The Falconaire volume 53- issue 6- April 2015 One Norman J. Field Way Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 www.mrhsfalconaire.com It’s Magical! Relay For Life 2015 By Crista DeAngelis ‘15 and Gianna Bellomo ‘15 Staff Writers Do you like knowing that you’ve helped made a difference? Well, Relay for Life is the event for you! This event allows the MRHS surrounding community to come together to help fight the awful disease we know as cancer. Relay for Life is a fundraising event held here at MRHS and many other places to help raise money to fight against cancer. According to relayforlife.org, “Each person who shares the Relay for Life experience can take pride in knowing that they are working to create a world where this disease will no longer threaten our loved ones or rob anyone of another birthday”. Relay for Life consists of separate teams who raise money through various fundraisers to support the fight against cancer. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society. It is an all night event where people partake in activities and walk around the track all through the night. Also at the event there is a survivors lap, luminaria ceremony, and a fight back ceremony. Hailee Kissane has participated in this event for the past two years, supporting her best friend Hannah Duffy who passed away after battling brain cancer in September 2013. Hailee said “Relay for Life is a great experience for all my friends to get together for a great cause!” MRHS organizer Ms. DelloRusso said that this year’s theme will be Disney! She said the goal for this year is to increase the registered participants by 19%, to have about 23% more teams to register and to raise money about 10% more than last year. Photos by Wikipedia Come out to help Monmouth Regional reach their goals and fight against cancer May 8th and 9th. Out With the Old, In With the New Artificial Intelligence New Scheduling System Will Robots Take Over Society? By Shannon Kelley ‘15 By Nicole Margiloff ‘15 and Pooja Shah ‘15 Staff Writer Webmaster and Co-Editor in Chief Do you believe in “The Terminator”? Because robots are becoming While seniors are comparing and debating their futures in college, the military, or the real-world, more and more advanced in many countries. underclassmen are preparing their upcoming school year schedule. According to a Stanford University study, technology is outpac- Deciding which courses to take each year is a substantially important task for each student. Not ing economical growth and social systems are under pressure. Japan only do students need to take in consideration the high school graduation requirements and college is the biggest producer of robots in the world due to their high life required classes, but they must consider taking classes they will enjoy and succeed in as well. expectancy. Nurse robots are being placed into Japanese hospitals since Monmouth Regional High School is able to provide teens with a variety of electives and challeng- there are simply not enough people to take care of the elderly or sick ing classes. From academic electives like Sociology and AP Economics to electives such as Foods patients. and Interior Design, students are able to express their passions and dive into new things, all while In a Fox News article, a Japanese research institute called Riken has learning in the company of their own school. MRHS sophomore Kameryn Richardson said Mon- developed a nurse robot named ‘Robear’. It is able to lift a patient up to mouth Regional’s scale of classes, from C to AP and everything in between, allows each student to 135 pounds from any position and is trained to “exert force in a gentle find their appropriate learning pace and adapt those classes to their schedules accordingly. way.” It resembles a giant bear and meant to calm patients. Toshiharu Recently, the process of making the following year’s schedule has changed. The new changes are Mukai, head of research told Fox that this will lead to “advances in receiving mixed feelings from students. nursing care” since nurses will no longer have to lift patients or do In previous years, students would meet with their guidance counselor in the PAC hall. They were strenuous work. encouraged to already have preselected classes in mind and a back up class, in case the schedule Stanford says that nurse robots only have the ability to answer yes could not work. Many times, there were scheduling problems due to classes exceeding the intended and no; and cannot participate in meta ethical reasoning. Robots can- capacity. not think, therefore they make decisions no matter what the situation MRHS Director of Guidance Mrs. Kelly said there were no problems with the previous schedul- is (no common sense). ing process; however the guidance department decided to change things up after several years of the A robot created by another company ‘Kokoro’ is called Actroid-F same scheduling routine. and was made to look like a young Japanese woman. The “woman” can This year, students log on to Genesis to create the upcoming year’s schedule with their parents. move its eyebrows, eyes, mouth and head and interacts very well with Students could create their schedule from March 9 through April 24. However, students are limited other humans. Many Japanese facilities are hiring these robots to work to take the classes they are recommended for. as receptionists and surveyors. The guidance department created a video, which was shown in homeroom on March 6th, to help In a Newsweek.com article, Germany is trying to start the “fourth students understand how to use Genesis to make their schedule. For those who would like to view industrial revolution” among engineers and academics. They are the video again or had a hard time seeing it projected on the televisions in homeroom, the video is working to achieve networks in factories that communicate with the on the Monmouth Regional website, located under departments > guidance. As for any unanswered products being produced and with the other machines. Such as the car questions from the video, students should fill out a guidance slip and talk to their respective coun- being produced telling the machine to paint it a specific color. selor. Mr. Buckuwitz, robotics teacher at MRHS said he believes that MRHS junior Keith Egan said the new procedure seems easier. But despite the new at-home robots should be used for hazardous jobs such as using a robotic arm aspect of scheduling, Egan says students should still consult their counselors. to put paint on cars. “I do MRHS junior Kelly Soder said the process explained in the video seems confusing and very not believe that they should frustrating. replace people due to payroll Kameryn Richardson said cost,” he said. it seems like there were good Students in the robotics intentions in the change, to make class build all sorts of robots. scheduling more student centered; These include bumper cars, however she said the new schedul- a cannon on wheels and a ing process is very confusing. She dancing robot that resembles said she wishes it was explained Wall-E. They are working more thoroughly and more than on a delivery system robot once. that will follow a black track Kelly Soder said she also on the ground to the child feels she is “locked “into all the development room that will recommendations teachers have deliver diplomas to the little made for their students and kids. the new system gives her fewer In the United States, scien- choices. tists are working on a nurse Mrs. Kelly said in order to change a class a teacher has recommended, students submit a request robot called ‘Pearl’. This robot for their desired class in Genesis. has an Autominder tool; this Once their guidance counselors see the student’s request, the student will be called down to includes a plan manager, cli- discuss the changes with their counselor. She said regardless of the new format, the process is more ent modeler and a personal engaging than in the past. Mrs. Kelly also said elective recommendations are not locked settings; cognitive orthotic. This robot students are able to make changes based on their interests. will make decisions due to With the new procedure, students will not receive a hard copy immediately after making the how accurate the person is This is the Actroid F Robot schedule like they have in the past. Final schedules will be available over the summer. with holding appointments. Photo by Wikipedia The Falconaire Page 2 April 2015 A Publication of OPINIONS Monmouth Regional High School Park the PARCC Co-Editors in Chief Samara Coleman & Pooja Shah Editorial Advisor According to the New Jersey Depart- appalled at the difficulty and nature of Sophomore Jaydah Diaz said, “It was a Dawn Collett ment of Education, “The Partnership for them. MRHS junior JD Glassman said, “It pointless waste of time because it felt like Assessment of Readiness for College and was very difficult; the open ended ques- they just set you up to fail and no one takes Opinons Editor Careers (PARCC) is a consortium [col- tions were unclear as to of what they want- it seriously.” James Grissman laboration] of states that collaboratively ed…the questions weren’t really relevant.” Sophomore Julianna Ingram also felt News Editor developed a common set of assessments to Sophomore Julianna Ingram felt her time was wasted saying, “It’s stupid! Paula Popok measure student achievement and pre- overwhelmed by the process and found They give you 75 minutes for 15 questions paredness for college and careers.” To the that “the auditory section was hard to and an essay, most people finished in 20 Reviews Editor Haley Pszeniczny naked eye, the purpose of this test is well understand and really impractical.” Her minutes.” intentioned; however, these tests aren’t af- classmate, sophomore Ezghi Phelan, said Faculty members were also strongly Features Editor fecting the schools, students, and faculty as she had to replay it about 10 times just to affected by the time commitment the test Rachael Febo positively as hoped. understand it. demands. Some students of MRHS welcomed the MRHS junior Anthony Venezia said, “It Child Study Team Secretary, Mrs. Variety Editor Katie Risley PARCC’s coming, MRHS junior Raejeen was horrendous.” MacPherson said,“[In comparison to the Walker said, “I’m happy we have PARCC MRHS sophomore Karin Thio said, “It HSPA] It’s just a much longer process[…] Sports Editor because we don’t have to worry about pass- killed me inside.” The Child Study team is swamped; on their Christian DeFazio ing the HSPA.” Walker was referring to the MRHS junior Michael Bellina said, breaks, they only have time to eat and then Layout Editor fact that for students in New Jersey, pass- “There were definitely trick questions.” they’re back to work.” Dohnovan Pittala ing the PARCC isn’t required to pass high And on and on it went. Students felt slan- When we tried to interview or sched- school as the HSPA was. The PARCC will dered, even victimized by the test content ule an interview with the counselors in Copy Editor not count against a student’s graduation for and some felt they weren’t well enough the guidance office on their experience Alexandra Brito another three years according to the bill prepared on some of the subjects. we were informed that they were too busy Staff Writers (A4190) New Jersey passed on February English teacher, Mrs. Mitchell, noted with the test to take any of our questions. Quinton Escalante 12, 2015. how some of her students thought the test When asked, Administrative Assistant, Luke Fusco Not everyone felt the same as Walker was easier than others did because their Mrs. Mitchell said, “It is much more Shannon Kelly though. MRHS junior Olivia Emmons was curriculum covered actually covered the complicated than the HSPA preparation Halena Martin Gianna Bellomo disappointed in the attitudes of her fellow topics. “The kids that had read ‘The Odys- wise[…] preparation with organizing Crista DeAngelis classmates towards the test. She said, “The sey’ said they breezed through it and knew testing time, labeling headsets, organizing whole mindset was off. Some people think all of the answers, but the ones who got a by teachers and classrooms, making sure Media Staff it doesn’t count so you shouldn’t care about different test on Japanese poems had a re- computers work, stocking kids with paper it, but I do. I feel like in some ways it does ally hard time,” said Mitchell. and pencils, etc.” Webmaster: Nicole Margiloff count, the school might take the scores The PARCC also takes up multiple days We were able to catch MRHS counselor, into consideration as an assessment of our and weeks (March 9-19 and April 24-May Mrs. Wisdom, in between tasks and she CONTACT INFORMATION education.” 1). How can students be sure this time is said, “As a counselor, for me personally, it The Falconaire However, do the casualties outweigh being managed wisely? The first day of test- doesn’t inhibit my regular duties but we Monmouth Regional High School One Norman J. Field Way the benefits? The better part of Monmouth ing, non-testing students were held in their do have a very busy schedule. I’m doing Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 Regional seems to think so. period 1 class for 3 periods, causing them multiple things at once; while fulfilling my LOCATION As with the oncoming of any test, stu- to unexpectedly miss their period 3 class. responsibilities to the tests, I’m also con- Room 504 Period 4-5 Room 517 After school dents bunkered down and braced them- Mrs. Mitchell also expressed how the ex- tinuing my usual duties as a counselor.” selves for the onslaught that is standardized tensive amount of time affects her teaching With teachers unnecessarily los- EDITOR AND ADVISOR testing. MRHS freshman Daniel schedule. “A lot of my students didn’t take ing valuable class time, students feeling EMAIL CO-EDITORS IN CHIEF Harris found solace in teachers’ efforts to it seriously. It was supposed to be 90 min- overwhelmed and their time wasted, and S.coleman98@aol.com prepare students for the battle. “It wasn’t utes and they were back in 10[…] I teach counselors and faculty being too busy for [email protected] as difficult as I had anticipated and the all honors and academy classes, and some them; is the PARCC really a good edition ADVISOR DCOLLETT@MONMOUTHREGIONAL. practice that teachers implemented really of them are coming back telling me they to Monmouth, or are we taking a leap into NET did help,” he said. skipped sections, didn’t watch the videos, open air, not knowing exactly how far the EDITORIAL POLICY The content of the questions didn’t seem etc… I’m behind many days in teaching,” drop is? The Falconaire will accept to bother some students, but others were she said. written and graphic material for publication in the Falconaire from students, faculty, and administrators provided it is of interest and value. We reserve the right to reject any material that we consider inappropriate. YES NO The Falconaire reserves the right Did you feel that the questions were releveant or something you had previosuly learned? to edit any material received for publication. 14% STATEMENT OF PURPOSE 86% To provide a graphic forum of dialogue and expression. To pro- vide the school and community Did you feel that your regular classes were negatively affected by the PARCC testing? with information concerning the 73% important issues and activities pertaining to students, faculty, 27% and administration. To publish an interesting, readable news- Did you feel the PARCC was emotionally stressful? paper satisfying the needs of the students and the Monmouth 69% Regional community. 31% CORRECTIONS The Falconaire is committed to Did you feel the PARCC was unreasonably difficult? fair and accurate reporting. If you are aware of an error, please 82% inform us be emailing us at 18% [email protected] COMMENTS & QUESTIONS Do you think passing the PARCC should be a graduation requirement? For general comments or ques- 13% tions about the Falconaire, please write to the editors or 87% advisor at the specific email ad- Did you feel that this test was a positive addition to the MRHS community? dresses listed above. Visit Our Website: mrhsfal- 8% conaire.com! 92% April 2015 Features The Falconaire Page 3

The Netflix Addiction Binge Watching Wreaks Havoc By Rachael Febo ’15 Features Editor What are you doing when you get home from school? Taking a power nap? ily.” Researchers at the University of Maryland have discovered a correlation Going out to get food? Or maybe you just want to sit down with your current between binge-watching and loneliness, depression, low self esteem, and an in- Netflix obsession and veg out for an episode? All of a sudden one episode be- ability to control compulsions. comes two then three and suddenly its six hours later and you can’t stop. The addiction is hard to break because the services are readily available on Binge watching television shows is defined as the practice of watching mul- computers, smart phones, and televisions. tiple episodes of a television program in rapid succession, usually by the means Even knowing the risks many aren’t willing to stop. Senior Danny Paulin of digital streaming such as Netflix. The Wall Street Journal reports that 75% who admitted to watching two seasons of Teen Wolf in a single weekend said of users have admitted to binge watching. Senior Killian Clark admits to binge “Even knowing the risks I will never stop watching. I’m so deeply involved in watching and blames her “lack of Friday night plans.” the storyline of my shows it’s impossible for me to stop.” So what’s the problem with binge watching? Senior Max Falvey who ad- Ms. Trimarchi, the substance abuse counselor at Monmouth Regional said mitted to binge watching the HBO series Shameless said “It caused me to fall “If it’s taking over your life and you cannot function without it then it is a prob- behind on my homework and I neglected relationships with friends and fam- lem, but in order to stop, a person has to want to change.” Most Orange Binge- Newis theTan Spray Tans are the New Fad Watched for Teens By Gianna Bellomo ‘15 Staff Writer Netflix What is better than laying outside to get some color on a hot sunny day? Tanning beds and spray tans. When people are desperate for that “Hollywood”tan, seeking help from artificial tanning seems to be the Shows quickest way. MRHS senior Luc Marzano said he has never been sunburned and has a natural olive tone. However not everyone is as lucky as Luc. For some getting the natural glow from the sun seems too risky. The fair skinned sun burn seems inevitable and painful. Tanning oil can not 1.The Walking Dead 47 votes always be trusted. Tan lines are known to ruin photographs. MRHS senior Nela Stachelek says she has had multiple “bad expe- riences” with the sun. The worst was when shew was vacationing in Greece and her sunscreen was not distributed evenly. Nela said, “That 2. Gossip Girl 45 votes was the most painful sunburn I had in my life, especially because it was on my back.” As prom season nears many students are opting to use the spray tan- ning method. This year many senior girls are planning on getting a spray 44 votes tan for prom such as MRHS Seniors Brianna Tweed and Aly Pisarcik . 3. Orange is the New Black Aly believes tanning beds are bad for her health so spray tanning is the much better option. Healthline.com proves Aly correct. They said the risk of cutaneous melanoma is increased by 75 percent when the use of tanning devices starts before age 30.” MayoClinic.com said sunless tanning is a practical alternative if used correctly and carefully. Sweet Sixteens are another event teens use spray tanning. MRHS sophomore Hailee Kissane got a spray tan for her Sweet Sixteen. She said, “It came out much better than I expected. Places like Tiki Tan and Healthy Glow do a great job.” Spray tans have the bad reputation of turning the skin an unhealthy shade of orange. MRHS sophomore Christine Bradshaw said some of her friends got a spray tan and looked great at first. However she says they got “more orange each day.” According to Women’s Health Magazine, the biggest mistake is not letting the spray tan fade off evenly. Not letting the tan fade leaves skin looking patchy and sometimes an unnatural color. If you have the patience, spray tanning can be your safe easy way to get sun kissed skin. The Falconaire Page 4 Pep Rally April 2015

Photos by: Paula Popok and Nicole Margiloff April 2015 Pep Rally The Falconaire Page 5

Photos by: Paula Popok and Nicole Margiloff The Falconaire Page 6 April 2015 April 2015 Reviews Blonde Adele Got the Dough? Meghan Trainor’s Debut Broad Street Dough Co. By Haley Pszeniczny ‘15 chocolate, vanilla, “Oreo”, orange, caramel, and lemon. The Album: #1 on Billboard Reviews Editor assortments of the doughnuts are unique and interesting com- By Nicole Margiloff ‘15 Are you tired of Dunkin Donuts’ doughnuts? If you are, try pared to the boring cardboard, Dunkin Donuts sell. Everyone Webmaster “Broad Street Dough Co.”. It is the best place to fulfill all your should try each doughnut to give their taste buds an enjoyable Associate director of charts at Billboard, Keith doughnut needs. experience. Eating the doughnuts while still warm increases Caulfield, wrote the online Billboard article Location the level of deliciousness from a 10 to a 100! “Meghan Trainor’s ‘Title’ Album Earns Mighty Broad Street Dough Co. is located on Route 35 North in The “Broad Street Dough Co.” is the doughnut gourmet of Debut at No. 1 on Billboard 200.” In the article Oakhurst. The business can be found in the “Town Center” the future! Each individual from Monmouth Regional needs to he said “Title” nets the biggest debut for a female across from Starbucks and McDonalds. They are open Mon- give them a try and express the love for doughnuts like some pop act’s first full-length album in over five day through Friday, 6:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and Saturday and already have, on “Instagram”. Their doughnuts deserve a 5 out years. Sunday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. From Monmouth Regional, it of 5 stars. The album’s first week had impressive sales is only about a 10-20 minute drive and is well worth the gas when it was released in January, “traditionally a cost. From outside the shop seems small and appears boring sleepy month for big new releases” according to however, when inside, it feels warm and inviting. The counter Keith Caulfield. He said Justin Bieber’s acoustic allows the customer to view the doughnut making process and version of “Believe” was the last January released watch their own doughnut form. The staff is especially nice album to open with a larger sum in January of and welcoming to all customers who walk through the door. 2013. They encourage all their guests to take pictures and tag them Born in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Meghan on “Instagram”, “Twitter”, and/or “Facebook”. Trainor’s talents have paid off with “All About Prices that Bass’s” Grammy nominations for Record A single doughnut is $1.59. These doughnuts are so deli- and Song of the Year. cious; you won’t be able to just get one. Dough Co. has the Although she looks like a blonde version of option of grouping 6, 9, or 12 doughnuts together. The price the British artist Adele, Meghan Trainor’s vocal for the doughnut packages ranges from $8.99 to 14.99. They diversity is shown in “Title.” Trainor’s tunes, also offer vegan doughnut options that are additional money, such as “Lips Are Moving” and “Credit,” bring all starting at $2.59 to $23.99. Along with doughnuts, “Dough the sass that her hit single “All About That Bass” Co.” sells drinks to compliment the doughnuts; such as coffee, produced. However a new side of the vivacious hot and cold tea, water, and soda. pop artist is heard when she raps in “Bang Dem Flavors Sticks.” Dough Co. has four stuffed doughnuts, filled with differ- But Trainor’s talent doesn’t stop there. ent creams, and nineteen other special doughnuts with their Meghan has been writing songs since she was own unique twists. Some flavors include peanut butter, maple, seven years old, according to her website. On her Photo by Haley Pszeniczny album “Title,” Miss Trainor wrote “The Best Part (Interlude)” by herself. The remaining ten songs off the album Trainor co-wrote with her pro- ducer Kevin Kadish and a few others. My personal favorite song off Trainor’s album is “Dear Future Husband.” The song describes a marriage, with the stereotypical gender roles but with a modern twist. I would give her debut album a five star review for the outstanding The Rise of Empire diversity and authenticity co-writing the songs. Empire Review By Raejeen Walker ‘17 Contributor Ever since the first day Empire premiered on FOX, I have been absolutely HOOKED to this show and can’t stop watching it. The great music, acting and of course… the drama keeps my eyes on the screen every week. I’m not alone. The Nielsen ratings have increased every week of the first season. The key characters of this stellar show are: Lucious Lyon, Cookie Lyon, Anika Calhoun, Andre Lyon, Jamal Lyon and Hakeem Lyon. Lucious Lyon, played by Terrance Howard, is the head of the music driven potentially publicly traded corporation called Empire. Very sneaky and evil, he also has a loving heart at times. He has been diagnosed with a serious illness, giving the chance that his life could end very soon. Howard’s acting is phenomenal. I couldn’t see anyone else playing the part. His music in the show is very old school R&B and nice. The insight behind Lucious’ name is very deep and Biblical. Before Satan was “Lucifer”, the advocate of music in heaven. Once he was banished to hell, he used music against God, which is why many people believe the music industry is run by the “devil” aka illuminati. Lucious Lyon is Lucifer, working against God because of his hatred for many things, even his own son. The season finale really conveyed that reference well. Next, we have Cookie Lyon, played by Taraji P. Henson, the ex-wife and “baby mother” for Lucius’s three children. She has no deep powerful meaning behind her name but we all love her--she is a very authoritative woman and always gets what she wants. As the show begins, she had just been released from prison after serving 17 years on a drug charge, money that was used to build the Empire. Taraji grabs the role and the hearts of her fans as the character of Cookie. Anika Calhoun is Lucious’s fiancé, who does not get along well with Cookie… leading to a heated cat fight #TeamCookie. Anika cannot be trusted for fear she will backstab Lucious and the whole Empire. Her acting is also great; she makes the fans love to hate her. Their oldest son, Andre Lyon, played by Trai Byers, is very intelligent, the brains of Empire. He is important to the money and business aspects of the Empire. Unfortunately his bipolar disease and schizophrenia gets in the way a lot. Their middle child, Jamal Lyon, played by Jussie Smollett, happens to be my favorite character. He is a gifted singer rising quickly to fame. His homosexuality has shown ever since he was young, which Lucious did not approve of, so their relationship has been very bad basically all of his life. Ever since his accepting mother was released from jail, he has been able to gain the con- fidence to stand up for himself. He plays his role to the T and is an amazing singer with an angelic voice. His version of “You’re So Beautiful” brought viewers to their feet. Smollett was signed to Columbia Records shortly after the show premiered. Lastly, we have Hakeem, played by Bryshere Gray, aka Yazz the Greatest, their youngest child. He is Lucious’s favorite child whom he spoils and holds higher than the others. Hakeem is a rapper in the Empire who is trying to break from under his fa- ther’s wing. He tends to get very disrespectful frequently and is put in his place several times, but he’s cute; so it’s okay. For this to be Bryshere’s first television show is surprising because he has little Hakeem temper tantrums. He plays the tantrums well. He’s not everyone’s favorite choice of rapper but his songs on the show are very catchy like “Drip Drop.” This show has skyrocketed in such a short time, leaving other popular shows like Scandal and The Walking Dead behind in the dust. The poppin season finale was on March 18th so now all we can do is wait for season two. This gives YOU time to catch up or start this amazing show! I even asked some fellow students “How do you feel about Empire”? And these were their respons- es… @jaadaah- “The show is very suspenseful and all the plot twists keep the watchers interested.” @tigga_tj- “Cookie bad. She finna have my kids.” @_coloredeyes- “I enjoy coming home and watching it after a long night of practice.”

Photos by Wikipedia April 2015 Variety The Falconaire Page 7 Let’s Get Weird Monmouth Student’s Respond to Random Questions

By Christian DeFazio ‘15 Junior Marysa Slovenz: “Mike Nardone.” Sports Editor Junior Christian Hoplock: “This girl named Sophia Ioviero. Total babe.” Monmouth Regional students were asked odd, random questions about their every- Sophomore Rachel Boulton: “Austin DeOrio.” day/school life. Sophomore Paul Birzin: “I don’t slide into DMs. I swear, I don’t.” 1. Who’s the hottest(most attractive) teacher you’ve ever had? Freshman Precious Allah: “Helen Yetman.” Senior Lexi Johnson: “Mr. Tyson…if that counts.” Freshman Anthony Guarino: “Marisa Santoro.” Senior Henry Millington: “Mrs. Kroposky, the art teacher.” 4. What was the last thing you searched for on Google? Junior Marysa Slovenz: “No doubt Mr. Daly.” Senior Lexi Johnson: “The hours to my nail salon.” Junior Christian Hoplock: “Definitely Mrs. Falzarano.” Senior Henry Millington: “How many apples can an elephant fit in its mouth?” Sophomore Rachel Boulton: “Ms. McDonough.” Junior Marysa Slovenz: “Broad Street DoCo Hours.” Sophomore Paul Birzin: “Mrs. Falzarano.” Junior Christian Hoplock: “www.xnxx.com” Freshman Precious Allah: “Mrs. Nappi.” Sophomore Rachel Boulton: “Urban Dictionary.” Freshman Anthony Guarino: “Ms. Gerard (8th grade teacher).” Sophomore Paul Birzin: “Clash of Clans Town Hall level 7 defense.” 2. How many Cheerios were in your bowl this morning? Freshman Precious Allah: “I searched bananas.” Senior Lexi Johnson: “Probably like 175.” Freshman Anthony Guarino: “espn.go.com” Senior Henry Millington: “None. I don’t like Cheerios.” 5. If you squared up with Mr. Teeple, how long could you last? Junior Marysa Slovenz: “I eat my cereal out of the box.” Senior Lexi Johnson: “Like, 30 seconds on a good day.” Junior Christian Hoplock: “I don’t eat cereal.” Senior Henry Millington: “I would try for 1 minute and then probably collapse after Sophomore Rachel Boulton: “I prefer fruit loops.” the 60 second mark, if I haven’t collapsed already.” Sophomore Paul Birzin: “I’m more of a lucky charms kind of guy.” Junior Marysa Slovenz: “I think the real question would be how long would Mr. Teeple Freshman Precious Allah: “22.” l a s t .” Freshman Anthony Guarino: “Exactly 120 Cheerios” Junior Christian Hoplock: “Long enough until he actually hits me.” 3. Who’s the last person you directly messaged or directly messaged(DM) you on Sophomore Rachel Boulton: “3 hours! Without a doubt!” Twitter? Sophomore Paul Birzin: “I’d most definitely last 12 rounds!” Senior Lexi Johnson: “Chris French.” Freshman Precious Allah: “I would knock him out in 3 seconds!” Senior Henry Millington: “Jamie Luminoso.” Freshman Anthony Guarino: “He’d probably only last 3 and half minutes.”

Lexi Johnson Henry Millington Marysa Slovenz Christian Hoplock Rachel Boulton Paul Birzin Precious Allah Anthony Guarino Photos by Talon Raising Awareness To Write Love on Her Arms By Paula Popok ‘15 News Editor To Write Love on Her Arms, also known as TWLOHA is a non-profit organization that is devoted to showing hope and providing help for those struggling with problems such as depression, addiction, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts. TWLOHA hosts events across the country where some even have speakers including the founder himself or a 5k run to raise awareness. There are many different opportunities for people to be apart of TWLOHA to raise awareness in their own town. The organization does collect donations which are used to help fund events, campaigns in raising awareness, and making investments in recovery and treatment. How it Began According to twloha.com, Jamie Tworkowski wrote a story in the spring of 2006 about his friend, Renee struggling with what this organization stands for and about the few days before her treatment. The story was actually titled “To Write Love on Her Arms” and went viral. In order to pay for the treatment, T-shirts were made and sold for the public to buy. In Tworkowski’s story, he said, “We won't solve all mysteries and our hearts will certainly break in such a vulnerable life, but it is the best way.” What’s Happening With the Campaign Now Pattie Mallette, famous for being- Justin Bieber’s mom is helping her. Mallette has become an executive producer of “Day One” a movie that stars some known names: Kat Dennings, Chad Michael Murray, and Corbin Bleu. “Day One” is based on a true story from Renee’s life when she was just 19 years old back in 2006. For the past few years, “To Write Love on Her Arms” has become a day to raise awareness for those struggling with these problems and was started by the supporters of this organization and not the actual organization itself. It started on March 30th, 2006 when someone wore a TWLOHA shirt, marking each year on that day as the anniversary. Those who participate typically write “love” on their wrist or arm and may even wear the merchandise too. Most of the por- tions of all proceeds go to various treatments and recoveries they’ve chosen as well as themselves.

Affecting More Than You Think According to twloha.com/storytellers: • “One in five teens have experienced depression.” • “Suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents.” • “14-24% of young adults have self-injured at least once.” What Monmouth Thinks Senior Cassandra Repert said, “I think it’s good because it raises awareness to a serious problem that needs addressing.” Junior Alley Sotillo said, “More people should know about it since it helps so many people… I’ve seen a lot of people helped by TWLOHA.” Junior Jamie Fierros said, “All the factors [it raises awareness for] that are relevant today especially among teenagers who face pressure to fit into “societal norms.”

How to Get Help For those struggling with these problems, TWLOHA encourages those to reach out to try and get help whether it is for them or for someone else they know. Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 The Falconaire Page 8 SPORTS April 2015 Boccer MRHS’Hottest New Gym Activity By Austin DeOrio ‘16 Contributor Boccer is the next big thing. What is it you may ask? It is a mix of two activities, soccer and basketball, that incorporates features from both, al- lowing more people to play and succeed. Unique to MRHS, it first appeared during the first and second marking periods of the 2014-2015 school year when it was played on some days in gym alongside soccer, which was played on the others. MRHS Junior Vanni Roa says Boccer is what students look forward to everyday. He said, “It gives us a chance to experience a joy like no other.” At the beginning of third marking period, Ms. Thornton offered seniors of the period three gym class a choice of which activity they would want to participate in: basketball, weight room, or polar bear. 10-12 seniors suggested Boccer, which has now become a big hit. She said Boccer is a very fun game. “It’s interesting, creative, and dynamic. I think the kids who choose to play the game enjoy it a lot,” she said. MRHS senior Alec Lipanovski said, “Boccer combines the best aspects of basketball and soccer, resulting in a sport that requires maximum in- tensity, intelligence, and passion like no other.” The soccer players who would normally dominate gym soccer are now handicapped by the basketball aspect of boccer. It works the same way for basketball players who used to dominate their game. Boccer focuses more on team work because it’s harder for one specific player to take over and dominate. Scoring in boccer happens in two ways—a player can either score in the basket, worth one point, or kick the ball in the goals, worth two points. There are some handicaps: Players are only allowed two steps while the ball is in their hands, forcing the ball to be passed around more often, which incorporates the whole team into the game. In addition, if the ball is at a players’ feet, the player is allowed to dribble, where the so-called “Italies” (as MRHS senior Christian DeFazio calls them), tend to do best. For many people in the period three gym class, which is the only class to have the activity, boccer is the highlight of their day. MRHS Sophomore Sean O’Brien said, “Without boccer, my day would not be the same!” Athletic Director Tony DeOrio said the goal of PE educators is to increase participation and academics through cooperation among students. “Anytime a student or a teacher comes up with an activity that will increase participation […that] is a good thing. It’s nice to observe a PE class where the students are enthusiastically participating,” he said. Photo Credit: Billy Herman Herman Billy Credit: Photo Photo Credit: Christian DeFazio Christian DeFazio Credit: Photo Free Agent Frenzy NFL Teams Making Moves This Offseason By Mike Componile ‘16 the 2015-2016 season. Contributor MRHS Senior and diehard Ravens fan John Patti said, “It’s hard to be As we all know, the 2014-2015 NFL season has come to an end. As the optimistic with the Ravens’ offseason so far due to the lack of blockbuster athletes start to relax and enjoy their time off, agents and franchises are moves. However, this is par for the course if you’re GM Ozzie Newsome.” working harder than ever. This year’s free agency has been one of the most Avid Eagles fan Mrs. Wolff said, “The Eagles have definitely made the exciting and shocking things in years and has made many fans across the most news this offseason; print and online. As of right now, I’m taking a country ecstatic to see how some of their new weapons will do to benefit ‘wait and see attitude’”. She said that Chip Kelly is trying to shake things up, their new team. which might have to happen for success and that the Philadelphia sports fan MRHS Senior Marc Marcincak said that the first day of free agency is is very, very critical, but she’s “willing to roll the dice” with this team. the most exciting part. “There are so many unexpected things, you never These are just some of the big name players that have made their decision know what could happen. Your team could land a super star running back to join a new team. This is nowhere near the end of what has been a very one minute, and then next minute lose their best linebacker. You just never exciting off season for the NFL. This year there is a very talented draft class know,” he said. coming into the league on top of a talented pool of free agents and should Here are a list of some big names who will be playing with new teams in shape up to be an exciting rest of the offseason. Big Names New Team Ndamukong Suh Miami Dolphins Derelle Revis New York Jets DeMarco Murray Philadelphia Eagles Julius Thomas Jacksonville Jaguars Jordan Cameron Miami Dolphins Shane Vereen New York Giants Photo Credit: Wikipedia Wikipedia Credit: Photo