January - South Brunswick School District
Transcription
January - South Brunswick School District
South Brunswick High School 750 Ridge Road Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852 INSIDE THE VIBE FEATURES Learn about how the world celebrated the 2009 New Year! Page 6 vibe:culture Contribute to the new entertaiment section! Writers meet on Wednesdays in A205 with Mr. Honig. Check out the E-vibe at: http:// www.sbschools. org/schools/sbhs/ school_information/ communications.php SPECIAL INAUGURATION ISSUE the v king vibe Volume 10 - Issue 4 Jan 2008 DPS Goes To D.C. On the morning of January 18, when most other SBHS students and staff were fast asleep, 44 students and seven chaperones boarded a bus. Destination: DC. The group endured the lack of sleep, the long bus rides, and the huge crowds to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the nation’s 44th president. Last spring, the advisors of the high school’s official history club, the Dead Presidents Society (DPS), social studies teachers Mrs. Corie Gaylord and Mr. Justin Negraval, received an offer to attend the 56th presidential inauguration via Smithsonian Student Travel. “We were out of our minds,” said Mr. Negraval, “The logistics of going there with any number of kids would be difficult because of who was elected. Either way Saadia Ahmad 2010 [the election] turned out, it would be historic.” Besides the advisors, chaperones included social studies teacher Mr. David Cieslak, Mrs. Lauren Negraval, school nurse Mrs. Mary Gentzle, and paraprofessional Mrs. Linda Bavaro. On the eighteenth, the group visited several of D.C.’s Smithsonian museums and took a night tour of the FDR and Jefferson Memorials. The nineteenth featured a visit to Mt. Vernon, the plantation home of George Washington, which included the first president’s original mansion, his tomb, and pathways with stunning views of the Potomac River. The day ended with an inaugural ball at the Camelot Hotel in Baltimore, Mary- “It was invigorating and moving. [Obama’s inauguration] changed my view of how people of different races can do great things. United as one, the nation can overcome all the negativity and turn it positive.” --Daniel Murphy (‘09) land for Smithsonian students from many states. Attendees celebrated President Obama’s inauguration with food, music, and dancing. Students also took photos with cardboard cut-outs of Barack Obama and Joe Biden on a long, red carpet. The third day of the trip revolved around the inauguration of the country’s first half-African-American president, Barack Hussein Obama. The DPS representatives left their hotel rooms at 4:30 a.m. and moved with massive crowds to the National Mall to watch the Lincoln Memorial concert featuring Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Josh Groban, U2, and Shakira among others. Mr. Negraval noted that keeping track of fifty people in a crowd of two million was challenging. “But we did it in small steps,” he said, “We broke down everyone in smaller groups. We got separated a few times, but we had cell numbers.” Senior Aly Azhar said, “It was exciting being there in person because I’ve never been to a political rally before. I had heard that he’s a good speaker and excites the crowd, and this was my first time experiencing that. It’s definitely better than watching it on TV.” Following the inauguration, the students and chaperones reunited at the Smithso- “I thought it was a great and timely speech. I was glad to see both conservative and liberal ideas peppered throughout. He was definitely talking about this point in history – right now.” --Mr. Justin Negraval nian National Air and Space Museum. Early in the evening, they walked more than 20 blocks to the ESPN Zone since many roads were closed due to the Inaugural Parade. Before the end of the day, the group enjoyed a dinner at Fuddruckers. After a final breakfast at the hotel, the group left for an appointment at the U.S. Capitol. Congressman Rush Holt, a current U.S. Representative for New Jersey, made a surprise visit to talk about the government’s role “to “Like Obama, I government because I wanted to help people.” --Rep. Rush Holt ensure fairness in the interactions of the people.” “This was a tremendous opportunity for the students,” Mrs. Gaylord said, “This will be with them forever.” joined the 2 January 2009 The Viking Vibe news “Like Obama, I joined the government because I wanted to help people. It’s very satisfying. At the end of the day, I have a sense of having helped someone. If I have something to offer, I’ll give it.”--Congressman Rush Holt speaks to DPS members on the final day of their trip to Washington, D.C./PHOTO COURTESY OF Cathy Savas The Viking Vibe 2008-2009 Staff Editor-in-Chief Anita Modi E-vibe Editor Hannah Green Layout Editor Jovelle Tamayo Managing Editor Amy Rowe Sports Editor Tom Dunleavy Illustrator Amishi Desai Editorial Staff Zohrain Hassam, Natalie Twerdowsky, Saadia Ahmad, Samantha Orlan, Roshni Shah Staff Corey Allen, Riya Arora, Justin Berger, Matthew Brown, Alexis Bruno, Emily Campisano, Tori Capps, Prerana Chatty, Jaya Chinnaya, Alyssa Chrysafis, Zachary Cohen, Maxine Deines, Jennetta Dellapa, Brooke DelGuercio, Mark Desmond, Kevin DeVito, Timothy Doehler, Sukanya Dutta, Tajah Ebram, Rachel Finklestein, Georgia Foulds, Rosalia Gambino, Breona Garrison, Andrew Gong, Joshua Gonzalez, Kristen Huang, Brandon James, Bhanupriya Jayarangan, William Johnston, Cassandra Joiner, Cassandra Kot, Melissa Katz, Aaron Lassin, Minna Liu, Catherine Lordi, Gregory Madia, Ramsha Mahmood, David Mariano,Cody McHugh, Gunjan Mehta, Alissa Mesibov, Mona Mostafa, Michael Muha, Monika Nandi, Suman Naringrekar, Sidney Nelson, Kayla Noll, Alexa Padovano, Ashna Pai, Danilyn Parlow Tanvi Parmar, Ellen Plocic, Ektaa Sanghvi, Priya Shah, Kevin Shiraldi, Miranda Sirimis, Jordan Smtih, Jacob Stern, Morgan Sturgeon, Nicole Tyburczy, Jeffrey Veith, Jessica Warner, Michael Weber, Krystal Wilson, Keith Zients. Advisor Andrew Loh The Viking Vibe welcomes article submissions and letters to the editors, which may be delivered to Mr. Loh or dropped off in his mailbox. Submissions can also be sent to [email protected]. The Vibe reserves the right to edit, shorten or comment on any material submitted to the publication. The opinions expressed on the editorial page do not necessarily represent the views of the advisor, editorial staff, faculty, administrators or the Board of Education. Students interested in journalism are also encouraged to join the Newspaper Club, held every Tuesday in room A204. From the Editor’s Desk: A Promising Presidency On January 20, 2009, the world rejoiced as Democratic Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States of America. For months, newscasters and reporters representing all continents hailed the Senator, then the President-elect, as a John F. Kennedy figure—respectable, intelligent, and internationally renowned. What remains the most admirable beyond our President’s character, though, is his ability to galvanize the American people. Unlike presidents of the past, who have solely relied on the support of their campaign team or inner circle, Barack Obama seemed to both recognize and value the support of every American, regardless of race, gender, class, or age. Teachers, students, and administrators alike were called upon for volunteer work and monetary donations. And teachers, students, and administrators alike responded to the call of perhaps the most unlikely upstart candidate of the entire race. If there is anything we can learn from the most expensive and extensive campaign in American history, it is that leaders are not those who can lead but those who will lead; it is that voices heard are not those that can be heard, but those that will be heard; it is that differences are made not by those who can make a difference, but by those who will make a difference. Here’s to the most promising presidency of our generation; congratulations to all those who were able to witness the start of it. -Anita Modi (‘09) Letter to the Editor re: Obama: A Real Sizzler If Thomas Alva Edison is called the “Wizard of Menlo Park,” then Barack Obama can easily be called the “Wizard of Winning Elections.” No other president in recent memory comes close in feats of electoral wizardry. Case in point: President-elect (now President) Obama used his powers of raw masculinity and divine seduction to flawlessly woo the electorate and immaculately conceive the first black presidency in our nation’s history. That same robust image he exuded on the campaign trail now fills the Oval Office with its manly musk. As president, Barack knows he must make good on his grandiose campaign promises. There is an air of tense expectation from which few can escape. In my personal and unqualified opinion, I think he will shatter our expectations- and not like how George Bush shattered our expectations. He’ll shatter them by surpassing them. I wasn’t at the inauguration, but if I did go, I would’ve bought all those Obama souvenirs. Wow, I thought ‘souvenirs’ had more e’s in it. Oh, well. Anyway, this brings me to my next point. People need to stop comparing Barack Obama to Abe Lincoln. I get it- Abe Lincoln was our greatest president and he had a mole on his face. He also had something to do with black people, though I forget what exactly that was. That’s basically where the similarities end. In conclusion, the inauguration was awesome, but it was just the start. I have every confidence that Barack Obama will tower over his predecessors: this was already made evident when he was placed unceremoniously next to the former presidents at a recent Oval Office photo-op. He was by far the tallest guy in the room, beating Carter by about four feet. He’s going to be a real sizzler. -Ellis Klein (‘09) news January 2009 Movement Aims to Make MLK Day “On” Morgan Sturgeon 2010 In the 1950’s and 60’s, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the symbol of nonviolent activism against the oppressive racists of his time. Initiated by Congress in 1994, Martin Luther King Jr. Day has been a relaxing holiday to remember his contributions to society. Traditionally, January 19--MLK Day-is a day people have “off” from work to commemorate the great civil rights leader. However, a recent movement is trying to change this. The masterminds behind the many homages to Dr. King on his day came up with a brilliant idea to make the holiday “on.” In other words, as opposed to taking the day off, sleeping in, and having breakfast in bed, Americans would get out of their houses and take action to help improve lives of fellow citizens. Someone eager to volunteer could go to a soup kitchen, a senior center, or anywhere that time would be valued. Even President Barack Obama donated his time to the cause the Monday before his inauguration. “If Obama isn’t too busy to volunteer, then I should volunteer, too,” said junior Raynor Andrulewich. King dreamt of a day for all to do what he dedicated his life to--civil and community service. Junior Abby Weingarten said, “I think [Martin Luther King Jr. Day] is an important holiday. I’ve never thought about volunteering that day before, but it does make sense because that’s what he was all about.” “Without Martin Luther King, who knows where our country would be today? He changed us forever,” said senior Danny Boyle. Advocates for Dr. King argue that it is a much better reverence to his life to get out and serve. “…As an observance, we take time out to remember and to respect [Martin Luther King Jr.],” said social studies teacher Mrs. Janean Vivadelli. The movement to get people to volunteer and dedicate hands on time to his memory is just improving the meaning of this holiday. Ektaa Sanghvi, ‘12 Check out the Vibe Blog for audio feeds, photo reels, and videos! http://blogs. sbschools.org/ vikingvibe/ Feel free to post your comments and thoughts on our latest issue! The Viking Vibe 3 Holocaust Memorial Trip Cassie Kot memory of those who suffered; and to encourage its visitors to reflect upon the 2009 moral and spiritual questions raised by On December 3 and 11, SBHS students taking Holocaust and Genocide Studies received the opportunity to visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. After going through tight security, students were taken up to the fourth floor where they were told they could roam freely. Students only had one instruction, which was to meet back up at a specific time to leave. An assignment was given to jot down fifty opinions or thoughts about anything that caught the eye walking through the museum. The museum consisted of numerous historical artifacts, many coming from the actual Holocaust. Walking through the exhibits, the students had to do a lot of reading to really understand the history and background of the tragedy. Televisions played footage of medical experiments hidden in a spot where one had to look up due to the disturbing graphics. “It was a really powerful experience. I feel more mature coming out of it and I have more knowledge of what people suffered through. I now learned to appreciate the little things in life that I have,” said senior Jerika Fernandaz. Since 1993, the Museum has welcomed more than 25 million visitors. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a public-private partnership where federal support guarantees the museum’s permanence and donors nationwide make this experience possible. According to the Holocaust Memorial Museum’s website, “The Museum’s primary mission is to advance and disseminate knowledge about this unprecedented tragedy; to preserve the the events of the Holocaust as well as their own responsibilities as citizens of a democracy.” “The Museum broadened my horizons by making me more aware of what really happened. It made me feel more compassionate towards people,” said senior Paulina DeFelice. This is the sixth year that SBHS students have attended the museum, the most important part of the Holocaust and Genocide Studies class. Social studies teacher Mr. Marc Babich said, “It’s a personal experience for each student. It gives the student a better appreciation of life and they come to be aware of how brutally humans can treat each other. They’ll come to the realization that good people need to take a stand.” The most popular exhibit among the students was Daniel’s Story. This exhibit gives the individual the experience of viewing the Holocaust through the eyes of the children. It consists of a collection of diaries from various children written during 1933-1945, but it only mentions the composite character Daniel to create less confusion for younger viewers. Throughout the exhibit, there were overhead narrations, diary pages, and walk-through environments which helped visitors understand the hatred toward and violence against the Jews. “Walking through Daniel’s Story brought a tear to my eye as I read diary entries about what happened to the children during the Holocaust. At that young age, being separated from your parents and taken into a concentration camp must have been more than unbearable,” said senior Malak Fakhry. 4 January 2009 The Viking Vibe Science Olympiad Invited to State Competition Anita Modi 2009 On Thursday, January 8, the South Brunswick Science Olympiad Team placed fifth out of twenty high school teams at a regional competition held at Princeton University. As one of the top ten teams in the competition, South Brunswick was invited to attend the state competition, to be held on Tuesday, March 17, at Middlesex County College. At Princeton’s day-long event, students competed at events stationed all around campus, breaking for lunch at the Jadwin gym. The award ceremony, held at 3:00pm at McCosh Hall, recognized the top eight participants for each event and concluded at 4:30pm. The regional competition included a total of sixteen different events, of which eleven involved participating students taking written tests in pairs; the other five events required the pairs to construct a device beforehand, which was to be tested and judged at the university. Out of the sixteen events, South Brunswick placed second in five, and was recognized for their performance in several others. The team, composed of eighteen students and two advisors—Dr. Amrish Garg and Mr. Michael Poot—is only in its second year of existence and has already improved its ranking from seventh place at last year’s regional competition. What has changed in the year since the Science Olympiad’s establishment? “It was chaotic last year,” senior and co-President of the team Ajay Roopakalu (with junior Irene Lin) summarized, “People were running around with no idea what to do. This year, there was better organization, a better idea of what to expect, and we were able to better prepare for the individual challenges.” Roopakalu participated in both the Trajectory event, which required students to build a catapult that could project a tennis ball at the greatest distance possible, and the Picture This event, which he described as “Science Pictionary.” Rohan Katipally, a junior participant and returning member of the team, added, “People were dedicated and worked harder this year. We were more prepared overall.” At the same time, as senior and returning member Lauren Dai pointed out, “The test events are always unexpected; you can never fully know what they’re going to ask you,” especially since the given event subjects are so wide-ranging. Testing events include Cell Biology, Disease Detective, Herpetology, Rock Science, and Forestry—all very broad subjects to specialize in for a 50-minute test. To provide time for the testers to study and for the builders to, well, build, Science Olympiad meetings are held every other Tuesday after school, from 2:30 to 4:30pm in room 312. “We hold meetings to keep the momentum going, so that participants don’t put Science Olympiad on the back burner,” Dr. Garg explained, noting that many team members were also busy with sports, other academic teams, and their own schoolwork. Dr. Garg was quick to add, however, that regardless of other commitments, “Everyone contributed. The new team members who came aboard just this year contributed as well, and their experience will help them in the following years.” As for this year, the team is currently focusing on the state competition, which is to be held in just a few weeks. With the competition comes an additional eight events that the participants need to prepare for alongside the original sixteen events that will be brought back to Middlesex County College. Of the eight new events, five involve written tests, while three involve building and testing devices. “The devices need to come out earlier; we need to see those at meetings,” Mr. Poot said, noting that pairs first presented their devices to the team on the morning of the regional competition—leaving no time for suggestions or improvement. As Dr. Garg assured, “The good news is, there’s always room for improvement. The other teams are going to ratchet up their performances, and we will as well.” Members of the Science Olympiad team await the awards ceremony at Princeton’s McCosh Hall. /PHOTO BY Anita Modi (‘09) news FBLA Regionals Members of FBLA during Regionals sing, pose, and win awards./PHOTOS COURTESY OF Amanda Izzo (‘09) Samantha Orlan and Roshni Shah 2010, 2011 On Wednesday, January 7, the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club participated in the regional competition at Mercer County Community College. “SBHS students participated in so many events, from Marketing to Accounting to Introduction to Parliamentary Procedure,” said Ms. Laura Dec, co-advisor of FBLA. In each event, students exhibited their knowledge of business by taking tests. Ms. Dec said, “We go and compete at testing sessions. Whichever event a student decides to compete in, they go to and they take a test. Then the scores are compared against the scores of other schools.” Some of the other schools that participated were North Brunswick High School, JP Stevens High School, and Old Bridge High School. Prior to the competition, students took it upon themselves to study for their respective events. Ms. Karen Hunte, also a co-advisor of FBLA, said, “We have a few study sessions [to prepare for Regionals], but most of the preparation is done by the students alone.” Ms. Dec added, “Most students study on their own and we encourage them to win.” Out of the 75 members of FBLA, 47 members attended the competition, and so far 14 have been recognized for their exceptional performances. Senior Jessica Liu took fifth place in the Marketing category. She said, “My experience at regionals was amazing. I had a great time especially during the awards ceremony. It was intense because everyone was so anxious to see if they placed or not.” First-place winner in the Introduction to Business category, sophomore David Li said, “The best part of the competition was definitely winning first place. I was simply hoping to place at regionals and move on to states, so my expectations weren’t very high; however I received first place, which never really hurts.” Members from FBLA who did well during regionals will have the opportunity to compete in the state competition in March. Those who continue to succeed will be able to compete at nationals, held in California this June. Junior Emil Chen, attendee at regionals, said, “I had a great time. It was nice to see people that have the same interests as me.” Miss Hunte said, “I am really proud of the kids. Their independent study showed that they take the club seriously and the competition showed them that other students in other schools take it seriously as well.” news Registration Opens for Women’s Leadership Conference 2009 Chelsea McCook 2010 The Twelfth Annual Women’s Leadership Conference will be held on Saturday February 28, from 8:00am to 12:30pm at South Brunswick High School. The South Brunswick Commission on Women has been presenting the conference since 1997. The conference is open to all female adults and students in grade eight or higher. The Women’s Leadership Conference brings together approximately 300 women annually, ensuring that today’s young women are exposed to different careers and can become tomorrow’s great leaders. Over 65 speakers give up a Saturday to educate the young women while local businesses donate goods, services, and money. Junior Trishna Daphtary, Co-Secretary of the Commission, said she was excited about the upcoming conference. “We work for about half of the year trying to get ready for the conference and then we get to see how everything plays out. It’s always great to see everyone’s reactions after the conference,” she explained. The goal of the commission was to create a program that could encourage and develop leadership in young women. Its hope is to empower and provide role models for young women. Ms. Atiya Aftab, Chair of the Commission, said she was looking forward to this year’s conference. “I’m so glad I have the opportunity to give back to the community and get involved,” she said, “To be able to be part of an organization that can make a difference means the world to me.” The conference begins early with breakfast. Everyone then travels to the auditorium to start off the day with a message from the keynote speaker who, this year, is Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein. The attendees then break off into their designated rooms for each of the two career workshops. The morning ends with a big lunch buffet. Junior Karen Sendner said, “I’ve been attending these conferences since freshman year and I’ve enjoyed all of them. My favorite part is the keynote speaker. Last year, we had author Megan McCafferty, and she gave us a lot of good advice about how to be successful in the writing field.” Registration papers will soon be available in SPS. Anyone interested just has to fill out a form and hand it back in to attend the free conference. The workshops include: Music/Art/ Theatre/ Dance, Law/Government/ Politics, Corporate Business, Health Professions, Teaching Professions, Date Rape/Sexual Harassment, Communications/Journalism, Owning Your Own Business, The F.B.I., Finance/ Accounting/Banking, Fashion/Home Fashion, College Life 101, High School and Beyond, Engineering/Science/ Technology, Culinary Arts and Media Specialist. Junior Kathleen Hernandez, anxious to attend the Women’s Leadership Conference next month, said, “I’ve never been able to attend the conference and then I always hear back from my friends that they loved it. I’m glad I’ll be able to go this year.” For more information visit: http://sites.google.com/site/sbcw2009/. NJSC LEADERS COME TO SBHS Emily Campisano Morgan Sturgeon 2010 On Friday, December 12, student councils from other schools came to South Brunswick High School along with The NJ Association of Student Councils to interview and select new members for the board. Junior Samantha Berk was elected as an Executive Member of the state board. The New Jersey Association of Student Councils is a leadership group that interacts with the student councils from the high schools and middle schools across the state. The purpose of this leadership group is to get students to be part of their school communities and to get actively involved with school and community issues. “I liked that we were able to see all the student councils from the other schools and hear their ideas as well,” said senior Zaniah Maynor. While the state board conducted interview throughout the monthly meeting, SBHS students were able to talk with students from other schools and see how their daily school schedules compared with ours. “I think that this was a good experience for students from other schools to see how our school runs as opposed to theirs,” said Student Council Advisor, Ms. Lauren VanHook. Teachers as well as students were able to benefit from seeing how others schools run. There are various differences between the way SBHS runs and the way other schools around the state run. While SBHS has block schedules and HAPs, other schools may not. Students were able to really see the ways other schools compare to SBHS. “I feel like this was a good experience for us because networking is a part of life; without it, you can’t experience life to the fullest,” said senior Jen Luck. According to Ms. VanHook, this was a successful meeting for the board and for the students as well. By getting to speak to other students, they were able to appreciate South Brunswick High School much more. “I think that the students were really able to be proud of our school,” said Ms. VanHook, “They were able to realize that we have so many activities, such as Powderpuff, and events that other schools don’t have.” “It was a good experience for us to show all the other students around our school,” said junior Rebecca Eisenberg. However, this opportunity this doesn’t arise very often because students don’t always get elected to be apart of the state board. “This was a good opportunity for the students because it only happens every so often,” said Ms. VanHook. January 2009 The Viking Vibe 5 SBHS Seniors Learn How to Save Lives in CPR Class Corey Allen 2009 Seniors taking physical education are required to take a CPR education class for one marking period of the year. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, more commonly known as CPR, is an emergency medical procedure for victims of cardiac or respiratory arrest proven to save countless lives. CPR helps the victim’s body maintain a flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and the heart. In addition to learning CPR, the students also learn how to use an AED (automated external defibrillator), which automatically diagnoses the heart rhythm and determines if a shock is needed. The course, taught by health and physical education teachers Mr. Douglas Hunt and Mr. John Harding, educates seniors on how to perform CPR and devotes significant time to allowing the students to practice the procedure on mannequins. Not only does the course provide students with knowledge and education, but allows students to become certified in CPR and AED upon completion. “The class is an added service to students,” said Mr. Hunt, “[CPR] is a good skill to know and have on any resume.” While some seniors may prefer gym to the course, others appreciate the skills that the course offers to those who take it. “I think it’s a great opportunity for me and I’m looking forward to taking it,” said senior Sanket Pandya. “My sister took the course two years ago and I admire her skills,” said senior Joe Mastronardi, “I am excited to be another member of my family who will be able to save lives.” The class excited students in some other ways as well. Senior Matt Mortensen said, “I am already a lifeguard, so the CPR class gives me a chance to show off my skills.” Mr. Hunt and Mr. Harding debated whether or not the course should only be given to seniors. They based the final decision on the fact that senior students will be heading off to college or to the work force the next year. “Students who complete the course could offer tremendous help to their peers or co-workers,” said Mr. Hunt. Seniors train on mannequins like the one portrayed above in class./PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC Occupational First Aid 6 January 2009 The Viking Vibe Annual Winter Concert Wows Audience Brooke Del Guercio 2011 On December 15 and 22, the South Brunswick Music Department delivered a spectacular concert. The performing student groups included various orchestras, choirs and bands. Both the Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra were under the direction of Mr. Christopher Finnegan. While the former orchestra played “Durango Tango,” “Danza,” and “Five movements from Bartok’s Ten Easy Pieces for Piano,” the latter played “Concerto 3,” “Brook Green Suite For String Orchestra,” and “Finlandia,” receiving rave reviews from students around the school. “They were incredible,” sophomore Allison Zimmitti said. “Their music sounded beautiful and their pieces were amazing.” The renowned Wind Ensemble, which is made up of the school’s most esteemed musicians, performed under the direction of Mr. Mark Kraft. This group of students played “Fanfare and Allegro,” “Commando March,” “Music for Prague 1968 Movements One and Two,” and “Sleigh Ride.” “Being a part of the Wind Ensemble is a big honor,” senior Dan Velez said, “We are really well-known, we practice extremely hard, and we take a lot of pride in our performances.” “The Wind Ensemble was absolutely incredible, I am always amazed at how great they are,” sophomore Aaron Williams said. “Their songs are so complicated and they always do such an awesome job.” The Symphonic Band, which consists of sophomores, juniors, and seniors, performed three songs under the direction of Mrs. Donna Cardaneo: “Third Suite,” “Jesu Joy,” and “Emperata Overture.” “Our three songs were challenging and everyone had to work really hard. Mrs. Cardaneo really pushed us and it paid off in the end. I was really satisfied with our performance,” sophomore Angela Zhang said. Mr. Steven Coone directed the Concert Band, which consists of all freshmen, for three songs: “Appalachian Air,” “Grand Canyon Overture,” and “Garden of the Black Rose.” All of the choirs performed under the direction of Mrs. Virginia Kraft. The Men’s Ensemble performed three songs: “So It Goes,” “By the Light of the Silvery Moon,” and the popular hit song by Billy Joel, “For the Longest Time.” “The men’s ensemble performance was really good,” sophomore Alex Dobermilsky said, “They were really entertaining and really funny. They’re always my favorite group to watch.” “Performing in the concerts are a lot of fun,” junior James Ross stated, “Preparing for them are a lot of work but performing well in the end really gives you a good feeling.” news Class Participates in an Unusual Holiday Drive Tori Capps 2010 Last year, social studies teacher Mrs. Janean Vivadelli directed her classes’ participation in an outreach program for the holidays which helped fund goats and chickens to send to an African village. To add a little fun, healthy competition, the class that collected the most money before December 17 won a party right before winter break. The winning class was Mrs. Vivadelli’s 3A Global Studies Class. Each class had one treasurer that kept track of how much money the class made. The treasurer was also responsible for the Goat Collection Jug, where the class’ money was held. “Basically I went around collecting change or dollars from our class. Every class we made more money,” explained junior Safa Akhtar. “A lot of people from my class didn’t participate at first,” said junior Michelle Hollander from Mrs. Vivadelli’s 2A class. “But when they realized it was a competition, everyone donated to win.” While some classes were enthusiastic about the challenge, other students were a little hesitant in the beginning. “At first it was odd because we weren’t sure if the goats would really be sent to Africa or if the charity was ripping us off,” said junior Rachel Takacs. However, the charity they used was World Vision. Mrs. Vivadelli said, “There are few charities that I trust. I’ve been donating to World Vision for ten years. They’re amazing. I have sponsored a girl for nine years through it.” World Vision is a humanitarian organization working with communities in 100 countries around the world. They help communities reach their full potential by tackling poverty and injustice. The organization serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender providing access to clean water, nutritious food, health care, education, and economic development tools that can transform lives. The purpose of this challenge was clearly not for a party or bragging rights. Mrs. Vivadelli said, “The point I was trying to to show was that we are all connected on a global level, even to a much less fortunate village in Ethiopia. I wanted the students to make a connection between a remote village and us.” In the end, the classes were very successful. They collected a total of $375.04 in the two-week time period and were able to send four goats and six chickens to Africa. “Each goat will provide a family with plenty of fresh milk, cheese, and yogurt, in addition to a much-needed extra income at the local market,” said Mrs. Vivadelli. “The chickens provide fresh eggs, which will raise the levels of protein and other nutrients in a family’s diet. The sale of eggs provides money for other household needs.” Students of Various Cultures Ring in the New Year Billy Johnston and Suman Naringrekar 2011 The world is filled with a vast number of ethnically diverse people that take part in various traditions and customs, which relate to their way of life. These traditions may date back to practices of their ancestors in earlier centuries, or could be based upon native mythology. In accordance with these beliefs, a mixture of festivals and celebrations are commemorated in numerous ways, one of the most prominent being New Year’s Day. New Year’s Day is often celebrated in different countries at different times based upon the lunar calendar. China is an example of such a country. Sophomore Andrea Chan, who celebrates Chinese New Year, stated, “We don’t really have countdown for Chinese New Year as we do for the American New Year, where we drink glasses of champagne, watch the ball drop, and blow party favors.” Chinese New Year is a fifteen-day celebration, which includes Nian, the actual New Year’s Day. Families celebrating Chinese New Year followed many superstitions in the past, and some still follow such ancestral traditions. The informative website www.educ.uvic.ca explains many traditional Chinese New Year’s superstitions. For example, the Chinese often swept their house inwards, gathering all of the dust in the house in the center of the foyer, and then spreading the dust to different parts of the main room so as not to remove potentially beneficial luck, or superior spirits away from their homes. Chan continued, “We don’t do all of the traditional practices of Chinese New Year, but our family passes out red envelopes with money in them, representing wealth, prosperity, and health.” According to 123chinesenewyear. com, the Chinese also decorate their homes lavishly for New Year’s, celebrating and wishing for prosperity and joy for the future. Foods are offered at the feet of ancestors as well at a temple altar. A large feast is almost always held with an assortment of dumplings. The lights in the house are also kept on for the entire night before New Year’s Day, and at midnight, fireworks are set off to enjoy the new year. The Lantern Festival takes place at the closing of Chinese New Year, and a parade usually occurs at this time. The central part of this parade is the dragon, which represents fortuity. The Indian New Year contains many of the same ideas as Chinese New Year. This celebration is known as the Diwali, or Deepawali, festival. According to http://www.diwalimela.com, Diwali is the festival of lights, and involves burning firecrackers, which represents destroying evil. Senior Indraja Karnik stated, “To celebrate Diwali, my family sets off fireworks, makes traditional sweets, and lights lanterns.” Houses are often decorated with oil lamps and candles, which are kept near the front entrance of the house to symbolize the triumph of morality, and to invite in positive energy. In addition to this, over fifty types of foods may be given to the deities of Hindu temples; this tradition is known as Annakut Darshan. The Goddess worshipped most extravagantly is Goddess Lakshmi, who represents success and wealth. Surprisingly, January 1 marks a more important date for Greeks than Christmas does, and is a time of exchanging gifts and honoring St. Basil, a Greek ancestor who was said to aid the impoverished with his charity and compassion. Much like Santa Claus does on Christ- mas Eve, St. Basil puts gifts in the children’s shoes at night to surprise them the next day for the New Year. Sophomore Demetri Mavronicolas, a student that celebrates New Year’s, states, “In the Greek New Year, the difference is that Christmas is treated as more of a holy day, where we go to church, and spend time with family. On New Year’s though, we give out presents, something new for the new year and then have a party.” The American culture, too, has intricate traditions often overlooked today. In the past, New Year’s Day meant more than a toast with Buehler’s best wine and watching a silver disco ball fall out of the ceiling with a countdown sounding off in the background. Some Americans eat black-eyed peas, which according to folklore are lucky, and Hoppin’ Johns, a rice dish. Cake is also a traditional food eaten. Although various cultures in the United States that celebrate New Year’s Day with intricate traditions may be different, the purpose of the new year remains the same. People of numerous ethnic backgrounds strive to learn from past tribulation, celebrate the end of a year, and prepare for a successful future. ‘Slumdog’ a heartwearming, inspiring film. Tina Saienni 2009 In The Wrestler, Darren Aronofsky peels away the tanned flesh and bleached hair of the glamorous Randy “the Ram” Robinson (Mickey Rourke) to reveal a naïve man struggling to stay a part of the professional wrestling hype. His efforts stress that he’s not just a weekend warrior and that to him, wrestling is so much more than a hobby. Die-hard wrestling fans may leave the theater unsatisfied after watching a film that is not match after match of beatdown. Those looking for a sentimental beef-cake, though, will find it in this portrait of a man whose very dedication to his fans prevents anything else from working out for him. Twenty years after making headlines for domination over “Ayatollah,” also a pro-wrestler, Robin (his real name, but don’t call him that) finds himself wrestling for fans that are blood-thirsty and don’t really care to compensate financially. After getting locked out of his mobile home, he is forced to pick up hours for lame side-jobs to support both himself and his addiction to wrestling fame (namely the expenses for the bleached hair, tanning beds and steroids). Every day there are constant reminders of his past fame, from the action figure of “The Ram” that sits on his van’s dashboard to the lyrics humming through the radio “You don’t know what you got till it’s gone.” Although the movie’s central focus is on Randy, it also tells the story of the lovely Cassidy (Marisa Tomei) who is in denial about her age. We are introduced to her in a club where she is told she is old enough to be a mother. It is Cassidy who calls attention to Randy’s battle wounds and dubs him the “Sacrificial Ram.” Jesus bore the wrath to his body for so many followers; Randy did the same for his fans. Randy forces himself to take weekends as a Deli tender at an ACME. Ironically enough, working this kind of meat is different than what he’s used to, but in turn he releases the child in him and has fun with it. There are other instances when Randy acts more like a child than an adult, like when he craves to play a Nintendo wrestling game with a boy who is in the know about modern war videogames. Mickey Rourke’s performance was transcendent. The pained oldtimer is a direct reflection of Rourke himself; it was this washed-up mess of a role that replenished his career with a Golden Globe award and Oscar nomination and, to be honest, there is not one other actor I could see playing it. Unlike director Darren Aronofsky’s other films, which include Pi (1998), Requiem for a Dream (2000), and The Fountain (2006), The Wrestler does not exhibit any intense, hyperactive cuts. Instead of the frenetic cuts we’re used to with Aronofsky’s other films, this camera’s perspective places the audience directly behind Rourke so you need to follow the Ram just to keep up with him. You’ve read all about Shakespeare’s tragic heroes, but Randy the Ram is by far the most admirable of tragic heroes to wrench himself under anyone’s skin in recent memory. Mike Ungano (‘09) vibe:culture The Wrestler The Viking Vibe Entertainment Section Slumdog Millionaire is a film viewers will want to see over and over again. I have experienced this first-hand, since I work in a movie theatre. I saw this movie three and a half times, and around the second time I saw it, I realized this film is definitely my favorite of 2008 – maybe even of all time. Slumdog tells the tale of Jamal Malik (Dev Patel), an eighteen-year-old boy who grew up in the slums of Mumbai. Jamal is a contestant on Mumbai’s version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and has progressed farther than anyone in the show’s history. This is puzzling to the show’s host, former slumdog and current Bollywood superstar Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor), and a police inspector (Irrfan Khan). The audience meets Jamal in an interrogation room, where he is violently interrogated for suspicions of fraud. The police inspector reviews each question Jamal answered on the show, demanding the source of his answers. The story unravels as the audience revisits Jamal’s childhood growing up as a slumdog, where he has quite coincidentally (or through destiny) come across the answers. Jamal tells of his adventures on the road with his brother Salim (Madhur Mittal), brutal encounters with local gangs, and of Latika (Freida Pinto), the girl he loved and repeatedly lost. Although Jamal is about to win 20 million rupees (approximately $400,000 US Dollars), he seems very detached from the probable wealth in his future. This is another puzzling factor of the story, and the police inspector and millions of viewers proceed to find out why. British Director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) brings such an original screenplay, written by Simon Beaufoy, to life. The film has tremendous visual appeal, and the acting is surprisingly top-notch for a cast of inexperienced actors. This was Patel’s first feature film, and Pinto (who was a model in Mumbai) had never acted prior to Slumdog. Both actors gave convincing and heart-warming performances. The young actors who played the aforementioned characters in their childhood were actual children from the slums of Mumbai. Also without any previous acting experience, they successfully conveyed the desperation of their experiences throughout the entire film. Slumdog is certainly not your typical Bollywood film, yet it ironically concludes with a staggering group dance to AR Rahman’s “Jai Ho.” This comedic ending will surely bring a smile to viewer’s faces, a relief after the film’s powerful subject matter. “Jai Ho” is just one of the amazing songs featured on the soundtrack that was composed entirely by AR Rahman with the help of popular Sri-Lankan rapper M.I.A. I suggest that those who have not seen Slumdog immediately do so. This “little film that could” has already received so much acclaim from viewers and critics alike. And with the Golden Globe for Best Picture as well as ten Oscar nominations, it has clearly captured the attention of the Academy. vibe:culture Amy Rowe 2009 E 1 vibe:culture Fans return to the Island for Season 5 Corey Allen and Tim Doehler 2009 On Wednesday January 21, at 8:00 p.m. EST, Lost fans across America momentarily paused blogging their theories and predictions as they tuned in to the highly anticipated two-hour Season 5 premiere event. The Season 4 finale answered a lot of prolonged questions, but as expected, created countless more. The biggest mysteries and twists occurred towards the end of the finale. One minute Ben is spinning a giant wheel in a frozen room, and the next the island disappears and sinks into the ocean. Where did the island go? Did Juliet, Sawyer, Richard Alpert, Miles, Charlotte, Rose, Bernard, and The Others get moved along with the island too? The final scene of the episode shows John Locke on the mainland in a coffin, presumably dead. Some believe that this was an attempt to unite the Oceanic Six and convince them to return to the island. Is this true? And why did he use the alias Jeremy Bentham? The fifth season is assumed to revolve around Jack’s attempts at convincing the rest of the Oceanic Six (Kate, Hurley, Said, Sun, and Aaron) to return to the island. In addition, expect the season to shed light on the new location of the island and the people who are on it. Fans of Lost do not simply watch the show. They study every aspect of it and search for hidden clues to answer the questions that each new episode brings. From religious and literary allusions, to riddles and anagrams, fans always have their hands (and minds) full. They obsessively post their findings and predictions on blogs and websites. Lost is a culture, which flourishes and depends on obsessive viewers and bloggers. Now, for those who are not religious viewers of the show, all of these names and references are probably completely foreign. Even though there have been many twists and turns over the past 4 seasons of Lost, and it may seem hard to get into the series, there are still many reasons to tune in to the new season, or to catch up with DVDs of the first four seasons, so we’ll leave you with the top five reasons why people should watch Lost: 5.) It’s always fun to discuss the previous night’s episode along with potential theories with classmates. 4.) The show keeps the audience on the edge of their seats with each and every episode, because of its intriguing storylines and intense moments. 3.) There are great characters that viewers can connect and relate to. 2.) It stands out from other shows with its unique style of delivering information through flashbacks and flash-forwards. 1.) Once you watch one episode, it is nearly impossible to not tune in the following week to see what will happen. vibe:culture staff E 2 editors alex kuhn, 2009 craig maltese, 2009 tina saienni, 2009 corey allen, 2009 tim doehler, 2009 josh fischman, 2009 elena georgopoulos, 2011 alissa mesibov, 2009 conner o’reilly, 2010 chris palumbo, 2010 katie rolwood, 2009 amy rowe, 2009 kyle self, 2012 layout editor jovelle tamayo, 2009 special thanks to anita modi, 2009 mr. andy loh mr. frank manfre advisor mr. peter honig Equus brings Psychological Intensity to the Stage Alissa Mesibov 2009 The first Broadway revival of Peter Shaffer’s play, Equus is two and a half hours of pure, unrelenting intensity. The play surrounds Alan Strang (Daniel Radcliffe, better known as the title character in the Harry Potter films) and his government-appointed juvenille psychiatrist, Martin Dysart (Richard Griffiths, also of the Harry Potter films). As the play opens, Martin is introduced to Alan, who blinded six of the horses at the stable he works at with a hoof pick. As Alan slowly begins to trust Martin, the psychiatrist begins to see his own work as a profession of conformity. He realizes the purpose of his position: to make children into what society wants them to be; and when he is done, they are little more than ghosts of their formal selves. As Martin unravels the reasoning behind Alan’s heinous crime, he finds himself questioning his profession. By “fixing” the juvenile freaks of society, is he stripping them of everything that makes them unique human beings. Daniel Radcliffe gives a haunting performance as the deranged Alan Strang. His emotions are raw and real. It is incredible to watch Alan transform through Martin’s eyes from a television commercial jingle-singing recluse to the passionate, lonely teen that Alan has always been on the inside. Despite the dramatic essence of the character, Radcliffe delivers his few comedic lines with skill that could match many actors who have been in the business two or three times as long as he has. To say that Radcliffe has mastered the difficult role of Alan Strang would be an understatement. The future of this young actor is very bright, and it is a shame that he does not get to exhibit his full talent as Harry Potter. Richard Griffiths is an exceptionally talented actor, but his role as Martin Dysart is limiting. There is not nearly the same freedom, as far as characterization goes, as Alan Strang. My biggest complaint is that he barely moves during his many monologues. It becomes repetitive and, to be frank, sometimes boring. Luckily, his line delivery and pacing is fantastic, especially paired with the similarly skillful Radcliffe. Among the smaller roles, Kate Mulgrew stands out as Hesther Saloman, a court magistrate. She makes the most of her small role. I cannot give Carolyn McCormick half that credit. She plays Mrs. Strang as a tightly wound woman who only knows how to speak in monotone, and that single tone resembles the sound of nails on a chalkboard. I give the ensemble of six men playing horses a great deal more credit. They move in a way that is so distinctly equine, that it is easy to forget that they are humans, despite their heavy-looking masks of some kind of metal. They manage to accomplish this while walking on four or five-inch shoes that are made to resemble hooves. Peter Shaffer’s writing is daring. Instead of traditional 10-minute minimum scenes, the scenes in Equus rarely surpass three minutes. Often, the scenes are composed of a single monologue. It is quite clear that Shaffer has a fondness for monologues, but he overuses them. They become repetitive all too quickly. One can only take so many monologues about Martin questioning his life’s work. Thea Sharrock, the director, sticks to tradition when it comes to staging Equus, which is smart. The simplistic and interpretive blocking, movement of actors and props, fits Shaffer’s style of writing. The design elements of the play are exquisite, especially the lighting and sound design. While no scene is brightly lit, the scenes in which Alan is not reenacting his past have a warmer, yellow lighting to them. When Alan is letting Martin and the audience into his world, the stage is swimming in cold, blue light. The only music in the play is an instrumental piece that haunts the scenes of Alan’s past, and it is exquisitely frightening. The most frightening thing about the play is not its plot, nor its characters, but the audience itself. Going into the play, Alan instantly seems deranged and dangerous because of his crime. By the end, though, his actions are understandable. The audience understands the reasoning behind an act previously deemed abhorrent. It makes it too easy to question one’s own judgment. Overall this incredible production is very well done, with a few minor flaws. However, it is not for everyone. It has full nudity, very strong language, and a scene with violence. Equus runs through February 8. This show has a student discount for tickets purchased at the box office on the day of the show with a student ID. Elena Georgopolis 2011 Anime is a sweeping fad that can take the meekest people and recreate them into fanatics declaring their love for certain series through cosplaying, fanfics, and just obsessive collecting. With all these outlets, it is truly a wonderful world for an anime fan. One of anime’s most prominent American ambassadors has been the company Funimation. For years it has been releasing Japanese anime not only with English subtitles, but takes it upon itself to hire high quality voice actors to dub the voices so that even more American fans can enjoy these shows. Funimation has gone to great lengths, especially this year, to keep its name as the best in anime, by pulling all the stops including buying the rights to three already popular anime, and releasing DVDs of them within a month. The three that came out are School Rumble Season 2 (10/14/08), Ouran High School Host Club (10/28/08), and Guyver (11/6/08). Now, all these series have dedicated fanbases to the point of cult followings. Therefore, I decided to focus on one that was not just a hit, but also happens to be a personal favorite of mine. In truth, even though it had been popular and I had been hearing about it since it first came out, I find myself only recently becoming a gushing fangirl. But after deciding that I liked the style of the show, I sat down and laughed my way through the subtitled series and am now ecstatic to see the English version of Ouran High School Host Club. Ouran Academy is a place for the noble and wealthy to send their children so that they also become noble and wealthy. Enter Haruhi, a scholarship student who is too poor to even afford the official school uniform and would rather study than be involved with the students’ issues. Somehow, though, Haruhi stumbles upon the Host Club, a collection of the most noble and handsome boys in the school who take it upon themselves to entertain the ladies of the school that have too much time on their hands. And somehow, Haruhi ends up breaking an eight-million-yen vase within the first few minutes of meeting them. Now in debt to the Host Club, Haruhi gets recruited and becomes the new favorite host amongst the girls in the school. The twist is that Haruhi is actually a girl. However, the other hosts, who enjoy her company, try to keep her gender a secret while she becomes beloved by the girls throughout the school. Hilarity and love triangles ensue. What this series lacks in substance makes up in its pure fun and silliness. Obviously it is a favorite amongst girls. I mean, six adorable guys, where can you go wrong? That probably explains why more girls gravitate to this series, even though its humor can reach out to any gender. There are 26 episodes and episodes 1-13 were released October 28, 2008 and episodes 14-26 were released this month. On the DVD, there is the option of English audio (the dub), Japanese audio with English subtitles, commentary on the episodes by the actors and directors, and outtakes. While the stories are not intricate and are quickly resolved, what truly makes the show admirable are the characters and their mannerisms. All the while, this series pokes fun at the stereotypes of this particular anime genre and makes fun of the upper class, since the super-rich characters are clueless about Craig Maltese and Kyle Self 2011 1: Grand Theft Auto IV: Xbox 360, Play station We’re pretty sure that you had already expected GTA:IV to be our #1 game of this year. Liberty City has never been more lifelike and realistic than it is now. The controls have undergone some serious changes for the better, lending players a more satisfying playing experience. The Euphoria engine does the game many favors in the AI department, the storyline is touching, yet still has that Grand Theft Auto ZING we’re all looking for. I would have to agree with many critics that Nicco Bellic, the protagonist of the game, is the most sympathetic GTA character yet. The added bonus of the online 16 player multiplayer death match with many game variants makes GTA:IV a must-have. 2: Wii Fit For the past two years since the Wii’s release, people have been willing to wait in line and even fight to lay claim to the game system. Thank god there was an end to that misery, but Nintendo’s up to their old tricks. Wii Fit, a new game for their over-hyped and over-used system has a lot to offer. It tracks your body mass index and your overall weight rather well, and with Nintendo’s new ‘balance board’ you can stand up as your Wii console senses your movements. But don’t be fooled by the title; Wii Fit won’t make you fit--it has a maximum weight limit of 350lbs, and focuses more on balance and muscle tone rather than lifting weights and dropping pounds. vibe:culture FUNIMATION HELPS PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD ENJOY ANIME anything that does not mesh with their extravagant world. No matter in what language one sees this, they cannot help but fall in love with at least one of the hosts: the sincere playboy and host-king Tamaki, the very close and mischievous twins Hikaru and Kaoru, the brains behind the whole operation Kyouya, the toddler-like senior Hunny, and his stoic protector Mori. Of course, let us not forget Haruhi. Her “un-girlyness” makes the show even more refreshing since she seems more relatable. In fact, she handles the antics of the Host Club better than the traditional anime heroines would. So let’s get down to it. How will die-hard fans react to the new dub after almost two years of listening to it in Japanese? There has been a mix of reviews across the internet as the trailer and a few sample episodes came out. All I can say is: I like it. Yes, the voices do not sound exactly the same, and maybe that’s a good thing. Vic Mignogna, the main attraction (famous for his dubs in other anime such Fullmetal Alchemist) does a great job as the leading host and I am sure fans are excited to hear him again. The rest of the all-star cast is equally charismatic and bring great energy to already much loved characters. Fans shouldn’t shun this dub just because it is not what they are used to. It’s okay to embrace dubs and to give them a chance in the first place. Think of it as watching a brand new season of Ouran High School Host Club. At least now you are justified once again to buy DVDs and watch the entire series from start to end without looking too much like an obsessive freak. Even if they say they hate the dub, old fans and new fans will still end up watching it and laughing through the jokes again. Most will say they will get used to it, even though it definitely deserves more credit then it will receive. Terms to know: • Anime: Japanese animation. • Cosplay: Dressing up in costume as a specific character. • Fanfic: Original stories written by fans using the original characters of a series. • Fangirl/Fanboy: Someone who is a (sometimes obsessive) fan. • Manga: Print comics/cartoons. TOP VIDEO GAMES OF second expansion pack to blizzards already established MMORPG World Of Warcraft hit the shelves, and the rush to level 80 had begun. Blizzard has added many new features to keep us gamers busy: achievements such as 100,000 honorable kills, 1000 quests completed, world explorer, as well as new items such as a 20,000 gold mount, flying carpet, mounts with room for two, and tons of new instances, raids, zones, quests, and even a new battleground. In addition to all these new features, Blizzard introduced the first of many hero classes, the Death Knight, to stir up the mix a little bit. Wrath ranks number three on the list of games you must have, and is also the only PC based game you will see on this list. 2008 them to a good ol’ game of football. Don’t be fooled though, even though EA Sports releases a new Madden every year, this one has truly added in some interesting features. Backtrack, our favorite feature, allows you to rewind a play and watch it again, to find out exactly why the play failed and even allow you to redo it. The graphics have had an overhaul, as they do every year, but EA has added in a vast amount of new and improved player animations, making the all-too-fun hits even more fun to watch. All and all, Madden NFL 09 is a great game to sit down and mess around with for a few hours, whether or not you’re a football fan. The graphics are spectacular, and game play is easy enough to keep anyone interested. 4: Super Smash Bro’s Brawl Even though Wii claimed to be a console for the casual family crowd, Super Smash Bro’s Brawl brought the hardcore gaming scene to Wii. Even with its choppy online system--with no way to follow your achievements--and usually completely random matches, you can’t deny how true it stays to the Super Smash Bro’s genre, how beautiful the maps are, and how all-around fun the game is. One of its nicer features is the ability to take and send photos of your matches online. The only downfall of Super Smash Bro’s Brawl is the absence of a ‘cult’ following, or a online community which is needed to keep these kinds of games alive. 5: Madden NFL 09 What shopping list would be complete without Wonder why so many of your classmates a sports game? Everybody’s got to love Madden; were absent on November 13th? Well, the sit down with your friends or family and challenge 3: Wrath of the Lich King Alyssa Chrysafis (‘10) E 3 Actor: Throughout his career, Clint Eastwood has portrayed hundreds of characters in as many movies, but the major fault in many of these roles is the similarity of every single character. In each of his acting roles, Eastwood either channels the soul of the all-American cowboy outlaw, or the grisly, scarred and haunted elderly man with one last chance for redemption. His roles in all of the Dirty Harry & Man with No Name films, as well as his recent work in Gran Torino, make good use of the man’s trademark grimace but underuse his talent as an artist. It could be said that Eastwood found his true cinematic calling when called on to direct a scene in Dirty Harry when director Don Siegel fell ill during production and was unable to work. Lucky for Hollywood and for fans worldwide, Eastwood chose to revisit this position, and eventually settled into his perfectly-suited niche. Director: Eastwood undoubtedly shines his brightest as a director rather than as an actor or a producer. After his decline in the mid-80’s, Eastwood found his calling with films like Play Misty for Me, Firefox, and Honkytonk Man. Moderately received by critics and fans alike, these first few directorial jobs helped Eastwood to find his niche and hone his technical skill to be utilized later in his more criticallyacclaimed works. Eastwood flew relatively under the critical radar in the 90’s, emerging for a short spell as a director and actor in Unforgiven. This returned Eastwood to his familiar gunslinger origins for (thankfully) the last time, and the film is generally reviewed as being a “fitting eulogy to the Western genre,” which has essentially died out since. The film won multiple awards and established the former wash-up’s status as a rising star in the directing world. Much of Eastwood’s popular work came in the new millennium with the smash hits Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, the twin docudramas Flags of our Fathers & Letters from Iwo Jima, Changeling, and Gran Torino. Beginning with Mystic River, Eastwood’s films take a very dark turn with extremely serious undertones of violence and deception, as well as the incorporation of still harsher ideas such as rape and pedophilia. With Million Dollar Baby, the director continued his string of films in which he would appear in front of the camera as well as behind. Winning many awards, it is probably Eastwood’s second-best known work behind Gran Torino. Both Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima won critical acclaim as war films depicting historical and modern horrors of the conflicts in the Middle East. Two years later, Changeling went largely unnoticed, but received very positive critical response. It won nominations and some victories at smaller-scale award ceremonies. While still being a fine film, because of the very little play it received, Changeling could probably be considered a low point in Eastwood’s directing career. An overlydramatic Angelina Jolie and horribly underused John Malkovitch and Jeffrey Donovan (of Burn Notice fame) lead this tale of kidnapping and corruption onto a somewhat painful road to walk down. An interesting side note on Changeling is that besides adopting his usual roles, Eastwood also served as composer of the film’s score, his touching work garnering a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score. Eastwood’s last work for the time being, Gran Torino, might also be his best known directorial work (as vibe:culture Alex Kuhn 2009 Eastwood: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Truth. it is both recent and largely popular). Highlighted in the article below, Gran Torino is Clint Eastwood’s most masterful performance as both a director and an actor, creating in the first minutes of the film a feeling of oneness with the environment and the characters. There has been much speculation that after this film’s run, Eastwood will announce his retirement from the film industry, but it would be a great disappointment to lose such a fine artist. Some Eastwood Trademarks to Look for: -At the end of movies he directs, during the credits, the camera tends to move around the location it was filmed in. This is followed by a freeze frame for the remainder of the credits. -The lead characters in his movies are typically outsiders with dark pasts and numerous regrets and mistakes, which they are finally given an opportunity to atone for. -The movies he directs usually begin and end with the death of a character. -His films often deal with the gap between the truth and the mythologized version of it. REEXAMINES THE MELTING POT IN GRAN TORINO Connor O’Reilly 2010 The United States is often considered to be a melting pot for a vast variety of races and cultures found across the world. As our country slowly begins to show signs of unification, the future holds great promise for a more cohesive, diverse nation. There are, however, many citizens who have trouble adapting to the new changes occurring in our country. They choose to ignore those who might threaten their lifestyle, and they continue their bigotry in hopes of conserving the ideas and values they were raised on. Unfortunately for them, it’s becoming progressively difficult to ignore our rapidly changing culture, especially when it moves right next door. Such is the case of Walter Kowalski (masterfully portrayed by Clint Eastwood), a Korean War veteran who considers himself an ‘old-school’ American, a protector of his culture, and a man unwilling to accept change (not even haircuts). In Gran Torino, he lives in a ghetto neighborhood that has been taken over by minorities, as one of the only white men left in the area. Walter has a very detached relationship with both of his sons, and is especially disappointed by their lack of respect and spoiled lifestyle. He chooses to spend his days sitting alone on his porch, drinking beer and crooning over his prized Gran Torino, a relic of his cherished past. He seems to be perfectly content with this life, until a family of Hmongs move next door. Walter rejects them--he wants nothing to do with their kind. Instead, he chooses to remain alone on his porch, spewing a racial slur in between each sip of beer. Despite his initial bitterness, he soon discovers that he relates to the values and lifestyles of the Hmongs more so than he does to those of his own family. Walter takes particular interest in a teenage boy named Thao, who he witnesses performing good deeds around the neighborhood. He teaches Thao how to talk, walk, and work like an American, in hopes that he’ll save the boy from a bleak future. By the end, Walter makes a key choice in hopes of giving Thao and his sister Sue an opportunity to live in peace, in effect freeing himself from the guilt he had acquired throughout his life. Despite the constant racist remarks and slurs, the message of this movie is one of unity and change. Walter Kowalski signifies the changing attitude Americans hold towards different races and cultures. After learning to appreciate the Hmong’s way of life, he is enlightened, and respects their differences. Every day, America is setting new standards and breaking farther away from its old ways. Clint Eastwood is the driving force behind Gran Torino, treating the audience to an amazingly genuine and heartfelt performance on both sides of the camera. He snarls, growls, and glares his way through the movie, seldom smiling and always alert. Gran Torino is a powerful and effective film that conveys a message without ever becoming preachy. Audiences laugh at Eastwood’s constant bigotry towards the Hmongs, but the movie is effective in taking the audience on the same journey as Walter. We feel with him, laugh with him, cry with him, and change with him. Clint Eastwood has stated that this could be his last acting role. I sincerely hope not, since his impressive career has brought audiences amazing performances in award-winning classics, and Gran Torino only continues his win- ing streak. But if this is indeed Clint’s last performance, then it will serve as a fine conclusion to an impressive 58 years in the business. Gran Torino became the numberone movie in America in it’s opening weekend, and many predict it to be the highest earning film of Eastwood’s career. If you haven’t seen the film yet, I strongly urge you to do so, because it’s entertaining, effective, and (perhaps) a triumphant end to a legendary career. Alex Kuhn (‘09) E 4 features January 2009 The Viking Vibe 7 Mrs. Maryann Murphy: The Real Voice Behind the Mic Suman Naringrekar 2011 Everyday promptly after first block, a voice comes through the loud speaker and says, “Please turn to channel sixteen for the VTN announcements.” However, this is all most students ever know of the woman behind the walls. The face is never matched to the voice. Sophomore Teri Bellan stated, “I have absolutely no idea who the person is.” Allison Rockwell, also a sophomore, concurred, “I just know that it’s some secretary in the office, and I’ve always wondered who that was.” In fact, most people don’t even know what the announcer’s name is. Several students actually thought that it was just a timed recording, which plays every day at 8:58 am. There is, in fact, a person who says those nine words each day, and a personality as well--Mrs. Maryann Murphy, secretary and the “voice behind the announcements.” After the suspicion that the voice was a practical joke had finally passed, Mrs. Murphy was able to uncover her character for those who do not have the good fortune of knowing her. Mrs. Murphy was born in Queens, and grew up in her birthplace, as well as in Brooklyn, New York. “That’s why everyone teases me for my Brooklyn accent,” she said, noting that she has a job where voice is vital. “They make fun of the way I say ‘regulla’ instead of regular,” she continued, laughing, in the midst of printing IDs for students who had to use the library, answering phone calls, and never turning away somebody who needed anything from her. Commenting on her family life, Mrs. Murphy said, “I have two kids, and three step-children. My sisters and brothers and I love coming together for various family functions as well, like birthdays, and holidays. We all have one thing in common: all our kids make fun of our accents cause they were born in Jersey,” she chuckled. Her family also remains to be the base of all her aspirations. “I aspire to see my family be successful,” Mrs. Murphy said, sitting back and reflecting on the thought, “I’d love to make sure I can always take care of them, no matter what.” Her dreams also include “doing a good job at work by always helping the students who are in need.” Her hopes include nothing over-the-top or overly extravagant, which testifies to her grounded personality and down-to-earth character. “I hope to have grandchildren in the future,” she said, “I just love kids. And I hope to be able to move closer to the beach in the future; I love the warmth.” In her free time, Mrs. Murphy loves traveling, and she mentioned that she’s been to Italy, California, Florida, Lake George, Nantucket, and Hawaii. She said, “I love going to different places. When my daughter came from London, I suddenly wanted to go there; the pictures and architecture are intriguing. Ireland is also beautiful. I’d love to go there, too.” “I also love cooking,” Mrs. Murphy continued, “Being an Italian-American, I like cooking Italian food. I can do that, but I can’t bake cookies to save my life!” When asked about past work, she said, “I used to be an assistant underwriter for reinsurance; I would get quotes for companies. Say an airline needed money. I would go to other companies to receive this for the airline. If the airline had an accident, they would receive the aid of other insurance companies to paying for the damage through me.” However, her childhood dream job greatly differed from her current position. Laughing harder than ever, Mrs. Murphy said, “I wanted to be an airline hostess, ever since I saw the movie Airport [a movie depicting an airport manager trying to keep an airline alive and running despite the struggles of supporting his family and dealing with setbacks], I just thought that the air hostess life was glamorous.” Presently, Mrs. Murphy wouldn’t prefer to work anywhere else. “I enjoy my work here, I love interacting with the students and different staff members. If I could have any other job, I wouldn’t. I’m happy here,” she said. Contemplating on her life at South Brunswick High School, Mrs. Murphy stated, “I love to see the kids here, how they grow up; it’s incredible. I love to see people happy, making the people here laugh, too. After a while though, you start to feel like you’re a part of the student body, because you get so close to the students, you know? “I first started in elementary schools as secretary, so I’ve seen a lot of students from kindergarten. Then working in the grade level offices here [at SBHS], I see the students I saw before change completely, become mature. When they graduate, it’s the worst time for me; I feel like I’ve known them all their lives and now they’re leaving, so a part of me leaves, too.” Mrs. Murphy truly is a member of SBHS faculty who becomes involved with the students she encounters. Next time the VTN announcements come on, remember the voice and the character behind them. Mrs. Maryann Murphy works at her desk in the main office./PHOTO BY Saadia Ahmad (‘10) Food Review: Princeton’s Three-Course Meal Greg Madia and Kevin Shiraldi 2010, 2009 As college students walk the streets of Princeton, they are probably thinking of either one of two things: getting to class or getting some food. From Chinese, to American, to Italian restaurants, there are three locations that stand out. After seventeen years of restaurant experience, we’ve come up with the ultimate three-course meal--or as senior Tom Dunleavy would call it, “The Trifecta.” Course 1: Appetizers The meal begins at Chuck’s Spring Street Café, where wings dominate the menu. Spreading out 100 wings over six people was both delicious and affordable. The buffalo wings are a perfect combination of spice and flavor, with a melt-inthe-mouth texture. With a plate of celery and blue cheese served on the side, it is the perfect cooling medicine for the fiery flavor. Senior, wing-lover, and Chuck’s virgin Raghav Ahuja said, “Eating those wings for the first time was the most satisfying thing in my life.” Course 2: Main Entrée Next, as folks make their way down Nassau Street, they are called by the delicious smells of Hoagie Haven. The legendary sub shop offers the traditional deli sandwiches but is famous for its signature hot specialty hoagies. Diners can take their pick of “The Dirty Sanchez,” “The Heart Stop,” or “The Fat Lady,” to name a few. Each one offers a great combo of flavors in the mouth. “The Sanchez” contains chicken cutlets, French fries, and mozzarella sticks and the secret Sanchez sauce. “The Heart Stop” has fried eggs and cheese steak with made-to-order fixings. The world-famous “Fat Lady” has cheese steak, mozzarella sticks, and French fries, and is usually served with hot sauce. These three gut-wrenching subs make Hoagie Haven a must-eat event. Freshman and Fat Lady enthusiast Bob Spilatore said, “This is my favorite part of the trifecta. It offers a unique flavor you can’t get anywhere else.” Course 3: Dessert Finally as the meal makes it into the bottom of the ninth, if the stomach can still handle it, Thomas Sweet’s ice cream will soothe the palate. With many options to choose from, the most preferred menu item is the “Blend In.” This combines many of the delicious ice cream flavors with a wide variety of candy or cookie treats and turns it into soft-serve ice cream. This makes a great wrap-up to a scrumptious day. Senior Tom Spilatore said, “Thomas Sweet’s is a great place to stop by after you go to Chuck’s or Hoagie.” The Trifecta creates an array of flavors that send taste buds into heaven. Once it has been eaten, cravings for more will happen any given day at any time. Senior Bobby Tona said, “It’s amazing, the trifecta heals all your wounds.” Princeton’s Thomas Sweet’s ice cream eatery--one of the three essential components of the ‘Trifecta.’/PHOTO BY Anita Modi (‘09) 8 January 2009 Wrestling Team Starts Strong The Viking Vibe sports Rec Basketball Teams Gear Up for a New Season Tim Doehler and 4. Team Ahuja – Former SBHS basketball players, Tom Dunleavy Devin Young and Willie Roberson provide strength 2009 and toughness to this dangerous team. Avi Javari’s For the past 20 years, the South Brunswick Rec Basketball High School league has been extremely popular. SBHS students grades 9 through 12 can experience the fun and competitive environment Monday through Thursday at the Crossroads South Gym. Students are required to create their own teams of six-to-ten players and a coach at least 21 years old. The cost of the league was raised to $30 per player this year, which is used to pay for the new black and white reversible jerseys, and to pay for the referees and scorekeepers. This year, there are two leagues. League A, which consists of mostly juniors and seniors, plays on Monday and Wednesday nights from 7-10 pm. League B, which is mostly freshmen and sophomores, plays on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7-10 pm. Games are played in two 20-minute halves with a running clock that will stop for whistles under two minutes. There is also a 5-minute overtime period if needed. Each team has three timeouts per half and anyone ejected from a game is suspended for the next two games. League Commissioner Mr. Rex Mangrum, who has been running the league for 12 years, enjoys what he does. He said, “I love running the league. It’s great to have 26 teams. It’s competitive, but also very fun, and the kids have a lot of fun.” Dunleavy’s Top 10 Preseason Rankings 1. Team Allen – The two-time defending champs look to three-peat and continue to dominate their opponents. Tim Doehler, Danny Acevedo, and Pat Goldsmith lead this veteran squad. Team captain, Corey Allen, said confidently, “Our experience and skill put us in a league of our own.” Viking wrestlers take on their opponents in Edison and Middlesex./PHOTOS COURTESY OF Bill Gaze, www. bgsportshots.com. Kevin Shiraldi and Jake Stern 2009, 2011 In what is being hailed as a largely successful turnaround season, the Vikings continue to excel. After a disappointing 2006-2007 season, the 2007-2008 varsity wrestling team lost to Howell in the state playoffs, but finished 15-11. This year’s wrestlers seem similarly strong. Led by Coach Joe Dougherty, the Vikings have looked promising so far, getting off to a 6-3 start with an impressive 37-33 win over number-7 ranked (GMC) Middlesex High School, and notched a landslide victory over rival JP Stevens with a 64-12 win. Sophomore Kris Kuhn said, “I like being part of a team that wins, and we want to win every time we go out to wrestle.” Unfortunately, the Vikings lost a tough match to open the season against a very impressive Cinnaminson squad (33-30), and also fell to JFK and Perth Amboy. The team is led by upperclassmen wrestlers Kevin Wadiak, Brenden Vercammen, Cody Shelcusky, and Jeff Goldhagen. However, they have also had younger members step up when needed, like freshmen Fran White, Drew Seroka, and Tyler Jaramillo. These three wrestlers show a lot of potential for the rest of this season and for the next three years. The team has shown an incredible work ethic for the first nine matches, and wants to finish out the year stronger than they started it. With an ambitious goal of a district championship, the Vikings work hard and attempt to get better every time they step onto the mat, whether at a match or at practice. Sophomore David Dominguez said, “The rest of the season will be exciting, and the JV team has shown a lot of promise for the future.” In the upcoming schedule, the Vikings will face South Plainfield, which is ranked number-1 in the GMC, Colts Neck, and East Brunswick. shooting prowess and Dan Silver’s overall game will definitely take this team to the post-season. This team turned a lot of heads when they reached the century mark in their first game. 5. Team Berrios – The intensity and tenacious defense will be provided by the team’s spark plug, Mikey “Icey” Ferrara. SBHS football offensive lineman, Dillon Bruzanno, will bring a football mentality to this underrated team. 6. Team Bobev – The undefeated champions of the freshmen-sophomore division last year look to surprise a senior-dominated league. Chris Palumbo and Christian Baros lead the way for this offensive powerhouse. 7. Team Overstrom – Dylan Gianinni brings toughness to this newly-formed team. Big bodies, Brian Rubel and Brandon Cirlicione, provide a dominating presence on the boards. 8. Team Vishal Patel – An offensive-minded team heavily relies on the play of Vishal Patel. If taken too lightly, this team can certainly provide the league with a big upset. 9. Team Vinh – Alec Schwartz and John Vinh are a dangerous duo that have a lot of chemistry playing together. Look for Schwartz and company to dominate the paint and play an up-tempo style game. 10. Team Tash- Dan “Murph” Murphy is a scrappy player who inspires his teammates with his heart and desire to win. John Tash and Phil Tagariello can be dangerous from 3-point land when they get hot. 2. Team Dunleavy – Mike Muha and Billy Rogers It is obvious that there is a lot of hype building up add height to this team composed of SBHS baseball for Rec Basketball 2009. Students are excited and players. Juan Perdomo and Jeff Dunleavy will provide ready to start playing. consistent shooting and Mike Heyer and Jordan Smith Senior Robbie Powers said confidently, “We’re are relentless defenders. Early season OT thriller the best. Enough said.” against Khetani gives this team a lot of confidence. The regular season ends on March 25, and it is widely believed that six teams will advance to the 3. Team Khetani – Team Captain, Soham Khetani, did playoffs. These top-notch teams will battle for sua great job in the off-season by picking up the best free premacy and play for the glory of being named Rec agents in the league. Top players include Colin Mu- Basketball Champions. chanic, Eric Lorber, Kyle Mariano, and Teddy Holmes Senior Joe Mastronardi said, “I have been waiting among others. This team looks to dethrone the dynasty for this season for my whole life. This is the year it of Team Allen. ends! The Allen dynasty will fall!” sports January 2009 The Viking Vibe 9 SBHS Dance Team Competes WInter Sports Capsule Tom Dunleavy 2009 Boys Basketball (2-10) – The Vikings are in a rebuilding stage this season, but they continue to compete and are a tough opponent for all teams. Seniors Cody McHugh and Andrew Buckner are doing their best to keep this team afloat in the highly competitive GMC. Girls Basketball (5-8) – Sophomore Bianca Ceile is leading this young but talented team. In the last two games, she has scored 20 and 21 points, respectively. Come support the Lady Vikes as they take on Edison High School this Thursday at home. Wrestling (9-6)– After three tough losses in a row, the Vikings came back to defeat Colts Neck HS by a score of 45-18. This tough team is led by seniors Cody Shelcusky, Kevin Wadiak, and Randy Christie. Boys Winter Track – The Vikings finished fifth overall in the Winter Track GMC Relays. The team was led by a second-place finish by the shot put team of Jordan Foreman and Dominick Podovano. Derek Forthun and Padovano also placed third in the high jump. Girls Winter Track - The Lady Vikings easily won the GMC Relays, as they won five of the eight varsity events, broke two meet records and one school record! In all, 19 girls contributed to the 64-point total. The sprint medley team of Alicia Osley, Rachel Johnson, Melissa Dardani, and Sophia Ginez destroyed both the meet and school records. its Way to Success Alyssa Chrysafis and Rachel Finklestein 2010 On January 18, the Battle of The Northeast Dance Championship was held here at South Brunswick High School. Hosted by the United Dance Association, high school dance teams competed in different styles of dance against other schools in New Jersey. The Battle of The Northeast is annually hosted by South Brunswick High School, and was a great opportunity for the SBHS dance team to prepare themselves for other competitions. The South Brunswick dance team proved themselves a force to be reckoned with when they took home a first-place trophy in all four of their categories. “We love going to competitions,” said junior Brianne Spahr, “The Battle of the Northeast is fun because it’s right at home. We’re used to the gym floor where we practice, and it just makes the stress of competition a little bit easier.” Beginning early Sunday morning, dancers arrived from various schools across the Northeast to show their stuff. With a lot of time and effort, the SBHS dance team was ready to display what they had worked so hard on. “Competing with a school dance team is much different than competing with a dance school. You’re representing your school, and it brings a lot of team spirit and pride,” explained senior and captain of the varsity team, Lauren Lagunavich. “Another difference is the actual performance. Along with technique, much of the adjudication is based on precision and togetherness,” she added. “It’s my first year on the team and I’ve heard so much about how fun competitions and nationals are,” said freshman Dakota Barrios. “I was very excited for The Battle of The Northeast competition because my family and friends from school came to see what the dance team is all about.” On Sunday, January 25, the dance team traveled to Hazlet, New Jersey to dance at the Eastern Cheer and Dance Association where the Gold Team (Junior Varsity) won first place in the jazz and pom junior varsity categories and the Black team (Varisty) won first place in the varsity jazz division and first runner-up in the varsity pom category. On January 29th, the SBHS dance team will travel to Orlando, Florida for what they call “the ultimate away game”: national competitions, where the girls will compete against three hundred teams representing all fifty states. Assistant Coach Stephanie Whitefield explained, “A big goal of ours has always been to make it to finals, as well as maintain our title as state champions, and continue to receive the school’s GPA award. If we can keep up our already productive work, I have no doubt that we’ll achieve the highest results.” “We’ve had some really great routines in the past,” added Lagunavitch, “but this year’s routine surpasses every other in difficulty and style. Every year the talents succeeds that of the previous year, and I can’t wait to see what happens.” Last year, along with the achievement of sending both teams to nationals, the varsity dance team advanced to semifinals in the jazz category, and the junior varsity team made it to semi-finals in hip hop and jazz. Many other victories included placing first in both their jazz and hip-hop routines in the West Milford Invitational, the Ramampo College Invitational, the Pascack Valley Sweetheart Invitational, and the UDA Garden State Invitational. This year, the dance team will participate in approximately five other competitions that will help them prepare for the national competitions. Former SBHS dance team member and newly-acclaimed Coach and Choreographer Ms. Regina Beesher-Boudwin said, “This year’s team is filled with twenty-three exceptionally talented young women that we hope to continue to succeed with throughout the upcoming months.” The dance team has made a big impression this year with their many amazing performances--including one at the Tent of Terror Haunted Trail this past Halloween in full zombie attire. And their fundraisers are no less exciting. Scratch cards, lotteries, dance clinics, and babysitting, among others, have also been held to help once again send the group of thirteen to nationals. For the first time, the dance team tested an unusual fundraiser that turned into a great success. Last November, the girls hosted the “Cow Flop,” a fundraiser in which squares of the girl’s soccer field were divided and sold along with a cookie. A cow was let loose onto the field, and whichever square the cow “flopped” on determined the winner of the cash prize of a portion of the proceeds. “The Cow Flop was my favorite event. It was a lot of fun selling tickets and then watching the cows roam around the soccer field,” said junior Jordan Abramson. “It turned out that the winner was Coach Whitefield’s dad.” The team’s next goal is to obtain a fan bus for in-state competitions, but invites all students and staff to come support at SBHS-hosted basketball games and pep rallies! Swimming – The boys and girls swimming teams both placed second in the GMC relays last Saturday at Denuzio Pool in Princeton. Gess Charniga was the 100-meter Breaststroke Champion. The meet was a huge success as ten swimmers qualified for the meet of champions and nine SBHS records were broken. Boys Bowling (7-7-2) - Dan Caruso and Dave Sutton each qualified for the GMC finals. The team feels proud of their season, as they have finished with a .500 record in a tough GMCRed division in a rebuilding year. Look out for this team next year. Girls Bowling (14-0-1) – The girls bowling team clinched the GMC Red Division title and is living up to their high expectations. The top four bowlers are averaging between 202 and 178 and all four advanced to the GMC finals. The SBHS Dance Team poses together before their Cow Flop Fundraiser./ PHOTO COURTESY OF Bill Gaze, www.bgsportshots.com. 10 January 2009 The Viking Vibe sports FALL SPORTS 2008 ATHLETES of the year SHANNON O’BRIEN (2009) Height/Weight: 5’8”, 135 lbs. Position: Defense Hobbies: Playing sports Other sports: Basketball, Lacrosse Favorites: Food: Chocolate-covered strawberries, cheddar Chex-Mix Sports team: NY Mets T.V. show: That 70’s Show Subject: “Overall, it’s Algebra II.” Music: “A variety, but I only like a few rap songs.” Movie: Transformers Book: 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult Pre-game ritual: Music. “I don’t really socialize before away games.” Dream vacation spot: Italy Life in 10 years: “I intend to find out during my first year in college.” College Plans: “I hope to play lacrosse, but I haven’t decided where.” Tim Doehler and Tom Dunleavy 2009 On December 11, the SBHS athletic department held the annual Fall Varsity awards night in the auditorium. SBHS student-athletes were recognized for their accomplishments on the field, as well as in the classroom. At the end of the event, Athletic Director Ms. Elaine McGrath, awarded the most prestigious award of the night, Athletes of the Year. Chosen by the SBHS coaches and athletic directors, this award is given to the most successful male and female fall athlete each year. The criteria for this award includes a solid academic background, leadership abilities, and athletic skills on the field. This year, the award winners were seniors Shannon O’Brien and Sean Tyree. O’Brien and Tyree were both major contributors to the success of the SBHS soccer program. O’Brien led the girls varsity soccer team to the GMC semi-finals and the second round of the state tournament; both firsts for the program. She accomplished many of her personal goals and locked down some of the top forwards in the conference. She was named to the GMC 1st Team - Red Division, and was an honorable mention for the Home News Tribune (HNT) All Area Team. Tyree played a key role in the success of the boys soccer team this year as he provided leadership, composure, and experience. He led the team to a 15-3-2 record and the program’s third straight GMC Red Division title. Tyree scored nine goals and had an areabest 16 assists. He was named to the 1st Team All State (Top 15) SCANJ, 1st Team All State Section Central 1, 1st Team All County Middlesex County Coaches, 1st Team All Red Division, 1st Team All County HNT and Star Ledger, and 3rd Team All State Group 4 Star Ledger. SEAN TYREE (2009) Height/Weight: 5’7”, 160 lbs. Position: Midfield, Forward, Defense Hobbies: Music, art, snowboarding, skate-boarding Other sports: Basketball, Lacrosse, Hockey Favorites: Food: Pizza (thin-crust) Sports team: NY Giants T.V. show: Nick @ Night Subject: Art Music: Rock/Alternate Movie: Sweeney Todd Book: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Pre-game ritual: Listening to Taking Back Sunday Dream vacation spot: Cancun Life in 10 years: “Still breathing, doing something I love to do.” Biggest Influence: “My older brother, Mike Tyree.” sports The Viking Vibe January 2009 11 Home News Tribune CoachES of the year Rivera Every year, one football coach out of the many representing the Middlesex County area receives the Home News Tribune award for Coach of the Year. For the 2008 football season, this person was South Brunswick’s Coach Rick Mantz. Surprisingly, more so than practices or drills, Coach Mantz said a lot of the Vikings’ success came from all the support that stemmed from the South Brunswick community. “We wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without the assistant coaches, who did a phenomenal job, and the community. The cheerleaders and marching band were amazing; everyone embraced the team. And that really drove those guys,” Coach Mantz said. “Coach Mantz is a great motivator. He’s an intense guy who really pushed his team hard, especially at practice. We got a bunch of kids who wanted to come out and play, and they did a great job in the off season,” Assistant Coach Jon Carnes said of his former coach. “We did not have much football success until Coach Mantz came in. We had two playoff experiences [since]. It was the first time in school history,” junior and backup quarterback Mike Muha said. Mantz has done great things for the team, and as senior quarterback Tim sunday Mantz Georgia Foulds and Kayla Noll 2010, 2012 The Homes News Tribune’s 2008 Football Coach of the Year: Mr. Rick Mantz./PHOTO COURTESY OF Bill Gaze, www.bgsportshots.com. Doehler said: “Coach Mantz put South Brunswick football back on the map.” Throughout the season, Coach Mantz had many proud moments, but he said that the Sayreville game was his proudest one. “It was the first time in school history we had nine wins, and it was great to see the seniors lead. Of course we wanted to go to Rutgers stadium, and I felt bad for the kids, like we let them down,” Coach Mantz said, which brought him to his goal for next year: “We want to go to Rutgers Stadium. Every year brings new experiences and new challenges,” he concluded. Breona Garrison 2010 After years of hard work and neverending perseverance, SBHS English teacher and coach, Mr. Wilfredo Rivera, was named Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year by the Home News Tribune. In his seven years of coaching in South Brunswick alone, Coach Rivera has truly made a name for himself with what he has helped the girls cross country team accomplish. Coach Rivera worked at Old Bridge High School, then continued his work here with the students in hopes of teaching them the discipline and maturity they needed both in and out of the classroom. Sophomore Utsarga Sikder agreed, “He inspired me to work hard on and off the field.” He has coached seven years of crosscountry, and this season will be his fifth coaching track. Even though people consider both sports very similar, Coach Rivera disagrees. “Cross country is everyone doing similar things where as with track you have to worry about different people and different events,” he explained. Coaching different people, girls and boys, has improved his overall skills as a teacher and coach. Junior Dan Claps said, “I had him as a teacher and a coach. In the classroom, he makes sure that work gets done and in The Homes News Tribune’s 2008 Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year: Mr. Wilfredo Rivera./PHOTO COURTESY OF Bill Gaze, www.bgsportshots.com. track, he pushes me to my own limits.” Mr. Rivera has done a lot for South Brunswick High School, not just with students but with athletes as well. This past fall, he led the girls crosscountry team to the Central Jersey Title, which they won by one point. “He really pushed each one of us personally to achieve greatness,” junior Sophia Ginez said. After winning both the title and the Coach of the Year award, Coach Rivera said, “I was excited to know people were acknowledging me. I just want to continue to give every individual athlete the 100% they deserve.” FEBRUARY 2009 monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday CHILDREN’S THEATRE 1 8 2 9 3 NHS Induction 7 pm 5 Sketch Up “Wing-It “ 6-10 pm FLOWERS, BEAD GRAMS AND DATA MATCHES ON SALE @ LUNCH 10 NO SCHOOL! 15 4 16 17 11 World Language Honor Society Induction 18 12 Sophomore Rings @ all Lunches AMPED Acoustic Night 6-9 pm 19 6 NO SCHOOL! 13 Anime Movie Night 7 pm 23 24 25 26 Valentine’s Day 14 Freshmen/ Sophomore Trip Winter Guard Show 20 One Act Festival 7 pm 22 7 27 21 Women’s Leadership Conference 28 12 January 2009 The Viking Vibe Dead Presidents Society Hosts Inaugural Ball 2009 Glimpses of DPS’s Inaugural Ball 2009./ PHOTOS BY Jovelle Tamayo (‘09) Natalie Twerdowsky 2009 On Friday, January 9, the Dead Presidents Society hosted its third Annual Inaugural Ball. This yearly event once again took place in the blue cafeteria and cafeteria alcove, though the venue was considerably unrecognizable after receiving a makeover of red, white, and blue. Tickets were $8 in advance and $12 at the door. Approximately 300-350 students, faculty, and family members comprised the attendees as well as other members of the community, including Mayor Frank M. Gambatese and South Brunswick historian Dr. Joan Luckhardt. The Inaugural Ball is a fundraising event to raise money for the club to go on historical field trips to places such as Baltimore and Washington D.C. The members of the club actively participate in raising the money, and played a huge role in the planning of the Inaugural Ball. DPS co-advisor and social studies teacher Mr. Justin Negraval said, “We’ve got it down to a science. By now we know how much food to get, about how many people will come. It’s definitely gotten easier over the years.” “Months before the ball, our club split into different committees such as advertising, prizes, food, and decorating, and each committee was in charge of a specific part of the ball. We also stayed after school to prepare the food and decorate,” DPS vice president and senior Stephanie Klarer said. In previous years, the Inaugural Ball focused primarily on American history, and even South Brunswick’s rich historical background. This year’s ball still honored both the history of South Brunswick and America in general, but also placed much emphasis on President Barack Obama’s inauguration held less than two weeks from the night of the ball. The South Brunswick Jazz Band, led by music Director Mr. Mark Kraft, welcomed guests as they began arriving at 7:00pm. As the band performed numerous songs, guests mingled about, and student volunteers served as waiters as they walked around with platters of hors d’oeuvres. Other students stood by the food, beverage, and silent auction tables. After the Jazz Band played their final song, Mr. Negraval, SBHS Principal Mr. Timothy Matheney, Mayor Gambatese, Dr. Joan Luckhardt, and Klarer all made speeches addressing the educational value and historical significance of the Inaugural Ball. During his speech, Mr. Matheney acknowledged the uniqueness of club, saying, “I don’t know of any other high school that has a history club like this one.” Mr. Matheney also said that during these changing political times, the Inaugural Ball and DPS alike will help “these young people face the transformation that confronts us.” Mayor Gambatese stressed the significance of mixing a good time with the importance of learning about South Brunswick today, and South Brunswick from the past. During his speech, he said, “I’m proud of you South Brunswick students, and especially history students, because [South Brunswick] is where it began, and that’s where it continues today.” After the speeches had concluded, guests watched a video by senior Stanley Baguchinsky titled “Presidential Inaguarations.” The film began with a montage of past presidents being sworn into office. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the first president featured, because his inauguration was the very first to be recorded and televised for the rest of America to see. The film continues by discussing what this year’s inauguration means to the average South Brunswick resident, and what it means for our country. Baguchinsky included interviews with Mr. Negraval, DPS co-advisor and social studies teacher Mrs. Corie Gaylord, English teacher Mr. Peter Honig, and Town Historian Ms. Ceil Leedom. “It was very interesting, making this video. As citizens, we don’t always notice a lot of the things that happen that make our country so great. The presidential inauguration symbolizes the peaceful transition of power that so many other countries struggle with. Making the video really opened my eyes to how important this aspect of the United States is,” Baguchinsky said. Mrs. Gaylord founded the Dead Presidents Society about six years ago. Its purpose was to bring history to life for students who wanted to learn more about US history beyond a social studies class. Two years later, Mr. Negraval signed on as a co-advisor. Two years ago, the club came up with the idea to host a ball to combine the history and fun DPS focuses on. While having a good time was certainly an important factor of the ball, its primary goal was for guests to truly realize the importance of remembering the past, and looking forward to the future. Klarer said, “The DPS ball is important to South Brunwick because it celebrates our town’s history and tries to get more students to become more interested in their history.” Senior Josh Kohn said, “It was my first time attending the Inaugural Ball, and I really enjoyed myself. I think that everyone should attend because learning about our history is really very important.”
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