Volume LVIV
March 2022
New Supreme Court Nominee. Page 2
Redefining Feminism. Page 4
Eastern Regional High School
Fifth Edition
Turning Red Review. Page 13
1401 Laurel Oak Road
Boys Tennis Preview. Page 16
Voorhees, NJ 08043
Eastern removes mask mandate, becomes mask-optional By MATT CHOWANSKY ‘22 Entertainment Editor
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astern Administration has announced the school district plans to follow state guidance and remove the mask mandate that had been in place since the pandemic began. Effective on March 7th, Eastern faculty and students have the ability to not wear a mask while in the school building. This move comes weeks after the State of New Jersey announced that it was lifting the mandate in schools and child care centers across the state. The decision received mixed opinions from students and staff, with some expressing that it is a
step in the right direction while others suggest that it could be too early to remove the mask mandate. Students have even expressed fear of caving into peer pressure and not wearing a mask despite their own personal preference to do so. Some students support the removal of the mask mandate because it allows for better inperson interaction and the ability to see someone face-to-face without a mask in the way. There were questions raised as to whether or not the mask mandate was lifted way too soon, or if it was the right time to do so given the current circumstances. In a statement released by Superintendent Robert Cloutier published on the school web-
site, he said the school district is “looking forward to the enjoyment of the full array of school-day and extra-curricular activities without mandated modifications, some not experienced without modification in three school years. We are excited that teachers and students will be able to focus 100% on inperson learning, activities, arts, theater, and athletics.” Cloutier addressed the concern that students who choose to continue to wear a mask will be subject to unnecessary comments made by other students. “Students are expected to be respectful of others who choose to CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
Substitute teacher shortage growing By RYLEE PEARLMAN ‘25 Staff Reporter
B Congrats to all DECA State Winners! List of all winners on page 7
Photo supplied by Aden Falk ‘24
What’s Inside? Changes to SAT - 2
“Don’t Say Gay” Bill - 10 Critical Race Theory - 11
Academic Challenge - 3
Voyager on Prom Pressures - 12
Investments for Dummies - 4
“Turning Red” review - 13
Model UN @ Eastern - 5
“The Worst Person in the World” review - 14
Ms. Beluch’s Snake - 6 Mrs. Reina’s way to help the community - 7 Women’s History - 8/9
Now that masks are optional, students can see their friends and teachers smile. Photo by Arianna Morales ‘22
eing a teacher isn’t an easy job, and, sadly, they aren’t always recognized for all that they do. Teachers have to work almost all year-round, with endless amounts of grading, meetings, and non-stop lesson plans. Although, just as students and other people working full time jobs, teachers have other commitments that they need to attend to during school days. When teachers take days off, the schools supply a substitute teacher for the day. This is the day that kids all over look forward to, a substitute. A day to do mindless worksheets, and have loads of free time, it’s almost
like a day off for the students as well. But, during the pandemic at Eastern Regional High School, things are a bit different. For my short period of time being at Eastern, I have met some of the most knowledgeable teachers who have taught me things I never thought I would be learning. As well as being amazing teachers, they were open to describing the struggles of teaching in the pandemic and how they have fallen out of love with teaching. However, they aren’t the only ones. Teachers all over are retiring early, or just leaving mid year, leaving substitutes to take over their classes. Finding substitutes to do the job, though, isn’t that easy. For example, in Texas, schools are calling in moms to
Russia/Ukraine impact on sports - 15 Girls Lacrosse Season Preview - 16
Even though the pandemic is coming to a close, there’s still a teacher shortage. Photo from Unsplash
cover classes. At Eastern, there aren’t enough teachers to cover all the classes that have absent teachers. Classes get sent to the Performing Arts Center while teachers with free periods or department advisors “watch” over the classes. The teachers that are absent usually assign work to do on Google Classroom that students should do while in the Performing Arts Center. The past few days, I’ve been corresponding with Eastern’s substitute teacher coordinator, Ms. Pasternak, over email, and I asked her a few questions about the shortage. Ms. Pasternak has been Eatsern’s substitute coordinator for the past five years and works extremely hard daily to make sure that everything at Eastern runs smoothly. The pandemic has put many people out of jobs and has greatly affected the school systems. When asked how the pandemic affected the amount of substitutes available, Ms. Pasternak replied, “I think the coverage needs we’re experiencing here at Eastern are no different from those in other schools statewide and across the country. I’m glad that we have substitutes regularly on campus along with our own teachers available to CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
2 The Voyager
News
March 2022
New changes to the SAT aim to improve student experience By ANDREW SHINKLE ‘22 Editor-in-Chief
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n 2024, the SAT will be receiving a host of major revisions that aim to bring the long-running standardized test firmly into the 21st century. On January 25th, the College Board, which administers the test, announced the changes on its website. The headlining change to the SAT is the switch from paper-and-pencil to an all-digital platform, even though students will still be required to take the exam at designated testing centers. Additionally, other changes include a shorter test length (two hours, down from three), calculator usage on both math sections, a revamped reading section that includes a variety of passages with one question each, and a “unique” test for each student. The College Board is no stranger to revising the SAT; it has a long and storied history of changing the test. As the years go by, the SAT evolves to meet the changing times and to reflect the skills that colleges and universities are searching for in prospective students. Three of the most recent revisions to the test occurred in 1994, 2005, and 2016; they seem to be on an eleven year cycle. In 1994, antonym questions were removed, reading passages were made longer, open-ended math problems were added, and calculators were introduced. 2005 brought the essay to the test, which reformatted its grading scale from 1600 to 2400, and analogy questions were also removed. In 2016, the essay was made optional (removed in June 2021), and the grading scale was restored to 1600. With the most recent changes that are set to take effect for international students in 2023, and U.S. students in 2024, student experience and satisfaction seems to
be the priority. Mr. Kevin D’Antonio, an English teacher at Eastern, has taught an SAT English prep course for five years, and he offered his opinion on the test’s new individualized changes. “I think it’s a great idea; I’m interested to see how it shakes out. I think sometimes a lot of things sound really really great, and you build a system to have in place, but when it plays out it doesn’t necessarily go exactly how you want it to at first. Hopefully, it works out the way it’s intended to,” he said. These user-friendly changes to the SAT come at a time of growing nationwide doubt towards the test’s economic fairness and necessity as an admissions filter in higher education. As a result of the pandemic, a large number of schools have become test-optional, and do not require students to submit SAT scores. In fact, the University of California district, a highly-ranked system of public universities, turned test-blind in 2020; this means that they do not consider SAT or ACT scores in their admissions decisions. Despite this trend, Mr. D’Antonio values the SAT as more than a demonstration of academic knowledge. “The things that you are proving about yourself, in doing something like taking a long-form standardized test like the SAT speaks to your dedication to something, and I think that is valuable to schools, in addition to the score,” he said. Even though countless schools have become test-optional, students who submit SAT scores are at more of an advantage than those who do not; in a way, it’s not really an option. If test scores are not considered, then high school grades and GPAs would be some of the primary factors in admissions decisions. However, thousands of people with similar grades (in different classes, curriculums, schools,
The College Board announced the new changes to the SAT on January 25th, and they will take effect in 2024 for students in the U.S. economic circumstances, etc.) are very difficult to choose between. This is where the SAT comes into play; it is a standard tool for judging millions of students against one another. Mr. Tim Hassall, an English teacher at Voorhees Middle School, has taught the HASSSAT SAT prep course for seventeen years. He feels that the SAT is important for students, but that the admissions process will likely never be fair for everyone. “It is a useful tool, it’s just one of those things — will it always be fair? No, but then you can get philosophical about it. [For example,] This kid didn’t go to a good school; how do you account for that in the GPA if he didn’t go to high school at Eastern? Now what? You went to East-
Photo by Andrew Shinkle ‘22/Canva.com
ern; you went to a really good public high school; you have an advantage over a kid who went to a lesser public high school maybe just a few miles away. It’s a neverending thing,” he said. The SAT might not be favored among students in the admissions process, but without it, the alternative might be worse. The new changes to the exam will make it a more favorable, more accessible, and less stressful test for students to take. Going forward, the changes might contribute towards more of a level playing field for students everywhere. “It’s [The SAT is] something that everyone has to do,” Hassall said. “It’s kind of a rite of passage, and I doubt it’ll go away anytime soon.”
Ketanji Brown Jackson’s historic Supreme Court nomination
top law enforcement officials have signed a letter addressed to the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary istory could be made once again. Committee — including former NYPD Following Justice Stephen Breyofficial Ben Tucker, who just retired as er’s retirement, Ketanji Brown highest-ranking Black official in the naJackson was nominated by Prestion’s largest department, stated this in a ident Joe Biden to fill his seat, and she letter, “Such direct familiarity with the could be the first Black woman named to experiences and challenges of law enthe nation’s highest court with the nomiforcement enriches her understanding of nation hearing later this month. criminal justice issues.” Growing up in Miami, her uncle was the Through all of these raving reviews one city’s police chief and another uncle was has to wonder, how would she actually a sex crimes detective. Her father was an make her decisions if she were to be apattorney. She studied government at Harproved to the supreme court? According vard while being a student organizer for to President Biden, “Her opinions are civil rights causes, and graduated magalways carefully reasoned, tethered to na cum laude. Attending Harvard Law precedent and demonstrate respect for School, she graduated cum laude and was how the law impacts everyday people,” an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Biden said. “It doesn’t mean she puts her This is only the beginning of what many thumb on the scale of justice one way or would consider an admirable career. the other. But she understands the broadFunnily enough, she clerked for Suer impacts of her decisions, whether it’s preme Court Associate Justice Stephen cases addressing the rights of workers or Breyer, whom she will replace if she is government service. ” confirmed. Jackson has explained that she Though the nomination in itself is historcould never fill Breyer’s shoes, but as a ic, the choice of Jackson will not change young lawyer in the 1990s, she unknowthe ideological makeup of the court. The ingly was on a destined path to continue court currently has six conservative juswhat she has called tices and three liberal his “civility, grace, She could be the first justices, and the retirpragmatism and gening Breyer comes from Black woman named the liberal side, plus she erosity of spirit.” Serving in the U.S. to the nation’s highest has experience working Court of Appeals and for him and most likely court, with the having served eight share similar ideolonomination hearing years as a U.S. Disgies. trict Court Judge for later this month. Though her nominathe District of Cotion has been well relumbia (from 2013 ceived by many, there until June 2021) are two of Jackson’s are still few that criticize the nomination strongest accolades on her bolstering reas being a way for President Biden to fulsume for her nomination, as well as her fill his campaign promise instead of goexperience as a public defender. ing based off of credentials solely. One Not only that, but dozens of the nation’s main criticizer of Ketanji’s nomination By LAURA SILENZIO ‘23 Opinion Editor
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is none other than Fox TV host Tucker Carlson. Similar to rumors Donald Trump spread about Obama’s college grades during the 2012 election, Carlson demanded that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Black woman, a nominee for the Supreme Court, prove that she is qualified. He demanded that she show her papers, saying on Fox News, “It might be time for Joe Biden to let us know what Ketanji Brown Jack- Ketanji Brown Jackson was nominated by President son’s LSAT score Biden. Photo from Wikimedia Commons was. How did she ington to ensure her confirmation along do on the LSATs? … It would seem like with the hope that Jackson can garner Americans in a democracy have a right to bipartisan support. Because Democrats know.” have a sure 50 votes in the Senate, many Much to Carlson’s dismay though, even pundits expect Vice President Kamala some conservatives have conceded she Harris to be the tiebreaker for Jackson’s was an excellent pick such as Senator confirmation if needed, but this may not Josh Hawley and former federal judge J. have to happen if Jackson can get huge Michael Luttig. support from a significant number of GOP Of course, the Supreme Court should senators as she did for her District Court be made up of the most qualified, expeappointment in 2013 after being nominatrienced jurists, but there’s no doubt aced by Barack Obama. cording to many endorsements at the top Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Lindof their fields that Jackson is one of them. sey Graham of South Carolina and Susan As for Biden’s take, “For too long, our Collins of Maine all voted for Jackson government, our courts haven’t looked last summer when she was confirmed as like America. I believe it’s time that we a circuit court judge on the US Court of have a court that reflects the full talents Appeals for the District of Columbia, the and greatness of our nation with a nomisecond most important court in the counnee of extraordinary qualifications.” try so it’s more likely than not that the As for the nomination process, Demonomination will end up going through and crats will need all their members in Washhistory will be made.
News
March 2022
The Voyager 3
Philadelphia Auto Show returns for the first time since COVID lockdown
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By ANNA LANGAN ‘22 Staff Reporter
or the first time since the coronavirus began, Philadelphia resumed its annual Auto Show. This year’s car show featured antique and classic cars, cars from popular television programming, a variety of cars from local car groups, modified and custom vehicles, and new dealer models expected to come out within the next few years. From March 5th through the 13th, the public was invited to attend this expedition and experience all of the cars and displays provided within the Philadelphia Convention Center. One of the most notable additions to this year’s exhibition was the large number of electric vehicles being introduced from many of the brands featured in the Showroom. Many of these vehicles were featured in the showroom, which had displays from popular car manufacturers across the US as well as abroad. Many companies also provided driving tracks to test out their cars, called the “Ride & Drive.” Connoisseurs could experience new varieties of vehicles from many different manufacturers. Drivers could take a ride in a Jeep and get an experience similar to off-roading within the convenience of being in the Convention Center. Another feature of this “Ride & Drive” was the track of electric vehicles, which highlighted the assets and ease of driving a vehicle that doesn’t rely on gasoline. Two of the most notable vehicles being unveiled at the show were the new models
Mask Mandate (cont.)
wear a mask indoors. Challenges still remain. There will still be positive cases to report to our nurses,” he wrote. In addition to masks being optional, additional changes to the school’s response to the pandemic were made. After-school help with teachers is now being held exclusively in-person, after previously being offered via Zoom. According to data provided by school officials on the district website, there were five positive tests in the student body and seven students were quarantined between the period of February 21st25th. An Eastern senior who spoke to The Voyager about the mandate, wishing to remain anonymous, says that they “think the removal of the mask mandate is going to spark an increase in positive COVID-19 cases like never seen before.” Other students echoed a similar sentiment, while others thought the complete opposite. “Students who are unvaccinated should continue to wear their mask,” senior Heather Welcer says. Welcer was wor-
of the Toyota Supra and the new Nissan Z. Both of these cars combine the popular, historic aspects of each brand’s legacy with a modern twist. These cars feature more advanced technology and safety features while maintaining their original need for speed. On the front of the Hollywood Cars exhibit, the show featured vehicles from all across Hollywood. The exhibit held the Mystery Machine from Scooby Doo, the Camaro from Transformers, a Jeep from Jurassic Park, and a motorcycle from Crybaby, among many others. These cars allowed the public to connect with their favorite movies and shows through seeing the actual cars they used while filming them, which was very popular for the crowds. Another interesting aspect of this year’s car show was the featuring of Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) vehicles at the Auto Show’s “Custom Alley.” Within the custom cars, viewers could see all varieties of vehicles. Many cars were lifted, lowered, or wrapped in colors of all kinds, providing the viewers with so many unique and interesting inspirations for their own vehicle. Cars with both inner and outer tuning gathered interest from crowds and introduced people to a new generation of car modification after the years of quarantine. While this year’s car show was not in its full capacity due to the coronavirus, this gradual return made a big splash within the waters of the car world. Now that it has finally returned, the car show will be back to its former glory in the years to come, and I cannot wait. ried she would eventually cave into peer pressure towards not wearing a mask, but ultimately her health and safety came before following what her peers were doing. She thinks that the school would benefit from continuing to enforce the mask mandate regardless of vaccination status, but says since the school lifted the mandate they should rectify it to only affect individuals who are unvaccinated. Ms. DeCoursey, who began teaching at Eastern long before the pandemic started , says that the mask mandate being lifted is a “step in the right direction toward returning back to a normal world again.” DeCoursey says that she would personally encourage students and faculty to receive their vaccination shots if they haven’t already. She acknowledged the fact that students hardly wore their masks correctly in the first place, which made it difficult for her and her colleagues. With the mask mandate being lifted, a sense of normalcy has returned in the Eastern community and hopefully one day we can all put the coronavirus in the past.
The mask mandate being lifted is a “step in the right direction toward returning back to a normal world again.”
Substitute Teachers (cont.)
cover classes when needed.” What seems to be the main problem with this “solution” is that the kids don’t want to do the work that’s assigned. When there are so many students seated in one space all at once, it is very easy to get distracted by everyone else in the room. This makes it very hard to be focused enough to do the work your absent teacher has assigned. Recently, New Jersey legislatures adopted a new bill stating that a person with as few as 30 semester-hour credits can substitute for teachers when needed.
Still, before they can walk into school on their first day, they need to have someone request for the person’s criminal record. Once they’re in the clear, now it’s time for the substitute-to-be to pay for all their forms. A little over $200 dollars will be spent to have all the proper forms, and their first fingerprinting done. Many different factors potentially push people away from wanting to be a substitute, such as paying for your own fingerprinting, or the decreased pay rates. Despite the challenges the pandemic has caused, Ms. Pasternak continues to work diligently so that students have access to the education they deserve.
The 2022 Philadelphia Auto Show ran from March 5th to March 13th. The show debuted in 1902, and returned this year for the first time since 2020. Photo by Anna Langan ‘22
News Briefs EASTERN
Sophomores dance the night away at Cotillion On March 5th, sophomores had their first school dance solely for their grade. The Sophomore Cotillion took place at Paris Caterers, and started at 7:00 PM. However, preparations for the dance began hours before then. Some sophomores went to salons to get their hair, nails, and makeup done, or did it all at home. If you think that’s all that had to be done before heading over to the dance, you’re sorely mistaken! Pictures with friends and family took place an hour or so before the dance, and for many students the experience was stress inducing. Making sure you don’t step on anyone’s dress and smiling at every camera thrusted in your face is harder than it seems! Once students arrived at Paris Caterers, they were able to get dinner and party on the dance floor. For dinner there was mashed potatoes, turkey, pasta, and many sides, along with an icecream bar for dessert. Most of the sophomore class was able to find at least one enjoyable aspect of the night, and hopefully future dances will be even better! - Jordan Kramer ‘24
REGIONAL NJ could join the rest of the country in self-service gas pumps In the midst of skyrocketing fuel prices, NJ governor Phil Murphy is rethinking his initial decision of keeping full-service gas stations. According to the 1949 Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act, fuel customers are prohibited from pumping their own gas. Though a majority of the states have deviated from this law, New Jersey has managed to retain professional services in fuel stations. In light of heavy sanctions against Russian oil imports, self-service gas pumping could help decrease the rising gas prices, even by a few cents. Implementing self-services would reduce a number of job opportunities in the fuel industry, but it enables gas stations to save money from employee expenses, further reducing fuel prices. While nothing is set in stone, economic sanctions against Russia and staffing shortages due to COVID-19 may very well propel New Jersey towards a service-free fuel world. - Antonia Zong ‘22
GLOBAL WNBA’s Brittney Griner detained in Russia WNBA star Brittney Griner arrived in Russia from New York to play for the UMMC Ekaterinburg, an overseas basketball team, when she was detained at the airport. According to Russian authorities, her luggage was found with vape cartridges containing hash oil (cannabis oil), a strictly illegal narcotic substance there. Now she is awaiting trial for smuggling narcotics—a potentially decade long sentence. She was officially detained twelve days before Russia invaded Ukraine. Now, a U.S citizen is trapped in a country in the midst of war. Some reporters say that this situation partly has to do with the limited salary professional women’s basketball players receive. Griner plays overseas, like many other WNBA players, according to CNN, because she simply earns a larger salary. Furthermore, some reporters speculate that her case may be used to further a geopolitical scheme against the U.S. - Arianna Morales ‘22
4 The Voyager
Features
March 2022
Redefining feminism to include more women By ARIANNA MORALES ‘22 Co-Editor-in-Chief
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airness. A feeling of just action to establish equality. Equality. A drive to create fairness for everyone. There’s a term for such a movement but it carries much stigma, much of which this article will attempt to dilute: Feminism. What is Feminism? While it’s true that even feminists can’t agree on its exact definition, that doesn’t mean they don’t know what it stands for. In fact, it may be easier to explain what it is by what it isn’t. There are many misconceptions surrounding feminism partly due to the fact that there isn’t a clear definition. Mikki Kendal, the author of Hood Feminism said in an interview with Trevor Noah, “Every answer basically boils down to if we’re gonna do feminism for all women we have to make sure the poorest women have everything they need to survive. You can’t fight for your rights if you can barely stay alive.” Here are four misconceptions surrounding feminism. The term feminist is naturally the term used to describe those who support the movement or idealology. Feminism is a term for women to use to express that they want to be “better” than men. Although the structure of the term may be misleading, at the heart of feminism is a drive for equality for both women and men. However, the strategies toward equality often involve empowering women to simply have access to the same
opportunities as men. These efforts may add to the appearance that women want to have more power, but it is false. Feminists want all the rights and none of the repercussions. Empowerment doesn’t mean invincibility. While the concern is valid, feminism is about establishing a level of fairness for both sexes in a world where one’s oppurtunities are skewed based on gender and race. Fairness means equal opportunity and equal accountability. This belief is often coupled with the appearance that feminists work for women’s superiority rather than equality, which again isn’t true. Feminists can only be women. Just because the movement is focused on women doesn’t mean it’s exclusive to just women. For example, one doesn’t have to be Black to support the Black Lives Matter movement. The sense of exclusivity only adds to the stigma of the term. Feminism is about starting a conversation on what it takes to give more power to women, to meet the needs of those who can barely take care of themselves: healthcare, housing, education and food. Everyone is invited to the conversation, because like Kendal said, “no one can pull themselves up by their bootstraps.” Feminists have nothing to fight for. Mainstream feminism often involves issues that don’t necessarily focus on more critical issues like gender-based violence, hunger, and education even in well developed countries like America. There’s much more to feminism than fighting for equal pay. Especially since the pay gap is wider for women of color. While white women earn 83 cents compared
to the white man’s dollar, Black women earn 64, and Hispanic 57, according to American Progress. Clearly, there must be factors leading to the range of disparity, and feminism is also a dicussion about racial divisons among sexes. No matter how many times the misconceptions are cleared, Feminism will likely continue to carry stigma. Nonetheless, the term still represents a drive for equality and fairness. For a more in depth look into the complex issues of feminism within the movement, consider reading Hood Feminism. The book breaks down what feminism’s fighting for and what it should prioritize as a movement by breaking down several issues into more simple topics. There is no clear definition of feminism since establishing equality means Feminism can’t afford to trip over itself focusing breaking down toxic racial on the wrong issues that don’t seek to empower all biases and gender stereowomen. Photo by Yesenia Morales types in order to establish fair opportunities between understand that it’s a simply a term to the sexes. describe a movement that fights for both “When we talk about feminism, and we sexes. talk about women, we have to talk about Dorothy Parker once said “My idea is all women, and issues that talk about all that all of us, men as well as women, whowomen.” Even if one doesn’t call themever we are, should be considered as huselves a feminist, it’s important to at least man beings.”
NFTs for Dummies: An expert’s guide to creation
due to its unique pattern within the blockchain. When a user purchases the image, their individual collector IP is added within the blockchain, identifying their unique or new investors, the stock marand exclusive ownership. This has led to ket can be scary. It’s challenging a quick increase in their popularity, due to to know which stocks to invest their irreplicable nature. in, which to drop, and when to This has become a prospective oppordo all of it. This intimidation only contunity for both investors and artists alike. tinues as the market grows and expands While in the past, digital artists would into cryptocurrency and other areas of struggle with their inability to control e-commerce. Although they have been the exclusivity of their art, NFTs ensure around since 2014, in the last year, NFTs the same level of individual ownership have jumped into popularity, leaving new as original printed works. No longer will investors lost and confused. artists smother their work with waterIn this edition, we consulted Eastern stumarks to control the distribution of their dent, King Meulens, asking him questions creations. involving the behind-the-scenes of selling King’s first NFT was listed on FebruNFTs. He has been creating and selling ary 4th, 2021, and sold only 4 days later. NFTs for over a year, and has created a Meulens describes the open accessibility small community that supports his work. of the NFT market, as he learned in only As we already learned, NFT stands for a week. With all of the information availNon-Fungible Token. In other words, it is able, it is easy to get started, but there are a digital image that can not be replicated a few key decisions to be made. The first step is deciding between a “one of one” artist or a generative project. A one of one is an NFT that has been issued as a single, unique edition, whereas a generative project refers to a “mix and match” series where different aspects of the image are uniquely generated from a random combination of variables. According to Meulens, “Repressed Anguish” from TheKorruptedKingz they are “more collection focuses on men’s mental health within the black focused on utilcommunity. Photo supplied by King Meulens ‘23 ity and marketing By TIANA CYRELSON ‘22 Media Editor
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background” as opposed to the former: “higher quality art and often found moving with purpose.” As a one-of-one artist himself, Meulens suggests a story or cause behind the art. This allows the art itself to draw in those that find meaning in its message, rather than trading the NFT based on market value alone. Once a style has been chosen, it is up to the artist to pick a marketplace to sell their goods. The artist will not only be in charge of choosing their listing space, such as OpenSea or Foundation but their cryptocurrency as well. Once they have invested in Ethereum, Solana, Polygon, Tezos, or other cryptos, an artist is able to “mint” or publish their NFT on the blockchain, making it eligible for purchase and trading. While Meulens focuses on the art appreciation of NFTs, he understands the importance of timing a sale. “It takes gas to mint the crypto,” he says, “research gas prices that fluctuate daily. When gas is low, list.” Unlike purchasing an NFT, the main investment is time. Creating a successful sale relies not only on the art itself but on the community and content surrounding it. “Not only are people buying into your art, but they’re buying into you,” Meulens says. Because of this, he recommends making yourself available on multiple platforms. As a creator himself, he suggests both platforms for content and engagement. Content platforms, such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, allow artists to build a name for themselves within the collection community. The larger the following, the greater the chance of a successful sale. Similarly, engagement platforms such as Twitter and Discord allow for an artist to create a community that supports and continually interacts with their art. Meulens’ most successful NFT, titled “Repressed Anguish” from TheKorruptedKingz collection sold in under a week
for .035 Ethereum ($106-$112). Now, it is held at a value of 10 Ethereum, or between $29K and $32K. When sold, King will receive a royalty between 15% and 25%, but to him, the piece represents more than money. The drop focuses on men’s mental health, especially within the black community:“From adult to youth it’s okay to be open,” he writes in the description of the image, “in fact, opening up is strong in itself.” Most importantly, to Meulens and other artists alike, the creation of NFTs is about more than money. For the first time, digital content creators are able to express themselves and have a market to do so. “Take a leap of faith,” he advises. “Take that chance on yourself, become who you are destined to be.”
Follow King: Twitter: KingMeulens Instagram: kingmeulens OpenSea: KingMeulens Foundation: KingMeulens
Features
March 2022
The Voyager 5
Mock trial’s successful season in the courtroom By JORDAN KRAMER ‘24 Staff Reporter
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astern’s mock trial team has had a very successful year thus far. Once the casebook was released in November of 2021, captains Maiya Little and Anika Kapoor got to work reading through it all, and putting together their directs, crosses, and everything that goes into a trial. There are many components that make up a trial, so here’s a simple guide to how things work! Prosecution vs Defense This year, the city of Metropolitan (the prosecution) is accusing Perry Jordan (the defense) of being involved in the trafficking of stolen luxury goods. Both sides have two attorneys; the prosecution’s are Maiya Little and Claire Sklar, and the defense’s are Anika Kapoor and Claire Sklar/Giovanni Ciro. Along with the attorneys, each side has three witnesses to help their side win. On the prosecution, Officer Parris Jewel is played by Micheal DiPascale, expert Jules Thompson is played by Riya Nandakumar, and clerk Cameron Clark (say that ten times fast!) is played by Paige Huber. The defense has the accused Perry Jordan being played by Tiana Cyrelson, rover driver Blair Overland played by Thomas Alexander/Jordan Kramer, and expert Kaden Keller played by Faith Lee. How does a trial run? Understanding how a mock trial proceeds is difficult at first, but the more you watch, the easier it’ll be. Both prosecution and defense sides start with their opening, where they explain why they’re in court today, and what they will prove (in this case, if Jordan is guilty or innocent). Next, the prosecution witnesses will
be brought to the stand. The prosecution attorneys will question them, which is called a direct, and it’s practiced before the trial. They’ll ask questions about their jobs, their relevance to the case, and anything to paint Jordan as guilty. After their time is up, the defense side questions the prosecution witnesses in the cross, which the witness will have to answer on the spot. Once all the prosecution witnesses go, the defense witnesses take the stand. Same as the prosecution, they’ll go through their directs and crosses. The opposing sides’ attorneys can object to the questions the other sides ask if they believe they are improper questions. For example, if the defense asks a prosecution witness about an event that has nothing to do with the case, the prosecution can object on the count of relevance. Both attorneys will state either why or why not it is relevant, and the judge will decide to either overrule the objection, or sustain it. The trial ends with both sides’ closing statements, which summarizes what was discovered in court, and how that proves Jordan’s innocence or guilt (depending on what side is going). The judges will discuss privately who they think performed better, and after a short recess will declare the winner. South Jersey Champions After preparing for 3 months, the first trial was on February 5th. The prosecution side went, and they won the trial. Next week on February 12th, the defense went twice in two separate trials, and defeated the other teams. With the record of 3-0 Eastern advanced to the county finals and came out victorious! The first two regional trials fell on March 1st, and the team ran into some problems. One of the defense attorneys, along with two witnesses, were absent. Substitutions had to be made, but that didn’t stop the
Staying professional, but having fun, allowed cooperation on both sides.
From Left to Right: Sam Lee, Riya Nandakumar, Faith Lee, Jordan Kramer, Anika Kapoor, Maiya Little, Claire Sklar, Thomas Alexander, Michael DiPascale, Paige Huber, Aarav Jain, Tiana Cyrelson, Kevin Farrow (Supervisor) Photo supplied by Maiya Little ‘22 defense side from winning both trials. AnStaying professional, but having fun, ika Kapoor and fill-in Claire Sklar manallowed cooperation on both sides, and aged to snag a win against very talented Little mentions how that helped Sklar fill teams, despite all the substitutions. in for the opposing side’s attorney with The South Jersey Championship was little problem. the closest trial the team had seen yet, Both captains prefer trials pre-Zoom, and, once again, Eastern’s team was able where the teams face off in a real-life to clinch another victory. Officially the courtroom. Sadly, this wasn’t made posSouth Jersey Champs, the next trial on sible with COVID, but they were happy March 10th was the Semi-Regional Finals that the Zooms could at least be all tofor the state! Unfortunately, the team lost gether at school, and not at each memin a very impressive trial, but Eastern’s ber’s individual homes. mock trial team ended third in the state! When asked about how much time is put What the captains have to say into Mock Trial, Little says she thinks it The two captains, Anika Kapoor and might be 10 hours a day, and Kapoor jokes Maiya Little, joined the club as freshmen that she “breathes Perry Jordan.” The efand started out as witnesses. fort put into the club is clearly shown beWhen asked how past team leaders influcause all the witnesses and attorneys felt enced their way of leadership, they both prepared for each trial. said how they wanted to create a more With their skills learned from Mock friendly environment. Prior years, the Trial, both Kapoor and Little plan to team was very professional but not as fun, study law in college. Little said that now and this year Kapoor said she “wants us “everything I do is through a Mock Trial all to be friends.”A new tradition of doing lense,” so it’s clear that the club has left a a Power-Point night was started, and they big impact. hope that the underclassmen will carry on The team is sad to see their great senior with it, and keep the unity that they crecaptains go, but they can’t wait for all ated this year with the team. they will accomplish in the future!
Eastern Model UN team continues its tradition of success
win an award at the end of the conference. The awards range from Best Position Paper (a position paper outlines your country’s position, as well as offering a or many years, the Model Unitsolution to the committee’s topic) to Best ed Nations club at Eastern was Novice (the best-performing delegate barely even a thought to most stuwho has attended no more than 2 conferdents. But it actually has a terrific ences) to Honorable Mention (normally history of success, with numerous best one or two delegates who performed well, delegation wins at collegiate conferences. but not at a Best Delegate level), with the And now that it’s open to all students, the most coveted award being Best Delegate. Model UN team has not only expanded, The Eastern Model United Nations team but thrived. attended two conferences in February, run Model United Nations is essentially a by Moorestown High School and Clearsimulation of a United Nations departview Regional High School. The Moorement or international organizations like stown conference, held the European Union. It follows all United The team enjoyed much on February 5, was remote, which provides success despite the Nations procedures (also known as parliachallenges of a remote specific challenges to the delegates, as it’s mentary procedure), conference, as six far different from a where delegates sugdelegates would come normal in-person congest moderated cauhome with awards. ference. cuses (a moderated Team captain Kartik debate on a specific isVijayapuri describes them as a new exsue) or unmoderated caucuses (delegates perience. “I’m sure many delegates actucan freely roam the room to understand ally found remote easier, as it took a lot the positions of other delegates and form of stress away from speaking. However, blocs, which are large groups of countries in terms of technical issues and such, we with similar positions that aim to solve the learned to stay patient and had good traincommittee’s problem in a beneficial way) ing which helped us seamlessly transfer to tackle their committee’s main issue, from in person conferences to remote which can range from the financial crisis and back to in person. If anything, reof 2008 to the execution of Marie Antoimote conferences were a time to hone our nette. The main goal of each committee MUN skills to do really well as we switch is to write a resolution paper (through the back to in person.” blocs mentioned earlier) to solve the issue The team enjoyed much success despite at hand, although a crisis will be thrown the challenges of a remote conference, in to shake up country positions. as six delegates would come home with If a delegate does especially well, they’ll By JOSEPH LOVERDI ‘22 Sports Editor
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The SJMUN (Eastern Conference) team concluded their February delegation performance ahead of the March conference. awards, three of them winning the Best Delegate gavel — team leader Vijayapuri, and siblings Ajay and Anita Raj. Their performance through such a tough format should be commended, and Their next conference would be at Clearview on February 26, with a return to the normal in-person conference schedule. The smaller Eastern delegation again shined, as four students would win awards, two for Best Position Paper (senior Ethan Levy and freshman Jack Bracchi) and two for Best Delegate (sophomore Ajay Raj and junior Anita Raj). The final conference of the year will be held at Haddonfield Memorial High
Photo supplied by Kartik Vijayapuri ‘22
School on March 26. It’ll be the final conference for long-time delegates like Vijayapuri. “I’ll miss the tight knit team we developed as well as the community as a whole. The weekly meetings, team bus rides, and friendships made the MUN atmosphere not only educational but also fun,” he said. The Model United Nations team has continued to be successful year after year, and February was no different for them. Here’s to hoping they can continue their tremendous success at the Haddonfield conference, and that the seniors can go out with a bang.
Features
6 The Voyager
March 2022
Unraveling unconventional pet curiosities Meet Noodles: Mrs. Beluch’s unique and interesting pet snake
By SHREYA KOMAR ‘22 Staff Reporter
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lightly perplexed and somewhat terrified, I squinted at the smartboard in front of me. The classroom was nearly empty, students slowly trickling in reluctantly to their classes after a satisfying lunch. After fishing out my iPad and opening up the AP Calculus AB notes that we would be going over in class, I quickly stole a glance at the board in front of me. Usually, if the ‘fun fact’ involved cockroaches, spiders, or anything unsettling for that matter, I would be quick to avert my gaze. But that day, a picture of a snake, weirdly juxtaposed within the inside of a home, sat in place of the fun fact document. Oddly enough, I continued to stare. When the class began, Mrs. Beluch formally introduced the reptile on the board as Noodles, her family’s pet snake. As the room erupted with endless questions, I sat there bewildered. It had never once occurred to me that a snake could be kept as a pet. Maybe that’s because my mom is terrified of snakes (she once screeched hysterically when I threw a folded strip of paper at her and yelled, “snake!”). So, out of sheer curiosity and in an attempt to answer my lingering questions, I sat down with Mrs. Beluch
to ask her some questions about Noodles. When asked if she calls herself an animal person Mrs. Beluch confessed, “I don’t think I was when I was growing up, but I am becoming more of one now.” When inquired about why she chose a snake, she affectionately replied, “My son has wanted one for a really long time, and I finally gave in and got him one as a birthday present.” Upon finding out that she also owns two dogs, I wondered how Noodles was different from her other pets. “She’s not cuddly, obviously.” Mrs. Beluch chuckled. “You can’t sit under a blanket with her but she does like to be held.” Adding on paradoxically, “She’s not as much of a people’s pet, but she does still like attention.” When I blatantly asked her how she is not terrified of snakes, she reasoned, “We chose this snake because she is a constrictor as opposed to a venomous snake.” This means that Noodles cannot poison anything, instead, she suffocates her prey for food. It’s no secret that snakes are more on the dangerous side when it comes to pets. “Are there extra precautions you need to take?” I asked. “Right now, no, but eventually as she gets larger, we need to make sure that she doesn’t get out of her cage,” Mrs. Beluch replies. Following up with that, I asked what
It had never once occurred to me that a snake could be kept as a pet. Maybe that’s because my mom is terrified of snakes.
You can take a little risk and get an uncoventional pet, but make sure to do your research! Picture supplied by Mrs. Beluch she planned to do in the future when Noodles potentially got too big to keep at home. “We haven’t gotten that far.” She admitted as she raised her palm to the top of her head. “ She’s going to be as big as me and live for about 20 years.” I paused, picturing a snake as tall as Mrs. Beluch and a chill ran down my spine. “We’re taking it as time goes. We haven’t figured out what we’re going to do when she gets too long,” She adds. When asked if she thinks it’s possible to form emotional connections to animals like snakes, she thoughtfully answered, “I think so. It’s not going to be as much as a dog just because there is less physical connection, but we can see that with her
(Noodles) already, that she understands because we put her in a different cage to feed her and when we put her in that separate cage, I do believe she knows it’s dinner time.” Talking to Mrs. Beluch has taught me that snakes can, in fact, make cool pets. So, unless you have a snake-o-phobic family member like I do, maybe consider a snake as a possible future companion. So, for all of you out there on the fence about getting an unconventional pet, I urge you to think carefully and do your research, but also not be afraid to take a little risk. In the words of Mrs. Beluch, “Just have fun. Go for it.” In the very least, “it’s something to talk about.”
Eastern’s marching band struts with confidence about work or life single-handedly. So far this season, they have reigned in their victory streak. The musicians’ social media photos astern will never have renowned display true victory, both an external and sporting events and concerts internal sentimental feeling. without their brilliant, yet unrecSuch inspired me to ask a purposeful ognized sidekick. question. “Why do you march?” Marching band is a staple in the majorAccording to freshman, Angelina Lubo, ity of American high schools. A usual auher decision to proceed with Eastern’s tumn outdoor season marches on football color guard is a matter of unity in friendfields during and outside of school hours. ships. The pit, the wind, the brass, the drumline, “Honestly the thing I like most about and the guard make for an attention-worcolor guard is the friends I’ve made and thy football halftime show with state-wide feeling like you’re a part of something” competitions the next morning. This year she said. “The friends I have made in saw the water-motivated “Ripple Effect.” band have helped me through very hard The narration played through speaktimes and I felt like I was useless at times ers during an instrumental break moved but guard felt like it gave meaning to me bleachers through the motivations of and it made me feel like I was a part of water. One drop causes a domino effect, something big.” bending the rest of the events to come. Tricks, dance moves, rotations, and The color guard section works with a lengthy marches with a flag in hand seems yoga ball in order to display this change, to have its sense of unity. the ball bouncing as the musicians move Trumpet player Laura Ebersole, a juaround the field. The season saw them senior, would agree with Lubo’s statement curing high placements at every competiin terms of the number of hands willing to tion. help her push the keys. What is often paid the least amount of “Definitely all the friendships I’ve claps and symbol-hits, however, is the inmade,” she said. “They made transitioning door marching band season. A marching into freshman year band alongside its so much easier and I instruments and flags packs into a gymna- Tricks, dance moves, can always count on them whether we’re sium full of bleachers. They do exactly rotations, and lengthy on the field or not.” Johann Arnold, what a marching marches with a flag in another junior, with band does: march hand seems to have experience in mawith purpose. This nipulating both the year, they march to its sense of unity. xylophone and the a show called “We vibraphone, feels Build Together.” great pride in his Eastern marching. This show not only features a pit, a “We started learning the show in music drumline, and a color guard, but a car in January, and I loved the way it soundbuilt in the process. Multiple hands are ed. Band always gives me something to crafted together, providing the theme that do during the week, instead of doing nothwork is better done with multiple forces ing at home,” Arnold said. “As of now, we and that it is oftentimes unrealistic to go By MOLLY SMITH ‘25 Staff Reporter
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Students forge ahead with purpose in the realms of friendship to belonging. Photo by Molly Smith/Canva.com have had two competitions, and we placed a football field or a super loud gym with first in both of them. It’s safe to say that hundreds of people watching makes it the season is going great.” worth it without question.” He then went into a more personal reaThe different sections that make up son as to why he feels purposeful to play Eastern’s marching band sure have their in the pit. reasons behind stepping onto the field or “I may not be the best musician, but just gymnasium with feathered hats and dress seeing my friends, and knowing that I’m shoes. It is quite safe to say that friendship loved, is enough for me.” and belonging are the reasons why they As far as the drumline goes, Jake Cunmarch with purpose. It is also satisfactory ningham ‘24 had quite the words on his to see their names on the lips of a crowd. experience. May Eastern always have the comfort “You have your good runs and you have of wonderful music alongside its accomyour bad runs but the energy of being on panied pals.
Features
March 2022
The Voyager 7
Why Teachers Teach: Mrs. Brandt cheers for student’ success teaching someone how to do something and seeing them be successful.” Then, what started as guiding young hen given the opportunity dancers to the right moves, eventually to lead young teens through changed into guiding teens to navigate the maze of the mathematithrough Algebra and Geometry. She also cal world, Mrs. Brandt knew that she loved Geometry, so it was would take it any day over cheering for a no brainer. She was going to be a math the Philadelphia Eagles. Although now teacher. she cheers for her students’ success over The difference between dancing and the dramatic trials of grown men throwgeometry? Well, only a matter of shape ing a ball. and the students’ ages of course. But it It was 22 years ago she was called to acwas always the “success stories” that kept tion and stayed at Eastern ever since. her going: “It was teaching kids to work For twelve years of their education, stuhard at something. And if they work hard dents meet new teachers and with that, at something then they can be successful. new guides on the journey to find themTeaching kids how to do that — reach selves: to learn, to uncover their calling, success — was really what was fulfilling and to let it grow. However, in order to for me.” guide others they must Math is a core subject first be guided themnotorious for having a “It was teaching selves. This leads to the more rigid schedule question: Why do teach- kids to work hard at compared to classes ers teach? I interviewed something. And if like English or HistoMrs. Brandt, a Freshman ry. It seems like there’s they work hard at and Sophomore math never any time for fun. teacher on her journey to something then they In order to combat can be successful.” this, Brandt gives stuthe classroom and how she’s changed the lives dents what they want of numerous caterpillars most: to talk. She gives on their way to becoming butterflies. groups or partners a problem to solve and At the time, Eastern was desperate for they have to figure it out. “What I find stua math teacher—two left suddenly and dents like to do is just to work together… the vacancy caused them panic. In their A lot of the time, we’ll get to the main search, she was their golden ray of hope ideas but then say, are you guys ready to that now stands in room 94. try to hash it out?” It was an easy decision. She always One of the most critical points in learnknew she wanted to teach. Her passion ing is practicing applying the material. was found in guiding young 2nd and 3rd For Brandt, learning is everything but graders how to dance as a student teacher: perfection. It is the process of confronting “That’s when I kind of figured out that I failure over and over again with different really just like the art of teaching. I liked strategies until it works. By ARIANNA MORALES ‘22 Co-Editor-in-Chief
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Mrs. Brandt teaches math with a smile. Photo by Arianna Morales ‘22 At one point in her teaching career, she Above all else, she wants students to considered a more administrative posialways think and persevere through any tion, but realized the loss of intimacy with and all challenges they face. students was a deal-breaker. She joked, “When students take things to the next “I realized that I didn’t want to leave the level in class like I’m leading them to classroom, because I would rather be something, but then they’ve figured out around the students more than the adults.” something else and they’ve problem Although COVID certainly hasn’t made solved on their own. I love those mothe curriculum more flexible, she’s workments.” ing hard to make sure students learn the Whenever a student wants to give up skills they need to navigate the dizzy she looks them in the eye and tells them “ world of math and create more success “You got this,” and they work through the “That’s the lesson that I like to portray: if problem together. She strives to create an you work hard at something, even if you accepting and comfortable environment think it’s impossible, or you can’t do it, where students can acknowledge their or you don’t think you’re good enough or mistakes, but also use what they did right smart enough, you are and…if I can help to help them move forward—all it takes is you see that—that’s why I love teaching.” a little believing.
Plarn: Srta. Reina’s brilliant way to help in the community By KAITLIN SWIFT ‘24 Staff Reporter
S Eastern’s wonderful and creative Spanish Teacher, Ms. Reina.
Photo from Rowan University
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rta. Reina is one of Eastern’s most remarkable Spanish teachers. She has been teaching at Eastern for 25 years, and plans to retire after the 2021-2022 school year. “Throughout all these years, I have had amazing and positive experiences as well as experiences that teach and force growth and self-development. Overall, I am very proud to have been part of the Eastern community,” she said. Reina when asked about her time at Eastern. “The support from my colleagues and my supervisor added to the respect and love from my students, equals rewarding and unforgettable memories that will always be part of me.” After retiring from Eastern, Reina plans to spend more time with family and friends, teach Spanish, make creative projects, and pursue her passions. Although she loves her job at Eastern, Reina will enjoy having some extra free time. Outside of the classroom, Reina makes many stunning creative projects, but one that really stands out is plarn. Plarn is yarn made out of plastic bags, which Reina uses to make plastic bags and blankets for the homeless. Inspired by an online article, she immediately started re-
searching practical ways to use it and help in the community. “Making plarn [is] about being creative, as well as reusing and repurposing items that could otherwise negatively impact our environment,” she said. She delivers these blankets and bags to Philadelphia, which has a homeless population of over 6,000 according to projecthome.org. She originally joined a group of volunteers in Pennsylvania to deliver these bags and blankets to those in need, but soon found that it was a much better use of her time to do it by herself. St Joseph’s House in Camden is a great place nearby for those who want to be like Srta. Reina, and help the homeless in the community. They accept donations and also look for volunteers. Volunteers at St Joseph’s House assist in the kitchen, help, greet, entertain, and generally bring joy to those in the shelter. St Joseph’s House has volunteer hours from 9:00am to 2:00pm daily, as well as serving breakfast from 5:30am to 6:30am, and dinner from 8pm to9:30pm. For more information on volunteering at St Joseph’s House, contact km@jhoc.org. So, after reading this article, take some time to research ways to help in your community. Whether it’s making plarn, or volunteering at local shelters, you can surely make a difference!
“Making plarn [is] about being creative, as well as reusing and repurposing items that could otherwise negatively impact our environment.” she said.
Women’s His
8 March 2022
EQUALITY IS NEEDED A
Arguably one of the key human rights issues in Kazakhstan is the lack of gender equality. Women still deal with high levels of gender-based violence, as hundreds of women flee abusive households annually. Even then, there are few crisis centers and shelters within the country. Kazakhstan has generally shown a sense of indifference to women’s rights since its independence in 1991. The government has promised to protect women from abuse, but globally they’ve been seen as empty promises with both a lack of reform and a refusal to let women protest in large cities like Almaty and Nur-Sultan. Luckily, the current president, Kassym Jomart Tokayev, has recently acknolwedged the importance of women’s rights.
Yemen has been labeled as one of the most op-
pressive countries for women in the world, managing to assume the title of “the country with the highest gender pay gap” in 2015. Human rights in general don’t exist for women in Yemen, where women cannot marry or obtain healthcare without the permission of a man. In Yemen, the literacy rate for males is 70% while the literacy rate for women is a mrtr 35%. This country also has one of the highest rates for child marriages, with more than 52% of girls marrying before reaching 18 years old. Yemen’s legal system offers little protection for victims of sexual or domestic assault, so women are often subjected to “honor killing”, killing of a women for the purpose of a “dishonor or shame” of the family name.
In
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and improveme American were allow and univ ernment, and enjoy rights may en, such f in Afghanistan. Due recent 2021 Taliban and withdrawal of A forces, women were of many “privileges” Taliban reversed US
WOMEN’S HISTO Equality. Empowerment.
story Month
The Voyager 9
ALL OVER THE WORLD.
dia, the struggle for women’s rights has been incredibly complex. Gender equali-
ty has always been a daily struggle for Indian women due to the sexual violence that occurs rampantly within the country. Rape and sexual assault is the fourth most common crime in India, and in 2020, the total amount of reported cases in India exceeded 28,000. There is heavy societal stigma around assault, and many of these cases in India go unreported. Women’s education in India lacks in that only 1 of 100 women complete their studies ough 12th grade. Further, a whopping 40% of ng female students drop out as early as the 5th de, greatly lowering literacy and job rates for women.
n the previous twenty years, women in ghanistan were granted privileges d experienced success in their fight for ent due to the westernized viewpoints of n leaders. Under US occupation, women wed to attend school (primary, secondary, versity), freely dress, participate in govleave the house without a male escort, y many other freedoms. Although these y seem inalienable to American womfreedoms are luxuries to those living e to the takeover American e stripped ”, as the policies.
ORY MONTH Capability.
By Alanna Stein ‘24 and Maya Dunkelman ‘24
Opinion
10 The Voyager
March 2022
Coverage of Ukraine: Biased and Prejudice? By AREEBA MEHMOOD ‘22 and ALANA MCLEOD ‘25 Staff Reporters
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he world watches in horror as the destruction of Ukraine occurs by its neighboring country: Russia. The imperialist power, Russia, has desired to control and conquer Ukraine, notably for a while. In October of 2021, Russia had started moving their military power near the shared border with Ukraine. The U.S. intelligence community stated its suspicions about Russia invading Ukraine in 2022 at that time. This was proven right when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 21, 2022. Russia was afraid that Ukraine would join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and did not want the European powers to gang up on Russia so they decided to invade. It has been amazing how the news has covered these issues to keep people up to date, yet some of the coverage has been questionable. Unbiased reporting is key to being a
journalist. However, some news reporters have been making noticeable comments and remarks during their reports. For example, some reporters compare their own ethnic features to Ukrainians. They are characteristic for their pale skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. CBS news anchor Charlie D’Agata, while reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine, mentioned that Ukraine was not a place like Iraq or Afghanistan and is “relatively civilized, relatively European.” Saying that just because a certain group is not European, or that they are not civilized, is racist. Insinuations such as Europeans being the only civilized race are incredibly harmful and force ideas that people of other races are like animals. In France, on BFM TV, journalist Phillips Corbè said “We’re not talking here about Syrians fleeing the bombing of the Syrian regime backed by Putin. We’re talking about Europeans leaving in cars that look like ours to save their lives.” A group of people, looking like “us” should not be the reason to have empathy. Empathy should be there regardless of the
Unbiased reporting is key to being a journalist.
The “Don’t Say Gay” bill
happening. That is entirely inappropriate.” Yet, DeSantis’ assumption that all students have the ability to freely discuss sexuality and identity with their parents nclusive and tolerant. Two adjecis untrue and inaccurate. According to the tives that should be used to deTrevor Project, only 34% of LGBTQ+ scribe school districts nationwide. youth find their home life to be accepting, However, when Florida adminwhile 50% feel the same towards school. istrators prohibit teaching about sexual Thus, how could the Florida government orientation and gender identity, are they be so ignorant to alienating the LGretract the LGBTQ+ youth from Hateful and merciless BTQ+ youth’s safe a supposedly accepting environ- policies, enforced as early space at such a ment? as primary school, hinders vulnerable age? Besides, how The Parental Rights in Educa- future generations from often is sexuality tion Bill, dubbed flourishing into who they and gender identification formally the “Don’t Say want to become. taught in primary Gay” Bill by LGschool? Almost BTQ+ activists, never. restricts educators from speaking on speIs this bill a solution to a non-existent cific LGBTQ+ topics deemed inappropriproblem looking to further ostracize LGate for primary school students. The bill BTQ+ youth? Yes. allows parents to sue schools if they feel There is no reason to implement legthe district violated any policies included islation where none was needed to begin within the law. with. The “Don’t Say Gay” Bill targets On February 24th, the Florida House individuals already facing discrimination, passed the Republican-influenced legislashaming them for who they love or how tion in a 69-47 vote. Upon proceeding to they feel. Hateful and merciless policies, the Florida Senate, the bill was approved enforced as early as primary school, hinin a 22-17 vote on March 8th. The “Don’t ders future generations from flourishing Say Gay” Bill will now make its way to into who they want to become. By passthe desk of Governor Ron DeSantis, who ing this bill, Florida will tint the image of has signaled his support for the act. In a sexuality in the eyes of the youth — both recent press conference, he commented, homo and heterosexual individuals. “We’ve seen instances of students being As high school students from New Jertold by different folks in school, ‘Oh, sey, we tell Florida that LGBTQ+ youth don’t worry. Don’t pick your gender yet. will keep being born, whether you say the Do all this other stuff.’ They won’t tell the word or not. parents about these discussions that are By ALANNA STEIN ‘24 and MAYA DUNKELMAN ‘24 Staff Reporters
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The “Don’t Say Gay” Bill may only further ostracize LGBTQ+ youth.
Photo by Ted Eytan
Coverage of the Russia/Ukraine War influences how people understand and view the tense situation. Photo by McLeod ‘25/Camva fact that their cars look like “ours” or that they are like “us” in any way. This lack of empathy has led these news anchors to think that what they are saying is right and should be said. If it is a mistake and the reporter’s intentions were in a good place of heart, it still does not justify the words they have said or actions they have done. The Western media has been known to show their prejudices on screen but now
this prejudice can be seen by the rest of the world. It rejects the carefully crafted narrative that the United States and Europe want to maintain. As countries that strive for equality and believe in human rights, casual racism should not be taken lightly and should not be ignored. We could change for the better if we hold these news anchors and journalists accountable.
From Genesis to Revelation: Gender equality remains an illusion By ALESSANDRA ALINEA ‘23 Special to the Voyager
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omen from the start of time have been targeted. From the time we are conceived until our deathbeds, we have a premade target of oppression. We carry ourselves for the glares and sneers of society. Like Abigail Adams, women have long recognized and advocated for gender equality. But is it an illusion? “So I see feminism not as a kind of war between the sexes or any of these stereotypic images, but actually a kind of effort to shift the ratios of our emphasis that is expressed through our institutions” (McKenna). In other words, feminism does not mean the takeover of women. It is, rather, the equality of all genders. The 20th and 21st centuries have created more opportunities for women, but is this enough? Looking at political reforms and contributions, the steps taken upon feminism have proved to show drastic changes, but not enough to the potential that feminism endures. Elizabeth Cady Stanton of the United States was the first of many to initiate the first wave of feminism. She, alongside many others, gathered together to discuss the current lack of women’s suffrage; this event was known as Seneca Falls. It was the first step known to American history to contribute towards political equality. Years later, on June 4th, 1919, the 19th Amendment was added to the United States Constitution. The amendment states that votes will not be discriminated based on sex. Later in the 20th century, the Equal Pay Act and Civil Rights Act was signed. The Equal Pay Act states that jobs and
businesses are not prohibited to alter the work rates between employees of the same job and hours based on identity. The Civil Rights Act prohibits jobs and businesses from denying qualified employees based on identity. Other notable feminist accomplishments also include the recent election of 2020. Vice President Kamala Harris broke the pattern of white male domination in high government positions when she was sworn into office. Many other women across the world were also elected. Throughout history, feminism has taken win after win p o l i t i c a l l y, but if one were to take a look into society, can you not see the dangers that women face daily? These are our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, our friends. Society has always placed people into categories. Society likes the binary: the One and the Zero, the yes and the no, and the black and the white. Today, women are not allowed “to be.” In other words, women are not permitted to “exist” as anything but the societal definition of “woman.” As I stand in my school as androgynous woman, I get more stares than conversations. My experience is a major on my scale, but for the world of women, my experience as a woman is miniscule. Every day, all around the world, women are assaulted, cat called, raped, and beaten simply for being a woman. But what makes a woman a woman? I certainly don’t know. Society, for sure, does not know, but that does not stop the target from being removed from our backs. While the world sees the reforms, laws, and acts being signed and approved, society has not changed enough for feminism’s goals of gender equality to be accomplished.
Today, women are not allowed “to be.” In other words, women are not permitted to “exist” as anything but the societal definition of “woman.”
March 2022
Opinion
The Voyager 11
Critical race theory education: An ask and an answer
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By ANTONIA ZONG ‘22 Managing Editor
s it morally wrong to teach the truth about a nation’s history? Most likely not. Is it constitutional to prohibit the teaching of Black history in America? Again, doubtful. The social construct of race has been swirling in controversy ever since critical race theory first emerged in the U.S. Developed by multiple American scholars, this theory admits to the fact that racism exists in this nation’s legal systems, and that people of color still suffer from oppression. It shouldn’t be difficult to comprehend, right? The Jim Crow Laws that clouded over southern U.S until the late 1950s can attest to that. The famed Plessy v. Ferguson case is the legal abomination that began the phrase “separate but equal.” This prompts the question: why is critical race theory so crucial to young American education? The social history of Black Americans is, in reality, half of the American story. Black workers were the core behind the boom of American infrastructure. Long before white American women joined the labor force during World War II, 50% of Black women had already made their debut into the workforce. Unlike their caucasian counterparts, however, there wasn’t a grand fanfare of their empowerment in the newspapers. Their success and story were swept under the rug, including much of their miniscule wages that never seemed to match the amount of labor they put out. Stories such as this one can only be revealed through discussions of critical race theory, where the primary focus is on the arbitrary treatment that Black women faced in the American labor force. By studying the historical roots of American racism, upcoming students and future leaders will be able to look into modern issues, such as an existing racial pay gap. Despite its importance, however, critical
race theory isn’t explicitly taught in K-12 schools at all. The subject is only offered as an official course of study in higher education such as colleges, universities, and graduate schools. Even when CRT studies are available in most colleges, they are still limited to certain disciplines. Critics such as conservative organization, Heritage Foundation, accused critical race theory as the root to “disruptive issues” such as the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and LGBTQ+ diversity in school clubs. In reality, CRT was developed to magnify the effort to understand the peculiarity to systemic racism in America. Political discourse such as this one further misconstrues CRT as a single educational idea that contains any number of identities. No matter how much it is weaponized in politics, critical race theory remains an educational gateway towards the truth in America’s legal systems. New Jersey is no stranger to this debate, as a recent legislation has been proposed regarding critical race theory education. Legislation No. 4166, proposed by senators Michael L. Testa Jr. and Chris Canella, formally restricts the teaching of critical race theory in classrooms. If passed, this law would take effect immediately the next school year. On the exterior, this bill exudes censorship of historical ethics and even current events. According to the 4166 Legislation, educators are prohibited to discuss that “the rule of law does not exist but instead is a series of power relationships and struggles among racial and other groups.” The irony that exists in this statement is almost baffling, considering that the rule of American law had consistently been dictated by eurocentric values. American law in its entirety has promoted a social culture in which causasian males retain so much privilege. Indeed, this blatancy has become significantly less prominent in American society today, but a more prejudiced one in the
How to prepare yourself for a successful Monday By JENNA PRESTON ‘22 Associate Editor-in-Chief
M
onday mornings can be stressful for some people even before the day begins. There’s no need to be anxious if you prepare for a successful Monday the night before. You know exactly what you’re working towards if you plan on Sunday evening. Not only will you be able to organize your week ahead of time, but you will also be able to reduce the tension and anxiety that comes with the start of a new week. The first step is to identify the most important tasks that must be completed. Open your planner or make a to-do list. There has to be one or two things you really want to get done earlier in the week so that you can relax and enjoy your weekend without the stress of unfinished responsibilities. You are storing everything you need to do in your head by opening a new page in a planner or building up your schedule. Dump everything onto a piece of paper and compile a list of everything you need to do. A brain dump is an excellent technique to get ahead of the game while keeping everything in one place. Make a schedule and select when you’ll be able to finish the tasks. You won’t be overburdened with work if you spread them out over the course of the week. If you know what you have to do each week, there won’t be any unpleasant shocks or alterations to your lifestyle and interests. If you know what you need to get done
in the first few days of the week, try to get started or finish things on Sunday. If you finish them ahead of time, you’ll have more time in your week for other things. Working on your procrastination and aiming to make an effective schedule in your life, despite how difficult it may be, can only help you achieve. This may appear to be a tedious and strict routine to stick to, but it will only benefit you in the long run. Don’t let your life fall undone because you’re too consumed with getting everything done and overworking yourself. The objective of all the planning is to ensure that you have enough time to relax and enjoy your life once the task is done. You’re attempting to become the most successful, organized, and stress-free version of yourself. Use Sunday as an errand day if you want to take it a step further in your preparations. That could mean you need to go grocery shopping, do some housework, or clean up your room. If you designate Sunday as a day that will improve the rest of your week, go for it! It’s not necessary to make it a full-fledged cleaning day, but it does help to straighten up and organize your environment. It will make everything easier if you live in an easy-to-live-in atmosphere. If you’ve had a pile of clutter in your room for a while, Sunday is the day to finally get rid of it! You’ll feel much more productive and have more space in your room to accomplish everything you need to without the mess and stress. Make a good decision for yourself, and that Monday morning will be so much easier!
Proposition of the NJ S-4166 Bill raises concerns over critical race theory Photo from Canva.com education. debates, or small inclinations to the topic early 1900s must still be taught and disin U.S History courses. cussed in the classroom. Universities take a much deeper dive Another censored topic that’s dubbed as into sociology, psychology, and the hiscritical race theory is that “governments tory behind critical race theory. Students should deny to any person within the govcan actively engage in research with other ernment’s jurisdiction the equal protecprofessors or immerse themselves in retion of the law.” searching CRT for the college thesis. This issue is unnervingly current, which Declaring critical race theory in public goes hand in hand with another CRT goal: education as a violation of the law shows to discuss culturally relevant issues that not only worrisome censorship, but also could account for social injustice in cura misunderstanding of what this concept rent society. If anything, the muder of truly is. George Floyd is a prime example of the Its purpose is not to brazenly accuse a American legal system failing to protect certain race of oppressing another. Rather, one of its own. it’s a continuous quest to understand why Open discussion of this in public schools certain laws had such a profound impact enables students to learn why and how on racial disparities in America. How did this is happening in the 21st century. Centhe supposed “objectiveness” of the legal sorship on this topic largely eliminates system pass a law such as Plessy v. Fera space for inquisitive students to have guson? structured discussions on the realities of Critical race theory education is an atthe American racial diaspora. tempt to answer such questions with However, it must be noted that the depth young, fresh minds. of understanding towards critical race So before we blindly take it away, pertheory varies with each type of schooling. haps looking at this concept with sincere K-12 schools are only exposed to the tip empathy and optimism will bring these of the iceberg if teachers wish to do so. long-awaited answers to so many AmeriExposure to CRT at the K-12 education cans. level will primarily take form in academic
Is the world’s response to Russia appropriate?
By MICHAEL SORENSEN ‘22 Staff Reporter
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ussia has launched an invasion the likes of which hasn’t been seen in Europe since World War II. An act of aggression this size must’ve been met with a large response, right? Yes and no. The majority of nations are put in a difficult situation with few options. Although the invasion has received an international reaction of condemnation, the most that any country has been willing to do is to sanction Russia and help Ukraine as much as possible without directly engaging in the conflict. Rather than sending troops into Ukraine to fight alongside them directly, nations are coordinating financial sanctions on Russia, freezing Russia’s money in their banks, sending weapons to Ukraine, providing billions of dollars in monetary aid, and allowing Ukrainian refugees into their countries. The nations of the world are employing this nearly unanimously, excluding a few countries that are abstaining, such as China, or Russian allies. At face value,
not directly engaging may seem like a reaction of ignorance and cowardice. However, reasons for this are justified. In the current day, a conflict between two large nations with nuclear weapons is a red line that is not crossed. Putin has already ordered his nuclear forces to be on high alert. Therefore, if any nation directly sends military personnel into Ukraine, it is risking nuclear retaliation. A nuclear war would have catastrophically-high casualties, compared to what is already happening in Ukraine. If any nation contributes to this war, they have to do it in a way that complies with international law. In the worst case scenario, the world may only help Ukraine prepare for the fall of its capital, Kyiv, and the eviction of the democratically-operated Ukrainian government. The West may not be engaging further because of the effect that certain sanctions would have on the Western world. 45% of Europe’s gas imports are from Russia, 40% of which is the total amount used in Europe. The world must account for all of these factors, overcome the challenges, and take the appropriate course of action before time runs out in this rapidly-moving war.
The most that any country has been willing to do is to sanction Russia and help Ukraine as much as possible without directly engaging in the conflict.
Opinion
12 The Voyager
March 2022
School dances are worth it, but are societal pressures too much?
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s COVID-19 restrictions fall away and Eastern rolls back its mask mandate, it’s time to celebrate — and there’s no better place to do so than at a school-sponsored class dance. Sophomore Cotillion, Junior Prom, Senior Prom: they’re all up and running after a two year period of uncertainty and cancellations. However, are they still worthwhile in their current state, left mostly unchanged since before COVID-19? First, let’s see a rough estimate of what Eastern students’ attendance numbers might look like. In a poll sent out to Eastern sophomores, juniors, and seniors (143 responses), just over 80% of students plan to attend their class dance this year. Around 13% do not plan to attend, and the remaining 7% remain undecided. This is a very healthy amount of people attending, and the long-awaited release from COVID-19 restrictions after two years of missed opportunities is likely playing a large role. A lot of people want to seize the day and have a great night with their friends — especially seniors, who only have one last dance left in high school. A lot of people point to attending school dances — Senior Prom in particular — as part of the “high school experience,” which is an important cultural marker in American society. There is an air of peer pressure though, because students feel that they are expected to attend because all of their friends are. This leads to an age-old ques-
tion: do you bring a date, or go to the dance with a group of friends? It really depends on your comfortability with peer pressure, and the people who you’ll be around at the dance. Despite the societal expectation to bring a date, many people are perfectly fine with hanging out with a group of friends instead. However, if your group of friends are all bringing dates, then you may feel pressured to bring one as well. If you’re attending any one of the school-sponsored dances Eastern has to offer, then you’ll need an outfit. The Homecoming dance, which takes place during Spirit Week in October, is a casual event, but Cotillion and Junior/Senior Prom are more formal. For the Cotillion, boys are expected to wear a suit and tie, and girls are expected to wear short/ long dresses. For Junior Prom, boys still usually wear a suit and tie, while girls wear longer dresses. Finally, Senior Prom has the expectation of boys wearing tuxedos and girls wearing long dresses. These outfits are necessary, but they’ll run you a high price. Men’s suits can cost around $300 on average to purchase, and ladies’ dresses can cost upwards of $150. For Senior Prom, tuxedo rentals will run you
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$200, with a purchase coming in at around $1,000. It’s true that you only get a few chances to dress up for a night out like this in high school, but maybe the dress code is due for a shake-up. If Cotillion is adjusted so that boys wear a dress shirt and slacks, and girls wear a short dress, then there will be a sense of progression in formality across the three dances. Sophomores are still underclassmen, so they should be dressing less formally than upperclassmen. There are always going to be two sides to this argument, and the dress code is more of an expectation than a strict rule, but perhaps a change to the expectations will alleviate student anxiety towards preparing for the dances. Preparation (including outfit shopping, getting your hair done, and photo shoots with friends or your date) is always an anxious time, and it’s usually a mix of stress and excitement. Once the dance gets underway and you settle into the atmosphere, things usually fall into place. Now that the world is opening back up from the pandemic, don’t miss out on the unforgettable memories that school dances have to offer. There might be a few downsides, such as peer pressure and a steep cost for outfits, but as long as you have fun and make your night one to remember, it’s worth it.
Staff Editorial
Matt Chowansky: Entertainment Editor Joseph Loverdi: Sports Editor Tiana Cyrelson: Media Editor Alana McLeod: Art Editor Mahawa Bangoura: Arts and Culture Editor
Staff Reporters: Dawn Betner, Basirah Corbett-Collier, Maya Dunkelman, Kyle Goldstein, Jacob Gollin, Miraal Halim, Shreya Komar, Jordan Kramer, Aiden Kremer, Jules Kurpakus, Olivia Marcantuono, Anna Langan, Lan Anh Nguyen, Rylee Pearlman, Molly Smith, Michael Sorensen, Alanna Stein, Kaitlin Swift, Marcela Torres, Nick Vitale, Mark Wang, Timur Markowitz, Julia Zeidler
Letters to the Editor: Signed Letters to the Editor should be sent to our email address at ehsvoyager@gmail.com.
Cartoon by Alana McLeod ‘25
Short-e-torials
HIV being cured by umbilical cord Umbilical cords tend to be forgotten as soon as a child is born. Scientists, however, started using the blood from umbilical cords to cure HIV. The first two people to have ever been cured from HIV were Timothy Brown and Adam Castillejo — and now a third person, a woman, has been cured too. For the longest time, there were no cures for HIV. Now that there is, how does it work? Patients will require bone marrow transplants from donors whose genetic mutations block HIV infection, according to Live Science. After the transplant, however, the men were cured! Did the same thing happen to the woman? No. Her condition was unique from those of the two men, in part because she was suffering from acute leukemia, a cancer that primarily attacks blood forming cells in the bone marrow. When her doctors found a donor with an HIV-blocking mutation, the woman was using blood from umbilical cords, collected at the time of a baby’s birth, to treat her leukemia and HIV. In America, there is now a study consisting of twenty-five patients and umbilical cords, donated by the parents, widely available, making it easier than bone marrow to match the recipients. Babies are a gift from heaven, but they are also saving lives now! - Mahawa Bangoura ‘23
Let the March Madness begin! Following the conclusion of college basketball’s regular season and conference tournaments, the seeding for all 64 teams that made the 2022 Men’s NCAA tournament has been released. Last year’s finalists, the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Baylor Bears, hold the oneseeds in their respective brackets. Gonzaga has positioned itself well to avenge last season’s loss in the National Championship, as they come into the tournament as favorites. This is in large part due to star freshman Chet Holmgrem and projected NBA draftee Drew Timme. The Arizona Wildcats and the Kansas Jayhawks hold the other one-seeds. This year’s tournament looks to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. Look out for underrated title contenders Tennessee. March Madness tipped off on March 15th, when Texas Southern took on Texas A&M Corpus Christi at 6:40 pm. - Jacob Gollin ‘22
New Jordan releases are stylish The one thing I look forward to every year besides the Super Bowl are the Jordan releases. Personally, I am a huge fan of the 4’s and 11’s. I love the red-blackwhite colorway. This year, I am looking forward to adding new 1’s and 13’s to my collection as well. I love Jordans. I love all sneakers, but Jordans have my heart. They are so comfortable and stylish. There are endless ways to style them, especially with each unique color and design. They are a little pricey, but the concept of quality over quantity is very important when it comes to shoes. Some of the 2022 releases that I have my eye on are the Air Jordan 13 “Del Sol” (March 19), Air Jordan 4 “Military Black” (June 25), Air Jordan 3 OG “Fire Red” (August 6), and Air Jordan 11 “Cherry” (December 10).
- Dawn Betner ‘23
March 2022
Entertainment
Pixar’s “Turning Red” describes the relatable anxiety of growing up in middle school By KAITLIN SWIFT ‘24 Staff Reporter
Disney Pixar’s acclaimed new movie “Turning Red” was released in theaters nationwide on February 21, 2022. Photo by Kaitlin Swift ‘24/Canva.com bands girls were obsessed with in the 2000’s. The score was also excellent, and it added to the Asian culture of the film. The characters in “Turning Red” were very fleshed out, and felt very real. Mei’s character grew from a perfectionist who strives to be who her family wants her to be, to a dorky teenage girl experiencing her first crushes and having an obsession with boy bands. Mei’s mother Ming was also very realistically portrayed, showing how difficult it can be for parents to see their children growing up and changing from who they knew them as. A main theme of “Turning Red” was overcoming generational trauma. The
women in Mei’s family bottled up their pandas inside of them, but Mei learns that the Red Panda she turns into is a part of her, and isn’t something to be ashamed of. She is able to break the chain, and help her mother to heal from her mistakes and grow to become a better person. Overall, “Turning Red” was an excellent portrayal of the transition from childhood to becoming an adolescent, with great representation of Asian culture, a unique and refreshing animation style, moments that made me burst out laughing, and the emotional beats Pixar is so known for. It’s become a new favorite of mine, and I recommend that you watch it too!
Euphoria Season 2 Review: excessive but exceptional By LAURA SILENZIO ‘23 Opinion Editor
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fter literal years of waiting, “Euphoria”’s second season officially returned to ring in the new year, and with a vengeance. Whether you’re an avid watcher or not, “Euphoria” has dominated all screens for the past eight weeks. You can’t escape a TikTok feed without a trend started by “Euphoria”, iconic quotes from the show, people wearing “Euphoria”-inspired fads and fashion, or recaps and reviews made by various creators raving about the show with crazy theories. Already off to multiple explicit scenes within the first episode, it left me wondering whether it would showcase more emotional vulnerability of the special episodes or just more the raunchy entertainment without delving too far deep into the characters. Some aspects of the premiere were confusing in terms of the continuation of the plot after the resolution to a two-year cliffhanger. It seems as though the show wants to portray a realistic teen relationship but as a result the significance of the special episodes is lost— it’s as if the specials never happened. Best Flashback My top flashback from the second season has to be young Cal. Not to say his actions are excused but watching his journey to love contained memorable scenes that sparked sympathy from the audience. It made me sympathize with the sad and lonely boy who just wanted to love and even shed a tear for him. Now for episode four, Cal finally takes off his hetero mask and in what could have been a redemptive moment, turned out to be downright cruel as he told Nate that he is his biggest mistake. Cal then says he has been set free and that he’s leaving. He takes a family photo off the wall and then peaces
My March Playlist Favorites By JENNA PRESTON ‘22 Associate Editor-in-Chief
“Lipstick” by Willow: Willow proves to be a natural performer with outstanding vocals in this song and album, despite the fact that it seems like every artist in Hollywood is leaning towards this pop-punk type of music. She was originally known for her gentle R&B sound, which she popularized with the hit “Wait A Minute!”. In the last year, however, she has shifted to a darker grunge style that is working for her. The production of this song is amazing; not only does her voice sound better than ever, but so does her band. I’ve fully enjoyed this shift in her music, and it’s good to hear old glimpses of her own style in her latest album.
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ixar’s newest film portrays the experience that any teenage girl can relate to. “Turning Red” follows Mei Lee, a 13 year old girl who strives to be the perfect daughter for her mother while growing up and going through the challenges of being a dorky teenage girl. Although this may seem challenging, Mei has a larger problem than embarrassing teenage moments: She turns into a giant Red Panda whenever her emotions get the best of her. “Turning Red” was a very relatable film for me! Director Domee Shi did an excellent job at replicating all of the awkwardness and embarrassing moments of being a middle schooler, and that made for some hilarious scenes. Not a lot of media is able to realistically portray teenagers, but the dialogue of “Turning Red” feels like what you would hear hanging out with a group of teenage girls. The film also broke the stigma of talking about periods in a way that was relatable and hilarious for anyone who has experienced them. The animation style for “Turning Red” was very unique, with the film adopting a very anime-sequel style not typically seen in Pixar’s films. The bright colors, fun graphics, and expressive characters made for a very engaging film. The music of “Turning Red” was very fun and fit the era the film was going for. Billie Eilish along with her brother Finneas wrote the music for the movie’s boy band 4-Town, a homage to *NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys, and all of the boy
The Voyager 13
out. I think it was definitely needed that For the grand finale—well of the episode he spilled all his secrets before he left and at least—that I can’t share in detail with though hard to watch, made me feel more you but man, Ethan just became an icon in resolved with his character. my book. I also love how Nate suddenly If I had to pick the biggest thriller of the became a LGBTQ+ activist calling the season it’d have to be the fifth episode. I performance “homophobic.” Hello pot… myself was having an anxiety attack just meet kettle. And then we see Cassie’s face thinking about what Rue’s going to have all fogged up through the auditorium winto deal with if she doesn’t get that suitcase dow--I’m sorry I had to laugh. back. After Rue’s rampage, she screams at I feel like I can honestly write an entire Jules, and if I were Jules and heard all the piece on this episode alone. I must say, things Rue said I’d honestly pull a Taylor Faye is a real one for warning Fez about Swift and go MIA for a year. I think this Custer’s motives and I’d beg at the writers season’s main goal was to get Sydney or doorsteps to get them to have her in seaZendaya an Emmy because they were actson three (no writers I will not actually ha ing. rass you, in person at least). It was heartAfter the undeniably outstanding Ruewrenching to watch Ashtray’s eyes well centric episode of the previous week, up with fear as a red beam traveled up his episode six felt like the path to healingbody and Fez pleading with the police not -well except for Rue and that poor Jolly to shoot; Ash was definitely one of my faRancher. And then vorites. Sigh. After there’s the game the whole Cassie/ Whether you’re an of Russian Rouplay extravaganza, avid watcher or not, lette in Maddy’s (We were rooting bedroom. Turning Euphoria has dominated for you Cassie. We the revolver on were all rooting for himself instead of all screens for the past you!) Lexi was left Maddy shows that embarrassed but eight weeks. he realizes that she she made her remay care more for him than for herself. turn to the stage, dedicating the show to He knows how to weaponize her love for Fez. him which is honestly terrifying. I feel like we just pulled through a thread It’s finally time for Lexi’s play and man of yarn and we’re only 1/4 done. There did she give it her all. If there’s one thing were so many stones left unturned. Like I want to aspire to learn, it’s Rue’s facial hello? We’ve yet to see the consequences expressions throughout the entire producof the suitcase, and in addition to Nate tion. For the whole hour, Lexi is scanning turning in Cal and still having a hard drive the crowd for Fez. She’d reserved a seat of his tapes, are we getting any closer to for him since Fez had promised to attend. the end of the treacherous love triangle? But the show rolls on, and no Fezco. What will happen to Fez after the police Lexi’s play featured so many scenes and raid? Are Rue and Jules getting back toelaborate sets that I wondered whether the gether? All that is Fexi? play was a four-hour production. Also, Welp—see you guys in 2024, I guess. what was the budget for all those sets? I’ve seen Broadway productions that Go to voyager-online.org to would’ve killed for that intricate rotating see the full series review! school hallway setup.
“In A Good Way” by Faye Webster: Faye Webster is one of the most talented artists I’ve discovered so far this year. Her album, “I Know I’m Funny haha,” was released in 2021 and is a favorite of mine. Every track is fantastic, but “In A Good Way” is my personal favorite. The instrumentation is absolutely amazing; it’s a mix of melancholy guitar and violin sounds that add to the album’s overall dreamlike mood. With her music, Faye is such a blunt but intimate lyricist that there isn’t a single song that I don’t connect to. “Late Night” by Lucky Daye: Although this track is from his 2019 album, “Painted,” it has easily become one of my go-to albums for R&B grooves, amazing vocals, and a fresh sound that I haven’t found in any other artists recently. This carefree song is the perfect vibe for summer, car rides with the windows down, or something to keep on repeat. “I’m with You” by Avril Lavinge: This is my favorite throwback song in my playlist for March. I was reminded how much I loved this song when it surprisingly started playing on the radio in the morning, and I’m glad it did. This album is such a classic, it birthed the worldwide hits, “Complicated,” and “Sk8er Boi.” You just add this track into your throwback playlist. “Age of Machine” by Greta Van Fleet: Although this is a newer generation band, you’d think their songs belong in your oldies playlist. They are the perfect combination of new fresh sound and the old rock classics. I’ve never heard voices like theirs before; they’re so unique, and the instrumentals and build-up on each song is amazing. It feels like you’re at a live rock concert every time the songs start playing in your earbuds and there are plenty of other songs on that album that might grab your attention.
Photo by Jenna Preston’22
Entertainment
14 The Voyager
March 2022
“The Worst Person in the World” is cinema at its finest By JOSEPH LOVERDI ‘22 Sports Editor
W
hen a movie wins numerous plaudits at the Cannes Film Festival, including Best Actress for its lead, you know it’s going to be good. The Worst Person in the World exceeds all of those expectations to be arguably the best movie released in the United States this year. The Norwegian film, directed by the acclaimed Joachim Trier, previously known for his 2017 movie Thelma and his Oslo trilogy, which this serves as the end of), runs through a prologue, 12 chapters, and an epilogue— an interesting but ultimately brilliant way of telling the story. It stars Renate Reinsve as Julie, a young woman dating comic book artist Askel Willman (Anders Danielsen Lie) after they met at a party. Julie and Aksel share a casual yet loving relationship, but it’s interrupted as Julie crashes a wedding party and meets Eivind (Herbert Nordrum), who she “cheats” on Willman with (they never explicitly kiss at the party, but engage in acts that could be seen as cheating). This relationship leads to one of the best movie scenes I’ve ever seen, where Julie, at home with Aksel making coffee, turns a light on in their house. This freezes all of Oslo, and Julie runs through the streets of the city to Eivind, who works as a barista downtown; they then go on a date the rest
of the day, walking through the city at a standstill, which ultimately leads to Julie breaking up with Aksel, as she feels like a spectator in their own relationship. I won’t reveal the rest of the movie, but it shifts tones real quick. For its first 90 minutes, The Worst Person in the World is an exuberant rom-com full of life and laughs (with the zenith of this being the seventh chapter, where Julie consumes magic mushrooms and trips out big time), which hurdles over all of the genre’s previous tropes thanks to the downright brilliant performance of Reinsve. Julie is a woman who, at 30, has no idea what she wants to do in life (having spent college flip flopping between being a surgeon, psychologist, and photographer), and it’s brilliantly portrayed here as she questions what to do while spending time with the men she loves. But it wouldn’t be a critically acclaimed Nordic movie without some darkness, and when it’s ushered in, it’s done to perfection. The movie’s final three chapters and epilogue, which is an emotional gut punch that explores loss, pregnancy, and love, directly contrasts its earlier parts to huge effect. If you need an explanation of how, it made me cry at least five times, and that’s saying something as movies don’t usually make me cry. My one issue with the film is that it didn’t end the way I wanted it to (which, I’ll admit, is an incredibly subjective opinion). While watching, I had this preconceived notion that everything would turn out just
An exuberant rom-com full of life and laughs
fine; Julie and Eivind would start a happy family while Aksel would watch from afar. Instead, the ending subverts all expectations to continue its assault on your emotions, which I personally found a bit unambiguous but still wonderfully crafted and heartbreaking. The Worst Person in the World is brilliantly shot, has a potentially star-making turn from Reinsve, who takes control of the screen whenever she’s on it (as well as a fantastic supporting cast led by Danielsen Lie and Nordrum), and is written to perfection. It’s no surprise that the film was nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film at “The Worst Person in the World” is anchored by the the 2022 Oscars and stellar performance of lead actress Renate Reinsve. was named the best of Photo from Wikimedia 2021 by publications like Vanity Fair and The Atlantic. I’ve got to agree. The Worst Person in the World is one of the best movies I’ve International Feature ever seen, and no doubt will be the best Film of 2022. It gets a full five out of five stars from me, and I’d wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone if you’re looking for a Best Original Screenplay good laugh-cry movie.
Oscar Nominations
Interview with JONES: finding inspiration for songwriting
of her emotional vulnerabilities through her music. It establishes a bond with her audience, and you’ll recognize yourself in many of her songs. n a constantly changing and evolvJONES explains that when she writes a ing music industry, new music song, she draws inspiration and feelings styles for musicians come and go from her everyday life to express through every year, and fan favorites are music and lyrics. Everything in her envicontinuously changing. JONES, a songronment and people in her life sparks her writer and alternative pop singer, keeps music and writing true to her soothing process. tone and heartfelt “I’m often worklyrics, making her ing through things an artist to follow in that are going on in 2022. my life—good or If you’re looking bad—and this comes for an artist with soul out through the lyrics and charm, as well as and mood of the music.” beats that will draw you into her songs, Her emotions are easily translated into I recommend listening to JONES, who is sound, which is one of the qualities that the perfect combination of the two. distinguishes her as a special artist. Take, Her songs clearly capture meaningful for example, her song “Read My Mind.” moments in her life; she shares happiness It’s the ideal combination of emotionwith her happier tracks and reveals much ally driven words matched to a good beat. You can count on her music to make you feel understood and elevate your attitude, no matter what kind of day you’re having. “Sometimes I just start writing with no particular direction or idea of what I want to talk about and then after singing some melodies a word will come out from my subconscious, then I’ll start to hear where the song could go “Giving It Up” by JONES racked up over 9.5 million and build an idea streams in 2020. Photo from Genius.com
I
By JENNA PRESTON ‘22 Associate Editor-in-Chief
You’ll recognize yourself in many of her songs.
around that.” JONES has been writing and releasing music for quite a few years, with her first album “New Skin” being released in 2016. The song, “Rainbow,” on that album is what initially grabbed my attention. I first listened to that song a few years ago and continue to listen to her new releases. She has proved that she’s an amazing songwriter with her first album, and throughout the years she hasn’t been afraid to try new styles with her music. She has a diverse discography with plenty of different collaborations, acoustics, and remixes. When asked about the process of songwriting especially during a time where it’s difficult to find inspiration in the world, she was optimistic about her current music state and the release of her latest EP, “Blue Sunshine.” “I remember in the beginning of the pandemic I was incredibly creatively blocked, and quite depressed, and then something switched in my mind and I had all these ideas which turned into the Blue Sunshine EP,” JONES shared. The COVID pandemic has had a significant impact on the music industry in recent years. Since it’s challenging to tour again, many artists have turned to social media to promote their music and new projects with their followers. JONES expressed her frustration at not being able to create and produce as much as she used to in the studio. “The transition from constantly being in the studio to being confined to working at home was hard to adjust to…it was definitely more difficult at the start.” Many artists, such as JONES, have found it difficult to adjust, but now that touring has resumed, it appears like it’s all slowly coming into place for them. JONES has been able to return to the studio and is constantly writing; you can hear new melodies and projects she’s working on by following her on Instagram.
I’m looking forward to everything she releases this year; if you haven’t already, check out her recent EP; she’s definitely an artist to add to your playlists.
Songs by JONES “Indulge” 2015
“Hoops” 2015
“Melt” 2016
“New Skin” 2016
“Acoustic” 2017
“Tender” 2018
“Teardrop” 2018
“Silver Screen” 2018
“Giving It Up” 2020 “Camera Flash” 2020
“Blue Sunshine” 2021
To learn more about JONES or to stay up to date on her new music, follow her on Instagram @iseejones
March 2022
Sports
The Voyager 15
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has impacted the sports world By JOSEPH LOVERDI ‘22 Sports Editor
L
ike many, the sports world has been appalled by Russia’s unnecessary invasion of Ukraine on February 24. And it hasn’t come without severe ramifications for Russian sports bodies, who have had to deal with not only the consistent issue of Russian athletes doping, but the dictatorial actions of their government to boot. FIFA and UEFA jointly announced on February 28 that Russia would be suspended from competitions. This comes off the back of numerous countries, including the three in their World Cup playoff group (Sweden, Czechia, Poland), refusing to play the Russian national team. The announcement effectively ended Russia’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup, and also led to Spartak Moscow, who qualified for the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, being expelled from the tournament. Long-time Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who has long been linked to ties with Putin and who was recently placed under sanction by British Parliament, has left his shares of the club to trustees, aiming to save his skin and Chelsea’s reputation. Chelsea have now been put up for sale as the club’s activities have been heavily restricted, from losing main sponsor Three to being banned from selling tickets. Prospective buyers ranging from the Cubs-owning Ricketts family to a consortium including Dodgers owner Todd Boehly have been lining up to own the prestigious English club. Lokomotiv Moscow manager Markus Gisdol, in his first season with the team following spells in Germany with Hoffenheim, Hamburg, and Koln, left his spot in protest of the Russian invasion, as did Krasnodar manager Daniel Farke. The former Norwich City manager had been
in the job for less than a week before stepping down. Ice hockey is arguably Russia’s favorite sport, and the IIHF has hit them hard. They followed UEFA and FIFA’s lead by suspending Russia (as well as Belarus, who has been Russia’s only ally) from international competition; the IIHF also rescinded Russia’s rights to host the 2023 World Junior Championship. Russia’s domestic league, the KHL, has also seen a couple of teams, Jokerit Helsinki and Dinamo Riga, leave the competition due to the invasion. Jokerit looks likely to rejoin the Finnish Liiga, and Dinamo Riga are reportedly in talks to join the mainly-Austrian IceHL, which also boasts teams from Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Czechia. It has also surprisingly impacted the world of Formula One. The title sponsor of American team Haas is Russian chemical manufacturer Uralkali, part of the Uralchem group owned by Putin crony Dmitry Mazepin. If that name sounds familiar, his son Nikita is one of the team’s drivers, and Uralkali’s sponsorship is dependent on Nikita driving for the team. However, with Dmitry’s close ties to Putin, Haas have distanced themselves from Uralkali, removing their logo from the car and changing their livery on the final day of the first preseason test to an all-white car with the Haas logo. And on Saturday, March 5, Haas announced that they had dissolved their partnership with Uralkali with immediate effect; Mazepin would no longer be driving for the team as a result. Team owner Gene Haas, when interviewed at the Pennzoil 400 (he’s a part owner of the Stewart-Haas NASCAR team), confirmed that the team would be able to survive without Mazepin’s funding and that his NASCAR team sponsors had placed pressure on him to cut ties with Uralkali as the team aimed to stay. They announced
USWNT, U.S. Soccer Federation settle their equal pay lawsuit
If you’re not paying attention to this right now and what’s happening in women’s sport, you’re sleeping on the whole thing.” The lawsuit was filed back in March of OALLLLLLLL! Now in the 2019 by 25 players, including Rapione, middle of Women’s History Alex Morgan, Becky Sauerbrunn, and the Month, a huge win has been now-retired Hope Solo, and Carli Lloyd. granted to the U.S. Women’s It cited years of ongoing institutionalized National Soccer Team (USgender discrimination against the players WNT)! On February 22nd, a $24 million in their compensation and working condidollar settlement was reached between tions. the USWNT and the U.S. Soccer FedThough this has been a problem for eration following the filing of an Equal years, the U.S. SocEmployment Opcer Federation is portunity Commisonly making changes sion complaint, a now. According to lawsuit over unequal NBC, FIFA awards pay with men’s team $400 million in prize players. money for the 32 According to the teams at the 2018 settled terms, U.S. men’s World Cup, Soccer will pay men and $38 million for and women an equal France who was rate in the future in the champion. On all non-competitive the contrary, for the games (friendlies) women’s cup, FIFA and tournaments, awarded $30 million including the World to the 24 teams and Cup. $4 million to the U.S. Captain of USwho won the World WNT, Megan RapiCup. noe spoke with NBC Settlement terms the next day on this USWNT stars like forward Alex state that U.S. Socmajor milestone. Morgan gained both a $24 million will pay $22 “For us, this is just settlement and a promise of equal pay. cer a huge win in ensurPhoto by Wikimedia million to the players in the case and an ading that we not only ditional $2 million into a separate account right the wrongs of the past, but set the to benefit USWNT players in their postnext generation up for something we only career goals and charitable efforts related dreamed of”. to women’s and girls’ soccer (which cal“We are really in the midst of an inculates up to $50,000 for each player). credible turning point in women’s sport. By MADISON JOLLEY ‘23 News Editor
G
One of the sport-related consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seen Nikita Mazepin, son of Putin-linked oligarch Dmitry, lose his seat at Formula One team Haas. Photo by Wikimedia Kevin Magnussen, who previously drove for the team from 2018 to 2020, as Mazepin’s replacement, and he immediately set the fastest lap on the second day of official preseason testing as Haas looks to seriously contend for points in 2022. Athletes across the world, from Ukraine and Manchester City left back Oleksandr Zinchenko to Russian stars like tennis player Andrey Rublev and Dynamo Moscow striker Fedor Smolov, have spoken out against Russia’s horrific actions. The immense show of support from teams across the globe, like Real Madrid and West Ham, has been beautiful to see. This will continue to affect the sports world for months and maybe even years
to come. I feel for the Russian athletes who had nothing to do with their leader’s decision to invade Ukraine, but there needs to be some sort of punishment for it, and what governing bodies like FIFA and the IIHF have done so far is fitting. Sometimes it can go a bit too far, like the banning of Russian and Belarussian athletes from the Paralympics (the athletes who worked four years for this don’t deserve to lose it because of their reckless leaders) but these are justified and necessary actions that needed to be taken. The sports world is not taking Russia’s antagonistic war lightly. Their harsh response to the country proves it.
Tom Brady ends retirement, returns as the Buccaneers QB By KYLE GOLDSTEIN ‘24 and TIMUR MARKOWITZ ‘24 Staff Reporters
T
he GOAT is back. Just over one month after he announced his retirement, Tom Brady has stated that he will be returning to the Buccaneers for his 23rd season, premiering as the oldest active player in the NFL, as when the season begins he will be 45 years old. As the NFL’s career leader in yards passing and touchdowns, as well as with the most Super Bowl rings of any player ever, his effect on football is unprecedented, and his legacy carried enough weight to guarantee him into the Hall of Fame. However, his short lived retirement of 40 days was ended when he posted that he had “unfinished business” on his Twitter and Instagram accounts. Supposedly, his wife and family are supportive and happy with his decision to unretire and play football for his 23rd season. Speculation has risen from his sudden change of mind, with an investigation called concerning recent bets. Last week, many different bettors placed wagers for the Buccaneers to win the Super Bowl
prior to the announcement of him not retiring. The Vice President of Westgate Superbook stated that he believed the amount of bets and the money that was wagered indicated that information concerning his unretirement was leaked prior to the announcement. Furthermore, the football thought to have made Bardy’s final touchdown was sold for $518,628. However, with his return, its worth has significantly decreased, being valued at nothing above $20,000. In response to this, Tom Brady attempted to make up this loss through providing one Bitcoin to the buyer, currently worth $41,242. This means the buyer has just over one tenth of the money spent on the football. What makes this worse is that FTX, the company which Brady asked to provide a singular Bitcoin, is one in which he has equity. Despite its bizarre nature, his decision will undoubtedly alter the 2022-2023 NFL season in various ways, not just in terms of the game, but also the sports betting and anticipation. However, the question arises, how many more NFL seasons should one expect Tom Brady, who will be 45 next season, to play?
“His short lived retirement of 40 days was ended when he posted that he had ‘unfinished business’ on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.” Brady will return for a 23rd season in the NFL.
16 The Voyager
Sports
March 2022
Girls’ lacrosse is prepared to dominate this season By MAHAWA BANGOURA ‘23 Arts and Culture Editor
M
arch marks the official start of spring. You know what else has started? Eastern Girls’ Lacrosse season! The team is back and better than ever with both new and returning players who are ready to crush it on the field. It was my pleasure to get some insight from Coach Kiep into what this season may bring. Most sports seasons are marked by alterations, scrapping, or reworking of game plans. It is one thing to teach players how to maneuver on the field, but Coach Kiep wants her players to be driven to push themselves and to “understand and experience the results that come along with dedication and determination.” Compared to last season, she wants to focus on a stronger defensive team mindset. Coach Kiep is looking forward to watching all of her players this season. “I love seeing the results of the work that the returning players put in during the off season and I love meeting new players and watching them pick up the game for the first time and develop throughout the season.” Jane Trauger, Kelsey Barratt, and Susie Miller, three of her returning players, share their coach’s excitement. “I’m most excited about game days and getting closer with my lacrosse friends as well as making new ones,” Trauger said. “I have friends on Shawnee and Cherry Hill West that I always look forward to seeing and competing against.”
Coach Kiep remarks that the energy has been great since practice began on March 7th. “We are so happy to be back on the field together. Lots of hard work, eagerness, intensity, and of course—some laughs.” Coach Kiep takes great pride in getting her team prepared for games. To get her girls pumped up, rushing with adrenaline, and ready to dominate, she allows them to jam out to music before the game. During postgame rituals, they reflect on their accomplishments and discuss the areas where they are proud and where they can improve. “As a goalie, I always step onto the field with confidence, so I would say when I start playing well, my confidence just continues to grow and I build up an adrenaline rush that pushes me to play even better,” said Miller. Those pre-game rituals in the locker room must be responsible! In regards to her predictions for this season, Coach Kiep stated, “I predict that the team will face every game with high energy, competitiveness and intensity.” She added, “Anything can happen during the season so showing up to each game prepared, eager and grateful to compete is necessary.” Every high a team experiences is inevitably followed by a low. The key is to find a way to overcome these lows! According to Barratt, one of the best pieces of advice she received from her coaches that she plans to carry into this year’s season is to, “Fight through adver-
Boys tennis is ready to make a deep playoff run this spring By JULES KURPAKUS ‘24 Staff Reporter
T
he spring sports season is rapidly approaching, with boys tennis bringing excitement for those who enjoy the rigorous sport. Often overlooked, tennis hides behind more popular spring sports like baseball, lacrosse, and track/field. However, the players shine through with their exceptional talents and skills. Mr. George Kemery oversees boys tennis in the spring, as well as girls tennis in the fall. He’s ecstatic for his players to compete in the upcoming season. “We always try to make it to the semis or the finals of the Group 4 Tournament,” he said. Tryouts were held on March 11th, and excitement and nervousness poured over the players, especially seniors who are ready to enjoy their final season at Eastern. On the other hand, there’s also huge pressure on ninth graders who want to leave a lasting impression. Jonah Schoeffler, now a junior, has been playing at Eastern since his freshman year. His greatest ambition for this year is being a singles player after originally playing first doubles last season. In that season, competing alongside Chase Lenhart, he only had two losses in the year, and made the state tournament. As for becoming a singles player, he’s confident that he can achieve his goal with determination and practice. Schoeffler further explains that through COVID-19, he “didn’t really get a good experience,” especially freshman year when their season was cut short. He said that “last year, despite the circumstances, we had a lot of fun and were really successful.” Other teammates also added their thoughts about the pandemic and its effects on their ability to participate. Sohum Sapra, a senior captain who has been on the team since his freshman year, reflected on the tragedy that was their canceled
2020 season. “It was unfortunate, as we had a strong and competitive squad. Luckily, the following season was not canceled, but we had many precautions for safety. Along with competing strongly against our opponents, we had to be cautious of the COVID-19 virus.” With a returning season, Sapra has his own aspirations in mind, such as maintaining consistency and applying practices in actual matches. A main objective for him is to win games against rival schools. “Personally, I would really like to beat Shawnee and Lenape as our matches have always been close and competitive,” he said Competition wise, he and his team are looking forward to participating in the Olympic Conference and Vineland Tournaments, where Eastern is represented by doubles and singles who play individually. Nearing the end of the season, they compete as a team in the NJSIAA Boys Tennis Tournament. Last year, they made it to the semifinals, but Sapra hopes the team will perform better this year and go deep into the playoffs. Being cooperative and supportive is crucial when participating on a team, even if you play individually. Various players find it important to learn from those around them. Sapra said that “being able to take constructive criticism from your peers can help you improve your game significantly, which in turn helps the team perform better during the season.” He also stresses the importance of more experienced players’ jobs as role models. It’s nerve wracking to begin any sport coming into high school, but great leaders alleviate those fears with guidance. Sapra recalls his transition into the team. “It seems intimidating at first, but members of the team are always there willing to help,” he said. Fellow captain of the team, senior Dhruv Sureka, also believes it is imperative for a team to be united. Just from observing players in the past, he understood that “a
(From left to right) Captains Kelsey Barratt, Susie Miller, Jane Trauger, and Coach Kiep smile on National Signing Day. Photo supplied by Kelsey Barratt ‘22 sity and just play your heart out like it’s Us. Every day, this mantra encourages the your last game, because you never know girls to concentrate on their own team and when that will be.” work on improving their weaknesses. Trauger comments that one of the big“I believe in every one of my players,” gest weaknesses a team can have is the Coach Kiep said. “I believe that they can tendency to point fingers when there are push themselves past their limits and sucareas that everyone can improve upon. ceed if they put their mind to it. I want the She says, “Even the best player on a team best for each player and for them to ultimakes mistakes. I think constructive critimately be happy, successful and confident cism can be a good thing, but sometimes in themselves.” when it becomes a blame game it can tear The varsity girls’ first game will be an teams apart.” away game against Paul VI High School. In anticipation of this season, the girls Come show your support and watch the will continue to stress their mantra: Us vs team light up the field! lot of seniors and juniors were taught to adapt to new challenges and learn together.” Sureka is determined to continue the cycle and become a better leader. His goals include winning more matches, especially against those who they lost to last year. With both a coach and his
peers relying on his influence, Sureka is adamant in his endeavor to “climb the ladder as a tennis player.” With admirable captains and tenacious players, the boys tennis team is set up for success in their upcoming season.
Evan Garber returns a serve during practice.
Photo by Dhruv Sureka ‘22
Boys Lacrosse:
2022 Spring Sport Captains Baseball: Wyatt Hoffman, Sean Perkins
Braden Travaglini, Dylan Paolone
Girls Lacrosse: Jane Trauger, Kelsey Barratt, Susie Miller
Boys Golf: Grant Zielinski, Brendan Donnelly
Softball: Isabella Lynch
Girls Golf: Not announced
Boys Track and Field: AJ Brooks, Keegan McGroarty, Andrew Shinkle
Girls Track and Field: Kylie Dawson, Savana Dodd, Lauren Kenselaar, Arianna Morales
Boys Tennis: Greg Finberg, Reid Silverman, Sohum Sapra, Dhruv Sureka, Joseph Loverdi
Boys Volleyball: Dhruv Patel