2 THE SCHREIBER TIMES NEWS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 I N THIS ISSUE... ! e Schreiber Times Editor-in-Chief N!"#. Hannah Fagen Mural p. 3 Managing Editor Security booth p. 4 Hannah Zweig Superintendent p. 4 Copy Editor O$%&%'&#. Kerim Kivrak Religion in holidays p. 7 Stress in school p. 8 News Senior Editor Teachers on Twitter p. 9 Minah Kim Assistant Editors F!()*+!#. Rachel Cho Sandy Follow up p. 11 Ana Espinoza Best dressed teacher p. 14 Holiday gi, guide p. 15 Opinions Editors A-E. Erin Choe Hallie Whitman Hobbit p. 17 Assistant Editor Playing For Keeps p. 18 Natasha Talukdar Green Day p. 19 Features S$'+)#. Editor Year in review p. 22 Daniella Philipson Assistant Editors Cheaters p. 23 Caroline Ogulnick Portettes/Cheerleaders p. 24 Kelly To
A&E N EWS BRIEFS Editors Dan Bidikov Fall blood drive their free time during the school day. John Spiezio III, organized a food drive. Katie Fishbin Even freshman students, who weren’t old “. e food drive is for the Interfaith Assistant Editors According to the Red Cross, someone enough to donate, got involved. Nutrition Network,” said club vice Victor Dos Santos in the United States needs blood every two “Ms. Dietz and I worked together president senior Kimberly Suzzan. “. e Penina Remler seconds. Unfortunately, a, er Hurricane to gather volunteers. Volunteers from o0 cers are planning this event so that we Sandy hit Long Island, several blood Student Council, Key Club and a few can give back for the holidays.” Sports drives, including Schreiber’s annual fall recruited students from my health classes . e Interfaith Nutrition Network Editors drive, had to be canceled. . e fall blood dedicated their o/ periods to working provides food for the hungry and Jake Eisenberg drive was originally scheduled for Nov. 15 the registration table, walking students homeless on Long Island. Feeding more and eventually took place in the gym on back to class, answering questions, than 7,500 people every week at a total of Dan Miranda Nov. 28. keeping donors company while they sat 19 soup kitchens, this organization relies Assistant Editor “Key Club typically runs one blood and recuperated post-donating,” said Ms. on support from drives such as this one. Aaron Brezel drive a year in the spring. Student Council Kalinowski. “When Mr. Spiezio introduced the was running this blood drive, but we . ere were 45 student donors and 20 idea of a food drive to us, we all agreed Graphics decided to work together and join forces adult donors. In all, 65 people registered to choose a local organization as opposed Editors since this drive was re-scheduled twice to donate and 53 out of those people were to a nationwide group,” said senior Julia Brian Seo due to the hurricane and the nor’easter,” able to donate. Bain, co-president of the honor society. Chris Goh said health teacher and key club adviser “Given scheduling this drive with “When we think of hunger, a lot of the Jane Nolting-Kolb Ms. Janine Kalinowski, who organized the less than a week to promote donations, time we think of di/ erent states and event. I consider it a success!” Ms. Kalinowski other countries, but there are people and “As a result of the hurricane, many area said. “It felt great to help,” said freshman families on Long Island and even in Port Photo blood drives were cancelled. Assistant Annie Kline, who volunteered, “I can’t Washington that struggle to a/ ord food Editor Principal Mr. Craig Weiss and Assistant wait until I can donate blood!” especially during the holiday season and Harry Paul Principal Ms. Julie Torres approached me . e Key Club also decided to hold a, er the damage done by Sandy.” about helping out,” said Ms. Kalinowski. another blood drive in the spring. Club members were glad to participate Business “Given the urgency for donated blood, I ~Ali Goetze and Ruthie Gottesman and help their community. Manager was happy to step in with these last minute “It’s nice being able to reach out to Aaron Schuckman e/ orts. So many people have helped Food donations collection the community and I’m glad that we are in many di/ erent ways post Hurricane getting the opportunity to help out,” said Sandy—this was one of my ways of giving . is winter, the Tri-M Music Honor sophomore Kim Winter. Sta! Assistants back.” Society did their share and worked to Tri-M collected food donations on the Aaron Bialer . e blood drive was open from 8 a.m give back to the community at the Winter nights of both Winter Concerts on Dec. to 2 p.m. so that students and teachers Concerts. In the charitable spirit of the 18 and 19. could volunteer or donate blood during season this group, led by choir teacher Mr. ~ Tessa Peirls
Sta! Writers: Seth Barshay, Will Berger, Emma Brezel, Jessica Commisso, Julia Deriu, Makenzie Drukker, Madeline Fagen, Eric Fishbin, Stacey Kim, Sally Kuan, Lena Kogan, Rachel Kogan, Ben Lerner, Max Miranda, Jake Weinkselbaum, Charmaine Ye. Contribut- ing Writers: Areeb Azan, Jessie Baer, Jenny Barshay, Maddie Cohen, Ali Goetze, Maggie Published by the student body of Paul D. Schreiber High School. Letters to the editor should be addressed to The Schreiber Times, 101 Campus Drive, Port Washington, New Golder, Ruthie Gottesman, Jake Hirsch, Mathu Horowtz, Lauren Livingston, Zoe Mankes, York 11050. The editors reserve the right to refuse, print, edit, return, or not return any Susan Marony, Amelia Pacht, Tessa Peirls, Addie Ronis, Eric Schssel, Chloe Silverstein, submitted material. All letters must be signed by each author. We have a circulation Allison Yu. Backpage: Dan Miranda. Centerfold: Dan Bidikov, Hannah Fagen, Minah of 2,000 copies per issue with subscriptions available for $12.00 per school year. We Kim, Daniella Philipson. Sta! Photographers: Elana Galassi, Claudia Varner. accept camera-ready ads or will design ads to your speci! cations. For information, call our business o" ce at (516) 767-5862. Subscribe to The Schreiber Times! Subscriptions cost $12.00 for the 2011-2012 school year NAME Ira Pernick, principal Mail to: Schreiber Times, Attn. Craig Medico or Evelina Zarkh ADDRESS Craig Medico, Evelina Zarkh, advisers 101 Campus Drive, Port Washington, NY 11050 © 2012, The Schreiber Times Make checks payable to: Port Washington Schools CITY STATE ZIP THE SCHREIBER TIMES NEWS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 3
Mural
Harry Paul Students in the main hallway look at the mural. Recently, the mural has created controversy after students created a petition against the image of Obama in the mural. Depiction of Obama in mural stirs controversy
BY Ana Espinoza additional mural, portraying a Republican form Bloch and Hirsh and asserted that anger, frustration, and even emotional president. We see it as only fair that both the mural was an example of “blatant le%- outbursts,” said Mr. Pernick. “However, Assistant News Editor political parties be represented.” wing indoctrination in public schools.” I’m con!dent that we will get through Other students have agreed with the “I opposed this article because I this.” In the three years since the wall mural fundamental concerns of the petition. respect Schreiber and its sta#. I think $e petition has also created con"icting on the !rst "oor was painted, students have “I think it’s entirely inappropriate for calling Schreiber a ‘hostile environment’ viewpoints among students and sta#. become accustomed to seeing it on their a controversial sitting politician to be in is hyperbolic and although the concerns “$e mural recognizes the election of daily walks between classes. It features an a school mural. It gives the appearance of of the petition are legitimate, this should the new president Barack Obama along image of President Barack Obama, along an endorsement of his views. Figures from not be a game of mud-slinging,” said Gray with exploring themes of diversity and with depictions of the Statue of Liberty history who get commemorated generally on his Facebook timeline. community,” said art teacher Ms. Miranda and the American "ag. have widely agreed upon legacies. Obama By Dec. 12, the article went viral Best. “$e mural marks a moment in A group of students, led by sophomore is far from being at that point, and this on Facebook as current and graduated our national history in a respectful and Jacob Bloch, recently took action against mural gives the impression that history Schreiber students posted statuses voicing appropriate way.” the mural by way of a petition in an has been settled on his side,” said senior their opinion on the mural. “In the past, the school administration e#ort to create a tolerant, non-partisan Robert Gray on his Facebook timeline. As of press time, senior Michael had us read parts of the Code of Conduct,” environment for sta# and students of all $e petition also cited the Dignity Act Krellenstein’s status opposing views said Bloch. “But, they are not exempt political standpoints. and requested the painting of a mural of expressed in the article received 127 likes from it. We hope to ensure that the Port Washington is a traditionally $omas Je#erson, Abraham Lincoln, or and over 100 comments. environment of this public learning liberal area of the country, and the Ronald Reagan to rectify this issue. “$e school community—teachers, institution will always be open and that the majority of Schreiber students with set “I don’t see how you can demand a parents, students—was somewhat real political decision making will be le% political preferences identify themselves piece of art to be created. You’re degrading concerned about the way the school’s to the students, not the administration.” as liberals or Democrats. Conservative the artist who created the mural by been portrayed online—it’s incited students are in the minority. demanding that someone else create some “Let me make this clear,” said Bloch. equivalent Republican version of it,” said “$is isn’t a partisan issue; this is an issue junior Simon Shapiro. of fairness. In a case just this past election Schreiber graduate Nick Gardella at a polling station in Philadelphia, it was (‘10) designed the mural upon President Students and sta! re"ect on ruled by a judge that a mural depicting Obama’s victory over Senator John President Obama must be covered McCain in the 2008 presidential election. shooting in Newtown, Ct. because it is prohibited by law, being that Gardella, along with a group of fellow it can in"uence voters. Is it possible that students, painted the mural during the placing a mural of a currently serving spring of 2009. He worked with Assistant “It breaks my heart to hear about the 20 children and six adults who politician, while having no precedent for Principal Dr. Brad Fitzgerald to create the were shot. To think about the losses these families have, especially dur- this, may look like an endorsement of mural. ing these holidays is just so cruel. What that man did to those people of an ideology to some still undecided and Wall murals at Schreiber are usually Newtown will never be forgotten,” said senior Kelly McDounough. unsure minors?” student-designed and always approved Bloch created the petition, and the by school administration before they are “I was disappointed in my own reaction to what happened,” said phys- document was sponsored by fellow painted. ics teacher Mr. John Schineller. “When I heard, it was through a student’s sophomores Ryan Capps, Noah Hirsch, “$e wall was called ‘We have a dream’ cell phone, and I think I was so disa#ected by it at !rst that I realized I and Andrew Varvaro. Sophomores from the concept that we are all di#erent, didn’t have a sense of how signi!cant it was. It’s so sad that it’s hard to Michael Falzone and Joshua Curtis also but come to school to reach our dreams connect with it and still function.” supported the petition. $e group visited and in today’s day and age where someone Principal Mr. Ira Pernick to discuss the can become whoever they want to be,” said “With all these recent shootings it is apparent that something has issue, and the petition received close to Gardella in the 2010 Port Light Yearbook. changed or is changing in society. Perhaps mental health should be re- 100 signatures before it was turned in. “We want murals to have a positive valuated and budget cuts should not impact students access to mental “$ey had a concern about the message and be inclusive of all students,” health,” said senior Miles Kurtz. potentially political message that the said Mr. Pernick. mural was sending,” said Mr. Pernick. On Dec. 13, Gardella visited Schreiber “I was appalled and felt that immediate action had to take place to $e petition asserted, “We do not see a to discuss the matter with Mr. Pernick. prevent tragedies such as this,” said junior Nate Krantz. free learning environment, where students He shared that the mural had no intended can develop their own political ideas. political message. “What happened in Connecticut was an appalling tragedy,” said soph- What we do see, however, are students However, the situation has nonetheless omore Wyn Stopford. “What makes it even more disturbing is how easy and sta# walking down the hallways, attracted considerable attention from the it was for Adam Lanza to do what he did. $ere is no need for anyone recognizing Democratic ideas as the local community and online media. On to own the kind of weapons that he had in his possession. $is is only only ones celebrated, and consequently, Dec. 11, a conservative news and opinion further indication of how important it is that the subject of gun control Republican ideas are shunned. $erefore, website, Breitbart.com, published an be addressed. We cannot delay the issue any further.” we have one simple request. If there is to be article about the petition by Schreiber a mural of President Obama, we call for an students. $e article included quotes ~Reporting by Harry Paul 4 THE SCHREIBER TIMES NEWS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 New booth added to campus security District make the jobs of the superintendent BY Areeb Azan security sta" run Contributing Writer more e!ciently. “$e security appointed At the moment, there is a security booth will provide BY Lena Kogan and Rachel Kogan booth in construction on Campus many positive Staff Writers Drive by the entrance to the parking lot functions that of Schreiber. $e booth is the newest will only bene%t For four months, the Port Washington security development for the school and our school. $e School District was without an o!cial is expected to increase the school’s safety reason why this superintendent. Former superintendent and security. structure is being of schools Dr. Geo"rey Gordon resigned “It will be bene%cial. It will give better built is we felt the this summer a#er ten years with the vision for cars to slow down and obey need to maximize district. Now, the district will continue the speed limit,” said security guard John the security of our through this year as a familiar face takes Holze. “It is also a good vantage point for building and deter the position of superintendent. seeing the %eld and Campus Drive.” potential threats On Oct. 12, the Board of Education Administrators and members of such as trespassers, approved the resignation of interim the district’s Emergency Preparedness gangs, or even superintendent Dr. Kathleen Mooney, Committee developed the idea for a terrorists,” said who subsequently accepted the position security booth on Campus Drive. It is Assistant Principal as superintendent. funded by the Department of Buildings Mr. David Miller, “Dr. Mooney endured and excelled and Grounds budget. head of the security at what was perhaps the longest, most $e school is prioritizing the reduction department of the di!cult interview in the history of of the amount of students walking o" school and a leader education. $roughout her 13 year tenure campus. of the district’s at Port Washington schools, Dr. Mooney “$e booth will increase the presence Emergency has conducted herself with grace, dignity, of security on campus. I think it’ll Preparedness and a style all her own. $ere was simply make security look more uni%ed and Committee. “And no better candidate for Superintendent even though we of all schools in Port Washington than are settled in a Dr. Mooney,” said Board of Education community that President Ms. Karen Sloan. thankfully has $e Board of Education ran the search no threats like for superintendent, which is the only terrorists or gangs, district position %lled in this manner. this building will Human Resources Administrator Ms. provide a plan for Claudia Varner Elaine Fenick and Interim Assistant the future of our The base for a security booth on Campus Drive has been Superintendent of Curriculum Mr. school’s security built. Plans for a security booth have been discussed by Michael P. DeStio, both of whom also so that we can be administrators for years before the booth came to fruition. o"ered input on the subject, aided the prepared for any The booth will act as a permanent post for security staff. administrative part of this search. In situation of that the mean time, the school district had sort.” “Although the structure provides appointed Dr. Kathleen Mooney as At the moment, the security guards increases in security, students will still interim superintendent. professional,” said junior Simon Shapiro. are stationed in their patrol vehicles, but continue to walk o" unlawfully. “However, In October, the BOE sent out a letter Two committee members, Robert with the installation of the booth, they this will make it harder for them to do so” to the community describing its plans for Seiden and Catherine Moody, contributed can station themselves inside the heated/ said Mr. Miller. hiring a superintendent. to the development of this project. Both cooled structure. $is provides them with “Although students who do walk o" $e Board of Education posted the can be credited for their push over the last a suitable post that will allow them to illicitly will be upset, it will only bene%t opening in several places, one of which is 7 or 8 years for the installation of a booth. direct tra!c, monitors students leaving or us in many ways,” says freshman Diego a website used nationally for all educators $e purpose of this structure is to entering campus, and welcome visitors to Espinoza. seeking employment. $is enabled maximize the building’s security and to the school by showing them where to go. thousands of educators nationwide to get the news about the job o"ering. $e application deadline for the candidates was on Nov.15 and the Board of Music students perform at All-State level Education received over forty applications they began to practice with music that was senior Halam Kim. from which to choose. Ever since this BY Stacey Kim and Sally Kuan sent to them by mail. $e students worked with renowned deadline, the BOE has been going through Staff Writers “It should be noted that All-State All-State Symphonic Band and All-State the search process and examining the music is some of the most challenging and Symphony Orchestra conductors Mr. candidates for the position. $is year, three students were invited rewarding music to prepare and perform,” Anthony Maiello and Mr. Kenneth Kiesler To qualify for the job of superintendent, to perform at the annual All-State said band teacher Mr. Mark Brenner. in an ensemble with the top musicians a candidate needs to have a vast amount Conference. Each year, the New York State “$is program seemed to maintain the from last spring’s NYSSMA solo festival. of experience in the %eld of education. School Music Association, or NYSSMA, consistent high standards of NYSSMA $ere were also %ve vocalists from Port Furthermore, he or she must also have organizes the musical conference, where All-State festivals.” Washington selected as alternates for All- knowledge of our school curriculum and over 7,000 students from all over the Usoskin placed %rst chair, %rst clarinet State. Seniors Julia Bain, Laura DeBruin, personnel, as well as in various school country audition for 890 positions in in the entire symphonic band. He had a Gisella Snailer and juniors Amelia Pacht processes such as budget maintenance. eight All-State ensembles. $is event is very long solo in addition to a cadenza and Emily Weinstein were selected as “Most importantly, a candidate that held between late November and early in one of the performed selections. In alternate vocalists for All-State. has complete con%dence in their ability December. Seniors Halam Kim and addition to his selection to the All-State Students rehearsed in their respective to work within the system before us to Minah Kim, and junior Ethan Usoskin festival, Usoskin will go on to participate ensembles for over 8 hours every day. move Port Washington forward into the competed on Nov. 29 and Dec. 2. in the All-Eastern performing ensemble, During breaks in between performances, new era of education,” said Ms. Sloan. $ese students were selected from which will perform this spring in students socialized and went to a “We will absolutely not settle on anyone among those in the state who scored 100 Hartford, Connecticut. symposium with booths from music that we believe to be less than the best.” on the NYSSMA solo examination last “Basically, Ethan was considered the conservatories and instrument companies. Many expressed their appreciation and spring. From there, they were chosen from best clarinetist in the state,” said choir Students had the opportunity to try out approval of this decision by the BOE. among all of the students who auditioned instructor Mr. John Spiezio III. “We are instruments and speak to admissions “I congratulate the BOE on its throughout the entire state. Students very proud of these three musicians.” o!cers from prospective schools. A#er decision to commit to a superintendent auditioned with level 6 pieces from the Senior Minah Kim who went to All- three days of rigorous rehearsal, the who embodies intelligence, integrity, NYSSMA manual and they needed a State for 'ute was also in the symphonic ensembles performed at Eastman Hall. and compassion,” said Christine Vasilev, recommendation from the director of band. Senior Halam Kim performed viola “I, and all the teachers, are extremely president of the Port Washington their music ensemble. Once they arrived as part of the Symphonic Orchestra. proud of all musicians, and their Teachers Association. “$ough at the conference in Rochester, they each “Last year I was in String Ensemble representation at All-State is a positive challenges there are and challenges there had to audition for the seating within the which is a smaller group. I really liked re'ection of their achievement and the will be, the board’s decision to put stability orchestra, chorus, or band. being in a large, full orchestra this year. quality of the music program at Schreiber and experience %rst goes a long a way to Once the students were accepted to Rehearsals were really tiring, but I enjoyed High School,” said Mr. Spiezio. helping us all work together in the interest participate in the All-State Conference, the experience and the performance,” said of education.” THE SCHREIBER TIMES NEWS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 5 Heat lost in hurricane a!ermath
BY Madeline Fagen
Staff Writer
Catastrophic Hurricane Sandy continues to a!ect our school more than a month later. “We have been addressing an ongoing heating issue in parts of the school since Hurricane Sandy,” said Principal Mr. Ira Pernick. “"e storm damaged a section of our heating system.” "e heating in the A and B wings were
Claudia Varner problem at hand. "e goal was to keep that there were no gaseous fumes being on December tenth, and custodians and classrooms warm so students could produced in the building. But the heating service men began repairing concentrate, and that was all the school generator positioned on Campus Drive the heaters only to $nd that there were could do to try to achieve that goal,” said that runs the units does in fact run on additional problems with the heaters. Mr. Dave Albury, head of custodial sta!. diesel fuel. Because of this additional problem, the "ere are varying opinions on whether "e district hired a private company to temporary heaters continued to be used the school’s attempts to keep the students properly and safely install the generator until the heating was able to be completely safe and concentrated are e!ective. and heaters. $xed a few days later. “I was in A7 in math. "e smell was “We do not think students or sta! are “I hope that once the heating problem is horrible and it was hard to concentrate,” in any danger,” said Mr. Pernick. “We will resolved school life can $nally completely not functioning in the weeks a#er the said junior Dillion Drukker. “We were all continue to monitor the situation.” return to normal a#er Hurricane Sandy,” hurricane. worried that the fumes were hazardous to “I’m sure if school administrators said freshman Maddie Rosenbaum. “"e problem was identi$ed and is our health. Personally, I would’ve rather thought that the heaters or generator were "e generator and temporary heaters being resolved,” said Director of Facilities been cold than injured by the fumes.” any sort of threat to the students, that we were removed from the school grounds, Mr. James Ristano. “Temporary heating “I trust that the school is trying as hard would not be in school,” said freshman and the heating problem has been units were installed in the meantime so as they can to $x the heating problem and Elana Israel. “Our district would never o&cially resolved. classes can continue.” keep the students safe,” said freshman Tori take that risk.” "e generator and temporary heaters “Temporary heating units may not Finkle. "e districts ordered new parts for were removed from the school grounds, have been the most convenient solution, "e temporary heating units in each the school’s original heating system from and the heating problem has been but it was the best one possible for the classroom run electrically, ensuring the manufacturer. "e parts did arrive o&cially resolved. Oldest amateur performing arts organization revived for 2013 welcome to participate. generations, telling a wonderful story, and "e show will be having fun. I can’t wait to get started.” directed by Ms. Diana "e show traditionally stages Von Roeschlaub, who adaptations of children’s literary classics grew up performing in and original scripts. "e production is the Children’s Shows also inter-generational—teens, parents, and the Port Summer and grandparents alike are invited to show. "e story was become involved. originally adapted by "ere are roles available for those with Play Troupe President special dance or music experience, as Ms. Pamela Meadows well as for newcomers who would enjoy for a 1973 Children’s being part of a group. "ere are also Show production in opportunities to design or operate puppets order to accommodate for the show. Due to production expenses, more young performers. there will be a moderate participation fee, Ms. Sandra Ehrlich but sponsorships are available for families will act as Executive in need. Producer. "e group’s last production was Ms. VonRoeschlaub !e Emperor’s Tales, adapted by Play has worked with Troupe Vice President and current children at the Parent Port Washington Public Library Media Courtesy of Ms. Anne DeAcetis Resource Center, Librarian Tony Traguardo. It went on to Alice in Wonderland Port Washington and tour the UK in 1995. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Herricks elementary "e Port Washington Children’s Show schools, and Hofstra is a tradition that dates back to 1947, when University’s Saturday Main Street School Principal Charlotte of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Series programs. Merriman, and Elmer Tangerman, BY Ana Espinoza Wonderland and !rough the Looking “I can’t wait to the put the Children’s supported by wife Molly and daughter Assistant News Editor Glass. "e play troupe will hold auditions Show back on the map in Port Washington,” Judith, partnered to create it. "e Greater from Jan. 7-10, from 6 – 9 p.m. at St. said Ms. Von Roeschlaub. “"is is a Play Troupe itself was founded in 1927, "is year, the Port Washington Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and $nal remarkable activity that brings families and it is recognized as the oldest chartered Children’s Show will return to the stage for performances will take place on March and neighbors together, not only in the amateur performing arts organization in the $rst time since 1994 with a production 21, 22, and 23. Community members of audience, but as part of the production New York State. of Alice in Wonderland, a stage adaptation all ages, including Schreiber students, are itself. It’s all about collaborating across "%7&35*4&.&/5 THE SCHREIBER TIMES OPINIONS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 7
Should religion in! uence winter holiday celebrations in school? Christmas movie marathons. Students feel that religion and school are de& nitely BY Emma Brezel BY Natasha Talukdar are bound to be in% uenced by religious separated, even when holiday celebra- Staff Writer in% uences in the community. Assistant Opinions Editor tions take place.” While walking on Main Street, one ! e holiday celebrations that take ! e holiday season is my favorite sees business owners hanging up their During the cold winter months, place in school are not extremely serious time of year. ! e holidays conjure up Christmas decorations and putting up holiday themed events and celebrations or o" ensive, though. memories of walking through Manhattan signs for their Christmas promotional become a common tradition for many For example, the choir goes caroling on a snowy evening and gazing at all the deals. schools, including Schreiber. every year, and sometimes incorporates lights and holiday displays. I love the If the school is looking to promote While the festive decorations of songs that are in Hebrew or mention smell of the street cart o" ering roasted religious equality, then religion should Christmas trees and menorahs may be Christian & gures. nuts while drinking peppermint hot not be sti% ed in the holiday activities and a regularity and a joyful thing for many “I do not think that choir caroling and chocolate. decorations. We do not need to become students, this type of tradition doesn’t Hebrew songs should be a part of those But, above all, I love listening to overly politically correct, so eliminating belong in school. celebrations because we are a public the sounds. Although it is the normal the religious aspects of winter holiday ! ink back to the days of elemen- school,” said Weingast. “! e songs that sounds of the Manhattan hustle and celebrations would be a step in the wrong tary school. Did you ever feel le$ out do have religious ideals in them may bustle,YES there’s something more jolly about NOfrom hearing that some be o" ensive to students who practice a the chaos. In the background, you can of your friends were certain religion. But I personally don’t hear the bells of the Salvation Army have a problem with a song like ‘Frosty Santas and the horse drawn carriages and the Snowman.’” sometimes even a Christmas carol being Yes, this time of year is the most sung. joyous and festive, and many students At Schreiber, this kind of cheer and and faculty in our school look forward holiday spirit is much more subdued. to the holiday break during the last few Especially in the past few years, there has weeks of December. During this time, been an obvious e" ort by the school to there is o$ en a happier spirit in the air, make any holiday activities, like window both from the students and faculty. painting, as nondenominational as ! e anticipation of getting tests possible. & nished, and for many seniors, their “For Hanukkah my parents got this college applications out of the way, are pair of really expensive white gold hoops o$ en motivations for students. and I had to pretend like I didn’t even Students should be able to enjoy this like them because I wasn’t allowed to warm cheery period without having the show any religious a# liation at school,” issue of religion making them uncom- said senior Jamie Weiss. (Mean Girls fortable. reference for all of you who didn’t get “! e small celebrations that do hap- that.) pen and the songs that are sung are a With the commercialization of nice little touch to the holiday season,” Christmas and the mixture of the said senior Ariana DiPreta. “It li$ s religious winter holidays, winter up our spirits of being pressured by all festivities have become more secular then of the tests that are given right before ever. break. If something is made too reli- For many people, the winter holidays gious, I can de& nitely understand how it represent a time of cheer and a time to can be seen as a violation of church and tell the people around us that we care. state, but I don’t think that it’s ever gone Zareen Johnson Activities that might be seen as religious, too far.” like sending candy canes or sparkly direction. getting presents for Christmas, or a ! ere are, in fact, many students who decorations, are just a way of elevating When school attempts to make gi$ a day for Hanukkah? celebrate minority religions, and do not the joy and spirit of others and not as holiday celebrations religiously neutral, Even at a young age, many students participate in the same holiday celebra- religious symbols. students could come to the conclusion may have felt alienated that some of tions as the majority. Christmas and Hanukah decorations that expressing their religious beliefs to their friends were celebrating holidays Some students may feel very le$ out no longer represent such strict religious others is not appropriate in school. that they normally did not celebrate and uncomfortable with other fellow stu- traditions, but ones that can be shared by Schreiber should promote cheerful due to their religion. dents talking about their holiday plans. everyone. winter celebrations, and if religion is a Schreiber hosts multiple events “Non-religious students would feel ! ese festivities are just innocuous part of this, it may be more of a positive that incorporate religion with school alienated when seeing their peers and fun and should be promoted at school in% uence than a negative one. celebrations. teachers participating in holiday events,” because they boost student moral and “I think Schreiber does a very good said junior Erica Andrew. promote friendship. job of creating a pluralistic environ- Religion does not have to be part of “Holidays, in terms of celebrating ment,” said senior Leah Weingast. “I do school events, as the holiday season is all in school, is all about merriment and about being together, and not necessarily the joy of the season, not religion,” said having a reason to celebrate. senior Allegra Maldonado. “! e majority of both religious and I appreciate the e" orts by the non-religious students alike celebrate a administration to make the school winter holiday in our school,” said senior comfortable for students of all religions. Ariana DiPreta. “I think its all about the It is important that all students at idea of the holiday; the giving, caring, Schreiber feel safe to express themselves. and living aspect.” But, the bottom line is that in the “Having in! uence of religious holidays is great for students to learn about other religious Religious holidays should be spent at real world, we aren’t so sheltered from celebrations, especially during this time of the year.” home, and not expressed in major school religious themes and we must learn to -Priyanka Ninan, junior events. Students should feel comfortable coexist. in school, especially during the winter ! e day a$ er ! anksgiving ends, “Holidays are about coming together. Religion should not be an interference during the holiday period. it seems that we are bombarded with winter season.” Christmas everything, from TV -Dana Majewski, senior advertisements to window displays to 8 THE SCHREIBER TIMES OPINIONS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 Students’ concerns are vital to administrators Bungee- be heard, we are not the ones who are in the ‘09-‘10 school year. % is deci- BY Amelia Pacht best to make all the policies,” said junior sion was not necessarily expressing the Contributing Writer Rebecca Schaub. desires of the students at the time, but as jumping o! When AP tests end, teachers would years have passed, we see that it was the With recent debates about conten- have the opportunity to teach their right decision to be made in terms of the tious topics such as cutting school breaks senior students more current or more safety of the students. and altering the Senior Experience pol- applicable knowledge. “We are trying really hard to listen the " scal icy, students may feel ignored Yes, change is hard, especially to both teachers and students when it in the decision- when we comes to creating meaningful programs,” making process. said principal Mr. Ira Pernick. How- Mr. Pernick shared that whatever the cli! ever, students’ " nal decision about Senior Experi- BY Will Berger concerns are ence, the goal of the administra- Contributing Writer of the utmost tion is to educate the students importance, and most e! ectively. should always “I am pretty well connected to If you have been watching the Wash- be considered the student body and I meet with ington news coverage, you have probably as administrators them o$ en to discuss almost any been alerted to the apocalypse known as design policies for topic,” said Mr. Pernick. “I also the “" scal cli! .” the student body. respond regularly to student emails Don’t let the hype scare you; it’s just a Many students are and tweets because I try to stay combination of automatic tax hikes and not satis" ed with in touch with what students care spending cuts that can easily be averted the new policies about.” if our nation’s leaders demonstrate basic that are going into As principal, Mr. Pernick en- intelligence and 7th grade level maturity. e! ect this year. courages students to contact him Unfortunately, that would be expecting For example, and express their ideas. Since this too much from them. administra- is a facility that is dedicated to % is is not uncharacteristic of our tors have improving the lives of its students politicians; they have stooped to similar altered through educa- levels of incompetence before. the rules tion, this mindset is During the debt-ceiling crisis of 2011, of Senior extremely impor- Congress realized that if the Treasury Experi- tant in the decision could not borrow more than its limit ence again making and policy —the debt ceiling—the government and again. formulation process. could not make necessary expenditures. While the According to Debates culminated in the Budget student the administrators, Control Act of 2011. % ree days a$ er perspec- students’ well-being the act was passed into law, Standard & tive think that we have no control over what is Jane Nolting-Kolb Poor’s downgraded the nation’s credit for might view these changes as unfair, the going on, but that does not mean that the continues to be the number one prior- the " rst time in history. sta! says that these new regulations are students were not thought of in the deci- ity, and the best way to help students is On Jan. 1, the Bush Tax Cuts expire, not meant to serve as a punishment. sion making process, or that the changes to promote learning. While the stu- the Alternative Minimum Tax thresholds “I think it is better that the students do will not be bene" cial for us. One example dents may feel powerless, all policies are reverted to 2000 levels, the Payroll not make all the decisions for the entire of this in our school’s recent history was are intended to help the students, not to Tax Cut will expire, emergency unem- school because, while our ideas should the cancelation of Blue and White Night remove their voice. ployment bene" ts end, $984 billion in defense and non-defense spending will be cut, and we will all be crushed in a School’s in! uence in relieving student stress " ery mass of ash and bone by an asteroid hurtling towards earth. BY Maggie Golder and Lauren Livingston We could also have a similar club de- other classes.” You might be saying: “How can we However, some argue that these ideas avoid this cluster of incompetence, stu- Contributing Writers signed speci" cally for resting, in which calming music could be used in order to are a little farfetched. % ey say that most pidity and space rock?” soothe students’ minds. of the ideas cannot be practically imple- Well, unfortunately we can’t. Have you ever felt that school was Music can also play a large part in mented into the school schedule. While our so-called leaders may overly stressful? During midterm week in# uencing a person’s emotions. Even Although schools recognize that dump out a compromise at the eleventh are you cramming incessantly with no listening to calming music can be relax- their students are under a great deal of hour, the problem is not really the " scal time for breaks? Are you spending your ing. pressure, they also might not want to cli! , but who’s been in charge of it. time hyperventilating and breaking down Speci" cally, smooth songs without take responsibility of relieving our stress Our politicians are playing a game of in tears? words, such as classical musical or jazz, for us. % ey might realize that their own chicken; they are waiting until the last If your answer is yes to any of the can help to lower one’s heart rate, lower e! orts may not meet the needs of their minute to do anything. above questions you are su! ering from a blood pressure, and decrease levels of students. Why do I sound so defeatist? Well, commonly known syndrome, stress. stress-inducing hormones. “My worry is that people will use it’s because we’ve seen this scenario play Schreiber students su! er from stress In other words, it has the ability to these classes or rooms as just another out before. Congress knew that we were in excess, and the teachers and admin- reverse the e! ects that stress can have on opportunity to socialize instead of using going to break through the debt ceiling in istrators should try to do something to the body. them for what they’re there for,” said April 2011, soon a$ er they passed the last curtail it. Furthermore, not only could the junior Cassandra Lammers. part of the 2011 U.S. federal budget. Stress can negatively in# uence your school create clubs to serve this pur- It is a very real concern, and may be % e Treasury Department predicted social, physical, and mental abilities; pose, but they could also incorporate a major reason as to why this issue hasn’t that the U.S. was going to run out of cash medical journals have shown that stress it directly into our school schedule as been fully addressed. to pay all its bills on Aug. 2, 2011. causes increases in blood pressure, possible electives. % is, however, doesn’t mean that stu- So when did Congress reach the deal breathing, and heart rate. O$ en, stress % ese types of ‘rest and relaxation’ dents should let the stress pile up and get that resolved the U.S. debt ceiling crisis? is brought about by accumulated work- periods could be an option for students out of hand. % ere are many little things Like most students, they handed it in loads, evaluations, GPAs and college who " nd themselves taking extremely that students could do on their own time the night it was due, Aug. 2. And, like applications. di& cult classes with no extra time on to manage their own stress. anything turned in at the last minute, If your stress levels are increasing due their hands to relax at home. Of course, it could simply be relax- it received poor grades in the form of a to our schoolwork and causing a dete- With students who " ll up their sched- ing to do yoga at home. You could also stock market crash and a credit down- rioration in your grades and health, then ules with many work-intensive classes, always take " ve minutes out of your day grade of the U.S. government for the " rst doesn’t it seem logical that our school the elective could be seen as an active to meditate. time in its history. should provide us with stress-relieving attempt to cope with stress while also % ese actions would serve as a break % e best idea I’ve heard this week has programs? lowering their potential workloads. to keep your mind o! of school, or been from Mr. Warren Bu! et. % ere are many ways in which the Many students agree and have sug- whatever it is that is causing you trouble, “I could end the de" cit in 5 minutes,” administration could provide us with the gested similar programs. and it wouldn’t be very time-consuming. Bu! et told CNBC. “You just pass a law means to cope with stress. Our school “I think that a room, like the com- % ey are great ways for even the most that says that anytime there is a de" cit of could incorporate an optional yoga class mons, could be set aside for relaxation busy students to relax. more than 3% of GDP, all sitting member a$ er school to teach breathing exercises on students’ o! periods instead of for With or without the school’s help, of Congress are ineligible for re-election.” and helps relieve stress before students eating and socializing,” said junior you do not need to be hindered by your It would be interesting to see that get have to go home to study and do more Stephanie-Anne % omsen. “% at way stress. passed through Congress. work. the program wouldn’t get in the way of THE SCHREIBER TIMES OPINIONS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 9 Teachers on Twitter are #helpful #amazing and #cool Schreiber staff members who can be found on Twitter include Principal Mr. Ira Pernick (@SchreiberPrin), and social studies teachers Mr. Craig Medico (@MrMedicoInfo), Mr. Jeremy Klaff (@SocialStuds), and Mr. George Muhl- bauer (@MrMuhlbauer). For example, during Hurricane Sandy, spending a week without electricity strained communication between stu- dents and school officials. Mr. Pernick’s Twitter account was filled with tweets from students look- ing to receive immediate responses to pressing questions, including many about when school would re-open. Other teach- ers use Twitter as a productive means to share enriching information with their students outside of the classroom. “I joined Twitter because I thought it would be a good way to review for the Regents,” said Mr. Klaff. “Also, I wanted to share interesting tidbits of his- tory. I don’t use it to communicate with students, because I feel it’s unfair if I’m not on it all day.” Furthermore, these days students are always on the Internet, tweeting or chat- ting on Facebook. “Klaff knew that most of us would be on the computer, especially on Twitter, so I feel that using Twitter is a great mode for teaching students,” said Pepe. But if you’re looking to have a chat BY Julia Deriu and Jessica Commisso with a teacher, this is not the place to go. Staff Writers “I don’t think it’s a good way to have constant communication with students, Teachers have never lacked creativ- because not every student uses Twitter,” ity in communicating with students. said Mr. Klaff. “If students want to talk Now, several staff members in the to me they can find me and talk to me in Schreiber community have began par- person, I’m not going to tweet to them.” ticipating in the Internet age by bringing Still, Twitter has proved to be ex- social media into the classroom. tremely beneficial for many reasons, Teachers and administrators on Twit- and is now an overall positive influence ter bring a much-appreciated dimension on students and teachers alike. Social of fun and accessibility to the class- networking keeps students informed in a room. fun way. Re: Schreiber digital revolution Despite this glitch, the new sys- BY Aaron Bialer tem is still much better than the old. Staff Assistant “I am thrilled with the way the system has worked thus far,” said principal Mr. Ira Pernick. “I anticipated more prob- Last year, administrators made lems than have surfaced. I think the the decision to go paperless, send- community has adapted very well.” ing report cards and progress reports Additionally, the reduced paper usage through the PortNet website. bene!ts the environment by saving trees. Last month, students received “I like the fact that the school is going their !rst ever online report cards, green and saving on paper,” said math and the overwhelming majority feels teacher Ms. Tina Marie Gallagher. that this system is a huge success. Students and parents are also Sadly, this feeling did not last due to happy with the new system. a major glitch in the system last week. “#e new system is much bet- As students and parents opened ter. Not only is it cost-e$cient, wast- up their email containing the sec- ing less paper, but the grades arrive ond quarter progress report, most much faster, getting rid of the long experienced déjà vu, as the school wait,” said junior Isaac Maraboli. had accidently sent out the !rst Students receive their report quarter progress report again. cards almost instantaneously. “It did not particularly a"ect me, “It’s nice knowing that now I though the administrators should have am always going to be the !rst per- sent out an email apologizing and son to receive the report card,” explaining the situation quicker,” said said Ms. Susan Rosenblatt, mother junior Deirdra Labartino. “Upon re- of junior Eric Rosenblatt. ceiving the report, neither my mom nor For teachers, the adjustment I recognized it as the !rst quarter prog- was quick and straightforward. ress report despite the similarities, so “#e system is very much the we were given the wrong impression.” same from a teacher point of view. It’s Not only was the glitch inconve- a little bit easier submitting every- nient, but it was also confusing. thing in one place online,” said biol- #ose who did not notice the ogy teacher Ms. Marla Ezratty. mistake were misinformed for days. #e implementation of nwe report #is may have caused a dramatic card system was an overall sucess despite Ignacia Roman impact on the lives of some students. the recent progress report glitch. 10 THE SCHREIBER TIMES OPINIONS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 Letter to the Editor: Schreiber’s bathrooms normally would be messy and "lthy, but since we are lucky Solutions to parking issue enough to have janitors who are so consci- entious, the bathrooms are spotless. Also, Many students rely on the Monfort one of the janitors goes around to each parking lot as a place to park in the table in the cafeteria with large groups of morning. !e issue is that parking spots students with a cardboard tray and asks if "ll up quickly, and there is no other anyone has garbage. place to park. If a student is caught in A$er school ends, the custodians take the teacher parking lot, which is usually out the trash, sweep under the desks, and Controversy over mural in school empty, they will receive a punishment make the classroom into its original form. from the school. Also, if students are Since the custodians work a$er school hallway caught in the nearby Rite Aid parking lot, ends, all of their hard work is overlooked there is a chance that his/her car will be because few students are in the building. Recently, a three year-old mural that Firstly, the ideals and policies that towed. !e school should allow students !e custodians deserve much more had previously received little atten- the Republican party supports are not to park in the teacher’s lot as there are credit than they currently receive. Every tion from the Schreiber community has directly aligned with those held by the several open spots throughout the day. day students should take the time to rec- drawn "erce criticism from a group of Republican party in the nineteenth cen- If this was the case, students wouldn’t ognize what they do for us. conservative students. tury — to append the mural with a sym- have to rush in the morning to get a !ese students and the signatories of bol of conservative ideas, as the students’ parking sport before their peers. ~ Kirya Ades-Aron and Emily Perlman their petition to amend the mural have petition suggests, would only politicize Another solution could be to allow interpreted its portrayal of President Ba- an apolitical work of art. certain students access to the Monfort rack Obama as an inappropriate endorse- !is would completely alter the Lot instead of students as whole. ment of his political views. implications of the mural in a way that For example, a positive reinforcement Interested in writing for !e Schreiber Times believes that the is directly contradictory to the original of “Student of the Month” could be to Opinions? Then come to the next apolitical message of the original artist is artist’s intentions. exclusive access to the parking lot. !e newspaper general meeting on clear, and that the school should respect !e students behind the petition three seniors who receive Student of the the artist by leaving his original work argue that the mural contributes to a Month will be given the privilege to park January 3! All new writers are intact. learning environment that is hostile to in the teacher’s parking lot for a period welcome! President Obama does not appear on conservative students. of time. the mural as our current president, or as !e Schreiber Times believes that the Because there are certain spots open a Democratic president; he appears on school, with its diverse sta# of teachers in the teacher parking lot, the school the mural as our "rst black president. and student body, promotes an atmo- can a#ord to give a few vacant spots to Times Policy Statement America has elected a president whom sphere that is welcoming to students of students. all political ideologies and is in no way !ese solutions would be helpful in it would have subjected to segregation The Schreiber Times’ primary purpose is within his own lifetime. hostile to students holding minority solving the problem of senior parking. !is is not an issue of partisan politics beliefs to inform its readers of events, issues, and — Although our own inquiries into the ~Ben Rosen and Michael Lewis ideas affecting Schreiber High School. The Mr. Obama’s presence on the mural matter have demonstrated that conserva- Times also serves as an open forum in which is a recognition of what is undeniably a tive students at Schreiber are certainly Letter to the Editor: members of the Schreiber community may landmark in our nation’s history. in the minority, we do not believe there express their ideas and opinions. It is likely that students would not is any sort of institutional hostility akin Custodians’ hard work The Times will report all news accu- object to a mural of John F. Kennedy not to what is implied by the petition and its rately, honestly, and fairly. We will not give authors. because he is another respected president Every day the Schreiber custodi- preference to any group or individual. We in our nation’s history–not because he Anyone can take o#ense to anything. ans put in tons of extra hours before will respect the rights of all information was associated with the Democratic party !at does not mean that everything is and a$er school in order to keep our during his tenure. o#ensive. school sanitary and hygienic. Without sources and any errors will be corrected !e Schreiber Times believes this mes- !e message behind the mural is clear, these hardworking employees, students promptly. sage is clear in the mural’s current state. and !e Schreiber Times believes this con- would get sick from the germs that they We will print submitted materials on It was suggested that President Lincoln, troversy is much ado about nothing. are surrounded by each day. Schreiber the basis of their quality and significance a Republican president, be positioned in !e school should defend the integ- custodians should be commended for as determined by the editors of this pub- the mural juxtaposed to President Obama rity of the mural and respect the artist by all of their hard work that o$en goes lication. The editors reserve the right to to balance the e#ect of the mural. keeping it as it is. unnoticed. print, refuse to print, or return any submit- ted materials. The editors also reserve the The Hart Knock Life right to edit any submitted articles. We will print letters to the editors if judged to be of sufficient quality and importance on a space-available basis. We will not print letters that are obscene, libelous, or contain unfounded charges. The Times reserves the right to shorten letters if doing so does not alter their meaning, and to choose a representative letter from a group of related ones. Letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors. We will not print any anony- mous letters. Editorials printed in this publication reflect the opinion of the majority of the editors. If the situation warrants, minority editorials will be published. Editorials do not represent the views of the Port Wash- ington Union Free School District. We will not publish advertisements if they are deemed libelous, obscene or likely to incite criminal activity. Prices of advertisements are standard and price schedules are available upon request. Advertisements do not necessarily repre- sent the views of The Times. We will establish new policies if the need arises. Until such a point occurs, The Times will follow the policy described in this space as well as the guidelines of common sense and reason. THE SCHREIBER TIMES FEATURES FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 11 Hurricane Sandy havoc still felt two months later on Long Island A long rebuilding process is still ahead for those a!ected by the storm BY Daneilla Philipson Harry Paul Features Editor Science teacher Ms. Marla Ezratty is a resident of Long Beach and is still dealing with the aftermath and clean up of Homes are warm and sparkling with Hurricane Sandy. holiday lights, but it was not so long ago that Long Island neighborhoods were the storm. Areas such as Oceanside, out of the way.” able to #ush our toilets,” said Ms. Ezratty. completely in the dark. Residential areas Island Park, Staten Island, and parts of As of now, the majority of the trash is “Hot water came back the following including Long Beach, Island Park, and Brooklyn, among other places, are still in housed at Nickerson beach where it sits Tuesday, but even then none of the water Oceanside, were blanketed in darkness the midst of repairing. It will take months idly before taking a trip up to Albany. was drinkable. I didn’t have electricity for six weeks following the wreckage of of work before these areas are back up and Once in Albany, the trash is burned, but back until the "rst week of December, Hurricane Sandy. running. this is a slow process. and from there heat and gas followed by Ms. Marla Ezratty, a science teacher at “!e "rst wave of damage came “!e amount of damage is contingent quickly.” Schreiber High School and a resident of from the water, especially since many to the large amounts of sand that were Since then, the biggest reality check for Long Beach since her childhood, said that apartment buildings had underground moved in such a short period of time. A$er many hurricane victims has been dealing Sandy was the second biggest storm she parking garages that #ooded with water,” the storm, sand completely blanketed the with the insurance companies and FEMA, had ever seen. said Ms. Ezratty. “!e second wave of streets and waves pushed cars blocks away the Federal Emergency Management “It started on Sunday and the biggest dealing with the damage was removing from where they were parked,” said Ms. Agency, which was created to assist in issue was that, as prepared as you try the mounds of trash, throwing away Ezratty. natural disasters. to be, you are never really prepared for ruined appliances, cutting out carpets, “!e monstrosity of the hurricane !e majority of schools in Long Beach the damage of a storm like that one,” and ripping out sheetrock to prevent was the result of many things,” said Ms. and Island Park have been displaced, with said Ms. Ezratty. “!e "rst storm that I against disease, mold, and back water.” Ezratty. “First of all, it was a full moon, students relocated to other schools. In remember was back when I was a kid and A major issue across beach and it was high tide, then there was a these situations, the makeshi$ schools are the #ooding was so bad that my neighbor communities has been removing sand storm surge, and to top it all o% the wind housing double the amout of grades that a took his canoe and was rowing down the that blanketed the streets a$er high tides strength was between seventy to one- typical school would hold. streets to check on everybody and make demolished the sand dunes. hundred miles per hour. !e "rst high “It’s been di&cult to get back into sure the families were okay. !at type of “!e sand is slowly starting to move tide was on Sunday and it breeched by normal living a$er being displaced for camaraderie existed a$er Sandy and it was back,” said Ms. Ezratty. “One major issue 4:30 p.m. and the the bay over#owed. so long,” said Ms. Ezratty. “!is whole nice to feel the community come together, is that the sand, due to the sewage system We lost electricity immediately. !en, on experience has de"nitely made people especially since it’s been continuous two failure, needs to be sterilized or replaced. Monday night all of the transformers blew aware of 1800s living. It makes you months a$er the storm.” People are still working on moving cars at the sewage center, and that’s when the grateful for the little things. It is nice to Long Beach is not the only area still and trash, which couldn’t really happen problems really kicked in.” come home, #ip the light switch, and dealing with the massive cleanup a$er until the majority of the sand was moved “It took three weeks before we were actually have the lights turn on!” Sweet Alchemy by Amelia attracts anyone with a sweet-tooth
BY Maddie Cohen & Chloe Silver cupcakes that are available at the store. chocolate cupcakes, and tiramisu “!is is the "rst cupcake place I have cupcakes. Contributing Writers owned,” said Ms. Monis. “I learned to “I love working at Sweet Alchemy. bake at my mother’s hip when I was a kid.” Amelia Monis, the owner, is amazing. She !e homey vibe and sweet aroma of Sweet Alchemy does not have a set is teaching me all about the trade. Each freshly baked cakes are the hallmarks order list and the available cupcakes are day I help her make fresh cupackes and of Sweet Alchemy by Amelia, Port baked fresh every day based on what Ms. custom cakes for the shop. My personal Washington’s newest specialty cake shop. Monis has in her kitchen. !e cupcakes favorite is her vanilla apple cinnamon !e warm smile of Ms. Amelia Monis, are either made from le$over batter of cupcake,” said junior Carrie Rybecky, a the owner and primary baker, greets that morning’s cakes or simply a recipe employee at Sweet Alchemy. you as you walk through the door of 142 that the head baker was in the mood for. In this Ace of Cake’s-esque bakery you Main Street, across the street from Edible “I make entirely new cakes for each get the feeling that everything you buy is Arrangements. event and no two customers get the same made especially for you. Sweet Alchemy is unlike any other cakes, which is why the cupcakes are never !eir extremely detailed cakes take on bakery in town in that its primary business the same either,” said Ms. Monis. an almost whimsical feel. For example, a is creating gourmet cakes for birthday !e cupcakes are incredibly diverse, burger cake made for a wedding, looks parties, bat and bar mitzvahs, weddings, ranging from a decadent chocolate cake good enough to fry on the grill. Your baby showers, and corporate events. topped with whipped cream and chocolate stomachs will be full of sugary, delicious We know what you’re thinking: this Harry Paul sauce to the festive buttery vanilla apple cakes a$er a trip to Sweet Alchemy. sounds like a regular run of the mill Amelia Monis’ homemade apple butter cake with apple chunks. Other interesting You can see Sweet Alchemy’s specialty bakery, but we promise you, it is not. !e cupakes have an apple cake base and #avors include dark chocolate cupcakes cakes at www.SweetalchemybyAmelia. retail side of Sweet Alchemy by Amelia are topped with whipped cream and with orange marmalade and a chocolate com. is made up of regular sized and mini apple cinnamon sauce. orange shaving topping, pistachio Apocalyptic Bucket List 12.21.12. Your guide to the 1. Find the school swimming pool 2. Eat lunch on the roof 3. Speak in only hashtags for Apocalypsean entire day 4. Profess your deep love for a over newspapers will be deemed use- will not be easy, but if you pretend to be oday’s the day: December 21, less. Most importantly, go to Costco a hamster and hide food in the non exis- teacher 2012. We’ve all heard the theories, read and purchase as many pairs of socks tent “pockets” in your mouth, we the articles, and seen the movies. Apoca- and underwear as you can because guarantee you will survive lyptic theorists suggest that the end of the we all know how cranky people are the apocalypse. Hiding 5. Run your own scantron ancient Mayan calendar, which correlates when they run out of clean clothing. food in your mouth to today’s date, suggests that today will be Everyone thinking that Hur- or sweatshirt the end of the world, or at least the end of ricane Sandy was bad enough and pockets will 6. Hang out in the Social the world as we know it. ! ese theories that you have had more than your also pre- have pervaded the public mind, despite fair share of the storms for the year; v e n t constant assurances by educated o" cials brace yourselves. For those of you Studies teachers’ lounge that they are complete nonsense. lacking homes equipped with Wiz- “I don’t think humans deal with un- ard of Oz-like underground bunkers, certainty well,” said social studies teacher the only sure # re way to protect your 7. Go inside the test vault Mr. Alex Seuplvida. “We have a need for house from imploding is duct tape. de# nitive beginning points, and it follows In the event of & ooding, duct 8. Give a Christmas gift to that we would need endpoints as well. tape can help keep glass win- Today, I think that we’ve become so re- dows and doors from shat- moved from the ‘natural world’ that we tering and bringing water someone you’ve never met, have some subconscious fear that nature into homes. ! e Spider is going to get revenge on us.” Man and peace sign NASA’s ‘ask an astrobiologist’ program printed duct tape rolls who might not even celebrate has reportedly received over 5,000 ques- from Michaels have tions, many from frightened children, re- proven themselves garding the end of the world. In response, especially e$ ec- Christmas both a government blog (usa.gov) and tive. ! ese festive NASA have released numerous statements tapes also help 9. Take a bite out of your and videos debunking these theories and ward o$ looters governments in countries all around the who are deathly world have taken action to placate people. afraid of super- homework and hand it in “I think that people are attracted to heroes and sym- the idea of not just the 2012 apocalypse, bols of harmony. but any apocalypse,” said senior Alexan- Since meteo- 10. Play music over the PA dre Haussmann to ! e Schrieber Times in rologists, weath- 2011, who acted in the # lm 2012 with his ermen, and avid twin brother, Philippe. “! ere are always storm trackers system, prompting a dance par- theories going around about the ‘end of are predicting that days.’ Whether or not you believe in the the massive waves apocalypse, “it’s still something cool to and wind speeds ty in the hallway think about.” will wreak havoc on homes, start construc- 11. Run up a down escalator tion on an ark for your Apocalyptic Survival Guide family now, while there is still time. Unfortunately, 12. Use mr. Pernick’s private ! e school administration has not sewing together all of your been extremely helpful to students who family’s waterproof rain- are wondering how to survive in the up- coats and tarps together will bathroom coming # nal moments of civilization. only create a temporary ra% . Do Fortunately, ! e Schreiber Times is here not rely on this ra% for protection to help! First and foremost, proactive stu- against a twenty-foot wave. 13. Buy a pug dents will want to register for a TestTak- Be sure to use the # nest wood in ers prep course to adequately equip them building your ark. According to the a l l t h i e v e s 14. Learn to play the ukelele to pass humanity’s ultimate examination. Internet, the most reliable source, o f from taking When infrastructure fails, electronics pressed cypress wood was used to t h o s e it. For extra pro- will be registered useless—so start trad- construct Noah’s Ark. If pressed cy- stu$ ed animals tection, envelope all 15. Unfriend all of your non- ing Apple products and game consoles for press wood got Noah through forty running around, so of your food and nonperishable foods. Stock up on the lin- days and forty nights, it will most do not forget to load ac- precious items in gering Hostess products since it has been likely (there’s a 90% chance) save tual live animals onto the ark. patterned duct friends on Facebook proven that Twinkies, the worst food on us from the apocalypse. Although In the days leading up to the tape since thieves Earth that are probably made out of plas- duct tape is useful in saving your apocalypse, save as many toilet paper hate this won- tic, do not ever rot. windows, it is not strong enough to rolls, empty tin cans, and kitchen uten- and trade sequined derful sticky 16. Ride in the secuity smart Students with part time jobs should hold your ark together. Elmer’s glue sils as possible. Hurry to the apocalypse sports a% er the Schreiber Times tank tops for product. put in requests to their employers that should do the trick, though. parties thrown around the New York area earth eats your xbox, in addi- small berries and nuts to survive on. they be paid in salted meats. In these last Stocking the ark is just as impor- and collect empty bottles so you can com- tion to being folded intricately to create Since food will become a scarce neces- car few hours, hug your parents as much as tant to the survival process as build- bine them with the toilet paper rolls and decorative origami for the ark and into sity, you had better stock up on it while you can. Tell your teachers how much ing it. Load all of your livestock onto tin cans to create makeshi% instruments. paper hats to protect your head from the you can. Although ! e Schreiber Times 17. Replace all of your friends they bore you. ! e Schreiber Times’ pub the ship in pairs or, if you do not own A% er our modern devices stop working, winter weather and rain. In the worst case is not suggesting that you are a squirrel, room (the Mac lab) has dozens of old is- any animals, bring childhood stu$ ed humanity will no longer have the ability scenario, ! e Schreiber Times can also be hamster or other rodent like animal, their sues of the school newspaper available for animals onto the ark. Stu$ ed ani- to listen to the synthesized, monotonous used for clothing. Have your fashionable methods of survival seem to be particu- with furbies kindling available # rst come # rst serve, al- mals are versatile enough to serve as vibrations that we call music. Without friends and those who are FIT-bound to larly helpful. Hamsters, for example, have though priority is given to the newspaper sources of companionship, warmth, electronics, how will we possibly # nd en- help you with this one. If you gather some pockets on the insides of the cheeks where By Dan Bidikov, Hannah sta$ . Please note that the easiest way to and food if need be. If you actually tertainment? arts and cra% s supplies that have been sit- they can store food and save it for later. Fagen, Minah Kim, and start a # re is with matches, so be sure to own pets, try not to leave them be- Old issues of ! e Schreiber Times can ting in your basement since the third Talking with a mouthful of packaged gra- Daniella Phillipson buy a lifetime’s supply of those or the le% - hind. It will probably get hectic with be crumpled into balls and used to play grade, you can make clothing for others nola bars or an unopened bag of Cheerios 14 THE SCHREIBER TIMES FEATURES FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 Schreiber students select their two best dressed teachers “When I go shopping I like to CB: Dark washed, slim & t jeans, a important factor because it portrays a BY Caroline Ogulnick experiment,” said Mr. Sepulvida. “I pick collared shirt, and a blazer. positive outlook on the teacher and school Assitant Features Editor out things that look nice.” as a whole,” said junior Diego Hidalgo. A" er the polling was taken, winners, JK: I love to wear white during the Well, Schreiber, you’ve decided this Walking through the Schreiber Mr. Block and Ms. Kalinowski sat down summer. Navy and white is my newest year’s Best Dressed Teachers, but you’ll hallways, some teachers look like they’re for an interview. combination. just have to wait until next year to see if strutting down the runway, and others, Mr. Block and Ms. Kalinowski keep their not so much. On Dec. 4, students marked Caroline Ogulnick: Where do you get CO: How does it feel to win Schreiber’s titles, or if two new teachers will come their ballots to vote for Schreiber’s Best your style inspiration? Best Dressed Teacher? and sweep away their gold medals. Dressed Teacher. Polling took place in the lobby during 4.1/4.2, and drew a large Mr. Block: I get my inspiration from CB: I appreciate that students crowd, with 247 students submitting votes. GQ magazine, House on Fox, Keith are at least looking at me and % e ballot consisted of separate male and Richards, and Spencer Shay from iCarly. acknowledging my style while female categories, each containing & ve I ramble on in class instead of contestants. Students checked o# one Ms. Kalinowski: In all honesty, the sales looking out the window. teacher from each category, or wrote in rack. I hate fashion and gossip magazines their own nominees. and always shop with a coupon. I love JK: Oh my goodness, I’m % is year’s Best Dressed Teacher Banana Republic, Ann Taylor Lo" , $ attered. I like that students notice contest was very close, but English teacher and J.Crew because they o# er teachers’ when I look nice and that I can still Mr. Corey Block and health teacher Ms. discounts. All you have to do is show be professional while doing so. Janine Kalinowski came out victorious. your teacher’s ID. Schreiber’s & rst Best Dressed Teacher CO: Do you have any last words? competition was in 2005, with a second CO: What is one thing you regret competition in 2006. % is has been the wearing in the past? CB: I really appreciate this & rst best dressed contest since then. Even honorable mention, especially though it’s been six years, many of the CB: I regret wearing a lot of things in since there are so many stylish teachers that were nominated in the past the past, but even though I regret wearing teachers in our school. appeared on the ballot this year as well. them, they were in style during the time. In 2006, Ms. Renee McClean of the Social I would say anything baggy, like cargo JK: My motto is: “If you look Studies Department took & rst place for pants of the ‘90s. good, you feel good,” and everyone the women and Mr. Block won the title has their own way of looking their for the second time in the men’s category. JK: I think that the spandex and shiny best. % e nominations for the women’s pants of the ‘80s were a ridiculous trend, category included Ms. Kalinowski, Ms. but now they’re back in style. Also, I With the handful of tasteful Marilyn Gonzalez, Ms. Renee McClean, would never go back to wearing slouchy teachers in our school, Schreiber’s Ms. Cherie Delio, and Ms. Jennifer Sacha. socks. Best Dressed Teacher contest Ms. Gonzalez, who took second place in proved that students really pay 2006, got the silver medal again for this CO: If you could dress for one season, attention to how faculty members year’s Best Dressed Teacher contest. She which one would it be? put themselves together. Having was $ attered, but surprised to see that she a stylish teacher in front of a Harry Paul won second over the other contestants. CB: Fall. You really have the most dull black board de& nitely helps Sporting a black top and bottoms, tall riding “I get my inspiration from whatever options in the fall because you can layer. students keep their minds focused. boots, and a white cardigan, Ms. Janine I see, and like to shop with my sisters, If you need to take o# your jacket, you “I personally think having Kalinowski smiles wide as one of Schreiber’s not my husband,” said Ms. Gonzalez. “I can, unlike the winter where you’re stuck a well-dressed teacher is an best dressed teachers. always wear what feels right and what I’m wearing it all the time. comfortable in.” In the men’s category, the nominations JK: Summer. I love the summer included Mr. Corey Block, Mr. Alex because I can always wear $ ip-$ ops. % ey Sepulvida, Mr. Mark Reynolds, Mr. are cute and comfortable, and are perfect Joseph Corbo, and assistant principal Dr. for the warm weather. Brad Fitzgerald. Like Ms. Gonzalez, Mr. Sepulvida received second place for the second poll in a row. He was also pleased CO: What would be your ideal out& t Planes and Pilots as a runner-up, and congratulates Mr. during this season? Block on winning. Erik Catalan
Pure Love Always Never Ever Separate And Never Destroy Pure I’m the Love Of The
Photograph by Ethan Bookstein
Harry Paul Mr. Corey Block, wearing tinted aviators, poses for his photo shoot. THE SCHREIBER TIMES FEATURES FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 15 The Schreiber Times What to get What to get Holiday Gift Guide The Techie The Fashionista
Nike Plus Fuelband Kensington KeyFolio Pro 2 Removable ! e Nike Fuelband is just one example of the Keyboard wearable technology breakout in 2012. It tracks ! e iPad is the most popular tablet out there. sleep, steps, calories burned and time. It syncs ! e Kensington KeyFolio Pro 2 is a case and a wirelessly with the iOS smartphone app and can keyboard in one. It " ts all iPad generations and even keep track of meals eaten to more accurately has special keys for actions such as increasing represent daily life. $149 store.nike.com the volume and putting the iPad to sleep. $59.35 amazon.com
Sephora Floral Fragrance Sample Get " ve deluxe $ oral-scented perfume samples: What to get Clean Warm Cotton, DKNY pureDKNY, A Drop of Verbena, Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue, Coach Poppy Flower and Jennifer Aniston’s fragrance. A# erwards, you can get a full-sized bottle of your favorite free! $42 sephora.com The Foodie
Lisa Perry OP Art Coin Purse Keep all your coins in one place with this super cute coin purse! It can also " t both credit cards and bills. Cotton Candy Maker $30 lisaperrystyle.com ! is cotton candy maker turns your favorite hard candies (with or without sugar) into $ u% y, melt-in-your-mouth cotton candy. All you have to do is plug it in, turn it on, pour delicious candies into the center, and start spinning colorful, carnival-style treats. $39.99 bedbathandbeyond.com
Chocolate Fondue Fountain Minimergency Kit Who doesn’t love to dip ! is kit includes anything a girl might need at things in chocolate fondue? ! e any time. It contains 17 must-haves: hairspray, perfect gi# for any chocolate clear nail polish, nail polish remover, emery board, lover, this fountain works with lip balm, earring backs, clear elastics, mending any kind of chocolate there is, Pigs in a Blanket Maker kit, safety pin, double-sided tape, stain remover, whether it be milk, white, dark, Create everyone’s favorite party snack quickly and easily. In just deodorant towelette, pain reliever, tampon, breath or a mix of all three. 5-8 minutes you’ll have 9 delicious pigs in a blanket that everyone freshener, dental $ oss and an adhesive bandage. 49.99 sears.com will love. $15 pinchprovisions.com 17.99 sears.com ~ Jenny Barshay & Jack Weinkselbaum 16 THE SCHREIBER TIMES FEATURES FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012
Homemade Gingerbread How to make a holiday gingerbread house and Icing Recipes BY Charmaine Ye and Makenzie Drukker Gingerbread: Staff Writers 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature For the record, we did not think this 1/2 cup dark brown sugar would be that hard. We were wrong. 1/4 cup light molasses or dark corn Gingerbread houses are a holiday syrup staple, so when given the task of writing 1 tablespoon cinnamon an article about holiday foods, choosing 1 tablespoon ground ginger to make a gingerbread house was a no- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves brainer. We decided upon a simple, 1 teaspoon baking soda Level E (for “easy”) recipe from the Food 2 cups all-purpose ' our Network. Before you go o! and make 2 tablespoons water your own, we want to provide you with a *1 helpful and/or determined friend few tips to make your life as a gingerbread *physics and/or construction skills baker a little bit easier. *lots of time First, we gathered the ingredients Icing: and quickly realized that there is, in fact, 1 pound (3-3/4 cups) powdered sugar, a di! erence between refrigerated and si# ed if lumpy room-temperature butter. Use room- 1 to 2 large egg whites, or substitute 4 temperature. It is really important. Charmaine Ye teaspoons packaged egg whites and 1/4 Refrigerated butter is very di" cult to Bakers beware: these before and after images of a gourmet gingerbread house cup water blend into the dough, so the butter needs illustrate what happens when the walls are not properly “glued” together. 1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla or to be so# . If your $ ngers leave imprints lemon juice easily in the stick of butter when you pick because they tend to look deformed a# er him or her help you place the four base it up, you can know that it is ready to use. being transfered to the sheet. If there is pieces in a rectangle. Spread icing on In a large bowl, cream the butter, Also, make sure to start the beater at a low extra dough le# , you can use it to make the seams, hold the pieces together and brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, setting, unless you want to create a white fun shapes. We chose a Christmas tree, let it dry. Fan with a newspaper or your ginger, cloves and baking soda together Christmas in your kitchen. featured in the picture, but other fun math homework, if necessary. You could until the mixture is smooth. Blend While the dough is “j-chillin’” in the options include snow angels or, for also cheat by building around a plastic in the ' our and water to make a sti! fridge, trace the templates for the walls the Jewish gingerbread house lover, a Tupperware container to hold the sides dough. Chill at least thirty minutes or of the house with a ruler if you are as menorah. up. until $ rm. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. uncoordinated as we are and can’t draw a While your shapes are baking, Decorate the sides of the house and Roll gingerbread dough out to edges straight line. & is is not physics, so make proceed to make the icing. Don’t eat all “lawn” with candy, and then decorate on a large, rimless cookie sheet. Place sure you are using inches. Watch out for of it, because holding the walls of the and frost the roof. Very carefully, place paper patterns (2 3x5 rectangles; 2 sharp edges when cutting the templates gingerbread house together will require the roof on the house. Did we mention 3x5.5 rectangles; and 2 pentagons: 3 out. massive amounts of icing. Keep a knife, you should be very careful? Because you inches wide at the base, 3 inches to the When rolling out the dough, make fork, and spoon around; they all come in should. roof line, and slanted to a peak 5 1/2 sure there is a lot of ' our on hand. Roll handy. Quickly snap a photo and upload it to inches from the bottom) onto the rolled the dough using a wave motion, starting Now for the assembly. Unless you are Instagram, so people will think you are out dough. With a sharp, straight-edged from the center, and working your way a teenage construction prodigy, this is the an extraordinary baker. & en step back knife, cut around each of the pieces. out. Cut out the gingerbread shapes hard part. Spread icing on your chosen and admire your creation before your Bake at 375 for $ # een minutes until and place them on a baking sheet. Make surface, but don’t go overboard or your gingerbread house implodes, because you dough is $ rm. Mix icing ingredients. sure to reshape them on the baking sheet house will cave in. Find a friend and have probably used too much icing. Furbies make a comeback this holiday season a! er years in hibernation
BY Minah Kim but most children who wanted a Furby feature of this new Furby is increased when it was released in 1998 now recollect interaction through an accompanying News Editor horror stories of the “demonic and crazy iPhone app. & rough this app you can thing” that would never stop talking and feed Furby, make a sandwich for Furby, U-nye-loo-lay-doo? is Furbish for, cackling. translate what Furby says, and access a “Do you want to play with me?” Children A few quintessential ‘Furbish’ complete Furbish dictionary. & e pantry across the world are answering yes to characteristics persist with this Furby has dozens of food and non-food items this Furby revival this holiday season. reincarnation—the most notable being its like dirty socks and worms to feed Furby, With plush fur, LED eyes, attitude and lack of an o! switch. As with the original and Furby will return an empty soda can persistence, and an iPhone-era twist, Furby, Furby 2.0 is programmed to be or vomit back onto your iPhone screen. Furby appeals to (and will annoy) this ‘born’ speaking only Furbish and to learn Furby also makes appropriate sounds new generation just as it did 14 years ago. English over time. & rough Furbish and when eating food; it chomps on crackers Furby entered society in 1998 and the new LED light eyes that display the and slurps on smoothies and depending was met with instant demand worldwide Furby’s emotions, Furby is able to express on the personality of your Furby, it will as a toy/pet that could interact with and contentment when you tickle its tummy sometimes spit back green vegetables. learn from its owner. & ere were over 40 and discontent when you pull its tail. www.toysrus.com Taking care of and playing with Furby million Furbies sold from 1998 to 2000, & e only way to stop it from talking in its Furbies, a popular toy of the 1990s, are is as demanding as you want it to be, and making a comeback. parents can buy their children Furbies as low-maintenance pets. It is as persistent squeaky voice and dancing around is to and attention seeking as a golden retriever, “put it to sleep,” by leaving Furby alone in but it will stop bothering you at any time a dark place. However, this is no easy feat. you choose when you throw a blanket on O# en, telling Furby “time to sleep” will be top of it. It’s easy to get attached to Furby. met with “big joke!” and even the slightest Despite the fact that it is made of plastic, disturbance will be met with incessant metal, and fur, Furby makes you feel like a chattering. neglectful, sadistic owner every time you Needless to say, Furby loves interacting throw the blanket on it to put it to sleep with its owner and this is a selling point, or feed it a moldy sock just to see it vomit. as the Furby has been marketed as a toy Additionally, you can feed the Furby its whose personality develops di! erently vomit a# erwards and it will vomit again depending on how it is treated by the in a di! erent form. owner. Furby comes in a multitude of color New features of the Furby include variations and the most popular colors, singing along to songs and dancing in hot pink and teal and black, have been sync with the beat. Furby will actually sold (to uninformed and foolish buyers) remember the tune of the song a# er on eBay for over $1,000 within these $ rst hearing it, and you will undoubtedly hear months of Furby’s release. Most stores Furby singing to itself even a# er the song including Target, Amazon, Walmart, and ends. Toys ‘R’ Us retail Furby at $59.99. Chris Goh & e most remarkable and noteworthy THE SCHREIBER TIMES A&E FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 17
!e Hobbit is an unexpectedly slow journey
BY Ben Lerner !e entire movie is about how the the characters faced were similarly costumework, which added to the team gets from point A to point B. !e super#uous. !ey didn’t further the plot, fantastical charm of the movie. Others, Staff Writer introductory scene is wonderful, because bring the characters together, or give some particularly the Orc chie$an and the it not only neatly explains how the dragon of the less prominent Dwarfs a chance to entirety of the Goblin race, did not mesh !e Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey conquered the Dwarves, but also because shine. !ey were simply nuisances. well with the rest of the characters. !ey takes place in the fantasy world of Middle it never showed you exactly what the !e only signi%cant con#ict, between looked too out-of-place. Some scenes Earth, inhabited by recognizable races dragon looked like; only split-second !orin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), that relied wholly on CGI, such as the such as orcs, druids, elves, dragons, glimpses. !e actual image of the creature the leader of the Company of Dwarfs and chase through the Goblin lair, stood out as Dwarfs, wizards, and the like. !e story that was breathing vast clouds of #ames his rival, an Orc chie$an, made !orin a particularly fake, and as a result the tension revolves around Bilbo Baggins (Martin upon the city was le$ to your imagination. bit more sympathetic when we learn of was noticeably depreciated. Scenes that Freeman), a hobbit who remembers !e rest of the %lm did not follow this his tragic past and motive to reclaim the took advantage of New Zealand’s lush how he was once convinced by a wizard, example. In an e"ort to spread a relatively Dwarf kingdom, but it merely built up scenery, however, stood out as fast-paced, Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) that short book over three movies, many to a pseudo-climax that gave the illusion engrossing, and o$en gorgeous to look at. he must help the Dwarves reclaim the small details were magni%ed and given that something signi%cant had happened Although their quest wasn’t treasure and kingdom that was stolen loads of unnecessary exposition and over the course of the movie, when in fact, particularly riveting, the characters from them by a vicious dragon, Smaug. backstory. Tolkien fans may enjoy the nothing particularly important came to themselves were enough to keep viewers’ Baggins agrees to join a group of Dwarves roundtable discussion between the elves pass. attention. Freeman played an excellent on their adventure, and the ragtag group and the wizards, but it served no purpose Speaking of unnecessary, the CGI nervous, reluctant-yet-bold Baggins, and of thirteen Dwarves, a wizard, and a other than to show a couple fan-favorite in this movie was borderline gaudy. McKellen was as likable and grand as ever. hobbit venture o" to the mountain of the characters and to name-drop others that !e humanlike characters, namely Andy Serkis’ performance as Gollum was Dwarves to reclaim the stolen treasure only fans of the books will appreciate. the Dwarves, elves, and wizards, were the most memorable; the scene in which and defeat the dragon. Many of the enemy encounters that portrayed with extensive makeup and he and Baggins exchange riddles to decide Baggins’ fate was intimate, dangerous, and exciting. Although I personally may have underappreciated this movie, to me this felt too much like a prequel that sets everything up without resolving anything. At almost three hours long, if you’re not completely enamored by the source material, you may %nd yourself zoning out from time to time. Still, you might want to go see it in 48 frames-per-second simply for the novelty of watching a movie whose cinematography is as real- looking as a daytime soap.
Disclaimer: I had never seen or read anything associated with the Lord of the Rings franchise before seeing !e Hobbit. It might be the %rst of three movies, but it deserves to be judged by itself. Much of the talk surrounding !e Hobbit has surrounded its frame rate of 48fps, while I saw it in 24fps. If you choose to see it as Peter Jackson intended you to see its 48 fps, in Digital 3D, then you
imdb.com may experience the %lm Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) embarks on a journey to take back the Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the treacherous dragon, Smaug. di"erently. Adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien’s prequel to the Lord of the Rings series, The Hobbit is director Peter Jackson’s latest attempt to keep his 18 THE SCHREIBER TIMES A&E FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 Avoid paying for Playing for Keeps BY Victor Dos Santos Assistant A&E Editor
Playing For Keeps is the latest and laziest e!ort from Italian director Gabriele Muccino, previously known for his work on Will Smith "lms #e Pursuit of Happyness and Seven Pounds. A frustratingly bad new romantic- comedy "lm of questionable family appeal, the "lm stars Gerard Butler as a retired soccer player who had a wife and kid and whom he, at some point, inexplicably lost. His loss is not important—all that really matters is Butler’s character decides he’d like to rekindle his relationship with his son by coaching his soccer team. #e catch? Every soccer mom wants to date Butler’s character. #e movie is riddled with issues, and it especially struggles to "nd a consistent tone. #is movie has no idea what kind of movie it actually is. At times, it tries very hard to be a touching story about a father trying to connect with his son, but these heavy emotions are interrupted by $ashes of Butler’s character, George Dryer, dating soccer moms. teaser-trailer.com Whoever wrote this "lm didn’t feel it was appropriate to give any of these Playing For Keeps characters some sort of backstory. We, as an audience, are constantly being told Keeps was some misogynist who’s had there. movie to come out this year and may end that Butler’s character screwed up at one one too many women complain to him Playing for Keeps is two hours of up being the last we see of Gerard Butler. point and how that screw-up resulted in about his tardiness. nothing but vapidity and poorly developed his divorce. We cannot forget the subplot involving characters. It is most likely the worst Yet for some strange reason, what that the soccer moms who all want to date screw-up was is never actually revealed Gerard Butler. #ere’s no underlying Homeland concludes season two on a high note and only exists to make the audience feel reason for them to want to date him sympathy for Butler and strangely not the other than to have a nice story to tell their BY Susan Maroney his family throughout season one. #e ex-wife, played by Jessica Beil. friends. secret is leaked in the most dramatic Scene a%er scene, you see Beil #e problem isn’t so much that those Contributing Writer way possible, matching the show’s high complain to Butler’s face about how he’s scenes convey a misogynistic attitude, intensity. either "ve minutes late or “not being it’s that, again, they never amount to One of the most exciting and gripping Claire Danes plays Carrie very well, there”. #ose scenes don’t progress the anything. #ose scenes aren’t funny, television shows in recent memory has just showing the characters vulnerability plot in any way; all they do is make us they’re not adding any substance to the "nished its second season. #e writers and frailty that comes as a result of her think that whoever wrote Playing For "lm itself or its characters—they’re just and cast of Homeland, the thrilling drama bipolar disorder. From the nuances in series that was inspired by an Israeli series, her dialogue to her more outlandish Hatu"m (Prisoners of War), have proven actions (setting up surveillance cameras capable of continued success this past fall. on Brody’s house without permission), #e show stars Claire Danes as Carrie her mental state comes across perfectly 3.14 stars for Life of Pi Mathison, a CIA o&cer, and Damian Lewis on camera. as Sergeant Nicholas Brody, a veteran and Homeland is very di!erent from more accepting of the characters and former prisoner of war who Mathison most action shows, perhaps due to the BY Jesse Epstein develop a sense of emotional attachment believes to be a brainwashed spy. #e in$uence of the Israeli series that inspired Contributing Writer through Pi’s adventures. intense and dramatic nature of Homeland it. However, viewers should stick with #e power of Pi’s faith is essential to is captured in its advertising slogan: “#e it, as it is captivating and mysterious, Life of Pi, starring Suraj Sharma, the story; it is the driving force behind nation sees a hero. She sees a threat.” giving an interesting twist on modern day is a must-see for anyone who enjoys both his own will for survival and of #ere is never a dull moment, and the political issues. Our current President pondering the meanings and morals of his feline companion. Born in India, Pi action is visceral, ranging from shootouts also watches it, if that would persuade you life. is unwaveringly loyal to Hinduism, but to chases. However, Homeland is not all any more. If you are to watch one show #e "lm begins with older Pi this does not stop him from exploring action. #ere is also heavy drama and a this month, be sure to catch Homeland on introducing the viewer to his younger the roads of other religions throughout layered story. Showtime. self. #e premise of the plot revolves his journey. Homeland’s plot is extremely complex, around the life of Piscine “Pi” Patel, a #e "lm is "lled with metaphors and and builds up teenaged Indian boy named a%er his symbolism. #ese symbols enlighten slowly. When uncle’s favorite swimming pool, as he and ease the viewers on the con$icts Brody returns travels across the Paci"c Ocean by boat. between clinging to hope, forfeiting home, his children Accompanied by a live tiger, Pi mental strength, and the struggle barely remember uncovers many mysteries throughout between di!erent types of people him. His wife his journey. #e " lm, based on Yann on their lifelong trails of survival. (played by the up- Martel’s novel of the same name, Ultimately, the movie illustrates the and-coming actress contains an incredibly moving story that relationship between humans, animals, Morena Baccarin) one will not stop watching for even a nature, and faith. struggles to hide the second. Life of Pi is most certainly a must- a!air that she had Director Ang Lee, deserves see. #e "lm expresses valuable lessons while he was away. recognition for carrying out this complex in an intriguing, yet informative style. #e plot thickens plot in such a comprehensible manner. #e additional 3-D enhancement as Brody’s political #e "lm contains several educational helps to draw positive attention to the career takes o!, aspects, but they are presented in a "lm; unlike most movies, the three providing for new attractive manner for its viewers. dimensional illusion creates even twists and struggles #ough the beginning of the "lm greater attachment between the viewers, le% and right. All screencrush.com comes o! as slightly tedious, once the plot the movie, and its characters. the while, Brody is In Homeland’s second season, Carrie (Claire Danes) and develops, viewers may "nd themselves hiding the fact that Nicholas (Damien Lewis) have developed a romance after he is Muslim from THE SCHREIBER TIMES A&E FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 19 12/12/12 concert raises money for Sandy victims Green Day: Tre! of the beautiful Jersey Shore, which While the classic songs rocked the BY Dan Bidikov BY Katie Fishbin was damaged by the hurricane. He also Garden, there was also a message present A&E Editor A&E Editor collaborated with rock star Jon Bon Jovi in throughout the concert. Millions of a crowd-rousing rendition of “Who Says dollars were raised to give aid to victims. A once in a lifetime date should be You Can't Go Home.” Each artist made a point to thank the accompanied by a once in a lifetime event. Former Beatle and rock legend many dedicated and sel%ess volunteers Celebrities from all across the globe Paul McCartney united with the living who helped throughout the disaster. came together at Madison Square Garden members of grunge band Nirvana in an Performers praised the nurses, doctors, in e!orts to support the victims of all new song, “Cut Me Some Slack” in a and interns who worked tirelessly and Hurricane Sandy and to entertain a live show-stealing performance. took heroic action to ensure the livelihood crowd of fans and millions who tuned in Other rock legends were also involved, of those in need. to the televised-live event. such as Eric Clapton, who expertly #e artists’ cause resonated with the #rough their collaboration, they were performed classics from his rock band audience. Some Schreiber students were able to raise an astounding $14.7 million Cream, and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd able to appreciate the concert live. for over 140 community organizations fame. “It truly was amazing to see such rock in hopes to help rebuild areas severely #e musical performances were legends coming together for a great cause,” devastated by this disaster. not limited to classic rock. Alicia Keys said senior Nikki Egna, who attended the #e bulk of the concert was classic touched concertgoers and people tuning concert. rock. in through television or radio with her #e tickets may have been prohibitively mtv.com New Jersey native and rock legend performance of “No One.” Kanye West expensive, but interested individuals who Punk rock is a dead genre. No Bruce Springsteen performed classics brought his signature outrageous style to could not see the concert in person could one has made actual punk music for such as “Wrecking Ball,” which rocked the concert as well. watch it on TV or online. decades. However, iTunes has mislabeled the house and inspired local citizens at However, the lengthy performance #e celebrity-packed concert was Green Day as punk since their $rst album, the concert. and out$t choice was somewhat out of entertaining, and helped raise millions of 39/Smooth. While that might have passed His performance of “My City of Ruins” place and detracted from the rest of the dollars to aid its cause. as punk rock, the group has watered was speci$cally directed at the denizens concert. down their sound so much that with their latest album, Tre!, they can o&cially be classi$ed as pop. Do not be alarmed—this article is not going to be a whiny diary entry about the lack of guts of most popular musicians. #is is a review of an album which, while not bad, su!ers from false advertising. Green Day promises its fans gritty, anti-establishment punk when all it has to o!er is overproduced pop-rock. #e last in a trilogy of albums geared to teach Spanish-speakers basic arithmetic, Tre! sounds almost exactly like the rest of Green Day's music. Even the individual tracks have di&culty separating themselves from others. #e record, when taken from start to $nish, sounds more like one forty-$ve minute unit of boring four chord rock and faux-controversial lyrics than individual songs. In Tre!, Green Day has attempted to balance out edgy rock with mellow lost-love tunes. #e album opens with a ballad, “Brutal Love”, which is not as abc.com dynamic or as soulful as intended. #e Bruce Springsteen performs alongside fellow rock star Jon Bon Jovi. The star-studded 12/12/12 concert amazed viewers next dramatic love song, “Drama Queen,” both live and on television while raising millions for charities in support of Hurricane Sandy victims. falls %at. Boring vocals and uninspired lyrics detract from the catchy-yet-generic melodies. #ere are a few more sentimental Mars attacks with exciting new beats tracks on Tre!, and they all su!er from the BY Allison Yu all, of his songs deal with the themes of struggle to keep his desired woman out of same problems.
Contributing Writer love and relationships. another man’s hands. First, they do not make sense in With a hasty look at the title of his Each song re%ects Mars’ love life. context—sappy crooning emotional Bruno Mars has a tendency to release most recent single, “Young Girls,” one “When I Was Your Man” stood out among pieces clash with the harsh rock of tracks singles that instill a desire in all who listen would assume it is another crooning song the rest. like “A Little Boy Named Train.” to sing along in a matter of seconds. designed to get a young girl’s attention. “When I Was Your Man” is just one However, Green Day never reaches His latest album, Unorthodox Jukebox, However, it is less %ashy and more of the many tracks on Mars' album that an extreme of roughness or tenderness in is packed with catchy tracks that are even heartful than listeners would assume. show he's evolved in terms of his pop their sound. Tre! is extremely modest. better than the loveable singles that he “Locked Out of Heaven” and “Moonshine” sensibilities. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong's released during the last year. Most, if not are more about one speci$c girl, and how Most of the tracks featured on this new interesting vocals have added a unique she supposedly makes him feel “on top of album feature interesting beats with lyrics element to all of Green Day's albums. the world.” that are more aggressive and introspective #e talent of the band members can #e lyrics may be ridden with cliches, as opposed to the tracks featured on his can not be discounted. Typically, bassist but the songs are still very catchy. Other $rst album. Mike Dirnt backs up each track with a lyrics can border on sexual, especially in In the end, while it is a catchy strong underlying bassline. However, his his song “Gorilla.” new album from the “guy who performances in Tre! are bland. Bruno Mars's style ranges from played Little Elvis in Honeymoon in #e songwriting is also weak, and modern pop to vintage, and the contrast Vegas” it really isn't anything we'll funny characteristic quirks have been is present between tracks like “Treasure” remember within a few years or so. replaced with generic “meaningful lines. and “Moonshine.” It's nice to see that Mars is getting a bit Tre! is devoid of the classic Green Day #e new album features a track called more introspective and showing the side character that has made their older music “When I Was Your Man,” which takes on that's brooding. at the very least entertaining. a more somber tone. Unfortunately for Mars, until he has #ere is none of the signature style It speaks of the regret felt as he something slightly more interesting to that separated Green Day from previous discusses the things he could've done to sing about, Unorthodox Jukebox will end musical e!orts. In Tre!, they do not stand try and keep his relationship in tact for up being just another light hearted male out among other middling pop rock mtv.com as long as possible. It is a heartfelt tale of pop album. bands. 20 THE SCHREIBER TIMES A&E FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 iCarly signs o! with an iGoodbye in its " nal season BY Zoe Mankes and Jesse Baer
Contributing Writers
For a handful of kids out there, iCarly, a nickelodeon show about a group of teenagers with a popular webshow, has been the epitome of young-adulthood for years now. $ e show’s avid fans have seen all of its characters grow throughout its " ve season run. $ e show’s series " nale, titled “iGoodbye,” provides dedicated iCarly fans with closure as their favorite childhood star, Miranda Cosgrove, says her " nal goodbyes. $ e episode focuses on the Internet icon’s departure from her beloved long running web-series when her father, who is in the military, comes to visit. Until this episode, he had never appeared on the show. He presents Carly with the opportunity to move to Italy, to where he has been transferred. For those of you wondering if she changes her mind at the last minute and decides that she wants to stay in town, you’re wrong. She actually leaves, and her departure is as heartbreaking and touching as possible for an avid iCarly theexpressionist.com fan. Carly (Miranda Cosgrove) struggles facing that her cyber life is coming to an end. After several successful seasons, the Carly’s " nal goodbye is tear-inducing characters of this Nick classic unfortunately must be separated as Carly is moving away. as we see her struggle to say adieu to her closest friends, Sam (Jennette McCurdy) and cherished each moment the and Freddy (Nathan Kress). Her sad character spent with one another. A% er goodbye will resonate with the fans who " ve seasons on Nickelodeon, this “kids have stuck with these characters and seen show” concludes with the growth and Hoodie Allen v. Macklemore them face the highs and lows of being a maturation of the iCarly cast. iCarly was Macklemore’s music speaks to the teenager. a show that provided a half an hour of fun independent hip-hop social movement. $ e bitter-sweet ‘iGoodbye’ was and laughs that will remain a small piece One of his albums, $ e Heist has put him emotionally satisfying for those who have of their childhood. on a national stage, while his other record watched the show from the beginning $ ri% Shop spins on pop radio nationally. His story is one of his darkest days as an addict and his path to overcoming these obstacles. His fanbase, referred to as “Shark Face Gang,” has allowed him to embark on one of the most successful independent music tours in the past decade as he is currently in the midst of “$ e Heist World Tour.” Hit singles “$ ri% Shop,” “And We bestfan.com Danced,” and “Wings” are eclectic both sonically and visually as Macklemore and BY Penina Remler his producer, Ryan Lewis, work tirelessly
Assistant A&E Editor on their own to create the perfect visual. At " rst glance, Hoodie Allen and Macklemore are white rappers, the most Times have changed in the music paradoxical of all in the music industry. industry. No major record label producer Yet their movements stand for something could have imagined the latest con# ict at much more than that. the top of the hip-hop charts. $ e dispute It is tough to step away from their is between Ivy League graduate Long appearances as white rappers, but they Islander Stevie Markowitz and well-o! have achieved success based on the Seattleite Ben Haggerty. quality of their music. Hoodie Allen and $ ese men may not seem like rap Macklemore speak to the value of being stars, but under their performance names an independent artist and continue to Hoodie Allen and Macklemore, they have impress us with their success. been taking the hip-hop world by storm, with their independent acts inspiring other budding rap artists. Both have built highly dedicated and at times obsessive fanbases to help expand their popularity. Hoodie’s “HoodieMob,” which stretches internationally, has felt attached to its favorite artist because he personally responds to their tweets, Facebook messages, and emails. $ e night of the release of All American, his recent iTunes project, Hoodie posted a message to all his fans on Facebook. “I don’t care about the money here,” said Hoodie. “I really just want to shock hypeexpedition.com the world tonight. All the labels and the Though Macklemore (above) and blogs who overlook us, who think this is Hoodie Allen (top left) appear very just a fad, tonight we " nally get to prove them wrong.” different, but favorable traits in both of $ e nonbelievers were proven wrong, the composers’ albums. and Hoodie instantly topped the charts. THE SCHREIBER TIMES SPORTS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 21
Jameson Santelli Carly Grieco BY Aaron Brezel and Martha Horowitz Santelli’s teammates attest to how his BY Eric Schissel Grieco’s dedication and her attitude. presence a#ects the team. “Carly has been such a great friend and Assistant Sports Editor and Contributing Writer “In a typical scenario, we could be Contributing Writer mentor. I’m not sure how far we would down by 20 points in the last frame. At have made it without her,” Ho#man said. Most see bowling as a casual hobby this point we know that Jamo is the one Flexibility, strength, and athleticism Among Grieco’s greatest accomplishments that can only be enjoyed at a birthday par- to count on, not only to get a strike, but are just a few physical characteristics a is her election to the position of team ty. However, a%er being introduced to the also to get those crucial extra pins. With- gymnast must demonstrate in order to be captain. sport by his father when he was nine years out his averages, we would be nowhere successful. However, one can argue that “I’ve done gymnastics ever since I was old, junior Jameson Santelli has devoted near the top of the standings,” said junior the attitude of the competitor is equally little and it’s always been a sport that I’ve himself to becoming an elite bowler. Murphy Siegel. responsible for his or her success. loved. It’s great to see all my hard work pay “My dad constantly pushed me to Much like an elite scorer in basket- Gymnastics captain senior Carly o# now that I’m a senior,” said Grieco. practice and become better,” said Santelli. ball, “Jamo” is looked upon by his team- Grieco embodies both the physical and Grieco loves being around her Santelli joined the boys bowling squad mates to either provide crucial last sec- mental qualities needed for success. teammates on and o# the $oor. as a freshman. In his sophomore year, ond points, or to push a team behind for Having a talented gymnast and a “I love the team because we’re all friends the bowling team "nished a forgettable good. dedicated and emotional leader as a no matter what grade and we really are a second to last in their conference. Now captain is important to a team’s success. family,” said Grieco. “We bond so much a year later, they have jumped out to a 2-2 Grieco has recognized this and was not just at practice but outside of school as start, ranking them third in the confer- honored to take on this important yet well. I will de"nitely miss the team but I’ll ence, right behind bowling powerhouses di!cult responsibility. come back to visit.” Garden City and Manhasset. As a senior, she feels that Much of this success is thanks to Jame- it is important to be a leader son, who has used his talents to lead the and to guide her younger Vikings to success in the competitive Nas- teammates. sau County Conference I, routinely bowl- Her team-"rst mentality ing 200-plus points per game. has been one of the reasons her To hone his skills, Santelli has actively team has been successful over participated in the sport outside of the the past few seasons. school team. He has played in several Grieco feels that it is her leagues at the closest bowling alley, Her- job to help the younger girls by rill lanes, including a father-son league giving them important tips. with his dad. “I tell them just to always do “For me, just bowling in the winter their best, and to practice hard,” was not enough. Participating in outside said Grieco. “Gymnastics isn’t leagues helped me improve and become an easy sport so if you want to the bowler I am today,” said Santelli. get something, you need to set His personal records include an im- Claudia Varner goals and work towards them.” Chole Silverstein pressive 288 in a single game and a three Santelli practices at Herrill Lanes. Sophomore gymnast Sam Grieco practices her form on the balance beam as game series of 696. Ho#man has appreciated she prepares for competition. The WriTing CenTer “The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe.” —David Hare
A place where any student can go for help with any writing assignment
Where? Room 212
When? Every day during 4-1/4-2 22 THE SCHREIBER TIMES SPORTS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 Sports 2012: A year in review, and a look ahead to 2013 National Championships, broken records, and dazzling season starts highlight 2012 against the then undefeated New England Howard has gone to the Lakers to play with championship berth by the New Jersey BY Eric Fishbin and Jake Eisenberg Patriots, once again overcame their un- Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, but has a win- Devils. Finally, the Los Angeles Kings Staff Writer and Sports Editor derdog status to win, taking their second ning percentage only slightly higher than took home their " rst Stanley Cup in in " ve years. Once again, Eli Manning was his free throw percentage. ! e New York franchise history, defeating the Devils ! ese past twelve months have been the MVP. Knicks are atop the Eastern Conference at in six games, 4-2. Currently, the NHL is tumultuous for the world of sports. ! e Now, this season, while there isn’t a 17-5, with Carmelo Anthony leading the locked out, with games cancelled as far teams from Super Bowl XLII, the New clear powerhouse in sight, there are many charge and Imam Shumpert and Amar’e as Jan. 1. York Giants and the New England Patri- issues. Controversy arose over the re- Stoudemire providing reinforcements. ots, had a rematch in Super Bowl XLVI, placement referee’s o$ ciating abilities, as With their 9-0 home record, don’t be sur- 2012 Summer Olympics: Lebron James " nally won an NBA title, well as “Bounty Gate,” featuring the New prised when more teams are added to the Closed by British superstar Paul Mc- and the San Francisco Giants took home Orleans Saints. Commissioner Roger “Knicks Tape.” Cartney, the 2012 London Olympics was their second World Series in three years. Goodel came under " re on both issues, one to remember. ! e United States led Additionally, the realm of baseball saw but, they have since been resolved. ! us MLB: all countries in all medal categories, and its " rst Triple Crown winner since 1967. far, the Denver Broncos, New England Pa- ! e San Francisco Giants defeated the won the overall medal count by over 15 ! e Summer Olympics took the stage at triots, Atlanta Falcons, and Houston Tex- Detroit Tigers in four games during the medals. the end of the summer across the pond in ans have booked their trip to this season’s 2012 World Series. Pablo Sandoval, the Notable victories were claimed by London, England, and Michael Phelps be- postseason, with two weeks to play. MVP, stayed hot throughout, as he became the “Fierce Five” of Women’s Gym- came the most decorated Olympian of all the forth player ever to hit three home runs nastics (Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, time. Put the numbers in the books, and NBA: in a single World Series game. For the Ti- McKayla Maroney, Kayla Ross, Jordyn the stories in your memories—the year of ! ink back to 2010, the o# season of gers, powerhouses Prince Fielder and Triple Wieber), and by Men’s Basketball, led by 2012 was one to tell your grandchildren “the Decision.” LeBron James took his Crown winner Miguel Cabrera were held to superstars LeBron James, Carmelo An- about. talents to South Beach, teamed up with just one hit in eight at bats during Game 3. thony, and Kobe Bryant. ! e team was Dwanye Wade and Chris Bosh, and sub- New York Met R.A. Dickey won the NL coached by Duke Basketball Head Coach NFL: sequently lost to the Dallas Mavericks in Cy Young Award, and emerging superstar Mike Krzyzewski, who also became the ! e New York Giants entered the 2012 the NBA Finals. ! is past season, James Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels won NCAA Basketball leader in Wins (cur- postseason at 9-7, squeezing their way in. " nally won his " rst NBA title, hoisting the the AL Rookie of the Year award. Amidst rently 936) this past March. Cruising past the Falcons to start the play- Larry O’Brien trophy over the Oklahoma o# season moves, things for the 2013 season Finally, swimmer Michael Phelps be- o# s, the Giants went on to face the num- City ! under. James also won the league already look interesting. came the most decorated Olympian of ber one seeded and defending champion, MVP, and took home a gold medal with all-time, passing former Soviet Union Green Bay Packers. ! ey rolled over the USA Basketball in the London Olympics. NHL: gmynast Larisa Latynina (18), winning Packers, and, with some unintentional ! is trio of awards, championship, MVP, Goalie Jonathan Quick made save a% er six (four gold, two silver) medals for a help from 49ers kick returner Kyle Wil- Finals MVP, and gold medal, has only save as they knocked o# the number one career total of 22. liams, and an overtime game-winning been obtained once before—by Michael seed, Vancouver Canucks, and then the St. kick from Lawrence Tynes, the New Jordan. Let the “greatest player ever” ar- Louis Blues and Phoenix Coyotes. Despite As 2012 comes to a close, the doors York Giants went to the Super Bowl. Big guments commence. making it to the Eastern Conference Fi- to 2013 open with more records that Blue, in a rematch of the 2008 Super Bowl Now, in the 2012-2013 season, Dwight nals, the New York Rangers were denied a were made to be broken. Cheaters always prosper, until caught? players to the Baseball Hall of Fame are as ers cemented among the all-time greats like status, still recieved the same World Se- BY Jake Eisenberg follows: impact of player on the " eld, in Christy Mathewson, Ty Cobb, Joe DiMag- ries bonus check of $377,002.64. Since Sports Editor the game of baseball, and for his team, in- gio, or Nolan Ryan. ! e ballot this year much of player’s salaries in contracts tegrity, character, and sportsmanship. contains a total of 37 names, including 24 are guarenteed, to go for broke to break To achieve greatness through cheat- “No one would dare say that Bonds, on the list for the " rst time. ! ose inducted records seems like a decent idea, aside ing is like winning a game of Monopoly a seven-time National League MVP with are players who appear on 75% of ballots, as from the negative moral implications. by taking money from the bank, or getting 762 home runs, isn’t a Hall of Famer,” said written out by the 500-plus members of the ! e league needs to increase the magni- an A+ by copying the answer key. Despite ! om Loverro, a columnist for ! e Wash- BBWWA. tude of the suspensions for breaking the all of the consequences, cheating is still ington Examiner, in a column explaining While they should not be enshrined, rules that keep baseball pure. prevalent in today’s world, especially in his decision. “Nor would anyone say that the baseball “Mecca” of Cooperstown is ! ey say “cheaters never prosper,” professional sports, namely Major League Clemens, with 354 career victories, 4,672 also a museum depicting baseball’s history. and yet, in professional sports, the idiom Baseball (MLB). strikeouts and seven Cy Young Awards, ! ere are sections in the museum for the has changed to read, “cheaters always Every year, the National Baseball Hall shouldn’t be enshrined in Cooperstown. Black Sox scandal of 1909, Pete Rose, the prosper, until they get caught.” And that of Fame accepts new members. ! ese ! e same goes for Sosa, who " nished with All American Girls Professional Baseball just cannot be. Cheating, not only in members are the pinnacles of baseball 609 career home runs, including 243 of League played during World War II, the baseball, can never be worth it enough achievement, as voted on by the members them from 1998 through 2001. Except Negro Leagues prior to Jackie Robinson’s to give it a shot. of the Baseball Writers of America Asso- they cheated—all of them. And this Hall breaking of the color barrier, and more. ciation. of Fame is not just about numbers. ! ree And, there should be one for the Among the members of the Hall of of the six criteria for election to Cooper- “Steroid Era” as well. Despite the Fame are the all-time leader in wins, Cy stown are sportsmanship, integrity and marring of the perfection of the Young (511); the Sultan of Swat, Babe character. Bonds, Sosa and Clemens fail game, there is no argument that it Ruth (714 home runs); and the " rst Afri- on all three counts.” happened. can-American major league player, Jackie Both Bonds and Clemens underwent ! is past season, San Francis- Robinson. Players are eligible to be on the federal investigations and trials about their co Giants player Melky Cabrera Hall of Fame ballot beginning " ve years perceived PED use. Bonds “escaped” con- was batting .346 with 11 home a% er they retire. Not for the " rst time, viction of usage, but was found guilty for runs and 60 runs-batted-in be- record-shattering players appear on the obstruction of justice for giving an evasive fore admitting to taking a type ballot: this year—the all-time leader in answer under oath during a trial in 2011. of steroid. Had he not formally home runs, and baseball history’s most Clemens, in his most recent court appear- removed his own name, Cabrera decorated pitcher. But, they won’t be join- ance in April of 2012, was acquitted of all would have been eligible for, and ing the ranks of baseball’s " nest. 13 perjury charges held against him. won, the National League batting What Schreiber teacher Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens ap- In short, while the rains of a steroid title. pear on the ballot for the " rst time this use conviction never did fall, it will be a Cabrera has since served a 50- received the Warren King year. ! e home run king and most deco- long time before the clouds of doubt pass game suspension, and Commis- rated pitcher, respectively, along with Jose over. Sosa, despite never going to trial, sioner Bud Selig has increased football award for team Canseco, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire, was caught red-handed using a corked penalties for the breaking of the are the poster boys for baseball’s “Steroid bat during a game in 2003. Other notable MLB drug code. Previously, sus- MVP in high school? Era.” ! e “Steroid Era” (late 1980s-pres- players that were either caught, admitted pensions were so miniscule that ent), despite being littered with astound- to, or accused to have taken steroids in- is was " scally intelligent to risk ing professional accomplishments, is clude Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettite, Jose steroid use, for hopes of greater
marred by the possibility that players used Canseco, Rafael Palmeiro, and Manny achievement and a larger con-
for Garden City football 1974-1975. football City Garden for performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Ramirez. tract. award the won DiGiacomo Ray Mr. teacher Technology A: ! e guidelines for electors to admit It is very di$ cult to envision these play- And, despite his suspended THE SCHREIBER TIMES SPORTS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2012 23 Girls volleyball Boys basketball looks for winning formula reaches county Second year junior Ryan Kri!cher leads scoring early into season Port to the "nal round of the tournament, Meadow High School. BY Seth Barshay where they faced Hempstead. !e team Certainly the team faces challenges, receive awards Contributing Writer started strong, going up 25-19 at the end most notably the fact that many of last year’s of the "rst half, but ultimately lost by a team members graduated and there are only BY Dan Miranda In order to inspire the boys basketball score of 48-39. "ve returning players on the 2012-13 team team, Head Coach Mr. Sean Dooley gave For the second game in a row, Kri#cher roster. But the early returns look promis- Sports Editor his players an article to read at the begin- led the team in scoring, this time putting ing, with the returnees stepping up and new ning of this season. up 14 points. !e next leading scorers players playing important roles as well. !e girls volleyball team wrapped “Tough players come to work every were Gordon and Alagna, contributing “We hope to make the playo$s this year up the 2012 season with a loss to Mass- day to get better and keep their horizons nine and seven points, respectively. and have a better record than last year,” apequa in the Nassau County semi"nals, short. !ey meet victory and defeat the “We played hard and we played good said Gordon. “We have to play as a team but not before completing the season same way. !ey get up the next day and defense, but we couldn’t really score in and play good defense. And hopefully Joey with individual accomplishments. First go to work to be better than they were the the fourth quarter, and our players get- takes ten threes a game.” year Head Coach Mr. Bryan Patterson day before,” said ESPN analyst Jay Bilas in ting into foul trou- "nished the season fourth in the top his college basketball article “Toughness.” ble hurt us,” said conference in Nassau County with a 7-9 It appears that the players took the ar- sophomore Noah overall record (6-8 conference). ticle’s lessons to heart. Linder. “I’ve played alongside many of these On Dec. 7, the team participated in One important girls for four years and have seen ex- the 54th annual Fritz Mueller and Arnie event to look for- treme improvement,” said senior Sarah Simms Invitational Holiday Tournament. ward to is the up- Roberts. “We had an amazing season Led by captains seniors Joey Alagna and coming Coaches this year and I see great potential in the Josh Gordon and junior Matt Siegel, they vs. Cancer Fund- returning players.” won their "rst game in the tournament raiser on Feb. 1. All-County and Conference awards against Manhasset. Created by were plentiful. Junior Megan Murphy With the game tied and 57 seconds le#, Coach Dooley two was the only player on the team to win Gordon scored the "nal two of his seven years ago, the event All-County recognition. Junior Kris- points on a layup to give Port the lead and raises money for tin Cangemi and senior Deidre Hansen eventually a 51-46 victory. cancer research. both won All-Conference honors. Mur- “!e way the team pulled out the win Last year the teams phy also took home an All-Tournament on Friday was by playing tough,” said Sie- raised well over award for the playo$s. gel. “Giving it our all to come back from $1,000, which was “!e girls who received awards the 15 point de"cit. We went full speed all donated to the worked really hard throughout the sea- with no slowing down and worked togeth- American Cancer son. Making it to the semi"nals against er as a team. Not a single person hogged it Society to help Massapequa was a great accomplish- or took unnecessary shots.” "ght the disease. ment,” said senior captain Tori Lehrer. Siegel "nished the game with 10 points, !is year’s “Hopefully the team will succeed next while junior Ryan Kri#cher led the team event will feature a Elana Galassi year.” with 19. game against con- Junior Al Ashmawy takes the jump to start the game against !e team will graduate four seniors !e win against Manhasset advanced ference rival East Manhasset. The Vikings won the game by a score of 51-46. this spring. Captain’s Corner: Taehoon Kim and Christian Castillo, Wrestling weight all the time. third as a team. Overall, we had four "nal- TK: Individually, at the end of the BY Aaron Brezel AB: Speaking of watching your weight, ists and two champions. We also had the season we all participate in a tourna- Assistant Sports Editor I have heard the term “cutting weight” a Andrew Pierce tournament on the eighth. ment where the top forty in each weight lot. I can tell it has to do with losing Two "nalists and one champion, which was class go on to Counties. I think we had Aaron Brezel: So Taehoon, Christian, weight, but can you guys tell me what it’s yours truly. ten or eleven All-Conference guys and it’s good to have you guys here really about? AB: Oh well, mazel tov! seven went on to Counties. Christian Christian Castillo: It’s good to be CC: It’s not as bad or unhealthy as it TK: Mazel tov to you too. won All-County, which is top six in the here, man. seems. We do eat, just not as much. It’s all AB: A#er these "rst couple matches, entire county, which was really impres- Taehoon Kim: It’s great to be here. about portions. You don’t have to starve how do you feel about the talent going into sive. AB: How did both of you get involved yourself before a match. It’s all about be- the season? AB: Do you think you can repeat that with wrestling? ing smart and using your head. For ex- CC: We are very young this year. We success? CC: I started in the PYA Youth pro- ample, I come into the season weighing only have four starting seniors, but at any TK: Absolutely. gram when I was in fourth grade, because 165 and you can feel good and feel strong, given time we could be replaced. We have AB: Does the team have any pre- my dad wrestled. but then say you cut down to 154, so you two eighth graders on the team, my brother game rituals before every match? TK: Let me tell you something. Wres- lose a couple pounds of fat. A#er that, is one of them, and a bunch of freshmen CC: Just getting in the zone. tling is the "ght between two essences. It’s you feel lean and faster. It’s not even un- and sophomores. AB: I know that every team has their a "ght between souls. !is isn’t funny. healthy, you feel more in shape a#erwards, AB: So there is a lot of promise for the little quirks. Is there anything in particu- Wrestling is a sport that tears you down especially if you lose the weight over the future? lar you guys do to loosen up? and shows the world who you really are. course of months. CC: Yeah in two or three years we are TK: !ere is nothing funny about When you take the souls of two wrestlers TK: It’s like li#ing a heavy weight, put- going to be really good. wrestling. and put them in the ring, you "nd out ting that weight down and then li#ing a AB: Coming into this season, did the CC: In reality, I think we are a pretty who the better man is. You understand lighter one. Li#ing the lighter weight is team have holes to "ll? funny team when we’re not practicing. what I’m saying? much easier. !at’s the mentality. CC: No, even last year our team was We are like one big family. We hang out AB: Sure, sure... Is that why you got AB: Eloquently stated. Your "rst game very young. We did have our heavyweight o#en right a#er practices and matches. I involved with the sport? was against Westbury, correct? D’aversa graduate so that was a big loss. know our team is pretty clever with the TK: Yes, because you can see my es- CC: First match. AB: Do your coaches deserve a lot of “shabooyahs.” sence. TK: Don’t call it a game. You “play” a credit for your early success? AB: What’s a shabooyah? CC: I think he means he wanted to get game of basketball. You don’t “play” wres- TK: Yeah, de"nitely. All of our coaches TK: Let’s demonstrate. in touch with his true colors. tling. Wrestling is not a game. bring a ton of experience and skill. In a CC: SHAAAABOOYAH, SHA, SHA, AB: I’m not sure many of our readers CC: !at’s what I’m taking about. sport like wrestling, you need good coaches SHABOOYAH! ROLL CALL! realize how grueling of a sport wrestling *high-"ve* because it’s such a technical sport. AB: You can stop now. I think I know can be. Could you guys walk the reader AB: Oh right, I almost forgot about the AB: How did the team do last season? what you’re talking about. through a typical practice on the team? warrior mentality. Did you guys make the playo$s? TK: By the way can you cut that "rst CC: In reality, it’s an all day thing. CC: Our "rst match was against West- CC: Wrestling is both a team and indi- part about the essence? !at sounds It’s like #basketballneverstops, but actu- bury, and we beat them 57-23. We pretty vidual sport. As a team last year we were pretty stupid. ally, wrestling never stops. When you go much killed them. in the ‘A Bracket’ and lost in the "rst round CC: You sounded like you were try- home, basketball stops — it’s done. AB: Did you guys win individually? to Locust Valley, which is a very good team. ing to be funny. TK: Wrestling never stops. I wake up CC: We were both victorious. !ey ended up losing to Wantagh: they AB: I agree! !anks for taking the in the morning and I do 15 pushups with AB: Any other matches to boast of? were the number one team in the state last time to sit down with me. one hand. CC: Our "rst tournament was Dec. 1 year. !is year I think we can do much bet- CC: Yeah man, take it easy. CC: You have to be watching your in the Hank Paris Tournament. We took ter than that. TK: !is was fun. Portettes, cheerleaders gain new roles with varsity status Programs provide entertainment for football, basketball intermissions
BY Dan Miranda
Sports Editor
In the 2009-10 school year, the Portettes and the cheerleaders became parts of var- sity athletics program for the ! rst time. In the past, the two had merely been classi! ed as “clubs” rather than “sports.” “" e cheerleaders wanted to be part of a sports team and plus they were working speci! cally at sporting events, so it made sense,” said Athletic Director Ms. Stepha- nie Joannon. “It would have been easy to keep them as a club, but making them a varsity team gave them another place to showcase their talents.” " anks to a push from then-Club Advisor (now Head Coach) Ms. Robin Cooper, the Portettes also attained varsity status. “It wasn’t really fair to classify us as a club when throughout the year we put in as much time and e# ort as a sports team does in their season,” said senior captain Arianna Koslo# . Being a part of the athletic program meant that both teams would have to get cleared by the health o$ ce, would be in- cluded in captains’ meetings, and would be funded by Schreiber’s Athletic budget. " is meant better uniforms and increased exposure for both the cheerleaders and Elana Galassi the Portettes. The Portettes have always performed in a Rockette-style kickline, but now will have additional dance performances at bas- “Both groups are now being viewed ketball games in the winter season. not just as a ‘sideline attraction’, but a ‘main event,’” said Ms. Joannon. “I think which have a number of similarities in the fall and spring. leaders. New York State is including com- when you look at the football games, peo- their practices. “" e best moments this fall have been petitive cheer as a recognized sport begin- ple look for the Portettes, people look for " e Portettes perform their kickline performing for the Pep Rally and for the ning next year,” said Ms. Joannon. the cheerleaders. From a personal per- routine at football and basketball games; ! rst half of the football game,” said senior " is represents an important step for spective, it’s nice that people don’t get up the cheerleaders attend and cheer at both cheerleading captain Kela Yankana. the cheerleading program, which will be at hal% ime, and stay in their seats to watch as well. Although neither group o$ cially plays able to perform and compete just as the the performances from both groups.” Both wave pom-poms in parades and in games, both teams practice and hold gymnastics team. Many students have begun to ask what at town events, like Pride in Port, the Me- tryouts. " e Portettes have always been a kick- the di# erence is between the two groups, morial Day Parade, and the pep rallies in Both of these sports are require large line, but have transformed from being a time commit- part of the band to becoming more of a ments for the dance group. athletes involved. “Once the Portettes came under the Unlike any ‘athletics’ umbrella, we expanded their other sport, both role during the basketball season to half- teams compete time dancing. " en last year, we expanded across all of the it further to one minute dances for grade di# erent athletic levels between the third and fourth quar- seasons. ters,” said Ms. Joannon. Despite their " e cheerleading team practices in the apparent simi- Commons and the Portettes in the cafete- larities, the two ria. While the cheerleading team reports teams have many “no real con& icts” regarding practice space, distinguishing Koslo# and the Portettes believed that the di# erences. improvement in status from club to team " e cheer- would lead to better practice space, but it leading team has not. has gone from “It’s just di$ cult with thirty girls to cheering with practice in small spaces. We always end pom-poms for up rearranging the cafeteria because we the home team to have no room,” said Koslo# . a more “competi- While the two groups are di# erent in tive cheer,” which many ways, there is a mutual appreciation includes stunts between those involved in both athletic and some dance activities. routines. “I truly believe that both the Portettes “Our cheer- and cheerleaders have a mutual respect leaders are mov- because they know how much work and ing toward the e# ort needs to be put into it. " e hours Elana Galassi competitive cheer of practice and the chemistry involved ap- The cheerleading team now performs at halftime during football and basketball games. It will be in- status, although plies to both groups,” said Ms. Joannon. volved in competitive cheer next year. they’re still cheer-