THE JET - East Meadow School District

GAZETTE
THE JET
“We’re all jets here”
Volume No. 4
East Meadow High School
We May Never See
Hamilton, but That’s
Okay!
Editorials Page 4
June 2016
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NEWS
2
Letter From The Editor
Kaylin Wood
B
know and you’ve helped push the boundaries
of the paper immensely. Tasha- you are truly
inspiring and boldly original. Dylan- “Are
we going to have a problem here?” As cliche as it may sound, you’re all destined for
great things and I can’t wait to hear about
all your adventures when you come visit.
High School is about finding home and
the journalism room for many others besides
myself has become just that. The friendships made in F11 will hopefully carry on
with editors gained and departed. Along with
the laughter is the work and we’ve certainly
spent long and strenuous hours demanding
Photo Courtesy of Anum Zaidi
efore I knew how to read there was
always a book in my hand. When I gained
the skill of literacy I then always had two.
Reading later turned to writing and that led
to the need for an outlet. Joining journalism,
as a freshman, finally let me express my
passion for writing and allowed my ideas to
turn to reality. I learned that a newspaper, even only of sixteen pages, can
unite a whole community. Now,
even though people may scoff at
the fact (seeing the heaps of ripped
up papers that are stepped on in the
stairwells and hallways), looking at
the staff and how we have all kinds
of kinds involved I can boldly and
confidently say it does. We’ve bid
farewell and received all sorts of
personality types, each who have
fit perfectly into our band of editors.
I’m so grateful for the people
the paper has introduced to me, especially all the senior staff members
who will be graduating this year. Brianna- we started journalism together
and as your cantankerous nature has
grown so has our friendship. Anumyou are one of the sweetest, funniest, and most hardworking people I
The Jet Gazette Staff 2016-2017
Jet Gazette Staff
East Meadow U.F.S.D.
Board of Education
News Editors
Carmen Saffioti
Kaylin Wood
Kristen Kavanagh
Mahalia Mathelier
Zainab Nathani
Nicole Ribeiro
Editorials Editors
Features Editors
A&E Editors
Sports Editors
Editors-In-Chief
Rukhsar Asef
Riya Vyas
Renata Quinto
Scott Shapiro
Anum Zaidi
Business Manager
Photographer
Angelina Zampini
Contributors
Marianna Christy
Brianna Pace
Andrew Weiss
Christina Xu
Joseph Parisi, President
Marcee Rubinstein, Vice President
Joseph Danenza
Scott Eckers
Brian O’Flaherty
Jeffrey Rosenking
Melissa Tell
Jordan Diamond
Emily Rosenkrantz
Aliyha Gill
Dylan Piccione
Kylee Vasil
ourselves to produce the best paper for the
student body and for ourselves. Nothing is
more gratifying than having a tangible piece
of work that represents your own ideas and
ambitions like the paper does for us. As this
school year comes to an end we are left with
as strong a bond as ever and our fingers
crossed for an even better four
issues next year. We are very
proud of the work put in and the
product that has come out and
hope you, the reader, are as well.
All of the staff’s abnormalities and distinctions have
somehow melted into one giant
mixing pot of people passionate about one thing; making
the paper memorable. Writing, for me, is about leaving
an impression and whether it
be the memories we help document or the current events
of our youth we report on I
hope the paper has aided your
laughter, knowledge, and perspective. The future is uncertain and to all seniors bound
for it, we disclose the secret
of life: Everything will be okay.
Administration
Leon J. Campo, Superintendent of Schools
Jackson Himondi
Ethan Maitra
Advisor
Anthony Russo, Assistant Superintendent for Personnel
and Administration
Cindy Munter, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum
and Instruction
Mary Kudla
Mary Ann O’Brien, Assistant Superintendent for Business
and Finance
East Meadow High School
Patrick Pizzo, Assistant to the Superintendent for
101 Carman Avenue
East Meadow, NY 11554
Administration and Special Projects
April 2015
Disclaimer
The Jet Gazette is planned, written, edited, typeset, and laid out by the students of East Meadow High School as a not-for-profit extracurricular activity. Photographs and artwork (unless otherwise noted) are students’ original work. The Jet Gazette is a member of the National Scholastic Press Association. It won numerous awards from the Scholastic Newspaper Awards, the Best of High School Journalism Awards, and the Quill Awards.
Opinions expressed are those of the writers or the majority of the Editorial Board and are not representative of the opinions of the School
Board, administration, or advisor. The Editor-in-Chief and editorial board are chosen by the advisor. All students may write for the Jet Gazette.
Advertisements are available at competitive rates and at special discounts when taken by contract for the year. Contact the Jet Gazette for more details.
Circulation of the Jet Gazette is approximately 1,500 and is published online. The Jet Gazette is published four times a year from September to June.
Article Submissions are accepted via e-mail to [email protected]
NEWS
Photo Courtesy of Renata Quinto
Tri-M Music Honor Society
Renata Quinto
On April 8th, 2016, fifteen members
of East Meadow’s Tri-M went on a field
trip to Carman Road School, a school for
special needs children ranging in age from
3-21 years old. Chaperoned by Mr. Hale,
Ms. Tittler, and Ms. Dagro, a combination
of band, chorus, and orchestra students performed a variety of pieces for the students
and faculty of CRS. Upon arrival, EMHS
students were met by Miss Ting Lee, the
music teacher at Carman Road. Ting and
other employees took everyone on a tour
of the building, showcasing CRS’s unique
classrooms. Some of these included the
sensory room, music room, horticulture
area, and classroom turned faux apartment. Tri-M members were given the
opportunity to play games/dance with the
handicapped students and eat lunch with
them as well. An annual field trip to Carman Road has been an EMHS music department tradition for many years now and
will hopefully be continued next year too.
Club Corner
National English Honor Society
Ethnic Awareness Club
3
Key Club
Emily Rosenkrantz
Alyssa Brouillet
On June 7th, The Ethnic Awareness
In 2014, Students began the Franklin
Cacciutto chapter of the National English Club will host their own multicultural
Honor Society with their advisor, Eric show. After the first show’s great success,
Chiarulli. The year ended with over 100 in- a second was unavoidable. The Ethnic
ductees. Membership in NEHS is an honor Awareness Club strives to welcome and
bestowed on individuals selected for their educate students who want to learn about
accomplishments in the field of English and their community. The show does a perin overall academic achievement. In order fect job at highlighting the diversity of
to be accepted into the society, students our talented student body. Performers inmust maintain an average over at least a 90 clude singers Rosie Snyder Sabrina Shah,
in their respective English class and above Naveera Arif and Anum Zaidi. Dancers
an 85 overall average. Once accepted into included Grince Vora, Sagar Desai, Yesha
the society, students have the opportunity to Desai, Taylor Oomen, Brianna Andreparticipate in events like our annual poetry oli and Sultan Mirza. Also included are
slam, candy gram sales, and book drive. a fashion show which displays clothing
Students over the years have shown a great from all around the world. One shock to
interest in the study of the english language the audience will be the return of Chris
and literature. Their passion for the subject Babu, who graduated last year from East
has allowed for the growth and prosperity Meadow High School, on piano. When
of the East Meadow High School chapter asked about the importance and moveof the NEHS as well as adding to the na- ment behind the club, Anum Zaidi said,
tional society that over 875 other schools “It promotes love and acceptance between
are apart of. In May of the current school every culture and religion.” The perforyear, the English Honor Society welcomed mance is scheduled for periods 2 and 3
70 members to the chapter from grades 10, and periods 8 and 9, and is a stupendous
11 and 12. The society honored Evelyn achievement for all involved. The Ethnic
Sideri, an English teacher at East Meadow Awareness Club is extremely successful
High School, as an honorary member of the in promoting ethnic awareness and stresschapter. The induction took place in the East ing the importance of diversity within our
Meadow High School auditorium. Inductees school. Any student interested in the unity
and family members were welcomed to the of cultures and people of their community
band pavilion for refreshments in celebra- should get involved next year. Good job
tion of the accomplishments of the students. Ethnic Awareness Club on the great show!
Nicole Ribeiro
On Sunday, March 22nd, the Key Club
participated in a Kidney walk at Eisenhower Park. The Kidney Walk is America’s largest walkathon. This is due to the fact that
over 73 minllion Americans- one in three
poeple- are at risk for kidney disease. This
year’s walk honored Mr. Santer, a member
of the East Meadow Kiwanis Board, who
is currently on dialysis. His presence on
the board has allowed him to continuously provide assistance in fundraising done
within Key Club, therefore it was important for members to participate in the walk
in honor of all he has done. Efforts to take
part in the walk this year mirror a similar
dedication portrayed last year, when the
Key Club had also taken part to show their
support of Mr. Santer. Overall, the walk
was a huge success and involved the participation of many dedicated members.
Vermont, California Governor Jerry Brown,
New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, and Vice
President Joe Biden, who stated that “My dad
used to say that a job is about more than a paycheck. It’s about being treated with dignity.”
Others are not so happy with the bill’s
passage. Howard Nielsen, owner of Sticky
Lips BBQ in Rochester believes that wages
will instead cost closer to $18 when things
like unemployment, disability insurance, and
worker’s compensation are factored in.”I
speak to a lot of people in my industry and
we’re all very, very nervous about it,” said
Nielsen, when he was asked about the bill
hours before its passage. Economists argue
that an increase in the minimum wage will in
response correlate to an increase in consumer
prices. Allen Sanderson, a senior lecturer in
the University of Chicago’s Department of
Economics claims that, “The minimum wage
is just a clumsy anti-poverty program... I’d
rather go after skills and improve skills. I want
people to have more command in the workplace, and I want them to have much more than
$7.25 an hour. I just don’t want McDonald’s
to be the place where they can make that.”
Whether this new deal will sink or swim is debatable, but there will be at least a few families
who can now rest easy knowing that tomorrow will give a better promise than yesterday.
The Fight for 15 Doll ars
By Emily Rosenkrantz
A
pril 1st, 2016 was a historic day for
fast food workers, waitresses, and home aides
alike. Why? This was the day on which New
York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced
that a bill that proposed a raise in the state minimum wage had been passed. Workers of every kind rejoiced as the dream of financial security and stability no longer seemed so far off.
The deal states that the minimum wage
will increase to $15 from the current $9 in
New York City over the course of three years,
starting at the end of this year and reaching
$15 by the end of 2018. However, New York
City’s surrounding counties will not be so
quick to change. In Westchester, Nassau, and
Suffolk counties, the wage will reach $15 by
2022. The rest of New York’s wages will only
be increased to $12.50 but will be followed
by an evaluation in 2019 which will determine if the wages should be raised further.
Supporters of the bill endorse it as an
overall helping factor to the economy. Increased wages will likely make workers feel
that they should not quit their jobs if they
are considering doing so. It is also predicted
that low- wage workers will spend their extra
earnings in their direct local economy, which
will boost product demand and job creation.
Governor Cuomo touted the bill as “responsible and good for the overall economy.” Other
supporters include Senator Bernie Sanders of
A Century of
Connectivity
ton Bombings to the Paris attacks, the
world has seen its fair share of cruelty,
only 16 years into the century. Today’s
constant acts of violence and terrorism
can be combated by following the precedent set by Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
President Obama has already set a prime
example, not with the construction of a
bridge, but by beginning to bridge the
gap with Cuba and visiting for the first
time in almost 90 years. The 21st century still has 84 more years to correct its
early mistakes, and connect on a deeper level than just social media. If the
world follows President Obama, President Sisi, and King Salman’s lead, this
century will not only be remembered
as a time of technological and social
growth, but also as a time of growth
regarding relations between world leaders, people, politicians and countries.
June 2016
By Kristen Kavanagh
There are 196 countries in the
world, some miles away from each other, and some on the other side of the
globe. While the size of the world may
seem overwhelming, technology and social media have allowed people to stay
connected. But what connects the countries of the Earth? On Friday, April 8th,
President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt
and King Salman of Saudi Arabia reported that a bridge will be built over
the Red Sea, connecting Egypt and Saudi Arabia."This historic step to connect
the two continents, Africa and Asia, is a
qualitative transformation” stated King
Salman. The connection between the
two countries is not only a transformation, but a structure that President Sisi
stated will mark “a new chapter on the
road of Arab joint action.” From the
Brussels attacks, to 9/11, from the Bos-
4
EDITORIALS
We May Never See Hamilton, but That’s Okay!
Carmen Saffioti
How does a broke, historically
infatuated, nerdy, teenage student
for the crowds, including the star
and creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Unfortunately, the #Ham4Ham
shows came to an end in January of
this year due to the large crowds and
safety concerns. But fear not! There
is still a statistically improbable
way of winning tickets! Hamilton
now offers the lottery online for
$10 front row seats the day of. Like
most poor Hamilton fans, who
cannot afford sketchy Stub Hub
tickets, I enter the lottery everyday
it's available and my nerdy heart
breaks a little every time I don’t win.
As proven, Hamilton fans are
loyal and resilient. Despite never
seeing the show fans still will
still follow the cast on Twitter,
create artwork in dedication to the
show, and listen to the soundtrack
everyday. However Hamilton fans
may soon have their shot, LinManuel Miranda announced that
Hamilton may be professionally
shot with its current cast. Although
there aren’t any definite plans
as of right now, fans can always
hope. Fans can be reassured
that despite not being able to see
Hamilton in person the wonderful
cast and producers provide a
wholesome amount of music,
entertainment, and books for fans
to enjoy while they await a ticket.
Dylan Piccione
Most people who go to see
movie adaptations of books have
usually never read the book.
Why would they, when there is
a perfectly good movie to watch
with the same storyline? However,
is this justification really true?
While many movies today are
based on popular books, most of
these films do not follow the exact
storyline. The majority of people
do not consider this an issue, but
to the avid reader, however, for
a movie to not follow the book
is insulting to the story itself.
While this discrepancy is seen
less in movies such as The Hunger
Games and the Harry Potter
series, it is especially obvious
in the Percy Jackson movies
One must applaud the Harry
Potter, as it is known for closely
following the storyline of the
books. This was due to the
involvement of Harry Potter’s
author, J.K. Rowling, in the
movies’ production. Like any
movie however, it was impossible
to recreate every detail from the
books. Readers acknowledge the
fact, and thus believe the movie
will never be able to compare to
the written book. Anime is also
known to follow the storyline of the
manga (Japanese comic book) very
closely. A well-known anime, Fairy
Tail, is known for its ability to allow
the readers to switch between the
manga and anime without getting
lost in the story line. Roy Garzon,
an alumnus of East Meadow High
School, says that “anime is just a
moving version of the manga, that’s
how accurate some of them are.”
Those who have not read the
Percy Jackson series but have seen
the movie often think that the film
was very well done. However, to
any fan of the books, the movie
was the worst film in theatres;
many fans were enraged by the
number of inconsistencies found in
the film. Fans are not the only ones
disappointed by film adaptations.
Many times it is the author of the
book who has a problem with the
movie rendition. Stephen King, for
example, was very disappointed in
Stanley Kubrick’s rendition of his
book The Shining. He commented in
response to the movie, “I’d admired
Kubrick for a long time and had
great expectations for the project,
but I was deeply disappointed in
the end result.” Similarly, Richard
Matheson, who wrote I Am Legend,
has had a deep dislike every movie
rendition of his book that has ever
been made. When I Am Legend
starring Will Smith was seen in
theatres, Matheson said, “I don’t
know why Hollywood is fascinated
by my book when they never care
to film it as I wrote it.” The problem
might be that the standards of book
readers and authors are too high,
as they usually believe nothing
could compare to the book. The
question is: can movies ever be on
par with their book counterparts?
Off Scr ip t
Photo Courtesy of Daily Dot
somehow see the hottest, award
winning musical on Broadway?
Hamilton: An American Musical
has reached an unprecedented
amount of popularity and praise.
The musical is a fresh take on
history,
creator
Lin-Manuel
Miranda was inspired by the life
of Alexander Hamilton, he says
“this was a guy who used words
to get everywhere and do what
my favorite hip-hop artists do —
if not write about their struggles,
their lives, then transcend their
circumstances by sheer virtuosity."
The musical is a masterpiece, that is
undeniable, but the problem many
fans face is that they will never
see this musical on Broadway or
with its original cast members.
The musical is extremely
approachable despite its obscure
subject matter. Personally, I was
never into musical theater, but the
Hamilton soundtrack let me fall in
love with the show without even
seeing a scene of it. The fan base of
Hamilton came about thanks to the
soundtrack, the soundtrack provides,
plot, characters, and setting for
listeners; for fans who have little to
no chance of seeing the show within
the next 5 years, this is enough.
Getting tickets to see the musical
is notoriously impossible. Tickets
for a show are sold out for all
available performances so it leaves
die-hard fans with 2 options, buy
extremely inflated prices from a
resale website such as Stub Hub or
enter a #Ham4Ham lottery.. Twice
a week fans of Hamilton would
wait outside the Richard Rodgers
theatre in hopes of scoring $10
front row seats, all the while cast
members would perform skits
Lin-Manuel Miranda performing
during a #Ham4Ham show,
where audience members enter a
raffle in hopes of scoring tickets
to the hottest show on Broadway
EDITORIALS
5
White Washing the Beauty Industry
Mahalia Mathelier
T
here is one thing more difficult
than finding a unicorn— finding a wom-
an of color who is celebrated for her natural looks in the beauty industry. In a business dominated by looks and aesthetic,
one thing is clear: European features are
beautiful, and they are to be strived for.
This can be seen in the media, magazine
covers, and even the selection of products
that are available for African American
women. What is left is a generation of
young adults who feel the need to strive
for a “perfection” that can never be met,
while failing to recognize their own beauty.
A clear representation of the
whitewash culture is exemplified in magazine covers, which define what society
finds beautiful. One third of the United
States is comprised of people of many different ethnicities such asAfricanAmerican,
Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander,
or Latino. Yet, a new report has found that
the models at New York’s Fashion Week,
a mecca of design and industry brilliance,
were 82.7% Caucasian, as opposed to only
9% Asian, 6% African American, and 2%
Latino. Finding work in the beauty industry is increasingly more difficult for people
of color, as they fail to fit into the ideal of
what is expected. So-called professionals in make up and design are sometimes
found to be untrained and unprepared
when working with women of color. South
Sudanese model Nykhor Paul recounted
once having to supply her own makeup
on a set. As an African American model,
she felt frustrated with not getting booked
and of having to “apologize” for her color.
This is one of the many ways in which the
beauty industry implicitly encourages that
even in women of color, lightness is a goal.
When women of color do reach status
and success in the industry, it is often women of lighter complexion, such as Halle
Berry and Alicia Keys. Furthermore, companies favor using light-skinned models of
color or making people like Beyoncé appear lighter. This harmful encouragement
of achieving “lightness” can even go as far
as the selling of lightening creams to make
women appear whiter. These products can
have seriously detrimental effects to one’s
health, such as causing kidney damage.
Skin lightening creams are mostly sold
primarily in countries in which women
have dark skin tones. In India, approximately two thirds of all beauty products
are for skin bleaching; in Nigeria, 77%
of women use skin bleaching products.
The naturally curly, frizzy, or textured
hair of colored women is not seen as beautiful in today's world. Instead, women are
encouraged to chemically alter their hair
to make it straight, changing their natural
hair until it may never go back to its original texture. Women are often pressured
to make their hair straight; as they are told
that their hair looks too “unprofessional”
or “messy.” In other cases, they feel pressured to change their hair in order to fit in
and to end the feeling of ostracization that
comes with having such a dominant physical trait that appears so different. Only
recently, there have been two instances
in which African American women used
their influence to take a stand regarding
beauty standards on television. On How to
Get Away with Murder, actress Viola Davis took a stride by taking off her wig and
exposing what was her completely natural
hair, a rarity for African American women
who usually have to chemically straighten their hair, have it flat ironed, or wear a
wig. History was also made at the annual
Victoria’s Secret runway show, where Angola model Maria Borges went down the
runway with only her natural hair. While
these women have made an important
statement, the problem lies in the fact
that these are considered anomalies, and
that in 2016, history is only being made
now regarding these beauty standards.
The extremes which women are
pushed to in order to meet the impossible
standards can clearly be seen throughout
the media. Many East Asian women are
encouraged to make their eyes appear
“less Asian” for the sake of fitting in. Julie
Chen, an American television personality
for CBS felt this pressure, and was even
told that she would never get behind an
anchor desk because she appeared “too
Asian.” Chen, like many others, was
pushed to perform plastic surgery in order make her eyes bigger. Having to go
to such extremes to find success in a career based on something so superficial is
unfair and ridiculous. Chen’s experience
should serve as another reason for the
beauty industry to consider what behavior it is encouraging and how to change it.
The continued suppression of women
of color only serves to benefit the beauty
industry. Enormous amounts of money is
spent every year in light colored contacts,
lightening creams, hair dye, and the multitude of other products designed to whitewash women of color. The beauty industry
fails to appreciate or emphasize the natural
features of women of color, and instead
only appreciates their payment as they
try to fit in the standards set for them. The
overemphasis of products and appearances that embody European features sends
a message to the public that one culture is
representative of beauty.Around the world,
women and girls are encouraged to chase
after a goal that is impossible and unnecessary. Rather than perpetuating an unnecessary standard, the beauty industry should
encourage its customers to feel comfortable in their own skin, no matter its color.
Backpacking Across America,
or Just Down the Hallway?
Dylan Piccione
Photo Courtesy of adclinic
Every day, hundreds of students pour students are baffled by this emerging
into East Meadow High School wearing trend. One EMHS senior says, “I just
backpacks
think
thinks
of all shapes
it’s unnecesand
sizes.
sary that guys
Many drop
bring it with
off their bag
them all the
in their locktime. What’s
er, choosing
so important
to only carry
that they need
around
the
to bring their
books
they
backpacks evneed
while
erywhere they
others prefer
go?” Forums
to keep their
on the intersupplies and
net have even
paper on their
been created
back. When
dedicated
to
they arrive at
solving
this
their classes,
conundrum.
these students
An article in
Backpacks are becoming an increasaingly popular the
then take off their
Washfashion accessory outside of school.
backpack and
ington Post,
set it on the floor
however, has
next to them. Or do they? A new fad has readily embraced this new fad, offeremerged across the nation, one that en- ing different designs of backpacks for
courages teenagers in high school and men to purchase. Many other articles
even adults to wear a backpack wher- have been written citing that the trend
ever they go. Why has this become is immature and should not be followed.
popular? The origin of this new trend The problem is, no real answer has been
still eludes the masses but one question found. Is it because of laziness? Because
must be answered by the followers of men find them fashionable? Or maybe
this fad: what is in your backpack that this is the new emerging version of the
is needed when you use the bathroom? men’s purse. In that case, let the men’s
Many East Meadow High School backpack-purse fashion shows begin!
June 2016
6
FEATURES
Filter Frenzy
I
Photo Courtesy of Jordan Diamond
Photo Courtesy of Emily Rosenkrantz
Emily Rosenkrantz
The Jet Gazette staff has some fun with Snapchat’s filters.
t seems like not a day can go by
without seeing a dog, rainbow-vomiting unicorn, or a ludacris face swap
on Snapchat anymore. Snapchat’s newest update has taken social media by
storm. By now, it seems like everyone
has used these filters; from toddlers
to the elderly, or from your everyday
high school student to celebrities such
as Shawn Mendes and Ariana Grande.
Snapchat filters such as these have
become a creative outlet for free expression. Freshman Sophie DiScala
believes that the popularity of these
filters originates from the fact that
“Everything new on social media becomes popular. Everyone’s obsessed
with Snapchat and they [the filters]
make it fun!” Most people use filters
to add an extra feature to their latest
selfie, show off some comedy, or just
to proclaim to their friends how much
they love the filter. Freshman Meadow Perez states that she uses these
filters because “they’re fun and it’s
exciting to see what your face would
look like with different effects.” After all, it’s always entertaining to view
another hilarious “face swap fail.”
These filters have even inspired
some users to further integrate them
into their lives. Search “snapchat
filter inspired makeup” and almost
500,000 results of women (and men)
who recreated their favorite Snapchat look using beauty products will
result. Popular YouTuber NikkieTutorial’s “Glittery-Glam Lion SNAPCHAT Filter Inspired Makeup Tutorial” video has received well over 800,
000 views. Countless others chose
to dress up as their favorite filters
for Halloween and costume parties.
Whether these Snapchat filters are
just the latest social fad or not, their
ease of use and simple creativity makes
them a favorite amongst social media
users of all kinds. Snapchat’s filters
may be the current craze, but the next
trend is likely just around the corner.
FEATURES
Aliyha Gill
7
Don’t “Bug” Them
A
s the weather warms up, bugs begin
to come back into our lives. Bothersome pests
can be found in our homes, by our food, and
ultimately anywhere outdoors. And what better way to spend one’s summer than to make
a game out of murdering bugs? People will
use shoes, books, and just about anything else
to squash those who invaded their space, then
brag to their friends and family about their
“accomplishment” of eliminating a bug that
would not stay put. Even worse, some children find it fun to go out of their way to stomp
on ant hills or annihilate innocent creatures
on the sidewalk. Society has certainly desensitized the lives of these inferior creatures.
Certainly, not all bugs are perfect
houseguests. Many are prone to biting humans, or make noise as they fly around a
house. Some leave webs or fly into people’s
food. While bugs are not the most ideal beings to have in company, killing them should
not be by any means acceptable. Whether it’s
for the sense of power one gets after ending
a life, or the ignorance of how most bugs
we encounter are harmless, by killing a bug,
you are taking away its single change at life.
The world would be better off if humans
did not limitlessly execute bugs for a number of reasons. First off, many animals rely
on insects for their survival. These species
include birds, frogs, and lizards (not to mention housecats who love to snack on any sixlegged “intruders”). Whenever one mercilessly kills a bug, they take away another’s meal.
If an insect’s life must come to an end, let it at
to keep a few pesky bugs away does not seem
worth these consequences. In many ways, by
hurting bugs, the human race is hurting itself.
Many bugs are also directly beneficial
to human life. Bumblebees have become
well-respected and well-reserved insects in
today’s society due to their pollination abilities. What people do not realize is that they
least serve a purpose. The use of bug sprays
and pesticides can be very detrimental to our
environment. The harmful chemicals come in
extremely close contact with produce. Washing off one’s fruits and vegetables may not be
enough to remove the pesticides that were utilized to keep the “harmful” bugs away. They
can also easily get into water sources and may
harm and kill fish and other animals. Releasing
large amounts of poisons into our ecosystem
are not the only pollinators in the world. Certain types of ants, flies, and beetles pollinate
flowers as well. Yet another reason to spare
some bugs’ lives is that a number of harmless
insects kill the harmful bugs. If the massacre
of beneficial insects continues, the world will
be infested with harmful bugs. Since soci-
“The world would be better
off if people did not limitlessly
execute bugs.
“
ety really hates bugs, they should leave the
good ones alone to take care of the undesirable ones. Humans should also consider this
moral: We are in “bug territory.” Bugs have
been around for 300 million years and have
kindly caused no trouble in our inhabitation.
Humans have destroyed a substantial amount
of the environment and yet they do not have
to fear death every time they go outside.
Bugs, unfortunately, are threatened whenever
they come into contact with humans. It does
not seem fair to cause such harm for creatures
that do not pose much of a threat to humans.
Though it’s easier said than done, life
would be a lot more mellow if people stopped
fearing insects. Too many individuals go into
a panic whenever a fly buzzes past them.
Insects are most likely just as scared of humans, which are much larger than them.
Instead of eliminating a bug that has invaded one’s space, try catching the bug
and setting it free outside. Do not harm
any bugs minding their own business outdoors. This summer, spare a few lives.
Can’t Keep Up with
the Kardashians
over the news, they have also taken over
all forms of social media. Whether it be
on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, they
are everywhere. With Kim Kardashian
having a whopping 44 million twitter followers and even more on Instagram with
67.5 million, she is bound to end up on
your newsfeed at least once a day. Some
people feel that Kim loves all the attention though. Causing Twitter fights is her
“specialty.” For example, after posting her
nude selfie on to Twitter, actress Chloe
Grace Moretz shared her opinion by saying “I truly hope you realize how important setting goals are for young women,
teaching them we have so much more
to offer than our bodies.” Kim responded back “let’s all welcome @ChloeGMoretz to twitter, since no one knows
who she is. your nylon cover is cute boo.”
Hopefully in the future, news platforms can realize that there are more important things in the world than what one
of the Kardashians had for breakfast this
morning. We, as the viewers, can also
do our part by paying more attention to
what is occurring around us on local, national, and international levels. By staying informed of what is truly important
to our world, the irrelevancy of useless
celebrity gossip will come into focus.
June 2016
Photo Courtesy of Fox 35
Mariana Christy
Celebrity news takes up a huge part
in a typical news broadcast in the world
we live in today. It seems that many do
not care about what’s going on in Syria nor about the droughts happening here
in the United States and would instead
rather hear about Kylie Jenner’s new lip
product or Beyonce’s new clothing line.
News platforms will spend 20 seconds
talking about a world problem and then,
for an entire minute, talk about all of the
new celebrity gossip. Although reporting
celebrity gossip may increase the number of viewers, news platforms should
just leave the gossip for the tabloids.
A newspaper is supposed to be an informative piece of writing that informs you
of what is going on throughout the world
or even in your town. Kim Kardashian’s
baby name should not be making headline
news, yet it still does. In recent years the
Kardashians have exploded into a media
empire. There are so many of them that
you just can’t “keep up.” One day, the biggest gossip is Kim’s nude selfie, and the
next day it’s Kourtney and Justin Bieber
allegedly having an affair. The media eats
up these stories because it’s what the viewers like to hear. It brings the news station
more money and that’s all that matters.
The Kardashians have not only taken
Even the tiniest details, such as this story, manage to make headline news.
Congratulations Class
of 2016
To infinity and beyond...
Adelphi University
Katelyn Bensen-Crawford
Samantha Colon
Emily Corbett
Matthew Fonovich
Nicole Garcia
Timothy Gibson
Alexander Hoyos
Valerie Kokkonis
Areej Moghni
Mehana Patel
Ashley Petti
Jonathan Selvaratnam
Alexis Vaz
Airforce
Daniel Flynn-Kocourek
Rebekah Louie
Alvernia University
East Stroudsburg
University
Megan Bender
Juliane Fitzsimmons
Eastern Connecticut
State University
Andrew Giovanniello
Five Towns College
Thomas Doheny
Florida Southwestern
State College
Taylor Petrizzo
Fordham
University
Jacquelyn Tams
Johnathan Tams
Gap Year
David Mushkudiani
Peter Lopez
Gettysburg College
Andrew Miller
Hartwick College
Vivianne Ordonez
Health Coach
American University
Army
BOCES Auto
Mechanic
Juwahn Muir
BOCES Child Care
Emily Restaino
BOCES Dental
Assistant
Dafka Pamela Jones
Boston College
Ryan Lee
Boston University
Laura Jeshiva
Brittany’s Beauty
School
Joseph Gangi
William Piano
Allison Abarca
Hofstra University
Jessyca Cabral
James Chopyk
Shannon Finneran
Rachel Henriquez
Kirstin Kochie
Olena Mantell
David Massidas
Taylor Oommen
Amir Osman
Danielle Rivas
Michelle Romeo
Ramshaa Salian
Jessica Malheiros
Island Drafting and
Technical Institute
Crystal Jamie Williams
Tiago Fernandes
Clark University
CUNY Baruch
Shravan Khanna
Rehmat Sakrani
Aisha Syed
Erika Torres
Alexandre Vasconcelos
CUNY Brooklyn
Naveera Arif
Zainab Nathani
CUNY Hunter
Irteza Tariq
CUNY John Jay
Taylor Jaramillo
Coby Molina
CUNY Queens
Iliana Cataquet
Jamie Morein
CUNY
Queensborough
Syed Afnan Shah
Priya Shahpatel
Dominican College
Brian Pedisich
Melissa Peysson
Michael Reyes
Amanda Rigolli
Drexel University
Chance Halter
Duke University
Yesha Desai
Ithaca College
Alyssa Budzynski
Johnson & Wales
University
Eric Uffer
Kutztown University
Emily Leeb
LIM College
Sylvie Serant
LIU Post
Renatto Aguirre
Johannah Brown
Zachary Fritz
Cedric Sanz
Amanda Traiforos
Jesse Weiner
Marines
Joseph Flaherty
Marist College
Victoria Bova
Marymount
Manhattan College
Emily Gasparek
MCPHS University
Jenna Goldstein
Miami International
University of Art &
Design
Natshaly Carabello
Miami University
Melissa Eterno
Midwestern State
University
Megan Baltusis
Millersville
University
Jessica Papagni
Molloy College
Veronica Bautista
James Bergamine
Amanda Bohl
Julia Cardoza
Keila Castillo
Jessica Laird
Anthony Martinico
Kelsey McKillop
Omar Mohamed
Brooke Rottkamp
Danielle Scardino
Monmouth
University
Daniel Kaufmann
Mount Saint Mary
College
Thomas De Nicola
Nassau Community
College
Genessis Acosta
Kaitlyn Anderson
Melissa Anderson
Joseph Antuofermo
Chanelle Apollon
Christopher Bartlett
Mariely Bautista Hernandez
Katelyn Benner
Jason Bonilla
Kayla Bryant
Jeffrey Bustamante
Erlinda Cabrera
Kevin Carey
Edward Cavallaro Gonzales
Tyler Cedeno
David Cedillo Ruiz
Eleanor Ciampi
Brett Cohn
Kathryn Convey
Abigail Cornfield
Jordan Crohn
Andre Cunha
Derek De Los Santos
Sean Delacruz
Brittany Dropkin
Joshua Dudek-Kushnick
Jeffrey Duran II
Katelyn English
Gabrielle Eversgard
Nicole Faklis
Anthony Farinella
Naomi Fernandez
Sherline Florvulus
Grace Fruscella
Celia Guadalupe Fuentes
Francisca Anabel Fuentes
Jose Berrios-Fuentes
Jose Fuentes
Vilma Roxana Fuentes
David Gallagher
Jose Garcia
Savanna Gavan
Christina Geraci
Andre Gordon-Grant
Melissa Grajales Perez
Steven Grech
Phillip Groner
Sophia Guerra
Sarah Haas
Alexis Hernandez
Cindy Hernandez
Gabriella Hernandez
Ronald Holfester
Kelley Hosey
Mohammed Ibrahim
Syed Imranullah
Steven Ingrassia
Jaylyn Paul Jackson
Laura Jacobs
Jeffrey James
Felix Jorge
Rebecca Koszyk
William Kratina
Kyra Kraus
Bryce Lanza
Quinn Laskowski
Robert Leone
Victoria Licata
Allison Lindquist
Amanda Rose Lo Cascio
Melissa Ann Lo Cascio
Joseph Macaluso
Rose Sharon Magliulo
Kevin Maldonado
Edwin Martinez
Jerin Reji Mathew
Matei Mazaran
Arianna Mazurek
Genesis Medrano
Trevor Meierdierks
Daniela Mendoza
Paul Miano
Frank Michelini
Joseph Minucci
Salvatore Mongiovi
Samantha Morreale
Nicholas Murillo
Eima Naser
James Nigro
Nicholas Occhino
Luis Ortega
Veronica Pantell
Isaiah Pena
Giovanni Pennetti
Gabriel Perez
Noel Perez
Yasmin Perez
Natasha Riddle
Jordan Rubbo
Cassandra Russo
James Ryan
Edwin Arnulfo Sanchez
Eric Oliveria Santana
John Shafranski
Sabrina Shah
James Sharkey
David Siska
Rosemary Snyder
Damian Syers
Samuel Tepper
Jessenia Torres
Haley Trentadue
Robert Treutle
Brayan Turcios
Andrew Vassas
Kenneth Wagnac
Congratulations Class
of 2016
To infinity and beyond...
Mohammad Wahab
Thomas White
Christopher Yuill
Robert Zakrzewski
Navy
Paul Kane
Nazareth College
Victoria Rose
New York Institute of
Technology
Massimo Caiozzo
Paul Draganigos
David Echeverry
Charles Fuschetto
Sahebveer Miglani
Michael Mossallam
Maleeha Sheikh
New York University
Andy Garcia
Daniel Kohl
Ohio State University
Erica Furman
Matt McGee
Jamie O’Neill
Ohio Technical
College
Thomas Allred
Joseph Brill
Daniel Groner
Pace University
Molly Bernstein
Pennsylvania State
University
Emily Dessel
Cameron Ketyer
Nikita Khosla
Stephanie Regan
Pratt Institute
Francesca Adams
Providence College
Crista San Antonio
Purdue University
Michael Dickerson
Tony Persaud
Quinnipiac
University
Herson Barrera
Tyler Scheer
Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute
Bryan Hurley
Rochester Institute of
Technology
Terence Bezman
Sarah Danseglio
Max De George
Robert Hofmann
Henry Zaradich
Roger Williams
University
Kyle Wrynn
Rollins College
Brandon Carlin
San Diego City
College
Jheian Velasco
School of Visual Arts
Emily Crawford
St. John’s University
Thomas Burke
Mabel Christoforatos
Sumedha Madan
Kelsey Mateo
Cindy Nunez
James O’Boyle
Brianna Pace
Rita Paster
Thomas Provenzano
Brooke-Lyn Samida
Ryan Wallstedt
Stetson University
Matthew Gold
Suffolk County
Community College
Christina DuBrino
Jason Rotolo
SUNY Albany
David Fast
Alex Lee
Justin Luces
SUNY Binghamton
Heather Abraham
Michael Choi
Samantha Fernandez
Mario Froehlich
Jeremy Goldberg
Timothy Hafke
David Kim
Benjamin Levy
Emily Mendelson
Ryan Shurina
SUNY Brockport
Richard Mollura
SUNY Buffalo
Joshua Cohan
Matthew Giocastro
Patrick Iwaszko
Jack Megale
Nathaniel Mendelson
Jaadon Perry
Ella Sayan
Skyler Shulman
Nicholas Venezia
Kayla Constance Williams
Jake Yablansky
Justus Zabala
SUNY Cortland
Hailey Arm
Austin Birnbaum
Frank Ippolito
Erica Koumas
Nicole McGuinness
Seth Rubin
Daisy Spencer
Caroline Tighe
Connor Trebendis
Shannen Zitz
Thomas Zitzmann
SUNY Delhi
Mackenzie Salomon
Andrew Zaino
SUNY Farmingdale
Samantha Ayers
Brandon Berke
Matthew Davis
Matthew Kalambukadu
John Masoud
Joseph Anthony Masseria
Courtney O’Leary
Taylor Power
Daniel Rivers
Kaylee Rosen
Kaela Vorrasi
Natalie Wong
SUNY Fredonia
Shi Jia Huang
SUNY Geneseo
University of
Delaware
SUNY New Paltz
University of
Hartford
Alyssa Smith
William Teneriello
Matthew Koegel
Danielle Levy
Paige Nogid
Dylan Piccione
Julia Tellerman
Nicole Angelino
Gabriella Heim
Danielle Michelini
Zachary Natelson
Nick O’Malley
Jennifer O’Leary
Emily Puciloski
Caitlyn Pyne
Molli Salomon
Gabriella Ullo
Jake Weiner
Dylan Zweiback
SUNY Old Westbury
Hema Chandarballi
Jordan D’Abreau
Nastasia Felton
Kezia Geevarghese
Aisha Hussain
Sarah Kaufman
Haroon Khan
Ariana Roya Osmanzai
Natasha Salman
Justin Yee
Anum Zaidi
SUNY Oneonta
Marianna Christy
Kelly Clarke
Megan Floody
Erin Fowler
Taylor Gross
Marcus Kabigting
Sarah Kaufmann
Michael Platzer
Laura Tynan
SUNY Plattsburgh
Alyssa Fama
SUNY Potsdam
Francisco Avila
Alicia Angueira
Erin Callahan
Kelley Cutuli
Alexandra Dagnell
Leeann Turrisi
Andrew Weiss
Olivia Wilson
University of Maine
Aaron Zucker
University of
Maryland
Emily Shallbetter
Jacob Silverman
University of
Massachusettes
Rachel Polansky
University of
Maryland
Elton Ha
University of New
Hampshire
Matthew Mascia
University of North
Texas
Gregory De La Rosa
University of Rhode
Island
Madison Sanders
Rachel Sortino
University of South
Florida
Nichole Valdez
University of Tampa
Alyssa Chen
University of Toledo
Caleb Blaise
U.S. Coast Guard
Nicholas Sopko
Utica College
AJ Jansen Jones
SUNY Purchase
Valdosta State
University
SUNY Stony Brook
Dana Thompson
Alec Giorgio
Sarah Alam
Joseph Asher
Sonia Chowdhury
Alicia Gonzalez
George Kalambukadu
Amneet Kaur
Lily Lin
Jamie MacKay
Nirali Mandavawala
Derek Mendoza
Rumana Rahman
Usman Saeedullah
Muzammil Siddiqui
Apoorva Tadepalli
Jennifer Urist
Alexander Wong
Universal Technical
Institute
Tristan Mooney
Towson University
Kerry Jankowski
University of
California
Sneh Shah
Vaughn College of
Aeronautics and
Technology
Jonathan Imrit
Thomas Pepe
Virginia Tech
Russell Ettinger
Wake Technical
Community College
Isabella Tornabene
West Virginia
University
Kaitlyn Conk
Workforce
Michael Babino
John Callaghan
Francisco Gonzalez
Connor Jaffy
Dylan McCarthy
Kyle Phillips
Nicholas Schmitt
Undecided
Gerald Burtt
Neena Reddy
FEATURES
Why We Must Always Remember
10
Allie Goldstein
only way we can
stop the onslaught of evil is to
raise our capacity to do good.”
Alex Konstantyn faced this
evil at four years old. As a Holocaust survivor, he continues to
help the community by telling the
story of his life, sharing the story
of his terror, hunger, loss, and fear
with others. By sharing his story, Mr. Konstantyn comabts this
evil through education, inspiring
his lissteners, and showing them
that hope can come from evil.
After settling in the United
States, Mr. Konstantyn became
a school principal in Kings Park.
Eventually he moved to East Meadow and became the Hebrew School
principal at the East Meadow Jewish Center. There, he continued to
educate and influence children to
help them become more aware of
the tradegdy that was the Holocaust. He explained to the children
how he suffered for many years
as the Nazis held their reign, not
knowing if he would survive the
nightmare he was living in. Hope,
basic instincts for survival, and
the care from citizens who risked
their lives by assisting him and
his mother helped them persevere.
Mr. Konstantyn was freed from his
final underground hiding place at
seven years old, experiencing more
horror in four years than many ex-
perience in a lifetime. He saw his
father poisoned to death and saw
his mother nearly die of hunger.
His mother’s love along with their
strong desire to survive has led
him to the place he is today. After
liberation, he knew he had to share
his story. This was his weapon to
fight evil and do good; his weapon to prevent another Holocaust.
Seventy years later, he shares his
story with the students at EMHS.
Many students had an opportunity to gain knowledge on the
subject of the Holocaust and have
Mr. Konstantyn inspire them to
share his story or at least remember it within themselves. By educating students of the horrors of
evil, specifically genocide, and the
wonders of good, students learned
lesson that they can carry with
them throughout their lives. The
youth have the power to choose
between good and evil,and the
responsibility to choose good. It
is now their duty to take the stories that they have heard countless
times and share them so that they
can travel throughout generations.
As the number of Holocaust survivors continues to dwindle, we
must take great care to assure that
this tragic time in history is never
forgotten or pushed aside. If forgotten, then the lives of those who
were simply heroic, even with all
odds stacked agaisnt their survival,
will be forever gone and forgotten.
If we do our part to make sure that
these heroes are always remembered, then their sturggles will not
be in vain. Mr. Konstantyn’s legacy lives on through his two children, eight grandchildren, and the
hundreds of students who’ve heard
and remebered his words. It is
people like Mr. Konstantyn who
must always be remembered for
speaking up when others could
not and remembering those who
could have easily been forgotten.
These words by Mr. Konstantyn
will hopefully inspire many to take
action and improve both the community and world by working to
prevent another tragic Holocaust.
well-rounded; aspects considered
are a student’s GPA, standardized
test scores, their participation in
extracurricular activities, and volunteer experiences. Although the
potential of high school students
is enormous because they are entering the prime of their youth,
the expectations placed upon them
often lead to greater amounts of
stress as they battle to balance their
schoolwork with extracurricular
while still having sufficient sleep.
The problem also lies in the
fact that students feel a need to
join extracurriculars because they
recognize the need to go above and
beyond. Joining certain clubs and
participating in activities so that
they will look well-rounded appeals to the college of their choice.
The greatest pressure seems to
come from the unfortunate “name
brand” of certain schools. Many
students spend their high school
years dreaming about a school they
know is unpredictable, extremely
competitive, or simply unachieveable due to the student’s academic
level or financial state. The feelings
of not being skilled enough that
develop during this process can be
hurtful to a student struggling to
mold themselves into an individual. The most obvious example is
of course Ivy League universities.
Because of the aura that surrounds
these schools, people often grow
up believing that these are the only
amazing opportunities for an education. Therefore, in the midst of
dealing with the high expectations
of these colleges, they neglect to
investigate other options available
to them- those that may be less
prestigious, but may be wiser financially and career-wise, while still
providing an excellent education.
Although the level of opportunity and education provided by
elite institutions are undeniable,
one should fully explore and understand all the possibilities, options and opportunities that surround them and understand that
acceptance or rejection to a college
does not define them or their level of intelligence. Although less
prestigious options may not catch
your eye immediately, it is there
that one may develop and grow
to a greater degree than anywhere
else; it is there that you may leave
college debt free and receive admission into the graduate school
of your choice. Students should
think about their long term plan
and choose their next step in life
based on career choices and future dreams, not because of the
expectations placed upon them
by those that surround them.
Photos Courtesy of Ethan Maitra and JoAnna Silberman
“The
Mr. Konstantyn’s presentation left students in an inspired awe.
The EPIC club was proud to organize the event.
What to Expect When You’re
Expecting... a College Degree
Zainab Nathani
As the school year comes to
a close, seniors throughout the
country are bracing themselves
for the start of their college education. While the summer months
are filled with anticipation and excitement, the college application
and decision process that takes
place in the months before is often
very different. Besides the weight
of the decision of choosing which
college to attend, students are often dragged down by the expectations placed on them by both
society and their dream school.
The expectations of every college regarding the students they
wish to accept have been steadily
increasing. Former graduates are
often astonished by the amount of
work that goes into being worthy of
consideration at many elite schools,
especially as the general trend has
shifted towards students who are
June 2016
All Artwok Courtesy of Sarah Danseglio
Dylan Piccione
T
his issue’s Artist Spotlight is
focussed on one Sarah Danseglio. She
is a Senior AP Studio Art student, also
having experience in Printmaking and
Computer Graphics in the years as well.
Sarah’s whole life has been surrounded
by art. She always enjoyed drawing her
house and family members when she was
younger. This love for art only became
larger as time went on. Her interest in
the hobby truly expanded when she
started taking art classes in high school.
Her concentration this year in AP
Studio Art is red converse in different
locations. A unique choice that Sarah
says “represents traveling all over the
world.” The real question is, however,
why red converse? Sarah explains by
saying “it’s a classic shoe and red stands
out against earth tones.” In all her
artworks she includes these shoes, event
making them as small as two red dots.
Her medium for all her pieces is acrylic
paint, having experience in this material
from participating in the Olympics of the
Visual Arts from tenth to twelfth grade. As
seen in the artwork shown, Sarah’s pieces
are extremely detailed. Sarah says this is
because “I work really slow but I want it
to be as detailed and exact as I can get it.”
In fall of 2016 Sarah plans to attend
Rochester Institute of Technology. She
plans to major in new media design,
which in her words is “a combination
of graphic design, web design, and
animation.” She is very excited to
experience more of the expansive art
world. East Meadow wishes her the best
of luck at her college and in her career!
13
Let Freedom Ring in Ringling
Kaylin Wood
Martin Luther King Jr. wisely said,
“Freedom is never voluntarily given by
the oppressor; it must be demanded by the
oppressed.” Although the rivaling Ringling elephants did not demand their freedom, animal activists around the world
unyieldingly did, and on May 1st, 2016,
the Ringling elephants performed their
last show. The elephants, totaling 42, will
retire to Ringling’s Center for Elephant
Conservation (CEC) in Polk City, Florida.
Aliyha Gill, a junior at East Meadow
and aspiring originator of East Meadow’s
first animal welfare club commented that
“this is one giant step towards an animal
cruelty free world.” Yet, some activists
are not as thrilled. Many feel that the CEC
does not even compare to the natural habitat to the elephants in Asia. Ed Stewart, the
President of Performing Animal Welfare
Society, says “they are missing the most
important experience, which is freedom in
the wild. It’s like keeping a Ferrari in the
garage.” The CEC has been reported to be
Photo Courtesy of abcactionnews.com
Artist Spotlight:
Sarah Danseglio
A&E
flat and treeless. Elephants may be jailed
for the day in pens with tires, chunks of
concrete, and sand for entertainment. Bullhooks and shackles are also not an uncommon sight at this “state-of-the-art facility.”
While the Ringling elephants were
freed from entertaining the masses, dozens of other circuses still use elephants
and many other kinds of animals. in their
performances. However, the actions of
Ringling, having the largest herd in North
America, are taking a giant step in promoting the rights of animals. Many want
these elephants to have more freedon and
enjoyment in their lives. Activists hope
that this new habitat will not have the expectations that come with performing for
peple all their lives in a circus.After the
Ringling elephants’ final performance,
Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson addressed the elephants adorning them with
farewells and love after turning to the
crowd. “That’s history tonight there, ladies and gentlemen, true American icons.”
A screenshot from an ABC News coverage segment on the releasing
of the elephants from Ringlinig Circus.
It’s A Meme World The Art of Victory
An example of a popular meme. This one is designed after a picture of Nicholas Cage.
or relatable remarks. Today memes are
made viral often through the use of social
media. Memes represent the generations
of kids on the internet who have found
cheesy pictures with funny comments to
better represent their character. Relating
with a picture of the Most Interesting Man
in the World talking about his preferences,
or a strange green frog looking sad about
something, or an adorable dog with awful
grammar, is not that difficult because it is a
part of today’s internet culture. A meme that
is witty is relatable, a meme that is satirical
about something is clever or true, and when
a meme is slightly cheesy and lame then
it represents whoever is looking at it. The
meme is essential to today’s internet users
and its survival is dependant on it being
both relatable and entertaining.Although
a lot of the time, it causes someone to
cringe but regardless the meme has had
an incredible effect on the modern age.
labored over them. Throughout the day people
were continuously passing between the maze
like walls which held the pieces, to marvel at the
fascinating creations neatly placed along them.
There really was no better way to demonstrate
the wonderful quality of East Meadow’s art
department then to display the works of many
of the best artists in a highly regarded exhibition.
Overall the event truly was wonderful,
garnering much praise from students who
participated, such as freshman Emily Wang,
“I feel like it was a great honor to be accepted
to the art show as well as to get a chance to
experience the multiple different art mediums
of other students.” Clearly, the show was a
great success which not only allowed for the
students to show off their hard work, yet they
could also learn from others and truly immerse
themselves in an environment where they were
surrounded by others with similar interests.
Francesca Adams displaying her artwork at the ASA Art
Exhibit.
June 2016
Today’s generation is known for their
use of the internet and social media, as well
as having cool lingo and slang. However,
one of the generation’s most amazing yet
cringeworthy and regrettable trends is the
meme. What is a meme? Well, according
to Merriam-Webster dictionary (yes it
is in the dictionary), a meme is “an idea,
behavior, style, or usage that spreads
from person to person within a culture.”
An internet meme is an image, hyperlink,
video, website, or hashtag that spreads
like wildfire and goes viral on the internet
through constant sharing. Often, popular
memes are adapted or recreated, which
allows them to gain more popularity.
Some well-known memes today include
Pepe the Frog, The Most Interesting Man
in the World, Y U No, Doge, Troll face,
and many others. Understanding a meme
is quite simply finding the humor in them
which isn’t hard since often include funny
Nicole Ribeiro
When it comes to victory most people
automatically associate the term with sports,
how often does the thought of mastering artistry
come to mind? On Sunday, March 20, dozens
of aspiring artists throughout Long Island
flocked to the Art Supervisors Association
All-County Exhibition to showcase their aweinspiring pieces. Unsurprisingly, multiple
EMHS students were present at the show to
flaunt their expert skills and precision, with
student Megan Floody going so far as to receive
a scholarship for excellent workmanship.
Students proudly represented East Meadow
High with various pieces such as intricate portraits,
perfectly timed photos and other skillfully
crafted works that utilized multiple aspects of
artistry. Roosevelt Hall at Hofstrra University
was packed with vibrant expressionistic works
as well as simple yet powerful depictions of
thoughts and feelings from the students who had
Photo Courtesy of artsupervisorsassociation
Photo Courtesy of Relatebly
Riya Vyas
A&E
Dawn of Civil War
Anum Zaidi
RIP Prince
Tasha Riddle
Photo Courtesy of Herb Ritts
14
2
Cover of a compilation album of
Prince’s greatest hits.
2016 continues to lose many great
musicians early in the year. On April
21st 2016, singer/songwriter Prince
was found dead at the age of 57. Born
Prince Roger Nelson, Prince was
born on June 7th in the Minneapolis,
Minnesota. He was a songwriter, record
producer, played many instruments,
and acted. He has starred in movies
such as Graffiti Bridge and Under the
Cherry Mooon. Prince is often defined
Photo Courtesy of.dailymail.co.uk
Photo Courtesy of Marvel Studios and Warner Bros.
Photo Courtesy of Anum Zaidi
016 is the year for superhero user Vinay Sital said “9 out of 10! Near Perfect movie has no story, it’s conflict is superficial
showdowns. The biggest showdown in the movie for the fans(9.5) and a good solid action and borderline idiotic, even for the way the
DC franchise, Bruce Wayne vs Clark Kent is film for the general movie go-ers(9)” They avengers split into two groups had no logic
going head to head against Tony Stark vs Steve also stated in their review “was it better than... in it, and, of course, no explanation. ” They
Rogers of Marvel this year. Both Dawn of Batman v superman.. yes by far. I mean we’re stated that the movie “just really wanted to flex
Justice and Captain America: Civil War have in a comic book movie year, so we might as their muscles, and so they did, period.” The
hit big in the box office, but which franchise won well compare it. Batman v superman lacked movie contained very extravagant scenes like
the fight between Bucky and
the cinematic battle of the year?
Steve and Tony and the airport
Batman vs Superman was
fight between Team Iron Man
received with mix reviews.
(Tony Stark, Colonel Rhodes,
Gaining a 7.1 from IMDB
Peter Parker, Vision, Natasha
users ratings, the reviews
Romanov, and T’Challa) and
were either good or very bad,
Team Cap (Steve Rogers,
IMDB user Areeb Khan said
James Buchanan Barnes,
“although it’s a good movie,
Sam Wilson, Scott Lang,
don’t go to the cinema with
Clint Barton, and Wanda
high expectations.” They
Maximoff.) Critics also
stated that the movie contained
received the movie very well.
terrible CGI which was a
Empire Online writer Dan
complaint several viewers had.
Jolin said that “matching
The doomsday fight toward the
its blockbuster scale and
end of the movie was where
many viewers felt the technical A fanmade poster dipicting the battle of popularity between the two spectacle with the smarts of
movies.
a great, grown-up thriller,
editing was not done well. On
the other hand, IMDB corde1 stated that in a lot of places and civil war just did it better. Captain America: Civil War is Marvel Studios’
it was “a much greater improvement on Man Just the conflict in ideologies made it so much finest film yet. There. We said it again.” Great
of Steel 5X better.” Batman vs Superman was more believable why the characters fought performances were delivered by Chadwick
better received than Man of Steel by many DC and because this whole story arc is happening Boseman (known for 42) who played T’Challa,
Sebastian Stan (known for
fans. DC put a lot of money and
TJ Hammond from Political
effort into advertising Batman vs
Animals) who played James
Superman. With that much hype
Buchanan Barnes and the two
revolving around the movie,
main heroes Robert Downey Jr.
it was a letdown for fans who
who played Tony Stark and Chris
expected more. Many thought the
Evans who played Steve Rogers.
movie was aimless and that he
After interviewing several
plot seemed to be all over the place
movie goers, Captain America:
with many scenes moviegoers
Civil War was by far the best
deemed unneccesary. Highlights
received. Naveera Arif, a senior
from the movie included the
at East Meadow High School
final fight between Doomsday,
said “I loved this movie, I think
Batman, Superman, and a guest
Sebastian Stan did an amazing
appearance by Wonder Woman.
job developing Bucky’s character.
The movie set up the introduction
It made me sympathetic to Bucky
of several other heroes including
and his state of mind. I like the
Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and
Another fanmade poster showing the battle between Marvel and
way they developed Steve and
The Flash. Great performances
DC fans.
Bucky’s friendship over the
were delivered by Jesse Eisenberg
(known for The Social Network) who played now after 2 cross over movies, 3 iron movies Captain America series. It is very important to
Lex Luther, and the two lead heroes Ben and 2 cap movies.. the stakes are so incredibly the plot”. One criticism she had for the movie
Affleck (known for Argo) who played Bruce high. I tried to compare Deadpool with it as was, “I believe that they had way too much focus
Wayne and Henry Cavill (known for The Man well, but it’s a different movie in terms of it on Tony’s character although it was supposed to
from U.N.C.L.E.) who played Clark Kent. being a solo movie and setting something be a captain america movie. Marvel you owe
Captain America: Civil War was received up, instead of showing a conflict between me a Captain America movie.” To really get an
very well with audiences. Gaining a 8.4 from good and good instead of good and evil.” understanding of the best movie, you will just
IMDB users, the reviews were great. IMDB On the other hand, Vitaly Tomilov said “the have to see both movies and decide for yourself!
A photo of the late Prince’s childhood
home, located in Minneapolis
by his flamboyant stage presence,
extravagant makeupand wardrobe, and
wide vocal range. Best known for his
songs I Wanna Be Your Lover, Purple
Rain, When Doves Cry, and many
more. As a international-famous artist,
people from around the world mourned
the loss of an insipring musician and
singer. Prince and always inspired
individuality and self-expression
through the lyrics and styles of all his
songs. He will go down as a funk-pop
legend forever and he will be missed.
Photo Courtesy of www.ajanshaber.com
SPORTS 15
REFUSE TO LOSE PLAY WITH HEART
blocker. His role model is Maxwell Holt,
an American Volleyball player and Russian club Dynamo Moscow. He
idolizes Holt because of his many
accomplishments
such as becoming the NORCECA Champion of
2013 and being a
gold medalist of
the 2014 World
League and 2015
World Cup. Nick will be attending the
State University of New York at New
Paltz, where he plans to continue playing Volleyball. Nick plans to come see
The Jets in the future to support his team.
Brianna Pace
Both a dedicated lacrosse defender and a
field hockey forward, Kelly Clarke never fails
to amaze anyone who takes the time to watch
her play. When she started playing PAL lacrosse at a young age she
never imagined reaching
Varsity in 9th grade and
becoming team captain as
a junior. Kelly gained her
inspiration to play lacrosse
from her older brother. In
middle school she met
her best friend Melissa
Peysson and since then,
they have been playing
side by side. Although
many have shown her immense support, she
says the one person who rises above anyone
else as her role model is her Dad. “He’s gone
to every single one of my games and he even
still plays baseball now and he’s in his 50s,”
she explains, with a little laugh at the end.
In the fall, Clarke will be attending Oneonta where she will continue
to play lacrosse. When asked
what she will miss in the transition from high school sports
to college sports she replied,
“Probably what I’m going
to miss most is the team because, especially with the
lacrosse team, we’ve been
playing PAL together since
we were really little.” East
Meadow has not seen the last
of her, though. Kelly said she would definitely
be coming home to watch the Jets play. Best of
luck with the Red Dragons next year, Kelly!
students, dance is their forte. With a dance
program, students who are not as athletic
as others would have another choice. The
class would meet every other day just like a
regular gym class and could teach various
styles of dance that including ballet, jazz,
tap, contemporary, lyrical, modern, character, musical theater, and hip hop. A dance
class would give students the chance to
succeed in another area of physical fitness.
Many schools across Long Island and
New York State are starting to introduce
dance programs. At East Meadow High
School there are several dance activities
such as winter guard, step team, and kickline each includes some aspect of dance.
Recently, the school hosted a Zumbathon
fundraiser and provided a night of aerobic
dancing. Incorporating more dance opportunities has many benefits. One benefit is
that dance holds many job opportunities for
instructors and choreographers looking to
teach young and willing students. A dance
class would also allow students to increase
their self-esteem as they would no longer
have to feel “out of place” or insecure while
playing sports they’re not good at. The program could allow students to express themselves through dance by showing their
feelings and emotions through movement,
while also building teamwork and friendships. Finally, this program would look
good on college applications of students
who are looking to major in dance, musical
theater, and dance education. Hopefully,
the future at EMHS will introduce students to even more various styles of dance
so students that love and are passionate about dance can express themselves.
Photo Courtesy of Brianna Pace
Photo Courtesy of Newsday
Anum Zaidi
East Meadow High School Senior
Nick O’Malley is an extraordinary
athlete. Making
the All-County Volleyball
To u r n a m e n t
Team as well
as being the
returning Highjump County
Champ are just
a few of his
accomplishments this year.
O’Malley has been running track since
the tenth grade and playing volleyball
since the seventh grade. His favorite
sport is Volleyball, in which he plays
with the jersey number 14 as a middle
Possible Dance Program for EMHS?
Leah Von Ohlen
E
ast Meadow High School is
known for its sport teams, Theatre Guild,
and music program, but what about all
the other students that do not fit into these
groups? Many students love to dance,
whether it is at home or at a party. Dance
is an art just as music is. It’s a physical activity too, just like sports. It is also a major part of the school’s spring musical. So,
why not consider a dance class that fulfills
the Physical Education requirement? Although not often considered a sport, dance
is still a good way to exercise. For some
Gameday Gallery
Photo Courtesy of Ethan Maitra
Val Garcia geting set at a track meet.
Justin Reyes rounding
the bases.
Photo Courtesy of Brianna Pace
Frankie Ippolito up to bat for
Varsity Baseball.
Erin Fowler playing defense during a
Varsity Lacrosse game.
June 2016
Matt Fried standing at the plate during a
baseball game.
Photo Courtesy of Ethan Maitra
Sam Reyes making contact at
home plate.
Photo Courtesy of Brianna Pace
Photo Courtesy of Brianna Pace
Kelsey Leonard pitching during
a Varsity Softball game.
Photo Courtesy of Brianna Pace
Photo Courtesy of Brianna Pace
Take a pic and send it to [email protected]
SPORTS
Renata Quinto
16
Walking for a Hero
Photos Courtesy Joanna Silberman and Anum Zaidi
East Meadow High School students and faculty and Mr. Bocian’s family celebrate
the coming together of a community on an inspiring day.
O
n May 27th, students and
teachers gathered on the football field to
celebrate the life of East Meadow’s most
beloved math teacher, Steve Bocian. A
carnival themed walkathon, arranged by
the National Honor Society, was held in his
honor throughout the entirety of the school
day. Mrs. Sideri and Mrs. T. organized a
walkathon almost every year. When asked
how the carnival idea came about this year,
Mrs. Sideri said, “The Honor Society. The
students came up with it on their own. They
wanted there to be a lot going on to encourage
everyone to participate.” During math classes, students were escorted outside to enjoy
the carnival festivities. Many were eager to
hit the fields and soak their favorite teacher in
the dunk tank. Students could also indulge in
the variety of foods, such as popcorn, cotton
candy, pizza, and bagels. There were many
games set up as well. Students and faculty
were seen playing kan jam, gaga, and pin the
tail on the Don Quixote throughout the day.
Prior to the walkathon, students were
able to donate $10 and receive a tee shirt in
return to wear to the event. The shirts were
designed by Ms. Fiore and displayed a cartoon of “Super Bocian.” Those who were
fortunate enough to have Mr. Bocian as their
teacher will remember the renowned video
of him dressed as Superman, setting out to
save the day. This video is the perfect way to
remember a teacher like him, who went beyond the boundaries of an educator. From
the moment a student entered his classroom
or stepped foot onto the tennis courts, Mr.
Bocian quickly made it his mission to become someone that student could confide
in and consider a friend. “There’s so much
to say about him. He always knew what
to say, do, and how to make a kids a day
and make them smile. He always made
me smile,” said Arun Sam, a tennis player
previously coached by Mr. Bocian. They
say that not all heroes wear capes, and that
certainly rings true for this high school’s
very own superhero, Mr. Bocian. A total
of approximately $12,000 was raised and
donated toward Mr. Bocian’s scholarship
fund. An EMHS student possessing the
qualities admired most by Mr. Bocian will
soon receive this scholarship, as well as the
honor of being recognized as someone Mr.
Bocian would have held in high regards
Not only did EMHS students and faculty participate in the walkathon, but Mr.
Bocian’s family did as well. As the day
came to a bittersweet close, Mr. Bocian’s
brother, Michael, said, “We’re completely
overwhelmed with the love, support, and
emotion of today. The family loves hearing all of the stories everyone here has
about Steven.” The walkathon was just a
small way to remember the big influence
Mr. Bocian had on so many. Although he
was taken much too soon from this life,
his memory and legacy will continue to
live on in the halls of East Meadow High
School. There is no doubt that somewhere
up above, Mr. Bocian is still a math and
tennis teaching superhero, who is flying
high with angel wings beneath his cape.
Champs Without
Championships
Andrew Weiss
What do Dan Marino, Marcel
Dionne, Patrick Ewing, and Mike Piazza all have in common? They’re hall of
famers in their respective sports, and no
one would be surprised if you mentioned
any of them in a conversation about the
all-time greats. But the one key thing that
brings all of these players together is a
disappointing fact that does not reflect on
any of their careers. The sad truth is that
none of these iconic athletes were ever
able to reach the pinnacle of professional
sports by winning a championship in his
league. Dan Marino played for the Miami
Dolphins for 16 years and lost his only
Super Bowl appearance. Patrick Ewing
and Marcel Dionne each had finals losses,
and Mike Piazza was unable to win it all
in a World Series appearance with New
York in 2000. Because of these losses in
the season’s final moments, many players
like these who have had tremendous individual careers have been deemed “chokers”, never able to get it done. But is this
a fair way to judge a player, and should
a player’s careers be defined by whether
or not he wins a ring? After all, isn’t the
age old saying that there is no I in team?
If people are discouraged from taking
complete credit for individual achievements by stressing that sports are based
on groups working towards a common
goal, then should people also not make an
effort to ensure that a team’s “best player” is not held responsible for his team’s
shortcomings? Carlos Beltran may have
looked on that last pitch in game 7 of the
2006 NLCS, but it is hard for most to believe that it is Carlos Beltran’s fault that
the Mets failed to win the World Series
that year. He did not put the Mets into a 31
hole in that game, and he was not the only
person to not come through, yet he is infamous in the minds of many Mets fans to
this day as the guy who cost the Mets the
2006 pennant. Like Marino, Dionne, Ewing, and Piazza, Beltran is another player
who has never won a World Series (though
unlike those guys he is still active). However, he is one of the greatest outfielders
ever to play the game, and is not responsible for the fact that he has not gotten
his hands on a trophy. Sure, many will be
rooting for guys like Alex Ovechkin and
Joe Thornton, who have done wonders for
their respective franchises but have yet to
win a Stanley Cup. But it is not because a
championship (or lack thereof) should define a player’s reputation and career. Rather, it is because people do not want to have
to defend yet another all-time great whose
team was unable to pull through despite
all of his efforts. Championships do not
define the careers of amazing athletes.