Spring Issue - East Meadow School District

GAZETTE
THE JET
“We’re all jets here”
Volume No. 3
East Meadow High School
“Our lives
begin to
Artist: Dan Buller and Gene Pendon
end the day
we become silent
about things
that
matter.”
Black History
Month Show
Kaylin Wood
The lights of the auditorium dimmed
as Taylor Oomen, president of the Ethnic Awareness Club, quieted the crowd
with words about the importance of diversity within East Meadow. The performances and contribution of the group,
as a whole, were incredibly stunning.
Alyssa Budzynski played flawlessly as each performer took the stage.
The many memorable performances
will carry on the great legacy of the show’s
yearly success. One of these performances included Grince Vohra’s dance routine
to a mix of Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Drake,
and Culture. Another was Vanessa Masih’s
beautiful take on Jordan Sparks’ Battlefield.
Hitting all the right notes, Vanessa smashed
it. When Seniors from the ASL honor society got on stage, the crowd was taken back
by their strong and powerful translation of
John Lennon’s Imagine. Other beautiful
displays were Michelle William’s reading
of The Caged Bird Sings, Alyssa Rojas’
The
History
Why do teens Feel
the Bern?
Features Page 4
April 2016
A Tribute to...
those who stood up against
racism and fought for the
cause of equality.
Carmen Saffioti
Every year Americans celebrate a unique
holiday, but without any traditions or rituals, but
rather a discussion about race equality and representation. The basis of Black History Month
was created by Carter G. Woodson in the beginning of the 20th century. Woodson felt that
black contributions to history and representation were neglected by white society. From
its conception, the month long celebration is
criticised for only celebrating the accomplishments of one race. Despite this, Americans
continue to contribute to the historic month
simply by talking about black history and the
problems African Americans face today. The
issues range from slavery to segregation to police brutality. African Americans emphasize the
absolute importance of having their history and
contributions represented in schools and media.
Nelson Mandela
Harriet Tubman
Rosa Parks
Barack Obama
“Although racism isn’t written in the laws
it continues to prevail in other ways.”
“Alyssa Budzynski played flawlessly as
each performer took the stage.”
performance of Listen, and Naveera Arif’s
singing Alicia Keys’ No One. To finish off
the show came the outstanding rendition
of songs ranging from Ava Maria to The
Hills, sang by Taylor Oomen, Nicole McGuinness, and Yesha Desai. It was their last
performance, as seniors, in the Black History showed and they completely killed it.
When asked what he’d like to tell
those involved in the show, senior, Chance
Halter said, “Thanks!” He appreciated
the lively performances, energetic crowd,
and break from his usual school day.
The show represented the talent woven into East Meadow, especially when
working together. The performers, speakers, instrumentalists, and stage crew orchestrated wonderfully with each other to
bring EMHS a show they will never forget.
When black pride exploded in the 1960s,
students demonstrated for their rights and were
lead by fantastic leaders. Silence and indifference plagued white Americans, their refusal
to talk about the issues led to protests. Martin Luther King addressed this when he said,
“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression
and cruelty by the bad people but the silence
over that by the good people.” This is what
lead to the movement for representation, to
make themselves visible and end the silence.
Although racism isn’t written in the laws it
continues to prevail in other waysInequality, unfortunately, still runs rampant despite social and
political changes. Inequality.org claims that white
families have a net worth six times the amount of
black families. Despite the evidence, people still
ignore the struggles of African Americans. The
New York Times also explains that Blacks have
a much higher unemployment rate than white
Americans. These are only a couple out of thousands of statistics, and within those thousands of
problems, many more still need to be addressed..
In a proclamation Obama said “Our responsibility as citizens is to address the inequalities and injustices that linger,” Among African
American leaders, the message is simple; time
won’t change the circumstances on its own,
only the people who fight for change will.
Jackie Robinson
Serena Williams
Frederick Douglass
Jesse Owens
Maya Angelou
B.B. King
“No one is born hating another
person because of the color of his skin, or
his background, or his religion. People must
learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate,
they can be taught to love, for love comes
more naturally to the human heart than its
opposite.”
-Nelson Mandela
Photos Courtesy of Anum Zaidi
April 2016
Art Work Courtesy of
Nik Sebastian
Linda Ruiz-Lozito
J. Jordan
Taryn Day
Andy Heckathorne
Merryl Jaye
Borbay
Charles Ott
NEWS
Jet
Gazette
Staff
Editors-In-Chief
Carmen Saffioti
Kaylin Wood
News Editors
Jordan Diamond
Kristen Kavanagh
Zainab Nathani
Editorials Editors
Rukhsar Asef
Emily Rosenkrantz
Features Editors
Renata Quinto
Aliyha Gill
A&E Editors
Dylan Piccione
Tasha Riddle
Sports Editors
Brianna Pace
Anum Zaidi
The World Is Watching
Zainab Nathani
I
n 2014, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon bluntly remarked
about the reality of climate change,
saying “there is no Plan B, because there is no Planet B.” Concern regarding the effect of climate
change on the planet has been rapidly increasing as the consequences of human actions have manifested in recent years. However, it
is only now with the Paris Agreement reached in December 2015
that significant global action may
come about, with the United States
as a world leader in the effort.
From November 30th to December 11th, delegates from 195 countries gathered in Paris in the culmination of nine years of effort by
the United Nations to reach an environmental agreement. Described
by US Secretary of State, John
Kerry, as “the strongest, most ambitious global climate agreement
ever negotiated,” the agreement’s
main goal is to highlight measures
to prevent world temperatures from
rising above pre-Industrial levels. While traditional agreements
would focus on commitments from
developed nations like the United
States, the new agreement requires
EAST MEADOW
U.F.S.D.
Board of
Education
Joseph Parisi,
President
Marcee Rubinstein,
Vice President
Joseph Danenza
Scott Eckers
Business Managers
Mahalia Mathelier
Angelina Zampini
Advisor
Mary Kudla
East Meadow High
School
101 Carman Avenue
East Meadow, NY 11554
(516)228-5331
Brian O’Flaherty
Jeffrey Rosenking
Melissa Tell
Administration
Leon J. Campo,
Superintendent of Schools
Anthony Russo,
Assistant Superintendent for Personnel
and Administration
Cindy Munter,
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum
and Instruction
Mary Ann O’Brien, Assistant
Superintendent for Business and
Finance
Patrick Pizzo, Assistant to the
Superintendent for Administration and
Special Projects
Jennifer Frisenda, District Treasurer
every country to contribute towards
global action. Every five years starting in 2020, every country will submit long term strategies to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions. Such
global action is undoubtedly key in
significantly reducing the negative
human impact on the environment.
Due to its position in the international community, the United States
is seen as a leader in the implementation of the agreement. In fact, the
Photo Courtesy of the United Nations
2
strong commitment of the United
States at the conference was an important measure that helped receive
commitments from the Chinese and
Indian governments as well. However, even before the signing of the
agreement in April, current conflict
with environmental policy is creating discomfort among other governments that the United States may
not be able to meet its commitments.
Twenty-four states and a coal
company have filed lawsuits
against the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency in response to
Obama’s Clean Power Act. Those
suing claim that the act, which requires states to reduce emissions
of carbon dioxide, goes beyond the
authority of the EPA. In response,
the Supreme Court made a surprising decision to halt implementation
of the act until the suit is resolved.
Although Obama has reassured supporters that he believes they have
strong legal backing and that the
plan will continue forth after the
resolution of the suit, international
governments have become weary
about reaching their own domestic, as well as global, goals. Zou Ji,
who advised the Chinese delegation
in Paris remarked, “It had seemed
that with the American commitments, it was possible to get on
the right emissions path globally.
But without those commitments,
that could be a blow to confidence in low-carbon development.”
The Paris Agreement was regarded by the international community
with great joy and celebration as
Ban Ki-Moon congratulated the
delegates stating, “History will remember this day.” However, the optimism brought by the agreement in
December now seems to be fading
as the difficulty regarding reaching
the discussed commitments is becoming clearer. Although there is
still hope that the United States will
successfully keep its promises, the
future now seems more uncertain.
Unjust Justices
Kaylin Wood
O
n February 19th, 2016,
America bid farewell to the honorable Justice, Antonin Scalia. Justice
Scalia was one of four conservatives
in the Supreme Court. His death led to
an imbalance in both the democratic
to republican ratio within the court
and with Congress’ trust in Obama’s
choice for the replacement judge.
Mitch McConnell, a republican
senator, is fighting against Obama
choosing Scalia’s successor. “The
American people should have a
voice in the selection of their next
Supreme Court Justice, therefore,
this vacancy should not be filled
until we have a new President.” In
other words, Majority Leader McConnell doesn’t want a liberal to
tip the scales. Throughout history,
it has always been the current president’s duty to pick the Justices.
Obama’s term ends Jan. 20, 2017,
nearly a year that he’s still in office.
McConnell suggests, for the first
time ever, letting the people decide.
Leading republicans from all
over the nation, including Marco
Rubio, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump,
are standing up to tell congress to
delay the choosing. However, democrats are exigent on Obama making
the decision. Democratic politician,
Hillary Clinton being one, stated in
Denver, “Barack Obama is President
of the United States until January
20, 2017. That is a fact, my friends,
whether the Republicans like it or
not. Elections have consequences.
The President has a responsibility
to nominate a new justice and the
Senate has a responsibility to vote.”
Obama is clear on his intentions.
He will be fighting republicans on
their decisions and will be choosing
the replacement shortly. “The constitution is pretty clear about what’s
supposed to happen now, historically
this has not been viewed as a question.
There’s no unwritten law that says
that it can only be done on off years.”
America will just have to wait and see.
The Zika Vir us
NEWS
Public Speaking Does Public Reading
By Emily Rosenkrantz
By Zainab Nathani, Rumana Rahman,
Mrs. Petersen and Renata Quinto
include fevers, joint pains, and rashes.
Also, Zika can be passed from a male to
his sexual partner(s). The virus can be
present in male reproductive fluids longer
than they are in blood cells, and most men
who have passed the virus through sexual contact have had symptoms of Zika.
Women that are pregnant and have Zika
can give birth to babies with microcephaly, which is when a baby's head is smaller than those of other
babies. This happens
when the brain does not
grow, or stops growing after birth. Many
babies in Brazil were
born with microcephaly because their mothers had Zika, and many
of those infants have died. Other babies
have also been born with problems that
can come along with the microcephaly.
They can have seizures, developmental problems, vision problems, etc. Unfortunately, microcephaly is a lifelong
condition, and there is no cure. Another
obstacle of Zika is that there is no medication to treat or vaccine to prevent the
virus from spreading. It is recommended
that when going on vacation one visits
the doctor when they get home. Then if
one has contracted Zika, they can be diagnosed and helped in anyway, although
the virus usually goes away in a few
weeks on its own. So for now, be careful!
On March 3rd, 2016, Ms. Siegel’s
Public Speaking class took a trip to both
Barnum Woods and Bowling Green Elementary School. Students sharpened
their speaking skills by reading to kids
of all ages. Great memories were shared
throughout the day and the field trip went
off without a hitch. This trip proved to be
enjoyable for everyone. Lindsay Uffer, a
ninth grade student of the class, said the
trip was a great experience for everyone
involved. “It surprised me that first and
second graders knew what it meant to be
a ‘bucket filler’ and how to make someone’s day,” said Lindsay. After reading to
classes, students then discussed the book
with the children. This was Lindsay’s “favorite part.” This furthers the promotion of
self-confidence that must be applied when
Julian Quaresima reading the book Boxes
for Katje to elementary school students.
Thank You Notes from Elementary
Students at Bowling Green Elementary
School
Club Corner
Spanish Honor Society
SADD
By Rumana Rahman
By Mrs. Petersen
The East Meadow High School Spanish
The SADD Club participated in
Math Research Club
By Zainab Nathani
Honor Society aims to promote spansish culture in the Semicolon project to spread awareness
On Friday, February 26th, members a way that is both educational and enjoyable. In De- about suicide prevention. The Club sold
semicolon tattoos which symbolized the
similarity between life and a semicolon. A
semicolon is used when a sentence could
have ended, but it did not. The tattos are
worn to show how life does not need
to be ended by suicide, it can get better.
Photo Courtesy of Sydney Inger
cember, they ventured out into New York City and
completed a City Food Tour. During the tour, they
sampled foods from different Hispanic restaurants
and learned about the cultural significance of each
meal. Also, recently they attended a Salsa dancing
lesson with Rodney from Dancing with The Stars.
Photo Courtesy of Natasha
Salman
National English Honor Society
By Renata Quinto
Science Honor Society
By Zainab Nathani
On February 23rd, East Meadow
High School’s Science Honor Society held
its eleventh annual Induction Ceremony.
After a graceful introduction and opening
by President Yesha Desai, the board members held the candlelight ceremony. During
this ceremony, candles were lit to describe
the characteristics present in the passionate members of Science Honor Society.
Advisors Mrs. Blinder and Mr. Nyer then
conducted the induction. After a conclusion speech, the inductees were all invited
to enjoy refreshments. The ceremony honored the dedication of the members who
had to fulfill many requirements in order to
be accepted and inducted. These requirements include maintaining at least a 90
Science Average, 85 overall average, and
participating in numerous Science Honor Society events. Congratulations to all
the new inductees and current members!
April 2016
This May, EMHS’ National English Honor Society will be hosting its second annual induction
ceremony. Run under the direction of Mr. Chiarulli and board members including co-presidents
Shannen Zitz and Kelsey McKillop, vice president Rumana Rahman, secretary Ramshaa Salian,
historian Rachel Polansky, public relations Nikita Kholsa, and treasurer Alyssa Brouillet, NEHS
strives to encourage
the appreciation of
literacy and the English
language throughout
East Meadow. New
inductees have been
required to maintain
at least a 90 average in
English and at least
an overall average of
85, as well as earn a
total of 10 community
service points over the
past few months. The
members of NEHS
are responsible for
hosting a poetry slam,
book drive, Valentine’s
Day gram sale, and
Out of Print clothing
fundraiser, which is
an online store selling
paraphernalia
designed with book titles,
covers, and quotes. Be sure to check out the NEHS booth at the upcoming walkathon, and
remember to submit an application next year if eligible for this prestigious honor society!
Photo Courtesy of Renata Quinto
of East Meadow High School’s Math Research
Club attended and presented at the first round
of the Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair. The
students, from grades 9-11, presented their projects to judges after being separated into distinct
rooms with a few other participants. From the
pool of participants in each room, the judges decided who would move on to the next round. The
projects from East Meadow ranged from clocks,
to origami, to related rates; their only similarity
was that they aimed to expolore the applications of mathematics. Congratulations to Kirkland Sugrim, Nikita Uppal, Jordan Diamond,
Anusha Arora, Mehrin Ali, Laura Lopez, and
Erin Floody for making it to the second round.
These particpants will join the senior members
of the club in presenting on April 25th in an
effort to win the bronze, silver or gold medal.
speaking publicly. In this class, students
learn how to grow and refine their speech
in front of others. Public speaking is a great
skill that can be used in infinite situations
once out of school. The students learn vital
lessons that are required in any long-term
career. “I don’t have an issue with public
speaking, but I took the class to see what
I could improve on. Other people should
take it, because it’s a great class to help
learn about speaking in front of others and
gain experience,” said Lindsay. The class
is a favorite among students. By the end
of the day, Public Speaking students had
positively grown from this trip and it will
stay an experience that they will never
forget. Inquisitive questions from younger and older students alike dominated the
day and made this field trip truly special.
Photo Courtesy of Mrs. Siegel
Photo Courtesy of Google
hat is Zika and why is the
word heard so often on many news outlets? Zika is a mosquito borne illness,
which is transmitted from mosquitos to
humans. According to the CDC, Zika can
even cause microcephaly to unborn babies when the pregnant mother gets bitten
by a mosquito that carries the virus. So
far there have not been any reported cases
that have happened in the United States,
but there are 82 diagnosed cases of people
that have gone overseas
and out of the country
that have gotten the
virus. About 80% of
people that will contact
Zika will not be diagnosed. The places that
people are getting the virus have gone to
Central and South America. This is not
even where the virus is from. It originated in the Pacific, in Indonesia, but there
has been a surge in the population of the
species of mosquito that can transmit the
disease in Central and South America.
According to the CDC, only 1 in 5 people
that are infected with Zika will actually
“develop Zika.” If a person does get ill, it
is usually not something to worry about.
Death caused by Zika rarely happens, and
people usually do not get so sick that they
have to go to the hospital. Zika can last
for a couple of days to weeks in some and
can be found in their blood. Symptoms
Photo Courtesy of Krutika Gandhi
W
Photo Courtesy of Mrs. Siegel
By Celeste Costa
Photo Courtesy of Jordan Diamond
3
Highway to Hell
Mahalia Mathelier
O
Photo courtresy of Vicki Kopf
nce again, another community is sideswiping another vehicle. Eventually,
forced to face anger, fear, and tragedy in Dalton slowed down enough for Mellon to
the Kalamazoo County of Michigan, where get out of the car. Another passenger, who
a shooter rampaged the streets, killing six chooses to only go by the name Derek, was
and injuring two. Jason Brian Dalton, for- in Dalton’s car with his wife and his party five year old married father of two, was ents-in-law when he jokingly asked Dalton
said by those who knew him to be quiet, if he was the killer. Dalton responded quisubdued, and the type of person who kept etly with a “no,” claiming to just be tired.
to himself. The only notable aspect of his
None of the victims of the attack were
personality was that he was known to shoot Uber customers, but there are prevailoff guns in the backyard of his family home. ing questions that surround this incident.
Yet even this strange hobby was not enough Why were these victims targeted? Why
to predict the horrible event that would was Dalton shooting at people in the first
come to take place.
place? There is no
On
Saturday,
explanation as to
February 20th, Dalwhy these victims
ton, an insurance adwere chosen, and
juster turned Uber
therefore no way
driver, went on a killof knowing what
ing spree while on
would have endduty. Dalton drove
ed the shooting if
around for five hours,
the police had not
arbitrarily
killing
apprehended the
people while driving
suspect. The poaround to chauffeur
lice finally caught
passengers for Uber.
Dalton when a
Eight different peopolicemen named
ple were shot in three
Matyas was startdifferent locations: a
ing his shift and
mother, Tiana Carnoticed a large
ruthers, was shot
crowd
standing
multiple times in
outside a crowdthe presence of her
ed bar. Thinking
children in an apartthis was the type
ment complex. Four
of target the sushours later, a father,
pect might look
53 year old Richard
for, he saw a HHR
Smith, and son, 17
pulling out of
year old Tyler, were Abigail Kopf ,14, was a survivor in the Ka- the parking lot.
shot at a car dealership lamanzoo shooting. Her “Grandmother,” Matyas called for
who is pictured here, did not survive.
with Tyler’s girlfriend
backup and folsitting in the back seat.
lowed Dalton. SurFive people, 74 year old Dorothy Brown, prisingly, Dalton stopped at a traffic stop,
68 year old Barbara Hawthrone, 62 year allowing police to arrest him. When arrestold Mary Lou Rye, and 60 year old Mary ed, a semiautomatic was found in Dalton’s
Jo Nye, were killed and a fourteen year car, matching evidence found at the crime
old girl, Abigail Kopf, was also injured scene. Dalton had no criminal record and
when shots were fired in a Cracker Bar- passed the background check given to
rel parking lot. Out of the face of all the him by Uber when applying for a job. In
death and tragedy, a miracle took place in court, Dalton was charged with six counts
the form of Dalton’s youngest victim, Ab- of murder, two counts of assault with inigail Kopf. Kopf was pronounced brain tent to commit murder, and eight firearm
dead when she squeezed her mother’s violations with no bail. In the face of his
hand just as the doctors were prepared to charges, Dalton remained emotionless.
harvest her organs. After responding to a
Once again, another tragedy takes
series of questions by squeezing her moth- place, and it calls to question what needs
er’s hand, Kopf was rushed to surgery and to be changed and how to stop these ranis now continuing to show improvement. dom acts of violence. No one could have
In between the three attacks, Dalton predicted Dalton’s actions, but one thing
continued to pick up customers for Uber. that could have been stopped was his posMatt Mellon was a passenger who was in session of a firearm. Every year in the
the car that night, right before the first at- United States, more than 100,000 people
tack. He reported that while driving, Dal- are shot, and this accident contributed to
ton received a phone call and afterward be- eight of those people. But if these deaths
gan driving erratically. Mellon repeatedly bring attention to the firearm problem that
pleaded with Dalton to let him out of the car persists in the United States, those eight
but he refused, going at 80 mph and even lives would not have been lost in vain.
Dangers While Taking Selfies?
Sumedha Madan
Who ever thought that taking selfies away. This incident was an accident, but
would be dangerous? Cases involving death some people put their life at stake to click a
or injury to people while taking selfies have thrilling picture. A man in Moscow jumped
become more common. A simple self-por- off a bridge to fulfill his desire of taking the
trait picture taken from a phone is now an most dramatic selfie and obviously passed
away after doobsession
for
ing so. It’s very
many people.
saddening that
The idea
people choose
of a selfie is
to hurt themso enticing to
selves
fatally.
people that
Many govit does not
ernments
are
matter where
even taking steps
someone is.
to prevent these
A selfie can
actions. The Rusbe taken anysian government
where. Usualhas launched a
ly when peocampaign
enple take out
couraging the
their phones
public to be very
to take a piccautious regardture they do
ing where and
not pay attenwhen they take
tion to their
a selfie. Mumsurroundings.
bai has also enSome do not
forced “no-selpay
attenfie
zones”
tion to where
after many bruthey are or
Russian authoroties have even distributed bro- tal accidents.
if anyone is
chures which warn citizens.
Hopefully
there
when
these rules can
they take out
their phone. Many people are sim- expand to other countries as well. Since
ply in a haste to take a picture. many are not careful with what they do,
In India, a terrible incident took place laws and regulations must be created.
The craze to take a selfie can easiinvolving a group of students. The group
of students went by a riverbank to take a ly end someone’s life. Selfie lovers need
picture and as the waves started to get in- to learn this and be very careful or else it
tense, they were all unfortunately washed may lead to unfortunate consequences.
Photo Courtesy of worldnewsdailyreport.com
EDITORIALS
Photo Courtesy of cnn.com
4
April 2016
EDITORIALS 5
Are the Stars too Bright?
Nicole Ribeiro
veryone is buzzing with excitement about the Oscars – or are they buzzing about something else? Beneath the
layers of excitement and elation lie the
frustrations of a crowd convinced that
the night was not as perfectly orchestrated as it seemed. With racial tensions
simmering throughout the U.S., it seems
as though the Oscars ballot was a bit too
light for some; but were this year's Oscars
tinged with racial discrimination or simply a show of who truly has what it takes?
While some would insist that foul play
was involved in the voting process there
is a reason to believe that nominees were
chosen solely on a basis of skill and presentation. Why else would the academy
need over 6,000 members simply to vote
on who could be a potential nominee? It
is true that the voters are in fact real people, which would contribute to the reality
that no one is completely unbiased. Yet, it
should not be automatically assumed that
everyone on board is supporting only others of the same ethnicity. Furthermore, it is
necessary to take into account that voters
are selected based on their expertise in re- whether or not ethnicity was a factor,
spective categories in order to proactively yet based on the reality that black actake steps toward a less biased environment tors have in fact been awarded Oscars in
in which the voting process can occur. the past it would be fair to assume that
If all of the academy members the process was equitable and honest in
are experts in
terms of qualtheir field then
ification for
it should mean
an
award.
that votes are
The full
generally unprocess entails
biased.
Unvarious rounds
f o r t u n a t e l y,
of voting in
that is not alwhich experts
ways the case,
in each field
which can be
list their top
problematic.
five choicLuckily, there
es, which are
is such a large
then subject
number
of
to a round of
Leonado Dicaprio won his first Oscar on Febuary 28,2016.
members that
adding
up
swayed opinvotes until one
ions should be drowned out. That being actor per se reaches the magic number of one hunsaid, why exactly was the final list of dred, thus making that candidate an ofstar-studded actors so pale? Unfortu- ficial nominee. Then, the candidate in
nately, no one can get into the minds that category with the least amount of
of the Academy members to distinguish votes is rejected and the ballot is redisPhoto Courtesy of www.telegraph.co
E
tributed in order to continue the process
until all the nominees are chosen. With
consideration to the fact that the voting
process is so extensive it is clear that
by the time the final results are chosen
there must be an obvious sense of objectivity to the academy’s overall choices.
Furthermore, if so much care is
taken to make the results of the polling as accurate as possible then there
should not be any problems among various races. Whether intentional or not
it seems that in this day in age there
truly is no escaping the claws of racial injustice, or at least what we perceive to be as such. Maybe it is time
for the citizens of the U.S. to be more
proactive in analyzing issues effectively to determine whether or not they
truly are as they may first appear. If
people can learn to avoid causing unnecessary confusion over simple “dilemmas” a new path towards equality
amongst all may soon be paved thus
allowing many to see beyond physical
traits, towards a well blended future.
To Lift or Not to Lift
Emily Rosenkrantz
“From now on, all graded assignments must be completed in script.”
Those were the words that made
me fill with dread as my English teacher spoke them. Script can be impractical,
complicated, or hard to understand. There
are others who consider it still absolutely
applicable and essential to education today. Whether or not cursive should still
be taught in schools is a fiery topic debated amongst educators and parents alike.
Perhaps the most obvious argument
against the teaching of script is that it can be
script writing, which may be one thing the
curriculum got right. The importance of script
simply pales in comparison to the importance of newer topics that are more relevant.
There are still some arguments in favor
of script, however. The sense of formality that often comes with script can have
some benefits. In 2006, the first year in
which students were required to write essays for the SAT, a mere 15% of students
completed their essays in script. But on
the flipside, that 15% of students did receive slightly higher scores, according to
an article by vox.com. Think about it –are
you not more likely to think that a letter
written in script is more intelligently com-
Writing our names in print is often thought
of as drab, mundane, or simple. Writing
our names in script is considered to be intricate, distinctive, and often idiosyncratic.
A possible solution to this problem
is a heavily debated topic as well. With
both sides of the argument presided, both
can be considered valid and easily applicable to schools today. While styles of education vary state to state, the argument
of whether or not script should still be
taught in schools is a nationwide issue.
S
“
cript can be a
“linguistic fingerprint” and
reflects on our creativity and
individuality as humans.”
posed than the same letter written in print?
Others feel that script should still be
taught for the purpose of understanding
older documents. What about Grandma’s
recipe cards and Grandpa’s war journals?
If the next generation is not taught script,
family treasures such as these will need to
be translated to a more readable print and
will likely lose their nostalgic value, seeing as they will no longer be as authentic.
The Founding Fathers wrote America’s
cornerstone documents such as The Declaration of Independence and The Bill of
Rights in script. Some parents shudder
at the fact that their children may not be
able to read these documents in the future.
Some argue that how we write script
is personal and unique. No two people
write script the same way. Script can be a
“linguistic fingerprint” and reflects on our
creativity and individuality as humans.
April 2016
considered irrelevant in this new age of technology. Today’s children are using tablets and
keyboards increasingly, and some people feel
that this translates to script being no longer
needed. Many middle and high schools in the
country are going paperless by using technology in the classroom. a bigger part of today’s students’ lives As technology develops
and becomes, many people ask if even their
own signatures are becoming unnecessary.
Another argument against the teaching
of cursive is that it is just too straining on
students when coupled with additional lessons. As inegrating subjects become mandatory parts of curriculums, something must be
bumped out to balance it if necessary. This,
combined with the Common Core curriculum, which is notorious for being constricting on students, can create a mix that may
as well be mentally deadly on students. The
Common Core curriculum does not include
FEATURES
Carmen Saffioti
Young Voters Feel the Bern
2016
suggests itself
to be a turning point as well as
a question mark for the future.
Young people are more politically
active than any other time in the
21st century— and their champion? An old white man named
Bernie Sanders. A Democratic
Socialist, (or Communist, according to some) is calling for a political revolution. This revolution
is resulting in a burning urge for
change...it’s called THE BERN.
The evolution of Bernie’s campaign went from a small group of
political idealists standing up to
conventional Democrats, such as
Hillary Clinton, to a full-fledged
competition with the entire political system. In combination with
his revolutionary policies and his
interesting and liberal history, Bernie Sanders is quite the character,
and maybe even a future president.
It’s no wonder that college and
high school students alike are in
favor of this Democratic Socialist
presidential candidate. Many of
his promised reforms focus on the
future of young people. If elected president, Bernie would raise
minimum wage to at least $15 an
hour, establish a new medicare
system that would guarantee care
Anonymous
Renata Quinto
“Hi my name is (insert average American teenager name
here) and I’m addicted to Netflix.”
Obsessions with Crazy
Eyes, Meredith Grey, Daredevil,
and Ron Swanson will soon lead
to interventions and 12-step programs. These characters star in
various television series that are
streamed on the ever so popular
for all citizens, invest in infrastructure which he claims would
create jobs, take steps to reduce
climate change, and the most controversial claim; offer free public
with Millennials and the youth that
is too young to vote—high schoolers. Young liberals are putting
their hopes and dreams into Bernie. What attracts young voters to
education. This is what’s getting
young people excited about politics: he may be the oldest candidate, but he stands for the values of
a future that he may not even see.
“For many, the American
Dream has become a nightmare.”
Bernie’s disillusionment resonates
Bernie is his forward thinking and
social justice policies. He hopes to
confront obstacles for the LGBT
community, feminists, and race
equality. This sentiment to young
idealists, (some would call naive)
voters is in tune with the change
they want to see in the world.
The biggest concern with
Sanders, especially to older white
democrats, is his electability and
his ability to deliver his promises. With both the Senate and the
House having a majority of republicans, any democratic president
would have a difficult time getting
any of their bills passed. Bernie,
however promises to bring his
“political revolution.” Sanders’
biggest vice and virtue is the category he put himself in, democratic
socialism. To some older Americans who fear economic policies
besides capitalism, this may be
the fall of the “free world.” Much
of the youth of America despise
this. The recession of 2008 and
the growing income inequality
led them to alternative economic
beliefs, and Bernie reflects that.
Will Bernie be just another
radical quirk in American history or is he the change that the
American people want and need?
This unique presidential election
showcases Americans boredom
with run-of-the-mill politics.
Despite his chances of getting
elected, this election has Americans on the edge of their seats,
they are passionate about politics
and the future of this country.
Netflix. For just $7.99 a month,
one can obtain a lifetime’s worth
of TV screening which can be
viewed with the click of a button.
Many teenagers indulge in
the addictive pull of watching a
movie, show, or even comedic
performance in the time they had
previously allotted for homework/
studying.
There’s no harm in
watching a little House of Cards
during one’s downtime, but many
are familiar with the sudden panic of one episode turning into one
season, and TurnItIn.com flagging
overdue submissions.
A 2015
study at the University of Texas discovered that binge-watching not only affects a student’s
schoolwork, but their health as
well. Yoon Hi Sung, the research
leader, states, “Physical fatigue,
obesity, and other health problems are related to binge-watching and are a cause for concern.”
Sung and his team also found
that feelings of loneliness and
depression are often associated
with continuously watching television for a long period of time.
From black and white TV, to
the invention of cable, to the present Netflix epidemic, television
has slowly but steadily become
a seemingly harmless addiction. Sitting down to enjoy one
episode at a time and finishing
a series over the course of a few
months, is completely healthy.
On the other hand, watching nine
seasons of a show in one weekend can seriously damage one’s
physical, mental, and emotional
well-being. With Fuller House
recently being added to the Netflix catalog and the fourth season of Orange is the New Black
just under way, it is important to
be cautious of how much time
is spent catching up on beloved
shows. It may be difficult not
getting sucked into the black hole
that is Netflix, but teens must be
aware of the effects of this phenomenon. And remember, admitting one has a problem is the
first step to avoid a Netflix spiral.
Photo Courtesy of US News
6
Young Sanders Supporters rally in Portland, Maine on July 6, 2015
FEATURES
7
Boundless Barbie Kesha’s
Fight
Kristen Kavanagh
I
some misconceptions,” Adam says.
Many believe that Muslim women are
forced to wear a hijab, when in reality
most of them do so by choice. Hijarbie
serves as an alternative to the traditional Barbie for Muslim girls, which also
creates awareness of having toys that
take religion and culture into consideration. Adam said, “It’s important to
create a sense of value in the Muslim
child, especially the girl child. They become more confident, more driven, and
they believe more in themselves, which
leads to an appreciation of herself and
her modest lifestyle and upbringing.”
Featuring a hijab on such a wellknown, treasured toy promotes diver-
sity in the world, and allows for Muslim girls to feel represented. Following
the idea of making adjustments to the
classic doll, the toy manufacturing
company Mattel decided to change
Barbie. Richard Dickson, Mattel’s
chief operating officer and executive
in charge of Barbie’s reinvention said,
“I think today, frankly more so than
any other time, Barbie is truly representing what girls see.” To reflect
the diversity of girls in the world, the
precious Barbie doll now has varying hairstyles, skin tones, and body
shapes. The world’s road to reflecting
its diversity may be long, but Barbie’s
changes are steps in the right direction.
P
ho
to
C
ou
rt
es
y
of
@
hi
ja
rb
ie
n today’s society, only one thing
is certain: the world is changing rapidly
and becoming more and more diverse
each day. However, the world was not
always such a melting pot. On March
9th, 1959, the beloved Barbie entered
the world, forever changing appearance
standards. Every girl wanted pale skin,
blonde hair, blue eyes, and a thin figure.
Fifty seven years after Barbie first
hit the shelves of toy stores, Nigerian
medical scientist, Haneefa Adam, decided to make an alteration to the iconic doll by creating a hijab-wearing Barbie, “Hijarbie.” It is designed to be “a
great platform to try and get the Muslim identity to the world and correct
AP: Actively Preparing
Aliyha Gill
teachers are reviewing topics, but one cannot take these lessons for granted. Pay close
attention and stay on top of class review.
Now is the time to ask the teacher to review
certain topics that may have been forgotten.
6. Eat healthy. It may sound a bit cliché, but adapting to a healthier lifestyle
will make a student feel stronger and much
more capable of getting through the busy
month that lays ahead. Students that eat
healthier may even feel more energized
and mentally sharp, which can come
in handy while preparing for the exam.
April flies by and soon enough,
it is the day of their exam. On the
day before the test, make sure to:
-Relax. Whether one chooses to get
manicures with some fellow peers or to get
some fresh air outside, they should make
sure to calm their nerves the day before.
-Briefly review notes and flashcards. Although one should not cram
the night before the exam, studying a little can certainly boost one’s
confidence and level of preparation.
-Take some time away from the
books. Studying too much will tire one
out and might jumble facts up in their
head. Not to mention, it may make the student even more anxious about the exam.
-Get a good nights sleep. It is common
sense to rest the mind the night before so that
one can take the exam to the best of their ability. Make sure that a nice breakfast follows!
-Go into the exam room with
confidence. Students must remember that they have been preparing
for this test since September. When
the exam arrives, they will be ready.
The most important thing to remember
is that AP exams are just tests. Of course,
they offer great opportunities for colleges,
but they do not determine one’s entire future. Every AP student should be grateful
for all the material they learned throughout the course, and be proud of themselves
for making it to the AP exam. Good luck!
The feeling of nervous anticipation
distracted the forty Kesha fans from the
cold air as they stood outside the New
York State Supreme Court on February
19th. In the first of many upcoming legal battles, Kesha was denied a preliminary injunction that would allow her to
record independent of her alleged abuser.
It’s been almost two years since the
pop star initially filed a civil lawsuit against
producer Dr. Luke, claiming he abused her
sexually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. Since that time, she’s added her record label, Sony, to the suit, accusing them
of intentionally concealing knowledge of
the abuse and failing to protect their artists.
She cites an incident where Luke forced
her to consume illicit drugs, including the
“date rape” drug GHB. She says she woke
up naked in his bed the next day, and afterwards, Luke told her he would “destroy
her” if she ever spoke out about it. Luke
has publicly denied the claims amidst
backlash from influential celebrities such
as Adele, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift.
Kesha says her case is just one of
many, and believes it reflects the experiences of many women and abuse survivors across the world. “All I ever wanted
was to be able to make music without being afraid, scared, or abused,” she wrote
in a Facebook post following the results
of the trial. “I think about young girls today – I don’t want my future daughter
– or your daughter – or any person to be
afraid that they will be punished if they
speak out about being abused, especially
if their abuser is in a position of power.”
Jet Gazette spoke with the creators
of “KeshaTODAY,” fans who spearheaded the movement to get Kesha freed
from her binding and restricting contract.
JG: How much involvement have Kesha and her team had in the “Free Kesha”
movement and the twitter account you run?
KT: Her team definitely knew what
we were doing but they’ve had zero involvement. We started the movement
because we were tired of how no one
was helping an artist clearly in need.
JG: How did the campaign
gain attention?
KT: Fans of Kesha and just human
rights activists spreading the petition we
made and the media covering it. The protest made a lot of people aware too. It was
just an overnight, viral movement. People were seeing what we had to say and
they started supporting Kesha and wanted to help her too. It was a sigh of relief
that people were actually hearing about
her struggle and were willing to help her.
JG: What end result do you
hope to see from the protesting?
KT: Ultimately, we hope that our
protesting will raise awareness of our
cause. Enough people speaking out, including media coverage and celebrity
support, might motivate Kesha’s label,
Sony, to take action and release her from
her contract. It’s time for Sony to put
the safety of their artists before profit.
JG: Do you believe there is
hope for Kesha’s continued success
in the music industry in the future?
KT: Of course! Kesha has been immensely successful in the past and we
hope she finds happiness and success
wherever this legal battle may lead.
April 2016
There is nearly a month left until the
week of AP exams and now is usually the
time when students lose their minds. They
are often lost on how to fulfill the remainder
of time that they have to prepare and how to
calm their nerves as the exam inches closer.
Here are some suggestions on how to approach the final month of AP preparation:
1. Create a study schedule to stay on
track. Break down the exam topics on the
calendar, starting from the very first unit.
Aim to review for a set amount of time each
day. This will really help students make sure
they brush up on all topics before the test.
2. Buy a review book. Brands such as
Princeton Review, Barron’s, and 5 Steps
to a 5 provide great material to help one
self-study for an AP exam. Students can
use the book not only to familiarize themselves with the exam’s criteria, but also to
see which subjects they struggle with most.
3. Form a study group. One should
decide whether they study best with a few
friends or a larger group. Take a practice
exam together to see how each person approaches a question. Meet weekly at a place
that is easy to focus, such as the library.
As the exam date gets even closer, spend
more hours studying together, possibly at
a relatively quiet restaurant or coffee shop.
4. Make flashcards. Any student can
easily study these cards during long car
rides, off periods, commercial breaks, or
even before bed. This will be extremely convenient during the week before AP exams.
5. Take advantage of all class review. It
is pretty easy to lose interest in class when
Jordan Diamond
Battle of
Anum Zaidi
T
he ultimate competition within a high school is the
face-off between the grades. Last year, the Class of 2016
made history by tying with the Class of 2015. Did they keep
their title as champions? On Friday, March 4th, East Meadow High School held a competition between the grades, or
“Battle of the Classes.” It was held in the Gymnasium from
6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Each grade had a location related
theme. The seniors used outer space, their logo reading “Outta this World.” The juniors cleverly used the jungle “Juniors
in the Jungle.” the Sophomores used the City, their logo was
“Sophs in the City.” Lastly, the freshmen had paradise and
their logo was “Freshmen in Paradise,” Every grade set out
with something to prove that evening. The seniors wanted
to prove that they were the top dogs and would remain just
that. The juniors wanted to prove that they were just as good
and could easily take the title from the seniors. The sophomores wanted to show that they were not to be taken lightly.
As for the freshmen, although they were the new kids on
the block, they were not going to go down without a fight.
Mrs. Guerriero and Mr. Hormann worked furiously
to make everything perfect for the night. Outta this World
Seniors were captained by Victoria Bova, Megan Bender,
Richie Mollura, and Steven Ingrassia. The Aerobics Coordinators for the Seniors were Nicole McGuinness, Rachel Henriquez, and Taylor Oommen. The beautiful mural
which contained the aliens from Toy Story was designed by
Emily Mendelson. Regardless of how stressed they were,
they all did a fantastic job and their hard work showed
because the Seniors placed first in competition. Great job
Class of 2016! Seniors won events such as Freeze Dance,
Dodgeball, Relay Race, Buddy Walkers, and Volleyball.
Juniors in the Jungle! Captains for the Juniors were
Anthony LaRosa, Isabella Oliverio, Nicole Leary, and Daniel Sparkowski. The Aerobics Coordinators for the Juniors
were Gabrielle Piccolo, Victoria Pesa, and Lauren Schiffer.
The stunning mural which contained Tarzan swinging from
a vine was made by Kyle Lao. The captains made the Juniors
shine placing second in the competition. Juniors won events
such as Tug of War, Obstacle Course, and Balloon Popping.
Sophomores in the City are here to take over! Jillian Lucito, Vittoria Fuduli, Noah Adelman, and Anthony Turrisi are
leading the tenth graders in the battle of the year. The Aerobic
Coordinators for the sophomores were Jaden Forteau, Jillian
Kehlenbeck, and Pamela Diaz. The amazing mural which
contained many cityscapes was created by Isabel Melito.
The Sophomores proved a lot by winning numerous events
such as Basketball, Musical Chairs, and Concentration.
They’re going to put up a great fight for next year’s Seniors.
The new kids on the block, the Freshmen in Paradise
were captained by Tyler Paterson, James Champi, Leila Sayan, and Taylor Keicher. The Aerobics Coordinators
for the freshmen were Rebecca Homan, Lexi Dolan, and
Rachel Ninesling. The heavenly mural was which depicted a letter from Paradise made by Leila Sayan and Taylor Keicher. Good luck next year, Freshmen! Freshmen
won events such as Aerobics, Attendance, and Mural.
2016’s Battle of the classes was a fun time for everyone, it was successful, and this year the seniors were
named champions. It was truly a spectacular event and
brought together all of the students for a night of fun.
Thank you Mrs. Guerriero, Mr. Horrman, Coach Barry, and all those who helped for all of your hard work!
the Classes
All Photos Courtesy of Aunum Zaidi
“Only the very weak minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.”
-Cassandra Clare
This April marks the 20th Anniversary of National Poetry Month.
These poems were written by East Meadow students and deserve
recongnition for their beautiful style and meaning.
The Greatest Moment
Carmen Saffioti
Dreams
Michelle Williams
car rides through summer
nights,
lips blue from frozen drinks
music so loud that it ripples
through your body
that your heart
beats along
bike rides through side roads
jumped gates, bent from
all the other kids
with the same idea
cool grass,
perfect for
laying onto
and staring at a sky
full of stars
Warm laughs in the golden sun,
where sprinklers spray
and cicadas buzz
with the same excitement
as the kids hearing them
these dreams of mine,
distant eyes and the tease of a
smile,
were long lost,
swept away by loose leaf
and dirty rooms
and computer screens
and though this life
is something to enjoy,
it's not exactly
as i dreamt.
It never occurs to you what to do
I stood there as a bystander, but not with panic
nor excitement
Emotion lagged and left me with a strange taste
in my mouth
My eyes were my entirety
I was left empty and stuffed with a story
In my village there is a system
The powerful protect the weak
The weak obey the powerful
The weakest of them all, now only know how
to obey
In my village, some believe, the weak will inherit
the Earth
The excitement all started when I took my
glance,
A woman’s fresh dewy brown eyes caught onto
mine
Her face was swollen with youth
But the cuts on her feet wreaked of despair,
wreaked of the weak
She was small in stature, but walked big
Her presence in the system created a tempest
Every step she took shook the ground and cut her
feet deeper
As she walked, no, as she strode, the powerful
actually feared
The senate of the Machiavellians decided and
drew their swords
The silver blades propelled, for what seemed like
forever
The emptiness filled with the cracking sound of
bones
The emptiness filled with the smell of iron
The emptiness filled with the sickly taste of
justice and equality
The emptiness remained there as I understood
It never occurs to you what to do, until it does
The body of the proud woman jolted with power,
Lazarus coming once more!
In that moment the martyred body was as proud
as her living soul
In the careful moment I understood
In the greatest moment I was the same as the
woman and all of her meaning
Now I live in that single moment, as a bystander
I do not feel justice anymore, I radiate it, I
demand it
Martyrdom in that moment
The emptiness of silence echoes when I did the
same
Simply stuffed is my legacy.
These poems were chosen as favorites by East Meadow’s English Faculty.
They admire these famous poems for their strong meessages
and contribution to literature in a whole.
Mrs. Priole’s
Mrs. Sideri’s
Mr. Gott’s
Excerpted from
Excerpted from
Mr. Chiarulli’s
Conversations Among the Ruins
To His Coy Mistress
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock
The Emporer of Ice Cream
Sylvia Plath
Andrew Marvell
T.S. Eliot
Wallace Stevens
Through portico of my elegant house you stalk
With your wild furies, disturbing garlands of
fruit
And the fabulous lutes and peacocks, rending
the net
Of all decorum which holds the whirlwind back.
Now, rich order of walls is fallen; rooks croak
Above the appalling ruin; in bleak light
Of your stormy eye, magic takes flight
Like a daunted witch, quitting castle when real
days break.
Fractured pillars frame prospects of rock;
While you stand heroic in coat and tie, I sit
Composed in Grecian tunic and psyche-knot,
Rooted to your black look, the play turned tragic:
Which such blight wrought on our bankrupt
estate,
What ceremony of words can patch the havoc?
Had we but world enough and time,
This coyness, lady, were no crime.
We would sit down, and think which way
To walk, and pass our long love’s day.
Thou by the Indian Ganges’ side
Shouldst rubies find; I by the tide
Of Humber would complain. I would
Love you ten years before the flood,
And you should, if you please, refuse
Till the conversion of the Jews.
My vegetable love should grow
Vaster than empires and more slow;
Let us go then, you and I,
When the evening is spread out against the sky
Like a patient etherized upon a table;
Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets,
The muttering retreats
Of restless nights in one-night cheap hotels
And sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells:
Streets that follow like a tedious argument
Of insidious intent
To lead you to an overwhelming question ...
Oh, do not ask, “What is it?”
Let us go and make our visit.
In the room the women come and go
Talking of Michelangelo.
Call the roller of big cigars,
The muscular one, and bid him whip
In kitchen cups concupiscent curds.
Let the wenches dawdle in such dress
As they are used to wear, and let the boys
Bring flowers in last month’s newspapers.
Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.
Take from the dresser of deal,
Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet
On which she embroidered fantails once
And spread it so as to cover her face.
If her horny feet protrude, they come
To show how cold she is, and dumb.
Let the lamp affix its beam.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.
A&E
13
David Bowie: An Artist to Remember
Tasha Riddle
clude, “The Man Who Sold the World” by music first popular in the early 1970s, charNirvana, “Life on Mars” by Barbra Strei- acterized by male performers wearing exagsand, “Sound and Vision” by Beck, and geratedly flamboyant clothes and makeup.
“Space Oddity” by Smashing Pumpkins. This in itself is the epitome of everything
While many late rockers are rightfully Bowie stood for. He was inducted into
given praise for their influences and impact, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
Bowie holds a
Aside
higher historifrom music,
cal impression
David Bowie
entirely. No one
had a great
dares to quesimpact on
tion how cruthe fashion
cial he was to
industry. He
glam rock. “The
was a reRise and Fall
nowned style
of Ziggy Staricon whose
dust,” “Spiders
unique wardfrom Mars,” and
robe choices
“Aladdin Sane”
that still inguarantee his
fluence fashlong-term career
ion today.
Recorded in London and New York in 1973, David
and notoriety.
For Bowie,
Bowie’s album “Aladdin Sane” saw the full result of
Glam Rock
nothing was
the Glam Rock movement that he brought to infamy.
is a style of rock
off limits: eye
patches, skinny pants, makeup, sequined
onesies, and pastel-colored suits all made
their way into his wardrobe as he introduced
the gender neutral look to the ’70s-era society. He reinvented himself with every album
release, which proved the power of creative
wardrobe styling. “He was the master of
making you feel that you didn’t necessarily
know him,” says stylist and TV personality
June Ambrose. “You never knew what to expect and it made you want more and more of
him. He had such an understanding of what
it meant to live in the moment.” David Bowie shows how one man can make an impact
across an enormous sphere of influence.
David Bowie was a style icon, writer, singer, performer, and many other
things to add to his outstanding bibliography. His works were true masterpieces in
many people’s eyes. After a tremendous
18 month battle with an overwhelming disease, the world said goodbye to the rock
star. He will be greatly missed and his influence will live on well after his time.
Dylan Piccione
Francesca Adams is a senior at East
Meadow High School and currently is
taking AP Studio Art. Throughout her
high school career, Francesca has participated in multiple art classes and clubs.
She was a member of the Olympics of
the Visual Arts team in tenth, eleventh
, and twelfth grade as well as being a
part of National Art Honor Society. This
year she is on the yearbook committee,
in charge of designing all artwork to be
put in it. Her concentration for her artwork this year is emotion. When asked
why she wanted to focus on this unique
aspect of artwork, Francesca said she
“wanted to capture feeling through body
movement.” This is most easily seen in
her art piece shown below, which is aptly
titled Shame. Outside of school, she has
been involved in figure drawing classes at Adelphi University for two years
and taken courses at the South Shore
Art Center for seven. This past summer, she was in a pre-college illustration
program at Pratt Institute. She since has
been accepted to Pratt as an illustration
major with a substantial scholarship.
In her artworks, Francesca is known
for combining multiple types of media in
each piece. “Art is freedom and self-expression. It comes a lot with emotion
and passion.” Mr.Strand Francesca’s art
teacher of three years, had trouble articulating her true passion for the subject.
After some deliberation, he finally said,
“I always found her anxious, excited,
and motivated about exploring different
accents of her own abilities. With the
more experience that she gained and the
more she learned about the visual arts the
more of an art monster she became.” Excited for her future, Francesca can only
hope that she keeps proving to Strand
the amount of passion for art she has.
Photo Courtesy of davidbowie.
K
nown highly as an inspiration to
many musicians, artists, and fashion icons,
David Bowie had great societal influence
throughout the years. The artistic legend
was born as David Robert Jones, on January 8, 1947 in the heart of Brixton, London,
United Kingdom. Bowie was an English
songwriter, musician, and also spent time
working as an actor and record producer.
His death on January 10, 2016 left a massive hole in the hearts of many of his fans.
His inspirations went beyond genres, generations and media types, leaving an imprint on screen, canvas, and in the recording studio. Many artist suggest that their
inspiration comes from this global icon.
David Bowie lost his life at the age
of 69 after an ongoing battle with cancer,
which he and his family tried to keep entirely private from the media and his fans.
After his passing, the enormous number
of covers of his music and art show what
a huge impact he had on many artists and
fans. Some artists that covered his work in-
Artist Spotlight:
Francesca Adams
Hillary’s Fashion Failure
The democratic frontrunner and wife of Bill Clinton made bold fashion
choices at a recent debate against Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
Hopeful presidential candidate
Hillary Clinton stepped onto the PBS
“Newshour” debate on February 11th
with some bold fashion choices. Could
Clinton’s fashion statements be an effort to distract from the important
political issues she discussed.? The
attention-grabbing yellow pantsuit,
designed by Nina McLemore, clashed
against her already light skin tone. At
a rumored $1500 per pantsuit, it may
be in Hillary’s best interest to stick
to darker navy blue or black outfits
that can bring out her icy blue eyes.
Using a subtle blue eyeshadow, but
exaggerating her lips with a dark red
shade of lipstick, Hillary embraced her
femininity while nagging her audience
about foreign policy problems that simply are not worth mentioning. One undecided voter who asked to remain anonymous said, “Hillary is going to have to
blend her highlights and shadows better
to allow her contour to successfully elevate her bone structure. Until then, I
don’t know if I can focus on any of her
plans to reform a broken criminal justice
system.” According to a January 2016
C-SPAN poll, 39% of likely democratic voters consider an “on fleek makeup
game” to be the most important factor
in voting for a female candidate, as opposed to 23% who cited “experience”
as the most important factor and 12%
who believed “expanding healthcare
coverage for preexisting conditions”
would influence their vote the most.
Fashion police brutally attacked
the former First Lady’s look following the debate. As political pundit and
E! News correspondent Brad Goreski
commented, “nothing about this outfit made much sense, much like her
claims about the threat of domestic terrorism that I didn’t pay much attention
to because the sexist media keeps reminding me to only care about superficial features on a female candidate
that I wouldn’t ever notice on a male
candidate who is held to significantly lower standards.” Ouch! Time for
a wardrobe makeover, Mrs. Clinton?
Photo Courtesy of Francesca Adams
Photo Courtesy of sussanabh.com
Jordan Diamond
“Shame”
To create this piece of artwork, Francesca used acrylic, charcoal, ink,
and tea on Bristol paper.
April 2016
A&E
EMHS Student
Honors Beethoven
13
B
Photo Courtesy of avid.com
Photo Courtesy of nytimes.com
eethoven is not a name that is in- compare to this complex and genius piece.
teresting to most young people but his works
After hearing this beautiful piece, I
and his name are both synonymous with the made a suggestion to my orchestra teacher if
most admired pieces in all of musical his- he would allow the Freshman Orchestra to
tory. His life was cruel. He composed and play Beethoven’s seventh movement for the
performed
spring conmusic, but
cert. When
became
he told me
deaf and
there were
faced critsections that
icism
in
were too difthe early
ficult, I then
1800s. He
proposed
exposed
the idea of
the harda r ranging
ships of his
the piece for
life through
the orchesmusic and
tra. He gave
went on
me approvto create
The New York Philharmonic performing Beethoven’s 7th al to do so.
the second
Arranging
Symphony.
m o v e entails simment of his 7th symphony. A symphony plifying a work so that less advanced groups
is a piece of work performed by a full or- can play a version of pieces that would otherchestra (strings, winds, and percussion) wise be unplayable. Using a program called
usually divided into four movements. A Sibelius, I embarked on my musical mission.
movement is just a section of a symphoIn January, I quickly got to work.
ny. This is why symphonies can be lengthy Looking at the original score, I decided to
if each movement is a few minutes long. make my arrangement as unaltered as posThe second movement of Beethoven’s sible, with most of the original score kept. I
symphony is truly a work of art, arguably one only changed what my conductor, Mr. Casof the greatest pieces in history. It starts with cardi, told me is too difficult. I finished this
a chord in the wind instruments and then the in about five days, somehow despite the
strings introduce a melancholic motif. How- balancing act of school and other commitever, on
ments. The
top of
Orchestra
this motif
looked at
is a beautimy arrangeful melody.
ment the
The strings
following
build upon
day at reone anothhearsal.
er, until the
When we
two minute
tried playmark. This
ing it for the
is when the
first time,
first violins
it was a littake over
A photo of Sibelius on a computer desktop, the program tle rough.
the melody
H o w e v e r,
Christian used to arrange Beethoven’s symphony.
and
the
in the comwinds and percussion take the motif in a ing days, progress started to show. The
wall of sound. This dies down to introduce orchestra was beginning to like the piece.
an entirely new section, one in which the My hope for this arrangement was,
strings accompany the winds in a surreal and still is, to build up to the origimoment due to its odd rhythm. From here, nal piece, just as we have done for a
a new section comes in a cascade of notes piece from our February 2nd concert,
back into the melancholic motif, in which Mozart’s 10th symphony. However,
three wind players have the melody while only time could tell, as my conductor
the strings are again accompaniment. Soon, is the judge on whether we should try
the strings have a complex play of running to build up to the original, keep it as
notes, followed by the climax of the motif is, or simplify it. This would mean getwith the winds and percussion. A return of ting the piece ready by at least May 18,
the surreal section and then a final statement which is the East Meadow High School
of the movement nearly finish the piece with Part I Spring Concert. Hopefully, we
the last chord held by the winds, just as the will pull through and achieve somepiece began. Very few pieces of music can thing amazing and show our talents.
Carmen Saffioti
When a horror movie is released near
Valentine’s day it either means two things,
it is an awful cliché slasher flick involving
lovers or it is a film trying to be unique.
The Witch, directed and written by Rodger
Eggers, is a strange hybrid of a psychological and supernatural thriller. Between
the visually stunning cinematography,
genuine 17th century dialogue, and the
haunting soundtrack, this movie truly
set out to be a masterpiece with a unique
perspective on the Salem-era horror
genre, except for one problem: it was not.
The movie begins with a Puritan family exiled from their settlement. Which is-
victim of the evil that surrounds her family. The only conclusion drawn is that
women are seduced by evil. This, yet
another cliché, is frankly sexist and a far
too common trend in the horror genre.
As the film progresses, the plot becomes increasingly predictable, not
making it a thriller at all. Once the film
reaches the twenty minute mark, a second child goes missing. Only to return–
you guessed it– possessed. As the family
members are riddled with grief, in Puritanical fashion, the parents blame their
children for their misfortunes. By the end
of the movie, everyone dies with the ex-
Photo Courtesy of ew.com
Christian Cang Cuesta
The Witch
A still shot from “The Witch” of Thomasin, the eldest daughter.
presumably Salem and living life off the
grid, at the will of nature. Quickly, the film
sets up a sense of depression as a result
of the killing off the family’s infant son.
This “grief ridden family is susceptible
to the supernatural” trope is ridiculously
overused and is found in many supernatural thrillers. With a bereaved mother, a
male patriarch, a pair of creepy twins, a
dead baby, and an adolescent daughter,
the viewer could guess the entire plot.
Thomasin, the adolescent daughter,
is first portrayed as the center of purity,
but in usual Salem movie fashion, her
family quickly starts to accuse her of
witchcraft. However, what is unique is
that there is truly a witch present within the woods near the family. For a reason that is never explained in the film,
the plot hole is that Thomasin is never a
ception of Thomasin. Although the next
scene is supposed to be a plot twist, the
entire plot was pointing to this moment.
Thomasin then confides in her family’s
goat, who the audience at this point figures out to be Satan.. The scene ends with
her walking out into the woods, naked,
to become a witch, or “The Witch(?)”
This movie attempts to be unique
by mashing together Salem Witch movie
cliches with supernatural horror movie
cliches. On top of which, it portrays the
women in the movie as emotionally unstable or more susceptible to evil. In the end
this movie had all the set ups to be a great
horror flick, but lacked the plot development and originality. The lesson that really
came out of this horror movie was that no
matter how great the aesthetic of a film, in
order to be decent it needs great writing.
April 2016
1
SPORTS
15
Meet The Mets The Other NYR
Jacob Silverman
subsequent signing of Yoenis Cespedes,
the return of All-Star third baseman and
team captain, David Wight, and the development of younger players, such as
Michael Conforto and Travis d’Arnaud,
bolster an originally anemic offense. These
improvements combined with bullpen additions Antonio Bastardo and Jerry Blevins
will help the Mets not only repeat on
their magical 2015 season, but
also go the distance and
win the World Series.
While the Mets
ascend
towards
the top of Major
League
Baseball the Yankees are caught
in a vicious cycle of mediocrity,
otherwise
known
as the purgatory of
baseball. The team has
too much high-priced veteran talent to tank for high draft picks, but
not enough talent to compete for a championship. They are good enough to be a
fringe playoff team, but nowhere near
good enough to make a deep playoff run
nor do they have the assets to exchange for
players who will help them make this run.
There will always be the ever-original
argument of “27 rings” and the nonstop
nostalgia Yankee fans play in their heads,
reliving moments that occurred decades
prior, but baseball is a game of “what have
you done for me lately?” Recently the Yankees have failed to make the playoffs in two
of the past three years and the one time they
did make the playoffs they were booed off
their own home field and soundly defeated
by the Houston Astros. The Mets, however, reached the World Series in their playoff appearance, dominating the National
League and showing the league that they
are a force to be reckoned with for years to
come or as broadcaster and former player
Keith Hernandez likes to put it “They’re
no longer a second division team, Gar.”
Calgary Flames team president Brian
Burke, a strong advocate for the promotion of women’s hockey and a member of
the Canadian Women’s Hockey League’s
(CWHL) board of governors, recently publicly stated that NWHL (National
Women’s Hockey League, the CWHL’s
American counterpart) fans who want to
truly support the fledgling league need to
speak with their feet, that is to buy a ticket
and actually go to a game. Having stood
as an enthusiastic proponent of women’s
hockey and its growth in the United States,
I finally was recently able to make my way
out to Aviator Sports Center in Brooklyn
to watch the New York Riveters take on
the Buffalo Beauts. The first thing I noticed upon walking into Aviator was that it
was basically like walking into Newbridge
or Twin Rinks. There was a lobby with
a snack bar and some tables, and a rather large arcade with a door that lead out
to the rink. There, the only seating was in
the form of informal sets of bleachers near
both goals, with tickets being sold as general admission. As I walked to find a seat,
the visiting Beauts walked straight past me
on their short trek from the locker room
to the ice surface. With the understanding that this is a new league with limited
resources, in only its first season, being
so up close and personal with the professionals still made it a lot easier to become
involved in the game itself. I was able
to sit in the first row right behind Riveters net-minder Jenny Scrivens, ironically
married to Montreal Canadiens goaltender
Ben Scrivens. When the action started, I
saw Scrivens go to work right in front of
my eyes, but also experienced a style of
hockey that I fell in love with. The New
York Riveters, led by standouts Janine
Weber, Brooke Ammerman (whose image
was the main feature of the poster sold that
night), and Morgan Fritz-Ward (scorer of
two goals in the contest), challenged the
Beauts to a gritty, chippy, and exciting
6-5 shootout decision, which was won by
the Buffalo-based visitors. The game was
played at a higher speed and overall more
intense pace than that of the NHL level.
The checking in the NWHL is much closer
and heavier, creating less space for plays
to be set up and made, so the women on
the ice have found ways to make their
passes count. The goals that were scored
were often scored on scrambles in front
and crowds in the creases, but the team
was also able to treat the crowd to some
incredible displays of hockey skill by way
of odd-number rushes and the shootout.
The hits, while not as noticeable and bombastic as those of the NHL, were used effectively and made the game seemingly
more aggressive than most NHL games.
And the influence of the crowd, being so
close to the game itself, certainly played
a factor in the outcome of the game, as
the Riveters scored five unanswered goals
before allowing the Beauts to get back
in it late. Truly the NWHL is committed
to the fan experience, as even after the
game, every member of the Riveters sat
at a table in the lobby of the arena and
signed merchandise for hundreds of eagerly awaiting fans, some of whom wielded signed memorabilia from every game
of this inaugural NWHL season. Yes, the
NWHL is currently in the shadow of its
‘big brother’, the NHL. And yes, many
people believe that professional women’s sports will never be as popular as the
gargantuan men’s circuits that dominate
American culture. However, I would go as
far as to say that the experience I found
at a New York Riveters game was a better
entertainment value than any NHL game I
have ever attended, and I have been closely following the Riveters ever since. The
New York Riveters are Brooklyn’s hidden
gem, a founding member of this four-team
underdog league taking America by storm,
and play some of the best, purest hockey I
have seen. Anyone who claims to be a supporter of women’s pro sports or just wants
to spend a night watching exciting hockey for $20 should get out to Brooklyn and
see a Riveters game as soon as possible.
Photo Courtesy of Bruce Bennett
For Mets fans the baseball era that
spanned 2000 to 2015 was a mostly miserable, excruciating period of time that included heartbreak after heartbreak. From
Carlos Beltran’s reluctance to swing the
bat in the 2006 Championship Series to
Luis Castillo dropping that Alex Rodriguez
popup to a Subway Series loss in the World
Series in 2000, Mets fans have been
let down again and again and
again. It would not be
unreasonable for fans
to have expected
similar letdowns
in 2015, but 2015
was
different.
2015 was the
year of the crying
Wilmer
Flores,
the failed Carlos
Gomez trade, the
epic comebacks and
the improbable wins and
2015 was the year the Mets
gained supremacy in New York baseball.
The Mets had not dominated New
York baseball since the middle of the
1980s. That team ruled New York baseball for a couple years, but this Mets team
is built to control New York baseball for
years to come. With a potentially historic starting pitching staff, young developing hitters, and an uninspiring Yankees
team there is ample reason for Mets fans
to not only expect New York to once again
be a Mets town, but also to expect postseason runs to the Fall Classic every year.
It is hard not to be excited about the
Mets. Their pitchers have the most imposing nicknames in the sport including Thor,
The Dark Knight, and the DeGrominator.
Besides their nicknames two of the Mets
four young starting pitchers were in the
top ten in the league in earned run average (ERA). The team’s young first year
closer, Jeurys Familia, finished third in the
league in saves. Although strong pitching
is wonderful some semblance of offense
is needed to win games. The trade for and
Andrew Weiss
The NY Riveters in a huddle.
SPORTS
Crista San Antonio
Once a Jet, Always a Jet
Photo Courtesy of Anum Zaidi
Anum Zaidi
“If your gonna do something do it to
you full potential.” Senior Joey Minucci
is an excellent athlete. Joey has helped his
teams win All-Conference in baseball and
basketball. Joey plays
three sports throughout the school year. He
plays jersey number
fourteen in football as
a wide receiver, jersey
number two in basketball as a receiving
guard, and jersey number three in baseball as a pitcher and outfielder. His favorite of the three is basketball. He’s been playing baseball since the
age of nine, basketball since the age of six,
and football since seventh grade. He plans
to continue playing basketball in college.
Joey is also a fan of
watching sports. His
favorite teams are the
NY Knicks, the NY
Jets, and NY Yankees
with his favorite player being Derek Jeter.
His role model and
inspiration to play
sports is his father.
He plans to come
watch the East Meadow Jets once
he graduates. Watch Joey this baseball season on the East Meadow Jets.
Brianna Pace
Providence College bound softball star,
Crista San Antonio has dominated the field
since 2004. San Antonio started playing when
she was six years old
and since then her talent and skill have only
grown. Although she
does not have a particular inspiration for
playing she recounted
“I think my parents really enjoyed watching
and I just enjoyed playing.” After many years
of dedication, her passion finally paid off in
2014. The East Meadow Jets Varsity Softball team went all the way and won the New
Photo Courtesy of Anum Zaidi
16
York State Championship. Crista states that
this was her most gratifying moment in high
school sports. Of course,
just like any other aspect
of life, sports is not all rainbows and butterflies. Crista
played Varsity Basketball
in high school but sadly this
past season was her last as
she will be dedicating all of
her time to softball in college. She states “It was upsetting having to stop playing basketball after so many years.” This
won’t be the last we see of Crista though.
Watch out for her in a Providence Friars uniform or back at home supporting the Jets!
Superbowl Champion has Retired
Photo Courtesy of NY Daily News
After Super
Bowl 50, the question of whether Peyton Manning would retire
dominated television. Manning told Tracy Wolfson, a reporter from CBS Sports,
“I’ll take some time to reflect. I got a couple priorities first: I’m going to go kiss my wife and
kids. I want to hug my family. I’m going to drink a lot of Budweiser tonight, Tracy, I promise you that.
I’m going to take care of those things first. Definitely got to say a little prayer to thank the man upstairs
for this great opportunity. I’m just very grateful.” Many were unsure if he would stay or go. The Hall of Fame general
manager Bill Polian discussed the rumor of Peyton Manning’s retirement, “I know the process he’ll follow before making
his decision. But I honestly have no idea exactly which way he’ll go.” Manning kept his decision unknown until he broke his
silence and announced that he would be retiring about a month or so after the Super Bowl. Peyton said “I revere football; I
love the game”. Regarding his retirement he said, “After 18 years, it’s time.” He has undergone four neck surgeries and had
multiple ankle, thigh, foot, rib cage, back and right shoulder injuries as well. Although many athletes, especially football
players more than most other players get injured all the time, the most concerning thing about Manning’s injuries
is his older age. This has many people agreeing with his decision to retire. Manning led his team to win the
Super Bowl at 39 years old and is considered to be one of the best players in NFL history. One must
admire the courage it takes for a professional athlete to say goodbye to their career and
the sport they love. All fans of Peyton Manning wish him a healthy and enjoyable
retirement.
Gameday Gallery
Take a pic and send it to [email protected]
All Photos Courtesy of Brianna Pace
A student on JV Softball, practicing on
March 17th.
A student on Varsity Baseball, practicing on March 17th.
Stephen Papagni at track practice on
March 17th.
Photo Courtesy of Associated Press
Kelly Anglim