Nov.-Jan. Volume 7, ISSUE 2

What Happened to the WiFi? Julianna Campo Mr. Slavin announced during eighth period able to contact them in emergencies. Mr. Slavin re- on Nov. 15 that the high school was disabling the sponded that students may use the main office student WiFi network until the majority of students phones if needed, adding that in a “true emergency, had either deleted or disabled their virtual private you really want limited communication coming out network apps. The school re-enabled the WiFi on on of the building.” John-Michael Keyes, author of the Dec. 17 after the IT department installed some canonical “Standard Response Protocol” guide for “constraints and security measures” to track stu- lockdown procedure, confirms this approach. dents’ internet activity even when VPNs are enabled. Additionally, Mr. Slavin acknowledged that “VPNs caused the network to get very slow, so turning off the WiFi “significantly affected” the qual- teachers, staff, and students could not log into their ity of education since teachers couldn’t incorporate educational resources,” Mrs. Weir, Director of Tech- websites such as Word Reference and Kahoot into nology at MPHS, told the KROB. Through a program their lessons. To minimize the impact, he said all that monitors internet traffic, Mr. Slavin said the computer labs were reserved every single period. school concluded that VPNs overwhelmed the sys- Still, Mr. Slavin said that disabling the WiFi tem by “constantly firing back into the net- substantially reduced VPN usage. He explained that work.” After attempting several alternative remedies before the WiFi was disabled, too many students that didn’t fully resolve the issue, Mrs. Weir said the were using VPNs to deal with the issue individually. school decided to turn off the WiFi network. But now, the administration can identify the specific VPNs are also used to bypass internet blocks. students by tracking their usernames and ask them However, Mr. Slavin told the KROB that this viola- to disable or delete the apps. Then, the school tem- tion of the Computer Network Agreement did not porarily suspends the student’s network, considering factor into the school’s decision to disable the WiFi. whether the student is a repeat offender when deter- Additionally, Mrs. Weir indicated that the school has mining the specific penalty. A student who contin- instituted new security measures that prevent VPNs ued to use a VPN after the WiFi was disabled con- from bypassing the block. firmed this policy. So how did the community respond to the ad- Mr. Slavin said that the WiFi will remain ena- ministration’s decision to disable the WiFi? Several bled so long as the majority of students refrain from parents expressed concern that, with limited cell using VPNs. Mr. Slavin and Mrs. Weir also praised phone service in the building, children would not be the students for collaborating Continued on next page

Father of Heroes Successful Startups at MPHS How to Prepare for a School Shooting Pg 3 & 4 Pg 12 Pg 13 Do We Need Light? Oliver Pitts

Though rejected, many Californians voted be able to increase the public health and increase on Proposition 7 in the recent midterm elections. the public safety and allow kids to play outdoor Introduced by Kansen sports and improve their well-beings a little bit,” Chu in 2016, the proposi- said Chu. Adults could also benefit from longer tion allowed California to evenings. A 2009 study by Michigan State Univer- decide whether or not to sity concluded that gaining an hour of sleep could repeal the Daylight Sav- reduce heart attacks and workplace injuries. ing Time Act of 1949, However, many argue that the extra hour of which set the national darkness on winter mornings has negative conse- time forward by an hour quences. Serverin Borenstein, a professor at Uni- every spring and back- versity of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of wards an hour every au- Business, told reporters that an extra hour of dark- tumn. The purpose of ness every morning in the winter could increase this clock-changing was accidents as a result of the drowsy dim lighting. to maximize the amount of daylight. Moving an Borenstein also contends that children are more hour of daylight from the morning to the end of the likely to be killed walking to school in the dark. day in the summer would encourage people to go Ultimately, Californians voted to retain Day- out more during longer evenings. light Saving Time. So Daylight Savings Time, at Chu argued that daylight savings would rep- least in California, will most likely remain for the licate benefits enjoyed during the summer, such as following decades. longer evenings, in the winter. “We are hoping to

What Happened to the WiFi? - Continued from previous page with the administration to resolve the issue. They shady software, not sharing too much private infor- said that disabling the WiFi network raised mation on social media, and so on.” Mrs. Weir, “awareness” about the purpose of VPNs. Mrs. Weir however, is confident that the school’s firewall and said that “kids are probably using them at home, various other “layers of security” are sufficient. thinking they’re secure,” not Others worry that the ban on realizing that they were unnec- VPNs teaches students poor essary in schools. security practices. Mr. Slavin But many question replied that part of responsi- whether the school should dis- ble internet usage involves courage VPN usage. Some fear “understanding what your that forbidding VPNs might in- purpose is and applying crease the risk of hacking and that.” He said this means leave student data unprotected. that in school, students Explaining why he believes the should not use VPNs. He apps are important, VPN expert John Mason said added that to ensure students understand the pur- that the they “are incredibly useful as another layer pose of these apps, the school may add a unit on of security on top of SSL protocols on websites, VPN usage to the Computer Literacy curriculum. having a good antivirus program, not downloading The Father of Heroes Passes Olivia Shamberger On Nov. 12, 2018, Marvel Comics legend ist Steve Ditko would join the two in 1963 to intro- Stan Lee passed away at 95 years of age. Lee report- duce the Spectacular Spider Man. edly died of car- Together, Lee, Kirby and Ditko formed a his- diac arrest after toric triumvirate. The three developed what would experiencing become known as the “Marvel Method,” a collabo- respiratory and rative approach between writers and artists that congestive heart would become a staple piece of the ‘60s comics in- failure. The dustry. comics icon was Though Lee is best known for his breadth of responsible for characters, his presence is felt not only in the pages the birth of many of Marvel’s most iconic charac- of his books but in the history of comics as a whole. ters, including the Incredible Hulk, the X-Men, Through his opposition to the stringent Comics Black Panther and the Avengers. Lee touched Code Authority that plagued the industry during the countless lives — actors, comedians, artists and eve- ‘70s, Lee profoundly influenced the emergence of a ryday fans have expressed their condolences online. more liberalized comics code. Though many grieve his loss, we must not only Perhaps even more important than his im- mourn but celebrate the life of Stan “the Man” Lee. pact on the industry was his impact on his readers. Stanley Martin Lieber was born in an apart- As Marvel’s business rose to new heights and Lee’s ment at the corner of West 98th Street and West visibility grew, readers would begin to peer beyond End Avenue in Manhattan to Romani, Jewish im- Stan the writer, Stan the artist and Stan the editor migrant parents in December 1922. to see Stan “the Man.” Hired as an assistant in 1939 by Timely Com- From the fledgling years of Marvel Comics ics — Marvel’s predecessor — Lee began work in the until 2001, each monthly issue of books included a comic industry at age 16. In a matter of decades, news and information page entitled “Bullpen Bulle- Lee would cease fetching lunch and erasing stray tins,” the most popular of which would come to be pencil marks to eventually claim the role of Marvel’s known as “Stan’s Soapbox.” Initially, each page cov- publisher and editing director in 1972. ered previews to upcoming issues and related news, However, before he became publisher, he serving as a vehicle to answer fans’ burning ques- first ascended to editor in 1942 and soon began tions. writing comic book scripts. An aspirant man, Lee However, Lee’s editorial column soon be- accepted assignments even as he served the military came the in the Signal Corps during the Second World War. centerpiece Though he was initially trained to install telephone of it all. lines, Lee became one of nine men in the Army giv- Through en the title of “playwright,” writing scripts for man- these uals and training films. “fireside Though his company — then known as Atlas chats” of Comics — struggled during the ‘40s and ‘50s, Lee sorts, Lee and co-worker Jack Kirby would soon introduce a truly con- team of heroes that would alter the commercial nected to his audience, placing fans on a first name landscape: The Fantastic Four. Further setting the basis. His earnest, Continued on page 4 stage for Marvel’s continued prosperity, comics art- conversational tone The Father of Heroes Passes - Continued from previous page engendered a sense of familiarity; to readers, he ter understand our own. presented himself to readers not as the editor, but Outside of social advocacy Lee was no simply as Stan. stranger to philanthropy, having launched the Stan Though such direct communication was it- Lee Foundation to support children’s literacy in self novel, Lee took it one step further. 2010. The non-profit strives to provide Comics have long been a means of social easy access to education and the arts commentary, and Lee readily seized his while promoting diversity, culture and platform both to teach and inspire. Stan’s national literacy. Soapbox confronted racism during the In addition to his public legacy and height of the civil rights movement, call- droves of adoring fans, Lee is succeeded ing bigotry “one of the many stains upon by his oldest daughter. In accordance the human escutcheon which must be with his wishes, Lee’s family held a small, eradicated before we can truthfully call private ceremony on Nov. 16. To help ourselves civilized.” fans grieve, his company POW! Enter- Lee elevated his content beyond tainment has promised a public memori- “booms” and “pows.” He encouraged fans al in the weeks to come. Meanwhile, to peer beyond the escapism, to engage with his sto- masses of fans have found their own means of fel- ries by examining societal blights, to acknowledge lowship, descending en masse at Tempe City Hall the cracked edges in a hero’s world and seek to bet- on Nov. 6 for a mile long costumed memorial walk.

Charlotte Gann About Paper, I Think Not “Would I rather be feared or loved? Easy. Halpert), Ed Helms (Andy Bernard) and Ellie Kem- Both. I want people to be afraid of how much they per (Erin Hannon). Carell’s wife and two kids were love me,” said Michael also in the crowd and joked as they were walking Scott, the regional out, “Do the reboot Steve, we don’t need to hang manager of the fic- around with you anymore!” tional paper sales Carell said that while playing Michael was a company featured on fun experience, he feels that people wouldn’t under- the NBC sitcom “The stand a reboot the way they understood the show 10 Office.” years ago when the show aired. Even when the show moved to Come- Now if you’re a big fan, like yours truly, you dy Central, people of pretty much all ages continued might either want the reboot or agree with Carell’s to gather with friends or family to watch this show words. As much as I agree with his words, I still about a simple paper company in Scranton, PA, want to see a reboot in the near future even though where all kinds of crazy shenanigans go on — from most of the original cast members likely would not bats in the ceiling to employees’ falling into a koi return. After all, some, such as Carell and John pond, this show will keep you hooked. Recently, Krasinkski, might be able to. there has been a talk about if there is going to be a Putting aside the drama of secret lovers, bro- reboot for fans all across the world. On Nov. 17, ken engagements and relationship problems, “The 2018, Steve Carell, who had played Michael Scott, Office” is actually a show that leads you to fall in hosted Saturday Night Live. During his introduc- love with each of the characters. With Michael tion some of the cast members from the American Scott’s spunky humor, Jim and Dwight’s daring Dunder Mifflin crew, stood up before the crowd and pranks and Andy Bernard’s slightly off-key singing, demanded that Carell arrange the reboot. you’ll certainly find yourself relating to at least one These few were, Jenna Fischer (Pam Beasly- worker at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. Madison Zicchinelli Freddie Mercury was a British singer, Despite an impressive blend of magnifi- songwriter and record producer famous for his cent vocal harmonies and flawless guitar work, flamboyant Queen initially failed to attract much attention style, power- outside the United Kingdom. That all changed ful vocals and when Queen’s 1974 album “Sheer Heart Attack” eye-catching topped the international charts. And their 1975 costumes. As album “A Night at the Opera” proved to be an the lead vo- even better hit. Then, their song Bohemian calist in the Rhapsody, a mock-operatic single, spent nine rock band weeks at the top of the British singles chart. Queen, Mer- Astounding success followed in 1977 with cury became “We Are the Champions” and “We Will Rock known as one You.” These songs became universal anthems at of the greatest sporting events worldwide. By the early 1980s, singers in the Queen had become a worldwide phenomenon. In history of 1985, the band used this new platform to hold a popular mu- charity concert known as Live AID. That same sic. year, Mercury released his solo record “Mr. Bad Freddie Mercury commands the audience with his signature Born Guy.” Mercury later appeared on Dave Clark’s microphone stance. Farrokh Bal- science-fiction musical time soundtrack in 1986 sara on Sept. and joined with Spanish soprano Montserrat Ca- 5, 1946 in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Mercury won balle in 1988 for “Barcelona,” a semi-operatic the school trophy for junior all-rounder at 12 album. years of age. His artistic skills as a child were like In 1991, Mercury announced that he had no other, and he had a strong passion for music. been diagnosed Mercury was always sketching things for friends with AIDS and or relatives and playing records on the family’s died later that year old record player. Mercury soon learned how to on Nov. 24, in play piano, became a member of the school choir Kensington, Lon- and took part in school theatrical productions. don. A tribute con- After high school, Mercury studied graph- cert entitled “Made ic art and design at Ealing Technical College and in Heaven” was School of Arts, graduating in 1969. Influenced by held in his blue-based style of rock, Mercury started per- memory on April forming with bands in London, where he met 20, 1992 at the and befriended guitarist Brian May and drum- Wembley Stadium, mer Roger Taylor, members of the band Smile. featuring many fa- In 1970, when the lead singer of Smile quit, May mous rock stars. Mercury performs in the 1970s, and Taylors turned to Mercury to replace him. Mercury was also the early days of Queen. After changing the band’s name to Queen, they featured on the also found bassist John Deacon, who joined a band’s final album, “Made in Heaven,” in 1995. year later. America’s Legendary Sponge Creator Charlotte Gann Farewell to the Animator Do you remember who lives in a pineap- than what we know of). Impressed by the comic, ple under the sea? Most of our childhoods were Joe Murray asked Hillenburg to direct his car- filled with the sounds of the famous yellow toon “Rocko’s Modern Life.” Then, Hillenburg sponge’s laughter. became the writer for the show “Rugrats.” How- Unfortunately, the ever, he wanted to work and try to make his own creator of this cartoon, and, soon enough, he got his own show. iconic show passed “SpongeBob SquarePants” premiered May away. On Nov. 26, 1999 and quickly took off with ratings soaring 2018, Stephen Hil- through the charts. By 2003, SpongeBob was the lenburg died of highest rated children’s show. With 60 million ALS, a progressive viewers, SpongeBob was soon all over — on toys, neurodegenerative T-shirts and books. But, by 2004, Hillenburg Stephen Hillenburg created disease. thought that his show wasn’t going to be running Bob the Sponge as a comic to Born Aug. for long, so he wrote and directed the first teach biology students. 21, 1961, and lived SpongeBob movie, which premiered in 2005. with his father, a “SpongeBob SquarePants the Mov- US army solider, and his mother, who was a ie” grossed more than $140 million. The second teacher. Throughout his childhood, Hillenburg SpongeBob movie, “A Sponge out of Water” was interested in both art and marine life. After grossed more than graduating high school, he went into Humboldt $323.4 million State University, where he majored in marine worldwide. Heal biology and minored in art. The Bay, an organi- Around this time, there wasn’t a high de- zation dedicated to mand for new animated shows or picture books, protecting our so Hillenburg could only find work in marine bi- oceans, recognized ology. For a while, Hillenburg was a biology Hillenburg for rais- teacher. He still loved art and made a comic to ing awareness of help teach his lessons. This comic, along with the marine life through characters, would soon be known by everybody his cartoons. We around the world. will all miss Hillen- “The Intertidal Zone” was a comic featur- burg, who filled our childhoods with Sponge- ing anthropomorphic sea creatures, including Bob’s squeaking laugher. Bob the Sponge (with a very different design Fans’ Reactions to Hillenburg’s Death “Thank you for making our childhoods amazing.” “You transformed your love for marine life into one of the most beloved characters!” “He wasn’t just the creator of SpongeBob. He was also a marine biologist and teacher.” If you were to ask me for well-written psy- behind and the ending, which does not wrap up chological thriller that appeals to both adults and as nicely as we all would hope. The podcast fills teens, this would be it! The book is in missing material details, and titled “Sadie” by Courtney Sum- Sadie’s voice gives us the back- mers. It opens with a transcript ground to follow along in the from a podcast entitled “The Girls” podcast. that is developed to investigate the These two perspectives murder of 13-year old Mattie highlight different themes. Southern from Cold Creek, Colora- Sadie’s is one of revenge and do and the later disappearance of the struggles that girls face just her 19-year old sister, Sadie. being female. For West While the first voice we hear McCray, he is forced to look at is West McCray, the host of the the lives of people who are very (fictional) podcast, the Sadie offers different from what he has ex- an alternative viewpoint. We get perienced most of his life. to hear her very strong voice tell us The publisher has capi- her side of the story in graphic, talized on the trendiness of poignant and heart-wrenching de- podcasts and created his own — tail. Her story is that of a young “The Girls” — to accompany girl who has suffered horrible this book. You can listen to it abuse at the hands of the men in on their website: https:// her mother’s life. While fictitious, Sadie’s story us.macmillan.com/podcasts/podcast/the-girls- is, unfortunately, very real for many young girls. find-sadie/. These two viewpoints carry us through the mys- Come down to the library and check out tery of Sadie’s disappearance, the clues she left Sadie to see how her story ends.

About the Author

Best known for her novels “Cracked Up to Be” and “All the Rage,” Courtney Summers dropped out of high school at age 14, writing her first novel only four years later. Well-known for her social media presence, Summers enjoys engaging with read- ers and responding to their questions. Outside of her audience, Summers told Publishers Weekly book reviewer Sarah Grochowski that her writing is influenced by author Robert Cormier’s work. Where to Go with a Camera?

Andrew Friedman Panama City During the Winter Panama is a land like no other, a land go vessels. Lake Gaton was not a natural body of where dense rainforests lay alongside rich blue water but an artificial waterway connecting the water, and the sun rises from the Pacific and sets Pacific and Atlantic Oceans constructed so that over the Atlantic . Over the the Panama Canal could be built. Although it was winter break, my family difficult for us to comprehend that we were pas- and I flew to the country of sengers in the legendary Panama Canal, it didn’t Panama, which certainly mind me. blew my expectations of it Reaching the shore again, we took a cab to being run down. Once we Panama City, which is appropriately nicknamed landed at Tecomen Air- “Little Manhattan.” It was hard to believe that a port, an ultramodern facili- tropical place like this would host unique, award- ty where the corridors winning skyscrapers that literally touch the sky. overflowed with luxury The F&F Tower rivals the Empire State Building, shops, high-end restau- and every one of its 52 stories features lavish rants and dozens of gift stores, finding an Uber green windows that spiral to the top. The Capitol to take us to Gamboa National Park was no prob- Building, illuminated by thousands of LED lem. Exiting the vehicle, I was greeted by slow- lights, is programmed to display changing geo- moving sloths and colorful birds by the dozen. metric patterns. The Hard Rock Hotel, where we After walking jungle trails for about an stayed, was practically a museum, with each of hour, we took a river cruise on Lake Gaton. This its showcasing music exhibits. My favorite cruise bore a striking resemblance to the Jungle floor was the pool and spa, with a great view of Cruise at Disney, but this time the animals were the city and a fantastic collection of Beatles real. Blue butterflies fluttered about, birds gilded memorabilia. overhead, and crocodiles waited patiently with The next day, we took a car ride to the their mouths wide open for some unsuspecting north side of the country, traveling through one prey to happily cross its chamber. As our boat of Panama’s dense jungles and having to endure steered to the edge of a riverbank, a Capuchin its nauseating, monkey leaped onto our boat from a tree after a windy roads. Af- few monkey calls from our captain. Although ter a 40-mile they are small, Capuchins are temperamental, so journey filled with we were instructed not to smile at them or else motion sickness, risk their wrath. we were dropped That creature eventually left the scene, off at the ferry and as the river pilot fired up the boat's engine, a terminal and im- sound resembling a lion's roar pierced the air. mediately board- We were shocked when it was pointed out to us ed a canoe — that the scary noise had emanated from a group that's right, a ca- Andrew Friedman scuba dives of Red Howler monkey perched high in a tree. noe — with a boat next to sunken ship off San Blass The sounds from these monkeys are so terrifying engine strapped Islands. that Steven Spielberg used their howl for his Ju- on its back and rassic Park T-rex. We also passed ginormous car- headed for the San Blas Continued on page 10 Are YOU AN ADDICT? Cell Phones the nicotine of today Julianna Campo Our society has become increasingly depend- during the fourth and sixth period lunches, as well ent on technology. Parents have begun giving their as through a poll on Instagram. One hundred and children phones at a younger age, starting as early four people of all ages were asked to go to their set- as around age 7. tings and use the “Screen Time” feature to check Though parents do how many hours they spend on their phone per day. so to communicate The results are as follows. with their children when apart, the sit- uation has escalated to underage social media accounts, predatory behavior and simply an obscene amount of time spent looking at a screen. So, how much time do we spend on our phones? To find out, the KROB conducted a survey

Dear Jessica, I want you to know that you’re not alone. Society has made many, many girls feel inadequate — as if they need to resemble the unrealistic image of the “perfect girl” represented on magazine covers and Instagram pictures. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t dismiss your Dear Lucy, feelings because you’re a teenager. Nobody should feel that they’re My whole life, I’ve not good enough, regardless of their age. had low self-esteem. I’ve Now, I’m not going to tell you to “Look in the mirror and find 3 never felt confident and have things you like about yourself!” as if such a cliché strategy could pos- always compare myself to sibly eliminate every insecurity you may have. Nonetheless, I know other girls that I see. I realize there’s beauty in you that you don’t even see. Our perception of our- that it’s normal for me to feel selves is completely different than how others see us at a glance. this way — after all, I am a You don’t need to change. You don’t need to starve yourself or teenager. But, lately, I find break out the weight loss apps. But if you do want to lose weight, myself obsessively checking there are healthy ways to do so, like cutting a specific food from your how I look in the mirror, diet or exercising a few extra minutes every day. Just make sure and, at night, I often consid- you’re doing it for yourself, not society. er skipping dinner entirely. I Curves are beautiful. Stretch marks are beautiful. You are don’t know what to do any- beautiful. Don’t forget that. Self-assurance will more. Nobody will listen. develop over time, I promise. Be patient. If you feel you need to talk further, please From, don’t hesitate to visit The Teen Line Website. Jessica Lucy  Where to Go with a Camera? - Continued from page 8

Islands. Known as the Fiji Islands of the States autonomy over the Canal Zone in perpetui- Caribbean, we swam with an overwhelming as- ty, and graciously gave control of the Canal to the sortment of tropical fishes, got to explore a sunken government of Panama. We spent several hours ship, and even stood up in the middle of the ocean watching ships of all nations entering the locks, atop a natural pool. After a long day of island hop- and then we grabbed a cab and spent the rest of ping, we settled down at a beach, sipped coconuts the day at the Wounaan Indian Village. and enjoyed the opportunity to watch the sun set As we were walking down a nature trail, our over the Atlantic. guide told us to look at the highway of ants hailing The following day found us at one of the leaves back to their colony. He also explained the world's modern engineering marvels: the Miraflo- special purposes of various trees and plants, such res Lock System. We stood in awe on the observa- as the “tourista” tree. Known for its shedding bark tion deck watching (like skin that peels ocean liners and cargo when you have a sun- vessels rise 85 feet in burn), it is used cere- locks that resembled monially in the village steel bathtubs. I won- of Wounaan as part of dered how the Army a rite of passage when Corp of Engineers had children become ado- been able to build an lescents. The bark is artificial water route boiled in water, and through this impassa- then the participant ble landscape of bathes in it three times mountains and jungles a day for an entire nearly a century ago. week, which causes Historically, the French, Andrew Friedman entertains Wounaan children with permanent loss of all Snapchat filters. under the direction of body hair. Upon return- Ferdinand de Lesseps (the architect behind the ing to the village, we watched the indigenous chil- Suez Canal), attempted to construct a canal that dren perform tribal dances and learned how they could span the isthmus of Panama but failed, leav- go to work and school, grow their food, build their ing 20,000 men dead in the process. Unlike the palm-roofed houses and weave their intricate bas- French, who mistakenly thought they could dig kets and vases. Happily, I entertained young out the fifty miles of ground that separated the Pa- Wounaan children with my Snapchat filters — cific from the Atlantic, George Washington Goe- everyone was laughing as we were transformed thals of the United States came up with a master into dogs, cats, distorted creatures and aliens. plan that included damming up all the rivers and That night, we went to Casco Viejo, the historic streams to create the largest artificial lake at the district of Panama City, and spent the night walk- time — Lake Gaton. For their final task, engineer- ing its cobblestoned streets, streets lined with ing crews dredged out several miles of ground. In magnificent churches, museums, hotels and res- 1914, ocean-going vessels were finally able to re- taurants. After deciding where to eat, we finally duce their voyages by thousands of miles. Always chose Diablicos, an authentic Panamanian restau- looking for the faster trade route, this translated rant where the food, traditional dancers and musi- to higher profits for corporations and greatly di- cians made it a night to remember. minished costs to consumers. As a by- product, Panama is certainly a wonderful place to less gas was emitted, and the world's environment vacation, and if you go, remember to dream, in- was the unknowing beneficiary of reduced carbon spire and achieve. And don't forget to pack your emissions. I also learned that President Jimmy camera. Carter voided the treaty that gave the United Business Battle On Friday, Jan. 18, 2019 Miller Place Future Business Leaders of America members participated in the District 1S FBLA Competitions at Hofstra University in Hempstead. At this event, FBLA chapter schools from across Long Island competed in various business events, both written and perfor- mance. Students were assessed on their content knowledge, poise and execution in the time frame permitted. The Miller Place chapter would like to applaud all students who partici- pated and congratulate the following winners:

Performance Events Lori beth Sussman Job interview 2nd Place Joseph bisiani Public speaking 4th place

Written Events nicholas follo Accounting I 1st place Justyn baldeo business communications 1st place Sarah cuccinello Word processing 1st place Cadence masiano Word processing 1st place Alexis franzoni Advertising 2nd place Jodie cui intro. To business 2nd place Lori beth sussman business calculations 3rd place Jodie cui business calculations 3rd place Collin brennan Sports marketing 3rd place Irene sun Accounting I 4th place

Julianna Campo Jack Schiefer’s pas- free time, he enjoys listening to musicians, such as sion for music began at the age of 9, when he be- Hank Mobley and Dizzy Gillespie, and teaches the gan playing the alto alto sax to younger students. sax for the school band Schiefer has gone to NYSSMA every year since in fourth grade. At the he picked up his first sax. He has been nominated time, his teachers and for SCMEA multiple times — not just for band but peers were completely jazz band as well. This year, he scored perfect 100s unaware of his innate on both his jazz and symphonic all-state auditions musicality, which and was selected to attend both festivals, though would soon be re- he attended only the former. Schiefer also partici- vealed and take them pated in the 2018 Mid Island Band Festival. off guard. Later in life, Schiefer hopes to go His sincere love for music does not end at to a college with a good music program the school doors. He has taught himself three more — preferably NYU, his dream school — instruments: the piano, flute and clarinet. In his and pursue a career in performing jazz. Successful Startups at MPHS Amplify Audio and Snap Shack Joe Bisiani

On Jan. 10, 2019, our high school’s Virtu- Martien Schoonen (CEO), William Russell (Vice al Enterprise classes, Amplify Audio and Snap President of Human Resources), Daniel Rothaar Shack, went to LIU Post for (Chief Information Officer), their very first Long Island Tyler Gonzalez (CFO) and Regional VE Conference & Mathew Noto (Chief Admin- Exhibition. Virtual Enter- istrative Officer). prise is a business course in As a first-year company, the which students interact in a classes did not expect to re- virtual business world, ceive any awards. Amplify learning the fundamental Audio ended up winning skills needed to run and three accolades — Gold for manage a business. Sales Materials, Gold for At the confer- Company Newsletter and Sil- ence, over 90 firms compet- ver for E-Commerce Web- ed in a virtual trade show. site. Snap Shack brought ex- Each school’s company en- citement to the sales floor gaged in business with one with their interactive booth, another and learned how to receiving Gold in Booth De- make an actual sale. One of Executive Staff of sign and earning Company the goals was to complete Amplify Audio National Branding Honora- multiple sales transactions, ble Mention. In addition, making sales pitches and completing the neces- Snap Shack was recognized with a Silver in Sales sary paperwork. Materials. Prepared and focused, the teams gave Both compa- nies made amazing speeches for the Business Plan Compe- tons of sales, and it taught the tition, in which they presented their business students valuable lessons plan to the judges. Fourth period’s company, about how to run a business. “It “Amplify Audio,” spoke about their business plan was a great experi- ence that with a strong team of taught all of executives: Jack Follo the employees how to (Chief Financial Of- network with other ficer), Tyler Cohen people, make trade (Vice President-CEO), deals and understand Andrew Friedman how important prepa- (CEO), Julianne Cera- ration is,” Friedman, to (Director of Human Amplify Audio CEO, Resources) and Justyn explained. These are Baldeo (Marketing important values that Manager). Similarly, Executive Staff and Employees of Snap Shack all people, whether in eighth period’s com- the field of business or pany, “Snap Shack,” represented their company not, need to understand in the real world. strongly with the leadership of their executives:

How to Prepare For a School Shooting

Nicole Cordes Stony Brook University Active Shooter Program In the wake of shootings at Virginia Tech, through a series of interactive lectures and dis- Northern Illinois, Upmqua Community College cussions. This program teaches how to recog- and other nize violence indicators and how to respond to a schools, many shooter threat. Some may believe that they students fear would never end up in such an alarming situa- they wouldn’t tion, but a shooting could occur anywhere, at an- know what to ytime, to anyone. Although these situations are do if a shooting unpredictable, Stony Brook’s program helps stu- occurred at dents understand the mindset and behaviors their necessary in such a situation. Stony Brook’s active shooter program simulates school shootings school. Schools Stony Brook offers the class on to prepare students. are supposed to specific dates and allows students to set up a pri- be places of vate class with their friends or dorm. In addition safety and growth, but the increasing number of to running the program, the University Police shootings has had a negative impact on these Department has set up a website to advise stu- learning communities. To help protect students dents on how to react to a shooter threat. They in case of an active shooter, most schools partici- also post videos and information on this website pate in lock down drills. Some universities, such to ensure that every student has the necessary as Stony Brook University, have gone a step fur- resources to stay as safe as possible, resources ther, launching programs that help students un- such as tips about where to go. By developing an derstand how they should respond in the case of active shooter program, the university hopes to an active shooter. increase knowledge, better prepare the campus The introduction of programs, such community, and prevent a panic. In doing so, as the one at Stony Brook, are necessary in to- Stony Brook is constructing a safer campus, day’s world. As the number of school shootings where students can prepare for the unexpected. increases, we are no longer shocked by them and Stony Brook University’s actions no longer flinch when we hear about toward creating a safer atmosphere on campus them. School shootings are growing far more will hopefully inspire other universities to do the common, and we need to take steps to prevent same. Stony Brook’s active shooter program has these tragic events. More schools and universi- already influenced the lives of many students, ties need to take action and make sure their stu- and continues to do so. By advancing students’ dents are prepared for the worst. conscious- The active shooter program has already ness about affected many students’ lives at Stony Brook school shoot- University. If the program continues to spread ings, we can to other universities, the public may see a de- look toward crease in school shootings and safer, more edu- a brighter cated students. Stony Brook’s program gives future the hope for a brighter future ahead as public aware- number of ness of school shootings increases. school shoot- Stony Brook’s active shooter pro- ings will no longer increase, but decrease. gram attempts to protect and educate students NAMBLA: The Den of Pedophilia Apologists and Child Predators

James McCarthy An alarming number of advocates and In an interview with Sean Hannity, a for- groups have attempted to exploit the gay rights mer FBI agent named Bob Hamer recalled when movement to promote the legalization of child mo- he went undercover into the group to investigate lestation. For example, members of the “antifa,” the group’s meetings for potential criminal activi- an anarchist, extremist group classified as a terror ty, the agent discovered members discussing not organi- political strategies and advocacy but how best to zation groom young children in secret. by the Nowadays, some advocates call pedophiles Depart- “pedosexuals,” trying to conflate them with the ment of LGBT community. However, since the 1980s, gay Home- rights groups have actively attempted to block this land organization and other pro-pedophilia groups Securi- from participation in gay pride parades. They con- ty, held tinued to do so even after gay rights advocate Har- a ban- ry Hay and the Gay Liberation Front, a prominent ner in LGBT rights group, had openly supported them. In October 2017 that said “No Pedo Bashing” with fact, after a 1986 gay pride parade blocked the or- their logo next to the North America Man/Boy ganization from participating, Hay wore a sign at Love Association, a pedophile advocacy group that the event saying “NAMBLA walks with me.” Sim- has been calling for age of consent laws to be ultaneously, the Gay Liberation Front and mem- scrapped since being founded in 1978. bers of the North American Man/Boy Love Associ- The association is the front-runner of pedo- ation formed a march called “The Spirit of Stone- philia apologists, having repeatedly campaigned wall” in direct competition to an international for statutory rape to be legalized and for child march held by New York LGBT rights group predators whose crimes supposedly didn’t involve Stonewall 25, from which the pedophilia advocacy coercion to be pardoned. group was banned. Facing scrutiny from law enforcement, the Pedophile advocates also refer to their crit- group stopped holding national meetings and dis- ics as “pedophobes,” further attempting to equate couraged the formation of regional chapters in or- acting on pedophilia with acting on homosexual der to evade infiltration by local police. In 1997, attraction. the association was listed as the largest group in Nevertheless, the International Pro-pedophilia Organization. the vast major- The advocacy group is still active today, ity of the LGBT though they now have only a handful of members community re- compared to 1995 when they had up to 1,100 peo- vile the North ple. In 2005, the organization was revealed to American have been based in San Francisco and New York Man/Boy Love City. Association Many who advocate for individuals with pe- and organiza- dophilia argue that having a sexual attraction to tions like them. To illustrate, in 1994, the LGBT children is okay unless acted upon, in which case it media group Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defa- is then illegal. Pedophilia is listed as a psychologi- mation, stated, “the GLAAD deplores the North cal disorder by the American Psychological Associ- American Man Boy Love Association's (NAMBLA) ation. The association’s website describes its caus- goals, which include advocacy for sex between es, symptoms and treatments such as anti- adult men and boys and the removal of legal pro- androgens, which are used to manage compulsive tections for children. These goals constitute a form sexual disorders. of child abuse and are repugnant to GLAAD.” U.S. Springs Into Action Nicole Cordes Back in October 2018, the U.S. gymnas- competition. She won first place on , floor tics team competed in the and all around, making this her fourth all- World Championships in around title at the world championships. Biles Doha, Qatar. The competi- also earned second place on the — tion was a week long, from ironically her least favorite event — and third Oct. 25 to Nov. 3, and was place on the . held at the Aspire Academy Biles gave an amazing performance in Do- Dome. The team of 5 wom- ha, so amazing it’s hard to believe she was in the en — , Morgan hospital the night before the competition for a Hurd, , Grace kidney stone. Even with a kidney stone, Biles McCallum and Riley showcased a new vault, one that’s never been McCusker — did an out- performed by anyone in competition. The move standing job in the competi- is the second skill to be called the “Biles” (the tion. They came back to the first was on the floor). United States with gold medals hung proudly , the reigning World Cham- around their necks. pion, received third place all around, sixth on the The United States beat Russia by 8 points, uneven bars and second on floor. Kara Eaker, a which is a lot when every tenth counts. In the newbie to the Women’s Artistic Competition, they compete on World Champi- the vault, the uneven bars, the balance beam, onships, received and the floor. Then, the top three scores from sixth on the bal- each event are tallied up for each team. The final ance beam. As scores were as follows: the U.S. scored 171.629, two rising stars Russia scored 162.863 and scored in the sport of 162.396. The United States placed first, with gymnastics, Russia and China taking second and third re- Grace McCallum and Riley McCusker also com- spectively. peted at their first World Championships. They As the reigning Olympic All Around did not win individual medals but were still hap- Champion and 3-time consecutive World Cham- py to contribute to the team score and enjoyed pionship winner, Simone Biles dominated the their time in Doha. Actions Speak Louder Than Words The 17th Annual Eastern third consecutive season. Klein States Classic in Loch Sheldrake, went in determined and on a New York was the place where mission to obtain his 100th win. more than 170 teams, close to Nonetheless, obtaining it during 1000 elite wrestlers from more his first match was going to be a than a dozen states gathered. real grind because his draw was This tournament is the elite in- #4-seeded Ethan Ferro from Sec- season competitive event on the tion 5. After being down 4-1 at East Coast. As an elite wrestler, the end of the first period, Klein Kyle Klein was competing for his won the coin toss and put his Actions Speak Louder Than Words - Continued from previous page

plan into action, getting his opponent into a cradle class. Before Klein’s career is over, he is sure to and ending with a pin to reach his 100th win. At have the most wins as a wrestler in Miller Place the end of Eastern States Classic tournament, he History! was at 103 career wins and is the lead on the Klein’s wrestling coaches describe him as team with a 31-5 record for the season. He is the humble, driven and a role model on and off of the youngest wrestler in Miller Place history to reach mat. Coach LoRe states, “Working with Kyle for the century mark. Klein’s drive continued into the the past 10 years has been one of the biggest pleas-

league tournament on Saturday, Feb. 2 where ure of my career.” earned the title of League champion in his weight Greatest Show on Turf James McCarthy In what may be the best game of the 2018 On the Chiefs’ side, quar- NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs traveled to Los terback Patrick Mahomes, an Angeles to face the Rams. Both incredible offenses MVP candidate, was 33 for 46 passing, threw for showcased their capabilities. The game was origi- 478 yards in total, scored six touchdowns and nally supposed to take place in Mexico City but was threw three interceptions. Star running back relocated to Los Angeles’ home stadium because Kareem Hunt had 14 carries and ran for 70 yards. the recently re-sodded Mexico City field did not Tyreek Hill had the most receiving yards for Kan- meet NFL stand- sas City with ten receptions, 215 yards, and two ards for playability touchdowns. The defense recorded five sacks and and consistency, two touchdowns but no interceptions. and would not On the Rams’ side, Jared Goff had 31 com- ready in time for pletions out of 49 pass attempts for 413 total yards. the game. The He also didn’t throw any interceptions and scored Rams defeated the four touchdowns, leading his team to victory. Todd Chiefs, 54-51, on Gurley, one of the best running backs in the league, Nov. 19 , making had 12 carries yet ran only 55 yards with no rush- them the top ing touchdowns. Former New England Patriot ranked team in the Brandin Cooks displayed the most receiving prow- NFL until before ess that day with eight receptions and 107 yards yet the New Orleans no touchdowns. Regarding the defense, Samson Mahomes and Goff after the Saints became No. Ebukam had three sacks; star cornerback Marcus tough fought game on Nov. 19 1 on tiebreaker at Peters and Lamarcus Joyner had late interceptions the end of the sea- to seal the game for the Rams. son. Both teams had a 13-3 win/loss record. This match-up was a constant highlight reel Defeating the Chiefs brought the Rams to a with very few uninteresting moments. Both teams 10-1 record. On the other hand, the match left the continued into the postseason and maintained Chiefs 9-2 before they also gained three wins and consistency in their performances. Unfortunately, two losses. Ranked No. 3 overall, the Chiefs ended the Chiefs lost to the Patriots in a tight game end- their season, 12-4, as the No. 1 seed in the AFC. ing their postseason run. New England and Los Statistically, the Chiefs had more yardage, Angeles battled in Super Bowl LIII, a low scoring but the Rams had the edge in terms of time of pos- and not overly eventful game. The game ended session and first downs. The game culminated in with a score of 13-3 after a missed touchdown by Jared Goff’s 40-yard game-winning touchdown the Rams kicker, naming New England Patriots as pass to Gerald Everett with 1 minute and 49 sec- Super Bowl champions. onds left to play. Skyler Goldberg COLLIN LETTERIO Wrestler Collin Letterio will be attending Suffolk County Community College as a commuter student, where he intends to study business administration. Letterio chose Suffolk because of its affordability and vicinity to home. Reflecting on his high school career, Letterio feels that he will best remember the friendships he made. Like- wise, he feels that Introduction to Business and Finance and Computer Literacy have prepared him the most for college. Asked how he started wrestling, Letterio said he began in seventh grade because two of his brothers had wrestled in middle school. Today, he uses wrestling to de- compress and sees his coaches as role models, calling them “some of the best men I’ve ever met.” After the wres- tling season, Letterio plans to start a combat sport, most “To succeed in life, you need three likely Jiu Jitsu. things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.” ~ Reba McEntire

CARISSA MILITANO Carissa Militano, a softball player and track runner, hopes to attend Marist College because of its great accounting program, her intended major. Militano credits the business clas- ses she has taken with piquing her interest in the field — Intro- duction to Business and Finance, Introduction to Accounting, College Business Law, College Accounting and Virtual Enter- prise. Turning to extracurriculars, Militano said that her sister, who ran track throughout high school, inspired her to try out for winter track freshman year. Asked what her favorite part of the sport was, she cited the competition and racing, noting that she enjoys seeing time improvements from race-to-race. And what about softball? Militano told the KROB that she began playing softball at six years of age when she joined a tee-ball team. In addition, she “always used to have catches in (her) backyard with (her) brother.” She has continued playing softball because “The price of inaction is far greater she loves “being part of a team.” Looking forward, Militano feels than the cost of making a mistake.” her friends, teachers and coaches have prepared her the most for ~ Meister Eckhart college, where she is considering attempting to walk on to either the softball or track team. k/k/k/k/k/k/k/k/k/k/k/k/k/k/k KROB Newspaper Staff Issue 2: 2018-2019

Adviser: Mrs. Sturtz

Staff:

Isabella Alexander Charlotte Gann

Joe Bisiani James McCarthy

Julianna Campo Oliver Pitts Nicole Cordes Olivia Shamberger Skyler Goldberg Andrew Friedman Madison Zicchinelli Editor in Chief

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