Third Edition
December 2017
Volume L
Wentz Out. Page 23
Cultural Diversity expands Page 2
Women and self-defense. Page 8
Eastern Regional High School
1401 Laurel Oak Road
Voorhees, NJ 08043
“Citadel Bonus”
Major Colton returns from Paris History teacher spends three weeks in France with an international force By ROBERT SUNDSTROM ‘18 Staff Reporter
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f you’ve passed through the history hallway over the past couple of weeks, you may have noticed a different face in room 103. That’s because Mr. Colton recently took a few weeks off to go to France with the US Army. After becoming an officer in response to the September 11th attacks and more than eighteen years of military assignments during both peace and wartime as Field Artillery, Military Police, Company Commander, Battalion Officer, and Battalion Intelligence Officer, Mr. Richard Colton has worked his way up from Private to Major. This year his army involvement brought him to France to to participate in
multinational exercise, led by the French, called “Citadel Bonus.” Mr. Colton describes the missions as “an imagined response to a hypothetical independence movement in a European country fomented with the help an unnamed country whose name rhymes with ‘Thrussia.’” In his role of Senior Logistics and Personnel Officer for the American brigade, Mr. Colton was working with his counterparts in a Dutch brigade, a Royal Armoured British regiment, and a French Rapid Deployment brigade. Arriving in Paris November 29th and returning December 15th, much of his days were spent inside a Tactical Operations Center planning convoys and movements, or responding to emergencies. He said
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Major Richard Colton, second from the left, stands with his French, Dutch, and English counterparts in a Tactical Operations Center.
Policy change on vaping
D Mural blends music and art By ALIYAH EL-MUHAMMED ‘18 Staff Reporter
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f you walk into Eastern, past the lobby and into the glass hallway, the walls transform from bare and bland beige to colorful and vivid hues, hand painted by the National Art Honors Society. Now, the organization’s newest addition of color blossoms in the 300 hallway. Directed by Mr. McConnell, the new mural is inspired by radical ‘80s artist Keith Haring, who found his medium in street art. Haring was known for chalk outline drawings on black advertising boards.
Students mirrored Herring’s style of colorful people as a representation of Eastern’s diversity. Their dancing movements also represent the music department. Mr. McConnell hopes the mural will not only represent all students, but unify them too. He believes that students love to see color on the walls. Usually, when the National Art Honor Society is asked to paint a certain part of the school, students brainstorm ideas, and then get approval from Mr. Tull. Students do all the painting who find time to express their creativity. Senior Rachel Randell works
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By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 Editor-in-Chief
espite the natural “high” that accompanies sporting events and school activities, vaping has permeated Eastern. Vaping, or use of e-cigarettes, refers to the inhalation of aerosolized nicotine and flavored chemicals through various devices. Vaping also encompasses the use of vape pens to inhale other substances, including marijuana. In an attempt to discourage students from engaging in the use of e-cigarettes, the Board of Education approved a change in the disciplinary policy on November 15. The amendment focuses primarily on vaping and vaping paraphernalia and subsequent consequences. According to the new revisions, students Students using tobacco using tobacco products or vaping accesproducts or vaping sories on school property or buses will be accessories on school issued three out-of-school suspensions, and the administration will contact their parents, property or buses will as well as the police. The second offense be issued three out-ofwill increase the number of suspensions to school suspensions, and four, maintain parent and police contact, the administration will and add three extended school days. The third offense will result in a superintendent contact their parents, as hearing. well as the police. The revisions also address students in “a vaping situation,” as well as students in possession of tobacco products or vaping accessories. The first offense will result in one outof-school suspension and parent contact, and the subsequent two offenses will increase the suspensions to three and four, respectively, while maintaining parent contact. The fourth offense will result in a superintendent hearing. Also included in the changes is mandatory drug screening and or medical examinations following possession or use of intoxicants during school or school activities. Refusal to comply equates an assumed positive. Principal Mr. Tull was active in moving this amendment in discipline policy forward. Tull cites three main reasons for doing so: the increased vaping by teenagers (specifically Eastern students), concerns for student and staff safety, and his desire to remove the
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