Magazine: Issue NO. 1

Festivus for the Rest-of-Us Alanna Stein and Sydney Steiner Savvy Studying Tips Kaitlin Swift and Jordan Kramer Restroom Access for Transgender Students Lee Buckingham

CONTENTS...

Let’s BeReal: it’s all fake!

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Alanna Stein

Festivus for the Rest-of-Us

4

Alanna Stein & Sydney Steiner

Eastern’s Holiday Wishlist

5

Tadhg Beale

Biden’s Loan Forgiveness Plan

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Laura Silenzio

Civics with Syd

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Sydney Steiner

The Best of the Best

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Mahawa Bangoura, Madison Jolley, & Dawn Betner Co-Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, & Sports Editor

What Club Should I Join?

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Maya Dunkelman & Madison Soffian

The Importance of Nutrition for Athletes

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Caroline Becker

Savvy Studying Tips

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Kaitlin Swift & Jordan Kramer

The Lockers are Listening...

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Alanna Stein & Julia Capozzoli

Restroom Access for Transgender Students

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Lee Buckingham

Refreshing Reads

19

Jordan Kramer

Coming to a City Near You!

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Column Corner

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Izzie Halim & Madison Soffian

Viking Verses

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The Voyager Staff

NaNoWriMo: end of challenge recap

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Timur Markowitz & Tadgh Beale

opinion

features features politics politics

features

interactive opinion

features features opinion opinion

features features

creative writing creative writing

Editor-in-Chief

Editor-in-Chief & Staff Reporter Staff Reporter

Editor-in-Chief Staff Reporter

Features Editor & Staff Reporter Staff Reporter

Opinion Editor & Arts Editor

Editor-in-Chief & Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Arts Editor

Jordan Kramer, Sydney Brockington, & Molly Nolan Arts Editor, Staff Reporter, & Staff Reporter Asst. Arts Editor & Staff Reporter miscellaneous

Entertainment Editor & Staff Reporter

By Alanna Stein 4.70 billion individuals worldwide are active on social media. Of all users, 68% are between the ages of 14 and 22.

Social media is taking over the lives of younger generations. With added pressure to portray a picture-perfect life through the small squares of an Instagram feed, everything is filtered. Yet, overly curated norms are being challenged by one app attempting to change it all…

BeReal, a photo-sharing social media app, is the latest Gen-Z craze. Initially invented in 2020 by a French creator, downloads have risen 315% since the beginning of the year.

Once a day, the app simultaneously notifies you that it’s “time to Be Real.” Receiving the notification activates a two-minute timer, restricting the amount of time allotted to snap and share a picture. Using both your front and back cameras, the app requires you to take a selfie and a photo of your surroundings. This feature is not optional!

BeReal presents the idea of sharing raw, unfiltered moments without the pressure of followers or likes.

A timed photo session paired with dual-camera technology seems like the perfect solution for creating an unfiltered and authentic social media app.

As stated in the App Store description, “BeReal is life, real life, and this life is without filters.”

But while the app stays true to one promise, it lacks in the other.

Yes, BeReal is a photo-sharing program with no manually made filters. However, the app fails to uphold its claimed level of authenticity.

Not mentioned in many media sources’ praiseful reviews is the ability to retake your BeReal.

Throughout the day, users can delete and retake their photos as many times as they please. Therefore, what’s stopping someone from finding the perfect lighting or posing with the perfect angle?

NOTHING! Thus, the admirable point of the app loses appreciation.

Additionally, users are allowed to post late BeReals even if the two-minute timer attached to the daily notification runs out. Therefore, what’s stop-

ping someone from waiting to capture the most exciting moment of their day? Once again, NOTHING! The ability to post whatever you want whenever you want defeats the entire purpose of being genuine. Users can easily nitpick public content, further emphasizing the main problem of social media: the idea of striving for a picture-perfect life.

That being said, BeReal’s progressive strides should not be diminished. While the app’s flaws are evident, the message should be digested and understood by all social media users.

For the entire user base, social media should be a place of positivity where individuals can create, innovate, and motivate. Yet, we are mistreating apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Tik Tok by turning them into unrealistic bragging outlets.

Content creators and celebrities instill the idea of obtaining a picture-perfect life into young generations. Such accounts with millions of followers promote unhealthy comparisons, claiming that they worked for their hourglass body or their glassy skin comes from a 10-step night routine.

But at the end of the day, let’s BeReal… it’s all fake!

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Festivus s u f for the Rest-o

“Christmas is the day where all Jews eat Chinese food because nothing else is open. I usually hang out with other Jewish families who are not celebrating.” -Josh Bergamn ‘23

“My family doesn’t traditionally celebrate Christmas. Instead, we visit my grandparents for a couple days and exchange gifts without wrapping paper or a Christmas tree!”

-Nishant Bhatt ‘24 “During the holidays, my family drives around to look at Christmas lights, even though we don’t decorate our own house. My favorite holiday tradition is inviting my grandparents and cousins over to open Hannukah gifts and latkes.” -Remi Cherkas ‘24

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“My family and I usually vacation during Christmas break. We manage to find the one Chinese restaurant on whatever Caribbean island we are on and eat on the beach!” -Max Scholl ‘24 “On Christmas eve, my family and I eat a huge Hibachi dinner with our other Jewish friends. After dinner, we drive around, looking at Christmas lights and listening to holiday music. We like to find the most insane houses. Once we drove about an hour to see a house with above 10,000 Christmas lights!” -Alanna Stein ‘24

Eastern’s Holiday Wishlist

design by Kaitlin Swift, Timur Markowitz and Tadhg Beale

ISSUE ISSUE NO. 1 NO. 1

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The Biden/Harris Administration Proposed College Loan Forgiveness Plan Sparks Controversy

By Laura Silenzio Income-based repayment plans have long existed within the U.S. Department of Education.

This time however, the Biden-Harris Administration is proposing a rule to create a new income-driven repayment plan that will substantially reduce future monthly payments for lower-income and middle-income borrowers.

In order to do this, they would raise the amount of income thatʼs considered non-discretionary income (protected from repayment) in order to guarantee that no borrower earning under 225% of the federal poverty level (about the annual equivalent of a $15 minimum wage for a single borrower) will have to make a monthly payment.

Unlike previous plans, they would plan to cover the borrowerʼs unpaid monthly interest, so that no borrowerʼs loan balance will grow as long as they make their monthly payments—even when that monthly payment is $0 because their income is low.

There are some problems that arise with this plan though.

First of all, it can be a huge cost to taxpayers. Canceled student debt can be considered taxable

t check ou 2 2 the 20 midterm election results!

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income. Although borrowers wonʼt be required to pay federal taxes on their canceled student debt, some states may charge levies on the relief.

This has caused some legal challenges as people have argued its unconstitutionality. The administration has maintained that the president has the authority to cancel student debt, but many critics have

contested that with six Republican-led states filing a lawsuit to block Bidenʼs action with an argument by GOP state officials that the president doesnʼt have the power to issue nationwide debt relief without Congress. Theyʼre also claiming that the policy would harm private companies that service some federal student loans by reducing their business.

While the universal approach often focuses on the dollar amount of debt forgiven and the targeted approach often focuses on the income threshold for who would qualify for debt forgiveness, an approach forgiving a proportion of loans should be considered as an option as well.

This way, policies could take into account the actual amount of individualsʼ debt and forgive a certain proportion of it. This strategy could be applied to either universal or targeted debt forgiveness, or a combination of both approaches.

The most important part of this, at least for our generation, is part 3 of the plan, to make the student loan system more manageable for current and future borrowers.

Through all of this debate, my takeaway is our need to change the way student loans work and their affordability. This has long been an issue as year by year, colleges raise their tuition, housing, really anything you can name.

With this plan, hopefully relief will be extended to the former generation of students and in the future we can change our system to eradicate such a need for this plan Biden-Harris Administrtion proposes a new college loan forgiveness plan.

CIVICS WITH SYD every little thing politics!

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On August 16th, 2022, Biden passed one of the most expensive bills in our nation’s history. The Inflation Reduction Act will distribute $369 billion for climate initiatives and alternative energy. It was passed in the House with a 220-207 vote and passed in the senate a week later. New taxes will be issued to pay for this bill. Although titled the “Inflation Reduction Act”, the bill’s effect on inflation is “expected to be statistically indistinguishable from 0” according to an analysis performed

by The University of Pennsylvania Wharton School.

Serving every president since Ronald Reagan, Dr. Fauci is stepping down from his government role in December 2022. He will no longer hold the positions of Biden’s top medical advisor and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In his 50 years of medical services, Fauci developed PEPFAR (H.I.V./ AIDS combatant) which has saved over 21 million lives, led the Infectious Diseases institute during Covid-19, and won the presidential medal of freedom in 2008. His contributions to American health and research have unforgettable impacts on our country’s past and future.

O C T O B E R One of the richest men in the U.S. paid less federal taxes than lower class Americans. In September of 2020 it was revealed that Donald Trump paid $750 in taxes for the year of 2016. It has been a goal of the democratic party, since its congressional majority in 2018, to investigate these tax numbers. Trump’s argument against congress acquiring his records was that it would “irreparably harm him”. He claimed it was an invasion of privacy that congress did not have the authority to commit. If the lower courts of the U.S. did not care about these records, why should the Supreme Court have to get involved?

Trump has asked the Supreme Court to block Congress’s access to his tax records.

Unlike many presidents before him, Trump did not release his tax records during his campaign.

This resulted in the speculation of fraudulent behavior from the 45th president of the U.S. Even in 2022, this tax matter is still pressing. If he runs for president again in 2024, confirmation of these records could sway voters. design by Syndey Steiner

SEPTEMBER Could there be an end to American democracy? David Leonhardt, a senior writer at the New York Times, published “‘A Crisis Coming’: The Twin Threats to American Democracy”. The first threat to the U.S. democracy is that most of the republican party does not accept they lost the 2020 presidential election. Claiming Biden’s win was “illegitimate” goes against the foundations of American government. The January 6th Capitol Building attack was the closest America has been to an overthrow of democracy. The second threat to American democracy is government decisions straying further from public opinion. The United States was founded by a government that represented the people; however, recent events in American politics have contradicted this principle.

American citizens vote for the president, yet the Supreme Court is not appointed by the people.

Decisions such as the overturning of Roe vs. Wade threaten U.S. democracy because more than half of the country disagreed with the ruling. Another example of this is how two of the past four presidents elected lost the popular vote but still came out victorious.

N O V E M B E R The 2022 midterm elections were on November 8th, A “red wave” result was predicted by almost every source. Not only did this wave not occur, Democrats won a majority of the Senate and lost the House of Representatives by the smallest margin in recent years. If every source predicted this congressional “red wave”, why did it not happen?

The overturning of Roe vs. Wade was a deciding factor for most voters. The more Republicans that supported the abortion ban, the less votes they received. Another main reason for the lack of the “red wave” was the flawed candidates running for congress. Dr. Oz, Pennsylvania senate candidate, did not live in Pennsylvania. Many voters were suspicious about this and voted Democrat Fetterman instead. Adam Laxalt of NV publicly denied the 2020 presidential election results. 14 members of his own family endorsed his opposing candidate, leading voters to do the same. Young voters can be thanked for the massive Democratic win. 12% of the total votes were under 20 years old. An NBC exit poll shows that 63% of voters between the ages of 18-29 voted Democrat.

ISSUE NO. 1

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BEST OF

BEST KIDS MOVIE

On the date of March 11, 2022, the world was blessed with Disneyʼs Turning Red. A 13-year old girl named Mei, a Chinese-Canadian, living in Torronto enters adolescence. Overwhelmed with trying to balance parental validation, academic pressure, excitement over blooming romantic interests, and the life of a middle schooler, maybe the bear would come out of all of us too. The movie turned the box office upside down, engrossing $20.1 million!

Even though it was pitched for children around the age of 9-12 years old, everyone no matter the age, was tuned in. With a wopping 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, be sure watch this movie on Disney Plus to undestand the hype.

BEST TIKTOK SOUNDS

Tik Tok is arguably every teenagerʼs favorite place. From new trending dances to new sounds, you never know what you will find. While it was hard to decipher which popular sounds dominated the app, we narrowed it done to the top 3... Before this sound, corn was simply a holiday food, now itʼs a stuck-in-your-head song! In an interview, a young boy delcared his love for corn and it was well-receieved by Tik Tok users. Elmo, one of the Sesame Street characters, was also featured in one of Tik Tokʼs beloved sounds when he says, “Onions, garlic, celery... balsamic vinegar... thatʼs a big word for Elmo.” This quote had the app users erupting with laugher. Videos of his constant “beef” or feud with an inanimate object (a rock named Rocko) were continously circulating with everyone trying to use the sound. Lastly, Ice Spice dominates the Tik Tok charts with her sounds, “That [man] a munch.” This sound refers to a “simp” or a man who will do anything for his partner. The sound has millions of Tik Tok users recreating with their own videos to participate in the trend.

BEST COUPLE

Zendaya and Tom Holland: Spider-Man co-stars Tom Holland and

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Zendaya have been rumored to be together since 2017. Yet, the relationship wasnʼt confirmed until July of 2021 when the two were seen kissing in public. Although they wanted to keep the relationship private, the media found a way to meddle in between as per usual. Since then, theyʼve done interviews together and have been spotted in public canoodling numerous times (as cute as ever, we may add!). Recently, there were engagement rumors, but Zendayaʼs mother quickly shut them down. Cutest couple ever!

Ross Lynch and Jaz Sinclair: This coupleʼs relationship rumors sparked in 2018, and exploded in 2019 when Ross explained how they “just hit it off” when asked about their relationship. They were co-stars on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. The pair went official on Instagram in 2020, and since then, they have not failed to update their fans on their relationship. They have been seen traveling together and cuddling at different events. They clearly never fail to have a good time. Shoutout to them for maintaining hope for love for all of their fans!

THE BEST

BEST ARTIST OF THE YEAR Best believe Taylor Swift is “bejeweled” and is back and better than ever as she becomes the top artist of 2022! For the past couple of years, Swift has re-released some of her previous work that shows her musical style, but has not released new music to the world UNTIL she announced at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards that she was going to release a new album titled Midnights. In a brief summary of her work, Swift said the album was “the stories of 13 sleepless nights throughout my life.” Swifties around the world have sung high praises about the album as it climbed the charts and smashed records like these: 1. Swift became the first artist in history to have occupied all 10 songs in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.

2. Midnights is the first album in history to get 10 top 10 hits.

3. She became the first artist to occupy the top 5 on the Billboard Global Hits 200.

4. She hit a career high when Midnights surpasses 1 billion global streams in under a week.

5. Midnights sold 1 million pure albums in a week – the first artist to do so since she set the record herself with Reputation in 2017 It goes to say that Swift is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry as her musical technicality, style, and love for music expands to heights that are unimaginable.

BEST NEW SEASON OF A SHOW Netfix has brought their viewers back to Hawkins Indiana to go on another ride with their favorite characters. By now, viewers have emotionally connected to the children they watched grow up only for their hearts to be broken amidst the emotional roller coaster. On May 27, 2022, the first set of episodes were released. The second set of episodes were released on July 1, 2022. Amassing over 1.4 billion watchers (coming second to Squid Gamesʼ 1.7 billion), the series completed its 79th consecutive day on Netflixʼs Top 10 on August 9, 2022. It became Netflixʼs second most watched season of all time.

While the gore could have your stomach curling, the lovable scenes between characters will have you “awww”ing. If you werenʼt part of the new seasonʼs debut, make sure to hop on Netflix to watch the new episodes and be part of Stranger Things dominating the ratings.

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What EasterN Club

STA English is my favorite subject.

I would rather read than watch a movie.

YES!

I like to sing in the shower.

YES!

NO. I love the 2000’s movie High School Musical

YES!

NO.

I enjoy going to the movies or going on hayrides.

YES!

BOOk club

Success club

contact: lkrul@eccrsd.us

NO. I am interested in theater/ choir.

YES!

NO.

NO.

YOU like to read with friends YOU like to have a good time and share stories of all genres. while making sure others are as well. contact: disshak@eccrsd.us 10

NO.

NO.

Barnes and Nobles is my favorite store.

YES!

YES!

voice club

YOU express yourself through music and lending a helping hand to others while singing or playing an instrument. contact: kakinskas@eccrsd.us

Do youBELONG IN?

RT

I love all things science!

YES!

NO.

I have watched every season of Greys Anatomy.

YES!

I like helping others.

YES!

NO.

I like computers and technology.

NO.

YES!

I’m not disgusted by blood and gore.

YES!

I could play video games all night.

YES!

NO.

INTRO TO MED YOU love to help people and learning about medical professionals and their journey. contact: twojdon-smith@eccrsd.us

NO.

NO.

I like to compete against my friends.

YES!

NO.

ESPORTS YOU love gaming and competeing with your friends to enhance your skills. contact: kulmer@eccrsd.us

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The Importance of Nutrition for Athletes

By Caroline Becker

There is an engraved stigma.

Staying healthy means eating low-calorie. It means limiting food groups consumed. For athletes, in particular, the truth carries more weight.

Eating low-calorie doesn’t always mean eating healthy. For example, a low fat yogurt with only 60 calories, or Greek yogurt with 120 calories. Greek yogurt has much more nutrients.

While low fat yogurt is low in calories, it’s higher in sugar and lower in protein.

So, why is this important for athletes? According to Dana Ryan from I am Herbalife Nutrition,, carbs are the most important food for athletes.

“Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our brains and are the fastest way for our bodies to produce energy.”

Carbs fuel the brain and muscles, prevent muscle breakdown, boost performance, and speed up recovery from injuries. “While the needs will vary based on the individual and the type of exercise or sports they engage in, carbs will always make up a majority of calories.”

As a runner, I realized this truth. Last year, I noticed significant negative changes in my body. In response, I started dieting.

Each day, I consumed under a certain amount of calories.

While I started to feel better, I noticed my athletic performance worsened. I didn’t have enough energy. I started to falter in some classes. I didn’t end the year with a good GPA; my mental health: horrible.

After a talk with my coach, I realized my eating habits were the problem.

I talked to my mom about eating a balanced diet.

Later, we bought foods high in protein and carbs.

Now, my life improved. I started doing well in my

sport, getting good grades.

I was more focused. And happier.

Michael Tangeman, Spec. Ed. teacher and track coach, said proper nutrition is essential. “It is even more critical for young athletes, as they are burning up a large chunk of their caloric intake through their sport of choice.”

He stressed that it’s easy for young athletes to disregard replacing the calories they expend during exercises and that doing so requires a lot of personal effort.

“In the end, it is well worth it though, as overall health and athletic performance will improve.”

In reality, calories don’t matter— it’s the contents of the food. Even though consuming wholesome foods is crucial, it is vital for athletes.

Anyone can benefit from eating substantial, healthy meals.

So the next time you prepare a meal, think about how it will affect your health.

Does it include all the components your body requires to function properly?

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Quizlet Plus: Savior or Scam?

By Jordan Kramer

W

hen students arrived back to school, many were apprehensive.

Last year was the first “normal” year with a “normal” work load. In the ‘21’22 school year, students had to adapt to the “new normal.”

For help, many turned to Quizlet.

Offering flashcards, matching games, and practice tests, Quizlet encompasses many tools.

Personally, I owe my final grades to Quizlet.

Now, when using the app, students found out it now costs $48 a year.

The program is called Quizlet Plus. There are very few differences from the previous free quizlet.

Without the advanced program, there are limits on the times you can use the flashcards, learn, and test features.

Repetition is key.

However, Quizlet limits the different learning features. This key aspect of studying is no longer available. Last night I succumbed to the overpriced app and bought it. To test it out, I’ll be using it to study my Spanish 4 chapter vocabulary.

My Experience If you don’t buy Quizlet Plus, you’re only allotted five rounds of the learning feature, which is most helpful for me. However, to

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SAVVY

A+

learn all 46 of my Spanish terms, I did 13 rounds.

Without the advanced version of Quizlet, I would’ve needed to use another source to study.

I also took several practice tests, but only one is given to free Quizlet accounts.

The main tool I used to study this time were the flashcards. On the normal Quizlet there is no limit on how many rounds you’re allowed, but there are many advertisments. As much as I wanted to say that Quizlet Plus was a scam, it was very much helpful.

Alternatives With the apps Eastern offers on each student’s iPad, the most effective would be Quizizz or Kahoot!

These services are quiz based, so the student would most likely take multiple quizzes until they are familiar with the topic. However, as much as I think that students shouldn’t pay for Quizlet Plus, it is the best study tool available.

12 x4=48

STUDYING TIPS SparkNotes: Smart or Self Sabotage?

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By Kaitlin Swift

magine this: it’s the day before your AP Lang and Comp essay, and you’re panicked. You haven’t read The Great Gatsby, you’ve been disregarding your teacher’s rants on its themes of high society, romance, and the American dream, and have no clue about it other than Leonardo DiCaprio playing the lead role in the 2013 film adaptation(which you also haven’t seen). How can you write an essay on a topic you know nothing about?

The solution for many teenagers is SparkNotes. According to its website, SparkNotes’ mission is to “help you(the student)make sense of confusing schoolwork”. The website claims to be run by top college grads, and works with experts to put together studying resources for its users.

SparkNotes is a valuable asset, with 78.6% of Eastern’s AP Language and Composition students using the site as an alternative to class readings or a learning tool.

“Asking a student to not use Sparknotes for an AP English class is like asking a student to not use a TI calculator for AP Calculus”, said an anonymous student.

“The student shouldn’t solely rely on a machine to do all of their work, but sometimes it’s necessary to gain a better understanding of information”.

SparkNotes is a major time saver, providing students with a summary of the themes of their assigned reading without having to spend hours diving into the content themselves.

This is one of the site’s major benefits, since many students are so overloaded with work they don’t have time to devote to English class. They believe using the website is a way to “work smarter, not harder”, and see it as a way to complete their assignments in a time-efficient manner.

The other draw of SparkNotes comes from the shortening attention span of students. Apps like TikTok and Instagram have made them used to digesting content in one-minute chunks, lacking the level of focus they had years prior. By placing its content in bullet points rather than large paragraphs, SparkNotes aids students in learning and processing concepts of their English classes. It’s also helpful as a translating tool, with many students being unable to interpret older literature like that of Shakespeare and Homer.

While using SparkNotes has many benefits, it’s not without its downfalls. It does not provide the same grasp of content of analyzing a novel from your own interpretation. Without forming an opinion prior to using the site, students allow a stranger on the internet to dictate their comprehension of content. There are no credited writers for SparkNotes, meaning users could be trusting the opinion of someone with little to no experience in the English field.

Reading a novel also has its own set of advantages. It improves students’ vocabulary and world view, and provides them insight into societal themes that are still relevant in modern day. Without reading a novel, students do not truly develop their own understanding and grasp of the material and meaning beyond the text.

While flawed, SparkNotes can be a valuable asset to students if used wisely. If students read the content, develop their own opinions, and use the site to reinforce concepts, it can prove to be a value able studying tool. The choice is in the hands of the users.

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Small group SAT Prep Courses

fall, winter, spring, and summer courses available Instructor: Tim Hassall, Voorhees Middle School

www.hasssat.com

~South Jersey’s Premier SAT Prep~

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THE H LOCKERS HE LOC OCK OC CKE KERS R ARE ..

LLISTENING. IST IS STE

“Calamari is my down le p o e fall.” p “I wan k n i h t t to bit “I o o t e l e t it l y o a u e r r hair. It a .” . . y a d l o o t oks so happy crunch d y.”

“Your re re a s l l e c blood ed t i m i l t s u literaly j ittles.” k edition S

Be careful what you say in the hallway! We all have ears— even the lockers.

rn a e l ’t n d i “I d o divide t .” e w d o a h gr h t f fi l i t n u

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Restroom Access for Tr a nsgender Students

By Lee Buckingham

Most schools have separate restroom and locker rooms for students; however, transgender students should have access to the restroom and locker room to the gender they identity as.

Even though some students and parents may feel uncomfortable with this, the students own comfortability should take precedent. School officials should work to address their concerns.

The goal is to create a positive environment for all students.

There is another alternative when students don’t prefer to use the Boys and Girls bathrooms, known as “gender neutral” restrooms or private changing areas that all students can use.

However, people can take advantage of gender neutral bathrooms. But most of the time, schools don’t have neutral restrooms or close them for people taking advantage, which isn’t fair to transgender people.

Schools should still have separate restroom facilities for male and female students, but also allow students to access them based on their gender identity, We as human beings need to make transgender students feel comfortable, safe, and respected. Transgender students need adult support in school. School educators and administrators can make a big difference by helping out a transgender/non-binary students mental health.

The GLSEN (Gay, lesbian & straight Education Network) analysis finds more than seventy-seven percent of transgender students and more than sixty-nine

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percent of non-binary students reported facing discrimination on schools grounds.

LGBTQ+ Youth reported that nationwide more (32 %) U.S. high schools students who self-identify as transgender, lesbian, gay, or bisexual have been harrassed/bullied on school property.

In an NPR Article a transgender High-School student, Ash Whitataker, filed a federal Title IX lawsuit against his school district.

“A transgender high school student in Kenosha, Wisconsin, is suing his school district, saying it has discriminated against him by refusing to treat him as a boy.

Ash Whitaker says he was told not to use the boys’ bathroom and that school staff told his mother they intended to ask trans students, including him, to wear a green wristband.”

The staff member said that these trans students would use the wristbands to make sure they didn’t use the restrooms they weren’t supposed to be using.

Things escalated in February after a school employee saw him in the boys’ bathroom. When Ash went to dry his hands, he peeked over his shoulder. A teacher staring at him with a wide look.

Later that week, the school administration reported to his mom that he isn’t allowed to use the boys’ bathroom anymore.

School administrators should never treat any student part of the LGBTQ+ like this —they are also people too. High School is supposed to be a fun experience not a traumatizing one.

Refreshing Reads: Know my Name

by Chanel Miller

By Jordan Kramer In January of 2015, Chanel Miller’s life was changed. At a Stanford party, she was sexually assaulted.

After battling her rapist, Brock Turner, in court for over a year, he was found guilty on all three felony counts: assault with intent to commit rape of an intoxicated or unconscious person, penetration of an intoxicated person and penetration of an unconscious person.

However, Turner was only sentenced to jail for six months.

When Miller’s victim statement was posted on BuzzFeed on June 3rd, 2016, it gained millions and millions of views.

Protests erupted, calling for the judge of the case, Aaron Perksy, to be recalled in 2018. Despite Miller receiving some form of justice, it did not erase her breakdowns, panic attacks, and sleepless nights.

Miller wrote a memoir about the trauma, published in the fall of 2019.

The vivid writing, the rage that was palpable, and Miller’s growth is what made this book so incredible.

Beautiful Prose Even though the topic matter is upsetting and difficult, Miller writes with emotion and beauty. Some passages that really express her ability to articulate these heart wrenching feelings include, “When I listened to her, I understood: You have to hold out to see how your life unfolds, because it is most likely beyond what you can imagine. It is not a question of if you will survive this, but what beautiful things await you when you do. I had to believe her, because she was living proof. Then she said, Good and bad things come from the universe holding hands. Wait for the good to come.” and “You have to hold out to see how your life unfolds, because it is most likely beyond what you can

imagine. It is not a question of if you will survive this, but what beautiful things await you when you do.”

Aggrieved Tone While reading, I sometimes had to put it down, due to the anger and sadness Miller evoked from me. I did not expect Miller to tug at my emotions so harshly. Some quotes that specifically deliver her rage are “When a woman is assaulted, one of the first questions people ask is, Did you say no? This question assumes that the answer was always yes, and that it is her job to revoke the agreement. To defuse the bomb she was given. But why are they allowed to touch us until we physically fight them off? Why is the door open until we have to slam it shut?” and “My advice is, if he’s worried about his reputation, don’t rape anyone.” Miller brings awareness to victims. With the defense attorney making it seem like the rape was their fault, the distress of waiting for hearings, and having to relive their worst nightmare, was not easy.

Growth Throughout the memoir, I could tell how much Miller grew from the night she was raped to now. She had a strong support system with her family, boyfriend, and friends, but most of her recovery was achieved by herself. Miller writes at the end of the book “I survived because I remained soft, because I listened, because I wrote. Because I huddled close to my truth, protected it like a tiny flame in a terrible storm. Hold up your head when the tears come, when you are mocked, insulted, questioned, threatened, when they tell you you are nothing, when your body is reduced to openings. The journey will be longer than you imagined, trauma will find you again and again. Do not become the ones who hurt you. Stay

tender with your power. Never fight to injure, fight to uplift. Fight because you know that in this life, you deserve safety, joy, and freedom. Fight because it is your life. Not anyone else’s. I did it, I am here. Looking back, all the ones who doubted or hurt or nearly conquered me faded away, and I am the only one standing.

So now, the time has come. I dust myself off, and go on.” This viewpoint was not present from the start, and it took a lot of work from Miller to get there.

Conclusion If all the reasons above didn’t convince you to read Know my Name, then you should read it to educate yourself. Rape culture has painted sexual assults to often be partly the victims fault, which it never is. The memoir helps debunk false information about both sexual assault and court proceedings for a sexual assault case, something the mainstream news fail to do.

Even if you read one book a year, have that book be Know My Name by Chanel Miller. It will stick with you for a long time.

You can purchase Know my Name by Chanel Miller on Amazon, Google Books, Audible, and more!

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COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU Taylor Swift

Philadelphia, PA 5/12-14/23 East Rutherford, NJ 5/26-28/23

Louis Tomlinson

Lizzy McAlpine

Philadelphia, PA 6/20/23 New York, NY 5/16-17/23

Philadelphia, PA 4/29/23

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COLUMN CORNER...

Ask Iz: Advice From A Friend

Mad Media: Drake or Swift’s New Album?

High school: the most exciting and nerve-racking time.

With clubs, sports, academics and mental health, it can be a lot. Through the good times and the bad, many students and people throughout the world have questions. I sent out a survey where people can anonymously ask any questions.

While I can’t answer every question, I’ll try my best to give the best advice.

Although this has been an abnormally senseless and disappointing few months in celebrity pop culture, newly released music by artists including Drake and Taylor Swift releases an enormous amount of tension. With all of the drama surrounding Kanye’s fanbase, I’m sure Drake felt left out so he decided to release an album. The rivalry never fails to die. As fans have been labeling this new music as ‘mid’, he quickly responds to these remarks through twitter. If Swift’s goal was to outshine and overlook Kanye, she for sure succeeded in the new album ‘Midnight’. Fans are ecstatic over her newly released tour dates as songs are already at the peak of Billboard Top 100. But, whose album is the best? Are we even allowed to compare them due to the immense contrast? One has to be better, right?

Drake dropped his new album Honestly, Nevermind, on Friday October 28th, 2022. Fans have been criticizing the album ever since it dropped by posting harsh memes, some inferring, while some straight up screaming that these songs should have stayed in the drafts.

“Honestly, Nevermind, I’ll wait for Drake’s next album”, one fan tweets, exasperated.

Drake rebuttals these vigorously opinionated statements by saying that those who have these opinions clearly have not connected and understood his underlying meaning behind this new form of music.

He did however succeed in the high level of cohesion throughout this album, as it has a steady flow and fluidity amongst all 14 songs.

This album was not a complete disaster, while it did spark and trigger many passionate fans deemed unimpressed.

On another note, Swifties are ecstatic and sitting at their computers just waiting to purchase tickets for her concert. The nosebleeds are heaven for these fans, as Ticketmaster recently canceled public purchase due to such incredibly high demand. Anti-Hero being the number one song on billboard top 100 and a trending tik tok sound, shows that Swift’s music being good is just an understatement. Fans were not ready. The scope for fan critics of this album are yet to be found.

Although Drake and Swift release different genres of music to an extreme extent and are overall incomparable, Swift’s album has made a much greater impression among individuals and is the more impressive creator of these recent music releases.

By Izzie Halim

QUESTION: How do I let go of someone I stopped being friends with months ago, but I can’t seem to stop missing them? (Voorhees, NJ) First, it’s okay to not get over a friendship immediately. Most of the time you guys were really close and knew almost everything about each other. I bet it’s not just me when I say this, but friendship breakups hurt so much more than a breakup with a significant other. Second, getting over someone leaving your life takes time, so be patient.

The most you can do is try to cut them out of your life completely. I know it sounds harsh, but trust me. Block or unfollow them on social media. Seeing them with new friends can be hard when you haven’t fully moved on. And I’m aware that blocking them is really hard, but after you do, you’ll feel so much better. Also, you’re gonna wanna delete old messages and photos and videos.

One last thing, surround yourself with your friends. Eventually, you’ll start to see why the friendship ended and you won’t want them back. It takes a bit of time, but eventually they’ll just be an old memory.

QUESTION: How do I balance friendships, a social life, and school? (Voorhees, NJ) It’s so important to have friends and hobbies, but it’s also important to maintain your academic life. Something important is to schedule yourself. Make sure you have time for everything so you don’t overwork yourself.Along with managing friends, academics and hobbies, you also need to make sure you’re managing your mental health and taking that into account. Especially in high school, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the thrill. We often bite off more than we can chew. When we realize this, we’re often “in too deep.”

As far as friends, hangout with them at lunch, play the game Pigeon with them on messages or study with them, in person or online. Personally, I enjoy coffee shops with friends and doing homework. It’s a nice way to focus on school work while still enjoying the company of friends. Most likely, you are friends because you share an interest, a common ground. Why not join a club together? It’s an easy way to keep each other grounded while also doing something you love.

By Maddie Soffian

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Viking Verses Mononucleosis (The Kissing Disease)

By Alanna Stein

The doctor told me I was contagious.

He said my saliva was venom — Green and shiny and radioactive He said I lost the ability to kiss — Red and soft and certain Yet, surrendering that privilege made me feel weird.

Sure, I was sad A feeling synonymous to frustration, But there was something else…

Something with the same burning sensation of my grandma’s chicken noodle soup, Something louder than the blaring sirens of my 6:15am alarm: Gratitude — I am grateful to be sad Happiness — I am happy to be sad For being “sad” means that I have something worth kissing And, it’s kind of beautiful to watch That is, sadness blooming into appreciation — So, while I lost the ability to kiss, I gained the ability to love.

During Twilight

By Janah Hassan

He wanted to spend time on his own His face was solid as stone Shining with delight as he saw the shimmer and glimmer of the night The gentle caress of wind fluttered through his hair He uttered how alluring the sky looked in the midst of the night The aroma of the evening air was assuring him Of the beauty of the night

Apprehension of the Pendulum

By Victoria Foster

Whirling, whirling Time is moving fast A theory, unseeable Unstoppable and abstract Consistent, persistent A measurement, an idea It doesn’t stop It pauses, we see her Whirling, whirling Time is stopping slowly Time is here Time is an illusion— A perception of absurdity Invincible, unreal An invention That will never disappear

The Forgotten Holiday

By Sarah Gillespie

The leaves fall as the air grows cold With the harvest over and jack-olanterns dim.

A new holiday is approaching, and people are quick to decorate on a whim.

A time that should be filled with turkey and stuffing, Is forgotten all because Mariah Carey is defrosting.

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As the stockings are hung on the chimney with care, Her whistling melody is heard throughout the fall air.

To lose sight of thanksgiving is a little disheartening, But it’s only mid November and her song is still charting.

A Look Back on November’s Most Difficult Challenge

Week 1 It isn’t difficult to come out swinging, feeling like you’re on the top of the world. People felt more motivated and it seemed easy to complete the NaNoWriMo challenge. Yet, it’s unfair to describe it as easy. Eastern High School’s Kyle Goldstein dropped off, stating that “5 days is a long time. It’s tough to write, to maintain focus. Like, I found myself writing, sharpened my pencil, forgot what I was doing, and then it broke. Then I lose focus and move on to something else.”

Week 2 This is when many fall off, quit the challenge. They have made a valiant effort, yet they have not reached the euphoric feeling one gains from finishing the writing process, from reaching the beautiful climax.

One young writer stated their favorite way to maintain their focus for the challenge this year was to play music when they write. This writer explained that everytime they put their pen in hand and begin to scribble, they put on the same song (one that they have written to for three years). They said they were able to write to the rhythm and beat of this song. When this brave writer learned that their writing partner hated when they wrote to the beat of the song, they were heartbroken.

Week 3 Few made it to this week of the challenge. Most dropped out, with only the best writers remaining. It was important to write as much as humanly possible. Eastern teacher Walter Bowne stated, “You write whenever it catches. And it catches a lot. I write during lunch, go in my car, pound away.”

Week 4 Week 4 is the final trial by fire. Many write too quickly and reach their climax too soon, leaving them stuck for the rest of the week. Eastern student Danny Ramadan explained his solution, the writing cookie challenge. He explained that, “Essentially, the writing cookie challenge involves a bunch of friends who write in a circle, with one cookie in the middle.

They race to write a 5,000 word. After each person completes it, they put their creation on top of the cookie. The last person to reach completion needs to review each person’s creation, and then eat the cookie.”

Final overview Good job! Now, wash your hands and get the ink off your fingers. But if you weren’t able to complete the month, don’t feel discouraged. Even Bowne wasn’t able to complete it, stating, “I got halfway through, but there were so many distractions. Like, my buddy Dan and I have a Podcast called ‘Flights of Fancy.’ It’s so distracting.”

Remember that you don’t write for nothing. Every word has meaning. When we asked Danny Ramadan the simple question of what he wrote about, his answer was surprisingly deep. He stated, “I want to inspire. Relationships are so powerful, especially those about broken homes and step-families. It resonates a lot with me. Step-relationships are so common, and they’re a pressing matter in today’s America. And I like to write about religion, I’m a religious guy. Missionary work is so inspiring to me.”

We write to stimulate the reader, to accurately present the real world and real struggles.

And that’s what November is truly about: a challenge meant to inspire.

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Thank you for reading!

Eastern Regional High School Issue No. 1