2011-12 Issue 1 - East Meadow School District

The Jet gAZETTE
“we’re all jets here”
East Meadow High School
Volume II, No. 1
October 2011
T e n Y e a r s L at e r
by Melissa Gross
left by the victims who never boarded the train
home. There are children born after 9/11 who
have never seen their fathers’ faces because
of these heartless attacks inflicted by terrorists against people whose values are so different from their own. There was a glimmer of
hope when former President George W. Bush
raised a megaphone and said to the crowd surrounding Ground Zero, “I can hear you. The
whole world hears
you. And when we
get these people that
knocked these buildings down, they’ll
hear all of us soon.”
People
near
and far mourned
this tragic event and
anxiously awaited
the unveiling of the
National September
11th Memorial on
September 11, 2011.
The memorial was
designed by Michael
Arad. “Reflecting Absence” was picked from
over 5,000 submissions from 63 nations. The
design features two reflecting pools with large
waterfalls set within the footprints of the Twin
Towers. Looking at the water flowing into the
reflecting pools, visitors are reminded of the
void left in the hearts of Americans from the
tragic losses of 9/11. Names of the victims
are engraved on bronze parapets surrounding
the reflecting pools, the multitude of names
emphasizing the magnitude of destruction
Photo Courtesy of Times Magazine
On September 11th, ten years ago, Osama
Bin Laden arranged four planes to be hijacked
by Al-Qaeda terrorists. The official cause of
the 9/11 attacks is unknown, except that Bin
Laden had avowed his hatred for the United
States because of our Western influence in
the Middle East. On this morning, thousands
of people went about their daily routine, not
knowing that everything was about to change.
Nearly 3,000 deaths resulted from the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York
City, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and
from the crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
But just as devastating as this number was the
emotional toll these deaths made on America.
Hundreds of firemen, paramedics, reporters,
and search teams arrived at the scene, and, 10
years later, the horrors of what they saw are
still etched into their minds: billowing smoke
visible from every part of New York City;
mountains of debris piled high where the
Twin Towers stood just hours before; terrified
bystanders crying out for their loved ones. For
weeks, rescue teams worked to retrieve victims from the piles of pipes and cement that
covered the World Trade Center. Some firemen had to pull their own relatives’ bodies
from the rubble. A retired fireman spoke to
his sons (one was a fireman, the other a police
officer) the night before the attacks, and he
considers himself lucky that the last words he
ever said to them were, “I love you.” For some
people, the last time they heard their loved
ones speak was from a phone call aboard
one of the hijacked planes. There were cars
in train station parking lots a week after 9/11,
inflicted on September 11. The 9/11 victims
are not the only ones that will be remembered
with the construction of this memorial. The
World Trade Center was bombed in 1993, and
the names of those victims will be engraved
in this memorial as well. A light will shine
through the names at night, and visitors will
be able to look at the water through the names.
Trees were transplanted from within a 500mile radius of
the World Trade
Center,
and
from the site of
the plane crash
in Pennsylvania and Washington
D.C.,
and replanted
around the memorial, symbolizing life and
rebirth to balance the memorial’s tribute to
loss of life. The
National September 11 Memorial opened on
the 10th anniversary of the attacks with a
ceremony for victims’ families, and opened
to the public on September 12, 2011. Another memorial has been erected at the site of
the crash in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and another near the Pentagon.
A decade later, September 11th, 2001,
is remembered as a day when innocent lives
were lost. The tremendous impact this day
had on America is seen all around us: airport
security is stricter and the lines are longer
than ever, people are advised to be aware of
any suspicious packages, the Department of
Homeland Security was created, laws were
passed to deal with terrorism, brave soldiers
fought for our country in the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan, innocent people lost family
members and friends, and parents have become dependent on cell phones to know where
their children are and if they are alright. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell commented on
the terrorists stating, “They can kill people
and we will be saddened, but they will never
be allowed to kill the spirit of democracy.”
Immediately after the attacks, the country’s
air-traffic system was shut down for the first
time in history, and the Navy sent warships
closer to the East and West Coast to guard
against strikes on other American landmarks.
It is impossible to say why the terrorists chose
to attack it in this way, but perhaps they believed America would become divided, thus
making us an easier target. On the contrary,
Americans have become more united in recovering from this tragedy. People share their
stories, and others listen. The Freedom Tower will be completed in 2013, as a reminder
that when America is knocked over, the nation is capable of rising up again. Although
the country is close to complete recovery
from the physical damage of the attacks, it
will never forget the significance of that September morning. Howard Lutnick, a CEO
who was late to work when the World Trade
Center was attacked, put it best when he said
“…We move forward, but it stays with us.”
East Meadow High school remembers
by Michael Pepe
page 5
plans, he responded, “We
definitely plan on adding
to the memorial. We felt
that with the planting of
the juniper trees in the
front of the school, it was
a more permanent reminder. We also plan on installing a marble plaque.”
Model
Congress’s
intention with this event
was to allow people to
gain a better understanding of 9/11. Following
the memorial, a period of
reflection took place. Students discussed those who
passed away on that day.
We learned that the tragedy of 9/11 hit people of
many different races and
nations. As Sunil Reddy,
a student, said, “Overall,
the event was a success.”
Teachers, staff members,
and students came up
to the Model Congress
members and commented on how
nice and beautiful
the memorial was.
These compliments
continued throughout the weekend and
prove that, on this
day, East Meadow
High School stood
as the proud center
of this community.
In This Issue...
Pre-College Programs Homecoming
“Every member in the crowd
sang along to every lyric...”
page 6
page 8-9
page 12
October 2011
What I Did
This
Summer
memorial concerns two
juniper trees. These beautiful trees will grow both
tall and narrow to symbolize the glorious twin
towers. Another part of
the event involved nearly
3,000 American flags that
students planted in the
ground. These flags represented all of the victims.
The names of victims
were placed on each flag,
adding a personal touch
to this event. Mr. Bryne,
the Model Congress coadvisor, expressed pride
in what his club has accomplished. When asked
about future memorial
Photos Courtesy of Ms. McLaughlin
On September 9th,
2011, East Meadow High
School students and faculty came together as both
a community and a school
to honor those lost on 9/11.
The idea for this event began in June, and the result
provided students with a
unique opportunity for reflection. Model Congress,
which is our school’s
debate club, advised by
Ms. McLaughlin and Mr.
Byrne was able to provide
everything for the event
by fundraising through its
annual foreign congresses.
One of the most significant aspects of the
2
NEWS
taff
Editors-in-Chief
Alexandra Lopez
Sunil Reddy
News Editors
Akash Shetye
Anson Wang
Features Editors
Sarah Hwang
Gabriella Vukelic
Letter From The Editors
Dear Reader,
Welcome to your high school’s
newspaper, the Jet Gazette. Since last
year, the Jet Gazette has soared, exceeding our expectations and transferring our imaginations to paper.
This 2011-2012 school year expect
extraordinary improvements in our
paper. Already getting into the routine of school? We’re finally starting
to realize that we are not the only
people to have the responsibility of
keeping up with classes. Additionally, that we are both juniors makes
everything more overwhelming.
However, as your new editors-inchief, we are more than honored to
be a part of each and every issue.
The future of our paper looks
brighter than ever due to our dedicated staff of amazing writers. The
Jet Gazette is more than just a paper, it is the pride and honor of East
Meadow High School bringing
all of us together in one place. We
want to bring you the experience
of school in the form of a newspaper, to keep you updated and posted
about all on-going events with a critical and appreciative eye for them.
This paper encompasses a plethora
of ideas, perspectives, solutions, and
discussions, but most importantly
it is about you. As your editors-inchief, we wish you all good luck for
the 2011-2012 school year.
Sincerely,
Alexandra Lopez
and
Sunil Reddy
Editorials Editors
Paul Klika
Michael Pepe
Arts and Entertainment Editors
Amanda Chambers
Alexa Spieler
Congratulations
to the Class of 2012’s
Valedictorian and Salutatorian
Sports Editors
Kirsten Kahl
Jackie Roughan
Nilam Patel
and
Chris Lutrario
Advisor
Mary Fernandes
Publicist/Advertising
Pooja Amin
October 2011
Andrew Rabinowitz
The Jet Gazette is a student run paper for the students’ information
and entertainment. All editorials are the opinion of the editorial staff
unless signed. The Jet Gazette accepts signed letters to the editor, but
reserves the right to edit them. The Jet Gazette accepts advertisements,
but reserves the right not to print them.
Photo Courtesy of Anson Wang
Graphic Designer
NEWS
33
East Meadow Marches On
Photos Courtesy of Newsday
by Anson Wang and Alexa Spieler
The time of the year had arrived once again, when the East
Meadow High School Jets Marching Band would be attending the
annual Columbus Day Parade in
New York City. For the month of
September, over 200 student musicians and their band teachers frantically prepared for the parade.
Everyday seemed to present new
challenges for the marching band
and those problems tested the unity
and cooperation of the marching
band. East Meadow’s Homecoming Parade and the Huntington Columbus Day Parade had already
tested the East Meadow Marching Band. After an all-day clinic, a
night rehearsal, constant, and hours
of practice and hard work, the day
of the 67th Annual New York City
Columbus Day had finally arrived.
At 8:30 in the morning, the band
convened in the band room awaiting
the coach buses that would bring
them to the city. Despite certain setbacks such a late bus, the band arrived in New York City early and set
up their block on 5th Avenue under
the towering shadows of the city’s
skyscrapers. The nerves and excitement were high, as weeks of preparation were about to be put to the
test. If the marching band came out
victorious, then it would be its tenth
time capturing one of music’s most
prestigious awards. At 11:30, the
band departed down the street high
in spirit and confidence. The East
Meadow High School Jet Marching
Band paraded down 5th Avenue from
45th to 72nd Street, playing its song
“Escorpion” by Jay Dawson, as well
as several drum cadences composed
by its very own music teacher, Mr.
Hale. The endurance of the band
members was tested, since the judging area for the marching bands lay
at the very end of the parade. With
the red carpet in sight, the members
of the band had reached the moment
that they had spent months preparing for. The band triumphantly and
boldly marched down the red carpet, performing every little detail
that they had repetitively been told
over the past month, from their feet
to their horn angles. By the end of
the parade, only celebration awaited the band, despite the fact that
another bus was late once again.
The following day, the band
and their music teachers expressed
their pride about the previous day’s
performance, with Mr. Levy calling
it “one of the best bands he’s ever
had.” The band’s full performance
was even captured on television on
Channel 7 ABC as they performed
across the red carpet, where they
looked stunning. Fifth period came
about and Mr. Howard delivered
the exciting news: the East Meadow
High School Jet Marching Band had
captured 1st place at the 67th An-
nual New York City Columbus Day
Parade! The band’s victory marks
the 10th time that East Meadow had
obtained such a prestigious award.
Cheers could be heard across the
school. This award is all thanks to
the hard work and dedication of
all the band members, as well as
the effort and the inspiration that
the band teachers, Mr. Levy, Mr.
Hale, Mr. Engle, and Mrs. Babcock
had given to their students. The
memory of the 10th time that East
Meadow won the New York City
Columbus Day Parade will create
a legacy for future years to follow,
and the lessons learned from the
entire preparation process will last
a lifetime. When speaking of the
band’s victory, Mr. Levy said, “I’m
very proud and happy for the students of the East Meadow marching band. They continue to perform
at a very high level and carry on
a tradition that started in 1996.”
Irene: The Experience MLK Memorial
by Akash Shetye
Four decades after his death, the man
who gave millions of people hope and
continued inspiration has been given a
permanent place in America’s heart. A
memorial dedicated to the civil rights
leader was opened to the public on August
22, 2011 in the wake of the anniversary
of his “I Have a Dream” speech on August 28th. After
fourteen years of
careful planning,
the memorial has
finally been constructed in the
nation’s capital,
despite problems
during construction. This location is also where
King delivered his eye-opening speech
and where Americans look to find justice
and the protection of human rights. The
memorial features a 30-foot sculpture of
King along with walls wherein many of his
famous quotes and words are engraved.
This memorial serves as a step for
America as well as the world to recognize the efforts of a man who defied all odds and changed a standard
that had been ingrained in the minds of
Americans since the seventeenth century. As one man, he stood up for millions of silent voices and faced millions
of others who didn’t believe in him
Photo Courtesy of Google
ricane on their Facebook statuses.
Major news of the hurricane came
solely from sources of social media.
Despite the various reactions
towards the hurricane, there is no
question that everybody was intrigued by the impending storm.
This was the first hurricane for
most people, and they all wanted to see what would happen.
What actually occurred as a result of Hurricane Irene was very little. While winds did blow with incredible speeds and a few people did
pass away, the damage was nowhere
near what people expected. New
York came out of the storm rather intact. A few houses, including mine,
did end up losing power. However,
LIPA and ConEdison, the two major
electrical companies of this state,
helped restore power at a rapid rate.
Personally, the hurricane was a
unique event in my life. Not only
was it my first hurricane experience,
but I also lost power for six days
thanks to the hurricane. However,
I was not angered because the hurricane did allow me time to reflect
upon the different aspects of my life.
Hurricane Irene was the event of
the summer, and the experience that
it gave people was something that
will be remembered for a long time.
and told him he was a hopeless cause.
Although King may have never envisioned himself carved into stone, he envisioned a world were all people are given
an equal chance at happiness and given
rights that protect them as human beings.
Even if America has not reached perfect
equality for all, the progress it has made
since King’s time
has been remarkable. His constant
fight and determination changed the
course of American history and
has made it the
place we all enjoy
today. Maybe our
school would not
have the clubs it currently has if King had
not made his mark. Although we may
take it for granted, the liberties and freedoms we are given today are all thanks
to people like King who faced adversity
and continued to pursue equality and justice for all people. We should all take a
moment to thank people like King, who
risked everything they had and made a real
difference in the lives of every American.
When we look at the world today with racial equality and even the election of the
first African American president, I wonder what Martin Luther King, Jr. would
say. Maybe he would say, “I had a dream.”
October 2011
Hurricane Irene struck Long Island on August 28th, 2011. According to most meteorologists, Irene
was the first major hurricane to hit
the state of New York in 26 years.
The massive storm caused over $10
billion in damage and 56 deaths.
Thankfully, its impact on East
Meadow was marginal. However,
that does not diminish the fact that
Irene was a unique experience for
the students and people of this town.
People had heard about this hurricane for a while, but at first, they
did not expect it to make a massive
impact. However, as the week progressed, it became evident that Hurricane Irene was a force that could
cause a lot of trouble. The result was
swift action. Different parts of Long
Island were evacuated; meanwhile,
Governor Andrew Cuomo declared
New York to be in a state of emergency. People stocked up their gas
with incredible speed, and the essential “hurricane supplies” such as
water and canned foods came flying
off the shelves of grocery stores.
However, this state of anxiety
seemed to be isolated to the adults
of this community. In contrast,
most teenagers seemed to be relaxed about the hurricane. Millions
of teenagers joked about the hur-
by Kristi Nowak
FEATURES
There are many different clubs
and activities here at East Meadow
High School and this was clearly
evident at the 1st annual club fair on
October 6th, 2011. From Model Congress to HOOPS, our school offers a
variety of fun things to be involved
in after school. The following list includes ten of the most popular clubs.
Model Congress is a debating club.
Members argue infinite possibilities on almost every subject that you
could think of. Visitors from other
schools are allowed (and known) to
attend meetings. They meet every
Wednesday at 7:30 in the Little Theater. Please contact Mrs. McLaughlin
and Mr. Byrne for more information.
Key Club is not all about Keys. It’s
about fun, charity, and making new
friends. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. It provides its members with opportunities
to provide service build character
and develop leadership. Key Club
International is part of the Kiwanis
International Group. Key club members meet every Monday at 2:15 in
the Little Theater or the Auditorium.
FBLA, The Future Business Leaders
of America, is a national organization
of all high school students participating in business and office programs.
FBLA at EMHS gives students a competitive edge through career exploration, self-improvement, training, and
community service. They meet every Wednesday in room F11 at 2:15,
and please contact Mr. O’Connor and
Ms. LeSeur for more information.
October 2011
Come join the Jet Gazette and get involved with the school paper! The purpose of the Jet Gazette is to disseminate information and issues affecting
the lives of the East Meadow student
both in and around the school. Students interested in journalism may join
as staff writers, writing sports, news,
features, editorial and arts and entertainment articles. They meet on Tuesday in room F11, and please contact
Ms. Fernandes for more information.
The main goal of the EMHS Resume/
Yearbook Staff is to produce the best
yearbook possible. Staff members
make layouts, submit drawings, and
take pictures. There is a job for almost
any interest. They meet Monday-Friday
in room B9 and F11, and please con-
tact Mr. Joseph for more information.
EPIC, Expanding Your Pride in Israel Culture, is a Hebrew culture
club designed to offer students opportunities to better understand the
rich culture, history and traditions of
Israel. They meet every Thursday in
room D2 at 2:10, and please contact
Ms. Lombardo for more information.
HOOPS provides students with the
opportunity to do homework, projects (including computer use) and
study for tests either individually in
small groups or with the assistance
of a teacher. The “drop-in” format
allows you to stay for as long as
you like between 2:06 p.m. and 3:30
p.m. every Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Snacks are served, and textbooks and
school supplies are available for use.
Fashion Club works towards educating high school members about current fashion trends. Members of the
club become informed about possible careers in the fashion industry and how to achieve their fashion
goals. They meet on Thursdays at
2:10 in room E1, and please contact
Ms. Mohring for more information.
String Ensemble consists of talented
students in our school from grades
9-12. They work on a variety of music and perform throughout the year.
Meetings are every Mondays in room
C6 at 2:15, and please contact Ms.
McElraevy for more information.
Environmental Club is a club dedicated to helping save the environment.
This is done through community
education and fund-raising for worthy causes and direct beautification
of the earth. They meet on Mondays
at 2:15, in room F21. For more information please contact Mrs. Hopkins.
These are just some of the many
clubs that our school offers. It is hard
to believe that East Meadow High
School has more than 25 clubs! Some
of the clubs that are not mentioned include Theater Guild, Jazz Ensemble,
Vocal Jazz, Pit Orchestra, Composer
Club, Perspectives, Ethnic Awareness
Club, Pre-Med Club, Art Club, GSA,
Horticulture, SADD, World of Difference, WHAC, LEAF, Math Club, Step
Team, Chess Club, and many more!
For more information, check out our
school website: http://www.eastmeadow.k12.ny.us/emhs/index.html
Igniting the Flame of Fun
by Christine Kasparov
Photo Courtesy of Christine Kasparov
Photo Courtesy of www.eastmeadow.k12.ny.us/
ClubCorner
Want to get away? Fire Island, which is
located adjacent to the south shore of Long
Island, feels like a real get-away. However,
at the same time, it might not actually be
that far from home. Instead of stressing
in crowded airports or stations, a Long
Islander can enjoy a placid trip to a beautiful close-by refuge. To get there quickly, A
ferry is available to transport you. Speaking from experience, the ride was, in a
word, heavenly. There’s just something
about a ferry whipping across the ocean
water under a clear blue sky that makes
you feel truly reposed. Not to mention,
it’s a perfect time to capture the moment
with a few photos of the scenery. It is also
possible to travel by auto, train, seaplane,
or by airplane, but
personally speaking, cruising by
boat alone is still a
worthwhile experience that should
not be missed.
Fire Island offers many notable
attractions.
For
example, one can
get back to nature with biking, hiking, and swimming.
Sports such as beach volleyball and tennis
are also available. The beaches are pristine
and clean, and on a clear day, the waters
are cool and inviting. The air is so refreshing, you’ll want to stay all day and just
soak up the sun. After tiring of the beach,
you can explore the small boutiques and
convenience stores, as well as seasonal hotels, scattered for the tourists’ enjoyment.
Petite guest houses may be rented out for
the summer. In fact, there are approximately seventeen unique communities that
residents and tourists swarm each summer.
Imagine taking a quiet outdoor path to the
Photo Courtesy of Christine Kasparov
4
beach every day for even just a few days.
That would certainly relieve some pent-up
stress. Vacations communities are located
on the western part of the island, along
with most restaurants, while the eastern
part is home to large communities of Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines. There are
several restaurants that serve a variety of
appetizing cuisines. For example, Rachel’s
Bakery and Restaurant is the place to be
when craving homemade cookies and
moist cakes. Even if they’re a bit expensive, they’re well worth it. In general, Rachel’s is just one great place to go on Fire
Island for any meal, whether it’s breakfast,
lunch, or dinner. Of course, ice cream is a
must after a hearty meal, and will leave you
feeling refreshed, no
matter how warm
the weather may be.
My first trip to
Fire Island was very
memorable, even
if it wasn’t somewhere outside of
Long Island. Ocean
Beach, the town we
visited, is known as
a popular spot on
the island for nightlife, dining, and shopping. The streets are just as lively at night
as during the day, and everything is open
late. It just goes to show that you don’t
have to go anywhere extremely exotic or
far away in order to have a good time. On
the island, motor vehicles and technology
seem to be replaced by serene, natural attractions. The prices were generally reasonable as well. Even if you’re just going
to walk around and browse the various
shops, but not buy anything, it’s still more
productive than simply staying at home.
Just think of this as a relatively cheap way
to escape boredom and have a good time.
ASK THE JET
Do you have any questions or
concerns that you want answers to?
Well the “Jet” has your back!
Starting with the next issue, you can anonymously
submit your questions and concerns to “Ask the Jet,”
located next to the library. The Jet will then provide you
with advice and solutions.
Stay tuned for the next issue to see
the answers to your questions!
4
FEATURES
FEATURES
5
It’s All About Summer Fun!
by Anson Wang
The typical high school student sees
summer as an opportunity to unwind and
decompress from the demanding rhythms
of high school. It provides many teenagers
with the annual opportunity to enjoy a certain number of months free from homework,
tests, and the occasional rampage of teachers.
With higher temperatures and more free time
on their hands, many like to go to the beach,
hang out with friends, and of course sleep un-
til 2 in the afternoon. While it is nice to have
a break from school, the average summer
behavioral pattern goes somewhat like the
following: the first few days of summer are
usually spent with friends, doing everything
that was previously precluded by the presence of school. You exhaust yourselves doing
every single thing possible. When summer
comes, you have done everything possible on
your summer to-do list, so that you have left
yourself devoid of interesting activities. Boredom usually sets in around this time, and the
middle of summer is usually spent lounging
around with nothing to do for usually days at
a time. Finally, the end of the summer hits and
reality hits you that you actually have summer work to do, or that school is now peeking around the corner, and you cram everything possible into the last week of August.
However, this busy-boredom cycle does not
have to be repeated continuously each passing summer. Below are a few people who
have found ways to efficiently use their summer time for positive self-benefit, or to help
others who did not have the luxury of enjoying a relaxing summer. Instead of wasting
hours a day trapped in boredom, these East
Meadow students are examples of how one
could balance summer fun with volunteering, employment, or other interesting events.
by Anson Wang
by Pooja Amin
by Louus Pollenz
by Brandon Price
I was lucky to be selected to work alongside real-world scientists in a molecular neurobiology laboratory. Although I had originally applied for the position in order to gather
research for a project the following year, I
learned so much more than I had originally
anticipated. I became a student under a researcher whose ultimate goal was to discover
the causes of learning and memory. I learned
how to create and maintain cultures of nerve
cells, introduce foreign DNA into these cells,
and how to perform time-lapse imaging using
a sophisticated microscope on fluorescently
tagged cells. Working in a lab has been one
of the most interesting experiences of my
life, as I got to see how scientists work. I was
taken through the thought processes and the
frustrations of a typical day at the lab. It is
comforting to know that my efforts in the lab
will be included in someone’s research, and
that this research may one day benefit those
with neuronal disorders such as Alzheimer’s
disease or other nervous dysfunctions. Working in the lab has made me realize that the
possibilities of gaining knowledge is endless,
and that one must always remain curious in
order to grow. My mentor was both energetic
and knowledgeable, and the lab experience of
working as a real researcher studying cell behavior exceeded my expectations. If offered
another opportunity to work in the same
lab, I would certainly not hesitate to return.
Summer 2011, boy, was it a summer to remember! I spent a month of my
summer traveling through various countries in Europe. How many people can
say that they have been to nine countries, let alone in one summer? I’m sure
the answer to that is very few, and so I
consider myself extremely fortunate. At
the age of sixteen I got to travel abroad
visiting countries with such strong history, flourishing futures, diverse people,
and vibrant cultures. It was amazing
getting to walk the streets of Rome,
visiting the world-famous Roman Coliseum and making a wish at the Trevi
Fountain. In Austria I was taken away
by Innsbruck’s intoxicating beauty,
from the tall narrow streets and palaces
to its simplicities like its cobbled pathways. From sledding down Mt. Titlis in
Switzerland, to munching on a piece of
Belgium’s chocolate, to climbing up the
never ending staircase of the Eiffel Tower, to eating a piece of smoked cheese in
Amsterdam, I got to do it all. Not only
was this a summer to remember, but I
wish to visit these places again someday in my future. My “Eurotrip” this
past summer to the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, France and England was truly an
experience that’ll last with me forever.
This summer, I worked at Merrick
Woods Summer Camp as a junior counselor for a group of sixteen eight-year-old
boys who ran around uncontrollably all
day, complaining about every little cut
and scratch they received. I was specifically assigned to be a “shadow” to a kid
with Asperger’s Syndrome. I would follow
him around and assist him with any personal problems he might have at the time.
Aside from this task, I was just a typical
counselor to everybody else. Every year,
Merrick Woods holds its own Olympics,
which many people confuse with another
event, Color Wars. During Olympics, the
entire camp splits up into four different
teams, Blue, Gold, Red, and White, and
each member of the team must dress in
his or her respective color for three days
of hard-core and competitive activities that
requires planning, strategy, and skill. I was
on the Blue team with my brother, Sam, as
the Olympic President, and we came in first
place with 3231 points, while the Red team
came in second with 3229, only a two point
difference! I also enjoyed the fact that the
kids would come running up to me everyday and ask me to show them a magic trick,
pulling playing cards out of their mouths
and things of that nature. Even though the
kids were sometimes troublesome, I certainly can’t wait to go back next summer!
Photo Courtesy of Brandon Price
Photo Courtesy of Louis Pollenz
Photo Courtesy of Pooja Amin
Photo Courtesy of Anson Wang
USDAN:
When I Became Crossing Europe I Bet My Summer was
in 7 Days
Better than Yours Music Camp
a Scientist
Over the summer I did what everyone dreams of doing, going to band camp!
Music is something that I am very passionate about, though, so it really was
something that I enjoyed. The camp that
I went to is called USDAN, a camp for
many different performing arts. USDAN
features programs involving things from
Band, Orchestra, Chorus, Art, Dance, and
many other things. I attended this camp
for Band, which included a sectional followed by regular band practice on a daily
basis. Playing my horn every day gave
me a chance to really improve my playing
ability. At USDAN, I was surrounded by
many other band enthusiasts who shared in
the same interests. I also made friends with
the whole French horn section because we
all share the common interest of playing
the greatest musical instrument ever created. Meeting a bunch of other people who
played the same instrument as me gave me
the motivations to be a better horn player,
as most of them were better players than I.
By the end of the summer my horn playing
was at a much higher level than it was at
the beginning and gave me more of an appreciation for my instrument. I had a great
time at USDAN, making many new friends
while also improving my ability and appreciation for music and the French Horn.
Vo l u nt e e r i n g
by Areeba Khan
pressure such as the ER, ICU, and Surgery. Then there are other places where
the level activity is low and slow paced,
such as the mail room. Overall, there’s
always something happening in the hospital, no matter where you go. I realized
the patients are the number one reason
why you're at the hospital. At that point
I knew that I had interest in the medical field, since I love helping people out
with the smallest of things. There’s usually always someone to talk to and share
a joke with. Once you feel like you know
your way around, you actually begin to
like the place! Volunteering at a hospital isn’t always too boring after all!
by Willnide Lindor
During the summer, I had the opportunity to volunteer at a local church in
Nassau County. My job was to help the
children on their annual trip to Adventureland! The children were all filled with
glee when the day finally arrived. Each
had his or her own plans in mind as to
how the day was going to go. One kid
in my group wanted to go on all of the
most terrifying rides in the park, and as
the chaperone, I had to go with my children’s desires. I was horrified at first,
but then came to love those scary rides
as well. The kids also had the chance
to meet other young children from different communities. I also helped with
Sunday school by teaching the children new songs and hymns. Working
with these children every week was a
rewarding experience. As I ponder my
summer, I remember all the fun I had
with these kids. Not only does volunteering have a lasting effect on those
you help, but it can also have an effect
on your own life. Having the chance
to change your community in a small
way is a great thing. Seeing the smiles
on the kids’ faces when we got together
for creative activities will always be a
part of my best memories. I am so appreciative for this summer and cannot
wait for the next one to come around.
October 2011
Sometimes little experiences can
change a person’s outlook on life as a
whole. The past few years, I was beginning to feel as if my parents were pushing
me to become a doctor. After this summer, I realized that I do have interest in
the medical field. To keep myself busy
this summer, I decided to volunteer at
Nassau University Medical Center. It was
my second year volunteering, and luckily, it was much more interesting than
my first. The area I was put in my first
year was pretty dull. I was in a different
area this year, and it was always busy. I
had to answer phone calls, make phone
calls to patients to remind them of their
appointments, and file paperwork. In the
beginning of my experience, I thought
“Wow, so this is what my mom made me
do! The work they give is so tedious!” As
the week went by, I realized how positive
the hospital environment can be, depending on where you go. There are many areas which are fast paced and have a lot of
6
FEATURES
What Pre-College
Programs Can Do For You
by Leanne Minkoff
Photo Courtesy of Google
Pre-college programs are a great
way to get a feel for college while you
are still in high school. There are a variety of programs, from a weekend class,
to a summer course where you actually
stay at the college. The most rewarding
of the two is the summer course because
you really get a sense of college life.
For example, at Brown University (www.brown.
edu), there are
different length
summer programs
including
one
week, two weeks,
three weeks, four
weeks, and seven
weeks (which you
get college credit
for). You choose
which class you
want to take, stay in a dorm for that
length of time, and work with real
Brown professors. While I was there
this past summer, I really felt like I
was a college student. I lived in a dorm
with people who were also in the class
I was in, had a demanding amount of
work, and loved the class I was taking.
Not only was the class enjoyable, but
the activities the Brown staff planned
were as well. From talent shows to offcampus excursions, there was always
something to do. It really took some
of the nervousness I was feeling over
college away. If you are interested in
finding out what college is like before
going, a summer program is for you.
Weekend courses, though rare, are
an excellent way to potentially earn
college credit. Most weekend courses
are art courses, like those at the School
of Visual Arts (www.sva.edu) and the
Fashion Institute of Technology (www.
fitnyc.edu), both of which are located
in New York City. The School of Visual Arts offers an array of different
art courses that allow you to earn one
college credit upon completion of the
course. There are
classes like animation, photography, and film
production. The
Fashion Institute
of Technology offers courses such
as fashion design
techniques, careers in marketing and advertising communications, and drawing. If
you are interested in a more in-depth
art course, these classes are for you.
These are just a few of the precollege programs available. If you do
some research, you will most likely
find a program that interests you and
is about what you would like to do in
life. Many colleges nowadays offer
summer pre-college programs, so you
could even look into going to the college of your dreams. More benefits of
pre-college programs include firsthand
knowledge of college life, opportunities for academic development and
improvement, and a fantastic experience. Pre-college programs are a great
learning experience and will benefit
you in ways you can only imagine.
How Watching SpongeBob
Can Make You a Goofy Goober
by Rabihah Huda
October 2011
Photo Courtesy of Google
If a person were to sing, “Who
lives in a pineapple under the sea?”
most of the population would be able to
sing back, “SpongeBob Squarepants!”
However, research shows that just
watching seven
minutes of one
of the most popular cartoons,
about a yellow
sponge and his
adventures as a
fry cook with his
best friend Patrick Star, could
affect younger
children.
An experiment consisted
of sixty kids
aged around four years old shows that
the cartoon is too fast paced for younger
children. The children either watched
educational shows such as Caillou
or watched SpongeBob Squarepants.
Then they took tests to see how well
the children reacted to the shows.
The tests were given immediately after the children watched the program
and were made to their test attention, working memory, and problemsolving. The children who watched
SpongeBob did
only half as well
as the ones watching the slower
paced
shows.
Nickelodeon
in response of the
new study states
that SpongeBob
isn’t
targeted
to children under the age of
nine. Yet, most
of their viewers
are from ages
two to five. The American Academy
of Pediatrics discourages television
for children under two overall. Pediatricians state that younger children
should be exposed to more social
activities rather than made to sit in
front of a glaring TV screen anyway.
Eliminating Senioritis!
by Sunil Reddy
It is the most unholy of all words,
and it permeates through the air among
seniors in any high school. Even the
best students, despite the forewarnings and desperate pleas, cannot escape its grip. Senioritis is very much
alive and kickin’ and it’s hungry for
the class of 2012. Students may think
it’s an easy battle fighting off the urge
to sleep, and even strolling on Facebook, it is a lot more difficult than it
seems. With Senior year comes an attitude of laziness and despondency;
senioritis feeds on seniors’ lack of
motivation. The best weapon against
it is to be proactive and most of all
sneaky. It’s time to fight fire with
fire. Here is some advice to reduce
your risks/symptoms of senioritis:
FORGET FACEBOOK
This may be a surprise, but students cannot function without facebook (sarcasm). Actually Facebook
isn’t that important. Mark Zuckerburg did students a major disservice when he created Facebook
aka: a prime way to procrastinate.
Although it is important that Sally
Sue “Just got a new puppy :]” AP
Bio trumps status updates any day.
Seniors, good luck with this one!
BE PROACTIVE
Create due dates way in advance
to trick oneself into doing quality
homework. It is a known fact that
seniors are going to wait until the
very last minute to do anything. If
students think that their homework
is due at an earlier time, they might
actually start it at a decent time instead of the night before. Also, try to
optimize all the free time at school.
JUGGLING A FULL PLATE
Some busy seniors will think
this is the year to be involved in everything because it’s the final hoo-
rah. Although it is important to get
involved and cherish ones senior
year, students simply can’t do it all.
Seniors, don’t take on too much.
With exams, and applying to college, seniors already have a full plate.
COME TO CLASS
(Might off set the lack of work
seniors generally do). For seniors,
the biggest problem coupled with
senioritis is credit denial. Seniors,
SHOW UP FOR CLASS! This cannot be stressed enough. There is definitely a correlation between being in
class and having good grades. If students don’t show up, how can they
expect to learn the material? Most
students aren’t motivated enough to
teach it to themselves on their own
time. Missing class can also push
students further and further behind.
Missing too many days could cause
credit denial as well. This could
prevent seniors from graduating.
KEEP IN MIND
For those seniors involved in
higher level classes, exams creep up
sooner than they expect. Seniors need
to maintain a sense of motivation in
order to prepare for exams, especially
IB seniors who have been working for
their diploma for four years. It would
be a shame to waste all the hard work
over laziness. In addition to this,
many colleges ask for grade reports
at the middle and end of senior year.
Senioritis is obviously inevitable
it’s like we’re all done you know?
The bottom line is to find the fine line:
the boundary between enjoying the
end of high school and endangering
your new beginning as a college student. How do you know when you’ve
crossed the line? It’s like a dog hitting
an electric fence; you’ll just know.
SPIRIT WEEK
Photos Courtesy of Kirsten Kahl, Sarah Hwang, and Chrisrie Lee
8
by Alexandra Lopez
October 2011
The week from September 19th to the 23rd known as Spirit Week, overcame East Meadow High School with an overwhelming amount of school spirit. This phenomenon happens every year the
week before Homecoming. For a building filled with so many different types of students, this makes for a great way to unite the school.
The amount of neon that the students were sporting that Monday morning could have easily waked you up. Tuesday was “Twin Day”
where students as well as teachers matched clothing with someone else.
Wednesday was “Hawaiian Day”; this involved wearing a tacky Hawaiian shirt or some kind of floral print. It turned out to be a lot more
fun when people brought in leis to wear around their necks. Thursday
you saw most students dressed up as a cartoon character, and then parading down the hallways were the Powerpuff Girls, Spiderman, Elmo
and many other characters from their favorite cartoons. The final day
of Spirit Week was East Meadow High School’s Pride Day, the day
before the big homecoming game. Students wore their jerseys proudly, and the football players definitely stood out in their suit and ties.
Overall Spirit Week seemed to be quite successful. It was a nice
change from every other week of school, and it helped welcome us all
into the school year with such joy and pride to belong to East Meadow
High School. I can only wonder what next year’s Spirit Week will entail.
HOMECOMING
Homecoming
9
by Amanda Romeo
This year’s East Meadow High School homecoming game was
a good one for the Jets. The game was put away quickly with Robbie Healy scoring four touchdowns in the first half. Quarterback Dylan Curry threw a touchdown pass to Marvin Cajoles for seventy
two yards and later threw one to Robbie Healy for fifty nine yards.
Half-time began with the Cheerleaders delivering a great performance followed by the highly anticipated Rockettes. Afterwards,
the Marching Band played an amazing rendition of “Escorpion” by
Jay Dawson. Before the second half of the game, the Homecoming Court was announced along with this year’s king and queen. This
year’s nominees for Homecoming Queen were Amanda Carlin, Christie Lee, Kaitlyn McGuinness, Kelly Rice and Becky Syers, and the
nominees for Homecoming King were Mike Conway, Matt Grossman, Andrew Hochler and Dan Matisheck. Congratulations to this
year’s Homecoming King and Queen, Dan Matisheck and Kelly Rice!
By the end of the game, the Jets had won the game 61-7. They
clearly played an impressive game. After homecoming their record
was 3-0. It looks like it’s going to be a good season. Great job, Jets!
JETS
October 2011
EDITORIALS
Freshman Perspective Sophomore Perspective
10
by Molly Hall
I’m not going to lie; East Meadow High School is very different
from Woodland. When I walked
in the first day, I had mixed emotions. I was scared, excited and
nervous. Walking through the
hallways felt different because
last year we were the seniors,
and now there are people walking
next to use that are so much older, looking and taller. The work
is different, the school is bigger,
and you are expected to do more.
However, I do think that people
exaggerated when they said how
much different it is. I was told by
many people to keep up with the
work, or else I’ll do terribly. Despite the negative criticism, high
school isn’t that bad. Every morning I look forward to coming; it is
a lot of fun. I find it much more
enjoyable then Woodland. The
only thing I have had a problem
with is tests. I have had up to three
tests on one day. In Woodland,
our teachers would talk to each
other and they would make their
tests spread out on different days.
There are so many more clubs
and sports that we didn’t have in
Woodland, like golf and kick line.
The intensity of clubs like sports is
a lot different than middle school.
For example, I play Field Hockey
and I’m on the JV team. The practices are a lot different and longer, but it’s still a lot of fun. I’m
still deciding what clubs to join
because there are so many new
ones. I hope to be very involved
in as many clubs I can. Key Club
and F.B.L.A really interested me.
I am lucky because I have a
sister who is a senior. A couple
of times I got lost, but I was able
to find her or one of her friends
to help me out. High School is
a lot more laid back than Woodland. At lunch you are allowed to
take out your phone and things
like that. They think that we are
a lot more mature at this age, and
I feel a lot more grownup but we
are only underclassmen. We still
have 3 more years to come, and
the work gets harder and harder.
I’m a little scared because I see
all juniors and seniors stressing out about SAT’s and college
work, but that time will come
when we are ready. I love East
Meadow High School and look
forward to the years to come.
by Adena Baichan
Being in the second year of our
high school career is pretty bittersweet. Sophmores one level higher,
above the freshman of course, but we
are still considered underclassmen.
We already have a good idea of the
hallways and which locker spots are
the best. After summer ends, there
is still a re-adjustment period. We
still need to get back into the swing
of things, like which routes are the
easiest, which hallways to avoid, and
getting assignments done on time.
I think I speak for most sophomores
when I say that time really needs to slow
down. Having only about three years
left our high school career, many of us
are starting to think about the important
decisions that we’ll have to make later
on, like which colleges to consider and
what career paths to take. One decision
that is particularly tough for me, and
I’m sure is for a lot of others as well, is
to let go of our dear friend, procrastination. Nowadays, that relationship just
isn’t working out as well as it used to.
This year, most of us have gotten
comfortable with the agenda of things
and are beginning to join clubs, sports,
and other extracurricular activities. This
gives us an idea on what path we’d like
to take on our road trip to the future.
Some of us are even taking our first AP
class, which is a completely new side
to the story of learning. Speaking for
myself, since I started taking my first
AP class, my other good friend, Sleep,
and I haven’t been getting along as well
as we used to. (If any of you see him
around, let him know I miss him dearly.)
There’s always that part of us that
wants to go back to elementary days,
where everything was simple and easy.
Then again there is also that part of us
that can’t wait to rush into the future
to see what it holds. Thinking back on
how ridiculously fast freshman year
flew by, I could only imagine how
quickly sophomore year will, and the
next two years ahead of us will be also.
As we’re all starting to get more
serious about the future and what it
holds, we still want to have a good time
and keep up with the little kids inside
all of us. Although we have matured
and grown since our freshman year,
we don’t want to give up all that’s being left behind just yet. I’m sure we’re
all looking forward to riding out these
next three years, and to see what they
bring to each of us, because just as
everyone says, “High school years
are the best four years of our lives.”
Junior Perspective Senior Perspective
October 2011
by Anson Wang
Hooray! We’ve made it through
two years of high school! But wait
just one moment, we have just landed ourselves right in the penultimate
year of our high school lives, one that
just so happens to hold the reputation
of being the busiest and tedious years
we will encounter before we embark
on our journeys to college. This fateful year also brings with it its bag of
goodies teeming with SATs, APs,
and other fabulous treasures plaguing my already busy schedule. I am
already starting to feel the pressures
of my future lying upon a fragile
thread supported by a beam entitled
“The Dreaded Junior Year.” It is this
year that I will be starting my long
road to college, and it is this fateful
year that will have one of the largest influences on deciding my future.
I have been told time and time
again to enjoy high school while it
lasts. The only logical conclusion that
I can draw from this statement is that
these graduates told me this piece of
advice while trying their hardest to
exclude junior year from their minds.
Despite the moderate amounts of work
I have been already receiving, I cannot
forget that it has just been the first few
weeks, nor can I ignore the countless
warnings I have received regarding this
infamous year. The urge to kick back
and relax is too tempting, and I have
learned from the previous year what
chaos and destruction procrastination
can cause. If procrastination was last
year’s disease, sleep depravation will
become this year’s epidemic. Dunkin’
Donuts chose a smart location when
planning their location so close to a
high school full of juniors forced to
resort to caffeine to keep themselves
awake, functioning, and virtually sane.
Even weekends often offer no solace from the ominous shadow casted
from the following week’s work.
Just when you thought we couldn’t
get more chaotic, one of the lighter
sides of being a junior includes the fact
that New York State gives most members of our grade the power to begin
driving. Also, we have finally evolved
into those lucky individuals that have
the opportunity to venture off campus
during our off periods (well, legally of
course.) I have much more responsibilities this year than the usual load,
and only I can ensure that my future
remains positive. Sometimes, I look at
the seniors and wish I could be them,
but I then remind myself that they
also have their hand in work with college businesses. Some of us wish that
summer could return with its warm
weather and its lazy atmosphere, but
sadly that is not the case. We are now
juniors and must fulfill the path that
a junior must take. Since past generations have survived through their
junior years, then why can’t we 16
and 17 year olds do the same? Class
of 2013, we are in this together.
by Christie Lee
I walked in the first day of
school feeling completely different. The fact that I was a senior hit me when I walked in
seeing all my friends that I’ve
missed so much and seeing all
the short and little freshmen
looking lost. It was an exciting first day of school because
I have personally wanted to be
a senior since freshmen year.
At the time, most of the seniors
that I talked to made me so jealous because they had senioritis
while I was stuffing my face in
books. Now it’s my turn. Many
underclassmen have come up to
me and asked “So how is it being a senior? Is it a lot easier?”
and to that I reply “It all depends
on how you make it and use the
time.” If I decided to slack off,
kick back, and relax, then sure
it would be super easy for me.
Personally I like keeping myself
busy, so I took serious classes, and I got myself involved
into school activities such as
volleyball and other clubs.
This year not only do we have
the homecoming parade, but we
have the Senior Banquet, college applications, Battle of the
Classes, Prom, and graduation.
I’m sure every single senior has
waited for these moment since
freshmen year. It is sure to be
one stressful yet amazing and
memorable year for most of us.
At times, it is truly sad to
look back and consider that I’m
off to college in less than a year.
It will be an exciting moment,
starting a new chapter in my life,
yet it is going to be hard saying
goodbye to my friends. I have
started to pick out colleges that
I’m interested in, and honestly,
it’s overwhelming. It feels as if
I am planning out the rest of my
life at the age of 17. Now, of
course, that isn’t the reality, but
I personally don’t want to enter
a college “undecided.” While I
haven’t started filling out college applications yet, the whole
process seems so tedious to me.
Writing essays, asking teachers for letters of recommendations, researching colleges and
programs, filling out many different kinds of applications,
and so on, is a load of work.
Overall, the past 3 years of
high school flew by quickly for
me. I’m expecting a quick senior year and I’m planning on
enjoying every second of it.
I’m definitely excited for college, but at the same time I want
my last year of high school to
last. Senior year has just begun,
but I’m looking forward to a
memorable and exquisite year.
by Ajin Sam and Harish Jeyasri
We see in modern media today,
including movies and TV shows that
relate to school, school cafeteria food
is usually depicted as being repulsive and vulgar. This is debunking the
food in our nation’s schools due to the
fact that in reality, especially in our
school district, the food isn’t as appalling as these shows and films illustrate.
The cafeterias in our school district,
looking at the menu, serve a variety of
food and have healthy options including
salads, fruit, yogurt, fruit juice and milk.
Not to chastise anyone, but the students
do have a choice in what they eat at our
schools. Contrasting to those healthy
options, there are other unhealthy preferences such as cheeseburgers and hamburgers, which if consumed daily can
be unhealthy and harmful. There are
also snacks such as Doritos and other
chip products being sold in the vending machines in our schools. In these
same vending machines, drinks filled
with sugar and salts are being sold. The
school has been munificent in providing
us with baked chips and more healthy
options such as vegetable flavored wheat
thins and energy drinks low in sugar.
With all these healthy alternatives, the
option of whether to digest beneficial
ailment or to eat deleterious foods is
the choice of the student. It would not
be equitable to accuse the school for a
child’s poor diet since schools are aspiring to provide healthy food for our kids.
We are in a period of time in which
a recession is leading to austere decisions and in which everyone is becoming more frugal. The school’s striving
for a healthy future should be appreciated by our students. The school also
has programs that help those who have
low income salaries and are not solvent,
therefore ensuring all students lunch daily. These lunches are most likely remunerated through the taxes paid annually.
Another emerging issue in our
country that may be pecuniary is
the serving of food that may have
food borne illnesses. It is fortunate
that an event such as this has not occurred in our district, not to disparage
other districts throughout the nation.
It is advantageous that we have a
cafeteria staff who serve healthy food
and food that is not contaminated. There
are many healthy alternatives available
for any item that may be consumed
during school hours. Our school district is even fortunate enough to have
a program to assist those students attending East Meadow schools who
are less fortunate. We should be taking advantage of these options since
we are paying for them via our taxes.
13
11
East Meadow School District
Board of Education
Joseph Parisi, President
Walter Skinner, Vice President
Joseph Danenza
Corey Fanelli
Brian O’Flaherty
Jeffrey Rosenking
Marcee Rubinstein
Administration
Louis R. DeAngelo, Superintendent of Schools
Robert P. Gorman, Asst. Supt. for Business and Finance
Anthony Russo, Asst. Supt. for Personnel and Administration
Cindy Munter, Asst. to the Supt. for Curriculum and Instruction
Patrick Pizzo, Director of School Facilities and Operations
Mary Ann O’Brien, Assistant Business Administrator
Family Stickers
by Paul Klika
If you live in this state and
drive a car or joy ride with siblings/
friends, you see these things at least
twice a day. These are the infamous
family stickers that look like stick
figures that are usually placed on the
back of cars. Saying they’ve become
a national sensation is an understatement. Sometimes these stickers
even depict the family members representing certain activities, such as
the son holding a baseball bat, father
with a lawnmower, daughter holding a tennis racket. Some may view
these stickers as cute and funny, but
I personally view them as a little
obnoxious. Maybe it’s because as I
grow older, my patience for things
like that start to vanish rather quickly. These stickers are basically the
modern version of “Baby on Board”
another phrase which irks me. Don’t
get me wrong though, there is absolutely nothing wrong for loving, caring, and being proud of your family,
but when it gets to the point where
you have display your family everywhere, even to total strangers,
it transforms from caring of your
family into self-interest. It becomes
somewhat of a challenge to show off
who has a better family by adding
all sorts of little tidbits like baseball caps, Mickey Mouse hats, sunglasses, baby in the stroller. Thankfully it’s just a fad, and just like
all the other ones, it’ll just die out.
Courtesy of Google images
Cafeteria Food
EDITORIALS
EDITORIALS
October 2011
12
Warped Tour Takes Over Long Island
by Alexa Spieler
Photos Courtesy of Alexa Spieler
Thank God the Long Island
Warped Tour date was a mere five
minutes away from my household. On July 17th, 2011 the VANS
Warped Tour took over Uniondale,
NY. Warped Tour has always been
known for catalyzing some of today’s biggest bands’ careers.
What’s essentially great about
Warped Tour is that you could
walk in not knowing any of the
bands, and walk out of there
with your new favorite band(s).
The line-up this year was as
diverse as ever. The line-up
ranged from Warped Tour veterans, such as Less Than Jake,
Sum 41, and Against Me, to
newcomers such as, Go Radio, Destroy Rebuild Until God
Shows, and Stephen Jerzak.
With extremely high temperatures, the water vendors were
certainly cashing in, since water was priced at $4.50 a bottle.
There were some free options for
people to keep cool, such as Monster providing free energy drinks, a
slip and slide, and an air-conditioned
bus that could fit up to 40 people at
a time. Even though it was as hot as
ever outside, the temperature didn’t
seem to affect the size of the crowd.
For about the first two hours of
the festival I had been doing interviews with a wide variety of artists
on the tour. August Burns Red, The
the get-go I knew they weren’t going to disappoint. Every member in
the crowd sang along to every lyric
and with Carlile screaming his heart
out on stage, there’s no questioning why Of Mice & Men has such
as passionate fan base. Next up was
Wonder Years, Gym Class Heroes,
Of Mice & Men, and more took time
out to speak with me on various topics. As soon as the interviews were
done I immediately made my way
into the festival. As I completed,
two bands that I was hoping to
see were on (Of Mice & Men
and The Wonder Years). One of
the tougher parts about Warped
is the fact that unfortunately,
one may have to choose between
seeing one’s two favorite bands.
Rushing over, I caught Of Mice
& Men by their second song and
they absolutely killed their entire set. It was my first time seeing them with original vocalist,
Austin Carlile, and right from
The Ready Set on the Glamour Kills
Stage. It was pretty difficult to hear
his performance, even from the photo pit, due to the screaming girls in
the background. From what I could
hear, The Ready Set put on a solid,
energetic performance. As I patiently waited for Destroy Rebuild
Until God Shows to take the stage,
I had the opportunity to catch a bit
of The Expendables’ performance.
Never listening to them before, I
was pleasantly surprised by their
stage presence and talent. The great
thing about Warped is finding that
one band you may have never listened to before and instantly falling in love. That’s exactly what
happened. A couple of minutes
V ideo M usic A wards S et R ecords
October 2011
by Zamina Dhalla
The 2011 Video Music Awards
were not only unforgettable, but
also had the largest audience in
MTV history! Lady Gaga wowed
the crowd with her male alter ego,
Jo Calderone. The many performers at the VMAs were Lady Gaga
featuring Brian May, Jay Z and
Kanye West, Pitbull featuring Neyo and Nayer, Adele, Chris Brown,
Beyonce, Bruno Mars, Young The
Giant, Lil Wayne, and a tribute to
Britney Spears. Jessie J was the
house artist and performed many
of her songs and covers of other
artists’ songs. Kevin Hart per-
formed the opening monologue
welcoming the audience to the
show and introduced the first set of
performers, Jonah Hill and Nicki
Minaj. Lady Gaga presented the
Video Vanguard award to Britney
Spears. She also won best female
video and best video with a message, Katy Perry won three awards
(video of the year, best collaboration, and best special effects in a
music video), Adele won three
awards (best art direction in a video, best editing in a video, and best
cinematography in a video). Justin
Bieber won best male video, and
Nicki Minaj won best hip-hop
video. Beyonce won best choreography in a video. Britney
Spears won best pop video and
the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard award. My favorite part
was the Britney Spears tribute
when she won the Video Vanguard award. Another memorable moment was when Jennifer
Lawrence presented a clip of The
Hunger Games, which comes
out in 2012. Beyonce announced
she and Jay Z are having a baby
at the 2011 VMAs. I thought
the 2011 VMAs were the best!
later, Destroy Rebuild Until God
Shows took the stage. It was my
second time personally seeing them,
but they never disappoint. The energy of front man, Craig Owens, is
unbeatable. From the beginning of
the first song until the last note of
their final song, every single
fan was singing along. If there
was one band everyone should
have checked out at Warped, it
was easily them. With Owens’
wish being every fans’ command, a variety of crowd surfers and circle pits ensued as Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows
completed their set. I ended my
day with We Came As Romans,
whom I had also previously
seen. Their crowd always seem
to be one of the craziest ones
out there, and they’ve now officially become my favorite band
to photograph. Vocalist, Kyle
Pavone, even made sure to bend
down at times and look into the
camera, just making sure every photographer got his or her shot. A sea
of people surrounded We Came As
Romans in the crowd, and the support evidently fed into the band’s set.
The heat moderately died down
and another Warped Tour successfully completed. Disregarding the
incredible heat and the overpriced
water, Warped shaped into another successful festival. With its
diverse line-up and variety of activities on tour, it’s no wonder why
Warped has lasted for sixteen years.
A&E
13
End Of An Era
3-D Technology
by Stephanie Heim
by Amanda Chambers
In 1998, J.K. Rowling published
her first Harry Potter book. At the time,
Rowling was not aware that it would
become a phenomenon, and even for
some; an obsession. For those 90’s
children, July 15th 2011 was the end
of era or even the conclusion to their
childhood. For over a decade Harry
Potter has enticed fans with the magical effect of Hogwarts and the secrets
that lie within Hogwarts. Although
it is fiction Harry Potter comes with
great lessons. The lessons range from
heroic bravery to courage never being
unnoticed. The novels and films also
show how strong a friendship can be.
Harry Potter films have set records in
the box office and the novels have won
several awards. People have dressed
up as characters from the novels to
go to the midnight premiers. The
opening of the new Harry Potter World in Universal Florida
has preserved Harry Potter’s legacy. Even if the films and novels have
all been finished, the magic of Harry
Potter will never die. Many teenag-
ers and adults left theatres on July
15th crying, realizing that what they
have been obsessing over for 13 years
was now completed. College students
in Michigan created their own play
all about Harry Potter called A Very
Potter Musical. What the students
in Michigan did is just one example
of how greatly Harry Potter has impacted lives. The reality has sunk in
that the end of the Harry Potter
films is the end of an era and
the end of a spectacular
series. Through all
of
Rowling’s
trouble of
finding a
pub-
lisher,
she has
managed to
create a trend, an
obsession, and a magical experience for all.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: SONYA MANTELL
Artwork By: Sonya Mantell
by Gabriella Vukelic
Details, details, details; those are the
words you hear when you talk to Sonya
Mantell about her art. She loves to put
details into her drawings and makes sure
her art is as realistic as possible. It is something that Sonya has always loved to do.
We are recognizing Sonya Mantell for her
talented artwork in the Artist Spotlight.
Sonya started to doodle in her
sketchbook when she was just a little girl.
Whenever she was bored, she would pick
up a pencil and start to draw. At about the
age of 14, Sonya attended an art program
at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
where she took multiple classes during
the summer. She loved the program and
wishes she could attend it again. Before
Sonya entered the East Meadow School
District, she attended a private school
where she first learned how to draw
her amazing pictures. At this private
school, there was a contest that Sonya
entered every year where she had to
draw a picture for the front cover of
the school’s yearbook. Sonya won this
contest every year and was known as
the school’s best artist. Sonya says that
quality is the key to any person’s work.
I asked Sonya if she was interested in drawing a mural for our school
and she agreed. The mural will be
about modern times in our school.
Drawing is not the only thing that
Sonya enjoys; she also loves to do
other activities, such as cheerleading.
Sonya is a Varsity cheerleader here
at East Meadow High School. You
can see Sonya and the cheerleaders
at half time during a Varsity football
game. Sonya is a very gifted artist
who has a bright future ahead of her.
Technology is constantly changing. It
affects our everyday lives in
ways
we
don’t always
r e alize.
We
rely
on technology
for the simplest
things, even communication. We truly are a
lucky and slightly spoiled
generation. This leads us to the
question; is all of this new “superior” technology really better?
One of the most popular innovations of today is 3-D technology. 3-D alters your depth
perception in order to create the
illusion that what you’re seeing
on the screen is in fact happening right in front of you. Recent
movies such as Alice in Wonderland, Avatar, A Christmas
Carol, Glee: The 3D Concert
Movie, Step Up 3D, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon have
taken advantage of this device.
A 3-D version of the Lion King
was even released on September
16, 2011. While 3-D does seem
to be more effective in cartoons,
the Lion King is a great classic
movie that does not need any
enhancement or gimmicks for
it to make a few extra bucks.
It seems that this 3-D trend is
in fact merely an advertisement
trick to suggest that a movie is
greatly superior if it has 3-D. I
would hope that a movie could
be good without the allure of
3-D technology. Avatar’s cinematography, for example,
was beautiful in itself and
you did not need a pair of
black plastic glasses to see
that. Besides, 3-D effects may
be dramatized in a movie theater
because of the large screens,
and that’s only one viewing of
the movie unless you pay to see
it again. Watching a movie in
3D on a smaller TV, once it’s on
DVD, isn’t as effective. 3-D, at
least in the case of Avatar, was
almost like Blu-ray for movie
theaters, which was unnecessary.
3-D is primarily used for
temporary amusement, which is
fine, but it does not add to the
quality of the movie, or leave a
lasting impression. The noticeable effects of 3-D really aren’t
great unless the actors literally
throw something at the camera. I respect the idea of trying
for realism, but 3-D is a disappointing way to achieve that.
Before 3-D became a common
feature of moviemaking, film
crews surely managed to attain
outstanding realism. Of course,
even today there are still films
that are exceptional and authentic. I appreciate filmmakers who stick to the basics, like
good writing, acting, and editing, to get a great result. 3-D
may be provisionary entertainment, but I don’t believe it will
truly stand the test of time.
14
A&E
Alexander McQueen at the Met
by Tiffany Tang
This summer on August 4th, I went
to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
Manhattan to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit with my friends. If you
haven’t heard the name, I don’t blame
you; I didn’t even know his name until a week before the exhibit. Alexander McQueen was, if anything, a
very unique fashion designer. Sadly,
he committed suicide just last year
alike. Many of the comments I heard in
the crowded halls of the exhibit were
along the lines of “Oh, that’s really
pretty” or “Oh, I like that one.” Though
some comments, most of which came
from the male observers, sounded more
like “That’s really strange” and “Who
would ever wear something like that?”
It’s comments like these that make you
realize that fashion is a form of art. It’s
not always about looking good, but just
expressing yourself. Also in the halls of
the exhibit were large flat screens that
showed clips of some of his fashion
shows. They all had a very eerie feel
to them, the way the stage was set up
and the way they were decorated. For
example, there were taxidermy animals
on one of his spring shows, and for a
winter show there was a model standing on a rotating turntable wearing a
white dress.
The turntable idea may
not sound so
strange, but
consider this
- there were
automated
gun-like robots
that
shot paint at
the
model
as she spun.
We waited
three hours
in line and
spent
only
twenty minutes in the
dark exhibit
crowded with people secretly taking
pictures when they weren’t supposed
to. I sketched every single dress, jacket,
shoe, and headdress I saw until my arms
fell off, and the exhibit was finally over.
The feeling I had is like the one you get
after going on that last ride at an amusement park; you’ve been walking all day
and have waited hours to finally get on
that last ride though it’s only one minute long. Even after it’s over the experience stays with you and you relive it in
your head dozens of times. Although I
don’t have any photographic memories,
the sketches I drew will remind me of
what I saw and no doubt inspire me in
the future. I even got several highly appreciated comments on my artwork.
This goes for everyone who wants to do
anything remotely creative: it’s never a
bad thing to think “outside of the box.”
Sketches by Tiffany Tang
at the age of forty. His designs were
anything but ordinary. The reason I
wanted to go see this exhibit was because I heard from a friend that it was
“amazing.” Apparently that’s what everyone else heard from their friends
as well since the line went on forever.
When we finally got in line, it was already wrapped around the second floor
balcony and cut through six exhibits.
We waited in line for over two
hours, and it didn’t help that we had
been walking all day from the subway
station, to the museum, and eventually
to the exhibit. We were actually very
lucky that day. From the day that exhibit
opened on May 4th, to the day it closed
on August 7th, there
were days that the line
would end up a block
outside of the museum’s
main doors. Considering the exhibit was on
the second floor, that’s
a pretty long line. The
museum guards proved
to be even more wary
than the tourists. After
repeating “Please do
not touch the designs”
and “Please, NO photography” all day, many
became
tongue-tied
by the end of the day.
Despite the giant
line, the aching boredom, and the three
hour wait, the exhibit
was certainly worth it.
The designs were all
indescribable and unfortunately for you readers, there was
no photography allowed, so you’ll have
to deal with my sketches. None of his
designs would be considered casual
wear; they were all very unique and eccentric. Even the drawing inspirations
for the same ideas were never much
SUMMER NEW YORK MUSIC SCENE
October 2011
by Alexa Spieler
of the show’s dates. Within that same
week Kings of Leon (August 10th)
and Maroon 5/Train (August 12th)
up consisted of I See Stars, Mod Sun,
Chiodos, and more – and the show was
definitely worth it. With I See Stars
Photo Courtesy by Alexa Spieler
Long Island is essentially known for
its music scene. Some of today’s most
notable bands – ranging from Taking
Back Sunday to Brand New to Glassjaw and more -have sprouted from
Long Island. Going to shows is what
makes a summer on Long Island, in
my eyes, one of the best. However, this
year not too many small shows came
around to Long Island/New York. Instead, many bands either took part
in this year’s Warped Tour or didn’t
come locally. The concerts that came
around to the Long Island area were
more on the colossal scale versus
bands that would play smaller venues.
The venue that hosted the most notable
concerts this summer had to be Jones
Beach. On July 24th the Goo Goo Dolls
took the stage at Jones Beach, and within the same week, Weezer performed
there as well on July 29th. More notable concerts include Blink-182 and My
Chemical Romance performing a twoday concert series on August 6th and
7th, which the majority of Long Island
attended. I actually feel like I was one
of the few people who didn’t attend one
rocked the Jones Beach Theater Stage.
Although, I desperately wanted to
attend the Maroon 5 concert, I unfortunately could not. Instead, I took
to attending the Scream It Like You
Mean It Tour at Irving Plaza. The line-
as one of my favorite bands, they certainly made the decision easy. Even
though the show didn’t sell out, I See
Stars displayed what they’re truly
made of, which is pure energy and fun.
Just by the look in their eyes while per-
forming, it’s easy to tell that they truly
love what they’re doing for a living.
They’re a bunch of teenagers living the
dream; what else could they ask for?
The few shows that did take place at
smaller venues were definitely worth
it. Hit The Lights, With The Punches,
This Condition, and Bellwether took
over Ollie’s Point on July 24th, 2011.
A couple of days later on July 29th,
2011, The Story So Far, icallfives, We
Are The Union, Handguns and Bellwether took over Garden City, NY
Another notable concert includes Reel
Big Fish, Brand New, and Streetlight
Manifesto taking over the Best Buy
Theater on August 10th, 2011. Ryan Cabrera, who most people remember from
his single “On The Way Down”, performed at the Vibe Lounge on August
26th, 2011. Despite the ruins Hurricane
Irene left, Panic At The Disco still took
the stage and killed their set on September 1st at Central Park. Some concerts
that closed off the summer were Incubus at Jones Beach and The Weepies at
Irving Plaza on September 3rd, 2011.
Even though a lot of bands didn’t
SPORTS 15
The Reality Behind Fantasy Baseball
by: Nathan Siegelaub
to add and whom to drop, whom to
trade and whom to keep. There’s a vast
amount of data available in real time
that can be accessed with the click of a
button. Fantasy baseball’s attraction,
then, is that it’s technology driven, and
it closely mirrors the real game; it’s
more reality than fantasy. However, fantasy baseball might
just be responsible for turning this Mets
and Yankees
fan into a person who puts
his own selfinterest ahead
of his home
teams. Consider this scenario: David
Wright is up
with a chance
to win the
game for the Mets. In the old days,
you’d pray for him to knock it out of
the park. However, let’s say Wright
starts for the opposing fantasy team
and a home run would cost you the
matchup. Do you put your fantasy
team aside and pull for Wright and the
Mets to prevail, or do you pray that he
makes out to preserve your personal
stats? Most fantasy fanatics would opt
for Wright’s failure. Fantasy baseball
promotes mixed loyalties as it causes
participants to root against the very
players they would otherwise pull for.
Photo courtesy of Google
When the 21st century dawned
nearly a decade ago, no one saw it
coming. No one could imagine the
revolution that was about to alter our
lives and rewire our brains for all time.
No one could foresee how the Information Age would provide the technology and the tools to change our ways
and means of communicating. No
one could quite grasp how Facebook
would become the indispensible social
network, or how the Kindle would put
whole libraries at a reader’s fingertips,
or how the iPad would enable anyone anywhere to access practically
anything. And no one could predict
how these bold new ideas and inventions would lead me to take up fantasy
baseball and eventually transform this
life-long Mets and Yankees fan into
something resembling a free agent.
Featured on such websites as Yahoo! and ESPN, fantasy baseball allows participants to experience what
it’s like to control the action and engage in sporting competition with
their peers. The season kicks off with
a mock draft where amateur managers
select specific ballplayers to fill out
their teams. Squads face off against
each other in head-to-head matchups
in various categories, and points are
rewarded for a player’s success. Each
manager becomes the owner of his or
her team and has full freedom to control every aspect of the matchup. As
in real games, managers can choose
whom to play and whom to sit, whom
The fantasy competition leads to
a different way of viewing the game of
baseball. Fantasy managers wish more
for their own individual members to
succeed and for their opponent’s team
to come up empty, no matter who the
player is or what team he actually plays
on. In that sense, fantasy baseball inspires confusion as our self-interests
clash with our former rooting interests. It is no longer “Root, root,
root for the home
team” but for
the virtual team
you’ve assembled.
And imagine
when there’s more
at stake than bragging rights. Some
fantasy leagues
have sprung up
across the country
with big money on the line. When the
potential rewards are so high, every
move carries enormous weight, every
at-bat becomes a matter of life or death.
Games on the West Coast that end in
the early morning hours, meaningless
contests between last place teams, all
take on a different meaning in this
strange, new world. At that point,
fantasy baseball completely takes
over one’s life and destroys any shred
of former loyalty to the home team.
I, for one, don’t know how this
obsession with fantasy sports will play
out. I don’t know whether the great
technological advances will prove to
be a blessing or a curse. I don’t know
whether the Yankees or Mets fan in
the 21st century will be a dying breed.
What I do know is that come playoff
time, I’ll be pulling for New York.
You see, fantasy baseball ends with the
regular season. For the postseason, I
can go back to reality, to being a fan
again, to a simpler time when it was
“Root, root, root for the home team.”
Cross Country Side Out, Blue and Gold!
by Jessica Brass
by Pari Patel
New school year, new volleyball team! The Junior Varsity team
started the season off with a strong
spark. Great teamwork and impressive sportsmanship had paid
off by making the first two games
outstanding.
All of this
unsurpassed
spirit could
not
have
been
created without
Coach Harkins, a math
teacher at a
nearby middle school.
She attended
Holy Trinity and played all through
high school as setter and libero. (A
libero is a defensive specialist that is
not allowed to serve or block. Some
other positions in Volleyball are
Setter, Middle, and Outside.) Each
player is taught their rotation so
when the opposing team serves we
are ready to bump, set, and SPIKE!
Photo Courtesy of Jessica Brass
Photo Courtesy of Facebook
Placing 4th as a team, these girls
are off to a great start. Keep it up
ladies! The boys’ race averaged
250 runners per race making the
race even more intense. Captain
and Senior Sean Grady placed
second overall with the time of
16:42, yet again
another
outstanding time
from Sean. Junior
Bradley
Kaufman ran
an
amazing
17:41, coming
in 21st place.
Freshman Mike
“Sparky” Grady placed 24th
with the time of
17:44, coming
in first in his
grade place. Junior David Carey
says, “It was a spiritual journey that led us to become closer with our teams.” This overnight was a great way to begin
the season. Keep it up, EMXC!
The J.V. team this year consisted of
three sophomores and nine freshmen. The sophomores were very
helpful and played a huge role in
the consecutive wins. The practices
were always worthwhile and definitely constructive through fun
games and a lot
of laughs. The
team this year
was very close
and spent a lot
of time bonding.
(Going
out of their way
to help other
team mates was
a daily routine for most players.) Obstacles
occurred; however, it was nothing that the trainer and some positive reinforcement couldn’t cure.
The whole season was a definite
success, and I hope that the team
next year is just as hardworking
and a little bit more knowledgeable about putting together the net!
October 2011
On September 16th, the boys
and girls cross country team of
EMHS went on a 5.5 hour overnight trip upstate for the VVS
Invitational meet at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School. There
were over 2,600 runners participating in this
meet, boys and
girls. The girl’s
race averaged
150
runners
per race. Junior
Meghan
Peysson
ran
a remarkable
5k (3.1 miles)
time of 20:21
on this tough
course, placing 6th in the
race. This was
also her first cross country race
ever. Junior Taylor Edgecomb
also stepped it up with a great
time of 21:36 placing 23rd with
Juniors Stephanie Fertitta and
Brittany Cutler right behind her.
16
Athlete Spotlight
by Jackie Roughan
JG: What got you interested in
sports?
DC: “My older brother and sister both played sports their whole
lives.”
JG: What’s your
background as an
athlete?
DC:
“I’ve
been on varsity lacrosse
since freshman year. I’ve
played football since 3rd
grade.
I’ve
also wrestled
and
played
basketball
in
middle
school.”
JG: Do you
have a role
model?
DC: “My sister
because she’s currently playing a
college sport and
that’s what I want
to do.”
JG: Do you feel as
though you’re a
role model to others?
DC: “Yes, because
I’ve been working
hard for football
and I get good
grades.”
JG: What contributions do you feel
that you give?
DC: “I feel I give
leadership, I know
Photo Courtesy of Jackie Roughan
“Dedicated, motivated, great
teammate and very driven to be successful.” This quote was said by our
Varsity football coach; Coach Mascia. He spoke these words about one
of his best players and this player,
happens to be none other than varsity’s quarterback, #12, Dylan Curry.
Dylan Curry is a senior and is the
starting quarterback, not to mention
the team’s captain along with the other captains who are John Posillico,
Dom Morales, James D’elia and Billy Koebel. I recently sat down with
Dylan and asked him some questions.
the game of football and lacrosse well
and it helps me help younger kids.”
On Saturday, September 10th,
our first game against Massapequa,
Dylan ran for two touchdowns and
also made a 60 yard pass. The pass
was caught in the end zone by Marvin
Cajoles and was yet another touchdown scored for our team. We won
that game with a score of 42-24. At
our most recent game on Saturday,
September 17th, was won astonishingly by our boys. They won with a
score of 49-0 against Farmingdale,
and Dylan made an impressive 40
yard run with the ball. To his peers’
coaches he’s a role-model, to his
teammates he’s a leader, and to everyone else he is an inspiring person.
Double Fault
by Julianna Cavallo
by Carmela Cavallo
Photo Courtesy of Google
The 2011 US Open Men’s singles champion, Novak Djokovic, has
had a remarkable
2011 season. He
stands now with
an
outstanding
64-2 record. He
was 43-0 until
the French Open
where
Roger
Federer defeated
the young Serb in a tight four set
match. Before the Us Open - Djokovic was in the final of a tune up
tournament and injured his shoulder.
This injury caused him to retire during the match and was his second
loss of the season. He
still has tournaments
remaining this year to
improve his record, and
there will be no doubt
that he will make some
noise in 2012. Many
say he is one of the
greatest players of all
time, many say he still has more to
prove, but being a new number one
comes with confidence, and if anyone, Novak Djokovic can handle it.
Photo Courtesy of Google
It's not a Djoke
tracting” Stosur. Williams was enraged
saying ruthless things to the umpire
like, “Aren’t you the one from last
time? Yeah I think you are!” Serena
stood and glared at Asderaki for a few
seconds while the crowd was constantly booing her. Stosur looked confused.
Serena went on to even the match and
continued her rampage against the umpire during the next two changeovers.
“A code violation because I expressed who I am? We’re in America
last I checked. Am I gonna get violated
for a water? Really, don’t even look at
me. I promise you, don’t look at me
because I am not the one. Don’t look
my way. If you ever see me walking
down the hall, walk the other way because you’re out of control. Totally out
of control. You’re a hater, you’re unattractive inside. Who would do such
a thing? And I never complain.Wow.”
This controversy did not cost Williams the match. Stosur continued to
shock Williams for one of the biggest Grand Slam upsets in history, behind Maria Sharapova who defeated
Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon.
October 2011
Serena yells at the chair umpire…
again.
At the Us Open Women’s final, Sam Stosur blew out the main
favorite, Serena Williams in straight
sets 6-2 6-3. Williams, coming back
from a terrible foot injury since last
spring, has been playing so well
throughout the remainder of the season. Many commentators had said that
Serena would make it back on top, but
no one thought that the 27-year-old
Aussie would change that. Samantha
Stosur of Australia won her first Grand
Slam Singles title. Stosur, who lost in
her Grand Slam final debut to Francesca Schiavone at the 2010 French
Open, showed no signs of weakness
in handling the 13-time Grand Slam
Champion to claim her maiden grand
slam title. The main issue at this final was a repeat in 2009. As playing
a point Serena hit a shot that looked
“impossible” for Stosur to get. Williams yelled “Come on,” thinking she
had won the point. However, the chair
umpire, Eva Asderak,i rewarded Stosur the point because Williams “dis-