Arvanigian began her teaching career as a physical education teacher at Murdock High School in central Massachusetts before transitioning to North High School in Worcester. By her fourth year of teaching, she shifted toward a focus on health and wellness, which later became the subject she taught at Algonquin. 

While still teaching at North High School, Arvanigian heard numerous positive comments about Algonquin. Even so, when Superintendent Robert E. Melican informed her of a job opening at the school; she was hesitant to interview. 

“I didn’t really want to [go to the interview] at first because I loved being at [North High School],” Arvanigian said. “I loved the inner-city feel and the school.”

However, after pondering the opportunity, Arvanigian’s curiosity led her to accept the interview.

 “I was just like, ‘you know what?’” Arvanigian said. “‘What’s an interview? It’s no big deal.’ So I came and interviewed, and I loved [Algonquin] the second I walked in.”

Arvanigian’s interviewer was former department chair Jim Diamantopoulos. Coincidentally, he also grew up in northern central Massachusetts and attended Murdock High School.

“It was just so surreal,” Arvanigian said. “I felt like [coming to Algonquin] was just meant to be.”

Beyond the unexpected connection, the school’s shared sense of community and support immediately struck Arvanigian. 

“The student body is so connected,” Arvanigian said. “It’s such a community.It’s just amazing to be a part of that.”

Even now, Arvanigian fondly remembers her previous students and loves to hear updates from them. 

“What’s nice is that I’m still friendly with a lot of my former students,” Arvanigian said. “Actually, one of my former students [from 2010] is a superintendent at Fitchburg High. Now, they’re not just my former student—I consider them my friend.”

However, Arvanigian not only became close with her students, but she also formed genuine connections with her coworkers, like Health and Fitness teacher Kristen Morcone. In 2014, Morcone was welcomed to the school by Arvanigian. 

“We joke because she was my ‘first friend’ at Algonquin,” Morcone said via email. “She was my mentor and welcomed me to Algonquin with open arms. She told me all about how special of a place Algonquin was, and boy was she right!”

After over 27years since Arvanigian began her teaching career at Algonquin, it is now time for her to turn the page.

“I recently lost my dad in May, and he was such a great part of my life,” Arvanigian said. “Looking at life is a little different when you lose someone so special and so close to you. I just felt like it was time, and I always said to my own kids that a good teacher and a good coach always knows when it’s time to move on.”

Although Morcone is sad to see Arvanigian go, she is excited to see Arvanigian’s journey beyond the school.

“She truly bled maroon and gold; she’d be at so many home sporting events, go to so many plays [and] just tried to do whatever she could to support the school,” Morcone said via email. “I will miss her compassion for her students and her colleagues. Our department lunches and the gym hallway are already a lot quieter [without] her around, but we all wish her the best!”

Now that Arvanigian is no longer living bell-to-bell, she is looking forward to spending more time with her family. She and her husband, Mark Arvanigian, co-manage Paper King, Inc., a family business rooted in a multigenerational legacy. 

“It’s a great family company that we have, and I look forward to continuing building that with him,” Arvanigian said.

While saying goodbye to Arvanigian is bittersweet, she will not be far. Students may still spot her on the sidelines, cheering them on just as she always has. She has truly enjoyed her time at the school and grown to care deeply for her students, and will dearly miss them. 

“I love you guys,” Arvanigian said. “I always felt like I was teaching my own kids. My students weren’t just another student or another class; it was more close to home.”

In many ways, this series embodied what the 2026 Boston Red Sox were: a team with good starting pitching and poor hitting. The club scored just two runs, both coming in game two, and looked lifeless when facing off against Yankees ace Cam Schlittler in game one.

Schlittler burst onto the scene last year following his dominant game three performance against Boston. The righty went eight innings, surrendering just three hits and fanning 12 Red Sox hitters. Schlittler carried his postseason momentum into this season, posting an American League-leading 1.95 E.R.A. 

Despite having a full year of data on the former Massachusetts native, the Red Sox could do no better. Schlittler struck out 10, allowing just two hits and zero runs. 

On the other side, rookie and fan favorite pitcher Payton Tolle got the ball for the Red Sox. Tolle was competitive and gave the Red Sox 4.1 innings of good pitching. Despite only allowing a single run, Red Sox manager Chad Tracy decided to pull the lefty.

The decision did not pay off, as trade deadline acquisition Erik Miller surrendered a dead-center home run to Yankees slugger Ben Rice. The game went downhill from then on, and the team took a 9-0 loss.

The script for game two was nearly identical. Tracy pulled his starter early in the fifth inning, and Yankees starter Max Fried cruised. Fried went six innings, striking out six and allowing just a single run, which came on a Wilson Contreras solo shot.

The game ended with the Yankees matching their run total from the previous night, sweeping the Red Sox.

What went wrong for the 2026 Red Sox?

Looking at the box scores and the record from this season to last, the 2026 Red Sox season can only be looked at as a failure. The team won two fewer games than the year prior and lost in one fewer game to the same team without their best player, Aaron Judge.

However, the rollercoaster ride that was this season makes even making the playoffs feel like an accomplishment in itself. The first three months of the season, the Red Sox were one of, if not the worst, team in the sport. Then came July; Boston rallied off a 32-5 stretch from late June through the beginning of August. 

The Red Sox could not lose during the stretch, and it seemed as if they were finding new ways to win each and every night. The only problem is that it only lasted 37 games. And while they were not as bad as their April and May selves, the team was nowhere near that 32-5 team for the remainder of the season.

The only consistent part of the team’s season was their starting pitching. Despite losing 2025 A.L. Cy Young runner-up Garrett Crochet for the majority of the season, the Red Sox starting pitching became one of the best units in the sport.

Tolle and free agent addition Sony Gray were lights out for Boston. Gray posted a 2.72 E.R.A. and is expected to be in the mix for the Cy Young Award. Tolle, a player who did not make the opening day roster, finished with a 3.03 E.R.A. and was good enough to get the ball in game one.

Ranger Suarez and Jake Bennett also contributed to the rotation as back-end starters. 

The pitching was not the problem, but the bats certainly were. Roman Anthony, who was expected to be the team’s best player, suffered a wrist/hand injury that caused him to miss 101 games. Anthony re-aggravated the injury in the team’s first Wild Card loss and was forced to sit out of game two.

The injury bug is becoming a problem for the young superstar. Anthony has now missed four out of the five playoff games over the last two seasons due to injuries. Not only are these injuries consistent, but they have also happened while swinging the bat. 

The Red Sox cannot rely on Anthony to be on the field anymore. Out of 225 games that the former number one prospect has been in the big leagues, Anthony has played in only 126 of those games.

This is not the end of the Anthony era in Boston, but I think it is time to manage the expectations put on a player who, quite frankly, cannot stay healthy.

It was not just Anthony, who ‘limped into the Postseason.’ Contreras and gold glove center fielder Ceddanne Rafeala both dealt with injuries of their own. Although Contreras’ hand did not seem to limit him, as he was one of the only Red Sox to show up offensively, Rafeala’s hamstring injury essentially eliminated one of the team’s best players.

It was not necessarily that the hamstring was too injured to play on; it was more so the fact that he had practically missed the entire final month of the season. The Red Sox prioritized health, which was not necessarily the wrong choice, but the rust on some of their players hindered their chances in this series. 

Chad Tracy:

On April 25, the Red Sox were 10-17 and, for the first time all season, scored over 10 runs, as the team defeated the Orioles 17-1. Were things finally starting to turn for Alex Cora’s Red Sox?

No, they were not. Partially due to the fact that the turnaround would not come until later in the season, and also just hours later, Cora would be fired by the organization. 

Anybody who had any knowledge of the Red Sox and Cora was shocked by the move. Cora had been a good manager for the team, leading them to a World Series win in his first season as the manager and on a deep postseason run after coming back from his one-year suspension he was given for his part in the 2017 Houston Astros cheating scandal.

The general sentiment was that Cora had no star players, and ownership gave him little to no help in making sure the team had good players. While this remains true, there were things that ‘Cora teams’ had that were on him. One example being they continuously played sloppy defense.

Since his return in 2021, the team committed a league-leading 526 errors. Without Cora for 135 games, the Red Sox ranked 15th, dead middle, in terms of total errors made. 

Regardless of what the narratives were surrounding Cora’s firing, it still happened, meaning the team needed to find his replacement. President of baseball operations Craig Breslow decided on Worcester Red Sox manager Chad Tracy and hired him to be the interim manager.

Tracy was loved by his players in Worcester and, unlike Cora, was not going to complain or put pressure on ownership to spend big. It gave Breslow a manager that he was on the same page with.

Tracy’s team, or as many were calling them ‘the Chad Sox,’ did not perform on a better level than under Cora’s leadership. Ahead of their otherworldly stretch, the team sat at just 32-46. 

Just days before the postseason, he was hired as the manager. 

Strictly from the organization’s perspective, the timing of the decision worked out. After Tracy made a few questionable decisions, and after pulling his starters early and going to certain relievers over others, it would have been hard to justify the hire of Tracy in the days following the loss.

The State of the Organization:

As much as fans do not want to admit it, the Red Sox have become a small market team. They rely heavily on analytics and their farm system and do not over spend on good players in free agency. 

Small market teams in baseball are leading to the sport’s demise. Many are quick to blame the Los Angeles Dodgers for the inevitable lockout that will hit Major League Baseball in the coming months, but the small market teams that fail to spend money are at fault.

Every team in baseball and every owner in baseball has enough money to spend like the Dodgers. 29 other teams could have paid more for Shohei Ohtani and landed the superstar when he hit free agency three years ago.

The Red Sox are becoming, and with the hire of Tracy as manager, have become a small-market team. They do just enough to make the playoffs every year and keep the fans engaged, but not enough to win championships.

The way Fenway Sports Group and John Henry run this franchise is what is wrong with the game of baseball, and if they want to fix the sport and create more parity is does not start with adding a salary cap, so the Dodgers cannot operate their franchise the correct way, it is stopping owners like Henry from running the Red Sox.

In her lawsuit against Chi Phi Fraternity and Cornell University, Doe alleges that she was served alcohol at a University bar despite being underage, was lured into the Chi Phi frat house and was pressured into consuming marijuana and snorting ketamine. Incapacitated and unable to consent, her lawsuit alleges that she was raped by seven men over five hours. 

Court records include images of a Chi Phi Snapchat group chat during the incident, which include vulgar and objectifying references to Doe’s body as being open for “shop.” According to Cornell’s student disciplinary records, Doe recounted feeling like “bait” surrounded by “lions” while inside the frat house. Unsurprisingly, initial public reaction to the case was one of fury: social media influencers and politicians weighed in on the matter, casting this as not a one-off incident, but a perverse denial of justice. 

Indeed, what is just as horrific as the behavior of the Chi Phi frat brothers is Cornell University’s response. When Jane Doe went to Cornell University Health System with a traumatic UTI and other injuries two days after the alleged gang-rape, the university doctor failed to provide a rape kit, conduct a thorough physical examination or offer any sort of trauma support (a rape kit was requested three weeks after the incident, at which point no recoverable DNA evidence remained). 

Furthermore, the Cornell University Police Department condensed Doe’s interview with school police into a brief report sent to the District Attorney’s office that left out Doe’s explicit statement: “I can say with 100% confidence that I was raped.” Consequently, the DA’s office concluded investigations prematurely.

What’s most infuriating with this situation is how carelessly Cornell acted in regards to protecting Doe and cracking down on sexual assaults on campus. Not only could have Jane Doe’s claims and physical injuries have been taken seriously by Cornell’s Police and Health departments, but Cornell could have also prevented the rape from taking place entirely: the day before the alleged gang-rape, another student reportedly overdosed at the Chi Phi frat house. Instead of shutting the site down, Cornell allowed Chi Phi to remain open for business, almost as if the overdose never occurred in the first place. 

Indeed, Cornell appears to have taken more steps to protect the alleged rapists instead of protecting Jane Doe. Despite Cornell’s internal Title IX board, which oversees matters related to sex discrimination, concluding that sexual assault indeed took place, the alleged rapists faced lax punishments. Only two were expelled, while others were given minor suspensions or assigned to write “reflection essays” about sexual abuse. 

For some Algonquin students, Cornell’s handling of the case has made them re-evaluate how they view the university as an institution.

“I think [Cornell’s response is] pretty messed up and that has factored into my decision making process about how they handle [sexual assault cases],” senior Vimala Meka said. “The scale at which Cornell neglected to address the case publicly or privately alarmed me.”

But overall, many students have signaled how they are disappointed but not taken aback by the way Cornell responded to Doe’s case. 

“It’s not surprising about how Cornell handled it, because the general consensus within Cornell is that it’s more important to protect a man’s future, and their future and society, than a woman’s well being and safety,” junior Clara Campbell said. “Jane Doe, she’s the one who really suffered at the hands of these men, and nobody thought about how her life could potentially be impacted.”

Indeed, the news frenzy about the case has also brought significant attention onto Doe. Online commentators have argued that she made choices to drink alcohol, ingest drugs and end up in an inebriated state of mind. But all this focus on Doe—on what she was wearing, on what she was doing, on the way she didn’t initially say no—draw attention away from the alleged rapists, who still undeniably took advantage of her. 

More importantly, these comments draw attention away from the way that women’s rights and dignities are consistently violated throughout society. In a New York Times interview, Cornell’s President, Michael Kotlikoff, admits that upon hearing about the alleged rapes in 2024, he never once met with Jane Doe, nor was he aware that Doe left Cornell and dropped out of school. 

If the highest leadership of a university whose  core values include striving “to be a welcoming, caring, and equitable community” fails to uphold those same standards, then what should be expected from regular students, and from regular people across the country?

Now, more then ever, it is essential that we reject this culture of callousness and carelessness when it comes to sexual assault. No means no. Yes means yes. And silence means complicity.

Up until this moment, Bridgers had been on a prolonged hiatus from her solo career. The album “Lost Weekend” brought fans back together on Aug. 14 again after over six years from her second album “Punisher,” which was released June 18, 2020. With new sounds and audio additions, such as an automated like sound in the song “The Outside” and heavenly vocal additions in many of the songs of the album, including “Liberty Tree,” “Still Standing” and “The Governor’s Waltz,” Bridgers did not disappoint. 

Zoe’s experience

Phoebe Bridgers truly made the concert an unforgettable experience with an amazing setlist, eye-catching visuals, incredible stage-presence and lighting features different from any other artist.

Undoubtedly, the most important part of the tour was the fact that everyone was actually there; not just present, but in the moment. Everyone seemed to experience the whole show so much more with our phones put away the very moment that we were inside. 

For me, the moment started the second I was at the barricade to the B-stage. Everyone was so active in conversations and playing games with each other. The audience was actively engaged during a time where everyone is usually on their phone. It brought me back to a time where I didn’t have a phone, which led me to be in the moment. 

The show only got better as it progressed, and I will never forget the moment when the lights went off and the intro to Bridgers’ song “The Outside” started to play. The raw emotion and excitement of everyone in the room was heightened. I felt as if I was experiencing everything more than I have at any other concert, solely because I was not worried about catching everything on a video I would likely never rewatch. 

Every song felt stronger and made me more emotional than they ever had when listening on my phone. It was obvious that others felt the same, as every time a song ended there was a short moment when all you could hear around you was the faint sobs of the audience in awe of her performance. 

In my opinion, the best part overall was when Bridgers sang “Funeral,” “Lost Weekend,” “I Know the End” and “Scott Street.” Every song had their own emotional tug, but these stuck out with the ethereal lights and vibes. 

All of these songs included unforgettable moments. With “Funeral,” Bridgers brought a new rawness to the song, which I appreciated even more when she looked at me while singing because of how close I was to the stage. “Lost Weekend” introduced one of the greatest light experiences in a concert that I have ever seen. The glow, the strobes, it felt like true magic. 

The songs “I Know the End” and “Scott Street” were unforgettable because of how attentive everyone was. “I Know the End” includes an outro of screaming, a key part of the song that felt ethereal to experience live. Everyone was so connected with one another, screaming away all their negative feelings. 

“Scott Street” connected the crowd in the same manner. During the bridge of the song, everyone started swaying with the music as the bright lights turned on to reveal everyone’s sobbed off makeup, raw emotion and genuine smiles. In that moment, I felt as if no one in that venue was a stranger to me, and it is a feeling that I wish I could relive again for just a second.

Seren’s experience

Phoebe Bridgers put on a mesmerizing performance at the “The Lost Tour.” The no-phones aspect truly elevated the experience, and made the night one I will be thinking about for the rest of my life.

Even before the show, the energy in the crowd was unreal. In the 30 minutes in between Phoebe and the opener, Alex G, the upper sections of the stadium did the wave around 11 times. You could truly feel the excitement in the crowd as we waited for the show to start.

The show started with the introduction of her song “The Outside” playing, and fog coming out of the smaller Satellite Stage. I expected her to come out from that stage, but then the dome figure on the main stage rose revealing Bridgers and her band. She started out by singing fan favorite “Motion Sickness.”

The graphics on the stage were beautiful. During “The Governors Waltz,” the screens behind the main stage turned into a graphic of Saturn. As she was about to sing songs from her album “Punisher,” the album graphic came on the screen getting everyone excited for her to sing.

I spent most of the concert either screaming the lyrics or crying. My favorite Phoebe Bridgers song is “Waiting Room,” and getting to hear it live was an unforgettable experience because of how much I love the song.

Phoebe’s beautiful voice and amazing song lyrics made the concert even more enjoyable. I could tell that she was connected to her music, and it felt personal when she shared her stories with the crown. 

My favorite part of the concert was the final song at the end, “Scott Street.” When the lights turned on, you could see thousands of people waving their arms at Bridgers as she smiled at the crowd. 

The no phone experience made the whole night even better. I felt so much more present because I wasn’t looking at my phone, or worried about my videos that I probably wouldn’t have rewatched anyway. Phoebe talked about feeling comfortable to share more personal information with the crowd because it wouldn’t end up on the internet. I hope more artists follow in Bridgers’s footsteps and ban phones from their shows as well.

It was an unbelievable experience, and I spent the entire night in awe that I was able to experience the show. Bridgers put on the most intimate arena show possible, and it was  a night I will think about forever.

Conclusion

With concert experiences being so popular these days, the ability to redraw people’s attention to the performance with the no-phone initiative is something that needs to be implemented more often. Living in the moment and having the memories to back up an amazing night is better than any video you might capture of a concert. Concerts need attention, and no-phone experiences give that exact energy.

Bertonazzi, who began dancing at just 2 years old, was selected in January to join the American Tap Company and represent Team USA. She will compete in three categories of the adult division against dancers from 23 countries, marking both her first international competition and first trip to Europe. Bertonazzi has dreamed of representing the United States on an international stage for years. 

“I’ve been trying to convince my parents to let me audition, but they kept telling me no,” Bertonazzi said. 

Having known about the opportunity since she was 9 or 10 years old, Bertonazzi was determined to make her dream a reality before heading off to college. With her senior year approaching, her parents finally agreed to let her audition. Despite her years of dance experience, Bertonazzi was unsure whether she would be selected, especially since so many dancers on the team had already competed at the world championships before.

“I wasn’t sure if I would make it, but I was so excited that I did,” Bertonazzi said. “I was really excited because it’s been something I’ve been wanting to do for such a long time.”

To prepare for her audition, Bertonazzi began attending weekend training sessions with the American Tap Company in November. These sessions allowed prospective dancers to become familiar with the company’s teaching and choreography before the official selection process in January. 

Although this is Bertonazzi’s first time competing internationally, tap dancing has been a major part of her life for as long as she can remember. She began taking ballet and tap classes as a toddler, but quickly found herself drawn towards tap. 

“I think it was because I liked that I could make noise,” Bertonazzi said. “I did not have to be quiet when I did it, which is different from most dancing.”

What began as a childhood interest has become a significant time commitment for Bertonazzi. Over the years, Bertonazzi has spent hundreds of hours practicing, competing and participating in tap companies. She currently dances with two tap companies in addition to taking classes at her studio, Rhythm Dance Company in Westborough. 

Throughout much of that journey, she has been guided by her longtime tap teacher, Aaron Tolson. Tolson has worked with Bertonazzi for almost 10 years. He runs a company called Speaking for Taps, and recognized Bertonazzi’s potential early on, specifically with her dedication to continuously improve. 

“She has a way of returning to class better each week,” Tolson said. “She took on all challenges and succeeded. When she struggled, she practiced. She never complained, she just worked hard.”

Bertonazzi’s dedication has allowed her to serve as a dance captain in Tolson’s company. She earned this responsibility for both her technical capabilities and character. 

“Lilly is an exceptional person,” Tolson said. “She is dance captain of my tap company not only because she is an excellent dancer, but because she is a caring, thoughtful and supportive person.”

Currently, Bertonazzi is drawing on all her years of experience as she prepares to compete on Team USA among some of the country’s top tap dancers. The American Tap Company brings together dancers from several states, such as California, Wisconsin and North Carolina, who travel to Andover, Massachusetts for rehearsals. 

Since July, the team has gathered for one rehearsal weekend each month to learn choreography, practice routines and perfect performance. With very few opportunities to rehearse together, dancers are expected to practice independently. 

“I was shocked to learn that we would be competing at such a big competition, but not actually spending a lot of time in the studio rehearsing,” Bertonazzi said. 

The world championships feature six categories: solos, duos, trios, groups, formations and productions. Bertonazzi will compete in three of these categories: group, formation and production. One category that stands out to Bertonazzi is formation. 

“It’s not really what you would normally think of for a dance competition,” Bertonazzi said. “It’s very in sync, and [approximately] half your score is based on your formation and your syncing. It is very different from typical competition dance.”

As one of the younger members of the adult team, Bertonazzi dances alongside college students and older performers who have continued pursuing tap. For Bertonazzi, the competition is more than just a performance. It represents an opportunity to connect with and spend time with other people who are passionate about tap dance. 

“I’m excited to see all the other teams, and it is also my first time going to Europe,” Bertonazzi said. “I’m just so excited to travel across the world and do something I love so much. I’m looking forward to being able to spend time with people who like to tap dance.”

For Bertonazzi, the trip will also be a chance to explore Prague with her family, who plan to arrive a few days before the competition. Bertonazzi also hopes her experience can encourage younger dancers to pursue similar opportunities. 

“I would definitely [tell younger dancers] to not give up, because the audition process wasn’t necessarily the hardest part,” Bertonazzi said. “The rehearsal days are long, and they do get intense sometimes, but even though I haven’t gone yet, it’s been such a fulfilling experience.”

For Tolson, watching Bertonazzi achieve a goal she has worked toward since childhood has been especially rewarding. As Bertonazzi prepares to take the international stage for the first time, Tolson hopes she recognizes how much she has accomplished. 

“Lilly is chasing a dream, and I am one hundred percent behind her,” Tolson said. “Her success is of her own doing and I am so very proud of her for all she does.” 

As for his final advice before she steps onstage, Tolson has just one message: “You are special; show the world.”