Pocket 1: Like Like – Theresa Davis
The Creation of “Word Wednesday”
Written by Alice Dang ’20
“Word Wednesday” has officially become the new representation of Hebron’s enthusiasm for creative writing, more specifically, poetry. Being the initiator of this new program has brought me incredible joy as well as great responsibility. It all started with my love for poetry itself and the desire to bring it along wherever I go. Seeing Hebron had a specific “tradition” everyday like Music Monday or Lumbergames, I noticed that a slot for Wednesdays was empty and an idea instantly came to my head! Spoken poetry performed well could really impact some conventional perspectives on poetry. I personally believe that poetry should not only be read, but also be heard; so it was a great opportunity for other poets to share their words out loud. After getting approval from the teachers and encouragement from friends, I was even more determined to bring this idea to life.
Clearly, there was hesitation and fear that the program would not work out or no one would be interested in joining. However, after introducing “Word Wednesday” and sharing a poem of mine, a lot of people were curious about this new “tradition”. Soon, one after another, more students and teachers started signing up for a spot; within a short period of time, we had the list filled up until the end of winter term! It was then that I’d realized the power of words, how they could bring people together within minutes and gather such an amazing community. The first few weeks of the program went surprisingly well, with readers performing their own work or a favorite of theirs. Aarti Singh was not familiar with the world of poetry, but knowing about “Word Wednesday”, she had volunteered to share her first poem. Christian Quinones also read a heartwarming poem for his sister, Eliza Quinones, on her birthday. I cannot be more thankful for all the people who have signed up to be the “poet of the week”! Poetry can sound intimidating or even tedious at first, but there are various categories and expressions that you never thought you would enjoy until you read (or hear) a really good poem. I would like to quote a saying I found on Tumblr that conveys my feelings for poetry. “I fell in love with you the way paperbacks fall down on shelves; slowly, and then all at once”. I do not expect every single member in Hebron to love poetry instantly, but it is my wish to gradually change people’s view on poetry and help them acknowledge how beautiful yet powerful words can be.
Due to the different schedules in each term, a new name will replace “Word Wednesday”. Stay tuned!
Update: It is now called “Pocket Poetry”!
Life Skills at Hebron
Written by Emma Skelton ’19
This February’s Saturday Event saw Hebron students learning a wide variety of “life skills,” skills that reach beyond the classroom. Faculty and students alike were involved in the planning of the event as well as teaching each of the seminars. Any students, teachers, staff, or parents were invited to share their abilities with students eager to learn. The final list of seminars ranged from “How to Tie a Tie” to “CPR Certification” to “Budgeting and Banking.” Students submitted their top five choices from the list to try to ensure everyone would be placed in a seminar that they were interested in.
Ms. Miriah Nadeau, one of the key organizers of the event says, “My goals for the 
event were for students to go to workshops they were interested and to come out with skills they could use when they leave Hebron. I think the event was extremely successful! The students I heard from really enjoyed the workshops they attended and learned some great skills. The teachers all seemed to really enjoy the topics they were teaching! Overall, the event seemed to be very well received!”
Students also saw the event as a success. Most everyone seemed content with the workshops they attended. Teemu Hukkanen, class of 2018, even said he didn’t mind waking up early on a Saturday to go to it! Sophomore Ellena Frumeinto says of her experience in the Resumes and Cover Letters seminar, “I learned a lot about how to write a resume and a cover letter. I learned tips about what to do and what not to do. This was a very helpful and informative class and I will definitely use what I learned in the future.” The event appears to be one of the most well received of the year, and the students enjoyed learning important, new skills. I’d say it was a great success!
In Anticipation of the Play
Written by Sophie List ’19
The Hebron Academy Players are excited to present The Man Who Came To Dinner which will be playing in the Androscoggin Theater on February 23rd and 24th. The Man Who Came To Dinner is a comedy about radio personality Sheridan Whiteside who becomes an unexpected houseguest at the Stanleys’ home after falling and breaking his hip on their doorstep. The play follows the strange time during which Mr. Whiteside lives in their home and consequently turns their lives upside down.
This year’s play is different from those in the past for many reasons. Ms. Coleman, the director, decided it was time to switch things up and Hebron is doing a straight play as opposed to a musical for the first time in many years. Regarding this decision she said she hoped it would get other people involved who did not want to participate in a musical. She also said, “In both the professional world and college they produce more plays than musicals. So if students want to go on and do theater in college, having done a play is important.”
Additionally, many of the props have been built by Hebron’s art classes. Mr. Tholen’s3D art classes were tasked with building a cockroach farm, a massive animal crate, and an Egyptian sarcophagus. It is not just art classes that have been helping out with the production, but the entire community has been indispensable in creating the play. Students have volunteered on weekends to help build, paint, and put up the set. Also, many faculty members and student’s families have volunteered props or other necessities for the production. The drama crew would also like to extend a massive thanks to the folks at Maintenance, to Mr. Bill Anderson, and of course to Ms. Coleman because without her endless dedication to the cast and this production, none of this would have been possible.
Morgan Prentice ‘19, one of the leads, urges everyone to come see the play because, “The cast and crew and Ms. Coleman, of course, put a tremendous amount of work into this play and we would love it if everyone in the community would come to see our hard work.” She guarantees it will be worthwhile and promises: “fun, excitement, action, drama, and gossip.” If you enjoy any or all of these things in a play, make sure to come down to the Androscoggin Theater on February 23rd and 24th at 7:30 PM to see The Man Who Came To Dinner!
From Maine to Puerto Rico
Written by Benjamin Bryce ’18
During spring break of this year, Mr. Michael Tholen and Mr. Bill McNamara are taking seven Hebron students on a surf and service trip to Puerto Rico. Leaving March 8th, the group will fly out of Boston-Logan airport and land in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The group is staying in a Hostel and is excited for the warm weather and opportunity to help those that have been ravaged by the latest hurricanes.
Service-oriented work will be done throughout the week, but one notable service initiative will be beach clean-up on the island beaches. When not doing service work, the group is slated to practice surfing and engage in hiking and other outdoor activities. The students that are going are Ben Bryce, Delano Brown, Masataka Mita, Beks Alimov, Will Kline, Saga Stenberg, and Grace Keneally.
California Girl in the Wilds of Maine
Written by Iman Shepard ’19
Moving from California to Maine, I knew the culture would be different because the way of life varies from place to place. I had been to the East Coast prior to coming to Hebron Academy, but actually living here has allowed me to notice some distinct differences between Southern California’s culture and Maine culture. This has helped me put together a super easy, three step process to become a Mainer:
1. The Look
First off, you need to look like a Mainer. This requires purchasing loafers (called boat shoes in Maine), Birkenstocks, a Patagonia sweater, L.L. Bean Boots, and anything from Vineyard Vines. If you don’t own at least one of these, you are most likely not a Mainer.
2. The Attitude
Although you might be able to dress like a Mainer now, you still have to know how to act like one. You must acquire a standoffish attitude and a lack of vanity in order to proceed. This includes being generally unhappy, and becoming nonchalant about how you look. Do not smile unless a sarcastic or demeaning comment is made about another and avoid enjoying anything except being judgmental in order to achieve the optimal Mainer attitude.
3. The Language
By now, you’re almost a Mainer. You have the look. You have the attitude. Now all you need is the ability to speak like a Mainer. Say things such as, “It’s wicked cold.” Words such as “nasty”, “mad”, and “wicked” are often used, so try to incorporate them into your vocabulary. A greeting such as “Hey, how we doing?” is common.
Now you’re basically a Mainer. Obtain a love for hunting, camouflage pants, Moxie, maple candy, and Dunkin’ Donuts and you’re all set.
All The Pretty Horses: Book Review
Written by Dylan Richmond ’18
Over the short three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas Break, AP Literature students have selected a book of their choosing to which, with a few other classmates, they have discussed the book as they would within a normal class.
Avery Jurek, Jake Bieler, and I, Dylan Richmond, chose All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy. Having already read The Road by McCarthy, I was interested to see 
whether the author’s writing style would change or keep the same dark, uninterested tone. So, some may either be happy or disappointed to know that McCarthy does not throw a curveball.
The story begins in San Angelo, Texas, with young John Grady Cole in a bit of a situation when his parents divorce. His mother decides to sell the ranch, and John figures that running off to Mexico with his friend, Rawlins, is a better life than not living on the ranch.
The two journey through western Mexico on horseback seeking paradise in a desert. Along the way they meet a peculiar young lad, Blevins, who has also run-off. Blevin’s stories often do not line up; moreover, he also happens to have in his possession a beautiful horse to which the two recognize to only cause trouble in Mexico. Nevertheless, together they continue to travel south until, as predicted, Blevin’s horse is taken in a rainstorm. Eventually they find the horse and, although John and Rawlins decide against stealing back the horse, Blevins was not going to give up that horse. In the ensuing chaos that commenced upon the horse stealing, the three become split into their original groups.
John and Rawlins continue their journey until the paradise they had been seeking unfolds before their eyes. They find work on a enormous ranch in the area gathering and training wild horses. While there, John finds love with his boss’ daughter, Alejandra, and, despite being told from her relatives to back off from a girl of her status, intends to marry her. Once the father is revealed to the truth and Mexicans from the north declare that three americans stole their horse, John and Rawlins are jailed. There they find Blevins, already there for some time. After discussion with the authorities, they find their situation is helpless in the corrupt system without money. They are transported farther north where Blevins is executed and they to a penitentiary.
John and Rawlins quickly realize that fighting is the only way of life when incarcerated and are subject to such abuse every day. Eventually, they become targeted and both are nearly killed by knife attacks. Luckily they survive, but John was forced to kill the attacker in defense. An experience that troubles him for the rest of the story. After some time in a dark room being treated for his wounds, John and Rawlins are released. The reason being that Alejandra’s aunt paid for their release on the condition that John and Alejandra are forbidden to see each other.
John and Rawlins split ways, Rawlins to Texas and John to see about Alejandra and the horses. He meets with Alejandra for a day but their love is cut short when she decides that they should abide by the rules. He then treks home and along the way steals back the horses while taking his old captor hostage. Eventually, John releases the hostage and travels along the border to find the original owner of Blevin’s horse. A few men lay claims to the horse and after a heated dispute the judge rules in the favor of John for the custody of the horse. John then makes his way home to where he returns Rawlins’ horse and then bids his farewell as he takes off once again into the wild.
The story often describes with deep thought and immense details the night sky of the wild and it should also be noted that the Americans are on their horses the entire time. It is a story of danger, love, wildness, horses, and the dying breed of the cowboy.
The Failure of One, The Fall of Many.
By Aarti Singh ‘20
Unity is strength. Ever since I started playing soccer, I was always taught to trust my team and stand together no matter what. I was lucky and blessed to have a wonderful soccer team for my first year as a lumberjack. From the first practice session, we all had a dream, a common aspiration: to win New England’s. Every day as we stepped onto the soccer field, we knew what we needed to work on. Being the goalkeeper of the team, I could see the efforts that my team made to not let any balls come near my zone. As each of the ten players on the field and seven on the bench did their job, my job was to stop the balls from entering the net. I was always scared to not let my team down, but at the same time, I wanted them to trust me enough to not to worry about losing the game because of me.
The start of the soccer season was difficult for some of us. As there were many returning players, there were also many new players, just like me. It was hard to rely on someone we didn’t know. As Mr. Griggs and Ms. Milan gave their best in coaching the players , the seniors took the lead for prompting the team’s spirit and confidence. The hurdle of success started to seem a little less daunting when we won MAISADS. We were happy; we started to feel our dreams were coming true. The only thing now mattered was to play Vermont this quarterfinals, make our place in Semis and then bring the trophy home.
I still remember the last practice. We were happy to reach New England’s. Each one of us had the hunger of winning, because losing was not an option for us.
As we walked down the pathway of St Paul’s, I still remember the vibes and chills that I got from their huge turf field. Everyone was positive, trying to hide the fear of losing. When the whistle blew, the first two minutes of the game broke all of my dreams into millions of pieces. Soccer games usually go for 80 minutes, the first 40 minutes felt like a lifetime to me. As the Jacks were 2 down, we were shocked. We knew we didn’t come as a strong team at the start, but we still had plenty of time to come back. Being a goalkeeper is not easy, but the only thing my team expected from me was to be confident and fight back. During the half time, we all tried to pump each other up. We started having positive talks and were ready to play the best soccer of this season, even if it was our last. Our passes were accurate and so was everyone’s confidence. The ball was now rolling as per the green’s command. As each minute passed by, we started to create more chances. Everything was perfect; the only thing that didn’t happen was the ball going in the net. As the team started to communicate, it helped me gain my confidence back. I made seven total saves in that half but could not stop their third goal.. The last five minutes of the game was the best each individual could have ever played. We played with all our energy and full of heart. As the final whistle blew, we all knew that this was the end. End of the game, end of the soccer season, and most importantly, the end of our dreams. That day was the toughest day of my entire Hebron journey so far. I felt weak. I had no idea about what just happened. We were all helpless That day we lost New England quarterfinals by 3-1. That was the moment when I realized, if only I hadn’t given up in the first two minutes of the game, the results might have been a little different.
Every day since then, I miss soccer and my soccer family. Each day is a new beginning, so is the next year. We will work hard and will win the trophy.
New Year Same Place
Written by Joe Godomsky ’20
As I begin the start of a new ski season, I have a little preparation to do. I grew out of almost all my ski equipment, so it was time replenish my lacking supply. As a skier you need a lot of equipment, and I had to get skis, ski boots, ski pants, jacket, helmet, gloves, goggles, poles, and a GS (ski racing) suit. Once I had my equipment, I was almost ready for the season. In order to ski, I needed a pass, so my parents and I head up to Sunday River to get my ski pass. With all my equipment set in place, I was finally ready to head up to the slopes.
Sunday River has been my main ski hill since I was five years old. I’ve done everything from learning to ski on the beginner hill to going down one of the steepest trails on the east coast, all at Sunday River. I began to learn how to ski when my dad taught me. He would put me in between his legs and slowly begin to let me learn to stand/ski on my own. When I was seven years old, I joined the Sunday River racing program, and to this day I am still involved with the racing program.
As I entered this Thanksgiving break, I was informed that I had a lot of time to ski. As a matter of fact I was able to ski seven out of eleven days of break. The first three days I was accompanied by both my brothers. We normally ski until either we feel hungry or don’t have any more energy. But something I started to realize in the midst of all this was how special the moments are when I ski. Whether it is riding up the chairlift and
being able to look behind and see the crazy view, or whether it is skiing down the trail and feeling like I’m skiing on air, skiing allows me to experience things that not many other people are allowed to see or feel. I’m allowed to go down a mountain at whatever speed or pace I want. Being able to possibly go as fast as a car is exhilarating. Skiing is unique and fun in many different ways, and I can’t wait to take in the views as a new ski season begins.