The Spoke's December, 2010 issue.

THE

Sp ke

Conestoga High School, Berwyn, PA

Volume 61 No. 3 December 21, 2010 Stoganews.com

THE ROAD LESS

TRAVELED Students consider a nontraditional alternative after graduation: taking a gap year.

By Neel Thakur and Patrick Nicholson Staff Reporters

L

ast December, Travis Milliman was a student at ’Stoga, but this year he is a ghost— the ghost of Christmas future. Stepping onto the stage, he spooks Scrooge and the audience while performing in “A Christmas Carol.” Right now, Milliman could be sitting in a college lecture hall, but he’s saving that for next winter. For now, he is taking a break from the classroom and soaking up the applause.

After graduating in June, Milliman decided to take a gap year, which is when a student takes a year off between school years. Students usually take a gap year after graduating from high school, which was also Milliman’s choice. The option of a gap year, which has been a common choice for English and Australian students for decades, has crossed the Atlantic as an option for American students.

U.S. graduates For Milliman, a gap year hardly means a year who delayed off. So far, he has had college forparts a yearin “All Shook Up” and (2004) “A Christmas Carol” at Footlighters Theater in Berwyn and was stage manager for the show “Sylvia.” He is directing T/E Middle School’s musical “Seussical Junior” and spearheading “Y Stage,” a

Luke Rafferty photos/The SPOKE

new part of the theater program at the Upper Main Line YMCA. The gap year was “a needed break, in my opinion,” Milliman said. “[It allows you to take] a year to cool off and cool down between high school and college to get your thoughts together and figure out really what you want to do with your life.”

At the end of his senior year, Milliman was deciding between pursuing environmental science or theater. After his experience this year, he decided to minor in theater, while focusing on environmental science as a career option. Milliman will begin college next fall at Le Moyne College in Syracuse.

“A lot of kids feel like they’re forced by the media or their parents to rush into [college] and that if they don’t do that they’re going to end up being a failure, but that’s totally not true,” Milliman said.

In the midst of his gap year, Milliman said that he already sees himself and his future differently.

“It’s definitely made me more responsible and it has definitely made me a better person,” Milliman said. “I could not have loved this any more.

It’s been a fantastic experience.”

See GAP YEAR, p. 4

90%

of students who take a gap year return to college within a year*

*Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson, “The Gap Year, American Style”

PAGE 2 THE SPOKE

Online multimedia at

stoganews.com

Go to stoganews.com for photos and videos from Comedy Night, boys basketball and the winter concert.

Watch Stetson Miller report about the Devon Horse Show Christmas Tree sale on The Spoke’s videofeed.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

NEWS

Say ‘hola’ to sixth year of language

Abby Pioch Staff Reporter

Most students in the nation stop after four. A few dedicated ones make it to five. And, starting next year, students will be able to enroll in six years of foreign language during their time in the school district.

In the 2011-12 school year, students will have the option to enroll in a sixth year of foreign language study for the first time. The courses are so innovative that teachers and administrators are currently working on creating the courses specifically for Conestoga.

The new courses are “going to broaden [students’] scope of their knowledge of cultures.

They’ll see different perspectives,” said Scott Holland, head of the language department. “It will also expose them [to the culture] for when they go visit and travel, so they’ll be more prepared.”

Holland said that the focus for

the German, French and Spanish level six courses will include multimedia to prepare students for how they may work with language in college. However, the Latin course will be more literature-based.

“It will allow all our enthusiastic Latin linguists to further pursue authentic Latin literature,” Latin teacher Kirsten Whitaker said.

“We’d be doing Latin poetry and some prose in the form of history.”

guage through online courses or independent study.

Either way, many students want to continue their language educations. Sophomore Alex Wilson plans to take Spanish 5 next year and Spanish 6 during his senior year. He said that he is looking forward to the content Spanish 6 will offer.

“Learning about culture is generally more interesting than learning about nouns and verbs and that kind of thing,” Wilson said.

“You’ve had plenty of that by sixth year.”

Junior Devin Trejo said he is grateful for how hard he sees language teachers working to create the sixth year course and is excited about having a sixth year of study.

The course is “something new,” Trejo said. “It’s going to continue an already good program. It’s something I will have over other students.”

“Learning about culture is generally more interesting than learning about nouns and verbs.”

- Sophomore Alex Wilson

Go to stoganews.com and check out photo galleries of boys basketball and Comedy Night.

Holland said that classes have a 15-student enrollment minimum and that German and Latin courses have a small chance of not meeting this number. Even if these two classes do not run, Holland said that he believes that students will have ways to continue learning their lan-

Abby Pioch can be reached at apioch@stoganews.com.

Holiday travel takes on different image at security lines

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

PAGE 3 THE SPOKE

NEWS

Study indicates problems correlate with excessive texting

Claire Moran & Julianne Vallotton

Staff Reporters Sending text messages usually connects students with their friends or sparks a conversation.

But a study by Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Medicine tells a different story.

Excessive texting was shown to correlate with a number of negative tendencies, like fighting and drug or alcohol abuse.

The study was released in November and shows that risky behavior correlates with excessive texting—sending more than 120 texts per day—and use of social networking sites for four to six hours each day. The risky behaviors associated with this excessive use of technological communication include drug and alcohol abuse, fighting, eating disorders, risky sex, a higher likelihood of being cyberbullied, smoking, depression and sleeping in class.

Some students have agreed that being that connected at all times may not be in their best interest.

“I just have to tell myself that technology isn’t going to do any good for my school work for now,” junior Caroline Moran said.

Moran said that students often misuse social networking sites and texting, making them care more about others’ opinions than they need to and respond more to peer pressure.

“If students care about how people view them, they’d want to get more socially involved,” Moran said. “Then maybe if they were being more social [for this reason], they would be more inclined to do drugs or alcohol [when they were offered].”

Dr. James Fang, a member of the Case Western Reserve Department of Medicine, believes that there are similar reasons for the correlation.

“Teenagers feel the need to always be texting their friends and it becomes a peer pressure type

Graphic by Luke Rafferty

of thing,” Fang said. “Drugs and alcohol also resort to peer pressure so when you become vulnerable to peer pressure you do stupid things.”

Dr. Scott Frank, who was the lead researcher for Case Western’s study, said that he decided to research the subject due to questions asked by parents.

Social networking “is an op-

portunity to extend peer pressure from what you get on a daily basis to the high tech level,” Frank said. “It makes it constant for kids that are constantly using it.”

Frank said that he hopes the study will initiate dialogue between parents and students about texting, social networking and possible restrictions. He also said that he sees the results as serving as a warning to parents.

“I think that parents should use it as a message that this is part of something they need to

be doing—to monitor the amount of time their children are spending doing this activity and setting limits when appropriate,” Frank said.

Junior Phil Earley said that he sees text messaging as interfering with students’ lives in a different way: those who text an excessive amount are too involved in technology and that it is not good for them.

It is a problem “when you get stuck up in the technology,” Earley said. “Everyone needs a break from it.”

Case Western Reserve University’s study was based on a survey of 4,000 urban high schools in Ohio. Twenty percent of the teenagers surveyed were considered “hyper-texters,” or teenagers who sent 120 or more texts per day. According to the study, hyper-texters are two times more likely to have tried alcohol, nearly 3.5 times more likely to have had sex and 41 percent more likely to have used illicit drugs. Senior Chrissy Lew, however, does not see the survey results holding true for ’Stoga students.

“It could be a few incidents, but I don’t see it [here] at all,” Lew said.

The study also reported that hyper-texters have a tendency to be more violent and fight more often, which is something that sophomore Lauren Ogren said she sees amongst her peers.

Some students “abuse texting and use it to pick fights with each other,” Ogren said. “Some people just can use it to cyberbully or pick fights.”

Ogren, who said that she sends around 100 texts per day, noted that she sees fighting as more

pressions and other non-verbal feedback a person receives when he or she is interacting with someone. These kinds of responses can help that person decide how he or she feels about a topic. The use of impersonal communication presents additional problems because there is evidence that the brain becomes accustomed to immediate responses.

“Your brain gets used to having that kind of quick response,” she said. “That’s the kind of thing that further down the path might lead you to not be a person who can wait for more long term gratification. You might be a person who needs immediate results— who can’t put anything off.”

Quinlisk said that she understands the correlation between texting and risky behavior, because drugs and alcohol can sometimes give a person the immediate response they are used to from technological interactions.

She said texting and drug use can be compared, calling them both activities of “over arousal.”

“All of those kinds of activities that are activities of over arousal can get you into trouble,” Quinlisk said. “It doesn’t matter what it is; if you do too much of anything, it could get you into trouble.”

Although Case Western researchers found a correlation between hyper-texting and risky behaviors, the survey said that texting and social networking did not necessarily cause these behaviors.

Text messaging may seem beneficial in the short term, but Quinlisk is worried about the long term effects it could have on teenagers’ emotional and social skills.

“You’re not relating to people when you text, you’re relating to other t e c h n o l o g y, ” Quinlisk said.

“The further and further we get away from personal interactions with one another, the more likely we are to have difficulties for the future generation.”

“It doesn’t matter what it is; if you do too much of anything, it could get you into trouble.”

- School psychologist Kathleen Quinlisk likely in a texting conversation, since it is not face–to–face.

School psychologist Kathleen Quinlisk also said that there is a missing link between texting and talking face–to–face: facial ex-

Claire Moran can be reached at cmoran@stoganews.com.

PAGE 4 THE SPOKE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

NEWS

Taking a break: Students plan and reflect on their gap years

Continued from p. 1

Making plans

Senior Rachel Walker is in the process of arranging her gap year, which she will take next year before college. Walker said that she is looking forward to the break.

“I think it will be nice to have a year to blow off some steam because high school is very stressful,” Walker said.

During her gap year, Walker plans on getting a job to obtain some real world experience, and taking a few college courses to make sure she does not fall behind academically. She is also participating in the March of the Living, a program for Jewish youth that involves marching through historic Jewish sites in Europe. Walker’s parents suggested this choice for her and support her.

“It’s been almost a part of my life plan,” Walker said. “My parents and I have been talking about this for a very long time and so it wasn’t something I just decided to do recently.”

Senior Mackenzie Stratton is also planning a gap year, but began thinking about the option more recently.

She said she is hoping to take a gap year to volunteer with the organization AmeriCorps, combining volunteer work and travel. Stratton would like to teach on a Native American reservation through the program.

“It’s what speaks to me right now,” Stratton said. “At this point in my life, I think it’s more important to me to volunteer and feel like I’ve really contributed than to go and study for another exam and take more classes.”

In terms of her academic future, Stratton plans to apply to college and then defer her admission for a year.

Stratton also cautions students considering a gap year that it is a choice that should be taken seriously.

“It’s not as easy to get into a program as you think because gap years are getting more popular,” Stratton said. “Think through it thoroughly and make sure it’s not just your idea of a scapegoat [for not going to college].”

When it comes up in discussion, “we do as much as we can to support [the students] and encourage them and research all different types of programs,” said guidance department chair and counselor Misty Whelan.

Whelan said that a gap year could serve many different purposes for a student.

“Maybe they need another year of personal growth before they feel ready to start the intensity of college,” Whelan said. “It could be financial, [or it] could be they want to ease into college.”

At Interim, a gap year counseling organization that tailors a program to match each student’s needs, employees work to help students plan their gap years so that it goes well for whatever purpose it serves them.

Holly Bull, president of Interim, said the company has helped students complete programs like interning as a radio DJ in New Zealand and building a guitar from scratch.

“The process [Interim helps with] is just lighting the fire—getting the people excited about learning,” Bull said. “The most powerful aspect for me is that the student is choosing what they want to do.”

The collegiate view

College admissions consultant Hannah Bookbinder advises local students on the college process, including those considering gap years.

Photo courtesy Travis Milliman

Alumnus Travis Milliman (above) acts as a member of the chorus in “All Shook Up”at Footlighters Theater in Berwyn. Milliman was able to partake in the show as part of his gap year. Alumnus Eli Hoobler (below) stands atop the third place podium at the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship in California. Hoobler took a gap year after high school to train and compete. senior year, they then defer entrance for a year.

“Colleges like them because they see students with initiative. Obviously, they want students to graduate within four years, so there’s a vested interest in students who are motivated,” Bookbinder said.

Some universities, such as Princeton, pay for a select number of students to take gap years before their freshman year.

“They would rather have students come late and retain them than have the students transfer out,” Bookbinder said.

“I’m way more mature now. It was really good for me, and I’m really glad I did it.”

Guiding the way

While Conestoga does not offer informational programs about gap years, counselors work to support students who are considering one.

- Alumnus Eli Hoobler She said that she thinks the number of students taking gap years has increased over the years.

“There’s a lot of pressure on the Main Line for college, but some students aren’t ready to go,” Bookbinder said. “A gap year is a great opportunity to take that year off so you won’t waste your time or money doing something you don’t care about.”

Depending on the situation, she said that a student may either apply during his senior year or gap year. If the students chooses to apply during

After the gap

Eli Hoobler, a 2009 ’Stoga grad, took a gap year before attending Temple University to pursue Jiu-Jitsu, a form of martial arts fighting.

Hoobler took third place in the World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which was held in California. He said he could not have had this success without his gap year, and that it helped him to focus now in college.

“I wasn’t ready for school. Going

to college, I probably wouldn’t have done too well,” Hoobler said. “I’m more mature now. It was really good for me, and I’m really glad I did it.”

Hoobler said that his gap year helped make him more mature than other people he sees at college, and he is glad that he has that advantage.

The gap year taught me “how to take care of myself and how to organize my time,” Hoobler said. “It got me to this point.”

Hoobler recommends taking a

Photo courtesy Eli Hoobler

gap year, but he cautions that it was difficult for him to return to school after a year of doing what he loves.

“If you’re going to take a year off, do it, but make sure you’re ready to go back to school the next year and get to it,” Hoobler said.

News Editor Laura Weiss contributed to this story.

Patrick Nicholson can be reached at pnicholson@stoganews.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

PAGE 5 THE SPOKE

NEWS

Seniors apply to top-choice schools in record numbers Shwetha Sudhakar Staff Reporter Students are doing something they rarely do: acting early.

Early decision application rates are up nationwide at many colleges, including the University of Pennsylvania and Northwestern University.

Early decision applicants apply by November, as opposed to January, and are bound to the college if accepted.

The guidance office received 110 early applications this year, which is an increase of 27 applications from last year.

Senior Andrew Lay applied and was accepted early decision to the University of Pennsylvania, the most common early decision choice for ’Stoga seniors, because he had visited the school as a child and took a liking to it.

“I’ve pretty much known I wanted to go there since I was really little,” Lay said. “I visited multiple times and it just clicked.”

Angela Sweeney, Executive Assistant to the Dean of Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania, expressed

surprise at the number of students who, similar to Lay, applied early decision. She said that the number of early decision applications rose 18 percent from last year.

“We’ve received an incredibly high amount of [early decision] applications this year,” Sweeney said. “It’s actually 4,557. This is the largest pool of early decision applications.”

While Lay was certain of his post-graduation plans, guidance department chair and counselor Misty Whelan does not advocate applying early for the majority of students.

“Early decision is only for students who have one school they have discovered they are the best match for. It’s the school they love and they can put all their eggs in one basket,” Whelan said. “That’s not many students.”

However, Aaron Zdawczyk, Assistant Director of Admissions at Northwestern University, said he believes that there is an advantage to applying early.

“It shows that you have made a school your top choice and are

committed to attending if admitted,” Zdawczyk said. “Being reviewed in a smaller pool of applicants can also help you stand out.”

Zdawczyk also said that the biggest advantage to applying early is learning about acceptance sooner. At Northwestern University, which experienced a 26 percent increase in early decision applications from last year, applicants learned the result of their submissions in mid-December.

However, Whelan said that applying early does not give a student a huge advantage or affect other students’ ability to get accepted regular decision.

“What the studies show is that the pool at early decision is smaller and more selective,” Whelan said.

Some students, such as senior Bridget Burt, are aware of this increased selectivity and are hesitant in selecting a college early.

“I didn’t like the idea that I would be forced to go to a college if I changed my mind before I got a reply,” Burt said.

Whelan said that early decision

Graphic by Brooke Weil

Local colleges and universities have seen increases in early applications.

All data reported from the schools themselves to The New York Times. is not necessarily the best choice for all seniors, because there is no one-size-fits-all approach to college applications.

“I guess I might say the essential best way, if a student is ready to make

a decision, is early action. You apply early, and you know early,” Whelan said. “There really is no best way.”

Shwetha Sudhakar can be reached at ssudhakar@stoganews.com.

Staying in touch with technology: Library purchases iPads Allison Kozeracki Staff Reporter Smartphones are getting smarter, laptops are getting thinner and volumes of books are available at the touch of a button. And now the library is offering students an even larger array of information at the end of their fingertips.

The library requested two iPads at the end of last year. One is available for teachers, while the other is available for student use. However, librarian Cathy Bond said that the addition of the iPads is just the beginning of the library’s ongoing goal to increase access to the latest resources.

The iPad “provides a whole different way of learning,” Bond said.

“In a library, we’re all about accessing information in different formats and using different devices.”

Students can use the iPad for its applications designed to assist in various areas of study, like Dictionary app that can be used for English assignments or the FormulusHD app that provides calculus formulas.

Music teacher Anthony DiLella purchased an iPad, which he uses for class in a variety of ways, such as allowing his guitar classes to record

Meghan Morris/The SPOKE

Senior Perry Bachstein uses the iPad in the library during his free period. The library purchased two Apple iPads for student and teacher use, which they requested at the end of last year when the device first hit stores. tracks or project PowerPoints.

“Right now we’re still trying to figure out where we can fit it in and how we can [use it],” DiLella said. “I feel like we’re getting closer to that goal but it’s not at that goal yet.”

Students are also integrating the

new iPads into their education. Freshman Matt DiCiurcio used the new device to access the Internet for an extra credit project.

The iPad “can satisfy people’s thirst for knowledge if the computers are filled or if they prefer not to use

books,” DiCiurcio said.

Senior Claire Edelson views the iPad as a valuable but costly research tool, with each priced at about $500.

“It’s great to give students access to new technology, but we should remember that this is also a time when

the district is trying to cut back on spending,” Edelson said.

Lisa Lukens, a teacher on assignment for technology, said that the benefits of this new technology will outweigh the cost Edelson is concerned about.

“I don’t think cost would ever hinder the educational process,” Lukens said. “If we feel a device is going to help students and add to the curriculum, then we would purchase it. If it enhances the instructional program, then we’re going to make it happen.”

The library is purchasing a Barnes & Noble nook and comparing its capabilities to those of an iPad to determine what works best before buying a large number of devices.

Freshman Brian Greco said that the addition of the iPad makes him remember all of the technology ’Stoga offers.

“I’ve been introduced to so many resources I have at my fingertips for every day school tasks,” Greco said.

“It’s obvious that there’s an effort to stay up to speed with technology as it becomes more and more important in schools and in daily life.”

Allison Kozeracki can be reached at akozeracki@stoganews.com.

NEWS

PAGE 6 THE SPOKE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

‘Mirthquake’ Comedy Night shines in the spotlight Brittany Roker Staff Reporter Take Harry Potter, Snooki and a very confused Alice in Normaland. Then add comedic writing and a waiting audience. That’s a “Mirthquake,” Drama Club’s Comedy Night.

On Dec. 4, members of the Drama Club raised the curtain and performed various skits they wrote, featuring everything from “Harry Potter” to “Alice in Wonderland.”

“It’s like a variety show, but everything is funny,” senior and club member Amy Glasthal said. “We have scripts, we have improvisation and we have some audience participation.”

Sophomore Kevin Yao acted in the show with Glasthal and decided to participate in Comedy Night for the second year in a row. He said the club chose pop culture references like Harry Potter to cater to the show’s specific audience of high school students, parents and T/E community members.

“You have to know who these people are and if you know them well then it can be funny,” Yao said.

Sophomore Mariam Sarkessian wrote one of these scripts for the show, titled “Alice in Normaland,” and also appeared as the Red Queen character, who was parodied as Snooki. Sarkessian said she found the writing process to be difficult, but eventually it all came together.

“I really wasn’t motivated to write [the script] at the beginning because I had no idea what I would start with,” Sarkessian said. “Then I [asked myself], ‘What do we find funny?’”

For Sarkessian, this writing process led her to put celebrities in her script because she said she thinks high school students often find spoofs on pop culture figures funny. In Sarkessian’s skit, junior Connor Umsted played the part of the Cheshire Cat, which was changed to Kanye West. Umsted took on many roles throughout

the night, and also served as the Master of Ceremonies, or host, for the show. Umsted said hosting involved mostly improvisation, which had its perks.

Being Master of Ceremonies “was pretty nerve-wracking. It was fun once I started doing it but I worried beforehand about what I was going to say,” Umsted said.

“It was rewarding [because I was] able to be in front of a group of people.”

As the curtain fell for the final time, sophomore Sarkessian also felt the experience was rewarding and was proud of how Drama Club performed and of the “Mirthquake” that they put together.

“I was really happy at how it turned out,” Sarkessian said. “Even when [we] were performing it, everyone seemed to really enjoy what [we] were doing. It was overall a fun atmosphere and everyone had a great time.”

Brittany Roker can be reached at broker@stoganews.com.

Devon Elementary gets the gold Lavi Ben-Dor Staff Reporter The teachers received trophies reading, “We all share in the success,” and the students will get a celebration. At Devon Elementary School, there is good reason to start the festivities: it was recently declared a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School.

Devon received the honor on Nov. 16, when Principal Tom Tobin and third grade teacher Kathleen Hendrix accepted the award in Washington, D.C. The United States Department of Education presents the Blue Ribbon award to schools whose students have greatly improved their standardized test scores or, those that, like Devon, consistently perform well on standardized tests. This year, about 300 schools were honored.

Hendrix has taught at Devon longer than any other teacher and was selected by Tobin to attend the award conference with him. She said that she feels great pride for her school and students.

“I was so happy I cried,” Hendrix said. “It’s not often that you get to go to something like that and represent your school for being rec-

ognized for such an achievement, so it was quite an honor—I would say a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

Tobin also said he was honored to be able to accept the award for Devon, but he emphasized that the school received the award because of Devon’s entire community.

“You win a Blue Ribbon, but it just indicates you have Blue Ribbon students and a Blue Ribbon staff, and you should be proud of their accomplishments,” he said. “I think that winning the award just recognizes great efforts.”

Junior Carly Meyer is proud of her former school and said that she has good memories from her years at Devon.

“I thought it was very fun, and I

liked school when I was in elementary school,” Meyer said. “They did a good job of getting kids interested in school.”

Tobin, Devon’s principal, said that he hopes former Devon students, including current ’Stoga students like Meyer, will appreciate the recognition of their old elementary school.

“I hear from students about how much they loved Devon and enjoyed their years here,” Tobin said.

“I think everyone enjoys growing up and into the next school but they always look back into the past and look fondly upon their years here.”

Lavi Ben-Dor can be reached at lbendor@stoganews.com.

Luke Rafferty/The SPOKE

Sophomores Kevin Yao, Nell Hoban and Linda Goldberg share a Snuggie while performing the Drama Club’s Comedy Night on Dec. 4. The event featured club members performing in skits they wrote, cast and staged.

Opinion TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

The Spoke is published seven times a year at Bartash Printing. It consistently receives the Gold Award from the Pennsylvania School Press Association and is a National School Press Association Pacemaker awardwinning publication. The Spoke serves as a public forum for student expression.

Editors-in-Chief: Liz Bravacos, Meghan Morris Managing Editor: Reshma Gouravajhala Production Editor: Luke Rafferty News Editor: Laura Weiss Features Editor: Mary Turocy Sports Editor: Erin O'Neil Centerspread Editor: K.C. McConnell Operations Director: Anjuli Patel Business Manager: Heather Ward Cartoonist: Gabriela Epstein Graphic Design: Margot Field, Karolis Panavas, Brooke Weil, Sam Winfield Staff: Maddie Amsterdam, Kelly Benning, Lavi Ben-Dor, Dana Bronzino, Tracy Cook, Allison Kozeracki, David Kramer, Daniel McConnell, Stetson Miller, Claire Moran, Patrick Nicholson, Emily Omrod, Abby Pioch, Sophia Ponte, Dolly Prabhu, Brittany Roker, Emily Seeburger, Jenna Spoont, Shwetha Sudhakar, Neel Thakur, Julianne Vallotton, Natalie West, Haley Xue Faculty Advisers: Susan Houseman, Cynthia CrothersHyatt

Submissions The Spoke will print letters of general interest to the student body and community. Signed letters under 200 words may be submitted to Susan Houseman, Cynthia Hyatt, Liz Bravacos or Meghan Morris. Unsigned editorials represent the views of The Spoke editorial board, and not necessarily those of the administration, student body, community or advertisers. The opinions expressed in signed columns are those of the writer and not necessarily the opinion of The Spoke.

Contact Us

E-mail: spoke@stoga.net Phone: 610-240-1046

Coal in our stockings The Spoke disagrees with a district plan to cut electives When asked what makes Conestoga unique when compared to other high schools, most students will not hesitate in answering that it is the wide variety of classes that the school offers. Elective courses offered here, ranging from AP Music Theory to Culinary Arts, allow the school to foster a sense of creativity and imagination that goes far in providing a well-rounded education.

Because of the ongoing budget crisis, however, the school district has proposed a plan that would, if passed on Jan. 3, jeopardize these elective courses. The district plans to remove some classes from the program of studies while cutting down the majority of them, including popular courses like Beginning TV and Ceramics 1, from being six days a cycle to three days a cycle.

While this initially might not seem like a substantial decrease, it is sure to have repercussions in the future.

Though it is understandable that continuing some classes is economically unfeasible considering our current fiscal situation, the school should not cut down these important courses that offer students a way to creatively express themselves.

Because many students at Conestoga take academically challenging courses, often filling up their schedules with Advanced Placement and Honors classes, they look at these classes as outlets that offer them both an entertaining and relaxing break. Such elective courses also allow students to branch out their interests so that they can focus on

artistic or vocational skills, rather than center their high school careers on strictly academic disciplines.

Most of the classes require students to gain a cumulative understanding of the topic, something that is difficult for the teacher to instill if classes only meet half of the cycle.

Students are bound to forget important information and teachers will have to sacrifice valuable class minutes when classes resume next cycle. Therefore, students who eventually progress to the Advanced level classes might not be as proficient as others in past years and so the advanced matter will have to be diluted to compensate for information not taught in the limited amount of time.

By choosing to make these decisions about elective courses, the district will in essence stifle the uniqueness and creativity that thrives in our school community. In the past, students have left Conestoga knowing that they have had the opportunity in our high school to hone their artistic, technical and vocational skills.

Though The Spoke’s editorial board consists of mostly upperclassmen, we nevertheless lament the loss of the six-day elective courses, and are especially saddened by the fact that the underclassmen will not be able to capitalize on the many opportunities that we once took for granted.

We understand that Conestoga is among the elite in the country when it comes to offering students the luxury of elective courses and so we plead the district to reconsider their proposal. By limiting or eradicating some of these cherished courses, Conestoga risks its reputation as a place where creativity is fostered and originality is nurtured.

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E-mail hward@stoganews.com.

Visit The Spoke online at www.stoganews.com

Gabriela Epstein/The SPOKE

From the Editor

Take a hi(n)t Miley

Miley Cyrus has proven that nobody’s perfect.

In case you haven’t heard, a video that surfaced on Dec. 10 featured Miley, who was a little more smiley than usual, allegedly smoking the hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum from a bong.

Originally posted by the celebrity gossip website TMZ.com, the video shows Cyrus celebrating her 18th birthday at her home. Clearly, the girl loves to party in the U.S.A. Yet as Miley continues to make controversial choices that distance her from her tween fan base (pole dancing anyone?), we can surprisingly learn a few things from the idol’s drop out of Disney.

First, we can analyze the scenario by taking a page out of Sir Isaac Newton’s book. In his Third Law of Motion, Newton states that for every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction.

This basic physics law applies directly to Miley’s situation: TMZ.com reported that sales of herbal salvia, which are legal in California, multiplied as much as three times their usual amount in the days following the video’s leak. TMZ said that buyers were asking for “the stuff Miley was smoking.”

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the plant produces an intense high, resulting in hallucinations, uncontrolled laughter and other such symptoms. It's no surprise that salvia is illegal in 16 states and that sales to minors are prohibited in four. Parents of girls who worship the pop star are concerned that their daughters may begin to follow Miley's scandalous actions. Those actions, along with the corresponding public reaction, reminds us that although we may not be scrutinized by our community every waking second, even our smallest of actions can have major consequences.

To that effect, I raise lesson number two taken from Miley’s questionable antics: in this new dawn of social media, we as young adults must be conscious of our actions. When the wrong video is in the wrong hands, reputations can be tarnished. Friendships may be broken and future opportunities could be lost, all at the expense of a few seconds of grainy video.

With the holidays close at hand and the impending weeknights free from school, parties are bound to occur. Everyone makes mistakes, but don't put yourself in a situation where your lapses are posted on Facebook. A video upload takes mere seconds, but the repercussions can last for years. Although Miley’s career may benefit from the negative publicity, we can surely learn from her actions and get the best of both worlds.

Liz Bravacos can be reached at lbravacos@stoganews.com.

PAGE 8 THE SPOKE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

OP/ED

Donate to cherish true spirit of holidays

Haley Xue Staff Reporter

“People should donate without feeling like they have to because of the holidays.”

Freshman Kieran Murphy

“The only thing that matters is that more money is donated to those in need.”

Sophomore Oliver Feng

While Santa may be getting ready to deliver toys for Christmas, his little helpers are also busy on the streets of many cities with vivid red kettles and golden bells.

These red kettles are the Salvation Army’s way of raising money during the holiday season. Its goal is to raise three million dollars to causes from feeding hungry families to providing Christmas presents for the needy. While it’s heartwarming to see people drop a few coins into the kettle, sometimes the motives behind donating aren’t as uplifting as they seem.

I have absolutely no objection against donations during the holidays; on the contrary I think it’s encouraging to see conscientious individuals helping those in need.

However, according to a recent Holiday Giving Poll conducted by the American Red Cross, a little more than half of the people surveyed (54 percent) said that they donate to charity because it “helps them get in the holiday spirit.” Another 78 percent claimed that they helped charities because “it is an important part of their holiday tradition.”

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with donating as part of holiday tradition or as a way to encourage holiday spirit. However, perhaps people give to charities mainly to serve their

own self-interest, rather than out of a true desire to help those in need.

Donating to charity is undoubtedly a wonderful act of kindness and it’s natural to feel that warm, fuzzy feeling afterward. “Getting into the holiday spirit,” however, should not be the only drive for doing charitable work, nor should you only donate because it’s an important tradition. If you truly wish to help someone, realize that his or her needs should come before self-interest. You shouldn’t think about what you might gain from the experience and instead

The Opposition: - The ends justify the means: As long as the less fortunate receive the money they need, the motive behind the donations should not matter.

- If people donate for self-fulfilling reasons, they then feel motivated to donate more often.

- If more families encourage traditions that center around donations to the needy during the holidays, children may be more inclined to extend the traditions to year-round routines.

should focus on what those in need gain.

After all, true charity shouldn’t be accompanied by hidden motives.

Charity organizations’ pleas for donations during the rest of the year goes hand in hand with the fact that the battle against poverty takes place for each of the 365 days in a year. So while it’s great that the holiday spirit encourages ideas of giving, it’s important to plant such ideas in our minds in order to help people year-round.

During winter break, if you’re passing by a red kettle, drop a few coins in to make someone’s holiday better—not just because you think you’ll end up on Santa’s nice list. Besides, Santa already knows if you only donate during the holidays anyway, since he already has the power of knowing when someone’s sleeping or awake. As the saying goes, “a small gesture of kindness goes a long way”—a philosophy that is especially necessary since everyone deserves a happy holiday.

Haley Xue can be reached at hxue@stoganews.com.

“It’s okay if it’s done for religious reasons or for getting into the holiday spirit.”

Junior Bailey Kimmel

“It’s fine because people need the money, but ideally, donating should be done year-round.”

Senior Jordan Jaynes

Gabriela Epstein/The SPOKE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

PAGE 9 THE SPOKE

OP/ED

DE AR S ANTA,

Tra ns Erin lated b y Nor O’Neil Cor th Po , res pon le dent

Report Card New Facebook + Now easier than ever to Facebook stalk - Just when you get used to the old layout, they change it!

Winter wear + The best (and only acceptable) time of year for grandma’s ugly Christmas sweater...or buy one at Urban Outfitters for $150 - In a bipolar school, you sweat in English then freeze in math

College applications + Seniors are one step closer to college - Nobody wants to write seven essays while suffering from senioritis

New Year’s Resolutions + When two-thirds of the country is overweight, any motivation is good - The gym is always way too crowded for the first two weeks in January

New iPad in Library + Students can use modern technlogy to access educational information - ...but no one can find it

Holiday decorations + Festive decorations are a great way to get friends and neighbors in the holiday spirit

Design by Erin O’Neil and Brooke Weil.

Cartoon by Gabriela Epstein.

- With all the bright Christmas lights around, people with migraines are in serious danger

PAGE 10 THE SPOKE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

OP/ED

College-bound class depending on kindness of strangers

Anjuli Patel Operations Director

When Roman playwright Plautus said, “Patience is the best remedy for every trouble,” he clearly didn’t have high school seniors applying to college in mind. Seeing as he lived in 250 B.C., though, I’ll cut him some slack.

In the coming months after we seniors have submitted our college applications, all there is to do is wait. As many members of the class of 2011 can attest, this is when the anxiety kicks in, not only for us, but also for our parents, teachers and friends. At the same time, there’s that one group of people who aren’t affected by anxiety, don’t have any part in our academic decisions and sometimes can’t take a hint: the people who we don’t know well but

insist on asking about every detail of our application process.

When everybody from your grocer to co-workers asks you about your “plans for the future” (a.k.a., “Are you applying to college?

I’ve had my doubts about you”), college trumps weather in small talk. It’s become a default topic of conversation and there’s almost no way to avoid it. It’s hard to lie to people about where you’re applying or what your top two schools are.

At the same time, it’s even worse when you legitimately don’t know.

Up until a little while ago, that was the case for me.

However, without the kindness (nosiness) of strangers, I probably would have put off any collegerelated thoughts until now. So, as much as I hate having these conversations with people I don’t know, it’s helped me, in a way. Over just a couple of months I’ve developed preconceived answers for every college question that has ever been thrown at me, down to “Where do you want to study abroad?”

These answers aren’t necessarily lies, but knowing everyone I’ve ever

met will be asking me about college is an incentive to start thinking about the future—and to get them off my back. Plus, it’s a lot less awkward when you at least have a real answer instead of saying that you don’t know, especially when your parents are eavesdropping.

If you really don’t know though, I’ve found that the best way to go about it is to be as vague as possible without actually admitting it to strangers. Something like, “You know, I’ve thought about it, but I really just have to see how the rest of this year goes before I decide.”

This works with almost anything college or school-related. It shows adults you’ve (seemingly) given thought to it, but don’t want to make any rash decisions. In student speak, however, it’s more along the lines of “The thought hadn’t crossed my mind until now and, sorry, but do you even know my name?”

Although their questions can be intrusive and annoying at times, I have to give some credit to anyone who has ever asked me what I think of the ACT vs. SATs, city schools vs. campus schools or even dorms

Gabriela Epstein/The SPOKE

vs. apartments. Whether they know it or not, these people have given me the initiative to start at least thinking about what I want for the next four years, something that I’m grateful for.

While being grilled at every family dinner and dentist visit is helpful in the long run, I know I’m not the only one that finds it difficult. With everyone asking about your “plans,”

you can’t help but think, “What happens if I don’t get in?” It would be hypocritical of me to say not to worry; all we can do now is finish up the last of our applications and wait. Until I find a solution though, I’ll just stick with my readymade responses and hope for the best.

Anjuli Patel can be reached at apatel@stoganews.com.

Penalty for preference: giant step in the wrong direction

Margot Field Graphic Designer Although it is the year 2010, 76 countries consider homosexuality a punishable crime and five of them even consider the death penalty to be a possible punishment.

For the past ten years, sexual orientation has been included in a United Nations resolution protecting a large number of groups, including journalists, human rights activists and indigenous peoples, from wrongful execution. However, as the result of a narrow November vote—79 in favor and 70 against—that shocked the world, those who are of different sexual orientation have been removed from the list of those protected by the UN. The UN has long been a source of support for the lesbian, gay, bisex-

ual and transgender (LGBT) community but, with this turn of events, such favoring is no longer the case.

While the UN has no direct power, the resolution reveals how bleak the international situation is in regard to tolerance and equality.

I’m not one to preach about equality, but this—the sour cherry on top of months worth of tales of hate crimes against the LGBT community—can only be described as truly disturbing.

Now, before you sharpen your pitchforks and break out the demonstration signs, you should know that the United States is taking steps to try to overturn this vote. U.S. ambassadors are pushing for a reinstatement of the reference to gays, lesbians and bisexuals in the resolution before the start of the new year.

harassment. Then, in October, a former Arkansas school board member encouraged more LGBT teens on Facebook to kill themselves, a horrific plea that can only be described as barbaric.

Following these grim events came Michigan State Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shrivel’s hate blog devoted solely to the mockery of University of Michigan’s openly gay Student Council president.

With these terrible events occurring across the nation, one would think that the Kim Menapace for The SPOKE United Nations would Despite these efforts on the part create even stricter regulations regardof certain ambassadors, the phi- ing the treatment of the LGBT comlosophy behind the initial removal is munity. Instead, the general public is still alarming, especially in light of once again left to wonder why, even recent national events. In September after many race and gender revolualone, there were at least six known tions, the LGBT community does not cases of LGBT teens committing yet receive equal treatment. suicide as the result of bullying and But hope is not lost. We are for-

tunate enough attend a school where stories of intense bullying (regardless of the sexuality of the student in question) are uncommon. Walking down the hallways, we see purple flyers for Conestoga’s own Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). Luckily for our school community, acts of hate are not something we’ve become accustomed to seeing between classes.

I’m not a member of the GSA. Chances are, you aren’t either. But after we leave Conestoga’s comfortable bubble, we’ll enter a world where actions speak louder than words.

If anything, these horrific tales of intolerance should inspire us to no longer take our sense of equality for granted.

Change is coming, and whether we’re making picket signs or casually stating our opinions in passing conversation, years from now we shouldn’t be in the same situation, facing the new year after suffering through an autumn of hateful stories.

As 2011 rapidly approaches, let’s hope this more just future comes sooner rather than later.

Margot Field can be reached at mfield@stoganews.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

PAGE 11 THE SPOKE

OP/ED

Dashing through the holidays with open mind

Laura Weiss News Editor

Gabriela Epstein/The SPOKE

To t h e Ed i to r Dear Editor,

Letters Policy

What are you agitated about? Do you have an opinion about something we’ve published? The Spoke will print letters of general interest to the student body and community. Signed letters under 200 words may be submitted to the editorial board. E-mail

stoganews

.com

Go online to comment on our articles

I have noticed a trend throughout various Spoke articles: many of them include the use of Facebook as a means of communication (“Join the group…”

“On the fan page…”). Having an account myself, I enjoy the fact that The Spoke can connect with students in the cyber world in a few seconds, but also feel that students spend too much time playing on the computer. Sure, it’s an easy way to give people a notification about an upcoming event—but we’ve started to solely rely on the Internet as a means of communication.

Facebook has its place: contacting distant cousins and sharing pictures around the globe. If students are just going to use it to ask, “Where are we sitting at lunch tomorrow?” then it’s a waste. What happened to talking on the telephone, sending a friendly reminder in homeroom, or a face-to-face conversation? I’m not against technology, but it’s amazing how much we rely on a microchip to do the work for us.

Aviva Berkowitz Senior Dear Editor, I loved the LEDGEndary Tradition centerspread in the November issue.

The pictures described the ledge well for those who didn’t know what it was about, and the article was funny and fun to read. It was nice to read about the ledge in The Spoke because it is a feature unique to Conestoga. The Spoke has a lot of articles about sports, clubs and activities. These articles are very informative and nice to read about, but they only apply to the students that play that sport, attend that club, or participate in that activity. However, the ledge is something that every student at Conestoga can participate in.

Most of the time, when traditions get started, there are people that try to put them down, or think they’re stupid and don’t participate. The ledge is a tradition that was started by kids, and with such a small space, there is not a lot of room for vandalism. I also liked how the story incorporated three interviews, showing viewpoints of students from almost every grade, even though there was not a lot of space to write. It was enjoyable to have something so exclusive to the Conestoga student body recognized in The Spoke, and I really enjoyed reading this article.

Kelly Murphy Junior

As a ten-year-old Jewish girl with many friends who celebrated Christmas, I loved when December came so I could see the glowing strings of lights and make gingerbread houses in my friends’ kitchens.

But a little fear always gnawed in my head: was I allowed to like peppermint and give gifts and sing “Frosty the Snowman” at the end of December even if I did not celebrate Christmas? As time passed, I found that I liked having “Jingle Bells” stuck in my head and gathering candy canes at school too much to give them up just because they are associated with Christmas.

Now, as the holiday season sets in and Chanukah is already over, I’m ready to sip cider, sit by a fire and appreciate the beauty of my friends’ fully decked-out Christmas trees. Though I leave the religious observance of Christmas and its sacred religious rituals to those who practice Christianity, there’s no shame in enjoying secular winter delights that have been tied to Christmas and December.

For example, when placed out of context, the threat of a naughty or nice list could keep a lot of people in line. Regardless of tradition, everyone can believe that if they choose to be kind, they will be rewarded. While I don’t choose to leave cookies out for Santa, there’s no reason I can’t enjoy a white Christmas.

Other Christmastime favorites like “A Christmas Carol” and “The Nutcracker” are staged exponentially more often during the holiday season, but despite the fact that the shows are set during Christmas, they provide messages and entertainment that does not discriminate based on religion.

After all, even though I don’t celebrate Christmas, I sure don’t want to end up like Scrooge.

Moreover, the dancing sweets

of “The Nutcracker” ballet are a universal pleasure—at least for all those who attend without being dragged there.

The spirit of giving that Christmas is also associated with doesn’t need to be exclusive either. As sales spike around the holidays and the mall is decorated with a plethora of red bows and reindeer carousels that could elicit a smile even from the Grinch himself, there’s no shame in taking the opportunity to buy gifts for friends.

Despite the fact that these occurrences began because of Christmas, they require no religious affiliation. They’ve truly become part of the larger American culture of December, when the country shifts from red, white and blue to red, green and gold.

However, everyone is also welcome to have some blue and white with their red and gold.

Though the country as a whole does not observe it, the secular elements of Chanukah, the Jewish wintertime holiday that celebrates the miracle of oil burning for eight days longer than it was supposed to, are open to anyone who wishes to enjoy them.

Though not an extremely important religious holiday for most Jewish people, Chanukah offers latkes, or potato pancakes, and games of dreidel where any player—regardless of religion—is able to win the pot of chocolate gold coins.

But no matter who spins a “gimmel” and wins the pot, wintertime celebrations and traditions have the ability to bring us together. They provide a chance to appreciate each other’s beliefs and share traditions, gifts and smiles.

My Dec. 24 would be amiss without my yearly visit to friends in Queens, where I can enjoy seven types of fish and plenty of “ho ho ho’s.”

As a 17-year-old Jewish girl, I have decided that I am free to enjoy as many peppermint products as I can find and believe in Santa and the gift of giving. That is, as long as I can play a December game of Kosherland—the Jewish take on the kids’ game Candyland, complete with dancing latkes.

Laura Weiss can be reached at lweiss@stoganews.com.

Features TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

EXPLORE THE PHILLY CONCERT SCENE

Natalie West Staff Reporter

Some students spend hours glued to their iPods, but other music fans have taken out their ear buds and discovered the joy of listening to live music.

From huge stadium-like arenas to crowded church basements, Philadelphia houses dozens of concert venues that make seeing artists up close an enjoyable pastime.

“I just get a rush when I go to concerts. You just don’t get that experience waking up every day and going to school,” junior Ricky Lanzilotti said. “You don’t get the energy that you get at a concert.”

Tips and Tricks “Knowing all the words and knowing what to expect makes it more enjoyable. [Also,] I’m part of a lot of fan sites that give you discounts for being part of the fan base.”—Senior Emily Apathy.

Getting there by train “is easiest, because that way you don’t have to have your parents come pick you up late and you don’t have to drive past curfew.”

—Senior Jess Hirst.

“Bring extra money. Sometimes it gets really hot in the venue and you may want to get some water. Also, if you want to get merchandise from an artist you will want to bring extra money just in case the merchandise is more expensive than you thought it would be.”

—Sophomore Brad Loiederman.

Map courtesy maps.google.com.

Design by Margot Field

Wells-Fargo Center 3601 S. Broad St. Junior Ricky Lanzilotti, who attends an average of ten to 15 concerts a year, took a trip to the Wells Fargo Center for the PAUL MCCARTNEY concert in August and had the experience of a lifetime.

“It was three and a half hours of non-stop music,” Lanzilotti said. “[McCartney] was so energized and motivated; you could tell he loved being there.”

The Wells Fargo Center—formerly the Wachovia Center—is the largest concert venuesin Philadelphia, with a seating capacity of 20,328 people.

It’s a great place to enjoy big-name artists as well as sports games and a variety of other shows without being packed into a small standing room.

Center

Electric Factory 421 N. 7th St., Spring Garden If you’re in the mood for dancing, the Electric Factory’s large, open standing room is the perfect size to see well-known artists in a closer environment.

“The venue that I go to the most is the Electric Factory,” senior Emily Apathy said. “I like the standing room because you get the atmosphere of the concert. Everyone’s dancing and the crowd gets really into it.”

Apathy’s favorite memory of the Electric Factory is seeing LADY GAGA two years ago at the birth of her career.

“I paid no more than $30 to go see her, and she was unbelievable,” Apathy said.

The Trocadero 1003 Arch St. This former theater, founded in 1870 and located in Chinatown, is both historic and lively. The balcony offers limited steaing, while the open floor downstairs allows spectators to dance and get a good view.

Sophomore Brad Loiederman loves this tiny— capacity 1,200—venue because it allows fans to get up close to the bands they love.

“The Trocadero is one of my favorites because it’s easy to get to, has a lot of great shows for a reasonable price and lets you get right up to the stage,” Loiederman said.

With Market East Station right around the corner and plenty of parking lots in the area, arriving at the Trocadero on time is rarely a problem.

Theater of the Living Arts 334 South St. The Theater of the Living Arts (TLA) is one of the smallest venues in Philly and the place to see newer or more obscure bands and artists. The theater is situated on bustling South Street, which makes stopping for dinner or shopping beforehand a fun and easy addition to the experience. Senior Jess Hirst, who recently attended a SAM ADAMS concert at the TLA, prefers the venue because of the small atmosphere and the great location.

“The [Sam Adams] concert was really exciting and high-energy. You could get really close to the front if you pushed through the crowd,” Hirst said.

FEATURES

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

PAGE 15 THE SPOKE

Child Development’s Preschool is more than child’s play Emily Omrod Staff Reporter Twins Hutch and Harrison Wood enter the gym lobby doors of Conestoga, ready to go to school like any other student. However, these students are only four years old: they ride to school in car seats, carry matching canvas tote bags and wear considerably happier expressions than most high school students early in the morning.

Hutch and Harrison are two of 20 preschoolers who attend Conestoga’s Child Development Preschool from 9 to 11:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. High schoolers in Child Development I and II teach lessons and act as “buddies” to individual children, forming a relationship with them throughout the semester. The preschool is popular with the students, regardless of age.

“Every day [Hutch and Harrison] ask if they can go to Conestoga,” the twins’ mother, Catherine Wood, said.

As Hutch and Harrison enter the classroom, they are greeted by more than a dozen smiling classmates, who are each immersed in games and playing with their buddies.

Slowly, everyone files into the classroom, puts away their bags and jackets and begins the daily routine. The day is much like that in a regular preschool classroom, until the high school students stand at the front of the room and begin that day’s learning activity, entitled “Arctic Animals.”

Child Development teacher Anne Roberts said that Conestoga’s Preschool offers unique benefits to the children.

“I think the difference is that the children get one-on-one attention. Parents seem to like the idea that a Conestoga student is giving their child that much attention in the preschool and they feel they benefit from the social interaction,” Roberts said.

Wood, who sends her boys to Trinity Preschool in Berwyn on the days they are not at ’Stoga, agreed that the preschool buddy system has positively influenced her children.

“The boys really had a hard time transitioning into school and I think the buddies, especially for Hutch, made a huge difference,” Wood said.

As the children and their buddies settle into their activities, the bell rings, marking the end of third period for the Conestoga students. For Hutch and Harrison, it means about ten minutes of free playtime, and two new buddies for the next period.

Senior Harry Biemer, who works with Hutch during fourth period, said that the preschoolers never cease to be entertaining.

“I think they’re hilarious,” Biemer said.

“They never stop.”

After the preschoolers have had their snack and completed yet another activity with their fourth period buddies, they settle in their seats to listen to their fifth period buddies read “The Hungry Caterpillar.” Everyone

Preschooler Hutch Wood smiles after completing his craft. He attends Conestoga’s Preschool every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 9 to 11:30 a.m.

Meghan Morris photos/The SPOKE

Senior Chandler Sopko helps preschooler Hutch Wood make a craft project. Sopko, a student in Child Development I, is Wood’s high school“buddy” during fifth period. watches attentively as two students read and explain the activity. Hutch even gets out of his seat and points at pages of the book, commenting on what the caterpillar has chosen to eat. Then the preschoolers and their bud-

mood, it ruins their buddy’s day too because we look [forward] to it so much.”

After the caterpillar activity is over, Hutch and Harrison pull out their toy cars and dinosaurs and play in the sandbox. Fifteen minutes later, class is over and one by one, each child is zippered up in his or her coat and walked to the bus circle to be picked up.

At end of the period, Roberts, who has been teaching Child Development since 1996, reflects on the day.

She said that she especially enjoys seeing former preschoolers return to the program as Child Development students more than a decade later.

“I’ve had students that I had as preschoolers that I’ve had in the Child Development program as high school students,” Roberts said. “I get to see them all the way through and I always recognize them. And I can still even picture them when they were little.”

Junior Andrew Berger sits with the preschool children. The class consists of 20 preschoolers, each with multiple high school “buddies” throughout the day.

“It brings out the best in all of us, having those kids there and having them so excited.”

- Senior Chandler Sopko dies get to work making a construction paper caterpillar.

Senior Chandler Sopko, a student in Child Development I, works with Hutch during fifth period. She said that she enjoys interacting with the young children.

“It brings out the best in all of us, having those kids there and having them so excited,” Sopko said. “If one of the kids is in a bad

Emily Omrod can be reached at eomrod@stoganews.com.

Junior Laura Grace Ailor and senior Emily Apathy read a book to the class as part of a lesson on shapes. Every Child Development student is required to teach a lesson to the preschoolers.

PAGE 16 THE SPOKE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

FEATURES

Sugar plum fantasy: Students perform holiday classic

Kelly Benning Staff Reporter For many people, hearing just a few notes of the “The Nutcracker March” is enough to get them into the holiday spirit. However, for two seniors, music from the traditional wintertime ballet played in the background of their lives weeks before the holiday season began.

Senior James Smart performed in his first major performance as a ballet dancer as the Nutcracker Prince in the Wayne Ballet Theatre’s production of “The Nutcracker.” The company performed the show on Dec. 18 and 19 in the Radnor High School Auditorium.

Although he did not originally intend to try out for “The Nutcracker” in September, he found that he enjoyed the experience.

“I started taking classes and my friend’s mom, who is the choreographer of ‘The Nutcracker,’ kind of roped me into it,” Smart said. “But I got really into it and it was a lot of fun.”

Smart is an experienced performer—he has particpated in several shows at Conestoga—but he said that dancing on stage requires different areas of emphasis.

“This [show] being the first ballet [I performed in] is totally different,” Smart said. “We don’t have to worry about whether we’re singing the notes

correctly. We just worried about doing all the choreography correctly and doing the story justice.”

Preparing for the show took much dedication. Smart attended more than a dozen rehearsals, lasting an hour and a half each time, spread out over five weeks. As the performance date approached, he said that the final two weeks were “a lot more intense.”

“We started out just learning the choreography very simply, what we’re doing and when we’re doing it,” Smart said. “Then we started to fit it in with the music, and then we really started to nit-pick the different parts trying to make sure we’re telling a story with [the dance].”

Smart said that he especially enjoyed meeting the diverse cast.

The show had “such a wide range of age,” Smart said. “It’s got people who are professional dancers in Philadelphia and it has also got these tiny little kids who are just learning to dance.”

Because this was his first ballet performance, Smart said that he gained a lot of knowledge about the theory of dance.

“It has definitely been a learning experience for me,” he said. “I never really danced before and it has taught me a lot about how dance is not just moving around. It is storytelling with no dialogue.”

While Smart prepared for his

Meghan Morris/The SPOKE

Senior Sara Fried (right) celebrates after her performance with fellow dancer junior Natalie Houck-Meloni. Both students performed in Contempra’s “Philly Nutt Crak-Up” on Dec. 10 and 11.

Senior James Smart (right) rehearses with the Wayne Ballet Theatre’s cast of “The Nutcracker.” Smart played the part of the Nutcracker Prince in his first ever ballet production. performance in the traditional “Nutcracker,” fellow senior and dancer Sara Fried was gearing up for her performance in the “Philly Nutt CrakUp.” Fried has been dancing since she was five years old, but this was the first time she performed in this production. The show is a hybrid of many different styles of dance, from traditional ballet to hip-hop, as well as acting and comedy. It also combines the traditional “Nutcracker” storyline with elements of Philadelphia culture.

“There is a cheese steak man and there is a battle between the Phillies and the San Francisco baseball team, but it is pretty much along the lines of ‘The Nutcracker,’” Fried said.

She played the part of a slumber party girl in the opening scene, and she danced a jazz piece as a candy cane girl.

Cast members rehearsed each Sunday for three hours leading up to opening night, striving for perfection in every scene.

“We run through the dance a couple times, and we have a video tape of past performances so that we can see what they did and try to improve it,” Fried said. “Our teacher is also there to give us thoughtful criticism to help us make it perfect.”

Karolis Panavas photos/The SPOKE

Seniors David Gleichman and Maggie Brownstone (right) rehearse with the Wayne Ballet Theatre alongside Smart. The ballet was performed at Radnor High School on Dec. 18 and 19.

Fried performs in yearly recitals with Contempra, a Wayne dance studio, and is accustomed to the pressures of performing. Though the hours leading up to performances can be nerve-wracking, Fried said that she still found time to relax backstage.

“A couple of my dance friends and I sit backstage and stretch together and just get excited and prep each other for the performance,” Fried said.

“We always joke around.”

The show debuted on Dec. 10 at the Mandell Theater in Philadelphia.

Fried said that all of the hours of rehearsal made it possible for her to feel comfortable on stage.

“After the first steps, everything goes smoothly and you don’t really have to think about it,” Fried said.

“It’s a really good feeling.”

Kelly Benning can be reached at kbenning@stoganews.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

FEATURES

PAGE 17 THE SPOKE

ry Histo & y g o l o Psych

Michael

Palmatier

by Mary Turocy, Features Editor

The SPOKE: If you could take any class at Conestoga, which one would you take?

M.P.: Any of Mr. Trainer’s classes.

I got to teaching through that. I was going to be a writer, then an English teacher, then a history teacher. In college I loved the history classes so that’s what put me here.

The SPOKE: If you were not a teacher, what would you do?

M.P.: A writer, because I love writing.

The SPOKE: If you could have dinner with any three people, living or dead, who would it be and why? would you choose to have dinner with and why?

M.P.: Ben Franklin—there are a lot of reasons to like Ben Franklin. Rod Serling—he was the creator of “The Twilight Zone” and a writer and political activist—and Bobby Kennedy—he was overshadowed by his brother and I think he would have been a good president given the chance.

The SPOKE: How did you become a social studies teacher?

Favorites: MOVIE: The original “Godfather”

BOOK: “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac and “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee SONG: “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkel TV SHOW: “Twilight Zone” QUOTE: “If you come to a fork in the road, take it”—Yogi Berra HOLIDAY FOOD: Peanut butter cookies with melted Hershey Kisses on top

M.P.: Growing up in upstate New York, I was part of a lot of industrial history. My father also loved history and he passed it on to me.

The SPOKE: What are your hobbies?

M.P.: I live in Philadelphia so I love exploring Philadelphia, including biking through the city. I like following New York Yankees baseball and New York Giants football. I also like reading and pop culture: music, old movies, TV shows and trivia.

The SPOKE: What extra-curricular activities were you involved in during high school?

M.P.: I was in marching band. We were the state champs in 1988. I played the trumpet.

I was on the school newspaper in senior year and a member of the literary club.

The SPOKE: What is your biggest pet peeve?

M.P.: When people halt right in a doorway.

The SPOKE: Describe yourself in one word: M.P.: Eclectic.

The SPOKE: Do you have any holiday traditions?

M.P.: Watching “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Rudolph” in claymation and all those classics.

The SPOKE: What is one present you are hoping to get for the holidays?

M.P.: A flat screen TV—or just one that is newer than 1994.

Page design by Erin O’Neil.

Photographs by Meghan Morris.

PAGE 18 THE SPOKE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

FEATURES

REACH club membership reaches all-time high Danny McConnell Staff Reporter Dozens of students occupy the cafeteria, talking, joking and socializing. The scene could be mistaken for a typical lunch hour, except that school ended four hours ago, and the glass windows show only darkness outside. REACH officers bring the training session to order, passing out papers, answering questions, organizing sign up sheets and taking attendance for 60 of the club’s 275 members.

A club of this size is unusual, but by no means unique at Conestoga. Clubs such as Intramural Sports Club and Ski/Snowboard Club also had over 100 members last year. REACH, which stands for Responsible Educated Adolescents Can Help, teaches younger students about the realities of high school and encourages them to make good decisions.

The club organizes trips to the elementary and middle schools to teach lessons about peer pressure to students, utilizing skits and discussion to get its message across.

“We try to make it more down on their level, as if they are hearing it from one of their peers,” senior and club president Caroline Jaffe said. “We are really honest with them.”

REACH was founded ten years ago, but its membership has only begun to expand rapidly in the past few years.

“Membership started to increase four or five years ago,” adviser Nancy McMullen said. “I think this was because we started going to the middle schools where we could get our name out to the incoming freshmen.”

To accommodate so many members, the club holds meetings in the large group rooms and has a “very organized” system of officers, including a president, three vice presidents and four to five general board members, according to junior and board member Nick Nalbone. Nalbone said that the club has the most difficulty in contacting all of its members.

“It’s difficult for the club, especially with communication,” Nalbone said. “We have to use e-mail and Facebook to get in contact with 200 students.”

The club also emphasizes commitment from the students. It uses a contract system to ensure that everyone who receives credit for participating in the club actually participates.

“It’s another step to see who really wants to be in the club,” Nalbone said.

He added that about 40 people who attended a training session never handed in their contract and therefore are no longer considered to be members of the club. However, for those who complete the requirements, there is no shortage of opportunities to contribute to the club.

Around 50 members attend the trips to each of the five elementary schools, and as many as 60 members can visit both middle schools. Members also contribute to booths at Cornucopia and the Health Fair, bake sales and Red Ribbon Week.

“We have a huge pool to draw people from,” Nalbone said. “We never don’t have enough people to do anything.”

Ski/Snowboad Club: 165

Intramural Sports: 162

REACH: 126

Key Club: 97

Science Olympiad: 46

*Data from the Activites Office, reflecting membership in May 2010.

Graphic by Luke Rafferty

Danny McConnell can be reached at dmcconnell@stoganews.com.

Go online to stoganews

.com

for a photo gallery from the winter concert.

Courtesy Kenny Kavalkovich

The Philadelphia Boys’ Choir and Chorale performs at a 2009 Phillies game. Senior David DiCiurcio is fourth from the left in the back

2009-10 Club Membership

Karolis Panavas/The SPOKE

Senior David DiCiurcio stands on the field after singing the national anthem at the Phillies NLCS playoff game on Oct. 16.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

PAGE 19 THE SPOKE

FEATURES

Dana Bronzino Staff Reporter The scene is set and the cameras are rolling at Conestoga, where aspiring student directors and producers are preparing short films for the Greenfield Youth Film Festival.

The festival, coordinated through Upper Dublin High School, offers students the chance to learn about filmmaking by entering their films in three categories: narrative, documentary and experiemental.

Though this is only the third year of the festival’s existence, it has grown rapidly, doubling the number of participating schools every year. This year, the board expects to expand from the 150 submissions received last year with the addition of ten new participating high schools, including Conestoga.

As one of only two film festival student producers at ’Stoga, senior Ian Connelly is directly involved with the project, acting as a liaison between the directors of the program and participating students.

Student producers are “in direct correspondence with the Greenfield Festival producers, so we actually have more information about [the festival] than our teachers,” Connelly said. “We release the information to all the other entrants from our school.”

Project adviser and TV studio teacher Keith Nunnelee said that Conestoga students plan to submit about ten separate films, each between five and seven minutes long, as per the contest requirements.

Junior Austin Shupe is one of the students taking the chance to direct his own film.

Shupe plans to begin shooting his experimental movie after winter break. He said that he wants to combine traditional acting with 3-D modeling and animation to tell the story of three people who survived a nuclear war. Although he has not taken a TV class, he said that he feels confident in his ablity to direct a film.

“If I don’t know it, I’ll just find out,” Shupe said.

Before shooting, participants have the chance to attend a workshop at Montgomery County Community College on Jan. 7. The session allows students to learn from some of the best in the film industry, including producer Kurt Sensenig and Oscarwinning producer Tammy TiehelStedman.

Student submissions are due on March 5, and all the submissions will be viewed two months

later at the Keswick Theater. The event is conducted like a Hollywood premier and allows students to sit back and view their movies while judges on the panel review them.

The film festival offers multiple large prizes, including up to $1,000 in cash and camera equipment. The winner of Best Picture recieves a trip to California and a large trophy.

It is “a really huge trophy that looks like the Academy Award,” said coadviser and TE/TV paraprofessional Bryan Persons. “I’d rather win that than the money.”

Connelly said that he is excited to participate in the Greenfield Youth Film Festival, especially given his career aspirations.

“I want to go into the [film] industry so I always do everything I can to further my skills, especially entering film festivals, particularly the really big ones, like Greenfield,” Connelly said.

Dana Bronzino can be reached at dbronzino@stoganews.com.

Page design and graphic by Margot Field.

Photographs by Karolis Panavas.

Sports

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

WINTER WARMUP

Boys Basketball <<< Dolly Prabhu Staff Reporter

Basketball is one of the few sports where an incredible play can be missed in the blink of an eye—literally. The athletes play at lightning speed, striding across the 48-foot court in mere seconds.

This year the boys’ basketball team isn’t waiting around. They hope to go all the way this season with a couple of new strategies and skills up their sleeves.

“We’re definitely a lot faster this year,” senior Mackenzie Lavender said. “We’re going to be able to run up and down the court a lot more and get a lot of fast breaks. It’ll make games a little more exciting.”

The boys hope that their speed will help start them off on the right foot for the season, last year ending in the first round of district playoffs.

This year’s team is determined to do better this time around, but it will take some improvement.

“We’re not that good at running set offenses,” Lavender said. “We need to work on our plays a bit more and have a little more discipline with turnovers.”

As any basketball fan knows, turnovers can be deadly, and reducing the number of turnovers this season is a priority for the boys. But, the team has many areas of potential improvement that need focus as well.

“To prep for a game we’ll watch some film of the other team’s plays,” senior John Lopes said. “Then we try and imitate them at practice to make sure we’re ready.”

Mike Troy, the

boys’ coach, sets such strategies in place.

“He puts a lot of pressure on us to work hard,” Lavender said. “He pushes us really hard to be perfect when running our offenses, running our breaks and playing defense.”

But the boys do not need too much direction. They are used to how things are by now. Experience is hardly an issue for a team made up of seven seniors and six juniors.

But even with this advantage, the boys are going to have to put in a little extra to make this season memorable.

“We’re really looking to push the ball this year,” Lopes said.

Dolly Prabhu can be reached at dprabhu@stoganews.com.

Right: Seniors John Lopes and Danny Shine.

Photograph by Karolis Panavas.

>>> Girls

Ice Hockey

Emily Seeburger Staff Reporter At the end of last season, the Conestoga girl’s ice hockey team had to make a crucial decision. It was time to decide if they were going to stay with the Conestoga Ice Hockey Club or branch out and become their own separate club team.

After meetings and much consideration, the 2009-10 Board of Directors for Conestoga Ice Hockey Club voted to make the girl’s team independent.

The 2010-11 season will be the first year on their own since the inaugural season of 2004-05. Since the beginning, the team always had the intention of becoming independent from the boys’ team. However, they started with the boys for stability in the first years until they could become securely established.

There were also money disputes within the organization. Because Ice Hockey is club sport, players are required to pay money to help sponsor the team. Problems started to arise when portions of the girls’ money went to help fund the larger, more popular boys’ team.

“We pay money so that we can

play hockey, not so that the boys can play hockey,” said senior Gaby Epstein. “It wasn’t that fair.”

Now that the girls are independent, they’ll be able to focus more on their season, improving their game, and their overall team while still being supportive of the boys. They have an entire season still ahead of them.

“Once you get people out there, and they start loving it as much as you do, you really become a family,” junior Kelsey Sheronas said.

Emily Seeburger can be reached at eseeburger@stoganews.com.

Left: Senior Maddie Temoyan.

Photo courtesy Dave Crosset.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

PAGE 21 THE SPOKE

SPORTS

A Graceful exit

Divers face sea of challenges

Athletic Director David Grace retires

Conestoga diving team talks about jumping into the season

Jenna Spoont Staff Reporter

“I’m happy for him that he’s retiring because that’s what he wants.

But it’s tough for me to see him go because he has By the always been numbers: there for me,” Vogan said.

Grace’s years working in the social studies years working department were for the district well appreciated, especially by social studies teacher John Koenig. “ S t u d e n t s years teaching were always re- social studies ally excited to talk about Mr. Grace, and he obviously made a huge impact years as athon a lot of kids throughout his letic director career,” Koenig said.

Across Conestoga, faculty and students alike wish Grace the best.

“It’s very fitting that his last name is Grace,” said assistant athletic director and trainer Jessica McCloskey. “That’s what I think about when I think about him.”

Thirty-five hundred fans stood up from their seats on Teamer Field’s rededication night in September 2005. Conestoga’s win over Strath Haven in double overtime was one of the first days on the job for Athletic Director David Grace. It wasn’t until that night that he realized just what he had signed up for.

“I’ll always remember that night.

It was amazing,” Grace said. “It was my first night and I thought, ‘wow, is this what it’s going to be like every football game?’”

At the end of a 43-year run, Grace has made the decision to retire. He began as a social studies teacher at Valley Forge Junior High School in 1968, and taught in the Conestoga social studies department until 2007. He also coached varsity boys soccer during the 1970s before he became the faculty manager.

Fifteen years ago, Grace became the assistant athletic director and, when he retires in January, he will have worked as the athletic director for five and a half years.

Throughout his years in the district, Grace has taught generations of families.

“When it comes time to raise Jenna Spoont can be reached at their family, [Conestoga gradu- jspoont@stoganews.com. ates] like to return to Tredyffrin/Easttown. That’s where it’s home. It will always be a special place,” Grace said.

Grace, who will be replaced as athletic director by assistant principal Patrick Boyle, has not decided how he plans to spend his retirement. He said that some of his options are teaching at a community college, working around the house, gardening and golfing.

Varsity football and baseball coach John Vogan, who first met Grace as a student at ConestoLavi Ben-Dor/The SPOKE ga, said he felt that Grace’s retirement Athletic Director David Grace looks over papers is bittersweet. in his office. Grace will retire in January.

43 38

5.5

Tracy Cook Staff Reporter This winter, two Conestoga students are hoping to make a big splash—figuratively speaking, of course. They make up the Conestoga diving team, and they’ve had to overcome many challenges, especially recently, just to remain as a competitive varsity team.

Three times a week, senior Marissa Zhao and freshman Lee Bernick make the 45-minute drive to Lower Merion High School, battling rush hour traffic as they struggle to make it to practice on time for their halfhour slot in the Lower Merion pool.

Luckily, their coach, Cindy Armstrong, is understanding.

“The long distance does pay a toll and requires more commitment since traveling is involved. A half-hour practice turns into two and a half hours,” Armstrong said.

But no matter what the cost, this team is fully focused on attaining a high level of competition this season. With only a few practices underway, both Zhao and Bernick have their sights set on qualifying for districts. However, since the team’s resources are so limited, qualifying for the postseason may prove challenging.

“Considering the facilities we use, it’s kind of hard to learn new dives,” Zhao said. She explained that other pools and dive clubs are equipped with safety equipment, such as harnesses and trampolines to help the divers learn and practice new, more difficult dives.

However, at Lower Merion the team has just one diving board.

“Whenever you want to try a new dive, you just kind of have to hope you do it right, or else it’ll hurt a lot,” Zhao said.

Learning and perfecting the more difficult dives will be a crucial factor in qualifying for the postseason.

Zhao said that she is focused on her more difficult dives, including the double twisting front somersault, the inward one-and a-half as well as one of her favorites: the back one-and-a-half, which consists of a back somersault with a one-and-a-half twist.

“Diving is a lot like gymnastics,” Zhao said. “[My experience with] gymnastics has made it easier to do the flips and twists in diving.”

Bernick, a five-year veteran diver of the Martin’s Dam team in Wayne, has also made it her aim to improve on the higher difficulty dives.

“I would like to learn some new dives, including the double and the back twister,” Bernick said of her goals for the season.

Coach Armstrong, meanwhile, is looking for the team to build off of last year’s success, where two divers competed at the district level. She sees Zhao and Bernick’s determination and commitment as a start.

“The only thing I really look for in a diver is a willingness to learn and try things,” Armstrong said. “I can teach form and dives as long as they allow me to.”

With their coach fully supporting their diving endeavors, Zhao and Bernick will continue to make the trek out to Lower Merion for their tri-weekly practices. There’s a reason they go to such great lengths.

“We want to keep our team alive,” Zhao said. That, and to keep their actual splashes to a minimum.

Senior Marissa Zhao demonstrates

“The Half Flip”

“Whenever you want to try a new dive, you just kind of have to hope you do it right, or else it will hurt a lot.”

- Senior Marissa Zhao

Tracy Cook can be reached at tcook@stoganews.com.

Luke Rafferty/The SPOKE

PAGE 22 THE SPOKE

ƒ

SPORTS

G0

1GUR3

Sergei Bobrovsky’s save percentage with the Flyers Sergio Bobrovsky’s rank in the NHL for win percentage

4 Brian Boucher’s rank in the NHL for win percentage

Michael Leighton’s save percentage in 2009

19

Bobrovksy: best shot on goal for Flyers

Danny McConnell Staff Reporter Having an overabundance of goalkeepers has never been a problem for the Flyers before, but this year three goalies, all itching for a spot on the roster, will make for quite the crowded crease.

When former starting goalkeeper Michael Leighton was out for recovery from back surgery, the Flyers invited minor league goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to training camp, intending for him to serve as backup for Brian Boucher, a returning crowd favorite.

All was well, until Brobovsky began performing significantly above his expected level of play. As December closes and Leighton begins his rehabilitation assignment in the AHL, Flyers owner Ed Snyder faces a difficult decision: who will be the starting goalie for the Flyers this season?

Although Brian Boucher has a history with the Flyers, he simply isn’t the right man for the job. He’s had a flighty past with the Flyers, being drafted in 1995 only to be traded in 2001 after repeatedly poor performances. Now he’s back and plagued with injuries.

There’s no denying that Boucher is a decent goalie with years of experience but ultimately his performance in the NHL has been mediocre at best. Boucher may have gotten the longest shutout streak with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2003, but it doesn’t discount the fact that his career has been, well, streaky.

With only four winning seasons in his entire NHL career, his losses are what really impact the team.

Leighton too has had a history with the Flyers. He played for Philadelphia for four games in 2007, before being released due to an overall subpar performance. He returned to the Flyers last season and, with a few lucky wins and a good playoff run after taking over for an injured Boucher, has admittedly made a good name for himself here in Philly.

But with a previously poor performance pitted against a streak of luck, who knows how well 2011 will turn out?

Although Leighton does have his youth, he also has mediocre stats and a series of unimpressive performances and has been known to jump around from team to team.

My guess is that even if Leighton began the season as a starter, he’d have a hard time keeping it.

This leaves the final and best option: Sergei Bobrovsky, who has played like a winner in his short stint with the Flyers. His name might not have meant much to Philadelphians this year, but it’s hard to blame them.

As a goalie out of Novokuznetsk, Russia who played for a pitiful team that boasted 16 wins out of 67 games, his KHL career doesn’t deserve much limelight in the City of Brotherly Love.

Season wins for Flyers, as of Dec. 14

Brian Boucher’s save percentage in 2010 All statistics as of Dec. 14

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

Gabriela Epstein/The SPOKE

It wasn’t until Bobrovksy arrived in Philadelphia that he really hit his stride on the ice. Bobrovksy came to the United States and signed a three-year contract, expected to play for the Adirondack Phantoms, the Flyers’ minor league affiliate.

After a great showing at training camp combined with Leighton’s timely injury, the non-English-speaking rookie found himself between the pipes for the season opener against Pittsburgh on Oct. 7. Making flashy glove saves and keeping his head after letting in goals, Bobrovksy was the star of the night, winning his NHL premiere 3-2 over the Flyers’ division rival. In only six months, Bobrovsky has gone from a nobody to a powerhouse on the defending Eastern Conference champion’s roster.

Despite the Flyers’ history of releasing good players, I have a hard time believing that they would give up the sixth best goaltender in the NHL, and with Leighton getting a two-year contract extension, it’s likely that they’ll keep him around as well. That would mean bye-bye to Brian Boucher.

Although the decision for number one has yet to be made, Bobrovsky’s ascent to Flyers greatness has been nothing short of amazing, especially in an organization that has never been particularly hospitable to Eastern Europeans. Perhaps Borbovsky will bring a new image of Russian hockey to Philadelphia.

Danny McConnell can be reached at dmcconnell@stoganews.com.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

SPORTS

Player Profile: Ice Hockey

#34 Chris Kupp, Defense der] Patrick Roy the most. He was one of the reasons I became a goalie and he’s always been my favorite player.

Q: What do you usually do to get ready for a game?

A: We usually do a warmup outside to get loose, and then most of the guys like a relaxed locker room where we can joke around before games. I prefer some quiet time and then I give a little speech right before we go out.

Q: How long have you been playing ice hockey?

A: I started playing roller hockey when I was five and then started playing ice hockey when I was six.

Q: Who in the sports world do you admire most?

A: I admire [former Avalanche goalten-

Q: What is your fondest sports memory?

A: Mini camp each year when all the guys hang out for three days. Everyone is hilarious and it’s a great way to bond early in the season.

Q: If you could be in the stands at any hockey game in history, which would it be and why?

A: I would definitely go with the 1980 Olympic game vs. Russia. Beating Russia at that time was nuts and the fact we pulled it off was amazing. Also, I played on that rink when I was younger which

only made me want to see be there for the game that much more.

PAGE 23 THE SPOKE

Q: If you could play any other sport, what would it be?

A: Ultimate Frisbee. It’s a sport where I’ve become friends with a lot of new people and it’s a blast. Besides, one contact sport is enough for me.

Q: What is your favorite pump-up song?

A: “Remember the Name”

by Fort Minor and “Heavyweight” by Infected Mushroom.

Q: Do you play hockey outside of Conestoga?

A: I’ve been playing with the [West Chester] Quakers since I was eight, so it was the base of my hockey career.

Q: Do you plan on playing in college?

A: I would like to play in college at the club level. I can’t picture myself not playing hockey at all, but I don’t want too much of a time commitment.

Photo courtesy Chris Ku pp Headshot: Karolis Panavas/The SPOK E

Practice makes perfect: ’Stoga teams hard at work

Volume 61, No. 3

INSIDE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2010

Athletic Director David Grace to retire See p. 21

Bobrovsky best option for Flyers See p. 22

Nothing but

NET Boys basketball aims high See p. 20

stoganews Go online for coverage and an extended

.com

photo gallery from the basketball season.

Luke Rafferty/The SPOKE