Spring 2015 - Ridgefield Public Schools

The Crown
Editor In Chief:
Vikash Puran
Mr. Lacatena Wins
Prestigious Teaching Award
Director of
Photography:
Anas Zubi
Senior Editor:
Benny Turano
Advisors:
Mr. MacDonald
Mrs. Georgiou
RMHS
Home
of
The
Royals
Congratulations to Mr. Stephen Lacatena who was awarded the
Teachers Who Rock Award by local radio station WDHA. Mr. Lacatena was nominated for the award and was selected from over 250
candidates.
Mr. Lacatena has been teaching special education at Ridgefield
Memorial High School for the past nine years. His co-workers describe him as an intelligent, compassionate, and respectful teacher.
“Mr. Lacatena is a very hardworking educator who brings a genuine
passion to the classroom,” said fellow teacher Mr. Robins. Mr. Lacatena incorporates technology into his lessons. He also has a sense
of humor and his students laugh at his jokes. Mr. Lacatena’s students
enjoy learning with him and they have as much enthusiasm as their
award winning teacher.
Mr. Lacatena makes learning fun and each summer he holds a
Scrabble tournament for his students and the winner receives their
own personalized trophy. During each school year, Mr. Lacatena
takes pictures of his students in the classroom and on field trips. He
then creates a music video to show all of his students at the end of
the year party. His students and fellow staff members love this video
tribute.
“I genuinely love working with students and it is exciting to see
them understand new concepts. Working with the students of RMHS
is very rewarding,” said Mr. Lacatena.
The Teachers Who Rock Award is presented to Mr. Lacatena for
his ability to engage his students in a variety of learning techniques.
The Crown
Zubi Scores
PAGE 2
Congratulations to senior captain Anas Zubi who
became the seventh Ridgefield boys basketball player to
amass 1000 career points. Anas reached this milestone on
Friday, February 27, 2015 at Bogota High School.
On this historic night Zubi had 28 points and scored
the game winning shot against the Bucs. The Royals won
73-71 in a back and forth game. This is Zubi’s second
game winning shot of the season. His first game winning
shot came against Secacus.
The ever modest Zubi said, “Scoring 1000 points is a
dream come true, but the win against Bogota was huge
and it gave us momentum going into the New Jersey State
Tournament.”
Anas is a four year basketball player in the Royals
system and has played three years on the varsity level. As
a sophomore, he became a starter and never relinquished
his spot on the floor. He was recognized as Ridgefield’s
“Rookie of the Year” by Coach Casciano. This year’s
team is built around the all around play of Zubi who
averages 19 points per game.
In his three varsity seasons Anas has been first team
all league as a junior and a senior. Anas has been playing
organized basketball since he was 8 years old. He plays
AAU ball in the spring and would like to continue his
basketball journey on the collegiate level. Anas is
interested in attending Montclair State University and he
would enjoy becoming a Red Hawk in the fall.
One thousand and twenty points and counting.
Congratulations to Anas Zubi on a job well done.
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1000 Career Points
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Royals Boys Basketball: A Season to Remember
Congratulations to Ridgefield Royals boys’ basketball team
on their successful 2014 campaign. The Royals completed a 19
win and 7 loss season. The basketball team finished in third
place in the Liberty Division.
The Royals were led by co-captains Anas Zubi and Sammy
Cekic. These two seniors led the team in scoring and rebounding
and both of them were first team all league selections.
The Royals also had seniors Kevin Stuckey, Henry Smalls,
Josue Hidalgo, and Sean Gaul. The lone junior on the squad was
Ryan Kuiken and sophomores John Biggiani, Louis Correa and
Justin Rivera rounded out the team.
The 2014 Royals advanced to the third round of the New Jersey State Tournament. In the first round they defeated Collegiate
by the score of 79 to 63 and in the second round they defeated
Dayton High School by the score of 66 to 50.
Seniors Anas Zubi and Sammy Cekic wanted to thank their
teammates for all of their hard work and determination throughout the season.
Coach Casiano wishes the seniors all the best of luck in their
future endeavors.
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A Record Making Season: The Lady Royals Basketball Season
Winning 20 games this season wasn’t a goal of the Lady Royals basketball team but it became a reality. This season the Lady Royals posted
20 wins for the first time ever. Their overall record of 20 wins and 8 losses was a first for the Royals.
Led by seniors Gioia Abreu, Emma Rush, Taylor Jakuc and Mimi Jeremic the Royals finished the season strong and advanced to the second
round of the New Jersey State Tournament.
Coach Reynoso is extremely proud of this year’s hard working squad
and their disciplined work ethic towards the game. He would like to
thank the entire basketball program, Coach Kahn, Mr. Bannon and all of
the basketball parents for their support and determination throughout the
season.
A goal of this year’s squad was to host a home state tournament game.
The Royals achieved this goal and defeated Technology High School by a
score of 59 to 38 in the first round of the state tournament. Coach Reynoso was impressed by the entire squad for this team victory.
This year the Royals trained harder, practiced harder and played a
more difficult schedule and this helped them throughout the season.
Coach Reynoso and Coach Kahn would like to thank all of this year’s
squad for sharing common goals and for working hard each day. They
are already getting ready for next year’s season.
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The staff of The Crown has written a wide variety of
articles ranging from standards in school, bad habits,
repaying your parents for what they have given you,
personal influence and food. Enjoy this diversity of
articles from our talented staff.
School A Process of Facing Standards
By:Youngheon Kim
School is a replica of society, but on a smaller scale. Once we step
into “the real world”, facing higher standards and meeting them will be
a daily process. In school we should be given the experience of being
denied and rejected. Tryouts for athletics, the arts and classes are a fair
process of picking out the most qualified individuals. High school students need to realize that rejection is a part of life and that rejection can
make you better and stronger.
Sadly, survival has been the dominant source of success and it
doesn’t seem like that will change any sooner. If the experience of survival and elimination is inevitable, I believe it wouldn’t harm students
to have these experiences in high school in which we develop our ethical character and morals. Michael Jordan, who is the most iconic figure
of basketball, was cut from his school’s basketball team in his freshman
year. But after a hard year of training, he finally gained his spot in the
team and is now a legend never to be forgotten.
Not only does this process of elimination give an incentive to improve, but it also gives schools a chance to provide an environment for
outstanding students to collaborate and share their talents. High school
varsity teams consist of the most athletic athletes in the school. The
reason for this is to create competition and to represent the school’s athletic program with the best athletes possible. Other extracurricular programs such as the play choose the most talented students for the lead
roles.
High school is the springboard to the real world. Students need to
realize that you need to work hard for what you want and that rejection
is a part of life. When you are an adult you may not receive every job
you apply for and you must learn how to deal with adversity now.
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How Will You Repay Your Parents?
By: Kristaly Kusakabe
As children, you are raised with the mindset that your parents buy your necessities
and your wants. As you mature and get older, parents begin to loosen up the leash and
add more responsibilities to your life. Once you become an adult, do you think that you
must repay your parents for all that they have done for you? Do your parents expect repayment? What type of repayment should they receive?
Personally, I don’t believe that you have to pay them back with money. You can
pay your parents back by simply making them proud by your success or supporting
them when they need your help. Once you are in the adult world, spend quality time
with them. Being a college student is one step closer to the adult world and once you
graduate it is off to the true adult world. Nothing makes a parent more proud than witnessing their child in a cap and gown while receiving a diploma. But also it’s what you
will do after you have that diploma hung up on the wall that should truly make your
parents proud. Will you follow their life values and remember all that they have taught
you? What type of person will you be when you are on your own?
I know when I become an adult I might get wrapped up in my very hectic life. I
know that I must make time to always keep in touch with my parents and be involved
in their lives. Our adult relationship will be genuine and sincere and I will always want
them to know that I truly love them. That will be the greatest repayment any child can
give their parents.
Bad Habits
By: Brian Vermeal
Everybody on this great planet Earth has their own bad habits. Bad habits can come and
go, in different forms and shapes for different people. Each individual person has a bad habit . They do this habit each day, without even realizing they are doing it. For me, biting my
nails is a horrible habit that I have, and I do every day. I consistently have my hands in my
mouth, a lot of the time and I don’t even realize I am doing it. My fingernails are a gnarled
mess. My nails are something I am very self-conscious about, because I do not want someone to look at them and immediately judge me for a pair of gross looking hands. If you look
at my hands you will see cuts, scrapes, scars, scabs, and ripped skin.
I really am trying to stop biting my nails, but it has become such a constant part of my
life. If I get upset, or annoyed, I start biting my nails without thinking, and it just gets worse.
I get really grossed out if I have been working outside, and my hands get dirty, because I
subconsciously bite my finger nails. I am disgusted when I taste the things that I have been
working on, such as grease, dirt, and oil from various places. Also, the pain of biting my
nails and ripping my skin sometimes is excruciating. I hate all the little cuts on my hands,
because I feel them whenever I do anything. If I get a cut on the palm of my hand, than I
can’t grab anything. If I get a cut on the backside of my hand, it hurts when I make a fist and
it spreads the cut open and closed. I hope to one day get over my bad habit, but I know when
that day comes a new one will start because everyone has their bad habits.
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Stop regretting, Move on
By: Alice Kim
There are times in life when it doesn’t quite go the way you had scripted. Mistakes are made and these mistakes are regretted. How long should you regret a mistake or when life didn’t work out your way? That is a hard question to answer. In my
opinion, life is too short to keep making the same mistake over again. It is important
to get back on your feet and keep on moving.
This life motto can be applied to school, love relationships, and in sports. When
there is a midterm coming up and you are just sitting on the couch and watching Netflix, rather than going up in your room to study. You take the test and it does not turn
out the way you want it, and you start blaming yourself or worse you blame other people like the teacher or your parents. Do you learn from your mistake of not studying
or do you keep making the same poor choice?
Moving on and learning from your mistakes can bring a brighter future. Knowing what the problem was and trying to not let it happen again is going to be a great
accomplishment. Do not be down and regret that moment that happened in the past.
Your future is waiting for you and it is going to be full of surprises. Start following
this motto of getting back on your feet and keep moving because learning from your
mistakes and staying in the moment will help you for the rest of your life.
Impact
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Bad Sports Habits
By:Emily Griffin
I play sports all year round. I start soccer in the fall, then I move on to basketball,
and then softball in the spring. I love playing and being part of a team, even though
I’m not necessarily the best athlete. Between seasons, there will usually be a few days,
maybe even weeks, that there will be nothing to do; the next sport hasn’t started yet so
I go home and sit on my couch. This is one of the worst things I’ve done to myself. I’m
not a very good runner, so in order to stay in shape, I need to keep running every day,
and every day I tell myself that I will, but I never do. I didn’t start playing soccer until
my junior year, so my freshman and sophomore years I had the fall season off, and still
I did nothing. I would start basketball season off in terrible shape, wheezing up and
down the court as we ran suicides and sweet sixteens, praying that we would be done
because I felt like I could not run any longer. The same goes for softball. My sophomore year, I started practicing hitting a few weeks before the season started. I had my
best batting season ever. I know that it helped so much, but I haven’t tried the same
thing since. My worst sports habit is not planning ahead. Sports take time and effort
and I haven’t always prepared for the season as well as I could. I’m a senior now, and
I don’t regret anything, but maybe if I had tried harder to practice or get in shape, I
would have played great. Here is a tip for anyone planning to play a sport: start training now. You will not regret it.
A Day in the Life
By:Eamon Catherina
By: Guadalupe Martinez
As an 18 year old young man, I have met many people. Some people come
and go while others stay in your life and make quite an impact. As I look back
at the people that have made a big impact on my life, one person comes to mind.
Kevin is my brother and he has had a powerful impact on me. In high school he
wasn’t the most athletic or talented athlete but he was an incredibly hard worker. He went to St.Mary’s High School in Rutherford and played baseball there.
He won two state titles and had a solid high school career. When he graduated
high school, he went on to play at Brookdale College in Monmouth county. The
Brookdale experience wasn’t quite what he thought it would be and he transferred to Bergen Community College. He took the year off from baseball and
he thought he baseball career was over. But after talking with his old high school
friends they all agreed on playing again at Bergen. He may not have known, but
that decision was the best choice of his life. He did very well at Bergen and then
received athletic offers from other schools. He finally decided to go to Keystone College where he played for two years and made great memories. Now he
is opening up his on batting facility. For all of these reasons he has made a big
impact to me. He never gave up and is still on a mission to accomplish and live
his dream. Now he is a mentor to me he works out with me every day to try and
make me better. I’m so happy to have him in my life; I’m even happier to be able
to call him my brother. Regardless of what happens with his baseball career, I
will always look up to him.
It’s finally Thursday, Friday is right around the corner but unfortunately it is the longest day of the week for me. My day normally starts at 6:30am when I begin to get ready
for the long day ahead. I make my way out of the door at around 7:45am with my school
bag and sports bags all prepared for the day. If it’s a B-Day I have a tendency of going to
Dunkin Donuts to pick up a cup of coffee being it is my longest day.
Once I get to school I go through all four periods of the school day which are British
Literature, Journalism, Italian 5H, and Current Issues/Constitutional Law. It feels like an
eternity because all of my academic classes are jammed together. School is by far the easiest part of my day.
Once I get out of school I run into the locker room to get ready by 3:00pm for soccer
activities. If it is a game day, I have to organize the game gear so all the underclassmen
make sure to have all the necessities for the game. Games run until 6:00pm, and we’ll be
making our way home around that time. Depending on where our game is located depends
on how long it will take us to get back home. Since it is a Thursday night I get changed and
ready for cheerleading practice that starts at 6:30pm and runs through 8:30pm.
When I get home I try to eat a small dinner although at that point I’m starving and
can’t wait to eat. The only thing I would want more is to curl up in a ball and sleep but
I can’t forget about my academic responsibilities. I stay up as late as I have to until I am
100% done with all my homework or studying. At the end of the night I just get my sports
bags and school bag ready for the next day, and when I wake up I know I have to repeat the
same process.
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The Four Best Pizza Places
By: Emily Griffin
1. Grimaldi’s Pizzeria- Clinton Street, Hoboken, NJ
Grimaldi’s is my favorite pizza place ever. I have to write about it first
because I can’t even contain my excitement. They actually have a few
different locations, two of which are in Hoboken. I’ve only ever been to
the one on Clinton Street. I was introduced to this place by my cousin,
who used to live just around the corner. The only two items that I’ve ever
ordered there were the white pizza and the regular pizza. I could eat an
entire pie. The pizza is made in the wood-fire grill, and it is perfectly balanced. The pizza itself is just the right amount of crispy, and the crust is
soft, but not too chewy. It is not covered in grease like many pizzas are;
there is no need to dab a napkin on top it. Grimaldi’s will forever be my
favorite pizza.
2. John’s Pizzeria- W 44th Street, New York, NY
John’s is another favorite of mine. It’s right off Times Square. The atmosphere is what makes it great. It used to be an old theatre and it is beautifully decorated and the delicious food makes it ten times better. They not
only have great pizza, which is made in their coal-fire brick ovens, but
also great pastas and salads. I have been there a few times and it never
disappoints.
3. Albert’s Pizza- Great East Neck Road, West Babylon, NY
I love Albert’s Pizza located on Long Island. I have family that lives in
West Babylon and whenever we want pizza, Albert’s is the place to go.
One thing that sets their pizza apart is the fact that the sauce is actually
on top of the cheese. The square-shaped pizza is slathered in this sauce,
which I could drink by the gallon. It has a bit of kick to it. It is a little
spicy and tangy but not enough to leave your mouth burning. It is unlike
any other pizza I’ve ever had and I always remember it when thinking of
my favorite pizzas.
4. Sarge’s Pizza- Shaler Boulevard, Ridgefield, NJ
Sarge’s is my favorite local pizzeria. The pizza there is good. I also really
like other dishes on their menu. They have great cheese fries, and my
personal Sarge’s favorite is the chicken special, a delicious sandwich.
There they are my top four pizza places. Enjoy.
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Sarge’s Pizzeria
By: Eamon
Ridgefield is a very small town. Shaler Blvd is our main road and the heart of
our town which is why it’s a great spot for a business. When you’re in town everyone knows to grab a quick bite at Sarge’s Pizzeria. Sarge’s is located right on Shaler
Blvd a block away from the baseball field and park. This is a great location for them
it’s right in the heart of the town and it’s a well-known place to eat. I personally like
Sarge’s a lot. Their pizza is good but they do make some great sandwiches and pasta. Barbara Sargenti makes the best pink vodka sauce, if you’re looking to get some
pasta for lunch I would definitely recommend to get the penne with vodka sauce.
But on a normal lunch day Sarge’s is known for their chicken specials. The chicken
special is chicken fingers on a foot long roll. What I get on my chicken special is
lettuce, tomatoes, onions, oil and vinegar, extra mayonaisse, and mozzarella cheese.
This sandwich is great. The chicken special is a great end of the week treat. Also
the great thing about Sarge’s is that they deliver. This is very convenient to everyone that is watching the game and wants a pie or a nice chicken special. So if you’re
hungry in town I would recommend hitting up Sarge’s pizza. Great food along with
a super environment.
Senior Lunch Privilege
By: Francesca D’Onofrio
Since I started RMHS during my sophomore year, one thing that always upset me
were the lunch rules. I thought it was extremely unfair that only seniors had the ability to
leave for lunch. This especially bothered me because I had a lot of senior friends that year
and also a notable amount last year. Being left to eat the school lunch is even worse when
you know your friends aren’t. Now that I am finally a senior myself, I question if being
able to leave for lunch is even worth it. We only have a half an hour from the bell, so it
becomes a mad dash to the door, parking lot and to get food. Usually I don’t even eat anything because I feel like I don’t have enough time to eat and get back. The time restraint
also limits the options of what you can eat. Students typically choose local restaurants such
as the Bagel shop or Sarge’s.
Despite the issue of time, being able to leave for lunch does have its privileges. When
I have community service and I leave for lunch, my day ends at 12:40. Even when I don’t
have community service, being able to leave is a nice break from being stuck inside all day.
Providing I do desire to eat, I can get basically anything I want. Usually I use my lunch
time to go home and change because we have reached the time in the year where it is freezing in the morning and sweltering by noon.
In time, I have come to understand why lunch is only 30 minutes and seniors are the
only ones able to leave. As I mentioned, there are limited venues to eat at in the area. If the
entire school could leave, all the surrounding food stores would be swarmed with children.
This would make it impossible to get back to school in time. So if you are an underclassman, disgruntled by the lunch situation, don’t feel too badly. Soon it will be your time to
participate in the lunch Olympics as well.
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Frozen Yogurt
The Best Cheese Fries In Town
By: Guadalupe Martinez
I am completely new to the area, not only to Ridgefield, but I just moved to the United
States from Brazil. I only know a few places to eat and hang out. My friends are showing
me where to get great food. I'm a complete french fries freak; I could live off french fries
and I need to eat them wherever I go. My friends told me that I would love the fries of a local establishment and away we went. .
Of course, I was introduced to Sarge's Boulevard Pizza. Everyone who goes to Ridgefield Memorial High School has been there or at least heard of it. Sarge’s is on Shaler Blvd
and it is really close to the school and the park,so it is easy for teens to hang out. Students
go there after class or after practice to hang out and enjoy some delicious food.
The place is not big and there aren't many tables, but I love the simplicity of the place.
I like sitting in the tables by the window and seeing the orange trees outside. The kitchen
is open and you see them preparing your food and that always makes me excited for some
reason. Their cheese fries are the best I've ever tried; they taste like homemade food and
I love it. I always drag my friends there and we always get at least three orders of cheese
fries for our table. The service there is great and they have fast delivery.
If you want great local cheese fries, then try Sarge’s.
Soft serve yogurt has been blooming in today’s society. Everyone loves the ability to
choose from the assortment of flavors and toppings provided. Frozen yogurt is famous for
having soft serve and because of this, the frozen yogurt business has bloomed. One of my
favorite desserts is without a doubt, frozen yogurt. There are many local businesses that
provide these delicious desserts for example, Red Mango, Cups, Tutti Fruti, and Yogart.
Although these stores all serve frozen yogurt, they are all different within themselves. Red
Mango is located on 725 River Rd in Edgewater, NJ. Personally Red Mango is one of the
best frozen yogurts I’ve had. They have a variety of flavors depending on the season for
example Pumpkin Spice during the fall and Winter Peppermint for the winter holiday season. My next favorite frozen yogurt place is Tutti Frutti located on the upper level of the
Garden State Plaza. They have so many flavors and the machine combines two flavors that
are next to each other. All of their toppings are delicious and also Tutti Frutti has the most
diverse toppings. For Halloween, they have candy corn and other types of candies. Their
staple toppings would be their cheese cake, brownies, yummy and fresh fruits and also
healthy choices as well. Frozen yogurt is a great substitute for ice cream or a heavier dessert. Not only are you able to mix and prepare your own dessert, but it is a healthier alternative and an enjoyable one!
By: Luara Santana
Rice
By: Young Kim
Rice is the main diet for the Eastern region of Asia. I’ve been consuming this
white, glutinous, and sweet substance for my entire life; the interesting fact is that I
never get tired of it. Our family has at least one bowl of rice every day and there is
a tacit understanding between each other that one meal without rice means that we
should probably eat some rice in the next. There is a saying in Korea, “the older you
get, the more rice you need.” A bowl of white rice was the symbol of wealth in the
1950’s in Korea. Also, during the Joseon Dynasty, rice was a lucrative trading commodity; sometimes even more valuable than currency. Just by looking at these examples of the use of rice, we can conclude the importance of it in the Eastern Asian culture.
An average Korean consumes one and a half bowls of rice every day. So I have
eaten approximately, 9300 bowls of rice in my entire life. Though I’m not a big fan of
eating, the absence of rice in my meals would be devastating. It’s as if I’m so used to
eating rice that it has become second nature to me. Mr. Mac says that everyone has a
favorite food, but I modestly disagree. I eat to survive. If I were to pick out my favorite food it would have to be white rice. Rice may seem very dull and common, but any
kind of Korean dish would be awkward without rice to eat with. Rice may seem all the
same to cultures which do not consume it, but there are different types of rice in every
region. My favorite type of rice is Chinese rice, while Korean rice is stickier and requires more movement of jaws; Chinese rice is often referred as flying rice to Koreans
because it is less glutinou
The Joys of American Food
By: Luara Santana
American food is something known all over the world. I grew up hearing about it and
seeing it on television, and now that I am finally in the United States I am trying it all.
Food in Brazil is completely different from what Americans eat. McDonalds has a bigger menu here in the United States, and even though I hear my friends complaining about it,
their hamburgers and french fries are one hundred percent better than McDonalds in Brazil.
What I eat during lunch time at RMHS I used to eat during snack time in my old school. In
Brazil you go home and have a big lunch of rice and beans and then go back to school.
During lunch at RMHS, I sit at my table with a slice of pizza on my tray and before I
eat it, I put ketchup and mayonnaise on it. It’s been a few months of school already and every day I get a comment on it. I didn’t know that pizza with ketchup and mayonnaise would
be something Americans would be disgusted by but in Brazil it is the custom. When you
order pizza in Brazil it is served with both ketchup and mayonnaise.
I love all types of American food. I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I love
pretzels, and pancakes and waffles, but customary Brazilian foods. I adore having red velvet cake for dessert, it’s not something you can get there, but I miss getting brigadeiro from
the bakery near my house, a chocolate ball covered with chocolate sprinkles that may sound
stupid and common but it’s a Brazilian dessert.
Coming to America has been an amazing experience and has opened up my taste buds
to so many new types of food, but I still miss the comfort foods of Brazil.
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llback To 2008
The year was 2008 and Iron Man, The Wrestler and The Dark Knight
were the year’s top movies. Teenagers watched Lost, Project Runway
and The Office on television. Gasoline cost $1.87 a gallon and a ticket
at a movie theater cost $7.00.
Celebrate the class of 2008 as this year they turn 25.
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The Crown Needs You!!!!!
Are you interested in writing, photography or computer layout? Would you like to take an interesting elective course that
creates the school newspaper? If you answered yes to the
previous two questions then the Journalism Club that creates
The Crown newspaper wants you. See Mr. MacDonald in room
204 or your guidance counselor for more information.
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The Yearbook Needs
You!!!!
Are you interested in creating a memory? If you answered yes,
then the RMHS yearbook wants you. Become a staff member
for the Epilogue and be a part of a very fun activity. If you are
interested in photography, computer layout or writing, then you
can bring your talents to the RMHS yearbook. See Ms. Vega
for more information.
Join Serendipity!!!
Are you an artist or a writer? Would you like to share your
talents with the RMHS community? If you answered yes, then
the RMHS literary magazine wants you. Become a staff member for Serendipity and let the world see your artistic flair. See
Ms. Ferraiuolo in Room 202 for more information.
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Spring into Spring with The Crown’s Words of Wisdom
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“There are places I remember all my life...some have gone and some remain.” The Beatles
“It is a fine seasoning for joy to think of those we love.” Moliere
“If it matters, you make the time. If it doesn’t, you make excuses.” Ann Voskamp
Your High School Experience
The Crown staff composed articles that focused on education, the high
school experience, great teachers and teaching morality. Enjoy these articles written by our staff.
“The Secret of getting ahead is getting started.” Mark Twain
“We become what we repeatedly do.” Sean Covey
“If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew, just go right along and you’ll start happening
too.” Dr. Seuss
My School Experience filled with Surprises
By: Alice Kim
“Be true to you work, your word and your friend.” Henry David Thoreau
“Blessed are those who can give without remembering and take without forgetting.” Elizabeth
Bibesco
“Your thoughts, words and deeds are painting the world around you.” Jewel Diamond Taylor
“it is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” Kahil Gibran
“Courtesies cannot be borrowed like snow shovels: you must have some of your own.” John
Wanamaker
“It takes time to succeed because success is merely the natural reward of taking time to do anything well.” Joseph Ross
“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.” Herman
Melville
School may seem like a place to just study and learn academically, but really it is a lot more
than that. We spend 35 hours a week inside a classroom. Our life revolves around this environment and our personality evolves as we go from kindergarten to senior year of high school.
My school experience has been an interesting one. I started at Lindbergh Elementary School
in Palisades Park transferred to Christ the Teacher a private school in Fort Lee, then to Summit
High School, and finally, I ended up at RMHS. It was difficult changing schools so much, but I
had the chance to visit different surroundings and meet new people. I am happy to finally settle in
and finish my high school career at Ridgefield Memorial High School.
Catching up with academic studies was never a problem for me because I was able to follow
my teachers’ instructions. At first, I never really talked in class and I would finish my work quietly. There was this one teacher who would always call on me to solve a problem or read a passage.
I would think in my head that this was unfair and she was a horrible person. As time moved on,
I started to talk more and raise my hand first because I had confidence in myself. Now, I was not
afraid to go to the teachers if they made a mistake on my grade or I had to discuss a problem.
Teachers can have an impact in our lives, but friends become more important to us as we become older because those are the people we share our feelings with. Prejudgment is what everyone does when they see a new person. It is a normal procedure because we are all human beings
and our mind automatically starts pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of that person.
When I went to all those new schools, I got stares from other people and I did not like the tension
of people talking about me. One time, rumors about me started spreading rapidly at a school and it
had created a bad image about me. I saw the outcome of prejudging and how it could bring pain to
others. I learned that everyone is dealing with something. I have learned the value of not judging
anyone.
My school experience has been filled with many surprises and I am still learning something
new each day.
The Crown
Homework Then and Now
PAGE 20
By:Olivia Jurisch
Does middle school prepare you for high school? In middle
school I had a lot of homework. The homework required a lot of
memorization and studying for small quizzes. I spent countless
hours studying for almost daily quizzes. Well my middle school
years preparing me for high school? I’m not sure. Homework on
the high school level is different.
Throughout high school I have had different types of homework
compared to middle school. I have homework for English almost
every day but unlike middle school it contains much more independent reading and answering of study guide questions. I do not have
daily homework in Spanish, history and science for which I am
grateful. Those classes focus more on projects and exams. The free
time allows me to do more after school activities and I can spend
more time with my friends. I must say Mrs. Lambert gives the most
meaningful homework. English class is not my strong suit, but the
homework she assigns honestly does help me, not only in her class
but for future English classes. In the beginning of the year, I was
somewhat struggling, but now her homework helps me analyze the
material we read for tests and quizzes. High school work is definitely more beneficial for our students than middle school work.
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Should Schools Teach Morals?
By:Gabrielle Garcia
Should schools teach right from wrong? Should schools be responsible for instilling morals
and values into their students? Students spend 35 hours a week in school. . For a good duration of
their early life, students see their teachers more than their parents. I do believe that teachers, especially of younger students, should teach morality. Every adult in a child’s life can make a difference and I think it is important to try and instill good morals and values no matter who you are
and how long you will be in that student’s life. A lesson in morality can stick with you forever.
During high school, I have seen students who are experiencing behavioral problems. In these
cases I see teachers do one of two things, either ignore them or discipline them in a meaningful
way. When a teacher actually talks to a student with respect, I’ve seen students make a positive
change in their behavior. A lot of the children I saw struggling with their behavior didn’t have a
wonderful home situation and the teachers who realized this ended up changing the child and getting so much respect from him.
If all teachers were to put forth the time to try and better their students not only academically
but morally there wouldn’t be as many problems with these students in the future. Teachers really are shaping the minds of the future and they shouldn’t take that job lightly. I feel like if most
teachers put in the time and effort primarily when students care going through elementary school
and carry it into high school there wouldn’t be as many teenagers with serious problems. They
would have constant support from adults and never have to feel like they were battling anything
by themselves.
I strongly believe that schools should teach right from wrong. Morality education on drugs,
physical abuse, bullying and stealing will help individuals who are considering making poor decisions. One of the teachers I personally know who does this always tells me he feels, “A sense
of urgency” with his students. To take a human being and try to guide them to be better in a year
is hard and I’ve seen him do it. It is so important to better today’s children and to make a better
future.
Going to High School in Two Different Countries
By:Lauren Santana
I am still a junior in high school and until now I have had two completely different high
school experiences. I started high school in Brazil and school there is really different from here
in the United States. In Brazil students from kindergarten through 12th grade are all inside the
same large building. School in Brazil starts at 6:45 a.m. and gets out at 12:45 p.m. Snack is at
9:45 a.m. and you are home by 1 p.m. The schools in Brazil focus on academics only and do not
offer chorus, band or activities like volleyball..
Moving to the U.S. during the start of my junior year was very stressful, but ended up being fun. I am happier in the United States. I grew as a person and met a lot of new friends. It’s
interesting to be in a completely different environment and to see people paint and play musical instruments in school. Prior to the United States, the only clarinet I had ever seen was on
Spongebob Squarepants. School in the United States is exciting and liberating.
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The Crown
PAGE 23
The School System
Should Schools Teach Morality
In high school you have eight subjects each year. Some subjects are more fun to learn
than others. Science is my favorite subject. Science is the most intricate subject because
there is so much more to learn. It fascinates me that doctors are capable of treating patients
with the vast amount of information they have learned. It is amazing that people can heal
others with certain medications and treatments. My ultimate goal is to go into medicine.
Some of my high school classes have helped me tremendously and others not so much.
During my high school education I have learned more than I can remember, especially
with English because it is not my strongest subject. There is so much to memorize from
vocabulary terms to themes and quotes. I am not completely sure English will be beneficial
for me in the future because of my career choice but being able to read and write well will
never hurt me. Also, I am not sure if trigonometry will help me treat a patient, but understanding numbers will help with prescribing medicine. I am not sure if social studies will
help me in medical school, but a well-rounded education will broaden my knowledge base.
Even though I am only a sophomore, I have enjoyed the science department here at
RMHS. Mr. Lebrault and Ms. Vega have been amazing science teachers. Their enthusiasm
towards science made me realize that I want to continue learning science throughout high
school and into college. These dedicated teachers have made a difference with me. Students
will never learn anything if the teacher is unmotivated. Luckily for me I have teachers who
are entirely motivated to their jobs and that is the reason why I am interested in investing in
my future career in science.
A teacher’s job is to teach students, however, it is up to the teacher to motivate her students
rather than assign textbook pages that do no justice for them. It would be a disservice to a
student’s education if the teacher does not motivate their students their subject but as for
life. I am fortunate to have dedicated science teachers made me enjoy science. They are the
reason I want to study medicine and become a doctor.
Teenagers these days are losing their morality. They don’t know what is wrong or right.
Teenagers are obviously not adults so they tend to not fully think out all of their decisions. Teenagers learn many habits and actions from their parents, however, not all parents guide their children or help them with their decisions. Therefore, public schools should teach students the morals of what is right from wrong.
Bullying is an example that schools should specifically talk about with their students.
Many students in this generation are being convinced that bullying is fine. However, bullying has caused so much damage and pain to society. Unfortunately, there have been too many
shootings and suicides that have been related to bullying. Schools should teach students about
the morals of humanity and how bullying is the opposite of being humane. People should not
bully anyone because it causes depression, low self-esteem, and harsh consequences in the future. Many schools review bullying but never go deeper. For some students, bullying comes
from their household. Some parents show actions of bullying to their children which affect their
child’s behavior. Schools should not only teach them the right choices but also have a one on one
conversation with teachers.
Another example of what schools should teach is the consequences of stealing. Teenagers
are naïve and think money is everything. They steal small things like gum to expensive items
like cellphones. For some people, stealing seems better than paying for the item. Therefore, they
steal without feeling any shame. Schools should teach the kids that stealing is not ethical because
it can help them be better people in the future. For example, my friend lost his wallet in New
York City and it had his ID, license, and credit card in it. He was devastated and desperate for
his wallet back. He assumed someone stole it and he would never see it again. However, a week
later, my friend received his wallet back in the mail. Everything was inside, nothing was missing. This story teaches a lesson that the right morals can make everyone feel better.
High school students are young and immature. They don’t know much about what’s right
from wrong. Schools are an opportunity for teenagers to learn morals and ethics because they
are easily influenced by parents, siblings, and friends. Bullying and stealing are examples of bad
morals that teenagers face throughout their lives but schools can help them make the right choices.
By: Olivia Jurisch
The Greatest Teachers
By:Olivia Jurisch
During my high school education, I have had the best teachers who actually teach
and are dedicated to their job as educators. In ninth grade, Mrs. Ferdinand was my Spanish teacher and I have learned so much from her. She inspired me to learn Spanish and
showed me how much fun it is to learn a second language. Mrs. Ferdinand utilized interactive activities rather than reading out of a textbook. She taught her students how to
properly study for Spanish and that helped me excel last year as well as this year. Last
year, Mrs. Ferdinand told me I was going into Spanish 3 honors and I was intimidated at
first because I did not know I was capable of succeeding in an honors class. She helped
to encourage me to take other honors classes and this year I am doing very well in all of
those classes.
Mrs. Amodeo, my current Spanish teacher, teaches on a college level and pushes
her students to be successful. The first day of school she said if you are not interested in
learning a language, then you will never fully learn it. Since she is dedicated to teaching
her students, we are able to push ourselves to succeed. Her motivation in teaching Spanish is the reason why I have a 100 and give 100 percent in her class.
By: Jackie Kwak
Teaching Wrongs Don’t Make It Right
By: GEORGE G
The whole concept of wrong vs. right, good vs. evil is a theme that has been consistent in some way, shape, or form since the beginning of time. Where do people learn
their morals? It can come from a variety of sources. You can learn morality from
home, your friends, society and school. But should schools teach morality to students?
Personally, I feel that the whole “wrong vs. right” talk on morality should not
come from public schools. Morality can be reinforced within a public school but your
morality should be learned by the individual through interactions at home, with family
members and with friends.
Schools should stick to education. Reading, writing, mathematics and social studies are the main curriculums of our public schools. The morality that we learn has to
stay out of the public schools and be learned through experience and observation.
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The Best Teachers at RMHS
By: Katey Vicente
As a sophomore in high school, I have come across many teachers throughout my
years of education. All of these teachers have different methods educating their students. It
is very evident which teachers have a passion for their craft. Those who have this passion
dedicate time to their students and motivate them to be successful. Some educators whohave this passion are Mr. Zunick and Mr. Yang. These two teachers are some of the most
passionate teachers that I’ve ever had.
Furthermore, Mr. Zunick is honestly one of the most difficult teachers I’ve had; however, he actually taught the class and was available for extra help. Mr. Zunick made biology fun. He is one of the first teachers to be in the building and the last one to leave. Mr.
Zunick creates innovative projects and creates difficult tests to challenge his students. He
actually reads all of the writing and comments on everything. He is one of those teachers
who takes his career very seriously and wants his students to be successful.
In addition, Mr. Yang is one of those teachers who arrives early to school and leaves
late. He goes through all the mathematical work step by step and makes sure that you understand it. He is always available for extra help before or after school and even for the
students he does not teach.
Overall, a teacher’s passion is evident through their teaching skills and the amount of
time they dedicate to their students. Mr. Yang and Mr. Zunick teach and dedicate their time
to their students. They make the difficult subjects of math and science easy to understand.
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Passionate, Admirable Teachers
By: GEORGE G.
Many people become teachers for different reasons; whether it is for the summer vacations, being
around children, or simply loving delivering an education. All over Ridgefield Memorial High School, I’ve
come across many different types of teachers, from difficult to unconventionally brilliant. But out of many
characteristics I could think of, the common theme between all of my favorite teachers is passion.
When trying to think of who I could possibly discuss in this article, I actually realized that it was quite
difficult. Even though there are so many mention-worthy teachers, the first ones who come to my mind are
Mr. MacDonald, Mrs. Lambert, Mr. Yang, and Mr. Zunick- all for completely different reasons.
In all honesty, I think Mr. MacDonald’s freshman class should be renamed-‘English I & Life Lessons’definitely. I can say that I’ve learned more concepts, and just things about life, and myself in general, from
that class compared to anywhere else in the world. Almost every single class, we would experience a different
type of a life-lesson that was incorporated into the themes of the literature that we were reading. I looked forward to every single A-day and seeing that the characters from our stories could show us a lot about ourselves.
Being that I was just a freshman, and wasn’t really excited about many classes, Mr. Mac’s class actually gave
me something to consistently look forward to and motivated me to become a better student, and person overall. Aside from being an English teacher, he definitely serves almost as a life coach for everyone and truly
shows that he has his students’ best interest at heart.
Mrs. Lambert was definitely the second name to pop in my head. Although I’ve only been a student of
hers for two marking periods, it feels like I’ve been in her English course for quite awhile. The main thing I
love about the class is how she keeps it moving 24/7- there’s never a moment for being bored, and definitely
not for being tired. I think the moment I’ll remember the most is when she introduced Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to my class. She revealed to us that it was one of her favorite literary pieces to teach
and her face just kind of lit up with this really bright excitement. Throughout reading and learning about the
play, I would always see Mrs. Lambert teach with an energy that many teachers completely fail to do. I guess
it worked for my learning as well, since it was my highest test grade of the year.
Although I had diffiiculty in his classes, Mr. Yang is a teacher I hold so much respect for. His dedication, overall, is still beyond me. Last year in his Algebra II class, I was having a tough time with the mathematical problems. He encouraged me to get up earlier for extra help, study harder for my tests, and gave me
my first wake-up call in high school when I’d hand in my Finance projects late. But the thing that I think just
completely overshadows those things just mentioned (don’t get me wrong, they’re amazing) is his speediness
at grading. I have no idea how on Earth he manages to grade so fast, but he is the fastest grader in the entire
school. I remember taking my final exam for Finance, and finishing around 2:20pm. I would look at Genesis
during play rehearsal and at 4:30 pm my grade was entered. I was impressed by his dedication to his students.
The last teacher on my list is Mr. Zunick. Mr. Zunick has pushed me incredibly hard in science and
I appreciate his dedication to his students. Mr. Zunick said that his classwork: “Builds character”. At first, I
completely disagreed with this statement but throughout the year I saw what a committed teacher he was to
his students. At this very moment, his class is my favorite despite all of the work and lectures. I realize that
Mr. Zunick is really trying to push me towards my potential. He is a passionate educator. He doesn’t expect
anything less than your best, and constantly encourages people to hit that and only that.
I am grateful for all of the teachers I’ve had in the high school thus far and am definitely excited as we
go into the second half of the year, and further on.
The Crown
The Unwritten Rules of Life
The Crown
PAGE 26
There are rules to every aspect of life. Some rules are recorded
and written down while other rules are unwritten or understood
by experience. The Crown staff wrote articles related to the unwritten rules of life. Enjoy.
The Unwritten Rules of Eating at the Dinner Table
By: Emily Griffin
Dinner is one of my favorite times of the day. After I get home from
practice, I know that a hot meal will be there to satisfy the hunger I worked
up after a long two hours of running around. Dinner is one of the only times
when my entire family sits down together. My mom, dad and two other sisters enjoy each other’s company and break bread together. Even when I’m
with my family, and sometimes even my friends, there are some unspoken
rules that I wish they could learn.
• Chew with your mouth closed. This is my biggest pet peeve. There is
nothing that annoys me more than when I am trying to sit down and peacefully enjoy my food and all I can hear is the smacking of lips. My dad and
one sister are the worst perpetrators of this habit. Closing your mouth while
eating will make everyone more comfortable.
• Talk with an inside voice. I understand that sometimes people get excited at dinner time; it has even happened to me, but when you are sitting
down at home with just your immediate family and you are telling a story
about what you did at school, there is no reason to scream across the table.
We can all hear you. You can talk normally and say what you have to say.
• Don’t talk about work. This mainly applies to my own family, especially my father, who is a police officer in Jersey City. He tells a lot us a lot
of what he does during his shift at work and some of the stories are a little
scary.
• My last unwritten rule at the dinner table is don’t interrupt. If someone
else is saying something, let them finish. Your comments can wait. We all
know how it feels to be interrupted, and it’s not good. Before you interrupt,
just remember how you would feel if you were repeatedly cut short. If you
just let people say what they have to say, and have people do the same in
return, your dining experience will be ideal.
These are my three unwritten rules to eating dinner. Bon apetite.
PAGE 27
The Unwritten Rules of School
by Olivia Jurisch
Do you ever walk in the hallways and realize that a lot of people do not understand
the unwritten rules of decency? Sometimes I am so shocked at the cluelessness of
other students. The most annoying occurrence is when a giant group of people blockthe entire hallway. There is no logic in standing in the middle of the hallway talking to
your friends. Clearly people do not understand that other people have classes to get to.
If you want to talk to your friends, it would make most sense to not talk in the center
of the hallway. If these people wanted to talk, they should stay on one side of the hallway.
Why do people stand in the middle of a doorway and do not move? Do they realize that maybe some people would like to leave or get into the room? Many people
need to realize where they are in relationship to other people.
I do not want to deal with elementary school behavior on the high school level.
I honestly think the worst unwritten rule of high school that is broken every day is
screaming. Every day I walk into school and hear people scream at their friends because they missed them. It is not necessary to scream at the top of your lungs when
you just saw your friends last period. Screaming is not appropriate in the hallways of
school or in a classroom.
In conclusion, there are numerous unwritten rules of high school that all students
should consider. Don’t block the middle of the hallway, don’t stop in the middle of a
doorway and never scream unless it is an appropriate situation.
Unwritten Rules of the Gym
By: Eamon Catherina
Everyone loves to be fit, and a great way to get fit is by hitting the gym. But when
you’re in the gym there are a couple of unwritten rules that go along with working out
in a gym. The first rule is that you should always wipe down your station when you
are done using it. When you are going hard in the gym, you tend to get a little sweaty.
No one wants to sit in your gross sweat. Rule number two is no singing out loud. A
lot of people love to get themselves pumped up in the gym and jam out to music on
their iPod. But there is nothing worse than having someone next to you singing when
you’re trying to lock in and bench your max. Rule number three is rack your weights
when you are done! It is awful when you go to a bench press and there is several 45
pound plates left on the bar. It’s very annoying that you have to rack someone else’s
weights before you can start your own workout. These rules are not necessarily posted
on the wall of the gym but If you follow these rules you will have no problem working
out in the gym.
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The Crown
Royals Basketball:
Two Seasons To Remember