March Madness 2015 Rumble in the Jungle jumps to June

March Madness 2015
Volume 11
Issue 6
Advisor
Mrs. Croft
Editors-in-chief
Alexia Bach
Caitlin Pennell
Reporters/
Photographers
Kayleigh Algaze
Alexia Bach
Erika Brechka
Rachel Howanich
Brenna Lutz
Caitlin Pennell
Nicole Robbins
Rumble in the Jungle jumps to June
By Alexia Bach
At this time every year the students in Barnegat High School are signing up for events,
selling t-shirts, and setting up for one of the largest events in BHS: Rumble in the Jungle.
Both team names are chosen: the Black Knights vs. the Orange Olympians! This year,
Rumble has been postponed until June 1 due to PARCC testing. The event will be the
same as it was in previous years, other than it being later in the school year.
Many students, especially seniors, were disappointed to hear that Rumble will
be missing from the yearbook because of the later date, but the morale of the event is
still strong. More posters are being made this year than last year because the Black and
Orange Teams have extra time to fill the halls with team spirit. T-shirts are also being
sold for $10 in Mrs. Cammarata’s room, C106, or you can buy a shirt from your team
captains and generals.
Team leaders are working persistently to make the event as organized and successful as ever. “I want everyone to have fun during Rumble. As a senior captain, it is my
responsibility to make sure the event is successful,” said Gianna Pelechaty, senior captain
of the Orange Team. A fun idea Pelechaty suggested was the thought of having outdoor
activities. “There is a large possibility that KanJam will be held outside,” Mrs.
Quackenbush (Casamento) said.
The strategies for both the Black Team and the Orange Team are very similar.
They consider how those who competed in Rumble in the previous years did and place
them in their strongest events. The additional time allows more time to strategize; however, “the greatest challenge will not be strategizing, but maintaining interest in Rumble
throughout the rest of the year,” said Brenna Lutz, junior captain of the Black Team. She
is concerned that students will be more focused on the end of the school year with summer break approaching when she needs her team to be focused on Rumble. “My advice
to my team is to be confident because we can win again,” Lutz said.
Though Rumble is still months away, the competition is already heating up.
“This year I want to take the title back for Orange as Rumble champions,” Pelechaty
said.
Orange Olympians
Generals:
Layout and Design
Brenna Lutz
Nicole Robbins
Website Managers
Kayleigh Algaze
Erika Brechka
Britanni Tompkins
Kyle Morris
Inside This Issue
Prom Dresses
Page 2
Cheerleading
Nationals
Page 3
Scholarships
Page 4
Black Knights
Generals:
Sophie Beyer
Sam Isidoro
Seniors make BHS proud on Signing Day
By Nicole Robbins
Though we are sad to say goodbye to this year’s graduating seniors, we are also very proud of all of their amazing accomplishments.
This year, quite a few seniors have made Barnegat High School known by signing to play football at some of the top colleges in the
country. National Signing Day occurred on Wednesday, February 4 and four seniors -- Cinjun Erskine, Xavier Young, Manny Bowen,
and Sam Madden -- committed to play football at Bucknell University, Stonehill College, Penn State University, and the University of
Georgia respectively. These players, are sad to see their high school careers end, but are excited to see what the future holds.
Though playing football seems like second nature to these boys, it was not always this easy. “I played football in kindergarten
and would cry while running for touchdowns, and then I quit until third grade,” Erskine
said. Most of these boys have been playing together for many years and some even started
out on the original Barnegat Junior Bengals team, but not all members have played the
same position through the years. “I started playing when I was 10 and I really just wanted
to be a kicker at first because I was a soccer player,” Young said.
Over time these teammates have become like brothers, which made putting away
the Bengal jerseys very difficult for some, while others are very excited to see what the
future holds for their college football career. To prepare for the game together and bond,
every Thursday night the Bengals had team dinners, which benefited them both on and
off of the field. This made saying goodbye even harder. “It’s sad, it really is. We grew up
(From left to right, front row) Bowen, Young, Erwith everybody so not playing with them and not having next year is kind of weird,”
skine, and Madden pose with (from left to right, top
Erskine said.
row) Principal Nichol, Coach Davis, SuperintenWhile they are sad to see their high school careers come to an end, they are
dent Mrs. Wood, and Athletic Director Mr. Gerready for college football and the new experiences it will bring. Bowen, the Nittany Limano on signing day. Photo Credit: Mr. Germano
on's newest linebacker, “can’t wait to go to Penn State,” and is prepared for what it will
bring. One of the biggest challenges these boys will face is adjusting to a new level of
playing. “I think my biggest obstacle will be adjusting to the Big 10 because it’s a different conference and for the most elite in the
country,” Bowen said. Another obstacle they will face is getting to know their new teammates and learning their styles of play. “It’s
basically just building a relationship and earning trust with each other,” Young said.
Prom Pandemonium
By Erika Brechka
As the junior class starts to prepare for the prom on May 9, advisor Miss Lombardi and the SGA are fundraising and working tirelessly
to transform the gymnasium of Barnegat High School into an underwater oasis. The student government of the class of 2016 came
into the school year with many ideas and fundraising tactics to raise money in order to make the prom a success.
The largest event that Ms. Lombardi has had to tackle thus far was the annual Barnegat High School Fashion Show. “I just had
to be super organized while preparing for the fashion show and tackle each thing one at a time. I was constantly making lists upon lists
of things I had to do for the show in order to not forget a single thing,” Lombardi said. “Being in constant contact with everyone involved in the show was a big thing in preparation as well.” The Lily Lough Jewelry Boutique supplied the jewelry for the show and conveniently offer a beautiful selection of pieces online. Park Avenue South Boutique in Toms River supplied the amazing variety of dresses and tuxedos. Ms. Lombardi said they were fantastic to work with and their dresses were “so elegant.” Bella Donna, a local salon, did
all of the hair and makeup for the models. The styles ranged from dramatic updos to messy curls and they managed to do it all in a
short amount of time, too. BHS senior Alyssa Talluto captured some of the most amazing moments in the show through her own photography business. Baskets were raffled off from vendors such as Retro Fitness, Lily Lough Jewelry, Jetty, and Hollywood Tans.
Ms. Lombardi is thrilled with the outcome and success of the show and cannot wait
to improve upon all of the previous fundraisers she has organized. “We have such a great support system with this class― everyone has come together as one to work and bring the events
to life. I'm so thankful to be working with an awesome group of students and teachers!” Lombardi said.
Prom preparation began as soon as the theme for prom, The Lost City of Atlantis,
was voted on and selected, Lombardi mentioned. She has secured the DJ and caterer, but the
most difficult feat will be the decorations. Caitlin Pennell, junior prom committee chair, plans
to capture the theme of Atlantis through the use of large white, distressed columns that give
off a sophisticated, elegant vibe, “while still giving you the feeling that you are underwater with
blues, golds, and shimmery materials,” Pennell said. According to her, “the most difficult part
about prom will be dealing with the large amount of decorations and the time that we have to
Barnegat High School fashion show partici- bring it all to life.”
pants model sportswear at the finale.
Say Yes to the Prom Dress!
By Cait Pennell
Although it is only March, prom season is quickly approaching. Girls all over Barnegat are eager to be the best dressed at prom. Many
have been on the look out for the prom dress of their dreams, even though the big night is still several months away.
A popular place for BHS girls to buy their prom dresses is Park Avenue South, which is located in Toms River. Celia Richie, a
junior, works at this boutique and has observed what is “in” this year. “The Sherri Hill brand, Jovani, two piece dresses, mermaid style,
and dresses with slits are very popular for this season,” she said. Also, nude colored dresses and sequins are sure to be seen on the
dance floor.
Most girls tend to look for a dress that fits their style. Whether it is simple, sparkly, or vibrant, every prom-goer seems to find
the dress for their personality. Nicole DeLillo, a junior, has been on the search for her prom dress. DeLillo is, “looking for a simple,
elegant dress,” she said. “A dress that makes me look classy, but sassy.” Nicole has been to multiple dress stores so far, and has not
given up on her search yet. Some stores in our area are Dress Me Up in Lacey and NYC Glitz in Bayville. Another popular place to find
dresses is promgirl.com.
Some girls have already purchased their dresses! Not only is this smart in order to have premium time to allow for copious
fittings and alterations, but everyone knows that the best dresses go off the rack first! Most people already know the style or color of
the dress that they want before they even step foot into a store. Alanis Baumgardener, a junior, knew exactly what kind of dress she
wanted from the beginning, and found the hardest part about dress shopping to be finding a dress with exactly every aspect she hoped
for. “I went dress shopping and literally after trying on two dresses, I found my dress,” she said. “When I put it on, it was the exact
dress I had in my head. It was just perfect!”
Without a doubt, prom dress shopping is one of the greatest high school experiences. Just remember to have fun and relax,
and you will find the dress that will make you look like the Cinderella of the ball!
Tri-M and Thespian Honor Society inductions break a leg
By Brenna Lutz
Most students know E-hall as the band, drama, and
chorus section of the school. From this hallway, at any
given point in the school day, we can hear the melodies
of students playing trumpets and clarinets together, the
high notes being reached by the choir, and the dramatic
shouts of drama club members rehearsing their lines on
the stage. From these endless days within the E-hall
classrooms comes a ton of dedication and practice. On
February 11, many of these students were inducted to
the Tri-M and Thespian Honor Societies, recognizing
their talent and hard work.
Tri-M society is a nationwide group that honors
and recognizes the talent of high school students in choir
or band. In order to be inducted into the Tri-M society,
students have to have a minimum GPA of 3.0, have a recommendation from either
Amanda McKeon, Sam Schroll, and Emily Miller sing
Mr. Orecchio or Mrs. Altonjy, and they “have to be involved in the music program
during the Thespian Honor Society and Tri-M inducfor one full year,” according to Mr. Orecchio. Once the student has met these requiretion on February 11. Photo credit:: Rachel Miller
ments, has successfully performed an instrumental or vocal piece, and written an essay, he or she is inducted into the society. In order to be inducted into the Thespian Honor Society, students must have a minimum
GPA of 3.0 and 100 hours spent working in the theatre. According to junior Melanie DeRosa, these 100 hours can be obtained by
“do[ing] shows, taking Ms. DeBari’s classes, usher[ing] for shows, and perform[ing] for shows outside” of the school’s productions.
Being inducted into either of these societies is a huge accomplishment. Being a member of the Thespian Honor Society, according to Ms. DeBari, “means you have commitment, dedication, plus you can balance your grades and your performing arts career
successfully.” As a thespian, students do community service and have the opportunity to attend Thesfest every year. This year, it’s being
held at Robbinsville High School for the first time. Thesfest “is a whole weekend of events where students will compete in monologues, scenes, musical theatre, improv, and technical Olympics,” DeBari said. By students signing up for these categories and others,
they are competing to qualify for Nationals, which is held in Nebraska.
Becoming a member of the Tri-M society means that members excel either instrumentally or vocally. Once inducted, members
help out at many band and chorus concerts throughout the district by handing out programs. Members also perform at the Treasured
Angels preschool graduation ceremony every year. One of their main goals as a group is to spread music awareness to our community
and school, according to Mr. Orecchio.
At the induction, students performed many different songs vocally and instrumentally alongside the induction ceremony.
Thespian Honor Society members receive a certificate and “stars and bars” based on the amount of hours a student did within the theatre community. Tri-M members also receive a special tassel during graduation.
Not only is being a member of either group an honor, but a great experience to which many members look forward. Senior
Emily Miller, a member of the Tri-M Society, is most looking forward to spending time with her friends in the society and getting to
wear her tassel during graduation. Junior Melanie DeRosa, a member of the Thespian Honor Society, says that her favorite part of being a member is being able to attend Thesfest because it’s “a school filled with everyone in New Jersey who loves theatre.” Sophomore
Mary Rawley is mainly looking forward to playing with the rest of the band and just having fun.
Varsity cheerleaders take on Nationals at Disney
By Rachel Howanich
While we were getting sick of the cold weather here in Barnegat, the BHS varsity cheerleading team enjoyed the sun at Disney World
BHS varsity cheerleaders spent time bonding in
Disney. Photo Credit: Mrs. Smith
in Orlando, Florida from January 4-9. While visiting the happiest place on Earth, the
cheerleaders competed at Nationals, and successfully came in sixth place in the Medium Varsity Division II.
The team spent five days in Disney, competing and visiting Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Although the team had fun going on Space Mountain and tasting
new foods at Epcot, they did not neglect their responsibilities when it came to competing. They have been preparing for Nationals since last June, and had to compete
in the preliminary round and semi-finals before advancing to the final round. Some
of the teams they went up against were Rocky Point, Live Oak, and Greenup, which
are some of the best teams in the nation. The Bengals fired back with a routine that
included double ups, full ups, and lots of tumbling.
The team also experienced hardships such as injuries and routine errors.
However, they worked hard and pulled through. In fact, varsity cheerleading coach
Mrs. Smith said that her favorite part of the trip was semi-finals because the team
fought through injuries and still hit a perfect routine.
Finals was not the team’s best round, yet they persevered and performed
amazingly. The team was very happy with the results, given the circumstances. “We
definitely did better than I expected—I thought we were going to fall apart at one
point!” said Zahara Harris, varsity cheerleader.
Although the 2014-2015 BHS cheer team excelled in Nationals, that was
not the last of their performances for this year. On March 1, the team competed in
States. BHS is excited to see the team’s amazing stunts and routines next year. Go
Bengals!
The Roar
Seniors complete scholarship applications
By Kayleigh Algaze
It’s crunch time for BHS seniors as scholarship applications were due on February 27 by 12:00 p.m.
Current BHS seniors are hoping to help underclassman with some advice. Maia Lloyd said applying
for scholarships is a “difficult and long” process. Many seniors feel it’s important for underclassmen
to grasp this idea early on in high school so they can start preparing for applications and fit needed
requirements to get the best opportunities. “Don’t wait until the last minute because it’s a lot of information you don’t even know you have to fill out,” Gianna Pelechaty said. Participating in sports and
clubs and doing community service are extremely important for scholarships. Nikki Casertano says
NHS is definitely a good idea to help achieve those things.
Neither Lloyd, Pelechaty, nor Casertano have been preparing for this since freshman year
and now they wish they had been. “The best way is to get involved is in your freshman year. Be involved in as many activities as you can because it looks better on your application,” Lloyd said. One of
the major obstacles seniors faced was that the scholarship assembly was postponed due to weather.
Once they did have the assembly on Tuesday, February 24, all of the information was spelled out.
Being prepared for the application process is very important. “You have to do everything
online and have not even a month to do it,” Casertano says.
Some advice from the guidance department to seniors attending Scholarship Night, which is
on May 28, is to make sure to dress nicely even though recipients will receive a gown to cover their
clothes. Don’t chew gum and try to be in the gym by 5:30 p.m., which is an hour early. Also, writing
thank you notes to the donors is extremely important. For underclassmen, get involved in many
meaningful activities, take on leadership roles, challenge yourself, and do your best in school!
Reminders…
Submit your writing entries to the Literary Magazine by April 23.
Grab your Bengal Buzz application outside of Miss Stella’s room.
Good luck to...
All spring sport athletes in the start of their seasons!
Mrs. Croft and Mrs. Ayers as they go on maternity leave!
The members of our Thespian Honor Society
in Thesfest!
Congratulations to…
The girls lacrosse team for
competing in Disney World!
Amber Vangi for winning
Bengal Idol!