November 2022

THE LIGHTHOUSE

Building and grounds get a makeover

BY EMMA BANNON Staff Writer

As you walk through the hallways, you are likely to notice plenty of changes around the school.

Since the end of last school year, the hallways on the first floor have been re painted, air conditioners were installed in classrooms, new flooring was put in on the first floor, drinking fountains were updat ed, six Promethean Boards were installed throughout various classrooms and a man trap was added to the student entrance.

This fall, the track and football field were replaced. Additionally, a welcome mural is now located at the student entrance, and spirit banners featuring an Old English “L” and Lyndhurst’s motto line the periphery of the high school’s campus.

An LED sign is on its way and camera and software systems are in the process of being installed in collaboration with the Lyndhurst Police Department.

Principal Ms. Vuono said these updates were long overdue.

“The high school is full of history, but we need to keep it current,” Vuono said.

According to Vuono, the total cost of the updates is around $1,737,000. Although the projects came with a hefty price tag, she said the updates were worthwhile.

Vuono said her favorite update is the freshly painted gray walls on the first floor. She said she is hopeful the second floor and stairwells will be painted by next school year, but she does not have an exact time frame for when this project will begin.

“The new paint adds a brightness to the school,” Vuono said. “The old paint was a reminder of [an] administration of the past, and it was time for a change.”

Junior Gadiel Acevedo said he is glad to see the progress at LHS.

“The new updates definitely make the

Therapy dog program comes to Lyndhurst Public Schools

BY EMILIA CALABRESE Editor-in-Chief

Before the end of the school year, stu dents will notice some furry friends saun tering around their schools. This is because the Lyndhurst Public School District is im plementing a therapy dog program to boost class attendance, improve focus and raise self-esteem among students.

The idea for this program dates back to 2019 when director of Student Services Ms. Stevens attended a conference where she encountered a presenter who discussed the physical and emotional benefits of ther apy dog programs in schools. She liked the concept and set out to conduct research and write a policy, which the Board of Educa tion approved in January.

“It is going to increase positivity in the school,” Stevens said. “We are creating an empathetic community by having a ther apy dog program and giving our students access to the animals to create a warm, welcoming environment that supports their mental health.”

The program is made possible by an organization called Attitudes In Reverse: Paws For Minds, which is conducting a 30-week training program that will end in May.

Stevens said this program differs from others in the county because it allows the Lyndhurst School District’s own faculty and staff to enroll their dogs for training.

For a faculty member’s dog to participate in the program, it was required to be appro priately vaccinated and at least a year old.

Five teachers, two of whom work at LHS, applied and were all admitted to the pro gram. Through grants and the district’s reg ular budget, $26,000 was allocated toward training the dogs.

Training sessions began in June at Lynd hurst Middle School and take place for about an hour every Saturday morning.

Stevens said the real work is done at home because there is only one training session per week.

“You learn a skill on Saturday, but then you have to practice that skill for the rest of

When Ruiz applied for the program, Rox ie did not meet the age requirement but was able to participate after being approved by a professional trainer.

Ruiz said despite Roxie’s youth, she is doing fairly well and is even used as an ex ample during training.

“Because she’s the youngest one in the class, [the trainers] always say she’s the baby and going through an adolescent phase, but for the most part, she really is so successful,” Ruiz said.

She said Roxie is learning but still strug gles with a hands-free leash.

“It is those things that we have to con tinue to reinforce throughout the week, but it is nice to go through this process,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz said she would like Roxie’s silly personality and fun demeanor to come across when she interacts with people.

the week. It is a lot of work and time-con suming, but ultimately they need to pass the test so they can become therapy dogs,” Stevens said.

English teacher Mrs. Ruiz said when she adopted her 10-week-old Miniature Aus tralian Shepherd Roxie in May, she never dreamed her furry family member would one day offer comfort to hundreds of stu dents from across the district.

Ruiz said she decided to enroll her dog in the program because she liked the idea of bringing Roxie to school and having her trained at a young age.

“She gives me these adorable eyes and some kisses, and I hope that she could do that for others too,” Ruiz said. “Any time that I’ve ever been down, I go to Roxie for that snuggle. It takes you away. It makes you go somewhere else.”

At the beginning of the year when Ste vens sent out an email about the program, choir director Ms. Wise said she was im mediately interested in enrolling her dog Teddy, a one-and-a-half-year-old Malti poo, in the program.

“When I heard what a therapy dog is sup posed to do in terms of making people feel comfortable and giving people an outlet, I thought, ‘Teddy already does this natural

PHOTO BY EMILIA CALABRESE

Students walk by the Student Services office during passing time. New floor ing was installed over the summer and the walls were painted at the start of this school year.

“Any time that I’ve ever been down, I go to Roxie for that snuggle. It takes you away. It makes you go somewhere else.”

PHOTOS BY EMILIA CALABRESE

English teacher Mrs. Ruiz and her Australian Shepherd Roxie (top left) and choir director Ms. Wise and her Maltipoo Teddy (bot tom left) pose with beginner certificates at the training for a therapy dog program at Lyndhurst Middle School. Ruiz and Roxie (center) and Roosevelt School paraprofessional Mrs. Koehne and her Goldendoodle Finnley (right) practice parallel walking on Oct. 29.

Students explore their interests with more club options

BY VIELKA CASTILLO Staff Writer

Five new clubs have come to the high school this year. Whether students are looking to stargaze or solve a crime, LHS has a club to suit their interests.

Animation & Graphics Club

This club, which is advised by art teacher Mr. Petruzziello, is meant to give all students a chance to explore and expand their skills in animation and graphic design.

Petruzziello said the students will work on creating an animat ed movie in addition to making posters and other designs for LHS clubs and classes.

He said students do not need previous design experience to join the club.

“Design is something that you could get really good at,” Petru zziello said. “Yes, you can have a talent for it, but you don’t need to come in with a talent for it. You can learn it.”

The club meets during lunch on the last Friday of every month. Last month’s meeting had 10 at tendees.

Astronomy Club

Approached by sophomore Zuri Allen with the idea of start ing an Astronomy Club, advisor Mr. Collins, who teaches physics, said the group will learn about the stars and visit planetariums. He said he hopes the club’s fundrais ing efforts will make it possible to purchase telescopes.

Collins said he developed an in terest in astronomy when he was in high school.

“I remember watching Carl Sa gan’s ‘The Cosmos’ on TV and

saving up enough money to pur chase the DVD box set, which I still have and use clips from oc casionally in class,” Collins said.

The Astronomy Club meets during lunch on the third Friday of every month. Forty-five stu dents attended the club’s first meeting, where they watched an introductory video about astrono my that focused on developing an appreciation for the vastness of the universe.

Collins said he encourages stu dents to come to the next meet ing, as it is not too late to join.

“If you have knowledge of as tronomy and stargazing, come and share. If you don’t, come and learn,” Collins said.

Board Game Club

Advised by Italian teacher Mrs. Clatworthy, the Board Game Club meets on the third Friday of every month.

Clatworthy said she decided to form this club because playing board games together is a great way for students to gain knowl edge, learn a new skill and social ize.

“It will be an excellent oppor tunity to meet new people, have fun and take a break,” Clatworthy said.

She said 30 students have ex pressed interest in joining the club. Games that will be avail able at the meetings include Clue, Codenames, Connect 4, Cranium, Exploding Kittens, Guess Who?, Monopoly, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit and Uno.

“This is for anyone who loves board games, plays fairly and is open to meeting new people. Leave all the drama at the door,” Clatworthy said.

Which

Model United Nations Club

The idea for this club, which is advised by English teacher Dr. DiMaggio, came from juniors Ava Gonzalez and Elida Kuka.

The club’s meeting schedule is not yet set, but DiMaggio said the lunchtime gatherings are meant to prepare students for their first conference where students will compete against other schools.

“You represent countries and are given topical issues–say it is the environment–and you have to make treaties and form alliances with other countries,” DiMaggio said. “You have to do research about how that country handles this particular topic.”

DiMaggio said about 25 stu dents are currently signed up for the club.

“It’s a great opportunity for stu dents to become more aware of the world around them and learn how countries work together to solve problems,” DiMaggio said.

True Crime Club

Students in the True Crime Club work with crime kits to solve mysteries and find the perpetrator. Proposed by juniors Nikki An tonesco and Serena Berges and advised by English teacher Ms. Coppola, the club meets on the second Monday of each month.

Coppola said 31 students at tended the first meeting. The size of the group more than doubled, with 75 students coming to the second meeting.

“[I am] just trying to create a space where kids get to investi gate the things they like,” Coppo la said.

She said she is hoping to host a forensic scientist as a guest speaker or organize a field trip to a crime lab.

“If [students are] interested in forensic science and they’re inter ested in solving crimes, I think it could be a really fun experience for them,” said Coppola.

Animation & Graphics Club: zpp3vug

Astronomy Club: bfl4c3x

Board Game Club: To be announced

Model United Nations Club: jgvb4vy

True Crime Club: 6qm3nrs

When it comes to new schedule, opinions vary

BY YAHIR PEREA Staff Writer

There have been many changes at LHS this school year, the most prominent being the new rotating drop schedule. Compared to last year, students have six classes each school day in stead of four.

Classes meet three out of every four days, and each block lasts 55 min utes. Passing time between classes was reduced by a minute, and each day is five minutes longer.

After having settled into the new schedule, students are expressing mixed opin ions about it.

Junior Joshua Machcinski said he preferred last year’s rotating block schedule be cause he likes having fewer

classes on a single day.

“I don’t like having six classes a day since there’s a high chance of each of them assigning home work,” Machcinski said. “It’s not very fun when you have two [Advanced Place ment] classes and one hon ors class that all assigned homework on the same day either.”

He said, especially in his physics class, longer blocks are needed.

“Physics is incredibly im portant and hard for some people to get in their brains. I know last year in chemis try with Mr. DeVito, we used every last bit of our class time to get work done and actually learn as much as we could,” Machcinski said.

In contrast, senior Tanita

Tishuk said she likes hav ing 55-minute classes.

“Last year’s schedule was horrible. Sitting for [over] 80 minutes was like a pris on for most [or] all class es,” Tishuk said. “[With] the schedule now, you just get your work done and continue. With last year’s schedule, you get your work done, and you just sit there for a long time.”

Tishuk said she dislikes this year’s three-minute passing time, which was reduced from four minutes.

“There’s not enough time given to make it to that next class on time, espe cially since there are many students in the halls go ing into their next classes. That’s why I say teachers shouldn’t make it a big deal if the student enters the

class a couple of seconds to a minute later,” Tishuk said.

Like Tishuk, junior Erik Chin said he would prefer four-minute passing times.

“In the halls, there is not enough time to socialize with friends because it is a rush to get to class,” Chin said.

He said he does not have a preference between the two schedules.

“Last year’s schedule was good for me in the way of not having to move around much and being able to learn more [during a block],” Chin said. “This year’s schedule is good for me because it helps lessons stay fresh in my mind and doesn’t leave too much free time when I am done with work.”

PHOTO BY SHELBY PEREZ

Freshmen Charlie Benjamin and Damian Holck (left to right) brainstorm at an Animation & Graphics Club meeting during lunch on Oct. 28.

PIE CHART BY JUSTIN MAYEWSKI

This infographic reflects the responses of 104 sopho mores, juniors and seniors.

Poets unite at festival

BY ADRIANA RODRIGUEZ Editor-in-Chief

Seventeen students from Mrs. Ruiz’s creative writing class at tended the 19th biannual Geral dine R. Dodge Poetry Festival in Newark on Oct. 21. At the fes tival, students heard world-re nowned writers read their works and got to interact with them by asking them questions about their careers, lives and poems.

Freshman Dylan Koloski, who writes poetry to express his feel ings, said he was glad he attended the field trip.

“My favorite part of the festival was hearing the speakers’ poems since they were all very well-writ ten and told,” Koloski said.

He said he appreciates how in vested the poets were in their per formances.

“I felt a wide range of emotions at the festival because of the po ets’ writing styles, the stories be ing told and how they told them,” Koloski said. “I was really im mersed in their little worlds that they made and couldn’t wait to hear how they would expand on their last line.”

Junior Rola Mustafa, who par ticipates in the semi-annual poet ry slams at LHS, said she liked the poets’ authenticity.

“Their poems were so raw and full of emotion, and it was such a beautiful event to attend. I’m so thankful I had the chance to,” Mustafa said.

She said she felt privileged to watch the poets perform and see how they made their art into a ca reer.

“I felt proud, although I didn’t

personally know them, under standing that pursuing poetry is such a hard thing to do and know ing that these poets did so,” Mus tafa said.

She said she most enjoyed the poetry of Jake Skeets and Patricia Smith, who presented at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Skeets’ poems centered around his ancestry in the Navajo tribe and Smith addressed the struggles Black girls face with their appear ance and identity.

“It was such an eye-opening ex perience learning about [Skeets’] childhood and connection to the tribe,” Mustafa said. “Ms. Smith’s poem about her hair honestly was beyond beautiful. She worded it so articulately that it was so hard to ignore the powerful message behind her words.”

Mustafa was able to ask Skeets a question after he presented.

“Standing up and talking in front of hundreds of people to ask a simple question was a new ex perience that I loved,” Mustafa said. “I was shaking and so ner vous, but his response was every thing I wanted.”

Ruiz said her favorite part of the day was hearing Sandra Cisneros read her poetry at Trinity & St. Philip’s Cathedral.

“I am a big fan of her work, and I think that she is an amazing speaker,” Ruiz said. “It was re ally nice to hear her speak about her writing process and strategies she uses while she was answering some questions from the audience and reading her work.”

Ruiz said it is important for stu dents to watch professional po ets perform because it motivates

them to continue writing.

“Hearing professionals read their poetry allows for students to hear that there is not a right and wrong way to write. There are many styles and motivations to write. The professionals also al low the students to see how doing something they love can become not just a passion but a career,” Ruiz said.

2004 LHS graduate Gia Gril lo, who was a chaperone on the field trip, said she has been to the Dodge Poetry Festival about five times and attended the Paterson Poetry Festival in early October. Grillo said she has fond mem ories of attending the Dodge Po etry Festival at Waterloo Village in Stanhope when she was in high school.

“It was in this great little farm location, and I like that it’s ex panded as much to fill [the] NJPAC. When I was in high school and we went, there were more open mic stations that peo ple were just going up and read

ing,” Grillo said. “It’s gotten so big that those more intimate mo ments of the poetry festival from when I got to go are a little bit lost in the grandeur of it.”

Grillo said poetry creates op portunities for those who are pas sionate about writing.

“If you’re interested in any oth er kind of writing, it helps build your love of language that you can apply to other kinds of writ ing,” Grillo said. “You get a sense of who you are and what you want. Poetry affords that kind of self-reflection and self-conversa tion.”

Grillo said the Dodge Poetry Festival helps students realize why people write poetry and how to incorporate it into their lives.

“Events like this show that [po etry] is a part of the normal world. It is not this thing that is relegat ed to coffee shops, libraries and dusty shelves. It is something that’s happening now, something that is still a living art form,” said Grillo.

Students weigh in on school improvements

FROM PAGE 1

school more appealing,” Aceve do said. “Changes needed to be made, and I am happy [the ad ministration] decided to fix some things up.”

Acevedo especially likes the air conditioning, which he said is necessary for the warmer months. However, he wishes the walls were painted a different color.

“The color now is a little bor ing. I feel like our school colors should have been represented more in the hallways,” Acevedo said.

Sophomore Elona Megally, who is on the junior varsity football, outdoor track and field and flag football team, said she is excited about the changes that will im pact athletics.

“A new field was really need ed,” Megally said. “It will give the whole team a new sense of pride, not only in our team but in our school.”

Megally said the new track will impress her teammates and ath letes coming from other schools.

While Megally said she is hap py with the updates, there are other projects she would like the

school to take on. She said the indoor trainer’s office should be refreshed because it is old and small. She would also like to see changes in the locker rooms.

“Both [of] the locker rooms are outdated and need an update like the rest of the school,” Megally said. “Updating them should be the next step they take in better ing our school.”

Furry friends prepare to become therapy dogs

FROM PAGE 1

ly,’” Wise said.

She said keeping up with the training at the middle school and at home is a major commitment because Teddy can be resistant.

“He knows all his commands but only does really well when he wants to. So, [I] have to get him to be less stubborn and when [I] tell him to do something, to actu ally do it,” Wise said.

She said she hopes Teddy will be able to offer comfort to stu

dents the way he comforts her.

“When I come home from a stressful day, I can’t wait to pet my little puppy, and he just sits there all loving and beautiful,” Wise said. “I really do think that the joy of having a dog in our school environment is going to bring a lot more happiness and something for people, especially emotionally struggling students.”

Wise said the program differs from other forms of therapeutic activities like coloring, medita

tion and yoga because the person receiving comfort does not need to put in effort.

“You just have to kind of be yourself and enjoy the love of a canine,” Wise said.

Junior Nicole Graziani, who is a member of the Animal Welfare Club, said she expects the therapy dog program to reduce the stress and anxiety students may experi ence.

“Animals can tell when we are not feeling our best, and they sit

close to us… Just the presence of an animal alone makes me feel better. They are just so playful and snuggly,” Graziani said.

She said therapy dogs can pro vide students with a much-needed distraction from reality.

“Having a dog in the classroom could relieve students from the struggles that could be going on at home or school,” Graziani said.

“Dogs provide a kind of uncondi tional love that… lasts for a life time.”

High school welcomes new faculty and staff

BY MIRKA CUADROS Deputy Editor

This school year brings three new faculty and staff members to LHS. The Lighthouse caught up with each of them to ask what they hope to contribute to the high school.

“I would like to contribute a pos itive and welcoming experience for all students as they enter the building in the morning.”

Ms. Murru media specialist & Virtual High School site coordinator

“I hope to bring the joy of read ing, not just in an academic set ting, but recreational as well, that hopefully [students] will be able to take far beyond their years of high school.”

Poth math teacher

“I want to bring my passion and love that I have for teaching into my classroom. I try to teach and create lessons geared towards my students for them to succeed. In order to do this, I am constantly learning by collaborating with co workers, searching for new tech niques and going to webinars.”

Mrs.

Mrs. DiMase administrative assistant

PHOTO BY MRS. RUIZ

Writer Sandra Cisneros reads her poetry and discusses the art of writing at Trinity & St. Philip’s Cathedral in Newark at the Dodge Poetry Festival on Oct. 21.

Among subscribers and students, Netflix remains No. 1 streaming service

BY KAYLA OGLIVIE Staff Writer

With about 220.7 million subscribers, Netflix remains No. 1 in the streaming ser vice industry. Nonetheless, Disney+, which premiered in 2019, is catching up with approximately 152.2 mil lion subscribers, according to CNBC.

Sophomore Kaaliyah Dozier said there is a good

“My little brother watch es old Disney movies and cartoons, so I will turn it on from time to time,” Dozier said.

Senior Damien Ortiz also said Netflix is his preferred streaming service.

“Netflix is better because it has more TV shows and movies that interest me,” Ortiz said.

Like Dozier, Ortiz en joyed watching “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.”

He said the movies he has watched recently on Netflix are “17 Again,” “Friday After Next” and “That’s My Boy,” all of which are comedies.

subscription plan.

Unlike Dozier and Ortiz, Sophomore Rayan Yamout said he likes Disney+ more than Netflix and watches it a few times a week.

“I like Disney+ more than Netflix because Netflix shows have been becom ing more predictable, and

they have been [removing and] canceling good shows for sequels and shows that no one wants to watch,” Yamout said.

He said he recommends that students give Disney+ a try.

“It has entertaining shows for everyone,” said Yamout.

Game-based learning brings competition and fun to classrooms

BY KYLA MARINO Staff Writer

Twenty-nine years ago, English teacher Dr. DiMag gio, who is this year’s Ber gen County Teacher of the Year, was a senior at LHS. She said, even today, she fondly remembers playing review games in her former teacher Mr. Bartlett’s histo ry class.

“Our class would always look forward to our Jeop ardy-style test review, which always included a fun hodge podge category,” DiMaggio said. “No other teacher was doing this at that time, and we all loved it.”

Her experiences as a stu dent motivated her to in clude both online and hands-on games in her classes.

“I try to include a game as either a prereading ac tivity or a test review for every book we read when possible. I also incorporate games into other lessons like vocabulary and poet ry,” DiMaggio said. “I use games to build student in terest and to make learning fun for students… because learning, [at] its core, is fun.”

Senior Kayla Carrino said whether she is review ing for a test or looking to earn extra credit, she finds games to be useful.

“It is a hands-on experi ence that encourages stu dents to lean in and try to win the review game rath er than sit through a class where they can easily doze off,” Carrino said.

She said games have helped her memorize and interpret information with out having to create flash cards or reread her notes every day.

Sophomore Ryan McK erry said games play a criti cal role in his education.

“Playing games in class helps me remember im portant details about a topic and retain them better than copying notes from a slide show,” McKerry said.

Like Carrino, McKerry most enjoys Kahoot, which he plays in history teacher Ms. Schiraldi’s class.

“I like Kahoot compared to other educational games because it is a competition against your classmates,” McKerry said. “I always want to win, so I will try

reason why Netflix is still dominating the stream ing industry. She said it is her favorite streaming ser vice and the one she has watched the longest.

Dozier said her favorite genres are comedy and true crime. She said one recent show she particularly en joyed watching was “Mon ster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.”

“Even though it is so cru el, it definitely brought Net flix lots of attention,” Doz ier said.

Netflix is her favorite, but Dozier said she sometimes tunes into Disney+.

Ortiz said his stepdad of ten gives him recommen dations of what to watch on Netflix. He also browses the Netflix homepage and searches for movie titles he thinks he would enjoy.

“I’ll look up a movie and read the [synopsis]. I’ll watch the movie if I like what I read,” Ortiz said.

According to CBS news, starting in 2023, Netflix will no longer allow free password sharing. Current ly, users can have up to five profiles in an account with out paying extra, but next year, each additional profile will come with a fee.

With a basic plan selling for $9.99, a subscription to Netflix costs $2 more than Disney+’s $7.99 monthly

“Games make the learning in the classroom more fun, and it allows my competi tive side to come out while also learning the material,” Carrino said.

One of Carrino’s favorite game-based learning plat forms is Kahoot, which she plays in Mr. Carucci’s sta tistics class.

“Kahoot help[s] me learn by putting me in a position where I truly wanted to know the answer to a ques tion in order to win rather than doing it to get a good grade,” Carrino said.

She said games have al lowed her to show her classmates and teachers that she understands the material without having to participate verbally.

my hardest to answer the questions to the best of my ability.”

Another game McKerry likes is Quizizz because he said it is interactive and en gaging.

“What I like about Quizizz is that there are redemption questions and certain pow er-ups to use to boost your chances of getting a higher grade or score,” McKerry said.

Sophomore Alexia Mar morato said her favorite game-based learning plat form is Gimkit, which is a live learning game show.

“The game had you an swer multiple-choice ques tions to earn money. Then, you used the money to freeze opponents and make it harder for your class mates to win,” Marmorato said.

She said she was exposed to Gimkit last year in Mr. Belmont’s English I class.

“I enjoyed his class even more because the games he used helped me understand information better,” Marm orato said.

She said every teacher should consider including games in their classes be cause they positively im pact learning.

“Games in [a] teacher’s curriculum allow students to learn more effective ly through something fun, which will teach them more and keep them wanting to learn,” said Marmorato.

“Playing games in class helps me remember important details about a topic and retain them better than copying notes from a slideshow.”

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEX SKOWRONSKI

Netflix still dominates the streaming industry with about 220.7 million subscribers, according to CNBC.

PIE CHART BY KAYLA OGLIVIE

This pie chart reflects the opinions of 147 students.

“Netflix is better because it has more TV shows and movies that interest me.”

Mahsa Amini’s death sparks protest in Iran

BY ZAHARA CHOWDHURY Staff Writer

Twenty-two-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died after being arrested by Iran’s morality police, has now become the face of wom en’s rights.

The university student from Saqez, Iran was arrested while visiting Tehran. On Sept. 13, she was charged for improper ly wearing her hijab. She was detained by the morality police to receive training on proper hijab etiquette and fell into a coma after collapsing at a detention center, but her family alleges that she was beaten and assaulted in a patrol car.

Amini was hospitalized for three days, during which her family was not allowed to visit her. She died on Sept. 16. The fol lowing day, her death sparked protests that spread from her home region in Kurdistan to the streets of Tehran.

When the hijab law was first proposed in Iran 43 years ago, hundreds of thousands of Iranian women protested on Internation al Women’s Day. These protests went on in Tehran for six days. The women showed their disdain for the compulsory law, but their efforts failed.

In 1983, Parliament passed a law that al lowed it to punish women who did not wear their hijab or dressed immodestly. In 1995, unveiled women started being imprisoned for these charges. In October 2014, mul tiple women suffered acid attacks for al legedly not following Iranian dress codes.

Mr. Spence, who teaches World History and Advanced Placement Human Geog raphy, said Amini’s death and the protests that have followed mark a significant mo ment in Iran.

“Within my lifetime, I don’t remember a similar type of reactionary event occurring in Iran. So, to be able to see the women

standing up for their rights and values was a shock, but a good shock,” Spence said.

These protesters, the majority of them women, are standing up for their rights and demanding justice for Amini by subverting the laws they oppose. They are tearing off and burning their hijabs, which are sacred pieces of clothing for Muslim women.

“For so long, it was about women that were trying to adhere to both religious and cultural norms that had been established many hundreds of years ago,” Spence said. “Within Iran, the women are starting to question whether or not these religious and cultural norms are still relevant.”

Sophomore Elona Megally, who is Egyp tian-American, said hijabs have always been a strong symbol of Muslim women’s beliefs.

“Hijabs are a religious thing, and it’s very important to women, and they’re getting rid of it because of how bad their treatment is,” Megally said. “People are going to see these women taking off their hijabs and think, ‘They’re so brave. Maybe we should listen to them.’”

Iranian women are also protesting by cutting their hair and shaving their heads. A millennium-old Persian epic called “Shahnameh” displays hair cutting as a rit ual of mourning, which has deeply influ enced Iranian culture and protests, show ing how intensely the women feel pain for Amini’s death.

“What they’re doing, like shaving their heads and taking off their hijabs, is okay, but they have to go bigger to prove their point,” Megally said.

Protesters are facing strong retaliation from authorities. According to CBC News, at least 270 protesters have been killed since the demonstrations started. In Sanan daj, Iran, authorities opened fire and threw tear gas on Oct. 8, killing at least two peo

ple and injuring hundreds.

One of the most serious outcomes that arose from these recent events has been Nika Shakarami’s death. She was a 16-year-old girl who was an avid protestor.

Hours before Shakarami went missing on Sept. 20, she was seen burning her hi jab. Ten days later, she was found dead. Her mother accused security forces of her daughter’s murder, but they have denied the allegations.

The morality police are facing criticism for their violent response to recent protests. It has been in charge of enforcing these strict regulations and committing human rights abuses, including Amini’s murder. Although its purpose is to enforce Islam ic dress codes, some are asserting that the organization is going against the Muslim faith.

Junior Rahma Heneiber, who is of Mo roccan and Yemeni descent and practices Islam, said she believes the Iranian govern ment and morality police are going against the Quran, which is the central religious text of Islam.

“What Iran is doing is not Islam, and it is

not an excuse for people to be Islamapho bic,” Heneiber said.

Currently, 16 countries have made the burqa, an outer garment that fully covers the body, illegal. Switzerland even pro posed a $1,000 fine for wearing a burqa.

“In Iran, hijabs are mandatory while in France, hijabs are not allowed. In both of these situations, women’s bodily autono my is being taken away,” Heneiber said.

Sophomore Shahd Heneiber, who is Rahma Heneiber’s younger sister, said she does not believe rioting and violence are the most constructive ways for Iranian women to protest.

“If they’re going to riot or if they’re go ing to cause harm and destruction, that’s going to make them look worse,” Shahd Heneiber said.

She said protesting peacefully would lead to better outcomes. Nonetheless, she is glad the human rights violations Irani an women face are finally gaining global attention.

“We’re getting somewhere,” Shahd He neiber said. “But there’s definitely a lot more people can do.”

Data reveals link between NJ’s strict gun laws and low suicide rates

BY CAMILLE ECHOLS Staff Writer

In 2020, there were approx imately 45,979 suicides in the United States. Of those suicides, 24,292 were using a gun. While guns are not the only means of suicide, they are the most fre quent and the most deadly meth od.

According to the news organi zation Gothamist, New Jersey has the lowest suicide rate in the country with 7.64 suicides per 100,000 people.

The state with the high est suicide rate is Wyo ming with 31.25 suicides per 100,000 people.

In New Jersey, it is difficult to get a gun, but in Wyo ming, it is much easier. There is no waiting pe riod to purchase a fire arm, and firearms do not need to be registered in the state.

History teacher Mr. Tessa lone said these numbers point to a reason suicide rates are higher in states that have greater access to guns.

“What’s super important to un derstand are statistics,” Tessalone said. “And here’s the statistic: if you own a gun, you are more like ly to have someone accidentally shoot themselves, accidentally shoot someone in their household or purposely shoot someone or themselves in their household.”

Tessalone said the reason guns are such a big concern when it comes to suicide is that they kill most effectively.

“In terms of sui cide, a gun is very quick,” Tessalone said. “Pills, alcohol [and] other forms can take time, whereas a gun is an im mediate thing.”

According to the newsmaga zine The Atlantic, if someone has access to a gun while feel ing suicidal, it takes them much less time to hurt them selves than if they were to use another method that would take more planning and effort.

School resource officer Ser geant Passamano said it can be dangerous to have a gun around someone who is in a negative

mental state.

“We don’t want to have some body go through something and make a permanent decision on a temporary emotion,” Passama no said. “And if you add a gun to that, we might have a bigger deal.”

Passamano said New Jersey is proactive in recognizing mental health issues and offers exten sive resources to people who are struggling with mental illness.

“We have a program in the county through CarePlus,” Passa mano said. “It is a pilot program right now, but we are looking to get more mental health workers into police departments so that they are readily available.”

Passamano said acknowledging one’s own suicidal thoughts and providing support to those having a hard time is important in pre venting suicide.

“To prevent suicide, it’s import ant to talk about it, and it is im portant to bring it up to those who are struggling, to just let every one know that there are resources available and that we have peo ple that do care and are willing to help,” Passamano said.

Despite efforts to counteract it, suicide rates have been on the rise

nationwide with the exception of a minor decline in 2020.

Sophomore Ariana Feliciano said much more can be done to prevent suicide.

“I don’t think the government is doing everything it can to curb suicide,” Feliciano said. “There should be more suicide preven tion assemblies in schools or on

al thoughts to feel isolated and alone, thereby pushing them to do something drastic.

Like Feliciano, junior Melissa Gempp said schools can support students who have mental health issues.

“[Students benefit from] less stressful environments, mental health days and leniency when people are having a hard time mentally,” Gempp said.

She said restricting access to guns and applying proper gun safety in homes will help prevent suicide.

“Gun laws could be stricter, and having guns stored correctly could help a lot,” Gempp said.

billboards to make it more of a big deal.”

Feliciano said destigmatizing suicidal thoughts is crucial in pre venting it among young people.

“[Schools] can bring more light to the topic of suicide and how serious it is, along with sharing ways to stop suicide,” Feliciano said.

She said when schools avoid discussions about suicide, it could cause people with suicid

According to the U.S. Depart ment of Veterans Affairs, mandat ing the use of gun safes helps stop guns from getting into the hands of people who may use them to hurt themselves.

By leaving guns out in the open or in an unsecured location, the risk of a child, another member of the household or even the owner of the gun hurting themselves is more likely.

Those considering suicide can receive round-the-clock support by contacting the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

“We don’t want to have somebody go through something and make a permanent decision on a temporary emotion.”

ILLUSTRATION BY NAIOVY RODRIGUEZ

Iranian women have cut their hair, shaved their heads and removed their hijabs in protest of Mahsa Amini’s death.

BY DANA TREIER Staff Writer

Ever since scientists became aware of the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs, asteroids have been studied to predict the pos sible damage they could cause to Earth. The recent success of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, better known as DART, is the first mission demonstrating the technique of deflecting aster oids by altering their trajectory with collision.

On Nov. 23, 2021, the DART mission was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. On Sept. 26, it intentionally collided with Dimorphos, a minor-planet moon of the asteroid Didymos. The successful expedition demon strates how an asteroid approach ing Earth can have its course changed.

Biology and environmental sci ence teacher Ms. Manzella said the DART mission is a step to wards a plan that could protect Earth from potentially hazardous objects, known as PHOs.

“We now have this proven tech nique in our toolbox and can ap ply it in the event of a severe PHO threat being detected,” Manzella said. “It has also shown how we can use science, technology and space exploration to protect Earth and [its] life from potentially cat astrophic events that in the past seemed out of our control.”

She said the DART mission provides substantial evidence for previous theories that were based on computer modeling.

“[Studying] asteroids can sup ply us with a wealth of informa tion concerning [the] solar system and planet formation and possibly how life came to be and evolved on Earth,” Manzella said.

Physics teacher Mr. Collins, who advises the Astronomy Club, said it is unlikely that a civiliza tion-ending asteroid would hit Earth in the near future, but if it happened, it could be an extinc

tion-level event, as it was for the dinosaurs.

“With stakes like that, I am glad NASA is preparing for the possi bility,” Collins said. “It’s better to have the capability and never need to use it than [to] be unpre pared.”

Collins said everyone should support NASA and care about the DART mission.

“It’s an easy story for people to care about. Sci-fi movies have explored the topic, and getting hit with a rock carrying more ener gy than every nuclear weapon on Earth combined is an interesting story,” Collins said.

Founder of the Astronomy Club sophomore Zuri Allen said the DART mission has an ongoing impact on NASA.

“It shows how NASA’s technol ogy modernized and improved to deflect an asteroid by measuring the exact point of where the as teroid will be hitting,” Allen said.

She said the DART mission is impressive because NASA demonstrated that it could track an asteroid with specific calcula tions.

“If we were in grave danger of an asteroid hitting us, NASA would know what to do,” Allen said.

Chemistry teacher Mr. DeVito said he has wondered if commer cial space organizations would end up damaging the funding NASA receives.

“[NASA] need[s] to have suc cessful projects that benefit them,” DeVito said.

Since NASA worked effectively with SpaceX for the DART mis sion, in which the agency and corporation shared a launching ground, DeVito said his concerns have been resolved.

“We are in an interesting time now,” DeVito said. “It is incred ibly impressive since the calcu lations that somebody has to do to make [DART] hit a target and fly through space are mind bog gling.”

make up 20% of the workforce

DART mission combats threat of asteroids Women underrepresented in space

BY ALEXANDRA LOURENÇO Staff Writer

Sept. 28 marked a milestone for women in aeronautics. On that date, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti became the first Eu ropean woman to command the International Space Station.

Cristoforetti’s achievement is inspiring young girls and women across the world.

Sophomore Autumn Ortiz, an aspiring aerospace engineer, said knowing there are women like Cristoforetti leading the way makes her feel better about her decision to pursue a career in a field dominated by men.

She said she is happy that wom en in the profession are finally getting the recognition they de serve.

Last summer, Ortiz attended a weeklong camp at the Universi ty of California, Berkeley where she heard from females working at NASA.

“It made me feel good that this new generation feels confident in pursuing their dreams,” Ortiz said.

She has seen women from var ious backgrounds gain respect in the space community, but as a Hispanic woman, Ortiz said she expects to face additional hurdles.

INFOGRAPHIC BY ELIZE CARDONA Facts featured in this infographic are from NASA’s website.

PHOTO BY NASA/DAVID C. BOWMAN

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test team, Dr. Thomas Zurbu chen, and guests at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory cheer as they receive confirmation of DART’s collision with the asteroid Dimorphos in the world’s first planetary defense technology demonstration on Sept. 26.

Women

9 must-watch space-related movies

BY BROOK D’ANDREA Staff Writer

“Ad Astra” (2019) is a science fiction drama set in the late 21st century. Thirty years earlier, Clif ford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones) led a voyage into deep space, but the ship and crew were never heard from again. Now, Clifford’s son Roy McBride, who is also an astronaut, prepares to embark on a mission to Neptune to discov er the truth about his missing fa ther and save the universe from a power surge that threatens its stability.

“Event Horizon” (1997) is a science fiction horror film set in 2047 when the starship Event Horizon is sent on a secret mis sion and disappears without a trace. Suddenly, it reappears, and a team is sent out to investigate. As the group explores the aban doned vessel, it becomes clear that something sinister has hap pened and that the horrors in the Event Horizon’s previous journey are still present.

“Hidden Figures” (2017) is a bi ographical drama based on a true story of three African American women who worked at NASA in the 1950s and ‘60s. Helping to launch the manned space flight program, Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe), Katherine John son (Taraji P. Henson) and Dor othy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer) all made pivotal contributions to NASA at a time when both wom en and African Americans were widely discriminated against.

Women are still underrepresented space industry

“I always worried about… peo ple seeing my last name and just looking at me differently,” Ortiz said.

She said she is lucky to have never felt pressured by gender stereotypes because of her strong support system at home.

“My whole entire family is women, and all of them have gone to college,” Ortiz said. “It was always just something that

“One person at a time–one female engineer, one female in aeronautics–can break glass ceilings, and that is what this is all about.”

was presented to me... that you can do anything you want to do.”

In contrast, World History teach er Ms. Schiraldi said because she went to high school decades ago, she grew up feeling that there were professions women could not pursue.

“My dad said that I should be a teacher or a nurse or a secre tary,” Schiraldi said. “I never considered pursuing a profession in the aeronautics industry, never

thought I could do something like that.”

Schiraldi said even today, wom en face prejudice and discrimina tion in aeronautics.

“There are a lot of men in that industry that don’t think women should be there, and they make it perfectly clear,” Schiraldi said.

According to the United Na tions, women account for only 20% of workers in the space in dustry, and just 11% of astronauts so far have been women.

Despite the resistance women face when it comes to getting the positions and credit they deserve, Schiraldi said she is optimistic about the future.

“One person at a time–one fe male engineer, one female in aeronautics–can break glass ceil ings, and that is what this is all about,” Schiraldi said.

Senior Raul Vilanova, who in tends to become an aerospace en gineer, also said he recognizes the presence of gender stereotypes.

“People have a lot of ignorance about what people can and can’t do,” Vilanova said.

He said negative assumptions about women in the space indus try are declining.

“Everyone should have an equal opportunity,” Vilanova said. “Ev eryone is as capable as the other if they put in the work.”

“Apollo 13” (1995) tells the true story about the ill-fated Apollo 13 lunar mission. Everything is go ing smoothly for astronauts Fred Haise (Bill Paxton), Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) until an oxygen tank explodes. Consequently, the moon landing is called off and the astronauts’ safety is in jeopardy.

“Don’t Look Up” (2021) is a Netflix original that follows pro tagonist Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), a doctoral student working towards a degree in as tronomy. After Kate discovers a comet headed for Earth, she and her mentor Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio), conclude that the comet is a planet killer destined to hit the Earth. With only six months until the comet makes impact, the two try to warn mankind before it’s too late.

“Gravity” (2013) is a science fic tion thriller that follows Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock), a med ical engineer on her first shut tle mission with her commander Matt Kowalski, who is a veteran astronaut. During the pair’s rou tine space walk, horror strikes and the shuttle is destroyed. Stranded in deep space, the pair realizes the only way back to Earth is to ven ture further out into space.

“Interstellar” (2014) is a science fiction film set in 2067, when hu manity is struggling to survive on Earth due to a reduction of oxygen that has led to diseased crops. The main character Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is an ex-NASA pilot who gets asked by Professor Brand, a NASA physicist, to pilot a mission to find a habitable plan et. Despite his daughter Murph’s objections, Cooper agrees to the extraordinary undertaking.

“The Martian” (2015) is based on the 2011 novel by Andy Weir. The main character Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is a botanist and engineer on a mission to Mars. After a few days on the planet, a dust storm causes the crew to abort the mission. Struck with a shard of metal, Watney must fend for himself after his fellow as tronauts presume him to be dead and, as a result, leave him behind.

“First Man” (2018) is based on the 2005 book “First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong” by James R. Hansen. The film tells the story of legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling), who enrolled in the Apollo pro gram to distract himself from the pain of losing his two-year-old daughter Karen to cancer. Arm strong goes through personal tragedies and sacrifices during one of the most dangerous human endeavors ever undertaken, over coming it all to become the first man to walk on the moon.

ILLUSTRATION BY ROBIN WHITE in the space industry. Only 11% of astronauts have been women.

Netflix Review Book Review

‘Babel’ aims high but falls flat

BY AMERIE DIAZ Staff Writer

It is 1828, and a cholera epidemic has spread through Canton, China. A young boy sits in silence. Watching over his moth er’s lifeless body, he is the only person left alive in the house. Enter: Professor Lovell, a mysterious man with a strange silver bar in his hand who comes to take the boy to London to begin a new life.

The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’ tells a tale of madness and murder

BY TALA DAOUD Staff Writer

The biographical crime drama “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story,” which tells the story of a Milwaukee serial killer, is both captivating and unnerving.

This 10-episode limited series address es the motives of Jeffrey Dahmer (Evan Peters) for the crimes he committed while also focusing on his troubled childhood with his dad Lionel Dahmer (Richard Jen kins) and mom Joyce Dahmer (Penelope Ann Miller).

Throughout Dahmer’s childhood, he was neglected by his parents. Lionel frequently traveled for work, and Dahmer’s biologi cal mother Joyce was a drug addict. After Dahmer endured a double hernia surgery at three years old, he became withdrawn and depressed, which is how he remained for the rest of his life.

As an adult, Dahmer lives next door to Glenda Cleveland (Niecy Nash), who is the show’s most fascinating character. She hears strange noises, but due to her race, the police do not believe her. She is in a frightful position, as she knows her neigh bor is up to no good but cannot stop him.

One of the most disturbing scenes in the show is when, as an adult, Dahmer goes to a gay bar and meets Tracy Edwards (Shaun Brown), whom he brings home and threat ens with a knife to prevent him from leav ing. Tracy feels unsafe and uncomfortable, so he tries to distract Dahmer by doing

erotic poses. Later, while they are lying on the bed, Dahmer grabs Tracy’s chest and says he will eat his heart.

Horrified, Tracy–who is handcuffed by Dahmer–escapes the apartment. Later, he comes back to Dahmer’s apartment with the police to secure the key to the hand cuffs.

When they arrive, the police search Dahmer’s drawers and discover horrifying Polaroid pictures of mutilated and dismem bered bodies. The police arrest Dahmer, at which point Dahmer responds with the ee rie statement, “For what I did, I should be dead.”

Dahmer winds up being sentenced to 15 terms of life imprisonment for the mur der of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991. It is gratifying to know he can no longer continue his murderous streak, but it is heartbreaking to see the families of the victims during the court trials.

Dahmer meets a violent end in prison when he is beaten to death by a fellow in mate.

This series is dark, disgusting and horri fying. It is tough to watch and a little slow at times, but it is so intriguing that it is im possible to turn away. It includes graphic scenes of Dahmer drugging, stripping, kill ing and, most disturbingly, eating his vic tims.

This show is based on true events, but they are so shocking that viewers will have to keep reminding themselves that this binge-worthy series is not fiction.

In London, the boy says goodbye to his Chinese name and takes on the moniker Robin Swift. Professor Lovell raises Rob in as a scholar, educating him in four lan guages in preparation for his enrollment at Oxford University’s Royal Institute of Translation, also known as Babel.

In R.F. Kuang’s fourth novel, “Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolu tion,” the world is run on silver, and power stems from the ability to manipulate lan guages through silver-working.

Silver-working determines how society functions; it allows trains and ships to op erate quickly and effectively, and it pow ers mills and machines. Without silver, the country could face starvation.

Both enlightening and unapologetically brutal, the novel functions as a mechanism

to expose the horrors of colonialism, impe rialism and racism.

When Robin is accepted into Babel, he enters an unfamiliar world of prestige and privilege. He quickly becomes attached to his diverse set of classmates who speak various languages.

Unbeknown to his cohort, Robin discov ers a secret group known as the Hermes Society, which aims to end the silver-work ing occurring at Babel. He realizes that Ba bel students are not only working as trans lators; they are tools for the British Empire to further its goal of colonization.

Initially, Robin is in awe of Babel and the beauty of Oxford, but knowing that being at Babel means betraying his motherland leaves Robin with mixed emotions. He is torn between his love for a university that will never fully accept him and being able to fight for what he believes.

Robin questions Babel and its motiva tions. He feels a moral obligation to aid the Hermes Society in its revolution but is not yet ready to abandon the glorified version of Babel he has made up in his head.

“Babel” is well-researched and beauti fully written. The descriptions of Oxford are atmospheric and vivid, making the text resonate with readers. While the 560page novel can be intimidating, the slower pace sets the scene for the main conflict. This novel is a raw account of the lengths to which people will go to achieve justice, and Kuang does an excellent job address ing oppression, power and privilege.

Although the writing is outstanding, “Ba bel” is far from perfect. Most significantly, a lot of the characters are unrealistic, func tioning as mouthpieces for the various per spectives the author wants to critique.

While Robin’s character is fully devel oped, the other characters are two-dimen sional and unlikeable. As a result of the poor character development, readers do not have the chance to connect with the group of friends. Throughout the novel, the nar rator raves about their tight-knit bond, but their affiliation is superficial at best.

Silver-working is the most intriguing part of the novel, but the author seems to forget about it until the very end, which is disap pointing because it could have been a rev olutionary aspect of the text.

Despite captivating magic fueled by lan guage and translation, an intricate plot and mesmerizing prose, “Babel,” unfortunate ly, fails to live up to its potential.

Album Review

Listening to Kid Cudi’s ‘Entergalactic’ will make you feel out of this world

BY NIKKI ANTONESCO Managing Editor

Kid Cudi has done it again with his eighth studio album “Entergalactic.” With a unique sound, he has become an irre placeable force in the music industry.

With his debut album “Man on the Moon: The End of Day,” which was re leased on Sept. 15, 2009, he proved that he had extraordinary talent and established a space-related motif that he has kept consis tent throughout his career.

The R&B album consists of 15 songs and is 45 minutes, 40 seconds in length. “Entergalactic” fits perfectly with the rest of his albums because it blends in with his discography.

The strikingly dissociative quality of his music transports listeners to another world.

Features from 2 Chainz, Steve Aoki, Ty Dolla $ign, Dot Da Genius and Don Toli

ver match Cudi’s energy and solidified the album as an instant success.

My favorite tracks are “Do What I Want,” “Ignite The Love” and “In Love” because of their heavy-hitting beats and sounds that hark back to his previous albums.

“Do What I Want” has a good flow to it because of its steady beat, which makes it very pleasant to listen to. The lyric “And I feel like I can do what I want” is said on a beat drop, and the background instruments are all synthesized, which are looped to gether to keep repeating.

“Ignite The Love” starts off with an acoustic guitar that is featured throughout the song. It gets louder when there are no words and at the chorus, then quieter when Cudi is singing.

The lyrics of this song are easy to mem orize and become stuck in listeners’ heads because of their repetitiveness. “Ignite The Love” ends with reverb and echoes.

“In Love” stands out because it has the most addictive chorus on the entire album. Cudi comes in with “In Love” and then fades saying, “Now I know, Now I know / it’s the truth, I can’t hide,” while the back ground music gets louder. The song is al most a push-and-pull with Cudi’s vocals.

On Sept. 30, Netflix released a 92-min ute animated film that is also named “En tergalactic,” which serves as a companion to Cudi’s album.

If you have not watched the film, you might think the lyrics on this album are not particularly insightful or memorable. However, once you watch the rom-com, it all comes together. Topics of love and ca reer success are apparent in both of these works, making them complement each other perfectly.

Cudi is rumored to be retiring, which would be unfortunate. With a great new al bum and a fun project on Netflix, the sky

COVER FROM NETFLIX “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” is a 2022 biographical crime drama that tells the story of Milwaukee serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991.

COVER BY REPUBLIC RECORDS AND CUDI’S WICKED AWESOME IMPRINT “Entergalatic” is Kid Cudi’s eighth stu dio album. It was released on Sept. 30. is the limit for Cudi. I hope he has many more years making great music and reach ing new heights.

COVER BY HARPER VOYAGER “Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Trans lators’ Revolution” by R.F. Kuang was published on Aug. 23.

‘Monster:

Opinions

The new rotating drop schedule needs to go

BY ALEXA AUGUSTYNYIAK Copy Editor

I began this school year with optimism about the new rotating drop schedule, but it has not lived up to my expectations. Rather than benefiting the students, it has been nothing but a nuisance. As much as I have tried, I just cannot get used to it.

come just one day after students learn the new material, and a sin gle evening is just not enough time to adequately prepare.

Exacerbating students’ lack of time is the fact that five minutes have been added to every school day. This may not seem like a big deal, but it amounts to almost half an hour every week and over an hour and a half of class time ev ery month.

ILLUSTRATION BY KYLA MARINO

School meals should be free for all students

As soon as the lunch bell rings, students storm out of their class rooms and flood the cafeteria. Dozens of students form a line as they await a tray carrying the es sential food groups and a carton of milk. Unfortunately, for many students, school meals are their only meals of the day.

The School Breakfast Pro gram and the National School Lunch Program make up the sec ond-largest food safety net in the country, according to the health policy journal Health Affairs. The nonprofit organization American Action Forum reports that these programs provide 30 million healthy and nutritious meals to children and adolescents daily.

When schools moved to re mote learning at the start of the pandemic, hungry students were no longer able to rely on school meals. In response, the U.S. De partment of Agriculture imple mented the Universal School Meals Program, which lessened the financial strain families face and help prevent children from going hungry.

The Universal Free Meals Pro gram ended in June after Con gress failed to extend it for the upcoming school year.

As hunger becomes a growing concern among students, it is vi tal that New Jersey schools make meals free for everyone. Consid ering that hungry children cannot concentrate on learning, feeding them is just as important to their education as math or English class.

Hungry students are more like ly to score lower on standardized tests and repeat a grade, accord ing to No Kid Hungry, a Wash ington, D.C.-based organization committed to ending hunger in the United States.

Additionally, an article pub lished in the journal “Nutrients” reports that students in schools that serve universal meals do better than their counterparts in

schools that do not provide meals to all. Children who face hun ger are at a disadvantage when it comes to fully engaging with the world, and that includes the les sons their teachers present.

The National Education Asso ciation found that students who lack consistent access to food are also more likely to experience de velopmental impairments in areas like behavior, language and mo tor skills. Children need nutrients so they can grow and focus on learning instead of thinking about the food they need to survive.

Regardless of family income, there will always be children who end up without lunch at school. Perhaps their parents forgot to add money to their child’s food account or did not have time to

Jersey schools receive free break fasts and lunches.

The second bill ensures that school food authorities launch public awareness campaigns and create promotional materials to inform parents about the school meal programs available to them.

Together, the laws will contrib ute to ensuring fair access to re sources that promote children’s nutrition and foster the financial security of working families.

Access to food has been espe cially jeopardized by inflation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in September, food prices rose 11.2% compared to the previous year, increas ing food insecurity among both adults and children.

As food costs grow, universal lunches would guarantee that ev ery student, regardless of their family’s financial situation, has access to regular meals at school.

School meals should also be free for all students to eliminate the stigma associated with using a free meal program at school.

Classes are shorter than last year, which means teachers have less time to cover the materi al. Now, teachers’ lessons often seem rushed or run into the next class. This makes it difficult for students to gain the knowledge they need, and it is easier for them to fall behind.

Shortened class periods also mean there is less time to finish classwork, so it becomes home work. This would not be so bad except students often have just one night to complete the assign ment. Previously, students had two nights to do their homework because they would have class every other day.

This gets particularly challeng ing for students who are taking college-level classes like dual enrollment and Advanced Place ment courses. Managing the workload of these courses was already difficult, and now it is al most impossible.

In addition to completing writ ten homework, students need to make time outside of class to study for upcoming tests and quizzes. These assessments often

The new schedule is especially problematic for seniors because senior privilege is 27 minutes shorter than last year. Since peri ods are now less than an hour in length, it is difficult to go home during that break in the day.

With six classes, the day goes by so much slower than it did last year when we only had four class es. We’ve all encountered the challenge of maintaining energy during a seemingly interminable day. At least when there were only two classes in each half of the day, when one class was over, I felt encouraged knowing that I only had one more class until lunch or the end of the day.

Finally, the schedule is too com plex because two classes drop out of the rotation each day. Even now, I find myself needing to re view my schedule in the morn ings to prepare myself for the day. Last year’s rotating block sched ule was so much better and needs to return to LHS. Block sched uling was the norm at the high school for over a decade, and it is a tradition that, for the good of the students, should be brought back.

There are many benefits to the rotating drop schedule

BY FRANCESCO INFURNA Staff Writer

prepare lunch for their child. Whatever the circumstances, a family’s income is not the only reason why a student may require free school meals.

School meals are one of the most effective methods for pro viding nutrition to children. They are more crucial than ever this year, as 14 million American chil dren experience frequent hunger, according to the Hamilton Proj ect at the Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organi zation.

To address this issue, Gov. Phil Murphy signed two bills in Sep tember that will help combat food insecurity among New Jersey stu dents.

The first bill mandates that lowand middle-income kids in New

According to the Ford Founda tion, whose stated goal is advanc ing human welfare, one in three students eligible for a free lunch goes hungry instead of claiming their free meal. Oftentimes the shame attached to identifying as a low-income child overrides a stu dent’s desire for food.

Finally, eating together creates community. Kids benefit socially from eating together in the caf eteria rather than going out for lunch or retreating to a classroom to avoid being regarded as the kid with no lunch.

School meals are not an acces sory to education; the ability to learn completely collapses when students are hungry. School meals are the foundation for education, not a supplement to it.

As school returns to normal in the wake of the pandemic, free lunch must also become the new normal.

Last year’s rotating block schedule could best be described as grueling, long and tiring. An 82-minute class seemed like an eternity, leaving many students, including me, feeling fatigued and bored.

Fortunately, this year’s rotating drop schedule is so much better for both students and teachers.

Shorter classes allow students to focus better. Last year, class es were packed with a lot of con tent, which would drag on after the first hour. This led students to become bored and distracted by their Chromebooks and phones. Fifty-five-minute classes are per fect because they end before stu dents lose focus.

Teachers benefit as well be cause it is easier to plan for short er classes rather than worrying about how to fill 82 minutes.

Another positive aspect of this

year’s schedule is that students now have more frequent breaks throughout the day. Students ben efit from having the chance to get out of their seats at least once ev ery hour since there are now more passing times between classes.

Since classes now meet three out of every four days, rather than

every other day, students have more chances to review the ma terial. This helps them remember what they learned, which means they can study less while scoring higher on tests and quizzes.

The new schedule is long over due, and as the first marking pe riod comes to a close, its positive effects are more clear than ever.

Children need nutrients so they can grow and focus on learning instead of thinking about the food they need to survive.

Fifty-five-minute classes are perfect because they end before students lose focus.

“Now I can buy lunch all year!”

THE LIGHTHOUSE

Lyndhurst High School 400 Weart Avenue

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Student-Athlete Spotlight

Commitment and selflessness are a winning combo for Roddy Morinho

BY EMILY REED Staff Writer

Sophomore captain Roddy Mo rinho–who is known for sweeping up touchdowns during the foot

ball season–is a running back, outside linebacker and long snap per for punts and field goals.

Head Coach Tuero said Morin ho, who joined the varsity team last year, sets an example on and

off the field.

“Although he is only a soph omore, he showed he is 100% committed to the program,” Tue ro said.

Tuero said Morinho is known for his selflessness.

“Roddy does not really care what people think. He just wants to do whatever he can to help the team,” Tuero said. “He is one of the most loyal student-athletes I have ever been around. He has pride in his team, the program and, most importantly, his fami ly.”

Sophomore captain Shawn Bel lenger, who plays quarterback and joined the varsity team last year, said Morinho is an outstand ing leader.

“Roddy is our guy,” Bellenger said. “[He] shows us what it’s like to be a true captain and football player.”

Since Bellenger is the quarter back and Morinho is the running back, they work closely on of fense.

“[The] quarterback and running back duo is often having to work together to make our team effi cient,” Bellenger said. He said Morinho’s locker room presence is energetic and focused.

“On a game day, Roddy is al ways listening to music, focused on the end goal to win the game but is energized for what is to

come in the game,” Bellenger said.

Bellenger said he and Morin ho are like soldiers preparing for battle.

“We work super hard on and off the field every day to be as successful as possible on Friday nights,” Bellenger said.

Morinho said one of his most significant football achievements

was earning The Observer Ath lete of the Week title on Oct. 5.

“I was speechless and very for tunate that I won Athlete of the Week,” Morinho said.

This spring, Morinho plans to run his first year on the outdoor track team to get faster for the next football season.

Morinho said greatness is not just about excelling on the field and in the weight room but being an active participant in class and at home.

“Everything isn’t given to you. You have to earn it. Giving 110% gives me a better shot to earn and achieve what I want,” said Mo rinho.

Professional Sports Commentary

Kansas City Chiefs show grit in the face of adversity

the game ended with a 20-24 loss for the Chiefs.

Abdallah Mustafa Staff Writer

Despite the Kansas City Chiefs’ loss to the Buffalo Bills at Ar rowhead Stadium on Oct. 16, the game still proved to be exciting.

The best parts of the game were the performances by Chiefs quar terback Patrick Mahomes II and Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

The most thrilling part of the game was the fourth quarter. With about a minute left, the Bills scored a touchdown with an amazing catch by tight end Daw son Knox.

After the touchdown, the Chiefs received the ball, Mahomes aimed the throw to receiver Skyy Moore, and then the ball got in tercepted by cornerback Taron Johnson. The ball went back to the Bills, Allen ran the clock and

Having lost most of their start ers, the Chiefs need to overcome significant hurdles. Star wide re ceiver Tyreek Hill, who scored nearly half of the team’s touch downs, was traded to the Miami Dolphins, and Tyrann Mathieu, the Chiefs’ best safety, was traded to the New Orleans Saints.

Mathieu helped the Chiefs win many games, including the 2020 Super Bowl against the San Fran cisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

This season, the Chiefs are also struggling because of injured players, including their new wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who previously played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite hurt ing his hamstring, Smith-Schus ter was able to play on Oct. 16. With a furious comeback and a four-touchdown performance by tight end Travis Kelce, the Chiefs overcame an early 17-point deficit on Oct. 10 to defeat the Raiders

30-29. This marked the third-larg est regular season comeback in franchise history, which was pos sible due to a relentless effort on both sides of the ball. In fact, after falling behind by 17 points late in the second quarter, the Chiefs

terback Derek Carr. In the same game, Kelce achieved a new re cord for the most touchdowns. He scored four touchdowns in one game, which is also the most any tight end has ever had in the Na tional Football League.

scored on each of their next five possessions, tallying 30 points, while the Raiders mustered only two field goals in that span. During that game, defensive end George Karlaftis and linebacker Darius Harris each got their first career sack against Raiders quar

Unfortunately, earlier this sea son, the Chiefs lost their defen sive tackle Tershawn Wharton because he tore his ACL during a game against the Las Vegas Raid ers on Oct. 10. The Chiefs also lost their starting cornerback Ra shad Fenton to a hamstring injury on Oct. 23 in a game against the San Francisco 49ers. This took him out for the rest of the season. Additionally, the team’s safety Justin Reid injured his hand in a game against the Arizona Cardi nals on Sept. 11.

Despite a bumpy start to the season, as of Nov. 15, the Chiefs have a strong 7-2 record. Their teamwork and determination have definitely proven that they deserve a spot in the playoffs and maybe even the Super Bowl.

PHOTO BY LORS PHOTOGRAPHY

Sophomore Roddy Morinho runs to score a touchdown at the homecoming game against Park Ridge High School on Oct. 14.

“Although he is only a sophomore, he showed he is 100% committed to the program.”

This marked the third-largest regular season comeback in franchise history, which was possible due to a relentless effort on both sides of the ball.

Teamwork and friendship lead girls soccer to success

BY JUSTIN MAYEWSKI Staff Writer

The girls soccer team had a winning season, finishing with a 13-6-2 record. The team made it to the Bergen County Tournament and the quarterfinals of the state sectional tournament.

Senior captain Keilani Gomez, who has been on the varsity team

“We were such a close group at the end of the season due to our hard work as a team.”

for four years, said the team’s ca maraderie has contributed to its achievements.

“Bonded is how I would de scribe the team,” Gomez said. “We have really close relation ships with each other on and off the field.”

She said her main objectives were to compete in the state tour nament and be a good captain.

“My goal [was] to keep every one’s behavior, focus and attitude in check,” Gomez said.

She said she attributes her con tinued passion for the sport to her teammates.

“We’re really close with each other, and we love playing the sport together,” Gomez said.

Like Gomez, junior Julia Tozdu man, who has been on the varsi ty team since her freshman year, said she appreciates the team’s solidarity.

“We were such a close group at the end of the season due to our hard work as a team,” Tozduman said.

She said her inspiration comes from Head Coach Hykey and her teammates.

“I am also inspired by my younger self because I have played soccer since I was little and have always liked the sport,” Tozduman said.

She said her biggest personal accomplishment in soccer was becoming confident and comfort able with her defensive position.

“Our team’s biggest accom plishment was defeating North Arlington at home [on Oct. 18], as well as Secaucus [at home on Sept. 14 and away on Oct. 13],” Tozduman said.

She said these wins were espe cially significant because these are the team’s biggest rivals.

Tozduman said soccer has taught her life lessons that she will use in the future.

“I learned this season that noth ing is ever over. There is always time and room to grow. I learned that in high school, you will make some of your best friends and to cherish every moment,” Tozdu man said.

Hykey, who has been coaching the team for 13 years, said a var ied exercise routine contributed to the girls’ success.

“Every day is different depend ing on when games are and who

we are playing, but we warm up with ball work or with dynam ic stretching, focus on skills and finish with some sort of playing,” Hykey said.

She said a challenge today’s ath letes face is maintaining concen tration.

“There are so many distractions in this world, so keeping their fo

cus is more of a challenge now than it ever has been,” Hykey said.

She said, as a coach, she values simplicity and improvement.

“I try to keep things simple,” Hykey said. “I want to create an environment where the students can learn and grow as athletes and people.”

Despite challenges, boys soccer achieves winning record

BY ELIDA KUKA Staff Writer

The boys soccer team com pleted its season after a 2-1 loss in a second-round state game at home against Hanover Park High School on Oct. 31. The team’s regular season ended on Oct. 21 after a 2-0 win at home against Rutherford High School, making the team’s record 9-4-2.

Senior captain Ali Celik, who has been on varsity since his freshman year, said even though the team has lost many good play ers to graduation, it was still a well-rounded group.

“We have a very good team this year and many really didn’t ex pect us to be,” Celik said. “How ever, we’ve had really tough games where, although we lost, the players noticed how good we are.”

The players faced an addition al challenge because they are in a new league this year.

“We are playing much harder teams. However, the challenge is fun, and I believe we’ll overcome it and [surpass] a lot of people’s expectations,” Celik said.

The team had a winning streak from Sept. 19-23, which was bro ken by ties against Rutherford on Sept. 29 and Pascack Valley High School on Oct. 1.

“Tyler [Wise]’s goal against Pascack Valley demonstrated our season. The whole game really did. Our team was down 3-1 to a very good Group 4 team and man aged to come back 3-3,” Celik said. “I scored the first two, and Tyler scored the goal to tie the game. We ended up losing in pen alties, but our fight throughout the game really showed our hunger.”

Sophomore Isaac Camilo, who has been on varsity since his freshman year, said the team has benefited from the instruction of new Coach Abouzid, whom the players refer to as Coach Gabe.

“He had played professionally in Egypt during his youth and had coached with our current head coach in North Arlington years prior,” Camilo said.

He said soccer has taught him useful lessons about staying calm, composed and confident.

“Confidence plays a big role in being a good player. Without it, you’re not an asset to the team,” Camilo said. “It makes you feel ready and relaxed [as] opposed to nervous and scared.”

He said the players’ formations on the field were instrumental in their achievements.

“This year’s tactics included different formations and strate gies on how to defend well and ways to make it count while at tacking,” Camillo said.

Senior Lucas Baroni, who has been on varsity since his sopho more year, also said formations were a focus of the season.

“Our team usually tries to have a counter formation, so the op ponent has a hard time trying to score,” Baroni said.

He said despite having a win ning season, there is still room for improvement.

“I feel like our communication skills lack a bit, and when we do communicate, we are unstoppa ble,” Baroni said.

He said the team’s close rela tionship has contributed to its success.

“We all treat each other as brothers and do the best we can to improve ourselves,” said Baroni.

PHOTO BY ANGELA ELLIS

Senior Jorge Pelaez (right) gets ready to trap the ball at the boys soccer game at home against Wee hawken High School on Oct. 19.

PHOTO BY ANGELA ELLIS Freshman Nikalena Iacono dribbles the ball at a home soccer game against Harrison High School on Oct. 10.

BY LORS PHOTOGRAPHY

Cross country runners break records

BY ISABELLA BARTLETT Staff Writer

Despite the challenges of inju ries, intense weather and a small team compared to last season, the cross country runners continued their stride this season.

With only 22 runners compared to 35 last season, Head Coach Picardo said he is proud of the runners’ accomplishments.

“I just want the kids to work hard and be the best runners they could be,” said Picardo, who has coached the team for 19 years.

After the varsity boys placed fifth in the North Jersey Inter scholastic Conference Colonial Division League Championship at Garret Mountain Reservation in Woodland Park on Oct. 3, Picardo said the runners made an effort to better their times.

“I love when kids succeed and they do well. I love when hard work pays off, when kids under stand that they’re a part of some thing bigger than themselves and that if they put in the time and they work hard, they’re going to

Girls volleyball players reflect on season’s highlights

BY ANASTASIA LOUTROUTZIS Webmaster

The girls volleyball team wrapped up its 14-12 regular sea son with a win against North Ar lington High School on Oct. 25.

The team entered the state championships on Oct. 28 and won its home game against Par sippany Hills High School. How ever, the team got eliminated after its quarterfinal away game against West Morris Central High School on Oct. 31.

Head Coach Vahalla, who has coached the team for the past de cade, said the team achieved his goal of qualifying for the state tournament.

“We work hard, practice effec tively and learn from our mis takes,” Vahalla said. “Volleyball is a mental game and we need[ed] to be prepared for tougher match es as the state tournament ap proache[d].”

This year’s captains are senior Sinejan Cinaz and junior Bryanna Pando. With 14 players, four of whom are seniors and four being returning varsity members, the team is young.

“These student-athletes are still learning and picking up the game of volleyball. As the years go on and these athletes grow, they will better understand the game… and contribute even more to the team and winning matches,” Vahalla said.

He said the team’s best perfor

mance was at the Harrison Tour nament on Sept. 24. That day, the team won its pool and advanced to the gold bracket. However, LHS lost to Montclair Kimberley Academy, which is ranked 17th in New Jersey.

“This day was a great way for the girls to see other local teams and compete with them,” Vahal la said. “[We] showcased a lot of what we have been working on throughout the summer and showed various teams how good we can be if we stay mentally tough and motivated.”

Junior Allanis Rodríguez, who is an outside hitter and all-around

be successful,” Picardo said.

The freshmen girls finished in second place at the season opener on Sept. 9 at Darlington County Park in Mahwah.

Returning to Darlington Coun ty Park for their last race of the season on Oct. 22, they placed fifth. Four runners finished the course in under 13 minutes, and every runner placed in the top 25 and broke their personal record.

“We’ve had a lot of adversity this year, and the kids have done a good job of fighting through it,” Picardo said.

A highlight of the season oc curred on Oct. 15, when the freshmen boys finished third in the Bergen County Group Cham pionship at Darlington County Park. At this meet, 70% of the runners broke their personal re cords.

One of these runners was senior Steven Friedman, who joined var sity last year. They were unable to compete for most of the season due to Achilles tendinitis in their right foot.

Even though they are injured,

Friedman said they tried hard to improve, beating their personal record of 21:30 with 20:42 at the Group Championship.

“[Running with an injury] is re ally challenging both mentally and physically. You want to do great all season, and then it pops up, and you’re not able to run. It really puts you in a hard place,” Friedman said.

The runners said the hardships they have faced have brought them closer together.

“At the end of the day, if any body needs anything, everybody has each other’s back,” Friedman said.

Senior Gabe Gomez, who has been running varsity since his sophomore year, said the team’s greatest strength is its determina tion.

“Cross country is a sport where you really, really, really need to want what you’re working for or else you’re not going to get it. You’ve got to work really hard to get everything you want out of it,” Gomez said.

He said cross country runners

must push through their pain.

“Just showing up every day and trying to run as well as the last day [is difficult],” Gomez said. “A lot of us stepped up this year, and I think we really needed that.”

Sophomore Gianna Scardino, who joined the varsity team last year, said one of the challenges the team faced this year was hav ing fewer upperclassmen on the team compared to last year.

“My expectations for this sea son weren’t that high because we didn’t start out with that many people,” Scardino said. “But I was excited for the incoming freshman, and I really like them.”

Scardino said the freshmen demonstrated willpower and have a lot of potential. She said she has enjoyed getting to know them throughout the season.

Scardino said the runners pushed themselves to their limits, working hard ever since practices started in July.

“I’ve done things I didn’t think I could do,” Scardino said. “Cross ing the finish line is the best feel ing ever.”

Injuries and inexperience impact football season

BY CAROLYNE MOONEY Editor

The football team ended its sea son with a 3-6 record.

Head Coach Tuero, who has been coaching for nine seasons, said this year was challenging due to the struggle of having less experienced players.

“This season, we are extreme ly young on the field, with only three returning starters,” Tuero said.

He said the team also struggled with inconsistency.

[was] to motivate myself and the team and preach nothing but suc cess for us,” Tucker said.

He said the team needs to im prove when it comes to demon strating leadership.

“It comes from myself and [the players] believing in our abilities to get the job done and knowing what we’re capable of,” Tucker said.

She said the home game against Saddle Brook High School on Oct. 7 was the season’s highlight. Despite losing the first set, LHS made a comeback, finalizing the second set with a score of 2624. Keeping the streak going, the team also won its third set 25-15.

Sophomore Asya Akar, who is a three-sport athlete, said volley ball is her favorite sport.

“[When] high school started and I started to play volleyball com petitively, I became connected to it,” Akar said.

“It’s not easy playing varsity football, and because of that, a lot of guys quit the team. Howev er, we take pride in coaching the guys that want to be there,” Tuero said.

He said North Arlington High School, whom the Golden Bears lost to in a close 21-28 game on Oct. 21, was the team’s biggest competitor this season.

Tuero said although this has been a tough season, he enjoyed watching the players succeed in their sport.

Like Tuero, Tucker said having a young team was difficult, par ticularly because there were a lot of injuries this season, and expe rienced players adapt more easily to the type of changes that follow. Despite the challenges, Tucker said he enjoyed his experiences on the team.

“The most satisfying thing about football is how it brings me and my teammates together and makes lifelong brothers,” Tucker said.

Sophomore captain Roddy Mo rinho said the team is now fo cused on improving for next year.

“The team needs to improve on our offseason work,” Morinho said.

player, said she is proud to have joined the varsity team this year.

“I love each and every one of my teammates, and I enjoy spend ing time with them every day,” Rodríguez said. “[We are] like a family.”

Rodríguez said she gets nervous before games, but her team’s spir it helps her manage her stress.

“I do not want to mess up, but my teammates help me overcome that feeling and allow me to play my best,” Rodríguez said.

She said she likes the team as pect of the game and the mental strength it requires.

“Once one person gets into their [own] head, it spreads to the rest of the team,” Akar said.

She said this year’s team was young but has potential.

“Coming from a strong team last year, we are all stars waiting to be born. We definitely have a lot to work on, but the more we practice in-season and off-season, the stronger of a team we’ll be,” said Akar.

“I absolutely love coaching football, and most important ly, I enjoy helping kids succeed in life,” Tuero said. “The game of football and the coaches that coached me shaped me into the man I am today. I wanted to be able to help shape the lives of these student-athletes in any way possible.”

Senior Dwayne Tucker, who joined varsity his sophomore year, said his goal was to make the most of his final football sea son.

“My responsibility as a player

Even though the team ended its season with a losing record, Morinho said the team’s wins were satisfying. He said after the Golden Bears won 49-18 at home against Manchester Region al High School on Sept. 30, the players celebrated by dancing in the locker room.

Morinho said his motto is to live in the moment.

“I only have two more seasons left of football, so I am trying to make memories with my team that I will never forget,” said Mo rinho.

PHOTO

Junior Samil Basci runs cross country at a varsity meet at Garret Mountain Reservation in Woodland Park on Sept. 14.

PHOTO BY MICHELLE GOZDEK

Junior Allanis Rodríguez sets the volleyball at a home game on Oct. 17 against Roselle Catholic High School.

“I love each and every one of my teammates, and I enjoy spending time with them every day.”