Monthly Archives: April 2016
Cheerleaders Honored at State House
Senator John F. Keenan and the senior cheerleader captains: Seniors Sam Aylward, Bella Rindone, Carly Reardon, and Kylie Keefe
The State Champion Rockland High School Cheerleaders visited the State House in Boston today. They were guests of Senator John F. Keenan
Excitement Building For RHS Musical, A Chorus Line
Theater Guild and Music Dept. production!
By Hannah Boben, Veritas Staff
As the RHS Drama Club, Theatre Guild and newer theatre members team up for this weekend’s production of A Chorus Line, we are eager to learn more about the production itself.
A Chorus Line is a musical that follows the auditions that a group of dancers, singers and actors have to go through in order to get on the cast for a show. Throughout this casting progress, we will also learn more about each character as they either give us a short monologue or song to add depth to their characters.
As we in the audience learn more about the play’s cast’s difficulties in learning the choreography and musical numbers behind the play, we will also watch our own Rockland students become more adept with their performances and the challenges that go along with them.
Between learning the tough choreography, and the lyrics and music cues, the RHS cast is doing well according to their directors, teachers Joanne White and Kendra Donovan. “The cast has been amazing in terms of learning dance choreography. We are so proud of their overall progress. They have been more than willing to learn and take corrections.”
A Chorus Line will take place on April 29 and 30 at 7pm in the auditorium. Come out to see the cast shine and give the audience their all in A Chorus Line.
You can get tickets online at showtix4u.com for $6 or $8 at the door.
A Week To Be Positive!
The National Honor Society has named this week, April 25-29, a week to promote positivity around Rockland High School and beyond.
Monday is Positive Affirmation Day
Tuesday is Random Acts of Kindness Day
Wednesday is Compliment Day
Thursday is Reasons to Smile Day,
Friday will be Rockland Pride Day.
Click on each of the posters below to see the special instructions for each day!
Arts Festival Features All Kinds of Creations
On display at the Arts Festival were paintings by members of the Pathways class and the PhotoVoice exhibit. Veritas Photo
The Rockland Public Schools Arts Festival held last night featured displays of creativity in several different areas. The visual arts were well represented with displays of drawings, paintings, photography and 3D designs. Displays included work from pre-school to elementary to middle school and high school, including AP Portfolio collections of senior art students.
Technology Education was represented with exhibits that included woodworking projects, and computer drawings from the Auto Cad and Chief Architecture classes.
Mrs. Ashche’s Family and Consumer Science class projects included pillows, aprons and quilts Veritas photo
The Family and Consumer Science classes displayed a variety of sewing projects including quilts, fleece blankets and pillows.
Esten School 2nd grader Gus Noguera interacts with NAO the robot at the Arts Festival. Veritas photo.
Robotics and Engineering had their robotic creations on display which provided a lot of fun for the younger visitors to the arts festival. Robotics teacher Jennifer Wozniak said, “Kids and parents were excited about the engineering and robotics projects, including our humanoid robot, NAO. We need to make sure we are encouraging our younger students who show interest in science and math – especially the girls!”
Images Magazine, the Rockland High School Art and Literary Magazine, was on sale at the event. The magazine also has a website that you can access here.
Below is our photo gallery!
Seniors Compete At Spellman Oratorical
Seniors await judges’ decision after their speeches at the Spellman Oratorical Contest on Tuesday, April 12. Front row l to r: Mark Ewell, Haley Macray, Meghan Foster, Leah DeCecco and Ashley Pezzella. Back l to r: Brad Gasdia, Celia Rosa and Bella Rindone. Veritas Photo.
Adiza Alasa, Veritas Staff
The annual Spellman Oratorical Contest occurred on Tuesday, April 12 at Rockland High School. This contest was created in memory of the late Ellen Conway Spellman of Whitman.
This year’s topic was “Nonconformity, Society, and the Human Condition” as seen in art or literature. The essays written by all seniors were narrowed down by AP English teacher, Mr. Neal, to the top eight contestants. The winners were chosen by three impartial judges, Laura Whittaker, Kevin Whitaker, and Bill Cunningham. Contestants were judged based on content, delivery, diction, and poise.
Ashley Pezzella was awarded first place at the Spellman Oratorical Contest on Tuesday night. WRPS photo.
Ashley Pezzella won first place with a prize of $1200 in college scholarship money. Mark Ewell took second place and the $1000 scholarship. Leah DeCecco came in third place and received a $700 scholarship. In fourth place was Bella Rindone who received a $500 scholarship. Brad Gasdia came in fifth place and received a $300 scholarship. Meghan Foster, Haley Macray and Celia Rosa tied for 6th place and each received $100 scholarships.
Students Perform at SEMSBA
Tahmya Cappra, Veritas Staff
Rockland High School students, Leah DeCecco, Lauren Illes, Rebekah Panaro, Rebeca Portela, and Sean Vo represented Rockland High School at the Southeastern Massachusetts Bandmasters Association (SEMSBA) Festival held on Friday, April 8 and Saturday, April 9 at Milton High School.
The festival is organized into four groups that rehearsed together on Friday and then took part in concerts on Saturday that were open to the public.
Left to right: Sean Vo, Rebekah Panaro, Leah DeCecco, Lauren Illes, and Rebeca Portela represented RHS at SEMSBA on April 8 and 9. photo by Tahmya Cappra Veritas Staff
SEMSBA is a festival that students must audition for.
RHS senior Leah DeCecco talked about her experience in this festival and if she would recommend it to her fellow music peers.
DeCecco said that the festival went “excellent” for her. She also said that it was her “last festival of high school,” and that “it was an incredibly emotional and wonderful experience.” She said that she “will truly never forget it,” and that she would “10 out of 10” recommend SEMSBA to fellow music peers.
Girls Lacrosse Team Remains Positive
Jaymie Atkins, Veritas Asst. Managing Editor
The girls lacrosse team went to varsity status this year for the first time, after competing as a sub-varsity team the last two years.
Since they will be underdogs against more established teams, it is not a surprise that they have lost their first three games to Norton, Cohasset and Pembroke.
Senior goalie Caitlin Yannizzi at practice before the first game. Veritas photo
Senior captain Caitlin Yannizzi provided insight on these losses.
“Losing games, I believe, pushes us to work harder to prove not only to ourselves but each other, and most especially our coach that we do have the skills to win, and we want to win.”
Yannizzi admits the first game against Norton was discouraging, but says the Cohasset game was uplifting.
“We may have lost, but we pushed through and gave it our all, and I was very proud of myself and the team.”
Coach Lauren Rizzotti has some input on these losses as well.
“Unfortunately we started out with some of our best competitors.They [the girls on the team] need to have it in their head to just play their absolute best. We are a newer team against teams who have been playing for years. We are not always going to get the result we want, but I have not been disappointed in what I am seeing on the field.”
Juniors Bridget Reardon and Hannah Millen are keeping their attitudes positive. Veritas staff photo
Coach Rizzotti also said that things have been looking up for the girls considering the rocky start. “The girls need to realize this is now a varsity team; everything needs to be different: dedication, attitude, versatility on the field. The group of girls are a fantastic group and we are finally feeling like a team again.”
The girls were to face last year’s state champions, Norwell, today at home with a start time of 4 o’clock, but the game has been postponed due to lack of officials according to the Norwell Athletic Department.
THE VERITAS 