The Fanscotian - March 2016 - Volume 80, Issue IV

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| Volume 80| Issue IV| Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School| 667 Westfield Road | Scotch Plains, NJ 07076| (908) 889-8600|

Fanwood reconsiders recycling center

by Peter Warren

For 28 years, the Borough of Fanwood has used the Fanwood Recycling Center on North Avenue as its state-mandated resource for recycling. Many students, past and present, have either dropped recycling off at the Center or volunteered their time there.

However, due to an increased cost to balance the Recycling Center’s budget, the Borough of Fanwood has begun to reconsider how it recycles. It is now considering moving to curbside recycling, staying with the current Recycling Center or using a mix of the two.

Since 2014, Fanwood has been subsidizing the Center in order to balance the budget. In 2014, the Borough gave the Center $27,700 in subsidies. In 2015, that increased to $33,920 in subsidies plus another $17,575 in additional services. The projected subsidy and additional service fees for 2016 is $98,887. “[The Recycling Center] has had a perfect storm of things that which it has been for 28 years,” said Harold Clark, President of the Fanwood-Scotch Plains Recycling Association.

The market for recyclables has declined in the last few years, Recycling Center makes money based on the amount of tons of recycling it gets. After peak-

ing in 2011 with a revenue of $115,372 from 910.0 tons of recycling, the Center’s revenue and tonnage went down. In 2014, the revenue was only $51,560 from 560.9 tons.

Along with the selling of the recyclables, the Center also receives a stipend from the state government based on the amount of recycling tonnage. These payments have decreased in recent

On Feb. 23, Fanwood held a town hall meeting at Forest Road Park to discuss the future of recycling in the Borough. During the meeting, Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahr gave a presentation on the recycling issue, discussed three possible options, and then speak.

“I think that this public hearing was a resounding success for

program, is a Center supporter.

“I would like to see it continue,” said Kostu. “I like the positive aspects that the community gets.

There are civic groups, church groups, groups from the high school who go there and earn a fee for sorting [recyclables]. That will be gone if they close it. Our high school detention program would be gone if they close it.”

The fact that the Center provides

1 p.m.—along with the issue of schedule to get to the Recycling Center as major reasons a change should occur.

Freshman Christopher Bagdonas, who has worked at the Recycling Center for his Boy Scout Troop, agreed with this point.

“I think that the recycling center should be removed,” said Bagdonas. “Many people there on their own time during Wednesdays and Saturdays.”

Despite Fanwood and the Recycling Center having a contract that runs through 2017, Mahr believes that a verdict should be expected in the near future.

“I think we have over the next

photo by Ciara Nicdao-Richardson

years.

“We had our major vendor who we sell our stuff to go bankrupt,” said Clark. “The commodity prices have dropped. The other thing is that many of the recyclables are sent to China and the Chinese So, the demand isn’t there anymore.”

the simple fact that it brought a standing-room only crowd out,” said Mahr. “I thought we heard both sides passionately and eloquently.”

Counselor Luke Kostu of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School attended the town hall meeting.

Kostu, who is the supervisor of the SPFHS’s Saturday detention

people with the opportunity to do community service and recycles cled at many locations nearby are main reasons Center supporters give for keeping the Center open.

Opponents of the Recycling Center’s hours—every Saturday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to

said Mahr.

Clark thinks the debate will come down to one question: convenience or community.

“It comes down to how much people take the inconvenience of going over to the Recycling Center in return for all of those vides,” said Clark. “And people can differ on values and so people will [think differently about how] much it is worth it. I think that is what town council is goare the majority of people in town with respect to how much they are willing to invest in their community.”

Survey results show students diversify time on social media

by Kevin Rohman

In a Fanscotian survey handed out by the World Language Department, 200 SPFHS students were asked to estimate the number of hours they spend every day on social media sites.

The majority of people use Twitter and Facebook for less than an hour on a daily basis. Reddit and Tumblr are both used for longer users out of 50 spending three to six hours on it, compared to only a single Facebook user out of 88 showing the same devotion to their site. Instagram has the most balanced results though, with almost equal amounts of casual

and serious users of the website.

Though not evident on the graph to the right, many of the students who took the survey attested to using multiple social media sites.

This, combined with the number of hours spent on each site, suggests that the average student uses three or four social media sites for small amounts of time each day, rather than using one exclusively for a long period of time. Certain sites like Instagram amount of devoted users, but the majority of students apparently prefer not to commit to any one site. infographic by Kevin Rohman

inside

ates negativity - 4

- SPF tattoos provide inspiring inklings - 5 steps or less - 10

athletics and school -12

news.....................1-2 opinion..................3-4 feature..................5,8 special feature.......6-7 entertainment.......9-10 sports.................11-12

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by Daniella Cohen and Eliza Kuperschmid

The 2016-2017 school year will bring new class options for students to put on their schedules.

Biology teacher Zachary Rittner will teach one such new AP Environmental Science course.

The course offers students the chance to explore topics on a more macro level than in a traditional Biology course. Students in order to get a hands-on learning experience. “[This class will be] going to Great Swamps National Refuge, which is a lot of fun,” said Rittner. “They’ve got a great educational outreach program, so we’ll be able to do research out there.”

Advances in modern technology prompted the creation of the Mobile Application Development course, which is making its debut at SPFHS next year.

According to the 2016-2017 SPFHS Program of Studies, the course will offer students a

by Haley Nakonechny

Good news for current Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School students: as early as next year, Wi-Fi may be available for students and faculty use.

The school’s Wi-Fi is a frequent topic of conversation among students and faculty. Students remain passionate about whether or not they should use the Wi-Fi, even if it means using it without the school’s permission.

Junior Callie Ciarocca addressed the issue, believing that Wi-Fi should be accessible for all students, for educational and personal reasons.

“Some teachers actually have us use our phones as an educational tool,” said Ciarocca. “Not being connected makes it harder for us to work.”

Currently, the district does not have a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy in place. However, the technology team is hard at work, evaluating a possible new policy for the district to adopt for students and teachers .

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chance to “learn the mobile application development process from the inception of a concept to a complete and publishable product.”

Students must complete Computer Programming as a prerequisite and maintain an average of C+ or better.

In addition, the English department has more class options for students to take in the upcoming year. One of the new classes is Dramatic Literature and the Actor, which will be taught by English teacher Gwyn Nielsen.

“Each person will act, write, direct and perform an original piece,” said Nielsen.

Students will also learn the history of the theatre starting from Ancient Greece onward. The class then introduces fundamentals of acting such as movement, voice and improvisation.

“The student has to want to act for people,” says Nielsen. “[But] I would be open to their directing and writing and not necessarily acting.”

The English department recently piloted two new senior mini-courses.

One of the classes is Narrative

“This will be a big change, which is not straightforward,” said Supervisor of Technology Darren Watsky. “There are [a lot] of steps in implementing this pol-

this year.

teacher Timothy Ryan.

This class introduces students Students will have a choice of

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nis. “They tend to represent our greatest fears.”

Dystopian novels have become much more popular since movies such as “Divergent,” “Hunger Games” and “Mad Max” have come out. Some novels that will be read in this class include “Circle,” “The Road,” “Slaugh-

Some of these books include “Unbroken,” “Into the Wild,” “The Skin Between Us,” “A Long Way Home” and “The Psychopath Test.” Students will also The class invites students to analyze “both what can be taken how we can apply what we read to ourselves in our own lives,” said Ryan.

Alisa Zonis and Elizabeth Coleman each teach the other senior mini-course: Dystopian Literature. “[Dystopias] are never actually settings that are real or true, but are always sort of horror fantasies of what could be true,” said Zo-

Watsky is currently

photo courtesy of clipartbest.com

icy.”

As of now, a BYOD policy is being evaluated by the technology team and the district to determine whether or not this system can be added. Edsonal use comes second. The determination of whether or not the status of the current Wi-Fi situation should be affected by personal use will be worked out

photo by Ciara Nicdao-Richardson

The science department is currently choosing the textbook for AP environsenior English mini-courses.

now, with a tentative proposal to hopefully come soon.

“The primary purpose of having Wi-Fi is to provide the resources needed for education,” s a i d

Watsky.

“The reality is, people have their own personal device so a BYOD policy is becoming more necessary as time goes on.”

Last year, the Board of Education invested in a new and advanced system for the school’s Wi-Fi to be run on.

So far this year, everything has been working very smoothly, with no outages to date. With this new system in place, judging

by Sabrina Khan

by Hannah Simon

molished after the weight of the snow from Winter Storm Jonas caused a partial roof collapse.

No injuries were reported since the store was closed

This year, senior Nancy Canevari won a Gold Key, the highest award from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards and an Honorable Mention at the regional level for two of her short stories, “The View From Paris,” and “Portrait of a Fury.” She submitted both pieces in December.

Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards has recognized creative talent in America’s youth. The awards they present range from recognizing young artists and writers to recognizing educators who support and encourage creativity. “[When I found out], I was so excited,” said Canevari.

“I’ve submitted pieces in the past, and I actually won a Region Gold Key my freshman year, so winning another one this year was like coming full circle. It was incredible.”

The awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The organization’s mission is to “identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.”

roof collapse caused the outer walls to cave inward, and the damage was too extreme to salvage the structure.

The store was a favorite of many residents in the nearby towns of Scotch Plains, Fanwood and Clark. Several petitions began to rebuild the store, and many proposed opening up a new Trader Joe’s site at the old A&P location in Fanwood.

Ultimately, the grocery store chain chose to reconstruct the Trader Joe’s building at the 155 Elm St. site.

“We intend to reopen this location,” said Trader Joe’s take to reopen is a work-in-progress, as we determine what needs to be done. As soon as we have a realistic timeframe, we will share our plans.”

terhouse 5” and “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.”

“Anything that makes students want to read, I’m a fan,” said Zonis.

how much bandwidth a student will use would be very easy to see.

“We will be able to see every device on our system, where it is, what it is doing, and future bandwidth it will use,” said Watsky.

Students are excited for this possible change. While it is still up in the air whether or not this change will occur, freshmen will high school career.

Freshman Julianne Garner is very enthusiastic to see this change.

“I think it’s a great idea because in a lot of classes we have to use our phones in order to participate in activities and since most [students] have a data limit, sometimes they are not able to,” said Garner.

Although Wi-Fi use by students and teachers is currently prohibited for personal devices, students and faculty can expect a change within the next few years.

by Miles Owens

In 2011, Spanish teacher Marie Concepcion created the Spanish students at SPFHS. The program was designed to help the students live the language that they study. This year 18 students from SPFHS traveled to Barcelona from Feb. 10 to Feb. 20.

The trip is a cultural and locational exchange between two pen pals: one high schooler from Barcelona, Spain and the other student from SPFHS. Both students live in in Scotch Plains. This year there are only 11th and 12th graders going on the trip, but it is open to 10th graders as well.

Many teachers have assisted in creating and maintaining the program. Concepcion, Sonia Calamusa, Mary Verlangieri and Nicholas Tropeano helped spearhead this program. They have done this every year since 2011 and it has been a success.

Students from Barcelona arrived on Thursday, March 10.

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fanscotian Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 Serving the students, faculty and communities of Scotch Plains and Fanwood since 1936.

Editors-in-Chief: Josh Axelrod Isabella Bernardo Gabriela MacPherson Saleena Nival Technology Editor: Sabrina Khan Integrity Editor: Ian MacPherson News Editor: Alyssa Cordero Opinion Editor: McKella Sylvester Feature Editor: John Marquardt Entertainment Editor: Hannah Simon Sports Editors: Peter Warren Managing Director: David Ehrenthal Head of Marketing: Haley Nakonechny Art Directors:

Advisers: Heidi Novik Elizabeth Tessi Got something to say?

Letters to the editor are encouraged. The Fanscotian reserves the right to contact writers or edit submissions for reasons of space and clarity.

The Fanscotian will not publish any writing that is libelous, obscene, or an invasion of privacy. Anonymous letters will not be published. All letters will be published on a space-available basis.

Letters to the editor may be submitted by: (1) emailing thefanscotian@gmail.com (2) mailing to The Fanscotian at Scotch Plains-Fanwood’s Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 (3) delivering them to The Fanscotian in room 215, or (4) placing them in adviser Heidi Novik’s mailbox in the

Editorial Policy The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Fanscotian, its advisers, or Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.

Advertisement Policy The Fanscotian reserves the right to refuse to publish adverinappropriate.

Mission Statement The Fanscotian is a publication of the Journalism II class at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. Its goal is to educate and inform, accurately and impartially, students, staff and community members about relevant issues and events and to serve as a forum for authentic student expression.

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Internet usage impedes students’ memories

by Kevin Rohman

There is no denying that the Internet has helped education in countless ways previously thought unattainable. With a few quick keystrokes, students can look up even the most obscure facts in seconds. However, this instant and unlimited knowledge comes at a price.

In recent years, some have claimed that the availability of and dependency on technology is doing more harm than good and has weakened the ability to retain information. The Internet the younger generation’s mental capacity if something does not change. on a history test, he is utilizing what is known as “independent memory” by remembering the fact itself. However, when people rely on external sources in order to recall information, they are utilizing a “transactive memory system,” or group memory, (a term coined by psychologist Daniel Wegner in 1985) by remembering the location of the information.

In turn, it is easier to remember the location of information than actually knowing the information itself. This saves memory space in the human brain by reducing the amount of information people need to know while still exercising their memory occasionally.

The Internet changes this mental function drastically. A phone, computer or tablet contains all of the data needed and eliminates the need to remember anything.

By storing notes on Google Docs and setting reminders on a phone, students are relying on the trans-

active memory system instead of using their independent memory.

Today’s students may depend too much on technology.

“The Internet can be a great tool for research; certainly, it opens up the world of information a lot more than could be done in the past,” said English department supervisor Jocelyn Dumaresq.

“However, we have seen a little bit of erosion in original thought, because now it is a lot easier to plagiarize.”

Sites such as SparkNotes hurt skills like essay writing and creative thinking by providing quick answers to important questions.

While this fact is true, many students disregard it because the Internet is readily available to them. Why bother remembering anything anyway? Who cares if one does not know how to solve a chemical equation? As long as

one has it in his phone, then why bother learning?

Granted, complete memorization is not always necessary, but in many cases, computer usage has been proven to potentially harm long term memory, despite aiding short term memory.

In a study conducted by the University of Wisconsin, people were asked to copy 40 memorable facts onto a computer. Half the participants were told that the facts would be saved, while the other half was told the data would be erased.

Despite knowing that they would be tested afterward, people failed to recall the same amount of facts because they believed that their work was deleted. In other words, having the ability to store information limits the necessity to retain.

Drawbacks aside, the Internet

has enabled the math department tion software called Geometer’s Sketchpad is a tool mathematics teacher Jeffrey Koegel has used to explain the Law of Sines to his classes.

“Before I started, we did not have that to show and I had teach [the concept],”said Koegel. “Now when I show the kids the animation, they get it right away.”

Although the Internet provides instant content and entertainoutweigh its harmful effects.

Staying dependant on the web will only hurt students in the long run and weaken their minds. In moderation, phones and computers are harmless tools for saving time, but relying on them completely can be dangerous.

infographic by McKella Sylvester

Flint failure: victims need continued support

by McKella Sylvester

New Orleans. Haiti. The Jersey Shore. Flint, Michigan. What do all of these places have in common? They are sites where crises once dominated national news media and called for immediate attention, but that attention eventually plateaued.

Simply put, it is poor character to be inconsistent active global citizens when the time calls for it.

“A global citizen is somebody who has the genuine belief that they can make a difference in the world and everyone–-regardless of their social situation–-should be treated with fairness and eq-

uity,” said history teacher Daniel Valentine.

Due to the extensive reporting of the lead-infected water that through the pipes of the nearly 10,000 residents of Flint, many have led efforts to send bottled water and other supplies to the community. Similarly, the hundreds of New Jersey residents displaced by Hurricane Sandy received aid from all over the country.

All of this is swell and the intentions may be pure, however, why is it that natural disasters spark immediate action, but that

response stagnates once the media cycles in a new story?

“When something deleterious to our everyday lives happens, like Hurricane Sandy [when it hit New Jersey], we do what we can to make things better,” said junior Wilda Francois. “Over time, the rush dies down because [people adapt]. I think people lose the sense of urgency because they’ve [with what they have].”

The problem does not disappear when aid is sent. Victims in New Jersey know this from experience. According to a Monmouth University poll, 41 percent of

New Jersey victims still need money to rebuild or renovate their homes.

“After we’ve heard about the situation for a while, people start to get over it,” said junior Matthew Hunter when asked about why there is a loss of momentum after a couple of weeks of coverage. “It’s sad, but people do.

They just forget about it.”

Bottom line: as global citizens, we should provide continued support to victims of natural disasters until those victims return to normalcy.

Just because the news moves on does not mean that we should. artwork by Sydney Mills

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opinion

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Facebook group embarrasses SPF community

by David Ehrenthal

When Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook, his mission statement was “to help people understand what was going on in their world and to also have control over whom they shared information with.” However, a local Facebook group, “Scotch Plains & Fanwood Neighbors” has disregarded Zuckerberg’s mission statement by drawing attention to frivolous issues in the community.

The Facebook group was created in 2013 and since then, has grown tremendously. More than 5,000 members, ranging from parents to local business owners, are currently in the group.

Members discuss nearby services and local events. How-

ever, along with the positive spread of information has come negativity and gossip. In fact, the original purpose of the group has been lost as the account has been With dozens of posts each day, “Scotch Plains & Fanwood Neighbors” is always active. ing through the group often, with townies in search of the best place to eat for a night out on the town. But do the negative reviews of local restaurants and establishments affect business?

A recent post in the group negatively reviewed a local dinner destination saying, “You know how you shouldn’t say anything if you don’t have anything good to say... I’ll say that the booths are laid out in a lovely swastika

pattern.”

Another post denounced the local CVS Pharmacy by saying “CVS in Scotch Plains is the ABSOLUTE WORST!” and recommended for others to visit a different CVS location.

According to a poll from DoSomething.org, 43 percent of kids have been bullied online.

From kindergarten through senior year, children learn about the scope of cyberbullying from school assemblies, class discussions and parental conversations.

But the issue is twofold: how is a child supposed to report cyberbullying to adults when adults are cyberbullying each other?

“It sets a really bad example,” said an anonymous group member and Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School employee. “It’s

easier to hide behind a computer screen than say what you would in person.”

After the recent snowstorms, the group ignited with posts about the possibility of snow days, indoor activities and bad road conditions. Along with this, hostility appeared through angry posts about town members’ tax money being wasted on unplowed roads. There were many rebuttals on how the town was doing their best and some said that homeowners could plow themselves.

What example do parents set for children when they themselves are feuding with other parents?

If parents want their children to live in a cyberbully-free environment, it starts from the top.

While this group can provide helpful tips and information,

the negativity far outweighs the positivity. Zuckerberg created Facebook as a means to share life events, post photos and catch up with old friends. The “Scotch Plains & Fanwood Neighbors” group shows children that if they want to say something negative to another person, that they should do so behind a computer screen where there are fewer repercussions for their actions.

To all the members of the group: know that your words harm others, even when they come from a keyboard. Users project a negative image of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood community by bashing businesses, parents and town members. If you wouldn’t want your kids to be saying these things, then why are you? Think before you type. artwork by Hijab Shahid

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feature

Student tattoos serve as inspiring inklings

by Josh Axelrod

For many, the much-anticipatmilestone. One gains the ability to vote in the presidential election, purchase a lottery ticket or even jump out of a plane and skydive. But many students are celebrating the big day in a more permanent way.

Tattoos can be seen all over the school, with students choosing to commemorate everything from bible verses to birthdays. However, a new trend has emerged; students are getting meaningful tattoos that offer touching backstories.

Carly Zogg is a newly tattooed senior. Her mother lost a battle to cancer, but before she passed away she wrote Zogg a letter containing the phrase “to be alive.” She decided to place those words on her wrist to celebrate the memory of her mom. very philosophical message for me,” said Zogg. “Every time I look at my tattoo, not only does it remind me of my mom, but it reminds me to continue to question what the meaning of life really is. I believe that it’s up to each individual on this planet to

photo courtesy of Alexa Hudak

think about what it means ‘to be alive’ and to strive throughout life to explore this meaning on their own.”

Explaining how it makes her feel, Zogg said, “whenever I look at it I feel very aware of my being and purpose in the universe, as strange as it sounds. I enjoy the emotion it brings because it pulls me out of my role in society for a moment and allows me to explore my philosophical thoughts surrounding the essence of what it means to be alive.”

Some students younger than 18 years of age have also gotten tattoos. Junior Alexa Hudak is for ink. She had the word “chosen” in cursive with three birds and the date of her adoption in Roman numerals tattooed on her ribcage. The three birds represent her birth parents, her foster parents and the parents she currently lives with.

“I chose [the tattoo] because I knew I really wanted one, and I knew it had to be something meaningful, so I decided to get this,” said Hudak. “I felt like it was different – usually you see ed something really customized to me.”

Although many may wrestle with the choice to permanently place an image on their bodies, Hudak says it was more of a “spur-of-the-moment” decision.

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Spiffy checklists for success

by Alexa-Jada Nelson

After surveying four SPFHS students, one from each grade, The 2015-2016 school year on a positive note.

photo courtesy of Carly Zogg

Senior Carly Zogg looks away as her tattoo is inscribed on her arm. Zogg received her tattoo after her 18th birthday.

Her friends were even angry with her for not telling them.

“I just went one day and then I came home and I sent a picture and they were like, ‘Oh my god!

You got it and you didn’t tell us?’” said Hudak.

Other students get tattoos as a form of representation. Sophomore Lamont Cruse has two tattoos on his shoulder. One is of a basketball with a crown and clouds and the other is his mother’s name with three hearts.

Cruse plays varsity basketball for the school and the sport is very important to him, as is his mother.

Whatever the circumstance or experience, every picture tells a story.

“They allow for personal expression and have the ability to bring great meaning and happiness to one’s life,” said Zogg. graphic by Alexa-Jada Nelson

Student-run anti-bullying organization raises allergy awareness among teens

by Rachel Lambert

Teen FAAB started small. sador for Bystander Revolution Sophomore Katherine Schug’s “I just shared [Teen FAAB] with last year. As an ambassador, she life took a drastic turn in 2012 friends and family,” said Schug. spreads the word about Bystandwhen she attended a conference “Then, later, I started going on er Revolution’s campaigns. She about food allergies. Upon leav- social media and sharing it. Also, also participated in their Month ing, she found herself empow- in 8th grade, a person from FARE of Action, a social campaign with ered, inspired and ready to help [Food Allergy Research & Eduthose who also suffered from cation] asked me to present about 31 days of October. allergies, but didn’t know where to start.

Then, an opportunity came along. In the sixth grade, Schug’s English teacher instructed her class to start a website to share all of their assignments. This simple assignment is what motivated Schug to make the change she desired. Thus, she started a website about food allergies.

Teen FAAB (Food Allergies & Anti-Bullying), founded about four years ago by Schug, is an organization that strives to spread awareness of food allergies, photo courtesy of Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) provide support for those Sophomore Katherine Schug speaks at the 2014 FARE Teen Summit. Schug has with food allergies and been attending food allergy conferences since 2012. help those who are bullied because of food allergies. food allergies and anti-bullying Schug was featured in the book “Sometimes the media por- in their conference. After I spoke “Food Allergies: The Ultimate trays people with food allergies there, I started speaking at other Teen Guide” by Jessica Reino as geeky,” said Schug. “A Disney organizations, too.” and her organization was feashow actually did that, and as a Since starting the organization, tured in Allergic Living magaresult, many people are bullied Schug has had many memorable zine. Through her endeavors, she because of their conditions. My experiences and unique opportu- has also met inspiring people. goal is to help others who are nities.

“I met Kenton Duty from ‘Shake bullied.”

“I’ve spoken at FARE and It Up’,” said Schug. “It made me As the founder of Teen FAAB, FAACT [Food Allergy & Ana- realize that even celebrities have Schug runs a blog, writes news phylaxis Connection Team],” suffered from allergy-based bularticles and even has a YouTube said Schug. “I was also part of the lying.”

Channel.

Teen Advisory Council for both Through Teen FAAB’s mentor Starting an organization is not of their organizations.” program, Schug also met a girl easy. Like most organizations, Schug also became an ambas- named Audrey who was bullied

by her peers at school. Students deemed it unfair that food restrictions were imposed simply because of her presence.

“I gave her advice, and later she became her own advocate,” said Schug. “She started going to conferences, standing up to bullies and spreading awareness.”

Another person who has really inspired Schug is a girl named Kendall Hollinger. “[Kendall] is allergic to 95 percent of all foods,” said Schug.

“She has to be fed by a feeding tional, because she never lets it hold her back. She is a musician and heading off to college now.

I pretty much get all my advice from her.”

On a personal level, Schug feels that this has been a really liberating experience.

“Before, I used to be this really shy person, and then, once I had

Schug. “From there, I’ll just say that I’ve changed a lot.”

This past year, Schug has found many ways for any student to get involved.

“I have a mentor program,” said Schug. “You could also be a mentee, where we mentor you through it. You could also write a blog post about your experiences.

If you have a product or website or anything with food allergies, we can review it, because we have found that reviews can be very helpful if you want to know more about the product.”

Most of all, Schug wants to reminds people to always be mindful of everyone, especially when it comes to food allergies.

“Take precautions, and always think of others who may have food allergies because if you have food in the classroom, you never know who is going to be allergic to it,” said Schug.

To get involved with Teen FAAB, be sure to check out their website at teenfaab.com.

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special feature

march 2016

Looming presidential elections take America by

by Jonathan Kriney, Ian MacPherson and Saleena Nival

With primaries taking place around the country, the time draws nearer for the decisive party conventions. November’s general election approaches with each passing day. In order stances on the following issues: human rights, education, foreign policy, government programs and Second Amendment rights.

Hillary Clinton

Human Rights paid family leave and affordable childcare and cut mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenders.

Education: She plans to focus on improving teacher training, investing in universal pre-K and other early learning programs and ensuring students with disabilities get the services they need to go to school.

Foreign Policy: She would like to create a “broader strategy to confront Iran,” collaborate with countries to encourage China and Russia to be responsible world powers and continue to support Israel with military defense systems.

Government Programs: Clinton will defend Planned Parenthood funding, work to expand Social Security for the most disadvantaged, build on the system that the Affordable Care Act has put in place and boost federal infrastructure investment.

Second Amendment: Clinton would like to strengthen background checks and look for loopholes to close, investigate irresponsible dealers and manufacturers and defend a ban on military-style weapons.

Sources: www.hillaryclinton.com, www.msnbc.com, www.washingtonpost.com

urtesy of photo co n / Creo yt Ted E mons/ m o C ative .com Via Flickr

Bernie Sanders ph o Cr of P to ea hi co l R urt t i v Vi a e C oed esy Fl om e ick r r.c mo / om ns /

As a feminist, Sanders believes that abortion is a decision for a woman and doctor, not the government.

Education: His main goal is to make public college tuition free for Americans.

Foreign Policy is not how many wars we can engage in, but how we can use our war is the last resort and plans to protect America through diplomacy.

Government Programs: He plans to expand Planned Parenthood funding.

Second Amendment: Sanders thinks gun control legislation should fall on individual states, with the exception of instant background checks to prevent gun violence. He would enact a federal ban on assault weapons.

Donald Trump

Human Rights: He supports traditional marriage between a man and a woman. Trump also advocates for using waterboarding or stronger torture methods on captured terrorists.

Education: Trump opposes the Common Core, and is in favor of locally managed curriculum systems.

Foreign Policy: He plans to toughen trade talks with both

Sources: www.donaldjtrump.com, www.ontheissues.org, www.cbsnews.com

of sy / te re ur mo co o Skid Com ckr. ot i ph ge tive Fl Ga ea Via Cr ns/ o m

for American workers. In the Middle East he wants to create a US-funded safezone in Syria for refugees and strengthen our relationship with Israel.

Government Programs: Trump wants to defund Planned Parenthood. He also vows to slash spending on the Department of Education and the EPA. He wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act and create a new healthcare system.

Second Amendment: He believes that law-abiding citizens have the right to own any gun of their choice. He plans to strengthen background checks to ensure that guns remain in responsible hands.

photo courtesy of Michael Vadon / Creative Commons / Via Flickr.com

Sources: www.berniesanders.com, www.feelthebern.org

Candidates

Human Rights: Sanders is an LGBT ally and supports LGBT rights. He plans

Marco Rubio

Human Rights: Although Rubio personally disagrees with LGBT marriage, he believes that the Supreme Court decision should stand because it is the law.

Education: He advocates keeping education local instead of enacting Common Core.

Foreign Policy: He is known for being a “hawk” when it comes to foreign policy.

He believes that entering into relations with Cuba and signing the Iran Nuclear Deal

phot o Disn courtes e y visio y | ABC T of n Gr eleo up / ative Cre C Via F ommons / lickr. com

that military intervention in Syria should be seriously considered.

Government Programs they incentivize women to get abortions and should be investigated.

Second Amendment: According to his campaign website, Rubio wants to “protect the sacred rights of America’s gun owners.”

Sources: www.marcorubio.com, www.ontheissues.org

Ted Cruz

Human Rights: Cruz would like to admit Christian refugees from Syria, but encourages Muslims to go to other countries in the Middle East for refuge. He supports traditional marriage.

Education: Cruz denounces the Common Core curriculum and supports taking educational standards out of the hands of the federal government and making it a local issue.

Foreign Policy: Cruz has promised to “rip up the Iran deal on day one,” “carpet bomb ISIS” and expand the military. He plans to strengthen the US-Israel alliance by threatening to defund the UN if it continues its “anti-Israel bias.”

Government Programs: Cruz would like to rein in the federal government by eliminating numerous federal agencies such as the IRS, the Department of Education and the Department of Energy. He promises to repeal the Affordable Care Act and make healthcare “more personal.”

Second Amendment: He is a protector of gun rights, which has led to endorsements from the NRA and Gun Owners of America. He defended gun rights in the Supreme Court, Sources: www.tedcruz.org, www.ontheissues.org

special feature

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7

storm, students discuss candidates and issues Whether or not SPF students will vote in the upcoming elections because of age, the next leader of the United States affects everyone. The student body shows interest in the elec-

Freshman Justin rizzi stands with Hillary On Clinton: “Hillary has always been a very vocal supporter of Barack Obama and his healthcare plan. I like that a lot because, rather than building from the ground up, we should work with what we have. I think she just wants to make the country safer. She doesn’t want guns randomly in the streets and in schools. That makes a lot of sense.”

On Sanders: “I like Bernie’s idealogy a lot; however, he’s trying to do too much, and right now America doesn’t need a revolution. We’re going for someone who will work on what President Obama has laid down for the past eight years.”

As of Super Saturday, Clinton has won Democratic primary elections in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

sophomore Diamond Terrell #feelstheBern On Sanders: “Bernie Sanders gives young people a voice in the election. He can get us to care about important issues, [such as] income equality. I think it’s important that if a man and a woman have the same job, they should have equal pay. The same goes for people of different races. Even though I’m a sophomore I think that if Bernie becomes president, free public college is something he will really try to do. I really hope Bernie will go far and I think he has a good shot [at President].”

photo by Jonathan Kriney

by ival o ot N ph ena le

Sa

On Trump: “I dislike Donald Trump because he’s racist and doesn’t believe in basic human rights.”

As of Super Saturday, Sanders has won Democratic primary elections in Colorado, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Vermont.

photo by Ian MacPherson

Students

senior giancarlo lorusso wants to make america great again On Trump: “I support him because he has the gall to say things that people don’t like to hear. I feel like today’s society is very sensitive toward a lot of topics. He’s a businessman.

He’ll know how to run the country, and it will be better ecoget in, so [immigrants] don’t have to resort to illegally coming here. But I feel like the wall is something that’s necessary so we stop getting illegal immigrants.”

On Clinton: “I know if Hillary Clinton was to get the nomination, I would vote for whoever is against her. I don’t like her viewpoints and I just can’t see her being the best leader.”

ph o ac to b Ph y er Ian so n

As of Super Saturday, Trump has won Republican primary elections in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Vermont and Virginia.

M

junior Justin Greenman embraces a ‘New american century’ On Rubio: “I believe [Marco Rubio] is the most electable Republican candidate and that he can reunite the Party. I differ from more extreme Republicans because I believe in keeping money with the middle class. I agree with Rubio on this because he proposes a tax break for families.”

Josh o by phot elrod Ax

On Trump: “Trump is discrediting the whole Republican Party. He is anti-establishment, and I don’t believe that he can win the election.”

As of Super Saturday, Rubio has won the Republican primary elections in Minnesota and Puerto Rico.

TrusTED: junior Joshua wiener supports Cruz On Cruz [the Affordable Care Act], which is something I personally admire. He’s a constitutionalist, which I also respect. That’s the but a great deal.”

On Trump: “Donald Trump is very entertaining. But now, since it’s getting closer to the election, I’m ready for the joke to stop. He’s back and forth on everything.”

As of Super Saturday, Cruz has won Republican primary elections in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Oklahoma and Texas.

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Senior Jacqueline Fahrenholz kicks off Senior Project -

by Isabella Bernardo

Senior year is a time when stu-

-

the question: what am I going to ing thrown into a major or inter-

matter

-

what

-

ing into in the -

whether I de-

photo courtesy of Roberto Auguas

Fahrenholz converses with a soccer coach. She will be working with many coaches throughout her project.

-

Potential Senior Projects Shadowing a teacher in Tomorrow’s Teachers

Organizing TED Talks

Working with Jazz House Kids -

Redesigning a website Shadowing a school psychologist

her.

photo courtesy of Diane Scarengella

-

Fahrenholz intercepts the ball. Her passion for soccer inspired her senior project.

Working at TAPinto

Fanscotian fashion week: SPF students show off unique styles

by Alexa-Jada Nelson and Ciara Nicdao-Richardson

Inspired by New York Fashion Week, The Fanscotian is proud to present the “Fanscotian Fashion Week.”

The staff features students who truly make a fashion statement and look ready for the runway every day. Fashion is more than just clothing; it is about assembling a look that marks one’s individuality, personality and creativity. The following students truly embrace this concept, and their uniqueness is represented by their styles. Without further ado, here is the “Fanscotian Fashion Week!” photos by Ciara Nicdao-Richardson

Model Monday

Dancewear Tuesday

B&W Wednesday

Trendsetter Thursday

Fancy Friday

Sophomore (and Fanscotian contributor) Daniella Cohen

Sophomore Jericho Lopez

Junior Kayla Salgado-Rengifo

Junior Sydney Shuler

Freshman Allan Romero

-

-

-

-

her.

Sweater Jeans Boots

Hoodie Adidas Pants Shoes

Vest Shirt Leggings Shoes

Shirt Jacket Jeans Boots

-

entertainment

the

fanscotian

Brand new club is a ‘smash’ hit In a dark world (or high school) where the gamers of Scotch Plains and Fanwood are unrepresented and borderline oppressed by the lack of extracurriculars, a light of hope has shone. While SPF has long offered a lot of clubs, there has been a dearth of fun for those that game. In JanuSmash Bros. Club, was born.

Super Smash Brothers, colloquially known as “Smash Bros,” is a series of combat games published four installments in the series, and the most recent released

is a big step. The Smash Bros series er games such as Halo and Call of Duty. There are plenty of players in the SPF community that practice often at el, and Smash Bros.

Club will hopefully be able to assist them.

Members who attend the club’s meeting are welcome to discuss their preferred characters, games and stages. Additionally, members participate in tournaments and duke it out with other gamers in Crea t

ive C omm

ons / Via F

well as a handful of mods (fan-made alterations).

Smash Bros. Club is much more important to SPF than it may seem.

infographic

by Haley Nakonechny

eo game enthusiasts and fanatics, so

lickr .com

by John Marquardt

9

march 2016

series. Attendees are ex-

swx

xii /

high school dedicat-

pho to co urte s

ty of

Various clubs to support students and faculty with their hobbies: a part of AV club and future Robert Frosts can write for Muse. Unfortunately, Raiders with a passion for with the exception of a few game tournaments hosted by JSA.

controllers, but fortunately most matches only include

members can share.

a must-see for curious students. nitely should attend, whether they be passionate gamers or simply curious Raiders.

Smash Bros. Club meetings are held every Wednesday.

Rupert Holmes visits repertory theatre

by Josh Axelrod

Many will only recognize Rupert Holmes for writing the unforgettably catchy “Escape (the Pina Cowasn’t singing about tropical fruit smoothies, Holmes was appearing in operas, writing musicals and winning Tony Awards.

The multi-talented songwriter stopped by Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School to speak with the cast of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” to discuss the show he created. Responsible for penning the script, lyrics and score-- a rare feat for a single write-- Holmes was friendly The British-born composer began by answering questions from the show’s director Matt Capodicasa.

Explaining how he found his way into the world of theater, Holmes -

these people are going to take me to reside and I am going to go there with them,’” said Holmes.

“That’s a wonderful thing.”

After jokingly referring to the show as a “Victorian High School Musical,” Holmes opened up the questions.

Senior Sean Cheney, who plays the lead role of John Jasper, asked him about the challenge of switching between different genres of music. Holmes answered that it was

no real challenge, and that from a young age, he was also exposed to many different musical styles.

“Duke Ellington said there are two types of music: good and bad,” said Holmes. “That’s how I was portunity employers? I was an equal opportunity enjoyer.”

The cast then performed selections from the show, including the rambunctious opening number, “There You Are.” Offering tips to ensemble members, Holmes also reminded them that his opinions are essentially meaningless and that the cast must decide how they want to portray the characters and story.

“This is your show,” said Holmes.

“I can tell you what I would do if I was in charge but I’m not. This is

you a big ball of Play-Doh and now you’re going to decide photo by Rachel Lambert what it’s going to be.”

“There’s something about looking at a musical and the curtains Rupert Holmes speaks to SPF students. Holmes wrote After signing postgo up and you say, ‘for two hours the song “Escape (the Pina Colada Song).” ers with personalized messages to each cast member, the humble songwriter commended the ensemble on their singing and acting.

“You’re wonderful, you’re good people and I wish you great “Thank you for honoring me by putting on ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood.’” photo courtesy of John Mooney

‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood’: the murderers pitch their cases

by Alyssa Cordero

This year, the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Repertory Theatre presents “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.” Unlike any other musical performed at SPFHS, this musical allows the audience to potential murderers in the musical. To view the full interviews, visit @thefanscotian on Instagram.

Sometimes you don’t feel like thinking, so just go with

Durdles played

by Joshua Axelrod.

Helena Landless played

by Erin Sheehy.

Bazzard played by Conor Flood.

Princess Puffer played by Sara Miller.

[Helena] is really mysterious.

kill Edwin; there’s a different explanation for why she would end up being the murderer.

John Jasper played

by Sean Cheney.

The Rev. Mr. Crisparkle played by Ethan Graham.

some deeds in the past that

Rosa Bud played

by Julia Guarneri.

photos courtesy of Camille Coleman

Neville Landless played by Josh Wiener.

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entertainment

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fanscotian

march 2016

by Alexa-Jada Nelson and Majeda Mohammed

CHILI BREAD BOWL

ICED COFFEE

CHOCOLATE ALMONDS

You will need:

You will need: Almonds (Raw)

Sugar

White) Sea salt, optional Baking sheet

To make coffee ice cubes: Brew coffee and pour into a clean ice tray. Freeze until solid.

To make cold-brewed coffee: Place the coffee in a glass at room temperature for 12 hours or overnight.

the cold-brewed coffee into glass with coffee ice cubes.

Sweeten to taste with sugar. Add milk as desired. up to 24 hours. This recipe can be doubled.

Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com.

photos by Majeda Mohammed and Alexa-Jada Nelson

SALTINE TOFFEE BARK To prep, line baking sheet with wax paper. Fill saucepan ¾ with water and put a medium metal bowl over it. Put the stove on high heat. Pour the chocolate chips into the bowl and let the chocolate melt for 10 minutes. Turn off stove when melted.

Put almonds in the chocolate and make sure they are coated. Take out almonds one at a time with the fork and place them gently onto the wax paper.

Sprinkle almonds with additional toppings, then allow the almonds to set. (Put baking sheet in the fridge to speed up the process)

To see all of the recipes visit thefanscotian.com.

Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com.

Young adult series transition to the small screen

by Saleena Nival

“Game of Thrones,” “Dexter” and “Pretty Little Liars”: many famous book series have garnered huge success from television adaptations. Two popular young adult series hope

photo courtesy of Wikipedia / Creative Commons

a magician is a super intelligent human who has the ability to manipulate magic.

Quentin’s wish for something more than the bleak life he lives comes true when Hogwarts of Grossman’s series. Only this school is not as magical as in Harry Potter’s world. With magic comes danger, death and enemies, something Quentin learns very quickly. A more mature blend of “Narnia” and “Harry Potter” produces a wonderful and unique trilogy. airing on Syfy channel, brings to life the world Grossman has created. From the awkward, yet depressed Hamlet-like per-

sona of Quentin (played by Jason Ralph) mesmerizing story of the books. With a strong plot and intriguing characters, the show is extremely binge-worthy.

A particularly captivating scene is when the Beast is introduced. Wreaking magical havoc on a frozen class, the Beast shows just how dangerous magic can be when used for evil.

While the acting is not Oscar-worthy, each character has his own personality that adds to the story as a whole. cians” introduces you to a riveting world that will keep you interested from start to

photo courtesy of Wikipedia / Creative Commons

Brooklyn. However, she soon discovers that she and her mother, Jocelyn, are anything but normal: they are Shadowhunters, half-angel, half-humans who are trained in hunting and slaying demons. this secret when a rogue Shadowhunter called Valentine kidnaps Jocelyn. A com-

thrilling action and supernatural worlds. big screen in 2013, but the movie series was discontinued. The series was instead adapted into a television show on Freeform.

While the show closely follows the plot

photo courtesy of YouTube

Julia, played by actress Stella Maeva, hovers above the ground. She was a good friend of

of the books, poor acting and questionable characters will disappoint those with high expectations.

trippy techno-music and three rather dangerous looking shadowhunters hunting a demon in human shape, the scene is well put together, starting the show on a good foot. However, the episode goes downhill from there. While action scenes are riveting, they are few and far between and leave time for unconvincing acting to ruin actions between characters are scoffable and unrealistic. A television show is not supposed to sound scripted.

Honestly, the best part of the show is the attractive cast. All of the actors could pass for models, but unfortunately looks cannot overcome quality.

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sports

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Swimming season success makes waves in NJ director Ryan Miller. “But their best in their respective programs’ ming comes from the training one on both teams has to continue The swimming programs at leadership at practice sets them histories. at such a young age. Hulnik be- to work hard to accomplish betScotch Plains-Fanwood High apart and helps the team.”

Not only are both teams among lieves that SPF is great at helping ter performances. The routine of School have been in the upper The boys program also had the best in SPFHS history, but swimmers develop because of putting a lot into practice is what echelon of New Jersey swim- an exceptional year. The team they could be considered the the town’s commitment to swim- makes swimming a phenomenal ming for years. Their recent ac- was ranked eighth in the state strongest programs at the school. ming. program. Hulnik believes that to colades prove this to be a special program, be deserving. Just last the team has to want year, the girls were to put in the time to be crowned state chamexcellent. pions. This year, the “Swimming is hard,” boys were runners-up said Hulnik. “And it for states for the sectakes many hours in ond year in a row. The the pool to become swimming program highly skilled.” blows other programs The time spent prearound the state out of paring gives the Raidthe water.

“We are always comwith the program’s petitive,” said swimcombined record of ming head coach Jes57-7-1 from the presica Hulnik, winner of vious two seasons. the 2015 National FedThe prestige and eration of Girls Swimswagger of the teams ming Coach of the Year is what makes Hulnik award. “But the last couple of years both the saying “they fear no boys and the girls have one.” been exceptional.”

What makes the After coming off of programs even better last year’s undefeatis the support both ed campaign, the girls photo courtesy of Caleb Cohen teams have for each program achieved an- The boys swim team holds up the 2016 North II, Public B Sectional title trophy, their second sectional title in a row. The boys won the title by defeat- other. other year of immense ing the fourth-seeded Millburn Millers 103-67. “[The boys team] success. The girls is very good to us,” were ranked third in the state by by NJ.com. Not only was the “[Swimming] is among the most “We are surrounded by a great said Judge. “We try to go out to NJ.com, had a 12-2 record and team ranked highly, but they also successful programs we have had swimming community,” said their meets just as much as they were Union County champions. dominated their competition. The in the history of SPFHS,” said Hulnik. “In our area there are come out to our meets and they After making it to the sectional several YMCAs and swim clubs are very supportive. We are one - second place in Union County in Union County and the state which offer year-round lessons big family.” breaking 0.07 seconds. At the and was a win away from their section almost every year for the and year-round competitive proThe Raiders’ swimming propast 15 years and have enjoyed grams. There are also several gram has been exceptional for NJ.com called the girls one of the The core of the Raider boys the county swimmer of the year summer swim clubs which intro- many years and will continue to two best public school programs swim team is juniors Chris Bond- almost annually, whether it be the duce many of our swimmers to be so with the passion the team in the state. arowicz and Brody Rash. male or female. The teams don’t competitive swimming. Because and town have for the sport. The Throughout the year, the girls “Everyone on the team wants to shy away from the best in the of this high quality instruction future looks bright for the proteam was guided by senior Sar- win,” said Bondarowicz. “That state and have lived in the Top 10 early on, our swimmers come gram as they will continue to ah Davis and junior Stephanie desire to succeed really pushes of NJ.com for almost a decade. into high school very prepared make a splash in all their compeJudge. us to do well.” and ready to perform.” titions.

“Clearly [Davis and Judge] are The success of the swim teams this school.”

The training doesn’t stop once “[The swim teams] will be in fast swimmers and among the in the past couple of years have The key to having a successful the swimmers are at the high contention for every title next best in New Jersey,” said athletic put them into consideration as the high school program for swim- school level. From there, every- year,” said Miller.

by Robert Fallo

From studying game plans to making lesson plans position similar to what other “As a team you endure tryouts, During their time in high celebrate wins and analyze losses school, many Scotch Plains-Fan- said Boyce. “I served as a key together,” said Boyce. “So for wood High me, the most memorable moSchool teachers ments were bonding with my participated in teammates.” after school acSimilarly, history teacher Mattivities.

From thew Tiedemann was a center clubs to band to sports, the teachteam. ers at SPFHS “The way my team played were members of a plethora of difplayed the defensive center midferent activities.

Much like how back and usually marked a danstudents play vargerous player on the other team.” ious sports, teachTiedemann still stays in touch photo courtesy of Ashleigh Boyce ers did as well. with his high school soccer team Ashleigh Boyce (left) poses with a teammate after a high Ashleigh Boyce, school lacrosse game. Boyce was a starter and a team and says how playing a sport im- captain. pacted him as a student. cal education teacher, was cap- player in defense and also opened “It taught me some values of tain and had the position of being up opportunities in the offensive hard work and what you need to a third man on her high school half as well.” do to succeed,” said Tiedemann. varsity lacrosse team.

Boyce has fond memories of Both teachers expressed passion “The third man is a multi-di- bonding with her teammates, es- for their athletic past and continmensional player who serves a pecially after grueling workouts. ue to apply it to their careers.

by McKella Sylvester

“Sports had always come naturally to me,” said Boyce. “I re-

is a connection. Experience with different personalities and viewing things from multiple perspectives is important in both sports and academics.

“I think the idea of teaching lessons and looking at things from different ways is similar to photo courtesy of Matthew Tiedemann how teachers Matthew Tiedemann takes a touch in a high school soccer look at certain game. Tiedemann continued his soccer career at Fairleigh Dickinson University. content from different anally had a respect for the games gles,” said Tiedemann. “Just like that I grew up playing. I knew soccer and other sports where that I would enjoy teaching these certain positions see things difsports for the rest of my life.” ferently than coaches.”

Despite the differences between teaching and playing sports, there

sports

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fanscotian

march 2016

On the record with sailor Melanie Walker

by Gabriela MacPherson

Senior Melanie Walker sailed for three years in Normandy Beach, NJ. During her time sailing, she competed in two sailing tournaments in Manasquan River and Toms River, called regattas, and even spent two weeks living on a boat. Walker shared her experiences with The Fanscotian.

What made you start sailing?

I started sailing when I was 13 years old. My sister was sailing and a bunch of my friends from the shore sailed as well, which encouraged me to start.

What does sailing entail? Is it hard work?

Sailing entails a lot of dedication, precision and concentration. When learning to sail, you have to learn how to tack (turn) and how to maneuver the boat.

Also, we are trained to know what to do if the boat turtles to sailboats as well. We are taught to know how to assemble the sail and tie it down.

that I did took place in Maine.

We sailed up the coast for two weeks in the summer. I lived on a 10-foot long boat with 10 other people and we did everything on the boat: ate, slept and cooked.

up on the island, with no one in sight. We were left with a gallon of water, minimal food, our bags, a tent and a waste bag for 30 hours.

The advisers came and checked on everyone a couple times, but the majority of the time was spent alone, as

“Sailing makes you feel so free. You’re on your own, on the water.”

What is the best sailing experience you’ve ever had?

The best sailing experience I had was sailing up the coast of Maine on my Outward Bound trip. Outward Bound is an outdoor-education organization. I did mine the summer going

Every day, everyone would have a different job, and every night, we would switch shifts based on jobs for anchor watch.

During the trip, we also did tons of ice-breaker activities, and we were each given a postcard to write to someone else on the trip, which we received months after we returned home.

What is the scariest sailing experience you’ve ever had?

My Outward Bound trip was also the scariest sailing experience I’ve had. I did not know any of the people that I was with.

I was embarrassed to mess up in front of these people. I felt obligated to make a good impression on them. The individual part of

photo courtesy of Melanie Walker

Melanie Walker poses while steering her sailboat in Brick, NJ. Walker has sailed for three years.

more than halfway through the trip, we got off of the boat and went onto Burnt Island. While we were on Burnt Island, we completed our ‘solo’ portion of the process. We were all split

through the journey. On my solo, I wrote a lot in my journal, prayed to God for a safe journey home and just asked for a comforting feeling because I was really scared and homesick during this portion. At the end of the trip, we sailed back to the base camp and stayed the night there. We were individually talked to by the advisers about how we did on the trip.

Playing in three sports during the school year requires harding the perfect balance between work and play is incredibly difmix makes it that much harder.

These athletes who play year round are called “Iron Raiders.”

The physical, academic and social strain takes skill and dedication to manage.

The average sports practice lasts up to two hours. Then, depending on their class workload, students may have at least one hour of homework. During the school week, this can result in a strict and repetitive schedule for sports, homework and sleep.

“I got used to coming home and doing my homework quickmore Maddy Bord, a cross country and track runner.

Practices are often held on weekends and over vacations as well. Student athletes are usually limited to one week of break or fewer between seasons.

Jalen Bryant, senior football player, wrestler and javelin thrower, described feeling “lazy” on his days off.

“It feels weird going home while the sun’s still out,” said Bryant. “Most people would expect me to love the break, but I need something to do with my time.”

The transition between sports

T 19 H 2 E

Total number of boys and girls

Championship

Back-to-back appearances in boys swimming

81

Three pointers made by the boys basketball team Would you encourage others to sail?

I would encourage others to sail if they like something that involves a lot of practice. Sailing isn’t something you can become good at in a day; it takes a lot of dedication. There are so many different types of boats that you can sail, and you can sail individually or in pairs.

Sailing makes you feel so free.

You’re on your own, on the water. People are surrounding you, but it doesn’t feel like it.

‘Iron Raiders’ balance their academics and athletics

by Majeda Mohammed

37

Goals by junior hockey forward Jared Figueroa

means a change in training.

Some students participate in sports with completely contrasting goals and strategies.

Others participate in similar sports with similar practices and conditioning. Either way, the point of training is to get better and accomplish more. photo courtesy of Phyllis Mirabella Both Bord and Bryant Senior Jalen Bryant wrestles for the varsity agreed that the drive for wrestling team. He has also played on the success is what keeps them motivated to work hard and ant has already chosen the latter. improve.

“I want to study chemical enOnce high school ends, student gineering and it’s going to be athletes must decide whether to rough trying to balance that,” continue with their sports. Some Bryant said. “It’s already rough choose to continue to tackle all now in high school so I couldn’t three, while others focus on one. imagine how it would be to take Others opt out of all three. Bry- it to the next level.”

R 1:45:36 U 7-3 N 1063 D O W N 6

regions

Record-breaking time by girls swim team 200-yard medley relay at the Meet of Champions

Conference record for girls basketball, second best conference record in division

Season high score for the of UCIAC Tournament

Senior Sarah Davis dives into the Chatham.

photo by Gabriela MacPherson

All stats as of March 8