April 2015

The Stinger April 2015

Volume 40

stingerehs.com @stingerehs @stingerehs

Issue 5

Kevin White’s mother and father Tammy and Kevin White Sr. proudly show off a West Virginia football portrait of White.

Photo by Lindsay Harner

EHS alumnus White drafted by the Bears

John Lang Sports Editor Emmaus High School graduate Kevin White started his professional football career when the Chicago Bears snatched up the wide receiver as the seventh overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft last Thursday.

The 2010 Emmaus graduate made himself a top prospect for the National Football League this past season at West Virginia University where White tallied up an impressive 109 receptions for 1,477 yards and 10 touchdowns. White joins the Monsters of the Midway as the Bears recently traded Brandon Marshall, a key wide receiver, to the New York Jets.

Just five years ago, White wore a Hornets’ green and gold jersey as an all-Lehigh Valley Conference wide receiver when he played under former coach Joe Bottiglieri.

During his years at Emmaus, White would leave his Lower Macungie townhome behind the Hillside School to sit in the same classrooms and walk the same hallways as 2,500 other students. On Fridays, he would suit up in his uniform and take the field at EPSD Stadium just like the other players, although he largely played special teams and didn’t see a lot of game

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time.

Still, White had deep aspirations beyond the field at North and Pine streets.

“I’m just trying to get drafted and make a name in the NFL,” White said in the days leading up to the draft. “It’s been my dream since I was a kid. I’ve always wanted it.”

While White achieved the dream last week, his path wasn’t always so easy.

After Emmaus, he suffered an injury and financial aid issues -- and his football future became questionable at one point. But eventually his career began to take hold with two seasons at Lackawanna College, where two of his brothers would later follow. He then transferred to West Virginia where he set two records last year. He now continues his next journey as a rookie with 9-time league champions Chicago, one of the original NFL franchises, although they haven’t seen a Super Bowl victory since 1985.

Ryan Pace, the Bears general manager, told reporters that White was a “dangerous” receiver who fit all of the criteria that the team needs.

White isn’t the first Hornet to get drafted by a professional Chicago team. In 2007, the Chicago Bulls tapped former Pitt bas-

Emmaus helps fundraise for pediatric cancer research

9

ketball stand-out Aaron Gray to play hoops during the second round of the NBA draft.

Gray’s photo hangs in the school’s gymnasium, and soon so will White’s, according to Emmaus athletic director Dennis Ramella.

Ramella acknowledges that seeing former students earn a draft pick is uncommon. However, Emmaus stands as the first high school in the Lehigh Valley to have two first-round draft picks in the NFL, he said. In 1979, the Detroit Lions selected EHS grad Keith Dorney, who played at Penn State, as the 10th draft pick. Emmaus also had a third NFL draft pick: Detroit chose Joe Milinchik in the third round in 1986.

“It’s a rarity for any school in the Lehigh Valley to have a draft pick in any professional sport, let alone a first round draft pick,” Ramella said. “It just shows that if you have the ability and the desire, you can live your dream.”

Brett Snellman, a special education teacher at Emmaus who mentored White, remembers him differently than the 6-foot3, 215-pound powerhouse people see now.

Italian restaurant Paese Mio reviewed

“When I had him as a sophomore, he was just 5’9” or 5’10” and really thin,” Snellman said. “It’s amazing to see how much he’s grown.”

Even back then, White, 22, dreamed of playing professionally.

“It’s been my dream since I was a kid. I’ve always wanted it.”

Emmaus alumni Kevin White

“When I first met him, I asked, like I always ask kids, ‘What do you want to do when you grow up,’” Snellman said. “And his thing, from the first day I met him, was that he wanted to play in the NFL. I’ve taught for 12 years now, and I’ve had a hundred kids say that, but to see somebody actually have the physical tools, and the willpower, and the desire to put it all together is just unbelievable.”

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How YouTube has changed the world

The Stinger This Just-In Finding My Place

I remember hearing all about how high school would be so different and how it would change me. To be honest, I didn’t believe it for a second. Now four years later I find it amazing how far the class of 2015 and I have come in such a short amount of time.

Just a little while ago, I among many others came to Emmaus nervous but curious about high school, the time period of a person’s life that is frequently featured in movies. Of course, earlier in on the first day of school, I had gotten terribly lost, but eventually, I found myself in 559, my future home in this school.

I can confidently say that I would not have become the person I am today if I never took journalism. The first few days of class I remember feeling incredibly uncomfortable interviewing people in my class. That’s so funny to me now after interviewing tons of people throughout my years on The Stinger. Without this experience, I would probably still be the quiet girl in the corner of the room I sit in now. I’m so thankful that I was able to be a part of something special.

I have met so many people at Emmaus that have changed me, but no one brightens my day more than being around the other editors. I frequently call the staff my brothers and sisters because this is our niche and our home.

I met my best friend in 559. We sat next to each other in Journalism I. Our very own features editor Christine first spoke to me because I was wearing my Redskins earrings. I found it amazing to find another fan in Pennsylvania, so we started talking about sports.

Again, I was amazed; I had finally met a girl who knew her sports although her favorite is baseball. Nonetheless, she knew what was going on in the professional sports world. She has been my best friend through thick and thin, and I don’t know how I would have survived high school without my bae.

I also can remember Christine asking me if I would write for The Stinger. I did not think about it for a second before replying, “No.” I said I was too busy and did not have time for it. Christine shrugged, and she ended up writing a story.

I couldn’t escape that easily though.

Ms. Reaman sought me out and asked me to write for the paper. Originally, I declined immediately, but after a few months, I caved and took on my first story with Christine (the first time the inseparable “-Stines” worked on a story). Later in the year, I was asked to apply for a copy editor position. Again, I refused saying that I could write, but I definitely didn’t have time to edit. I thought about it for a while and although I knew no one on staff, I applied and got the job.

The next year I realized I was a part of something special. I worked with a couple of different writers as well as on my own. I came more and more out of my shell each moment in 559.

The next year, the “-Stines” took on Features. We had our ups and downs with getting our pages done in time, but there is no debating I had fun working with my best friend. That’s the year I became really close with Maura and John, the other two members of the Journalism IV class besides me. These two from St. Ann’s that have been in one class together ever since kindergarten. I actually met Maura because she interviewed me for Journalism I. Maura (or “M BENZ” as her contact says in my phone) is one of the most caring, bright, and funny individuals I have met. Her electrojazz and mountain music always make me laugh and feel at home. It’s been such a pleasure to have been friends with her. She puts her heart and soul into The Stinger, and I admire that so much.

Then, there’s John. You can tell when John is absent because it just feels empty here. I know if he is in the room, I will be laughing and immediately a rough day would become not only bearable but all around better.

And Colleen, our associate editor, amazes me every day. She is so hard-working and dedicated; I know she will be a fantastic editor-in-chief next year. I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to work with such a brilliant journalist.

There’s so many people on staff that I don’t have room to mention, but I want them all to know I am so glad all of us have become friends. I am so proud of all the staff has done this year, and it’s been a pleasure working with you guys.

So, as you can see, even the girl who didn’t find a place in middle school found a home at Emmaus High School. To all of you still looking for your niche in high school, it’s never too late. Don’t miss out on meeting incredible people during these four years. You never know who you are going to meet.

Associate Editor Colleen Grablick @collllsss

Editor-in-chief Justine Coleman @JustineColeman8 Business Manager News Editor Maura Benner @bennedryl Assistant News Editor Cathryn Seibert @ryncat98

Assistant Opinion Editor Will Newbegin @free_willy98

Opinion Editor Angie Stein @shmangieangie

Assistant Features Editor Tori Delhagen @tori_delhagen

Features Editor Christine Carlson

Assistant Culture Editor Kayla McGovern

Culture Editor Olivia Riccio @Liv120497

Assistant Sports Editor Katie Mest @katiemest

Sports Editor John Lang @JohnLang05

Web Administrator Darsh Patel

Adviser Denise Reaman

Photographer Rachel Reed

Photo Editor Lindsay Harner @lindsayharner

Copy Editor Ava Johnson

Cartoonist Max Krug

2015 Keystone Press Awards Second Place General News Second Place Public Service Package First Place Sports Story Fisrt, Second Place Column Honorable Mention Review Second Place Graphic Illustration Second Place Layout and Design 2014 Keystone Press Awards Second Place Ongoing News Coverage Honorable Mention News Story First, Second, Honorable Mention Public Service Package First Place Feature Story First, Second Place Personality Profile Honorable Mention Column Writing Second Place Review Writing First Place Photo Story Honorable Mention Website

Colleen’s Corner

The Invisible Boyfriend

As I sat in my seventh period study hall, struggling to muster some sort of creativity for the column I was supposed to be writing on periods (be happy I didn’t stick with that idea), I came across an interesting article tweeted by The Washington Post.

“The uncanny evolution of Invisible Boyfriend, the site where money can buy you love,” read the tweet, Assistant Online News with an attached link to the article.

As a curious reporter, or maybe just a procrastinatEditor Ellie Lewis ing high school student with an iPhone, I decided to @ellie_lewis14 click the link and read about this so called “invisible boyfriend.” The article explained details about the website, where anyone can create a fake partner which will regularly text him/her sweet messages. The article included screenshots of text message conversations, where said invisible boyfriend sent endearing pick-meups, such as “You are wonderful! just so you know…”

Opinion Columnist and “How are you doing? I’m doing okay, but talking Jacob Puleo to you would be better.” At this point I stopped reading @JacobPuleo the article, and my fingers were already flying accross my phone screen, plugging invisibileboyfriend.com into my Safari browser.

Upon opening the site, a banner read in bold letters, “Tired of being judged for being single? Build a Boyfriend that works for you.” Makes sense, I thought.

Show your nagging mother or that creepy guy at the bar whose breath reeks of beer and cigarettes a screenshot of a conversation between you and your “boyfriend,” Assistant Features Editor and you can be on your merry way.

Rania Draklellis I scrolled down a bit further, and clicked the button @ou_rania that read “connect with him now.” And so began the process of creating my own invisible boyfriend.

After plugging in my name and email address, it asked me to give my new boyfriend a name. Being the nice Catholic girl I am, I immediately turned to the first male names I thought of: Matthew, Mark, Luke and Assistant Online Culture John. Never really a fan of the name Luke, I eliminated Editor that option right away. Matthew was just eh. There are Rachel McQuiston so many Matthews. And, if you know me, I could not @rachelmcqq choose John, for obvious reasons. Therefore, I ended up choosing Mark. Mark Smith. I was too eager to start my new invisible relationship to really care much about his name anyway.

At this point in my whirlwind romance (I mean, it had all just happened so fast) I expected to plug in my phone number and receive my first text from my brand Online Sports Editor new boyfriend. But no, the site had a little more up its Jason Kashuba sleeve. After naming Mark, I was taken to page where I could customize just about everything, from his personality and interests, to his looks, to his age. I could even make up a fake story about how we met. Then, it asked me for my interests and hobbies so that Mark would know just what to chat about with me. This is genius, I thought. Once I had completely designed Mark to my liking and plugged in my phone number Web Administrator (kind of risky I know, but what’s love without a few Zooey He risks?) I received a text that read: “Hey Colleen! This is Mark :) How are you?”

And the rest is history.

Just kidding.

Apparently, you have to pay $25 a month to be able to text your invisible boyfriend back. I probably missed that little stipulation when I stopped reading halfway Photographer through the article by The Washington Post. Since my Jared O’Neill income as a high school student doesn’t allow much wiggle room for such trivial things, I opted out of the monthly fee. However, I do not rule it out as a possibility in the future, when I am more financially stable.

I realized that I had wasted the last half of my study hall creating Mark, but I couldn’t wait to tell someone about my new romance. Unfortunately, the response I Copy Editor received from most of my peers was not as enthusiastic Holly Diehl as I would have hoped. “Oh my God Colleen, you did not.” “Why Colleen?” “That’s so creepy.”

Now, I understand some people may see it as embarrassing or pitiful that someone would sign up for a fake boyfriend to feed them compliments daily. There’s the feminist argument that “you shouldn’t need a man to make you feel beautiful!” or that “the only person holding you back from happiness is you.” People today view needing someone else as weak or helpless, when really there’s nothing wrong with loneliness. It’s natural to want someone to talk to, so maybe that $25 a month is worth it for someone who justs wants someone to vent to, even if it happens to be a computer.

I created Mark mostly out of curiosity and boredom, but I’m not going to lie, I will look forward to his encouraging texts. There’s nothing wrong with a little pick me up once in a while, whether it’s from a real boyfriend or not.

Looking Back

MAURA BENNER

IN-DEPTH REPORTING ON TOPICS THAT MATTER TO YOU 3 KEEPS NEWS EDITOR MAURA BENNER GETTING ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR CATHRYN SEIBERT BENNER The year is already coming to an end, and with that, so is my high school career.

So much has changed since the beginning of this school year to the end of it, and it’s amazing how things never go the way you expect them to.

Many students may believe it is a cliché to say your time at high school goes fast, (and believe me, I know how long some days, weeks, and months can be) but I can say without a doubt this is true.

It feels like only yesterday I was a freshman sitting in my first Journalism 1 class, and now I’m looking for a roommate to live with me at Ithaca College this coming fall.

This year was certainly full of many emotions and stress, as are most seniors’ last year of high school. But on top of all of my usual activities and school work, I had to make a hard, but inevitable decision: picking my college.

How could I describe the college search process I’ve been experiencing over the past few months? I think the best word I could use is stressful.

As a person who has been looking at college possibilities since my freshman year, I now find it funny that while I was really excited to pick my college for the past three years, I had very different feelings when it actually came time to choose. I mean, who would’ve known that picking out the school where you’re going to live and study for the next four years of your life would be difficult?

Here is perhaps the best piece of advice I can offer any student who’s going to be picking colleges next year: things aren’t always going to go the way you expect them to, and that’s okay. From the start of this year to the present, there were honestly four different colleges at different times I thought were “The One” before I chose Ithaca College. To be quite honest, I was looking at colleges completely different from Ithaca and I couldn’t picture myself there. But Ithaca was the one I picked in the end, and I couldn’t be happier. So don’t have tunnel vision, and remember that everything happens for a reason.

But this year wasn’t all stress. Believe it or not I did have some fun, and one of my favorite parts of the school year is the wonderful time I’m able to have with the Stinger staff.

The Stinger will have my most cherished memories of high school. With all the late nights, the laughter, and the offkey singing, there was nowhere else I would have rather been these past years, and these goons have become like my family. I’m going to miss sitting in the back nook of the room working, reading Stinger history on The Wall, and just being with such a funny, energetic group of people that have a fun time together.

I’m also going to miss having class with John Lang. This fall will end our 13-year streak, and it will be the first time we won’t be having a class together since kindergarten.

But I think the feature of the room I’m going to miss the most is Ms. Reaman, who never failed to cheer me up or make me laugh or be a mentor to me when I needed it. Ms. Reaman, I can’t express in a column how much you’ve impacted and influenced me in the past four years.

I really appreciate all you’ve done for me, and for all of us on staff. I know we’re not the easiest group to deal with all the time, but you somehow managed to reel us all in, in the end. So, for that, thank you.

A lot of changes are going to be happening to me in the next few months; a new change of scenery, a new school, a new adventure. But I’m never going to forget where I came from and all the friends I’ve come to know here at Emmaus. I’m going to miss all of you; thank you for the great four years.

News

Breaking the stereotype: EHS girls in STEM Andrea Klick Staff Writer Junior Katie Bacher displays her passion for science and mathematics inside and outside of the classroom, but she often finds herself in a minority.

Bacher is an aspiring engineering major who participates in the robotics team, Science Olympiad and PA Math League at school. These activities allow Bacher to combine her passions of science, math and building in a “fun, competitive” environment. However, she is one of few girls involved in these extracurriculars.

“I have noticed, not surprisingly, that girls are a minority in many of the STEMrelated activities at the school,” Bacher said. “I think one of the biggest challenges I have faced is simply that I cannot find many girls with an interest in STEM programs, and it can be intimidating at times to be in a minority.”

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) occupations have grown rapidly in the US over the past decade, yet only 24 percent of the STEM field consists of females, according to STEMconnector. However, women have made up about 48 percent of the US workforce for a decade.

Math and computer science teacher Carlen Blackstone believes girls avoid the field because of stereotypes.

“It’s not perceived as a people-oriented field,” Blackstone said. “And in computer science in particular there is a geek mentality that discourages girls. I think that’s a generalization, but it definitely plays itself out.”

Senior Omar Ahmed thinks girls need more female role models in the STEM field.

“I think when girls look at [the field] they probably try to see other girls who have been doing it, and when there’s not a lot of [other girls] they’re probably going to move on to another option,” Ahmed said.

Many companies are creating STEM posite gender and understand each other’s inspired toys and programs advertised for thinking.” young girls, hoping they develop an in- Photo by Lindsay Harner So how can schools terest in the field like Emmaus involve at an early age. more female students in Companies inSTEM-related classes cluding Verizon and extracurriculars? and Microsoft Bacher thinks EHS made advertisecould set up activities ments encouragspecifically for girls. ing girls to pursue “...I think the school their interests in could help to break down STEM. Even the some of the misconcepObama admintions surrounding STEM istration issued fields by offering opporstatements retunities specifically for garding a need for girls to demonstrate that gender diversity they can excel in these in STEM fields. professions as well,” Senior MackBacher said. “Girls with enzie O’Brien an interest in and aptinotices more girls tude for math and science getting involved should be encouraged to in STEM activifollow this path.

Mackenzie O’Brien believes more girls are joining ties at Emmaus.

“I know there are STEM related programs, such as technology fields.

“I’ll definitely teachers at Emmaus who say it’s very male-dominated, but it’s kind do work hard to support girls and create of cool being one of the only girls because opportunities, but some schools, for exthere are more job opportunities,” O’Brien ample, set up classes and clubs specifisaid. “And I definitely noticed more girls cally for girls, ensuring a supportive space are signing up.” where girls can learn to code, participate Math teacher and PA Math League advi- and lead robotics teams, and pursue other sor Margaret Hoffert finds that girls’ inter- STEM-related topics,” she said. “I think est in STEM fluctuates yearly at EHS. this would be a great idea for the school “[PA Math League] had one year where because it creates a welcoming environour top three [scorers] were all female, so ment for girls to learn and get excited that can change from year to year,” Hoffert about STEM without the pressure of being said, “...and since then it has been almost in the minority.” all guys. But a lot of times the men seem Many teachers and students involved in to get more excited about the competition STEM activities encourage interested girls than the women do, and I’m not sure why.” to break down the gender stereotype by inSophomore Audrey Bolesta faces the volving themselves in the field, including challenge of being the minority.

Hoffert.

“In my AP Computer Science class, “Go for it,” Hoffert said. “The girls are there are only three girls out of the 22 stu- just as capable. Women often don’t think dents,” Bolesta said. “Although there is they’re good at [STEM], but they are just as no sexism present, it is often harder to de- good at it. They just have to go for it.” velop classroom relationships with the op-

EPSD considers educational foundation Cathryn Seibert Assistant News Editor The East Penn School District recently began to consider piloting an educational foundation as an effort to provide funds and other additional resources.

EPSD Community Liaison Nicole Bloise began developing the idea for a foundation about two years ago, and in March proposed her idea at a school board meeting. She also posted an application for potential Foundation board members, or “trustees,” to submit personal biographies on the district website.

According to the inquiry’s brief description, the purpose of the foundation would be to “supplement and enhance the quality of education and provide the students with extended educational opportunities within the district” through donations from community members such as business owners, alumni, as well as teachers. While the foundation’s actualization is not confirmed, Bloise hopes to see it fulfilled.

She describes its purpose as “support[ing] the school district financially in arts, in athletics, and in education” through providing supplemental resources to teachers and students in the district.

“Most likely, you get requests in from teachers, things that they can’t fit in their budgets that they would like in the classroom,” Bloise says. “Whether it’s drums, or band uniforms, whether it’s equipment for lab stuff for science, or 3D muscle

models for an anatomy or physiology class, anything like that that the teacher wants to have in the classroom but they just can’t fit it in the budget.”

In one of those instances, Bloise says the “request would come to the foundation, the foundation trustees would vote on it and then hopefully [they] could help out [financially] with that.”

Along with contributions from community members, funds could also come from donors at a large yearly event, such as a gala, according to Bloise.

School Board President Alan Earnshaw feels the foundation would be an organization “that would provide some relief to the taxpayers, but at the same time give the opportunity to expand the programs offered by the school district.”

Bloise also acknowledges the foundation’s potential to develop a scholarship fund for graduating seniors. “[Other foundations] do scholarships, for graduating seniors, and I could see ours doing that as well,” Bloise says. She also recognizes students’ involvement in the foundation’s success.

“Students could come out and tell us what they feel the needs are in the district, fill out a funding request, put a post together or talk to their teachers, because their teachers are [ultimately the ones], that would be the ones to actually say ‘Okay we need band uniforms,’ or whatever the case may be,” Bloise says. “We

would love to have student input because in the end, [students] are the ones that are using what we’re purchasing.”

School board member Lynn Donches emphasizes students’ participation in the foundation’s contributions.

“Personally, I feel requests to the foundation should be requested by the students for students and student activities,” Donches says. “What a great experience it would be for students to develop a proposal and then present it to the foundation for review.”

Nicole McGalla, Parkland School District’s Director of Community Relations and Development and Liaison for its education foundation, feels that their Foundation “complements the great work of teachers and students.”

“I believe it has enhanced our curriculum the arts, and athletics,” McGalla says of the foundation, which raised $123,000 for Parkland in 2015. “Technology has been piloted, field trips and assemblies have been programmed, and some of the money has helped to reinstate programs that were cut during the recession.”

Bloise strives for the same impact within East Penn.

“As the foundation, we would just be able to give those extra items, extra purchases, extra opportunities to the kids, [opportunities] that may not be there if [the district doesn’t] have a foundation,” she says.

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THE STINGER

April 2015

NEWS

Social Media: life of the digital native

How East Penn students, teachers, and district deal with #technology “[I use it] for projects or to take advantage of the uses it has in the classroom,” Montepeque says.

He also believes that usage must be limited in class, so it doesn’t become a “distraction” to students.

“It’s not about banning technology, it’s about using it to enhance in the learning environment,” he says.

Warnke thinks technology should be an important aspect of education.

“I do frequently use technology, like the Chromebooks in class, and I send Remind101 every once in a while just to remind students,” says Warnke, despite admitting that it often frustrates him.

Photo by Cathryn Seibert

Cathryn Seibert, William Newbegin, Holly Diehl, Abby Moore Stinger Staff Emmaus High School students belong to the generation of the “digital native” - a term coined by Marc Prensky in his 2001 article entitled “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.” Prensky characterizes digital natives as people constantly surrounded by technology, with a preference to multi-task and receive information at the snap of a finger.

The life of a digital citizen starts right as he or she arises, when their cell phone alarm clock wakes them. After that, he or she prepares for school all the while blasting music through headphones. The digital citizen’s phone provides a source of entertainment for the otherwise mundane bus ride to school, then the digital native places the device in a locker, where the phone must be stowed (or is supposed to be, at least) for the whole day. Once back home, homework time is dragged out thanks to periodical checking of texts, Twitter, or Instagram. Right before this digital citizen goes to bed, a routine check of social media is done, usually prolonging bedtime any- Photo by Colleen Grablick where from 30 minutes to an hour.

District and Technology

Laura Witman, East Penn’s Supervisor of Secondary Curriculum & Instruction, chat, and feels similarly to Vazquez.

Hertzog says. “You can get answers fast believes that the district should move for“[Without technology], I think there’d but it’s used inefficiently and wastes ward with its use of technology. be a lot more face-to-face conversations,” time.”

Witman, who previously worked at he says. “People often text each other beHaag also believes that while cell Wilson West Lawn High School, “used cause they can’t see them throughout the phones can be very helpful, they often betechnology as an accelerator for learnschool day, so I think people might go out come distracting very easily. ing with the students.” Teachers at Wilof their way to see each other during the “[Homework] definitely takes longer, son West Lawn manage Twitter accounts day.” you know, because your phone really is which they use to update students.

Among those who notice social media’s a distraction,” Haag says. “Every couple Additionally, the district encourages stupotentially harmminutes you’ll check your messages and dents to bring their own devices for use ful effects is Sienna different things like that instead of really during the school day, and upholds a safeKasye, a junior who concentrating on your work.” guarded, password-free Wi-Fi network to uses Facebook, Twitwhich students can connect.

Students and ter, and Instagram.

Teachers and Technology When Witman began her job at EPSD, Technology “I feel that with Not only have various forms of soshe noticed that similar programs were Be it in our Twitter, people are cial media altered relationships between not available to students. pockets, on our more hostile, people students, but they have also changed the “When I came back here I realized how school desks, or feel that they need teacher-student dynamic within the school many things were not necessarily accesnow on our wrists, to gang up on people community. Even while some members sible,” Witman says. the sheer impact that are different than of the EHS community continue to rely In a concerted effort to pilot new techtechnology has on them,” Kasye says. more on technology, Emmaus restricts the nology programs within the district, Witsociety is wholly “Students are more use of devices in school. Emmaus High man developed the “#myEPSD” and undeniable, and its scared to be who School’s policy maintains that personal “#EPSDpassion” hashtags for Twitter. effects are prevathey want to be [due devices are strictly prohibited throughout Witman expressed that the purpose of lent within Emto social media].” the school day and are to be stored in the these hashtags was to help students commaus High School.

Kasye also recogstudent’s designated locker. Yet the school municate to the district any technology Ever since nizes how social meis moving in a new direction. Just this past programs they would like to see in the Apple introduced dia can be beneficial. year, school administrators allowed cell school.

Instead, students its revolutionary “In some aspects, phones at lunch.

Photo by Maura Benner took to Twitter to comiPhone in 2008, it helps you connect Additionally, more plain about and degrade Students not only use technology at home, but also ushering in an era to people that you teachers are using techthe school district. While within the school community. of smartphones didn’t know existed nology to help in the some of the responses and digital citizens, in our school commuclassroom. were intentionally humorthe bond between technology and the nity,” she says.

Hertzog utilizes Reous in nature, some conmodern world is airtight. More and more Lynn understands that social media mind101, an app that tained offensive and uninteractions take place behind a screen plays both positive and negative roles. sends notifications to related content. Witman, than in person, and people, especially “There’s definitely more bullying [due students. These messagwho “didn’t anticipate teenagers, engage in constant cell phone to social media], but as a whole the school es notify students of upthe negative response,” use. Whether it be texting, Instagramming is closer” he says. “I think [social media] coming tests and assignrecognizes students’ comor Tweeting, a 2010 study of 2,000 adois positive. Even without social media, ments. She describes the ments as a result of the lescents led by the Kaiser Family Foundathere would be bullying, too.” app as a “good tool to lack of digital citizenship tion revealed that 8 to 18-year-olds spend An anonymous EHS freshman who remind students and to with in the school district. an average of seven and a half hours conparticipated in The Stinger survey feels take the pressure off of “What I did grossly suming different forms of media daily. that social media “makes everything very teachers. overestimate was the A poll of 72 EHS students conducted by antisocial and isolated,” while another “I think the kids look understanding of digital The Stinger discovered that 92 percent of freshman expressed that “a lot of [their] forward to getting the citizenship at Emmaus.

Emmaus students engage in some form of friends are constantly on their phones texts,” Hertzog says.

In order to build that, I social media use. Anonymous surveyed when [they] hang out, and it feels like “And even if we don’t think teachers need to students stated their reasons for their use [they] can’t actually talk.” have homework I’ll still 92 percent of EHS students use model proper use of these of social media, with their answers rangIn addition to social media’s impact put out a nice text.” social media. tools, and maybe be diing from “so that people can see a little bit on their personal lives, students find that While Hertzog feels rectly taught about digital of my life” to “when someone says sometheir online presence or lack thereof also technology can lead to fewer issues becitizenship,” Witman says.

“As educators thing dumb and I have to step in.” affects their academic performance both tween teachers and students, Vazquez now, I think we have a responsibility to Robert Lynn, an EHS sophomore, is an for the better and the worse. thinks social media may cause “a lot more speak to what’s intelligent in terms of how avid Twitter user who tweets “whatever Although 54 percent of the surveyed miscommunications.” you act online, and what you post on Insreally just comes out of [his] head, whatEHS students reported no change in their In addition to continuing communitagram or Twitter or what have you. I beever [he] thinks the world should know.” grades, 45 percent experienced a decrease cation with students outside of school, lieved we were all on the same page, and He describes the effect of social media on in their academic abilities, while only one many teachers, such as Spanish teacher that was incorrect.” his life as positive. percent noted that social media positively Williams Montepeque and history and Despite the situation’s negative out“I’ve met a lot of new people,” Lynn affected their studies. economics teacher Tom Warnke, actively come, Witman “would like students to says. “I’ve made a lot more friends with Lynn said that social media has imallow students to use technology in class. have an environment where technology people I wouldn’t have been friends with proved his grades because he “can comusage is encouraged.” because of Twitter and [other social memunicate with other people “[Some people] hold the opinion that Technology Use at EHS dia].” about homework, by mesit’s better to totally restrict student access Some like sophomore Jazmarie saging them.” to technology,” says Witman. # of students surveyed: 73 Vazquez, believe that social media does Chemistry teacher Donna She feels the #myEPSD situation reafnot allow students to further their social Hertzog thinks that group % of students who use social media: 92 firmed these views.

This motivates her to skills. chats discussing homework encourage technology usage throughout “No, it is not helping socially, [people distracts students. students’ reasons for use include: schools. are] just hiding behind a computer,” she “I know some students “Access to technology gives students “to share my life” says. get together in group chats access to the most current and authentic She feels that due to social media, and study and that’s a good “to share my day with my friends” uses,” she says, “which is very beneficial ‘there [are] a lot less social gatherings, use, but students waste a “the need to connect with people” for learning.” and more fights.” lot of time on it compared “[to] say how I feel” Freshman James Haag uses only Snapto when [I was] in school,” Technology can distract students while they try to complete their schoolwork.

NEWS

THE STINGER

5

April 2015

100+ go bald for St. Baldrick’s success, exceeds goals Photo by Jared O’Neill Photo by Rachel Reed

Justine Coleman was such a wide range of stories that were Editor-in-chief told,” Petrunak said.

As community members entered the Then, the first female shavees started to decorated Emmaus High School gym on fill the line of chairs in front of the bleachMarch 13 and began to pack the bleachers ready to face the razors. As hair fell ers, a crowd displaying blue T-shirts and from the girls’ heads, some people in the wide smiles welcomed them to Shave for bleachers stood up to see their beaming the Brave, a fundraiser that raised $63,149 faces. Soon after, groups of boys joined for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. in as well as volunteers that had not Over 100 people braved the shave to originally planned Photo by Rachel Reed raise money to on shaving. The research childshavees shared hugs hood cancer. with family memEnglish teacher bers and friends and and track took many pictures coach Shannon together showing Petrunak has off their new bald planned four heads. shaves since Originally, 2010, each Petrunak started the gathering more event in 2010 to money than the support her mother, last. This year who was going Petrunak chalthrough chemotherlenged the Emapy at the time. maus community “I wanted to with a goal of shave my head with giving $50,000. her,” she said. “It’s Senior and shavee Morgane Marshall smiles The response different when you proudly during her shave. soared over shave your head by $13,000 above choice. I wanted to the original goal. According to Petrunak, make her feel better about it.” for every dollar donated, 80 cents goes to Senior Brandon Acevedo had planned cancer grants and research. on participating in Shave for the Brave Petrunak felt “so happy” with the since seeing the event in 2013 and grew amount raised. his hair out since then to nearly four “Every time I tell myself the goal is inches. When the barber started shaving not what matters,” Petrunak said. “Any his head, he said he “just started smiling.” amount of money helps.”

“I just felt this overwhelming sense The event began with opening remarks of happiness,” he said. “I felt like really from Petrunak, thanking participants and thankful that I was given the chance to volunteers, including the hairdressers participate in this kind of event.” who would later work the razors. Then, Senior Morgane Marshall also braved families with children who have lost, the shave. She displayed a sign that said, have conquered, and continue to fight the “All the cool kids are doing it” during the battle with cancer told their stories to the shaving. audience, sparking emotional reactions.

“I really want to make a difference in The storytellers included the family of the world and thought it was a good opSam Mackaravitz, who earned the title of portunity to show my support,” she said.

“Angel Warrior” of Emmaus High School English teacher and Red Cross club at age five in 2012 through the Angel 34 advisor Diane Sherwood unexpectedly Foundation, and a friend of Molly Kuchta, decided to go bald this year, while on the a sophomore who inspired last year’s phone with her son, who convinced her to Spike Out Cancer event hosted by the take the opportunity. girls’ volleyball team.

“When you know something is right, “I feel like it was emotional this year you go ahead and do it,” Sherwood said. because we had so many families, there Dr. Phillip Monteleone of Lehigh

Shavees and other Shave for the Brave attendees rally around the common cause of raising money for cancer research.

Valley Health Network describes Petrunak’s and other participants’ contributions to the cancer community as “amazing.”

“I’m really proud to be a part of a great team that takes care of these kids,” he said. “I want to see everybody be cured.”

Acevedo feels this event accurately reflects the Emmaus community.

“We have a strong sense of community,” Acevedo said. “We don’t want anyone to feel alone, separated, or

alienated just because they look different or have a problem. They are always welcome with open arms.”

Sherwood described being without her hair as “very freeing.” She encourages others to go bald in future years to prevent more cases of childhood cancer.

“Everybody’s touched by this awful thing,” she said. “It’s curable. If we throw enough money at it, we can cure it.”

Mini-THON raises funds, cancer awareness

Top: Participants dance the day away to raise money for cancer awareness.

Bottom: Mini-THON participants hold up signs to celebrate their total earnings of $10,203.33, all of which will support the Four Diamonds Fund.

Rania Draklellis Assistant Features Editor Emmaus High School raised over $10,000 in its first mini-THON to help the fight against pediatric cancer on April 11.

The 12-hour dance marathon supported the Four Diamonds Fund, an organization based at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital.

Junior and chair of the event Brooke Schaffer helped organize the fundraiser that raised a total of $10,203.33.

“I offered to help the SADD [Students Against Destructive Decisions] club since I started [THON] in middle school,” Schaffer said. “When I did it at LMMS my eighth grade year, we had five dancers and raised $3,000.”

The money raised goes towards all the fees that insurance does not cover for cancer patients and their families, such as research, social workers, musical therapists, luncheons and gas certificates.

“I hope a lot more kids get involved and see what this money is going towards and how much fun this is,” Schaffer said.

“I can’t express enough how much this helps the families.”

Junior Madison McGeary raised over $1,000. “$500 was raised just by sending emails out to people through the donor drive,” McGeary said. “I also sold batches of cookies over Christmas time for $25, and I raised about $600 doing that.”

Senior class president Daniel Amankwatia found that the most rewarding part of the day was seeing his peers participate.

“It’s cool to see kids with me that just wouldn’t spend a normal Saturday watching cartoons,” Amankwatia said. “But the fact that we wake up at 6:45 to get ready, come here, and just giving up a Saturday that’s not even for us, it’s for the kids. This is literally the least we can do by doing the 12-hours. It’s a fun event to give back.”

Schaffer feels that THON has changed her life.

“Penn State is everywhere, [and] THON is everywhere,” Schaffer said. “If I hadn’t gone to THON, I don’t know what my life would be like.”

Photos by Krissy Mena-Clemente

6

THE STINGER

April 2015

NEWS

Unity Week promotes equality in school

Lily Day Isabella Wegner Staff Writers For the first time, Emmaus High School’s No Place for Hate Club collaborated with the Gay-Straight Alliance to hold a Unity Week to raise awareness for the equality of all students.

Unity Week ran from April 13 to 19 with the goal of raising awareness for the equality of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community, organizers say.

Earlier this month, administrators asked a transgender girl to change out of her yoga pants, which they deemed too revealing. Her story caused LGBT rights to be brought to the attention of many members of the EHS community.

Events that took place during Unity Week include NPFH’s smoothie sale to raise money for the club, videos during morning announcements to raise awareness of bullying toward LGBT students, a “Caught You Being Kind” raffle and the Day of Silence on April 17. The Day of Silence website calls it “a national day of action in which students across the country vow to take a form of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools.”

EHS guidance counselor and GSA advisor Kristen Grim notes the significance of the Day of Silence. She explains that the point of it is “to not just be silent on that day, but give a voice to those [bullied LGBT] students.”

“One of the things with Day of Silence is that it is supposed to show how some students don’t have a voice,” Grim said. “But again, we wanted to give them that voice

and give them [Unity Week] to to bring awareness to the kind of be able to bring awareness and the issues that LGBT students still show support for that group of have in the school, such as there’s students.” bullying, and there are still probAlthough the Day of Silems, so hopefully [Unity Week] lence has been observed by will help that.”

EHS students for several The display case located outside years, Unity Week is new this of Principal David Piperato’s ofyear. fice, which was created by GSA, “This is the first time we are contains national statistics about doing [Unity Week],” Grim LGBT students which substantiate said. “Day of Silence is a little Whitaker’s concerns over probbit heavier, so we wanted to lems faced by LGBT students in do something that would also a school environment. According be able to bring awareness but to surveys conducted by the Gay, in a more positive way, and so Lesbian & Straight Education NetNo Place for Hate sold smoothies during lunches to raise funds for the club and that’s where the idea of Unity work, GLSEN--the sponsors of draw attention to Unity Week activities.

Week came from.” the Day of Silence-- 30 percent of Two weeks prior to Unity LGBT students have missed at least No Place for Hate, is satisfied with how the Week, Emmaus students backed a trans- week turned out. one day of school in the past month due to gender girl by wearing stickers along “Last year we just did a week that was feeling unsafe or uncomfortable in school with putting up posters in EHS halls. The just ‘Caught You Being Kind,’” McGovern and 85 percent of LGBT students have placement of Unity Week after this matter said. “We decided to extend it this year and reported being verbally harassed within was unintentional but carries some signifi- combine it with our smoothie fundraiser to the past year. Furthermore, 56 percent of cance, especially for students involved in help raise awareness, as well as promote LGBT students claim to have experienced the protest and interested in ensuring the GSA and the Day of Silence that is hap- discriminatory school policies or practices. equal rights of transgender students.

Piperato addressed some of these statispening on Friday, so we thought we would Nationally recognized advocate Mary all do this within the same week to raise tics in his announcement to the EHS comBeth Tinker--known for her Supreme awareness and hopefully make the envi- munity the morning of April 17, the Day Court victory in Tinker v. Des Moines ronment kinder.” of Silence. which protected students’ rights to free“At EHS we strive to make our school a Sophomore Emily Whitaker, a GSA dom of speech and their entitlement to the member, sees Unity Week as a great op- safe place for all students,” Piperato said. freedoms granted by the First Amendment- portunity to raise awareness for LGBT stu- “Every Emmaus High School student de-lauded such community action in public dents and spread a message of acceptance serves our respect and is entitled to an outschools. standing education.” within Emmaus High School.

“It’s always great to see students join “Unity Week is a week for the commutogether and speak up about something nity of the school to come together and going on in their community,” Tinker told really acknowledge and accept--in a more The Stinger. broad sense than just everyday--LGBT Senior Kayla McGovern, president of students,” Whitaker said. “We’re hoping Photo by Lindsay Harner

Emmaus National Merit finalists named Lily Day Staff Writer Out of seven EHS semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship competition, five students have moved on to a finalist standing in the program.

These students are seniors Ryan Bilger, Daniel Intriago, Lucy Lin, Mason Trinkle and Justine Wang. As finalists in the competition, they are eligible to win scholarships offered through the program. According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s website, only 7,600 out of approximately 15,000 finalists from around the country win a scholarship.

Founded in 1955, The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) aims to recognize high school students with outstanding academic accomplishments.

About 50,000 high scorers on the PSAT/ NMSQT are recognized by the corporation

annually. Commended students, who compose approximately two-thirds of the high scorers, are recognized for their “outstanding academic promise” according to the NMSC’s website. The top one-third of the high scorers are notified in September that they are semifinalists in the program. The Class of 2015 has nine commended students and seven semifinalists, which is in line with the average for the previous two years. The Class of 2014 had five semifinalists and the Class of 2013 had six.

While semifinalists are selected solely on PSAT/NMSQT scores, to be considered by the NMSC for advancement to a finalist standing, semifinalists must submit a résumé containing information such as extracurricular activities as well as a copy of their transcripts. Essays submitted by the semifinalists and written recommendations from teachers or administrators are also

key in determining which of these students go on to become finalists.

Finalist Justine Wang is happy with her recognition from the program.

“It’s important that academics matter,” she said. “[NMSC] also takes into account your performance in school and all the extracurriculars that you do. So it’s nice that you can get a scholarship, get money, for something you do in high school.”

Wang says that scholarships received by finalists could be distributed from three different institutions.

“You can get a $2,500 scholarship from the National Merit Corporation,” Wang said, “you can get one from a business that would like to sponsor you, or you could get one from a college. You could tell them your first choice college, and if that college is part of the National Merit program, they can give you a scholarship for that.”

History Day participants head to states Katie Mest Assistant Sports Editor Nine Emmaus High School students advance to the state level National History Day competition after placing in the regional competition at Jim Thorpe High School on March 21.

The students moving on are Lily Day (first place, individual exhibit), Leah Tannous (second place, individual exhibit), Avery Allen and Isabella Wegner (third place, group exhibit), Bradley Klemick (third place, individual documentary), James Haag and Robert Haag (first place, group documentary) and Jason Bowen and Tina Zhang (first place, group website).

Those who qualified will compete at Millersville University on May 12 and 13 at the state competition. To qualify for states students must place first, second, or third in their category at the regional level.

Students can enter the contest in the categories of performance, historical paper, documentary, website, and exhibit. Each category can be done individually or in a group, except for the historical paper.

History teacher Eric Luckenbill compared the qualifiers this year to those in the past.

“Of the 18 students we took to com-

According to the NMSC website, winners of scholarships will be notified of their achievements beginning in March and through mid-June. Although most scholarships are only available to students who have been recognized as finalists, semifinalists in the program who did not move on to the finalist standing may still be eligible for special awards from colleges or businesses willing to sponsor them for their extraordinary academic achievements.

Finalist Ryan Bilger has already been notified of his award, which is a $2,500 scholarship from Air Products.

“It feels really good,” Bilger said of his accomplishment. “I’ve always taken pride in my academics, so to know that it has been working towards something is nice... it feels good to know that people agree my work has been for something good.”

pete, nine of them qualified for states,” man,” said Luckenbill. “Robby qualified substantial amount of time into each projsaid Luckenbill, “which is a pretty great for states as a freshman, and I think he’s ect. number in terms of what we’ve seen in the just looking for that challenge. He worked According to Luckenbill, the American past and in terms of what other schools are with his brother James, who’s a freshman.’ Studies I Honors teachers, including Mike probably sending on.”

Bowen says he continued competing Carolla, Montero, and himself, grade each According to history teacher project twice.

Melissa Montero, National HisMontero feels that the tory Day is beneficial to stuteachers put a lot of time dents, especially those just startinto the organization of the ing large projects in high school. projects.

“I think it’s a great competi“We have checkpoints,” tion because it encourages [stusaid Montero. “We meet dents] to do historical research,” with students in Novemsaid Montero. “It works on not ber/December and we have only their research skills, but it rough draft meetings. We works on their writing, critical collect annotated bibliogthinking, problem solving, and raphy samples from them, in some cases their collaborative we return them, we grade skills, so it hits the district mis- High school and middle school History Day participants strike a pose. them, and there are a lot sion statement.” of students who meet National History Day is required for all because of his love of history and how with us after school on their own time to ninth grade American Studies I Honor stu- one can get “engrossed in the topic of his discuss questions and issues.” dents. Some students, however, continue choice.”

More preparation went into the projects to participate after their freshman year.

“My favorite part about History Day after regionals as well. At the state level This year senior Robert Haag and soph- is the feeling when the project comes to- competition the students have to present omore Jason Bowen move on to states gether, and it looks amazing,” said Bowen. their project and be able to answer in depth with their freshmen group members.

“It’s well put together, and you just have questions about it in front of judges.

“We usually have a good couple [of something that you can be proud of conolder students] that do it to feel challenged sidering how much time gets spent on it.”

Photo courtesy of Melissa Montero or because they enjoyed it as a freshBoth the students and the teachers put a

EDITORIAL

THE STINGER

OPINION YOUR THOUGHTS, OURS...

7

April 2015

I N O N E B I T E - S I Z E PA C K A G E

EDITOR ANGIE STEIN A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R W I L L N E W B E G I N COLUMNIST JACOB PULEO

News on the net: why The Stinger evolves with the times Colleen Grablick Associate Editor In a world of constant technological advancements, newspapers, magazines, and any other form of print news must continually adapt to survive. Here at The Stinger, we do the same.

As the prevalence of print issues diminishes, news and the way it is delivered has transformed dramatically. Within a matter of seconds, thousands upon thousands of people can be reached by a single tweet, a brief, 140-character thought. Most prominent publications - spanning as far as The New York Times and The Washington Post to the local Morning Call - have apps which can send updates to a person’s phone whenever a story breaks. When people have the world at their fingertips, it is only the quick, new-age publications that will continue to exist. In fact, industry experts predict print editions of newspapers will become extinct within the next 10 years.

It is important for the reader to know that The Stinger has an online website and several different forms of social media, because this is a real publication. A real newspaper. So we, like all other forms of news, must learn to deliver our information in a quick, short, and comprehensive way. When a story breaks during school, no one wants to read about it in a print issue that will come out three weeks after the fact. People want to know what happened right now.

A major part of delivering news quickly

relies heavily on the influence of social media. Every time we post a story to our website, we send out a tweet from our Twitter account with a link to the story and often a photo. We also post stories to our Facebook page. One of our stories posted in April reached over 10,000 Facebook users, so it simply doesn’t make sense to say that

The National School Press Association, an official organization of student journalism, runs the Pacemaker awards annually, in which schools from across the U.S. enter their online publications. The Pacemakers are designed solely for websites, and judges monitor their content for about two months, critiquing design, layout, fre-

online news isn’t necessary. The Stinger also relies on social media to reach out and give our audience a voice. As a nationally ranked media outlet of the school, it is The Stinger’s responsibility to report on what the students want, and what they want to say. Just because we use social media to meet that responsibility, does not mean that the information we produce loses any of its legitimacy.

quency of posts, and even social media.

On The Stinger’s web page, editors offer several different links to our other media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as several other district web-pages. If the national organization for student journalism hosts an entire contest that carefully critiques online publications from hundreds of schools across the country, it must mean that student journalism

Emily Zimmerman Opinion Contributor The Internet is a beautiful place where anyone can say or do anything they desire, a free domain full of vast possibilities.

But imagine, you log onto your computer and click to open Google, but it takes absolutely forever to load. Once it finally boots up, you click onto [insert website name here], but you can only see about half of the information the website puts out. Your Internet service provider does not have the same beliefs that the website has, therefore anything that your Internet provider doesn’t want to see, you can’t see either.

The United States was five minutes away from making this unfortunate nightmare a reality. The freedom of the Internet was taken into serious debate, and on Feb. 26 five people voted over whether or not it should remain a free realm.

Net neutrality. It’s a big statement that not many people know the meaning of. Net neutrality is the idea that Internet providers and the government treat everything on the Internet equally. It ensures that anyone and everyone can access and use all the resources the Internet has to offer.

Internet service providers or ISPs are the administrators of the Internet, and if net neutrality was not enacted, they would have complete control over anyone they provide Internet for. They would have the power to set prices to access certain websites, as well as create an environment where only the beliefs of the Internet provider would be expressed.

According to USA Today, Jessica Rosenworcel, a commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission that voted on the issue, said, “We cannot have a twotiered Internet with fast lanes that speed the traffic of the privileged and leave rest of the U.S. lagging behind.”

She could not be more right.

The Internet is the one place where everyone is equalized. It does not matter if you are rich or poor, uneducated or educated. Everyone can have a voice, and everyone’s voice can be heard, not controlled by giant corporations or government agencies.

ISPs that are anti-net neutrality seem to think that the Internet being equalized pre- (from left to right) FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, Chairman Tom Wheeler, and Comissioner vents them from providing Jessica Rosenworcel join hands at the open hearing on Feb. 26 new services and limiting intect net neutrality would be enacted. The defend their Internet. The average Amerinovations to their networks, but this argu- five-member commission voted three to can population needs to become more edument is invalid. Companies can innovate two to enact the new rules to protect Inter- cated about the issues of net neutrality in and create as much as they want, it’s just net freedom. order to maintain the freedom of the infithat on the Internet, a smaller company can This is considered a win for the Ameri- nite cyberspace. ISPs and government ofjump onto the playing field and play the can people, their freedoms, and a step to- ficials will attempt to fight and take away same position as a major corporation. This wards completely protected freedom of the the freedoms that we possess when we are is what ISPs and big administrators do not Internet. Unfortunately, this is not the end. accessing the Internet. You, as citizens of like. With an equal playing field, they can- Republicans in Congress intend to fight the this country, need to become a united front not have the upper hand. issue and think that the FCC has no power in the defense of net neutrality, because as On Feb. 26, Tom Wheeler, the chairman to enforce the rules they created. of now, there is nothing to stop your voices of the the FCC, held a meeting to vote on Though there are many activists, the from being heard. whether or not new rules that heavily pro- truth of the matter is the people need to

Winning the fight: why net neutrality matters

and the Internet have a strong and important relationship.

For a more personal example, this month The Stinger reported on the case of an EHS junior who was born a male, but now identifies as female. When the student wore yoga pants to school, administration enforced the dress code and asked the student to change. This sparked an outcry of support from the LBGT community at EHS, and many students took to social media to speak out. When The Stinger and even The Morning Call reported on the situation, tweets were cited and used as sources.

It is clear to see that news today could not stay updated without accounting for the prevalent role of the Internet and social media.

So yes, The Stinger has an online edition, and yes, we actively use social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. However, we do this because it is imperative to adapt to the changing demands of the 21st century to fulfill the needs of our audience, of our readers.

Editorial Policy The Stinger is a student-run newspaper published six times per year. Its content, which is the responsibility of the student staff, is not subject to direct administrative approval. The newspaper, which is designed as an open forum, serves to inform and entertain its readers as well as enrich students interested in print media studies.

8

THE STINGER

April 2015

EDITORIAL

A little sketchy: SNL skit offends some, but not without purpose Lily Day Staff Saturday Night Live, the popular, longrunning NBC comedy show, recently landed itself into a controversial situation after the Feb. 28 airing of a skit involving ISIS. In this particular skit, actress Dakota Johnson parodies a Toyota Camry commercial. Instead of depicting a departure from a tearful father as a girl goes to join the U.S. military (as in the original commercial), this sketch shows the young woman going off to join ISIS. The skit sparked debates over the appropriateness of jokes about ISIS. The terrorist group has a strong presence in the Middle East, and has been in the news for numerous brutal killings, kidnappings and beheadings.

Furthermore, this group now recruits young people to join them, and not just in the Middle East. They have also been gathering new members from countries such as Australia, France, England, and even the United States.

Just this month, two Australian teens were apprehended at Sydney Airport when their plans to join ISIS were uncovered.

They were stopped by authorities before they could board their flight, but many others are not lucky enough to be stopped in time before pursuing their dangerous journey.

Due to ISIS’s brutality, many people believe that it should be off-limits for jokes or satire of any kind. To some, it seems insensitive, cruel and in poor taste to make light of such a serious threat.

But of course, the threat is a serious one, and the fact that young people don’t always view it as such is of major concern.

This skit actually ridicules the idea of ISIS not being a threat. Those who don’t see the sketch as such are missing the point. And isn’t it better to draw attention to the is-

sue by referencing it in as many forms of media as possible, rather than avoiding the topic completely?

In SNL’s sketch, Dakota Johnson says “Dad, it’s just ISIS.” If someone made this statement in real life, everyone’s reaction would probably be something along the lines of “What do you mean by only ISIS?” From this line, it can be seen that the point of it isn’t to condone ISIS, and it certainly isn’t to romanticize the idea of being an ISIS member. The skit uses satire to show the inconsistency of idealizing a group whose brutality is the opposite of romantic adventure.

If anything, this would make young people who might have been considering joining ISIS see the absurdity of thinking it would be a good idea. It also sheds light on an important point: ISIS tries to make itself look like less of a threat in order to recruit teenagers. The sketch, which ridicules anyone who would join ISIS, could actually be a positive thing-- if people see how bad of an idea it is, nobody would want to go join.

Dean Obeidallah, a comedian and host of “The Dean Obeidallah Show,” brings up another point as to why the skit isn’t necessarily a bad thing. He says, “[making jokes] undermines ISIS, and also, for many, it is cathartic to laugh at the terrorists, as opposed to shivering in fear about them.” This logic seems sound, and it is the reason comedians in the Middle East risk their lives (not just criticism, their lives) to ridicule ISIS. Is the skit funny? That’s up to the individual; humor is subjective. Does it serve a purpose? Yes, it does. It is satirical and opens conversation and debate. Even if the debate is over the appropriateness of the skit, it still raises questions about ISIS, increasing awareness of the terror group’s activities.

Scenes from Saturday Night Live’s skit parodying ISIS

Instant karma: why it’s not the real deal Did that light just turn red because you cut off that minivan, or because you’re at a busy intersection?

And are you being punished with Mike Gallagher ill will for cutOpinion Contributor ting in line, or does the woman who bags your groceries just hate you? Well no, yes, no, and probably. The difference in both of these cases is whether or not you believe in karma. Karma, in case you have been living under a rock your whole life, is the idea that a person’s intent and actions influence their future. Taken in its most literal sense, that being one with emphasis on action, karma does not seem all that arguable.

Yet our society has slightly altered its denotation to place more of an emphasis on intent. This originates from the Buddhist and Hindu traditions of karma, that being that the sum of one’s actions determines one’s fate, specifically in future existences, if one chooses to believe in reincarnation.

This school of karma, or at least a version of it, has become increasingly popular in modern times, either due to the resurgence of “hippy spiritualism,” due to good old fashioned superstition, or maybe a mix of the both. People talk about “bad” and “good” karma as being the direct result of your actions, and you’re bound to encounter an equal or opposite reaction, like some transgressive law of physics. In other words, if you forget to say please in April, you’re bound to stub your toe in May. Personally, I don’t prescribe myself to any sort of superstition. I don’t believe in ghosts, publicly denounce horoscopes, and am a firm skeptic of the Loch Ness monster - sorry, Nessie. But to me, no other superstition rubs me the wrong way like karma.

First of all, it’s due to the loss of the action itself over its implication. If I plant a tree in the middle of the road for birds to nest in, will I get good karma despite the multiple car crashes I likely just caused? Or will the bad and good karma just cancel each other out? This brings up another problem: How does one measure karma? Is karma measured by our guilt or by the nature of our actions? Wouldn’t it be helpful if a written

obstructive (that which obstructs your reproductive karma), and destructive karma (that which is so negative it nullifies your reproductive karma, regardless of time).

This implies that your “net karma” is influenced not only by your actions, but by their severity and timing. In the Buddhist tradition of reincarnation, the idea that the degree of your past actions stays with you seems entirely reasonable, and parallels as-

list of guidelines existed?

Oh wait, it does. According to a very wordy buddhanet.net excerpt, there are four types of karma. In short: There’s reproductive (that which predominate at the time of your death), supportive (that which supports your reproductive karma),

pects of other religions at well.

But this school of sacred karma is not the one which I have a problem with. The karma I oppose to supporting is the everyday approach, a bizzaro removed cousin of the Buddhist ideal. The two versions differ in that Buddhism views karma in the big-

pictures courtesy of NBC.com

ger picture as a kind of sum, while what I like to call “instant gratification karma” has a more short-sighted view. This is the casual use of karma by laymen as a kind of justification system for everyday actions.

In this situation, the karma you carve out for yourself can surface instantaneously, like bad luck. In a world where “living in the now” is making a strong resurgence it should be remembered that our actions have implications in the future, not just the present. This is the flaw in this way of thinking.

I envision it as akin to a dog being rewarded with a treat every time it cooperates; you aren’t really doing it for the sake of the action, you’re doing it for the reward.

Hold the door for that little old lady? Good karma. Slam it in her face?

Bad karma, and lots of it.

It seems that these days instant karma sometimes taken the place of being considerate. But if you don’t know how this karma you are destined to receive will affect you or what form it will come in, how do you justify making decisions solely based on it?

One shouldn’t just act because of the karma he may or may not receive, they should act because of how it will affect the people or things around him. After all, the positive effects of your actions could be the good karma in someone else’s life they’ve been waiting, or hoping, for.

OPINION

THE STINGER

9

April 2015

The One and Only

By Angie Stein Opinion Editor As The Stinger staff stood in the parking lot outside “The One and Only” Paese Mio, one thing became clear: no one knew the right way to get there. With each editor who jogged up to the group came another relation of how they arrived, anecdotes of illegal left turns and confusing GPS directions. Whichever way we pulled in, what mattered was that all 10 of us showed up, and showed up for one special reason: to grade this family-run establishment of Italian grub. It remained to be seen if the Paese Mio experience was worth the topsy-turvy way there, and I was determined to find out.

Upon walking through the doors, we were met by a small, yet homey entrance. The space was mostly occupied by a pizza counter that had standard and Sicilian-style pies on display. A TV in the corner, silently playing a soccer match, and a bulletin board of customers’ pictures and notes added to the comfy, rustic atmosphere. The hostess greeted us and led us through the main dining room, a carpeted area of tables and brown-leather booths, into the restaurant’s second room. Our waiter arrived shortly and set down a plate of bread sticks with garlic olive oil, which were sublime. I opened my menu with high hopes in store.

Paese Mio’s lunch menu offers a variety of dishes, from meat and seafood dishes to hot and cold subs to the ubiquitous Italian pasta and pizza. I finally settled on pasta fra diavolo, spaghetti with spicy tomato sauce. Service was quick, and the restaurant’s relaxed setting got the

conversation flowing in the meantime. When our meals arrived, I can’t say they instantly impressed me, but that simply means there’s a better way to describe them: pleasing, down-to-earth and home-cooked come to mind. No fancy garnishes or plating here, but the food was hot

ly of tomatoes and garlic before the red pepper kicked in. As a self-proclaimed connoisseur of spicy food, I was very happy that Paese Mio’s fra diavolo not only registered on my spice meter, but got pretty high up there. Bits of crushed red pepper and seeds intermingled in the sauce,

denced by only me and Maura Benner finishing our food. If a big, hearty Italian meal with plenty to take home is your idea of good eating (and if it’s not, what’s the matter with you?), Paese Mio is a sure bet. In fact, “a sure bet” can be used to describe the restaurant in its entirety. Does it have a ton of bells and whistles? No. Is it innovative, hip, and trendy? No. Is it lifechanging? Only if you’re like me, and never before finished a whole plate of pasta. But does Paese Mio provide fast service, friendly staff, tasty food, and a great place to relax with friends on a Sunday afternoon?

Most definitely. If a solid local Italian place is what you desire, stop in for a bite - you’ll definitely feel more like family there than at Olive Garden. Just beware of what your GPS tells you.

Final Rating: 4/5 stars

Paese Mio

Shrimp Scampi

and smelled delicious.

My plate held oodles of noodles under bright red sauce that coated the pasta evenly as I stirred it. I’m not exactly a pasta kind of girl, but I figured it was a good principle to judge an Italian joint by. My first bite did not disappoint. The spaghetti was cooked al dente, and the sauce tasted pleasant-

giving it a piquant fire that grew as I ate.

Similar murmurs of approval spread up and down the table as we dug in.

Our waiter returned routinely to refill drinks and make sure everything was to our liking.

In addition to the cozy feel and delicious cuisine, a plus of Paese Mio is its generous portions, as evi-

• 6561 Tilghman Street Allentown, PA 18106 • 610-481-0400 • Monday through Thursday 11 am - 10 pm; Friday to Saturday 11 am - 11pm; Sunday 12 am -10 pm • https://sites.google.com/ site/paesemioitalianrestaurant/ Food photos by staff Olives from notlikethepants. wordpress.com

10

THE STINGER

The Last Laugh XX Jacob Puleo Opinion Columnist

Brutal Honesty “Man, the sickest part was when her sword went through the air like WHOOSH and then the guy’s head was on the table!”

“Heck yeah! Then later, when she gets her scalp sliced off by the other chick? Her brain was, like, out there! It was so sick!”

“Sick!”

“SICK.” It would seem as though violence is as deeply ingrained in our culture as Sparkling Ice. Whether it be in movies, television, or video games, glorified bloodshed can be found in all form of media. It’s the type of thing that almost causes me to step back for a moment and think “Hm. That’s weird. Violence is entertaining.”

But what makes it weird? Fictional violence can be entertaining. I have no problem with it. Do I only feel that way because I’ve been desensitized to it? Any Ned Flanders-type would most likely respond with a resounding yes.

Those who make a case for desensitization aren’t exactly shooting from the hip.

It’s easy to find examples of violence in almost any fissure of entertainment. Movies reign supreme in this regard, being the medium in which we see car wrecks, gun fights, and martial arts rebranded as “action” only because “killing movie” wouldn’t attract as many parents.

Think of all the coolest moments in movie history. The ones that caused you to enthusiastically yell “sick!” at the screen.

A few personal favorites come to mind.

When a chainsaw is dropped on someone from the top of a flight of stairs in American Psycho. When a bound and gagged cop has his ear sliced off while “Stuck in the

Middle with You” plays in Reservoir Dogs.

When Hannibal Lecter uses someone’s face as a mask and pretends to be a corpse in The Silence of the Lambs. Upon hearing that list, any self-respecting psychiatrist would consider institutionalizing his patient before remembering that he himself is into the same kind of stuff.

Violence has its place in television as well. Take The Walking Dead for example, a show that essentially owes its popularity to featuring zombies killed in interesting ways by people with thick southern accents. But as soon as the zombie-killing action takes the backseat to dialogue and character development, fans become dissatisfied. And if you find yourself questioning the prominence of violence in TV, here’s some food for thought: most parents would rather expose their children to scenes of the excessive punching of bad guys than anything containing swearing or nudity of any kind.

Movies and television aside, violence ruffles the most feathers of pacifists, politicians, and pastors when it’s in video games. This comes as no surprise, especially considering that the objective of nearly every video game ever created has been to kill things. Even the seemingly innocent ones (like anything with “Mario” or “LEGO” in the title) task you with sending hordes of cute enemies back to whatever dank corner of hell they came from.

The world of sports is no exception.

Think about it. Boxing is a sport about punching people until they can’t stand.

UFC fighting is a sport about punching people without boxing gloves until they can’t stand.

Why do we as humans enjoy violence to this extent? If you ask me, desensitization, although present, has little to do with it. But if we aren’t desensitized, then what are we?

Animals. Humans are animals.

Before humans learned how to rollerblade and use money, we killed for survival. Now that our society has advanced, we no longer have use for those primal instincts. So… now it’s just for fun.

That may sound ridiculous, but like everything else said on National Geographic, it’s true.

Just look at ancient Rome. A large

April 2015 stadium was opened to the public. The audience then watched large men kill each other for their entertainment. It was essentially football. Once civilization had reached a point at which only a small handful of people needed to hunt animals, killing was turned into a sport. It may be that we no longer do the same today (with humans at least), but we still indulge ourselves with our fair share of fictional bloodsport nonetheless.

And now the question no one’s been waiting for: Is it wrong?

OPINION No. There’s nothing wrong with it. Violent tendencies are a part of our DNA. Don’t buy into that? I would bet that you once wished death upon whoever bought the last decaffeinated, one-third coffee/two-thirds Cool Whip concoction in the cafeteria.

F E AT U R E S

THE STINGER

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A P R I L 2 0 1 5

F E AT U R E E D I T O R C H R I S T I N E C A R L S O N A S S I S TA N T F E AT U R E E D I T O R S T O R I D E L H A G E N A N D R A N I A D R A K L E L L I S

NOW FEATURING

Chris Cross Growing Up

Christine Carlson I think when I was younger I wanted to be a vet, until I discovered I couldn’t stomach throwup, blood, and the sight of needles. After that, I wanted to be a writer. That lasted for awhile until I fell in love with the world of business and hospitality. What we wanted to be when “we grew up” was for the most part, always changing.

And then, here we are, 12 grades later, expected to make a decision about what we want to do with the rest of our lives, because we are almost “grown-ups” now.

I still remember the first day of freshman year. I was so nervous. During orientation, I made my mom do a walkthrough with me about five or six times so I would know exactly where I was going on that first day. For me at least, it doesn’t feel like I’ve been in school for 12 years.

Sure, some years have felt that they would never end. But now, I look back and think that it went so fast. Without us even realizing it, childhood slowly slips away while this scary thing called “adulthood” starts progressing towards us at an alarming rate.

So much has changed in 12 years. I’ve lost dear family members and have slowly lost contact with some friends. But I’ve also grown closer to my family and made amazing friendships that will last way beyond high school and college. I’ve discovered what I love and what I want to do for the rest of my life, while some high school seniors are still trying to figure that out.

Since the last day of junior year, I’ve had a countdown of the days until graduation. This number always appears on my phone’s home screen and is something that I constantly remind all my friends and family of.

But as much as every high school student looks forward to graduation day and anticipating the excitement of college, it is almost as equally frightening. For most of us, we will be heading off to a four- year college or university, surrounded by new people and experiences, and with no parents to constantly bug us to study or say “remember to do your homework.” Even though I am just headed off to community college for the first two years, things will definitely still be different. Some of my best friends will no longer be within driving distance, and I won’t see them every day at school or at my locker after every 8th period to talk and laugh with. Then after those two years comes another transition, this time off to a university. Though I know where I want to go, it is still yet another big change.

But after those four years in college are up, no one really knows where they will be. You may have an idea, or at least know where you want to end up and what job you wish you would get after college. In reality though, it may take awhile before that happens.

This was the first year since eighth grade that seniors haven’t had to fill out a course registration sheet. During this very important day- the day in which whatever classes you pick will determine how easy the next school year will be for you or if you get amazing teachers or mean ones- some freshman in my French class were asking me about which classes they should take and graduation requirements. Towards the end of the conversation with them, one girl asked me, “Four years seems like an insanely long time.

High school just goes on for forever. How did you do it?” I told her that looking back on these four years, they went by so fast. I’ve learned so much, made so many friendships, and discovered a lot about myself. I said to enjoy the four year journey, because before you know it, high school will be over and things will start to change.

So thank you, to all of my teachers over the four years that have become mentors to me.

Thanks to my amazing group of friends who I know I can always talk to and laugh with. I know we will always be there for eachother beyond high school. And most importantly, thank you to my family for always sticking with me and constantly believing and supporting me, not only through high school, but always.

Spring break European style

Emmaus students travel to Italy, France, and Germany Ellie Lewis Assistant Online News Editor

Every two years Emmaus music teach-

er Rita Cortez plans a performance tour for Chorale; this year the students and some parents tagged along to Italy.

The third chorale trip from March 30 to April 7, started out shaky. The flight from Frankfurt, Germany was delayed about eight hours, which resulted in the loss of the first day in Verona.

One student’s passport was close to expiration so she could not fly and had to meet up with the rest of the group a day later. Once finally boarding the plane in Frankfurt, the flight over the French Alps was rough and shook the plane.

“At one point I wasn’t sure if I would ever fly again,” Cortez said.

The rocky start of the trip was forgotten after stepping off the plane and breathing in the fresh European air along with the sight of the cobblestone streets, Mediterranean Sea and the aged cathedral churches.

Although only in Italy for a short amount of time, those nine days were filled with many adventures and once-

Ciao, Italia

Chorale in the Vatican. Photo courtesy of Joel Shimer.

i­n- ­a- ­lifetime experiences such as singing in the Vatican and the Spanish Steps, seeing the Michelangelo’s David along with La Pietà, and looking down at the bright lights of Montecatini at the top of a mountain.

Junior Chloe Mathieu enjoyed when the group sang on the mountain.

“Afterwards it was so peaceful and quiet,” Mathieu said.

The students were applauded and photographed by thousands while singing on the Spanish Steps.

“When I turned around there had to be like thousands of people,” Cortez said. “Afterward, people would come up

Bonjour, la France

From March 27 to April 5, Emmaus French teacher Deborah Kalb took 16 of her students on a nine- day extravaganza throughout France and Spain.

Although jetlagged from the long flight from Pennsylvania to France, the students were more than excited to start their adventure. The beginning of the trip kicked off with a visit to the Eiffel Tower along with dinner in Paris. Following the first day, the group took multiple tours to historic museums and sights, including a tour around Versailles and seeing the Mona Lisa.

The group traveled on a bus and then a high speed train to reach Provence in the South of France.

Emmaus junior Crystal Wise enjoyed visiting Provence and the Pope’s Palace in Avignon.

“Provence gave us a whole new outlook on France,” Wise said. “It was more of a rural area, unlike the city of Paris.”

After Provence, the students drove to Barcelona, Spain.

There they got to experience a flamenco dancing show, a Picasso art workshop, and got to take a two- hour bike ride through Barcelona.

“Barcelona is just a really amazing, modern town,” Kalb said. “My favorite part of the trip was Barcelona, because I’ve been to Paris about 20 times and so it was new and exciting.”

to us and cry. They were so appreciative.”

On Easter Sunday, poor weather conditions left the ensemble in the rain outside of the Vatican for about four hours. Cortez was very proactive and called the tour guide to find an alternate way to enter the church so that they did not miss the mass.

The Swiss guards let the choir in through the side of the gates and unknowingly the group passed by the Pope’s house.

Senior Jordan Pothering says that seeing Pope Francis was a blessing.

“I love the Pope,” Pothering said. “He is so cute like a marshmallow. I want to just put him in my hot chocolate.”

The following day, the students sang in the Vatican.

According to Cortez, the trip and group was amazing and not one student complained.

“A lot of circumstances were not ideal,” Cortez said. “And yet it was a great trip.”

Palace of Versailles. Photo courtesy of Crystal Wise.

The entire trip included good weather, lots of shopping, and new experiences.

“It was the best group that I have ever traveled with,” Kalb said. “Everyone was very interested, engaged, punctual, and everyone got along.”

Guten Tag, Deutschland

From March 21 to March 29, thirteen Emmaus students traveled for to

Germany and Switzerland.

For nine days the students got to visit Dachau concentration camp, the Neuschwanstein Castle (the castle in which Snow White’s in Disney Land is modeled after), the Rhine Falls (largest waterfall in Europe), the Black Forest (the setting of countless Grimm Brothers’ fairytales), a famous Munich beer hall, and Ludwig the II’s castles. The scenery of the rich farmlands, wind turbines, and solar panels made the experience most memorable.

Emmaus junior Jordan Wanamaker loved the scenery and says that it was cool to try to communicate to Germans.

“My favorite part of the trip was all of the people I met,” Wanamaker said. “My least favorite part was the eight hour plane ride to get there. I felt so disgusting being cramped for that long.”

During the trip, the group found an alternative Dutch band in Munich and

decided to attend last minute.

Emmaus German teacher Meghan Pribicko says the best part of the trip was the random concert.

“We just went and weren’t sure what to expect,” Pribicko said. “It was something that I’ve never done before. I’ve never gone to a concert in a foreign country before, it was definitely the best part of the trip.”

There were no complaints about the trip, except for the day the group was set to return, it was daylight savings in Europe.

“We had to get up an extra hour early,” Pribicko said. “Which was kind of annoying.”

Students in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Photo courtesy of Jack Healy.

The

Katie Mest Assistant Sports Editor

T

IMAG

ARE TEENAGERS GAININ Embracing your Natural Beauty

oday digital editing dominates many of the media outlets that provide the latest news and fashion, especially to teenagers and young adults.

The halls of Emmaus High School are no exception. As soon as the final bell rings at 2:25, students whip out their iPhones to browse the latest happenings on social media.

Five minutes on Twitter would reveal at least one Photoshopped image of a celebrity or touched-up selfie.

Junior Rachel Reinbold believes that the fashion industry is beginning to stray away from these ideals, to an extent.

“I think the fashion industry is modernizing and embracing more natural beauty than fake beauty, but it’s still teaching women to change themselves to be more physically pleasing,” said Reinbold.

Some magazines have differentiated themselves from the rest of the fashion industry. Aerie, Dove, Seventeen Magazine, and Verily Magazine have all pledged not to retouch the models in their campaigns.

Aerie, a sister brand of American Eagle, started their Aerie Real campaign. They’ve stopped retouching their models. The girls look healthy and actually have some meat on their bones.

Companies use the sex appeal advertising technique by altering the bodies of their models, hoping to attract the eye of vulnerable girls. These girls think that it’s possible to become like these models, when in reality the models can’t even look the way they do on screen or in print.

“They’re looking for the idealized ‘perfect woman,’ who is flawless and the epitome of beauty,” Reinbold said, “but they don’t realize that in their striving toward this unacheivable goal, they’re teaching themselves to hate certain things about themselves, rather than accepting them and loving them.”

English teacher Jillian Zarnas believes that companies stick with their photoshopping and retouching for reasons other t h a n just making a profit off of a sale.

“It’s not just money, but history,” Zarnas said. “Companies have been glamorizing ads since the beginning of advertising, for instance Barbie. She hasn’t changed much over the years. It would be hard to change. People have certain expectations of what they will see in an ad.”

A company’s promotion of natural beauty attracts the consumer. It shows that the company will embrace the beauty that every female embodies. The campaign isn’t just restricted to the social aspect of the company, but it is also associated with what the company as a whole stands for.

The mirrors in the Aerie dressing rooms read, “The girl in this mirror has not been retouched. The real you is sexy.” As a customer leaves the store they carry a bag that reads, “The girl holding this bag has not been retouched.” Their holiday bags put a fun twist on it as they read, “We believe in Santa, but not in retouching.”

Each statement is followed by #AerieREAL. Using the hashtag on social media sites, such as Twitter and Instagram, allows the consumer to become a part of the spread of the campaign. Aerie’s website features a gallery specifically for those who have used the hashtag in support of Aerie Real. These are real girls with real flaws and real confidence.

This marketing strategy is effective, since the company targets teenagers and young adults, most of whom are easily impacted by the world of social media.

People use Instagram to share pictures of their adventures and, on a good day, selfies. It’s a rare occurrence that one would come across a selfie that could honestly use #nofilter.

Filters can be found in the Instagram app, in other apps designed specifically for editing pictures, and even in the phone’s camera itself. Users apply the filters to alter or enhance the pictures before they post them.

Sophomore Sam Meyer believes that the thought process behind the picture ultimately has to do with who might view it.

“It may be because a photo lasts forever, and others can look a photo for as long as they desire,” Meyer said.

“So people tend to use flattering filters and apps to create something they feel is worth looking at in that matter.”

Along with filters, girls use makeup to hide blemishes and other imperfections.

All of this is done to make girls more comfortable with the way they look.

Reinbold believes that makeup is meant to make people feel more confident and beautiful.

“If you want to

Social media hashtag on an Aerie bag. Photo by Lindsay Harner

wear heavy makeup and express how you feel, go ahead,” Reinbold said. “If you don’t want to wear any makeup, then don’t. It depends on each girl’s preference honestly.”

Some girls choose the route of no makeup, either because their face needs a day to take a breather or because they are more comfortable without it. The natural look is a bit more rare than the makeup look, but it shows beauty and confidence nonetheless.

Meyer applauds those who can acknowledge their beauty without any touch-ups.

“I definitely think that natural beauty is more admirable than photoshopped portraits and makeup,” Meyer said. “But with that, I think people often forget that that includes embracing flaws, which is no easy task for most women. However, if a person can walk around without any editing to their body and feel their most beautiful, I see that as very confident, which is also credible.”

Especially in the high school community, many factors affect the self- esteem of a young girl.

Junior Erin Schmick accepts that there are both positive and negative ways high school can impact one’s self- esteem.

“The major thing that affects our self- esteem is probably our fellow peers,” Schmick said. “Not only can they help the self- esteem, but they can also tear it down. They can secretly tear you down tear by tear, but the sad thing is that anyone can do that. Anyone can be two-faced.”

“But the thing is, you just have to forget about those people who have to forget about those people who have any chance of hurting you, and just focus on the ones that you know for a fact will back you up and keep you happy no matter what.”

Dove conducted another study in 2011 called The Real Truth About Beauty: Revised. The study found that among 10- to 17-year-olds 72 percent of the 1,200 girls said that they felt a great pressure to feel beautiful. Only 11 percent of the girls would use the word beautiful to define their appearances.

Natural beauty is all about embracing one’s own beauty.

Nina Rowan applying mascara in a mirror. Photo by Lindsay Harner.

GE ISSUE

NG MORE

Self-Confidence?

How body image in media has changed for the Katie Gigler Staff

“K

arlie Kloss in that Victoria’s Secret bra.

Wow. I wish I was skinny and pretty and had breasts like hers.”

“Just got out last year’s jeans. I’ll be in the plus size department of Macy’s buying 3 new pairs if you need me.”

“Bikini season is two months away and I look like a pregnant beluga whale.”

What do all these social media posts have in common? Fat shaming. Low selfconfidence. Negative use of media. And we saw a ton of it two years ago.

But the media is changing. From TV screens to Twitter, the media is becoming more positive about body image and more inclusive of all body types.

Last month, Instagram exploded with selfies containing the hashtag “#20BeautifulWomen”. The comment section contained 20 names of friends of whom the user thought were beautiful, too. Some saw this movement as an excuse to post a cute selfie. But the real reason was much more beautiful than that. It gave every woman confidence and pride, as well as the chance to compliment friends. Girls also starting posting pictures of themselves laughing or not wearing makeup. Some even posted a photo of a loved one that had cancer.

This movement allowed females to recognize the true beauty in themselves and those around them. The positivity and self-love radiated from the photos to the thoughts and feelings of others. The result?

Very many happy and positive women.

A few weeks ago, Facebook removed the “Feeling Fat” emoticon. This forced users to resist posting their body image woes and second guess their negative attitude.

Facebook said it was a problem for people with eating disorders as well as people that just felt overweight.

The standard for models is also changing. Aerie introduced its anti-retouching campaign called “Aerie Real” last spring, which eliminated all retouching and editing of their models. In addition, Dove has a real beauty movement that has been in ef-

fect for more than 10 years. This campaign features models of all shapes, sizes, and colors, and was born when a study found that 2 percent of women around the world described themselves as beautiful. Dove has also developed campaigns for the incline of self esteem in the past few years.

These campaigns influence the thoughts and feelings of women because now, they don’t have to strive to meet edited and unreachable beauty standards. Furthermore, these movements recognize all body types, not just women with curves. Thin, thick, or somewhere in the middle, there’s a Dove

better

model out there that looks just like you.

The media is changing for the better. It’s enforcing real beauty and highlighting that imperfections are just the opposite of what the word implies. Having a healthy body image and feeling good about what you look like is the new trend. And like stripes and little black dresses, feeling good about yourself will never go out of style.

Dove’s Real Beauty campaign.

Photo courtesy of Visiblemeasures.com

The Lammily Doll: A different kind of Barbie

Izzy Wegner Staff

L

ast year, Nickolay Lamm launched the campaign for a doll with the average proportions of a 19-year-old woman. In addition to the doll having the proportions of an average woman, Lammily marks, which include stitches, tattoos, glasses, acne, and moles.

According to the Lammily Fashion Doll website, the doll was created to “promote realistic beauty standards and help your child develop a positive body image.” Several possible consumers questioned Lamm on whether young children would want to play with a doll that has stretch marks and cellulite.

In response, Lamm gave the doll to young children, and it was a hit. All of the children shown in a video displaying their reactions chose the realistic Lamilly doll over a cliché Barbie doll. The children were ecstatic about a doll that looked like a real woman, and couldn’t wait to play with one.

A Barbie doll would in reality most likely be 5 feet 9 inches with a 36 inch bust, 18 inch waist and 33 inch hips.

According to cdc.gov, the average woman is 5 feet 3.8 inches and has a waist of 37.5 inches. Barbies are fashion dolls, and aren’t meant to represent the average woman, but are meant to be played with by little girls and to be used in Barbie fashion shows.

Lamm created Lammily dolls to promote positive body

image for young girls. He is trying to promote his idea that average is beautiful. Not everyone is a size 00, and that’s okay because they are both beautiful. The scars and stitches show young girls that they are not alone, and that it’s no big deal to have a few bumps and bruises. He wants to convey the message that they are all beautiful.

However, some people tend to argue that the dolls’ tattoos promote young girls to get tattoos and “rebel.” Advocates, however, argue that people in real life have tattoos.

The ones the doll has are meant to be removable, and are therefore not negatively influencing children.

A derogatory comment that is frequent on the Lammily Fashion Doll website is that the doll is too masculine. These comments enraged advocates for the doll who argue that in present day, society has moved past the ages of women being forced into long skirts and corsets. They argue that women are now in the military, play sports and can do anything a man can. Her figure is feminine, they argue, considering she is the shape of an average 19-yearold woman. This doll may not be tall, thin and without a blemish, but she is beautiful in a different way. Many supporters also believe she is beautiful in the same way as an average woman.

Some people may also believe little girls won’t judge themselves based on Barbies. But if you think they won’t, then consider these questions. Have you ever compared yourself to a model? Maybe a friend? A random person you see at the mall, maybe in the school hallway? Most

likely you have. Young girls’ only models of what others look like besides their parents or siblings are their dolls. Not all, but many young girls love playing with dolls.

According to a Springer Open Choice study, “watching television and perceiving pressure to be thin from the media were found to be related to increased awareness of weight loss strategies and disturbed eating behavior over time in young North American and Australian children.” There is a serious pressure for many women to be ‘perfect’ and Barbies don’t help.

The Lammily fashion doll is perfect, with its average proportions, scrapes and tattoos.

Good job Lamm, your doll will affect many people.

Photo edit by Rania Draklellis

14

April 2015

College admissions:

the (Fat) EnVElope, Please...

I

Sophia Wertz Staff

t was easier to get into college 10 years ago. But as gas prices, Starbucks locations, and standards of living increased, so did rejection rates.

More students than ever are applying to college, and the colleges are raising the bar for admission standards. The college competition is becoming a reality to many high school seniors. As students receive scrawny rejection letters from their colleges of choice instead of the infamous fat acceptance envelopes, applicants feel adverse psychological effects linked to their college rejections.

“In college admissions, you’re really seeing the future,” said an Emmaus High School senior who has asked to remain anonymous. “Being rejected makes you feel less than a person. The college doesn’t want you, and you’re not good enough. I think we place too much emphasis on big-name schools.”

Senior Jonathon Moore agreed.

“I feel that rejection is detrimental, especially considering the standard of the school,” Moore said. “If I was rejected from an easier school to attend, I would feel worse.”

Senior Morgyn Hagy noted the social pressures of acceptance.

“I applied to Pennsylvania schools, and it was fairly easy,” Hagy said. “But I would be heartbroken and feel like I’m not good enough if I was rejected. People judge you based on your college acceptances.”

With the stress that students can feel with college admissions, does the “name” of a school matter?

In 1999, Lehigh Valley resident and Mathematica policy researcher Stacy Dale published a now-famous study tracking the lives of intellectually comparable students who attended different institutions of higher learning.

The experiment revealed that students who attended Ivy Leagues and state schools alike held similar jobs and received similar salaries.

Her findings suggest the school is not as important as the type of student attending it.

Dale stresses the importance of the student’s work ethic over the type of college they attend.

“There are many good colleges, and getting rejected from a particular college will not deter a student’s success,” Dale said. “Every college has something to offer and students should take advantage of resources there.”

Dale’s research sparked interest among writers across the country.

Journalist Derek Thompson of The Atlantic noted a

potential flaw in the foundations of Dale’s study.

“A world where 44.8 percent of billionaires, 55.9 percent of Forbes’s most powerful women, and 85.2 percent of Forbes’s most powerful men attended elite schools is not a place where college doesn’t matter,” Thompson said.

Thompson, however, does not believe that such statistic defines one’s life.

“Where you go to college does matter, because it’s often an accurate measure of the person you’re becoming,” Thompson said.

“But actually getting into Princeton isn’t as critical as being the type of person who could get into Princeton.”

Ethan Robles, Admissions Officer for Lafayette College, agrees with Thompson.

“I believe there are better opportunities in some schools,” Robles said. “Some colleges offer amazing educational resources. However, resources only take you so far. The reputation of college can matter, but [college admissions] is very reliant on the student’s ability to harness ambition. In life there are rejections... It’s something we have to deal with as human beings. I was rejected by five out of six colleges I applied to, but the college I attended was the only one that mattered. As [a] second semester freshman, I forgot about my initial disappointment.”

Valerie Strauss of The Washington Post observed the differences in opportunity amongst colleges.

“The super-elite schools have resources that other schools don’t, thus, the ability to help their students in ways less wealthy schools can,” Strauss said. “These things aren’t everything, but they aren’t nothing either.”

Shane McGuire, admissions counselor for Vanderbilt University, believes college rejection should not deter students from applying.

“If a student is rejected, it might not be the student,” McGuire said. “Some colleges are very competitive, and every school is looking for different students. It doesn’t mean the student is a bad student; they just may not be what the institution is looking for. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there.”

What does this mean for college rejection?

The end goal of college differs for students. Some want to enjoy a four-year vacation away from their parents.

Some want to truly “be enlightened” through an environment of academia. And some want a high-paying, highlyenvied, and highly-satisfying career.

Regardless of why you choose to go to college, author Frank Bruni believes your college choice does not influence the person you choose to be, and instead of agonizing over college rejection, students should try to make the most of their college experience, whether it be at an “elite” university or a local college.

Some EHS seniors exhibit the resilience Bruni emphasizes.

Senior Andrew Ferguson places college rejection into perspective.

“It is harsh, but not the end of the world,” Ferguson said. “Take it and learn from it.”

Photo by Lindsay Harner

IVY LEAGUE ACCEPTANCES One Emmaus senior accepted at FIVE Prestigious SCHOOLS Stinger Staff

Q: How many schools did you apply to?

Robby Haag: I’m gonna say about 10. Five Ivy Leagues.

Q: Any bad news?

RH: I haven’t been rejected.

Q: What were your expectations?

RH: I kind of had a good mindset where I did as much as I could. It was out of my hands.

Photo courtesy of Robby Haag.

Q: Which application was the most stressful?

RH: Probably the first school I applied to, which was Yale. Their essay had to be specific to their

different schools. Mine was about my grandfather who came from Cuba and my relationship with him.

Q: Did you cry when you got into some of these schools?

RH: I’m not that much of an emotional person.

I was just really excited and shocked. My mom cried.

Q: What school programs are you involved in?

RH: I’m in Chorale, Fermata Nowhere, debate team, academic team, and the volleyball team.

15

April 2015

TWINNING: Just on separate days Cathryn Seibert Assistant News Editor Kassidy Laczo Staff

T

wins are said to have a special bond unlike any other, a result of the close quarters they shared for nine months, and, of course, the fact that they entered the world on the same day. But, for freshmen Charlie and Julia Norelli, the connection they share differs from that of most twins.

At around 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 23, 1999, Charlie was born. Eight hours later, on Nov. 24, doctors delivered Julia through caesarean section on the twins’ actual due date.

The siblings are not only linked through their twinhood, but through the rarity of being born on different days.

Julia recognizes that the chances of twins having separate birthdays is a truly distinct circumstance.

“It doesn’t happen often at all,” Julia said. “That’s why people are very surprised [when they find out Charlie and I were born on different days].”

Charlie acknowledges others’ reactions to this fact as well.

“Well depending on who they are, if they happen to know my sister as well as myself,” Charlie said. “They tend to get weirded out, I guess.”

Both think that their parents did not expect the anomaly of different birth dates when they found out twins were in their future.

“I think they thought it was pretty cool that we could celebrate our birthdays on different days,” Julia said.

“When you are expecting twins, you’re expecting them on

the same day. So [my parents] were surprised.”

Charlie surmises that his mother was astounded when she delivered the twins on separate days.

“My mom was a bit shocked because I think at first she thought that one of us wouldn’t make it,” Charlie said.

“The fact that we were born on different days was a shock to her.”

Isabella Wegner, one of the twin’s friends, has known Charlie and Julia since childhood, and thinks they’re “like [her] brother and sister.”

“I’ve known them for years,” Wegner says. “I can go over and just walk into their house, and no one cares.”

Even if Charlie and Julia weren’t twins, Wegner thinks the relationship between them would be unchanged. She believes the duo supports each other and that they have an overall good relationship, despite their quarrels.

“They’re loyal to each other, [but] they also bicker,” Wegner said. “[Charlie and Julia are] just always there for each other. Even though they fight sometimes, all siblings do. They always help each other out. It’s a good relationship.”

The pair, who has two half sisters and two half brothers, developed a shared tradition over the years, including a special way to celebrate birthdays.

“When we were kids, we used to make each other birthday cakes,” Charlie said. “We stopped doing that because I would screw hers up. So it wasn’t very fair.”

Despite this lost custom, they still endeavor to make both birthdays enjoyable.

“We celebrate them on my birthday,” Charlie said. “All our family comes over on my birthday, but [Julia] still gets presents and stuff.”

Throughout the rest of the year, Charlie and Julia bond with each other on a regular basis through engaging in a variety of activities they both appreciate.

“We usually hang out by watching TV together,” Charlie says.

Apart from viewing shows and movies, Julia enjoys joining in with Charlie when he plays video games.

“Well [Charlie is] a big video game player, and I’m not really good with it,” she says. “So when I’m not busy I play around with [the games], and he teaches me stuff.”

Julia believes that their relationship would remain relatively similar had they been born minutes apart, as opposed to hours.

“I don’t think [being born on the same day] would have affected [our relationship] a lot,” Julia says.

“But I don’t think it would have been as special.

It’s special to have your own day and not share it with someone else.”

Photo courtesy of Julia Norelli.

NOT JUST

Broadway Night

Sophomore Joe Gonzalez performing a mix of Replay and So Sick.

T

Rania Draklellis Assistant Features Editor

he music department showcased its talent this past week with the first Broadway Night of the year.

Emcees Andrew Ferguson and Robert Lynn kicked off the night.

“Robert and I collaborate really well,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson thought the night went spectacularly.

“Everyone was really good,” Ferguson said.

“It went by fast, and everyone was entertaining.”

The night included sophomore Kevin Williams singing and playing the trumpet to “La Vie En Rose,” and senior Katie Gigler singing “Summer in Ohio” from “The Last 5 Years.”

Sophomore Alejandro Rodriguez performed an accoustic cover of “Heartless” by Kanye West with senior Caleb Strobel.

“We practiced for about one week,” Rodriguez said. “I was so nervous, I didn’t even see the crowd.”

Sophomore Joseph Freemont also sang a song.

“I sang ‘I Won’t Give Up’ by Jason Mraz,” Freemont said. “Anthony Roncolato and I practiced for a while and it went really well.

The crowd took it positively.”

The night ended with a surprise perfomance of “Einstein on the Beach” by seniors Micah Gilley, Tobias Haus, and Roncolato.

“It is so much fun,” Freemont said. “I recommend that everyone who can perform in [Broadway Night], should.”

The final Broadway Night of the year is scheduled for May 22 at 7 p.m. Tickets are sold at the door for $5.

Photos by Lindsay Harner.

Seniors Previn James, Dan Amankwatia, Dan Intriago, and John Dudley performing an acapella medley.

Seniors Margaret Gehman and Sarah Winston performing Boom Clap by Charli XCX.

Emcees Robert Lynn and Andrew Ferguson.

Sophomores Julia Bezems and Caroline Fletcher performing a medley of Harry Potter and Pirates of the Carribbean.

16

THE STINGER l April 2015

THE STINGER | April 2015

Culture

CULTURE

By Olivia Riccio

A Change of Perspective As my junior year is slowly coming to an end, I am faced with a lot of new changes, the kind that are making me realize my nearing future.

I know there comes a time when we all must grow up and start being independent, and I want that freedom more than anything, but I’m also stuck in the middle. I want to be grown up and independent, yet I still want my elders to hold my hand and guide me through life.

Being a junior, I’m faced with the decision of having to figure out what exactly it is that I want to do in life. That is just completely mind-boggling and overwhelming to me.

Why should I, a 17-year-old who can’t even be considered an adult yet, have to decide what pathway to choose that will guarantee me a successful future? The whole concept of that is just completely ridiculous.

Now I see that it’s just a part of life, and that I need to prepare for this change. It really set in when I had my first college visit, and I started getting anxious about moving onto this new chapter. I had seen my friends starting to stress about finding the right college, and I kept pushing it into the back of my mind because I didn’t want to even think about being away from home. But now I definitely know that I want to get away from the normal.

I need a change of pace. A change of faces. And I know I still have a year left of my high school career, which is reassuring, but at the same time I’m ready to begin the new chapter of my life. So maybe change is good. But it’s just getting there that will be the struggle.

I now have to take new factors into consideration- money, time, my true passions. It’s a very eye-opening experience now that I’m finally realizing that I’m going to be living on my own and caring completely for myself in a year or so.

I think that will be the hardest adjustment that I will have to face when transitioning into my future.

Being an only child, I’ve always been close to my parents and depended on them, but at the same time I’ve been more independent and given more responsibilities. Going on the college visit and seeing the students there living their lives independently made everything finally click. And it got me thinking about how my responsibilities are going to change.

Everything in my life is going to change.

I’m a person who likes consistency. I always have been.

High school was a rough transition for me because I had grown into the routine of middle school, only to start over in a complete different (and much bigger) place full of new people and unfamiliar surroundings. And I fear for having to go through that experience all over again in college. As much as I want to be independent and life my life, I’m always going to want that consistency.

But as the popular saying goes, change is good. I always have trouble accepting that, because I’m just a stubborn person. I like everything done in a specific fashion. I like planning.

However when it comes to the future, I know that it’s unclear at the moment and that’s something that is completely unsettling to me. I think a lot of my peers can relate to this.

We all have to suddenly decide what we want to do for the rest of our lives, even though it isn’t even guaranteed that we will pursue those pathways.

I wish there was a way to know exactly what I’m going to do in life, and that it was presented to me in such an obvious way. But unfortunately, life doesn’t quite work that way. So I’m dealing with the realization of my approaching future in the best way that I can.

My approach is just picturing how I will feel when I’m all done. All done with high school. All done with college.

All done with late nights studying and cramming. How I will feel when they hand me that diploma, and I hear the applause of the audience because I accomplished my goals.

How I will feel when I made it through the some of the most challenging years of my life.

I’m living for that moment and I can’t wait for it. I can’t wait to finally put all my knowledge I’ve acquired to use.

I can just see the way life is changing to mold my senior year, my most important and last year of the last chapter of my youth. New opportunities are arriving, some are leaving.

I just have to believe that everything will work itself out and turn the negatives into positives.

So maybe it will be worth having to put myself out of my comfort zone and face new challenges in life. I’m ready to take on senior year and finally figure out what I need to do to prepare for my future, because I’m going to work hard so that I have a satisfying and joyful life.

So yes, change is really, really good.

C U LT U R E E D I T O R O L I V I A R I C C I O A S S I S TA N T C U LT U R E E D I T O R K A Y L A M C G O V E R N

Trends heating up for spring and summer

Kayla McGovern Assistant Culture Editor Temperatures are going up, grades are going down, and everyone’s trying to stay afloat until that magical day in June. April showers don’t just bring May flowers--with prom, senior weeks, music festivals and vacations within arm’s reach, students are all abuzz over summer/spring 2015 fashion-- “Did you see Kendall and Gigi at Coachella?” “Which Triangl suits have already been claimed?” and, the dreaded, “Do you think I’ll get stopped for my shorts?”

In order to predict what’s to come, it is important to have an understanding of what has passed. In the case of 2015, the bohemian, free-spirited styles of the 1970s have made their rounds through the fashion cycle, sparking a full-fledged 70’s takeover. From Marc Jacobs to Altuzarra, retro raiment flooded the runways of both the Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter 2015 Fashion Weeks, and the trend is just beginning.

Proceeding Fashion Month, countless high-street outfitters, namely J Crew and Zara, launched ’70s campaigns of their own, with lookbooks consisting primarily of suede in natural, tan hues, fringe, prints, and platforms.

As runway trends reach their peak, labels like Forever 21 and H&M will soon jump on the bandwagon. So while Carolina Herrera or Chloe may be a bit out of your price range, your wallet will be pleased to know it will be just a mat-

What to look for, as projected by Harper’s Bazaar and Style.com: Loose, flowy blouses and dresses in vibrant, boho-floral prints, flared bottoms--high waisted shorts and pants, slightly less belled than the original ’70s look, kneehigh gladiator sandals, wooden platform sandals and tons of fringe. It’s time to pack up those bodycon skirts and thigh-hugging shorts.

As far as colors go, a peachy coral and pale, minimalist color scheme will carry you through spring and well into summer.

Pantone.com’s Fashion Color Report for spring 2015 takes inspiration from nature and highlights “cooler and softer color choices with subtle warm tones.” This includes classic blue, tangerine, strawberry ice, and titanium as key colors of the season, as well as Vogue’s favorite-the timeless, summer white.

And if you’re feeling particularly daring, Harper’s Bazaar notes the denim dress as your staple for the impending season, and fashion blogger Leandra Medine urges readers not to shy away from Canadian Tuxedo, but in a revamped, chic way-a jean jacket and high-waisted pants or shorts. Just be sure to know, according to Medine at manrepeller.com, stripes are “the ‘new’ neutral.”

Photo by Kayla McGovern

Life With Liv

17

ter of time until the top Ready-to-Wear styles are, well, ready for you to wear, dousing the halls of EHS. For the more DIY or vintage votaries, the reincarnated trend is one that is easy to mimic. One will be likely to find key pieces in your local Goodwill or deep within your parents’ or grandparents’ closets--the things they’ve been holding on to, “just in case.”

Move over Vera, it’s emma’s time Lindsay Harner Photo Editor Emma Wang, a 2014 Emmaus High School graduate, designed several original prom dresses during her junior and senior year.

Her interest in fashion design began when she could not find clothing that was modest enough for her liking.

Every dress she saw was just a few inches too short. Wang decided to take matters into her own hands by learning to create her own dresses.

“The first thing I designed was a silky purple dress for a sixth grade banquet,” Wang said. “It was terrible and I wish I still had it today to show people how terrible it was.”

Wang said she knew nothing about making patterns at the time, and that she had tried to measure and make it out of newspaper. Although the fabric was beautiful, the dress was an overall failure.

It wasn’t until Wang’s sophomore year in high school that she began designing dresses consistently, and this is the year she started sketching clothing lines.

During her junior year she began selling her designs. It was also during her junior year that she began designing prom dresses. Wang made three prom dresses her junior year, one for herself, and two for seniors Stephanie and Savannah Blest.

“I learned a lot through that process and I was very thankful for the experience,” Wang said.

Wang continued designing prom dresses during her senior year. She made a total of seven prom dresses, one for herself, and five others for her friends Megan Jibilian, Richa Ardeshna, Savannah Puckanez, Elyse Stephens, and Channing Reinhard. The seventh dress she used for her portfolio for

applying to North Carolina State Univer- ing a 3D fashion software program called sity.

Lectra Kaledo Print, one of the many techWang found the process of making these nological advances offered to students at dresses difficult, but very enjoyable. As she NC State. Recently, Wang made her first was making the dresses for her friends she swimsuit. got the opportunity to spend a lot of time “I’m happy with how it turned out. That hanging out with them while working at was a very different project for me to work the same time. Wang loved getting to on since there are so many new factors to know her friends better throughout think about- stretch, interaction with water, the process. et cetera,” Wang said.

According to Wang, designing One of Wang’s favorite projects was a prom dresses was a very rewarding red dress she made for her Fashion Conexperience. She benefited from struction class. learning the customer service “It was a lot of fun and I got to use the aspect of business interactions. pleating machine to make all the frills. I Making seven different dresses learned a lot through making this dress and also helped Wang refine her skill I think it will always be one of my favorite set and gain the experience she garments,” Wang said. needed before she went to colWang could picture herself working in lege. the U.S. for Nike or some other previously Wang currently studies fash- established company, although she hopes to ion design at North Carolina State open her own company overseas one day.

University in Raleigh. There she Wang’s true dream is to work as a mishas had many opportunities to sionary in the 10/40 Window, a region in work on interesting projects. Her the world located between 10 and 40 definal project from last semester was grees north of the equator that has a high a very complex black dress that rate of poverty and a low quality of life. took her several hundred hours to Wang wants to open her own company complete. where she can employ women who otherWang recently revised the dress wise would be involved in sex trafficking. she used for her portfolio, and she is happier with the way it looks now.

She also had the opportunity to make a dress inspired by an artist, Jasper Johns.

Wang is waiting for the fabric to be printed with the print design Photo courtesy of (top to bottom) Jessica Connor and Emma Wang, she created usEdit by Rania Draklellis

18

THE STINGER April 2015

Culture

It’s a Cole World

Ashley Rivera Staff Writer “If you look at rap today, it’s mostly just DJ Mustard beats or at least the mainstream rap is,” says Michael Gorton. “It’s just radio music.”

Gorton, an Emmaus High School senior, hopes to prosper in the music industry as he prepares to venture off to college. In his pursuit of creating music, Gorton has often looked to well-known rappers such as Drake and Kanye West for inspiration. Among his latest muses, however, is one of hip-hop’s hottest new prodigies: J. Cole.

“I think that [J. Cole] is an incredible lyricist and one of the few self-aware, self-conscious rappers that we have left,” says Gorton, who has his own song and video with 3,000 views on YouTube.

The 30-year-old sensation, born Jermaine Lamarr Cole, proved himself to be the next big thing in the world of hip-hop with his latest album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive, released last December. The LP, his third studio release to hit Billboard’s top 200, made Cole one of six rappers who reached number one with his first three albums--putting him among the company of Drake, Rick Ross, Nelly, DMX and Snoop Dogg.

Within the first week of its release, 2014 Forest Hills Drive sold 371,000 copies. The album’s sales were quite impressive considering it received very little publicity: its release was announced only three weeks in advance.

Cole reignited the flame of excitement over 2014 Forest Hills Drive as he embarked on his 2015 tour that began March 2 and just wrapped up April 7. His summer tour launches July 12 in Seattle and hits somewhat locally, with two New Jersey performances at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden on July 31 and at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel on Aug. 3.

Yet Cole’s appeal transcends that of an everyday hiphop fan. His meaningful and sometimes relatable lyrics are appreciated by fans of many genres.

“I’m not a fan of rap music at all, but honestly this album wasn’t bad,” says Emmaus senior Rodney Morales, who is also a DJ. Cole’s lyrics are so powerful that he left talk show host David Letterman speechless after his performance of “Be Free” for the first time on “Late Night With David Letterman.” The song is not included on the tracklist of 2014 Forest Hills Drive, but the tribute piece to Ferguson shooting victim Michael Brown speaks of the social injustices blacks face in society.

“I think he’s on another level writing wise, it’s hard to

write about the stuff he does,” says Gorton.

Social injustice is just one topic that Cole touches on, however. On 2014 Forest Hills Drive he examines other hardships, from losing one’s virginity to surviving poverty to learning to love oneself.

“I love most of the songs especially since they all are about such different topics, but they’re all equally good,” says junior Ashleigh Reinhart.

2014 Forest Hills Drive is not Cole’s first successful album. His other two, Born Sinner and Cole World - The Sideline Story, hit number one on Billboard’s Top 200.

“I consider J. Cole the best rapper in this era,” says junior Franky Vasquez.

Beside all of the praise, Cole has risen to fame because he separates himself from other rappers by penning songs with deeper meaning. His awareness of today’s societal issues, especially concerning race, sets him apart from the hiphop industry.

In an interview with Angie Martinez from Power 105.1, Cole showed a side of himself that appealed to a deeper audience. This 43-minute talk, in fact, was a breath of fresh air for some people, because for once this generation witnessed a rapper discussing issues other than money, girls, and getting high.

Cole’s name stands among the upper echelon of rappers who focus primarily on big-name issues, such as Tupac or Immortal Technique.

In fact, 2014 Forest Hills Drive is not just the album title, but also the address of Cole’s former childhood home that was foreclosed. He repurchased it in 2014. James Hall, a former neighbor of Cole’s, remembers him as a child.

“I think he’s a sharp, young man,” Hall told ABC News. “I like what I hear from him and evidently his situation has opened up the door to help other people and I like that.”

Before 2014 Forest Hills Drive was released, many people thought Cole would be just another rapper. But fans find him to be more than that. They find him to be an inspiration, a boundary breaker, and most importantly an honest lyricist. One of his messages is that life is more important than earning money to impress other people.

In fact, he told Martinez on Power 105.1 that he sold his Range Rover for a bicycle, which he uses as his main source of transportation when he is home in New York.

Photo courtesy of itunes.apple.com

J. Cole’s lastest album 2014 Forest Hills Drive brings new meaning to hip-hop and rap

Larry Keane, an Emmaus junior who dabbles in the music industry, says, “I think J. Cole is justgreat lyrically and I think we need to support artists like him.

“I think [the album is] fire from start to finish,” he says.

While fans claim Cole may be the genre’s newest genius, many oppose Cole’s promotion to the top spot. He did not flow easily with critics who claim he is just not good enough.

“You at least have to admire his conviction. After two good-but-not-great albums, Cole is doubling down on the premise that, this time, he’ll get it right without retooling his formula,” wrote Martin Caballero from USA Today.

Based on his sales, Cole’s fans obviously disagree, including Gorton.

“I think it’s cool, it’s a very ambitious album,” says Gorton, “I think he went out on a limb with some of the production he chose and I think it is the least watered down we’ve ever seen Cole.”

Apart from his music, Cole’s fans also admire his humble attitude.

“He appreciates his fans and isn’t too cocky. After his album released he drove around New York and signed albums for fans…,” says Vasquez. “You don’t see other rappers doing things like that.”

Elias Dreisbach Staff Writer

Sacramento-based experimental hip-hop group Death Grips’ latest (and allegedly final) LP, The Powers That B Part 2: Jenny Death, after many delays and false release dates, has finally been released.

It’s clear as to why so many delays took place: this album is, by far, their most untamed and unrelenting release yet.

Jenny Death, the second part of their double album The Powers That B, has been sitting on the shelf for nearly a year now. Between the release of their last album and this one, the band had been dropping bizarre hints on social media (including a break-up note written on a napkin and the cancellation of many tour dates), while rabid fans came up with theories as to what they mean.

During their period of inactivity between their “breakup,” they had leaked an album of instrumentals, entitled Fashion Week, which led some fans to believe they were planning on releasing the album during Fashion Week 2015.

This was untrue, however, as the album was released on its planned date.

Opening with the primal rage of “I Break Mirrors With My Face in the United States,” Death Grips show us they are at their most intense (and angry), with some of their most abrasive sounds ever. Things get slower and more experimental with the following track (“Inanimate Sensation”), and the rest of the album fluctuates between different sounds and styles, while adding their own special flair.

Another interesting quirk of this release is the addition of guitar player Nick Reinhart, best known as a member of progressive math rock group Tera Melos. His ultraviolent psychedelic style of playing meshes well with Zach Hill’s manic drumming and MC Ride’s frantic vocals on tracks like “Turned Off” and “Beyond Alive”, the latter of which features trippy sitar-esque playing, giving the track

a unique Middle Eastern flavor.

“Centuries of Damn” is another track with a similarly warbly sensibility. Speaking of which, Hill’s drumming and Ride’s flow are stronger than ever, and Ride’s lyrics are even poetic and personal, tackling subjects like suicide, like on the track “On GP”.

“On GP” also features stellar, early Pink Floyd influenced organ playing, done by newcomer Julian Imsdahl, who had previously played with Hill in experimental funk rock group Legs on Earth.

This album marks the first time in nearly 15 years that the two have worked together, and it seems none of their chemistry has disappeared.

Rock leanings aren’t the only surprise the Grips offer this time around, however, with plenty of tracks featuring their signature electro-industrial hip hop sound that originally garnered them praise.

Special note should be made of Andy Morin’s (also known as “Flatlander”) production, which sounds crisp and clear, letting each member’s work shine through exceptionally. Every instrument (as well as the vocals) sound appropriately machine-like and fitting band’s cyberpunk aesthetic well.

This release is not without it’s occasional weak points, however, such as the sometimes erratic track listing, the awkward transition from the Detroit techno influenced “Pss Pss” to the aggressive noise-hop assault of “The Power That B” being the most jarring example.

That being said, the album couldn’t have a more fitting closing track in “Death Grip 2.0,” which opens with what sounds like a radio scanners and encompasses all of the unique soundscapes the group has ever made done in a style similar to speedcore.

Nothing quite sounds like “Death Grip 2.0,” not just on the album, but in their discography in general.

Photo courtesy of thirdworlds.net

‘Death Grips’ for the last time

Death Grips have never been afraid to change their sound and explore new territory. They are also a group that do whatever they want, regardless of possible backlash and/or criticism.

With this album, however, they have proven themselves more than capable of creating their own musical landscape. No other album, even in their discography, sounds like Jenny Death. However, not everyone (including some of their fanbase) will find it accessible.

For me, however, it is their best release yet, and if it is truly their final album, it is a great conclusion to such a unique spectacle.

Rating (out of 5):

THE STINGER | April 2015

Culture

19

The Longest Ride is worth the trip movie. As I mentioned previously, the two came from nearly opposite worlds, and are headed into two very different On April 10, the film “The Longest Ride,” directions. based off of Nicholas Sparks’ novel, was reHowever, the pair’s passion and leased into theaters. chemistry is undeniable, no matter how “The Longest Ride,” starring actress Britt conflicting their backgrounds may be.

Robertson as Sophia Danko and actor Scott Ira’s old-fashioned love story matched Eastwood as Luke Collins, takes place in with this modern tale makes the movie North Carolina. Collins, a former champion unlike any average, cheesy, romance bull rider, and Danko, an art student, struggle movie. with their utterly different and conflicting Although the film was entertainworlds. However, the two are inspired by Ira, ing for the most part, the beginning an old man, and his heartening love story. felt slow and seemed as if it dragged The movie, running 128 minutes, was dion. Luckily, the plot was able to rected by George Tillman Jr. and was proturn itself around with unexpected duced by Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Theevents, heart-breaking occurrences resa Parks, and Nicholas Sparks. and subtle humor. Once the film It opened to 3,366 movie theaters across the began to pick up its pace, it became United States and Canada. As of April 19, a interesting and impressive. total of $29.6 million was brought into the box However, the movie received Robertson as Sophia Danko and Eastwood as Luke Collins in The Longest Ride. office, $23.5 million coming from North America and mostly poor ratings. IMDB gave the film a Overall, the presence of the two different love stories, the other $6.1 million from other territories.

7.2/10 rating and Rotten Tomatoes gave it a meager 29 made the movie much more interesting and appealing.

On June 16, 2014, principal photography for the movie percent.

Ira’s story, which he explains to his new-found friend started in North Carolina. Filming began with the major Contrary to the ratings, mentioned above, “The LonSophia, is touching and emotional to say the least. He rerodeo scene, in July 2014 in Jacksonville. gest Ride” is a unique film and a must-see. I would give In its opening weekend, the film grossed $13 million. It veals the details and hardships of his love and marriage to “The Longest Ride” a 4.5/5 stars for superb acting, unwas third at the box office, finishing after “Furious 7” and his wife, Ruth. Ira and Ruth maintained a loving relation- anticipated situations and a storyline that kept me glued ship, but like any marriage, they suffered a hefty amount “Home.” to my seat. Although the film opened at a slow pace, that The film is based off of Sparks’ book, also titled “The of difficulties. was soon made up for with the positive aspects that made His story not only inspires Sophia with her complicated Longest Ride.” This novel, released on Sept. 17, 2013, is it an overall pleasing movie. relationship with Luke, but also moved me, an audience Sparks’ 17th romance novel.

The film is rated PG-13 due to mildly inappropriate “The Longest Ride” was well-made and followed a member. Ira’s story made a convincing case of old-fash- scenes. very unique story line, different from your everyday chick ioned true love. Overall, I felt that Ira’s story was heartflick. Ira’s story of him and his wife, which was both in- felt and added a twist to your everyday, run-of-the-mill Rating out of 5: spiring and, at times, a bit melancholy, added a nice flare romance movie.

Aside from Ira’s story, there was the relationship beto the already-existing love story between Sophia and tween Sophia and Luke, which was the main focus of the Luke.

Photo courtesy of myfox8.com

Rachel McQuiston Online Culture Editor

Paul Blart: Snooze Fest I left the theater showing “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” and wondered why I wasted 94 unredeemable minutes of my Friday night.

The movie, which premiered April 17, offered a humorous feel-good story, but it ended up being awkward and depressing. Fans of the beloved “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” will find the sequel even less of a cinematic masterpiece.

The first Mall Cop movie ended with the down-onhis luck Blart heroically saving the West Orange County Mall from armed thieves, winning the girl, and everything being happy and wonderful. However, Mall Cop 2 clumsily began with Paul Blart’s (Kevin James) wedding, divorce, and then progressed with the death of Blart’s mother (Shirley Knight).

During this time, Los Angeles University accepts Blart’s daughter, Maria (Raini Rodriguez), and the Mall Cop Convention in Vegas invites Blart as a guest of honor. The Blarts leave for the convention only for Maria to walk into tacky art thief Vincent’s (Nick McDonough) plans.

With his daughter in danger, Blart orders his uniform from dry cleaning and sets out to save the day (again).

When my valiant friend and I arrived at the theater, I honestly wasn’t surprised to a theater barely halfway full with boys under the age of 12 (considering it was one of the only PG movies offered that weekend) and 30-year-old men with, obviously, nothing better to do. What I was surprised at was that many people in the movie’s target audience did not even laugh at Blart. And I would agree: nothing about it struck anyone funny, it was just awkward and uncomfortable.

This is how the movie went: • Five minutes in: I told myself over and over again that perhaps it happened to be a

horrible beginning.

10 minutes in: I realized that it was not just a horrible beginning.

• 25 minutes in: I reached a real low point of actually hoping that the fire alarm would go off and somehow destroy all of the films of the movie.

• 30 minutes in: I took a 10-minute cat nap.

• 40 minutes in: I began counting down the minutes.

Then seconds. Then milliseconds left. Basically this movie made me want to do math.

• 67 minutes in: I plotted out a genius plan to sneak behind the register and grab my money back.

• 80 minutes in: I silently cried when I realized there were 14 minutes left.

• 93 minutes in: I got up so that I could blend in the crowd so people did not notice that I went to see Paul Blart.

• One minute after: I was wrong, people noticed.

The entire 94 wretched minutes were saturated with stereotypes and offensive humor. For instance, all of •

Kevin James as Paul Blart in “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2.”

Blart’s co-mall cops possessed hillbilly sounding accents and wore outfits straight out of the website peopleofwalmart.com. Also, a constant stream of discriminating jokes over the weight of Blart and his colleagues blotted out all humor in the flick.

James, both the main actor and principal writer in this film, wrote a stupid and predictable script containing many flaws, one of which included the whole plot. Even though the Blarts stayed at a fancy hotel, it can be certain a hotel would never own a Vincent Van Gogh, especially not his Sunflowers.

If in some strange alternate universe, a four-star hotel would own a Van Gogh, which grosses hundreds of millions of dollars, then one would at least expect guards or security cameras to constantly observe that area, yet there was nothing to stop the thieves. Well, actually one force could stop them. A mall cop from New Jersey. Yeah, that makes sense.

Stupidity practically poured out of every speck of the picture. Unfortunately for movie watchers, around the 40-minute benchmark, it finally dawns on them that the plot only grew in obtuseness.

The crowning moment of lunacy, though, had to be the fight scene between Blart and the art thieves.

In another scene the special effects marred the comedy. An unmistakable stunt double noticeably takes Blart’s place during an exotic bird attack.

So if you want to waste $10, have your not too comfortable theater seat kicked by some 10-year-old delinquent, and fritter away your precious time, watch “Paul Blart 2: Mall Cop.” However, I do suggest this movie to sufferers of insomnia, because this film will lull you into dreamland instantly.

Photo courtesy of wearemoviegeeks.com

Holly Diehl Copy Editor

Rating out of 5:

THE STINGER | April 2015

20

Culture

: Career of the Future?

YouTubers are making careers by creating videos- and earning millions Olivia Riccio Culture Editor YouTube, created in 2005 and originally just to a place to watch videos, has developed into something much bigger, a career place.

YouTube is the third most used website in the world, containing content from cat owners, aspiring musicians, to the most popular people on the site--YouTubers.

YouTubers are people who devote their time to creating videos in different areas of entertainment. For example, there are different categories and communities such as LGBTQ, fashion/beauty, health and lifestyle, Youtubers who focus on gaming, and some who just post strictly comedic videos, vlogs (video blogging) and skits.

All of these types of YouTubers capture a variety of different audiences, gaining millions and millions of views and subscribers. As their number of subscribers and video views grow, so does their fanbase. Yes, YouTubers have fans. Some may not see their subscribers as fans, but more as friends, but there are definitely fanbases that develop on the site.

The more popular the YouTuber becomes, the more money they are worth.

And what all these YouTubers do to make this money is posting videos as their career.

Shane Dawson, one of the most popular YouTubers on the web with a total of 6.5 million subscribers, recently spoke out about how YouTubers earn money and establish careers on the site.

Dawson explained in his video that YouTubers earn their money through advertisements and the latest way for YouTubers to earn some quick cash that adds up, a website called Vessel.com. Vessel is a site that viewers can use to see their favorite YouTubers’ videos three days before they are finalized on YouTube.

With this new website, subscribers pay $2.99 a month to access their favorite YouTuber’s videos. This is a perk for YouTubers, because they earn more money from the people subscribed to Vessel. Dawson wanted to upload his videos to Vessel because of how it can be hard to earn a lot of money on YouTube compared to regular TV shows.

He continued to explain just how exactly YouTubers earn money through advertisements that play before their videos.

When a viewer watches an advertisement, the YouTuber earns money. For every 1,000 views, the YouTuber earns 1 dollar. For example, Dawson’s videos get roughly around 500,000 views per video, which would earn him $500. But, he isn’t keeping all the money to himself. He has to split it with the YouTube networks and other places before earning the remaining profits.

So with the help of Vessel, he and other YouTubers can earn a little more cash.

Highest Paid YouTubers

(According to HNL.com)

“We’re getting a dollar per thousand [views] on YouTube, with Vessel, we’re getting like a couple dollars per thousand views,” said Dawson in his video. “It’s not a huge difference, but it’s a difference.”

So YouTubers don’t become instantly rich, they have to work up to becoming more popular and like all people, have to start somewhere.

Liz Kleppinger, a freshman, is an active YouTuber and has even started to earn a bit of money from uploading her videos on fashion.

“Once you have a certain amount of videos with a good standing amount of views and subscribers, you can apply for an AdSense account,” said Kleppinger.

“And if you get approved YouTube places ads before your videos and based on how many people watch those videos with ads you get a percentage [of the money].”

Google AdSense is a free and easy way for people pub-

she hopes to major in communications and loves filmmaking.

“I think having the experience with YouTube would help open up some great opportunities for me,” said Newhard.

The highest paid YouTuber is Felix Arvid Kjellberg, more popularly known as Pewdiepie on YouTube, shows that experience and way of capturing the audience leads to financial success on the site.

Kjellberg makes $7 million annually on YouTube, with a total of 7.40 million views. Like most YouTubers, he started off small and soon became Internet famous with his gaming channel, slowly climbing his way to the top.

Kjellberg spoke in an interview with the Wall Street Journal about his success.

“I’m just a nerd who plays video games, I didn’t seek the spotlight.” said Kjellberg.

Among the other richest YouTubers, there is one YouTuber who gained popularity from just being purely comedic and for owning two very unique

lishing websites or videos to earn money by displaying targeted Google ads on their websites or channels.

With AdSense, and as the YouTuber starts getting a larger audience, the money certainly begins to add up, totaling in millions.

Kleppinger hopes to find a job in editing or fashion through YouTube, and possibly still make videos as a side job.

Lauren Newhard, a senior, has her own YouTube channel and has earned a bit of money through her videos, but has had trouble with the money showing up in her account.

“It’s very complicated the way YouTube pays their YouTubers,” said Newhard. “I’ve made a bit of money according to my stats, but I’ve never seen it go into any kind of account I have set up.”

Like Dawson said in his video, the profits are divided with YouTube networks before the YouTuber receives their portion.

However, Newhard wants to have YouTube as a career in the future because

dogs.

Jenna Mourey, or more popularly known as Jenna Marbles, earns about 4.3 million dollars on YouTube, and has a total of 1,650,076,560 views. Mourey didn’t expect for her channel to take off and become a career, she said in an interview with “What’s Trending.”

“I didn’t anticipate it being anything like this,” said Mourey. “It’s crazy.”

It goes to show that YouTubers didn’t even know that uploading videos could lead to them becoming such internet phenomenons. Nor did they even imagine that they would basically be treated as the equivalent to celebrities.

YouTubers are coming up with other ways to make money and endorse their channels. Most YouTubers have their own merchandise. From T-shirts, to hats, to mugs, YouTubers use their own slogans or jokes and prints them on their merchandise, which their fans gladly purchase in order to support their favorite YouTubers.

Some YouTubers, depending on their community, like fashion and beauty YouTubers Michelle Phan and Zoe Sugg

1. PewDiePie Annual earnings: $7 million Subscribers: 33.5 million Views: 7.40 million

2. YOGSCAST Lewis and Simon Annual Earnings: $6.7 million Subscribers: 7.2 million

(aka Zoella) make money from their own make up lines.

Phan has made her channel into a business, and has a company with an $84 million annual sales run-rate.

And now, YouTubers aren’t just showing up on electronic devices, their stories are hitting book store shelves, their ideas are hitting the big screen and are starring in their own movies, not to mention getting their own TV shows.

Several YouTubers have been releasing books in the past year or two, and 25 books have been published by them.

To name a few, Zoella’s “Girl Online,” Shane Dawson’s “I Hate Myselfie,” Hannah Hart’s “My Drunk Cookbook,” Alfie Deyes’ “Pointless Book,” and not to mention a New York Times Bestseller, Grace Helbig’s “Grace’s Guide: The Art of Pretending to be a Grown Up.” Helbig started off uploading her videos on a shared channel, having her own segment called “Daily Grace.” But Helbig’s contract ran out and she had to create a new channel, and gained all of her subscribers back immediately.

Now along with the success of her book, Helbig has her own television show called “The Grace Helbig Show” on E!. Grace’s career has skyrocketed all of a sudden, and to promote her show she has been on several talk shows such as “Late Night with Jimmy Kimmel,” the “Today Show,” and the “Meredith Veira Show.”

Not only has Helbig starred in her own TV show, but has also been in a movie called “Camp Takota,” which featured Helbig and two other YouTubers, Hannah Hart and Mamrie Hart.

Helbig isn’t the only YouTuber who has branched out to doing projects outside YouTube. Shane Dawson, as mentioned before, starred and directed his own movie.

Dawson released the movie “Not Cool,” written, directed, and starring himself in September of 2014. Since then it was originally only available to be viewed if bought on iTunes, but now has been uploaded to Netflix.

YouTubers aren’t just strictly sticking to YouTube to find success and careers, they are definitely finding new ways to promote themselves outside of their videos.

It’s evident that the concept of YouTube is becoming much more advanced each day, and that there are new apps and websites that are helping the YouTubers and their viewers experience YouTube in much different ways.

The fate of YouTube and its careers is just blossoming, who knows where these new careers will lead within the next couple of years.

Image by Rania Draklellis

3. Smosh Annual Earnings: $5.7 million Subscribers: 19.5 million Views: 3.9 million

21

John Lang

Lang-Guage

Bench Squad

“Oh,” “you play [insert sport here]? What position do you play?”

“Yeah, I play left bench.”

That is one of my favorite jokes. Everyone knows that the bench is not actually a position. But if you don’t actually get in the game, what else are you supposed to say without making the situation awkward, right?

Wrong.

You shouldn’t feel awkward or embarrassed if you ride the bench during games. And for my final column, I would like to help shine some light on the extreme importance of any team’s bench in a sport.

I have been an athlete my whole life. Throughout my short time on this earth I have competitively played football, basketball, baseball, and volleyball. As a player who has been both the star of the team and the worst player on another, I believe I know the significance of a good bench.

I would like to start off saying this: nobody wants to be on the bench (unless you’re Alex Moran from Blue Mountain State). That includes myself as well. I get it. Everyone wants to be out on the field or the court or wherever you’re playing.

It’s great to be the star, or the captain, or the best at your position. I have never played a sport where I was not trying my hardest to be the best on the team. Who doesn’t love being in a game or meet or competition and being the best one out there?

However, that shouldn’t discourage you if you are on the bench or sideline. I have been on a few teams in my sporting days in which, for many different reasons, I have been a benchwarmer. Whether you are the worst kid on the team, or you are playing with much older players than yourself, or you’re injured; there is no shame in supporting your team from the bench.

I fully believe that a team’s bench plays a HUGE role in the outcome of the game. I would argue that until I breathe my last breath if I had to. The players on the bench provide the players on the court with three keys to the game.

1. Support. When a player on the court or the field is playing poorly, or having a rough game, or just simply has his/her head down, the bench can provide the support and uplifting spirit that the player may need. The bench is there to pick up those who are currently playing when they are down. The bench can be the cushion when the coach is going berzerk or the fans are overwhelming. When I am out there and I am having a rough time, I look for my bench to be there for me.

And vice versa.

2. Feedback. The players on the bench, although they may not have the skill to be out there playing, are still competitors in the sport as well. They know the game, too. Sometimes hearing critiques, whether good or bad, from your fellow teammates can be just as beneficial as hearing it from the coach. Sometimes the bench can spot things the coaches can’t.

Every little bit helps. I recently had a volleyball game where I was, without any exaggeration, playing the worst game of my life. When I came off the court and stuck my tush on the seat that was so desperately calling my name, my teammate calmy whispered “You’re taking your eye off the ball, just watch the ball all the way to your arms.” It was so simple, so calm and sincere. And it was just what I needed to hear.

3. Hype. This, to me, is the most important thing that a bench can add to the game. Sport fanatics can agree that athletics is majorly mental. Your mindset, mentality, and composure can completely control how you compete. When you are happy, excited, confident, or amped up, it can greatly enhance your performance. When you are upset, distracted, timid, or hanging your head, it can equally hinder your performance.

The bench can be a key component in keeping you confident and playing well. When I am out there and make a great play or do something awesome, I want my bench to go wild. When the bench is excited, everyone is excited. When everyone is excited, you feel proud and confident in yourself. This can boost your playing level tenfold. Plus, as an added bonus, the other team gets intimidated and the players hang their heads more! It’s a win-win situation. There are few better feelings in this world than making a phenomenal play for your team and getting everyone hyped up. When I am on the bench, there’s nothing I love more than getting amped up for my teammates who do something amazing. I hope my teammates appreciate it as much as I do.

So believe me when I say that you shouldn’t be embarrassed if you spend game time on the bench. The bench can be just as valuable to a team’s success as the starters. And even though the bench doesn’t get credit for wins or success, athletes know how important benchwarmers can be. Make the best of your role. In fact, embrace it.

On a completely unrelated note, to conclude my final column for The Stinger, I would like to give a shout out to my girl Kathleen. Katie Mest has spent the past year as the section editor for the sports section on staff here. She’s done an incredible job picking up the workload when I got into my lazy, I’m-a-senior stage back in September. I know she will do great next year as the managing editor. Thanks for all your help Katie, don’t screw up.

SPORTS

Mihalik sees team grow in first year as coach Zoie Kassis Contributing Sports Writer After an initial rough start to the season, the Emmaus varsity baseball team and coach Mike Mihalik kept a positive outlook and watched as their season began to change.

The team’s record climbed to 7-3 as of last week with a shutout over Whitehall, and they look strong for the remaining games to come, according to the player.

Mihalik, in his first year as the only new varsity baseball coach in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, has high hopes for the approaching games.

“I’m pretty optimistic going forward; we had a huge win against Stroudsburg,” he said. During that game, the Hornets beat Stroudsburg 2-1 in eight innings. “It’s going to be a very challenging spring, but I’m pretty optimistic we can have a good season.”

Mihalik took over as coach of the Hornets after the team’s 17-year direction under former coach John Schreiner who led the Hornets to a 281-96 record and seven conference

titles. Last year the team finished 19-4 and went to the District 11 Class 4A semi finals. In the fall, the school board named Mihalik as Schreiner’s replacement.

A common trend found in the strengths of the team relies on the exceptional pitching staff with seniors Trey Hinkle, Joel Bartoni, Teja Venigalla, and sophomore Todd Moxey.

Hinkle believes that not only does the bullpen give an upper hand, but the rest of the team contributes as well.

“I think we are a very strong fielding and hitting team. With guys in the lineup like Lukas Wieder, George Smith, and Alex Marsh. I think we are a threat at the plate,” Hinkle said.

“Defensively, we have a great catcher with Teddy Tucker.”

According to Mihalik, the batting averages for Wieder, Bartoni, and sophomore Eric Cichocki are over .400 this year.

Varsity captains Hinkle and Bartoni have their work set out for them this season and are ready to take on the challenge.

“I think as a captain I add some leadership and experience to the team, l i k e someone who’s played at this level m o r e than once before,” Hinkle said.

Hinkle is excited to share his experience with his team members and to give the most input he can to the team as a whole.

“I feel like some of my responsibilities as team captain are to keep the team up and alive throughout the game and to keep everyone encouraging each other to do better,” he said. “I also feel like I’m there to help the younger guys out and to guide them through the varsity process.

Junior George Smith has confidence within his team and their ability to work together.

“We had kind of a rough start, but we’ll be alright. We have a good team and a good coaching staff, and I think our talent will take over,” Smith said.

“I think our biggest strength is team chemistry, and I honestly don’t think we have weaknesses, if any.”

Members of the team looked forward to the Central Catholic and Parkland games due to the rivalry.

On April 18, the Hornets took on Central Catholic at Coca-Cola Park, beating them 6-5 in eight innings.

The schedule for the season can be found on Schedule Star, “keeping you ahead of the game.”

Bartoni feels as though it is his responsibility to keep his team members spirits up throughout the season.

“I feel as though I need to be there for all of my teammates when they’re down maybe after a poor bat or anything because it is baseball, mistakes will happen,” Bartoni said. “I take pride in being a captain because it means a lot to be the leader of your teammates, and I take pride in helping them and leading them in any way I can on and off the field.”

Girls track rebuilds after loss of key athletes

Alex Kugler graduation, especially after two unContributing Sports Writer defeated girls’ seasons and conferLast year the Emmaus girls track ence championships, so I’m excited team celebrated with a highly suc- to see the underclassman step up and cessful 9-0 season, but they also wit- fulfill leadership roles on both the nessed the loss of some key seniors boys and girls teams,” Petrunak said. to graduation.

“As a team this is a rebuilding This year would see a lot of re- year because we graduated a lot of building for a younger team and the seniors, especially in the sprints challenges that come with growing. and shorter distances,” said Katie Head coach Shannon Petrunak ac- Bacher, junior on the Emmaus High cepts the loss the Hornets have suffered.

“We graduated a lot of talented seniors last year, so we have gaps to fill,” Petrunak said.

However, it hasn’t taken long for the girls to prove that they are solid contenders, and Petrunak is proud of her young team.

“Following two championship seasons isn’t easy, but the girls are doing great. They work hard, get good grades, and do their best to help our team efforts,” she said.

Reaching the end of the 2015 season girls’ track is currently 5-4 not including their last two opponents Photo courtesy of Dana Bacher Parkland High School and Central Catholic High School.

School track team.

With the losses they had, they After cuts the final track team received many newcomers along includes 170 students on the roswith returners who are expected to ter. With the amount of girls on the make an impact on the team. Fresh- track team it allows each athlete to man Abby Dalton, sophomore Kiyae push each other, in team competition White, and senior Shannon McGin- makes everyone better according to nis are newcomers on the team who Petrunak. are expected to make an impact on Jaci Reinbold, a senior at Emthe team. Dalton competes in the maus High School, participates and nine distance, White competes in the is a captain of the distance team. Re12 sprints, and McGinnis is in the 10 inbold believes that girls track has sprints, and jumps. a lot of potential, as the season pro“We have a lot of gaps to fill from gresses more athletes are improving

and the team is getting stronger as a whole.

The goal for the girls track team is the same every year. Petrunak wants the athletes to have the best track and field experience. She wants them to learn the value of hard work and sportsmanship, to compete to the best of their ability, and to advance as many championship meets as they can.

Junior Katie Bacher acknowledges the strengths of the team this year.

“The girls team brought back many good distance runners and throwers, and we have a lot of new talent, which is exciting for future seasons,” Bacher said. “We have a lot of strong individuals, who rank with some of the top in the district, and as a team we are still working to fill in the gaps.”

Senior Anna Cressman has enjoyed her time on the track and field team.

“Participating in track and field was honestly the best decision I made all of high school,” Cressman said. “It introduced me to the best people I have met and I am grateful for that. This team is honestly like a second family to me and I couldn’t have had a better senior year without all the support of all my teammates and coaches.”

The track team had many talented athletes that graduated, but according to Cressman even with the losses many underclassman stepped up to help out the team.

Four

22

“Morgan is a wonderful teammate.”

-Montgomery on Patterson

Morgan patterson

FAST FACTS

Height: 5’9” Color: Gray Food: Chocolate Movie: Grease Photo courtesy of Colleen Grablick

Olivia Riccio Contributing Sports Writer Morgan Patterson possesses the qualities of a great leader on the girl’s varsity softball team, including a positive attitude and challenging her teammates to do their best.

Patterson, one of two captains on the team, has been actively playing softball since she was seven. She loves the sport because she finds it to be a challenge.

“It may not be the most physical all the time, but to succeed in softball it takes a certain mental strength; the ability to shake things off and accept failure is so important,” said Patterson. “I think that’s the most challenging part.”

Patterson shows that she does indeed have the mental strength and confidence to succeed in this sport, and has achieved several accomplishments in this position.

“I have received honorable mentions for the LVC all-conference team and The Morning Call All-Area teams,” said Patterson. “My team and I have also been LVC and District [XI] finalists several times.”

Patterson has grown as both an athlete and a person since her freshmen year. Head coach

John Eyer can attest to that.

“Morgan has been a varsity starter since she was a freshman and I have seen her grow not only in her skill as a player but more importantly as a leader.” Eyer said.

Eyer admires Patterson’s dedication to the sport she loves.

“Morgan took this challenge head on and learned the good and the bad of leadership, what a ‘team’ really is about and then continued to work on her skill set everyday always pushing herself,” he said. “[She is] always asking for one more grounder or fly ball, [she is] never satisfied with her batting, and is always asking for one more pitch and always challenging her teammates to do the same.”

Morgan is outstanding because of her ability to keep the team upbeat and positive during times of adversity, and because of her ability to bring out the best qualities in the other members of the team.

Sarah Mohr, a junior pitcher and first basemen, feels that Patterson is one of the most encouraging teammates that she has ever played with.

“She takes the time to help me when I need it,” Mohr said.

“If she makes a mistake on the field or at bat she brushes it off immediately and continues with a positive attitude.”

Mohr also feels that Patterson’s energy and ability to bring the team together is a major contribution to being a great leader.

“She gets everybody hyped up when needed and brings the team together so well. Her positive attitude and desire to win is contagious.” Mohr said.

Patterson also helps the team remain on task in times of trouble, and her leadership definitely plays a large role in the success of the team.

“I know this is redundant but when something goes wrong during a game she is one of the main people making sure the team gets back on track and keeps our heads up,” Mohr said. “Her leadership is a huge contribution to our season, she keeps us all together.”

Faith Montgomery, the other senior co-captain, also agrees that Patterson is a true leader because of her encouragement and way of making everyone laugh and feel comfortable.

“Morgan is a wonder-

ful teammate. She makes me laugh and we have fun together,” Montgomery said. “Overall, she has the hunger to win.

And she pushes her teammates to feed.”

Morgan will be attending the University of Virginia to major in engineering and minor in business and study Spanish. She will not be playing softball in college but hopes to play club or recreational softball and help coach younger players during the summers.

Patterson will miss playing for Emmaus because of the bond she’s developed with her teammates and Coach Eyer.

“I have a really good relationship with my coaches, especially Coach Eyer, and I’ll miss playing for him,” said Patterson. “I’ll definitely miss the girls because we have become a family.”

Liz mitchell Tori Delhagen Contributing Sports Writer Tri-captain Liz Mitchell shows her skills on the lacrosse team during her last year playing for Emmaus. As a senior, Mitchell plays defensive point and enjoys every moment she’s out on the field.

Mitchell has been playing for five years and is involved in winter-league lacrosse during off season.

According to Mitchell, a successful lacrosse team relies heavily on the teammates’ ability to come together, and Mitchell feels her job as defender helps with that process.

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Height: 5’8” Food: York Peppermint Patties Movie: Harry Potter Subject: AP Gov Senior portraits courtesy of R.J. Harwick

clearly be seen when she is on the field.”

According to DeBellis, she is vocal on the defensive end, which pulls the defense together. Debellis believes Mitchell is a strong leader, which earned her the spot of captain this year.

“Liz is a player any coach would be lucky to have,” said DeBellis. “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to coach her and I am sure she will be successful in her future endeavors.”

Junior and tri-captain Destanee Watkins value’s Mitchell’s leadership and commitment to the team.

“She is a strong leader and never gives up on the team.”

-Destanee Watkins “When your team is working together and connecting passes, that is when I love the game most,” Mitchell said. “Winning a game where your team is meshing and working as a unit is an amazing feeling.”

Mitchell’s passion for the game won’t stop after high school. She plans on continuing her lacrosse career at St. Joseph’s University as a part of it’s competitive lacrosse club. She also plans on entering their honors program. She will major in international relations, minor in political science.

Coach Nancy DeBellis has been able to watch Mitchell’s grow as a player over the past four years.

“Liz is always looking for ways to improve her play,” DeBellis said. “The effort she has put into her training can

“She goes 110 percent during every game and pushes everyone to do their best,” Watkins said. “She is a strong leader and never gives up on the team.”

Mitchell appreciates her teammates and coaches who have helped her throughout her high school career.

“I really can’t stress enough how much I love my teammates and how much I’ve enjoyed playing with them over the years,” Mitchell said. “Also, my coaches have really pushed me as a player and have a lot of faith in me, and I really appreciate that.”

Senior teammate Morgyn Hagy admires Mitchell’s devotion to the game and strong mindset.

“Liz is dedicated and never gives up,” Hagy said. “Most girls if they drop the

ball would give up, but Liz is always going for it.”

Mitchell will cherish the close-knit relationship she has with her teammates.

She says that going to practice everyday is similar to just hanging out with friends.

“I’ll miss my teammates more than anything, they have made it a great four years and I have so many good memories,” Mitchell said.

Debellis is grateful to have coached Mitchell and knows she’ll succeed in the future.

“Liz is a player any coach would be lucky to have on their team,” said Debellis. “I am sure she will be successful in her future endeavors and wish her the best.”

Faces

23

“My goal for Scott is to win a medal at states to conclude his high school career.”

-Coach Petrunak on Schlegel

Scott Schlegel

Makenna Shafer Contributing Sports Writer Since his sophomore year, Scott Schlegel has conquered many obstacles in his three years on track and field. In fact, Schlegel went into track without much coaching, so he basically taught himself how to high jump.

But over time, Schlegel has clearly set himself apart from the competition and established his reputation as a contender.

Last spring he earned the title of Lehigh Valley Conference and District 11 champion in the high jump.

And then this March, he won first place in the high jump at the New Balance Indoor Track and Field Nationals at the Armory in New York City.

At the Armory, he landed a leap of 6 feet, 7 1/2 inches to earn the national title in a competi-

tion that included 42 participants.

Yet even as a national champion, Schlegel maintains that track isn’t a just solo sport.

“Track is a competitive sport because it is not only an individual sport, but a team sport,” said Schlegel, who plans on jumping at Kutztown University where he will major in social work. “So sometimes meets can come down to the last relay race.”

Coach Shannon Petrunak agrees, saying that she hopes that her enthusiasm and energy is contagious to those around her, especially her athletes.

Although, she concedes, overseeing such a large team -- the largest in the school -- means that she has to enforce strict rules.

“I feel it is necessary to be strict with team rules,” said Petrunak. “But I hope that my athletes would say I’m supportive and provide positive reinforcement to encourage them in reaching their potential.”

Petrunak called Schlegel a “very talented high jumper and hurdler.” She said he did start jumping in 10th grade, a year when the team didn’t have a

specific jumps coach on board.

So, Schlegel needed to work on his jumps often on his own.

Still, he managed to qualify for states that year, she said.

“Obstacles I faced were sophomore year,” Schlegel said. “I didn’t have much coaching and I mainly taught myself.”

As he works to master his technique of the high jump, Schlegel hasn’t been sidelined by many injuries. The only issues have been minor muscle tightness and pain, he said.

Running hurdles is different story.

“Some struggles I had with hurdles was getting the form down and needing to get faster,” said Schlegel, who this year has clocked a 16.54 in the 110-meter hurdles. “In high jumps, nothing besides trying to perfect the form which takes years.”

During his junior year, Schlegel broke the school’s jumps record (6 feet 6 inches) with an impressive jump with 6 feet 7 inches, according to Petrunak. After that season ended, Schlegel was named Emmaus’ MVP for breaking the record, which had been held for 28 years by Barry Roche.

And this winter at the indoor invitational, he bumped it another half-inch to 6 feet 7 ½ inches, and he continues to strive for improvement. His win at the Armory wasn’t his

first time at Nationals. Last June, Schlegel competed in the New Balance Outdoor Track and Field Nationals in Greensboro, N.C., where he tied for fourth place.

Competing at that level is very different than a dual meet, or even states, he said.

“It was a different atmosphere with loud music playing and thousands of people watching,” said Schlegel. “I had already been to nationals, so I had the nerves out and I knew what I was capable of doing so I was just focused and determined.”

But as the season winds down, he says some of things he will remember will be the bus rides back to Emmaus from away meets and the fun times the athletes have at states.

According to Petrunak, Schlegel is a very coachable athlete who stays focused and makes adjustments as needed.

“My coaches and I enjoy working with him,” said Petrunak. “But Scott can be really hard on himself.

“My goal for Scott is to win a medal at states to conclude his high school career,” she said.

Schlegel said he has a good relationship with all three of the coaches and they have all played important roles in his life.

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Claude Bradshaw

Ashley Rivera Contributing Sports Writer Senior Claude Bradshaw makes sure to give it his all during his last season of playing lacrosse with Emmaus High School.

Bradshaw has been playing since the second grade and accredits his childhood friends with introducing him to the sport.

“It was sort of a natural thing to just play with my friends,” said Bradshaw.

He plans on continuing his

career by playing Division I lacrosse at the University of Hartford.

He was honored during the National Signing Day event in February and received a portion of the two million dollar scholarship money that was spread across the seven sports and 11 athletes.

Bradshaw was named Lehigh Valley Conference Most Valuable Player for the 2014 season.

and your family … I really feel like going from Emmaus to Hartford, there’s not going to be that much of a transition,” said Bradshaw to Lehigh Valley Live.

As the team’s captain this season, Bradshaw faced numerous responsibilites on and off the field, according to senior teammate Patrick Camilli. “[He leads the team] in anything from telling us what to wear for games to cleaning up the locker room and being ready on time,” Camilli said.

Playing lacrosse for Emmaus for four years helped create a lot of memories for

“He has a very overpowering presesnce, you know he’s got your back.”

-Matt Renschen on Bradshaw There is no doubt that he will be missed by his fellow players and coach.

“Playing in the program here at Emmaus, it was always about your teammates

Bradshaw. His most memorable moment was when the team won districts his sophomore year.

“It was one of those feelings that when the clock hits

zero all of our hard work finally paid off,” said Bradshaw on winning districts.

For Camilli, the most memorable moment with Bradshaw occurred this season, when the team travelled to Pittsburg for a tournment.

“We lost both games but it was a really good bonding trip and we got to spend time with each other,” Camilli said.

Junior teammate Matt Renschen described Bradshaw as a strong athlete, who communicates well with the other players on the team.

“He has a very overpowering presence, you know he’s got your back,” said Renschen. “I’ll miss his level of playing ability and intensity when he leaves.”

Bradshaw has four goals so far this season as of the game against Solehi on April 28. According to him, this is the most points he has earned during his Emmaus career.

The boys lacrosse team continues their season with a 10-5 overall record as of the win against Northampton.

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Emmaus grad to play for Chicago in NFL Continued from Page One White worked hard to get where he is now.

“I put 110 percent into football,” White said. “I do something every day to get better, whether it’s training, watching film, or practicing and running routes. I work harder every day.”

White’s parents, Tammy and Kevin Sr., watched as their son made his journey, and know what it took for him to attain this success.

“Sports was instilled in him at a young age,” Kevin Sr. said. “And with him having brothers, they always competed. When you compete at that level for so long, at the end of the day success will come. “[Kevin and his brothers] made the conscious decision to become NFL players,” he said. “They started to understand the game [and] to know that they had the genetics and God-given talent to excel in the sport. They went through different challenges, switching schools and stuff like that. Kevin had to wait to get his time to shine, but he stayed mentally strong. He worked harder and got the recognition he deserved.”

Kevin Sr. said his son had the focus to succeed.

“For the most part, we’ve been blessed,” Kevin Sr. said.

“Our kids never veered off and got into the drinking and the smoking like some kids get into. You won’t see too many personality changes with our kids because we keep them grounded.”

Kevin Sr. is proud of the path his kids chose.

“Watching our kids grow up, watching them go through trials and tribulations in and outside the sport, I think it’s been a good ride,” he said. “To see all their sacrifice, hard work, dedication; we’re just excited.”

Emmaus sophomore Kiyae White, Kevin’s sister, looks up to Kevin’s accomplishments.

“My brothers and sisters and I always talked about making it big, playing in college and the NFL and WNBA,” said Kiyae, who captained the girls’ varsity basketball this season. “Now he made it, and we are just following right behind him, trying to go down the same path. He never gave up and kept working for it, and look where he is now.”

Kevin has become a role model for his little sister.

“He’s influenced me a lot,” she said. “He inspired me to know that no matter what happens to never give up and to keep chasing my dream. He taught me to work hard and never let people tell you what you can’t do, to go get it yourself.”

But Kevin is more than just a role model for Kiyae. He’s family.

“Growing up with Kevin, we hung out a lot,” she said.

“We played games and tossed the football around. We went fishing and went to the park a lot. When he comes

home now, he takes me to play basketball or get food, or we just chill and watch ESPN.” Still, she said it’s hard for her to see Kevin as anything other than her big brother.

“It’s sort of weird watching him go through the process,” she said.

“People at school ask me a lot about him. I kind of chuckle because it’s funny to me, like he’s just my brother.”

Kevin’s mother agrees. He’ll always be her son first, football player second.

“For me, this is Kevin White holds the jersey of his new team for cameras at the draft. Photo courtesy of The my baby,” TammyChicago Tribune for West Virginia after playing for Lackawanna. Their said. “He’s always going to be my baby. We go out and people see him, and parents say they have to scramble to equally support their they get all excited, and they want autographs, and I just children’s sports because it requires a lot of scheduling and traveling. look at him like ‘he’s just my son.’”

“We have a great support system,” Kevin Sr. said.

The Whites are very close, and it was his family who surrounded Kevin as he waited for NFL Commissioner “Whatever game I can’t make, Tammy will be there, and Roger Goodell to call his name. The Whites do what they vice versa. We also have relatives that alternate and make can to keep a strong family relationship. They have an on- games. It’s challenging, but we like it a lot. It’s them folgoing group chat and start off every day with good morn- lowing their dreams, which is most important.”

Snellman believes that the family support helped White ing texts, and then talk throughout the day.

“We are always staying connected,” Kevin Sr. said. “We overcome any obstacles.

“He’s one of those kids who had all the talent in the keep updated on the kids on a daily basis.”

He said it is the family’s competitive nature that helped world and had every reason to be arrogant and mouthy,” Snellman said, “but when you interact with him on a perKevin get in the NFL. “This is the house where we compete,” Kevin Sr. said. sonal level, that never came across.”

Snellman called him very humble, polite, a nice guy.

“If you know the White family, we are always competing “One of the best things you see about him is all the with each other. Whether it’s sports, or family games like teachers and students talk about him, and everybody roots Pictionary or chess.”

It’s also that close-knit family and support system that for him,” Snellman said right before the draft. “We want to see him go somewhere where he has the opportunity to be Kevin said he came to appreciate. “[My family] is always there to support me,” he said. successful. But I’m sure he’ll make the best of wherever “They are proud to see how far I’ve come and it’s fun for he ends up because he’s such a special player.”

At West Virginia, White earned the rank of All-Amerme.” ican receiver. He was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award With a family full of athletes, it can be tough.

His two younger brothers, Ka’Raun and Kyzir, have al- for the best wide receiver in the nation. Next, he’ll take on ready built their own on-the-field resumes -- Kyzir plays Soldier Field in Chicago. In Emmaus, he will be rememfor Lackawanna, while Ka’Raun just committed to play bered as a Hornet.

Boys tennis enters promising post-season Colleen Grablick Associate Editor

After losing key seniors, Emmaus boys tennis began rebuilding this season, relying on newcomers and underclassmen.

Emmaus currently holds a record of seven wins and three losses, suffering defeats to Parkland, Becahi, and Nazareth. On Saturday April 18, the team competed in the East Penn Conference tournament, where standout junior Matt FitzMaurice was seeded second in first singles.

FitzMaurice advanced to the EPC semifinals, and returned as a district finalist on April 22, according to head coach Dimitri Diamandopoulos.

Senior Kyle Jaegar sees the loss to Nazareth in particular as the biggest disappointment for the team thus far.

After almost a four hour match, the boys lost in a close set to the Nazareth team, which had been displaying poor sportsmanship all match.

“Losing to Nazareth was embarrassing so that definitely

Photo courtesy of East Penn School District

qualifies for the biggest struggle,” Jaegar said.

Junior Stephen Naab agrees, and believes these losses were the biggest struggle for the team, along with losing strong assets such as Rowan Hobson and Justin Ke to graduation. Hobson, who played two singles, rarely ever lost, according to Naab. His absence has put a major responsibility on underclassmen.

Jaegar and Naab acknowledge the effort made by underclassmen to fill the shoes left by influential seniors. Juniors FitzMaurice and Sanket Narayana, entered their third varsity season ready to assume very important roles.

“Sanket really stepped up this year,” Jaegar said. “He’s playing great and has filled Rowan’s spot well.”

According to Naab, FitzMaurice holds the potential for a great post-season.

“As for districts, our only realistic hope for victory is Matt FitzMaurice at singles, who I think has the potential to be competitive at states if he advances through districts,” said Naab.

Diamandopoulos was very pleased with FitzMaurice’s performance at EPCs. “He is surely one of the top players in the district,” Diamandopoulos said. “Matt seeded second, had a great draw, and is playing great tennis.”

According to Diamandopoulos, Jaegar, Narayana and FitzMaurice have been the strong backbone of the team this year.

“Having Matt at one singles is the cornerstone and with Sanket and Kyle at two and three, moving up from two doubles last year, we have a good foundation,” Diamandopoulos said.

However, the team has also relied on new talent.

“Our line up is basically new,” Diamandopoulos said.

“We have a great core group that will only get better.”

According to Naab, juniors Cameron Widdoss and Dan

Traynor have brought a new dynamic to the team. Both players hold positions at two doubles. Widdoss and fellow junior Darsh Patel have faced tough matches and accepted the challenge. However, Naab appreciates what they have brought to the team this year.

“There are two critical newcomers, Cam Widdoss and Dan Traynor,” Naab said. “Cam is a very talented player and has had a great season so far at two doubles. Though he and Darsh have had some tough matches, they usually do very well.”

Naab and Traynor work together at fourth doubles, where they hold a record of 7-2 in the regular season thus far.

“Dan has had a fantastic season as well,” Naab said.

“Dan and I have done a solid job at 4 doubles. Without Cam and Dan, our team would definitely not be where it is.”

Widdoss had played tennis when he was younger, but focused on playing varsity basketball and football for his first two years at EHS. However, after finding himself bored in the springs of his freshman and sophomore years, he decided to go out for the team. Although his experience with the sport helped him in perfecting his skill, Widdoss struggled with making the adjustment to doubles.

“Playing doubles has been the biggest challenge for me,” Widdoss said. “I rarely played doubles when I was younger, and I had to learn all the dynamics and strategies to be able to compete at the varsity doubles level.”

Despite all the ups and down of the season so far, Diamandopoulos was pleased with the bond the new members have made. “[The biggest accomplishment] has been bringing the team together,” Diamandopoulos said. “We have a great group of guys who all work together.”