The L ghthouse Vol. XXXI, No. 5 Lyndhurst High School: 400 Weart Avenue, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 March 2018 Michelangelo is focus of field trip to Met By Megan Starrett Staff Writer

Students from the Art Club, International Culture Club and Italian Club joined together to admire iconic works of art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on Jan. 25. The main attraction in the museum was a temporary ex- hibit featuring drawings, paintings and sculptures of Mi- chelangelo, one of Italy’s most renowned artists. This ex- hibit—which ran from November 2017 through February 2018—showcased over 200 works gathered from over 50 different sources. Only 15 slots were available to members from each of the three extracurricular clubs, so students had to act quickly if they wanted to get the chance to view the Met’s one-of- a-kind collection. Freshman Iris Gonzales, who attended the fi eld trip as a member of the International Culture Club, said of the items in the Michelangelo exhibit, the replica of the Sistine Chap- el appealed to her the most. “Once you enter that section, it’s the center of attention,” Gonzales said. “I felt amazed when I saw it.” Photo by Ruby Rodrigues Like Gonzales, art teacher Mr. Petruzziello found the Seniors Gaetano Ricciardi, Jordan Sanders, Tyler Roman, Johan Contreras, Louis Dell’Aquila and Terence Beebe (left to right) per- Sistine Chapel to be the highlight of the exhibit because form in Disney’s “High School Musical” in the auditorium on Feb. 15-17. it reminded him of when he visited Italy for two weeks in 2005. However, he said seeing Michelangelo’s drawings was the most memorable part of the day. Students ‘break free’ in ‘High School Musical’ “I didn’t realize just how accurate and precise his archi- By Joana Kapaj edge about musical theater. tectural drawings were,” Petruzziello said. “When you con- Editor “I never expected that I would take on the lead role of Troy “ I didn’t realize just how Bolton in my last year of high school,” Contreras said. Old and new talent fi lled the stage on Feb. 15-17 for LHS’ He said he thought being in the show would be a misera- accurate and precise his performance of Disney’s “High School Musical.” As the ble process due to his lack of experience. However, Contre- lights dimmed, the audience was transported to East High ras said it turned out to be the complete opposite. architectural drawings were. ” School, where cliques rule the school. “The entire cast and crew are family, and we always have sider this was over 500 years before CAD, or computer-aid- Taking the roles of the main characters were junior Kara each other’s backs. And without Mrs. Ruiz and Ms. Wise, ed design, it’s simply amazing.” Mueller (Gabriella Montez) and senior Johan Contreras we wouldn't know the true meaning of having a musical Italian teacher Mrs. Clatworthy said Michelangelo is not (Troy Bolton). Mueller said playing the brainy, theater-lov- family,” Contreras said. her favorite Renaissance artist, but she still found it inter- ing Gabriella Montez fi t her personality because she could Ruiz, who directed and choreographed the musical, said esting to explore the exhibit. relate to Gabriella’s interests. Although Mueller has partic- “High School Musical” was a show that never crossed her “I enjoyed the Michelangelo exhibit and appreciated the ipated in LHS musicals since she was a freshman, she said mind as an option for LHS. Ruiz said that, at fi rst, it struck work that went into creating the collection,” Clatworthy “High School Musical” was a show unlike any other. her as a juvenile production that would not challenge her said. “This one was extra special because it was the last show I cast. Clatworthy is no stranger to the Met. She has been to got to be in with many of my friends [who will be graduat- “It wasn't something we ever thought we would do, but the museum several times with friends and family, some of ing], so we really tried to make it count,” Mueller said. it just fell into our laps,” Ruiz said. “Ms. Wise mentioned, whom were visiting the United States from abroad. While she loves performing, Mueller said she also found what about ‘High School Musical?’ and we kind of laughed “We love the special artwork and collections that can be special value in the camaraderie among the cast. about it.” found there,” Clatworthy said. “I made many friendships that I may not have made oth- Even though Ruiz originally had doubts about selecting Senior Sara Attia, a member of the Art Club, said she had erwise that will carry into other musicals as well as life in “High School Musical,” she said she is happy to have been fun during her fi rst visit to the Met. general,” Mueller said. able to put on the show because of its important message “I had only been to a history museum, and I wanted to see She said her favorite scene in “High School Musical” oc- about acceptance. if an art museum was any more appealing,” Attia said. “The curred towards the end of the production when she and “I feel like it's regular life in high school. You have all these Met went above and beyond my expectations.” Contreras sang “Breaking Free” with the whole cast assem- different groups of people, and they all have their own idea bled on stage. of what cool is,” Ruiz said. “It's a very relevant song to all high school kids, and it Like Contreras and Ruiz, junior Anthony Hayes (Zeke symbolizes getting away from the standards that confi ne so Baylor) also said “High School Musical” challenged him. Al- many people,” Mueller said. “The happiness that the charac- though he acted in plays before, this was his fi rst time in a ters experienced showed just how important it is to break musical. free from these standards.” “There is a very big difference between the two, mainly While Mueller is no stranger to the LHS stage, this was the size of the cast. This was my fi rst show with over 15 Contreras’ fi rst time participating in the musical. He said people in it,” Hayes said, explaining that having a musical he decided to audition because of the encouragement he re- score also made the production complex compared to plays. ceived from his chorale teacher Ms. Wise, who is the assis- Hayes said he is happy he decided to join the musical. tant and vocal director for LHS’ musicals. “The musical has impacted my life so much over these “I couldn't thank her enough. Without her, I wouldn't past four months that, in all honesty, I'm lost on what to have broken out of my comfort zone. She truly is someone do now,” Hayes said. “The musical gave me confi dence that Photo by Joana Kapaj that supported me all the time and knew what my capabili- I never thought I would have. It gave me friendships with Junior Giselle Caro examines a Jackson Pollock painting at the ties were when I didn't,” Contreras said. people that I never would have associated with. It gave me Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City on Jan. 25. Prior to joining the cast, Contreras said he had no knowl- genuine happiness and satisfaction.”

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2 SCHOOL NEWS March 2018 Rival high schools combine to form co-op sports teams By Somaia Hassan She said she has particularly Staff Writer enjoyed spending time with the North Arlington swimmers at During the winter, junior ice team dinners. hockey player Kyle Bouteloupt “We would just talk and make ends his day by joining forces and funny jokes, and we’re never able bonding with students from rival to stop laughing,” Rendzia said. schools. Athletic Director Mr. Radigan His teammates are not limited to said LHS makes it a priority to the Lyndhurst Golden Bears. They incorporate their partner schools are also the Hackensack Comets by including them in team photos and the Paramus Spartans. Boute- and bonding activities. loupt refers to them as some of his “It’s a good thing for kids from closest friends. other schools to compete on the Had it not been for LHS’ cooper- same team because it brings… ative relationship with teams from towns closer together,” Radigan other towns, these friends may said. have never met. Radigan, who has an interest in “The co-op really lets us make improving the structure of co-op Photo by Ruby Rodrigues new friends and build a bond that sports, said another reason he is so Junior Kyle Crispina participates in a blood drive led by Community Blood Services in the gym on March 1. really can’t be broken,” Boute- supportive of these arrangements loupt said. “The past three years, is because they create a space for I’ve met new kids, and we’ve real- intense competition. ly been friends since my freshman “It really gives our kids and those Students and faculty lend year.” other kids an opportunity to play In fact, Bouteloupt said he even on the same team for obviously the keeps in touch with alumni from common goal of trying to compete those high schools. and win at a high level,” Radigan an arm to help save a life Ice hockey players are not the said. only student athletes who com- He said co-op teams provide By Nazli Tiyaloglu blood, you save a life,” Nowinski “One pint can make a difference.” bine their talent and resources by schools with the chance to culti- Editor said. Abreu said she was happy to have joining together as one team in vate and develop their own stu- After the blood is done being the opportunity to give another dents’ talent. For instance, the Senior Gaetano Ricciardi walked collected, it is fi ltered and sent person a second chance at life. “ Our teammates ice hockey team started six years into the gym around 1 p.m. on to hospitals where it is stored in “It’s also pretty healthy for the don’t treat them ago with only three members from March 1 to be greeted by trans- medical coolers until needed. donator too. It improves the car- LHS. Today, LHS has 13 students portable hospital beds, tables Nowinski said for the past four diovascular health,” Abreu said. differently than participating on the team. fi lled with high-sugar foods and years, she has been coordinating She said her fi rst experience do- Despite the benefi ts of co-op medical professionals dressed in this event with Jeff Archel, the nating blood was positive. anyone else on sports teams, Radigan said they scrubs. “Giving blood was not bad at all, the team. ” pose unique dilemmas regarding Instead of being used for physi- “ It takes about especially because of the nurse at- scheduling and travel. He said the cal education classes, twice a year, tending me,” Abreu said. “I [felt] a co-op arrangement. The wres- toughest challenge co-op teams the gym becomes the location for a twenty minutes accomplished and privileged tling and swim teams have similar face is competing against a school blood drive. maximum, and knowing that I gave someone a co-op partnerships in which they in one sport and then working to- Hosted by Community Blood better chance to survive.” practice and compete with North gether in another sport. Services, the Montvale-based or- after you just need While it was Abreu’s fi rst time Arlington High School. “When it comes to let's say wres- ganization strives to promote the donating blood, this marked Ric- Junior swimmer Raina Rendzia, tling, now they’re on your team, health of the community by pro- to stay in there ciardi’s sixth time making a do- who has been on the team since your teammate. You are starting to viding high-quality blood and tis- and chill and have nation. He has been participating her freshman year, said LHS has build that bond, that relationship, sue services as well as education in the semi-annual event since his benefi ted from participating in a and that takes time,” Radigan said. and innovative research. some snacks so sophomore year. co-op swim team. Junior varsity ice hockey coach Any student 16 or older as well you don’t faint. ” “It takes about twenty minutes “Having another school join our Mr. Petruzziello said co-op sports as faculty and staff weighing at maximum, and after you just need sports teams adds more players teams teach students to work as least 110 pounds were encouraged account manager of Community to stay in there and chill and have with talent, earning points and one unit. to donate. Thirty-four members of Blood Services. They started with some snacks so you don’t faint,” creating friendships that last a “As coaches, we try to set up an the LHS community registered for one blood drive per year but add- Ricciardi said. lifetime,” Rendzia said. environment to succeed, and they the blood drive, and 23 were eligi- ed a second drive because it was so Bagels, chips and orange juice Rendzia said she and her fellow do the rest,” Petruzziello said. ble to donate after their iron and successful. were all available to keep donors’ Golden Bears strive to make North He said the ice hockey team des- hemoglobin levels were checked. For sophomore Laura Abreu, sugar levels up. Arlington students feel welcome. ignates at least one captain from School nurse Mrs. Nowinski March 1 marked the fi rst time she Ricciardi said he intends to con- “Our teammates don’t treat them each school so all towns are fairly said blood drives are important to would be donating blood. She said tinue donating blood in the future. differently than anyone else on the represented and feel empowered those who require a blood trans- she decided to donate because she “It’s a way to give back and do team. They are equal and just as to make the most out of the ex- fusion. She said the demand for had reached the minimum age re- some good for the world,” Ricciar- much a part of the team as if they tra-curricular learning experience. blood is highest during the winter quirement. di said. “It’s just a good deed I do. were [from] Lyndhurst,” Rendzia “These kids really teach each oth- season. “I’ve always wanted to help some- It’s easy and it helps people. I don’t said. er a lot,” said Petruzziello. “When you donate a pint of one other than myself,” Abreu said. see a reason not to do it.” Senioritis spreads through high school’s hallways By Mostafa Mohamed those students who is experienc- level to achieve higher goals,” Car- are experiencing senioritis: “Just Junior Angela Downey said even Staff Writer ing senioritis. He said his symp- mona said. breathe and relax. It only gets eas- though she has a year-and-a-half toms come and go. Senior Mia Luna said senioritis ier as time goes on.” left at LHS, she occasionally ex- With the third marking period “Some days, I have it bad. I don’t has not affected her. While it is known for its prev- periences symptoms of senior- in full swing, seniors have com- want to do work, and I procrasti- “I’m just trying to get good grades alence among seniors, juniors re- itis. However, she tries to push pleted most of their graduation nate a lot. Other days, I don’t re- and get through the year with a through these hard times. requirements and are gearing up ally have an issue with doing my smile on my face,” Luna said. “ I’m just trying “I think it’s just all the school- for a fresh start. As they solidify schoolwork,” Carmona said. She said her best friend senior work because it gets overwhelm- plans for college or employment, He said his level of motivation be- Manny Juarez keeps her focused to get good grades ing with the variety of classes,” many of them are falling victim to gan declining in December. How- on academics by doing homework and get through Downey said. senioritis. ever, Carmona said he expects it with her, explaining information She said her goal of maintaining Senioritis is a supposed condi- to increase when he begins college covered in their classes and check- the year with a a good academic standing is what tion in which high school students at William Paterson University in ing up to see what grades she got smile on my face. ” keeps her striving to do well. experience a decline in motivation Wayne where he intends to major on assignments. “Grades are still very important and academic performance. in either criminal justice or busi- “He is always motivating me, and port symptoms of senioritis as to me. It’s just [that] I don’t have In a survey conducted by The ness entrepreneurship. he has helped me [avoid] senioritis well. In fact, three out of every four the motivation to do the work Lighthouse, 63 percent of seniors “College is a long-term path to a with ease,” Luna said. juniors at LHS say they already sometimes,” Downey said. “I feel are experiencing senioritis. new beginning. It’s the real world Luna said she would offer the have senioritis, according to a poll everyone can go through phases Senior Justin Carmona is one of where you can work at a higher following advice to her peers who conducted by The Lighthouse. like this.” The Lighthouse

March 2018 NATIONAL NEWS 3 Over 260 women come forward to confront Larry Nassar about assault

By Sebastian Cabrera Like Sharpelletti, junior Anthony Samma- Editor rone said it must have been diffi cult for Nas- sar’s former patients to speak out. Larry Nassar was once a world-renowned “I think [Nassar] was able to get away physician who treated America’s best fe- with it for so long because he was import- male gymnasts. Now, he is facing 40 to 175 ant, and nobody wanted to get in trouble,” years behind bars after sexually assaulting Sammarone said. more than 260 women. He said sexual assault cases like this one The 54-year-old USA Gymnastics and show the need for precautions that deter Michigan State University doctor pleaded this type of abusive behavior. guilty on Nov. 22 in a Michigan court to “There should be more cameras and ran- seven counts of criminal sexual conduct. dom check-ins to catch people in the act in Using his position as a trusted medical pro- case some people are too scared to report it,” fessional, he took advantage of his patients Sammarone said. by disguising sexual assault as routine med- ical treatment. “ It’s hard for a person Junior Chayenne Sharpelletti said she is to decide to share disgusted by Nassar’s behavior. “To sexually harass vulnerable young girls something as personal and take advantage of the trust they place in you as their doctor takes a truly sick indi- as sexual assault crimes, vidual,” Sharpelletti said. and oftentimes, the victim She said she commends the females who have been assaulted for having the bravery is ashamed and blames to confront Nassar. “It’s hard for a person to decide to share themselves. ” something as personal as sexual assault He said added security could help put a crimes, and oftentimes, the victim is stop to sexual harassment and the abuse of ashamed and blames themselves. It takes a power by authority fi gures. lot of courage to open up at all, and seeing However, sophomore Jessica Bodei said so many brave girls do it motivates others to she does not believe sexual assault can be do the same,” Sharpelletti said. prevented. Among those who testifi ed against Nas- “Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to be sar were Olympic gymnasts Simone Biles, something that can be stopped because of McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman. the world we live in,” Bodei said. “The girls trusted him to do his job and As a former gymnast, Bodei said she has care for them, but instead he betrayed that sympathy for those who have been physi- trust,” Sharpelletti said. “It may have been cally and mentally abused by Nassar. diffi cult for these girls to understand that “No one can change what has happened. Nassar had crossed the line. Many of the The only thing you can do is move forward girls could also have been scared to come and help other victims come forward and Illustration by Temitope Olasehinde forward about their traumatic experiences.” fi nd peace,” said Bodei. DNA tests help students and teachers learn about their heritage By Kayla Sanchez Philippines and Guam, which I grated from country to country,” Staff Writer expected since I identify as Filipi- Alemany said. “Everyone should no. It also said that I am 21 percent do AncestryDNA because it does Have you ever wondered what Polynesian, one percent South work, and it will give you an idea ethnicities run through your Asian and two percent Finnish/ of what your family's history [is].” blood? Have you ever wondered Northwest Russian, which I found Italian teacher Mr. Raguseo has what part of the world your family shocking,” Agustin said. also done a DNA test. He opted came from? While Agustin values the results for 23andMe, which is similar to Junior Paula Agustin had these she received, she said the process AncestryDNA. He said curiosity questions and decided to take ac- was slightly unpleasant because about his heritage prompted him tion to fi nd the answers. she had to spit in a tube until the to take the test over the summer. “I’ve always wanted to fi nd out required amount of saliva was He purchased a health and an- what my specifi c genetic makeup captured to meet AncestryDNA’s cestry report on sale for $100. The was. Ever since I read about the specifi cations. Nonetheless, Agus- usual price for this report is $199. entire history of the Philippines, tin said she encourages her friends About a month later, Raguseo said I’ve been constantly wondering to try AncestryDNA. he received his results. if I had Spanish blood, and that’s After Agustin recommended An- “I [am] Italian, but I assumed where I got my Spanish last name,” cestryDNA to her, junior Rachel that maybe I might be North Afri- Agustin said. can to a degree, maybe even Span- Using money she got for her “ The test was able ish blood or Iberian blood,” Ragu- birthday, Agustin purchased a to pinpoint that seo said. “What surprised me was DNA test from Ancestry.com that I was about 20 percent Mid- during the company’s summer my genetics came dle Eastern,” Raguseo said. sale. She said it was well worth He said this feedback made sense the $69 investment. from the Philippines to him because his ancestors lived “Although DNA tests like Ances- and Guam.... ” in southern Italy centuries ago tryDNA do not have enough infor- during a period when there was mation [because of relatively small Alemany decided to purchase a a lot of trading going on with the amounts of data collected] to pro- kit. Alemany said she was happy modern-day Middle Eastern re- Photo by Lea So vide precise results for Asians, I do with the results because they were gion. 23andMe offers genetic testing and analysis through saliva collection. feel that the DNA test proved to be extensive and detailed. “In October, one of my colleagues accurate in my case,” Agustin said. “It shows you all of the different told me their results, and then I This change can be explained by more time passes. Agustin said when she received regions from where your family told them mine, and I said, ‘I’ll the fact that as more people use Raguseo said for the discounted her results, which took about six came from, different percentages show you.’ I go back in to log in, AncestryDNA and 23andMe for price he paid, he would recom- weeks to arrive, she was some- of each ethnicity that they have and my numbers changed com- genetic testing, the companies’ mend 23andMe to others. what startled. you listed as, and they also include pletely. So, I’m not Middle East- databases of DNA information in- “For the original prices, probably “The test was able to pinpoint a timeline of the different years ern, not even one percent,” Ragu- crease. Therefore, results are sup- not. I think that’s a rip off,” said that my genetics came from the that your family is said to have mi- seo said. posed to become more accurate as Raguseo. The Lighthouse

4 NATIONAL NEWS March 2018 Tide Pod Challenge Flu epidemic severe this year By Victoria Zuccaro According to CBS News, the flu has been Staff Writer identified in 42 states across the country takes over internet and hospitalizations continue to rise. It is Senior Andrew Ellis is a dedicated indoor most dangerous for adults over the age of 65 By Alicia Henrichsen types of challenges because people see and outdoor track star and an academic stu- and children under the age of five. Staff Writer something that is deemed cool and want to dent who is looking to make the most of his New Jersey is among the states that has do it,” Nuñez said. final year at LHS. However, in January, he been heavily impacted by this flu season. First there was the gallon challenge, then In spite of its appeal to teenagers, Nuñez encountered a setback. Two New Jersey children, one four and the there was the cinnamon challenge and now said he would never take part in the Tide Ellis said he woke up on a Friday morn- other six years old, have died as a result of there is a new and dangerous trend taking pod challenge. ing feeling ill. Therefore, he decided to stay the virus. over the internet. The Tide pod challenge is “Nobody should try this challenge,” Nuñez home from school and rest. As the day pro- “I know it seems very scary this flu season storming social media and posing a severe said. “If you chew or eat it, you have bleach gressed, his symptoms got worse. He devel- after hearing about all the deaths. But truly, safety risk for teens and children. in your body now, which is not good.” oped a fever that reached 102 degrees and a every year people die of the flu,” Nowinski The Tide pod challenge, which has existed Despite the health risks associated with sore throat severe enough to cause him to said. for years but gained popularity in January, the consumption of Tide pods, Nuñez said seek medical attention. Wrestling coach Mr. Collins said his team challenges people to consume these colorful Tide should not be held accountable for the “My fever was the highest it has ever been,” was affected by the virus. liquid laundry detergent packets either in misuse of its products. Ellis said. “Some wrestlers [had the flu] this year as their original form or after frying them. “Tide pods should not change their look When Ellis went to the doctor later that well, which is tough when we have a small Last year, United States poison control because they should be kept away from all day, he was diagnosed with the flu and was team and usually just one guy at each weight centers received reports of more than 10,500 children that would find them enticing. put on a four-day course of antibiotics, class. When someone is out with an illness, children younger than five years old who However, if a grown idiot decides to eat one, which caused him to feel drowsy. it forces us to forfeit,” Collins said. were exposed to the capsules. that is their own fault,” Nuñez said. While Ellis was well enough by the fol- He said vaccines are generally an effective That same year, nearly 220 teens were re- With severe consequences for consuming lowing Monday to return to school, he had method to prevent the flu, but they have portedly exposed, and about 25 percent of Tide pods, stores are now locking up this to take four days off from track to give him fallen short this season because viruses are those cases were intentional, according to product and only allowing those over 18 time to make a full recovery. always mutating. data from the American Association of Poi- years of age to purchase them. Ellis said he believes people are limited in According to the Centers for Disease Con- son Control Centers. what they can do to avoid catching the flu. trol and Prevention, this year’s flu vaccine is School nurse Mrs. Nowinski said ingest- “ Tide pods should not “To an extent, people can prevent getting only 36 percent effective. ing the contents of a Tide pod brings many change their look sick by washing their hands, but at some dangerous health risks. point, it really comes down to luck,” Ellis “ You should not return to “They range from minor to life threatening. because they should be said. Some symptoms are vomiting, nausea, diz- School nurse Mrs. Nowinski also said fre- school until you are ziness, burned esophagus and even death,” kept away from all quent hand washing is particularly import- fever-free for 24 hours. ” Nowinski said. children that would find ant during flu season. She said the popularity of the Tide pod “Hand washing is the number one way to Due to the prevalence of the flu this season, challenge can be attributed to social media. them enticing. ” keep germs from spreading. When you are Collins said even if students feel healthy, “Like other past challenges that happen on not able to use soap and water, use an alco- they should keep their distance. social media, the word gets around fast. So- “My mom and probably many other par- hol-based sanitizer,” Nowinski said. “Also, “To high school kids, stop slapping ev- cial media campaigns [are] for not only pos- ents use it, and it should not be locked up avoid large crowds. Eating well and getting eryone’s hand between every single pe- itive but negative campaigns too,” Nowins- because some children thought it would be enough sleep are all important measures to riod during the flu season,” Collins said. ki said. cool to try and eat one,” sophomore Gianna take.” “Stick[ing] to a ‘hello’ or even a fist bump is In response to concerns about the Tide Tripodi said. Nowinski said flu symptoms students probably better.” pod challenge, YouTube and Instagram have She said it is unfortunate that this danger- should look out for include a dry cough, He said the most important thing a sick begun removing videos of people attempt- ous challenge remains popular. sore throat, chills, fever, body aches, head- person can do is stay home so classmates ing the challenge. However, Twitter has “One outrageous video has now become ache, fatigue and a runny or stuffy nose. She and teachers do not catch the virus. continued to allow access to these videos. the new trend just like clothing or a specif- said the flu can last anywhere from five to “Germs are spread when people who are Like Nowinski, sophomore Jordan Nuñez ic food,” Tripodi said. “I believe there is no 12 days, with symptoms reducing in severity sick come to school or work when they are attributes the popularity of the Tide pod way to stop this trend other than [to] sim- after two or three days. coughing and sneezing and highly conta- challenge to the internet. ply wait it out.... It is ultimately up to the “You should not return to school until you gious,” Collins said. “If at all possible, stay “Social media is the backbone of these individual to not consume the pod.” are fever-free for 24 hours,” Nowinski said. home.” No more monkey business I think it will only be for research,” Venezia of the two recently cloned monkeys, it took Chinese scientists get serious about cloning said. 127 eggs to yield the two macaque babies. Junior Isabella Castagnetti said it is clear “Let’s see how the lifespan of these crea- By Sean Leonard ful instance of cloning is a major advance- that human cloning is on the horizon. She tures [plays out]. Remember that Dolly Editor ment in biomedical research. said she is worried the process will put so- died, and all of the other ones have died,” Biology teacher Dr. Dunn said cloning can ciety in danger. Dunn said. “It’s been a long time. Now, the The year was 1996. Bill Clinton was re- have benefits for humans. “In the midst of the antisemitism and hor- key is, can they replicate it? And if they can, elected as president, the original Pokémon “It can be used in a very successful form in ror of the Holocaust, Adolf Hitler ordered you’re on the accelerated track now.” was just released and Dolly the Sheep, the the way of fighting or combating diseases, tests to be done on identical twins with the Although Dunn does not believe human world’s first cloned mammal, was success- potentially even genetic disorders or diseas- purpose of devising a way to clone humans. cloning will happen in the near future, he fully born. es that are going to come on us as we age,” If he succeeded, cloning would be used to said he is concerned about the effects of ar- Over 20 years later, Chinese scientists— Dunn said. further the Aryan race. If cloning humans tificial intelligence and genetic engineering. who were led by Qiang Sun, director of the However, there are also ethical concerns were to become a reality, it would have to be “I always think that somehow, some way, primate research facility at the Chinese associated with the successful cloning of placed in the right hands,” Castagnetti said. messing with DNA, we create something Academy of Sciences Institute of Neuro- primates because it could eventually lead to Dunn said he does not see the possibil- we don’t have control over. And now if it science—have successfully cloned two ma- human cloning. ity of humans being cloned any time soon gets into our system, and it’s a disease…. Our caque monkeys using somatic cell nuclear The Chinese researchers said they have because of the imperfections that still ex- defenses aren’t built for it. Now, we have a transfer, the same process Dolly underwent. no intention of cloning humans, but junior ist within the cloning process. In the case pandemic,” said Dunn. This development is significant because Gabriela Schnur said she is still concerned these are the first primates to be cloned us- about this possibility because she views it ing a complicated technique that involves as unethical. Facts about the cloning of animal organisms obtaining DNA from the cell of a fetal mon- “I don’t think humans should be cloned. • There are three types of artificial cloning. They are known as gene key and planting that DNA into monkey Even though it might help medically, a per- eggs that have had their DNA removed from son is their own, and I don’t believe that cloning, reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. the nuclei. there should be complete copies of people • Researchers created the first genetically identical mice in 1979. However, the two monkeys named Hua out there,” Schnur said. • Mammals that have been cloned successfully include cats, cattle, Hua and Zhong Zhong are not the first pri- Freshman Adam Venezia said he also has deer, dogs, horses, mules, oxen, rabbits, rats and sheep. mates to be cloned. concerns, even though he recognizes the As early as 1999, primates were being medical benefits of animal cloning because • Clones do not always look identical because of the impact of their cloned using simpler cloning approaches. it allows scientists to spot diseases and environment. The Chinese researchers assert that since track their development more efficiently. • Cloning also occurs naturally through asexual reproduction in these monkeys are primates, which fall un- “I do think humans will end up getting some plants and single-celled organisms. der the same order as humans, this success- cloned, but not many people will be cloned. The Lighthouse

March 2018 NATIONAL NEWS 5 Political disagreement causes government shutdown By Ambar Cabrera to address issues of national concern. in modern U.S. history. During past shut- Staff Writer The major dispute that caused this shut- downs, the Senate could not agree on fund- down was the status of the Deferred Ac- ing for causes such as abortion and public Due to a disagreement between Republi- tions for Childhood Arrivals immigration works job porgrams. cans and Democrats over budget planning, policy and the question of whether DACA According to FOX News, the fi rst shut- the government experienced a shutdown recipients should face deportation. Demo- down in the modern budget process took from Jan. 20-22. crats vowed they would only vote in favor place from Sept. 30 through Oct. 10, 1976. Famous monuments and historical sites of the proposed budget if the Republicans This occurred during Gerald Ford’s pres- including the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Is- offered their support for DACA. idency when he repealed a $56 million land in New York as well as Independence “[Democrats] did not support it because it spending bill for the Departments of Labor Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania were did not allocate enough money for Dream- and Health, Education and Welfare. The closed during this shutdown. The Thomas shutdown led to a 10-day hiatus. It was also Edison National Historic Park in West Or- The shutdown in the year the Congressional Budget and Im- ange was also closed. poundment Control Act came into effect. Photo by Joana Kapaj Advanced Placement United States Gov- January was the 18th in The law allowed Congress to take time off. The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor was ernment & Politics teacher Mr. Clifford Senior Andrew Ellis, a student in Clifford’s modern U.S. history. among the monuments closed as a result of the said the January government shutdown was A.P. class, said he believes there is no upside government shutdown in January. the result of a failed vote. ers, which are people who were brought to to a government shutdown because many “The House [of Representatives] simply the U.S. illegally as children,” Clifford said. federal government employees lose money history hasn't went over too well.” needs a majority, but the Senate needs a su- He said if Congress does not agree on a for all the days they cannot report to work. Sophomore Melanie Fallas, a student in permajority of 60 votes to ensure the pas- budget, it can pass a continuing budget res- “There are no benefi ts to a shutdown, Mr. Newman’s Law & Civics elective class, sage of the bill. There are only 51 Senate olution, which takes the last year’s budget and the disadvantages are really that agen- said citizens generally do not notice the ef- Republicans, so they did not have enough and funds the government for a specifi c cies lose funding, especially the military,” fects of a shutdown, but it refl ects poorly on votes to ensure the bill’s passing,” Clifford amount of time. Currently, the U.S. is oper- Ellis said. “I believe there will be another the federal government. said. ating on this continuing budget resolution, shutdown because the Republicans and “The shutdown shows we really need to Clifford said politicians, especially Demo- which will fund the government through Democrats have to compromise on issues come together as a nation and make sure crats, can benefi t from the threat of a shut- March 23. like DACA and immigration in order for a we’re putting into consideration the needs down because it gives them an opportunity The shutdown in January was the 18th spending bill to be passed, which in recent and wants of the people,” Fallas said. Student safety called into question due to policy violations at fraternities

By Erin Murgittroyd other pledges across the country Staff Writer died due to alcohol-related haz- ing incidents, according to hazing Are fraternities and sororities a expert Hank Nuwer who was fea- valuable learning experience es- tured in an NBC report published sential to college life, or are they in December. dangerous institutions that need In 2017 alone, fraternity chap- to be eliminated? This is a ques- ters were closed or were sus- tion that college administrators pended at Florida State, Louisi- and students are asking them- ana State, Pennsylvania State and selves in light of recent tragedies Texas State Universities following that have occurred within Greek pledge-related tragedies. life. The February 2017 death of Tim In December, the Star Ledger Piazza, a 19-year-old college fresh- reported on Rutgers Universi- man attending Penn State, was es- ty-New Brunswick’s Sigma Chi pecially publicized. As part of his fraternity, which was suspended initiation to the Beta Theta Pi fra- until August 2020 following pol- ternity, the brothers forced him to icy violations. consume 18 drinks in 90 minutes. At that point, the national orga- After that, he fell down a fl ight of nization may consider establish- stairs and passed out. Fourteen ing a chapter with new members, hours after Piazza arrived at the according to John Cramer, a Rut- event known as “the Gauntlet,” gers spokesperson. he was rushed to the hospital. He Meanwhile, suspended members died the next day. of Sigma Chi are not allowed to In September, eight of the frater- participate in any activities relat- nity brothers were charged with ed to Greek life for the rest of their involuntary manslaughter and time as Rutgers undergraduates. assault. In total, the Penn State This announcement came after chapter of Beta Theta Pi was hit Photo by Jillian Cancela Rutgers’ student newspaper the with almost 900 charges that in- Rutgers University-New Brunswick suspended the Sigma Chi fraternity after an incident in September when Xanax Daily Targum reported that on cluded aggravated assault, tam- was placed into a communal container of alcohol and fruit juice during a mixer with the Sigma Delta Tau sorority. Sept. 16, Xanax was placed into pering with evidence, hazing and a communal container of alcohol providing alcohol to minors. should remain at Penn State, Tes- experience, Cappiello said she un- uals involved leaders of the frater- and fruit juice during a mixer with History teacher Mr. Tessalone, salone said changes need to be derstands the benefi ts of joining a nity requiring pledges to complete the Sigma Delta Tau sorority. who graduated from Penn State made. sorority. a challenging 13 mile hike. Row- Although Rutgers said the de- but was not part of a fraternity, ”Hopefully, increased awareness “They are a good way to make land said he also recalls one of the cision to suspend Sigma Chi was said the news about Piazza’s death and education is focused on more,” new friends and create bonds,” sororities on his campus making not related to the incident in Sep- is upsetting. Tessalone said. Cappiello said. new pledges carry around a gold- tember, the timing suggests that “It was a tragedy that could have Senior Grace Cappiello, who was Building friendships was the fi sh. When the sorority members it had an effect on the university’s been easily avoided. There is a cul- accepted to Penn State but has main reason guidance counselor gathered with his fraternity, Row- decision. ture of binge drinking at college decided to attend Pace Universi- Mr. Rowland decided to join the land said some of his brothers The dangerous culture of Greek campuses that is very powerful ty in New York City, said Greek Delta Pi fraternity when he was at would steal the fi sh and eat them. life is nothing new. In September and, unfortunately, shuttering a life is not for her. Cappiello said Bloomsburg University in Penn- Rowland said the university held 2004, 18-year-old freshman Gord- few frats along the way is not go- she plans to focus on her academ- sylvania. meetings to evaluate its Greek or- ie Bailey died while pledging to ing to make the problem go away,” ics and does not understand why “I originally wanted to walk onto ganizations, but it rarely heard the Chi Psi fraternity at the Uni- Tessalone said. people would involve themselves the baseball team, but then I met about dangerous activities until versity of Colorado-Boulder. With 76 fraternities and sorori- in Greek life if it means risking a good group of guys that want- after they occurred. Therefore, In response to their son’s pass- ties, Tessalone said Greek life is a their own safety. ed me to join their frat,” Rowland Rowland said the responsibility ing, Bailey’s family partnered with major part of Penn State’s campus “The whole point of being a part said. should rest on the Greek organi- the University of Virginia's Center life. of Greek life is to create a brother- Although his experiences were zations to monitor the behaviors for Alcohol and Substance Edu- “I don't think Greek life should or sisterlike bond,” Cappiello said. generally positive, Rowland said of their members. cation to form the Gordie Foun- be suspended because of all the “Some kids are just too immature there was a hazing culture. He said when a member acts ir- dation, which offers support to positive things they do for the and irresponsible to be a part of “Some guys enjoyed hazing oth- responsibly, it affects the reputa- young people addicted to drugs school and the events they have for Greek life.” er people so much it was scary,” tion of the entire organization. and alcohol. charity,” Tessalone said. While Greek life is not some- Rowland said. “You are only as strong as your Since Bailey’s death, at least 29 While he believes Greek life thing she looks for in her college He said one of the initiation rit- weakest member,” said Rowland. The Lighthouse

6 TECHNOLOGY 7 ‘Everything in moderation,’ especially when it comes to children’s use of technology By Sebastian Cabrera always asks them to help her bake, them play on a smartphone or tab- trouble or she needs a ride, she can Editor plays Legos with them or takes let. give us a call,” Auteri said. them outside for a game of soccer. “I’ll do activities with the kids He said his family also uses the Previous generations grew up “If I let them use technology, it’s such as coloring or making up Life360 app, which is a family lo- in an era where they had to inter- a small video game like a [Ninten- handshakes, and I try my best to cator, messaging tool and commu- act with people face-to-face. Kids do] DS, and I sit there and watch limit technology use. Sometimes nication app all in one. would share toys, spend time out- my cousin play for a little. They are we play board games or we play “Now my wife and I know where side, play sports or creatively con- with a deck of cards. I’ll usually she is, and it’s not that we want to jure up new games. In contrast, I’ll do activities give them water and snacks like constantly monitor where she is, today’s youth grow up in a world “ chips and easy things to eat. It’s but [it is] just the way society is dominated by screens. with the kids such fairly easy to keep them occupied,” today,” Auteri said. Junior Gabriella Borgono got her Palestis said. Although Auteri said phones fi rst phone when she was an ado- as coloring or Palestis said if she has children are a great way to ensure people’s lescent. It was a fl ip phone that her when she is older, she will proba- safety, he believes society has be- parents purchased for her when making up bly give them a phone when they come too dependent on technol- she started going out to lunch and handshakes, and I are about nine or 10 years old. ogy. For example, Auteri said it is walking home alone. She said al- “I would reward them with more a problem when people text each though phones and technology try my best to limit time on their phone when I could other from the same room. are a great way to keep loved ones technology use. see how hard they were working “Where I think technology is not safe, social media has negative ef- at home and if they were doing that helpful to the world is, espe- fects on kids. limited with me and their parents.” well in school,” Palestis said. cially as a baseball coach, kids are “Technology ruins basic skills They only play for one hour, some- With four children at home, var- more intrigued by playing video needed in life, causes anxiety, in- times shorter,” Borgono said. sity baseball coach Mr. Auteri said games and being on their phones creases insomnia, etcetera. Using Like Borgono, freshman Bianca the biggest benefi t of today’s tech- too much instead of going outside technology literally allows no so- Palestis said it is important to lim- nology is the ability to contact his and getting a little more activity,” cial activity between people. It it children’s use of technology. children whenever he needs to. Auteri said. makes a person socially incompe- Palestis babysits her younger He said his 12-year-old step- Despite the problems associat- tent and dependent, and it’s really siblings every day and routinely daughter Olivia received her fi rst ed with technology, Auteri said he sad that this is what it has come to takes care of other young family phone last year because she start- is happy to have access to modern today,” Borgono said. members. She said she has seen ed walking to school on her own. tools of communication. Borgono babysits her cousins a great results from spending qual- “That’s the technology that is “It lets us do a lot of things that few times each month and said ity time with them and interact- good to have because God forbid 30 years ago I couldn’t, and it when she takes care of them, she ing with them rather than letting anything happens to her, she is in makes life easier,” said Auteri.

Apple confesses to Screencap from NBC “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon interviews Sofi a, a robot created by Hanson Robotics on April 25, 2017. slowing down old 4

5 Stepping into the future iPhone models 6 Slow and steady isn’t winning the race Lifelike robots capture attention of the media By Lea Torppey of aging batteries. By Mostafa Mohamed Staff Writer The same day, the company pub- Staff Writer lished a letter of apology to cus- As the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus tomers and offered a $29 battery “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fal- and iPhone X were being released, replacement to anyone with an lon laughed nervously as he inter- many iPhone users noticed older iPhone 6 or a more recent model. 7 viewed Sophia, the newest form models of their phones slowing This promotion began in late Jan- of artifi cial intelligence created by down. This was not the fi rst time uary and will continue through Hanson Robotics. they encountered this pattern. Dec. 31, 2018. X In April 2017, she challenged him Therefore, customers began Additionally, Apple promised 8 to a quick game of rock, paper, wondering if Apple may be pur- to add a feature regarding bat- scissors. She proceeded to beat posely slowing down older models tery health to iOS so users can be him, saying, “This is a good begin- to force frustrated consumers into aware of their phone’s battery per- ning of my plan to dominate the purchasing newer models of the formance. human race.” iPhone. Sophomore Hailey Spahiu, who While the interview can be con- owns an iPhone 6, said she doubts sidered humorous, the future of AI It took them years the sincerity of Apple’s apology. is a serious matter. “ “Apple is only creating these AI is the innovation and devel- to release this apologies to avoid lawsuits, which Illustration by Kelly Weckstein opment of computer systems that they have already been receiv- can perform tasks that would nor- information. Why ing,” Spahiu said. “I am still con- Tuero said he has had many is- Apple is acting with bad inten- mally require human intellect. Re- hide it if it were for vinced that Apple [slows down sues with his iPhone 7 even though tions. cently, advancements in AI, such its phones] to get people to buy it was only released two years ago. “There’s no real evidence to prove as the ATLAS robot—which is a good cause? an upgraded model and trade in “The battery certainly drains that Apple [is] slowing down old- able to carry out mechanical la- the phone they have… for a better, faster now than it ever has before. I er models…. Even if they were, I bor—and Sophia, have caught the On Dec. 28, 2017, Apple came” for- faster one.” also can barely hear out of the ear- think they redeemed themselves attention of many. ward to acknowledge these alle- Physical Education and Driv- piece,” Tuero said. because of their apology,” Skwara Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Face- gations, admitting to intentional- er’s Education teacher Mr. Tuero Freshman Hubert Skwara said said. “By apologizing and offering book CEO Mark Zuckerberg have ly slowing down the operation of agreed that Apple is at fault. his iPhone dies even when it ap- users a replacement battery, it weighed in on the topic, with older iPhones. However, the com- “It took them years to release this pears to have a high battery per- shows they really care about their Zuckerberg expressing optimism pany justifi ed the action by saying information. Why hide it if it were centage. Unlike Spahiu and Tuero, customers and will fi t their needs because of AI’s potential to en- this was meant to extend the life for a good cause?” Tuero said. however, Skwara does not believe to make them satisfi ed.” hance the quality of human lives. The Lighthouse

6 TECHNOLOGY 7 The sky might not be the limit for drones after all By Simge Yavuz all these air traffi c controllers Staff Writer making sure that airplanes are on separate courses, and with drones, Centuries ago in Venice, Italy, there really is no way to track the fi rst use of a drone was re- that.” corded. On Aug. 22, 1849, an un- Belmont said drones are also con- manned aerial vehicle loaded with troversial because they relate to explosives dropped on the Roman matters of privacy. Republic. In 2014, Rodney Brossart, a cat- Today, UAVs—better known as tle rancher from North Dakota be- drones—are still used, although came the fi rst American man to be their purposes have expanded. arrested and found guilty by the They now have agricultural, com- Supreme Court of North Dakota mercial, industrial, military and because of information collected recreational applications. by a Predator drone on loan from They are also utilized for border the Department of Homeland Se- control, law enforcement, ther- curity's Customs and Border Pa- mal sensing, gathering informa- trol. tion and photography. Due to the In 2011, a warrantless drone risks associated with drones, some was sent to Brossart’s property to members of the public remain make sure it was safe to arrest him skeptical. after he had refused to return cows However, senior Hanna Song said that wandered onto his property. she supports the use of drones. This incident raised questions “Drones are useful for photogra- about the Fourth Amendment, phy because it can get pictures of which gives people the right to landscapes from the sky while you be secure in their persons, hous- can’t really capture it from below,” es, papers and effects against un- Song said. “[They] would help reasonable searches and seizures in the future with renovating or without a warrant. building other intricate and large A second court case regarding facilities.” the use of drones had to do with Song said drones can be danger- the collection of thermal readings. ous if they malfunction or collide In 1992, the government sent a with something or someone. drone with thermal-imaging ca- Like Song, senior Michael Ste- pabilities to raid the exterior of vens said drones can take good Danny Kyllo’s home after he was photos. However, he said he un- suspected of growing marijuana derstands there are privacy and there. security concerns because drones Heat emanating from high-in- carry cameras and listening devic- tensity lamps used to grow mari- es. juana was detected. No warrants “They may not want to be in pic- were obtained in order to search tures it takes or may even be afraid the home. Screencap from NBC of being followed by it. So, it’s very In 2001, the Supreme Court ruled “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon interviews Sofi a, a robot created by Hanson Robotics on April 25, 2017. understandable why people are 5-4 in Kyllo’s favor, concluding frightened by them,” Stevens said. that the use of a thermal-imaging He said the government should device was unconstitutional in create specifi cally designated ar- that situation. eas for those who want to fl y Belmont said the use of drones in Stepping into the future drones. these two legal cases is troubling. “Drones are something really spe- “The people who used [the may not be able to control it. How- it inhibits [human] creativity. It cial but should be used with pre- drones], they had good intentions, Lifelike robots capture attention of the media ever, sophomore Sara Fonkats said inhibits freedom. You're now des- cautions,” Stevens said. “With all but then maybe the way they went she sees the benefi ts of AI in every- ignated and controlled,” Dunn the regulations, if you fl y in the about it was not the best way to Musk, however, warns that AI can day life. said. wrong spot, you can get heavily do it,” Belmont said. pose a great threat to humans if “Robots could assist [with] daily Global superpowers such as fi ned.” Despite his privacy concerns re- not kept under control. things such as carry[ing] our gro- Russia and the United States have The Federal Aviation Adminis- garding drones, Belmont said the Biology teacher Dr. Dunn shares ceries to even providing important ventured and invested in the idea tration ruled that drones cannot devices can have a positive effect Musk’s concerns about AI. medical assistance,” Fonkats said. of using AI for military combat. fl y within a fi ve-mile radius of on communities. He said when “The benefi ts of AI is to stream- Sophomore Colin Kittredge said The robots would move quickly airspaces and must remain below he lived in Jersey City, he would line some of the mundane and while AI can multitask or process and potentially become as power- 400 feet in the sky. see people racing their drones on rote mechanical jobs and occupa- more information at once than ful as nuclear weapons. Even though regulations and weekends. tions that we do,” Dunn said. “But an average human can, it can be Sophomore Nicole Iglesias said laws are in place, English teacher “People seemed to really like it. there’s a catch-22. The more we programmed to do evil instead of military use of robots could prove Mr. Belmont said they do not go That is something fun that you good. to be very benefi cial. far enough. could do,” Belmont said. “In the AI is the innovation “It can possibly be tampered “Instead of sending humans onto “There have been issues with right hands, it could be a real- and development of with by hackers, resulting in the the battlefi eld, we could send ro- drones fl ying in areas with air- ly useful tool, and in the wrong AI executing a command that they bots and save many lives in the planes,” Belmont said. “We have hands, people could misuse it.” computer systems were not originally intended to process,” Iglesias said. carry out,” Kittredge said. Freshman Faiza Chowdhury, in that can perform Many, including Musk, believe contrast, said she is uncomfort- tasks that would that in order to keep AI in check, able with the idea of using robots a neural lace connecting human in the military. normally require brains with the AI should be cre- “If they become as dangerous as ated. As a result, a human could nuclear weapons, then it'll mutu- human intellect. have constant control over a robot. ally assure destruction,” Chowd- make them, the more we need to This proposal is highly controver- hury said. “We could fall into an- educate our population or fi gure sial. other Cold War or even worse.” out another way of keeping them “Said lace could possibly be re- AI can be benefi cial to humans, employed, and that is a big dilem- verse engineered. Therefore, a vi- but it can also pose an enormous ma.” rus that is implanted into the AI threat. In the end, it is up to hu- Dunn agrees with Musk that hu- may harm humans themselves,” mans to use the technology re- mans lack knowledge of AI’s po- Kittredge said. sponsibly. tential, whether it be positive or Dunn is also concerned about They could be making drastic Photo by John Caporrino negative. neural lace. steps toward a new beginning or, Drones are controversial because they can pose threats to people’s privacy, Consequently, he fears humans “I do not agree with that because quite possibly... the very end. safety and security. The Lighthouse

8 COLUMNS March 2018 Student Spotlight Netflix Review

Therefore, at the end of each day, the sister who has been out has to recount all daily activities at a nightly meeting. These scenes are particularly impressive because all Lauren Gold of the sisters are played by a single Ms. DiMaggio, who teaches the actress. Clara Read plays the girls AP Literature & Composition in their youth and Noomi Rapace class, said she would describe takes on the roles of the adult pro- Gold as mature and determined. tagonists. “I don’t know any other students For the nightly meeting scenes, from our high school who have Read and Rapace had to fi lm in been ambitious enough to want to the absence of six other characters complete high school within three and record the scene in multiple years,” DiMaggio said. takes, each time acting as a differ- She said Gold is to be commend- ent sister. ed for having the courage to de- Although the Settman sisters viate from the traditional plan of have extremely futuristic technol- completing high school in four Cover from Netfl ix ogy—such as hidden alcoves and a years. “What Happened to Monday” is an mirror capable of detecting their “What stands out most about action-packed thriller in which each fl aws—their plan goes awry when Lauren to me is her confi dence,” family is only allowed to have one Monday fails to return home for DiMaggio said. “To voluntarily child due to overpopulation. the family meeting. put oneself in this situation takes This leads to a series of dramatic guts.” By Jamie Connors and suspenseful scenes that hold Gold said her close friend junior Editor the audience’s attention until the Jennifer McChesney has been a very last second of the fi lm. View- source of support for her during “What Happened to Monday” ers cannot help feeling shocked the stressful experiences of fi lling is a dramatic take on a dystopian and surprised as the remaining out college applications and pre- future. Through a series of fl ash- siblings fi ght for their lives and paring for dorm life next year. backs, this action thriller follows try to identify the reason behind McChesney said even though the lives of seven identical sisters Monday’s disappearance. the two have had very different who are forced to take drastic As the sisters struggle for surviv- schedules this year, she has high measures because of a one-child al, complex secrets are uncovered hopes that their friendship will policy implemented by a totalitar- ian government that wants to pre- and the siblings reveal how differ- Photo from Lauren Gold continue next year when Gold is a ent they truly are. Senior Lauren Gold took an extra course over the summer to skip 11th grade. student at Arizona State Universi- vent population growth. “What Happened to Monday” She will be attending Arizona State University in the fall. ty in Tempe, Arizona. This strict policy, which is over- is a captivating and thought-pro- “I will not give up on our friend- seen by the Child Allocation Bu- By Carina Paserchia my last year of high school and be- voking fi lm that is defi nitely wor- ship despite being miles and miles reau, calls for the immediate con- Editor ing one step closer to the next part thy of viewers’ time. However, it is apart,” McChesney said. fi scation of all siblings except the of my life,” Gold said. “I’ve basical- fi rstborn. Led by Nicolette Cay- not without shortcomings. For the month of March, The ly always known that I wanted to man, the bureau strictly monitors The sisters often appear almost Lighthouse turns the spotlight major in musical theatre in college I was excited the public by requiring each per- superhuman in their ability to over to senior Lauren Gold. and pursue it professionally…. I “ son to wear an electronic wrist- withstand run-ins with the gov- Last year, Gold was a sopho- wanted to get started on that as to be going into band containing his or her person- ernment. Facing such signifi cant more. However, you won’t be soon as possible because I real- my last year of al information. hardships, it is also diffi cult to be- spotting her in junior hallway ly look forward to being able to Since their grandfather decides lieve the siblings were capable of this year. That is because she has study and pursue this career.” high school and to keep all seven siblings—which keeping their secret for 30 years. opted to accelerate her academic Gold said she decided as a soph- being one step are each named after a day of the Additionally, in its effort to build career, achieving senior standing omore that she wanted to accel- week—he only permits each sister characterization, the fi lm comes this year. This will enable Gold erate her high school studies by closer to the next to leave the apartment on her des- across as repetitive. There are too to graduate this June, earning her skipping 11th grade. ignated day. When in public, she many fl ashbacks from the protag- high school diploma in just three Then, she met with her guidance part of my life. must take on the persona of Karen onists’ childhood, and the escape short years. counselor, Miss Foti, to map out a Settman so the government would sequences in the second half of the Gold said even though she has plan to achieve this goal. This plan When Gold fi rst told McChesney” not fi nd out about the other sib- movie go on for too long. skipped a year, she does not feel included completing a 20-day En- about her decision to skip junior lings. “What Happened to Monday” like she has missed out on much. glish III course at Bergen Commu- year, McChesney said she was To maintain a unifi ed identity, is an imperfect movie that depicts “I’ve spent three years here, and nity College so she could move on shocked. the sisters strive to look perfectly an imperfect world. However, like I don’t think one extra year would to a senior English class this year. “Lauren is so much stronger than identical. This is a challenge be- the sisters’ distinct shortcomings, have made that big of a difference This year, she is enrolled in Ad- she seems. I often marvel how she cause when one sustains a visible those imperfections give the Net- experience-wise,” Gold said. vanced Placement Literature & balances everything she has go- injury, all of the other sisters need fl ix original its unique identity. Coming into her senior year, Composition, which means Gold ing on in her life,” McChesney to look as if they endured the same This fi lm successfully captures the Gold said she was nervous but is eligible to receive college cred- said. “Even though some were not injury. They must also maintain a pivotal moments during a thrilling also fi lled with anticipation. it if she scores well enough on the convinced she could do it, she be- shared knowledge of their interac- rebellion and a much-needed rec- “I was excited to be going into A.P. test in May. lieved she could, so she did.” tions with the outside world. onciliation. Two Girls Turn the Page: Literature Review There’s more to a font than meets the eye in ‘Just My Type’

By Emma Chloe Caamaño to light that its designer Eric Gills feet of the letters, with serif being a with pop culture references such Managing Editor had been sexually abusive. traditional font with a square look as how the Gotham font helped Though technical in its terminol- and fi nishing strokes appearing former President Barack Obama “Comic Sans walks into a bar ogy, “Just My Type: A Book About to ground the letters. In contrast, during his campaign, how The and the bartender says, ‘We don’t Fonts” is a witty guide to the his- sans serif typefaces tend to be in- Beach Boys and easyJet made use serve your type.’” At fi rst glance, tory of typography and does a formal with curves and arches that of Copper Black and how the cov- this is just another pun, but for good job answering the question, give them a contemporary feel. er of “Men are from Mars, Women those who have read Simon Gar- “What does my favorite font say With more than 100,000 fonts are from Venus”—which utilized fi eld’s “Just My Type: A Book about me?” in existence, Garfi eld does a good two fonts, linking each one to a About Fonts,” this pun has taken Garfi eld goes into depth about job presenting an overview of a gender—became so important. on an entirely new meaning. the evolving defi nition of a font, diverse array of them. Each of his It is rare to fi nd a book that both In the fi rst chapter titled “We the impacts of mass production, 22 chapters focuses on the histo- experts and leisure readers will don’t serve your type,” the reader the European popularity of Hel- ry and uses of a particular font and enjoy, but “Just My Type: A Book learns how this pun landed Vin- vetica and the appearance of cer- offers some background about its About Fonts” accomplishes this cent Connare, its creator, in the tain fonts as masculine, feminine, designer. Some chapters are sepa- goal and changes the way its au- middle of a hate campaign whose American, British, German and rated by “fontbreaks” that present dience observes the world around motto was “Ban Comic Sans.” This Jewish. unique anecdotes about additional them. tension erupted after people began “Just My Type: A Book About fonts and their creators. “Just My Type: A Book About using the fun font to write about Fonts” is an informative text that By the end of the book, readers Fonts” will transform the way Cover by Gotham Books serious matters. addresses some of the basic vocab- may be overwhelmed with the readers view signs, advertisements “Just My Type: A Book About Fonts” Comic Sans is not the only font ulary that pertains to typefaces. massive amount of information and logos. It is sure to help them by Simon Garfi eld was published in that has incited hate and violence. For instance, the book explains that Garfi eld squeezes into 331 appreciate the beauty of every 2010 by Gotham Books. It addresses Gills Sans, a classic sans serif font, the difference between serif and pages. However, he knows how to letter and select their fonts more the history and unique stories related was also boycotted after it came sans serif fonts, which lie in the maintain his audience’s attention wisely. to various fonts. The Lighthouse

March 2018 OPINIONS 9 Column Head-to-Head What would #MeToo has not gone #TooFar By Megan Starrett bad eggs cannot determine that an entire carton is rotten. It Newman do? Staff Writer all comes down to fi nding the facts, and in the case of #Me- Too, most allegations have been proven true. “Me too” is no longer just known as a response to a simple Celebrities like James Franco, Matt Lauer, Tavis Smiley statement such as “I’m hungry” or “I’m excited for the week- and Kevin Spacey have all been engulfed in a swarm of accu- end.” Now, #MeToo is an impactful trending topic that has sations all thanks to #MeToo. Mr. Newman taken social media by storm. If anyone is responsible for the real ascent of this move- Faculty Columnist Some argue this movement has been taken too far, but ment, it is Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. His in reality, #MeToo is only the beginning. For so long, sex- name tops the growing list of accused sexual abusers. ual assault and harassment survivors have been forced into Why is this movement so huge? Well, the answer is sim- darkness. ple. Victims of sexual assault were forced into silence out If you could host any award show, The judicial system has repeatedly failed them, and fi nally, of fear that nobody would believe them, or even worse, that women and men are getting the chance to express the hor- their abuser would retaliate against them for speaking out. which would you host and why? rors they have experienced with the backing of the #MeToo The #MeToo movement has fi nally allowed those who movement. have survived such a scarring event to speak out no mat- Compiled by Bernie Consalvo When people say the movement is going too far, is it be- ter how much power the assailant has. With every passing Editor-in-Chief cause they are afraid their favorite celebrity will be the next day, this movement is gaining allies who are demanding a to have the hashtag attached to his or her name, or maybe change in societal norms and requiring serious consequenc- Awards shows are a tough gig. Even hosting upcoming because they fear they will be accused next? es for sexual offenders. Lyndhurst School District talent shows are tough. Speaking Well, let’s put this into perspective: Learning the truth If you agree that the #MeToo movement has gone too far, of which, shout out to our own LHS talent show, “Lynd- about a public fi gure you admire should not be a reason for you are a part of the problem. Discrediting the legitimacy of hurst’s Got Talent,” which is happening on March 28, led supporting silence, and innocent people should not feel un- the claims made by brave individuals means you lack em- by our own fantastic Ms. Wise! der attack. While the #MeToo movement deserves the pub- pathy. Anywho, those shows are tough enough. I’ve seen very lic’s full support, like anything in this world, there can be a Just because you are tired of hearing about sexual assault talented people try to host these shows let alone the Gram- few hiccups which should not be ignored. and harassment doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened or that it mys, Oscars, Tonys or other “professional” awards shows. Sure, the situation can arise where false claims are made isn’t continuing to occur. The time for change is now, and However, this is the task I am saddled with, so which against big name celebrities for a payout. However, a few #MeToo is the alarm bell sounding a revolution. would I choose? The Tonys are defi nitely a hard no. While I have been a part of almost a dozen musicals in Lyndhurst, the truth is they are not my thing. I won’t throw a lot of shade at them because they are entertaining and our students demonstrate a ton of talent and hard work in doing those performances which they work on for months and months. However, I am just not the biggest Broadway fan. I have been to my share of Broadway shows, and my wife is a huge Broadway goer. In fact, we just saw “Waitress” before Val- entine’s Day. All I could think about as I watched the show was how I would like to be eating a whole pie that she made rather I’ve seen very talented people try to host these shows let alone the Grammys, Oscars, Tonys or other “professional” awards shows. than sitting through one more song about her horrible, abu- sive husband or the good-looking doctor she was cheating with. “Waitress” wasn’t for me, and the Tonys wouldn’t be ei- Tweets from Twitter ther. I know people love them, but I would much rather re- read Hamilton’s biography than see Lin Manuel Miranda’s musical based off that same book. The Grammys get arguably the toughest rap of any awards Head-to-Head show, but the Grammy people also know how to cause their own problems. For example, the fl ute solo-playing band Je- thro Tull won the fi rst heavy metal Grammy Award over #MeToo movement falls short Metallica. That’s just an appetizer for how horrible the Grammys can be. Older people don’t get younger people’s By Angelena Barcia ual misconduct to get money or pity. It is unfortunate, but music, and vise versa. Staff Writer they undermine what could be a very powerful movement. Honestly, they should just turn the Grammys into a dif- While those who have experienced sexual abuse should ferent show and have three different ones that span 20 years When news of sexual misconduct by fi lm producer Har- receive the public’s support, one should not take #MeToo each. vey Weinstein broke in October 2017, it gave women across at face value. My era of hip-hop does not get Panda or Migos, and I’m the world the courage to come forward with their own sto- The person being accused should have time to respond sure my younger readers don’t get A Tribe Called Quest or ries by using #MeToo. They found strength in knowing and be heard. However, that does not always happen on the Sugar Hill Gang. Don’t know what I’m talking about? That’s they are not alone and having an outlet to discuss their own internet where people are drawn to drama. exactly what I’m talking about! trauma. Most importantly, such a wide-scale change cannot be Sorry I’m not going to dissect the Kids Choice Awards While it is good for women to tell each other about their achieved through a hashtag. There needs to be more female Show, the MTV Movie Awards or any other nonsense like pain rather than keeping it a secret, the #MeToo movement leaders and role models who have important positions in that, so that leaves us with the Oscars. has some serious fl aws. workplaces and politics. There also must be more discus- Arguably this is the “granddaddy of ‘em all,” and by far the The major shortcoming of #MeToo is that it can make most iconic. While they are not without controversy like all those who have experienced sexual abuse or misconduct Talking about sexual misconduct award shows, I would say the Oscars are usually the most feel like victims rather than powerful survivors. Including fair. #MeToo makes people feel like they are taking action when on social media is not going to do I would think that the Oscars also employ an army of com- they are actually just participating in an online community. much to address the problem. edy writers to make their hosts look fantastically hysterical. Talking about sexual misconduct on social media is not While I usually have no problem looking hysterical, I would going to do much to address the problem. For real action to sion about equal wage, childcare and other issues that affect have to add much more class with my humor to the show. happen, criminal consequences need to occur and society women. Also, I have to look amazing since it’s black tie, and you get must undergo a drastic shift in its cultural values. Everyone It is indeed hard to talk about personal experiences of analyzed by fashionistas more closely than college admis- must work towards an understanding of personal space and sexual assault. There is no doubt it leaves a lifelong impact sion boards look at college applications. see consent as a critical part of any sexual interaction. on those who have been affected. However, a hashtag can- So, while it comes with pressure, I’d defi nitely take the #MeToo has been used truthfully by millions of people, not be the main focus of a movement nor can it be assumed Oscars. I’d like to thank the Academy for inviting me to be but there are also those who use it to gain attention or seek that a hashtag by itself can give survivors the justice they the host. Thank you…. Thank you! revenge. These dishonest people lie about or exaggerate sex- deserve. The Lighthouse

10 OPINIONS March 2018

The Lighthouse Lyndhurst High School Editorial 400 Weart Avenue Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 201-896-2100 Child abuse is an inexcusable crime Check us out online: Around 700,000 children are parents of the 13 Turpin siblings— neighbors had acted upon their issuu.com/LHSLighthouse abused annually, according to a who range in age from two to 29 intuition or contacted authorities 2015 report issued by the National years old—pleaded not guilty to about suspicious behaviors. Children’s Alliance, an organiza- 40 charges they are facing for the The effects of child abuse are tion that provides support to vic- abuse and neglect of their chil- drastic, and saving even one child ______tims of child abuse. dren. The couple could be facing from such pain is a worthwhile Adviser: In four out of fi ve cases, the up to 94 years in prison if found goal. Ms. Pastor NCA concluded that parents or guilty on all counts. Children who have been abused guardians were responsible for the This news broke on Jan. 14 af- sexually, physically, emotionally Editors-in-Chief: abuse. In the other 20 percent of ter a 17-year-old girl who had been and mentally are known to face Jillian Cancela cases, the children were mistreat- held captive managed to escape lifelong battles with depression Bernie Consalvo ed by nannies or personal caregiv- and post-traumatic stress disor- ers. der. Managing Editors: In four out of fi ve For decades, child abuse has In fact, in a 2012 study conduct- Emma Chloe Caamaño cases, the NCA Jared Gabriel been depicted in the media. The ed by Martin Teicher, a professor topic has been featured in mov- concluded that of psychiatry at Harvard Univer- Senior Editor: ies including “Don’t Go in the sity, 53 percent of the 200 partic- Alexis Gerbasio House” (1979, horror), “Flowers in parents or guardians ipants studied had suffered from the Attic” (1979, drama) and “An depression and 47 percent had Editors: American Crime” (2007, drama). were responsible PTSD as a result of abuse they en- Zully Arias Trapped in the cage of It has also been included in the dured as children. Alexa Barreiros for the abuse. abuse, yearning for love. Robert Caamaño storylines of family sitcom “Full There are also victims who de- Sebastian Cabrera House” (1993) and the drama “The the Turpin residence and contact velop anger issues and take their Illustration by Alyssa Capasso Paul Cimicata Good Doctor” (2017). law enforcement. When the police aggression out on others. This can Jamie Connors While these examples span var- arrived at the Turpin’s suburban have an effect on their own chil- Children should be spending their Joana Kapaj ious genres, one common message home, the couple’s children were dren and perpetuate a dangerous youth enjoying quality time with Sean Leonard they all share is that children are cycle of abuse. Carina Paserchia found fi lthy and malnourished. their parents and learning from Nazli Tiyaloglu deeply affected by the actions of While the Turpin siblings’ sit- In the most severe situations, them the virtues of patience, kind- abusive parents. uation is extreme, it speaks to the trauma caused by abuse can ness and understanding. Staff: Child abuse has resurfaced in the the importance of addressing in- even lead one to commit a mass They should not have to endure Melis Akman media as a result of a tragic inci- cidents of child abuse and being murder or another heinous crime. the physical pain or trauma that Yara Attia dent that occured in Perris, Cali- aware of one’s surroundings. The Child abuse is a crime that has comes from feeling worthless and Angelena Barcia fornia. conditions the children endured gone on for too long and has af- unloved, and it should not hurt to Robert Bloom On Jan. 18, the now infamous fected too many innocent people. Rachel Bocage could have been prevented if their be a child. Ambar Cabrera Sofi a Crespo Sid Das Letters to the Editors Anthony DeMarco Kevin Dmochowski Dear Kevin Dmochowski, is representing their country. about who sells the best bagels. There are many small details that Gianna Fallacara Your article “Let the Games Be- In addition to that, I also agree There was a whole debate, and I make this picture worth looking Maggie Fodera gin!” was well-written and infor- with Mrs. Vladescu that actions think Bob’s won the battle. Good at, such as the freckles or the beau- Brianna Giaimis Gianna Glover mative because I did not know have consequences and that both job on the article. Keep up the tifully drawn eyes. The bandages Somaia Hassan this information regarding the athletes and the country should be good work. are also an excellent metaphor for Alicia Henrichsen Olympics. I am very surprised that punished for endorsing steroids. Sincerely, bullying. Adam Herabi Russia did not compete this year Sincerely, Tyler Lopez, Class of 2020 It shows that people are in pain Carley Martin in the Winter Olympics. I was not Kaelan Montesinos, Class of 2021 but choose to hide the emotion Mostafa Mohamed aware that the Russian Olympic Dear Alyssa Capasso, because they fear judgment, be- Erin Murgittroyd athletes were taking steroids. Dear Sean Leonard, The illustration of a young girl ing ignored or—like the bandage Matt Nasr Victoria Niedbal Personally, I agree with Adam “Battle of the bagels: Students covered in horrible names perfect- show—making the situation Teslim Olunlade Venezia’s point of view. Doping is weigh in on the best bagel shop ly illustrates the mood of the edi- worse. Giulia Pezzolla not a good image to put forth, es- in town” was great. It started a torial “Bullying is destructive and Sincerely, Marilyn Remo pecially as an Olympic athlete that whole conversation in my class needs to stop” by Alexis Gerbasio. Emma Ferschweiler, Class of 2021 Ruby Rodrigues Kayla Sanchez Gabriella Sarracino Megan Starrett Paul’s Politics Lea Torppey Alexa Torres Ariah Vargas Adriana Vazquez 2020 will be Oprah Winfrey’s year Frankie Venezia Kelly Weckstein the context of a presidential po- Most importantly, she would Graham, Winfrey’s longtime com- Simge Yavuz sition. In 1999, Donald Trump stand up for women’s rights and panion, did not deny the specula- Nicholas Zaino Victoria Zuccaro himself referenced her as a poten- work hard to fi ght poverty be- tion. Paul tial runningmate in the event he cause she has struggled fi rsthand “It’s up to the people,” Graham Artists & Photographers: Cimicata would run for political offi ce. with discrimination and economic told the Los Angeles Times. “She Alyssa Capasso Editor Second, she is an intelligent and hardship. would absolutely do it.” John Caporrino persuasive leader who is not afraid Referring to her humble roots, Even the longtime conservative Lauren Gold to assert her beliefs. she said in her acceptance speech, activist Bill Kristol said he would Lors Studio Revealing the optimistic cam- “My mom came through the door support Winfrey if she ran for Temitope Olasehinde Lea So Celebrity and philanthropist paign slogan “A new day is on bone-tired from cleaning other president in 2020. Oprah Winfrey delivered a pow- the horizon!” and motivating sup- people’s houses.... So I want, to- The day after Winfrey delivered Garden State Scholastic Press erful speech at the 75th Golden night, to express gratitude to all her acceptance speech, he tweeted Asociation 1st Place Distinguished Globe Awards on Jan. 7 after re- In just over nine the women who have endured that she is “sounder on economics Journalism & 2nd Place Overall ceiving the Cecil B. DeMille Award years of abuse and assault because than Bernie Sanders, understands Excellence, 2017 for her outstanding contributions minutes, Winfrey they, like my mother, had children Middle America better than Eliz- 1st Place American Scholastic to the world of entertainment. to feed and bills to pay and dreams abeth Warren, less touchy feely Press Association, 2016 managed to move Speaking on issues of equality, to pursue.” than Joe Biden, more pleasant than adversity and social justice, her the audience to The most powerful anecdote she Andrew Cuomo, more charismatic message ran far deeper than a typ- shared was regarding Recy Taylor, than John Hickenlooper.” Have ical award acceptance speech. In tears, proving she an African-American woman who If 2020 is the year that America just over nine minutes, Winfrey has what it takes in 1944 was gang-raped as she secures its fi rst female president, it SOMETHING managed to move the audience walked home from church. Taylor is likely to be Winfrey. to tears, proving she has what it to succeed in the died last year at the age of 97. Her wealth and popularity will TO SAY? takes to succeed in the next presi- “She lived, as we all have lived, give her the advantage she needs The Lighthouse is a free forum dential election. next presidential too many years in a culture broken to handle the fi nancial aspects of that accepts letters to the First and foremost, she has the election. by brutally powerful men,” Win- campaigning, and her courage and editors. Letters can be popularity to get votes from the frey said. “For too long, women charisma will move Americans to submitted to Ms. Pastor in American people who have al- porters to post on social media have not been heard or believed if cast their ballots in Winfrey’s fa- Room 234. However, they ready demonstrated support for a with the hashtag #Winfrey2020, they dared to speak their truth to vor. must be signed with your fi rst and last name in order to be president with celebrity roots. Winfrey demonstrated she could the power of those men.” This will offer Winfrey the op- considered for publication. In fact, this is not the fi rst time be a contender for command- So, will Winfrey actually run for portunity to embark on a new Winfrey has been mentioned in er-in-chief. president in 2020? Well, Stedman day… this time, in the Oval Offi ce. The Lighthouse

March 2018 SPORTS 11 Boys basketball ends season with winning record Cheer team fights By Carley Martin “I, along with the rest of my senior team- through injuries Staff Writer mates, [was] approaching our fi nal games with everything we [had]. We [were] look- Despite a tough 63-57 loss on Feb. 27 in ing to leave it all on the fl oor, and to be re- in debut season a state game against North Star Academy membered in Lyndhurst as really good bas- By Erin Murgittroyd of Newark, the boys basketball team fi n- ketball players,” Lopez said. Staff Writer ished its season 13-12. This winning record He described the season was superb over- refl ects signifi cant growth from last season, all but said there is always room for im- Fans see the cheer team lighting up the when the team went 7-19. provement. gym with their energy during the halftime Behind every well-performing team is a “Perfection is a hard thing to shoot for, so routine at every home basketball game. coach who directs all of the plays and pro- I’m happy with the outcome thus far,” Lo- What people may not notice at fi rst glance vides leadership. For the past four years, the pez said. is their hard work and dedication. Golden Bears have been managed by Head Even though Lopez has ended his high With stunts, tumbling passes and intri- Coach McGuire. He said the secret behind school basketball career, he is still looking cate dance moves, these girls put in hours of the team’s unexpected success this season to better himself. practice so they can shine during their per- has been the players’ winning attitudes, “I could advance my basketball skill indef- formances. evolving from having a “me” to a “we” per- initely. I am nowhere near where I want to The cheer team is a new addition to LHS’ spective on the court. be, especially because I want to further my Photo by Jillian Cancela winter athletics roster. Head Coach Berna- “The players have believed that they can studies and level of basketball in college. I Sophomore John Rodriguez pulls up for a short dette Montillo said the cheerleaders bring be winners. They stopped playing for them- have to improve to be able to run with the jump shot after driving to the basket at a game enthusiasm to the basketball games and selves and started playing for the team,” best of the best,” Lopez said. against Harrison High School on Feb. 15. show off their skills at various local compe- McGuire said. With seven graduating seniors, it is up to titions. Although the boys fell short at counties on the younger talent to step up next season. Logan informed him that he already had 36 “Cheer is really a passion of mine, so ev- Jan. 27 at Bergenfi eld High School, McGuire Sophomore forward John Rodriguez, who points, meaning he was just seven points erything about this sport is satisfying to still looked at that particular achievement has been on varsity since his freshman year, away from breaking the school record. me,” Montillo said. as one of his most memorable moments of has already created a name for himself in “In the second half, my teammates gave In addition to coaching the cheer team, the season. He said being invited to perform Lyndhurst sports history, scoring 51 points me the ball to score almost every single pos- Montillo also coaches the LHS dance team, in this tournament was a major accomplish- in a home game against Harrison High session, which gave me the opportunity to ment since it required the boys to attain a School on Feb. 15. In that game, he broke the break the record. I couldn’t have done it .650 winning percentage. school’s record of 42 points in a single game, without them,” Rodriguez said. “ My responsibility “Even though we didn’t win our game, I which was set by George Barutis in 1982. He said he is proud of his entire team’s per- as a captain is to be a was extremely proud to be their coach that Rodriguez said breaking the scoring re- formance this season because they bounced day because [of] the effort that they put in,” cord was a goal he had since childhood. back from the challenges they faced last good role model and McGuire said. “Everyone dreams of having their name on year. Senior guard Adryan Lopez, who has been a plaque in the school they attend, wheth- “Our offense [had] great scorers and our lead by example. a varsity player since his sophomore year, er it be for your team, your family or even defense [was] quicker than ever. We have said with the season winding down, he was yourself. It’s an amazing feeling,” Rodriguez learned from our tough losses, and we look eighth grade cheerleaders and the” town’s looking to make his last games in a Lynd- said. to improve with every chance we get,” said competition cheerleading team. hurst uniform worthwhile. He said at halftime, senior captain Kyle Rodriguez. “I have known and coached most of [the cheerleaders] since they were in second grade,” Montillo said. “We have a lot of tal- ent.” Girls basketball beats rival Rutherford High School Along with Montillo, senior captains Al- ysha Ramos and Gabriella Sarracino also By Maggie Fodera beating last year’s 15-10 record. Cappiello said. mentor the team. Ramos, who has been Staff Writer “I think this season has been a lot better The girls’ season ended on Feb. 27 with cheering for 11 years, brings leadership ex- in terms of shooting since we have players a 44-38 loss in a state game against James perience because she served as captain of As the National Anthem began to play, like [juniors] Angela Downey and Gabby Caldwell High School in West Caldwell. the fall varsity cheer team. the girls basketball team lined up with their Schnur that can shoot from anywhere and With Downey out due to an injury, the “My responsibility as a captain is to be a arms around each other, nerves and excite- make it,” DeCoro said. Golden Bears were at a disadvantage going good role model and lead by example,” Ra- ment rushing through them. Then, the girls Cappiello credits her team’s success to into the state game. mos said. took the court. Ready for the jump ball, the the upperclassmen who have a strong back- “I have a really bad ankle sprain. Doctors Junior Morgan Rainey, who has been crowd chanted, “Let’s go Lyndhurst!” ground in the sport and freshmen Gianna were surprised it was not broken by how cheering for nine years, said Ramos has been This was the scene on Feb. 20 when the Alberti and Carley Martin. swollen it was. I hurt it at an [Amateur doing a great job taking control of the team girls defeated Rutherford High School 38-27 “This year we have a lot of girls with ex- Athletic Union] tryout by landing on some- even when challenges arise. at home during the New Jersey Interscho- perience who know the game well and come thing. I landed with my ankle sideways,” One of the main obstacles this year’s team lastic Conference tournament. with a lot of talent,” Cappiello said. “We Downey said. faced was injury. Ramos—along with ju- Senior captain Grace Cappiello, who has also have two very talented freshmen that She said it was diffi cult for her to come to nior Madison Fallacara, junior Emily Lauria, been on varsity since her freshman year, de- bring a lot of success to the team. I know terms with an injury that would sideline her freshman Joelle Montillo and junior Chris- scribed this game as the highlight of her fi - they will do great things for this program.” for such an important game. tine Rufolo—all had to take time off to re- nal season playing basketball. Cappiello said besides the Rutherford “I had a hard time accepting the fact that cover. This prevented the team from partic- “The best moment in my whole season was game, another signifi cant moment of her I could not help my team in the goal that ipating in two competitions. beating Rutherford. They are a huge rival fi nal season as an LHS basketball player we have been working towards all season,” “Having girls injured is a big problem for and, after losing to them in football this fall, occurred on Feb. 13 when the girls won at Downey said. “The effort my teammates put our team because in cheering, if one girl is Lyndhurst needed this win,” Cappiello said. home against Ridgefi eld High School with a in was tremendous, but we just could not out due to injury or being sick, it messes up Junior Angelina DeCoro, who joined var- fi nal score of 46-28. get it done when we needed to. Of course, our entire routine, so missing fi ve girls was sity last year, also regards the Rutherford This was a bittersweet moment for the it could have been better, but I am proud of a really big loss,” Rainey said. game as a season highlight. seniors because it was senior night, a spe- them.” After the cheerleaders recovered, they “Beating Rutherford felt so great because cial game in which seniors are celebrated Downey said no matter what challenge competed at Paramus Catholic High School they are obviously longtime rivals, as they by their teammates, who hang posters to her team faced, they maintained a positive on Feb. 17 and placed fi rst in the state com- are the town over,” DeCoro said. “Our teams remind them of their contributions on the attitude. petition in Trenton on March 4. are very competitive, so knowing we beat court. “As a team, we have overcome all the ob- Rainey said she attributes the cheerlead- them was great.” “It was sad because it was my last season stacles and adversity we have faced. It’s us ers’ success to their positive mindset. DeCoro said she is proud of her team for of my favorite sport, but we had a great win, against everyone else, and together we can “The team really has nothing to improve on fi nishing the season with a 16-10 record, so I was happy to celebrate with my team,” do anything,” said Downey. except their confi dence,” said Rainey. Dance team makes its mark at competitions

By Brianna Giaimis also The Lighthouse’s Athlete of the Month laughed and had fun dancing,” Garcia said. is when everyone tries their hardest and Staff Writer and a four-year dance team member, said She said being on the team has taught her makes the dance look phenomenal.” the ImpACT competition was the biggest to always put forth her best effort. Coach Montillo has been advising the At every home basketball game, fans will and toughest competition this season. “Nothing will ever be perfect. However, team for three seasons and said she appre- fi nd a group of girls who are cheerful and “For this competition, the girls were ex- it can be close to perfect. So, we practice ciates the excitement the dancers bring to proud, bringing smiles to the faces of fans, tremely motivated, and we had the cheer as hard as we can to look close to perfect,” the group. parents and basketball players. These girls team motivating us,” Sanchez said. “It was Garcia said. “In life, I will work as hard as I She said one of the main challenges she are the members of the dance team. defi nitely a good boost and support system can to be as close to perfect as I can [get].” faces is training students who have limited Not only do these hard-working dancers that we had.” Freshman Daniela Bedoya is new to the dance experience. perform at basketball games, they also com- Senior co-captain Ashley Garcia, who has team, but she has been dancing since she “A large number of our team are not trained pete in four local competitions. This season, also been on the team since her freshman was two-and-a-half years old. Her passion dancers, but the satisfying part is watching their top achievements were placing second year, said she enjoys her role of keeping her for dance is strong, but she said performing them learn the techniques to dance,” Mon- at Raritan High School on Jan. 28 and at Im- teammates motivated and positive through- on a team can be hard. tillo said. “I have always loved coaching. I pACT Cheer at Sportika in Manalapan on out the course of the season. “The most diffi cult thing about dancing is love teaching and learning new things. It’s Feb. 11. “I will never forget our fi rst practice we being able to keep up with everyone else,” such a great feeling to watch dancers grow Senior co-captain Frida Sanchez, who is had when we learned the dance.... We all Bedoya said. “The most satisfying [part] within a season.” The Lighthouse

12 SPORTS March 2018 Indoor track Wrestling team and field girls focuses on future By Zully Arias place first at Editor Ending the season with a 13-11 record, the state sectionals wrestling team—which is co-oped with North Arlington High School—demon- By Rachel Bocage strated considerable improvement com- Staff Writer pared to last year’s 9-14 record. Senior captain Jordan DeAbreu, who has The inaugural season of indoor track and been on the team since his freshman year, field ended on a high note with the girls said this year’s team differed from teams of placing first and the boys placing third at the past because there were many young the state sectional meet which took place wrestlers. However, he said that did not on Feb. 9 at the John Bennett Indoor Sports stop them from earning a winning record. Complex in Toms River. “This season, I learned that no obstacle is This was a major victory for the new team, too big to overcome if you set your mind to which was competing against schools with something,” DeAbreu said. “Give it your all, a long history in the sport. and you’ll succeed.” “We worked hard. We went there ex- Thinking about next season, he said the pecting to try our best, and we left as cham- wrestlers can improve upon their determi- pions. I don’t think anyone expected us to nation and commitment to fitness. come out on top, but the Lyndhurst girls are “Our wrestling team needs to get better at willing to give it their absolute all. We went staying healthy and wrestling harder,” De- and mixed it up,” junior runner Susane Mo- Abreu said. rozewicz said. Photo by Jillian Cancela As DeAbreu prepares to leave behind his She said the winter season was eye-open- Junior Alyssa Engels hurdles toward the finish line at the Ed Church Invitational at Fairleigh Dick- team, he said a memory he will take with ing for her. inson University on Jan. 29. him was the 36-24 win against Secaucus “This season showed me how anything is High School in a league match on Jan. 31. possible. A little town like Lyndhurst came know what to expect when she signed up proving.” “I’ll never forget when we wrestled Secau- out with their first indoor track team, and to run indoor track. As the season contin- Junior pole vaulter Isabella Castagnetti cus and [sophomore] Chris la Paz pinned both teams placed in the state sectional ued, Estrella said she realized she enjoys the also said poor weather conditions posed a his opponent and sealed our victory,” De- meet,” Morozewicz said. sport and wants to return next season. challenge because it made it hard to prac- Abreu said. She said the most memorable moment of Estrella said she looks forward to seeing tice. Despite the obstacles they faced, Cast- A standout on the team this year was ju- the season was participating in the team’s the program evolve throughout her years in agnetti said she was happy with the team’s nior Victor Jorge, who has been wrestling first ever indoor track and field meet at the high school. performance in competition. since his freshman year, ended the regular New York Armory on Dec. 18. “The most unique thing about the sport “Because this was the first year of indoor season with an undefeated record. “It was a moment I’ll never forget. Indoor is a lot of the times we have to improvise,” track, there were a lot of unanswered ques- Jorge said although his winning streak track is an entirely different animal from Estrella said. “Whether we are running in tions going into the season. The team gained was an impressive achievement, his most outdoor track. It [is] much more intense,” the hallways or outside in 30 degree weath- a lot of experience this year which will help Morozewicz said. er [or] running in one lane because of snow, us improve in future seasons,” said Castag- Freshman Gia Estrella said she did not we find a way to practice and [keep] im- netti. “ The moment I will remember is placing fifth in counties. Bowlers end season with success memorable accomplishment came” at the By Giulia Pezzolla Junior captain Michael Lavell said he also individual championship, I almost cried be- Bergen County Tournament on Dec. 28 and Staff Writer looks forward to success next season by re- cause I could not believe that I had just won 29 at Hackensack High School. cruiting more bowlers and building upon first out of all Bergen County,” Lavell said. “The moment I will remember is placing The bowling team closed its season on a the team’s young talent. Sophomore Joe Cutola, who joined the fifth in counties,” Jorge said. “That’s really high note with a 7-0 win in a match against “Next year, I hope to see our team grow bowling team this year, said one of the hard to do, and I’m proud of that accom- Hasbrouck Heights High School on Feb. 5 people-wise. We lose one senior [Pablo plishment.” at Bowlero in Wallington. Maldonado] this year, and it brings us down The team will work to Three wrestlers advanced to the region The bowlers struggled this year to main- to only seven kids, which puts us at a disad- tournament which took place on Feb. 21, 23 tain their reputation of excellence after hav- vantage,” Lavell said. restore its streak, which and 24 at West Orange High School. Jorge, ing lost four graduating seniors last year. The team will work to restore its streak, ended on Dec. 19 after 105 the only junior to advance, made it to quar- However, they came together to conclude which ended on Dec. 19 after 105 consecu- terfinals but got pinned in the first period. their season with a record of 14-2, facing tive wins. consecutive wins. Sophomore Jarrett Webber and North Ar- both of their losses against North Arlington “Our goals for the team next year are to lington High School sophomore Elias San- High School. win back everything we lost this year,” greatest challenges bowlers face is develop- chez also made it to the regional tourna- Junior Campbell Donovan, who has been Lavell said. ing consistency. ment but fell short in the first round. on the team since his freshman year, said Lavell, who has been bowling on varsity “Being able to throw the same shot mul- Though Jorge did not advance to the state he hopes the bowlers will maintain their since his sophomore year, had a particular- tiple times in a game is not easy. It takes a championships as he hoped, he said this strength and determination next year. ly successful season, winning the Bergen lot of focus and concentration,” Cutola said. season has definitely helped him grow as a “I want the program to continue to grow. County Individual Championship and high Nonetheless, he said bowling is gratifying. wrestler. We have great talent and ability on this series for the league. “Seeing all the pins fly across the lane “I learned that you can never take anyone team, and we keep reloading,” Donovan “It feels amazing to know that I’ve done when you throw a strike is extremely satis- for granted, and anyone can win on any giv- said. so much as an individual. When I won the fying,” said Cutola. en day,” Jorge said. He said the wrestlers have shown im- provements from last year, but he believes there are still flaws in their mentality. Hockey team ends season with wins but struggles in playoffs “The wrestling team is really weak on By Frankie Venezia We didn’t get some bounces, but overall we short on Feb. 20 when it faced off against confidence,” Jorge said. “Everyone is always Staff Writer played very well,” Assistant Coach Petruzz- the fifth seed Marlboro High School in the worried about who they have to wrestle, iello said. state playoffs at Jersey Shore Arena in Wall and I’m always telling them, ‘Just go wres- The hockey team, which is co-oped with He said throughout the game, the team Township, enduring a 7-4 loss. tle.’” Hackensack and Paramus High Schools, had a lot of puck control and kept it on the While losses can be tough, the players Similarly, Head Coach Collins said the big- ended their regular season with two shut- opponent’s side of the ice. gained strength from their fans. One of gest mental challenge wrestlers face is step- out wins against St. Joseph Regional High “Any playoff experience is good experi- those fans is junior Alyssa Engels, who at- ping on the mat alone in a crowded room. School in Montvale on Jan. 27 (3-0) and ence. I think we went into the [Clifton] tended the state playoff game in Wall and “There are no excuses, there is no one to Pascack Valley High School on Feb. 2 (6-0), game thinking we were gonna win. We only missed two games this season. blame if you lose,” Collins said. “It’s just closing the season with a record of 7-9-5. learned that anyone can beat anyone,” “The team does a lot better when the fans you and your opponent and all of your prior However, they struggled in the playoffs, Petruzziello said. cheer them on. They know they have sup- training up to this point.” suffering a 5-3 loss against Clifton High During the two weeks between the league port and feel more confident in their game,” Collins said in preparation for next sea- School in a league playoff game on Feb. 11 at and state playoff games, senior captain Matt Engels said. son, the wrestlers will concentrate on the Ice Vault in Wayne. The Spartans put Tomko said the team trained hard. Tomko Even though the team lost, Engels said strength-building, conditioning, attending up 36 shots on net, but only three lit the said he did his best to provide good leader- she still believes in the team and thinks they tournaments and spending time on the mat. lamp. However, the players kept their heads ship during that time. have the talent to make it to states next He commends the wrestlers for their com- high because they knew there were oppor- “I just [had] to make sure we [were] ready winter. mitment to the rigorous sport of wrestling. tunities for success ahead. to go at all times. No nonsense, just to be “They can have another good season,” En- “Each year brings unique challenges,” Col- “I feel like we dominated many aspects of ready for the task at hand,” Tomko said. gels said. “The team works well together lins said. “I really admire the kids for stick- the game. There were just a few mistakes. Despite rigorous preparation, the team fell and the seniors next year are good leaders.” ing with this sport.”