THE HAWK - April 2024

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How one Unified sports team is putting its own spin on the classic Italian lawn game PAGE 10

’ N I L L O R E C C h t i O w B

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PHOTO GALLERY

April 2024

THE HAWK VISITS NYC

Makenna Nichols, Emmalyn Fetters, Bayley Price, Dana Arzadon, Catherine Miller, Siday Lowrey, and Nevaeh Horton at the 116th Street subway station.

Decatur students took a bite out of the Big Apple last month to attend a prestigious annual journalism conference. On the March 12-15 trip to New York City, members of The Hawk visited Columbia University, stayed in Times Square, rode the subway, shopped in Chinatown and SoHo, dined in Little Italy, and went to the observation deck at One World Trade Center. (The Hawk/Dana Arzadon photos)

(L to R) Lauren McAdams, Siday Lowrey, Paige McAdams, Nevaeh Horton, Makenna Nichols, Bayley Price, Emmalyn Fetters and Debbie McAdams dined in Little Italy.

Students like Siday Lowrey (left) and Makenna Nichols rode the subway daily to get way around in New York

Siday Lowrey, Emmalyn Fetters, Nevaeh Horton and Bayley Price wait for the signal to walk through a crosswalk at the heart of Times Square.

Stephen Decatur students gathered on the steps of the historic Low Memorial Library on the campus of Columbia University. The “Alma Mater” statue was dedicated in 1903.

Eric Mitchell on the Columbia campus.

Students had an authentic New York diner-style lunch at Tom’s, the Morningside Heights restaurant famously featured in the TV show Seinfeld.

TJ Curry, Charles Shoemaker, and Jada Donahue attend the annual conference of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association at the Columbia University campus.

Want to take this trip in 2025? See guidance about registering for Intro to Publications or Newspaper Production class today!

April 2024

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It Pays To Know The Signs Of Domestic Violence

By Jada Donahue Domestic violence can happen to anyone no matter the gender of a person and can happen at any time.

Domestic violence is a way that the partner can obtain and maintain power over the partner through physical, sexual, mental, emotional, economical, and/or technological activities.

The way abusive partners gain control over the person they “love” is by manipulating them or belittling them, humiliating them, frightening them, blaming/threatening them, isolating them, making them scared, and/or hurting them to the point of injury.

These people are terrorizers to our society, the majority of the time they are men. A woman can still be the abuser, but the majority of the cases reported are against males.

Purple is the color for domestic violence and the month it is celebrated is on the third Thursday of October, but it should be talked about all the

time because people have experienced, are experiencing, or will be experiencing domestic violence in their life.

It not only affects your victims, but it will affect children involved when you are older and have kids. There are signs that need to be aware of in case you have no idea or you already know.

The common signs to know if you are in a domestic violence situation whether you are a teenager or an adult is your partner telling you that everything you do is wrong. If your partner becomes extremely jealous no matter who you hang out with-whether it is your friends or your family, it becomes a problem.

If your partner doesn’t want you to have a social life-no hanging out with friends, family, classmates, and more. If your partner becomes cruel by insulting you, demeaning you, or shaming you in front of people and without an audience around you. If your partner stops you from making your own decisions in your

life, controls all the finances without your input that include taking your personal money or refusing to give money when you need it. If he pressures you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable like taking drugs, alcohol, or anything intimate.

If your partner threatens to harm or takes away your pets and when you do have children, he will threaten to take them away.

Your partner will then insult your parenting more than usual, it becomes a problem. If your partner intimidates you with dangerous, violent weapons that include knives, guns, bats, and more. If your partner destroys your house or your belongings you should seek help.

These common signs are just a few listed, but there are countless more that a partner uses to administer the domestic violence physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. There are people available that will take your call, text, and live chat. The number to call is 800-799-7233, you can text “START” to 88788, and

you can live chat on the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Though they are open 24 hours and seven days a week, to call you will probably wait for more than 15 minutes. If you really need help, those minutes matter for you to voice your story.

Call 911 if it gets worse.

Domestic violence occurs everywhere around you, even the people that least expect it. Domestic violence is a way of taking control over the victim to make them feel terrible about themselves and isolate them.

Domestic violence not only affects the victims, but it affects everyone else who cares about them like children, friends, family, and more.

There are signs if someone is dealing with domestic violence if they are not well aware and call the numbers that are listed so you do seek help.

April 2024

STUDENT LIFE

Tips For Navigating Advanced Placement Classes

By Jada Donahue Advanced Placement (AP) classe are higher up and dig deeper than semester classes.

For new people taking the class, we interviewed former and current AP students for advice, tips, and how they study for their final tests.

AP CHEMISTRY Emmie Weber uses the big, lengthy textbook for review as well as watching YouTube videos.

Her homeworks and labs help guide her for potential test questions. Even though she doesn’t hang out after school Ms. Patrick is able to stay after school for more help. If Emmie does need help, she does ask the teacher’s help in class.

She does constant practice and reviews her notes to prepare her for the tests because they may be similar to what she has already done.

This class does take hours of work, she tries to balance her AP work with her extracurricular activities

AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Shohag Sen who is a junior that is currently enrolled in this class. This class is more of a struggle, but she learned many study habits that helped her succeed in this class.

She takes notes very well on any concepts.

These concepts aren’t hard, it is the application to them that is way harder.

Having previous knowledge in Biology and Chemistry helps her understand what she is learning. She studies by learning current topics.

The vocabulary that she learns is very crucial to help her study

and is used in her videos that are very helpful.

The labs that she does in class are very important, so she knows to pay attention to them. She wants people to rely not just on the resources provided, because it helps when you have other resources.

This AP is overwhelming, but don’t get overwhelmed if you review your topics and revisit them before moving on.

This class is fun if you like science, but you need to focus and put in effort in this class or else it will lead you you to a score that you will not like.

AP COMP SCI PRINCIPLES Mara Minkey makes sure to review previous projects on coding so she can improve and better herself on future tests.

Reviewing notes and assignments from previous weeks helps her have an idea of what could be on the test and improve on topics that she could be not strong in.

Even though coding may seem hard, it is easy if you actually try and participate in your learning. Assignments that Dr. Hill gives are very important and must be prioritized.

This class helps with an introduction to computer science and information technology.

AP WORLD HISTORY Junior Mara Minkey makes sure to review the reading guides that she has been given for the unit as well as the notes from the lectures.

For studying, she watches review videos on YouTube on each topic of the unit as well as using the AMSCO book to do practice questions.

After completing the practice questions, she looks in the textbook to use what she has gotten wrong and what she has gotten right so she knows what she did wrong to help better herself when she sees similar

questions on the test.

Taking notes during the lectures are very critical to bettering your education because you are being more involved in your learning and help you review what could potentially be on the test.

Asking questions to Ms. Hathaway is very important as well because she will always answer your questions even if you need it to be restated in a different way to better your education. Like every single class you need to keep up with your work or it will get to you and stress you out even more than you already are.

“Don’t get overwhelmed if you review your topics and revisit them before moving on. You can ask for extra help from the teacher as well as talk to her when you need it.”

- junior Shohag Sen

AP PRECALC Emmie studies with AP classroom videos to help her review as well as the practice problems on that resource.

She does a lot of constant practice to try to be an expert on the material that she is working with.

She uses Flipped Math that also gives her a review videos, practice problems, and an answer key when she is done. She has quizzes, tests, warm-ups, and more that are thoroughly discussed by Mrs. Fenzel-Mergott.

The teacher also stays after school if people need help, even though Emmie does not stay it is available.

April 2024 “Like every single class you need to keep up with your work or it will get to you and stress you out even more than you already are.” - junior Mara Minkey

AP UNITED STATES HISTORY Junior Emmie Weber passed AP United States History and scored a 4 on the test. She discovered study tips for students to develop and perhaps get the same score she did or higher.

She took a lot of notes, when I say a lot of notes: I mean she took 6-9 pages of notes during class from the lectures, book, and research about the topic.

She would then highlight the most important information that she collected from that day. Then, she would study and memorize the highlighted

information to be an expert on the topic.

She suggests looking through the textbook and writing down the important dates, people, events, pros and cons of these events, as well as the cause and effect, for it will be used later.

At the end of the week, she would start over from the very beginning of her notes and review from each chapter.

It’s very important to always connect things because they will be very important to DBQs and LEQs, for the AP test will have them. Make sure to split up the chapter work.

AP CALCULUS Angelina Li is a junior and is enrolled in the class. She says she has had APs before but hasn’t taken a math AP until this year.

Since math is very different from history APs and English APs, the study habits may be harder or easier for people.

She looks through her notes to see if she understands the unit that she is on and if she does not, she uses the resource Flipped Math that digs deeper on the topic and unit, so she understands it better. She also watches a Youtube creator known as Organic

Chemistry Tutor who posts lots of math videos and concepts so she can better her understanding and do well on her tests.

Angelina makes sure to ask the teacher for help if she doesn’t understand concepts and help on homework. This class requires a lot of critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Ms. Bryan specifically always goes over past AP Calc problems and free responses to practice.

She also gives a whole month dedicated to review for the AP test. It is essential to pay attention to the review that any AP Calculus teacher gives you.

AP SPANISH Jocelyn Navarrete-Garzon is a junior and is currently enrolled in this class.

She studies the vocabulary by using Quizlet or making flashcards to help her familiarize herself with the words.

It is hard to predict what is on the unit tests because there are random passages and audios that are chosen.

Jocelyn does listen to shows or movies in Spanish so she can improve her listening skills so she can be somewhat prepared for the tests.

There are already movies that are assigned for homework over the weekend and helps even more with listening comprehension as well. In the movies there are different accents of people speaking Spanish, so it helps with listening comprehension and understanding what they are saying.

For people that are planning to take this class and are currently in this class make sure to keep reviewing your verb tenses most importantly the subjunctive tense.

To use more advanced language will help you score a

higher score on the AP test. Make sure to practice both your writing and speaking because that is heavily focused on this AP. When you thought you could slack in your other class, you can’t in this AP. You will be writing essays, email responses, as well as doing simulate conversations, and more.

In this class you get to play Quizlet, Kahoots, read books and stories that captivate your interest, as well as playing games sometimes.

There is not much homework assigned that Señora Sawyer gives so you can still have a balanced life outside of school.

If you need more practice you can practice after school either with Señora Sawyer or practice on your own.

Jocelyn as well as others love Señora Sawyer, for she explains topics very well and is always so helpful. This class may seem like a lot, but it is all due to how much effort you put into this class.

These are challenging, but if you are practicing you will do well. Jocelyn says, “Lastly, do not panic! AP Spanish is an amazing class, and it is VERY FUN!”

“When you thought you could slack in your other class, you can’t in this AP. You will be writing essays, email responses, as well as doing simulate conversations, and more.”

- junior Jocelyn Navarrete-Garzon

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April 2024

MOVIE REVIEW

“Dune: Part Two” is an amazing sci-fi Thriller

By Mara Minkey “Dune: Part Two” is a captivating and action packed sci-fi epic. It adapts the second half of the culturally iconic 1965 novel “Dune,” by Frank Herbert.

From its score to the seamless blend of breathtaking cinematography and computer-generated effects, “Dune: Part Two” is sure to leave the viewer captured in the world being presented before them.

Released in theaters on March 1, the film (rated PG-13) was directed

by Denis Villenuve, and Released by Warner Bros. Pictures. You may also be familiar Villenuve’s work in recent popular movies like “Arrival”(2016) and Blade “Runner 2049”(2017) which he both directed. The score was composed by Hans Zimmer.

“Dune: Part Two” stars Timothee Chalamet as the lead protagonist Paul Atreides, Zendaya as the female lead and Paul’s love interest Chani, Rebecca Ferguson as Paul’s mother Jessica, and Austin Butler as the main antagonist Feyd-Rautha.

On the Planet Arrakis, the great houses compete for a natural resource called Spice. “Dune: Part Two” follows Paul Atreides, after the events of the first film with House Atreides being destroyed by House Harkonen.

Paul and his mother Jessica escape and find Arriakis’s native people, the Freman. Paul Atreides has to grapple with a prophecy that he is supposedly a part of while tensions are strengthening as a galactic war brews between the houses.

You don’t have to have read the book to appreciate “Dune: Part

Two.” I haven’t read the book, and Part Two still stands as its own amazing film despite it being an adaptation. Although books go into more detail, the film still allows you to understand the general plot and aspects of this world pretty well.

“Dune: Part Two” was one of the greatest cinematic experiences I have had in a long time. I left the theater and my only thought was just “wow… that was amazing.”

One thing that stood out to me was that it never felt like there was a dull moment the whole duration of the film. Even during simple and slow dialogue scenes, Villinve finds a way to make the cinematography interesting and Zimmer makes the score captivating.

I love this style of filmmaking because it keeps the viewer engaged and reinforces the dialogue and narrative.

With the sound design, music, and visuals, “Dune: Part Two” was almost overstimulating in a good way. It was a very emotionally exhausting movie.

It really gets you totally absorbed in the world.

One scene that does this amazingly was the sandworm scene. As Paul Atreides learns the Fremen ways, one of their rights of passage is to ride on one of the giant desert sandworms.

You see it off in the distance barreling towards Paul. The anticipation for its arrival builds, as it reaches the crest of the sand dune. Paul quickly jumps down onto the worm trying to get his bearings.

This is where the sound design and visual effects shine. The scene is very loud the whole time. It does a great

job of conveying the disorientation and struggle Paul experiences on the sandworm, with camera angles and the fast paced action of the scene. Villenuve does an amazing job conveying the sheer scale and grandeur of the sand worm. The scene reminded me of how it feels in a rough ocean with waves crashing, as you struggle to catch a wave, but instead in an ocean of sand.

I really like the visual style of this film. Each environment and sequence all had its own look to it. For example, at the beginning of the movie, the Arrakis was under a solar eclipse.

This cast this very distinctive orange hue on everything giving the opening scenes a very intriguing look to them.

Another sequence that displays this well are the scenes on the Harkonnens home planet. All the scenes are shot in black and white. This is not just a creative choice. The scenes are shot with an infrared camera, to show the planet’s low light sun that only

emits IR light. Once again showing the unique visual style of “Dune: Part Two.” Although I have really enjoyed this film, this has been a little bit of negative reception. This mainly comes from the fact that the film did make some changes from the book, in terms of character and plot.

Now, if you are a die hard fan of the book, I can easily see how that Continued on Page 14

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SPRING SPORTS PREVIEW PRE VIEW

By Jacob Hicks

Stephen Decatur is becoming more of a winning school with three different teams winning state titles in the fall and winter season.

Now, Decatur looks to add more to their tally this coming spring.

With our spring season officially under way here is a look at our spring sports team.

BASEBALL: The Stephen Decatur baseball team had an extraordinarily successful year last year, winning the Bayside championship and making it to the state semifinals.

This year will be more difficult; they reclassed schools, and Decatur will face tough schools with good baseball programs.

The Seahawks themselves have an amazing baseball program, great coaches, talented players, and continue to develop kids through their JV program. Keep an eye on these Seahawks for they are bound to have a fantastic season SOFTBALL: This team had a historic year last year winning the regional final and making it all the way to the state semifinals.

With an amazing coaching staff and eight out of nine starters returning this year, they should have another fantastic year. Last year was a wonderful experience for all the girls getting to experience the pressure of a must win game under their belt that will

set them up perfectly to make a deep playoff run this season.

BOYS LACROSSE: Last season ended with amazing potential for this coming season. The boys ended the regular season with a 9-3 record, winning the Bayside South. The Seahawks lost an important leader on the team in Gabe Geiser, but his younger brother Graham is certain someone will be able to step up and fill his shoes.

“Gabe was the glue to our team; a senior leader is needed in any sport. Someone will have to step up and I know someone will,” said Graham.

He is among a very promising group of players, with some of the standouts being sophomore attacker Ashton March, and sophomore defender Trey Strickle. The boys will look to win the Bayside this year and make it far into the playoffs.

GIRLS LACROSSE: This exceptional group had a phenomenal year last year, going 8-4 in the regular season and making it all the way to the state quarter final after winning the region.

They dominated their way to the state quarterfinal game slamming Easton in the regional semifinal 22-7 then battering the Parkside Rams in the regional final 19-6.

The team lost 9-6 in an extremely close game to C. Milton Wright. The girls lost a handful of seniors, but have a plethora

of underclassmen returning with significantly more experience than last year. The whole school has great expectations for this team this season.

BOY’S TENNIS: Last year this team had another positive year, ending the season with a record of 9-5. The boys had an extraordinarily strong and young team with not one of the starters being a senior. Everyone took last year as a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow individually as a team.

Together, Matt Beck and David Janney won the regional finals as a doubles team. Now both seniors, Beck will return this year

MEET YOUR SPRING COACHES

but unfortunately Janney, the expected number one and captain of the team, will miss the entire season with an ACL injury.

GIRL’S TENNIS: The Girls Tennis team had an amazing year last year finishing with an 8-7 record and 5-1 record in the Bayside South.

There are eight girls returning from last year with the standout players being Junior Emily Ferguson and rising star Junior Ana Pene Rodriguez.

The team has only one senior this year, so they will be able to build the team this year and keep a strong close team going into next year.

We all know Student Athletes have to balance their work while having practice and games every day of the week, but do you ever think about the coaches? Here at Decatur, we not only have a very strong teaching staff but also some very high end coaches who manage their schoolwork with the stress and demands of coaching. Six out of our seven spring sport coaches are teachers within the school, and they definitely don’t get the recognition they deserve. (Dana Arzadon photos)

How long have you been coaching this sport?

Bone: 10 years

How long have you been coaching this sport?

25 years

What is your favorite thing about coaching this sport?

Bone: “Giving back to a sport that gave so much to me and getting to work with an amazing group of girls.”

What is your favorite thing about coaching this sport?

“Seeing the student athletes grow in the sport and as a team.”

Did you play the sport growing up?

If so, how long?

Bone: “Yes, I started my lacrosse journey in 6th grade and played all the way through college at Virginia Tech”

Lindsay Owens Girls Lacrosse coach Shannon Bone Special Ed EA Girls Lacrosse coach Science teacher Favorite TV show?

Bone: Grey’s Anatomy

Jamie Greenwood Girls Tennis coach Math teacher

Did you play the sport growing up? If so, how long?

“I really only played in tennis tournaments growing up, I mainly played lacrosse growing up but kept tennis around my whole life.”

Steve Berquist Boys Tennis coach Health/P.E. teacher

How long have you been coaching this sport? 16 years

How long have you been coaching this sport? 23 years

What is your favorite thing about coaching this sport?

“Seeing them grow throughout the season.”

What is your favorite thing about coaching this sport? “The weather becoming warm” and seeing the growth in the student athletes”

Did you play the sport growing up? If so, how long? “Yes, I started playing tennis when i was 10 years old and played all the way up through high school.”

Did you play the sport growing up? If so, how long? “Yes, I played baseball all throughout my childhood all the way through college.”

Favorite candy? Reese’s Pieces

Rich Ferro Baseball coach Science teacher

How long have you been coaching this sport? 8 years

What is your favorite thing about coaching this sport? “The warmer weather”

What is your favorite thing about coaching this sport? “Seeing players achieve and meet goals set at the beginning of the season” Did you play the sport growing up? If so, how long? “Sort of, I Played a bunch of different sports ranging from basketball, baseball, and football growing up, to golf and tennis as I got older. Baseball is what led me to choose and coach softball.

Favorite color? Tan Brenda Hommel Outdoor Track coach Math teacher

What is your favorite clothing brand? Jetty

How long have you been coaching this sport? 15 years

Did you play the sport growing up?

If so, how long? “Yes,I started running at nine years old competing in the Junior Olympics and never stopped.”

Members of the boys lacrosse team suit up for Media Day photos on March 18.

Pictured (L to R): junior Luke Popielaski, senior Adam Nguyen, sophomore Parker Mason, junior Graham Geiser, senior Evan Oglesby, junior Frankie Buxbaum.

Favorite food? Crab meat

Scott Kurtz Softball coach History teacher

Dream vacation? Italy or France

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April 2024

’ N I L L RO with BOCCE COVER STORY

(L to R) Athletic Director Dan Dobronz, Michael Jones, Raymond Molnar, Garrett Maloney, Sully Auker, Brycen Coleman, Aidan Scott, Nate Tapley, Griffin Smith, Blaine Coleman, and Coach Jake Coleman (The Hawk photo).

By Jacob Hicks Connect, combine, integrate, collaborate, togetherness – all words we think of when we hear the word “unify.”

No one likes to stand out or not be included, made fun of, or avoided.

We see bullying and exclusion in high schools nationwide.

To combat this and bring people together, many high schools are coming together and creating Unified sports teams at their school.

Pioneered by the Special Olympics, these teams are for males, females, kids with special needs, and anyone else who wants to participate.

This spring season brings the Uni-

fied sport of Bocce Ball here at Stephen Decatur High School. This is massive for many kids who have not had the confidence to try out for a team or been denied the opportunity to be on a team. It gives them the opportunity to experience the feeling of being on a sports team and competing against others.

Coach Jake Coleman said how his own sons can participate together is what he is most excited about for this upcoming season, and why he chose to coach the sport.

“I am really passionate about it,” said team coach Jake Coleman, a health and P.E. teacher who also is the head football coach. “My middle son is on the spectrum and this is a

sport that Blaine can participate in, and it is even more exciting, because his older brother Brycen is going to do with him.

“So,” he added, “it'll be the first and only time that two of my three boys will be competing in the same sport and working together.”

Bocce is a great game for anyone. It requires little to no athleticism, but a ton of intelligence and hand-eye coordination.

The game starts with two teams deciding which will go first and that team throws out the pallino (a smaller ball used as the target) from behind a foul line.

The same team then throws a second ball as close as they can to the pallino. The turn shifts to the opposite team, who then tries to get their ball closer to the pallino.

Points are scored at the end of each round by the team with the closest ball to the pallino. Points are awarded only to the team that came closer to the pallino; two points are awarded if a bocce ball is actually touching the pallino. The team that wins the rounds starts the next round.

This process continues until one team reaches 13 points, when the game ends.

The team consists of students ranging from football players to wrestlers, and kids who also are members of the Unified Strength and Conditioning team – a team that won a state title earlier this year on its very first try.

One thing most of these kids have in common is being a Maryland State Champion. Many of these kids before this year haven’t experienced the feeling of winning a state championship and now that they have, they are hungry for another and desperate to bring that feeling to the others on the team that haven’t.

“I love it, the fact that it’s a Unified sport with lots of inclusion, to being able to bring the kids together and create new and strong bonds between these students,” Coleman said.

Being able to coach both his sons at the same time, “it means a lot, especially being a dad, and to let those guys go out there and compete and have fun,” Coleman added.

“The ultimate goal that we will have the mentality for from day one is to win the championship and bring another state title to the school.”

Brycen Coleman demonstrates a roll during practice March 27 as teammates look on.

The goal of bocce is to land a ball as close as possible to the target. (The Hawk photo)

April 2024

Page 11

SPORTS

Coleman, Chandler reach 1,000-point milestone

By Brandon Martin Basketball players Davin Chandler and Brycen Coleman set a personal best record by scoring 1,000 career point this season– and they both did it in just three years on the team.

“It feels great, and only doing it in three years is a great accomplishment,” said Coleman, a senior forward on the Stephen Decatur High School varsity squad.

He said what stood out to him during the 2023-24 season was his team’s effort and “just how much we have grown during the season,” Coleman said.

“There are great teams out there, great coaches, that are trying to grow and improve during the season.”

This Seahawk basketball team won 20 games, played in the Bayside conference finals, and went to the state playoffs.

The team ended up losing in the state semifinal game.

Coleman said one of the things the team did right this season was holding each other accountable. “Just doing it for each other and making sure the team was giving it their 100 percent, all the time, during practice and games,” he said.

Chandler, a junior guard, said hitting the 1,000-point milestone was “a dream come true.”

“It feels good, you know?” he said. “I have been working my whole life for it and it finally paid off. You must put the work in, you know, day and night, and working out early in the morning with my father.”

Chandler added that he will be back for his senior season to keep playing on the varsity team. He was also honored this year as both the offensive and defensive player of the year for the Bayside Conference.

Head varsity basketball coach Bryon “B.J” Johnson said he enjoyed coaching both boys.

“You know, it’s a blessing to have players that care for their school first,” Johnson said. “They are competitor’s, great competitors, and because of that, you win a lot of basketball games.”

Both Coleman and Chandler also were members of Decatur’s state championship football team.

“It is amazing and it’s crazy,” Coleman remarked of the team’s championship football run, “how much the community has enjoyed it.”

Davin Chandler drives to the hoop over two Snow Hill High School defenders during a Jan. 27 home game.

Chandler, a junior, scored his 1,000th career point this season on Feb. 20. He was also honored by being named both offensive and defensive Player of the Year in the Bayside Conference. (The Hawk photo)

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April 2024

FIVE THINGS

Now, if you don’t take good care of your electric car, then you might not get as much time out of it.

At the end of the day, it depends on how much care you give to your electric car.

Electric Cars

4) Kid-Proofing It is found that electric cars are found to be safer for kids. Electric cars have more “crumple” room in case of getting i n t o

you should know about

ment.

5) Converting your car Some might do their own research about electric cars, then they’ll want to convert their car into electric!

For starters, that will cost $65,000 in parts and labor to get the job done.

It would not particularly be a fast process, which makes one just want to go ahead a n d

by Lilly Paquette 1) Charging Your Battery Yes! Electric Cars have good qualities with helping the environment, but the charging situation is hard to plan out if you travel a good amount.

You can only go so many miles, then you must take the time to charge your car for hours at a time.

Electric cars are better for the environment but at the same time is very time costly.

2) The Cost Paying for the electricity needed to drive an

average of 15,000 miles per year costs about $546.

By comparison, to drive a gas car that same distance would cost about $1,255. That means driving an electric car could save you $709 annually in fuel costs.

The cost of purchasing the at-home charger, however, would be costly.

acc i dents.

S o m e electric cars 3) How Long They Last can have more When you look at how space for kids who need much an electric car can car seats. drive, you also might wonAltogether, electric cars der how long they last. can be safe for everyone They seem to last for and is safe for the environabout 10-20 years of use.

buy a new electric car for the

price.

It mainly depends on the time you have and the amount of money you’re willing to spend.

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April 2024

Who Was the Real Stephen Decatur?

By Jillian Donahue Guest Writer

This 1820 portrait of Stephen Decatur by Charles Bird King is part of the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Everyone knows our school’s name, Stephen Decatur, but among students, maybe not everyone knows who that is.

Who was Stephen Decatur? What did he do? Where was he from? And most importantly why is our school named after him?

“We honor him because he was born here. He helped solidify our country in the early days right when we were trying to establish ourselves in our own independent world and try to establish ourselves in the Atlantic,” according to SDHS history teacher Mary Hathaway.

Decatur was an American naval commodore in the late 1700s and early 1800s. He was an honorable man who helped fought for and establish our country. He fought in both of the Barbary Wars, the Quasi-War, and the War of 1812. His qualities mirror those of the Stephen Decatur High School’s principles.

He was born January 5, 1779, in Worcester County, in an area known as Sinepuxent. He enlisted in the Navy in 1798 and served during the Quasi-War with France from 17981800. It was also known as the “Pirate Wars” and was an undeclared naval war with France.

He is best known for when he and 75 sailors set a captured ship on fire in Tripoli in 1804. Only one man was injured, and he led his men calmly and pridefully. This helped the United States to win the first Barbary War

that started in 1801.

Thanks to this heroic accomplishment, Decatur was promoted to captain. He was the youngest ever to hold this rank at just 25 years old.

Just before the War of 1812, he was appointed to be a commodore and was presented with a sword for his service. This means he was a commander of the Navy.

He would go on to fiught in the War of 1812 . Later, in the second Barbary War, he was a commander of the Guerrier, a ship that was captured. He dictated terms of peace in June of 1815.

Commodore Decatur was killed in 1820, in a duel with another commodore named Commodore Barron.

Decatur helped to fortify our young country in its early years, and he became a war hero.

Here at Stephen Decatur High School, we have a set of principles that students are expected to abide by: pride, achievement, respect, and responsibility. Commodore Decatur himself showed these qualities in his achievements and actions.

The real-life Stephen Decatur was prideful of his country and the work he did. He achieved many accomplishments that earned him respect.

Without respect he would not have made it so far. If he was not responsible in his actions, the events that occurred may not have gone the way we know them today.

Commodore Decatur was a hero who will always be remembered in our school.

Page 14

April 2024

FEATURE

WTHS Classes You Don’t Hear Enough About

By Catherine Miller

Timothee Chalamet stars on the big screen in “Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros. photo)

MOVIE REVIEW Continued from Page 7

could have upset some people. But I think that can easily be overlooked by how great the production quality of this movie is. You can tell alot of care and soul was put into it.

Although Dune Part was not a 1:1 recreation of the book, its performance from the actors, story and dialogue pales in comparison to a lot of movies these days. I can’t honestly find one major flaw in dune other than it not being completely faithful to the book. It is truly a cinematic masterpiece.

But don’t take my word for it – go out and see it yourself, and form your own opinion. My biggest takeaway from this movie is that it reminds you why you go to the cinema, why you see movies on the big screen, and why you shouldn’t wait for it to come out on streaming.

If you like Sci-fi/Fantasy as a genre, saga-like stories with deep meaning and lore, I’m sure you’ll like “Dune: Part Two.” It is truly a breath of fresh air from the current trajectory of Hollywood, and how that’s been going with flop after flop.

Overall “Dune: Part Two” was a great adventure, totally worth seeing at least once.

HAWK RATING: 10/10

In an interview with Shane Parks in Interactive Media taught by Mrs. Tobiassen, the true potential of this underrated program came to light.

Offering a platform for students to explore their artistic side and show how Interactive Media is more than just a class, it’s a gateway to limitless creativity.

From hand-drawn comics to still life portraits, and from animating in Adobe After Effects to mastering image editing in Photoshop, the program provides a dynamic landscape for artistic exploration.

But its impact extends beyond the classroom walls. Through collaborations with external partners, students dive into real-world projects like T-shirt production and acquire essential tools such as Apple Pencils for their iPads, enriching their learning experience.

By the fourth year, students are empowered to steer their own creative journeys, regardless of how unconventional their ideas may seem for the class.

Whether it’s crafting intricate stop-motion animations or diving into video game design, the program embraces diversity and nurtures individuality.

“The possibilities are only as limited as a student’s imagination,” Parks said.

Interactive Media Production isn’t just about learning technical skills; it’s about fostering a mindset of innovation and pushing the boundaries of creativity. It is amazing to see just how much programs like these are shaping the artists and designers for

The Interactive Media course, taught at Worcester Technical High School by Mrs. Tobiassen, allows students expolore their personal creativity and artistic ability using technolgy. (Catherine Miller photo)

the future.

In the realm of high school education, one class stands out for its profound impact on shaping future defenders of national security: Homeland Security.

While not often heard about , this program offers students a unique opportunity to delve into safeguarding their communities and nation.

Unlike traditional courses, Homeland Security goes beyond textbooks, immersing students in hands-on experiences and simulations that mirror real-life scenarios. From analyzing threat assessments to strategizing

emergency response plans, students learn the intricacies of protecting against various hazards, from natural disasters to terrorism.

Homeland Security equips students with essential skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork qualities essential for effective crisis management. The program not only empowers students to protect their communities but also instills in them a sense of civic duty and responsibility.

Classes like interactive, media and homeland security are preparing students for their future.

April 2024

Page 15

OPINION

At The Airport, The Waiting Is The Hardest Part

By Ashton Clarke Guest Writer Traveling, both exciting and strenuous at the same time. We all know what the worst part is… the stress.

Am I gonna make my flight? Will we leave in time to make my connection? Oh my gosh, by the end of the day you are so burnt out.

Well, Southwest Airlines thinks that they have solved this problem They think it is better to just pay for a flight and seats are first-come, first-served, when you board, instead of the traditional paying for your seat method.

Sounds great, right? But no, all this does is provide more stress for their passengers.

Southwest should use selected seating on flights because it will reduce confusion when boarding. Familess and friends won’t get separated nd it could increase profits on flights.

Let’s start with the confusion. Every large commercial airline ever has had selected personal seating, except for Southwest. So, you ask yourself, why would this spark confusion?

Well, it goes like this: you are booking a vacation, looking for a affordable flight and you see Southwest is cheaper, so you book them.

You show up to the airport, check in, go through security get to your gate, and are about to board, and they tell a group to line up.

You wait in line to scan your ticket but when they scan yours, they say you are “C” group – this is “A” group… What! You have just paid all this money and you have to wait until everybody else boards.

I have seen this happen countless times, and every time, they have to

stop the line, explain to the person, tell them to go sit back down.So, this results in longer boarding times.

You see where I’m going with this.

Not only does this increase time, it also decreases profits, because they have to pay an extra employee to help people and because you are behind schedule they have to fly faster resulting in increased expenses on fuel.

Similar to the situation of confusion, the non-elected seating also af-

Our friends were late to getting on the plane so they boarded later and ended having people move around so they could sit together. Sounds easy, but no, it took 20 minutes for people to move. Thankfully, I didn’t have a connection, because I would have certainly missed my flight.

All of this could have easily been avoided had there been selected seating.

Lastly, Southwest Airlines is a com-

fects traveling with family and friends.

Following the story above, after all the confusion of you being in group “C” instead of group “A” with your family, when you finally get on the plane, you see there are not open rows. Just single seats here and there.

But you don’t want your toddler to sit alone, so you have to ask people to move. This resultss in people not wanting to move away from their family, or some people trying to move and other being rude and not.

This exact situation just happened last week on my way back from vacation.

pany and, being a company, their goal is to make as much money as possible. But by using open seating, they are missing out on profits. Currently they don’t have class levels of seating on planes. You ask, why is this relevant?

Well, when you have First Class, Business Class you can charge more for that seat, therefore increasing profits.

They could achieve this while still being an affordable airline, keep the prices on regular seats and then increase the prices on First- and Second-Class seats and seat areas.

Adobe Stock

This will increase profits by charging more per seat while not compromising the cost-friendly aspect of their company. I see it as a no brainer.

Although I already have you convinced, you still have to hear the other side of the argument.

When you go to check into your flight, the earlier you check-in online, the earlier boarding group you get, getting you to your seat quicker.

This system also allows for them to have less customer service because you aren’t worried about your specific seating getting moved or potentially sold twice. They are able to avoid all those problems.

This means people have fewer issues with customer service so they don’t need to call. And this also means less salaries to pay, saving them money.

All things considered, to reduce stress and the separation of traveling parties along with increasing profits, Southwest should move on from their nonselective seating days and join the rest of the airlines.

First, this simple switch would significantly reduce the time to board flights. Switching will also result in reduced stress amongst passengers created by the confusion of having to board in you group along with finding an appropriate seat suitable for you and your family.

In the end, Southwest is an amazing airline that has a great system in which they operate. But, like all great companies, there is always room for improvement.

Ashton Clarke is a junior at SDHS

Page 16

April 2024

OPINION

Closed Captioning Helps Everyone The student newspaper of

By Natalie Golphin Guest Writer

"$ $!& # & Stephen $ " & Decatur High School & $ $ & All teachers in my classes show since #! &% %%& #"#1954 ! & !$& &% %%&some kind of videos during the school year. Not all of the usual me & &% & & & % & &% & Editorial Staff dia is closed-captioned, which makes % & Dana Arzadon it hard for me to understand the maCurry !"& $& T.J. #"# !& $ $ "$ & Jada Donahue Jacob Hicks Cole Huyett Brandon Martin Catherine Miller Mara Minkey Eric Mitchell Lilly Paquette Marley Rill Charles Shoemaker Haley Whitehead

Contributing Writers Ashton Clarke Jillian Donahue Natalie Golphin Teacher Advisor Brian Shane @SDHSHawk @decaturhawknews

terial.

Closed captioning, or projecting words spoken aloud onto the screen in written form, makes it easier for not only myself, but for hearing students in the class to understand what is being presented. If we can make sure all videos have closed-captioning, then it would allow all students that are deaf or hard-of-hearing to receive the same content as the class.

Closed captioning helps all students learn in class. Every teacher should be required to use closed-captioning on movies or videos, because deaf and hard-of-hearing students need them to learn. Some students learn better by reading than listening, and all modes of communication should be available at all times.

Further, deaf students should have the same access to information that hearing students do, because “subti-

tles and closed captioning are essential tools that enable deaf and hard of hearing viewers to access media content,” according to the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.

If closed captioning is not provided, students with hearing problems could miss out on important information.

Sometimes, videos are not previewed to make sure they have closed-captioning. If teachers spent a little bit of time, then they would be able to find media that is.

In addition to students with hearing problems, most students benefit from closed captions included with movies or videos. This means equal access to information for all students. Captioning also helps students understand and retain more of the concepts presented in the video, remember more of the dialogue of a film, take better notes, and participate more in class discussions of video content, making it a great tool for teachers of any subject at any level, according to experts.

At the same time, I understand the teachers may find it hard to find closed captioning on all media. The first video they find might not be

captioned or the captioning is not accurate. I know teachers spend a lot of time planning lessons and I do not want to add to their workload.

However, if the school system could include a classroom subscription to online streaming sites like Roku, or Amazon Prime, these sites have a lot of captioned media.

In conclusion, closed captioning for movies or videos should be available in the classroom as they are beneficial. Deaf or hard-of-hearing students have access to the same information as the rest of the class. `This works because they will not fall behind in understanding material.

We also see that closed captioning is good for the entire class. Students retain more of what’s being presented and take better notes. I hope you teachers will consider ways to make sure closed captioning is available for all visual media material.

Natalie Golphin is a junior at SDHS The Hawk welcomes student opinions and editorials. Send your written submission by e-mail to DecaturHawk@Gmail.com