Hello Readers,
The seniors are done with classes. Alas, that means that the thepurplechronicle is on hold until further notice. This online paper was a product of the journalism course senior elective. At this point, we don’t know of its destiny but we have appreciated your constructive feedback, interesting suggestions, and overall good cheer. One semester’s worth of submissions created 230 posts! We wish you all a happy and safe summer!
-thepurplechronicle staff and Mrs. Goff
By Jennifer Ventura
The locker room is a place that we all end up at the end of the day. The locker room has become the highlight of my time at Classical High School. It is where we meet up and share the laughs and the latest information of the day. To me, the locker room holds a lot of memories that I will always have in my heart. As a Classical student, you are forced to go to one locker room, where hordes of students are pushing and shoving trying to get to their destinations.
Although so simple, this is where my friends and I would come to share the day’s trouble and frustrations. It is where I met my friends, where I shared my first hello, and where I will probably give my last goodbyes. Most people would ask themselves why a locker room? And I say, that our locker room is most unique; it’s not the physical place that counts because by its appearance you would think that I was crazy but it’s what the place means. At our lockers, we see our homeroom colleagues and different students from every class. I used to see a different person every day and meet a new classmate. Although it is a simple place, it is very special to me. Here I learn the dislikes and the likes of a lot of my friends. Over the years, we’ve had silly moments where we have jumped around and acted as if we were the only ones on the planet. In the locker room, some of us complained about the busses, our schedules, and going home but not wanting to go just yet because it was not the place we wanted to be.
The things that really matter
By Michael Ross
I open my eyes and see what appears to be an endless sea of green spread out before me. A breeze comes rumbling across the field, whipping my three year old eyes. Irritated, I close them to blink. Opening them again, I am eighteen, looking up at the front of Classical for the last time. Of course, there were a few events in between those two moments, but it all seems to have occurred in the blink of an eye. Just yesterday I was a freshman, walking through the purple gates for the first time. The day before that I was showing up for my first day of middle school. My, how time flies.
As I look back on it all, I have had a lot of good times and experiences. Thinking about what I left behind, what I will miss the most, I think of my friends and all the relationships I have formed, and how important they all were, and still are, to me. I have never been one to be too attached to a thing or a place. Monuments, seashores, buildings, are all nice and can capture lingering memories, but in the end they are just things, impossible to form any meaningful connection to, not for me anyways. It is with the people we meet that we leave our mark, that we share the moments that matter and form the important bonds.
I can’t say where I would be without my friends, and honestly, I don’t know where I will go without them. Driving around blasting fifties music, playing records on the street corners, and just walking around aimlessly like every other high school kid, may seem like foolish and childish activities, but they were pretty darn fun, and will be the things I will miss the most when I am gone.
Of course, my family is important too. I do know where I would be without them – nowhere. If not for my parents, there is a large possibility I never would have existed. Stressful, fun, loving, and a tad bit out of touch with the times, I owe a lot to them. Growing up with a crazy Irish family may not be the easiest experience, but it’s certainly character building and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
The most influential member of my family
It is easy for all of you reading to take these things for granted, and I don’t blame you for it. But, while you get caught up in the thrill of it all, don’t forget – it’s the people that matter the most.
By Jeronima Nix
The field is my life…
As I start to look back at the four years I’ve spent here at Classical, I can’t help but ask so many questions. Why didn’t I do that? Why did I do that? How did I get the friends I have? Have I really changed this much? Am I really a senior at last? But the biggest question would be, how did I make it through the four years?
Like other seniors, these last few days have meant the most to me. It’s my last chance to say my goodbyes and cherish the time I have left. With finals, prom, and the field trip, most of my time is spent worrying about the little things…ha just kidding! Of course I haven’t completely given up; something I learned this year was that colleges can take back their acceptances. I can’t afford my grades going down at this point, especially with the cost of college basically doubling in recent years.
The one major thing I’m glad I did was to join Classical’s soccer team. I’ve been playing since I was three; grant it, I’m not a superstar like many girls I know but hey it’s in my blood and it’s what I do. Every year I meet new people through soccer. Many of the friends I have share my love for soccer. The friends that didn’t love soccer sure do love it now after my constant raving about the sport. I owe these four years to soccer; if I didn’t play I’m pretty sure I’d be a different person right now. Soccer shaped who I am as a person, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Being at Classical has helped me find many new ways to deal with stress; the biggest way for me was to play sports, obviously more specifically soccer. Every game, I would always forget how bad school went and was able to play my stress away. No matter what, rain or shine, we played. I had my share of wins and losses but I never lost hope.
By Yliana Perez
Transferring from one school to another can bring great excitement, opportunities, and uncertainties. But, transferring from Jorge Alvarez High to Classical High was much, much more. It was not just the excitement of attending a new school (Classical no less), it was also about a joyful hope of a new life that was emerging from within me.
To reflect back for a moment, I realize now that my freshman year at Alvarez was undisputedly my best academic year of high school. I was the only freshman taking geometry and one of a limited group chosen to take physics; I thought I was well on my way to college. No one ever talked about college, but I dreamt of college, of leaving home, of having a new beginning, going to a place of higher education, reaching something everyone else in my family had failed to do. It seemed surreal that within a couple of years it would all come true.
By Jeronima Nix
As expected the match between FC Barcelona and Manchester United was epic. Both teams came in with one goal: win the match and become champions.
The big surprise in the starting lineups was the absence of captain Puyol. Barcelona’s starting players; Victor Valdes(1), Gerard Pique(3),Javier Mascherano(14), Eric Abidal(22), Dani Alves(2), Sergio Busquets(16), Andres Iniesta(8), Xavi(6), David Villa(7), Lionel Messi(10), and Pedro(17). Barcelona’s Subs; Seydou Keita(15), Carles Puyol(5), Adriano(21), Ibrahim Afellay(20), Bojan Krkic(9), Olazábal(38), and Thiago(30).
Manchester’s starting players; Edwin van der Sar(1), Nemanja Vidic(15), Rio Ferdinand(5), Patrice Evra(3), Fabio(20), Ryan Giggs(11), Michael Carrick(16), Park Ji-Sung(13), Antonio Valencia(25), Wayne Rooney(10), and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández(14). Manchester’s Subs; Michael Owen(7), Paul Scholes(18), Darren Fletcher(24), Tomasz Kuszczak(29), Nani(17), Anderson(8), and Chris Smalling(12).
The match started out slow as both teams gained a feel for how each would play the rest of the game. As time went by, Barca got a feel for how Manchester was going to play. Scoring the first goal at 27’ (minutes), Pedro gave Barca the advantage in the first half with a pass from Xavi.
by Mayker Duran
It’s ending faster than I could have imagined; my life at Classical High School is coming to an end. I can still vividly and clearly look back to my first day here. I remember being at gym, Period One and sitting in the bleachers surrounded by hundreds of echoing voices from my soon to be friends. My heart was feeling lonely and hopeful to see old friends and form new friendships. Today, four years later, I’M A SENIOR, a prideful Classicalite and a much older person than who I used to be.
In the end, I reflect on the most precious and memorable moments that forges my life. My mind is a swirling storm of memories from the past. My dearest friends here at Classical High School will forever hold a very precious place in my heart.
What I will miss the most of the Classical experience is the expectation of waking up as I do five days a week and picking up my backpack to go to school, this school, my high school. I will miss walking between Central and our gymnatorium the most because from there I could see Classical ahead, almost as if it was my future and I was walking on the straight path towards it. I will miss every aspect of this school: the concrete walls and falling ceilings, the purple doors and dusty air, the dimly lit and freezing staircases. The many faces and names of those I dare call more than my teachers but my friends will remain with me for many years to come and can only humbly say to them Thank You.
Though I must embark on a new path, I have hope that it will be just as enjoyable as this one. In the end, I am happy I can say I am part of an utmost elite group of people, THE CLASS OF 2011.
By Brandi Caron 
The end is near, only a few days left remaining of this four year journey each and every senior has made, an academic journey with some high and low stepping stones in between. Friendships made and broken, athletic tournaments with wins and losses failed and passed exams, all leading up to now, and our future. We all have our college acceptance letters in our hands and we’re all ready to take the next big step in our life. This chapter of our lives is closing and a new one is beginning; the independence in each and every senior is about to get a lot bigger.
It feels like just yesterday that I was a scared little freshman walking through these purple doors, only knowing a few people, lots of new faces; some are now my friends. We came along way from thirteen and fourteen year old freshmen to seventeen and eighteen year old SENIORS! It’s so exciting. All our hard work is finally going to pay off. We’re all taking a huge step in our life and we’re in for quite the paradigm shift.
Right now I am seventeen years old, a few short days away from being eighteen- a legal adult, a high school senior, and a few short days away from being a college freshman. Both huge changes in the world are making me into a grown, independent woman. So here’s where I am.
by Jenna Tramonti
It’s the gentle clack of the wooden box of a pointe shoe hitting hardwood, guided by movements to an ever-humming rhythm. It’s the feeling that there’s nothing in the world but you and the music. It’s dancing, and it has been part of me for almost ten years now.
I still remember being the age of eight, stepping tentatively into the vast ballet room donning my tiny ballet shoes and leotard. The wall-length mirror seemed to tower over my timid reflection, and every step I took was accompanied by a wide-eyed stare and nervously wrung hands. There seemed to be a buzz of energy that infiltrated my every pore, and it’s a feeling I’ll always remember. Ten years later, those walls have been painted over and the floorboards replaced, but the feeling of unadulterated enthusiasm remains, and it translates into energy pumping through me whenever I walk through the doors. Through dancing I’ve learned how to be at peace with myself in mind and body as well as work successfully in a group. Though I’m not always so confident in every move to every passing count, when the lights shine down on the RIC Auditorium stage and an audience is watching me, I try my best to give it my all. I’ve made friendships that will stick with me long after I exit the studio’s doors for the last time, and had experiences that will stick with me forever.
BY Michael Cooney
Sarah Palin is most widely known for her vice presidential campaign in 2008 with fellow republican John McCain. McCain picked her as a running mate for a few reasons, although some seemed contradictory. For example, even though he criticized Obama for lack of experience and said that he wouldn’t be able to handle being a president, he chose Palin because she was relatively unknown to the nation and she served as a clean slate; however, the media casted a shadow on her by highlighting her private life and exposing her shortcomings. In a national poll taken after her acceptance speech as a vice presidental candidate, 51% concluded that the media was “trying to hurt” Palin by negative press.
There is a book forthcoming titled, Blind Allegiance to Sarah Palin: A Memoir of Our Tumultuous Years. This is a compilation of thousands and thousands of emails and a couple stories that show the true Palin. The book casts a bad light on Palin, saying that she is self-serving and only in politics for lucrative purposes. It cites specific examples because it was written by her former aide in Alaska while she was governor. In the book, it explains various incriminating stories. For example, Palin wanted an officer fired because he divorced her sister. Also, she was eager to leave her post as Alaska’s governor months before she resigned because a more lucrative opportunity came along, with Palin saying in February 2009 she would “quit tomorrow.”
