Eastside: October 2018

www.eastside-online.org

Vol. 52 No. 1

Cherry Hill High School East: 1750 Kresson Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003

October 2018

In this issue, Eastside explores the relationships that East students have with their names. See pages 12-13.

Photos by Defne Alpdogan (‘20)/ Eastside News Editor, Ilana Arougheti (‘19)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief, Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor, Aine Pipe (‘20)/ Eastside News Editor, and Luke Shin (‘19)/ Eastside Video Editor. Photo Illustration by Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor and Eli Weitzman (‘20)/ Eastside Webmaster. Graphic by Ilana Arougheti (‘19)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief.

Inside This Issue

New faces take over as Class of 2020 advisors News, Pg. 3

Lopez makes a name for herself as an artist Culture, Pg. 20

Boys’ Track identifies Whitney as rising leader Sports, Pg. 22

NEWS

Page 2

EASTSIDE

October 2018

East welcomes two new administrators

Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor

“We need to get to know the people we are working with so that we can effectively look at where things need to change,” said new ninth grade assistant principal, Mr. Ted Beatty (second from left), about meeting and creating a relationship with faculty before suggesting any changes to East principal Dr. Dennis Perry. To Beatty’s right is Mr. Aaron Edwards, East’s other new assistant principal.

■ By Defne Alpdogan (‘20) Eastside News Editor

One year after the addition of Dr. Matthew Covington, Mrs. Rebecca Metzger and Mr. Lou Papa, Cherry Hill East welcomes two new assistant principals: Mr. Ted Beatty and Mr. Aaron Edwards.

Throughout the summer of 2018, over 150 applicants applied to East to fill the vacancies in the ninth grade and eleventh grade level administrative positions left by Mr. Matthew LaGrou and Mr. Tom Storer.

East Principal Dr. Dennis Perry was involved in the decision to hire Edwards and Beatty, who were hired at two different times during the summer.

Perry was Beatty’s assigned mentor last year, as all first and second-year administrators are assigned mentors by the state.

“I was just so impressed with the work that he [Beatty] was doing where he was, that I just knew that I needed to get this guy on board here,” said Perry.

Perry met Edwards through the application process.

The selection and interview processes for Edwards and Beatty consisted of three rounds of interviewing. The first round included a committee of teachers and administrators from East that met with a larger

group of applicants, asking questions for 30 to 45 minutes to screen out the best individuals for the job. The remaining applicants went through two more rounds of intensive interviewing.

“This is the person we select out of this pool, we check their references, call places they worked, people they have worked with, their supervisors, that kind of thing. Make sure that they are as good as we believe them to be, and then they go to the superintendent and he has a process they go through as well,” said Perry.

Before the new administrators entered East, Perry wanted to acclimate the administrators to the expectations and community of East. With Beatty and Edwards, he reviewed instructional standards.

In addition, Perry will be co-conducting Beatty and Edwards’s first five teacher observations.

Before East, Beatty went to Roger Williams University in Bristle, Rhode Island and then taught social studies at the high school level in the Philadelphia School District for ten years. After working in Philadelphia for ten years, Beatty worked one year in Camden, NJ. He has been an administrator for four of his eleven years in education. Having a social studies and English back-

ground, Beatty will be in charge of those two departments. This summer, Beatty spoke to three-quarters of the English Department and one-half of the Social Studies Department. His approach to his first year is to understand his departments before suggesting any changes.

“We need to get to know the people we are working with so that we can effectively look at where things need to change,” said Beatty. “Cherry Hill East is a wonderful school [and the students] are all wonderful students, but what we need to do is we need to understand the environment first before we look and make change.”

After seeing upperclassmen helping freshmen in C-Wing intersection, Beatty was inspired by the students’ inclusiveness to create a peer-mentoring program. He envisions students from all grades bolstering each other and directing each other.

“I plan to potentially run a pilot of that program this year to see if the data supports that it would be beneficial for us and maybe work with Mr. Davis to work that into next year’s orientation,” said Beatty.

Like Beatty, Edwards will also replace a grade level principal, former eleventh grade assistant principal Mr. Matthew LaGrou.

Edwards attended Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ. Like Beatty, Edwards started his career by teaching. He taught special-ed math, but he soon returned to school to get his counseling degree.

Edwards will be overlooking the Math, Business, Fine Arts and Performing Arts Departments at East.

Coming into East, Edwards has kept an open mind, hoping it will help him better grasp the East community.

“Learning the information and reading over the summer, different books, has helped me to be on the same page as so many members here who already are,” said Edwards.

To try to make East a more technologicallyoriented school, Edwards plans to build on the recent shift to Google Classroom. He said he wants to help teachers utilize Google Classroom as a tool and teach them about apps that can be later used to give summative assessments. His overarching goal is to slowly progress to a one-to-one school, which would guarantee a laptop for all students. However, he realizes the benefit of the current Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy and hopes to include that aspect of technology in the classroom, he said.

Additionally, to build a relationship with the elev-

enth grade class, Edwards will meet with SGA and provide support through school events and being visible to the students.

With regard to academics, Beatty and Edwards are both grounded in the philosophy that growing twenty-first century skills can benefit students inside and outside of the classroom.

Furthermore, they expect to continue to advance the dynamic nature of East and build off the already established standards and community. However, their main goal for their first school year is to interact with students and faculty before instituting reforms.

Perry wants both Edwards and Beatty to build student trust and become an outlet to which students can come for help with various problems. Both assistant principals will be working on new school initiatives including Minds on Engagement, a new student voice initiative, the new lunch and homeroom system and, most of all, building bonds with their students and teachers.

“I think the quality of education that you can provide students is based around the relationships that you build with them,” said Beatty. “You need to have that foundational relationship of knowledge of the people in front of you and the people that you work with.”

NEWS

October 2018

EASTSIDE

Page 3

Students, administrators share views on STOPit ■ By Liam Reilly (‘20)

cording to the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survelliance System. To prevent student endangerment, the Cherry Hill School District implemented STOPit, a reporting app meant to anonymously curb bullying.

STOPit is easy to use

are able to file a report in an easy and comfortable manner. The app was incorporated into East’s arsenal of anti-bullying resources in early 2018, and the local code was put out during the lunch breaks.

The STOPit app first

came to East in the middle Pit has been inappropriate which in turn allowed the of last year, when every and that “no one uses the shelter-in-place to be lifted homeroom showed a video app for anything serious.” before it could interfere referring to the app and Papa uses such cases with the transition between its functions. Papa said to teach rather than to D-Block and A-Block. he gets “a lot of referrals, punish, so as to correct Papa called this “a crimiespecially in the first few future behaviors and to nal act” and said that apweeks of school and very halt any future abuses. propriate actions with the few are substantiated.” police and adminisPapa explained how tration were taken. “for the issues that are However, the apreal, [STOPit] works well, plication has been but most of the time is successful to some spent looking at things we extent. For instance, shouldn’t be looking at.” the app has been Some students make used as a stream of use of the app; howcommunication for ever, others, like Claire students to ask quesCoen (‘21), simply turn tions and quickly get to other mediums. Coen replies from adminsaid that students would istration. This helps “rather talk to [their] with a more seamparents or administraless transition with tion that [they] trust.” the new school year, The misuse of the app and alleviates some has serious legal and of the stress of talkscholastic ramifications, ing to administraand wastes time and tion. Papa explained other school resources, how “especially with as Papa must investigate newer kids, many [of all reported incidents. whom] are very shy, One such case occurred this is a way where when falsified claims of Screenshot by Giana Maccarella (‘20)/ they can ask the simEastside News Editor plest questions, and a parent abusing a child were sent through the Students’ app view before reporting. [Papa] doesn’t have administration before a problem with it.” the truth was revealed.

After the child abuse While most STOPit moniPapa said, “One student incident, Papa spoke to toring time is spent answerwas accusing a parent of the student “and kind of ing questions and getting abusing a boy that he put let them know what could rid of false threats and inin the picture….as it turns happen” in order to preappropriate content, Papa out, the picture was taken vent police action in the said that “for the one or two in school and I was able to investigation, he said. things [East administration go back with the cameras Another incident ochas] stopped, it’s worth it.” to see who took the piccurred during the first Even though STOPit tures to call them in and week of school when an has mainly been used for ask if it was real because anonymous and ultimateanswering questions and that [would require] a poly falsified threat against pursuing false accusalice investigation, and they East was sent through tions in vain, the adminrevealed it was a joke.”

STOPit. The administraistration is committed to Students have taken tion enacted a shelter-incontinuing to use the app. notice of the misuse. Briplace until the potential The app “definitely has its anna Canzano (‘20) said threat was neutralized. An merits and values as long as that everything that she unnamed student admitwe can get everyone to use has seen in regard to STOted to falsifying the threat, it for what it is,” said Papa.

■ By Giana Maccarella (‘20)

orities within SGA. “We, basically, had different priorities for how we portrayed it running and how the class portrayed it running,” DeFuria said.

“It was one of those things where there were some

kind of transition and focus my energy on things where I can have a pretty... great impact,” said Wright.

Although DeFuria and Wright are focusing their energy on other sports and activities at East for

Eastside Staff

In past decades, bullying has occurred in many forms: from hallway gossip to physical altercations on the playground, millions of individuals have encountered harassment from ruthless tormentors.

Over 25 percent of teens have been victims of repeated harassment online, with under 50 percent of those individuals bringing it up to their parents, according to Bullyingstatistics.org.

Furthermore, 19 percent of 12-18 year olds are bullied on school property, ac-

and is designed to allow students to anonymously and quickly report weapon threats, bullying, abuse, etc. It is a two-way direct line of communication between the individual reporting the incident and the staff members in charge of monitoring and addressing all reports filed. The intention, according to Assistant Principal Mr. Lou Papa, is “to provide a safe way to report things to administrators and to make students feel like they’re not ratting people out this way.”

The app just needs WiFi or data to function, which means that individuals

Aine Pipe (‘20)/ Eastside News Editor

This poster promotes the StopIt app around East.

DeWitt and Cervo take charge of the Class of 2020 SGA Eastside News Editor

As the Class of 2020 starts a new school year, it does so with new advisors, Mrs. Sarah Cervo and Mrs. Erika DeWitt (formerly Ms. Schultes).

When the Class of 2020 first entered the halls of East as freshmen, it did so with advisors Mr. Jason DeFuria and Mr. Nicholas Wright. DeFuria and Wright were the class’s advisors for the entirety of its freshman and a majority of its sophomore year.

In the last months of the 2017-2018 school year, however, DeFuria and Wright decided to step down as advisors together.

“We talked to one another. We both decided together, that we thought that we could put our power, more effectively put our energy, into somewhere else at the school,” Wright said.

DeFuria agreed, adding, “We ended up saying, ‘alright let’s look, like what are the things we’re really dedicated to, what are the things we have a bigger interest in,’ and we ended up evaluating what our priorities were.”

This is not to say that their priority was not SGA, just to say there was a difference in pri-

advised the Class of 2018.

“Mrs. Cervo was actually sort of instrumental in my decision to apply because she had spoken so highly of her experience with Student Government and as a class advisor,” said DeWitt.

Cervo said how highly she viewed her experience while advising and expressed that it was those positive experiences that encouraged her to apply again.

“I really enjoyed my experience as an advisor the first time, and I think the opportunity to bond with students on a different level outside of the classroom is important,” said Cervo.

Despite never advising a class before herself, DeWitt decided to apply to take on a class for advisory, not knowing if Jiseon Lee (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor she would be taking on a class for just two The new advisors run the junior class SGA homeroom. years or a full four.

“When I applied differences in opinion in the time being, in some for the position it wasn’t how things should be run.” time both are open to the clear whether it would be After evaluating their inidea of refocusing their enfor this class or for the interests and priorities, both ergy back into advisory. coming freshman class,” decided to dedicate themBefore Cervo and DeWitt DeWitt said. “This is my selves elsewhere at East. decided to advise the Class first time advising, well, “Football is going to be of 2020, DeWitt recieved first time advising anytaking up a big part of my some encouragement from thing relating to Student time, so I thought I would Cervo, who had previously Government. I advised

some other clubs, nonSGA related,” said DeWitt.

Two of these non-SGA clubs are Animal Welfare Advocates and the Filipino Culture Society.

Unlike DeWitt’s application, Cervo hoped to be advising the Class of 2020 because she knew them so well from advising the Class of 2018.

“I’ve also gotten to know the current junior class just through being advisor to the outgoing senior class, and I think that they have a lot of potential and I really think that some of the things that we have in place will maybe guide them and allow for a great success,” Cervo said.

The former and current class presidents for the Class of 2020 seem to agree with Cervo that this year will be a successful one.

“I love the new advisors,” former Class President Sunny Doshi (‘20) said. “I was excited because I had Mrs. DeWitt as a teacher last year and I felt like when we heard we were getting advisors, we all kind of thought it was going to be Cervo and [DeWitt], so it was really exciting.”

The current junior Class President, Kartik Pejavara (‘20), agrees with Doshi.

“Even though it’s pretty early in the year right now, I do like the direction it’s going in,” said Pejavara.

NEWS

Page 4

EASTSIDE

October 2018

College Chaos?

Tips from the top and bottom admitters of East students

UPDATE

■ By Julia Langmuir (‘19) East Board of Education Representative

Photo Illustration by Aine Pipe (‘20)/ Eastside News Editor; Photos courtesy of the universities’ websites

The campuses of the colleges with the three highest and three lowest acceptance rates of East students: (top from left to right) Widener, WVU, Quinnipiac (bottom from left to right) Brown, Hopkins and Yale.

■ By Aine Pipe (‘20) Eastside News Editor

Thirteen years: that is the amount of time in which students must transform from first-day kindergarteners to adults ready to go out into the world or to college.

For some, the college admissions process may seem daunting. There is always the chance that one will not get into the school of one’s choice. Pressure from parents and peers and the potential threat of failure weigh heavily upon students’ emotional and physical well-being, according to the New York Times. With the college admissions season upon students once again, and the rush to prepare and pad transcripts and fill out applications becoming omnipresent in the building, Eastside investigated the colleges most and least likely to accept students from Cherry Hill East.

The list of the colleges most and least likely to accept East students came from a Naviance report that compared the number of applications to a college to the number of acceptances to a college for all East seniors since 2010. From that list, all colleges with at least 50 applicants (of which there were about 60) in that time span were considered. From there, Eastside compiled a ranking of the colleges with the highest and lowest acceptance rates for East students.

Then, Eastside contacted the admissions offices of those schools to ask what their biggest pieces of advice to East students are.

(Bolded percentages represent East, not national, acceptance rates.)

Most Likely: 1. Widener University, Chester, PA (84 percent acceptance rate) Some quick facts: Widener’s average cost after aid is $27,000. Its general acceptance rate is 64 percent, making East students more likely to get in than an av-

erage acceptant. The average SAT score of accepted students is 1100, and the average GPA for students accepted is 3.45, according to Prepscholar. Widener’s graduation rate is 53 percent.

Tips from an admissions officer: “It depends on the major. We’re just looking for a strong student, someone who’s at least...upwards of a 3.4 or higher GPA. SATs, I would say 1100 or higher.

I’m not saying we don’t accept students below those rates, but...if students have that or above, they’re most likely going to be accepted. … We’re strictly looking at their transcript and their SATs.” 2. West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV (81 percent acceptance rate) Some quick facts: West Virginia University’s average cost without aid is $20,184. Its general acceptance rate is about 86 percent, making East students less likely to get in than an average acceptant. The average SAT score of accepted students is 1140, and the average GPA for students accepted is 3.52, according to its website. Its graduation rate is 57 percent.

Tips from an admissions officer: “[Students] need at least a 2.5 GPA or above for consideration...it’s going to depend on their GPA and the scores...when [admissions officers] see [high scores], they see that that might be a student that they might want to have come here...no extracurriculars, no recommendation letters and no essays.”

3. Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT (81 percent acceptance rate) Some quick facts: Quinnipiac’s average cost after aid is $36,000. Its general acceptance rate is about 76 percent, making East students more likely to get in than an average acceptant.

The average SAT score of accepted students is 1080, and the average GPA for students accepted is 3.4,

according to Prepscholar.

Its graduation rate is 76 percent.

Tips from an admissions officer: “One tip is to just really think about how you want to be involved in the community here...community is something we really hold ourselves to a high standard here...I would recommend taking both the SAT and the ACT; the school is super-scored.”

Least Likely: 1. Brown University, Providence, RI (seven percent acceptance rate) Some quick facts: Brown’s average cost after aid is $27,000. Its general acceptance rate is about ten percent, making East students less likely to get in than an average acceptant.

The average SAT score of accepted students is 1440, and the average GPA for students accepted is 4.08, according to Prepscholar.

Its graduation rate is 96 percent.

Tips from an admissions officer: “For any student applying to Brown, an applicant must demonstrate academic excellence, a commitment to meaningful extracurricular activities and have strong teacher and counselor support with regards to performance both inside and outside of the classroom, while also addressing the student’s character. Brown is committed to a culture of collaboration and kindness in addition to academic excellence, so we seek to admit students who will contribute to that culture while here at Brown.”

2. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (eight percent acceptance rate) Some quick facts: Johns Hopkins’s average cost after aid is $34,000. Its general acceptance rate is about 14 percent, making East students less likely to get in than an average acceptant. The average SAT score of accepted students is 1460, and the average GPA for students accepted

is 3.74, according to Prepscholar and Collegesimply.

Its graduation rate is 93 percent.

Tips from an admissions officer: “[W]e encourage you to learn as much as you can about the school to get a sense of the academic culture, student experience and opportunities you would find here. You can do this through visiting campus if you are able; spending some time on our website, virtual tour or student-run blog site (hopkinsinsider.com); or coming to [an information] session near you if one is available. Determining whether Hopkins is a good match for your interests, goals and academic profile will help you build the strongest possible application that helps the admissions committee understand why Hopkins might be a good match for you and what you’re looking for in your college experience.”

3. Yale University, New Haven, CT (nine percent acceptance rate) Some quick facts: Yale’s average cost after aid is $21,000. Its general acceptance rate is about seven percent, making East students more likely to get in than an average acceptant.

The average SAT score of accepted students is 1490, and the average GPA for students accepted is 4.19, according to Prepscholar.

Its graduation rate is 96 percent.

Yale’s admissions officers declined to comment, citing policy issues.

Whether or not one’s dream school is on this list, the college admissions process can be a stressful experience. Whether one shoots for the stars or plays it safe with their college admissions, the advice listed above may be a good first step in evaluating oneself as an applicant.

For a full ranking of East admission rates to the 54 schools with over 50 applicants since 2010, check out eastside-online.org.

On February 27, 2018, students and community members packed the gymnasium at the Board of Education (BOE) Action Meeting held at Malberg, where they called for changes in school security following the tragic shooting in Parkland, FL. Community members at the February meeting called for security changes ranging from installing ID scanners to arming security guards, and the BOE has already begun to implement some of these changes for the 2018-2019 school year. Over the summer, the BOE hired an additional five officers to rotate between each of the schools in the district in order to improve security. The school district also trained the current campus officers to be armed starting in the 2018-2019 school year.

Multiple entrances around the perimeter of East underwent minor construction projects to replace old doors with more secure models to ensure that all entrances to the school would remain securely locked throughout the school day.

Plans for increased security do not end there. The 2018 bond referendum – which includes infrastructure changes spanning from gymnasium construction at some elementary schools to ceiling light replacement in the hallways at East – also includes plans for the construction of security vestibules and the installation of ID scanners at each school entrance in the district.

The swipe-ID system was tested at the Barclay Early Childhood Center during the 2017-2018 school year and was proven effective.

If implemented at each of the district schools, no one would be able to pass through the vestibule into the main building without a school ID. The bond referendum also includes the purchase and installation of new security cameras for each of the schools.

The special election for the bond referendum was originally scheduled for October 2, with plans to start construction projects in June of 2019. However, it has since been postponed to December 11 due to the inaction of the NJ Department of Education, despite consistent efforts on the part of the BOE regarding the matter.

In the meantime, details of both the bond referendum and the 2020 Plan and updates regarding the special election can all be found on the district website.

The Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month. East’s BOE Representative and Alternate can both be contacted via email at cheboerep@ gmail.com.

Logo by Sam Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director

October 2018

SPECIAL EASTSIDE

Page 5

Festival E: Autumn fun under the stars

Christian Torres (‘20)/ For Eastside

Mr. Winegrad tunes his ukelele before performing.

Christian Torres (‘20)/ For Eastside

Festival E attendees dance to musical performances by students and faculty.

Christian Torres (‘20)/ For Eastside

Mike Wheeler (‘20), Sean Coen (‘20), Nate Pullano (‘20) and Bobby Irwin (‘20) gather together at the end of a long night of festivities.

Christian Torres (‘20)/ For Eastside

Juniors enjoy an evening of music, dancing and games.

Christian Torres (‘20)/ For Eastside

Jon Cohen (‘19) plays guitar during his set.

Christian Torres (‘20)/ For Eastside

Mia Devera (‘22), Emma Phipps (‘22), Belle Wilson (‘22), Julia Cohen (‘22) and Arielle Cosenza (‘22) kick back.

Page 6

FEATURES

EASTSIDE

October 2018

National gun violence impacts East students

■ By Aine Pipe (‘20) and Samantha Roehl (‘20)

Eastside News Editor and Eastside Features Editor

On February 14, 2018, a lone gunman shot and killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL. Far from the first school shooting in recent years and unfortunately far from the last, the shooting drew massive media attention and has affected students all around America. At Cherry Hill East, many students are worried about the possibility of gun violence.

“I get scared in school sometimes,” said Isabella Horn (‘20). “I definitely do catch myself a lot nowadays, more than I ever did, thinking ‘what if tomorrow something were to happen at East?’”

As the topic of gun violence has become closer and closer to home in recent months, more students have reported feelings of increased anxiety, according to guidance counselor Ms. Cathleen Lynch (formerly Ms. Enderle).

“Some students have

come down to speak to me about it, and I definitely have seen an increase in anxiety [surrounding gun violence],” said Lynch. “...I think anxiety is an issue here in general, but [gun violence] seems to have increased it a little.”

Once students come down with concerns about gun violence, guidance counselors discuss the issue of gun violence with students and recommend further professional counseling if it is deemed necessary.

“ I t ’ s a lot of listening...a lot of talking about maybe...statistics, what’s the likelihood of this stuff actually happening.

New Jersey actually has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, which is reassuring,” Lynch said.

“Trying to make sure students can do what they

can to stay safe; to speak to someone when they feel anxious; if they see something, to say something.”

Lynch said that in her observation, recent events have had a psychological effect on the staff, in addition to increasing anxiety in students.

“We feel the same as the students: we feel afraid and sad, really sad...after something happens like

that; we feel scared, just like the students do,” said Lynch. “Many of us are parents, so...it’s something we think about.”

Lynch also believes that

speakers and student empowerment have been effective at counteracting student anxiety.

Though this past year has seen East bolstering its security, some students have concerns about the safety precautions that East has in place.

“I think the schools need to be better protected. It’s good that they brought the security guards in, but I think they should be doing a little bit more,” said Jakob Mutschler (‘22).

In addition to these

security measures, East administration has tried to curb student anxiety in other ways, such as bringing in speakers, which Lynch believes has been effective at curbing anxiety.

“We want the students to feel empowered,” said

Lynch.

Other students feel safe at East due to the security measures that have been put into place.

“I feel pretty safe… I see the security guards around school and that gives me a [feeling] of relief. [East] lock[s] doors now, which is another thing. Little things like that really do add up,” said Isabel Andino (‘20).

Some students, while not against any actions that East has taken, feel that there is no way for safety to be ensured.

“I feel like nothing’s gonna happen, but also I feel everyone thinks ‘nothing’s going to happen to me’ and [then] it does,” said Juliana Brinn (‘19).

Despite the school’s efforts, though, some students feel that cautionary measures cannot prevent all possibility of tragedy.

“I am glad that our guards are armed. That does make me feel a little bit safer, but [there is a] chance that something might happen in this school,” said Lucas Tzul (‘21).

Art by Sarah Zheng (‘20)/ Eastside Video Editor

Never Again CHE members discuss school security

just because of a letter next CHE club proposed adthe club participated in the to their name.

We are not ditional in-school mental March for Our Lives Road Eastside Features Editor trying to On February 27, East spread a made national news when political hundreds of students, upmessage. set over events of a schoolThe meswide controversy, walked sage we are out of their classes, circled sending is, the school and stood on the ‘how can football field. A month afwe end gun ter the Parkland shooting, violence?’” there was a nationally orgaL a s t nized and school-approved s c h o o l walkout in which nearly year, the every student participated. club proIt lasted for 17 minutes in posed sesolidarity with the victims curity meaof Parkland’s shooting. In sures such addition, East sponsored as a revitwo assemblies. One was sion of drill about how students can protocol protect themselves in the and strictevent of an active shooter, er enforceand the other was a tesment of timony from a survivor of the Locked Courtesy of Maddie Armstrong (‘20) the 1999 Columbine High Door Policy. The Never Again CHE club often meets during lunch.

School shooting that left 13 “It is policy victims dead. for teachers Now, East has a club to have all doors locked at health support, such as crito Change tour in Philadeldedicated to addressing the all times. It seems inconvesis counselors. Crisis counphia. issue of school security and nient, but in circumstances selors, as described on the “David was incredible,” gun control. Maddie Armlike Parkland, having that school’s End-of-Year UpArmstrong said. “When strong (‘20) is the chapdoor locked was crucial,” date, are “trained profesyou meet someone who has ter president of the Never Armstrong said. sionals who have psychosurvived a school shooting, Again CHE club, created in In addition to security logical degrees pertaining it’s surreal. Lauren Hogg, response to the mass shootrevisions, the Never Again to forms of mental health his sister, was telling me crisis.” what it felt like and what Currently, students are it sounded like to be in a encouraged to go to their school shooting. She said guidance counselor or Stuit’s like hearing a firework dent Assistance Counselor, up close.”

Mrs. Jennifer DiStefano, if Never Again CHE, now they have any suicidal or under the supervision of homicidal ideology. While Mr. Jacob Winegrad, had Cherry Hill East does not its first executive board provide mental health thermeeting of the new year on apy, the counselors can link September 8. Armstrong students and their families encourages other students with professional help. to join in as the club picks In addition to being presup with its in-school advoident of the Never Again cacy efforts.

CHE club, Armstrong has “Coming to a meeting campaigned against gun is the first way to get inviolence by giving talks and volved. You can also join meeting with the governor’s the Remind and be regisfirearm advisor. This sumtered as a member. That’s mer, she had a chance to where we send updates and speak with Parkland suragendas. Joining the ReCourtesy of Jared Fisch (‘18) vivors, including popular mind is the best way to get Students walked out in solidarity with Parkland last school year. activist David Hogg, when involved,” Armstrong said.

■ By Sam Grossman (‘19)

ing at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that left 17 murdered.

Formed in spring 2018, Never Again CHE describes itself as “a non-partisan club that is a platform for gun violence awareness discussion and change.”

It has more than a hundred registered members, and the entire club meets once a month. Alongside Armstrong is Vice President Chris Kohut (‘20).

“The club is kind of like a forum,” Armstrong said.

“Everyone at the club is different. We have people who strongly believe in the Second Amendment and people who are very much for tighter gun control and school security.”

The club makes a point of being non-partisan, meaning it does not align itself with either the Republican or Democratic party. According to Armstrong, this is a crucial aspect of the club.

“We want you to educate yourself so you can form educated opinions,” she said. “So you’re not voting [for a political candidate]

October 2018

FEATURES EASTSIDE

Page 7

Volley for Support serves the community ■ By Karissa Murray (‘20)

Eastside Features Editor

Volley for Support (VFS) was once just an event that spawned from disaster, but it would come to unite the Cherry Hill School District for years.

In late December of 2004, an earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2 sent a subsequent tsunami reaching over one hundred feet in some places into the heart of southeast Asia.

This catastrophe left entire countries in ruins and an estimated quarter of a million people dead.

On the other side of the world, the people of Cherry Hill were doing everything in their power to help.

“The idea was born back in 2005, when the tsunami hit and various ideas were being offered to raise money for the victims. We had an idea to bring multiple schools together in an effort to raise money for the Red Cross relief efforts,” Mr. Steve Redfearn, founder of VFS, said.

It’s more than likely that if you’ve grown up in the Cherry Hill School system, you’ve supported, attended or at least heard of VFS. Redfearn defines it as “an event that brings the entire school community together, all nineteen schools, parents, students and employees, for one night like no other event in the district while supporting and raising money for a cause.”

Redfearn and his wife, Mrs. Kimberly Redfearn, both work for the Cherry Hill School District. Kim-

berly Redfearn is a third grade teacher at A. Russell Knight Elementary School, and Steve Redfearn worked as a teacher for thirteen years before becoming the Cherry Hill Education Association President.

After forming the idea, the Redfearns gathered a team. Thanks to the support of the district, students and staff, they were able to transform their vision into a reality on April 19, 2005. At the beginning,

support,” Steve Redfearn said.

Throughout the year, every school has individual fundraisers and events. Only VFS, though, is driven by complete collaboration between the 19 schools. This aspect has remained the biggest reason why VFS has been so successful at raising money and getting people involved for its causes.

“What has changed is the cause from year to

right here in the Cherry Hill community, like when the money was donated to help build Jake’s Place, a park designed to allow kids with special needs to play as well.

This year’s funds will go to Ehlers-Danlos Society.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a genetic disorder that negatively affects the skin, joints and blood vessels. This cause was selected because multiple people in the Cherry Hill community suffer from it, including Mrs. Kathy Gilmour, a first grade teacher at Sharp Elementary School, and her entire family.

“My daughter is the most impacted,” Gilmour said.

“My EDS mainly affects my joints. I have pain daily but can work and live a productive life. My daughter’s EDS not only affects her joints...but also several internal organ systems and blood vessels. She has days where she feels well enough to see friends or go somewhere with her family. But they are outnumbered by the days she can’t get off the couch due to pain and passing out. She is unable to work and had to leave college due to the severity of her EDS.” Awareness for EhlersDanlos syndrome is just as crucial as treatments.

Very few people have heard of the condition, and even medical professionals are unfamiliar with it.

“Because of this, it can often take 10 to 15 years before a diagnosis, and that is way too long to live in pain and not be believed. This is

why we have adopted the zebra as our mascot. Doctors are taught ‘when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.’ We are the zebras that remain misdiagnosed, under-diagnosed, or worse, told the pain is in their head,” Gilmour said.

In its 14 years of existence, Volley for Support has raised over $125,000.

Steve and Kim Redfearn do not plan on stopping anytime soon.

“What I envision with this event is the legacy that is left behind for others to see and benefit from in the future. There will come a day that Kim and I aren’t running it anymore or for whatever reason we can’t do it. [We are] hoping that somebody will carry that legacy on because of the richness and value it holds for the school community.

[That] would be our ultimate goal,” Steve Redfearn said.

Without the support of volunteers, the PTA, the teachers and the students, VFS could not have grown into what it is today.

“I truly believe that there is no place in Cherry Hill more full of energy, excitement, happiness and good will each year than when we all get together that night for Volley for Support,” Steve Redfearn said.

This is not only an event that serves those in need, but also unites Cherry Hill’s schools through the spirit of generosity and hope. This year’s Volley for Support took place on Friday, October 12, at Cherry Hill East.

spearheaded by Mrs. Jenyears, it was me – every Center. There, they will renifer DiStefano. A student football game, every school veal themselves by wearing poll yielded the first name event, every basketball either Crimson’s head or “Crimson”, after the school game,” the faculty member feet during their walk. colors. The mascot was said.

Despite the glory that also given the middle name Crimson now consisawaits each year’s chosen “Charlie,” after Mr. Charles tently attends East events students at graduation, Musumeci, a beloved East like pep rallies, orientation, East mascotry doesn’t come staff member who passed some eighth grade occawithout risk. away in 2013. sions, talent shows, Trunk “Kids like to pull the “[Mutail… sumeci] it gets really hot, and was the w h e n heartyou’re beat of looking E a s t out, it’s for 50 hard to years,” get orithe facented u l t y somemember times,” s a i d . t h e “ F o r faculty kids to member Jiseon Lee (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor said. k n o w who he Crimson the Cougar shows off his biceps at a football game.

T h e is, it’s Crimone piece of him that conor Treat and the Earth Day son suit is bulky and diffitinues to live on through fair. As mascot appearanccult to put on, so Crimson East each year.” es began to cut into the facis typically accompanied by The faculty member then ulty member’s school and a helper who dresses them faced another major hurdle: family life, he/she strove and guides them around. no student wanted to step to bring students into the The suit’s cooling mechainto Crimson’s shoes. He/ fold and now acts as a sort nism – a fan inside the fur she found it difficult to get of handler, managing Crimhead – is broken, so wearkids excited about being son’s schedule. ers have to make do with a Crimson because his identiThis year, one male and frozen vest and ‘cooling colty is supposed to be secret, one female senior have lar.’ and he/she finds that modbeen chosen by the faculty In addition, the $700 fur ern teenagers prefer expemember to become Crimcostume and accessories riences that they can share son at school events. As cannot be dry-cleaned or online. with past mascots, they get wet, so during the year So he/she donned the will keep their identity seit is not washed. Instead, mascot suit. cret until their graduation the faculty member periodi“For the first two or three ceremony at the Liacouras cally sprays it with Febreze

and leaves it outdoors to air out.

Students who hope to step into the suit must meet a specific set of criteria. They require a good behavioral record, the faculty member said, to ensure that they won’t get overly rowdy or handsy with crowds while representing East as Crimson. They have to stick to the requisite Crimson poses, designed

by Crimson’s faculty handler: hands under the chin or hands up in a fistpump.

To “have the personality,” as the faculty member puts it, they have to be animated and resourceful enough to engage nonverbally with crowds.

Students playing Crimson also have to be knowledgeable about sports so that they can react appropriately during games.

If a controversial call is made during a football game, the faculty member pointed out, an ideal Crimson would have to know to gesture wildly at the referee and match the crowd’s tense energy.

The faculty member hopes that Crimson will eventually be completely taken over by the cheerleading team and assigned to one cheerleader for the whole year. Until then, the cougar will continue to thrive under a hodgepodge of secret identities.

Courtesy of Steve Redfearn

Cherry Hill teachers compete in VFS 2017. there were only six schools: Cooper, Woodcrest, Stockton, Russell Knight, Joyce Kilmer and Carusi. It didn’t take long before more and more schools began to join.

Going into their fourteenth year of VFS, they have every school in the district in participation.

“Our goals have stayed the same: bring the schools together, raise money and support those who need it, whether it be a charity, a foundation or just a cause in need of extra financial

year, which I believe has made the event so unique because we have made an effort to support a wide variety of causes through the fourteen years,” Steve Redfearn said.

VFS has donated to charities of all kinds, including cancer research, heart disease research and Alzheimer’s research.

Sometimes the money goes to help people across the world, like after the tsunami of 2005. Sometimes its effects can be seen instead

Behind the Scenes: Crimson the Cougar ■ By Ilana Arougheti (‘19)

Eastside Editor-in-Chief

From his home under the DiBart Gym to his cheerful antics at pep rallies, Crimson the Cougar is known across the Cherry Hill School District as a bastion of East school spirit. Each enthusiastic appearance, though, can be quite a challenge to coordinate.

Crimson, then just a nameless mascot, was ‘born’ in 1967 when East was founded. For the next few decades, East mascotry was a full-time student gig, famously filled at one point

by East Activities Secretary Ms. Debbie Jastrow.

“When I was a student here, it was run by a student. It was a job,” said one East faculty member, a selfdescribed “East lifer” who requested to remain anonymous in order to maintain what he/she sees as Crimson’s mystique. This faculty member found the mascot much less present around school upon his/her return as a teacher.

“I was so appalled at the lack of school spirit when I came back as a teacher that I just figured I would do something to get it going,” the faculty member said.

The faculty member embarked on a revival campaign, starting with a 2008 mascot-naming contest

FEATURES

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EASTSIDE

October 2018

Youth mental illness vulnerability increases ■ By Karissa Murray (‘20) Eastside Features Editor

Your homework, your extracurriculars, your college applications, your social life, your Instagram likes, the list goes on. The stress of a high school student never stops rising. With the volume of responsibilities teenagers face every day, it’s easy to forget the most important thing: you.

One form of health that often falls to the wayside is mental health. It exists entirely in the human mind, and because of its invisibility, it can be neglected. The repercussions of this have proven to be fatal across the nation and continue to plague students in the Cherry Hill community.

“Some of the research that I’ve seen does support that there’s an increase [in mental illness] across the age groups,” said Oni Dakhari, a Moorestown-based clinical psychologist. “I would say that’s supported by my experience as well. It is something that is talked about more, it’s in people’s faces more, whether it’s by things that are happening in society, in the media, in schools, in families… I do think that the research shows that actually more people are having challenges with anxiety and depression.”

Dakhari isn’t the only one seeing more depression in her community; the suicide rate in teenagers across the US has risen over 70 percent since 2006, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The national rate for all age

groups has risen 30 percent since the year 2000. Though suicide rate is a good indicator of mental illness rate, as the two unfortunately can go hand in hand, there is no way to be sure whether the rate of mental illness has risen as well, or if its severity has increased, due to the fact that it commonly goes unreported.

“We might have had the same type of numbers or data [before], but it just wasn’t obvious to us. It was hidden, not seeking out, not self-referring,” said Mrs. Jennifer DiStefano, Student Assistance Counselor at East.

Today’s high schoolers are living in a world defined by mental health. It has never been more prevalent in pop culture, especially in entertainment aimed at adolescents. It’s in music, from Soundcloud raps filled with lyrics about anxiety and Xanax, to Logic’s “1-800-273-8255,” a song about suicide prevention with a music video that has amassed almost 300 million views. It’s addressed in some of TV’s most popular shows, like Netflix’s “13 Reasons Why” or CW’s “Riverdale.” Over the last few years there have been several high-profile celebrity suicides as well, such as Anthony Bourdain, Kate Spade, Chris Cornell and Robin Williams. It seems that everywhere we turn, it is inescapable, and it mirrors what teens face in everyday life.

“There certainly are multiple factors… cer-

tainly social media gets its fair share of fingerpointing,” Dakhari said.

“I think that it has to do with how socialization has changed. There are more people who feel isolated; social isolation can increase depression… It also has to do with access to healthcare and other factors surrounding general stressors… stress levels are increasing. Those things combined are contributing to some upsetting trends,” Dakhari said.

Another issue that often accompanies mental illness is substance abuse.

Thirty percent of teens with a drug addiction may also develop a substance abuse problem. In many cases where someone may die from a drug overdose, that addiction started as a side effect of mental illness.

“Our offices are probably a bit busier with mental health issues, coupled with substance abuse issues,” DiStefano said. “As you get older, you start to self-medicate because you feel so depressed or you feel so anxious… [people] reach out to using substances to cope.”

Self-medication can be dangerous and addictive, but prescribed medication can be an important and necessary step for those with a chemical imbalance that goes beyond something therapy could fix. The only problem is that many people who need it do not have it, because their issues go unreported. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, more than three million adolescents aged 12-17 reported at least one major depressive episode in the past year, and more than two million reported severe depression that impeded their daily functioning.

Of those people, only half received some type of mental health treatment, with the amount even less amongst minorities.

“There could be stigma at home about it, because sometimes parents are like, ‘Oh, it’s just growing pains,’ or ‘You’ll snap out of it,’” DiStefano said.

This misinformed belief that mental illness is “just a phase” is a common reason why so many people are reluctant to reach out to those close to them. This can stem from fear of not being taken seriously or being a burden on their friends or family.

“I have personally always felt that when you need help in something, there is not a shame around seeking that guidance and assistance,” Dakhari said. “I’m aware that there’s a stigma around it, but it’s really hard for

Infographic by Samantha Roehl (‘20)/ Eastside Features Editor

me to grasp whether that’s more, or less, or increasing, because it’s always been my mindset that if you need help with something, you seek the guidance around getting help with that.”

Mental illness has become a large discussion over the last few years. The issue with this arises when the conversation stops too soon, leading to glorification or romanticism of a diseases that are anything but glorious or romantic.

But in many ways, discussion is a positive thing, as it destigmatizes the mental illness and opens up the conversation.

“You self-identify so much better, but the problem with that is that you’re identifying to your friends, instead of to an expert or adult. So friends become like these pseudo-counselors… It puts a lot of pressure on you to fix your friends… These are great skills to have and there’s a lot of trustworthiness in that, but when it does go to the next level, you need to get the right help.” DiStefano said.

Mental illness in teens can be best identified through abnormal behavior. Irritability, grumpiness, hostility and angry outbursts are more commonly expressed than sadness in depressed teens. If someone is experiencing unexplained physical aches and pains, that may also be a sign. They may be extremely sensitive to criticism, as this arises from feelings of worthlessness or failure. Most noticeably, they will most likely withdraw from some, if not all, friendships, socialize less, and all around fade away from what they previously enjoyed doing.

At East, there are plenty of people capable of providing help. DiStefano, the nurses, the guidance counselors or any adult in the building you feel comfortable with can help you anytime you need it. Always know that you are not a burden, you are not alone and, above all, there is hope.

Art by Sam Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director

October 2018

COMMUNITY EASTSIDE

Page 9

Harry Potter Festival returns to Pitman

■ By Maddy Cicha (‘19)

Eastside Community Editor

The second annual Pitman Potter Festival, also known as PPF or The-Pitman-Festival-That-MustNot-Be-Named, will be held this year on Saturday, October 20, in Pitman, NJ. The event is non-profit and run by a volunteer fanbase in the area to celebrate the great stories of the “Harry Potter” series.

Last year, the inaugural event was filled with vendors, crafts and activities for all ages. This year, with all those attractions still in place, PPF has been updated to include activities such as new shows, Defensive M a g i c Classe s , Magic Chess a n d fami l y friendl y addit i o n s like a Hogwarts house-sorting spot for children.

Vanessa James and Amy Rudley are the Potterheads behind the festival. The two women started PPF in

2017 while working their day jobs as attorneys. According to them, this year should have a great turnout, and all-access wristband sales, which cost five dollars each, are limited.

“We’re selling four thousand wristbands, with another thousand for sponsors, so we anticipate at least t h a t many [ a t tendees],” s a i d James.

“We expect some people are going to show up even without a wristband, al-

though we don’t recommend that.”

Rudley notes that the event atmosphere last year was fun and vibrant. “[Volunteers] were all saying they couldn’t believe how happy and friendly everybody was,” she said.

Melanie Tenowich of Millville, NJ, said she and her family are huge fans of both “Harry Potter” and the Pitman festival.

“My famCourtesy of PPF on Facebook ily and I were [in Pitman Potter Festival participants dress in costumes.

Pitman] for this year’s wristband sale, shoes to fill. [fans]… [My] 12-year-old and we are even “All the shops were pergirl is a major Potterhead!” more excited fectly themed,” said TenoThe best way to keep up about [the] wich. “All of the volunteers with the festival, purchase festivities to stayed in character and intickets and view its schedcome,” teracted with the festivalule is through the PPF said Tegoers throughout the day…

Facebook group (@pitmannowich.

It’s so nice to be able to enpf), where fans can meet “I think joy a day out with the famother Potterheads and read the interacily at an affordable cost.” last year’s reviews. tive [activities] Hope Speakman of “Social media is a great were the most Gibbstown, NJ, was the way to keep witches, wizexciting for winner of the adult costume ards and muggles in the the fans and contest during the 2017 fesloop of all things magical,” attendees… tival, just one of the many said Tenowich.

[They were] attractions throughout.

Potterheads across able to take Dressed as Professor TreSouth Jersey are excited a pretend lesson lawney, Speakman joined for this year’s event and the in fighting against her fellow Potterheads in reputation it has to uphold. a dark wizard,” (optional) costume and Tenowich said, “The Pitsaid Rudley. “People friendly competition. man townspeople put on a thought that was re“You could see and do wonderful, magical, memoally neat.” things without a crush of rable experience that our If the 32 five-star repeople,” said Holly Benfamily hopes to enjoy year views on PPF’s Facebook nett of NJ. “The vendors after year.” page are any indication, were great — [they sold] Art by Nashita Ali (‘19)/ Eastside Community Editor this year’s festival has big neat and unique items for

raise money for three other sections: the Viaduct, the Cut and the Tunnel, which

all the way down to Vine Street and would, just like Phase One, provide more

Phase One of Philadelphia’s Rail Park opens for visitors

■ By Shir Goldfinger (‘19)

Eastside Community Editor

Inviting bench swings line the tree-filled walkways. Astonishing views of the City of Brotherly Love can be seen from any point along the park. This is not Fairmount Park, Rittenhouse Square or any ordinary park in Philadelphia.

This is Phase One of the Rail Park, a walkway situated on the historic railroad that used to carry cargo in and out of Center City, Philadelphia.

Completely free to the public, the Rail Park is open daily from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. Phase One is a quarter-mile long, petfriendly, elevated park built on railroad tracks that are no longer used by the city. Visitors can stroll or sit alongside the platforms, rails and signs carefully restored from the original tracks. The funds for Phase One were raised by the Center City District Foundation (CCDF), a charity focused on improving Center City to create an enjoyable and engaging atmosphere for residents and visitors.

The two entrances to the park are on Noble Street east of North Broad Street and Callowhill Street in between 11th and 12th Street. While only Phase One of the park is open, the CCDF hopes that in the future it can work to

with a beautiful, 30-inchtall stone wall. The Tunnel, which would be the longest

Shir Goldfinger (‘19)/ Eastside Community Editor

Several bench swings and greenery line Phase One of the Rail Park. would come together with Phase One to complete a three-mile-long Rail Park.

The Viaduct would start at Phase One and come

skyline and street views.

The Cut, which would connect the Viaduct with the Tunnel, would be revived from part of the track lined

part of the park, stretching all the way underground from 22nd to 27th Street along Pennsylvania Avenue, would provide a long,

illuminated pathway for visitors.

The tracks on which the Rail Park sits were once part of the Reading Terminal, the namesake of the popular Reading Terminal Market. The food market’s history actually crosses paths, or tracks, with the railroad’s. In 1890, the Reading Railroad Company decided to buy a block of land for a new terminal.

However, two markets located within the block, the Farmers’ Market and the Franklin Market, had to be moved to a new location in the city. The market workers refused to move, and as a compromise, the city and the railroad company agreed to build a new market for the workers, still located within the same block and built under the railroad tracks. In doing so, they created the Reading Terminal Market and the early foundations for the Rail Park.

Although only one part of the park is completed thus far, CCDF is reportedly excited to continue working on the Rail Park in the future. It ultimately hopes to revive other sections of the rail line. But for now, while the one is open, residents and visitors of Philadelphia can enjoy some urban greenery in visits to Phase One, a lovely elevated park revived from the city’s historic Reading Railroad tracks.

Page 10

COMMUNITY EASTSIDE

October 2018

Businesses offer exciting Thanksgiving specials

■ By Maddy Cicha (‘19) Eastside Community Editor

The fourth Thursday of November is a treasured day for people all over the nation. Whether you spend your Thanksgiving embracing the American spirit, giving thanks for your blessings and family or eating until the but-

ton on your jeans gives out, families across the country find their own special ways to celebrate the national holiday. Regardless of your tradition, one aspect unites all American citizens: food.

Have you ever felt awful watching Grandma toil over the classic Thanksgiving meal? Don’t feel like helping out Dad with the stuffing

Walnut Street Cafe

Looking for an elegant but homey meal on Thanksgiving? Try Walnut Street Cafe in Philadelphia!

“The design [of the cafe] is super open and airy,” said Sydni Arnett, the event coordinator for the restaurant. “We have an open-concept kitchen so you can see right in… everything feels super cozy.”

As for the meals, some updates have been made since its first Thanksgiving menu last year, while desserts still remain the staple of the dinner.

“This year we’re going to be doing more à la carte with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans and pie as one of the offerings for your main course,” said Arnett. “Something that’s consistently the most popular in this restaurant is the dessert. We have an incredible pastry program and I think that’s the high note of any meal here.”

this year? No worries! Local restaurants have got you covered.

Throughout the South Jersey and Philadelphia community, restaurants ranging from sophisticated dining to dessert cafes specialize their menus for the holiday. Check out a few fan favorites to find your next Thanksgiving tradition!

Magpie

If you would take the dessert over the turkey this Thanksgiving, Magpie on South Street in Philadelphia has the perfect menu for you.

Every holiday season, the pie store’s specialty flavors of Caramel Apple, Chocolate Coffee, Cinnamon Pecan, Butterscotch Bourbon and Pumpkin range from 32 to 38 dollars for a whole pie. Through its impressive sales, it has proven itself a front-runner in Philly year after year.

“Our pies are required to be preordered on our website, starting in October,” said Ksenia Strockyj of Magpie.

“We’ve consistently produced about 500 pies for the Thanksgiving holiday for the past several years.”

Spirit of Philadelphia Cruises

Easily one of the most adventurous dinner options for a family Thanksgiving, the Spirit of Philadelphia serves an early Thanksgiving Day dinner aboard its ship from 2:30 to 5 p.m., with tickets starting at $79.90.

“Spirit of Philadelphia is a unique way to celebrate a holiday because not only is it a fun experience, but we take care of everything for you,” said Tara Brzycki, the marketing coordinator for the cruise line. “There’s a delicious buffet that has something for everyone, as well as DJ entertainment and fun onboard games.”

While relaxing with your family and friends inside the ship by the entertainment or enjoying the open-air decks with a skyline view, do not forget to abide by the Thanksgiving tradition of eating until you drop. Spirit Cruise’s buffet includes options for salads, sides, entrees and desserts, with holiday favorites like Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Roasted Tom Turkey, Green Bean Casserole and even a Mashed Potato Bar. “Our dinner cruises are a fun atmosphere and experience,” said Brzycki. “Plus, it’s the best view in the city!”

Whatever family tradition you are looking forward to this Thanksgiving, consider saving the elbow grease in the kitchen and spending some extra change on a meal in the Philly area. From an airy pastry cafe to an entertaining dinner cruise to a popular Philly pie, there is something for everyone on the menu this November.

Art by Danny Kahn (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director

Infographic by Maddy Cicha (‘19)/ Eastside Community Editor

Border by Dakota Rosen (‘19)/ Eastside Business Manager

COMMUNITY

October 2018

EASTSIDE

Page 11

Tasty vegan experiences at Tattooed Mom

somewhere between Jim’s Steaks and Starr Garden Park, I discovered Tattooed Mom, a quirky local restau-

tage chairs that line the counter. There are two rooms extended toward the back that are perfect for

those under the age of 21.

I decided to sit in a small nook on the right side that was painted cherry red and covered in black graffiti art. Lollipops, temporary tattoos and plastic spider rings were thrown across all the tables. The walls were painted lime green, which would look horrendous in any other instance but seemed to pair well with the vintage hipster theme.

In each of the two back rooms, antique velvet sofas and a coffee table were placed across a wall with a large mirror. Unconventional decorations such as a large painting of a pink dog, a teacup and mushroom clock and a Michelin Man pulled together a fun but borderline tacky look.

Tattooed Mom is perfect for vegans, with meal options such as the Chubb Steak Wrap, Pickled Fried Chicken Sandwich, Mom’s Vegan Burger and Philly Cheesesteak. For entrees, there were two identical menus: one side had vegan and vegeterian options, while the other side contained meat. I went on a Monday, when the vegan and vegetarian menu was 50 percent off. I ordered Cheesy Tots, a vegan Philly Cheesesteak and perogies with sour cream on the side, all of which arrived in about 15 minutes.

The meat substitute on the vegan Philly Cheesesteak came in a large patty rather than the typical

■ By Hope Seybold (‘19)

again under control. After this riot, discussions concerning the closing of the Penitentiary began, and it officially closed less than a decade later, in 1970.

Today, the Penitentiary serves as a historic site where daytime educational tours of the prison are held.

However, as nighttime rolls around, the prison transforms into a haunted house known as “Terror Behind the Walls.” Upon entry, visitors are given the choice to wear a glow stick necklace, which indicates that the workers are allowed to touch or separate the visitor from their group.

Throughout the prison, workers can pull those courageous visitors away from their friends or family and send them on a different route. These routes consist of pitch-black rooms with body bags to run through or slides to go down, which ultimately leads visitors back to their group.

The Penitentiary has six attractions in total. Each phase of the terror presents visitors with a different type of fear.

The first attraction, called “Lock Down,” features zombie prisoners who have taken over their section of the prison. In another activity, “Break Out,” inmates attempt to break out of the prison, run at visitors or hide behind them in an attempt to escape.

Next, at “Machine Shop,” inmates approach visitors with chainsaws and

other weapons within the haunted machinery. “Quarantine” shows dark rooms and hallways lit with neon paintings. Some paintings appear to be flat on the wall but will jump out at visitors at any given moment.

“Blood Yard” pulls through with bloody inmates who threaten visitors by following and jumping out at them.

The newest phase, introduced in a 2018 press release, is known as the “Infirmary.” Zombie doctors and nurses spend the attraction poking visitors with their tools in an attempt to use them for their chilling experiments. According to a preview video posted by ESP, the Infirmary will feature x-ray lighted walls, blood-covered medical staff and even rusty surgical equipment to add to the ghostly ambience of the newest haunted addition.

The ESP is even more terrifying than a typical haunted house since its eerie architecture reminds visitors that dangerous people once suffered in the same place they are standing. “Terror Behind the Walls” is definitely not meant for those who are easily scared.

Brave visitors, however, are in for a great thrill this fall every night from now until November 10. Buying tickets online is the easiest and cheapest way to secure a spot for the night, and costs vary based on the date.

■ By Nashita Ali (‘19)

Eastside Community Editor

Earlier this year, I made a goal to explore the city of Philadelphia on the hunt for new and eclectic places that vary from typical tourist attractions.

On South Street, nestled

rant and bar with a wide assortment of food options, including vegan and vegetarian dishes that range from falafel with tahini to veggie corn dogs. I was able to spot the establishment almost instantly, thanks to the colorful and psychedelic murals that adorned the entrance, which were titled “Strange Girls” and “Snake Boys.”

Upon entering, a bar is on the left side, with vin-

Nashita Ali (‘19)/ Eastside Community Editor

Signs and colorful murals decorate the entrance to Tattooed Mom in Philadelphia.

Nashita Ali (‘19)/ Eastside Community Editor

Black and red graffiti covers the inside of one of the seating areas in Tattooed Mom. thin slices of meat. It was topped with caramelized onions and daiya cheese, a dairy alternative made of arrowroot and cassava.

Overall, I would rate the vegan cheesesteak a seven out of ten because the bread was not toasted, leaving only the middle warm.

Although the dish was not my favorite, it tasted surprisingly similar to a regular version of the classic Philly sandwich, considering there was no meat.

As for the side dishes, the

Cheesy Tots were crispy and topped with what tasted like Kraft cheese, and the perogies were dressed with caramelized onions and filled with potatoes, both of which were very tasty and filling.

The unique atmosphere and quick service definitely added to the whole experience, and I would rate the restaurant an eight out of ten overall. I can surely see my friends and I paying Tattooed Mom another visit.

Eastern State Penitentiary welcomes thrill-seekers Eastside Staff

As summer ends and fall begins, flip-flops are tucked away and swapped out for sweatshirts. Beach days turn into hayrides, and ice cream runs are replaced with pumpkin spice lattes.

This year, as Halloween rounds the corner, thrilljunkies can take on a new adventure at the Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP), located on Fairmount Avenue in Philadelphia.

The ESP was once a notorious prison that held famous criminals such as Al Capone, or “Scarface,” and Willie Sutton. The Penitentiary, which opened in 1829, was used to make prisoners repent their crimes by placing them in aroundthe-clock solitary confinement with labor. The prisoners were forbidden from communicating with one another and spent most of their time in isolated cells, each with a feed door to minimize contact with the guards. This, however, did not stop the several riots that happened throughout the prison’s history.

The biggest riot in the Penitentiary’s history occurred in 1961, when a prisoner tricked a guard into opening another prisoner’s cell. Together, the two prisoners tackled the guard, initiating huge chaos in the prison. Several hours and a team of police guards later, the prison was once

Infographic by Maddy Cicha (‘19)/ Eastside Community Editor

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EASTSIDE

HELLO

my name is... not what everyone calls me My mom told me that she chose my name because both of my parents’ names begin with an S, and she wanted a more traditional Indian name for me. My name in Sanskrit means “creator or uniter.” I like to think I reflect this meaning within my friend group — my friends call me the “mom friend” because I’m always the one to make plans and make sure everyone drinks enough water. Also, being a “uniter” relates to how I’m open-minded and always trying to bring people together.

My first name is Sanjana, but almost no one actually calls me that. I’ve been called “Sunny” since I was about two years old, because my real name didn’t fit into a song we sang at daycare and because I had a friendly personality. When I was younger, I didn’t really think much of it.

My friends and teachers called me Sunny and my family called me Sanjana; it was normal and it still is for the most part, almost 15 years later.

Over time, I’ve realized that I have a nickname out of convenience for other people (and sometimes myself), not because I genuinely want to be called that. Recently, my name has been a source of frustration. Although I want to be called “Sanjana,” I would rather not spend time correcting the constant mispronunciations from my teachers, peers and teammates. It may seem insignificant, but it is extremely relevant in my everyday life.

I cannot wait until I get to college, because at that point I can start over. There won’t be hundreds of students and teachers there that have been calling me Sunny for years, and I can finally be called by my actual name, Sanjana. Despite all of this, I will definitely miss the excitement of people realizing that my name is “Sunny D,” like the orange juice.

October 2018

EASTSIDE SPECIAL

October 2018

EASTSIDE

Page 13

Whether they are long or short, common or rare, our names have a lifelong impact on our identities. We asked East students to share the stories behind their names. For more, check out eastside-online.org.

HELLO

our names are... exactly the same

We are the two Angel Lys, and it’s a real pain to have the exact same name.

Though at times we enjoy the thrill of being noticed, sharing a name can often be a problem. We have been acquaintances since sixth grade, but we didn’t really know each other that well. Teachers and students have been mixing us up since middle school. Paperwork was the number one struggle when it came to our names. School schedules, passes from counselors and report cards would end up with the wrong Angel Ly. By now, we are used to it.

The only thing that is keeping our names apart from each other is our middle names: Angel S. Ly and Angel H. Ly. Often, teachers think we are sisters, or even triplets since Angel H. has a twin brother. To clarify, we are not related!

The confusion between us does not occur only in school; it also occurs on social media, during school graduations and even in the dentist’s office. On Instagram or Snapchat, one of us is often tagged in the wrong photo or added to the wrong group chat. At school graduations, we were always put in alphabetical order, and we’d be announced one after the other. After the announcement of our names, the audience would ask, “Did they just call the same name twice?” In the dentist’s office, paperwork gets mixed up, making everyday situations that much harder. People come up to us and say, “Oh my god, I know someone whose name is also Angel Ly,” as if we didn’t already know that.

Beyond having the same name, we do have some other things in common. We share the same ethnicity: half Chinese, half Vietnamese. We both have braces and we both go to the same dentist’s office. Despite the annoyances that come along with it, it’s fascinating to know that there is another you in this world. Someone else may have the same name but could be living a completely different life.

HELLO

HELLO HELLO

name is... my my name is...

surprisingly a reflection of threefitting cultures

To me, my name is my identity; it is a way for the world to recognize me. Throughout different stages of my life, I was given different names. Now, everyone at East knows me as Julianna Johnson. It is a name that I picked for myself in 2012 and officially took on in 2015 as I transitioned from my old Chinese culture to American culture after I was adopted.

Unlike most people, I was fortunate to be able to choose my own name, to choose who I wanted to be in a new country. Some people may ask, why that name?

When I first came here, everyone called me by my Chinese first name: ChenFei. The name was suitable for living in China, or Chinatown, and for who I was in those worlds, but as I slowly acclimated into my new world, I

knew that it was time for a change.

Back when I was choosing my name, I wanted an original American name, something that would differentiate me from other Chinese individuals. I chose “Julianna” when I was 11, because I wanted a girly name that ended in “Anna,” and I wanted my initials to be JJ. My full name is now Julianna LanLan Lubov Johnson, which represents three waves of immigrants in my culturally diverse family. In addition to my Chinese nickname, it includes my mother’s family name — as her family emigrated from Russia before World War I — and my father’s, as his family came over not long after the Mayflower.

Having people acknowledge my American name really makes me feel connected to my new American world and my new life, but at the same time, I kept my Chinese culture in my middle name. Names to most people are what their parents chose for them; they are what their parents believed suited them at birth. However, in my situation, I picked my own name, something that I believe will represent me the most. In the process, I essentially chose my identity.

HELLO Feroza

my name is...

Vidhya 22 letters long

my name is... always mispronounced

Shunmugasundaram — my 16-letter-long last name. People often expect there to be some profound meaning or origin story to it, but it’s really just my dad’s first name. He was named after his maternal grandfather, whose name meant “beauty” (I think).

I had to learn to spell and say a six-syllable word at a young age because even in elementary school, peers and teachers would ask me to teach them how to say it. It might’ve enhanced my reading skills back then. Over the years, with every long pause after a last name starting with S during attendance on the first day of school or every time there was a substitute teacher, I learned to just raise my hand and say, “I think that’s me,” and to throw in a little chuckle when they said, “Ooh! This next one is long!”

I often considered shortening my name to “Sundar,” the name I write on schoolwork and tell most people for convenience’s sake. “Shunmugasundaram” did not fit on all College Board forms and didn’t fully make it into most of my elementary school yearbooks. However, it wasn’t until middle school, when I was new in the district and a few classmates in my sixth grade Language Arts class made a song out of my last name, that I realized it was a strong icebreaker: “I SHUN you from coming, put away your MUG, the SUN is not shining, go play the daRUM.” People’s finding out how long my last name was and seeing it as a challenge to pronounce eventually opened a door for conversation.

Infographic sources: Social Security Administration, Mental Floss, Huffington Post Infographics by Ali Koenig (‘20)/ Eastside Managing Editor

Compilation and design by Defne Alpdogan (‘20)/ Eastside News Editor, Ilana Arougheti (‘19)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief, Shir Goldfinger (‘19)/ Eastside Community Editor, Nafessa Jaigirdar (‘19)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief, Ali Koenig (‘20)/ Eastside Managing Editor, Aine Pipe (‘20)/ Eastside News Editor and Sophia Liang (‘19)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief Photos by Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor

So my name is Feroza. It has a few meanings and some stories behind it. It means “turquoise” in Persian/Pashto. It also specifically means “a turquoise-colored stone,” which is my mother’s favorite stone. My father liked this name, too, because he read many poems about characters named Feroza. In addition, it is the female version of the name Feroz.

I love my name. It’s unique. It’s not every day that you meet someone who has my name. What I don’t like, though, is the constant mispronunciation and the constant eye-squinting at my name on a list, or someone saying, “This is gonna be a hard one” before pronouncing it. I hate hearing different names, too. It’s not “Fur-ah-za” (thanks, Dr. Perry, for saying that on the intercom at Beck). It’s not “Ferizia” (thanks, teachers at East). It’s not “Ferenza” (thanks, Mr. Weaver. Like, come on, where did the “N” come from?!) And it’s certainly not “Febreeze.”

It’s Feroza. Fe-rose-ah.

I’d appreciate it if some of you can say it or pronounce it because I’m tired of the endless mispronunciation and the laughter from classmates at what the teachers call me.

Thank you.

EDITORIAL

Page 14

EASTSIDE

October 2018

Cherry East must reduce administrative turnover Hill High School East Editorials represent the views and opinions of the Eastside Editorial Board.

Within the past two years, seven administrators have come to East, and seven have left. The current seniors are ending their high school careers with neither the same principal nor any of the same vice principals with which they started.

The rate of personnel change at East is monumental, and it has created disconnect between A-Wing and the student body. Eastside believes that in order to create the best school environment for students and administrators old and new, the rate of turnover among East administration must be reduced.

Currently, the longestsitting administrator at East is Principal Dr. Dennis Perry, who has just started his third year after leaving his position at Beck, where he served as principal for 11 years. If administrators are at East for fewer than four years, students in a given class year will never have the chance to work consistently with a mentor who

Platinum: The Rothkoff Family Hong Fei Jingli Cai The Hoffman Family Gold: Michael and Donna Koenig Bob and Frances Lindaberry The Weinstock Family Mia Gagliardi Aimee and Rick Sitnick Sprimont Lindsay Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Fleisher

understands their concerns and their culture. The upperclassmen have already experienced this disunity, since they are in the awkward position of knowing the school longer than those who are supposed to guide them through it. This unfairly limits students’ potential for building personal relationships with administrators, whom they rely on for help and support.

Furthermore, all of the administrators are highly trained and have extensive experience in education, but none have experience with the unique East ethos.

For example, Mr. Ted Beatty came to East from a Camden charter school, and Mr. Aaron Edwards came from his position as a pre-kindergarten principal — their previous student bodies had very different needs and concerns than those of East students.

Many administrators who leave East do so because opportunities for higher positions open up

Michael Fleisher Silver: Diane Oesan Laurie and Eric Grossman Sy and Florence Jerome Jillian Koenig Mark and Judy Hansen Joan Hoenes Karyl Murray Sarah Zheng Jinhee An The Goldfinger Family The Cicha Family Evan Kahn

elsewhere. Eastside believes that this can be mitigated by hiring more candidates from within the district. These faculty members will already know the Cherry Hill schools, their issues and their departments on a personal level; they possess experience with, and loyalty to, the district that outside hires might lack.

When assessing in-district candidates for East positions, Perry says that there is the added challenge when East teachers become administrators because they were in the same position the year before as the very people that they must now supervise.

However, Eastside believes that East faculty have demonstrated enough professionalism to manage this complex dynamic.

This scenario has been successful in the past, such as when Dr. John Burns was hired as assistant principal from a previous position on faculty. It also works elsewhere in Cherry Hill

— Rosa assistant principal Mrs. Lynne Vosbikian recently switched from teacher to administrator within the building. She said that she felt her knowledge of Rosa made the transition and training process easier.

Although Eastside urges East and district administration to make hiring decisions that encourage permanency, it recognizes that the transition period to a new school with a young administration is hard on new administrative hires, not just the student body.

Extra steps should be taken to help new hires gain dayto-day experience in the school. Perry indicated that at East, all new assistant principals have teaching experience in their departments and are required to visit every teacher under their jurisdictions at least once a month. If these visits were increased for the first month of school or so, their impression of each department’s academic atmosphere would be less cursory.

E a c h new administrator should also be required to directly shadow his/her predecessor for several weeks at the end of the school y e a r , whenever possible; of the assistant princiDanny Kahn (‘20)/ Eastside Art Director pals who

Friends of Eastside David and Annie Maier Ruihe Lin Barbara Roehl The Graff Family Christine and Chris Benedetto Mehmut Budak The Rosen Family The Dashevsky Family The Shin Family Hydar and Sufia Ali Fahmida Yeasmin Sherri and Dave Culver Gina Maccarella Harry Green

Tom and Kathy Xenakis Kevin and Jennifer Lindaberry Mr. Greg Rouen Bronze: Alan and Cherie Finkelstein Laura Mitchell Isabella Dayton Lynne Reynard Marilyn Koenig Scott Klear Lillian Halden Ms. Noreen Cunningham

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came to East in the last two years, only Beatty was able to do so for a few days.

The assistant principals, who stand at the school entrances every morning greeting students, are currently more like new students themselves. It is in the school’s best interest to recreate a culture of longevity within A-Wing and to make new administrators feel at home in the Cougar community.

Tulin Budak-Alpdogan Abbie Levine Margie and Louis Levine The Levine Family Angela DiDonato Ari Weitzman The Dutkin Family Jeff Fleisher Dale and Bonnie Carns Michael and Kristen Henry Joy and Tom Christmas

Eastside 2018-2019 Editorial Board

Managing Editor: Ali Koenig Editors-in-Chief: Ilana Arougheti, Nafessa Jaigirdar, Sophia Liang Adviser: Mr. Greg Gagliardi Photo Editors News Editors Community Editors Defne Alpdogan Nashita Ali Jiseon Lee Giana Maccarella Maddy Cicha Andrew Maier Aine Pipe Shir Goldfinger Sports Editors Adam Dashevsky Jacob Kernis Sophie Levine

Features Editors Sam Grossman Karissa Murray Samantha Roehl

Opinions Editors Julia Benedetto Jacob Graff Gregory Rothkoff

Culture Editors Zoe Culver Claire Joanson Henry Nolan

Video Editors Luke Shin Sarah Zheng

Online Editors Harry Green Sophia Sitnick

Art Directors Samantha Dayton Danny Kahn Webmaster Eli Weitzman Business Managers Dakota Rosen Brandon Weinstock

Contact the Board: To contact a member of the Eastside Editorial Board via email, type the person’s first name followed by a period, then his or her last name followed by “@eastsideonline.org,” e.g.: ali. koenig@eastsideonline.org.

(Note: There is a dash between “eastside” and “online”)

October 2018

COMICS EASTSIDE

November 1st by Lexi Schaffer (‘19)/ For Eastside

Page 15

Fall Leaves by Sarah Pierce (‘19)/ For Eastside

The Struggle of Parking by Nicole Arzylowicz (‘19)/ For Eastside

School Outfits by Zoe Culver (‘19)/ Eastside Culture Editor

WANT TO DRAW FOR EASTSIDE? COME TO FO87 DURING LB1.

Page 16

EASTSIDE

October 2018

October 2018

OPINIONS EASTSIDE

Page 17

Hate speech freedoms must be curtailed ■ By Luke Shin (‘19) and Jamison Amistoso (‘19)

Eastside Video Editor and Eastside Staff

Although the majority of the public reaches some sort of consensus about what is presented in the news, there is always going to be a vocal minority that believes in ideologies, language and behavior considered offensive or unacceptable by the mainstream.

This poses the essential question in the interpretation of the First Amendment: where is the line between protecting freedom of speech and protecting society from malicious hate speech?

The protection of hate speech under the First Amendment is a controversial topic. Hate speech, as defined by the Supreme Court, is “a communication that carries no meaning other than the expression of hatred for some group, especially in circumstances in which the communication is likely to provoke violence.”

However, the Supreme Court has set the precedent that not all forms of hate speech are unprotected; that is, “hate speech” is not the direct opposite of “free speech.” For example, in the case of National Socialist Party of America v.

Village of Skokie in 1977, the Court effectively ruled to allow Nazi party members to march publicly while displaying swastikas in a predominantly Jewish community with many Holocaust survivors and their families. Its decision was

based on the contention that the swastika is a symbolic form of free speech that in itself does not serve as “fighting words.” Indeed, the Nazi party did not directly incite violence or breach the peace in this case, but the intentionally

deaths and that the U.S. government staged the entirety of the school shooting. In Charlottesville, Matt Heimbach, leader of the white nationalist “Unite the Right” rally, spread harmful and discriminatory ideas. He roused the crowd

Thus, it is clear that the way this country interprets the First Amendment must be modified to restrict hate speech. It is not merely a question of cushioning hurt feelings; hate speech dehumanizes victims, creates divisions in society and can

pernicious psychological effect its symbol had on Jewish residents was just as harmful as a physical attack.

Similar situations are playing out in current events. Alex Jones, conspiracy theorist and radio show host of “InfoWars,” was recently sued by six Sandy Hook victims’ families for claiming that the families faked their children’s

through his beliefs in white supremacy and protected a Robert E. Lee Confederate statue. Each of these forms of speech has been deemed protected under the First Amendment by the same logic as Skokie was, and the emotional injury or even trauma inflicted upon Holocaust survivors, school shooting victims and people of color has been trivialized and dismissed.

eventually result in violence.

For instance, the Charlottesville situation escalated into something potentially dangerous, as protestors of the statue’s removal armed themselves with makeshift weapons and shields. If hate speech continues to be protected by the First Amendment, situations such as these may become prevalent, as

someone to avoid participation in such a foundational cornerstone of our country’s political system?

In addition, compulsory voting would allow the views of frequent non-voters to be heard.

These voters, according to former president Barack Obama, are “young, they’re lower income [and] skewed more heavily toward immigrant groups and minorities.”

By making voting mandatory, politicians will finally have to acknowledge and respect the political sentiments of these perenniallyunderrepresented groups of people and adjust their stances accordingly (if they want to win).

Similarly, this action would nullify the efforts of conservative state governments across the nation to limit voting rights to their prob-

able voters and away from typically liberal populations.

Also, enforcing man-

cies and politicians. This will effectively kick to the curb people like Holocaustdenier Arthur Jones – who t h i s year b e came t h e Republ i c a n nominee in a Chicago suburb House race – and other irrational and crazed conspiracy theorists.

Like most political proposals, the implementation of mandatory voting might suffer some initial drawbacks. The people who care most about their politics tend to vote more than the people who are impartial or are not informed.

Ill-informed eligible voters, therefore, would have to select a choice that bears no meaning. However, this could become a “which came first” situation in which the people actually benefit. Instead of fulfilling a preconceived notion of not voting, this group of people will pay closer attention to the

it can, and already has, led to brutality. Preventative action should be taken to restrict hate speech in order to reduce the chance of unnecessary violence breaking out.

The alternative to a country where even the most hateful and destructive speech is constitutionally protected is not, as some might claim, an Orwellian dystopia. The proof is in Canada, whose Charter of Rights and Freedom says that free expression is limited by “such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic society.” In Canada, hate speech that meets certain criteria (targeted at a specific group, public, deliberate, with the charges approved by the attorney general, etc.) is criminalized. It is in fact possible to strike a compromise between protecting freedom of expression and curtailing hate speech.

Ultimately, the United States’ national glorification of “free speech” in the abstract has created a haven for bigotry and ignorant discourse. One group’s right to unrestrained expression cannot take precedence over every citizen’s right to feel safe in this country, regardless of his/her race, sexuality or beliefs. The time has come for stricter regulations concerning hate speech, and the Supreme Court must eschew its precedent and reinterpret the First Amendment.

Photo Illustration by Eli Weitzman (‘20)/ Eastside Webmaster

Voting should be mandatory for the nation

■ By Jacob Graff (‘20)

Eastside Opinions Editor

What if I told you that Donald Trump won the 2016 United States presidential election with the votes of only 27 percent of Americans? You’d probably assume I was misinformed.

However, when taking into account the fact that a little over half of eligible voters turned out in 2016, the statement rings true.

As the elected President, Trump is the de facto “people’s choice.” And yet a minority of people voted him into office in the election. This country is built on democracy, on a foundation of representation for all people and their views – not one person, not 1,000 people, not half the country. All the people. But if most voters don’t head to the polls on Election Day, it stands to reason that their viewpoints are not being heard and considered.

The solution to this issue lies right in front of us: compulsory voting. Besides the obvious benefit of increasing voter turnout, compulsory voting would help solve a multitude of issues in our political system.

As of right now, voting is a choice, not a mandate; that should be changed. It is a Constitutional right to exercise one’s vote in free and fair elections. Why allow

datory voting will have the effect of minimizing the outsized influences of the extreme left and right in favor of more centrist poli-

national and state news cycle and care enough to form opinions on the people that will be representing their interests. Even if this didn’t happen, uninformed voters may still choose to write in a name, as many people unimpressed with the two main candidates opted to do in 2016, instead of picking between candidates, a possibility even in today’s age of voluntary voting.

Or, in the case of Nevada, people are able to check off a “none of the above” option on their ballot, which would appear to make the practical implementation of compulsory voting more palpable in today’s tribalist political culture.

Looking into the future, it’s hard to picture a time when the government would be near-uniformly in favor of making voting mandatory. But, if we as a nation can agree on the fact that there is a problem if less than a quarter of eligible voters routinely take part in statewide and municipal elections and only a little more than half involved in the most consequential election in the world, action can and should be taken to get the status quo to its best. The only way to do that is to make voting mandatory.

Art by Giana Boyer (‘19)/ Eastside Staff

OPINIONS

Page 18

EASTSIDE

October 2018

Internet users should be held accountable for private posts ■ By Julia Benedetto (‘19)

Eastside Opinions Editor

Have you ever been one to rant on social media?

Nowadays, everyone seems to be doing so. But online users should be more mindful about the things that they say, because it is now easier than ever for a seemingly private rage-fueled rant to make it out into the open. With just one screenshot, lives can be turned upsidedown.

These public o u t ings o f inap-

propriate posts should encourage teens and anyone else who uses social media as an outlet to be more conscious about the things that they say online, which reflect on who we are as people and should be taken just as seriously as if we had said it in real life.

Many teens now have a “finsta,” or a “fake Instagram.” This account is different from someone’s regular Instagram account, as it is normally private,

with a limited number of select friends as followers.

Finstas have been used to show an inside look into the life of the account owner, as the owner will normally post much more often on there than they would on their main account. They contain spam posts about work, school, friends and just about anything else.

Similar to a finsta, many

users have resulted in expulsions from schools or the loss of a job. For example, in early January of this year, a girl named Haley Barber was expelled from the University of Alabama due to a video that she posted on her finsta showing her using racial slurs. Barber’s video was leaked onto Twitter, and in just a few

shouldn’t mean it is okay to make offensive or threatening remarks. Just because something was said online behind a fake username or private account doesn’t make it any less harmful.

While some may argue that a finsta or a private account is actually supposed to be private (hence the name), and it isn’t re-

people may also have a private Twitter account that has a smaller following consisting of people they don’t even know.

People use these outlets to express their deeper feelings and thoughts about certain topics. But the problem with these types of accounts is that the owners tend to think they can say whatever they want in a private setting, which is not the case. When things turn offensive, racist or threatening, it is not uncommon for that post to be screenshotted by a concerned follower and then posted on another site, such as Twitter, which has a huge platform of about 330 million active users.

When these “exposing” types of posts are made, they can blow up, and many Twitter users go as f a r as to find out who the real person behind the finsta or private account is and then find their school or job to report them. Some of these reports from anonymous Twitter

days she was sent packing her bags back home to New Jersey.

While some online users can take it too far by attacking the original poster with extremely malicious comments and never-ending phone calls, it really is important for the school or the employer to know about what its students or employees are saying online, and any blatantly racist

or extremely inappropriate posts should be reported. Even if you are on your private account with only your close friends following you, that

ally fair for a post or rant to be screenshotted and crucified by the public without the owner’s consent, we all should know by now that just because your account is on private doesn’t really mean that it is p r i vate.

T h e internet is forever, so it is important to be cautious and conscious about what we are saying, because if someone feels threatened or extremely offended by something that you said, they have every right to notify someone about it or bring public attention to it.

Schools and places of employment should take action against their students or employees when inap-

mentioned high-performing group of students that sees Spanish 1H as an honorslevel class with minimal difficulty, or a nice change of pace from their other classes and accompanying course load.

Instead of allowing students to take the path most beneficial to them, or at

Hill Public Schools 20182019 World Language Sequence chart notes that “it is expected that students who have completed Spanish or French at Beck, Carusi, or Rosa will take a level 2 course in 9th grade.”

The flowchart introduces the class only as an option above “Start a New Lan-

ish 1H is and always will be available for people taking their first year of Spanish, and that for people who are not, it is both a waste of time for the class teachers and their students, because it covers the same, if not less, content than the eighth grade Spanish course.

propriate or racist remarks that they make online surface to the public because it reflects on the institution as well, and if no action is taken, the person does not learn that their words have just as many consequences as their actions do. If someone has the time to write out something racially insensitive or inappropriate or take a video of themselves using a derogatory term as a “joke,” it reflects poorly on their character.

How will any of us learn to be better people if we aren’t taught properly and educated on our mistakes?

It is important to keep in mind that a lot of these posts come from kids, who are still learning about what is wrong and what is right in this world.

Something as severe as getting kicked out of school or having their name tarnished forever can be a bit too extreme, but it is also very important to teach children and young adults about what is and what is not appropriate to say.

Along with the online backlash, a warning from a boss or a principal will most likely scare the original poster and lead them to never making that mistake again.

Maybe by finally facing the repercussions of what we say online and not hiding behind a screen, we will become a better species and be more thoughtful about the things that we say to and about one another.

Art by Danny Kahn (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director

East should make Spanish 1H more available to freshmen

cause Level 1 is for novice beginners and people who are just starting Spanish at the high school level.”

Imagine the uproar that She added, “I feel like would arise from the paroffering a 1H class doesn’t ents of academically gifted make much sense because students if the availability when a language is new, of an honors or AP-level it’s new to everybody...so to class was hidden from the offer it at an honors level public, making the vast doesn’t make much sense to majority of me.” students and B u t parents alike they do not think that it take the was removed long-term as an option alview, like together. Many students parents and have to. students would By taking be very con1H freshcerned. So why man year, is the situation new stunot happening dents can for Spanish 1H, fulfill the whose availcollege-recability has been ommended placed behind three years closed doors? of one lanMany difguage in ferent types of high school students take while also Spanish 1H; avoiding it is not just a the hardSamantha Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director class for stu- An East student meets with his guidance counselor to discuss whether or not Spanish 1H is the right choice. est Spanish dents who do classes at not believe East. themselves to Cherry be good at Spanish. The least making sure students guage.” Cherry Hill East Mrs. Esther Alpizar, a Hill East should do what’s fact that Spanish 1H and comprehend that the Spanis an institution meant to Spanish teacher who inright and make the choice 1A were combined shows ish 1H class is, in fact, one help students manage their teracts regularly with to make Spanish 1H more that people in 1H take it for option, Cherry Hill East curricular choices, not besophomores in Spanish 2H, transparent to new freshthe honors credit. Middle has decided to remove it rate them for what they do said that “if students have men. This change would school students who took from the course selection end up choosing. had at least a full year of surely help students be the French and have a desire sheet given out to all inAdministrators and language in the middle most successful East stufor a change are a big part, coming East freshmen. In Spanish teachers alike school...they should really dents they could possibly in addition to the aforeaddition, the official Cherry would point out that Spanpick a Level 2 [class] bebe.

■ By Jacob Graff (‘20)

Eastside Opinions Editor

CULTURE

October 2018

EASTSIDE

Traditions around the world: Halloween ■ By Arya Amaro (‘19)

Eastside Staff

Sam Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director

Why do people celebrate Halloween? It may seem obvious that in America, people love the candy. But there probably weren’t any of the stereotypical candied apples or pumpkins at the very first Halloween – try turnips and gourds instead.

Is the promise of free, wickedly delectable chocolate or sour tarts the only purpose to rejoice? In reality, to many who celebrate Halloween around the world, candy is of the least concern.

This tradition was started by the Celtics in order to mark the day when summer

and cause them distress. This became known as All-Hallows Eve and would develop into the worldwide phenomenon of dressing up as ghosts, witches and the like, today.

Nowadays, some countries like Mexico, Austria and Czechoslovakia still use the event to honor their ancestors, but most have commercialized the day.

In Mexico, it is known as Dia De Los Muertos or the “Day of the Dead.”

People put offerings beside pictures of their ancestors on ofrendas and altars to guide their spirits home. In Austria, people will

“Monster Mash” by Bobby “Boris” Pickett “Thriller” by Michael Jackson “Rhiannon” by Fleetwood Mac “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker, Jr. “The Addams Family Theme” by Vic Mizzy & His Orchestra “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon

Church officially labeled November 1 (Samhain) as All Saints’ Day. On the night before, saints of the past were remembered and celebrated with huge bonfires and parades. People would also dress up in costumes to resemble angels, saints and devils because some believed that this was the last day the dead could seek out the living

Courtesy of Jordan Miller

The Millers mix spooky and lighthearted decorations.

A glowing decoration spews fog onto the Millers’ lawn.

Sam Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director

Page 19

This playlist brings a variety of spooky music together. From modern graveyard hits to classics that have risen from the dead, this will get you in a ghoulish mood.

Courtesy of Jordan Miller

ended and winter started.

They called this day “Samhain,” and used it to honor their ancestors during the season crossover.

In 1,000 A.D., the Western Christian

leave bread, water and a lighted lamp on the table before sleeping, as it was once believed that these would welcome the dead souls back to Earth. For Halloween in Czechoslovakia, one chair is placed by the fireplace for each living family member, and ano t h e r for each member’s spirit.

I n t h e United States, H a l loween is incredibly popular, hosting events like the “world’s greatest undead party,” where over 15,000 Halloween enthusiasts dress up as zombies and congregate in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and New York City’s Village Halloween Parade–the largest in the nation.

In Cherry Hill, Jordan Miller, a life-long resident of the Woodcrest neighborhood whose house is known around town for its lavish

Halloween decorations, recalls that his decorating career began as a child.

“It started when I was 9 or 10 years old… with a strobe light and a Bart Simpson doll that my parents let me put [on the porch].”

Ever since 2007, Miller and his wife have been decorating their Cherry Hill house.

“Every year I’ve just grown it from that point, bigger and bigger,” he said.

Miller said that the more his setup grows, the more kids he gets knocking on the door

come All Hallows’ Eve. “For us, the amount of trick-or-treaters has gone up. In 2015, we had about 75 kids. In 2016, I think we topped at 100, and in 2017, last year, we hit 150.”

Each year, Miller spends 25-40 hours setting up throughout the month of October. For him, it’s all worth it.

“I love doing it. Halloween is my holiday,” said Miller.

Though houses like Miller’s are becoming harder to find in Cherry Hill, the spirit of Halloween is not as dead as all the skeletons hanging around might make people think.

“Zombies” by Childish Gambino “Stranger Things” by Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein “Demons” by Imagine Dragons “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder “Somebody’s Watching Me”

by Rockwell “Black Magic” by Little Mix “Hungry Like The Wolf” by Duran Duran “Highway to Hell” by AC/ DC “I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow “Cannibal” by Kesha “Ghost” by Halsey “The Twilight Zone” by The Ventures “Feel Good Inc” by Gorillaz “Past Life” by Tame Impala

Television Picks:

Courtesy of Jordan Miller

A zombie stands guard on the Millers’ front porch.

“American Horror Story”: With eight seasons, all with different concepts, there is something for everyone. The current season, “Apocalypse,” is a crossover of fan-favorite seasons “Murder House” and “Coven,” set in a world covered in nuclear fallout.

“Penny Dreadful”: This show for mature audiences tells a story from Victorian England that weaves together classic horror stories like Frankenstein, Dracula and The Picture of Dorian Gray.

“The Babadook”: Criticisms saying it barely features the titular monster should be taken lightly, as this Australian indie film shows a beautiful metaphor for grief.

Page 20

CULTURE EASTSIDE

October 2018

The hidden talents of East: Haley Lopez

Grab your hot cocoa and apple cider doughnuts...it’s about to get pumpkin spicy at Cherry Hill East.

Eastside Fall ‘18 is a Spotify playlist filled with chill, relaxing music to set the fall mood. With artists like Clairo, Hozier, Mac DeMarco and more, the playlist ranges from electric sounds to acoustic guitars, all of which add to the easy-going vibe of fall. So sit back, unwind and enjoy.

“4EVER” by Clairo “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood “Velvet Light” by Jakob Ogawa

■ By Mandi Karpo (‘19)

“Simple As This” by Jake Bugg

Walking the hallways of Cherry Hill East, students shuffle by one another through the crowded intersections, unaware of all the raw and obscure talents their peers hold besides their academic achievements. In fact, many students aren’t even aware of

“Oh No” by Jack and Eliza “Cherry Wine” by Hozier “Stormy” by Blossoms “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go”

by Miley Cyrus

Eastside Staff

“Flaming Hot Cheetos” by Clairo “Blue Boy” by Mac DeMarco “Reality in Motion” by Tame Impala “I’m Only Sleeping” by The Beatles “Note to Self” by Mile High Club “Beechwood Park” by Sugar Candy Mountain “Colored Emotions” by Night Moves “If I Could Find You (Eternity)” by The Holydrug Couple “I Follow You” by Melody’s Echo Chamber “So Good At Being in Trouble” by Unknown Mortal Orchestra

their own capabilities.

Haley Lopez (‘19) was one of those students who explored her artistic creativity during her high school career at East.

“Saw You In A Dream” by The Japanese House “The Girl Next Door” by Tomppabeats Want to listen? Scan this QR Code on your camera app or Snapchat!

-Selections by Zoe Culver (‘19)/ Eastside Culture Editor, Claire Joanson (‘19)/ Eastside Culture Editor and Henry Nolan (‘19)/ Eastside Culture Editor

“I don’t consider myself an artist,” said Lopez, expressing her modesty as a well-rounded painter, athlete, photographer, actor,

director and much more. “I don’t wanna sound pretentious or anything.”

Lopez made it clear that her artistic abilities did not begin to flourish until she entered high school, when she began working with acrylic paints on canvas.

However, it wasn’t until recently that the student body found out about her artistic versatility, after she began to share her passion on social media.

This may come as a shock to those who know Lopez as an athlete or an actor. She has been playing field hockey since she was in sixth grade and has been a varsity starter since her sophomore year for the East team.

Lopez also played club field hockey for three years, where she honed her athletic abilities.

“I feel like art was something people didn’t know that I did for a while before I kinda put it out in the world,” said Lopez.

Lopez enjoys working with different mediums to expand her creative thinking process.

“I don’t like to commit to one style, I really enjoy color… I do a lot of surrealist work,” Lopez said.

“The one thing I really don’t like doing is very realistic still-lifes, that is so boring.”

As well as being involved in the Art Department at East, Lopez is also heavily involved in the Drama Department. Last year, Lo-

pez directed her first oneact play, called “Dog Sees God.” The plot of “Dog Sees God” was loosely related to a scene Lopez watched as a freshman in a different one-act performed in 2016. Lopez directed the thirtyminute performance which showcased the Charlie Brown cast all grown up, focusing on real-life issues that high school students experience.

“I felt like the show was relevant to me and like it hit a lot of issues that a lot of people could re-

late to. I said, ‘If I can’t do this, I’m not gonna direct’ because it was such a great show,” Lopez said.

The performance was awarded “Best Play” and “Best Set Design” at Cherry Hill East’s One-Act Competition and “Best Play” at the Mainstage Center for the Arts Competition, where only one play per school is

entered. But the awards don’t stop there. In addi-

tion to the other accolades, three of Lopez’s “Dog Sees God” actors and actresses were awarded “Best Supporting Actors” at the school competition earlier this year.

With the onset of the new school y e a r , Lopez encourages students to expand their horizons and exp l o r e artistic fields.

Lopez believes it’s important to try n e w things and find who you really are, with so many options inside and outside of East.

“Don’t force yourself into that box if you don’t fit into it; embrace other parts of yourself and pursue it,” said Lopez. “Without art, life would be so boring.”

Art courtesy of Haley Lopez (‘19)

October 2018

CULTURE EASTSIDE

Entertainment, information clash onscreen ■ By Henry Nolan (‘19)

Eastside Culture Editor

In today’s world, the general population has a bizarre relationship with the common news media.

People on both sides of the political spectrum argue that the news is biased or sometimes completely false, while others claim that the news is too depressing and, therefore, intolerable. The news makes a large impact on people’s lives, as it is the source of current events and reports on significant societal milestones.

Some East students have noticed a trend of the news to focus more on making programs entertaining rather than informative.

Craig Robinson (‘19), the head of the Political Discussion Club who prides himself on staying informed, spoke on this trend.

According to Robinson, one possible reason for this increase in entertainmentoriented media is the diversity of news sources available to people.

“If you watch Fox News, you’re on a different planet from someone who watches CNN,” said Robinson, elaborating that this is a result of different news sources targeting different focal groups.

Robinson also explained that he feels that this variety and the subtle differences in the way different sources portray the news are part of what causes such

backlash toward media.

Additionally, Robinson said that showing a variety of viewpoints can lead to people trying to “delegitimise the media because they are reporting the truth.”

Robinson also pointed to the fact that news organizations are run mainly by what he reluctantly

news source, because “they are all trying to promote an agenda.”

Michel said that news companies have caused a “sensationalisation of Trump” because they know him to be a reliable dispensary of news stories. He feels that often “stories that

r e ferred to as “insiders,” and therefore they often neglect issues that these influential people wish to see swept under the rug. They focus more on political issues, particularly the president, as a source of news stories.

Jakob Michel (‘20) said that he doesn’t trust any

a r e not stories will become stories” from the news organizations trying to drain the president for everything he could possibly give them and more.

Ish Panwar (‘19) said that she believes this desperate search for a moneymaking story extends to

rotransmitter that helps to transfer positive signals, making a person excited or happy.

“In the absence of threat, that can feel pretty good... doing somet h i n g scary can feel rewarding,” Kerr said in h e r TED Talk.

“Yes, y o u

being scared almost serves as a distraction, causing people to forget about their problems and worries. “...When scared we are fully aware, conscious and in t h e

the First Lady. She said that “even though she’s not really politically involved, compared to other First Ladies, news articles are constantly coming out about her.”

Others might think that, despite the news seeming to become more entertaining, that is a result of the occurrences in the world, and not the fault of news companies. A specific example is that, when reporting on the president, some may say that the reason it has become so absurd is the actions of the president, not how these actions are portrayed by the news company.

Panwar said she felt that current mainstream news practices are not justifiable means of gaining readers and viewers for one’s news organization, since it can easily lead to misleading the public. Michel, on the other hand, said that there is not much that people can do. He felt that keeping news companies honest would require expansion of government power, which he opposes.

“It’s important to remember that, at the end of the day, news organizations are businesses,” Michel said. “Outside of supporting independent journalists, there is not much we can do.”

Art by Sam Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director

The science behind why you love horror

■ By Zoe Culver (‘19)

Eastside Culture Editor

Blood splattered across the floor. Zombies crawling toward you. Jump scares leaving you nervous and terrified to turn off the lights. While this may sound like a nightmare to many, some people are actually attracted to the scary, even petrifying, themes in movies and entertainment, but why?

According to Dr. Margee Kerr, a professor at Chatham University and Robert Morris University, fear is more than an emotion: it’s a biological response. Scary movies trigger the body to release the hormone epinephrine, which is also known as adrenaline.

The reaction created by the release of epinephrine puts the body into “fight or flight” mode, giving it a sudden surge of energy.

The response of the body and the feeling of being frightened by a horror movie or other fearsome image is similar to the feeling of being on a roller coaster, or even going skydiving for fun. Because of the adrenaline rush, people experience a “natural high” that makes them happy and excited.

Kerr said that in addition to epinephrine, the body also releases dopamine and serotonin. Those who take pleasure in the feeling of being scared release more dopamine than those who don’t. According to Kerr, dopamine is a neu-

know the monsters aren’t real...but it doesn’t matter. The experience is real.”

Dr. David H. Zald, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University, said that it’s not just being scared that makes the experience so appealing. Zald said that

moment,” he said.

“We are not preoccupied thinking about what happened yesterday or what we have to do tomorrow.”

However, not everyone likes watching scary movies, and Zald has done

research to support this.

While some people thoroughly enjoy the horror, others despise it.

Val Bui (‘20) is one of those thrillseekers who enjoys scary movies and the like more than the average person.

“I like that they give me a rush sort of feeling. It’s just fun to get scared,” Bui said.

Unlike Bui, Joyce Chan (‘20) and Sophia Nufable (‘20) are terrified of scary movies, supporting Zald’s the- ory.

“I just don’t wanna think about it later on, like, later at night I don’t wanna think it about it,” Chan said.

Nu- f a b l e agreed.

“I get really paranoid...I think something is gonna pop up,” she said.

Although neither of them likes the movies themselves, they both said that they could see why another person would enjoy the thrill that comes with watching them.

Because of the release of neurotransmitters like adrenaline, dopamine and serotonin, the horror movie, haunted house and thrillride industries continue to be worth billions of dollars every year, keeping their audiences captivated and ready for the next scare.

Art by Sam Dayton (‘19)/ Eastside Art Director

Page 21

■ By Eli Weitzman (‘20) Eastside Webmaster

W e l come to the second year of “What The Tech?!”, the column in which I discuss various issues facing the technology industry.

Today’s subject is phone notches. I personally dislike them, but let’s discuss.

It began, really, with the iPhone X. Readers from last year will recall my discussion on this phone and its shortcomings. But the iPhone X is what made the notch go mainstream. After the iPhone X’s release, the trend seemed to catch on. Everyone wanted to get the most screen for their device, without sacrificing a front-facing camera.

Soon afterwards, Android phone makers started to add the notch onto their phones as well. Huawei, OnePlus and Xiaomi, major Android phone manufacturers, all started to include notches in their phones. The only current phone makers who have held off on putting notches on their phones are Google and Samsung.

In that regard, Google and Samsung are right. Do we really need to resort to notches? It’s 2018. Notches shouldn’t even be a thing.

We have the technology to be able to figure out a better solution. In fact, some companies already have.

Vivo, another Chinese phone manufacturer, has come out with the Nex, a completely bezelless and notchless phone, where the front-facing camera is on a motorized track that slides out of the phone when needed. They’ve even gone one step further and solved the fingerprint reader issue as well, by making it built into the display. Even better, the phone only costs roughly $750. This leads to the question: why don’t we have this phone? Well, it’s a bit complicated. Being a Chinese phone manufacturer, Vivo has made the Nex only available in China. As a result, this spectacular innovation has not yet reached us here.

So now I ask: if we are able to have phones made without notches, then what’s holding us back?

Why is it that Apple and other phone makers have chosen not to make a phone with a notch? Well, I believe the answer is a lack of innovation on the phone maker’s parts. If anything, the notch is a step backwards in the phone market of today, and we should not be allowing this to move any further.

The phone has been a constantly evolving device that we’ve used for almost a decade now. Let’s evolve beyond the notch and put this issue to rest.

With that, I bid you adieu.

SPORTS

Page 22

EASTSIDE

October 2018

Whitney trains hard to accomplish his goals ■ By Adam Dashevsky (‘19)

Eastside Sports Editor

Cherry Hill East has suffered quite a drought in the success of its sports teams recently, but all of the running sports (cross-country, winter track and spring track) have seemed to stay strong and acquire success with each passing season.

In the past couple of years, East has seen some great runners who have continued to compete at the Division I level, such as University of Pennsylvania runner Aaron Groff (‘16) and Naval Academy runner Dan Helfand (‘15).

Justin Whitney (‘21) hopes to one day join this list of incredible East runners after going to Nationals for cross-country as a freshman.

Whitney started his competitive running career as a Beck Bobcat in middle school. Although the training required for running in middle school and high school differ immensely, Whitney found a love for the sport. Despite only being a sophomore, due to his work ethic and commitment, he has emerged as one of the leaders for the Cougars this season.

“It feels great teaching younger kids that they can be leaders next year if they put work into it,” said Whitney. “It also makes me feel a lot of pressure because I need to set good examples for everyone and not just the younger kids.”

The training to become a top-tier runner is excruciating. Waking up on weekends in the early morning, running in sweltering hot or blistering cold weather and possessing a proper mindset are all things run-

ners need to do in order to sure on some of the guys in can become a better runner succeed at their goals. the training groups below and teammate.

Kyle Krell (‘19) and him… [He] does a very good Whitney said, “The team Oliver Adler (‘20) are also job of keeping people on leaders have shaped me leaders on the team who their feet.” into a better runner by have trained extensively Although he has teaching me that the most alongside Whitney to preachieved many successes as important thing is to folpare for the season, helping a runner for the Cougars, low the coach’s schedule him sucand respect ceed at his everyone. team and By respectpersonal ing everygoals. one on the K r e l l team, it s a i d , makes a “[Whitney] more posiis extremetive envily hardronment working. so that D u r i n g running is every run fun, which and workmakes evout, he is eryone’s always at times fastthe front of er.” the group, B o y s pushing us cross-counto go fasttry coach er. Coming Mr. Chrisinto high topher Coschool, he rey, and already boys’ track had experiand field ence runcoach Mr. ning and Anthony was more Maniscalco knowledgehave high able than expectamost new tions for runners.

Whitney.

PrimarThey see ily, I have his great just helped potential him by and hope to acclimathelp him Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor ing him to Justin Whitney (‘21) trains outside of school. in his trainsome new ing to beelements come a betof running that he was Whitney understands not ter athlete in general. not used to previously and to get presumptuous be“Justin has great runmaking sure he does everycause of it. He respects all ning ability and has a pasthing that he should to sucof his teammates, and he sion for the sport,” Corey ceed in cross-country.” truly looks up to the upsaid. “He wants to be suc“Justin is a focused but perclassmen on the team. cessful and is aggressive loose runner,” Adler said.

Whitney has looked to Krell in trying to improve. I “He’s very active and conand Adler as his role modhave been watching Justin scious of his role within a els, and he makes sure to progress over the last four race. [He] puts a lot of preslisten to their words so he years, and I know he will be

playing a valuable role in our team’s success.”

Maniscalco said, “Justin is an incredibly hard worker. Every day he gives it his all, and I know that personally because I have run with him and he could leave me in the dust.”

In a tough sport like running, it is crucial for an athlete to have a strong work ethic. Runners need to have the mental toughness to push through the pain and keep going. Setting goals is an essential element to take part in to succeed at your goals. When an athlete understands what he/ she hopes to achieve, seeing it in writing can provide crucial motivation.

“The thing that sets Whitney apart from others is that he sets goals.

He articulates them,” said Maniscalco. “He creates goals at home; he talks about them, and then he does everything he needs to do in practice to achieve them. Instead of just saying he wants to do something, he actually does what is necessary to do it.”

Whitney and the Cougars have a tough season ahead of them. They hope to finish top three as a team at Group IV South Jersey Sectionals and qualify for States. Whitney’s specific goals for his teammates are to complete their daily runs and help them look at the positive side of running when training gets hard.

Although Whitney has only been running competitively since middle school, he hopes to follow the words of his fellow team leaders, create goals and succeed at them and enjoy spending time with his teammates while competing at his favorite sport.

excited to see how the team in a summer league. There invited to a full training plays this year. We have was a ten-game Varsity camp, known as The Boostspent a lot of time over the summer schedule and a er Camp. Melograna said summer getting ready for ten-game Junior Varsity that over 70 kids showed up this season. There is also a summer schedule. The to this event. great group of guys on the Cougars also played in two “We really put the work team and in, and I really I think we think you’re gocan really ing to start seeing succeed.” it this year going Meloforward,” said Megrana said lograna. this year’s Melograna beoff-season lieves it is very training important for the was the players to believe most exin themselves and tensive the develop trust with team has one another. ever had.

“It is all about The team belief at this point. was inIt’s about believing volved in we can beat tough futsal – a competitors,” Meform of soclograna said. cer played Tough competiindoors tors for the Coubetween gars this season teams of will be schools like Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor Washington Townfive – and a weight Eddie Grant (‘20) celebrates with Jacob Lee (‘19), ship High School, room pro- Matt Blaker (‘18) and Michael Kenny (‘18) after Eastern Regional gram once beating West last season.

High School, Shawa week nee High School from Feband Delran High ruary to May. The boys freestanding summer tourSchool. were also provided with a naments, one at Rowan Grant said, “We try not full weightlifting program University and the other at to worry too much about and a cardiovascular skills Shawnee High School. who our opponent is and program that they completTo add onto the workjust go out and play the ed on their own. outs and exercises completway we know how.”

This was also the first ed during the off-season, Grant also said the year the team participated incoming freshmen were East soccer program has

been growing and improving over the last couple of years. He believes if the teams works together, they will play very well together and be able to take on their competitors.

According to Melograna, “It is the mental hurdle of finally getting over that hump” that will help East get the confidence they need to beat these teams.

Upperclassmen will also set a good example of themselves so the younger players know how to act when they take over.

Matt Randall (‘20) said, “I plan on setting good expectations so the underclassmen know what is expected.”

This year, Grant wants to encourage other players to perform to the best of their abilities, so the younger players will be able to help the team in the seasons to come. Unfortunately, Grant suffered a season ending injury against Cherokee.

Melograna said that he is most excited to see the team have a good time this season and hopefully get a few wins while doing so. He said he is very impressed with the way the team has worked together so far and is undeniably excited to see where the season takes them.

Boys’ soccer builds on previous season’s momentum ■ By Allie Graham (‘20)

Eastside Staff

The Cherry Hill East boys’ soccer team faced its fall season with new levels of optimism. The Cougars started off the season 1-0 for the first time since 2013, winning the first game of the season against Cumberland High School.

This year, there are very determined coaches at every level. Head Coach Mr. Mike Melograna expressed his excitement for his fifth season coaching Varsity.

Junior Varsity will train with the goal of improving its technique in preparation for the varsity level.

East plays in the Olympic American Conference, considered by many the toughest high school conference in New Jersey. In the 2017 season, the team finished with 3 wins, 13 losses and 2 ties. In an attempt to improve on this record, several new aspects were added to the off-season workouts to help improve players’ physical and mental skill level during the upcoming season. Important leaders and captains of the varsity team include Mark Basehore (‘19), Nick Feldman (‘19) and Eddie Grant (‘20).

Grant said, “I am really

October 2018

SPORTS EASTSIDE

Page 23

New coach looks to change East football culture ■ By Jacob Kernis (‘20)

Eastside Sports Editor

The recent losing streak by the Cherry Hill East football team has led to decreasing admiration for the players and coaching staff, marked by poor attendance at games and general disparagement by members of better-performing East teams.

The team’s new coach, a former Division I quarterback and professional football player in Germany, looks to change the stigma about the program and to bring the enjoyment back to high school football.

Coach Mr. Andrew Daley has been around the game for most of his life. He graduated from Eastern High School in 2007, receiving a full scholarship to Towson University for football.

While at Eastern, he was a three-time varsity starter and quarterback. After two seasons at Towson, he transferred to Rowan University. From Rowan, Daley went on to play professionally overseas in the German Football League for two years.

Daley then came back to the United States for a short stint playing Arena Football. This marked the finale of his playing career but led to his introduction into coaching.

He began coaching at Sterling High School for one season before coaching at Cherry Hill West and going on to become the offensive coordinator at a junior college. Daley made his way to North Dakota, as he was an offensive assistant at a Division II school and an

assistant at Eastern Kenperience with Cherry Hill triple option, a scheme ustucky University.

East’s program brings him ing three possible players Prior to coaching at East, back to his high school days that could run the ball inhe spent the last three As a younger coach than stead of the standard two, years as the quarterback that of previous years, he but Daley eliminated that coach at Delaware Valley feels he can relate more to from the team playbook.

University, a D i v i sion III school t h a t w a s ranked n u m ber four in the country.

His constant travel was increasi n g l y aggravating, so as the football coach position opened at East, it made sense to be around h i s home, he said.

Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor “ [ I Coach Mr. Andrew Daley reads off of his playcard to the Cougars. c a m e back to this area] for my family, the the students and his playDaley hopes that this will location. I was traveling evers. He always makes an make East’s offensive stratery day an hour and tweneffort to interact with other egy less predictable to opty minutes to Doylestown students. Students can find ponents. He tries to run an each way. I couldn’t do it him walking the hallways up tempo and more modern anymore, and I got the opand cafeterias during the offense. He wants to add portunity. I know a lot lunch breaks and talking. the excitement of throwing about the program, so I got Coming into his new the ball more frequently. to come back here,” said coaching job required Defensively, he kept the Daley.

Daley to put several schepast defensive coordinator, As well as being the sucmatic changes in place, keeping the defense relacessor of Coach Mr. Tom especially offensively. For tively the same.

Coen, someone he considseveral years, the offense Besides becoming a comers a mentor, Daley’s exhas been run through the petitive football program,

Daley believes that a successful football team would bring back a lot of the school’s lacking spirit. “[I want to] put a competitive product on the field, and I think if the football team is successful, it would generate more excitement around the school,” Daley said.

He continued, “I want to change the culture throughout the whole school, starting from the top down to the bottom. I want kids to be excited to play football again, and I want the student body to be excited to come to the games.”

His belief in the program has been reflected in the players’ attitudes about this year, proving his ability to motivate and inspire the team.

“Under [Coach Daley], we have never been more of a unit,” said varsity player Roberto Sul (‘19). “His passion and dedication gives us hope and helps boost our confidence.”

Along with Sul, varsity player Isaac Jean-Baptiste (‘19) said, “[Coach Daley] is great. A great motivator, competitor, and he is very smart in his game plans and his coaching. The team actually buys into his system, and it makes everything better.”

Daley is looking to bring the Cherry Hill East football program back to prominence, but his main objective is to use the football team as a start to increasing East’s school spiri and involvement in school activities as a whole. Under Daley, the team has already showed huge improvement, as East recently won its first game since 2015.

er. Having inspired players helps the team be more successful and become a more focused team.

Sarah Pintel (‘19), who committed to play volley-

only 24 girls, and we are together seven days a week. I want to end the season remembering that altogether we have reached our peak and are satisfied with the way we played together as a team.”

With this strong bond, the girls continue to work towards achieving their goal: to go undefeated in their conference and to get to the state championship.

Having all returning players this year on varsity combined with the hard work they have put into it, they have high hopes for this season. With their strong passions for volleyball and their love for this sport, they are encouraged to have a wonderful season.

“Without volleyball, I have no clue where I’d be right now,” said Um. “There’s that competitive aspect of the game, of course, but it comes with so much more. I’ve made so many friends through volleyball, people I will never forget…When I play it makes me feel like I’m part of something bigger than myself, and all my problems go away.”

Volleyball is everything to this group of seniors, and the fact that their bond feels like family is an added bonus to their team. They hope to use this bond to win a state championship this season.

Volleyball seniors prepare to kill the competition

gether the ways they can be a good leader for the youngEastside Photo Editor er girls.

The girls’ volleyball team “All of us started freshhas kicked off the year man year. I only knew strong with a powerful seSharon. None of us were nior core. The sethat close until volleynior players from ball,” said Pintel. “These the Class of 2019 girls are some of my believe that their best friends to this day. friendship, previThere is something very ous experiences special about spending and passion for so much time with a sevolleyball have lect few girls for hours on helped them to end and working toward grow as better the same goal. There is a role models for certain appreciation and the whole team. respect we have for each “As a senior, other because we know and it being my how much work we’ve all fourth year on the put into it,” said Pintel. volleyball team, I Volleyball has helped learned a lot from them become much closthe other seniors,” er as friends even outsaid Sharon Um side of the sport. Pintel (‘19). “I do my said the girls always best to show every have fun together even single person on after practices or games. the team how imPracticing for hours and portant they are. seeing each other for I think it’s super practices and games important to reevery day has really alJiseon Lee (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor lowed these girls to grow mind your teammates how much Team seniors celebrate winning a point after a successful rally. closer together. Reachof an impact they ing toward the same make on the team because ball at George Washington a better volleyball player, goals has guided them to a it really does motivate University, said, “I was but a better role model as strong friendship. them, and I try to express lucky enough to have rewell.

“We have team goals like that to my teammates as ally great seniors my past The special bond bepushing for States and winmuch as I can.” couple of years. Upperclasstweem the senior girls on ning our conference, but Um emphasized the immen above me were always the team has also made honestly my big goal is to portance of a player’s selfgood leaders and they althem a positive example reach our highest potenvalue and explained that ways set a really nice exfor the rest of the players. tial as a team,” said Um. “I reminding teammates of ample as to what a senior It has helped them grow think Cherry Hill East Volhow much they impact the should look like and what closer to one another and leyball can say we’re like team really inspires a playthe qualities of a good role allowed them to learn toa family because there’s ■ By Jiseon Lee (‘20)

model are. So I was fortunate enough to have an example for myself.”

Pintel said being on varsity for four years has really helped her not only become

October 2018

SPORTS EASTSIDE

Rosenblatt looks to lead Cougars to playoffs

earned this scholarship.

“I used to wake up before school at four in the morning to get my [exercises] There is no better feelin,” said Rosenblatt. ing in the world to Faith A huge reason why Rosenblatt (‘20) than stepRosenblatt chose Wisconping onto freshly cut grass sin was because its coach outlined in white with a reached out to her first. She soccer ball at her feet. She said she felt like they wantlives for the crowd cheering ed her, and after she talked for her team and the rush to the coach, she knew it of adrenaline she gets when was the perfect fit. They the referee blows his or her only talked about soccer for whistle, signaling the start about five minutes of the of an 80-minute battle. For forty-five- minute conversaher, this 100-by-60tion, which Rosenyard rectangle is a blatt said made second home. her feel comfortRosenblatt was able. She plans on practically born studying kinesiolwith a soccer ball at ogy, the study of her feet. Growing body movements, up with two athletic for which Wisconolder sisters, Rosensin has a strong blatt has always program. been around the Now that game. Her sisters Rosenblatt is complayed soccer when mitted to college they were younger, and her club team which encouraged has dropped out her to want to step of the Developfoot onto the soccer ment League, she field. decided to come “I definitely have back to play for been playing ever East. With the rigsince I could walk. or that came with I was around four playing on the Deyears old when velopment team, I started to kick she said, soccer the ball around was like a job to with my dad,” said her last year. PutRosenblatt. ting on an East This early expouniform brought sure developed into the fun back into a decorated soccer soccer. career. Through her “I really missed sisters, friends and being part of this people in her neighteam last year, borhood, Rosenand seeing everyblatt often found Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor one wear their jerherself at Cherry Rosenblatt kicks the ball upfield against Eastern Regional High School. seys and going to Hill soccer fields. games really made Whether it was me want to play,” practicing or playcoaches come to the tourthough committing was a said Rosenblatt. ing in a game, Rosenblatt naments to recruit players. huge relief, Rosenblatt said In addition, Rosenblatt always had a blast. Her Some of the showcases can she still has to keep up her missed the social aspect grit and determination led be as far as California and work ethic. of the game. Some of her her to play up a year in her some can be as close as New “People always ask me tournament team friends recreational league, which Jersey. why I still come to school live three hours away, but meant that she played with Every year, teams from and why I still have to take after a few weeks of playing girls a year older than her.

PDA and ECNL have gone my SATs, but I still need to East soccer, she has formed “I always had a blast on to compete in National work hard and my persona great group of friends, inplaying rec and I concluding Jactinued to play on,” said lyn Ehrlich Rosenblatt. (‘20).

As the years flew by, “Playing Rosenblatt had an imalongside portant decision to make. of my best She was a multi-sport friend has athlete when she was made us so younger, with gymnasmuch closer tics as her secondary and I cansport. not wait to “It came to a point see what this where… I was going to season will join a competitive [socbring,” said cer] team or I would Ehrlich. have to stop gymnastics, Rosenso I chose soccer,” said blatt, usuRosenblatt. ally a center It was not an easy back, will choice, but in the end, play any poRosenblatt’s decision to sition for join a competitive soccer East she can team paid off. to help the Rosenblatt ultimately team win. joined Players DevelopShe feels ment Academy (PDA).

Andrew Maier (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor that coach She is part of the North Rosenblatt looks upfield for a teammate to pass the ball to mid-game.

Mr. Lee Club, which is located Troutman in Somerset, NJ. This can put her team requires a huge time Championships. Rosenblatt ality is to do my best and anywhere and she knows commitment, as Rosensaid it was particularly push myself to the next levshe will work hard and sucblatt travels an hour and hard playing teams from el,” said Rosenblatt. ceed. She hopes to see the a half each way four nights California because they are Rosenblatt takes huge Cougars have a winning per week just for practice. able to play all year round. pride in wearing and season with all of the talent Last year, since Rosenblatt The weather allows them to sporting Wisconsin gear and leadership they have. played in the Development have no offseason, which is to school. Her friends joke Soccer has given RosenAcademy, it prevented her a huge advantage in these around with her by sayblatt so much over the from playing soccer for types of tournaments. ing, “Are you committed to years, and she cannot wait Cherry Hill East. Rosen“The tournaments are Wisconsin? I couldn’t tell.” to show off her skills to the blatt said she really missed definitely high-level, comRosenblatt’s hard work and East community. Her drive wearing the red and white petitive and fun,” said determination were two and passion have helped Cougars uniform last seaRosenblatt. of the biggest reasons she her score big this season.

■ By Sophie Levine (‘19)

Eastside Sports Editor

son.

This season, Rosenblatt is playing for Elite Club National League (ECNL). This club, like PDA, requires a vigorous time commitment.

She will be traveling with her team every weekend up and down the East Coast to destinations including Buffalo and Boston.

Rosenblatt and her team play in extremely highlevel tournaments, many of which are college showcases. As many as 80 college

All of these high-level tournaments turned out well for Rosenblatt, who is now committed to play Division I soccer at the University of Wisconsin. She committed in her sophomore year, a feat which not many can say they have done.

For soccer players of Rosenblatt’s caliber, recruitment starts in eighth grade and commitments are typically made in junior and senior year. Al-

Page 24

2018 Cherry Hill East Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

Bill Swift 1970 Football, Basketball, Baseball Rick Lancelotti 1974 Baseball Lenny May 1974 Wrestling Sue Bilic 1976 Field Hockey, Basketball, Lacrosse Joe Davis 1976 Soccer, Baseball Wayne Ramsey 1979 Soccer, Baseball Celine Flinn 1980 Field Hockey, Basketball, Lacrosse Greg Coolahan 1981 Wrestling Stan Clayton 1983 Football Maureen Mackson 1983 Swimming Bill Stewart 1984 Cross Country, Track Lori Watson 1984 Cross Country, Track John Marion 1986 Swimming Tricia Udicious 1986 Tennis, Basketball Liz Griesback 1990 Soccer, Track Coach Ed Heisman Soccer Coach Bo Wood Football Contributor Fred Belchikoff COSA, HOF Chairperson Those selected for the Hall of Fame were chosen from athletes who graduated from Cherry Hill East between 1970 and 2000 and were nominated by their coaches. The list of all nominees is kept on file for future consideration. Inductees are selected based upon their excellence in one or more sports while attending East and have been out of school for a minimum of ten years.

Come watch these former East athletes get inducted into the East Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 24, at 11:30 a.m. It will take place at the Indian Spring Country Club in Marlton, New Jersey.

Tickets cost $40 per adult and $15 per child. If interested, email Fred Belchikoff at fbel@verizon.net.