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The Medallion
NDA’s News Source
Notre Dame Academy
November 2013
Honor Society Inductions are a Success
Marisa Teixeira ‘14
On Thursday night, a select group
of juniors and seniors, as well as their
families and several faculty members,
gathered in the newly renovated
Cushing Auditorium for a special
Honor Society Induction ceremony.
“The ceremony was beautiful,” said
parent Denise Teixeira, noting how
wonderful all of the girls looked
wearing their cords and holding
roses as they walked to their seats.
Principal Colin started the ceremony
with a speech in which she explained
what it means to be part of one of
the seven honors societies. Then
president of the Julienda Chapter of
the National Honor Society, Jenna
McKenney, began the inductions.
Notre Dame Academy National
Honor Society members must show
academic excellence, as well as
a commitment to leadership and
service to be inducted. Fifty-six
girls were inducted this year for their
exemplary grades, extracurricular
activities, and community service.
President Jenna McKenney, along
with Vice President Megan Barrett,
Secretary Rachel Whelan, and
Treasurer Christina Berlen lit the
four candles for the honor society,
and Jenna McKenney led the pledge.
In addition to the National Honor
Society, many students, both juniors
and seniors, were inducted into the
Spanish Honor Society, Latin Honor
Society, or French Honor Society,
which recognized excellence in
their respective foreign languages.
Students pledged in the language of
their society, and the presidents of
the societies, Abby Hanson of the
Spanish Honor Society, Elizabeth
Lewis of the Latin Honor Society,
and Lawson Buckley of the French
Honor Society did a terriﬁc job
giving speeches and leading the
pledges in their foreign language.
This year also marked the
addition of three new societies: the
International Thespian Society, Art
Honor Society, and Tri-M Music
Honor Society. These new societies
recognized students with special
talents in these areas who were also in
good academic standing. Presidents
Alanna Thorton and Maria Venturelli
of the International Thespian
Society, Kara O’Malley of the Art
Honor Society, and Natalia Mirabito
of the Music Honor Society did a
wonderful job representing these
new societies, which inducted both
juniors and seniors. The addition
of three new, unique societies has
provoked some people to wonder if
there may be more societies created
in the future to reward students of all
different skills and talents.
Saudi Arabian Women Driving a Movement
Women have been denied the
right to get a license in Saudi Arabia
for as long as cars have existed. The
country has not evolved with the rest
of the world in terms of women’s
rights. Women are still expected to
have a male driver, and they must be
escorted by a male everywhere they
go. This can be very dangerous for
women though, as there have been
multiple cases of sexual assault
involving male chauffeurs and their
female employers.
In September of this year, a group
of young women and some men from
Saudi Arabia made an online petition
calling for Saudi Arabian women
to be allowed to drive themselves.
They have been compiling videos
and stories from women and men in
Saudi Arabia to show the strength
and the reality of the campaign and
the fact that they will not give up in
pursuing their right to drive.
The campaign has recently
reached the ears of Prince Khalid
Haley Gaudreau ‘14
bin Bandar, governor of Riyadh. He
requested that the protestors write a
new petition that he could bring to
King Abdullah. The new petition
states that driving is a right that the
women of Saudi Arabia deserve.
The women and men involved in
the campaign are now anxiously
awaiting the decision of the King
concerning the petition, and they are
hopeful that the response will be a
good one.
In America, the right to drive
is a right that is taken for granted.
In high school, students can be so
busy sometimes that they forget to
take the time to appreciate the rights
and the privileges given to people
in this country. It is important for
issues, such as the situation in Saudi
Arabia, to be discussed in order to
gain an appreciation for rights that
are respected in the United States.
Also, these types of stories inspire
people to ﬁght injustice in the
world. When told the situation of
women and about the ban on driving
in Saudi Arabia, Rachel Howley
’14 said, “It’s almost inconceivable
to me that there is a country where
women don’t even have the right
to drive. The fact that these women
are treated as second class citizens
in our day and age is an atrocity.”
It is most deﬁnitely a shocking
fact that women are banned from
driving in Saudi Arabia, and that
they are demeaned for their gender
in many cases. Another NDA senior,
Emma Boardman ’14 addressed
the privilege of living in the United
States when she said, “We often
take the fact that we are women
in America for granted. We don’t
realize how difﬁcult our lives could
be if we were born somewhere else,
like Saudi Arabia.” It is essential
that people realize how lucky they
are to live in America. People need
to inform themselves on such issues
and become more aware of injustices
in other countries so that they can
search for outlets to help.
What is one of
your Thanksgiving
traditions?
Makenzie Lanagan ‘16
Watching the parade
Meredith Wade ‘14
Eating fish instead of turkey
Alexandra Doll ‘15
Family yoga
Meghan Golden ‘14
Family football game
Let’s Celebrate the Triumphs in History
Madeline Blackburn ’14
Women crowd around her, gingerly dabbing her ﬂesh with damp rags in a weak attempt to heal the deep chasms
within her ﬂesh already choked with puss. The pale green ooze leaking from her wounds mingles with the aged
scars striping her dark, ebony skin. After being tied to a log and whipped for over an hour, this young woman is
dying. What crime merits a punishment this heinous? Surely this woman must be a hardened criminal, a menace to
our sense of security, an imposing threat to societal order. This woman was beaten inches from death for walking to
a nearby plantation to get a bar of soap to wash away her own stench after collecting ﬁve-hundred pounds of cotton
in her master’s ﬁeld.
Continued on page 3
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Colleen Sullivan ‘16
Making apple pie
NEWS
Environmental Science Class Field
Trip to Holly Hill Farm
Weathering the Storm, Tacloban,
Philippines
Kelly Medico ‘15
On Tuesday, October 8th, the
Honors Environmental Science
Class had the opportunity to visit
Holly Hill Farm in Cohasset. While
the time at the farm was limited to
roughly one hour, the information
the class learned during that time
will last a forever. The students
learned about composting and the
beneﬁts that composting has on the
environment.
The farm had multiple compost
piles, which allowed the students
to see the different stages of
composting. The group began by
looking at a pile of compost that
had not begun to break down. They
examined the different things that
were already added to the pile, and
they contributed to it by adding one
handful of leaves per student. The
next pile was already in the process
of composting. Students took turns
mixing this pile. They learned about
the importance of doing so in order
to ensure that the bottom of the pile
has exposure to oxygen. The last
pile showed compost in the form of
humus. At this stage, the pile was
broken down into a fertilizer that
was rich with nutrients. Eventually,
the group helped transport the
humus, and they spread it around the
garden at the farm.
Towards the end of the ﬁeld
trip, students put together a worm
bin to bring back to the classroom.
The red wiggler worms in the bin
are currently used to break down
the NDA compost pile, which
includes food scraps from the school
cafeteria. When it turns into humus,
all students in Environmental
Science classes will use the compost
to fertilize the plants in the NDA
Greenhouse.
Composting requires minimal
effort, yet provides huge beneﬁts
to the environment. For example,
leftover food scraps that are added
to a compost pile are broken down
faster than if they were put in
landﬁlls. The humus that is made
from composting can be sold to
farmers as a natural fertilizer to
facilitate that growth of their crops.
Eventually, we consume these crops
and reap the beneﬁts of composting.
Honoring Veterans Day
Sonia Huang ’15
At 11:00 a.m. on November 11 in 1918, World War I ofﬁcially ended. This
day is also the origin of Veterans Day. The tradition originally celebrated
American soldiers who fought speciﬁcally in World War I, but the holiday
has expanded to honor all those who have participated in the United States
Armed Forces.
Some people confuse Veterans Day with Memorial Day. However, these
two days are quite different. Veterans Day gives people an opportunity to
honor all people who have served in the armed service; whereas, Memorial
Day is designated for the remembrance of people who died while serving.
Many towns in the U.S. devote time to honor veterans for their service.
Many people may wonder why poppy ﬂowers are distributed on Veterans
Day. The poem, “In Flanders Field,” was written by John McCrae during
World War I. It describes Flanders Field, a major battle site during WWI
in which a large number of soldiers died. The ﬁeld essentially became a
graveyard after the war. When the fallen were buried, poppies, a type of
red ﬂower, began to grow in the ﬁeld. People see this ﬂower as a symbol of
honoring veterans.
In China, people respect “Army Day,” which is a holiday similar to
Veterans Day, on August 1. Army Day is used to honor the founding of the
Chinese army. On this day, there are air-force performances, conferences
between the government and the armed forces, and also regular ceremonies
and speeches. However, Chinese people do not consider this to be a major
holiday.
Throughout the year, people should honor all those who have served, but
they should make a special effort on Veterans Day. People should thank
them for protecting this country.
Victoria Mulkern ‘14
Here in New England, we have widespread disease and illness is
been enjoying a mild weathered fall, a major concern. To help provide
highlighted with beautifully colored services to the area, the international
falling leaves and the success of community has responded to the
our NDA sports teams and the emergency.
performance of “Les Mis,” people
The American Red Cross was
across the globe have been dealing among the ﬁrst international
with the reality of true misery. On responders to provide assistance.
November 8, 2013, Typhoon Haiyan They have been joined by other
struck the Philippines and caused international relief organizations.
unfathomable
devastation
and Over 300 US marines are on the
tragedy to the island nation.
ground helping with the relief
The storm particularly ravaged efforts and just a few days ago,
the city of Tacloban. Tacloban is the the USS George Washington, an
provincial capital and the largest city aircraft carrier, was deployed to
on Leyte Island in the central region the area. This vessel carries with
of the Philippines. It was devastated it food, potable water, medicine,
by the super storm that destroyed and medical equipment along with
homes, infrastructure and claimed trained personnel, and the capability
to deliver the much needed supplies
thousands of lives.
President
Benigno
Aquino to less accessible areas.
The world community has come
III, along with local authorities,
immediately commenced a massive to the aid of this small nation.
search and rescue mission to ﬁnd the However, the effects of this one
missing. The death toll already in the storm continue to be felt in this
thousands, it continues to rise with region for many years to come.
close to 10,000 others still missing
It is hard to fully fathom the
and one-thousand more injured. It totality of the devastation and the
is estimated that more than 2 million plight of the people left behind in
residents have been displaced.
the wake of such a disaster. Every
Along side the continuing search member of our small community
mission, the Philippine authorities are should consider, for at least one
directing their attention to providing moment, what life is like for the
for the needs of the survivors. people of the Philippines and how,
Since the storm, the people of the individually, we can respond with
region have been without the basic kindness and charity.
necessities of life. There is no clean
Although this disaster is half a
water for drinking and bathing, no world away from NDA, everyone can
food, little medicine and no facilities help. If you are interested, contact
to care for the homeless, sick and one of the many organizations listed
injured. Under these conditions on Charity Navigator or in the local
newspapers.
St. Faustina Play Tours the World
Elizabeth Costantino ‘14
Devotion to St. Faustina and the
Divine Mercy Chaplet has been
stressed by the Catholic Church
for nearly 75 years. The devotion
originated following an appearance
by Jesus to Sister Faustina in 1932,
when Christ requested that a painting
include the expression: “Jesus I trust
in you”. Soon thereafter, Jesus
repeatedly instructed Faustina of the
need for Christians to come to Him
seeking the mercy of God, in order
to save the souls of all individuals.
In recent news, the new form
that is being used to promote and
educate Catholics of the concept of
Divine Mercy is a theatrical drama,
combined with a visual presentation.
The play, known as Faustina:
Messenger of the Divine Mercy
premiered on October 5th in Saint
Benedict, Oregon.
The play is displayed by
two different sources of visual
production. The main character is
St. Faustina, and other characters
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appear on a screen on the stage, after
being pre-ﬁlmed in communication
with actors on stage. This unique
delivery has been adopted in order to
capture the attention of the audience,
while creating a deeper and more
genuine understanding of St.
Faustina and Jesus Christ. It was the
producer’s intent that this theatrical
method would allow the audience
to fully understand the mind and
soul of each character. Director
Leonardo Deﬁlippis has tremendous
conﬁdence and hope that this play
will help people to reestablish
their relationship with God and to
nurture the souls of those who long
for heavenly riches and a more
lively participation in their faith. To
date, the reviews of the production
have been extremely favorable and
enthusiastic. As the play travels
towards the East Coast, it would
be incredible to take advantage of
this wonderful opportunity to reap
spiritual beneﬁts by viewing the
amazing production.
Student Life
Mother Daughter Brunch
The Scoop on Stuco
Jenna Foley ‘17
The annual Mother-Daughter
event was held on November 3 and
it was a huge success. The event
began with a wonderful mass by
Father Cyriac Mattathilanickal from
The National Shrine of Our Lady
of La Salette in Attleboro. After
the mass was celebrated, everyone
headed down the NDA hallways to
St. Julie Dining Hall. Preceding the
anticipated fashion show, a brunch
was served to satisfy the
always
hungry NDA stomachs. As the
brunch was being served, the ten
NDA senior models were getting
ready backstage to walk down
the runway. After everyone was
satisﬁed by the brunch and all the
girls were ready, each model strutted
down the St. Julie Runway as witty
commentary and fun facts about each
girl was given. The girls were styling
outﬁt choices from Vineyard Vines
paired with gorgeous shoes from The
Shoe Market. It was nice to see the
seniors in other colors besides navy
blue, white, green, and yellow. There
were many venders selling a variety
Julia Oleksiak ‘15
of items such as
jewelry, clothing,
pillows, and NDA
merchandise.
Over all, the
models did a great
job of showing
off the outﬁts,
and they looked
great
without
their kilts. At the
end of the fashion
show, the girls
changed
back
into their original
clothes, and all
ten of them came
back out wearing pink whale hats
as the ﬁnale. One of the models,
Deanna Bono ’14, commented on
the fashion show saying, “We all had
a blast and modeling with these girls
was so much fun and we all became
closer from it.” Over all, the motherdaughter fashion show, liturgy, and
brunch was exciting and entertaining
and will deﬁnitely be the event to
beat this year at NDA.
With December right around the corner, it is time to say goodbye to NDA’s
fall events and begin to prepare for the winter fun that has yet to come. This
fall was very successful for the NDA Student Council, and the group hopes
to continue that success into the winter season.
Student Council has had a fall season ﬁlled with exciting events, ranging
from the revival of Movie Night to the classic Cotillion Dance for juniors
and seniors. This fall was unique for Student Council because the group
put many new twists on old traditions, such as the powder-puff football
games on Heritage Day. Another exciting thing for the Student Council is
the new sweatshirts. The members of Student Council are very excited to
show off these navy blue, crewneck sweatshirts around school. The ﬁrst
opportunity for representatives to wear their sweatshirts was on November
25th when they collected all of the food for the Thanksgiving Food Drive
in the homerooms. Thanks to Student Council, over twenty turkeys were
collected and donated to those in need this holiday season.
December will be a very exciting and busy month in particular for STUCO.
The Council plans to ﬁll a jar with M&Ms and allow every girl to guess
the amount. Whoever guesses close enough will win a surprise reward.
Make sure to cast your vote! Currently, the committee is also discussing a
Christmas donation to an undecided charity. The group hopes to incorporate
the theme of The Queen of Water, the book from the NDA One Book, One
School program, into the decision. Additionally, representatives are in the
process of trying to plan the annual candy cane sale.
East Meets West Formal Dress
Co-Curricular Corner
Lucy Wu’15
Short blurb’s on NDA's clubs!
twice a month on Thursdays in room
226. This year we are excited to
discuss our topic “Alternatives to
Violence and Tragedy”, in which we
will look at speciﬁc cases of violence
that have affected our country. At our
previous meeting we talked about
the Newtown, Connecticut shooting
and began to research organizations
that have been created as a result of
this terrible tragedy. We are excited
to continue discussing this topic next
meeting, order t-shirts, and begin to
think of ideas to spread awareness!
In America, women love to get
dressed up in long shiny dresses
or sparkly skirts when attending
formal occasions. Both American
and Chinese women enjoy putting
on a fancy new outﬁt for a special
occasion, however, the Chinese have
a different way of dressing up.
Qi Pao, or the cheongsam, is the
kind of dress that is usually worn
by Chinese women when attending
a special occasion. The most
traditional cheongsam is a short
dress with a high choker and short
sleeves. Most of the patterns on the
cheongsam have peonies, ﬁshes, or
a wash painting, representing honor,
wealth, and grace respectively. As
well, other symbols including the
dragon and the butterﬂy symbolize
royalty and longevity. In addition,
different colors of the dress have
various implications. For instance,
yellow is the symbol of royalty,
and so civilians
were not allowed
to wear the yellow
cheongsams
in
ancient
China.
The color red,
which represents
a u s p i c i o u s
happiness,
is
always used on
women’s wedding
dresses.
Cheongsams
represent different
aspects of Asian
culture and Chinese personality.
Since the start of the cheongsam’s
popularity, different cultures have
adapted the beautiful garments
into their own fashion. Today, the
cheongsam is not only worn by the
Chinese, but it is sported by women
all over the world.
heard in the past, “Do we really need
a black entertainment channel? Why
isn’t there a white entertainment
channel? And another thing, why
isn’t there a white history month?
There’s nothing wrong with being
proud of who you are!” There is no
crime in celebrating one’s heritage,
and America is one of the few
countries in this world that enjoys
such a diversiﬁed demography. Yet
when I look in the mirror I see a face
that doesn’t ﬁt any stereotype. I’ve
never felt the sting of discrimination
or the whoosh within my stomach
after being branded with a label due
to factors beyond my control. I have
faced no adversity, and to be honest,
neither have my ancestors. Yet there
are others whose ancestors were born
in the deepest trenches of hell who
clawed their way up past racism, past
discrimination, and beyond hatred
just to have a taste of the tantalizing
freedom ostensibly granted to all
of us at birth. Although considered
by many a birth-right, many still
fought for these liberties tirelessly
for decades. We don’t need a white
history month because white history
is the story of glory that makes our
textbooks; white history is a story
of an infant who was bestowed
with a diadem upon his birth.
Black history, Latina history, Asian
history, and all the triumphs that are
encompassed by that agonizingly
simplistic “minority” label are the
stories of a child who was ripped
from his mother’s arms and thrust
into an unfamiliar void, a void that
forced him to adapt, to persevere,
and to survive. This child’s struggle
is far from over, but he strides along,
shrugging his shoulders and ﬁxing
his eyes on the nebulous path ahead
of him. He is not without fear, but he
is armed with his pride.
by Sally Stover “15
Spanish club is a fun and culturally affect young women and work to
enriching club that meets once a
month in room 307. On November
12th members of the club traveled
to Hola, a Spanish restaurant in
Marshﬁeld to enjoy tapas and
other traditional Spanish food.
On December 11th the Spanish
and French club will be hosting
a combined Christmas party after
school with food and music! The
club will also be ordering t-shirts
and plans to go on more ﬁeld trips in
the future. Come join us to immerse
yourself in the Spanish culture!
The Future Helpers and
Healers members explore various
healthcare careers through guest
speakers and sharing experiences.
Club members also learn about
health and wellness issues that
promote awareness among their peers.
Come share your thoughts along with
professional cardiologists, nurses and
more. All are welcome!
Teens Acting For Social Change,
also known as T.A.S.C. meets
‘Celebrate Triumphs’Continued from page 1
This was just one of the many
of the gripping scenes from Steve
McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave, an
incredible ﬁlm that exposes the
horriﬁc realities of the antebellum
era. Like Steven Spielberg’s The
Schindler’s List, viewing this ﬁlm is
a transformative experience that is
shockingly violent but remarkably
true. There’s no embellishment
or grandeur in a ﬁlm of this kind
simply because none is needed. The
terrifying reality of this era speaks
for itself.
After exiting the theater, I couldn’t
help but think of comments I have
-3-
CAMPUS LIFE
Heritage Rafﬂe Campaign
Julia D’Agostino ‘16
The Notre Dame Academy Community has begun the Heritage Rafﬂe
Campaign once again. All proceeds of the rafﬂe go towards the funding of
the Heritage Scholarship. The scholarship is very important to the NDA
community because it gives young women the opportunity to attend NDA
that they may not have had without the scholarship.
Mrs. Stevie Lee Taylor, Director of Alumnae Relations, offered some very
intriguing information about the scholarship and the rafﬂe. She says, “The
Heritage Scholarship was created by a group of students and faculty in 2002.
It is a four-year scholarship awarded to one member of each incoming class.
The recipient is chosen by a committee of current students and administrators
on the basis of academic merit, strong ﬁnancial need, and the potential to be
an active student leader at Notre Dame Academy. The community would not
be the same without the girls who have received this scholarship. They are an
integral part of who we are, and I am in awe of the things we can accomplish
as a community when we put our minds to it. And once again, we have a
committed group of girls who are a part of the Heritage Committee; they
give up their time to encourage others to sell their tickets, and they come up
with unique ideas to rally the community and garner support. What’s most
inspiring to me is that the Heritage Scholarship is so rooted in the mission of
NDA. We foster a community of girls who want to make the world a better
place, who want to give back.”
Members of the NDA community have been enthusiastically selling
their tickets to support the scholarship. This is evident when one walks
by the collage of colorful, paper people outside of the library. Each cutout
represents a person who has sold all ﬁfteen of their tickets. Additionally, red
thermometers are displayed outside of each homeroom. As more people are
selling their tickets, the thermometers are gradually ﬁlling up.
There is even motivation to sell tickets! Students and faculty members
who sell all of their tickets are rewarded with a “true blue bracelet.” Teachers
can randomly reward gift cards to students they catch wearing their bracelets
during the school day. Students are also motivated by desserts, day-offfrom-school vouchers, and more exciting prizes. Additionally, there is the
heartwarming satisfaction of helping another person experience the gift of
an NDA education.
The Heritage Rafﬂe is more than selling yellow strips of paper. It is about
giving the gift of education. Everyone should try to sell their tickets; together,
the community can make another girl’s dream come true.
Bienvenue à Notre-Dame!
Student Council’s Annual
by Samantha Murphy ‘15
The incoming freshmen are not
the only new faces that Notre Dame
Academy welcomes this school year.
The multitalented Ms. Corkery joins
the World Language department as
the school’s new French teacher,
and has also taken on the role of
freshman volley ball coach! Ms.
Corkery brings her enthusiasm and
passion to the language. She teaches
a variety of French classes at levels
two through four, and she even
teaches all the way up to AP.
Ms. Corkery taught for several
years at Xaverian Brothers High
School, and notes that she enjoys
teaching in the Catholic school
system. For the past year, Ms.
Corkery has been gaining knowledge
about the world by traveling
abroad, but also was able to give
back by volunteering. In Lima,
Peru she volunteered for six weeks
teaching English to the poor living
in slums and was able to improve
her Spanish at the same time. She
traveled to Australia for two and a
half months and then continued on
her adventure to New Zealand. Her
stay in New Zealand was extended
by a month more than expected
when she got in an accident while
hiking and broke her ankle.
Now, Ms. Corkery has arrived at
Notre Dame bringing her passion for
French, love for global education,
excitement and enthusiasm
to fully engage the French
students.
Ms. Corkery is eager to
experience the “culture” of
Notre Dame Academy and
see how the year unfolds.
She is looking forward to
joining Ms. Izbiki on the
trip to Paris over April
vacation with the NDA
French
students.
She
anticipates more wins for
the volleyball team, and
you may even see her make
an appearance singing in
the school musical. Ms.
Corkery enjoys hiking,
skiing, singing, shopping,
and reading in her spare
time, she emits the qualities
of a well-rounded person
that Notre Dame Academy is
blessed to have.
-4-
Olivia Lanagan ‘14
As people begin to look forward to
the holiday season with friends and
family, it is important to be mindful
of those who have trouble making
ends meet, especially during this
time of year. An easy, simple way
to help is participating in Student
Council’s annual food drive. This
year, the drive is being held between
Tuesday, November 12 and Friday,
November 22. Donations can be
brought to homerooms, and collected
supplies will be sent to St. Patrick’s
Church in Roxbury. In contrast to
previous years, each homeroom will
not be assigned a speciﬁc food item
to bring in. Instead, students and
faculty are encouraged to bring in
non-perishable Thanksgiving food
items, such as canned vegetables,
stufﬁng, cranberry sauce, and bread
mixes. However, any donation will
be accepted.
Each year, the food drive is a
booming success. Some Student
Council representatives, in an effort
to compete with other homerooms,
offer incentives, such as cupcakes,
for those who bring in donations.
The success of the food drive is
testimony to NDA’s charitable and
compassionate community. Each
Thanksgiving students and faculty
come together to make other
families Thanksgiving holiday one
to remember. Senior Mariah Ward
reﬂects, “The Notre Dame Academy
Thanksgiving food drive is a great
cause. I am so glad we have the
opportunity to give back to others
during this season of giving and
thanks. Furthermore, it is a great
testament to the service-driven
community that is NDA.”
With this in mind, as the NDA
community prepares to enjoy this
special holiday, people should try to
pick up a few extra cans of cranberry
sauce at the grocery store. One simple
donation can help give someone the
privilege of enjoying a hot meal with
their family on Thanksgiving.
Feature
Thanksgiving Traditions
Mariah Ward ‘14
Warm pumpkin pie, family
traditions, and expressing gratitude
are all things that may come to
mind when one thinks about
Thanksgiving, a holiday that many
Americans celebrate. Thanksgiving
is celebrated on the fourth Thursday
of November in the United States.
It is intended to be a day of giving
thanks for the blessing of the harvest
of the preceding year.
Although the holiday is widely
popular, the origin of Thanksgiving
is relatively unknown. In November
1621, William Bradford, governor
of Plymouth Colony, organized
a feast to celebrate the Pilgrims’
ﬁrst successful corn harvest. He
made sure to invite some local
Native American allies, such as
Movie Review:
Thor: The Dark World
Emma Cho ‘16
Thor has been noted as an iconic hero throughout generations. He ﬁrst
graced the pages of Marvel comic books in 1962 and was celebrated as the
Norse god of thunder long before comic books were even around. Today,
mentioning Thor brings to mind Chris Hemsworth in a red cape ﬂying across
the sky with his giant hammer ready to save the Nine Realms from whatever
threat the Hollywood writers can imagine. In Thor: The Dark World, this
threat appears as an ancient Dark Elf whose goal in life is to return the
realms back to their original state of darkness. Of course, this is nothing
Thor can’t handle in a two hour ﬁlm.
While the movie was deﬁnitely entertaining, I found it somewhat
predictable as it follows the same pattern that all of the Marvel movies do.
The hero bravely faces an evil force and seemingly impossible odds to save
the world from takeover or annihilation and usually falls in love along the
way. The movie ends with the hero’s victory, but the writer’s always allow
a gap which brings the possibility for an enemy to return or the rise of a
new enemy and the cycle begins again. Despite knowing throughout the
movie that Thor would triumph and defeat all odds, the new installment in
the movie series was action-packed and exactly what a comic book movie is
expected to be.
Turkey Day Treat!
Samantha Morley ‘15
During the Thanksgiving holiday,
families throughout the country
gather around the table, giving
thanks for the blessing of the harvest
and of the preceding year. In order to
celebrate, lots of food is served and
consumed, including the traditional
turkey and mashed potatoes, and
a many delectable desserts. Many
families like to stick with traditional
foods, but it may be time to try
something new this year! Bread
pudding is a delicious recipe that is
easy to make in ﬁve simple steps.
pie? The menu also did not include
turkey. Rather, it may have included
foods such as goose, corn, codﬁsh,
deer, or lobster.
Thanksgiving was not recognized
as a national holiday until 1863.
Abraham Lincoln hoped that it
would unite the country during the
Civil War.
The holiday has certainly evolved
to include many new traditions.
When the National Football League
was founded in the 1920s, the
ﬁrst Thanksgiving Day game was
played in order to boost attendance.
Football is now an activity that many
families enjoy watching and playing
on Thanksgiving. Furthermore,
the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day
Parade in New York City is used
the Wampanoag people, who
were so crucial to the survival of
the inexperienced colonists. The
festival, now recognized as the ﬁrst
Thanksgiving celebration, lasted for
three days. It festivities included
activities such as eating, hunting,
and enjoying entertainment.
The menu for the ﬁrst celebration
is not clearly documented. However,
historians assume that the sugary
desserts that have become so
integral to modern Thanksgiving
celebration were not present at the
original feast. This is mainly due
to the fact that Pilgrims did not
have ovens, and the sugar supply
dwindled in the fall of 1621. Can
you imagine Thanksgiving without
your grandmother’s sweet apple
as a marketing tool to kick off the
holiday shopping season. The ﬁrst
parade was celebrated in 1927. As
well, George H.W. Bush started the
tradition in 1989, in which every
president ofﬁcially pardons one
turkey from being served as the main
course.
Even though much time has
passed since the ﬁrst Thanksgiving
was celebrated, the holiday has
not decreased in popularity. NDA
senior Lindsey Meallo remarks,
“Thanksgiving is my favorite
holiday because I love spending
time with my friends and family and
sharing a meal together.” Lindsey
and countless other people across the
country will be enjoying the holiday
this year on November 28.
If you imagine a comic book coming to life, you have an idea of how
the movie went. There was very little in depth thinking required on the
audience’s part as the movie was mostly a story of good versus evil. As the
movie progressed, I was able to accurately solve the problems the characters
faced, before they could solve it themselves. The movie included little to
no “plot twists” and lacked the major surprises needed to keep the audience
on the edge of their seats and completely invested in the plot. As a fan of
the Marvel movie franchise, I would have liked a little bit more nail biting
suspense.
However, I can say that there were a few parts of the movie that I enjoyed.
The sarcastic comments of Loki, Thor’s cunning brother played by Tom
Hiddleston, and the playfulness of Darcy Lewis, the intern of Thor’s love
Jane Foster played by the hilarious Kat Dennings provided comic relief
throughout the movie. Even though I found the movie somewhat predictable,
that does not mean that there was no creativity involved in the movie’s
writing and production. The plot never dragged and the effects brought Thor
to life. Overall, the movie receives a mixed review from me.
I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys the Marvel comic
book movies, though I would also recommend seeing the ﬁrst Thor movie
beforehand. However, if this genre does not interest you the slightest bit or
if you want to start watching some of the Marvel movies but do not know
where to start, this is not the movie for you.
Rating:  (3 out of 5)
Movie Pick of the Month: Now You See Me was released in May of this
year and is easily one of my favorite movies, so I was surprised to ﬁnd out
that it received very mixed reviews. Full of suspense and mystery, anyone
who missed it when it was originally released should check it out.
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-5-
Sports
5 State Championships in 1 Calendar Year!
Fall Season Wrap Up
Elizabeth Costantino ’15 and Elizabeth Tevnan ’14
Picture signed by Clay Buchholz and Johnny Gomes
History in the Making: Boston Style
Ana Gallotto ‘14
The Boston Red Sox ﬁnished the 2012 season in the American League East
with a 69-93 record. Coming off of a rough past season, the Red Sox kicked
off their 2013 season with signing 7 new players as well as a new manager.
In April, the Red Sox started the season strong with an 18-8 record and never
looked back. On April 15th, the day of the Boston Marathon bombings, the
Red Sox became empowered to make their season more memorable for the
victims. Red Sox’s third baseman Will Middlebrooks started the saying
“BOSTON STRONG” via a tweet the night of the bombings. As the Red
Sox’s season went on, they honored many of the bombing victims by having
them throw the ﬁrst pitch, or letting them meet the players. These simple acts
of kindness drew more and more people to watch the games, and caused the
Red Sox to become more popular in the eyes of many Bostonians.
One of the most memorable moments in the season was the emotional
game on April 20th when the Red Sox played the Kansas City Royals, which
ended in a late inning win. The Red Sox started and ended their season
BOSTON STRONG, with three all-stars (Dustin Pedroia, Clay Buchholz,
and David Ortiz), a World Series Champion title, and the best record in
baseball history (97-65). The Red Sox made history this year with their ﬁrst
World Series win at Fenway Park in 95 years. Game 6 of the World Series
was one of the most amazing things to see. I would know, because I was
there.
A few weeks before the World Series, I had danced at Game 6 of the
American League Championship Series. Although that experience was very
exciting and memorable, nothing could beat dancing at Game 6 of the World
Series. The day began when my dance teammates and I got picked up by a
car service. Our driver took us to the player’s parking lot, and from there
we went up to get dressed. As we walked into the changing room, we had
presents and food waiting for us. After we got dressed and ready to go, we
waited outside of the player’s locker room. Finally, we got led out onto the
ﬁeld and danced right in the batter’s warm up circles. The crowd was going
crazy and the moment was almost surreal. As I looked out onto center ﬁeld,
I could see myself on the Jumbotron. It was breathtaking! Once we were
ﬁnished dancing, we got changed and we watched history be made. As we
walked to our seats, random people were stopping us to take pictures with
them and I really felt like a celebrity. It was absolutely the best night of my
life and to see the Boston Red Sox win the World Series will be something
I will never forget.
Player Proﬁle
Maggie Elliot
Height: 5’11”
Position: Goalie
Grade: Junior
Pre-game routine: First, Maggie warms up with her team. Then she
puts on her short sleeve goalie shirt, Nike headband, goalies gloves,
and then warms up with her goalie coach. Being a bit superstitious,
Maggie likes to do the same thing before each match.
Hometown: Plymouth
Favorite thing to do in her free time: Dance to loud music
Biggest accomplishments: Having 11 total shootouts this fall season
and also saving the first penalty kick in the state championship
helping her team win the game.
were
The NDA Cross Country team times
accomplished all their goals for made by Katie
their season. The team remained G o l d e n ’ 1 4 ,
undefeated within the Catholic Abby Thomas’17, Lauren Zawacki
Conference, claiming the Catholic ’17, Kylie MacDonald ’15 and Mary
Conference League. The team placed McGlinchy ’17. On November 17th
4th in the Eastern Mass Division members of the team competed at
III State Meet. In doing so, they the Division 2 State Championships.
qualiﬁed to advance and compete The team ﬁnished 13th overall and
in the MIAA Division I All-State individually Caroline Callahan
Championship, ultimately, placing ’15, Marissa Terravecchia ’15, and
12th. . Taylor Kennedy ’14, Grace Marissa Zawacki ’17 medaled for
Pixler ’14, Elizabeth Costantino ’15, the cougars.
and Elizabeth Harrington ’15 were
Soccer ﬁnished their amazing
named the Catholic Conference season with a state championship
League All-Stars
title A season
of season.
of hard work
paid off in their
The
ﬁeld
game against
hockey team had
Wi l m i n g t o n .
a successful run in
After double
their post season
overtime with
tournament. In the
a score of 2-2
2013 MIAA Field
the two teams
Hockey Division
ﬁnally
went
I South Sectional
rankings,
NDA NDA Swim Team vs. Mount Alvernia --- into a shootout.
This would be
ﬁnished
13th
The Seniors
the tie-breaker
overall.
In the
ﬁrst tournament game the Cougars to decide who would bring home the
played Attleboro with a successful trophy. Amazing penalty kicks were
2-1 victory. In their next match shot by Sarah Rawson ’15 Elissa
against 4th seeded Somerset Berkley Dukeshire ’15, Kristen McCrea
the Cougars were victorious in a ’16 and captain Allison Zaccheo
double overtime win. In the third ’14. For the last point of the game
game another overtime victory was senior captain Gabs Kenyon scored
achieved by the Cougars against to break the tie for an intense match.
the 5th seed, Oliver Ames when
senior captain Becca Quillard
scored the sole goal of the game. In
their advance to the semi-ﬁnal state
championship game the team was up
against number one seeded Duxbury.
Unfortunately, their winning streak
ended with a devastating 3-0 loss.
Candice Bonarrigo ’15, remains
optimistic, and positively states,
“It might have been a loss, but this
game proved to all those watching
that NDA ﬁeld hockey is something
special. Each person who stepped
on the ﬁeld had heart for the game,
and tried their very best.”
The swim team has had strong
Senior Night for Volleyball Playperformances all season and their
ers (They went on to win the State
hard work has paid off during the end
Championships. Congrats!)
of the season ﬁnishing 12th place
overall at the South Sectional meet.
New state cuts and season bests Amazing season ladies!
were achieved by Kayla Burgess’14,
The volleyball squad also took
Caroline Callahan’15, and Marissa home the gold this month, winning
Terravecchia’15. Personal best another state title for NDA. In their
match against Westborough
the cougars were tied 2-2
and a ﬁfth game would break
the tie. Like the rest of the
match, the score went back
and forth from the cougars to
the rangers every other point.
Sophomore setter Corrine Cox
blocked their best player to
get the game winning point.
An amazing ﬁght came from
every Cougar on the court.
NDA Soccer Team Win – 11/11/13 --- South
Sectional Finals (They went on to win the State
Championships. Great job!)
-6-
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Book Review: Looking for Alaska
by John Green
Country’s Biggest Night - 2013 CMA Recap
Rachel Whelan ‘14
Erin FitzGerald ‘14
John Green’s novel The Fault in Our Stars rocked the literal world
earlier this year with its tragic plot and beautifully woven love story.
Now, another John Green novel is taking bookstores by storm. In Looking
for Alaska, Miles “Pudge” Halter’s boring life is totally altered by a
strangely unique girl named Alaska. Miles meets Alaska when he leaves
his home in Florida to attend boarding school in Alabama. Alaska shows
Miles new, yet somewhat dangerous, methods of having fun, and the two
grow very close. Alaska Young is a bit misunderstood and emotionally
unstable, yet Miles ﬁnds himself falling in love with her. Miles is
attracted to Alaska because they share a unique fascination: they both
place emphasis on the last words of famous people in history. Miles and
Alaska’s relationship seems to be ﬁnally moving forward when tragedy
strikes. Now Miles and his friends must learn how to cope with the death
of someone close to them, and learn to forgive themselves.
Readers who enjoy a good love story will not be disappointed with
this book. However, this novel caters to more than just romantics. With
witty dialogue and heart wrenching plot-twists, Looking for Alaska keeps
readers wanting to turn the next page to ﬁnd out what happens next.
Looking for Alaska has a very different ﬂare from John Green’s other
works. It teaches readers not to judge a book by its cover and to embrace
all aspects of life. This coming of age novel is highly recommended for
anyone who wants to be enthralled by a mysterious world of romance,
friendship, and tragedy.
Get the update, Get it all
Caroline Dagher ’14
On September 18th, iPhone users and fast, providing multiple controls
all over the world experienced an on a single screen.
enormous change. The new iOS 7
iTunes radio is all new and a must
update changed the entire design have for music lovers. The new
and format of the iPhone. The huge feature, found in the music app is a
transformation shocked many long radio that is controlled by the users.
time iPhone users. The new design By searching your favorite songs,
is vibrant and innovative, and the artists, or genres the radio creates
layout is beautiful and even more customized stations playing songs
useful than the previous design.
according to your personal ﬂavor.
Apple never ceases to amaze, and iTunes radio also has an iTunes top
iOS 7 is most deﬁnitely amazing. 100 station, where you can listen to
The display colors are vivid and the the top 100 songs on iTunes for free
new format is simple, and fresh. The with limited, short commercials.
lock screen comes to life when the
The overall function of the iPhone
home button is clicked, and the “slide is improved with iOS 7. Double
to unlock” bar shines on the screen. click the home button and every app
The weather app changes along with in use is displayed, making it easier
the weather conditions showing to switch between apps. The photos
cloudy skies when appropriate and are better and brighter, and all new
a shining sun on warm days. The ﬁlters are available, along with a
colors all come together on the home square and panorama picture format.
screen portraying a stunning picture Airdrop enables users to quickly
with an eye-catching format.
share information such as pictures,
Along with offering a new look, videos, and contacts. Instead of
iOS 7 also offers new wallpaper going through multiple steps, airdrop
and a whole new control center. allows you to share with friends at
There are forty wallpapers to choose the touch of a button.
from, including thirty-three stills
iOS 7 is too good to turn down, and
and seven dynamic backgrounds are the new design and features are one
available. The options are radiant of a kind. Getting the update feels like
and unique, from a grassy ﬁeld to a getting an entirely new phone, and
snow covered mountain. As well, the all the changes and improvements
control center is extremely useful, a make a huge difference. The update
ﬂashlight app is no longer necessary; is a must have, it will not let you
it is available with the swipe of down. Get the update and your
a ﬁnger. The control center also iPhone will be improved with faster
includes a calculator, timer, airplane sharing abilities, sensational photos
mode on and off button, Bluetooth and a new beautiful screen design to
button, music, brightness, and Wi-Fi look at every day.
controls. The control center is useful
On Wednesday November 6th
all of country music’s biggest stars
gathered at the Bridgestone Arena
in Nashville, TN to celebrate the
47th Country Music Association
Awards. ABC’s three hour telecast
had nearly 16.6 million viewers. It
was hosted by Carrie Underwood
and Brad Paisley. The hosts received
laughs and applause throughout the
night, especially when they mocked
Miley Cyrus and introduced the
Duck Dynasty’s version of “Blurred
Lines.” Throughout the night the
Country Music Association awarded
various artists with CMA awards.
George Strait took the top prize of
Entertainer of the Year, the dynamic
duo Blake Shelton and Miranda
Lambert took home Male and Female
Vocalist of the Year respectively,
Vocal Duo of the Year went to
Florida Georgia Line, and Vocal
Group of the Year went to Little Big
Town. Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift,
and Keith Urban’s top hit, “Highway
Don’t Care,” won two awards. Also,
Kasey Musgraves won New Artist
of the Year. Album of the Year went
to Blake Shelton’s “Based on a True
Story,” Single of the Year went to
Florida Georgia Line’s “Cruise,” and
the Song of the Year was Lee Brice’s
“I Drive Your Truck.”
Taylor Swift was awarded the
Pinnacle Award, an prize given to
artists who take country music to a
worldwide audience. Some mentors
to Swift, including Tim McGraw,
Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Brad
Paisley, Rascal Flats, and George
Strait, introduced her. A video voiced
by Tim McGraw was presented in
Swift’s honor. There were special
appearances in the video made by
Justin Timberlake, Ethel Kennedy,
Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts,
Mick Jagger, and Ellen DeGeneres.
Swift was taken aback by the video
and the whole presentation, and
she was thrilled to have won such a
prestigious award in country music.
The (not so) Spectacular iOS 7
Meghan Golden ’14
In the era of technology, new but rather a tab that can be accessed
inventions and gadgets are released from the downward swipe of a ﬁnger.
nearly everyday. In the middle of Although this might not seem like a
this technological whirlwind, is signiﬁcant change, for those who are
Apple. The company constantly unaware of the transformation, it is
updates their products and creates confusing and difﬁcult to adjust to
new commodities for the public. or even ﬁnd the traditional features.
Although many of these inventions iOS 7 does not come with directions
and updates are sensational, the or an instruction manual, so users
recent iOS 7 update for iPhones fell must adapt to the changes without
short of amazing. The new update any much guidance.
failed to improve the functions or
Lastly, iOS 7 has proven to
style of the phone. Instead, many are function slowly on the iPhone 4
criticizing the update and regretting and other older devices. Many users
that they updated their phones in the complain that the update has made
ﬁrst place.
their iPhone 4 unusable. There
The new aesthetic of the iPhone are long lag times when opening
is displeasing and cartoonish. The up applications or when using the
home screen and icons are too bright phone’s keyboard. Also, iPhone
and colorful. The rainbow of colors users have complained iOS 7 has
is outlandish and difﬁcult for the eye manipulated the battery life of their
to follow. Most iPhone users would phones. Many batteries are heating
prefer a more muted and subdue up and not lasting as long as they
design. Furthermore, many people previously did. Older iPhone users
believe the design is childish. The are being forced to abandon their
icons and words have a young and phones and buy new ones.
juvenile feel. NDA senior Casey
In conclusion, the new update for
Thorbahn asserts, “I do not like the the iPhone and other Apple devices
new design features of the phone. is inferior to the previous model.
The icons and home screen are Many Apple consumers are upset
foolish looking.”
they made the switch. Once someone
Not only is the visual aesthetic presses the update button, there is no
unappealing, the learning curve for way to return to the previous model.
the transition between iOS 6 and People are trapped with the iOS 7
iOS 7 is steep. iPhone users must update. Now, all users can do is wait
acclimate to the new changes of the for the release of another update and
update, because Apple introduced hope iOS 8 will prove to be superior
many alterations to the new devices. and more reliable than iOS 7.
For example, the search screen is no
longer a separate page on the iPhone,
-7-
Cof�� H�u��
The Mind Game and The Sea
by Isabella Walko ’14
Scenes from Les Mis
It slapped me across my face.
Sheer skin illuminated with rubicund burning
Total inner lungs absorbed with brine water
Is this what it feels like to drown?
Slowly
Down
Below
Is this what it feels like to be alive?
You’re not good enough
Out in the open water, there are no boundaries.
Drowning
Can be so simple,
As there is no fight
Giving into the ocean of emotions.
Stud
e
for S nts atten
d
o
in W cial Just the “Te
a
ashin
ice”
Conf ch-In
gton
e
D.C.
rence
Like the one that says inside,
You’re not good enough.
Water seizes my body with
Electrifying impulses.
The sea is reviving, almost exhilarating,
With the flow of adrenaline that has just kicked into play.
Margaret Elliot’s ’15
makes a great save!
ke
had on “ta
e
b
to
n
u
f
” day
Lots of
n to work
e
r
d
il
h
c
r
you
Carly
thy ’15
McCar mother
and her other
at the M r Event
e
Daught
I touched Mother Nature’s heart.
Scraped my fingers into the sand,
Lowered myself into Her pool of grace.
Mild jellyfish stings do little to hurt.
Instead, they provide a new burst of energy,
A welcome shock of life,
The thrill of being alive and
…Free,
The ability to talk to my conscience,
To find out who I am.
You’re not good enough
Why not?
Pushing myself to new territories,
It’s the only way I’ll find myself.
All questions answered
In absolute cursive fluidity,
Like the pen never leaves paper,
My path never turns around.
This is my confession.
Water beats down on my skin,
A purifying baptism of one’s conscience.
If you trust yourself
You’re not good enough takes on a new meaning.
After years of hearing this, I have used it as strength
Go ahead, challenge me, because I do.
THE GIRL IN THE GREEN KILT
NICOLE NEWMAN ‘15
Dear GTGK,
I am not sure whether I want to join the indoor track team or tryout for
basketball this winter. I played basketball at my middle school and I really liked
it. I think all of my friends are trying out for basketball, but I really want to try
something new! What should I do?
-Conflicted
Dear Conflicted,
I trust I am
Irreplaceable, strong, and powerful.
I am a winner, a leader,
I am…
Myself.
NDA has lot of choices for sports and after
school activities! With so many options, it can
be hard to make up your mind sometimes. I
would recommend following your heart and
going with your gut feeling. You don’t have to
follow the crowd and freshman year is a great
The Medallion
time to experiment with new sports. Whatever
Editors:
Isabella Walko ‘14, Mariah Ward ‘14,
Sally Stover ‘15, Caroline McCormack ‘15
you decide, being a part of a team is sure to be
a great experience.
Layout Editors:
Abigail Hanson ‘14, Casey Thorbahn ‘14
-The Girl in the Green Kilt
Just ask “The Girl in the Green Kilt” !
Log on to your Portal, click the ‘Publications’ Tab, and
submit your question!
Features Editor: Meredith Wade ‘14
Advisors: Mrs. Pepe and Ms. Callahan
-8-