Voyager-online.org
Dispatch from Haiti - Page 4
Volume LII
Fourth Edition
February 2018
Point / Counterpoint - Page 9
Eastern Regional High School
1401 Laurel Oak Road
Fan Fever- Page 19
Eagles Win - Page 19/Online
Voorhees, NJ 08043
Crowds flock from the area to the annual ‘promenade’ for South Jersey Prom Closet By NANCY BOWNE ‘19 and LAUREN CASOLE ‘19 Copy and Features Editors
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he line for the Learning Center snaked from the front doors, past the Performing Arts Center, and looped all the way to the trophy cases. What were they waiting for? Prom dresses. The fourth annual Prom Closet event was the place to be on January 27. It brought hundreds of teenage girls and moms from all over New Jersey to purchase prom dresses and accessories. The event lasted from 10am to 2pm. The event sold dresses new, worn, or slightly used from several retailers, such as Vincent Camuto, Alfred Angelo, and Kleinfeld’s (yes, the Say Yes to the Dress Kleinfeld’s!). Sizes
ranged from 0-24 and prices ranged from $10-50. They also had shoes, jewelry, and accessories from $2-20. Dan, the ‘crowd control’ at the doors of the haven, said it was “much better than last year.” He needed to bring people inside from the cold, so the lobby made loops of eager girls, freshly awoken on a Saturday morning. Girls from Williamstown had been waiting in line to get in for over an hour, so they decided to play heads up in line while they were waiting. Customers came from Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Seneca, West Berlin, Haddon Township, Sterling, Galloway, and Franklinville. A girl from Cedar Creek High School said that her school had posters up for a month. A Mt. Laurel mom, Stephanie, and her sophomore daughter, Sydney, waited in line, curious
of the event. “I heard it through a neighborhood email community. Sydney has a cotillion coming up.” After fifteen minutes, they left due to overwhelming lines. It was only 10:52 am. Not everyone got into the Learning Center’s event that day. There were also booths, such as Rodan, Fields Skincare, and accessories. Casey Reed from Q102 Philly led the music and door prizes in order to supply entertainment at Prom Closet. “Remember, ladies, only three dresses at a time in the dressing room,” she periodically announced. “We bring the music.” Q102 gave out Jake Miller, Charlie Puth and Why Don’t We tickets as well. “I never went to any of my proms,” Casey Reed said. “This is a great event because proms
See PROM on Page 3
Senior Kylie Easterday picks a dress at Prom Closet.
Photo by Nancy Bowne ’19
Eastern takes DECA by storm Business-minded students demonstrate their skills at the regional conference
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By ALEX MACKLE ‘18 Editor-in-Chief
he Cherry Hill Crowne Plaza was full on January 8 where countless meetings took place in the convention center. No, this was not a corporate seminar or even a trade show. The sea of black and blue business suits that assembled at the Crowne Plaza was due to the DECA regional conference. Eastern’s DECA chapter makes up one of the most populous activities at the school with over two-hundred members. On the morning of January 8, every single student was crammed into an array of bright yellow school busses destined for the NJ DECA Southern Region Gold regional conference. Eastern business teacher, Mrs. Lowery, was one of the key people in charge of the event. The conference hosts schools from around the South Jersey areas, from Cherry Hill to Ocean City. DECA, which stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America, is a marketing business competition between individual students and schools. Student’s first have to complete a multiple choice exam in a category related to business. Then, students must participate in a role
play at the conference in Cherry Hill. second year in a row, and this event hosts shore, had delayed openings or snow For most role plays, participants are thousands of high-level DECA competidays themselves, causing logistical isgiven a scenario in which ten minutes are tors from every corner of the state. sues for the event, the greatest one beallotted for individual events and a half Although the competition went fairly ing lack of judges for role plays, as many hour with a partner to present some sort smooth, there were some issues. January had difficulties getting into Cherry Hill. of business proposal. “Basically, you are 8 was the first day back in school for EastThis, paired with a new system of keepsolving a problem and presenting it to a ern after experiencing two snow days, and ing scores on tablet computers, generally judge and he scores you,” said Mrs. Lowthere were seperate weather issues on that slowed things down. ery, the Eastern DECA advisor. day. Namely, poor road conditions. Due to a lack of personnel, Rachel “Eastern was very successful,” Mrs. Some schools, such as ones down the See DECA on Page 3 Lowery said, regarding both role plays and test scores. “Of the [220 Eastern] students… there are 86 who made it to the next level of states.” The New Jersey State Conference is not particularly different from Regionals, with the general format being similar. “[Students] are dealing with the best of the best,” said Lowery. All of the DECA students from around New Jersey who advanced from any of the six regional conferences compete at the state level. The State Conference is being held at Harrah’s CaPhoto by Lors sino in Atlantic City for the Seniors Dylan Quinn and Steve McAllister present their roleplay to a judge.
2 The Voyager
News
February 2018
Could Lifestyle Fitness replace a gym membership? By HALEY ALLSEBROOK ‘20 Staff Reporter
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aking its appearance in the year 2018-2019, as an alternative option to PE, is the brand new Lifestyle Fitness course taught by Mr. Jones. This course is for grades 11-12, no matter their current fitness, background or knowledge of fitness. It is designed for students that are willing to work hard, get in shape, and challenge themselves physically to be able to advance and improve their overall physical and mental health. Students who enjoy exercise, would rather workout during the day amongst their peers than work out on their own, or students that want to get fit but don’t know where to start are encouraged to take this course. “I think it’s an excellent way to experience real gym activities in a friendly environment. I definitely want to develop a higher stamina, become stronger, and exercising has also been effectively proven to alleviate stress,” said Mia Prowisor who is a current sophomore looking to join Lifestyle Fitness. “Since going out to the gym isn’t something I have time to do, Lifestyle Fitness seemed like a cool, fun,
effective way to become healthier,” continued Mia. Types of workouts to expect are crossfit style (including battle ropes, sandbags, jump rope, and kettle balls), yoga, spin room, cardio boxing/kickboxing, weight room, military bootcamp, and zumba. However, students are not to be intimidated by these workouts. All workouts can be adjusted for different ability levels. “I want to join this course to gain more time working out on Boy’s Lacrosse team lifting in the weight room, which is a feature of the new course. top of when I go to the Photo by Alex Mackle ‘18 gym. I think that other through Thursdays, there will be different this course has an in-class portion, kids who want to stay “workouts of the day” and on Fridays teaching students the principles of fitness, fit would like this class especially when there will be game days including games diet, and nutrition to put to use in your they can’t get a gym membership,” like kickball and volleyball. daily lives now or for the future. says current junior Tom Barkan, who is Besides fitness based training and Picking classes for the upcoming year looking forward to advancing his fitness activities, there is another benefit to this is coming to an end but, it’s not too late skills. course. For those whose interests are to decide. If you picked classes you know Primarily, the class will be held in the focused not only on physical activity, but you’ll love and enjoy next year—why Gym 3 Weight room and occasionally also on obtaining good overall nutrition, should gym be any different? outside or in the spin room. Mondays
Mr. Josh Bodine, a new “voice” to help with speech By NANCY BOWNE ‘19 Copy Editor
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ucked inside the special services wing is Mr. Bodine, the new speech therapist. With his education and experience, he is eager to work with the various voices of Eastern. Speech Pathology is the concentration of correcting speech delays and disorders, such as lisps, impediments, and stutters. Treatment is offered anywhere from toddlers to senior citizens. Originally considering Special Education, Mr. Bodine decided to major
in Music Therapy at Temple University. However, he decided to change his tune after an old coworker mentioned Speech Pathology. So, he attended Stockton University for an M.S. Communication Disorders. He was already familiar with “creating goals and understanding the therapeutic process.” Sounds have different developmental meaning. “Every student must be personally evaluated,” he said. Mr. Bodine has experience working with younger children, but came to Eastern out of an interest to work with older students. He added that older students don’t need to be entertained necessarily. He laughed.
“They are used to class,” he said. “It is a typical developmental process,” Mr. Bodine said. “Any delay needs to be suppressed at a young age. It is all about hearing and the body’s connection.” He acknowledges that greater gains happen at a younger age, due to developing brains. The speech improvement is better at younger ages, since speech is fully developed at seven or eight. Most students get tested if a delay is sensed. Mr. Bodine gathers standardized tests for kids, such as prepositions, antonyms, completion, structure, and pragmatics. It’s graded in percentiles.One example would be a picture of a boy sitting at a table: “Here is this boy and his shirt color is. . . He is sitting at a . . .” Exercises and conversations promote learned skills. Bodine expresses how every student in his speech class has Mr. Bodine smiles in his office. Photo by Nancy Bowne ‘19 an IEP, independent education we communicate. plan, that tracks how many Overall, Mr. Bodine draws parallels classes and involvement are desired. from his music therapy to speech therapy Every high school actually supplies in the importance of “emotions and speech and language services. When reactions as half of the understanding.” working with students near special He also makes home calls for people service, he is “in control of stimulus who have had strokes. A speech therapy within the office.” education is not limited to the school. “We cater to their needs, in class or Hospitals, private practices, movie secluded,” said Bodine. industries, and nursing homes all need He works with students on the autism speech pathologists. spectrum, stuttering, foreign exchange, Students interested in the field should and students with communication needs. check out the American Speech Language With language, “there is a strong home and Hearing Association website www. influence. It is all about how it’s learned.” asha.org, contact an SLP to ask questions He draws a comparison between a and/or observe a session, and volunteer disorder and cultural difference. For or obtain job experiences working with example, “In Boston, they drop the r’s in individuals of any age in need of special words like red more than in other places, services. like South Jersey.” He also mentioned “Creating goals, understanding the there were some accent reduction private therapeutic processes are also important,’ practices available for adults. Vocabulary, he said. “I am still learning the field, but cultural background, regions, countries, eager.” accents, and delays all play a part in how
News
February 2018
The Voyager 3
Ms. B heals more than sprained ankles By JULIA DODD ‘19 Managing Editor
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arissa Breymeier, more commonly known as Ms. B, is a new addition to the athletic training staff at Eastern. She is second in command to Mr. Christy in the trainer’s room next to the weight room. The trainers in general are the ones who tape up all the athletes before and after the game. Without them, many of the athletes in the world today would not be able to function due to an untreated injury. Her love of the job began way before she went to college. When she was a senior at Lenape High School, she injured her ankle playing softball. She then had to go to the trainers every day to help her injury
heal and get back in shape. Her love of the job increased later when she took a sports medicine class. After high school, she studied at Rowan University for athletic training and West Chester University for exercise science. As to how she became affiliated with Eastern, Ms. B said, “When I was at Rowan I had to do clinical hours and Eastern was always the place everyone wanted to be, so when I had the opportunity I knew it would be a great place to learn and work at.” Her favorite sport to work with so far is girl’s basketball. She said, “I played basketball. I not only enjoy watching them, but helping them with their injuries: lower body injuries are more common in basketball than in other sports and they
Ms. Breymeier wraps a student’s foot. are my favorite injury.” Her favorite sport to watch in general is volleyball, though she loves working with football the best. She said the most common injury she has seen is a sprained ankle. She said, “I love Eastern because of its fantastic athletics program with great coaches, a great role model, and great
T.V. Media and ETV journey to “Harry” By ALEX MACKLE ‘18 Editor-In-Chief
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hile parts of the student body may have been wishing for a delayed opening on a cold Wednesday morning, Mr. Holmes’ TV Media class was already at school. On January 17, over fifty students departed Eastern early in the morning. Their destination? The CBS Broadcast Center in New York City. Thanks to a friendly relationship with a member of the production team, Mr. Holmes was able to treat his students to their second-annual trip to the set of Harry Connick Jr.’s daytime talk show, “Harry.” After a long bus ride into the city, media-interested students were ushered into a waiting room. From there, they were
around ne wraps
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escorted through a long corridor, up an elevator, and eventually to the stage door. Upon making their way up the studio stairs, students found themselvesThe set of “Harry” in amongst the hustle and bustle of a real-life television production, greeted by bright LED lights and a crew making their final preparations before shooting. Everyone took their seats, a stage manager came out and introduced himself to the live studio audience, and then the process began. The “Harry Connick Jr. Band” began playing an energetic tune as the host, singer and actor Harry Connick
ance. main entr
PROM from can get expensive. Everyone can be a part of it, even on a budget. I wish I had something like this when I was growing up.” There were lines even into the dressing rooms. Another mom, Donna Reynolds, before heading to the dressing rooms, said that she heard about the event over her morning coffee and news. “I knew that my daughter and I needed to head down as soon as possible,” she said. Michelle McAndrew, head coordinator of Prom Closet who started this non profit, said she noticed through her daughter how expensive proms can be. “So when they graduated, I started this,” she said. They receive donations from retailers all year, such as Kleinfeld’s. “We have a 501C3 which allows us to ask companies
New York Photo by Alex Mackle ‘18 Jr. made his way onto the set as the show began. From this point on, everyone was on the edge of their seats the entire time, with a band that never even stopped for commercial breaks. Featured segments included a preview of the Puppy Bowl, cooking, finance, interviews, and even an ‘impromptu love song.” A number of TV Media students can look forward to seeing themselves on television as a part of the audience.
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for donations.” She looked around the venue. “Social media is a huge help too.” Melissa McQuillen, another volunteer, said the event is a year long process. “Donations happen all throughout the year,” she said. Several Interact members also donated their time to help regulate the dressing rooms and racks of dresses. Olivia Tinari, a senior, said it was a great experience. “I love seeing people in prom dresses, because it makes me happy!” Kyleigh Masterson, a junior, agreed. “It’s a little crazy, but it’s for a good cause,’ Kyleigh said. “And I bought a dress! I can save it for next year.” There is some speculation that a bigger venue with more dressing rooms will be needed for next year’s fifth annual Prom Closet. But from this season, 145 dresses
Photo by Nancy Bowne ‘19
found homes. Ms. Darlene Walker, a special education teacher at Eastern, also gets involved in the program. “We are merely hosts,” Mrs. Walker said. “Michelle started it. It’s gotten so big that it needs more coordination.” All this dedicated time and coordination all contribute to the beaming smiles as girls leave, clutching their new dresses, excited for the big day, Prom Day, to arrive.
Photo by Julia Dodd ‘19
athletes.” Mr. B can be spotted at every home sporting event supporting the team and even at some important away games at the end of a season. She plans to stay at Eastern for the rest of her career, to “follow [in] Mr. Christy[‘s]” footsteps.
DECA from Page 1 Lynch, an Eastern senior and DECA chapter president, ended up assisting with a hospitality team event, in addition to competing in her own category. “It was interesting to see things from the other side,” Lynch said. The primary reason she was granted this opportunity was because of her position as the New Jersey State Vice President of the Southern Region. Lynch, who is Eastern’s first ever DECA state officer, was elected at the New Jersey State Conference in 2017. “This has been a great experience,” said Lynch, who has become instrumental in planning the DECA state agenda for the 2017-2018 year. Before her election, she was subject to a rigorous screening process, all before she was even elected. Upon taking office, Rachel travels to Kean University for monthly meetings with state DECA staff, and she is also granted a number of unique DECA-related opportunities. One of of her favorite opportunities was interviewing Joseph Abboud, the Chief Creative Director at Men’s Warehouse. As a state officer, Rachel was also instrumental in the Crowne Plaza’s award ceremony. Although the ceremony was canceled due to inclement weather, Lynch was still able to be involved at the ceremony being held on January 9 for the South Jersey Blue Conference, which was also held at the Crowne Plaza hotel. Despite the shortened conference, Eastern still found itself having great success, with countless students placing amongst the top tier of competitors. “We were really prioritizing our performance Photo Courtesey of DECA this year at Rachel Lynch poses Regionals,” for her offical DECA said senior portrait as NJ Southern Bhavin Region Vice President. Doshi, Eatern’s DECA Vice President. “We had a new test preparation program… as well as many workshops. “Working with students and actually getting them to practice is a key to success in this form of competition. We wanted to make sure that everything at Regionals ran smoothly,” Doshi said.
4 The Voyager
Features
Bearing hardship with smiles
February 2018
Lending a helping hand on the island of Haiti By SHIMOLI PARIKH ‘19 Special to the Voyager uddy water floods the streets. Trash burns on the corners to reduce waste. Dogs, with rib cages poking through desiccated skin, roam the streets in search of food. Vendors on the road sell belongings for food. The homes are constructed with scavenged materials from the 2010 earthquake. When families don’t have dinner, they are forced to mix sand and butter to make rockhard, but common, mudpies. These are the living conditions that Haitians face everyday, yet they bear their hardships with smiles. Children still play soccer and dance in the streets. Families, always outside, talk and laugh together. The close-knit community perpetually works to climb out of the never-ending cycle of poverty. During the second week of January, I worked in the recovering city of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, for the second year in a row. My dad, who is an internal physician at Kennedy Hospital, was given the opportunity to go on a medical mission with his colleagues, and he brought me along. Because I was on a medical mission, I was able to continuously work in a clinic and interact with patients. Last year, although I worked under the same conditions, I was not exposed to many of the horrible circumstances that Haitians face because it was my first time in the country. When helping out with surgeries, hernias to lymphomas, I was able to talk to patients and understand the circumstances they face. Because surgeons are rarely able to operate under the poor conditions in Haiti, they do not come often, causing the clinic to overflow with patients who have been waiting for surgery. Determined to be healed, they wait outside patiently in the heat each day for a check-up. Many even let cases more serious than theirs cut in front of them in line. Over a hundred patients showed up just for surgeries during the week, and since a single surgeon could not possibly get to everyone in time, many were turned down. One patient that I’ll never forget was an elderly woman with a case of goiter, an enlargement of the thyroid gland. However, her condition was no longer treatable because she had waited too long to see a doctor—it was too late. The only possible way to help her was to send her to Mirebalais, the closest nonprofit hospital to the clinic. The trip there, however, was over an hour away from the clinic, which was not a viable option for her. She ended up going home, untreated. In the operating room, Haitians further proved their strength; instead of being unconscious under general an-
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Shimoli greets Haitian students outside the clinic.
esthesia, which is widely used in the United States but also extremely expensive, every surgery was performed using only local anesthesia. This meant each patient was awake. When I worked in the pharmacy, I filled out prescriptions and measured correct doses for patients. Because each team had to bring medicine themselves, there was not enough medicine to last the entire week. This year, we saw several cases of malaria and scabies, which meant that we had to ration the medicine needed and that some patients did not receive the preferred doses of medicine. Because the pharmacy is the last stop for all patients who come to the clinic, I was able to communicate with every patient, even children. I was shocked to see the vast difference between American and Haitian
children: every single Haitian child was malnourished and dangerously underweight. One specific child that I will always remember was so emaciated and dehydrated she could not open her mouth. Because she weighed five kilograms at two years old, we had to inject fluids into her body so she could survive. In the United States, it is rare to see anyone without basic necessities like food and water at home. Extreme cases like these exemplify the horrible conditions that many Haitians fight to survive. Because many Haitians cannot afford the basic necessities to help them
climb out of the grasp of poverty, they take life day by day and always confront their problems with optimism. One day at three o’clock, the students from a nearby elementary school came to the clinic and said hello to us. They fought with each other to hold my hands and take selfies with me, and when my dad and I started blowing up balloons, the clinic soon turned to chaos. Their faces always brightened up when they got one, and suddenly they were all playing with each other in front of the clinic. In the light of all obstacles they face through their daily lives, these children are able to find delight in the smallest things. Inspired by these kids last year, my dad and I decided to sponsor two children, Wilmino Alex Désiré and Esther Derilus, and released them from the financial strains of receiving a Haitian education. This year, we were able to meet with them again and see how they were doing at school. Although they were too scared to talk to us last year, they recognized us this time and said a few words in Creole back to us. When we are with these kids, we receive a feeling of fulfillment because we know we have opened up many opportunities for them to take advantage of in the future. Sponsorship is not the only way to help the Haitian people; organizations help raise money that will go straight to families instead of being taken away by corrupt organizations and the government. The Apparent Project, for example, provides opportunities for Haitians to provide for themselves and their families, empowering them to rise out of poverty. This is done by teaching them skills that they can use to make a living with, such as jewelry-making and pottery. Their most popular craft is bracelets with beads made out of paper and cereal boxes. As Americans donate their recyclables, these Haitian artisans are able to create objects worth selling in
order to sustain themselves and their families. Foreign donations help Haitians in the long run as well. The money that goes to Haiti-based organizations like the Haiti Outreach Ministries is spent on the education system. For instance, the high school in a city named Terre Noire, which literally means “Black Earth,” has now grown to two buildings and a basketball court from its previous one building last year. The school plans on expanding its campus to include five buildings and a soccer field soon. Another new addition to the school is a computer class, where students are able to learn with used laptops from other countries in an effort to take advantage of the opportunities that technology opens up for them. Even with all of these foundations aiming to improve the lives of these Haitians, the corruption present in the country takes most of the money away from the people. For instance, less than a penny of each dollar donated to organizations such as USAID actually goes to them; most of it is usually taken away by the organization itself. Even with all of the obstacles that life throws at them, from earthquakes to corruption, Haitians are able to persevere. Whether it be through surgery or schooling, these strong people have hope and believe t h a t they will one day be able to break free from poverty. Speaking with personal experience, I can confidently say that Haiti is not a s***hole.
The Apparent Project: https://apparentproject.org/ Haiti Outreach Ministries: https://www.haitiom.org/ More on Voyager-online.org
Wilmino Alex Désiré and Esther Derilus, Shimoli’s All photos by Shimoli Parikh ‘19 sponsored students
February 2018
Features
Icing on the cake? By BRYCE DERSHEM ‘21 Staff Reporter
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lour, eggs, milk, sugar—the basic ingredients that maintain the potential to transform American society—a cake. In July of 2012, Charlie Craig and David Mullins, two men who were soon to be married, walked into Jack Phillips’s Masterpiece Cakeshop in pursuit of a custom, “masterpiece” cake for their Coloradoan wedding. However, Mr. Phillips effortlessly denied their request for service on the basis of his personal convictions as a devout Christian. Soon after, Mr. Craig and Mr. Mullins hastily fled the shop. They left with embarrassment similar to that of their childhoods, tainted by homophobic bullying. Nevertheless, Mr. Phillips soon saw the couple again in what would be a protracted legal crusade eventually heard by the Supreme Court on December 5th, 2017. Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, still pending its Supreme Court verdict, connects several issues surrounding the United States’ heteronormativity. The Supreme Court Justices will factor in the decisions of such cases as Obergefell v. Hodges of 2015, which established marriage equality for same-sex couples, and Newman v. Piggie Park Enterprises, Inc. of 1968, which outlawed the refusal of public services based on religious affiliations towards race. Regardless of the Justices’ decision, the “Cake Case” itself may prove a radical precedent for LGBTQ and nonLGBTQ indviduals alike. If ruled in Mr. Phillips’ favor, the case could effectively establish LGBTQ persons as second class citizens.
Additionally, the case could further justify the refusal of public accommodations such as fine dining, college admission, and the services of nearly any business for the LGBTQ community. Paula Greisen, a lawyer for the ACLU, wrote, “What message do we send if we legitimize discrimination against the LGBTQ community?...What happens if we carve out exceptions to allow business owners to discriminate on the basis of the First Amendment?” Oppositely, Mr. Phillips actively proclaims that if the case is ruled in favor of the couple, then the neglectful construal of America’s first amendment could allow government compelling of expression and symbolic speech. As Stephanie Barclay, legal counsel at a public interest law firm, asked, “Do we want to have a country where the government is allowed to pick one correct view on hot topics like marriage, and to force objecting organizations to use their talents and resources to support that position?” This case, with reference to smaller scale ramifications, holds implications into the heteronormative culture in schools today. The case will likely spark discussion on topics, even in primarily democratic states like New Jersey. A majority of teachers fail to address or actively silence class discussions about heteronormativity institutions. Across the nation, several teachers have adopted a classroom policy for silence on the topics that thrust this case into the limelight. None of a multitude of teachers from Eastern chose to comment. Additionally, a division that parallels American society, exists amongst Constitutional scholars. Professor Laurence H. Tribe of Harvard Law School personally commented that he would prefer the baker to lose, but he believes Mr. Phillips will prove victorious in a 5-4
The Voyager 5
decision. Regardless of personal sentimentalities over the case, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission and all of its complexities pose a threat to multiple attributes of the Constitution as well as the potential for sweet and saccharine justice. Artwork by Kylie Easterday ‘18
Not all “broken familes” are broken
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By VICTORIA LAPINSON ‘21 Staff Reporter
hink about all of the famous rebel characters: Jim Stark, John Bender, Johnny Strabler, Jyn Erso, Katniss Everdeen, Jughead Jones, and almost the entire group in “The Outsiders.” Besides gallons of angst and disdain, they all have one thing in common: unfavorable home situations. It is clear that media views these characters as damaged: absent fathers, divorced parents, deceased parents, alcohol and drug addicted mothers, abusive family. These situations are associated with punk or delinquent teens. This “rebel image” is what society has told children from a broken home what they are. The United States is a nation where, according to the American Psychological Association, forty to fifty percent of marriages end in divorce. Not counting all of the other damaged forms of families, this leaves countless young individuals in a situations that aren’t ideal. According to the stereotype, that means roughly every other teen out there should be wearing ripped jeans, sporting leather jackets, doping up, and spray painting under bridges. Mr. Boguszewski, a health and physical education teacher at Eastern, comes from a difficult home situation himself and believes entertainment romanticizes these problems. “The media over-embellishes and every individual needs to overcome adversity and be resilient throughout their circumstances,” Boguszewski said. The idea that all of these teens are designed to be delinquents couldn’t be further from the truth. While some do justify behavior such as drugs and alcohol with their home status, there are scores of people that effectively overcome a traumatic home. Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Aniston, Johnny Depp, Emma Watson, Billie Joe Armstrong, Rihanna, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama all come from imperfect families of some sort and are considered extremely successful. The difference between those who become successful and those who fall into the pit of lost causes is their situation and personality. Those who can face the situation, make the best of it, and learn from it are likely to appear as though they never had problems at all. The downside is that not all individuals are strong enough, in emotion or knowledge, to handle this very personal form of adversity. Some blame themselves or get caught trying to place the blame on someone else.
That discontempt with their lives feed negative thoughts and can lead to a variety of effects in the children. Harvard University Press studied this, and found that “teenagers in single-parent families and in blended families are 300% more likely to need psychological help within any given year then teens from intact, nuclear families.” They go on to say “children of divorced parents are twice as likely to dropout of high school than their peers who are still living with parents who did not divorce.” These statistics may seem striking and overwhelming, but many of the individuals who lack the “nuclear family” are still able to adapt and move on. Arguably, the most difficult part of getting over it is finding a spouse and committing after witnessing their family’s situation. Adults who come from an unideal home status said they experience great emotional tolls in finding partners, as they fear turning out like their parents. Commitment is one of the relationship factors that adults of divorce commonly claim as a problem. Experts agree that finding love as a child of separation is the most difficult part of growing up in that environment. Contrary to this, others say that it forces an individual to learn and develop better morals. They won’t settle for friends or partners that are “okay.” In cases where there is a family tragedy, the outcome brings more grief than damage to a child. Traumatic events in youth often leave one in a mixed mental state that can push them towards a changed mental state. The value of family itself is often distorted to people from a tough situation. The old saying “blood is thicker than water” means something entirely different to many. In fact, the real meaning of this phrase is the opposite of valuing family over others. The original version is “the blood of the the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” Of the original line Megan Saunters, a student at the University of Washington explained, “The blood represented is not the blood shared by family, but rather actual blood shed by soldiers on the battlefield. Thus, the saying reflects that bloodshed between brothers of
war makes for stronger bonds Artwork by Lisa Traczyk ‘19 than those of the family you happened to be born into.” Ultimately, it is the people one chooses to bring into his/ her life that shapes them. It is important to note that no two divorces, deaths, separations, or abusive situations are alike. Some families pull through and remain strong, hanging on to the best possible morals. Others are left in pieces. Some don’t talk at all. Teens in these predicaments should put in effort to adapt and overcome to their specific circumstances. Caelie McFadden, a freshman at Eastern from a home that has been through a lot, said, “I will always remember the situations that shaped me, but I won’t let it define who I am.” This is a motivational and effective mindset for teens facing any form of adversity. Television and the silver screens will continue to portray teens from non-nuclear families as damaged goods. They are portrayed as beaten and battered into rebellion. The media owes it to everyone to shine a light on the resilience of teens with family problems, because most bounce back and learn. Think about all of the famous rebel characters mentioned before, in addition to countless others; besides the angst, rebellion, and their broken homes, they all have one thing in common: they are incredibly strong.
Features
6 The Voyager
February 2018
Photo of the Month
Mr. John Stanz directs morning traffic under gloomy February skies while proudly wearing his Eagles pride.
Photo by Ava Hancock ‘20
What to do in the area By RUTHIE DOUGLASS ‘19 News Editor Ice skating at Cooper River Park Looking to embrace the cold weather and spend some time outside? Go ice skating at the Cooper River Park! Open from now to February 19th, ice skating is the perfect winter activity with friends, or even a Valentine’s Day date. Adult admission charges $6, as well as $4 skate rental. The park is open from 5pm-9pm Monday through Thursday, 12pm-10pm on Friday and Saturday, and 12pm-8pm on Sunday. Get out and skate before the ice melts! Say goodbye to the “LOVE” statue Everyone knows about the iconic “LOVE” statues that stands in Dilworth park in Philadelphia. But this Valentine’s Day is its last day standing in that exact spot. The statue is being moved back to its original home in LOVE Park. From noon to 2pm on Valentine’s Day, the park is holding a “Last Chance for Love” party, complete with music, food, and free roses for the first 200 guests. Go say goodbye to Love for the last time this February 14th. President’s Day weekend in Philadelphia Philadelphia is one of the most historic places in the country. What better way to spend President’s Day weekend, than in the place where these presidents often worked and lived? Philadelphia, home to many museums and historical sites, embraces the past by holding multiple events this year. Places like the National Constitution Center, American Jewish History Museum, and Benjamin Franklin Museum will have free admission February 14-19th to celebrate the national holiday. Dilworth Park Wintergarden Now through February 25th, the Dilworth Park Wintergarden is open outside City Hall in Philadelphia. Enjoy ice skating at the Rothman Institute Ice Rink, as well as cozying up with some hot chocolate in the Rothman Institute Cabin. If skating isn’t your thing, feel free to wander around the park and view the beautiful seasonal plants and lights. The rink and cabin are open from noon to 11pm on Friday and Saturday, and adult admission is $5 in addition to $10 skate rental, if needed. Reading Terminal Market 125th birthday Take a trip back to 1893, when the Reading Terminal Market first opened. This February 22nd, the terminal’s 125th birthday, marks the kickoff of the year-long celebration festivities. It will start off with 1893 Day, complete with Victorian decor, period clothing, and penny-farthing riders. Also, when a merchant rings a bell, the price of one of his/her items will be temporarily dropped to what it would have been 125 years ago. More events such as cultural days and special speakers will occur throughout the year, but you won’t want to miss this unique kickoff!
By JOSH MEYERS ‘21 Staff Reporter Q: How do I deal with procrastination? A: Everyone procrastinates. Whether or not it’s the project you are holding off until the last minute or the job application you still have to fill out, everyone experiences procrastination. I’m here to tell you, there are ways to deal with it. A big way of to deal with procrastination is by forcing yourself to do it (“JUST DO IT!” - Shia LaBeouf). You have the control over what you do. If you keep telling yourself to get what you need done, then you are bound to stop what you are doing and complete the task. The second way that to stop procrastinating is by having something to look forward to when your task is done. For me, I look forward to watching the latest Philadelphia sports game on that night. I also like looking forward to going out to dinner with my family. You need to tell yourself, “Hey, if you get this done, you can look forward to (anything that you can look forward to).” Finally, the last way that can make dealing with procrastination easier, is having a friend over to either keep you company or help you when you are doing what you were procrastinating. It’s always better to have someone to talk to when you are doing something that you dreaded. Q: What Netflix shows do you reccomend? A: Well, I would recommend How I Met Your Mother but sadly, Netflix took it away from us. That means no more of Barney and his famous quote, “Legen… Wait for it… Dary.” Anyway, a show that I recommend on Netflix is The Flash. The Flash was the very first show I watched on Netflix. Starring Grant Gustin (some of you may know him as Sebastian Smythe on Glee which is also on Netflix); the show about the fastest man alive is (no pun intended) fast-paced with a balance of humor, drama, action, suspense, romance, and tears. As of right now, Netflix has the first three seasons of The Flash available to watch. Another Netflix show I recommend is The Office. Steve Carell plays the hilarious boss of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, Michael Scott. The Office shows the antics that happen in the Dunder Mifflin office that will make you fall out of your seat laughing. The characters of the show are the driving force of the humor in The Office. The last Netflix show that I recommend is Friends. Friends is one of the most popular shows on Netflix and it lives up to the hype. The show follows the lives of five friends, set in Manhattan. In all of its ten seasons, Friends carries humor, drama, and romance. Just like The Office, the characters are the biggest part of Friends. Trust me, these three shows won’t disappoint.
Features
February 2018
The Voyager 7
Students taking charge of health at the gym Gym memberships allow students to focus on their physical and mental fitness in the
Artwork by Lisa Traczyk ‘19
The future of music By RYAN EMS ‘19 Staff Reporter
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he future of music is here and it’s brought to you by robots. Nigel Stanford, an up and coming artist from Wellington, New Zealand, is thriving in the music industry. He produces music in the genre “ambient,” which is a genre of music that puts an emphasis on tone and atmosphere over traditional musical structure or rhythm His recent hit single, Automatica, has reached almost three million views on YouTube, while gaining attention from many media outlets. Stanford says he uses robots to create music that reinforces it in a visual way. “I like to hear a sound and then see a corresponding visual that emphasizes sound,” said Stanford. In his music video, Stanford is seen using Kuka robots, which are multi-use programmable robots that are usually used for building cars and welding metal. He programs the coordinated movements of Kuka robots to make the sounds that he wants. To program the robots, he used a 3D software called Maya. “I would program the moves in Maya and export a text file
containing the move,” he said. “I’d then run the move to see if it worked. If not, I’d make adjustments and try again.” There are five main instruments playing in the music video: drums, bass, piano, synth, and the turntables. Stanford films each robot playing an instrument individually, then puts them together in a production room. In the beginning of the video, he controls the Kuka robots’ movements to make the sound he wants. But, at the end of the video, the Kuka robots start to make music for themselves, where they pick up tempo and rock out. With sparks flying and music blaring, the video ends with the robots smashing the instruments. Stanford explores the possibility of using artificial intelligence in the video, and would like to use artificial intelligence in future videos. “In real life, these robots just make the moves you program them to do,” said Stanford. “Although it would be possible to connect them to learning algorithms and I think that would be very interesting.” In the future, Stanford wants to use the robots for live performances. However, his immediate focus is making more videos for the rest of his album. “I have already shot footage for each one,” said Stanford. “I’m excited for people to see them.”
“Working out on my own has made me the strongest I have ever been because her videos are challenging.” Many enjoy the community spirit of the gyms, often going with other teens to workout together, attend special classes, By HANA HANCOCK ‘18 or work with a personal trainer. Opinion Editor Gyms like Echelon Fitness specialize in many classes, such as dance, yoga, and ccording to a study by spin. Preventive Medicine, the older Morgan Wurster, a senior, said that she we get, the less we exercise. belonged to Planet Fitness, but decided It also found that 19 year olds to switch to Retro Fitness “because they are as sedentary and inactive as 60 year have fun classes, like zumba.” olds. Often, those who go to the gym or The facts are alarming, but it looks who are into lifestyle fitness like to use like many students at Eastern are taking social media to share their progress with charge of their health. Now, more than followers or Snapchat friends. Fitness ever, students are joining gyms, especially gurus, like the previously mentioned Boho driving seniors and juniors. Among the Beautiful, like to track their progress with most popular include their followers, decked Planet Fitness, Virtua “Working out on out in workout gear and Fitness, and Echelon posing athletically on a my own has Health and Fitness. beach or with a scenic Planet Fitness, the made me the mountain scene in the most popular gym, background. strongest I have with a membership Instagram is also ever been.” at $10 a month, seeing a trend of “Body making it the most - Adena Cohen ‘18 Transformation” posts, fiscally feasible for portraying someone’s the working or even weight loss, often with a non-working high school student. Other side-by-side comparison of their “before” memberships can cost around $20-$100, and “after.” With social media being such depending on the type of plan. an overbearing presence on the lives of For students, picking a gym comes down young people and influencing how we to convenience. view ourselves, many said that these kind “It’s [Planet Fitness] right by my house of posts mounted pressure on them or and only 10 bucks a month,” said senior inspired them to be more fit and exercise Kaylee Barrett. more, and joining a gym was just that For others who already participate in first step to attaining more confidence and sports, it’s a hassle to even make the trip. implementing a more fit lifestyle. “Going to the gym is inconvenient for And while people find that “push” to me with having to go to school, go to be fit online, many get motivation from swim right after, and then come home and personal trainers and one-on-one training do homework,” said senior Adena Cohen, in gyms. Anacapri Slack, a sophomore, who prefers to do her workouts through uses an athletic trainer for this specific school sports or at home. reason. “I do yoga/pilates videos from a While America frets about the health youtuber named Boho Beautiful. Her of its citizens and obesity rates, the gym workout videos are typically holding habits of teenagers and students are planks and doing different exercises in working towards a healthier and more fit plank position, crunch position, and lunge mind, body, and soul. positions to work the legs,” she said.
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The art of bullet journalism By CYNTHIA MEAS ‘21 Staff Reporter
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t’s February 2018. Have you given up on those N e w Ye a r ’s resolutions yet? Maybe not. We all want to procrastinate less, get more gym time, eat healthier, and get organized. Bullet journaling is an excellent way to be organized in this new year. You can keep track of work, events, meetings, or anything you would want. However, it takes a LOT of commitment to keep it up and not forget about it. I t ’ s customizable and creative, and in the end, it could help your habits and even you as a person! A bullet journal can be in any kind of book you would want. Lined, dotted, or even plain paper works fine as
long as it works for you. It usually consists of 3 main things: an index, calendar, and weekly spots. For the index you would easily start off with maybe the calendar, then events, birthdays, and plans for each week. Perfection isn’t necessary. It’s something customizable for you! Almost every bullet journal has all the months of the year and events planted in them for reminders. They can be just small calendars or ones that take up the whole page. For each month, you’ll be making weekly boxes to see what you’re going to have to do in school, work, or other activities. It keeps everything organized and you can get ahead of your plans easier. For plans, you can keep them in regular bullets, or have different symbols for different events. Bullet journals are meant to be very simple, so don’t be afraid to keep it just that. There are arrows, stars, any symbol that you can remember for other activities. You can also make a habit tracker, exercise tracker, or a set
up for habits that you want to improve upon. Lastly, be creative. It may be simple but it’s your own planner. You can make it into a journal, or a sketchbook— there are no limits to owning a bullet journal. You can put in pictures, make it artsy, and color coordinate. There are plenty of inspirations online. Beautiful journals exist on Google or Instagram. There’s no end to what you can try to write or draw or create. Its main point is to make you organized, but why not get organized in your own fun and amazing way?
8 The Voyager
Features
February 2018
Fashion is more than a “cute outfit” By LAUREN CASOLE ‘19 Features Editor
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n Sunday, January 7th, Hollywood’s elite came out for the annual Golden Globes Award Ceremony. Typically a celebration of cinema and accomplishments within the industry, this year’s Golden Globes brought attention to a different subject. Even the fashion was less “golden.” In order to show support of the #MeToo and #Time’s Up movements, celebrities put aside differences (fashion senses included) and wore all black ensembles. The Time’s Up movement was created to raise awareness for sexual harassment and assault. According to POPSUGAR, three hundred celebrities banded together to create the movement. #MeToo, a movement encouraging women to stand together and show solidarity, started in 2006. Tarana Burke, a female activist, was the first to speak out, but the movement became popular in 2017 when Alyssa Milano using it to support her friend, who was allegedly harassed by Harvey Weinstein. Fashion has a voice and when it wants to, it will scream. It has been used as a form of peaceful protest since 1941, when the Academy Awards were set to take place during World War II. Stars came together to wear muted colors and use minimal fabric to show support of the war. At the 2017 Academy Awards, stars adorned a small blue ribbon to raise awareness for the ACLU. Stylistically, the stars were able to show more of their individual styles and creativity, since they were all in a uniform color. “Everyone looks good in black,” said Maanasi Natarajan ’19.
Taking it one step farther, people walking the carpet, like Emma Watson, took activists as their dates. Watson took Marai Larasi, who is the director of a feminist organization in the UK that deals with stopping violence against black, minority ethnic, and refugee women. Another celeb who decided to be daring and take an activist as their date was Amy Poehler. She had Saru Jayaraman by her side, who is a workplace justice advocate. However, not everyone followed the preset trend. Barbara Meier was one of the celebs that did not wear black on the carpet. She said that although she supports the movement, they will not get the point across by wearing all black. The women walking the carpet should show off their individuality by wearing what makes them feel confident and sexy. Let’s be honest: when watching any award show, people at home tend to watch for the fashion or anticipation of whether their favorite movie will win, rather than to show support of a campaign. Many people argue that the idea behind the movement needs attention, but it is being abused. Instead of using it to raise awareness for sexual harassment, it is being turned into a scapegoat for people who made a mistake or regret certain actions. Reese Witherspoon, who is a strong supporter of the movements, united the actresses by using social media as an outlet to promote her pledge to wear all black at the Globes. She even encouraged the people who would be watching the Globes at home to get involved and wear all black. Again utilizing social media, she told people the send in pictures of themselves watching at home and wearing all black. “It just became clear that with all of the news that’s been
Reese Witherspoon poses at the Golden Globes in her all black ensemble.
Photo supplied by eonline.com
coming out that it couldn’t just be business as normal. We wanted to stand up and do something for all people to say time’s up on discrimination, harassment and abuse in the workplace,” said Witherspoon to Harpers Bizarre magazine. With the messages behind their dates and dresses set aside, some of the best dressed on the red carpet were Lily James (Valentino), Nicole Kidman (Givenchy Couture) and Millie Bobby Brown (Calvin Klein). Their dresses were simplistic yet playful as they all incorporated ruffles to lighten the more serious mood of the carpet. Raising awareness for any cause will lead to critics, praise, and controversy. Its success depends on how the people raising awareness relay the message to the public and if they are willing to, much like fashion, make it their own.
The 80’s and 90’s are making a comeback in the fashion world By GABRIELLE GILHAM ‘18 Staff Reporter
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he ‘80’s and ‘90s are back. At least in fashion. What’s in? Dr. Marten boots, leggings, high waisted acid wash denim jeans, Vans, t-shirts with name brands, and scrunchies, to name just a few. According to fashion teacher Mrs. Heyers, an influential component of the resurface of past trends from these decades consists of people watching new and old television shows such as Friends, Stranger Things, and Full House. “Stranger Things is like the current Goonies,” said Mrs. Heyers. Along with social media platforms, celebrities such as Bella and Gigi Hadid have had a substantial influence on bringing back the 1980’s and 1990’s trends with their personal style. “It used to be fashion shows predicted what we wore, now it’s Instagram, bloggers, and social media that influences what we wear,” said Mrs. Heyers. Stores like H&M, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and Target are taking part in these new, but old trends. Along with stores, some brands such as Converse, Vans, Marc Jacobs, Dr. Martens, and Tommy Hilfiger are showing a more retro appearance. Why do people want to revisit some of the trends from these decades? Edmund Peach, general manager of the Banana Republic store on Walnut Street in Philadelphia, said that it is mainly because of nostalgia. People attach sentiment to garments and they want to revisit the good old times. Shoppers that have lived through the 80’s and or the 90’s are more apt to buy a piece of clothing if it brings up memories of their youthful days. “It reminds you of the good times,”
Peach said. “You appreciate the quirkiness or whimsicalness of it.” According to Peach, even younger generations that did not live through these time periods want the throwback and vintage style it emanates. On the design side of things, designers try to see if they can bring back something from 20 or 30 years ago and see if people will buy it. For Spring of 2018, “designers are caving to the pull of workwearmeets-nostalgic fitness gear,” Ana Colon from “Glamour” magazine wrote. As trends from the 1980’s and 1990’s are resurfacing, they are not designed exactly as the clothing from these decades— they are, “modern takes on classic styles, with accents of pops of color,” Peach said. The 1980’s also arrives at Eastern with the production Rock of Ages. Isabella Vincenzes, a cast member, said that there will be lots of edgy clothes, men in wigs, and classic 80’s hairbands. Isabella Vincenzes was sporting an orange flannel button down top with a blue cropped shirt underneath, and black leggings topped with maroon Vans. She wears a lot of retro looking clothing and takes “inspiration from the 70’s through 90’s quite often.”
Isabella Vincenzes ‘20 expresses her individual style with her plaid shirt.
Kylie Easterday ‘18 wears an acid wash jean jacket with self-applied pins and patches, and acid wash mom jeans topped off with neon orange sneakers.
Mr. Chon shows off his plaid shirt and sweater in the Learning Center. Photos by Gabrielle Gilham ‘19
February 2018
MLK Day: Is His Dream Still Alive?
By OLIVIA COVINGTON ‘19 Staff Reporter
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anuary 15th is a day to be remembered. It is the day tthat Martin Luther King Jr was born; as the most well-known civil rights figure and social activist in American history, he raised public consciousness about racial discrimination and segregation in America. He hoped that in the future the United States would become a place of equality and peace. As he stated in his famous speech “I Have A Dream,” “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” Some may wonder if that dream of equality is still alive today, and at times, it is hard to tell. With the recent stories in the news involving the KKK, white supremacists, and large divides forming in America, the idea of a society rid of racism and inequality is a concept that seems as far away as it did in the thirties and forties.
Features
NAACP Metuchen-Edison President Reginold Johnson believes we aren’t anywhere closer to equality. “Hell no,” he said. “Everytime we have a positive experience it is replaced with a negative experience. The past is not dead, it is not even the past. We’ve moved from overt to covert racism.” This is not to discredit the progress that has been achieved over the years because we are closer than we ever were before, we just still have a long way to go. Some people still believe Dr. King’s dream is still very much alive, like Glenda Bellis, a New Jersey resident. “Absolutely hands down, yes. However, what I hear, what I see, what I read, there’s a lot of racism. We have a long way to go,” Bellis said. Reginold Johnson believes that we have to thank Martin Luther King Jr. for truly jumpstarting the movement that has continued to be supported for the past 50 years. According to the Black Lives Matter website, the organization’s “...mission is to build local power and to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.” Much like the Black Lives Matter organization, the NAACP has similar goals. “The vision is to ensure a society which
“Some may wonder if that dream of equality is still alive today, and at times, it is hard to tell.”
The Voyager 9
Martin Luther King Jr. during the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom where he delivered his “I Have a Dream Speech.”
all individuals have equal rights without discrimination,” said Mr. Johnson. Many groups, including The NAACP and Black Lives Matter, also participate in some type of community service on MLK Day. It is known as “A Day of Service” where people come together to volunteer everywhere from the local soup kitchen to blood banks. Or they take part in activism, taking part in marches, protesting, or campaigning.
Photo from Wikipedia
These are all productive ways to spend the day off, and Martin Luther King Jr. would be proud that this is the way people are commemorating his day. Although America is going down a rocky path, with many hurdles, trying to reach Dr. King’s dream, we must remember the very words of King himself. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
Shirley Chisholm
For the Equal Rights Amendment By MARISSA FELTOON ‘19 Special to the Voyager
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or her entire life, Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was for education, for minorities, and for America. Born on the thirtieth of November 1924 in Brooklyn, New York, Chisholm spent her life advocating for her strong beliefs in education opportunities for minorities and social justice. Being the first African American woman elected to Congress in 1968 and the first African American woman to run for president in 1972, it was very clear that Chisholm was determined to change this country’s outlook on equal rights. As she clearly had a personal connection with these issues, Shirley Chisholm delivered her “For the Equal Rights Amendment” speech to the House of Representatives on the tenth of August in 1970 with the intent of hopefully getting an amendment passed to end all discrimination. “I am not the candidate of the women’s movement of this country, although I am a woman, and I am equally proud of that.” She said, “I am the candidate of the people of America.” Standing in front of the pedestal unassisted, all eyes on her, all minds knowing that Chisholm was about to make a speech that could change the course of history, she began the one thousand seven-hundred and twenty-two word speech with a stern opinion. The opinion was directed toward the notion that now is the best time to change prejudice against women. Throughout the duration of the speech,
Shirley Chisholm continued to address issues of discrimination against women, along with discrimination against minorities and the legal rights that these groups of people are deprived of. Having served seven terms in the United States Congress, she had experience in knowing what key points would hit close to her heart when being persuaded by an aspiring advocate. Because of this, the audience saw a unique use of pathos and logos. Chisholm appeals to the emotions of the House of Representatives by using the historical example of the Founding Fathers as evidence for why society needs to change. As she firmly addresses the fact that the Constitution they wrote was designed to protect the rights of white, male citizens, Chisholm makes the great pity she feels apparent, due to the fact that there were no African American Founding Fathers and no founding mothers. Believing that it is not too late to complete the work they left undone, she then begins to advocate for the fact that we the people should finish what our Founding Fathers started. Understanding that there will always be a prejudiced group in society played a big role in her “For the Equal Rights Amendment” speech, and Shirley Chisholm used that to her advantage instead of trying to ignore that fact. “Of course laws will not eliminate prejudice from the hearts of human beings. But that is no reason to allow prejudice to continue to be enshrined in our laws — to perpetrate injustice through inaction.” Using this effective hyperbole, the
Shirley Chisholm, a “Moses that opened the Red Sea,” speaks on women’s rights. Photo from The Nation audience becomes aware that Chisholm believes strongly that the importance of basing our actions off of what the right thing to do can change many outcomes. As Shirley advocates for ways to rid ourselves of these discriminations, she includes the guarantee of the due process of law in the fifth and fourteenth amendments. Stating how women are excluded from certain universities and restricted on certain juries, Chisholm then provides solutions for these controversies with the Equal Rights Amendment for which she is advocating. In explaining this amendment, she states how it would govern the relationship between the State and its citizens only, as opposed to just private citizens. Aspiring to persuade her audience, Chisholm effectively uses repetition that causes a dramatic effect. Repeating the word “women” multiple times within making a certain point forced the maledominant audience to become more and more attached to the situation because of the emphasis put on the word each time it was said. Throughout the entirety of her speech, Shirley Chisholm repeats certain words to strengthen the severity of women inequalities. Having such passionate feelings towards prejudices against women, Chisholm makes an equal comparison to another one of her personal
hardships - being African American. Her goal in doing this is for the House of Representatives to see that the discrimination against women on the streets and in the work place is the same as discriminating against African Americans. Although having only been out of the Civil Rights Movement for two years, Chisholm hoped that the professional members of the House of Representatives would have overcame any of their past racial opinions and would see the connection she was making. Falling just three states short of having her amendment become part of The United States Constitution, Chisholm was still beyond pleased to have made that much of an impact with her speech. Unfortunately, on the first of January in 2005, one of America’s greatest advocates had passed away in Ormond Beach, Florida. Without a doubt, Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm left an unforgettable legacy for all women and men fighting for what they believe in. With a need of recognition for the change that she made in this country, Shirley Chisholm was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom eleven years after her death. Robert E. Williams, president of the NAACP stated, “She was our Moses that opened the Red Sea for us.”
Valentine’s
10 February 2018
A high school outlook on History of Valentine’s Day By JULIA DODD ‘19 Managing Editor Valentine’s Day is believed to be named after St. Valentine of the Catholic Church. There are, however, three different saints with this name, all of whom are martyrs. One St. Valentine lived in third century Rome when Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage. He wanted single men because he thought they made better soldiers. St. Valentine defied the law and continued to marry people. When he was discovered, he was put to death. Another story is that St. Valentine was killed for attempting to help Christians escape from Roman prisons. St. Valentine found out that they were being beaten and tortured so he stepped in to help them. One legend has St. Valentine imprisoned where he sends the first “valentine” to a young girl he had fallen in love with; this girl may have been his jailer’s daughter. Before his death, he wrote the letter and signed it “from your Valentine.” Why is Valentine’s Day in the middle of February? Some peo ple believe that it is to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial. Others believe it was the church wanted to “ChrisArtwork tianize” the pagan celebration of by Sakshi Sehrawat ‘18 Lupercalia. Lupercalia was a fertility festival on the ides of February, dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture, Faunus, and Roman founders, Romulus and Remus. The festival would start in a sacred cave where Remus and Romulus were believed to have been raised by a she-wolf, Lupa. A goat would be sacrificed for fertility and a dog for purification. The goat’s hide would be dipped in the sacrificial blood and women and crops would be hit with them. Young women would place their names in an urn and bachelors would pick out a name and become paired with those women. This would often lead to their marriage. Lupercalia did not disappear with the rise of Christianity but was outlawed when Pope Gelasius declared February 14th St. Valentine’s Day at the end of the 5th century. In Medieval Europe, February 14th was the beginning of the bird mating season. Valentine greetings were popular then, but written Valentines didn’t appear until the 15th century. The oldest known Valentine is from 1415 written by Duke of Orleans, Charles. Later Henry V hired John Lydgate to compose a Valentine to send to Catherine of Valois. Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Canada, France, Australia, the UK, and the U.S. It became very popular in the 17th century and became common for friends and lovers to exchange gifts and letters in the 18th century. In 1840, Esther A. Howland began selling valentines in America and became known as the “Mother of the Valentine.” By the 20th century, instead of handwriting cards, printed cards were used. This year, total spending for the holiday is expected to top $18.2 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.
Things to do when you’re single on Va By NANCY BOWNE ‘19 Copy Editor
Artw
● Cut a bouquet of the frost-bit flowers left over in the backyard for yourself. Wrap around a bow and leave a note for yourself. ● Buy yourself chocolate at CVS for half off the next day. ● Make a really good salad. We’re talking feta and hand diced cucumber in a wooden bow and Thousand Island Dressing. Never had it but Islands are romantic. ● Actually do your homework because it is a school night. ● Play your Bassoon, or any instrument of choice, on your roof for all those young lovers. tried it but seems cool. ● Start to randomly make a Powerpoint about the ups and downs of that hot Netflix Origin throb’s film career . . . Oh wait, it is just that show. ● Listen to the Bee Gees. ● Make a Spotify playlist about motivation. ● Watch Hallmark Valentine’s Day Movies that didn’t quite make it to the Christmas tree. “We must decorate the Valentine Cactus!” ● Look through old yearbooks and look up old crushes on social media only to find old men from Poland instead. ● Take a jog but then stop 0.3 miles in and yell at the sky in anguish. ● Try to teach yourself how to crochet. ● Wear your favorite pair of socks. ● Start to look through old family photo albums. ● Youtube your way to find the top ten best rom com movie soundtracks. . . And yes, one that includes The Bee Movie. ● Make a second Spotify playlist for dancing (all Lady Gaga so are necessary). ● Track Arnold Schwartzenegger’s political career. ● Research dogs. ● Play a video game from four years ago. ● Try to watch a horror movie but then realize that you company. Stop movie. Artwork by Lisa Traczyk ‘19
Cheap Date Idea By KARINA MADRID ‘18 Features Editor Valentine’s Day is a holiday filled with love and spending time with your significant other. Many people look forward to the typical “date night” that comes along with this holiday. At this age, several students don’t make a steady salary and couples struggle to find an inexpensive place to spend time and make memories together. Whether it’s saving extra pocket money for college, or just being more cautious of how much money you spend on a regular basis, there are cheap date ideas for every couple to experience on Valentine’s Day. Going on a date doesn’t have to mean going out to an expensive restaurant for a five course meal, or seeing a musical at the Walnut Street Theater. It could be as simple as staying in the house and having a movie night. Having a movie marathon along with ice cream sundaes is a great way to spend time together and enjoy the presence of your significant other. There are many romantic films that you and your boyfriend/girlfriend will be able to agree on. Some popular ones include The Notebook, Dirty Dancing, and La La Land. Aside from watching a movie, making a romantic dinner at home can be an option and will prove how easy it is to create a meal for the two of you. You can find just about every recipe online that will give you step by step instructions on the recipe of your liking. Websites such as Genius Kitchen even give you a video tutorial to follow along with as you cook. Along with a movie night or nice meal, bowling is a fun and cheap date idea that will always be a fun idea whether it’s
with a group of friends or with the pers holiday with. After a certain time some offer black light bowling and turn the m experience more fun. Valentine’s Day isn’t always about go expensive restaurants or spending an ab for one night. Being with the right pers
Artwork by Jordan Barber ‘18
Day Special
The Voyager 11
the holiday of love
alentine’s Day
work by Hayley Beluch ‘18
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Not Like The Movies By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 and LAUREN CASOLE ‘19 Editor-in-Chief and Features Editor As the final credits roll after the cheesiest rom-com, everyone can’t help envying the main character who ends up with her “true love.” These movies convey the theme that every romance takes a roller coaster ride, but eventually comes back around. We all know this is not always the case, but have these movies put unhealthy pressure on couples to make their relationship “justs like the movies?” We asked students what their opinions were on the topic. Junior Ali Karpousis said, “I agree they’re making a stereotype that all relationships are easy and don’t require any work. In reality they usually require some give and take on both sides which they don’t show in the movies.” For senior Sophia Baldino, Disney movies determine what she looks for in a relationship, among other factors. “I one hundred percent love Disney princesses,” she said. “I like that they’re brave, kind, and really outspoken (but in a good way).” Although she conceded that these character’s relationships are glorified in these movies, she says she still looks to these depictions of true love when she thinks about what she wants in a relationship. “It can be good and bad [to let these movies influence relationships],” she said,“but it really depends on what type of relationship you’re looking for to begin with.”
Sophia says she would like some changes made to Disney movies and princesses in general, so they align with a more diverse view of relationships. She wants to see “more realistic princesses” who encounter heartbreak and relatable challenges, while still taking a modern, feminist lead. Then there are some, such as junior Alexa Grabelle, who believe these types of movies do not sway a person’s views on a relationship. “Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve never seen The Notebook. I’m trying to think of romance movies I’ve seen and cannot even think of one,” said Grabelle. Despite what Nicholas Sparks and Disney movies portray, there is no love at first sight, and love unfortunately cannot cure all. It’s healthy to appreciate these movies, but unhealthy to hang on every unrealistic plot point presented in these films. It sets people up for failed relationships, as those who believe firmly in these ideals are more likely to have shorter relationships. With any indication of trouble — anything less than the ones in fairy tales — these believers bolt. According to Time Magazine, problems that are commonly brought up in marriage/ relationship counseling are misconceptions pertaining to love and romance. These misconceptions are depicted in romance movies with fabricated love stories. Although blind belief in these portrayals of true love can have negative effects, psychologists do say there are certain benefits to believing in an ideal relationship, in moderation. It may be harmful to believe in love at first sight, but believing in attraction in first sight that eventually builds to love — that’s healthy.
Adding romance to Valentine’s Day By JESSICA BONAMASSA ‘19 News Editor We’ve all seen movies like The Notebook or ones from the 1900’s where a man introduces himself and love becomes undeniable. One of my coworkers, dressed to the nines, spent a night out at Adelphia’s in hopes of meeting a nice guy. There were, reportedly, “lots of cute guys” looking her way all night. While giving looks of desire, they played on their phones. Not one male approached her that night. Men today might possibly fear rejection or have less confidence, but the one common thread preventing social interaction is technology. You probably have a routine with your boyfriend or girlfriend: you binge watch Netflix all weekend and maybe get something to eat. That can be suiting and enjoyable for a while, but what happens when it isn’t? Although you may feel like connections fade, there are still ways to rekindle your relationship. You can play feel-good music and go on an adventurous ride with no true destination. Spend the night going to different local record stores. You can go on a ride in the woods with friends and have a bonfire. Rather than buying typical chocolates and flowers, which is still sweet and perfectly fine, you can add a little more thought this Valentine’s Day. Doing something simple like making chocolate covered strawberries, buying a burger off of the dollar menu at Wendy’s, and setting a nice tablecloth with candles could make your significant other extremely happy. It’s important to think outside of the box. Valentine’s Day is a time to express your love to your significant other and to celebrate each other. Even though you probably do that every day, it’s a time that enables you to do something special.
Artwork by Lisa Traczyk ‘19
Opinion
12 The Voyager
February 2018
#MeToo: Harassment in HS
T
he #MeToo movement gives communication with administration support to women who are tellabout these problems, so that students ing their stories, and more reare encouraged to talk openly about cently, the Time’s Up movement, these experiences. an organization that encourages justice An overwhelming theme in responsin the workplace and women opening es was that the school does not focus up about their experiences. enough on these problems. Instead, we But there’s one part that no one seems focus on issues that are “easier to talk to be discussing: harassment in high about and therefore easier to solve,” like schools. the “traditional meaning” of bullying, Sexual harassment is not confined to often delegitimizing the fact that sexual the “adult” world. Students are expectharassment, a form of bullying in itself, ed to have safe spaces, free of bullying, even occurs. discrimination, disrespect - and harassThe administration needs to take rement. sponsibility to stop sexual harassment. Many students have Fortunately, anonymously shared a comparable experiences of witpopulation of nessing numerous instudents feel that stances of sexual ha- The school should have they are equally rassment in school. open communication about as responsible We have heard of a sexual harrassment so that for helping their group of freshman students are encouraged to peers. We need to boys inappropriately encourage other touching girls. We talk openly about these students to ask have heard about experiences. for help, no matdropped objects on ter what. Victims the ground to down a are often scared girl’s shirt. We have to speak up, so seen humiliation by groups of males due it is of the utmost importance to help to undergarments being unintentionally that person report the assault. The more exposed. Making fun of such a student, people who get exposed for what they taking Snapchats, is simply disgusting. have done, the less likely it is to happen Hopefully, #MeToo can embolden not again. just adult women, but high school girls In a potential instance of sexual abuse, as well. It can also help change the beit is important to know how to protect havior of high school boys. yourself. As morbid as it sounds, preMoreover, the staff agreed that the vention has its foundations in skeptischool could be doing more to prevent cism. Avoid people and situations that sexual harassment. Stricter consequencmake you uncomfortable. Beyond that, es should be implemented. take self-defense classes and inform The handbook states that sexual hayour friends and loved ones about how rassment, as defined in the 9 points of to protect themselves and the people the student handbook, can be cause for around them. suspension, expulsion, and possible Be ready for the worst so you can enlegal action. Any reports of physical joy the best. touching will be reported to the police While teenagers in school are still for further action. growing and may not be intentionally However, the problem, perhaps, lies in harassing someone, it is just as importhe fact that students don’t feel comforttant that they are made aware of the reable reporting. percussions of their actions. Although Many Voyager staffers feel the school there has been an increase in reports facilitates a stigma around harassment, of victims as part of a larger movecausing fear in victims that they will be ment to end sexual misconduct, it still judged not only by their peers, but by leaves many, including students, in the members of the staff and administration dark. Everyone has an obligation to tell for coming forward. their own stories and the stories of othGuidance counselors should be open ers who may be scared to come forward to talking to anyone who wants to apwith the truth to create a more perfect proach them about instances of sexual society that accounts for the experiences assault. The school should have open of all of us.
EDITORIAL
Eastern Regional High School 1401 Laurel Oak Road Voorhees, NJ 08043 856-784-4441 www.voyager-online.org
THE VOYAGER
Alex Mackle, Hayley Beluch: Editors-in-Chief Srishti Ramesh, Shreya Gowda, Julia Dodd: Managing Editors Hana Hancock, Maanasi Natarajan: Opinion Editors Ruthie Douglass, Jessica Bonamassa: News Editors Karina Madrid, Lauren Casole: Features Editors Jaimie McCormick: Entertainment Editor Crystal Osuji, Layla Turner: Assistant Entertainment Editors Anthony Cutrera, Eric Horn: Sports Editors Lisa Traczyk: Art Editor Kierstin Clem: Photography Editor Nancy Bowne: Copy Editor Staff Reporters
Haley Allesbrook, Hayley Bricker, Paul Brown, Olivia Covington, Cameron Davis, Bryce Dershem, Aliyah El-Muhammad, Gabrielle Gilham, Ryan Ems, Ava Hancock, Tanner Koch, Val Lapinson, Jordan Lewis, Ryan Margolis, Cynthia Meas, Josh Meyers, Matthew Morante, Nick Ray, Dan Rinne, Jacob Saifer, Evelyn Steele, Matt Steinsaltz, Robert Sundstrom
Walter Bowne, Advisor: Room 605
Letters to the Editor
Submit signed letters to Room 605 or email ehsvoyager@gmail.com
Awards
The Garden State Press Association, “Overall Excellence”
Artwork by Hayley Beluch ’18
Short-e-torials
No to off shore drilling
The Trump administration has called for increased oil drilling off the coasts of the United States—with the exception of Florida. The Voyager staff voted, and the two in favor of drilling cited reducing our dependence of foreign oil. Offshore drilling could help with jobs. But the majority of the staff was firmly against the proposal. There would be an increased opportunity for oil spills, like the Exxon Valdez and BP Deepwater Horizon. 64 environmental groups oppose the plan. America already supplies 40% of oil production that goes on the international markets by global multinational corporations. The oil we dangerously produce will fuel cars in other nations. Money used for offshore drilling could be used to fund projects for renewable energy—sources like marine power, wind power, and solar power that are inexhaustible forms of energy. Drilling off of Margate and Ocean City is moving backward. We have already had enough disasters with oil in our waters.
Yes, renew DACA The staff widely believed that it would be wrong to use DACA as a bargaining chip for Trump’s wall. It would be wrong to send the ‘Dreamers’ back, many now employed as adults or attending college, to a country they do not know. We also felt that many would be returning to dangerous countries where their lives would be in danger. It is almost impossible to live in a place where you have never been. The unemployment rate is low at 4.1%, so the claim that DACA recipients are “taking all the jobs” is void.
No-ish to legal marijuana in NJ The staff was split on legalizing marijuana in New Jersey for recreational purposes. The majority, however, was against legalization. Those against cited the fear that to make it legal means to agree to it morally. They also feared kids coming to school stoned, and having a nation so stoned that no one will work. Those in favor of legalization cited the tax revenue. It would help stop sending people to prison, which is expensive. Many states, including Delaware, have moved ahead with legalization. 30 states and the District of Columbia have already legalized marijuana in some form. People who want weed can get illegally very easily. Why not tax it and control it, to make sure the weed is clean?
Yes to the free press Senator Jeff Flake’s speech before the
House condemning Trump’s abuse of the free press and the media was the correct course, according to the majority in the class. The president should not determine whether something is true or not. Trump’s attacks on CNN and other news outlets seem like a publicity stunt. The free press is supposed to seek the truth, even if it’s painful. Without the free press, tyranny would reign. We not not want a 1984 world. We need to question our leaders, at all levels. If a leader calls it “fake news,” then what can he or she be hiding? One staff member agreed that Trump should be more mature, but dissented, stating that since Trump doesn’t suit people’s preconceived agenda, he is attacked for for own free speech rights, which are not “sugar-coated.” President Trump sets a dangerous example not only in the United Staes, but in the world too. He undermines what this country stands for—the right of free speech and a free press. The “fake news” phenomenon is one of the worst things to plague our country in several years.
February 2018
Point/Counterpoint
The Voyager 13
Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission Does a baker have the right to deny making a gay couple a cake?
Yes
You are the owner of a popular cake shop in a small town. One day you are asked to bake a cake for a KKK rally. The group requests flaming crosses and racist messages against certain minority groups. Would you bake the cake? This same moral argument has recently been brought into question. In Colorado, a cake shop owner, Jack Phillips, refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple as it violates his religion and intrudes upon his artistic expression. According to the Constitution, restaurants do not have the power to refuse service based on race, color, religion, or national origin. The Constitution also spells out religious rights in the First Amendment. While America is built upon the idea of equality, Phillips’ own rights should not be neglected. He has the First Amendment right to freedom of speech and can choose to not misrepresent his beliefs. This is not a question of homophobia. It is a matter of Phillips misrepresenting his religious beliefs by designing a cake that expresses support of gay marriage. Not only is this a religious argument, but an artistic argument, as America protects the right of expression. If Phillips made the cake, he would be indirectly claiming that he supports gay couples, something his religion prohibits. For example, there is a multitude of anti-Trump artistic protests ranging from satirical comics to SNL skits. Artists reserve the right to control their art, even if held offensive by others. Though the Constitution spells out non-discriminatory laws, we cannot choose specific groups that should be protected and which groups should not. If you were asked to bake a cake for the KKK, you would not want the government to compel you into potentially distorting his religious values. Until there are specific laws protecting multiple groups, it is in the hands of the public to decide who they will serve.
No
The Constitution definitively expresses that second class citizenship may not be prescribed in America. However, the Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission poses the possibility for the LGBTQ community to be seen as just this. The case will determine whether or not this couple will be alloted a staple of American culture — a wedding cake, but moreover, equality. America is built on an ideal for equality, but the justly named “cake case” has the potential to strip several citizens of their civil rights, leaving them naked in the hostile environment of America. The precedent of which this case may become, if the verdict of the case falls in favor of the baker, will hold radical ramifications for LGBTQ indviduals. If a cake is the first commodity refused, who is to say that this case may not serve as a justification for the harmful refusal of nearly all products and services, such as college admission? Additionally, previously decided cases have set clear boundaries for the balance between first amendment’s freedom of religion and the fourteenth amendment’s equal protections under the law. Newman v. Piggie Park Enterprises, Inc. of 1968, developed a precedent of which stated that consumers may not be refused based upon the producer’s religious perspectives towards different races. Alongside this, the offering of a life free from the binds of persecution is one of the prevalent foundations of the United States. America should offer itself as a sanctuary and safe place for all — whether war-fleeing refugees, poverty stricken children, or LGBTQ individuals. The case is much more than cake. It is about America’s value of prosperity and blessings of liberty. It is about freedom, equality, and fairness. It is about sweet justice for the LGBTQ community.
Are safe, clean injection sites for heroin in Philly a good idea?
Yes
Cities and states should offer a safe place to inject their drugs. Safe spaces have been shown to decrease drug use overall, and they significantly decrease overdoses. This is only a temporary solution; the government needs to eventually deal with the underlying problems fueling the drug epidemic. However, it’s better for the government to try and make a change, rather than ignoring the problem altogether. When a staff member went out to feed the homeless in Philadelphia recently, he talked with a recovering heroin addict on the street named Kevin. Kevin said that he had been doing drugs for many years, and that he has lost many friends to drug overdoses. The current system is obviously not working. The government isn’t doing much to stop the organized criminal activity that supplies the drugs. Kevin said that he went to the same street corner for years, which proves that the government isn’t solving the problems. Although the drug dealers on the corner Kevin went to occasionally got busted, a new drug dealer would just pop up in his place. The government isn’t doing much to persuade people from using drugs. Kevin said that the worst thing that had happened to him was that the police took his drugs, leaving him free to buy more another day. And reshuffling the addicts to different communities won’t work either. Kevin said that wherever the addicts are, the drug dealers will show up. In cities where these sites are already implemented, public drug use has decreased. In “Desperate Measures”, the article states that “Since opening, the service was used 4,343 times and of the 151 overdose that have occurred at the site, there have been no deaths.” It’s far better for heroin addicts to shoot up at a designated location where they can be safely assisted when needed. Wikipedia image
No
Should our taxes be funding sites that encourage opioid addicts to feed their addiction? The government is wanting to fund safe injection sites for heroin addicts, yet this is just the easy way out to a massive problem. Safe injection sites don’t fix the problem of the amount of deaths in overdoses. There are 70 deaths in 30 days due to drug overdoses. These safe injection sites won’t fix this number because heroin addicts don’t care how they get drugs they just want them. Addicts will shoot up anywhere and won’t go to these sites to shoot up everytime. If addicts want the drug, they’ll get it anyway they can. Heroine is an illegal drug. The government should not be funding for this needle. Since when has the government handed a murderer a gun or a robber a bag of cash? Imagine a playground a block away from a safe injection site. There are 300 public schools in the Philadelphia area. There are 149 elementary schools, 16 middle schools, and 49 high schools. Imagine how unsafe it is for heroin users to be around these schools high because they just came from a safe injection site. The definition of solution is solving a problem; not simply adding to it. Our tax money should be going to improve roads and schools, not to improve the access to heroin for the addicts roaming the streets. The easy way out isn’t always the right way out. Some state buildings decided to put spikes on their window benches to prevent the homeless from sleeping there. Just because the homeless aren’t sleeping on the streets, doesn’t mean they aren’t there. This is similar to the safe injection sites. Just because you give an addict a place to shoot up, a place where they can’t overdose, doesn’t mean overdoses still won’t occur. Why are we offering addicts the drug instead of the help?
Comment to ehsvoyager@gmail.com
14 The Voyager
Commentary
February 2018
Ushering in a new age of ‘Duck and Cover’ Cold War kids
A
panic, Trump golfed. He golfed, he had lunch, he was false emergency alert was sent briefed, and while the state of out to the residents of Hawaii on Hawaii was engulfed by a mass Saturday, January 13th. Chaos hysteria, the nation’s leader was ensued as the message caused swinging his clubs so he could get a calamity; people scrambled to make a hole-in-one. necessary preparations for what they Besides the fact that Trump were led to believe was an impending end has already spent a third of his to their paradise. presidency (more than a 100 days People waited in bated breath for the 38 and counting) at his golf resort, minutes until the alarm was rescinded and Mar-a-Lago, we a message was issued, are reminded notifying residents of the now more than mistake. ever how crucial I can’t imagine the negotiations panic and sheer terror are concerning that must have swept IBMs and the island as texts and nuclear warfare. calls were made to He tweeted loved ones concerning a statement on final goodbyes. While the explosive an employee for the new book Fire Hawaii Emergency and Fury before Management Agency even addressing was meant to send out the events the alert for a routine By HANA HANCOCK ‘18 of Hawaii. Are we drill and not a real crisis, Opinion Editor comfortable with this the drill reminds us of man sitting behind his just how immediate desk with his “button” that he asserts is instantaneous destruction can be, with most certainly bigger than Kim Jongand without warning. Un’s, ready at the go? While people scrambled to hide, stocked He continually antagonizes and up on water and food, or even buried their aggravates North Korea by belittling children in unfathomable ways to protect them, practicing some sort of twisted against the radiation, we are reminded brinkage. Our president is supposed to just how swiftly action needs to be taken protect us from destruction, not be the if an event like this was ever to occur. impetus for it. And while Hawaii was in a state of
Artwork by Hayley Beluch ‘18
America needs a leader who will be calm and diplomatic in the face of impending destructive threats from the heedless bully that is Kim Jong Un and North Korea. Instead of selfishly worrying about an expository piece of literature that one opposes in order to merely protect their fragmentation of a reputation, Trump should be worry about the people who thought their lives were about to end
completely through sufferable and looming threats. While the FCC promises an investigation into the incident and how it came to be, what about an investigation of our president’s mind and how sound it really is? Gone are the days of courageous leaders in the face of looming doom as we usher in a new age of terror by destruction, while our leaders complicitly stand-by.
Lost roots: the ineffectiveness of feminist movement
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repression that we’ve all rganized by Elizabeth Cady felt through masculine Stanton and Lucretia Mott, expectations, we’ve the first conference dedicated discovered that we can solely to women’s rights was talk about gun ownership held at Seneca Falls, New York in 1848. in many of the same Early women reformers, or feminists, words,” she said. addressed and fought diligently against What she would social and institutional barriers that accomplish by handing limited women’s rights, including family out sex toys to protest responsibilities, a lack of educational and something totally economic opportunities, and the absence unrelated to sexual of a voice in political debates. matters is unclear. Not When speaking of gender inequality, it’s just men own guns, and important to realize that this affects men not just men advocate too. It would be naive to say that all men for them. This is a happily work dawn to dusk doing actual perfect example as to the physical labor. It was no walk in the park ignorance and sexism in the 1800’s, and it sure isn’t now. that the feminists reflect. One thread that links several equal rights Nonetheless, this is a movements is their unwillingness to perfect example of their promote equality, prosperity, and fairness character. The left photo shows women respectfully protesting for rights. Photo on right shows negative effects of fighting division for all. They fight strictly for their race or The early feminist with division. gender. For this reason, movement Dozens of companies, including Pepsi, is the deep-rooted belief of nonexistent they battle inequality was a way for women have development and oppression and with inequality and to prove that they were recruiting initiatives inferiority. embody exactly of equal worth as men. geared specifically Oppression has little Women have just what they’re fighting They fought for the right towards women. Women to no existence in as much opportunity against. Current to vote and become equal were projected to account American society today. feminists push for their under the law. They to accomplish and for 51 percent of the I say that with awareness “rights” and “equality” generated creative ways achieve as much, if increase in total labor force of black oppression, while degrading men, to demonstrate their growth between 2008 and not more, than men. white oppression, and categorizing them competence. This current 2018, according to the the women who feel as sexist, ignorant, feminist movement is Department of Labor. oppressed when a man rapists, and pigs. not a fight for equality. In 2018, it can be seen holds a door for them. These are only a few It’s an outrage and an By JESSICA on college campuses and We’ve come to a new names on a laundry embarrassment to women. BONAMASSA ‘19 high schools that women age where oppression list of others that Current feminists News Editor quickly advance through the educational does not hold a majority in American women use to try are clutching onto old ranks. At Eastern, more female students society. There are no such restrictions that to strip men of their oppressions in a new time are typically seen in Honors and AP prevent women from voting or having masculinity. Female activists have period. In 2018, 106 women happily fill classes than their male counterparts. an equal opportunity to climb the ranks. lost sight of what truly matters. At the seats in the United States Congress. If English and Journalism teacher Mr. There are no Jim Crow laws, and no laws University of Texas, female activist one was to say that 106 women aren’t Bowne reported that he generally sees that restrict one from getting a job based Jessica Lin thought of a ludicrous way enough, I’d suggest they would motivate more female students in Honors and AP on race or gender. Feminists and other to protest carrying concealed firearms on themselves to make an actual change and classes than males. “Girls also read more social justice groups dwell on societal campus. Her movement called C**ks Not fill another of those 535 seats. statistically than boys. They also generally injustices from decades ago. Glocks involved the distribution of 4,500 In 2018, women are not required to write better, as a consequence,” he adds. If you feel oppressed by the words sex toys. Guns on campus apparently stay home and tend to children and Women have just as much opportunity “fi reman,” “mankind,” “men,” sparked a feeling of female degeneration. household duties. In fact, they haven’t to accomplish and achieve as much, if “policeman,” or “delivery man,” you are “In feeling free to talk about sex and the been expected to do so for over a century. not more, than men. Their only setback part of the problem, not the solution.
“
February 2018
Opinion
The Voyager 15
What we all can learn from Logan Paul’s mistake
Artwork by Kylie Easterday
“W
rather than making a joke out of them. ith great power comes great We must consider the fact that he is a responsibility.” role model to his audience. Many of Logan Paul certainly learned these unknowing children have this lesson the hard way. a blind respect towards him. On New Year’s Day, Paul, a daily vlogger, They worship him as if he is posted a video on his YouTube channel of a a god-like figure or an idol suicide victim’s body in Aokigahara, a forest in rather than simply an internet star. Japan known for its innumerable suicides every Because of their immaturity, they year, laughing and joking about the man as if he overlook the wrongdoings as a fan was nothing but a few limbs and some skin. with the mindset that their savior can This was met with enormous backlash from do no wrong, instead saying that they celebrities like Aaron Paul and other YouTubers will be part of the “#Logang” forever. like Anna Akana, who had suffered from losing a How will he influence young children family member from suicide, especially due to the to be better if he is a child himself? fact that the video was not demonetized. However much it may be Logan Paul’s fault, Paul makes thousands of there is also something to be said dollars per posted video, so about parents overlooking their the idea that he was earning children’s internet-oriented and money through someone else’s sometimes dangerous interests. devastation was a blasphemy to They blindly buy YouTuber almost all. merchandise and tickets to live The truth of the matter is shows without once asking their that Logan Paul, and many children who these “stars” are others like him, are creating a and what they stand for. desensitized generation. With The controversy surrounding a demographic of mainly 8-12 Logan Paul is well-deserved, but year old children, he should be is largely one-sided. We must creating a safe yet fun space for remember that in the age of the BY MAANASI his young audience. Instead, internet and of open platforms NATARAJAN ‘19 he’s promoting suicide and like YouTube, there are no strict Opinion Editor exploitation of sensitive topics. rules or regulations. We must rely Paul is encouraging in them a on ourselves to create a system of desensitivity and lightness in serious subjects like checks and balances for each other. suicide and depression. With the type of platform It is the only way to create a safe and, more that he has, he could be doing much more to importantly, sensitive world for the future prevent these types of things from happening generation.
RE: A Blast From The PastMTV Classic ‘Unplugged’ Returns Really appreciate you sharing this post. Thanks Again. Really Great. - Smithg409 RE: Innovative class advances opportunities in production Wow, interesting read look forward to more work from this writer! RE: A Seat at The Table: Doing Good at Dolsot Enjoyed your flavorful writing also enjoyed the meal!
RE: The Pope instills hope This is a great article! Pope Francis is really turning over a new leaf for the Catholic Church. - Catherine Nguyen RE: Red carpet stars shine bright at Emmy Awards This was a beautifully written article and I agree that Reese Witherspoon and Julianne Hough were two of the best dressed. -Alyssa Send us your comments to ehsvoyager@gmail. com
The Beginning of an End to Whitewashing By AVA HANCOCK ‘20 Staff Reporter
W
hen Disney announced a Mulan live action movie in August 2017, many concerns arose among people of color. There was one that outweighed all the others—would the actress playing Mulan be white or Chinese? It seems like a silly question to ask. Mulan is the story of a young Chinese woman living under the Han dynasty, who takes her father’s place in battle when the Huns attack China, all the while pretending to be a man. Due to the fact that Mulan was a real historical figure, it seems like a given that the actress cast would be of Chinese descent. After all, her story lies deeply in the roots of early Chinese culture, where women were expected to bring honor to their family through marriage. White actors playing roles intended for people of color is not a new concept. It’s called “whitewashing,” and it is very apparent in Hollywood today. The idea of whitewashing doesn’t only exist in the world of film. Reforming history to make it more westernized, thus appealing to the masses of Americans and Europeans who are “uncomfortable” with people of color, has existed for as long as anyone can remember. In history books, most students are taught a whitewashed past about the Indians and the pilgrims within the first months they enter preschool. As with history, whitewashed movies have been around since the film world
came about, written in its past with some sort of un-erasable ink. Though eradicating the importance of minorities in the film industry has occurred for what seems like forever, people have especially taken notice recently. As soon as the highlyanticipated Ghost in the Shell trailer was released, people noticed something was a bit off. The protagonist, a robot named Major who lives as a soldier in Japan, was being played by Scarlett Johansson. Many Asians were outraged by the blatant whitewashing of a character that most had assumed to be Japanese since the release of the original anime in 1995. It’s worth noting that some attempted to clarify that in the anime, the shell of the robot was white, however the ghost inside was Japanese, disproving the argument of whitewashing. Most were not convinced, which led to a disappointment at the box office, with the movie only grossing $169 million worldwide. A similar response was seen with the release of Death Note, a 2017 film released on Netflix based off of a 2006 anime,
when a white actor, Nat Wolff, played a Chinese character. The movie received mostly negative buzz from the audience, claiming it was stripped of its Asian culture and everything that had made the original anime so great. Even the live-action version of Aladdin has received criticism despite its relative racial inclusiveness for casting a half Indian actress (Naomi Scott), instead of a Middle Eastern woman in the role of Jasmine. So naturally, when Mulan was rumored to be brought to life on the big screen, people were more apprehensive than excited. “You should use the face of the true character,” Korean student Ariana Nam argued when asked about whitewashing in films and TV shows. “I am an Asian-American and I care for my fellow Asian-Americans that feel isolated.” Sandford Zheng, a Chinese student, agreed. “Whitewashing gets rid of diversity and destroys the culture,” he said. Both Nam and Zheng were pleased to hear that a Chinese actress, Liu
Yifei, would be portraying the beloved character, only one of two Asian Disney princesses, as were many others who care about the representation of Asians in the media and film. The true purpose of whitewashing of Asians in movies and TV shows is still incomprehensible to most. Some argue that there aren’t enough Asian actors in the film industry. (Even though Asians are the most populated race in the world.) Is it really so painful to cast a character in accordance with their original race? Arden Cho of Teen Wolf, Sandra Oh from Grey’s Anatomy, and Zhang Ziyi, (who is one of the most famous actors in China) are both prominent Asian women in film and TV. Representation for people of color is more important than many people think. “There’s usually only one Asian character on the screen just so they have diversity,” Nam claims. Diversity now seems more like a check on the box than a desire to represent real people. The lack of people of color on-screen can also transcend to the way that minorities feel about themselves, as Nam makes evident. “At times I’ve felt like white people are better than me,” she said. Zheng disagreed, expressing that he felt like “we all have equal chances to do what we want to do.” Mulan will be released in 2019, and it seems like it’s up to the world to decide if casting actors according to their race is as important as many believe. Graphic by Alex Mackle ‘18
16 The Voyager
Entertainment
Shakespeare’s Stratford Strolling around William Shakespeare’s birthplace By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 Editor-in-Chief Only 83 miles from London sits a quaint little town, harboring more history than Caius Cassius holds schemes and young Romeo idealism. The scenery is utterly antithetical to the gray, skyscraper-dotted London, as Stratford-upon-Avon is hidden in broad, expansive sunlight. This picturesque town garners attention beyond the blooming buds and swans along the Avon. The birthplace of William Shakespeare— undeniably the most influential writer of all time—derives its charm not Photo by Kylie Easterday ‘18 from appearance, but from essence. To breathe the air that surrounds the town Shakespeare once inhabited—it’s a tour beyond sights mere eyes can behold. This past fall, I walked, tongue-tied, down the narrow streets that once were underfoot The Bard. It wasn’t culture shock that overtook me; rather, it was the sort of literary shock that holds more value than any star struck bibliophile could imagine. I had never been closer to such pure, literary power; with unbounded ardor, I retraced the steps of one of the greatest mentors I and the world have ever known. Even as I stood in the Holy Trinity Church, peering at the grave of a poet 402-years deceased, I smiled. I smiled for the 37 plays and 154 sonnets that had no grave marker beside him on the altar, for his words are not of mortal flesh. What man can boast the same reach that Shakespeare has? What man has the same claims on the English language? William Shakespeare needn’t have cursed his grave to protect his own preservation—his verse is the cement that swathes him beneath the altar. Walking along the streets that served as the foundation of a legend’s childhood, I then visited Nash House and New Place. These two buildings, an effort to preserve the last home of Shakespeare, certainly reflected the spirit of admiration such a man has earned. Flowers blooming in the gardens as did the tourists in the town, the gardens behind Shakespeare’s home spoke of vitality. Metal tags of various colors adorned the bushes as do jewels on a royal neck, each inscribed with a play written by The Bard himself. Like endless monarchs, they fluttered, taking respite in my once calm stomach. Such impact his indescribable verse has on me; such control it boasts! What could I do to prepare myself for the inarticulate thrill I would experience at his birthplace, after such statues and flowers affected me so? Inside the beige walls which my hands grazed lived the man who birthed literature as I know it to be—exhilarating. The floorboards beneath my feet wailed as they did under Shakespeare centuries ago. In the boys’ room, I knelt and caressed the wooden panels of the floor—the same panels which young William once crawled upon. My fingers fought against the strain of my muscles as I stood, desiring no more than to absorb the genius that seemed to me so tangible. What stories this foundation would project had they the same narrative ability that defines its most famous inhabitant! Instead, it stays silent to facilitate the diffusion of Shakespeare’s stories as he described them—in The First Folio, before my own eyes. I dared not faint; to miss even a second would be sinful. Although I had to walk out of these indescribable buildings eventually, I never truly left. A piece of me—my admiration, my ambition—lies still in the bed that once supported my idol. As I drifted along the Avon later that evening, recitations of famous monologues lapping at the sides of my riverboat, I breathed in deeply. This essence that I inhaled, imbued with the majesty that accompanies William Shakespeare, will always circulate within my lungs, because of this quaint little town 83 miles from London.
February 2018
What’s on Your Nightstand?
MATH DEPARTMENT EDITION “This is Where I Leave You” by Jonathan Tropper “The Glass Castle” by Jeanette Walls “Milk & Honey” by Rupi Kaur “All Our Wrong Todays” by Elan Mastai (currently reading) Very early in current book, but seems good so far. -Mr. Farrow “From the Velvets to the Voidoids: A Pre-Punk History for a Post-Punk World” by Clinton Heylin When Lou Reed passed away in 2013, I grew interested in learning about the origins of punk rock, which I grew up listening to. I have learned that
“punk” has gone through many distinct waves that reflect societal and regional changes and the inspiration of previous waves. This book takes me through the dissonant sound of experimental groups like The Velvet Underground, Iggy and the Stooges, and MC5, and guides me to the the more defined sounds of the 80’s New York City punk scene, exemplified by The Ramones. It especially focuses on the legendary New York music club CBGBs. If you’ve ever called anybody a “poser,” this book is for you.
Mr. Bryan
“Betrayal” by Tim Tigner It’s a thriller about government betrayal and using people as pawns to elect desired officials into office.
-Ms. Davis
Plunge into Ng’s novel, sensational and sensitive By SRISHTI RAMESH ‘19 Managing Editor “Lydia is dead.” Don’t worry, that’s not a spoiler; the first sentence of the novel tells it straight up. There is no warning or explanation, just the disappearance of the Lee family middle child on a normal morning. Still, Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng is not so much about the death of high school student Lydia Lee, but of the repercussions of the tragedy. The Lee family is seemingly put together for a mixed-raced family in the late 1970s in a white town, but Lydia’s death exposes unknown truths that tear the family apart by the seams. Lydia was always the favorite child in the family, which causes bitterness in her older brother Nath. He is the only one prior to Lydia’s death who knows what Lydia is hiding from their parents: her lack of friends, her slipping grades, and her association with one of the neighbors, Jack. In an attempt to deal with his grief, Nath puts the blame on Jack for what could have possibly happened to Lydia. However, this is only one conflict of many woven together throughout the length of the novel. Lydia’s death by drowning forces her parents, James and Marilyn, to reconsider their lives up until that moment and piece themselves back together. But miscommunication and doubt fractures their relationship even more. In the background of this tension is Hannah, the youngest and the most forgotten child, whose sharp intuition is one of the only reliable sources of information in the novel. The cruel reality of the Lee family’s relationship forms the crux of the story. Although it takes place in the 1970s, the pressures that Lydia faced as the golden child is faced by Asian-American teenagers all across the USA today. The
forgottenness that Nath and Hannah feel is also a subject that many can likely relate to. The story is highlighted by the vastly different ways that the two characters deal with those feelings Racism is also a crucial part of the happenings of the novel and impacts the relationship between James, who is Chinese, and Marilyn, who is white, and their experiences with other people throughout their lives. Ng uses all of the various aspects and points of view to form a seamless tale, and ties the complex storyline together with her exquisite and visceral writing style. Everything I Never Told You is a novel that can be enjoyed by anyone, due to the appealing way that it approaches sensitive topics. For a debut novel, Celeste Ng did an excellent job in creating a story that touches the hearts and souls of her readers.
February 2018
Entertainment
The Voyager 17
Sound Bites: Voyager reviews albums from 2017 and anticipates 2018’s upcoming albums
U2 – Songs of Experience Sequel to 2014’s Songs of Innocence, these experienced rockers’ latest album, Songs of Experience, is a dramatic portrayal of the band coming to grips with the future, while reflecting on their past. The Dublin-originated group uses the emotional song “Lights Of Home” to express the wisdom and strength fame taught them. The style remains close to U2’s roots, but messages are shifted in their words. They acknowledge the future and their own age. U2’s classic songwriting that produced hits such as “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “Beautiful Day” is utilized once again successfully to produce a refreshing sound in Songs Of Experience. However, it is made clear that despite the draw to relax, the band sees continuing performances and songwriting in the future. With the remixed “Ordinary Love” and a cameo by Kendrick Lamar alone, Songs of Experience is worth the listen. Get more Voyager reviews online! Go to Voyager-online.org
Justin Timberlake – Man of the Eminem – Revival Woods In an unexpected move, long time pop star His first album in four years, Revival is Justin Timberlake releases an intimate Eminem‘s newest collection of songs. outdoorsman-inspired album. With a long This album features many guest artists career in the music industry, the 37-yearfrom Beyoncé to Ed Sheeran. Despite old artist now reflects on his Tennessee mixed reviews, most agreed that it was a roots to create this new perspective on good addition to Eminem’s work. Many the natural world. While still maintaining of the tracks on the album feature beats his modern song writing and progressions style, the album takes By VICTORIA LAPINSON ‘21 derived from popular Staff Reporter on a new weight with songs that are quite its message. Timberlake recognizable. The has mentioned that it is inspired by his song “Remind Me” uses Joan Jett’s “I family. It is a more personal and more Love Rock n’ Roll,” however it adds emotional release than anything else in Eminem’s aggressive lyrics. The track his catalogue. The sound is empowering “Walk on Water” is far more emotional. and more centered in storytelling than his This features Beyoncé and a balladprior work. Timberlake’s previous singles like piano intro, and is centered around such as “Mirrors,” “Cry Me A River,” and making peace with the harsh reality of “Can’t Stop The Feeling” are far from Eminem’s fame. The Nineteen-track the new addition “Filthy.” This single album also includes the contributions portrays the path of pop in the future. The of Alicia Keys, X Ambassadors, Pink, earthy and humble atmosphere shows and more, solidifying Revival as a starTimberlake’s personal growth. Justin studded and successful album. Timberlake’s Man Of The Woods joins his others as the fifth studio album he has released.
Fall Out Boy – Mania Lots of drama was to blame for the pushed back release date of Fall Out Boy’s new album Mania. According to Rolling Stone, the original September release was delayed by singer Patrick Stump’s realization that he wasn’t satisfied with the product. Stump essentially added a great deal of pressure to the group, who also had a continental tour scheduled beginning in fall. Despite the circumstances, the band’s morale remained in high spirits, they completed the album, and they performed the whole tour. Fall Out Boy released the single “Champion” ahead of the album, which definitely exhibits a change in the traditionally more instrumental rock style, as it is a more remixed type of song. This style is more present in the latest album than the others. The band has stated that they are not concerned about breaching the hit lists, but are more focused on being happy with it for themselves and the fan base.
Travel the World with Music
By NANCY BOWNE ‘19 Copy Editor Sometimes our ‘it’ song came out five months ago elsewhere and just takes time to circulate. Here are three artists that you could potentially enjoy earlier on and get ahead of the game.
Ofenbach, France
The Mysterious Universe of BØRNS By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 Editor-in-Chief You’re not alive until you’re BØRNS. The falsetto voice of Garrett Clark Borns permeates his songs and takes root in the ears of his audience at every turn. Borns, under the stage-name BØRNS, has garnered success with his atypical vocals and Bowie-Beach Boy vibes. His debut studio album, Dopamine, released in 2015, brought to light this psychedelic indie star. His most successful song of the album, “Electric Love,” electrified audiences around the globe, solidifying him as an overnight sensation. Now, with the January 12 release of this Michigan singer’s sophomore album, Blue Madonna, fans and new listeners alike are introduced to a new, supernatural side of Borns. The album boasts 12 songs, many of which include backup vocals by Lana Del Rey. In this album, his characteristic androgynous vocals have strayed further from uniformity and pop, showcasing more vulnerability. In a Billboard interview promoting this album, Borns explained that his new
songs articulate how he deals with life and mortality, especially following the success of his first album. Following more serious themes like religion (“Blue Madonna”) and the cosmos, Borns leaves listeners with highly poetic and haunting lyrics (“I’ve got a taste of the madman in my mind,” “Dancing the dance like we’re seasick dominoes”). These lyrics, combined with unique instrumentals, create moving earworms that define Borns’s career as one of nonconformity. Each of his new songs differ in tone and delivery, ranging from the modernity of “Second Night of Summer” to the cooler edge of “Man,” yet each song is as unforgettable as his previous hits. Although his new album strays from the method he solidified in Dopamine, he presents an intoxicating elixir of falsetto tunes that deserves the same praise— if not more—that his previous album claimed. As Borns dives deeper into his music in this album, audiences have the opportunity to listen to chromatic, surreal vocals that contribute to the larger image of the psychedelic star himself.
Ofenbach, not to be confused with 19th century classical composer Jacques Offenbach’s Can Can Music, is a DJ duo group based in Paris. This band, two men named Dorian Lo and César de Rummell, created their DJ name in 2014. Ofenbach mixes a presence in all genres. People who would not generally enjoy electronica would be enlightened by this band’s grooves, as they form sound around featured instruments, such as the keyboard, the electric guitar, and even snapping. Through an English translation on their website, they topped as Spotify France’s New Talent 2017 Playlist. Check out “Be Mine,” their first hit. I discovered this band through their somewhat raunchy song, “Katchi” with US songwriter Nick Waterhouse, that is currently number three for the past five weeks on Billboard’s France top song sales. Not only do they do create their own jams, but they also remix the jelly with other popular songs, such as Portugal. The Man’s “Feel it Still” and Robin Schulz’ “OK.” I would not be surprised if this DJ Duo is on the soundtrack of Eastern prom season. Ofenbach is for those musikers who enjoy LCD Soundsystem, Sir Sly, Daft Punk, or any cool European frat boy group. Whether it is the song to rock to washing dishes or even studying breaks or jogs, this group is sure to be a force to your day.
Paula Arenas, Columbia
I first met the modern jazz pop Paula Arenas through an innocent look at the Latin Grammy Nominations in October. However, the more I listened to her album, Matices, the more I realized the beauty of her music. Sung in Spanish, her vocals
are simple enough for Spanish IV Honors, but anyone one could appreciate their emotion. “Ahora Soy Libre” (Now I am Free) flows with simplicity in a Parisian flair (not the same flair as Ofenbach previously mentioned). Her voice grows stronger with “Tanto Tanto” (So much) and solidifies her capabilities to entertain. I later found out that she did not win for New Artist of the year. However, her strength overrides all judgement and should be listened to. If you like Ingrid Michaelson, Florence + The Machine, or Mika, you certainly can make room for Paula Arenas. Even if you do not like these artists, Paula Arena is here for you.
Vitas “Weird Russian Singer Gif,” Russia
Okay, Internet meme or not, I saw his potential as an entertainer, fashionista, and musician. And man, is this guy legit! Vitaliy Vladasovich Grachov, born in Latvia, is capable of singing in a five octave range. He’s also classically trained. For the world of memers or not, he takes control of his head voice and capable of his turkey call. He is known for his “The 7th Element” from 2002, “Opera 2” from 2009 (some Parisian accordion in this. . . still in that theme), and his own renditions of “Skyfall” and “Ave Maria”— it is higher than you could imagine. And surprise! He makes his own concert costumes. What an icon! He also tours extensively in China. At times it sounds unnaturally autotuned, but it is still neat to hear. You would probably like Vitas if you enjoy ABBA.
Entertainment
18 The Voyager
February 2018
“Cuphead” is filled to the brim with style to a personal favorite tune, “Floral Fury,” the soundtrack is stellar in every way. Rating: 10/10
By MATTHEW MORANTE ‘18 Staff Reporter Studio HDMR’s hit indie game, “Cuphead,” is making headway in the gaming world. The story of Cuphead and Mugman and their trials against enemies who have sold their soul to the devil pits the two brothers against perilous plants, carnivorous carnations, sinful sweets, and a whole lot more. Here is a breakdown: Art Design If there is one standout feature in “Cuphead,” it is the incredible art design. Reminiscent of 1930’s Disney style animation, every single frame is hand drawn by the dedicated hands of the animation team of Chad and Jared Moldenhaeur. The only downside of this style of animation is that it can sometimes cause objects to blend in with the background. Of course, that is quite the small thing to nitpick, but it can get in the way at times. Rating: 9.5/10 Sound Design/Original Soundtrack Cuphead’s soundtrack, composed by Kristofer Maddigan, is a phenomenal homage to 1920’s era jazz. Nominated for the best soundtrack in a video game award in 2017, the soundtrack clearly had an impact. From lyrical songs such as “The Die House,” sung by Alana Bridgewater,
Plot Perhaps the weakest part of any platformer is its plot. “Cuphead” tells the story of two brothers, Cuphead and Mugman, who stumbled into the Devil’s Casino. The boys accidentally sell their souls to the devil after a failed bet. To save their lives, their go collect the runaway souls of creature that owe the devil their souls. Because of the barebones nature of the plot, it is not something that can be focused on too much. It does not lend too much to the game, so it’s flaws are not too important. Rating: 7.5/10 Gameplay Cuphead’s gameplay is similar to many of the 80’s platform era such as “Contra” and “Castlevania,” but the emphasis in Cuphead is less on platforming and more on boss encounters. From the frog duo of Robby and Croaks to my personal favorite boss, the sentient flower, Cagney Carnation, each boss is full of unique attacks that make them stand out from the last. Of course, the amount of boss battles can also be the game’s biggest problem. With so many boss battles, the platforming levels are few and far between, so people may think the game can
Overall Since the day the game has been released, “Cuphead” has sold more than two million copies and won multiple awards for its excellence. The creators of the game mortgaged their house to produce the title, and it is clear that their dedication has paid off. Overall, the game is a fantastic experience, and well worth a try for anyone who loves the classic platforming titles of the 80’s and 90’s. Overall Rating: 9/10
The Crown sparkles in season two
Greatest Showman puts on a Great Show
Netflix’s most expensive show dives into an opulent second season By HANA HANCOCK ‘18 Opinion Editor
By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 Editor-in-Chief “The Greatest Showman” was certainly a great show when it came to theatres this past December, despite its mixed reviews. With dazzling trailers and Amazon ads, the film generated considerable buzz, creating quite a bit of excitement way before the December 20 release. Directed by Michael Gracey, the film boasts well-known stars that contributed to the fluidity of the plot. Hugh Jackman in the role of P.T. Barnum, in particular, showcases his Broadway skills with undeniable musical and production talent. All eyes follow this ringmaster through his songs, dancing, and moving dramatizations, as he often steals the spotlight from the rest of the movie. Zac Efron and Zendaya are an added bonus of raw talent, as they act out emotions in a more convincing manner than many people experience the same. The movie follows P.T. Barnum, from childhood to adulthood, as he moves up from a tailor’s boy to the owner of the most controversial freak-show Manhattan— the world, even—has ever seen. While working to augment the success of his circus to provide for his family, Barnum faces the growing success of his show and his own insatiable goals. The story focuses the most on the formulation of this group of “freaks” and how they and Barnum create a place for themselves. Included in this movie is the love story between both Barnum and his future wife, as well as one between playwright Carlyle and acrobat Wheeler. This extra character development, in any other movie, would seem sappy. But the variation in characters and the formulaic and transitional inclusion of different subplots in this movie fits perfectly in the feelgood movie mold to which it belongs. Certainly, this movie takes artistic liberties. The writers manipulate time
get monotonous. Regardless, the game hits all of the major points with its gameplay, despite the high level of difficulty. Rating: 9/10
so that a single night lasts longer than a decade—in doing so, it allows for enough characterization to create sympathy for Barnum, while also appropriately keeping focus on the circus. The plot focuses little on Barnum’s background in favor of extravagant scenes with elephants and dances galore. The movie simplifies character development to follow a single, admirable arc, especially for Barnum. These liberties have appalled some critics, despite them being necessary to facilitate the feel-good, homey quality of the family-friendly film. Is there some sympathy cast where it isn’t deserved? Sure. Did the movie skip over some details? Yes, but what movie doesn’t? This movie wasn’t created as an exposé of Barnum’s life. It was created as an entertaining depiction of the circus, and it is just that—an emotional, touchyfeely musical. The most impactful and entertaining facet of the movie is the musical score. Memorable songs like “The Other Side,” “Rewrite the Stars,” “Never Enough,” and “This is Me” are beyond entertaining— they’re catchy. Accompanied by whimsical choreography, these songs showcase the musical talent of Jackman, Loren Allred, and Keala Settle, among various others, while contributing to the exciting tone of the movie. All of these pieces combined create a magical film that captures the dazzling origin story of the circus and those who played a key role in its formation.
It’s Netflix’s most expensive series to ever be made—and rightfully so when you’re painting a portrait of the longest reigning English monarch whose years as the Queen have been as turbulent as they have been portrayed. The Crown season 2, starring Claire Foy and Matt Smith, is even more lavish and dramatic than the first, with another royal marriage, a dive into Prince Philip’s dark past, and more monarchical missteps. It was evident in the first season of The Crown that Prince Philip was a wild spirit, one who refused to be defined and constricted by the tight confines of marriage to the lead monarch, a confidant and headstrong husband who would often butt heads with his wife and her advisors at best and a destructive scandal inducing adulterer at worst. The second season sees him off on a extensive tour for several months around the world by sea, amid Queen Elizabeth discovering evidence that leads her to believe that the Duke of Edinburgh has been unfaithful in their marriage. Later, Elizabeth will not only have to deal with this scandal, but also a series of developments that leave her picking up the scattered pieces of her family and country. The Suez Canal Crisis, a tonedeaf speech broadcast to the British people, an unhappy and unmarried sister bent on matrimony, and a revelation about a family member and ex-monarch all rock Great Britain’s perception of their rulers. The Britain of the late 50s and 60s was a totally different one to pre-war Britain. In fact, the world was changing, and as prosperity gave way to strife, the monarchy was the one thing that tried to remain persistent. If there is one running theme for season 1, it’s change. Elizabeth’s children are growing up, her husband is more uncontrollable than ever, and the British people are yearning for there to be a monarchy that could take responsibility for the common man and adapt accordingly to all of the global
strife within and out of the British empire. The Crown does an excellent job at giving us a sense of just what Elizabeth was dealing with here without going all in on the political developments at the time. We get just as much a sense of uneasiness and unstability from Princess Margaret’s stormy outbursts and coldness towards her sister concerning her engagement and marriage as we would if there was a whole episode dedicated to the Suez Canal crisis. That’s the beauty of The Crown; the liberties taken with the characters’ personal lives allows us to draw comparisons to the real-world developments of 50’s and 60’s England. As always, Claire Foy and Matt Smith shine as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip respectively, yet Vanessa Kirby’s performance shines unexpectedly as Princess Margaret. As the nature of the relationship between the Princess and her eventual husband, Tony ArmstrongJones, is played out on screen, Kirby does a wonderful job of portraying Margaret as the despondent loner desperate for a companion. It’s an unexpected and turbulent love-story that plays nicely against the marital troubles between the Queen and her husband. Although, Margaret and Tony have problems of their own that highlight just how desperate the Princess was to forget her previous lover who she was denied in the first season. The episode titled “Paterfamilias,” which explores Prince Philip’s past and how it’s connected to his son’s future will rapt the audience’s attention, especially Americans who are not familiar with Philip’s backstory. It’s tragic, and while not an excuse for the Prince’s behaviour, provides much needed context for why he is the man he is today. The series finale, while not an end to the show as whole, feels like one as we say goodbye to the current and wonderful cast of actors so that their parts may be aged up and played by older actors and actresses. Just like the English monarchy, change needs to occur for their to be betterment, and The Crown is no exception.
Sports
February 2018
The Voyager 19
Woj dives into leadership role
Photo Sup-
By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 Editor-in-Chief
A
new face has been by the pool at the boy’s swimming team’s side this year. Mrs. Wojdon-Smith, the anatomy and biology teacher who commonly goes by Woj, has been working at Coach DeCoursey’s side as the new assistant swimming coach for the boy’s team. Woj was hired in August, and she finished her associated swimming and lifeguarding courses in October. Although she said the courses were physically grueling, she’s excited to apply what she’s learned to her role as assistant coach. Helping run practices, keeping times at meets, and keeping track of splits, Woj has jumped right in as part of the team. Although this is her first time working with the boys, Woj has been learning her Coach Wojdon stands by the pool before practice. responsibilities quickly. “I’m getting so much Photo supplied better at it,” she said about the time sheets that she fills out. who would otherwise be restricted by running or It may be Woj’s first time at the Eastern team’s knee problems, can do. “Swimming is a lot less side, but she isn’t new to the sport. “I love problematic for the body,” said Woj, and she says swimming and my son swims. Coach DeCoursey it’s a great cardio workout.” It’s even used as rehab actually got my son into swimming when he was for patients to facilitate faster healing.” five so I’ve really gotten into the sport,” said Woj. With this knowledge, Woj hopes that more of the Mrs. Woj has been finding her role to be a lot student body will look into swimming. of fun, and she cites the “really nice kids” and Besides the health benefits, Woj loves swimming her great relationship with Coach DeCoursey as and her role on the team because of the welcoming reasons for her enjoyment. team. She loves to joke around with the boys on the “I really enjoy it so much,” said Woj. “I love team, and she looks forward to her time working going to practice, and I love going to meets.” with them after school. Woj’s time teaching anatomy and her experiences “The team is just really nice—they have a lot of so far on the team have combined together to fun,” said Woj. “It’s just a great sport.” promote the sport. She says that swimming is a great low-impact sport that a bunch of people,
Nick Foles catches a 4th and 1 pass on a trick play that Coach Pederson used as a high school coach. sportingnews.com
Eagles defeat Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII By ALEX MACKLE ‘18 Editor-in-Chief
Nick Foles made history on Sunday, February 4, becoming the first quarterback in NFL historty to catch a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl. Pictured above, this trick play featured a pass from Eagles tight end Trey Burton. This was only one of many crucial plays that resulted in an Eagles victory over the New England Patriots, lead by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. Despite the Eagles retaining a league for most of the game, the Patriots put up incredible numbers. Tom Brady broke his own passing record, recording 505 passing yards, the most in any Super Bowl game. The response from Philadelphia fans has been unparalleled; the Eagles have not been the league champions since 1960, and they have never won a Super Bowl before now. Lifelong Eagles fan and teacher, Mr. Nicholas Yotsko said, “It’s been a long time coming. It’s very satisfying as a fan to actually put it all together and not coming up short. Especially with everything that happened this year, with all the injuries.”
Go to Voyager-online.org for more Eagles coverage!
Joel Hark: Broad Strokes BY ANTHONY CUTRERA ‘19 Sports Editor
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Joel Hark poses with his team after a meet.
Photo supplied
oel Hark only started swimming his freshman year at Eastern, but he quickly excelled in the sport and is now a senior leader on the team. The Vikings are currently 1-2-1 this season with some key meets coming up. Hark is a big part of the team as he swims freestyle and butterfly, which is considered by many to be the most difficult swimming stroke.
Although Hark has found success in swimming, it is not his main sport. Hark’s primary sport is golf, which he will be playing at the collegiate level at Muhlenberg University. According to Hark, swimming has helped him become a better athlete. “Swimming has helped me in other sports because swim builds up my endurance and muscular strength” said Hark. Hark’s favorite swimming memory at Eastern is going 8-0 and winning the division when he was a freshman. Hark helped lead the team to their fourth consecutive conference championship this season.
Sophomore Sophia Sinibaldi makes a splash
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BY AVA HANCOCK ‘21 Staff Reporter
hen most people think of swimming, they think of the beach, summer, and relaxation. However, sophomore Sophia Sinibaldi associates swimming with competition, exhaustion, and teamwork. Sophia’s swimming venture began when she was 8 years old at the Voorhees Swim Club, though it eventually became far more than an after school hobby. In sixth grade, she decided to start swimming on a club team. Now, Sinibaldi is on the Eastern swim team, and is also a part of the South Jersey Aquatic Club, where she swims for 3 hours everyday. These intense practices include a half-hour warm-up of drills and sprints, various different swimming sets, and dryland exercises like weights, pullups, and running. In between practices and meets, she manages to find time to hang out with friends and study. Most students prioritize education before any extra curricular activity, but Sophia, like many of her teammates, put swimming before school. Hoping to commit to a Division I school (her first choice is Duke University), she puts a lot of pressure on herself to keep a high attendance and perform her best at every meet. Swimming is the tenth most popular high school sport according to NJ.com, outshined by more conventional sports like soccer, track, and softball. “I like swimming because it’s a great sport to be committed to. It takes a lot of time and effort.” She’s also made lifelong friends with her teammates, although swimming isn’t necessarily a team sport. Sophia enjoys cheering on her friends as they compete.
Before completely committing herself to the water, Sinibaldi tried her hand at field hockey for a few years. Switching from the one sport to the other, she realized that swimming is vastly different and requires much more work. However, the time spent conditioning, no doubt, has helped her now when it comes to endurance and stamina. Sophia swims butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke, and freestyle, though she has discovered that her favorite is butterfly, in which her personal best is 57.6 seconds in the 100 meter. Swim meets are the equivalent of a sports game, where
swimmers compete in their strokes against other teams in an attempt to place first. Sophia describes her feelings before she competes as nervous because she wants to do as well as she can. After a meet, she usually feels accomplished after dropping times. When asked of her hopes for the future, she wants to improve her times at future meets, become committed to a college, and to eventually pursue a career as a veterinarian. “People should try swimming because it keeps you in shape, works all the muscles in your body, it’s a great experience, and the people you become friends with are amazing.”
Sophia Sinibaldi takes a dive into the pool during one of her meets.
Photo supplied.
20 The Voyager
Sports
February 2018
Gabby Payne: Shooting her way into the record books
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By LAUREN CASOLE ‘19 Features Editor
hether she is dominating the court or her AP Chemistry test, Gabriella Payne always gives everything she’s got. Payne’s love and passion for basketball and everything she does inspires her to keep playing and working on her skills. This way, she can accomplish her dreams. “My favorite part of playing basketball is the rush you get after winning a game,” said Gabby. She states the satisfaction you get after playing a great game and knowing how hard you worked to get there is an indescribable feeling. Her team is her second family and the best part is the immediate bond she made with everyone, because each team member shares a common goal and passion. “I have made friendships that I will cherish forever,” Payne said. Junior Anna Accardo said, “I have been lucky enough to have Gabby as a teammate for about nine years and she is a very hard working, trustworthy, and kind person on and off the court.” Besides learning how to shoot and perfecting dribbling techniques, Payne said that the most important lesson that basketball has taught her is when you get knocked down, you always have to get back up and work even harder to come back. Payne said, “Whenever I have a game, I work even harder than before so I can succeed the next time.” Payne describes herself as someone who is able to be aggressive, drive, and shoot on offense. She is also
great on defense with her stops and steals. With many remarkable accomplishments, some of her greatest honors include receiving Second Team All Conference, the Varsity Scholar Athlete Award and the Offensive Player of the Year award for her contributions to the team her sophomore year. Payne has also received letters from Division I colleges and has always had her sights set on playing basketball in college. Gabby not only plays for Eastern, but she is a part of the Philadelphia Belles for AAU in the spring, summer, and fall. Off the court, Gabby’s laugh can be heard through the halls of Eastern and her smile is nothing but contagious. Jenna Greenwald ‘19 does not have the honor of calling Gabby a teammate, but as a friend. “Gabby is a great friend who is generous, kind and always upbeat,” Greenwald said. On or off the court, Payne is always someone you can rely on to be a leader and get the job done.
Photo by Nikkitta Hovell ’19
Gabby Payne shoots a three pointer against Bishop Eustace.
Making hoops and chasing glory Eric Horn ‘19 Sports Editor
able to accomplish together. While everyone wants to win championships, good team play doesn’t just come from practicing often. Captain Troy Edwards commented, “Team chemistry is the most asketball will always be a team sport, and the important part of the game because if you don’t play boys who play for Eastern know this better than for the guy next to you and believe in your teammates, most. nothing will turn out the way you want it to.” “One thing I have learned in my four years is that The boys do their best to achieve good team chemistry statlines are overrated,” said Senior captain Jesse Barbera. every chance they get. Barbera recalled that “Every He has played at the varsity level for all of his high school Saturday, we try to go out to lunch or do something together career, no small feat. However, he assures that individual with all the guys on the team. You aren’t going to play as accomplishments are not as valuable as what the team is well as you can as a team if you aren’t friends with the guys around you.” An important piece in the boys’ successes as a team is the guidance and leadership of head coach Kevin Crawford, who is entering his 4th year as the head coach. “We view basketball as a continuation Photo by Nikkitta Hovell ’19 of the Jesse Barbara shoots a fadeaway jumpshot against Camden Catholic.
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education process,” Coach Crawford said, “and we focus on developing the players to be the best that they can be, and on building chemistry between teammates.” The players on the team do not only turn to the coaches for leadership; the younger players look up to seniors for help. “Many of our seniors have been playing together since the 4th grade,” Coach Crawford said. The guys can always count on their teammates to help them through problems both on and off the court. After playing about 30 games together in the fall and summer seasons, all eyes are turned to what the boys can do in the regular season. With Troy Edwards coming off of a strong junior campaign, he is sure to build on it and succeed again this year. Junior Ryan Ems, one of the team’s emerging big men, has the potential to have a breakout season this year. With an already strong foundation, supported by high profile transfers Matthue Cotton, Xavier Pina, and Andrew Heck, the team is looking to turn heads in 2018. Everyone on the team shares a few common goals this season: to win 20 games, win their conference, win the Group IV championship, and lastly to bring a state title back to Eastern. Troy Edwards remarked, “We can at least make it to the Group IV championship if we can stay healthy, as we have a couple key players banged up at the moment.” Perhaps the one goal that is most important to the team is a goal that Coach Crawford loves to remind his players of: “Try to get better every day.” With a gold mine of talent, strong work ethic, and unbreakable bonds between teammates, Eastern Boys Basketball is primed for a season that will end in glory. The team began to gel in the first half of the season and posted a 13-6 record despite missing some of their key players to start the season. As the players get used to playing together, they continue to develop essential team chemistry, and are gearing up for a deep playoff run. All they need now is a loud student section…
There’s no bursting Jake Harley’s “bubble!”
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By Hayley Bricker ‘18 Voyager Staff Reporter
astern offers an abundance of opportunities for those who excel in running, like Cross Country, Spring Track and Winter Track. Winter Track combines all the aspects of Spring Track, with a full array of events just instead of it being outside in the elements, winter track meets usually take place in Toms River in the John Bennett Indoor Athletic Complex, more commonly referred to as the “bubble”. Senior Jake Harley, has been running winter track since
his freshman year. He has collected countless medals, earning his spot as a strong team member and leader. But the camaraderie Jake and his fellow athletes does not stop when they leave the track. Some of Jake’s favorite memories are just hanging out with his teammates playing hacky sack or simply “going to Smoothie King”, becoming more like the brothers he never had rather than just teammates. Jake enjoys running the mile at meets, which to some at Eastern is an actual nightmare. Yet for Jake he and his four minute and forty-nine second mile, do not seem to
mind. Thanks to winter track, Jake has been able to meet some incredible people and really break out of his shell. To all those who run after him, “Always have fun, don’t think too much of it, it’s all in good fun. Enjoy it because it’s going to go fast.”
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