Issuu

Volume LII

Second Edition

November 2017

Eastern Regional High School

1401 Laurel Oak Road

Voorhees, NJ 08043

Starstuff creates magic on stage By CRYSTAL OSUJI ‘18 Entertainment Editor

ETV Plus. Page 3

What are We Thankful For? Page 10 & 11

astern theatre performed its annual Fall play, Peter and the Starcatcher, from November 2nd to 4th. Peter and the Starcatcher is a background story of “Peter Pan.” Peter, in the story, is known for being the boy that never grows up, living in Nevereverland with the Lost Boys. But how did he become that figure? Peter Pan was an orphan that never met his family. He and two other orphan boys were put on the Neverland ship to be sent by Slank, the captain, to the island of Rundoon to become snake food. On this ship, they meet Molly, a starcatcher in training. She realizes that the valuable trunk of starstuff—bits of star that fall to earth—was switched from her father’s ship to hers. Molly takes on the mission, with the help of the boys, so the trunk can be safely transported to the Queen and not fall into the wrong hands. Dr. Molotsky, a physics and environmental science teacher, is the head of the theatre department. Every year around fall time, he sits down with a bunch of plays trying to see which one he likes the best. “We were looking for a play that appeals to both kids and adults,” said Dr. Molotsky. Along with picking a play that would put on a good show, he also picks out a cast that can execute it well. The students involved with the theatre program have

Hannah Eksteen fixes Samantha Youse’s hair before the production. Photo by Paige Rehill ‘18

been working with Molotsky for a while, but every year during casting they give something new. “Every year I ask myself ‘do we have students that can play these roles?’ I let the audience determine where the students fit best,” said Dr. Molotsky. One character that gave the audience many laughs was Black Stache, played by senior Robert Sundstrom. “It [Black Stache] was an incredibly fun role to play

because I was able to take a lot of liberties with the role.” Kayla Kantakusin, a senior, was also excited for her role in Peter and Starcatcher. “In this year’s fall play, I played both a mermaid and a sailor. It was a lot of fun because I got to not only sing, but learn choreography as a mermaid.”

See STARSTUFF. Page 5

Easing congestion in parking lot

Thor Review. Page 14

Eastern Football and Coach Doherty. Page 20

By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 Editor-in-Chief

eginning on October 23, Eastern administration eliminated left turns within the main parking lot in an effort to reduce morning congestion. According to Principal Mr. Tull, the school enacted this suggestion primarily to address safety concerns for student drivers, passengers, and students walking into school. “Mornings had cars driving in multiple directions,” said Tull, which created havoc. Mr. Tull cites that students in the lot now only have to look to the right, especially when crossing into school. He believes this facilitates a better, safer traffic route. Although this procedure is only in place in the mornings, Mr. Tull doesn’t see a similar procedure being out in place in the afternoons any time soon. “At the end of the day,” said Tull, “students all drive mainly in one direction, following the buses.” The hazards of the morning were created as buses, drop-offs, and student drivers crossed paths. Many students have suggested that this new procedure is connected to the transition to front of school limitations on student parking. Mr. Tull said the commonality between the two is concern for student safety. This recent change relates more specifically to driving hazards, whereas the previous transition was an attempt to keep student parking in one area to ensure their safety. The school wanted to keep student parking in the front to prevent non-permissible activity in the back parking lot. Similar to the reactions the recent elimination of student parking in the back of the school garnered, this new procedure has caused mixed reactions within the school. Senior Jess Kinser says the traffic from the parking lot has not disappeared, but moved elsewhere. “Instead of traffic in the parking lot, it has spread to areas that are not normally congested in the mornings, making it extremely hard to get to school after 7:00,” she said. “The traffic light on

A barrier blocks a left turn in the morning. Photo by Lauren Casole ‘19

route 561 backs up to the Dunkin’ Donuts in Gibbsboro now.” Another senior, Kat Keleman, has also voiced her opposition. “What’s the point?” asked Keleman. “The parent-drop off problem is the nose of the problem,” she said. “It makes it difficult for people who are trying to park.” Although there has been staunch resistance to this procedure change, other student drivers are in favor of the plan, or neutral. Senior Paige ReHill falls in the latter category. She drives to

See PARKING. Page 5

News

2 The Voyager

AROUND THE SCHOOL

School comes together for Spirit Week

T Senior citizen wins basket from bingo. Photo by Aditi Kiron ‘18

Interact Club once again hosted the I nteract Senior Citizen Luncheon, one of its

annual events, on November 4. Here, the senior citizens got a chance to sit down with the club members while enjoying a meal, bingo, trivia, and had the opportunity to watch the fall play afterwards. By looking at their reactions and smiles, the event was another big success By Gabrielle Gilham ‘18

Choir music trips Choir took a trip to RowO Eastern’s an for the Young Men’s Festival of

n the 25th of October, the boys of

Song. They had the opportunity to see different vocal groups from Rowan perform and talk to some of the school’s professionals about choir techniques. At the end, the boys got the chance to sing songs with all of the people there. “It was really cool seeing 500 male singers in one room because that doesn’t happen very often,” said Sophomore Luke Magette. The girls from choir attended the Kimmel Center in November and witnessed a Philadelphia Orchestra rehearsal. “The Kimmel Center was shaped like a viola on the inside and the musicians and their music were truly magical and inspiring,” said junior Reeya Vasisht. By Ruthie Douglas ‘19

Latin club additional students were inT wenty ducted into Latin Club in October.

New members are initiated by the upperclassman. At the end of the ceremony, food and refreshments are provided. “We do a ritualized passage for the underworld and take a super secretive oath that is on the national organization’s website,” said Latin teacher and club advisor Mr. Mercurio, humorously. The club’s busy season is spring. In April, students attend a state convention in Pennsauken where they compete in contests from written Latin competitions to drama performances. Club members also compete in a jeopardystyle competition at Princeton University. Latin is an important subject because not only is it the root of all European languages, but it also teaches the foundations of western culture. “Latin gives students history and literature that they wouldn’t otherwise read,” Mr. Mercurio said. Caroline Mancini, a four-year member of Latin Club, enjoys the club and said it wouldn’t be the same without Mr. Mercurio. “He just adds a spark to the club and to his classes. His personality is what makes all of this so fun.” “I get the best kids in the school, so I love them,” said Mr. Mercurio. By Jessica Bonamassa ‘19

November 2017

By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 Editor-in-Chief

utus, ukuleles, and Captain America costumes were commonplace October 23 to 27, during Eastern’s annual Spirit Week competition. Students were especially eager to dress up for the daily themes, including Hawaiian, American, Preppy, Class Theme, and Eastern Spirit Days. Junior Julia Lenhart looks forward to Spirit Week each year because she finds it makes school special. “I like to dress up for spirit week because I like to support my class in the events,” said Lenhart. “It’s also just fun to dress up with your friends.” Although the bizarre outfits students wear during the week catch the most attention, a multitude of events and fundraisers contribute to the overall competition. In addition to dressing to the theme, each of the four classes were given points based on fundraising with the Dollar Drop and canned good collections, relay and tug of war competitions, Academic Challenge standings, homecoming dance attendance, and class videos. Juniors snagged the title for Academic Challenge and the relay obstacle race, freshmen won the Dollar Drop, and seniors won for the tug of war and hallway decor. Many students consider the most iconic challenge of the week to be the hallway decorations. Each class decorated their hallway segments with original artwork correlating to their class theme. Natalie Powell, 2018 class historian, worked diligently with other seniors to earn first place for their movie-themed hallway. The seniors didn’t just walk away with the title for their artwork. With 193,000 points, seniors won the entire week’s competition. Freshmen, juniors, and sophomores fell in line, respectively. Powell is especially proud of the senior win. “To win,” she said, “is a culmination of the effort of the past four Senior Primo Davis takes down a Photo by Aliyah El-Muhammad years. It hasn’t always worked out in our favor, but we re- souvenir. ally came together to get the win we deserved.” A portion went to the Alicia Rose Foundation, following an East Although, quite a bit of seriousness did lie within these events, ern tradition to give, in some part, to the organization each year. as Spirit Week also aimed to also give back to the community. Due to recent events, quite a chunk of the donations went to the The Dollar Drop fundraising competition raised about $700. Red Cross to help hurricane and natural disaster victims.

Homecoming brings us home

By ALIYAH EL-MUHAMMAD ‘18 Staff Reporter

nce a year, usually in October, Eastern hosts the homecoming dance at the close of Spirit Week. This year, homecoming fell on Thursday, October, 26. Homecoming originated at the University of Missouri in 1911. There, the event commemorated the new location of the university’s football field. It involved parades, a party, and a football game against the school’s rival. Now almost every high school in America celebrates this tradition with a dance. Eastern is no exception. Homecoming started promptly at 7:00pm with snacks ranging from nachos to chicken tenders in the front lobby. The decorations included a gold and black color scheme. Homecoming holds the reputation of having an overwhelming attendance of freshman, given their excitement to attend their first high school dance, and much lower upperclassmen attendance. However, this year, the seniors poured in with rather large numbers in hopes to gain the most points for spirit week. “I thought it was a good senior turnout, even though it’s considered a freshman dance. I had fun,” said Senior Ryan Baker. In search of a good time and good music, students from all grade levels came to the dance. Music, courtesy of Mr. Brown, included Cardi B, Migos, Drake, and several classic throwbacks. Some of Eastern’s best and wildest dancers took the spotlight on the dance floor. As heels came off and ties loosened, 9:30 came faster than ever.

Senior Anthony Logan dances at homecoming.

Junior Elizabeth Pope and Sophomore Chase Gunther enjoying themselves on the dancefloor.

Students socialize at homecoming.

Photos by Shauna Hilferty ‘18

News

November 2017

A reboot for ETV Plus

The Voyager 3

AROUND THE COMMUNITY

French Honor Society attends “Phantom of the Opera”

Mr. Holmes and Senior Hayley Bricker work with TRIcaster. Photo by Alex Mackle ‘18

By HAYLEY BRICKER ‘18 Staff Reporter

TV news runs every day for seven minutes, which may not be enough to cover everything that TV Media students produce. Starting in November, ETV will have a new series of segments that air on cable TV. That is correct! ETV News Live is getting a cable TV show entitled ETV Plus. It will appear on channel 19 for Comcast and 38 for Verizon. The hour time slot will feature five different segments. Several of these segments include, “Alex Mackle and the Cold Hard Truth,” a tentatively titled real journalistic piece talking about the impacting news that cannot be covered within ETV. Another is “The Jannette and Robert Show,” featuring Jannette Fisher and Robert Sundstrom. In this segment they will host a debate about important issues facing teens of today. A James Corden-themed show inspired the last segment, “Teacher Carpool Karaoke.” It will feature teachers of Eastern with ETV news correspondents singing along to songs on the radio. Videos made by students from Mr. Holmes’ TV Media classes will feature on an MTV-style video show. Accompanied by several special guests, the show will be hosted by yours truly, Hayley

Bricker, and Jonah Gutterman. And lastly, a new addition to ETV Plus is a sports segment with a radio flair hosted by ETV sports correspondents Kevin Gillespie and Collin Smith. However, students do not have to be enrolled in a media class to participate. ETV News is inviting students to partake in the fun by including them in the action as well. Eastern students have the opportunity to be featured on and participate in the studio audience of the “The Jannette and Robert Show” where they can share their opinions and talk about current issues. Some topics of discussion are prom, and students holding jobs while in high school. As for “The Loft,” students within the TV Media classes have an opportunity to share creative outlets to a larger audience. The Media I classes’ original music videos will be showcased and the Media II students will have their shot-for-shot music video recreations shown on air. “ETV Plus is really an awesome opportunity because it is such a free-flowing, creative outlet. It allows you to be as serious or as ridiculous as you want, and I think I take advantage of both of those. It is really just a fun way to learn about film and media, and I’m really grateful I get to be part of it,” said senior Robert Sundstrom. ETV News Plus hopes to use the new time slot to promote all the talent in the school, in a fun and lively fashion.

t was a brisk evening as everyone was donned with coats, gloves, and hats as a group of eight French Honor Society members, one parent, and club advisor Madame Youse piled into a bus that would take them into Philadelphia to get the chance to experience Broadway’s longest running show, Phantom of the Opera at the Kimmel Center’s Academy of Music on November 12th. Artwork by Jared Wilson ‘19 Phantom ran for a limited time at the Kimmel Center, with the French Honor Society getting the chance to catch the opera-esque musical on the last show of its 12-day engagement. With stunning new staging and production by Cameron Mackintosh, the show was highly anticipated, as evidenced by the packed theatre. Derrick Davis starred as the tortured and enigmatic titular character with Jordan Ensign as the young and gifted Soprano, Christine Daée, whom the Phantom falls madly and obsessively in love with. Both Davis and Ensign are seasoned actors, whose past credits include Mufasa in The Lion King and Nannetta in Falstaff, respectively. The Kimmel Center was an opulent and magnificent venue adorned with gold and red detailing, a place that could easily measure up to the grand scale of Phantom. The French Honor Society was seated on the second balcony level almost directly across the stage with a full view of the show’s iconic chandelier, which played a part of its own, what with its occasional sparks and spits of fire throughout. After the show ended, members were in consensus that the show was well worth the trip, and to fittingly accompany the supernatural tone of the musical, told ghost stories for the rest of the trip home. By HANA HANCOCK ‘18

Students not “UNderwhelmed” by Eastern’s Model U.N. team

lthough many students at Eastern have heard of the Model UN, not many know the purpose of the organization. During the Model United Nations conferences, students roleplay as delegates and replicate actions and decisions of the real United

Nations. Eastern hosts this particular conference each year, which many schools in South Jersey participate in. The two teachers who advise the Model UN are Mrs. Palmer, the coordinator for the GT program, and Mr. Picot, who teaches math. Eastern’s Model UN team is scheduled to attend Rutgers University’s Model UN Conference (RUMUN) in New Brunswick from November 30th to December 2nd. However, not everyone is eligible to take part in these conferences. “It varies by school,” said Senior Cyrena Kokolis. “But at Eastern you must be part of the Gifted and Talented program. Anyone in the GT program can go to local conferences which are typically one day long, and people who try out for the Model UN team can attend weekendlong collegiate conferences.” “It’s a great way to gain perspective on the world and learn about current event issues,” said three year participant, senior Sonali Garg, “It develops our leadership skills, since you have to be a strong public speaker in a team setting.” The last event that Eastern hosted was the South Jersey Model United Nations Conference (SJMUN), which took place on October 21st. By KARINA MADRID ‘18

Kierstin Clem named Photo Editor for The Voyager for 2017-2018 year

For sophomore Kierstin Clem, photography has always meant more than just capturing a moment. “I was interested in the creativity I could express and the feelings I could show through a picture,” said Kierstin. “I like how you can take something so simple and put a whole meaning behind it through the camera.” Even though photography started off as one of Kierstin’s many hobbies, she is also looking to pursue photography as a career in the future. Kierstin is currently in her second year of photography. In college, she hopes to major in graphic arts or anything pertaining to photography. She would love one day to start her own photography business. She mostly enjoys taking nature shots and portraits. With social media taking up a majority of teen lives, many believe the photography industry is an uprising and competitive industry for millennials since almost all teens have access to Snapchat and Instagram. However, Kierstin looks at this industry in a different perspective. “There’s so many diverse minds in this industry,” she said. “I don’t think it’s a competition because every mind and picture is different. If anything, it’s more like teamwork.” By KARINA MADRID ‘18

News

4 The Voyager

November 2017

Puerto Rican student arrives at Eastern, ﬂeeing Hurricane Maria By RYAN EMS ‘19 Staff Reporter

ryan Earle planned to ﬁnish his high school career in Puerto Rico, but Hurricane Maria had other plans. He moved to Voorhees, New Jersey to live with his father to avoid the storm’s deadly aftermath. Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico on September 6th, 2017. When Bryan’s family heard that another stronger, more dangerous hurricane was going to hit Puerto Rico, they immediately began to prepare. They knew water was going to be scarce after the storm, so they bought several cases of water and froze them. Hurricane Maria made landfall in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017 as a Category 4 Hurricane with sustained winds of 155 mph and storm surges of 9 feet. It would soon move inland to where Bryan lived in Arecibo. Bryan’s family felt ready, but they could not have possibly prepared for the destruction hurricane Maria left in her wake. “It was really traumatic,” said Bryan, “You could see palm trees swaying from side to side.” The storm lasted six hours in Arecibo, but to Bryan, it felt like an eternity. “The noises were loud,” said Bryan, “You could hear pieces of things ﬂy by. It was all a mess.”

Bryan and his family survived the storm, but others were not so lucky. According to Business Insider, the official death count in Puerto Rico is 51, but officials expect the number to be much higher. When Bryan stepped outside to survey the damage, he was dumbfounded. Losing power immediately after the storm arrived, Arecibo was devastated. Power lines were strewn about on the ground, while the electrical posts were snapped completely in half. Streets were cluttered with trees, forcing cars to weave in and out of the road to avoid the debris. Many houses sat naked without a roof; entire buildings lay crumbled on the ground. The Puerto Rico Bryan loved all his life now lay in ruin. The bar where his mother worked was completely washed into the ocean, leaving her without a job. His school was also severely damaged. “Everything was different,” said Bryan, reflecting on the storm’s aftermath. Bryan’s neighborhood unified after the storm. “Everybody in my neighborhood was doing good because my mom would cook,” said Bryan. Although Bryan’s family had frozen water bottles in preparation of the storm, they ran out after only a week. Fortunately for Bryan’s family, they were able to receive water from one their

Bryan Earle surveys the damage in Sabana Hoyo, Puerto Rico.

Bryan Earle ‘19 walks through a ﬂooded road in Sabana Hoyo, Puerto Rico. Photo by Bryan Earle ‘19

neighbors who gave them water for free. Without power, Bryan was forced to use rainwater to shower. He also washed his clothes by hand. As of October 20, nearly 1 million people of Puerto Rico’s 3.67 million were still without drinking water. Many people resorted to drinking water from hazardous wells, while others drank from contaminated creeks and streams. “[The water] had to be unsanitary,” said Bryan, “But it was all we had.” Alongside representatives from Puerto Rico, the United States government has stepped in to help the people affected by Hurricane Maria. Bryan credits the mayor of Arecibo, Carlos Molina, with keeping the people’s interest in mind. Molina’s main objective has been to get generators for the people so they can use electricity again. Facing the situation at hand, Bryan had to seriously consider leaving Puerto Rico.

Edwin Meléndez, an economist and director of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, predicts that between 100,000 and 200,000 Puerto Ricans will leave for the mainland United States. In Florida alone, as of October 3, the airports have received 27,000 people ﬂeeing Puerto Rico. “I decided to move once I saw my school was pretty bad,” Bryan said, “I didn’t want to get left behind in my studies.” Bryan bought a one way ticket to Baltimore; his father eventually brought him to live in Voorhees. “You don’t know how hard it was,” said Bryan. “All my friends left behind. Everything that I built up is now gone. It was really hard leaving my family.” He was optimistic in coming to the States, but he hopes to visit Puerto Rico when the situation there improves. Bryan plans to ﬁnish his high school degree at Eastern while experiencing all that the mainland United States has to offer. “Everything that I left behind and everything that I’ve done has been absolutely worth it,” Bryan said. “I haven’t regretted anything.”

Photo by Bryan Earle ‘19

Saluden a la señora Maria Koutrolis By AVA HANCOCK ‘20 Staff Reporter

fter only a few minutes in Mrs. Koutroulis’ classroom, anyone would be able to say that she is a hardworking and compassionate Spanish teacher. She is one of the newest additions to the world language department. She boasts twelve years of teaching experience in Philadelphia. Having attended the University of Pennsylvania with the intent of becoming a doctor, she majored in both biology and Spanish. She went on to receive her master’s degree at Temple University and pursued Spanish. Though she grew up in a Greek-speaking household and also spoke English ﬂuently, she had always enjoyed Spanish class in school and was inspired to follow it. To secure the job, she was interviewed by the general administration and then the school principal, Mr. Tull. She says that her ﬁrst impression of Eastern is how

large of a high school it is. One of her favorite aspects of being a teacher is making personal connections with her students and teaching the same students for multiple years to watch them grow. She also likes to see them still apply their Spanish skills into adulthood and observe the impact it has had on them. Outside of Eastern, Mrs. Koutroulis enjoys baking and reading. “I’m also a taxi driver for my kids,” she said laughing. As for her opinion on the student body. It’s respectful, diverse, motivated, and busy. Koutroulis currently teaches one accelerated and three honors Spanish classes. She advises her students to keep trying if they are struggling with Spanish. “I’m happy to be here,” she Mrs. Koutroulis poses for the camera while teaching class. said with a smile.

Photo by Alex Mackle ‘18

News

November 2017

Starstuff magic continued from page 1

The cast and crew for the fall play only have six weeks to prepare while the spring musical usually has ten weeks. With a shorter timeframe, the actors have more responsibility to make sure they are well prepared for opening night. Robert, however, likes to keep the same approach all year round. “I like to create a full character, so that anytime I’m on stage, I become that person instead of pretending to be that person,” said Robert. Another difference between the fall play and the spring musical is the sense of community, for the fall play gives off a more welcoming feel for newcomers. “The fall play usually harnesses a more familylike environment compared to the sometimes heavily-competitive vibes of the musical,” said Kayla Kantakusin. Additionally, the fall play focuses more on storyline along with diction and acting technique, while the spring musical is heavily focused on music. Other than the actors and the director that keep the play running, stage crew plays a huge role. They are responsible for creating sets, changing the sets, the color theme, and lighting and sound. The stage crew advisor is Mr. Isshak, a world history teacher. His role is to supply the students in stage crew with the equipment they need and also to be the overseer. “I make sure the students have the tools to get their job done, and to have a safe and productive meeting,” said Mr. Isshak. Over the last few years, stage crew has become more studentcentered, unlike before, where the stage crew advisors would come up with set design, the color theme, and how the set would function. Now the students have essentially taken over those roles. “We trusted these guys [the students] to start taking over our roles; they would design all of it, and they would really do the entire show,” said Mr. Isshak. This is where stage crew leaders like seniors Chris Childs and Cyrena Kokolis come along. Chris and Cyrena are productive managers for both the Fall play and the Spring musical. They come up with tasks that needs to be done, and the other members in stage crew takes on those tasks. Coming up with the design is a huge task for stage crew. They usually read the script, and the stage crew is instructed to come up with designs for different parts of the show. Afterwards, they all sit together and discuss it at a production meeting. “At the production meetings, it’s ‘what we need to get done what week’ because Mo (Dr. Motosky) needs certain things done at rehearsal,” said Chris. Cyrena, along with being one of the production managers, is also paint charge. With paint guard, she picks out the color scheme and comes up the artistic side with the design. Junior Gabby Kuper is the assistant of the paint charge. “I am right now learning all ways we add color to the show,” said Gabby. As Cyrena is a senior and Gabby a junior, Gabby hopes to take over the paint charge job next year. Senior Jannette Fisher was in charge of costumes and make up for this year’s fall pay. Although usually on the stage, she decided that she wanted to design all of the costumes this time. “Fashion design has always been a dream of mine, so being able to combine my dreams of fashion and theatre had a huge appeal to me,” said Jannette. She was able to come up with elaborate designs for the mermaids, mollusks, and the sailors. Peter and the Starcatcher was a hilarious show that was also able to draw out true emotions. Like Molly the Starcatcher said, “It’s supposed to hurt, that’s how you know it meant something.”

New parking continued from page 1 school early, so the procedure doesn’t affect her. “Students have 100% blown this out of proportion,” said ReHill. “I understand they’re trying to keep us safe.” Mr. Tull has recognized the initial frustration this procedure has caused. In response to the suggestion that parent-drop offs create the most congestion, Mr. Tull disagrees. He believes that the recent communication to parents to drop students off at crosswalks has allowed for a better flow of traffic. Instead, he cites novice drivers as the main contributing factor to this change. “The problem is that novice drivers have not demonstrated the ability to back up and park,” said Tull. “They are not proficient driving in reverse.” These students, according to Tull, would back up into the lane of traffic,

disrupting normal flow. Mr. Tull says that he hopes students will take the initiative to help transition into this procedure. Tull suggests that students try to arrive to school earlier to avoid the last-minute rush. Continually, he would like “student drivers who aren’t as confident” to park at the far end of the building by the tennis courts, until they have acquired the confidence to park in the heavy areas. With these suggestions, Mr. Tull says he hopes that student and parent frustration will wane, especially because he believes the procedure can only support parking lot safety. “When it comes to student safety, we need to make the adjustments necessary so they can receive instruction for the day,” said Tull. “Whatever we need to do, we will make it to the benefit of student safety.”

The Voyager 5

My one last shot at Fall Cabaret By ROBERT SUNDSTROM ‘18 Staff Reporter

he lights from the back of the lobby blinded me as I stared out into the audience from atop the makeshift cabaret stage, and I was filled with a bittersweet energy. My last Fall Cabaret was complete, and it had been a good one. Every year the cabaret is surrounded with a sort of rushed and nervous energy, and this year was certainly no exception. After many of the future cabaret performers were relaxing the Sunday after the final show of Peter and the Starcatcher, a email was sent out alerting the theatre club that auditions would be Tuesday. “Tuesday? That’s in two days!” many of us thought. But despite the short warning, most performers were able to prepare excellent pieces. Performances included songs from an array of musicals, such as Dear Evan Hansen, spanning all the way to Oklahoma. I had the honor and pleasure of acting as Cabaret emcee with my good friend Lindsay Cohen, but even that was a bit rushed. The decision for us to host was made only a few hours before the Cabaret, still though we approached the short preparation time as an opportunity for us to work on our improvisational skills.

Junior Caleb Schneider and senior Lindsay Cohen practice for Fall Cabaret

Photo by ROBERT SUNDSTROM

The night concluded with a company perfomance of “My Shot” from Hamilton, a song many of the performers had learned last year as a part of the school choirs. Still though I was impressed with the fresh energy and excitement that much of the company brought to the song. The night would usually include big announcement of the school’s musical by director, Dr. Molotsky, but this year was more of a confirmation, as there had been a sort of scandal surrounding a leak of the musical choice some weeks ago. This year’s spring musical was officially announced to be, Rock of Ages: High School Edition.

Guidance recognizes kindness By NANCY BOWNE ‘19 Copy Editor

o you remember the face of the last person who held the door for you? Friends, staff members, and familiar strangers surround us. Even in such a large school, it is important to respect and appreciate small acts. These are the thoughts of members of the Guidance Department. Mrs. Zuk decided to start a program that would recognize well rounded individuals at Eastern who carry on these good works throughout the day. “What we are really looking for in is program is to celebrate the genuine and uncomplicated matter of simply being a good person,” she said. “I find it important to say hello to even strangers,” said Ms. Lattimer, another guidance counselor who is an avid supporter of this initiative. At her former school in Vineland, Lattimer remembers how some kids would not be greeted in the morning. She knows how special a simple gesture of kind-

The bulletin board displays the project for all students to see. Photo by Nancy Bowne ‘19 ness can be to set the tone of a school day. There is a bulletin board across from the Guidance Department that explains the project in full detail. Simply submit a person you would like to acknowledge through the guidance department website. Go to the school webpage and then the school tab, then scroll to guidance and under kindness project. This caring individual could potentially get recognized and awarded a

water bottle. This kindness is catching on. There is a website, the Great Kindness Challenge, in which promotes a week of kindness in school. Harvard University is also starting their own kindness outreach. “Kindness is not just for a week though. It is all year. It is not about who is the most athletic, smartest, or popular,” Ms. Lattimer said. “It is about being a good person.”

Senior Matthew Rossignol received his Eagle Scout certificate of achievement. The presentation was made on Wednesday, November 7, 2017. From left to right: Mr. Young, Mr. Bolen, Matt, and Mr. Tull. Photo Supplied

Features

6 The Voyager

SH P CHAT

November 2017

The Future of Online Shopping By LAUREN CASOLE ’19 Features Editor

echnology is continuously influencing how we learn, interact and communicate. It’s even affecting how we shop! In store shopping has always been a social interaction between customers and buyers, but as the popularity of online shopping increases, the amount of people shopping in stores is declining. Why go to a store when you can stay at home and order the exact same thing from your couch, anytime, day or night? Now, online shopping is being made even easier with the release of the app, “ShopChat: Shop While you Chat.” The app is free and available for the IOS. It serves as a second keyboard for your phone or other electronic device. It is installed the same way a Bitmoji keyboard is installed. When you want to access it, all you have to do is click the globe icon on the bottom of your keyboard. Once the keyboard is installed you can request to share the app with friends so you can shop and chat together on the keyboard. The hassle of copying and pasting links and sending them to people is so last week. With ShopChat, everyone is on the same screen and shopping together. The app paired with many different stores including top brands like Nike, Hollister, Adidas, and Sephora! Just to name a few. After installing the app, you choose which brands you are interested in and what kind of products you want to buy. Then the app customizes your keyboard to match your

interests. You can change the stores you picked easily by retaking the survey, if your style changes or you want to mix things up. Another cool feature is that the app is not just for clothes, but accessories, makeup, activewear, electronics, shoes and skincare. As soon as the keyboard is installed, all of your stores are shown at the top and you simply click on what you are interested in. It tells you what items are on sale, which items are popular and it even gives suggestions as to what you might like. When you find something you like, you can buy it right on the app. No need to change screens or transfer to another app. The app works with all different types of messaging programs like iMessage, Facebook, WhatsApp, Kik, Viber and Tango. Many of the reviews on Apple’s App store show great feedback! One user wrote that “the orders and everything are so easy and the customer service is amazing, they are super nice and can tell you anything you want to know!” For all of my go to online shoppers, this app will make online shopping more efficient than it already is!

Step One Choose your favorite stores.

Step Two Choose what products you are interested in.

By Jordan Barber ‘18

Step Three

Step Four

Invite your friends to shop with you.

Start shopping!

Vegans and Vegetarians: Make Every Bite Count By BRYCE DERSHEM ‘21 Staff Reporter

elf proclaimed herbivores are emerging from the fold of modern society with an astoundingly truthful authenticity. Vegans, individuals who refuse to consume any animal products, and vegetarians, persons who abstain from eating meat, are making an impact in an unprecedented way; these bonafide heroes are saving today’s diminishing animal population. The reasons many decide to become vegan or vegetarian include, but are not limited to, personal views, idols, health benefits, and costs. Victoria Lapinson, a vegetarian for nearly a year, said she became one in order to replicate her idol, George Harrison’s, “Humble opinion of nature and life’s fragile balance.” Arianna Reischer, a non-meat eater and vegan for over three years said, “I decided to become vegan to defend animal rights and to do my part to be more environmentally friendly.” Regardless of the reason, becoming a vegan or vegetarian will result in countless benefits both for the person and for the animals that won’t die to satisfy their appetite. Victoria Lapinson, when asked

about the benefits of vegetarianism, proclaimed she had, “More energy, clearer skin, a better connection to nature, and a sense of accomplishment in helping the planet.” However, there exists potential challenges for people committed to this lifestyle. Insensitive and intrusive comments are everyday occurrences for avid non meat eaters, especially when in the company of new acquaintances. Also, at dif-

Artwork By Lisa Traczyk ’19

ferent events it can prove nearly impossible to find adequate food and nutrition that fit the specific dietary requirements of veganism and vegetarianism. On another note, most vegetarians and vegans will swear the benefits outweigh the drawbacks tenfold, but when asked about school policy handling dietary needs, many paint a different picture.

According to The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog, approximately 5% of high school youth are vegetarian, which in reference to Eastern roughly translates to more than 100 students. After advancing through the regional schooling system, many vegetarians and vegans commented on the need for distinct vegetarian options to satisfy this large portion of the school’s population. They described pizza, while tasty, as not a colorful nor healthy alternative as the only option of lunch every day of the week. Although, people were quick to assure that this lifestyle held near no major drawbacks. Lydia Tate, a vegetarian for two years, said, “I think being vegetarian has affected my lifestyle because I feel better about myself when I know what I’m eating isn’t the effect of inhumane treatment.” She also went on further to describe that no matter the minor hardships on her, they compare nothing to the tortures certain animals would have felt if she wasn’t a vegetarian. Being a vegetarian or vegan takes a brick out of the slaughterhouse wall, weakening an industry that harms the peaceful coexistence of life. It makes a difference, an impact, and it changes the world.

Features

November 2017

The Voyager 7

As the box office numbers drop, does Hollywood have room left for originality? BY MATTHEW MORANTE ‘18 Voyager Staff

ollywood has long been the birthplace of creativity. From classics such as Citizen Kane and Casablanca to modern marvels like Titanic and Avatar, some of the pinnacles of entertainment have come from the Golden State. However, in recent years the movie industry has come into a quite perplexing dilemma. Originality has seemed to have gone out the window of late in lieu of sequels and remakes. With the recent release of the remake of Stephen King’s It and the sequel to Blade Runner, it has come to the attention of many that directors in Hollywood are being lazy and making movies to cash in on popular old ideas. Star Wars is one of the largest offenders of this modern cliche. The original Star Wars movies were some of the most popular movies of the 70’s and 80’s, and with the release of the sequel trilogy and character exclusive movies, their popularity has come back to the forefront. Star Wars: The Force Awakens cashed in big on nostalgia and made $2,068,223,624 at the worldwide box office. This brings up the invaluable question: Is there even a point in being original if the biggest money maker in the movie business is not? Hollywood was founded in 1919 as a home for original movies and creative ideas, but this has changed lately. According to the box office earnings of recent years, movies that are part of a franchise or remakes of popular movies from an era past tend to earn more money. While James Cameron’s Titanic and Avatar were hugely successful despite being ideas separate from franchises. However, they are an exception to the epidemic that currently plagues the movie industry. Senior Hayley Bricker, believes that Hollywood chooses to make

less original movies because “It is easier to make less original movies than making a new concept. It might not take more money though. Big budget movies tend to be part of a franchise.” In recent years, the box office has actually lost money. This year’s summer box office earnings were down percent 10 from 2016, a telling sign that sticking that what “works” does not help the box office. Furthermore, reviving old movies is not always a critical success either. While movies like Creed, a spinoff of the Rocky franchise, did phenomenal with critics, (a ninety five percent score on Rotten Tomatoes), this is not always the case. The

recent remake of Murder on the Orient Express, in contrast to the original, did not succeed with the critics, as it received a fifty eight percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. So is there a point in making original ideas for the mass market? Mr. Holmes, who teaches the TV Media class at Eastern, believes there is. “ You always run the risk of people getting sick of old ideas,” Holmes says. Even so, Hollywood, which seems to be a strictly corporate system, does not care for the market or the viewers and will not follow this philosophy. Hollywood refuses to acknowledge it's problem, regardless of how the movie does with the

Artwork by Denise Dacanay ‘19

critics. Even though the box office has been going down in recent years, it is a fluctuating market. As long as a decent percentage of movies turn profit, Hollywood benefits. How can Hollywood solve it's problem? Holmes states that “ It will take people looking into social media to look at markets to get new ideas. However, you will always run into the business aspect.” While there may not be a way to completely remedy the issue of originality in Hollywood, this step may help to create a market for more original ideas and less repetition in the years to come.

Cultural appropriation: a step in the wrong direction By SRISHTI RAMESH ‘19 Managing Editor

n an increasingly integrated society, the United States is becoming more diverse than ever, with a plethora of ethnicities, cultures, and languages blending into the melting pot on which this country prides itself. However, with this mixing comes its own challenges. Many in the USA do not want to move towards globalization, and others do so in the wrong ways. According to World History teacher, Mr. Trinkner, the concept of cultural appropriation has existed since early civilization began. Different cultures consistently borrowed from each other in order to improve and develop. Even the system of numerals commonly used around the world is an example of appropriation. In some ways, this process is essential and helped create culture as we know it today. Yet, if conversing with those involved in social justice,

cultural appropriation has a largely negative connotation. Sociology teacher, Ms. Porrini stated that cultural appropriation in the modern day is largely defined as using cultural symbols (such as the Hindu “om” or the Yin Yang) as a fashion statement, usually without understanding the significance behind it. Many do not give this much thought, but, when these symbols are used without reason, it can feel demeaning to people who belong to those cultures. Cultures in America are nearly always diluted or blended together, so it is often difficult to determine what constitutes as cultural appropriation. Additionally, the topic is very subjective, as the harmfulness or offensiveness of such an act depends on an individual’s perspective. Still, it is important for the general public to be aware.

“I see a step in the wrong direction,” said Mr. Trinker. Especially with the current political situation, division between cultures

is occurring, rather than accepting culture and respecting it. While it may not be possible to limit appropriation, it is possible to learn from it. The belief of some is that, as long as people are aware of the

However, as a sensitive topic, the opinions will always vary. One must consider all of the different points of view in order to be as accepting of this new integrated society as possible.

meaning of the cultural symbols they are using and are appreciating instead of mocking the culture, Cultural appropriation is not very much of an issue.

Art by Eddie Wu ‘21

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8 The Voyager

Cartoons

November 2017

Cartoon by Hayley Beluch ‘18

Cartoon by Lisa Traczyk ‘19

Cartoon by Sakshi Sehrawat ‘18 Everything is better with pumpkin spice! Coffee, tea, muffins, cookies, candy, cake, bagels, applesauce, orange juice, lipstick, suntan lotion, motor oil, paint . . . Cartoon by Jared Wilson ‘19

Commentary

November 2017

The Voyager 9

Stricter laws needed for sexual assualt BY LAYLA TURNER ‘18 Staff Reporter

e n d with the abusers behind bars. Although Weinstein is being investigated and banned from major filming companies, he is still out there- as are hundreds of other people accused of sexual harassment. I think I speak for many when I say that there needs to be stricter laws on sexual assault. It's cases like these that increase the rates of suicide for victims. The #MeToo

Kneeling is easy, but standing is difficult BY JESSICA BONAMASSA ‘19 News Editor

The Stars and Stripes: the most beautiful sight. Symbolic of our freedom, our wildly successful military, our growth as a nation, and our strong culture. Most of all, our flag is a symbol of American pride. Regardless of political beliefs, the one uniting factor amongst all people is their common love for our country. Since the election of Donald Trump, many left-leaning Americans have lost that pride. “Our country sucks” is a disturbingly common phrase flowing throughout Easter and many other schools. Just last year 1.38 million foreigners immigrated to the United States seeking political or religious freedom, or just to start a better life. Immigrants don’t pour in by the millions because America is so terrible. At this point, hating our country unfortunately has become a trend, predominantly among young people who have no real life experience, a biased and unfactual political undersranding, and are unaware of international affairs. How many of those people who so strongly despise America have actually traveled to countries like Pakistan, Syria, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, or communist North Korea? How many have stood by and fought with their brothers and sisters and watched them get shot down? Of those people who hate our country, how many have been handed a folded American flag? But when ignorant and uneducated people see NFL players kneeing for the national anthem, it becomes a trend. You start to see kids sitting during the Pledge of Allegiance at school. Among dozens of other students, a girl in my class refused to stand for the Pledge in class because she “don’t stand for no flag.” Just because kneeling for the anthem is a First Amendment right, that doesn’t justify that the platform on which players are protesting, and it doesn’t make it respectful.Our flag is not something not to be disrespected in any form of protest. Our country should not be degraded and discredited, especially not by those who receive an education, use public transportation, practice religion freely, use any public entities for that matter, and especially not by anyone who’s receiving any form of government assistance. It’s always easy to kneel or sit in defiance, but I will always stand up for my beliefs. I will always salute the flag, and I will always stand for our anthem. Stars and stripes flaps in a strong I will always continue to thank our veterans who granted entrance us our freedom, and I will always be proud to be an Ameri- breeze outside the main Photo by staff reporter can.

Artwork by Sakshi Sehrawat ‘18

The last month has been chaotic for Hollywood. The recent sexual harassment accusations about infamous movie producer Harvey Weinstein has caused quite a stir in the acting community. As of now, the award-winning producer has 89 allegations against him, many made by major actresses such as Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Cara Delevingne. Like many, my initial reaction was outrage. How could someone be so sick that they use their power for awful activity? It just shows how corrupt people can be. The fact that this man has attempted to manipulate so many just because he is influential and famous is not only disgusting, but disappointing. Weinstein has directed many popular movies, such as Scream 4, Silver Linings Playbook, Southpaw, and Spy Kids: All the Time in The World. He has made a name for himself in Hollywood and has become so big that he has a company named after him: The Weinstein Company. As of lately, Weinstein has been fired from said company, suspended from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and banned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. His wife of nearly 10 years, Georgina Chapman, is also leaving him.

The LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) has opened criminal investigations for alleged rape charges against Weinstein. Additionally, the NYPD and London police are investigating further into the sexual assault allegations. The recent Harvey Weinstein allegations have inspired women around the world to create the #MeToo movement, where women are encouraged to report any sexual harassment that they have experienced and listen to each other’s stories on social media. While I support the spread of girl love and support, I don't think a hashtag is enough. There are so many things that are wrong with the world right now, and sexual harassment is one of them. Numerous stories have surfaced - the Olympic gymnastics doctor molesting the gymnasts, the Stanford rape case of Brock Turner, and of course the Weinstein cases. To me, the fact that this keeps occurring means that there isn't enough being done. According to a study done by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), 994 out of every 1000 rape perpetrators walk free. While many situations reported, the ones that are reported rarely

campaign is spreading love right now, but a hashtag will only last so long before a campaign is out there. We need something better. We need something that guarantees safety. We need something permanent.

A brief guide to the college app process By SAM GORDON-PECELLI ‘18 Special to the Voyager Are you pulling out hair, arguing with parents, and wholly overwhelmed? If so, there is no need to fear; you are one of the millions of high school seniors going through the daunting college application process. But there is nothing to fear! The first step is a mere “personal statement.” You can write about yourself, choosing from seven different topics. That sounds easy enough. All one must do is pick one important experience or story to share from a bank of seventeen years of meaningful relationships, deep passions, and life-changing experiences. It doesn’t help that the essay must be condensed into 650 words. If you’re at a loss, find an English teacher you respect. They will surely help you. However, don’t even get me started on the 100 and 250 word supplemental essays. Many students have to write over twenty. Great! I’ve gotten through the essays and given them my all. I’ve checked them over a dozen times and perfected them. Is that all? Nope. You are far from finished. Good luck filling out the Common Application’s activities section. You can only insert your top ten. It is like the common app doesn’t want you to get involved. That’s quite a contradiction. This actually isn’t terrible. You don’t have to talk about your second grade piano recital. Ten activities is a good amount, but good luck explaining them. You get 150 characters, yes characters, to explain how meaningful the debate team was to your intellectual growth and public speaking ability or how being the star player on the baseball team helped you grow as a person and learn humility. 150 characters is essentially a sentence and a half. You also get dinged for punctuation and spacing. Don’t blame the readers, though. You need to get to the point quickly! How would you feel if you had thousands of detailed applications to read each day? Show some sympathy. Wait, there is an interview? Yup! If you get nervous speaking, then good luck. This high-stakes interview is one of your only chances to really show your character to a college, so you better prepare and put your best foot forward. But school is starting, and I’ll have homework! When will all of this get done? Good question; I wish I had an equally good answer. Everyone goes through this same process, so while you may be stressed, just know that you’re not the only one! Applying to college is one of the most exciting times for a teenager, but wow, they really couldn’t make it any easier? Nope. That November 1st deadline isn’t getting any further away. On your mark, get set, go!

10 November 2017

What was Eastern thankf

ey always th y e s u m a c , e b n ts o n e S d “My stu r my o f l u f k n a impress me.” d to n s y a a , w s w e d n d n n “I am Th e fi to y Fri m , g o d y e m becaus - Mr. Mercurio , Family, h t i w k r I wo ess, n i p p a the People H h t me wi e d i v o “I am thankful for terrific r p s Miller they s i M ! t r o p Sup friends and family. I am ng in i LOVE, and k r o w r o ful f so blessed to have ful r e d n I am thank o w h c u s with wonderful people in rat s i n i a district m d a , s r e teach ing my life, especially my nieces m o c y students, o j n e rents. I a p d n and nephews!” a ning , r s a e l tor d n a y a d very – Ms. Lattimer to work e ” . new something ler – Mrs. Stel

manage

what “I am thankful for the one doctor who listened to ed in I had to say and saved my life. If he had follow had the footsteps of what the three doctors before him of claimed, I would have died in India with no chance but he survival. Listening to a child’s voice is hard, even showed me the lesson of patience, and how it can save a person’s life.” - Ronak Thakur

“I am thankful for my twin Renali. Renali and I are very close friends and we always hangout when we are bored. Having a twin is fun because you always have someone to hangout with. Even though we fight a lot, it is out weighed by the fun times and laughs with share. It’s almost like there’s another one of me. She’s also someone I can always talk to and trust.” - Serena Patel

I am fortunate enough to have the most loving, supportive, family on the entire planet, I believe. not be the pe have helped I am proud to am beyond th pist, I am not up with me twice

The Voyager 11

ful for this Thanksgiving?

for my family. For a majority of my life I was an only child and I “Fa “I am thankful I have four sisters now and I am thankful that I can mil hated beingsharealone. my life with them, and see them grow and blossom as y” - Br strong independent women with passionate hearts yce reaching their dream in the stars. I am Der thankful for being alive still. When I was she younger I was in and out of hospitals bem my past. I was constantly sick underweight cause of

or overweight. When I got older I was bullied and beaten up by my classmates for a year. It had gotten so bad that one kid tried to choke me. I am thankful I am still here and alive even from that experience. I am thankful for the mother I have now. She helped raise me and provide opportunities for me, even when she was at her lowest. I am thankful for my father for putting my life before his. He went to the ends of the earth to find me when I was stolen, when he almost lost hope he tattooed my name on his arm as a reminder I will return home one day. He never lost hope that I will be with him again, and I’m thankful he didn’t give up on finding me. I am thankful for the art teacher who helped me find myself through my art, and use it to change how others view the world.” – Anonymous

“I am thankful for the everyday happiness and joy that my friends and family give me. Without them I would not be the person I am today. Also special shoutout to my amazing mother because I could not thank her enough for all that she does for me.” -Hailey Miller

“I am thankful for my amazing family and friends. I am thankful for for my amazing relationship with my brother who I can rely on and talk to whenever I need some words of wisdom. I am thankful for all the resources I have to be learn about the world and my teachers in all aspects of life. – Emma Gubman

. Without them I would erson I am today, they shaped me into a person o be. Additionally, I hankful for my therat sure how she puts e a week.” -Kealy Huder

“I am thankful for my thoughtful friends and family (for always making me feel special and loved), all the freedoms the United States gives, and my education (for making me the person I am today).” - Julia Lenhart

Artwork by Hayley Beluch ‘18 and Lisa Traczyk ‘19

Opinion

12 The Voyager

November 2017

The importance of journalism and freedom of speech in America

n the era of a president that expresses great disdain over the media and politics, journalism can seem as though it is on its last leg. In response to the growing unrest surrounding journalism and media in general, it is important to reassess journalism’s position in society. Without journalism, the people would have no voice, no opinion, no truth. As one student said, “The job of a journalist - an integral one - is to search for truth in an untruthful world. Especially now, journalists need to step up to the plate and act vigilantly in dispelling all of the fake news that is floating around to keep people informed.” Journalism sheds light on ideas that would otherwise be pushed to the side, simply left in the dark. It keeps the public rightfully informed. Holding people accountable for their actions is essential for an ethical government - journalism does just that. Journalism also makes way for human interaction - it creates a forum for discussion and legitimizes important topics. Historically, the United States has revoked the right of free speech in the interest of national security. Under the Sedition Act passed by a Federalist majority Congress in 1798 and signed into law by President John Adams, free speech was curbed in light of the impending French threat. Under the act, those who “write, print, utter, or publish...any false, scandalous and malicious writing” could be imprisoned. However, the media has been under attack recently, especially by current President Trump. He refers to most media as “fake news” because many sources choose to paint him in a bad light and expose his faults. However, that is what news is supposed to do, and without the news uncovering the truth, the high and mighty can get

whatever they want. With the news receiving criticism from such a high power, it spreads to the masses and inspires distrust between the news and the people. Newspapers, specifically school newspapers, allow for the next generation of working Americans to learn the importance of media and the role it has in the lives of community members. The Voyager, as well as other papers, is used to spread information, current events and student issues throughout the school. The Voyager serves as a voice for the students at Eastern to express their opinions and discuss school related topics and issues. Through discussions of pressing topics, concerns, and praise about the school and what is happening in our community, it brings the school together, with many voices compiled into one source. The newspaper tells the stories that need to be told. For students taking journalism in high school, they can learn how to take the information that is happening in the real world and present it in a way that informs people, teaches people, or could possibly change their minds about a topic. Not only is journalism a great way to boost writing skills, it also allows you to learn about the things happening around you. Journalism makes you think and interpret, rather than just receive information. It gives young students, who are extremely important to society, a voice in school and in the world. Now, more than ever, in an age where the media is “rigging” everything and is constantly made to look like the enemy, understanding the importance of journalism is extremely important. Contrary to the president’s belief, truthful reporting is not “sad!”. It’s right. It’s moral. And the free world would not be free without it.

Cartoon by Hayley Beluch ‘18

Social media as a weapon and a weakness in Trump’s America

HANA HANCOCK ‘18 Opinion Editor

n this day and age, it’s so terribly easy to get enveloped by what we think is the reassuring blanket of social media. Gradually, it has descended upon all of us, but in the Trump administration, social media has taken a turn for the worst as we witness its ubiquitous power. Partisanship is a prominent theme in America today. We didn’t heed the words of George Washington and the rope that connected all of us, Republican or Democrat, began to fray, tear, and eventually, rip. We made it easy for Russian troll farms to create divisive political Facebook ads under fake activist groups. America has all the tools it needs to destroy itself. All the Russians had to do was ignite the spark that made us vitriolic towards each other and watch the flames as we burned. Race always has been one of the most divisive topics in this country. It’s a point that hits too close to home for every person of color; mention it and naturally you’ll receive a wide range of responses and some nasty clashes. Russia was aware of this, so when they created groups on Facebook with ads that had taglines like “Join us because we care. Black matters!”, they knew what kind of response would be elicited from both sides of the spectrum. Russia was happy with the results; after all, it is what they wanted. It wasn’t just race that the Russians targeted in their ads—the Second Amendment, Satan vs. Jesus (Hillary was, of course, Satan to create even more controversy), and Muslims were all part of fake Russian ads, and the divide of partisanship deepened further. Trump’s main media presence, however, is not

Eastern Regional High School 1401 Laurel Oak Road Voorhees, NJ 08043 856-784-4441 www.voyager-online.org

on Facebook— it’s Twitter. Trump plays at a different type of politics where his presence is supposed to be felt through 280 characters or less. It’s an impossible task and a pesky one at that. So what happens when Trump’s Twitter account is removed for eleven minutes by a low-level employee on his last day of work? The question I think we should be asking ourselves is what happens when you take away a child’s toy? What does this say about us as a society, wherein we can see an ad on Facebook and become heated and enraged at the ad itself and its response, and the whole time believing it? What does it say about our President and his habits when his Twitter account gets taken down for eleven measly minutes and it makes national news? They are questions we hadn’t considered until Trump came into office. Gone are the days of resolution of conflict through physical wars and combat. A new age has been ushered in—that of cyberwarfare. It’s far more risky because we’re breaching new territory where the rules aren’t followed, much less in existence. Human emotions and civilians as a whole are now at the mercy of their computer screens, phones, iPads, and whoever is behind them. So yes, technology is great, but we need to take caution against it all, along with social media, because you never know if you’re today’s target.

Voyager wins Overall Excellence

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 and Layla Turner: Assistant Entertainment Editors Anthony Cutrera, Eric Horn: Sports Editors Lisa Traczyk: Art Editor Kierstin Clem: Photography Editor Nancy Bowne: Copy Editor Staff Reporters

Haley Allesbrook, Hayley Bricker, Paul Brown, Olivia Covington, Cameron Davis, Bryce Dersham, 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

Editors Alex Mackle, Hayley Beluch, and Julia Dodd pose with the award at the Garden State Scholastic Press Asscoiation conference at Rutgers University.

Opinion

November 2017

The Voyager 13

Pope Francis instills hope

C Phil Murphy’s election was a backlash against Christie and Trump

’s no secret that New Jersey is a blue state, but did voter appeal towards the donkey incite a political stiff-arm against Republicans advancements? In a recent study by Fox News a shocking 74% of Hispanic Voters in New Jersey voted for Democratic Candidate Phil Murphy while a mere 24% voted for the opposing Republican Candidate Kim Guadagno. These numbers also come with strong support from African American voters who supported the Democrats. In this election, many voters in New Jersey had unfavorable opinions of both Murphy and Guadagno, as well as Bob Menendez, Donald Trump and Chris Christie. Current governor Chris Christie was shown to have a much higher unfavorable base than either of the candidates to replace him. In a New Jersey poll 75% of voters said that they had strong unfavorable opinions of Chris Christie and Kim Guadagno’s ties to him. 42% of voters said they felt Chris Christie majorly impacted their vote, while another 34% said that President of the United

States Donald J. Trump had an impact on their vote. The question that is brought up by these statistics is whether or not Donald Trump and prominent Republicans were the cause of Phil Murphy’s success. Was his success mere backlash against the Republican Party? All campaign long, Kim Guadagno heard it: Chris Christie and his record-low poll numbers dragged her down. She has been his lieutenant governor for eight years, and her association with the incumbent governor was poison. Voters told pollsters they thought less of Guadagno because of Christie. So did voters leaving the voting booths on Tuesday. “Phil Murphy turned Chris Christie into a preﬁx to put in front Guadagno and beat her with it,” said Matthew Hale, professor of political science at Seton Hall University. “This election wasn’t about policy. It was about a person, namely Chris Christie and how much he and by extension Kim Guadagno are disliked in the state.” “She has always had trouble escaping Christie’s shadow -

both when he has been at his best and his worst - and despite her distancing during the campaign, she was still unable to undo the damage she has incurred by being his second in command,” added Ashley Konig, director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling. On top of Chris Christie, let’s all remember that New Jersey didn’t like Donald Trump last year. And this election was the ﬁrst time Democrats who have grown to loathe the president even more had a chance to go to the ballots. They did it in Virginia and they did it in New Jersey. While exit polls show voters disliked Christie more, Trump’s ratings are in very low. And it didn’t matter that Guadagno wasn’t much liked by Trump, who spent much of August at his golf club in Bedminster but never even mentioned her name during the campaign. The fact that Republicans knew they were going to lose based on statistics and polls doesn’t stop the party from feeling like drinking vinegar. By JACOB GOLDSTEIN ‘20

Phys. Ed should include self-defense

’ve been talking to my dad about this for a while, high schoolers are growing up, going to college and will

be on our own within the next ten years. If ﬁrst aid is part of our gym course, I believe selfdefense should also be apart of

gym class. It’s a skill that will be beneﬁcial for a lifetime. By ALLIE WICHROWSKI ‘19

By Ryan Ems ‘19 Voyager Staff Reporter

atholics make up one half of the two billion Christians in the world. The Catholic Church traces its origins back to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and dates back almost 2,000 years, which makes it the oldest institution in the western world. The Catholic Church is supposed to help other Catholics worship together, as well as organize events in the community that benefit the needy. But the poor leadership and despicable behavior from some leaders in the Catholic Church have hindered the Church’s effectiveness in these areas. It is outrageous that a few top Catholic officials are giving the other billion Catholics a lousy name. The vast majority of Catholics are good, faithful people, but when the people at the top of the Church are rotten, then that reflects on the whole Church. Many problems have plagued the Catholic Church: child molestation, money laundering, domestic abuse, and greed. The Church’s treatment of gay individuals have left many feeling alienated. The more people the Catholic Church turns away, the less opportunity all Christians have to positively impact the world. On March 13, 2013, at the age of 76, Pope Francis was named the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. One of Pope Francis’s first acts was to dismiss Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, also known as the “Bishop of Bling.” In 2013, Bishop Elst spent a whopping $43 million renovating his home in Rome, and consequently, was removed from his post in Limburg, Germany. With millions of people starving in the world, it was misguided for Elst to spend the Church’s money lavishly. The actions of Elst reflect horribly on the Catholic Church. People wonder, “How can someone claiming to be self righteous and holy act so selfishly?” They have every right to criticize Elst, but it’s unfortunate that his selfishness gives the Church a negative stigma. To try and fix the Church’s problems, Pope Francis is setting a new tone in the Church, that of benevolence, compassion, and humility. Pope Francis chooses to ride in his Ford Focus, rather than a fancy Mercedes. It’s a bad look for Church officials to ride around in luxury, when they are supposed to teach about humility and altruism. To show further modesty, he sleeps in the guest house at the Vatican. The Pope also sold his personal Harley Davidson to raise funds for a new soup kitchen in Rome. Pope Francis is not afraid to tackle controversial issues in the Church and in the world, such as climate change and gay rights. 99% of scientists believe that humans are affecting the climate, but there are still many people, including Catholics, that do not believe what science has clearly proven. It is ignorant for Catholics to say that God is going to fix our global warming crisis, and just ignore the problem. Pope Francis denounced climate skeptics and said humans have a moral responsibility to take care of the planet. “The climate is a common good,” he said, ‘belonging to all and meant for all.” Historically, the Catholic Church has denounced and alienated gays and lesbians, but I strongly disagree. Just because they are different doesn’t give the Church the right to discriminate against them. Jesus never discriminated against anyone, and that should be a lesson for all. As the Pope said, “If someone is gay and searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?”

It’s 1841 in America, at least for many people of color By OLIVIA COVINGTON ‘19 Staff Reporter

et’s get straight to the point— it’s a scary time in the United States. First, let’s discuss Charlottesville. It began on August 11th, a quiet Friday night. In the minds of the gathered white supremacists and nationalists, it would become everything but. It transformed into a night ﬁlled with hostility, bigotry and ignorance. Protesters paraded the streets with lit torches, matching the burning hatred inside them. Phrases like “F--- you, n-----!,” “Jews will not replace us!,” and “White lives matter!” were shouted into the quiet, eerie night. Counter-protesters joined the scene, causing chaos. Push came to shove, literally, and it soon became physical between the two sides. It took several minutes for law enforcement to intervene. This was only the ﬁrst night.

The next day, Emancipation Park would be the new location for mayhem to unfold. This time, neo-Nazis, militias, and the KKK showed up with heavy duty shields, automatic riﬂes and pistols. Sporadic violence continued throughout the day and ended with a 32-year-old woman, Heather Heyer, killed when a neo-Nazidriven car plowed into her and a crowd of peaceful protesters. Despite all of this, our well-respected President Trump so eloquently orates, “...you know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also.” The aftermath sparked controversy all over the country. The Charlottesville incident became just one of the many focal points regarding racial disarray within America. Ask yourself this Trump supporters, do you support Nazis and the KKK? Do you support the hatred, bias, and inequality of another human being based solely on their skin color? You may not directly support these opinions, but by supporting Trump, you’re doing it indirectly.

Trump did not and still has not verbally condemned the actions of the hate groups in Charlottesville, but had much to say on a man protesting his rights. As you know, Colin Kaepernick, previously a well-respected Quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and now a free agent, took a knee during the National Anthem to protest the oppression of people of color in America today. For clarification, Kaepernick is not kneeling in opposition to the U.S. military and law enforcement, which was a misconception in the early stages of Kaepernick’s protest. This resulted in tremendous backlash from the football community as well as those outside of the NFL realm such as Donald Trump, who uttered controversial statements that seemed to divide the country more than anything else. “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a ***** off the field right now, out, he’s fired. He’s fired,’ ” he said.

He followed up with this tweet the next morning: “If a player wants the privilege of making millions of dollars in the NFL, or other leagues, he or she should not be allowed to disrespect...our Great American Flag (or Country) and should stand for the National Anthem. If not, YOU’RE FIRED. Find something else to do!” In essence, Mr. Trump is attempting to deny Kaepernick’s freedom of speech, which is his ﬁrst amendment right (Trump knows plenty about that, but we won’t get into it). Kaepernick and the tragedy of Charlottesville are only a fraction of the racial issues existing in America, which President Trump never seems to properly address. If he wanted change, he would speak on the wrongdoings of neo-Nazis or police brutality and oppression against minorities who don’t resist arrest. Well, why would he? He liked how America was in 1841 - in Alabama. He wants to “Make America Great Again”. It’s just another day in AmeriKKKa.

Entertainment

14 The Voyager

“Thor: Ragnarok” smashes the box office, earning $650.1 million in less than two weeks

Don’t miss the good ABC show,“The Good Doctor” By GABRIELLE GILHAM ‘18 Staff Reporter

new medical drama called The Good Doctor aired on ABC on September 25, 2017. The series follows Surgeon Shaun Murphy and the various patients he encounters at St. Bonaventure Hospital in San Jose, California. Shaun is an autistic surgeon who has Savant syndrome—a medical condition that consists of a person excelling in an ability beyond normally possible—in this case to recall medical topics by envisioning anatomical diagrams. The season begins with Shaun Murphy saving a life of a little boy who had glass shattered on top of him at an airport. It is clear from the start that the producers incorporated traits and provide occasional flashbacks to Shaun’s childhood that define Shaun as different. The show sheds insight on the life of a high functioning autistic doctor and teaches the viewers what the condition entails. It also portrays the obstacles that a disability may play in a demanding career such as medicine in regards to getting individuals to look past their condition and take them

November 2017

By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 Editor-in-Chief

seriously. The Good Doctor was created by David Shore, a Canadian writer who developed the TV shows House and Battle Creek. Another known figure, Freddie Highmore, from the TV series Bates Motel where he played the lead character Norman Bates, switches things up in his role as main character Shaun Murphy. With a total of 13 episodes in season 1 on ABC the show is already getting an abundance of viewers making the freshman medical drama the mostwatched program of the night reaching 18.2 million viewers, Laura Bradley from Vanity Fair wrote. Although the show is enjoyable to watch, it could be refined in future seasons. Improvements could be made by adding color and development of relationships in regards to the show’s supporting characters, “It needs to be more than a medical drama with a gimmick. It needs more from its supporting characters and stories,” USA Today’s Kelly Lawler wrote. Despite receiving a 44% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, the audience score was significantly higher at 88%. With a mix of good and bad reviews, the overall quality and plot line of the story is intriguing and unique.

n November 3, Fandango’s most anticipated fall movie was released, to the delight of Marvel fans worldwide. Earning $650.1 million in the first ten days after its release, Thor: Ragnarok has entered the running for one of the largest Marvel Cinematic Universe film openings. The movie follows Thor and Loki after their father’s death. Oden’s passing triggers the return of Hela, his ambitiously destructive first-born. Thor, in his attempt to subvert Hela’s forced reign over Asgard, falls to Sakaar, a planet on which he is forced to fight for entertainment. He eventually teams up with Hulk to return to Asgard in the attempt to save his people. The intricate plot speaks to the meticulous care with which movies are introduced into the MCU. The writers creatively tie the plot to the chronology Artwork by Jordan Barber ‘18 of its related movies through overt symbolism (like the destruction of Mjolnir witty theatrical renditions of Loki’s presumed and the gouging of Thor’s eye), the few instances death and flashbacks of Hulk and Sokovia. of seriousness that broke the natural humor of The inclusion of Doctor Strange, although only the movie were warranted. They created the a few minutes of the movie, provides a humorous atmosphere necessary to convey the importance of segment that relaxes the tone of the MCU (and opposing Hela while still following the humorous quite possibly contributes heavily to the movie’s tone presented in other scenes. humor). The most notable character in the movie was Critics have commented that Thor: Ragnarok, Valkyrie, a warrior who abandoned Asgard with its repartee, has entered a more relaxed after previously fighting Hela. Played by era of the MCU, more similar to Guardians of Tessa Thompson, Valkyrie defies all authority the Galaxy than any other. Such dedication to (especially Chris Hemsworth’s Thor), showcasing humor over seriousness allows for a more diverse her rejection of social conventions. Even more reception by audiences. so, Valkyrie is notable for her (albeit subtle) The natural rhythm of the movie directly results bisexuality - a characterization true to the comics. from Taika Waititi’s directing style. About 80% of Her carefree, yet tormented, character provides the movie was unscripted. Waititi gave the actors a refreshing female breakout star that has led freedom to converse and joke in a way that suited Marvel fans to call for female-dominated movies. the scenes. Such creative autonomy allowed for Thor: Ragnarok specifically addresses the a more engaging dialogue, as well as quite a few seriousness of violent ambition in a circuitous, improvised jokes and reactions. humorous way that directly correlates with its Although the movie did rely quite heavily on success.

“Marshall” review: Get ready to fight for your freedom Chawick Boseman plays Thurgood Marshall. He is known for playing historic black figures like Jackie Robinson in 42 and James Brown in Get on Up. By CRYSTAL OSUJI ‘18 Entertainment Editor

“I

f you want your freedom, you’re going to have to fight for it.” Marshall, directed by Reginald Hudlin, is about the first African American Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall. To be more exact, the movie highlights a young Thurgood Marshall working as a NAACP lawyer. While Thurgood Marshall was solving cases like Brown v. Board of Education, he was one of the defensive lawyers for the NAACP. He would travel state to state to help wrongly convicted black people in court. One specific case that shifted his career tremendously was the case of a black man accused of taping an attempted murder of a white women. For this specific case, Marshall pairs up

with civil attorney Samuel Friedman. Marshall traveled to Connecticut to defend Joseph Spell, who is played by Sterling K. Brown, a black chauffeur who is accused of rape and attempted murder of his white female boss. The end doesn’t look right for Spell, however Friedman and Marshall were able to crack the case with the difficult information they were given. In the movie, you not only see how this case unveils, but you can also see just how good a lawyer Marshall is. Thurgood Marshall was played by Chadwick Boseman. Boseman is known for playing historic black figures like Jackie Robinson in 42 and James Brown in Get on Up. Samuel Friedman is played by Josh Gad who is best known for playing Olaf in Frozen. Marshall not only highlighted on the case that shaped their careers, but it also mentioned the social problems that were happening at this time period. When Marshall traveled to Connecticut, he was harassed by a white supremacist who threatened his life. Samuel Friedman, who was Jewish, also experienced some prejudices against him due to the case.

In one scene after leaving the gym, he was also attacked by a group of white supremacist just because he was defending a black man. After this case both lawyers ended up doing extraordinary things. Friedman started to become an activist for civil rights and work closely with the NAACP. Thurgood Marshall later solved the Supreme Court case brown versus Board of Education and became the first African-American Supreme Court Justice. Marshall, which was released October 13, reached its budget of three to four million dollars opening weekend and currently has a 7.1 rating out of 10 on IMDB. Thurgood Marshall was a huge milestone in the American Justice system and the biopic Marshall served him justice.

November 2017

Entertainment

The Voyager 15

Bullish on Books Stephen King gives a Swooning and other ailments at the library book sale By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 Editor-in-Chief

y mom sent me an email describing a used book sale at the Camden County Voorhees Library. The used book sale it described seeped its way into my schedule, and on the Thursday of the sale, I stepped through Eden in search of fruit. The sliding doors split their seam as I walked forward, and the tantalizing scent of yellowing pages engulfed me. I’ve never been so weak-kneed; it’s addicting to lose control. Hours at each table, I culled books whose jackets were more tender to me Photo by Kylie Easterday ‘18 than any I’ve worn. My arms ached but I felt no sensation other than the exhilaration that dried my throat. It only made me thirsty for more. I carried my first box of books to my 2005 Camry as if weightless. In my parents’ eyes, I probably should’ve started the car right then and there. But the only engine I started was the one coursing within me, urging me to go back in. So I did. I called my friend over to join me before I decided to leave. But Fate crocheted her course. As I waited for Bianca to withdraw cash, I found a secluded table clothed in the most sensual of fabrics: old, classic books. My breathing labored as I picked up with delicate fingers century old, original Stratford editions of Shakespeare. For what sane reason would anyone be so careless as to hide these marvels beyond all of the books for sale? I can conjure none, for I define it as I do sin. Gerald, the security guard of the event, recognized me as I approached him to pay with yet another box of books, this time in three trips. The woman to his side asked me if I was with the wedding planners who were buying the old editions for wedding centerpieces. Such words were epinephrine to my heart. What absurdity would convince me to estrange the children I’ve just adopted for use other than reading? Gerald smiled as if he understood my silence. He asked, “Have you seen the collections for sale?” Indeed I had, but I refused to look. I wouldn’t be able to afford the brand new editions. But my willpower was already fragmented, and his urging was the final strike of the chisel. I approached. I nearly swooned as I caught site of the Grolier Great World Classics 24 book set, and I was paralyzed when he sold them to me for a mere $15. Not even two minutes into my drive home, I pulled over. My hands shook reminiscent of a tick, and the incredulity that infused my veins veiled my sight. I certainly should not have been driving. When I returned home with my three boxes brimful with 58 books, my parents were not met with the same novelty as I was. “Where are you going to put these?” and “What a waste of your money!” could not pervade my exhilaration. My parents and siblings adhere to a scientific and mathematical lifestyle. I’m the odd one—an honorable divergence. The film on my fingers from century old books accompanying their distinctive musk was my contentment. The allergic rash that ensued after carrying these dusty editions did nothing to sway my adoration. My parents don’t understand the thrill I’ve experienced. These copies of Moby Dick, The Divine Comedy, and Crime and Punishment will one day fill the shelves of my private library (but for now occupy all floor space in my room). I am amassing what will one day be my own Library of Beluch. Needless to say, I returned two more times. One day, a woman like me may find my name on the inside of a used book at her library’s book sales. Even more exciting is the possibility that my work will one day be in somebody else’s library.

“Where are you going to put these?”

What’s on Your Nightstand?

On my nightstand, I’m really looking forward to reading Masha Gessen’s “The Future is History: How Totalitarianism reclaimed Russia. - Ms. Walker, Social Studies I am reading “Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders” by Vincent Bugliosi, who was the original prosecutor on the cases. Crime is topic that we cover in the sociology classes and the Manson Family and subsequent murders and other criminal activity is

rather fascinating. It is a little slow, as the author painstakingly goes into a tremendous amount of details. However, I am enjoying it and its a pretty good read. - Ms. Porrini, Social Studies I was reading William Prescott’s “Conquest of Mexico” but unfortunately I came home last week only to find it used as a chew toy by my dog Scout…. Up until then it was fantastic. - Mr. McSweeney, Social Studies

new meaning to the word misery By ALIYAH EL-MUHAMMAD ‘18 Staff Reporter

tephen King’s bestselling novel Misery tells the story of popular author Paul Sheldon who crashes his car and is taken in by the emotionally unstable Annie Wilkes. While held in captivity, Paul becomes addicted to the painkilling pill Novril. Based on personal experience of the perils of drug abuse, King details the life of Paul as he is trapped by not only by his nurse Annie but by his own pill addiction. Who else could write about feverish drug addiction and its effect on the creative process, other than King, who wrote Misery during his 1985 alcohol addiction? King’s battle between himself and drugs mirrors Paul’s struggle contributes to her obsessive behavior. between Annie and his own will to Annie’s heinous actions throughout the live. Annie, the twisted nurse, is the novel cause the reader to question if manifestation of how controlling a Annie had received the proper treatment drug addiction can be. King is able to before, would circumstances be as create a story stemming from real life extreme. King’s realistic depictions of his experiences, yet still push the reader into characters are what keep readers tangled a new world. in the story, rooting for Paul’s survival. While constructing Misery around the King also delivers believability in the abuse Paul suffers at the hands of Annie, interactions between Paul and Annie. King calls to question the notion of idols Although Annie is his captor, she and fans. He writes, “Like an idol, she becomes his sole caretaker, the only gave only one thing: a feeling of unease person he can depend on. They develop deepening steadily toward terror. Like an a mother and son relationship, with Paul idol, she took everything else.” being punished for disobeying Annie Annie is not only dangerous, but a direct in any way. Annie is the cause and the result of the obsessive culture between supplier of Paul’s addiction, which she fans and who they perceive as idols. uses to control him. King is able to create However extreme a representation Annie real characters that proves to be, she are symbols of the still is able to inhabit harsh realities that the reader’s mind some may struggle “There may be fairies, and make them just as uncomfortable there may be elves, but with. Even with King’s with fanatic fans as God helps those who ability to represent Paul. Her abuse and reality and keep his help themselves.” emotional turmoil writing relevant, relates to today. Misery falters in one According to the area. His ability to Stalking Resource hold attention through conflict waivers Center, in the year 2011 7.5 million people throughout the novel. One may find it were stalked, while 51% of females and hard to concentrate on the long-winded 44% of males reported being stalked in novel. their lifetime. These rates continue to Misery is filled with intensity, rise, especially for celebrities. Annie’s which makes it hard to keep the story obsessive behavior is not only chilling compelling. There are small lags in the but it represents the harsher reality of central conflict, causing the reader to rush a world where people can create false towards the climactic ending. With only connections with anyone they idolize. two main characters in the majority of King’s ability to write a timeless novel is the story, it is hard to remain completely what makes Misery so appealing. emerged in the plot. Paul Sheldon is authentic in his struggles Misery is an intense novel that seeks with addiction and experimenting with to keep the reader on their toes. King’s his writing. King even details Paul’s strength in character development allows injuries and sets a realistic time frame the reader to become invested in Paul, of healing. The description of Paul’s even with short lags in the story. Annie deformed legs and the makeshift splints is the nurse of nightmares, yet one cannot Annie creates for them are strikingly help wanting to learn more about her realistic. Paul’s thoughts move between past and how it contributes to her mental past and present as he contemplates his issues. will to live. He remembers the good Paul is the flawed hero who must and the bad, and like most people, these find the courage to overcome Annie, a memories give him strength when events symbol for addiction and loss of control. turn deadly. King encourages readers to work for King’s depiction of Annie is realistic themselves in order to escape the realities in her untreated mental disorder, which around them. affects her social relationships and

16 The Voyager

Entertainment

Does “Concrete and Gold” meet the Foo Fighters Platinum Standards? By VICTORIA LAPINSON ‘21 Staff Reporter

“R

evolving on and on, a world that never stops...” While these are only lines in the new album's title track, the Foo Fighters have made it evident that they are in fact the band that never stops. Released in September, Concrete and Gold joins the Foo Fighters’ vast library of rock driven records as the eleventh studio album. This is the first full length album since 2014’s Sonic Highways. The band was very excited for the release. In fact, they had a lot to say about it. "It happened at the perfect time. I was inspired by what was going on with our country – politically, personally, as a father, an American and a musician. There was a lot to write about," leader Dave Grohl said of the creative process in a Rolling Stone Interview. It is obvious that the band pulled from many areas of inspiration, as the songs move in all different directions, from the metal bordering track “Run,” to the softer alternative style seen in “Dirty Water.” In the production of the record, some fans grew worried: it was to be produced by a producer and co-writer of pop music - Greg Kurstin. Kurstin co-wrote Adele’s chart topping single, “Hello.” Despite the worry that the group would lose connection with their instrumental roots, the finished product displays the Foo Fighters signature rock structure.

t was fifty years ago today…. or at least, last June anyway. That’s when the Beatles released revolutionary album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The Fab Four had previously been known as the British kids with mop tops, swinging and swaying to sweet beats and “bopping” tempos inspired by teen heartthrob. The media was left completely shell-shocked when the quartet came out with the colorful, loud, and utterly powerful sound that was Sgt. Pepper. The record starts with a bang, that being the title track, which is a slap in the face full of electric guitar played by none other than guitarist George Harrison. The new, more heavy use of guitar was ushered into mainstream music by this album, and the likes of Cream and Jimi Hendrix. For the advancement in guitar alone, the album can be seen as a vital piece to changing music forever. The summer of 1967, also known as the Summer of Love, withheld a plethora of advancements in artist’s techniques and freedom in what was released and popularized. Songs such as “A Day in the Life” from the Sgt. Pepper album would

Spongebob gets promoted to Broadway By RYAN MARGOLIS '18 Staff Reporter

I The band has yet to let down the fanbase. Their commitment to impressing fans has solidified their longevity, with already more than twenty years together already under their belt. They’ve come a long way from their 1994 debut as a grunge band formulated by ex-Nirvana drummer Grohl. Not only have they made a name for themselves, but they’ve created their own unique sound. They have maintained a loyal fan base for over two decades. The upcoming year is an especially busy one for the band, with the release of their new album and the launch of a jam-packed tour. Local Fighter Fans can see the band on this tour when they come around to the BB&T Pavilion in Camden on July 7th of next summer. Exceeding standards in every way, Concrete and Gold is a perfect showcase of the Foo Fighters musical talent and is definitely a must-listen for any fan.

After 50 years, the legacy of “Sgt. Pepper” carries on

By VICTORIA LAPINSON '21 Staff Reporter

November 2017

appear as entirely foreign to anyone who would have heard it prior to the era. Additionally, with Sgt. Pepper there was a great increase the number of instruments used and an introduction to ethnic musical theory. Most popular music at the time was derived from a simple pop group containing a drummer, bassist, guitarist, and possibly a rhythm guitarist. This was the case of the Beatles until Sgt. Pepper, in which an entire orchestra can be heard in tracks such as “She’s Leaving Home”. One of George Harrison’s contributions to the groundbreaking record was the Indian influence. Harrison had grown quite fond of Eastern culture after a trip the Beatles made to India to meet the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. On this trip, Harrison would meet Ravi Shankar, a sitar player that ended up becoming a lifelong friend. The song “Within Without You” was a product of the partnership. Lyrically, the album is a defining moment in music: the Beatles could write anything about everything. On this album alone, there is a retro circus, a meter maid, and a psychedelic woman with diamond eyes, not to mention a song inspired entirely by reading the newspaper. These random concepts paved the way for a change in mainstream music to include new poetic or theatrical elements. The album’s iconic cover features the Beatles, wax figures of John, Paul, George, and Ringo, cutouts of James Dean, Edgar Allen Poe, and countless other faces in a platform so well done that the cover is instantly recognizable. Sgt. Pepper is rightfully celebrated as a timeless album. In fact, Rolling Stone Magazine believes it is the best album of all time. Between the countless tribute concerts, covers, and recreations of the cover artwork, it is obvious that the absolutely iconic Sgt Pepper has stood the test of time and will continue to do so for generations to come.

t’s finally happened. The thing that absolutely no one asked for or expected has become a reality. Spongebob Squarepants is now a Broadway musical. If you’re a teenager, you probably grew up with Nickelodeon’s cartoon sponge. And if you’re like me, you loved the cartoon. I still can’t help but laugh when I watch the first three seasons. I was ecstatic when I first heard about the musical, officially titled, Spongebob Squarepants, The Broadway Musical. But my excitement quickly turned to dread. What if Broadway completely butchers Spongebob (like Nickelodeon’s been doing for over a decade now)? Though, after reading into the musical a bit more, my excitement returned. The soundtrack is actually what restored my hope. I was caught off-guard by the list of musicians who wrote songs for this musical. The show’s songwriters include artists like Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Panic! at the Disco, Lady Antebellum, Plain White T’s, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, and even a song by the late David Bowie. That’s not even the end of the list. I listened to the musical’s entire album, and was really impressed. But then again, with a list of songwriters like that one, it would be hard to mess up this soundtrack. Thankfully, the plot stays loyal to the cartoon. Plankton is causing trouble in Bikini Bottom as apart of another

Art by Jordan Barber ‘18

scheme to steal the Krabby Patty formula. It’s not a very ambitious story, but I prefer this over Broadway trying to introduce new characters and some convoluted plot. From the clips I’ve seen of the show, the actors are doing a good job bringing the characters to life. Keep in mind that these actors are not the cartoon’s voice actors, so they don’t sound exactly like the characters we’ve grown to love. Though, they do as great of a job as you could hope for. The script was written by Kyle Jarrow, and the show is directed by Tina Landau. Previews are running now until December 4th, when the show officially opens. Tickets are available now. I’m looking forward to seeing my favorite childhood cartoon brought to life on one of the most famous stages in the world.

Fats passes: Ain't That A Shame By HAYLEY BELUCH ‘18 Editor-in-Chief

n October 24, the man widely considered to be the pioneer of rock and roll passed away. Antoine Dominique Domino Jr., or “Fats” Domino was a songwriter, pianist, and singer most popular in the fifties and early sixties. Although he wrote and performed in New Orleans as a R&B artist, his style paved the way for the budding movement labeled rock and roll. Fats’s 1949 single, “The Fat Man,” was the first rock and roll record ever sold, peaking at number two on the Billboard R&B singles chart. Selling ten thousand copies in the first ten days and one million in the first three years after its release, “The Fat Man” became an instant hit. Fats Domino’s popularity rose to immortality with subsequent releases like “Ain’t That A Shame,” “Blueberry Hill,” and “I’m Walkin.’” Fats’s songs reached the Billboard pop chart 63 times and the R&B chart 59 times, with over 65 million records sold. His success was only challenged by Elvis Presley (who himself rejected the title of “The King of Rock and Roll” in belief that it belonged to Fats). Fats, among the original inductee class, joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Billy Joel, in his induction

speech, specifically accredited Fats as transforming the piano into a “rock and roll instrument.” Fats also received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award a year later to recognize his influence on the musical world. Fats’s influence did anything but wane over the years - artists like John Lennon and groups like Cheap Trick have covered his songs and garnered success. He last performed May 19, 2007 in his hometown of New Orleans. In 2007, the mayor of New Orleans declared January 27 Fats Domino Day in recognition of his influence. Fats is remembered through his enumerable hits still streaming today, and through all rock and roll hits that wouldn't exist if he had not opened the door to rock and roll.

Sports

November 2017

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Yale commit Matthue Cotton joins the basketball program

By RYAN EMS ‘19 Staff Reporter

atthue Cotton, a Voorhees native, is a South Jersey basketball sensation, earning 21 offers from Division I basketball schools such as the University of Miami, Seton Hall, Virginia Tech, and Yale. Matt began playing basketball when he was four years old in a league two grades up. His father always pushed him to improve his skills, but when Cotton was thirteen, he decided to take it upon himself to get better. He played more frequently and took the games more seriously. He played his junior year season at St. Benedict’s in Newark, New Jersey, but decided to transfer to Eastern for his senior year. “I wanted to come back home,” said Cotton, “I spent three years away, so I might as well come and enjoy my senior year.” Cotton is reunited with his former teammates Jesse Barbera, Onye Okoro, and Troy Edwards, who all played together in Voorhees Travel Basketball. “He’s one of my best friends,” said Barbera. “It’s just a lot of fun having him back. He brings a lot of energy to the team. He’s going to help us a lot.” “I already thought we were going to be good this year,” said Okoro, “and having him helps us even more.” Recounting Cotton’s earlier years, Okoro said, “He was always the most talented on the team. He was fast, he could score, and he could jump.” Okoro says that Cotton’s best quality now is his hustle and athletic motor, while Edwards believes it’s his shooting ability and humble attitude.

Eastern’s basketball coach, Kevin Crawford, is also looking forward to the season. “We’re excited to have Matt with the program. He’s an excellent player. We’re returning four out of our five starters and we’re adding a Division I athlete to the mix.” Barbera remarks that Cotton, who always says hello to people in the hallways, is one of the friendliest people he knows, and that his outgoing personality makes him a great teammate. “I like to think I’m kind of funny,” Cotton said with a laugh. “I like to be a positive spirit on the team. I try to be a leader and set a good example for my teammates.” If you happen to see Cotton not playing basketball, then he’s probably hanging out with his brother, who he considers his best friend. He also loves to listen to music, especially Jhene Aiko. As for television, Cotton’s favorite show is Being Mary Jane. Cotton verbally committed to Yale University on October 9th, 2017. “It was the best balance for me,” said Cotton, “I feel like I could really flourish there, not just as a basketball player.” Cotton also says he likes the Yale community and felt he could be himself on the campus; as he aspires to be an architect someday. Cotton has big aspirations after playing basketball in college. “Since I was young, I wanted to play [at] the highest level possible,” said Cotton, “I hope to play overseas or in the NBA.” He has an open court before him, but for now, he has his sights set on making a statement on Eastern’s court. “I’ve played with most of these guys since fourth grade,” said Cotton, “It will be really fun to play with them again.”

Photo by Ryan Ems ‘19

Matt Cotton goes up for a layup in the summer league.

Alex Andrews leads the way in cross country By MATT STEINSALTZ ‘20 Staff Reporter

n his second year running, junior Alex Andrews has ran himself to the top of Eastern Boys Cross Country. With a personal best of 17:06 in the 5k, Alex has received interest from Gwynedd-Mercy College and is sure to receive more interest in his senior year. In a typical week, Alex runs over thirty miles. He estimates that he runs between five and six miles each day. Practice is not the only way he prepares. With the help of his dad, Alex eats well. He eats a lot of fruit, as good nutrition is a big part of his preparation. On Friday nights, the night before most races, he eats pasta with cheese to get his carbs in before he runs. Before a race, Alex runs for a short ten to twelve minutes and stretches with his team. The final preparation before stepping up to the starting line is to put on his race number. Off the start line, Alex keeps a moderate pace. Trying not to be passed, he keeps pace with another runner. “Crossing the finish line isn’t a great feeling,” Alex said. “I want to throw up and I don’t want to talk to anyone.” After a few minutes, when he catches his breath, he starts talking to people. Alex started his athletic career as a soccer player in his freshman year. But his older brother, Nick Andrews, now at Penn, encouraged him to run crosscountry. Alex hasn’t turned back since. “I run for the team. I consider myself athletic, and I don’t want to waste that ability.” Most people would not

consider cross-country a team sport, but Alex would disagree. He thinks that the boys cross-country team is a close-knit group. They build bonds and trust in an unusual way. “We make fun of people in a joking manner and have funny nicknames,” said Alex with a smile. During his cross-country career, Alex has learned the importance of hardwork and determination. For example, finishing the last rep of a workout or finishing the last hundred meters of a race. Alex Andrews With winter and his teamtrack, spring mates push track, and his themselves to the entire senior year finish line to come, junior Photos supplied. Alex Andrews

A fond farewell to an All-Star By MATTHEW MORANTE ‘18 Voyager Staff Reporter

Harry Leroy Halladay, known to most as Roy or “Doc,” was an MLB pitcher from 1998-2013 who pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies. He passed away on November 7th in a tragic plane crash in the Gulf of Mexico. Halladay was the only person in the plane. While known to most for his amazing pitching career, he partook in several humanitarian efforts, including inviting children from The Hospital for Sick Children into “Doc’s Box” during Blue Jays games. Halladay was beloved by all, and he will be missed. The memorial service for the two time Cy Young award winner took place on November 14th at Florida’s Spectrum Field in Clearwater, Florida.

18 The Voyager

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November 2017

Sophomore Elise Pettisani commits to Rutgers By AVA HANCOCK ‘20 Staff Reporter

lise Pettisani is a 15-year-old sophomore at Eastern, and she just committed to a Division I college. While most 10th graders aren’t even thinking about the stressful idea of college, Elise verbally committed to Rutgers University to further her field hockey and academic career in early October. It isn’t unusual for dedicated and talented athletes like herself to commit to colleges early, especially girls on Eastern’s field hockey team. As of November 14th, Eastern’s field hockey team is 23-0-1, thanks to the strong bonds shared by its members. According to Elise, all of the girls have a great connection with each other and can pick up skills quickly and efficiently. Eastern has arguably the best field hockey team in the nation, with 19 straight state titles under their belt. Elise says that she definitely feels the pressure to uphold the reputation, but it makes the game more exciting. Considering the high status of the team, it’s no surprise that its practices are vigorous. Elise says she practices for about six days a week for four hours each day and sometimes even more, depending on the season. If that doesn’t seem strenuous enough, she also plays for Uprise and Futures — two

of the best club teams in the nation, which require practices and games of their own. Though her demanding schedule seems like it leaves little time for homework and studying, Elise is determined to keep her grades up. Now that she is committed, she said it’s “less pressure for field hockey, but more pressure to keep my grades up.” It may seem like her life revolves around the sport. However, Elise also plays lacrosse in the spring, writes poetry, draws, and spends time with her family and friends. Elise started playing field hockey in second grade because of her older sister, Alexis Pettisani, who now plays at Boston University. Though, the main reasons she stuck with it are the aspects of teamwork, versatility, and uniqueness. As for why she chose Rutgers New Brunswick, she likes how close it is to home. After seeing how far her older sister went for college, she was inclined to

Elise Pettisani works hard on the field.

Jen Hoffman: Front and Center By CYNTHIA MEAS ‘21 Staff Reporter

stay close to her roots. She also enjoys the high level of play that they offer at Rutgers due to the fact that they’re a Big 10 school; meaning they are a part of one of the most prestigious Division I conferences in America. Offering advice to others, she says, “Don’t stress about it. There’s a school for everyone.”

en Hoffman expects the unexpected. As a middle hitter on the Eastern volleyball team, she lives for the court. Jen’s love for volleyball has been growing for 5 years. She began her volleyball career at a Camp Saginaw and hasn’t stop playing since. “It’s so reviving,” said Jen, Jen Hoffman gears up for a serve. Photo Supplied “every game is different and exciting.” She has been with the same girls for the past the point never happened and looks 3 years and doesn’t regret a forward to the next game, hoping to single thing. Before every game and turn it around. during practice, the girls volleyball “I love my team,” she said. “I’ve team warms up with arm stretches and been with these girls since freshman hitting lines. “It’s a team effort. Even year. The schools we go against, like if there is one good player, it doesn’t Cherokee, are intense,” explained matter unless the rest of the team plays Hoffman. well, too. We are supposed to win off Hoffman has many activities after of six people.” games like Little Sister Day and pasta Jen balances school work and sports parties, even if it’s a loss or not. whenever she can. On the way to a Being a middle hitter is hard, so game or while JV is playing, she spends during her free time she spends time her time doing work and catching up with her friends, goes to the movies, with her studies. In college, she plans sits around watching Netflix, or just on continuing her passion by joining a relaxes the games off. volleyball club. “Play hard when it’s easy so when “Don’t get frustrated. Volleyball is it’s easy it’s hard. Nothing less than a mental game. When you lose, move your best,” said Jen Hoffman. “Those on and look forward to the next game,” are the two things my coach likes to said Jen to all of the new players. say.” Whenever she loses, Jen pretends

Moving forward, Elise wants to study something in business. She doesn’t see herself playing field hockey after college but rather traveling and helping people in need. She advises other athletes to always play their best because one never knows who’s watching.

Photo by Nikkita Hovell

Girls Volleyball finishes .500 By ANTHONY CUTRERA ‘19 Sports Editor

he Eastern Girls Volleyball Team finished with a record of 10-10. Like any .500 team, the girls had ups and downs this season. The team is coached by Thomas Armour who has been coaching for 23 seasons. In Coach Armour’s years his favorite memories include beating Immaculate Heart Academy in 2000 for the program’s 100th win and beating Cherokee in 2014 for the program’s 300th win. Armour described this season as a “roller coaster ride” but has seen success in team leadership. One of the team’s leaders this season was senior, Jen Hoffman. Hoffman spoke on her and the other seniors’ influence on the team saying “Everyone looked up to the seniors, so we controlled the energy on the court. If we were pumped and excited for games,

then everyone was.” Hoffman added that the team had good chemistry on the court which helped them to be successful. Junior Molly Greenblatt also talked about the strong team chemistry saying “It’s good because we all hangout outside of school and have known each other for a long time.” Along with Hoffman and Greenblatt, the team was lead by Kara Trinkle, Myyona Boyd, and Ariana David. As the seniors ended their Eastern Volleyball careers Hoffman looks back on her senior day as one of her best volleyball memories. Another great memory for her was beating their rival, Cherokee, in their home opener last season. With several strong juniors emerging this year, the girls seem to be on track for a bright future and strong season next year.

“Everyone looked up to the seniors, so we controlled the energy on the court. If we were pumped and excited for games, then everyone was.”

The girls volleyball team along with Coach Armour pose for the camera. Photo Supplied

November 2017

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Doing a Heck of a job leading the team By ERIC HORN ‘19 Sports Editor

Gabe Kapler tries on his new uniform during his first press conference as the Phillies manager. Photo supplied

Gabe Kapler, Phillies’ new manager, hopes to bring the team success By JOSH MEYERS ‘21 Staff Reporter

es, Philly. It’s that time again: time to hire a new manager to return the Fightin’ Phils to the World Series. After World Series head honcho Charlie Manuel, the next managers, Ryne Sandberg and Pete Mackanin, took his place with Sandberg stepping down after his run and Mackanin not returning as manager for the last year in his contract. So welcome a former ball player: Gabe Kapler. He was named the Phillies 54th ever manager on October 30th, 2017. He is also the Phillies 2nd Jewish coach. Kapler had been drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 57th round of 1995’s MLB Draft. He excelled in the minors and was named the Minor League Player of the Year by the newspaper USA Today, the Baseball Weekly magazine, and The Sporting News website. Baseball America, a magazine based on looking at up and coming baseball players dubbed Kapler as the Tigers number one prospect at the time. The 1,487th overall pick of the 1995 draft was showing people why he should’ve been picked way earlier. In the majors, Kapler jumped around from seven different MLB teams. He even made his way to Japan. In 2006, he announced his retirement and after a brief stint as the manager of the Boston Red Sox minor league team, Greenville Drive, Kapler wanted to return to MLB. “I miss the battle. I still need to be on the field as a player,” Kapler had said. And so, he signed with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008 and made a statement that he could still play, posting a .301/.340/.498 slash line with eight home runs. When Kapler was a free agent at the end of the year, he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays on a one-year contract of $1,000,0018. What was special to Kapler about the contract was the 18 dollars he was also receiving. He decided he wanted those extra 18 dollars to be in his contract since the number meant “life” in Judaism, his religion. With the Rays in 2009, Kapler had shared outfield positions with other players, trying to find a way to be a starter. When he could, Kapler showed what he was worth in his chances, showing excellence in the outfield. In his last year with the Rays though, he disappointed. He entered free agency again when the season was over. In 2010, Kapler was 10th on the list of home runs in a career among Jewish MLB players. Kapler was dubbed with the nickname of “Hebrew Hammer.” In 2011, Kapler tried playing in the minors for the Los Angeles Dodgers but was released by them right before spring training started, thus ending his MLB playing career. After his playing career ended, Kapler managed his heritage’s baseball team, Israel, in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Kapler then joined television as a baseball analyst for Fox Sports. Finally, before he became the Phillies manager, he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as their Director of Player Development. Before the 2016 season when the Dodgers were looking for a new manager, Kapler was one of their options. The Dodgers ended up taking Dave Roberts as their skipper, leaving Kapler free for a job. On why the Phillies picked Kapler, general manager Matt Klentak said, “Gabe has a track record of leadership, winning, progressive thinking and working with young players, and we fully believe that he is the right person to guide this organization into the future.” In response to his hiring, Kapler said, “I’m equal parts honored, humbled and excited by the opportunity with the Phillies, an elite franchise in a city rich in history, tradition, sports excellence and with amazingly passionate fans. I believe there is no better place to build a winning environment, and I take that task very seriously.” Besides baseball, Kapler is a co-founder of the Gabe Kapler Foundation with his ex-wife. This foundation is dedicated on letting people know about domestic violence and helping women who are in an abusive relationship. Gabe Kapler will coach a handful of young Phillies, including Rhys Hoskins, Nick Williams, and J.P. Crawford. His hiring is the next step in making the Phillies a successful team again.

Q: You came here from Pemberton, right? What’s been the biggest difference in the two football programs programs? A: Yes, I did. The biggest difference has been the coaching staff, players and the school and the environment in the school. Q: What’s been your greatest accomplishment and challenge this year? A: My greatest accomplishment was leading us to the playoffs and greatest challenge was proving to everyone that we could make the playoffs based on the past few seasons. Q: How did you evolve and change as a player this year? A: I had to step up and become more of a leader and help the team and do Andrew Heck rolls out and looks for an open reciever. Photo by Nikkita Hovell whatever we needed to do to win. play with my brothers. A: Yes, I want to play football Q: What was your favorite Q: Do you plan on playing in college. I’m not sure yet memory from this season? football in college, and what about what I would like to do A: Every Friday night, being do you plan on doing with career wise after that, but I want able to go out on the field and your life after high school? to go to college either way.

Football continued from page 20 comment, “Effort from players in the off season getting better and hard work during the season to stay prepared for the teams we faced were the major contributing factors to our improvement.” “I think one of the most important is trying to get our guys to understand that football takes a ton of work to be good at,” said Doherty, “and just showing up to practice is not enough.” The coach’s stress of hard work and commitment was great for the success of his players on and off the field. An area of the team that benefitted from Doherty’s stress of hard work was the offensive line. The line consisted of captain and center Rocco Tursi, left tackle Jermaine Donaldson and left guard Ben Sperling. This unit created space for running backs TJ Franden and Umar Davis to work with all season long. As Rocco Tursi says to his teammates, “Poor practice leads to poor performance, and

poor performance leads to pain.” “Honestly, everyone has stepped up this year to make an impact on the field both offense and defense and our backups stepped up to make the team better,” said Andrew Heck. Coach Doherty’s instillment of the virtues of hard work and effort led to a Vikings squad that was reinvigorated with energy the likes of which Eastern hasn’t seen since the days of Tom Flacco. With the team retaining many starters into 2018, it is hard to imagine this team regressing in the future. As Tursi said, “We will do great if we all work hard in the offseason and during the summer.” However, to Coach Doherty, there is no real offseason. “It [football] is a 24 hour, 7 day, 365 days a year habit in which you have to do whatever you can to improve, just like any sport or passion you want to be good at.”

Congratulations to the field hockey team for defeating Moorestown HS 6-2 and advancing to the Tournament of Champions finals. Photo by Mr. Hill

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November 2017

Coach Doherty is no rookie when it comes to football By ALEX MACKLE ‘18 Editor-in-Chief

oach John Doherty is no rookie when it comes to football. For Eastern’s new head coach, the game has been a part of his life since he first played pickup games with neighborhood friends in New Jersey until eighth grade when his father finally allowed him to play, typically as a safety. He went on to play at Holy Cross High School in Delran, where he graduated in 1990. He then moved on to Milford Academy Prep School, and then to Kean College in Union, New Jersey. He actually got involved in coaching right after graduating from Kean, when one of his coaches from Holy Cross reached out to him and asked him to help out. “I wound up getting hooked,” he said. “I started out just coaching freshmen, but I moved on to coaching linebackers on varsity.” Revisiting Holy Cross in his early years of coaching was perfect for Coach Doherty. “I always had a great relationship with my coaches,” he said. “They’d push us. It wasn’t just about football. They’d push us to be good people.” After around six years at Holy Cross, Coach Doherty was hired in a head coaching position at Paul VI in Haddon Twp. A struggling program when he took it over in 2003, Paul VI

went 0-10 with Doherty in their first season, but managed a 7-3 record by 2005. By his twelfth seasons, Doherty managed a record 75-46, with countless division titles. When he departed from Paul VI in 2015, he said that he needed a break from coaching, largely to spend more time with his wife and two daughters. He returned to coaching as a defensive coach for Eastern in 2016. When Eastern chose to hire a new head coach for the 2017 season, Doherty managed to beat out around dozens of other applicants for job. This year, Coach Doherty brought Eastern to a record of 5-5 with a playoff appearance, an improvement over the past three years since Coach Dan Spittal’s departure before the 2014 season. And while he has been bringing the team in a winning direction, Doherty said, “The X’s and O’s are important… but you need to figure out how to motivate each kid individually to get them to work together as a team.” The most important thing, Doherty said, is working on improving the character of his players. That is the ultimate purpose of scholastic sports after all. “The goal is to become a winner,” but he said, “the best thing is when students come back” years later with fond memories, and a lasting impact from their time on the team. With this in mind, Coach Doherty makes sure not to be

Junior Jake Larosa and Coach Doherty discuss a play during the opening game. too easy on the players. “I want to be fair but tough,” he said. “We want them to know that they are coming to work,” and although playing is fun, it is still a grind. It is situations like this that Doherty feels prepares his players for the future. “We hope to build for the future,” Doherty said. “I know it sounds pretty cliché, but we want to shoot for the playoffs every year.” He sets this bar for the team because, “If we get there, who knows what can happen.” One of his goals for future seasons is to also increase involvement in the program. “Our numbers in football are down, but I know we have a lot of great

athletes in the building,” he said, but more than anything, he wants “good kids, tough kids.” When people talk about Eastern Football, Coach Doherty’s intention is for the image of a tough and competitive team, as well as a team that shows character on and off the field. One area that Doherty wants to see improvement in is focus. “Being at the top,” as Eastern was early this season, “you start to get a little bit of press and you can start to lose focus. Not that our kids were cocky, but you sometimes lose something.” When he is not coaching, Doherty is a middle school guidance counselor in Pennsauken. He is also a Voorhees resident,

with two young daughters who are cheerleaders for the Voorhees Vikings. “They love football, believe it or not,” Doherty said. He discusses the games with his wife and daughters, who sometimes even watch film with him. Moving forward, Coach Doherty does not only want to be a coach that brings Eastern on-field success. He wants to shape the football program to be something unique, where players are able to build character. As they lose a number of key players this year, they also have to learn to adjust and step up where they need to. “We always want to take things one game at a time.”

Hard work leads to a rebound in confidence By ERIC HORN ‘19 Sports Editor

here has been a big change with Vikings football, and it isn’t just a coach’s name; it is the team’s entire mentality. After three losing seasons in a row following the departure of former Head Coach Dan Spittal, there was an offseason of much uncertainty. Former Defensive Coordinator John Doherty took over for Daniel Boguszewski as Head Coach, and the program went in a different direction. The team exploded out of the gates, with a 4-0 start including wins against Trenton and Absegami. However, in the comeback victory against Trenton, another major change occurred. Starting quarterback Chase Stafford was replaced by a newcomer, Andrew Heck, who helped lead a 4th quarter rally and ensure victory for the Vikings. Heck would remain the starter for the rest of the season, and emerged as a team leader. The real tests started in Week 5, where the team marched into Sicklerville to take on Division I committed quarterback Devin Leary and his Timber Creek squad. The team suffered a defeat, but it wasn’t a huge letdown considering the level of football that fans have grown The football team huddles up before a home game. accustomed to Timber Creek playing. Eastern bounced back the following week, The subpar finish placed the Vikings as the frigid Friday night in Mount Holly. in a 40-21 rout of Pennsauken to clinch a 7th seed of the NJSIAA Group V playoffs, Though the season came to a bitter end, playoff spot. Unfortunately, they couldn’t which matched them up with the 2nd seed, the team wasn’t all doom and gloom come carry that momentum into the following Rancocas Valley. Eastern was unable to Saturday morning. They were able to weeks, losing a stout to Delsea defense, stop the ground attack of Rancocas’ star recognize many noticeable improvements followed by a pair of heartbreaking defeats running back Iverson Clement, and had over the course of the year. to Triton and Paul VI, both of which were their championship hopes stymied on a The defense was excellent at stopping decided by 6 points.

All football photos by Alex Mackle ‘18

opponents from putting up big numbers over the year. Key performers included safety Zakee Johnson, linebackers TJ Franden and Jake LaRosa, and defensive tackle Ben Sperling. LaRosa made the See FOOTBALL. Page 19