Whether or not a book can really be done justice on the big screen is always a source for an argument.

Baz Luhrmann tried to prove people wrong when he took on the great American classic, The Great Gatsby, and brought it to the big screen.

The hugely renowned classic over the years has been turned into a Broadway classic, and has had several film adaptions.

Back in 2008 it was announced that a new film adaptation was to be made. With unexpected delays the movie made its way to the screen on May 10^th 2013.

According to Box Office Mojo in its opening weekend the movie was able to bring in over 50 million dollars. And now it sits in tenth place for best romantic drama movie.

The weekend it came out all across the country there were Gatsby parties in celebration for the new release.

Leonardo DiCaprio, playing Jay Gatsby, graced the screen with what many referred to as an impeccable adaption of Gatsby and his story.

Tobey Maguire best known for his appearance as Spiderman took on the role of Nick Carraway.  Throughout the movie the audience sees the growing friendship between Nick and Gatsby. Both Maguire and DiCaprio showed the close bond the two form in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous work.

The biggest difference between Luhrmann’s adaption compared to the others in the past is it can now be seen in 3D as well as normal 2D.

While Luhrmann used his own creative license with the famous story he still stayed close to the book. With little changes from the original story he was able to embrace the classic in a new way while leaving the most loved characteristics about the story to remain.

What many said would be the toughest thing about turning the book into a movie was how Fitzgerald tells the story through the eyes of Nick looking back. A majority of the story is told through internal dialogue.

Luhrmann clasped onto this idea and through the use of voice over and different techniques he was able to still tell the story through the internal dialogue of Nick’s character.

Luhrmann took a beloved story and brought it to life in a way that is different than ever before.

A book and a movie will never be completely one in the same because each has so many different things to offer.

But Luhrmann was able to take the great American classic and make it new again for the entire world to see.

With a rating of 4 out of 5 stars this movie is one that is not meant to be missed.

Slideshow made by: Emma Conway

Video By: Jesse Erickson

From the start of the school year up until mid-May, AP students not only at Woodland, but all across the nation work tediously to learn as much information about one or more subjects as they possibly can.

As May approached these students become increasing more anxious to take their AP exams. Students could not and still cannot wait for all their exams to be over. The relief felt after completing one exam is wonderful, but after completing all AP exams a burden is lifted of the shoulders of students enrolled in these courses.

The reason that students take AP classes is in order to expand their knowledge and hopefully acquire enough information to obtain a passing score on their AP exam(s).

For the students taking these exams the stress they bring is a common feeling and for most AP students it is higher than at any other point in the school year. As the exams approach stories of mental breakdowns, and all nighters seem to float around the halls.

The students who are not taking the AP exams seem more frustrated than ever with the students who are in AP classes. These students who do not have to take the exams are annoyed by any mention of the test and some even feel that AP students do not have a right to complain as they knew what they were signing up for.

For AP students however, the pressure to do well on the AP exams seems to be no comparison to the pressure of doing well on a final. While finals are free, AP exams are not and students are required to pay a fee in order to even take the exam. If a student happens to receive a failing grade on the AP exam it is similar to having just thrown their money in the garbage.

Not everyone who takes the AP exams stresses about them though. Some students are confident in the fact that throughout the year they have learned as much as possible and others have already given up. Many students taking the exams spend numerous hours studying in preparation, but there are the select few who choose not to study at all.

As the second week of AP exams begins many students are relieved to know that the endless hours put into these classes will soon be over and will hopefully pay off. There will be no more nights of study guides and smart cards and no more cumulative tests in these courses.

And for now it is just the waiting period, until July when the AP scores are released.

When Jianna Vaccarelli was 6 years old she told her mom that she wanted to start dancing. So her mother signed her up for Irish dance lessons.

“When I told my mom I wanted to dance, I didn’t have Irish dancing in mind,” said Vaccarelli. “But I just stuck with it.”

Vaccarelli found herself performing types of traditional dances that originated in Ireland hundreds of years of ago. These routines are preformed to traditional Irish music. The dancers costumes are meant to resemble traditional dresses worn by peasants in Ireland. For added flare the dresses are embroidered with Celtic designs, each one different depending on the dancer or the school they represent.

Vaccarelli dances twice a week at the Horgan Academy of Irish Dance in Naugatuck. Throughout the year Vaccarelli  competes in various levels of dance competitions in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. This past year Vaccarelli competed at the Regional Irish Dance Competition and the National Irish Dance Competition as well as the World Championships competition.

“In order to qualify for Regionals you have to place at a certain level in local competitions,” said Vaccarelli, “Nationals take place after the World Compeition, so that dosen’t really effect your placing.”

Vaccarelli’s solo dance placed 14th out of 50 dances at the regional competition.

“My dance was not eligible to be competed at the World Championships,” said Vaccarelli, “But I was able to compete with my school’s dance drama team at Worlds.”

In dance drama, performers put on a theatrical production in which they are telling a story through Irish dance. Vaccarelli’s team performed the story of the sinking of the Titanic. The dance placed 1st at Regionals and 8th at Worlds.

On the days when Vacarelli is not dancing at the Horgan Academy she practices her routines at home.

“I pratice a lot in my basement because I have mirrors and flooring down there, so it’s kind of like my own little studio,” said Vacarelli.

This extra practicing has helped Vaccarelli move up in competition levels. She is currently in the Preliminary Championship category, the 2nd highest level of the 7 levels of competitive Irish Dance.

According to Vaccarelli one of the reasons she really enjoys Irish dancing is because of how different it is from other sports.

“I like feeling unique in that way,” said Vaccarelli “I’ve made great friends and I have a great time dancing.”

With less than 40 days left in the 2012-2013 school years students seem to be becoming more anxious than ever. By this point many students have become lethargic and any amount of school work is too much.

From what I have heard senioritis (the feeling a senior gets usually during the second semester of their second year where they have no motivation to do work as they have already been accepted to college) is a real thing. From what I can see, this is true.

Not only are seniors struggling to make it through the rest of the year, but it appears all grades are finding it a bit difficult. While no one knows the feelings of the senior, unless of course you are a senior yourself, others seem to think they themselves have senioritis.

As the final days of the school year drag on it seems less students are arriving to school on time, if even arriving at all. And even when they do show up, homework is rarely turned in and the quality of any work that does get done is worse than it was at the start of the school year.

While the students seem to be lacking motivation, teachers never seem to get tired. As the school year drags on the amount of work seems to be piling up. From quizzes, to test, and projects, to AP exams the work load during the last two months appears to be never ending.

Although, students seem the last few months of school as a time to relax and get ready for summer teachers have a completely different mind set. During this time many teachers are in panic mode hoping to get everything in the curriculum taught before the end of the year. Especially AP teachers who are cramming to finish all of the material nearly six weeks before other classes and in time for the AP exams.

For the students taking these AP exams now seems like a time to slack off. With the exams coming up everyone is panicking to review and remember as much information as possible. And after the exams are done within the next 3 weeks, AP students are already preparing to shut off their brains.

As the days drag on, each seeming longer than the previous, many students are no longer feeling motivated to do well. Within the next weeks the weather will be getting warmer and sitting inside of the classroom on a beautiful day is not enjoyable for anyone.

Even if the last forty days of school seem like the longest, just remember you have already made it through one-hundred and forty and unless you are a senior, what lies ahead is a summer full of packets and preparation for the next school year.

Video By: Jesse Erickson

Ice cream, Barbie dolls, Legos, concerts—all part of a childhood.

When someone is little things like these can leave a big impression on your life.

The Jonas Brothers like many other bands had their time of fame.

What started out as three brothers following their passions in 2007 led to a pop sensation selling over 20 million records.

Right at the height of their career the three brothers decided to take, according to their web page, “a three-year hiatus to refocus their creative energies.”

And now they are back.

According to their web page they have spent the last year working on writing and producing their fifth album. And on April 2^nd their first single, Pom Poms, debuted.

While three years have passed their fans have not gone anywhere.
To preview their new music to fans they had an exclusive show at Radio City Music Hall in October. The tickets sold out in minutes.

Since then they have taken to the road for a Latin America tour where they toured 16 cities and won four awards in the process.

And now this summer they are back in the United States for their 2013 tour.

From CT to Arizona and Texas to Florida they will be doing it all this summer.

Junior, Katie Porter, like many others is excited to see them coming back to Connecticut. “They were a big part of my childhood and they’re amazing performers and entertainers,” said Porter. “They’re extremely talented and put on a great show and I love their music!”

Porter like many others is excited for their come back and has tickets for their concert in CT.

Sophomore, Katie Drewry, was only in fifth grade when she went to their concert and like Porter is excited to see them this summer when they come to CT.

So while it has been three years for the Jonas Brothers, for some like Porter and Drewry it feels like time hasn’t even passed.

As the Jonas Brothers make there come back teenagers alike will take a trip back down memory lane as they fight for a spot at the concerts.