Hewlett Spectrum October 2019-2020

The Independent Voice of George W. Hewlett High School

HEWLETT SPECTRUM

Volume LXVIII No 1

Inside:

Art by Shari Nudelman

Hurricane Dorian Strikes

Page 8

Art by Zoe Ng

Green’s Machines: Fire HD Page 11

Courtsey of Asma Rasheed

Hewlett’ Homecoming Page 12 & 13

Art by Randel Placino

And the Award Goes to...

Page 18

60 Everit Avenue Hewlett, New York

Monday, November 4, 2019

National Merit Semifinalists

by Vickie Evola On Sept. 11, 2019, the National Merit Semifinalists for the 2020 National Merit Scholarship were finally announced. Nine students in the Five Towns were announced as semifinalists, three of whom are current seniors at George W. Hewlett High School. Tina Zheng and Rachel Miller were named Commended National Merit Scholars and Alex Tang, David Vilensky and Jack I. Hoffman, with great honor, were named the semifinalists for this year’s National Merit Scholarship. The winners of the National Merit Scholarships are determined through their Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (P.S.A.T./N.M.S.Q.T.) scores - Commended National Merit Scholars are juniors who scored in roughly the top 3.3 percent of all juniors who took the test in the state that year, and National Merit Semifinalists are juniors who scored in roughly the top 1.1 percent of all juniors who took the test in the state that year.

This year, 1.5 million students applied for National Merit Scholarships, but only 16,000 were selected as semifinalists. Semifinalists are chosen in September of their senior year, and then, sometime between March and mid-June, 7,500 of the Semifinalists are chosen as National Merit Scholarship winners.

National Merit Scholarships vary based on sponsors. Coming from themselves, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (N.M.S.C.) offers around 2,500 scholarships, each one being worth about $2,500 in merit aid to all winners.

However, N.M.S.C. also offers college-spon-

sored scholarships, which typically offer roughly $2,000 a year to 4,000 of the winners. The third type of scholarship offered by N.M.S.C. consists of another 1,000 scholarships, which are sponsored by other corporations. These scholarships can be one-time scholarships worth $5,000, annually-renewable scholarships worth $10,000 and everything in between.or can be renewed at an amount of $500 to $10,000 a year.

by Shari Nudelman On Sept. 16, 2019, tragedy struck the town of Oceanside as 16-year-old Morris lay bleeding to death in the parking lot of a Long Island strip mall, just blocks away from Oceanside High School.

Over the summer, Morris and his family had moved from the neighboring town of Freeport in hopes of providing Morris with a new community in which to express himself.

His family wanted Morris to be part of a better school environment, as reported by his 22 yearold sister, Kadeemah. Morris’ mother provided insight into Morris’s life: the young teenager was invested in art, fashion and skateboarding, with aspirations to study photography in the future. The Oceanside community did not solely lose a brother or son, but also a friend of many.

Morris’s social media presence was nothing short of vibrant, he consistently boasted a smile while taking comical photos with his friends.

Though, it appears that Morris did not have a single friend among the 50 teenagers who stood by the stabbings.

According to Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick of the Nassau County Police Department, the fight was initiated over a conflict regarding a girl and her love interest at the time. Kadeemah Morris reported to The New York Times that on the Sunday prior to his death, Morris had accompanied a sophomore girl home as per her request. Morris’s mother had suspicions that the girl’s hidden agenda was to evoke jealousy from an ex-boyfriend. The following day, these suspicions became a reality as Morris received a direct threat from the girl’s ex-boyfriend.

Morris attempted to ignore the threat, defending himself and adamantly stating that he had walked the girl home with innocent intentions. The ex-boyfriend disregarded Morris’ words, and proceeded to attack Morris in the strip mall parking lot that afternoon at approximately 3:30 p.m. Morris had been hanging out with a group of his friends when witness reports claim a car arrived, and a gang of boys sprang into violence. The police arrived at the scene a half an hour later, rushing Morris to the hospital

Courtesy of William Galati

Though the National Merit Scholarship offers a large amount of aid along with collegesponsored scholarships, not all colleges offer scholarships specifically sponsored by them; colleges like Yale University do not offer a cent of merit sponsorships to National Merit Scholarship winners (although they do accept National Merit Scholarships).

National Merit Scholarships reward academically driven high school students for their high achievements. However, the steps to becoming a National Merit Scholar are not easy. In October of their junior year, those who wish to apply must take the P.S.A.T./N.M.S.Q.T. The applicants must then receive a top score,

which is reviewed on a statescale, and then the top scorers in the state move on to the next level of competition. However, since the scores are reviewed by the state, qualifying scores will be different based on the state. Applicants who score in the top 1.1 percent of juniors in their state then become semifinalists and represent their state for the scholarship. Applicants are still also required to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (S.A.T.) after receiving their semifinalist score on the P.S.A.T./N.M.S.Q.T., however, to ensure that they are truly deserving of their semifinalist title. There is no set number needed for the S.A.T. score, but it must at least roughly resemble the applicant’s P.S.A.T./N.M.S.Q.T. score.

Applicants who are eligible for the National Merit Scholarship are those whose P.S.A.T./N.M.S.Q.T. scores fall within the Selection Index. The Selection Index involves weighting component scores to determine eligibility. 15,000 of the 16,000 semifinalists move onto the finalist round. Based on the factors of the applicant, such as their P.S.A.T./N.M.S.Q.T. and S.A.T. scores, a recommendation from a principal, a personal essay and an academic transcript, 7,500 applicants of the finalists are then named winners. Leadership roles and consistent extra-curricular activities that display great efforts of interaction, assertiveness and creativity are vital components in setting one semifinalist apart from another.

Once again, we would like to congratulate this year’s semifinalists! Your hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed, and we wish you the best of luck moving forward!

Oceanside Overcomes Tragedy

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where he later passed away from his injuries, particularly a fatal stab to the chest.

What rattles the community most is the fact that not a single soul stepped in to aid Morris, despite 50 teenagers being present at the scene of the crime. The bystanders either joined the fight or stood helplessly videotaping Morris’ brutal beating and death. None rushed to his defense or thought to call authorities.

“They videoed his death instead of helping him,” Detective Fitzpatrick said to The New York Times. “This can’t go on. Your friends are dying while you stand there and video it? That’s

egregious.”

The video footage was posted on Snapchat and other social media platforms, depicting Morris being stabbed after collapsing to the ground, no aid in sight.

Seven teenagers from Long Beach have been arrested as a result of this attack. On the day of the violence, 18 year-old Tyler Flach of Lido Beach was identified as the teenager who stabbed Morris in the chest and caused his death. He was arraigned and charged with second-degree murder in the event. The accompanying seven teenagers are facing gang assault charges, two being excluded from adult conviction due to age. Five of the seven names have been released and are as follows: 17-year-olds Taj Woodruff and Sean Merritt, 18-year-old Marquis Stephens Jrand Javonte Neals and 19-year-old Haakim Mechan. More arrests may arise in the coming days, as police are still investigating.

Superintendent Phyllis Harrington of Oceanside High School commented on the tragic incident.

“The way we are going to get through this is by pulling together,” Harrington said.

The community came together for “one last ride,” where friends and family rode skateboards in commemoration of Morris and his love of skateboarding.

A life lost. Eight brought to justice. Memorials held outside of the pizza parlor where Morris saw his last ray of sun. One can only hope that a tragedy such as this never occurs again, and that the community will only become stronger in protection, brotherhood and love. Put down the knife, and put down the phones.

Opinions THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF GEORGE W. HEWLETT HIGH SCHOOL

HEWLETT SPECTRUM

2

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Senior's Stress over Looming Deadlines

If any senior is asked how their college applications are going, they will most likely give a unanimous answer: brutal. George W. Hewlett High School is comprised of highly

editorial motivated, competitive students. Because of the constant pressure of the competitive environment, many students feel as if they should keep all of their college application plans a secret. If you tell someone your idea for an essay, will they take it and write it as their own? Will someone change where they are applying early because they found out that someone else is not applying there? If you tell someone where you are applying early, will they interrogate you to find out if you got in?

These are just some of the endless reasons why students do not share certain aspects of their application processes.

Of course, it is impressive that Hewlett High School boasts its relatively high rates of achievement, including graduation rates consistently in the high 90s, roughly 95% of graduates pursuing post-secondary education and 85% of students taking college level and/or AP classes. But, with high achievement, it is inevitable that high levels of competition and stress will also be present.

For many, the high level of competition invites more stress. People often become self-conscious, wondering if

they could get in over their peers. Competition is good in moderation, as it fuels students to do better. However, too much competition can lead to unhealthy behaviors, high levels of stress and even lack of self-esteem. This dangerous competition can bring out the worst in people, potentially even convincing students to try to get an edge over their peers, which could involve cheating on tests or purposefully putting fellow students down for no apparent reason.

Additionally, the competition makes students worry about their grades; when asked, students might not respond because feel their grades are too low, leading to more secrecy. Lying about grades is not uncommon at Hewlett High School. When someone shares a grade on their AP AB Calculus test, their ACT or SAT score or their grade on the latest AP Literature essay, it can be taken multiple ways: some may feel intimidated by the student’s advanced workload; many take the news with a grain of salt, knowing that it might be exaggerated.

“I feel like I just should not share anything about the college process with anyone because everything in our school feels like a competition,” an anonymous student said. “Who scored higher on standardized tests? Who takes more advanced classes? Who has less hours in the day to finish their homework? I feel like

sometimes the competition is even who has more work.”

This leaves many wondering: why do the students feel this way? The explicit answer is the competitive environment. For the implicit answer, one must dig deeper into that competitive environment.

The unhealthy competition and stress levels present among students, especially seniors, is exacerbated by the rapid spreading of rumors.

Outsiders would be surprised to hear the rumors surrounding the college process. Everything from “If I don’t take eight AP classes my senior year, I won’t get into any colleges,” to “If I take a lunch period, the admissions officers will think I’m unintelligent,” can be heard in the halls. Students who hear these types of rumors oftentimes become more stressed, feeling like they must add to their already-difficult course load. Therefore, students load their schedules with advanced courses that they have little to no interest in, but believe will add evidence of this aforementioned rigor to their schedules.

When students take classes out of fear and not interest, learning becomes an unpleasant chore instead of a time for growth and discovery.

On top of all of that, the parents also frequently play an unfortunately-large role in augmenting the stress of the students during the college admissions process. Sometimes, parents will question other stu-

dents’ parents about their child’s plans for college. Questioning parents on what their child got on the ACT, what their GPA is or even where they plan on applying. In short, the competition is exacerbated by the parents as much as it is by the students themselves.

The relationship between parents and their children is often tested during the application process. While some parents are less involved, other parents can be extremely intrusive and overbearing. Involved parents tend to share their ideas about where students should apply, further stressing out those students.

During this emotional time, all students truly need is guidance, support and encouragement from their parents, but to a limited extent. College admissions is a rite of passage for students, and they need to make the wisest decisions possible. In order to do this, students need a safety net to fall back on- their parents.

Senior year should be a time of encouragement and excitement. Senior year should be about spending the last year of high school with your closest friends or finally getting to take those interesting classes that are only available to juniors or seniors. Instead, senior year is one of the most stressful and challenging times that students face. At a time when all we want to do is slow down and appreciate our last year at home, we are forced to work harder than ever and are pushed in ways that we never have been before.

CONTACT HEWLETT SPECTRUM

HEWLETT SPECTRUM RACHEL MILLER, Editor-in-Chief

RACHEL MILLER, Co-News Editor VICTORIA EVOLA, Co-News Editor GINA CARRILLO, Co-Assistant News Editor GABRIELLE NAKKAB, Co-Assistant News Editor JACK I. HOFFMAN, Op-Ed Editor EMMA VAN STEERTEGEM, Assistant Op-Ed Editor HAILEY KAMPTON, Co-After Hours Editor SHANZEH SADIQ, Co-After Hours Editor ARIELLA ZIARNO, Assistant After Hours Editor SARAH KREVANS, Co-Entertainment Editor TRACY DAVIDSON, Co-Entertainment Editor DANI AUERBACH, Co-Assistant Entertainment Editor AMANDA SANON, Co-Assistant Entertainment Editor

JONNY MILLER, Sports Editor MOLLY WILLIAMS, Assistant Sports Editor MICHAEL GREEN, Technology Editor AVIKAR KHAKH, Assistant Technology Editor ASMA RASHEED, Layout Editor ELIZABETH BALZAC, Assistant Layout Editor ALEX BRESLAV, Copy Editor A.J. MINZER, Assistant Copy Editor RANDEL PLACINO, Art Editor ZOE NG, Assistant Art Editor KIRA GROSSMAN, Co-Photo Editor JULIA KLAYMAN, Co-Photo Editor JULIE KOBAK, Assistant Photo Editor ANNA BROMFELD, Business Editor RACHEL KSHONZ, Assistant Business Editor

Reporting/Copy/Layout Staff: Layla Ahmad, Shahood Ahmad, Tauba Ashrafi, Kayla Azinge, Lily Cohen, Ethan Eisenberg, Muiz Hussain, Liam Kaminsky, Danna Kutcher, Alex Kesin, Lauren Ledon, Divya Maharaj, Belle Nahoom, Alex Niyazov, Shari Nudelman, Sahar Paz, Gabriela Pesantez, Bella Rabin, Ofir Riskovich, Mitchell Silverman, Jordana Sirlin, Abbie Soltanovich, Tate Steinberg, Jude Tomas, Adam Tzach, Boris Yakubov, Elizabeth Zemlyansky Art/Photo Staff: Samantha Almonte, Hailey Kampton, Zoe Ng, Shari Nudelman, Karaline Talty

SPECTRUM POLICY Spectrum is a member of the American Scholastic Press Association (ASPA), Journalism Education Association (JEA), and Quill & Scroll. Spectrum will not publish material that the editors and advisers deem to be obscene, libelous, disruptive to civic order or an invasion of privacy. Neither notes nor articles should be reviewed by anyone other than Spectrum editors and advisers prior to publication. Material cannot be prohibited because it criticizes school practices or policies. Editorials are the unsigned opinions of the entire editorial board of Spectrum. For each issue, a subject that is generally covered elsewhere in the newspaper is also covered in an editorial. Although the editorial is generally written by one or two members of the editorial board, the opinion must ref lect the views of the majority of the editors whose names are listed on the masthead. Editorials are read, discussed, revised and voted on by the entire editorial board of Spectrum.

Spectrum follows The New York Times and Associated Press formats in reference to sources or subjects: full name on first reference; last name only on future reference. Spectrum refers to grade levels of individual students by their year of graduation: seniors, ’19; juniors, ’20; sophomores, ’21; and freshmen, ’22.

Spectrum accepts advertising based on the following per-issue rates: $20, business card; $30, 1/8 page; $50, 1/4 page; $80, half-page and $150, full-page. A year covers six issues.

LETTERS AND OPINION POLICY

Spectrum encourages members of the school community to express their views through letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and sent to either the Spectrum mailbox in the main office or letters@hewlettspectrum.com. No unsigned letters will be printed; however, names will be withheld upon request. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for space and clarity. Letters to the editor and opinion columns do not reflect the opinions of the editors.

The stressful environment of Hewlett High School is unhealthy. The expectations that are placed on all students, especially seniors, are extremely high, leading to intense pressure and anxiety. There is no question that something has to be done to reduce the stressors placed on students in high school, especially during the application process. The question is: how can this stress be allevitated?

Students have several ideas on how to alleviate the stressors of senior year. Parents should take a step back and evaluate whether or not all of this stress and pressure is worth it. In a time when it is no longer acceptable to push mental health to the back burner, we must be more conscious than ever to ensure that students are dealing with their stress in the right way.

Students are not saying that seniors should not be getting homework; however, maybe it is time for teachers to reevaluate the type of homework that they are giving and assign more essential homework rather than busy work. Finally, to students, it is imperative for all of you to realize that everything will work out. All of the hard work that has been put in for the past four years will pay off.

We wish all of our seniors the best of luck in the application process, but we also encourage all of you to take a step back and try to enjoy your final year of High School.

EDITOR editor@hewlettspectrum.com

RICK ROYALS, Co-faculty Adviser rroyals@hewlett-woodmere.net

ROSEMARIE ABRIGNANI, Co-faculty Adviser rabrignani@hewlett-woodmere.net

TABLE OF CONTENTS OP-ED

New York City: "What is the 1st Amendment?"......................................................3 Making Music Mean More........................................................................4 Why Punitive Parents Stunt Success...................................................................5

NEWS AND FEATURES

Remembering John Sabu....................................................................6 New Teachers.................................................................................................7 United Nations Reacts to Climate Change ..........................................................8

TECHNOLOGY

Discussing Big Data: Strata Data Conference....................................................9 Crafting CrewDragon.......................................................................10 Defeating Hackers at Def Con 27......................................................................11

AFTER HOURS

Bulldog Spirit, Let Us Hear It!..................................................12-13 Clubs Welcome New Members........................................................15 Festive Celebrations For All .................................................................16

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Cameron Boyce's Legacy Lives On….....................................................17 And the Award Goes To...................................................................18 Couple Calls it Quits.................................................................19 Shawn and Camila Go Public.................................................................20

SPORTS

Crossing the Finish Line.............................................................................21 Footbal Looks to Turn Heads.........................................................22 NFL Fails to Disappoint.................................................................................23

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Opinions 3

New York City: “What is the 1st Amendment?”

by Jack I. Hoffman With another presidential election upon us and renewed political polarization with it, fear-mongering and manipulation has slipped back into the norm of civil discourse. As expected, candidates make sweeping, over-exaggerated claims about their political opponents: whether it be that Trump is a white supremacist seeking to “make America white again,” that the Democrats want to “take away all of your guns” or anything in between. However, one “wild” claim – once dogma – that conservatives have often leveled against progressives has recently become the dark reality of New York City. In a shocking betrayal of core American values, it is clear that mainstream progressive politics has come to promote the idea whose absence has allowed their continued growth in American politics: censorship.

New York has long been the epicenter of progressivism, political activism and liberal political experimentation. Even during the most tumultuous of times, it was the absolutism of free speech that permitted to the evolution of New York as a beacon of acceptance, tolerance and hope. Movements such as the Civil Rights Movement, the Stonewall Riots, Occupy Wall Street, the Women’s March and March for Our Lives all capitalized on the freedom of speech protected by

the First Amendment to the Constitution.

The ability to voice unpopular, challenging opinions without recourse is largely what has defined the nation’s character throughout its history, and it is what has enabled movements such as the ones listed above to thrive and affect meaningful change in the country and the world. Unfortunately, it is evident that New York has lost sight of this.

Why? Because the city government of New York banned words that it dislikes, and I mean that with no hyperbolic intent. According to National Broadcasting Company (N.B.C.) News, as of Sept.

25, “using the terms ‘illegal alien’ or ‘illegals’ with ‘intent to demean, humiliate or harass a person’ in New York City is against the law.” Firstly, this new law damages the safety of illegal immigrants who it purports to protect. By disallowing the accurate description of an entire group of society, the law will serve as an additional outlet with which to demonize illegal immigrants as a group that wishes to subvert American values and feed off of the system. Although this is not fully true, manipulating law to conform to emotions at the expense of the Constitution is unacceptable and sets a damaging precedent.

Further, the new law is a perverse and unmistakable condemnation of America’s founding principles. The first assertion of the American demand for freedom of speech and the press came with the Zenger case in 1734, in which John Peter Zenger, a journalist, was accused of libel by the then-governor of New York.

However, a jury acquitted Zenger because the charges against him were based on his contentious opinions - not untrue statements. That very symbol of free

expression that has so deeply influenced American history occurred in New York City, the very city that has now turned a blind eye to its own history. The censorship of words, especially the accurate descriptor “illegal immigrant,” is rooted in a disturbing far-left attempt to pander their ever radical electorate by silencing their opposition, and it degrades the history of New York City as a valiant defender of free expression.

The law’s qualification for enforcement, as aforementioned, is an “intent to demean, humiliate or harass a person,” a wholly general and purposefully subjective judgement. This allows those in power to use selective enforcement against their opposition. At a time when mainstream activist organizations accuse Jewish conservative media personalities of being Nazis, politicians claim that enforcing voter identification laws is a return to white rule and the mainstream media repeatedly concludes that the president is racist while purporting to remain objective, it is clear that those in power cannot be blindly trusted to fairly judge intent (not to say that such a practice is even possible). When the powerful are entrusted with undue power, this power is ultimately always abused for personal gain; this is the imperative of the First Amendment. When legal language is unspecific and seeks to restrict free expression, a slippery slope is created whereby censorship is normalized.

With this, the substance of civil discourse becomes a function of who is in power, and the pervasive power of free speech is subsequently vastly diminished.

In other “democratic” countries that have experimented with the regulation of speech, such as Germany, the United King-

dom and more, dangerous effects have been felt. Journalists have been imprisoned for criticizing certain religions, professionals have been punished for refusing to agree that men can get pregnant too and others have been fined for misgendering those around them by refusing to use their “preferred pronouns.” While all of these are legitimately debatable issues, each with complexity and nuance that cannot be genuinely explored in just a few short sentences, it should be universally selfevident that all positions on each of these issues should be legal to express. When one issue - such as illegal immigration in New York - is targeted, the practice of criminalizing unfavorable words is normalized, and the only limitation on further regulation is the contemporaneous popular view of the substance of other issues; the wall of overriding principle no longer exists. In New York, we see the beginning stages of this cycle, and it undoubtedly represents a constitutional crisis.

And the punishment for daring to utter unapproved words in an ambiguously defined manner? A fine up to $250,000.

Yes, it is true; perhaps the greatest city in the world will charge political dissidents over five times the national median per capita income as punishment for hurting its feelings. Or, more honestly, for threatening its leaders’ power. This clear practice of intimidating political opponents and punishing them when they act out is unprecedented in modern American history. This is an effective return to the Sedition Act of 1798. This is a perversion of the Constitution. This is a legal travesty.

And with it, sans federal judicial intervention or massive political retaliation, the First Amendment will die.

by Emma Van Steertegem Insurmountable warfare, brutality and devastation have marked the majority of human history and have propelled forward, however painstakingly, the relative peace and prosperity enjoyed in contemporary times.

With the passage of World War II, fascism was essentially eliminated, and by the conclusion of the 20th century, communism was similarly discarded. What remained - liberalism - expressed history as a clash between tyrannical despots and one’s individual freedoms. In the years immediately following its broader adoption, liberalism was internalized as a signal of countries’development, and more significantly, it was exalted as a decisive partition between the suffering preceding it and the success that surely laid ahead of it. However, with the passage of the 2008 financial crisis, reverence for liberalism has faded, and, gradually, humanity has backslidden.

America and the United Kingdom veer towards isolationist policies, Russia idealizes elements of previous tsarist regimes and fundamentalist Israeli Jews fantasize about instating Biblical law.

Ultimately, illiberal movements place the framework for global democracy into question.

Liberalism constitutes the fabric of most developed nations, with discussions suggesting illiberal ideas occurring due to liberalism’s guidelines, which call for intellectual and individual freedoms.

Despite this, such radical impulses to liberalism

are understandable upon considering the broader scope of liberalism’s failures and hypocrisies.

The majority of leftist anti-liberals contend that liberalism is inherently contradictory, and for that reason, bound for failure. This contradiction exists due to the simultaneous commitment to self-determination and a free, capitalistic market.

In such a market, individual rights are formally maintained, yet the absence of collective rights holds implications for the economy in its entirety.

This selectivity of democratic constraint results in massive wealth inequality, which subsequently infringes upon liberalism’s promises for democracy. Such leftist anti-liberals do not counter liberal democracy, but, as they perceive it, attempt to strengthen liberalism’s allegiance to personal freedoms.

In contrast, conservative anti-liberals dispute central liberal values concerning individual freedom; while they do consider an unregulated economy to be a betrayal to liberal values, they also perceive the means used to pursue liberalism as an infringement upon liberalism itself. With decreased participation in social clubs, higher divorce rates and lower birth rates, it is quite evident that liberalism withers the family and community bonds required for genuine personal security. Unfettered capitalism drives social groups apart into various looming, lonely big cities, thus cultivating feelings of powerlessness and insecurity. Most significantly, however, anti-liberals emphasize the disparity between liberalism’s claims involving personal freedom alongside its harsh, intolerant methods of censoring belief systems that challenge it. This theme is particularly consistent in the political dimensions of liberalism, as ideas concerning political correctness and the absolute obligation of all to adhere to the parameters of such correctness have recently emerged. Due to their discontent,

anti-liberals have pursued localist policies in which they attempt to engage in small-scale community building. However, broader nationalist ideas advocate for the reconstruction of entire governments along illiberal lines that actively oppose liberalism.

Despite its expansive array of imperfections, both I and the majority of the world continue to hold tremendous faith in the fundamental principles of liberalism. Liberalism is not by any means a neat resolution to humanity’s woes, but it is still the least flawed of all other alternatives. The criticism that liberalism faces, particularly from the leftist and moderate right-leaning anti-liberals, serves as valuable commentary concerning everincreasing wealth gaps and the impact that an increasingly-capitalistic economy may bear over citizens’ well-being. In my opinion, several of the criticisms and proposals set forth by intensely right-leaning anti-liberals are unsound, incompatible and unrealistic with contemporary society.

The wealth gaps discussed amongst antiliberal leftists may be reduced by implementing areas of democratic socialism into American economic life. Currently, a tiny, elite group of corporate executives have the ability to make economic decisions that will affect millions. Under democratic socialism, worker-owned cooperatives and enterprises would decrease centralization and the need for state-ownership. While unregulated capitalism forces millions to sacrifice certain personal freedoms for the benefit of an elite few, economic socialism requires equally as many people to sacrifice a few freedoms for the benefit of the vast majority; in this respect, economic socialism is a much more effective pillar of liberalism than capitalism.

Moderate right-leaning anti-liberals also raise worthwhile criticisms concerning the impact of capitalism over individuals’ well-being.

While pre-capitalistic community and family bonds should not be glorified or recognized as the determiner of life satisfaction, the harsh competitiveness fostered under capitalism may contribute to a lack of workers’ well-being. As Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) continues to make groundbreaking progress, the waves of anticipated job loss will require jobs to be redefined. Hopefully, jobs from which workers can derive clearer meaning, such as caring for a child while receiving subsidized governmental funds, will become more commonplace in an A.I. dominated future.

Conservative anti-liberals believe in several ideas that are faulty, which is most notably their claim involving the incompatibility between the means used to bolster liberalism and liberalism itself. Group politics are commonly employed as the epitome of this incompatibility, with the example of college students who advocate for “safe spaces” and “trigger words” being frequently cited.Yet, the means used to secure further personal freedoms, or overcome perceived oppression, do not spite or betray the tenets of liberalism but demonstrate its power. Beyond the handful of overzealous college students, the freedom liberalism provides has allowed peaceful organization around group identity. Movements like Black Lives Matter are devoted to liberal notions of egalitarianism, while 4 million Americans joined in solidarity for the 2017’s Women’s March.

Historically, liberalism’s strength lies in its ability to swiftly accommodate the demands of a persistently changing world. As criticism mounts and liberalism deteriorates, liberalism must align itself with certain socialist ideas, particularly on the economy. Humanity must prevent periods of temporary, resolvable dissatisfaction from slipping into a darker, all-encompassing state of perpetual conflict and divisions.

jack’s judgements

Embracing a New Type of Liberalism

emma’s evaluations

4 Opinions

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Making Music Mean More

by Gabrielle Nakkab This summer, I went to camp in Israel. For roughly one week, I lived in the dorms of Alexander Muss High School. I loved the school and I even considered an abroad program with them for a semester this year. But here I am.

Still a student at George.W. Hewlett High School. What made me change my mind? It is simple. I did not want to give up being a part of Hewlett High School’s Music Department.

Hewlett High School’s Music Department is remarkable, to say the least. As a student who grew up in the district, I only realized how many opportunities we have in the arts when I traveled to Israel. We performed in Montreal, Carnegie Hall and are going to parade the streets of Disney. While some may view this differently, I find these accomplishments tremendously impressive. Performing at this level, however, is not something that is just handed to us; we have to sing and play at a certain caliber.

Hewlett musicians are held to an extremely high standard, especially the highest level groups. Overall, the most prestigious ensembles include Concert Chorale, Wind Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra. In each of these ensembles we are challenged with college-level music, just like Advanced Placement (AP) Biology and AP European History students are given college-level work.

However, when you look on the course guide, these classes are assigned the letters “A” and “P” in front of them and the

aforementioned music courses do not.

I am not trying to get ahead of myself and ask for an AP weight to be applied to these courses. Rather, let us start by placing an honors weight on the highest music courses.

Most people who are opposed to this assume that music classes are a joke or people take music classes just to boost their average. Are constant hours of practicing for our playing tests a joke?

Is standing in front of our peers and singing our parts in quartets a joke? Hewlett musicians earn their grade just as any honors or AP student does, and everyone in the district should acknowledge that.

As a student who is very dedicated to the arts, I am offended that the efforts that my peers and I invest in our music every day are ignored. I am not promoting an honors weight because I am looking for a weighted average above 100. Rather, I feel that we are undermining the amount of work that musicians put into their musical studies to achieve excellence. Moving up the rungs of the ladder for each group, whether it be in chorus, band or orchestra, is not an achievement that is given to every student. The students that are members of the highest-ranking ensembles are deserving of this spot. Our high school is home to students who have represented Hewlett on county, state and regional levels. So these musicians, some of the best on the east coast, are being told that they are not working as hard as a student in an honors class? That is ridiculous.

I am ashamed that Hewlett has been

promoting this idea.

This topic is not a new discussion.

It is time for our students to prompt immediate change by communicating with district administrators. The decision to apply an honors weight to a music course is targeted at addressing an existing discrepancy; despite the people who believe that music is far easier than classes such as Honors Chemistry, Hewlett’s student musicians have not been correctly recognized. I took Honors Chemistry. Do not get me wrong, it was crazy hard.

Especially in quarter three, when we had to take a practice subject test in class… gosh, that test hit me like a truck! While I was studying for that test, I was additionally preparing for my spring concert where I was going to perform in Concert Chorale, Wind Ensemble and Jazz Orchestra. I am not the only student to participate in multiple groups, and this popular multidisciplinary involvement will persist throughout Hewlett High School’s future.

As a member of three ensembles, there are about 13 to 15 pieces of music to perfect. Music is tested far differently than core curriculum classes in that, while achieving a grade in the 90s is attainable even if a student answers a few questions incorrectly, this is far from the reality in the music world. In music, getting even just a few notes wrong can be detrimental. If Chorale sang the first five notes of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” completely wrong during a performance, the crowd would be terrorized by what they heard, invisible

rotten tomatoes would be chucked and the audience would be internally wishing that the Chorale ran off the stage.

My point is that we are student musicians. We work hard academically and musically, and we deserve to be recognized. Unfortunately, some of our most gifted musicians are dropping out of music classes because of the absence of a weight that can be found in various other APs. High schoolers are constantly told that if they do not take the most rigorous classes on paper, they will not get into the best schools. By not having an “AP” or “H” next to a music class’s name on paper, student musicians’ odds of gaining entry to a prestigious college decreases. Additionally, the lack of weight compromises student musicians’ ability to earn the title of valedictorian.

No student should have to choose between something that serves as a creative and emotional outlet and academic success.

I know it may sound simple to add an “H” to Hewlett’s course guide next to Concert Chorale, Wind Ensemble and Chamber Orchestra, but it represents so much more than one might think.

Student musicians would feel as though their hard work pays off. Music teachers would be recognized for teaching their students at an AP and honors level for all these years. And finally, talented musicians would not feel forced to drop out of music to pursue academic success. We must be the ones to forge a new chapter in Hewlett’s history and honor our student musicians correctly.

Rethinking Renewability Bringing Britain Justice

by Alex Kesin the Obama administration, and most nuclear In a nation where the threat of climate waste is now safely stored in casks in onsite change is increasingly pressing, discussions nuclear plants. about energy production are growing ever In the case against nuclear energy, more important. During such discussions, pundits claim that wind, solar and hydropower nuclear energy is always the elephant in the could do all the heavy lifting by themselves. room. Nuclear comprises 20 percent of power While this would be ideal, the realities of inoutput for the country, meaning it serves as an dustry demand far more than such sources of undeniable backbone for the nation’s energy energy are capable of providing. needs. While nuclear is “[N]uclear power flawed, it remains one of plants...operated at full the most effective methods power on 336 out of 365 of generating power, and days per year,” nuclear-age in the fight against climate historian and Pulitzer Prize change, it will play a vital winner Richard Rhodes role in the transition to said. “In contrast, U.S. renewables. hydroelectric systems deA common misconlivered power 38.2 percent ception about nuclear is of the time, wind turbines that all nuclear reactors 34.5 percent of the time, release incredible amounts and solar electricity arrays of waste. In reality, this is only 25.1 percent of the Art by Randel Placino only partially true. There time.” are two kinds of nuclear reactions: fission and In other words, the efficiency of energy fusion. Although fusion reactions are much production from nuclear power plants massively cleaner than fission counterparts, as its radio- trumps that of its competing renewables by active products have significantly decreased nearly a factor of two. If that is not compelling half-lives than those of fusion reactions, nuclear enough, a study from the Institute of Physics power plants across the world exclusively use conservatively calculated that nuclear plants fission. Consequently, current reactors used are 8,000 times more energy efficient than coal by the United States emit sizeable amounts of or oil plants. radioactive material, though it is still somewhat It is strange to say that nuclear power is manageable. a controversial topic. Leading environmental Still, there are many misleading argu- organizations speak out against it, and many ments against nuclear. According to a cam- democratic Presidential candidates omit using paign by the environmentalist organization it in their climate plans. Still, nuclear is clean, Greenpeace, all of the nuclear waste from fis- storable, sustainable and relatively inexpensive sion reactors are stored in a dormant volcano; in the long term. Nuclear is one of the only vihowever, this could not be further from the truth. able options in the fight against global warming, The project to store nuclear waste materials in and if not adopted, the world will witness crises Yucca Mountain was decommissioned under far worse than Chernobyl.

by Belle Nahoom Prime minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson has only been in office since July of 2019, yet he already faces the threat of being forced out through a vote of no confidence due to alleged illegal activity.

The closer we come to the current Brexit deadline of Oct. 31, the more apparent it is that Johnson’s leadership may be one of complete failure, which is largely attributable to several poor political decisions.

Johnson’s leading proposition for the English government is a no-deal Brexit, meaning that economic and political ties between the European Union and the United Kingdom would be severed entirely.

In early September, Johnson suspended Parliament for a total of five weeks, claiming that government policies needed to be outlined before Parliament could begin policymaking with the prime minister.

However, the underlying reason for the parliamentary shutdown was that it would hinder allow the continuance of a no-deal Brexit before the European Union’s deadline for the United Kingdom. Beforehand, Parliament had voted against Johnson’s wishes and asked for an extension on the Brexit deadline to create a short-term Brexit deal. Subsequently, Johnson shut down Parliament to demonstrate his refusal to cooperate with the representatives in Parliament. This was ultimately unsuccessful, as the Supreme Court ruled that his suspension was lawful, thus turning the action into negative press for Johnson and fostering mistrust between the Crown and the leader of the government. As a result of his illegal action, Johnson has lost the majority of his parliamentary party support, meaning that his leadership lacks genuine

backing.

Currently, Parliament is discussing a vote of no confidence, in an attempt to force Johnson out of office so that Brexit can continue smoothly. Financially, if an extension is not discussed before Oct. 9 and no official decision is reached by Oct. 31, the United Kingdom may lose billions of pounds and face an economic crash.

In order to protect British economy, the United Kingdom must decide on its leader in the next few weeks.

Unfortunately, Johnson subordinates the legality of his actions to political convenience and success. As a Parliamentary member described it, “Johnson is using extremely disrespectful language and actions towards the ruling legislative branch.”

Clearly, Johnson is causing undue amounts of trouble in a period during which Britian cannot afford to make spontaneous decisions.

Johnson‘s illegal parliamentary meddling and obstruction of democracy are deserving of punishment. Johnson tried to assume full power for himself by cutting off Britain’s representatives from political decisions. If a motion of no confidence passes, then the members of Parliament will vote on whether or not an interim Prime Minister should replace the current leader. Hopefully, the alternative government will provide the United Kingdom with the ability to decide on what path it should take to follow through with Brexit, which is facing its fourth year in deals.

Johnson’s decisions have shown him to be narcissistic and unrealistic. He has not made any, and may never make any, political advancement, especially in this extremely fragile period in Britain’s history.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Opinions 5

SPECTRUM

Why Punitive Parents Stunt Success

by Layla Ahmad When you are still a child, it is pretty typical for your life to be under the control of your parents. Generally speaking, most elementary school students have their parents arrange their bedtimes and playdates, and monitor their school and homework. However, as children complete elementary school and become preteens and teenagers, these rules tend to disappear. In place, a sense of independence and personal responsibility develops.

Although this parental behavior is considered normal while children are young, it is often considered “strict parenting” as children age. While some preteens and teenagers are used to their parents controlling their bedtime, social lives and schoolwork, too much enforcement of these aspects of their lives is abnormal and unhealthy for adolescents in a multitude of complex ways.

Strict parenting has a major impact on preteens and teenagers in their respective futures, although it may initially seem perfectly acceptable. These effects are complex and interrelated in nature, and they thus affect preteens’ and teens’ lives holistically in a profound and long-lasting way.

Firstly, parental control over when a teenager or preteen sleeps, especially on weekdays, can cause numerous problems. There is a line between attempting to preserve teenagers’ mental health by curbing excessive work and insisting that teenagers be in bed by 9 p.m. At this age, such insistence may create a routine that is incompatible with young adults’ schedules. A great deal of students are involved in afterschool

activities, thus prompting them to start their homework late. A bedtime may foster the mindset that school should not be put first. Although some adults think that imposing certain bedtimes will result in further time management and discipline, it can actually have the opposite effect. Teenagers need to independently learn the routine that is best for them. When an adult sets a bedtime for them, teenagers’ priorities are being decided for them, which can be damaging to their futures.

Not only do bedtimes for teenagers tell them what is important in life and what isn’t, but it will also lead to difficulty adjusting to life in college. In college, teens are in a completely different atmosphere than at home and they have to learn how to manage time independently. However, they will struggle to create a functional schedule if they have no past reference, since strict bedtimes have been consistently imposed on them for their entire lives. While parents who set bedtimes for their teens may argue that, without them, teens would go to sleep at irresponsibly late times, allowing teens to make mistakes is vital to their future well-being.

Another aspect that strict parents tend to control is their childrens’ social lives, mainly concerning how their children spend their time and with whom who they spend it. Of course, parental rules must be set and then also enforced to a certain extent, as parents do derve as the primary guiding forces in their childrens’ lives. It is reasonable for parents to prevent their children from socializing with those who engage in dangerous behaviors such as using drugs

or alcohol, and parents have a right to intervene when they feel a situation is dangerous for their children. However, it is certainly acceptable for teenagers to make plans with kids they meet from school without parental involvement.

Strict parents usually only let their children spend their time with those they are familiar with and insist on making plans for their children. However, if teens do not learn how to properly make arrangements with others, they will most likely never be able to do so when they grow older. the ability to make plans and distinguish between dangerous/unwanted situations and favorable ones is a crucial life skill, and one that must be acquired through practice and experience, which is robbed from them when strict aprents control very aspect of their lives. In addition, children must be able to learn why certain actions and activities are wrong through experience, rather than by hearing explanations from their parents or bearing witness to their parents’ decisions for them. If teenagers do not understand why something is wrong, they may not be able to identify it independently later in life, which would be detrimental to both their personal and social lives, holistically. To sum it up, social independence as an adolescent is extremely important, and unnecessarily strict parents run the risk of detracting from their childrens’ futures in this sense if they are not careful.

Lastly, strict parents exert heavy influence over the completion of schoolwork. This is very problematic, particularly among the current generation of teenagers. If kids are doing their

schoolwork because of parental command, their actions are thus performed solely for the purpose of satiating their parents’ demands rather than for their future success and independence.

To add on to this, the independent completion of schoolwork can bolster adolescents’ time management skills because it forces them to delegate their times in order to complete all of their work in a reasonable amount of time by themselves, rather than having this function done for them as a wellintended cautionary service by their parents. Ultimately, if adolescents do not learn to complete schoolwork on their own, it will be extremely difficult for them when they are on their own in the future. Not only does this apply to their academics if they attend college, but it would also have serious effects on other aspects of their lives, such as their work ethic in their careers and their time management skills in their personal lives. For example, it is certainly plausible that children whose parents left them to study and plan for themselves during high school are more succeessful in the workbplace because they better know how to both manage their time in order to balance work with life and concentrate on projects for which they took thgeir own initiative.

Although it is believed to be effective by many, excessively strict parenting during the teenage years can lead to negative habits in the future.

Everybody makes mistakes and learns from them. If such mistakes are not made while young, they will emerge later in life and produce more disastrous, adverse effects.

by Tauba Ashrafi The United States’ public transportation is a disaster. In fact, the American Society of Civil Engineers states that America’s transit infrastructure is a D-, the lowest grade of any U.S. infrastructure. The infrastructure is not properly built and it is always delayed. The public transportation system suffers from poor management, overregulation and outdated zoning laws. Public transportation is used by fewer and fewer individuals every day, thus resulting in decreased income for transportation companies.

In order to compensate, services are cut or fares are raised. It is a vicious cycle, as cutting off services leads to fewer people not using public transit. Due to the poor public transit conditions, more people are buying cars. U.S. motorists spend 70 billion hours behind the wheel each year. Since 2014, this statistic has increased by eight percent.

Public transportation is terrible in the United States because of federal and local involvement. At the federal level, President Donald Trump has proposed to increase highway spending by more than $1.5 billion. The government provides support and money to those employed in public transportation through the Department of Transportation. However, money is only granted after Congress agrees.

Additionally, the government funds public transit through the Capital Investment Grant Program. Unfortunately, under Trump, the Department of Transportation is holding billions of dollars. Subsequently, projects are becoming more lengthy and expensive. An example of this is the Gateway Transit, which connects New York and New Jersey. Every day, more than 300,000 people use this tunnel to get to work. However, the whole subway system is damaged. An estimated $20 billion must be used for the project. Specifically, these funds are

required for new rail lines and tunnels under the Hudson River. The collapse of the tunnel could lead to many injuries and a negative economic impact on the United States. Also, if the tunnel collapses, it would shut down the Northeast transit from Boston to Washington, D.C. Despite this, the president refuses to pay for the gateway. This conflict of public transportation is only happening in the United States. Just one of Paris’ rail systems moves more people per year than all of the United States’ commuter railways combined.

Although the government has a negative effect on public transit, multiple states and cities aim to improve public transportation.

Oftentimes, such states and cities are faced with opposition at the local level. The predominant people against public transit are Charles and David Koke, or as they are more commonly known, the Koke Brothers. They are conservative billionaires who have a say in anything that involves cars. They own oil, gas, asphalt, tires, seatbelts and many other things that revolve around cars. They have spent billions of dollars funding a political group called Americans for Prosperity (AFP), which seeks to abolish public transit. This is exemplified in Nashville, where its huge traffic problem was addressed with a proposal to build new rail and bus lines. The people voted and 60 percent of Nashville residents supported it. Then, the AFP got involved and went door to door encouraging a campaign against new rail and bus lines. They told voters that it was too expensive and, subsequently, would raise taxes. This appears to have been successful, as public opinion shifted from 60 percent for public transportation to 64 percent against it. Many countries across the globe do not have conflicts with public transit in the same way in which the U.S. does. Thankfully, these conflicts are resolvable by raising awareness.

by Emma Van Steertegem Every day, over 4.3 million individuals ride New York City’s subways. Despite this, the MTA subway system is still in a state of abject disaster. New York serves the interests of the ultra-wealthy, a trend that is unfortunately reflected in the declining transit systems, rising rents and decreased housing options. While strategies exist to combat the state of transit and housing in New York City, cultivating genuine regard for the public interest in New York will require the creation of a new, broader vision.

In the ‘90s, New York transit was extremely functional, to such an extent that governors and mayors even began diverting funds from the system. In the following years, a string of poor decisions made by governors and mayors sapped tremendous amounts of money originally reserved for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (M.T.A.). Of several irresponsible decisions, perhaps the most extreme was evading tax revenues for public transit and instead absorbing significant amounts of available funds for unnecessary services, such as financial advice. Political officials continued to mismanage remaining funds, as they advocated for decorative station remodels despite the perpetual use of subways dating back to the 1930s.

The debt that the M.T.A. descended into, particularly due to the presence of unwise, selfish financial decisions, has resulted in issues that continue to plague the system. Thankfully, in 2017, an $800 million rescue plan that sought to add train cars and staff was introduced. How-

ever, the significant lack of action preceding the plan is woefully reflective of broader themes underpinning much of New York’s recent history, including the perpetual disregard for decades of warnings by transit officials, the failure to pass a 2008 congestion pricing plan and the aforementioned political greed.

Next to M.T.A. conditions, the increasingly corporate nature of New York City may be best epitomized by the current housing crisis.

Unfortunately, this crisis is most detrimental to low-income residents, as rising rents are most prevalent in poorer areas. In the past year, 49 percent of lower-class families reported experiencing at least one housing-related difficulty.

The state of the M.T.A. and New York City housing are only two examples of trends involving the restructuring of New York around corporate interests. In order to reassert the interests of the public, New York must target specific issues of transit and housing, but also instate policy that increasingly taxes wealthy homeowners, exclusively reserves more streets for pedestrians and initiates more efforts to combat school segregation. New York’s foundation rests upon ambition and imagination, and these elements are far more valuable than any corporate asset; they must be conserved.

Powering Public Transportation

Maintaining the MTA

6 News

SPECTRUM

Rembering John Sabu

Monday, November 4 , 2019

by Gina Carrillo On Friday, Sept. 6, 2019 the HewlettWoodmere community suffered the loss of 15year old John Sabu. Sabu was fatally struck by a Long Island Railroad Train at Hewlett Station around 10:30 a.m. Sabu was part of the HewlettWoodmere School District for the entirety of his life and was in the beginning of his sophomore year at George W. Hewlett High School. On Friday, Sabu was reported missing. He was last seen walking in or around Hewlett Harbor. Authorities were alerted once Sabu did not return home after school or attend his Robotics Club meeting, which generally begins around 3:00 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 7, it was made clear that Sabu had passed in a tragic accident. On this day, the Hewlett-Woodmere family lost a caring community member, student, son, brother and a dear friend.

On that Saturday night, the Hewlett High School Personnel Pupil Services (PPS) staff, along with some of Sabu’s closest friends from both the Robotics and History Bowl Clubs, had arranged for a small memorial. This memorial took place in the high school’s reflection garden. Here, students, teachers and guidance counselors gathered to light up the garden with candles and to remember the gifts of love and joy that Sabu had brought into their lives. Students placed candles in the shape of a “J” as they admired the memorial as well as shared their memories of Sabu. As the head of the PPS office, Mary Harrison gave a condoling speech to the mourning students as she encouraged everyone to “tell your friends you love them because we truly never know what tomorrow brings.” Other close friends spoke about Sabu, but getting the sentences out were harder than one can imagine.

The Hewlett High School Robotics Club advisor Jeanine Torresson came to honor Sabu and to comfort the rest of the team.

The district kindly opened up the guidance offices on Saturday, Sept. 7 and Sunday, Sept. 8 to students who could not grasp the situation by themselves and needed assistance in coping with this sense of loss and despair.

A letter was sent to parents and guardians from the Hewlett-Woodmere School District

Along with clubs and sports, Sabu disSuperintendent, Dr. Ralph Marino Jr., on that played a passion for science that extended past Saturday.

“In the wake of a tragedy such as this, his academic life. Sabu’s father is a cardiologist we must immediately respond to our students and his mother is a nephrologist. Coming from who may need assistance understanding this a science-oriented family, Sabu aspired to one devastating news,” Marino said. “It is important day practice medicine as well. Sabu spent some that we allow students to speak to one another, of this summer shadowing a physician in a hoswith you, and with the professionals about their pital. His brother Jacob Sabu attended Hewlett High School as well and is now studying in a feelings.”

Sabu’s wake was held on Monday, Sept. combined medical program in New York City.

Sabu’s guidance counselor, Melissa 9th at the Park Funeral Chapel in Garden City Park. There, students, teachers, family members Leder, sat down to tell us some of her favorite and friends gathered to give condolences to the things about Sabu. Leder explained how willing Sabu was to learn JAVA Sabu family and join in Script on his own, as he prayer. People said their ficompletely skipped the nal goodbyes at the funeral introductory level class mass on Sept. 10th. The fuof computer programneral was held at St. Mary ming, testing right into Syro Malabar Catholic AP Computer Science.

Church in Old Bethpage.

Leder noted how exSabu radiated his tremely rare this was for intelligence, joy and detera student. mination throughout many He had “an inareas of his life; he had a credible aptitude to pertrue passion for history and form and was inherently science. Sabu joined the smart,” Leder said.

Hewlett Robotics Club in In the fifth grade, the beginning of his freshCourtesy of Hewlett Specrtrum Sabu had Carole Kreisman year and became part berg as a teacher at Hewlett Elof the team Roboboogie. The team is one that values family, the spread of scientific ementary School. Kreisberg noted that at the knowledge, team spirit and is represented by the end of the year, she gathered the class to discuss color pink. As a member of Roboboogie, Sabu some of their favorite moments from that year. It worked as a coder/programmer and was a strong just so happened that when each student shared influence on Roboboogie’s robot’s success in some of their best memories, Sabu had been a the 2018-2019 season. History Bowl was also a part of many of them. From a young age, Sabu major aspect of Sabu’s life, as he displayed great was known as a fun, loving boy who had the admiration of history throughout his classes and ability to put a smile on anyone’s face.

Sabu’s Robotics coach, Torresson, shared competitions. Sabu’s team noted how he was able to take his team to the national competi- some fond aspects of Sabu that will be forever tion in the most recent season. When Sabu was missed.

“I remember a gentle, kind and soft spoin Hewlett Elementary School, he was the first Stillman Historian Honoree. This award was ken John,” Torreson said. “His humble nature designed to honor both a past and future histo- was a part of both his learning and his friendrian. Another pastime of his was fencing. Sabu ships from an early age. I, like most who knew was on the Hewlett fencing team throughout him, will remember his smile, which he shared his freshman year and attended a fencing camp generously with everyone.”

Torreson was fortunate enough to spend over summer break.

quality time with Sabu, as he always came to Robotics on Friday nights from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Sabu always seemed to bring joy to his team members when the stress of school and Robotics competitions overlapped.

One of Sabu’s best friends, Alex Kesin ’22, was also able to speak about his dear friend, remembering Sabu’s first fencing win.

“He looked so happy and he even admitted that it was one of the most exciting things that had happened for him in a while; it was a sight to see,” Kesin said. Kesin also recalled one of his favorite moments with Sabu when they were in eighth grade. “We wanted to stay for the whole lunch and recess period. We got kicked out of the cafeteria, but then we switched sweatshirts and we successfully snuck back in without notice.”

Kesin wanted to make people aware of Sabu’s humor and wit that cannot be replaced.

He also added that Sabu “studied a lot of European history on his own, was an enthusiast of some e-sports (particularly CS:GO) and he played strategy games a lot. He loved history. He was the best freshman on the history bowl team easily. He was even briefly put on varsity.” Kesin was a teammate of Sabu’s in History Bowl and a member of Roboboogie as well, working with Sabu to code their robot.

Sabu “always gave the most unique and heartfelt compliments and told jokes that nobody would ever think of saying,” said his close friend, Ben Sonant ’22. “Something that I learned is that you should take more pictures with your friends and family because it’s hard to tell when those relationships can turn into faint memories.”

Sabu’s life was short but beautiful, as he managed to emanate and carry a light with him wherever he went. Let Sabu be an example of a boy with a pure, gifted and warm soul that only desired the best for the ones he loved. Sabu put extra effort into whatever he did and made sure to maintain his resilience no matter the battle.

Sabu highly valued the life of the Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero. As he once said “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”

by Abbie Soltanovich In the latest political drama in the White House, the Democratic Party is looking to impeach President Donald Trump on the basis that he had an inappropriate call with the President of Ukraine, Volodymr Zelensky.

Back in July 2019, Trump made a phone call to President Zelensky to congratulate him on an election win. On the phone call, Trump requested to reopen an investigation of 2020 election candidate, Joe Biden, as well as his son Hunter, who was believed to be involved in a corruption case.

Supposedly, Biden persuaded Ukraine to back away from the investigation regarding him and his 49-year-old son, who was receiving $50,000 a month while serving on the board of the Ukrainian company, Burisma Holdings. A whistleblower, who remains anonymous, spoke with the White House.

“In the course of my official duties,” the whistleblower said, “I have received information from multiple U.S. government officials that the president of the United States is using the power of his office to solicit interference from a foreign country in the 2020 U.S. election.” Trump disagreed with this statement and

stated that his comments did not violate any laws and were justified, as Biden pressured Ukraine to back away from a criminal investigation that could implicate his son.

Because of this situation, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made a few phone calls within the Democratic party to begin impeachment proceedings against Trump.

“Mr. Trump must be held accountable, no one is above the law,” Pelosi said.

Some Democratic representatives reacted more strongly than Pelosi, such as Rep. Maxine Waters.

“I’m calling on the GOP to stop Trump’s filthy talk of whistleblowers being spies and using mob language implying they should be killed,” Rep. Waters said. “Impeachment is not good enough for Trump. He needs to be imprisoned and placed in solitary confinement.”

As a result, Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Guiliani, was recently subpoenaed for documents regarding the phone call with the president of Ukraine. In other words, Guiliani was ordered by Congress to hand in documents and evidence regarding the matter.

“Pursuant to the House of Representatives’ impeachment inquiry, we are hereby transmitting a subpoena that compels you to produce the documents set forth in the accompanying schedule by October 15, 2019,” a joint letter from House Intelligence Chair Adam Schiff, Oversight Chair Elijah Cummings and Foreign Affairs Chair Eliot Engel to Giuliani says. U.S. Ambassa-

dor to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, told investigators that he opposes the fact that Trump is involving his personal lawyer in the inquiry. He is also against Trump’s request to have Giuliani oversee Ukraine policy.

The situation has continued to worsen for Trump as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tried to prevent witnesses linked to his department from testifying in the coming days.

Pompeo was also accused of intimidating State Department witnesses to protect himself and former ambassador to Ukraine, Kurt Volker.

If there is a sufficient amount of evidence and the House agrees that Trump should be impeached, a trial in the Senate will be unavoidable. The impeachment process begins with finding evidence. If there is a sufficient amount of proper evidence, then the House of Representatives must vote. If the majority of the House agrees to Trump’s impeachment, they will move forward with a trial in the Senate. If two-thirds of the Senate votes for his impeachment, only then will the president be removed from office. When a president is impeached, the government is not legally allowed to throw the president in jail unless he is criminally charged. Impeachment is different from criminal removal. Impeachment is when the legislative branch brings charges against an official. Criminal removal occurs when the president does something illegal, and the president can then be taken out of office and imprisoned.

Pelosi stated that she does not plan on having the House vote to approve the impeachment inquiry, which caused backlash from Republicans. She initiated the investigation three weeks ago in the Oversight, Foreign Affairs and the Intelligence committees in the House.

Republicans argue that the inquiry is invalid, as the House has not conducted a formal vote for the investigation to begin. Pelosi fought

back stating that inquiries usually begin with a formal floor vote. However, since this was not stated in the Constitution, the impeachment is legitimate.

Trump has been highly defensive when accused of improper conduct.

“As I learn more and more each day, I am coming to the conclusion that what is taking place is not an impeachment, it is a COUP,” Trump said. He continued with demands about releasing the identity of the whistleblower.

“If the so-called ‘Whistleblower’ has all second hand information,” Trump said, “and almost everything he has said about my ‘perfect’ call with the Ukrainian President is wrong (much to the embarrassment of Pelosi & Schiff), why aren’t we entitled to interview & learn everything about...the Whistleblower.”

Trump declared the impeachment inquiry just another “Democratic hoax.”

The majority of Americans support Trump’s impeachment. According to Gallup, an American analytics company, 52 percent of adults in the U.S. are for the impeachment, marking an increase of seven points from similar polls taken in June after the Mueller Investigation.

Recently, White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney stated that Trump did not do anything that seemed illegitimate, however he concluded that Trump engaged in a quid pro quo. When Mulvaney was asked if Trump pressured Zelensky into re-evaluating Biden and his son, he said no.

Both Democrats and Republicans are pushing hard, as the Democrats are confident that they have grounds for impeachment, while the Republicans believe that this plan will backfire on the Democrats. The American people are split nearly even. One thing is for sure, the political drama in recent weeks will not end soon.

Investigating the Impeachment

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Hewlett Welcomes New Teachers The 2019-2020 school year has brought seven new hires to George W. Hewlett High School. We would like to welcome Elizabeth Berthel to the Special Education Department, Jane Faiella to the Special Education Department, Erin Fay to the Mathematics Department, Joseph Van Wie to the Social Studies Department, Scott Gordon to the Science Department, Victoria Lentezeres to the Science Department and Haley Birnbaum to the Science Department.

News 7

by Victoria Evola At the start of the 2019-2020 school year, the Hewlett-Woodmere Public School District proudly welcomed Elizabeth Berthel to Hewlett High School’s Special Education Department. Berthel works in the Learning Center in George W. Hewlett High School.

As an alumni of Hewlett High School, Berthel is ecstatic to be joining the Hewlett community once again now as a teacher. When Berthel attended HewlettWo o d m e r e P u b l i c Schools as a student, she admired the wonderful and extensive programs Hewlett has to offer. She is inspired by the hardworking students and zealous teachers.

Berthel believes that this workplace and

community would be the best place for her to thrive, as it coincides with the values she holds as an educator.

Berthel’s goal is to establish a math curriculum that is more accessible and comprehensive for students, that will also exhilarate students to be more eager to learn encouraging them to partake in insightful discussions.

Be r t hel c ou ld not be more excited to be a new member of the Hewlett-Woodmere School District as a teacher now, rather than a student. The Hewlet t-Wood me re Community as a whole is grateful to have such an intelligent and driven individual as a new addition to the Special Education Department.

by Rachel Miller Scott Gordon is one of the new hires in the science department, and we are thrilled to have him. He is teaching both Regents Chemistry and AP Chemistry, and will be teaching Non-Regents Chemistry starting in the third quarter.

He said that his favorite thing about Hewlett High School are the students, as they have been inc r e d i bly welc o m ing. In the future, he hopes that more students will decide to enroll in AP Chemistr y. While it can be an intimidating course, he said it can be very rewarding.

“AP Chemistry’s reputation for being a difficult course is well deserved,” Gordon said. “However, that doesn’t

mean that the class can’t be fun and engaging (testing days notwithstanding). I think I’ve mostly succeeded at making the chemistry classroom a place where students actually want to be.”

Gordon completed both his undergraduate and masters degrees at Adelphi University. He majored in chemistry, but took a multitude of classes outside of his discipline, especially in film.

Gordon is excited to work with the students at Hewlett High S cho ol a nd e n courages them to contact him at scgordon@hewlett-woodmere.net if they are interested in chemistry, Science Olympiad or Magic the Gathering NG.

by Rachel Miller Haley Birnbaum is back at George W. Hewlett High School. Birnbaum was a leave replacement at Hewlett before working at Valley Stream North last year. Thankfully, this year Birnbaum is back teaching living environment and earth science. She said that she is happy to be back in Hewlett and looks forward to all that is to come this year.

“The district is very supportive of its staff as well as its students and offers a lot of opportunities to get involved,” Birnbaum said. “Everyone is very friendly, approachable and willing to lend a hand when you need it.”

Birnbaum is known in the classroom for her positive attitude and dedication to her students’ overall wellbeing.

“My goal as a teacher is to make

school a positive space for my students both academically and emotionally,” Birnbaum said.

“Sometimes science isn’t always a crowd favorite amongst students. However, I try my best to make the content as relevant and personal to my students as possible, while maintaining an upbeat classroom. I want my students to know that they can count on me for anything.”

When she is not in the classroom, Birnbaum can be found outside and being active. She grew up playing sports, which ultimately led to her getting a scholarship to play softball at Marist College, where she received a B.S. in Biology Adolescent Education, followed by her master’s degree from Molloy College.

We are so happy to have Birnbaum back in the Hewlett-Woodmere community!

by Gabriela Pesantez This year Victoria Lentzeres began working at George W. Hewlett High School as a biology, marine biology and chemistry teacher.

She is well-liked among students for her enthusiasm in the classroom and her dedication to the success of her students.

“The community is a family made up of caring, hardworking students and faculty,” Lentezeres said when asked why she was excited to work in Hewlett.

In addition, Lentzeres is excited to share the wonders of science with her students and is eager to help her students reach their goals. Lentzeres says she has received

such a warm welcome into the school district and is very happy to see our many events and ways for students to get involved in the community.

Lentzeres’ main goal as an educator is to help students reach their goals academically and personally. She hopes to “leave a positive influence on all students who enter her classroom.” Whether her students choose a career in science or not, Lentzeres hopes to show all her students ways to overcome life’s challenges by teaching them science.

When she is not teaching, you can find Lentzeres playing tennis, baking or traveling.

by Rachel Miller We are thankful to have added Jane Faiella to the staff of the Learning Center this year. As a reading teacher, she hop e s t o help her students become proficient literat u re st udents. She ultimately hopes that her students will love to read.

Before joining the He wle t t H ig h School family, Faiella worked for the Oceanside School District. Faiella jumped at the opportunity to work in Hewlett-

Woodmere because of the district’s great reputation.

“I heard a lot about the district-all good things, of course,” Faiella said. “The district gives a lot of s up p or t t o the teachers, offers great programs and all of the technology is ve r y up t o date. There is also an incredible amount of support for students.”

When she is not in the classroom, she can be found dancing or watching her favorite television show “This Is Us.”

by Tauba Ashrafi Joseph Van Wie is a social studies teacher at George W. Hewlett High School.

He loves his job and everything that comes with it.

Van Wie wants his students to appreciate and admire the beauty of history the way he does.

Van Wie teaches many classes at the high school such as AP World History, World History Honors I and Participation in Government. Van Wie has set goals for his students; he wants them to perceive the world the way a historian would and see how history shapes the world we know today. He believes that if his students analyze history through the lens of a historian or an archeologist, they can understand it much better and more efficiently.

Van Wie wants his students to know that history is not only reading textbooks and excerpts, it is about examining artifacts and stories that people have made during that time period and how they accomplished multiple things, while lacking the knowledge and technology we have in today’s world.

Aside from his love of history, Van Wie enjoys playing soccer, golf and fantasy football. He is also in charge of the Debate Club in the high school.

He wants his debaters to persuade the audience or the public onto their side or hold their ground when things are not going their way.

Van Wie wants his students to achieve great success. He acknowledges that they are the future and therefore the world is in their hands.

by Bella Rabin Recently Erin Fay started working at George W. Hewlett High School and Woodmere Middle School as a math teacher. Fay teaches geometry and algebra. She is well-liked in the classroom for her kind demeanor and dedication to helping her students succeed.

Fay said that she was excited to work in the Hewlett-Woodmere district, as she heard so many amazing things about the dist rict and community.

B e fo r e wo r k i n g in Hewlett-Woodmere, Fay worked as a middle school math teacher at Plainedge Middle School and as a special education math teacher at Baldwin

High School. She studied mathematics education and special education at Molloy College prior to becoming a teacher.

Fay said that her main goals as a teacher are to make sure that her students feel comfortable, but are also able to challenge themselves.

She said that she tries to encourage her students to never give up on a problem. Her favorite part about being a teacher is being able to watch her students grow throughout the year and find success.

When she’s not in the classroom, Fay can be found playing sports, baking and spending time with her friends or family.

8 News

SPECTRUM

Monday, November 4, 2019

United Nations Reacts to Climate Change

by Divya Maharaj Sept. 23, 2019, marked a new era in the history of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). It was the first occasion that such a special summit on climate action was held at the same time as a General Assembly since its inception in 1964. While there previously have been conferences concerning the issue, the UN has not taken such direct action before. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the assembly gravely.

“Temperatures rising above 1.5 degrees celsius can lead to irreversible damage to the ecosystems,” Gueterres said. By the end of the century, “we [can] face at least 3-degrees Celsius of global heating,” he added.

Many nations also used this special session as an opportunity to propose their plans on climate action. Nearly 65 countries, including the European Union -who, ironically, have not addressed the reduction of their emissions- have officially pledged their commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

Carbon neutrality results in no net addition of carbon to the atmosphere. This means that by midcentury, no net carbon dioxide will be released into Earth’s atmosphere. These countries are making ambitious commitments by forming coalitions, altering their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), submitting plans to help end the climate crisis and improve climate finance.

T he a sse mbly also a dd re sse d initiatives to aid in the shift to clean,

renewable energy. While some countries can afford to transition to green economies, poorer countries cannot. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) face the highest risk because they cannot take strides to combat climate change without help from other nations.

“The count ries that cont ribute the least to causing climate change are the ones in [the] most peril,” UN official Deodat Maharaj said. Twelve more countries have vowed to increase funding for the LDCs and SIDS via the Green Climate Fund. The United Kingdom, Norway, Germany and France are already contributors. Another program was unveiled: the Climate Investment Program. Its purpose is to fund 20 LDCs with approximately $1 trillion to invest in clean energy by 2025. Other funding went to supporting and protecting nearly 500 million people from the effects of climate change, as well as financing for sustainable agriculture and warning systems.

France revealed that it will not trade with any country who attempts to block or “counter” the historic Paris Agreement on climate change. Russia ratified the treaty, increasing the member country count to 187, but stayed silent on its oil-based economy. Much to many’s disappointment, China made no concrete promises to cut down on emissions.

“China will faithfully fulfill its obligations,” China’s representative Wang Yi said.

In addition, India’s controversial Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged the country’s allegiance to the pact.

India plans to “increase its share of renewable energy by 2022 without making any promises to reduce its dependence on coal,” Modli said.

Germany proposed a $60 billion plan to fully utilize renewable energy within the next 10 years. Imran Khan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, announced that over the next five years, his country would plant over 10 billion trees to combat pollution.

Greta Thunberg, a 16 -year-old activist, spoke at the UNGA. “The eyes of all future generations are upon you, and if you choose to fail us, I say, we will never forgive you,” Thunberg said. “We will not let you get away with this.”

Thunberg demanded that the leaders of the world unite to fight climate change before it is too late. Thunberg emphasized the selfishness of the world’s leaders in making decisions about the climate, oftentimes prioritizing financial gain over the world’s future. Teens around the country took to the streets of New York City with her, marching with signs in tow, chanting and protesting.

Guterres acknowledged the impact of youths on the climate crisis.

“Young people are here providing solutions,” Gueterres said. “[They are] insisting on accountability, demanding urgent action.”

With over one hundred world leaders and representatives present, the 2019

Climate Action Summit brought to light the severe danger SIDS, LDCs and even developed countries face as the global temperat u res r ise. Nations donated money to climate f inance, proposed practical initiatives and announced their own plans to contribute to correcting the climate crisis.

“The recent United Nations climate conference placed the world’s attention to the reality and vulnerability of small island states which are facing increasing shocks due to climate-induced disasters,” Ambassador W. Aubrey Webson of Antigua and Barbuda said. “If climate change is not addressed, countries such as mine are in very serious trouble.”

President Donald Trump responded to UN world leaders and globalists by critizing efforts to reduce climate change. President of Brazil Jair M. Bolsonaro shared similar views as Trump regarding fears about implementing programs to aid the conf lict of climate change. This comes as a response to foreign criticism regarding his lack of effort to help the Amazon.

“We all know that all countries have problems,” President Bolsonaro said. “Yet, the sensationalist attacks that we have suffered coming from a large part of the international media due to the fire outbreaks in the Amazonian region have aroused our patriotic sentiment.”

While many were underwhelmed by the effectiveness of the UNGA in finding a solution, there is still hope that a solution can be reached in the near future.

Hurricane Dorian Strikes Piqued Protesting

by Bella Rabin were able to withstand the hurricane’s Back in early September, Hur- strong winds and f looding. In some ricane Dorian hit and battered the Ba- areas, Dorian even caused seven-foot hamas, U.S. Virgin Islands and several high f loods. southern U.S. states. Dorian, forming Hurricane Dorian was not only in the central Atlantic Ocean, was the one of the most destructive hurricanes most powerful hurricane to hit the Ba- to ever reach the Bahamas, but one of hamas in over 80 years. When it first the most powerful too. One cause for its hit the Bahamas, it was a Category 5 uniquely incredible power is undoubtstorm with sustained wind speeds of edly climate change. Climate change up to 185 miles per hour. and global warming has led to warmer Dorian f irst waters over the became a Categoyears, and the ry 1 hurricane on warmer waters Aug. 28, and then likely allowed made its f irst the hurricane to landfall shor tly last as long as after wards, hitit did. In turn, t i ng t h e U. S. t he se u npre c Virgin Island edented strong of St . T hom a s. hur ricanes are Dorian then leading to, and quickly grew into will contina Category 5 hurue to lea d to, ricane and hit the large numbers Ba h a m a s a nd t he of people being Art by Shari Nudelman sout hea st coa st of d isplaced. Hu rthe U.S. The storm first made ricane season will be winding landfall in the U.S. in North Carolina’s down, but just because this hurricane Outer Banks on Sept. 6. At that point, season will soon be over does not mean however, Dorian had already weakened that there will be no more hurricanes to a Category 1 storm, with winds of - no matter what, there will always be roughly 90 miles per hour sustained. more storms and hurricanes to look The greatest damage Dorian in- out for. As climate change continues f licted, however, was in the Bahamas; and oceans war m up, strong stor ms the latest estimates report 56 deaths and are inevitable in the future. People will over 600 people still missing. Right be- have to learn to be more prepared for fore the storm hit, around 4,000 people any and all stoms if they do not wish to travelled to Florida to seek shelter. live their future lives in constant fear.

Thousands of residents lost their homes to Dorian; only a few homes

by Avikar Khakh more demands. These additional demands In early June, protests began in Hong Kong included an independent inquiry into alleged shortly after China announced that all crimi- police misconduct and the release of detained nals in Hong Kong would no longer be kept Chinese citizens, unconditionally. in Hong Kong, but rather extradited to either In reference to this, many people question mainland China or Taiwan. “who is protesting?” There is a huge crossThe final week of September marked the section of society, including lawyers, activists 16th consecutive week that demonstrators and business figures who have joined in the have been on the streets, protesting against widespread protests. the new laws imposed by China. Clashes Beijing reacted very furiously, warning between the protestors and the authorities those involved not to “play with fire.” Also, have, so far, been accompanied China’s military released a threatby rubber bullets, tear gas and ening clip of soldiers training for pepper spray. Recently, riot police anti-riot scenarios. The footage have begun guarding the streets of showed armed troops descending Hong Kong, hoping to discourage from helicopters and shooting their continued protest. their way through people and into Around 40 minutes before the homes. This again goes back to protest was due to start, police the ways of the Chinese Comfired tear gas into the crowd. munist Government. Security Despite this, many of the protesforces were also spotted taking tors began by throwing bricks part in crowd-control exercises and petrol bombs back at the using very dangerous weapons. police. Dozens of the protestors In July, British Foreign SecreArt by Zoe Ng were later arrested, some having tary Jeremy Hunt, who has since been tackled to the ground and left bleeding been driven out and replaced by Dominic heavily.

Raab, tweeted “support for Hong Kong and The main results of the protests seemed its freedom is unwavering.” Hunt claimed to have shocked and saddened Hong Kong. that the U.K. could not just simply ignore Many felt that this violence was pushing the the events occurring in Hong Kong. A region into a “highly dangerous zone.” Earlier spokesman for the Beijing Government had demonstrations have seen protestors disrupt said that they were “extremely dissatisfied” transport in Hong Kong and close the airport. with the way that Britain had “continuously In addition, a huge crowd carried the stars gesticulated” about Hong Kong. On the other and stripes and called on President Donald hand, the U.S. updated its travel advisory to Trump to free them from the Chinese Com- the territory on Thursday, Aug. 8. munist Party.

In short, the Hong Kong protests are beHong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam coming a major world issue. The violence announced that the government would for- between the government and their people mally withdraw the extradition bill, but she is currently being tolerated and there is no claimed that the government would accept no solution in sight.

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Technology 9

Discussing Big Data: Strata Data Coference

by Ethan Eisenberg The Strata Data Conference explores the newest developments in global technology.

Events are held at various locations and times; conferences have been held in places such as New York, San Jose and even London. The conference took place between Sept. 23-26 this year. This conference showcase talented researchers and senior developers who are enhancing the ways in which we interact with data. Not only does the Strata Data Conference provide the opportunity to develop new skills through in-depth tutorials, but it also shares emerging developments in data science. For instance, the program chairs Doug Cutting, Ben Lorica and Alistar Croll have developed a program that investigates the versatility of data tools and sciences.

Lorica is the Chief Data Scientist at O’Reilly Media Inc. He has implemented his knowledge of machine learning and data analytics to conduct customer research, targeted advising and financial engineering. He has also been associated with internet startups and financial services. Next, Cutting is the founder of successful open source projects such as Lucene, Nutch, Avro and Hadoop.

From Yahoo!, Cutting has joined the company Cloudera. Within this company, he was a key member who helped develop data analytics.

Lastly, Croll is an entrepreneur with web performance and business strategy. Given their backgrounds, the contributions of these chairs have facilitated discussions on emerging topics, including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. This is not to say that the Strata Data Conference sticks with the same developments, as their events change throughout the years. For example, they have added new sessions to reflect challenges in the data field of study: security, ubiquitous computing,

collaboration, reproducibility, new interfaces, aforementioned artificial intelligence (AI), emerging architecture, building data teams and retail and e-commerce, data science with python, cloud platforms, deep learning and more. machine data.

There are several benefits to attending These ideas are taught by esteemed researchthe Strata Conference. If you attend the confer- ers. For instance, Cassie Kozyrkov is a chief ence, you would be able to join prospective in- data scientist at Google. She serves as Google novators that include business decision-makers, Cloud’s chief decision scientist. Kozyrkov is strategists, architects, developers and analysts. passionate about harnessing the power that data Moreover, attendees can leverage their new provides. Moreover, she attends conferences knowledge across industries and disciplines, and meets with leadership teams in order to applying data from projects into real business empower decision-makers, enhancing their companies through applications like the implementation discover training, of artificial intelhiring and career ligence, machine opportunities for learning and anadata professionals. lytics. At Google, They also have the Kozyrkov has adchance to interact vised more than a with other innovahundred teams on tors to develop new Art by Randel Placino statistics and maidea s toget her.

Moreover, attending the conference is beneficial chine learning, working closely with research for entrepreneurs because they can create a and machine intelligence. She has also worked system of networks with other professionals. on Google Maps. Kozyrkov’s contribution to Business intelligence managers, CEOs, enter- decision science is remarkable. She had a strong prise architects, data engineers and scientists, beginning, as she received her undergradudevelopers, database professionals and even ate studies in statistics and economics at the investors were prominent members of the con- University of Chicago and graduate studies in statistics, neuroscience and psychology at Duke ference.

“If you can only attend one event and University and North Carolina State University. want to maintain your edge in big data and Brian Dalessandro was also a notable speaker. machine learning, choose this one,” Val U., He is a senior director of data science at Capital a Data Engineer at eMAG IT Research, said. One. Dalessandro is also an active professor Clearly, the conference has been well at NYU’s Center for Data Science graduate received and is expanding its reach every year. degree program. He holds several patents Software engineers and computer scientists and has published dozens of peer-reviewed from Lockheed Martin and Adobe have praised articles on the subjects of casual interference, the conference for its ability to provide reputable large-scale machine learning and data science ethics. Another speaker was Sara Menker who and verifiable information.

Some examples of the sessions that is the founder and CEO of Gro Intelligence. the Strata Data Conference holds include the Her research is unique because she applies Ar-

tificial Intelligence to agriculture. Her platform automatically harvests vast amounts of global agricultural data and transforms it into knowledge. Menker began her career in commodities risk management. From there, she progressed to trading and managed an options trading portfolio. Menker is also a trustee of the Mandela Institute for Developmental Studies and a Trustee of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture. Other speakers included Peter Balis who works with data analytics and David Talby who works with companies to remedy problems in healthcare and life science. It is important to highlight the efforts of these speakers as it verifies the reliability of the information shared at the Strata Data Conference.

Without a doubt, the Strata Data Conference produces reliable and effective information that merges business and data analytics. The conference is renown for its efforts to build upon its past iterations, introducing new topics every year. The importance of the Strata Data Conference is seen by the backing it has received from various companies. For example, its elite sponsors include Google Cloud as well as IBM. To add on, Intel and Microsoft are also strategic sponsors. Clearly, the Strata Data Conference is highly regarded by several notable companies, which further illustrates the Strata Data Conference’s prevalence within the data analysis world.

The Strata Data Conference offers the chance to explore new developments in data analytics and technology. It provides the opportunity for prospective data scientists to discuss and collaborate with professionals that have paved the way within the industry. There is no doubt that the Strata Data Conference will continue to progress in the coming years, as it invites more speakers and discusses more advanced technology that will have a lasting influence on our future.

Apple Annouces New Tech Line-up

by Avikar Kakh Apple’s September event is finally over, and unsurprisingly, it has left many people completely speechless. The majority of tech experts expected the event to revolve around the new iPhones, but they could not have been more wrong; much of the event was not even remotely based around their smartphones.

Instead, Apple used this conference to update its consumers on their gaming arcade service, the new Apple Watch, their new iPad and more.

The first announced product of the event was the long-awaited iPhone 11. The iPhone 11 has a glass and aluminum body that can come in six different colors, including yellow, purple, green, black, white and red.

The biggest change to this iPhone, however, is undoubtedly its new camera features. The upgraded camera consists of two 12-megapixels lenses, one of which is an ultra-wide-angle, and the other a regular wide-angle lens. The camera now also comes with “Night Mode.”

Night Mode will come on automatically whenever the light level in the environment dips low enough, making it easier for the user to see the screen and reducing output noise, all while still allowing the user to take excellent photos despite light quality. The video support for the phone was also upgraded, now allowing 4K video at up to 60 frames per second.

Apple also announced that its iPhone 11 will have several new upgrades on the previous iPhone XR. For example, the iPhone 11 will be equipped with the new-and-improved A13 Bionic Chip processor, which is supposedly the most powerful processor ever used in a mobile device, 20 percent faster than all previous one employed in Apple iPhones.

The phone will also have increased battery life, exceeding the iPhone XR’s battery life

by about a full hour. And the iPhone 11’s Series 5 has a new Retina Display. This new Face ID, revamped with new improvements display uses more power-efficient technology, in performance over distance and angles, will so, although it is always online, it consumes be roughly 30 percent faster than the iPhone less energy than the Series 4, allowing it to XR’s. Prices for the iPhone 11 will start at just sport an 18-hour battery life. The Series 5 is $699, dropping below the iPhone XR’s $750 also slightly thinner than the Series 4. The price tag. Customers were able to pre-order Series 5 comes with international emergency the iPhone 11 starting on Sept. 13, and it was calling, so users can easily call for help despite where they are. The Apple Watch Series 5 officially released to stores on Sept. 20.

In addition to the iPhone 11, Apple also will start at $399 and the Apple Watch Series announced the release of the iPhone 11 Pro 3 will go on sale at $199.

Apple also announced that and iPhone 11 Pro Max at the conference. The they had improved upon its iPads.

Pro and Max were ultimately designed to be The look of the new iPad is simibetter versions of the iPhone XS, lar to the 2018 iPad, except for respectively. Apple claims their one difference: it is bigger. The iPhone 11 Pro will have up to new iPad has a large 10.2-inch four more hours of battery life display compared to its previous than the iPhone XS, and their 9.7 inch display, meaning users iPhone 11 Pro Max will last will be able to fit more content more than five hours in battery on screen than before. The new life than the iPhone XS Max. The iPad also comes with the new A10 cameras of the two phones were processor, and it will be the first also given a noticeable update. basic iPad to come with support Both have three new 12-megafor Apple’s smart keyboard. Adpixel lenses: a telephoto lens, a Art by Zoe Ng ditionally, similar to the Apple Watch wide-angle lens and an ultra-wide-angle lens, giving the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Series 5, it will be made out of 100 percent Max one more lens than the regular iPhone 11. recycled aluminum. Prices for the new iPad Both the iPhone Pro and Pro Max also use the start at $329.

Apple also made sure to talk about its A13 bionic chip. Apple also introduced “Deep Fusion,” a new piece of software that uses new TV system. Apple has previously given machine learning to blend together a number previews of their shows for Apple TV, but this of long-exposure and short-exposure photos September, they finally showed it off. The first to create a single, great-looking image. The Apple TV shows will be available on Nov. 1, iPhone Pro will start at $999 and the iPhone with new programs added every month. It will be available in more than 100 countries Pro Max will start at $1,099.

Apple also announced the release of and will cost just $5 a month.

Near the end of the Apple September their Apple Watch Series 5 at the September Event, made out of 100 percent recycled event, Apple hinted at an additional event in aluminum. The main difference between the October. Apple has held a special event in Series 4 and Series 5 Apple watches is that the October almost every year since 2011, with

2015 and 2017 being the only exception, and this just confirms it. The Mac has been featured at every one of these events except the 2011 show, and since the Mac did not make an appearance at the September event, it is safe to say that it probably will in October.

The previous October events have occurred either late in the month or midway through, but a final date has yet to be announced.

Apple has rumored a new Mac laptop for a long time now, but with so much to cram into this year’s September Event, there was simply not enough time to talk about a new Mac. According to sources, Apple is going to completely overhaul it’s 15-inch Macbook Pro, giving it a much thinner bezel, allowing the display to expand to 16 inches diagonally.

That would make the new Mac Apple’s largest display on a MacBook Pro since the 17-inch MacBook Pro in 2012.

It is also possible that a new scissorswitch keyboard will replace the troubled butterfly keyboard on the current MacBook Pro models; the scissor-switch keyboard is comprised of several durable layers and lightemitting elements, making it both long-lasting and thin. It is likely that the new MacBook Pro will come with Intel’s 9th-generation Refresh processor chips. However, Intel will only be releasing its 10th-generation processor to the market in 2020, which would be too late for Apple if they are planning on releasing their new MacBook Pro this October.

Once again, Apple had a successful year. They showed that they had either built on, or completely introduced new gadgets that are bound to meet great success in the market, and, based on the innumerable positive reviews, it seems like Apple’s customers simply cannot wait to get their hands on some of these new products.

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Technology

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Crafting CrewDragon

Amazon Amazes

by Adam Tzach Space travel is starting to get commercialized. A few years ago, NASA asked several companies to help them with the task of constructing some type of capsule that could transport everyday people to the International Space Station (I.S.S.), with the intent to launch the first capsule in late 2019. Two of these companies were Boeing, a popular aircraft company, and SpaceX, a space company started by Elon Musk. Boeing and SpaceX are each constructing different parts of the mission.

SpaceX is responsible for the capsule, nicknamed the “Crew Dragon Capsule,” which will actually dock and return to the Earth. Boeing, on the other hand, is in charge of constructing the rocket that will be used to propel the Crew Dragon Capsule. Once the rocket and capsule exit Earth’s atmosphere, the capsule will break away and complete the rest of the journey to the I.S.S. on its own.

NASA gave Boeing and SpaceX several billions of dollars to help complete their assignments, with SpaceX receiving about $2.5 billion and Boeing receiving about $4 billion. NASA is starting to have concerns that the rocket and capsule will not be ready in time. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Capsule has already been to space, docked at the I.S.S. and returned to Earth safely during an unmanned test. However, earlier this year, the same capsule was destroyed during a training exercise on Earth. Boeing is in even worse shape; the company has been working on a rocket for several years now, but they still have not even completed an unmanned test. The company reports that they are preparing for a launch at the end of the year, but it

is still unclear whether that will actually happen.

“As Jim was was alluding to, the NASA request for Commercial Crew for several years was substantially reduced by Congress – I think, in some cases by 50%,” said CEO of SpaceX Elon Musk. “So it’s pretty hard to stay on schedule if you’ve got half as much money. But we didn’t spend more money. It just took longer.”

NASA asked these companies to take over building spacecrafts after they discontinued their own space shuttle program in 2011. If they will be able to meet the original deadline for the complete construct, its launch will be the first in the United States since 2011. Additionally, should Boeing and SpaceX successfully launch their aircraft, they will also be proving that private companies may soon be able to offer flights to space. Currently, it does not seem as though SpaceX and Boeing will meet their original deadline of late 2019, but launching by 2020 is certainly not too far-fetched.

If these companies do not have the capsule and rocket done by the end of 2020, NASA will likely turn to a third option for this project: Russia. NASA would pay Russia to construct the full spacecraft, and then pay to have American astronauts ride on it to the I.S.S. However, this certainly would not be a great idea for the United States in the long run, as each seat on a Russian spacecraft of such a sort would cost the U.S. about $85 million.

SpaceX and Boeing both claim that they are working as fast as possible to complete their spacecraft in time for their 2020 launch. Hopefully, it will be launched safely and in a timely manner.

by Jude Tomas Across the globe, smart speakers have emerged as almost integral for homeowners.

However, while all smart speakers convey ingenious displays of modern technology, none have been more successful than Amazon’s Alexa. Alexa devices have dominated the global market for smart speakers for years; during the second quarter of this past year alone, which includes the months of April, May and June - there have been over 6.6 million shipments of Alexa devices, making Amazon’s Alexa account for roughly 25 percent of the entire smart speaker market. With this, Amazon has claimed 9 percent more of the market than both Baidu and Google - the second and third leaders of the global smart speakers market, respectively. However, this begs the question: “What makes Amazon’s Alexa devices so distinguished from the rest?” Simply put, Amazon is able to consistently showcase unprecedented ingenuity in their Alexa smart speakers. This was best seen in the Amazon’s latest Alexa event, which displayed many new and improved devices.

First, the Echo lineup - arguably the trademark of Amazon’s Alexa devices - has received many new additions as well as substantial improvements. One of the most awaited additions were the Echo Buds, Amazon’s take-on wireless earbuds. The Echo Buds feature Active Noise Reduction Technology and provide hands-free access to Alexa. Not only can Echo Buds play music, but they can also give directions, be used to call Ubers and even redirect people to other assistants like Siri or Google Assistant. Echo Buds are also equipped with a long battery life, offering up to five hours of music and four hours of call time. And this is all at a low

price of only $129, which is $30 less than the Apple AirPods.

Amazon also introduced the Echo Studio at the event - Amazon’s response to Google’s Nest Max and Apple’s HomePod. The Echo Studio features 3D audio and Dolby Atmos, and a 24-bit digital-to-analog converter (D.A.C.) and a power amplifier with 100 kHz bandwidth, allowing for high resolution music. To add on, the Echo Studio contains five different drivers: one downward-facing woofer, one front-firing tweeter and three mid-ranged speakers aimed at different directions. All of this lets the Echo Studio produce quality sound at ample volumes throughout any living space. The Echo Studio costs only $199, which is $30 less than the Nest Max and $100 less than the HomePod. However, Amazon’s genius was best seen in the display of upcoming models for the Echo lineup - the Echo Flex and the Echo Frames & Loop. Unfortunately, these devices are still in the demo stage and are not going to be released anytime soon. The Echo Flex, being incredibly small and portable, can be brought and put almost anywhere. Like other Echo devices, it responds to voice commands, answering with everything from weather reports to the news. The Echo Frames & Loop, on the other hand, is something straight out of a spy movie. The device looks like any other pair of glasses, but embedded into it is a full Alexa system, complete with four microspeakers to allow for a hands-free Alexa experience.

The recent Amazon Alexa event is only additional proof that Amazon shows no signs of slowing down While Google and Apple also possess cutting-edge technology, it seems that what ultimately sets Amazon apart is their willingness to try new ideas.

by Boris Yakubov On Sept. 6, India took a stab at joining the exclusive club of nations that have successfully sent missions to the moon. However, India’s attempt to land their autonomous spacecraft on the moon resulted in a complete failure. The culprit has since been determined to be an unintentional divergence from the projected trajectory.

Initially, all seemed to be going well. The initial launch went smoothly, but after only roughly 3 miles of travel, the craft already began deviating from its planned trajectory. The craft, dubbed the “Chandrayaan-2 Moon Lander,” lost connection with the control room only minutes after takeoff. Nevertheless, Dr. Kailasavadivoo Sivan, the head of the Indian Space Research Organization, just claimed that this was a partial failure. He stated that this event was merely a shortterm obstacle that will only briefly delay India’s goal to reach the moon.

Chandrayann-2 had been in Earth’s orbit since July, simply preparing for launch. Although the initial ascension of the craft went as planned, at some point, there was a communications glitch,

which Sivan blames for the failure of the craft. This issue is similar to the one experienced by Israeli spacecraft “Beresheet,” which was one of the other three space launches of 2019. Similar to the Chandrayaan-2, a technical error resulted in a command that shut off the device’s engine, resulting in a mission failure.

The day following the failed attempt, the Indian space program successfully located the lander utilizing satellite thermal imaging technology; however, they are still attempting to establish contact with the device in order to garner additional data for India’s next attempt at a moon landing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, of India however, remains optimistic. Modi has since assured the public that this will not be India’s last attempt at landing a device on the moon. Another thing that must be recognized is the relatively low cost of this project: the entire undertaking cost only about $150 million, which is relatively cheap compared to similar missions that have been spearheaded by groups like NASA. It would be incredible for the space exploration industry if India is able to build a successful spacecraft for as cheap as their Chandrayann-2.

Although this particular landing may have failed, India is still determined to reach the moon, and perhaps even robotic probes to the Sun, Venus, Mars and Saturn.

by Liam Kaminsky Today, one of the main problems we have with technology and the Internet is the ever-present threat of hackers. Fortunately, Google has come in to save the day once again, this time with their new encrypted Domain Name System (D.N.S.) server, which supposedly greatly improves cybersecurity.

Recently, Google has been experimenting with new ways to enhance online privacy and security while still maintaining content filtering and parental controls in its Chrome Web browser, and this new DNS service is the most recent result of that experimentation.

Simply put, Google’s new D.N.S. service ensures secure connections. The new protocol behind the program will further encrypt Internet traffic beyond its standard encryption, which could prevent hackers from snooping on websites and from spoofing or faking sites. This would be a huge plus for the cybersociety and would remove a huge burden off of people who are scared of being hacked.

D.N.S. is like a phonebook for the Internet, translating domain names to IP addresses, which computers can actually understand. Each time a person visits a site, they send a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (H.T.T.P.S.) to the owner of the server, and since D.N.S. queries are not encrypted, owners of servers can see all requests to enter their servers. Most queries go through an Internet Service Provider (I.S.P.) like Verizon; an I.S.P. can essentially track anything and everything that their users do on the Internet. Google’s D.N.S. protocol would make it much harder for I.S.P.s and the government to track what users look at.

However, Google is receiving a lot

of backlash from Congress, as they believe that the new technology could give Google an edge over their competitors by making it harder for them to access consumer data. In turn, this could turn Google into a monopoly company. With this new data service, it is hard to say how much access Google will get, and it is certainly logical for Congress to feel that Google’s D.N.S. server may potentially be unfair towards other companies.

Investigators for the House Judiciary Committee recently sent Google a written request asking for details on the company’s intentions with their D.N.S. server.

House investigators also wanted to know if Google planned to use the data it would collect for any commercial purposes.

Google will run an experiment of their new service on all platforms except Linux and iOS for a portion of Chrome users. Although this test will only be performed on a few select people, it may still have a big effect.

Some opponents of the new technology have expressed concern that encrypting D.N.S. data could complicate government agencies’ efforts to monitor Internet traffic, and that Google will begin controlling that aspect instead. Another concern is that the new process could prevent service providers that do not support the new standard from observing user behavior for their data-gathering efforts, which can, in turn, compromise the data that is being collected.

Overall, what Google is doing may seem spectacular and safe, but it is also very risky. Everyone can agree that having organizations like Google know a significant amount of information about its users is scary.

India Fails Launch

Google Encrypts DNS

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Defeating Hackers At Def Con 27

by Mike Green Recently, some of the world’s top cybersecurity experts met in Las Vegas for DEF CON 27. Known as the Black Hat Event, hackers, IT professionals and law enforcement alike meet every year to discuss the state of cybersecurity and its effects on our country.

DEF CON began about 27 years ago by Jeff Moss, who, at the time, was 18 years old.

Originally, Moss was throwing a farewell party for his friend; however, his friend left early, so he was left with reserved space in a hotel. He didn’t want it to go to waste so he invited all of his “hacker friends.” He knew these people by nothing except their screen name. The first DEF CON was filled with lots of drugs, prostitutes, black hat hacking (hacking with malicious intent) and other illegal activities. It was meant to be a one-time event; however, everyone who came had a great time, and hence, DEF CON was born. Since then, DEF CON has been held in Las Vegas annually. It started with roughly 100 criminal hackers; This year, though, there were nearly 30,000 hackers, journalists, IT professionals and even some government agents.

The origin of the name “DEF CON” is not exactly known, but there are some theories. Some believe the term DEF CON comes from the movie “War Games.” In the movie, a teen boy hacked a super-computer and accidentally selected Las Vegas, the home of DEF CON, as a nuclear target, prompting the U.S. government to issue a defense readiness condition (DEFCON) alert. However, some people believe that CON stands for convention, and DEF is taken from the letters on the number three on a phone keypad, referencing

phreakers, the first hackers; Phreakers used modems and telephones to hack into the earliest computer systems.

DEF CON is organized into three parts: general sessions, specialized sessions and villages. General sessions are presentations, tutorials and panelists set up for everyone’s enjoyment. The specialized sessions are meant for people who are looking to learn or see progress in one specific field of hacking. Finally, there are villages, which are specialized groups dedicated to researching specific hacking topics. Each village presents its research with a hands-on presentation.

Three years ago, a group of hacktivists activists who seek justice by hacking - claimed that they could hack voting machines, but few took them seriously. Thus, Moss decided to have about 100 digital voting machines to be used as a sort of playground for the Voting Village. Voting machines are very hackable; an overwhelming amount of people found various vulnerabilities that could be easily exploited, begging the question: were votes secure in the 2016 election? The answer is that votes may have been hacked and manipulated. However, due to the primitive nature of the voting machines, log files can be easily hidden or cleared.

In today’s times, everything is connected to the internet, even cars. One of the villages at the event was the Car Village. The Car Village looks to share the vulnerabilities

within cars. Once a car is hacked, the hacker essentially has control of the whole car. He/she can control the wheel, radio and most controls on the car. They can also spoof the sensors on a car to make it stop or move, showing implications for hacking autonomous cars. During the demonstration, the presenters took apart cars, exposing their many entry ways.

This year, the Air Force brought an F-15 fighter-jet data system to the Aviation Village to see if anybody would be able to hack it. The hackers over at the Village thoroughly took apart the system, finding many vulnerabilities.

By letting them hack it, the Air Force was able to reverse engineer patches for these vulnerabilities. Next year, the Air Force plans to bring a satellite.

Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics William Roper sees DEF CON as an opportunity to advance and secure government systems.

“We have to get over our fear of embracing external experts to help us be secure,” Roper said. “We are still carrying cybersecurity procedures from the 1990s. We have a very closed model. We presume that if we build things behind closed doors and no one touches them, they’ll be secure. That might be true to some degree in an analog world. But in the increasingly digital world, everything has software in it.” Roper wants to break the government’s traditional mindset, in hopes of “securing” a stronger security system.

Overall, DEF CON is a fun but also serious event. It allows hackers to pursue their passion in a controlled, supportive environment. Hopefully, DEF CON will help bring about a more secure internet.

by Alex Niyazov Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) has continued to climb its way into all aspects of the world in recent years, whether it be economy, medicine or even government, with the intention of improving data interpretation and communication in each of these fields. As A.I. continues to develop, companies are becoming more inclined to search for machine learning and A.I. capabilities to further their businesses’ successes.

Microsoft is one of many companies that utilizes the capabilities of A.I. in many of their business ventures, harnessing the exponentially-increasing amount of computational power and digital data that A.I. offers. Microsoft in particular manages advanced algorithms to examine the interactions between people and machines to expand the human ability to perform tasks, sense, learn and understand an input of information.

A company known as Novartis is using Microsoft to put A.I. into the desktops of its research associates to help improve the software and programs on these computers. Novartis is a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company and is currently searching for technological innovation that can improve their ability to produce and develop all sorts of pharmaceuticals. Their partnership with Microsoft entails a fiveyear collaboration to establish several joint research projects along with an entire A.I. innovation lab.

“As Novartis continues evolving into a focused medicines company powered by advanced therapy platforms and data science, alliances like this will help us deliver on our purpose to reimagine medicine,” Norvartis CEO Vasant Narasimhan said.

Narasimhan also stated that their knowledge of human biology and medicine combined with Microsoft’s A.I. will undoubtedly allow them to develop and discover new, ground-breaking treatments.

The projects concern implementing A.I. to personalize treatments for macular degeneration and blindness.

A.I.’s ability to perform tasks better than humans will lead to unprecedented progress in a number of areas, such as image segmentation and analysis, cell and gene therapy manufacturing, treatments for acute lymphoblastic leukemia such as Kymriah and processes for creating new therapeutic molecules.

The innovation lab will be the company’s engine and center for A.I., according to Shahram Ebadollahi, the head of data science and A.I. at Novartis, and their production of A.I.-based solutions to various problems will soon start being implemented. These interactions with AI will take place in coworking centers of activity within campuses in Switzerland, Ireland and the Microsoft research lab in the U.K. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says that they look to find some of the most costefficient medicines using A.I. Moreover, the processes of the work associates will be analyzed by the A.I. and the concept of a “citizen data scientist” will be empowered through access to these technologies.

A.I. will also be able to solve issues like the ability to interpret large amounts of data to develop new drugs, according to Peter Lee, the corporate vice-president for Microsoft Healthcare. There continues to be certain parts that must be improved, however, such as a machine learning platform designed to mine the company’s compartments of data

across research and development programs such as patterns, biomarkers and targets.

Microsoft’s investments in the field of A.I. are infusing computational powers, systems and materials to allow computers to answer complex inquiries in research, tools and services in existing and upcoming products.

In past years, Microsoft has also been working on projects to help determine how technology might affect society in the future; one such program is the Microsoft Ability Initiative (M.A.I.). This project is exclusively committed to seeing where and how technology could influence society. For example, the leaders of the group recently finished a competitive process in searching for an academic research team to work on changing the current automated image captioning system, which blind people will hopefully be able to use in the future to go about their daily lives. The M.A.I. group teamed up with researchers in University of Texas at Austin to create personalized and specialized accessibility technology. The A.I. for the Accessibility program will improve Microsoft 365 accessibility and fund future research. Blind people need this technology to go about their daily lives, but the system is still in its early stages. Recently, Danna Guarari, a principal investigator at the Texas University in Austin, said that their state-ofthe-art vision-to-language technology is currently making huge strides in collaboration with Microsoft’s M.A.I. There are endless opportunities for Microsoft’s A.I. to collaborate and continue to change the world with its technology. Only time will tell what Microsoft’s A.I. will end up doing and how it will end up contributing to our society.

Art by Angela Valero

Microsoft Makes AI Advances

Technology 11

Green’s Machines Art by Zoe Ng

FIRE HD

by Mike Green We have Apple’s iPad; we have Samsung’s Galaxy Tablet; but what is the next big tablet, you ask? There is an easy answer to that one - the Amazon Fire HD 8. This tablet, while not new, has recently been revamped, revealing many new features that make the Fire HD 8 appealing.

To start, a Fire HD 8 with 16GB of storage costs only $80, making it much more affordable than something like the iPad, which costs $350 for one with 32GB of storage. On the downside, Amazon uniquely puts ads on the lock screen of their tablet, but through a one-time additional payment of only $15, these ads can be permanently removed. And if you want more storage, you can upgrade to 32GB from 16GB for only $30. With both of these upgrades, the tablet still costs $225 less than the iPad. The Fire HD also has a microSD card slot, potentially allowing for more storage. Unfortunately, the Fire HD 8 is plastic and therefore is not waterproof.

The tablet, which weighs just over a mere 1 pound, is about 8.5 inches by 5 inches by 0.5 inches, making it quite large. The tablet comes in black, blue, red or yellow. The tablet also features two stereo speakers on the side and a standard headphone jack, but it also has Bluetooth, so Airpods and other Bluetooth headphones are compatible. Unfortunately, the tablet’s screen resolution is a measly 1280x800, which is significantly smaller than the iPad’s 2048x2732 screen. On the plus side, the tablet boasts an astonishing 10 hours of life on a single charge, roughly the same as the iPad. The Fire tablet is charged by a micro USB cable. That same micro USB port can be used to transfer files from your tablet to your computer and vice versa. The Fire HD 8’s front-facing camera was even upgraded to a potential 2 megapixels with 720p video - a huge upgrade from the previous tablet’s.

Being an Amazon device, it features a hands-free Alexa, as well as “show” mode.

Show mode allows your tablet to transform from a tablet into an Echo Show. With show mode, the tablet can be propped up and charged at the same time.

On the other hand, Amazon offers a Kids Edition of the Fire HD 8 for $129.99, available in blue, pink or yellow. It is the same tablet as the normal Fire HD 8, but it comes with three extra features: a big rubbery case, a year of FreeTime Unlimited and a two-year warranty.

FreeTime Unlimited is an app with every single type of child content imaginable, from kid-friendly books to Audible books. The Kids Edition also features all sorts of child controls, which can be used to block searches, limit screen time and much more to make sure all the content is appropriate.

The tablet comes with a lot of free reading materials and shows and comes with all sorts of pre-downloaded Amazon apps, including Kindle, Prime Video and Audibles. More apps can be downloaded from the Amazon app store.

Unfortunately, the Google app store cannot be accessed, and thus, the apps and games that you can download can potentially be very limited.

Overall, the Fire HD 8 is an amazing tablet at an even more amazing price. The low price means that you will, however, be giving up some features like a large, high quality app store.

14

Art

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Art by Randel Placino

Art by Gabrielle Nakkab

Art by Karaline Talty

Art by Asma Rasheed

Art by Samantha Almonte

Art by Zoe Ng

Monday, November 4, 2019

Meme of The Month

Art by Zoe Ng

by Ariella Ziarno We’re back from summer vacation, and while we may have grown up a little bit during our time off, the Internet has remained as childish as ever. Meme culture is wildly popular in today’s society and the meme on top this month is the Spongebob Square Pants “ight imma head out” meme. This amusing meme has been dominating several social media platforms throughout the past month.

Spongebob Square Pants is a Nickelodeon cartoon show. The show, created in 1999 by Stephen Hillenburg, highlights the day-to-day adventures of the title character, Spongebob Square Pants. Spongebob is a yellow square sponge who lives in a pineapple house in the fictional underwater town, Bikini Bottom. Spongebob has fun spending time with his pet snail Gary, his best friends Patrick and Sandy and his neighbor, Squidward.

When Spongebob isn’t goofing around with his friends, he can be found cooking “Krabby Patties” for the Krusty Krab restaurant owned

by Mr. Krabs.

This month’s meme was created by Twitter user @BBWslayer666 on July 7, 2018. The meme creator took a screenshot of Spongebob from the SpongeBob SquarePants episode called “The Smoking Peanut,” which aired on March 8, 2001. This screenshot depicts the exact moment when Spongebob is rising from his chair with his TV remote still in hand. The screenshot captured can be interpreted as the moment that Spongebob was getting up from his chair to turn the TV off and exit the room. The meme’s creator captioned this screenshot with the phrase “ight imma head out” in order to express the desire to get up and leave a place or situation.

Within six months of its creation, the original post received 26,000 retweets on Twitter. Recently, this meme has blown up on other social media platforms, as users have begun to create memes of their own based on this Spongebob template.

This meme is hilarious because of its relatability. Users’ descriptions of circumstances that have made them or others “head out” are situations that greatly resonate with others. For example, social media users have used the meme to depict the feeling of wanting to get up and leave in the middle of a boring class. Lebron James has even used the “ight imma head out” meme format to make a meme poking fun at the idea that all of his money seems to “get up” and leave his bank account when he indulges in a shopping spree.

Since its creation, the “ight imma head out” meme has been retweeted and shared so many times that it is impossible to truly know just how many times social media users have posted about this meme. Social media users continue to use this meme format to display their creativity and sense of humor to others; however, this meme will inevitably be replaced with a more popular meme in the near future. Enjoy the ‘ight imma head out” meme while it is still in the spotlight because a new meme will likely take its place next month!

After Hours 15

SPECTRUM

Clubs Welcome New Members

by Elizabeth Zemlansky George W. Hewlett High School hosts an an nual co - cu r r icular fair, allowing students the opportunity to learn more about the countless clubs that Hewlett High School has to offer.

This allows incoming students to find clubs that interest them, specifically clubs where they can acquire skills and learn more about the things they enjoy.

In previous years, the cocurricular fair took place during the last period of an X-day. With this schedule, almost all periods of the day were shortened by five minutes. During the fair, club advisors and student leaders of each club would be assigned a classroom. Fresh men would choose three clubs to lear n about. The co-curricular fair was extremely important for students because it taught them how they could become more involved in the school as well as heighten their involvement in the community. It allowed any student, regardless of restrictions in their schedule, access everything that each club had to offer.

However, this year the school’s a d m i n i s t r a t o r s d e c id e d t o s w it c h things up. For the 2019-2020 school year, the co-curricular fair was held during lunch periods in the librar y.

This was even better for freshmen, who could learn about all of the clubs in the school, rather than just three clubs of their choosing. The advisors and student leaders of each club volun-

teered to give up their free periods to help facilitate the event and explain to anyone interested what their club was all about. There was a plethora of clubs showcased in the library, ranging from business clubs to art clubs to community service oriented clubs. This allowed

Art by Elizabeth Son

students to explore all of their options.

Additionally, this year’s fair was even more beneficial as it allowed students from all grades, not just freshman, to explore and learn about the different clubs offered by the school.

That being said, there were also downsides to this new arrangement.

For instance, many students lost interest when it came down to missing their lunch, a time where they could leave school, see their friends and have some freedom. Generally, freshmen look forward to having the opportunity to leave

the school campus and having several options on where to eat.

“The co-curricular fair made me realize how much opportunity I have here at the high school, but it was unfortunate to have to stay in during my lunch period,” Melanie Poley ’23 said.

It is important to recognize that the co-curricular fair was not just about ninth grade students showing up, it was also about the club representatives and advisors who played a significant role in making the fair what it was. Many upperclassmen took time away from their free periods to help out and manage the fair. The freshmen are all grateful for the students who devoted their time help tell others about the clubs they love.

All in all, the co-curricular fair was a great way for incoming students to gain insight into all of the opportunities they have here at Hewlett. There are nearly 40 clubs already in place and each year students bring more ideas to the table to start new clubs. Clubs are a wonderful way for high school students to participate in new activities, interact with peers in a supervised setting and connect with others who have similar interests. Clubs are an awesome opportunity for people to express who they are and allow them to go out of their comfort zone. Without the cocurricular fair, students may never find an opportunity to participate in the school’s activities.

Find a Friend, Make a Friend

by Lily Cohen Do you enjoy volunteering your time to help out others? If so, you should consider joining the Friends Program at Hewlett High School. This national club gives students an incredible opportunity to make friends, increase social skills and improve their mental health.

Studies have shown that having a support system can lower rates of anxiety and depression. However, students who feel the need to talk to someone are often uncomfortable approaching an adult or other professional.

This is why students in the Hewlett High School Friends Program volunteer their time to hang out with their younger “friends.”

These one-on-one relationship that high school students form with their peers are extremely valuable because it encourages young students to confide in their peers if they feel that they have no one else to turn to. These peer relationships provide young students with the ability to learn critical social emotional skills, such as empathy, cooperation and problemsolving skills.

In order to form these valuable peer relationships, high school volunteers are matched with students in preschool, elementary school and middle school. According to Audrey Goodman, the advisor of the Town of Hempstead’s Friends Program led by the New Horizon Counseling Center, the Town of Hempstead’s Friends Program includes Hewlett and Lynbrook High School, but students and their “friends” are matched based on the school districts that they live in. Each high school volunteer functions as a special “friend” for the younger child that they are paired with. As special “friends,” the volunteers can help their younger friends for an hour every week with homework, studying or even socializing. The volunteers and their

buddies find a meeting place that is close to both of their homes. The local library, a park or someone’s house all work as great meeting areas. For some young students, meeting with their “friend” is the highlight of their week.

Students who are having a hard time at home or in school are able to find a positive outlet to look forward to when involved in the Friends Program. Students involved in the Friends Program enjoy bonding with their older “friend” through shared interests such as sports, music, art and other hobbies. High school students and their younger “friends” will create a bond and lasting relationship that each student can cherish throughout the rest of their time in the Hewlett-Woodmere community.

“This is a very unique relationship, a high school student with a younger child,” Goodman said. “Besides being a role model and mentor, some look at it as a brother or sister relationship, or simply as a homework buddy.

Some who are new to the country, or just the town, look to their ‘friends’ as a welcome.

Some are shy and need a little help with their self esteem.”

This unique bond is especially important when younger “friends” make the transition from middle school to high school.

Although incoming freshmen may be too old to be considered as a young “friend’ in the Friends Program, they know that they can always count on their former “friend,” who has become an important figure in their lives, to help them get through the rough times.

Clearly, the Friends Program is lifechanging for young students who are in need of a peer to reach out to. However, the Friends Program is also extremely beneficial for the high school students who volunteer their time to be “friends” to younger students. Around 50 to 60 high school students sign up to be-

come a “friend” to a younger student every school year. It is not hard to understand why high school students are so enthusiastic about becoming a “friend.” The feeling of content that older students receive when they help out others is incomparable to any other feeling.

High school students are able to take pride in knowing that they are able to make a huge impact in the lives of others by simply spending one hour a week with their “friend.” High school students quickly grow to cherish and love their “friend,” and are so excited every week to spend time with them again. The high school students involved in the Friends Program deffinitley do not take the opportunity to help others for granted.

It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to make an effort to reach out to others. Students who may be dealing with stress at home or in school may not always want to reach out to adults for help, which makes high school students extremely valuable resources. The Friends Program has done so much for so many kids in our community.

“Friends” are continuing to help younger students to lower anxiety, stress, depression and other issues, all while getting the opportunity to make a new friend.

If you would like to become a “friend” to a younger student in need, do not hesitate to contact Goodman via her email address (agoodman@nhcc.us) or her mobile phone (516)-236-3016. The Friends Program does not have official after-school meetings. Instead, program members meet up with their “friend” for an hour each week. Therefore, it is easy for “friends” to arrange a time to meet when they are both available. Join the Friends Program today to create a positive lasting impact on the lives of younger students. You could be saving a life.

16 After Hours

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Festive Celebrations For All

by Hailey Kampton For any town, it is difficult to get everyone together for a community festival.

However, the Hewlett-Woodmere community has successfully accomplished this seemingly impossible endeavor for the past few years with the Arts Below Sunrise Music & S.T.E.A.M. Festival. This year, the event was held on Sunday, Sept. 22, and was located on Broadway across from the Hewlett Woodmere Public Library.

The Arts Below Sunrise Festival is known for its growth and development throughout the years. According to John Roblin, a member of the Board of Directors of the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools Endowment Fund (HWPSEF), the HWPSEF created the Long Island Grower’s Market in 2011. The market, open every Friday in Grant Park, was created in order to promote a sense of community unity in the HewlettWoodmere district. As a celebration of the first Growers Market season, the HWPSEF held a “First Annual Fall Harvest Festival” on Oct. 30, 2011 in the Woodmere Middle School courtyard and auditorium.

During this Harvest Festival, the entire community was showcased. Included in the festival were robots, student music performances, crafts, food and kids activities. Furthermore, the HWPSEF made key connections with community organizations including the Community Chest, HewlettWoodmere Public Library and the HewlettWoodmere Business Association. On Oct. 14, 2012, the very first Arts Below Sunrise Festival was held in the parking lot between the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library and the Woodmere Education Center (WEC).

The Arts Below Sunrise festival continued to the Arts Below Sunrise festival was the egg increase in attendance each year and in 2016, drop challenge. This was initiated by Patricia a new science, technology, engineering, art Roblin, another member of the Board of Diand math (S.T.E.A.M.) aspect was added to rectors for the HWPSEF, and was hosted by the robotics team, Bionica. For the egg drop Arts Below Sunrise.

Recently, the Arts Below Sunrise challenge, children were tasked with creating festival has become more geared towards a contraption that could support an egg so that music and S.T.E.A.M. At this year’s Arts it would be able to fall from a ladder and land Below Sunrise Festival, the S.T.E.A.M. without cracking. Competitors were given a subjects were showcased through various bag of materials to create their contraption and had a thirty minute day-long demonstratime limit for building. tions and hands-on ac“The egg drop tivities. Chairperson of challenge was a great the Hewlett-Woodmere event,” Bionica’s head Science Department, builder, Olivia Sava Dr. Brian Terry, led soda ‘21 said. “It allowed bottle rocket and smoke children to showcase ring cannon demontheir engineering talstrations on the front ents and taught them lawn of WEC. Returnnew ways of thinking this year with their ing. It is extremely S.T.E.A.M. contribuimportant to introduce tion, the Cradle of Aviakids to S.T.E.A.M. action Museum set up a tivities as it allows for planetarium show inside Courtsey of Hailey Kampton increased function and WEC. The planetarium allowed community members to experience new methods of thinking. S.T.E.A.M. activigraphics of stars and constellations, the mo- ties are our future, allowing us to have faith tions of the earth, the Milky Way, the Sun, the in what is to come.”

The Arts Below Sunrise Festival alMoon and the solar system from unique and lowed community members to showcase their interesting points of view.

Once again, members of all three creativity and musical talents through onteams of the Hewlett High School Robotics stage performances. Between performances Club volunteered their time to Arts Below by Interactive Illusionist TJ Tana and Dance Sunrise to spread S.T.E.A.M. awareness to Express, Hewlett High School students were the community. The three teams-Roboboogie, able to perform their favorite songs on the Innovo and Bionica- showcased their robots main stage in the HWPS Library parking lot.

“It was really nerve-wracking, but it from previous years.

The newest S.T.E.A.M. attraction to was still very fun because I got to do it along-

side my friends,” Lily Cohen ‘23 said. “I think everyone who performed had fun and got to share their talents with the town.”

The stage was also shared with community members, who were encouraged to dress their dogs up as famous celebrities for the second annual Doggie Costume Contest.

Costumed dogs strutted across the stage to show off their outfits, hoping for a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place prize. This year’s first place winner was dressed up as Neil Armstrong.The prizes were generously donated by Fido Fitness Club, a local pet daycare. The petting zoo was another attraction at Arts Below Sunrise this year. Community members had a great time interacting with chicks, silk chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, chinchillas and ducks. Student volunteers were even able to take turns walking goats, sheep and alpacas up and down Broadway. New members to the petting zoo included a small black pig and a bearded dragon lizard that rode on the back of a large tortoise.

Although Arts Below Sunrise experienced a surge of new activities and attractions this year, the festival kept up with old traditions such as bringing back food vendors from previous years. These vendors included the Cheezy Pete’s food truck, Baked Fresh Pretzels booth, the Perfect Pickle booth and the Neapolitan Express food truck. New food options this year included Mama’s Cuban Kitchen, Greek on the Go and Rita’s Ices truck.

Every year, Arts Below Sunrise is so special because it brings community members of all ages together. It is clear from the huge community effort and turnout that the festival has a long future ahead.

Forever Remembered Accessorizing in Style

by Shanzeh Sadiq Sydney Babush, one of HewlettWoodmere’s most beloved teachers, unfortunately passed away on Sept. 22, 2019. The loss has had a tremendous impact on former students as well as the Hewlett-Woodmere Faculty Association (HWFA), who will always remember her great personality, never-ending compassion and truly remarkable passion for teaching.

Babush had been a member of the Hewlett-Woodmere District for 33 years until she retired in 2007. During her years, Babush taught social studie. Specifically, she taught AP Economics and Global History Honors. As a teacher, her love for history and economics had an impact on her students. She encouraged, supported and fostered active academic development in her students. Babush directed many students towards the right path in life, constantly providing advice to anyone who needed it, including fellow teachers and faculty members.

In addition, Babush always looked out for her students’ best interests. In particular, Babush held her famous “Babush Breakfast Club,” where, at 7 a.m., she would provide bagels to students who needed extra help. Her actions significantly helped students reach their greatest potential, both from her constant availability or her thorough lesson plans.

In order to make sure her students received the best education with the resources provided, Babush didn’t let one second of her teaching go to waste. In her classroom, she even had the motto, “notebooks out, minds open, mouth shut.”

Outside of her classroom, Babush was an active participant in the high school.

She was a longtime advisor of Model Congress, in which she devoted numer-

ous hours to make the experience much better for students. Students from different schools knew Babush for her extreme dedication to maximizing the level of fun for students.

Moreover, Babush also spent a significant amount of time running the school’s Fed Challenge Program, where she encouraged students to become more involved in the policy making of the Federal Reserve.

After every competition, Babush would treat students to a nice dinner to celebrate their hard work and accomplishments.

Aside from school clubs, Babush contributed earnestly to formalizing policies of the HWFA by serving as a building representative on the Executive Board. Her voice was extremely valuable in determining the best strategies to enforce an effective education for students.

To further emphasize Babush’s involved role in policymaking, she used her voice in other domains, including the National Organization for Women. As a member, she aimed to provide a free and equal society where her students would not have to experience sexism and oppression. Often, she shared this goal with her students and fellow faculty members.

To celebrate and recognize her achievements within and outside the school, Babush had been awarded the Long Island Teacher Award and has had the yearbook dedicated to her several times.

Characterized as extremely knowledgeable and bright, Babush’s legacy will continue in the school for years to come.

Babush has truly impacted the lives of several individuals within the HewlettWoodmere community and beyond. Her contributions will never be forgotten and her memory will live on in the hearts of those she has touched.

by Tate Steinberg Many clothing items are beginning to rise up from their late 20th century shadows, re-emerging and coming back in style. In particular, barettes and chokers, two fashion trends that were hits in the last century, have returned. These two items impacted fashionistas all around the world and continue to do so today.

Chokers are being reinvented to help add a “wow factor” to dull outfits.

When first in style, barrettes were for the convenience of keeping your hair back, but today, it is all about keeping up with society’s latest trends. These two popular items have made a comeback in 2019 and are once again shaping the fashion industry, while adding cute and chic accessories to everyday outfits. The fashion industry is always changing, but right now it is bringing back classic styles.

A barrette is a clasp for holding hair in place. They are often made from metal or plastic and sometimes feature decorative fabric. This product was invented in 1972 by a young girl named Gabrielle Goodwin. She was inspired to create barrettes since she noticed that her bows were never stable. Once Goodwin and her mother perfected the barette, it became a game changer in fashion.

When teens ask about barrettes, most mothers will describe the accessories as well loved by everyone. Barrettes were utilized, especially by children, to keep everything in place. However, as time passed, the product began to disappear. Suddenly, barrettes have made a reappearance. Specifically, Alexander Wang, a fashion designer brought back this trend to hold back slick hair. Soon,

other world-renowned fashion designers started to use barrettes on their models.

The increased popularity has interested many teenagers and celebrities who cannot wait to incorporate this accessory into their everyday fashion.

In addition to barrettes, chokers have also made a fashion comeback. They have been around for quite some time now, but have not always been considered trendy within the fashion community.

Chokers are a tight-fitted necklace worn around your neck. They can be made in a variety of styles that can complement numerous looks. Not only can the colors vary, but so can the designs and even the materials. Typically, chokers are velvet, plastic, beaded or leather, but can differ in material.

This trend is coming back into play and is more popular than ever before. Several influential celebrities have increased the popularity of chokers, by showing off their chokers alongside their outfits.

Many of these looks are being featured in magazines and are promoting the youth to add to this trend. Two major companies that create choker looks for celebrities are Dolce & Gabbanna and Versace.

Both of these companies’ chokers were featured in fashion shows in 2018 and 2019. Magazines and articles have stated that chokers were the jewelry of summer.

This trend is expected to continue into the 2019 fall season.

Anyone around the world can utilize these trends and create new and inspiring looks. Barrettes and chokers will continue to add glam into any plain and boring outfit. Who knows? Maybe this trend will last forever.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Entertainment

SPECTRUM

Cameron Boyce’s Legacy Lives On

by Sarah Krevans Many friends, fans and family were left devastated on July 6, 2019 when child actor Cameron Boyce died at the age of 20 years old. At first, the cause of death was uncertain, but it was then confirmed that he died in his sleep due to a seizure caused by his epilepsy.

Boyce is survived by his parents and sister.

Boyce, a young actor was beloved for his role on the Disney Channel series “Jessie,” where he starred as Luke Ross during the show’s four seasons. Boyce later had the same role on the spin-off series “BUNK’D.” Boyce also played the role of Carlos, son of iconic Disney Villain Cruella De Vil, in the hit Disney Channel films “Descendants” and “Descendants 2.” He was set to appear as a series regular on HBO’s new show Mrs. Fletcher, starring Kathryn Hahn, and the TV spinoff of the film “American Satan,” called “Paradise City,” about rock stars navigating the music industry.

Boyce was born in Los Angeles on May 28, 1999. He began his onscreen acting career at nine years old, appearing in Panic! at the Disco’s music video “That Green Gentleman,” in the horror film “Mirrors” with Kiefer Sutherland and Paula Patton, and the soap opera “General Hospital,” in which he had a recurring role. Boyce made his big screen debut in the 2010 film “Grown Ups” with Adam Sandler, who paid tribute to Boyce on social media after learning of his death. The two reprised their roles of father and son in the 2013

sequel.

Boyce was also known for his humanitarian work, particularly for his involvement with the Thirst Project, a non-profit aimed at tackling the global water crisis. In 2017, Boyce raised more than $27,000 for the charity, the funds went toward building wells in Swaziland.

His friends and family have nothing but positive words to speak about Boyce.

“From a young age, Boyce dreamed of sharing his extraordinary artistic talents with the world,” a Disney Channel spokesperson said. “As a young man, he was fueled by a strong desire to make a difference in peoples’ lives through his humanitarian work. He was an incredibly talented performer, a remarkably caring and thoughtful person and, above all else, he was a loving and dedicated son, brother, grandson and friend. Many colleagues and friends posted on social media, not only to send their condolences to his family but to thank him for always putting a smile on everyone’s faces.”

Disney Channel star Dove Cameron posted a tribute to her former “Descendents” co-star Boyce. In the six-part emotional video post, the actress said she was “still in shock” before recounting the many kind things Boyce did for her during the time they knew each other. Boyce “talked me down from countless ledges, talked me through eating disorders, helped me out of a dark relationship and through end-

Lizzo’s Rise to Fame

by Ofir Riscovich Melissa Vivianne Jefferson, also known as Lizzo, is an increasingly popular American singer-songwriter known for hits such as “Truth Hurts” and “Good as Hell.” Currently, countless fans adore her songs. However, when reflecting on Lizzo’s rise to superstardom, it is definitely an interesting journey.

The singer was born on April 27, 1988, in Detroit, Michigan and moved to Houston, Texas at the age of ten. As a teenager, Lizzo began rapping as a hobby and at the age of 14 and started a small musical group with her friends called Cornrow Clique. At the time, Lizzo’s name was inspired by Jay-Z. Later, Lizzo went on to study the flute at The University of Houston. At the age of 21, the death of her father led her to live in her car for over a year. In 2011, she managed to move to Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Lizzo performed w ith many groups, helping form an R&B group called Chalice and releasing an album called “We Are the Chalice.” Lizzo released her own debut album later called Lizzobangers in September 2013 and collaborated with Gayngs’ Ryan Olson and Doomtree’s Lazerbeak. Lizzo made many special appearances the following year on tracks by Clean Bandit, “New Eyes,” “Bastille,” “Torn Apart,” as well as Sean Anonymous and DJ Name, “Cold Shoulder.”

In 2016, Lizzo released her first major song, “Coconut.” Soon after, she was signed to Atlantic Records, one of the largest and most well known American record labels. Although the

song was popular, it wasn’t as successful as her first albums. In April 2019, Lizzo released her third album, “Cuz I Love You,” which was her first album released under a popular music label. It debuted at the No. 6 on the Billboard Top 200 chart.

In April 2019, Lizzo performed at Coachella and sang many of her most popular songs. She later appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and the “Late Show” with David Letterman. Lizzo also joined the cast of the 2019 animated movie “Ugly Dolls,” starring as the voice roll of Lydia.

Lizzo’s first major breakthrough, the well known anthem, “Truth Hurts.”

She worked on this song with producer, Ricky Reed and released the song in 2017, but it only became popular in May of 2019.

Lizzo has been nominated for a number of prestigious music awards such as Choice Breakout Artist and Choice Summer Female Artist at the Teen Choice awards. “Truth Hurts” was also nominated for Choice Summer Song. The MTV Video Music Awards nominated Lizzo for Best New Artist and Push Artist of the year. Furthermore, it is rumored that Lizzo will be nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy along with Billie Eilish.

Lizzo has definitely become one of the best new artists of the decade and her fans expect many more hits to come. Although Lizzo is relatively new to the industry, she is capable of becoming a super-star around the world. Fans everywhere are looking forward to see what is in store for the artist.

less breakdowns,” she said. Cameron also mentioned other tributes to Boyce that praised his talent, while emphasizing that he was an even better person than he was a performer.

“Everyone keeps talking about how talented he was, and he was undoubtedly the most talented person most of us will ever know,” Cameron said.

“But what was special about Boyce was who he was in the small moments... the moments in between the big ones when he didn’t have to be good or kind, Boyce was always good and kind.” She continued by offering condolences to Boyce’s family.

“My heart aches for you,” she said. “I have close to nothing left, which tells me some small percentage about how you must be feeling.” The actress signed off the six-part salute by saying simply, “you deserved so much more time.”

On Oct. 9, Cameron said that she had originally felt “ruined” when she attempted to watch the film with out Boyce. However, Cameron decided that she was going to turn the viewing into a celebration. Cameron explained that watching the film was not as painful as she expected it to be.

“It feels like Cameron is still here, when you watch it...We’ve all been around each other so much more recently than we usually are than when we’re not doing the films. I think it’s felt quite healthy, quite like, everything’s still kind of the same. It’s not.

But if we can kind of feel like it is,”

17

Cameron told Yahoo.

On July 27, Disney Channel put together an emotional tribute video that aired after “Descendants 3” premiered.

The video features tons of footage of Boyce behind-the-scenes on all three “Descendants” films, with his co-stars, audition tapes and even from his time when he was just a young actor on Disney Channel series “Jessie.”

Following his death, Boyce’s family started the Cameron Boyce Foundation. According to the foundation’s website, the “Cameron Boyce Foundation provides young people artistic and creative outlets as alternatives to violence and negativity and uses resources and philanthropy for positive change in the world.” The foundation was established in 2019 to honor Boyce’s legacy.

“Cameron Boyce was extraordinary…not someone who could be placed in a box, or simplified down to a label.

As such, the foundation created in his honor is just as multifaceted as he was.

We provide young people with creative outlets to support the causes that Cameron was passionate about: ending gun violence and clean water. We will also advocate for epilepsy awareness,” reads the Cameron Boyce Foundation’s website. The foundation works to achieve these goals by supporting campaigns such as Wielding Peace and Thirst Project, both of which Cameron has worked closely with throughout his life. It now has thousands of supporters, and many of Boyce’s co-stars have taken to social media to promote the cause.

Friends Reunite

by Dani Auerbach even prompted the creation of the “Rachel” On Sept. 24, 1994, the widely popular haircut, which features shoulder-length, TV program “Friends” first took to living layered hair. rooms, homes and TVs all across the world.

Courteney Cox, the actor behind After 10 seasons and 236 episodes, the Monica Geller, also played roles in films show has accumulated an incredibly large such as “Family Ties,” “Ace Ventura,” “Pet following.

Detective” and “Scream” after her part in The lovable program was not always “Friends.” titled “Friends”; executive producers Lisa Kudrow, the face behind Buffay, Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kauffman and David was featured in “Romy and Michelle’s High Cranenhad originally named the show In- School Reunion,” “The Opposite of Sex,” somnia Cafe. Other names including Six of “Analyze This” and “P.S. I Love You.” One and Friends Like Us, were also thrown David Schwimmer, who played Ross, around as options, after much deliberation, has been casted in the series “Band of Broththe producers eventually settled on the title: ers” and “American Horror Story.” Last, but “Friends.” not least, Matthew Perry, who starred as “Friends” Bing in the tells a story of show, found adventures and roles in struggles of six “Fools Rush friends living in In,” “The New York City.

Whole Nine Art by Karaline Talty The 6 main charYa r d s , ” acters featured in the show are Ross Geller, “The Whole Ten Yards” and “Studio 60.”

Monica Geller, Joey Tribbiani, Rachel Looking back on these past 25 years, Green, Phoebe Buffay and Chandler Bing. “Friends” has only continued to grow in Each character is in their 20s or 30s. popularity, streaming on cable television as In short time after first airing, well as both Netflix and Hulu. In honor of “Friends” became the fifth most-watched this anniversary, “Friends” is coming to the TV series in the world. Since then the show big screen. Movie theaters around the world has been nominated for 62 Emmy Awards, decided to celebrate the show’s anniversary evidently the show is a complete work of art. by airing some of the most memorable and The “Friends” actors have found great most popular episodes on Sept. 23, Sept. success since the show’s end, but Jennifer 28 and Oct. 2. In select theaters, including Aniston is without argument the most suc- Regal Lynbrook 13 and RPX, “Friends” cessful of the bunch. Not only has Aniston aired for three consecutive days. starred in multiple movies, including “The To promote their anniversary, the cast Good Girl,” “Bruce Almighty,” “Rumor members posted a picture of themselves Has It” and “We’re the Millers,” but she linking arms on Instagram. is also the face of the skin care company “Friends” will continue to be loved Aveeno. Aniston’s immense popularity by all for years to come!

18 Entertainment

Kutcher’s Korner FROM FIVE TOWNS TO FAME

by Danna Kutcher Every kid raised in a small-town dreams of making it big. Tyler Sharpe, better known by his stage name Lil Tecca, was no exception. Originally from Queens, the rapper found his passion for rap music while attending Lawrence High School. He began rapping as early as the sixth grade, and became a serious rapper throughout high school. He is now living in Los Angeles, California.

L i l Te c c a ’s r a p p i n g c a r e e r started in 2017. His first song to gain recognition was “Tectri,” a single featuring the artist Lil Gummybear. Following this, the release of his songs “My Time,” “Callin” and “Rags and Riches” drew attention to the aspiring artist.

His original songs were posted and gained popularity on the music streaming platform SoundCloud. Some of Lil Tecca’s musical influences come from a variety of artists and sub genres, these influences include: Michael Jackson, Coldplay, Speaker Knockerz, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, Eminem, Meek Mill, Waka Flocka Flame and Chief Keef.

The song that brought Lil Tecca his international fame was “Ransom,” released in May 2019. This song brought Sharpe from his small-town SoundCloud fame to international acclaim.

“I don’t care what no one else thinks,” Lil Tecca said. “You feel me? I don’t care what no one thinks anymore.

I’m just going to do me now. You feel me? If people like it, they like it. If they don’t, they don’t. I like it,” For months, “Ransom” skyrocketed through the charts. A later released remix featuring popular rapper Juice WRLD added a verse to the song. This remix aided the song in reaching the peak of its fame “Ransom” hit #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and has been streamed over 300 million times on Spotify.

Following the hit song, Lil Tecca released his album “We Love You Tecca” in August 2019. The album’s title is derived from his slogan found at the beginning of many of his songs.

The album opens with “Ransom,” followed by 16 additional songs. The album closes with the Juice WRLD ‘s remix of “Ransom.” Additional popular songs on the album include “Love Me,” “Molly Girl,” “Bossanova” and “Left, Right.” In September 2019, “We Love You Tecca” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 albums - a huge achievement for the 17-year-old.

Since then, the artist performed at many major music festivals such as Rolling Loud in New York, Rolling Loud in Los Angeles and Summer Smash in Chicago. He is currently touring in the U.S. and will even make his way to Canada and Ireland.

“And it took a lot of me (lot of me)/ I swear, I lost lot of friends (lot of friends)/ I thought they was part of me (part of me),” he raps. Evidently, the artist has experienced a lot of change in his life since his days in Lawrence.

Sharpe’s most recent release of music was a feature on Internet Money’s song “Somebody,” along with charttopper A Boogie Wit da Hoodie.The music video for the song was released on Oct. 11, 2019, and has amassed over 6.5 million views.

SPECTRUM

Monday, November 4, 2019

And the Award Goes to. .

by Tracy Davidson Since its creation, television stars have been acclaimed for their talent and finesse. The Emmy Awards were created in order to honor and recognize those who have dedicated their time in order to produce a work of excellence on television. These awards take place annually, and while some gather to speculate on the outfits of the attendees, others dedicate their attention to the actors and actresses from their favorite TV shows.

The Emmys date back to 1948, when the first awards were given to recognize excellence in acting, directing, writing and design in television programs.

This year marked the 71st anniversary of the Primetime Emmy Awards, with more trophies and categories added and awarded to artists than ever before.

The ceremony took place on Sept. 22, 2019 in the Microsoft Theater located in downtown Los Angeles, while the 71st Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards took place several days beforehand.

Since this year’s Emmy Awards lacked a host, the famous character Homer Simpson opened up the ceremony by strolling across the stage. The augmentedreality depiction of Simpson had the entire audience laughing. Clearly, the character is still in our hearts 30 years after the show’s release. Throughout the ceremony, various celebrities such as Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert continued to build on the “hostless Emmys” joke.

While some lighthearted moments took place, some burns were made as well.

For example, comedian Thomas Lennon, who provided commentary throughout the night, had some things to say about

Emmy award-winning actress Felicity Huffman. Huffman was involved in the infamous college admissions scandal and was sentenced to 14 days in prison.

“The producers have asked me to give a special shout-out to any of our previous lead actress winners who are watching tonight from prison,” Lennon said. “Hopefully those two weeks are going to fly right by. Keep your chin up.”

History was made when Billy Porter, a 50-year-old performer and actor, became the first openly gay black man to win an Emmy for lead actor in a drama.

Porter was acclaimed for his role in FX’s Pose, a dance musical series about life and society in New York.

“I am so overwhelmed and I am so overjoyed to have lived long enough to see this day,” Porter said during his acceptance speech. He then proceeded to quote novelist James Baldwin: “It took many years of vomiting up the filth I was taught about myself and halfway believed before I could walk around this Earth like I had a right to be here… I have the right.

You have the right. We all have the right.”

Many shows truly brought home the glory when it came to this year’s Emmys. One of these shows was “Game of Thrones.” The hit fantasy series unfortunately came to an end this past May. After eight action-packed, dramatic, wildly successful seasons, the show was expected to receive a bounty of awards. “Game of Thrones” gained a record-winning 32 nominations for this year’s Emmys. Additionally, the show took home 10 trophies in the creative arts categories during the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Overall, the cast and crew took home the title for

outstanding drama s eries, and Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister, won the award for supporting actor in a drama.

Another show that truly received thorough appreciation was Fleabag. Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who both wrote and starred in this British television series, was nominated for four Emmys. She won three of said nominations, including leading actress in a comedy series, writer of a comedy series and best comedy series.

“Well, this is just getting ridiculous,” Waller-Bridge said jokingly as she accepted her third award that night. Truly, these awards were well-deserved, and all of her hard work was proved to be worth the effort.”

For those with an eye for fashion, this year’s Emmys outfits were interesting to reflect on. One highlight was Zendaya’s stunning custom-made emerald green Vera Wang dress. Zendaya was easily the best dressed out of everyone on the red carpet according to fashion critics. Other highlights include Angela Bassett in a fiery-red jumpsuit by Antonio Grimaldi Couture as well as Sandra Oh in a rosey pink off-the-shoulder Zac Posen gown.

Some ensembles that were less favorable were worn by Kerry Washington, Amy Adams and Gwynth Paltrow. There are many pieces that were red carpet material, and others that simply did not make the cut. Fashion bloggers everywhere criticized these actresses for their eccentric style choices.

Overall, the Emmys were a successful ceremony that was entertaining to watch despite its lack of a host. Many fans cannot wait to see what’s in store for the Emmys next year!

Eilish Becomes a Global Sensation

by Asma Rasheed and Gabrielle Nakkab 17-year-old Billie Eilish has become a sensation and a global icon, seemingly overnight. Building a fanbase from all age groups, Eilish has established herself as a well-rounded artist who is excited to do her own thing.

When she was eight years old, Eilish was part of the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus.

Just three years later, Eilish was writing and singing her own music, much like her older brother Finneas Eilish, who goes by the stage name “FINNEAS.” FINNEAS had started his own band a few years earlier, writing and performing his own songs. In 2015, FINNEAS and Eilish worked together to release their songs on SoundCloud, an online platform for users to distribute and listen to music, the songs “sHE’s brOKen,” and “Fingers Crossed” were the first two of these singles. Later that year, FINNEAS introduced Eilish to his band’s song “Ocean Eyes” and Eilish covered it. Soon after the cover’s release, “Ocean Eyes” became a viral hit and Eilish’s name was out in the media. At the age of 14, Eilish’s career skyrocketed. Currently, “Ocean Eyes” has more than 160 million views on YouTube.

After that, Eilish was invited to sign with Darkroom/Interscope Records, a moment that would forever go down in history. Defying the ideas of musical genres, Eilish created her own. By mixing pop, electropop and alternative rock, Eilish created something completely unique and original.

Eilish later released her first EP Don’t Smile at Me. This EP defied all genre norms, a continuity seen throughout her recent music. New genre mashing music such as “bury a friend,” ‘’bellyache” and “lovely” feature R&B artist Khalid. Eilish delivers a new type of music which is completely different from what is seen today; Eilish is creating a type of music that fans will follow and artists will mimic for years to come.

Eilish has also been open about many of her personal struggles. Specifically, Eilish opened up about suffering with Tourette’s syndrome. Tourette’s syndrome is a neurological disorder in which the person experiences tics or makes sounds sporadically. In November of 2018, Eilish posted on Instagram explaining that she had Tourette’s syndrome and that it makes everything in her life harder. Eilish has been struggling with Tourette’s since she was a child.

Eilish has also opened up about the impact that the death of her close friend Jahsey Dwayne Onfroy had on her. Onfroy, better known as XXX Tentacion, was shot and killed in Florida in June 2018. Eilish was criticized numerous times for mourning the death of Onfroy publicly. In an interview with The New York Times, Eilish wanted to relay to her fans that she should “be able to mourn [Onfroy]. I don’t want to be shamed for it. I don’t think I deserve getting hate for loving someone that passed.” This openness that Eilish expresses makes her extremely personable, and therefore lovable to her fans. Some attest Eilish’s

increasing popularity to her ability to be truthful with her fans and extremely honest with her private life.

Eilish has grown tremendously as a musical artist. Just in the past year Eilish has won 6 awards: MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist, MTV Video Music Award for Best editing (bad guy), MTV Video Music Award for Push Artist of the Year, Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Breakout Artist, Teen Choice Award for Choice Female Artist and Teen Choice Award for Choice Music: Breakout Artist.

Billie Eilish debuted on SNL on Sept. 28. Her remarkable performance included a rotating set which made it seem that she was walking on the walls and ceilings. The audience was blown away as they watched Eilish perform “bad guy” on this rotating set. The second song that she performed was “I Love You” in a much more intimate setting without any special effects. Not only has Eilish made monumental strides in the music industry, but she is also in the running to break a long held record. Many predict that Eilish will be in the running for a potential GRAMMY nomination for Album of the Year. If Eilish were to win, she would be the youngest person to win a GRAMMY, at the age of 18.The current record holder is Taylor Swift, who won this award at the age of 20.

We are all excited to see what Eilish comes up with next, what new genres her music mixes, and what those songs sound like. We cannot wait to see what else she has in store for us!

Monday, November 4, 2019

Entertainment 19

SPECTRUM

Couple Calls it Quits Good Boys Gone Wild

by Kayla Azinge On Aug. 11, Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth finally called it quits, putting an end to their 10-year relationship. The two stars officially started dating in May 2010, and a few years later, the couple announced that they were engaged. Unfortunately, their marriage only lasted six months before they decided to sever ties with one another.

The couple had rough patches earlier in their relationship that were publicly displayed.

For example, in 2013, right after the couple took a brief break, Cyrus posted the music video for her hit single, “Wrecking Ball,” which featured her swinging from a wrecking ball naked while singing about her past relationships.

Lyrics in Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” read “I came in like a wrecking ball. All I wanted was to break your walls all you ever did was wreck me.” Many fans wondered if it was Hemsworth who brought about these drastic changes in the persona of the Disney star. After this song was released, many fans began to admire Cyrus even more than they had in the past, becoming more aware of all of the obstacles she had had to overcome over the years.

With a newly-found sense of freedom, Cyrus continued to shock fans. Along with her notorious performance at the Video Music Awards with Robin Thicke, Cyrus began to speak more about her sexuality.

“But there’s a “P” that should happen, for ‘pansexual’,” Cyrus said. “Once I understood my gender more, which was unassigned, then I understood my sexuality more. I was like, “Oh — that’s why I don’t feel straight and I don’t feel gay. It’s because

I’m not.”

Various paparazzi photos depicted Cyrus with a plethora of different partners during the few months in 2013 when she and Hemsworth were on a break. However, fans of the two stars continued to have hope for them, especially after the two were seen together in January of 2016 in Australia shortly after Cyrus released “Malibu,” a loving song presumably about Hemsworth.

The couple decided to officially tie the knot with a secret wedding in December 2018.

“You are a sweet, sweet angel,” Hemsworth commented on his wife’s Instagram post of the wedding. “You’re great, you’re great.”

Unfortunately, not even a year later, the couples marriage fell apart when cheating rumors came to light; Cyrus had been spotted kissing Brody Jenner’s ex-girlfriend, Kaitlyn Carter, on a private yacht in Italy.

Cyrus was quick to shut down such rumors.

“I can admit to a lot of things but I refuse to admit that my marriage ended because of cheating,” Cyrus said.

After this statement, Cyrus clearly confirmed that her and Hemsworth were no longer together. Hemsworth, who rarely talked about their relationship, expressed his feelings about the situation on Instagram.

“Just a quick note to say that Miley and I have recently separated… I wish her nothing but health and happiness going forward,” Hemsworth said.

Although, this recent news is tragic to many Miam shippers, the two stars have respectfully dealt with the breakup, and appear to have plans to continue to work on their careers separately.

Greys Lives On

by Lauren Ledon The hit medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy” is returning to ABC for its 16th season. The return kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m., followed by “Station 19” at 9 p.m. and “How to Get Away with Murder” at 10 p.m.

The three shows are all a part of Shondaland’s show empire. The television company has dubbed the day #TGIT. The hashtag Thank God Its Thursday is meant to create hype around the day’s shows.

The new season’s trailer picks up with Meredith Grey cleaning up garbage for community service after her, Richard Webber and Alex Karev were fired for insurance fraud which took place on the season finale of season 15. Several promo pictures show Maggie’s search for Jackson after his disappearance in the woods. Teddy and Owen are also shown together after the birth of their baby. It is said that this season will be “scary and exciting at the same time.”

Stars Chris Carmack, Jake Borelli and Greg Germann all have been promoted to series regulars for the upcoming season. Season 16 is expected to have either 24 or 25 episodes, which will keep fans watching till mid-May 2020.

In recent interviews, showrunner Krista Vernoff mentioned that one past character will be returning to the show.

“There’s someone I’m hoping will make an appearance this year, it’s a real maybe,” Vernoff said.

Many fans are guessing that either Cristina Yang or Addison Montgomery would return back to Grey Sloan Memorial for the 16th season. However, it has been confirmed that the collaboration

will not happen, as “the deal just didn’t come together.” However, actresses Alyssa Milano and Holly Marie Combs from the show “Charmed,” produced

by Vernoff, are set to play sisters of a patient who is brain dead.

Following the news that Jesse Williams, who portrays Jackson Avery, signed on to star in Hulu’s new series “Little Fires Everywhere,” fans feared t hat t he actor was leav i ng G rey’s.

However, he quickly confirmed that he already made a deal for season 17 and stated that Krista Vernoff will “figure out ways to make all of it work.”

Furthermore, it is confirmed that star Pompeo agreed to portray Grey for two more seasons. According to entertainment chief, Kerry Burke, it’s up to Pompeo and Rhimes whether or not to continue the show, but for the near future both have said yes. This makes Pompeo TV’s highest-paid actress on a primetime drama series, earning $20 million a year ($575,000 per episode).

However, Pompeo has stated that “Grey’s Anatomy” will be coming to an end soon, as balancing her three kids and work life is becoming increasingly difficult. She told Entertainment Weekly how she’s “feeling like we’re coming to the end of the stories that we’ve told and that we can tell… I’m really excited to do some new things, it’s about time that I mix it up and I’m really excited about my producing career… My children are getting older so I want to be more available to them now.’’

As sad as it is to hear about the long-running show coming to an end soon, there is much in store for this upcoming season.

by Brooke Touti In August 2019, after months of waiting, American comedy film Good Boys was finally released to theaters. The move was directed by Gene Stupnitsky, written

by Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg and produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

In the film, actors Jacob Tremblay, Keith Williams and Brady Noon star as three sixth graders who try to join a party hosted by a popular classmate, when they suddenly find themselves engaged in a series of misadventures.

The film premiered at South by Southwest on March 11, 2019, and was released by Universal Pictures for viewing in the United States on Aug. 16, 2019.

The film received favorable reviews from critics and generated $104 million on a $20 million budget.

Friends Max, Lucas and Thor go into sixth grade struggling with their own personal problems. Max has a crush on a classmate Brixlee. Lucas learns that his parents are getting a divorce. Thor is distracted by the teasing of his classmates which gets in the way of him pursuing his love for singing.

When given the chance to kiss Brixlee at a party organized by Soren, a well liked student, Max and his friends use his father’s expensive drone to spy on his next door neighbor Hannah to learn how to properly kiss. However, the plan goes haywire resulting in the discovery of Hannah’s ecstasy as the drone goes missing. The three kids skip school to buy a new drone at the local mall. The kids were also in search of Hannah and her friend Lily to prevent get-

ting grounded. Max, Lucas and Thor reach the mall but they discover that Hannah and her friend Lily already purchased the drone and would only give it to the kids for their ecstasy. The kids succeed in buying ecstasy from Hannah’s ex-boyfriend, Benji, after surrendering the drugs to a police officer and trading it for the drone. Although Max replaces the drone, his dad figures out that the drone was used and he is grounded. An argument arises between the friends. Max takes responsibility for what happened to prevent Lucas and Thor from getting into trouble. After the argument, the parents discuss how the friendships between the three boys are falling apart. That night, Lucas persuades Max to sneak out to join a party, tricking Max and Thor to meet in the process again. Max kisses Brixlee effectively while Lucas and Thor meet Hannah and Lily again, revealing the latter is Soren’s sibling. Both Hannah and Lily encourage Thor to continue his passion for singing. In the weeks that followed, Thor landed Stacee Jaxx’s role in the school’s production of the Rock of Ages, Lucas joined the anti-bullying group in school and after his relationships with Brixlee and then her friend Taylor ended up in heartbreak, Max started dating his classmate Scout. After a musical school performance, Max, Lucas and Thor promised to stay in each others lives.

Good Boys deserves a lot of recognition for providing never ending laughs. This movie has rightfully received many positive reviews. The New York Post even said “Good Boys has consistent laughs, winning performances, and a dollop of sweetness to boot.”

Hustlers Becomes a Hit

by Amanda Sanon In pop cult ure the word hustler has many meanings. A hustler is aggressively hardworking, knows how to get around problems and is willing to do anything to reach their goals. The movie “Hustlers,” directed by Lorene Scafaria, embodies and illustrates the multiple definitions of a hustler, living up to its name.

The film features Jennifer Lopez, Lizzo, Lili Reinhart, Cardi B and Keke Palmer who assume the roles of strippers during the 2008 economic recession. Brought together by their similar goals, they decide to form a collective dedicated to scamming the wealthy men of Wall Street in order to take control of their lives.

“Hustlers” is based on Jessica Pressler’s December 2015 magazine article “The Hustlers at Scores.” that the journalist interviewed the scheme leader, Samantha Foxx. Scafaria knew that she had to adapt this story for the screen and that it had to comedirectly from Pressler’s artice.

The versatility of women is highlighted in movies like this. While the circumstances of becoming a stripper may not be ideal, the movie conveys the message that hard work and collective effort can ultimately yield a considerable reward. Unfortunately, in the case of the hustlers, their monetary “high” was short lived because they were later arrested for taking advantage of the men that originally took advantage of them.

Throughout the movie, the power dynamic of the characters changes. It is interesting how these clientele were able to objectify these

hard working women in the beginning, but when the roles were reversed and the women had the power, their were negative repercussions and they soon found themselves facing jail time.

It is not very often that you see women taking lead roles. Furthermore, showing the actresses use their own hypersexuality as a weapon of destruction is relatively unseen in the film industry.

The film “Hustlers” hit theatres in September and has become a critically acclaimed box-office smash. In its opening week, the movie grossed 33 million dollars. To many viewers’ surprise, the movie was based on a true story. Lizzo and Cardi B were featured in the movie as well. It was interesting to see two dynamic personalities express themselves through a different medium, acting. They did a great job of assuming the role of their character.

Many doubted the potential of the movie after viewing the cast list, as it was difficult to tell how these personalities would mesh together. But, given the success of the movie, it is apparent that they put on a great performance together. Overall, the movie was a great display of femininity and strength. It may be described as vulgar or inappropriate; however, the real goal was to show how powerful women can be if they work together.

20 Entertainment

SPECTRUM

Shawn and Camila Go Public

by Jordana Sirlin Finally making the transition from friends to boyfriend and girlfriend, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello have made the dreams of their fans finally come true.

Since 2014, Mendes and Cabello have been admired for their music by fans all over the world.

In 2014, Mendes and Cabello formed a friendship during Austin Mahone’s tour. At the time, Cabello was in Fifth Harmony and was touring with Mahone, while Mendes was just starting off his singing career after becoming famous on the popular app Vine.

In an interview with V Magazine, Mendes stated that Cabello, out of everyone on the tour, was the only one that would talk to him.

In 2015, Mendes was opening artist for Taylor Swift’s “1989” world tour.

Cabello and Ally Brooke, another member of Fifth Harmony, were backstage at the show. During the show, Cabello and Mendes reconnected. Afterwards, the two created the song, “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”

“It’s cool that he and I wrote it together and it wasn’t something that was just handed to us, I think that’s why it’s been so fun and why I get so excited that we’re getting to play it at these cool places,” Cabello said. “We had our hearts in it. That’s what makes it special,” Cabello explained that during her time with Fifth Harmony she would make music with other artists, but it never really went anywhere. This collaboration, however, was different.

Back in 2013, Mendes, who was living in Toronto, Canada, recorded his first Vine. Vine was an app that allowed you to

take six second videos. People did a range of things in these videos. From singing to dancing to comedy - people created memorable videos all within six seconds. While Vine became more popular by the minute, a group named “Magcon” formed. Mendes was the only singer in this group, while the rest made comedy videos. In August 2014, Mendes was the third most followed musician on Vine. Four months later, manager Andrew Gertler discovered Mendes on Vine, and in January he was signed to Island Records. Mendes’ first song, “Life of the Party,” debuted at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, selling 148,000 tracks.

During the same calendar year of “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” Mendes released his first album “Handwritten.” The album reached the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Top 200 chart at the same time as Mendes released his biggest single yet, “Stitches.” Next, in 2016, Mendes released his second album “Illuminate” which was certified platinum. The success of the album prompted Mendes to release a deluxe version. Later that year, Mendes was named the first artist under 20 years old to have three No. 1 songs on the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart.

Throughout the years, Mendes has built a reputation for himself in the music industry. From doing world tours, to creating a huge fan base in every part of the world, Mendes has built strong relationships with his fanbase. This past year, Mendes has been travelling world wide on the Shawn Mendes World Tour.

Cabello was discovered on the well

known TV show “X-Factor” in 2012. Cabello auditioned for the show solo, but left the show in a group with four others, today known as Fifth Harmony. Cabello’s group went on to finish third in the competition. In October of 2013, the group released their first EP “Better Together.” Then in 2015, they released their first album “Reflection,” where the single “Sledgehammer” was released. The song was their first single to enter the top 40 on the Hot 100 chart, and “Worth It,” another song on the album peaked at No. 12. On Dec. 18, 2016, Cabello called it quits from the group. In an interview with The New York Times, Cabello claimed that her collaboration with Mendes was the beginning of the end for her time in the Fifth Harmony.

“I was finding my voice, and with it, I found the passion that gives you a deeper meaning,” Cabello said.

Cabello’s decision to go solo has paid off. Her single “Havana” hit No. 1 in 95 countries. Cabello’s hit song “Havana” became Spotify’s most streamed song by a solo female artist. Cabello went on to perform this hit song on multiple award shows. The following year, Cabello released her ten track record “Camila,” which took the number one spot on Billboard’s Top 200 Chart. Since her album, Cabello has released singles like “Sangria Wine” and “Consequences.”

During the summer of 2019, Mendes and Cabello dropped hints of a collaboration on Instagram, just days before its release. On Instagram, Cabello explained that Mendes came to her with the idea of the

Monday, November 4, 2019

song months ago, and they played around with it and turned it into something amazing. The single, “Señorita,” automatically hit No. 1 on iTunes worldwide, and historically broke Spotify’s record for the biggest debut from a male and female duet. Along with the single being dropped during the summer, a music video was debuted. The music video portrayed romantic scenes between the two artists. This left their fan base questioning the duos relationship status. The famous lyric that has fans speculating a relationship between the two singers is, “You say we’re just friends, but friends don’t know the way you taste.”

After the release of “Señorita,” there was much speculation about the two as they didn’t hide their relationship very well. Paparazzi have spotted the duo in Los Angeles, New York City, Miami, Canada and Europe.

Cabello has also been spotted at a few of Mendes’ concerts in the crowd singing every word of every song. There is even one point in his show where Mendes stands directly in front of Cabello and it looks like they are the only two in the room.

The 2019 VMA’s performance list was released and the two were set to perform together.

The live performance left the crowd in awe. During the performance, MTV showed the crowds reactions. The celebrities all showed how much they loved the couple.

After the performance, the two were seen seated next to each other hand in hand.

Last month, Mendes posted a video on Instagram of the two, confirming to the world that the they are, in fact, a couple.

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Sports 21

Crossing the Finish Line Competing with the Best

by Shahood Ahmad Even before all of the students at George W. Hewlett High School came back together on Sept. 4 to begin yet another great year, many of the fall sports practices had already begun, preparing themselves for success. One of the rising teams this season is the cross country team. Led by Head Coach Stephen Honerkamp and Assistant Coach Anthony Serravite, this year’s team is stronger and better than it has ever been. With the talent and motivation of many returning stars, such as David “Durdy” Durdaller ’20 and Alexander Niyazov ’21, combined with all of the new athletes’ eagerness to succeed, the team is definitely headed towards success.

Just by taking a look at the experience of the captain, Durdaller, and the training regime of the cross country team, anybody would be able to see that the team was destined for success. The team practices five to six times a week, with some runners even practicing on their own on Sundays. The practices are usually comprised of an 800-meter warmup, a group stretch, a long run and then, finally, a cool down. The coaches often mix up the workout to include speed and endurance training as well as some strength and core training.

The two coaches work tremendously hard to develop a workout plan to prepare the runners for all of their races while still not overworking them. The leadership of Durdaller is another important aspect that keeps the team together and on pace for a successful season. With his immense knowledge about the sport and his inspiring and uplifting personality, Durdaller helps the team work its hardest during both races and practice.

Durdaller has had a great impact on the team starting in his freshman year, quickly becoming a rising cross country and track star,

catching the attention of coaches throughout the county. Durdaller’s official personal record for the 5-kilometer event of 17:03 was set last year.

However, with his intensive summer training, Durdaller was able to significantly improve his personal record to an unofficial 16:37.

“My ultimate goal is to run the 5K under 16 minutes and make it to Nationals,” Durdaller said. “I also want to continue running in college, hopefully for a D1 school.”

In addition to Durdaller, Niyazov, is one of the most committed athletes of the team; Niyazov makes sure to try his absolute hardest at every single practice and is known for running extremely long distances, whether it be cross-country season, track season or the off-season. Niyazov’s current official personal record stands at 17:59, but after running nonstop during the summer, it would not be a surprise if he will be able to drop that time to sub-17 minutes. Ryan Bruce ’20 also returned to the sport this season. While Bruce admits to competing in the fall in order to maintain his fitness for winter and spring track, a personal record of 19:27 in the 5-kilometer race is still certainly not an easy feat. Another important and dedicated runner on the team is Daniel Giron ’20, who has steadily climbed the improvement ladder over the years and is looking to make some moves to improve his personal record as well. Jude Tomas ’21 and Reece Johnson ’21 are also among those who are expected to contribute greatly to the team’s success this season.

The cross country team was bound for success from the very beginning, and, although the season is not quite over yet, the coaches and athletes have made sure that this season will be one of the most memorable ones yet. HewlettWoodmere is ecstatic to see what more this team will bring.

by Molly Williams Alongside Blumenstein and Ragazzini, Although the George W. Hewlett High seniors Amanda Reddy, Eileen Pincus, Emma School Varsity Girls’ volleyball team started Moroney, Kayla Azinge and Chloe Sippin off the 2019 season with an 0-6 record, they have also shown notable leadership and adeptstill have much more to offer. After having ness in the sport, and without them, the team an immensely successful season last year and would certainly not be where it is today. The moving up into the highest conference this year, team’s record may seem as if their games were the team is facing some tough competition. not competitive, but the girls were still able Although the team as a whole is working to put up a fight each time they stepped foot to accomplish the same sucon the court. During the cess in years past, certain season, many players are individual players are also given the chance to have distinguishing themselves more game experience and from their teammates and compete at a higher level of rising to the top. Kayley competition, overall better Ragazzini ’20 and Emma preparing them for the Blumenstein ’20 are sharhigh conference teams. ing the role of captain this Paula Sominsky ’21 has season. Ragazinni is a twothe second most kills on the time All-County winner team. She has shown great and a four-year Varsity progress through her years player. She has been recand sets a prime example ognized for the sport on for others on how to work multiple occasions and is hard to achieve success. a great asset to the team.

“I feel it is important SPECTRUM//Julia Klayman Blumenstein has Emma Maroney ’20 returns a serve. to master our skills and also recently been heavwork hard at the game ily acknowledged for her contributions to the than,” Katie Beyda ’21 said. “Now that the team. With over 350 assists throughout her competition is increasing its difficulty, it gives Varsity career and consistently being one of the us a chance to build as a team and intertwine leading players in the conference, Blumenstein what we learn from each game into the next.” has accumulated great expertise and leadership The juniors on the team still have the end of abilities over the past few years; Blumenstein this season and all of the next to adjust accordis undoubtedly a key asset to the team. These ingly and better their skills as well as to help captains set a rigorous standard for younger the younger players. players and encourage the team as a whole to The team will not be backing down and play to its highest potential. will be sure to bring energy and enthusiasm to “The rest of this will certainly be a battle the upcoming games. It is imperative for the every step of the way,” Blumenstein said. “But team to focus on the positives of the season I know myself and the team will try their best rather than the negatives, and that will bring each game and play to the best of their ability.” them success in the future.

Girls Finish Strong Arbitman Leads Bulldogs

by Mitchell Silverman one of the stars on the team. She shows her As summer comes to an end and school playmaking abilities every game with her comes back around, the George W. Hewlett accurate passing and overall knowledge of High School Girls’ Varsity soccer team be- the sport. gins yet another season. Ever since training Sarah Morales ’21 embodies all of camp started in late August, the girls have these characteristics and more, making her been working hard to exceed expectations one of the top goaltenders that Hewlett High and accomplish the ultimate goal: a county School has ever seen. Morales, an awardtitle. The Bulldogs had a great season, but winning goalie, never fails to come up they narrowly missed out on the playoffs. with huge saves to bail out and, oftentimes, The seniors this preserve the lead for her yea r have ce r t ai n ly team. stepped up. Katie Korin Eve r yd ay af t e r ’20, a center midfielder, school, the girls head to demonstrates her seniorpractice, where they strive ity on the team by being and grind to be the best a leader on and off the they could possibly be. field. Korin lead the team However, the girls’ sucin goals, with six goals cess would not be posand five assists. She has sible without Kreiss’ efbeen a consistent fixture forts. Kreiss is a firm on the team over the years, believer that in order to being a four-year Varsity win games, a team always starter. Other seniors on has to be in top physithe team include Katie cal and mental shape. A Stupak, Isabella Mata, team of mentally-healthy SPECTRUM//Julie Kobak Rebecca Grinberg and Ally Katie Stupak ’20 takes on a de- and fast soccer players with Heyman. immense endurance and fender near the goal.

“The team is made up stamina is a team that will of a group of hard working athletes who con- succeed. Among the quickest on the field is, tinue to show resilience every game whether once again, Borsellino, who always finds the playing from behind or out on top,’’ Coach energy to sprint up and down the defense and Gil Kreiss said. give the opposing team’s offense as hard of a Part of that resilience comes from time as possible.

Elizabeth Zemlyansky ’22, an incredibly With a mix of strength on defense, on talented player who controls the game with offense and in the net, the Bulldogs had a her electric speed and fancy foot skills. successful year. As Coach Kreiss put it, “the Zemlyansky is easily one of the most top team’s dominance has placed a target on their players on the team, and having her for two backs.” Many seniors will be missed, but the more years on Varsity proves that the team’s Bulldogs have an incredibly bright future. We future is bright. wish the team the best and hope to see them Alessandra Borsellino ’21 is another continue their success in the future.

by Muiz Hussain T he George W. Hewlet t Hig h School Varsity Girls’ tennis team returned this season to once again shock the county. With their staggering performance last year in the Nassau County f inals, the team retur ned with high expectations, but also with an intense determination to dominate the teams in their conference.

The team recently had a major win over last year’s Nassau County Champions, Syosset. This season, the Bulldogs, led by Coach Abby Samlin, headed into the playoffs with a 6-3 record. Samlin believes that the team had a powerful line up that was capable of leading the team to a county title, but also one that is young enough to find success in the future.

Returning to the lineup was defending New York State Public High School Athletic Association Singles Champion Rachel Arbitman ’21. Arbitman has demonstrated her incredible talent in the sport. After winning the Nassau County singles title last year for the second time, Arbitman is extremely confident in both herself and her teammates.

Another athlete that contributed g reatly to the team was Nicole Pinkus ’21, another singles player looking to go far in the Nassau County Singles Championships this year. Returning athlete Nyla Gershfeld ’24, an incredibly talented player, was also thrusted into a big role this year. Seniors Anna Bromfeld, Lauren Le-

don and Chloe Mazo made a significant impact on the team this year as well, mainly by demonstrating leadership to the underclassmen and contributing points to the team in their doubles matches. Bromfeld, Ledon, and Mazo all frequently played with underclassmen in their doubles pairings and their knowledge of the game was crucial to the team’s success.

The team was one of the best that Hewlett High School has seen in recent years. The Bulldogs were off to a hot start and looked unstoppable. Arbitman has not lost a single match in almost two years now, and her incredible abilities will undoubtedly play a huge role in taking the team to new heights. She is not the only star on the team, however; the entire team has a ton of talent and potential. Unfortunately, the team was eliminated in the playoffs by a tough Port Washington team. Arbitman will look to continue her success at the New York state championships later this month and we wish her the best as she takes on New York’s finest tennis players. With Arbitman in the lineup, the team’s future is incredibly bright.

22 Sports

There is Nothing Like October

by Liam Kaminsky When it comes to sports October is the best month of the year. NCAA and NFL football are already back in the swing of things, the NHL is starting back up again, and the NBA comes back later this month.

Last but not least, the baseball season ends with the World Series.

The teams in the playoffs this year were some of the regulars. In the American League, the Houston Astros, New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins were returning for the second year in a row. These three teams are automatically put in the American League Divisional Series (ALDS). However, the Tampa Bay Rays and Oakland Athletics had to play a “wild-card game” that decided the fourth team in the ALDS. The winner of this game was the Rays, and in the next round they played the Astros.

The Astros took that seires, and advanced.

The Yankees were not strangers to the postseason, and with All-Star Aaron Judge and MVP Candidate D.J. Lemahieu, the Yankees were expected to appear in the World Series. The Yankees advanced to play the Astros in a battle for the American League penant.

The most recent World Series winners in the playoffs were the Houston Astros, who won in 2017. This team had the most playoff experience in the whole bracket, and arguably the best pitching rotation in baseball consisting of All-Stars Justin Verlander, Garret Cole and Zack Greinke. The bats were experienced and young as well. 2B Jose Altuve, CF George Springer, LF Michael Brantley, SS Carlos Correa and 3B Alex Bregman are just some of the few that are capable of altering a game, or series, in the span of an AB (at bat). Altuve hit a walk-off home-run to advance the Astros to the World Series, furthering his case to be named the best hitter in all of baseball.

In the National League, the teams involved in the playoffs were the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals. The Nationals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 in the MLB Wild Card game to advance.

The St. Louis Cardinals were an average team at best before the All-Star game in July; after, they were one of, if not the best MLB teams for the second half of the year. The Braves were a young powerhouse team that came first in the NL East. With the young stud 2B Ozzie Albies and CF Ronald Acuna, the Braves were expected to be a dark horse candidate for a World Series appearance, but fell short earlier than many anticipated.

Excitingly, the Nationals and Cardinals emerged as the final two teams in the National League. The Nationals swept the Cardinals in a four-game series, and advanced to the World Series. Along the way, the Nationals also upset the Dodgers, a team many expected to win the World Series. At this point, behind the bats of talented hitters Juan Soto and Anthony Rendon, the Nationals realized they could really beat anyone.

The Astros were early favoites to win the World Series, but it is baseball and anything can happen. The Nationals took the first two games in the series, before the Asros won three in a row making the score 3-2. The Nationals answered with a remarkable win in Game Six, and set up a dramatic Game Seven in Houston. Ultimately, the Nationals emerged victorious in a thrilling game, crowning themselves as World Series champions. This year’s playoffs were certainly one for the ages, and will be remembered for years to come.

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Football Looks to Turn Heads

by Jonny Miller The Bulldogs of the George W. Hewlett High School Varsity football team are off to a hot start in the 2019 season. The Bulldogs are young, but have significant varsity experience. In what was thought to be somewhat of a down year for the Bulldogs, after losing All-County running back Vincent Morello ’19, the team rattled off two wins in their first two outings against Glen Cove and Lawrence. This year’s captains are Zion Blackman ’20, Louis Esposito ’20 and Naim Lynch ’20.

All three are returning varsity players and have provided great leadership this season. Look for the tenth seed in the preseason to turn some heads in Nassau County as the season wears on.

The seniors are definitely the backbone of this year’s team, but there is some young talent that deserves to be highlighted as well. Mark Winkler ’22 is a starting cornerback and plays opposite to Lynch in the defensive backfield. In Winkler’s first homecoming game against Lawrence, he was a playmaker, forcing a fumble, intercepting a pass and having five tackles. Winkler is very cerebral and his football IQ serves him well as the backup quarterback. Winkler will likely take over the reigns next season as quarterback. Look for him, as he will continue to assume a bigger role on the defensive side of the ball this year.

Evan Greenberg ’22 is another talented underclassman who earned a starting spot on defense this year. Greenberg is a well-sized linebacker that is very athletic and plays all over the field. Jon Zenny ’22 earned the starting running back spot in the preseason and also has had a solid start

to the season. Zenny is a powerful runner with good vision. Ronald Ilyaich ’22 is the starting left tackle and has ideal size for the position.

Daniel Patric ’23 is a freshman who is in the rotation on defense. Shawn Geotina ’20 has been battling a concussion early on in the season and Patric has been a good replacement for him at linebacker. Geotina is a three-year starter on defense and is the most experienced player on the team. His

SPECTRUM//Julia Klayman Naim Lynch ’20 lunges to make a tackle.

loss has been a big blow to the team, but they have done a solid job of overcoming his absence.

Ryan May ’20 is a returning starter.

He is a starting wideout and caught a touchdown against Glen Cove. May has a good football IQ and deceptive quickness. Leor Azoulay ’20 is another returner on varsity but is a first-time starter. Azoulay caught a deep touchdown from Esposito against South Side, one of the best teams in the county. Azoulay has great hands and is one of the most consistent players on the team.

Esposito has taken the reigns of the

offense, and Coach John Palladino has faith in him to keep the offense going. Esposito is a slippery runner and an accurate passer.

He allows Palladino to call designed runs for Esposito, as well as designing plays to move the pocket for him. Esposito had a great start to the season against Glen Cove, dominating both on the ground and in the air with 192 yards, two touchdowns rushing, 8/9 passes for close to 100 yards and two touchdowns as well. Esposito has been incredibly accurate passer this year and has also been a threat as a scrambler. Look for Esposito to continue his fine play in the coming weeks.

Blackman is the most dangerous threat on offense. Blackman is an explosive z-back, and receives hand offs as well as targets. Palladino has recognized the dynamic running of Blackman and has increased his touches throughout the year.

“I try to run as hard and smart as possible,” Blackman said, “I have to give credit to my teammates for their great blocking and the coaches for having faith in me when I have the ball in my hands.”

The defense is led by a core group of seniors; Avi Fayer and Will Kim lead the linebackers and are trusted by the coaches to recognize offensive gameplans and tendencies. Each of these players have battled through injuries all season. Fayer has been playing with a broken thumb, and Kim battled a sprained ankle for most of the season. Both have demonstrated great toughness by playing through these injuries. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs narrowly missed out on the playoffs, but the talent and leadership is there, and the team’s future is bright.

Tensions Rise in Pay to Play

by Gabrielle Nakkab On Sept. 30, life for college athletes in California changed suddenly. California Gov. Gavin Newsom officially threatened the longstanding principle of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which forbids college athletes from earning money for participating in college sports. Planned to go into effect in 2023, the Fair Pay to Play Act will allow college athletes to hire agents and be paid for endorsements; for the first time ever, college athletes in California will be able to financially benefit from their participation in the NCAA. Supporters of this bill understand the challenges that college athletes face and are ready to recognize athletes for their hard work.

Some athletes risk their health at the collegiate level, lose valuable time for studying, and lose relaxation time that their non-athlete peers have, while making billions of dollars for their school; yet, they gain no profit for themselves.

Last year, the college sports industry earned a total of $14 billion, with athletes collecting none of the money they help bring in.

Supporters are hoping that this law can be the kick-starter for other states to alter their rules too. Hopefully more states will start to see the reality of life for college athlete graduates; most do not end up turning professional and will never receive a monetary compensation for all the work they did in college. Compensation can be found in other areas for Division I athletes in tuition, boarding and dining plans, but Division II and III athletes have either decreased scholarship funds or have none at all.

There are people on all sides who have expressed some concerns with this new bill, starting with former college athlete Tim Tebow.

Tebow is concerned that this new law is going

to turn player’s attention off working towards their team’s success and instead make their time as a college athlete a selfish, one-man show.

Tebow’s concern is important to note because the college experience has always been said to be about making life-long friendships and working hand-in-hand with one another to achieve excellence athletically but academically as well. It is possible that this new law can change students’ mindsets about what it means to be on a team and eliminate that cooperative factor that is vital for a team’s success.

Initial opponents also argued that if California is the only state to enact this law, the most talented athletes might only look to accept offers from California schools; California schools would definitely get a strong recruiting advantage. This shift of more athletes looking to go to California state schools can lead to competition amongst schools around the nation and make other states feel pressured to enact these same laws.

Moreover, in the NCAA’s response to the California bill, they said that they are worried about how the new law will “erase the critical distinction between college and professional athletes.” This distinction is in fact important for multiple reasons. First, college athletes should be able to live their life without being in the spotlight all the time, as they are only students. Secondly, it is unfair to pit college and professional athletes against each other for endorsements. Not all college athletes are on par with those in the major leagues and some do not find it fair that they could profit the same.

U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez has proposed making a national law to allow athletes to accept endorsement money. Gonzalez had played for the National Football League

(NFL) for five years after being an All-Big Ten receiver at Ohio State University. Gonzalez is not new to the college sports industry and has discussed this topic before with the Ohio State Athletic Director Gene Smith. After the events in California, however, this conversation has resurfaced. The NCAA has not ignored the fact that their current rules need to be modified and announced that they were planning on making changes in a few years. Gonzalez, however, found this to be a problem that needs to be solved way before the tentative plan for change in 2023.

Newsom will continue to place all his efforts into this bill as he feels there is a need for a rebalancing of power in the college athletics industry. There is an evident split between those who believe athletes should be paid and those who do not. Yet, with the backing of past college athletes and those in positions of power, Newsom is extremely confident that this law will be put into effect shortly, not only in California, but nationwide.

On Oct. 29, the NCAA ruled that college athletes would be allowed to profit from their name and image. Many rejoiced, as they understood the impact of the ruling. College sports video games may be reintroduced, allowing college athletes to profit as professional athletes do. College athletes can be endorsed, and the fact that college athletes that are worried about making it professionally may now take a breath of fresh air.

This controversial topic is likely to draw more debate in the coming weeks. Despite the NCAA’s ruling, there will definitely be some backlash in the media. This change definitely seems to be for the better, and fans are rejoicing at the news.

Monday, November 4, 2019

SPECTRUM

Sports 23

NFL Fails to Disappoint Young Bulldogs Succeed

by Jonny Miller The 49ers are another defensive-led team, with Thus far, it has been an up and down the likes of Nick Bosa, DeForest Buckner, and season for New York football fans. The New Solomon Thomas formingthe most efficient York Giants and New York Jets both have pass-rush unit in the league. Additionally, the had their fair share of struggles, but they have play of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been flashed talent and ability, showing good cause superb. His life has been made easier by the for optimism for the future. There is a huge gap play of George Kittle, who broke the record for between the top of the league and the bottom, receiving yards in a single season for a tight end but there will certainly be a competitive battle just a year ago. The 49ers supplemented their among teams looking to dethrone the New air attack by trading for veteran wide receiver Enlgland Patriots.

Emmanuel Sanders, which will only make them After an 0-4 start, Darnold returned in harder to stop. Their offensive attack is topped an incredible fashion, taking down the Dal- of by the three-headed monster in their backlas Cowboys, one of the better field that is Tevin Coleman, teams in the N.F.L., by a score Matt Breida and Raheem of 24-22. Giants fans, similarly, Mosert. Each of these backs were bustling after a slow start add a different addition to to the season turned around the offense, whether it be after rookie quarterback, Daniel the power of Coleman, the Jones, was named the starter. The speed of Breida, or the agilGiants started 2-0 with Jones at ity of Mosert.

Art by Alexander Niyazov the helm, but then faced some of Several players have their toughest competition of the season against made their case for Most Valuable Player at the likes of the Patriots and the Minnesotta Vi- this point in the season. Christian McCaffrey kings, and dropped several consecutive games. has created a cogent argument for himself, as The Patriots have looked like a well- the best dual-threat runningback in the league, oiled machine all season. While their offense playing nearly 100% of the Carolina Panthers’ was not as explosive as it has historically been offensive snaps. Lamar Jackson is also on pace with Tom Brady picking apart defenses, their to run for over 1,000 yards this season, which defense has more than made up for that. The as a quarterback, is a tremendous weapon, comdefense has been putting up numbers that will bined with his strong arm. Aaron Rodgers has rewrite the record books in several areas of the been elite as well, which paired with a revamped game. Recently, the Patriots offense has begun Green Bay Packers defense, could lead the Packto look like its old self, and with offensive line- ers deep into the playoffs once again. Patrick man Isaiah Wynn, and first round pick, N’Keal Mahomes has also been elite, and avoiding a Harry, returning from the Injured Reserve very major injury scare will allow the Kansas City soon, they will become even more unstoppable. Chiefs offense to maintain its explosiveness.

The only team other than the Patriots that The rest of the season will be interesting, remains undefeated is the San Francsico 49ers. and anything can happen come December.

by Gabby Nakkab Coach Monique Ciccarelli is ready for another great season of Boys Varsity Volleyball and is extremely excited to make this year an even better one than the last. Captains Sam Kelstein ‘20 and Mitchell Shemtov ‘20 are looking forward to another year full of hard work and team cooperation with the goal of being successful this season.

Their season began with an amazing start. The boys dominated the opposing teams of Valley Stream South and Elmont with scores of 3-0 in both matches. The next couple of games proved to be inconsistent. Since then, though, the boys have pinpointed their weaknesses and hope to solve them over the course of this season.

Technique is most important for any set of players on the court. To work on this, the boys practice bumping and setting with their partners and try to maintain a rally. To follow, Ciccarelli sets up hitting lines, defense drills and serving practice for the Bulldogs. Defense drills prepare the players for unexpected events on the court. Ciccarelli hits the ball in an unoccupied area of the court, just as any opponent would. The job of the team is to use their reflexes to react and to dig to the ball as fast as possible.

This year the team is made of young athletes who are eager to learn from the upperclassmen. That willingness to learn will set the team up for great things not only this year, but the upcoming years as well.

“Our team is young but strong,” Shemtov said. “We work hard at practice and play hard at games, making it clear that we have lots of potential to be a very strong team in the coming years as we train our younger members.”

Matthew Langdon ’21 has emphasized the need for the boys to communicate when on the court.

“We watch the ball fall right in front of us,” Langdon said, “just because we didn’t make it clear who was going for the ball.”

By working on this communication, the boys feel they will be extremely successful this season. Sophomore Bilaal Sadiq is one of the younger players on the team, but he does not allow his age to control or dictate his skill.

“With strong leadership and increased self-motivation from the boys, we will have a year full of amazing plays and wins for Hewlett,” Sadiq said. “Believing in each other and understanding that one round does not define our skills is key to our success.” With the powerful leadership the captains are showing their team this year, the Bulldogs will be sure to find success in the future.

Kelstein is a crucial player whose play deserves recognition. Kelstein is very aware of spacing on the court, and serves as a verbal leader. He is a setter, and can be considered the “quarterback” of the team. Everything runs through him, and his passing sets the team up for success. Shemtov, his fellow captain, has an excellent serve, is a great passer and has a solid amount of kills so far this season. These two have definitely left their legacy on the program, but still have some time left to further prove why they are elite players.

The Bulldogs have proved that they are ready to take on any obstacles to reach the top and will work together to do so. The potential is there, the talent is there, the youth is there and the leadership is there. With hard work, the Bulldogs can accomplish any goal they set their minds to.

Soccer Team Has Success Girls Race Past Competition

by Liam Kaminsky When people think of fall sports in high school, what instantly comes to mind is the football team. However, many any are not paying adequate attention to our soccer team.

The Bulldogs had a great season overall, and they were able to compete against some of the best teams not only in Nassau but in all of the state as well.

However, two of Hewlett’s best, Tyler James ’20 and Fernando Viscarra ’20 missed the majority of the season with injuries. James and Viscarra were three-year starters on Varsity. Despite their absence, though, they were able to maintain their leadership on the sideline and provided constant encouragement for their teammates.

The George W. Hewlett High School Boys Varsity Soccer team had a lot of high level experience, giving them the opportunity to be one of the most dangerous teams in Nassau County. Starting with the goalkeeper, Laurent Dovillier ’20, ranked a top 100 player on Long Island, Dorvillier has incredible talent and was arguably the most important player on the team. Dorvillier finsihed the regular season fifth in saves in Nassau County.

On defense, Jonny Miller ’20 and Sam Vanunu ’21 hold it down on the right and left, respectively. Using their size and speed, they are able to be effective on defense while also jumping up on the plays on offense. Fletcher Goodman ’21 is the “stopper,” which is essentially a pushed up center back. Goodman controls the middle of the field and manmarks, while Liran Nagrani ’20 is the last man at sweeper.

Coaches often say in soccer “If you dominate the midfield, you dominate the game.” Luckily for Hewlett, the midfielders are arguably the strongest group on the field.

Logan Miller ’21 and Armando Vardaro ’21

play left and right midfield, respectively. Both of these players are key in the offensive attacks, as they rely on their quickness and skills to be the most efficient players they can be.

One of Hewlett’s best and skillful players, Josh Ziarno ’20, is the leader of the midfield.He was a key factor in every game, and opposing teams tend to keep an eye on him. His partner, David Lamour ’22, has explosive speed and a rocket of a shot. Lamour has an incredibly bright future ahead, and will undoubtedly be a leader and a star for the Bulldogs in his final two years of eligibility.

Bryan Matamoros-Dubon ’21, is also one of the best fowards in Nassau County, having two goals and 8 assists on the year.

Matomoros-Dubon’s foot-skills and quickness kept opposing teams guessing. He often took on several defenders at a time, and drawing so many defenders helped open up opportunities for his teammates.

Carlos Aguilar ’21 was Matomaquickness allows him to be a threat around the 18 yard box, and is able to make very timely runs.

Aguilar hit an absolute gem of a shot into the top corner in the only playoff game the Bulldogs were in. Aguilar received a pass, turned, dribbled past two defenders and hit a shot from over 25 yards out just past the goalies fingertips. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs ran out of steam after taking a 1-0 lead into halftime against West Hempstead. West Hempstead came out on fire in the second half, and tied the score 1-1. That score remained through regulation, and West Hempstead scored the game-winning goal two minutes into overtime, ending the Bulldogs’ season.

Despite their disappointing early playoff exit, the Bulldogs had a successful season.

There is definitely some youth on the team and the Bulldogs should compete for a deep playoff run next year.

by Sahar Paz George W. Hewlett High School’s Girls Varsity Swimming and Diving team started their season off strong. With an undefeated score of 5-0, the Bulldogs seem to be going in the right direction towards reaching their goal of becoming Conference Champions.

By focusing on perfecting their technique in the water and on the blocks, the girls hope to drop time and continue to reach new personal records. Additionally, the girls embody the importance of teamwork in order to benefit each other and in turn improve the standing of the entire team.

This year, Erica Sava ’23, Jenna Nus ’23 and Brooke Touti ’23 have proven to be vital to the team’s success. Sava excels in the 200 Individual Medley (IM) and the 100 Butterfly, her best time only two seconds off the current record. Nus is the team’s freestyle sprinter and constantly challenges herself to race to the wall. Touti’s laid back appearance in the water is quite deceiving as her times prove to be extremely fast; Touti’s 100 Freestyle time is under a minute. These girls combined skills make up a strong relay team, showing great potential.

Many of the returning swimmers have attested to the fact that this has been the best season yet, as have coaches Gregg Solnick and Scott Zanville.

“Work ethic is at an all time high for our team,” Solnick said. “All the girls on the team are stepping up in big meets and dropping time.” Both coaches are extremely pleased by how the team is progressing and are excited for the last few meets before Division Championships.

Seniors Lindsay Shatz, Tracy Davidson, Sophia Coraci, Jordana Sirlin and Rachel Poutre as well as junior Gabrielle Nakkab have been at the forefront this season. In an exciting meet against Sewanhaka, Shatz was the first Hewlett swimmer to the wall. Although normally placed in the 100 Breaststroke, Davidson has been challenged this year by being placed in the 200 IM; although this is a drastic change for Davidson, she remains a top scorer.

Nakkab and Coraci have both been competing in the 100 Backstroke and in their meet against Hempstead placed first and second, respectively.

In the girls’ fourth meet against Great Neck North, they truly earned their victory. In a six lane pool, every swimmer counted. In a nail biting last relay, Shatz, Sava, Nus and Touti beat the competing relay of Great Neck North, breaking the tie between the two teams.

Rachel Miller ’20 constantly drives the importance of teamwork amongst the team, making it clear to the girls that their goal of becoming Conference Champs will only be a reality if the entire team works together.

With the self-motivation the team has this year, the girls prove that this is an attainable goal and the Hewlett-Woodmere community is looking forward to seeing what happens.

The Independent Voice of George W. Hewlett High School

HEWLETT SPECTRUM Soccer Team Has Success

Volume LXVIII No 5

60 Everit Avenue Hewlett, New York

SPECTRUM//Julia Klayman

Inside SPORTS:

Darren Rave ’20 hits a long pass against Lynbrook.

Girls Finish Strong Page 21

Monday, November 4, 2019

Football Turns Heads Page 22

Soccer Finds Success Page 22

Girls Pass Competition Page 23