October 2014

The Stinger October 2014

Volume 40

stingerehs.com @stingerehs @stingerehs

Issue 2

Administrators Andrea Edmonds, Matthew Gale, David Piperato, Todd Breiner, and Mark Covelle jump for joy after Emmaus ranks on Newsweek’s list of top high schools in the nation.

Photo by Rachel Reed.

Newsweek ranks EHS among top in US

By Zoie Kassis Features Editor Newsweek recently announced its top high schools in the nation, and Emmaus ranked 280th out of more than 37,000 public and private institutions.

Each year, the magazine releases the top 500 schools that it believes are the best in the country, basing its findings on numerous factors including college readiness and fairness towards students who have economical disadvantages.

Principal David Piperato said students and faculty should feel a great sense of pride and achievement.

“I think we’ve always known that our students are exceptional and the Newsweek ranking indicates that we’re as good as we think we are, and maybe even better,” Piperato said.

The magazine announced that its methodology was “more stringent than ever,” thanks to new measures that included a higher standard for data. That included data on how low-income students were performing on state testing.

Across the state, 42 Pennsylvania high schools made the cut, with Conestoga High School--which is part of the Tredyffrin-Easttown School District outside of Philadelphia--

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News

ranking the highest at 33rd in the United States. The state’s second top school is Upper Saint Clare in Pittsburgh, followed

by New Hope-Solebury in Bucks County, which came in 58th.

According to the findings, Emmaus scored an 81.69 on the College Readiness Scale as well as a 66.25 percent graduation rate, and a 58.6 percent of students who are college-bound.

Student Government Association President Barry Seng said he takes great pride as an active member at Emmaus.

“I am truly honored to be a student at a nationally recognized high school,” Seng said.

“I am proud of the hard work of the administration, teachers, and students. Collectively, we make Emmaus High School exceptional,” he said.

Illegal asbestos removed; board questioned

Daniel Amankwatia, Class

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Features

Dr. Michael Schilder, superintendent of schools, said Emmaus is a “comprehensive high school” that comprises experiences and activities for every student.

“There’s a niche for everyone, which makes for a good, solid high school,” Schilder said. “There’s athletics, but also fine arts, along with a great music program. Emmaus has a good balance. I’m proud to work at a high school that is so highly regarded.”

As part of the evaluation, Newsweek looks at college readiness, which is based on performance such as proficiency rates on standardized tests and identifying schools that perform at or above the 80th percentile. Newsweek also takes into account enrollment rates, graduation rates, weighted AP composite, weighted SAT/ ACT composite, holding power, and counselor-to-student ratio.

But the credit extends beyond Macungie and Harrison avenues, according to Piperato, because elementary and middle school teachers are part of the process, preparing students of 2015 president long before they

One dad’s attempt to conquer Beowulf

walk through the doors.

Additionally, financial backing from the district and the school board is a key factor to the school’s success, he said. The budget allows administrators to provide academic materials that students need to excel, in particular those who struggle financially, he said.

Tom Warnke, head of the social studies department, recognizes the importance of academics in Emmaus.

“Teachers and students at Emmaus realize values of strong academic emphasis.” Warnke said. “It all starts with students and teachers having common focus.

Emmaus is an exceptional school and its faculty and students should be commended.”

Daniel Amankwatia, president of the Class of 2015, agrees.

“It feels pretty good being 280th in the nation and seeing all the hard work by the students and our teachers appreciated,” Amankwatia said. “At first when I learned we were the 280th best high school in the nation, I didn’t think it was such a big deal. Then after a quick Google search, I found out that there are more than 35,000 high schools in the country.

“We know that we excel in academics,” he said, “and now the whole world knows too.”

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Sports

Kevin White shines in NCAA

The Stinger This Just-In

Does It Really Mattter?

When you walk through the halls here and listen to conversations (like a professional eavesdropper like me), the majority include groaning about how tough life is at Emmaus High School.

Sure, high school is hard. Heck, I’m one of those people that rant on and on about the difficulties of my own chaotic schedule and large workload. It’s hypocritical to judge this behavior then; I know. But I feel like someone should say something.

If you think about it, a large amount of people complain and trudge their way through a week instead of accepting the blessing that life really is.

Although Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday end up becoming days we humans just have to “get through,” really, we should enjoy every moment we get to experience in this world.

I know, I know. Very cliché. But stay with me.

Believe me, I don’t expect anyone to become so optimistic that their cheeks become sore from all that fake smiling. Everyone deserves to scream into a pillow sometimes. Life is tough. But it wouldn’t be any fun if it were easy. There would be no accomplishment or reasons to be proud of yourself.

Plus, just because you have (insert number here) tests on the same day, do you really deserve the right to tell everyone how rough your life is? There are kids who don’t even get the chance to go to school.

Kids who don’t have a home or even have food. In the big picture, those tests are not going to make or break your life.

Complaining about the negative details of life leads one to forget the wonderful experience that life is supposed to be. The positive little things are what really matter. The taste of certain foods, a hug from a best friend, a smile, every second. They really make a difference.

Who cares about what Emily said to Jane about Michael? In the long run, does it really make an impact in life? Of course not. Complaining does absolutely nothing. It doesn’t change the past, it won’t change the present, and it most definitely won’t improve the future.

So why plague the universe with your nagging?

There’s no point, and honestly, no one wants to hear about your issues all of the time.

If you really are upset with the path you’re heading on, change directions. My biggest pet peeve is when people go on and on about how awful their lives are even though they have complete control of what is going on. If you cause drama, you get drama in return. That’s just the way it is. If you’re stressed, spend time actually working instead of lounging the day away. If you have a project due tomorrow and you have to go into work tonight, don’t misuse your time attempting to make everyone feel bad for you. Work when you can, and it will get done eventually.

And don’t concentrate on your worries. Everything always works out the way it is meant to, no matter what. Yes, I’m implying fate is 100 percent real.

What I’m not saying is that life should be stressfree, and you shouldn’t worry about consequences at all because whatever happens is going to happen.

You can have charge of your own life. “YOLO” should not be a motto or excuse. I’m saying that being constantly concerned about what comes next is not the most enjoyable way to spend your one life on Earth.

Be the person who listens to other people’s struggles and gives advice. It’s true; everyone needs a shoulder to cry on. Life does suck sometimes, but not all the time.

You do have almost complete control over how you spend your own life. Use it wisely. Have fun, but work hard. Find the perfect balance between the two. But don’t complain about events that you can change for yourself. It’s just a waste of your time.

I admit it, most of this column is directed at myself. I don’t have much free time, so I don’t spend as much time as I should appreciating life’s opportunities. No, not the opportunities to add more and more to my college applications, but the opportunities to be around other people that show you that life is worth living to the fullest. Because in the end, how do you measure a life: by the amount of crap a person puts up with or by the experiences that make each life different? I choose the latter.

Associate Editor Colleen Grablick @collllsss

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

Assisant Online News Editor Ellie Lewis @ellie_lewis14

Assistant Opinion Editor Will Newbegin @free_willy98

Opinion/Editorial Editor Angie Stein @shmangieangie

Opinion Columnist Jacob Puleo @JacobPuleo

Assisant Feature Editor Tori Delhagen @tori_delhagen

Features Editor Christine Carlson

Assisant Feature Editor Zoie Kassis @zoie_kassis

Assistant Culture Editor Kayla McGovern

Culture Editor Olivia Riccio @Liv120497

Assistant Sports Editor Katie Mest @katiemest

Sports Editor John Lang @JohnLang05

Online Sports Editor Jason Kashuba

Web Administrator Darsh Patel

Adviser Denise Reaman

Web Administrator Zooey He

Photographer Rachel Reed

Photo Editor Lindsay Harner @lindsayharner

Photographer Jared O’Neill

Copy Editor Ava Johnson

Senior Staff Writer Rania Draklellis

Copy Editor Holy Diehl

Assistant Online Culture Editor Rachel McQuiston @rachelmcqq

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 2014 Pennsylvania School Press Association Awards First, Second Place Feature Story, Second Place in Nation First Place Review, Honorable Mention in Nation First, Second Place Column First Place Photo Story Second Place Editorial

Colleen’s Corner

Exposing Victoria’s Secret “She is so perfect.”

“I wish I were her.”

“Her body slays.”

My eyes glazed over several of these tweets last spring as millions of people around the globe tuned in to watch the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

Occasionally, my thumb would run over a tweet that read “these girls look starved” or the #eatacookie. These tweets in turn triggered responses containing accusations of jealously and judgement.

Even without the attention of the fashion show, the Victoria’s Secret corporation has a strong presence in social media. I cannot numerically express the amount of times I have read a tweet that said “I wish a guy did this for me” with a photo of a small pink Victoria’s Secret bag next to a love note from this imaginary significant other. Oh, and we can’t forget the emoji with heart eyes that is obliged to follow any tweet mentioning the brand.

Having only stepped inside an actual Victoria’s Secret establishment two times in my 16 years, (the first time I literally just put a foot in and stepped out), I can’t exactly see the attraction. I have never bought anything from the store, and it’s not because of the sparkles on the floor, the overwhelming scent of perfume that exasperates my asthma, or the over friendly workers offering a little too enthusiastically to measure one’s bra size.

It’s the principle that the company promotes.

Every year they host a fashion show where models with “perfect bodies” (by today’s standards,) show off the latest lingerie while sporting the trademark VS angel wings. Now, I don’t agree with statements accusing the models of starving themselves or living unhappy lives. However, I can’t agree with the message that these fashion shows send to women.

Sure, the Victoria’s Secret Angels are beautiful.

There is no question about that. But that does not mean that they are the definition of beauty.

Seeing already self-conscious teenage girls selfdeprecate themselves on social media due to this form of advertisement should not be a commonality.

Young people over analyze everything, especially themselves. The last thing an insecure high school girl needs is an underwear company telling her how to look beautiful.

Aerie, another underwear store, has recently adopted a new “Aerie Real” campaign, in which they refrain from retouching their photos and use healthy women to model their underwear. On social media, the brand has been promoting the #TheRealYouIsSexy. Even Aerie bags have the words, “the girl on this bag has not been retouched” printed in bold.

Yet, brands like these still lack in popularity when compared to Victoria’s Secret.

As young girls walk through the mall, they see the Photoshopped models plastered up on the walls, not real women wearing real clothes. Almost as frightening as the advertising is the number of people actually going into the store. There’s just something not right about a gaggle of 12-year-old girls admiring the seductive overpriced underwear of a store that promotes false images of beauty, or a man going in to buy his significant other “something special.”

And if a woman ever enters Victoria’s Secret with the intention of purchasing underwear to please the man in their life (which I’m sure is large reason why many females shop here,) well, that’s a feminist rant for a different column.

I’m not trying to say that if you wear Victoria’s Secret underwear that you are agreeing to the ideas they promote. I agree that they have cute underwear and clothes. However, I could never bring myself to support an establishment that teaches girl that you need to be a size two with a size C cup to be beautiful. No bra is worth $30 and a crushed self-esteem.

I N - D E P T H R E P O R T I N G O N T O P I C S T H AT M AT T E R T O Y O U

News

3 NEWS EDITOR MAURA BENNER A S S I S TA N T N E W S E D I T O R C AT H R Y N S E I B E R T

Illegal asbestos removed, residents question judgement, process Maura Benner News Editor Cathryn Seibert Assistant News Editor Earlier this month, workers removed illegally buried asbestos materials from the grounds of Wescosville Elementary School, yet some residents still question who is responsible for the crime and demand answers from district leaders.

The source of the dumped debris - a classified carcinogen which for years had been used as insulation - remains unknown. However, an unidentified employee authorized the material to be buried at the school on Brookside Road in Lower Macungie Township. In an interview with The Stinger, Dr. Michael Schilder, superintendent of schools, said the decision to bury the material was a poor one. “[Nothing] sinister or evil was intended, [it was] just a decision,” Schilder said.

“And when I found out about it, I was not comfortable with having construction debris buried on school property.”

He clarified that the person or persons who decided to bury the material, instead of properly disposing of it, no longer work for the East Penn School District.

“Those individuals who may have been responsible for giving the orders to bury it are no longer here,” he said. “That’s different from being dismissed for it…

They’ve either retired or resigned, but there’s no indication that it was over this.”

Schilder holds his main priority as disposing of the dumped material quickly and properly.

“What matters to me is taking care of the problem, getting it remedied and moving on,” he said.

The district contracted A.L.M. Abatement Services to remove the debris in the second week of October, at the cost of roughly $18,000.

School board president Alan Earnshaw said the debris was buried in the wooded area on the school grounds, “not near the playground [or near] the school.”

“It’s non-friable asbestos, which means that it doesn’t pose a health hazard to humans, animals, or the environment,” Earnshaw said. “But it’s still material that shouldn’t be buried on the school grounds.

So we made the decision to solicit bids.”

Earnshaw said the district received three bids from different certified asbestos removal contractors and chose the lowest one. The district also hired a separate consultant to monitor the clean-up and make sure the process followed necessary regulations.

The district has been working with the state Department of Environmental Protection as well as the federal Environmental Protection Agency to resolve the issue, although neither have shown an interest in finding out who dumped the material, according to Schilder.

“The DEP and the EPA have both declined to investigate,” Schilder said. “[They] could have easily [chosen to investigate] and they both said no, there was no reason to launch an investigation,” he said. “What they both said is that the school district is handling it appropriately now, by just getting it out of there.”

However, some residents of the district do not agree with the decision to remove the material without an investigation.

At the Oct. 13 school board meeting,

five residents addressed school directors to question the district’s response to the situation.

Resident Arlene DaBrow said one of her concerns was the predicted cost of the clean-up.

“I noticed that you’re not going to find out who did this, and do anything about it,” DaBrow said. “It’s going to be back on us, the taxpayers, and I’d like to know why.”

During the meeting, Schilder reported that the material removed from the school grounds was what was expected; therefore, the removal cost should remain about the same as the first estimated fees.

In an interview after the meeting, DaBrow said that the board’s actions set a poor example for students.

“You’re supposed to be setting an example for the students, right?” DaBrow said.

“We don’t think that’s a good example.”

Resident Chris Donatelli also expressed his concerns regarding the removal of the asbestos.

“A dead horse need not be kicked if this board acknowledged the wrongdoing by taxpayer-funded employees in this district,” Donatelli said, “and found the moral fiber needed to handle the situation appropriately, and without bias.”

Prior to the meeting, Donatelli told The Stinger that he is frustrated with the actions of the board. Last year he unsuccessfully ran for school board.

“Someone broke the law by burying questionable building materials on school property, and I am truly flabbergasted by the actions taken by one or more administrators,” Donatelli said. “More so, I am frustrated by the lack of desire by the school board to hand the names of the guilty parties to the authorities.”

Charles Rhoads, who has spoken at board meetings on other issues, questioned who will be held accountable.

“Who is responsible?” Rhoads asked.

“Who ordered the cover-up? Why shouldn’t those people pay for the cleanup personally? Will any civil action be taken, or is white-collar crime permissible in this school district?”

School board member Lynn Donches also had concerns about the decision to remove the asbestos. When the board voted 8-1 in September to contract A.L.M., Donches cast the one dissenting vote.

Donches said authorities weren’t properly contacted after the waste was discovered.

“There were at least two crimes committed: the dumping of waste on school property [and] the burying of waste on school property,” Donches said. “The person [or persons] who did the dumping and/ or the burying should be paying for the remediation, not the taxpayer.”

However, Earnshaw, in an interview prior to the meeting, said it wouldn’t be a “prudent” use of district resources to hire a consultant to search for the offender. “...It would be a one in a million chance that we would find any clues in there that would lead us to discover who might have been involved in any way, shape, or form in dumping the debris,” Earnshaw said.

As for the cost, Earnshaw said money wasn’t a significant factor.

“It was under $18,500 for both the removal and the consultant monitoring it,” he said. “Out of a $135 million budget, that’s a very small fraction of a percent.

It’s not going to have any effect on our ability to deliver programs to students in the school district.”

Schilder said that the district took the proper actions in this situation.

“I’m not at all interested in an investigation,” Schilder said. “I’m only interested in correcting the problem. It’s not my job to investigate unless the board would direct me to, not just one board member, but the entire board.

For a superintendent to take action on anything, particularly something like this, the school board would have to direct me to do it.”

Schilder added that the district requested for the workers removing the debris to look for any identifying material found, such as a sign or mailbox, to be put aside and saved. No material of this nature was found.

Earnshaw said that authorities

wouldn’t be interested in an investigation.

“Do I wish no one had ever dumped the material in the first place? Absolutely,” Earnshaw said. “But the right thing to do is to get it cleaned up in a responsible fashion, and that’s what we’re doing.”

Top: The main Wescosville Elementary School sign welcomes students.

Next: The plot of wooded land where the asbestos was buried Below: A chart shows the distance between Wescosville Elementary School and Emmaus High School.

Bottom: Schilder and Earnshaw attend the Oct. 13 EPSD board meeting.

Photos by Maura Benner Chart by Cathryn Seibert

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NEWS

tickets and protect workers from the elements.

“It’s safe to say without his expertise, neither project would have happened,” said Ramella.

Throughout the entire construction of these projects, Didra strove to provide a real-world environment for his students every day.

Didra provides each student with their own desk, turning his small tech shop on the bottom floor of EHS into a mini office.

“I think classroom environment is so important,” said Didra. “It’s one thing as teachers that we have control of, creating an environment where students want to learn.”

Drafting wasn’t Didra’s forte when he assumed his position at At the top, Didra takes a break to discuss his years in the high school. After graduating from Millers- education. On the bottom, Didra works closely with ville, Didra rented a barn students. in Emmaus and set up blessed with having really great kids over his own screen printing shop. One day he all these years.” received a phone call asking him to teach A significant amount of collaboration technical education at Emmaus Junior went on between Didra and the adminHigh School. Initially, Didra did not want istrators throughout the design-to-build to accept the offer, but his father talked process, which allowed Didra and his him into it. As time went on, he adapted classes to achieve their ultimate goal. to the job.

“I’ve had incredible support from our “I’ve learned a lot over the years and administration and Piperato trusted me to it’s been a long journey and I’m fortunate do these projects and he allowed me to enough to have great kids to go on the take risks, and he trusted me,” said Didra. journey with,” said Didra.

“It allowed me to continue my passion Now, after teaching at Emmaus High for what I do.”

School for 13 years, Didra feels great apPlans have already been set in motion preciation for the students and faculty that for this year’s design-to-build project. he has worked with.

The classes are deciding between a “The best part is absolutely without a storage facility and an observatory for doubt the kids,” said Didra. “I’ve been Astronomy Club.

Photo by Jared O’Neill

building and work on constructing it throughout the year.

So far through the program, Didra and his students have built a playhouse for the child development classes, aswell as a ticket booth and press box for the memorial field.

Nick Capri, a freshman at Penn State University and an Emmaus alumni, proposed his idea for the design of the press box last year, and Didra selected his design.

Throughout the entire process, Capri worked closely with Didra, each day coming into class with new revisions to the design.

“It felt like every day for two weeks I would come into class confident in my revised design, and Mr. Didra would look at me with a smile on his face and say, ‘Nick, we have a problem,’” said Capri.

Despite the frustrations that occurred throughout the construction, Didra kept his composure.

“I learned so much from his patience,” said Capri.

As a humble man, Didra rarely takes much credit for his work on the ticket booth and press box. For him, it’s all about the kids.

“It’s an incredible amount of time but if you have the passion for something, you’re willing to put the time in,” said Didra. “When you see the excitement of the students, it’s worth it.”

Principal David Piperato worked closely with Didra during these projects and provided tremendous support throughout the entire process. Piperato observed the exorbitant amount of hours that Didra put into his projects.

“He spent countless hours finding volunteers, soliciting donations, and establishing contracts with borough officials and engineering firms,” said Piperato.

Didra even worked on the projects outside of school time and on weekends.

“I’ve seen him out there in the rain working,” said Piperato.

Didra’s contributions also gave tremendous benefits to the athletic facilities.

According to Athletic Director Dennis Ramella, the ticket booth proves extremely useful during the postseason. Play-off games require admission fees, and the ticket booth provides a place to sell the

October 2014

Photo by Rachel Reed

By Colleen Grablick Associate Editor Despite winning several national recognitions, Emmaus High School technical education teacher Scott Didra downplays the fact that his name blinks across the LED sign on the corner of North and Harrison outside of Emmaus High School.

Last month Didra received two awards recognizing his excellence in teaching, as well as his contributions in the field of architectural engineering.

TEEAP, the Technology and Engineering Education Association of Pennsylvania, an affiliate of ITEAA, International Technology and Engineering Educators Association, selected Didra this September as the Pennsylvania Technology and Engineering High School Teacher of the Year. Additionally, Didra’s alma mater, Millersville University, presented him with the Innovative Educator Award.

The Te a c h e r Excellence Award recognizes outstanding contributions to a t e a c h e r ’s profession and their students.

This recognition is granted at the affiliated association’s annual meeting. Didra will be formally presented with an engraved plaque at ITEEA’s Annual Conference this November.

Didra received news of the two awards within four days of each other.

“It was kind of like kids who have their birthday and Christmas right next to each other,” said Didra.

While both awards came as a tremendous surprise and Didra is more than happy to accept both, the award presented

by Millersville University holds a special place in his heart.

“The Millersville award is kind of neat because I graduated from there and I met my wife there,” said Didra.

Didra’s daughter also graduated from Millersville, following in her parents’ footsteps.

“My daughter used to come to bring your kid to work day, and then she decided she wanted to be a tech ed teacher,” said Didra.

A few years ago Didra implemented a design-to-build project in which the architecture classes would design a small

THE STINGER

Earth Watch tallies up signatures lows students to post their achievements through Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and Pinterest boards. Each challenge completed and shared gains a certain number of points for the individual or team participating in PGC. In the last week of September, Earth Watch officers held sign ups, and thanks to the participation from EHS students, the club now holds the most signatures in the nation.

Emmaus High School biology teacher Zachary LaBar coadvises the club along with anatomy and biology teacher Rachel Kramer.

“It is awesome for Emmaus High School to be represented in a national competition,” said Labar. “We had more students sign-up for Project Green Challenge at EHS than several universities who are also competing.”

The goal of the PGC is to raise awareness for environmental issues and encourage students to take a global initiative. The challenge encourages all-natural beauty products, natural cleaners, and waste reduction.

“My goal is for the students to become more aware of ‘green’ alternatives and sustainable living options,” said LaBar. “The goal of the PGC is to challenge all participants to observe the world around them and to help them identify how they could make a difference, no matter how small.”

The increasing number of sign ups allowed Earth Watch to gain popularity throughout the school. President of Earth Watch, junior Dylan Spain, continues to solicit signatures.

“I’m trying to get people to continue doing the challenge,” said Spain. “There are all sorts of prizes Earth Watch members strike a pose at the recent club fair. to be won.”

Photo courtesy of Jaiden Scherr

By Colleen Grablick Associate Editor For the month of October, the Emmaus High School Earth Watch Club sponsored the Project Green Challenge, in which they gained the most registered participants in the nation.

The officers collected over 137 sign ups, advertising their stand during lunches and club fairs.

The Project Green Challenge proposes an eco-friendly theme for each day and corresponding tasks for the theme.

The students that accept the challenge have 24 hours to complete the tasks. At the end of each day, the participants can share their responses to the challenge of the day through videos or photos sent to the PGC website. The challenge also al-

5

THE STINGER

October 2014

For some, the wheels on the bus go round and round...

By Justine Coleman Editor-In-Chief Some students devote an hour each morning to journey to Emmaus High School, simply because they take the bus.

Out of 9,600 students that the buses transport in-district, about 100 students experience 45-minute bus rides or longer, according to Dr. Michael Schilder, superintendent. In fact, one specific trip from Zionsville to Emmaus that would normally take 10 minutes by car has some students sitting for more than an hour. Plans to fix the problem revolve around collecting data about the district routes and discussing potential rerouting and/or other solutions with Student Transportation of America, according to Schilder.

Some people, including sophomore Janna Fadler, feel one potential remedy consists of splitting some buses into separate bus routes.

“We should probably be two separate buses,” Fadler said. “It’s a massive route.

I don’t really think it was that planned out.”

Bus 158 travels around Zionsville into Powder Valley and Old Zionsville, picking up students for the majority of the trip before heading towards Emmaus.

Janna’s mother Gwyn Fadler agrees the district should add an extra bus to the Zionsville route.

“I don’t think that adding one bus to the route would be a big expense,” Gwyn Fadler said. “Either way, I think the bus company should do something for all the headaches they have caused the school district, parents, and students.”

Schilder remains aware of the situation, but also cautious towards any quick decisions.

“I’m not particularly happy about it that students are on the bus for more than 45 minutes,” Schilder said. “I don’t have a plan or solution...yet. I know that a possible solution would be to add buses, but that’s an expense issue.”

Each additional bus would cost around $35,000, according to Schilder.

In early October, Schilder asked STA to send a report of how many bus rides in the district last longer than 45 minutes.

“Quite a few” of these routes are high

NEWS

school routes.

Schilder does consider rerouting an option.

Schilder planned to meet with the bus company in early October to find out how many routes last longer than 50 minutes.

“You never want to make a decision with bus routes too early...particularly with long runs, because sometimes as drivers become more familiar with the route as students decide strictly at Features editor Zoie Kassis spends two minutes walking to school, while Ashley Tompkins, a junior, rides the high school the bus for about 65 minutes each morning. level that they Pictures from www.city-data.com, www.lehighvalleyparkour.com, and addiesadventures.blogspot.com . don’t want to Others by Lindsay Harner and Justine Coleman. Graphic by Justine Coleman. take the bus anymore...you find that the route times get my homework done and I can...listen number of buses for use spread across the district. become less and less by doing nothing,” to music,” Tompkins said.

Tompkins believes rerouting could help.

“I can’t say that STA has been inefSchilder said.

“I think just picking people in the same ficient with their routing, because I think If the district changed the routes for area rather than so far apart [could help],” they’ve actually done a pretty good job any bus, it would affect the timing for all Tompkins said. with that and spent a lot of time in trying other routes using the same bus, thereby, Parents of some students feel the bus hard to not increase the number of buses affecting hundreds of students, according ride is unreasonable. and instead utilize what they have,” Schilto Schilder.

“My mom thinks it’s ridiculous that I der said.

Bus 158 picks up Fadler at the first stop STA referred all questions to Schilder. around 6 a.m. and arrives at the school at have to get up so early when it only takes 10 minutes to get to the school,” Tompkins In addition, this year, the district has 7:05 a.m. Last year, the bus picked her up said. more charter school routes and more high at 6:30 a.m.

Gwyn Fadler does not think the amount school students. Schilder is mainly con“It’s super annoying because I have to of drive time is appropriate. cerned with looking at in-district routes, wake up super early,” Fadler said.

“I think the hour long bus ride is not because parents and students of charter However, the bus drops off Fadler first reasonable and that the bus company has schools usually understand that bus routes on the way home, so the ride becomes done nothing to resolve the situation,” for these schools tend to last longer. shorter.

Gwyn said.

Due to the cost of additional buses, Fadler spends her 65-minute morning Gwyn has called STA about 10 times Schilder believes that the district may ride sleeping or on her phone. since receiving the bus notification cards have to leave the situation as is.

Junior Ashley Tompkins says no one in August.

“I’m not ready to do that yet and hopetalks during the morning ride on bus.

However, Schilder does not feel STA fully I don’t have to,” Schilder said.

“I don’t mind [the ride] I because I can should be at fault because they have a set

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THE STINGER

NEWS

October 2014

Fowlin delivers moving message of accep tance

By Cathryn Seibert Assistant News Editor Kaitlin Hur Staff Writer

Last month, psychologist and motivational speaker Dr. Michael Fowlin visited Emmaus High School to perform his show “You Don’t Know Me Until You Know Me.” Fowlin, also known as Dr. Mykee, is an actor and poet who uses his talents and education to increase awareness of discrimination, violence, and racism within society and schools. “You Don’t Know Me Until You Know Me” tackles these issues through Fowlin’s use of different voices and animated portrayals of characters who have undergone various struggles in their lives. He held two separate performances, one dedicated to freshman, the other for sophomores, as well as members of No Place For Hate, the club that organized his visit.

Fowlin made many issues clear at the beginning of his performance, diving into difficult topics right away.

“People should never hit people. Period,” he said.

Fowlin also told students that they are as much of the problem in societal issues as the people who personally carry out the abusive actions. When people just sit by, he explained, or laugh at racist or sexist jokes, they are as much to blame as the abusers themselves.

“I’m just as responsible for all the times I’ve heard things being said and laughed,” Fowlin said.

Fowlin continued to address additional hard-hitting topics throughout the rest of the performance, which greatly influenced students.

Sophomore Madison Dill thoroughly enjoyed Fowlin’s presentation.

“It made me realize that I need to be nicer to people,” Dill said. “And that you

should stand up for people when they’re being bullied.”

Stephanie Larkin, an English teacher and the No Place For Hate advisor, played an integral role in bringing Fowlin here.

According to Larkin, he has been visiting EHS for the past seven years.

“His presence is always tremendously healing for our school,” Larkin said. “It opens up dialogues about issues that we can’t necessarily broach during the school day.”

She expects that students will continue to take away a lot from Fowlin’s show.

“Hopefully it will help reinforce the message of our school, encourage students to speak up or speak out against bullying and possibly become aware of issues they didn’t know they had,” Larkin said.

Elizabeth Bennett, a sophomore, felt “You Don’t Know Me Until You Know Me” changed her perspective, and believes it will have an impact on other high-schoolers.

“It was very inspirational and moving,” she said. “I hope that people will take his advice and not instantly disregard it after they leave the auditorium.”

Sophomore Ashley Martin agrees with Bennett, and looks forward to her fellow students taking away a few key points from Fowlin’s performance.

“It’s not okay to treat people differently because of anything,” she said. “Sexuality, race…”

Martin has also seen the positive effects of Fowlin’s presentation in her fellow students’ behavior.

“People are a little more positive,” she said. “Saying that [others] are beautiful all the time, complimenting each other.”

Students around EHS telling others they are beautiful originates from the performance, in which Fowlin encouraged all students to support one another with the words “You are beautiful.”

Junior Tori Olmo, a No Place For Hate

member, believes that Fowlin’s words affected some students, but not others.

“For certain students, I think it helped,” she said. “But for others, I think that they weren’t mature enough so they just viewed it as a comical performance.”

Sophomore Reese Kober was influenced by his sense of humor.

“He was interesting while funny,” Kober said. “He made us realize that what we say and how we treat people matters.”

Alexis Dries, a sophomore, believes that Fowlin’s presentation was “inspirational” and that his words had a direct effect on her.

“I could relate to it because I’m one of those people [who] gets picked on,” Dries said. “He spoke the truth.”

She expects the presentation will continue to alter students’ perception of their classmates and make them less likely to bully and put down other people. “[I hope other students will] stop criticizing the other kid,” Dries said. “Stop talking behind their back, like ‘oh look at this kid...’”

Larkin has already witnessed some of the changes in the student body.

“I just see this openness and willingness to talk and be supportive,” she said.

Through years to come, Larkin hopes the students will carry with them a new perspective.

Top: Fowlin addresses members of No Place For Hate during a luncheon. Photo by Jared O’Neill Above: Fowlin is also known as Dr. Mykee Photo courtesy of www.michaelfowlin.com

“You don’t know the secret battles everyone is fighting,” she said. “You should be kind to people. Everybody has something going on.”

THE STINGER

OPINION

OPINION The costume conundrum

October 2014

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Y O U R T H O U G H T S , O U R S . . . I N O N E B I T E - S I Z E PA C K A G E

Leaves begin to fall. Temperatures drop. Pumpkins and big bags of candy pop up on supermarket shelves. Horror movies come out left and right.

People adorn their houses and yards with fake tombstones and blinking orange lights. There’s no doubt about it - the freakiest, most fabulous time of year is fiAngie Stein nally upon us. Halloween lurks Opinion Editor around the corner like a mischievous ghoul, ready to fright and delight everyone in all its spooky glory.

Unfortunately, not all the scares surrounding this holiday are just fun and games. By far the scariest thing you’ll see this October are the costumes. I’m not talking about the rare well-done getups that actually manage to be creepy. I mean typical things you’ll find packaged in rows at any Halloween store - that happen to be rampantly racist and sexist. Yes, dressing up is easily the most unique and fun thing about All Hallow’s Eve, but at what expense? Or, more appropriately, whose expense? Let’s just say way, way more people than you probably think. That’s right - if your Halloween costume is culturally appropriative, you are harming people of color by spreading bigotry and stereotypes, while also exploiting their cultures and histories.

For those of you whose heads are spinning, let’s start off with a quick vocabulary lesson. Best put by blog the Unsettling America, “cultural appropriation” is defined as “...the adoption or theft of icons, rituals, aesthetic standards, and behavior from one culture or subculture by another... This ‘appropriation’ often occurs without any real understanding of why the original culture took part in these activities... often converting culturally significant artifacts, practices, and beliefs into ‘meaningless’ pop-culture…” How does this apply to Halloween costumes? Flip through a catalog or do some Googling and see what kinds of costumes are popular this year. “Day of Dead Senorita Adult Women’s Costume,” a frilly getup that takes Dia de los Muertos, a two-day Mexican holiday in which people honor their deceased loved ones, and makes it “sexy” and accessible to the mainstream. “Sexy Cherokee Indian Women’s Costume,” which makes light of Native American struggles of the past, when 1 out of 4 Cherokee people died on the Trail of Tears after being forced from their homes, and today, when the same race of people responsible for their genocide dress up as them, and Native American women are 2.5 times more likely to be sexually assaulted than any other race, according to the United States Department of Justice.

“Pashtun Papa Islamic Adult Costume,” complete with a turban and fake beard, is sure to get laughs from most everyone who persecutes Islamic people for crimes they did not commit, and wouldn’t bat an eyelash at the 1,552 antiMuslim hate crimes committed between 2003 and 2004,

OPINION EDITOR ANGIE STEIN A S S I S TA N T O P I N I O N E D I T O R W I L L N E W B E G I N

as recorded by the Council on American Islamic Relations. “China Man Adult Costume,” which is shown worn with makeup to make one’s eyes look slanted, something the wearer will be able to joke about and then wipe off at the end of the night, while Chinese-Americans such as myself will continue to be mocked for the size and shape of their eyes all their lives. Real cultures, real people, turned into costumes without a shred of knowledge about the oppression they face, all while corporate fat cats profit off of it.

It’s a sadly little-known fact that racism and sexism are still deeply ingrained into our society. Pointing out ways in which people are spreading hate is not a ploy to make anyone feel bad - it’s to better ourselves as people and as a society. Understanding why should-be harmless things like Halloween costumes can be problematic, and why people choose to wear them, is vital. Most often, people wear offensive costumes without thinking of the implications for a simple reason: those implications don’t affect them. It’s easy to be a geisha in a cheap, bastardized kimono or a funny Hispanic guy in a sombrero for one day, say “it’s just for fun,” and then take it off. Guess what? The people of those races can’t take it off, and it’s definitely not fun for them to deal with those stereotypes. As social justice source Everyday Feminism said, “...our society equates whiteness with normalcy, and therefore everyone outside of that category is foreign, weird, or joke-worthy - perfect for a costume.” The truth is that there’s nothing odd, exotic, or humorous about people

of color - note the word “people,” as in human beings with feelings and lives like anyone else. No one deserves to have their background turned into a dehumanizing, appropriative costume to be sold under the guise of Halloween festivity. So please, don’t dress up as another race on Oct. 31 - ask yourself why you would want to do that, what message you are sending, and who will have to ultimately pay for your costume. Don’t appropriate or make light of another culture’s holidays or struggles, either, such as Dia de los Muertos, or blackface, which has seen a sickening spike in popularity recently.

This month, feel free to gorge yourself on candy, carve some jack-o-lanterns, watch scary movies, and most importantly, dress up respectfully. As my personal favorite holiday, I want everyone to be able to enjoy Halloween, without worrying if their peers will make a mockery of them this year. Have a spooky and safe Halloween, and to all a good fright.

Breast cancer awareness: 40,000 footprints leave an impression

Ava Johnson Death, you really are sive breast cancer cases will be recorded. ness of this fatal disease. Most people are me happiness. She taught me art. CreativCopy Editor ignorant of your causali- And nearly 40,000 women will die from aware of breast cancer, yet few know how ity. Spontaneity. Determination. Peace of

ties upon both the dead and the living—marching around with your bag packed full of souls, maintaining a morbid balance in this world, casting spells of disease on the innocent, and cursing bloody wounds on brave soldiers is a decision beyond my mortal comprehension.

Perhaps the decision isn’t difficult for you as it seems. Maybe the decision has left you numb and aloof to humanity’s callous views of you.

Your presence on my life opened up my eyes to a new outlook on this world. Let me do the same for you but with numbers.

The numbers range from few to many, none to hundreds, and zero to infinity— each number has an individual meaning for each person. For me, the numbers 3, 64, 68, and 1999 have a deeper meaning: 3 for the number of brothers I have; 64 and 68 for the years my parents were born; 1999 for the year I was born. Each number has its own story. However, some numbers operate on a larger scale: 62,570.

232,670.

40,000.

This year 62,570 women will be diagnosed with non-invasive breast cancer. Officials estimate 232,670 new cases of inva-

breast cancer.

All of these numbers represent just one year. Yes, one year. Is this shocking?

Yes. Astonishing? Absolutely. While the survival rate of breast cancer has greatly improved with new and improved treatments, 40,000 deaths is 40,000 too many.

Whether it’s one in a million, or one in a 40,000 in this case, there’s always something special to that one that makes it stand apart.

I believe that my grandmother, June Coyne, who I called Nina, to be that one.

In April, doctors diagnosed Nina with triple-negative breast cancer. The cancer quickly spread like a drop of blood in a pool of warm water. The cancer liquefied Nina’s liver as well as her lungs. She battled the little meddling worm that is cancer for only four months and died July 12.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, the annual campaign to raise aware-

to detect it in its early stages, which could possibly save the lives of thousands of women.

In fact, the chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer is 1 in 8, so says the American Cancer Society. The chance of a woman dying from breast cancer is 1 in 36, the nonprofit also states. There are currently about 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. Since 2000, the death rates of this malignancy have waned. But wane doesn’t have the same meaning as disappear.

I may be just a young girl with an inferno of anger, passion, and confusion blazing inside; but, this I know: you’ve taken an amazing, astonishing, captivating—the words pile up and up—woman from our world too early at the age of 70.

Standing at 5-foot-3, she possessed an enormous zest for life.

Throughout her life, even in her final days, she remained full of hope. That cute little smirk always lit up her face. In those final days, she taught me hope. She taught

mind. The list goes on and on. She taught me to be myself with not one barricade restricting me. She taught me that we have to take the good with the bad. She taught me that not everything is served to you on a plate. She, along with my Poppop and my parents, taught me all of life’s greatest and most challenging lessons.

But, most of all, no matter how cliché this may sound, she taught me love. I’ve never seen a woman love her family and friends so much. I happened to overhear my mother talking to her friend on the phone and she said, “Me and Poppop told her to ‘let go’ in her final hours. But, she wouldn’t. She refused.”

If that’s not a woman who cares so much for her friends and family that she refuses die, I don’t know who is.

While my Nina was a prima donna, she didn’t die glamorously. However, on her deathbed, every word she needed to say was already expressed, and everything she needed to do was done through and through long, long ago. In her final days, people came to see her for the last time. At her funeral, people told me that although they knew her for a few short years, she left the biggest, lasting impression on them— just as 40,000 other women this year left their footprints on the living as well.

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THE STINGER

EDITORIAL

October 2014

A state of test takers: how Gov. Corbett has drained the life of our schools Joel Shimer Opinion Contributor

Let’s take a break for a little math lesson, brought to you by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Ready?

Meet my friend Joe. Joe goes to the local hip-hop shack to buy a swag jacket for his girl. The shack is having a blowout sale for 30 percent off the original price of jackets.

Joe also has a $10 off coupon that he will use to buy his girl’s swag jacket because he’s a thrifty shopper. The following expression can be used to find his final price for a jacket with an original price of p dollars: 0.7p-10.

The jacket Joe decides to buy has an original price of p=$87.99. What is the final price of the jacket Joe is buying?

A. $51.59 B. $54.59 C. $71.59 D. $84.99 E. Joe figured that his girl wasn’t worth the headache since Pennsylvania’s 6th grade Common Core tests crushed any of his remaining manhood interest in math.

Instead, he kept the money and paid full price on video games to play in his parents’ basement. He’ll be a bachelor gamer for life.

Let’s face it, with the November election staring us in the face in the next two weeks, the primary target of voters’ focus should be the the ongoing dismantling of public education in Pennsylvania, thanks to current Republican Governor Tom Corbett. I can personally attest to this not only as a student, but as someone whose parent works in the public school system.

My mother, Melanie, has taught first grade for over 20 years in a nearby district. I see firsthand how hard my mom works, and for the past four years, she’s been working harder and longer than before. During Gov. Corbett’s term in office, teachers have been expected to do more and teach more material with fewer resources. Most days, my mom comes home late, thanks to additional preparations she now must undertake for the days ahead. It is sad for me to think that some people are blind to how hard being an educator really is. Some days I honestly feel like I don’t have the time that I’d like to spend with her anymore because of how difficult her job has become.

Recently, The Washington Post conducted a survey that concluded the average teacher works 53 hours per week. The 7.5 in the classroom is just the foundation. On

average, teachers are at school an additional 90 minutes beyond the 7.5-hour school day for planning, providing extra help for students, and attending meetings. Teachers then spend another 95 minutes at home grading and preparing classroom activities.

Fun, huh?

The fact of the matter is that schools today are vastly different today than they were 10 years ago, back when Usher was still cool and your Game Boy was your bae.

But right now, this state (as well as the other 49) is undergoing changes in the direction of raising a nation of test takers.

Teachers are required to teach their students how to take a test rather than how to live in the real world. An end-goal of the Keystones, CDTs, and PSSAs appears to be to make teachers look bad. By asking a sixth grader to solve 30 percent of 88 in the most confusing swag jacket scenario that

puzzles the 11-year-old average Joe, how can state officials determine how “effective” our teachers are in the classroom?

These “effective” tests are the result of hard work put forth from the past several years during which the state and its school districts spent millions of dollars trying to come up with curriculum and tests that match national standards for Common Core. In fact, last month Corbett criticized the national common core, all while the state has been working hard to develop its own standards so we can vacation on Study Island and become testees for the Keystones.

After he was first elected in 2010, Corbett slashed nearly $1 billion from Pennsylvania’s public schools, creating a school funding crisis that broadens every year. In his first two weeks in office, Corbett managed to reduce the state-issued grants for school districts by $335 million. A new

Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) report concludes that Corbett’s funding cuts have hurt Pennsylvania’s poorest school districts and its neediest students the most, with larger class sizes and a huge drop in student scores on standardized test scores.

With these dramatic cuts in funding, teachers in some districts lost their jobs.

In order to save money, school districts cut “unnecessary” programs, such as art, music and physical education. Other districts resorted to extremes: not having school nurses present all the time because there is simply no money to pay them. Just last year in Philadelphia, a 7-year-old boy collapsed and died. No nurse was at school that day. This is simply inexcusable.

The PSEA released a graph for each individual school district in Pennsylvania which shows the funding for our district from 2010 to when Corbett took office in 2011. The East Penn School District lost $1.2 million from the state between 2010 and 2011. Our district now spends $150 less per pupil than in 2010.

Cuts in funding result in a trickle-down effect. The next time you notice yourself zoning out during a chemistry or history lecture, count how many students are in your class. If you’re like me, you’re elbowto-elbow in classes with 29 other sweaty teenagers breathing down your neck.

That’s unacceptable. In 2011, our district didn’t replace 12 retiring teachers. This has become all-too-common across the state, thanks to education cutbacks from Corbett. Like countless other districts, we are forced to divide students among fewer teachers.

Teachers simply cannot effectively teach the state-required material when there are 30 or more students who then ask valuable and important questions so they can actually do well on the Keystones. It’s a no brainer: when it comes to class sizes, smaller is better.

Yes, it’s true that we have it good in East Penn. We get high scores on state standardized tests, we have a staff of teachers who genuinely care about the students, and the cafeteria ladies really can dish up some bangin’ pizza!

But it isn’t just about us. It’s about the other 500 districts as well. And one way to change education is to change our leadership. We need to say goodbye to Tom Corbett on Nov. 4.

Snow rest for the wicked: why “cyber days” snow on our parade In a bid to rob ed at the sound of Dr. Schilder’s angelic Jacob Puleo this generation of its voice as it plays through their answering Editorial Writer precious childhood machines in the early hours of the morn-

memories, Pennsylvania’s Department of Education recently announced a program designed to eliminate the need for snow days.

The inaptly named Flexible Instruction Days program aims to replace snow days with “cyber days,” in which students are expected to excitedly leap to their computers and complete online assignments in an artificial classroom setting whenever the weather reaches lawsuit-causing levels of danger. However, this plan is anything but flexible. Bendy straws and cheerleaders are flexible. This is quite the opposite.

It would seem as though Pennsylvania’s educational leaders believe every student wakes up with a Macbook and 24-hour functioning Wi-Fi. Whether or not this idea sounds decent on paper, its overly-ambitious nature will be its undoing. Desperate efforts such as this are the reason why upper-class celebutants look down upon public education through their monocles and say “Oh my, it does my heart good to see them struggle so.”

While few experiments in schooling go without protest from students, this one in particular will be received viciously. The snowman-building days of old may be over, but children of all ages are still elat-

ing. Now, that sound will signify an entire day of answering digital questionnaires in sweatpants. If Emmaus High School’s finest can’t be bothered to bring a writing utensil to class, how can they be expected to log into a cyber class?

For all intents and purposes, the average student’s opinion does not matter (which is how a situation such as this is typically viewed, regardless). The FID program, if instituted by schools, will encounter serious logical roadblocks and ultimately hemorrhage itself of usefulness.

Firstly, FID revolves around one aspect: computer usage. This may seem to be a simple concept, but the program’s organizers have overlooked a crucial pitfall. Some students are not fortunate enough to own a computer. What will happen to these individuals? Will they be exempt? Will they fail? This program appears to be unsettlingly exclusive. The state’s higher-ups most likely view the technologically impaired group as a minority, but it encompasses more students than most may realize. Not everyone can afford luxuries that the rest of us take for granted.

However, computers are the least of some people’s worries. As they collect supple salaries atop their pillars, Pennsyl-

vania’s puppet masters cannot see the reality. Some students don’t even have homes, let alone computers. Has any consideration been given to those who step off the bus only to sleep in a car the same night? Poor souls such as these are already the butt of every joke, and FID will only add salt to the wound in a manner most discriminatory.

Try to imagine how jaded you would feel if a snow day rolled around, and instead of worrying about the possibility of freezing to death because no one paid the heating bill, you were asked to complete a series of assignments online. Effort is being poured into FID for the sole purpose of avoiding additional days tacked on to the end of the school year, but at what cost?

Speaking of cost, the program will probably be more expensive than it’s worth. The software required by “cyber days” can’t possibly be free. If schools are willing to participate, that’s well and good, but what about teachers? Surely they would need to prepare the cyber lessons themselves, as the assignments would vary by student.

The gung-ho nature of FID ensures that no one is left without an inconvenience.

Let’s imagine that every household in our lovely state did indeed contain a computer of some kind. Even in a perfect world, FID would still hit snag after snag.

Many families are blessed with computers,

but not necessarily enough to accommodate all of their children in the event of a cyber day.

If this past winter has shown us anything, we should not always expect the Internet to function properly on a snow day. What’s next? Make-up cyber days?

Drowning puppies in their own tears?

Any way you slice it, the Flexible Instructional Days program is quite similar to snow itself. Things will want to urinate on it.

Of The Stinger staff:

5

think FID is pretty cool stuff

19

think FID is the worst thing since unsliced bread

EDITORIAL

THE STINGER

We asked Emmaus to get petty for Pet Peeve Week 2014. You shared the things that really grind your gears, and here are the results.

I just hate...

...when teachers give a whole pile of homework for the weekend.

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October 2014

...people who touch you when you didn’t give them permission.

Freshman Nick George Freshman Ben Carlson Senior Laura Lievre Senior Nada Abouomar

...people who walk on the wrong side of the hallway.

Senior Claire Swanson Senior Sydney Pickering

4%

14%

10%

7%

...when people start rumors and spread gossip.

Freshman Samantha Feliciano Freshman Courtney Miskowsky Freshman Evian King

Letters to the Editor Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Email us at stingerehs@gmail.com, or bring them to Room 559.

Editorial Policy

65%

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 students interested in print media studies.

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THE STINGER

The Last Laugh CENSORED

Jacob Puleo Opinion Columnist

The Good-Looking, the Bad-Looking, and the Ugly

“All women are beautiful.”

Have you ever heard that gem before?

What I find particularly ironic about this phrase is that I’ve only ever heard a beautiful woman say it. Whether she be a Hollywood actress, supermodel, or some other self-righteous femme fatale, most spokespeople of self-esteem don’t represent their target audience very well.

I know what you may be thinking. “Isn’t beauty subjective?” The short answer is yes. The long answer is convoluted and offends more people than it’s worth, but I’ll elaborate anyway.

Before we dive into beauty, let’s start on the low end of the spectrum. What is ugliness? Science tells us asymmetry of the face and poor bone structure make a person ugly. But there’s a bit more to it than that.

Ugliness is looking in the mirror and hating what you see. Ugliness is the constant feeling of being pitied. Ugliness is knowing that you make others feel better about themselves merely by existing.

Much like Olympic Dumpster diving, ugliness is a way of life.

You could have all the talent in the

world, you could even be a gold medalist in Dumpster diving, but if you don’t have the looks, what you really have is an automatic disposition. First impressions mean everything these days. If someone thinks you’re ugly, they put you on a mental list called “Freaks to Avoid/Never Make Eye Contact With.”

And that’s the injustice of it. We live in a society that values good genetics over all else. But knowing this, why is beauty such a commendable quality? It requires no effort. Attractive people are born that way. But this brings us back to our original question: “Isn’t beauty subjective?”

Chances are that my definition of beauty differs from yours. That much is true, but the injustice continues nonetheless.

For simplicity’s sake, I’ll stick to females. What comes to mind when you think of a beautiful woman? I’ll bet a crisp $2 bill that one word pops into your head: thin.

Ah, yes. The appropriately named hourglass figure does seem to stand the test of time. Many consider thinness to be the standard of beauty, especially in women.

All I have to offer on the matter is this: visible bones are a real deal-breaker for me.

Body shape isn’t the only pitfall of modern society. Take makeup, for instance.

The need to lather one’s face in cosmetics confounds me to no end. I prefer the natural look, and that doesn’t mean a “forest green” shade of eyeshadow.

And then there’s clothing. I’m not here to ridicule you on the topic of cleavage, that’s a job for bitter cronies who seek revenge on young girls because they themselves never had a childhood. My gripe is something else entirely. You’ve heard it a thousand times before, and you’ll hear it a thousand times more: I have a problem with yoga pants.

If you too have a beef with bastions of black elastic, I doubt it’s for the same reason I do. You probably hate yoga pants because they make an ineffective super-

hero costume by giving everyone else xray vision. I, on the other hand, hate yoga pants for the lack of variety they cause. They’re all I see anymore.

Similarly to Jansport backpacks, it seems as though e v e r y bonafide Caucasian girl wears one. You may wonder “What in the name of Kevin Bacon’s prominent cheekbones does fashion have to do with beauty?” It’s all about today’s status quo.

The way I see it, modern women live in a bubble. They say things such as “I look so ugly in this picture!” without having the slightest idea what it means to be ugly.

They spend too much time photographing themselves to realize that some unfortunate souls are born with such hideously unholy disfigurements that their own mothers can’t bear the sight of them. That’s the injustice of it. I suppose it depends upon your perspective.

But is there not such a thing as inner beauty? Of course there is. Everyone’s heard “It’s the inside that counts.” Sadly, few people make an effort to peel back the layers of a human being. I, for one, almost never do so. It’s comparable to eating a Kit Kat bar by yourself. Why bother breaking it apart? Surely it’s not worth the additional effort.

I can tell you with certainty that it is, indeed, worth it. Firstly, only demonic hellspawns from hell eat Kit Kats whole.

Secondly, when you put appearances aside, that’s when you find the most attractive traits. Intelligence. Compassion. Humor.

My undomesticated love life Holly Diehl Staff Writer

Remember your first crush?

Well, that’s idiotic.Of course you do. It was the first time, with the exception of indigestion, that one feels the tingly sensation in the digestive system which we refer to as “butterflies.”

If you’re like me, it isn’t those dainty little insects. It resembles a rather big, bumbling hippopotamus dancing a tribal jig throughout my core.

Great love stories begin in the most unexpected sort of places.

For me, it started at a garage sale, roughly three years ago.

Between the incalculable heaps of leg warmers, disfigured Shake N’ Bake boxes, and partially dismantled kitchen appliances, I gave up hope. But alas. Mystical like a mirage, my attention diverted to him. Roger.

He wore a navy blue and camel jacket that smelled of a peculiar mixture of hot cocoa mix and those antique sugar packets hoarded in my grandmother’s pantry.

When I first met Roger, I could tell he was older than me, at which point, I wondered for the briefest stretch of time if seeing him was legal. Being 21 years my elder, he made our relationship complex without a doubt.

But not unlike his scholarly self, Roger instantly coached me on ways to increase my etiquette and vocabulary. I frequently wonder where I would be without my darling Roger.

Our first date was nonetheless perfection.

Surrounded by small armies of books, and reclining in the sunlight that inhabited my backyard, we set out unearthing the stories bequeathed in the depths of the novels to-

OPINION

October 2014

gether.

Although, I must at this point make a confession. Roger never was the only love in my life. No, I admit there’s also a modern version of Roger whom I have grown to love: Thesaurus.com Yes, my first love, my darling, dear Roger, doubles as my thesaurus.

Don’t be too quick to judge. Just because he can’t talk doesn’t make my love inanimate.

My adulterous obsession with Thesaurus. com, which first developed with the advice of friends and family update myself, contains no less love.

However, I do have to say Roger will always stay first in my heart and my mind, until death do us part.

I must divulge that when I began the process of writing whatever the heck this turned into, I honestly dwelled on breaking up with Roger. I got an eviction notice to leave my bedside table and everything in place. Roger was just about to embark on his journey to room with Webster on my bookshelf, but with one glance at him I couldn’t help myself.

Then came those bumbling, hormonal hippos again.

As I sat on the side of my bed, gripping on to my blue comforter and practically strangling my Pillow Pet for much needed strength, my eyes brimmed with incorrigible tears. I could not, and don’t think I will ever have the strength to bear the burden of ending things with Roger.

The few occurrences when I am forced to leave my beloveds at home always result in some sort of symptom of withdrawal.

Roger, my first love, and perhaps my only true love, how could I live without him?

I don’t believe I ever will.

Would I be looked down upon, if I admitted the previous true? Perhaps, but it is, all of it. It’s my undomesticated love life.

Other assorted clichés.

Zealots of confidence can preach at you all they want, but at the end of the day, no motivational speaker can convince you that all of us are beautiful. Everyone carries an ugly burden in some regard. Whether it’s clearly visible or lurking just below the surface is a matter of luck. My only attempt at consolation is “make the best of it,” a piece of advice I myself barely accept. Oh well. It can always be worse. At least you don’t look like Steve Buscemi.

A life well-alerted Cathryn Seibert Assisstant News Editor

“I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

I’m sure all of you have heard those infamous words.

Even if you haven’t seen the commercial, aired on early morning television frequently watched by the elderly, the phrase proves timeless, universal.

These words act as the slogan for Life Alert, a protective device meant to be worn around the necks of elderly people who live alone. If your frail grandmother falls on the cold, unforgiving floor, and alas! a telephone cannot be found, she will lie there helpless, shouting “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”, withering away until an unsuspecting visitor enters her home and discovers her, hopefully still alive.

Now, you don’t want that.

However, if your frail grandmother has Life Alert, she could press the emergency button on her necklace and connect to a caring individual who will notify medical personnel to help her. No decomposing body. No funeral.

Reading that, you’re probably thinking about how terribly morbid that situation would be.

How awful you would feel if you found your grandmother in her home, on the floor, on the brink of death?

But I’m sure, at least once in your life, you have laughed at someone’s random quip of “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

It really is inevitable.

Even now, as I type this, I try to stifle back snickers, and I feel terrible about it.

Just thinking about the image of an old woman, completely powerless to pick herself up from her kitchen’s outdated linoleum tile, causes me to feel remorse for every time I could not contain my laughter because of that one terrible,

yet still so hilarious phrase.

I think the reason these words have become such a potent source of laughter is because we as humans so easily disassociate topics, unless they apply specifically to us, or have some effect on us personally.

Think of the starving children in Africa, those poor, poor souls exploited in various commercials and magazine ads.

You probably feel sad for them at first as you glance at their emaciated bodies.

But then you’ll laugh at some off-base joke regarding their unfortunate situations.

“Have you ever tasted Ethiopian food? No? Well, neither have they.”

I can almost guarantee you found that at least a little amusing. And so did I, the first time I heard it.

But if I personally knew someone who was starving to death, I would not laugh at that. If I personally knew someone, whether it be my grandmother or neighbor, who fell and couldn’t get up, I wouldn’t laugh.

When I keep in mind that there are actually real people with real families, not just some criminally low-paid commercial actors, who suffer under these conditions, the things people say in jest become cruel and slightly sadistic.

So the next time someone cracks an insensitive or thoughtlessly offensive joke, remember the people the issue affects.

Whether it be about race, age, weight, anything, think before you laugh.

F E AT U R E S

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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 Z O I E K A S S I S

NOW FEATURING Get Y

Tori’s Stories The Life of a Potterhead

By Tori Delhagen As I closed my eyes at 11 p.m., ready to finally go to bed, I realized I forgot to read Act III of The Crucible for English.

Like most nights, I think, “Whatever, I’ll do it tomorrow morning.”

I then began to reminisce on my high school career and came to the conclusion that I have not read a required book for school, cover to cover, since the 6th grade. Summer reading? Nope. To Kill a Mockingbird? Nope. Books for research papers? Nope. Sorry to disappoint all of my previous English teachers, but only one book series has my heart. Harry Potter.

To be exact, I have finished the series at least six times. Meaning, I have flipped through about 25,344 pages of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. I practically breathe the series. So why do I hate reading, but can read Harry Potter over and over? Well, the answer is simple.

It consumes my life. I can honestly say with no shame, I am a Potterhead. I own the entire seven-book collection with pages missing and broken bindings from being used excessively.

Although witches and wizards may seem like a childhood storybook, the series gives an insight on important life lessons that go far beyond a fiction book.

Harry Potter promotes morals on friendship, loyalty, and bravery. The books teach that being different should be celebrated not discouraged. One of the most important lessons I have learned is that good and evil exist in all people and not to judge someone before you get to know them.

Harry Potter, although read by many children, is not a lighthearted storyline.

The whole basis of the book is about a boy whose parents have been murdered by a dark wizard in attempt to kill him. I won’t lie, I have cried many times when one of my favorite characters kicks the bucket. Throughout the series, characters face loneliness, dark times, and even death. Just like in life, there are low points where we have nowhere to look.

But the books teach that happiness will come if one has a positive outlook. One of my favorite quotes from Harry Potter comes from the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore.

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

Without the pain and sadness in our lives, we wouldn’t be able to appreciate all the high points. Happiness will only come with a positive mindset.

I could write a countless list of all the great qualities of the novels. For those who have not opened up to Harry Potter, give it a chance. And for those who say they hate reading, one just needs to find the right book.

My favorite aspect of Harry Potter is the energy of the large fan base.

J.K. Rowling released her last book over seven years ago, but people still care and value it. Harry Potter is not a phase like my Twilight obsession in middle school; it is a part of my life. The stories continue to stay with me and many other followers. As J.K. Rowling’s famous quote goes, “The stories we love best do live in us forever so whether you come back by page or by the big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home.”

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How cursive writing has become a dying art

By Will Newbegin Assistant Opinion Editor

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onghand is long gone. Cursive is cursed. Proper penmanship is in peril.

Cursive handwriting is a dying art. The curlicue scrawl, which once graced everyday documents, is disappearing - just like quality music and proper pants height. Numerous Americans find themselves not only struggling to write cursive, but many cannot even read it.

A little over a year ago, during the infamous case of Trayvon Martin’s shooting, a witness named Rachel Jeantel was called to the court and asked if she could read a letter given to her, she responded with a simple sentence: “I don’t read cursive.”

On the surface, this may seem trivial. One person can’t read cursive. Big deal. But in actuality, the significance of the sentence rings true for some as the death of cursive writing nears.

One would think that this dazzling calligraphy, this art form in a sense, would still hold some sort of value in today’s society.

Why? It’s simple. The words which formed and erected this nation were written in cursive.

Almost all of the greatest speeches and documents in the history of the United States? Written in cursive.

Even so, the Common Core Standards no longer require elementary students to learn cursive, and some schools have stopped teaching of cursive entirely. Some teach it in limited amounts, usually between second and fourth grades.

However, Emmaus High School Spanish teacher Steve Kutz believes that it is important to keep cursive alive.

“Letters from grandparents, letters from people of generations passed are written incursive, and you are required to write your statements in cursive on the SATs,” says Kutz, who writes on his chalkboard in cursive.

Should cursive handwriting die out, American society would not only lose a delicate art form, but also the history of our foundation would disappear as well, supporters say.

While some consider this as talking in extremes, a fallacy at best, others say its importance cannot be denied.

Several Emmaus teachers actively use longhand writing in their classrooms.

English teacher Diane Sherwood is one of them.

“I think it’s still a good exercise and something that students and everybody has to know, not only just for signatures, but for important documents [as well],” says Sherwood. “It’s much quicker than printing, also.”

Some studies have suggested that learning cursive is an important tool for brain development, particularly in terms of cognition.

By learning cursive, a person’s brain integrates “sensation, movement control, and thinking,” according to a 2013 report by Psychology Today.

Earlier this year The New York Times interviewed several researchers who agreed that in laboratory settings as well as in classroom settings, students learned better when taking notes by hand than by typing. And the Times reported that cursive itself can engage the brain’s networks more effectively.

While the Common Core standards only require legible handwriting in kindergarten and first grade, at Emmaus the art of cursive still has the support of some students, including senior Michael Healy.

“I mean, I like it personally, I know it [cursive] is like a tradition,” says Healy.

Despite being a user of cursive, senior Sam Jarvis feels there is certainly a time and place for writing in general.

When asked if he preferred typing or writing an assignment, Jarvis said, “Oh definitely typing, 100 percent typing.”

Jarvis is not alone either.

But is writing something, especially in cursive, more practical in the long run anyways?

As sophomore Lera Cordner points out, “Sometimes [the computer] could fail and the project’s due the next day, and I don’t have it.”

Cordner also uses cursive as a helpful test-taking skill.

“Sometimes I use it, so people can’t copy off my answers, since some can’t read it,” she says.

Several sources also point to writing as essential for brain health and proper memory retention.

According to a recent study done by Indiana University, college students who wrote longhand notes

At the top, Kutz writes Spanish in cursive on the board. Photo by Lindsay Harner. Above, Sherwood pens a note for Red Cross Club in cursive. Photo by Rachel Reed

performed better when asked conceptual questions than those who had typed their notes.

“If you wanna take your time and get your thoughts down on paper, writing’s the way to go,” says Healy.

Furthermore, a newer portion on the SATs requires test-takers to write a brief blurb in cursive, stating that they are indeed the test taker. Though this may seem like small potatoes, if no one can write or even read cursive, shouldn’t it draw more attention?

The arguments roll in about how cursive has no place in “already crowded school agendas,” or how it may be “impractical” compared to typing. Granted, these claims have some truth. Is typing on a computer easier? Very much so.

Yet handwriting, especially in cursive, still holds true as the only unique art form that everybody practices. It’s true: no two people do it the same. For some, like Kutz, there’s certainly a beauty in that.

“It makes no sense to me, that you would eliminate something that’s nice to look at,” says Kutz.

Will Newbegin has a passion for penmanship and takes notes in cursive.

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October 2014

C’est la vie: life in France for Kita

By Christine Carlson Features Editor Most people dream about visiting a foreign country for even a short vacation, but junior Kenna Kita’s dream will last for a year.

That’s because Kita just started her year-long foreign exchange study abroad program through the Emmaus Rotary Youth Exchange Board. Kita’s top three country choices were France, Belgium, and Quebec, but she received her top choice, France. Kita thinks that putting down France as herKita with host family. Photo courtesy of Tammy Kita first country option seemed like an au“In the beginning these differences tomatic choice. She eventually wants to seem so great, but slowly, ever so slowly, become fluent in French, and living and you begin to adapt and your brain begins studying there provides her with the per- to accept that ‘this way’ of doing things is fect opportunity to do so. the new normal,” Tammy Kita said.

Kita also decided to study abroad beThe school system is also very differcause she traveled to many different plac- ent. Her classes start at 7:55 a.m., and she es with her parents. Plus, her friend Nan- has anywhere from three to seven onecy Dordal, studied in Spain two years ago hour classes a day. Their lunch break is and recommended the program to Kita. from noon to 1:30 p.m. Students can leave “The idea wasn’t really frightening be- school and walk into town. In French cause I have traveled with my family so schools, students cannot customize their much before,” Kita said. “I knew I could schedules. They have three “tracks” to do this.” choose from (economics and social sciRight now, she is staying in La Pel- ences, science, or literature), which delerine, a small town in Brittany, France, termine the classes that each student will where she lives with her first host family. take. School ends at 5:40 p.m. At night, She switches host family after a certain Kita goes to the pool and practices unamount of months. Making adjustments til 8:00 p.m. Then she eats dinner, does to a new living style and family traditions homework, and goes to bed. proves challenging at times, she said.

Kita’s adjustment to school and home“The most difficult part is having to work has seemed difficult at times. live with new people who are used to “The most difficult thing about going doing things in a way that’s completely to school right now is my French,” she different from how you know them to be said. “It is still pretty awful and I can’t do done,” Kita said. the real homework or assignments for the Kita’s mom, Tammy Kita, believes that class because I can’t understand them.”

Kenna has started to adjust to these cul“It is very frustrating for me because tural differences.

La Pellerine. Photos courtesy of Tammy Kita

I like to complete all my work and know that I have done a good job on it,” she said, “but when I can’t understand the lessons or the assignments it makes it very challenging.”

Interact club advisor Jillian Zarnas believes that Kita will overcome any potential obstacles and grow throughout her time in France.

“Kenna will develop strong language skills and definitely a great sense of independence and personal responsibility through being away from her family,” Zarnas said.

Kita has been a student in East Penn throughout her whole school career, and this study abroad experience in France is her first time being the new student.

“I don’t really know what’s going on more than half the time, but you sort of get used to it and just go with the flow of things,” she said.

Kita believes that the French culture is different, but not in huge ways. Everyone dresses very nicely in France and students don’t sit down until the teacher gives them permission. Also, the French do not snack throughout the day, and huge shopping trips are nonexistent. She also noticed that most French citizens smoke.

Every other month, Kita and the other exchange students in France from the Rotary program travel around France for a weekend or a few days. Soon, Kita and the other inbounds will go to Mont

St. Michel, and the next trip will be to Rennes. Kita is most excited for a trip in the spring called EuroTour. She will go to Paris, Spain, Italy, Austria, and a few more countries with the other inbounds in France.

Kita feels that spending her junior year of high school away from her family and friends is worth it for the experience abroad she is getting from France.

“I have only been here for just over a month, but already have experienced so much. You learn to be independent and are frequently thrown way out of your comfort zone, which ultimately leads to growth,” Kita said. “You gain a global perspective and learn a lot about the world and about yourself.”

Zarnas believes that this experience isn’t for everyone though.

“It takes a special kind of person to be away from his/her family for nearly one year… with no visits to home or from family,” Zarnas said. “It also takes brave parents to allow their child, a high school junior, to embark on this brave journey.”

Tammy Kita agrees, believing that it is a way to develop and grow your personality.

“I believe you’d have to dig deep to find the courage to face every day, being away from your family, trying to navigate school in a new language, being away from your own routines and friends, your own ‘normal,’” Tammy Kita said.

“However, I strongly believe that because the challenges are so great, the potential for growth is equally tremendous.”

Kita does not regret missing her junior year for this once in a lifetime opportunity to study abroad in France.

“So far, it has had its ups and downs, but I have never regretted coming,” Kita said. “I have 10 more months of this to look forward to and I can’t wait to experience the rest of it.”

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October 2014

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ONE DAD’S QUEST TO CONQUER HIS DAUGHTER’S HOMEWORK

By Rania Draklellis Senior Staff Writer The general consensus is that the work some teachers give you can be extremely stressful. I come home every night and face four hours of homework, on top of my extra-curriculars.

And I’m just an average student. I don’t take any AP courses and please, do not ask me for help with anything relating to science. Most of my friends take more challenging classes than me, but if there is one thing we can all agree on, it’s that today’s students face a much larger workload than high schoolers in the past.

For example: my dad. My father, a 1985 graduate of William Allen High School, does not agree when I say that if he went to high school now for one week and had to face the stress that most of us do, he’d drop out.

“Oh, Rania,” he says, “You don’t know what stress is.” Ha. “Do my homework for one week,” I say, “Unless you don’t think you can handle it.”

My dad didn’t attend college. He, his brother, and his parents all worked in the restaurant to send his sister to college. My dad did not agree to do this at first, saying how he would feel like an “idiot” for not having a higher education. Then he realized how “stress-free” school life is and agreed to it. Ha.

Draklellis’s dad tackles homework.

Photos by Rania Draklellis

This is the week my dad did my homework.

MONDAY Monday started like any other. The English homework I shrugged off the weekend before was suddenly due the next day. This included reading the last five sections of “Beowulf.” In geometry I had to finish a review packet, and while I didn’t have any world studies homework, I pushed to read sections of the book to help prepare for a test on Friday. Dad didn’t feel up to doing any of it.

“I have a headache,” he said. “I’ll do it all tomorrow.” Wouldn’t it be amazing if all your teachers extended deadlines because your head hurts? Wouldn’t that be something? Too bad, though. I made him do it.

As my dad read my world book aloud, he stopped every few minutes to say some-

thing like, “Cartographers… You know that’s a Greek word, right?”

It took him about 45 minutes to do my geometry packet. I have a four-minute video of him trying to figure out the answer to the question: ‘Points J, K, and L are collinear. If JK is 17, KL is 53, and JL is 36, which point is between the other two?’ Halfway through the video, he looks into the camera like Jim in The Office and makes one of those what-the-hell-am-Idoing faces. I swear.

He hated “Beowulf,” but so do most kids, and they had to do it. I decided to be nice and read the first section to him and help him answer study guide questions.

Afterwards, he read the next section and answered the questions himself.

I was really worried that my dad would find my homework so easy and I’d look like an idiot, but I struck gold soon after he finished reading “Beowulf: The Dragon Wakes.”

“I don’t understand these questions. I have no idea what I just read,” he said. “In my adult life, I’ve never read anything so confusing.”

“What do you have to say to students that have to read this?” I asked.

He looked at me and smirked. “Do your homework.” What a jerk.

TUESDAY Tuesday night was short. The only assignments given to me were an astronomy (did you know that’s a Greek word?) worksheet about the phases of the moon, and a crossword puzzle for world studies that had to do with Korean and Japanese Dynasties.

The astronomy homework included naming the moon’s phases and shading in some circles that represent the phases. It took my dad a while to actually start the homework. He kept laughing at me when I said, “waxing gibbous.”

He had a hard look on his face for the entire paper. He agreed that it was informative, but found the paper complicated. “It’s too confusing,” he said, “probably because it wasn’t explained to me in a clear way...”

The crossword puzzle was a whole other story. It called for questions like, “Who was the Spanish priest who converted thousands of Japanese to Christianity?” and “Who was a major Chinese philosopher whose teachings Koreans adopted?”

“So Dad, how do you feel about this crossword?”

“I feel very… Confucius.”

He completed three more questions before he threw in the towel. He said how he’ll never fully be able to do my

homework until he can actually sit in on a class, hear discussions and participate. I agree with that. It’s tough to just be given a worksheet without context. Props to my dad.

“I have an understanding of your workload now,” he said. “I feel for you, but I’d still rather be in your shoes than mine. It’s something you can only understand when you’re 47 years old, have your own businesses, deal with the public, and manage a hundred employees. You should savor the time you have now, kid.”

WEDNESDAY By this point, I felt bad about making my dad do homework. He truly had no idea what any word in “Beowulf” meant, which made him feel terrible about himself. We all know that feeling: you’re sitting in a class, trying to digest what the heck you just read, while everyone around seems to be really into what’s going on.

He persevered.

Dad finished the assignment, and although he looked frustrated, it was over.

And it was all worth it when you saw the look on his face when I said, “This was the last night we read ‘Beowulf.’”

THURSDAY I had a field trip. Someone lucked out.

FRIDAY Because it was Friday night, I did not do my homework. Neither did my dad.

So here’s a general summary of my dad’s week: He hated it. He complained about it every night. But I’m glad he did this, and so is he. My dad now has a better understanding of what kind of workload students have and, with hope, will realize that going to school is like going to work. At the office, you spend eight hours at a desk and then come home to relax. School is like going to work at the office, then coming home to do four more hours of office work. I’m glad my dad participated in my little experiment.

Would he do it again?

“Of course,” he said. “I love spending time with you.”

Thank you, Dad.

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Want to see George Draklellis finish a geometry problem?

Go to our website to watch.

(Trust us, you don’t want to miss this.)

Parents get schooled with algebra class

By Ellie Lewis Online News Editor It’s eight o’clock Wednesday night.

You are sprawled out comfortably on the couch, intently watching Law and Order: SVU in your polka dot pajamas. Suddenly, your concentration comes to a screeching halt.

You forgot to finish your algebra homework.

As you scamper to grab the graded worksheet out of your backpack, you realize you only have five linear equations left to finish. The paper sits directly in front of you, but your mind goes blank. Your mom offers to help, but her wide eyes reveal the truth once she looks at your homework.

Chances are she uttered the same words you did earlier that day: “What’s the algebraic probability that I’ll never use this stuff again in life? Pretty high.”

Maybe she never went to college, and high school was way too long ago. Whatever the reason, she knows the Internet can’t explain it. But there’s one way she can ensure that you don’t end up in summer school.

She can go back to school--Parent Algebra Class, that is.

Emmaus High School administrators decided to create “Parent Algebra Class” earlier this year for parents of students who may want need additional math help at home and for parents who hope to be an

additional resource for their child outside of school.

The class, which meets every two weeks on a Thursday night, recently gathered in the math wing with Denise TelesCarl.

Five parents--four dads and one mom-came out to learn more about some algebraic concepts to help their kids with their algebra homework.

Teles-Carl, who has been teaching for 15 years, said her main goal in instructing this class is to get students to do their homework by involving their parents.

Teles-Carl approached Principal David Piperato with the plan last year.

“The idea is to help students understand their course better, and to help the parents assist their child with homework,” Piperato said.

Teles-Carl believes the program helps parents become more involved and brush up on their math skills, so that they can help out their child.

“We can only do so much,” Teles-Carl said. “Parents are able to help their kids with doing homework and understanding the work they are doing. I am lucky if half of my students do their homework.”

The five parents were engaged during the class. Each parent took notes and asked questions. Teles-Carl taught chapters from Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. She passed out domain and range worksheets so that they

could follow along with her instruction.

Each parent brought a notebook and a pencil and carefully listened and called out answers to the problems.

Parent Jennifer Rosa likes math, but she has always found it difficult.

“I like algebra,” Rosa said. “I love to do puzzles and I like doing problems.”

“Math is not easy,” she said. “I struggle with apply- Teles-Carl teaches algebra to parents. ing math to real life.”

The classes, which started in January, begin at 7 p.m. and generally run for just over an hour.

All parents agreed that if they were at home, they would either be sleeping or watching TV. However, they felt it was more important to assist their children improve their math scores than watch Jeopardy!.

Parent John Mulder said the classes are

beneficial and have helped him to assist his child at home.

“It’s been too many years since I’ve taken algebra,” Mulder said. “These classes are helpful with helping our child with homework and with keeping up with what our kids are learning.”

Photos by Lindsay Harner

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THE STINGER l October 2014

Culture

THE STINGER | October 2014

CULTURE

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 : Kayla McGovern

Life With Liv

By Olivia Riccio Culture Editor

Metalcore Mullins gOes Modernized

By Lauren Newhard Culture Contributor Rock and metalcore are musical minorities compared to today’s pop and hip-hop. Who can pass up the beats and pointless lyrics that are thrown into the mainstream? I can. I dive deep into the rock and metalcore industry with the sounds of the drums, guitars, and raw voices that speak from the heart.

Memphis May Fire’s front man Matty Mullins released his debut solo album on Sept. 23 through Rise Records. Mullins joined MMF back in 2008 and the band later signed with Rise Records in 2011. MMF soon became Rise Records top-billed band. With growing popularity, Mullins made a brave decision to try out a solo album - and he has emerged with success.

Self-titled Matty Mullins, the album fuses a blend of rock, alternative, techno, and soul. It includes tracks such as “My Dear” and “99% Soul,” which were released a few weeks prior to the album’s actual release date. The album speaks to its audience using real-life experiences through the new generation of rock and roll.

Music is food for the soul, and Mullins lays out a full course meal for his audience’s appetite with this album. Through his passionate lyrics such as “I’ll live life one mistake at a time” off the track “99% Soul,” he connects with the listener. A few tracks on the album that include Mullins’ well-known rock/alternative vibe are “See You In Everything,” “Glory,” “My Dear,” and “Come Alive.”

The track “99% Soul” sounds like a mix of Never Shout Never’s “Happy” and most songs from the pop punk band The Summer Set. It has a catchy tune with the lyr-

ics “I’m 1% body, 99% soul” that repeats itself until it is permanently imprinted into the listener’s brain.

Aside from it’s foottapping beat, the song owns a techno vamp.

The tracks “Right Here, Right Now” and “By My Side” both rely on a slight techno beat and alternative rock by simply shifting from guitars and drums to the computerized beats of dubstep.

The album’s producer, Cameron Mizell, also created the synthesized beats that back up Mullins’ center of attention voice.

Mizell is known for creating numerous extreme metal and hardcore punk albums, also known as metalcore, that have languished from overwrought production such as Sleeping with Sirens’ Feel and Woe, Is Me’s American Dream.

But working with Mullins on a contemporary pop-oriented album has diminished Mizell’s typical productions.

The only semi-acoustic style song is “Normal Like You,” and it tells an emotional story that goes beyond perception of the people around us. This specific song connects to Mullins’ fan base by including certain feelings he gets when he meets fans and people in general.

While rock and roll seems to be a dying genre of music, Mullins’ release opens new doors for other rock/alternative/metalcore artists.

Mullins is still the front man to Mem-

Around this time last year, I thought long and hard about what I was going to be

Photo by umusicians.com

phis May Fire and will continue to make music with his bandmates. Mullins’ solo album is unique in that it offers multiple styles of music and lyrics to which almost everyone can relate.

This album could honestly change lives because the lyrics Mullins sings make the listeners know they are not alone.

Mullins’ release ranked third on the Billboard’s top selling hard rock albums during the week of Oct. 11. The album doesn’t seem to be a massive success by most of Mullins’ fan base, but to me, it speaks from the soul.

In all 11 tracks on this album, Mullins speaks from the heart and the emotions in his lyrics are real. All in all the entire album is an original triumph that is perfect for all music lovers.

Rating out of 5:

Photo credit gagamedia.net

Gaga and Bennett get jazzy with Cheek to Cheek

By Alana Margolis Culture Contributor Worldwide popstar Lady Gaga stepped out of her ARTPOP domain and branched out to something very different: a jazz album with legendary crooner Tony Bennett. Cheek to Cheek, which debuted on Sept. 23, contains 11 tracks that boast a full orchestra and brass section, giving it a big band feel that embodies a sense of rhythm and groove.

At first skeptics questioned how this album would sound since Bennett is best known for his iconic jazz voice and years in the business, while Lady Gaga is better known for her eccentric outfits, crazy stage persona and anthemic tunes.

But this is not the first time Gaga and Bennett have performed together; in fact, Bennett featured Gaga on his Grammywinning album, aptly entitled Duets II, and together they cut “The Lady Is a Tramp.”

That release opened the jazz doors for Lady Gaga, and it introduced a whole new audience of listeners to her chill-inducing voice.

Cheek to Cheek launches with “Anything Goes,” a Cole Porter-written piece from the musical Anything Goes!, which is also the first single from the LP. “Anything” opens with the iconic jazz band sound before the powerful vocals of Gaga come roaring in with the familiar tune of the jazzy Broadway melody. Bennett and Gaga split up the song’s lines perfectly, as well as throughout the album, and deliver perfect harmonizing lyrics that make the listener really wonder if that is, indeed, Lady Gaga--once dubbed by Rolling Stone as the “Queen of Pop”--in the studio. Yes, “Anything” stands as a perfect beginning to the LP because its upbeat tempo draws

in listeners.

The subsequent number is title track, “Cheek to Cheek.” The song kicks-off with Gaga singing “Heaven / I’m in heaven” with such a clear, simple, and sultry voice, it is almost a poetic experience, especially with a piano slowly playing in the background.

Bennett enters with an upbeat bass, soft drums and piano. Toward the middle of the song, the listener can hear someone snapping quietly before the jazz guitar comes in for a solo. The harmonies are impeccable, and before the song fades out, the duo sings ba-da-bops in harmony, followed by a bop on a throwaway note. It’s a gem.

The second single is entitled “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love.” The song spotlights a classic organ that presents a typical jazz beat with drums before the listener is greeted with a bang from the horn section. Gaga starts singing and the listener can hear her jazz vocals working strong, sounding slightly like the late Queen of Jazz Ella Fitzgerald. A brief trumpet solo enters right before Bennett delivers his classic voice, at 88 years of age.

In the original song, written by Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields, the lyrics are “I can’t give you anything but love, baby” but Bennett changes “baby” to “Lady,” and “Gaga,” addressing Gaga personally and showing the compatibility they share.

The iTunes Store released a bonus track called “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down),” another solo for Gaga. It is very slow and dramatic with a familiar tune, but by the middle of the song it picks up a bit with a steady drum beat. By the end, Gaga belts out the lyrics like a true jazz singer, showing that she can do almost anything.

Bennett told CBS Sunday Morning that this album is going to open up many doors for Gaga and prove her abilities to the world.

Gaga admitted to Sunday Morning that she started off as a jazz singer but switched to pop music after recieving little interest. Fans anxiously await to see what will come from them in the future.

Rating out of 5:

17

for Halloween.

Of course I was 15 and still wanting to dress up, but I love Halloween. How often do you get to dress up as someone else for a day?

Why not live it up while I still can?

So I weighed my options. I already was a witch, a hippie, you know, the typical Halloween costumes?

I wanted something original. I tried to think of celebrities that weren’t popular, I was sure I’d see a ton of overdone pop artist costumes.

So after doing my research, I found the perfect idea.

Audrey Hepburn.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the late actress, Audrey Hepburn appeared in films popular during the 1940s to the 1960s.

She acted in older movies such as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “Roman Holiday,” and “Funny Girl.”

Although I admire her acting, I also love her sense of style.

She was classy. It’s as simple as that. She wore pearls, long dresses, and her hair was always perfectly styled. Hepburn often sparked new trends still worn today, like pant suits.

No matter what she wore, Hepburn always seemed to have a feminine touch to her outfit.

Hepburn’s style remains iconic, her name earned a spot on the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1961.

So I decided to go with her look from her most popular movie, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”

I went to just about every store in the Lehigh Valley on the hunt for the perfect black dress.

I found one that suited my fancy and was similar to the one Hepburn’s character, Holly Golightly, wore in the film.

I then moved on to accessories, including pearls, long, black gloves, a glittering tiara, and a bun piled high on top of my head. I felt I had captured her elegant style and received many compliments on my attire throughout the day.

Not many people dressed up, so more people noticed me than expected. But what surprised me the most was that a decent amount of people did not know who I was supposed to be. I thought I did a decent job on the costume, but I figured since she was an older movie star, the average Joe my age wouldn’t have a clue who she was.

It was disappointing that people did not know her, because Hepburn deserves to be recognized. Besides her acting and fashion career, Hepburn accomplished many humanitarian efforts as well.

Hepburn served as an ambassador for UNICEF, and her goal was to raise awareness for children in need of food, water, clothes, and medical attention. Hepburn could relate to these children, because she grew up during World War II and received food and medical relief while she lived in the Netherlands.

She traveled all over the world with a total of 50 trips, earning her an Academy Award for her efforts. Along with her work with UNICEF, Hepburn’s legacy lives on through her Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund.

Through this fund, which still exists today, children in need around the world are helped.

Hepburn dedicated her life to helping others, and that’s why she should be remembered.

Yes, I’m sure nowadays that there are celebrities that help charities, but are they as sincere or as driven as Hepburn was? There are charitable celebrities out there, don’t get me wrong. What sets Hepburn apart from the rest of them is that she connected with the children she helped. She truly related to them, and devoted herself to UNICEF. That’s why I get disheartened when people don’t know this legendary woman. She made the world a little bit brighter and others a little bit happier.

And that’s the greatest impact anyone could ever have.

18

THE STINGER | October 2014

Culture

Drama Department to present

By Rania Draklellis Senior Staff Writer The Emmaus High School Drama Department will perform its production of The Diary o Anne Frank Nov. 6 through Nov 8.

The play, based on the book The Diary of a Young Girl, follows the story of Anne Frank and her life in hiding during the Nazi Occupation of the Netherlands from 1942 until her family was apprehended in 1944.

Sophomore Julia Bezems, 15, plays the young and determined Anne Frank.

“Anne knows herself very well and is able to assess her own qualities,” Bezems said. “She’s unique in that way.”

The production closes follows real events that happened to the eight people living in a small annex together for almost two years. Anne Frank and her family lived in one secret annex with the Van Daans and a Mr. Dussel.

“The intensity and the stress that the families have is a constant undertone of the show,” Bezems said. “Because of this, Anne gets very anxious and needs a lot of comfort from her father.”

Senior Andrew Ferguson, 17, plays Anne’s caring father Otto Frank.

“My character tries to lighten the mood of most things,” Ferguson said. “Otto is kind of the leader. He tries to keep everybody positive even when he doesn’t feel that way himself.”

Sophomore Jason Bowen, 14, portrays the introverted Peter Van Daan, Anne’s love interest.

“He’s very shy and awkward,” Bowen said. “Sort of like me.”

Peter contributes to some of the uncomfortable moments of the show.

“Peter’s very clumsy and awkward,” Bowen said. “People can see how timid he is, especially when he is with Anne.”

Bowen feels he has learned a lot from his role in The Diary of Anne Frank.

“It sort of seemed as if there’s a light inside each character, despite everything that’s going on outside the bookcase,” Bowen said.

Communications and drama teacher Jill Kuebler feels it’s important for her actors to come together and put on a great show.

“I want my actors to take away an understanding of the characters and become a new theatre ‘family,’” Kuebler said. “I find great joy in seeing all the elements come together to result in something beautiful that is only possible through the collaboration of many people working towards a common goal.”

The Diary of Anne Frank is one of Kuebler’s favorite shows.

“I think it’s very well written,” Kuebler said. “The playwrights have attempted to stay as true to Anne’s actual journal as possible. Dramatically, it offers challenging material for actors to work with.”

Ferguson agrees with Kuebler.

“The tone of the show is real in how they’re all just people,” Ferguson said. “The play does a good job of

Photo by Lindsay Harner

The Diary of Anne Frank

Sophomore Julia Bezems will portray Anne Frank in the Drama Department’s production of “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Poster created by Senior Marykate Thornton.

making the audience understand.”

Bezems feels she has learned so much from this experience.

“I’ve realized how people are individuals,” Bezems said. “The six million

Jews that died during the Holocaust had lives as complex as my own.”

There will be three shows. Tickets went on sale to the public Oct. 20.

Katniss sparks a rebellion in Mockingjay: Part 1 The long-awaited sequel to the Hunger Games franchise comes to theatres Nov. 21.

Photo by hungergames.net

Francis Lawrence directed the movOlivia Riccio ie, which began filming in September Culture Editor 2013 in Atlanta, and ended in June Get out your wallets Hunger Games 2014 in Berlin. fans, the highly anticipated “The Hunger Lawrence said in an interview with Games: Mockingjay Part One” advance Entertainment Weekly about why the tickets go on sale this week. film is split into two parts according to The first part of the trilogy brings back Screenrant.com. most of the original cast including JenniThe films will have “Two different, fer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh very distinct stories,” said Lawrence.

Liam Hemsworth and Jennifer Lawrence as Gale Hawthorne and Katniss Everdeen in the movie trailer.

Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, Liam HemThe first film shows more of the sworth as Gale Hawthorne, and the late Philip psychological damage that being in the HunSeymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee. ger Games has on Katniss, and her role in the She uses this symbol to threaten the Capitol so that they The movie also features fresh new faces such as Juli- release Peeta, otherwise she will use her status to rebel Mockingjay rebellion. The second part of Mockingjay will anne Moore as President Alma Coin and Natalie Dormer against authority in order to save the people she loves. be released Nov. 20, 2015. who plays Cressida.

The movie is rated PG-13 due to some gruesome images The trailer of the new movie, along with a few teasers Some recurring characters from the second movie of the that were released on Sept. 15, gave fans a look at what is and violent themes. trilogy such as Jena Malone as Johanna Mason, Sam Claf- to come. lin as Finnick Odair, and Jeffrey Wright as Beetee appear The trailer opens with Katniss speaking about how she in the first part of the trilogy. never asked this war to happen as a result of the HunAfter surviving her second round of the Hunger Games, ger Games uprising. The preview reveals action-packed called the Third Quarter Quell, Katniss Everdeen finds scenes that will leave fans in awe, including epic battle herself in District 13 after outsmarting the Game Makers scenes and futuristic technology used in the Capitol. and starting an unintentional uprising.

The official Hunger The last installment of the Hunger Games trilogy, “HunGames: Mockingjay Part District 13 has mysteriously not been acknowledged by ger Games: Catching Fire,” raked in a whopping $838 One poster. the Capitol and is not considered a part of Panem, nor do million and earned the title of top-grossing film of 2013. they participate in the Hunger Games.

The first Hunger Games movie earned $691 million.

The movie follows Katniss’s quest to help save her beIndustry experts estimate the Hunger Games: Mockingloved friend, Peeta Mellark, who has lost all memory of jay Part 1 will bring in even more than the first two movies Photo by thehungerthe Hunger Games. Peeta is being used as a weapon in due to its high popularity. Knewthenews.com predicts the gameswiki.com the Capitol’s game to remain in control and stop Katniss total profit for the movie’s opening weekend to range from from continuing to inspire rebellion among the people of $160 to $175 million.

Panem.

The movie’s soundtrack will include music from variKatniss, along with her faithful friends such as Gale, ous artists such as Lorde, who released a single called Beetee, Johanna, Finnick, and District 13 President Alma “Yellow Flicker Beat.” Lorde also recorded three other Coin, try to save Peeta and the rest of the nation, who are songs for the soundtrack. devoted to Katniss because of her bravery and her inspirOther artists featured on the album are Charli XCX, ing symbol: the Mockingjay.

Haim, and Simon Le Bon.

Culture

THE STINGER | October 2014

19

A Nightmare on Elm Street celebrates 30 years

By Austin Hart Culture Contributor Next month marks the 30th anniversary of the popular horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street, Wes Craven’s classic surreal slasher that caused immediate excitement in the horror movie realm upon its debut.

And with Halloween just around the corner, now is an opportune time to see the movie that starred Heather Langenkamp as Nancy, a high school teen whose nightmares become reality and ultimately bring a torturous demise to her friends. The movie also features a young Johnny Depp as Glen, Nancy’s boyfriend and neighbor.

For a 30-year-old film, the scare factor remains high.

Nightmare presents the eerie scene of a trippy fever dream. The atmosphere sends the audience a strange sense of confusion, as if they are in the dream with the characters.

Craven presents the horrible idea of someone’s worst nightmare coming to life, which is a chilling thought on its own. Mix a group of your typical 1980s preppy teens as victims with an oblivious adult community, and you have a perfect setup for disaster.

Freddy Krueger, the monster played by Robert Englund, is perhaps one of the most bizarre antagonists of all horror movies. His melted face and mechanical claws, in addition to his awful singed striped sweater, are original and add that special flare of spookiness. Give Craven some credit here; at least the antagonist isn’t some boring old slasher who preys on teens. Krueger has a background, a reason to target this specific group of kids. The background stretches about 10 years back; Freddy Krueger was a ruthless murderer known as the Springfield Slasher, who over the span of a few years killed several children. Due to a technicality, he was never sent to prison. The parents of the neighborhood got together and burned down Kruger’s hideout, thinking that they had put an end to Freddy’s terror.

They were wrong.

Honestly, the death scenes in this movie are awesome.

Yes, that makes me sound like a sociopath, but the audience should admire the creativity and imagination of Craven. Each death scene is foreshadowed by the classic spooky soundtrack, and the “pop out” effect every once in awhile that makes you jump out of your seat. Sometimes I find myself cheering on Freddy as he chases down his victims, just because of the excitement of his next kill.

The special effects used in the death of Glen (Depp) are remarkable for a movie of the late 20th century. In this scene, Depp falls asleep while watching “Miss Nude America” when suddenly, at midnight, you see a clawed hand reach out from the middle of the bed and wrap around Depp, pulling him down into the bed along with his TV set. His mother walks into the room just in time for the fountain of blood to shoot out of the middle of the bed, drenching the room with a crimson shower.

The only downside to this movie is that it’s somewhat cheesy, which is expected from 1980s horror films. Most people mock cheesy films, but it works in this case.

A Nightmare on Elm Street is one of those classic films that, no matter how terribly cheesy it is, you can’t resist it. Kind of like The Goonies or Halloween: you know they’re dated, yet there’s sentiment attached to them from your childhood (if you had the privilege of growing up in or experiencing the 1980s). The groans and growls that Freddy makes are pretty goofy, as scary looking as he is. I mean, you don’t expect a guy that spooky to sound like your weird Uncle Jim chasing you around at a New Year’s Eve party.

Also, the scene where Nancy and Glen stare out the window at one another while talking on the phone (before Glen dies) is pretty darn cheesy as well. It’s the perfect example of teen puppy love, and all of its sticky glory.

The most admirable element of this classic is probably the cinematography. For its time in 1984, the graphics were pretty believable. Freddy’s face popping out of the wall, the hands and blood shooting out of the bed, they all seem too real. None of that modern-day computer-generated junk is used in this film. Instead, it was just pure special effects, smoke and mirrors used by producers to make what you’re seeing look believable.

The film raked in $1.2 million on the opening weekend, according to IMDB, and made a total of $26.5 million after six months in theaters. Nightmare is rated R due to the violence, gore, and sexual references, and runs 91 minutes.

Craven’s A Nightmare On Elm Street is a true Halloween classic. No matter how cheesy or spooky the film is, it will always have a special place in the hearts of moviegoers.

Photo by IMDB

Annabelle: Horror Movie of the year? Hardly.

By Brad Benner Culture Contributor Critics deservedly panned Annabelle when the horror filmed opened earlier this month, yet the prequel to The Conjuring still managed to rake in $37 million its first weekend, proving Americans are always willing to pay to be creeped out--and that they simply have bad taste.

Directed by John R. Leonetti, Annabelle tell the story of a young couple who moves into a lovely home where they hope to start a family--the backyard, picket fence, tree swing, dog and all. Everything is going well until their neighbor’s violent cult member daughter breaks in and tries to kill the family.

Police come and save the young couple when they kill the intruders. Unfortunately, the demonic soul of one of

the intruders makes its way into one of the family’s beloved dolls. The family is then haunted by violent and relentless demons that plan to take the soul of one lucky person--most likely the soul of their newborn baby.

Although, the creepy doll tale did quite well in the box office, and considering it cost less than $7 million to make, it did not do as well with film reviewers.

Leonetti (The Conjuring, The Mask, Insidious, Soul Surfer) manages a decent job as he directs the story, which is loosely based off of real-life events that took place in the 70s involving a group of college roommates whose doll would reportedly leave them notes and even once attacked one of the roommates and strangled him while he slept.

The doll would allegedly appear with unexplained blood stains on its hands. Some of the actual events that allegedly occurred seem much more scary than how they are actually portrayed in the film.

Surprisingly, Leonetti did not take advantage of that, which made Annabelle seem as if it was just a quick way to make some cash off of the hype of The Conjuring.

The film stars Ward Horton (The Wolf of Wall Street), who plays the young husband, and Annabelle Wallis (The

Tudors), who plays his wife. Alfre Woodard (True Blood), plays the family friend, and Tony Amendola (Once Upon a Time), who plays the brave priest thats helps free the family from the demonic doll.

It unfortunately did not include any actors from The Conjuring, who actually showed some acting potential, such as the Warrens played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.

Although the movie had a few frightening moments, overall it was very poor thanks to mediocre acting and mostly predictable scares. The actors seemed rather unconvincing in their roles.

In some instances it seemed as if the the actors read directly off the script.

The movie had more potential. There was a solid story line, but the overall lack of acting made the film a letdown.

IMDB gave the movie a 6.1 out of 10 and Rotten Tomatoes only rated the film a 39 percent -- so much for the “scariest movie of the year.” Definitely wait for Netflix.

Photo by fanpop.com

20

THE STINGER | October 2014

BOLD

Culture

The

the

The Bare Bones Behind the Brow primp and prune their brows, according to benefitcosmetics.com.

Strips of hair seemingly meaningless years prior are now high brow.

Holiday Hair Trexlertown stylists Audrey and Peggy noticed an increase in waxings and believe it has something to do with the promotion of eyebrow threading in mainstream culture.

“We do a lot more than we used to.

More over the last two years,” Audrey said. Peggy added: “Now everyone wants the perfect brow, regardless of it being by threading or waxing.”

From high fashion runways to high school hallways, bold brows are coming back in full swing. Many in the industry credit model Cara Delevingne as one of the biggest contributing factors in the race for perfectly sculpted and distinctive eyebrows. Teen Vogue recently published articles detailing how to get the perfect Delevingne brow and many students agree: it’s the brow every girl lusts over.

“Cara Delevingne has ridiculously perfect brows, in my opinion,” said Brenna Flood, an Emmaus senior.

Senior Micah Gilley agrees, and admires how Delevingne has “made a staple out of her bushy eyebrows even though she’s blonde.”

Flood vehemently believes in the power of the brow and has

Senior Brenna Flood shows off her skillfully sculpted brows.

Photo by Lindsay Harner

Keeping Up With Kayla (and Nina!)

Fashion Week: A lesson with

Alexa Chung and taking chances

By Kayla McGovern and Nina Rowan It was a sunny September morning when two fashion fiends decided to skip school...I mean school work… on a Saturday... to make their journey to the Mecca of the fashion world: New York Fashion Week.

After long hours of emotional preparation, hair mishaps, early morning errand runs, and many last minute wardrobe changes, we finally boarded the 2-hour and 10-minute bus ride, 40 minutes off schedule, with overflowing purses (hello essentials!) and big dreams for what the day had in store.

Upon arrival, we quickly discovered that a day in the life of a New York City It Girl isn’t as glamorous as Gossip Girl makes it out to be. Our journey to ~fabulous~ consisted of overcoming subway ignorance and avoiding mysterious sidewalk puddles... in heels.

We spent about 15 minutes rushing under the most brilliant city in the world in what felt like the inside of a poorly lit, tightly packed metal can of hairspray. Imagine the atmosphere of a sticky, sweaty, can of sardines (and imagine those sardines suffered from pungent B.O.). We stepped out into the most beautiful, picturesque day and found ourselves at the Soho Grand Hotel for the Rachel Zoe show. We once read a story of how one high school girl finagled her way into a NYFW show, so naturally we assumed we could do the same. Not the case, but still fabulous nonetheless. We stood among other speculators and panicked inwardly, weighing our options. Our thoughts

since her freshman year.

“I could go without a lot of things, but my brows are always on,” Flood said.

Gilley, a brow enthusiast of roughly six years, finds eyebrows to be so prevalent in our culture today because they complete one’s look.

“They frame your face and make your eyes stand out,” Gilley said. “They help you look really put together and polished.”

Though effortless fullness is the look to aspire to, many note that this look is not necessarily easily achieved.

Flood and Gilley list eyeshadows, such as the Urban Decay Naked 2 eyeshadow pallette, brushes, such Bobbi Brown Essentials eyeliner brush, and clear eyebrow gel (or mascara) as some of the key ingredients to perfectly crafted curvatures.

Sally Beauty Supply associate Serena Cruz names eyebrow stencils and pencils as being the most popular brow merchandise they offer.

It is difficult to forecast how long bold brows will be “the thing,” yet maintenance dates back for decades.

In the 1920s, women pencil-lined their eyebrows religiously. The’80s introduced the iconic Brooke Shields brows, majorly responsible for the beloved arch of today.

Very thin brows reigned supreme in the 1990s, and today Delev-

Graphic by Rania Draklellis

By Kayla McGovern Assistant Culture Editor An overarching fashion trend is now sweeping throughout mainstream culture and changing the way we see altogether.

This movement has so much momentum, in fact, that it is impossible to ignore.

Every person on Earth is either on trend, or low brow.

The cause, you ask?

Eyebrows.

Over the last year or so, full, wellgroomed eyebrows have become the most sought-after beauty trend since the pinstraight hair of 2008-2011 every teenaged girl spent countless time and money trying to achieve. Suddenly, girls with light hair are ransacking their local CVS for the perfect shade to accentuate their arches and match their hair colors, and girls with naturally fuller, darker hair are relishing in the fact that they are finally on trend after years of waxing.

The phenomena has trickled down through media and has developed quite a following, as social media dubs the state of having nice eyebrows as eyebrows being “on fleek.” Girls retweet images of brows with the caption “eyebrow goals.”

Upon Googling “eyebrows,” 3,010,000 hits resulted. Benefit Cosmetics has even created a Brow Tour, where “Brow Bars” are established in department stores such as Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. Customers there pay “licensed professionals” to

ingne brows are all the rage.

Gilley believes the current trends are based primarily on the dominant traits of men.

“I have a theory that throughout history, male facial traits have become attractive for women because men used to have more power and respect,” Gilley said.

“Men naturally have thicker eyelashes than women, so women use mascara. A sculpted jaw bone and high cheekbones are distinctly male traits, so women contour.

“Naturally men have more facial hair, and that includes eyebrows, and because of this, darker or thicker eyebrows became attractive because they demand attention and give the impression of strength,” she said.

For others, it is about simply about selfexpression.

“Being able to fill your eyebrows and change the entire demeanor of your look is fun and it makes you stand out,” Flood said.

So whether you’re a plucker or a bleacher, waxer or threader, or perhaps none of the above -- it is common belief that bold brows are here to stay “on fleek” for the time being.

Senior Micah Gilley pulls off the bushy but beautiful look.

Photo by Lindsay Harner

were interrupted by a young-ish looking photographer asking to take a picture of us. A picture? Of US? Well I mean, if you insist! The ego boost was immediately shut down and anxiety struck instantly.

Terrified wasn’t the word. How do fashion people manage to maintain a blank face in every picture? How do you pose?! I can’t tell you how thankful I was for sunglasses in that moment. Amid our mini photoshoot, we noticed Linda Fargo and Anna Dello Russo exit the building. ANNA DELLO RUSSO. Calm, relax, be cool. Don’t smile (oh my GOD!!!!), breathe.

Before we knew it, the time had come to make our second cameo of the day, this time at Lincoln Center. We arrived just in time for the Betsey Johnson show. As you may not know, fashion shows are invite only. As you may have guessed, we didn’t have invitations to this show.

We strode around the not-so-spacious circumference of the Center for about four hours, casually stopping to be photographed and explaining that we were not, contrary to popular belief, designers, rather we were high schoolers with a lot of nerve. Most people thought this was cool.

Some didn’t.

Eventually we just couldn’t stand to pose for another picture (and, yes, we know that sounds ridiculous... but we were grateful, promise!), so we made our way over to a certain Sephora that was rumored to be hosting Alexa Chung for the night, our heels biting and our purses positively bursting with NYFW goodies. As we walked through the seemingly empty store, we were about to give up and walk out when... yes! Alexa Chung herself was there! Alexa Chung!!! In the flesh! Posing for pictures, looking so fabulous, it was hard to believe she was even real. Her 5-foot-8 stature and angular features were just as perfect, and intimidating, as any magazine has ever tried to make us believe.

Then, as we stood there marveling at what our lives had become within the past 12 hours, tragedy struck.

“Sorry, you don’t have a wristband. You can’t meet her,” boomed the cold-hearted voice of security, or the

Photo by Manuel Arjona devil. Whichever works really.

Standing there in total heartbreak, we once again weighed our options: stand there and look sad, desperate, and directly at Alexa, or jump past the devilish security man and quickly sneak a picture before we got dragged out and left in the mysterious puddle-ridden street. As we were trying to decide, ALEXA LOOKED OVER AT US. “I WAS GUM STUCK TO THE BOTTOM OF A SHOE FOR HALLOWEEN, BECAUSE YOU SAID TO BE!” blurted Kayla. (Looking back, it wasn’t my most eloquent moment, but I have no regret.)

“YEAH, SHE WAS,” said Nina, having nothing remotely interesting to say to the endlessly fascinating Alexa Chung.

We chatted with Ms. Chung for a good 45 seconds to a minute, quite a feat to be honest seeing as she has a thick English accent, Sephora was packed with loud Chung aficionados, and we were hysterical.

The entire experience was surreal: we were still awestruck, dizzy from adrenaline, and nearly in tears as we made the long journey back to the painfully dull world of suburban Pennsylvania. It felt similar to how I imagine Hannah Montana probably felt, only we made sure everyone knew.

SPORTS

Fritz breaks school record as soccer dominates

By Colleen Grablick, Associate Editor, and Ashley Rivera, Sports Contributor This past season led the boys’ soccer team not only to a league champion title, but also brought individual success to junior John Fritz, who broke the record for most goals scored in a season at Emmaus and received the title of a league MVP. Recently, the boys’ soccer team defeated Liberty in the league championship game, making Emmaus the first EPC champions. Three games before against Central Catholic, Fritz scored his 28th goal of the season, breaking the record set 13 years earlier of 27.

Anticipation had been building for Fritz to break the record, and even coming close to doing so is a commendable achievement, according to Athletic Director Dennis Ramella.

“We’ve had some very accomplished soccer players come through this program and they’ve put up some pretty gaudy numbers,” said Ramella. “To have John approach that was exciting, but to have him pass those records was just unbelievable.”

Fritz went into the game on Oct. 9 focusing on the win and leaving the rest up

to fate.

“I felt a little nervous, but I went into the game thinking if it happens tonight, it’s meant to be and if not I can’t do anything about it,” said Fritz.

Fritz left the field that with a victory and a new record holding title under his belt.

The Hornets shut out the Vikings 4-0, with Fritz contributing three out of the four goals. The final goal of the game broke the record.

Fritz was excited to have accomplished such a feat, and almost a little glad to have alleviated some of the pressure that the record held.

“I was ecstatic and relieved because even though I wasn’t thinking about it, the record kind of loomed over my head,” said Fritz.

Averaging about 1.5 goals per game, Fritz contributes tremendously to the team.

Coach John Cari admires Fritz’s accomplishments on the field.

“His work rate is usually some of the best seen on the field,” said Cari.

Over the course of the year, Fritz greatly improved and made himself a valuable as-

set to the team.

According to Cari, Fritz has grown tremendously as a player since last season.

“I think mostly it’s maturity,” said Cari.

“He is smarter, stronger, and has a better understanding of what we want him to do to be successful.”

Aside from just scoring goals, Fritz also makes defensive contributions as well as assists. Cari notes that these aspects of his game allow him to be so successful offensively.

“John has a great work ethic,” said Cari.

“He constantly is putting pressure on our opponents’ defenders hoping to force a turnover, and possibly a goal.”

This defensive skill also creates opportunities for other players on the team, according to Ramella.

“The amount of pressure he puts on the defense allows other players to score, because he’s double teamed and sometimes even triple teamed,” said Ramella. “That opens things up for our other players.”

Fritz relies heavily on his teammates and understands the importance of their assists in his record breaking accomplishment.

“I couldn’t have done it without them,” said Fritz. “They are the most important part and I am so thankful for them.”

According to Ramella, this record reflects positively not only on Fritz, but on the team and athletic program as a whole.

“It says that we have a very, very good athletic program with outstanding athletes and coaches,” said Ramella.

In addition to his 28 goals, Fritz also received recognition as Player of the Week from Lehigh Valley Live, The Morning Call, and emmaussports.com The Hornets have had a successful postseason, defeating Easton, Parkland, and Liberty to win the championship.

Fritz celebrates his record-setting goal with teammates Photo courtesy of Fritz

Emmaus responds to charges of racial slur at soccer game

By Cathryn Seibert and Will Newbegin

The East Penn School District faced criticism earlier this month after a member of the high school soccer team made racial slurs toward a black Whitehall opponent.

An e-mail from the alleged victim’s parents accused multiple Emmaus soccer players of taunting their son throughout the majority of the Oct. 7 game at Emmaus’ Memorial Field, according to Principal David Piperato. The district followed the claims with a thorough investigation, Piperato said.

“We interviewed the alleged offender,” Piperato said. “We interviewed, I think it was, six teammates who would have been

in close proximity to that player at the time of the offense. We interviewed our training staff, who stands on the sideline and would be in close proximity.”

Following the complaint, Emmaus coach John Cari reached out to the Whitehall coach, and administrators contacted Whitehall’s athletic director and principal to ask them to gather as much information as possible.

Piperato said the results of the investigation could not be revealed due to the accused student’s rights.

“I have to be careful in terms of confidentiality and the privacy rights of the student who has been accused of wrong-

Girls XC runs over the competition

doing here,” he said.

In an interview with The Stinger, Dr. Michael Schilder, East Penn superintendent, said he hopes that the incident will not affect the overall image of the district, and maintains that this is simply an isolated event.

“I can never assure or guarantee anything. All I can do is base [our reputation] on the facts and the evidence,” he said.

“And the evidence clearly suggests that this school district has not had this kind of problem, in the past, or even in the recent past, and that [this incident] seems to be more the exception than it is the rule. ” Social studies teacher Melissa Moxley

By Makenna Shafer Emmaus High School’s girl’s cross coun- against some of the top teams in the state. try team finished out their season with a And they wrapped up by finishing in 15th 13-2 record that can be largely credited to place at the Paul Short Invitational out of two runners, one a junior, the other a fresh- almost 50 teams. man.

Although the girls improved since last Overall, coach Dan Wessner said he was season, competition has become harder. very impressed by the work of the 43 girls “We have held our own against the top this year. teams in the district and proved over and “The girls team has been consistently over that we are strong and consistent,” said one of the most successful programs in the Bacher. “Our approaching championships conference and in the district for quite some will definitely put the team to the test.” time,” said Wessner.

That being said, practice makes perfect.

Junior Katie Bacher said the girls’ team “Improving in running is relatively simhas lived up to the expectations and chal- ple--simple, not easy,” said Bacher. “The lenges throughout the season. more time and effort put into this sport, the “We went 13-2 in the new EPC and more you get out of it. The team wants to placed well at some very competitive invi- focus on running more miles next summer tationals such as Paul Short and Hershey,” and stepping up the intensity as a group.” said Bacher, the top runner.

Freshman Abby Dalton ranked as the second best runner on the team.

“I have been running from when I was about five or six,” said Dalton. “I ran for Lehigh Valley Road Runners kids series, and then I started cross country in 7th grade.”

According to Wessner, it is not unusual for a freshman to become one of the top runners on the team.

“She was one of the best middle school runners in the area for the past two years,” Wessner said. “She has continued to run and transitioned into the longer races here at the high school level.”

Easton’s and Parkland’s girls’ cross country team proved to be the most competitive teams to beat this season, and they accounted for Emmaus’ two losses, Bacher said.

This season, the girls finished third overall in the EPC dual meets. They placed Freshman Abby Dalton helped lead girl’s ninth at the PIAA Hershey Invitational cross country.

agrees the event does not define Emmaus, although it “reflects badly on our school.”

“I would hope that no one would think that everyone at Emmaus feels that way,” Moxley said.

Schilder believes that the best way to discourage this sort of action is to make them aware of issues such as these through the every aspect of schooling.

“I’ve always believed that the best way [to instill morals] though, is to kind of live and breathe it, Schilder said. “I think that’s the way to get long- sustaining change.”

Field hockey stays on top

By Katie Mest The Emmaus field hockey team completed a close to perfect season with a 17-0-1 record, allowing only five goals scored against them in the entire regular season.

Parkland was the lone tie of the season.

The second time the team played Parkland, however, they crushed the Trojans 3-1. Therefore, on a technicality, the girls have beaten every team on their schedule.

On Oct. 11, the team played Northampton in the first round of playoffs, beating them 4-0. Three days later the Hornets crushed Parkland 6-1 in the semifinals, sending them to the EPC championship game. Though they lost 1-0 to Stroudsburg, they will still compete for the district title.

Junior Carly Philbin feels that although they have had continuous wins, victories don’t come easy.

“It’s definitely an accomplishment,” said Philbin. “The competition pushes us forward. We always want to improve and remain in the top position.”

Senior captain Erika Wilson believes that even though the team is held to high expectations, their performance comes from their dedication.

“It is sort of expected from us, but we still have to work hard to achieve it,” said Wilson.

Because they are well-known for records year after year, they are always the team to beat. Due to the tie, Parkland proved to be one of the most challenging

competitors, intensity-wise.

“They always say it’s their year,” said Wilson. “They want to be the ones to beat us.”

The team had to make some adjustments in the beginning of the season, involving some of the younger players on the field. Having only five seniors, the underclassmen needed to step up and fill in the empty spots.

“We have some starting freshmen and other underclassmen,” said Speicher. “It takes time to incorporate them in with the upperclassmen.”

The younger players aren’t intimidated, however. The pressure and intensity is just a part of the game.

“The upperclassmen haven’t treated me any differently because I’m a freshman,” said Zellner.

“I think that I put the most pressure on myself.”

The girls have formed a close bond with each other throughout the season, both on and off the field. They attribute this to be a factor in their success.

“Being on the Emmaus field hockey team requires a lot of dedication and hard work, but we work together as a team to get the job done,” said Zellner. “I feel honored to be a part of such a close-knit team.”

The Hornets hope to finish to continue their post-season success.

“They’re a fun team that can hopefully keep winning through conference, districts, and states,” said Speicher.

Four

22

“She’s the best defender we’ve had at Emmaus in my ten years as head coach.”

-Robert Rooney on Shannon McGinnis

Mackenzie o’brien

FAST FACTS

Height: 5’11 Favorite Subject: Computer science Favorite Food: Sour Patch Kids Watermelons Favorite TV Show: Bones

Mackenzie O’Brien has been a volleyball superstar since she was seven and stuck with the game ever since.

“I play volleyball because I fell in love with the sport at an early age, and I continue to love it,” said O’Brien. “The sport allows me to make friends from all over the country at nationals and has given me my best friends.”

O’Brien has been on the Emmaus varsity volleyball team for four years. She is the outside hitter for the team.

“It lets me play defense as well as offense,” said O’Brien. “I am able to have contact with the ball a lot during plays.”

Gwen Millets, Emmaus High School girls’ volleyball coach, has coached O’Brien all four years.

“She started varsity as a freshman and had all the skills coming through the door,” said Millets. “Every time she came through the door, you could see her improvement, including seeing

her transition into adulthood, excelling in the classroom and the sport.”

Millets describes O’Brien as intelligent, strong and dynamic.

Senior teammate Sydney Pickering agrees.

“I can honestly say that Mackenzie is one of the most athletic and supportive players I have been able to play with,” said Pickering. “She knows volleyball inside and out and is able to use her experience to lead our team.”

She has been playing for Synergy volleyball club since 7th grade, as well as being on varsity for the school. In her junior year, she was an allstate selection, as well as coMVP, and court-captain. She has gone to nationals every year since 2010-11.

“Playing a competitive sport, as well as challenging myself academically: I have become stronger because of it,” said O’Brien. “Especially under the coaching of a former olympian, Melissa McLinden, for club volleyball.”

O’Brien goes to the gym multiple times a week to

improve her game by building up her physical strength. She works with a trainer once a week, where she lifts and works on increasing her vertical and explosive power. Keeping fit and strong is a key part of her volleyball career.

But apart from the physical aspect, O’Brien shows qualities of leadership and coachability as well.

“Mackenzie is a big senior leader,” said Millets. “She’s a mentor to the younger girls and very knowledgeable about the sport, which lets her make adjustments when needed.”

Volleyball has provided O’Brien with strong friendships. She said she will miss the friendships she has made over the years most of all.

Pickering described the layers of their relationship.

“Mackenzie is one of my best friends because she is always someone who I can look to when I need help, and I am so happy Emmaus volleyball has made us so close,” said Pickering. “As teammates for

the past four years, Mackenzie and I have developed a friendship that goes beyond just volleyball. We know exactly how to support each other on and off the court.”

O’Brien’s favorite memory from her years playing at Emmaus was beating Parkland in the District Semi-Finals during her junior year. It was the first time in years for Emmaus.

O’Brien plans to attend Marist College on a partial scholarship for volleyball. She is going to study computer science.

By Abbi Hoffman

Shannon McGinnis

FAST FACTS

Height: 5’10” Food: Cheesesteaks Movie: She’s the Man Memory: Beating Parkland at Parkland

Captain of the Emmaus Girl’s Soccer team, Shannon McGinnis began her athletic career in kindergarten and recently committed to play at St. Francis University.

Shannon’s most prominent role model and biggest supporter is her younger sister Reilly McGinnis. Reilly was diagnosed with RSD when she was younger and was never expected to walk again.

Reilly’s strength and spirit allowed her to get back on her feet within two years, and that inspired Shannon to not take playing soccer for granted.

“I look up to my younger sister Reilly because she had a disease called RSD where her knees and legs were paralyzed,” Shannon said. “After a year and a half to two years she was able to overcome the disease and was able to play soccer again, even though they thought she was never going to be able to walk again.”

Reilly looks up to Shannon in the same light.

“She’s a role model to me and a lot of other girls on and off the field,” Reilly said. “Her being my big sister, I’ve looked up to her ever since I was born. She’s always been my number one role model.”

“She doesn’t just lead by example, she also is a vocal leader and does everything she can to make the players around her better,” Reilly said.

Shannon has been playing on varsity for four years and has been a huge asset to the team. She is a great influence for her teammates on the field around her.

Coach of the girls varsity team Robert Rooney has coached Shannon year round for many years and agrees that her position at center back position has a positive influence on the team.

“She's a very positive influence on ev-

eryone around her both on the field and off, and has grown greatly as a leader,” Rooney said. “She's the best defender we've had at Emmaus in my ten years as the head coach and that includes some very talented girls.”

Rooney admires the attributes that come with hard work.

“She's very good technically, [she] has an extraordinary understanding of the tactical component of the game, and is always super fit,” said Rooney.

Shannon has never played another sport besides soccer. She loved it so much as a kid that she never thought about switching to anything else. Her parents were dedicated athletes in high school and college so that made a big impact on her athletic career.

“My dad played golf and was a wrestler in college and my mom played volleyball in high school,” Shannon said. “My parents were very into athletics and it’s what got me into it.”

Senior Liz Waring has played with Shannon since they were 10 years old and has seen her improve as an athlete.

“She has experience so she’s a skilled player and when you add in the sense that she’s good at what she does, people look at that and look up to her,” Waring said.

“Shannon’s an interesting person. She’s super smart, that adds on and off the field.

She’s a super friendly person, she’s respectful and uplifting.”

Along with being a skilled athlete, Shannon is also a talented artist and student. Reilly McGinnis can attest to that.

“Not a lot of people know this but besides being creative in the soccer field, Shannon is a really talented artist,” Reilly said, “She has taken a lot of art classes at the high school and has made some incredible pieces.”

“She’s not just an amazing soccer player, but she’s a great student. Because of her hard work and dedication, she will be spending her next 4 years playing division one college soccer while receiving a great education at St. Francis University,” said Reilly.

Waring also took notice of Shannon’s exceptional academic talent.

“She has good grades and it shows on paper,” Waring said.”

Rooney has no doubt that Shannon will succeed.

“Shannon is going to be a very, very good college soccer player and contribute greatly at SFU,” Rooney said.

Over the past four years, Shannon has made an impact on the Emmaus girl’s soccer team. Soccer is not just a sport to her, it’s a huge part of her life.

“When I take the field everything else just goes away,” Shannon said. “I focus only on the game and what’s about to happen, then I do everything it takes to win.”

By Maggie Lavelle and Abby Moore

Faces

23

“He plays with class, and he does the right things on and off the field.”

-Randy Cuthbert on Andrew Davidson

Andrew Davidson

Senior Andrew Davidson, who earlier this month broke the school record for rushing yards in a single game, began his football career at the age of eight, when he played flags for the Emmaus Youth Association.

He hasn’t stopped enjoying the game since.

Now in his fourth year as linebacker and fullback for the Hornets, he is a strong addition to the team, according to those who work with him on the field. Davidson leaves an impact on the team as he is making his way through the season his senior year, earning him respect from teammates and head coach Randy Cuthbert.

“He’s been a great player for years,” said Cuthbert.

“He was defensive MVP of the league last year and he makes the guys around him better, which is a good quality.”

In order to improve his skills and be the great player everyone sees him as, Davidson works out and trains about three times a week.

“I start with lifting for two hours,” said Davidson. “Then I do running and agility drills. ” With all of that skill comes great accomplishments and recognition that he deserves.

Davidson was one of the three best linebackers within the Morning Call radius.

“I was defensive co-MVP of the League last year,” said Davidson. “I was also in The Morning Call All-Area football selection.”

Some of Davidson’s favorite memories from his high school career are based on past team victories.

“I remember when we beat Parkland when I was a freshman on their field,” said Da-

vidson. “The students rushed onto the field after the last second field goal.”

Another great memory was when the Hornets beat Easton at home last year and the students, again, stormed the field.

It was a close game with a score of 14-7.

Along with the great memories, sports bring on both good and bad feelings.

“The best feeling is winning at home in front of the students and fans,” said Davidson.

“Losing is a horrible feeling, especially in front of the fans.”

Teammate and fellow senior Joel Murphy believes that Davidson knows how to show the younger players what to do and how to be a good inspiration.

“He is a good role model because he’s nice enough and he’s a good athlete,” said Murphy.

Cuthbert agrees with Murphy, seeing Davidson as someone the other players can look up to.

“He has a good work ethic,” said Cuthbert. “He plays with class, and he does the right things on and off the field.”

When playing on a team, it’s important to get along with the people on your team to support one another. As you get to know each other, you start to learn what it’s like playing in a

competition with one another.

“Andy’s a great athlete,” said senior teammate Logan Kober. “There’s always a potential for him to make a play.

People stay away from him when he’s on defense.”

Some athletes have routines or certain things they always do before a big game, whether they do it to hype them up, calm them down, or prepare themselves. Davidson’s routine is all-around relaxing.

“After school I take about an hour nap,” said Davidson.

“Then I usually eat a hoagie with ham, cheese, and lettuce.”

The coach, teammates, and the fans all believe that Davidson’s future as a football player is bright, even if it is just playing in college.

“He’s gonna go to a good school and play football,” said Cuthbert. “He has about five or six scholarships.”

Davidson’s future as far as college goes is still undecided, but he has some clear thoughts about careers.

“I haven’t decided what college yet, but I have narrowed the list,” said Davidson. “I plan on studying either psychology or engineering.”

By Hailey Philhower

FAST FACTS

Height: 6’1” Favorite Color: Green Favorite Movie: Dark Knight Favorite Musician: Drake

Patrick Bryan

Patrick Bryan, a senior and fouryear-member of Emmaus’ golf team, starts off his senior year with a pair of championship wins.

On Tuesday Sept. 23, Bryan, along with his team, competed for the EPC Championship. The team won their third straight league title. It was, according to Bryan, his favorite moment of the season.

“It was cool to take part in something that’s so special,” said Bryan.

They also won the overall team title, going up against 14 other teams.

His love and talent for golf wasn’t a fluke. Bryan says that his dad got him into the sport, and it’s stuck with him ever since. They would play together at Lehigh Country Club.

“I’ve been playing as long as I can remember,” said Bryan.

Bryan proves to be an essential part of Emmaus’ team, both in leadership and skills.

He was a medalist in the last two matches against Parkland and Central according to Coach Mike Mihalik. A medalist refers to the golfer with the lowest score in a match. Bryan said that beating these two teams was his most memorable point of season.

“They were two huge victories, and they saved the season,” said Mihalik.

“We needed to win those two matches for the championship.”

In the match against Central back in September, Bryan shot a 72, his lowest score of the season.

As a senior, Bryan takes the role as a leader to the rest of the team. The fact that he has been on the team since freshman year certainly helps.

According to Mihalik, Bryan has always been a team player, talking and joking with anyone and making it easy for the underclassmen to feel appreciated.

Sophomore teammate Sam Fritzinger has recognized his leadership skills and other positive characteristics.

“Without him the van would be quieter, but definitely not as much fun,” said Fritzinger.

Whether in the van or on the course, Bryan’s humor and high-spiritedness contributes to the sense of camaraderie amongst the team.

“He makes golf more enjoyable,” said Mihalik. “He makes the team stronger with his golfing and his personality. He handles himself the right way on the golf course.

“He is reliable,” he said, “when it comes into buying into the team concept.”

Though the team as a whole ultimately determines the final score, Bryan appreciates the sense of individualism that comes with the sport.

“I like how it’s individual,” said Bryan. “It’s the best that you can do. With an individual sport like golf if I play well, I do well, but with a team sport if I do well, we may still do poorly.”

Bryan also participates in Key Club, and has been playing volleyball since sophomore year.

He plans on playing volleyball in college, though he’s still undecided as to where he will go.

FAST FACTS

Height: 6’5” Color: Blue Movie: Step Brothers Golfer: Rory McIlroy

By Katie Mest

Senior portraits courtesy of R.J. Harwick

24

Sports

October 2014

KEVIN

WHITE How one Emmaus grad is taking the NCAA by storm and capturing the nation’s attention

By John Lang Sports Editor

West Virginia University wide receiver and Emmaus alumni Kevin White has caught the attention of NFL prospects and football fans everywhere - especially now that he stands as the first Division 1 player to pass the 1,000 receiving yards mark.

After accumulating 132 receiving yards and snagging two touchdowns in a West Virginia upset over Baylor on Oct. 18, White has now racked up 1,020 yards for the year. as of that victory at home. He currently leads the entire nation in receiving yards and places second in the amount of receptions this season thus far. But as sports analysts, sports writers, and sports fans across the country rave about this Mountaineer, Hornet fans continue to cheer from the 610.

White reminisces on his days in Green and Gold.

“I was a sophomore in high school when I moved to Emmaus,” said White, who was originally from Plainfield, N.J. “At first I didn’t buy into the system, but once they gave me my shot my senior year, I got into it. I had more fun and I had a good senior year.”

White started his collegiate career at Lackawanna College in Scranton. He played two seasons there before transferring to West Virginia for his last two years of college. White acknowledges the tough transition from junior college to the D1 level.

“It was a lot to handle at one point,” White said. “It was a lot more time [to] put in at the stadium, working out and stuff. I felt like I was always there and not [at] my apartment.”

But White met the transition head on and is taking it for a joy ride. He just broke the school record for consecutive 100-yard receiving games, making this past game number seven.

Former Emmaus head coach Joseph Bottiglieri isn’t shocked by White’s accomplishments on the field.

“His success is not a surprise,” said Bottiglieri, now the defensive coordinator at Lehigh University.

By the Numbers

Kevin White snags a pass on the run in a West Virginia victory over Baylor.

“As a senior, he was a two-way starter at wide receiver and corner,” Bottiglieri said. “He was one of the top receivers in the LVC and he was selected as a first team All-Conference player.”

White still traces some of his skills back to his years as a Hornet.

“Coach Bott is a great coach,” White said. “He taught me a few things that I transferred over to Lackawanna and then West Virginia.”

Bottiglieri praised White’s work ethic as one of the keys to his current success.

“Kevin had a lot of talent when he came to Emmaus, but did not possess the football knowledge,” said Bottiglieri. “He developed his skills and learned the techniques and schemes through focus and dedication. He was a hard, diligent, determined player.”

Those qualities haven’t subsided. He spends up to four hours a day working on his game, both during season and off-season.

When asked about improving his game, White said, “I grab every opportunity I can, whether it’s watching film, doing extra training, or spending extra time at practice.”

White said he is always working towards making it to the big leagues: the NFL. He and his brothers--including Kyzir who graduated from Emmaus last year and currently plays football at Lackawanna--have always talked about going pro. It’s been a dream of his since he started playing football.

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

Emmaus Athletic Director Dennis Ramella has been

following White since his days at Lackawanna.

“Kevin’s on the national stage and it’s very exciting,” said Ramella. “It’s great to see our local kids doing great things, and I couldn’t be happier for him.”

But Emmaus can’t take all the credit. West Virginia has definitely played a part in molding White into the player he is today.

White thanks his coaches at WVU. “They are doing a great job making me better,” said White. “My coaches are pretty hard on me, but they just want me to be a great player. I just listen to them, take it all in, and get all the advice I can.”

Bottiglieri gives credit where it’s due.

“West Virginia’s style of offense seems to be a good fit for Kevin, and their coaches have really helped take his game to a higher level,” said Bottiglieri. “He has the talent and great work ethic to be a success on the division one college level.”

Bottiglieri states it simply.

“Players like Kevin don’t appear very often,” Bottiglieri said. “Many have talent but do not have the great work ethic, strength of character, and determination to succeed that Kevin White possesses.”

EHS class of ‘10 Weight: 210 lbs

Number one in the nation in receiving yards with 1,020

Height: 6’3

1st player in West Virginia history to go 7 consecutive games with at least 100 receiving yards 1st player in Division 1 to achieve 1,000 receiving yards this season Number 2 in the nation in receptions with 69

Kevin White tries to escape a Baylor defender.

Photos courtesy of West Virginia University