Nonnewaug High School's Chief News Source

NHS Chief Advocate

Upcoming Events
  • December 7Drama Presentation of "Radium Girls"
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  • December 22Half-Day: Holiday Break
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Nonnewaug High School's Chief News Source

NHS Chief Advocate

Nonnewaug High School's Chief News Source

NHS Chief Advocate

Nonnewaug High Schools senior circle in 2015 before renovations began and changed the look of the school.
Reminiscing on the Senior Circle
Jillian Brown '24, Reporter • December 4, 2023
Nonnewaug boys soccer starters stand in a huddle before their game. This 2023 team, although down 13 seniors from last season, proved to be more successful than people had thought possible.
Nonnewaug Boys Soccer Rallied for Surprisingly Successful Fall
Brian Mohl '24, Reporter • December 1, 2023
Connor Bedard donning the Chicago Blackhawks home jersey on the ice for the first time. The picture was taken the day before his first-ever home game Oct. 21 where the Blackhawks would lose to the Vegas Golden Nights by a score of 5-3. (Blackhawks/Instagram)
18-Year-Old Connor Bedard the NHL's New Golden Boy
Sean Classey '24, Reporter • December 1, 2023
The Woodbury FFA Holiday Plant sale includes a variety of holiday-themed items for sale, including yule logs, wreaths, poinsettias, and more.
Behind the Scenes of FFA Holiday Plant Sale Prep
Culinary instructor John Dominello, left, and culinary student Case Hackett help to deliver one of the 140 meals to community senior citizens Nov. 30.
Senior Citizen Meal Continues to Bring Campus and Communities Together
Brianna Johnson '25 and Grace Nelson '25December 1, 2023
Students in Culinary Arts enjoy tending to the indoor classroom vertical gardens. Opportunities like these can be extended to even more students should a potential eight-period day be introduced.
Electives Courses Weight Impact of Potential Schedule Change
Dayton Griffin '24, Reporter • December 1, 2023
NHS News: November 2023
NHS News: November 2023
NHS NewsDecember 1, 2023
As the talk of schedule change flows throughout the school, opinions vary. For some, the current schedule is time consuming as it is. Will 8 periods be too much for students to handle?
Could an Eight-Period Day Take the Role of Friend or Foe?
Lana Manganello '25, Reporter • December 1, 2023
The Nonnewaug girls basketball team poses after a win against Gilbert last season.
NHS Girls Basketball Sees Underclassmen as Assets
Arabella Rosa '25, Reporter • December 1, 2023
An image of the six nominees for “Game of the Year” at the 2023 Game Awards. Each year, six games are chosen for this nomination, with the first Game Awards premiering in 2013.
Celebrating an Industry: The 10th Annual Game Awards
Tyler Timko '24, Reporter • November 30, 2023

‘Anything But a Backpack’ Trend Started as a Necessity

Nonnewaug+students+broke+out+all+sorts+of+unconventional+backpack+replacements+Feb.+7+for+Anything+But+A+Backpack+Day+to+kick+off+winter+Spirit+Week.
@nonnewaug_high_school/Instagram
Nonnewaug students broke out all sorts of unconventional backpack replacements Feb. 7 for Anything But A Backpack Day to kick off winter Spirit Week.

WOODBURY — Nonnewaug’s winter Spirit Week kicked off with a bang during Anything But A Backpack Day on Feb. 7. Students brought in items such as microwaves, laundry baskets, fertilizer spreaders, boats, and even a child.

Where did this trend come from?

#anythingbutabackpack was a trending hashtag on TikTok in October 2021. This trend was started out of necessity for students in Idaho. 

It all started in the Jefferson School District 251 in Idaho. In May 2021, a sixth-grader opened fire with a handgun and shot two students and a janitor. This led the school board to be on high alert when it came to school security and safety.

As students finished the spring semester and entered summer, they thought they were out of the woods. But on Sept. 23, 2021, another tragedy occurred when an emotionally struggling 13-year-old girl got taken into custody after school administration found a gun in her backpack.

Hours later, the local Board of Education issued a statement banning the use of backpacks in schools. This sparked outrage among parents and students alike. Students the next day started to bring in items to protest as well as poke fun at the new rule

Chad Martin, superintendent of Jefferson School District 251, came out with a statement claiming that “it was good to see the kids turning it into a positive thing.”

Shortly after that first day, students began using the hashtag #anythingbutabackpack on TikTok. This blew up around October, and many schools around the country started using the hashtag for their school spirit week.

As Nonnewaug became one of the first Connecticut schools to bring this trend to spirit week, it is expected that many surrounding towns and beyond will also participate.

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About the Contributor
Madelynn Orosz, Ag/FFA Editor
Madelynn Orosz is the ag/FFA editor of the NHS Chief Advocate. She is from Seymour and has a rabbit and turtle at home. At Nonnewaug, she is a captain of the softball, volleyball, and swim teams, a member of the Class of 2023 Class Council, and a player in the NHS band. Orosz is also part of the agriculture program, where she is serving as the Woodbury FFA Chapter reporter and does numerous clubs. She also shows cattle for the Woodbury FFA livestock show team and is on the livestock judging team. Orosz wants to major in vet science and become a large animal vet. She is excited to partake in the Chief Advocate because it allows her to stay engaged with talking about what interests her.
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