December 2013

THE

HIGHLAND

FLING

DECEMBER 2013

MY NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION IS TO...

“EAT SNACKS ALL YEAR LONG”

“GET FIT FOR PROM”

—JECENIA GARCIA ’14

—AUBREY SHOMBERT ’14

“GET A GOOD HAIRCUT”

“GET A SIX PACK”

—LUCKY TREVOR ’17

—SAMANTHA LANNI ’14 “RAISE THE BAR IN ALL FACETS OF LIFE: COACHING, TEACHING, PARENTING”

“WRITE 2014 INSTEAD OF 2013” —ELIANA HRICZO ’16

—MR. RUCKDESCHEL “ORGANIZE MY BASEMENT BEFORE I GET CALLED FOR HOARDERS”

“WORK IT”

—MS. STEPHEN

—LUCAS MARIN ’14

“LEARN TO PLAY THE GUITAR”

“STAY SANE”

—CAMERON PETKOV ’16

—MS. WILSON

“PRACTICE MORE BECAUSE COLMON TOLD ME I HAVE TO”

“KEEP DREAMING” —EMMET BRENNAN ’14

—JULIA BRENNAN ’17

“SLEEP MORE”

“VISIT L.A.”

—CHRIS ZHOU ’15

—TAMARA TINAWI ’16

“BE MORE PRESENT”

“LEARN SOMETHING NEW”

—MS. KRUBSKI

—ESTEPHANIE REYES ’14

“GET A JOB”

“DEFEAT LEO IN TENNIS”

—LUCA GIOVANNETTI ’14

—JISU JEONG ’16 “DEFEND MY TITLE AGAINST JISU IN TENNIS”

“TREAT OTHERS MORE FAIRLY”

—LEO GOLDMAN ’16

—BEN GOLDSTEIN ’14

“GET OUT OF BED MORE EASILY”

“STOP PROCRASTINATING”

—MICHELLE FAN ’17

—LESLY ZAMBRANO ’15

“DAR MAS CEROS A LOS ESTUDIANTES QUE NO HAGAN NADA”

“SPEND MORE TIME WITH MY DAD” —VIVEK PUDURI ’15

—SR. ESTEBAN

“FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANT THINGS”

“GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL AND GO TO COLLEGE”

—RENEE DELAMATER ’16

—LUKY TAPIA ’14 “MAKE EVERYONE FEEL SPECIAL IN EVERY WAY, EVERY DAY” —RACHELL GUERRERO ’16

INSIDE

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opinion feature Meet theIsNew Gender So Last Student Teachers!

Season p. 4 6

“NOT GET PREGNANT” —MR. Lo BIANCO

“BRING MY GRADE UP IN CHEMISTRY” —DANIELLE BENESCH ’16

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2

news

News for Dummies Obamacare Jisu Jeong There’s been a lot of commotion lately as the year nears its end—not for Thanksgiving, nor crazy, get-up-at-four-in-the-morning bargains on Black Friday, nor the deals on Cyber Monday (that you thankfully don’t have to get up as early for). Instead, much of the brouhaha was the result of Obamacare, officially known as the Affordable Care Act. But while so many talk about Obamacare, only a handful can say with confidence that they are familiar with the ins and outs of the health care law. If you are one of the millions of people who are not sure about what Obamacare exactly is and how it works, keep reading.

What is the Affordable Care Act?

you. But times flies, and before you know it, you will hit 26 and have to purchase an insurance plan, like more than 29,000 Americans who did so this month through HealthCare.gov. Thus, it is a good idea to become familiar with Obamacare.

More commonly known as Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act is a major health reform law that was passed on March 23, 2010. One of its main goals is to make sure that everyone in the country has health insurance.

Why was there so much talk over the Affordable Care Act? What does the Affordable Care Act do?

To start with, recently, there has been a It does a lot of things, but here are some of huge problem with the website HealthCare. the most important ones. It requires every- gov. For a time, technical issues made it alone to have health insurance by January 1, most impossible for people to sign up for 2014. If someone does not have it by then, insurance. Now, the administration reports the government will charge them a fee of that the situation has gotten better. Also, al$95 for each uninsured adult, $47.50 for though Obama claimed that everyone could each child, or 1% of their taxable income. stay with their insurance plans and doctors The law prohibits insurance companies if they wanted to, it has not always been from denying someone coverage because of the case; before next year, millions will a preexisting condition. It removes lifetime be forced to buy new insurance plans and limits for most services. Before, companies choose new doctors. Lastly, politics—Rehad limits on how much they would pay for publicans don’t like Obamacare (or anysomeone in their lifetime, but now, those thing the Democrats say or do, for that matlimits are not allowed for the most part. The ter); their unhappiness with the law was one Affordable Care Act also expanded access of the main causes of the recent government to Medicaid. shutdown.

How does it affect me?

Currently, as a high school student, the Affordable Care Act does not have a huge impact on you. The only major effect is that you might now be eligible for Medicare.

However, for the most part, until you are 26, you can be on your parents’ insurance plan, so it probably will not directly affect

Novel-Writing Boot Camp

N

Max Broggi-Sumner

aNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. It’s when you write a 50,000 word novel— in a month. Some might say it’s an impossible task, but many have done it—1,667 words a day, which, speaking from experience, takes about two to three hours.

When I tried this project last year, I follow through the first two weeks, hitting keys methodically, crafting words, linking them into sentences, combining sentences into paragraphs, merging paragraphs into chapters, until I had a story of over 24,000 words. But then I stopped because the task took more dedication than what I was able to give. I may have given up, but I’m not giving up my story. For many writers, even those who do not follow through with their commitment, NaNoWriMo provides an opportunity to get a jump start on an idea that they wanted to jot down on paper for a long time.

NaNoWriMo might be easier as an adult, or during the summer. School takes up a giant block in the middle of the day, part of THE HIGHLAND FLING, DECEMBER 2013

the reason I could not completely devote myself to the task. But that is not to say the task is impossible for students. Zenobia Murphy ’18 has gotten to 50,000 words already, despite being in school and the play.

Carter Vames ’18 is also well on his way.

The project has a deeper meaning than just giving readers something to read and writers something to write. As the word count bar slowly fills up, it motivates writers.

It pushes people to where they’ve never been pushed before—a marathon of the mind. Thousands of other writers have joined. Some who finish got their novels published and actively support others by sharing their success stories. For those who do not commit well, the organization periodically sends fun motivational messages and reminders. After the first week, they send an encouraging email. After the second week, they sent another email with a picture of a cake: “Write 9 days worth in a week and I’ll give you a huge wedge of it.”

If you have time next November to write 50,000 words or more, give it a try. It’s a challenge, but it is pretty fun.

This is all so exciting. I can’t sit still!

Where can I get more information?

Check out the website for the US Department of Health & Human Services. There, you can get accurate information regarding the Affordable Care Act. And, for those interested, the website has all 2409 pages of the Affordable Care Act for you to read.

Science in a Jiffy Michael Choi MAVEN MISSION NASA is launching a new satellite called MAVEN, which stands for Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution spacecraft. It will fly over Mars collect data from the red planet.

Its main mission is to find out how the sun could have stripped most of the planet’s atmosphere of moisture. Perhaps MAVEN will answer the question of what turned Mars’ surface into a giant desert.

Before Mars dried up, the planet resembled Earth in many ways. Luckily, the Earth still has billions of years left, but that doesn’t mean the projections can’t change. MAVEN will help scientists understand how global warming and CO2 emissions will alter our atmosphere’s strength.

FIFTY SHADES OF RED The MAVEN mission examines the red planet Mars.

HURRICANE SEASON The hurricane season is now officially over, but no noteworthy storms brewed. Not a single hurricane crossed our path, while last October, Hurricane Sandy took out most of the power in the Tri-State Area. This year, meteorologists foresaw more active hurricanes, but their predictions didn’t come to fruition. The reason for that lies in the center of the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean was much warmer, but the atmosphere was much drier. This translated into more stable weather and poor conditions for a hurricane.

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news

Change Starts with a “C” C

Amita Shukla

hange is afoot this year in Highland Park. On September 23, 2013, new Superintendent Timothy Capone began his term. Since then, in a matter of two months, a lot has happened.

In a buzzed about decision this November, the Board of Education eliminated 9 positions (6 secretaries, 2 literary coaches, and 1 substance awareness coordinator) throughout the school district. In a recent letter addressed to district, Mr. Capone wrote, “I want to assure you that the decisions that have been made were made on behalf of the students and with their best interests in mind.” To clear up the confusion many students are feeling, here is a brief overview of said decisions, and of recent events.

The first many high school students heard of Mr. Capone was at the question-and-answer session he held after school in the auditorium, a few days after the community

learned about the layoffs. The “approval to eliminate” 9 positions was included in a November 4 addendum. Those laid off include the President and Vice President of the Highland Park Education Association, the union that represents the staff. Some in the community have called the move “union-busting,” but the superintendent, as well as the rest of the Board, emphasized that only non-instructional staff had been laid off. Mr. Capone said, “It is standard that financial decisions are usually in addendums.” He added, “I’m not trying to diminish the value of anyone.”

This is, in fact, not the first round of cuts.

Administrative salaries have been cut $133,000 in total and newly available funds will go to improved technology and textbooks. At the question-and-answer session, Capone said, “We have computers that are as old as you are. But the recommended cycle of replacement is five years.” He also mentioned the constant requests for new textbooks, an issue that is talked about at every Board meeting. “These will be the

The district’s Board policies state, “Every effort shall be made to foresee and avoid problems caused by misunderstanding or lack of information.” In light of this, some claim such important decisions should not be made in addendums, and that the public should have a chance to comment.

Gabe Trevor ’14 voiced his concern, saying, “The community should be allowed to discuss these policies before they’re put into place. The Board needs to be more transparent.” Acknowledging the lack of communication, Board President Catherine Bull has pledged to make greater measures to include the community in future decisions.

Brunswick, along with Star-Ledger reporters and photographers, also attended this jam-packed meeting. A sign-up sheet for the order of speakers was passed around, and it filled up quickly. One by one, people, some bringing slides and posters to defend their arguments, stepped up to a microphone, bringing up many points, including the bad timing of the situation (close to college application deadlines), the difficulty of rearranging positions during the school year, and the extra workload to be given to staff. Union members donned their union shirts and made a silent yet effective point about their stance. One of those laid off, Ms. Kathy Ketofsky, spoke about her role in the community and many people came up to support her, including alumni.

The community response to recent decisions has been overwhelming, leading to an emergency meeting of the Board on November 18. People crammed into the Bartle School auditorium, eager to voice their opinions. Representatives from South River, Sayreville, South Plainfield, and East

The new policies have been outlined in detail in several documents available through the school district homepage and the Fling website, and the Board will be announcing Strategic Planning meetings in the future.

If you would like your voice heard, your opportunity is not over.

priorities,” he said.

FULL HOUSE Highland Park residents, concerned about recent changes to Board of Education policies, attend an emergency Board meeting. Photograph credit of Gabriel Trevor ’14.

Under the Weather E

Shana Oshinskie

very morning, sick students all across the globe wake up and face the eternal question: “Should I stick it out and go to school or just stay home?”

On one hand, staying home means a day of rest that will help fight the illness. On the other hand, it means a day behind in school and struggling to catch up for the rest of week. Attending school and staying on top of your schoolwork would mean infecting other students.

Which is the better option? The answer lies in whom you ask. Ms. Finklin, when asked whether students sick should show up to school, quickly replied, “No!” Ms. Masur, the school nurse, shared the same sentiment, “I think it is a good idea for [sick students] to stay home. It’s difficult for them to concentrate in class, and I don’t want them to get other students or teachers sick.” But she sympathized with the difficulty of the situation, “I do know the difficulty and conflict because of the attendance protocol.” With only 14 unexcused absences a year, it can be difficult to decide whether to attend school or stay home. Students who do not budget their days face consequences like credit recovery or grade repetition. Taking a day off, however, is often a worthy investment; students who chose this route receive more rest, deal with less stress, and allow themselves to fight illnesses. Furthermore, those who decide to attend school often harbor their sickness until it becomes so

ferocious that they are forced to stay home for several days.

Still, not all sicknesses are the same, so is it really fair to judge them the identically?

Both Ms. Finklin and Ms. Masur agreed that when it comes to minor illnesses like colds, you have to know yourself. For some students, a minor cold can handicap their ability to learn for the day, while others can easily ignore it. With little infections, the lines may blur, but some ailments like fevers or vomiting require students to take a day at home.

nature of the illness, the importance and events in a day, and knowing your limits.

Just remember, if you do, keep away from

other students and teachers and always, always, always, sneeze into your elbow.

No exceptions!

Many students justify coming to school sick by saying that there is something important (a test, presentation, or game) that they need to complete. Ms. Finklin shared that as a student, “I wouldn’t miss a day that was important. If there was a test or project due, I’d just push myself through.” Although this does appear to be a reasonable thought process, sickness affects the body and mind, meaning any performance will be substandard at best, so it may be best to make up what was missed after recovering. Sometimes, though, it is not possible to make things up, creating a serious dilemma. Ms. Masur and Ms. Finklin agreed that a sensible solution is attending school for as little time as possible while still completing anything that is necessary by either showing up late, leaving early, or both.

Should you stay home? The answer is not self-explanatory. It all depends on the

BAD CHILD Biology teacher Mr. Kruger strongly advises against coming to school sick.

DECEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

4

opinion

The Racial Divide T

Tia Wangli

here’s not a day in school where we don’t hear some sort of stereotype. But what are the effects in the classroom and how do they influence student behavior?

Every year, we stop by the guidance office to decide our courses and finalize our schedules. Even if we do not realize it, social norming tends to divide those in Honors and AP courses from those in other classes. Technically, students should be choosing courses based on their skill level and self-determined qualifications. But more often than not, students will push themselves to take courses they don’t fit in simply due to expectations. As one student put it, “There is a dividing line between the ‘smarter’ people who go for the hard courses and those that aren’t knowledgeable who remain with the regular courses.” The same student agreed that people often choose courses not because they want to or because they believe they were up to the challenge, but rather because that is what is expected

of them.

In Honors and AP courses, according to official class rosters, there are always more white and Asian students than Hispanic and black students. In the 2013-2014 school year, there are never more than six black students in a single Honors or AP class—in most classes there’s typically never more than two black students. Only 3% of all honors or AP enrollments are black students, compared to the 52% who are white students. Asian students make up 29% of enrollments, while Hispanic students make up 10% of enrollments. These numbers are in stark contrast to the actual composition of the student body, which is 16% Asian, 16% black, 17% Hispanic, and 48% white. For every one black student in an honors or AP class, there are more than 15 white students.

Quite a few students in the school take a mixture of CP, Honors, and AP courses. When asked to compare the difference, they gave a variety of responses. One student mentioned how the biggest difference between a CP

course and an Honors course was the speed each class moved at. In Honors, there’s usually a quiz almost every week and a never-ending chain of projects. When it comes to CP, teachers seem much more willing to slow down and review concepts that not all the students understand.

Another student also mentioned how teachers for many Honors classes expected more of the students. Students in Honors classes are expected to behave properly and do many things on their own that would not be expected in a CP course.

When noting the so-called achievement gaps, it’s important to note the classes students take as well—and the reasons they take those classes. If there were no institutionalized social norms that encouraged students to take certain classes, perhaps each student would be as gifted and talented as the next. Perhaps it’s time to stop attempting to match what society expects of us and instead, aim towards becoming who we really want to be.

THE PRIMARY COLORS OF EDUCATION A great racial discrepancy in higher level classes still persists in Highland Park.

Beyond the Binary M

Avantika Yellapantula

ost assume gender to be either “he” or “she.”

People picture doctors examining the area between the legs and letting out “It’s a boy!” or “It’s a girl!” Parents then proceed to use the girl checklist or a boy checklist. Blue rattles for the baby boy and pink t-shirts with flowers for the baby girl.

Nothing wrong with that, right? Not quite. Parents are led, not only to buy certain things like clothing, shoes, or toys, but to raise the child in ways noticeably separate for girls and boys, creating an overly simplistic equivalence of sex with gender—they are not the same. Sex refers to the physiological markers that define men and women, while gender refers to the roles, actions, thoughts that a society considers appropriate for men and women. But society continues to perpetuate the view that gender is based on sex—or that they are the same thing.

The binary framework of “male” and “female” ignores how we define ourselves as a people, how we act or truly feel. At home, parents remind us of the clear-cut traits that our culture associates with each particular gender. Outside of the home, relatives, friends, neighbors, schoolmates, coworkers and the media reinforce the same stereotypes.

Our society and culture have been quite successful at neatly bifurcating what constitutes the masculine and what constitutes the feminine.

The boy checklist catalogs items of blue: super hero and action figures, firemen and police, trucks and sports toys.

THE HIGHLAND FLING, DECEMBER 2013

They suggest that boys should be tough, courageous, dominant and strong—to save the world rather than to comfort it. The girl checklist catalogs items of pink: Bratz and Barbies, faux ovens and fake vacuum cleaners, shopping carts and sewing kits. They suggest girls should look cute and stay in the domestic sphere, emphasizing looks and homemaking skills rather than intellect or courage. Is it natural for boys to play with fake guns and girls to play with dolls? It seems illogical to think that such itemized obligations are biologically inherent.

Language used to illustrate gender also plays a role. “Feminine words” include emotional, sensitive, dependent, graceful, weak, nurturing, and soft. “Masculine words” include aggressive, stoic, tough-skinned, competitive, and strong. We are led to believe that men and women are the opposite of each other. But the truth remains that men and women are more similar than different. There are feminine traits in all men and masculine traits in all women. Men and women—people—can be emotional and courageous.

Society applies gender roles on the individual at the physical, emotional, and mental level, which can have deleterious effects on both people throughout their lives. False expectations arise—men should remain emotionless when faced with painful situations and women should seek the protection of said men in similarly stressful situations.

Men learn to internalize pain and discourage its external manifestation and women learn to think that they are incapable of handling crises. Another popular gender expectation is that boys perform well at science and math while

girls do better in humanities and arts. Such messages have the undesirable effect of impeding a person’s career by limiting their choice of study.

Society also plays into the physical constructions of gender. In order for a woman to be considered attractive, she must be thin. The pernicious effects of low self-esteem, eating disorders, and depression are fall behind in the pursuit of feminine ideal. Corporations thrive on making women conscious about their looks and weight. Biological realities are ignored in favor of social pressures. Individuals are pressured to fulfill certain expectations even though they make one feel inadequate about one’s body image.

Those who do not conform to gender roles are singled out—unpopular and weird and so not cool.

Gender is a relative idea, and a strange one at that, in how we force people into a rigid dichotomy. Sex does not tell you everything about gender. You cannot simply look at a person and know about their gender identity.

We normally never bother to doubt gender roles because most of us grew up believing in their “natural” basis. But it is disingenuous for society to validate gender constructs when they are not realistic and not in the best interest of an individual. As individuals we can hide behind the mask of the stereotypes and subscribed to gender roles or we can challenge the perpetuated false norm of gender paradigms.

We do not have to fit into ordained patterns of existence and we can choose how we look and behave.

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opinion

T

NO LIE

TREVOR ENDEAVOR

Eli Liebell-McLean

Gabriel Trevor

Dropping the Bomb

John Boehner’s Show of Strength

he nuclear option, in terms of United States politics, refers to the decision to eliminate the power of the filibuster on appointments to the executive branch or federal judiciary. A filibuster is an attempt to prevent a vote on a legislative matter (a bill or an appointment to the Supreme Court, federal judiciary, or executive branch) by speaking until a 60% majority votes to close debate.

In the U.S. senate, the filibuster has been both praised as a time honored tradition and degraded as a needless and inefficient procedure. Despite longtime bipartisan opposition to the nuclear option, the Democratic leader in the Senate, Harry Reid, recently pushed for a vote on changing the rules of the Senate to adopt the nuclear option. On November 21, the Senate voted 52-48 in favor of the adopting the nuclear option.

Senate Majority Leader Reid’s decision to adopt the nuclear option reflects the eternal conflict in government between efficiency and liberalism. Efficiency denotes the difficulty of a government body to accomplish a task. Recently, our Congress has drawn harsh criticism for failing to accomplish even minimal legislative tasks, due to increasing partisanship in the House and Senate.

Liberalism, in this context, does not refer to the typical idea of the American Liberal (supportive of a regulated economy paired with few regulations on social issues), but to Democratic-Liberalism—a government that operates based on the will of the people and ensures that a tyrannical majority cannot consistently overrule the opinions of an oppressed minority.

The filibuster has long been the ultimate weapon of minority opinion, and weakening it, if only in certain areas, means that in a heavily partisan legislature, the party controlling the Senate can easily defeat a minority. Should there come a time when a foolish or power-hungry President decides upon a completely inadequate or villainous appointee, the Senate could be powerless to prevent it.

I admire Harry Reid enormously for adapting his stance on a divisive issue to suit a different atmosphere, especially in the face of “flip-flop” charges. But the circumstances have inarguably changed; in the last five years, Democrats have defeated over 360 Republican filibusters, setting a record.

Surely we cannot abandon the power of the filibuster on policy issues and appointments to the Supreme Court, but as our politics become ever more polarized, we need to focus on making our government more efficient on less crucial matters. In the wake of the government shutdown, politicians and average citizens alike must recognize the dangers of a purposefully insurmountable procedure in our legislative process, and ensure that even the most time-honored traditions can evolve for use in our modern political environment.

O

n December 11, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) , 2012 Vice Presidential Candidate and Chairman of the House Budget Committee, and Sen. Patty Murray (DWA), Chairwoman of the Senate Budget Committee, announced something that many observers of United States politics would have seen as impossible: a bipartisan budget deal expected to clear the House and Senate, a deal that could forestall tense gridlock and possible default for two years.

Under the budget deal, discretionary spending would increase to $1.012 trillion in the current fiscal year and $1.014 trillion in the next, with reforms to federal pensions, increases to airline fees, and cuts to Medicare providers, providing $23 billion in deficit relief. Like any legislation, the deal has received criticism. The left lamented its failure to extend unemployment insurance, while the right complained that the deal doesn’t go far enough to reduce the deficit.

Of much more interest, however, is how House Speaker John Boehner has responded to criticism about the deal from conservative organizations. Unlike his poor behavior during October’s government shutdown, Boehner has stood as a true leader, despite many outside pressures from influential groups like the Club for Growth and Americans for Prosperity.

In a December 11 press conference, John Boehner echoed what many on the left have said publicly and what many on the right have said privately regarding these conservative activist groups: “[These groups] are using [Republican] members [of Congress] and they’re using the American people for their own goals.” Boehner’s rejection of these groups shows a major shift in Republican leadership and marks a positive change in Washington politics.

The reason that Republican leaders like John Boehner have toed so close to conservative ideals in recent years is out of fear—fear that their colleagues will be “primaried” by extreme Tea Party candidates on the right. Sen. Tom Cornyn (R-TX), called the second most conservative Senator by National Journal, is facing primary opposition from Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX), who in a recent press release said, “Liberal John Cornyn wakes up every morning and works to make the Senate a more liberal place.”

This shift is risky, but it could pay off. GOP leaders are hoping it will garner mainstream support for the party come 2014, helping them make needed gains in the Senate.

However, if it doesn’t play out as hoped, this shift—from hard bargains to pragmatic compromise—could hurt Republicans in 2014, specifically in the Senate. Enraged Tea Party activists may send extreme candidates to general elections and cause established Republican seats to capitulate to Democrats.

DECEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

6

opinion Letter to the Editor The Dress Code from a Guy’s Perspective

Joseph Ambrosio We get it.

You need to express yourself.

But independence isn’t the only thing that you’re showing off with those shorts you bought with you parents’ money. The school gets really hot in the summer and the lack of air conditioning pushes students to desperate measures to keep cool, but when you show up to school in an outfit that you’d probably hesitate to wear around your family and then complain that a teacher sent you home to change your shorts and put on a real shirt, claiming that the school targets you and all of your systematically oppressed friends, what you’re doing isn’t arguing or even sticking it to the man— you’re simply attempting to justify your blatant disregard for a perfectly reasonable rule that you have deemed unfair and thus refuse to abide by. And quite frankly, it’s kind of annoying.

At first, I believed that maybe the administration was a bit too strict about the dress

code—that is, until I actually read the dress code in the student handbook and realized just how much leniency teachers actually give the free-spirited ladies of Highland Park High School. Did you know that “exposure of even partial cleavage is not permitted”?

shorts quite fabulously), I can personally say that the dress code does not only target girls. Teachers also tell guys to take their hats off—not because they like to pick on guys for wearing hats, but because guys simply wear hats a lot more often than girls.

Instead of complaining, they should thank the administration for not enforcing this rule as tyrannically as they could. The rule that shorts must cover up to five inches above the knee has been modified to the dreaded “fingertip length” rule, which gives students a lot more leeway than the previously designated five inches. The next time you’re about to lift your shoulders up to shorten the length of your arms and then object, claiming that you have long arms and it’s unfair, accept the fact that you violated the dress code and move on.

The same logic applies to the short shorts rule. Just as teachers crack down on guys wearing hats, they also disproportionately enforce the shorts rule on the females.

That’s not to say that guys don’t get reprimanded for wearing inappropriate shorts.

My purple Irving School shorts that I wore during spirit week my sophomore year? I was told to measure up. Fortunately, my fingertips didn’t fail me, and I was allowed to continue rocking the short shorts.

“You can see my shoulders, big deal. I didn’t realize shoulders were so offensive,” I hear all the time. Yes, I agree, a student could wear significantly more offensive and revealing clothes, but that same student also understands—just as well as the next person—that shirts with little to no straps draw a lot more attention and are a lot more suggestive than a t-shirt or shirt with thicker straps. No one is asking to show up to school in a winter coat and baggy sweatpants every day—they are simply asking for you to abide by a reasonable rule.

As a student who has been reprimanded time and time again for violating the dress code during spirit week (although I must admit that I can pull off a pair of booty

This past spirit week? Dr. Williams actually called into the office a student who violated the dress code by cutting his t-shirt into a crop top and told this student to send out a warning text to all of his friends, telling us to cover up dress code-violating attire. Not even spirit week could break the chains of the oppressive dress code. Yes, we were angry. Yes, we were frustrated.

But we didn’t try to justify it. We simply put on another shirt and moved on with our lives.

The main reason girls complain more about the dress code is due to how socially accepted it is for them to dress in a revealing manner. If a guy showed up to school one day in an outfit breaking gender norms— short shorts and all—he would probably get a lot of laughs; the next day, that outfit

would start to turn heads, grab attention, and maybe even make a fair share of students and teachers uncomfortable. Whether it is society, self-consciousness, or the simple belief that many guys would look ridiculous in a spaghetti strap shirt, short jean shorts, and a pair of flip flops—something stops them from dressing that way.

Girls can get away with a lot more than guys, and when they can’t, they get angry. While you’re sitting in class, half-naked and using the weather as justification, us guys are wearing twice the amount of clothes and not crying about a dress code— not to mention how teachers have to dress formally even on the hottest days.

Seriously, ladies, you have it easy. When’s the last time you heard a guy arguing that he should be allowed to wear inappropriately short shorts and a shirt held up by nothing but his chest? Honestly, you really don’t have it that bad. So please, just stop complaining.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? If you’d like to respond to anything you’ve read, e-mail your letter to the editor to thehighlandfling@ gmail.com to get published in the next issue!

Xmas or Christmas?

I

Maddie Hehir

t’s the holiday season, and while Diwali and Chanukah may be over, some winter holidays are still yet to come. Kwanza begins on December 26, and Christmas the day before. There is often the misconception that Kwanzaa is a religious holiday when in actuality, it is strictly a cultural celebration. However, this brings up an interesting question—is Christmas, now considered an integral part of American custom, more of a cultural celebration or a religious holiday in honor of the birth of Jesus Christ?

There’s always been something special about Christmas, and I may be biased because celebrating Christmas is a part of my family’s tradition, but something magical

happens when the calendar reaches December. While the air feels cold and the temperatures fall below frigid, that magic in the air warms up the entire month of December. For some people, that warmth comes from the idea of celebrating Jesus’s birth and honoring him on Christmas day, but for many others Christmas feels special even without a religious aspect. Both are evident at Highland Park as this holiday is split between the spiritual and the secular.

How can one holiday be both religious and secular? While Christmas originates in rejoicing in the birth of Jesus Christ, a figure in various religions, Christmas has taken on a new meaning with time. Even typical Christmas traditions allow the holiday to lend itself to being both religious and non-

editor-in-chief Oscar Lee layout editor Zoe Temple business manager Maddie Hehir head of photography Zoe Temple online editor Elena Weissmann news editor Sarah Cheng feature editor Jana Choi opinion editor Maddie Hehir sports editor Olivia Draper arts editor Elena Weissmann advisor Brett Roche

religious. Decorating the Christmas tree, baking cookies, sending Christmas cards, hanging up Christmas lights, or even waiting for Santa Claus are all exciting parts of the Christmas season that bare no religious meaning.

In fact, non-Christians celebrate Christmas in many countries around the world. History has brought Christmas to China and Japan due to former Western colonial influence. Some countries, of course, celebrate Christmas religiously. The United States has always been set apart due to its lack of national religion, but countries with a high percentage of Catholics such as Ireland, Italy, Mexico, and the Philippines honor Christmas religiously first by taking part in Advent (the season before Christmas in

the Catholic Church) and attending church on Christmas. In fact, Christmas and Easter are the two holidays with the highest church attendance.

While some devout Christians reject the idea of secularized Christmas, others feel that a crucial aspect of the timeless Christmas tradition involves the idea of the family coming together to celebrate, regardless of a religious connotation. I believe that Christmas is what you make it and that there is no right or wrong way to enjoy this truly special holiday. In Highland Park, the cultural diversity of our students is truly reflected by their method of celebrating the winter holiday season, whether it be Chanukah, Diwali, Kwanzaa, or Christmas.

writers Eli Liebell-McLean, Gabriel Trevor, Shana Oshinskie, Tia Wangli, Amita Shukla, Max Broggi-Sumner, Olivia Bridges, Avantika Yellapantala, Dawn Park, Jisu Jeong, Sarah Liebau, Miranda Safir, Joseph Ambrosio, Grace Chong, Camryn Kozachek, Tabitha Lumour-Mensah, Mary Yan, Michio Tanaka, William Chen, Becca Chant, Annie McCrone, Eli Copperman, Zoe Hudgins illustrators & photographers Gabriel Trevor, Miranda Safir, Jisu Jeong, Tia Wangli

the official newspaper of highland park high school highland park, new jersey 08904 . thehighlandfling@gmail.com . hpfling.tumblr.com . facebook.com/hpfling . @hpfling THE HIGHLAND FLING, DECEMBER 2013

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#WerkTeam W

Olivia Bridges

hen asked why working is important, most people will agree on this answer: money. It is the norm for adults and even college students to work a job to support themselves or their family, but what about for high school students?

Although the prospect of making money sounds awesome, is it a realistic goal while in high school? There is not just the loss of homework and studying time to consider, but participation in extracurricular and social activities as well. Some Highland Park students volunteered a peek into their own life and how their jobs impacted them both academically and socially.

At Rutgers New Horizons, Olivia Caputo ’14 teaches swim lessons. She deals with the responsibility of watching young kids in the pool, mentioning, “If they’re really not ready to go in the deep end, I take them in the shallow end. They are always in my eyesight, and I take extra precautions with kids that aren’t completely comfortable in the water.

I’ve never been nervous about having that responsibility.” Olivia works about 15 hours a week, which leaves her only a few hours for homework and study time. On the weekends, she has to decide if she wants to work or hang out with friends.

To make some money and get art experience, Amit Miretzky ’14 started working at the Academy of Art of Highland Park, for an average of six hours a week. “I’m interested in art, and when [the owner of the art academy] offered me a job I took it. It’s not very organized, but you get used to it after some time,” he said. For Amit, working has not cut into his academic life drastically.

Pete Murphy ’14 does yard work and other odd jobs anywhere from a few hours to 40 hours a week, depending on the time of year. He could not play football this year because

of the amount of work he had to do. “If I didn’t work, I might have [joined] more clubs or sports in high school, but I really love my job so I don’t really regret choosing to a work a lot.”

Rasheka Krishan ’16 agreed that working did take up a lot of time out of her day, but moments like these make it worth it: “One of the kids walked up to me and she said ‘Miss Rasheka, I like your hair. You look like a girl.’ It took her a second to realize that it came out wrong, and then said I looked more like an adult.” She grades work and tutors children at Kumon for about five hours a week.

Rebecca Tayts ’16 has been working at the Yellow Brick Road daycare since the start of the school year, typically for 12 hours a week. “I’m never annoyed by them because I like kids, but when I first started it was kind of intimidating because I had never been in charge of a big group of people before,” she said. Right now she is taking a break from work during basketball season because of daily practice. Rebecca had to give up playing on the soccer team in the beginning of the year because of her job. “I think working is a really good experience, plus you’re making money. Working is a good idea if you have the time for it and if you have reasonable hours,” she shared.

Working can give you both money and experience to get the jobs you want later in life, but it can also have the ability to negatively impact you academically. As Tennessee Williams once said, “you can be young without money, but you can’t be old without it.”

If you are interested in an after school job, or working in general, make sure that you have your working papers. In New Jersey, minors must have working papers to be considered legal workers. These papers, or “employment certificate” can be obtained from your guidance counselor. Get hunting!

Hot Wheels Camryn Kozachek For high school students, one of the most important rite of passage is earning the right to drive on the open road. With sophomores awaiting their 16th birthdays to obtain permits and upperclassmen receiving licenses, the Highland Fling interviewed several students about their own experiences behind the wheel.

When did you get your driver’s license or learner’s permit?

Joon Ko 2 months ago. I got it on my birthday.

Nautica Dennis I got it on November 12.

Thomas Garrity 5 months ago.

Kiara Weinstein I’ve had my permit for about 3 weeks.

What is the funniest and/or scariest thing that has ever happened to you while driving?

Joon Ko I was driving down the highway after a volunteering service and I had 3 friends in the back. They jerked on my steering wheel, and we almost crashed into a barricade on the highway going 60 miles per hour.

Nautica Dennis I’d probably say intersections are the scariest. The funniest story was when my battery died while I was actually driving.

Thomas Garrity One of the funniest would be when we went to McDonald’s and the guy was very nervous giving us our food because we were being rude to each other and he was witnessing it. Then we went from McDonald’s to Burger King, and tried to trade in our McDonald’s food for Burger King food at the drive through. Did it work? No. And then, people threw soda out of my car, and one of my friends behind me just punched the soda can right through the car seat and the wall, so it all exploded on my face as it was going out. What about scariest? Whenever there’s a cop around. And hydroplaning, which is insane. It’s beyond anything I’ve ever comprehended. It’s so scary because you have no control, and you could kill someone. You could hit a car, and it’s just unbelievably scary.

That’s the scariest moment that’s ever happened to me while driving.

Kiara Weinstein It’s pretty scary when you’re on a busy road or a highway and someone cuts you off. It’s like you finally get comfortable and then someone speeds right in front of you and scares the life out of you.

Have you had any close calls in your car?

Nautica Dennis I almost hit a mailbox when I was turning a corner once.

Thomas Garrity A lot. How many do you need? I’ve almost hit a lot of people. I’ve hit cars. I’ve knocked someone’s license plate off. I’ve hit leaf bags and they’ve exploded.

I’ve hydroplaned a lot of times, because my car is super top heavy. I’ve almost been blown over into other cars. Sometimes the wind blows me—a truck comes by, and it just pulls me into it, so I’ve almost hit a truck. I’ve almost rammed into people because the roads were wet and I braked too late.

Kiara Weinstein Just today actually I was driving with my dad. He has a huge Durango and I feel like a midget in it. We were driving over the bridge into New Brunswick and I got too close to the wall. I thought my dad was going to kill me—he was so mad.

Do you have any advice for new drivers?

Joon Ko Focus when you drive, and don’t drive with friends.

Nautica Dennis Think wisely, and don’t just drive just for the sake of driving.

Thomas Garrity There is a cushion on the speed limit—10 miles over maximum—because everyone drives over the speed limit. Just don’t drive as fast as the guy in front of you. If the light’s yellow, you can usually make it. Advice for people who are going get their license: take the hour beforehand to practice so you know the course. It makes it so much easier, and that’ll help you a lot.

Kiara Weinstein Don’t be nervous when you’re driving. If you’re a new driver, with a license or just a permit, just be comfortable. If you’re freaking out or worrying about little things, you could cause something bad to happen. If you stay calm in the beginning, it’ll become second nature to you and you won’t even have to think about it.

Are you currently or do you plan on being an organ donor? Why or why not?

Joon Ko I am an organ donor, because when I’m dead, I won’t need them anyways.

Nautica Dennis No, I just didn’t want to.

Thomas Garrity No, I didn’t know you could sign up for that at my age. I would be, but I didn’t know.

Kiara Weinstein I haven’t put much thought into being an organ donor or not. But I’d probably do it. There are so many people who need working organs and are just waiting for a match. It would be such a waste if I didn’t donate my working organs if I passed.

Do you have your own car? What do you usually use your car for?

Joon Ko No, I use my parent’s car—usually to drive to my volunteer service on Saturdays.

Nautica Dennis Yes, I use it for important things like going to work.

Thomas Garrity No, I share it, but I use it a lot for recreational purposes, or for driving to school.

DECEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

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“THE BEST YEAR Under Pressure

sor tres s t

6%

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e

s the grea te sa r s a

SENIORS — 76%

JUNIORS — 79%

SOPHOMORES — 87%

The diagrams below show three of the most commonly reported causes of stress among students.

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The thermometers at left display the percent of students who feel stress daily, by grade level.

WHAT CAUSES STUDENTS’ STRESS?

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FRESHMEN — 58%

HOW MUCH DO STUDENTS STRESS?

Whatever the circumstance in your life, use this break to relax. Drink tea, listen to music, play videogames, sleep—do whatever it is that helps you de-stress. A little less stress goes a long way: you’ll feel happier and healthier. Give your body a well-deserved respite.

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In Highland Park, the freshmen report the least amount of stress. “[Ninth grade] seems a bit easier than eighth grade. There’s certainly less homework,” one freshman revealed.

This freshman finds that the greatest amount of stress stems from social pressures. Freshmen experience more social pressure than any other grade in school. Only one-third of freshmen name schoolwork as the greatest stressor in their lives, in stark contrast to the upperclassmen. Stress spikes the following year—sophomores stress more than any other

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In the past thirty years, the percent of college freshmen who rated their own emotional health as “above average” has fallen from 64 percent to 52 percent, according to a 2011 UCLA study. Additionally, a survey by the American Psychological Association reveals that 45 percent of teens feel more stressed this year than last year.

And at long last, the highly anticipated senior year arrives with its promise of relaxation and stress-free living. How does the reality of senior year compare to the idealized senior year? While one lucky senior in every four surveyed reports no stress—or, in other words, a bad case of senioritis—one in every three surveyed seniors finds themselves buried under great stress every day. “You don’t have time to do what you want to do, with schoolwork and college apps and extracurriculars. So the first two months have been rough,” Nina Xue ’14 explains. To the underclassmen, she offers words of reassurance, “I feel like stress is a normal part of every high schooler’s life. It’s an experience you have to learn and go through. If you don’t have stress, you’re not pushing yourself to the max.

I think a little stress is good.”

sc

S

tress is the human body’s natural response to any demand. Not all stress is bad: short-term stress can strengthen your immune system and even save your life.

Chronic stress, however, has the opposite effect—it can weaken your immunity and cause your digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems to stop functioning normally.

And, of course, we all know that a stressed person is not a happy person—long-term stress can cause anger, irritability, depressed mood, sleeplessness, and headaches. According to a recent survey conducted by the Fling, more than three-quarters of students feel some level of stress every day. Stress among teenagers is prevalent globally, and it is only increasing.

grade. Ananya Singh ’16, along with 55% of his grade, feels that schoolwork is the greatest stressor. “I spend at least an hour studying every day... You end up sleeping at three o’clock in the morning, and it’s tough. You’re always tired in school, and you can’t give it your all,” he says. The juniors, on the other hand, exhibit the greatest polarization—while half of juniors report feeling “great stress,” the class as a whole experiences less stress than the sophomores. Nick de la Cruz ’15 confirms that school is his greatest stressor, also—a few of his classes, namely AP Literature and Composition, deter him from practicing his guitar.

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Zoe Temple

46% of surveyed students cite schoolwork as the greatest stressor

10% of surveyed students cite social life as the greatest stressor

Test-Taking Tips Miranda Safir Many students will soon embark on the long journey that is standardized testing. The ACT and SAT are main two tests colleges accept. The highest score one can achieve is a 36 for the ACT (which stands for American College Testing) and a 2400 for the SAT (which stands for Scholastic Aptitude Test). These tests may seem overwhelming, so here are some helpful tips, which hopefully put you at ease and assist you in the test taking process.

Get the App The official ACT test has created an application for smart phones. It has practice tests built in for all of the tested subjects.

Purchase Review Books The College Board publishes their own prep book, which contains official past exams. This book is written by the actual test writers of the SAT.

Purchase Review Books Princeton Review makes a great preparation book, but some people may prefer the official ACT prep book. Both books can be purchased online or wherever books are sold.

Make Flashcards These can be very useful to memorize vocabulary words and formulas.

Make Flashcards Flashcards can be used to brush up on vocabulary. They can also be used to review math terms and formulas.

Review Science One of the biggest differences between the ACT and SAT is that the ACT contains a science section. Be sure to thoroughly review the science section during prep.

Write a Practice Essay It is always good idea to practice brainstorm for the actual writing in a specified time frame.

Upload Your Photo Like the SAT, the ACT requires a photo to be uploaded to the website. There is even another app for smart phones, which makes the process even easier.

Photo is required for the admission ticket.

Score Choice Remember you get you get to choose which individual test scores to send to colleges. This means colleges only see the score you want them to.

THE HIGHLAND FLING, DECEMBER 2013

Take SAT Classes The Teen Center offers SAT preparation classes for a low fee of $50.

The class also provides the official SAT prep book.

Do a Practice Essay Practice the essay questions. Go online find the recently released essay questions. Practice brainstorming ideas and writing actual essays.

Check the Test Dates Make sure you sign up for the exam in advance to avoid late fees.

Super Score Super scoring is when colleges only look at your highest scores for each section individually then add them up.

Subject Tests Remember many colleges also require at least two subject tests. These tests should be taken in subjects you feel most comfortable and knowledgeable in.

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RS OF YOUR LIFE”

The Secret to College Admission Grace Chong

As Fred Hargadon, former dean of admission at Stanford and Princeton, once said, “The big secret in college admission is that there is no big secret.” For those crazy, ambitious students looking for a specific formula for admission to Harvard, Princeton, or Yale, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but such equation does not exist.

Unfortunately, some high school students spend their entire high school career creating over-the-top applications to the Ivy Leagues. Because we are brainwashed by our society that Harvard equals success, most of us miss our chance to enjoy high school and are obsessed with standardized testing scores and the number of extracurricular activities on our resumes. It might seem ironic that I’m writing these words, since I’m one of the overachievers in the school, but as a senior looking back at my stressful years of high school, I now realize that the purpose of high school is not to create a flawless, inauthentic application, but to explore one’s passion and to set goals beyond getting into any one school.

Although we should not devote our entire high school years to college apps, we, as students, are still responsible for keeping up our grades and eventually going on to some institution in the future, whether academic or vocational. For academic colleges, there are a couple points to keep in mind.

BUILD YOUR FOUNDATION

WHERE AND WHEN TO APPLY

COMPLETE THE APPLICATION

A Strong Academic Record You want to have the highest GPA possible. Your grades will be used for various purposes: college transcripts, scholarships, job resumes. You should not only focus on the numbers, but also strive to take challenging Honors or AP classes. Getting an A in AP Literature is more challenging than getting an A+ in a college prep English class.

Create your college list When forming your list, you need to consider your interests, not just college rankings.

So the first step is not to search up the top schools, but to take time to explore possible career path, based on your passions. Make sure you consider other factors, such as cost, selectivity, distance, and campus environment. Once you find colleges of your interest, divide them into reach, likely, and safety schools. Reach schools are the most selective, and safety schools are the colleges you’ll most likely be admitted to. Then, preferably during the summer, visit some of the schools to know if you can commit four years to that college.

The Application Form On the Common App, there are six parts: profile, family, education, testing, activities, and writing. The first five are pretty simple, since it’s filling out information and numbers. You need to be truthful throughout the entire application. If you lie about an activity you never did, colleges will find out, reject your application, and tell other colleges. Also, proofread your application for any typos or mistakes at least three time.

Standardized Exams A golden piece of advice to procrastinating students: start early! Procrastination is never an option with the SATs. Freshmen: it’s never too early to start studying SAT vocab flashcards. Sophomores: you need to seriously start preparing this summer if you want to be a National Merit Scholar for the PSATs. Juniors (and hopefully not seniors): take official practice tests and review your mistakes to raise your scores. If your scores don’t increase even after taking a multitude of SAT practice tests, try the ACTs. The most successful students are those who plan and start early, so be one of them!

Extracurricular Activities Join clubs and sports that you’re truly interested in, because you can find your passion and goals through extracurricular activities. Focus on quality, not quantity. It’s not the number of activities you have on your application, but your commitment and leadership to a few activities you’re really devoted to.

Know the deadlines There are three different options/ deadlines: Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision. Early decision means you can only apply to one college, and if accepted, you must go to that college since it is a binding decision. For Early Action, you can apply to multiple schools, and if accepted, you can accept or decline. For both Early Action and Early Decision, you will hear back in mid-December. Regular Decision is similar to Early Action, except you will be notified much later, such as in the early spring. Some schools report that students have a better chance of being accepted if they apply early, so aim to apply through Early Action or Early Decision. At some schools, there is also Rolling Admission, which means that the college accepts applications as they come up until a certain date. Rutgers University is one of these schools.

The Essays Every dean of admissions offer the same advice about essays: Be yourself. Don’t try to be someone else—find your own voice and write your own story. Tell them something they don’t already know from your application. This is your chance to show your personal qualities, motivations, and interests. Many admission officers learn the most about applicants through their essays—not their scores or grades. Try to start your essays the summer before senior year and go through more than ten drafts (not an exaggeration).

Recommendation Letters Find teachers whom you have a good rapport with and whom you’ve known for a long time. College admissions prefer teachers from your junior or senior year who taught you core academic classes.

Don’t ask for your letters in the fall when they are busy grading papers and writing additional twenty recommendation letters. Ask them during the summer or first week of school. Make sure you write a thank you note to them afterwards.

REED ON TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION... Reed College, located in Portland, Oregon, and pictured above, is one of many schools on CommonApp.

College by the numbers harvard 4,140 $35,200 acceptance rate average college debt colleges in the 5.79% after graduation united states DECEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

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Keep Warm Winter Recipes Optional (and yummy!) additions:

Jana Choi Avoid the trouble of rolling pie crust and the sugary filling of traditional apple pies by trying this baked apples recipe. Everyone gets their own “pie,” and the filling can be customized to anyone’s taste buds.

5. Place all of the apples in an 8x8-baking pan and fill with 1 cup of water.

Dark chocolate chips

6. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes.

Orange zest

7. Uncover and bake for until soft, about 20 minutes. At this time, you may place a pat of coconut oil or butter to give the apples some sheen.

Dried fruit Natural peanut butter

Single-Serving Apple Pie Cake

8. Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Whatever you’d like!

Serves: 4 Directions: Ingredients:

1. Preheat oven to 375˚

4 Apples (Honey Crisp and Pink Lady apples are great for baking)

2. Wash and core the apples with a paring knife. Aim to create a well in each apple about 2 inches deep and 1 inch wide.

¼ Cup of oats 3 tbsp. Honey

3. In a bowl, mix together oats, honey, spices, and any optional additions.

1 tsp. each of ground nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon

4. Evenly distribute the oat mixture among the 4 apples.

Sarah Liebau This is a very delicious and wholesome recipe I came up with a few weeks ago when I decided to throw together some vegetables in my fridge to make a nice meal. It is incredibly easy to make and to substitute with other ingredients, so if you don’t have all the ingredients, no worries!

Vegetable Pasta

Directions:

Serves: 4

1. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan 2. Put pasta in and allow to cook.

Ingredients:

3. While the pasta is cooking, heat up a pan with olive oil, add peppers, onions, salt, and pepper.

1 box of dried fettuccine pasta

4. Cover and allow them to cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are softened.

2 bell peppers, sliced ¾ cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

5. Once the pasta has finished cooking, strain and place back in pot, and coat with olive oil.

2 tbsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 large onion, diced

6. Once the vegetables are done, add them to the pasta, along with the arugula, cheese, and lemon.

olive oil, as needed

7. Stir until combined and serve.

2 handfuls of arugula salt and pepper

Walking for Wishes Tabitha Lumour-Mensah & Mary Yan

raise money, the DECA chapter decided to host a winter-themed walkathon.

Maybe you have heard the amazing story of Batkid, a five year old named Miles. Although Miles was diagnosed with leukemia, he never lost his sunny disposition or desire to help others. For this reason, the Make-A-Wish Foundation decided to make his dream come true and the organization transformed the city of San Francisco into Miles’ personal Gotham City for a day. Using volunteers, actors, and decorations, the Make-AWish Foundation created a completely immersive experience for Miles. Hearing Miles’s story, and the stories of sick children around the country, the Highland Park DECA chapter decided to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In order to

Almost 200 middle and high school students participated in the walkathon on November 22. All of the participants raised at least $10. This could not have been possible without the help of many school administrators and teachers, like Mr. Lassiter, Mr. Campos, and Ms. Gloff in the Middle School and Dr. Williams, Ms. Harper, and Ms. Wilson in the High School. Many teachers and other staff members also contributed to the cause by excusing students from their classes throughout the duration of the walkathon.

Through the walkathon, Highland Park DECA raised over $1,900 for the MakeA-Wish Foundation.

‘MURKA Highland Park DECA members participate in the town’s Veterans Day Parade as part of their project that supports the troops.

Love for Our Troops Zoe Hudgins

GRANTING WISHES Highland Park students and faculty walk to raise money.

THE HIGHLAND FLING, DECEMBER 2013

This year, the Highland Park DECA team of Sarah Cheng ’15, Zoe Hudgins ’15, and Matea Hammond ’17 chose to support to the troops in Afghanistan by sending them care packages and cards. In addition, the group is helped a non-profit organization called “Operation Showing the Deployed Some Much Needed Love,” where people across America send their very own care packages to troops in need. The team, along with the entire school, provided enough supplies to send 15 care packages to the troops in need!

They decided to help the troops because they felt their necessities were often overlooked. Highland Park DECA wanted to support and honor those that have fought, are fighting, or have passed away for this country. The project also helped us keep alive the dreams of our future troops and bring hope for our current heroes. As Hillary Clinton said, “No matter what you think about the Iraq war, there is one thing we can all agree on for the next days— we have to salute the courage and bravery of those who are risking their lives to vote and those brave Iraqi and American soldiers fighting to protect their rights.”

GRAVITY

BLACKFISH

WADJDA

BREAKING BAD

GIDEON’S ARMY

KEY & PEELE

THE ACT OF KILLING

ENLIGHTENED

12 YEARS A SLAVE

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN

THE GOOD WIFE

VAMPIRE WEEKEND DIANE YOUNG

ST. VINCENT BIRTH IN REVERSE JESSIE WARE DEVOTION

BEYONCE BEYONCE

KELELA CUT 4 YOU

TORO Y MOI SAY THAT

CIARA CIARA

film television

BRITNEY SPEARS PERFUME JANELE MONAE THE ELECTRIC LADY

songs albums

BLOOD ORANGE MARIAH CAREY (feat. MIGUEL) YOU’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH #BEAUTIFUL

ARIANA GRANDE YOURS TRULY

VEEP

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“BEST” OF 2013

DECEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

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Homegrown Talent Michio Tanaka Many think about making music in the four years they spend in high school, and a few even go public with it, but come June at the end of senior year, everything changes.

Everyone goes their own way, money becomes an issue, and anyone interested in the arts has to evaluate the financial and real-life practicalities of their calling. To find out how they navigated that crossroad, the Fling caught up with Ashton Burrell (TC1) ’10 and Kenneth Haskins (Reek Havoc) ’06 of the Mile Long Boyz and Daniel Padgett (DannyP) ’13, musical talents hailing from Highland Park.

How would you describe yourself to someone who is unfamiliar with your work?

TC1 Basically, I’m a lyricist as well as just a creative music person. I like creating different types of music that stands out from the normal hip-hop genre. You know, I just try to say clever little metaphors that catch them and make them say “oh,” that keep them in the wild.

Reek Havoc When we speak to other people, they say we have a different sound... I guess it’s just the combination of two lyricists coming together with an R&B smooth vocalist. I guess that makes it kind of different.

DannyP I’m an 18-year-old hip-hop artist from Central New Jersey. I’ve been making music for about 2 years now and excited every day to able to make awesome music for everyone. I’m always trying to spread positivity, and put out fresh material as often as I can. Catchy hooks, deep lyrics, and positivity are what I’m all about!

How would you say your involvement in music has changed since graduating from high school?

TC1 I think if I knew what I know now, I would have definitely tried harder in high school. I definitely think we had a good start in high school, and then once we got out of high school, it opened up our networking to different things. After school, when we were in high school, it would be like we were knocking songs out every day—and I mean every day, but that was because we didn’t have as much to do. But now that we got older, you have more stuff to do, like work or school or college papers. Everything starts to pick up a little more and you don’t have as much time as you did in high school. I spent more time in high school on music, but I would say promotion and more of the serious business picked up after high school.

Reek Havoc It got a lot more real, you know. Being younger, just starting out, you don’t get to see it for what it is... Everything is great right now so you get a false sense of how great everything is. We’ve really seen what it was, how music really was, but I can say that we really like it.

We’ve grown; the love and the passion for it has grown stronger I believe.

DannyP After high school, you realize a lot. There’s no more room for playing around and messing up. This is real life. Every move I make counts. Music is easily one of the most important parts of my life. A lot of people use music for entertainment or listen to it when they’re bored.

Not me. I make it a lifestyle and it affects every decision I make. There’s music out there for every emotion you can feel. I love it on another level, and most people wouldn’t be able to comprehend it. If that role hasn’t stayed the same, it’s only gotten stronger.

So it has gotten more serious.

TC1 Things definitely got more serious. We now make the age requirements to get into the clubs, so we could get into a lot of places we weren’t able to get into before.

We’re not just kiddie teen rap now, you know? Now we can sustain another, more powerful image. In high school, it was cool because we were local. We started to become the popular thing in school, and then things really changed for us. When we started advancing, we got on World Star, and people from Iran were writing to us like “We love Mile Long Boyz.” So it changed when people from all over the world were all like “We all love you guys” and we’re from such a little town. So we started taking it more seriously.

THE HIGHLAND FLING, DECEMBER 2013

Reek Havoc Oh yeah, we just saw some of the possibilities that are available through hard work, when you really stay consistent with the music and your career... So I believe that, definitely, we got a little bit more serious.

DannyP Yes, I take music a lot more seriously since I graduated high school. Once I learned I can actually change people’s perspectives on life and help them through certain situations, I immediately realized I can make more of an impact on people than what I thought I ever could. I always keep it fun and inspiring though—that will never change. I have not thought about making it a solid career in all honesty. There are a lot of things I’d like to accomplish in life, and although making music is my favorite thing to do, it’s very hard to take it to the next level and support a family. It’s not out of the question for me though!

Has Highland Park specifically influenced you?

TC1 Well, it’s where we got our name from. I think it played a big influence. I mean that’s where we all met, that’s where everything started, everything that we do.

Mile Long Boyz shaped the last couple years of my life.

When we first got to college—AJ and I went to college together and they had a talent show. We were in the talent show and everybody loved us, so we got Mile Long Boyz out there in PA. So it definitely played a big influence in our music—basically the starting point. You can’t forget where you came from.

Reek Havoc I love Highland Park High School. I can’t lie.

I am glad when I say that I went to school there and I came from there. It was a very small school. It was very tight.

Everybody knew everybody. Everybody showed us love. I think that’s what affected us—it pushed us to keep going.

If people hadn’t given us that positive feedback, I don’t think that we would have stuck with it as long as we have.

DannyP Definitely. Our town is so diverse and you get such a wide perspective on life in general. I’ve been exposed to so many different situations while growing up in this town that I’m sure I wouldn’t have been a part of, if I had grown up in a different town or city. That definitely impacts my music 100%.

It seems in large schools, everything kind of drowns out. You are more noticed in a small school.

Reek Havoc It’s so prominent now. Everywhere you go you hear, “Oh I do music. Oh, I rap or I do this or I have a…” If you go to a big school, you might have four or five different people who do music or who rap, so now you’re trying to fight it out or it’s almost a competition. Everybody pretty much embraced us so I definitely appreciate that.

DannyP I think what it honestly is, is the immediate connection we have with each other. Since our school is so small, we become very close with each other, and that leads to close friends and even teachers giving you immediate criticism and compliments. Music will spread around very fast in Highland Park because of the size. In other schools, you might have more people to share your music with, but the reviews and opinions may not be authentic. In fact, the first song I ever made (very embarrassing), I showed to my friend Alex Vanarthos. He thought it was actually really cool and told me I should go for it and try and make more.

I thought that was crazy, because no one had ever told me anything like that. And then for the rest of high school I was just working on my music and trying to perfect my craft, eventually catching the ears of everyone in school and even most teachers. If it weren’t for Highland Park High School, I most definitely would have never made a song.

David Rush had that gigantic song way back— “Shooting Star”—the Party Rock remix of which landed number 33 on the Billboard Pop 100 back in 2008. Did that have any influence on your start? Just the fact that he was from Highland Park and the fact you could see it was possible?

TC1 It definitely played a big influence on us, and you know it’s Rush—he definitely showed a lot of new things to us that we weren’t used to seeing. He is basically like a mentor to us all.

Reek Havoc I won’t say that influenced us to start doing music. David, you know he was definitely a mentor and a really positive influence on us. Anything, anything he could do for us and any resources he could share with us, he did. He definitely helped us out. I can say that we wouldn’t have done a lot of the things that we have done without him. We’re really close to him. Actually, we’re related.

Me and Alteir, me and the other guy in the group, we’re related to David. He was kind of hesitant at first to put his name and put his stamp on it because he wanted to— you know, your name is all you have. If you are standing behind something or put your stamp on something and it’s not that good, then it makes you look bad in return. He wanted to make sure that we were groomed—that we had everything, that we were really serious. When he felt that way, he didn’t feel the need to really hold back anymore.

He felt like he could stand behind us and support us one hundred percent, family or not.

DannyP David Rush is the homie! That man inspires me all the time. He always has my back and gives me tips and pointers when I need them. He opened my eyes up to the industry and showed me that if I really wanted to take this to the next level, there’s no one stopping me except for myself. It’s really cool. Our music video “Know My Name” is still one of the first things I show people when they ask if I make music. Then their jaw drops. It’s really dope to have Rush on my side. I actually just sent him a few of my newer unreleased songs to see what he thinks!

Being that you started out at Highland Park High School what advice would you give to any current high school student who might want to go into the music industry or just try to start something?

TC1 Just keep grinding and use everything around you.

Put everything to use and all the people around you to use.

You know you have all these people in your class. You should be like “everyone has a smartphone. Watch my video real quick”—even if you don’t fully watch it, it’s a view. Make sure everybody just goes and checks your stuff out.

Reek Havoc Work hard and stay consistent would definitely be advice from me. And grow tough skin. You will definitely hear some things that you may not want to hear but you need to hear—you can only grow when you hear what you need to hear.

DannyP Be yourself, and always ask for criticism and advice from others. It forms you into a better, more wellrounded artist! Don’t be scared to ask for opinions!

Any projects you are working on that you can talk about?

Reek Havoc Everybody is right now currently pretty much working on some solo stuff. TC1 dropped a mix tape—Fly Life Volume 1. I plan on dropping a mix tape probably in the beginning of the year. The other member, AJ, is doing that. But then, you know, we’re planning on getting back together after that’s all over and making a reunion type thing.

DannyP Yes! I’m working on a new project dropping early 2014. Just know that it is next-level, and listen to it with open ears!

ORGANICALLY GROWN (left) The Mile Long Boyz; (right) DannyP

13

arts Catching Fire Burns Up the Scene he cast and crew were faced with a near-impossible task when making Catching Fire: forced to please both the die-hard book fans and those who went without reading a single page—and under financial and time restraints. Their job was akin to being in real Hunger Games. In spite of the difficulties, they did an outstanding job—pleasing all and producing a fantastic and beautiful movie.

a movie based on its visuals alone, Catching Fire is a sure exception. Breathtaking sights adorn the movie, from the very first scene when Katniss crouches in the forest, to the end, when she sets up an elaborate trap that involves lightning and arrows. Well-thought-out and gorgeous scenes take place throughout the whole movie, from Katniss’ infamous “mockingjay dress” to the killer monkeys. Almost $10 million was spent on special effects, and it shows—the movie is visually spectacular.

Striking the perfect balance between including the necessary scenes and omitting supplemental (although still wonderful) ones, Catching Fire used its two and a half hours well, employing superb acting, beautiful cinematography, and riveting action scenes to increase its appeal to all demographics.

The special effects also help with the fast-paced and exhilarating action scenes. Whether battling killer monkeys, fellow tributes, or poisonous fog, the movie brings the audience to the edge of your seat. Although there aren’t any car chases or gun shootings, there is enough violence to excite all thrill-seekers.

Of course, with such a cast, the acting was predictably awesome. Newcomer Sam Claflin (Snow White and the Huntsman) played the charming and handsome Finnick Odair, balancing his sass and charisma with a more serious undertone. Jena Malone (Sucker Punch), also a first-timer on set, was the spunky, angry, and hilarious Johanna Mason and added even more of an edge to her already interesting character.

Overall, Catching Fire is a brilliantly executed movie that will please fans of all ages and backgrounds. It left everyone with just one thought: When is Mockingjay Part 1 coming?

T

Shana Oshinskie

PLAYLIST Sarah Cheng

By this time of the year, anyone with “Summertime Sadness” still blasting needs to exit the premises immediately, along with the people who put up their Christmas decorations in mid-September. If your winter break consists of procrastinating on the couch while wrapped up in a blanket and sipping out of a mug of hot chocolate, give these selections a try. Some reflect the crisp December air, while others create a sense of wintry serenity.

Lady Gaga — Gypsy

And we cannot forget Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook), who graced the role of Katniss with spot-on fury, passion, and hilarious facial expressions that would satisfy even the pickiest viewers. The only role that seemed to fall short was that of her sister, Prim, portrayed by Willow Shields. While Prim is supposed to experience growth into a “serious woman” between the two books, she shows little emotion in any scene and appears robotic.

Katy Perry — Love Me

Imagine Dragons — Demons

Although it is superficial to judge

Ender’s Game Lives Up to the Book Eli Copperman In 2013, there’s been a lot of films with both ups and downs: Oz the Great and Powerful, Iron Man 3, The Great Gatsby, Man of Steel. But there is one film that stands out—Ender’s Game. Based on the best selling novel by Orson Scott Card, this film has proved itself to be just as good as the book, with worldwide success in the box office thus far, but the film earned mixed reviews from the critics, and according to Rotten Tomatoes, it received a 60% score based on 154 reviews and a 48% based on the 33 top critics. The site states, “If it isn’t quite as thought-provoking as the book, Ender’s Game still manages to offer a commendable number of well-acted, solidly written, sci-fi thrills.”

The film focuses on a boy named Andrew “Ender” Wiggin who is kicked out of his school. He is actually a very gifted child and gets sent to what is called the International Fleet, which is an advanced military academy in outer space that prepares students to fight off a future alien invasion. As time passes, Ender is promot-

ed at least three times, until he becomes a full-fledged commander. He also learns about the incredible Mazer Rackham, who managed to destroy a huge alien spaceship in one explosion. But we later learn Ender might not be in the academy because of his many gifts, but for another reason altogether.

When it comes to special effects and graphics, Ender’s Game gets it right. The effects add a lot to the movie.

But I’ve seen many movies with those kind of effects, like Lord of the Rings, The Avengers, and the Harry Potter franchise, and amazing visual effects—in place of good acting—are getting kind of old.

Ender’s Game featured many familiar faces. Asa Butterfield (Hugo) was cast as Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) as Patra Arkanin, Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) as Colonel Graff, and Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) as Mazer Rackham. Overall, they did a pretty good job acting, although I feel like they focused on the script a little too much and less on the mood. The actors paid more attention to what they had to say and not enough on how they should say it. There was definitely room for improvement.

On a brighter note, the script is well written, the scenes are nicely edited, and the effects and music are just fantastic enough to make the audience enjoy it in spite of various flaws.

Ender’s Game managed to be a great film, so as soon as you have the chance, go out and watch it. It has been quite a while since we have seen a novel-based film the same quality as its book. If you love sci-fi and adventure, then this is the film made just for you. I’m Eli Copperman, and I approve this movie review.

Coldplay — Fix You

Eminem (feat. Rihanna) — Monster

Maroon 5 — The Man Who Never Lied

Owl City — Vanilla Twilight

N’Sync — It Makes Me Ill

DECEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

14

arts

Blurred Lines

S

Oscar Lee

ome people like transcendental proto-grunge. I like Nicki Minaj.

And while I wouldn’t put myself in the same legion as most of Nicki’s Barbz, I do quite enjoy “Super Bass.” But whenever I profess my fondness for Ms. Minaj, I always experience this twinge of selfconsciousness and shame—as if I were admitting to some crime against humanity.

Although many will deny it, most like pop music—after all, pop does means popular, and as its inverse, (I think) indie means “unpopular” (and by extension super cool and hip) music, by bands like Grizzly Bear and Vampire Weekend. The only problem with that designation would be that both of the aforementioned bands have charted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200, with Vampire Weekend’s latest effort Modern Vampires of the City debuting at number one. (Oops.) Ironically, an artist’s label does not help label, either, as Justin Bieber and PJ Harvey are signed to the same one.

Some of the best pop music rests at the top of the charts—Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Shakira—but there also exists music that sounds like pop, yet just floats alongside the far edges of the Billboard charts. What’s that? Is it good? Is it bad? Can I like it?

Should I like it? It is pop? Is it indie? Or is it—oh my—indie pop?

With that melding of (and general disregard for) genres, many innovative artists have arisen, combining slinky production and solid hooks with bold artistic visions.

Grimes is at the vanguard

of that shift. Her ethereal and haunting album,

Visions, seems more Björk than Mariah Carey, but upon closer inspection, both influences become evident in her vocal range and electronic flourishes.

Sky Ferreira’s new album Night Time, My Time similarly straddles genre boundaries. A former major label artist, Ferreira spurned the accompanying commercial responsibilities to pursue a more unconventional direction, yielding one of the greatest songs of the last decade “Everything Is Embarrassing” as a result.

Whether it’s crisp electro-pop or dusty tumblr-grunge, Sky Ferreira creates a sound distinctly her own.

For those unfamiliar, Charli XCX had a bit in that preposterously ubiquitous Icona Pop song about not caring and loving it (or something like that). The industrial feel and hazy aura of her debut True Romance call to mind 80s or 90s pop. In “You (Ha Ha Ha),” Charli XCX samples a Gold Panda track, creating a tightly wound pulse of anger and vindication. She is a product of our Internet age, getting her start on MySpace, and her music shows it, with its thick sheen of gloss applied over otherwise caustic tracks. Those disparate parts keep Charli XCX and other artists from neatly fitting into standard genre conventions.

We use definitions to quickly pigeonhole and prejudge, whether it be people or film or television or music. But in our twentyfirst century reality, they seem a teensy bit anachronistic, a product of a bygone era, when we needed to know the difference between the Smiths and ‘N Sync. What even are “indie” or “pop”? The music looped endlessly on Z100 (or college stations)? The music people pretend to like (or not like) on the basis of ill-conceived pretension? It all seems so silly.

The First Rule of Art Club...

T

Dawn Park

he Art Club is a great opportunity to share your artwork with your peers.

It is an after school extracurricular for people who have a passion for art.

With 15 members, the club allows students to work on various art projects together, whether collaborative or individual. While working, they can share their ideas with each other and give critiques on the work of others. These projects illustrate the collaborative and talented work that can be done by high school students.

The Art Club was founded in 2012 by Sendy Lin ’16. “There wasn’t an art club that already existed, and I thought that it was a

good way for people who have a passion for art to come together,” said Lin. “We hope it will be better than last year, with more and bigger projects.” This year, the Art Club is planning an art show in the spring. Students will display their own artwork.

But even with all the hard work, members can still enjoy themselves once in a while. People who are passionate about art can socialize with others who share similar interests. They can also listen to their favorite music while working hard. Sometimes, there are even snacks! Sendy said, “The Art Club is fun at times because you get to do things that you like and converse with other people who share your passion.”

Art Club also involves field trips that are decided and planned by the Teen Center.

Recently, the Art Club took a trip to the Apollo Theater in New York, where students explored the wondrous stage theater!

If you wish to show your artwork to everyone in the school, then the Teen Center Art Club is the perfect place to get you started.

You can display your work in the art show, get along with other people who have the same interest as you, and work with others as a team by sharing and listening to many ideas. Art Club meetings take place Fridays after school in the Teen Center conference room or the art room. Come and join today!

ARTSY Ruth Kang ’16 creates art for display.

ENTERTAINMENT ROUND-UP albums Out Now Beyoncé - BEYONCÉ

live Ms. Lauryn Hill

cinema Out Now

December 28, 8:00 p.m.

American Hustle

Britney Spears - Britney Jean

The Capitol Theatre

Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe

Port Chester, NY

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

$65-95

Her

Danny Brown - Old

Mykki Blanco

Juana Molina - Wed 21

December 31, 8:00 p.m.

Kellie Pickler - The Woman I Am

Gramercy Theatre

Kelela - Cut 4 Me

New York, NY

R. Kelly - Black Panties Xiu Xiu - Nina

$29.50 Shabazz Palaces December 31, 9:00 p.m.

January 14

Rough Trade NYC

Broken Bells - After the Disco

$25

Bruce Springsteen - High Hopes THE HIGHLAND FLING, DECEMBER 2013

Brooklyn, NY

Here Comes the Devil The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Inside Llewyn Davis Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?

Narco Cultura 12 Years a Slave

January 17 Gloria

15

sports

The Long and Winding Road W

Becca Chant

hile the great horned owl can fly up to 40 mph, the great Highland Park High School Owl Cross Country team runs an average of 8.76 mph, in a 3.1-mile race. The boys finished with a record of seven wins and three losses, and the girls finished with a record of nine wins and one loss. Led by Coach Tim Stark, both teams placed second in the blue division and placed well at sectionals. The girls missed qualifying for the state meet by a few crucial points. But because the many of the current team members are underclassmen, winning the blue division and qualifying for states is a very possible goal next season.

In 1961, a rookie boys Cross Country team led by Coach John Sylagyi made its first appearance, with a record of five wins and four losses. The following years, under the tutelage of Coach Bob Lozak, the team had records of 12-0 and 13-0 in back-to-back years, remaining a powerhouse well into the 80s. The team saw a decline in the 90s, with only one boy running for the Owls in 1994. With their record this year, the boys saw a huge comeback, a reversal last season’s outcome of 2-6.

The girls team was founded in 1972, the same year as Title IX, the law that protected women from discrimination in

school-related activities. The Lady Owls began their first season with a record of one win and seven losses, led by Coach John Chapman. A couple of years later, the girls had a record of 11-6 and produced a Group 1 State Champion in Judy Ruff. In recent years, there have typically been less than five girls on the team, leading them to forfeit most meets. In the past two years, the Lady Owls did not show a full team at sectionals, but this year, the girls ran a full varsity team with several alternates. The team ran with several players injured or out, finishing in sixth place and only several points behind the fifth place team. With a strong base, next season’s goal to make top five at sectionals and participate at states for the first time is closer than ever.

When asked to characterize cross country as a sport, boys team captain Owen Fessant-Eaton stated, “Cross country is a sport where, literally, when the going gets tough, the tough get going… and the going is tough from start to finish.” Why do runners keep running then? Researchers at Cambridge University found that the brain erases traumatic, painful and insufferable memories. Distance runners can forget the side stitches, muscle cramps, burning sensation and nausea that are generally found in the final sprint of a 5 km race. The distance runners of Highland Park remain dedicated and hardworking, as evidenced by the outcome of both teams’ successful seasons.

FORCE = MASS x ACCELERATION Gordon Szabo ‘16 runs full force in a cross-country meet.

It’s Better When You Pre-Game E Annie McCrone

ver watched a Highland Park sports team play amazingly? Ever watched them win? Ever wondered what makes them play their best? The obvious answer would be practice and it’s not wrong, but my meetings with some coaches and players suggested that there’s another big contributor to success: pre-gaming.

Pre-game rituals for players vary. When Mr. Ruck played, he had a tradition, “I wouldn’t put my uniform on until the last second.” Similarly, our players today carry on traditions as well. For Miranda Safir ’14, her pre-game rituals include always putting her right shin guard on first. “I always wear my grey compression shorts,” she said. Are these pre-game rituals superstitious? Maybe. But as a recent television commercial for Bud Light pointed out, it’s only weird if it doesn’t work. As I learned from these interviews, these rituals help players get their head in the game.

In some ways, more importantly than the ritual itself, is how you perform it. As Harry Landis ’14 said, “Make sure

you do the exact same thing every time.” He argues that having everything the same before the game is helpful because it allows you to plan for the actual game. The game should be the only part of your ritual that changes. Games are fast-paced and unpredictable, but if you’re ready, you can deal with it. “You’re not wondering ‘where are my shin guards?’ or ‘where are my shoes?’”

Rituals aren’t just personally based. Some involve the whole team. For example, according to Andy Powell ’14, the football team blasts music in the locker room and dances around before a game. It gets everyone mentally ready and excited for the game. In addition, rituals like this bring the team closer together. That’s something the football team has always emphasized—family. This spirit from a simple ritual can help a game.

There are practical rituals as well. Both Mr. Ruck and Mr. Roig make sure that all of their paperwork is in order before a game. They spend time thinking about the line-up.

Pre-gaming is important because it has both mental and physical aspects, much like a game does. Ruck said, “I

try to make sure everyone’s head is where it’s supposed to be…. It’s all about mentally preparing yourself.” Roig emphasized the physical part of pre-gaming. He makes sure his players eat a good snack before the game, “You need something in your system, [otherwise] you won’t play well.”

Are we overestimating the importance of pre-game rituals? From the feedback from players, it’s clear we are not.

If anything, our school needs more pre-game rituals, and that goes for the fans as well. Mr. Ruck believes, “In soccer, where we lost, it was because of a lack of intensity.”

The intensity comes from those mental preparations—getting ready for the game in every way you can. “If you’re in the zone, you’ll think positively and it’ll help your performance,” said Mr. Roig. The points brought up by the coaches and the performances of players in games prove what many suspected from the start—it’s better when you pre-game.

“HUDDLE UP!”A pre-game ritual for the girls’ varsity soccer team is a team huddle to chorale energy and spirit.

DECEMBER 2013, THE HIGHLAND FLING

16

sports PLAYER PROFILE Name: Simone Kusnecov Grade: Junior Sport: Dance Olivia Draper Plié, relevé, fouetté. These three ballet terms, along with many others, are engraved into the brain of Simone Kusnecov. Spending the majority of her week buried in dance classes and recitals, this aspiring professional dancer pours her time and energy into perfecting every angelic step she performs on stage. Although this sport may not require a helmet or shinguards, Kusnecov is living proof that blood, sweat, and tears are fundamental aspects of the art of dance.

What first sparked your interest in dance, and how long have you stuck with this sport?

Simone Kusnecov I’m 16 now. My mom put me in dance when I was 3 years old, and I just stuck with it. I actually wanted to participate in gymnastics more than I wanted to dance at one point, but my mom would not let me because she thought I would fall off the balance beam and crack my head open. So I stayed with dance, and I learned to love it because I love show business—the costumes, the hair, the makeup. I also adore performing, and since I have a lot of energy, it all works out.

What types of dance do you participate in? Which is your favorite?

Simone Kusnecov I do Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, Modern, Lyrical, Tap, and Acro. My favorite would have to be between hip-hop and acro, but I can’t decide!

Where do you attend dance classes?

Simone Kusnecov I attend classes at Metuchen Dance Centre. I also frequently go to Broadway Dance Center in New York,

Name: Noah Pointer Grade: Sophomore Sport: Basketball and I also attend different dance conventions throughout the year.

Describe the achievement of which you are the most proud.

Simone Kusnecov There are so many achievements I’m proud of, I can’t even name them all. But I do remember I was always such a stiff dancer when I was younger—I didn’t quite know how to use my body. Now I have so much more fluidity and power, which has made my dancing exponentially better.

Do you have any role models?

Simone Kusnecov I always look up to hip hop dancers for making it to the pros without all the technique a lot of dancers spend their whole lives learning. A dancer I look up to specifically is Jared Jenkins; he’s a hip-hop dancer and choreographer, and I feel so lucky that I’ve had the opportunity to work with him. He never took ballet as a kid even though ballet is the basis of all other genres of dance, but he’s still amazing. He only started dancing a couple of years ago, and now he’s choreographing at World of Dance, which is a famous dance convention and competition.

What are your plans for the future, regarding dance?

Simone Kusnecov I definitely want to choreograph in the future, and I want to teach dance as well. Being a professional dancer is certainly something I’m working on right now because I figured, “why not get more opportunities now while I’m still young?”

Currently, I’m looking into Talent Agencies and professional dance groups.

William Chen Making Varsity for any sport is a difficult task, especially as an underclassman, but years of hard work and dedication has helped Noah Pointer make varsity. This year, Noah will play a crucial role in the success of the team.

When did you first start playing basketball and why?

Noah Pointer I started playing basketball when I was six, when my grandmother bought a hoop, so all the kids in the neighborhood would come and play. I continued to play because all my friends and everyone around me continued to play basketball. Another reason was that I was better than most people around me, which inspired me to keep playing.

How have developed and gotten better at basketball?

Noah Pointer I have been playing AAU since the end of last season, and it has really helped my understanding of the game, making me grow and become a more complete player. I have also been playing other sports in the offseason, which helps me stay in shape. Soccer helped my endurance and speed so I can run and push the pace. I also played football this year and that has helped my upper body strength so I won’t get pushed around.

Which professional athletes do you look up to and how do they motivate you?

but also because he is a hard worker. He really motivates me because I know he works incredibly hard. Last year, he tore his ACL and he worked his way back to the top. His hard work encourages me to work harder.

How does it feel to be the only freshman on varsity?

Noah Pointer It feels good to be on varsity because all of my hard work paid off.

At the same time, I was nervous because the coaches expected a lot from me. The nervousness motivated me to have the same confidence I had on the Middle School basketball team.

What are some goals you have for yourself, or the team this year?

Noah Pointer My main goal for myself is to be able to fill any role on the team whether it be scoring, rebounding, or playing a new position. Another goal for the team would be to improve the record from last year, which will be hard since many seniors left.

What are some memorable moments from the season?

Noah Pointer My favorite moment was when we beat Metuchen and Na-Dre scored the game winning shot; it was unbelievably exciting. Another moment was when Piney Arp broke his ankle at the Carteret game and tried to pretend it didn’t happen on the bus ride home.

Noah Pointer My favorite athlete is Derrick Rose because he is definitely one of the best players in the NBA,

BALLET AND BASKETBALL Simone Kusnecov ’15 (left) shows off her hip-hop talent; Noah Pointer ’16 (right) shoots hoops in a jump shot.

There’s a New Trainer in Town Miranda Safir Kerri Redden has joined Highland Park High School as an athletic trainer. She can be found at all home sports games. The Fling recently interviewed Kerri to learn more about her.

What drew you to be an athletic trainer?

Kerri Redden I was always interested in science and thought I would like to do something in the medical field. When I was in high school and found out about athletic training and thought it would be a good fit for me. It was a profession that would THE HIGHLAND FLING, DECEMBER 2013

allow me to be involved with sports, which I enjoy, and work in the medical field.

Did you play any sports in high school or college?

Kerri Redden In high school, I played basketball my freshman year, but knee problems prevented me from continuing with basketball. I played soccer all four years in high school. I decided not to play soccer in college because I wanted to concentrate on my studies.

What are the most common injuries you have been seeing in Highland Park athletics?

Kerri Redden At Highland Park, the most common injuries would be sprains and contusions. In my experience with athletic training, those are the most common injuries. I have also seen concussions, which are often underdiagnosed but can have serious long-term effects on an individual. Because of this, the state has instituted a protocol that athletes must complete before returning to games.

Are there any ways to prevent these injuries?

Kerri Redden There are many ways to prevent injuries. Some of the things

that can be done to prevent injuries are strengthening exercises, proper warm up and cool down at practices and games as well as proper nutrition and hydration. In addition, properly fitted equipment helps prevent injuries.

What do you think of Highland Park so far?

Kerri Redden I have enjoyed my time at Highland Park so far. When I first arrived everyone was helpful and made me feel comfortable. Everyone has been very friendly and I feel the school and the town are very close knit.