Volume 58 Issue 3 Mahwah High School February 2020 2020 Academy Awards Highlights By Amya Beauvais, Mia Salzman, and Gelila his truest self by performing a dark and gritty Tilahun role as the Joker. Joaquin Phoenix deserved this award due to the amount of character, emotion, The Oscars took place on February 9, and work he put in during the making of this film, 2020. There were a variety of categories, such especially considering how world-renowned and as Best Actor/Actress, Best Feature Films, and anticipated the film was. more. Here are a few highlights from the night’s events: Best Lead Actress: Renée Zellweger Renée Zellweger is best known for her Best Lead Actor: Joaquin Phoenix leading role as Judy Garland in the film, Judy. With his leading role from the world-re- Within the film, Renée Zellweger accommodates nowned film, Joker, Joaquin Phoenix expresses her character by recreating the vocal cadences, mannerisms, and iconic posture and facial ex- pressions of the phenomenal singer. Without a doubt, Zellweger deserved this award due to The Creators of “Forky” Win Big how her leading role in Judy defied her acting career by fascinating standards. Best Music Written for Motion Pictures: “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocket- Best Animated Feature Film: Toy Story 4 man Considered to be one of the highest an- Breakthrough is an overall heartwarming ticipated movies of the year, Toy Story 4 is a film and significant film that reminds us that miracles surrounding the topic of witnessing change over still transpire. The song “(I’m Gonna) Love Me the years and development based on that change. Again” has constant emotions and reminders Toy Story 4 deserves this award due to the high of expressing and loving yourself but most im- expectancy and the significant meanings hidden portantly, feeling free. “(I’m Gonna) Love Me behind the film along with the entire Toy Story Again” deserved this award because the song series, which was produced in a span of 25 years. expresses the powerful and significant meanings The Joker Wins Again Continued on page #9 Super Bowl LIV Recap Australian Bushfires By Tyler Ziman Titans in week ten, where Kan- By Nicole Solich and Zuzanna Nie- devastating to not only the people in sas City lost in the final minute postyn Australia, but also the local wildlife. It had been fifty years 35-32. Although the Chiefs lost Animals such as kangaroos, koalas, since the Chiefs’ last Super Bowl to Tennessee, we all knew Patrick For the past several weeks, wallabys, emus, dingoes, and more appearance, a span which resulted Mahomes was okay, as he played social media has been bustling about are suffering great fates due to the in five cham- a phenom- the Australian desolating pionships for enal game bushfires. These bushfires. the 49ers, in his return bushfires started One who looked to the field. back in late De- of the media’s to get their This loss cember, a cata- main con- sixth Lom- sparked the lyst being low cerns are the bardi Tro- beginning rain-fall. Aus- koalas native phy against of a terrific tralia has always to the Aus- Kansas City champion- had bushfires tralian conti- on February ship run, as it around the dry nent, as many 2nd. In just was the last summer months, organizations Mahomes is the Man Australian Koala Being Given Water his second game that the but never as de- have opened season as the starting quarterback, Chiefs would lose all year. The structive as these. The area burned up funding pages for the animal Patrick Mahomes’ season looked Chiefs rode an eight-game win- during this on-going fire so far is healing clinics established to take like it could have been in jeopar- ning streak into Super Bowl LIV greater than that of any Australian care of victimized animals. While dy, as he suffered a knee injury a against the best defense in foot- bushfire within the past 50 years, ac- this is great, there are still figheright- few weeks into the 2019 season. ball. cording to the NSW Office of Envi- ers to worry about. These bold men Mahomes recovered quickly and To be honest, the first three ronment and Heritage. As one could and women from both Australia and came back to play the Tennessee imagine, these fires are more than Continued on page #7 Continued on page #9 Page 2 February 2020 Chick-fil-A Finally Opens Captain’s Corner: By John Baker As with any new restaurant or store that Bowling County may come to town, the lines to get into Chick- Since the beginning of the year students fil-A, located off Route 17 in Ramsey, are -ab Coaches Tournaments have been excited about a new fast food place solutely enormous, creating a major issue for opening up: Chick-fil-A. This chain restau- employees, especially when it comes to the By Tyler Grobman rant is taking on the food industry by storm, drive-through. However, there are methods in with rising sales and many new locations across place that have been designed to aid with the Back in January of this year, the Boys the U.S. With the addition of this new location overcrowding. The drive-through follows a and Girls Varsity Bowling teams participated comes many features that have revolutionized two-line system that merges into one so that two in the annual County Coaches Tournaments at the grab-and-go and drive-through aspects of people can order at the same time and get their Bowler City, Hackensack. For the boys tourna- fast food. food more efficiently. Also, if the lines become ment, there was a field consisting of thirty-four too backed up, there are police officers near the teams, including Mahwah High School’s own entrance who can help to direct the lines. team led by seniors Nick Quitoni, Tom Lebiak, While the outside of the restaurant con- Ryan Spector and John Picciano. The team also tains many features, the inside is just as versa- consisted of junior Tyler Grobman, sophomore tile. For those who don’t have time to wait on Joey Tursi, and freshman Tyson Noberto. The line, there’s an option to order food on either boys team started off with a three-game set in the Chick-fil-A app or the doordash app, and the morning, and posted a score good enough to there’s even a shelf inside dedicated to hold or- qualify them for the afternoon playoffs, and for ders made online. In fact, everyone who down- a chance at the Bergen County Championship. loads the app receives a code which is redeem- Following the afternoon playoffs, which also able for a free eight-count of nuggets. However, consisted of a three-game set, the boys placed for those who choose to wait in line and order sixth overall, and 3rd in Groups I-II. When asked the traditional way, there are still plenty of reg- about the experience, senior Tom Lebiak ex- pressed, “We had a good time at the tournament Spicy Deluxe “Off-Campus” Meal Continued on page #12 and we did very well. The seniors had a good last county tournament this year and it was a blast bowling with the team.” The team stayed strong Coronavirus Scares Mount throughout the day and had a good showing, al- By Luca Bazzerelli of them [viruses] are serious...about 858 people though they hope to improve their performance have died from Middle East respiratory syn- at next year’s tournament. Not a month into 2020, a fatal disease drome (MERS), which first appeared in 2012 in has broken out in China as their government Saudi Arabia...” tries to contain panicking citizens and poten- The Coronavirus has existed prior to the tially cover it up. new decade, and this is simply a different type This has become a matter of internation- of outbreak. It could, therefore, be said that this al security. To date, five American citizens have type of outbreak has happened before. It gained been quarantined for the Coronavirus. These a much more leveled reaction as China had five United States cases have been confirmed once before tried to cover up the truth of the in Arizona, Illinois, California, and Washington outbreak. This is in reference to the 2003 SARS state. The infancy of the Coronavirus has af- virus, which had effects that were very similar fected over 2,000 in mainland China. In the city to today’s Coronavirus. of Wuhan, the death toll has now jumped above This disease isn’t the only thing that’s eighty. spreading. Alongside the rampant contagion, What is the Coronavirus? Well, it’s not panic is spreading among global citizens. just one single virus. It’s “a group of viruses China, as aforementioned, has a reputation of that cause diseases in mammals, including hu- downplaying outbreaks. After SARS began to Senior John Picciano Before a Hard Strike mans” as stated on Wikipedia. In other words, spread, the Chinese government has discour- it’s a type of virus that transfers from animals to aged the press from reporting the true dangers On the other side, the girls team was led humans in close proximity. As witnessed thus faced by their population. As a result, the World by senior Abigail Brooks and juniors Michaella far, the disease can cause, rarely lethal, and usu- Health Organization (WHO) wasn’t notified un- Raab, Holly Amell, Angelina Ferraioli, and Jes- ally mild respiratory infections. Though not al- til February of 2003. This meant that it wasn’t sica Xing. The team also consisted of sopho- ways dangerous, WedMD states, “Some types until April when WHO finally issued a global mores Izzy Pinto, Sam Burke, and Ally Grob- health alert, after the SARS outbreak had al- man. For the girls tournament, there was a field ready reached 29 countries. of 19 teams. Due to a brand-new format being Now, seventeen years later, another fatal enacted for the first time this year, the girls had disease has broken out in China. However, it’s a four-game set this year, and did not have to safe to assume that most people are up to date qualify for any afternoon playoffs. Instead, the on the correct information, as there’s been an team with the highest pinfall would be declared abundance of news and social media coverage the winner. Following a strong first two games, on the topic. Evidence that China isn’t down- the girls continued to do well but could not catch playing the disease is the social media app Tik- up in time to the eventual champions, the Bergen Tok which, despite being Beijing-based, has not Tech Knights. Attending her last county coaches prohibited the sharing of videos informing peo- tournament, Senior Abigail Brooks shared, “It Wuhan Citizens Tested for Coronavirus Continued on page #10 Continued on page #8 February 2020 Page 3 Super Bowl Commercials By Jake Sinnaeve as $5.6 million for a mere 30 seconds of screen time showcasing their products. To ensure that Every year, millions of people eagerly their advertisements are worth their massive fee, anticipate the Super Bowl and everything that these commercials are often the most interesting comes with it. Audience members enjoy not of their kind, introducing brand new products or only the game itself, but also other small things featuring well known Hollywood faces. such as the half-time performance, the food, Let’s take a look at some of this year’s and, surprisingly, even the commercials. After Super Bowl commercials. all, companies pay millions of dollars to have their products and services advertised in front of Coca-Cola millions of people. Companies can pay as much This year, Coke introduced their new Coca Cola energy drink. The sixty-second com- mercial by Wieden & Kennedy Portland stars Jonah Hill and Martin Scorsese. Wicked “Smaht” Commericial Audi Hummer Audi uses elements of Disney’s Frozen In this year’s Super Bowl advertisement in its Super Bowl commercial, which was re- featuring LeBron James, General Motors rein- leased on January 29, 2020. The ad stars Game troduces the Hummer as an all-electric, silent of Thrones actress Maisie Williams, who is stuck vehicle. The commercial, released on the day of in traffic, before then bursting into the song “Let Super Bowl playoffs, aims to change the image it Go”. The line “Let it go” is a reference to how of the label, which was known by many as a gas- Audi’s electric vehicles will lead to a more sus- guzzler. Interestingly, the car was not entirely re- tainable future, thus “letting go” of past genera- vealed in the advertisement. The date of release tions of gasoline cars. If you enjoy Bostonian is confirmed to be on May 20, 2020. Exactly What We Need...More Energy Drinks Continued on page #11 Opinion Piece: Sacrifice vs. Progress T3 Chronicles: Design By Oliver Wang harm to the working class. More people were able to acquire jobs, but received little pay and Collective Club Most things in life are not free. They were forced to work under abysmal conditions. often come with a price attached, be it a small The toxic air quality in factories contaminat- By Jessica Xing monetary fee, some time off of one’s busy ed and ruined the lungs of the workers. Waste schedule, or perhaps even blood sacrifices, all of products were flushed into rivers and lakes, and While the club may be unknown to some, which depending on what the thing in question smoke was blown into the atmosphere, mixing Mahwah High School’s Design Collective Club is. It is a generally accepted rule that in order to with rain clouds and producing acid rain. The works in the T3 Building using graphic design get something, you have to give something, and list continues. in order to create the school’s graphic advertise- you always make sure that what you’re getting ments. will be worth what is being given up. The Design Collective Club meets every Things tend to be rather simple when two weeks at lunch in the T3 Building, specifi- dealing strictly with quantified values. For in- cally in the computer lab or room 715, where stance, deciding whether or not the new vacuum students have access to all the tools necessary in cleaner is worth the $399.99 price tag, or if the order to contribute to making the school’s adver- next social gathering is worth the six hours you tisements. While no prior experience is neces- could spend doing something else. However, sary, those with experience in Adobe applications once you throw principles like ethical values such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign are and moralities into the mix, things get way more encouraged to join. Yet, there is a role for every- complicated. one. Even knowledge of formatting in Microsoft Whenever a transaction takes place, one Industrial Revolution Had its Pros and Cons applications, such as Microsoft Word, can be always conducts it with the intent of making helpful. For those who are unfamiliar with the their own lives better in some way, shape, or Adobe applications, the Design Collective Clubs form. Perhaps the new toaster can help by toast- The industrial revolution was certainly is an amazing opportunity to learn how to use ing food faster, leaving more time to do other not a simple free-technological development them and submit ideas and designs for various activities, or maybe the volunteer program at transaction because ultimately, the working events during the year. the local food drive can help with getting expe- class and the environment itself had to pay the With the multitude of events and occa- rience pertaining to volunteering and volunteer price. Yet, it is regarded as a necessary step in sions that occur at Mahwah High School each hours for colleges. But there are also different history required to reach the position we are year comes the need for advertisements in order kinds of transactions, ones that are greater in in today. But it also bakes the question, “what to get the word out. While a major aspect of the magnitude and a great deal more controversial. price are we willing to pay to move forward?” Design Collective Club is designing the play- Take, for example, the industrial revolution. It Certainly, no select individual or group of peo- bills, t-shirts, and posters for both the fall and is generally accepted that the revolution brought ple were plotting the suffering of the working spring plays, the club’s members are also tasked about changes necessary to humanity’s devel- class with the grand scheme of advancing civili- with creating advertisements events such as In- opment, as it improved manufacturing, created zation. Although, if it were up to you, the reader ternational Night and the annual Talent Show. job opportunities, and greatly accelerated the growth of cities. However, it also caused great Continued on page #11 Continued on page #12 Page 4 February 2020 MHS DECA Impresses at Competition By Ethan Moskovitz own chapters at their high schools, totaling Also, one challenge may have been associated around 3,775 chapters, as well as electing their with hotel hospitality, while another might have Following recent DECA competitions, own officers to run their chapter. involved management or a corporation. The vari- several Mahwah High School students have DECA has revolved around one ambi- ety of challenge types play to students’ strengths, emerged as finalists, encompassing the neces- tious goal: “To improve educational and career allowing them to prosper in a topic that they feel sary skills needed to take them to the finals in opportunities for American students.” The orga- they know best. It is important for these students Atlantic City from March 2nd to March 4th. nization has received national recognition for its to always have confidence in their work and per- For nearly seventy-five years, DECA, integration of students into the business world, spective on an issue, as this is one of the main an acronym for “Distributive Education Clubs and for ultimately enhancing students’ self-es- components of a successful person in any occu- of America,” has been assisting pation. high school and college students in One Mahwah finalist, Nisha Na- pursuing business-related occupa- rayanan (Sophomore), was placed in a tions, such as those in marketing, role-play situation in the marketing cat- finance, hospitality, and manage- egory, where she was tasked with dif- ment. As new economic oppor- ferent marketing scenarios and needed tunities continue to emerge in the to think of a plan based on the scenario world, the organization has been given. Ten minutes for preparation is able to prepare the next generation provided for students, and then the plan with all the skills and knowledge must be presented to a judge. Each stu- needed to be fully competent in dent goes twice and there are two sepa- handling future issues related to rate scenarios each time. these fields. According to Nisha, “DECA is DECA has been able to a very different experience in that is make a difference in the lives of prepares you for real-life scenarios, more than 10 million people, stu- whether that be college interviews or dents, educators, and administra- job interviews, or thinking of proposals tors alike. 220,000 high school DECA Finalists: Landon, Cecilia, Nisha, Stephanie, and Remi for different realistic problems in a time students have incorporated DECA span. It is a great and unique experience into their lives, engaging them in the business teem and knowledge of their main aspiration: to that other clubs can’t give.” world. The uniqueness of DECA allows it to be work in business. DECA has become an integral part of the only student organization of its type, operat- This year, many students from around the students’ lives around the country, and they have ing in all fifty states of the U.S., other U.S. ter- state of New Jersey, all of whom were Division depended on such to teach them about both busi- ritories, Canada, and additional countries around District winners, will be attending the finals in ness and life skills needed to succeed in life. The the world. Atlantic City. Though all winners, none of these Tom-Tom wishes our Mahwah High School fi- Much of the DECA experience is inde- students won through the same challenge, since nalists good luck at their competition in Atlantic pendent where students themselves create their some were solo and some involved partnerships. City this March. Science Club Goes Olympiad By Sofia Smith areas. that train for these events. I believe erytime I step into that competition, Nonetheless, this competi- students who participated this year I feel like I’ve gained one newton On January 7th, members of tion is a very tough arena as many were very bright individuals and I of knowledge. So, all the stress I get the Science Club participated in the top schools compete against each had a good time taking them to the before the competition is worth it.” annual Science Olympiad competi- other to win the awards for each competition.” Even though this year the results of tion where members are tested in category. Mr Calvez, the advisor Students who desire to take the competition weren’t as impres- many different areas of science in- sive as other schools, everyone who cluding, but not limited to, Anato- participated should be commended my and Physiology, Chemistry Lab, for their hard work and effort dur- Protein Modeling, Mousetrap Vehi- ing this competition and prior to it. cle, Astronomy, and Botany. In each If interested in science, it competition, members compete is highly recommended that you against other students from schools join the Science Club to partake in New Jersey in a variety of activi- in competitions similar to the Sci- ties where they may be required to ence Olympiad to not only impress apply various concepts. One exam- colleges, but also to learn more ple of this would be designing and about topics that may not be in- creating a Boomilever, which is a cluded in the courses at Mahwah wooden structure attached to a wall High School. The Science Club of- from a single point that is meant We Can’t Tell You What This is...But it’s Pretty Cool fers a variety of other opportunities to hold weight. In this challenge, throughout the year including the students had to meet requirements of the Science Club and a phys- part in this competition must pre- NJIT Team Science Competition, specified in the rules to achieve the ics teacher here at Mahwah High pare in advance while maintaining and Science League tests. This club highest structural efficiency. Other School, expresses how “while this their academic grades as well. Va- is the perfect place to learn new events required high comprehen- competition is a very interesting op- run Patel, a member of the Science concepts, improve on your abilities, sion skills, problem-solving abili- portunity, students go against many Olympiad that participated in the and meet other people with similar ties, and prior knowledge of certain challenging opponents and schools Mousetrap Vehicle event, said, “Ev- interests and aspirations. February 2020 Page 5 Finally, Students Get Just Mercy By Jessica Xing Just Mercy book. Accompanied by both their drink or snack for the road, before boarding the teacher and Ms. Coyle, another English teacher bus once again. On Friday, January 24th, Ms. Cording’s at Mahwah High School, students left the build- The trip was a major success, both in AP Language students visited AMC theatres at ing on the day of the trip after attending their terms of the movie and the experience at the Garden State Plaza to watch the new Just Mercy first two classes. mall. In fact, Ms. Coyle expressed how “every- movie, which is based off of a book they have Arriving at around 10 a.m., students one was really good with being on time every- been studying in class. were given the freedom to walk around the mall where and really respectful in the theatre.” As For the past two months, students in with friends by themselves for around forty min- for the movie, she was “surprised by how many the AP Language and Com- of the same feelings it brought position class (AP Lang) have up,” as compared to her first been reading, discussing, and experience reading the book. analyzing the book Just Mercy. Also satisfied with the day’s Written by Bryan Stevenson, events, Ms. Cording believes the story highlights the jour- “the movie did a great job with ney and experiences of the au- Walter McMillian’s case” and thor himself, a Harvard lawyer thought that the trip in general who moved to Alabama and was “a nice way to extend the co-founded the Equal Justice learning outside the classroom Initiative (EJI), an organization environment.” However, when dedicated to helping those who asked if she would change were wrongly condemned. Pri- anything about the movie, Ms. marily focusing on the case of Cording shared, “I thought it Walter McMillian, a poor black was a little bit slow, so I think man who spends six years on I would have preferred a little death row for a crime he didn’t bit of a faster pace, but overall I commit, the book explores honestly did like it very much. themes on death row, mass in- AP Lang Students Attend Just Mercy Field Trip I’d probably give it four out of carceration, the incarceration of five stars.” children, and racism in the jus- Overall, the field trip was tice system. utes before the movie. While some decided to a useful and beneficial experience that helped In order to help students better under- get some quick shopping in, most headed to the students better understand and visualize impor- stand the curriculum and make connections be- Chick-fil-A in the food court for an early lunch. tant themes and events that they have been ex- tween the book and movie, Ms. Cording, who Afterwards, students met up in front of the the- ploring in class. When polled afterwards by Ms. teaches AP Lang, brought her students on a field atre and headed inside to watch the movie, which Cording, a majority of students rated the movie trip to the Garden State Plaza mall, in Paramus, ran for about two hours. With extra time to spare either four or five stars, while all students rated in order to watch the new movie based on the before leaving, many decided to grab a quick the trip itself five stars. Page 6 February 2020 Club Corner: Song-Writing Club Club Corner: Coding is Cool First Meeting Success By Emily Hanson the hardest tasks. The brackets are differentiated by their level of By Sofia Smith new music, as well as gain inspira- A new addition, the cod- difficulty, so members need more tion. As advertised in the introduc- ing club, has arrived at MHS! It is problem solving skills to be admit- The newly-founded Song- tory flyer, the club’s schedule is “de- brand new, and focuses primarily ted to the higher tier level brack- writing Club recently conducted its signed to create the ideal conditions on the practice of coding, or cre- ets. Also, the higher tier level first meeting, on January 14th of for peer-editing each other’s per- ating simple tasks or solutions to brackets usually involve more this year, with many people in atten- sonal work and/or talking about the allow computers to solve greater advanced programming concepts dance, making the inaugural meet- pieces we find interesting.” This al- problems. Two junior students, such as certain data structures, as ing a huge success. Anyone who lows students to “choose when you Varun Patel and Zach Hauk, are explained by Varun Patel. walked into Room 118 could tell want to attend based on what you the creators of this club. They are Each month, members of that the atmosphere was welcoming want to accomplish.” This method also the co-presidents of the club the club must solve two problems and positive; perfect for peer edit- is very innovative as it provides and lead all of the club meetings. from the tier they choose to be a ing. Everyone in the classroom was flexibility to the members who may There currently is no set meeting part of. Every problem is pro- excited to have an outlet to review have other priorities to attend to, as schedule, but the advisor, Mr. Se- vided through Google Classroom songs, poetry, and creative writing well as those who may not be able to gall, who teaches various comput- and involves creating a program in general. The club founders, Ve- make every meeting. er science classes at Mahwah High to solve a given scenario. For ex- ronica Birchak, Kiran Sojan, and The rest of the lunch period School, supervises all meetings ample, a problem in bracket one Maritsa Radoslovic, were all cheer- was spent on the members getting to in the T3 building and agrees that may require the member to create ful and warm as they handed each know each other, as the club drew the meetings will all occur during a program that simplifies radicals, member various papers, including in a large variety of students from lunch. or such simple tasks. The goal of

Songwriting Club Founders Lead First Meeting Co-Presidents of the Coding Club: Zach Hauk and Varun Patel a sheet describing the overview and different grades. Many started to Students of all levels are the members is to “improve their plan for the club, a sign-in sheet, find others that share similar music welcomed and encouraged to join problem solving skills and im- and a questionnaire to get to know tastes, interests, and hobbies, which this club. While there are many prove their programming skills,” everyone. provided for interesting discussion different languages involved with according to Patel. Besides en- The group then proceeded and collaboration. coding, most of Mahwah High hancing their ability to efficiently to address the club and introduce From the very first meet- School’s courses focus on the use solve problems, the co-presidents themselves. Birchak began by dis- ing, the Songwriting Club seems to of Java and the program Eclipse. also urge their members to just cussing how the club’s focus shifts be living up to its expectations. It Students also take advantage of have fun while programming. every other week. For example, for is recommended that anyone who having their laptops avaliable to Although the Coding Club one week members will focus on is interested in joining the club, or them, as well as the ability to ask is still being developed, it is defi- writing and reviewing each other’s has an interest in poetry and dong- their club advisor, Mr. Segall, for nitely worth checking out if you works of literature, and the next will writing, should attend a meeting in assisstance if needed, since he is would like to improve your cod- be dedicated to reviewing popular Room 118 every Wednesday dur- very experienced in the field. ing skills, face a good problem- songs and poetry for inspiration. ing lunch. Whether you’re coming For those who are wonder- solving challenge, or even if you’d The group also mentioned that ev- to critique work, perfect your own ing what the club is like, within the just like to try for the first time! ery week they will be listening to an work, or just to hang out with differ- club there are three tiers of diffi- Look out for more information on interesting playlist created from the ent people and listen to music, the culty for coders. They are known meetings going forward, and ask suggestions each member provided Songwriting Club is a fun way to as brackets one, two, and three, Varun, Zach, or Mr. Segall if you in the questionnaire, as this will al- get involved in another aspect of the with tier one being the simplest, have any further questions regard- low students to possibly discover Mahwah High School community. whereas tier three would present ing the club’s new start. February 2020 Page 7 Valentine’s Day Date Ideas By Emily Hanson adventure outside can be overrated. Remaining ter. Not only do they have laser tag, they also inside can sometimes be the best way to have have roller skating, rock climbing, mini golf, When February begins, new couples con- an interactive, movie-like experience, without bumper cars, and more! This may be more on nect with each other and old ones relish in the accidentally interrupting the action on screen the pricier side, but it allows you and your date romantic atmosphere, hoping to find some joy. by speaking. Even if you aren’t quite a gaming to compete with each other. This game can defi- The only problem is that most couples are stuck person, MHS students recommend easy games, nitely reveal your true colors, so be prepared to doing the same old boring things: eating dinner like Mario Kart or Animal Crossing, which are lose with dignity. across from their partner, or sitting on the couch still really enjoyable and sometimes very com- watching a dull movie, without a true connection petitive! Most games are available online and Baking or something to talk about at all. Awkward si- on programs such as Steam, and provide many One of the great parts about the romantic lences and pauses defer what could be moments dates worth of fun, so it’s great for times beyond time is eating something sweet together! There is spent with someone caring and fun, and let’s Valentine’s Day as well. such a huge selection to choose from, like cook- face it, boring old chocolate heart boxes can ruin ies, cupcakes, and pies, but it feels so good to a shot at love completely! Well, have no fear, be- share that experience with someone else. Around cause the students of Mahwah High School have this holiday, knowing how to make chocolates spoken, and together they have come up with the doesn’t sound like such a bad pla. And, while top give fresh and special ways you can enjoy you wait for the snacks to chill or bake, you can your Valentine’s Day with a significant other! prepare something else or decorate other good- ies! Make sure you don’t have a food fight, Video Games though, because cleaning ingredients up is a big While they may be considered a clas- chore... sic date idea, sitting in comfortable clothes and sharing your favorite game with a partner is sur- Shopping prisingly uncommon. Sometimes, going on an Again, this date sounds normal, but shop- ping can be so much more than going into a store and purchasing items. What if you play a game? This form of shopping can be done in any mall or shopping center, so don’t worry about distance.

Nothing More Romantic Than Lasers

Laser Tag Playground tag is a cute game that most people never really grow out of. A glow-in-the- dark game of what is essentially the grown-up version of tag, could be the way to go if you want to call upon nostalgia or just a sense of youthful happiness with your date. If you and your date are looking for an adventure, take a drive up to What’s Valentine’s Day Without Mario Kart? Shopping: More Fun Than it Sounds Chester, New York to go to The Castle Fun Cen-

Super Bowl LIV Recap (Cont.) quarters of the game were not too Kansas City defense that stopped with a first down. Damien Williams up 31-20, which put San Francisco entertaining, as we had a 10-10 tie Jimmy G and the Niners’ explosive was thinking of more than a first away. The Chiefs would go on to at halftime, and a 20-10 49ers lead offense, giving KC the ball back, down, as he took a thirty-eight-yard win Super Bowl 54 by the same heading into the fourth quarter. hoping to potentially ice the game run to the house to put Kansas City score of 31-20, in which Patrick Based on what the Chiefs did in Mahomes dominated late, ultimate- their first two games of the playoffs, ly giving him the honor of Super a ten point deficit meant nothing to Bowl MVP. them. Kansas City came back from Andy Reid finally got the twenty four down to the Texans and coveted trophy that he waited near- also ten down to the Titans, both ly two decades to get, as his only games that the Chiefs ended up other Super Bowl appearance came winning by double digits. when he coached the Philadelphia Andy Reid’s squad wasted Eagles, where his team lost to the no time on the offensive end in the New England Patriots. Reid can fi- fourth quarter. Kansas City scored nally have the ring that he has been two touchdowns in the fourth quar- waiting to get for such a long time, ter to take the lead 24-20, where a ring that made Kansas City a ma- of course we expected the 49ers to jor sports champion for the first bounce back and make a big play time since 2015. to lead them to a score. It was the Andy Reid Finally Wins the Big One Page 8 February 2020 Captain’s Corner: Mahwah Welcomes Mr. Carr Bowling County By Brooke Forgette do not fully understand the long-term effects of the usage of social media, despite the abundance Coaches Tournaments In the middle of the second marking pe- of lessons and lectures students already receive riod, Mahwah High School gained a new physi- about social media. Carr realizes the importance (Cont.) cal education teacher, Coach Carr. of knowing the correlation between social me- Previously, Coach Carr taught physical educa- dia and teenagers’ health because social media was fun bowling with these girls this season. tion at Orange High School for three and a half plays a huge role in everyone’s social life. As far The girls are doing well this season and they will years. Carr’s experience at Orange High School as in his Phys-Ed classes, he is currently educat- finish strong and continue to work hard.” In the was enjoyable, as Coach shared, but he felt as if ing his students on the finer points of volleyball, end, the girls came in 5th place, and look for- he needed something new. However, Coach Carr which is luckily one of his strengths, being he ward to improving their skills in preparation for still coaches volleyball at Orange High School has coaching experience with the sport. future tournaments. along with lacrosse and wrestling at Hawthorne Hopefully for the rest of the year, as well With a good turnaround from last season, High School. as for the rest of Coach Carr’s career at Mahwah both the boys and girls teams look forward to As Coach Carr has only been at Mahwah High School, his experience will always be as working hard and winning more titles through- High School for about a month, he is still ac- satisfying and comforting for him as it has been out the rest of the season. In fact, both teams are climating to the cultural climate of our school. this past month. We wish Coach Carr a very pushing for a League Championship and, hope- Within the short period Coach Carr has been at Thunderbird welcome. fully, a chance at the State Championships in Mahwah, he claims that the atmosphere is great February. and that he “loves it.” So far in Coach Carr’s classes, he has met many students that have been super kind and welcoming towards him and who have cre- ated a fun environment for his classes. The other members of the physical education department have played a huge role in Coach’s transition to Mahwah High School as well. Coach Carr ex- plained how the other physical education teach- ers have been educating him on the expectations of administrators and how the schedule of class- es works. Also, the other teachers have provided a comfortable and encouraging environment in which Carr will be allowed to grow while he gets accustomed to Mahwah High School. Throughout Coach Carr’s teaching expe- rience, he has developed a specific interest in the Junior Angelina “Two-Hand” Ferrioli impact of social media which he implements in Mr. Carr Excited to be in Mahwah his Health curriculum. Carr feels as if teenagers Winter Book Festival By Amya Beauvais, Mia Salzman, and Gelila Ti- are working on encouraging students to partici- cial in Thunder Vision to spread the word. lahun pate in phone-free activities like reading, creativ- According to Tunkeerit Grewal, a partaker in the ity, mindfulness, and face-to-face socialization. book festival, the most popular book on Janu- On January 10th and January 17th, Mahwah This year’s Community Problem Solving team ary 10th was Leading by Alex Ferguson, led by High School’s first Winter Book Festival took is made up of 7 students, who collaborated with Mr. Saputski. The first Harry Potter book, led by place in the Library Media Center. As stat- Mrs. Hartigan Miller, came in second. On ed by Mrs. Hardigan Miller, “The Winter January 17th, the most popular book was Book Festival was one of the solutions for Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, led by this year’s Community Problem Solving Ms. Freet. project.” The purpose of this event was to While the class has its challenges, Tun- allow students to engage in phone-free ac- keerit Grewal and Mr. Saputski believe tivities. Mrs. Hardigan Miller adds, “I’m that the reward is helping the community. always trying to get students in the Media “The class gives you feelings of accom- Center to read, so it was a win-win for ev- plishment and honor within the commu- eryone!” nity,” explained Tunkeerit. Rachel Cohen, Community Problem Solving is a class that a participant in The Winter Book Festival, runs every other year in which students stated “It was very fun and welcoming.” identify a problem within the Mahwah Another participant affirmed, “Overall, the or New Jersey community and come up experience was really great. It was a com- with a variety of solutions. Students then Mr. Fuchs Discusses his Book Choice: River of Doubt fortable environment where each one of us implement their solutions to help solve the could share our beliefs about the stories.” problem. It is a great project-based class where Mrs. Hardigan Miller to organize the event. In The Community Problem Solving team appre- students work together to help the community. order to do this, they reached out to teachers ciates those who attended the book festival and This year’s class is working on a project revolv- who could lead the book discussions, made bro- hopes everyone enjoyed the event! ing around digital distraction. Henceforth, they chures, created fliers, and displayed a commer- February 2020 Page 9 Ms. Sofia’s Retirement Australian Bushfires By Lucy Sokolova However, she is looking forward to spend- (Cont.) ing much more quality time with the grandchil- If it hasn’t become clear yet, Mrs. Sofia dren while taking care of them. She exclaims, “I abroad, including the U.S., have been fight- of the science department has retired after serv- just enjoy them so much and I find that I can’t ing these fires non-stop, and deserve our ap- ing the Mahwah School District diligently for 20 do both, it’s just too much. It’s just that, life’s too preciation. Another factor would be the dev- years. Many students at the high school will re- short, and I want to enjoy them, and I feel like astating effects the bushfires have had on the member her for her dedication to teaching Hon- they grow so fast.” Missing out on the childhoods locals: with thousands of homes being de- ors and College Prep Biology while also making of her grandchildren would create regrets, and stroyed, many have nowhere to go. Accord- Mahwah High School an amazing learning envi- Mrs. Sofia mentioned how unless she created that ing to NBC News, as of January 14, 2020, ronment. Mrs. Sofia is retiring to spend more time grandmother bond with them now, she would miss over 45 million acres have burned down, with her grandchildren as in the past three months, out on the most important part of their childhood. almost 6,000 buildings have been destroyed, she has welcomed two new grandchildren to the Although Mrs. Sofia will undoubtedly leave a and at least 30 people were killed as a result family, making her the proud grandmother of four legacy behind at Mahwah High School, everyone of this catastrophe. children. Mrs. Sofia quickly found managing the is excited about the fact that she will be able to The amount of both wildlife and grandchildren along with working full-time at continue raising bright individuals with her own people that have been killed in these Aus- Mahwah High School overwhelming due to her grandchildren. tralian bushfires are incredibly high and the son and daughter-in-law’s returns to work. Mrs. Morgan, a chemistry teacher at Mah- devastating fact that these rates are increas- wah High School, and other members of the sci- ing demonstrates the life-threatening poten- ence department shared how they will miss her tial of these fires. The New York Times stat- dedication to teaching the students, and that they ed that 25,000 koalas are feared to be dead, idolized her work ethic in the department. Mrs. Morgan also mentioned how Mrs. Sofia is the hardest working person and teacher she has ever met and worked with, and even went so far as to say that Mrs. Sofia was a hero to her. Mrs. Sofia was an inspiration to a lot of the science teachers during her time working at Mahwah High School, and was both a cherised friend and colleague in the science department. Overall, the Tom-Tom wishes Mrs. Sofia a happy retirement, and hopes that her time with the grandkids is well spent and filled with happy memories. She will be very much missed by both Rising Smoke as Bushfires Worsen the students and administration, but at the same time hundreds of students are now lucky enough not to mention the other one billion animals that are also presumed to be killed by the MHS Wishes Mrs. Sofia a Happy Retirement to say that they were taught by such an excellent and knowledgeable teacher. fires. With hopes of saving these poor ani- mals, the San Diego rescue team even has a trained wildlife detection dog that is trained 2020 Academy Awards Highlights (Cont.) to sniff out and find koalas to bring them to safety. With actions such as this, rescue within the film, reality as we know it, and experi- Best Animated Short: Hair Love, Matthew A. teams in Australia are only amplifying ani- ences within life. Cherry mals’ chances of survival. Hair Love is a 7-minute short film about From brave firefighters to the help- Best Visual Effects:1917 the loving relationship of an African-American fa- less koalas, the Australian bushfire is -pro 1917 is a film that takes place during World ther, Stephen, and his daughter, Zuri, as he tries to gressing into a life threatening fire for all. War I. Two British soldiers are responsible for or- style her hair for the first time. Not only does the The Australian bushfires continue to grow ders that almost seem impossible but they have no film show a beautiful relationship between fam- and threaten the lives of every living thing choice but to abide by these commands and cross ily, but it also promotes the hairstyles of African- inhabiting the continent. While the news in- into enemy territory. By abiding by these orders, Americans. This short movie definitely deserved forms the public through articles and facts, they deliver a message that can potentially save its award for its cultural love and acceptance for the media continues to use human empathy 1,600 of their comrades along with loved ones. people of color and how the film attempts to ‘nor- towards the lovable koalas to call attention 1917 draws us into a world of horror and fear that malize’ their hair. to the matter. The reality, though, is truly ter- gives us visuals of World War I. The movie should rifying and the nation needs as much support win this award because it visually depicts the real- Best Costume Design: Little Women, as possible to end this terrible natural disas- life situations and aspects of World War I in an Jacqueline Durran ter. People around the world should take a impactful manner. British costume designer Jacqueline Dur- moment of their time to realize the impact ran was given the award for best costume design these fires can have on the whole world and, Best Motion Picture: Parasite for her designs in the historical drama movie, Lit- even in the smallest ways, try to make a dif- The South Korean film, Parasite, is a film tle Women. The stunning gowns and dresses por- ference by donating to the cause to help save of greed and class discrimination that manages trayed the setting of the movie perfectly. Durran lives. Organizations such as the Red Cross, to threaten the relationship between the wealthy stated, “I found different images that represented The Foundation for Rural & Regional Re- Park family and the Kim clan. Parasite deserved each of the girls to me and then I shared those with newal, GIVIT, and even some fire depart- to win this award due to the Oscar history devel- the actresses and we found ways that it could be ments, are now accepting donations to help oped from this film and the cultural impact sur- personal to each of them”. Not only did she rep- with the cause, so be sure to donate if you rounding this film and its award. resent the actresses through her costumes, but she can, as even the smallest amount can help. also expressed herself. Page 10 February 2020 College Corner: Choosing the Right Major By Brooke Forgette top college for psychology. Stanford University is located in Stanford, California. Despite being The college process is long and, at times, a long distance away from Mahwah, Stanford annoying. There is always an overarching ques- has a beautiful campus with consistently warm tion of what students want to major in and which weather, for those who prefer to stay out of the college is the best option. Fortunately, Mahwah cold. High School makes many efforts to help students For students looking to stay local, an- prepare for college, facilitating the college pro- other great college for psychology is Princeton cess in order to reduce stress. University in Princeton, New Jersey. Also from Mahwah High School offers nine differ- Niche’s ranking, Princeton is ranked number six ent Career Pathways that suggest many elective for best colleges for psychology. Princeton is a classes that are designed to further one’s interest private Ivy League university and is the fourth- in a certain career. All elective classes are also University of Pennslyvania (Wharton) oldest college of higher education. open for those who don’t choose a career path- way, of course, as they provide an abundance However, not all students want to travel of new opportunities. For example, Mahwah that far from home. If that’s the case, another High School offers many business classes, all great business school is Rutgers University, from different standpoints and areas of business. which is located in Newark, New Jersey. This These electives provide educational information school is in a perfect location because it isn’t far that gives students interested in pursuing a career from Mahwah and it is just a short ride into the in business early exposure to the field. city, where many business opportunities can be However, those who are unsure of which found. Career Pathway to take and have yet to figure out what to major in should think back to all the elec- Psychology Majors: tives they have taken and consider which ones Psychology is another very popular ma- were the most interesting and enjoyable. From jor in college, and is also an elective class of- there, students can search for a major related to fered at Mahwah High School. For students who Boston University that elective. Knowing what to major in makes have developed an interest in psychology, ac- finding the right college much easier. Some of cording to Niche’s article titled “2020 Best Col- Journalism Majors: the most popular majors that students study in- leges for Psychology,” Stanford University is the Journalism is another elective taught at clude, business, psychology, and journalism. Mahwah High School where students can learn different article styles and writing skills. One of Business Majors: the top schools that offer a journalism major is For students interested in majoring in Boston University. Boston University has pro- business there are multiple colleges with ad- duced 24 Pulitzer Prize winners and is located equate business programs. According to U.S. in the busy city of Boston, Massachuesetts. An- News and World Report’s article titled “Best other top school for journalism is Northwestern Business Schools (MBA) Ranked in 2020,” the University. Northwestern offers many journal- number one business school happens to be the ism programs to their students which prepare University of Pennsylvania (Wharton). This col- help them to work in the field. Northwestern lege was the first business school in the United is located in Evanston, Illinois with a beautiful States and has campuses in both Philadelphia Stanford University campus. and San Francisco.

Coronavirus Scares Mount (Cont.)

ple of the virus’ dangerous nature. Coronavirus from scratch in six As mentioned before, China days. This hospital will be in Wu- has not made any real attempt to han, and will hopefully help te effort limit videos spreading Coronavirus in containing the virus. The Chinese awareness, so it’s safe to assume government is clearly making every that the public has been informed of effort possible to prevent another the worst thus far. In fact, as far as plague disaster. The hospital is set the public knows, every case in the to finish and be open to patients on United States has been quarantined February 3rd. In terms of the United and is under control. China is do- States, all cases of the disease have ing everything it can to control the been quarantined and are under outbreak with surgical masks and strict surveillance. It’s unlikely that quarantines. this will spiral out of control with So, what is being done to so many precautions being taken contain the Coronavirus and what by world powers, so, thus far, the does the future look like? News Average Joe has nothing to worry sources such as CNN and Fox News about. However, it wouldn’t hurt to have been busy covering a Chinese be extra careful about washing your effort to build an entire hospital for hands in the future. Construction of Coronavirus Hospital February 2020 Page 11 Captain’s Corner: Basketball vs. Ramsey On January 21st, Mahwah Basketball played at Ramsey High School in the first game of a series between the two teams. The proceeds of this double- header are being donated on behalf of Relay for Life and The American Cancer Association. Though Mahwah dropped the first game, it was still a successful since hundreds of dollars were raised. Catch the next game on February 18th!

Opinion Piece: Sacrific vs. Progress (Cont.) Super Bowl of this very pleasant article, would you deliber- The idea was to release a lot of genetically modi- Commericials (Cont.) ately insinuate the suffering of a massive portion fied mosquitoes into the area to produce offspring of the population to reach the heights we have with the existing mosquitoes. The offspring that accents, this advertisement is for you. Starring reached currently, or would you rather preserve the modified mosquitoes produce are engineered Chris Evans, John Krasinski, and Rachel Dratch, your moral conscience and reject the movement? to die shortly after conception, thus eliminating a the Hyundai Super Bowl commercial promotes Not every important decision erodes large portion of the future mosquito population. the Sonata and its self-parking “smart park” fea- one’s sense of morality, however. Three years Tests in Brazil, Cayman Islands, and other coun- ture. ago, scientists proposed a solution to combat- tries have proven successful, causing a reduction ing the spread of zika virus through mosquitoes: of up to 90% or more in the mosquito popula- Porsche modifying the genes of certain mosquitoes so tion. In “The Heist,” the first Super Bowl ad- they are unable to produce surviving offspring. However, down in Florida Keys, a small vertisement from Porsche in more than twenty group of individuals protest against this, citing years, security guards at the Porsche Museum the uncertainty of the experiment and the poten- race a fleet of cars around Stuttgart, Germany tial dangers of the modified mosquitoes. Their (home to Porsche headquarters). The commer- claims are not irrefutable, as there is potential for cial promotes Porsche’s new electric car: the a dormant threat to emerge. In the end though, it Taycan, which is among the fastest production is simply long term safety in exchange for short cars in the market. term danger. Knowing what you are potentially getting, would you be willing to put people at risk for a long term benefit? With the ultimate goal of improving our lives, sacrifices must be made. That much is understandable. How much is sacrificed, what you’re getting in return, everything depends on what exchange is being made. Moving great leaps forward with very little expense is pure fantasy, as something or someone must always pay a price for progress. While sacrificing people to some deity or exposing them to mortal danger is not suggested, it is important to remember the ultimate aim in any transaction, weigh the costs and benefits, and make a sound decision accord- Protests in Florida Keys ingly. Porsche Goes Electric Page 12 February 2020 T3 Chronicles: Design Collective Chick-fil-A Finally Opens (Cont.) Club (Cont.) isters, allowing the lines to move at world.” Schroeder then went on by a steady pace. After ordering, cus- sharing how his favorite item is the Along with this, each year the club the club - only hard working, reli- tomers are directed to wait on the spicy deluxe meal, which is a spicy creates labels for the annual Art able students who can meet dead- side until an employee calls their chicken sandwich with fries and a Show, and has been hired to design lines.” name. This maximizes the amount drink. However, he’s not the only club logos and brochures in the past. Those who are interested in of people ordering food and ensures one who enjoys this menu item, as The club is currently working on the joining the Design Collective Club that food gets out of the kitchen as Stefano Spinella (Grade 10), men- playbill for the school’s upcoming are encouraged to seek out current fast as possible. tioned how the Chick-fil-A spicy production of Kiss Me, Kate. members, or Ms. Rotondella herself, So far, students seem to be deluxe chicken sandwich is “juicy The club is led by Ms. Ro- to get an insight into what the club satisfied with both the food and and has a beautiful texture.” tondella, who teaches the the visual is like and what one can take away service of the new Chick-fil-A. Ac- This fast food chain will arts class as well as the graphic de- from it. The club recognizes that cording to Tyler Schroeder (Grade clearly stand the test of time and in sign elective. When asked, Ms. Ro- some people have certain skills that 10), Chick-fil-A is “really good the next few years pose a threat to tondella expressed her belief that others may not, and allows students and the best fast food chain in the different chains around the area.

Past Playbill Designs New Ramsey Chick-fil-A a Hit Valentine’s Day Date Ideas (Cont.) the most rewarding part of leading to choose tasks based on what skills the club is “being able to utilize stu- or applications they are more inter- A great way to get to know a part- so many benefits of taking a nice, dents’ talents to contribute to the ested in. However, members can ner is to try and understand their long trip to wherever you want to school in a meaningful way,” which also always learn new techniques to personality, and what better way is go, especially as upperclassmen “gives students a voice and oppor- expand their talents. Anyone wish- there to do it than picking out out- start getting their driver’s licenses. tunity to work as if they were a pro- ing to join should plan on attending fits for each other? Go into as many First of all, the possibilities of what fessional designer.” In addition, Ms. the next meeting in the T3 computer stores as you can, and make each to listen to are endless. Podcasts Rotondella believes that being a part lab in order to gain a better under- other look as sophisticated or silly and audiobooks are one great way of the Design Collective Club allows standing of how the club functions. as you want. As a plus, there’s al- to go, but making playlists of all students to learn to meet deadlines, While there is no set date for meet- ways a food court to explore when your favorite songs and singing, is celebrate their accomplishments, ings yet, obtaining the Remind app you’ve finished! a great way to bond. Also, games gain interpersonal skills, and en- code from a current member is rec- like “I spy” and the Alphabet game hance school projects using learned ommended so that one is notified of Roadtripping never fail to entertain while on the knowledge of the Adobe suite. Most the next upcoming meeting. Every- And, lastly (but not least, road. Don’t forget to appreciate the importantly, Ms. Rotondella would one is welcome and encouraged to of course), who wouldn’t want view out the window, and inside like people to know that “there is no attend, regardless of their current to spend hours in the car for a ro- the car, too. prior experience necessary to join skill sets and levels of experience. mantic Valentine’s date? There are Tom-Tom Contributor’s Box Advisor: Mr. Jankowski Editor: Ryan Spector Layout Editor: Jessica Xing Staff: John Baker, Luca Bazzarelli, Amya Beauvais, Brooke Forgette, Briana Gill, Tyler Grobman, Emily Hanson, Michael Kozdra, Ethan Moskovitz, Zuzanna Nie- postyn, Gabriela Ponce, Mia Salzman, Jake Sinnaeve, Sofia Smith, Lucy Soko- lova, Nicole Solich, Gelila Tilahum, Oliver Wang, and Tyler Ziman