Same Spices, New Structures: A Decade of Renovations at MFS NEWS Page 3
Looking at Social Movements Through #Hashtags
Taking a look at the decade’s most iconic toys. Page 4
Something to look forward to in the sports section: not the Eagles. Page 6
#DECADEINREVIEW
The decade is coming to an end. In these ten years MFS turned 250, Hartman Hall was constructed, the Cupola was replaced, and a new Upper School Dean of Students, two Upper School Directors, and Head of School were welcomed. Nationally, President Barack Obama won his reelection campaign, March 4 Our Lives brought attention to gun violence in schools, and President
Donald Trump won the 2016 election.
Internationally, millions tuned in to watch the royal weddings, excited fans watched the World Cup and the Olympics, gay marriage was legalized in numerous countries, and superhero movies broke the box office. A lot has happened in the past ten years and there is much to come in the future.
Ghosts of Editors Past
Meet some of WordsWorth’s editors from the past decade
By Vani Hanamirian ’22, Social Media Editor; Rebecca Benjamin ’21, Staff Writer; Jordan Grabelle ’22, Copy Editor
Ali Chesnick ’19
Former Position: Copy Chief, Features Editor, and Editorials Editor
Favorite Piece Written: An article that was a part of the 2018 WordsWorth May Day Print Edition that looked at the history and evolution of May Day
Best WordsWorth memory: Her Wing-Off video with fellow WordsWorth editorial board member Andrew Shah ’19, WordsWorth’s trip to New York City, and her Spirit Week video replays
Career: N/A
College Journalism: Working for The Michigan Daily’s copy desk as a primary copy editor with aspirations to write for either News or Arts
Advice for WordsWorth Staff Now: “If you decide to work on a story, you need to know that you can follow through, and you need to have backup plans and people can help you if something comes up. Communication is really important.”
Andrew Rowan ’19
Former Position: Editor-in-Chief
Austin Harris ’13
Former Position: Online Editor and Editor-in-Chief
Favorite Piece Written: “Tell Me More,” a piece about a language website that the school previously used
Best WordsWorth Memory: Spending the double period working on the newspaper Career: Development Assistant College Journalism: Interned and worked for ABC’s 20/20 show
Advice for WordsWorth Staff: “Write about what fascinates you and get multiple interviews, with different people and different perspectives.”
Fun Fact: Helped create the first WordsWorth website
Favorite Piece Written: Dining hall reporting and school security
Best WordsWorth Memory: Coming into the “newsroom,” holiday parties, and the energy before Facebook live streams Career: N/A
College Journalism: Reporter and Associate Producer for Northwestern News Network (NNN)
Advice for WordsWorth Staff: “When you think something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. Investigate. Ask about it.”
2 MFS News
Friday, December 20, 2019
New Beginnings for a New Decade
By Shelby Deibler ’20, Editor-in-Chief
Leading the Upper School is a daunting task. The Upper School administrators, Meredith Godley and Will Miller, are tasked with balancing the academic and social needs of students across all grade levels, as well as weathering the occasional community crisis. As the decade comes to a close, the Moorestown Friends Upper School administrators are looking forward to moving into 2020 on a positive note for a number of reasons.
“For me, there’s something magical that happens when the calendar flips. It’s not so much about new beginnings as much as it is about having a fresh start. Sometimes you just need a fresh start to the challenges that you had been trying to persevere through in 2019. Having the ability to think positively in the face of adversity is central to fresh starts,” Dean of Students for the Upper School Will Miller said.
Upper School Director Meredith Godley also commented, ”We can all look forward to MPE, as well as many annual traditions. We can also look forward to exciting new ideas through the strategic plan.”
The administrators and faculty are currently working on a 12-month focus on the Strategic Plan. “The plan envisions teaching and learning in new ways. It is an exciting time for MFS as the Upper School is the largest it has ever been
and we have more and more opportunities for students to find and practice their strengths,” said Godley.
In particular, Godley is “looking forward to watching the Social Innovators Program in its first year, and to see how our young entrepreneurs bring back ideas and influence our community in positive ways.” Of course life in the Upper School isn’t always rosy. This week was marked with recurring reports of theft and social upheaval.
accountable for living out the MFS standard,” said Miller. “Leading means to help establish a commitment toward living out that standard while at the same time fostering a community that stands in the gap for those who need building up when they are down.”
“Many people don’t know it, but my favorite word in the dictionary is PROCESS.”
— US Dean Will Miller
Miller emphasized the need for reminding the community of the Quaker principles for which the school stands for. “Students, faculty, and staff must be willing to hold each other
Story and Photos By Michael Huettle ’23, Staff Writer
Miller also stated: “One huge responsibility I feel I have in leading the US into the new decade is to uphold the Quaker values set forth by our community. We’ve all heard that if you don’t stand for something, you will pretty much fall for anything. I don’t like the idea of our students pursuing a rigorous education with disregard for common decency and integrity for themselves and toward others.”
Godley intends to look at 2020 and the following decade as an opportunity to establish “a foundation of skills and knowledge [students] will need to lead meaningful lives,” also stating that “she feel[s] a weighty responsibility to insure we are teaching our students I think an MFS education may start to look a little different this upcoming decade with a greater focus on skills students will need for jobs that have yet to be envisioned.”
“I am happy to see a newfound focus on our environmental stewardship, and hope to see student initiative in that area grow as well,” Godley added referring to the school’s new environmental initiatives such as Water Wednesday and taking students to the Climate Strike in Philadelphia.
Both Godley and Miller have created New Year’s resolutions for the Upper School focusing on the theme of change. Understanding that change is hard, Miller said, ”just make progress. Many people don’t know it, but my favorite word in the dictionary is PROCESS.”
Godley reminded the community, “small changes are hard, and we should be very proud of them. My goal is to make one small change in the New Year - and to make it a realistic goal.”
A decade of renovations at MFS has brought many positive changes to the school. In the beginning of the decade, the Great Classrooms for Great Kids capital campaign raised funds to renovate what was then known as “The Greenleaf,” now Hartman Hall, home for math classrooms, a computer lab, and a choral music classroom.
Fast forward to this past fall, when three MFS varsity fields received three new wireless and solar-powered scoreboards. Below are a few highlights from a decade of improvements.
during April and May of 2012, Hartman Hall was constructed to provide new math classrooms and a choral music classroom.
During the summer of 2016 renovations to the Upper School boys’ bathroom provided for better hygiene and higher
McShap path was installed in the winter of 2012, acting as a means to connect the main campus to the Greenleaf campus.
Van Meter Hall
During the fall of 2018, second and third floor renovations occurred, including painting, carpeting, and technology wiring, followed by the development office moving to Van Meter Hall in February 2019.
During the summer of 2014 and 2015 a new cooling system was built to provide the building with higher standards of air quality and cooler temperatures throughout the school buildings.
Marketing and Communications
The spring of 2019 renovations included carpeting and painting of the Marketing and Communications office.
Stokes Hall Courtyard Renovation and installation of the ramp from the Dining Hall
During summer 2015, renovations to the Stokes Hall Courtyard and the Dining Hall included new tiling for flooring as well as a refurbished staircase and ramp to the Dining Hall to increase accessibility.
Scoreboards
There was an addition of scoreboards for the Upper School field hockey and soccer teams during October of 2019.
Conditioning
Boys’ bathroom
cleanliness for the school environment.
McShap Path
Hartman Hall
Photo by MFS
Opened
Friday, December 20, 2019
Social Movements Through #s
By Rebecca Benjamin ’21, Staff Reporter and Jordan Grabelle ’22, Copy Edior
In December of 2010, Tunsian street vendor
Mohammed Bouazizi set himself on fire following the police’s seizure of his vegetable stand due to his lack of permit. This event ignited a series of anti-government protests in Tunisia that led to the overthrow of authoritarian ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Following these revolts, Tunisia held their first democratic election in 2011. The progress Tunisia made after their regime inspired other countries, such as Egypt and Libya, to begin political protests. The hashtag #arabspring was used to bring attention to the social uprisings occurring in the Middle East and to spread the news about the protests to fellow citizens of the Middle East.
In 2012, the Susan G. Komen foundation announced that they planned to end their annual $680,000 donation to Planned Parenthood that funded breast exams and mammograms. Immediately following this news, supporters of Planned Parenthood took to twitter to express their criticism of Komen’s decision to revoke funding, which helps 170,000 low-income and minority women per year. The foundation’s decision was publicized on a Tuesday, and by Friday of that week, more than 100,000 people had tweeted using the hashtag #standwithpp. By the end of the week, the Susan G. Komen pledged to once again support Planned Parenthood. The hashtag #standwithpp is still used today by advocates and supporters of Planned Parenthood.
Disaster struck Japan when the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami destroyed cities and killed many people. The international community offered condolences to Japan with a world wide hashtag. The #prayforjapan brought together a support system for a country in a time of crisis. The tragedy even inspired a movie, Pray for Japan, which brought more attention and aid to Japan.
In 2013 Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown both lost their lives in racially fueled incidents. As a result #blacklivesmatter was present on every social media platform to shed light on the injustice of their deaths. The origins of this hashtag are traced back to Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi who then collaborated to transform the hashtag into a social movement. The Black Lives Matter movement aims to combat racism and violence against the African American Community.
2014: #alsicebucketchallenge
The hashtag #alsicebucketchallenge defined the summer of 2014. What started as a challenge for the support of any charity quickly turned into a fundraising campaign for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Scoliosis).
The #alsicebucketchallenge gained the attention of A-List celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Mark Zuckerburg, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Shaquille O’Neal, who joined the 17 million people who partook in this summer phenomenon. Through the #alsicebucketchallenge, the ALS Association raised over $41.8 million dollars.
2015: #lovewins
On June 26, 2015, the United States Supreme Court ruled bans on marriage equality to be unconstitutional. Quickly, the #lovewins spread throughout multiple media platforms as a symbol to the court case. This social movement brought attention to the unfair treatment of the LGBTQ community. Ultimately, the decision proved that “love wins” against the marriage bans.
2016: #NODAPL
When young members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe caught word of the plans for the Dakota Access Pipeline that would destroy their reservation, they took to social media to express their concerns with this project. This $3.5 billion dollar project aimed to transport crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois. The members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe saw the creation of this pipeline as a threat to the land they held sacred and a hazard to their clean water. In conjunction with their other protests, Tokata Iron Eyes and other kids from the tribe utilized social media to protect their home. Their efforts were successful as the U.S. government rejected the final permit necessary to move forward with the construction of the North Dakota Access Pipeline.
To draw attention to sexual assault and harassment victims, actress Alyssa Milano turned to Twitter to ask fellow survivors to tweet “#metoo.” Milano brought back this phrase created in 2006 by Tarana Burke following the 2017 Harvey Weinstien sexual assault accusations. She hoped that this hashtag would emphasize the extremity of sexual assault and harassment which was proved by the over one million posts using #metoo. The #metoo movement encouraged survivors to share their stories and increased awareness about the frequency of sexual assault and harassment.
On February 14, 2018, nineteen year old Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and became responsible for the largest mass shooting in a high school in the United States. Cruz used his personal AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, which he acquired legally, to execute the killings. This tragedy inspired students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High
movement drawing support from celebrities such as George and Amal Clooney, Steven Spielberg, and Oprah Winfrey. The #neveragain campaign continues as these teens work to amend gun legislation.
2010: #arabspring
2011: #prayforjapan
2017: #metoo
2018: #neveragain
Photo
Graphic By Sam Bitman ’21
Friday, December 20, 2019
WordsWorth is proud to present our 2019 Gift Guide! We’ve selected 14 toys from the past decade that are guaranteed to make you feel nostalgic for the 2010’s.
Ever wished that your favorite stuffed animal could also double as a pillow? Well, wish no more! The Pillow pet doubles as both a pillow and a pet! We all remember Pillow Pets, those shapeshifting pillow creatures, and how they have ingrained themselves into our childhood. Their advertising seemed to always be on TV and the jingle still hasn’t gotten out of our head. It seemed whenever you turned on the TV, there they were. 70 million Pillow Pets were sold worldwide. The stuffed animal that could also be a pillow continues to be a bestseller in 2019. Pillow pets have even expanded to Glow Pets and Sleeptime Lites.
Amazon.com, 19.99$
We all remember the Silly Bandz craze. It seemed as if everyone was wearing and trading these fun shaped rubber bands. In fact, the Silly Bandz craze grew so much that many schools had them banned from classrooms because they often distracted students. Sometimes fights broke out at playgrounds over these colorful accessories. Silly Bandz came in theme packs such as dinosaurs, princesses, and even Justin Bieber. Anyone who was anyone rocked Silly Bandz covered wrists.
Amazon.com, $8.75
These furry pets are perfect to amuse children for hours! Although these toys were released in 2009, they made an impact on gift sales for Christmas 2010. These toys zoom around the room– and even when you thought you lost them, they still make noises 3 years later! Zhu Zhu Pets were originally marketed at $9, but due to such a high demand in 2010, they were sold for six times that! They even had a movie about them. These fur balls on wheels are cute because they roll around and were the perfect 2010 gift! Amazon.com $9.99
Venturing through the night, iron pickaxe in hand, praying for a chance encounter with diamonds and dreading a chance encounter with zombies. You look up at the sky full of blocky white stars, the calmness of the piano music fills your headphones, and the only limit to what you can do is your imagination. Be it PC or pocket edition, Minecraft is a game that nearly all those who grew up in this decade have played. Reaching its peak in 2012, Minecraft is now a perfect game for those feeling nostalgic or those who want to surpass the boundaries of reality and create something beautiful.
Available on all platforms, $26.95
Do you know someone that enjoys creating bracelets made out of string? This object allowed them to do similar things, but with new materials. Rainbow Loom is a plastic, rectangular loom that is used to weave different color rubber bands together. Children ages 8 and up used colors ranging from sparkly blue to neon pink and created bracelets, necklaces, etc. The color schemes were endless. Aside from a range of colors, different patterns were infinite.
of art. When purchasing this gift, there are many different packages that are available. Some bundles may include 10 different colored rubber band packs and multiple looms but buying the authentic single-loom box with one pack of multicolored bands is the best bet. As children/teens want to explore the art world, Rainbow Loom is the perfect gift.
These toys were especially popular with kids due in part to their interactive abilities. The dolls were programmed with over 100 unique jokes and phrases. The toys spoke these phrases when pressed at different locations on their bodies. The toys were also programmed to sense different beats, meaning they could recognize different types of music. The toys would perform a specific dance based on each type of music. The toys were also equipped with voice recognition, making it easy for kids to interact with their Fijit friend. Amazon.com $99.99
For the entirety of game consoles existence, gamers had to choose between playing at home on the TV, or on-thego on a tiny screen. Now you can game every moment of every day with the nintendo switch. It’s 6.2 inch tablet with detachable controllers that allows you to be 2 times more antisocial than ever before. When you are done gaming at home, the Nintendo Switch has an attachment that allows you to project on your TV like a gaming console. The Switch is compatible with a variety of games, which makes it a perfect gift for anyone of any age.
Amazon.com, $299.00
Like Star Wars? What about app-controlled toys? When this toy came out, it excited
3DS was revolutionary. It came equipped with both two dimensional images and 3D images without the
for 3D glasses. The 3DS came in numerous color
The 3DS came with anything you could ask for: a 3D camera, Netflix, and an internet browser. The 3DS also came with the lovable and customizable Mii. The 3DS came with numerous games such as Pokemon, Mario, Zelda, Animal Crossing, and Minecraft.
Amazon.com, $344
hoverboard was definitely something that you wanted to buy!
Swagtron.com, $40- $400
Furbys are preserved forever in infamy. These creepy dolls changed personalities depending on how they were treated. There was an app that went along with the toy that allowed kids to make food and feed their Furbys. The app also allowed these kids to translate their Furby’s “Furbish” language. The Furbys could also be fed by sticking a finger in their mouths.
Amazon.com $74.99
“Three...two...one...LET IT RIP!” This string of words is all too familiar to many kids who grew up in the early 2010’s; a battle cry heard in playgrounds around the nation. The small spinning battle tops known as Beyblades were incredibly popular among kids. The spinning tops could have been gladiators, crashing into each other until only one remains, and the flimsy plastic stadium in which they fought might as well have been the Colosseum. Paired with a popular television show, Beyblades were a staple of early childhood fun, and anyone who ever used them will surely never forget the gasps and applause that came when a victor arose at the end of each epic battle.
$34.99
Pillow Pets
Silly Bandz
Zhu Zhu Pets
Minecraft
6 Sports
Friday, December 20, 2019
Philadelphia Sports News Update
Harris and Sixers dominating, Girardi and Phillies making moves early, Oskar Lindblom, and the Stinkin’ Eagles!
By Sam Bitman ’21, Sports Editor, and Vani Hanamirian ’22, Social Media Editor
EAGLES
The Philadelphia Eagles playoff hopes are still alive . . . somehow. Luckily for the Eagles and their fans, the rivaling Dallas Cowboys are just as bad as the Eagles, if not worse.
Three straight Dallas losses allowed the Eagles to stay alive, despite a shocking loss to the 3-10 Miami Dolphins and two close games against the 2-10 New York Giants and the 3-10 Washington Redskins. Even though they could still come out on top of the horrendous NFC East, Eagles fans are fed up with their team’s poor performances this season . . . and they should be.
The Eagles sitting at 7-7, have lost the majority of their starting offense, Carson Wentz seems to have regressed, the defense doesn’t seem to know how to play defense, and the team is ranked ninth in dropped passes and 25th in catches for 25 yards or more.
Despite all of this, any hope for the Eagles still lies on the success of the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas will be coming to the Linc this week, and with both teams’ records at 7-7, the winner will take the division.
SIXERS
Statement wins against the Raptors, Nuggets, and Celtics have headlined a strong five game win streak for the 76ers as they continue their amazing start to the season.
After winning their fifth straight game against the New Orleans Pelicans (6-20) in Philadelphia, the Sixers extended their home record to 14-0, making them the league’s only undefeated team left. Over the course of their win streak the Sixers also extended their record on the season to 20-7 and managed to jump
up to the second seed in the Eastern Conference, behind the Milwaukee Bucks.
Sixers forward Tobias Harris has had the hot hand in November and December. He has brought his game to the next level, and is in all-star conversation. Harris’s counterparts have been playing just as well as he has.
Ben Simmons has shown growth and maturity in his game and has even began to slowly work on his perimeter shooting, something he has been heavily criticized for throughout his short career. After a slow start, Joel Embiid has started to heat up, recently dropping a season-high 38 points in Boston after some criticism from Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley.
Offseason acquisitions Al Horford and Josh Richardson have begun to win over Philadelphia, but the player who has already become a fan favorite is rookie Matisse Thybulle. The 20th overall pick has already proven his worth with his stellar defense, and the team has a winning record when he plays at least 15 minutes.
The Sixers look to continue their win streak as they continue a tough stretch in their schedule and look to protect their homecourt through Christmas.
PHILLIES
The Philadelphia Phillies are making big moves for the future.
After firing manager Gabe Kapler, Phillies fans everywhere were screaming for the team to sign longtime MLB manager Joe Girardi — and the team listened. The Phillies signed Girardi to a three year deal that will include a club option in 2023.
Not too long after Girardi’s hiring, the Phillies signed Zack Wheeler to a five-year contract worth $118 million. Wheeler had an ERA of 3.96 last year with the New York Mets, and the righthanded pitcher is already an upgrade to the team’s rotation.
After signing Wheeler, the Phillies
signed shortstop Didi Gregorius to a one-year contract worth $14 million. The long-time Yankee was largely attracted by the idea of playing for Girardi, who he had played for in New York. Gregorius’s numbers were down a bit last season due to injuries, but he is still a big upgrade to the team’s offense.
As the offseason continues, the Phillies will look to acquire at least one more big name free agent to bring them to the next level. With the Yankees signing Garrit Cole and the Diamondbacks signing Madison Bumgardner, the Phillies are running out of options on the mound. One positive is that Cubs and Phillies have been in trade talks about third baseman Kris Bryant. Bryant would be an immediate upgrade in the position for the Phils.
FLYERS
Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom’s season has come to an end after he was recently diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a type of cancer that is formed in the bones and tissue that is more common in males and can be treated with radiation, chemotherapy and surgery.
The Flyers announced in a statement: “The Flyers will do everything possible to support Oscar and assist him in securing the best care available.”
Oskar Lindblom, a Swedish native, had 11 goals, 7 assists and 18 points so far this season. Lindblom averages 17:36 minutes of ice time this season, and he is the Flyers second leading scorer, trailing Travis Konecny, a 22year-old Canadian right wing.
Lindblom has been with the Flyers organization since entering the league in the 2017-18 season, and his absence will greatly affect the Philadelphia Flyers. He is a powerhouse forward who isn’t afraid to take the puck to goal. While the loss of Lindblom will be a setback, it wasn’t the Flyers’ only hope for next season.
Foxes Capture Third Title in Five Years
By Sam Bitman ’21, Sports Editor
managed to quiet any doubters after a goal from team captain Evan Schlotterbeck (’21) started a run that included fellow captain Matt D’Ottavi’s backto-back goals to give MFS a 3-0 lead in just 12 minutes of play. After a quick offensive start, the Foxes defense held strong and allowed WardlawHartridge’s only goal to come on a penalty kick in the second half.
The Foxes’ final goal to secure their win came towards the end of the second half when D’Ottavi set up a perfectly placed ball for Astin Galanis (’21) to tap into the net. These fast starts and dominant defensive performances are exactly what has been allowing this team to dominate throughout the tournament and get them to the NJSIAA Non-Public B Championship. The key to these performances, however, is the strong team
chemistry among all of the players.
“There’s a lot of good moments within the team and I think it’s brought us all together collectively for this moment and for [the state championship],” D’Ottavi said when asked about how the team has bonded so well together.
Like all of the other moments that D’Ottavi said has brought the team together throughout the season, there was something extra special for the team about this game. Not only was November 7 the sectional title game, but it was also Mikey Paznokas’s (’21) birthday.
The team’s goalkeeper, Paznokas is an integral part of the Foxes’ success this season, recording 119 saves on the season, and his fellow teammates made sure that his birthday was a part of their win, as they sang happy birthday to him on the field after the game.
“Winning a championship anyways feels great. On my birthday is just a bonus,” said Paznokas.
Bringing another title back to MFS has been the main goal for the Foxes all season. Paznokas explained, “This is what we’ve been
The Best Sports Moments of the Decade
Kobe’s Farewell, OBJ’s Catch, 28-3, and more.
By
working for all season. This game proved that we can do anything.”
“It’s amazing man,” said D’Ottavi. “It’s great for our seniors, it’s great for everyone on the team. Been working since August 12 for this and to cap it off with a championship is great.”
For seniors like Team Captain Cory Dennis (’20) who were able to capture a title in their final season with MFS, “It feels like nothing I can ever describe. It’s just amazing knowing I led a team to a championship, didn’t let down my team, my school, my family, my friends, anything like that. It’s just a great experience.”
As someone who has worked for all four years of his high school career to get to this point, Dennis’s message to underclassmen is to “just keep working. It’s all about having fun and it’ll come. Just keep working as hard as you can.”
For Head Coach Mike Schlotterbeck, this is his third sectional title in the last five years for MFS. When asked about how it feels to be back in this position again, Schlotterbeck said, “It feels great. It’s a special group of guys. Every year’s a different journey, so the guys really deserve it and I’m really happy they were able to bring home a trophy.”
In what has been a historic season for the Foxes, Schlotterbeck said that what makes this team so great is that “a lot of them have known each other for a really long time, so there is great chemistry, and I think we’ve gotten better and better as a soccer team as the year’s gone on. We also played a really difficult schedule so I think our strength of schedule has really helped in big games like this. I think we’re ready, and that’s a credit to the guys.”
NBA history. He had put the team on his back, taking just about every shot to keep Miami in it, but when it mattered, he couldn’t make it happen.
Luckily for LeBron and the city of Miami, one of the best three point shooters the game has ever seen was on the floor in red and white. Ray Allen came in clutch.
7. OBJ’s Catch (2014)
During a Sunday night divisional showdown between the Giants and Cowboys in November, Giants rookie receiver Odell Beckham jr made the impossible seem possible, pulling off one of the best catches ever seen on an NFL field. Arching backward, he managed to pull the ball in with one fully extended hand. This was the moment the breakout rookie became Odell Beckham jr. The catch soon became Beckham’s brand. From that point on, a one handed catch of that sort has been known as an “Odell.”
Sam Bitman ’21, Sports Editor, and Ronny Watson ’21, Staff Writer
Farewell (2016)
shooting, hitting 6 threes, and tacking on 4 assists and 4
Photo by Sam Bitman (’21)/Sports Editor MFS Boys Soccer Team celebrates with their trophy.
7 Pop Culture
Friday, December 20, 2019
The Best Sounds of the Decade
By Lauren Edelstein ’22, Staff Writer and Morgan Stepanski ’22, Entertainment Editor
Top Albums
Over the decade there have been a variety of styles for the best selling albums including R&B, rap, pop, and country. The most successful albums throughout the year helped to shape music history for this decade. These are the most successful albums throughout the decade based on the most sold in the United States. 2010:
Top Songs
Over the past ten years the world has seen a significant change in music. From the styles of songs to their powerful messages, the end of the decade will feature a completely different set of artists than ten years before. Based off of the number of copies sold during the song’s year on Billboard’s Top 100, these are the most successful songs of the 2010’s decade in the United States.
2010:
“Tik Tok” by Ke$ha
12.8 million copies sold
2011:
“Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
8.7 million copies sold
2012:
“Somebody That I Used To Know” by Gotye
11.8 copies sold
2013:
“Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz
6 million copies sold
2014:
“Happy” by Pharrell Williams
6.4 million copies sold
2015:
3.66
Blurryface by Twenty One Pilots
68,000 copies sold
DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar
603,000 copies sold 2018: Scorpion by Drake
732,000
“Uptown Funk!” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
7.8 million copies sold
2016:
“Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber
1.8 million copies sold
2017:
“Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber
2.6 million copies sold
2018:
“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran
1.3 million copies sold
2019:
“Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus
1.4 million copies sold as of October 2019
Woman of the Decade
Taylor Swift, a renowned artist, was recently named Artist of the Decade at the American Music Awards. For thirteen years, Swift has been serenading fans with her music. Over the decade she has had five No. 1 albums and five No. 1 singles, including her most popular song, “Shake It Off.” The song was so popular that despite it being released in 2014, it spent four weeks as No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 2015. Over the past ten years she has won more American Music Awards than any other artist, and the most American Music Awards wins for a female in history. Swift has not only succeeded as an artist, but she also aided in cancer awareness and disaster relief. Taylor Swift’s mother, Andrea Swift, was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. She had multiple recurrences and is still fighting this ongoing battle. Swift spoke out about her mother’s cancer to spread awareness for the disease. She also contributed $1 million to Louisiana for flood relief. Her many accomplishments and dedication to music led her to receive this honorable award.
Taylor Swift was named the Artist of the Decade at the 2019 American Music Awards.
Continued from Page 1
Ghosts of Editors Past
Tim Stoeckle ’10
Chloe Jones ’18
Former Position: Blog Editor and Editor-in-Chief
Favorite Piece
Written: Mr. Van Meter Retirement
Best WordsWorth Memory: When a student leaked the results of the Clerk selections before they were announced and WordsWorth published it. They were then asked to remove it from the blog, yet they kept it up due to journalistic principles!
College Journalism: Stays up to date with current news that crosses her path
Advice for WordsWorth Staff: “Have fun with what you’re producing and utilize tools, like timeline graphic generator, to make a strong story stronger.”
Former Position: 2009, Sports Editor; 2010, Editor-in-Chief
Favorite Piece Written: “Thinking for a Change,” his goodbye editorial to MFS
Best WordsWorth Memory: Working with a group of individuals who are passionate about writing
Career: Philadelphia Phillies
College Journalism: Writer for the student newspaper at Saint Joseph’s University
Advice for WordsWorth Staff: “Don’t stop writing. Even if you aren’t getting paid, keep writing to build your resume.”
BROADCAST EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Aaron Klein ’20
PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Shelby Deibler ’20
BLOG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Esha Nittoor ’20
COPY EDITOR - Jordan Grabelle ’22
FEATURES EDITOR - Lizzie Carter ’20
NEWS EDITOR - Lila Smith ’22
Alex Horn ’17
Former Position: Editor-in-Chief
Favorite Piece Written: “The MFS Bubble,” a piece about the lack of political diversity at MFS
Best WordsWorth Memory: Spirit Week, video editing for airband and time lapsing the hallways
College Journalism: Layout Editor and Editor-in-Chief of The Federalist, Columbia’s satirical newspaper
Advice for WordsWorth Staff: “Stand your ground. If you truly believe that something is important, you shouldn’t be afraid to write about it, no matter what anyone says.”
Fun Fact: Alex revived WordsWorth’s April Fools print edition
SPORTS EDITOR/MULTIMEDIA ASSOCIATE PRODUCER - Sam Bitman ’21
OPINION EDITOR/SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER - Vani Hanamirian ’22
NEWS DISTRIBUTION MANAGER - Morgan Stepanski ’22
STAFF WRITER - Lauren Articolo ’22
STAFF WRITER - Rebecca Benjamin ’23
STAFF WRITER - Lauren Edelstein ’22
STAFF WRITER - Michael Huettl ’23
STAFF WRITER - Roma Jha ’22
STAFF WRITER - Natalie Julian ’21
STAFF WRITER - Liah Morban ’21
STAFF WRITER - Emma Nei ’22
STAFF WRITER - Nick Nelms ’21
STAFF WRITER - Esha Patel ’21
STAFF WRITER - Justin Patel ’20
STAFF WRITER - Monit Patel ’20
STAFF WRITER - Om Patil ’21
STAFF WRITER - Ishaan Shah ’22
STAFF WRITER -Wes Simpson ’22
STAFF WRITER - Morgan Stepanski ’22
STAFF WRITER - Ronny Watson ’21
FACULTY ADVISERS - Diana Day and Debra Galler
Photo by Andrew Rowan ’18, former WordsWorth Editor-in-Chief
Ali Chesnick ’19 and Andrew Rowan ’19 joined the WordsWorth staff for its annual holiday party Wednesday, December 18. Happy holidays from us here at WordsWorth. We look forward to seeing you in the next decade!
By Vani Hanamirian ’22, Social Media Editor; Rebecca Benjamin ’21, Staff Writer; Jordan Grabelle ’22, Copy Editor
