As students crowd into the bustling old gym for lunch, they walk by the large, glistening glass case that shows off some of Kinnelon High School's greatest sports accomplishments Little do they know that starting this year, and perhaps into the next, the case will have to be opened on more than one occasion; and some new hardware will be added to the collection.
“We have had a successful fall, and a successful winter season,” says gym teacher Nino Capra This year, Kinnelon High School’s sports teams are winning more than ever The school football team clinched their division, the KJS Hockey team became cup finalists, and the cross country team won the state championship for the first time in over 50 years.
With so much success amongst a variety of sports at the high school, what is the secret behind it all? “I do believe that the kids are making bigger commitments to their teams, playing in the offseason, fine tuning their skills, and doing the extra things needed to pull ahead,” says Capra “More kids are coming out to play for the teams The commitment to [ ] becoming better can be seen ”
While some believe that perhaps it is the time taken during the off-season that truly makes Kinnelon athletics as successful as it is this year, a good argument can be made for the coaching staff. The football team recently made changes, with Coach Dustin Grande taking the wheel and steering the team to win a conference championship and a state playoff game
“I think that the coach makes or breaks a team,” says junior Troy Schneider “Coaches that know how to train players properly are coaches that will make a team successful ” The team reflected the change in coaching staff with a far run into the state playoffs, as well as a conference championship.
The success is also due to the changes to the playbook that teams this year (including the football team) incorporated Junior Daniel Spano said, “Playbook-misdirections, trying to keep the ball away from [the other team]... this worked this year. "
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The ability for Kinnelon’s new coaching staff to bring and apply contemporary playing techniques and strategies truly allowed not only the football team, but others as well, to seek success in the playoffs.
The basketball team had the same story: a new coaching staff was added to the team this year and the Colts won their conference. Last year, under a different coaching staff and using a different playbook, the team did not even qualify for the playoffs
The ability for a school, not merely a team, to turn around consecutive losing seasons is an amazing feat The small school, in a small town in New Jersey, is finally putting their name on the map where it has not existed for nearly 60 years
As new, bright ideas enter the halls and fields of Kinnelon High School, an exciting future awaits young athletes in the community Perhaps it is the next year, or the year after that, that Kinnelon continues its ascension as one of the great homes of New Jersey high school sports
As Schneider put it, “I can 100% see Kinnelon athletics being better than this year, because 2024 is the class of athletic superstars, and it will be our year to shine ”
As the second semester--the longest, most difficult marking period-- draws to a close, students’ attention is once again shifted to the future, this time to their next year in high school Everywhere you go, you can hear the chatter of students discussing which classes they plan to take next, and what new challenging curricula they want to take on
Remember to plan ahead of time and be prepared to go quickly; these appointments are very brief since the counselors have many students to meet with every day.
According to School Counselor Marlene Goudreau, “On average you’re probably looking at maybe 10 students a day, averaging out to about 50 a week ''
It's very important to be appreciative of the hard work your counselors put in since this is just one of their many roles at KHS During your meeting with your counselor, you will discuss the electives you are interested in, as well as how rigorous your course load will be based on your chosen classes. They may offer you advice, and you are encouraged to ask questions if you have them
Beginning with that fateful colored sheet of options, the process of scheduling is a long road filled with twists and turns, but it’s one of the most crucial lynchpins of our high school experience: providing us the freedom to choose what we learn
All of this raises the question: How does it all work? How do three overworked counselors and a relatively basic computer program somehow sort four classes containing over 500 students into hundreds of unique classes in just a few short months? Well, it all starts with you: the student. This article is an attempt to prepare a detailed guide on how to not just survive the scheduling process, but forge a path that will challenge you, but also keep you sane and enjoying all the interesting courses KHS has to offer
The first step in the process is to meet with your counselor, who will be your lifeline and guide you throughout the process of planning your schedule
When you are getting ready for your appointment (or you have already had your appointment, but you would like to find out more about course curricula) you should familiarize yourself with the KHS program of studies, which contains the course descriptions for every class the school offers.
Found on the school website, as well as linked below, this document contains everything from graduation requirements to recommendations on what classes to take, all in one convenient place!
The Program of Studies contains all the information you will need to guide you through this complex process, and the course
descriptions begin on Page 32
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FUN FACT: A RISING SENIOR AT KHS HAS MORE THAN 80 ELECTIVES TO CHOOSE FROM!
Sadly, one frustrating bump in the long road of scheduling is that your schedule will rarely work out the way you want it to on the first attempt.
When asked how often a schedule fits on the first try, I was answered by a laugh from Goudreau, followed by “maybe two out of 10; it's not a great average so we have to do a lot of finagling to make it all work for Move-Up Day”
You’re going to have to revise your schedule multiple times, especially if the classes you choose are less popular and have fewer available blocks when they are being taught The best way to prepare for this is to have some alternative plans for courses you want to take, as well as go in with an open mind and flexibility It doesn’t all have to get done in your first appointment!
Finally, you have to remember that you have a vast network of people who can help you through the process Make sure to talk to upperclassmen who have taken the classes you are interested in pursuing, so you can get some firsthand experience! And don’t hesitate to reach out to your counselor or stop in sometime if you have any questions
As Goudreau put it in her advice to first-timers, “Your counselors are here to help you, we meet with you each year to do scheduling and make sure you’re on track for graduation [ ] It might not always shake out the first time but we work very hard to try to give everybody most of what they want ”
KHS graduation requirements, found in Program of Studies Photo from kinnelonpublicschools.comSince the project is at the end of the year, seniors will likely attempt to use this as a break from the monotony and strain of school during the rest of the year, though the project does still require work and if it is not completed, students will be removed from the project Students must complete a journal and submit it to Google Classroom, work 25 hours a week, work a minimum of 3-4 hours a day, write a final reflection, and attend a mandatory meeting at the end of the project
Students wishing to participate in the program cannot exceed 10 absences prior to the beginning of the program. Although project supervisor Dr. Wendy Bruffy clarifies, “If you have excused absences, that doesn’t count against you.” Much to the relief of the seniors who are pushing that absence limit at the end of the year, “It’s on a case to case basis.”
For last year’s St Baldrick’s fundraiser, KHS Seniors utilized Instagram to spread the word to the Kinnelon community
When the late-spring heat enters the halls of KHS and the work ethic of seniors is long gone students who meet certain requirements are given the opportunity to leave school for nearly a month to embark on their own approved missions in the goal of bettering the community.
Senior Service is a project seniors partake in at the end of the school year, from May 15 to June 12, that allows them to gain valuable community service or professional work experience Students can work in nursing homes, hospitals, libraries, other district schools, parks, and other community oriented organizations
When seniors are choosing their project, they must be mindful of specific criteria and have their project approved by the school The project must be nonremunerative, which means students cannot be paid, and the students can have no prior relationship with the employer and cannot volunteer at a site where their parents have an affiliation
Projects span a wide range of community and professional topics, but are all encouraged to take place in and around the Kinnelon area Dr Bruffy said her favorite project last year was, “St Baldrick’s [ ] because that’s good for childhood cancer ” Favorites aside, “People have gone to recording places,'' and additionally to “PRM (Pearl R Miller Middle School), or Kiel or Stonybrook [which] gives the student a bit of an opportunity to reminisce with some of their old teachers and flashback in time ”
If none of those opportunities seem appealing to prospective students, there are plenty of other opportunities shown to seniors when the project gets closer Traveling to Pyramid Mountain and other local parks for clean up service or working with the local government departments are very popular activities among the senior class.
Overall, the workload of the project is lighter than the usual grind of final exams and end of year projects. This is a great opportunity for seniors to not only wind down as the year comes to a close, but to also gain valuable experience that the confines of a classroom could never offer. Not all learning comes from the classroom and as seniors prepare to acclimate to the new learning environments their futures hold, the opportunity to learn on the job is invaluable
Photo from @khs stbaldricks (Instagram)On Jan. 1, Netflix released an original series: "Kaleidoscope." This series focuses on a heist by following the planning and motivation that contributed to it, as well as the aftermath of its enactment
The series contains eight episodes, each one labeled as a color that contains a piece of information pertaining to the heist Each episode is also labeled by its relation to the point in time of the heist over the course of 25 years. Green takes place seven years before the heist, yellow takes place six weeks before the heist, violet takes place twenty-four years before the heist, orange takes place three weeks before the heist, blue takes place five days before the heist, red takes place the morning after the heist, pink takes place six months after the heist, and white takes place during the heist.
While the episodes can be watched in chronological order, starting with the violet episode and ending with the pink episode, it is advised to watch these episodes in random order This concept is what makes the series so fascinating Viewers can begin with any episode they wish and watch the episodes in any order as long as they save the white episode (containing the actual heist) for the end. Using this method allows certain episodes to fill in the gaps from previous episodes, allowing the viewer to make predictions and come to important realizations that they would not have gotten if they watched the series in order
This concept is very unique in that it allows viewers to watch the series in the order they want. This creates a fun and exciting experience for the audience because certain things in the episodes they choose to watch are unknown to them Certain surprising facts about the characters will be revealed to the viewers, and many predictions about the actions of certain characters will have to be made This element of the unknown is what makes this a fascinating and distinct series that distinguishes it from other shows.
A fairly new addition to Netflix is racking up popularity based on its creative concept and execution.Kaleidoscope series poster Photo courtesy of Netflix
Tyler, The Creator is one of the reigning leaders of the current rap game. His evolving style both musically and in fashion has created trend after trend in many spaces and he shows no signs of losing influence This all comes from his most powerful ability which is consistent One album every two years, each one building on top of the other Each one even releasing in the same 3-4 months. Now that spring is in full swing, the rumors are spreading about his next album. So now as to catalog his past work and drum up excitement it makes sense to rank and rate the past 10 years of Tyler The Creator “Goblin”
Tyler, The Creator's 2011 album "Goblin" is an album without a point, it writhes around like a kicking and screaming child hurling insults any way it can. It tries to shock with violent, homophobic, and misogynistic lyrics but fails to make points or create any truly great or even interesting music save for some highlights. Tyler was 19 when “Goblin” was released and it shows in his middle school-styled lyrics There were some glimmering hopes in “Goblin” showing his flow and beat-making skills that would later make him a great artist but it is held down by the early failings of many rappers “She” featuring the ever-talented Frank Ocean is the main diamond of the album as its production contains what Tyler failed to recreate in most of the rest of the tracks as well as a more subtle and open lyrical approach. Overall “Goblin” is Tyler’s worst One that gave him the experience necessary to create a far more important and great catalog than “Goblin” would suggest Rating: 5 5/10
“Wolf”
“Wolf” has some of Tyler’s best songs on it. It is an album of marked highs and lows In highs, we see the beautifully presented “48” one of Tyler’s best forays into storytelling, as well as the haunting “Answer,” a direct challenge from Tyler to his absent father that presents an incredible vulnerability to the world. On the low end, we have songs like “Trashwang” and “Jamba” with little value that only bloat the album. It has little to offer in terms of thematic or lyrical depth aside from its highlights and it's just not a very special album coming from an artist with a discography made up of important albums for music at the time
Rating: 7/10
“Cherry Bomb”
“Cherry Bomb” is an album with the opposite problem to “Goblin.’ Its many directions show it to be a turning point for Tyler the Creator, making it an important but clearly imperfect album Its highs are certainly higher than Tyler’s first album but its lows are just as poor The greats of “Cherry Bomb” plentiful with tracks like “2SEATER” and “OKAGA, CA” tap into the ethereal vibes that his next two albums would perfect. “Cherry Bomb” is uplifted by its vision of Tyler’s future but it is held back by its attachment to past rage. Leading to ill-fitting songs such as “RUN” and “CHERRY BOMB” The wellknown stars of the album “SMUCKERS” and “F*****G YOUNG / PERFECT” are tribues to his earlier work while succeeding in escaping the pitfalls of it
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“Cherry Bomb” as an album, as I said earlier, is a crossroads, and Tyler takes some large strides into the path of musical greatness
Rating: 8 5/10
“Flower Boy” is without a doubt Tyler’s breakthrough album. Of course, he was a big name in the rap space at the time but the perfect storm of evolved creative ability, collection of great feature artists, and change into a calm and less abrasive style gave Tyler the keys to the kingdom of pop music Songs like “See You Again” or “Boredom” contain the musical prowess of a seasoned pop producer while more nostalgic tracks like “Who Dat Boy” and “I Ain’t Got Time” are a more refined version of his earlier stylings. Still “Flower Boy” only really feels like a prelude to the artistry of “IGOR” after listening to both once again. It's an album that has some of Tyler’s best ideas but it doesn’t have the experience he needed to develop them into a truly eye-opening experience
Rating: 9/10
“IGOR” is an album that is near and dear to my heart It is perfect The artistry instrumentally, lyrically, and creatively is mindblowing and was a step forward for not just Tyler but also music The story of the circle of toxic love that ends as it begins with the held synth on “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS” into “IGOR’S THEME”. Every song has a purpose as it creates a chronological timeline of starting and ending love. It has no weak songs, only has classics such as the soulful “EARFQUAKE” with a killer Playboi Carti verse that speaks to both of their talents or the solemn “PUPPET” The only way to experience this album is in full From front to back, it is not only a thematic masterpiece but a master class in production, vocal performance, and lyrical density. Comparing it to his first album shows the enormous strides in music making and even emotional maturity that Tyler The Creator has made in his career
Rating: 10/10
Interested in learning more about Tyler, The Creator? Listen to this curated playlist honoring the best songs from all of his albums:
Tyler The Creator’s newest album “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” is not a step down, as some may think, but rather a return to the roots of his career as well as a return to form in rapping ability. This is one of Tyler’s most auspicious albums. He’s made it; he doesn’t have to prove himself an artist to anyone, especially himself The discussion of his wealth and success is in some portions eye-roll worthy but it represents not only his value in his eyes but his weakness as he struggles to find the use of money and himself when love is involved in songs like the emotional magnum opus “WILSHIRE” and the beautiful “SWEET/I THOUGHT
DANCE”. Of course, the whole album is not centered on the bad parts of wealth and fame as Tyler creates the visuals of palmed beaches, vintage BMWs, and packed passports on most of the album to show his rise to power As an album, CMIYGL is less thematic than most but it makes up for it in its vibe and production that holds up some of the best rhyme schemes and entendres that Tyler has made.
Rating: 9.5/10
Spring has sprung, and many artists, ranging from indie rock to R&B, have released new music that their fans are loving!
LANA DEL REY:
Lana Del Rey, indie and alternative rock singer, is among the many who are releasing new music this spring Del Rey is a very popular artist that has had many hit songs like "Young and Beautiful," released in 2013, and part of the soundtrack of "The Great Gatsby" movie, and "Summertime Sadness" which was released in 2012
Del Rey tends to release music every couple of years, so the announcement of her new album and the release of a few songs on her album such as "A&W," was not a surprise to her fans, but it was exciting
Her new album, "Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd" was originally set to release on Mar 6 but was then pushed back to Mar 24
"I have always enjoyed her music and I got into her music after listening to her last album 'Chemtrails over the Country Club' and as soon as I heard she was releasing another album I immediately started to listen to the songs she had already released and even pre-ordered the album,” said senior Sophia Seier
KALI UCHIS:
Colombian-American singer and songwriter Kali Uchis is another artist who just released a new album in March Uchis is more
in the R&B and soul genre and her new album is expected to be in that same genre Uchis’ album, "Red Moon in Venus," is her first album since 2020 which was "Sin Mideo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) " Uchis has already released two of the songs on her album which are “I Wish You Roses” and “Moonlight ”
“I always found her music different from a lot of the other artists I have listened to and I am really excited to hear the new music she is releasing since I have already liked the other songs she has released,” said senior Ashley Colombo
Kinnelon High School students are anticipating the release of songs from albums by some of their favorite artists More music and albums for their fans are still on the way from these songwriters this year
Photo by Alana Gallagher┃ Collage of pictures of Kali Uchis' and Lana Del Ray’s albums
When Tom goes to look for her, Sandra has disappeared with the money
A24’s “Sharper,” which began streaming on Apple TV+, is a suspenseful grifter drama featuring a con artist and his plan to take on a Manhattan billionaire The film follows an array of different characters and their perspectives as the story unfolds However, many writing choices don’t leave the film feeling memorable or significant
The story begins with Tom (Justice Smith), a young bookstore owner who meets a young woman named Sandra (Briana Middleton) who enters Tom’s shop The pair have instant chemistry, and viewers watch their relationship blossom over a few weeks However, trouble starts to brew for the couple when Sandra reveals she has a brother who’s in trouble She needs some cash and a lot of it Tom agrees to get funds from his incredibly wealthy father, Richard (John Lithgow)
However, this is just the beginning, and we get to see the selling point of the movie shine The tone of the movie immediately shifts to the perspective of Sandra in the past, revealing a drugaddicted convict on parole in place of the lively woman we’d gotten to know
This second vignette reveals how ‘Sandy’ became Sandra working under con artist Max (Sebastian Stan) alongside Madeline (Julianne Moore) and their plan to manipulate Tom and get to Richard
The movie goes through the perspectives of all the key players as the story twists and turns to every new con and scheme Everyone has their own motive, and nobody is who they say they are
While the movie’s style is meant to mimic the many other films in the genre, it leaves much to be desired regarding its writing Practically none of the characters have any character development or backstory
It’s never mentioned why Max or Madeline became con artists, why Tom hates his father, or what happened in Sandra’s past It’s only mentioned in throwaway lines or snippets of dialogue Every character plays the role they’re meant to play, which can make the characters seem stagnant and one-dimensional The movie is also over-polished for the genre it’s meant to be Every con and twist is executed perfectly, and it all runs smoothly Viewers rarely or at all feel tension or anxiety about a character’s situation, and there’s never any real threat The absence of good rising action or an intense climax didn’t raise the stakes for any of the characters and made the story feel very lackluster by the end
With a talented cast like this, vignette formatting, and the crafty tone of the film, a movie like this could've done much more with the right choices
A24’s 'Sharper' showed viewers a puzzling drama, but the movie left much to be desiredPoster for the movie “Sharper.” Image from Apple TV+ Press |
A.I. has taken over the world as users experience things never seen before.
By Lucas Marin, Staff Writer“By 2030, Artificial Intelligence will add 15 7 trillion dollars to the world's GDP, boosting it by 14 percent,” according to Simplilearn
People want to change the world with artificial intelligence; companies are investing billions of dollars in A I to advance their business to new heights using the app ChatGPT
Artificial intelligence has changed the way people think about and take part in their jobs Doctors across the United States are using ChatGPT to assist in giving diagnosis to patients According to CNN, Dr Victor Tseng of Ansible Health set up an experiment to see how accurate ChatGPT is Tseng assigned the A I to complete the medical license exam This benchmark is a three-part US medical exam meant for graduate students to pass in order to get their medical license Doctors were flabbergasted by the swift responses from the A I The A I passed numerous tests of medical exams in which it required no practice; humans, on the other hand, need hours of practice to pass medical exams Within minutes a patient can have an answer on what sickness he or she has
ChatGPT is a high-tech app in which you can ask a bot anything Wall Street has seen a frenzy of stocks go up due to artificial intelligence companies The biggest app of artificial intelligence is indeed ChatGPT Reuters states, “ChatGPT is estimated to have 100 million active users just a couple months after its launch ” A I companies such as C3 ai and SoundHound stocks have doubled in value this year People are making thousands just off of A I stocks
The mega tech app is basically a more developed search engine than Google A user can type a random question and the A I will have a well detailed answer in seconds This includes anything about medical issues, sports, financial advice, and any other question that a user would wish to ask Not only can the app answer questions but it can write essays, emails, and generate long data of codes
One student who is fascinated with artificial intelligence is senior Kyle Portman Portman wonders what the future will look like with people using A I so rapidly “People may be hesitant because this can all be new to them as A I is just crossing the horizon I view artificial intelligence as a key part of many people's future People around the country and world will use AI to solve their problems and give them solutions ”
However, senior Max Connelly has a different viewpoint than Portman “Artificial intelligence helping patients with their sickness and treatments can put an end to many jobs in the medical field In a couple decades there may not be a need for as many doctors due to the increase in technology working on their own fine The human element will be lost ”
Artificial intelligence is able to do the things it does because of a powerful chip A chip called “Nvidia A100” powers artificial intelligence to do unimaginable things Many of these A I apps use the chip to power its engine The chip can do all sorts of things such as perform calculations which can be used to train network models This allows companies to build off of their A I and expand it This chip is basically a workhorse for artificial intelligence companies
Many companies such as Google, Microsoft, and others are capitalizing on artificial intelligence and investing in tech companies Artificial intelligence may be the future to numerous companies and people People all across the world are using A I apps to help them with their daily lives The world as we once knew it may be a thing in the past due to the surge of technology
As a result of inflation and decreased COVID-19 related restrictions, travel prices have dramatically increased for Americans.
By Will Cappello, Opinion EditorAlmost four years ago, the US experienced a nationwide lockdown as the COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly Consequently, travel was prohibited in order to slow the spread of the virus After those restrictions were initially lifted, however, many Americans remained wary of the virus and refrained from traveling, causing travel prices to decrease dramatically.
Today, the fear surrounding travel has largely dissipated. According to Forbes, travel purchases in Sept. 2022 were 6% higher than they were prior to the pandemic Thus, travel prices have followed a similar trend
With spring break approaching, this is certainly disconcerting news for aspiring travelers For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, many Americans are looking to go on vacation Unfortunately, an increase in travel prices is massively discouraging to many of these people
To make matters worse, the American economy is experiencing a great deal of inflation
Coupled with the fact that travel restrictions have been largely removed, travel prices are increasing at an unexpectedly dramatic rate
In fact, according to the BBC, plane ticket prices have skyrocketed by a whopping 44 1% from Dec 2021 to Dec 2022
Surprisingly however, a study by Deloitte found that travel rates are not decreasing very much. This is generally explained by a heightened interest in traveling: Americans who have stayed home for the entirety of the pandemic are eager to go on vacation , so they are willing to spend more money.
While the costs in the travel sector have as a whole increased, this is not to say that price surges are the same at every destination
Some vacation hotspots have experienced a far more dramatic increase in pricing than others For example, according to USA Today, “Spring break prices in Cancun, Mexico, are up 10% on average compared to last year, while the same period in Miami is around 50% more expensive overall ”
If travelers are willing to compromise on their vacation destination, finding a reasonable deal is certainly not impossible
But when planning a spring break vacation, inflation prices must be taken into account beyond only their effects on airfare Data from NerdWallet illustrates that hotel room prices have increased 8.5 % year-over-year.
Furthermore, restaurant prices are also 8.2% more expensive. Similarly, as of Jan. 2023, car rental prices were 43% more expensive than they were prior to the pandemic.
Ultimately, the state of the American economy has made everything more expensive
Unfortunately, with travel rates nearing pre-pandemic levels, these price surges are being felt to their full extent Thus, spring break travel will inevitably be more expensive than it has been in recent years However, compromising on the destination may soften the blow enough to make vacation a financially feasible decision
Image from Unsplash | People crowding the beach on vacationThe repeated starting pistol rattles off just as each race starts A sign for track runners which signals that it is time to show out Last season was one for the record books for Kinnelon, as a lot of school records were shattered, personal records set, and great strides for the Kinnelon Track and Field team Last season the boys finished 8th in states for group one and the girls finished 32nd place
The regular season meets for track consist of roughly ten meets before State Sectionals which gives the runners a lot of time to become accustomed to the racing mentality and get used to jumping at the sound of the gun.
The track athletes get their work in regardless of how many meets they may have as they work hard throughout their practices throughout the school week and on Saturdays
Nearly 80 athletes have already signed up for the track team this year It seems as if all the runners have the same positive mindset when it comes to the season’s trajectory “I love to see the show out of athletes for track this year The more people that come out the better and we are ready to help everyone improve throughout the course of the season I can’t wait to see what's in store!” says junior track runner Andrew Michalowicz.
Track athletes also have the time and opportunity to participate in Cross Country and Winter Track and Field which allows them to sharpen their skills and improve in the off-season. The track boys and girls make sure to set equal records in both as in Cross country the boys won the State Title for the first time in 52 years with the girls following up with a third-place medal
In Winter Track the boys won sectionals and placed 3rd in states and the girls placed 10th at sectionals
Safe to say Kinnelon Track and Field has some heavy hitters this season!
Varsity athlete Matt Kispert is a junior who has participated in Spring Track for three years and Winter Track for two years Kispert runs in the 55m, 300m, and 400m for Winter Track and the 100m, 200m, and 400m for Spring Track
Kispert is exceptionally excited for this year as he said, “I think that this year will be another for the record books Although we had a great season last year, I think that we can match and even surpass our achievements this year.” Kispert is ready and excited to surpass his own goals and help his teammates surpass theirs. Both Kispert and Michalowicz are ready and raring to go for the beginning of the Spring Track season. With the preseason starting soon, runners are all ready to start putting the work in so that they can smash the personal records that they set in the previous seasons The first meets start in early April, so runners are going to have to work hard to get ready so fast
Both Kelce Brothers were touched to see their mother on the field “The moment I saw mom is when I got really emotional, ' cause, man, it was so awesome,” said Kelce
NFL brothers Travis and Jason Kelce played head to head in the 2023 Super Bowl this Sunday, marking a moment in NFL history from their opposing teams - the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles
The Super Bowl is one of the most anticipated games between the top teams in the league Crowds swarmed to fill State Farm Stadium for the big game Travis and Jason Kelce brought in a new wave of attention They were fighting for the Super Bowl title as brothers on opposing teams, which was the first time in Super Bowl history. Some had even coined it the “Kelce Bowl.''
At the end of the long anticipated NFL showdown, Chiefs tight end Kelce came out victorious while Eagles center Jason watched his younger brother celebrate However, it was not a bitter win The Kelce brothers embraced as the Kansas City Chiefs won the game after quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ last minute field goal Celebrations were in order all around. The team on their jersey’s did not stop the brothers from soaking up the joy of the moment. Their mother, Donna Kelce, also shared this moment with her sons, clad in a jacket supporting both teams She was sure to embrace each of her sons in the exciting moment
Moma Kelce said, “Before the big day, I just told them to leave it all out there and try their hardest and they'll have no regrets."
Following the win was the post-game press conference According to USA Today, Travis was a bit emotional himself When asked about how it felt to see his brother after the win he said, “You joke around all the time you want to beat your brother in the biggest stage ever, but it's a weird feeling ” For the Kelce family, it truly was a surreal moment.
“Ironically, you lose the Super Bowl and you’re crying after the game, and they’re not tears of sadness, they’re tears of joy,” said Jason.
The game itself saw both teams fighting until the very end Although the Eagles took a 24-14 lead before the highly anticipated halftime show, the Chiefs kept up a steady game with neck and neck plays At that rate, the Chiefs took home the victory by only 3 points, making the final score 38-35.
By the end of the game, Travis had made six catches for 81 yards as well as a first-quarter touchdown. This marked 16 postseason touchdowns under his belt, breaking the previous record for a tight end and naming himself as one of the NFL’s greatest in the position
You joke around all the time you want to beat your brother in the biggest stage ever, but it's a weird feeling.
p y p y p pressure, hurry, or sack even once throughout the game
The brothers were also in mostly light spirits during the game. Something that really caught fans' attention was Jason’s reaction to Travis play in an 18-yard touchdown pass. The internet went wild with memes of the occurrence Just as Travis scored the touchdown, Jason was seen eating a snack on the sidelines completely unbothered Fans laughed as one brother ate a protein bar on the sidelines of the Super Bowl, while the other was scoring in the Super Bowl.
has only expressed happiness and excitement for his brother They have continued to upload videos on their podcast, "New Heights," where the brothers share conversations with family, friends, and teammates about their careers and lives.
In their recent episode discussing the Super Bowl win Travis said, “It is an extremely gratifying feeling of doing everything that you would expect to do in the beginning of the season ”
By Alison Warnica, Staff Writer
Then when they got to the cup final on Feb 14, things took a turn for the worse They lost 5-1 against Mount Olive and came off the ice feeling disappointed in themselves and how they played “The game was a little rough today and we’re all pretty annoyed with how we played but we’re trying to pull it together for states on Friday,” Pandiscia said after the game against Mount Olive
After losing in the final round of the Halvorsen Cup, the team pulled it together for the preliminary round of States on Feb 17 against Lacey They won 2-1 against Lacey and are now moving on to the second round of states The KJS united hockey team will play against Toms River East on Feb. 21 in the second round of states.
Even though the season has been very bumpy, they are still very optimistic and are determined to make a run in the state tournament. The team feels great about this season and it has been a real confidence booster. This season has just kept pushing the team to do better. “I think we played pretty good this season but there’s a lot of room for improvement,” Pandiscia said.
On Feb 11, the KJS United hockey team took home another win against Madison in the semifinal round of the Halvorsen Cup at the Mennen Arena in Morristown Their star player of the game was junior forward Anthony Pandiscia (#28), as he notched four goals
The KJS hockey team has had a rough few seasons but turned it around for the 2022-2023 season. “It feels pretty good. We’re all excited to get the opportunity to play in the playoffs after two seasons of losing constantly,” said Pandiscia when talking about how he feels about making it to the playoffs this season.
The team has had an inconsistent season, which has had its ups and downs. They have won 14 games, lost five, and tied one game. After the good games, they feel like they can beat anyone and the season is gonna be great But after the bad games, they feel just like they are back where they started a few seasons ago
After the game on Feb 11, the team felt invincible They won 8-4 against Madison and came off the ice feeling great “We have been phenomenal this season, as we dominated the Halvorson division and we are moving on to the cup final and states ” freshman Alex Roslan (#15), said after the game against Madison
Some ways that the team stays optimistic are their gameday rituals “ we all go into the locker room and listen to music together at full blast to get in the zone,” Pandiscia says This helps the team get into the right mindset and get them ready for the game
What also keeps the team excited and optimistic is the student section The student section at the KJS hockey games are so wild one fan even got kicked out “They think they can put TK in time-out but that didn't work he was right back at it We’ll see you boys next week,” Sophomore and JV KJS hockey player Thomas Kosco said
Even though this season had been a roller coaster and their past seasons have been rough, The KJS United hockey team always keeps their heads up and plays their best.
The KJS United hockey team celebrating their win in the semifinal round of the Halvorsen Cup at the Mennen Arena in Morristown on Feb 11 Photo by Allison WarnicaAdviser’s Note: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this opinion article belong solely to the author and do not reflect the view of The Colt Chronicle Staff, Kinnelon High School, or its students and staff members
Take "Lord of the Flies": it follows a group of boys from ages 5 to 13 The book covers the boys’ survival and deaths, which happens often at the hands of one another.
For as long as writing and free thought have existed, people have sought to censor one another The most notable example of censorship across the world has been the burning of the Library of Alexandria, but it has not stopped there When the Spanish came to South America and conquered the Aztec Empire, much of their literature was destroyed in an effort to colonize the survivors.
History teacher Caitlin Ward helped to explain when and how censorship was used: “The first most important event of literature and censorship, is the banning of books by the Roman Catholic Church and some Protestant denominations, to maintain their control over thought ”
The U S has a history of journalistic censorship, particularly in times of war. From the Watergate scandal to the fight for women’s and African Americans’ rights, the U.S has silenced journalists in an effort to keep the status quo. Thankfully with the internet, we are able to access a plethora of literature, classics, and journalism
The people who support book bannings often state that they do not want their kids adopting hurtful habits, being indoctrinated, or being exposed to harmful content This is a real concern as history has shown literature in schools is a surefire way to persuade the majority of people to one side. The last reason touches upon the themes of books, such as war, hate, and survival.
One group in Georgia, “Mama Bears,” have been trying to ban explicit books from their children’s libraries but to do so they have taken to reading some of the explicit content in school board meetings
In a twist of irony, they were thrown out and banned, and now they are filing a lawsuit against the school district about their freedom of speech
The letter that one of the mothers, Alison Hair, received stated, “It was clear that your intent was not to comment to the Board in the public forum but was to disrupt the meeting of the Board of Education to draw attention to yourself and your beliefs ” This tactic is used to inspire strong emotions and disregard the factual side The book she read the excerpt from, was about a boy whose father died in the 9/11 attacks Hair’s son is in middle school and the book covers graphic themes, but that is the level of reading and maturity expected of middle school children.
As more states’ counties are banning books, many people have taken up protests or advocacy for book bannings.
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Many Jewish authors were banned from libraries in schools and public libraries and replaced with antisemitism literature We saw this even with England depicting themselves as saviors to “savage” countries; the absence of diversity in libraries leads to indoctrination
English teacher John Penola, says, “From what I read and from what I’ve seen, it is often used in an oppressive way for those in power to keep those without power, minorities down, to oppress thoughts and ideas which challenge them and make them feel uncomfortable Censorship is often a way to maintain and abuse power at its worst ”
Now there is one type of book banning I support: Banning books that support racism, falsehoods, or hate speech. They do not add to the literary culture the world knows today. But if a book shows the time it was written (for example, the way the black community is referred to in "Huckleberry Finn") then it is fine, so long as the person reading understands how and why some of the words used are now considered harmful and outdated
This kind of event is dangerous not right now but in the long-term setting of history it is Children will grow up not knowing about leaders against discrimination, like prominent athletes who broke color and gender barriers to people living under oppressive regimes.
Many of the books banned are classics: “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “Huckleberry Fin”, and “The Diary of Anne Frank” What do these books have in common? Aside from being classics that are taught in school, they show hardships and discrimination
Florida has recently banned a number of books in order to erase discrimination in the classrooms, whether it be taught or practiced. Although they have good intentions, the banning of books has a much bigger impact than “protecting” the innocence of children
With the banning of some classic literature, Florida Districts have banned more modern books that surround the LGBTQ+ community and people of color Whether or not it is the leaders of these districts’ goal, this leads to an erasure of the LGBTQ+ community and their experiences. Many people in this community worry over the safety of gay or transgender children, as many may be raised to internalize homophobia and not have a safe place in literature
Many literary fans have taken up pens and their voices against book bannings This is because most of the books being banned follow the stories of minorities in the country
“And a lot of books that are banned tackle historical (events), like the Holocaust, and stuff like that. That a lot of people don’t believe happened so they ban books that talk about it,” said junior Adi Mittler, who showed her support against banning books.
It goes back to the origins of book banning when the winners of wars would paint themselves as heroes and change history to fit their narrative
“It’s strange… A lot of books that are banned tackle harder topics, not harder topics but more unpleasant topics.” -Adi Mittler.
If you would like to read or view any of the banned books as of 2022, please refer to this QR code
"Suicide is selfish Just get over it Plenty of other people have it worse You are too young to be depressed ”
The teen suicide rate has been on the rise for the last decade, yet there is no definite cause as to why Risk factors include substance abuse, bullying, mental illness, family history of suicide, and violence However, simply identifying these factors does not do any justice to the alarming number of suicides each year.
According to "New In Health," in the United States, suicide is now the second leading cause of death for teens and young adults. There is no expert consensus about the causes of this mental-health crisis, but doctors, parents, families, and friends already know this. What is more important to understand is the stigma and negativity around the topic, so that we can attempt to break it
Kelsey Isman, a senior at Wesleyan University in Connecticut is a Campus Captain Administrator for "The Hidden Opponent," an organization that advocates for mental health for student-athletes She says, “Promoting awareness about suicide and acknowledging that it is a problem is the first step
Isman shares that she, too, has dealt with anxiety and depression “I have had my own experience with mental health and mental illness, and I have a couple different chronic illnesses and injuries which made participating in college level swimming stressful and difficult at times.”
As an athlete and full-time student, Isman faced constant external pressure. She says, “The competitive attitude that athletes are encouraged to have as we play sports and go through high school is often seen as you have to push through, and the grind never stops.
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Mental health resource located on Wysocki’s door between the two gyms Photo by Kristina HavilandTeenage suicide is on the rise; awareness is key.
Youdon’tknowwhatis goingonwithsomeone untilyoureallycan understandwhattheyare goingthrough;asmilecan beblockingsomethingalot deeper.”
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But sometimes, the grind has to stop in order to take time for yourself and support your health.” Isman has worked with a therapist and taken medication to help cope with her struggles.
For many struggling students, it can be extremely difficult to seek help, which can often make matters worse Isman says, “Even though in my head it didn’t seem like a lot, I was really going through something Coming to terms with myself, especially during Covid, informed me that it was not something that I was able to cope with on my own ”
Another teenager, Kate Riederich from Florida, has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression She says, “My experience with mental health has made me feel isolated, lonely, and overall exhausted. I feel that I am constantly trying to put a mask on to hide these from people.”
Persistent misunderstandings about suicide and mental health disorders can stand in the way of fully accepting help from professionals. Riederich says, “The biggest challenge for me was that once I asked for help I had to actually accept the help given to me and I was in fear that people would think I was weak ”
Many people believe that once they admit to others that they have a mental illness, they get put into a standard Reiderich says, “If you’re not being being put into a mental hospital or attempting suicide, then its not as bad and you should get over it; but if you are doing those things then you are seen as fragile and people will treat you as a caged animal more than a human ”
One way to fight this worldwide stigma is by embracing vulnerability. Isman says, “Being authentic online and on social media can open many peoples eyes to seek help in what they are going through.”
Infographic by Kristina HavilandIsman says, “I’ve heard from people who want to find a therapist but their insurance won't cover it, or they don't know who to call, or they called and there was a waiting list and they cant wait, so to have that information readily available can help students not get to that point where its a temporary problem, with a very permanent solution ”
It is crucial for young adults to know that suicide does not have to be the answer Isman says, “Even in some moments when it feels like things could not get any worse, it's not always going to feel like that. You have to learn to rewire your brain to ignore those thoughts and a therapist can help you do that.”
Even if students are unsure of what they need, reaching out to a professional is a great first step. At Kinnelon High School, Danielle Wysocki, Student Assistance Counselor says, “Students can reach out to their school counselors, the student assistance counselor, or case managers We also have CarePlus available in the building where students can be referred linking them to in school therapeutic services ”
In addition to this, Wysocki says, “KHS promotes awareness regarding mental health throughout multiple academic curricula, health class, and via the Give Back Club and School Newspaper ”
However, with awareness there needs to be action Superintendent David Mango says, “While we have our guidance counselors, I think our best advocates are our student body because they are at the heart of it. At my past schools, the student council would actually come and do presentations to the Board of Education, we went on a radio show together to talk about teen suicide, and how HIB, social media, and this world of all electronics, impacts ten times more than it ever has, and how that relates to issues like drug overdose, feelings of depression, increased anxiety, school violence, and workplace violence ”
With this, Mango wants to implement similar events into KHS He says, “I would like to now steer into those harder conversations about teen suicide and HIB; I would like next year when we are doing different kinds of presentations, for our student council to come with me and present to the public and livestream about all of these issues.”
Mango has a daughter in middle school, he says, “It definitely raises my level of concern because if we take a step back 40 years ago when I was my daughters' current age, it was much different.”
As social media and internet use increases, it is our job to keep up with the rapidly changing environment Mango says, “We as educators have to lead by example, you have to have conversations at home, you have to look for the warning signs, you have to know when your child is upset or when they're not or when they’re hiding.”
Once the stigma around mental health is reduced and vulnerability on the internet is embraced, then teenagers can get the help they need much faster. Isman says, “If your problems are causing you so much pain and hardship, that in itself is worthy of seeking help That moment of realizing you need help could come so much quicker to people if we could reduce the stigma around needing and wanting help ”
It is important for students to be aware that this problem is not stopping anytime soon Mango says, “We cannot turn away from it It doesn’t matter how strong people are, we all have our moments and things happen in our lives It is all very real When someone can say out loud ‘I’m not feeling good’ or ‘I’m feeling a certain way’ or ‘I’m suffering from this,’ that's when friends, family, and school come together to unite as one. "
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. You can also text “HOME” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Experts recommend both parents and teens store these numbers in their smartphones
"Successisneverfinal andfailureisnotfatal" -DavidMango
"Itisokaytosay'Ineedto talktosomebody,'thatis neveracrime."
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