December 2015 by The Highland Fling

T H E

decemBER

V o l u m e LXXXIX - I S S u e 3

highland/ F L I N G

2015

It’s always SSUNS-Y Clockwise from top: A couple sophomore and junior girls pause for a selfie; Mr. Gold pretends to stomp on Chris Nolan’s head while Julia Brennan looks on; Farhan Rozaidi and Julia Brennan smile at the top of Mont Royal; the entire SSUNS team does silly poses at the night of laser tag; Irene Westfall, Olivia Estes, Noah Callahan, Adelina Branescu, and Julia Liebell-McLean pose at the Saturday night poutine restaurant.

or the students of Highland Park High School, school trips are a common occurrence, as music students participate in adjudicated festivals and DECA members attend multiple competitions. However, for a school as small as Highland Park High School, foreign trips are quite literally foreign as few to none of its students have ever been on a school trip abroad. This past November, however, select students on the high school’s Model United Nations team were able to attend Secondary Schools’ United Nations Symposium (SSUNS), a conference in Montreal. Each aspect of the trip had many unique and interesting parts.

INSIDE

Travel: SSUNS delegates kicked off their trip bright and early on Wednesday morning, a full day and a half before the conference started. Unlike usual conferences, the delegates traveled together on a small bus for SSUNS, ready for the long drive to Montreal. With comfortable seats and plenty of free time on the bus, most delegates ended up sleeping, watching films, or working on homework. The only major setback occurred at the border between the United States and Canada as delegates were stuck waiting for an hour as the bus ahead of them went through customs. Everyone made it through customs without

complications (to the great relief of Mr. Gold and Ms. Wilson) and continued on their drive to arrive in Montreal just in time for dinner. The return trip was even smoother with no hold up at customs. Altogether, traveling as a team was rather amusing, especially watching delegates use their phones as flashlights in the dark on the return trip in the rush to finish projects and assignments due the next day. Conference: Upon seeing the itinerary, the first reaction from many delegates was, “Why are committee sessions so short!?” While the Rutgers conferences Highland Park High School delegates usually attend run until almost midnight, SSUNS finished around 10 PM, leaving delegates with plenty of time to explore or grab a midnight snack in Montreal. Despite the shortened schedule and large committee size, delegates were still able to successfully represent their country, with individuals such as Chris Nolan ’16, Julia Brennan ’17, and Noah Callahan ’17, bringing back honorable mentions and awards for their diplomacy and drive. Food: Poutine is perhaps the trademark food of Canada and upon ordering the dish for the first time, there was a distinct divide between delegates who found poutine

to be rather tasty and those who couldn’t figure out why soggy fries and gravy would ever be a good combination. Other than poutine, delegates were also able to taste authentic French crepes (yum!) and experience amazing homemade mac and cheese with ham. Rather than immediately dining at their favorite restaurant as delegates would have done in New Brunswick, being in Montreal meant delegates could explore a variety of new tastes while also practicing their French when ordering. Activities: In Montreal, the activities seem to be endless! Despite only staying for four nights and four days, the Model UN team not only visited a number of edifying locations, but also relaxed and had fun together at local sites. Delegates received a taste of Montreal’s beautiful architecture and culture as they visited Basilique Notre-Dame and Mount Royal. Delegates further explored the city, touring local shops, Chinatown, and the Underground City where visitors could go shopping or even ice skating. The joy only continued as delegates visited otters and puffins in the Montreal Biodome and played laser tag on Saturday night.

differences from New Brunswick, the two most obvious being the significant presence of French and the usage of Canadian currency. However, during their stay in Montreal, delegates also learned more about the city and social issues as they witnessed major protests on multiple days and spoke with local students. Even in committee, delegates picked up a number of cultural differences, such as knocking on tables to show agreement with the speaker—the Canadian equivalent of America’s “snaps” to show approval. All of the delegates present can agree that SSUNS was an amazing foreign trip! It definitely achieved the goal of one—to continue educational pursuits while experiencing a new culture—as not only did delegates debate world issues in a significantly larger setting, but they also immersed themselves in a new city and encountered numerous new elements of the world. With such success in Montreal, it would be greatly beneficial (and exciting!) for both Highland Park High School and its students to see an increase in foreign trips and clubs attending foreign trips.

Culture: Upon arriving in Montreal, delegates immediately noted a number of

Tia Wangli

NEWS

opinion

feature

arts

sports

who is ben carson? 2

take a chance on me 5

rutgers as a last resort 6

game review: don’t starve 10

kicker spotlight 11

TWO

News

who is ben carson?

eal, inspire, revive. These three words, plastered in red and blue letters on bumper stickers and lawn signs, belong to none other than Ben Carson’s campaign, which makes sense, considering Carson’s status as a right-wing doctor-turned-politician who preaches values of protecting life and educating youth. He has developed a solid Republican fan base, surpassed Donald Trump in select polls, and convinced Americans that a clean slate in politics is not a hindrance in succeeding as a candidate—if anything, it’s a benefit. That being said, Carson—like Trump—has contributed his fair share of controversial comments. He has received criticism for his frequent comparisons of the United States government to Nazi Germany. In addition, he has said that Obamacare is like slavery and that if Jews had possessed more guns during the rise of the Nazi regime, the Holocaust could have been prevented. Further scrutiny has been focused on Ben Carson’s claims of teenage violence and of being offered a full scholarship to West Point, a prestigious military academy. When childhood friends of Carson were questioned by journalists, none could recall any signs of violence Carson displayed. Carson’s West Point scholarship claim also appears faulty as he never filled out an application for the academy and it never offered him a scholarship. Furthermore, Carson is a newcomer to politics—the presidential primary will be his first campaign. With no prior experience, he is not as familiar with the realities of governing as some of his more skilled competitors are. Presidential candidates’ foreign policies, in particular, have come under increased scrutiny after the ISIS attacks in Paris. Carson has been slammed by critics for his poor handling of foreign policy-related questions at debates, which they claim reflects his poor understanding of the matter. Controversy intensified after Carson claimed China was militarily involved in the Syrian Civil War, which both China and the United States have stated is not true. Even Carson’s senior advisor, Duane R. Clarridge, has told the press that Carson is not knowledgeable on the subject. Yet, none of these controversies seem to have wounded Carson’s campaign—if anything, they’ve bolstered his standing. To some voters, his lack of experience is seen as a benefit rather than a set-back. “He is attractive to voters who are against the status quo,” explained Noah Callahan ’17.

DECEMBER 2015 THE highland fling

What distinguishes Carson from other running candidates, though? At first glance, his pitch seems no different from Trump’s: an outspoken, Ivy League-educated Republican who hasn’t stepped foot in law school and shows no mercy when speaking his mind. However, his backstory holds potency that Trump’s lacks and has been the catalyst in the revival of his campaign. Ben Carson’s fame started prior to his presidential campaign; he was previously a neurosurgeon at John Hopkins Hospital and gained prominence in the medical community for separating two conjoined twins in a risky surgery. Before establishing himself as an esteemed neurosurgeon, he struggled to recover from a rocky childhood. Growing up in a low-income household, Carson had difficulty passing his classes and forming healthy

At first glance, his pitch seems no different from Trump’s: an outspoken, Ivy League-educated Republican who hasn’t stepped foot in law school and shows no mercy when speaking his mind. relationships with his peers. Only through the dedication of his burdened but optimistic mother and his own personal drive was he able to graduate successfully from high school and further his education at Yale University and later at the University of Michigan Medical School. His inspiring rise from poverty to fame was documented in his autobiography, Gifted Hands, a required reading in a handful of schools. Carson agrees with most right-wing views. He is a devout supporter of the Second Amendment—the right to bear arms—even going as far as to say, “I never saw a body with bullet holes that was more devastating than taking the right to arm ourselves away.” He believes that Obamacare is ineffective, climate change is irrelevant, and recreational marijuana use is criminal. While most of his views match those of the GOP, his stance on abortion differs from those of other top candidates, such as Donald Trump, in which he has displayed almost no leeway in his belief that abortion should be illegal in almost all circumstances—even rape and incest.

He doesn’t just talk the talk—Carson has explicit goals that he hopes to accomplish if he wins the election. For starters, he seeks to change major aspects of this country’s system of education. His first goal is to withdraw the Common Core—a curriculum that sets standards for schools across the country—due to its debated ineffectiveness. On top of that, he plans to increase school choice for families by pushing for more charter schools around the country. While he opposes a national, standardized approach to learning, he does wish to use his power over the Department of Education to regulate the presence of bias in public universities. In terms of his plans for reviving the economy, he wants to add the Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution. While this rule has been applied to various states’ budgets, it has yet to be ratified as an official amendment to the Constitution. If passed, it would require the United States to spend no more than it earns, theoretically helping reduce debt. Carson also looks to raise the minimum age needed for retirees to receive Social Security benefits—a move that would elongate the lifespan of the government program. Carson’s surging popularity follows Donald Trump’s domination of the Republican field. His rise from disadvantaged adolescent to famous doctor is inspiring to many—especially to those who hold on to the concept of the “American Dream.” Many, including Alex Saff ’17, find Carson’s promises of a better future for those disadvantaged a strong part of his campaign. His many awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, are a testament to his success. Carson also connects with African American voters, a group traditionally leaning Democratic in general elections. He is well-known within the black community for his rise to success and could potentially encourage them to vote Republican, a goal that has remained elusive for the party so far. In addition, he appears calm, confident, and collected in his performances at debates and speeches on the campaign trail, a blessing to many voters who are discontented with Trump’s unapologetically loud persona. The question is: Will this popularity last throughout the Republican primaries?

Adelina Branescu & Kaan Orgun

THREE

highland park and its Police

onfrontations between police officers and citizens have recently sparked a national debate over the use of force by officers, as well as how factors such as race affect these confrontations. High profile cases include the deaths of Freddie Gray, Michael Brown, and many other unarmed African Americans and other people of color who have been killed by police officers under questionable circumstances.

These deaths have spurned social movements such as the Black Lives Matter activist collective, which seeks to create a national discussion and ultimately, a solution, regarding the mistreatment of African Americans by officers. However, some officers feel that movements like these only set back the criminal justice system. Some believe that these movements demonize officers for doing their job, and that people participate in such movements simply to be part of a group, rather than to address a real issue. The movement also puts heavy scrutiny on officers who are accused, but not necessarily convicted, of brutality. Some so-called activists even post details of these officers’ personal lives online, which can be considered an extreme violation of their privacy. Many police officers see this as way for anyone to cry “brutality” without reason. There will often be an army of Internet users that come to the “victim’s” defense and unfairly demonize the officer. Despite this, there is no denying that violent confrontations between police officers and citizens have reached disturbingly high levels, especially for people of color. Seven hundred and seventy-six people have been killed by police officers in 2015 alone, nearly a third of whom are black. The relationship between the public and officers has become increasingly tense, as many are at a loss as to how to address this problem. This issue touches the school environment as well, due to the active role that law enforcement plays in many schools.

Several weeks ago a video of violence between a school police officer and a student began to circulate on social media. The officer flipped a student out of her desk, then dragged the student by her hair out of the classroom. Online and offline, the video created a furious public uproar. The officer was soon fired, although officials from the Spring Valley High School have defended the officer’s actions. His behavior was justified by the student’s refusal to leave the classroom after being disruptive, the officials explained. The officer was not in the school to induce fearful obedience into the students, though. Rather, he was meant to serve as a protector. Police officers in public spaces have become increasingly common as mass shootings become more frequent in the United States. Highland Park may have an incredibly low crime rate, but the relationship between the community and its police force is still a very important factor in how the town functions. The Fling sat down with the Highland Park Police Department’s Officer Joe Curbelo. Officer Joe is the Department’s Youth Officer, and though students may have seen him at the school before, he now only visits the school on official business; his presence at Highland Park High School is currently being reviewed and discussed by the administration. “Highland Park’s community has a great relationship with its police department,” Officer Joe said. “We’ve never had any complaints about brutality or inappropriate behavior by officers. New Jersey has a very good police training program, which is why you rarely hear about things like this happening in New Jersey. We are all also required to have microphones and cameras to record how we act.” These tactics employed by the Highland Park Police Department aim to foster a positive relationship with its citizens. Police-reform activists, including those associated with Black Lives Matter and the American Civil

Liberties Union, have been calling for these practices to be implemented on a national scale. When asked about how Highland Park Police Department officers feel when they hear stories of brutality in other states, Officer Joe responded, “When one officer does something inappropriate, we condemn them. It makes us all look bad, and no officer wants to be associated with [that] kind of thing.” Officer Joe also talked about the HP Human Relations Commission’s recent panel on police behavior, where town residents were given the opportunity to voice their opinions to Police Chief Stephen Rizco. Young people in the high school, as well as adult citizens, have mixed feelings about law enforcement. One woman a Fling writer spoke to described a time when three Highland Park Police Department squad cars blockaded her car after she was pulled over. This woman, who lives in the Triangle, felt that this was excessive. She believed that it wouldn’t have happened in another neighborhood of Highland Park or if she had been white. Other students have also recounted times where they felt Highland Park officers have been unnecessarily hostile or rude to them. Officer Joe explained that anyone who feels they have had a negative interaction with Highland Park Police Department officers are encouraged to file an anonymous report that describes the incident and suggested improvements. Police work is an important job, but also one that involves a very steep divide in power between those who serve and those that are served. This divide will certainly be less intimidating when police work moves toward greater transparency and honesty. With police officers like Officer Joe and active public voices working in tandem, this future doesn’t seem so far off. Sam Leibowitz-Lord

Field Trippin’

hristmas is coming soon, but Highland Park High School will be showering students with gifts throughout the year in the form of field trips and after-school activities. This school year will provide students with more field trips than they have ever experienced in a single year. With the growth of new and old clubs alike, most students will be able to enjoy at least one field trip this year. Highland Park already has several annual field trips. Some have already passed, such as the DECA Make-AWish Walk, the Veteran’s Day Parade, and the Rutgers Model United Nations conference. Other trips will occur within the next few months, such as the DECA Regional, State, and National competitions, the ACDA Music Festival, and the Physics Six Flags trip. New clubs, such as Spanish Outreach Club and Key Club, add to the number of school trips as well. Key Club members have already enjoyed their first field trip to Six Flags earlier on this school year, during Fright Fest. There is also a great influx of new members this year for all existing clubs. Whatever holes last year’s seniors left behind, the new freshmen have filled, and then some; most club have swelled in size. Model United Nations

members can hardly fit into Mr. Gold’s room for weekly after-school debates, and Ms. Harper, the DECA advisor, has compiled the longest list of DECA members she has ever seen. “We’re seventy-strong this year,” she exclaimed at the first DECA meeting, “so it’s going to be an exciting year!” With so many field trips and so many students attending these trips, there are different opinions throughout the school. The prospect of field trips excites just about every student in the school, such as Kyle Thieringer ’16, who believes that, “there could be more offered,” even though he wouldn’t, “go on all of them.” More school trips from different clubs and classes provide unique learning experiences for students that may struggle with the traditional classroom setting. However, some students are as concerned as they are excited. Absences from school often result in an increased workload to make up for lost time in many classes. Teachers especially have conflicting opinions on field trips. When a student spends half a week away from school, they miss assignments, class work, and other extracurricular activities. Students that already struggle to manage a heavy workload face even greater stress after a field trip. Maintaining a balance between in-school

and out-of-school education is difficult, particularly for students that participate in several trips throughout the year. Is it worth it? The majority of students still think it is. “I’m definitely biased toward field trips,” admitted Angelina Li ’17, “but what we learn through [field trips] can’t be matched in a classroom.” Mr. Lassiter, the school principal, can still recall a time where field trips were few and far between, as well as less exciting than the ones students enjoy today. Clubs such as Model United Nations, which has existed in the high school for years, have grown impressively. Nowadays, “MUNC-ies” have the opportunity to attend four club-related field trips, a sharp contrast to the single trip of the past. In some cases, Mr. Lassiter believes that field trips, “can get out of hand.” However, he agrees that these trips still provide a learning experience to students that simply couldn’t happen in the classroom alone. With that said, students, enjoy the rest of your school year and don’t forget to keep an eye out for the exciting new trips to come! Michelle Fan

THE highland fling DECEMBER 2015

FOUR

OPINION

what’s the most important part

of a teen’s life?

eenager. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “a person aged from 13 to 19 years.” This definition, though, doesn’t do the word justice. It fails to mention everything that happens in those seven long, life-changing years. It fails to mention all the all-nighters, the frustrations of writing seven-sentence paragraphs, the stress of finding “the” dress for prom. Binge-watching all the High School Musical movies, and watching every season of Gossip Girl on Netflix in one weekend can only prepare you so much for what’s actually in store in those seven years. You find yourself being forced to grow up, and actually having to think and consider about what you want to do with your life. You straddle the line between childhood and adulthood. Ever since I blew out those thirteen birthday candles last year, and entered high school in September, I have found that my life has been dominated by school and extracurriculars. The darker the bags under my eyes became, the more I realize that I’m beginning to prioritize my grades above my family and friends, and even my own independence. This, then, has made me wonder: What exactly is the most important part of a teen’s life?

Marzia Karim ’19 believes that education is the most important part of her life, stating that, “In an economy this competitive, there’s no doubt to me that education and preparing for the real world should be the top priority.” On the other hand, Ms. Way-Phillips leaned more towards independence, and said her upbringing made her value and exercise her own independence more as a teenager. She talked about how being independent made her more mature and ready for the adult world after graduating high school. Some students, such as Alaya Gutha ’19, decided to stick with family and friends, as she mentioned that her family and friends are the ones who help and encourage her in school and in life. In response to this question, personally, I feel that it’s difficult to choose just one part of the teenage life that should be deemed “the most important.” I concur with the opinions of all the interviewees, as I believe that education, family and friends, and independence all play an equally large and important role in a teenager’s life. Sunny Yang ‘16 and Esder Chong ‘16 agree, saying that they prioritize family, education, and friends equally.

Each aspect has its own strengths—a good education will open doors in life and help you reach your full potential, while independence, as Tiffany Liang ’19 said, “is being able to fend for yourself, to be able to ‘stand alone,’ so it means being responsible for school homework and high grades, etc. It means being able to balance life on my own accord, so that means school life, homework, social life, family, etc. I work towards becoming independent, because I believe that is what will prep me for success in the future.” Family and friends, too, are crucial, as it’s important to surround ourselves with good company. It’s nice to know that we can rely on a group of people and trust them to always have our backs. Being a teenager only lasts for seven years, so make the best of these seven years, for it’s really you who can decide whether these will be the best or worst seven years of your life.

Alexandra Li

take a chance on me I

’ve heard college admissions referred to before as a roll of the dice: mostly luck. But I’ve only recently heard of people claiming to be able to count the cards.

THE

I’ve been getting loads of junk email claiming to be able to statistically predict the likelihood that I’ll get into x school. Clearly solely in the interest of investigative reporting, I made my way over to one of these “blackjack tables.” I wondered, though, whether their question: “My application essay is... a.) Pulitzer-Prize-worthy b.) Pretty darn good or c.) Acceptable,” is really supposed to yield some kind of concrete number. Even stranger is the request to “chance me,” given to random strangers in public forums. 1/6 chance for Russian roulette, instead, anyone? The allure of statistics is that their presence lends reason to a patently unreasonable process. If I enter data for five schools and each of them has a 50% chance of admitting me, well then, I have only a 3% chance of being admitted

to none. And those are good odds indeed, even if a 50% chance at each isn’t so good. This is actually not unlike the allure of gambling: you think you’re special, and that these odds are somehow better for you. Everyone who’s good at poker graduated last year, or legacy boosts and early decision means you get to sit next to the dealer. Maybe the dealer’s wearing sunglasses. There’s a quick fix in a high-odds estimate, a little dopamine rush. I’m a little scared to take this analogy any further: but I’m sure you have your own ideas about who the cocktail server would be, or the security guard, or the dealer. To echo a sentiment previously brought up in The Fling, then: may the odds be ever in your favor.

highland/ F L I N G

Editor-In-Chief / Shana Oshinskie managing editors / TIA WANGLI / AMITA SHUKLA layout editor / JISU JEONG news / MICHELLE FAN opinion / AMITA SHUKLA feature / GAB ROSENTHAL arts / TIA WANGLI sports / CAMRYN KOZACHEK adviser / BRETT ROCHE

DECEMBER 2015 THE highland fling

Amita Shukla

WRIters & Photographers / kaan orgun / alexandra li / anne lin / Sam Leibowitz-Lord / andrew moore / silas westfall / ethan bull

/ wenyi ouyang / amelia wilkerson / alyssa pilch / eli copperman / juhee jeong / kate Atschinow / Olivia Bridges

five

FEATURE

rutgerS AS A LAST RESORT H

arvard, Princeton, Cornell, Yale, NYU, UCLA. All the colleges seniors at Highland Park High School are bending over backwards to get accepted to. Chances are you know all of these names and it’s your dream to attend one of them. But what about when you hear “Rutgers”? Do you have the same reaction? Probably not, seeing as it doesn’t have the fancy “Ivy League” label. If so, you’re not alone. Rutgers is considered by many students at Highland Park a school of last resort. Why? And is that a fair assessment of Rutgers? Ms. Wilson certainly doesn’t seem to think so. When she first visited Rutgers, she thought it was “not that impressive… But then when I actually started to arrive at the school and I was meeting the different people who were in the honors dorm with me, I was like, ‘Okay, these are some pretty successful people who really had big goals for themselves,’ and that turned out to be true. Like a bunch of my roommates went to Harvard Law or Columbia Law School and they’ve all been successful so I guess my first impression from visiting didn’t turn out to be true.” Every high school student researching or applying to colleges knows how expensive higher education can be. Thus, the financial situation is a factor that cannot be disregarded. The average cost of tuition for in-state students attending public universities is estimated to be $9,410 in 2015-2016 school year. The average for out-ofstate students attending public colleges is $23,893 and $32,405 for private colleges and universities. Taking into consideration expenses for books, housing, food, and interest on student loans, and the cost can go up to

the average of $29,000. All these expensive factors are enough to give anyone a headache, so it makes sense that the aim is to keep the amount you have to spend as low as possible, while still getting a quality education. That’s a huge reason why people attend Rutgers. Ms. Wilson says it was certainly a large factor in her decision. “I mean it was money. That’s why I went to Rutgers. It was the school that I got the second most amount of money from and that’s what it came down to. I didn’t want to go into a lot of debt.” Others don’t want to go there because of the location. Although it is certainly convenient, it is not necessarily desirable. Many people want to broaden their horizons, to explore new possibilities in new places, which becomes much more difficult when you only live a couple miles away from home. Mr. Gold understood this concern and said that he, “really didn’t understand why it was a last resort besides the fact that it was so close.” (He also noted that the idea of Rutgers being a safety school is not a recent one; it was a trend even in his high school years.) Jamie Atschinow ’16 also commented on the idea of expanding horizons and said, “I think seniors think that because it is so close, and like I said, I’ve grown up around Rutgers and I know most people here have as well and I think that they devalue it because of that.” On the other hand, some of us like to stay close to home, close to our friends and family. That’s the perspective of Rahmate Islam, a Highland Park High School alumna and current freshman at Rutgers. “I didn’t see Rutgers as my safety school, more like the only college I could go

to because of costs and closeness to home.” Mrs. WayPhillips also agrees with this point of view, and said that she, “wanted to stay local. I wanted to stay close to home.” She also went on to say, “I think you can still broaden your horizons because you’re away from home although… it’s in your backyard but you can still explore while you’re there. Especially if you live on campus, you can still broaden your horizons.” However, many don’t consider Rutgers to be a safety school, and with good reason; there’s much about Rutgers that does not get the credit it deserves. Ms. Josephine Way-Phillips supported this. For her, Rutgers, “was her first choice,” a slightly unusual perspective as opposed to other students. She continued to say that she, “honestly wanted to stay local.” Overall, she noted, “I had a good experience at Rutgers; I highly recommend it.” Rahmate agreed, and said, “Rutgers is definitely worth it! I’m enjoying my classes, I like the events that occur almost every day, the people are fun and optimistic. Rutgers is very involved in science and math fields and continues to win awards in important competitions. It’s not the college with the negative stigma that so many of us think of. I also expected to just see negative aspects of it because of what everyone else said. I see the complete opposite though now.” Wherever you attend college, remember to count yourself lucky—you’re becoming a member of the 7% of the world’s population that has a college degree!

Marzia Karim

THE WAlking DEAD

Jamie Atschinow & Kate Atschinow & Olivia Bridges

squirrel, Michael Jackson, a zombie princess, and even a Starbucks barista—these were among the long list of amazing costumes seen at the Highland Park High School DECA club’s annual MakeA-Wish Walk in October. This year, the event was called a Zombie Walk to emphasize the Halloween theme. The Walk had Halloween-themed music and a costume contest. The prizes included soccer balls, industrial-sized candy bags, and pillow pets. Undoubtedly the most incredible part of the event, though, was the money raised. The proceeds, an

impressive $2,600, will all be donated to the Make-AWish Foundation. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is an international non-profit organization that grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses. The money raised from the event will go directly toward granting a child’s wish. However, it does not stop here. Though the Zombie Walk has passed, you can still contribute to the amazing cause by making donations to the wishing wells set up in center hall. Do you have a test coming up that you

want to ace? Do you have a sports game that you want to win? Make a wish to one of the wishing wells! You can drop any loose change into them on your way to class. They will also be brought to various school functions, including sports and fundraising events. Congratulations, Highland Park High School, on a successful Zombie Walk. Make sure to buy your tickets again next year!

THE highland fling DECEMBER 2015

six

It’s a big world, after all

o the math and Highland Park, our little home, only takes up about 0.000000009% of the Earth’s surface. It’s intriguing to think about what else is out there. A lot of us go on vacations during breaks to explore the rest of the world, but how long do we get? A maximum of 2 months per year? There is a loophole, and many Highland Park High School students have already found it. Over the years, many student have studied abroad. Sophomore Julia Liebell-McLean is getting ready for a semester in France, and she has lots to share. For Julia, getting ahold of a study abroad opportunity wasn’t easy. She first went to a trusted counselor who researched opportunities and helped Julia enroll in AFS (formerly known as the American Field Service), her program of choice. AFS is a non-profit organization that offers exchange programs in over 40 countries all over the world. It strongly supports intercultural learning and has given many students the opportunity to travel the world.

The application process is a lengthy and difficult one. According to Julia, “There is a long application that includes personal statements, several health forms, academic records, a letter of recommendation, personal information like address and passport number, as well as scans of documents.” It seems like a lot of work, but the payoff–6 months in France–makes it bearable. On January 25, 2016, Julia will be embarking on perhaps one of the most memorable trips of her life. Not everything has been finalized yet, though. Julia still doesn’t know what area she’ll be living in, but she does know that she’ll be living with a French host family. Most daunting of all, she’ll be attending the local French public school. There are some major differences between American and French public schools. For one, French school days are on average slightly longer (eight hours as opposed to the seven here at Highland Park High School). As far as the actual content goes, the French focus their curriculum around becoming independent and being able to assess situations on your own, while Americans place

a higher level of priority on teamwork and diplomacy. French schooling is generally a great deal harder than in America, but Julia brushes off her concerns of learning Pre-Calc and Chemistry all in French, saying, “On the bright side, I will be at the top of the class in English!” It’s scary enough switching schools, but switching to one where everyone speaks a foreign language is all the more intimidating. Julia aces practically all her French IV Honors exams, but living in France will be the biggest test of all. Nonetheless, the experience will, as Julia puts it, “make me a more flexible and insightful person overall.” A lot of things are unknown for Julia at this point, but one thing is for sure. She’ll come back in the summer with a fresh mind, a new perspective, and plenty of vocab words to impress Ms. Havas with!

Wenyi Ouyang

recipe

the joy of gingerbread Alyssa Pilch

hat better way to enjoy the holidays than with a mug of hot chocolate and a plate full of homemade cookies? This wintry delight is the perfect blend of sweet and spice that will warm you up inside and out. Whether you are having an intimate dinner with your family or spending the holiday with friends, these cookies are sure to put a smile on your face and create a positive mood that will radiate to all of the people around you. Recipe makes: 30 cookies Directions: 1. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Stir in molasses and egg yolk. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Then, blend into the molasses mixture until smooth. Cover, and chill for at least one hour. 2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until firm. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Frost or decorate when cool.

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup margarine 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup molasses 1 egg yolk 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Recipe courtesy of Stephanie Schneidewind from AllRecipes.com. Photo by Alyssa Pilch and Kate Atschinow.

DECEMBER 2015 THE highland fling

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winter Holidays

inter can feel like a wonderful opportunity to make Christmas cookies, decorate your tree, open presents, and generally revel in the holiday spirit. But not everyone celebrates Christmas. Some of those other holidays that fall around December often get overlooked because of the massive prevalence of Christmas, not to mention the huge amount of commercialization surrounding the day. The Fling decided to investigate just what holidays are being celebrated this winter, and who in Highland Park will be celebrating them! The next holiday that comes to mind after Christmas is generally Hanukkah. Celebrated this year from December 6 - 14, Hanukkah is the Jewish “Festival of Lights”, and is celebrated by lighting candles on a special candle holder called a “menorah” or “hanukia.” As for the most important part of the holiday, observers generally eat fried potato pancakes, “latkes,” and jelly filled doughnuts, or “sufganiyot.” Rina Mischel, ’16, celebrates every year with her family. She tells The Fling, “During Hanukkah my family always plays the same CD full of Hanukkah songs and my mom makes homemade sufganiyot.” Although the Mischels don’t celebrate, Rina is not bitter about the presence of Christmas in Highland Park, though. “I love Christmas!” she exclaims. Another oft discussed, though not always understood, holiday is Kwanzaa, celebrated this year from December

26 to January 1. This holiday originated in the late 60s from Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor of Black Studies, and is a celebration of African-American heritage. Seven candles, called the “mishumaa saba,” are lit in a candle holder called a “kinara” to symbolize the seven principles of Kwanzaa.

they come from Mexico to hope for a safe journey and a better life. Jess recalls travelling to a chapel dedicated to Guadalupe in Mexico. “When I went there I personally felt touched because I know what my mom had been through to come here, and she had prayed so much to [Guadalupe].”

While these are the most widely celebrated winter holidays, they are certainly not the only ones. Eid Milad ul-Nabi, or the birthday of the prophet Muhammad, falls on December 24th this year, and is often celebrated with parades and large communal meals.

In Scandinavian countries like Sweden, Norway, and parts of Finland, December brings with it St. Lucia Day. Another festival of lights, this holiday honors St. Lucia, who was killed by Romans because of her religion. On this day, people dress in white and girls wear lighted wreaths on their heads.

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, on December 12th, is a celebration of the Virgin Mary. This holiday is generally celebrated by Mexican-Americans or people living in the South West, and usually involves singing, dancing, and a large meal. For Jess Enriquez, ’16, this holiday is almost as big as Christmas, or bigger. “Our tradition is on December 11th, after school we spend the whole night at church,” she says. They start with a mass at 7:00, where volunteers feed the people at the church that are giving up their time to celebrate. “There are people singing to [Guadalupe] and when it hits midnight we sing what translates as ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. Families donate money to bring in a mariachi band for around two hours. When they leave, we celebrate another mass. A lot of people donate flowers, they come with their families,” Jess said. Many families turn to Guadalupe when

Not all winter holidays have to be religious. A number of different festivities honor the winter solstice, which falls on December 21st this year. Saturnalia is an ancient holiday that was celebrated by the Romans on the winter solstice. Today, it is more common to celebrate Yule, a Pagan or Wiccan holiday that can involve constructing an altar, performing a yule log ceremony, and saying prayers to welcome back the sun. Whether or not you are religious, this winter is sure to be filled with a plethora of exciting holidays and festivities!

Gab Rosenthal

ken kens

THE highland fling DECEMBER 2015

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ARTs

movie review: the peanuts movie

n 1950, cartoonist Charles Monroe Schulz created the well-known and timeless comic strip Peanuts, and the series became an integral part of pop culture. In 1965, animator Bill Melendez and television producer Lee Mendelson collaborated with Schulz to create the first ever animated cartoon based off the comic strip, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and it became such a success that the Peanuts name was becoming known in the media of animation as much as the media of newspaper comics.

What would be a rather weak and pretty average plot in other movies works really well in this one, because Peanuts generally follows simple, easy to follow, and fun plotlines. Not only does this movie succeed so well in capturing the charm and wit of the comics and cartoons, but it even captures its style of humor and nostalgia. The jokes move at a quick pace but never feel unnecessary, and the visual gags are well-animated and funny. The sense of childhood sentimentality captured makes it enjoyable to view.

Because of its longtime success, the series got adapted into a movie by Blue Sky Studios (the Ice Age and Rio movies, Robots, Horton Hears a Who, and Epic) and it has shown a lot of promise. Plus, it’s rather fitting for the film to come out in 2015, considering that it’s not only the 65th anniversary of the Peanuts in general, but the 50th anniversary of the animated Peanuts cartoons. However, promise does not always lead to satisfaction, so how does the film favor from the source material?

One semi-controversial quality about this movie is that the animation is CGI, a departure from the simple and cheap 2-D tradition of Peanuts cartoons. However, thanks to the wonderful animation team at Blue Sky, they were able to turn the classic Peanuts characters into 3 dimensions, while still giving off that classic 2-D feel. The characters look just like how they did in the original cartoons, the animation is simple and fluid, the backgrounds look very beautiful as well as imaginative, and even the effects look superb. Also, there are few instances when there is some 2-D animation mixed in, and it looks so impressive that you swear the entire movie could have been animated that way (even though it looks good in both dimensions). Although there are times when the fastpaced movements and visual gags can get a little repetitive, they never ruin the overall fun of the movie.

On the surface, the plot of the movie is rather simple, straight-forward, and a little predictable. It centers around Charlie Brown (Noah Schnapp) trying to prove he is more than just an average kid, and trying to win over the affection of the Little Red-Haired Girl (Francesca Capaldi). There’s also a subplot where Charlie Brown’s dog Snoopy (Bill Melendez) imagines himself as the WWI Flying Ace trying to take down the Red Baron and save his love Fifi (Kristen Chenoweth), all in story form.

DECEMBER 2015 THE highland fling

As for the characters, they’re all the same gang that we’ve come to love and expect. First off, there’s Charlie Brown, the lonely kid with bad luck who wants to make

a change in the world and his life. What makes Charlie Brown such a memorable and likable character in this is that we feel for him and want him to succeed, and that he’s always honest, brave, and caring to his sister and dog. There’s also Snoopy, his little companion who is by his side and is there to entertain the audience. Lucy Van Pelt (Hadley Belle Miller) is the crabby, bossy, and snobbish girl who antagonizes the several characters (including Charlie Brown). The Little Red-Haired Girl (yes, that’s her literal name) is Charlie Brown’s love interest, and despite not having much personality, she at least admires Charlie Brown for the person he is. There are also characters that support Charlie Brown by Linus Van Pelt, Marcie, Schroeder, and his sister Sally. Fifi, Snoopy’s love-interest, doesn’t feel fully dimensional, but she does give Snoopy a nice goal to find his true love. Although some characters like Franklin, Violet, Patty, Pig-Pen, and even Shermy and Frieda are just there and don’t contribute that much to the story, the rest of the characters still make the movie fun to get into. It wouldn’t be Peanuts without a good voice cast and splendid music to go with it. The old Peanuts cartoons always used child actors instead of adults, and the film follows that tradition. The actors and actresses all gave out the perfect vibe and line deliveries for the character they voice, and it really sounds like they put their all into it. They even took archive-footage of Bill Melendez’s vocal effects for Snoopy and Woodstock, and they fit in rather well.

The best part about the soundtrack is not only the original, lighthearted, and even a little epic music score by Christophe Beck, but also the jazzy, upbeat, and whimsical music by original Peanuts composer, Vince Guaraldi, which comes in fitting doses. However, being a modern day adaptation of the series, this film does contain a couple modern day pop songs and a rather painful and unnecessary reference to the chicken dance, but they’re easy to forget about. With the charm, wit, humor, and overall fun that the original series contained put in a blender to make this, The Peanuts Movie offers enough nostalgic memories to the people who grew up with the cartoon, and is faithful enough to introduce a new generation onto the cartoon and series. This is a must-watch for anyone who loves the Peanuts, or is in the mood for a good family film to watch on the holidays. This movie was not made just to make a quick buck, it was made to present Peanuts again and let it enter the hearts and memories of children, just like how it happened 50 years ago, with the first Peanuts movie. Adults will soon introduce the comics and cartoons that they grew up with to their kids, and this movie is a perfect example of introducing the world to the Peanuts from generation to generation. Of all the Charlie Browns in the world, this movie was the Charlie Browniest. Eli Copperman

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game review: don’t starve

hile games like Minecraft and League of Legends dominate the computer-based gaming world, there are other games that deserve recognition. One of these is Don’t Starve, a game of survival, strategy, action, and adventure. The main character, Wilson Percival Higgsbury, starts off as a scientist who simply wants to make an invention; however, after encountering countless failures, he becomes desperate. One day, he discovers a radio talking to him. The person behind the radio is the antagonist of the game, known as Maxwell. Maxwell offers him supreme knowledge, and Wilson, who is very desperate, agrees. Thus, Wilson begins work on a portal-like contraption. When he finishes it, the radio urges him to pull the lever, activating the portal, and sucking him into the new world. The new world consists of many dangers that Wilson has to get through. As you progress in the game, you unlock new characters, such as Willow, Wolfgang,

Wendy, WX-78, Wickerbottom, Woodie, and Wes. When you first start off, you have a certain amount of hunger, health, and sanity, depending on your character. As you play, you have to gather food and resources to survive all kinds of threats. The first threat you will face is the night, which is one of the scariest experiences for a beginner. You will need to build a fire or find a source of light in order to survive. In the dark, you slowly lose your sanity, which mostly results in death.

will encounter many different creatures. Some are passive, while others are hostile. Losing your health means death, and death means all your progress is gone. You will have to start the game all over again.

The second threat you will face is food. Food becomes a big deal in Don’t Starve (hence the name). You can start off eating small things like berries and carrots. However, before the winter comes, you need to maintain a farm before the plants die off in the cold. This game is not simple at all—it requires the collective aggregation of many resources.

Another threat is the seasons. In the default setting of Don’t Starve, you will start off in autumn, which is a peaceful nice time to prepare for the harsh winter. When winter hits, it hits you hard. Everything you made so far, as well as yourself, will freeze, food will be scarce, you will have to find ways to keep yourself warm. If you survive the winter, you will enter spring, another short time to prepare for summer. Summer hits you harder. In the summer, everything spoils and you will need to keep yourself cool, find ways to keep things around you from not burning, and watch out for fires.

Maintaining your health and battling monsters are other obstacles you will have to face. As you play the game, you

Finally, your last goal will be defeating the game. You will have to prepare yourself to defeat Maxwell. You will need to make

all sorts of things to find Maxwell’s door and activate it. When you do activate the door, you do not simply defeat the game by fighting him. You must survive three more rounds. You will need to start fresh, and survive all three rounds to come across Maxwell’s lair. The ending has a surprising twist. Of course, you will need to play the game to know what it is! People that enjoy playing with friends will enjoy with the multiplayer version called Don’t Starve Together. Though Don’t Starve deserves more attention and fame, both versions combine to make a brilliant game with an amazing storyline and interesting theories and conspiracies.

Juhee Jeong

THE highland fling DECEMBER 2015

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A Jess Dresch

the ultimate winter PLAYLIST “Matunda Ya Kwanzaa” by Kevin Davis & Bancaribe

“Winter Wonderland” by The Andrew Sisters

Kwanzaa

The Polar Express Soundtrack

“All I Want for Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey

“Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” by Bruce Springsteen

Mariah Carey Merry Christmas

“Christmas” by Darlene Love A Christmas Gift for You

“Jingle Bell Rock” by Brenda Lee Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

“The Kwanzaa Song” by William Scott Kwanzaa Number 1’s

“S’vivon” by Judy Ginsburgh Chanukah Favorites

“The Dreidel Song” by Listen Up! Acapella I Have a Little Dreidel

DECEMBER 2015 THE highland fling

Bruce Single

“Happy Kwanzaa” by Emage Happy Kwanzaa

“Frosty the Snowman” by Willie Nelson The Classic Album

“Baby It’s Cold Outside” by Dean Martin Songs for Lovers

“You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” by Whirling Dervishes Grinch

“Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams Andy Williams Classic Hits

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SPORTS

KICKER SPOTLIGHT Evan Lanaris ‘17 weighs in on what it’s like to have one of the highest pressure positions on the football team, WHY he decided to go for it, and more.

t’s one of the more overlooked yet most difficult roles in all of sports: the position of kicker. Yet over the last three years Evan Lanaris has taken on the challenge and has thrived for Highland Park. As kicker, Lanaris is responsible for crucial kickoffs and punts that determine field position, as well as valuable field goals and extra points that can have massive effects on a team’s point total. Every moment involving a kicker is one that could have tangible consequences on the outcome of a game, regardless of the total time a kicker spends in the game, making Lanaris’ job a pressurized-yet-fruitful one. Lanaris’ position, though, is largely ignored and overlooked in all levels of football because of its seemingly small role. Kickers enter the game sparsely, and when they do their presence is only needed for a play or two at a time. That inconsistency in playing time, as a result, opens the door for yet another stigma kickers experience from outside voices: the idea that kicking is an easy job any individual can undertake. In turn, that feeling creates a volatile situation whenever a kicker makes a mistake. For example, back in 2013, a NFL kicker received death threats over several missed kicks. “Most of the time,” Lanaris said, “us kickers are more noticed for doing bad things than good things.”

Over Lanaris’ three years, though, those slights towards his position have impacted him less and less as a kicker. “I take no offense,” Lanaris said, “because all kickers know they are a big part of the game, regardless of whether people think they are or not.”

“I can be the hero in a game with just one swing of the leg.” Once one gets past the negative realities of the kicker position, the uniqueness of Lanaris’ job is moved to the forefront. Lanaris played soccer for years, but slowly became bored with the sport and as a result grew more and more in love with the game of football. He began kicking with the football team his freshman year.

“The guys kicking the ball like 60 yards always caught my attention,” Lanaris said about his initial interest in the kicker position, “and I thought, ‘Holy crap, that’s impressive; I want to do this.’” Furthermore, as a kicker, Lanaris can make a legitimate impact in a game, despite the seeming smallness of his position. In football, field goals are gold mines late in games, and those three points can make or break the scoreboard. In order to succeed in those moments, Lanaris says his training is simple. “My goals are to improve my talent and get my legs stronger,” Lanaris said. “I’m also trying to fix my follow through; sometimes I get too much air under the ball.” Although it sounds menial, that training undoubtedly pays off for Lanaris in moments both big and small. “Coach P always says that kicking is one third of the game,” Lanaris said, referencing the team’s football coach. “I can be the hero in a game with just one swing of the leg.” Amiri Tulloch

The 2016 Albadome is on sale NOW! Learn more about securing your copy by talking to Ms. Marionni or Ms. Krubski! THE highland fling DECEMBER 2015

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PLAYER

PROFILES In the winter, many students turn to sports to keep warm. The Highland Fling caught up with Rebecca Tayts ’16 to discuss her basketball career at Highland Park High School. How long have you been playing basketball? I’ve been playing since 6th grade. What made you decide to join the team? I joined because I had played throughout middle school and it had always been my favorite sport, and I wanted to continue playing because I enjoyed it so much and I wanted to continue improving.

Ice hockey is one of the most universal sports to date, yet it has a small presence here in Highland Park. The Fling caught up with William Schwartz ’18, who has been around ice hockey since he was a little kid to talk about one of the town’s least-discussed sports. How did you get involved in hockey? My dad was always a hockey fan and he was the one who introduced me to the sport at a very young age. One day he signed my little brother up for an Introduction to Hockey class, and then I asked if I could participate as well. That was at 11, and I’ve been playing ever since.

What’s your favorite thing about basketball and the Highland Park High School girls’ basketball team? I love basketball because it’s such a fast paced, exciting game. I love Highland Park High School basketball because every single year the team becomes a family and everyone gets so close, and Wash and Mac are great. They push us hard but they’re also hilarious and practice can be a lot of fun. Does playing basketball ever interfere with your school work, and if so how do you deal with that? Basketball definitely makes it harder for me to keep up in school because sometimes I’ll get home from a game at 9 or I’ll come home from practice exhausted and I don’t feel like doing any work. I try to take advantage of weekends to get ahead on long term projects and my teachers will give extensions or be lenient about late work, so I manage to get everything done throughout the season.

How long have you been playing ice hockey? I have been playing hockey for 4 years now. Where do you play hockey? I play in South Brunswick at a facility called ProSkate. What’s your favorite part about hockey? I have a few favorite parts about hockey. First is the uniqueness; the fact that you are playing a sport on ice. Most of the top American sports are played with a ball or on the ground, but hockey is different which makes it great. Another reason is the freedom and speed of the game. There isn’t an out of bounds and the game does not stop every 10 seconds, so it’s a great feeling just to be able to play without being interrupted. Lastly, simply skating and scoring is one of the best feelings in the world. What are some challenges with ice hockey? To begin with, hockey is not a cheap sport. Gear costs hundreds of dollars while playing on a competitive team can cost thousands. Hockey is also just not as accessible as other sports; to play, you need a stick, puck, and net. To play soccer or football, for example, all you really need is a ball.

What are you most looking forward to about the season? I’m really looking forward to this season because I feel like it is my time to step up as a leader and to put to use everything I have learned the past few years. I can’t wait for the home games where there is so much positive energy in the crowd and I know this season will be great because the group of girls this year is so talented.

How frequently do you play? I play ice hockey 2 days a week, but I will play street hockey anytime I can.

Do you have any funny or interesting stories from your time playing basketball? During practice last year, one of the girls brought her dog because it couldn’t be left at home alone. The entire 2 hours, the dog would not stop its high pitched barking and the only way it would stop is if we gave it attention, so by the end of practice the girls were taking turns playing with the dog while the others were trying to run plays.

Rebecca Tayts William Schwartz Senior Sophomore Basketball Ice Hockey Camryn Kozachek Amiri Tulloch

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We’ll be having the meeting for our Valentine’s Day Issue on Tuesday, January 5th, in Mr. Roche’s room (room 110) during lunch. Be there or be

DECEMBER 2015 THE highland fling