Prom 2015 - Schodack Central School District

April/May 2015
The Voice of Maple Hill High School Students
Prom 2015
by Julia Keyoskey and Deedee Lovelace
Prom, a monumental time in every high
schooler’s adolescent years. Many great memories were made at this year’s 2015 JuniorSenior Prom. Students with a note to leave
early were dismissed at 10:40, allowing us all
ample time to eat some lunch, make it to hair
and makeup appointments, or even do it ourselves, and still have time to make it to our
walk throughs, which started at 4:15. During
the walk through, students showed up looking
absolutely elegant. Gorgeous floor length dresses for the girls and classy tuxedos which matched their dates’ dress
for the boys. Once walk through and formal pictures were over, students made their way to the Albany Country
Club. Some students even rented limos to add to the classic night. The Albany Country Club, which was decorated
elegantly to match our theme of “The Great Gatsby” had cut outs of people dancing, a lovely patio for cooling off
and taking pictures, and even had gold fish centerpieces. Some prom goers even won the raffle to take home the
gold fish centerpieces. After dinner was served, everyone retreated to the dance floor to get the party started.
From Marc Contento cutting loose while Footloose played, to Mike Martin’s shoulders taking the floor, everyone
had a great time. Even Miss Flood got up and wobbled with the classes. The court was named and Gabe Dingman
and Sarah Friess were this year’s royalty as Prom King and Queen. If by 11pm, you hadn't had enough prom, 16
Handles had after prom free yogurt. A special thanks to the junior class, Mrs. Delaney and Mrs. VanVliet for their
time planning this year’s event. All the students had a great time coming out and dancing at the last dance of the
year, and for us seniors, our last high school dance ever.
See more prom pictures on p. 38-39
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
F
YI
Promposals
Awards
MHLN
s
file
o
Pr
res
u
at
Fe
Ethan
Samarija
Mental
Health
Flood
Procrastination
Porter
p. 10-15
Book, Movie,
Music,
Restaurant
Reviews
Artwork &
Short Stories
Strock
p. 2-9
A
&E
p. 16-19
p. 20-33
O
io
n
i
p
Bridesmaids
McDonalds
n
s
S
rt
o
p
Upcoming
Events
Social
Networking
Spring
Sports
Update
p. 34-37
back page
The Paw Print Editorial Staff
Editors-in-Chief:
Kassidy Berger & Audra Colliton
Section Editors:
FYI: Peter Aitken
 News: Skylar VanAlstyne
 A&E: Alysa Kelly
 Sports: Kerry Golden
 Contributors: Gabe Dingman,
Amanda Kern, Bryan Kern, Julia
Keyoskey, Lauryn Krupa, John Paul
Kulpa, DeeDee Lovelace, Christina
Malthouse, David Maurer, Kelsey
Pascetto, Hunter Sanchez,
Katya Wilson.

Faculty Advisor: Miss Flood
Paw Print
Editorial Staff 2013-2014
The Paw Print
Editorial Staff
would like your
input to the school
newspaper this
year. If you see
news happening,
want to write a
feature or sports
story, or take
some photos,
please let any of us
know.
Keep current about school events!
Follow @MapleHill_HS on
Twitter!
The Pawprint is now on
Twitter too– follow us
@MH_ThePawprint
Maple Hill Late Night is a sketch-based comedy show
written, performed, and produced by students at Maple Hill High School. The show draws inspiration from
shows such as SNL, while introducing original ideas
from students. Watch the latest episodes on Youtube
and follow it on Twitter @mh_late!
Pictured right:
Kayla Carlin, Kerry Golden,
Hannah Gonzales, Kayla Hanrahan,
Kyle Hurysz, Alysa Kelly,
Kristin McInerney, Helena Mueller,
Michaela Mueller, Sami Muller,
Garrett Renslow, Stefanie Wood
Page 2
Stay tuned for The Pawprint
Graduation 2015 edition next month!
Congratulations to the 2015
National Honor Society inductees!
FYI Columns
May 2015
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
2
SAT Testing
3
4 AP Environmental Science
Exam
5 AP Calc.
Exam
6 AP Lit..
Exam
Lip Sync
Rehearsal
7
8 Lip Sync
Starts at
6:30pm
9
10
Mother’s DAY
11 AP Bio. Exam
National Honor
Society Induction
(7)
12
AP US Gov’t
and Politics
Exam
13 AP Lang.
Exam
Rent a Senior
Auction
14 AP Macroeconomics and AP
World History
15
Interim Reports
16
17
18
19
20
HS Honors
Reception
(6:30)
21 HS Ice Cream
Social &
Yearbook Distribution
22
23
24
25
Memorial Day
No School
26
27
28
29
30
31
Peter Aitken and Mrs.VanVliet
Honored for Leadership
High School senior Peter Aitken and teacher Mrs. Mary
VanVliet were honored with volunteer awards on April
15 at the Champions of Character Banquet held at
Franklin Plaza. The event, sponsored by Russell Sage
College and the Academy for Character Education,
honors individuals who show outstanding leadership in
their schools and communities. Congratulations!
Page 3
FYI
ART
AWARDS
Christina Malthouse
Congratulations to Maple Hill High School students, Lauryn Patrick Lewis
Krupa, Patrick Lewis and Christina Malthouse, whose artwork was selected to be in the 16th Annual High School
Regional Juried Art Exhibition!
The work was on display from February 12-24, 2015 in the Esther Massry Gallery at the College of St. Rose. The exhibition
was open to the public to view with a student reception on February 12th to honor the talented artists. This is a prestigious
exhibition open to schools with students in grades 9-12 who are
enrolled in Capital Region high school art programs.
Lauryn Krupa
“Each of these students had a digital photograph displayed. The Esther Massry Gallery did a wonderful job displaying all of the artwork
which was framed and professionally hung. It is an honor to have our
Maple Hill students represented in this show. We are very proud of
their hard work, applied skills and artistic creativity!”
--- Mrs. Janel Gregoire and Mrs. Suzanne Pazienza, Art Dept.
Congratulations to the Schodack art students, whose work was selected to be part of the Questar 26th Annual High School Art Invitational
Exhibit. Tina Moak’s clay mask titled, “Nature Being”, Alexander
Pomykaj’s graphite drawing, “Self-Portrait”, and Bryce Perry’s film,
“Prized Possession” were awarded the
opportunity for display at The Arts Center of the Capital Region in Troy,
NY. Also on display, was James Farrell’s mixed media drawing, “Trash
Bird”, which was on display at the Questar Building in Schodack. The
Questar 26th Annual High School Art Invitational Exhibit at the Troy
Arts Center highlighted talented art student’s work from the capital region. Each school was allowed to submit up to 3 pieces of art each. The
show was juried by, Jean Dahlgren of the Sage College of Albany.
Above, Bryce Perry, video submission titled "Prized Possession"
Page 4
FYI
Latest Info from Guidance

Special attention should be given to the local scholarships
(and deadlines) such as the following:

Community Foundation of the Greater Capital Region –
several scholarships (various deadlines)


Upcoming test dates & test registration deadlines:
June SAT I & SAT II Testing (6/06)
-regular deadline is 05/08, late deadline is 05/27
June ACT Testing (6/13)
-regular deadline is 05/08, late deadline 05/22


Seniors: continue to apply for scholarships. There are
several local scholarships that come out at the end of the
year.

Seniors: return the Green Senior Survey to guidance to
indicate your post-graduation plans and where to send
your final transcript. Please include on the survey all
scholarships and grants you have received from any college or organization.
Physics in Real Life
by Hunter Sanchez
Alright, we've got an old man pushing on a rather
large cement block. He's not moving and it's pretty
obvious that the block isn't moving based on who's
pushing it. So it's clear this is a scenario with no motion.
Onto Aristotelian methods. Why can the old man
push? To be more precise, why can he push without
sliding backwards? The answer: Friction.
Help Alaina, Jeremy and Michaela Rosetti’s great-grand father
get a petition signed so we can get him on the Smucker’s
birthday announcement!
Hector Richard was born July 25,
1910 in Lacolle, Que. He was raised
there and has spent most of his adult
life in Albany and St. Petersburg,
Florida. He owned his own carpentry
business and continued to do small
jobs for people well into his 90's. He
has 1 son, 5 grandchildren and 12
great grandchildren. What’s the secret to a long life?! Believe you can do
anything you want.
Look out for a petition that Mrs. VanVliet is organizing that
we need you to sign, soon!
“It never cease to amaze me of all the lives my grandfather
touches just by being himself,” said Mrs. Rossetti. The whole
Richard/Rossetti family want to thank you for this kind gesture.
If he was standing on ice instead of carpet most of us
could understand that his feet are going to slide to
the left and he will likely fall. Most of us have had
unpleasant experiences on ice so we can grasp that,
but why exactly is ice different from the floor?
Jagged edges of rough surfaces touching and interlocking cause a resistance to motion. Things don't
want to slide past each other when they are interlocking. Ice on the other hand doesn’t have these
jagged edges because it is very smooth and therefore
slippery.
Page 5
Congratulations to the Students of the Month:
In an effort to recognize outstanding achievements of our students, Maple Hill High School presents each month a Student of the Month Award. Students may be nominated for this award by any staff member, a representative of a community organization, a parent or another student. Students may be nominated for a single outstanding achievement, for
service to the school or community or for significant improvement in school. Each month one student in each grade, 912, is selected for this award by a faculty committee after a review of all nominations. For the month of February,
2015, the students selected to receive this recognition are:
Freshman: Michael Jones, son of Mr. and Mrs. David Jones, is nominated for being a hardworking, conscientious student who puts forth his best effort. Here at Maple Hill he plays basketball and runs track. Outside of school Michael enjoys playing basketball and working out. He
enjoys the teachers here at Maple Hill and his favorite class is Global Studies. Michael does plan
on attending college after he graduates.
Sophomore: Andrea Liss, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Liss, is nominated for being a
fantastic student who goes above and beyond to excel in school. Here at Maple Hill she is on
the cross country team and is playing lacrosse. Outside of school Andrea enjoys running, riding
her horse, doing community service, and listening to music. Andrea plans to go into the medical field after high school.
Junior: Skylar VanAlstyne, daughter of Mr. Doug VanAlstyne and Mrs. Ruth VanAlstyne, is
nominated for being a very observant individual who offers insightful opinions in class. Here at
Maple Hill she has been involved with volleyball, bowling, track and field, and cheerleading. She
has also been a member of Environmental Club, International Club, Newspaper Club, and
Weightlifting Club. Outside of school she plays travel volleyball, does training camps for field
events and also does community service. After high school Skylar plans to go to college to
study law and environmental studies.
Senior: Nicholas Flint, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Flint, is nominated for being patient and
extremely helpful with his peers in class. Here at Maple Hill he has been involved in baseball
and Recycling Club. Outside of school he enjoys watching sports and hanging out with friends.
After high school Nick is planning to go to college, possibly Potsdam or Albany to study BioChemistry or Biology; he hopes to be a researcher.
The faculty and staff wish to congratulate these students on being selected February students
of the month for their respective grades.
Page 6
Congratulations to the Students of the Month:
In an effort to recognize outstanding achievements of our students, Maple Hill High School presents each month a Student of the Month Award. Students may be nominated for this award by any staff member, a representative of a community organization, a parent or another student. Students may be nominated for a single outstanding achievement, for
service to the school or community or for significant improvement in school. Each month one student in each grade, 9
- 12, is selected for this award by a faculty committee after a review of all nominations. For the month of March, 2015,
the students selected to receive this recognition are:
Freshman: Allison Felts, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Felts, was nominated for
always being kind to her peers, willing to lend a helping hand, and for being a very respectful
young woman. Here at Maple Hill she is a member of Student Council, Swing Choir and competes on the cross country and track teams. Outside of school Allison is involved with the
YMCA through the Achievers program. After high school she plans to go to college but is undecided on her course of study.
Sophomore: Noah Roberts, son of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Roberts, was nominated for being a
diligent hard working student in all of his classes. Here at Maple Hill he is a member of Drama
Club, Band, Jazz Band and plays on the soccer and baseball teams. Outside of school Noah is a
member of Boy Scouts and is working towards becoming a member of the South Schodack
Fire Department. After high school Noah plans to go to college to study something in the field
of science and math.
Junior: Stefanie Wood, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Wood, was nominated for being an
exceptionally conscientious student who assists and supports her classmates. Here at Maple
Hill she is a member or has been a member of SADD, Band, Chorus, Envirothon, Science
Olympiad and was the Freshman Class Treasurer. She has also been a member of soccer, tennis, and basketball teams. Outside of school Stefanie has volunteered at her church, Miracle
League Basketball, and coached a CYO team. After high school she plans to go to college and
is contemplating a career in pharmacy.
Senior: Lindsay Mannion, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Donald Mannion, was nominated for
being a diligent worker who works hard to complete her work and help others in the class.
Here at Maple Hill she has been involved with Sources of Strength, is a member of the soccer
and basketball teams. Outside of school Lindsay is a mentor for the Miracle League Basketball
Program and coaches CYO, along with working two jobs. After high school Lindsay is going to
attend SUNY Oneonta to study Accounting.
The faculty and staff wish to congratulate these students on being selected March students of
the month for their respective grades.
Page 7
FYI
Promposals
by Skylar VanAlstyne
Spring has finally arrived! The snow has melted, the plants are growing and love is in the air...kind of.
Prom season has come and past which means all those nerves of asking that special someone to prom have leveled
off. The way you ask is beyond important and it has to be creative. Surprises are always good, along with some flowers and maybe a sign. But the art of asking someone to prom, now nicknamed "promposing" has become a phenomenon. With pictures posted to social media of the "perfect way" to ask, which are retweeted by thousands, the
pressure is on.
Proms were believed to have started in the late 1800’s, although they were not covered in yearbooks until the
1930’s. The first recorded "promposal" in which that term was coined was in 2001 in Dallas, Texas. From there, the
word has been used every prom season that has passed and the expectations of just asking someone isn't good
enough anymore.
The most common promposal requires a cute sign, flowers and maybe some kind of prop, with some personalization. For example, softball players usually receive a soft ball with a sign that says "you would be a real catch at
prom". Sports are always a good way to go for an athletic date. Others include a cute bracelet or necklace with a
personalized note. And some, more extreme promposers, give animals! There are a couple viral pictures of a guy
giving a girl a cute little puppy and sign that states "Prom would be really ruff without you". That's one heck of a
promposal!
But who needs the guys to ask? It has become a big trend this year for the girls to ask the guy. With all this talk of
feminism, what better way to prove girls can take charge than by asking a boy out? There are now countless
promposals by a girl which have gone viral. These usually included food, and lots of it. Anything from an order of hot
wings saying "Let me just wing it, prom?" to pizzas with pepperoni spelling out "Prom?". It honestly doesn't matter
who asks who, but it’s still exciting and nerve racking.
No matter who you asked, the
promposal was probably memorable and
fun. Aside from the nerves, nothing feels
better than seeing your possible prom
date light up as they see your creative
idea come to life. The promposal really
does set the mood for prom night, and
for all Maple Hill students, it was most
certainly amazing.
Pictured right:
Pictured left:
Alex Konig
promposed to
Bella Nelson
Page 8
Eleanor
Haase
promposed to
Jeremy
Busdiecker
using her dog
FYI
Pictured below:
Shelby Gipp promposed to Jeremy Price with a
scrapbook
Pictured above:
Tate Tibbits promposed to Izzy Sofia
Pictured below:
Zach Frese promposed to Elizabeth Roberts with a sign that
said, “You’re my Sugar and my Sweet, will you go to prom with Me?
Pictured above:
Peter Aitken promposed to Aine Hardaker with a
rose and a sign that said “You must be this tall to say
NO to Prom with me.”
Page 9
5
Future Man of the Year: Ethan Samarija
by John Paul Kulpa
He sits on his bed, notebook beside him, and guitar on his
lap, strums a chord, writes some notes in his notebook,
and continues on. He momentarily stops, to reminisce of
the countless memories of nights he and his extended
family had sat in the living room, each with instrument in
hand, singing and playing songs of happiness. His head full
of the music he loves, and full of his aspirations to one
day, play for others, and inspire them to do so, just as his
idols had affected him. It is this drive, paired with the surroundings of an extremely musically talented extended
family, that push this young man towards his future.
Ethan Joseph Samarija, born into a family of three, and
more cousins, uncles, and aunts than
possible to count, has always loved
music. Living with a mother with a
beautiful voice, and surrounded by a
huge extended family, each person
with their own array of musical ability, he found himself engulfed in the
world of music from a young age.
Fascinated with the emotions, events,
memories, and stories that could
sprout from music, Ethan began singing in his Church’s youth choir at age
8, and picked up a guitar shortly after
that. It was this combination of circumstance and events, that ultimately
destined Ethan to want to become a
musician, and with an ambitious outlook and a positive attitude, it is not
unlikely that he will succeed.
Born on March 29th, 1999, to parents Erik and Lisa, with
older brother Logan alongside them, Ethan came into a
good home. Even at a young age, Ethan was a lively, energetic child who enjoyed every day to its fullest, was totally
surrounded by music. While he would not go on to play
the guitar until around age 12, Ethan could still find beautiful music filling the house every time his family had a gathering. It was not uncommon for the family band to perform at such events. The band was composed of Ethan’s
Uncle Kevin singing, Uncle Dave playing the bass, and an
occasional flute solo, Uncle Nick who controlled the percussion section, Uncle Mike playing the keyboard, Uncle
Scott playing the guitar, while the rest of the family sings
along and uses other instruments to further the performance. “I think it really was all the family time spent
watching my uncles and aunts and my mom, I think that
was what got my interest in music to come to what it is
today,” said Ethan. He continued, “Also music and chorus
Page 10
classes in elementary school were always fun for me. Plus I
really enjoyed performing in front of crowds.” Ethan’s thirst
to entertain continued at age 8, as he began singing in his
church’s youth choir. This was an environment that he could
grow and better learn music, as part of teaching the kids
how to sing was teaching them how to read and write music.
It is clear to see where Ethan’s love to create music comes
from, as in his childhood, it seemed that music was around
every turn.
It was not until age 12 that Ethan began playing guitar, and it
was obvious from the start that he was a natural. He began
taking lessons, and once he became comfortable enough after about 2 years of lessons, he stopped,
and began to further learn the instrument
on his own. Throughout that time, Ethan
could be found in his room constantly,
guitar on lap, recreating covers of the music he loved. If his mother would call up to
him, and he didn’t respond, she could almost always assume that Ethan was up in
his room, hard at work with his guitar.
“After I stopped taking lessons, I continued to play, but instead, now I learned
songs of different genres to expand what I
was able to play,” said Ethan. With this,
Ethan was able to participate in the family
band. He described it as the greatest feeling in the world, and expressed his belief
that that was the best way to get better at
an instrument, to just play with others
who know what they are doing. This type
of playing, just freely playing songs with
people he loved, could be matched by no other feeling in the
world.
The feeling of playing with his relatives was really amazing,
and Ethan experienced a huge milestone while playing with
his Uncle Kevin and Uncle Dave in a bar in Block Island,
Rhode Island. While on vacation in July of 2013, Ethan played
through his first live performance. “It was amazing, the most
fun thing I have done in my entire life,” he said. In front of a
crowd of strangers, Ethan showed what all his years he had
spent dedicated to music had payed off as. From that came a
priceless memory, one he really will never forget.
With an extensive musical background, and the passion he
displays while playing, it is no surprise that Ethan aspires to
be a musician when he grows up. He says that music never
ceases to bore him, as there is so much to it, and there is
nothing he would enjoy doing more than playing music for
Samarija continued on p. 11
Profiles
Samarija, continued from pg. 10
other people, whether it be as a hobby, or preferably a career. For now, he continues to practice, up in his room, all
alone, with nothing but six strings and a hunger to learn more. His skills increase by the day, and it will be no surprise
when in ten years, his name will be amongst those of legendary musicians.
Mrs. Strock– A Cut Above the Rest
by Kerry Golden
A Teacher Like No Other
How many English teachers do you know who ride a motorcycle? Sandy Strock defies the traditional stereotypical
view of an English teacher. Not only does she ride a motorcycle, she loves animals, raises chickens, ice skates, gardens and cooks. As an educator, she engages her students in the learning process by teaching them to continually
evaluate and reflect on their own work, while at the same time making English class fun. For these reasons, Mrs.
Strock was chosen as Schodack’s 2014 Teacher of the Year. The Teacher of the Year award is an award bestowed
upon the most outstanding educator in the district by the Schodack Faculty Association. Each year, teachers in the
district choose one teacher who stands out above all others not only for their extraordinary work as an educator,
but also as a mentor, leader, and life-long learner. The qualities one must acquire to win this award are only possessed by the best of the best, and who better to receive the 2014 Teacher of the Year award, but high school English teacher Mrs. Strock. She not only teaches both requisite English and AP classes at Maple Hill, but has taught at
the Junior College of Albany and is currently an adjunct professor at Siena College. In addition, Mrs. Strock demonstrates professionalism in her guidance of not only student teachers, but to new Schodack faculty members as she
serves as the Mentor Coordinator for the district. She also Co-Chairs the APPR review committee, which reviews
the new teacher evaluation process, and has served as the Schodack Faculty Association Vice President and building
representative for the high school. Within the high school, Mrs. Strock has acted as co-chair of the National Honor
Society, serves on the Student of the Month Committee, is a newsletter editor, and can often be seen chaperoning
and volunteering at many high school events. Mrs. Strock has accomplished all of this while still keeping her husband
and two children her top priority. What more can be said about a teacher such as Mrs. Strock? The only thing left
to say was said on November 21st when the Schodack Faculty Association said congratulations to Mrs. Strock as
she was named the 2014 SFA Teacher of the Year.
Why Teaching?
Students at Maple Hill hear the name Mrs. Strock and immediately think of an English class that is not only challenging, but also rewarding and fun. Although the name Strock is synonymous with English at Maple Hill, teaching is not
the only job that Mrs. Strock has ever had as this motorcycle riding teacher has a vast employment history. Mrs.
Strock recalled with a laugh, “I have done everything from selling vacuum cleaners online to being a jeweler’s apprentice. I worked at Cumberland Farms, I worked at Macy’s. I have had lots and lots of jobs.” However, after education became Mrs. Strock’s passion, she pursued a degree in teaching. ”Ultimately I wanted to be able to talk to
adolescents about things that matter. Becoming an English teacher lets me talk about anything at all because it has
been written about,” explained Strock. In his philosophical text entitled “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For,”
Thoreau views work as something that is similar to leisure because all things in life, even work, should be meaningful
and rewarding. With that in mind, Thoreau would find pleasure in seeing that smile that took over Mrs. Strock’s
face as she explained her motivation for becoming an educator, by saying, “It is important to me to teach people
about what truly matters in life, especially adolescents because you are finding out so many things, and are interested in so many things, so I don’t work - I play!”
Testing her Teaching Outside of Schodack
Mrs. Strock‘s success in teaching can be attributed to her courage to try new things. Her energy and enthusiasm for
new teaching techniques is evident as she continually shuffles around the room moving and rearranging desks to
create the most positive learning environment possible. Unbeknownst to many, she left New York for two years to
teach in a private school in North Carolina. While there, Mrs. Strock decided to try to more actively engage her
Strock continued on p. 12
Page 11
Strock, continued from p. 11
students in learning by incorporating a new student-centered approach that
went beyond the comfort zone of the students. Creating cooperative learning
groups was somewhat of a shock to her students. They quickly informed Mrs.
Strock that to them teaching consisted of desks in rows, not small groups.
Needless to say, the students complied with Mrs. Strock’s methods and she
was a huge success. However, Mrs. Strock felt like something was missing,
and returned to New York to take back her position at Maple Hill. She explains, “Schodack is unique I think, in terms of districts. It does what I believe
education should do, and for as imperfect as we are, we get it more right
than a lot of other places. When I was coming home, it was synonymous with
that to me, so Schodack is home and is where I belong.” Although her memories of teaching in North Carolina cause her to smile, it is evident through
the look of peace and satisfaction she exhibits when she talks about Maple
Hill that Schodack is truly her home.
Keeping Calm and Carrying On
The implementation of the Common Core Standards has been a controversial issue in New York State. When discussing the Common Core, Mrs. Strock is not like many of today’s teachers
that become flustered, upset and overwhelmed. In a calm but serious tone she simply states, “I’m actually a proponent to the curriculum standards themselves. I think that it embodies solid pedagogy, which means the teaching philosophy around it is sound and what we need. My issue with it, along with many other educators, is the way in
which it was rolled out and the way it has been linked to things that have nothing to do with it.” Since Mrs. Stock
understands where her students need to be to meet the standards of the Common Core, she has adjusted her
teaching to better help her students succeed. She explains, “I would actually say that a lot of the changes to my
teaching have happened, not as a result of the Common Core, but as a result of happening to live in the era where
technology came in and took over. I have always believed in close reading, I have always believed in asking the type
of pointed questions that Common Core directs you to, so that hasn’t been the major shift for me. It’s been trying
to find ways that are using technology to help, rather than for glitz and glamor, that don’t do anything I couldn’t
have done with a piece of chalk.” When discussing the many changes that have occurred in education, Mrs. Strock
stands tall and proud which reflects the seriousness, yet calmness she feels regarding the need for continued reflection and adjustment. The no nonsense approach Mrs. Strock takes in regards to the Common Core parallels the
way in which she lives her life, with a desire to meet challenges head on.
Respected Among the Profession
Receiving the 2014 SFA Teacher of the Year award was a humbling experience for Mrs. Strock. With a hint of modesty, Mrs. Strock explains her reaction to the surprise stating, “A lot of times you feel, I think, isolated in our profession and nobody knows what is going on in your little world, so it is comforting to know that people see what
you think is largely invisible I guess, its validating.” All of her hard work and dedication to Maple Hill is continually
noticed by the many other teachers whom she works with everyday, and they all shared in her happiness upon receiving the award. “It has always been a pleasure working with her so I am not surprised that she got it and I nominated her. I know other people did too, obviously. I am actually really happy that she came back because I got her
job originally. When I met her at first I was really disappointed that I wasn’t going to get to work with her. Then,
she came back two years later, and I was so happy to get to work with her. She is someone I still look up to and we
work really well together. I couldn’t be any happier for her because she deserves it, and to be able to work with
her at all is a real privilege,” says co- English teacher Mrs. Colwell. Even though Mrs. Strock’s concentration is in
English, history teacher Mr. Frese also shared in her happiness as he broke away from his normal humorous comments and seriously added, “She works very hard and she does a great job. She is dedicated to her profession and
professional development. I know she does a lot with Siena College and she is trying to always refigure and retool,
and do new things for herself and her classes. She is very giving as a colleague and as a teacher to her students.”
Knowing that her colleagues think so highly of her as a teacher made Mrs.Strock feel a way she described as
“Tickled pink, pleased as punch.” However, it
Strock continued on p.13
Page 12
Profiles
Strock, continued from pg. 12
is truly evident that her colleagues view her with the utmost respect and hold her in high regard. This feeling is
demonstrated by math teacher Mrs. Balogh’s comment regarding her thoughts about the 2014 Teacher of the Year
selection, “I am so happy for her. It is the perfect person for that position. She is terrific. She makes me think everyday about my teaching differently, and I am grateful to her.”
I Am Not Alone
Mrs. Strock exemplifies hard work, dedication, and professionalism. However, she knows that she is not alone in
the world of great teachers. The smile that spreads across her face and the quickness in which she talks about her
colleagues exemplifies the respect and devotion she feels toward her fellow educators. Her direct eye contact and
the conviction in her voice when she states, “We are not doing this in isolation, as isolated as we may feel. This
year was my turn, and I’m really happy about that, but I know that there are so many other people working just as
hard if not harder, than I am who didn’t get it. I want them to know I see them too. It works both ways. So keep
doing what you are doing because collectively I think we are doing something very rare and we are doing it really
well.” This lets us all know that this blond haired teacher, that loves to cook, garden, and clean, is a true gift to
Schodack who pushes both students and teachers to strive for excellence.
Porter Club: Bowties, Bicycles and Occasionally Physics
by Gabriel Dingman
He is a man on a mission, in armor of high tech ammunition, trapped on the edge of an endless game, his teenage life will never be the same, in a dangerous world he does all he can,
he’s Iron Man. Iron Man! Just kidding it’s ( drum roll please) ... Mr. Porter, but lets be honest, isn’t he super hero enough? After all, the man is a fashion icon here at Maple Hill and as
you may have guessed from the opening, an avid competitor in Ironman races and arguably
one of the overall best people in the building.
Mr. Porter, or Porterhouse, began his education in Connecticut and after high school, desperate for change from his day to day life, ventured off on his own and attended Ithaca College. While there, Mr. Porter studied Physics, but believe it or not, teaching was not always
on his agenda. It wasn't until his sophomore year when he took a seminar on teaching that
he discovered his true calling. Mr. Porter finished up his schooling at Ithaca after receiving his Masters Degree. He
then couldn't wait to join the workforce, however, it can be tricky to find a teaching job nowadays. He applied to four
different jobs, and fortunately for us Maple Hill was the first to offer Mr. P a job, which he took without hesitation.
Since then, Mr. Porter has graced the school with a strange, new, sometimes aggravating teaching style which more
often than not forces students to actually learn the topics being taught. But teaching is just one virtue that draws students to room 156. For many, it’s his easy going personality and bowties that do the trick. During his planning period if
you were to go to his room, you would see it like a hive, always busy and cluttered with students each there for some
extra help and just some good old fashion Mr. Porter time. The regulars have even named the time “Porter Club”.
Although he enjoys school, Mr. Porter also does have quite the life outside of school walls. He can be seen doing almost of anything physical including biking mountains, and roads and competing in Ironman races which are no small
task. The competition is a sort of triathlon that includes biking, swimming and running. If given the chance, it is Mr. Porter’s dream to compete in the Kona Iron Man in Hawaii.
So what’s next for the Iron teacher? Well as for now, Mr. Porter is very content teaching and plans to continue doing
so for a long time to come. Think about it, maybe one day your children may be lucky enough to be part of Porter
Club and enjoy his on-point fashion bowties.
Page 13
Profiles
Woman On a Mission: Ready, Set. . . Go!
by Peter Aitken
Someone once tweeted, “If a student is at school for
roughly eight hours, and they are doing homework for
six or more hours, and they need at least nine hours of
sleep, they have maybe one hour for other activities?
This might include eating, bathing, exercising, socializing,
religious activities, hobbies, extra curriculars, medical
care of any kind, chores, relaxation and family time. Not
to mention that your parents may pressure you to get a
job, or you might need to get one for economic reasons.”
Although this statement accurately
paints the tireless and relentless life
of teenagers, imagine how this statement would read if it applied to
teachers? Well, I shouldn’t say all
teachers. One well-rounded faculty
member in particular at Maple Hill surpasses her expectations not only as a
teacher, but in every one of her endeavors as a person.
There are only 120 hours in a school
week. After going to work, grading
papers, advising multiple student
clubs and getting sufficient sleep, time
constraints match up to those of every other teenager. While it seems that she spends so
much time doing school work, she might as well sleep at
school, you’re wrong. In fact, if there’s anything you
should know about this woman it’s that if you give her an
assignment with a one-hour deadline, she’ll have it done
in thirty minutes.
Because of this special organizational talent of hers, she’s
able to spend the other half of her time doing everything
she loves. Whether it’s reading books (and tweets),
spending time with her family while baking, doing yard
work and shopping, going to the gym, or running and
participating in cycling classes, she has time for it all. Oh
yeah, when she’s tired of that she makes time for watching shows on netflix, and even going to Ms. Roman’s
house for dinner weekly and to catch up on some of today’s hottest shows. During the summer she can be
found swimming, relaxing by the pool, going to the beach,
Page 14
or traveling somewhere--something she loves to do and
hopes to do more of in the future.
Committed. Energetic. And yes, overachiever. All three
words define the one-and-only Miss Heather Flood perfectly. “I try to cross my t’s and dot my i’s in every aspect of life,” said Flood. It certainly shows when she is
given a task and goes an extra mile further with whatever it is. Although being a perfectionist counts against her
at times, she puts all of her energy into every assignment
she is given.
Having a strong work ethic is extremely rare today. Don’t believe
me? How many people can work a
(brand new) full time job while
earning a Masters Degree?
But really, why is this? Why is it
that people think it’s okay to just
skate by on ice in life, or take the
easy way out? Step out of Miss
Flood’s way, because she’ll destroy
that ice. She attributes the roots of
her work ethic to, “working for
everything as a child”. Nothing was
handed to her by her parents.
Having this type of morally sound
relationship with them allowed
Miss Flood to feel greater appreciation for them, especially as she grew older.
But one day, her life took an unexpected turn. Miss
Flood’s father, Frank Flood, passed away. . .suddenly.
Five years ago, little did she know that just as she was
trying to wrap her head around being a new teacher,
she’d also have to deal with this tragic event of losing
her father to a heart attack. Being an only child, this
tragedy shook the solid foundation that Miss Flood grew
up with, and left only her and her mother to pick up the
pieces.
Having such a defined relationship with her stay-at-home
mother certainly helped, especially because Frank
worked nights.
Flood continued on p.15
Profiles
Flood continued from p.14
“I always looked forward to his phone calls at night to say goodnight on his
break at 9pm,” said Flood. “I fondly remember him always calling me “Kid.”
In fact, she actually still has some of his voicemails from 2008. Voicemails of
songs that made Frank think of her while she was in college. One voicemail
that resonates with Flood was Bette Midler’s “The Rose”, a song that she
played on the piano in a talent show once in middle school.
Despite this horrific and tragic event, the strength of her family and friends
helped Flood to get back to her routine, hold onto the memories and most
importantly, make her Dad proud. Although November may forever be a
difficult month, she keeps her head held high. And while she moved away
from her childhood hometown in Orange County to pursue her dreams, the
distance hasn’t disrupted the strong support system she and her mother,
Carole, share.
If Miss Flood wasn’t doing community service, waitressing, or leading college
students in other aspects, she was busy maintaining a remarkable GPA. Flood
hasn’t slowed down one bit since graduating from Siena College in 2009. Surrounding herself with others who shared similar values in college, like her
Habitat for Humanity family, really helped her discover who she is and who
she wanted to be.
She has since found her spot at Maple Hill as an English Teacher. I
asked her what one of her biggest accomplishments was. Not one second
later she blurted out the word triathlon. Swimming, biking, running. . . no
big deal some might say. For Miss Flood, it was a turning point in her life.
She was never really a runner. Throughout high school she would hyperventilate after “the mile” and would have to breathe into a brown paper
bag. So if she hyperventilates when she runs, how could she possibly swim
and bike too? Miss Flood recalls with a smile on her face, “I just went out
and did it,” after dedicating months to training, of course. It’s that “just do
it” attitude that all of us should live by. You never know what you might
like until you tri (pun intended).
In a society that has become more lazy than ever, it’s nice to see someone
shining a light on tomorrow’s leaders and inspiring them. Speaking of tomorrow’s leaders, Miss Flood hopes to have her own house with a family
to raise within the next ten years. Achieving a Half-Iron Man Medal can
also be found on her bucket list. And if you want to know how she does all
of this, such as being organized, working relentlessly and always having a
generous personality, she’ll just tell you that it’s her optimistic attitude on
everything in life. Miss Heather Flood is living proof that no matter what
obstacle lies in the road, you just put one foot in front of another and
you’ll be okay. Now it’s time to run.
Page 15
Newsworthy Features
Better Get to Stepping:
You Never Know What You’ll Put Off Next
by Alysa Kelly
Think about this: is it possible to balance a social life,
good grades and enough sleep? Some say it is an impossible combination, others would beg to differ.
This question seems to come up often for teenagers,
whether or not they realize it. A lot of new choices are
made as kids get older, especially when they reach the
dreadful years of high school, or so some say.
Going along with the new atmosphere of high school,
people start to make new friends, join different extracurricular activities, try out for athletic teams, audition for
the school play, and on top of
all of that, study nonstop. It’s
hard to imagine how a teenager,
of all people, has the ability to
handle all of this at once and not
break.
This troubling thought questions
us further to ask how does one
teenager keep it all together, if
they even do so at all?
When it comes to battling the
life of a teenager, procrastination appears to be one of the
most difficult challenges to overcome.
The load of schoolwork as the high school years progress
only adds stress for some students, making it harder for
them to do everything they enjoy. Even worse, this stress
becomes overwhelming and causes some to put off what
needs to be done and begin to suffer from the wellknown struggle of procrastination.
It’s hard enough for some students to balance the workload from, normally, four classes at home, on top of the
the six hour school day beforehand. To some, this workload seems like a never ending cycle that only grows
worse throughout the year because the more time progresses, the less they’re interested in working.
Page 16
Many people would also agree that procrastination
has increased in the past decade with the growing
dependence on technology and social media. One
survey discovered that in 2007, severe procrastination problems grew to 26% of the population compared to 5% in 1978. And although that may seem
small, 85 to 95% of students claim that they still allow
procrastination to get the best of them, just in smaller moderations.
According to Psychologist Carl E. Pickhardt, Ph. D,
from Austin Texas, there are two different types of
procrastination. The first is resistant, when one person delays a task, forcing
them to complete it last
minute. The other is refusal, when the task never
ends up being completed.
Resistant procrastination
seems to be very common
among the students at Maple Hill. Junior Greg Roe
even said, “One long day
of hell is better than
spreading it out and making a full week of homework.” Now, it’s hard to
picture why some students would think this way, but
to them, having a full day off of homework rather
than taking a little bit out of everyday to work on an
assignment just makes more sense. Of course, this
does come with its consequences, as he explains that
he’s, “...exhausted! And not looking forward to waking up in a few hours.”
Clearly, procrastination has its ups and downs. But
the real question is, why allow it to take over your
life? Junior Kerry Golden explained that despite the
stress, “... sometimes I just need a break from
schoolwork.” Elizabeth Roberts also added that, “It’s
a habit I’ve done for years, and it works for me to
relieve stress so I keep doing it.” By that she does
Procrastination, continued on p. 17
Newsworthy Features
The Wars Within Ourselves
by Kelsey Pascetto
Mental illnesses are very real and can occur within someone standing right in the very room you are in,
maybe even in the person next to you. The struggle to balance school and mental illnesses continues to be
a common problem among young adults everywhere. Many don’t understand the difficulty that comes with
having mental illnesses, such as not wanting to eat due to depression, or having anxiety attacks in the
school’s bathrooms because that person can’t face a classroom full of kids. People with mental illnesses
are often stereotyped and told to suck it up, when it is not always possible…
Medications don’t necessarily just take away the illness, there is no just sucking it up, there is no magically
waking up one day and it all being gone. This is an ongoing battle; a process, that might take years, months,
or even a lifetime to overcome. This is what is called the constant war within ourselves.
With mental illnesses becoming more public, I interviewed students dealing with mental illnesses such as
depression, anxiety, ADD, ADHD, and others to get their perspective. Teachers that work with students
suffering from mental illnesses were also interviewed on what it is like to deal with both school and their
mental illness. Audra Colliton, 17 years of age and diagnosed with autism, came forth and shared her side
of the story. “It’s hard to a degree and gives me a lot of anxiety, but I'm used to it. I’ve developed ways to
deal with it, such as really paying attention, jotting down a bunch of notes, minimizing my distractions, and
staying as organized as possible. I also put forth extra effort, and I will not let the stereotypical thoughts of
autistic kids being “slow” continue to happen. I’m trying to prove everyone wrong and demolish that reputation of us to show that we really can and are smart. ”
Jennifer Delaney, School Psychologist at Maple Hill High School, expressed her views on the issue.
“Teachers here try our best to make sure that each student has a plan. Our mission is to help students
Mental Health, continued on p. 18
Procrastination, continued from p. 16
not necessarily mean stress forever, but it does relieve her stress for the time being.
It can be confusing to understand the ways of a procrastinator, but it works just the same for the procrastinator
himself. When talking with these students at Maple Hill, it was obvious that they had contradicting opinions on the
topic based on their own experiences.
In general, they realize that they’re procrastinating and that it isn’t a good behavior to have; however, they also
accepted it as what it was and continued to search for reasons to convince even themselves that it was worth it.
It’s hard to say what it may take to save a procrastinator from their biggest nightmare, considering they’re all different and have their own reasons for doing so. But ultimately, it’s up to them to be willing to make a change in
their life.
Referring back to that initial question about whether or not one could balance a social life, good grades and enough
sleep, it is hard to say. If one tends to procrastinate, it’s difficult to work in all three of these goals. But if one finds
a way to beat procrastination and remain determined to stay that way, it just might be a possibility. So, if you're
one who wants all three of these options, I suggest you get to stepping or else you may just end up putting that off
as well.
Page 17
Newsworthy Features
Mental Health, continued from p. 17
with school, their family, and with the committee outside of the school
to make sure they have the opportunity and proper help to succeed.
We offer our own help here in school, such as IEP’s, special accommodations, safe places to talk, and opportunities to reach out and speak up
to an adult to help them, but it is very important that students also have
outside help.”
Webmd’s article called “The Brain and Mental Illness” explains how the
brain works when dealing with mental illnesses. “Researchers studying
mental illnesses believe that abnormalities in how particular brain circuits function, contribute to the development of many mental illnesses.
Connections between nerve cells along certain pathways or circuits in the brain can lead to problems with how the
brain processes information and may result in abnormal mood, thinking, perception, or behavior.”
The goal of the medication is to correct the connections between the nerve cells and the circuits in the brain and
to lead them to the proper spots, to give off the correct responders. Medications can help sometimes, but not for
every case. For example, medications helped student Lauren Benevento, 17 years of age and diagnosed with
ADHD, to cope with school better. “For me, having ADHD and coping with school isn’t bad. But for others, it can
be much much harder. Medications definitely improved my behavior a lot. Without medications it would be much
harder to deal with both school and my ADHD. I’d have to try twice as hard and it would be twice as much work.”
Not everyone is as lucky as Lauren was though, medication wise. Sometimes it takes months just to even find the
correct medications, or even years. There is a lot of trial and error usually involved in this process.
At school, a child with depression may have a combination of the symptoms listed below.

Difficulty concentrating and/or forgetfulness
 Impaired ability to plan, organize, concentrate, and use abstract reasoning. This can affect behavior and academic performance.

Social isolation

Problem behaviors at school, such as increased fights, arguments, or unusual behaviors

Heightened sensitivity to perceived criticism
 Other conditions, such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which may also be present,
compounding any learning challenges. Having one mental health condition does not "inoculate" the child from
having other conditions as well.
 Anxiety disorders which may lead to difficulty separating from parents, trouble transitioning from home to
school, reluctance to attend school, or avoidance of play time with peers
 Learning disorders, particularly if undiagnosed or untreated, because the stress of coping with a learning
disorder can trigger depression. A child's difficulties or frustrations in school should not be presumed to be due
entirely to the depression. If the child still has academic difficulty after depression is treated, an educational
evaluation for a learning disorder should be considered. A child's repeated reluctance to attend school may be
an indicator of an undiagnosed learning disability.
Page 18
Mental Health, continued on p. 19
Newsworthy Features
Mental Health, continued from p. 18
At school, children with ADHD may experience a combination of the symptoms listed below, in addition to those
listed on p.18.
 Difficulty paying attention, focusing on schoolwork, and listening to directions. Problems organizing schoolwork and remembering tasks.

Inability to sit still and remain seated.
 Difficulty waiting their turn in line, waiting to give an answer during class, or waiting their turn during games.
These children may appear impatient or may insist upon being first. These behaviors can be misunderstood and
can easily annoy others.

Learning disorders are common in people with ADHD.
 Having one mental health condition does not “inoculate” the child from having other conditions as
well. Children with ADHD commonly have co-existing mood and anxiety disorders.

Speech and language problems

Side effects from medications.
Recent studies show that mental illnesses are most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 18-21. Hypotheses
speculating around the world conclude that because of the added chemicals in food, the connectors in the brain are
being messed with. However, this has not been proven yet.
Overall, mental illnesses are very real and growing among young adults by the minute. This can create stress and
difficulty with work, school, and life in general. There are aids to help out as best as possible, but the illnesses are
still there. They’re still a battle for people, each and every day. With awareness and compassion for others, people
everywhere can join the fight.
Page 19
Yesterday & Today’s Music:
Yesterday:The Who/Sellout
by Audra Colliton
Perhaps one of the strangest pieces by the Who, their
third album is made up commercials as well as songs.
There are a ton of jingles, catchphrases and advertisements throughout the album to create the effect of the
radio with ads for Charles Atlas, Rotosound Strings, a
Odorono, acne medication (Medac) and Heinz Baked
Beans. There are even “Radio London” slots like at the
beginning of the album with the listing of the the days of
the week, “Wonderful Radio London, Yippee!”, “Its smooth sailing
with the highly successful sound of
wonderful radio london” and a
whole slew of other strange catchy
jingles (which they were late sued
for).
still love it. Pete’s voice is very wavering and light in
this instance and has an eerie, beautiful effect on the
lyrics.
“Armenia in the City” is a song of
distraction, as if to get away from
something. Its a very trippy song and
its all about relaxing, losing time and
seeing the world in a whole new
light. There is an actual city in Columbia named Armenia, so perhaps
they were inspired by it. The guitar
is very distorted, but the bassline
remains constant, as if to hold the song together. A higher falsetto voice is used with the repetition of the song’s
name and almost squeaky singing makes this song into a
trippy escape.
“Our Love Was” is my favorite
song on the entire album, hands
down. Constant guitar which
goes higher and higher. Another song Pete sang There are
crescendos paired with great
percussion, peculiar bass,
chimes, and this light, wonderful
voice leading you through the
entire song like an angel. There are two contradictory
explanations of the love of this couple, either an imitation of real love or “our love was flying/soaring…”
linked by the word suddenly. Also, very nice but brief.
“Mary-Anne with the shaky hands” is about Mary’s interactions with men and her beauty (...wellll maybe). Other
girls are mentioned and used as a foil to Mary Anne, making this girl something of interest. Lots of percussion
(maracas) and acoustic guitar. Light chanting of the song.
Its a very light song, with little to no drums, but the ending/a part of a jingle makes up for this lack because it has
tons of Moon’s percussion.
“I Can See for Miles” about relationships again, another popular Who song, but this time it is about deception. The singer is just explaining his frustration as
well as pointing out his knowledge about her deception, completely rejecting her. Its awesome, great guitar, changing percussion, and a bassline that leads up
to the chorus. Its a wonderful experience to just listen
to it, ending on a really active chanting of the chorus,
twangy guitar and an overload of percussion. It is even
believed to have inspired “Helter Skelter” from the
Beatles’ White Album.
Now, the commercial for Odorono, a deodorant. More
like a song, with the story of a musical success and initial
attraction to someone, but the only reason it didn’t work
out was because her deodorant failed. Very quirky, light
singing done by Pete Townshend instead of Roger Daltry
(the lead singer), simpler guitar. Another advertisement
and a rather sad story for such an advertisement, but I
Page 20
“Tattoo” is one of the Who’s more successful songs,
about what makes a boy a man, and oddly enough, its
about getting a tattoo (“Welcome to my life tattoo/
I’m a man now thanks to you”). Almost a circular
rhythm to the guitar sound until
the chorus. Then its a cascading
line of guitar during the chorus.
Its rather comical, especially
their parents’ first reactions to
their tattoos as well as the passage of time.
“I Can’t Reach You” is another song sung by Townshend is very much about age difference, class differences and the difficulty of a relationship between the
two.
Sellout, continued on p. 25
Arts & Entertainment
Today’s Music
Review- One Republic: Music that’s about Much More than Money
by Christina Malthouse
The mastermind behind every One Republic song is Ryan Tedder. Ryan and his high school buddy Zack Filkins
started One Republic in 2002. They met other guys in LA that decided to join them and the band took off from
there. They are now at the top of the charts and their newest album Native is one of their best. The feedback has
been majorly positive.
One Republic’s most popular songs include “Stop and Stare” and “Secrets” from the Native album. The Native tour
in 2014 was their largest. “Counting Stars” from the Native album has been featured on The Voice multiple times,
says Metrolyrics. “Secrets” was also played in the Disney movie Sorcerer’s Apprentice. People online have been
saying “Secrets is the best One Republic song, and it hits #1 on the Top 10 Best One Republic
Songs” (TheTopTens.com).
Tedder cares much more about the music he writes for One Republic than the other music he writes for other
artists such as Beyoncé or Adele. Time is put into all of Tedder’s songs. He thinks they are all important, but says
the songs for One Republic are so much more meaningful and central to his emotions. Tedder wants his songs to
make an impact, and they have.
People around the world have coped with multiple problems because of the words illustrated into One Republic’s
music. Some of the songs have helped kids with struggles such as a parent’s divorce and even suicidal thoughts.
“Your music changed my life, made me strong enough to face every worse situation, thanks for existing,” said a
girl named Misty on Twitter. People have said they enjoy One Republic’s songs because they talk about real things
and the band doesn’t make them for marketing strategies like some other artists do.
Although Tedder has received 2.5 million dollars from writing songs, he is not in the business for the money. He
has donated a large portion of the money toward the Sandy Hook foundation for the construction of their new
school. Tedder says, “the real reason I write songs is because music is my life, and songs are my currency”. Music
is much more to One Republic than some people may think, and that will never change.
Page 21
Annie the Musical
by Kerry Golden
It is strange how some classic stories seem to disappear over time, only to return again and again years later. Annie, the
story of an orphan whose life is changed through the kindness of a billionaire, is one such story. Based on the comic
strip Little Orphan Annie, by Harold Gray, the Broadway musical Annie first debuted on Broadway on April 21, 1977, and
ran for six years. Since then, there have been numerous Annie tours and rivals, as well as two motion pictures, one in
1982, and more recently in 2014. On March 8th I had the opportunity to see Annie at Proctors, and was not disappointed. The rags to riches story of the red headed orphan girl made me laugh, cry and sing along, just as it did when I first
saw Annie on television years ago.
The story Annie takes place in the 1930s during the Great Depression. The curtain first opens to reveal a miserable orphanage under the direction of the seldom sober Miss Hannigan. The scenic design of Beowulf Boritt engulfed the stage
and transported the audience 85 years back in time. The use of New York City backdrops, gray colors and scaffolding
used to depict the living conditions of the orphans contrasted
well with the enormous set of stairs, gold furniture and ornate
wall decorations, including the Mona Lisa, of Oliver Warbucks
and allows even the youngest of audiences to understand the
vast chasm that existed between the rich and the poor during
the depression. The scenery moved gracefully and swiftly
about the stage as the story switched from the city slums of
the poor, to the luxurious life of Fifth Avenue.
Under the direction of Martin Charnin, the cast of Annie delighted the audience with musical favorites such as
“Tomorrow,” “It’s a hard Knock Life,” “Easy Street,” and
“You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile.” The music of
Charles Strouse is one of the strongest points of the show,
eliciting the proper emotion intended for that exact moment
of the play. Issie Swickle’s portrayal of the optimistic Annie is
exactly how one would expect it to be, feisty and quip. However, it is the performance of Lynn Andrews as the drunken Miss Hannagin that steals the show. Andrews’s ability to sing, dance, and add humor to the story make it enjoyable
for the young and old alike. Her rendition of “Little Girls” brought the audience to its feet as her vocals hit every note
with easy and sent the audience into hysterical fits of laughter. Gilgamesh Taggett’s outstanding portrayal of the stodgy
Daddy Warbucks provides the right amount of contrast to his perky assistant, Grace Farrell, played by Ashley Edler.
The chemistry of Swickle, Taggett, and Edler, has the audience not only routing for Warbucks and Annie, but hoping for
something more than a working relationship between Warbucks and Farrell as well. The one shortcoming of the cast
was the speed at which lines were delivered. The young children of the cast, including Swickle, often spoke so fast that
it was difficult to understand what they were saying. Fortunately for me, I have seen the play and movie several times
and could use that knowledge to fill in the blanks when words got lost.
What impressed me the most with this production of Annie was the choreography of Liza Gennaro. Each musical number was not only a vocal treat, but provided the audience with a variety of dance numbers that breathed fresh life into
the familiar songs that many of us have heard several times before. With so many reprises, five to be exact, the accompanying dance movements were exactly what the audience needed to keep from getting bored. However, my favorite
part of the show was the four-legged Sandy, Annie’s orphan companion played by Macy. Macy hit every mark, stared
wishfully at the audience for prolonged key moments of the play, and nuzzled Annie with delight. Sandy was definitely a
crowd favorite and scene-stealer.
Although the 2014 movie Annie received a less than stellar review, the Tony Award-Winning production of “Annie”
was well worth the cost of the ticket, and a delightful way to send a Sunday afternoon. As I left the theater, I began to
feel blue as the sky was gray, the wind was cold, and snow had once again began to fall. I was able to quickly shake away
my March blues as Annie had restored my faith in the realization that “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow!”
Page 22
Arts & Entertainment
That was a Hard Knock Hour of My Life
A Review of the Annie Movie
by Julia Keyoskey
Who doesn’t remember watching Annie as a kid. Singing “Tomorrow” for countless hours until your parents finally
begged you to stop. Annie is a classic and if you haven’t seen it, you were probably deprived as child.
Annie is a movie and frequently done as a play
about an orphan girl who meets a greedy billionaire, Daddy Warbucks. He invites her to
live with him in order to make himself look
better. As they get to know each other, they
realize how much they care for each other.
Spoiler alert: Daddy Warbucks realizes he
loves Annie and adopts her as his own daughter.
Unless you live under a rock, you have probably seen previews for the new Annie movie
starring big actors such as Jamie Foxx and
Cameron Diaz. Significantly less known,
Quvenzhané Wallis, plays young Annie in this
classic remake with a modern twist.
Quvenzhané Wallis also played Hushpuppy in the drama film Beasts of the Southern Wild. This film made her the
youngest actress to receive a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Wallis also received a Golden
Globe nomination for her role as Annie.
It’s not a surprise that Wallis did not win an award from Annie. The movie itself was a terrible remake of the film we
once all loved. All of the original songs were modernized and sped up, making the whole feel of the movie too popish. The words to many of these songs were also changed making it hard to sing along, which let’s all face it, this is
the best part of watching Annie.
Cameron Diaz is probably one of everybody’s favorite actresses, although in this movie, she was very dry and could
not live up to the part of Miss. Hannigan. This could be the casting director’s fault because it was very difficult to see
her in this part and not feel uncomfortable. When Diaz tried to be angry, it was almost humorous because the acting
was so terrible.
Will Stacks, portrayed by Jamie Foxx, “was an awful choice” says Colette Dowling, senior at Maple Hill High School.
Senior Shelby Gipp happened to see Annie with Dowling and can attest that every time Jamie Foxx came on screen,
she laughed because the decision for him to be the original Daddy Warbucks is comedic.
Many younger viewers of the new Annie really enjoyed it. This is probably only because they were too young to appreciate the original. I don't recommend anyone spend money to see this movie. Save yourself the trouble and
watch the original Annie on Netflix.
Page 23
An Object in Motion Stays in Motion...Right?
by Lauryn Krupa
She had it all planned out, with only 7 days to change her mind. When. Where.
How. Liz Emerson had planned her suicide perfectly, that is, until she plants herself
inside St. Bartholomew’s Hospital rather than a grave.
Amy Zhang’s debut story, Falling Into Place, exquisitely exemplifies that not everything is what it seems. Meridian High’s most popular junior girl has everything;
friends, boys, booze, and drugs. Girls envy her, boys want to be with her. Suddenly,
students throughout the school find themselves at the hospital when Liz follows
through with her plan.
Liz always struggled in Physics and the one time she needed to get it right, she didn’t.
Liz was supposed to die on impact. One boy, Liam, whom Liz had destroyed socially,
finds Liz and her mangled up car. Liz’s best friends, Julia and Kennie, shortly find out
and are by her bedside. Not even they would understand this was no accident.
Join Zhang as she envelops the reader into the tale of Liz Emerson and the wake of
destruction she left behind. As the narrator, a character to be revealed in the end, claims she wasn’t always like that.
Understand just exactly how much damage one teenage can cause as the narrator flashes back and forth through time,
capturing the Liz Emerson everyone knew, and the one only the narrator knew.
Zhang captures the struggles that the average teenager could go through with drugs, alcohol, sex, abortion, and bullying in the meanest ways. The story begins just as Liz follows through with her plan. Then each chapter or so, Zhang
changes from the past to before her attempt of suicide to the present time while her friends and family bawl by her
side.
Follow along as Liz reminisces through all her experiences; each one determining her fate should be to die young even
more than the last. Travel through the everyday struggles of a teenager and experience first-hand the love, confusion,
and hatred that racks every teenage mind as well as the stress that comes along with this and school.
This book is mostly for females ages 15 and up. Readers of Gayle Forman will fall in love with this novel and the smack
of reality in the reader’s face. It really opens eyes to bullying as well as victims of suicide. It’s almost impossible to tell
the signs of it. In Liz Emerson’s case, nobody noticed at all. She also wasn’t good at asking for help, but rather continued to keep her mask on for the last week she had to change her mind.
Amy Zhang’s writing is descriptive and vivid at some times. She always returns back to the idea of physics and how Liz
tried comprehending it, even in her last moments before the crash. Zhang shows just how far friends are willing to go
to impress others. She shows that love is sometimes all someone needs to help them.
Zhang perfectly captures high school and beyond. She makes the reader climb into Liz Emerson’s shoes and determine
what exactly they would’ve done in the same situation. She shows the hierarchy of the school popularity system and,
within moments, how it can be demolished with all the walls broken down.
She makes people question everything they know about everyone. Readers will begin to look at people differently. It
really is impossible to tell what someone is going through, even if they’re a best friend. Zhang’s story makes the reader wonder just how many people in their own school have the similar struggles of Liz Emerson and what they could
do to help them which Liz’s classmates, parents, and guidance counselor weren’t able to accomplish.
Zhang’s tale is a must-read debut novel that pulls at the reader's heartstrings. Be prepared to hate Liz at the same
time of offering sympathy to her for all she has gone through. Read Amy Zhang’s Falling Into Place to meet the haunting
narrator. Find out what becomes of Liam, Julia, Kennie and Liz’s mom. Discover if Liz is actually terrible at Physics or
if her final plan for her fate plays through as she pictured.
Page 24
Arts & Entertainment
Screw Caps, Roosters and Smoke Breaks:
A Review of La Perla Restaurant
by Hunter Sanchez
Dinner with the parents. Typically this turns into an
evening of prodding questions and vague answers, but
this isn’t the case at La Perla. This restaurant, at the
Gregory House in Averill Park, will allow a family to
simply bond over mediocre food costing $140 (not including tip).
In the interest of fairly reviewing a bad restaurant, the
last two words of the headline should be expanded on.
The couple at the table next to ours (who arrived
around 20 minutes after my family) took three smoke
breaks during the course of our meal. Each time bringing
with them the odor of their recent escapade which
quickly became a nuisance. But this was out of the restaurant’s hands so onto the scenery.
Based on La Perla’s website, their self described “True Country Inn” appeared in my head as somewhat country, which
it was not. 1970s soft lighting let the eyes see walls adorned with a young Picasso’s oil painting. And by young I mean
around four with poor motor control. The rooster decorum was expected, but not to the extent that was present in
the restaurant. The rule of thumb is one chicken per wall, two or more is simply off putting.
Time for the main event, mediocre food. My family’s typical appetizer is bruschetta, which in and of itself was delightful, however cutting it led to near catastrophic table rocking. In the interest of calming their nerves from the bruschetta cutting incident, my parents ordered a rather expensive Pinot Grigio from Italy. In short, they loved it. In shorter, it
had a screw cap.
La Perla, continued on p. 26
Sellout, continued from p. 20
It reminds me a lot of Tommy as almost a precursor of the legendary album (“I can’t see, feel or hear from you”).
“Medac” is another of those quirky songs advertising an acne cream and how it was of use to the Henry (person
from the song) because it got rid of his acne.
“Relax” is a great stress relief song in my opinion. Its basically telling the listener to take it easy, don’t stress, and
listen to the song. It must seem silly from just a basic summary, but its wonderful, especially before tests.
“Silas Stingy”, a song written by Entwhistle which means that it will be very very odd, and this song is about a peculiar
man who was rich but never spent his money because of his greed and mocked by the children of the town. In attempts to protect his money due to his paranoia, he locked it up completely and found that he hadn’t very much left.
Its nothing out of the ordinary for the writer of “Boris the Spider” and a whole selection of strange, enticing songs.
“Sunrise” is a very sweet song, acoustic instruments, no percussion, and a song about infatuation, but a restrained
type. A very shy song sung again by Pete.
“Rael (1 and 2)” is completely opposite of everything else, about war and a navy that has a person instructing the Captain to go back to this imaginary land (Rael) which they all love. A lot of sounds and riffs in this song are very VERY
similar to riffs and sounds in Tommy.
Page 25
La Perla, continued from p. 25
Don’t ask what the specials are. In the time a waitress will take to half recite, half read these, President Obama could
re-deliver his State of the Union Address, then translate it, memorize it and recite it in Latin. Luckily, this allows plenty
of time to decide on what to order. The “Mare e Monti” (salad topped with grilled shrimp, chicken and portabella
mushrooms) sounded especially appetizing and a shrimp scallop special had my mother drooling so we found our way
to the seafood. My father and sister gave their meals a one word review of “meh” so, fair reporting and all, forget
about them for this.
The shrimp on both meals was certainly fresh, overcooked and de-veined by a blind man, but fresh. The chicken atop
the Mare e Monti was perfect; juicy and well seasoned, but left as filleted whole breasts. Not an issue until the time
came to cut it and I almost table-quaked my father’s meal onto his lap. The tomatoes beside the chicken were overripe and my mother’s pasta was overcooked and spent the entirety of its night being pushed away from more edible
parts of her meal. The main meal was not the success we hoped for.
Dessert was highly debated, and cheesecake became the order my mother and sister (she was far more verbose about
this part so re-remember her) decided upon. I’m not sure if the cheesecake ever actually hit the table, because my
mother and sister consumed it before I could tell. “Slice of Heaven” were the only three words my sister could muster
to describe it. My mom simply described it with eating noises so I won’t quote her.
The conclusion I have come to is that anyone can enjoy La Perla. Order bruschetta for an appetizer, some sort of
sandwich so cutting isn’t required for a main meal, have any wine poured in the kitchen and finish with cheesecake.
However straying from these will result in an unsatisfactory meal and a $170 bill with a decent tip (and tip well, imagine trying to memorize the specials list).
Superstar in the Making: Caroline Kole
By Peter Aitken
"Sweet Caroline...bah, bah, bah... good times never seemed so good, so good, so good, so good!” If you want a good
time, give this upcoming country star a listen. With a sweet, majestic voice, Caroline Kole might just leave you
thinking she’s somewhere in her mid twenties. Don’t be deceived by her voice that makes her sound years ahead of
her actual time. This upcoming country superstar is only 17 years old and she is not your average teenager. What’s
amazing about Caroline Kole is that she sounds just as good, if not better, live in concert. Your jaw is bound to
drop. That’s extremely rare these days considering that many artists, especially from other genres, depend on special
musical assistance that they get in the recording studio and not on stage. It all started when Kole was born in Texas
and later moved to Florida where she picked up her first guitar at the age of 8. Once she realized she could sing, she
moved to Nashville and that’s where her singer career began.
It’s not really negotiable as to whether Kole can sing or not. SONY/ATV offered her a recording contract. Not to
mention, the Queen of Country Music, Reba McEntire, already made her royal ruling and asked Kole to open for her
in concert.
If you haven’t heard her two latest singles, “If He’d Ever Look Up” and “Money to Me” on SiriusXM The Highway,
you needn’t fear. Despite the need to achieve good grades (as she finishes up her senior year in high school), maintain a social life (like every other teenager), and tour around the country, Kole still found the time to record her self
-titled EP, Caroline Kole. The EP consists of six, beautiful songs that anyone from every age can relate to. The best
part? Every word is straight by Caroline Kole herself! I know you're anxious to hear about which songs made the EP,
so let's get started!
Kole, continued on p. 27
Page 26
Arts & Entertainment
Kole, continued from p. 26
The first song, and also her first single released: “Money to
Me.” "Ain't it funny how we don't have any money, but
we're rich as anybody could be. . . you're money to me."
This lyric sums up the entire song. A story about how she
doesn’t have all the money in the world, but she has love
and that's all she needs. This upbeat, catchy song will have
you blaring it through your speakers, singing the chorus
right along with Kole. With the accompany of some drums,
and a few back up singers, you're guaranteed to jump right
into this song as well and who
knows, maybe you'll love the song?
Next up: “If He'd Ever Look Up.”
Although the title might give the
story of the song away, it goes a
lot deeper than that. A simple, soft
-tempoed song that tells of a guy
who has caught the eyes of Caroline. The only problem? She can't
get his attention. He's too busy
checking his phone and the game;
missing every beautiful sight that
walks past him. Certainly, we've all
been in public and found sometime who is mighty attractive, am I
right? You're bound to hit replay
on this song a few times because it's just that relatable.
Ever have that one person in life that you'd do anything for?
Like maybe travel anywhere for them? If so, “Get to You”
has your name written all over it. An up-tempo song that
will let your lover know that they're worth hopping a box
car, hitchhiking or swimming for just so you can get to
them. This song let's out Caroline's one-of-a-kind vocal
range with some high notes and everything between. Give
this song one listen, and you're bound to like it!
Really? "You said that you loved nobody but me?" A song
that shows Kole's confronting side. Yes, Really. Don't mess
with Kole. If she finds out you've loving someone else other
than her, she won't be afraid to ask you the simple question,
really? Then, she'll leave you in the dust, because she’s not
one to just watch the pieces fall. This fast-pace, repetitive
song will be sure to let you know that you did someone
wrong and hopefully will inspire you not to create further
trust issues.
We all have dreams in life, big and small. Dreams that
some may believe can be achieved and some that can't.
Sometimes they seem so big and we've had for so long
that we are afraid to even try reaching for them. They
get put on the back burner. "Would have, could have,
should have." And then it's too late. So when will you
try achieving yours? When tells Kole's story of a
dream she has and how she lives for it everyday.
There's no time for excuses in her world. Live for today and go with your
gut. When will you
chase your dream?
There's so much cheating these days. Stories
of men and women
who did each other
wrong. But men, don't
forget, we're supposed
to be gentlemen, not
pigs. Take a hint from
the sweet and down-to
-earth Kole as to what
she expects from a
guy. And who knows,
maybe she'll marry
you?! “Guy I'm Gonna Marry” let's every guy know
what Caroline wants: a man who is true, personable,
and most importantly a classy gentleman. If writing
hand written letters and opening her car door doesn't
seem too hard of a task, you're bound to impress ladies like Kole. This sweet, majestic love song, will
leave you feeling some type of romantic way at the
end. And all Caroline needed in this song to tell you
her expectations was her ageless voice and a guitar.
Whether you're going through a heartbreak, falling in
love with someone, reminiscing about your crush, or
chasing a dream, Caroline Kole has got all of the daily
dilemmas covered through the power of her voice and
her songwriting skills. Whether you’re 100 weeks old,
or 100 years old (yes, she does have 2-year-old-fans!),
you're bound to fall in love with her. Big things are
coming her way, and if you'd like to be a part of the
exciting experience, go to iTunes and download her
EP: Caroline Kole. Oh and don't forget, she's only
17... let that sink in for a moment.
Page 27
Cafe Lovin’
A short story by Bryan Kern
I could watch her for hours noticing the strangest
yet most intriguing things about her; the way her
hand would tremble when she lifted her coffee
filled mug, how her eyes would fill with tears when the night grew old
and she would yawn, or the fact that she wore lavender and light blue
more than any other color. Every night she comes in and types on her
laptop for hours and I can’t help but falling even more in love with her
each night.
“What can I get you to drink, sir?” I hear, and it breaks my
thought, “The usual?”
I give a meaningless stare at the waiter that has taken my order countless times since I first saw the girl here. “Uhhh, not tonight, ginger
ale is all, please and thank you. Could I ask a favor…”
“Castiel, call me Cas though,” he responds before I get the chance to
ask. How did I not know his name I wonder. “About that favor, does it
have to do with Kaya?”
“So that is her name,” I think aloud. “Could you get her another coffee.
It’s on me, but don’t say a thing if she asks who it’s from,” I hand Cas
twenty and tell him to keep the change.
Waiting for my drink, I can’t help but admire the cafe I sit in each
night. The walls are a myriad of colors painted in a sad tone as if they
were crying. Each wall has a different design, extracting feelings I
haven’t felt in years. The tables are tall with chairs to match the
height; a decent amount, however, not enough to over crowd the
floor. The somber colors remind me of my past; mostly the day my parents
split. A sad time in my life that I can’t seem to stop thinking about.
My new friend comes back with the ginger ale I ordered before he
disappears through the doors again. Minutes pass as I sit there sipping
my drink. My eyes wander around the cafe, locking on to Cas when I see
he has the coffee and stops at her table. Seeing her puzzled look, I instantly know she doesn’t know who it’s from. Scanning the cafe, she sips
the coffee and her face lightens as Cas walks away. After noticing the
time, I quickly finish my drink and rush out of the cafe as if I am late
for an important meeting, praying I left nothing behind.
The air is cold, with just the right amount of humidity, and every breath
feels as if I’m taking in new life. My mind floods with emotion and I
can’t seem to shake the warm feeling in my stomach. Despite it being 2
in the morning, the street is full of life giving me a sense of
hope. Signs are flashing, couples are holding hands, people are singing,
and everything just feels right for once in my life.
When I finally reach the apartment door, I reach into my pocket and
pull out the key feeling the frosty metal against my fingers as I turn it
unlocking my door. I throw my things on the floor, dive into bed, and
instantly fall asleep.
Page 28
Creative Corner
Waking up each morning is simple; get out of bed, shower, get dressed,
eat breakfast and off to work. I arrive to work just before the sun rises so that when I finally sit down in my office I will be able to appreciate the sunrise, as I have every other morning. Work is long, as it
always is, but when the time comes and the alarm sounds, signaling the
end of the work day, I don’t budge. My thoughts take over and all I can
do is sit and let them run through my mind. Kaya is the main focus and
there is no stopping it.
At the cafe I notice the table I sat at the previous night is open, as is
usual, and I make myself at home. The cafe tonight is quiet with few
people in it. Right on time, as always, 6:13 and Kaya rolls in the door,
silver laptop in hand and she takes her table across the way, giving me a
clear view of her.
Cas comes over and jokes, “Can I do any favors for you tonight?”
“Yes!” I immediately respond, a little faster than I would have liked,
“Give her this note for me, please? And could I get another ginger ale?”
“Of course!” he answers with pep, “It is my job after all.”
I hand Castiel the note which reads: “Surprised you haven’t noticed
me yet and by the way the coffee was from me. You’re probably going to
think I am absolutely mad, considering I have been here every single
night for as long as I can remember, but I have picked up on a few
things. For one, I can only assume your favorite color is lavender or
light blue, seeing as those are the most common two colors you wear, and
well, of course you like coffee since that is all you drink here. I have
been hiding and I won’t do it anymore. How does dinner sound?”
My eyes are locked on to Kaya as she finally gets the note from
Castiel and a smile comes about her face. I start laughing aloud as her
eyes come up from the note and she instantly knows it’s from
me. Gathering her things, throwing her bag over her shoulder, she starts
walking toward the table and all I can do is smile.
“I’ve been told not to talk to strangers you know,” she points out
in a sweet voice that makes my heart melt.
I let out a laugh and shoot back, “Would a stranger know your favorite color?” With this her smile grows and agrees to the dinner request. “Tomorrow night, meet me here at 6, dress formally.”
“I’ll be here,” she says. Turning away, she begins to leave, and
all that I can think about is the sky blue eyes that looked into me.
Standing there the next day, I knew I was crazy. Five minutes before I had told her to meet me there and I was questioning if she would
even show up. I took a chance with Kaya, a chance I have never taken before. I fell in love with this girl before even meeting her, but maybe
things will work out. Perhaps she wants to live life on the run, never
having a plan, just a list of things to do.
Kaya rounds the corner of the cafe, making the stars look dull and
leaving me speechless. “Shall we?” she asks.
“We shall.”
Page 29
Arts & Entertainment
Creative Writing Corner
Rose,
Reflection of beauty
The smell that fills the room with
happiness
Comes in unique colors
-Katya Wilson
For this section of
The Pawprint, student
work will be
showcased. Please
submit your short
stories, poetry and
artwork to Miss Flood
or a member of our
Editorial Staff.
3D Design, Mixed Media below
by Aric Coster
Self-Portrait, Graphite above
by Jeremy Morris
Page 30
Creative Corner
Oil Pastel above and Still Life, Chalk Pastel below
by James Farrell
Self-Portrait, Graphite above and Still Life, Graphite below
by Matthew Crawford
Page 31
Alice
by Katya Wilson
The wind picked up the white fluffy snow from the ground
and into the cold air above. The air moves the snow gently
across the air. The trees are filled with snow and ice. The
white snow sparkles in the sunlight, while the ice crystals
glisten from the sunlight. The forest looks like a winter
wonderland.
All of a sudden, the wind seemed to stop and everything
was quiet. There was not a single sound to be heard in the
forest. There was very little movement of wild animals.
But, there was a sound of moving feet of a horse. The
horse was all red from head to foot. Even the hair was red.
The neck was arched, with long ears, a long face and a
black nose.
"So who are these guys?" Jagger asked. "They don't look
too friendly."
"I know, they are from my school," the teenage girl said.
"All I know is that they like to call themselves the Black
Dragons. Also they are not very nice to anyone."
"Oh. By any chance, do you know why they are here?"
Jagger asked, but was cut off quickly.
"Where is she?" Asked one of the guys rudely. "Give her
to us."
At first Jagger was surprised for how rude the guys were
and became very annoyed.
It was Jagger who was riding the Arabian horse through
the woods. Jagger's jet black hair was down and was neatly
brushed. Jagger had his sword with him and it was hanging
from his side. Then, Jagger heard ruffling sounds of tree
branches moving and snow falling. Jagger started to hear
footsteps that he wasn't sure of. A few minutes later, a
young teenage girl came out. At first, Jagger was surprised
to see a young teenage girl and then was concerned for
her because she seemed to be in distress. She had long
blonde/red hair. It was more on the blonde side with hints
of red going through her hair. She had nice blue eyes that
seemed to glow. She was wearing a nice blue jacket with
black jeans on. She had a pink shirt underneath her blue
jacket. She had black shoes on. Her eyes were filled up
with tears. Jagger dismounted his horse. Jagger waited to
see what the girl will do before approaching her. The girl
seemed to be scared and hesitated before looking up at
Jagger. The girl looked at Jagger with tearful eyes and
looked down a few times.
"Excuse me, that was rude," Jagger said. "And no, I don't
have to give her to you at all. What did she do to you in
the first place?"
"Hello, are you ok?" Jagger said in a soft voice. "You
seemed troubled?"
"You shouldn't have done that," the guy yelled.
Jagger knew something was bothering her before he was
even able to see her face. Before the teenage girl could
answer there was the sound of yelling and feet running.
There seemed to be more than one person or thing coming to them in their direction. At that point the teenage girl
was fearful and shaking. She hid behind Jagger. The people
who had come were from the same school as the girl.
These people had tattoos and wore black clothing, which
made them look gothic. They didn't look to nice either,
more down right mean and dangerous and they were.
"Jagger, I didn't do anything to them at all. They are in my
gym class and we were playing a game and my team won. I
got the last point to win and they got mad for losing and
went after me when school ended," the girl answered.
"Maybe you should have learned your lesson, Alice," the
guy said.
Then the group of guys started to go in to grab the girl,
but Jagger grabbed his horse and blocked them from going
anywhere. Jagger grabbed the guy who talked rudely to
him and pushed him back. Jagger pushed him so hard that
he fell backwards and hit a tree. The guy got back up,
grabbed the nearest stick and ran at Jagger ready to fight
back.
Jagger let go of his horse so quick that the guy didn't see
him take out his sword. In a blink of an eye, you could
hear the stick crack in half and fall to the ground. The
guy's group of friends backed up and watched in awe.
They looked at the stick, now in two, and back at their
friend who had a surprised look on his face. That quickly
turned into anger. The guy dropped the stick as Jagger put
his sword away. The guy started to walk to Jagger, ready
to punch him. Jagger blocked the first punch and threw
him into his group of friends.
Alice, continued on p. 33
Page 32
Creative Corner
Alice, continued from p. 32
"Grab Alice," one of the guys said.
Once that was said, the same guy who tried to punch Jagger went after the girl. At that point Jagger was so mad, he
grabbed the guy and pinned him to a tree with his arms
and hands.
back. They had me surrounded, like they were ready to
punch me, but they didn't. They were saying hurtful
words to me and I tried to run, but they would push me
down," Alice said.
Once they reached Alice's house, Jagger helped Alice off
of his horse. He noticed that her stuff from her bag fell
out and was all over the place.
"Leave her alone," Jagger said.
"Is this your stuff?" Jagger asked.
Then Jagger threw him at his
group of friends. They fell on top
of each other and then they quickly got back up.
"Yes, I didn't have time to pick it up," Alice
said.
Then Alice picked up her stuff. Jagger noticed she had a cell phone and picked it up
for her.
"Fine then, you two are not worth
my time," the guy said.
"Is this your cell phone?" Jagger asked.
In a few minutes, the guy and his
friends turned around and took off
and ran out of the wood. Then,
Jagger turned around to get his
horse when the teenage girl
wrapped her arms around him.
Jagger couldn't help but hug her
back.
"Yes, do you have one?" Alice said.
"Yes, I do, but I don't use it as much as I
should," Jagger said.
Alice grabbed a pen from her bag and
grabbed Jagger's hand and wrote her number on it..
"What is your name, if I may ask?"
Jagger asked.
"Thank you again, that was very nice of
you," Alice said. "Give me a text when you
"My name is Alice... " Alice answered. "...and thank you."
get home."
"You’re welcome. That is a pretty name," Jagger said.
"You’re welcome and I will," Jagger said. "Would you
want to hang out some time?"
Alice blushed when he said that. Jagger got on his horse.
Jagger gave Alice his hand to help her up. Once Alice was
on, Jagger went to bring her home. Alice gave him directions to her house. By this point, it was late afternoon, almost evening. On the way there, they got to know each
other better.
"What is your name?" Alice asked.
"My name is Jagger," Jagger answered. "What did those
group of kids do to you before I saw you in the woods, if I
may ask?"
"When I got home they were there and when I was trying
to run one of them ripped off my back bag right off my
"I would love too," Alice said. "I've got to go, good
night."
Then Alice gave Jagger a good hug and he did the same.
"Good night, Alice," Jagger said.
After Alice went inside her house, Jagger got back on his
horse. Jagger galloped back to his castle and put his
horse away for the night. He went upstairs to his room
and put Alice's number in his cell phone. He gave her a
quick text and she texted him back. For a good hour,
they texted each other. After, Jagger went to bed for the
night.
Page 33
Always a Bridesmaid
by Julia Keyoskey
My cousin recently got engaged and asked me to be a
bridesmaid. This is a tremendous honor. At first, the
excitement overtook me but then the responsibilities
kicked in.
help to plan it. This event is meant for the bride to just
have a fun time and take off all the stress from the wedding planning. 35% of Las Vegas visitors are visiting due to
a bachelorette party.
The Dresses: Including myself, there are four bridesmaids in the wedding party. Luckily, my cousin is not
picky about the dress choices. As long as the dresses
are the same color and material, we are free to choose
whichever dresses we please. This, in my opinion, is
the way to go. In most cases, the bridesmaids aren't all
the same body type so it is very difficult to find a dress
that will flatter all of the girls. Also, if the bridesmaids
are uncomfortable or self-conscious in the dress, they
will not have a good time at the wedding. Most bridesmaids are not as fortunate as we are. If you
ask any bridesmaid
what the worst part of
the wedding was, most
would say the hideous
dresses. In ancient Roman times, bridesmaids
would wear the same
dress as the bride in
order to confuse evil
spirits so that they
couldn't curse the bride
and groom.
Rehearsal Dinner: From what I’ve heard, the rehearsal
dinner is one of the most exciting parts of the planning
process. This is a time to relax and do a run through of
the wedding itself. This is typically done the night before
the wedding. It’s the last time the whole wedding party will
be together to make any last minute arrangements. It will
also be particularly helpful for me because this is the first
wedding I’ve ever been a part of. Here is where I will learn
where I should be and how quickly I will have to walk
down the aisle. (Lets hope falling is not in my favor).
Bridal Shower: A bridal shower is a gift-giving party
held for the bride before the wedding. Typically, this
party is all of the girls who plan to attend the wedding.
Most brides take this opportunity to make a registry
for guests to buy from. The registry will probably consist of kitchen and bathroom supplies for the newlywed’s house together. One of my favorite traditions
from the bridal shower is when the bridal party collects all of the bows from all of the presents given to
the bride and makes a bonnet of bows for the bride-to
-be to wear.
Bachelorette Party: The bachelorette party is typically right before the wedding and signifies one of the
last times the bride will be “single”. Normally this party consists of lots of alcohol and being extremely annoying in public. Because I’m only 17, I will not be attending my cousin's bachelorette party, although I will
Page 34
Day of the Wedding:
This is when all of the
fun happens! Starting
early in the afternoon,
the bridal party gathers
at the venue where the
pampered process begins. Hair and makeup
done. Dresses perfected
and bouquets distributed. The ceremony begins
and the bridesmaids
walk down the aisle one by one. As the the bride approaches, all eyes turn. After the couple says their “I do’s”,
its off to get pictures taken. In my case, the wedding party
will be traveling all over Troy to take pictures in the various parks. It should be a lot of fun. The rest of the night is
left for everyone to have a good time. I can’t wait!
Expenses: The expenses of being a bridesmaid is what’s
going to kill me. I am supposed to pay for my dress, which
I will probably never wear again. Also, to get my hair and
makeup done up for the wedding. Then I’ll be paying a portion of the bridal shower and bachelorette party (even
though I’m not even able to enjoy the wild festivities). The
expenses of both of these events will be divided four ways
between all of the bridesmaids. In my case, it is also senior
year which comes with a lot of expenses such as: prom,
senior trip, graduation, college etc. With all this being said,
I now have a job and if you know anyone who needs a
babysitter, give me a call.
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Opinion
Just How Much are Schools Preparing Students for Life Beyond the Courtyard?
by John Paul Kulpa
The world is constantly changing, and to accompany this, there needs to be a constantly changing job market. For this
to happen, there is a NEED for a solid foundation in education, to accommodate the ever changing world, and sadly, it
seems that the schools are a tad behind.
There are no jobs for dinosaur tamers because that isn’t necessary, however, in a CNN article entitled “Top-Paying
Jobs,” four of the first five highest paying jobs, no not including running Microsoft and such, but common jobs, have to
do with medicine and health.
That is easy to believe: lots of people, lots of medicine available. The world has changed and to accommodate this, lots
of people are being paid lots of money to fix, or heal etc., etc. the people who require it (and there’s lots of them).
And according to the formula, to back this up, there should be a solid foundation of education regarding health and
medicine. Well, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
In Elementary school, along with many other things, my classmates and I would hear stories of all the gross, cool, previously uncharted information that middle school-age older brothers had just learned in Health class. My grandmother,
having been the health teacher at the middle school for quite some time, could then reaffirm those stories for me, and
with this, an eagerness to learn more grew. Fourth grade came around, and from there on, it was a steady downfall of
how many times a week I would see my health teachers (plural because they would sometimes change). This was new,
as it sadly, with other courses, had fallen into the bottomless pit that were budget cuts.
High school comes in good time, and health class is only something I have to take for half of a year. Combine this with
some units one would get in their science courses, and that’s all of the health education that a student will get in high
school.
This doesn’t follow the formula at all, and this is not only in Schodack, but more widespread. Clearly, if someone is
going to be a dentist, they are going to go to college, study hard there, and learn all they need to know to be successful at the job they would want to acquire. But why not have the interest, and basic knowledge about that earlier?
I’m not looking to be a dentist, but in health class, I have no recollection of learning about my teeth whatsoever. And
don’t worry, this isn’t becoming an article about teeth.
This is just one example of how things are briefly glanced over in the short amount of time I have to learn about everything about health and medicine. It’s sad to think that something that is both so constantly important in one’s personal
life, and potentially continued, if they so desire, is so quickly skimmed in grade school.
Aided to this, according to the Population Reference Bureau, the population will grow to 9 billion by 2050, and a huge
majority will come from less developed countries. What I draw from this, is lots more people, lots more people getting sick, therefore, we need more doctors.
To have more doctors, we need a higher level of health and medicinal education put in place. Plain and simple.
No one likes when someone dies. And whether we realize it or not, there are a lot of things out there that are pretty
dangerous. The fact that I am alive right now, in its own way, is a miracle of sorts, and the worst thing that has ever
happened to me, was getting my appendix removed! But, what is a routine procedure for doctors now, go back 100
years and the story would be very different. Modern medicine, and its various different practices, have gone beyond
what many can imagine, and if the ratio of people who know and understand these practices becomes too small to
those who need it, it does not bode well for future generations.
Page 35
Interconnected
by David Maurer
If there is anything that the internet has
done for us, it’s brought us more together as a people. Social networks like
Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr have expanded our reach into the lives of others. Apps like Kik, Skype and Google
Hangout have allowed us to become
friends with people from around the
world. But can the people on the other
end be trusted?
The interesting thing about meeting
people online is the fact that most chat
settings use words to communicate, instead of verbal communication. These
sites allow people to be whomever they
please, this goes for predators too. There have been many occasions where online predators have been successful in tracking down who they intend to do harm to. This has raised concern with many people who feel
that they or a loved one are threatened by online predators. But is there really a need for concern?
Over the past month or so, I have made over 30 new friends, many of whom I trust. The reason I trust them
is because they have told me about themselves, in exchange for a little about me. This is an exchange of trust.
Usually, one asks for a picture of the other. I have seen the face of the majority of the people I have met and
made friends with, and they have seen mine in return. This exchange can open you up to potential threat, so
it’s wise to have a point where you can reveal yourself to the other and make sure it’s in a one-on-one setting (like a private message). But how come you trust them so much?
Most if not all of the people I know online know each other, either in real life, or online in their own way.
The fact that these new people know people I already know adds a small level of trust. This and the fact that
they show their faces shows that I am able to trust them. I still have a level of skepticism with some, others I
have grown to trust with more personal stuff, mainly because they have done the same with me.
Then there are the ones who I’ve chatted with on Skype. This privileged elite are the closest and most trusted of the online friends. The ability to video chat with them makes them as real as real people. This is the
ultimate level of trust in someone online. It’s like knowing them in real life, just a set of video cameras separating you. This is the moment when all skepticism of the other person falls off and you now have trust in
them.
Online friends are really great to have. Not many people can say they know at least one person from the UK,
Portugal, Sweden, and Australia (I can). But you must have a layer of skepticism, lest you end up in a rather
precarious place.
Page 36
Opinion
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McDonalds– What it Really Is
by Christina Malthouse
Most people think of
McDonalds as the fast
food restaurant located
just 20 minutes away from
everyone’s front door,
but I think different.
There is so much more
that goes into this business than what is thought
to be. The food is great in
matters of a certain perspective. I’m not a fan of
most of the juicy, fat gaining burgers or the caffeinated coffees ready to give
you a heart attack one
day, but besides that, the
chicken is great! Yes the
grilled is much healthier than the crispy, but it tastes so
much better than a lot of the other food you could order. The sugary parfaits are also so sweet they’ll make
you forget about all the other yogurt brands out there.
But anyway, McDonald’s has more to offer than the meal
combos, and the climbing prices that people are starting
to notice.
To see things from the other side of the yellow arches,
you have to travel behind the cash registers, through the
grill and stand in the back drive thru.
The job starts off and you think it’s just a job, trying to
earn money and show how well you can do or how little
you can do to get by another hour. There are dishes,
messy floors, and machines to clean as well as the walls if
that is all that is left to do. During those slots of time,
you just wish another hungry customer would drive in.
The abrupt winter weather in the back drive thru causes
brittle hands to crack when washing dishes then quickly
moving to the frigid window. Lotion becomes your personal buddy during these few months.
The grill is one of the warmest places you could be. I
think it is nicer using the oven’s heat where the delectable pies and warm
chocolate cookies pop
out. There is one section
that blows out warm air
when you lean your back
against it and it brings the
back drive thru worker a
sigh of relief, but this opportunity only happens
when the main priority,
dishes, is completed.
Little kids that come on
by are looked at as either
the most annoying things
that could walk into
McDonalds or the cutest.
Sometimes you will get
the rude hungry kids or
the adorable ones that stand there and wait for their
happy meal with pleasure and may even give you a
sweet wave good bye as they walk out. More irritating though are those special orders that people seem
to purposely try to make it complicated. Some people
have purposely said they want to make things simple
just from hearing what someone had previously ordered. Whatever the order is we will still deliver it
with gratitude. After all, we are ‘Lovin it!’
Once in a while, when the chaos has ceased and
there are no customers for a couple of minutes,
that’s when the McJob becomes more enjoyable for
everyone. The old chicken nuggets sometimes fly
through the air, but no actual food fights occur of
course. The crew just loves busting on each other
and we have tight connections that could never
break. I mean, after all, most of the people who work
there also have their relative working by their side.
No, we do not always get along but there is still a
bond unified because of those golden arches.
You never really understand what McDonald’s, at
least in Valatia, is all about until you work there.
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Prom Pictures
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Prom Pictures
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Sports
As the 2014-2015 School year is quickly winding down, be sure to get out in the nice, warm weather and
support your Maple Hill Wildcats!
Mon 5/11/15
4:00 PM
Boys (V) Tennis
Vs. Middleburgh Central School
Mon 5/11/15
4:15 PM
Boys (JV) Baseball
Vs. Hudson High
School
Wed 5/13/15
4:15 PM
Boys (V) Baseball
Vs. Hudson High
School
Wed 5/13/15
4:15 PM
Girls (V) Softball
Vs. Hudson High
School
Thur 5/14/15
3:30 PM
Boys (JV) Baseball
Vs. Chatham High
School
Thur 5/14/15
4:15 PM
Boys (V) Track and
Field
Vs. Greenville Central
Schools
Thur 5/14/15
4:15 PM
Girls (V) Track and
Field
Vs. Greenville Central
Schools
Thur 5/14/15
5:00 PM
Boys (V) Lacrosse
Vs. Greenville Central
High School
Congratulations to the Spring Sports Teams!
The Lady Wildcats Varsity Softball Team and Boys’ Varsity Baseball Team
for winning the Canonica Classic this year!
Greg Roe won the 2015 Patroon Conference Tennis Tournament and will
be a Top Ten seed at Sectionals. The Boys’ Tennis team has earned the
#3 seed in the Class C/D Sectionals.
Both the Girls’ and Boys’ Varsity Track and Field Teams won the Maple Hill Invitational on 4/25.
Congratulations to the Boys’ Lacrosse Team for their first win to Voorheesville on 4/28!
Best of luck on the rest of your season!