Winter 2016 Torch Issue - Woodbridge Township School District

SPRING 2016
NHS BLOOD DRIVE
BY HAYYA ALI
The National Honor Society held their annual blood
drive on December 3, 2015. The
event was a great success with
over 110 students and faculty
volunteers. The Central Jersey
Blood Center collected 78 pints
of blood and raised $390 from
the blood drive. The pints are to
be donated to the Woodbridge
Township Buddy Ball program,
which is designed to give children with special needs a chance
to participate in sports. Funds
raised will go to updates to the
school athletic equipment. All
volunteers are appreciated for
their time and their donations.
According to health.com,
there are many benefits of donating blood that most people may
not realize. One of the benefits
of donating blood is that your
iron levels will stay balanced.
This is important because this
decreases the chance of long
term diseases. Donating blood
reduces the risk of cancer and
hemochromatosis. It also helps
in reducing the risk of damage to
the liver and the pancreas. The
American Journal of Epidemiology found that blood donors are
88% less likely to suffer a heart
attack. Donating blood overall
promotes good health. Between
the benefits to your body and the
benefits to the receivers, the personal gratification is just icing on
the cake.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
BY COURTNEY RIOFRIO AND SAMARIA MILTON
Ho, ho, ho! It’s that time of year again when
Santa starts making his list and checking it twice.
On Saturday, December 5th from 9am-12pm, JFK’s
Student Council hosted a Breakfast with Santa.
Young children were given the chance to sit down
with Santa himself and share all their Christmas
wishes. This annual event that JFK hosts is a chance
for all to start off the season in a festive mood.
All were welcome to the event, including the
parenting class at JFK and all elementary schools in
Woodbridge Township. Attendees were given five
game tickets for the price of one entrance fee for a
single child. After that, extra tickets would be a
small fee to pay for loads more fun. There were
many kid-friendly games available, including bowling, an egg toss, and a bean bag toss. Children also
participated in small tabled activities such as a
Frootloop candy-cane making station, face painting,
and foam art, while the parents enjoyed the vast assortment of tasty treats, complimentary coffee, and...
The Student Council made many students’ holiday even brighter with fun arts and crafts at this
year’s Breakfast with Santa.
Continued on Page 3
DANCE EXCHANGE SHOWCASE
BY HEENA CHAMPANERI AND ANJALI PATEL
The 2016 Dance Exchange Showcase blew the
minds of students and parents alike with the performers’ well-choreographed dance performances. The performances included two Bollywood performances, KPop groups, Hip Hop groups, a Dubstep group, and a
surprise performance by senior Patrick Pocztarski.
Mrs. Perosi led the event, with a plethora of student
choreographers who collaborated to present a wide
variety of modern cultures within their pieces.
Introducing the acts were Kayla Tage and Radha Patel. First was a fantastic Bollywood piece. The
group of more than five girls wore light blue shirts
with black pants. The formations changed with each
song, as did the amount of people on stage. A special
performance was done by Patrick Pocztarski. He
signed to “Where Are You Now” by Justin Bieber.
His hands moved elegantly across the stage. Blacklight was used to make his hands glow across the
crowd.
After the short intermission was “Clutch
Crew,” a hip hop group consisting of Frankie...
Continued on Page 3
Emily Sylvester, Kim Kumari, and Amandeep
Kaur performing an amazing Bollywood Pop
piece.
A K-Pop (Korean Pop) number by Rachel Patel,
Briana Alvarez, Trisha Desai, and Ronak
Gangwani enchanted the audience.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE...
On Page 4…
FALL SPORTS AWARDS
[These students put in a
whole season’s worth of effort, dedication, and heart of
the game...]
BY ROMAN
FABBRICATORE
On Page 5…
On Page 6…
THE PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION
SAUDI WOMEN GAIN
RIGHT TO VOTE
[There are still many presi[Allowing women to particidential debates remaining be- pate in elections and run for
fore the last one finally occurs office can drastically change
in March of 2016…]
society in Saudi Arabia…]
BY TOM DELLA SALA
BY ANJALI PATEL
Page 2
EXAMINING THE PARCC
BY NOAH LOPEZ
The first results of the PARCC (Partnership for
Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers)
have been released by the Christie Administration
and are followed by much praise and high expectations.
Education Commissioner
David Hespe stated, “For the
first time in more than 30 years,
we have a test that is designed to
actually improve instruction in
our schools. We promised parents an honest assessment regarding their children’s readiness to succeed in school and to graduate ready to
meet the challenges of college or a career. PARCC
delivers on that promise.”
The PARCC has replaced the NJASK (New
Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge) and the
HSPA (High School Proficiency Assessment) as the
state’s new standardized, annual exam that demonstrates a student’s abilities in mathematics, critical
reading, and analytical writing.
Although some who oppose the test may point
out the noticeable difference in scores comparing the
first year of the PARCC to other years with the
NJASK or HSPA, it must be understood that there
will be an interval of transition from the more dated
exams to the current system.
There is also an apparent
increase in difficulty with the
PARCC as educators and parents
want to ensure the preparedness
of students going into college or
their respective careers.
In due course, teachers
will be able to quickly receive
the scores of their students and be able to prioritize
areas where students fall short. With the ability to
emphasize lacking areas, students and teachers will
both benefit from this arrangement.
The PARCC has proven itself as an accurate
and valuable tool to measure student’s abilities. This
new and improved standardized test will improve our
education system as a whole and will greatly benefit
the learning environment.
DISCLAIMER
Senior Play: Legally
Blonde
Winter Sports Awards
March 3-5, 2016
National Honors Society
Inductions
Spring Break
March 23, 2016
Fashion Show
April 22, 2016
March 9, 2016
March 25 –April 3, 2016
NEWSPAPER STAFF
CLUB ADVISOR:
Mrs. Vitali
LAYOUT & DESIGN:
Heena Champaneri
Jake Jellison
Anjali Patel
STAFF:
Kareena Adnani
Hira Ahmed
Hayya Ali
Hadi Alim
Glenn Appel
Charu Arya
Nana Asmah
Priyanka Bansal
Rohan Chakke
Heena Champaneri
Thomas Della Sala
Dhruv Desai
Roman Fabbricatore
Julia Gardner
Anthony Hein
Samantha Impaglia
Jake Jellison
Rosalyn Jones
Simrandeep Kaur
Adia Lazarus
Noah Lopez
Samaria Milton
Nivashini Muthuvel
Kacper Pacholak
Anjali Patel
Haritha Ramesh
Courtney Riofrio
Hannah Rohlfs
Chris Russo
Anthony Shirley
Bianca Thompson
The Torch is produced four
times a year by the students of
John F. Kennedy Memorial
High School. Any views expressed in The Torch are those
of the individual writers, and
not necessarily those of the
Torch Editorial Board, John F.
Kennedy Memorial High
School, or the Woodbridge
Township Board of Education.
School News
Page 3
“BREAKFAST WITH SANTA”
Continued from Page 1
tea. In addition to all of the fun, the main attraction was the
man in red—Santa himself. Holiday pictures with Santa
were also available to all.
There was entertainment for the parents as well as
they had the opportunity to win prizes of gift baskets
through a 50/50 raffle. The thematic baskets ranged from
Doc McStuffins to Paw Patrol to My Little Pony. All in all,
the event was a tremendous success. JFK’s Student Council
members helped make Breakfast with Santa a very special
day for many boys and girls.
JFK students prepare Santa Hats for children eager for activities at
Breakfast with Santa.
“DANCE EXCHANGE SHOWCASE”
Continued from Page 1
Maravilla, Elijah Asilo, Jecci Clark, and Lance Toledo.
The group performed “Dessert,” in addition to other great
hip hop hits. The crowd was up on their feet at times, cheering and moving along to the beat of the songs. Each performer pulled together and brought the performance to life.
Next, Mrs. Perosi choreographed a contemporary
piece to “Better Days,” a song about and for soldiers
fighting to protect our country. The girls wore knee-length
dresses made of flowing white fabric. The piece ended with
the girls together in a circle, their heads facing upwards in a
beautiful lotus formation. The dance class teacher has explained that the piece was a work in progress, with still
much to do. Nonetheless, the group flowed effortlessly
across the stage. The lighting crew, as well as the sound
crew, dimmed the lights and sounds in sync as the piece
came to an end.
The show was filled with amazing laughs, claps, and
cheers. It really is amazing how so many people can come
together to create something so wondrous and creative. The
Dance Showcase illustrates one of the many ways John F.
Kennedy Memorial High School excels in the arts.
School News
Page 4
FALL SPORTS AWARDS
BY ROMAN FABBRICATORE
Mid-November is a time to honor all fall athletes at
JFK in a special awards ceremony. These students put in a
whole season’s worth of effort, dedication, and heart of the
game.
The annual Fall Sports Awards took place on
Wednesday, November 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium.
Many proud students and parents attended to praise the accomplishments that the students earned during the 2015-16
season.
The traditional night opened with speeches by Mr.
Daly, followed by Principal Mr. Cilento,
who expressed the many achievements
of the students.
The football team, coached by
Mr. Mcfadden, had a long, competitive
season, but still held their heads high
prepared to take a win against Woodbridge on Thanksgiving. There were a
lot of strong players who really helped
contribute to the team. Four of them received awards. The Sportsmanship
Award was given to Anthony Del Popolo. Cristian Cardosa
was the Mustang. The Most Improved Award went to Anthony Shirley. Lastly, Andrew Roberts was the MVP. These
four showed true positive energy and effort when playing
their sport.
Cheerleading, coached by Mrs. Napolitano, had a
great season. Their spirit and positive pep helped each football game be more energized. All the cheerleaders showed
sensational pride as they performed to the spectators in the
crowd. The Sportsmanship Award went to Michelle
Sapolnick. The Most Improved Cheerleader was Leslie
Nunez. The Mustang Award went to Morgan Lyons, and the
MVP was Marissa Murray, who showed commitment and
energy to being a cheerleader.
The boys’ cross country team, coached by Mrs.
Rotella, had an excellent season as well. They won a majority of their meets and showed heart and effort to go the extra
distance… literally. The Sportsmanship Award went to Wyatt Emme, who was a mentor to many of the lowerclassmen
and showed true positive energy at every practice and every
meet. The Most Improved Award went to Prakher Chandra,
who quickly became one of the star runners on the team and
took a leadership role on behalf of the lowerclassmen. The
Mustang Award went to Thambu Jisnnu and the MVP
Award went to Rahual Mahju, both extraordinary runners
on the team who really helped set their team ahead by using
their elite athletic prowess.
The girls’ cross country team, coached by Mr. Seavy,
did well and showed hustle and guts, whether it was a practice or a meet. The Sportsmanship Award went to Fion
Chan, who showed true respect to the team and the sport.
The Most Improved Award went to Nidha Rabbitwala. The
Mustang was Rujuta Patel, who showed true dedication to
her team to try to put them on top. The girls’ cross country
MVP was Stuti Vyas, who was the star runner and really put
the extra effort in practice to not only better herself but her
team as well.
The boys’ soccer team, coached by Mr. Migacz, did
well during their season and practiced exceptionally hard to
try to win. The Sportsmanship Award went to Victor Milton. The Most Improved Award went to Anthony Colly-
more, who stuck with the game and had an excellent season.
The Mustang went to Michael Sandor, the team’s goalie,
who showed exceptional effort in blocking goals. The MVP
Award went to Noah Miranda, who put all he had into the
sport with pride and helped his team out infinitely.
The girls’ soccer team, with first year coach Ms. Santana, also had a great season. The Sportsmanship Award
went to Kelly Edgeworth. The Most Improved Award went
to Autumn Hall. The Mustang Award went to Gabriela
Balle-Quinones and the MVP award went to Clare Lewis,
both showing pride and skill on the field.
On the night of the awards, there was a
lot of emotion shown, especially from
the girls’ soccer coach as she proudly
honored her athletes. This revealed the
amount of chemistry their team had.
The girls’ tennis team also did exceptionally well. Coached this year by
Ms. Simonitis, the students did their best
every time they set foot on the court. The
Sportsmanship Award went to Priyanka
Patel, who gave off positive energy to her team throughout
the season. The Most Improved Award went to Munisa
Khamrakulova, who showed tremendous improvement as
the season progressed. The Mustang Award went to
Thevuni Athalage and the MVP Award went to Priya
Agarwal, who both competed well individually and for the
team.
The JFK Marching Mustangs, led by Mr. Cabrera,
had an amazing season, pulling off a show that not many
might have attempted before. Their show, Puppetmaster,
featured music from the hit song “Master of Puppets” by
Metallica. The band, drumline, and pit crew all played a
phenomenal show, while the color guard provided a bright
and flashy visual background making it a hit not only at
JFK, but even across the state. The night was special for all
members of the band, including the last year seniors. The
awards went to Nathanael Brown, Nicholas Brennan, Elissa
Dalerta, and Katelyn Poisler, who all showed superior
marching, dedication, and eventually leadership throughout
their years in the marching band.
Lastly, led by Coach of the Year Mr. Hugelmeyer,
the girls’ volleyball team had a phenomenal season, winning
the GMC Red Division Championship. The Most Improved
Player was Maura Farley. The Sportsmanship Award went
to Tara DellaTorre who showed a smile every day and
called good morning or hello to her teammates every day to
help boost their spirits. The Mustang Award went to Lauren
Fernandez and the MVP and Player of the Year Awards
went to Francesca Garison, who both primarily led their
team to victory and won their team the gold.
This was a year to remember, for these girls and the
seniors will be missed dearly. To end the night of the
awards on a happy note, a slideshow played which captured
the key moments of every sports team and featured popular,
positive songs. The athletes picked out their friends and
themselves on the slideshow and reminisced on the memories shared throughout the season. This was a night to remember for the graduating class of 2016 and for all students
and staff who participated in sports this season.
Local/National News
Page 5
NJ LOCAL FOOTBALL
BY ANTHONY SHIRLEY
New Jersey football could possibly be changed
forever after this 2015-16 season. The New Jersey
State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA)
voted to separate the playing
between public and non-public
schools all throughout New
Jersey. Starting in 2016 and
pending approval by the
state’s education commissioner, New Jersey’s non-public
schools will be separated into
their own statewide conference. The vote was officially
passed on December 7, 2015
and the count was 215-128
with two abstentions.
This decision of the
NJSIAA has put many people
in an uproar. This causes a lot
of controversy because of the school-spirited rivalries
that exist between New Jersey’s public and non-public
schools. There are some rivalries that have been going
on for dozens of years. However, the only way for non
- public and public schools to be able to play each oth-
er is if both teams agree to play each other. However,
the playoff schedule is generally the same. Due to that
agreement, many people are disappointed. The NJSIAA has still received
threats
and
lawsuits
against the situation. One
of the last people to sign
off on the decision was
Commissioner of Education David Hespe. This
definitely will change
schedules for all the public and private schools affected by this. However, if
any two teams agree to
play each other, then it is
more likely to happen.
Football is part of
so many people’s lives
and to make a change as drastic as this is extremely
risky. However, if the people who love to watch the
game and the young men who love to play the game
care about it as much as they say they do, then they
will adapt to this change.
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
BY TOM DELLA SALA
As the election for a new president of United
States nears in on the citizens, there are many candidates who have managed to make it this far. Many candidates are continuing to battle for the lead in their respective parties. There has been a total of six drop out
candidates since the campaigning began. Among those
six are: Jim Webb, Rick Perry, Lincoln Chafee, Scott
Walker, Bobby Jindal, and Lindsey Graham. There are
still many presidential
debates remaining before the last one finally
occurs in March of
2016.
The Republican
Party still has 12 candidates participating in the
campaign. Of those
twelve are: Donald
Trump,
Ted
Cruz,
Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Jeb Bush, Chris
Christie, Rand Paul,
Carly Fiorina, John Kasich, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, and George Pataki. Donald Trump had been
leading the Republican vote for quite some time now.
Trump has had the lead since July 21, 2015, according
to RealClearPolitics.com. He lost the lead to Ben Carson on November 4, 2015 but regained the lead back
on November 7. As of December 22, 2015, the polls
stand as the following: Trump (33.6), Cruz (18.0), Rubio (12.3), Carson (10.0), Bush (4.5), Christie (3.5),
Paul (2.4), Fiorina (2.4), Kasich (2.1), Huckabee (2.0),
Santorum (0.6), Pataki (0.1).
The Democratic Party has just three candidates
still in the running for the party’s nominee. The remaining contenders are Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O’Malley. A total of six candidates
were running in the Democratic Party but Jim Webb,
Lincoln Chafee, and
Joe Biden all discontinued their campaigns. As
of December 22, 2015,
according to RealClearPolitics.com, the stands
remain as the following: Clinton (56.9),
Sanders (30.5), O’Malley (4.0).
For the Republican
Party,
Donald
Trump, Ted Cruz, and
Marco Rubio are all
fighting for nomination in the election. The likeliness
of each contender’s nomination stands as the following, according to CNN.com: Cruz (30%), Rubio
(29%), and Trump (24%). Hillary Clinton has a very
comfortable gap in her nomination standings. She
stands at a 92% chance to be nominated, while her
closest competitor Bernie Sanders stand far behind at
9%. November, 2016 is coming faster than some may
think. There will be a new president living in the
White House come the final days of the election.
Global News
Page 56
GLOBAL NEWS: TERRORISM
BY ANTHONY HEIN
In these recent months, the world has endured
its share of pain and hardship; terrorist attacks have
yielded repercussions that could be heard across the
globe.
On the night of November 13, 2015, the capital
of France, Paris, was the unfortunate victim of an ISIS
attack. Mass shootings and suicide bombings, the primary tactics of the attackers, brought about a total of
130 deaths, with an additional 368 more injuries.
France responded to this act of war by the Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant with its largest anti-ISIL
airstrike recorded.
However,
this
tragedy
would be replicated across the
seas in San Bernardino, California
where
ISIS
shooters
killed 14 innocent people and wounded another 21 on
December 2nd of the same year. The loss from this
event was fortunately significantly less, but equally
devastating. There were two shooters in this attack,
both of which pledged allegiance to Islamic jihad. The
shooters had planned for a bomb to go off along with
their mass shootings but luckily the bomb did not detonate. Soon after the event began, the shooters, a married couple, were shot down by police to end this massacre. A total of five firearms were used during this
attack, two of which were bought by one of the shooter’s good friends, who is currently being investigated.
These attacks, among others, are not only a national interest, but a global one, and countries worldwide are taking up arms and participating in the antiISIL campaign. Among the countries working to remove this threat are United States, Russia, France, and
many more. The United States is a key figure in this
anti-ISIL campaign and have launched attacks via airstrikes. Intelligence is constantly being gathered for
military efforts, especially by drones or other surveillance devices. Another method being used is the training and equipping of rebel groups located in the Middle East. As the attacks by this terrorist group has intensified, so has military intervention as we try to put
a stop to these tragic occurrences.
SAUDI WOMEN GAIN RIGHT TO VOTE
BY ANJALI PATEL
Saudi Arabia took a crucial step forward to
achieve political equality as women voted for the first
time on December 12, 2015.
According to BBC News, over 100,000 women
signed up to participate in the ballot. Although this
may seem like an insignificant number compared to
the total population of women in the country, it is progress.
Saudi Arabia is a conservative nation that follows a strict, black and white interpretation of Islam.
Women are still restricted from various rights such as
driving. To many women and girls, the right to vote
seemed like a quixotic idea. Although gaining this
right is certainly not a brief process, it is gradually becoming a positive reality. Allowing women to participate in elections and run for office can drastically
change society in Saudi Arabia. Not only do women’s
roles change, but giving them a voice will potentially
shed light on various issues within the economy, government, or society that could have otherwise overlooked.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia played a tremendous role in this progress but there is something
merely ironic about his views. BBC News reports that
he basically said women earned this right after expressing “correct opinions.” His statement could simply mean that many women have conveyed morals that
promote being good people. These ground morals include honesty and helping others. However, what he
said could also mean that society is not necessarily
ready for exposure to or acceptance of contradicting
perspectives that could challenge authority. I admit
this is a lofty goal that requires an ample amount of
time, energy, and perseverance. This goal does not
have a finishing point but it is rather an ongoing process.
Even though every country is in a different
place in terms of recognizing radical concepts and
new ideas, each society is progressively crossing
boundaries leading to some type of change. For example, in the United States, controversy regarding the
excessive censorship on college campuses is rising.
Therefore, many are taking initiative by making valid
points about how college students must be exposed to
visions that oppose their own for the betterment of the
future. While these two nations are in completely different places, it proves that like numerous inhabitants
of the United States, many Saudi Arabians are working towards a similar purpose of expanding what is
considered to be “the norm.”
The right for women to vote in Saudi Arabia
depicts a tremendous yet natural step. It should be
widely applauded with the sincere acknowledgement
of other issues pertaining to political equality that
should be tackled next.
Arts & Entertainment
Page 57
PEDAL TO THE METAL
BY KACPER PACHOLAK
Electricity and moving forward in the world scientifically has always been a topic of lighthearted controversy. People have both supported it and opposed it
in many areas, yet there’s one group of people that have
a pretty strong opinion on the topic. It is a group of dedicated hobbyists and even professionals who make a living off of this said topic. The topic I am talking about is
cars.
For the past 100 years, cars have always worked
on combustion engines. They used fuel, diesel fuel, E85,
and many other forms of fuel to cause an explosion and
push the pistons. Cars have really advanced since then,
but the basic design of the four stroke engine still stayed
the same and worked off of the same idea. Advancements around the engine advanced with the development
of better forms of ignition, fuel injection, exhaust expulsion, and drivetrain, yet the combustion engine still
stayed the same, up until now.
Some car manufacturers completely dropped the
engine design and started employing something we had
dreamed of 30 to 40 years ago. Electrical engines have
started becoming much more prominent in the car
world. It first started out as an aid to combustion engines. Those cars are today known as hybrids. The electric engines would aid the propulsion of the car in low
RPMs in order to save gas. Almost every car manufacturer from Nissan to Porsche has a hybrid (or multiple
hybrids) in their lineup. Probably the most known hybrid car (and the laughing stock of any car community)
would be the Toyota Prius. It is the bestselling hybrid in
the US and in the world, and one of the most iconic EV
(electric vehicle) designs to the human eye.
The Toyota Prius was brought into the market in
1997, with one of the most unique designs in the market.
It had very distinctive body lines that many manufacturers would learn and try to recreate with their own twist.
The Prius had started a new era of an electric (assisted)
car. It had brought hybrid vehicles from the dead after
many failed attempts that go all the way back into the
1900s. Yet during that new awakening, a branch off of
the EV tree had grown in a different way, and tried to
hitch its self onto a completely different orchard that its
followers protected with their lives – performance cars.
And here’s where the controversy comes up. Performance cars have always focused on getting the fastest
quarter mile times, or getting the fastest lap around the
iconic German Nürburgring Nordschleife, or who has
the biggest numbers. There’s always that famous iconic
American saying, “There’s no replacement for displacement”. Yet what if there is no displacement? What if
you line up on a quarter mile dragstrip in your 500
horsepower 5.0 Coyote Mustang GT and a 4 door electric family sedan beats you? All that heart and soul (and
money, lots and lots of money) poured into your beautiful car, and a Tesla Model S P85-D chops you? I’d be
angry.
Electric cars have often been viewed as that one
teammate who can easily outplay the rest of the team yet
no one accepts him. It really is sad that cars with that
much potential get dismissed by petrolheads for not
even having a legitimate motor. The Tesla gets an 11.6
second quarter mile time out of the box. Compare that to
a 12.5 quarter mile time of a Ford Mustang Boss 302.
Yet recently something has changed. Hybrids and electric cars have become much more acceptable by the general public and petrolheads alike. And here’s why.
The Porsche 918, the Ferrari LaFerrari, the BMW
i8, the McLaren P1, the Audi r8 e-tron, the list goes on!
All of those great super cars are EVs! It’s amazing how
much power all of those cars have and still make the cut
for supercar territory. The combination of a turbocharged engine and electronic assist is impeccable! The
numbers are astonishing and to the human eye no one
would even guess that these cars are all hybrids. And
soon to add to the lineup, the Nissan GT-R “Godzilla”
R36 will have an electric motor to assist the monstrous
3.0L V6 from the Le Mans P1 racer. The R35 is currently clocking in at around 600 brake horsepower which is
already a monstrous figure. One can only imagine the
power that would come out of the R36.
But getting back to the question, will EVs ever be
fully accepted as true supercars? I brought up the Nissan
GT-R for a reason. I really do like to play devil’s advocate a lot. The Nissan Skyline lifeline goes all the way
back to 1969 with the first generation - the Nissan Skyline GT-R PGC10. It’s almost been 50 years since the
original GT-R has come out, so its legacy is truly long
lived. The Skyline GT-R models didn’t really come into
the spotlight completely until the R32 model came out
in 1989. This was the first official “R Line” Skyline
model. It boasted a staggering 2.6L twin-turbo inline six
motor, known to all car enthusiasts as the RB26
(DETT).
The RB26 motor is the god of all motors. Say
what you want, but once the word RB26 comes out, everyone in the room goes quiet (except for that one guy
who talks about the Toyota 2JZ, the RB26’s rival motor). It was very ahead of its time and a show stopper
back in the late 1980s and early 1990s. To add to that, it
was also all wheel drive compared to the regular Skyline
GTS-T which sported the RB25 (the RB26’s little brother). At the time, it put out 280 horsepower. It may not
seem like a lot today, but back then it was almost put
into the supercar territory. It was faster than the Porsche
911 at the time.
So would an EV kill off the heritage that a RB
motor has? Undoubtedly, the electric motor would start
its own era for sure, if it hasn’t already. But with technology, we really need to move forward. The RB line of
motors will always be put down in history book as being
one of the greatest motors in the history of man
(alongside the 2JZ-GTE, GM LS, and BMW S50 (and
S52, and S54)). Yet just like everything, it has to come
to an end at some point, and a new era has begun. Electric cars are the future and I can guarantee that within
the next 50 years, we will see a complete takeover.
When I first realized that, I wasn’t very happy about it.
Yet, now after the release of all these great supercars, I
can easily say that I can’t wait for the future.
Arts & Entertainment
Page 58
WINTER FASHION
BY ROSALYN JONES
We all go through the struggles of having to decide
what to wear each morning. Some people become so frustrated that they don’t even want to go to school because every
outfit they try doesn’t come together. Well this is the article
that will save you from fashion disaster, ladies and gentlemen.
We’ll start off with make up
for the ladies: keep it simple and a
little smoky. The days will be dark
and cloudy, so a little bit of smoky
eyeshadow with a cat eye or regular
winged eyeliner with a possible dark
tinted lipstick will do just the trick.
You want to also stick to dark colors
for your clothing because it will absorb as much heat from the sun as
possible. Put a nice sweater on with
any jewelry to complete the outfit. A
pair of black dressy pants and black
boots will help tie the look together. If you’re feeling a little
daring, you can even add knee high knitted socks. Along
with this, it would be nice to throw on a nice cardigan and a
fishtail jacket of your choice.
To the men: it’s cold so remember to wear layers.
Cargos and hoodie under a baggy
short sleeve shirt with a pair of timberlands will work. To top it off, a
bomber jacket is the current fashion
trend. You can always look on
vogue.com for an outfit that accommodates your style. If you’re more of
the cleanly elegant style type, then a
nice pair of straight leg jeans with a
boot of your choice and a button up
with a leather jacket is sweet, simple,
but oh so fancy. Another good website to visit for shopping and inspiration is aliexpress.com.
BOOK REVIEW: ASHFALL
BY HEENA CHAMPANERI
Ashfall, by Mike Mullin, is one of the three books in
the “Ashfall” trilogy. This book won the NPR’s 2011 Top 5
Young Adult Novels, Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Books of
2011, YALSA Best Fiction 2011 selection, ABA 2011 New
Voices selection, and ABC 2011 Best Books for Children.
The story takes place in an apocalyptic world. Alex,
the main character, was left alone over the weekend, leaving
him with the freedom to play video games and hangout with
his friends without his mother’s constant hassling. Suddenly,
the Yellowstone super volcano erupts, and his life is turned
upside down. Mike Mullin’s captivating first book shows
Alex’s incredible trek through the ash to find his family, and
the harsh truth of nature’s horror story.
Personally, I enjoyed this book far more than I should
have. My homework was usually put to the side (which I seriously do not advise, especially if it’s Sunday night and you
have a paper due the next morning) and I’d get sucked into
this thrilling adventure. Although I’d probably never make it
through a day in this world, it’s amazing to see someone live
through it. This book gave me chills at points where I’d never expect them to be, and got me hooked from day one. I
think that the reason this book is so fascinating to me is because it could be our future.
HEALTHY HIBERNATION
BY NIVASHINI MUTHUVEL
It's one of those days where the temperature is below
the survival point of a human being and all you want to do is
stay at home, with a heavy blanket over your head and drink
hot chocolate. It's cold outside and you want to remain under
those warm, cozy covers. However, you know you should
battle the urge and resist temptation.
Recent studies have proven that weight gain increases
throughout the winter months. We can easily point out why
this is the case. It is because we hardly do anything in winter.
For the most part, individuals sit, eat, and sleep in one place
to keep warm. Yet, winter is the one of the most beautiful
times of the year, and there are a lot of activities one can do
to prevent the hibernation trap.
It’s never too late to relive childhood memories. You
can have a snowball fight with your friends or build snowmen and snow angels. It is time to embrace the winter with
your friends and family by enjoying the outdoors. If you’re
feeling particularly courageous, try skiing or sledding.
When the temperature outside is in the negatives,
shopping is a great alternative. After Christmas, many stores
sell items for heavily discounted prices. It is the perfect time
to get that favorite pair of boots you wanted but could not
previously afford. You may even encounter a great outfit to
go along with those boots.
You can always reorganize your cluttered bedroom. If
your room is rather messy, take some time to organize it.
You can purchase various pieces of furniture from the local
hardware store to help you clear the mess. This could potentially put your parents in a good mood as well.
Additionally, donating to charity is an option that will
leave you feeling good and productive. When you clean your
room or house, you can get a big cardboard box and fill it
with items that you do not need. If some of the items are in
good condition, you can donate them to a local homeless
shelter.
Baking with friends is a fun way to pass time during
the colder months. There are many different types of unique
recipes you could find. Some examples of foods to bake include hot chocolate pie, ginger bread cookies, red velvet
cheesecake, and vanilla pound cake.
Going on a long drive is a relaxing way to spend winter break. Take some time to admire and fully appreciate the
mesmerizing beauty of nature. Expose yourself to a different
environment. A change of pace can feel refreshing and satisfying.
Finally, throwing a bonfire is a great way to have a
social gathering with your friends and family. Invite people
that you may not see too often, barbeque food, and enjoy
good music for the evening. Spending quality time with
friends and family creates some of the most memorable moments. Make the winter months fun and take advantage of
the season’s multitude of activities.