Voyager-online.org
Seventh Edition
June 2018
Guitar Page 2
Baseball Page 16
Mr. Page Kennedy 2Page 2 Guitar Page 3
Eastern Regional High School
1401 Laurel Oak Road
Voorhees, NJ 08043
Dress up! Gym uniforms arrive next year By LAUREN CASOLE ‘19 Features Editor
C
ardinal red t-shirts and navy shorts will be the gym fashion next year. Starting in the 2018-19 school year, all grade levels will be required to wear a gym uniform in PE classes. The Board of Education recently approved these uniforms in a meeting held in the middle of May. The entire outfit will cost $20 dollars. The clothes can be purchased online, at the school store, or at the New Student orientation from August 22nd to the 24th. Students eligible for the federal free or reduced lunch program will have access to financial aid for the uniform. These uniforms have been implemented for a variety of reasons, with the idea being around since 2000. “These uniforms were
supposed to be put in place last year, but they never came to fruition, and many of the gym teachers have been pushing for it for quite some time,” said Coach McGroarty. “It’s for safety, identification, and hygiene,” said gym teacher Mrs. Heck. One benefit of these uniforms is the easy identification of students in gym classes and in the hallways. Additionally, many students participating in gym activities wear the same clothes in gym that they wear throughout the rest of the school day. This is a hygiene issue, considering that many students perspire during the fifty-minute gym period. Doctor Mary Sheu, MD, assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, states that you can get rashes, increase the presence of acne, or acquire a yeast infection.
See UNIFORMS on Page 5
Students in Gym 1 stretch and talk before class.
Photo by Lauren Casole ‘19
Concerns grow in the area over the Exploring AP Capstone pollution of local lakes and streams By AVA HANCOCK ‘20 Staff Reporter
D
Bob Hawkins shows Max Gell (red shirt) the waterfall that starts a branch of the Cooper River in Kirkwood, New Jersey. Photos by Nancy Bowne ‘19
Jacob Safier ‘20 reports on the contamination Visitors arrive to Kirkwood Lake on a sunny Monday afternoon.
Kirkwood Lake may look idyllic, but please do not swim in the lake.
See Page 6 for full coverage
uring the 2018-2019 school year, Eastern will be introducing the prestigious AP Capstone Program, a new research program, that according to the College Board, “equips students with the independent research, collaborative teamwork, and communication skills that are increasingly valued by colleges”. The program has a few rigorous requirements, however. Students enrolled in the program will need to take AP Seminar and AP Research, as well as have 4 total AP classes throughout junior and senior year. Students will take AP Seminar as a fullyear class junior year and then take AP Research as a senior. If one completes both courses with a 3 or higher, they graduate with a Capstone Diploma. Mrs. Palmer, who currently teaches Gifted and Talented, will be teaching the class starting this fall. Though Eastern is just implementing the program next year, other schools like La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, have had the program going for two years. Over 1,100 schools in the country have Capstone in effect. Adelyn Moore, who takes AP Seminar as a junior at La Cueva, describes the class as “new and impactful; however, it is probably the best class I took my junior year”. When talking about class content, Moore says that “we learned about analyzing sources, writing research papers, and giving presentations. While these things seem fairly simple, Capstone papers are
See AP CAPSTONE on Page 5
News
2 The Voyager
June 2018
The ghost of Jerry Garcia returns in Arlotta’s new axe By VICTORIA LAPINSON ‘20 Staff Reporter
M
r. Bradley was amazed. “This was by far the most complex, in-depth project I’ve had anybody attempt,” the woodshop teacher said. He has been teaching for five and a half years. This particular student project, by all accounts, is certainly
Mike McGee ‘19 playing the guitar
ambitious, but junior Joey Arlotta is all about ambition: he is at the final stages of custom-building two guitars: one for himself and one for his dad. Inspired by Jerry Garcia, Arlotta sees his guitars as a mirror to the great improvisational guitarist, Jerry Garcia of The Grateful Dead. Garcia’s sixstring guitar was known as Top Hat. An extremely customized piece, it might seem impossible to replicate, but it is coming together to be an impressive remake. Arlotta is a “rock n’ roll” fan and enjoys great guitarists. Arlotta loves the guitar greats, especially Jimi Hendrix. “If you watch some of the guys,” he said, “they don’t even look at the guitar while they play.” Though he doesn’t have all that much experience playing, he says his brother played guitar around him a lot when he was younger, and that gave him an appreciation for musicianship. As far as building guitars, the idea came up last year. Mr. Bradley said it took a lot of planning and coordination, but about three or four weeks into this school year, Arlotta started saying he wanted to get
serious about it and make one. “So I said ‘have at it,’” Mr. Bradley said. And Arlotta has been working diligently ever since. Mr. Bradley said Arlotta is willing to do anything he needs to do to get the job done. “If I ask him to do something, he’s always more than willing to do it,” Mr. Bradley said. “He helps his fellow classmates all the time. So if I had five more Joeys, I’d be a happier camper.” Around the classroom, it’s not difficult to find Joey helping out with a smile on his face. When he isn’t working on his two guitars, he’s helping others with projects, utilizing the experience he has gained through three years of the course. The direct inspiration for the project was a man named Stephen Cripe, who built boats for a living before turning to guitars. He’s best known for making “Lightning Bolt” and “Top Hat” for Jerry Garcia. Arlotta said he finds it interesting that
The laughs came like thunder for “Romeo to Go”
One Act Festival offers four directors a chance in the chair By ROBERT SUNDSTROM ‘18 Staff Reporter
“I’m so proud of my cast! They made our last one act so amazing and are all such wonderfully talented people. I’m happy to have directed them.” Though the directors of One Acts heatre club students performed in certainly feel as if they have had a the annual One Acts Festival on meaningful experience, they are not the May 24th for a sizable audience. sole beneficiaries of the festival. The The festival consisted of each actors in the shows also had a great deal class performing a 15-30 minute show. of fun and learned a lot. The One Acts are completely student Sophomore Jake Fritz, who played the run productions, consisting of a student role of Justin Laboy in the Lin Manuel director, stage manager, actors, and Miranda musical 21 Chump Street won stage crew. The directors select shows to the award for Best Male Lead. He said perform, develop a schedule, block the that, “One acts are fun because of the show, and put it on within 4-5 weeks. The creative liberties that you can take in performances go one after another, and a student run production and they are culminate with a presentation of awards definitely something more people should from alumni judges. do if they are interested This years performances “It’s a good chance in a non-time consuming included : They Eat for independence theatre activity.” Sunshine not Zebras to Technical aspects of grow within (Freshman), 21 Chump one acts also offer unique stage crew and opportunities for students Street (Sophomore), Lord of the Pies (Junior), and really helps teach involved. Senior Chris Romeo to Go (Senior). the younger grades Child’s said, “One acts Each show was different how to work and is always a great learning from the other. experience due to the build together.” Freshman director, small groups working to Chris Childs ‘18 build each set. It’s a good Laina Harding, recalled the duties she had to chance for independence fulfill. “As a director, I am in charge of to grow within stage crew and really helps fulfilling many tasks, such as picking teach the younger grades how to work and the show, casting the show, conducting build together.” rehearsals, aiding in light and sound cues Alex Mackle, President of Sound and during the actual show, and many more,” Light Club, added, “One Acts allows she said. Sound and Light to take control of what Student run productions have advantages we want to do. It also allows for more as well as disadvantages. students to run lighting and audio because Sophomore director, Luke Magette, of the multiple shows.” said he had many issues coordinating At the conclusion of the night some with so many of the different aspects of highlights of the awards handed out a show. “In addition, directing my friends include: Best Director to Luke Magette, was occasionally challenging, since they Best Set to The Sophomore Class, Best sometimes disregarded what I had to say,” Male Lead to Luke Magette, and Best he said. Female Lead to Maddie Gryskiewicz. There was a general consensus, however, that they were very grateful to have had the opportunity to work with their class in a situation so unique. Junior director Bobby Weil said his favorite part about directing was seeing the show come together in the end to create a wonderful performance. “As a director, the biggest thing I learned is to go with your gut instinct. That’s something I’ll always be thankful for,” he said. Senior class director, Jannette Fisher, echoed Seniors Vincent Melara and Matt Rossignol play Bobby’s thoughts, saying,up the laughs
T
Photos by Victoria Lapinson ‘20
Cripe came from something else and he made something that was so boutique and so hard to make. “He ended up making it just because he was a fan of how Jerry played,” Arlotta said. So what’s in Arlotta’s future? He plans to be a police officer. He wants to help serve a community, but if not, he would consider a form of woodwork. Is another guitar in his future? “Absolutely,” he said. “I feel like I can build a better one with even better quality wood and parts.”
Photos by Madame Youse
News
June 2018
The Voyager 3
“Student Choice” Teacher of the Year The Voyager surveyed the senior class for the first annual award. This year, the senior class voted for Mr. Kennedy for the Student Choice Voyager “Rugby” Ball Award for Teaching Excellence.
He hired me, for better or for worse. He grilled me on Thomas Beckett and Canterbury Tales. I have a large background in the medieval era and he wanted to test me on my knowledge, no matter the content or literature. He is one of the most professional teachers with a wealth of knowledge.
Where should I start? He is probably the ultimate mentor of the department, of the novice, and the veteran. His ultimate legacy is to never stop immersing yourself in the content.
Of all the teachers I have ever worked with, Mr. Kennedy is at the very top for passion of quality of education. After an administrative background, he is all about teaching history.
-Mr. Hering
- Mr. Thompson
A lot of us were hired by Mr. Kennedy. He gave us our first first in education, and modeled excellence in teaching and guidance. Eastern will miss him. - Mr. Colton Mr. Kennedy has devoted so many years at Eastern to the education of students and his teaching style makes for engaging, productive, and meaningful lectures and classroom discussions. Prior to teaching, Mr. Kennedy worked as an administrator and Vice Principal to the English and History departments, perhaps understanding the inner-workings of Eastern like no other. He is leaving Eastern this year and with him he leaves an incredible legacy in his teachings of AP Government, War & Peace, and US History. In his final year at Eastern, Mr. Kennedy deserves recognition for his immense contributions to the study of history at Eastern; we would have a significantly different high school. The impact he’s left on his students is reflected in the higher education and career paths they have pursued: US House of Representatives, Harvard Law School, UPenn Law School, and even teaching history at Eastern. Being in Mr. Kennedy’s class, I have learned to be a better student in terms of public speaking, debate, note taking, research, and looking at history objectively. You would never know Mr. Kennedy’s bias in his teaching, because he presents information in a way that fairly represents both sides of an argument and allows for students to make assessments for themselves. Mr. Kennedy’s final year at Eastern should be highlighted by his love of history, our country, and education of young people. The tremendous impact he has had in influencing the lives of others to pursue law, government, history, military service and various other career paths will not be forgotten by the Eastern community now and long after he has left. Therefore, we deserve to thank him.
-Mr. McSweeney While Mr. Kennedy may have bowed to me in 2008, I must forever bow my head in awe and appreciation for his mentorship. As many have mentioned, Mr. Kennedy’s knowledge of history and politics are unmatched, and I can only pray that one day, but a portion of his intellect and passion. I truly would not be at Eastern were it not for Mr. Kennedy’s dedication to excellence and continuously challenged students to go beyond their perceived limits.
- Mr. Isshak ‘08
Mr. Kennedy is one of the most supportive and dedicated teachers within Eastern, who refuses to accept anything other than his students’ full potential. With a well balance of old school education and the use of new technology within the classroom, Mr. Kennedy’s class is quite enjoyable and keeps even the most inattentive students captivated.
- Nicholas Ray ‘18
Mr. Kennedy has been the best teacher I’ve had at Eastern, and there is some serious competition. He is organized, passionate, and eager to teach the material. War and Peace is definitely challenging, but he makes it fun as well. His positive attitude and great personality allows for a great learning environment that students appreciate.
- Jesse Barbera ‘18
- Vincent Melara ‘18
A class tends to be more interesting when a teacher is completely interested He is the most knowledgeable and in what they teach. Mr. Kennedy keeps caring teacher I have ever had. the class engaged by teaching mateThe Voyager “Rugby Ball” is used in class as a “conch shell” for student - Brianna Krivy ‘18 rial that is applicable to everyday life. expression and free speech rights. Photo by Maanasi Natarajan ‘19 Furthermore, Mr. Kennedy’s trivia style Mr Kennedy should be recognized for his years quizzes on Fridays keep you in the loop of service not only to this school but to his coun- Mr. Kennedy has been revered since he switched from administraabout current events and other important try. He stresses a full education, well rounded topic students in the country. Overall, tion to class instruction, and this year, he deserves to be recognized, in every way. He teaches students to be students Mr. Kennedy deserves to be recognized as it is his last year in public education. Ask any of his students, and rather just to excel in one subject. He is easily because of his dedication to teaching they will agree. It’s just something about the way that he presents one of the most challenging teachers at Eastern and how enjoyable he makes learning information that is fascinating, that combined with his moral combut at the same time is forgiving and understand- pass makes for a great teacher who deserves recognition. about history. ing in his grading and in the classroom.
- Matthew Morante ‘18
- Robert Sundstrom ‘18
- Alex Mackle ‘18
Having Mr. Kennedy as a teacher this year has meant the world to me. I’ve recently come to love military history, so I took War and Peace for an interesting course and to experience a class taught by the Eastern legend. Little did I know, I signed up for one of the most memorable, impactful experiences of my life. Mr. Kennedy is beyond intelligent—but more importantly, he’s so eager to spread his knowledge with his students, in an unprecedented classroom format with an unprecedented enthusiasm. He’s so invested in his students’ success, and he fostering strong relationships with his students on both an academic and personal level. This past year, Mr. Kennedy has become one of my mentors, from talking about espionage history with me, to lending me movies to augment the knowledge I gain from his class, to suggesting books I read. I’ve gone through all his book and movie suggestions, because I’ve learned that Mr. Kennedy’s guidance is one of the most important pieces of my life so far. I hope to one day give back to him everything he has given to me, though I doubt I ever could. It won’t stop me from trying, though, because he deserves all the thanks in the world. - Hayley Beluch ‘18
Mr. Kennedy was by far one of my favorite teachers this year and in high school. The way he teaches with such energy and uniqueness made the class that much more interesting. Also, how he would speak the notes instead of reading from the smart board or by a packet was unique for me, but more interesting as well. - Joel Hark ‘18
For a full profile on Mr. Kennedy, check out The Voyager’s Senior Edition!
News
4 The Voyager
June 2018
Keep your stuff safe at school MATT STEINSALTZ ‘20 and JOSH MEYERS ‘21 Staff Reporters
I
n a nice school like Eastern, the things you bring with you on a daily basis must be safe, right? Well, not exactly. On average there are 1-2 reported thefts at Eastern per month. That’s roughly 10-20 thefts a year. However those 10-20 thefts are the numbers of reported thefts. There are dozens more that go unprotected. Most thefts are not anything major. Mostly small amounts of money, headphones, and other not terribly important items. Junior Jordan Lewis was a victim of theft, but he fell into the category of unreported. “I got my bluetooth headphones and charger stolen while they were charging unattended in a classroom during the morning wheel of classes,” said Lewis. Even though Lewis had his things stolen he still feels that his belonging are safe at school. “For the most part I feel my stuff is safe in school, because I keep them around me most of the time,” said Lewis. He realizes that is was not smart to leave the items unattended, considering the bluetooth headphones were $40. Lewis’s items were stolen in the math hallway, but according to School Resource Officer Paranto most thefts are reported to have taken place in either the gym locker room or bathroom because there are no cameras
The procedure for theft is a bit lengthy. In order for an investigation to occur, the victim must report the theft on a theft report. Theft reports can be found in the main office under the bulletin boards. The theft report asks for the date, time, location, what, and where of the theft. Once filled out, the report is shared with the school resource officer, where he will then launch his investigation. “Once I have read over the report, I use the many cameras around the school to aide me”, said officer Paranto. Because most thefts reported are reported to be in the bathroom and the gym locker rooms, it is difficult, but “I use the cameras around the entrances to see who was going in and out of the area at the reported time of the theft,” said Paranto. After looking over the security footage, Paranto then must determine if there is probable cause. Meaning, is there enough proof to have a suspect? If a probable cause is found, then the suspect is called down to talk with the School Resource Officer. There the officer turns on his body camera to record an interview with the suspect. After asking questions, the parents are contacted and both parties are read their miranda rights. After the interview, a decision is reached. Then they go to a family court, because they are juveniles. Theft is a 2-C charge, usually resulting in a fine. The first offense usually resolves in a repayment of the stolen items, and the offender is put into a
“In a school with 2,000 kids, you will have untrustworthy people here.” - Officer Paranto
Veterans address students in Recital Hall during history class
class. “They don’t want to punish them, they want to put them on the right track,” said Parranto According to Paranto, about 40% of the cases result in a guilty ruling. “It is unfortunate that we can’t return the stolen items, but it is hard to find the person in the wrong because most of the thefts take place where there are no cameras, in bathrooms and locker rooms,” said Paranto. Mrs. Smythe and the rest of the gym teachers do their best to protect students’ items. “We make sure that everyone is out of the locker A Theft Report from the Main Office. rooms before class, things are safe at school, but expensive make sure the doors are locked, and make things should not be brought in the open”. sure nothing has been propped open.” The unnamed student lost the She can’t stress enough the importance money outside the auditorium, after for students to get a lock and lock their school around 5:30, but the unnamed belongings up. “Don’t bring anything student did not report the theft and valuable to school, and if you forget has not gotten the money back. your lock and have something valuable, “In a school with 2,000 kids you ask your gym teacher to lock it.” will have untrustworthy people Despite being a victim of theft and losing here,” said Officer Paranto. $125, an unnamed student said, “I think
Adios, Señora Meyers By EVELYN STEELE ‘21 Staff Reporter After 35 years of teaching, over half spent at Eastern, Ms. Meyers says goodbye to her classroom and students. Since 2000, Ms. Meyers has taught Spanish I and II. Before teaching Spanish, she began as an English teacher. It wasn’t until Spanish became more popular that she got to teach her “dear love.” Her favorite aspect of Eastern is the overall environment. “The staff is amazing” she said. “The kids are amazing. This school’s amazing.” Maddi Scott, a student of Ms. Meyer’s Spanish I class said that “she’s a happy, joyful kind soul with the biggest heart ever. There was never a day I wasn’t looking forward to her class; she was my favorite.” After the school year commences and Meyer is officially retired, she plans to complete a list of projects around her house, and travel to the West Coast to visit her daughter and grandchildren. She also added that she would be spending time with her New Jersey granddaughter
Captain Andrew Jackson and a group of vets from the Korean War and Vietnam War spoke on May 24th to history classes. Photo by Voyager staff
Rachel Forsman (‘21) poses with her bunny. Go to voyageronline.org for more Night of the Arts photos! Click Features. Photo by Julia Dodd ‘19
and most of it with her dog Boo. A life l o n g dream of hers is to own a food truck or a small restauMs. Meyers and her rant and granddaughter Bridgwould l o v e et. Her dog is Boo to ful- (white). fill this dream in the near future. Meyers stated that “teaching taught me to be more reflective and understanding and see lots of different points of views.” She will miss the kids most of all. Ms. Meyer’s explained that retiring caught her off guard. It was hard realizing it was over. The students of Eastern will miss her just as much as she will miss them, if not more.
News The Voyager 5 Lifeless literature: The decline of reading amongst today’s youth
June 2018
By BRYCE DERSHEM ‘21
F
Staff Reporter
rom the soliloquies of Shakespeare to the descriptions of Dickens, students face a daunting and often uninteresting workload in English. Reading holds significant importance for most students and youth, but student reading has declined due to the conduct of schools and the education system in general. According to the U.S. Department of Education, “Over the last 15 years, 15 million students have graduated from high school reading at below the basic level.” Additionally, over 70% of high school individuals require remediation for lack of skills, especially with reading comprehension. These statistics are troublesome due to the skills that reading teaches. Mr. Bowne, an English teacher, explained that reading teaches important linguistic concepts such as irony, satire, and metaphor. On a larger scale, he told of how reading helps students understand concepts beneath the surface of people and ideas. Alongside this, reading promotes the formation of new ideas in the mind’s of students, particularly regarding worldly themes and issues. Reading stimulates the minds of students and enhances students’ mental capabilities. However, a decline in students being able to perform the skills that reading teaches has become present. This decline in reading can be seen as the result of several problems that school youth face today. The use of technology has been impactful in the decline of student reading. Lindsey Hoffman, a freshman, claimed that while technology doesn’t detract from literature in the classroom, it does
offer a distraction once kids go home. She explained that technology, specifically iPads, rearrange students’ priorities, impeding their doing of schoolwork. Mr. Bowne also emphasized that the rise of technology has proven a detriment to student reading. He said, “A lot of the problems we have in education is we don’t have kids read enough.” He claimed that the education system pushes shorter works of text on students, such as on the PARCC. Mr. Bowne explained that this may turn them off to enjoying longer forms of comprehensive reading, resulting in a decline in student reading in general. Alongside this, with the rise of video games and social media, many students face the problem of interest in reading, or rather a lack thereof. Students wonder whether they will, for example, find more enjoyment in their video games or in dragging themselves through a dry novel. The majority of students find more interest in the first choice, choosing to participate in other activities rather than be uninterested while reading. Arianna Resicher, a former homeschooled student, noted that the members of her old English class, comprised of other homeschooled students, enjoyed every discussed novel and fully participated in the reading assignments. In reference to Eastern, she said, “In contrast, I’m willing to bet that most of the students in my current English class don't read the books assigned, and those that do read them, feel that the books are tiresome rather than enjoyable. The problem isn’t with reading itself. Rather, it is with students being unable to find personal interest in their reading,
AP Capstone giving presentations. While these things seem fairly simple, Capstone papers are much different than regular essays because there is a bigger focus on building an argument.” The elements of the course may ring a bell to students who are familiar with Gifted and Talented. However, Robert Cloutier, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development, assures that “Gifted and Talented will continue as a strong program”. Rather than compete with GT, AP Capstone will compliment the course and “will provide students the great learning experiences of the Gifted and Talented program with the additional benefit of advanced AP recognition”. In fact, Capstone was introduced to help students go even farther than the Gifted and Talented Program. “Our goal is to offer opportunities for high-achieving students to delve deeper into their passions to assist them in achieving the college and career aspirations,” says Mr. Cloutier. Many students may be hesitant to join such a program. Mr. Cloutier says that AP Capstone can offer “rigor and structure balanced with a great opportunity to deepen their passion for learning.” A guidance counselor, Ms. Lattimer, has been especially excited to begin introducing Capstone. She currently has nine of her students signed up for the course, all of which “seem excited about the concept”. She recommends Capstone to any of her students that are currently taking an AP class or are projected to take one. Her favorite aspect of the program is the fact that students receive a certificate after completing the course, which she believes will set them apart from other students. “I’m excited that Eastern continues to progress and adds to its rigorous curriculum and Capstone is just another way of doing that,” she said.
especially in a world filled with distractions. Preventive measures can be taken to counteract this problem. Choice books provide an option for counteracting this growing lack of interInformation supplied from American Time Use Survey est. They allow students to skills over the summer. Ms. O’Keefe, a choose topics that are of greater interest freshman English teacher, said that sumto them, resulting in increased enthusiasm mer reading can encourage student readfor reading. ing and can promote a culture of readers. Alexa Grabelle is the founder of the “The other type of summer reading is to charitable organization Bags of Books. extend academics into the summer,” she This multi-state, international charity colsaid. lects and donates books for underpriviHowever, none of these purposes are leged students, fostering passions for being achieved. Several Eastern students reading among youth. She said, “What I claim that most students scramble to read really find is that among students, espetheir books in the final days of summer, cially younger students who may be more failing to gain anything out of them exreluctant to read, that what is important is cept stress. finding a topic of interest. Even the most But, the problem of kids not reading reluctant readers can find a book that incompleting their summer reading assignterests them. I feel like there is a book out ments, along with reading assignments there for everyone…” in general, can be solved. According to From this, it can be noted that no two Scholastic, “An overwhelming nine in ten readers are the same. Students are unique kids say they are more likely to finish a in their interests, and this uniqueness book they picked out themselves.” Stumust be considered by educators in order dents need reading, but more so, students to combat the growing decline of student need reading that is interesting to them. reading. As Kate DiCamillo, the author of BeThis is true for summer reading as well. cause of Winn-Dixie, said, “Reading Summer reading is extremely beneficial should not be presented to children as a in that it combats the notorious “summer chore, a duty. It should be offered as a slide,” or the loss of students’ reading gift.”
from page 1
One student who wasn’t at all hesitant is Kaylee Braidwood. Braidwood, currently a sophomore, heard about the course from her guidance counselor, Mrs. Lattimer, who was intrigued by the class because of the fact that “the class itself is more real life skills and public speaking and academic skills Ms. Palmer will teach the new AP Capstone class. combined into one”. Ms. Photo by Nancy Bowne ‘19 Lattimer thinks it would be research, collaborative teamwork, useful for college and after college. and investigation. Not to mention the Kaylee describes herself as someone formidable 5,000 word research paper who works well in groups, a skill that requirement, similar to the intensity of will be important for her as she enters most college papers. Adelyn Moore said Capstone, due to the courses frequent that “Capstone is important because the use of collaborative teamwork. She papers you write are very similar to those would like to go into creative writing or in college, meaning that this program has political science as a career. She thinks already started to help me prepare for that Capstone will help to prepare her for college and making writing papers much those fields. easier.” A class with such high expectations and However, Capstone does not only help strong requirements poses the questionto enhance writing skills. “It allows me what are the benefits on paper? How can to improve my presentation and speaking a student utilize Capstone to the best of skills throughout all my classes in high their ability, and how will it pay off in the school and in speech and debate,” said long run? Moore. The program touches on so Jennie Sekanics, an admissions counselor many different skills that it can become at The College of New Jersey, assures that extremely beneficial for other higher“rigorous courses are exactly what we level high school courses. want to see on a student’s transcript! So The ideal Capstone student would honors, AP, IB, Capstone, college credit be a student “committed to achieving courses, etc. demonstrate the student’s success in the many AP courses offered passion for the subjects they are studying at Eastern,” according to Mr. Cloutier. and dedication to the hard work needed to Students need to enter the class prepared excel in these high level courses”. When it for a thought-provoking, time-consuming comes time to apply to higher education, class. admissions officers look for high level Students that fulfill the 4 AP class classes, like Capstone. requirement will be encouraged to take Capstone is also perhaps the best taste Capstone as well in the coming years. of college work that one can get in high Guidance counselors can provide more school. The program is based around information.
Uniforms
from page 1 Mrs. Heck said she knows of students who get changed, but she also knows of those who go into the locker room and don’t change. Although Mrs. Heck says the uniforms aren’t “that bad”, junior Linsey Champa thinks it’s a waste for students, especially for those who will be seniors next year. “It stinks having to buy them for only one year,” she said. Despite this remark, McGroarty said, “It makes getting ready for gym so much easier. You have an outfit pre-selected. All you have to do is put it on”. Girls will have basketball shorts that are square and about five inches longer than the boy’s nine inches. Coach McGroarty warns students to get a couple sets, that way you will not have to bring them home and wash them everyday. Students will be able to wear sweatpants and sweatshirts of their own overtop. Credit will be given as long as teachers know students are wearing the uniform. If the uniform is forgotten or only part of it is worn, students can still participate in gym class, but some points will be deducted. “You will lose half the points if you don’t have the uniform on at all,” said McGroarty. However, you can still boost your grade by earning full participation point in class. Regardless, everyone will seriously be rocking the new gym uniforms next school year.
Features June 2018 Lawsuit asserts that Sherwin Williams contaminated the area soil 6 The Voyager
T
By JACOB SAFIER ‘20 Staff Reporter
he area around Brad and Christen Lafferty’s home in Gibbsboro has a questionable history. Their property surrounds several streams, fed by the nearby creeks like Millard Creek and the tributaries of the Cooper River. The creeks flows parallel with Gibbsboro-Kirkwood Road from Bridgewood Lake off United States Avenue. The Lafferty’s are the parents of two children, a fiveyear old girl and a boy one and a half years old boy. Their seemingly healthy daughter, Erin, became sick, and was shortly after diagnosed with cancer. Nearby is the Paintworks, the site of a former SherwinWilliams factory. The factory sits on Silver Lake. The facility operated from 1849 to 1976, mainly manufacturing white lead paints, varnishes, and lacquer. The John Lucas Company owned this facility from 1849 to 1930, when Sherwin Williams took over the company. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), multiple raw materials were used at the facility, such as lead oxide, zinc oxide, lead chromate, ferrous sulfate, sulfuric acid, and linseed oil. The property was sold to a private developer in 1981 and while the property was in the process of reconstruction, a large amount of contamination was found within the ground. After much investigation, it was determined that the water and soil around the plant are contaminated. While the plant was in operation, much of the waste that was left over was dumped, deeply contaminating the area. Contaminants were dumped in the Route 561 Dump Site, the US Avenue Burn Site, and Hilliards Creek, which feeds into Kirkwood Lake. Think of the streams and the lakes like the veins and arteries of the body. It’s all connected. Only last August did Brad Lafferty realize that Erin’s case of cancer was unlike others. At a Federal EPA meeting, residents were informed of the contaminants found in the ground and surrounding areas. Mr. Lafferty and many other residents connect this to the recent rise in illnesses in the Gibbsboro area. Even though there has been no official assessment directly linking the rise of cancer to the facility, the EPA has listed three facilities in the complex as Superfund sites, which officially designates them contaminated and requiring cleanup. The knowledge of contamination within his soil is what initiated Lafferty to file a class action lawsuit against The Sherwin-Williams Company with Attorney Craig Mitnick. “We started our litigation against Sherwin-Williams to hold those responsible for knowingly polluting the grounds in our neighborhood,” Lafferty said. He still has nightmares about the amount of tomatoes his daughter ate out of their garden, only to find out that it was contaminated with chemicals dangerous to her health. “Our lawsuit is intended to hold those responsible for the contamination accountable and make them clean all areas affected so no more children and adults suffer any more life threatening diseases as a result of their negligence,” said Lafferty. In addition to the health effects of the contamination, the lifestyle in the area has been changed. Alice Johnston
lives on Kirkwood Lake and is the Chair of the Kirkwood Lake Environmental Committee, a group of people including the mayor of Voorhees, engineers, former EPA officials, and Camden County elected officials working together to get Kirkwood Lake dredged. They are working through state and federal legislators, EPA officials, and Sherwin-Williams to accomplish their goal. Though the Paintworks site is not on Kirkwood Lake, contaminants still flow directly into the lake from surrounding Photo by Nancy Bowne ‘19 waterways. Again, Kirkwood Lake in Voorhees. veins and arteries. What was once a that the lake became contaminated with some sort of vibrant life on the lake filled with boating and fishing chemical. There are rumors that the company dumped has diminished due to the contamination. Alice and other chemicals in it,” she said. residents on Kirkwood Lake are scheduled to have their This reflects a large amount of uncertainty about the properties remediated, a process where entire yards will situation. She said that she does not fear for her health, have to be dug up and replaced. but rather fears for the environment. There are many The cleanup process is very slow. “There’s no reason signs of fear though. “My neighbor across the street had they can’t do this concurrently,” she said. “I really just to have their backyard dug up because of contaminated wish that they’d do the right thing and get this cleaned up soil or something,” she said. quickly,” she said. Despite the tough situation, residents such as Brad vow Filmmaker, Michael Knowles, a 1987 Eastern graduate, to continue the fight. They are determined to have the town is currently filming a documentary about Paintworks. they used to have. Brad is motivated by his daughter’s Knowles was inspired to create the documentary after cancer case. “Once you see a child fight cancer, it will noticing his friend’s Facebook post about the issue. He change your life forever.” currently lives in Los Angeles, but has made several trips to Gibbsboro since December in order to interview residents and gather information. He said his objective in creating the film is to “let people know about the wonderful town I grew up in and to inspire people to stand up.” The documentary is expected to be a two to three year process of filming and should be released soon afterwards. According to Knowles, there are several sides to the issue. The first is the side of Sherwin-Williams; which has remained rather resistant and defensive regarding the allegations, but is complaint with orders from the government. From the perspective of the resident, there are some that are passionate about taking action against SherwinWilliams and wants change to come to the area. Then there are some who are not as informed on the issue or are not very passionate about the issue. One Gibbsboro student is junior Julia Dodd. She was always told to never swim in the lakes. She became more aware of the issue when her dad’s friend tried to get him to sign a petition to get support for the lawsuit. Still, even though she is aware of the issue, she is not so aware of the specifics of it. Resident Ed Kelleher holds up a protest sign Another resident, Tori Leonardis, is a sophomore at pleading for Kirkwood Lake to be dredged. Eastern. She lives in Gibbsboro, and is a five minute Copyright 2018, Courier-Post. Used with permission. All rights reserved. walk away from the Paintworks center. She said, “I know
Map showing the locations of area sites.
Photo from NJ Department of Health and Senior Services’ Public Health Assessment
Features
June 2018
The Voyager 7
Photo of the Month
Jada Powell, TJ Franden, Krishna Razo, Jess Kinser, Skyler Burg, and Krystyna Hovell pose while collecting money for the Bruce Jackson Spring Festival. See more photos from the festival online at voyager-online.org Photo by Nancy Bowne ‘19
What to do in the area
LOT 323 2018 EVENT SCHEDULE: LOT 323 is a “Pop-up Park” installation, a semi-permanent venue that is open June through September, 2018. WHERE: Parking lot @ 115 S Broad Street | Woodbury, NJ FRIDAY, June 15th, 2018 6pm-9:30pm
SUMMER OPENING: FREE TGI-FAF Concert Woodbury HOME GROWN & NONProfits ROCK Night! w/Guest Emcee Carly Q Romalino Full band performances: Resonance School Rock Ensemble, Anthony Parisi, The Hobo-Style, Text Pistols Food Trucks: Mary’s Mobile Diner and Not Your Mama’s Tacos, All of a Sudden Desserts
FRIDAY, June 29th, 2018 6pm-9:30pm
FREE TGI-FAF Concert Ladies of Song w/Guest Emcee Carly Q Romalino Full band performances: Michele Karmin, Camille Peruto, Alyssa Joseph, Chelsea Pedano Food Trucks: Baby Blue Rolling Kitchen, All of a Sudden Desserts, Just Fork It
FRIDAY, July 13th, 2018 6pm-9:30pm
FREE TGI-FAF Concert Philly’s Rising Sound Full band performances: Sixteen Jackies, Petunia, The Naked Sun, The Dead Flowers Food Trucks: Dan’s Waffles, Baby Blue Rolling Kitchen, All of a Sudden Desserts
FRIDAY, July 27th, 2018 6pm-9:30pm
FREE TGI-FAF Concert FAF’n Faves w/Guest Emcee Carly Q Romalino Full band performances: Honeytiger Canyon Ride, American Dinosaur, John Dutton & Aaron Hehl Food Trucks: All of a Sudden Desserts, Just Fork It
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15th, 2018 GRAND FINALE NON-Profits ROCK Night!
6pm-9:30pm
FREE TGI-FAF Concert w/Guest Emcee Carly Q Romalino Full band performances: Rich Quick Food Trucks: Mary’s Mobile Diner and Not Your Mama’s Tacos, All of a Sudden Desserts
By JOSH MEYERS ‘21 Staff Reporter
Q: What is your advice to incoming freshman? A: I advise incoming freshman to not worry. Don’t worry about finding your classes. I found my way around school by the second week. Don’t worry about all of the work you’ll get. If you use your time wisely, than your work will be limited. This year, all freshman were required to take a study hall. You can knock out all of your work in that one study hall period. Don’t worry about being late to your classes, either. You will have six minutes to get to your next class,which is a good amount of time. If you are in a class at one side of the school and have your next class on the other side, your teacher will most likely understand if you are a little bit late. Don’t worry about not remembering your schedule. Trust me, you will figure it out. Luckily, the school provides the day’s
schedule on their TVs. If you go to the wrong class in one of the first weeks, your teacher will understand. Remember, this is a new school with many other new things. It takes time to get used to. Thankfully for you new freshman, it shouldn’t take that long.
Q: How can I stay in touch with my friends over the summer? A: To keep in touch with your friends over the summer, ask for their phone number if you don’t have it. You can either call or text them to see how and what they are doing. If your friend is going away for the summer, then calling or texting them to see how things are going is a great idea. If your friend is home for the summer, you can call or text them to find out if they want to hang. Just be thankful that we aren’t in the early 1900’s where people had to hand write letters back and forth.
8 June 2018
2 01
all m s t s e b wins n r e t s a E MUN U R t a n delegatio
7
Talent show
M E M R O
r inte
W
Spi
rit
We
ek
om
Pr Junior
Senior Prom Peter and the Starcatcher
c
Y
t r e c n o C Spring
Aca d win emic Cha s th e co llen g nfe ren e ce
ety f a S l o o
Febru
rt e c on
Sch Forum
ary W
alkou
t
Cot
Ro
illio
ck
n
of A
ges
Girls Lacrosse wins conference
The Voyager 9
One Acts
eb s a s b ce y o B en r e f con
t
Night
s
in w l al
of the
Field Hockey wins conference
Arts Girls conf track wi eren ns ce
L B r o i en
S
t
ue q n a
A N E An nu Spr al B r ing fes uce t
The Voyager wins awards ty e i c o s r o s n n o o H ti c u ind
Girl s goe bowl s un ing def eat ed
s
in w r e cc o s s l Gir ce n e r e conf
Boys swimming wins conference
ball t e k s a b Boys ce n e r e f n o wins c
2 01 8
Memory Lane by Julia Dodd ‘19 and Srishti Ramesh ‘19
Opinion
10 The Voyager
June 2018
The new grading system does a disservice to the students
S
tudents during the 2016-2017 school year experienced a big change: a new grading system. The administration switched to a primary, secondary, and supportive grading system, causing much dismay among students. Primary grades, like tests and projects, count for the biggest portion of the grade. Secondary grades like quizzes count a bit less, and supportive grades like class work or homework count the least. It is up to the teacher to decide which assignments count for how many points. drastic so that secondary assignments The general consensus of The Voyager can also have an effect on the grade. staff points to a general dislike. Some Some students even suggested switchgrades are far more powerful than others, ing back to a total points system, which which makes it unfair to poor test takstudents generally seemed to be content ers. One student said that they disliked with. The school could also simply adthe new grading system because it skews just the number grades to match the letter the grades in ways that negatively affect grades and make a 90 an A, like several an overall average, which causes poor other schools in the test takers to suffer the area have done. In order to make most. However, the sysIf a student were to tem also has its pros, a difference, fail a test at the beginlike the fact that it prestudents need to ning of the semester, pares us for college. but then ace the next rally behind a Realistically, tests and three quizzes, their projects do require the new idea and grade would barely most work; therefore, demand an budge because of how they should count for little those grades the most amount of alteration. count. This can bepoints. In college, ascome very stressful signments are graded for certain students, the same way. especially those with test anxiety who It’s a part of life- some work counts for find it hard to perform well on big asmore points than others. It can also be sessments. Though it’s not their fault, very beneficial to those students who test they end up paying for it because of how well, though it doesn’t do much for those many points the assignment counts for. who don’t. In addition, if a student fails Up until last year, most teachers used a a quiz, a good test grade can make that total point system. However, the adminquiz completely irrelevant and help to istration switched to the new system to quickly recover their grade. follow in the footsteps of other schools Although the students have many critiin the area, like Cherokee and Lenape. cisms and new ideas, we are not optimisAnd although it seemed to work for tic that anything will change, at least not those other schools, most students on in our time. The system is still new. It The Voyager staff dislike the primary may take at least a few more years to find and secondary structure because the a new way to grade. school didn’t adjust the points to match By the time anyone thinks about changthe system correctly. ing anything, we’ll all probably be gradWhen asked what they would change uated. In addition, students may dislike about the grading, Voyager staffers genthe change, but the overall outrage has erally responded the same way: adjust not been significant. how much assignments count. Rather In order to make a difference, students than have primary grades count for such need to rally behind a new idea and dea bulk of the grade, make the points less mand an alteration.
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 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” The American Scholastic Press Association “First Place with Special Merit”, “Overall Best Sports Coverage”
The Voyager’s 2018-2019 Staff!
Top row: Jacob Safier, Matt Steinsaltz, Josh Meyers, Evelyn Steele, Val Lapinson, Bryce Dershem, Anthony Cutrera, Eric Horn. Bottom row: Maanasi Natarajan, Lauren Casole, Jessica Bonamassa, Srishti Ramesh, Julia Dodd
Short-e-torials
Cherry Hill East will not “party like it’s 1776”: historical prom controversy Prom is the most exciting time of the school year for most, but for Cherry Hill East, it became the most controversial. The prom, which was planned to be held at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, issued event tickets saying, “party like it’s 1776” to match its American Revolution theme. Some parents and students were outraged saying that “not all communities can celebrate what life was like in 1776.” Slavery was not abolished until 1865, almost 100 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed, which many distressed members of the Cherry Hill
community expressed. The principal responded quickly with a letter to the community, apologizing to students, especially African American students, for the insensitivity. Prom tickets with a new design were also promised to be given out at the prom. Although the comments were made in bad taste and could certainly be seen as offensive, it’s obvious that the school did not issue the tickets with the intent of racism. In 2018, it’s easy for comments to be taken the wrong way, however, Cherry Hill East probably should have chosen their words more carefully.
“Free community college” for all will certainly not be free Governor Murphy proposed free education for students in community college within the next year. The money will come from the proposed state budget of $50 million to pay for New Jersey residents to attend community college for no cost from the student. But this possible plan is not for everyone. The only students that will be able to take advantage of this new opportunity are families with $45,000 or below in income. The proposed idea of free college from Governor Phil Murphy has certainly stirred some controversy. Free education sounds great but many believe that people who make less money will end up funding the expense of free college. The Republicans will likely not jump on board, so Murphy will need to persuade members of his own party to go along with his plans. Up to 15,000 New Jerseyans could be getting a tuition-free college education by next year if Gov.
Phil Murphy gets his way. It’s part of a proposed three-year ramp up to make community college free for all residents. The question of funding has caused quite a stir, as taxpayers fear footing the bill for free college education.
Technical schools are a great way for kids to find out what they’d like to do for a living and get a jumpstart on it. Vocational schools should be encouraged because kids can easily develop a deeper passion for their desired career path. These schools are great for some students, and universities are great for others. Students not going to a university should know that it’s ok to deter from the norm and follow what they are passionate about. Students that plan on being carpenters or cosmotologists aren’t going to want to waste their time analyizing plant samples. They waste their time trying to get through high school. One size definitely does not fit all. Encouragment for technical schools would do students a great favor. Not ev-
erybody wants to be a lawyer, or a doctor, or hold onto an English doctorate. Technical school push students towards a job that pays well and proves to students that there are other options out there.
Encouragement for tech schools
June 2018
Opinion
The Voyager 11
Change to Boy Scouts will be beneficial By CONOR TRACEY ‘19 Special to The Voyager
will radically change the experience of Boy Scouts that so many have come to love. The Boy Scouts have developed a culture of its own over the years. With so many guys in one place, seemingly ellow students, many of you have been a separated from society in the woods, part of an organization or program over there is bound to be roughhousing, the years—be it sports, a religious group, crude language, and plenty of antics. or something else— a program that’s nurtured you and Some fear that allowing girls into the helped shape you into the person you are today. A proprogram will change this. Disregarding gram that’s given you precious memories and experithe social issues with this argument, ences. girls and boys in the Scouting Program Wouldn’t you want everyone to have the same opwill have little to no interaction. Girls portunity you did? To me, that program is the Scouting who join scouting will have to join an Program. all-girl troop, thus not even affecting Earlier this year, the Boy Scouts of America announced boys already in all Boy troop. Apart that it would be allowing all-girl dens as a part of its from occasional council meet-ups, the Cub Scout Program. Now they’ve announced that their state of things for boys will remain the flagship program, the Boy Scouts, will follow a similar same. The only coed Scouting program route, allowing all girls into the program and changing that remains Venturing, which has been the program’s name to “Scouts BSA.” around since the 70’s. The goal of the BSA’s new changes is to offer its The main purpose of this new scoutknowledge, guidance, and experiences to everyone, not ing initiative is not to integrate or steal just half of the population of youth. It’s no secret that I’m people from Girl Scouts, but to give an avid proponent of the outdoors and an active scout in girls the opportunity to learn the skills my own troop. and values that the Scouting Program has to offer. As such, I find it apt that I offer my input on the new, From what I’ve heard from my mom, who runs a Girl somewhat contentious, changes to the Scouting Program. Scout troop and what I’ve observed, the two programs This isn’t the first time the Scouts have changed their are vastly different. The Girl Scouts have less of an emguidelines to be more accepting and phasis on camping and high-advenopen to the changing times. In 2013, ture activities. Those who desire a the BSA changed its policy to allow If women are earning program that does emphasize these openly gay members to join its ranks equal rights elsewhere, things now have an option where that previously could not, due to a why stop at our youth previously, they did not. The BSA’s long-standing rule stemming from change is all about offering more Scouts’ religious ties and influences. programs? choices to girls. Just last year, the Scouting ProThe last main concern of Scouts, gram also changed its policy to allow and mine at first, was if they were transgender scouts as well, no longer going off of birth going to change the covetous Eagle Scout rank that all certificates. The next step to becoming more inclusive is Scouts dream and aspire to obtain. The Eagle Scout is opening up the program to girls. In a world of evolving the highest position and rank a scout can attain. It resocial issues, the argument for keeping Scouts separated quires arduous work and dedication to climb through is becoming hazy. If women are earning equal rights all of the ranks, earn all the required merit badges, and elsewhere, why stop at our youth programs? complete the month-long process of doing a large-scale One of the main arguments against the change is that it community benefit project.
Photo by Nancy Bowne ‘19
F
As a Life Scout, the rank right below Eagle, believe me when I say, it’s quite the journey. As such any change to it would immediately anger any Scout and Eagle Scout who feels their accomplishments were lessened. However, the BSA has announced and made it abundantly clear that they will not change the requirements to the program, and girls will be held to the same standard as boys. The changes in the BSA’s policy can only be beneficial. Unfortunately the main arguments and qualms people have with them come from misinformation and misunderstanding. Some believe that the program will now be coed, some believe the requirements for Eagle Scout will be changed, some believe that the BSA is just trying to steal competition Girl Scouts. This is simply not true. Regardless of any name change, the Scouting program for any boys in it will not change. Therefore, why should it bother anyone that more people are being offered the same experience so many of us
Uncovering the mask of social media By HAILEY MILLER ‘19 Special to The Voyager
have lost the ability to talk to one another, thanks to social media. Another reason why we should push ourselves to delete our social media is write as a hypocrite. because it leads to an increase in fake When my phone dies, I feel anxpeople. The amount of editing apps that ious. When I do not have WiFi, girls use to promote themselves and the I feel incomplete. As I sit in my number of videos that people post in their bed, my mind tells me to write my EngSnapchat stories just to make us seem like lish essay, yet my eyes stay glued to the 6 they are having fun all the time draws us x 2-inch metal box that controls my life. in and makes us jealous, which makes our As I sit in my bed, I scroll through confidence decrease. meaningless after meaningless Instagram However, little do we know, that these posts of people I hardly know, and I open people we admire are as insecure and Snapchat to see “streaks” written across a alone as the rest of us. People are not alblack screen from people I don’t even say ways who they say they are, which leads “hello” to in the hallways. to the prime difference between this cold, This feeling of connection, yet complete unrealistic world of social media and the disconnection, is the awkward bubble that beauty and purity of reality. social media creates, leading to social It is like a worldwide masquerade ball, problems, two-faced people, where the true identity of one and lack of self-confidence. is mysterious due to the elaboFollowers on Instagram are It is like a rate mask they create for themperceived as friends, when in worldwide selves on the Internet. So, you reality, they are just a bunch of masquerade must talk to one another to one strangers that double tap on a another and establish real conpicture. You accept their fol- ball. nections in order to rip off the low request just because their mask and reveal yourself. bio includes the name of your Unfortunately, some people school. You have little to no idea who clutch so tightly to their mask in fear of they actually are. their online reputation being jeopardized. So, what do you do when you see these They find themselves trapped in the fan“friends” in the hallways, or at a restautasy, the fake world of social media, may rant, or at the mall? It creates the butterbe unable to escape to their false persofly feeling of awkwardness because you nas. know who they are and they know who As we strive to wean ourselves off this you are because you double tap on each temporary happiness of social media and other’s pictures. as we rip off the mask that separates us These awkward encounters lead to from reality, we can make actual connecsocial problems and anxieties that are tions with people, rather than forever beso apparent in our world today. People ing just a “streak”.
Art by Gemma Spina ‘19
I
I encourage all of you, as well as myself, to shut off that irrelevant, addictive, pointless, awkward 6 x 2-inch metal box that ironically disconnects you from the
world. It does not bring people together. But while we still live our lives through these apps, a world of cold, starved disconnection lies before us.
12 The Voyager
Opinion
June 2018
Voice needs to return to student writing By HANNAH DASTA ‘19 Special to the Voyager
T
he first essay I wrote for my Advanced Placement Language and Composition Class was a response to the question, “Why are you taking AP English?” I had gone in with the notion and ego-filled mindset that what I had wrote was the quintessential AP English essay. However, upon receiving feedback, I came across a particular comment that bewildered me: “More Hannah-centered info needed.” Pushing aside this confusion and deciding to move on, I had yet to think of it again until I was in class one day, and my teacher, Mr. Bowne, stated, “When I read your essays, I want to know it is from you. I want to know that you are writing it without even seeing your name. I want to hear your voice.” My voice? I had questioned myself. You mean to tell me, that my time spent browsing thesaurus.com to perfect my diction, writing countless, monotone SAT essays, and essentially rooting everything that is me in my essays, was wrongfully spent? As Scott Korb states in, “The SoulCrushing Student Essay,” the education system has quelled the voices of students, draining their writings of all the colors of pure emotion to a somber black and white of passive voice and robotic approaches. Today, self-expression comes to society as some sort of marvel. As though the art of demonstrating one’s true self is so unfathomable. Korb establishes this
when he includes Educators have laid out the term “selfbeing” and stripped it of the self, leaving writers as just beings, manufactured to write well based off of numerical values and scientific opinions of automated programs. an anecdote with his students, “one reason reveals itself when someone finally asks the clarifying question: ‘Do you mean we can write with the word ‘I’?’ The class looks up in wonder. This happens every semester.” The use of ‘I’ in student essays has been criticized, in other words, the genuine application of one’s self to their work has ultimately been denounced. Students have been taught to write separate from themselves, with the end goal being receiving the best grade possible--they have been taught to write as someone unfamiliar to themselves. Educators have laid out the term “self-being” and stripped it of the self, leaving writers as just beings, manufactured to write well based off of numerical values and scientific opinions of automated programs. However, as Paul Kalanithi writes in his memoir When Breath Becomes Air, “Science may provide the most useful way to organize empirical, reproducible data, but its power to do so is predicated on its inability to grasp the most central aspects of human life: hope, fear, love, hate,
Murphy’s “stronger New Jersey” weakens millions of residents
P
hil Murphy promised to be a different type of governor for New Jersey. In his 2019 Budget Address, he said, “I pledged to create a stronger and fairer New Jersey that measured success not by what we could do for the few, but by what we could accomplish for all nine million of our residents”. If a “different type” of governor refers to one with an apparent poor understanding of how the economy functions, then New Jersey, we’re in luck. It proves troubling for a politician to win an election based on a platform in which they openly pledge to increase overall state taxes (not the millionaire’s tax). On March 13, 2018, Murphy made many notable promises to reform the state of New Jersey. He has accomplished some of his goals in taking strides for equal pay, medical marijuana programs for ill patients (including veterans with PTSD), and investing in clean energy to combat climate change. Murphy also plans to fund education and mass transit with his estimated $37.4 billion budget. He also plans to raise taxes by $1.6 billion to compensate underfunded school districts, subsidize community college tuition for low-income students, increase pension funding, and expand pre-kindergarten programs. Not only this, but Murphy wants to set aside some $200 million to fund free college tuition for 15,000 low-income residents, and raise the minimum wage. With this plan to raise taxes, practically all New Jersey residents will feel the burn. High-income earners would see their state income tax rate increase by 1.78 percent from 8.97 to 10.75 percent, which would be the third-highest in the country. Governor Murphy also proposed a 7 percent levy on retail sales, the second-highest rate among states. Something that will reach many younger residents are the desired taxes on legal marijuana sales and
beauty, envy, honor, weakness, striving, suffering, virtue.” As Korb infers, the authenticity of individuals through writing has been broken down to nothing more than automated responses made to fit into a certain mold created by the system. Students have continuously been trained to write with the intention of making a clear divorce between their “intellectual” selves and their genuine selves. This is a repeated training conducted by society, seen through the practices established by society through standardized tests such as the SAT. Through test prep, students are taught to write in order to fit specific desires of the graders. Every essay is the same: you read a passage written by an author, then explain how the author builds his or her argument in a wellconcise essay. Out of 24 points, I scored 23, following that exact method I was automated to conform to. How did I possibly manage to attain an almost perfect score on the SAT? Through the complete divorce between my voice and the voice of an “AP English scholar.” The process is completely mechanical, following a specific structure. Start off with a basic introduction relating to society and manipulating the use of an advanced diction that is typical to an “intelligent” person, the essay is continued by a thesis
Please, just stick to politics: Trump uninvites the Eagles By MATT STEINSALTZ ‘20
F
By JESSICA BONAMASSA ‘19 News Editor services, like Uber, Lyft, and Airbnb. State House Bureau James Nash said, “In testimony to the Senate budget committee, state budget forecasters noted that Murphy’s spending plan rests on an especially thin fund reserve and could fall victim to variables such as a national economic downturn”. Our state certainly needs to be invested in to grow. Infrastructure quality has not reflected the taxpayer money put towards it. New Jersey schools should be equally funded. However, these investments, among dozens more, require billions of dollars. Some of his projected goals are going to benefit the state as a whole, but passing all of these bills definitely seem impossible to fund. “I think that he is following up on what he said he would do, but at what cost to our current budget?” said Munoz, RUnion. “Don’t put in new programs when we can’t currently fund the programs that we’re obligated to finance and fund.” Before Governor Murphy took office, New Jersey stood among the top 7 highest taxes states in the nation. This rank will definitely increase under his leadership. Only time will tell the effects of his overly-projected and unfundable reforms.
that is specific to each paragraph, and includes the reference of pathos, ethos, and logos. Using this layout, it is incredibly easy to attain what is considered to be a “good” SAT essay score. Would I truly consider that essay a fine piece of work? No, absolutely not. Any student can generate the same type of work and attain the same exact grade. As Korbs stated, “no matter who they are in private, when I first encounter their writing, they only use the public passive voice: The text was read. The test was taken.” Society has quelled the voices of students, leaving them with nothing but the residue of who they truly are, smeared on the papers of SAT essays. As I currently write this essay, I still find myself being torn between writing what is truly on my mind and writing what is representative of an “AP student.” The school system has forced its students into a fixed mindset of a specific writing style that can somehow be applicable to all students. But I want to write. I want to write. I want my voice to be heard. I want to hear the echoes of Hannah Dasta screaming in between the lines of my writing. As Korbs said, I want my “queer devotions and frustrations, experiences and ideas that have stirred an individual heart into peculiarity,” to stain the minds of educators until they come to realize that voices were created by the divine with the intention of being heard, and these voices cannot continue to be suppressed within the spaces of computerized sentences and tangents of dispassionate words.
Staff Reporter
or 143 years, since President Andrew Johnson welcomed two amateur baseball clubs the Brooklyn Atlantics and Washington Nationals to the White House, teams have been celebrating championships at the Rose Garden. However, due Trump’s controversial presidency, not all long-standing ceremonies are recognized. That is exactly what happened to the Super Bowl 52 Champions less than 24 hours before they were supposed to be honored at the White House. President Trump uninvited the Eagles citing their failure to bring a full team. He also said “They disagree with their President because he insists that they proudly stand for the National Anthem, hand on heart, in honor of the great men and women of our military and the people of our country.” This is a childish reason to uninvite the team. Citing the Eagles’ team view on the National Anthem is not even a valid reason. Last season, not one single player kneeled for the Anthem during the regular season, postseason, or Super Bowl. Some players like Malcolm Jenkins raised his fist. Others like Chris Long put a hand on the shoulder of Jenkins. Neither act is disrespectful, nor is kneeling disrespectful. These two players are at the forefront of the protest. Keep in mind what the protest is about: police brutality and racial discrimination. People have completely lost track of what the protest is about and make it all
about the flag, when he should be making change. One June 5th, the day after Trump rescinded his invitation, his puppet channel, Fox News, went straight to lying to defend the President and take yet another shot at football players kneeling. They displayed photos of Eagles players kneeling. They tried passing off the photos of the players kneeling, as during the National Anthem. However, they were players kneeling in prayer, which many athletes do, before the game, and not during the Anthem. Which is clearly obvious by the end zone being beneath them. The day after Trump univinvited the Eagles, doubled down on his statements by saying that the team let its fans down. As an Eagles fan, I am not in the least but let down that the Eagles did not go. If someone called me a son of a b***h, then invited me to their party, I’d probaly say no as well. Instead of hosting the Eagles, Trump had a three plus minute ceremony where he celebrated the Flag with the “fans” of the Eagles. By the way there is a holiday for that and it happens to be soon. Trump then proceeded to sing half of God Bless America, seemingly forgeting parts of the song. Trump has continually taken shots at the NFL, possibly as a grudge he holds for not being allowed to buy the Buffalo Bills years ago. The Eagles are not the first team to not be invited to the White House, the Golden State Warriors had the same thing happen to them last year. And I’m sure more teams will follow suit.
13 The Voyager
Opinion
June 2018
What they never told you about the facts of life
By EVELYN STEELE ‘21 Staff Reporter itler once said, “Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they’ll believe it.” He convinced Germany that an entire race of humans were “not people” and it resulted in the death of over 11 million. Cecile Richards, former president of Planned Parenthood, once said, “Life begins at delivery.” Since 1970, there have been 8,114,679 abortions in the United States alone. Abortion is defined as “the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy.” It has been an ongoing debate: the women’s right to choose or the baby’s right to life? According to Guttmacher Institute, “There were 79 abortion-providing facilities in New Jersey in 2014, and 41 of those were clinics.” Options for Women Crisis Pregnancy Care Center is a nonprofit pregnancy center that provides women with counseling, blood tests, parenting classes, job training, STD tests and treatment, baby items, resources, referrals, and ultrasounds. Options has over thirty volunteers, nurses and doctors on staff. Of the women who come to Options, 86% continue with the pregnancy, 11% miscarriage, and 1-2% leave. Joanne Thomas, the current director of Options, has been with the organization for 23 years. She shared that “Options
H
is not about the babies. It’s about moms. It’s about loving them and helping them to love by giving them a non-judgemental spot to speak the truth.” Linda Shropshire, the public speaker for Options, simplified the definition of abortion: “an abortion is willfully taking the life of another human being [baby] usually for convenience.” By breaking down the life of a baby in the womb, Shropshire explains that ultrasounds are one of the most important aspect of Options. According to Guttmacher Institute, 66% of abortions are performed on the eight week old fetus. At eight weeks, the baby is sensitive to touch, ears and earlobes are formed along with the skeleton, fingers and toes are defined, the sex is identifiable and all systems are there. Shropshire continued to explain that Planned Parenthood keeps a lot from their patients, including the ultrasound screen. A pregnant mother could pay up to $100 for an ultrasound at a Planned Parenthood clinic and be denied access to the screen that shows their unborn child. Another crisis center, Choice-One, is located in Pennsylvania and does not just focus on pregnant women, but also teenagers in high school. Emma Johansson, an Eastern alumni from the class of 2013, speaks to different high schoolers because “the more they talk, the more they learn.” She explained that many high schoolers are not told of all the risks that could come with abortion. Some of these risks include: infertility, ectopic pregnancy, future miscarriages, suicide, incompetent
cervix, premature birth, infection, hemorrhaging, uterine perforation, and death. When Johansson speaks with high school students, she tries to not just focus on abortion. “We’re not educating them about abortions,” she said, “but about making healthy and educated decisions. Women feel trapped and lied to, so they make these drastic decisions. It’s your choice to make that decision, just be informed.” The numbers keep rising as less women stay uninformed of all the consequences that abortions really hold. The procedure may only take ten minutes, but it stays with you for a lifetime. Since 1973, when Roe vs. Wade went to trial and abortion became legal in the United States, there have been over 60,430,570 abortions. Not many people consider “the option for adoption.” An estimated amount of two million people in the United States are waiting to adopt while the death count of the unborn baby continues to rise. Shana Angemi spoke with Shropshire during an “Options” public speaking engagement and shared her story of adoption. With Shropshire by her side, she said, “That’s what sacrificial love is; she loved her baby more than herself.” New Jersey is one of many states where it’s legal to have an abortion up until the mother goes into labor. Additionally, you can get one at any age without parental consent. Ear piercing at the Cherry Hill Mall is more of a hassle than a trip to Planned Parenthood.
Artwork by Eddie Wu ‘21
In New Jersey, it’s illegal to have a gun without carrying a permit, yet abortion has taken more lives than guns ever will. Abortion is a rapid epidemic sweeping not only national politics but worldwide. The right to choose has weighed on our states who have lost sight of the life within the womb, because they were told “life begins at delivery.” In the time it took you to read this article, about 400 abortions took place worldwide. For more information, call (856) 795 0048 or go to optionsnj.org
All the facts on weed in The Garden State By VICTORIA LAPINSON ‘20 and DAN RINNE ‘19 Staff Reporters
W
eed. Marijuana. Grass. Pot. Hemp. Dope. Reefer. Cannabis Will it be legal in New Jersey? Governor Phil Murphy sure hopes so. It’s vital to understand what exactly the “taboo” plant even is before voters decide. Marijuana has a long history, likely originating around 500 B.C. in Asia. In many of its earlier uses, it was prescribed as herbal medicine, and was brought to America by colonists that used the plant for textiles and ropes. Think hemp. It wasn’t until the 1930s that cannabis became illegal. There were hearings that included claims that marijuana caused men of color to become violent with women. So basically, weed is illegal because of racism in the 1930’s. Scientifically speaking, weed doesn’t have this effect on the user. The mental state is dulled, but not altered. Marijuana generally drains the user of violent thoughts, leaving them dazed and peaceful. The physical effects reflect this as well. “They found absolutely no differences in the brains of marijuana users versus the non users,” said Dr. Rachana Patel in a 2015 study. The doctor has observed many studies around marijuana, and believes it is safe enough for usage, even more so than common painkillers. Dr. Patel also explained that overdoses are not an issue. The brain stem controls vital functions, like breathing and heart beats. It isn’t receptive to marijuana. This means that, unlike opioids or other drugs, cannabis poses less of the threat in large quantities. The listed negative side effects, which vary, may include short term memory loss, paranoia, lower reaction time, or coordination issues. Some also believe
it is the gateway to more dangerous According to the Substance Abuse and substances. Mental Health Services Administration, Marijuana has developed a stigma. 16.21% of Colorado teens between 12 Countless individuals have been saved and 17, as well as 18.86% in Alaska of the from potential opioid addiction through same age group reported marijuana use in medical marijuana. the last year. These states have legalized There are nine states that have legalized weed, and they are well above the national recreational weed, as well as Washington average for teen usage, which is 12.29%. D.C., Of these Washington is the only These are high school students, not unlike state that doesn’t allow students at Eastern. home grown plants. As In terms of usage, there for New Jersey, one of are two primary methods; the prospective plans recreational and medical allows for up to six plants marijuana. While both stir permitted in a home. up plenty of controversial An important part of what arguments, the recreational would happen to New part is what would likely Jersey with legalization affect Eastern the most. is the establishment of “Marijuana is a great dispensaries. There are way to meet new people, 80 written in one bill, experience new things and but experts believe this learn more about yourself wouldn’t be enough. and is much less dangerous The New Jersey than any other drug, as marijuana market could well as alcohol,” said take in up to a billion an anonymous Eastern dollars per year of Artwork by Victoria Lapinson ‘20 student. A very important revenue. According to state reason why many of Eastern’s officials the plan for legalization, made students would want marijuana legalized by state official Scutari, claimed that the for recreational use is merely to help them state would take on $250 million from prevent the need to hide it. the business, while another state official It’s not unknown that students already Gusciora’s plan called for $150 going to partake in the use of the substance, and the state. legalizing it would only make usage “For decades, the failed war on drugs more safe, even helping with the stress has locked up millions of nonviolent of loaded classes. Legalizing cannabis drug offenders- especially for marijuanawould not result in an immense increase related offenses- at an incredible cost of of teen smoking because the district human potential, torn-apart families and provides a very informational drug safety taxpayer dollars”, said democratic N.J. education program and promotes student Senator Cory Booker. wellness. Those who already use will Experts on health and wellness have have part of the stigma taken away. shared their reluctance to support Studies have provided many reasons to legalization. They explained that people believe that if marijuana was legalized who are long time joint smokers are likely for recreational use, there would be to experience bronchitis, inflammation a significant decrease in illegal drug to the respiratory tract, because of heat. selling. One downside when it comes to Having weed legalized would promote legalizing marijuana is that the herb can usage, amplifying these issues. affect short term memory.
“I think having more students do weed would have an adverse effect on test scores, and the school’s overall standing and reputation,” said Freshman class officer Sean Smith. Often times, users have reported a lack of focus. This causes everyday tasks such as driving, swimming, and working increasingly difficult. This could contribute to trouble performing academic tasks. Another important factor is medical marijuana. Over 80% of cancer patients talk to their doctors about it, however only 30% are qualified. It’s difficult to get in most states, but it has been extremely effective where it has been used, even if only Cannabis oil. In New Jersey, people with anxiety, migraines, Tourette’s syndrome, and other chronic pains are qualified for forms of prescription cannabis. Patients interested must go through a doctor, apply to the state, and be approved before getting a card. So where do celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Matthew McConaughey, Bob Marley, Miley Cyrus, and Seth Rogen fit in? Well they all are (or have been) stoners. A lot of people wonder if these idols are setting a bad image, promoting usage, and romanticizing marijuana. The punk group Green Day was named after it. Bob Marley, the late Musician, was a big supporter of weed, and was against other drugs. Opioids, cigarettes, even alcohol have had more deadly effects. Marley had said, “herb is the healing of a nation, alcohol is the destruction”. In terms of its presence at a school, it is obvious that the substance should not be around. If students do partake, it should be outside of the school on their owns terms. Individual households can deal with what is allowed. Whether marijuana should or should not be legal, it is the responsibility of the user to make wise decisions.
14 The Voyager
By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 Editor-in-Chief “I don’t think I like Mr. Bowne anymore.” My parents weren’t very happy. When I came home from babysitting on a frosty December evening this past winter. I was an incoherent mess. I’ve never been one to stop talking—most of the time I have to remind myself to let my friends and family get a word in. But for once in my life, I couldn’t string my words together. I reverted back to primitive ways, in a series of grunts and exclamations about an email I received from my English teacher. The kids I was watching were long asleep when I saw the subject line in my inbox: Wow. You need to see this re Gatsby. I just may get it. F. Scott Fitzgerald has long been the subject of my adoration, from his novels to short stories. I’ve read The Great Gatsby more times than I have fingers on my hands, and I relate more to characters
like Amory Blaine and Jay Gatz than I do most of my classmates (and I stress this frequently). So, upon reading this subject line, I opened the email, following the link to a manuscript publisher called SP Books (Editions des Saints Peres). I’m sure I let out some sort of squeal, because the resting labrador retriever sprang to my side in a fit of animation. There, on my screen, was a limited, facsimile edition of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s hand and typewritten copy of The Great Gatsby. My eyes fixed on the screen while my mind toiled endlessly to configure some sort of financial proposal to give my parents. I had to have a copy of my own. I knew my parents would put up opposition, but I could feel the force of my addiction surging through my frame with a potence much more forceful than anything my parents could come up with. My fingers accosted my keyboard as I typed back to Mr. Bowne: It’s gorgeous. Thank you for sending this to me. . . definitely ordering one, to which he responded: But it’s $249!!! I don’t remember my drive home after the mother of the children I babysat returned.
Entertainment
But the conversation that ensued at midnight? I have perfect recollection. We first drudged through the basics (it’s too expensive, you should save your money, it’s not worth it for the one time you’ll open it). I wasn’t livid, because the exhilaration that accompanied the prospect of holding my own edition outweighed any frustration with my parents. Looking back, I realize now how reasonable my parents were, even if I couldn’t see it clearly at the time. The cost of a book that’s equivalent to almost 30 hours of work at minimum wage, especially to parents who are invested in computers and sciences, seemed a waste. Considering my interest in literature and idolization of Fitzgerald, though, it was a doomed denial. I pulled out a victory in a series of targeted blows, the first of which addressed my sister. When she buys clothing, she applies a price-per-wear guideline to establish a reasonable budget. If I take that concept and apply it to reading, it simplifies any argument. Assuming I read the manuscript 13 times (the frequency I’ve read normal editions of the same title), the cost would only be about $19 per read. Continuing, I addressed the most pressing factor (in my mind): it’s a limited edition. I had the money, and it was my money, but my parents were threatening my chances to purchase one of the 1800 available. Every moment I waited was another flicker at the end of the dock, forewarning its immediate extinguishment. We settled on a buffer period of seven days, during which I would “contemplate the worth of my proposed purchase. But seven days later, I pressed the purchase confirmation button, spawning an onrush of dopamine. Everything was falling into place for a plan I didn’t know I had seven days prior. When the book arrived, it was the most elaborate unboxing I’ve ever experienced. An outer sleeve covered another tight wrapping around the edition, and after careful maneuvers (with a blunt letter opener, as I would never let a blade— even from scissors—anywhere near my book), my book was exposed. When my hands hit the ribbed texture of the book’s outer sleeve, I shrieked in delight. Opening the pages, breathing in the organic musk, I wallowed in my new high. The book, numbered #749, was now mine to take in—to see Fitzgerald’s writing process, to explore how he originally wrote his characters and scenes, to absorb all the literary majesty he imbued his manuscript with. To this day, I am still taking it in, and I look forward to doing so for the remainder of my life.
Check out our senior videos and more on Voyager-online. org. Want to contribute to The Voyager? Email us at ehsvoyager@gmail.com or visit the staff room in 605.
June 2018
What’s on Your Nightstand? Gabrielle Gilham ‘18 I just finished reading Hunting Prince Dracula by Kerri Maniscalco which is the second installment in the series of Stalking Jack the Ripper. It was a fantastic book about two main characters named Audrey Wadsworth and Thomas Cresswell who go to Romania to the best forensics school in Europe. As they compete for the two available spots at the school, they try to uncover why people are being found dead without a probable cause other than two puncture wounds on their skin. This is a great book for those that like science, mystery, and adventure type of books. Josh Meyers ‘21 I am reading An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and I love it. If you want an action packed story about rebels who want to take down the people in charge, then this book is for you. Cyan Rincon ‘19 City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Definitely a teenage book. The characters are fairly one dimensional. A lot of detail is given toward Clary’s (the protagonist’s) self-consciousness and ambient feelings about Jace (the stereotypical chauvinistic, male romantic love interest who secretly has a “heart of gold.”) Its a romantic novel (series) geared toward teens. is so much emotion, mystery, and a bit of suspense in this book. Haley Allsebrook ‘20 I am currently finished up a book called
the Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty and I am going to move onto another book of hers after I finished this one called What Alice Forgot. Julia Lenhart ‘19 I received Rainbow Rowell’s Eleanor and Park as a gift, and I’m excited to read it! I’ve always heard such great reviews! So far, in the early chapters, the book is a fun read. Ronak Thakur ‘19 When I have some time I’m working my way through is a re-read of Khaled Hosseini’s And the Mountains Echoed. The book is notoriously known to be the most confusing of his titles, but reading through it again allows me to spot a lot more than I did in my first read! Lisa Traczyk’19 Right now, I am reading On The Road by Jack Kerouac. It is a great read for someone who does not leave the house often but craves adventure. Connor Tracey ‘19 When I get the time I like to sit down and get through more of the Metro series by Dmitry Glukhovsky. I’m currently working on the second book in the series Metro 2034. Glukhovsky narratives create a compelling and engaging post apocalyptic world filled with monsters and the unexplained. The world building he employs is some of the best I’ve read by any author.
Han Solo hits the big screen By VAL LAPINSON ‘20 Staff Reporter CONTAINS SPOILERS
The long awaited, action packed, humor filled addition to the Star Wars universe has been unleashed to the public. Fans of the rebel character Han Solo finally got their victory with the triumph of “Solo: A Star Wars Story”. This backstory movie, while not entirely essential to the intense storyline like Rogue One, answers the questions we never knew we had. Where did Han get his last name? What was Han’s childhood like? Who was Han’s first love? Where did Han learn to fly? Where is the Millennium Falcon from? And most importantly, how did Han do Kessel Run in twelve parsecs? For the diehard fans, it was a cesspool of character references and Easter eggs to the prequels, the original trilogy, and the expanded universe series. Basque and IG88, Darth Maul, Lando, all these people and more are at least subtlety referenced in the film. The viewer gets to observe the important meeting of Solo and his partner-in-crime, Chewbacca, a Wookiee. The chemistry is instant, though they didn’t meet in the most pleasant of circumstances. Han was supposed to be the famous Wookiee’s dinner. If that’s not enough, Han Solo was only going to be food because he had been kicked out of the Empire’s Navy, and was (falsely) reported as a deserter while serving as ground force. Solo is famous for breaking rules, and his actions in this film are no exception. Lando Calrissian, the famous, the glamourous, and oddly sly smuggler, plays an important role in the film and in Han’s
story. Played by Donald Glover, the character exhibits great personality and Glover’s performance definitely compliments that of Billy Dee Williams, who took on the original trilogy. Alden Ehrenreich played Han Solo, a casting choice that sparked a decent amount of controversy in the beginning. However, critics and fans agree that the portrayal of the rebel hero is satisfactory, and helps viewers understand the mindset of a character so many people love. There were some awkward moments, such as Lando being in love with a feminist droid, but overall the film did deliver on its promise to give the fans a good time. Now, it’s time to look past Solo and dive right into that surprise ending: Darth Maul lives. Episode one features the villain being sliced into two by Obi Wan after Mual killed Qui-Gon Jinn, but anyone who has looked into the expanded universe knows he lives and is given robot legs. But what does this mean? Well, it means that there is a living Sith, someone with extremely dangerous abilities and not enough good guys to stop him. As for the future of this situation, there are two primary options: this will be the center plot of the spinoff television show they have planned, or this will be in one of the upcoming Star Wars Story films. There already has been a confirmed movie for Obi Wan, which will likely take place on Tatooine shortly before episode four, and one for everyone’s favorite bounty hunter, Boba Fett. Many exciting things are happening in the Star Wars cinematic universe, and Solo is no exception. So with a spring full of hits like Infinity War and Deadpool, take a break and watch Solo. Maybe you’ll be inspired to take up flying.
Entertainment The Voyager 15 Honeygrow and Shake Shack: Are they living up to the hype?
June 2018
By RYAN MARGOLIS ‘18 Staff Reporter Right off of Route 70 in Marlton, a Honeygrow and a Shake Shack recently opened next to one another. One left me completely satisfied, anxious to return. The other...not so much. Let’s start with H o n e y g r o w. Honeygrow is a stirfry restaurant with Philly roots. You tap your customizable order onto a computer screen, and then watch as the cooks throw in the noodles, meat, veggies, spice, and sauce that you ordered. It’s an amazing, salivating show. Afterwards, you get to chow down on your creation. Every bowl tastes different, depending on what you put inside. While the taste may differ, the quality always remains the same. Honeygrow is a fresh new spin on fast food not only because of its meals but because of their drinks too. While you
won’t find any Coca-Cola or Sprite here, you will not be disappointed by their selection. Their drinks include homemade teas, lemonades, and sodas. Now for Shake Shack. Shake Shack is a gourmet burger restaurant that unsurprisingly offers a variety of milkshakes. As soon as I saw the line that ran out the front doors, I knew I was in for a treat. Shake Shack offers a wide arrange of burgers and shakes, as well as a few other desserts. It’s an upscale fast food restaurant with a beautiful interior design and atmosphere. They even offer games and blocks to play with. The burgers taste fresh and unique, in part due to Shake Shack’s special sauce. The milkshakes are smooth and creamy which made it hard for me to stop drinking mine. The other drinks at Shake Shack are appealing, as well. If you choose to not
opt for one of their milkshakes, Shake Shack also offers some original drinks of its own. While both places have their perks, one of them was clearly better. Only one of the restaurants hits it out of the park in almost all aspects, and that restaurant was Honeygrow. The food at Honeygrow was of a much higher quality than the food at Shake Shack. The noodles were not only delicious, but satiating. My burger from Shake Shack was decent but not something that I’m rushing out of the door to try again. I actually prefer the burgers at the new Sophie & Pete’s in the Voorhees Town Center. The burgers there are much bigger, around the same price, tastier, and better looking. At Shake Shack, I found myself wanting more after my estimated 1300 calorie meal of a burger and a strawberry shake. I felt good about how I was eating after my meal at Honeygrow, which something that I can’t say about my meal at Shake Shack. I found myself constantly refilling my
cup at Honeygrow, craving more of their homemade drinks, but I can’t say that I felt the same way about the strawberry
shake that I had at Shake Shack though. I’d rather have a shake from McDonald’s for less money and almost the same quality. To Shake Shack’s credit, it gets the award for better atmosphere. The restaurant feels roomy and comforting which pairs nicely with the comfort food. Though the atmosphere at the Honeygrow is nice, a quick peek into the two restaurants reveals the obvious winner, Shake Shack. Did I enjoy my meals at both restaurants? Yes, though, in a competition between the two, Honeygrow is the clear victor. If you find yourself having to choose between one of these conjoined restaurants, do yourself the favor and take the door on the left into Honeygrow.
Covering Chickie & Pete’s: Underneath the Covers: A fresh look at the fast Reimagining classic tunes food seafood classic By ALIYAH EL-MUHAMMAD ‘18 Staff Reporter Crisp french fries, dusted in just enough Old Bay seasoning, paired with warm and gooey cheese sauce. These famous Crabfries have made it to a town near you. The popular chain restaurant opened in Marlton, late March. Located at the corner of routes 73 and 70 in the Marlton Shopping Center, the franchise lives up to a name synonymous with seafood. The franchise has local routes, originating in Philadelphia. The first Chickie’s and Pete’s opened in 1977. Now, there are over 12 locations across the Philadelphia and New Jersey area. Their new Marlton location allows for even more expansion of the business. Upon walking into the sports bar, the walls were covered with flat screen TVs playing the latest game. As a center focal point, the bar sits in the center of the restaurant, with everyone else moving around it. There is a familiar air of casualness, which transfers into the staff and food. Of course if you are going to Chickie’s and Pete’s, you have to order the Crabfries! In my case, I ordered them before even looking at the menu.
The famous fries Next, the baby lobster tails came out on a sizzling slate. One of the most anticipated aspects of Chickie’s and Pete’s is the access to good quality seafood for low prices. The lobster
tails were succulent and well cooked, yet over salted. A common theme for the restaurant was uniformity in preparation, yet overdone seasoning.
The new location in Marlton Continuing with the theme of low priced seafood, I ordered four hard shell crabs covered in a special ‘crab juice’ and red pepper flakes. Much like the lobster tails, the crabs came out sizzling and juicy and packed with enormous amounts of flavor. The mysterious crab juice takes most of its flavor from actual crabs, and garlic. Also packed into the flavorful juice is the taste of pepper that lasts, even after your last bite. Franchises get a bad rap, known for poor quality food and lackluster service, but Chickie’s and Pete’s still tries with their food. The franchise seem to still want to offer good food, and even better prices. Behind the glitz of the flat screen televisions and large bar, Chickie’s and Pete’s is still capable of delivering at its new location.
Check out more on the website! Voyager-online.org
By NANCY BOWNE ‘19 Copy Editor
The purpose of a cover is to transform the original purpose of a song into an entirely new rendition and side. It is the same words, but style completely changes the meaning. Here is my list of some of the top best covers in which successfully reimagine classics into art forms. Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” by Cake This dancefloor jive gets an alternative treatment with Cake’s raw vocals and calmer perspective. By far one of the most different covers out there, but sure to become a classic in itself. Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” by Lily Allen I came across this cover through a youtube suggested song, which now has become a go to when brushing my teeth in the morning- for no particular reason. A softer, more lyrical version compared to Keane’s, Lily Allen makes this song into a more atmospheric rendition. The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” by Bahamas The go-to best of the 80s mix song now has taken some acoustic liberty with the Bahamas. Never heard of the band before this song. Excited to hear more. The Cure’s “Love Song” by Adele After Adele released this cover on her album, 21, I loved the haunting vocals and melody to this song- even so much to learn it on piano. Soon, my piano teacher commented on The Cure’s version and how Adele’s was such a neat cover. The betrayal!!! Still pretty good after all these years though. The Postal Service’s “Such Great Heights” by Iron and Wine Shout out to Sophomore English class with Mr. Kemery for introducing this band to our class! From such a quirky, popping original song, Iron and Wine offers simplistic solace, adding an entirely new height to existential thinking. Guns N Roses’ “Sweet Child O Mine” from the Captain Fantastic Soundtrack Don’t tell anyone but Captain Fantastic was my first R rated movie that I saw without an adult, underaged!! So my life of breaking the law could simply start
with this cover. When I first heard this song in the movie, I recalled the lyrics as familiar, but then convinced it couldn’t be a rock ballad with those sweet folk rhythms. This cover exemplifies what a cover should be: How the same words can have an entirely different mood with a different arrangement. Willie Nelson’s “You Were Always on my Mind” by Pet Shop Boys 80s and 90s techno boy duo group and, uh, country singer have never worked better together ever. This is such a classic song that PSB actually made it a remix with Where the Streets have no Name (U2). Crazy, yes. But music magic. The Righteous Brothers’ “Unchained Melody” by She & Him The main song from the movie, Ghost, has never had a better cover of artistic mastery that far stretches from pottery (movie reference). Actress Zoey Deschanel is part of this group that mainly focuses on recreating songs. This particular project takes on a harmonious choir, intended to fade into the background of a sunny spring field. Ewan MacColl’s and Peggy Seeger’s “The First Time Ever I Saw your Face” by Roberta Flack How did I find this song? I have no idea. But I absolutely love it and that is all that matters. Mastery. Whatever I say could not justify the beauty of this song. Just listen to it. Elvis Presley “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You” by Ingrid Michaelson Ingrid Michaelson seems like a very sweet artist. And this cover depicts her in a consistent manner to this assumption. From Elvis’ saultry version, Ingrid Michaelson allows the acoustics and her voice to carry the innocent heart of this cover. David Bowie’s “Life on Mars” by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra As if Bowie is not already a powerful operatic showman, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra fulfills his legacy and has a beautiful instrumental version that captures all dynamics of his musical mastery. Epic is all one could say. This Orchestra does cover multiple other classics, such as Rolling Stones, Queen, and ABBA, but this is certainly my favorite.
Sports
16 The Voyager
June 2018
Baseball wins Diamond Classic Tournament NICHOLAS RAY ‘18 Staff Reporter
A
nother fascinating season has emerged from Coach Rob Christ and the rest of Eastern High School’s baseball team, walking away from the 2018 season with a record of 24-6. From young talent to veteran leadership, the Vikings have suddenly become a dominant force throughout all of South Jersey. Eastern finished tied for first in the conference this year next to Shawnee, and finished the season by winning the Diamond Classic, defeating St. Augustine in the finals. “We’re a tough team, the guys on this team aren’t going to back down from anybody,” said Jesse Barbera, a 4 year starter. Barbera has been the unannounced ace emerging from Eastern’s pitching staff for quite some time, and with him on the mound, the Vikings felt confident that they have a chance to win in any given game. The Vikings began their season in Florida with a loss, but then proceeded to win 10 straight, and 15 out of their first 18 games. Jack Winsett, starting shortstop for the Vikings and currently a junior at Eastern, had some words to say about the chemistry that pours through the dugout everyday. “Just being a part of this team and being around this group of guys, it kind of makes
winning just the cherry on top. From our coaching staff to our role players, they’ve always given us the support we need to succeed.” It seems as though year in and year out, the Eastern Vikings are always the team to beat in the Olympic Conference. It speaks volume for Coach Christ and the coaches he has under his wing who put in the work everyday just as much as the players do. On May 29th, the Vikings were up against Washington Township in the Diamond Classic semifinal, and Coach Rob Christ was in search of his 400th career win over his time as Eastern’s head coach. After winning on Tuesday and now having an overall record of 400-161, Christ is revered as one of the best coaches in New Jersey. 400 wins is remarkable on any scale, but with a big game on June 4th, Christ was ready to put the milestone behind him and focus on win #401. Without question, the star-studded Eastern Vikings had a tough road ahead of them in hopes of winning their second Diamond Classic championship over the last 3 years. The first one came in 2016 with a win over Gloucester Catholic, who ended up winning the State tournament later that year. Coach Christ and the upperclassmen knew what that atmosphere was like and were prepared to give everything they have to themselves and their teammates. With the season coming to an end, the
Congratulations to Coach Christ on win #400! Photo by Mr. Hill
Jack Herman watches the ball soar to the outfield. team was determined to leave it all on the diamond and show what Eastern baseball is all about. The Diamond Classic Championship was played on Eastern’s home turf on June 4th, a tough matchup against St. Augustine. The game was tied at 1 until
Jesse Barbera and Dylan Stezzi discuss the game. Photo by Nikkita Hovell
the game extended its way into extra innings. In the top of the 8th, the Vikings took a commanding 4-1 lead with Jesse Barbera waiting to close it out. The Vikings came away with the victory, and their second Diamond Classic Championship over the last 3 years.
Senior Jesse Barbara throws a 2 seamer.
Photo by Nikkita Hovell
Tanner’s NBA Awards By TANNER KOCH ‘19 Staff Reporter
Spring Sports Records Boys/Girls Golf: 9-4 Girls Lacrosse:17-2 Boys Lacrosse: 9-9 Boys Tennis: 7-6 Boys Volleyball: 11-12 Boys Baseball: 25-6 Girls Softball:11-8 Boys Track and Field: 2-2 Girls Track and Field: 4-0
Most Valuable Player - Russell Westbrook Reason: He was the most talented player all season even if he came up short in the playoffs. He averaged a triple double for the second straight year, and should win a second straight MVP as a result. Rookie of the Year - Ben Simmons Reason: The 6’10” Aussie point guard has been incredible. He is leading all rookies in stats and also took his team on a 17 game win streak to end the season. Absolutely incredible considering he doesn’t shoot threes. Defensive Player of the Year - Rudy Gobert Reason: The French Phenom is dominant on the boards and in the paint and Utah has prospered because of it earning a five
seed. Gobert has to be DPOY. Sixth Man - Lou Williams Reason: The Los Angeles guard has been nothing short of incredible this year, even if his team lacks talent. When Chris Paul left the Clippers, someone needed to step up. Who knew it would be “Yung Money” Lou off the bench averaging over 20 points per game. Most Improved Player - Victor Oladipo Reason: He was in my MVP contention most of the year until the end when his team went to bricks. He entered the playoffs as a five seed and took Lebron to game 7 in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. He’s only getting better. Coach of the Year - Brett Brown Reason: He most likely won’t win this award but the man has took his team from the bottom to the top (winning 31 games in 2017 and 52 games in 2018). He
has given an entire city a reason to Trust The Process.