the mane street mirror

Olivia Salai

Olivia Salai, Co-Editor in Chief

Hi! I’m Olivia Salai and I’m a junior. Outside of journalism, I’m choir president and my class’s vice president as well as an active member of Debate Club, Drama Club, Natural Helpers, and the outdoor track team. I dance in Teen Company at the Lee Lund Studio of Dance, volunteer for the Milford Historical Society as a docent and a Member-at-Large, work at Cone Zone, and perform in Broadway Method Academy’s productions.

All content by Olivia Salai
Officially an Officer: Brett Huber receives a plaque from Sergeant Matthew Mello, December 21, 2023.

“Remember Your ‘Why’”

Foran Alumni Graduate from Police Academy
Olivia Salai and Connor Rizzo | February 1, 2024

          To Foran graduate Mr. Rich Carino, becoming a police officer is about more than the glory and prestige that comes with the title.           “I will become the third generation of police officers in my family, my grandfather and uncle were both cops. Being able to work in the...

Continue Reading
Helping Out: Foran alumni Bianca Torres poses with a student during her internship at Orange Avenue Elementary School, June 2022.

Renovations on Memory Lane

Upcoming Changes to Milford’s Mastery-Based Diploma Assessment
Olivia Salai and Connor Rizzo | January 5, 2024

          Principal Mr. Max Berkowitz has a goal for every student enrolled at Foran High School: to help each student prepare for the world ahead of them.           “What I want for students is for them to be deep thinkers and be as prepared as possible for the future,” Berkowitz affirms.  ...

Continue Reading
A National Honor: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama pose with O’Connor after awarding her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, August 12, 2009.

Liberty and Justice for All

A Reflection on the Life of Sandra Day O’Connor
Olivia Salai and Connor Rizzo | December 14, 2023

Former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor lived a greatly influential life. An advocate for equal protection for all Americans, O’Connor made crucial decisions on cases such as Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) and Hamdi v. Rumsfeld (2004) to extend rights to many different groups. O’Connor also...

Continue Reading
A Half-Century of History:  Foran’s class of 1975 from the first Foran yearbook, two years after its opening, 1975.

From the Foran Archives: A 1970s Flashback

Olivia Salai and Alana Finlayson | October 3, 2023

          Mod-style alarm clocks in hues of purple, green, and red rang out as the sun began to rise in September 1973, signifying the end of summer. Girls took out their hair rollers and matched flared trousers with bright blouses, while boys paired turtleneck sweaters with cuffed jeans. David...

Continue Reading
Under the Spotlight: Fiorillo rehearsing for Foran’s production of Legally Blonde, March 1, 2023.

Building Resilience Through the Arts

Jack Fiorillo’s Journey with HLHS
Olivia Salai and Connor Rizzo | April 4, 2023

          Most people focus on cardiovascular health during American Heart Month in February through fundraisers, awareness initiatives such as Hoops for Heart, or other heart-themed events. However, for junior Jack Fiorillo, this concern spans much longer than a single month of the year.  ...

Continue Reading
A Sustaining Snack: Sophomore students talk and enjoy their school-bought lunches. January 25, 2023.

Cafeteria Commotion

Milford Schools Return to ‘Meals for Purchase’
Olivia Salai and Connor Rizzo | February 6, 2023

          The opportunity for free breakfasts and lunches in the Milford Public Schools district expired on January 9, 2023, when students and staff were “expected to [begin to] pay for those meals,” according to the MPS Upcoming News & Events for January 6, 2023 and Beyond.       ...

Continue Reading
Festivities for All (over 18): A packed day at the Connecticut Post Mall’s food court, December 18, 2022.

The Post Cracks Down

Milford Mall Implements Seasonal Restrictions on Youth
Olivia Salai and Connor Rizzo | December 21, 2022

          The Connecticut Post Mall has been a popular hangout spot for kids and adults alike for decades. Boasting a movie theater, a food court, play place, and countless stores, it’s nearly impossible to be bored. Recently, new regulations have been put in place, preventing many teenagers from...

Continue Reading
Up and Atom: Sophomores in Chemistry and the Earth Systems watch as Mr. Connors explains a reaction, November 9, 2022.

A Time Before Teaching

Olivia Salai and Connor Rizzo | December 5, 2022

          Teachers are some of the most recognizable faces at Foran. With about 100 faculty members in total, students are sure to find a teacher to connect with. However, for many teachers at Foran, teaching is not their first or even intended career. Their stories and backgrounds are often overlooked...

Continue Reading
At The Podium: Mr. Cesare gives a lesson, October 17, 2022.

AP Survival Guide: Tips and Tricks for First-Time Scholars

Olivia Salai and David Maslar | November 3, 2022

          The first two months of school have already passed, and many students have been adjusting to Advanced Placement classes, also known as AP classes. AP classes test high schoolers’ performance in a college-like atmosphere.           AP classes tend to be challenging due to their...

Continue Reading
Color Theory: Vivid reds of the firepit seating compliment rich blues in the new flooring, September 20, 2022.

A Year Ago, Today: TLC Vision Comes to Life

Olivia Salai, Co-Editor in Chief | October 14, 2022

           From the blueprints on paper to reality, the TLC is finalized in terms of renovation and revamping. Varying furniture structure ensures all students can find a spot to enhance productivity. Kids flock to the egg-shaped orbit chairs and the roundabout seating of the fire pit area for...

Continue Reading
Foran at the Festival: Ryan Purviance, Olivia Salai, and Noah Held all participated in the 2022 All-State Festival for Band, Orchestra, and Choir.

All Smiles at All-State

Olivia Salai, Content Editor | April 12, 2022

     This year, student musicians were thrilled to find out the All-State Festival was able to happen in person. Students spent three days in Hartford working with a talented group of musicians, led by expert directors and conductors. It was many students’ first overnight trip of their high school...

Continue Reading
Out With the Old, In With the New: Inspirational quotes replace the familiar lions outside the Lit Center.

Mural, Mural, On the Wall

Olivia Salai, Content Editor | February 3, 2022

      After returning from winter break, many students were surprised to find the age-old lions had vanished from Foran’s walls. The school logo, accompanied by motivational quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson and Maya Angelou, have taken the lions’ place outside the Literacy Center. Additionally,...

Continue Reading
Monitoring Malnutrition: Doctors in Madagascar measure childrens’ arms to track their weight loss. Photo Courtesy of the World Food Programme.

“Silence, No Joy”

Madagascar Struck by Severe Famine
Olivia Salai, Content Editor | December 9, 2021

     Madagascar’s citizens are making history as the country battles the world’s first climate-induced famine. Cyclones, locust invasions, and half a decade of consecutive droughts aggravated by sandstorms have plunged 1.3 million people into a state of severe hunger. This crisis has left Madagascans...

Continue Reading
Rebel Territory: The Tigray Region highlighted within a map of Ethiopia.

Tigray Terror

Ethiopia's Capital Awaits Rebel Advance
Olivia Salai and Ronan Smith | November 10, 2021

     Ethiopia, the second-largest nation in Africa, has faced brutal battles over the last quarter century, but their most recent conflict may prove to be their downfall. Under the rule of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the country waged an intense 15 year war against the previous dictatorship,...

Continue Reading
Flashback to First Edition: Skyler with her first novel, EIGHT VEIN: THE GOLDEN HEART.

On The Write Track

Skyler Agresti's Novel Idea Becomes Reality
Olivia Salai, Content Editor | November 2, 2021

     At 12 years old, most kids are just beginning to explore the prospect of future aspirations. However, Skyler Agresti got a head start at the same age and used the literary works written by her 12-year-old self to publish her first novel on September 12, 2020, during her sophomore year. Agresti,...

Continue Reading
In Need of Some TLC: Foran’s media center prior to renovation. Photo courtesy: Olivia Salai, August 23, 2021.

Foran Provides TLC To Newly Coined “Teaching and Learning Commons”

Olivia Salai, Content Editor | September 14, 2021

     Throughout the 2020-2021 school year, the Foran media center operated on a digital basis to prioritize student safety. With the reversal of some Covid-19 protocols, online checkouts have been abandoned as most media centers revert back to the standard system.       While the likely return...

Continue Reading
Milford Memorializes: A photo of Foran’s new-and-improved softball field. Photo courtesy of Olivia Salai.

Honoring Danni Kemp

Excellent Student, Star Athlete, Exceptional Person
Olivia Salai and Jocelyn Gonzalez | May 10, 2021

     On the morning of April 10, 2021, members of the Milford community attended a dedication ceremony at the newly christened Danielle Kemp Memorial Softball Field. The refurbished field honors Danni Kemp, a former student at Foran and a talented athlete. School officials also revealed to attendees...

Continue Reading
New Business, Old School Music: Storefront of Milford Static Era and Records. Photo courtesy of Olivia Salai.

Open for Business

Downtown Milford Welcomes New Stores
Olivia Salai, Staff Writer | March 31, 2021

     Amidst the pandemic, many businesses have opened or are preparing to open in downtown Milford, Connecticut.      Milford Static Era and Records opened in October 2020. According to their https://staticerarecords.com/, they stock “new and (cared for) used vinyl, vinyl accessories, new...

Continue Reading
Foran Reads: Jaclyn DeLoma, the new Media Specialist poses in Foran’s library. (Photo courtesy of Olivia Salai, February 16, 2021.)

The Benefits of Reading for Teens

Olivia Salai, Staff Writer | March 4, 2021

     Many students vividly remember their weekly trips down to their school’s media center back in elementary school. They could let their imaginations run free and escape into a make-believe world, or explore a topic of personal interest in the non-fiction section. As students progress into middle...

Continue Reading
New to the Zoo: Photo of a Mexican gray wolf, the newest addition to the Beardsley Zoo.  Photo courtesy of the Beardsley Zoo.

Beardsley Zoo Handles Covid-19

Olivia Salai and Julia Poffenberger | January 27, 2021

     Many Foran students growing up in Connecticut can recall a memory of attending the Beardsley Zoo. Popular among the young and old alike, Connecticut’s only zoo is a fan favorite for many events, including birthday parties, educational opportunities, or weddings.      In general, most...

Continue Reading
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: John Krusinski stands in front of the donations he’s collected for Toys for Tots this holiday. Photo courtesy Krusinski family.

Community Spotlight: Toys for Tots

Milford community donates
Olivia Salai and Cameron Lefebvre | December 9, 2020

     During the holidays, local businesses and houses place oversized red mailboxes outside of their buildings to help Toys for Tots, an organization run by the Marine Corps. Community members donate toys throughout the colder months and are comforted knowing the toys will stay local and help kids...

Continue Reading
Giving Back at a Young Age: A young volunteer helps fill food bags. 
Photo courtesy of: Food 2 Kids Website

Community Spotlight: Food 2 Kids

Olivia Salai, Staff Writer | November 13, 2020

     Food insecurity is a worldwide problem, and Milford isn’t exempt from this issue. Organizations like Food 2 Kids recruit volunteers from within the community to battle this widespread concern.       Volunteers at Food 2 Kids pack bags to send home with students who are dependent on school...

Continue Reading
Donate to the mane street mirror