THE JET GAZETTE
“We’re all jets here”
East Meadow High School
Volume IV, No. 1
October 2013
Co l U m b u s D ay P a r a d e
by Victoria Cooke
rifle line and nearly doubled their
color guard. As the day of the parade got closer, the Marching Band
put in hours and hours of practice
time with the help of their teachers, perfecting their performance.
O n
t h e
morning of
C o lumbus
D a y ,
about
t w o
hundred
E a s t
Meadow High School students stepped
out of four coach buses and were
about to show all the people watching how good they were. Practice began around ten o’clock,
but before they knew it it was
time to get in line and begin the
journey up Fifth Avenue. With
their nerves put aside, the Marching Band was ready to show the
crowd what they were made of
and continue their first place reign.
The East Meadow Marching
Band stepped off with out a hitch!
T h e y
looked
a n d
sounde
d
amazing
,
and the
spectators
w e r e
amazed
by how well put together and professional the Marching Band was.
They continued to shock people
as they traveled up Fifth Avenue
towards the red carpet where they
would be judged and hopefully
once again come in first place. With
family and friends there in New
York City to support them, cheers
of “Go Jets!” and “East Meadow!”
could be heard along the entire
route and were keeping spirits high.
They saw the red carpet and the
nerves immediately came back. It
was time to show what they had
been working so hard for. The band
stopped before the carpet in what is
known as “parade rest.” When the
band yelled “HUT!” silence swept
across the crowd. People were on
the edge of their seats waiting for
the music to begin, and with that,
the Marching Band stepped off
and gave a fantastic performance.
The East Meadow High School
Marching Mand has done it again,
and was awarded first place for the
third year in a row! When it was announced over the loud speaker fifth
period on October 15th, you could
hear cheering throughout our hallways. They have once again made
their school proud and shown off
their amazing musical talents.
Photos Courtesy of East Meadow High School
Monday October 14th was the
69th Columbus Day Parade in New
York City. The Columbus Day
Parade began on 44th Street and
continued thirty-five blocks up
Fifth Avenue, ending at the red
carpet around 72nd Street. The
route is about two miles long and is
home to about one million spectators each year. Bands from all over
come to participate in the parade
and compete for first place. The
East Meadow High School Marching Band has been competing in
this parade every year since 1992.
They have placed in the top three
spots twelve times and have won
first place an amazing eleven times.
If the East Meadow High
School Marching Band were to
get first place once again, it would
be the third year in a row that
they would have won. Expectations were high and the pressure was on. Since last year, the
marching band had added a new
In This Issue...
page 3
Miley does her
“Thang”
page 4
The Things I
carry
page 12
Homecoming &
Spirit Week
page 16
October 2013
October 2012
In the Line of
Fire
2
NEWS
taff
Editors-in-Chief
Adena Baichan
Gabriella Vukelic
News Editor
Melanie Zerah
Features Editor
Jackie Roughan
Editorial Editors
Letter From The Editor
Dear Readers,
I’m still new to this “job” as most former Editors in Chiefs have probably said.
I remember the second I found out I got
this position, I was thrilled. The best part
is that I get to work alongside with one of
my closest friends as my co-editor. I’m
looking forward to making the paper the
best it has ever been and promise to make
our readers interested. I can’t wait to work
alongside with my staff members and
hope for a great year. I can’t begin to explain my emotions
right now; just to think that I’m a senior
in high school is something beyond my
understanding. I remember my first day
of high school as a freshman, I was terrified to begin a new journey in my life
because as most people said the transition
from middle school to high school, will
change you forever. Needless to say, I’ve
grown up and matured a lot since that day;
I’ve already faced some life changing ex-
periences that shaped me into the person I
am today. But I’m not saying that I know
everything there is too know about life,
however, high school was a helpful stepping stone in the aspect of preparing me
for my future not only as a journalist but
most importantly, an adult. I have this bitter- sweet feeling of the fact that I’m graduating in a few months. I’m excited to step
foot into the “real world” and experience
“real life situations,” however, it makes me
extremely emotional to think that I only
have a few more months to spend time
with people I’ve known for practically my
entire life. I’m not ready to say goodbye,
although I have to face the fact that we are
not children anymore and it’s time to move
on. With that said, I’m ready for my next
transition: a high school graduate becomes
a college freshman. Cheers to the future!
Sincerely,
Gabriella Vukelic
Class of 2014
Valedictorian and Salutatorian
Zainab Nathani
Victoria Cooke
Jessica Brass
Alissa Andreoli
Gabe Diamond
Brandon Diaz
Sam Berger
Nathan Siegelaub & Hassan Alam
Board of Education
Advisor
Mary Kudla
Business Managers
The Jet Gazette is a student run paper for the students’ information
and entertainment. All editorials are the opinion of the editorial staff
unless signed. The Jet Gazette accepts signed letters to the editor, but
reserves the right to edit them. The Jet Gazette accepts advertisements,
but reserves the right not to print them.
October 2013
In an age where Internet communications have such an impact on our real
world lives, it is easy to see how this can
become detrimental. A school district in
Glendale, California, hired a firm to monitor their students’ social media pages.
The district is paying $40,500 to a firm
searching for possible drug use, violence,
bullying, and threats. The firm is monitoring 14,000 middle and high school
students’ social medial pages and reporting them back to the school. Although
some consider this as stalking, school
officials say their purpose is the safety of
their students. With classes beginning this
fall, the district awarded the contract after
it paid the firm. Geo Listening, $5,000
last spring to conduct a pilot project
monitoring 9,000 students in which they
found a successful intervention when a
student tweeted about “ending his life,”
says Chris Frydrych, CEO of the film.
Two students in the district had
committed suicide in the past two years,
due to which the intervention was significant and necessary. The suicides occurred when California reduced mental
health services at school. Superintendent
Richard Sheehan said “We’re able to
save a life, it is just another avenue to
open up a dialogue with parents about
safety.” He added that two suicides
weren’t unusual for the school districts.
In another incident, a student posted
a picture of a gun on his Facebook. Although the gun wasn’t real, the school
had a talk with the students’ parents. The
school explained the dangers of posting
such photographs online. “He was a good
kid,” said Sheehan. Due to the firm, the
school district knew about the picture of
the gun posted on the student’s Facebook.
After such promising results, the district
in Glendale hired the firm. No student
has been disciplined under the firm so far.
However, if the firm finds any threats, bullying, or talk of drug use or violence, actions will be taken to discipline the student.
Seaside Inferno
by Carmen Saffioti
The inferno started around 2:30am
on September 12, 2013 at Seaside
Heights. Emergency workers responded to a call from a local frozen custard
shop where the fire had apparently started. New Jersey governor Chris Christie
declared a state of emergency as the fire
took about nine hours to extinguish.
The devastating blaze destroyed
the hard work of hundreds of people.
Last year in late October the seaside
boardwalk was wrecked in super storm
Sandy and was then rebuilt in time for
summer 2013. Now businesses that just
got back on their feet again watched
their toil surrender to the elements once
again. “It just seems like a bad nightmare that doesn’t end. Everything I
had, everything I worked for, is gone,”
said one business owner who was interviewed by the New York Times.
Not only were careers destroyed in the
fire, but also memories. Many of the
businesses that existed for 40-50 years
managed to rebuild after Hurricane
Sandy. However, it is now feared that
some of these business will give up.
After all is mourned for, people start
to ask the question: What really caused
this tragic event? The boardwalk fire
was ruled accidental on September
17th, as a result of faulty wiring. “This
was not an intentional fire,” said Joseph
D. Coronato, an Ocean County prosecutor. The fire started in a section of a
boardwalk that was built in 1970; it was
also submerged in saltwater during super storm Sandy. Many people believed
that the fire was arson, but investigators
explained why it was accidental. On
the bright side, there were no serious
injuries; however, twelve fire fighters
suffered from smoke inhalation. Seaside Park has been through a lot in the
past year with Hurricane Sandy almost
totally destroying the entire boardwalk, and it is heartbreaking to report
that more misfortune has been ignited.
In the Line Of Fire: Part I
Joseph Parisi, President
Marcee Rubenstein, Vice President
Joseph Danenza
Corey Fanelli
Brian O’Flaherty
Jeffery Rosenking
Walter Skinner
Administration
Louis R. DeAngelo, Superintendent of Schools
Robert P. Gorman, Asst. Superintendent for Business and Finance
Anthony Russo, Asst. Superintendent for Personnel and Administration
Cindy Munter, Asst. Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction
Patrick Pizzo, Administrator for Operations
Mary Ann O’Brien, Assistant Business Administrator
December 19, 2011 dawned
clear and crisp. 38-year-old firefighter Robert Wiedmann had
showed up for his 6 p.m. shift the
night before at Rescue 2 Company
in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and
settled in as usual. Morning activities proceeded in the typical manner
of a firehouse, which meant the men
might be engaged in polishing vehicles, testing equipment, strengthening their bodies, keeping busy,
biding time like tigers on the prowl
– taut, tight, controlled but ready to
pounce in a moment’s notice if called
upon. And then, just after the clock
struck nine, the distress signal blared
and Rescue 2 sprang into action;
Wiedmann and his brothers rode
out of the firehouse and into the fire.
The blaze in progress at 1100
Prospect Place looked to be a “routine-type fire; not a serious situation
at all.” But looks can be deceiving,
especially in the case of a fire emergency. Information that somebody
might be trapped on the top floor of
the brownstone prompted the firefighters of Rescue 2 to conduct a thorough search of the four smoke-filled
bedrooms. The apartment proved
to be empty, but Wiedmann and his
partner, James Gersbeck, in the front
room facing the street, were “suddenly and unexpectedly engulfed in
flames;” firefighters call it a flashover.
Gersbeck got burnt, stumbled into
the hallway and tumbled down the
stairs. Wiedmann took the brunt of
the explosion, made his way through
the smoky darkness and emerged
on the ledge of the third-floor window in flames and in great distress.
From an early age, Robert Wiedmann knew that fighting fires would
be his calling in life. “I remember
being four-years-old, driving home
from my grandparents’ house telling
my father that I wanted to be a New
York City fireman. My goal never
changed whatsoever since then.”
Indeed, when Wiedmann came of
age, he headed straight to the firehouse and never looked back. The
budding firefighter served initially in
the volunteer ranks on Long Island
and slowly ascended the ladder; after several years of unpaid service,
he joined FDNY’s Ladder 123 and,
eight years later, in 2005, interviewed
for and transferred to Rescue 2 out of
Brooklyn. And there he remained,
putting his life on the line, doing what
he does best, what he was born to do.
The job of a firefighter encompasses so much more than putting
out blazes. Wiedmann wears many
hats and responds to numerous emergencies utilizing a variety of special
skills. “We can be in firefighter gear
one minute, scuba gear the next,” he
said; “we can be in a Hazmat suit to
clean up chemical spills; we can be
in a jump suit to do trench rescue or
structural collapses; we can dangle
alongside buildings with our special
ropes one second and deal with individuals trapped in elevators the next…
[there’s] a lot of territory to cover.”
After 15 years of continuous
service in a high-risk profession
facing ever-present dangers, Wiedmann had suffered his share of injuries. “Burns and wounds are a
natural part of the profession, and
everybody’s gotten hurt.” But the
events that transpired on a seemingly benign, sunny Monday morning in December in an apparently
“routine” house fire turned out to
be anything but ordinary and transformed Wiedmann’s life in a flash.
Forrester Found!
by Michelle Furman
During the spring of 2013, over 60
sophomores participated in the Finding
Forrester Writing Competition. The competition was based on the movie Finding
Forrester, a story about a reclusive writer,
William Forrester, who found a companion in a teenager from the Bronx, Jamal
Wallace. As the story unfolds it becomes
visible how dependent they become on
one another. Jamal was looking for guidance, while Forrester was waiting to be
found. William Forrester gained widespread fame and recognition from his
first novel, which became a best seller,
Avalon Landing. The movie ends with
Forrester leaving all of his possessions to novel Sunset as they wished. The stuJamal, possessions that included Forrest- dents had to conjure up a foreword that
er’s second unwas captivating
published book.
and well written
Forrester left the
so that it would
book to Jamal so
match the quality
that he might write
of a best-selling
the
foreword.
novel. Sophomore
The competiEnglish and Histion entailed the
tory teachers gradPhoto Courtesy of Michelle Furman
students taking
ed the forewords
the place of Jamal Wallace writing the that were submitted. There were eleven
foreword for William Forrester’s second winners, three of which winning first,
unpublished novel, Sunset. Here the stu- second, and third place, with the remaindents could be creative and interpret the ing eight claiming the title of “Honorable
Mention. The movie, Finding Forrester,
was based on the real life author J.D. Salinger. Salinger gained widespread recognition and fame after writing his first
and only published novel, Catcher in
the Rye. After the overwhelming praise
Salinger received from the success of
Catcher in the Rye took a toll on him,
he instantly became a recluse as well.
The winners of “Honorable
Mention” are as follows: Mohsin Zahedi, Lauren Osojnak, Sanaa
Khan, Timothy Matishek, Raeqa
Mahmud, Jonathan Felder, Nicolas
Sambar, and Michelle Furman.
October 2013
October 2012
October 2012
Alyssa Williams
Pari Patel
by Rukhsar Asef
3
by Nathan Siegelaub
Arts and Entertainment Editors
Sports Editor
Monitoring The Monitor
NEWS
A&E
Artist Spotlight:
Nessa Silva
by Gabriella Vukelic
October 2013
phi University every Saturday
morning for two months. The
classes were referred by Mr.
Strand and offered free scholarship money. They drew pictures
of real models and learned how
to feel the movement of art.
Vanessa came to the realization
that art is all about how artists
express
themselves.
When
she’s feeling sad
or angry, she
loves
expressing her emotions
through
her pieces of art.
She finds art to
be her biggest
stress reliever,
drawing on her free time. As
Vanessa once said, “I love the
feeling of a pencil and paper.”
She keeps a notebook with all
her loose drawings in it; however, it’s kept at home most of the
time unless she takes it somewhere very interesting, for example, New York City. Vanessa
enjoys drawing pictures that
have lots of deep and sentimental feeling in them. Her favorite
style of art is revealing human
emotions, such as depression.
Vanessa wanted to minor
in either art or Spanish originally; however, she is still not
sure yet. Vanessa wants to be
a PA and specialize in neurology. As advice from Vanessa
to all readers: “Be happy, free
and able to express your interests because you love them.
You can be bad at something
but still love what you do.”
by Jordan Diamond
It’s safe to say that you’ve been
living under a rock if you aren’t
aware of Miley Cyrus’ latest antics.
Bangerz is the highly anticipated
4th studio album by Miley. After
months of writing, recording, and
yes, controversy, she has delivered
an album with which she hopes
will “set a new standard for pop
music.” The question is: does it?
This album is a Miley-fied combination of a variety of genres. The
party starts with “We Can’t Stop”
and “SMS (feat. Britney Spears),”
both produced by hip-hop producer
Mike Will Made It. It continues on
the incredibly catchy and upbeat
“#GETITRIGHT” and “Do My
Thang.” The melding of genres is
demonstrated on the country track
“4x4 (feat. Nelly).” “F’ (feat. French
Montana),” a diss track to an ex featuring powerful vocals is a sure standout. “Wrecking Ball,” which is by now
quite familiar to most people, is easily one of her best songs - ever. Low
points on the album include the easily
forgettable tracks “Adore You” and
“Love Money Party (feat. Big Sean).”
While Miley’s new music may
seem quite thematically different
from her previous releases, Bangerz
gives off the impression that it’s her
most personal album yet. Her three
previous albums (and countless other
Hannah Montanna albums) were all
released under Disney’s record label,
Hollywood Records, but she moved
to RCA Records and now considers this to be her true debut album
because she’s had more freedom on
it than ever before. She has writing
credits on 10 out of 13 tracks on the
album, including “Drive,” a dubstep
ballad about her recently publicized
breakup with actor Liam Hemsworth,
and “Someone Else,” which is about
her new public image and growing up.
Don’t let the media fool you, Miley Cyrus is an incredibly talented
singer and songwriter. Her outrageous behavior is beginning to seem
less like a sign of mental instability and more like a well-executed
plan to take over the music industry. With fun and fresh songs to offer, there’s an obvious reason that
Miley has overshadowed recent releases by Lady Gaga and Katy Perry.
Bangerz is an all access pass to
planet Miley, and many won’t want
to come back to reality. While not for
everybody, fans of “We Can’t Stop”
and “Wrecking Ball” will love this
album. You can pick up Bangerz
at mileycyrus.com or iTunes.
The Power of Music
by Tasha Riddle
Teenagers do not have to use
their eyes to listen to music, but that
may be the problem some teenagers are having. It’s not a surprise
that teenagers are basing their music
taste purely on their friends’, style
or appearance. If you walked around
with a picture of Taylor Swift, people would recognize her, based on
her mainstream popularity. Now, if
you walked around with a picture of
the heavy metal band Bring Me the
Horizon, people would immediately
say their look is too ‘harsh’. However, in the hit song ‘Blurred Lines’ by
Robin Thicke, his lyrics are about
how girls play him and act like they
don’t want him, when he thinks they
do. While in the song “Intensions”
by We Came as Romans they sing
(with some unclean vocals) about
people who don’t have a voice to say
the things they want in life. A majority of teenagers wouldn’t be able
to name one song by these bands,
let alone even know who they are.
If you walked into Warped
Tour, a tour that goes on all summer
around the country, you’d be surrounded by people with crazy hair
colors, piercings and tattoos. Meanwhile, if you go to a Justin Bieber
concert, you would be greeted by
young girl fans with lots of makeup
and sparkles. A pop punk movement has moved through the high
schools, now people listen to music
including Piece The Veil, Sleeping
with Sirens and The Story So Far.
Some people are into the music
your mom or dad listened to while
they were in high school, bands
such as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling
Stones, AC/DC, Guns n’ Roses, and
Metallica. Some kids enjoy the old
generation of classic rock, while
others will settle for the more modern, pop side of things. Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, and Katy Perry
are all trending now artists. As for
rap, it will be a constant back-andforth about whether it’s appropriate
for teenagers to listen to. Rap artists like Eminem, Lil Wayne, Nas,
and Drake constantly get criticized
about the content of their songs.
Music definitely has in some
way reflected people’s personalities. For example, researchers
found that they could make accurate judgments about an people’s
levels of expression, creativity and
their interests after listening to ten
of their favorite songs. Go on Pandora radio or Spotify; it’ll open
you up to bands you never heard
before. You never know, don’t
judge a band by its album cover.
Return of The Walking Dead
A&E
One Direction Hits Theaters Worldwide
The band that lost the X factor but won the world
by Brianna Pace
by Brandon Diaz
Many have anticipated this day,
even before the previous season
ended. October 13th marks the return of AMC’s visual masterpiece
The Walking Dead. Left with many
unanswered questions, curious
viewers can’t keep still as the weeks
drag on and days feel like eternities.
Season 3 left off with several key
events: Rick’s newfound dementia, the Governor slaughtering his
own people, the turning of Milton,
and the death
of
Andrea.
Can
Rick
handle PostTraumatic
Stress Disorder? Who will
be a victim
of his next
episode?
It
seems like time is running out.
In the beginning of the Season 3
Finale of The Walking Dead, The
Governor wants Andrea dead. He
authorizes Milton to do the job
and makes it clear that “You kill
or die.” While attempting to kill
The Governor, Milton is stabbed
in the neck and left in a room
with Andrea where he turns and
kills her. With much to discuss
in between, this is a highlight of
the episode for it shows the death
of two characters with whom
we have grown an attachment.
The Voice
by Zamina Dhalla
America’s favorite televised
singing competition has been The
Voice since it aired on NBC in 2011.
The Voice’s ratings are through
the roof, with almost 15 million
viewers tuning in every week. The
Voice, hosted by Carson Daley, is
currently on its 5th season. The vocal coaches are Adam Levine from
Maroon 5, Christina Aguilera, Cee
Lo Green and country singer Blake
Shelton. Shakira and Usher replaced Cee Lo and Christina in season 4 and are expected to return for
season 6. The Voice adds an interesting feature. The Judge’s chairs
face away from the stage during
each singer’s one minute and forty
second performance. This allows
competitors to prove themselves
vocally without the judges basing
their decision on the singer’s appearance or age as other competitions do. Adam Levine won season one with Javier Colon. Blake
Shelton won the past three seasons with Jermaine Paul, Cassadee
Pope, and most recently the sixteen-year-old Danielle Bradbery.
The Governor has fled and people
have yet to distinguish where he
might be. Could he be on his way
to the prison to finish off the job?
Carl is becoming cold hearted
and almost numb to civility as he
sees there is almost none left. Erik
Kain, a contributor of Forbes, says:
“I won’t lie: I was hoping for the
big, dramatic showdown between
Rick and the Governor. Instead,
The Walking Dead’s Season 3 finale ended on
a mixed note,
part tragic and
part hopeful.”
Some
would
argue that these
mixed
emotions and unanswered questions are what
caused the anticipation for season
4. Kain goes on to say “None of the
massive amount of tension that’s
built up over the course of the season has been released or resolved.”
This, again, is the reason that the
upcoming season is hands-down
the most hung out, hyped up season of the show. Viewers expect to
learn much in season 4, such as The
Governor’s current location, Rick’s
state of mind, and life back at the
prison. Will Rick and The Governor stop the Russian roulette and
finally go toe to toe with each other? Will the prison continue to be a
trusted safe house? Who else is next
to go? These unanswered questions
are the reason the return of AMC’s
The Walking Dead is the most anticipating, spine-tingling event of
the Fall. Tune in Sunday, October
13th @ 9pm and get a scratch at
what everyone’s been itching for.
#5
One Direction seems to taking
the world by storm in every way.
Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles,
Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, and
Niall Horan were just normal boys
before they auditioned for the X
Factor. The five teens all auditioned as solo acts and, later into
the competition, Simon Cowell
formed them into a group. They
didn’t win the X Factor, Matt Cardle took home the first place prize,
but most would say One Direction didn’t need to win. They are
the biggest boy band in the world
and some would compare them to
The Beatles and other famous boy
bands. They are even putting out
a new fragrance and school supplies. Now they are taking the leap
from the stage onto the big screen.
Millions of dedicated fans
rushed out to see the movie One
Direction: This Is Us 3D. The
movie came into theaters August
20th, 2013. The movie is documentary about the boy’s lives of
how they have changed. It takes
you behind the scenes to see
how their family has reacted to
the fame. They show you footage from during concerts and
the boys themselves explain how
much of a drastic life change it
is and how they have adjusted to
the fans. The movie also mentions
how they are just a couple of normal guys living their dream. The
movie is suitable for all people.
If you look at it from a teenage
guy’s perspective they could get a
lot out of it. The five guys that are
One Direction were nobody’s before they were the world’s biggest
boy band. It shows that anybody
can achieve their goals with hard
work and dedication. The movie
was to help people understand that
even with all the fame and fortune
they are just down to earth people.
Simon even said “I like the boys
as people.” showing that someone
so close to them still knows that
they are down to Earth people.
The most amazing part of
the whole movie is that it actually exists. One Direction is so
popular that making a movie was
an amazing idea. Justin Bieber
and Katy Perry are a few of the
names that come to mind when
people talk about music documentaries. All these ridiculously
famous people come to mind. To
think that just a couple of normal guys have come together
and made this happen in 3 short
years is kind of mind blowing.
One direction has extremely
dedicated fans. The 5 boys are
constantly thanking their fans for
all their support. They are always
saying how they wouldn’t be where
they are now if it were not for their
millions of fans. Niall said “Fans
always tell me I’m beautiful, but
no one will ever be as beautiful as them.” This really shows
how much they respect their fans
and how much they love them.
One Direction’s movie will
show that not every boy band has
to be a certain way. Over the years
people have set up a stereo type for
boy bands, and these 5 boys don’t
really follow that. That is the main
reason for their overall success.
The fact that they took a different
route is what made them interesting and the movie really gets into
that. They are so unique, and therefore the movie was unique too.
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October 2013
October 2012
October 2012
Can she get a drum roll
please…?! And the Artist Spotlight goes to Vanessa Silva. Vanessa, also known as “Nessa,” is a
senior at our East Meadow High
School. Drawing with charcoal
is what Vanessa loves most. In
tenth grade, Vanessa hated using colors. However; when
art teacher Mr.
Strand
taught
her how to work
with and use
colors and pastels in a picture,
she fell in love.
Vanessa has
always had an
interest in art.
When she was
in elementary school, she drew
cartoon characters. However, in
seventh grade, Vanessa knew
it was more than just a hobby.
Her older brother took studio
art when he was in tenth grade,
when he wanted to eventually
major in art. Vanessa would attend all of his art shows because
she loved the atmosphere so
much. She feels two people have
made a gigantic impact on her
life, and she looks up to these
people all the time: her brother
and father. Her brother started
an art portfolio in high school
and, to follow in his footsteps,
Vanessa did the same thing.
Vanessa became a participant in art shows as a freshman and has been in each show
since then. She took art classes
in 11th grade as a “junior artist”
with a friend, Jeffery Gomez.
The classes were held at Adel-
Miley “Does Her Thang”
on Bangerz
Photo Courtesy of Collider
4
6
FEATURES
Goodnight Moon Transformation Tuesday
by Melanie Zerah
by Olivia Asarian
Ah, the sun has gone down, and take five extra minutes to fall asleep.
a peaceful, serene lunar glow dimly
The reason for this is quite
lights your bedroom. Tonight is a primitive. Since the beginning of
full moon, making the black night time, there has been a relationship
sky a bit brighter, acting as a natu- between terrestrial happenings and
ral night-light. You climb into bed, the human bodily functions. The
ready for a placid sleep with the internal clock of a human is what
confidence that you will be awo- wakes us up when there are no othken the next morning refreshed, er outside variables. The scientific
and ready for a new
way to explain the
day. However, a
internal clock is the
few minutes turns
“suprachiasmatic
to many minutes as
nuclei, a tiny region
you toss and turn,
of the brain near the
pleading your body
optic nerve involved
to power off. Now,
in the production
Photo
Courtesy
of
Library.Think
you start to think
of melatonin, cerof ways to help you descend into a tain neurotransmitters and other
hushed snooze, perhaps a trip to the time-keeping chemicals, all in a
bathroom, a drink of water, a fluff rhythm consistent with both its terof the pillow, or even a silly method restrial and cosmic surroundings.”
such as counting sheep. With all
So next time a full moon is startthese options running through your ing to wax onto your night, plan
head, your brain activity starts to ahead. Make your bedroom even
increase and falling asleep becomes more tranquil. Lighting a scented
that much harder. You glare at the candle helps you relate your bedfull moon with tired eyes won- room with pleasant scents, making
dering, what is the cause of this? it a place of relaxation. Darkness is
It turns out, the very reason that also a big part of sleep; too much
tells us that it is time to go to sleep light will irritate the nerves in your
can be the reason for difficulties in eyes, causing headaches. Even takfalling asleep. Researchers from the ing a bubble bath before sleeping
Psychiatric Hospital of the Universi- can help. In hot water, your body
ty of Baesel have conducted studies temperature quickly rises then
showing that the full moon is actu- quickly falls again after you get out
ally a catalyst for disorderly sleep- of the bubble bath, causing you to
ing patterns. Test subjects during become even sleepier. Embrace the
this study have helped researchers fact that we are so connected to our
conclude that during the waning of cosmic surroundings and how spea full moon, people get twenty few- cial that is. Sleep sweet, and don’t
er minutes of sleep that night, and forget to say goodnight to the moon!
It’s that time of year again. It’s can find under the hash tag #transfortime we get back from summer va- mationtuesday, one could conclude
cation and return to the reality that that people are amused with the
is school. For some of us, it’s the fact that they have grown in whatfirst year at EMHS, while for others, ever time interval the pictures set.
Just think about it…how have
it’s their last. Whether you are still
adjusting to the high school atmo- you grown in the past year? Or
middle school…even
sphere or applying to
elementary
school.
a number of colleges,
We have grown physiwe have to admit that
cally and emotionally
there is a time where
and are still continuwe reflect on how
ing to do so. We have
far we came…espeall accomplished so
cially on Tuesdays.
If you have an Inmuch in our grade
school
education
stagram, you are proband we will continue
ably well aware of the
to do so throughout
famous post that we
our lives. So, even
all have shared at least
Photo Courtesy of Wordpress
if you feel like one
once. For those who
are unfamiliar, it is collage of two day that you have absolutely no
pictures – one from when you were time to think, just clear your head
younger, and another from present for a few minutes and just reflect
day. The younger picture of a person on how much you have changed
can vary from when they were only a over the years and be happy with
few months old to just a few months the progress you have made since.
ago. From the amount of posts you And remember, to never give up.
How Far Would You Go For
Your Idol?
by Erika Espinosa
October 2012
October 2013
SCAN THE CODE!
USE YOUR
SMARTPHONE
AND
EXPLORE!
October 2012
Many people have a certain and later received threats. The
singer or band that’s their favor- “swifties” (Taylor Swift fans) were
ite, but can some fans take things a not pleased and decided to send
little too far? There are many fan- threats to the clothing company!
doms in the music business, and The upset fans wanted the picture
of the shirt taken off
they are very dedithe website, but that
cated.
“Fandoms”
didn’t stop the owners
are groups of fans
of the clothing comwho are interested in
the same artist, actor,
pany from selling it.
Not many fans
or book. There are
Photo Courtesy of Nab
many fandoms such
are like this though.
as directioners (One Direction), be- There are extremely dedicated
liebers (Justin Bieber), little mon- fans who would do almost anysters (Lady Gaga), and katykats thing for their idols and support
(Katy Perry). But some fans can every decision they make. Some
take things to the extreme level… threats are very hurtful and some
Despite the bad ones, there are might take it to heart, but is there
also some funny threats. An online really any reason to be mean to
clothing brand, Bad Kids Clothing, others? Although fandoms are supmade a shirt with the last names posed to bring people together,
of all Taylor Swift’s ex-boyfriends some people bring them apart.
October 2013
8
SPIRIT WEEK
HOMECOMING
9
October 2012
October 2012
October 2013
October 2013
10
FEATURES
Feature Face A Change in Runway Models
by Alyssa Williams
The Feature Face of this issue is
Ms. Dalia, East Meadow High’s new
guidance counselor. I was able to sit
down with Ms. Dalia and talk to her
about her new digs here at EMHS.
JG - Is this your first job in the
education field?
Ms. Dalia - No, I worked in Guidance in Seaford High School, This is
my first year in EMHS, and I am a leave
replacement for Ms. Merolla. Also I am
the new East Meadow Rockette coach.
JG - Do you enjoy being a Guidance Counselor?
Ms. Dalia - I do! I love helping out
students throughout high school, and
helping them succeed in their futures.
JG - Where did you attend school?
Ms. Dalia - I went to Adelphi
for my undergrad and then I continued on to St. John’s University for
my master’s degree in Psychology.
JG - Why did you choose this
field of study?
Ms. Dalia - My guidance counselor was an awesome person, and
she influenced me. I also love to
help students who may be going
through a tough time. High School
could be a very hard time for students, I love to help in any way I can.
JG - How do you like being the
head coach of the kickline team at
EMHS?
Ms. Dalia - I absolutely love
it, I have been a dancer since I was
FRESH NEW FACES
Lisa Nessler Special Education
Justin SzwejkowskiPhysical Education
Jamie Lago Special Education
Recently was New York a new era of time, a era of difFashion Week, Fashion Week is ference and being accepted.
hosted by Mercedes Benz and One of the designers who let
has many American design- models be “different” was Beters. Fashion Week is a week sy Johnson. The spring collecof fashion shows that goes on tions of many designers were
twice a year, once in Febru- cropped and skater skirts. The
ary and once in September. Al- color seems to be like a light
though there are many fashion cotton candy which would pershows, each is unique and dif- fectly describe Sherri Hills
ferent in its
prom 2014
own
way.
line. Most
Fashion
S h e r week stops
ri
Hills
by all the
dresses
major fashwere merion
capimaid,
so
Photo Courtesy of Lauren Riddle
tals of the
is the merworld, although it goes from maid style back this prom seaNYC to Italy, Italy and NY do son? Another big thing seen
not have the same designers at fashion week was cut outs.
presenting lines. Fashion week Showing skin is little risky but
started with the NICHOLAS K worth it! If you are lucky to
show and ended with the Boy go to NYFW or any other MerMeets Girl Fashion Show. This cedes Benz fashion show, it is
fashion week was different it a once in a lifetime chance.
was the start of something new. Tickets for these shows are not
Usually models are told to sold to the general public; in
walk with straight faces down order you have to be invited by
the runway. This year many de- the designer or know someone
signers let their models show to get in. Luckily, the EMHS
emotion and dance down the fashion class was able to get
runway. With the twerking epi- in last February, which was an
demic, dancing down the run- opportunity for many girls in
way is no big deal, right? The the class. If you ever have a
showing of emotion represents chance to go to these shows, go.
Are You in a Clique or Group?
by Sadie Ilson
October 2012
by Gabe Diamond
people allowed to be in your group of to be there with you. So even if you
friends if one person who is already maybe sit with new people at lunch
in the clique is friends with them? or maybe talk to new people in class,
Most of the time teens want to you will realize that it’s not that hard
hang out with people that make them to venture outside of just your group
seem “cool.” What is cool? What of friends. Here’s something to try, try
makes
someto talk to someone cooler than
one new each
someone else?
day whether it
Nowadays doing
is during an off
something that
period or even
could get you in
walking
in
trouble with the
the halls. You
law or a higher
may love your
authority
can
friends
now
make someone
and I love the
cool. Also some
people whom I
people think that
hang out with,
just owning a
but it is super
specific type of
important to
Photo Courtesy of Google
clothing brand
meet new peomakes them cool or makes them feel ple because, you never know, you may
like they fit in, making them think have more things in common with peothat they will be accepted into a group. ple you don’t even talk to then you do
How do cliques fade? As teenagers get with the people you hang out with now.
older they realize that eventually they
Everyone feels left out by friends
are going to need to meet new people once in a while. Friends are people
and be open to meeting new people just like us — they make mistakes and
whether they like it or not. If you truly usually we can forgive them (after all,
think about it, when you go to college, everybody makes mistakes!). Someyour high school cliques aren’t going times friends fight and make up again.
But sometimes kids form groups that
they won't let other kids belong to. A
clique is a group of kids who hang out
together and won't let others join in.
Sometimes kids in the clique are mean
to kids they think are on the outside.
Teens often get judged by how they
look, how they act, and even for what
they wear. Another thing that is a huge
issue is stereotypes. A stereotype is
used to categorize a group of people.
When most people think “stereotypes”
they will think of cheerleaders being
popular, pretty, and they think they
control the school, football players
who only care about sports at the top
of the pyramid, and last but not least,
the nerds who like school and wear
goofy glasses. That’s one way that
cliques come to be; it all depends on
what you are a part of and whom you
choose to surround yourself by and if
you choose to stick to your stereotype.
According to the New York University
Child Study Center, “as children move
through middle school, they begin to
develop more advanced interpersonal
relationships, and peer approval becomes increasingly important, often
making a child long for the acceptance and camaraderie of a clique.”
Jurassic Park. Dinosaurs are
brought back from extinction to
entertain guests at a new, pre-historic zoo, only to escape and terrorize those at the park. While
the plot of this 1993, sci-fi film is
pure fantasy, the science that influenced the story is now a reality.
De-extinction, or the concept
of bringing vanished species back
to life, has received growing scientific and social interest over the
past decade. Ten years ago, a team
of French and Spanish researchers
successfully cloned a female Pyrenean Ibex, a recently extinct mountain goat species. The researchers
did this by collecting cells from a
deceased Pyrenean Ibex, placing
genetic information from those cells
into the emptied cells of a related
goat species, and implanting these
cells into another goat that will carry the extinct animal to term. A similar technique was used to create the
first cloned animal, Dolly the sheep,
several years earlier. Unfortunately,
the results of the researchers’ work
were not entirely successful. They
tried implanting the Pyrenean Ibex could certainly bring back species
eggs in 57 surrogate mothers, but that have suffered human wrath
only one gave birth. But since the over the past 10,000 years, like
new clone only survived for ten the carrier pigeon, dodo bird, imminutes due to irreversible health perial woodpecker, and the wooly
problems, the Pymammoth. Humans
renean Ibex is excould have a new
tinct yet again.
opportunity to treat
However, clonthese species with
ing technology has
respect. Others arimproved
since
gue that humans
then. New methods
will be no better
are more efficient,
conservationists;
Photo Courtesy of Fanpop
less risky, easier
we may be inclined
to execute, and produce healthier to think that if we kill off a speclones than techniques used ten- cies, we can solve the problem
fifteen years ago. More importantly, by just cloning it. And if we push
these advances have led to seri- a species to extinction again and
ous discussion among biologists again, we could re-clone the speand ethical groups. Why would cies as many times as we want.
we want to use this technology,
Some people argue that deand what will its consequences be? extinction is outright unethical;
As human activity is a great who are we to “play God?” If a
cause of animal extinction, some species dies, we must let nature
believe that de-extinction offers hu- take its course. But, as paleonmanity a second chance. The tech- tologist Michael Archer points
nology cannot possibly save the out, “I think we played God when
dinosaurs, which have been gone we exterminated these animals.”
for at least 65 million years, but it
De-extinction can benefit both
the environment and us. Many
medications are actually derived
from compounds found in plants,
and with the ongoing destruction
of Earth’s rainforests and other
densely wooded areas, our plant
resources are dwindling. Medicine
could be tremendously improved
if we brought back extinct plant
species. Other plants and animals
(known as keystone species) played
leading roles in maintaining their
environments. For example, the
wooly mammoth broke up and fertilized the soil of Siberia, making
it a haven to grazing mammals.
Siberia, without the wooly mammoth, is now a moss-ridden tundra.
It will still be years before this
formerly science fiction concept is
used on a large scale, because researchers may need to finish incomplete genomes of extinct species,
and authorities may want to weigh
in on the ethical implications of deextinction. But maybe one day, you
and your children can visit the new
amusement park full of species that
died long before you were born.
Miss America Gets Hate From America
by Melanie Zerah
A calm, average Sunday evening turned into a lovely milestone
for Indian women living in the USA
when Nina Davuluri was crowned
Miss America. Indian Americans and
other ethnicities rejoiced as this beautiful woman walked down the stage
of the pageant, with a sense of overwhelming pride that cannot be expressed with words. A wave of unity
was felt by all of those who were delighted by this outcome, as it became
a clear sign of how much America has
grown as an accepting country, giv-
ing a fair chance to all who deserve it.
However, this is America, and
with the wonderfulness of our diversity comes a sadness to know that
our diversity consists of some people
who are still racist. Upon her victory, her experience was marred with
racial slurs and hate. Social media
websites such as Twitter exploded
with malicious tweets directed to
the immaculate Nina. Comments
that were made include “American
women are white women,” and “I
thought this was America, not In-
dia.” With all of this animosity being
targeted at Nina, it is easy to see that
our new Miss America would feel
hated, discouraged, and dismayed.
Nina was not crowned this prestigious title just for being beautiful
and talented. She presented a personality that was far more enchanting than her physical appearance.
“I have to rise above that,” Nina
says, “I have always viewed myself as first and foremost American.”
Being able to repress and tune
out all negative energy that comes her
way, Nina Davuluri exposes the true
spirit of America through her amazing attributes: to be able to persevere
and carry on. This is the true spirit of
America, to be able to persevere and
carry on. The spirit of America goes
far beyond the physical appearance
that is a blonde, “all American,” Caucasian woman. Therefore, Nina can be
seen as an example for all of those socially oppressed in our country, for she
has become a symbol of undying dignity. And this is something all women,
of all colors, should strive to imitate.
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October 2012
“Cliques” are groups of friends,
but not all groups of friends are cliques.
The thing that makes a group a clique
is that they leave some kids out on
purpose. This is a problem that most
high school students worry about. An
issue of the NYU Child Study Center
Letter, Long Island, says “Cliques are
small, exclusive groups of friends who
share common traits and common
interests (music, dress, sports, etc.).
Each member is either directly or indirectly connected to each other member. Cliques usually refer to groups of
girls; however, boys are also involved
in cliques. There are usually hierarchies of cliques among teens, from
the populars to the losers, and there
are often many cliques in schools,
including jocks, arties, brains, nerds,
preppies and normals.” Mostly 7th
graders to freshmen in high schools
everywhere have these worries. Usually one or two “popular” kids (people
who think they are better than everyone else) control who gets to be in the
clique and who gets left out. Kids may
act much differently than they did before they were part of the clique. They
may even act differently today from
how they were yesterday. Are other
October 2013
11
De-extinction: The Reality of Jurassic Park
by Lauren Riddle
two, and I love to impart my passion on students at this school. I also
love to encourage a healthy lifestyle.
JG - What was your favorite part
of high school?
Ms. Dalia - I loved football games,
studying, and meeting new people.
JG - What is one piece of advice
you can give to all students?
Ms. Dalia - I live my personal life
by, “Everything happens for a reason,”
because everything does happen for
certain reasons. I also believe in the
Dr. Seuss quote “Those who minds
don’t matter, and those who matter
don’t mind,” which means to me that
you should always just be yourself.
Jaclyn RamirezESL Teacher
FEATURES
October 2013
T h e
T h i n g s
I
C a r r y
Sophomore Perspective
by Zainab Nathani
by Harrison Price
The things that I carry are two
conditions: ADHD and Asperger’s
Syndrome. These disorders have been
both the banes and blessings of my existence. On one hand, I can appreciate
my individuality more than others. On
the other hand, I have trouble interacting with new people. At first, problems with social interaction seem like
no big deal, but in reality, the obstacles
are painfully difficult to overcome.
Because of ADHD, I have trouble
paying attention to things that I’m
supposed to. My eyes can’t help but
wander around a room; even when
I’m not bored. I take medicine for the
ADHD, but I still feel my mind go all
over the place sometimes. I also tend
to be quiet near people I’d like to get
to know because of the disorder. Today, I have plenty of friends who accept my behavior because they too
are quiet in public- not because they
have ADHD, but because they have
equally complicated social lives.
On the bright side, ADHD can also
be an attention enhancer. When I do
pay attention to something of interest, I
can’t focus on anything else until I fully understand it. When I was in middle
school, I had a small crush on a girl.
Every time I tried to talk to her, I froze
in my tracks. I couldn’t tell which was
more difficult: the pressure of talking
to a girl or the ADHD pulling me away
from a potential conversation. However, on that same day I studied a math
formula as hard as I possibly could.
Days later, I got every question on
the test related to that formula correct.
Everyone needs courage to interact
with new people, but it takes someone
special to look at the world differently
like me. I wouldn’t give up this disorder if I had the choice, but my feelings
towards it definitely go both ways.
There must have been a “buy one,
get one free” sale in my brain when
I was born because I was diagnosed
with another disorder: Asperger’s Syndrome. When someone has Asperger’s, he or she has trouble telling the
difference between what is right and
wrong. This disorder gets me into particularly mortifying situations because
I don’t realize what I’m doing until it’s
too late. One day in class, I decided to
Senioritis: Symptoms and Possible Cures
flail my arms excessively to imitate
a cartoon character. I didn’t realize I
was doing it in front of the entire class,
and I was embarrassed beyond belief.
Luckily, however, Asperger’s has
benefits too. For one, I take even more
pride in my individuality. I have these
ideas that if I don’t make a certain
type of face, a certain type of movement, or say a certain word, I’ll be
just like everyone else. This ideology seems extreme, but I just have a
thing for being different. Asperger’s
allows me to express my differences
without a single thought of restraint.
I’d keep my syndrome because losing it would mean losing an extreme
form of expression. This syndrome
feeds my desire for the unique.
by Adena Baichan
allow you to be more productive.
4. Find a balance.
Although you may have a
“to do” list that can fill an entire
roll of toilet paper, make time
for yourself to do things you
enjoy. Finding a balance will
help you feel less overwhelmed.
5. Remember: this year is
still important!
Yes, it is your last year. But
until your college applications go
out, the first semester still matters!
Don’t put these last three years of
hard work to waste. And if these
past three years haven’t been great
for you, finish off with a bang!
So there you have it. Although
you may feel like a goner, don’t
succumb to this epidemic. Where
there’s a will, there’s a way. See
a local doctor, and I’m sure he/
she will gladly prescribe some
inspiration for you to continue on
your senior year with a few doses
of hard work and perseverance.
Its quick. It’s Easy. It’s Delicious.. It’s Mille Grazie!
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my classes and the many clubs I
am an active member of. Everyone
was telling me that I was taking
on too much and that I needed to
know my limits, but I honestly felt
that I did know them and that I had
yet to cross them. The first day of
school was a chance for me to see a
sliver of what each class would be
like and allow me to begin to formulate my judgment on them. For
example, whether they were going
to be the kind of classes I would
have to study extra for, or the ones
that I would look forward to. So
far, I think my initial judgments
were correct, and with that I think I
can say that I think I’m going to be
okay this year. Sure, it’s going to be
hard; there never was a doubt about
that. But frankly I always found
challenges exciting, especially
when you’re challenging yourself
to be your best and do your best.
I don’t think I’ve ever dreaded the
first day of school, and this year
was not an exception. I believe
that shows plainly that I can’t wait
for the year to play out, and with
my friends, family, and teachers, I
think it’s going to be a good one.
Junior Perspective
by Jessica Brass & Sadie Ilson
Here we go. I can officially say
that I have conquered half of my
high school career. Half of “the
best years of my life” have quickly
slipped away, and the other two
are quickly approaching. Another
two years filled with procrastination, pointless testing, and the recurring question of what my future
may hold, are just about to begin.
Hopefully the future holds an image of a girl invested in a bright
future that looks promising due to
her many sacrifices throughout her
high school years. My thoughts on
this year are simple; hard tests, a
lot of homework, drivers ed, and
little sleep. This year also holds
much competition. Competition
seems like an endless aspect of
high school in trying to figure out
which college will be best suited
for me. It is also an imperative aspect when thinking about what I
need to do in order to be accepted
into my dream school. When comparing myself to other kids who are
dealing with the same issues, how
can I set myself apart? How am I
supposed to enjoy my high school
years when I’m either studying or
worrying about something even
more beneficial academically that
I could be doing? Most worries, I
predict, will come from the SATs.
Just thinking about the SATs
brings forward a sense of unhappiness that no junior can avoid.
Thinking of the test is scary, and
then the studying begins and
scary is presented with a whole
new meaning. Most assumptions
about the SAT is that it is the only
deciding factor in the acceptance
upon college, and that is probably
where most stress accumulates
from. Drivers ed is also a very
sought after part of junior year.
Driving is symbolic of freedom
and independence, two things that
are just what a 16 year old dreams
of. However, dreaming does not
get you that far. Driving is a serious topic that needs to be handled
with care. It involves much more
responsibility than one might
think. When imagining driving
for the first time, all that we see
is being free to roam wherever,
whenever. All that comes to mind
is driving to the mall or friends’
houses all day, every day, when in
reality getting a license, let alone
a car, is not easy. Like every other
thing during junior year, it will
take time, time that will be spent
studying and doing the best that I
can to achieve what I please. We
have barely made a dent in the
school year, and I am already exhausted. I know that is has not been
a long period of time; however, I
am pretty sure that I know what to
expect for the rest of this school
year. I know that studying will be
essential and so will be devoting
time to my school classes, SAT
classes, and drivers ed classes.
13
Freshman Perspective
by Kaylin Wood
On the first day of high school,
I was scared to death. I had never
seen so many sixteen year olds with
facial hair in my life. All of my
friends had trouble finding the pool
on the fourth floor. I thought half
of my teachers were crazy, claiming that we would not be accepted
into a good college if we didn’t join
any clubs. But since that confusing
blur of a day on September 4th, I’ve
gradually learned how to manage all
of my responsibilities, making my
freshman year a breeze thus far.
Whenever my parents and their
friends would reminisce on how
high school was the “best experience” of their lives (which I think
we’ve all heard about a million
times), I couldn’t understand how
it was possible. I mean, come on,
it’s school we’re talking about. But
now that I’m here, I can already tell
what they were talking about. I’ve
only been in this school for a few
weeks, but I’ve already made so
many new friends and had so many
new experiences. I love my sports
team (Go Field Hockey!) and all the
clubs I’ve joined so far. I can’t wait
for what’s to come in the next few
years. There will obviously be times
when I want to drop out of school
to become a bum because of all the
stress, pressure, homework, and
tests. But against all the odds and
struggles of high school, I know that
I will not just make it through these
next four years; I will make them
the best four years of my life.
Senior Perspective
by Michael Pepe
I can’t believe that as I write
this article, I am already a senior in
high school. It feels like just yesterday I was crying on my mom’s
shoulder’s begging her not to send
me to kindergarten. My entire
childhood has truly flown by. The
past three years of high school have
come and gone, and I’m ready to
take on senior year and embrace all
that it has to offer. There is so much
to look forward to. First off I can
officially drive myself to school,
which is a nice perk we seniors
have. I have a lot more freedom as a
result now that I drive and have my
license, and I love being able to go
out with my friends on my off period and not having to go to places
near the high school, but being able
to go pretty much anywhere I can
drive. I think I speak for my e n t i r e
class when I say that I developed a
case of senioritis. Freshman year
was kind of like a transition from
middle school to high school, and
learned the ins and outs I guess
you can say. Sophomore year was
a nice breeze because nothing was
that difficult of extreme, except for
chemistry, of course, and junior
year was rough as taking a bunch of
A.P.’s and the SAT’s was not exactly fun and enjoyable. Now it’s time
for me to send out my college applications, sit back, and just relax.
With homecoming comes your king
and queen, and with senior banquet
we find out who won what super-
latives, I’m hoping to get teacher’s
pet. Battle of the classes happens
every year but this year it’s extra
special because it’s our last battle
and it’s also the last time we come
together as a grade. I already know
we are going to get first place!
Prom is a big thing too. It’s a giant
party that doesn’t get shut down by
the cops like most of the parties in
East Meadow. Instead it’s a formal
gathering when everyone brings
a date to and dresses to impress. I
like to think of prom as a celebration of the times we have shared together with our class. Once we get
our yearbooks and have all of our
favorite teachers and friends sign
it, is when we realize that we’re
actually graduating. Most of the
people that we have grown up with,
we won’t ever to talk or seen again,
but we will keep those feel special
friendships that we have made with
some people which will truly last
a lifetime. The day we walk down
the track with our parents in the
stands taking our pictures is when
it all ends, and yes, I’m talking
about graduation. This is the day
we say goodbye to the past and hello to the future. So my advice for
all you under classmen out there
is to savor and cherish the memories you make throughout high
school because, before you know
it, you’ll be a senior and about to
graduate. These four years will
be the greatest years of your life!
October 2013
October 2012
October 2012
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to finish off this first semester with
a bang until senior year starts to
smooth-sail away. Here are some
tips to break the senioritis fever:
1. Know your tasks.
Make a list. Keep a planner.
Stay organized. Always be
aware of the tasks you have to
get done and the timespan in
which you have to do them.
2. Don’t procrastinate.
That pile of books and papers
sitting on your desk has rested
long enough. Start handling
your time wisely and getting
things done a little at a time
over a reasonable amount of
time. Don’t leave an assignment
3. Get enough sleep.
Instead of sitting up all night
exploring the dark depths of
YouTube and catching up on all
six seasons Gossip Girl, hit the
lights and tuck yourself in. Getting
enough sleep at night can help feel
more refreshed during your day and
718-272-8850
Napping after school, putting
off assignments, sleeping in late,
coming to school in sweats; do
these symptoms apply to you?
If so, you may be a part of the
quick-spreading epidemic (that
has started to plague some since
sophomore year) known as
“Senioritis.” As the high school
year comes to a new and final
beginning for many of us, we
find ourselves realizing that we
are moving on to a completely
new chapter of life in less than
a year. Therefore, we are also
finding ourselves having trouble
choosing between completing the
tasks that have been comfortably
sitting on our desks for a week
and taking a nap, and often
end up choosing the latter.
But have no fear! Whether
you are just recently beginning
to experience these symptoms or
are already in waist-deep, there is
(possibly) still some hope for you
I think everyone would admit
that this year, the first day of school
was quite unique, being the only
school day in the week. Although
many people thought of that one
day as annoying, and believe me
when I say I would’ve loved extra
sleep myself, I actually liked it a bit.
I thought it was a great way for you
to slowly submerge yourself back
into the school atmosphere, with
one day to meet your friends and
new teachers, and then four days
of relaxation as you really prepare
for the year to come. Last year, in
ninth grade, the first day of school
was a rush of nervous excitement.
This year as a sophomore, I think it
was more of excitement at getting
to see all the people who I hadn’t
seen for weeks and meet new people at the same time. I can’t disregard the nervousness that existed
that day, though I can pinpoint the
cause to be an essay I had to do
for one of my classes. Now, I think
back and I know that throughout
the day I was preparing myself for
an onslaught of work and loads of
stress, as I knew for a fact I was
taking on a heavy load with all of
EDITORIALS
Photo Courtesy of carthagecurrent
EDITORIALS
12
SPORTS
SPORTS
#
15
John Wilson scores a 3-yard touchdown to put
East Meadow up on Baldwin!
Come on out and support the JETS!
- 10/29/13 2:30 pm
at Baldwin
- 11/01/13 6:30 pm
at Farmingdale
MLB Season
Review
Photo Courtesy of MSG Varsity
East Meadow Varsity
Football Remaining
Games :
by Nick Sanchez
would be his last. Many teams
honored Rivera with farewell
gifts as he emotionally made
his final appearances in their
stadiums. The worst baseball
teams of 2013 were the Houston Astros with a 51-111 record, and as the Miami Marlins who posted at 62-100.
The 1st of three no hitters this
season was thrown by Homer
Bailey of the Cincinnati Reds,
followed by Tim Lincecum
of the San Francisco Giants,
and of course, Henderson Alvarez of the Miami Marlins
who threw the last no-hitter
of 2013 on the final day of the
season. As of October 4th, the
2013 postseason is as follows:
8 teams remain in the hunt.
For the American League- the
Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red
Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Oakland Athletics are competing
to get to the championship
series to face either the St.
Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh
Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers,
or Atlanta Braves from the
National League. So, who’s
going to win it all this season?
October 2012
October 2012
Well, it’s that time of year
again. Summer has ended,
school has started, and another
season of Major League Baseball is nearing its end. And
what a year it was for the fans
of New York baseball. For the
New York Mets, it was another
season wasted, finishing the
74-88, good for 3rd place in the
National League East. It looked
as if there was potential for a
winning season when the Mets
swept a 4 game subway series
against the Yankees this past
May, but that disappeared quite
quickly, leading to another losing season. As for the New York
Yankees, they failed to reach
the playoffs for the first time
since 2008 and only the second
time in the last nineteen years.
The Yankees were plagued by
injuries all year long from star
players Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and
Curtis Granderson, just to name
a few. Much of this season’s
spotlight was directed towards
Yankee closer, Mariano Rivera.
Mariano announced at the beginning of the season that 2013
October 2013
16
SPORTS
Homecoming 2013
by Samuel Berger
Photo Courtesy of Sam Berger
“It’s not whether you get
knocked down; it’s whether you
get up,” said legendary NFL coach
Vince Lombardi. Boy, was Vince
right, as East Meadow Football Jets
had been knocked down this season
coming into homecoming vs. Hicksville with a record of 2-3. Facing a
roller-coaster type season, full of
turmoil, adversity,
and
complications, the Jets put
all of this behind
them on the day of
their homecoming
and came out soaring, led by coach
Vinny
Mascia
and Captains Tom
Dolley, Nick Conti, Marcos Watkins, Chika Ewulu, Johnny Keicher,
and Nick Suchocki. The Jets took the
field knowing a loss could be the end
of their season, that everything had
to be left out on the field, that there
was no holding back and no regrets.
And that attitude seemed to carry
the Jets through the game as they
played like there was no tomorrow.
The Jets came out of the gates
with an 8-yard run by senior, and
captain, Nick Conti, who ran for
forty yards on four attempts. The
Jets continued to literally run all
over Hicksville, racking up another two touchdowns on the ground
in the second quarter. The first
was an 11-yard run by junior fullback Johnny Wilson who helped
carry the Jets to victory with 180
yards rushing on twenty-two attempts, as well as two touchdowns.
Wilson, on his performance
said, “I felt proud that I could show
the community, the past alumni,
and the team what
I am capable of. I
worked incredibly
hard this past offseason and its good
to see my hard
work paying off.”
Also joining
in with a good
performance was
another fresh face to homecoming, freshman quarterback Anthony Love. Love, in his second start
as the varsity quarterback, ran for
38 yards on six attempts as well
as running for two touchdowns, a
strong performance by Love, and
hopefully many more to come.
The Jets rolled into halftime
with spirits high after taking a commanding 22-0 lead going into the
second half. Even though the Jets
went into the locker room at the
half didn’t mean the celebration
on the field had to come to a halt.
The newly-crowned first place winners in the Columbus Day parade,
the East Meadow Marching Band
took the field, as well the Varsity
Cheerleaders and Rockettes. Of
course it wouldn’t be homecoming without a king or queen to
take control of the throne, as Franz
De Leon and Gianna Bova took
home the honor of becoming royal.
When the Jets retook the field
for the half it was as if
they had some place to
be, and quickly tried
to put the game out of
reach. It was as if nothing had changed from
the first half as the Jets
just kept on soaring.
There was a sense of
deja vu, as Wilson and
Love came out scoring their second
touchdowns each just like in the first
half. Senior back Nick Suchocki
also got into the scoring action, adding his own touchdown late in the
third quarter on a twenty-three yard
run, ending his day with sixty seven
yards rushing on six attempts for one
score. This one-sided affair wasn’t
all offense as the defense was solid
all game, recording the first shutout of the season helping the Jets
to the 43-0 victory. Blink and you
may have missed seeing Hicksville
on offense as the Jets defense was
continually getting three and out after three and out. The Jets defense
was led by junior linebackers Dylan
Hippner, who has been consistent
for the Jets all season long, and the
breakout performance of Jed PukSilverstein, who led East Meadow with seven tackles and a sack.
Homecoming, although joyful,
is for some bittersweet. Senior Nick
Conti, who helped guide the Jets to
victory, was full of
mixed feelings after
the game. “Having
it be my last homecoming it definitely
made me upset realizing that I don’t
have much time left
as a Jet. I was hesitant to take my uniform off because I didn’t want the
moment to end.” It may have been
the last homecoming for the seniors,
but not the end of the season, senior
and Captain Tom Dolley after the
game explained. “My team means
everything to me, and getting the
big win against Hicksville this week
felt amazing. Although there’s no
feeling comparable to playing on
homecoming, it was pretty bittersweet to play in my last one, we really needed a win in a season filled
with so much adversity.” Just as
Lombardi said, “It’s not whether
you get knocked down; it’s whether
you get up,” which the Jets surely did.
Athlete’s Spotlight: Mike Grady
by Jackie Roughan
October 2013
pating in the other activities when he entered eighth
grade. That was when Mike
has the golden opportunity to
run for the East Meadow Varsity Cross Country
team. Cross Country is an individual
sport as well as a
team sport. Grady
said he loves his
team because there
is always someone
there for him. When
asked
about
his
team this year, he
states that they are
a really strong team but also
a family. His favorite part
about cross country is traveling around New York with
Photo Courtesy of Mike Grady
October 2012
Running. It’s a punishment
to all of those who are not a
cheetah or a gazelle. Some
people have to run for the
sports that they participate in.
Others just do it because they
want to lose weight. Cross
Country, on the other hand, is
a sport that is all about running and only running. The
typical length for cross country is 3.1 miles, and it’s only
long distance. Some people
are born to run, and Mike
Grady is one of those people.
Grady himself was not
always in love with running. He used to play football and baseball like other
boys would when they were
younger. He stopped partici-
his team for various meets.
Mike Grady is a record
breaking athlete. This year
alone he broke East Meadow
High School’s cross country
record.
The
school’s record was
a 4K, which is a
two and a half mile
run, ran in thirteen
minutes and three
seconds.
Grady
beat the record by a
time of twelve minutes and fifty-one
seconds. He also
got the all-state title in winter track last year.
Mike’s upcoming goal is to
make another all-state title
for himself and to eventual-
ly go to nationals. The next
step after high school will
be running for a future college team. Grady is interesting in applying to University
of Connecticut; however, his
dream school is Penn State.
When asked about who
his inspiration is, Mike answered that it was his older
brother, Sean Grady. Sean
is the reason why Mike first
started to run. He says that
they run together, and Sean
helps Mike to improve and
be even better. Inspiration
can move athletes to do great
things and break outstanding records. Mike Grady is
an inspiration to all Cross
Country athletes everywhere.