April 2015 - Abington School District

THE ABINGTONIAN
Abington Senior High School, Abington, PA, 19001
Examining
the Paradox
of Drone
Strike
Policies
Ashton
Carter Pays
a Visit to His
Alma Mater
By Nicholas Cline
From the time it was
announced the previous Thursday,
I knew that Secretary Carter’s visit
to our school was going to be a
historic event in Abington history.
After all, a presidential cabinet
member has never even set foot
on Ghosts territory in ASHS
history– that is, while they were
an incumbent. ​Many of the people around me
dismissed the event as nothing
special. “I guess he’s kinda
relevant,” said one student. “Who
cares!” exclaimed another. I
stepped in by reminding them that
not only is he one of President
Obama’s right-hand men, but he is
also very good friends with him!
I think you could classify that as
relevant, right?
Unfortunately, many did
not even have the opportunity to
see him speak in the auditorium
in person. Though seniors were
automatically granted admission,
underclassmen were only allowed
to go if in a science or social
studies class that period, or a
prominent figure in a school club.
My social studies class was one
of the lucky few that was able
to attend. My friend and I took
our seats and waved to whatever
cameras were pointing our way,
and awaited the start of the
speech.
Kayla Roberts did an
excellent job introducing Sec.
Carter and boosting everyone’s
anticipation. Enter the man we
all were waiting for. When Sec.
Carter walked onstage, he received
a standing ovation. He humbly
told everyone to sit down, and
once the noise settled down, he
began by speaking about his old
friends and former teachers who
attended the event, and how they
inspired him.
The main reason Sec. Carter
was here was to kick off his “Force
of the Future” tour, in which he
will be speaking to thousands of
young people about how joining
the service is a worthwhile career
choice. The speech itself was quick
and painless, and soon afterwards
questions were taken.
Our own co-editor-inchief Rebecca Kruger was the
first student to ask a question,
along with about ten other
inquisitive Abingtonians who
By Ryan Grewal
Mohanad Mahmoud Al Farekh
recently availed himself of the
criminal rights afforded to him
by the country of his birth. The
Texas-born man stands accused
of engaging in acts of terrorism
as a member of al-Qaeda. While
Al Farekh currently is in custody
in New York, if members of the
military and the CIA controlled
his fate, he would have been killed
two years prior in a drone strike in
Pakistan.
The issue of US-born terrorists
presents a tricky constitutional
situation for proponents of
drone use. However, the Obama
administration did not express
such hesitations when killing
Anwar al-Awlaki, an New Mexicoborn recruiter for al-Qaeda.
The choice not to kill Al Farekh
questions the central premise of
the drone program. If terrorists
can be captured and tried, why do
we kill them?
The Obama administration
lays out clear guidelines for when
drone strikes can be used: if the
target is a ranking Al-Qaeda figure
and poses “an imminent threat of
violent attack.” However, a memo
from within the administration
clarifies the latter point, stating
April 2015
that “an ‘imminent’ threat of
violent attack against the United
States does not require the United
States to have clear evidence that
a specific attack on U.S. persons
will take place in the immediate
future.” While Webster’s
dictionary defines the word
imminent as “happening very
soon,” the Obama administration
has found that changing the
meaning of words makes killing
people a lot easier.
In another instance, the Obama
administration admitted to
counting “all military-age males
in a strike zone as combatants,”
including innocent boys as
young as sixteen. Yet even when
admittedly lying in collateral
damage reports, the Obama
administration killed over 1,100
people for a hit-list of just 41—
nearly 28 civilians for every
militant targeted.
Mohanad Mahmoud Al
Farekh’s capture and arrest
shows the ability of the military
to capture terrorists. While the
actions taken in Al Farekh’s case
were based on his US citizenship,
the birthplace of a person should
not sign their death warrant.
Pakistani citizens are no less
deserving of due process under
our laws than our own citizens,
particularly when we invade
their sovereignty. The United
States spends nearly a fifth of the
budget and over a fourth of tax
revenues on the military–about
$600,000,000,000–accounting
for 40% of military spending in
the entire world. With that much
money, maybe it’s possible for us
not to simply kill people out of
convenience.
[Continued on Page 3]
Read about the chess Get the scoop on the
Students sound off
team’s success at
boys’ volleyball season on capital
Nationals
Page 2
Page 4 punishment Page 5
Learn how to
embrace spring in
Philadelphia Page 7
The Abingtonian
Unmasking
Junior Prom
By Sophia Ricciardi
The last weekend of April
was a busy one for Abington’s
junior class. Not only was physics
day on Friday, but the much
anticipated masquerade junior
prom was Saturday the 25th.
Everyone attending was dressed
to the nines for an evening full of
fun and dancing.
At 7:30 the doors to the
gymnasium opened, and the
dance began. It was a record
turnout, with 470 tickets sold for
the masquerade. The gym was
of course packed full of juniors,
as well as a few seniors and
Battle of the
Bands
Supports
Worthy
Cause
By Emma DenBleyker
On Friday, April 17th, eager
students filled the Sr. High
Auditorium for
ASHS’ annual
Battle of the
Bands. This
year, however,
the proceeds
from the event
are being
donated to a
very worthwhile
cause: buildOn’s
Trek to Haiti.
Several
Abington
students will be
traveling to Haiti
this summer in
Abington’s 10th
trip to a thirdworld country
led by Mr. Hunt.
April 2015
NEWS
sophomore dates. While most of
the crowd could be found out on
the dance floor with the DJ, many
enjoyed the other activities at the
dance, such as a green screen for
goofy photos and lots of good
eats. The next day social media
blew up with the hilarious and
cute pictures students had taken at
prom. When all the elements from
the decorations to the music came
together it made for one fantastic
evening. Students, whether
attending with a date, friends, or
alone partied the night away.
Junior Reilly Nahill perfectly
summarized the evening,
“Everyone was having a blast
dancing to the music and singing
along with friends”. Though
the prom was filled with masked
faces, nothing could cover the
smiles of everyone attending.
They will be constructing a school
in a rural village and bringing
education to the parts of the world
that need it most.
Valkyrie kicked off the night
with senior Nick Fitzpatrick as
the lead vocalist, performing
originals and covering bands such
as Foo Fighters. They set the
stage for an unpredictable night
with one of their band members
stepping on stage in a banana
costume. My Little Crusaders, a
self-described hardcore band, led
by Ethan Howe, followed. Next
in the lineup was Johnny Change
and the Baltic Boys, led by lead
Page 2
Music is in
the Warm
Air at Spring
Band
Concert
Hancock.
When JM 5 finished and the
crowd applauded, the curtains
parted for the last group–
the symphonic band. They
performed “An Original Suite”
by Gordon Jacob and edited by
C.P. Heindenreich, “Reflections
on an English Hymn” by Carl
Strommen, and “New Dawn”
by Roland Barrett. Then Mr.
Detato paused to recognize the
students who participated in the
Montgomery County Honors
Band. Billy O’Brien, a member
of the trumpet section, added
a special touch to the night by
“prom-posing” with flowers and a
speech to his girlfriend, Hannah
Abel. Then, they finished with
“Danse Carnivale” by Randall
D. Standridge. After the musical
pieces ended, Shannon Cordero
stood to present Mr. Detato with
two scores (“Arlington” by Paul
Murtha and “Aggressivo” by
Randall Standridge) as a goodbye
gift. Many of the seniors stood
and thanked Mr. Detato for giving
them a priceless education, myriad
advice, and unconditional support.
Finally, the night concluded with
many hugs and tears. Congrats to
the graduating class for making
their last performance memorable
and a big thanks to Mr. Detato for
teaching students to be the best
musicians they can be.
singer Tyler Bridge. Harbingers,
with lead singer Paris Grimaldi,
guitarist Josh Horne, bassist
Kameron Smith, and drummer
Daniel Brown performed several
originals and covers of Metallica
and Kings of Leon. The student
bands were finished out by
Feel Rite Audio, an alternative/
grunge band comprised of Robert
Galloway, Matt Goldberg, Brad
Thomer, and Tyler Kramer.
the crowd cheered them on.
Mr. Turner, Mr. Quigley, Mr.
Rendine, Mr. Levandoski, and
Mr. Suanlarm’s most recognizable
song was “Under Pressure” by
Queen and David Bowie. Finally,
the big reveal– Feel Rite Audio
took home the grand prize as
winners of the battle!
It was a successful night
filled with good music, energetic
performances, and support for
a great cause. Thanks to all the
students and teachers who rocked
out for charity. Hopefully this
Abington tradition will continue!
By Aeji Kwon
On April 22nd, students poured
into the auditorium to listen to
and enjoy Abington’s concert
band’s final performance of the
year. As the students eagerly
waited for the concert band to
enter the stage, the high school
seniors nervously prepared for
their final band experience.
Mr. Detato, the band director,
motioned the concert band onto
the stage, where they performed
“Sunchases” by Roland Barrett,
“From This Valley” by Gregory
B Rudgers, “Sweet Land of
Liberty” by James Sochinski,
and “Washington Post” by John
Philip Sousa and arranged by Jay
Bocook. After the concert band
performed, the jazz band –JM 5–
performed “Blue Bossa” by Kenny
Dorham, “Autumn Leaves” by
Joseph Kosma and Johnny Mercer,
and “Watermelon Man” by Herbie
While the winning band was
being decided, an Abington
teacher band, Snow Day,
performed several covers as
The Abingtonian
April 2015
NEWS
Page 3
Philadelphia Ashton
Mayoral
Carter,
Candidate
Continued
Shocks When
She Faints in
Debate
A Fond
Look Back
on Victory
in Chess
Nationals
Full House
Reunion
Rumors
By Siani Barbosa
As rumors spread over Netflix
about a ‘Full House Reunion,’
former cast members Bob Saget
(Danny Tanner) and John Stamos
(Uncle Jesse) chose to speak out
By Dennis Phan
about the possible series. The 20This year, the National Chess
year old TV sitcom left a legacy
Championship was located in
Columbus, Ohio. The competition for many fans who are now
hopeful that this rumored reunion
consisted of seven rounds that
will leave the same impression as
took place over a three-day
it did during the 90s. period. The Abington chess
It is said that this possible
team played magnificently and
revival will be a spinoff series
accomplished multiple
entitled Fuller House and will
achievements. The Abington
mainly focus on the lives of DJ
Chess u1200 team won the
Tanner (Candace Cameron Bure)
first place team title. This was
and Kimmy Gibbler (Andrea
Abington’s first u1200 title
Barber) as they grow up. There
victory since 2012. There were
will also be possible guest stars
over forty teams competing
such as Bob Saget, John Stamos,
in the u1200. Andrew Nolan,
Sasha Serebriiskii, Aajay Gauthier, and Dave Coulier, (Uncle Danny)
while the whole project will be
and Robby Durham lead the
directed by Stamos.
u1200 team to victory. Robby
There has been no comment
Durham won every match he
issued from former cast members
competed in; he finished with
Lori Laughlin (Aunt Becky), Jodie
an extraordinary 7-0 score
Sweetin (Stephanie Tanner), or
and earned the first place
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
u1200 National Individual
(Michelle Tanner), so it may be a
title. No one in Abington
sign that they will not be starring
history has ever won this
title. Alexander “Sparky” Veltchev, in the upcoming hopeful revival. Although Stamos and Saget
Amber McElhinney,
did not say a lot about the subject
Matt Hanzelik, Nat Cheng, and
in recent interviews, they are
Alek Sherstyuk also assisted in
both enthused about continuing
winning the u1200 division. the legacy. Netflix declined to
In addition, Timmy Ferry
comment on reports as it is not
and Dennis Phan played in
the only outlet for producing
the u800. Timmy received the
nostalgic TV series.
sixteenth place individual trophy
Even if the pending reunion
while Dennis Phan earned the first
series
does not evoke nostalgic
place u800 National Individual
title. Dennis also won all seven of emotions from long-time fans, the
Full House cast has and always will
his matches. They scored a total
remain in touch and share that
of twelve and a half points and
same family bond as they did on
earned the twenty-third place
screen. Re-runs of Full House are
team trophy. The chess team has
still shown on Nickelodeon and
done remarkably well again this
enjoyed by thousands of people
year and Coach Simmons hopes
to have the same performances in daily.
years to come.
followed suit. All of the
questions were very well
phrased and relevant. They all
helped illuminated Sec. Carter’s
admirable personality. One question and answer I
found particularly amusing was:
“What did you learn in high
school that you still use in your
By Madeleine Kilimnik
daily life today?”
It is election time in
Sec. Carter responded with a
Philadelphia, and the mayoral
quick look that said ‘uh-oh’,
debates have already begun. The
and proceeded with, “Um…
current candidates are Lynne
hmm. Well…” The crowd roared
Abraham, Nelson Diaz, James
with laughter.
Kenney, Doug Oliver, Milton
After his speech and his
Street, Melissa Bailey, Rhashea
interview with NBC’s Savannah
Harmon, and Anthony Williams.
Guthrie, I had the pleasure of
A few withdrawals from the race
personally meeting him. The
have already taken place, and
several more will most likely occur reason that I was afforded
this incredible opportunity
before the November election.
was that I had set up a display
At the Democratic Party’s
featuring many items from the
debate several weeks ago, Lynne
school archives that related
Abraham slowly began to lose
to Sec. Carter’s time here as a
her footing at the podium as her
student on behalf of the Archival
fellow competitor was speaking.
Committee. On the day I began
Suddenly she was on the floor,
this task, his personal assistant
confused and rattled. A medic
happened to be visiting Abington
was called to the scene, but
with the security personnel
Abraham said she was fine. She
and administrators such as
described the incident as “...a
Mr. Berrios and Dr. Sichel, the
sudden drop in blood pressure,”
superintendent. I was at the right
and she went on to explain,
“These things sometimes happen. place at the right time, and from
there it was arranged for Sec.
It never happened before and it
Carter and I to meet.
just happened at an inopportune
He is a very personable and
time, I regret to say. It’s a little bit
humble
man and I enjoyed
embarrassing.”
meeting him. We talked about
Abraham is now back on her
the town and the school as we
feet and her campaign wants
people to know it. They post daily walked down the center aisle of
pictures of her attending meetings the library while the cameras were
snapping pictures left and right
or conferences with important
and a cameraman recorded our
leaders in Philadelphia. Abraham
was a former Philadelphia district activities. At the end, he awarded
me with a challenge coin for
attorney who has now set her
my work. The whole experience
sights on becoming mayor. She
has high hopes for the Democratic happened so fast, my head was
spinning for the rest of the week!
primary which will take place on
Ashton Carter graduated in
May nineteenth.
1972
from Abington Senior High
A survey conducted in March
showed Abraham to be in the lead, School and has been successful
ever since; he went straight to Yale
with a thirty percent majority.
University from Abington, and
Many support her since she has
eventually earned a doctorate in
worked as district attorney for
theoretical physics and medieval
nineteen years and has the most
history. From there, he joined the
recognizable name. She has not
yet launched her TV ad campaign, United States Defense Department
and rose to the top of his field.
even though many of her other
His story is a paragon of how you
competitors have. And to keep
can achieve anything you aspire
her campaign moving forward,
Abraham plans to not faint at any to, and in Dr. Carter’s own words,
“You really do have the best
more mayoral proceedings.
chances here at Abington, and I’m
not just saying that… you truly are
blessed.”
The Abingtonian
April 2015
SPORTS
The boys’ volleyball team, featuring star seniors Tim Seydel, Matt Penecale, Joe Wiley, and David Arroyo.
Boys’
Volleyball
Storms the
“Castle”
By Sophia Ricciardi
When the weather gets warmer,
the nets go up, and it is game time
for Abington’s boys’ volleyball
team. You may have seen them
practicing and playing hard in
the gym, but recently the team
took home the school’s first-ever
Basketball
Star Matt
Penecale
Commits to
West Chester
By Gavin Saxon
Following an impressive senior
year campaign, Matthew Penecale
has decided to take the next step
in his basketball career. After
starting varsity for the past four
years and becoming the boy’s first
1000 point scorer since Kevin
Oleksiuk in 2005, Penecale has
decided to take his talents to
West Chester University to play
Division II college basketball.
On top of becoming the team’s
first 1000 point scorer in the past
decade, Penecale managed to lead
championship victory.
Abington entered the
tournament known as “The
Battle at the Castle” ready to
fight and win. Held at Reading
High School on Saturday April
11th, the tournament marked a
championship well-earned for
Abington. Featuring excellent play
by Matt Penecale and assists by
setter Tim Seydel, the volleyball
squad went undefeated in pool
play, winning all eight sets and a
number one seed in the playoffs.
Like a well-oiled machine, the
team went on to win their first
two games in the playoffs, and
Abington moved on to the
championship.
The team went head to
head with Hershey over the
championship title. Solid play
from middles Jay Bynum, Jack
Steinman, and Ben Razzi put
the pressure on the opposition.
Followed up by great play by
passers Joe Wiley, Jake May,
Cole Santora, and David
Arroyo, the volleyball team
was a formidable force in the
final sets. A solid block by
Tim Seydel secured victory
for the team, winning 2-1, and
bringing home Abington’s first,
of hopefully many volleyball
championships.
the team to their first District
A late night phone call on
I title in
twentynine years
alongside
senior
captains
Amir
Hinton and
Jake Porter
and junior
captain
Jack
Steinman.
As well,
Penecale
was a large
contributor
to the
team’s
success in
his junior
year when
Penecale gets by a defender during a game this year.
the team
made a
deep run to
the state playoff semifinals, losing February 26th led to Penecale
to the eventual state champions.
being offered a spot on next year’s
Page 4
Player
Spotlight:
Dan Tornea
By David Arroyo
The spring season brings out
the best in many people, as the
weather brightens and summer
quickly approaches. For one
Abington student, spring is the
time of battle, specifically on the
tennis court. That student is Dan
Tornea, who recently captured his
second-straight Suburban One
League National Singles title.
The tournament began on
Friday at the Northampton
Tennis and Fitness Center,
with Dan capturing both
wins necessary to advance to
the semifinals and finals on
Saturday. The Saturday matches
began with a semifinal match
against Neshaminy’s Nathan
Fioravante, the third seed in the
tournament. Tornea won the first
set 6-4, followed by Fioravante
retiring due to an injury. In
the championship match,
Dan faced off against Council
Rock North’s Alex Whalen, the
fourth seed. Tornea dismantled
Whalen quickly, winning the
match 6-1, 6-1. Tornea will
advance onto the District One
AAA singles tournament now
looking to capture a spot in
States by advancing to at least the
semifinals. Congratulations, Dan!
You represent the Ghosts well.
basketball team, and after visiting
the school, meeting the
coach and several players
he would be playing with
next year, Matt knew what
his next move would be:
commitment. Penecale now
looks to continue years of
high school success at the
collegiate level, joining a
team that finished second
in their conference last year,
yet failed to make the annual
D-II tournament. However,
with the added talent of our
very own and very skilled
Matthew Penecale, as well
as several other recruits
from all over the country,
they look to make their
presence felt once again in
the coming years. Look for
Matt next year when he will
be trading the esteemed
maroon and white for purple
and gold, continuing to make
Abington proud, one game at a
time.
The Abingtonian
April 2015
EDITORIALS
Page 5
STUDENTS SOUND OFF ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Tsarnaev
Case Reveals,
Does Not
Create Larger
Issue
By Josh Gardner
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the former
college student turned terrorist,
who along with his deceased
brother, Tamerlan, planned and
executed the attack on the Boston
Marathon on April 15, 2013, was
recently convicted on 30 counts,
ranging from conspiracy to use
a weapon of mass destruction to
carjacking to possession and lethal
use of a firearm. Of the 30 counts,
17 have the potential for the death
penalty. Tsarnaev is personally
responsible for the deaths of three
innocent people, including an
eight year-old child. In addition,
he is responsible for the injury of
260 people, 17 of whom lost limbs
in the explosions at the Boston
Marathon. Now that he has been
found guilty on all 30 charges
against him, his sentencing is set
to conclude in about four weeks.
He has the potential to face the
death penalty, or at the very least,
life in prison without parole.
There is, however, strong
disagreement on the use of
the death penalty. The state of
Massachusetts abolished the
death penalty in 1984 under
then-Governor Michael Dukakis.
However, this case rests under
federal jurisdiction and the death
penalty applies. In the state of
Massachusetts and in Boston in
particular, the majority of people
oppose the legality of the death
penalty. In fact, the percentage of
Democrats and even Republicans
opposed to the death penalty is
significantly higher in Boston than
around the country. Prominent
figures in Boston, as varied as
religious leaders, intellectuals,
and politicians, have long argued
and continue to argue against the
legality of the death penalty.
The debate over the death
penalty is fundamentally a debate
over the purpose of the criminal
justice system. It is generally
agreed upon that the criminal
justice system exists for the
purpose of protecting society from
individuals that pose a substantial
threat to the rights and well-
being of others. However, there
are various ways to approach this
objective. Proponents of the death
penalty argue that the threat of
death deters serious crimes. While
it may serve this purpose to an
extent, there is an essential flaw
in the underlying logic. Namely,
the majority of individuals
psychologically capable of
committing crimes on the
magnitude necessary to merit the
death penalty are individuals who
are un-phased by the possibility of
death. For example, Tsarnaev was
clearly aware of the potential for
death resulting from committing
an act of terrorism and engaging
police in a shootout. However, the
willingness to die for his cause is
one of the tenets of his ideology.
The existence of the death penalty
likely played no role whatsoever in
his decision-making process.
While the justice system can
serve as a deterrent to crime, its’
more important function is to
keep criminals separated from
society, so as to prevent harm to
citizens. If a criminal is isolated
behind bars, it is unlikely that
he or she will be able to harm
anyone. Any means of torture
or punishment beyond this only
serves the purposes of attempting
to create a sense of revenge and
of instilling a sense of fear into
would-be criminals.
While moderate punishment
may serve a purpose, it must be
reversible in nature. The justice
system has been proven flawed
countless times. Many people
have been falsely convicted of
crimes, in many cases capital
offenses, only to be executed
and to have their names cleared
posthumously. While the
government can free inmates and
provide compensation for false
imprisonment, it cannot resurrect
the dead. The death penalty clearly
violates the purpose and scope of
the justice system. Nevertheless,
it is legally accepted by the federal
government and in 34 states. As
long as this is the case, there is no
reason to try to prevent Tsarnaev
from receiving the death penalty.
Death row inmates whose crimes
are less well-known do not receive
this benefit. In many cases, if not
most, their crimes are less heinous
than Tsarnaev’s and their cases are
less clear-cut. Efforts need to be
made to remove the death penalty
from the US legal system, not to
remove the death penalty from the
case of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
Morals Are
Relative,
Statistics Are
Not
By Rebecca Kruger
This Tuesday,
government
prosecutor Nadine
Pellegrini displayed
to a shocked jury an
enlarged surveillance
photo of Dzhokhar
Tsarnaev giving the
middle finger to a
prison surveillance
camera. Her
purpose? To display
the “unconcerned,
unrepentant, and
unchanged…killer”
who deserves death
for his crimes.
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev,
better known as
the “Boston bomber” was found
guilty on the 30 charges brought
against him for planning and
detonating a bomb during the
Boston marathon that killed three
people and wounded 264 others.
The trial now focuses on whether
or not to execute Tsarnaev for
his crimes. Opinions among the
victims have varied. The parents
of Martin Richard, an eightyear-old boy killed in the blast,
asked the government to take
the death penalty off the table in
order to avoid the excruciatingly
long appeals process that would
follow a conviction. Liz Norden,
mother of two sons amputated by
the blast, vehemently stated that
Tsarnaev deserves the “ultimate
justice” – death.
The death penalty is a divisive
moral issue for our nation, more
than ever before. Currently,
according to a CNN poll, 53% of
citizens believe Tsarnaev should
die for his crimes, while 47%
favor life in prison. In a similar
domestic terrorism case in 1995,
when Timothy McVeigh, the
Oklahoma City bomber, was
sentenced with death, 64% of
Americans felt it was just. After
steady lobbying by groups against
capital punishment and a growing
distrust of the legal system,
support for the death penalty
is waning. Executions have
dropped from 98 in 1999 to 35 in
2014. Opponents cite the moral
paradox of using killing to punish
a killer, the ineffective execution
methods, and the growing rate of
overturned sentences due to DNA
evidence.
To me, the issue of America’s
death penalty does not lie in
whether government-sanctioned
killing of another human being is
right or wrong. The issue lies in
whether it is efficient. Executions
have proven to be an ineffective
deterrent for those considering
engaging in violent criminal acts.
The northeast, which commits less
than 1% of all executions, has the
lowest crime rate, while the south,
which commits 80% of executions,
has the highest. As well, in
order to feel morally justified in
sentencing a criminal to death,
American citizens have imposed
a complex system in order to
determine guilt which includes
an original trial considering
various mitigating factors, as
well as several appeals. In most
cases, it is considerably more
expensive to sentence a criminal
to death rather than life in prison.
Defense costs for death penalty
trials in Kansas averaged about
$400,000 per case, compared
to $100,000 per case when the
death penalty was not sought.
The most comprehensive study in
the country found that the death
penalty costs North Carolina
$2.16 million per execution over
the costs of sentencing murderers
to life imprisonment. The majority
of those costs occur at the trial
level.
So, the question asked to the
American public regarding the
death penalty is not, “Are you
for or against?” but instead, “Are
you willing to spend millions of
dollars in order to feel a sense of
‘justice’ for the wrongs committed
against you?”
The Abingtonian
Oncoming
Senioritis
By Dennis Phan
Senioritis is a horrible sickness
that plagues thousands of
teenagers all over the world every
single year. Its’ symptoms include
absent-mindedness, extreme
fatigue, and a severe lack of
motivation. It usually occurs in
students who are nearing the end
of their high school, college, and
graduate school careers. Senioritis
affects students academically as
they begin to receive lower grades,
and are often tardy to class, or
even absent. The sickness itself
begins with a drop in grades
from students who stop doing
homework or studying for tests.
Then the students slowly start
to lose interest altogether in
their academics. They begin
showing indifference towards
former hobbies in order to
make time for simply eating
and sleeping. Students start
experiencing a loss in academic
rigor that they pledged to never
lose in their college interviews. Nonetheless, it is widely
known that most colleges do
not annul acceptances, and even
the most elite schools only revoke
the admissions of a very small
number of students. However,
senioritis may cause the future
college freshman to not be as
prepared for the intensity of
college studies and may decrease
their chances of earning entrance
scholarships. Since Advanced
Placement, International
Baccalaureate, and other advanced
classes generally do not have
their final exams until early
May, they present a challenge to
seniors who are battling senioritis
symptoms. There is no cure for
senioritis besides the warmth of
summer which signifies the end
of senior year and the high school
career. On the other hand, the
symptoms of senioritis can be
lessened by giving young people
opportunities to make their
academic work more meaningful
through service learning, or
other forms of experiential
education. One should simply
keep up with their studies and
continue to work hard to avoid
senioritis. There are only a few
months of school left; those with
senioritis must resist the lure of
summer for only a short time
longer!
April 2015
FEATURES
Farmer’s
Keep
offering an all-inclusive lifestyle
experience of activities including
yoga, biking and running clubs,
and Pilates. The offerings for
meals are rotated daily so that
the restaurant can utilize only the
By Brittany Levy
freshest ingredients possible, all
As many healthful food options
offered in a pick n’ choose style.
keep popping up around town,
Consistent with its urban-farming
the latest restaurant - Farmer’s
outlook, Farmer’s Keep employs
Keep - has
green
stepped
roofing
up to
techniques,
the plate
aquaponics,
to offer
and indoor
more
gardening
than just
in order
a healthy
to lower
meal.
its carbon
Unlike
footprint
most
while also
Farmer’s Keep, pictured above, offers fresh and
other
healthy menu options and promotes healthful
creating
nutritious living.
sustainable
options,
menu
Farmer’s
options. Be sure to check out
Keep offers food that is glutenPhilly’s latest hotspot on 10 South
free, dairy free, egg free, nut-free,
20th Street - your body will thank
and shellfish-free, in addition to
you as much as your palate!
Rapchat
Review
By Billy O’Brien
Almost all teenagers are quick
to download the latest trending
apps for their smartphones. Some
previously popular apps include
Trivia Crack
and Temple
Run, but the
newest trendy
and rapidly
growing
application
is called
“Rapchat.” It
is similar to
Snapchat in
the sense that
you can share
media with
your friends.
However,
Rapchat is
unique in that
it pertains
specifically to
music, hence the word “rap” in the
name.
Users are given a wide variety
of instrumentals that they can
rap over, whether they want
something fast and up-tempo or
slow and soothing. The lengths of
these instrumentals range from
forty-five seconds to a minute
and a half. So why is this a mustdownload app? Simple – it is
hilarious. You and your friends
can freestyle over instrumentals
and share your raps with one
another, and the outcomes are
quite entertaining.
The most popular Rapchats
that have been passed around the
school are the ones that are offbeat and have terrible rhymes.
They are even more hilarious
when someone “disses” another
student (in a friendly manner,
of course). If you are unfamiliar
Page 6
Moving Away
Bucket List
By Jasna Janikic
Your applications have been
sent out and you know which
college you are planning to
attend. In a few months you are
going to be packing up your bags
and moving away from the nest.
Maybe you are excited about
leaving Abington and cannot
wait to move away and only see
this place during the holidays. Or
maybe the feeling of homesickness
is already lingering in you. No
matter which of the two it is, one
thing is for sure: you are moving
out! But before you take that step,
here are a few local things you
may want to do before you leave to
embrace all that your hometown
has to offer.
Reading Terminal MarketLocated on 12th street in
Philadelphia, there are countless
treasures to be bought, delicious
foods to be tasted, and music to be
appreciated. The Philadelphia Zoo- Take a
drive up to West Girard Avenue
in our beloved Philly. It may seem
like a silly thing to do, but it will
give you some time to relive your
childhood memories. Plus, who
does not love lions and tigers and
bears? (oh my!) Pictures at Love Park- Drive up to
John F. Kennedy Boulevard with
your significant other, sibling,
or best friends, and take some
memorable pictures in front of the
famous love statue in Center City. Museums- If you happen to be
into museums, Philadelphia
certainly has an abundance of
amazing ones! The Philadelphia
Museum of Art, Mutter Museum,
Independence Seaport Museum,
and the Franklin Institute hold
amazing masterpieces and old
treasures. with what a “diss” means when
referring to rapping, it is when
you make fun of somebody else
within your rap. It is the humor
and the “over-the-top” nature of
these freestyles that make this app
so enjoyable.
If you do not have it, I do
not think you’re missing out, but
sometimes listening to a friend
rap who can’t rap provides a nice
comic relief!
Historical Sites- If you are a
history fan or future history
major, you may want to focus on
taking an outing to one of these
historical hotspots: The Liberty
Bell, National Constitution Center
Museum, Carpenter’s Hall, or
Independence Hall. So before you take a huge step
into adulthood and places far
away, take some time to appreciate
all that Philadelphia has to offer
and cross a few of these off your
bucket list. The Abingtonian
Spring in
Philadelphia
By Brittany Levy
As the flowers blossom
alongside the gaiety of our spirits,
there is no excuse to vegetate this
spring, especially considering
our proximity to a wide array of
spring festivals. Be sure to check
out some of the free events that
Philadelphia has to offer this
spring!
Rittenhouse
Row Spring
Festival
May 2
Swing by the
1800 block of
Walnut Street
to try streetfriendly bites
from the
Steven Starr
Restaurants
of
Rittenhouse
Row,
including
Barclay
Prime,
Butcher and
Singer, Continental Mid-town, El
Rey, Parc, Alma de Cuba, and The
Dandelion. Then, browse through
outdoor booths from local shops
while enjoying live music and
family-friendly activities.
South Street Spring Festival
May 2
This event gives festival goers a
taste of South Street by serving al
April 2015
FEATURES
fresco eats and drinks from local
favorites, including Jim’s Steaks,
Pizzeria Stella, and Rita’s Water
Ice. Meanwhile, there will be three
stages for live music, including the
giant lawn concert at 2nd Street
Plaza.
Strawberry Festival at Peddler’s
Village
May 2-3
While shopping and dining
at Peddler’s Village, enjoy
strawberries prepared in a variety
of ways- unadorned, dipped in
chocolate, and in assorted pastries,
shortcakes, jams, and fritters.
9th Street Italian Market Festival
May 16-17
Make sure to bring your appetite
to America’s oldest continuously
operating open-air market: South
Philadelphia’s famous Italian
Market. Expect to see stands
offering sausage and peppers,
antipasto salads, roast pork
sandwiches, cheeses, cured meat,
pastries, and famous mango roses.
Peace, Love, and Grammar
Obscure Rules that English Teachers Still Care About
By Maggie Davis
Conditional statements: If you
learn how to write them, your life
will be easier.
Think of geometry class. Do
you remember learning “ifthen” statements? Or perhaps
you know them from computer
programming instead. Either way,
you probably learned the basic
format of a conditional statement:
if p, then q. For example, “If I
spend all of my money to go to
see Avengers: Age of Ultron, then
I won’t have any money left to see
Ant-Man.” The English language
has two main types of conditional
statements.
The first kind of conditional
statement describes an uncertain
situation--one that may or may
not occur. The Avengers vs. AntMan sentence above is a prime
example of this type because I
don’t know whether or not I will
see Avengers: Age of Ultron to
begin with. Another example is
the common bumper sticker that
says, “If you can read this, you’re
too close.”
The second kind of conditional
is called a remote conditional. It
talks about a situation that is only
very remotely possible, maybe
even impossible. Therefore, it is
often called “condition-contraryto-fact”. The “if ” clause in a
remote conditional always uses a
past-tense verb--even if the action
is taking place in the present. For
example, “If I had wings, I would
never use them because I am
Spruce Street Harbor Park
Opens May 22nd
The Spruce Street Harbor Park by
the Deleware River Waterfront
will make its’ grand return this
Memorial Day Weekend. This
beloved urban beach and popup park will feauture hammocks
for lounging, oversized jenga
and chess, photo spots, arcade
games, a floating restuarant with
bites from the Garces Group,
multi-colored LED lights, and a
breathtaking evening landscape.
Blue Cross RiverRink Summer
Fest
Opens May
22nd
The winter iceskating rink
will transform
into a warmweather
edition with a
roller rink and
boathousestyle lodge on
the Deleware
River.
Also, enjoy
refreshments
provided by
the Garces
Group
and other
Philadelphia restauranteurs.
Future Sensations at the Oval
May 20th-June 6th
Take a sensory journey into
the future by visiting this 3D
walk-through encounter that
offers a glimpse into future
innovations that will undoubtedly
revolutionize the world.
afraid of heights.”
Things get even more confusing
when you’re talking about an
event that happened in the past.
In these cases, many people make
one of two mistakes. First of all, a
lot of people are inclined to use a
helping verb like would or could
in the if clause of the sentence:
“If he would have caught the ball,
the Phillies would have won.” This
type of helping verb belongs in
the “then” clause (“would have
won”), but not in the “if ” clause
(“would have caught”). Similarly,
you might often hear people use
the verb “did,” as in “If it didn’t
stop raining by Monday morning,
I might have been tempted to stay
in bed.”
The problem with these two
mistakes is that their “if ” clauses
use verbs that make them appear
to take place in the present, not
the past. Remember how all
Page 7
Hungry?
Get Cooking
With Martha!
Spring Snack:
Potato Crunchers
By Martha Grace Shultes
Potato Crunchers are just what
they sound like - potatoes that are
crunchy. They make the perfect
side dish for any spring meal. This
dish is easy to prepare, with only a
few short steps.
First, preheat the oven to 375
degrees. Then, gather 1/3 cup
of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of dried
thyme and dried sage each, 1 large
clove of garlic (minced, meaning
they are cut up into teeny, tiny
pieces), ¾ teaspoon of salt, and
½ teaspoon pepper. Mix all of
these ingredients together in a
plastic container that has a tightlyfitting lid. For the last step, you
will need 16 small red or white
new potatoes- they should be
about the size of golf balls. Wash
the potatoes and pat them dry.
Add your potatoes to your herb
mixture and seal the container
firmly. Shake your potatoes to coat
them well with the herbs. To bake,
spread the potatoes on a pre-oiled
baking sheet. Bake them in your
pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.
Then, take them out, flip them
over, and bake for another 20
minutes.
When they’re done, the
potatoes should be golden and
crispy on the outside and soft and
chewy on the inside. This recipe
will serve 3-4 people.
remote conditionals use past-tense
verbs? Well, that means that a
remote conditional that actually
takes place in the past must have
a “double” past tense. Therefore,
in a situation like this, you must
write in a tense called the past
perfect, which usually uses the
helping verb had, as in “If he had
caught the ball, the Phillies would
have won” or “If it hadn’t stopped
raining by Monday morning, I
might have been tempted to stay
in bed.” After all, you can say “If I
didn’t know otherwise, I would say
you actually enjoyed grammar”
and still be talking about the
present time, not the past. On
the other hand, no sentence with
the word “had” can occur in the
present.
Be sure to get a firm grip on
conditionals; if you understand
them, all sorts of doors will open
up for you in your writing!
The Abingtonian
April 2015
ODDS AND ENDS
Archival Committee Excerpt
Compiled by Nicholas Cline
For the first contribution courtesy of the Abington Senior High
School Archival Committee to The Abingtonian, I have chosen the
words of one of the best writers and poets that I have had the pleasure
of discovering--Dr. Allan A. Glatthorn, principal of Abington Senior
High School’s North Campus from the building’s opening in 1964 to
1970. This excerpt from the beginning pages of the 1970 Abington
Senior High yearbook is Dr. Glatthorn’s last words to the students of
North Campus. I hope that this piece will touch you the same way it did
for me.
“The Faces of Abington”
Abington High School has many faces...
The face of a black student, wanting to change the white man’s world, to be
recognized as an individual, trying to harmonize the pull of black identity
and the struggle for selfhood, wanting to reach out beyond the color line but
feeling most comfortable when the white faces had gone away...
The face of an activist, indifferent to hair styles and makeup, hair long and
eyes troubled, wondering why others are not troubled by hunger in Biafra
and war in Vietnam and racism at home, despairing of reaching and shaking
those who walked in ignorance...
The face of a boy who goes to tech school for half a day, jaws set in grimness
while in academic high school, angry that so much of what he must learn
seems so useless, bitter that he is not accepted for who he is and not valued
for what he knows...
The face of a girl studying shorthand and typing, a face well scrubbed and
hair neatly brushed and a smile set in place, but beneath the placid exterior
some nagging questions about why the school did not place greater value
upon her skills and why all the recognition seemed to be given to the collegebound...
The face of a football player, still carrying some small scars on his face that
healed slowly and some scars inside that may never heal, wondering why all
the cheering stopped so soon and why was it that November friends could not
be found in May or June...
A face that seemed almost anonymous, of a student who walked the
corridors alone and looked straight ahead because there were no smiles of
recognition, knowing that five years hence most would see his picture in the
yearbook and ask, “Who was that fellow with the glasses?”
The face of the teacher, or a mask rather, set in place when he got out of
his car, a mask that said confidence and security and authority, while
beneath, the lines around the eyes and mouth said doubt and insecurity and
uncertainty, working hard to convince the students that the formulas and
dates and names were so important, but late at night when the papers had
been marked questioning whether they mattered at all...
Your face, that you knew so well, yet always looked so strange in the
bathroom mirror at seven in the morning, your face that you fixed so
carefully so that others could not see beneath it the pain you felt and not
even she who was closest to you could know the sense of despair that made
you sick to your stomach on those cold winter nights when those mid-years
seemed so difficult and so stupid...
And my face, fixed in the half-smile, hoping that students would smile and
say hello, worried that I was not known except as a title and a voice over the
PA system making stuffy speeches about moderation and loyalty, the halfsmile masking an anxious frown of frustration that I was not able to do more
for the school I would soon leave...
Abington was all of these faces and more, each different, each showing or
masking some deep frustrations, disappointments, anxieties.
And yet as you look back through these pages you remember the good times
most of all.
You remember when someone reached out and touched you.
You remember the fun of football games and senior play and prom that for a
while at least helped you forget the pain.
You remember that teacher who made a difference because he understood
without your having to say the words.
You remember those times when the pieces of learning began to fit together
and you felt the strange excitement of real discovery.
You remember when someone looked beyond your face and saw your soul.
And you remember most of all the simple joy of seeing and knowing and being with the other faces of Abington..
Page 8
SPORTS TEAMS'
SENIOR NIGHTS
MONDAY, MAY 4: BOYS LACROSSE
7PM VS. PENNSBURY @ STADIUM
TUESDAY, MAY 5: BOYS TRACK & FIELD
3:30PM VS. PENNSBURY @ STADIUM
FRIDAY, MAY 8: BASEBALL
7PM VS. HAT.-HORSH. @ ROSLYN PARK
FRIDAY, MAY 8: GIRLS LACROSSE
7PM VS. CB EAST @ STADIUM
Taurus Horoscope
Though AP tests are looming, have no fear Taurus, for your practical
nature will help you stay organized and efficient through the AP test
season. Keep calm and it will be June in no time!
SAT Word of the Month
Ensconce - to establish or settle in a comfortable, safe, or secret place
Sally ensconced herself in her bedroom after her beloved Harry broke
her heart.
The Abingtonian, 2014-2015
Published by: Abington Senior High School, Abington, PA
Editors-In-Chief:
Rebecca Kruger and Emma DenBleyker
News Editor:
Madeleine Kilimnik
Editorial Editor:
Ryan Grewal
Features Editor:
Brittany Levy
Sports Editor:
David Arroyo
Writers:
Siana Barbosa, Nicholas Cline, Jonathan Sherwood, Maggie Davis, Jasna Janikic, Dennis Phan, Billy O’Brien, Gavin Saxon, Sophia Ricciardi,
Martha Grace Shultes, Josh Gardner, Aeji Kwon
Faculty Advisors:
Mr. Bryan Quigley & Mr. Albert Saylor
Administration:
Mr. A. Berrios, Mr. R. McCuen,
Mr. E. Johnson, Mr. C. Fiorino