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Vol. 19, No. 2. December 2002
asstc Townsend Harris High School at Queens College
149-11 Melbourne Avenue, Flushing, NY 11 367
Art show focuses on portraiture, winter scenes pressed in the show 's title . "Carla and I wanted to combine portraits and winter, so creating thi s title was very appro priate ," explained Bryan . ''I'm very excited about thi s art show," said Carla. "In previous years, we have had only a large spring art show, but thi s year, we' re having two large art openings ." Fre s hman :>, .0 Christy Tomecek ex0 0 pressed similar enthusiasm. "This event rocks," she Still life: This untitled photograph by Kristin Angelopoulos, junior, can be seen in the said. " Faces in the Snow" art exhibition , which will be on display until Friday, December 20. "It is always
by Angela Hom "Faces in the Sno w," the first of two art e xhib itions planned for thi s year, ope ned after schoo l on M onday, December 16. Stude nts strol led around the lobby, taki ng in the art that was mounted on blac k display boards , as well as the free refreshments and live piano mU SIC .
The show, set up by the Art Club, features "many exciting and new ideas," according to senior Bryan Kirschen, co-director along with junior Carla Gunther. The student-created pieces on display range
from ceramic s and pain tings to computer graphics, and relate to themes ex-
a:
First Amendment award clinched for third time by Daniel Bloch For the third year in a row, this school has been nationally recognized for its commitment to ideals of the First Amendment. Townsend Harris and six other high schools were honored last month with the Let Freedom Rin_g award and deemed "First Amendment Schools" by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) , Journalism Education Association (JEA) , Nation al Scholastic Press Association (NSPA), the Inteniational Quill & Scroll Society and the Freedom Forum, a foundation dedicated to free speech . "It 's a feather in our cap," said Principal Thomas Cunningham of the award, "and it reflects well upon the school and the students. " Townsend and two other schools, Johnsburg High School in McHenry, Illinois, and Lakewood High School in Lakewood , Ohio, are the only schools to have received the award every year since its inception in 20!)0. "I was happy that [we] won for the third year in a row," said senior Angela Hom, who has been Editor-in-Chief of
amazing to visually see the various tal ents of the Townsend Harris students . T hi s is neve r more evide nt than when we hang the art show," said photography teacher Marg heri ta Wisc herth. A nthony M orales , a rt teac her, "commend[s] the students fo r the creative energy that they have e xerci sed in the design and construction of the many vi s ual co mpositions they have produced. " I nvitations to the opening were mailed to Art Club alumni and various museums . Lisa Mars , Ass istant Principal of Foreign Languages and Fine Arts, hopes the show will promote "respect for creativity." She believes that this is a great opportunity for the members of the Art Club who wish to pursue careers in art to gain experience and eventually internships and college scholarships.
Academic Team to show its Smarts by Tina Wu Can you name all the countries in the United Nations that begin with the letter G? If you were part of the Townsend
of Education, features teams of students
from different schools competing for the bragging rights to being the "smartest" The Phoenix, the annual literary magapublic high school in New York and a zine, and Managing Editor of The Clas$35,000 scholsic, both for two years. "It was a bit shocking because it was for the third arship for the time." entire team Advisors and student editors of The from St. John's University by Classic ; The Phoenix, the literary magaanswering zine; and Crimson and Gold, the yearquestions about book; as well as Mr. Cunningham , filled . New York City. out comprehensive questionnaires in Each school October regarding the role that First ~ was allowed Amendment principles play in the tg f 1ve " team school community, mainly as reflected u members and in the student publications . two alternates . "One of the unique things about this The Harris school is that even though you're high team made it to school students , you have bes towed On the set: Seniors Daniel Bloch, Susan Cheng, Sophia Huttner, Senior t h e upon you adult responsibilities," said Advi sor Franco Scardino, senior Bernadette Cruz, junior Matthew Hallex and quarterfinals Margherita Wischerth , advisor of Crim- seniors Sharon Chin, Blazej Kesy and Carlos Gonzales cele brate the Academic before being son and Gold. These responsibilities, Team's first victory at the City Smarts competition . eliminated . she added, include the student's right to Townsend's first game will air on state his or her opinion, "but tactfully. " Harris academic team, you would have A letter announcing Townsend's se- had to, at least if you wanted to go onto Monday, December 30 at 8 PM, and will re-air on Tuesday, December 31 at I PM lection was received November 20 stat- the next round . ing that a panel of judges from the sponTownsend Harris was one of 32 pub- and Monday, January 6.at the same time. soring scholastic journalism organiza- lic high schools in New York participat- The team's two other games will air aftions and the Freedom Forum "deter- ing in a game show called City Smarts . ter March 3. mined [that] Townsend Harris High The show, produced by WNY_E, chanThe team representing Townsend Harris included seniors Daniel Bloch, School unequivocally met the criteria nel 25, the network of the Department Continued on p. 14 Continued on p. 6
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New Schedule p.3
Teen Drinking p.9
Reviews pp. 10-12
Sports pp. 15-16
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