3 MB 980-Fall-2010 - Sterling High School

The Silver Scroll
Faculty Advisor: Mrs. Jennifer Murphy
Editor-in-Chief: Katelyn Sullivan
Managing Editor: Kelly Deichert
THE SILVER SCROLL
Sterling High School
501 South Warwick Road
Somerdale, NJ 08083
Phone: 856-784-1333 ext. 4671
Fax: 856-784-7661
Email: [email protected]
Contributors
Josh Catellanos
Claire Doak
Shanice John
Julia Garcia
Samantha Mason
Ashley Morris
Brian Perkins
Dominic Savana
S. Madeline Schmidt
Laurie Senior
Emily Strauser
Emily Vidas
Shannon Yingst
Imaginarium Film Critique: Use Your Imagination
vious life, to be the answer to getting
out of his deal with Satan. Whether he
is or not, this new character certainly
I n
T e r r y changes the terms of the doctor‘s preGilliam's new film, The dicament.
Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, the
audience is brought into the world of
The Imaginarium of Doctor
Doctor Parnassus, the ever-aging story- Parnassus is a colorful and uniquely
teller who lives off spare change. Par- bizarre film. This whirlwind of a script
nassus runs a traveling show with his will keep you guessing and is guarandaughter, Valentina (Lily Cole), a little teed to confuse you at times. The proman named Percy (Verne Troyer), and a duction is a marvelous example of
boy by the name of Anton (Andrew Gar- Heath Ledger's last work and is directed
field).
quite skillfully; the incorporation of the
different actors (Johnny Depp, Colin
Though the show looks to be a Ferrel, and Jude Law) who depict
scam from the outside, Parnassus is Ledger‘s character after his loss is done
actually quite capable of transporting beautifully.
participants into another realm through
a fake mirror. In time it is revealed that
Heath Ledger plays a delightParnassus is a gambler that bets fully charismatic young stranger and
against the devil himself.
Lily Cole is very skilled at portraying
the young and dreamy Valentina, espeThe doctor is troubled as Valen- cially considering her lack of acting extina's birthday approaches and a prior perience. Doctor Parnassus is shown to
agreement with the devil (Tom Waits) be highly sympathetic and wise yet
must soon be paid. In the midst of this laughably foolish and imperfect as well.
despair, the group notices the shadow of Overall, this is a wonderful and magical
a man against the water under a bridge film that can be recommended to a wide
that appears to be river dancing. Par- audience.
nassus believes the man (Heath
Ledger), who has now forgotten his preBy S. Madeline Schmidt
Movie Fact Sheet
Name: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Major Actors: Heath Ledger, Andrew Garfield
Release Date: January 8, 2010
Rating: PG-13
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
Volume 50 Issue 1
Fall 2010
The Official Publication of Sterling High School
Mr. Sterling Wins Big with Audience
By Claire Doak
The next portion of the show was formal
a t t i r e
The Mr. Sterling
where the
competition, coordinated
boys
and
by Ms. Tallant, was held
their
eson Wednesday October 20th at 7:00 P.M.
c o r t s
It was hosted by Zach Ford and Josh
dressed to
Thomas, who did a great job of getting
impress.
everyone pumped up for the event.
All of the
There were twelve senior boys competing
boys looked
for the title of Mr. Sterling. The audistunning in
ence was eagerly anticipating the show.
their fancy
The show began with a dance
apparel
choreographed by Ola Zaccheaus and
and their
Duane Wade that was performed to the
d a t e s
Mr. April, Joe Romano, is
song, I Like It by Enrique Iglesias. The
Sterling High School’s
l o o k e d
2010-2011 Mr. Sterling.
boys practiced the dance for many hours
be au ti fu l.
after school and it certainly showed up
The
boys
on the stage; they were in step and hav- had no time to relax because up next was
ing a great time.
the announcement of the judge's choices
After a calendar representation for the final three. The final three boys
segment where each of the twelve con- were Joe Romano, Justin Morales, and
testants dressed to reflect their month, Ryan Badey. Each of them had to anthe talent portion was next. All the tal- swer a final question that helped the
ents were well-thought out and well- judges choose the winner. While the
executed. Some crowd favorites were judges were deciding, Ms. Owen anwhen Nick Fredericks performed Jump nounced Nick Fredericks as the winner
On It from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. of the People's Choice Award.
Alexander Archie played the drums
Nick says, "It [winning] was
while his dancers moved to the rhythm. quite breathtaking – it was a rush. It
One of his dancers
felt good to know that so many
was Dr. Vespe's
people were supporting me. Go
son. Joe Romano
Knights!" A week and a half
played guitar and
before the competition, people
performed a song he
dropped money into shoeboxes
wrote.
Justin
that were decorated by each
Morales danced the
contestant. All of the money
salsa. Ryan Badey
went to the Jessica Gorbey Medanced to the Vilmorial Scholarship Fund and
lage People‘s YMCA
the boy who got the most money
with his backup
in his shoebox was the winner of
All tweleve of the
dancers, Mr. Kelthe People's Choice Award.
Mr. Sterling candidates.
sey, Dr. Vespe, OffiTogether, all twelve boys raised
cer Badey, and Dr.
$435.50.
Vespe's adorable little boy. Justin RiccoMs. Owen said of the competibono danced and sang to the song, Lord tion, ―I was proud, not only of the boys,
Give Me a Sign by DMX. The talent sec- but how our students reacted to their
tion came to a conclusion with Aaron performances.‖
DeGuzman singing Frank Sinatra's Fly
After all that excitement, it was
Me To the Moon.
time for the crowning of the new Mr.
Sterling. Last year‘s Mr. Sterling, Kevin
Walsh, came back to crown the winner as
Ms. Owen declared the new Mr. Sterling,
Joe Romano! The crowd went wild for
Joe. Everyone had a great time and all
of the participants did a great job.
Mr. Sterling was one of the best
highlights from the 2010 Spirit Week.
Ms. Owen summarizes the success of the
event: ―We raised a significant amount of
money for Renaissance and we will be
able to have a bigger and better fall carnival than we have ever had before. I
look forward to continuing the tradition
for many years to come. ―
The Silver Scroll would like
to congratulate all the
Mr. Sterling contestants.
Mr. January – Andrew Coverdale
Mr. February – Nick Fredericks
Mr. March – Alexander Archie
Mr. April – Joe Romano
Mr. May – Mike Santoro
Mr. June – Cristian Zale
Mr. July – Justin Morales
Mr. August – Ryan Badey
Mr. September – Dharmesh Darji
Mr. October – Justin Riccobono
Mr. November – Mashar Ozbas
Mr. December – Aaron DeGuzman
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
PAGE 2
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
PAGE 15
The Poetry Corner
Haunted Tales of Horror
By Laurie Senior
Back by popular demand, the Haunted New Jersey article has returned. For those of you who don’t know what it is,
this article is about some of the haunted locations in the state. For the most part, these uncanny stories of spooks
and specters are investigations done by SyFy Channel’s hit paranormal series, “Ghost Hunters.” I’ve had my share
of personal experiences in the past, and am a firm believer in the paranormal. For you skeptics out there though,
beware – these creepy accounts may just make you a believer. So sit back and enjoy these eerie tales of haunted
New Jersey…if you dare.
Washington, NJ
Supposedly, many years ago, there was a kid named Tommy D. When he ran the mile for school he got the worst time
in school history, 14 minutes and 41 seconds. He was teased by his peers endlessly because of this, and Tommy became determined to run the mile faster. One weekend, Tommy went to the field and ran the mile in under 10 minutes, but never
lived to tell it. The next Monday, Tommy‘s corpse was found at the finish line gripping his stopwatch, which had his less
than 10 minute time on it.
Ever since then, whenever a student runs the mile they feel cold spots around the field, but mainly around where
the body was found. Those cold spots sometimes indicate the presence of a spirit. That spirit could be the apparition which
some people see jogging around the field. However, the uncanny claim is that whenever a person nears the finish line their
watch stops working, causing them to get an inaccurate time, and the seconds are always said to stop at 14 or 41 past the
minute.
Story found on www.realhaunts.com
The Red Mill, Clinton, NJ
This 175-year-old abandoned mill was used for grist, wheat, and basket-making before it was shut down. Now under
new ownership, there have been many strange reports. Supposedly the sound of a gong has been heard when one has not
been used in years. The sound of typing on an old typewriter has also been heard, but the nearest one is over 1000 feet away
in storage. The apparition of a child who was supposedly injured at the mill is also seen.
TAPS has gone to the Red Mill and completed an investigation where they got some unusual experiences and evidence. During the investigation three of the investigators, Steve, Dave, and Bruce (Dave‘s dad who is guest investigating),
try to debunk the bell (gong) that goes off on its own on the 2nd floor. When trying to ring it themselves they realize that it
takes a lot of force, thus ruling out the wind and leaving those experiences unexplained.
Later on, the two lead investigators, Jason and Grant, are on the 2nd floor when they hear footsteps. They follow
them up to a storage area on the 3rd floor where they hear a little kid‘s voice. The two split up and go to opposite sides of the
room, where Grant asks whatever is there to pull on Jason‘s pant leg. Soon afterward, Jason feels a tug on his pant
leg. They then head up to the 4th floor where Grant feels a tug on his pant leg. As they reviewed the camera footage and
audio clips from the investigation they catch an audio clip of a male saying ―come on‖ around the time Jason feels the tug on
his pant leg. This confirms a cause and effect of the experience and helps solidify claims of people seeing a child entity.
Background Information from www.realhaunts.com
Investigation by Ghost Hunters – www.syfy.com
Union County Courthouse, Elizabeth, NJ
This courthouse is said to be haunted by the spirits from the American Revolution. The main story that circles this
building is the presence of Hannah Caldwell. She was the first woman to die in the revolution and she is actually buried
right outside of the courthouse, so the stories of people seeing her could be valid. People mainly see her in the courtroom as
she walks over to the picture of her radical husband Reverend James Caldwell. However, there are claims that she is seen in
the Rotunda. Another claim is that the double doors in the record room open and close by themselves.
TAPS went to the courthouse and the first thing the team tackled was the experiences with the double door. Jason
and Grant tested out a vacuum theory, which is when a window or door is open and there is a back draft or a breeze and it
causes another door to open or close as if by itself. And that is exactly what it was, as they found that a strong air flow from
an open window caused the doors to rattle, which could give the illusion of the doors opening and closing. However, the other
claims were not so easy to debunk.
Dave, Steve, and Dave‘s dad (who was guest investigating) heard footsteps and had a high unexplained electromagnetic field reading, which could be a sign of the presence of a spirit, in the Rotunda. On the fifth floor, two investigators,
Kris and Amy, were in the courtroom looking for the apparition of Hannah Caldwell. While they were there Kris thought
she saw a shadow move from the door to the painting, but Amy didn‘t see it and the cameras never picked it up. One thing a
camera did pick up though was what looks like the female entity in the record room. The thermal camera picked up a heat
signature that walked through a wall. Could this be the ghost of Hannah? Maybe, but one thing is for sure, the Union
County Courthouse is definitely haunted.
Investigation by Ghost Hunters – www.syfy.com
Tales are continued on the next page
“Desire”
By Emily Strauser
She was walking alone in the dreary night,
No one was around, and the world was still.
She has been waiting, and now the time is right,
To go in and catch her fill.
The food is drained, left behind and decomposing.
The guilt in her heart isn‘t enough to stop her.
She must go on, feeling the saddening sting,
Of her dastardly deeds forever and ever.
She returns to her den, to the one she loves most.
He kisses her, and tells her he loves her.
His arms around her, holding her close.
There's nowhere else she'd rather be than there.
She does it all to survive, to be sure she‘ll come home to
him.
He kisses her forehead, and she gets comfy,
Holding her in his arms, he hums to her an old hymn.
She has read of such romance in her favorite story...
Turning out the lights, the room becomes dim.
The only light in the room is the lit candle afire.
For the rest of her immortal life, being with him,
Will always be her one and only true desire.
“The Truth”
By Kelly Deichert
Honesty, when lying isn't the answer
Forgiveness, when there is no better revenge
Loyalty, when it fits the need
Love, when virtue does hold out
Modesty, when it brags more in itself
Kindness, when it helps again later
Courage, when looked upon in glory
Personal gain is the only friend
When the greedy heart swells
Image of self, so distorted
That heads and tails cannot be made
Lying never came so easily
As eyes search for the truth
That never was
“Like the Back of My Hand”
By Shanice John
I‘ve been down this road before,
I‘ve told myself I‘ll go down it no more.
The pain I felt, the tears I cried
All because of my lies
The five minutes of pleasure,
Could have ruined my future forever
I can fix my mistakes, but I can‘t change the past
The tension stays strong as long as the memories last.
History repeats itself is all too true
I have done this before, between me and you.
I had this bad feeling before
But for some reason, I want more
Even though the yelling only lasts for a time
I have to remember to not cross that line.
They tell me if they give me an inch, I‘ll take a mile
But for almost eighteen years, I have been in denial.
I‘m sitting here today, bowing my head
Thinking about how I could change what I said.
Disappointment and disgust fill the room
This is the final straw, I assume.
So many mistakes made
Before the memories and the pain of the last one could
fade.
Tears won‘t help my cause
My future was already put on pause.
I finally crossed the line, I broke the laws.
My excuse became that we are all full of flaws.
My punishment is well overdue
But you‘ll never guess who I blamed – you!
I know there is no way out of this mess
He told me to society I became a pest.
This memory will fade too, very soon
As long as I stay out of trouble for the next twelve full
moons.
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
Untitled
PAGE 14
Rose
art programs offered at
Sterling High School
are welcomed and
encouraged to submit
their work for
Father Time
publication in
The Silver Scroll
throughout the year.
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
PAGE 3
Haunted Tales of Horror Continued
By Laurie Senior
Senior Home, Magnolia, NJ
Students in the various
By Anonymous
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
By Mizuki Tsukiakari
By Julia Garcia
This is actually where I live, and where I had my first paranormal experience, which got me interested in hauntings. On
November 24, 2006 my black cocker spaniel, Nicky, died. The next night was when some seriously creepy stuff started to happen. That
night I was watching TV with my dad when all of a sudden there was a loud thump that
came from
the kitchen. At first we thought it was the TV so we ignored it, but when it happened again
during a commercial break, which we muted, we knew it was something else. The sound was familiar, it
sounded like
a kitchen cabinet door closing shut. Upon investigation we were able to see that was exactly
what it
was. We believed it to be Nicky‘s ghost because whenever he wanted a biscuit he would open
the cabinet
door, as far as it could because of the child-proof door latches that were on them, and then let
it slam close.
There
wasn‘t much other activity besides the cabinet door opening and closing and it only was that
first night
where it occurred constantly. However, every once and a while, we would hear a howl that
would come
out of nowhere, and it wasn‘t my other dog. Another experience I had was when I got up to
get a drink of
water in the middle of one night. I walked by the bathroom and a shadow that was blacker
Popular movie,
than the
darkness was in the corner, near the bathtub. But when I passed by there again after I got a
Paranormal
drink the
shadow was gone. I think that was Nicky because he always used to sleep in that corner of
Activity.
the bathroom
at night. The weirdest part of this was that when we got our new dog in February 2007 the
activity went
into overdrive the first night that the new dog was here and then immediately stopped and
has never happened since. And even though we no longer have paranormal activity at my house I‘m still a firm believer in
ghosts.
Essex County Sanatorium, Cedar Grove, NJ
Sam Mason’s “The Mix Up” Concluded
rumble of a man‘s voice coming from the
living room. It sounds like the doctor
that was here Saturday. What‘s he
doing back? Did they not have enough
time to talk when he was here last?
This time, instead of minding my own
business, I decide to get a closer look
and find out why this doctor is really
here.
As quietly as humanly possible, I sneak out of my room and hide
behind the wall dividing the living
room, where the conversation is being
held, and the hallway, where I mustn‘t be seen. This is a very risky job
considering, if I get caught, they will
end their conversation abruptly and I
will most likely never get to the bottom of these mysterious doctor visits.
I see them. They‘re both sitting on the
couch facing each other. The doctor‘s
face is soft and comforting, both of his
hands holding my mother‘s left hand.
My mother‘s face is red and puffy
with a line of moisture from her eyes
to her chin; she is clenching a tissue
in her right hand. She‘s been crying
again. I listen intently.
―It seems this is a bigger
problem than we have suspected, Ms.
Thomson. Her condition is worsening.‖ What problem?
―Is there any way we can
help her? Anything we could do to
help my baby girl?‖ My mother was
choking on her words as she spoke
them. The more she talked, the more
she cried.
―I‘m afraid not, Ms. Thomson. All we can do is sit back and wait
for Emily to leave.‖
―But it‘s been ten days! The
longest she‘s ever stayed was an
hour.‖ What are they talking about?
Are they talking about me? Do they
know about my Jessica issue? But
why are they saying that I have to
leave?
―All we can do right now is
hope for the best. Emily will leave
when she is ready.‖ More tears
stream down my mother‘s face.
I can‘t take this anymore. I
don‘t know what‘s going on. WHO AM
I!? I‘m losing my balance, my vision is
blurred. The room is spinning around
me. I feel sick. I run down the hall,
past my room and straight into the
bathroom. I practically fall into the
sink and now I‘m staring into the
mirror into the eyes of who I thought
was Emily, but is now Jessica. I don‘t
like Jessica. I don‘t like being Jessica.
I just want to be Emily again! I can‘t
stand this reflection, looking at Jessica. She‘s taunting me.
―I hate you!‖
… All I remember is staring
at the broken shards of glass lying on
the floor, the counter, and in the sink.
I feel pain, but I don‘t know why. I
look down to see a fist of blood. I feel
woozy. My mother and the doctor
rush in. My mother screams, ―Oh my
God! Emily, what happened?‖ I don‘t
know what to tell her.
―I‘m sorry, mom, I‘ll clean it
up.‖ I only have one question on my
mind. ―Hey, mom?‖
―Yes, sweetheart, what is it?‖
―Who‘s Emily?‖
This 365 square acre Essex County hospital has been treating the criminally insane, mentally ill, and depressed since it
was opened in 1895 until it closed some years ago. Over the years, due to suicides and mental problems, an estimated number
of 10,000 people died there. It is said that the spirits of those who died still reside in the area. The buildings were actually supposed to be torn down to be made into a park but when the deconstruction started, the turning off of utilities and removal of
anything of value, the paranormal activity started to pick up. This is because the spirits are used to the way the building was
before and they do not want it to change, according to theory. People have felt a feeling of fatigue and have supposedly seen
apparitions standing in a hallway, in Building 5 on the 1st floor, as well as a worker being touched on his side in that area. In
Building 11 on the 2nd floor, the entity of a nurse is seen walking down a hallway and then disappearing. In the morgue people
have heard voices and in the tunnels that connect all the buildings witnesses have seen a flickering blue light.
Luckily, TAPS was able to get into the hospital to investigate before it was demolished. In the beginning of the investigation Jason and Grant were searching the tunnels when they heard some odd sounds. One was that of a cart being wheeled
around. However, the only cart in the area is wheel-less. Footsteps were also heard but could not be traced to a source. Interesting heat signatures also appeared on the thermal imaging camera. Meanwhile, on
the 2nd floor of Building 5 Steve and Dave hear what can only be explained as a snapping sound, which they catch on a digital voice recorder but cannot find the source
of. Two other investigators, Joe and Britt, also hear unexplained noises in the morgue.
Later on in the night, Steve and Dave return to where they heard the snapping
sound to investigate some more. They place a directional mic, which picks up sounds
from different directions and distances, on a tray on the floor when they start their
investigating, but when they return from a general sweep of the floor they find that it
has been moved. However, no one has been in that room but them. Around the same
time, Jason and Grant found a ceramic house that may have been made by a patient
there in Building 3. But when they touch the creation they immediately heard a female voice come from a staircase area. At the very end of the investigation, Steve and
Essex County Sanatorium
Dave go to the morgue and in trying to provoke the spirits they close themselves inside Photo courtesy of mountainsanatorium.net
the freezer. Although they did not seem to have any paranormal activity, the evidence
begs to differ.
All of the investigators had similar personal experiences, hearing voices, footsteps, and shuffling sounds coming from the
rooms they were in. Some of those voices were able to be caught on a digital voice recorder. When Joe and Britt were in the
morgue their recorder picked up a voice that said ―children,‖ and when Steve and Dave were in freezers in the morgue their
recorder picked up a voice that said ―he‘s here.‖ With all of that evidence the TAPS team was able to say the place, even though
destroyed now, is haunted.
Investigation by Ghost Hunters – www.syfy.com
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
PAGE 4
Special Short Story Section
The Silver Scroll is excited to present a section for short story writers.
This edition, we present Samantha Mason’s “The Mix Up.”
Fall Sports Overview
The Mix Up
By Dom Savana
Boys’ Soccer
The boys‘ soccer team is in its third year with Mr. Marlys as coach, and with
leaders such as Jeff Abbott and Justin Morales at the helm, it is no surprise that the
boys were able to have a .500 record at this point despite having to play strong teams
such as Haddonfield and West Deptford. However, boys‘ soccer team is an unfitting name
when looking at the work that these MEN put in. Their hard work has yielded many rewards, but as Coach
Marlys put, they would still like to accomplish much more. The main focus of the men is and has always been
effort, and the effort seems to be getting better and better as the season moves on. Coach Marlys is never
upset when the men work to their potential win or lose, but winning is always nice, too; which motivates
these players every day to push the envelope and keep going that extra mile. Despite the cut of the freshman
team the boys‘ soccer team is optimistic, and Coach Marlys doesn‘t feel that having a freshman team will
affect the overall output of the men. With hard work and determination it appears that this team will be a
Colonial Conference contender for years to come, which should be great motivation for soccer fans of Sterling
to come out and watch the hard work of this team first hand.
By: Samantha Mason
Junior Jordan Mosley takes
on a Haddonfield defender.
Girls’ Soccer
The major changes of the girls‘ team this year has made some reflections in their record. A completely new coaching staff led by
Ms. Brenner and a new approach to the general flow would stunt any team no matter the talent and determination because everything new
needs some getting used to. Despite this the ladies are still working hard every day to get better, and Coach Brenner believes that if they
keep at this pace, they will be used to the new regime in no time. Great players such as Erica Hoffman, Tori Shinkowitz, Taylor Straub and
Courtney Smith are just some of the headliners that mark a bright future for the ladies. Coach Brenner is proud of the effort the ladies
have put in up to this point and she demands the best of her ladies so that is saying a lot. What has seemed like a tough year for the lady
knights is in reality more a grey period and rebuilding process. The hard work of the ladies will pay off if it keeps at pace, and Coach Brenner and her staff along with all the players are optimistic of their future. The only thing that seems to be lacking is the part of the fans,
meaning the students, which Coach Brenner believes would make a great difference in the confidence of the Lady Knight footballers.
Girls’ Volleyball
The major highlight of last year‘s fall sports was the girls‘ volleyball team that surged through the competition from the start of
the season. The girls this year had large shoes to fill with the success of last year, but despite the pressure they came back and made girls‘
volleyball the highlight of this season as well. With Mr. Macpherson as new head coach it was surprising that they were able to adjust in stride, but the lady knight‘s volleyball team could be described
much better as a group of crusaders that stop at nothing but number one. Sydney Allen, Anyssa Sanchez, Katie Johnson and Melanie Kaiser are just a few of the highlights of this fierce team. In contention for the top spot of their conference, the lady volleyball players are a must watch. Coach Macpherson is extremely proud of both the input and output of this year, and the general consensus is that this
team will be great for years to come. Unfortunately, the freshman cuts were extremely deep for aspiring players, but Coach Macpherson and his brigade remain confident and resilient. The most incredible part is that there is not one senior on the varsity squad, which makes for an exciting future. With a
freshman team added to the roster and a more intimidating home game fan turnout, without a doubt,
this girls‘ volleyball program may become the best Sterling and its coaches have ever produced.
Members of the volleyball team pose.
Boy and Girls’ Cross Country
It is a travesty that one of the less recognized sports at Sterling is cross country since some of the most amazing athletes in Sterling‘s midst are a part this elite group of runners. Veteran Coach Mr. James Blumenstein and athletes like Kaela Thomas, Maryann Baxter, Jimmy Daniels and Frank Miklosey are just a few factors that have contributed to both of the winning seasons that the cross country
runners are experiencing this year. Fortunately, for the cross country runners, freshman cuts are not a problem that they have to face. A
fan turnout doesn‘t deter these runners either way; however, they all deserve their props for what they have accomplished this season. At
the group II championships coming up both teams will have a shot at qualifying for the state championships if they crack the top five
teams. These runners are in top conditions and ready, so hopefully, we will all be hearing about how both teams do at states.
Continued on page 7
The Silver Scroll would like to congratulate all of the fall
sports teams, and wish good luck to all of the
winter sports teams, to be featured in our next issue!
Why are people referring to me
as ‗Jessica‘? I don‘t even know a Jessica.
And why is Cassie Jones talking to me?
The only thing I know about Cassie is
that she‘s a cheerleader that‘s in my first
block class. I‘m so disoriented right now.
Did I somehow wake up in the Twilight
Zone this morning? Oh I got it; this is all
an elaborate dream. It has to be. I‘ll just
pinch myself and wake up in my one-sizetoo-small bed as Emily.
―Ouch.‖ Ok, maybe not. Maybe
people just forgot my name, it often happens. Maybe, since Ms. Blackburn forgot
and called me by the wrong name, the rest
of the class is doing it too. By tomorrow,
everything should be back to normal.
It‘s funny how nobody could remember my real name, but this new one
nobody can seem to forget. It‘s Thursday
and people are still calling me Jessica. It‘s
honestly getting on my nerves. I liked it
better when nobody paid any attention to
me. Now, people I‘ve never spoken to in
my entire life are coming up and talking
to me like we were old buddies. Maybe if I
ignore it long enough, people will begin to
give up and it will all be forgotten. Sounds
like a plan to me.
―Hey, Jess!‖ Oh no, it‘s that
Jones girl again – just shoot me now.
―Hey, are you going to today‘s practice?‖
I attempted being at least somewhat friendly. ―Practice for what?‖
―Cheerleading, silly… for tomorrow‘s homecoming game… remember?‖ I
just stared at her with a blank face. ―Well,
at least tell me you‘re going to Kathy‘s
sleepover Saturday.‖ Kathy asked me the
same question yesterday. It was the first
time I had ever met her. ―What‘s the deal,
Jess? You‘ve been acting strange all week,
it‘s like you‘re a whole other person.‖
She‘s not exactly wrong. ―Well, when you
finally snap out of your coma, give me a
call.‖ I just stood there watching her walk
off, neither one of us knowing who I was.
I didn‘t go to cheerleading practice, or the game, solely on the fact that I
despise both sports. Though, despite my
better judgment, I am going to that Kathy
girl‘s slumber party. I have so many questions and these girls seem to know me, so
maybe they have the answers I‘m looking
for. I just wish these weren‘t the people I
had to turn to for help, but whether I like
it or not, they‘re my only hope at the moment.
Saturday has come. Along with,
you guessed it – the slumber party.
―Where are you going?‖ My
mother loves sticking her nose where it
doesn‘t belong.
―Out.‖ I don‘t want to give her
the satisfaction of knowing.
―Out where, with who?‖ She‘s
persistent, and not to mention, annoying.
―Nowhere, and nobody. I‘ll be
home tomorrow morning.‖ I left without
another word. I don‘t like telling my
mother things because deep down she
doesn‘t give a crap and I hate wasting my
breath telling her.
Kathy‘s place was fairly easy to
find. Everybody was shocked that I made
it, but nevertheless, they were excited.
They were in the middle of Truth or Dare
when I arrived so the next person chose
me. I chose dare; she made me eat soap
and I almost threw up.
Now it was my turn to choose.
―Kathy, truth or dare?‖
―Um… truth.‖
I only had one question on my
mind. ―Who am I?‖ Everyone looked at
me, at Kathy, then back at me again.
They didn‘t know whether to take me
seriously or not. Then Kathy finally decided not to.
―My best friend, that‘s who!‖ All
of the girls burst into laughter, except for
me.
―I‘m serious.‖ There was a sudden shift in mood. My face was stern and
my gaze held Kathy‘s. The room fell silent.
―… You‘re Jessica… Jessica
Thomson… aren‘t you?‖ You could hear
the edginess of her voice and the confusion in her words. I was not the same
Jessica that everybody apparently knew
and loved. I was an imposter, to them,
and to myself.
I left almost immediately after
that little fiasco. The girls were more than
spooked by my behavior and I was obviously not welcome there any longer. It
was rolling around 11 P.M. when I pulled
into the driveway in my little beat up
Honda Accord, otherwise known as The
Green Goblin. The lights in my house
were still on and this confused me, since
my mother is usually in bed by this time.
Half-cautious, I step into the house to find
my mother having what looks like an intense conversation with a doctor. I‘ve
never seen the man before, so he must be
her doctor. Once again, all eyes were on
me.
―What are you doing here, sweetheart? I thought you weren‘t going to be
home until morning.‖ Her voice was sort
of crackly and nasal; it sounded as if she
had been crying.
―I left early.‖ I replied without
hassle.
―Oh, well, could you please go to
your room? This man and I need to talk.‖
As asked, I head to my room with a brand
new question to dominate my mind, ―Is
there something wrong with my mother?‖
As I wake up Sunday morning, I
lie there, unwilling to move, unwilling to
get out of bed and start the day. I go over
the events of this past week in my mind
and how, only a week ago, I was known as
Emily. How nobody knew me, but I knew
myself. How everybody seems to know me
now, but not how I knew me.
It is once again the infamous
Monday. It‘s the day that people around
the world love to hate. It‘s the beginning
of the end.
―Could I please stay home today?‖ I ask my mother, practically begging.
―Why do you need to stay home?
Are you trying to avoid something, like a
test?‖ Mother isn‘t the most understanding person.
―I just don‘t feel myself today.‖
That‘s an understatement. ―Come on,
Mom, I haven‘t missed a day of school yet
and it‘s April. Please?‖
―Oh all right, you can stay home,
but only for today. Tomorrow you‘re getting your butt to school.‖ I ran off to bed
before she got a chance to change her
mind and lulled myself into a place of
tranquility.
My eyes fly open. The clock says
6:09 and my heart races. Is that A.M. or
P.M.? I check my cell phone; it says P.M.
For now, I am relieved. Then I
remember my identity crisis and I am in
discomfort. I lay there wondering what
had woken me, when I hear the deep
Concluded on the next page
Special Short Story Section
The Silver Scroll is excited to present a section for short story writers.
This edition, we present Samantha Mason’s “The Mix Up.”
Child Development Offers Unique Opportunities
By Shannon Yingst
The Mix Up
By: Samantha Mason
Everyday is the same routine.
Wake up, go to school, eat alone, go home,
do homework, sleep, repeat. I‘m trapped in
a never ending rut that is my life. My
name‘s Emily Bremer, in case you were
wondering. I hate the city. Philadelphia is
the worst. It‘s nothing but polluted air and
hate crimes. My mom and I moved to this
polluted hell about a year ago. See, my
mom use to be a lawyer in Delaware which
is where we moved from. Then, one sunny
day her company decided to punish her
and relocate her firm to Philadelphia, and
when she gets punished, I get punished.
She says that it just takes time, but it has
been a year and I‘m still as miserable as
day one. I left a lot back in the good old
farmlands of Delaware, such as friends,
family; a life. Now, I‘m forced to breathe in
these toxic fumes with people who want
nothing to do with me and vise versa. I
don‘t know; maybe I‘m just being ―selfish‖
and an ―ungrateful child.‖ Maybe this is a
real ―learning experience‖ and I need to
―appreciate what is given to me‖ in the
words of my ever-so-caring mother.
It‘s finally Friday, but Friday is
just like any other day. Kids still have
school, adults still have work. Everyday,
even the weekends, are the same for me.
As soon as I walk through that front door,
no matter the destination, I become invisible to the world around me. At school I am
enveloped by a sea of mindless robots controlled by letters and bells. It is frustrating being detained in the place I hate
most; forced to listen to mind-numbing
lectures and write pointless essays on
information I will never need to know for
as long as I live. I swear I lose more brain
cells than a burnout, listening to the lives
of the ―typical teenager‖ that give the rest
of us semi-normal adolescences a bad rep.‘
It‘s the bittersweet relief of that final bell
that gives me permission to leave one hellhole for the next. It allows me to go home
to a mother who has no time for her only
child, an absent father, and the one person
who truly loves me, my dog, Meeko.
The week has come to an end
and, ladies and gentlemen, the weekend
has arrived. While people with actual lives
are making their usual weekend plans, I‘m
in my room with Meeko and a TV dinner,
watching whatever I can find on the television. Mother has no time to make a real
meal for me. She‘s far too busy saving
criminals from going to jail. Instead, I
have to eat garbage in a box with only the
dog as company every night. It doesn‘t
bother me much though. I‘m quite used to
it. Ever since my father left when I was
four, my mother became a workaholic,
confining herself to her job. It was a way
to keep her mind off of him, but left me
with no one but babysitters and TV dinners my whole life. Mother always says
that we are better off without him, but I‘m
not too sure about that. I can‘t help but
wonder how my life would be if he had
been a man and stayed. Would it have
changed for the better? Or would it somehow have been worse? I guess that‘s one
mystery better left unsolved.
In my opinion, the most irritating people at South Philadelphia High
School would have to be the cheerleaders.
They parade around all day in their tight
little mini-skirts and shirts so low that the
hormonal freshmen boys get excited just
by glancing at them. Even worse, they get
away with it. If I tried to pull off wearing
some of their everyday outfits, I would be
pulled into the principal‘s office before I
even got a chance to walk through the
doors. They get away with it because the
female teachers fantasize about being
them and the male teachers fantasize being with them. Why anybody would want
either is beyond me. I get nauseous just
sitting next to them in class; breathing in
their overly-applied perfume and listening
to their talk of guys and the mall and the
guys they slept with at the mall. My loss
of brain cells can be traced back to these
oh-so-stimulating conversations.
Monday, Monday, Monday; oh
how the time flies. Getting up at 5:30 A.M.
to go to the place I dread most is not my
idea of fun, but you gotta‘ do what you
gotta‘ do… Let‘s see, I‘ll wear jeans, a
plain tee, my black hoodie, and sneakers.
Basically the same ensemble I wore the
day before and the day before that.
Shower is taken, body is dressed, breakfast is eaten, teeth are brushed, and I am
now ready for another exhilarating day of
school. I took too long in the shower and
am now late, but I highly doubt anybody
really gives a damn. I‘ll just sneak in
through the back doors of the school that
lead into the gym. There‘s nobody around
to catch me. First I have to go to my
locker, then try to worm my way into first
block, English IV CP, without being seen.
Success. The teacher, Ms. Blackburn, is
just sitting at her desk reading while the
class is doing the daily warm-up. Nobody
actually does it though; they just group in
their cliques and talk. So slipping in unseen and unheard is a cinch.
Everything seemed normal. The
jocks were in their little cluster talking
about last Friday‘s game, the Goths about
the last My Chemical Romance concert,
the skaters about skating and the cheerleaders about… cheering.
―Jessica, how nice of you to join
us.‖ Ms. Blackburn stood up. The entire
class looked in my direction. Was she talking to me? ―Well, aren‘t you going to say
something, Ms. Jessica?‖ I looked around,
nobody answered.
―Alright then, let‘s get started.‖
She started going over the warm-up. That
was odd, who‘s Jessica? And why didn‘t
she say anything? Whatever, I can‘t think
about that right now, I have to catch up.
The bell rang to sentence me to
second block, Computer Graphics I.
―Hey, Jess!‖ I kept walking.
―Jess, wait up!‖ I was one door away from
my next class. ―Jess, didn‘t you hear me
calling you?‖ It was Cassie Jones and she
was talking to me.
―I‘m sorry,‖ I replied, ―but I don‘t
know you and you obviously don‘t know
me.‖ I started to walk away, but she
grabbed my shoulder to stop me.
―Are you feeling ok today?‖
―You must have me mistaken for
somebody else. My name is Emily.‖ As I
spoke, I practically ran to the Computer
Lab. I glanced behind me as I walked
through the classroom door and there
stood Cassie with the most puzzled look on
her face. She slowly retreated to her second block class without a single look over
her shoulder. The tardy bell rang and the
teacher began class. I sat in my assigned
seat with a look as puzzled as hers.
Continued on the next page
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
PAGE 5
If you want to
have thrills, laughs, and a
lot of fun, Child Development is the class to take. This class is also
gives you the opportunity to gain responsibility and insight into your true self. The
Child Development class has been offered
to students since 2004. Mrs. Grubb is the
one who has had the strength to teach this
class year after year and always brings
continuous joy to both the preschoolers
and the high school students. Currently,
there is a full and happy class of eighteen.
Mrs. Grubb expects this to be a
―banner year‖ because of the wonderful
student teachers and the upcoming 50th
Anniversary celebration. She plans to get
all the kids involved in the anniversary in
some shape or form. When she was asked
what she thinks about the class, she an-
In a Sterling tradition each fall,
the student body votes on senior
girls to be nominated for the
Homecoming Queen to culminate
Spirit Week.
swered with the sweet yet simple, ―I enjoy
the children and the teenagers. Both are
fantastic every year.‖ The class participates in
different
activities
d a i l y
ranging
from arts
a n d
crafts to
h o p scotch.
The 2010 preschool class poses.
The kids
have a ball with anything Mrs. Grubb
puts together for them.
The Child Development Classes
provide a positive guidance environment
through the ―Power Of Play.‖ The high
school students, who become the preschool
teacher for their child, encourage and
prompt their preschooler to participate in
a wide variety of activities. During these
play periods, each of the developmental
milestones are enhanced and soon become
routine for the preschooler. The lessons
will encourage growth in the 3 major categories for this age group which include:
physical, cognitive and social/emotional
stages of development.
With all the possibilities the kids
have for activities, there is not much room
for storage. Mrs. Grubb said ―the facility
could be better‖ when asked if she would
change anything about the class. This
class is not for everyone, but it is definitely beneficial to be involved. Mrs.
Grubb says that it‘s great for
―responsibility, finding your true identity,
and learning your personal advantages.‖
Why do you think Sterling offers Child
Development? Take the course and find
out for yourself.
Congratulations to the 2010-2011 Homecoming Court
Congratulations to the
2010-2011
Homecoming Queen
Senior
Rachel Hodge
Alyssa Giambri
Senior
Courtney
Bradis
(top)
Senior
Rebecca
Maiaitico
Senior
Gina Doto
(top)
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
PAGE 11
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
PAGE 6
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
Who’s Who and Who’s New?
By Shanice John
Ms. Sarah Bolam
Ms. Bolam has come back to teach at
the castle after graduating from Sterling High
School in 2003. During her time at Sterling,
she was the editor of The Silver Scroll. She
loved her experience here and truly believes
that this school is spectacular. Ms. Bolam
teaches English at the CP level to seniors and
sophomores. During 4th block, Ms. Bolam can
be found in the Media Center where she is in
charge of the all the students who come in for
Access, as well as her small but growing study
hall group. She has also volunteered to work
with the Silver Scroll, drawing on her own
high school experiences.
Since childhood, Ms. Bolam had the
desire to become a teacher. She loved school
and all of her English teachers. Mr. Manlove
and Mr. Patrick,
in particular, were
her inspiration to
finally pursue her
dream of becoming
an
English
teacher. Sterling
felt so much like a
community to Ms.
Bolam when she
was a student, and
she feels the same
way now as a
English Teacher
teacher.
Ms. Bolam
Ms. Bolam
student
taught in the spring of 2007. Student teaching
was frustrating for her because she had to
plan for six different classes which involved a
great deal of prep work, though it was very
rewarding. The best thing about student
teaching, however, was that it took place at
Oaklyn Public School, where Hi-Nella students attend before coming to Sterling. When
she got her teaching job at Sterling, Ms. Bolam was reunited with her students.
In the classroom, Ms. Bolam is positive and energetic. She motivates her students
even when they want to ―rip their hair out‖ in
order to prove that the lesson can be relevant.
She encourages her students to learn by showing the relevance of the literature in music,
movies, or anything else they can relate to.
Ms. Bolam tries her best to be fair, so she
handles classroom discipline with the ―3
strikes and you‘re out‖ rule. As a teacher, she
sometimes has to take risks in the classroom
to make the work exciting; she teaches lessons
even when she is unsure how the students will
react and then modifies them along the way.
Ms. Bolam is offered opportunities
for professional development in the English
Department PLC or Professional Learning
Community. When asked to put the disci-
plines of teaching in order of precedence, this
was how she ordered them: discipline, planning, methods, and evaluation. The reasoning
behind this order was that without discipline
there is only chaos and nothing can be accomplished. After disciplined is maintained, planning needs to be done so she is not ―flying by
the seats of [her] pants.‖ Evaluation was next
because teachers need to make sure that their
students are learning. After that, methods are
important because teachers need to be flexible
and share ideas.
Ms. Bolam is dedicated and wants
everything she does to be meaningful and
creative. Within the next
five years Ms. Bolam hopes
to continue working at the
Castle and to possibly expand her horizons with the
class level she teaches as
well as become a class adviser. If Ms. Bolam could
create an ideal school, she
would make her school
paperless where all students would have laptops.
In addition to this, there
would be unlimited funds
and books to satisfy every
Science Teacher
student‘s needs. She would
Mrs. Chemaly
also like to have activities
that would help students gain insight on their
future careers, no matter what they hoped to
be. Ms. Bolam loves teaching due to its freedom and the ability to inspire others, but
teaching can be difficult because one can
never know how students will react to a lesson. The Sterling Community is very thankful
to have Ms. Bolam as a teacher.
Mrs. Nancy Chemaly
Mrs. Chemaly is a very interesting
teacher here at the Castle with a very diverse
background. She is one-quarter Italian, onequarter American, and one-half Lebanese.
Mrs. Chemaly is originally from Beirut, Lebanon in the Middle East. People often think
that she changed her name when she came to
America, but she never did, having been
named after her Grandma. Her career began
in Beirut in 1996, but when she moved to
America, she had to go back to school to retake some educational tests to receive a
teacher certificate in America. She graduated
from AUB or the American University of Beirut. Mrs. Chemaly has lived in Michigan, California, Arkansas, and now New Jersey. While
living in Arkansas she owned her own business, a bakery, and employed 23 high school
students. Now, Mrs. Chemaly has been in the
United States for ten years and she has been a
teacher for four years. She also speaks three
languages fluently: Arabic, French, and Eng-
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
The Silver Scroll is pleased to present a new section for editorial writers. This section
expresses the opinions of members of the student body on tough issues.
Top Ten Reasons Not to Drop Out
lish.
Mrs. Chemaly became a teacher
because she wanted a job that involved talking to another person instead of a machine.
She strongly believes in the importance of
education and the difference an education can
make. When she first moved to New Jersey,
Mrs. Chemaly worked in Pennsauken, but lost
her job due to budget cuts. At Sterling High
School, Mrs. Chemaly is a physical science
teacher. She teaches two CP level classes with
students ranging from 9th grade to 11th grade.
Mrs. Chemaly is very energetic, both
inside and outside of the classroom. For example, after deciding to run a 10-mile marathon, she began to train for two months,
and never stopped. Running became a
passion she still enjoys today. Mrs. Chemaly lives a very fast paced life that involves traveling and cooking everything
from scratch, including her cheese. During 4th block, Mrs. Chemaly can be found
helping the nurse file papers. At Sterling,
Mrs. Chemaly is also offered opportunities for professional development through
conferences with the National Science
Teacher Association (NSTA).
Many of us have not had Mrs. Chemaly as a teacher, so I asked her questions that would help me understand the
atmosphere of her classroom. She is a
very understanding person. For example, if a
student doesn‘t meet one of her deadlines, and
has a valid reason, she would be willing to
extend the deadline. She strongly believes in
giving her students recognition once they deserve it. She doesn‘t mind giving her students
praise or even sharing a student‘s success
with their parents. She encourages her students to learn by presenting things in interesting ways to boost their curiosity.
―Sometimes you have to sell your lesson to the
students,‖ Mrs. Chemaly said. She starts out
every lesson by relating it to real life examples. She handles classroom discipline by staying true to her word and refusing to let bad
behavior slip through the cracks. She doesn‘t
want to take risks with students that could
sacrifice their education.
In the future, Mrs. Chemaly hopes
to edit and write science textbooks for children. She would also like to raise her own two
kids to be exceptional students. If Mrs. Chemaly could create her ideal school, she would
assess each student starting at the elementary level and would not allow them to advance until they mastered the expected curriculum of that grade level. She believes that
this would reduce the amount of high school
dropouts. Mrs. Chemaly has been exposed to
diversity and understands how to work with
her students.
By Emily Vidas
The new school year brings new students, new classes, new obstacles to overcome, and new levels
of stress, worry, and frustration. Throughout my time at Sterling High School, I‘ve noticed that the most
common topic of conversation is generally how much everyone hates school. It's probably fair to say that
no one genuinely enjoys waking up while it‘s still dark out to spend six and a half hours at a place where
you are forced to work. I've realized recently that as people get older, more and more of them start to consider dropping
out. I overheard a kid talking to his friend about his ―plan" for when he drops out. I didn't know him, but if I had, I probably would have told him what an idiot he sounded like. It wasn't until my friend became serious about dropping out that I
realized how easy and fascinating the idea is. Not having to be miserable everyday does sound like a wonderful lifestyle
when you think about it, but come on – do you really think you'll ever make it in the real world if you drop out of high
school? I know how much everyone hates school, and I can't say I disagree, so I've come up with a list of 10 reasons to stay
in school that I think you'll be able to relate to.
Reason #1: All jobs require you to either be in school or to at least have a high school degree. Yes, this includes McDonald's.
Reason #2: If you stay in school, you can earn Renaissance Cards that get you discounts on events you probably don't even
attend. However, if you don't have a job because you lack a high school degree, you won't be able to afford a real life Renaissance Card – a credit card.
Reasons #3 and #4: I'm pretty sure that the majority of high school kids can't wait to get as far away from here as possible
when they can. If you don't graduate high school, you'll most likely be stuck wherever you are living now. If you do graduate, you will have the option to go to college halfway across the country and become successful. After that you will be able
to live wherever you've always wanted to and do all the things you've always dreamed of doing.
Reason #5: If you think you're miserable now, leaving school won't make it any better. If you drop out, you won't have a
"Happy Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.‖
Reasons #6 and #7: If you don't stay at Sterling, you won't have any awesome pep rallies to look forward to, and there will
be no reason for you to wear silver and blue.
Reason #8: Even if the only reason you're in school is for the parties, don't drop out. No one is going to bother keeping you
posted on where the party's at this weekend after you drop out, and since you obviously wouldn't be going to college, this
means no college parties either.
Reason #9: You probably won‘t see your significant other as much. They will most likely still be in school and if they
aren‘t, they are either much older than you are or fellow drop-outs, neither of which is probably good for you.
Reason #10: Finally, you should stay in school because in today's economy, you need a high school degree in order to get
anywhere in life. No matter who you are or where you come from, everyone has a dream. If you think about the course of
your life and ask yourself what the point of it really is, part of your answer is probably to accomplish your dreams and to
do the things you want to do. The first step to achieving your dreams and any other aspect of success is graduating high
school. You don't have to be a straight A student to do it either. If you find the right friends, force yourself to get dressed
for gym, stay out of trouble, and do your homework, I think you'll find that it's not that bad.
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
PAGE 10
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
The Silver Scroll is pleased to present a new section for editorial writers. This section
expresses the opinions of members of the student body on tough issues.
Does Hard Work Pay Off?
By Shanice John
For years, teachers and parents have preached that you won‘t get far in life unless you set
goals and work hard to accomplish them. Through my personal experience, I have observed that this is
not always the case. In school we are given tests, quizzes, and assessments which measure how effectively we understand a given subject. The higher level the academic class, the more ―effort‖ and studying is required for successful completion. Take for example, as I sit attentively in my math class, carefully listening to
every syllable out of my math teacher‘s mouth and meticulously taking notes. At the end of class she announces that
there will be a test in two days. My initial reaction is to go for extra help to clear up any uncertainties I may have with
the material, while some of my peers will simply use the five minutes prior to the test to look over their notes. For the
next two nights I‘m up until at least 2:30 AM, way past my bedtime, studying for an upcoming test, assuming that more
than a few of my peers are sleeping comfortably in their PJ‘s right now.
Test day comes. I am filled with anxiety. The person next to me doesn‘t look like they have a care in the world
as they try to sneak in a few last minute text messages. The test is handed out and I look at the test in puzzlement. Did
I study the wrong chapter? No. The teacher decided that we were taught the basics, so now we can use what we know to
solve problems of higher difficulty. I am the last student with the test and I beg the teacher for a few extra minutes.
Even with the extra time I only manage to receive a high score of 70%, while the individual next to me got a 96%. When
I asked the person next to me if they studied, they respond with, ―Not really.‖ The point of the story is that I spent several nights of studying until early in the morning and going for extra help beyond the classroom hours, to ultimately end
up with a 70%. There are other students who did absolutely nothing to prepare and receive a much higher score.
There is no grade scale for a student‘s hard work and your hard work is not placed on your transcript. As colleges look at your transcript, they don‘t see the hard work you put into the class to get a D- in Chemistry. They see the
D and assume that the student is lazy and nonchalant about their school work. If that student did receive an A in
Chemistry, they will just look at the grade and assume that she is good at science, not realizing that there is a possibility that the student is horrible at science and just studied hard to receive that A. My pet peeve is that it doesn‘t matter
how much effort you put in if you never reach the high expectations of society. Colleges ask for class ranks. Let‘s say
you‘re number 63 out of 263 students. The 62 students in front of you got there because they are either gifted with intelligence or they invested a lot of time into their school work. Life is not fair to the students who actually have to study to
get decent grades rather than the students who never took the textbook home and receive a perfect score on a test. At
the end of day the number on your report is the only thing people see.
Colleges don‘t see that you took four different SAT prep courses and you can‘t get above a 500 in each section.
Colleges don‘t understand that you sacrificed playing a sport in order to offer more time to your academics. Parents
don‘t understand that you did work hard to get that 74 in AP U.S History. Society only wants the best and most efficient
people.
I want to highlight the fact that people don‘t evaluate how you got to where you are today; the only thing they
care about is that you finally got there. My high school career proves that life isn‘t fair and success is measured by a
number: your G.P.A, class rank, and the level of academic classes that you have taken. At night when you look yourself
in the mirror, the only thing you can do is to confidently say to yourself that you gave it your all, and now it is out of
your hands. Some of you may read my article and say that my opinion is entirely false, and that is quite all right. You
may argue that letters of recommendation or personal interviews provide the colleges with knowledge of the level of
hard work the student invested in their academics. The letter of recommendations and personal interviews are not
equal to the amount of energy placed into academics achievement. Even though there are many students who have been
blessed with intelligence and did not break a sweat during their school years there are still a handful of students who
struggled tremendously to get that A in all of their academic classes. Intelligence alone can get you a perfect GPA and a
full ride to college, but will intelligence alone make you successful in life? Teachers may say that they would rather have
a student who works hard to get a good grade than someone who is nonchalant about school work and yet still receives a
perfect score. Well, that may work in the classroom but not in the business world. Try telling your boss that even though
your presentation was atrocious, you spent weeks of hard work on it. After that, come back and tell me about your boss‘s
reaction. Everything you do is measured by a number and your hard work and dedication has little influence on that
number if you don‘t meet requirements. As Claude McDonald said, ―If hard work is the key to success, most people
would rather pick the lock.‖
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
PAGE 7
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
Fall Sports Overview continued
Football
To say that Mr. Claybourn and the
Sterling football program have had a rough
past few years is fair. A majority of the large
coaching staff is volunteering, and the freshman team being removed was a large loss to
an already struggling program. It is common
knowledge that the football team has not
won a game, up to this point, in the past two
years; however, the biggest issue with these
past couple sentences is that I have not once
wrote ―our team‖, which are words the
Knights have not spoken in some time.
Coach Claybourn encourages his players
every game to go out and play the greatest
game on Earth with every moment as a gift.
Veteran player Cory Sloan has taken it upon
himself to lead by example, but there is still
room for leadership to take hold in this
young, developing team. The goal is to get
better, and no one practices more than our
gridiron Knights, who practice or lift year
round to achieve success. It is hard to say
whether or not there is a major upswing
coming in the near future, but in this columnist‘s opinion our team‘s future starts with
our support. The team would love to see an
ocean of silver and blue, but it seems that
our Friday social becomes precedent over heavy on mental preparation and strategy,
supporting what is essentially, our family. so if you plan on coming out and supporting
Despite the scrutiny and hardship, the grid- the lady knights don‘t bring your air horn;
iron Knights, just by putTennis is the game of more
ting on their jerseys and
classy celebrations. Coach
walking onto that field,
McDonald stresses team
have shown more integsupport. The ladies work
rity and pride than the
with each other to lend mogreatest of champions and
mentum and confidence to
are well deserving of our
try and win matches. Forturespect and support.
nately for the racquet wieldWhether they are 10-0 or
ing lady knights, freshman
0-10, our football players Girls Tennis poses for a team photo. cuts do not affect the proand coaches are a family
gram since a majority of
of dauntless warriors.
tennis is individual or in doubles. Coach
McDonald and Asst. Coach Atene are proud
Girls’ Tennis
of the effort and dedication that the girls
Mrs. McDonald and the girls‘ tennis have put forward this year; also, both
team continue to impress and inspire in one coaches expressed the fun they had coaching
of the high school sports on the rise in popu- the thirteen graduating seniors and wish
larity. Several standout players including them luck in all future matches and endeavNicole Burley, Allison Korn, Paige Sendler, ors.
Andrea Kain, Shannon Yingst, Danielle Oster, Cortlandt Warren, Gina Doto and ReThe Silver Scroll would also like to
becca Maiatico go out to win every match,
acknowledge the Field Hockey and
and despite winning or losing points or
Cheerleading teams on their
matches themselves work to win the next
successful seasons.
and keep their composure. Tennis is a sport
Football Player Kevin McGuire’s Biggest Triumph
By Marc Narducci—Philadelphia Inquirer
Kevin McGuire Jr. has been a football player for many years, but his Super
Bowl moment came far away from the field in
April.
Second chances are never taken
for granted, so when Kevin had his final
chemotherapy treatment for leukemia in
April, his father, Kevin McGuire Sr., did
the equivalent of spiking the football after
his son's greatest triumph.
"I have never cried so much in the
beginning and experienced so much joy in
the end," Kevin McGuire Sr. said.
Kevin Jr. is now in remission, meaning he
has resumed the goal that any 17-year-old
desires.
"The kid never quit," his father
said. "He just wanted to be normal."
Sorry, but normal can't be applied to somebody who has shown so much heart. A junior at Sterling, Kevin has returned to the
football field, but actually he never left.
He was mainly a varsity specialteams performer as a freshman and then a
starter at defensive end as a sophomore.
All this while going through the
punch-in-the-gut feeling of chemotherapy,
having to undergo spinal taps, taking 20 to
30 pills per day, suffering from 106-degree
fevers. It was enough to wipe out even the
toughest of people.
Yet Kevin insisted on attending
practice, on playing in the games. Throughout this ordeal, football was as much a part of
the healing process as the medicine.
"It would have been hard if not for
football," Kevin Jr. said. "I wouldn't have had
goals, and football was my
getaway and made me feel
like a normal kid when I
stepped on the field."
While in the seventh grade, Kevin began
feeling intense pain in his
legs. He went to one hospital
after another, took a battery
of tests, but nobody could get
to the bottom of things. Then,
one visit to Children's Hospital in Philadelphia changed
Senior
everything.
Kevin McGuire
According to Kevin
Sr., within 20 minutes at the
hospital, leukemia was diagnosed.
And that began a 31/2-year test of
faith, perseverance, and courage. Kevin Jr.
would be in the hospital for long stretches.
The pain would be so excruciating
that he needed every ounce of effort to just
get through that day, and the one after that.
Is there any wonder his mother,
Vicki, nicknamed him Superman?
"He's an amazing kid," she said.
And through it all, not only did
Kevin start in football, but he's also a member of the track team, a pole vaulter at that.
The treatments couldn't keep him
down too long because there would be another game or practice in which to take part
in both sports.
"The treatments would just kick his
butt, but he would keep showing up, keep
working so hard," said Sterling football coach
Jarod Claybourn. "He's just a fantastic kid."
The family appreciated the way
Claybourn handled their son on the field.
Kevin Sr. told the coach not to treat his son
differently from anyone else.
So Claybourn kept calling his number.
"We really have to thank Coach
Claybourn because some might have had him
sit the bench, petrified to let him play," Kevin
Sr. said. "Letting him play was the best thing
for him."
"He said to me, 'These kids are so
little and they have to suffer, but I'm older
and can take it,' " his mother recalled.
Kevin Jr. has shown he can take a
lot, but he has given so much more, serving
as a true inspiration.
And that is why regardless of Sterling's record this year, there will be no bigger
winner than Kevin McGuire Jr. during the
coming South Jersey football season.
Reprinted with Permission
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
PAGE 8
Sterling Has Several Hall of Fame Nominees
By Katelyn Sullivan
and a positive influence
on the many young men
This year, Sterling
that I was fortunate to
High School proudly concoach and seeing them
gratulates Mr. Lamb, Mrs.
succeed.‖
McDonald, and Dr. McCulMrs. McDonald
ley for their inductions into
was inducted into the
the Gloucester County College Hall of
South Jersey Hall of
Fame, South Jersey Hall of Fame, and
Fame for basketball. She
Glassboro High School Hall of Fame rewas nominated for her
spectively. All of the new inductees were
success in her high school
recognized not only for their outstanding
athletic career and for her
athletic careers, but also for their generoutstanding contributions
ous contributions to the community
as a coach. During her
Coach McDonald
through coaching.
career right here at Stercelebrates her
school spirit.
Mr. Lamb was inducted into the
ling High School, Mrs.
Gloucester County College Hall of Fame
McDonald played the
for wrestling on September 24, 2010 at a
position of forward and got almost 1,000
ceremony held at Adelphia's restaurant
rebounds and scored 2,090 points. She
in West Deptford. During his time at both
won four conference championships, one
GCC and the University of North Carofor each year she was on the team.
lina, Mr. Lamb placed third in the nation
Though her induction
for his weight class of 150 lbs., earning
into the South Jersey Hall of Fame is
him All-American Status. All-American
only based on her high school career, Mrs.
Status is every wrestler‘s dream and one
McDonald continued to have success at
must place in the Top Eight of one‘s
the University of Miami and St. Joe‘s.
weight class throughout the entire counWhat Mrs. McDonald is most proud of
try in order to achieve this.
however, is giving back to the community
After graduating from UNC, Mr.
through coaching basketball. ―I am very
Lamb returned to GCC to coach the colhonored to be selected as a Hall of Fame
lege‘s wrestling team with phenomenal
recipient. I am most proud because I was
results. Within seven years, his team
told I was selected not only for my accomearned five National Championships with
plishments as an athlete, but also betwo
second
cause as a coach I have
place
fingiven so much back to the
ishes.
With
community. I love coachall the glory
ing because it allows me to
of the chamwork with some of the finpionships
est young ladies in the
also came a
school and I hope to be a
sense of fun,
positive role model for
friendship,
them,‖ said Mrs. McDonand learning
ald. Mrs. McDonald‘s inbetween the
duction ceremony will take
students
of
place on February 13, 2011
GCC
and
at the Crown Plaza in
Mr. Lamb poses with the GCC Director of
their coach.
Cherry Hill.
Athletics at the induction ceremony.
In fact, Mr.
Dr. McCulley was
Lamb considinducted into the Glassboro
ers his greatest experience while coaching
High School Sports Hall of Fame in Sepas ―being able to be a positive role model
tember 2010 for multiple sports. During
his time at GHS, Dr. McCulley
played three years of varsity football,
wrestling, and baseball, and also ran
the ¼ mile for track and pole vaulted
in his freshman year. He had ten
varsity letters in all, won multiple
awards, and was the captain of the
football team his senior year. He
played the positions of halfback and
running back for football and played
the outfield in baseball.
His greatest highlights of his
athletic career were being part of
championship teams and winning
two conference championships for
football. This helped earn him a
scholarship to Eastern Kentucky to
play college football. Being a part of a
team was very important to Dr. McCulley
as were his relationships with his fellow
athletes and coaches. Dr. McCulley believes that ―effort x your ability focused
The 2010 Class of Glassboro High School’s Hall of
Fame. Dr. McCulley is on the right.
Photo courtesy of Glassboroschools.us
on a specific task over a period of time
with vision [equals] success.‖
This helped him become a successful teacher, football coach and defensive coordinator when he returned to
GHS. Dr. McCulley coached fifteen athletes that were inducted into the GHS
Sports Hall of Fame, including Sterling‘s
own Mr. Redman. This induction means a
lot to Dr. McCulley because sports were
an integral part of his life and a source of
inspiration for his success in both teaching and administrative positions.
The Silver Scroll is looking for writers!
All writers, reporters, photographers, poets, and artists are welcomed and encouraged
to submit their work. Interested students should see Mrs. Murphy and stay tuned to the
announcements for meetings throughout the year!
V O LU M E 5 0 I S S U E 1
T HE S I LV E R S C R O LL
PAGE 9
Social Studies Seminar Celebrates Water Day
By Josh Castellanos
On Thursday October 21, the Social Studies
Seminar took part in World Water Monitoring Day
at Batsto Village in Wharton State Forest. There,
the students took samples of the lake water and
tested it to see how the water compared to previous years, and to see
if there were any noticeable shifts occurring. Students looked at the
pH levels, or the acidity of the water, as well as how clear the water
was, its temperature, etc. The Pine Barrens tends to have fairly
acidic soil, and as such the water is usually acidic as well. The plants
and animals in the region have adapted to the acidity. Therefore,
acidity in the test is a good thing, and luckily the test showed that
the water was indeed acidic.
Lake Batso in Burlington County, New Jersey
Members of the Pinelands Commission and of other organizations were present and educated students on the particular ecology and traits of the Pine Barrens that make it so
unique. Multiple schools from various counties participated in the event. Those participating were treated to the beautiful area that is Batsto. Being a part of the Wharton State Forest, Batsto is very well maintained and is home to a
lake, many acres of forest, and fresh air that is increasingly endangered. In addition, the area is also home to many
different varieties of plants and animals. The lake is populated with many different types of fish and eel, and even carnivorous plants. The creatures that can be found there include different types of frogs, snakes, beavers, deer, turtles,
birds, etc.
Throughout the day, students went to different stations and were taught about different environmental subjects. At one of
the stations, students were taught about the effects of runoff water picking up pollution and chemicals and then returning to the
water system,
and its effect on the environment. Another station explained
how
the water system works in built-up communities. It showed
the effects of
wells on the water level, and students learned that too
many wells in
one area could deplete the area's underground water supply. Students
learned that it's important for homes to be spread out and
that one area
should not be too tightly populated if its water is supplied
by wells. It is
imperative that more water not be used than what is readily available. A
sustainable balance must be maintained. It was explained
that
houses
and developments are either approved or disapproved with
all of this in
mind. An interesting fact though, is that most of Camden
County actually receives its water from the Delaware River instead of
Mary Britton and Kayla Natasha Williams
from wells.
carry their net back to shore.
T h e
purpose of World Water Monitoring Day is to test the
world's lakes and other bodies of water to see how clean they are, and to have data on record so that trends in water
conditions can be observed. It is also meant to create awareness of water pollution and the environment as a whole.
The process to test your local body of water is a very simple and inexpensive one, and should be looked into. Water test
kits can be ordered from the WWMD website, worldwatermonitoringday.org.
Seminar students spent the day learning about Batsto Village, the Pine Barrens, and water and its effect on
the environment. Students went from station to station learning about different topics and looking at various displays.
At one station, students put on waders and ventured into the lake, armed with nets and the hope of catching some type
of aquatic inhabitant. Another station featured the designs of scientists working through Rutgers University who are
trying to construct an effective eel bridge, or a way for eels to get from one end of a dam to another. Students learned a
lot about the environment and had a great time doing it. World Water Monitoring Day 2010 was, by all means, a success.
Stay tuned to the Scroll throughout the year for updates on the Social Studies Seminar.