High School Girl Found Dead at Beach

The body of Christine W. Watson, a senior at Amity High School, was found dead on Amity Beach in Martha’s Vineyard early this morning. While her cause of death is unknown, her body was mangled by an attacker of an unknown origin.

            Despite this incident, no precautionary measures will be taken, since the incident is so far away from where people swim, according to Mayor Bob Farley.

            Amity Police are continuing to investigate the cause of death, which include a motorboat accident, a murder, or a shark attack, according to Chief of Police Martin Brody.

            Medical examiner Dr. Robert Nevin said there is no evidence to support a shark attack.

            “The body is severely mangled,” said Nevin. “The autopsy wounds are consistent with a motor boating accident.”

            Watson was last seen by former classmate Christopher P. Hoggenbottam III around 11 p.m., who said they both decided to go swimming after witnesses speculate that “both teenagers had been drinking heavily and possibly smoking marijuana during the evening”.

            According to Hoggenbottam, the two “decided to go swimming and entered the water at a remote section of South Beach near the South Beach Shoal bell buoy.” A seemingly serene night, the water temperature was at 65 degrees, the skies clear, and an air temperature of 72 degrees. When Watson did not return from the water, Hoggenbottam notified police around 6 a.m.

Beaches in Amity will remain open for swimming pending the outcome of the investigation.

Ten Year Old Dies in Accident at Beach

Ten year old Alex B. Kintner, of Mayfair Court in Amity, was brutally attacked and killed by an unidentified source this afternoon around 2 p.m. Although cause of death has not been confirmed, it is suspected by Chief of Police Martin Brody that it was an unprovoked and vicious shark attack brought on to the boy.

            Police believe that the Watson death could be linked to the shark activities today.

            Prior to the attack, children and adults alike lazily laid on the beach, with warm waters and a clear blue sky. Before his death, when Alex asked his mother to go out into the water, her response was “ten more minutes”. However, all that returned was a deflated yellow raft, bloody waters, bunches of screaming children, and worried parents. The yellow raft appears to have a large bite mark.

            Mayor Bob Farley maintains the possibility of an attack brought on by another human being. “Now we know that these random acts of senseless violence, victimizing innocent, helpless citizens, do not just happen in the city,” said Farley.

            Marion Kintner is currently being treated for shock at Amity General Hospital and is in fair condition.

            There will be a meeting tonight held by Brody, Mayor Farley, and the Amity Board of Selectmen to discuss a plan to close the beaches this upcoming Fourth of July.

Cover Letter - Teach English in South Korea

Alison Ritrosky

33 Glory Drive

Pittsfield, MA 01201

413-281-1821

November 28^th, 2011

Alison Ritrosky

Quality over Quantity English

3540 Wilshire Blvd. #834

Los Angeles, CA 90010

To Whom It May Concern:

           

            Upon seeing your application online, I was intrigued and extremely interested in the position of teaching English abroad to Korean students. I am seeking to teach English to South Korean children. I will graduate in May 2013 with a BA in English Teaching and a minor in Spanish from the University of New Hampshire.

            My experience that I have had in the public school system, working with children, and my education make me a strong candidate for this job opportunity. Since as far back as high school, I have worked and tutored with upper elementary/middle school aged children. I currently am a mentor for a twelve year old boy, where I volunteer Friday mornings at Barrington Middle School in Barrington, New Hampshire. I work with him one on one and provide not only a listening ear for the child, but also a trusted friend. In addition, for an education class, I worked as a teacher’s observer/intern in an eighth grade English classroom at Oyster River Middle School in Durham, New Hampshire. One of the major highlights of this experience was teaching the class Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. It was here I solidified my dreams of becoming a teacher, as I watched the students understand a Shakespeare play due to my advising and direction. The feeling is indescribable. In both positions, my dedication to the position was tested, as the students relied on me – for either emotional support or academic support. Combined with my love to work with and teach children and my sincere dedication to my job, I know that I would bring not just an English education to these Korean kids, but also a positive experience where their confidence is boosted and their English language skills will improve dramatically. Confidence is essential to have in order to succeed in a language, and I know I can instill this aspect in the classroom by students’ interaction with other classmates and myself, as the teacher.

            Attached is my resume, which has additional details about my education and work experience. I will call you next week if you have any questions regarding my qualifications or any part of the job in general. Thank you for considering my application.

Sincerely,

Alison Ritrosky

NY Times Log 11/14-11/16

Monday, November 14, 2011

                I thought today’s Times had some really interesting articles, particularly the ones “Hispanic Reviving Faded Towns on the Plains” and “Google’s Lab of Wildest Dreams”. In the first, I thought the journalist did an excellent job at depicting the racism that still exists in America. In Ulysses, Kansas, there are mostly Hispanics who live in the once all-white town. While many are trying to learn Spanish and help the Spanish assimilate into the American culture (even the Hispanics are opening American-themed restaurants!), others are still discriminatory and find it disappointing that Hispanics are living in “their” town. What an awful perspective, and good thing the Times is on that! I think that the more people read this article, the more they will be inclined to spread diversity and make it more acceptable. My one question to this article was: Why Ulysses, Kansas? There was never a clear answer in the article about why there is such an influx of Hispanics in the Midwest – it is more expected near the border of Mexico (in Texas, California, etc.).

                The article about the future inventions of Google is absolutely amazing! I felt like I was reading a science fiction book instead of a nonfiction article. Aside from the regular Google lab, there is a top secret Google lab which whereabouts are unknown and few people know exist. In this lab, people are working on robots to replace people in their company (another job loss for our economy), space elevators, and driverless cars. One invention is to be released by the end of the year. It will certainly be interesting to see what Google offers society in the future.

Tuesday, November 15^th, 2011

                The article about the NBA season “in peril as players reject offer and disband union” was horrible! I thought it started out interesting, with a lead that said that there might not be an NBA season this year, but as the article went on, it was less and less interesting. The reason for the dispute was not even mentioned until the next page, so I was confused about what was happening for the first few paragraphs. Although I watch the NBA with my family (we are huge Celtics fans) I’m not too familiar with the logistics of sports unions and players, league offers, and rules. I did like the quote from Derek Fisher, but I think that the story would have been more appealing had it been more informative about the situation and actually stating right away what the central issue is that is jeopardizing the league this year.

                I was not at all surprised to see young people (college graduates and current college students, mostly) to be going against Obama in the next presidential election, in the article “Students Lose Zeal for Aiding Obama Again”. I especially liked it because it was extremely relatable to me, and when Guerrero, a college student quoted, said “the emotion she feels is fear” regarding her job hunt post college, I knew exactly what she was talking about. The journalist here made the article appealing to college students.

Wednesday November 16^th, 2011

                I appreciate good literature and absolutely love to collect books, especially from independently owned, unique coffee shops or book shops. Immediately I was drawn into the article “Novelist Fights the Tide by Opening a Bookstore”. The closing line, a quote from Anna Patchett, novelist as well as the woman who opened the new bookstore, I thought said it all: “This is not a showroom, this is not where you come into scan your barcode… If you like this thing, it’s your responsibility to keep this thing alive.” The article, in an attempt to save bookstores (other than Barnes and Noble), let people know that if they don’t want all books to be online or in big bookstores, it is their duty to keep buying them from smaller, locally owned stores. In this economy, it is important to make aware these small businesses because it is very gutsy for this woman to open a bookstore. But, she is an author who lives on a “comfortable salary”, and she is doing the US good in opening this store.

                I was also surprised to hear about the uncertainty regarding hip impingement/bone shaving surgery, in the article “Hip Procedure Grows Popular despite Doubt”. Even though tons of people receive these surgeries, doctors really don’t know why these surgeries work as far as repairing torn tissue – it works, but why? The long term benefits and drawbacks are also unknown and will take years to discover. This is a scary reality.

Monday 11/7 NY Times

                Since I still have to do a profile story for class, the front page article about the Chinese writer Murong Xuecun caught my attention. I thought the article was extremely interesting because his work in China, mostly forbidden and not published because of its racy and violent content that is considered “corrupt”, is flourishing on the Internet. Each week he posts new chapters to his books so his readers can follow along. I really liked how the writer connected this to Benjamin Franklin, as he did a style similar to this when he was publishing his stories before they were circulated in society.

                The article on the principal that has been working at her school for 48 years, “An Impact that Lasts, and Lasts, and Lasts”, was incredible! Madeleine Brennan, the principal, started working in 1946, and she still continues to run the school. She is respected by students and coworkers alike, and plans on retiring after her 50^th year. I thought it was interesting that she still upholds the same old fashioned ideals that were probably popular when she first started working; she is known for her strictness but is fair. At her age she is widowed with no children and makes about $150,000 per year. She is an inspiration!