Issue 4 The Patriot February 2006 They shook it all night long 17 survive the Madness; Dance marathon raises $7,700 to fight ALS Justine Jacobs ‘06 a little extreme to some, Monzo Madness participants did get ten Music filled the halls of minute breaks every hour and most Washington Township’s 9/10 wing on considered the event to be a great Friday, January 13th as over 225 experience. delirious and exhausted students “I wanted to see if I was up to danced the night away at Interact’s the challenge of dancing for 24 hours third annual Monzo Madness. (which it turns out I wasn’t), and I Students signed up in partners for the knew that we’d be raising a lot of twenty-four hour dance-a-thon which money and doing a lot of good for helped to raise money for the ALS people who really need it,” said senior Association. Monica Barron. Interact members considered Senior Brendan Comfort agreed, Monzo Madness 2006 a real success; “There are your friends at school and the event raised about $7,700 for the then there are your friends who ALS Association, exceeding their goal haven’t slept in 30 hours,” said of $7,000. The unique event was Comfort. “I think it was a great covered by Action News, The experience…you really get to know Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Photo courtesy of Alli Leonard ‘06 people a lot better.” Gloucester County Times. Vince Brindisi ‘06 busts a move at Monzo Madness. Most students, like Barron, “It was definitely amazing to see ALS research through the dance-a- Bulley ’07. didn’t last the whole twenty-four that this event has grown so much thon that was named in memory of Advisors Naval and Mr. Tony hours. However, seventeen participants these past three years, going from advisor Ms. Tracy Naval’s sister who Bucca as well as Presidents Ahmed and did dance all the way through to one participation of fifty people to suffered from ALS. Karen Martin ’06 also supervised the o’clock Saturday afternoon. almost five times that,” said Interact This year students Chris Caruso dance-a-thon, with senior Dan In the past, the last students Club co-president, Sajaa Ahmed ’06. ’06 and Tori Gilbert ’07 were the main Rozmes DJing the event. standing all got prizes, but because so ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral chairs of the event, with co-chairs While the concept of dancing for many people lasted through the night, Sclerosis), more commonly known as Lauren Seserko ’06 and Amanda twenty-four hours straight may seem See MONZO Page 4 Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. It affects nerve cells in both the brain and spinal Inductees honored to join society chord and is often fatal. Donations to the ALS Dave Zappacosta ‘06 of Love”. Association help to fund research done “I thought to find a cure for the disease, as well The National Honors Society that the song was as provide a better quality of life for had its annual induction ceremony on sung beautifully those living with ALS. January 12th in the CBAC. The and couldn’t have Over the past three years, prestigious organization initiated juniors been done better”, Interact has raised almost $10,000 for and seniors from our high school. said Shalin Patel “It was an amazing experience and ‘06. a great honor” said Heather Ale ‘06. All inductees Inside... To be admitted, one must have a were called up to 93.0 average in high school, and there the podium where Coach Brown Tribute is no rounding up from a 92.5. One they were given must exude leadership experience, and pins and shook Commentary p. 5 community service to even be hands with the considered for the NHS. principals of the Rob Czyzewicz ‘06/The Patriot Features p. 9 The induction ceremony took school and directors Mr. Robert Callaway delivers his keynote place for over an hour and a half and of NHS, Mr. speech at the NHS induction ceremony. Comics p. 13 the keynote speaker was teacher Mr. Christopher Lawler Robert Callaway. He spoke to the and Mr. Raymond Anderson. “It was hard to put the gratitude Odds & Ends p. 14 students about that honor that is being The seniors were asked to choose that I felt for my sponsor into only placed on them. sponsors that they felt inspired them thirty words but I managed to get my Callaway made his point to the to excel in life and get them into NHS. point across”, said Lindsay Jenkins ‘06. Film, TV & music reviews students through a story of his When the student’s name was The ceremony was very Entertainment p. 16 experience with former Eagles head announced, his sponsor shook hands emotional for both the veterans and coach Dick Vermeil and how he and bestowed on him a red sash that newly inducted members. New! Tech Talk p. 19 inspired him in his own life. Callaway the student will wear at graduation. “The ceremony was special took Vermeil’s advice and relayed the The students had to prepare a because I got to share a moment with Jennings scores 1,000th message to his students. Callaway was thirty word statement for the sponsor someone that helped me become the followed by members of the schools that thanked them for their help in person I am today”, said Bethany Sports p. 20 chorus which sang the song, “Seasons getting them ahead in life. Messick ‘06. WTHS The Patriot Page 1 Students unite to promote peace Rob Czyzewicz ‘06 to us because so many Arabs and Jews in Israel don’t know how to live History has taught Americans the together. We have suicide bombers importance of racial tolerance and the and attacks and it’s important to make perils of hate-driven terrorism. people realize that it is important to However, as we still struggle live together in peace”, said Avishag with racism and worry over possible Yosefyan, a 14 year old girl who attacks, teenagers across the globe attends the A.D. Gordon school in Tel are coming together to fight a Aviv, Israel. millennium old battle against However, the play was not the religious intolerance and hate. only reason that these students came A group of Jewish and Arab to America. They also came to enjoy students from various schools came themselves and become sightseers of to WTHS to promote religious this country for a week. tolerance and understanding, as well Their advisors took them on as stress their message of hope for educational field trips to the Franklin peace in the Middle East. Their play, Institute and City Hall, as well as more entitled “The Other Side”, focused leisurely ventures to the Deptford on bullying, teasing, and demeaning Mall for shopping. Rob Czyzewicz ‘06/The Patriot others because of variations in race, The Israeli students worked hard Peace Child performers gained a new perspective of America. religion, or beliefs. to get to know their American peers The differences between the two from the Changing Our World This led to a more comfortable religious squabble over the holy land. cultures goes back generations to the (C.O.W.) Project. setting for their performance. The skits were flawlessly 1948 Arab-Israeli War, called the “War By playing games with the In the play, the Jewish students performed in the CBAC on January of Independence”, which was the first members, and simply through congregated on one side of the stage 18, and a meet and greet took place in a series of modern wars in the Arab- conversation, the Israelis quickly got and the Arabs collected themselves on soon after. Israeli conflict. to know the Americans. the other, divided by a wall. The message from the Israeli In the wake of those conflicts, “The people here in America are In essence, the actors suggested students and the C.O.W. Project were the state of Israel would be viewed as my favorite part”, said Mya Smulian, that the struggles in their country are the same and can be summarized by the an independent state, dividing who attends a Hebrew school in Israel. pointless and unnecessary. original song written by Deb remaining areas of the British “We spent a lot of time just walking They portrayed a small Chamberlin, a C.O.W. Project advisor, Mandate of Palestine into areas around, and we didn’t get a lot of time seemingly insignificant fight to and her husband that was performed: controlled by Egypt and Transjordan. to just talk, so the interaction with symbolize the greater troubles that are “The time has come for the world “This project really means a lot others was the best part.” experienced in Israel, such as the to see…The time has come for peace.” Peace Child samples American history Brittany Tartaglia ‘09 was bittersweet. They all had such a fun time, and the DC trip was among The one and only Changing Our the teens’ favorites, but it was also World (C.O.W.) Project has been one of the worst days of the ten days sponsoring Peace Child Israel (PCI) they were here. for over a year now. That night, it was raining, and if Many of the students here in that wasn’t depressing enough for the Washington Township High School groups, it was the last time the C.O.W. have seen the PCI students for the Project and the PCI teens were going two of the ten days that they were in to see each other.