The Lamplighter, 10/20/2010

Lamplighter 10/20/10

Country Fair Goes Green

LAMPLIGHTER

Jamie Ducharme If you ask any Derryfield student what comes to mind when they think “Country Fair,” you'll probably get answers involving classic booths like Rent-a-senior, the Dunk-tank, or the Carwash. While those things are all considered integral parts of what makes Country Fair great, Derryfield, through Conservation Club, is making an effort to include ecofriendliness in that answer. Student response as to the success of that goal, though, is mixed; many feel that a one-day, isolated event like country fair cannot have a

large impact on our environment. Conservation Club member Mariel McLeod admits that the green initiative “could have been advertised better” and that “there is always more we can do.” She still feels, however, that big improvements have been made, such as serving ecofriendly hamburgers and buns on recycled plates. Kaitlin Fink agrees and goes further to say that she feels that “days like [Country Fair] do make a difference in terms of attitude.” She believes if Conservation Club

positively influenced even one person's mindset towards going green, then they have done their job. According to Fink, Country Fair's objective in terms of eco-friendliness was not necessarily something tangible, and acknowledges that it probably “didn't offset the total amount of waste being sent to landfills every day.” Instead, their goal was to “introduce people to easy ways they can become more environmentally conscious, and to encourage them to start taking action at home, every day.”

Plagiarism Focus in the Classroom Maggie Cochrane With the new school year, a new phrase fills the halls of Derryfield which makes both teachers and students cringe for different reasons: Academic Dishonesty. Many teachers have taken to writing down their definition of “plagiarism” and spent a good chunk of class time going over it. The school even had an entire assembly devoted to it. Cheating, it seems, is a huge issue that must be addressed from all angles. Some students are thoroughly fed up with the repeated assailments of “do not plagiarize.” This is Derryfield, a private schoolsurely the issue is not important enough for half an hour in every class and an assembly about it. As it turns out, it could be: cheating is a serious problem that exists in many, if not most schools. “Intellectual property is protected under government

guidelines,” according to experiment-resources.com. This is why plagiarism is wrong; it’s not a student’s original work and the writing one steals is, technically, protected by the government. “Mr. Powell has pushed this issue to the forefront, and you’re probably sick of hearing about it,” says Mr. Cousineau, “but it’s one of these things full of gray areas and pitfalls, and he’s trying to make sure people realize this and don’t fall down those slippery slopes.” According to plagiarism.com, “A national survey published in Education Week found that 54% of students admitted to plagiarizing from the internet….” One could argue that Derryfield is merely doing its part by attempting to lower these statistics. However, the fact that this is Derryfield should mean

something. By now, students feel that they get the message. Margaux Joselow says, “it’s good that they’re approaching it before it happens, but it’s a little too much. I almost feel like they don’t trust us.” An anonymous student states, “I think it’s a good thing to emphasize, but there is a point where it becomes overkill. By the end it’s just taking up class time.” Inside this issue: GSA Dance

2

Presidential Address

3

Really, Derryfield?

3

Fall Fashion

4

Bachelor and Bachelorette

5

Chinema

6

Kitty Cornered: Editorial

8