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Sprinkler burst causes emergency evacuation

Staples students exiting the field house after a sprinkler burst led to a fire alarm being activated in the building
Staples students exiting the field house after a sprinkler burst led to a fire alarm being activated in the building

Students and teachers huddled together for warmth outside in the 14 degree weather when the fire alarm went off at Staples at approximately 8:45 this morning.

“The sprinkler head and pipe for the room with the trash compactor burst because there was insufficient heat. It set off the sprinkler head, water went everywhere, and the fire alarm started,” Principal John Dodig said.

Dodig said that once the fire marshall arrived, he verified that the problem was the burst sprinkler, and students were allowed into the field house to seek refuge from the cold.

While suffering the brutal temperature, students and teachers were confused as word spread that it was not a planned fire drill. The situation intensified when three fire trucks arrived on the scene.

“I was worried because I thought there was an actual fire,” Robby Giannone ’14 said.

The cold, however, did not faze some students. “I brought gloves and a jacket, so I was prepared,” Elizabeth Mitas ’16 said.

Other students waited in discomfort because they were not nearly as prepared to be outside in the frigid temperatures for more than a few minutes. “It was very unexpected, and I didn’t bring a jacket,” Lindsay Kiedaisch ’14 said.

Students and teachers were let into the field house after approximately 15 minutes outside, and they waited in the field house for another five minutes before being released back to their period 8 classes.

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Katie Reynolds, Staff Writer

Katie Reynolds, with her shoulder length brown hair and tan skin, might blend into a crowd of Staples students. But then you'll talk to her.

Katie Reynolds is unabashedly herself. She is one of the few people who can balance friendliness and sincerity; her sarcastic, honest bite goes nicely with an otherwise sugary sweet disposition. She'll tell you what she's thinking and why she's thinking it, and she's never going to apologize for that. “A writer has to be strong willed, stron enough to give their opinion and ask the right questions,” Reynolds said, a philosophy she lives by.

Reynolds is a much needed addition to the Inklings staff. Her persistence is admirable—— something she hopes will push the line of journalism to an even higher standard at Staples. And she's already started.

Her article “Concussion Repercussions”, which she worked on with classmate Emma Finn, proves the extent of her abilities. Written about the struggles faced between concussed students and strict teachers, Reynolds called it “her hardest article to date.” The extensive researched involved talking to Dr. Micheal Lee, five Staples students, and two teachers. Reynolds didn't bat an eye, easily talking to authority figures and peers alike with the same inherent charm.

Like most on Inklings, her favorite subject is English. Her favorite book is the critically acclaimed “The Language of Flowers”, an elegant book about an extraordinary woman who uses her talents to help others, though struggling through her own hardship as well. Perserverance is something admirable about Katie Reynolds, but also something she admires in others.

In her spare time, she plans events like weddings and bat mitzvahs. Each time, she's more determined to top herself, creating unforgettable bashes sure to amaze. She's unafraid of hard work.

In fact, I'm not sure she's afraid of anything. Like all things, she takes life as it comes, confident in her capabilities as a writer, and as a genuinely good person.

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