry between both schools, and it was a great way to kick off the festivities for Spirit Week.
Sturgis Students Attend Philanthropy Day on Cape Cod
College Fair 2018
Sturgis East and West students attended the school’s annual college fair. This year, the fair moved to 529 Main Street, allowing for more colleges and students to take part in the event. Over 60 colleges were present. Students from all grade levels were in attendance.
Juniors Get First Look at the PSAT
On October 10, juniors at Sturgis East took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The event gave students insight into the format of the SAT and exposed them to the conditions of the test.
The PSAT is 2 hours and 45 minutes long and includes sections in reading, writing and language, and math. It covers many of the same topics and is nearly the same length as the official SAT (which is 3 hours plus an optional 50-minute essay). Therefore, the test helped answer many of the students’ questions about what to expect on the SAT.
The test allowed students to identify areas for improvement as they continue to study. In addition, the test gave students invaluable test-taking experience. They began to develop skills such as endurance that only come with practice.
The results of the PSAT will be released on December 11.
New Teacher Interview: Mr. Brannelly
Mr. Brannelly is a new addition to the Latin department and is currently the substitute for Ms. Singh. I interviewed him recently to learn about his background and his experience at Sturgis so far.
1) Could you share a little bit about your background and how you ended up at Sturgis?
I am from Dover, MA and have been spending my summers down the Cape from an early age. After earning my BA in Classics from Cornell University I taught for 2 years at Barnstable High School. I then enrolled as a Grad student in Classica at the University of Virginia where I earned my MA in Classics. I am currently ABD ("all but dissertation" status) for my PhD. I decided to take the Sturgis job so that I could continue teaching Latin while I finish my dissertation.
2) How has your experience been at Sturgis so far? What has been the best part of being involved in the IB program?
I have very much enjoyed my experience at Sturgis thus far. The students are very courteous, respectful, and engaging. As for the IB program, although I'm not currently teaching any IB classes, the most rewarding part is still taking students from understanding grammar and vocab to thinking more deeply about a given text.
3) What has been your favorite part of teaching at Sturgis?
The long lunches. Haha, just kidding. I would have to say the camaraderie and sense of community that the school cultivates. Along the same lines, I also appreciate that Sturgis endorses individual expressionism and encourages students to be themselves in a safe and nurturing environment.
4) Have you always known you wanted to become a teacher? What inspired you to become one? When did you first know that you wanted to teach Latin?
I have had a love for Latin and Ancient History from my middle school years, particularly in the wake of a trip I took to Italy and Greece with my high school as a freshman. I certainly credit my early Latin teachers as well as my university professors, but also the breadth of the subject, which includes the learning of the language, but also the history, religion, politics, and every facet of ancient Roman/Greek culture. There is always something new and interesting to learn about the Romans/Greeks and it is usually something that requires further thought and analysis.
5) What are some of your hobbies outside of school?
I am an avid golfer and tennis player. I love to travel to just about anywhere. I am a big cinephile, not just for entertainment purposes; I appreciate film as an art-form and as a modern medium for the expression of ideas, emotions, and possibilities. I also enjoy saltwater fishing in the summer.
The Sturgis StormWatch would like to thank Mr. Brannelly for his thoughtful responses and wish him the best as he continues to teach at Sturgis East.