Tag Archives: cheshire

Choices, Choices

    For eighth graders, high schools are starting to present themselves.  Semi-recently in my school, two high schools gave seminars.  However, for Cheshire students, a large opportunity has come up: the Cheshire Academy Town Scholarship.  Cheshire Academy offers a four year scholarship to one 8th grade student every year.  There are a few requirements.  If a student were to apply, they would have to take the SSATs (an entrance exam to most, if not all private high schools), go in for an interview, fill out an application with letters of recommendation, and write an essay why you would like to attend Cheshire Academy/why you deserve the scholarship.  Oh, and the most important part: you have to have to be a Cheshire resident.

    I think this is a great opportunity for students who would like to go to a private high school.  I, myself, am applying for the town scholarship, because I would like to go to Cheshire Academy for multiple reasons.  The classes are smaller, the school is more diverse, and the food is way better than public schools.  Even if you’re not interested in attending Cheshire Academy, or are not eligible for the scholarship, look into private high schools.  If you have the option of attending one, you might as well try.  Besides, the food is guaranteed to be better.

~Alyssa

Should Cheshire High School Have a Gymnastics Team?

  Gymnastics is a sport that many people are involved in or want to be involved in. That is why many towns have a high school gymnastics team for girls to participate in. High school gymnastics teams are a good idea because it offers another opportunity for girls in high school to get involved. High school gymnastics teams have a couple practices after school each week and several gymnastics meets on weekends as well as week days. However the gymnastics practices do not interfere with academics. Anyone is allowed to come and cheer on the high school gymnasts at their meets and show their school spirit. These are only a few of the many benefits that come with having a high school gymnastics team.

You do have to have a few specific skills to make the team as you would for any other school sport. However the required skills are rather simple so it’s not too hard for most gymnasts to make the team. Girls on high school gymnastics teams enjoy it because they get to be with their friends, they learn how to work as a team, and high school gymnastics is more about getting into it and trying your hardest rather than winning. This helps because there is not as much pressure as there would be when you are on a normal competitive gymnastics team. It is also convenient for parents because the practices are right after school so they don’t have to leave work early to bring they daughter to practice and it is also free. Some girls don’t have the chance to do gymnastics because it can be very costly and their parents might not be able to drive them. I think Cheshire High School should have a gymnastics team because it teaches girls to work as a team, it’s convenient for students and parents, and it gives girls another opportunity to get involved.

~Gabby

Annual Cheshire Tree Lighting Ceremony This Sunday

A night of festivities year after year with family and friends gathered on the town green, lights for people to fawn over and cocoa and cookies to warm you up.  Each year dozens of people spend their night at the Cheshire town green to watch the marvelous christmas tree that towers upon us be lit with hundreds of lights at once. The night is always kicked off by a session of caroling where anyone may choose to join in, it isn’t about how beautiful it sounds, but, how people of the town are coming together to celebrate this enjoyable occasion. For years the giant tree has symbolized the giving season and spread Christmas cheer throughout the town.  The Tree Lighting on the town green has been a success in the past and it is hoped to become an even larger event for this year and further years.

In past years the event has been very exciting and filled with cheerful family and friends.  It is always a chilly night so for the ones attending it might not be a bad idea to wear some layers, but don’t let the temperatures keep you away because there is hot chocolate and cookies to keep you toasty warm.  The Junior Women’s Club does a phenomenal job on putting it together and they even include a Santa Claus who comes to entertain the children which makes it a family event! I have gone for years and every year have found it very fun.  I hope to carry it on as a tradition in my family and bring my kids there when I’m older.

~Lauren

Lights of Hope: Volunteering and Dancing

As many Cheshire residents know, Lights of Hope is just around the corner.  The whole town comes together to support the Pettit family, whose house was set on fire, and took the mother and two daughters along with it.  Neighborhoods make luminaries made up of white paper bags with a candle inside.  It is quite a beautiful sight to drive around town and see the rows of lights on the curbs.  When November comes around I get really excited. My church, the First Congregational Church, places the luminaries all around the green, and I volunteer to set up the luminaries and place them on the walkways and sidewalks.  I also help set up packages of luminaries to send to neighborhoods for them to set up.  You can do this too!

The thing that I am most excited about for this upcoming Lights of Hope is the performance by Rhythm Dance Academy.  I will be performing, and I am very excited.  Between 1 and 3 at the high school, you can see dances performed in the styles of jazz, modern, hip-hop and lyric.  We have been working on our performances since the beginning of September, so we are more than prepared.  The performances will give publicity to the studio, and perhaps we will get new students. Most of the dances will be done by the competition team, and will be fully performed at competitions next spring.  This is the first time that Rhythm will be performing in Cheshire for more than just our parents, so that is especially exciting.  So, as November 9th rolls around, try to see if there is any volunteer work that can be done for Lights of Hope.  Also, make sure you come to Cheshire High on the 9th to watch Rhythm Dance Academy perform.  You won’t regret it!

~Ali

A Fun Way to Stay Healthy

At Dodd, there is a variety of sports you can try out for, and one of those is cross country. I have been a member of the Dodd Cross Country team both of the years I have been at Dodd. The cross country team practices every day, and normally runs 3-4 miles in practice. Practice starts right after school at 3:00, and runs until 4:30. A cross country meet is 2 miles, and are usually held once or twice a week. Home meets are held at Cheshire Park and last until about 4:45. The cross country season runs through September, October, and part of November.

I think that joining Dodd Cross Country is a great idea. By joining, you get a chance to stay in shape and still have fun. I met many new friends through cross country, and running with them makes the workout fun. You can stay healthy and active and still be with your friends. During cross country season, my body is in good shape and I feel good. Running is a great way to stay active and have fun at the same time.  Overall, cross country has helped me stay fit and make new friends, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to run.

~Kaelie

Dancing for a Cause

Many of you have probably heard about the event Lights of Hope. Lights of Hope takes place every year in Cheshire and is usually held at beginning of November. This annual event raises money for local charities. To raise the money, families in Cheshire can buy paper bags and candles to put on the curb in front of their house. At night, the whole town is lit up. This year there will be a performance done by Rhythm Dance Academy, which is where I dance. This performance will be held at the high school before everyone lights their candles. The dancers from the competition team will be showcasing their dances for the new season! Even though theses dances are not yet finished, the audience will get a sneak peek of what they will be like when competition time rolls around. Speaking of the audience, anyone is welcome to come and watch on Saturday November 9!

Personally, I can’t wait to dance at Lights of Hope! My team has been working on our dances since the beginning of September and even though they may not be finished, it will be lots of fun! I’m so glad my team chose to support this cause because when we donate to local charities, we help our community grow and become better. I am excited because different teams will be performing different types of dances. If you go, you may see jazz, tap, lyrical, modern, or hip hop dances. I love watching jazz dances because they are usually upbeat and fun, but all the other dances will be amazing as well. I have never danced at Lights of Hope before so I wonder how it will be. I have danced for other causes before, but I have a feeling that this one will be different because it is for my own town! So, if you are free on November 9th, come see Rhythm Dance Academy Dance at Lights of Hope!

~Jillian

Cheshire 8th grade football team

 

This year will probably be my last year with my football team or other known as my family. Next year I might be attending Notre Dame High School. Its been hard to except the fact that this might be it but I guess sometimes its just time to move on. My highlights of my team has been “My Play” also known as “207”.   This play is designed for me, the tight end, to go out on a simple 5 yard sideline pass that I have scored multiple times with. Another highlight has been the coaching staff including coach Sansone, coach Graikowski, coach Lamadeline, coach Nelson and coach Whalen.  With are record being 4-2 we are most likely in the playoffs already but with are 2 hardest games all season coming up next we have our work cut out for us.

My opinion on the rest of the season depends on are opponents in the playoffs.  For the past 2 years we have been kicked out of the playoffs by the same team (east haven) in the first round.  But since the easties (east haven) lost Mike Tonero their best player last year there should be no problems this year.  Hopefully we will take a long ride in the playoffs.  With three new formations we should catch are opponents off guard.  The more we keep the other teams offense off the field the better chance we have to get in the championship.

~Will

Vote Yes!

 

 

After the town pool in Cheshire CT had it’s bubble collapse again, people of the town started to wonder if the pool needed a more durable covering.  Finally, the people decided that a tension membrane was the way to go but, before they could start building it, the town has to hold a vote on November 5.  The tension membrane has better features than the old bubble in many ways.  One way is the tension membrane can withstand heavy loads of snow which brought down the last bubble.  Another way is the tension membrane can allow the community to have the pool open all of the time.  This helps many year-long organizations including Cheshire’s swim team, the Sea Dogs because they need the pool all year long for practices and meets.  The tension membrane is also a good solution because it can open on the sides during the summer so it can let fresh air in.  Many people are against the tension membrane though.  Many Cheshire residents that don’t use the pool just want to give up on the pool because they don’t want to have to pay taxes for a pool that they don’t even use.

In my opinion, I believe the Cheshire pool needs the tension membrane.  It will be great for open swim and organizations because it will be open all year long.   I’m on the Cheshire Sea Dogs swim team and we need the pool up and running all year long for our practices and swim meets.  Our team needs a reliable and durable structure like the tension membrane for the pool.  We need all Cheshire residents to vote yes for the tension membrane so we can get our pool up and running again!

~Courtney

The Pool Solution? A Tension Membrane Structure

 

On January 11, 2013, a massive blizzard swept our area causing a lot of damage.  Trees and power lines fell down giving us no power, but at the Cheshire Pool, located at 520 South Main Street, something more serious happened. The enormous bubble that keeps the pool enclosed for the winter couldn’t take all the pressure of the snow on top, which caused it to deflate and collapse.  Then, as if this wasn’t enough, the poles used by the swim team created a fifty foot hole in the bubble, erasing all hope for the bubble to be repaired.  Many months have resulted  in trying to find a new fixture to cover the pool.  Since this is the second time the bubble over the pool has collapsed, the town thought it was time to find a more permanent solution to the problem.  The current  end result was a tension membrane structure which will cost 3.2 million dollars.

As a swimmer myself, and although I don’t swim at the Cheshire Pool, I can see how disappointing this must be to all the swimmers that swim there.  Now, as the winter is just around the corner, the water is getting colder which means the Cheshire Pool must be closed.  Since there is no bubble to keep the warm air in the pool, the swimmers have to drive to another pool in the area to get their practice in.  This means the swimmers are up later at night driving to and from practice, where it would be so much easier if it were right in Cheshire.  In addition, the final solution for the pool will take a very long time to construct, and might not be ready until next year.  Although the process will take a long time, the end result will definitely be a satisfaction.

~Elli

What to do, What to do…

In the past few years, the bubble over the Cheshire Community Pool has collapsed twice as a result of heavy snow or blizzard conditions.  The pool facility was forced to shut down until warmer weather.  Community members, swim teams and all who used the pool had to swim elsewhere or not at all.  The pool committee did not want this to occur again, so after many months of research they held a town meeting on June 27, 2013 to present their ideas to the public.  The committee had come up with three top choices for construction:

1.) A new redesigned bubble

2.) A tension membrane

3.) A Polycarbonate structure

The Town Council decided on a tension membrane because it can be closed during the colder months, and then opened during the warmer months.  The pool’s best option, from what I learned in the meeting, was the polycarbonate structure, however it would cost $5-7 million.  I liked the tension membrane better, along with many other people.  The price for the tension membrane is $2.3 million.  It was my favorite because of the fact that it can be opened or closed, while the polycarbonate structure is a permanent structure.

Now the future of the Cheshire Community Pool rests in the hands of the Cheshire citizens who will vote in the upcoming election in November.  As a swimmer my hope is that the referendum will pass and my team can return to our home.  Having no home pool has had a huge impact on the daily lives of ALL Sea Dog swimmers and their families.  My teammates and I are currently traveling to Wesleyan University 5 days a week just to get practice time in!  Check out my swim team, The Sea Dogs, and don’t forget to vote YES on the pool!

~Ethan