EDITORIAL Page 6
EASTSIDE
June 2011
Editorials represent the views and opinions of the Eastside Editorial Board.
Cherry Hill High School East
Mr. Rouen: Eastside’s Person of the Year Most teachers tend to blend in with surrounding East students in the hallways, but when physical science teacher Mr. Gregory Rouen scurries through the hallways with the end of his tie stuffed in his pocket, he certainly stands out. Rouen’s unique composure extends beyond the hallways and into the classroom as he remains a devoted and committed teacher and member of the East community. His constant dedication to the East community as a whole has landed him the title of Eastside’s Person of the Year. This award should come as no surprise to both students who have had Rouen as a teacher and to those who have not. In addition to teaching various science courses at East for almost seven years, Rouen stays after school every day of the week – until as late as 11:30 p.m. – in order to help his own students as well as those who stop by seeking one-on-one help in science or even other subjects. But his extra-help sessions contain much more than just intense schoolwork. Instead, students can find comfort in the relaxed, personal atmosphere of his classroom, complete with a constantly popping popcorn machine, which lures both current and former stu-
dents alike seeking Rouen’s guidance. Rouen’s impact is not limited to inside his classroom, however. He often leaves the beakers and lab coats behind for the auditorium or the athletic fields, where he cheers on East students, or for a physics room, where he coaches the chess team. Rouen is not just anoth-
er face in the crowd; his presence is heavily felt because of his enthusiasm and support. Despite all of the papers he still needs to grade, he makes the effort to attend various school activities and grades in between his spurts of encouragement. In the fall, Rouen is the tall figure sitting at the top of the bleachers watching a volleyball game. In the winter, he is the teacher cheering on the basketball teams. In the spring, he can be found encouraging tennis players after school hours. Rouen supports activities and sports he has no affiliation with in order to learn more
about his students and the East community yearround. At Wing Bowl, for example, even though Rouen was not eating wings competitively, he was a riot with his gentleman-like ensemble. He chose this time to make East students and families laugh and to lighten up the mood surrounding the competition, even if it meant getting some sauce on his bow tie. Rouen takes the meaning of an active faculty member to a whole new level. Rouen manages to balance both his actual and East families. Rouen said in Eastside’s January 2010 issue that he spends so much time at school because of “a little bit of neuroticism and a lot of grading,” but East students know better. Rouen spends so much time here because he values every moment of every day. So, whether he’s popping popcorn after school, cheering on sports teams or simply waving to a passing student while hurriedly moving to his next destination, just know that he is giving back to his second home. The little things he does are what truly impact our high school experiences, and those little things are also what make Mr. Gregory Rouen Eastside’s 2010-2011 Person of the Year.
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Eastside Online http://www.eastside-online.org
Publisher Fort Nassau Graphics Thorofare, NJ
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Awards The International Quill and Scroll Society, The American Scholastic Press Association, The Garden State Scholastic Press Association, The Temple Press Tournament, and The National Scholastic Press Association. Eastide’s Person of the Year is a four-stage process, which includes members of the Eastside Editorial Board voting at each stage. The award originated in 2003 in order to recognize members of the school who have made a superior scholastic impact. Recipients receive a personal plaque in addition to being listed on a plaque next to the Hall of Fame bulletin board. Past Recipients 2003: Mr. Matthew Carr 2004: Ms. Elizabeth McLeester 2005: Mr. Tony Mancini 2006: Ms. Marilyn DiCiurcio 2007: Mrs. Linda Heath 2008: Mr. Jonathon Strout 2009: Mr. Charles Musumeci 2010: Mr. Rick Friedman
New Friends of Eastside... Mr. Silver • The Hudson Family • Ed Hall Elana Perilstein • Salon Exposé
The Cherry Hill East Student Government Assoc. (contributed to the full color of this issue)
Letter to the Editor: Student Government not fairly judged Dear Editor, I have been a member of SGA through all four years of my high school career. I have served as a representative, a class officer and a school officer. Having committed immense time and effort to the Student Government, it brings me great sorrow to see the current reputation of the association. Many people throughout the school deem Student Government as somewhat pointless, an organization that simply accomplishes little in the school aside from hosting a few events like Friday Night Live and Mr. East. In my experiences Student Government is far from pointless.
Along with planning and working events for the school, we are also a voice for the student body. I think almost every candidate running for office mentions “being the voice” in their campaign speech, so one has every right to ask what it really means. Basically, whenever the administration or school board wants the student opinion on a particular controversial subject, they invite the Student Government class and school officers to a meeting. As an officer, I have met with Dr. O’Breza, Dr. Campbell, the president of the school board and the president of the union. All of these people have asked for me to represent what the student body
thinks. This is a fairly difficult job, as it is challenging for me and every other officer to get a feeling of what so many different people think about our school and the issue at hand. We must go in and many times disregard our opinions in favor of one shared by the majority of East students. I am a Student Government officer because I take pride in serving the student body. It brings me great pleasure when I am asked to share the views of the students during a meeting with a school official. I take the responsibility of representing you very seriously; I spend hours after school doing Student Government responsibilities and am often one
of the last to leave the parking lot. For me, being a member of Student Government is far more than doing nothing; it is a way to ensure that the opinions of the students are heard. I do not write this letter in defense of the Student Government; I write it merely to clarify the behind-the-scenes effort of the association. Every organization has the right to be criticized, yet they are also in place for a reason—whether it be apparent or not. Sincerely, Dan Desrochers (‘11)
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2010-2011 EASTSIDE EDITORIAL BOARD Managing Editor: Sally Yang News/Features Editors Juliet Brooks Hailey Edelstein Gabrielle Kains Sports Editors Max Cohen Dillon Rosenblatt Community Editors Hannah Feinberg Alana Kopelson Opinions Editors Lindsey DuBoff Sherin Nassar
Editors-in-Chief: Avra Bossov, Julie Coben, Laura Kane
Entertainment Editors Danielle Fox Rebecca Ohnona
Art Directors Kevin Cook Danielle Hu
Global Commentary Editors Moriah Schervone Diana Yu
Photo Editors Mia Holley Ben Taylor
Humor Editors Jake Trommer Gina Villecco
Video Editor Rebecca Mulberg
Underground Editors Jack Braunstein Sarah Minion
Online News Editor Darby Festa Online Sports Editor Jake Fischer Technology Director Peter Shivery
Radio Manager Prashasti Awadhiya
Editorial Assistants Hank Davis Bryan Sheehan
Adviser Mr. Greg Gagliardi
Business Manager Alex Feldman
Contact the Board: To contact a member of the Eastside Editorial Board via e-mail, type the person’s first name followed by a period followed by his or her last name followed by “@eastsideonline.org,” ie: sarah.minion@ eastside-online.org. (Note: There is a dash between “eastside” and “online”)