School NewspaperDISPATCH“T HE BEACON OF T RU T H SINCE 1 9 7 4 ” ISSUE II, VOLUME 47 HUNTINGTON HIGH SCHOOL OAKWOOD AND MCKAY ROADS HUNTINGTON, NY 11743 INSIDE THIS PAGE 3 PAGE 8 PAGE 16 December 2017 ISSUE: IN MEMORY OF JOEY MANAKER Merriam Webster defines the word hand dealt to him in life bring him friend as “a person attached to an- BY ABBY down—I never saw him without a gi- other by feeling of affection or per- SEMELSBERGER ant, toothy smile. He didn’t let his sonal regard.” By this definition, Joey circumstances define him. Manaker was a friend to every single finale was a song called “Happiness.” I urge people to follow the student, faculty member, and mem- I have found this to be extremely fit- example of Joey Manaker, and take ber of the Huntington Community. ting to who Joey was, as despite ev- some time to be kind, loving, and Joey was loving, kindhearted, and al- ery obstacle thrown at him, he still open towards others. Appreciate how ways ready to offer a warm smile or found a way to exude happiness, and lucky you are to be living your life a hug to anyone he met. He spread bring happiness to everyone he met. and all the opportunities you have joy, love and happiness to everyone Joey’s permanent smile and been given. I have been inspired by he met and our lives are all a little magnetic positivity made me realize him since I met him in the Finley less bright without him here with us. I could be happier in my life if I was Middle School auditorium, and it is Joey loved to perform. I was just more optimistic and as kind to my sincere hope that everyone here lucky enough to have met Joey dur- others as Joey. He did not have an at Huntington can spread a little ing our seventh grade musical, and easy life, by any stretch of the imagi- “Happiness” now that we don’t have we became fast friends. The show’s nation. However, he did not let the Joey to do it for us. Index WANT TO SEND 2 Editorial 3 Op-Ed SOMETHING IN? 4-5 Op-Ed SUBMIT ANONYMOUS ADVICE QUESTIONS TO ROOM 239 6-7 Views on News | Op-Ed 8-9 Travel GOOGLE CLASSROOM REMIND 10-11 Artist Spotlight 12-13 Spanish | Español I731SMB TEXT @DISPATChhS TO 81010 14-15 Science 16-18 Entertainment 19-20 School News INSTAGRAM EMAIL @HHSDISPATCH [email protected] The Dispatch 2 December 20 Dispatch GERRYMANDERING: DEMOCRATS HEED THE CALL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF BY MAX ROBINS MAX ROBINS Tuesday, November 7th was an November 2012 election with only important day for Democrats 39 of the 99 total seats. Granted, LAYOUT EDITOR throughout the nation. From tak- Democrats have also been guilty; ERICA VAZQUEZ ing two governors’ mansions (Vir- Illinois, for instance, is rather COPY EDITORS ginia and New Jersey) and flip- slanted towards the Democrats SAMANTHA SGRIZZI ping or making notable gains in as a result of their gerrymander- ZACH MCGINNISS numerous legislatures throughout ing. Nonetheless, the numbers SPANISH EDITORS the nation, to smaller yet key mu- speak for themselves: Congressio- ARIANA STRIEB|ROCíO RIVAS-LIZAMA nicipal victories, the Democratic nal representation in the United Party is widely considered to have States is significantly skewed to- CONTRIBUTING STAFF come out on top this election day. wards Republicans, despite Dem- AFRODITI MOUNTANOS, BRIAN MORERIA, One particular race of note ocrats often receiving more votes CHRISTIAN BELLISSIMO, CRAIG HAAS, was the Virginia House of Del- in Congressional elections. DIYA RAI-GERSAPPE, DOMINICK STANLEY, egates contest. The state’s lower Should the 2018 midterm HANNAH BAILIN, KERRIE JOYCE, KIARA GELBMAN, KYRA DESALVO, house drew national attention elections follow the trend we’ve LUCA PERNA, LUKE FARRELL, MADELYN KYE, after the degradation of the Re- seen this past Election Day, as NICHOLAS ROWLEY, SHAYE O’BEIRNE, PETER publican’s super-majority over the well as in Alabama’s Senate elec- CICCONE, AMELIA MAGGIO, GAIA D’ANNA, body. Entering the night holding tion, the Democrats will be on JULIA GILES, DANIELA 66 seats to the Democrats’ 34, the target to control redistricting in RAMOS, MARILYN MENJIVAR, QUINN BLACK- Virginia G.O.P. was shocked to far more than just Virginia, come BURN, MADDY KYE, ROCIO RIVAS-LIZAMA, 2020. With great power comes NOLAN PICCOLA, AMELIA REILLY We would soon be great responsibility. Just as the ADVISORS living in an America Republicans shaped this decade, the Democrats will have their op- MS. AIMEE ANTORINO, MR. EDWARD FLOREA, AND that’s incredibly portunity to shape the next one. MR. STEVEN KROLL skewed to the left. If Democrats were to act watch its hold on the house dwin- by precedence and follow the dle to a near loss of its majority G.O.P.’s actions, we will soon be The Dispatch is Huntington High School’s official stu- with Democrats flipping seats left living in an America that’s incred- dent publication. Written for over 1200 students at- and right. ibly skewed to the left, politically tending HHS, The Dispatch is distributed to all stu- dents, staff and school community members at the The final tally for the Dem- disadvantaging Republicans. Po- school free of charge. ocrats’ gains and the Republicans’ litically gerrymandering to any The Editorial Board is the newspaper’s decision-mak- losses has yet to be determined; degree results in the disenfran- ing body, organizing and directing its operation. The incredibly close margins of victo- chising of voters, a reprehensible Dispatch staff has adopted the following editorial pol- icy to express the rights, responsibilities and philoso- ry in three districts have triggered action for which our founding fa- phy of the newspaper for the 2017-2018 school year. recounts. The current tally stands thers roll over in their graves. The The Dispatch of Huntington High School is a public fo- with the G.O.P. leading Demo- Democrats would finally have the rum, with its student editorial board making all deci- crats 51-49, according to the Elec- chance to take the moral high road sions concerning its content. Unsigned editorials ex- press the views of the majority of the editorial board. tion Day counts. Regardless, the on this matter in two years. recounts pose a good possibility While it may be politically Letters to the editor are welcomed and will be pub- lished as space allows. Letters are preferred signed, of a shakeup in house leadership. tempting to act as the Republi- but may be published by request. The Editorial Board If the Democrats take con- cans did and disadvantage their reserves the right to edit letters for grammar and clari- ty, and all letters are subject to laws governing obscen- trol of this body, they will have adversaries, The Dispatch implores ity, libel, privacy, and disruption of the school process, the tremendously important task Democrats to act otherwise. For as are all contents of the paper. Questions, comments, and letters to the editor should be sent electronically to of redistricting Virginia’s legisla- once, a party will have the pros- [email protected] or submitted to The Dispatch tive districts come 2022, follow- pect of setting a proper example mailbox located in the main office. ing the 2020 census. on this issue. By choosing not to Opinions in letters are not necessarily those of the staff, In 2010, after a conservative gerrymander in 2020, the Demo- nor should any opinion expressed in a public forum be sweep of Congress and many state crats will be doing what is right, construed as the opinion of the administration, unless so attributed. legislative bodies, Republicans not what is simply politically ad- controlled the redistricting that vantageous to their party. Their The Dispatch’s goal is to provide readers with inter- esting content in a wide variety of areas. Such areas would shape the next ten years. goal should be to create fair and include the news coverage of school and community They then proceeded to politically evenly drawn electoral districts, events, as well as features on relevent topics. In addi- tion, The Dispatch will provide opinionated editorials gerrymander those districts to un- not ones that favorably advantage on controversial topics, as well as provide previews precedented levels. one party over another. and reviews for upcoming school and professional sports seasons and other forms of entertainment. Take Wisconsin, where Re- If Democrats have the op- publicans controlled redistricting, portunity to do so in 2020, let’s for example. Despite clearing a hope they’ll make the right choice solid majority for the overall as- and let all of the voters’ voices be sembly vote, Democrats exited the heard. The Dispatch December 20 3 #METOO & WHY WE NEED IT effect on Twitter, Tracy Lysette, Viola BY JULIA GILES with many victims Davis, Charlyne Yi, of sexual abuse and McKayla Maroney, If you’ve gone on- assault coming out Maureen Ryan, Janis line at least once about their expe- Hirsch, Laura Dern, during these past few riences using the Anna Faris, Jessica months, you know “#MeToo.” The Barth, Gabby Doug- that many Holly- phrase was first con- las, and so many more. wood sexual preda- ceived by activist Ta- If that list de- tors are being outed rana Burke in 2006 presses the hell out to the public, and for to spread awareness of you (which it very good reason. should), don’t worry, It all started in ...most of the most of the people October when The people who ha- who harassed them New York Times and rassed them are are being proper- The New Yorker re- being properly ly called out.