In the coming years I do have a few concerns for the Westborough High community.  A recent survey called the “Westborough Adolescent Health Survey” run by the MetroWest Healthcare Foundation found that although alcohol use by students has decreased by a few percentage points, other drug use has increased. The survey is the third in a series of surveys being conducted by the Foundation. The biggest news in the survey in my opinion, however, was that students who felt “life was very stressful in the past 30 days” has increased from the same survey conducted in 2008 from 22% to 34%.  I believe from my own personal experiences at the high school that the percentage may even be higher. Even if the percentage is accurate, I am concerned like the school district that this is unhealthy and will be leading to an environment in and outside the building that could lend itself to unhealthy choices.  I am sure the Health and Wellness Department will work hard to address this in its curriculum. Still, despite its best efforts, I am not sure exposure to the health and wellness curriculum will be enough to lower this percentage significantly.  Westborough High School is a challenging high school.  This obviously has given its students like myself many benefits, but this may be leading to some unhealthy side-effects as well.  I believe the best plan to help WHS students combat the stresses they face is by helping them find areas in their lives to reduce the stress, rather than strategies to simply deal with it.  One of the ways to do this is to make sure the school is offering alternative programming outside of the ones students are regularly involved in.  From academics, music, and sports, to other major outside of school activities, many students feel stress from the hard work that is required for all of these responsibilities that occur before, during, and after the school day. It is important that the student body find and participate in healthy activities to relieve stress.  I hope school administrators will be receptive to working with groups in the school community and inside and outside of Westborough to find options that might keep students out of stressful situations if possible. I also would like to see new ideas on programming and policies emerge that might make the day a little easier for students to go through. I know that WHS is currently working to amend the school mission statement in preparation for an accreditation review by The New England Association of Schools and Colleges.  I hope that in the amended mission statement concrete goals of creating an environment for students to feel a balance of success and less stress are reflected as a priority.

I wish the Westborough High School community the best in the many years ahead.

Myles Goldman  ’11

Lobby Observer Co-Editor-In-Chief  2010-2011

With spring in full swing there are many things for students to look forward to: the warm weather, spring sports, and of course, the beginning of prom season. The sound of students chatting away about prom is filling the hallways. Going through a day of school without hearing about dates, dresses, or limos is almost impossible. Prom season can bring lots of drama, or “prama,” but also lots of fun.  Another thing prom season brings is memories.

With all the talk about prom in the hallways teachers start to think back to their own prom experiences. While prom is an experience that most teachers have gone through, everyone’s experience was unique and different. When asked about their prom memories, the teachers had similar answers but each with unique twists.

  Although it is common for proms to have a theme, that is not always the case.  Math teacher Ms. Basque’s prom theme was “A Night to Remember”, while fellow math teacher Mr. Collins and science teacher Mrs. Lotti’s proms were without themes. 

 The teachers wore tuxedos and gowns as students do today, but the colors and styles have definitely changed over the years.  Mr. Collins sported a light blue tuxedo to his prom, and Mrs. Lotti’s date wore a white tux. Mrs. Lotti wore a bright pink ruffle dress with a sweetheart neckline and a bow.  Ms. Basque, meanwhile, was dressed more like present day students.  She kept it simple with a black, strapless dress with a white strip on top. 

While it is common today to take a limo to prom, that wasn’t always the case.  Both Mrs. Lotti and Mr. Collins did not take a limo to their prom. Their proms were also in two very different locations. Mr. Collins, a WHS alum, went out for dinner with the rest of his class to a restaurant and then came back to the Westborough High School lobby for the dance part of the prom.  Mrs. Lotti recalled that her prom took place in a tent on her high school’s football field.

“Our class was so bad that we had been thrown out of every venue within a fifty mile radius. Everyone’s heels were getting stuck in the mud of the field but it was still fun,” Lotti said. 

In terms of dates, Mr. Collins and Ms. Basque both went with their respective boyfriend and girlfriend.  Mrs. Lotti went instead with a good friend.

One thing the teachers had in common was what they remembered most about their proms.  They all agreed that they mostly remember the atmosphere and having fun with their friends.  Beyond the atmosphere, Mr. Collins  fondly recalls  “all of the many colors and how well everyone was dressed.”

Mrs. Lotti laughed about a very specific memory: “lots and lots of ruffles everywhere. Pretty much everyone was wearing ruffles!”

With prom approaching next weekend, another generation of students will be creating their own memories.  From the frantic search for the perfect outfit, to just the people you go with, everyone’s experience will be different. While everything may seem to be in style now, who knows whether it will be in the future?  Maybe someday someone will ask you about it.  Prom is definitely an experience that lasts forever.

On Tuesday, May 3rd Westborough voters made their choices in the town election with 14% of eligible voters casting their ballots.

In the School Committee race two seats were up for election, including an open seat vacated by Craig Harris who chose not to run for re-election.  A three way race between incumbent Ilyse Levine-Kanji and candidates Mike Cashman and Jodie Hensley was won by Levine-Kanji and Hensley.  Hensley had the most votes with 1107, followed by Levine-Kanji with 1092, and Cashman with 509.

One seat was open on the Board of Selectmen currently held by Rod Jane.  Jane announced in March that he would not run for re-election.  Finance Committee member Ian Johnson and small-businessman Gary Wells ran for the open seat.  Johnson came out the winner, receiving 1079 votes to Wells’ 352 votes.

One seat was also up for election on the Housing Authority Board.  Incumbent Jeanne Kamyck with 655 votes beat challenger Charles Naples with 559 votes to win another 5 year term.

The rest of the town positions up for re-election all had incumbents running unopposed.  The following candidates won re-election:

Joe Harrington-Town Moderator

Trevor Beauregard- Planning Board

Nancy Yendriga- Town Clerk

Patricia Fontes, Lisa Freeman, and Dorothy Mello all were re-elected to the Westborough Public Library Board of Trustees

Residents were also able to vote on three questions at the polls.

1. When applying for Massachusetts state-funded tax benefits, should proof of  U.S. Citizenship and legal residency in Massachusetts be required from the applicant?

The Yes choice won with 1113 votes to 415 No votes.

2. Should a person be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship and legal residency in Massachusetts before being allowed to register to vote?

The Yes choice won with 1138 votes to 397 No votes.

3.  Should a person be required to provide a photo ID before being allowed to vote?

The Yes choice won with 971 to 557 No votes.

By Isla Duckett, Annika Olson, Charlotte Kruse, Anna Petrunich

 Throughout the past fifty years Barbie has become a fashion icon and unfortunately, has created an unrealistic body image for girls everywhere.

Barbie first debuted on March 9, 1959 wearing a black and white stripped zebra swimsuit (one-piece) with a topknot ponytail. Thirty years later the average girl owned seven Barbies, showing how influential Barbie has been to young females over a course of three generations.

And although girls aspire to be like Barbie, it is physically impossible. In human form, Barbie would have a 20inch waist, 28inch bust line, 15inches at the thigh, shoe size 7, a head 24inches round, a neck 6.5 inches long, and a weight of 100lbs; Barbie would not be able to stand or function as a human. However, this unrealistic image still remains the number one selling doll in America.

Although this doll is marketed towards younger children, it affects women of all ages. Many people have gone as far as having plastic surgery to fit Barbie’s stereotype. For example, model Heidi Montag went through ten plastic surgeries with an end result a “human Barbie”. Cindy Jackson also went through a whopping twenty surgeries with the hope of looking like Barbie as an end result.

Plastic surgery isn’t the only way girls try to change their body image. Eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, are serious issues that are the direct result of the pressure of society on girls’ body image.

This pressure has even reached Westborough High School. According to the YRBS (Youth Risk Behavior Survey), 11% of females were overweight according to the BMI scale, while 55% wanted to lose weight. 

Barbie was created to be a fun fashion icon and confident role model for young girls, but unfortunately, has fostered the obsession of the perfect body.

Works Cited:

http://web.info-galaxy.com/Barbie/Through_the_Years/through_the_years.html

 http://web.info-galaxy.com/Barbie/Through_the_Years/through_the_years.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news

http://www.cindyjackson.com/index.php?act=viewDoc&docId=5

WHS Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2008