November 2015 - Pottsville Area School District
Transcription
November 2015 - Pottsville Area School District
tide lines NOVEMBER 6, 2015 • VOLUME 27 • ISSUE 02 • POTTSVILLE AREA HIGH SCHOOL • POTTSVILLE, PA 17901 • WWW.PAHSTIDELINES.COM in this issue Style and Entertainment Flip through the pages and read a story on the new season of American Horror Story. Sports Read about students’ opinions on new positive pep rallies. Opinion Learn about an E-sports club being formed on the opinion pages. news > update November 7: SAT test at Blue Mountain November 16: ParentTeacher Conferences 12 a.m. to 8 p.m. November 19: Schuylkill County Band auditions at PAHS 5 p.m. November 26: Thanksgiving November 30: PAHS Financial Aid Night 7 p.m. December 3: PAHS choir holiday concert 7:30 p.m. December 17: PAHS and Lengel holiday band concert at PAHS 7:30 p.m. Please give us your input on this issue of Tide Lines. Facebook www.facebook.com/ pahstidelines Twitter @pahsTideLines Graphics by Abbey Kostyal Production Editor-In-Chief Pottsville and St. Clair reach a settlement Emma Walinsky Staff Writer S aint Clair students in grades 9-12 have been a part of the PASD family since 1989. For the past few years, the Saint Clair Area School District has been seeking alternative options, other than Pottsville Area High School, for its students. Pottsville fought to keep the students a part of the family, and October 7, the Saint Clair school board decided to keep their high school students at PAHS. Pottsville’s newest bid called for Saint Clair to pay $1.6 million per year or choose to pay $16 million for a longer commitment of 10 years. This is a substantial change from their initial offer of $27,442,187 for 10 years. The offer is based on a flat rate. This new bid was enough to convince Saint Clair to keep students at PAHS. “We wanted to keep the Saint Clair students in our school district family and be able to give those students a high quality education,” Mrs. Linda Grube, school board member, said. At the end of the 2014-2015 school year, Saint Clair began accepting merger proposals from any schools in a 10-mile radius of the town. SCASD received three offers from Photo by Abby Young Photography Staffer WRITE — Junior Rachel Rubright, a Saint Clair native, works on homework during class. Rubright was one of the many who couldn’t see themselves continueing their education anywhere but Pottsville Area High School. “I wouldn’t want to go anywhere besides Pottsville, but if I were to go anywhere else, I would want a school built around the New Philadelphia area to go to,” Rubright said. neighboring school districts. Pottsville placed its original bid in June. The latest bid was almost an $11.5 million dollar decrease from what Pottsville originally requested. The lowest bid that Saint Clair received Student Council hosts Sadie Hawkins dance Students celebrate with Sadie Hawkins dance Gillian Revenis Staff Writer S tudent Council used to have] dances after football games, but I have never been to one like this. My officers decided we should have one again and picked a Sadie Hawkins style dance,” Mr. William Rhoads said. “All proceeds will be donated to charity.” In the beginning of the school year, Student Council officers got together and decided to host a Sadie Hawkins dance for everyone in the school, rather than just juniors and seniors being able to attend the dance. For a Sadie Hawkins dance, girls ask boys to be their dates, which is different from traditional dances. “I don’t think being asked to a dance by a girl was [odd]. I think it should be just as much the girl’s responsibility as the guy’s to find a date. It was a nice change,” senior Brandon Daubert said. The idea originated from a comic strip that was written by cartoonist Al Capp. The cartoon, set in the hick town of Dogpatch, follows Sadie Hawkins, an unattractive woman concerned with her lack of prospective husbands, and the event she and her father created to solve Sadie’s problem of not being able to find any suitors. As the comic strip details, her father invited all the unmarried men in the whole town together and declared a new holiday held November 17, “Sadie Hawkins Day.” A race would commence and the man Sadie caught would become her lawfully wedded husband for as long as they both shall live. The other single women in the town thought this day was a wonderful idea and made it a mandatory tradition; the dance did not pop up in the strip until later. “Having a girl ask me wasn’t weird to be honest. I think girls ask guys to proms and other events more often than people realize,” senior Christian Witman said. Sadie Hawkins became a pop culture phenomenon on college campuses in 1939. According to Life magazine, over 200 colleges celebrated Sadie Hawkins Day that year. Sadie Hawkins dances have been around for about 75 years now, and they do not seem to be going away anytime soon and are still being held at colleges and high schools across the country. According to theatlantic.com, the Sadie Hawkins days and dances are meant to give empowerment to women. It gives them courage to go right up to and ask boys to be their dates instead of waiting around for boys to ask them to the prom or other dances. “I do think I am going to the dance, but I am not sure with who. I think that it should not matter who asks who,” SEE St. Clair, page 2 was from North Schuylkill. The district said it would ask Saint Clair to pay around $1,454,800 for a 10-year period. Although this was the cheapest offer, North Schuylkill’s proposal included the possibility of singling out the SEE Pottsville, page 2 Niche.com honors Pottsville teachers Emma Walinsky Staff Writer O ne hundred is great, but let’s see how high up we can get,” Dr. Jeffrey Zwiebel, PASD superintendent, said when the Pottsville Area High School teachers were ranked 100th on www.niche.com’s “Best High School Teachers in Pennsylvania” list. This ranking is an achievement for the teachers and the school district. No school in the district has ever been ranked on a list like Niche’s before. “I was very proud and very happy for the staff at the high school. They are a hard-working staff and have done a tremendous job in the last four years with strengthening our curriculum and providing a world-class education for our students,” Dr. Zwiebel said. Niche.com has been providing information on schools for more than 12 years. The website compiles information for making school and life decisions easier. Carnegie Mellon University students founded Niche. “I think what’s neat about this is the parent and student perception of our school. Just knowing when our kids went to college and were asked about this and looked favorably on their education is wonderful,” Ms. Tiffany Reedy, high school principal, said. From a ranking of almost every SEE Niche, page 2 2 November 6, 2015 tide lines Information and Policies Tide Lines is the online and print news publication of Pottsville Area High School. It is produced by the students of the Communications and Mass Media class. It is written for the Pottsville Area School District community and is distributed free of charge. Secondary audiences include other school journalism programs and organizations which promote the development of scholastic journalism, as well as people worldwide with the ability to visit the website. 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Tide Lines Contact Information [email protected] (570) 621-2974 Pottsville Area High School 16th Street and Elk Avenue Pottsville, PA, 17901 www.pahstidelines.com Tide Lines Editorial Board Executive Editor-in-Chief Paige Fellows Editors-in-Chief Alexa Biddle Samantha Disabella Jackson Gunelson Abbey Kostyal Tayah Moore Section Editors News and Features Editor Alexa Biddle Style and Entertainment Editor Paige Fellows Sports Editor Tayah Moore Opinion Editor Jackson Gunelson Photography Coordinator Becky Staller Business Coordinator Emma Stinnett Staff Writers Taylor Brigade Cami Chaplick Elizabeth Garraway Max Kelly Gillian Revenis Emma Walinsky Jared Williard DeAnna Stevenson Adviser Bridget R. Freiler School population: 975 Opinions will be clearly marked and found on the editorial pages or as designated on other pages. Corrections will be published online or printed in the next issue when mistakes are found or brought to the attention of the staff. 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St. Clair decides on PAHS for students Cont. from page 1 the Saint Clair students by naming their own valedictorian and salutatorian and also giving graduates Saint Clair diplomas. The Saint Clair school board discussed its options October 7. The members then voted on which bid was the best, and their choice was Pottsville. They looked to the public for comment before they placed their votes. “Providing an excellent education to all of our students was the most crucial thing. In addition to the solid education, remaining with Pottsville does preserve the school pride and sense of community that has been building over many years with our SC and Pottsville partnerships,” Mrs. Jeanette Zembas, Saint Clair school board vice president, said. If the Saint Clair students had ended up leaving the high school, class size and involvement in extracurricular activities like sports and clubs would have decreased since there are around 200 Saint Clair students enrolled at the high school. “I’d never want to leave PAHS because I know I have better opportunities here for football than I would have at other schools in this area,” junior Dylan Stillwagner said. “I’m proud to say I go to Pottsville, so I’d never want that to change.” Many of these students did not want to leave the Castle on the Hill due to the different experiences and opportunities that PAHS has to offer all students. “I wanted to stay at Pottsville because of all the endless opportunities it has to offer. If I were to go to another school, I would have been sad to leave behind all of my friends and dedicated teachers. Pottsville is a wonderful school and would be difficult to part with,” sophomore Jessica Turnitza said. School hosts dance Niche honors PAHS Cont. from page 1 sophomore Alex Albertini said. “Anyone should not feel embarrassed to [ask someone to be their date], but I feel a bit nervous about it.” Student Council senior officers came up with the idea from seeing Sadie Hawkins dances in movies and on television shows. In the fourth season of Fox’s Glee, there was an episode revolved around the Glee Club students attending the dance. The officers of Student Council thought it would be a new event that everyone at PAHS could attend rather than only juniors, seniors and members of Student Council. “The officers all agreed that having a Sadie Hawkins dance would be a little extra fun thing to do during the year,” senior Aislinn Lehane, treasurer of Student Council, said. The Sadie Hawkins dance will be informal, so everyone can dress comfortably. According to senior officers, girls going to the dance can wear a sundress or any dress of their choosing. There is no need to wear a ball gown or something one would wear to the senior prom. Posters around the school say boys attending the dance should wear khakis and a polo or dress shirt. One doesn’t have to wear a fancy tux or something over the top since it’s meant to be a casual event. “I know myself and my fellow officers are very excited to see how it turns out, and we hope everyone comes out and has a great time,” Lehane said. The cost to attend the dance is $5 per person. All the money collected will go to Student Council and will be used for Thon or go to the Wendy Nabholz scholarship fund. There will be a DJ playing music at the dance, as well as a photo booth for students to use for $1. The event will be held November 6 in the D.H.H. Lengel cafeteria after the last home football game. There will be food and drinks provided for everyone coming. “I love the idea of a Sadie Hawkins dance. I am very excited to have fun with my friends,” sophomore Lauren Hunter said. “We’ve already found our dates and are all ready to go. I can’t wait.” Cont. from page 1 lic school in the United States, Niche compiled the top 100 list of schools with the best teachers from Pennsylvania. The ranking data came from over 240,000 student and parent ratings on teachers. It was primarily based on how each school performed in comparison to others eligible for ranking. Overall, the Pottsville high school’s academic grade was a B+ with a total review of 3.7 out of 5. This data comes from a parent and student survey. A high ranking indicates students are pleased with their education, learning environment and teacher involvement. There are major factors considered in choosing the top schools. They include elements in the entire school, not just the educational factors. The factors range from parentstudent surveys to teacher absenteeism. Niche also ranks categories such as extracurricular activities, food and sports. “I am not surprised about this honor. We have very qualified teachers who do a good job of making themselves approachable to students who need help. I wish people would take advantage of the great education system we have,” senior Joshua Howell said. Becky Staller Photography Coordinator EDUCATE — Mrs. Nicole Stiles, PAHS French teacher, instructs her class on pronunciation of words. “It is great receiving recognition because we all work so hard in our individual areas,” Mrs. Stiles said. November 6, 2015 tide lines Teen Advisory Board operates food drive DeAnna Stevenson Staff Writer K nowing that even your little actions could help the community step by step: that’s what makes it all so rewarding,” sophomore Ethan Androshick said. The Pottsville Free Public Library has been open since November 9, 1911, and since then the nonprofit organization has been providing people of all ages free library use and offering public groups such as Pottsville Open Writers (POW), the Teen Advisory Board (TAB), Pottsville Page Turners, Writing and Drawing Club and many other groups that promote literacy through book discussions and writing as well as groups geared toward community service. The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) is a non-profit organization that exists specifically for helping out the community. Over the past two years, the TAB has been hosting a food drive at the library to help the Pottsville Area Soup Kitchen, run by St. Patrick’s Church. “I got involved because I believe that we should all do what we can to help our fellow humans. I think that it’s important to give food to those who need it,” junior Tim Witman said. “If I was in their shoes, I know that I would want someone to help.” Pottsville students include sophomores Androshick, Colleen Reed and Anthony Rulavage; juniors Jackson Gunelson, Tyus Jones, Josh Haidara, Tim Witman, John Mason, Steve Kaczmarek and Charles Bechtel; and senior Christian Gauker, who work to hold the food drive along with students from other school districts. Gunelson started the food drive last year as his Eagle Scout Project. “The meetings have quickly become my favorite part of Tuesdays,” Reed said. “I started attending the library for Writing and Drawing Club and the Teen Advisory Board, otherwise known as TAB, last winter through recommendation of a friend. It’s a good pair of organizations to join for recreational purposes, as well as for helping in the community.” The food drive benefits both the soup kitchen and the library, promoting their use, and brings positive public attention to the library and its services. “It’s really just a great experience for people who School implements discipline tracker Students behave better as result Emma Walinsky Staff Writer O Photo by Jackson Gunelson SCARE — Showing off their costumes, sophomores Ethan Androshick and Anthony Rulavage take a break from scaring haunted house passersby. The TAB haunted house was held October 26. “It’s a lot of fun and it’s all for a good cause,” junior Jackson Gunelson, director of the haunted house, said. join, along with those helped by the people involved,” Reed said. TAB also hosted a haunted house along with the food drive October 26. The haunted house was started in 2009 by Mr. Darren DeArment, the supervisor of the TAB and a librarian at the library. It is free to the public, yet they did accept donations, and took donations for the food drive. TAB plans on making the food drive a tradition along with the haunted house. It is held in the basement of the library and accompanies a Halloween party geared toward children. The theme for this year was “Nuclear Wasteland,” incorporating elements from popular media such as Fallout, a post-apocalyptic game series, and the Mad Max franchise. “We put a lot of work into the haunted house, and we’re rather proud of how it came out this year,” Gunelson, the director of the haunted house and a member of the TAB, said. Donations for the food drive were given to the soup kitchen October 28. The TAB meets Tuesdays at 6 p.m. and is for teens aged 13-18. To join TAB, as well as other organizations hosted by the Pottsville Free Public Library, one can visit the library at 215 W. Market St., Pottsville. Percussion members anticipate concert Paige Fellows Executive Editor-In-Chief eethoven once said, “to play a wrong note is insignificant, but to play without passion is inexcusable.” November 8, in celebration of Kutztown University’s sesquicentennial and 80th anniversary of the Century of Progress Marimba Orchestra, over 100 percussionists from across the country will perform in a 150-piece marimba orchestra at Kutztown University. Mr. Stephen Horvath, learning support teacher and percussion instructor, sophomore Kaitlyn Pekarik and senior Cody Gemmell were invited to participate in the concert where they will have the opportunity to attend numerous rehearsals and clinics over the duration of the weekend, ending with the concert on Sunday. “This opportunity doesn’t come along very often,” Mr. Horvath said. “I could be sharing a marimba with a world-class musician. Percussionists are extremely open in this regard, and the sharing of ideas should make for a great weekend.” Because Mr. Horvath studied with percussion professors at Kutztown University, he was invited to participate in the concert. Pekarik and Gemmell were invited to participate as students under Mr. Horvath. In 1933-1934, a marimba designer and Lancaster County native by the name of Clair Omar Musser put together a 100-piece marimba orchestra named “A Century of Progress” that performed at the World’s Fair in Chicago. The concert being held at Kutztown University was organized in celebration of the 80th anniversary of Musser’s original marimba orchestra. “It’s going to be great to play with the greatest marimba players in the world,” Pekarik said. The percussionists will perform several pieces written by classical composers that have been ar- 3 B Photo by Alexa Biddle PLAY — Mr. Steve Horvath and sophomore Kaitlyn Pekarik practice a marimba duet for the Century of Progress Marimba Orchestra concert. ranged for marimba and a world premiere written by Gordon Stout, professor of percussion at Ithaca College. Stout is considered a master of the marimba, having written compositions for the instrument and performed them worldwide. “The concert on Sunday is already sold out,” Mr. Horvath said. “They are recording it, so we may pop up on YouTube or on an album.” In preparation for the concert, Mr. Horvath, Pekarik and Gemmell began learning their music in August. The first time they will rehearse as a group with the other marimbists will be November 7, the day before the concert. In order to prepare efficiently, participants in the orchestra had to rigorously practice over the past two and a half months. “Performing with so many people raises the level of precision,” Mr. Horvath said. “I’ve been practicing every day so I can play my part in the event.” The concert November 8 will be held at 4:30 p.m. in the Schaeffer Auditorium at Kutztown University, and the concert is expected to last approximately one and a half hours. “I’m looking forward to playing alongside famous marimba players from around the country,” Gemmell said. “Being able to play under them is an honor.” n the first day of school, students found out that teachers now have the ability to log infractions of school rules on Skyward. Mr. Jeffrey Godin, vice principal, and Mr. Raymond Yost, dean, monitor these infractions, calling students to the dean’s when they see too many. All teachers in the district have the ability to record any discipline issues throughout their school. “The culmination of smaller infractions was causing problems in the classroom and in the hallways. Skyward does have the capability to cover this type of thing, so it kind of fell together,” Ms. Tiffany Reedy, principal, said. The issues teachers can record range from a student having his or her phone out to sleeping in class. Consequences depend on the nature of the infraction and the office’s opinion on handling the issue. “I think this new tracker is very beneficial for teachers and staff. It will reduce their stress and time lost from dealing with annoying issues,” sophomore Laura Turnitza said. The system is not meant to target a student for breaking one rule, but rather the grouping of multiple infractions. Skyward makes reporting issues for teachers much easier and faster. Students will not be interrupted from their studies due to minor problems. “I’m not sure if this is coincidental or not, but it seems that the student body has been behaving better at the start of the year than in previous years. Our hope is that we can spend our time doing positive things instead of focusing on the nuisance behavior,” Ms. Reedy said. Candidates reflect on Homecoming Alexa Biddle Editor-In-Chief T he announcement speaker crackles to life during ninth period and there is an immediate change in students’ demeanors; faces display anticipation. They know what is about to happen - the top three Homecoming candidates are about to be announced. Ms. Reedy’s voice becomes clear and the top three boys and girls are named. Seniors Essence Johnson, Delaney Golden and Gabrielle Vetrano made it to the top three for Homecoming Queen, and seniors Brandon Daubert, Hayes Krammes and Taylor Brigade were the top three for Homecoming King. “I initially wanted to run for Homecoming to make my senior year memorable. It was pretty amazing seeing how much our student body supported me. I am very thankful for my peers [for] supporting me through this,” Johnson said. Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator POSE — Standing with their counterparts, seniors Delaney Golden, Hayes Krammes, Brandon Daubert, Essence Johnson, Taylor Brigade and Gabrielle Vetrano pose for a photo after the final results were announced. Homecoming Royalty Johnson and Daubert were crowned at the football game October 2. “I can’t thank the student body enough for supporting me,” Daubert said. 4 November 6, 2015 tide lines American Horror Story: Why it should be your new favorite show Jared Williard Staff Writer Graphic by Abbey Kostyal Production Editor-in-Chief Apple creates new and improved technology New iOS system and iPhones cause excitement among users Alexa Biddle & Tayah Moore Editors-in-Chief Graphic by Abbey Kostyal Production Editor-in-Chief I OS 9 is the best thing since sliced bread according to Apple fans. A breakdown of the different components it brings to the table (free of gimmicks and advertisement techniques) should give one the information he needs to draw conclusions about just how much he desperately needs to download the next big thing, which comes as the default system on the new iPhone 6s and 6 plus. New features of iOS 9: 1. iOS 9 pays attention to when one likes to use his apps and updates the content in them at times that make sense, like when one’s iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi, to further his iPhone’s battery life. I n fall 2011, a new show premiered on FX by the name of American Horror Story. As soon the first episode aired, the ratings soared. In recognition of Season 5, here is a ranking of each season of AHS from best to worst. The first season, subtitled Murder House, is my absolute favorite, simply because of the complex and rounded characters. Two characters in the season that eventually fall in love both struggle from depression, so it is kind of like a “cursed star-crossed” love story. The second season, Asylum, mixes different paranormal aspects together, and it was entertaining to watch the usual factors of an AHS season, then witness a brand new element being added in the season. The third season, Coven, follows a group of female witches who live at Miss Robichaux’s Academy in New Orleans in 2013. The season really builds up to the finale; every episode ties in somehow with the season finale in a different way. This season is tied with Asylum as my second favorite season. The fourth season, Freak Show, follows a troupe of “freaks” in the “sleepy little hamlet,” as the show describes it, of Jupiter, Florida, in 1952. This season is my least favorite so far. There were characters shown who did not really serve a purpose, and the season focused on making things violent instead of paranormal and spooky, like usual seasons. Season 5, oh how long I have been waiting to write about you. Season 5 is set to include Lady Gaga, so as one of her “Little Monsters,” I am really excited to see her act in a popular TV show. The season premiere was outstanding. I certainly was not expecting what Ryan Murphy had come up for the season. He is introducing vampirism into this season, and it is really cool so far. Lady Gaga’s character is absolutely superb. This show is so interesting, and it will leave you spellbound and keep you guessing. AHS has violence, it has comedy, it has bad language, which is practically everything a teenager wants in a TV show. Mark your calendars now to start watching Season 5 of AHS. 2. AirPlay, a new app that comes with the update, is to be used for doing whatever one’s doing on his phone on a television via Apple TV. 3. The Notes app, which used to be formatted like a basic notebook, is now redesigned to include photos, maps, web links, checklists and doodles. 4. The default passcode length for an iPhone is now six digits instead of four, and with one million possible combinations instead of 10,000, one’s phone can be even more secure. 5. Another feature that comes with iOS 9 is the different setup of the recently used apps. They are now set up so one can see more of the apps he has used in one screen. 6. One feature many iPhone users are ecstatic about is Low Battery Mode, which increases battery life by turning off certain features including mail fetch, background app refresh and automatic downloads. 7. Siri actually makes sense now, which iPhone users are thrilled about. Instead of wasting time slowly speaking for Siri and being irritated when she still does not understand, iPhone users can now use her with ease. Siri has been modified so that she’s more useful and understands the user’s voice better without him having to repeat himself multiple times. New features of the iPhone 6 and 6s: 1. New 3D touch makes it quicker and more efficient to open mail, messages and photos. When one holds his finger on an application, he will feel a light vibration and a small menu pops up. Example: the camera app options are Take Selfie, Record Video, Record Slo-mo and Take Photo. 2. The new A9 chip delivers performance once found only in desktop computers. 3. The LTE and WiFi are twice as fast as the previous generation. 4. A new rose gold color was added, which many girls are excited about. Students remain comfortable in the dress code DeAnna Stevenson Staff Writer Photo by Paige Fellows Executive Editor-in-Chief I t isn’t a surprise that most PAHS students are opposed to the dress code. It isn’t only strict, but inconvenient, often uncomfortable and aesthetically unappealing. Going against th code does nothing but get a studen to the office, and it is unlikely that t code will loosen up anytime soon. M dents are finding clever ways to ch up their style whether for comfort o variety, finding new styles that are dress code appropriate and a nice change from the polo and jeans ritual. Quarter Zips Quarter zips are a popular unisex p that have gained popularity in scho hoodies are prohibited, this style is line. Quarter zips often come with t “kangaroo pockets” often found on ies, ribbed cuffs and waistband, an a loose, comfortable fit. The zipper at the chest, and since there is no h the leftover material forms the shap collar, making it acceptable to wear collar itself. Quarter zips are priced $20 to $50 and can be purchased a such as Nike, Under Armour and V Secret. Collared Dresses Dresses are against dress code policy without a built in collar, and even though it may sound less exciting to have it this way, collared dresses are rather fashionable. Think of the Wednesday Addams look, but with hair down, an Instagram filter and the dress itself tailored to the trends of 2015. These dresses range from gothic to cute or casual, and they can be multicolored, patterned or even made from denim or chambray, a more comfortable denim substitute. These dresses range in price from $15 to $45 and are sold at stores like Forever 21, Kokopie or Hot Topic. Peter Pan Collars The Peter Pan collar is a vintage statement that is becoming more chic by today’s standards. The style got its name from the collar of Maude Adams’s cosher 1905 role as Peter Pan in the broadway Peter and Wendy, the collar inspiring styles he 1920s and ’50s. Unlike traditional triangucollars, Peter Pan collars are flat with roundedges that meet at the front. They are often und on nice dress shirts or dresses. They can also be sold detachable to add to any sweater, shirt or dress. Shirts and dresses ith these collars can be priced at $15 to $50 nd can be found at stores such as Forever , Lands’ End or Urban Outfitters. wl Neck Sweatshirts he quarter zip, cowl neck sweatshirts are r for their comfort and similarities to hoody come with larger pockets and usually run . The neckline hangs in draped folds and is y bunched up at the neck, almost classifying se turtleneck that looks similar to a hoodie. so sometimes have draw cords that you can ull in cold weather. The prices range from $60, and they can be purchased from Nike, can Eagle or Victoria’s Secret. ings gg gs have evolved over the past few years. They are no longer leggings with obvious fake front pockets and no back pockets, but truly jeans with added spandex or cotton to a point where they are almost unidentifiable as anything but a pair of jeans. They are any other pair of jeans, just with a little more comfort and flexibility, not to mention fully functioning front and back pockets. Jeggings are priced from $20 to $60 per pair and are commonly made by brands such as Hollister, American Eagle and Old Navy. November 6, 2015 tide lines Sizing proves to differ among genders Shopping results in conflict due to inaccurate sizing Tayah Moore Editor-in-Chief Taylor Brigade Staff Writer L O et’s talk about girls shopping, either an awesome or dreadful experience. For me, the experience varies. My favorite item to buy is definitely shirts because I have no problem shopping at a variety of stores because most shirts my size, at any store, fit me the same. Jeans are a whole different story. As Meghan Trainor once said, “Yeah, it’s pretty clear, I ain’t no size two” — a saying that sounds pretty accurate to me when it comes to jeans shopping. I have had to change the stores where I buy my jeans over the years because jeans seem to keep getting smaller. My eighth grade year, I enjoyed wearing Hollister jeans. They fit nicely, but I was also in possible, which obviously was not goi out in the long run. Not surprisingly, when I went schoo ping the next year, there was not a sin of jeans inside the store that fit me ple After that awkward experience, I decid test out American Eagle (AE) jeans. Buying jeans at American Eagle was so much easier. They had a better variety and more sizes, and the best part, they were comfortable. Two years later, I am still shopping at AE. This school year, shopping was inte esting. I shopped at Kohl’s for the first time, and a nice chunk of the hour wa me freaking out inside the dressing ro because when I tried on my jeans, the made it to mid thigh and trust me, they were not going any higher. So then, I tried on the next size up. made it up and zipped, but I had this f that they were a little too tight. Long st short, by the time I found a size that lo appealing and fit comfortably, I was fo sizes above my actual size. To get to the point: I wish I was several sizes smaller so jean shopping wa easier. ften times, guys think girls take too long when shopping for clothes. A solid majority of guys think shopping for clothes is no hassle at all. However, the fact of the matter may be that female clothes shopping is a completely different science than male clothes shopping. There are many popular brands out there that average high school students are drawn to, such as Hollister, Aéropostale, Nike and American Eagle. Since all brands aren’t made by the exact same manufacturer, there is potential for a slight size differential. For example, sometimes a guys’ small shirt from Hollister will not fit the a guys’ small shirt from Amerigle. However, this is not a on problem when it comes to izes. biggest “fit gap” used to be en Hollister and nearly every r popular teen brand. Because his, there has been a noticeble decline in boys wearing Hollister, especially around school. Hollister’s clothing izes tended to be noticeably aller in general when comd to other clothing brands, rdless of their popularity. ny boys have been turning to ican Eagle due to the comfortt and more accurate sizing clothing, which makes even competition for other brands. stale has also been gaining opularity from boys and girls r their comfort and sizing. hat Hollister has seemingly some of its sizes, the brand is ng popularity once again. Even changes, there will always be ility for sizing errors and fit s. The Hunger Games fans prepare for finale Alexa Biddle Editor-in-Chief Graphic by Elizabeth Garraway Production Staffer *WARNING: THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS STORY. eople anxiously sit on the edge of their seats, eyes glued to the screen as they watch the last moments of Mockingjay: Part One. Peeta is briefly shown writhing around on a hospital bed, brainwashed and rabid, and then the screen cuts to black. Mouths agape, minds furious about the cutoff point and hearts pounding. They then leave the theater, anticipating the next and final installment in the series. The Hunger Games introduced Katniss Everdeen, a teenager living in the post-apocalyptic society of Panem. After an attempted revolution, the 12 districts that Panem is divided into were forced to start sending a man and a woman to the annual “Hunger Games,” an event during which the 24 tributes are released into a controlled environment and must fight to the death. When Prim, Katniss’ younger sister, is chosen, Katniss immediately volunteers to take her place, even though being chosen usually results in imminent death. In the arena, she must choose between the competition and the feelings that are blossoming for her male counterpart, Peeta Mellark. In the second installment of the series, Catching Fire, Katniss and Peeta go on a Victor’s Tour after outsmarting the Hunger Games and catch wind that standing against the rules of the Hunger Games sparked an uprising. For the 75th Hunger Games, President Snow twists the rules and states the trib- P utes will be pulled from the existing pool of victors in each district, which means Katniss will be going back to the games as the only female victor from District 12. Fans of The Hunger Games series were there with the characters through everything. Readers felt what the characters felt, saw what they saw and wanted what they wanted. They were frustrated when things were cut during the book-to-movie adaptations, pleased when Peeta and Katniss actually started falling in love (Team Peeta forever) and devastated when Gale told Katniss that District 12 was completely blown to smithereens at the end of Catching Fire. Some fans were disappointed with the ending to Mockingjay: Part One because of the ‘anticlimactic’ ending, but they must have known they were only getting half of a movie because it was specifically called “Part One.” “I’ve read the books, so I had an idea of where the directors would cut the movie, so I wasn’t that upset when Mockingjay: Part One wasn’t actionpacked,” junior Ariella Bell said. “I noticed a few changes were made during the book-to-movie translation. They didn’t affect the plot very much, so I was okay with them. I just hope nothing big will change in the second movie.” Some fans are anxious wondering about how the second part of Mockingjay will be interpreted for the movie; they can only hope that most of the ideas in the book will be kept intact. Some changes were made during Mockingjay: Part One, such as Effie appearing in District 13, so those obviously will cause a few things to be tweaked in Mockingjay: Part Two, but hopefully not too much else will be changed. Mockingjay: Part Two hits theaters November 20. 5 The Fellows Feature Newest Snapchat update provides endless amusement among users Paige Fellows Executive Editor-in-Chief W ho would’ve thought that Snapchat would have added filters that allow users to vomit rainbows and shoot confetti out of their mouths? Recently, when one updates his Snapchat app, he has the ability to access seven filters, or what Snapchat refers to as “lenses,” that can add a bit of excitement to an ordinary snap. The update was released September 16 and had users sending snaps of themselves with animated tears running down their faces, rainbows pouring out of their mouths and deranged faces that looked similar to that of a demonic monster. For the first few days after the update was released, users had the option of choosing seven filters to alter their poor faces. After about a week, Snapchat began adding a new filter each day and removing one of the original filters. In order to access these ridiculous filters that users like myself seem to obsess over, one must turn his front face camera on, press and hold his finger over his face and the app will, or at least should, detect the face that is shown. Sometimes Snapchat doesn’t detect a face if the lighting isn’t ideal or if one is in the dark. Otherwise, it usually works pretty well. Just don’t do what I did when I first updated the app — I literally held my finger on my actual face waiting for the app to detect my face. Not my best move. But, eventually I got the hang of it, and now that’s about all I use when I use the app. Another feature Snapchat decided to incorporate into the update was giving users the ability to add “stickers” or emojis directly onto their snaps. Prior to the update, users were able to add emojis into the text of their snaps, but they were never able to directly place emojis onto their snaps. Though this isn’t the most popular addition to the update, users still seem to actively try it out. I personally enjoy placing emojis over my head, making myself instantly become Santa Claus or a chimpanzee. Needless to say, Snapchat provides extensive amusement for those who constantly find themselves faced with utter boredom. It was definitely a surprising and exciting moment when Snapchat released its newest update, so I’m hoping it lasts and isn’t just a one-time sort of thing. I would be really upset if I woke up one morning and there wasn’t a new feature awaiting me. Yes, that is what I look forward to every day, and that is what this world is coming to. Hopefully tomorrow the rainbow vomit will be brought back, because that was by far the best one of all. For those new to the update, remember; hold your finger over your face on the phone screen. Not your literal face… 6 November 6, 2015 November 6, 2015 tide lines Managing Schoo Stress Jobs affect scholars’ grades Students manage holding a parttime job during the school year Deanna Stevenson Staff Writer Gillian Revenis Staff Writer B alancing school and work can prove to be challenging for many students. The average high school student spends about seven hours a week on homework alone and the average amount of studying per night is two to four hours; having to go to work on top of that can be extremely stressful. Factoring in after-school activities such as sport teams or clubs, time available to get school work done completely and on time diminishes, especially for demanding programs. A survey from Citigroup and Seventeen magazine found almost 80 percent of students work during the school year, and the average student works 18 hours a week. With so many hours of studying, homework and working in one’s daily schedule, the amount of hours a student has left for sleep is often compromised, as well as the time left to work on one’s grades. Experts found that students who work 15 to 20 hours a week see a decrease in academic performance. “Sometimes nights get a little long, but it is so rewarding to be making your own money and not relying on your parents for everything,” senior Reba McClelland said. McClelland works at the D.H.H. Lengel Middle School as a lifeguard and applied for a position at Michael’s. According to a study conducted by psychologist Robert Leahy, the average child today has more anxiety and stress than child psychiatric patients in the 1950s. Students are found to have more stress than adults and are the most stressed-out age group in the U.S. A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association revealed that 31 percent of teens reported feeling overwhelmed from stress, 30 percent have reported becoming depressed as a result and 36 percent report fatigue from stress. “It does get stressful at times because I often don’t get home from work until 8:30 or 9 at night. Those nights are usually some pretty late nights which stress me out because I worry that my school work won’t be up to the usual standard,” McClelland said. “I’m in water polo and marching band. I feel that water polo makes life harder to manage more than anything else, but I still manage to get everything accomplished.” Many students take to staying up past midnight to finish their work if there is no other available time, but there are many dangers to pulling an all nighter, and sometimes trying to pull one isn’t very effective. Studies show that the longer one deprives her body of sleep, her brain becomes less and less efficient. Extended lengths of time without sleep are also known to intensify anxiety and depression and have undesirable long term effects on one’s learning capacity. “It’s not really that stressful. I only work once a week,” senior Maddie Consugar, part-time lifeguard, said. “On the days I have work, I stay up pretty late doing all my homework. I do any work I didn’t finish during homeroom and do a lot at lunch. Planning out my schedule a few days in advance of when I’m going to do homework and study in between everything helps. I take advantage of any little free time I have to study and do homework.” The benefits can outweigh the disadvantages, and working for some students is not a choice but a necessity. Pulling all nighters and stressing oneself out is not the only option. Many students plan their days out through schedules, sometimes by the hour, prioritizing their time, using slow periods at work to accomplish school work (with their bosses’ permission), and even scheduling tutoring or study dates with friends to make sure they’re caught up with their classes. Max Kelly Staff Writer M aintaining an A average is tough to manage, especially if you are a scholar with a job. Many students have a job to make extra money, to save for college or to have on hand for other expenses. But are all of these responsibilities too much for these individuals? Do teachers realize how much teens have on their shoulders? Many teens have to figure out how to manage their time when they have a job along with school work and other activities. Juggling homework, sports and extracurricular activities is enough to stress anyone out. Each one of these takes time from their social lives. Socializing is taken out of students’ lives due to work, school, homework and after school activities. This can cause the youth to have problems occur with family and friends. Having duties reflects on a teenager’s life in general. Pupils taking honors and AP courses may have homework every night, and athletes have practice and games that last for several hours each day. Balancing these requirements may be tough for a teenager, but many manage to keep their grades up while keeping their bosses happy. Staying up until 12 a.m. to study for a test the next day is one way teens with jobs keep their grades up. Studying and doing homework before and after work is something many people with jobs do. This affects students’ sleep schedules and causes them to pay less attention in class. Along with paying less attention, the students’ grades end up dropping, and that causes even more stress on them. Many teens in school keep up with school work, sports and work hours by making a schedule for when homework has to be done around work and sports. “I keep my grades up while having a job by doing my homework on my break at work or otherwise doing everything before I get ready for work,” sophomore Bailey Warunek said. “I also take two weekdays off every week to always have off so I can study or keep up on homework.” It may be a bit of work and take up most of your time, but it is worth it when your name is on a paycheck. Teenagers nowadays have more financial culpability and often have to pay for what they want. For instance, when teenagers get their license, they often have to start paying for their own car insurance. Some parents may want their children paying for other things such as their own phone bill, clothing and other expenses. “Having a part-time job can help you get some cash for yourself,” sophomore Ethan Androshick said. “Juggling a part-time job and school is very easy with work on weekends. I always have time to do my homework due to my job being on weekends.” J obs are super hard to manage during school. Personally, I don’t have the time for one. I admire the people that figure out how to do school and work and not be overwhelmed,” sophomore Lauren Hunter said. Balancing jobs and school work is not always easy to accomplish. Prioritization is key when trying to find time to work, study and keep up with school work. Most students cannot balance jobs and school, so they choose to focus on school work and studying. People usually have some type of activity or sport after school, which would also interfere with a job. “I do not have a job because my schedule is filled with extracurricular activities. The clubs and sports I am in keep me after school until around 4:30 p.m. every day, which takes away from my time to work,” sophomore Noah Robertson said. Although jobs may be hard to maintain through the school year, there are students who would consider getting a job if they were of age. “I don’t have a job because I’m not old enough. If I were 16, I would most likely apply to Schuylkill Valley Sports. They have good rewards and discounts on items,” sophomore Brady Kokitus said. There are many complications that come with juggling a job and school work. One would need a good amount of free time to even consider getting a job. Certain students’ parents don’t require them to have jobs either. If someone needs money to go out to eat or to a movie, their parents will hand over money for them. Other parents believe that their children shouldn’t have jobs because it can take away from time to study and do homework or school projects. There are many other students who are simply too lazy to get an after school job. These students would rather come home and watch television, play video games or hang out with friends. The reasons that a student may not have an after school job can range from laziness and not needing money, to not being allowed or not having time for one, but whatever the case, some students just can’t balance a job and school. With how busy teenagers are these days, some parents find it best for their children not to work, due to all the stress and overworking they would deal with. Parents do not want too much on their children’s plates. Some families are in a financial position to not have to require their children to work and would rather have them participate in after school activities or study more. Some students prefer having jobs in the summer rather than the school year because there is less stress. However, what some teachers do not understand is that these students whowork during the school year are only one person, and times have changed. Stress is harmful and can affect a person physically and mentally. W . S Youths find conflict in balancing work A Play Sports Doesn’t Play Sports Work Doesn’t Work After School Activities Doesn’t Do After School Results about stress based on survey of 60 random PAHS students 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 tide lines 7 Students Talk Photos by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator •How do you keep up with everything you are involved in? -”I try to balance my responsibilities between school and work. Don’t stress out, keep a planner and pray you can get to sleep before midnight.” -Senior Arrianna Daniels. • How do you manage school and work? -”I try to do most of my homework during school, so I have less to do at home. I usually work right after school for about four hours, and I work up to eight hours a day on the weekend. It’s not easy to manage both, and often times I find myself overwhelmed.” -Junior Emily Witmier. • Is there a reason why you don’t work? -“I do not have a job yet because I prefer to take my time in finding one that I will like. I also prefer to have the time to focus on school, video games and hobbies. I will probably find a job during college; during high school it is too difficult.” -Junior Josh Haidara. • How do you keep your grades up with having a job? -“Between school, practice and work, keeping up my grades is hard because of all the homework teachers throw on you. My job makes it kind of easy because the manager lets us catch up on our school work while we’re not busy.” -Junior Rhiannon Daniels. 50 Graphics by Samantha Disabella, Production Editor-In-Chief; Elizabeth Garraway, Production Staffer; and Jalen Tran, Extracurricular Staffer. 8 November 6, 2015 tide lines Players reflect on fall sports highlights and memories Winter athletes open up about season As fall sports finish, athletes look back on their favorite moments of the 2015 season “The highlight of the season was beating Daniel Boone. It was amazing to win our first game in two years, and we were the first Pottsville team to ever win at Daniel Boone’s field. We will also be the last team to play Daniel Boone in any PAHS sporting event; it feels good to know that we went out on top. Roll Tide.” Mitch Robison, varsity football senior Photo by Rachel Conville Extracurricular Staffer “Last year was an amazing season for our school’s basketball program. If we keep working hard and staying focused, I truly believe that this season will be filled with wins and championships. We have the talent to do so, now we just have to focus on our goals and work hard to achieve them.” -boys’ basketball, Jordan Abdo, 11 Photo by Corey Schuster PAHS Graduate “Last season was successful but wasn’t as good as we were going for. We would like to win a few more games than last year, which would cause us to go undefeated. We are working so hard, so the team and I do believe that we will win if not all of the games, almost all.” -girls’ basketball, Sadie Comfort, 10 “The best part of the season was getting to know all the girls and becoming a family. The group of girls I got to know is full of people that will be there for you throughout high school, even after the season ends.” Olivia Eagan, varsity girls soccer sophomore “My favorite memories were of all the bus rides and tournaments. We usually spent the time playing what are the odds and [listening to] the song ‘Hotline Bling.’ In upcoming seasons, we hope to be as close as the team was this year.” Sadie Michel, water polo sophomore “The highlight of this year’s season was that I got a new personal record on the home course.” Carissa Kiapes, cross country junior Photo by Rachel Conville Extracurricular Staffer “This year, we hope to win the Schuylkill League again and possibly even win districts. This year, I am practicing harder than I have in the past to better prepare for this season.” -diving, Chase Alisauckas, 11 “The first best highlight of my season would be [starting] libero on varsity as a sophomore. I worked hard all summer and so did the rest of the girls. One of my most memorable games would be home against Lehighton. We went four games with them, and our last set went into extra points. In that game, I had 14 digs, which is the most I had all year.” Kassi Kuperavage, girls’ volleyball sophomore “Tennis is a big part of the school year for me. My favorite moment was getting the win against Jim Thorpe. It was early in the season and gave us confidence for the rest of the season.” Emma Wiscount, girls’ tennis junior “The highlight of my season was becoming a very strong team. We all worked hard together to win matches and tournaments.” Zach Turnitza, boys’ water polo freshman “The highlight of the season was beating Pine Grove. We were without some of our players, and we were coming off a tough loss that ended our chances of going to districts. We had to focus during this game and even with the season basically over, work hard on the field.” Luke Joyce, boys’ soccer sophomore Photo by Corey Schuster PAHS Graduate “My expectations for this season are to win the Schuylkill League, win the DKI tournament and be there for my team. We have been preparing for the season by lifting, wrestling in tournaments and trying to do everything that we can to progress.” wrestling, Ryan Green, 11 Photo by Kali Baldwin Photography Editor “This season, I expect to do as good as we did last year, if not better. To prepare for this season, I went lifting and then ran two miles.” -winter track, Jamie McCabe, 10 Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator “My expectations consist of beating Blue Mountain and improving my speed for this year. Last season, our team won the Schuylkill League championship. To prepare for this season, I played water polo.” -swimming, Chris Ott, 10 (pictured playing water polo) Coach’s Corner: Out of the Pool Compiled by Max Kelly Staff Writer Photo by Max Kelly Staff Writer What are your expectations for this upcoming season? “I expect us to challenge for the league championship this year. So far, we have won 21 of a possible 25 in history.” How do you feel last season went? “I was very, very pleased with last season. We were 13-1, league champs and placed third at districts.” Do you think the men’s swim team will keep the Schuylkill League title this year and why? “What’s the recipe for success? It’s the same every year. Minor changes, great attendance, hard work, support of teammates, focus and individual goals as well as team goals.” How are you planning to come back from losing 11 seniors? “Normally, when you graduate 11 seniors, it spells disaster, but that’s not the case. We have such a strong nucleus of swimmers returning.” November 6, 2015 Give Me Moore tide lines New positive pep rallies spark different opinions throughout student body Tayah Moore Editor-in-Chief PAHS Friday pep rally generally consists of cheerleaders doing chants such as “Give A Yell,” seniors shouting “Seniors are the Best,” the band playing “Hail to the Varsity,” a representitive from each grade swinging the spirit stick and, a big change this year, not one student in the auditorium booing the freshmen. Ms. Tiffany Reedy, PAHS principal, talked about what the new rallies were all about before the first one started. The new slogan is, “Be Loud. Be Proud, Be Positive.” She stated that she wanted everyone to continue being spirited without booing. “When I think of a successful pep rally, I envision the students cheering loudly to support their team and their class. I read an article this summer regarding a school implementing the term SUPER FAN,” Ms. Reedy said. “That is when I decided to introduce the slogan ‘Be loud. Be proud. Be positive.’ I feel like the change has been a success, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly favorable.” Some students enjoy everything about pep rallies. “Being a new student, I think the pep rallies are unique compared to my old school, which is Blue Mountain,” sophomore Jalen Tran said. “I like the skits, and the outdoor pep rally was a nice change.” Some say that not being able to boo is not fair, while others are just going with the flow. My opinion? No booing— no big deal. “When I found out that we couldn’t boo the freshmen, I, along with many other students, thought it was stupid. Like a lot of people, I believe it was a rite of passage and that it was just what occurred every Friday,” senior Logan Derbes said. “My opinion has changed in a way. I still think it’s a rite of passage, but I honestly don’t really care that much about it anymore.” Others also said that booing was a tradition, which most teachers actually disagree with. “Booing has not been a tradition for ‘forever’ as some students try to say. If anything, it is a recent thing,” Mr. Hal Bertsch said. “[Though] I can say that pep rallies are getting better.” At first I was a little mad that booing was not allowed, but after experiencing the first pep rally of this school year, I could not believe how much better it went. Cheering was the loudest I have ever heard a pep rally. But for those who think it is not fair, kudos for holding in the urge to boo. Being a cheerleader and observing each and every pep rally for the past three years, I actually think these new “positive pep rallies” are some of the best I have witnessed so far. People are enjoying the skits, everybody is chanting along with the cheerleaders and the overall atmosphere is just superb. I am very hopeful that these pep rallies will become better each year with the help from the students and faculty, and of course, positivity. A 9 Fantasy football provides real dollar signs Sports enthusiasts use fantasy leagues to enjoy games more Brandon Daubert Extracurricular staffer S ince the first ever fantasy draft held by GOPPPL, also known as the “Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Prognosticators League,” a more productive way of managing a team has been invented: the Internet. Bill Winkenbach, a minority owner of the Oakland Raiders, created a hobby with a few friends that involved a system of organization and rules that would eventually become the basis of the fantasy football experience today. Since being created in 1962 with 10 teams, fantasy football has rapidly gained popularity and now accompanies 32 million American teams. With a whopping $70 billion market worth, it is estimated that each team owner pays $467, which means $15 billon is spent by Americans who play, according to forbes.com. This $15 million trumps the almost $10 million that the NFL brings in for revenue. “I play for fun and money,” senior Michael O’Pake said. “It is fun to compile a team of the best players in the NFL and put them against other great players to see how they do from a statistical standpoint. If your team is good enough, you can cash out and make some big bucks.” The size of the fantasy market shows how much the NFL along with other sports industries have lost in what could have been significant revenue. The Supreme Court ended up refusing to consider the Major League Baseball copyright status for the use of players’ names and statistics in fantasy leagues because all of this data can be seen publicly. “I play fantasy football because it makes the season more enjoyable,” junior Collin Herndon said. “Not only do I get to cheer for my favorite team, but I also can cheer for my fantasy team as well. It gives football a competitive aspect that couldn’t be achieved by just watching a game.” Along with the economic benefits from the fantasy football league, it has sparked the interest of directors for television. The League is a popular FX television show that revolves around the lives of a fictitious group of friends who are in their own fantasy football league. For some, the fantasy football experience offers more than just the opportunity to win money. It gives people an interesting and widely popular hobby that is used nationwide. It can connect you to different people all over the world and introduces players who may not be headline material, but are certainly qualified to play in the big league. “I play for the thrill,” senior Tanner Gerchak said. “It takes strategical GM [general manager] abilities in order to build a team which can take you to the championship and, ultimately, the money. I enjoy exercising those abilities.” For a hobby that started so small, over five decades later it has become an economical fascination. Not only is there a chance to put some spending money in one’s pocket, but the opportunities to play are endless. “Why shouldn’t you play?” senior Trent Barnes said. “If you are a fan of football, it only makes sense to play fantasy football. It lets you keep up with all of the games on Sundays and helps you learn almost every player in the NFL. Now with daily fantasy like DraftKings and Fan Duel, it makes fantasy sports a game changer. It is addicting if you are a sports fan.” How to have the BEST outdoor pep rally during Eagle week: Paige Fellows Executive Editor-In-Chief Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator Step one: Be sure to smash a water balloon in the face of a Blue Mountain alumni and try your best not to miss. Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator Step three: Get up on your feet and cheer as loudly as possible. Make your class win the spirit stick … one step closer to a free breakfast. Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator Step two: Be 100% sure that Mr. Larsen doesn’t forget his sword and brings his bird hunting gear to the pep rally. It’s not Eagle week without the annual bird hunting speech. Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator Step four: Win the fall sports relay race, or at least attempt to. The winners of the relay race were teachers Mr. William Rhoads and Mr. Chris Lombel. 10 November 6, 2015 tide lines Humanity may be at peak of technology Though technology has been steadily rising, it still has limits Taylor Brigade Staff Writer Photo by Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief M any people are practically addicted to technology. It is incredibly rare to see an individual walking around without a cell phone, which was not that common even a decade ago. Technology has been evolving at an exponential rate, but it brings up the question: Have we reached the peak of technology? Since the dawn of man, humanity has always strived to improve things and make tasks easier to complete. The wheel was first created in the Stone Age, then the hammer and so forth. Technology as early as stone tools became the basis of more complex utilities. This theme is present all throughout history as well as in the present. Older innovations are constantly improved, but when can something become unable to be improved anymore? Hundreds of years ago, many believed that humanity had already reached its peak of discovery and ingenuity. That was until electricity was discovered. Inventions targeted toward housework, business, entertainment, transportation and many more areas continue to keep coming out. Even in the past decade, cell phones have become practically essential to life. Believe it or not, a time existed when there was no such thing as touch screens. The cell phone has evolved from a device originally used just to make calls to become a staple in society used for practically everything. Even with technological feats such as the evolution of phones, some believe that humanity has reached its peak of technological discovery. Today in the 21st century, it is very common for people to live by the saying “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”. Even so, there are plenty of innovative minds that are still able to constantly conceive and produce fresh ideas every day, and always work to improve as their ancestors did. Humanity will always continue to strive for bigger, better and newer ideas, no matter how long they will be around. The honest opinion TV ratings are not as important as they were out and everyone is going to see it, but it is rated R, of a music critic i one may be pressured into going with friends. One i Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief Photo by Paige Fellows Executive Editor-In-Chief Graphic by Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief W hen most hear the phrase, “My favorite type of music is all types of music,” they usually think they are dealing with a wishywashy hipster who cannot decide what his favorite music is. Those people do exist, but for every person who says that just for the sake of saying it, there is someone else who honestly does listen to practically all types of music. I fall into the second category. It is not because I cannot decide what my favorite genre is, or because I want to stop talking to whoever asked the question, but rather because I listen to such a large variety of music that I honestly cannot single one genre out. Generally, people who try to assume what type of music I listen to assume that I am into classic rock spanning from the ‘70s to the ‘90s. They would not be wrong, but I also listen to disco, rap, EDM, metal, classical, indie, dubstep and so much more. Some days feel like rock and roll days where I want to jam out to some classic rock bands like The Scorpions. Some days I want to listen to rap, so I usually turn to Tyler, The Creator or MF Doom. Basically, my favorite music is whatever I am listening to at the very moment. Music exists to entertain, not to draw lines between genres. I believe that listening to a large variety of music can make the listener more cultured. That statement should be taken with a grain of salt, however, as it can easily be taken as me tooting my own horn about my “superior” music taste. But really, listening to a large range of genres really does broaden worldly perspective. Doing so provides such a good viewpoint as to where the musicians are coming from that listeners actually can start to feel like they are a part of the music. It is really important to understand how others think when it comes to music. Next time you see someone who says he enjoys all types of music, give him the benefit of a doubt and let him enjoy his music. At worst, he is just being a little pretentious, and at best, he actually does enjoy all sorts of music. The latter is more likely than the former. Gillian Reven s Staff Wr ter Graphic by Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief E veryone watches movies, but does anybody actually look to see what they are rated? Many people who watch movies disregard the rating, even if the movie is rated R and the viewer is under the recommended age. Nowadays, ratings do not matter to most people as much as they did 20 years ago. A 12-year-old may watch an R-rated movie. Even though rated R movies are restricted for teens under 17, many kids still find ways to sneak into movie theaters. Parents may be strict about what their young children are watching and what the programming is rated, but as the children get older and become teenagers, their parents may not care anymore what the ratings of their favorite movies or television shows are. Parents may think their children are mature and can decide for themselves what to watch. Ratings do not affect the consumers because if one wants to watch the next episode of his favorite show and sees it is rated as being inappropriate for his age, that is not going to stop him from watching it anyway. So why are all movies and television required to be rated anymore? Peer pressure can also be a reason why teens disregard ratings. If a popular scary movie is coming might feel left out if she doesn’t see the film while everyone is talking about the new big movie. For instance, when The Conjuring was released in theaters, it was a very popular movie. Many teens went to see it who technically weren’t allowed since it is rated R. Even movie theaters often do not check an I.D. to see if a customer is over 17 to get into an R-rated movie. The government requires all movies, television shows and video games to be rated by the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America). In America, the MPAA rates television shows and movies based on content. The MPAA ratings were started in 1922 to protect the film industry. The rating system has evolved greatly since it started; it is more laid-back than when it started. Some films can be released to television without being rated since it is not required by law. Movies do announce their MPAA ratings, but many people ignore them and watch whatever they want. Teens commonly feel they can decide what they are fit to watch and not watch, especially since everyone has a different standard for what they are comfortable seeing. Overall, ratings do not matter anymore; few people seem to look at or care about them. Ratings on television shows, movies and video games do not need to exist anymore. Ratings were important at one point, but in today’s culture, they are simply outdated. PARENTAL ADVISORY EXPLICIT CONTENT Black Friday intimidates shoppers country-wide Alexa Biddle Editor-in-Chief U rban Dictionary defines Black Friday as “the day after Thanksgiving, when stores decide to open at the crack of dawn to start Christmas sales.” Black Friday tends to be stereotyped as a 24hour period when sleep-deprived mothers and teenagers, running on coffee and adrenaline, trample one another in an attempt to purchase the best flat screen TV, Xbox, Wii or laptop. Going out on this day tends to intimidate the average shopper. If one knows how to navigate the craziness, he can have an extremely successful Black Friday. The first thing one must do to have the best Black Friday is to leave Schuylkill County. There is nothing here worth getting up before the sun rises for. Go to Reading, Allentown or someplace similar for the best stores. Another aspect of the day one must be smart about is the time frame when he will be shopping. One doesn’t want to get caught up in the type of crowd that would stab someone over a pair of headphones. Optimum time for safe shopping is between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. The people who started shopping on Thanksgiving are exhausted and have gone home, and the people who are planning on shopping during sunlight hours are not yet awake. For the best experience possible, one should check out a store directory for the malls he wants to go to and then check the sales going on at the stores he’s interested in. He is also going to want to decide what he’d like to get from each of the stores. Having a general idea of what to look for helps cut down on the amount of time spent aimlessly browsing and increases the amount of safe shopping time remaining in the excursion. One great way to save even more money on Black Friday is to buy gift sets. Gift sets are already a good price, so adding a Black Friday sale on top of that increases the money you’re saving. Finally, never go into a Walmart on Black Friday. There is no safe shopping time when it comes to Walmart. Be wary. One can have an amazing Black Friday if he tries to keep these tips in mind; the key to success is in the preparation. November 6, 2015 tide lines 11 Horror films go anywhere from great to garbage Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief Graphic by Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief BEST My favorite horror movie of all time is the 2006 cult classic The Host. No, not the campy Stephenie Meyer movie about romantic aliens; this movie is straight from South Korea. The Host is about a large tadpoleesque mutant accidentally created due to scientists dumping large amounts of formaldehyde into the water supply. The monster runs rampant in the opening scene, eating people left and right. Following that, it retreats into the sewers to hide from the military. The entire movie has a very Godzilla-y feel to it. A monster spawned from scientific disaster terrorizes a city, the people are helpless to defend themselves until the military is called in and the monster is eventually stopped in a grand finale. While being more of a monster movie than a traditional horror movie, The Host still has some creepy moments. The plot focuses on a street vendor who is trying to save his daughter after she is kidnapped by the monster. That being said, there is a scene in which the girl is inside of the sewer. Inside the lair, the monster regurgitates dozens of human skeletons right in front of her, terrifying both the character and the audience alike. In 2013, a sequel was rumored, and some test footage of the monster running down a highway was released. Many fans of the movie grew excited over the possibility of a sequel, but as of now, the movie is still “in development.” Regardless of whether a sequel comes out or not, The Host will forever be remembered as a fantastic homage to classic monster movies (as long as the sci-fi romance of the same name does not overshadow it.) WORST My least favorite horror film is 2015’s Unfriended. This movie follows one night of computer usage between a teenage girl and her friends. Throughout the movie, they are in a Skype call together, and they slowly get killed off by the ghost of a girl they bullied into suicide a year prior. The movie gets into details about the bullying, but it gets to a point where it almost feels offensive. Compared to the real life struggles that teenagers go through, the character’s reason for suicide just seems silly. The girl gets drunk and passes out in an alleyway and people make fun of her the next day. Aside from the illogical plot, the characters are really generic and boring. Think the standard cast of horror movie tropes but replace the stoner with a memer. They serve no purpose other than to die in gruesome ways. No, wait; most of the deaths are pretty boring too. The worst part of this movie is how it was filmed. The movie looks like it cost nothing but the royalties for all of the websites featured. The camera never ever moves position except for the last five seconds of film. The computer screen gets very tiring to look at. The unrealistic typing speed is also kind of annoying. Unfriended at its best is a cheap Paranormal Activity ripoff, and at its worst feels like a rushed student project that was somehow released into theaters everywhere. This movie is so bad, it makes The Gingerdead Man look kind of good. Horror movies are the cheapest and easiest to make, but Unfriended proves that they are also the laziest and least original as well. E-Sports Club changes how students see high school sports John Mason Extracurricular Writer Photo by Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief E -Sports have been rising in popularity over the last few years. From League of Legends to Fifa, E-Sports cover a wide range of genres. Back in the early 2000s, playing video games on a competitive level and actually earning money from it was basically unheard of. Today, E-Sports are so available to the public that practically every video game available has a dedicated group of competitive gamers following it. When E-Sports were first created, they started with small-level tournaments and instantly evolved to gaming on a global scale, with payouts worth up to millions of dollars, based on the fact that many teenagers and adults have picked up video games as a pastime. Due to the flood of people joining and participating, people are making teams all around the globe. Around 27 million people play the popular MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) League of Legends, with almost double that watching the LCS (League of Legends Champion Series). The championship was so popular it drew more people to watch it than the number that watched the NBA Championship. Around 20 teams compete in the world championship, and they are only the best of the best. There are thousands of teams that compete around the world for only one game. Imagine all the other games in the world and how many players and viewers they draw in. Even though the game is on the global scale, there are many teams that compete on a state level with local tournaments. Having a club at our school for that will allow the kids from our school who have difficulty communicating with other people at home to meet with kids here and organize teams and practice. If the team brings itself to a higher level tournament, it will bring more attention to PAHS. The teams would also be named after Pottsville. An E-Sports team will give kids who do not play sports or are not involved in any of the other clubs a place to gather with people who share the same interests. Since many of the kids do not have any other way to meet people to play with, it will be a great way for everyone who joins to meet new people they did not know share common interests. The club will provide a positive environment for students who are victims of bullying, since most people who are bullied have no one to express these gaming interests to for fear of being insulted. In an environment where everyone plays video games and enjoys it, there would be almost no bullying. Many students do not have the ability to play games at home because they do not have the materials or the money to buy the required materials to play. The school already has all the required equipment to play the ESports; there will be enough computers in one of the computer rooms for the whole club. As with everything, there could be negatives to the club. One that comes to mind is the fact that it will take some time away from the adviser after school, but Mr. Adrian Portland, science teacher, has already agreed to supervise the club. Another drawback that comes to mind are time constraints of students after school for meetings. The size of the club and where the meetings would be held were other considerations, but those were all settled in the first meeting. The good that this club will do heavily outweighs almost any bad that could be posed by its formation. All in all, E-sports are extremely popular with adults and kids alike. Having a club will allow students to socialize with peers who share common interests. The cost of living exceeds far beyond the reasonable limits of necessity Unless things change, average people will face the darker side of modern economics Jackson Gunelson Editor-In-Chief Graphic by Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief I n the modern day, it is insane to consider that a gallon of gas can cost up to four dollars in some areas. Twenty years ago, no one could have possibly believed that milk would practically triple in price by now. The fact that, according to College Board, public college tuition went from around $2,405 in 1980 to $9,139 today, let alone other school costs, is mind boggling, and yet, these are all very true. Due to the explosive nature of the modern world’s economy, basic goods and services have gone way up in price, not only due to general inflation, but also due to how world trade is progressing. Ever since America began to rely on foreign countries for mass production, costs of products have gone down and unemployment has gone up. While it has been better in recent years, poverty has still been very prevalent. So, where is the line between actual worth and retail value? To most, that is an absurd question. But honestly, Kanye West sold a plain white T-shirt for $120. It is just a T-shirt, and yet people are willing to buy it. The price consumers put on anything is practically worthless if something as mundane as a white T-shirt can range from $1 to $120 and people will still buy at any price in between. Some may blame this rapid increase in price on inflation, but a dollar in 1980 is worth only $2.89 today; an increase for sure, but nothing monumental. If colleges actually increased with inflation, the average tuition would cost around $6,000, far less than the actual $9,139 it is today. True, colleges require more sophisticated equipment now than they did before, but that large of a gap is still quite shocking. Food is also becoming far more expensive. Good, healthy food is vastly more expensive than junk food. This causes both health issues and social issues, from heart problems to clashes between those who can eat healthy and those who cannot without draining their wallets dry. While money may not be the only cause for this issue, it is certainly a significant one. It is obvious, however, that if the same servings of fresh produce cost the same as a cheap microwave meal, the population would be generally healthier. There is a point that the cost of goods outweighs the value. Due to the almost random nature of economy, basic goods and services have skyrocketed in price. Most people can afford to buy what they need today, but that may not be true in 10 years if prices continue to rise at the same rate they have been. 12 November 6, 2015 tide lines TDL Staf f Editors’ Picks From storie s that could not make an appe arance in the re st of the ne wspaper due to limited space, the Tide Line s staf f has chosen the be st storie s of the website to display below. Halloween events attract teens in the area Gillian Revenis Staff Writer I n Schuylkill County and the surrounding areas, there are many different events that are Halloweenthemed. Many students enjoy attending scary Halloween attractions to get in the holiday spirit. “Halloween is a great time of year. People get in the spirit with haunted houses, hayrides (my personal favorite) and corn mazes,” junior Dylan Stillwagner said. “I’m going to a haunted orphanage this year in Orwigsburg [and] they’re expecting plenty of people to [attend] who love Halloween.” In New Philadelphia, at the Simon Kramer Community and Recreation Center, the 3rd annual Edgar Allen Poe Fall Fest was held October 10 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Junior Rachel Rubright wrote three skit adaptations of Poe’s poems including The Tell Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado and The Raven. A few other PAHS students also volunteered for the event. They acted out skits while Rubright directed them. Each skit lasted about 25 minutes, and all of the profits benefited the American Cancer Society. Some students involved in Drama Club also created a haunted hallway for anyone attending the event to enter. “Sure, it was a lot of stress and work, but the money [we raised] for cancer support made it worth it,” Rubright said. Sinking Spring’s 24th annual Shocktoberfest began September 11 and will end November 14. Attractions include The Prison of the Dead, the Zombie Safari Hayride, the Unknown 2.0, the Zombie Night Run and the one day only event, the Zombie Mud Run. On the Zombie Safari Hayride, one has the option of using a paintball gun to shoot zombies. The Prison of the Dead is designed as an old, run down prison now overrun by zombies from which one must attempt to escape. The Zombie Night Run is a race where participants must run fast enough to avoid getting attacked by zombies. In Unknown 2.0, one can walk through pitch black hallways and scary rooms to find a way to escape. “The Shocktoberfest is awesome. I love going to all the events there. My favorite was the haunted asylum; it was terrifying,” freshman Kaylie Cicero said. The Elysburg Haunted House, near Knoebels, was another a terrifying place to visit to get in the Halloween mood. One entered a spooky path that leads to the haunted house. Hot chocolate, food and T-shirts were available for purchase. Tickets were sold for $10. It was held October 10,16-17, 23-24 and 30-31. Field of Screams, another popular horror event located in Lancaster, has four attractions that are all significantly different. A haunted hayride, a 5k Zombie Fun Run, the “Den of Darkness” and an asylum can be found there. Field of Screams will be open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until November 14. One can buy a scream pass for $34 to be able to attend all the attractions. “I went to the Field of Screams once, and my favorite was the haunted hayride. I think hayrides are super fun, and I love to go on them around Halloween,” senior Ciara Resnick said. The South Cass fire company held the 21st annual South Cass “Nightmare on Water Lane” haunted hayride in Primrose October 17 and 23-24. “I love going to scary Halloween events. Every year I go to South Cass for the haunted hayride, and I absolutely love going,” sophomore Hannah Duncan said. On weekends in October and November at Hersheypark, one can receive discounts and specials for the event known as Hersheypark in the Dark. This event will be held on the weekends from October 16 to November 21. Hersheypark has different hours for each day of the weekend, which can be found at www. hersheypark.com. Attending Hersheypark on these dates allows one to participate in a trick or treat around Hershey’s Chocolate World and park, as well as two Halloween-related shows in the park and a flashlight tour of the Creatures of the Night at ZooAmerica. Schuylkill Haven Recreation Center hosted a Halloween event “Escape From Horror High,” where one had to find a way to escape from the terrifying high school. It was held at at the Senior Citizen’s Neighborhood Community Center October 29-31. Continuing your education after high school is one of the most important things you can do for your career. At LCCC, you’re not only saving money, you’re also getting the opportunity to earn more. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you can make an average of 20% more by earning your associate’s degree. Enroll in one of our 100 DEGREE PROGRAMS today to reach higher tomorrow. lccc.edu Start Here | Go Anywhere Reach HIRE Better investment. Better future. Chirps Gillian Revenis Staff Writer “I thought the outside pep rally was very enjoyable. It was very funny to see some of our favorite teachers being drenched with water.” @JohnHannaway9 #PepRally “I think I am going to the Sadie Hawkins dance, but I’m not sure with whom. I think it should not matter who asks who. Anyone should not feel embarassed to do it. I am looking forward to it, but I am a bit nervous.” @AlexanderAlbertini10 #SadieHawkins “I don’t like going to scary hayrides or haunted houses because I get scared easily. They are kind of cool if you enjoy them, [but] I am just not a big fan of them.” @ClaudiaRittle12 #Halloween “I have been a part of the tennis team for three years now. I enjoy getting to know everyone and learning a sport I love. I always get excited for next year in the offseason. The whole team has become one big family.” @EmmaWiscount11 #TennisTeam “I wasn’t really a fan of the outdoor pep rally. It was hot outside and the band didn’t play as much music.” @AlyssaHaney10 #PepRally “Athletically the school year could be going a little better, but overall it seems like it will be a pretty good year. The atmosphere is really good, from the teachers to the students, school spirit, everything.” @DylanStillwagner11 #SchoolYear *To see additional Tide Lines stories, check out our website at www. pahstidelines.com
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