February 2019

Read it Online www.herefordharbinger.org

Read about it online: NEHS hosts annual Poets and Pastries event.

harbinger Hereford

Volume VIII Issue IV

Hereford High School, Parkton, Maryland

The voice of Hereford High

www.herefordharbinger.org

February 2019

Biennial variety show

Students in grades 9-12 performed in the biannual Variety Show on Jan. 24 and 25. The acts consisted of dancing, singing, skits, jump-roping, and other unique talents. Preethi Pai (‘22) presented a traditional dance in her red sari, an elaborately draped garment consisting of satin. Damian Warfel (‘19) rocked the stage with a cover of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now.” Jade Minetos (‘22) and Gaige Dubois (‘19) peformed an intense dance, including strobe lights and a mashup of songs where the girls showed off their hip hop moves.

Index 2-4 5-7 8-9 10-13 14-15 16

Community Sports Spotlight Features Opinion In Focus

Inside

Inquire Hereford Harbinger @hharbinger

Varsity Wrestling - Page 7

@hharbinger

2 | Hereford Harbinger

February 2019

Community

Illustration by Gemma Rossi

Underclassmen host Winter Wonderland Dance

By Rebecca Meldron Reporter

“Winter Wonderland” was the theme of this year’s underclassmen dance which was in the cafeteria on Jan. 26 from 7-10. Last year, the theme for the underclassmen dance was a “Glow Dance”, but the 2021 and 2022 class officers thought that winter wonderland would be more fun.

The winter wonderland theme was a semi-formal theme, unlike last year where the theme sparked casual dress. “I really liked the theme last year,” said Anna Lime (’19). “I feel like people dressed up more for [the] glow theme; [it was] less semi-formal,” said Anna Lime (‘19).

Anna Lime volunteered at the dance last year and also volunteered this year, at the snack stand. She says she ended up having fun and dancing.

While some liked the more casual theme of the dance last year, the officers felt that a more formal theme would be a nice change to make it feel different. Gracie Brown (‘21) thought that “people felt pressured to go with the neon glow theme, whereas this year it’s more laid back and you can wear what you want to. You are not forced to dress up or dress down.”

An underclassmen dance is an annual tradition. The class officers are trying to do anything

they can to make this year different from years past.

“We are really working on being original,” class Vice President Gracie Brown (‘21) said.

“We’re working on getting a new DJ and having fun decorations, and we are working really hard on [getting] a photobooth.” They host this dance as a fundraiser for their class.

“The money goes towards the freshman and sophomore classes. They use that money to do other dances, other class events, paying for prom and senior picnic,” said Nicole Maffei, the 2021 class adviser.

They advertised on Instagram and by putting videos on the morning announcements in order to get people interested. They also had a raffle with their infamous socks: anyone who bought a pair of socks got in the raffle for a free ticket.

Dance Your Heart Out Showcase raises money for One Love

By Sarah Borton Reporter

Last winter, the Moving Company Dance Center sponsored the first annual Dance Your Heart Out dance showcase, raising money and awareness for the One Love Foundation.

During the Dance Your Heart Out fundraiser, dance programs including Hereford High, Dulaney High, Sudbrook Magnet Middle, Oldfields, and the Moving Company Dance Center perform a variety of dance styles including tap, modern, lyrical, jazz and more. The ticket pro-ceeds from the event go directly to The One Love Foundation.

“In addition to being the dance teacher at Hereford, I have taught at the Moving Compa-ny Dance Center for many years,” dance teacher Erin Norton said. “So, when my colleague Anne-Marie Bauermann reached out to me about doing a combines performance, I was thrilled. When she offered to donate all the proceeds to One Love, I was even more thrilled.”

Anne-Marie Bauermann began dancing at the age of six and wanted to be a choreogra-pher from a young age. She is now the Director of Marketing and Business at the Moving Com-pany as well as a faculty member and director for the company’s Starpower and Rhythm Nation ensembles.

The One Love Foundation was founded in 2010 to honor Yeardley Love’s memory and educate young people and communities about the difference between healthy and unhealthy rela-tionships to build stronger and healthier environments.

Norton, along with social worker Molly Esworthy and special educator resource and specialized services Cynthia Sabo, advise the Hereford One Love club.

“I love to see the strengths and talents of the different schools that come to Hereford to support One Love,” Megan Sabo (‘20), advertising director and dancer, said. “I also really like being able to support the foundation through dancing, which I’m very passionate about.”

Aside from Dance Your Heart Out, the One Love club is also involved with flower sales in the fall to benefit families and residents who were displaced from their homes due to relation-

ship abuse at the House of Ruth. Select sports games in the fall in spring are also dedicated to spreading awareness about healthy and unhealthy relationships and raising money for One Love. In the Baltimore Running Festival, “Every Yard for Yeardley” donates its proceeds from each runner to the foundation as well.

Katie Martino (‘20), an executive board member for the One Love club, said she mostly enjoys the activities the club is involved in that help other people.

“We go to House of Ruth and donate clothes and stuff they need for women and chil-dren,” Martino said. “[We also] go and help out and celebrate holidays with them.”

The Moving Company Dance Center ensembles have a community dance showcase every year and they wanted to expand their event to include middle school and high school dance pro-grams.

Illustration by Lindsay Clarke “With so many dancers performing, we decided we wanted to give back to the communi-ty by making it a charitable showcase,” Bauermann said. “Since One Love is such an important foundation for teens, we decided to donate the ticket sales to them,” Bauermann said.

Last year Dance Your Heart Out raised $3000 to donate to One Love.

“I hope people walk away with a better understanding of One Love’s mission and an appreciation for the tremendous amount of dance talent in our area,” Bauermann said. “[And] maybe even inspire some of our audience to take a dance class.”

The second annual Dance Your Heart Out fundraiser was held on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. Hereford dancers and dancers from local schools performed a variety of styles of dances.

UNICEF documentary brings awareness to human trafficking

By Paul Rapuzzi Reporter

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) follows a bimonthly theme for its events and activities according to the international UNICEF organization’s schedule. This month’s theme is human trafficking and, keeping in tune with the theme, UNICEF members will be watching a film in the library to raise awareness for the issue.

The film will show real life examples of human trafficking victims and their struggles, including things like the various types of forced labor they engage in as well as the tactics used by the human traffickers that trapped them in the first place.

According to club cofounder, Ashley Cain (’20), club members are watching the film to familiarize students with the topic and encourage them to take action against human trafficking themselves.

“As more people become aware of this issue, they are becoming more effective at putting an end to human trafficking,” Cain said. “Students, like those in UNICEF club, have the resources and passion to potentially take a big step in ending [human trafficking].”

And it’s issues like these that need to be featured the most. According to the Polaris Project, an organization dedicated to ending human trafficking, there are over 40.3 million victims of human trafficking worldwide. That’s over 6.67 times the amount of people in all of Maryland. It’s informing the community about little known issues like human trafficking that is UNICEF’s primary goal.

While showing members a documentary is only one of many ways that UNICEF club raises awareness for its social issues, officers won’t rule out showing students more documentaries in the future. According to club co-founder Gabriella Chaulker, next year similar film showings are being planned to increase community outreach.

“We found that this documentary was very powerful in discussing personal experiences of victims and serves as a unique way of learning about global issues that is impactful and resonates with the audience,” Chaulker said.

February 2019

community

Hereford Harbinger | 3

Variety Show highlights talents of the student body

By Lindsay Clarke Community Editor

Athletes receive major recognition at Hereford. Some students with unique talents don’t always have stands full of people cheering them on. The variety show highlights students with talents that can sometimes go unnoticed.

The variety show occurs every two years; to ensure new and fresh talents. Dancers, singers, comedians, poets, musicians, jump-ropers, and more audition for spots to showcase their talents to the rest of the school.

Jump-roper Lindsay Posner (’20) auditioned for the Varity Show because she wants to showcase her talents.

“I think my talent is kind of cool and I’m looking forward to publicizing my performance,” Posner said.

Performing Arts Teacher Robert Rose is in charge of the show because it is a theatre-run institution. The proceeds go to the theatre departments to support the art students and their several performances. The variety show has been going on for over 20 years and has continued to display the talents students have.

“It’s important for us to know here at Hereford that we are more than just students and we are more than just athletes,” Rose said. “This gives us a really good opportunity for us to see our fellow students in new and different ways.”

The Variety Show is held on Jan. 24 and 25.

Popular acts include singing and musicians, which are composed of solos, duets, and trios. Other talents include Irish dancing, slam poetry, belly-dancing, yo-yoing, and jump roping.

This tradition at Hereford has caused students to support each other.

Katelyn Dixon (’19), is performing in four acts of the Variety Show. She is singing a duet with Esther Yu (’19) to “Some Things are Meant to Be” from the musical Little Women, she is tap dancing with Lily Eisenklam (’22) to a self-choreographed duet, she is dancing a contemporary styled dance choreographed by Rachael Fiorini (’19), and singing “Seasons of Love” from the musical “Rent”.

With help from Performing Arts teachers Robert Rose, David Sobel, and Erin Norton, Dixon and other students have been preparing in and out of school. Students involved in the Variety show have attended various auditions, meetings, and rehearsals to prepare for the show.

Our traditions have continued to grow each year with the help of students eager to support one another. If you are looking to supports the theatre departments or talented students, attend the variety show.

Photo by Lindsay Clarke

Payton Patrick (’21) sings “Burning House” by Cam for her performance at the show. She sang on both Thursday and Friday for students and families that attended.

Photo by Gemma Rossi

Shannon Ioffe (’20) sings “Won’t Live Here”

by Daniel Caesar. Ioffe got into singing by teaching herself from copying artists she listened to.

WANT PEOPLE TO JOIN YOUR CLUB? ADVERTISE HERE! EMAIL hhsharbinger@bcps.org

Photo by Gemma Rossi

Seniors put on a jeopardy skit between acts at the show. The humorous act kept the audience entertained.

4 | Hereford Harbinger

Community

February 2019

FBLA hosts annual region wide conference

T

By Sydney Powell Community Editor

he Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) annual regional conference was held at Hereford High School this year. The conference took place on Jan. 7, and in attendance were over 20 different schools, totaling over 650 members.

This is the third time the school has hosted the conference in the last seven years.

The conference, beginning after school, started with an opening ceremony presented by Region 2 VP Mahima Pande (‘19). Following the ceremony, the schools split up to attend three of six workshops, presented by guest speakers.

These speakers were Adam Spence from the Law Offices of Spence & Brier, Ron Causey from SC&H, and Amy Bennett from T. Rowe Price.

All FBLA members were required to compete in a competitive event. In the months before the conference, some members took objective tests on different aspects of business. There were 25 objective tests to choose from, including those on accounting, finance, journalism, cyber security, and ethics.

The rest of the members opted to do performance tests, which were completed in front of a panel of judges during the conference. Members took part in events having to do with areas such as public

speaking, video production, and e-business.

The conference concluded with an ending ceremony where the top finishers for each competitive event were recognized. Hereford members placed 30 times across 22 events.

Now that the regional conference is over, members who placed at the top of their competitions will move on to the state-wide competition. The state conference will be held at the Hunt Valley Inn from March 28-30.

At this competition, members will compete against the other top finishers in their competition from other regions for a spot in the national conference. The 2019 FBLA National Leadership Conference will be held in San Antonio, TX from June 29-July 2, 2019.

Future Physician’s Flower Drive raises money for AHA

By Paul Rapuzzi Reporter

The Future Physician’s club holds an annual Valentine’s Day drive selling roses to students to give to their significant others. Starting the first week of February, roses will be on sale for two dollars each and can be personalized with a note for the recipient. All funds raised by the drive will be going to the American Heart Association for heart disease research.

Though the rose drive is an annual tradition for February’s Valentine’s Day buzz, not every drive yields the same results. According to Ned Jones (’19), this year’s rose drive isn’t expected to be a cookie cutter event.

“We [Future Physician’s] are trying to sell more stuff this year, and I feel like we’re going to get a lot more people participating this year,” Jones said. One of the special features of this year’s drive includes a five-dollar discounted price for students that buy three roses.

Future Physicians runs a variety of drives throughout the year, but the rose drive is unique among them in its holiday theme. According to president of Future Physicians, Emma Simon (’19), the Valentine’s Day spirit is part of what makes the rose drive so much fun.

“Most of our fundraisers are just buying things to keep [for yourself], but this one allows people to buy gifts for their friends or significant others which makes it all the more fun,” Simon said.

Club sponsor and science teacher, Thomas Keller agrees that “Future Physicians Club holds charitable fundraisers to help with medical research, awareness, and treatment of various diseases. While other fundraisers we’ve held for breast cancer and leukemia are successful, this fundraiser is extra enjoyable as it gets so much of the study body involved in a fun activity.”

Club members will be stopping by classrooms during homeroom and enrichment to sell roses. Unlike previous years, roses will also be sold in the cafeteria and auditorium while students are waiting to be dismissed to go to home-

Members who finished in the top 5 of their events: Jack Stellar ACCOUNTING I Austin Craig ACCOUNTING III Jack Seufert ADVERTISING Patrick Coyle, Ethan BANKING AND FINANCIAL Jacobson, George SYSTEMS Schwab Eric Talbott BUSINESS CALCULATIONS Jake Zanotta CYBER SECURITY Gordon Spence ECONOMICS Joey Rhoads FUTURE BUSINESS LEADER Penelope Newcomb HELP DESK Ryan Vetter INTRO TO BUSINESS Sydney Powell JOURNALISM Katie Conover JOURNALISM Evan Barnard, MARKETING Colin Campbell, Mason Greenspan Ryan Warrenfelt POLITICAL SCIENCE Sam Bongiorno SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS Andrew Spence INTRO TO PUBLIC SPEAKING

4th 4th 2nd 1st 5th 4th 4th 2nd 2nd 1st 2nd 4th 3rd 4th 1st 3rd

NEHS refurbishes Free Little Library

By Jen Barranco Reporter

Looking for a book to read? The Hereford National English Honor Society (NEHS) has refurbished the Free Little Library, which is open for all hours and can be found outside the auditorium.

“We are trying to build a different clientele this year.

It wasn’t being used that much so we are trying to gear it towards moms and their little kids,” NEHS advisor Mrs. Vance said.

“All types of books can be found there, ranging from fiction to nonfiction,” NEHS member Caroline VanDuzer (’19) said. “We are currently trying to collect more books for younger children like Dr. Seuss and the Magical Treehouse to promote reading for younger siblings of students that may be on campus for one reason or another.”

The Free Little Library operates on an open swap system.

“You take a book and then replace it with another, which allows the community to benefit from its members’ tastes in literature,” VanDuzer said.

In addition to the Free Little Library, NEHS has created a DEAR cart so students can access books inside and outside of school.

The goal of both the Free Little Library and the DEAR book is to promote literacy for people of all ages, especially younger children and teens. This is in accordance with the team BCPS goal, which is to promote literacy.

room.

All photos by Jen Barranco

The free-standing library is located outside of the auditorium in front of the school. For years, the Little Free Library has collected books from students and other members of the community.

The Little Free Library is filled with books that are free to be borrowed or swapped out. The National English Honor Society refurbished the library to cater more towards mothers and their children

February 2019

sports

Hereford Harbinger | 5

Athlete of the Month:

Mark Suchy looks to guide Bulls to third straight winning season

By Jen Barranco Reporter

Senior Mark Suchy has been a starter on the varsity basketball team since his freshman year. Not only is he a starter, but he is also a captain this year, along with Mason Greenspan (’19).

This season, he is the leading scorer, averaging around 22 points per game. He is also the leading rebounder.

“Mark is very aggressive and a smart player; he is someone everyone loves to play with because he is so passionate about the game,” teammate Greenspan said.

The last three seasons, Suchy started as a point guard. However, this year he has been playing as a small forward.

“Mark does a little bit of everything for us,” head coach and math teacher Jim Rhoads said.

Suchy has been playing basketball since he was three years old and has been playing with Will Reider (’19) and Greenspan since they were seven years old.

“They have a great chemistry on the floor,” Coach Rhoads said.

His favorite thing about basketball is scoring.

“There is nothing like hearing the net snap after you release a high arching jump shot,” Suchy said.

This year, Suchy has had some impressive games. Against Lansdowne, he scored 31 points and had 14 rebounds. He followed that up with a 28-point game win over Manchester Valley, with a career high of five three-pointers.

On and off the court, Suchy is a leader to all.

“He helps the younger kids learn and deal with situations that they would face in games and makes them a lot better,” teammate Tyler Herkalo (’21).

“Mark has been the leader of the team since his freshmen year,” Coach Rhoads said. “He is a team-first guy who cares more about winning the game than any personal stats that he might accumulate.”

Suchy has received multiple accolades over the years. The last two years he has been All-County and All-Division. He is in the top five all-time scoring at Hereford and received honorable mention All-State last season.

The overall record of the boys’ basketball team is 7-4.

On Friday Jan. 11, Suchy reached a career high, achieving and surpassing the 1000-point benchmark against Dundalk.

Outside of the Hereford basketball team, he has played for an AAU team, the York Ballers.

This November, Mark committed to Franklin & Marshall College, where he will continue his basketball career this fall.

All photos provided by Jay Clarke

Suchy holds his follow through after shooting a free throw in overtime against Dundalk. The Bulls held on to win 59-56.

6 | Hereford Harbinger

Sports

February 2019

Cheerleading hosts winter invitational amidst successful season

By Chloe Parker

Reporter

This year’s cheer squad kicked the year off with a performance at pep rally that had all four student sections on their feet cheering. The fall cheer girls were able to come back strong from the year before and filled their season with memorable moments, bringing their team even closer than it was.

“We placed third in states this year and won our county championship for the first time in about seven years,” varsity cheerleader, Amelia Nickel (’21), said.

Transitioning from their fall squad to their winter squad is tough since their team chemistry needs to be rebuilt among their new squad members.

“This year, it’s a lot more work with team building since we have to work with JV and get to know them,” Emma DiVenti (’21) said.

To help perform in front of an audience, the squad occasionally cheers at home basketball games at half time as well as in their cheer section throughout the game.

After practicing every day after school, the girls were able to figure out who works best with who to make their competition routine as crisp as they could.

On Saturday Jan.12, the Hereford Invitational Cheer Competition was held in the

gymnasium. The squads arrived between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. but began cheering at 10 a.m. Around 12 varsity teams were there and 12 junior varsity teams came to compete, including our own winter cheer squad.

Talent from 1A schools to 4A schools competed against each other.

Our girls held their own against the 3A and 4A schools.

Out of the 12 schools, our cheer squad placed 5th behind Chesapeake (1st place), Marriotts Ridge (2nd place), Westminster (3rd place), and Bel Air (4th place).

“I think it went really well and we all worked really hard to put it together to make it an overall great experience for everyone,” Megan O’Donovan (’20) said.

The squad plans to compete in their competition on Jan. 23 at Manchester Valley High School in the Manchester Valley Invitational.

opinion

Emma DiVenti (‘21) supports her teammates during their stunt. The team practiced this move daily to perfect it.

The squad finishes their routine by holding up a bull symbol.

Each squad member finished with a smile on their face.

All photos by Gemma Rossi

Tumbling through the middle, Sole Bennett (‘21) gears up to hit her backhand spring jump. Her tumbling skills allowed the squad to incorporate more floor tricks.

eSports is quickly rising in the overall world of sports and entertainment According to the Oxford Dictionary, a sport is defined by “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment,” and eSports are defined as “multiplayer video games played competitively for spectators, typiBy Will Amos cally by professional gamers.”

Reporter When someone thinks of a sport, basketball, baseball and football are some of the many words that come to mind. The most up and coming sport there is, eSports, despite some saying it is not, eSports are 100% sports.

“It requires a great amount of skill and practice, arguably more than actual sports,” eSports supporter and cross country athlete Emily Francis (’19) said. “If people consider cross country a sport, which requires no athletic ability, we should give the gamers this.”

Out of the students and teachers surveyed, the majority of responders said eSports were not sports, about 69%, 30% said yes and the remaining 1% said they didn’t know what eSports were.

From all the yes’, no’s and I don’t knows the majority of people were ill-informed. When I refer to eSports I do not mean you playing Wii Sports or a similar game; eSports are competitively playing games, with a team or on your own, for a salary like any other professional athlete, with tournaments and prize pools of millions of dollars. eSports do require physical exertion and a great amount of skill, are competitive and can be teambased or individuals.

To compete at a high level in anything there’s going to be people competing, whether that be individual or in teams. Teams practice together to get to a level to where they work well together and have custom tactics and plans depending on who they’re playing or where they are playing.

“They are competitive and require immense skill and practice,” eSports supporter Tim Mahoney (’19) said. “While not as physically taxing as say, rock climbing, they still require control over one’s body and mind, along with hand-eye coordination.”

The one thing that is preventing most from placing eSports in the same category as other sports is physical exertion. ESports are nothing like football or soccer that take the rigorous training sessions. The cardio and weight training needed to become a professional player in those sports are much different than those of eSports.

ESports do require a lot of a time and effort spent practicing, but the physical aspect is different. Hand-eye-coordination is a big part of eSports. Knowing what buttons to press when, where to move the mouse to when you need it to and doing both together requires a lot of muscle memory.

A professional gamer spends hours a day playing their select video game, similar to how an NFL or MLB player would do with theirs. The players must train their muscles and minds to work the way they need to, working them out every time they play their game.

It might not seem like a lot of physical exertion, but there was no level of physical exertion specified. Physical exertion is physical exertion, and eSports require it to be the best of the best.

Players even push their bodies to the point of injury sometimes. It’s nothing like tearing you ACL, but there have been more and more cases of players having overuse injuries due playing for a long amount of time without getting up and walking around or stretching.

When one is playing a game, they can put their body under a lot of pressure. If they are tense for a long enough time the tension you see effects. “When a muscle and a tendon are tense for a long time, it becomes so stiff that blood cannot flow through it,” John Svärd, a chiropractor who has worked with professional gamers before said in an article

by Mashable.

The injuries caused by this overuse can be just as devastating as breaking a bone because you don’t feel the pain immePhoto provided by Wikimedia Commons diately. The injury builds and This is the current logo for the popular eSport game, Rocket League. Rocket League is played builds and builds until it gets by teams of two or three. to the point where they get seriously injured, effecting the player Kiernan Nedeau (’19) said. “Limitations like physical players’ careers. strength are not prevalent, games are simple and easy to under“The physical skill required in some eSports has created a stand and [eSports] are purely skill-based.” gray area in what a sport is,” semi-professional Rocket League

sports

February 2019

Hereford Harbinger | 7

Wrestling team practices hardwork and dedication

By Sydney Watts Reporter

A diet consisting only of fruits and vegetables may seem like a nightmare for most of us, but for wrestlers it’s a daily reality.

During the wrestling season, most of the athletes must “cut weight” in order to move down to a lower weight class. The desire of losing weight gives athletes an advantage over their opponent.

This unfortunately means no munching on McDonalds or Five Guys for most of these wrestlers. Their meals cannot consist of high sodium or sugar.

Four season wrestler Noah Traband (’19) likes to pick up McDonalds after lifting. On the weeks, he is trying to move down in weight class. He can’t afford a greasy burger and fries.

“You can’t eat whatever you want; you are always watching your diet,” Traband said.

It pays off to lose a few pounds. Traband currently is 15-1 which is much better than his performance last year.

It’s no secret that to be a championship wrestler, you have to put in the work at practice in order to get intended results.

“We are always working out and conditioning,” Jack Amos (’19), a wrestler with a record of 12-2, said.

A punishment for lack of effort could potentially be extra push-ups or running.

Cutting weight and grueling practices have boosted first year wrestler Levis Contrerás’s (’19) performance during matches. Contrerás said he feels “better, healthier, and faster.” At first, he hated cutting, but now he can see the benefits of it.

Practices consist of a warm-up typically involving stretching and running, followed by lifting and practicing live wrestling on the mat with a partner, an activity that is also known as “drilling.”

Varsity wrestling coach Brett Baier’s coaching style has changed throughout the year depending on the group of kids that tryout.

“Some kids need tough love, some kids need more praise, and we figure that out as we are going along,” Baier said.

Baier is known as the good cop during practices.

On the mat, Jack Wickizer (’20) gets his ambition from the state championship banner hanging in the gym.

“There is one spot left for a name on the banner so that is definitely a motivator,” Wickizer said.

With hopes of eventually getting his name on the banner, he prepares for each match by “envisioning [himself] winning, and just beating the guy or pinning him.”

With the post season in mind, the wrestlers have gone 19-5 in the regular season. Since there isn’t much competition in Baltimore County, they have gone to tournaments in Carrol and Harford County.

“I think our team is going to do alright in counties,” Varsity team captain Jimmy Kells (’19) said.

Kells, finishing 3rd in the state last year, is focusing on counties, re-

gionals, and winning a state championship this year.

The varsity bulls look forward to competing in counties on Feb. 16 and 17.

Photo by Gemma Rossi

opinion

Super Bowl LIII characterized by lackluster performances and 6th ring for Brady

By Mark Suchy Sports Editor

The New England Patriots are still here.

Despite that mantra, many football fans across America know and already knew that. Tom Brady further cemented his legacy, equaling the entire franchise record for most Super Bowl

wins with six.

While Super Bowl LIII will be remembered as one of the dullest in the game’s history, the title of World Champion is still bestowed upon the Patriots once more.

While the performance of Brady was lackluster, he came through when called upon. He relied heavily upon his security blanket, Julian Edelman, who caught slant after slant. Edelman finished with an astounding ten catches for 141 yards and converted multiple third downs to continue Patriot drives.

Edelman is the self-described “ultimate competitor” who has the classic underdog story that has motivated him to the top of his profession, Super Bowl MVP. Edelman was the pick 232 of the 2009 NFL Draft and did not even play the position of wide receiver in college; he was a quarterback at Kent State.

The former Kent State quarterback now trails only Jerry Rice in both post-season receiving yards and post-season receptions, holds two Super Bowl records, and is the first Jewish football player to receive Super Bowl MVP honors.

The dynasty of dominance that the dynamic duo of Brady and Bill Belichick created the most compelling storyline concerning their reign over the league. There is not much left for the pair to achieve as they are both aging, and at some point it must come to an end (the wishful hope of every non-Patriots fan).

The beginning of Super Bowl LIII was characterized by a lovely rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner sung by Gladys Knight, with the fireworks exploding as she belted out the infamous lines “the rockets’ red glare.”

Unfortunately for football fans, those were the

only fireworks of the first half.

The Patriots led three to zero at the conclusion of the first two quarters, making this the second lowest scoring first half in Super Bowl history according to CBS sports. While Bill Belichick employed a masterfully designed defensive gameplan to halt the scorching Rams offense, his offense could not say the same.

Brady seemed to prove that even after nine big game appearances, even he wasn’t bigger than the moment, throwing an interception on the first drive of the game. New England was then let down by another of their trusty veterans, as kicker Stephen Gostkowski failed to convert a field goal. Ironically, the Rams lone bright spot was their special teams play; punter Johnny Hekker unleashed several booming punts to help shift field position.

After the first half, both teams certainly entered the locker room upset with themselves for two separate reasons: the Patriots failing to convert opportunities and the Rams for simply playing an abysmal half of football.

Unfortunately for Los Angeles, this theme was not fixed by “wonder-kid” Sean McVay and his halftime adjustments. New England came out in the second half and continued to pick up where they left off.

With a purely dominating performance by the front seven of the Patriots, the win was sealed in a multitude of ways, but the final straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back, was the Stephon Gilmore interception.

Gilmore dons the number 24, which newly minted Hall of Fame member and fellow Patriots shut down cornerback Ty Law used to wear.

Law was a member of the Patriots’ first three championship wins; Gilmore’s been a member of the last two. While the players at all positions have come and gone, one has remained unchanged: quarterback Tom Brady.

Photo provided by Wikimedia Commons

Tom Brady smiles and looks on as his defense makes a stop against Kansas City. The Patriots won 38-31 in overtime.

8 | Hereford Harbinger

1999

By Conor McCue Reporter

Impending doom awaited as the last moments of the first millennium slowly ticked away. Some panicked and stocked up on rations, some continued to warn that the world was about to end, while most sat and treated Dec. 31, 1999 as any other New Year’s Eve. 1999 may not seem like that long ago, but a lot has changed since then.

Bill Clinton was in his second term of his presidency and still under fire from the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Psychology teacher Robert Greenwood enjoyed listening to alternative music including Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, and Nirvana. There were no music streaming services; the newest way to listen to music was through Napster, where users would upload mp3 files onto the site, which were later downloaded by other users who burned them onto CDs. “MTV was huge at that time,” music teacher David Sobel said. “People would say ‘hey, want to come over to my house and watch MTV together?’

That would be a huge thing.”

Even though it was only 20 years ago, money has changed drastically. “I would be skateboarding with my friends and I would have to call my mom on a payphone and that was 25 cents. And then with the remaining 75 cents, I could get two slices of pizza and a coke,” Sobel said.

Comparing that to today’s economy, just the two pieces of pizza and a coke costs around $6.65, nearly nine times the cost in 1999.

Spotl

2009

It’s bizarre thinking that 2009 wa in elementary school. Barack Obama term as president while the economy economic crisis in 2008. War in the M casualties rose in Afghanistan and terr In Baghdad, five bombs went off simu In the area of pop culture, songs r were the top hits of 104.3.

“At the time, it was the prime of ‘Pa Derek Wu (’20) said.

Technology was becoming increasi in full swing, but there were many tec ories of the past, some of which that a “I had a Nintendo DS at the time. I Wu said. “ Usually, I played Pokémon 2009 also brought the premiere of Avatar, raking in over $2.7 billion in t

February 2019| 9

light

as 10 years ago, when most of us were a had just been inaugurated for his first was still struggling to emerge from the Middle-East continued to gain steam as ror attacks could happen at any moment. ultaneously. referred to today as ‘oldies but goodies’

arty in the USA’ and that kind of music,”

ingly similar to today’s with the internet chnological trends that bring back memare still relevant today.

If not [using that], it was my Gameboy,” n on that; that was my go-to game.” f the highest grossing movie of all time, the box office.

2029 We all know what 2019 is like, but what changes will ten years bring?

Aidan Jacobson (‘21) believes that we will make new discoveries in space including intelligent alien life and information regarding the Big Bang. According to weforum.org, we can expect to see the use of more reusable spacecraft in the next ten years. They also predict that the problem of space debris floating around Earth will become a larger issue.

Like most medical professionals, Kevin Oh (’21) hopes to see improvements in the medical field, including advancements in tools to help fight cancer.

According to Lewis L. Lanier, an American Cancer Society professor, there will be substantial advancements in immunotherapy, a cancer treatment that makes the immune system fight harder and more efficiently against cancer.

Things aren’t looking up for the environment, however. According to the Huffington Post, we will not be able to stop runaway climate change by 2030 if current trends regarding human behavior continue, meaning the next ten years will be crucial.

As we remember years past and peer ten years into the future, we are constantly analyzing our actions, mistakes, and failures, hoping to prevent history from repeating itself. We’re always looking to live our best lives. But, we also reminisce over the hit songs and movies that entertained us and the good times we had. Regardless, let’s live in the moment and treasure the present.

1 0 | Hereford Harbinger

FEATURES

February 2019

Pen preferences are a write of passage The ink-filled wonders that crowd pencil cases schoolwide

By Katie Salko Features Editor

Click-ins vs. lids. Black and blue vs. color. Gel vs. ballpoint.

Everyone has different pen preferences and most of us obsess over these small differences to maximize our happiness while stuck in this brick building for seven hours a day.

In the midst of our daily lives as students, we need little things to bring us joy to balance the stress and chaos that is high school. However trivial it may sound, one of these joy-inducing commodities is pens.

Student favorites include the Muji Gel Pen, Pilot G-2 10, BiC Round Stic, and Paper Mate InkJoy Gel. Teacher favorites range from FriXion to Uni-ball to Paper Mate Flair to Schneider XB pens. Some people go as far as to use their choice of ink for everything everywhere.

Principal Joe Jira himself has been engrossed by the pen craze. His favorite pen, the Schneider Slider Memo XB Medium—blue ink, only—ranks sixth on New York Magazine’s ‘100 Best Pens’ list. She is beauty, she is grace.

“I don’t know if it’s a combination of the gel and it being a ballpoint, but it doesn’t get all over your fingers,” Jira said. “I’ve gotten so bad now I will not sign any paperwork without it.”

Many have experienced this dependency firsthand—pun intended.

“If he has to sign something and he’s somewhere else, he will make you walk with him back to his office to get his pen so he [can] sign it,” Social Studies Department Chair Jamie Higgins Shaull said.

Although we know Higgins Shaull as an APUSH teacher and avid Hamilton lover, she is also a pen enthusiast.

“My philosophy as a department chair is that if my teachers want specific types of pens that make them grade faster and [make them] enjoy their job, then by all means, I will spend the money on the pen,” Higgins Shaull said. “Needless to say, I love pens.”

Higgins Shaull isn’t the only teacher who enjoys pens. Allison Zane, math teacher, relies solely on pens for grading her papers.

“I buy [Paper Mate Flair pens] in bulk because they’re hard to find,” Zane said. “They come in different colors other than

red because I think correcting papers in purple, green, or maroon seems a little different.”

Choosing the ideal pen seems to spark controversy among students and teachers alike. Some prefer the traditional black and blue rather than making it look as if a rainbow threw up all over your notes.

“If I need different colors, I’ll use other pens but if it were up to me, I’d use black pen all the time,” Maria Karvounis (‘19) said.

Sydney Jenkin (‘20) enjoys the presence of both colored and monochromatic.

“To write, [I like] black and blue pens but I like to buy colored pens too,” Jenkin said. “When your notes are colorful they’re just so much nicer to look at.”

Although color can make your notes fun, stand out, and possibly give you more stress rather than the desired peaceful organization, it’s not the only important factor that makes pens unique.

In the Oval Office, pens have a rich tradition that dates back to 1933, when Frankin D. Roosevelt began his first term. Roosevelt the Tastemaker initiated the usage of multiple pens to sign bills of high public interest and every president since has honored and continued his legacy.

President Barack Obama used almost two dozen pens to sign one bill into law back in 2010. That is excessive.

The seemingly universal practice was carried on by President Donald Trump when he used several pens on his first day in office and later handed them out as souvenirs. Trump has a richer taste, however, as his gold-plated A.T. Cross Co. pens sell for $115 apiece.

Are pens taken a bit too seriously? Maybe. But, as Edward Bulwer-Lytton once said, “The pen is mightier than the sword.”

We have relied on this sole writing utensil through its complete evolution: from the quill to the dip pen to the fountain, as well as the ballpoint and, lastly, to what we have today. A combination of all of these stages morphed into one.

Pen preferences are inevitable, thanks to the millions of different options available to our consumer society. It isn’t being

picky when it benefits your education and learning ability.

“I definitely take better notes and write better when I have a good pen—so geeky—but I swear that it makes all the difference,” Helena Rudolph (‘19) said. “I get excited to do the best on whatever I am working on and try to make it look as flawless as possible.”

Jira understands and encourages the likability of ink rather than lead.

“You’ve got a lot of writing you end up doing during the course of the day,” Jira said. “You might as well use something that you enjoy using and that flows” Finding different ways to enhance our learning is important when we suffer through the same types of lessons for 185 days straight. Pens seem like a viable solution to increase the chances of memorization and to keep our classes separate.

“Pens help me organize my work,” Sydney Lippe (‘19) said.

“Using different colored pens allows me to differentiate what information is important or things I should focus on. It also makes looking at notes easier and more appealing.”

It’s easy to get a pen at a Target or Staples and buy into the new pen craze, but what about the prospect of making your own?

Cameron Powers (‘21) does just that.

He began making pens in the fifth grade and has kept up with the unique practice since then. He spends about an hour making each one but sells them for as much as $50.

“I saw a class on wood turning and I took it,” Powers said.

“You use wood and acrylic and turn them on a lathe.”

The creativity that pens inspire is endless.

“If you have to do the stuff, you might as well make it enjoyable. Who really wants to write with this?” Higgins Shaull said as she pointed to a cheap plastic pen.

Whether you admit it or not, pens are quite addictive. They improve your handwriting, increase creative direction, and make school more fun.

“I think everyone—deep-down—has a favorite pen,” Whitney Langlee (‘20) said. “I think even if you say you don’t care, you care.”

Illustration by Amanda Rodier

Illustration by Katie Salko

FEATURES

February 2019

OPINION Date attire requires improvement

Hereford Harbinger | 1 1

More changes to Hunt Valley Towne Center affect nearby communities

U

By Halli Powers Reporter

By Maggy McGuigan Reporter

As we are currently living in a time where chivalry is just about dead and going on dates seems to be becoming increasingly rare, it can be exciting to dress up and go out on Valentine’s Day. However, you don’t need to be in a relationship in order to go out.

Whether you’re a supporter of Valentine’s Day or not, you still want to appear like you’re excited to be celebrating your partner. If you’re someone who simply uses February 14 as an excuse to go out with friends, the most important thing to remember when picking an outfit—for a date or not—is to dress for yourself.

“In the past, it’s just been another normal leggings and sweatshirt day. I’ve never been in a relationship on Valentine’s Day, so I don’t really have an opinion [or] know what I’m going to do,” Autumn Welsh (‘20) said. “I think people should wear whatever makes them feel the best.”

Nevertheless, dressing up for any date on any day of the year also poses a challenge and requires some thought. Going out to a fancy restaurant undoubtedly requires different attire than going on a hike would.

For the daytime date which includes a Sunday brunch or spending the day downtown, the easiest option is pairing a sweater with jeans or a skirt. When you keep your outfit simple, you can wear any type of shoe, from booties to a dressy pair of tennis shoes.

Dates like bowling or mini golf are probably the hardest to dress for considering you want to dress cute but also comfortably. For this type of date, you’ll probably want to choose fitted garments over baggy, especially if the relationship is relatively new because you don’t want to look sloppy. Stick to either leggings or jeans with a plain tank top and a flannel or cute jacket.

“If we go out to a nice restaurant, I definitely would up my game, a dress or skirt would be fitting, but if it’s just Chipotle or something, my signature sweater, mom jeans, and graphic tee combo would make the cut,” Welsh said. “I know that [my boyfriend] wouldn’t care if I wore a garbage bag or a ball gown, but I do think it’s nice to dress up sometimes.”

As you get more comfortable with the person you’re dating you start to care less about appearance. However, Valentine’s Day is the one day a year I believe you should dress up to show them how much you care.

pon hearing the words “Hunt Valley,” one most likely thinks of the Hunt Valley Towne Center, the shopping center 15 miles south of us that has become an essential part in most of our lives. Whether it’s to see the newest movie being released, grab some Chipotle, or just hang out with friends, it is not uncommon to see someone you know at the beloved outdoor mall.

Hunt Valley Towne Center originally began as the Hunt Valley Mall, an indoor shopping center that opened in 1981. “Sister malls” of Hunt Valley Mall included Valley Hills Mall, Beachwood Place, White Marsh Mall, Charleston Town Center, and Stratford Square Mall.

Anchor stores in Hunt Valley included Sears and Bamberger’s which became a Macy’s in 1986. After Macy’s closed, the space was split into two stores: Dick’s Sporting Goods and Burlington Coat Factory.

The Hunt Valley Mall was remodeled in 2000, becoming the popular outdoor Hunt Valley Towne Center. The only stores that survived the remodeling were the anchor stores, some of which are still fully operating today.

The current anchor stores at the shopping center are Dick’s Sporting Goods, Burlington Coat Factory, and Wegmans. WalMart was a prominent store at the mall until October 2007, when it relocated to Cockeysville. Shortly replacing Wal-Mart was Best Buy, which has since been removed from Hunt Valley Towne Center as well.

Looking back to a few years ago and comparing it to the present day, the town center has undergone a few more serious changes, one of the most prominent being the addition of the Avalon apartment complex, which also brought businesses such as Grabbagreen Food + Juice and Club Pilates.

New stores have been made welcome to Hunt Valley, operating successfully among older stores that have established their mark on the shopping center.

“Hunt Valley is such a great place to work,” Sophia Rubino (‘19), who is employed at both Grabbagreen and Club Pilates, said. “I feel like I know everyone, and they are so nice; it’s a great community to be a part of. Bringing in these new places exposes people to new things they may have never tried [before].”

Also recently welcomed to Hunt Valley Towne Center are HomeGoods and Michael’s, both located next to Wegmans. Wilkes & Riley, a luxury menswear store, and Lands’ End, which sells clothing and home décor, will also come to Hunt Valley in

the coming months.

With new big additions must also come big closings, which has already proven true with Sears, which closed its doors in 2018 after 36 years of business in Hunt Valley.

Following suit on Jan. 13, Greetings & Readings closed after 49 years of business.

According to their website, Greetings & Readings has closed after facing “the inevitable realization that the current retail environment is not sustainable.”

“It was sad to hear about [the closing,] especially since they’ve been open for so long and the owners — along with all of the employees — are so amazing,” Maris Rallis (‘19), who worked at Greetings & Readings, said. “It was just hard to hear that it will no longer be there.”

“Greetings & Readings closing is such a sad thing for Hunt Valley,” Rubino said. “It’s been there since I can remember.”

“I think that without Greetings & Readings in Hunt Valley, things will definitely be different,” Jake Hilferty (‘19), who also worked there, said. “We’ll definitely have to see what [comes] in place of [it].”

Although no plans have been made as of Jan. 15, predictions for what will replace Greetings & Readings have been made by various news sources. Such predictions include splitting the space into multiple stores, as it may prove to be more difficult to find one store to make use of the large area.

“I hope that [they will] put some more clothing stores in Hunt Valley to replace Greetings & Readings. It would be so convenient, and I think they would get a lot of business,” Tommie Keznor (‘20) said. “Also, Towson Mall is kind of a hike for a lot of [people living in Hereford] so it would be nice if we could have some of those stores closer to us.”

Students have spent time reflecting on the changes made to Hunt Valley Towne Center in the past few years, and how the environment of the shopping center as a whole has shifted.

“There [are] only a few stores people my age like there,” Rallis said. “But I do enjoy it since I always run into people I know and catch up with [them].”

Whether you prefer Hunt Valley Towne Center as it was ten years ago or as it is now, it will still be a center for socialization and shopping for people among the Hereford community and surrounding areas.

All photos by Maggy McGuigan

Welsh looks forward to dressing up to celebrate on Valentine’s Day. “I always feel more confident when I know I look nice and put together,” Welsh said.

She puts thought into each outfit while dressing appropriately for different occasions. She bought the majority of her clothes from Urban Outfitters, Goodwill, and Aerie.

All photos by Gemma Rossi

Tree lights reflect on the outside of Greetings & Readings. They are lit every night to improve the appearance of Hunt Valley Towne Center.

The inside of Greetings & Readings is empty. The bottom floor was used to showcase artwork from local artists.

A sign on the door informs people about the closing. The store closed a week ahead of the original planned date, Jan. 20.

1 2 | Hereford Harbinger

FEATURES

February 2019

Colleges demand increase in application uniqueness

By Maggy McGuigan Reporter

There are several common characteristics that colleges look for in potential applicants. However, during the application process, they are no longer impressed by the straight A student who is the president of five clubs. As the competition gets stiffer, you need to stand out by having something impressive on your application.

Although students’ grade point average (GPA), test scores, and amount of AP classes will always be taken into account by admissions officers, the demand for unique students is growing.

Your work ethic, leadership, and involvement in and out of school doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Grades and test scores are important measures of a student’s academic success, but colleges and universities today look for much more,” Associate Vice President for Marketing and Com-

Illustration by Amanda Rodier

munications at Loyola University, Sharon Higgins, said. “It’s important to thoughtfully craft your application and essay to describe who you are outside of the classroom.”

Based on the fact that expensive tutoring for the SAT and ACT can create unfair advantages in students’ scores and that scores from a three-hour exam cannot determine a student’s capabilities, more than 700 four-year US colleges are now test optional. This means 700 colleges do not require an ACT or SAT score in their application.

When writing your college essay, it’s important to highlight all of your accomplishments—academic or not.

“It’s okay to brag,” Higgins said. “It’s important to show colleges that you are a well-rounded, passionate, and ambitious person.”

Anything that may set you apart from other applicants is something worth writing about.

“During high school, I pursued the things that I genuinely was interested in, so while I was very involved, my main activities coincided with what I plan to study,” Jake Turner, (‘19) who has been accepted into Georgetown, said. “Also, I really was unapologetically me in all of my essays; I think this radical self-expression helped to make me stand out.”

While all of your high-school accomplishments are important, the way you present them in your applications is essential when applying to more selective colleges.

According to collegeboard.org, “when all else is equal between competing applicants, a compelling essay can make the difference.”

An increasing presence in technology has made the application process easier and allows students to use the Common Application for certain schools, encouraging them to apply to more colleges than ever before.

“Students can learn about courses, campus activities and student life on college websites, take virtual campus tours, and participate in online college fairs,” Higgins said. “As a result of these changes and advancements in technology, college acceptance rates have dropped, and competition for the best students has increased.”

Learning about your top colleges and contacting professors that teach your desired major ahead of time can increase your chances of being accepted as it shows you’re serious about the school.

While recommendation letters and legacy may slightly persuade an admissions officer, you can’t rely on others when it comes to your own future. Parents won’t be there every step of the way, so students must learn to be independent before taking the next step.

Colleges want to see who you are and want to hear about events that have shaped you into the person you are today.

Artificial Intelligence by Amazon provides more efficient ways to live

S

By Anna DeLibro Reporter

Gabriella Chalker (‘20), an Alexa skeptic, received one for Alexas are not just about making your life easier, they also Christmas through a gift exchange, and decided it looked better come with fun games or “skills” the owner can try out. Some of in the box. the games include “Guess the Song,” “Trivia Hero,” “Would You “I had it set up for two days and I didn’t like it, so I gave it to Rather,” and even Ellen DeGeneres’s famed game, “Heads Up.” my uncle,” Chalker said. “If [it’s] listening for you to say Alexa Options like meditation, audio books, horoscopes, and full body and [it] replies immediately, then they’re listening all the time. workouts are also available. All of these skills can be found on That’s why I don’t have ‘Hey Siri’ enabled on my phone.” the Amazon Alexa app (available on IOS and Android).

The possible invasion of privacy Other brands have released their is not the only reason Chalker disown version of “Alexa” as well. liked the device though.

“Google Homes” are another popular “I think I would have liked it choice on the artificial intelligence It makes it so much easimore if I had a smart home, but my market. They are similar in size and er because I don’t have to get house is old so I felt like the only shape to Alexas, but instead the user thing I could do with it was play musays “Hey Google” to wake the deup to turn off my lights. sic, check the weather, and text peovice. They can do virtually the same ­— Jake Crowley (‘19) ple.” things and are also similar in price, Smart homes are defined as both costing around 90 dollars for the “homes equipped with lighting, heatlarger size, yet Alexas still seem to be ing, and electronic devices that can be the popular choice. controlled remotely by another technological device.” Amazon The future is becoming more of a reality with artificial inEchos can be equipped to smart light bulbs, thermostats, televi- telligence devices like these. The first smartphone was released sions, security systems, and even vacuums. over a decade ago, so who knows what is in store for technologJake Crowley (‘19) owns three Alexas and has equipped his ical advances next. Soon enough, robots might even be holding home with some of these features. this newspaper for you.

“We had our Alexa connected to our Christmas tree, and also the lights in my room,” Crowley said. “It makes it so much easier because I don’t have to get up to turn off my lights.”

“

“

it down, Siri. You’ve been replaced. Amazon Echos are taking over the artificial intelligence market, selling over 20 million Echos since its release in 2015, according to CIRP. Echos, or also known as “Alexa,” are devices that can help with anything from setting your morning alarm to checking the latest news. All you have to do is say “Alexa,” and ask away.

Nikki Mondo (‘21) has owned an Alexa for about a year and uses it frequently. “[I use Alexa] to listen to music, but sometimes my mom will ask what the weather is going to be,” Mondo said.

Amazon allows user to link their streaming service through the Alexa app. They offer companies like Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora.

Alexa can also answer factual questions and retrieve information from the internet. It’s understandable why so many students own Alexa’s-- it’s a convenient homework helper.

“I use it to ask about questions for homework,” Cassidy Chrest (‘22) said. Chrest owns three Alexas throughout her home.

Some may find the idea of a comprehensive, futuristic, robot device living in their home a bit unsettling. A conspiracy theory went viral a couple years after its release, claiming that Alexa’s are able to be accessed by the government. Since the device is always listening for the word “Alexa,” wouldn’t it hear other conversations too?

Things to ask Alexa: 1) “Alexa, who lives in a pineapple under the sea?”

2) “Alexa, who you gonna call?”

3) “Alexa, will you be my girlfriend?”

4) “Alexa, are we in the Matrix?”

5) “Alexa, who let the dogs out?”

6) “Alexa, what are you thinking about?”

7) “Alexa, flip a coin.”

8) “Alexa, rap for me.”

9) “Alexa, what happens if you step on a lego?”

10) “Alexa, how much do you weigh?”

Things to ask Google Home: All photos by Anna DeLibro

Above: The “Echo Dot” is a smaller product offered by Amazon, and a blue light will appear when the wake word “Alexa” is said. The first dot was released in 2015, and since then there have been three other generations of the echo released.

Left: The “Echo Plus” can do the same things as an “Echo Dot,” except this version comes with larger speakers and enhanced 360-degree audio. “[I use Alexa] to listen to music,” Nikki Mondo (‘21) said.

1) “Hey Google, sing me a song.”

2) “Okay Google, clean my room.”

3) “Hey Google, self-destruct.”

4) “Hey Google, do you speak morse code?”

5) “Okay Google, what do you think of Alexa?”

6) “Okay Google, what’s the best pickup line?”

7) “Hey Google, where’s Waldo?”

8) “Okay Google, test.”

9) “Okay Google, do you believe in Santa Claus?”

10) “Hey Google, what am I thinking?”

February 2019

FEATURES

Hereford Harbinger | 1 3

United States extreme weather calls for nationwide change

By Midori Day Reporter

Some people seem to carry the belief that global warming means temperatures in our weather are rising, but in reality, the overall climate of the Earth is what’s changing. According to the New York Times, weather describes what is happening on a much shorter scale than climate. Places like Maryland can still experience the different seasons and varying temperatures, but the cold weather will last for shorter periods. Temperatures may fluctuate throughout the seasons, but around the globe, the climate will increasingly become warmer.

Across the world, global warming has been directly affecting people, seen through extreme weather changes in this past year. According to the New York Times, 2016 marked the hottest year in history and it has only gotten worse. Although droughts are common, they have progressively gotten worse along with global warming.

On the other side of this matter, the East Coast has experienced double the rainfall than in past years. 2018 was the wettest year in cities in the East, including Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh (weather.com). These extreme weather changes are in part caused by global warming.

“As parts of our planet warm, evaporation increases and the warmer air has more capacity to hold more water,” science teacher Thomas Keller said. “Taken together, these factors have increased rainfall drastically in some parts of the country. Due to complex long-term weather patterns, other parts of the country have experienced severe droughts.”

These impacts are seen every day, as we’ve gone to school in the rain many times this past year, and we also see the weather change from snow in below freezing temperatures, to temperatures way above freezing the next week.

“The increase in these extreme weather patterns—which also relates to increases in devastating storms, and fires in drought areas, will continue to negatively affect peoples’ lives, property, and our economy,” Keller said.

Although extreme weather doesn’t directly prove the existence of global warming, global warming worsens extreme weather. The extreme weather we see today is most likely as intense as it is because of global warming.

Keller advises those experiencing this extreme weather to advocate with local politicians and policy-makers to put corrective climate change initiatives at the top of their agenda. If global warming continues at the rate it is occurring now, drastic changes will occur, affecting all living things on our planet.

There are also other ways in our everyday lives to help stop this issue. By powering homes with as many renewable sources as possible, such as solar panels and wind turbines, there will be less pollution in the air that contributes to global warming.

Although some renewable energies can be pricey, if affordable, it is a great way to help air pollution.

Saving water can also help to reduce carbon emissions. Using water, especially when hot, takes a lot of energy which then contributes to global warming. If people remember to take shorter showers and turn their water off when brushing their teeth, little by little, this will have a positive effect.

A website called Global Weirding allows people to interact and change global warming, showing users the different effects that may occur. If the user doesn’t change anything, events will worsen as the years pass by.

By 2030, there will be frequent waves that threaten human

health. By 2040, there will be an even greater risk of wildfires and extreme rainfall on the East Coast will worsen. If we move ahead to 2080, the increases in temperature will begin to affect food production. Because North America is a critical food source for the world, these impacts will be detrimental. By 2100, there will be mass extinction of species and an even more dramatic increase in wildfires.

Although it may seem like 2100 is far in the future, we are already seeing the impacts through extreme weather. This global issue affects everyone, so it is advised people all across the world start participating in stopping global warming.

Illustration by Amanda Rodier

1 4 | Hereford Harbinger

harbinger Hereford

Informing and entertaining the Hereford Zone Hereford High School 17301 York Road Parkton, MD 21120 410-887-1905 Volume 8 Issue 4 ADVISER Megan Hamilton EDITOR -IN-CHIEF Libby May MANAGING EDITOR Emily McNicholas EDITORS Katie Blair Lindsay Clarke Sydney Powell Katie Salko Mark Suchy Molly Szymanski ONLINE EDITORS Will Amos Paul Rapuzzi REPORTERS Will Amos Jen Barranco Sarah Borton Emma Charles Midori Day Anna DeLibro Olivia Holbrook Conor McCue Maggy McGuigan Rebecca Meldron Chloe Parker Halli Powers Paul Rapuzzi Sydney Watts BUSINESS MANAGERS Joe Inglisa Conor McCue ILLUSTRATORS Joe Inglisa Amanda Rodier Keegan Whittle VIDEOGRAPHER Keegan Whittle SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATORS Jen Barranco Chloe Parker

A member of the National Scholastic Press Association and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association CPSA recognition in Design Portfolio and Editorial Layout 2017

Online herefordharbinger.org E-mail hhsharbinger@bcps.org Twitter @HHarbinger Instagram @hharbinger Facebook Hereford Harbinger Students and faculty are encouraged to submit letters to the editor in Room M-224 or e-mail them to hhsharbinger@bcps.org. They may be edited for length and punctuation.

Each issue, Hereford Harbinger distributes up to 1000 papers to the school’s 1315 students and 110 faculty, local businesses, and the Hereford Zone community.

All funding comes from advertising.

The Harbinger encourages readers to patronize our advertisers.

Advertising Rates Full Page Half Page Quarter Page Eighth Page

1 Issue $300 $150 $75 $50

Half Year Full Year $1,200 $2,400 $600 $1,200 $400 $800 $200 $400

*This is the pricing for black and white ads.

Color ads are available at twice the cost.*

OPInion

February 2019

Our View: National holidays help us to cope The big holidays that come around once a month are exciting and everything but looking forward to Valentine’s Day every day after Jan. 1 gets kind of old. The grocery stores feed into our obsession with holidays by placing chocolates on the racks a whole six months before the actual holiday. Students are finding themselves checking their phones daily for national holidays to celebrate to get through everyday life- especially in the depressing winter months and dry holiday season after New Year’s.

After the winter break it seems the hallways are buzzing with the words “senioritis” and “summer vacation,” and it’s the perfect time to sigh and admit how done with school you are.

With little to look forward to, people tend to be drawn towards the simple holidays which help them get through the day. By simple holidays, I’m talking about the weird, funny, and random days which need appreciation too, and they might just spice up your day enough to get you to the next one.

Recently celebrated National Clean Off Your Desk Day may have inspired you to be organized and feel less stressed for 24 hours, while National Chocolate Cake Day may have allowed you to get a little more dessert in to satisfy a craving.

These simple holidays can help us push through daily life or challenge us with a new simple task every day.

Celebrating daily life is something difficult for people of all ages. The famous motto “live everyday like it’s your last”

is forgotten most days of year, and specifically when you’re trapped inside your house doing homework and attending to other needs. Look to the internet for the national holiday when in need of encouragement or something to look forward to.

Filling in this awkward gap of time before summer can be challenging, but using these little holidays to plan your week might make the time pass by faster or help you make more memories before the school year is already over once again.

Social Studies teacher, Ed Martin, puts the national holiday of the day on the bottom of the screen every drill to start out his classes. “[It’s] just a different way to start the day,” Martin said. “For example, today I would tell my classes ‘Good morning, and Happy Argyle Day and just give them a way they can greet someone that might not be the typical ‘Hey’ or ‘What’s up.’”

Some days, national holidays in February include National Pizza Day on the 9, National Make a Friend Day on the 11, and National Polar Bear Day on the 27. Grab some pizza, a polar bear, and invite a new friend over to celebrate getting through the ironic month of love. The second and shortest month of the year is not an easy one to get through alone, so whether it’s with a loved one for Valentine’s Day or making a new friend, use these tiny helpful motivators to get all the way through the month. You can do it! ­­­­

New campaign season brings new hope

By Molly Szymanski Opinion Editor

As much as I’d hate to think about 2020, bringing college acceptance letters and graduation, I’m comforted at the idea that it may bring about some progressive change to our executive branch.

What better way to ring in the new year, in the midst of making promises to ourselves in which we vow to go to the gym or stop impulsively buying arbitrary things, than by thinking of what change the next election season may bring?

As it is 2019, many politicians are beginning to ponder the idea of running for presidency in the upcoming election.

Rumors of potential candidates are flooding in all over the web, and American citizens are already trying to decide who has a chance at winning the primaries. “[Donald Trump] has such a devoted following that I think if he becomes the Republican candidate, he’ll have a good chance at winning in 2020” said Lilly King (‘19), a self-proclaimed conservative.

Many Americans see current president Donald Trump as the most viable option for a Re-publican candidate in the coming year. However, it isn’t hard to critique his behavior or choices made over the past two years that he could fine-tune to keep his incumbency.

“He needs to be more focused on the people and less on theatrics,” said King, “I’d like to see him [follow through] on his campaign promises.”

If Trump has yet to gain even slight approval from the more left-wing of us, then who would run against him? Whispers of potential favorites and big names in the Democratic Party such as Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts have been heard, but many others have come up as well.

Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) has closed down her campaign for governor of California for 2026, which many followers of the Democratic Party have taken as a sign that she may be running for presidency in 2020, according to POLITICO. “The Democratic Party needs new leadership, [and] because of that, I think Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren need to step aside. They’ve done amazing things for the U.S. Senate... but their time is up,” said Emma Wallner (‘19), who, since a young age, has involved herself

in progressive politics, “I think Beto O’Rourke, Kamala Harris, and Cory Booker can step up and affect real change and beat Donald Trump.” “[Sen. Warren] has all our best interests at heart and I think she’s willing to fight for the people” said Megan O’Donovan (‘20).

In 2015, she met Sen. Warren at the U.S. Capitol after winning the Prudential Spirit of Community in Massachusetts, and wishes well for her on the campaign trail.

Regardless of stances on policy, Democrats tend to agree that change is needed in the White House, seeing as a recent poll from Gallup shows the average party approval rating for Trump sits at 8%.

In order to remain incumbent, though, it’s clear that Trump may have to keep a close eye on the opposing party and maybe even make a few changes to the way he’s acting now. He has most Republicans wrapped around his finger. Yet still, he may find himself on thin ice past the primaries.

“The [Democratic National Convention] has two choices [for 2020]: they can go for a moderate or far left candidate. If they go moderate, Trump has no chance” said Trump policy supporter Ethan Scott (‘19).

This is incredibly true, despite the high approval ratings within his party; if Trump continues the way he is with shutting down the government for days on end to get money for a wall that, in my hum-

Illustration by Amanda Rodier

ble opinion, would be a waste of time and attention, he’ll be flying by the seat of his pants come November 2020.

It will be a toss-up, with the ball in the Democrat’s court. It’s on them, and on us as Americans, to decide the fate of our country in the coming years.

Hereford Harbinger | 1 5

Opinion

February 2019

Wake up, the future is now Illustration by Keegan Whittle

By Libby May Editor-in-Chief

Think back to elementary school. You were probably asked at some point in those six years to list several inventions you thought would arise in the next ten years. And what were they? Were they completely unfeasible and far-fetched?

That’s what I thought, too.

I can remember a few of the most popular items on the lists of my classmates, consisting of inventions like TVs capable of receiving and performing verbal commands, self-driving cars, robotic vacuums that lack the need for human control, watches that can call and text, and of course, flying cars.

Our teacher would read them to the class, an activity that prompted several oohs and aahs.

But, no matter how inspired we felt, they all seemed absolutely beyond bounds of possibility. We elementary schoolers were simply competing to think of the most ridiculous invention, one that none of us thought ever possible to be introduced.

Well, prepare to be amazed, second grade me.

In 2002, the Roomba, an autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner, was released by a manufacturing company called iRobot and can now be bought on Amazon.

In 2015, Comcast introduced the first Xfinity remote with voice control, and Apple released the first Apple Watch, capable of sending and receiving calls and texts, streaming from Apple Music and Apple Podcasts, and accessing the virtual assistant, Siri.

In 2020, self-driving, autonomous vehicles are expected to hit our roads in a noticeable way. The first driverless car was invented by a Swedish manufacturer in 1961, but will supposedly take steps closer to becoming the norm within the coming year.

And finally, something that has continued to be thought impossible has been invented: the flying car. First deliveries for the AeroMobil Flying Car are expected to go out by 2020 and are currently available for pre-order.

Each of these inventions had been responses to a teacher most likely curious to see what ridiculous answers his or her second grade students could come up with. But somewhere between five to fifteen years later, they became reality.

This idea can be scary and can sometimes cause anxiety.

Many of us see this fear in our teachers, parents, and grandparents especially that complain about Gen Z and our apparently mind-crippling technology habits, our overuse of toxic social media networks, and the decline of our social skills resulting from the bad, the ugly, smart phones.

But this anxiety about our quickly advancing world exceeds my grandfather’s complaints. It has developed as our world has, and is now referred to as “future shock.”

Urban Dictionary defines future shock as the inability to adapt psychologically to rapid and novel advances and changes.

Alvin Toffler, author of the 1970 book “Future Shock,” coined the phrase and defines it as the personal perception of too much change in too short a period of time.

Although the term was originally established in 1970, it has become increasingly popular as technological change has continued to grow. No doubt, the release of flying cars— among other factors—would prompt this. Airborne cars were even viewed magical enough to appear in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” so you can’t blame people for thinking the release into the muggle world is absurd and for arguing against the invention for fear that our world is advancing too quickly.

It’s a valid feeling that shouldn’t be dismissed. But, as new generations enter the real world with their ideas about flying God-knows-whats, it’s crucial to keep an open mind.

After all, everything new seems unconventional and unwonted until it becomes the norm.

Don’t chase love for Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day: the most overrated day of the year. I’m not saying this because I’m bitter and lonely; I’m very content (holla to all my single ladies). Maybe I’m a little biased beBy Emma Charles cause I’ve never been one to Reporter swoon over all that mushy, “couple goals,” “VSCO worthy” nonsense, but Valentine’s day makes me cringe harder than an episode of “Dr. Pimple Popper” (which is actually kind of entertaining though; I recommend.

Channel 38 on Xfinity).

Anyway, back to the point. We are in high school. HIGH SCHOOL. When you hand your significant other their box of chocolates and the card with all the I love yous scrawled across it, does is really feel genuine? Boys and girls, as 15-18 year old kids, we are running off of hormones and more hormones, and I doubt you truly love this person and are going to wind up marrying them. Sure, there are the few high-school-sweetheart exceptions, and you’ll run off and grow old together, but otherwise high school relationships are more of a social status thing.

Look around you. You can tell the difference. There are the couples that’ve been together for years and yes, truly, genuinely have something special. But then, there’s the rest of them. The couples where, oh this dude wanted to get some, and this chick felt left out not getting to post those cute couple pics. Boom.

Relationship. Problem solved.

Obviously, it’s not quite that simple. I just feel bad for the people who get so caught up in chasing a guy they like or win-

ning the girl, only to start something and be heartbroken when they go separate ways for college.

And I’m not saying at all that I’m above this, I’ve obsessed over numerous guys. If you know me, you know that. I’m just saying that after completing three years of high school, you realize different priorities should come first. And Valentine’s Day brings out some of the most ridiculous sides of people.

I know I’m not going to be the only one hearing some of my friends complain that they’re #ForeverAlone on Feb. 14. But really what makes one day of the year so different from all of the others? This applies to people in relationships and out of relationships. The implied significance of a certain day shouldn’t make you happier or sadder than a normal day. And if you’re in a relationship, shouldn’t you be showing someone you care every day? It shouldn’t take society giving you a designated day for you to be able to appreciate your mans/woman.

I don’t know, man. I just think, being as we’re teenagers and going through so many changes during our high school years, the number one priority should be bettering yourself and improving who you are as a person, without stressing about things you probably won’t even care about after these four years.

Go out, experience things, meet new people every weekend. Valentine’s Day to me represents the close minded, comfort of finding something and being too scared to reach out of your comfort zone, plus a lot of cheesy Instagram posts. You do you, but just make it meaningful and not something you’ll look back on and think “Wow, I wasted a whole lot of time.” It’s 2K19 baby, be the best you, not the one who prays for the validation of receiving a huge $40 teddy bear.

Rural scenery and cornfields are a blessing

Illustration by Olivia Holbrook

By Olivia Holbrook Reporter

Growing up in Baltimore city, then moving to the Hereford Zone in seventh grade was a bit of a shock at first. Instead of row houses there were rows of corn and soy beans. But I soon became a country girl of sorts, minus the boots and camo.

There is a physical freedom that comes with living in a rural area.

In the city, I could not run in my neighborhood, but I can run for miles on wooded trails around the school and my house. After school for the past four years, I have run quite a few of the trails with my teammates, with trail names like BOB, Quarry, Pink, and Ridge to name a few. There are others with more eccentric names like Mingo and Barn (there is no barn - only a silo) and an aptly named “mystery trail.” I have also run to the Prettyboy Dam from the high school, a run that involves boulder-hopping and

multiple river crossings- totaling roughly eleven miles of hilly terrain.

The freedom of discovery is also fostered by the rural environment. The other week, I discovered some pretty impressive rock formations off of Big Falls road, and a beautiful waterfall.

I do not think any other school in Baltimore County or even Maryland has access to nature the way we do. The freedom of space allows for a marvelous experience after being locked up all day in school.

If I run in college, I am afraid it will not live up to the experience I have had here because running on pavement is a completely different experience.

I do not love the smell of a field freshly sprayed with manure as it sticks to my clothes and burns my nose.

But I would not trade it for anything.

I love the smell of freshly cut hay and the river on a particularly hot day.

In the summer, you can tube down the Gunpowder or swim at Hillbilly beach: a Hereford zone tradition of sorts, one that will feel like a dream when I go to college.

At times, the cornfields can be oppressive, trapping heat and other times they shelter you from the wind on a blustery autumn day. So embrace the cornfields, make use of the beauty that surrounds us every day.

16 | Hereford Harbinger

In Focus

February 2019

All photos provided by Conor Dias

Dias stretches before his game to get ready to play in goal. His team and he won the game 7-1 against the opponent.

Get a Glimpse: Conor Dias Conor Dias (’22) has been playing ice hockey since he was in elementary school and he is the first in his family to pick up the sport.

At eight-years-old, a Washington Capitals game that he attended sparked his interest in ice hockey.

“I decided I would like to start playing and try it out,” Dias said.

Dias played for the recreational league for many years until he decided to play for the Baltimore Stars, a U16 travel team.

For his team, and for most of his years playing the sport, Dias has played in the goal.

“I’ve been a goalie for six years,” Dias said. “The first year I played defense.” “[As goalie], you always get a lot of action and you don’t have to switch on and off the ice,” Dias said. “It’s awesome because I get to play the full game.”

For Dias, the ice hockey season begins around September and ends in March.

“Our home rinks are at Reisterstown Sportsplex and Mount Pleasant Ice Arena, which is in the city,” Dias said. “We have two games every weekend, on Saturdays and Sundays. [We have] practices on Wednesdays.”

He used to play soccer, but now his full focus for sports is on ice hockey.

“I used to play soccer a few years ago, but I kind of just do it as a hobby now,” Dias said.

Dias’ favorite National Hockey League team is the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals.

When he isn’t playing hockey himself, Dias stays involved with the sport by occasionally coaching younger children who play.

“I took a coaching course and coached some of the younger kids,” Dias said. “I may do some more coaching in the future, and maybe some refereeing.”

Aside from ice hockey, Dias is involved in activities within our school.

“I do It’s Academic during lunches with Mr. Foster,” Dias said. “[It consists of] trivia questions including chemistry, math, geography, history, and more.”

He also was one of the few students who were chosen to meet with Superintendent Verletta White do discuss current issues and topics in the public school system.

“We got to talk to her and ask her questions, basically about current stuff in the school system,” Dias said.

Dias reinforces that his favorite part about ice hockey is “the action; it’s a quick moving-sport so you always get to do something and that’s what I like about it.”

Standing in the goal, Dias plays in one of his ice hockey games. After they won the game, Dias’ team was ranked first in the leauge.

Illustration by Katie Blair and Emma Charles