TNH rant

Here comes a controlled rant on how badly I would love to work for TNH. I have been writing on the newspaper for about a year now, and this past semester I've picked up an article every week. Even over spring break! The desire I have to work for them is unbelievable. I've known I've loved and wanted to pursue journalism since my junior year of high school. Therefore making it a 4 year long dream. I was an editor at my high school's newspaper and I really want to carry on my legacy. To apply there, which unfortunately I've already done twice, you have to write four articles. I have written ELEVEN! Meaning I am quite dedicated and ready to expand my knowledge by working for them. Not only do I need money because I am the definition of a poor college student, but this would also look fantastic on my resume which I am writing this summer. I love everything they do at TNH, I can truly tell the endless amounts of work they put in and I want to help. I wanted to work for them even before I knew the staff gets paid, it's not really about money for me. It's the wonderful experience and knowledge I will gain that will help me get to the places I dream of in life.

Boston Globe

After reading the article about St. Patrick's Day parades it not only interested me in this event but also got me thinking about the history of all this. Thinking of the history isn't always the angle journalists go for as their main angle, but when they do it leaves the reader with more knowledge about the topic, which I think is a cool thing. Online journalism has also proven to be an amusing thing for throughout this article there are many pictures from the past giving the reader a better understanding, and interest appeal. With pictures dating all the way back from the 1950's I couldn't keep my eyes away. Although there was good insight of the history, I think this article could have been expanded more to present day making it more relevant.

Car Chase

A trip back home didn’t go as planned for Samantha Clone.

Clone was a key witness to a local police officer, James Popeye Doyle, overtaking a car under the over pass in Manhattan. After a long day of studying at the library, Clone was heading back to her parked car when she noticed a “crazy” man who seemed to be an undercover police officer barking at passing cars for them to stop.

“He ran in the middle of the road with his hands motioning them to stop, the first cream- colored swerved around him speeding on,” said Clone. “ While the next car pulled over, a brown 1970’s passenger car. The driver got out asking when he was getting his car back but the police officer continued to speed away. Doyle was currently in a chase to stop a train riding overhead with a hit man aboard.

Samantha Lawrence, 27, was reading her book on the way to the market when she noticed the sniper dart for the conductor’s room. She was slightly skeptical until the moment the train missed her stop. “I was terrified because I knew something was wrong,” said Lawrence. “The hit man got out of the conductor’s room with a gun, after a moment of altercation with a train attendant, the hit man shot the attendant.”

“It was chaos, the sound of screeching metal and screams filled the car. I ran to a different section when the train crashed into another. Being clumsy me I fell into the pole for passengers to hold to be secure and I fractured my wrist. It was a rough day,” said Lawrence.

In fact the day got more rough. Four people including the hit man were killed. The conductor, Peter Howe suffered from a heart attack, while three others were shot to death. When we suffer from a tragedy like today, the city of Manhattan must come together as one and represent a strong community. 

We have a dream

Now we all have a dream

A group of singing protesters staggered through the streets of D.C. before the speech of a lifetime was delivered. Rev. Martin Luther King exerted a speech that discussed the topic of racial equality.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

His dream was shared with hundreds around the Washington Monument. As he read his speech, his voice was powerful. As the speech became more filled with metaphors and concrete examples, King seized his eyes from glancing at the text in front of him, for the passion in his thoughts overcame him.

King’s energy was contagious.

The crowd listening to each word with ease was clapping throughout the speech and screaming in agreement. “Let us not wallow in the valley of despair… I dream of the day that we are not judged by skin color but by the content of their character,” said King. His uplifting optimistic speech filled the audience with hope and determination to seek for an end.

King made his speech touch each individual throughout the audience. He spoke of different states and of white and black men. He touched upon different religions and there boundaries they face as well.

To realize this dream King said, “With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.”

Meeting Lead

The Portsmouth School Board debated the topic of Saturday detentions. The matter of raising taxes and having to bring your kid to school frustrated many parents. Sleep will be lost and schedules will be busier for all if this convenes.

BBBS Organization

By: Brittany Schaefer

The average person smiles over 50 times a day, but that’s just the average individual. Some people grow up in harsher communities and are known as at risk youth that face adversity. “Make someone smile whenever you can, you never know how much of a difference you could be making in their life at that moment.” –Israa Ali.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Seacoast Area is a non-profit organization with the aim of providing kids with positive role models. As is states on their website, their mission is to, “provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.”

“I really love working with the children, the family, and the volunteers,” said Lauren Bradshaw, the Enrollment Matching Advisor. I make matches so my most rewarding moment is being able to introduce them to each other and see how happy the kids are to meet someone. Then in the future, seeing them with the relationships that they have built.”

BBBS directly helps youth from the ages of 6- 18. This organization exists all over the country, helping thousands of youth. This organization is a great option for volunteer work for it is easy to get involved. Jan Williams, the Office Manager explained the process of a University of New Hampshire student getting involved. Initially there is an application and interview process. After passing that, there is with a layered background check, where they look for any criminal and driving records. If the individual passes the testing process then he/ she will become a “big”.

“The most rewarding moment I have had while volunteering was completing a Lego Christmas Village with my little. It's kind of lame and sappy, but I played with Legos a lot when I was a kid and it was his idea, so it was a great way for us to connect,” said UNH sophomore, Matt Doubleday. “It took us 2 or 3 visits to complete so it was nice to see the end product on something that took us about a month to finish. Watching his eyes light up as the train went around the track with the Christmas Village in the middle was a very rewarding moment for me.”

Senior UNH student, Sarah Dobush said, “The most rewarding thing about being an intern at BBBS is knowing that no matter what I'm doing, whether it is big or small, its helping extremely desiring children be matched with someone that's going to help them reach their fullest potential.”

During a typical meeting the big plans a low key, low cost or free activity for the two to do together. They talk and have fun for about two hours around 2-4 times a month.

Martin Ritsch, a senior here at UNH has been directly affected by this organization. “Meeting my big brother was great. I can’t remember our first experience since I was probably 10 or so at the time, but I loved him.” Ritsch had three different big brothers. “I had two before my favorite, I can’t remember one, and the other was Bob. He lived with his mom, big beard, big belly, and a bigger heart.” His favorite big brother was Dave. “Dave was in his 20s and in the Navy. He took great care of me and I miss him a lot. He just kind of disappeared though at the end and I haven’t heard from him since,” said Ritsch.

“Our favorite place to eat was Pizza Hut. I noticed that he would always forget to pay. Just cause, you know, he was forgetful,” said Ritsch. “Our server would always end up running outside chasing us as we started driving away and he would feel bad and go in and pay the meal. It happened a lot…”

Since Ritsch is currently finishing up his senior year he has been too busy to fully commit in being a big brother, but after graduation he plans on being one, so he can repay the favor and make a positive influence on another kid’s life.

Bowl For Kids’ Sake is BBBS’s annual and biggest fundraiser that helps raise funds for the organization to match kids on the waiting list of BBBS. This fundraiser involves organizing a team of up to 6 bowlers, one being a team captain, to help raise funds to support BBBS. The average matching of a big to a little is $1200, making this an expensive process.

After fundraising, as a thank-you for all the support, BBBS throws a party called Bowl For Kids’ Sake on May 2 and 4 at the Portsmouth Bowl-O- Rama. There will be lots of free food and drinks plus 90 minutes of blowing. It’s an easy way to help a great cause, more information can be found at www.greaterseacoast.kintera.org/bowl.

“Last year’s fundraiser was a very successful 2 days, we received a lot of support and raised a lot of money for the organization,” said Bradshaw. “Not only do we get money to make matches but also we raise awareness and it gets our name out there.”