THIS IS HALLOWEEN - Pine-Richland School District

Issue #6
Monday
Oct. 26
2015
Bringing Pine-Richland High School its News…One BOO at a Time
RAMPAGE
THIS IS HALLOWEEN
Senior Night: A group of
seniors gather to trick or treat
in Treesdale last Halloween.
Unfortunately, the rainy cold
weather didn’t cooperate, so
they went home and watched
Paranormal Activity at senior
Madison Engle’s house.
Senior Nina Nguyen dressed
as Where’s Waldo, Brooke
Servick dressed as a cat,
Madison Engle dressed as
Jean Valjean from the
musical Les Miserables, and
Emefa Akwayena as Little
Red Riding Hood.
You can be featured too! Just
send in your pics to
[email protected]
EMEFA AKWAYENA STAFF REPORTER
According to the Toptens website, Halloween is the number two top holiday.
Number one is Christmas.
The appeal of Halloween could partly come from the abundance of scary and fun festivities associated with it.
For instance, Halloween fanatic Madison Engle said, “I haven’t been to a haunted house since I was a kid, and I really want to go to
one. I asked my friend Emefa if she wanted to go with me; I even bribed her with food!”
Perhaps the appeal comes from the free candy; afterall, nothing beats free candy from neighbors, especially when they give you the
Big Value Size. Or maybe it’s being scared to death as you walk through a spooky corn maze and haunted house.
But wait, there is even more to add to the list: classic Halloween movies, and not just any; the Disney Channel ones.
Think back to your childhood memories; can you recall your favorite Disney Halloween movie? Was it Hocus Pocus, Twitches, or
maybe even Halloweentown?
Although these scary movies may not still haunt you as they did during your childhood, they are capable of bringing back old
memories.
You too can join in on the Halloween fun by sending in your Halloween pictures. [email protected].
LAST CHANCE TO BUY YEARBOOK FOR EARLY BIRD SPECIAL PRICE $55
WWW.YEARBOOKFOREVER.COM
OPINION PAGE
He Said…She Said: Yes, Please, to Coffee or Tea?
Tea Takes Down Coffee
BRADLEY JOHNSON STAFF REPORTER
Tea has existed since the Chinese started drinking it around 2800 BC. Since then
it has traveled across the world and has become a much-loved drink by many
countries.
Tea simply trumps coffee.
Coffee is an addictive drink that many people drink purely for the caffeine.
Though tea also contains caffeine, it contains less, and tea is a drink that people
trying to break their coffee addiction turn to.
That’s because tea contains antioxidants that reduce free radicals in the body too.
Tea also boasts the ability to improve dental health and reduce the risk of cancer
and Alzheimer’s.
Plus, tea has earned its own historical place in American history. The Boston
Tea Party was one of the first acts of rebellion of the United States towards
England. So if coffee is so great, why didn’t we dump that into the harbor instead?
Last time I checked, coffee did not take part in any major events in American
history.
Tea boasts more versatility than coffee as well. You can chill tea and drink it on a hot
The RAMPAGE is a student-created
summer day, or drink it hot in the morning to start the day, or to warm yourself on a
publication of Pine-Richland High School,
particularly cold day. Coffee has remained predominately a morning drink that people
700 Warrendale Road, Gibsonia, PA 15044.
drink to wake up.
The office is located in room 221. The
Tea is healthy, versatile, and historically important. Coffee is little more than a
RAMPAGE is available in print, online, and
caffeine-jolt
in the morning.
emailed each Monday. It is written by
students, for students, and will make every
attempt to report all school-related news, but
we cannot cover everything. We welcome
freelance
submissions,
suggestions,
comments, story ideas from ALL students
AND staff. We believe everyone has a story
worth telling, so we invite you to tell us
yours. We reserve the right to edit all
submissions for clarity and grammatical
errors. Not every submission guarantees
publication.
Staff Reporters: Seniors: Emefa Akwayena,
Jessica Avallone, Reilly Heiligenstein,
Hope Nolan, Sarah Swinderman
Juniors: Bradley Johnson, Emily Mitchum
Sophomores: Landi Batykefer, Faith Fabian,
Isabelle Kratz, Bryan Kurp, Jillian Siegal
Freshmen: Declan Allwein,
Brandon Bellora, Megan Bicker, Olivia Cardi,
Sophia Clegg, Mia Ginocchi, Ariana Goitz,
Brendan Hein, Elaina Harris, Alaina Kalin,
Sarah Luiken, Sammi Margolin, Riley Moore,
Ryan Murphy, Abi Venkatakrishnan
Foreign News Correspondent:
Tom Whitney
Editor & Teacher: Mrs. Harshman:
[email protected].(lower case
“L”) or [email protected]
READ ONLINE: Use your phone to scan
the code on the front page. Photos are in
color, and you can read past issues.
Directions: Open the app store. Click on
search. Type in: qr reader. Pick one that is
FREE. Find all the mistakes in this issue
and email us your guess!
I Want my Pumpkin Spice Latte Now!
EMILY MITCHUM STAFF REPORTER
You don’t have to be a drink aficionado to know that coffee runs our country.
Coffee trumps tea.
In the past twenty years, the demand for this delicious beverage has skyrocketed.
Coffee fills the urban streets of America at just about every corner.
So, what is the reason for this coffee craze?
Coffee can be enjoyed by anyone. Each coffee shop provides a large menu of unique
variations of coffee, including mochas, cappuccinos, and macchiatos. Many of these
flavors are available to make at home as well.
Think coffee is just for adults? Think again. Starbucks introduced the iconic
Frappucino in 1994, and since then, even the sweetest (and youngest) teeth have been
satisfied.
Coffee changes seasonally. Starbucks recently reintroduced the Pumpkin Spice,
Salted Caramel Mocha, and Toasted Graham flavors to get you in the mood for fall.
With so many options to choose from, there’s no way to go wrong. Everyone is fond
of their own twist on coffee.
Tea remains generally boring over time because the variety of flavors is minimal.
Why limit yourself to ten flavors when you could have thousands?
Coffee is also diverse. It allows us to experience other cultures without leaving our
cities. Popular coffee beans in America come from places all over the world, including
Peru, Puerto Rico, and of course— Columbia.
Tea is just a depressing reminder of our fight for independence. Taxes were certainly
annoying, but maybe the colonists were revolting because the tea was so horrible! I
don’t think anyone would dump tons of PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) into a river, unless
they wanted to be attacked by a group of angry teenage girls.
Just saying.
Coffee’s influence extends far beyond beverages. It has also made its way into food
as a popular flavor in desserts. Tiramisu, anyone?
If you haven’t reached for the car keys, what are you waiting for? Coffee is calling!
OPINION PAGE
Decisions Decisions: Application Deadlines Quickly Approaching
JESSICA AVALLONE
STAFF REPORTER
As November nears, the deadline to
submit college applications for early
decision or early actions looms. College no
longer hangs on the horizon waiting for
graduating seniors. Instead, students must
take hold of their future and apply.
Luckily, decisions can be made later on,
and not all students have to submit in
November. But, for the over achievers, as
soon as the leaves start to fall, the stress
picks up.
Decisions are made every day, but
college seems different. This decision can
affect the next four years of your life. Do
not get scared or anxious by these choices,
but rather embrace the new adventure that
could come your way next August.
Navigating the unknown waters when
applying to college scares the majority of
students, but thankfully we are not alone.
Lunch tables throughout the cafeteria
and common questions asked by adults
seem to revolve around the question,
“What schools are you applying to?”
Friends,
family,
teachers,
and
counselors can provide insight on the
applying process too. Try to forget about
the stress of deadlines, and embrace this
unique time in your life.
Samantha & Jessica Avallone at Belmont on a college tour.
RAMPAGE WANTS TO CELEBRATE YOUR
COLLEGE PURSUITS WITH YOU!
SNAP A PHOTO OF YOU AND YOUR ACCEPTANCE
LETTER AND SEND IT TO US!
Homework Hassle: The Struggle of Stress from Too Much Homework
ELAINA HARRIS STAFF REPORTER
Halloween brings with it all kinds of frightening themes, such as ghosts, goblins, and monsters of all shapes and sizes.
However, this Halloween an even scarier topic has come to light: homework.
Now, some might say that the amount of homework students receive is not unreasonable. A few hours a night seems fair and
teachers may wonder why students are complaining. Well, those few hours a night when combined with after school clubs,
sports, and other activities add up.
With all of the different clubs and activities that the school offers, students often have other things to think about than their
schoolwork. Sports often practice every day, not to mention their games and meets, which sometimes extend late into the
evening, in some cases past 7:00.
This end time for practices and games puts students at home and fed past 8:00. With three hours of homework a night, those
students wouldn’t get to sleep until 11:00.
Going to bed at 11:00 each night gets those students about six hours of sleep, a number which deviates strongly from the
doctor recommended 8-10 hours. Not only does this excessive amount of homework keep students from getting enough sleep,
but it also creates health risks due to the unhealthy levels of stress caused by the heavy workload.
Denise Pope, senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, said, "We found a clear connection between the
students' stress and physical impacts -- migraines, ulcers and other stomach problems, sleep deprivation and exhaustion, and
weight loss.”
Pope proves exactly why the amount of homework students receive should be lessened. The health problems that the stress of
the heavy workload causes are not worth students putting in so much time for homework.
So, this Halloween while on the lookout for ghosts and goblins, try to remember the real terror of the night.
ENTERTAINMENT PAGE
Travel Tribulations
Chapter 5 of The Garden:
A Serialized Novel
RILEY MOORE STAFF REPORTER
Gray sand littered the hooves of the three
horses. Pryce, D’or, and Luna knew they had to
keep walking down Mount Dion.
Mortedge told his son Pryce that the new
Prophet was on the ground, at the bottom of
Mount Dion.
You just need to reach the bottom. Nothing else.
It only sounded easy.
Because of his father’s brilliant idea to send The
Decay, Pryce now had to travel down the most
dangerous structure Mother Earth ever created.
The gray sand burned everything in its path; the
wind blew stronger than wicked flames. Even sleep
left no escape from the mountain.
The happiest dream only provided relief for
brief seconds, maybe minutes. Pryce knew they had
to continue, but they were no further down the
mountain from when Luna first went to sleep.
Remarkably, that was two hours ago.
Luna must have strong magic, to be able to sleep this long
and not be affected by these elements, he thought.
No wonder Mortedge thought Luna was going to be the
next Prophet.
But if her magic is so strong, why isn’t she? Pryce’s
tumbling thoughts could not be answered, but he
knew one thing: Mount Dion was dangerous.
“D’or.” Pryce called to the golden unicorn.
“Wake up the Princess. We need to leave, before
Mount Dion eats us alive.”
D’or looked at him curiously. “Pryce, Luna
needs her rest. And I am as much of a Princess as
she is, so I think I know better than the son of
someone who sent our doom.”
Pryce grunted with anger. “Just do it. You have
no authority. Luna is the King’s successor, not you.
And resting this long in these conditions will do her
no good. So let’s get to the ground. Now.”
D’or said nothing, but woke up her sister from
her slumber nonetheless.
Pryce was glad they were finally getting
somewhere. Whatever you’re planning, Father, let me get
out of here alive before you do it.
To be continued in next Monday’s issue!
Where should the story go next? Write to us!
[email protected]
TALENT SHOW…
COMING SOON…
EMAIL [email protected]
Halloween’s History
The Story Behind Its Spooky Creation
LANDI BATYKEFER STAFF REPORTER
Boo!
Betcha you weren’t expecting that scare, were you?
Although, Halloween is meant to be scary and creepy, and you are
normally prepared to be jumped out at.
Many kids and students go to haunted houses, or haunted corn mazes,
but how many of them know how Halloween originated?
This terrifying holiday dates back all the way to the ancient Celtic
festival of Samhain. The people who are called “Celts” go back 2,000
years ago in Ireland celebrating their new year on November 1 st. That
day marks the day where it is the beginning of the dark cold nights; sadly
it often brought a lot of deaths.
“Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary
between the words of the living and the dead became blurred,” according
to an article on history.com about Halloween.
So on October 31st they celebrated “Samhain” --their holiday in which
they believed ghosts returned to earth.
The American Halloween tradition of “Trick-Or-Treating” goes back
to the early All Souls’ Day parades in England. The poor citizens would
go around begging for food and family would give them “soul cakes” a
pastry. The poor people in return would promise to pray for the families
dead relatives. The practice was often encouraged by churches, and
eventually children took up the tradition calling it “going a-souling” where
they would then get food, ale, and money.
Ever thought that was how Halloween came to be?
Me neither!
Sophia Says
Sophia Solves Sport Problems
SOPHIA CLEGG STAFF REPORTER
Dear Sophia,
I really want to try out for a sports team, but I've never played before and I'm scared
everyone’s going to be better than me. Do I tryout or just forget it?
Signed,
Reluctant to Even Try
Dear Reluctant to Even Try,
By time you reach high school, you’re right to assume that most people
have been playing their sport for a while, but that doesn't mean you can't
tryout. And, so what if you don't make the team? At least you won't regret
not trying. Also, most sport teams have at least JV, and Varsity teams, so
you can always just try out for JV. Who knows? Maybe you'll be the next
MVP! Thanks for writing, hope that helped!
You can write to me too: [email protected]
ENTERTAINMENT PAGE
Holiday Crisis: It’s Not Even Halloween, but Christmas is Already Here?
ISABELLE KRATZ
STAFF REPORTER
This weekend I was out shopping
with my two sisters and my dad, and I
was appalled to see Christmas
decorations in the Dollar Store and
Christmas lights and outdoor
decorations in Home Depot!
Don’t get me wrong; I LOVE
Christmas; I love it a lot, but guys,
Halloween hasn’t even here yet, and
I’m
already
seeing
Christmas
decorations! Last year we skipped
Thanksgiving
and
went
from
Halloween to Christmas, but this year,
we’re skipping Halloween too. I guess
I didn’t get the memo that Halloween
and Thanksgiving no longer exist.
Now you’re probably wondering
‘why does she care so much?’
Well, I care because the fact that
we skip holidays shows how much we
lack patience and that we don’t live in
the moment. We skip over Halloween,
a chance to see neighbors you might
not see very often, and we skip
Thanksgiving.
THANKSgiving. We skip a holiday
meant to be thankful for everything
we have and considering how bad our
manners are, we should really be
celebrating Thanksgiving.
Stand with me, and fight against
the ‘cultural norm’ to skip holidays.
The only reason people skip to
Christmas is because of all the gifts
they receive at Christmas; everyone
LOVES receiving but not giving.
Don’t be that person! I get a huge
smile on my face when the person I
just gave a gift to, actually likes their
gift. I pride myself in giving excellent
gifts.
If you see any more stores with
Christmas decorations in them before
Halloween or Thanksgiving, take a
picture of it and email us at
[email protected]!
YOU CAN BECOME A PUBLISHED POET.
SUBMIT YOUR POEMS AND SHORT STORIES TO THE INKWELL,
THE HIGH SCHOOL’S LITERARY MAGAZINE.
[email protected]
NEWS PAGE
Halloween Asteroid Hurtles Towards Earth:
The Spine-Chilling Treat Heading Our Way
JILLIAN SIEGAL STAFF REPORTER
Halloween, perhaps one of America's favorite holidays, is filled with candy,
costumes, chills, and now, asteroids? Yes, you read that right. This Halloween,
a new type of "pumpkin" will be making an appearance, and it's 1,300 feet
wide.
According to an article posted by NASA on October 21, an asteroid will be
flying remarkably close to Earth on Saturday. This spooky news was
discovered by The University of Hawaii, who named the asteroid "2015 TB14."
The asteroid makes headlines due to its eerie proximity to Earth. It will be
spiraling around 300,00 miles away. While this seem far, scientists say that this
will mostly likely remain the closest asteroid to Earth until 2027.
Not only is the asteroid close to Earth, but it is the size of the Empire State
Building. The asteroid will also be hurtling at a chilling 78,000 miles per hour.
Spiders and ghosts may seem scary, but this asteroid challenges even the largest
haunted houses.
Though, have no fear, the asteroid poses no real threat to any planets in the
solar system. In fact, unless you plan on using a telescope Saturday night, you
will not even notice the giant rock soar by.
Want to learn more about the Halloween Asteroid? Follow NASA on
Twitter @NASA, or check out nasa.org
2016 Presidential Primaries
Have you been following the race?
SARAH SWINDERMAN STAFF REPORTER
If you’ve followed any of the debates or interviews, you know that there has
been no shortage of stand-out personalities going into this upcoming election.
And if you’re a senior, you also know that you have to pay even more
attention to the goings-on in politics than ever before because this year, you
have a say in who wins the election. And it proves a challenge to keep up with
everything happening in politics. It’s difficult enough to try to figure out where
you stand on the issues, let alone where the candidates stand.
It isn’t that difficult, however, to find out where the general public stands.
Across polls, it is pretty much a consensus that Donald Trump leads for the
Republican nomination and Hilary Clinton leads for the Democratic
nomination. In a poll taken mid-week last week on CNN, Trump led by 5
points, and in a separate poll taken by NBC, he led by 3 points. Carson
remains his closest threat. In the Democratic nomination polls, however,
Clinton leads by a sizable margin. In a poll taken by NBC, Clinton led by 20
points, and in a separate poll by CNN, she led by 16, her closest challenger in
both polls being Bernie Sanders.
If you have no idea who to support, watch the debates because you can find
out which candidate’s views you agree with, not to mention their entertainment
value.
The next Republican Debate takes place on Wednesday, October 28, and
the next Democratic Debate takes place on Saturday, November 14.
What do you think of the candidates so far? Who will you vote for? Write
to us at [email protected].
From Then to Now:
Pitt football in the AP Top 25
BRYAN KURP STAFF REPORTER
On October 17th, the Pittsburgh Panthers
earned a road victory at Georgia Tech. The
31 to 28 win improved Pitt’s overall season
record to 5 and 1, as well as their conference
record to 3 and 0. Because of the win, the
Panthers were ranked 25th in the Associated
Press College Top 25 Poll.
This ranking is the first time the Panthers
are ranked in an in-season AP poll since 2009.
In 2009, the team finished the season with a
10 and 3 record, placing the Panthers 15th in
the final AP poll of the season.
Since then, Pitt experienced three coaching
changes and a conference change from the
Big East to the ACC. Also, the Panthers have
consistently finished their regular season 6
and 6.
College football fans have to give Pitt
credit. They are currently having a successful
season under their new head coach, Pat
Narduzzi. Also, the Panthers are playing the
whole season without their reigning ACC
Player of the Year, James Conner.
With a few more wins, the Panthers have a
chance to win the Coastal Division and play
in the ACC Championship Game. One can
also expect Pitt to be ranked higher in the
Top 25 with these victories.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
FALL PLAY: The Pine-Richland
High School Thespian Society is
presenting Fahrenheit 451 in
November.
Tentative performance dates will
be on November 19th at 4pm,
November 20th at 7pm and 2
shows on November 21st at 1pm
and 7pm. Tickets are 7 dollars at
the door and 5 dollars in advance.
See Mr. Dolphin for details.
ENTERTAINMENT PAGE
Question: Who in the World Is Justin Trudeau?
← Answer: This Guy
SARAH LUIKEN STAFF REPORTER
Canada had their election earlier last week, and the guy who won is called
Justin Trudeau.
This election was really important for Canada, and many Canadians are super
glad that the liberal party won this election. Why? Because right-wing politicians
there are petitioning to basically make a NSA 2.0 for Canada.
Justin Trudeau was elected Prime Minister (Canada doesn’t have a president!)
by a shocking majority vote. It would have been REALLY embarrassing to be
running against him. Prime Minister Harper’s 3-term-long rule, which Canadians
weren’t too crazy about, is over.
I hope our election goes something like this. Canada finally has a leader they can trust, after three terms! Basically all you need to
know about ex-Prime Minister Harper is that he’s a typical slimy and untrustworthy politician. He’s like the Donald Trump of Canada.
Or at least I think he is. And who wants that creep in office?! If I were Canadian, I’d be celebrating the outcome of this election.
Way to go Canada.
Now all we can do in America is hope that everyone else in the country isn’t totally psycho, and make the correct choices for our
2016 election (pssssst, NO TRUMP).
REMINDERS:
REMEMBER, NO SCHOOL THIS FRIDAY!!!!
□WRITE TO THE RAMPAGE.
□BRUSH YOUR TEETH.
□PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE AND
SAY HELLO TO SOMEONE NEW.
□SERIOUSLY, PUT DOWN YOUR
PHONE AND WATCH WHERE YOU
WALK IN THE HALLWAYS.
□TAKE A HIKE.
Star Wars Episode 7:Is it Gonna Be Really Great or Really Terrible?
HOPE NOLAN STAFF REPORTER
How many of you are fans of the sci-fi saga known as Star Wars?
Recently an official trailer for the seventh film in the saga was released. The trailer had fans freaking out. Millions of dollars
worth of tickets have already been pre-sold says The verge.com.
The seventh film in the series will be titled Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
It will premiere on December 18th.
The story is set approximately 30 years after The Return Of The Jedi. This is appropriate because some returning cast members
are old by now.
For instance, Mark Hamhill who played Luke Skywalker really let himself go.
Hopefully they’ve still got it.
According to StarWars.Com, the movie will feature an all new dark villain named Kylo Ren who is strong with the force. Let’s
see if he will become as iconic and instantly recognizable as popular villains such as Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine.
Other new characters include Finn, Rey, Poe Dameron, Captain Phasma, General Hux and Supreme Leader Snoke.
Will their adventures measure up to those had by our beloved characters more than three decades earlier? Can’t wait to find
out! What do YOU think? Write to the Rampage!
ENTERTAINMENT PAGE
#DeclanDecides: Another Question Answered For Your Reading Enjoyment
DECLAN ALLWEIN STAFF REPORTER
How many of you have asked yourself this question: “How
many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a
Tootsie Pop?”
I’m sure we have all heard this question at one time or
another.
The University Of Purdue designed a licking machine
(weird right?) to find out the exact amount of licks it took.
They said on average it would take 364 licks to get to the
center of the Tootsie Pop.
However, freshman Tyler Hepler conducted an experiment
of his own. Earlier in the day he received a Tootsie Pop from
freshman Amanda Watson and decided to find out how many
licks it took. Helper said, “She gave me the lollipop and I
remembered the commercial.”
Freshman Tressa Coon said, “He (Helper) used a red pen
to tally the licks in his Dr. Seuss notebook.”
What’s the final count, you might ask?
The answer: 2,860 licks to get to the center of the Tootsie
Pop.
Hepler said it took about two hours to get to find out the
answer.
I don’t know what you think about this…. but I’m
personally too lazy to spend two hours licking a lollipop. Man,
this takes commitment. So, if you see Tyler in the hall, give
him a pat on the back (Don’t actually do that, that would be
weird).
So anyway, if you think this is
awesome, email the Rampage let us
know what you think! And if you
think I’m as cool as I think I am...
Tweet me. @DeclanDecides.
A Curious Countenance
YOU CAN BE A RAMPAGE
REPORTER TOO!
Become a
A FREELANCE REPORTER.
You don’t have to part of
the Rampage Staff to be
on a Rampage.
SEE MRS. HARSHMAN
IN ROOM 221 FOR
DETAILS.
The Story Behind the Face of CPR
MEGAN BICKER STAFF REPORTER
With Halloween just a week around the corner, a random, macabre story from history is
only appropriate.
Three seemingly unrelated events came together to form the story of the CPR dummy’s
face. Yes, bizarre as it sounds, there is indeed a story.
Paris, the late eighteen-hundreds. According to bbc.com, an unknown woman’s body was
discovered in the Seine River. The corpse was placed in a morgue for the public to view, so
potential family members could come forward to claim it. Here comes the weird part.
Captivated by the woman’s peaceful face, people made death masks of her. They
reproduced these masks until they became a kind of famous décor. (Yeah…seriously
strange).
Number two; in 1955, a man named Asmund Laerdal (from Norway) rescued his
drowning son during a beach trip gone-wrong. He essentially performed CPR to do so.
Except CPR was not officially invented at that time. According to howstuffworks.com,
in 1960 a Dr. Peter Safar wanted to popularize a newly-discovered theory, that of
cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Safar requested help form Laerdal, a toymaker. Laerdal invented a dummy, and used the
death mask as the face because he thought it less intimidating to CPR learners. (What….???).
Thus he invented ‘Resusci Anne’, the dummy upon which millions practice CPR.
With the face of a corpse.
Yep, Health class just got morbid.