District Welcomes New Superintendent

2
Good Luck On The
PARCC!
All the buzz
about PV!
Passaic Valley Regional High School
www.pvhs.k12.nj.us
5
What’s Inside!
10
Standard Beauty Dolls
Mrs. Briggs
Vol. LXVII Issue 3
12
American Sniper
Spotlight: Steven Tillie
March 2015
District Welcomes New Superintendent
Husniye Cogur ‘15
As Dr. Terrance Brennan, new
interim superintendent, darts around the
hallways getting to know his new surroundings, he always has a smile on his
face. His white beard betrays his youthful
vivacity as the years of Taekwondo, soccer
and other physical pursuits as well as his
military experience become more apparent
with each stride.
After a lengthy interview process
with different candidates, the Board of
Education appointed the recruited Dr. Terrance R. Brennan as a new interim superintendent on December 16th. Dr. Brennan’s
official title became effective on January
1st through June 30th, 2015.
As interim superintendent, his
job is only temporary. However, he has the
same responsibilities and abilities as a regular superintendent, managing the entire
school program of the district.
Dr. Brennan grew up in Clifton,
New Jersey a town very close to Passaic
Valley. After graduating from high school,
Dr. Brennan joined the United States Air
Force and served four years during the
Vietnam War. “The Air Force provided
me access to adulthood, discipline and
improved my self-concept.”
After being honorably
discharged, Dr. Brennan took advantage of the help the government offered him though the G.I
Bill and furthered his education
at William Patterson University
where he received his Bachelor’s
degree. The G.I Bill, or Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, provides a variety of benefits for
military veterans including
payments for tuition and living
expenses to attend college.
After graduating from William
Patterson, Dr. Brennan attended graduate
school at Columbia University. From there,
he received two masters degrees and a doctorate. Traveling to and from school with
the load of coursework proved to be very
time consuming and tedious but he enjoyed
the experience. “Teachers College, Columbia University provided me an outstanding
educational experience and opened many
doors which helped to advance my profes-
sional career.”
Dr. Brennan has an immense
amount of administrative background. He has worked as a
principal, director of special
services, assistant superintendent and superintendent.
With 38 years of
experience in the educational field, Dr. Brennan served
as assistant superintendent
in Clifton for 5 years and as
superintendent of Middlesex
Borough for
another 5
years. He then became superintendent at
Pompton Lakes schools for 11 years. Dr.
Brennan has officially retired but still continued to work as interim superintendent
for different schools including Bloomingdale schools and at High Point Regional.
During his career, he also served as President of the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association.
Dr. Brennan’s expertise includes
curriculum and instruction, special education, finance and overall school adminis-
tration for K-12 school districts.
When running a school,
Dr. Brennan allows
for input from other
administrative members; incorporating
their opinions and
guidance in order
to make the most
efficient decisions
for the school.
Aside from
his work background,
Dr. Brennan is an incredibly gifted, intelligent and cultured individual. He has a
second-degree black belt in Taekwondo.
In July, he plans, along with 18 other Taekwondo students, to visit Singapore and
South Korea. He will stay in a temple and
study weapons of martial arts. He also actively plays soccer and keeps himself in
shape.
Dr. Terrance Brennan is incredibly
warm and kindhearted. He expresses true
concern, care and personal investment in
Favorite Soccer Team: Red Bulls
Music: Classical,
Stevie Wonder,
Bruno Mars
Favorite Food:
Blueberries and Bagels
Favorite President:
Abraham Lincoln
Zodiac Sign: Leo
the school, faculty and students.
“I want to evoke positive energy because I feel it is contagious.” Dr. Brennan
wants to promote joy and believes through
this students can be encouraged to be more
content and enjoy coming to school. He believes that “high school should be a happy
place and we should be supporting happiness.” He understands that there is more to
running an efficient school than just policies and regulations; there needs to be genuine interaction between the students and
faculty.
Teachers and Guidance Counselors have also noted how incredibly
enjoyable it has ben to meet Dr. Brennan.
Dr. Clinton attests, “Everyone has a pretty
great impression of him.”
Mr. Pantale remarked how “involved in the day to day operation of the
school” Dr. Brennan is. Ms. Vigilante
also acknowledged the “positive energy” that radiates from the new superintendent.
Dr. Brennan reciprocated the kind
compliments, “the Passaic Valley
Faculty has been very welcoming.” He has been greeted warmly and he eagerly wishes to get
to know everyone further.
He even invites students
to come down to his office during their free
time for conversation.
He enjoys working with
students and wishes to be
as involved as he can. He
can be found in the superintendent’s office across
from guidance.
Currently, Dr. Brennan
lives with his wife and has
one son, Ian, whom he considers his biggest accomplishment. He hopes to continue living a healthy and happy life in Denville and looks forward to the rest of the
school year.
Brennan believes in a positive
working environment that allows for the
administration, faculty and, most importantly, the students to enjoy themselves. In
his words, “Your smile is my smile.”
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Op-Ed
Valley Echo
March 2015
Realistic dolls attempt to compete with “Standard Beauty”
Chelsea Lynn Ribeiro ‘15
The Lammily doll made by Nickolay
Lamm came out in November 28, 2014;
it has been featured in Huffington Post,
Today, Time, LA Times, Good Morning America, CNN, CBS, Cosmopolitan,
The Daily Beast, and BBC Radio. It is a
body image doll that is going to compete
with Barbie as a role model for young
girls. The Lammily doll comes with a set
of stickers that have blemishes on them,
that could be added onto the doll like
acne, stretch marks, stitches, and bruises.
Lammily’s proportions are normal and
can be the size of an actual person, unlike
Barbie, who stands about six feet tall with
a 39" bust, 18" waist, and 33" hips, according to the Huffington post. A person with
uneven proportions, like Barbie, would
not be able to walk and would not fit in
a size zero. Asking students their preference between Barbie and Lammily, most
students picked Barbie mainly because
her clothes are nicer than Lammily’s. The
Lammily doll comes with one outfit but
you could separately buy seven others
that are not the most fashion forward, the
outfits look more like something a middle aged woman would wear, instead of a
Photo Caption: On the left, is an unedited picture of a Barbie and in the middle is a Lammily doll. To
the right is one of the Tree Change movement doll that has been reinvented.
Photo Credit: whmuk.com for picture on left and treechangedolls.tumblr.com for picture on right
seventeen year old. Victoria Luisi’s opinion differed “I was brought up on Barbie
since my mom played with Barbie, the first
doll is a better role model and should be
advertised more, but Barbie is still prettier. Girls want to grow up, and be pretty.”
The Lammily doll is a good concept,
it’s a doll that looks like a real person but
that’s not what children want they want
fantasy and the idea that they could be
almost as perfect as Barbie one day. I understand that it is impossible but Barbie is
not entirely wrong, the doll does give off
an unreachable standard but it gives girls
a motivation to be the best they can be.
The Lammily doll is $25 while some Barbie’s start at $10. There is no incentive to
get a doll with ugly clothes and ugly hair
when you could get a “perfect” Barbie.
Along with Lammily, there is also a
Tumblr project titled “Tree Change Movement”. This is run by an Austrian doll maker, whose goal is to change the way you
look at dolls. The Tree Change Movement
collects second hand Bratz dolls, then
paints over their facial features, and reinvents the doll into a more normal looking
person, with realistic lips, eyes, and without any make up. They also give the doll
new clothes that are less revealing and
more appropriate for the target age group.
Although none of these “Tree Change
Movement” dolls are not for sale yet but
they are going to set up a shop in Etsy soon.
Looking at dolls like this, I hope it
helps people realize that it is okay to
be imperfect. Although Lammily has a
long way to go before the doll will be
desired by young girls, it is a good start.
Single on Valentine’s Day is anything but lonely
Imge Uludogan ‘15
Photo Caption: Walgreens preparing Valentine’s Day items a month before the big day.
Photo Credit: Imge Uludogan ‘15
Valentine’s Day is a day where
singles feel left out from the people around
them. Although it is considered a commercial holiday it’s always that time of year
that makes everyone go into relationship
depression. The store shelves start getting
stocked at the beginning of January. Aisles
and aisles of oversized stuffed animals,
enormous boxes of chocolate, expensive
jewelry and flowers galore. Although it’s a
special day for couples, for singles it’s just
either treated as another day or spent with
friends or some downtime by themselves.
But Valentine’s Day for singles found when one is involved in a couple.
shouldn’t have to be just another day spent Having complete and total indemoping around because you do not have a pendence is a priceless benefit of being sinvalentine. “My mom buys me a box of choc- gle. “I just treated it like a normal day and
olates every year,” said Jasmine Garcia ’15. didn’t care really,” said Emily Vandam ’15.
Why not use ValYou don’t have to
entine’s Day as
about wheth“I just treated it like a normal worry
a great excuse to
er or not you should
day and didn’t care really,” - buy him a gift; bring
treat yourself? On
Valentine’s
Day Emily Vandam ‘15.
her white roses or
and all other days
red, or what the othof the year, being single allows for com- er person’s expectations for the day are.
plete independence that just cannot be There
is
no
pressure.
Valentine’s Day can also be a day of good
or bad gift giving. The best gifts range
from an elephant bamboo plant and a teddy bear and chocolates. While the worst
consist of a corny card and cheap flowers.
Valentine's Day, in short, is the day of love.
It is the day to show those you truly care about, how much you love and
appreciate them whether they are family, friends, your significant other,
or most importantly yourself.
Valley Echo
Features
Editorial policy: The Valley Echo encourages students, faculty and members of the local community to write letters to the editor about concerns
Features Editor : Alex Greco
Contributors: Hüsniye Cogur, Matteo Gencarelli, Kristina Lu- and comments they might have. Letters must be signed, but names will
be withheld upon request. The Valley Echo reserves the right to edit all
News
canto
letters to make them conform to the style and taste of the publication.
News Editor : Rachel Hari
Entertainment
The Valley Echo will strive for truth in all matters and will not publish
Contributors: Andres Diaz, Vanessa Shindle, Maria Burlibelous, obscene and/or defamatory material. It is the aim of this student
Entertainment Editor : Robert Cullen
lamaqui
publication to practice freedom of the press. The Valley Echo reserves the
Contributors: Kaylynn Vargas, Jessica Bangaree
right to publish any story, editorial or letter.
Op-Ed
Sports
Valley Echo
Op- Ed Editor : Chelsea Ribeiro
Sports Editor : Helena Mattioli
Published by the students of Passaic Valley Regional High School
Contributors: Malac Moraktan, Alexia Sottile, Imge Contributors: Adrianna Laskowski, Melissa Slater, Amanda
East Main Street, Little Falls, NJ 07424
Uludogan
www.pvhs.k12.nj.us
Mathews
Advisor
Mr. Fowler
3
Valley Echo
All Lives Matter!
Op-Ed____
Alexia Sottile‘16
Photo credit: addicttinginfo.com Photo caption: Protestors now attack police officers
Photo credit: nydailynews.com Photo caption: This is the major
silent protest aginst Mayor De Blasio.
Over the past three months, there have
been several types of protests all throughout the country, both for and against police
officers with the use of force on suspects.
In Ferguson, Missouri, protesters cried out
against the fact that officer Darren Wilson was not punished for fatally shooting
Michael Brown. The most recent protests
were in New York City to honor an African American man named Eric Garner,
who was suffocated, resulting in his death,
by an officer Daniel Pantaleo. Mr. Garner
was accused of selling untaxed cigarettes,
which was why he was arrested previously. There were a few other police officers
at the scene. During the height of these
New York City protests, two police officers were killed, and many police supporters looked at this event as a sign that the
politicians, most notably New York City
Mayor William DeBlasio, did not support
the police department. In response, police
officers attending the funerals of the two
slain officers turned their back when Mr.
DeBlasio spoke, protesting his presence
as well as his lack of support. With both
sides protesting their rights and views
on police brutality, students were asked
to share their thoughts on the matter:
Mr. Eric Garner’s Case: Students expressed their feelings on violence, in general, and a majority of students are against
it. Once educated on the case of Mr. Eric
Garner, students stated they felt Officer
Pantaleo handled the situation incorrectly. They deem there was no need to extend his force in such a way. Nearly all
peers voted for protests, as long as they
are peaceful. There is an equal share of
students believing the police officer was
sure of his actions and their potential consequences; others argue Pantaleo is simply
another man in a blue uniform fighting to
protect this nation and it’s people; the officer committed his actions to ameliorate
and ensure our nation’s people’s safety.
Officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian
Liu Case: It is often heard of cases that
repeat themselves. Sometimes, the public
becomes influenced from outside affairs.
The case of NYPD Officers Rafael Ramos
and Wenjian Liu was a case that has broken many hearts. These officers monitoring the streets in their patrol cars, when a
man drove by and shot them both, leading
to their deaths. The killer later committed
suicide. Officials deem the man had no
connection with the officers. They propose the killer was motivated by the death
chants, a protest against police officers,
that is, unfortunately, becoming more notorious. There have been major silent
protests other police officers have done in
honor of the officers and in spite of Mayor De Blasio of New York. Mr. De Blasio
made a public statement hinting at his dislike towards police officers. He ordered
NYPD officers to turn their backs toward
the hearse, holding the officers’ slain bod-
Malac Moraktan ‘17
Graph Credit: Malac Moraktan ;17
Graph Caption: Students opinopns in a poll about the PARCC
It will disrupt their teaching plans, but they
will try their best to prepare for it. Ms. Bednarski, the English Department Head, comments on the class time to be taken away,
"Unfortunately, we have no input in how
the tests are given and how much time is
taken away from class time. However, we
have had enough notice so we will all readjust our teaching and plan for maximizing
teaching time to accommodate the tests."
The PARCC will focus on only
two sections, English and Mathematics.
This will be a disadvantage to those science and history nerds. Now why do all
state tests only focus on English and Math?
Is it because these are the skills you will
use more often in life or is it because the
ies, instead of facing and respecting them.
There were thousands of officers there that
participated in the protest against the mayor, which most students believed to be an
“awesome act of rebellion” – Norhan Omran ‘15 because the situation did not get violent. An un-named teacher and a couple of
students feel this action was disrespectful!
The Death Chant Riot: All throughout
New York City, there has been a shocking
uprising against police officers. Protesters
are chanting for the death of officers yelling “What do we want?- Dead cops- when
do we want them?-Now!” Protesters have
made a group throughout social media,
like Twitter, attempting to gain more followers; this is -prompting and motivating
people to assault, like the case of Officers
Ramos and Liu, have led to death! All students and teachers have strongly disagreed
on these biased behaviors. “It damages the
people saying it and incites violence.”Dr. Susan Clinton an English teacher.
Photo credit: addictinginfo.org Photo caption: The
protest for Mr. Garner has traveled worldwide in
hopes of establishing justice.
Photo credit: clashdaily.com Photo caption: Protestors show their opinions on
our system.
Let us not go to the PARCC
The PARCC is foolish. Why make students stress about one more test when they
are already stressing about an abundant
amount of homework, projects, tests, the
SAT’s, prom, Valentine’s day, naming their
new puppy, updating their Iphone, describing cloud shapes, and many other ridiculous things that are still not as ridiculous as
the PARCC. It is frustrating because there
really is no way to prepare yourself for the
test, and rumors say that it is considered
a very difficult test that contains material
that students never learned. Ok, now that
I have gotten the stereotypical 15 year old
high school student’s response to a test out
of the way, my opinion is actually grounded in facts. Even though it is months away,
the idea of sitting in front of a laptop to
take a test that might affect whether or not
you graduate never escapes one’s mind.
The Partnership for Assessment
of Readiness for College and Careers, or
the PARCC, is an examination that freshman, sophomores, and juniors will be required to take in March and April. It is also
a test that grades three and up will be taking
throughout the state of New Jersey. Not everyone is welcoming the PARCC with open
arms. Eleni Rotsides, ’17, comments, “The
PARCC makes me feel nervous because
you have to take it every year. It is one
more test to stress about.” Students ranging from grades nine through eleven were
interviewed, and I have to tell you, not one
of them is looking forward to this test. The
teachers are also quite disappointed from
this test that will impede their schedules.
March 2015
state doesn't like Science or History? The
english and math teachers are not really happy about this because they have no
proper way to prepare their students for
this test; they could just wish them good
luck and tell them to remember pi. Dr.
Clinton, an English teacher, comments
about this issue, "I don't think that the students are prepared for this test. The form
will be challenging. For the English section, students will have to read and view
two to three pieces with little time. They
will have to be ready to think on demand.”
The PARCC will be a test not
on paper, but on a laptop. Students will
be distributed throughout the school
in classrooms, the Farrell Gymnasium
and the (name of ...) Auditorium. They
will be set up with a laptop and a pair
of headphones for the hearing sections.
Mr. O'Brien, the Supervisor of Curriculum, thinks that the PARCC will not
benefit the students' education. He comments about the state, "They offered a lot
of professional development. They told
us how to prepare and how to administer
the test. There was no financial support."
Now that you have gotten the perspective of these examinations from English teachers, it is time for a math teacher's
view on this test. Ms. Robeson, comments,
"The students are and are not prepared
for these tests. They won't be ready for
the tough wording, but the material that
we taught will basically be on the test, so
they will be ready for that." Jeleiny De
La Rosa, '16, comments about the laptop
situation, "I would be more comfortable
sitting in front of a laptop. It's better than
sitting with your head down and staring at
a piece of paper." Overall, not everyone is
looking forward to this test. There are rumors going around our school saying that
the PARCC is considered a college-level
examination. It's hard to tell you whether
or not you should believe this, even if it
could be true, but many students do believe
this. Not only are these QBA's enough,
but the state decided that it will be beneficial to give these students another test to
"help them better succeed in high school".
Features
It’s show time! Mrs. Briggs takes the spotlight
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Valley Echo
March 2015
Matteo Gencarelli ‘15
Starting bright and early every day, students
file in, often half asleep as many people are at eight in
the morning. However, the very image of bubbly energy, Mrs. Briggs starts off the day with a venti from
Starbucks, and a radiant ‘can do’ attitude. Immediately
upon starting class, her specific brand of teaching brings
the class to attention, eager to listen for the innumerable
jokes ready to be unleashed. The banter with students is
often woven into the lesson, keeping students alert. Anyone More than this, at the end of the period, students
genuinely wish they could stay, as those short forty-five
minutes fly by when learning and discussing are so fun.
English teacher Mrs. Briggs has been teaching for
five years, although many students lovingly remember her
as Miss Corthell. However, she did not always want to be a
teacher. Until attending Montclair State University, where
she attended college,
her favorite subjects
were English and
Journalism, both
subjects
lending
themselves
to a profession in media. One of
the main
reasons
Briggs
loved these
classes was the open forum and lack of lecture-based lessons. To this day, she bases the way she teaches along the
way she liked to learn, with a basis in mutual respect rather than rules and punishments. While she loves working
at PV and making a positive impact on those who come
through here, if not teaching, Mrs. Briggs would like to
be a talk show host. When asked to explain further, she
simply stated “you know, like Jay Leno or something.”
Thankfully, Mrs. Briggs loves teaching, as well as
the stories that are part of the coursework. Of all the books
and movies she has dived into, the Odyssey is her favorite.
Among other reasons, she “loves the journey.” However,
this does not affect her literary tastes as a whole. Her favorite periods in writing are the Modern to Postmodern
Era, for bringing authors such as John Steinbeck, T. S. Eliot, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Despite her love of literature,
“You
know,
like Jay Leno
or something”
- Mrs. Briggs
Photo Credit: Maria Burlamaqui ‘15 Photo Caption: Mrs. Briggs, if not teaching, has always wanted to be a talk show host.
Photoshop Credit: Matteo Gencarelli
on the subject of movie/book preference, she joked “I have
to say books, but on the weekends,
it’s movies.” She does still read for
pleasure, however. When she can,
Mrs. Briggs enjoys reading romantic comedies on her own time,
specifically Nora Roberts’s numerous novels. This particular genre
really helps to relieve the heavier
and more emotional stories read in
class, such as The Bluest Eye and A
Streetcar Named Desire. Over the years, reading the same
stories spurs her to branch out into new genres and series. However, she has never read
the Harry Potter series, as they are
too time consuming to get into.
At home, besides romantic comedy, Mrs. Briggs enjoys playing with her daughter, listening
to pop-country. She also likes
drinking Coke, because the polar bears in the commercials are
“too cute.” She also likes buying
purses and scarves, because “who doesn’t like to shop?”
Photo Credit: Maria Burlamaqui Photo Caption: Zaira singing Riptide by Vance Jay.
Photo Credit: Maria Burlamaqui Photo Caption: Steve singing Folsom Prison Blues
By Johnny Cash.
Photo Credit: Maria Burlamaqui Photo Caption: Briana singing Bound
to You by Christina Aguilera
Zaira Capotorto (Riptide by Vance Jay)
Steve Mendoza (Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash)
Briana Amico ( Bound to You by Christina Aguilera)
Why did you choose that song?
It is one of my favorites
Why did you choose that song?
I chose the song because it is one of many favorites, and it
also has a great sound to it.
Why did you choose that song?
It showed my range very well and personally I connect
with my song.
Why did you choose this style of music?
I grew up on classic country and it is been part of my life
ever since.
Why did you choose this style of music?
It’s very touching.
“I have to say books,
but on the weekends, it’s movies”
- Mrs. Briggs
Inside of the Minds of the Contestants of the Variety Show
Maria Burlamaqui ‘15
Why did you choose this style of music?
Because I love the flow of the guitar.
Why do you think the variety show is a good thing, or
a bad thing?
It is a good thing because it’s a good way for people to
express themselves.
Why do you think the variety show is a good thing, or
a bad thing?
It is a great thing. It lets people showcase their talent.
Who do you look for inspiration?
Taylor Swift.
Why do you think the variety show is a good thing, or
a bad thing?
The variety show provides an awesome opportunity to
showcase new, undiscovered artists to put their music out
there and perform.
How do you think you did on the variety show?
It was my first time playing in front of people so I was a
little nervous but I think I did well.
Who do you look for inspiration?
Personally, I look to Johnny Cash. We both have a similar
vocal tone and style.
How do you think you did on the Variety Show?
I think I did really great, especially hosting. I think that we
did a really good job at reaping the pace of the show.
Why did you want to performance in the Variety Show?
To overcome my stage fright.
How do you think you did on the Variety Show?
It was one of my better performances; however, there is
always room for improvement.
Why did you want to performance in the Variety Show?
I have done it since freshman year and it is honestly the
best night of the year.
Who do you look for inspiration?
Whitney Houston
7
Features
Valley Echo
March 2015
GHT IS YOUR NIGHT
Maria Burlamaqui‘15
What is your favorite aspect of Girls’ Show?
Green
Gianna Matranga, Courtney Dondero: The tradition.
Brooke Lawson, Ronni Wellema:The friendships
I make with so many girls.
Rebecca Van Vliet, Vanessa Figueroa: Driving/
walking in the night of
Mia Cannataro, Ashley Lameiras, Dinh Dinh-Do: School spirit.
Miranda Veltri, Jenna Santoro, Olivia Vantuno: Different events with the team.
Jessica Lopez, Alyssa Cuntrera, Janine Juzdan: Being a part of a team.
Winners
Green
Cheer
White
White
Taylor Foulds, Nicolette Riccobono: The week before when everyone wears the different shirts.
Kaylynn Vargas, Lisa Cianci: Being able to be a part
of something special.
Briana Mezzina, Malinda DiPasquale: The tradition.
Alexandra Capizzi, Emily VanDam: Seeing our opponents’
work.
Alyssa Mele, Alyssa Rodriguez:
The comradery between the girls.
Hayley Luisa, Daniella Sole, Victoria Abbondonza: The tradition.
Interviews
with Fans
What makes you want to come and
watch Girls Show?
Exercise
Jeffin
Naduparambil
(Right):
School pride.
Dance
Novelties
Victoria Luisi:
To support my
friends.
Relays
Christian Nieves
(Center): To see
all of my friends
perform.
Posters
Overall Winner: Green
Kayla Campbell
(Right) and Caira Abdelrahman
(Left): To watch
all my friends.
6
Valley Echo
Features
Helena Mattioli ‘15
March 2015
GIRLS’ SHOW: TONIG
Girls’ Show is one of the most prestigious events that takes place at Passaic Valley High School. It is something
that many students look forward to, whether they are participating, watching or helping. The show this year, given the
slogan “This is Your Night”, was no disappointment. The competition was fierce and the outcomes were extremely
close. Both the green and white teams put on an amazing show filled with pure entertainment and talent.
The feeling in the gym on the night of Girls’ Show is something that is indescribable. Jessica Bangaree, ‘15, a
member of Green Cheer, describes a feeling of being “ready to go out onto the floor and kill it.” Things are tense, but
exciting, as everyone waits for the show to begin. The crowd’s enthusiasm and love for the show is evident through the
cheers of motivation to the girls.
Every team’s routine was phenomenal and completely captivating. Each separate aspect was unique and truly breathtaking. Green Cheer, dubbing themselves the Green Cheer Police Department, began the night. Up next was
White Cheer representing District 12 as Katniss Everdeen. Then came Green Exercise straight from Paris as the Phantom of the Opera. Following suit was White Exercise ready for revenge as Maleficent. Next to take the floor was Green
Dance, coming alive from a comic book as Poison Ivy. Lastly was White Dance, fighting their battle as Mulan. Each
team was creative and left the crowd in awe.
Of course, like at the end of every competition, there can only be one winner. No matter the situation, losing
causes a sense of disappointment, but the show that is put on seems to be a glorious prize in and of itself. As Mrs. Dellano, the Girls’ Show Director stated, “The girls learn that the process of creating is its own reward.” Each and every
participant put on a wonderful and alluring show that people are sure to remember. Despite winning and losing, the girls
enthralled the crowd and gave next years participants a lot to live up to.
Highlights of Girls’ Show 2015
Photo Credit: Maria Burlamaqui ‘15 and Helena Mattioli ‘15
Drawing Credits: Ashley Lameiras ‘15 and Mia Cannataro ‘15
8
Valley Echo
Features
March 2015
Traditions of Girl’s Show extend beyond a single
night
Kristina Lucanto ‘15
Photo Caption: Girl’s Show lockers decorated with their themes. (From left to right) Maleficent, Phantom of the opera, Poison ivy, Hunger games, Mulan, and the police.
Photo Credit: Maria Burlamaqui
Girl show is approaching
and the nerves and excitement
are at an all time high as the tradition of Passaic Valley continues. Over the years Girl’s Show
has evolved and continued to
grow into the big night we all
look forward to. However, some
traditions like the locker decoration and auditioning process
still remain the same today.
Each team has their own special traditions besides the regular shirts and lockers with each
theme on it. These traditions that
may seem strange to the average
student make Girl’s Show special
for each team. Green Cheer, for
example, sews a piece of the costume from “drumline year” which
was one of the best teams year
onto their custom, smell a calming oil before the show, and put a
power band on a water bottle and
all drink from the same bottle.
White cheer’s tradition is to
sit in a circle with string and say
a compliment or a nice memory of a person and then throw
the string to them. When everyone has said a compliment each
girl cuts a piece of the string
off and ties it to their costume.
White Dance has a party, the
heads give a speech to calm everyone and they eat pixie sticks. Green
Dance puts a shamrock somewhere on themselves for good
luck and they have a sleepover
the night before Girl’s Show.
Green Exercise has a pasta
party the night after they perform for the other green teams
and they also have a Christmas Party where they get their
theme shirts. White Exercise
prays and does chants before the
show to calm everyone down.
No matter what the tradition,
and returners work extremely
hard to make this years routine
the best one yet. Girl’s Show
is an event that showcases the
everyone’s talents and brings
out the PV pride in everyone.
When asked, Ms. Peters said
her favorite tradition about Girl’s
Show is the week before when
they have green and white day.
The committee heads come to-
Gamer’s Club
Literary Club
Criminal Justice Club
it takes timeand effort to make
the spectacular night happen.
The heads of each team have to
come up with the routine and costumes, as the newest members
gether to celebrate their hard
work. Mrs. Delanno, director ofthe show, has been involved with
Girl’s Show for years and says her
favorite tradition is dance night.
“ Green Committee Heads give
White Committee heads a green
flower and vise versa. It shows
how proud the girls are of each
other and shows a job well done.
At the end of the day they’re all
still friends and PV students. It
keeps the spirit of healthy competition and shows respect for one
another after putting on the show.”
Clubs offer a wide range of interests
Alex Greco ‘15
Animal Club
Comic Book Club
photo credit: paradoxchange2humor.
wordpress.com
photo caption: a dog without a home.
photo credit: mynintendonews.com
photo credit:writeawriting.com
photo credit:nj.com
photo credit: comicbookcollectors.org
cover of video game: Super Smah Bros
photo caption: a book with glasses on
top
The NJ state police emblem
caption:superman’s first cover
Animal Club was started
thirteen years ago and is run by
Ms. Kennedy. Animal Club advocates for animals that are abused,
abandons, or just need help.
There are a total of 25
members. The club has fundraisers, collect can goods and toys
for animal shelters. They also
volunteer at local foster shelters. The club also goes on pet
walks, dog baths, and collects
for the NJSPCA collection box.
The club meets once a month.
Ms. Kennedy would
love for people to join Animal
Club because she wants “to help
rescue and protect animals from
abuse and if they think animals
should not be treated inhumanely.
Gamers Club is run by
science teacher Ms. Kennedy.
The club has been here for more
than a decade. The club meets
twice a month and exposes people
to different types of games, such
as video games and board games.
The club is a great
opportunity to meet people
with the same interests as you.
There are currently 45 members. The Gamers club does
more than just play games.
They raises money and
buys games and donate them to
children who are stuck in hospital beds. They also compete and
host tournaments every once in
a while. Ms. Kennedy says the
best reason to join is “to get to
know other people and games.
The Literary Club
has been around for more than
sixteen years and is run by
English teacher Dr. Clinton.
The main goal of the
club is to enjoy verbal arts. There
are about fifty students in the
club and they meet once a month.
They have an interest
in anything that has to do with
words. They run poetry contests, go to plays, host poetry
slams, and host the coffee house
every year. At the coffee house
teachers and students read their
favorite pieces from literature.
Dr. Clinton says the
best quality of the Literary
Club is “The meetings are really fun and brings the members
into contact with good writers.”
Mrs. Briggs has been
the advisor for the Criminal Justice Club for four years with
Officer Vanak. The Criminal
Justice Club has a guest speaker every meeting, once a month.
Forensic scientists, the sheriff
department, canine unit, military,
attorneys, and all other branches of law enforcement come in
to speak to the club members.
The club helps the Animal Club with their ASPCA charity and assists in giving necessity
items to the military overseas.
Mrs. Briggs says the
best reason to join is “If you are
looking to become someone in
law enforcement, then the Criminal Justice Club is great because
we connect students to these officials in this work environment.
Comic Book Club was
started three years ago by Mr.
Burke and Mr. Paternoster. The
Comic Book Club talks about comics, movies, TV shows and current
events relating to comic books.
The main goal is to get
students to focus on literature
and to make reading enjoyable.
There are currently 25
students in the Comic Book Club.
The club hosts the story time event
at the Woodland Park Library.
They
also
collect
books to donate to St. Clair’s
Hospital. The club meets
one to two times a month.
Mr. Burke says the best
reason to join is because “It is fun
and a great place for students to
talk about their love of comics.”
Entertainment
9 Valley Echo
Nicki Minaj ‘The Pink Print’ is a hit on the
charts
Kaylynn Vargas ‘15
SPY
March 2015
PV Homecoming Rally!!
Show your school spirit
and find the 15 mistakes
in the photo below!
Adrianna Laskowski ‘15 and Helena Mattioli ‘15
Kaylynn Vargas 15’
“I had to reinvent myself” said album more personal. She wanted her
Nicki Minaj. The queen of hip-hop recently
released her third consecutive album, The
Pink Print. The album released December
12th, 2014 and admirers love it. The Pink
Print was known for its production and
connection to the artist. It was said to be
the most powerful project to date she has
worked on. The first
week of the release
date she sold 244,000
copies. The first week
she sold 198,142 copies and streamed 16.8
million times over
the United States in
the first week. In the
United Kingdom, she
debuted in the top
22 in the first week
of sales, and sold
17,604 copies. The title, the Pink print
has a relation to rapper Jay-Z’s Blueprint
album released in 2001. Nicki says, “he
did such a great job of creating this Blueprint brand for male rappers, and I wanted to do that for female rappers to be able
to “he did such a great job of creating
this Blueprint brand for male rappers and
I wanted to do that for female rappers to
be able to pattern themselves with what
I’ve done one day”. This album debuted
number two on the US billboard 200 chart.
There are a total of sixteen songs
on this album. Many people don’t know
this, but Miss. Minaj wanted to make this
fans to feel the pain and struggle she went
through to make it to where she is today.
The album starts with “All Things Go”
which is an autobiographical song. The
lyrics talk about the complications that occurred during her life. The song reflects her
fame and the road in which she’s been on.
The song touches upon
the death of her cousin Nicholas Telemaque
who was murdered,
the relationship with
her mother, but most
importantly, an abortion she went through.
“I’m a bigger fan of
her now.” Mia Cannataro 15’ said. “Many
people don’t know the
real her. Her new music gives people a chance to look at her
differently in a more positive manner.”
The album mostly received positive views. One review said, “Despite the
fact the middle of the album could have
been shortened, the best songs were favorite, and buy a heart.” The deluxe edition includes a well-known song named,
Shanghai, many listeners were not left disappointed and loved everything that Nicki
had to offer. The Pink print appeared on
several critics’ year-end top album lists.
The album was voted the forty seventh best
albums of 2014 in the Pazz & Jop, which
was a critic poll, ran by The Village Voice.
“I had to
reinvent myself”
Photo Caption: Svteve Mendoza plays acoustic guitar and sings
Photo Credit: Maria Burlamaqui ‘15
Answers: 1. Hat has cowskin print 2. Microphone has been removed 3.
Marshall’s badge placed on chest 4. Belt buckle has been removed 5.
Lasso on belt 6. Guitar’s pick guard is blue 7. Tuning knobs are gone 8.
Microphone cover is green 9. Guitar is cracked and weathered 10. Steve’s
thumb has been removed
Photo Credit: highbrowhiphop.com Photo Caption: Nicki Minaj posing for photos on the red carpet
10
Valley Echo
Entertainment
Personal questions take a
Turn
March 2015
Chris Kyle Aims Down the
Sight( Spoiler Alert)
Jessica Bangaree ‘15
Valentine’s Day is approaching and
is a time for couples to celebrate their love
together. However, there are still people out
there that need to find their perfect match.
Computer Fun has been circulating around
the school every valentine’s day. What’s
the main reason that students fill this out
and pay for their results? Valerie Varona’
15 “People only do it for fun and its amusing to see who gets matched up with who”.
However, many students have noticed that
this year’s questions are a little different.
They are very personal and students don’t
feel too comfortable answering them. For
example one of the questions are “Do you
sometimes diet or try to lose weight? Not
everyone feels comfortable answering this
question because it is very personal. Being
that the questions are multiple choice, the
answers to the questions also bother students. An example of this is the questions
“What would you most like to change in your
life?” If someone was completely satisfied
with their life, there is no option to change
nothing. All the answers to the question im-
ply that something needs to be change. To
some people this may be a big deal. Brianna
Mezzina’ 15 “There is no need for these questions to be that personal. Were only in high school
and don’t need to know find a personal match”.
Mrs. Grande, who is in charge of this
computer fun, was questioned on this. She does
not make up the question, but chooses them.
Questions from past years were different. One of
the questions were, “If you could be an animal,
which one would it be”. These questions are funny and ideal for something like this. The personal
questions aren’t. Because of this year’s questions,
it may change the activity in the future. Students
may not want to engage in these activities anymore because they may feel uncomfortable answering the questions. Pamela Boskovski 15 “The
computer fun game is what I call fake, and it won’t
allow us to find a perfect match even if it’s just
for fun.” So, perhaps the students this year will
no longer want the option of answering individual questions to find their valentine, however if
they do, good luck finding your perfect match!
Photo Credit: (top) Alexandra Garcia, (bottom) Google
Rob Cullen ‘17
Clint Eastwood delivers 132 minutes of
pure excitement in the most recent film
“American Sniper”. In the first weekend
the movie shattered records racking in 90.2
million dollars. The budget for the film
was 60 million dollars. Most of America
tuned into see Bradley cooper stars as the
late Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in
U.S military history. American Sniper is
being dubbed one of the greatest and war
movies. In this action packed movie Chris
Kyle, played as Bradley cooper is a legendary sniper in the US Navy. As a boy, Chris
Kyle realized his gift as an expert marksman. This movie was based off of the
true story of Chris Kyle, A navy seal who
decided to join the corps after seeing the
attacks on U.S embassies. The first scene
is laid in a small
town in Iraq where
Marines are sweeping the area. Chris
Kyle sees a woman and her young
child
approaching a convoy of Marines. He must decide
whether to pull the trigger or not. When
Chris Kyle returns home from his first tour
to see the birth of his child, he is clearly
disturbed by the vivid memories of what
he saw back in Iraq. As the Movies continue, Kyle is faced with numerous tough
decisions between life and death. As the
movie goes on, Kyle goes through various
changes both physically and mentally. He
often finds himself in the heat of war, wishing he was home. When he comes home
his head is in another place. He feels terrible because he is not in Iraq saving his
fellow men from the so called “savages”.
Throughout the film, Kyle is being followed by an Iraqi sniper named “Musta-
fa.” This Iraqi sniper has been picking off
Kyle’s men and he makes it a mission to
put a halt to Mustafa’s killing spree. Both
elite snipers cross paths multiple times.
At the climax of the movie, Chris Kyle
and his group of seals enter a small town
house. Shortly after securing the building,
the house is attacked by enemy insurgence.
By Chris Kyle’s fourth tour of duty, he
begins to take more risky decisions. At
one point he has the opportunity to take
a record setting long distance shot on his
enemy Mustafa. Taking the shot would
reveal him and his team’s position. After
successfully taking the shot, the townhouse
is attacked by a large number of enemy
soldiers. In the midst of a wild fire fight,
Chris calls his wife and tells her that he is
ready to come home”.
After a near brush with
death Kyle and most of
his team escape not before one of Kyle’s best
friends is fatally shot.
When he returns home
for good, he is unable to adjust to civilian
life. He is constantly being haunted by the
memories of war. After finally opening
up and becoming a fully devoted father,
his home life is almost fully repaired. After adjusting to civilian life, Kyle seems
to become content with being home. It is
clear that he is a lot more relaxed. Kyle becomes involved in helping his fellow soldiers who are struggling with PTSD dieses
that is caused by near- death experiences. Often relive the experience by nightmares or flashbacks. One day Kyle got a
call from Eddie Ray Routh, an ex-Marine.
Shortly after they arrived at the shooting
range Routh fatally shot and killed Chis
Kyle & a companion Chad Littlefield.
“This is the first ‘real’
superhero movie”
11
Sports
Valley Echo
March 2015
Wrestling team wins District 13
Adrianna Laskowski ‘15
of Depal High School in the title bout.
Wrestling reclaimed the District 13 wrestling title with a dominating effort by its biggest stars during the
match at West Essex High School. Eight
wrestlers were sent to the finals to beat
West Essex. Nick DeNora, Franklyn
Cruz, Chris Armagno and Gianni Palumbo had placed second, while Kenny
Kerwin and Diego Alvarez placed third.
Diego Alvarez, a wrestler who has been on
the team for four years; says “Before every match we do drills, just to get us going, every match I get nervous but it goes
away once we start.” Diego wants to make
this year count, since it is last year to wrestle. “My favorite thing about wrestling
is getting my hand raised after a match.”
Another wrestler Franklyn Cruz,
who has also been on the team for four
years, has wrestled in two club Olympic
and Total Force wrestling. Thinking about
how his strategy has change throughout
the years, Cruz says, “I have gotten better throughout the years and have learned
a few new moves but sometimes what
works best at times is the basic stuff.”
Benvenuti has worked as a
head coach for wrestling for 13 years.
He worked five years at West Essex high
school and eight years here at PV. Coach
Benvenuti is proud at how the season is
starting off. Knowing how his team works,
he thinks that the team is going to succeed as the season goes on. He has been a
coach for so long he can see the potential
that this team possesses. He is excited that
the team has so many winning wrestlers.
Photo Credit: Alex Remnick (NJ.com)
Photo Caption: Matthew Matturo (West Essex) wrestles Malik Karmi in the 160lb bout of a Varsity Wrestling
match versing West Essex.
Photo Credit: Alex Remnick (NJ.com)
Photo Caption: Casiano Franco wrestles Marc McDonald (West Essex) in the heavyweight bout of a Varsity
Wrestling match versing West Essex.
The Hornets wrestling team continues their successful season. The team is
one of the winningest programs in school
history. They are 15-9 in their division and
have two star wrestlers; Tyler Tepe and
Jala’a Darwish.
Although the team
said goodbye to
the many talented 2014 seniors,
the 2015 seniors
have learned a
lot from the graduating
classes
which has led
to
this
winning
streak.
They are the Bloomfield tournament champions, taking 1st place with a
score of 7-0. Captain Tyler Tepe won the
145 pound title, pinning all of his opponents.
Hornets won the team title with a total of
206.5 points. Coach Benvenuti was thrilled
about the winning titles this team received.
Jala’a Darwish finished second to
DePaul’s Spencer Carey in the 170-pound
Passaic
County
Tournament championship round, on
Sunday
January
25, at West Milford High School.
Tyler Tepe, won
the
145-pound
championship,
edging Joey Stambouly of Wayne Hills in the final, 3-2.
Tepe won his first two bouts by fall before facing Stambouly. Darwish won his
first two matches via fall before losing
in the same manner to Spencer Carey
“The kids work extremely hard and this team
cares about leaving behind a great legacy.”
-Coach Benvenuti
Basketball team preps for State Tournament
Melissa Slater‘16
Photo Credit: Maria Burlamaqui ‘15
Photo Caption: The players huddled talking with Coach Carcich
Photo Credit: Maria Burlamaqui ‘15
Photo Caption: Jihad Wright ‘16 weaving between the defense
The boys’ varsity basketball team
has really enhanced this past season with
their record of 16-5. The energy and spirit
of the team this year is what brought them
to win the Soaring Eagle Holiday Tournament at Union City High School. When
asked how he feels this year is for the team,
co-captain Shawn Ulrich said, “This is a
great year for the team because we are all
mature, focused and connected as a team”.
As captains, it is Shawn Ulrich’s and Jihad Wright’s responsibilities to make sure
the team stays connected and keep everyone set on their goals for the season. They
necessary for the team and according to
Coach Carich, that’s what these boys are.
In the first
round of Passaic
County Tournament,
the boys competed against a Passaic
team with a winning
score of 52-51, but
unfortunately losing the next match
against West Milford. Even with this
loss, however, the team has succeeded
much farther than past years. Last season
the team made a record of 17-10 which
also pursue to achieve the Big North Independence Division, the Passaic County
Championship, and
the State Sectional
Championships. Being state champions
in 2007 and league
champions this past
year, this could possibly be another victory year for the team.
Assistant Coach Holsworth said that
a focused team player has trust in his
team, sacrifices for what is important to
the team, and puts in all the time that is
“This is a very focused
group that listens and
learns.” - Coach Carich
does not compare to this winning year.
“We’re still not there yet. We’re still not
as good as we can be. But a lot of my
teams have peaked by now, and this team
hasn’t. They have a great attitude. When
they keep learning and keep getting better,
it’s a lot of fun going to practice.” Coach
Carcich told Keith Idec from the Record
when talking about this improving year.
The boys’ basketball team will
be competing against Warren Hills in
the North 2 Group 3 State Tournament
on March 3 at home. The game starts
at 7pm. Come out and support the team!
12
Valley Echo
Spotlight: Steven Tillie
Photo Credit: Maria Burlamaqui Photo Caption: Steven Tillie
Sports
March 2015
Amanda Mathews ‘16
Steven Tillie, a senior here in PV, is
Steven also led the Hockey team
recognized for being a star player in the on a game agaist Fair Lawn in the
hockey rink, playing for the PV Varsity first period, stricking three times
Hockey Team. Steven started his involve- in about five minuets, winning 4-2.
ment with hockey at the age of six with his
He also believes that “if we keep workdad, “the person who got me involved with ing hard and having fun the season will
hockey was my dad” he stated in an inter- turn out good”. I also asked Steven what
view. Besides playing hockey Steven also he thinks makes a good player, to which he
plays lacrosse for PV.
replied with “The
Outside of school
thing that makes a
“Yeah I think it has been a
Steven spends his time
good team playdoing average acti- good year because we are
er is telling the
vites like “going to all working hard to make
kids what they
the gym, hanging out
did wrong and
with his friends and state and be above our rehelp them fix it,
playing videos games cord.”
by also being
with
my younger
a leader inside
brother” Tillie says.
the ring and outWhen asked if he Steven Tillie ‘15
side too and by
thinks it has been a
picking up your
good year for the team
players
when
Steven replied with “Yeah I think it has been they
are
down”.
What
a good year because we are all working hard
Steven really enjoys about hockto make state and be above our record.” ey is “putting the puck in the
And Steven was absolutely right about the net and skating past everyone.”
hockey team having a good year. Having
Steven plans to play for a collea 4-1-0 overall record the teams’ biggest giate team, “After I play Juniors” and
wins this year were between Paramus High to one day become a professional hockSchool 10-3, five points Steven scored, and ey player, “Or one day get the chance
Arthur L. Johnson High School 7-1, where to play at a high level”. His favorite pro
Steven scored four points and three assists. hockey team is the Montreal Canadians.
Fencing team celebrates succesful season
Vanessa Shindle’16
Another fencing season
has passed and the long nights of
practices are over. Every year the
team struggles to get new members.
“We basically had to
start from scratch with only
three returning members on the
girls’ team,” Jennie Thomas ’16.
Thomas is a junior this
year and is the girls fencing team
captain as well as ninth in the
district on foil. She takes pride
in fencing and loves this sport.
She wishes that more people would give it a shot and join.
Sean Larson ’16 said that
the season was a lot of fun and is
looking forward to next season. You
Larson is also the assistant foil,
captain along with Abir Hossain can
choose
from Donnelly loves to coach these kids
sabre,
and
epee. He said, “Even though we
The fencing team practiced didn’t win a lot as a league, but individual team members did very well.”
“We basically had to start from scratch with only
The fencing team is known
three returning members on the girls’ team,”.
for being very sportsmen like
and supportive of one another.
Everyone is looking forward
-Jennie
Thomas
‘16
to the next season. There will be many
returning members for next year.
With the end of the sea’16. The captain of the boys fenc- long hours and had many competi- son, the members were sad to
ing team is Mylee Thompson ’16. tions over the course of the season. say goodbye to their team mates.
Even if you have no ex- Mr. Donnelly is the coach for The fencing team is lookperience
with
fencing,
the the boys fencing team. Mr. Donnelly ing forward to the dinner whih
coaches there will teach you feels strongly that it is was a great sea- they celebrate all of their sucthe skills that go with fencing. son with a team full of great kids. Mr. cess throughout the season.