Valley Echo - Passaic Valley High School

What’s Inside!
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Mr. Fowler’s new gig
All the buzz
about PV!
Welcome Dr. Cardillo!
Passaic Valley Regional High School
www.pvhs.k12.nj.us
Spotlight: Mr. DeLuccia
Vol. LXVII Issue 1
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9
NYC Comic -Con
Trump for President?
November 2015
Passaic Valley High School welcomes Dr. Cardillo
Michael Rufino ‘16
Dr. JoAnn Cardillo, our new superintendent, began her tenure at Passaic Valley High School on October 5th.
Her contract was approved by the Board
of Education on September 22nd. Dr.
Cardillo originally worked in the Paterson school district as an administrator and teacher for over twenty years.
As of last October, Passaic Valley has
been without a superintendent. Dr. Joganow, our superintendent for almost
thirteen years, retired in October of last
year. Dr. Terrance Brennan was hired to
take his place but was never intended to
be a permanent addition. Since then, the
Board of Education has been searching
for the perfect fit as superintendent of the
school. That year-long search came to an
end last September 22nd, when the Board
of Ed. approved Dr. Cardillo’s contract,
making her the newest superintendent.
This job was a career goal for Dr. Cardillo, a position she’d always wanted. She’d
been an administrator for years but had
never taken on the job of superintendent.
This is a completely new step for her, but
one she takes on eagerly. Dr. Cardillo chose
PV because of her familiarity with the
area. She had worked in the Passaic County School District her entire career, so the
move to PV has been a comfortable one.
Dr. Cardillo has had extensive experience in the fields of education and administration, previously working in the Paterson School District as a teacher and an
administrator (Executive Director of Principal Coaching and Evaluation). During
her time as an administrator in the Paterson
School District, she watched over 12 different locations. She has published mul-
Photo Credit: Yearbook Staff
Photo Caption: Dr. JoAnn Cardillo in her new office
tiple academic papers ranging in subject
from the recent changes in education and
professional practices. This has impacted
her views on education immensely, “Everyone involved in education needs to be a
learner,” Dr. Cardillo says, stating how important it is for both teachers and students
to adapt in the field of education and to be
open to new ideas and new ways of thinking.
Dr. Cardillo also worked as the Vice
Principal at Rosa Parks Fine and Performing Arts school in Paterson. The arts
happen to be very close to Dr. Cardillo’s
heart: “Arts programs should be strengthened because they drive excellence.” Dr.
Cardillo believes in the arts programs
and hopes to keep them alive during her
time here as superintendent. She feels
that they should be integrated into every classroom in some way or another.
Using her doctorate in Educational
Leadership and Policy from Seton Hall,
Dr. Cardillo hopes to improve PV for the
better. She plans to give back to the stu-
dents. Dr. Cardillo is looking to visit classrooms often, feeling that her classroom
experience will help her be both a better
superintendent for the students and the
teachers. She understands the needs of Passaic Valley and is determined to fill them.
Dr. Cardillo is coming into this new
position with a plan as well. It is called
the “Thirty Day Plan,” deriving its name
from the thirty days Dr. Cardillo has given
herself to acclimate to the school and the
community. The plan involves a series of
steps, ranging from administrative work to
getting to know the students, teachers, and
other staff members. One of these steps
includes visiting classrooms in an informal manner. Dr. Cardillo wants to stop by
and observe, but not in a judgmental nor
disruptive way. Essentially, Dr. Cardillo
is only looking to see how each teacher
works his/her classes. She also plans on
putting bulletin boards up in her office,
outlining student works in each specific
subject area. This affords visitors to Pas-
saic Valley, administrators, and parents
the opportunity to see what the students
are learning and the effort being put in.
Dr. Cardillo bears many professional similarities our previous permanent superintendent, Dr. Joganow. First, they both spent
a considerable amount of time in the classroom before becoming administrators. Dr.
Joganow worked as a teacher for almost 14
years, while Dr. Cardillo spent a total of 22
years as a teacher. However, Dr. Joganow
held multiple superintendent positions before becoming our superintendent here at
PV. His previous places of employment include the Totowa School District and the
Sparta School District, giving Dr. Joganow
experience as a superintendent before coming here. Dr. Cardillo, however, has never
been superintendent of a school before,
making this is a completely new position
for her. Yet, Dr. Cardillo’s academic background provides a revitalized perspective.
In the end, Dr. Cardillo is here for the
students, not for herself. She is looking
to usher in the “next phase of education”
for Passaic Valley, while also respecting
the traditions and values of the school as
a whole. On the school’s website she has
a paragraph outlining her goals, “Her mission is to ensure that the programs and
opportunities offered by the district are
meaningful in preparing students to be successful in today’s global society.” Dr. Cardillo also had this to say on our traditions
and the future generations of PV: “The
standards and traditions of Passaic Valley
Regional High School must be upheld for
the future generations of families working
and living in the communities it serves.”
Students address local government project
Malac Moraktan ‘17
9 students. 1 team. 1 dream. 1 goal.
Maxwell Kohutich, Ali Aljarrah, Nicholas
Quintero, Omar Mohammad, Michael Farrell, Bernard Feeney, Angela Galas, Teresa
Reynolds, and Erik Holzach are all trying
to achieve the same thing: a solution to the
hazardous situation on Browertown Road.
Located by the back enterance to the
school and the entrance to Shoprite, the
incomplete sidewalk has caused at least
fifty car accidents in the last five years.
The Student Advocates for Safety, better
known as SAFS, are attempting to tackle
this issue. They have been constantly at
work for the past year, trying to persuade
the people of Little Falls that a stop sign
should be erected to encourage safe driving and that the sidewalk should be completed because it is a major safety issue.
SAFS formed last December, when
Max Kohutich and Ali Aljarrah were inspired by their government teacher, Mr.
Thomas Deeney. Aljarrah explains, “The
great Thomas Deeney inspired Max, who
then contacted me in late December and
we decided to form this group because it
is a dangerous road and it would be easy
to build sidewalks.” After attending Board
of Education meetings and monthly group
meetings, the group is hoping that this issue will finally be resolved at the end of
this school year. They are all seniors who
Photo Credit: Malac Moraktan ‘17
Photo Caption: SAFS pose for a picture with their banner; not pictured: Angela Galas
have one thing in common: a concern for
the safety of their fellow peers. That is
why they are asking for support from PV
students and local citizens in Little Falls.
SAFS also has a Junior SAFS, which
searching for problems that need fixing.
SAFS has had a successful year since
they formed. They are receiving a lot of
support from the Board of Ed. and from
local residents. They have even convinced
currently has a couple of members, including the younger brother of Ali Aljarrah.
The Junior SAFS are encouraged by their
older peers to help out their community by
the Little Falls Police Department to install
two new 25 mph speed limit signs on Browertown Road. One of the main concerns
about this issue is that “there is an uneven
“The great Thomas Deeney inspired Max,
who then contacted me in late December and we decided to form this group”
-Ali Aljarrah ‘16
road service and bend that essentially splits
the road into two different streets, which
creates a blindspot,” said the group at one
of their Board of Ed. meetings outlining
the sidewalk project from June. Their main
goals are to erect a stop sign at the back
of the school and to increase police presence. School Officer Jon Vanak has been
incredibly supportive of these proposals.
Mr. Deeney is pretty confident in these civic-minded students. He says, “If they were
to participate in other projects, I certainly
wouldn’t be surprised with their ambition.”
When asked where they see themselves
in the future, a majority of the members
replied that they are hoping to pursue a career in politics. Some are even considering
running for President of the United States.
The group even has their own official
Facebook page and e-mail, Facebook.
com/StudentAdvocatesForSafety and [email protected].
If anyone would like to join, all that has
to be done is contact the group. SAFS
members have given themselves a nickname: “Savages Building Sidewalks”.
The group has been informed that a
stop sign on Browertown Road will be
installed in late November and the sidewalk will be completed by the end of
the year with funding that the Passaic County Planning Board has found.
News
PV’s new addition to the school
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Valley Echo
November 2015
Mikala Venturella ‘18
Autism is a growing concern
among many Americans. Awareness is
lacking and treatment is often difficult. In
response, Passaic Valley Regional High
School has installed the newest addition to the school: The Autism Program.
This ambitious program has been
in the works for three years. New accommodations and staff needed to be added.
The classroom the school had. A space the
workers could revamp for a speech room,
they had. However, additional staff was
needed to fill these spaces. The new staff
were told they were being moved in May,
since they were already in a program at
a different school. Eleven staff members
work together to comprise the program.
They have six aids, a teacher, a behaviorist,
a speech therapist, therapist, and a physical therapist (who comes in twice a week).
The students’ schedules are like
our schedules, for the most part. They
have math and English, but they also
have practical classes to help them with
speech and item identification. Throughout the day, students are taught skills
to improve their daily lives.
Autism is a disorder that’s been
around for a while, but has only been studied extensively in recent years. It’s a serious
developmental disorder that impairs the
ability to communicate and interact. The
students at the Passaic Valley High School
Autism Program are mostly nonverbal. In
the U.S. alone 1 in 88 children have autism. Men are more likely to suffer from it
than women. They have nine students and
out of that nine, five are boys and four are
girls. Unlike other diseases, Autism is incurable but treatment may help. It can last
years or be lifelong; someone could have
Photo Credit: Malac Moraktan ‘17
Photo Caption: Pictured above are the students, teachers, and aids posing.
it for one year or until their last breath.
Autism has to be diagnosed by a medical professional. Lab tests are usually required. Autism is measured on a spectrum,
that characterizes the severity of each
case. Behavioral, Cognitive, Speech, Psychological, Developmental, Muscular are
all categories that fall on the spectrum.
“Everyone is cooperating very
well now that we are here”
-Mrs.Shannon
The following is a sample of potential
symptoms:
•Behavioral: aggression and compulsive
behavior.
•Cognitive: intense interest in a limited
number of things and problems paying attention.
•Speech: abnormal tone of voice.
•Psychological: anxiety and depression.
•Developmental: learning disability or delayed speech.
•Muscular: poor coordination or tic.
All of these things can be treated
in a variety of ways. The Autism Program
seeks to provide their students with the
individual attention the disorder requires.
“The students go around the
school for their class,” the school psychologist Mrs. Cruz told The Valley
Echo. Students are able to go on a scavenger hunts, walking through the school
to find things and identify them. Most
mainstream students walked through the
hall but made no interactions with the
autistic students as the went about their
activity. However, some students choose
to help out during their lunch periods.
The staff at the Autism program welcome any students willing to lend a hand.
In the years to come, the program
may expand in many ways. It may require
more space, add resources, and hire more
staff. The things they can do with the program in the upcoming years is amazing.
Thus far, the Autism Program has
received a warm welcome from both the
staff and students at Passaic Valley High
School. It may have been a hectic transition
period early on for the autism students but
as Mrs. Shannon notes, “Everyone is cooperating very well now that we are here.”
Photo Credit: Google Images
Photo Caption: A clever play on the Autism Puzzle
Fowler takes over as new Supervisor of Curriculum
Malac Moraktan ‘17
Mr. Jared Fowler has been a part
of the Passaic Valley family for eight years.
In his time away from the school, he works
on his novel, attends classes at Drew University for his doctorate, teaches nightly
classes at Passaic County Community
College, and plays with his son Jack. After holding the positions of English, HSPA,
and Journalism teacher, he has happily accepted a promotion as the new Supervisor
of Curriculum, which was previously held
by Mr. O’Brien. He comments, “Even if I
didn’t take the job, I would still be happily
teaching.” When he accepted the new position, he was “excited to start a new part
in his career but a little scared to leave the
classroom”. Even though Mr. Fowler is
an extremely busy man, he has not forgotten his origins as a teacher; he still helps
out students when they ask. Even though
he loves teaching, he has had his eyes set
on this job since 2008. Although he is very
excited to hold a new position, he will still
miss his old job. He will really miss the interactions with students, and also “seeing a
student actually learn right in front of me”.
Before he became the Supervisor of Curriculum, he previously taught
HSPA classes and English III and IV. He
also was the Journalism teacher for a couple of years; now Mr. Cornelius Van Ess
holds that position. The current Department Head, Ms. Mary Lou Bednarski,
describes Mr. Fowler as “a very creative
man who is also hardworking and a good
role model for the kids”. He also coached
the boys’ baseball team, but, with greater
responsibilities and a very tight schedule,
he will no longer be coaching. Although
that position will be filled, he will still
volunteer and plans to be around them.
What he will be doing is writing the curriculum for different subjects,
She describes him as a “funny, friendly,
and a responsible roommate.” Miss Ellis
has learned one lesson from Mr. Fowler, and that is to keep her room tidy. She
said that his side of the room was always
neat, while hers was the complete opposite. So one day, Mr. Fowler decided
to ‘tidy up the room.’ He took all of her
books, including binders and novels, and
made them into one big pile atop her desk.
Miss Ellis strongly believes in him and she
is quite excited about his new position.
Mr. Fowler stands by many values, “We, as adults and teachers, need
to present ourselves as role models and
“Mr. Fowler is a very
creative man who is also
hardworking and a good
role model for the kids”
-Ms. Mary Lou
Bednarski
Photo Credit: Malinda DiPasquale ‘16
Photo Caption: Mr. Fowler in his new office
evaluating teachers, and working on getting the PARCC examination ready for
students. His main goals this year are to
encourage teachers to collaborate and coteach and make sure that “everyone is given the opportunity to be highly effective.”
Before he came to PV, he attended Hoboken High School in his old
hometown. He then attended college at
Saint Peters University where in 2005
he received his bachelors in English and
Communications and minored in Secondary Education. He then went on to receive
his masters at Saint Peters in Administration and Supervision. He is now in his
third year at Drew University, studying
to receive his doctorate in Humanities
with a concentration in Creative Writing.
Mr. Fowler also shared a room
with English teacher Miss Megan Ellis.
to hold ourselves to higher ethics.” Although Mr. Fowler has a very tight
schedule, he will always be willing to
help out anyone in need. Whether it’s
a student who is struggling with classes, particularly English, or someone who
just needs to talk to an adult, Mr. Jared
Fowler will always be there to help out.
If anyone would like to take
Mr. Fowler up on his previous offer, his
office (which he shares with Mr. Meluso) is located right by the main office.
He can also be reached through email:
[email protected]
Op-Ed
November 2015
Police Brutality, an epidemic or exaggeration?
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Valley Echo
Eric Garner, New York. Mike Brown, Missouri.
Freddie Gray, Maryland. These three cases got the ball rolling in what people are calling a police brutality epidemic.
Though these cases may have been the tipping point, there
were many others that were just as heart-wrenching. The
controversy has people choosing sides and is opening rifts
amongst friends and family. The rise in cases and the media
coverage on Police Brutality has been getting people asking
one main question: If we can’t even trust the people who
are supposed to be protecting our lives, who can we trust?
Ahmad Mubarak ‘17
Police brutality is a subject argued all over America. I strongly believe it’s not as serious as the media is
making it, but the problem is rather their portrayal of interactions between police and minority communities. I
find America is going down a dangerous path because the
media. Not everything on the media may be wrong, but
with just a small spark it can make a powerful fire. I highly
respect officers for their heroic deeds and their everyday
protection of our loved ones. Is this really how we should
repay them? By degrading them as liars and evil people?
According to the Daily News, “No U.S. Government agency is keeping reliable records on unjustifiable
police brutality cases. The FBI provides information only
on justifiable homicides from 2009 to 2013.” This raises
suspicion in all Americans. However, it’s not absolutely
necessary for police officers to record unjustifiable police
homicides due to the fact that it does not happen often
enough to warrant spent resources collecting this data.
I believe the media is ruining the image of police officers in America. I find it annoying that the media
will find unsolved cases that they can twist and blame
the police officers for, alarming people and raising panic. For example, various media outlets have claimed
that police photos of Sandra Bland show that she might
have been dead at the time of her mugshot. The media
exploits this and points the cameras toward the police
department. The Los Angeles Times states, “Officials
ruled her death a suicide, but Bland’s family has questioned the findings and commissioned a second, independent autopsy.” It is aggravating to see people buying into the media’s lies. Once people start believing in
them, their panic can potentially turn to anger and riots.
Officer Flores of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department is all too familiar with these situations because
he teaches use of force to new recruitments. According to
Flores, the city of Chicago, since January, has had over
2,000 shootings. Out of that 2,000, 415 were homicides
(no police officers were involved). Officer Flores states,
“What people fail to see is the real epidemic being people
killing people rather than police officers killing people.”
An additional supporter of police officers is
Mr. Holsworth, a U.S. History teacher in Passaic Valley High School. He has a different reason as to why
all the victims of police brutality get into trouble in the
first place. When asked whether or not police officers
should wear body cams, he responded, “No I don’t believe so, of all the police brutality cases that goes on,
all the victims were around someone or something
where illegal things are happening. It’s not a good direction society is going in, police are here to protect.”
Looking back into these cases, it was noted that
Eric Garner was put into a chokehold after being caught
selling untaxed cigarettes. Police officers were originally called my a nearby convenience store owner. Michael
Brown who was shot by a police officer, had stolen cigarettes
with his friend. This was confirmed by the store’s clerk.
Though these police officers were extremely excessive in their mitigation of punishment, this proves Mr.
Holsworth’s point. I express great disgust to these terrible people and their acts, but ruining the image of other officers here to protect and serve is way out of line.
Ruby Ricaldi ‘16
In 1973, Clifford Glover, a ten-year-old boy from
Jamaica, Queens, was shot by a police officer for running
away. Glover and his father had been stopped by two
NYPD officers because they fit the description of two cat
burglars. In 1992, there was a five-day riot in Los Angeles,
California due to an incident involving Rodney King, who
was beaten by four LAPD officers during a traffic stop.
According to CNN, “The riots...left more than 50 people
dead, and more than 2,000 injured.” There are many more
examples of police brutality that show that this is not just a
new problem for the US. It has been happening for decades.
Recently, the media has featured a few key incidents of police brutality over the last few years. The
tragic deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, the
victims in two of the most prominent cases from the last
two years, were covered by most of the major news outlets, both local and international. The coverage of these
cases has allowed this issue to be addressed and brought
it into the homes of Americans and people worldwide.
Discussing police brutality may cause tension
within one’s home, since not everyone will be on the
same side. Either way, it is important that these conversations are had. I firmly stand by my belief that the more
people speak openly about a problem, the faster it will
catch the eye of someone with greater stature and others
may realize that something needs to be done. As Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minster of the United
Kingdom, said, “Watch your thoughts for they become
words. Watch your words for they become actions.” In
other words, it can mean “be careful of what you say and
do”; however, I think that it can apply in the context of
people discussing the police, causing a snowball effect.
My co-writer, Ahmad Mubarak, thinks that the
media is making police brutality a bigger issue that it really is and blowing it out of proportion. I disagree. If a police
officer, who is supposed to protect and serve, kills one of the
people he is supposed to protect and serve, then it should
be covered. It is essential that these instances are spoken
about. Awareness is created when the people well -informed
and the news reports on police brutality. If it isn’t reported, then it is covered up. I believe that it’s very important
that people aren’t ignorant to what happens around them.
I do understand that people are killed every day,
but not every one of those people were killed by someone who took an oath to protect and serve the citizens in
this country. The media does not do anything but report
what should be reported. There are a few things that I feel
should be left out when reporting on police brutality, like
the besmirching the reputation and past of the victims.
Ahmad and I do agree that the country’s police forces should not be penalized for the actions of
the few. There are very few reported cases of police
brutality, and because of this I feel it is difficult to decide whether or not it is an epidemic. According to The
New York Times, the Justice Department was ordered in
1994 by Congress to collect and provide these statistics.
“But two decades later there remains no comprehensive survey of police homicides,” wrote Michael Wines.
Police brutality has been a problem in the US for
a very long time, a much longer time than people realize.
The population should know what happens in this country.
There is no such thing as too much media coverage for police
brutality. The victims of this crime need to be recognized.
A law is not the same as equality.
Melissa Slater ‘16
Think of how many times a day you hear in the
hallways, “Oh, that’s so gay!”, whether it be from fellow
classmates, friends, or even teachers. It’s a phrase commonly heard in today’s society to characterize something boring or uncool. In addition, other LGBT slurs
are frequently used behind the walls of any high school
throughout the country, often with little forethought.
Throughout my four years at Passaic Valley, there have been too many incidents that involve
the use of slang terms among my own peers and teachers. One only needs to look to the story of Caitlyn Jenner to uncover the tragic truth. The harassment and
profanity that accompanied her courageous transformation seems to be a staple of our modern culture.
Talk of her soon consumed the school grounds.
As expected, there was degrading discussions on the
matter amongst my peers; yet, it was the kind of talk
that came out of teachers’ mouths, referring to her as
“Bruce” and “he/she”, that took me by surprise. This
kind of dialogue was apparently acceptable since nothing
was done and few complained. No one seemed to care.
Maybe people turned the other way because of the lack
of care our society holds for the LGBT+ community.
“It’s really clear that the costume is
meant to make fun of Caitlyn and transgender people…” said Kris Hayashi,
executive director of the Transgender
Law Center, when informed on the issue.
For the example, when Fox News presented
the story of Caitlyn Jenner, the business anchors, Neil
Cavuto and Dagen McDowell, made a sequence of inappropriate and distasteful jokes about transgenders on
air. McDowell used several male pronouns purposefully when referring to Ms. Jenner and Cavuto introduced
the next guest, Charles Payne, as “Charlene Payne”.
The approach the media
takes when covering topics on
sexual orientation
and gender identity
gives me the impression they do not
take it as seriously as they should.
To my knowledge,
the behavior of
these Fox News
anchors was not
reprimanded. This
is not the way people should be treated nor the way our
humanity should
be reflected upon.
Furthermore, new this Halloween, is a Caitlyn Jenner costume, including a wig, corset, and an additional “Call Me Caitlyn” sash, all of which
supposed to resemble the star’s Vanity Fair cover photo.
Many celebrities have their own share of costume parodies, but what oversteps the bounds of decency, is the man
modeling the costume for the ads. “It’s really clear that
the costume is meant to make fun of Caitlyn and transgender people…” said Kris Hayashi, executive director of
the Transgender Law Center, when informed of the issue.
I agree with Hayashi’s remarks and find this
to be completely ill-mannered. Once again, I cannot
comprehend how this type of behavior can be allowed
in this day and age. I respect and recognize if some
might not necessarily ‘agree’ with the LGBT+ lifestyle. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, but
the trouble that comes out of this is not giving that consideration back. This world is made up of several bil-
Photo Caption: Caitlyn Jenner’s Vanity Fair photo side by side to new
Halloween Costume
Photo Credit: Google Images
lion contrasting views and all need to be accounted for.
Society making a joke of Caitlyn Jenner’s discovery forms a deeper, more serious argument. It seems
society makes a joke of the LGBT+ community, not caring
about the homophobia and transphobia it communicates.
These little ‘jokes’ can make a massive impact on those
who are already confused and misunderstood. I know that some might state that maybe the
community and supporters are stressing too hard over
this; perhaps some of you readers are thinking that exact thing. This is what I want you to take from this:
that although the right for same-sex marriage has been
in place, it does not mean the proper attitude is here.
There is still a long way to go to gain the consideration
this community needs. A law is not the same as equality.
Entertainment
Valley Echo
4
November 2015
Passaic Valley High School produces the Odd Couple
Female Verison as the Fall Play
Brianna Rosario ‘16
The stage was set and the Odd
Couple was ready to commence. Despite
the seats not all filled, the room was full
with the nonstop peels of laughter. Everything was the way you would expect
“There are some jokes that
you can’t really make with
the male version as opposed to the female version.”
-Brianna Cielo’17
it. Two divorcees, one who is a slob and
one who has OCD. Except one thing: Oscar was not Oscar and Felix was not Felix. Instead, Oscar was Olive and Felix
was now Florence. Yes, that’s right- this
play is the Odd Couple Female Version,
a key alteration that makes this production so unique and so pivotal to current
times and the struggle for female equality.
Passaic Valley High School hosted the play on three dates: Thursday October 22nd, Friday October 23rd, and Saturday the 24th, each starting at 7:30 pm. The
play had a small, but talented cast starring
Brianna Cielo and Francesca Carr as the
titular duo, Olive Madison and Florence
Unger respectively. Playing their hilarious
group of friends was Jenna Perricelli as
Vera, Annie Challice as Sylvie, Eleni Rotsides as Mickey , and Izabella Rivera as
Renee. The only male cast members, Luis
Apaza and Alex Sanchez, played two brothers, Manolo and Jesus Costazuela, whipping out their hilarious Spanish accents.
What makes the play in itself so
unique is the fact that it was the female version. Not forgetting to cheer on “girlpower,” Ms. Atamian, the director of the play,
felt that the Odd Couple Female Version
helps accompany the “very, very strong
female actors” that she had to choose
from. Although Ms. Atamian successfully
produced this play once before, she felt
with the strong pool of actresses she has
available, it was time to give the play a
“reboot”. Brianna Cielo, who plays Olive
Madison, goes on to support the play being
the female version, “There are some jokes
that you can’t really make with the male
version as opposed to the female version.”
The Odd Couple Female Version originates from a play by Neil Simon called The Odd Couple. The play
Premiered in 1965 with the leading male
roles of Oscar Madison and Felix Unger.
Photo Credit: Brianna Rosario ‘16
Photo Caption: The Odd Couple Female Version display outside the Guidance Office
Shortly after, there was a 1968 film. The
film starred Jack Lemmon as Felix Unger and Walter Matthau Oscar Madison.
Following the film, in 1970 an extremely
popular Odd Couple television show aired.
The TV show ran from 1970-1975 and
starred Tony Randall as Felix Unger and
Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison. Recently, the show has been brought back for a
2015 version starring Matthew Perry and
Thomas Lennon. The series has been renewed for a second season in which there
will be a total of thirteen episodes, despite
harsh reviews.The play was given a reboot
in 1965 when Simon replaced his leading
male characters with their female counterparts, Olive Madison and Florence Unger.
PVTV Short Films: A new form of entertainment
Alexia Sottile ‘16
Technology and entertainment are
incessantly changing and adapting to present day interests and common lifestyles.
Nowadays, especially in the
United States of America, people are always on the move. We are bombarded
with unending responsibilities and tasks.
One of the major things to comprehend is
that time is so substantial. If we want to
spread an important message to a widespread people, we firstly have to consider that people do not have much time
on their hands and tend to lose interest
fairly quickly. Most people simply skim
through literature and fast-forward videos.
This is why PVTV believes film shorts
are a valuable form of mass media.
Ms. Carolyn Macchia and Ms.
Stephanie Roberts, two PVTV teachers,
deem the effectiveness of short films comes
specifically from the efficient timeframes.
Short films generally aim to be less than 45
minutes, but most PVTV mainly focuses on
reaching a maximum of 10 minutes. This is
due to the fact that it is easier for beginners,
still learning and adapting to the process.
Students can make the storylines
as interesting and unique as they choose.
Films are a major display of artistic abil-
Photo caption: PVTV cast comes together for a group picture
Photo credit: Malac Moraktan ‘17
ity because students can be so creative
with the storylines and their portrayal.
The Passaic County Film Festival
is a major festival here in Passaic County that
many schools and students participate in.
We did not enroll for two years, so
those years we did not win. In 2011, Michael Palmesino, a former student, won first
place in the NJ Young Film Festival. Ms.
Macchia and Ms. Roberts comment that
they enjoy seeing students push themselves
to a limit they have never experienced.
Students are given the choice to
enter any of the 24 short films they produce throughout the academic year to any
number of festival throughout the area.
The overall process of producing a short film takes about 6-8 weeks.
The process includes these steps: coming up with an idea, then a treatment,
maneuvering the software, writing a
script, learning to film, and editing.
Students work all day and
teachers aid them in the process by ensuring their goals are achievable considering the software and tool availability.
Teachers also work in the background, setting the scene and motivating students not to be afraid to let their
ideas loose. They love seeing them proud
of their hard work and effort, overall creating something from nothing.
Michael Ruffino ‘16, who has
had three years of experience working
with the PVTV, mentions how entertaining
the process really is. His role varies between director, producer, and editor, basically overseeing all tasks. His experience working
with PVTV gave him a clear career decision: he wants to go into production.
He says “Anyone interested in
film-making and the process of film-making should definitely consider taking PVTV
classes because it will develop your skills
and increase your knowledge of the craft.”
Valley Echo
Advisor
Mr. Van Ess
Editor
Rachel Hari
News
News Editor: Malac Moraktan
Contributors: Michael Rufino, Mikala Venturella
Op-Ed
Op- Ed Editor: Melissa Slater
Contributors: Ahmed Mubarak, Ruby Ricaldi
Entertainment
Entertainment Editor: Alexia Sottile
Contributors:Samantha Longendyck, Brianna Rosario
Features
Features Editor: Vanessa Shindle
Contributors: Gabriella Dragone, Malinda DiPasquale
Humor
Humor Editor: Alex Rodrigeuz
Contributors: Rachel Hari, Sean Keating
Sports
Sports Editor : Rob Cullen
Contributors: Christel Seyrafi, Alexa Fitzgerald
Editorial policy: The Valley Echo encourages students, faculty and members of the local community to write letters to the editor about concerns
and comments they might have. Letters must be signed, but names will
be withheld upon request. The Valley Echo reserves the right to edit all
letters to make them conform to the style and taste of the publication.
The Valley Echo will strive for truth in all matters and will not publish
libelous, obscene and/or defamatory material. It is the aim of this student
publication to practice freedom of the press. The Valley Echo reserves
the right to publish any story, editorial or letter.
Valley Echo
Published by the students of Passaic Valley Regional High School
East Main Street, Little Falls, NJ 07424
www.pvhs.k12.nj.us
5
Valley Echo
Entertainment
November 2015
Tenth annual Comic-Con
invades NYC
Samantha Longendyck ‘16
The streets around the
Jacob Javits Center- 34th St.,
between 12th and 11th Ave- are
swarmed with people in-costume.
These swarms of costumed people
bee-line for the Jacob Javits Convention Center, all anticipating
the same event. Starting on October 9th and ending on October
12th, New York Comic-Con invaded the living city of New York.
New York Comic-Con
is more than just a comic-book
convention. It’s a convention
with something for everybody.
“Comic-con isn’t just about comic books. It’s about pop-culture,”
comments Mr. Sileo, head of the
Mathematics Department here in
PV. “Even things you don’t think
about- Kellog’s, Rice Krispies,
those are both icons. Those are
things we know; they’re a part of
pop culture.” Even current and
popular television shows, movies, and books make appearances
at the convention. Thusly, New
York Comic-Con is, contrary to
popular belief, not just a ‘geek’ or
a ‘nerd’ thing. It’s for everyone.
With the internet growing each and every day, so does
Comic-Con. People are more easily exposed to things and, thanks
to this, they have become more
mainstream and less ‘geeky’ or
‘nerdy’. This process of becoming mainstream is definitely slow,
but in time it wouldn’t be surprising if the convention morphs
into something more about
‘pop-culture’ than ‘geek culture’.
There’s just so much
to see at New York Comic-Con.
Obviously, the convention is
loaded with comic-book related
merchandise and events. Popular
movies and series such as Star
Wars, Star Trek, and The Walking Dead have a heavy presence
at the convention. There are also
many smaller things, such as anime and cartoons. Panelists discuss all of the above and even
other new and surprising topics,
such as writing and creating comics. Advice on plot, overlapping
fiction with reality, and so forth
are all taught to prospective storytellers. It gives the convention a
practical and educational aspect.
Filmmakers and producers movies and shows benefit greatly from their presence
at the convention. Newly introduced series particularly benefit
as they are likely to have more
views when the series premiers.
There’s lots to see in
terms of gaming, too. In fact, at
New York Comic-Con 2011, the
Intel Extreme Masters Global
Challenge New York was held,
including several online competitive games such as Counter-Strike, Starcraft, and League
of Legends. The tournament was
played for various prizes. At every Comic-Con since there have
been smaller tournaments for relatively small cash prizes. Tournaments are played for the games
mentioned before, as well as Super Smash Brothers. This year,
there were also several panels
held and hosted by some of the
most popular gaming channels
on Youtube. GamerStrong Foundation, a non-profit charity that
raises money to give video games
to children in hospitals, also made
an appearance at this year’s con.
New York Comic-Con
isn’t just about panels and events,
“New York Comic-Con
is more than just a comic-book convention. It’s
a convention with something for everybody.”
- Mr. Sileo
though. It’s also about the community. A majority of the fans
who attend all share similar interests and it’s always fun and interesting to get to meet like-minded
individuals. Costumes are also
a large part of the convention; a
very great number of people who
attend the con like to cosplay as
certain characters. “I like to observe the costumes,” says Mr.
Sileo, who has attended the convention twice before, including
Batman’s 75th anniversary last
year. “It’s really interesting to see
all of the twists on certain characters that people portray in their
costumes. It’s like a game of who’s
who, except for your typical costumes like Batman or Superman.”
A large part of the convention are the dealers’ rooms.
You can find such a wide array
of artwork, as well as commercial products. Artists sell their
art, which comes in many arrays
(there was even a Jelly Belly artist
who recreated pictures of comic
book panels with Jelly Belly jelly
beans) and price ranges. There are
graphic artists, fan artists, jewelry
makers, and independent comic
creators looking to sell their work.
This is a very important part of the convention,
as it gives struggling artists a
chance to make something of
themselves. They receive exposure and they get a chance to
make some money. Many fans
that go to the convention return
home with a pocket full of business cards from various artists.
There are also commercial dealers that sell old figurines
from comic-books, old comic
books themselves, cards from
popular card games (Magic: the
Gathering, Pokemon, Yu--Gi-Oh!,
and several others), and vintage
toys. When you walk into the vendor rooms, “You can buy a piece
of your youth, essentially,” Mr.
Sileo announces. “We had these
toys as kids and we see them now
and we sort of want them back.”
New York Comic-Con
is, after it’s 2014 attendance of
151,000, the largest comic convention in North America. It has
overtaken San Diego Comic-Con,
whose attendance has only ever
reached 130,000, which preceded NYCC by 36 years. New York
Comic-Con was founded in 2006,
as opposed to San Diego Comic-Con of which was formed as a
minicon called the Golden State
Comic Book Convention in 1970.
Having ended on October 12th, this past Monday,
the staff at New York Comic-Con has already begun its
work on next year’s convention.
Photo credit: Property of New York
Comic-Con
Photo Caption: Pictures from the New
York Comic-Con facebook page
Features
Essex County Asylum: A brief history
7
Valley Echo
November 2015
Photo Credit: Matthew Shindle
Photo Caption: A picture taken of furniture stacked in a room in the Asylum.
Photo Credit: Mathew Shindle
Photo Caption: A room in Overbrook where the ceiling has fallen and only remnants are left. People in the
photo are from the band A Need for Reason.
“The Asylum.” “The Bin.” “The Hilltop.”
Formally known as The Essex County
Asylum for the Insane, nicknamed “Overbrook”. It received the name Overbrook
since it was known for the view of the
Peckman River. Overbrook and its 325
acres that were located in Verona, which is
now Cedar Grove and was relocated from
Fairview Avenue to Grove Avenue, opened
in 1896 and housed Tuberculosis patients,
insubordinate children, and drug abusers.
Since the Asylum was packed to
the maximum at approximately 3,000 at one
time during the 1940’s and 50’s, there was a
train stop built especially for Overbrook on
the Caldwell Branch of the Erie Railroad.
If you were to walk around the campus
during its heyday, a farm and animals
would be found in a barn. Picking and
tending to the animals on the farm was
used as a therapeutic method to keep the
clients calm and relaxed. All the food
provided to the patients was from the
crops and animals they looked after.
The placement of a self-sustaining farm
within the complex contributed to the belief that Overbrook was known as a town
within a town. A firehouse strictly for
the asylum was erected for convenience
since the asylum was so huge. There was
also a bakery for everyone there to enjoy.
Times put out an article about what happened, revealing the asylum’s administration had knowledge of a potential disaster.
The Board of Freeholders of Essex County stated that they noticed the
heating plants were malfunctioning the
winter before they broke. Three heating
plants were ordered, but for an unknown
reason, they were not
delivered until late December. The Board ordered workers to start
the replacement process
immediately but would
not be finished until the
first of the new year.
The severity of the situation got to the point
where the medical superintendent, Dr. Guy Payne, sent home
a letter to the patients’ family members
asking them to come and retrieve their
relatives out of Overbrook’s care due to
the conditions deteriorating. There was
no evidence of any extra blankets nor
clothes delivered to help keep the patients
warm. These patients suffered through
the break down with very little to no heat.
In 2007, it was announced by
Essex County that a modern hospital was
going to be constructed. Overbrook is in-
Vanessa Shindle’16
Overbrook’s high stride ended in
the 1960’s and 70’s, when their medical advances became outdated. Bigger and better
places with updated medicine and treatments were popping up and overpowering Overbrook’s credentials, jeopardizing
the safe-keeping of its resident patients.
Overbrook had been previously known to be
very progressive
and up to date
on the treatments
administered
to
their
patients.
When
families
were
withdrawing their members from Overbrook’s program,
it
hurt
the
asylums
reputation.
Contemporary technology and science
led to the creation of “wonder drugs” or
modern medicine, which inevitably was
the downfall of the asylum. Most could
have easier access to these medications
without having to check-in to the asylum.
On December 21, 1917 the boilers malfunctioned during a period of frigid
weather. Twenty-four patients died over
the course of twenty days along with thirty-two instances of frostbite. The New York
tended to be converted into an Essex County Park. Initial plans were to demolish the
building but it was soon forgotten about.
Overbrook still stands, waiting for its
next visitors. It is said to be monitored
by police and that anyone caught trespassing will be arrested and prosecuted.
Overbrook was known
to be very progressive
and up to date on the
treatments administered to their patients.
Who is your favorite monster?
Mrs. Sisti teaches Pre-Calculus and Calculus, and her favorite monster is the Cookie Monster. She says, “I love the Cookie Monster because he reminds me of my
youthful years.” She used to watch Sesame Street as a child and Cookie Monster was her favorite because he ate cookies all of the time. Sisti compares herself to him saying, “I’m sort of like him sometimes when I’m really hungry.”
Mr. Francisco teaches both Human Behavior and World History. He describes that his favorite monster is Frankenstein the Monster. Francisco quotes Jerry Seinfeld, “He’s a monster, he knows he’s a monster, and he’s wearing a sport coat.” He goes on, “I’m involved
in many Halloween movies. Even Transylvania, [the sequel to] which is coming out this
year and I can’t wait to watch it with my boys when they are a little older.” Francisco is
unsure of whether he compares to Frankenstein, however he explains, “My wife sometimes calls me Frank, referring to Frankenstein the Monster, because of my lack of sleep.”
Ms. Peters teaches English, and her favorite monster is Grendel from the epic Beowulf. “I’m
an English teacher, so I have to of course choose Grendel,” she says. “I like him because I
feel bad for him. He’s not your typical monster. Yeah he kills people, but I just feel bad for
him.” Peters compares herself to Grendel stating, “I’m like Grendel because he has a heart
and I think he’s a deep figure.” Peters explains that Grendel is not scary, just misunderstood.
Photo Caption: Walking into the Asylum.
Photo Credit: Matthew Shindle
6
Features
Valley Echo
November 2015
Where did Halloween come from?
Gabriella Dragone’17
Photo credits: yahoo.com
What’s the first thing you
think about when you hear the word
Halloween? Some people may think
Trick-or-Treating, Halloween parties,
or candy. Others may think of dressing up and carving pumpkins. Many
people celebrate Halloween in different ways. Have you ever wondered
where Halloween came from and why
it is such a scary day? It all started
in Ireland with the Druidic religion.
In the Celtic culture, where
the Druidic religion is from, November first was New Year’s on their
calendar. On October 31, the Druids
believed the spirits would rise up and
roam the earth. The Druidic religion
of Celtic tribes worshipped Samhain,
the Lord of Darkness, also known as
the Lord of the Dead. They would also
carve turnips and place coals or candles inside the turnips so they would
glow. They then would place them
outside to ward off the evil spirits that
supposedly roamed the night. Later
on, it was discovered that carving a
Jack O’Lantern out of pumpkins was
much simpler to carve than a turnip.
To commemorate the event
of Halloween, the Druids built huge
sacrificial bonfires, where the people
gathered to burn crops and animals as
sacrifices. They thought the presence
of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the priests to make predictions
about the future. Poor citizens would
wander the villages begging for food.
Families would give them pastries in
return for their promise to pray for
the family’s dead relatives. The Irish
would also visit neighbors and ask
for contributions of food for a feast in
town that would occur during the night.
A variation of this later became “Trick-or-Treating”. One hundred years ago, people believed that
dressing up would make them “fit
in” with the other spirits. Some of
the costumes worn consisted of animal heads and skins. This explains
why we wear costumes every year.
As Halloween moved into the
modern era, it acquired a mischievous
aura but never lost its inherent mysticism. In the late 1800’s, in the U.S. and
Canada, citizens would pull pranks
on other people during this time of
the year. Some pranks would include
tipping over outhouses, opening farm-
Photo credits: yahoo.com
er’s gates and egging houses. However, by the 1920’s and 30’s, block
parties and vandalism became unruly.
Bobbing for apples became a game
where if you picked an apple without using your hands, it would be
used to tell you who you would marry or it would reveal your fortune.
Another ritual was looking in a mirror at midnight by candlelight for
your future husband’s face to appear.
This is now known as the “Bloody
Mary” ritual that we all know today.
Today, in America, we have public events, tell stories of the dead, tell
each other’s fortunes, dance and sing,
tell ghost stories, watch scary movies, and we even have a day called
“Goosy night,” which is the night
before Halloween. Goosy Night is
usually held on October 30, where
citizens throw eggs at houses. Some
would even tipi houses covering
them in toilet paper. Because of the
many things we do to make Halloween such a success, Americans spend
$6 billion annually on Halloween,
making it the second largest holiday in the U.S. behind Christmas.
The way we celebrate Halloween has changed many times
throughout the years. Mr. Costello, a
sophomore Chemistry teacher, stated
that there are “less safety concerns
now” than there were when he was
a kid. Mrs. Chelel, an art teacher,
said, “We made our own costumes,
there was no ‘Trunk or Treating,’ and
when we went Trick-or-Treating, we
would get money and apples, and not
as much candy like kids do now.”
Many
Americans
have
unique personal traditions. Mr.
Costello lights up “Pauly the Pumpkin” during the month of October
in his chemistry class, Mrs. Chelel
carves and paints pumpkins and
goes Trick-or-Treating with her kids. Nicolas Otero Lopez, a junior, goes
Trick-or-Treating with his friends.
Another tradition that most
people like to do is bake. Pumpkin flavored baked goods could be
smelled throughout almost everybody’s houses during this time of
year. Here’s a pumpkin cookie recipe
that you can try out for yourselves.
Pumpkin Cookies Recipe:
Ingredients:
1 Cup of Shortening
¾ Cups of sugar
1 Cup of cooked, strained Pumpkin
(or canned)
1 Egg
2 Cups of flour
1 Cup of raisins
½ Cup of molasses
1 Teaspoon of Baking soda
1 Teaspoon of cinnamon
¼ Teaspoon of nutmeg
½ Teaspoon of salt
Process:
1). Pre-heat oven to 375°.
2). Cream shortening and sugar.
3). Mix in pumpkin, egg, and sugar.
4). Stir in dry ingredients, spices and
raisins.
5). Drop cookie batter, by the spoonful, onto an ungreased baked sheet.
6). Bake cookies 10-12 minutes
Tips and Suggestions:
They taste better with a cold glass of
milk
Photo credits: yahoo.com;
Who is your favorite monster?
Malinda DiPasquale’16
Photo credits: Malinda DiPasquale
Most people have a favorite monster—from a movie, book, or even a common Halloween monster. However, would it not be great to know the favorite monsters of teachers in the school? A few teachers were asked who their favorite monster was and why. Their responses are quite interesting and can be compared to
the monsters they chose by personality or even looks. Below are their responses and check out the teachers’ transformations into that monster of their choosing.
Mr. Donnelly teaches U.S. History II and Holocaust and Genocide, and his favorite monster is the classic old school Dracula. He says, “When I was a kid, I was
into horror movies and monsters, and Dracula just looked the coolest and talked
the coolest.” He even explains that as a child his favorite character on the television
show Sesame Street was the Count. However, unlike the Count, Dracula is not one
for counting numbers but counting victims. Donnelly compares himself to Dracula
noting that he usually likes to sleep all day and says, “If I had it my way, I would.”
Ms. Ellis teaches English, and tells the Valley Echo that her favorite monster is Freddy
Krueger. “To me, he is the scariest creature of all time because he comes when you
are most vulnerable.” Ellis goes on, “besides, the song that little kids sing in the movie
is absolutely horrifying.” She explains that she watches the entire Nightmare on Elm
Street movie series every Halloween, but admits that the second movie is her favorite
of them all. Ellis also notes that, “Since I have seen all the movies, I’ve always wondered about dreams and what they mean.” Contrast to Ellis’ blissfully outgoing personality, horror films are by far her favorite because, “they are the most entertaining.”
Mr. Fowler is the Director of Curriculum, and says that his favorite monster is Gizmo/Spike
from The Gremlins. He states, “He is my favorite monster because they go from being cute
and cuddly to terrible—kind of like children.” As a child, Fowler says that The Gremlins
was one of his favorite Halloween movies. He goes on to compare himself to Gizmo/Spike
noting that, “I too at times can be cute and cuddly, but when I’m cranky I can be monstrous.”
Features
Novermber 2015
Mr. DeLuccia commemorates a decade teaching
music
8
Valley Echo
Vanessa Shindle ‘16
This year, Mr. DeLuccia will
be celebrating his tenth year as an educator at Passaic Valley High School.
He is the current marching band director and concert and jazz band teacher.
DeLuccia is a graduate of
the PV class
of 2000. During his
four years here, his time was spent
dedicated to the marching band.
DeLuccia met his wife, Kathy DeLuccia, in
marching band. Kathy was a member of
color guard while DeLuccia was in the percussion section. They started talking and
getting to know each other his junior year
and her sophomore year on the Canada trip.
After high school, DeLuccia attended Seton Hall as a biology major with
aspirations of becoming an ophthalmologist or an eye doctor. It hit him one day that
biology was not his desired field. Simply put,
his heart belonged to music. He had a craving to go back to music; music was his home.
His love for marching band
returned as he was a member of the
Caballeros, a travelling competitive
drums corps marching band, in 2007.
DeLuccia was a percussion instructor here for three years when the position to be a music teacher and marching
band director opened up. He decided that
being at Passaic Valley was a good place to
be. He states that he loved the program that
had been built here. DeLuccia has always
had the same passion to improve upon
the musical program. He wants it to be as
progressive and inspirational as possible.
Kathy and DeLuccia are now happily married with two
adorable
children,
Cameron and Ava
DeLuccia. Every year
they do a family costume, this Halloween
they were an ensemble
from Jurassic World.
DeLuccia was dressed
as Owen, Kathy as
Claire, Cameron and Ava as dinosaurs.
Over the course of his ten years
at PV, DeLuccia has been advancing and
building the music and marching band
department to where it is now. Each and
every new marching band season he looks
forward to seeing how the band develops
from the beginning to the end of the season. You go from learning all of the marching basics over the course of a month, to
band camp, which is twelve hours for
five days and learning the show, to the
season which is competing and cleaning the show. His favorite factor about
band is seeing how all of the students’
hard work pays off in the end. Ultimately the show and how far they want this
show to succeed is in the students’ hands.
Since DeLuccia has the title of
director, he chooses the show’s theme
every year and reveals it at the annual ice cream social.
This year’s marching
band show is called,
“Earhart: Sounds of
Courage”. DeLuccia
stated, “This year is
probably my favorite,” he loves the music
and the concept. There are so many cool
things can this show contains. Although he
has a few shows that will alwyas grab at his
heart, he stands by this show as the best one
yet. From a competitive stand point, this
show is entertaining musically and visually.
He has come to the recognition that not many kids take to music
anymore. He takes pride in the fact that
the kids involved in the program are
“Why shouldn’t it stay
alive? Music is everywhere. Programs go
away, music doesn’t.”
-Mr. DeLuccia
To the left is a picture of Mr. DeLuccia from when
he was born sitting with his father in 1982. This
photograph is property of Mr. DeLuccia
Here is a photo form 2007 when DeLuccia
was in the Caballeros at a competition by
Jolesch Photography.
This is a picture from Nationals in
1998 at Allentown. This picture is
property of Mr. DeLuccia.
Mr. and Mrs. DeLuccia walking down
the aisle on their wedding day in 2009.
This photograph is property of Mr.
DeLuccia.
Walking with his mother down the field
on Senior Day at a football game in 1998
taken by Mr. Ariola.
His two adorable chilren taken by
Photo Innovations in 2014.
very passionate and love what they do.
DeLuccia said that there have
been budget cuts as high as $8,000. When
asked why he believes the music department should stay alive, he responded with,
“Why shouldn’t it stay alive? Music is everywhere. Programs go away, music doesn’t.”
In addition to his musical passions, DeLuccia has a love for the film industry. He finds it difficult to pick a favorite
movie since he is interested in a wide range
of films. He commented that if things did
not lay out perfectly with music the way
they did, he would have definitely found
a position that involves movie-making.
When asked to choose a favorite
memory he has gathered from his ten years
here, he could not pick one. “Every season is
filled with new adventures and creates new
favorites every year.” He will never forget
his first trip as manager to Disney and he
said, “that it wasn’t the best idea to do such
an ambitious trip for his first year.” Despite
it being hectic, he would not change a thing.
DeLuccia is proud of the changes that have been made. He looks forward
to improving each school year. Also, beginning each year with new inspirations
and always putting the best foot forward.
9
Humor
Valley Echo
November 2015
Photo Credit: http://blogs.denverpost.com/opinion-cartoons/2015/06/17/donald-trump-running-for-president-cartoons/44738/print/
Get Trump’d America
Rachel Hari ‘16
If you could run a casino, you
can run our government! Trump is legitimate and cares about people who feel the
system has failed and stacked the deck up
against them. No matter how much money
they put in the machines they will always
end up losing. You can’t run a casino without having a deep emotion towards people like that. Which shows Trump having
high moral dilemmas as he counts money received from geriatric Keno players.
Obviously out of the fourteen
republican nominees, our best bet is Donald Trump, he’s so modern, considerate
and overall just the most adequate candidate for who should fill Obama’s shoes.
First, he comes off as quite the family
man, he’s supportive of his children and
shares a uniquely close bond, when asked
if Ivanka would pose as a centerfold he
responded, “I don’t think Ivanka would
do that, although she does have a very
nice figure. I’ve said if Ivanka weren’t
my daughter perhaps, I’d be dating her,”
or how he’s a particularly complimentary
husband, tabloids salivated when Trump
called his wife a “monster” while pregnant.
Of course, we all know he meant that in
a positive way, like Cookie Monster or...
Trump is also the best nominee due to his wide range of knowledge
on how to treat people and respect woman. He claims that all the women want
him on the Apprentice but I’m sure that
has nothing to do with his money and
all to do with his golden personality.
Or how he called Rosie O’Donnell “a truck
driver.” I’m sure he was just giving her
career advice. Trucker is far superior to
hosting The View. How could you resist a
man as compassionate and caring as him?
We should all love Trump for how
accepting he is to everyone’s races, nationalities, and religions! As when he said
that we are Mexico’s “dumping ground.”
“They’re sending people that have lots
of problems, and they’re bringing those
problems with us. They’re bringing drugs.
Photo credit: Katherine Zavala ‘16
Photo caption: Trump building the wall he claims he will on the border.
They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.
And some, I assume, are good people.”
And people says he’s ignorant… But after
he spoke about how he loves Mexico, their
people, and is constantly doing business
with them. And ended it with stating, ““You
have people coming in, and I’m not just saying Mexicans, I’m talking about people that
are from all over that are killers and rapists
and they’re coming into this country.” He’s
giving them job opportunities considering
our country’s’ terrible gun control laws.
Not to forget how he plans to
build a wall on the Mexican border, that
he wants them to build. Not only is he
compassionate but obviously has a very
intelligent mindset and high goal values.
Creating jobs, creating Infrastructure.
When asked about the wall
he claimed that he’s a very good builder and has built buildings 94 stories,
while quickly interrupted by Ramos,
he changed it to saying 95 stories, his
buildings get taller by him talking about
them! Didn’t know he also did it by hand.
I’m sure Trump’s planned on
how he will have enough bedrock on
the border to make a 95 foot wall/ skyscraper work. He’s most likely thought
about how geographically incorrect that
is and will end up doing what’s best.
All Trump has said and done really proves how he’s a threat to other candidates, he wants to get things done. I’m sure
he will have the abilities to force a bunch
of people who hate him to build a skyscraper that won’t be able to hold itself up and
sway in the wind and then just send them
on boats/planes/buses to whoever knows
where. I’m sure that’s how real life works.
Donald Trump is the one nominee that’s stuck in the 1920’s and has high
moral values, as everyone did back then
due to how open minded they are and love
people of all different origins.
I’m sure we will all see Trump
riding a horse up Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day, can’t wait!
Humor
November 2015
America’s Next Top
Destrution of a Brain:
Candidate
The story of Chris
Christie’s madness
10
Valley Echo
Alex Rodriguez ‘16
Photo Caption: Republican Debate Stage
Photo Credit: wnep.com
As any well-informed American
should know, two big presidential candidate
debates were held in the past two months;
the second Republican debate and the first
Democratic debate. For anyone who (rightly) assumed politicians only lie and pander
and, therefore, tuned out: these debates actually had many moments of awkwardness
and hilarity that Conan O'Brien couldn’t
have scripted better. I have created my
own categories to award these candidates
in the areas everyone really cares about.
For “Best Burn” we have a tie
between Donald Trump and Rand Paul!
The debate started off with Trump slamming Paul’s right to be on that stage. In
his words “He's number 11; he's got 1 percent in the polls, and how he got up here,
there's far too many people anyway.” After Paul had applied the appropriate burn
ointment, he talked about drug laws and
later justified his reasoning by claiming
they could “find out who smoked pot in
high school,” a very subtle jab at Jeb Bush.
For “Most Awkward Introduction” the award goes to Jim Webb! When
he started off his introduction, it was rather
normal. He talked about himself, his loving
wife, and his successful children. He then
made quite the long pause before emphasizing that his third daughter is a massage
therapist. While I won’t get into why this
emphasis was so weird, because this is a
PG paper, I will say that he may be giving
the Oedipus family a run for their money.
For “Most BAMF Candidate”
the award goes to Chris Christie! Christie came to the rescue of the common
man and shut down the billionaire battle
between Donald Trump and Carly Fiorina. Trump and Fiorina argued about their
histories in business, successes, and pretty much who made more money. Christie
felt that enough time was spent talking
about the candidates that represent the
one percent and absolutely demolished
them on stage, describing their argument
as a “childish back and forth”. When Fiorina tried to get her and Trump’s money
train back on the tracks, Christie came
back with this gem of a line: “Carly, listen. You can interrupt everybody else on
this stage; you're not going to interrupt
me, OK?” He then put on some black sunglasses and walked off stage with the CSI:
Miami theme playing in the background.
Hillary Clinton wins the award
for “Most Repetitive Candidate”. Appointing this award was a no-brainer. If
you didn’t know by the one hour mark
that Hillary’s grandpa was an old factory worker, she was the First Lady,
and that she was, IN FACT, a woman,
you weren’t watching the same debate.
The award for “Most Honest Politician” , and no that’s not a joke, goes to Jeb
Bush. You may have seen me mention Jeb
Bush’s response to a jab from Paul claiming
he smoked pot in high school. His response
was the most honest I have ever heard from
a politician, “Forty years ago, I smoked
pot in high-school.” He then proceeded
to say “sorry mom”, obviously crushing
his mom’s delusions about his teen years.
For “Worst Presidential Plan” the
award goes to… well, everyone. When the
controversial topic of Planned Parenthood
came up in the Republican debate, all the
candidates were more than happy to talk
about how wrong abortion is, citing that one
half of that horrendous and fake video of
doctors selling fetus parts. However, what
stuck out as odd is that no one had a plan to
stop this “horrible epidemic that’s destroying society.” If I didn’t know better, I’d say
politicians just say what the public wants
to hear to get votes. But that’s crazy talk.
“‘Carly, listen. You can
interrupt everybody else
on this stage, you’re not
going to interrupt me,
OK?” He then put on
some black sunglasses,
walked off stage with the
CSI: Miami theme playing in the background.”
For “Most Self-Promotion” the
award goes to, unsurprisingly, Donald
Trump! Fiorina came somewhat close to
winning, but when your opponent starts off
their introductory speech by promoting his
own book, “ I wrote The Art of the Deal. I
say not in a braggadocious way, I’ve made
billions and billions of dollars,” then you
are out of luck in this category. Trump also
continued to bring up the fact that he is a
billionaire, a businessman, owns a hotel,
some towers, a car, and a hat. Basically,
he has a lot of things (except a toupée)
and is not shy in telling America about
it (seriously, do not bring up the toupée).
In lieu of the swimsuit competition,
the next award is for “Boldest Fashion Choice”. With the sea of plain black
suits, the boldest I could find was Jeb
Bush’s choice of a blue tie at a Republican debate. A runner up would be Chris
Christie’s Jersey shaped American flag
pin. No “Lady Gagas” but oh well.
For “Most Uncertain Candidate” the
award goes to John Chafee! It was brought
up during the Democratic debate that
Chafee had gone from a Republican to
a Moderate to an Independent and, finally, to a Democrat. While he was explaining that he was, and I’m not making
this up, a “piece of granite always being
chiseled” I think I could hear Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold” in the background.
Ending the ceremony, there will be
two awards being given out. They will be,
simply put, “Winner” and “Loser”. These
awards are to those that most benefited
from these debates and those who were
negatively affected after them. The “Winner” award goes to… CNN’s ratings! Being that these past two debates were both
aired on CNN, their ratings were close
to thirty-percent of the American people, as well as those watching from the
around the world. The “Loser” award
goes to all the American Government
students out there that had to watch the
debates for a grade. Those were six hours
of their lives they will NEVER get back.
Sean Keating ‘17
The presidential election is approaching very quickly. As we all know,
the government is controlled by an elite
council of elders living in the Appalachian
and Rocky Mountains. Of course this does
not keep the crazies from pretending this
election really matters. Being from New
Jersey, one of the delusional sheep we so
lovingly call “candidates” has caught
my eye. Chris Christie himself, the Governor of this state,
is running for President. As I watched
him try to answer
my many questions
(one of which has
gone unanswered
being is he honestly some kind of
god who can physically best storms)
I happened to notice something strange
and equally sinister. As I watched him at
the debates, at his many out of state campaign stops, and even as he went about his
daily life, I realized that he had begun saying things that are just not true. This goes
against his track record of being a nice
guy who speaks only the truth. Now, the
average person may write this off as deliberate lies to increase his polling numbers.
I, however, am better by far than the average person. I know it’s something darker.
Chris Christie’s brain has been modified.
I know someone changed his brain.
One of the first occurrences that clued
me in on this was during the second Republican debate. Christie mentions how
he has experience using the Patriot Act,
since he was appointed Federal Prosecutor on September 10, 2001. Christie of
all people should know that he was not
appointed until December 7, 2001. That
seems like something he would not just
forget. So I started to get a little suspicious.
The second occurrence was also during
the debate. While answering a question he uttered this statement: “When I
was governor...” Someone doesn’t just
forget that they’re still the Governor of
New Jersey. Maybe if he was governor of somewhere like North Dakota he
would forget or if he was the Governor of
Wyoming he might try very hard to forget about it, but no one forgets New Jersey, probably due to the constant smell.
At this point I was very suspicious
and decided to do a little more research.
During this research I noticed that multiple times Christie has boasted about how,
as governor, he has not raised taxes at
all. While he didn’t raise any major taxes, he did decrease tax-credit programs
which caused a raise in taxes. The evidence now points to only one conclusion: Christie’s brain has been altered.
Dear readers, you may be wondering,
who would have the ability and the motive?
Well
there just happens to be one
such person.
Dr. Ben Carson is a famous
neurosurgeon
and is also
running
for
president. Suddenly, things
start to make
sense.
Dr.
Carson knew
that Christie
was, of course, going to be his arch-rival.
At least one political scholar probably
thought Christie had a chance of winning. So Dr. Carson operated on Christie’s
brain, changing it and causing him to forget things. That means Carson has pushed
his greatest opponent out of the way.
Carson is way up in the polls at the
number two spot in most polls and even
sliding into the number one spot in some
others. Now, the only person ahead of him
is Donald Trump. Therefore we need to
watch Trump very closely. Luckily for us
that’s extremely easy as he looks like he
has a bird trying to do a mating dance on
his head. Once Carson overcomes Trump,
he will be on his way to the White House.
Carson has a different end goal than
just being President though. His true end
goal is much more sinister. He talks about
how he wants to bring his good old fashioned values back to America. America
is now a much more progressive country,
so it would be nearly impossible to bring
back such viewpoints. He has a trick up
his sleeve though. The same mind alteration he performed on Christie will be
performed on everyone. Every person in
this country will have their minds altered
so that they become a mindless being
who brainlessly follows what their president tells them. Dr. Carson wants to bring
back traditional values through mind control and brain alteration using the same
technique that he found so useful with
Christie. Be wary readers for Dr. Carson will come and he will reign over our
minds such as none other has before him.
Maybe if he was Governor
of somewhere like North
Dakota he might forget or
if he was the Governor of
Wyoming he might try very
hard to forget about it but
not New Jersey, probably
due to the constant smell.
Photo Caption: Possibly Chris Christie’s actual brain
Sports
This Summer Brought The Heat
11
Valley Echo
Christel Seyrafi ‘17
This summer was the 3rd hottest
summer on record and the students in Football, Boys Soccer, Girls Soccer, Girls Field
Hockey and Cross Country could really feel
the heat. In the months of July and August
the temperature went well over 95 degrees.
Along with discomfort, high
temperatures bring a multitude of health
threats such as heat stroke and heat ex-
“The hardest part of wearing the full pads during a
practice would have to be
spending approximately two
hours in the heat with about
fifteen pounds of gear on.”
-GianfrancoVerdes
Photo credits: Passaic Valley Today
Photo Caption: Gianfranco Verdes, varsity football
haustion. These illnesses can be caused by
the body’s inability to cope with heat, or by
younger individuals who engage in strenuous physical activity for a prolonged period of time. Performing exercise in a hot
environment can cause your body to overheat; if fluids are not adequately replaced,
then dehydration can also be a factor in
challenging the limits of an athlete’s performance. It is estimated that more than 9,000
high school athletes are treated for external
heat illnesses yearly in New Jersey alone.
Humidity can further increase risk of heat related illnesses especially for sports like football in which
students must practice in padding.
Gianfranco Verdes, a varsity football player, says, “The hardest part of wearing the full pads during a practice would
have to be spending approximately two
hours in the heat with about fifteen pounds
of gear on.... I have had a couple of experiences with the heat. I remember practicing
in full padding in 100 degree weather feeling like I was on the verge of passing out.”
These illnesses are common and
can happen to any athlete. There are many
methods of prevention which include
drinking plenty of water before practicing
in the sun and continuing to drink water
throughout outdoor play. Brooke Bargiel of
Girls Junior Varsity Soccer says “staying cool
in the heat is really hard but ways that help
me get through it are to always take water
break’s throughout a game or practice, wear
breathable clothing and make sure I eat
something before heading out on the field.”
Not only is it important for students to be educated on how to prevent
these heat related illnesses, but the coaches and trainers around them must also be
aware of the risks. “I help the athletes by
advising how important it is to hydrate
at all times and to eat the right foods. It
is also important to take frequent water breaks especially on hot and humid
days,” explained Trainer Rich Garcia.
These heat illnesses can be diagnosed based on symptoms such as dehydration, dizziness, headache, nausea and
November 2015
heavily sweating. The symptoms should
be caught immediately by the athlete or
by coaches. “Fortunately I am not that
worried because all coaches in Passaic
Valley receive training and have to do an
online course. This ensures that all coaches can detect symptoms from heat illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion,” Mrs. Lynch, Assistant Principal/
Student Activities, assured the Valley Echo.
Photo Credit: Christel Seyrafi ‘17
Photo Caption: Brooke Bargiel, JV Soccer
Berthold Taking Over
Alexa Fitzgerald ‘17
Photo credits: Passaic Valley Today
Photo Caption: Coach Berthold sporting PV soccer
gear
Ms. Berthold, a longtime assistant
coach to the girls’ soccer program, took
over as the new head coach this summer
in preparation for the Hornets’ fall season.
Berthold is no stranger to the
fields and classrooms of Passaic Valley. She previously played for the Hornets in her high school years and is currently an English teacher in the very
same classrooms in which she learned.
Adding to her incredible journey, Ms. Berthold speaks highly of her
new opportunity: “Coaching on the same
sidelines means so much more because
PV is where I grew up and now I get
to instill in my players that same Hornet Pride that I experienced and what it
means to wear a green and white uniform.”
Coach Berthold had no trouble
naming her assistant coaches. Mrs. Sisti
previously worked with her under former head coach, Mr. Deeney. Mrs. Sisti
remaining on staff with Berthold was a
positive for the program; having familiar
faces for the girls allowed for a smooth
transition. Mrs. Hill was one of Berthold’s
coaches as a high school athlete. She says,
“I look to her as a mentor, Hill is an amazing coach and she eagerly joined the staff.”
Coach Berthold has the full support of her players and the staff a Passaic Valley. “Experience helped Berthold transition,
working with Deeney allowed her to relate
well to her female athletes,” said Ms. Lynch.
Ms. Berthold described her transition as comfortable because Mr. Deeney
built a solid foundation over the years,
which she could incorporate and tie in
her own philosophies. Cathryn Cole, a
midfielder for the Hornets, said, “Berthold knows the players’ strengths and
weaknesses, where someone not familiar with the program would have to reevaluate the whole team. Not having to
start from scratch allowed for the team to
progress into the rhythm of preseason.”
Berthold’s first season as head
coach is coming to a close and her Hornets hold a record of 2-14. However, the
record does not accurately reflect the
team’s success thus far. Coach Sisti said,
“I see a lot of hard work, positive reactions regardless of the record, and a great
group of girls who work as a cohesive unit
and respect each other’s decisions.” The
girls continue day in and day out as teammates and a family to make improvements.
Two games for the Hornets
have come to define the 2015-16 season.
Early in the season the Hornets
took on league leader Wayne Hills at home.
The challenge for the Hornets was to not
concede goals to the technically sound
team. At the start of the game, the Hornets kept the Patriots away from the goal
and attacked the backline continuously.
The Hornets closed out their seaNearing the end of the first half, Hills be- gan to gain momentum and scored two late son at DePaul Catholic underneath the
goals going into halftime. The girls were bright lights and the cold air. Both teams
executing the defensive plan well, the in- kept the other off the scoreboard until
tensity just had to be pushed to the attack. late in the first half, when DePaul took
As the Hornets aggressively attacked the the lead with about eight minutes before
Patriots’ goal, they were caught on count- halftime. Senior captain Ashley Pabon reer attacks. The team lost by a score of 7-1. turned from injury for her final game and
However, the girls were not pumped up her teammates to pressure the
discouraged by the loss, because, when DePaul defense before half. Cathryn Cole
the plan changes, there will be lapses played a give and go with Alexa Fitzgerald
in communication and mistakes hap- who scored, tying the game at halftime.
The Hornets started the second
pen. All a player can do is not let it hap- pen again and play harder than before. half off just as they ended the first half,
Although the girls did not win pressuring the goal the best they had all
the game, they accomplished what they season. As the minutes ticked off the clock,
the DePaul attack
set out to do. Coach
Berthold noted at the “Coaching on the same side- started to wear down
the Hornets defense.
end of the game it had
goalie
been years since the lines means so much more Freshman
Hornets scored on the because PV is where I grew Britt Bove continued
to turn back shots.
Wayne Hills Patriots.
Later in the up and now I get to instill in In the end, DePaul
season, senior cap- my players that same Hor- would out score the
tains Ashley Pabon net Pride that I experienced Hornets by three
goals in the second
and Rachel Ward
were lost to injury and what it means to wear a half, capping the
a few weeks apart, green and white uniform.” final score at 4-1.
Results
did
ending their high
-Coach Berthold not go the way the
school soccer careers.
Hornets would have
Days
after
Ward’s injury, the team was scheduled to liked this year, but the leadership Berthold
play on the road against a comparable West has instilled in her female athletes shows
Milford team without their leaders suiting on and off the field. According to Cathryn
up. The Hornets struggled in the first half Cole, “The leadership has given the girls
to find consistency in their play and were more confidence in their play, and the playdown five goals. At half time, acting cap- ers have more hope because Berthold betains Cathryn Cole and Alexa Fitzgerald lieves in the girls’ abilities regardless of who
addressed the team, explaining the team their opponent is on the other side of the
on the field was not the one who days field.” The girls look forward to building on
before held Fairlawn to only a 4-1 win. their relationship as a team in the offseason.
Berthold couldn’t be more
Coach Berthold reminded the girls that when key players are lost, oth- proud of her team and the PV pride the
ers need to step up and show why they are program exudes. In the future, Ms. Beron the team. By the end of the game, the thold looks to be present for her playHornets rallied behind the strength and ers and to continue to build on the
encouragement of their injured teammates, family atmosphere in the locker room.
netting two goals in the loss.
12
Sports
Valley Echo
PV Student Athelete Spotlight: Steve Luisa
November 2015
Robert Cullen ‘16
Photo Caption: Luisa throws a ball to his reciever, Shaun Benford.
Photo Credit: PassaicValleyAthletics.com
Steven Luisa is a 2-year varsity starter. As a junior, Luisa has thrown
3 touchdown passes and rushed for 1.
Luisa started his peewee football career
when he was just 5 years old. “I remember the first time I played like it was yesterday,” Luisa reminisced. As a young Junior Hornet, Luisa excelled on the field,
winning two Super Bowl Championships with his Pop Warner team.
Throughout middle school, Luisa was a four sport athlete. Playing a sport
for every season: He was an All-Star and
MVP in baseball. He was a key member of
the championship basketball team. Additionally, he was a two-time
champion in soccer.
It is safe to say
Luisa is a well-rounded
athlete. However, when
Steve reached high
school, he realized that
it would be nearly impossible to continue his
careers in all four sports. In his freshman
year, he cut his playing time down to three
sports: Football, Basketball, and Lacrosse.
As a newbie to the game of lacrosse, Steven picked up the game with tremendous speed. The fact that Luisa was able
to take to lacrosse so easily is rather remarkable. Lacrosse is not a core four sport (football, basketball, baseball, hockey); therefore, its rules are not well known my average
Americans. Additionally, the physicality
and finesse of the game separates it drastically from the previous sports Luisa played.
Luisa gives much of the credit to his brother, Charlie, “My brother
was the one who introduced me to the
game of Lacrosse, I’ve always tried to
keep up with him growing up, and because he was graduating, I tried playing
one last season alongside my brother.”
Freshman year was very important for Luisa’s athletic career. Throwing for
12 touchdowns, he gained the attention of
the varsity coaches. “I knew that I would
need to work hard to play on the JV level,
but it was definitely achievable.” Yet, Luisa
was able to stay calm under such pressure.
Playing closely under the previous
starter, Zach Mazelewski, Luisa had a great
player to shadow. Mazelewski, with the help
of the coaching staff, showed Steve all of the
ins and outs of varsity football. Shortly after
talking to the coaches, Steve got his chance
in the varsity spotlight. That game, Luisa led the team to
a win, throwing for 60 yards and a touchdown pass. After
this excellent performance, everybody
knew that, even as
a sophomore, he
was varsity material.
With
Mazelewski graduating,
it was Steven’s time
to take the spotlight.
However, the
transition would not be easy. “It is a whole
new team, with the installation of a whole
new offense, coaching staff and almost an
entire team of juniors... there are a lot of
kinks that need to be kicked out,” explained
PV football fan Nicholas Melograno.
For many, these kinks are on full
display this year. With a Varsity record
of 0-9, Luisa and his teammates all agree:
they aren’t playing up to expectations.
However, an adjustment period is expected of a team so young.
Last year, more than half of the varsity players graduated, moving on to the
next level of their athletic careers. This
makes Passaic Valley one of the youngest teams in the Big North Conference.
Yet, when looking at the
current varsity team as a whole it
is apparent that not all hope is lost,
“Each of us still go into practice every day learning new stuff, “ says
“Football is very important to me, when
I’m not on the field or
training in the gym
I’m thinking about it.”
-Steven Luisa
wide
receiver
Shaun
Benford.
“The atmosphere in the locker room
is still as exciting as was from day 1.”
Much of that energy can
be attributed to the team’s leadership. Luisa makes sure to motivate his
teammates constantly, focusing on the positives and opportunities for improvement.
Mr. Parlavecchio, the Varsity
Coach, seems to set the tone for the team.
Despite a slow start, the former Assistant
Special Teams Coach and Linebacker Coach
for the Tennessee Titans remains impressed
with his team’s growth over the course of
their season. When asked about the team,
Parlavecchio always mentions its youth and
the bright future ahead in the years to come.
With the season coming to a close,
the possibility of an 0-10 season haunts
“I am certain that
the group of kids we
have are in reach of
a positive season.”
- Steven Luisa
much of the team. Of course, not getting a
win would damage team moral. However,
the players recognize that the key to success
in the future comes after the final game.
“This offseason is key to the success of our
team next year. We all have a lot of work that
needs to be taken care of but I am certain
that the group of kids we have are in reach
of a positive season,” Luisa said looking forward to captaining next year’s team, as well.
Passaic Valley’s final game will
be played on November 7th, against
East Side High School. The Ghosts,
from Paterson, are currently 3-3-1.
Steven Luisa would like fans of
Passaic Valley football to stay patient and
optimistic of the future. After all, as Luisa
puts it, this team is still a “work in progress”.
Passaic Valley Varsity Football
Captains:
Nick Levajac
DJ Harder
Gianni Palumbo
Chris Armagno
Senior Players:
John Axiotakis
Matt Meechee
Darvin Pinales
Cesar Visoso
Brandon Rodriguez
Mike Morera
Chase Schaffer
Joe Savitierri
Steve Jarjoura
Erik Holzach
Marcus Bulna
Gustavo Flores
Shawn Porzio
Kameron Bousquet
Nigel Timothy
The Valley Echo would like to wish the
football players of the Class of 2016 wonderful and successful athletic careers.