Guatemala: culture, language, food, fun
A group of 12 ARHS students spent an adventure-filled February break in Antigua, Guatemala. They left on February 15 and returned on February 24 and were accompanied by ARHS Spanish teacher and study abroad...
Ghostlight model of ‘safe spaces’
On January 19th at 5:30 p.m., ARHS joined hundreds of theaters nationwide, from high school companies to Broadway troupes, in awakening an age-old theater tradition aimed at creating a safe space in dark times....
Facebook a let-down
I was introduced to Facebook around 2010 while watching over my dad’s shoulder as he scrolled through his news feed, reading hundreds of posts from old friends and family. When I first made my...
Online friendships: ‘You’re there because you want to be’
As children, we often made our friends on playgrounds, sports fields, and classrooms. We aligned ourselves with those who shared our personalities, hobbies, and talents. But as teenagers, many of us seek out connections...
Addictive, engaging, and exotic hobbies
Railroad tracks run through the area behind Josh Rendez’s house. The wooden tracks are not part of an actual rail line, but a scaled down layout which runs through his backyard. Measuring 55...
Dance studio a haven for creative types
As you walk into the ARHS building, your eyes are drawn to the big wooden doors in front of the auditorium, adorned with pictures of dancers. As you pull the door open, you instantly...
Filling in ‘the gap’: a year off for travel, work before college
Rather than spending all their time waiting in anticipation for college acceptance or job offers, there are students across the country waiting to hear about their pending visas instead. These students in the...
Long-term teenage relationships that work
In high school, relationships are both fantasized about and popularized. Whether you are an experienced lover or have been single and don’t plan on changing, you will most likely be impacted by a high...
Winter vacation dreams
The sun beamed down on the beach; it was one of the hottest days of summer. The water, on the other hand, was cold enough to be uncomfortable. However, with the heat of the...
Women prove strength and skill in technical theater
School is over and it is a cold, dark, snowy evening in the middle of winter. It is a quiet night and the snow is falling slowly but inside the auditorium of the high...
Social media affecting our self-esteem
It was just past eight on a Tuesday night, what was considered to be the prime time to post something on Instagram for me and my middle school friends. After numerous consultations with others...
Sneaker heads aim to ‘look nice’
Kyle Murray and Iani Ferreira were seated next to each other, eyes focused on the computer screen in front of them. On the monitor was an array of images of sneakers, from simple, monochromatic...
‘Brows better be on fleek’
Over the past few years, eyebrows have experienced a complete transformation. Ranging from pencil thin in the early 2000s, bushy and wild in 2013, and full but manicured in 2016, brow trends have been...
Debit card ups and downs
Two students returned to the locker room after PE to find that their wallets had been stolen. The first student had $60 of cash in his wallet and the other one just had a...
Ready to roll: navigating life in a wheelchair
At 12 years old, Ella Budington, now a ninth grader at ARHS, became one in a million. The doctors did not know why it happened—Ella was a perfectly healthy kid living a relatively unremarkable...
Coming out process smooth for many teens
On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court made gay marriage legal in every state in the country. Within each state there are many different political views, some more liberal, some more conservative, and some...
Community Kick-Off Day
Juggling, capture the flag, Ultimate, and soccer were just a few of the activities that were offered on Community Kick-Off Day at ARHS on September 22, 2016. Similar to “Dialogue Day” the annual event...
Finding the school and work balance
Being in high school is a demanding job. Students are in school for seven hours, five days a week, and often face hours of homework when they get home. Factor in daily sports practices...
Earl McGraw a ‘tremendous role model’
Former ARHS Dean Earl S. McGraw Jr., 46, of Northfield, Mass., died on September 21st after a long battle with lung cancer. According to those who knew and loved him, he will live in...
Santiago García, fan of pizza and small town life
“My dream was to teach Spanish,” said new world language teacher Santiago García-Troche, who currently teaches Spanish level 3 at ARHS. Before coming to Amherst, Mr. García worked at many schools, teaching several different...
Alex Lariviere loves thrill of discovery
Alex Lariviere is a newly hired math teacher, who began work at ARHS last year as a full time substitute for Steve Saxenian during his medical leave. Mr. Lariviere teaches pre-calculus honors and the...
Todd Fruth, lover of music
This year, there are several new teachers at ARHS. One of them is Todd Fruth, the new Chorale teacher. He leads the three choirs: Chorale, Hurricanes, and Concert Choir. In addition he teaches Music...
Forever Young
Social Studies teacher Eugene Young IV, 29, was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He went to the Shawnee public schools for elementary, middle, and high school. The languages offered...
Sulikowski doing the math
Lisa Sulikowski, a new math teacher at ARHS, pursued her career because of her belief that teaching means changing the entire idea of math. “It’s what I’m meant to do. I just feel really...
Ashleigh Daher thrilled to be home
ARHS newcomer Ashleigh Daher, a teacher of English Language Learners, is struck by the passion and drive of the students and staff in this school. Ms. Daher graduated from ARHS 15 years ago. Her...
Lance Piantaggini, new Latin teacher
ARHS has welcomed several new teachers this year, including Lance Piantaggini, a D and E period Latin teacher. Mr. Piantaggini, born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, attended UMass. Once there, he began his study of the...
Asexual students speak out in hopes of creating visibility, education
In a country where sex is so glorified, it’s hard to believe that someone could be uninterested in sex. And though some deny asexuality’s existence, it is alive and well, with the asexual community...
Activists at ARHS talk about the best ways to foster dialogue, promote change
Just weeks ago on Hampshire College campus, the student body erupted into fervent activist discourse that quickly turned sour the commencement ceremony of 2016’s graduating class. Within the context of the college’s reputation, however,...
Vegetarians and vegans talk health, morals, and money
Livvy Weld opens her orange lunch box slowly but surely. She methodically removes a Tupperware of salad and another of dressing. Weld’s salads usually hold a variety of nutritious tidbits, and today her salad...
Pita Pockets: a delightful local restaurant with flavorful falafel
Youssef smooths out the pita bread on the countertop. His hands move fast—dashes of lettuce and tomato, and a dribble of tzatziki, a yogurt-based sauce. He swivels around to lift a batch of falafels,...
