The Prowler NOVEMBER
In the News Central students may have passed by the lower 600 wing during Flex, and noticed the large crowd of people, the laughter and applause spilling from room 130. A1
2 0 1 5 VOLUME 57, EDITION 2
Improv team steals spotlight Take note: There are future comedy stars among us
Flex time at Central York High School has traditionally been used by students, to catch up on missed work, study and participate in school-related clubs. A3 In this letter, published in an online newsletter called “Lenny,” Lawrence discussed, in her typical down-to-earth manner, a problem that surprisingly still exists worldwide - unequal pay for women. B2 “Scandal,” the political thriller on ABC, is back for a fifth season. Co-Living Editor Katie Sefton reviews the hit drama. C1 Fantasy football was already a $70 billion industry, but with the addition of one day fantasy sports it looks to be increasing rapidly. D4
SECTIONS A B C D
NEWS OPINIONS LIVING SPORTS
Annie Reichart, Drew Brooks, Theresa Bova and Will Johnson preform a scene in Ben Hodge’s room during Photo by Nate Holtzinger Flex on Friday, November 13.
From Opinions...
Xavier and Olivia debate: Should harsher gun control be enforced in the U.S.?
From Sports...
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To demolish and destroy our opponents, that’s our goal. -Emma Saxton
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A1 News
The Prowler
November 2015
Central’s improv team steals spotlight By Brittany Zortman News Editor
Central students may have passed by the lower 600 wing during Flex and noticed the large crowd of people, the laughter and the applause spilling from room 130. Or perhaps students recall the CTV ads which made the word “Improvnia” a household name. So what exactly is going on in the depths of the theatre arts classroom? One word: improv. Every Friday during Flex, one of Central’s improv teams takes the stage in front of a maxed-out classroom and performs a whole show based off one word, suggested by a crowd participant. The word can be anything from giraffe to avocado and the teams have to come up with entertaining sketches on the spot. The result is a hilarious and memorable 40-minute stretch of pure improvisation. The idea for establishing an improv team at Central came from student Lyn Mendlowitz after discovering her love for both the TV show “Who’s Line is it Anyway?” and Benjamin Hodge’s Theatre Arts class. In 2013, Hodge made a curriculum change to his theater arts class and based some of his teachings on the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Theatre manual. The UCB Theatre is an improvisational theatre and training center founded by troupe members who have led successful careers in comedy, such as Matt
Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh. According to Hodge, the new curriculum really clicked with his students. Mendlowitz, being one of these students, had an idea and approached Hodge with her plan. “It was an idea that seemed to be a logical extension of the teaching of the improvisation unit,” said Hodge. After hours of discussion, Mendlowitz and Hodge compiled a list of theatre arts students with the kind of talent they were looking for. “I sent an email to these students, asking them if they wanted to do it. We had a meeting about what we were going to be doing. Those who wanted to stay did auditions to see who worked well together and then we formed teams and practiced; the rest is history,” said Mendlowitz. In both Hodge and Mendlowitz’s eyes, the improv team has been a surprising success. “The first Flex show, I
was incredibly nervous just because it was the first show and this was like my baby coming to life. But then about a 100 people showed up and I was so happy,” said Mendlowitz. In fact, so many people turned up to the Flex shows that some people have been turned away from the crowded classroom. In addition to the Friday Flex shows, the team does a show in the black box theatre called “Improvnia.” Last year’s Improvnia shows often sold out, with an average of 130 people attending. “What I was most happy about Improvnia was the fact that it wasn’t just students there, it was a lot of adults and families too. I had a lot of conversations with adults saying things like, ‘I didn’t think this was going to be funny because these are young people,’ but then they said ‘I was actually laughing a lot,’” said Hodge. One of the improv team’s biggest moments, however,
PHOTO BY MACKENZIE LUKACS
Megan Conway (left) and Theresa Bova (right) practice their acting skills to prepare for improv shows.
was getting selected to go to the Del Close Marathon (DCM) in New York City. DCM is an improv festival that was started by the UCB Theatre founders. “Anybody who is anybody in comedy is there, so
PHOTO FROM @CYHSIMPROV
The CYHS improv team gathers around Benjamin Hodge (center) wearing their Del Close Marathon shirts.
the fact that we were just a part of that was really exciting,” said Hodge. At the end of the day though, it all comes down to the relationships among the team members. “[We have] a really loving and supportive environment,” said Mendlowitz. “We have all become a really close family of sorts.” Mendlowitz’s most cherished improv moments come from being with her team before shows. “I’m most proud of the ensemble that they have become,” said Hodge. The next Improvnia will be held Nov. 23, just before Thanksgiving break. “If you like laughing, watching people do funny things and just having a lot of fun… then Improvnia is the place for you,” said Mendlowitz.
The Prowler
November 2015
News
A2
The Link: Providing the Central Experience Public Relations organization provides services to district, becomes class next semester. By Maddy Forster Editor-in-Chief of The Prowler
By David Banzhof Staff Writer
It’s the end of junior year and the questions are starting to roll in: ‘Where do you want to go to college?’ ‘What do you want to major in?’ And the big one, ‘what do you want to do once you graduate?’ For a lot of students, these questions can be overwhelming. However, being involved in lots of different clubs and activities--like Central’s public relation club, The Link--can help make those questions less painful. “It’s a cool way to learn more about communications because at first I didn’t know what I wanted to study and this has helped me narrow my focus,” said senior Kellen Beck, director of The Link. “The Link provides public relations support that helps connect our students and families to the schools and our district’s programs,” said Julie Romig, director of communications for the district. Romig serves as one of three advisors, along with Prowler advisor Lucinda Hogentogler and CTV advisor
Andrew Shumway, to The Link. Next semester, The Link will become a class taught by Hogentogler, where students will learn about public relations and complete projects. This year, The Link has chosen to focus on one project, called “The Central Experience.” Each month, The Link picks a new aspect of the high school to focus on, like clubs or student-run businesses, and creates a series of promotions for them, like CTV segments. “The end goal is a website where people can learn what it’s like to be a Central student and live the Central experience,” said Beck. By preforming public relations duties for various “clients” within the district, members of The Link gain real-world experience. “We got to decide our own positions, we make our own appointments and decide our own projects,” said Beck. “It’s cool because Ms. Romig comes and guides us, so we know what we’re doing, but at the same time, she lets us put our own spin on things.” One of the projects that gave The Link members realworld experience was a video highlighting the One: World initiative. The district then went on to submitt the video to Apple to be named a ‘District of Distinction.’ “Their product was excellent and a great way to tell the story of the initiative through the words of our students and faculty,” said Romig.
PHOTO BY ERIN O’NEILL
Cutlines seem borderline overrated. Blah blah fancy adjectives with some cool verbs, blah blah.
Central’s Got Talent gets ready for round two Plans for a bigger, better Central’s Got Talent are in the works for January. By Jasmine Gray Staff Writer
Sophomore Morgan Batts remembers the day that her mother told her she could sing. “My mother and I were driving around and then a song came on the radio and I started singing. My mom turned around, and said, ‘Oh yeah my daughter has a talent.” Although Batts would love to showcase her talent in the upcoming Central’s Got Talent, Part 2, scheduled for January 21 in the high school auditorium, her real passion lies in helping others showcase their talents. She’ll serve as a backstage helper, she said.
A’Rreal Collins and Courtney Barbour, the hosts for Central’s Got Talent, Part 2, brought the talent show back to light last year after several years break. “It was a lot of improv last year, but it turned out really well,” said Barbour. “Central was dull and needed something to spice it up, all we had was homecoming and nothing else,” said Collins. They wanted to add some more events to school so people can showcase their talents to the school. Collins and Barbour had came up with the idea to bring the talent show over the summer. “We thought of the basics,” said Barbour, they just needed help putting it into action. “We went to Mrs. Francis [Central’s Diversity Specialist] because she is flexible and had done some other events such as the Diversity Celebration,” said Barbour. Francis helped the girls
put the talent show into action. She contacted people to see when they can have the stage, what days are available for dress rehearsal, etc. “It is fairly easy,” said Francis, also stating it was electronic based and very simple, the layout for the event already being written. “The Diversity Celebration is similar but different,” said Francis. [It} has a lot more handset help, but the talent show is only under my direction, so it makes it a smaller group.” Along with the core group, they do have volunteers to help with the event along the way. “A lot of volunteers try to make the talent show their own. We appreciate it, but we make the final decisions,” said Barbour. New things are to be expected from this year’s talent show. “We definitely expect more people than last year,” said Collins. “It’s going to be a great event.”
A3 News
The Prowler
November 2015
Central students say farwell to Officer Coyle after his retirement By Christine Schmuck Diversity Editor Central York High School and Springettsbury Township police said a farewell to Officer Jason Coyle as he retired from law enforcement this past September. Three days after his retirement, he began teaching a homeland security course to the students at York County Technical School. Officer Coyle worked at the Springettsbury Police Station for 27 years. “Officer Coyle has been a very stable and loyal officer throughout his career as a police officer,” said Springettsbury Township’s Chief of Police Daniel Stump. “[I’ve known] Officer
Coyle for three years and he has always been an outstanding officer.” “[Officer Coyle was] always great to work with,“ said secretary Denise Woloson, who has worked with Officer Coyle in Central’s main office for a year. Principal Ryan Caufman’s secretary, Maureen Horner said, “He became quite the asset when his desk was moved out to the main office. It was nice for parents and students to see him in the office.” Horner also said that Coyle was a good role model for high school students of all grade levels. Coyle often got visitors, but it was not always to discuss legal issues. In fact, sometimes people went to Coyle for advice. “He was very easy to talk to,” said
Horner. “That made it easier for students to relate to him.” Horner said that Coyle was a rare gift to the high school. “When we needed him he was here. He was wonderful.” “It’s too bad that the freshmen won’t know him,” she added. “Anyone that goes to York County Technical School for the homeland security course might just be his student.” Coyle was a Central graduate and his wife, Cindy, is a teacher at North Hills Elementary School. In his free time, Coyle enjoys hunting and fishing. Horner said that she always called Coyle “Officer Coyle of the Law” and she has that memory to keep with her now that he is gone.
Photo by Nathan Holtzinger
Officer Coyle (left) stands with visiting Springettsbury Police Cheif Daniel Stump for a law class interview.
“I really miss the Central community,” said Coyle during a phone interview. “I made some great friends [at Central], both faculty and students.” After his nine years
of working for Central, Coyle has one final parting statement: “[I] hope that I was able to make a positive impact on the young people I was able to work with.”
New option for Flex: Seminars introduced at Central By Yvonne PetersWashington Staff Writer Flex time at Central York High School has traditionally been used by students to catch up on missed work, study and participate in clubs. Starting this September, students were given the option to register for a seminar instead of leaving for senior release or signing up for a normal Flex time. These seminars are offered twice a week, the days depending on the teacher’s preference, and one can be taken per semester. Any student can sign up for a seminar. The workload attached with the seminar depends on
the teacher and topic; some give assignments and tests, some have mostly discussions and no homework. As long as the student follows the rules and does what the teacher assigns, the student will receive one-third of a credit. This partial credit is earned on a pass or fail basis. If a student misses more than two seminar classes per semester, he/she is removed from the class. In addition, if students are failing a class, they will be taken out of the seminar to be tutored in the class they need help with. Seminars consist of activities, discussions, occasional social time and field trips. The range of topics is vast, consisting of subjects such as military intelligence, Greek mytholo-
gy, women’s literature and the 1960s. Students can come to the first two or three to see if the topic really interests them or is better suited for them than the other choices. As some teachers only offer their seminar once a year, students should feel confident in their choice, thus the trial period. American History teacher Phil Kyle now runs a 1960s seminar every Monday and Wednesday. “The topics range from the counter-culture movement of the 60’s to the Civil Rights Movement and lots of groovy topics in between,” said Kyle. The timing of the seminars seems to be the biggest glitch about the new program. A group of 25 students were asked whether or not semi-
nars should be held at the beginning of the day, and most said they should be at the beginning of the day. Most students agreed to the beginning of the day almost unanimously, all for the same reason: they have other obligations during Flex time. Senior Hannah Gilhool wanted to participate in Principal Ryan Caufman’s military intelligence seminar. “I signed up for it and I really liked it, but I couldn’t make it during the days it was offered,” said Gilhool. “At the end of the day, there is little motivation from students and with it only being one third of a credit, the students aren’t crazy enthusiastic. If the kids got motivated, [seminars would have]
potential,” said Kyle. For students like junior Cheyanne Corbett, seminars are a good addition to the school day. Corbett said she is a student in Lisa Sands Women’s Literature Seminar. “Its really interesting,” said Corbett. I’d maybe take another seminar if American Literature was offered next year.” Corbett is able to attend the scheduled days, and has no problem with the timing. “If you like learning, like me, and you have the time, [seminars] are a nice way to spend Flex,” said Corbett. “They [provide] a nice mix of seminars and regular Flex time.”
The Prowler
November 2015
News
A4
Self Service app limits distractions, organizes learning By Steven Clawson Staff Writer Starting in 2012, Central students were given laptops and iPads for educational purposes. However, the first thing many students did was install a wide array of mobile games and other distracting apps. This may have been fuel for creating restrictions placed on the devices. Now, the only way to download apps is through Self Service. “If you’re in class and your teacher wants you to download an app, you have to wait until the app is put into Self Service app,” said senior MacKenzie Fiene. “Why give us iPads, but then restrict us to only use what the school thinks we need to use?” she said.
“We do have to filter content by law to exclude sites with pornography, gambling, etc.” said Technology Integrator Carol Roth. “We also chose to block many social media sites because of misuse during and after the school day on district-owned devices.” Information System Specialist Joseph Lucia has also expressed the importance of Self Service app. “By providing students with only a limited number of apps, the potential distractions from coursework are reduced.” Learners are still able to use a browser to search for apps to meet their needs, so that teachers can request additional apps to benefit all learners. Lucia also said, “one complaint [about the app] is that Self Service does not
Photo by Dylan Mehring Austin Schaffer browses the apps available on Self Service
work, but that is almost always due to the fact that the registration for Self Service was not completed. Once the set up is completely, learners have access to more than 80 apps requested by teachers. In some cases, tech support staff
will need to reinstall Self Service so that learners are able to effectively use this resource.” Students on iTeam, a collaborative group of students interested in technology, also think the app may be useful. Junior Noah Gerberick
said, “the Self Service app, once set up correctly, serves as a good way of pushing paid apps out to students.” Some of those apps include Notability and Book Creator. “One problem is that the Self Service app isn’t configured correctly for the students. Some students like to use other apps for classes that are not available on the [Self Service] app,” said Gerberick. An example would be Adobe software. iTeam members and staff specialists like Lucia stress that they will help any students who are having problems with the Self Service app. Despite the problems with the app, it still serves an important role in the school’s initiative to make classrooms more digital.
Dash of holiday inspiration comes from Central Optimist Club By Diashalyqe Bradley Staff Writer Junior Ileen Yeng said that it’s immensely heartwarming to see students come together using their minds and bodies to better society. “I think that this club is just a great way to get involved, not only in the community, but with your peers,” said Yeng. Yeng and junior Ayushi Gupta are student directors of the Optimist Club, a club that helps children develop to their full potential by encour-
aging them to give back to their community. With the holiday season approaching Yeng, Gupta and other members of the Optimist Club want to spread hope and inspiration with their kind acts of gratitude during these holiday months. “One of the reasons I joined the Optimist Club was to help out and give back to the community, which is exactly what the Optimist Club strives to do,” said Gupta. In the past, the Optimist Club has collected enough food to contribute to two families’ Thanksgiving dinners. They have also participated in
helping out with the younger children in the elementary and middle schools by decorating pumpkins and different festivities with them to celebrate the holidays. “I think that during this time of the year, it is really hard for parents to try and go out and buy gifts because they still need to provide for their household. So, with us doing the littlest thing, such as donating canned goods, could go a long way for families who are less fortunate,” said Yeng. Optimist members are preparing to send cards to troops in York County and are
filling shoeboxes with goodies for Operation Christmas Child. These boxes are then sent to countries all over the world who may not receive gifts for Christmas. “The whole meaning of Thanksgiving is to give thanks for what you have and the best way for me to show my appreciation is to help those who don’t have much,” said Gupta. “With everything going on around the world and especially during this time of the year, it’s hard for everyone to help everyone, but for you to just do your best to help one person, you’re doing your
part in society. You’re making a difference instead of just sitting around,” Gupta added. Yeng and Gupta said that even if you can’t do much, lending a helping hand could have a huge impact. The Central Optimist Club has over 30 members who are working during Thanksgiving and Christmas, and are also actively helping with the entire process. Central Students in the Optimist Club are spreading not only cheer this holiday, but inspiration and hope.
A5 News
The Prowler
November 2015
‘Should I stay or should I go?’ By Courtney Barbour Staff Writer College is a key factor for many of those who want to further their career, but with thousands of colleges nationwide, it is hard to know which one is for you. Options can range from being as close as five minutes away, to 500 miles away. Three 2015 Central graduates, all who chose different colleges, shared their perspective on their first year of college. Jemar Sweets, who is majoring in engineering and technology, is now attending Harrisburg Area Community College at the York Campus. “I like it because the school helps you get prepared for a four year college. It makes me feel more mature, outgoing and more responsible,” said Sweets. Sweets said he stayed in state because tuition was cheaper, and although he doesn’t like being in York, he has a job here that he can
Information from PR Newswire Chart by Emily Guiddy
maintain and he doesn’t have to pay housing costs. Sweets doesn’t have any complaints about his school and likes that it is dramafree. “The people there aren’t too bad. If you respect them, they’ll respect you,” added Sweets. He plans on transferring in 2017 and going to Morgan State University in Baltimore, which is one of his favorite cities. Ria Dudley, who is majoring in psychology, also stayed in-state. However, unlike Sweets, Dudley chose to leave York. She goes to Lincoln University. “I stayed in-state because I didn’t want to go far my first year and in-state tuition is cheaper,” said Dudley. Dudley said her favorite thing about her school is the size. “We’re like a family. It’s not a big university, so I know a lot of people and the teachers know who I am.” Dudley also enjoys the activities around the campus, such as interest meetings and parties. “I don’t like the smell because of the sewage and there’s not a lot of places to
go outside of campus, unless you have a car,” said Dudley. “Those are just a few dislikes, but no college is perfect.” Dudley said she is unsure if she will be transferring because she knows there is a lot more to experience outside of Pennsylvania. Sam Beck chose to do something completely different; She goes to Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina. “I chose to go outof-state, because I was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, so I already knew the area pretty well and all of my family, except for my immediate family, is there,” said Beck. Beck is majoring in biology on the pre-med track. “Charlotte is an amazing area for anyone who is majoring in business or plans on going into medicine,” said Beck. She said she likes that there are so many opportunities for internships and jobs after graduation. “I am considered a legacy on campus since my mother and both of her sisters went here,” added Beck. She also loves that Queens University is in a very prestigious neighborhood and is close to the city area of Charlotte. “I feel that if I were to live off-campus I would be missing so much. Sometimes I will get a text from a friend at 2 a.m. asking if I want to go for a fast food run. If I was off-campus, I would miss out on moments like those,” said Beck. Beck said she does not intend on transferring for the remainder of her college years. “I am truly thriving in the environment that I am in now.”
A ‘fresh’ start By Caitlyn Humphrey
By Cailey Barham
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Being a freshman comes with many complications, such as: the third floor and the 700 wing. “I am going to get lost,” Zoe Mendlowitz said of her first thoughts upon entering the high school as a freshman. “I’m going to forget and not know where I’m going.” Although the school’s size intimidated Mendolwitz, her sister, Lyn, helped her navigate through the halls. “The school is like a hand,” was the advice she said her sister gave her. For Mendolwitz and many other freshmen, the most difficult thing about high school was trying to find where everything was located. “It’s a very big school,” said freshman Ben Bartkowski. Bartkowski’s older sister also gave him advice on how to adjust to high school. “She told me to avoid talking to the upperclassmen because they would give me the wrong directions,” he said. Another freshman, Chloë Reeser did not have an older sibling to give her advice about how to adjust to high school. “The size intimidated me a little. There are so many hallways and I didn’t have classes in the same hallways,” Reeser said. “I think it’s more difficult to get to my classes because I’ll be in German and have to go all the way down
[to Guinan] for CLC. Some teachers understand but others don’t. I haven’t been late yet, but I’ve come pretty close.” There are also things that these freshmen seem to be enjoying about the high school. Bartkowski said the amount of time in each class has been beneficial to him. “I like it because I can sit in a classroom and just learn one topic instead of going to a class for 40 minutes and then forgetting what I learned before going to another one. Also, the teachers are really good at helping the students with their work and they don’t yell at you as much as the middle school teachers do.” “I like block scheduling better because if you don’t like a specific class, you know that you can get it over with. It’s less homework and you learn more,” Reeser said. “Plus, I like how we have the freedom to choose what we want to do [during Flex], like clubs and seminars. I might join some clubs in the second half, but right now I just want to focus on my grades,” she said. “It’s weird to go from being the big eighth grader to the little freshman,” Reeser said. “The people are so big.”
The Prowler
November 2015
Living
A6
5K Zombie Run
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MiniThon raised $1,208 at the 5K Zombie Run, Saturday Nov. 7, at Central York High School. All the proceeds benefit The Four Diamonds Fund and their fight against pediatric cancer.
All photos by Nate Holtzinger
B1 Opinions
The Prowler
November 2015
A gun control story: ‘You’ll shoot your eye out, kid’ As gun violence continues to run rampant across the country, the debate on gun control heats up. By Xavier Musti Head Opinions Editor The other day, I spoke with a friend of mine about his particular interest in guns. As many people do, I actually enjoy shooting (my uncle’s) rifles for recreation and entertainment. But I am disturbed with the easy accessibility of these firearms. Although I have to hide this man’s identity for the sake of his professional career, what he told me stuck with me.
He told me that at the end of his senior year (in the early 2000s) he bought an assault rifle at a gun store. No firearm training, no extensive paperwork, no background check, just a signature. A weapon capable of killing more than 60 people in less than 15 seconds handed over like candy. In Pennsylvania, it is legal for a person that is 18 years old to buy and possess a handgun, assault rifle or shotgun. The United States federal law states that people must be of the minimum age of 18 years old, yet some states, like Vermont, permit 16-year-olds to purchase handguns and assault rifles. What does all this mean? Well, giving a lethal weapon to a child whose brain is not fully developed yet and is going through puberty, might be a contributing
factor to America’s number one ranking in the world for gun-related deaths. Sure, this does not suggest that these young adults are running around like madmen shooting up businesses, but an unintentional death due to a lack of proper training is still a death none-the-less. In 2011, the United States had over 32,000 gun-related deaths, roughly one-third of which were homicides, according to the Center for Disease Control. Conservatives seem to have a double standard when it comes to this statistic. Depending on the situation, they might say that good people are not the problem, it is the criminals or ‘gangsters’ in ‘crime-ridden’ cities, like Detroit, who are causing the epidemic. Double-standards come
into play when conservatives forget their ‘you-should-worry-more-about-cleaning-upthe-streets-and-then-gun-violence-will-fix-itself’ argument and actually blame suicidal people who contribute about the other two-thirds of the gun-related deaths. However, a death is a death and honestly, having personally known someone who has tried committing suicide and has fought severe depression all their life, I find this to be highly offensive. The UK (which includes Britain, Northern Ireland and Scotland) had a “gigantic sum “of 146 gun-related deaths in 2011. Republicans cry that this statistic is irrelevant because the UK has significantly less people than the United States. This is adorable because the rate of gun-related deaths per 100,000 people in the UK is
0.23, while the United States’ number is 10.6. I will do the math for you; that is over a 4,500 percent inflation. It is not surprising that the UK has banned assault rifles and has extensive background checks, unlike the United States. Unless Hans Gruber and his German accomplices from Die Hard are knocking on your front door or there is a zombie apocalypse, there is simply no logical reason to own a weapon that can fire 60 rounds in 10 seconds. Are you going to go hunting deer with an assault rifle? No. There is, however, a great alternative: go to the shooting range and rent one for an hour. It cannot hurt to drop a couple bucks; Obama has ruined our economy, right? Put some money back into circulation then.
America needs to focus on mental illnesses in order to control guns By Olivia Johnson Assistant Opinions Editor
There is no doubt that within the past five years, headlines have been screaming for more gun control. The reason for the desperate measure is the fact that multiple shootings have taken place at schools and various locations across the country in the last few years. Instead of abiding by the Second Amendment of America’s Constitution, “the right to bear arms,” the government
seems to think that restricting a citizen’s right to purchase and hold a gun, even under legal registration, is the proper solution to this issue. Although I am opposed to restricting the right that my founding fathers have provided for me, I can see that America seems to be out of options when handling this. However, to solve it, we must look at why these mass shootings occur. Many times, these mass killers are troubled with depression, anxiety or some other form of mental illness. These illnesses may be tough
to recognize based only on physicalities, and taking away their guns does not stop them from committing harm on others. They will find another way to do it, like with knives or bombs. Bomb threats have also been on the rise, but where’s the control for that? Will we stop manufacturing kitchen knives once killers start using them as they run out of other options? It’s ridiculous to think that by taking away one type of weapon, a human being, who holds the most complex mind in the world, is no lon-
ger dangerous. But, if we are so keen on tightening gun laws, why do we continue to wait for more shootings to occur? Just in York, there are multiple shootings every day. Gang-prevalent places like Chicago are also responsible for hundreds of deaths a year. If our country really wants gun restrictions, we need to pay a little more interest in the places that show the heaviest gun violence and the reason behind the violence. By shutting down the heart of the violence, the less violent areas can be tackled.
With most mass shooting coverage, the media immediately plasters the assailant with a mental health issue, but they are continuously overlooked as “exceptions.” Obviously, that is no justification for their actions, but what if they would’ve been helped sooner? There are so many factors that need to be asse ssed before taking away the rights of law-abiding citizens. If our government took the proactive approach, gun control would no longer be such a prevalent issue.
The Prowler
November 2015
Opinions
B2
Celebrity letter sparks debate over unequal pay for genders Actress Jennifer Lawrence asks why she is making less than her male costars. By Brittany Zortman News Editor
“Could there still be a lingering habit of trying to express our opinions in a certain way that doesn’t ‘offend’ or ‘scare’ men?� This is the question that Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence poses in a letter titled, “Why do I make less than my male co-stars?� In this letter, published on an online newsletter called “Lenny,� Lawrence discussed, in her typical downto-earth manner, a problem that surprisingly still exists worldwide: unequal pay for women. In her writing, Lawrence recalled the moment when she discovered that she was
being paid less than her male co-stars, which was back in 2014 after the hacking of Sony. The hack made paycheck information available to the young actress, who, upon seeing the numbers, felt frustrated--not towards Sony--but towards herself. “When the Sony hack happened‌ I didn’t get mad at Sony; I got mad at myself. I failed as a negotiator because I gave up early,â€? wrote Lawrence. Further into her letter, Lawrence brought up an interesting double-standard that is extremely prominent in today’s society. Men speak their opinions all the time without much backlash, but when a woman does this, she is seen as “aggressive.â€? Women who speak their minds can often be brushed off as whiny or offensive. Lawrence even approached a gentleman she was working with about her opinion on her pay, and she said he reacted very defensively. “The man I was working with (actually, he was work-
ing for me) said, ‘Whoa! We’re all on the same team here!’ as if I was yelling at him. I was so shocked because nothing that I said was personal, offensive or, to be honest, wrong,� Lawrence wrote.
Photo from creative commons Actress Jennifer Lawrence speaking at an event.
This double-standard has even morphed the word “feminist� into an insult. People are quick to be degrading towards what feminists stand for and assume they want a women-dominated world, when all most femi-
nists want is to be treated the same as any man. In the early 1900s, when feminists started fighting for the right to vote, part of the public viewed them as radicals. The New York Times published an editorial predicting that voting women would elect themselves into executive positions (God forbid) and would make other “impossible demands.� Today, the thought of women not being able to vote is unthinkable to most people. So why is it unthinkable that so-called “feminazis� want to take a strong stand against unequal pay? Why are women who vocally express their frustration of not being treated equal to men viewed as aggressive or even wrong? In 2014, it was reported that women who work fulltime in the United States get paid 79 percent of what men get paid. That is a pay gap of 21 percent, based on gender alone. How is that any more acceptable than women not being able to vote or own
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property? The answer is simple: it’s not. So maybe instead of people throwing around uneducated judgements about what feminists stand for and treating them as aggressive, whiny nuisances, they should instead support half of the world’s population being treated equally to the other half. Lawrence ended her letter with an unfortunate example of the unfairness many women are forced to deal with. “[Men have] all fought and succeeded in negotiating powerful deals for themselves. If anything, I’m sure they were commended for being fierce and tactical, while I was busy worrying about coming across as a brat and not getting my fair share‌ I wasn’t completely wrong when another leaked Sony email revealed a producer referring to a fellow lead actress in a negotiation as a ‘spoiled brat.’ For some reason, I just can’t picture someone saying that about a man.â€?
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 5 VOLUME 58, EDITION 2
Prowler Staff November 2015 Madison Forster (Editor-In-Chief), Kellen Beck (Managing Editor), Emily Guiddy (Copy Editor and Editor-In-Chief of the Prowler Online Publication), Spencer Blake (Head Sports Editor), Juliana Mirkovich, Joe Topper and Brady Shearer (Assistant Sports Editors), Xavier Musti (Head Opinions Editor) Olivia Johnson (Opinions Editor), Brittany Zortman (News Editor), Dylan Mehring (Co-Living Editor), Katie Sefton (Co-Living Editor), Lydia Shellenberger (Features Editor), Nathan Holtzinger (Photography Editor), Christine Schmuck (Diversity Editor). Staff Writers: Diashalyqe Bradley, Steven Clawson, Yvonne Peters-Washington, Hannah Rishel, Reilly McCadam, Jasmine Gray, Caitlyn Humphrey, Courtney Barbour, Cailey Barham, David Banzhof, Amaya Brown. The Prowler Adviser: Lucinda Hogentogler
The views expressed in the opinions section are the views of the by-lined author, as opposed to a reflection of the views of the entire staff.
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November 2015
Pixar Studios’ latest: ‘The Good Dinosaur’ Chances are, if you’ve grown up anytime since the ‘90s, you’re no stranger to the feeling of a single tear crawling down your face due to Managing Editor the dramatic death of a cartoon character. Pixar, the creators behind “Up,” “Monsters Inc.,” “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo” and many more, are masters at combining heart, comedy and stunning animation. Between Pixar’s 14 movies (so far), they have won 26 Academy Awards, five Golden Globes and three Grammys. However, with the success of “Inside Out,” Pixar is shaping up to win even more awards. Let’s take a look at an upcoming Pixar film, “The Good Dinosaur.”
By Kellen Beck
What’s it about? “The Good Dinosaur asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of.” -Official Pixar Press Release
When does it come out? The Good Dinosaur premieres in the U.S. on November 25, 2015 and is expected to do well in box offices.
Nature can overcome any‘thing, including a massive dinosaur. ’
-Pixar Producer, Denise Ream
Photo by Pixar Studios
Teens sick of ABC’s TV series ‘Scandal’
By Katie Sefton Co-Living Editor “Scandal,” a political thriller from ABC, is back for a fifth season. This drama started in 2012 still involves the main character Olivia Pope, played by actress Kerry Washington, and her crisis management firm Olivia Pope & Associates. Season five is taking a new turn and love is in the air for the characters, but not for the ratings. According to TV Line “Scandal’s” season four finale had 8.1 million views, which was down 32 percent from the season three finale. Season five decided
to take a different path making “Scandal” truly embrace its title. SPOILER ALERT: The gladiators are focusing on Pope’s hidden relationship with the President of the United States. This allconsuming relationship with President Fitzgerald Grant III, played by actor Tony Goldwyn, is taking center screen in the first six episodes of Season five. To start the season off, Pope and Fitz got back together, again. Pope told the world about their affair and soon regretted it when her life was suddenly spilled out on TV for the world to criticize.
“Scandal’s” political plot line got stirred up when the grand jury tried to impeach the President for this affair. To avoid testifying in court, Pope and Fitz almost tied the knot, but Pope fixed it with her illegal ways. First Lady Mellie Grant, played by actress Bellamy Young, signed her divorce papers and the prison release of a murderer. That’s right, Papa Pope is back. Rowan Pope, Olivia Pope’s father, who is played by Joe Morton, is out loose in DC. Conveniently he stopped Fitz’s impeachment and Olivia’s dreaded testimony. Even with these new twists and turns, teens still
don’t seem to be interested in ABC’s political drama “Scandal.” After asking some students in the halls of Central York High School Friday, many claim they either started watching and then stopped or they don’t watch at all. Senior Haley Graver said, “I don’t watch Scandal, all I know is that it’s about some chick who [has an affair] with the President.” Kayla Livelsberger, another senior at Central York, says she also watches random “Scandal” episodes on Netflix but isn’t very impressed. When asked if she liked the show Livelsberger said, “No, because realistically [the re-
lationship between Pope and the President] would be extremely unethical and unfair.” She says her favorite show is “Law & Order: SVU” because it’s more realistic. “Scandal” was created by Shonda Rhimes and she tells Lee Bailey’s “Urban Report” that season five will feature “the reconstitution” of the gladiators at Olivia Pope & Associates, but so far that’s not the case. Viewers have been busy with the President’s relationship drama and Pope’s internal struggles. Gladiators have been fixing cases in the background, and it seems to be taking a toll on the polls.
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November 2015
Living
Fall into fall fashion The Prowler brings you the best outfit ideas and trends for fall fashion in 2015. By Lydia Shellenberger Features Editor
ay you ge: Yes, any w Fun with Frin ashed sl y hl is yl in. These st is ge in fr ckets it, ja e d slic s an g skirts, dresse fall, is th gs edges are linin in rr shoes and ea , gs ba orn as l w el n as w and ca ge is versatile en ev or , ic 2015. The frin ch the bohemian, r and lo co by those of its on depending aclassic style ith. So, this se it is paired w s le tic your t pu d other ar an x ide of the bo son step outs ard. rw fo best fringe
All Black Ev erything: Th slimming sh e ade that mat ches with everything— why not wear it all over? Mix patterns and textures to shake up the monoc hromatic, yet timeless look.
undy boot oots: Burg B y d n end. u rg Bu rly every tr lable in nea sic ai ba av r e fo ar s te option substitu ic st ta n m, fa ar w l of fall’s They are a . d go with al es an n k to ac el bl w / brown als, and je rs, dark flor lo co y h rt ea
All photos taken by Lydia Shellenberger
Chunky Swea ters: Sometim the cold wea es, when ther starts, a girl just wan snuggle up ts to in the bigges t sweater po right? Well yo ssible, u’re in luck, because chun knits are on th ky e come up th is season. Bala extra bulk with nce a slimmer silh ouette on botto to create a com m fy, yet feminin e look.
of Tired siery: o ed ir H a p y Funk tights / s g in T k c ? his old sto dresses hoboring r skirts and li at so d ou with y n swap out th inted overso pr little fall sea ghts or r lace ti gs that add a arfo y r ie g s in th k c g n to es id le the-kne ny mini or m a spice to t. men
The Turt leneck: T trend is ba he turtlen ck and ha eck sb every run way in fall een seen on nearly fashion lin Both fine e releases. -knit and chunky ca necks hav ble turtle e been sp otted worn ditional se in the transe and layere , paired with skirts d or pants style allow under coats. The h igh-neck s the top to be pair bold state ed with a ment neck lace or bro ach.
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C3 Living
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November 2015
Riding along the working ‘highway’ to Black Friday By Nathan Holtzinger Photography Editor After the big Thanksgiving feast, people begin to gather their wallets and keys to head out for an early start to their holdiay shopping season, but what about the employees of those stores you’re going to? As the biggest shopping day starts on Thanksgiving night now, employees are often heading in during the afternoon, sometimes missing their Thanksgiving feasts with family and friends. According to the West Manchester Town Center WalMart general merchandise manager, James Slankard, in charge of setting up Black Friday, sales would start at 6 p.m. Thanksgiving night. Wal-Mart stays open on Thanksgiving to prepare for Black Friday during the open hours.
Slankard said that he starts preparing the initial Black Friday set up in July. A layout of the store is put up in the back and as of Oct. 30 this year, the list of where employees will be located is put up next to it. Every employee is working Black Friday and is trained properly. Wal-Mart employees have training through meetings, mock walk-throughs and computer training. “Our customers come in here to have fun and buy merchandise,” Slankard said. “We provide the atmosphere for that.” In the past, Wal-Mart has separated their areas of sales into different parts of the store and split up the times of sales. According to Slankard, toys, electronics and child clothing make up 30 percent of the daily sales at the store. During the shopping event, employees get their Thanksgiving meal during their lunch breaks. “They’re rewarded for [working],”
Slankard said. Employees receive a 25 percent discount off one shopping experience for working Black Friday. “It’s how a lot of employees buy their Christmas needs,” Slankard said. When it comes to the event, Slankard said he’s never had anyone not show up to work, adding that, “The event would not happen without the workers dedication.” Cheyenne Graham and Lindsey Chatterton, seniors at Central York High School, both have worked retail during Black Friday. Graham worked at Rue 21 and Chatterton worked at Justice in the Galleria Mall. Graham, who now works at Old Navy, said, “[Working on Thanksgiving is] horrible because I would want to eat with my family.” “I couldn’t spend time with family during the holiday,” Chatterton said. “I wanted to be with my family.”
Photo by Nathan Holtzinger Wal-Mart Department Manager, Chrissy Slonaker, stocking shelves in Houseware department on Novemeber 11.
Adding a touch of home to traditional Thanksgiving celebrations By Caitlyn Humphrey Staff Writer When some people think of Thanksgiving, they envision a turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing, but that is not the case for all students here at Central York High School. “We eat the traditional Thanksgiving foods but also add in some of our traditional Nigerian foods; like fufu, rice and stew,” said senior Osii Emeribenini. He first learned about this holiday in school. “I think it
was out first or second year in public school that we decided to do a traditional Thanksgiving,” Emeribenini said. “In preschool, they tell us all about Thanksgiving and I was excited about it, then I went home and we didn’t really do anything because it wasn’t a Nigerian tradition.” He said his first memory of Thanksgiving is when he was in first grade and his mom had work, so they celebrated late that night. “I remember my dad tried to make this dish that I absolutely hated. I think it was imitation crab,” Emeribenini said, add-
ing that his family now travels to North Carolina to celebrate Thanksgiving most years. Junior Ayushi Gupta is from India and was first introduced to Thanksgiving when she was in kindergarten. “I didn’t really know much about it, but at 5 years old you go to school and teachers teach you about it. I would go home and tell my parents about it and kind of teach them,” Gupta said. Her family is vegetarian, so instead of eating the traditional turkey feast, they eat Indian food and vegetarian meals. “I think I thought it was
cool. It was definitely different than any Indian holiday,” Gupta said. “I really liked the idea of going around in a circle and saying what a you are thankful for.” “I do get mad when people, this more happened in middle school, think that I wore feathers and leather. I had to tell them that it was the wrong kind of Indian,” Gupta said. “It was more of an ignorance type of thing because they didn’t know, but they are more knowledgeable now that we are in high school.” Junior Bea Llarena celebrates Thanksgiving, but her
family adds their own culture into the celebration. “I’m Filipino and we incorporate some dishes into our meal like rice and some other things I can’t pronounce,” Llarena said. “I don’t have a lot of family in America, so we celebrate at my house.” Llarena said. Her family watches the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, adding that her favorite float is Snoopy.
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November 2015
Sports
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Jared Wagner: A ‘calf-time’ show By Emily Guiddy Copy Editor and Editor-In-Chief of Prowler Online Publication Something that people may not know about Central York High School senior Jared Wagner is that he’s not only an athlete, but is also a man of musical and rhythmic talents. “I can sing a mean tune while in the shower, as well as being a half decent dancer in front of a mirror when no one can see me,” said Wagner. “I don’t really have a favorite song or anything. I kinda just turn on Pandora and find a station that I’m feeling,” he added, also describing his dancing style as “goofy.” When Wagner isn’t serenading his reflection in the mirror, he is a starting center back for the school’s varsity boys’ soccer team, as well as a point guard for the school’s varsity boys’ basketball team. Wagner has been playing basketball and soccer since he was 6 years old. “My parents got me started in both soccer
and basketball. Then my love for those games took off from there,” Wagner said. “I like playing basketball more [because] I always feel more at home and relaxed when I am playing basketball. I used to think I was better at basketball, but the past few years I’ve been playing really well during the soccer season.” This year, Central’s boys’ soccer team ended their regular season with an overall record of 21-2 and an undefeated division record of 12-0. They came in second in the district and made it to states, but lost their first game on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Despite his soccer team’s achievements this season, Wagner said, “I would still have to say I’m better at basketball, although some people might [say] differently.” “[Jared] is the most competitive player I have ever been around in my 12 years of coaching high school sports,” said Central York varsity boys’ basketball coach, Kevin Schieler. “It doesn’t mat-
Photo by Jennifer Wagner
Jared Wagner, 21, fights his opponent for the ball.
ter what the contest is, Jared wants to win. He has been a big part in our success over the past two seasons.” The boys’ basketball team will play their first game in the annual Tip Off tournament Friday, Dec. 6. “The transition from my spring/summer basketball season into soccer is hard because typically, I don’t do anything soccer-related outside of the high school season,” said Wagner on the challenges he faces with playing both
sports. “Not playing basketball much during the soccer season makes me a little rusty whenever I get back to playing basketball to prepare for the season, but that just means I have to work harder to get back to where I should be. I’ve been lucky enough to not have any serious injuries in my lifetime so far.” In the future, Wagner wants to be a college or high school basketball coach, as well as a teacher. So far, Wag-
ner said he has been contacted about possibly playing both sports in college, but he’s pretty sure he will end up just playing basketball. “There are a couple schools that I really like, which will make my decision hard when I get around to deciding,” said Wagner. “It is definitely a process and I’m not 100 percent sold on a college yet.” He says his biggest inspirations throughout this journey have been his parents. “I’ve always looked up to my parents. They have sacrificed a lot to allow myself, as well as my brother and sister, to chase our dreams through athletics,” Wagner said. Wagner also added that his grandpa was a big supporter of his athletic abilities, even though he never got to see him play more competitively. “He died before I got into middle school, [but] I always would hear stories about how he was always my biggest fan. I wish he was still around and I know I would make him proud,” Wagner said.
Indoor track: Cut from Central’s sports’ program By Amaya Brown Staff Writer
A cut from Central’s sports’ program has people questioning what happened to indoor track. Central’s athletic director, Marty Trimmer, said indoor track was eliminated because of a ten percent cut of the school’s budget. Due to the number of indoor track participants slowly decreasing each
year, the school board decided to discontinue the sport. “We already have two track programs and a lot of kids are in spring track,” said Trimmer. In the past, indoor track has only been open for tenth through twelfth graders. Track participant, Dior Edmonds, said she’s disappointed about track being cut. “I feel deprived of an opportunity,” said the sophomore high jumper, 100 and 200 meter runner.
“As a sophomore, I was looking forward to finally being the age to join. Since freshmen weren’t allowed, the time is here and I still don’t have this opportunity I was waiting for. It seems unfair. If we have enough students dedicated to bringing it back and working hard, then we could possibly bring it back,” said Edmonds. “I am disappointed that the district decided to cancel the sport,” added former indoor track coach Chris Detwiler. “I feel that the athletes
who competed in the indoor season really enjoyed it.” “I think the head coach should have been involved in the decision and possibly given a chance to fight for saving the sport,” said Detwiler. “However, the overall call for keeping or eliminating a sport comes down to the athletic director and the school board.” Junior Haven Evans, who’s been running track for three years, recently transferred from Dallastown, where they still currently have an in-
door track team. “It’s upsetting because this is my first year here and I came from a school that had [indoor track] to a school that doesn’t.” Evans is hoping to make a bang during the upcoming track season by participating in the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, 400 meter dash, 4X100 meter relay and the 4X400 meter relay.
D2 Sports November 2015
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Local NFL fans keep hope alive for their favorite teams Ups and downs have been recorded in the NFL this year, particularly when it comes to regional favorites. By Brady Shearer Assistant Sports Editor
As the 2015 National Football League reaches its halfway point in the season, many ups and downs have been shaking the pride of fans. Despite the ugly, some teams have been flourishing. Tom Brady has been leading the New England Patriots’ offense through an unstoppable season. By throwing touchdowns to his favorite target Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski, Brady shows chemistry that’s hard to come by in the NFL these days. Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati Bengals have been hot, using the perfect combination of running and passing to make their opponents quickly regret entering the game with hopes of a victory. Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard show week in and week out why they’re the best running-back tandem in the NFL, with AJ Green also catching touchdown passes like it’s all he knows how to do. The Carolina Panthers have been winning games like they can’t lose, using their stout defense and dangerous quarterback Cam Newton. Combine this with the most dominant run game in the NFL, with 144.7 rushing yards
per game, and you will understand the undefeated success of the Panthers. Unfortunately, not all teams have been so productive this season. Most fans who reside in the York area follow these six teams: the Philadelphia Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Giants or the Baltimore Ravens. While all of these teams claim to have some of the best players in the NFL, they haven’t had much luck on the Photo by MCT Campus field. ewYorkGiants’VictorCruzstiff-armsPhiladelphiaEagles’BradleyFletcherduringthesecondquarterinPhiladelphia, The Philadelphia Eagles N came into the season talking Pennsylvania,onSunday. up their high-powered, fastpaced offense, but their yearly vision, where crazier things with quarterback Eli Manning, start winning games again playoff dreams have quickly have happened. who recently threw the ball for and improve their record of faded. Despite acquiring a The Washington Redskins six touchdowns against the 6-4. beast of a running-back in don’t have as much talent as Saints. Although the Giants Now, last and least, yes Demarco Murray, the Eagles these other teams and their have been productive offen- least, the Baltimore Ravens. have not figured out how to record shows it (4-5). Their sively, their defense has been The Ravens’ have endured a win games, landing them a running game has been one absolutely horrendous. Giv- dreadful season, only winning losing record of 4-5. Although of the worst in the NFL, av- ing up the most passing yards two games. Although all of their season is looking bleak, eraging under 100 yards per and total yards to teams in the their losses have been within it is important to realize that game. Given this statistic, the NFL. If the Giants are able to a touchdown or less, the Rathey are part of the NFC East Redskins have had to rely on solidify their defensive woes, vens just haven’t been giving Division, where anything can the inconsistent performance the playoffs are an attainable loyal fans much to cling to. happen. of quarterback Kirk Cousins. goal come December. The wide-receiver corps The Dallas Cowboys Unfortunately for the The Pittsburgh Steelers in Baltimore is weak and to started the season off right, Redskins, the running game started their season off rocky make matters worse, their winning their first two games is necessary to have success and continue to face issues as best receiver, Steve Smith Sr., in a row and securing first in the passing game, showing the season progresses. When is out for the season. But hey, place in the NFC East. But little promise for the rest of they’re healthy, the Steelers at least they beat the Steelers, suddenly, disaster struck and their season. can take on just about any right? they lost their two best playThe New York Giants team in the NFL, but health Despite the inconsistency ers: starting quarterback Tony lead the NFC East, barely, has been an issue in the steel that the fans of these teams Romo and one of the NFL’s and boast one of the best city. Losing quarterback Ben have been having nightmares best wide-receivers, Dez Bry- wide-receivers eighth rookie Roethlisberger to an MCL about, these teams still offer ant. Ever since injury set its sensation Odell Beckham Jr, sprain set them back and valuable things to the people curse on Dallas, the Cowboys whom most know now by, they have since lost one the of York. have certainly seen better “the Catch.” Last year, Beck- NFL’s greatest running-backs, From families coming todays, as they lost their next ham Jr. snagged arguably one Le’Veon Bell to a torn MCL. gether in the living room to five games in a row. Many of the best catches in NFL hisWith Roethlisberger back watch the Sunday game, to would think the Cowboys are tory during a game against and healthy, back-up running- the upset win that no one saw out of playoff contention, (and the Cowboys. back DeAngelo Williams and coming, following the next most would be right), but the The Giants have had ma- top-notch receiver Antonio day’s bragging rights. NFC East is a mysterious di- jor success passing the ball Brown, expect the Steelers to
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November 2015
Sports
D3
Sarah Thompson’s future: College, law school... ‘Disney on Ice’? Senior Sarah Thompson works hard to achieve all her future goals. By Hannah Rishel Staff Writer
Senior figure-skater Sarah Thompson remembers sitting in the stands as a little girl at “Disney on Ice” thinking, “I want to do that.” Thompson’s opportunity arrived when she received a flyer from school for ice skating lessons. “I decided to try it and ended up loving it. I’ve stuck with it ever since,” Thompson said. Thompson currently skates competitively for the Red Rose Skating Club, participating in local competi-
tions every couple months. Thompson’s most recent accomplishment was placing fourth at the regional competition. To attain competition wins, Thompson travels to Lancaster and Palmyra three to four times a week for practice. In total, she spends eight or more hours at the rink per week working on her skills and routines. Despite the long drives and hours of practice, Thompson said she always finds time for her school work. Thompson plans to go to college to study criminology and then attend law school. However, no matter what her future entails, figure-skating will always be part of her life. “I’m definitely going to skate in college and at some point audition for ‘Disney on Ice.’” said Thompson. Thompson said figure-
skating allows her to be both athletic and artistic. “Skating is kind of like a stress-reliever for me. It’s always something that lightens my mood.” Thompson’s head coach Ursula Wolfer said, “Sarah is an extremely hard worker, very disciplined, kind and supportive to all those who train around her.” Wolfer seems to be the perfect fit to help Thompson reach her goal of performing on Disney on Ice. “She’s a huge inspiration for me, especially because she was a part of ‘Disney on Ice’ for four years.” Thompson said. “I learn a lot from her upbeat, positive attitude.” “Skating means the world to me. I’ve gotten to meet so many amazing and inspirational people and have made the best friends.” said Thompson.
Girls’ basketball team ready to destroy By Juliana Mirkovich Assistant Sports Editor Let the basketball season begin. The girls’ basketball team is back and ready to beat their 2014/15 record of 18-4 with coaches Sean Potts, Scott Wisner and Randy Mumford. Tough opponents this year for the girls this year will Red Lion and New Oxford. “Red Lion has always been our rival and New Oxford is another tough team we will play because they have a lot of depth on their team and are strong offensively,” said
junior guard Emma Saxton. The team is part of District 3 PIAA and are in the AAA. “We want to continue to improve and make it even further into the post-season than we did last year,” said junior Megan Conway. Getting further than last year is a goal and team dynamics will help with that. Sophomore power forward, Nikki Valencik said, “We always do at least one team activity together like bowling or laser tag. We are super close, we all hang out and we share a love for Emma Saxton.” “The team has great chemistry. We see movies together, have sleepovers and do team
dinners. We also choreograph dances and have dance offs,” Saxton added. The team bonding happens on and off the court. Even in pre game rituals the girls are close. “A dance is always performed by one or more players,” said Valencik. To improve this season, the girls have support from their coaches and each other. “We have great coaching, great players and we have another year of experience, so hopefully this year it comes together,” said Valencik. “To be determined, to demolish and destroy our opponents, that’s our goal.” said Saxton.
Photo by Sarah Thompson Sarah Thompson performs her routine at the 2016 South Atlantic Regional Championship at Ice Works Skating Club on Oct.15, 2015.
Photo by Sarah Thompson Sarah Thompson skates at the Hershey Open at the Hershey Ice Arena on Aug. 6, 2015.
D4 Sports
The Prowler 5
November 2015
By Spencer Blake Head Sports Editor
For those who watch the NFL or just television in general, it’s common to see a commercial for Draftkings and Fanduel. Whether it’s one of their users talking about how much they’ve won and how easy it is or a code you can use for them to match your first deposit. Both Fanduel and Draftkings have joined the fantasy sports madness, but added their own twist: making fan-
tasy lineups for just a day of play or for a week of football. The convenience of setting a lineup with whatever team you’d like each week takes away the annoyance of drafting a team in a seasonlong league. Fantasy football was already a $70 billion industry, but with the addition of one day fantasy sports it looks to be increasing rapidly. But like all good things, there are some cons that come with it. According to fortune.com, about 18.3 employees in the United States workforce play fantasy football on the job for two or more hours each week, doesn’t sound like a lot, but when combined with average hourly wage, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a loss of roughly $895 million per week. Multiply that times the 17 weeks of the
NFL regular season and you get businesses losing $13.4 billion per season from employee unproductivity. In 2006, after three unsuccessful attempts to create a law to regulate online gambling, Congress passed the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. The law was intended to stop any and all gambling transactions online, but what was left out was the daily fantasy sports. With this loophole in the law, Fanduel, the original one day fantasy sports site, looked to cash in. Fantasy sports were looked at as a game of skill, but after state regulations and plenty of press, it’s being categorized as gambling. A state that has made one day fantasy sports illegal is Nevada. The push to make one day fantasy sports illegal came after a Draftk-
Photo by Spencer Blake
New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, declares one day fantasy sports are illegal gambling.
A lineup that could be submitted on Fanduel.
One-day fantasy sports banned in Nevada, other states close behind
ings employee won $350,000 on rival site, Fanduel. Another mistake he made was that he accidentally posted information of every player and the percentages they
were owned in each contest. According to fortune.com’s article, he posted it on Draftkings’ blog. It was quickly taken down, but these two events hurt both sites’ integrity significantly.
Students land a ‘big break’ with scholarships for athletic abilities By Reilly McCadam Staff Writer
For many students, choosing a college can be stressful, especially for athletes going through the college recruitment process. Every year, colleges recruit outstanding high school athletes and offer them various scholarships or offers to play for their school. Although only Division I schools can offer athletic scholarships, Division II and III schools find ways to “sweeten” the deal in order to encourage athletes to play for their school. Senior golfer, Gus
Minkin, has gone through the process of college recruitment, which landed him a partial scholarship to the University of Minnesota. University of Minnesota is a Division I school based out of Minneapolis. A successful high school career put Minkin in fifth place in his state tournament this season. Minkin said he was happy with how his season ended, although he would have liked to have done better in his state run, considering he was in the lead throughout the tournament. Recently, Minkin shared his experience of what college recruitment was like for
him. The process started with him contacting schools through e-mail. Once in contact, the schools set up phone meetings. Then, schools came to watch him play during tournaments. University of Minnesota’s golf coaches came to visit Minkin two different weeks, then he set up a date for an official college visit. Minkin visited University of Minnesota during the summer of 2015, where he toured the campus and went to lunch with the coach. Minkin recently signed to Minnesota on Nov. 12. “For me, the process felt like it took forever,” Minkin said.
Another Central York senior, Emily Ilgenfritz shared her own experience of the recruitment process. Ilgenfritz does not swim for the school, but instead swims for the York YMCA team. The York YMCA team competes throughout the region and travels to various other states for competitions. The team also boasts swimmers from the USA Swimming National Team, which Ilgenfritz said has helped her gain attention from schools. ` Ilgenfritz verbally committed around the end of Sept. with a substantial scholarship to Georgia Institute of Technology, a Division I school based out of
Atlanta. When choosing a school, Ilgenfritz said, “Academics were the most important [thing to me] because I won’t be swimming forever and I also looked at scholarships because that was important to me, personally.” “Having to pick between schools [was the hardest part of the process] because each school has something to offer,” Ilgenfritz said. She also plans on keeping her grades up and working hard in swimming. Ilgenfritz said she is looking forward to a change in scenery and her only real concern about college is balancing school and swimming.
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November 2015
Sports
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College Football Playoff hits Arizona in January Fans are wondering, “What will this year’s College Football Playoff be like?” Here are some of my picks to win it all. By Joe Topper Assistant Sports Editor
Last year This is the second year of the College Football Playoff and after the success of last year’s playoff, fans are looking forward to this season. Last year, the four teams that made it to the final were the Florida State Seminoles, the Oregon Ducks, the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Nike even made new custom uniforms for the four teams who made the playoff. This is always a difficult process for the College Football Playoff Selection Staff. There are 128 teams that can be eligible to be in the College Football Playoff. The committee selects four, but after last year, fans have been requesting an eightteam playoff instead of a four-team playoff. Here’s who I think has a chance to make it to the playoff:
Ohio State Buckeyes
Returning as the possible favorite from last year, the Ohio State Buckeyes look very good this season. They’re undefeated and Ezekiel Elliott is one of the best running backs in the NCAA. Elliott was the MVP of last year’s championship and he has become a night-
mare for opposing defenses.
LSU Tigers
Another one of the teams that could get selected for the playoff is the LSU Tigers. They’re led by sophomore running back Leonard Fournette, who is in the lead for the Heisman Trophy, which is given out to the best FBS player each year. As of Oct. 31, he has over 1,300 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. He is also averaging 7.7 yards per carry, which is almost unheard of. LSU also has a very good defense and they have finally found consistent quarterback play. The Tigers also play in a stadium known as, “Death Valley,” so that has to be intimidating for opposing teams.
Clemson
Clemson is another school that I think can dominate in the playoff. They have pivotal wins against Notre Dame and Louisville. Deshaun Watson is one of the best quarterbacks in the ACC and the only tough game remaining in the schedule is an away game against their rival, South Carolina. If Clemson wins that game, they should be undefeated and should have a good chance at being in the College Football Playoff.
TCU Horned Frogs
Finally, I think the fourth spot in the College Football Playoff will go to TCU. They humiliated the Longhorns of Texas-Austin and the Mountaineers of West Virginia. The Horned Frogs of Texas Christian also have Trevone Boykin, an electric quarterback who is in contention for the Heisman.
TCU plays in the Big 12 Conference, where anything can happen. Teams such as Kansas and Iowa State, who are in desperate need for a win, could upset a powerhouse like Oklahoma or TCU. TCU barely beat Texas Tech by a field goal and they have two tough games to end out the season, including one at Oklahoma and a home game against Baylor.
Voices in the Hall Who do you predict will win the College Football Playoff?
Iowa and Stanford
Iowa and Stanford could make a run and have a possibility to make it to the playoff as well. Stanford has a very good running attack, led by Christian McCaffrey, who set the school record for most rushing yards in a game with 243 yards on 25 carries. Kevin Hogan is arguably the best quarterback in the Pac-12 and his decision-making skills make him a force to be reckoned with. Iowa, however, doesn’t have an explosive quarterback or running back like the other teams. Still, the Hawkeyes are undefeated and have a very high chance of going undefeated this season. They also play in the Big Ten Conference, so they have the respect of playing in a tough conference. Now, if they do make it to the playoff, no one knows how well they will fare against powerhouses like LSU or Clemson, but it’s worth a shot. The CFP consists of the Orange Bowl and the Cotton Bowl. The winner of those will play on Jan. 11, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona for the second-ever College Football Playoff Championship.
“LSU because they have a good rushing attack.” - Tyler Fullerton, grade 12
“Baylor because they score a lot of points.” - Chris Brandstedter, grade 10
Photo by MCT Campus
Ohio State Buckeyes running-back Jalin Marshall (17) goes up in the air to make a catch against Alabama Crimson Tide’s defensive-back Jarrick Williams (20) during the second quarter of the Allstate Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff Semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015 at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. (Kyle Robertson/Columbus Dispatch/TNS)
Photo by Carolyn Fahs
The girls’ volleyball team celebrates after winning in the first round of the PIAA AAA state tournament against Delaware Valley at North Pocono High School Tuesday, November 10.
The Prowler N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 5 VOLUME 57, EDITION 2