Shaler Area Honors Distinguished Alumnus by Shannon O’Leary Becoming the Managing Director
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Volume 42 Issue 3 Student Newspaper Of Shaler Area High School December 2015 Shaler Area honors Distinguished Alumnus by Shannon O’Leary becoming the Managing Director. 4POINT4 is a company that essentially gives back. When a com- Imagine working for the President of the Unit- pany buys sportswear from 4POINT4, a certain per- ed States. In 2004, then senior at Shaler Area Chris centage of the profit is given back to an organiza- Watts probably couldn’t either, but that was one fo tion of the customer’s choice. The company was at the many things he has done since leaving Shaler first primarily focused in Washington, D.C. and New Area in 2004. He has exceeded his own expectations York, but it also had different relationships with the and managed to find himself as a well known mem- US Soccer Foundation, Boys and Girls Clubs, and ber of the business world. the Special Olympics. Organizations such as these After graduating from Shaler Area in 2004, he bought sportswear from 4POINT4 for a special rate attended the Carnegie Mellon University. From there, and advertised the company as one that truly does he went on to working for the President of the United give back. States, establishing his own company, and becoming “The real idea behind 4POINT4 is we want all the Executive Director of the National Foundation athletes to play for a cause,” Watts said. on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. For these reasons, Because of this successful and charitable organi- he was recently given Shaler’s 2015 Distinguished zation, Watts was named one of Forbes Magazine’s Alumnus Award. “30 Under 30’ for sports along with celebrities like While in high school, Watts had no idea what ca- Alex Morgan, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin. reer he wanted to pursue. He thought about becoming This recognition seemed to be a wakeup call for a pediatrician or doctor until he realized Biology was Watts, who used this recognition as motivation. not his strength, but Calculus and Computer Science “I kind of just laughed. I thought it was ridicu- were instead; so he set his mind on Engineering. En- lous. I saw the list and it was full of celebrity athletes gineering was his major at CMU but even then he and there were about 20 athletes and 10 profession- started to realize that wasn’t what he really wanted to als and I was one of those professionals. I knew I do. Finally, two years after he graduated he decided was doing something that was perceived as cool, but he wanted to do something associated with sports. Christopher Watts, Shaler Area class of 2004 I didn’t feel like we were successful yet and I still “When I wanted to transition from engineering were really doing,” he said. don’t feel like we are yet,” he said. “[The recogni- to sports, I started blindly emailing anyone I knew Coincidentally, just weeks after he started, tion] was a cool thing of course but it was also like, that had anything to do with sports,” Watts said. the First Lady decided on a childhood obesity and alright you gotta get your act in gear now.” From there, he went to George Washington Uni- healthy lifestyle platform. On his second day, he had Currently, Watts is the Executive Director of the versity, which had a sports-focused program, to ob- a meeting at the White House. National Foundation on Fitness, Sports and Nutri- tain his MBA. Shortly after, he became a liaison for “That was when I thought ‘wait, this is the Presi- tion. This is a private organization that was founded partnerships to the country for sports opportunities dent. I am actually doing this right now.’ I was taken by the government to support fitness and healthy ac- on the President’s council on fitness. Through this for a ride as soon as I started.” tivity across the country, and he is the one in charge role, he was able to build a lot of relationships with His job on the president’s council really showed of its building. media organizations and sports leagues and teams, him the ropes of what working in the sports world “My favorite part is I can set the plan and the vi- but he was curious about what all he could accom- was like. He had to learn how to run meetings and all sion to whatever I want it to be for this crazy, national plish there at first. of the other aspects that he was never familiar with as organization that has huge potential and huge oppor- “At first I had relatively low expectations be- an engineer. Soon enough, he was building his own tunity for corporate support and for support from cause I didn’t know what it was. I understood it was platform. Cont. on page 8 the president’s council but I didn’t how much they Watts helped establish the company 4POINT4, Latin Honorby Alyssa Wohlfarth Society gives back to the community The Shaler Area Latin Honor Society has been set a goal this year to work more outside the school to have a positive impact on the local community. “We’re trying to get out to be more of a community-based organization. We’re trying to help out in other places,” senior Josh Bartosh, president of the Latin Honor Society, said. In the past, the society focused mostly on the language, but the group felt that because it is an honor society, students should help the community more. LHS will continue to go to Penn State for a Latin convention where it meets with the other schools and competes in diverse activities, but it will now do more than that. During the months of October and November, Latin Hon- or Society completed two service projects. On October 20, they painted pumpkins, which were then donated to the Chil- dren’s Hospital. Latin Honor Society making fleece vlankets for the homeless and painting pumpkins for Childrens’ Hospital Members did not get to deliver the pumpkins in person, but When asked about making the fleece blankets and how he felt about making they did hear about how happy the children in the hospital were to get those and donating them Bartosh said, “It’s very rewarding because you’re helping decorated pumpkins. somebody in need.” “We like to do things just to give back and help those in need,” Magistra Jes- In December, the Latin Honor Society plans to spread some holiday joy by sica Alexander, the co-sponsor of the Latin Honor Society, said. going to Hampton Fields to sing carols. On November 17, LHS made several fleece blankets. Those blankets were The Latin Honor Society hopes that all of these activities will help make the donated to Light of Life, a center which gives the homeless shelter and food. The community a better and/or happier place. fleece blankets will be handed out to the homeless to help them stay warm this “It’s a good feeling to help others and give back to the community,” fresh- winter. man Latin student Cassie Kagle said. Page 2 The Oracle December 2015 OPINIONS Christmas -- the most Technology is exacting wonderful time of the year by Shayla a tollby Kayla on Snyder kidsthem of up if given today the opportunity. Nguyen Growing up, I do remember It’s quite sad to look around at the gradual increase of technology Christmas. The smell any public place and all you can see but it seems as if in the past ten of pine trees. The twin- is an overload of electronic devices. years, the boom has increased ex- kling lights. The feeling What’s even worse? Younger chil- ponentially. Along with that, I also of holiday cheer. There dren are being given these devices remember when I got my first cell really is no denying that now. It’s safe to say that the young- phone and the reason why. The rea- Christmas is a magical er generations are at the point of no son was not to entertain myself, it time. I’m the type of per- return when it comes to technology. was for emergency purposes. Now- son who starts looking Technology is a good thing, adays, children are getting expen- forward to Christmas be- yes. But, technology, much like ev- sive smartphones just for the “fun ginning December 26. erything else in the world, has its of it,” That is not okay. I listen to Christ- flaws. It’s a sad moment when some It’s no surprise that the world mas carols in the spring people can say with complete con- is becoming more technologically and by the time summer fidence that technology has ruined advanced, but the problem is the starts, I already know what I’m getting every- them or made them socially incom- generations below us are going to one for Christmas. For petent. My fear is that this state- develop some kind of technology people like me, it is THE ment is going to become a social dependency if they haven’t already best time of the year norm for younger kids. and something about that is just hands down. Why? Well What happened? Parents look to wrong. go ahead, get yourself a The Angel Tree In the Activities Office their devices as method of keeping It’s hard to judge who’s at fault. hot cup of cocoa and grab a their child busy. With the endless Is it the parents? Are they just try- seat by a warm fireplace, because I’m about to tell you.