May 23, 2011 - Niskayuna Central Schools

The Warrior
a student-run publication since 1974, now weekly
Niskayuna High School
May 23, 2011
Volume 37, Issue 30
Outdoor science classroom to be built
by
Jenny Cascino
News
If you’ve ever wanted a place
in the high school where nature
flourishes, where education and
environment combine to provide
students an engaging and fulfilling learning experience, then you
don’t need to wait any longer.
The high school Science Department recently received the Lowe’s
Toolbox for Education Grant-a
$5,000 award. This constitutes
the department’s most significant financial awarding since
they began applying for grants
to fund the proposed building
of an outdoor science classroom
for the high school. The Lowe’s
grant, applied for three months
ago primarily by biology teacher
Christopher Jennings with the
aid of earth science teachers
Joseph Spollen and Paul Scott,
was awarded only to a few high
schools nationwide.
The Science Department’s
receiving of funds from Lowe’s
Home Improvement Stores will
be used to fund their proposed
$25,000-30,000 science “outdoor
classroom” project in the high
school. The project, for which
the department hopes to raise
sufficient funds in the next few
months, consists of three primary
aspects which teachers intend to
gradually begin constructing in
coming years. Firstly, the proposal calls for the construction
of vegetable gardens and raised
gardening beds which would
Photo Credit / Christopher Jennings
HORTICULTURE CLUB: The Horticulture club is excited to use the grant money in order to begin work on an outdoor classroom located in the courtyard pictured above.
allow students in various science clubs and classes to learn
horticultural skills and plant
growing techniques. Produce from
the gardens, while instructive in
growth, would also be practical
in application, for any excess
vegetables from the beds would be
given to the cafeteria for student
consumption during the school
day or sold to local food shelters to
provide for people in surrounding
communities. Scott would use a
portion of the granted money to
construct the second component
of the proposed project, a per-
manent celestial hemisphere to
allow students to learn about the
sun’s path and other astronomical aspects. Thirdly, the project
calls for the building of a 15’ x 20’
rock map, a life-size manifestation
of the map on the Earth Science
Reference Table which outlines
the layout of rocks in New York
State. The map display would
be available to all high school
students once constructed, and
be placed along with all of the
other project components in an
outdoor region near the main
and guidance offices. These three
desired projects would constitute
the “outdoor science classroom,”
an area which would improve the
ability of the science department
to fully engage, instruct, and
interest science students by providing a tangible space in which
they could actively participate in
scientific activities.
continued on
page 2
[SCIENCE]
Inside this issue...
Media mind
control,
page 4
Techno revolution,
page 6
Lacrosse goes
strong,
page 8
2
News
May 23, 2011
The Warrior
Science grant awarded to school
continued from page
1
[GRANT]
Although the department has
received a few $500 and $700
grants in past months, the Lowes
grant has been the most lucrative
endowment received, and now
department grant earnings total
$7,000. Although the project is
only just beginning, once fully
complete, it will be an essential
teaching tool for classes and
clubs like the Environmental
Studies Team, Chem Demos,
and Horticulture Club. However,
involved teachers hope the project will extend and affect teachers, students, and departments
beyond the science department.
Vegetables grown could be used
as food sources for sale by the
cafeteria and the completed outdoor classroom.
The classroom, which, along
with the three primary aspects,
may come to include things like
butterfly and wild gardens, a
pond, and seasonal flower beds
would provide live subject matter
for biology
students.
Work on
the classroom will
begin in the
next few
weeks and
continue
into the late
spring and
early summer months
on the outdoor classroom.
Students
can likePhoro Credit / Christopher Jennings
wise expect
COURTYARD: This is an image of the proposed courtyard to be built with the money given by the
to see congrant.
tinued work
into the fall and spring of the
portions of the project being built science in the high school. The
coming school year, because
continuously until the outdoor
high school’s students are very
awarded money must be spent
classroom is fully constructed. honored to have been awarded
within a year of its initial grantThough it may take some time, this grant to build this space.
ing. Present students, including
once the project is completed, The teachers who participated
seniors, can certainly expect to
not only will vegetable beds, but- in this project were dedicated to
be able to experience and enjoy
terfly gardens, and a myriad of it, which will improve the school
the outdoor science classroom in
other living things be cultivated, tremendously, providing better
the coming months, with small
but also many students’ love of
resources for education.
New superintendent selected
by
Anna Lochte
News
Susan Kay Salvaggio was officially appointed as the new superintendent of the
Niskayuna Central School District last week
on May 12. Salvaggio will be replacing Dr.
Kevin Baughman, who is retiring after being
superintendent for nine years. Baughman
stated in an interview with Spotlight News
that he will enjoy many hobbies that he was
not able to fully enjoy as the superintendent
of the school district, such as fly fishing,
spending time with grandchildren, and reading for pleasure.
The new superintendent position was filled
after a series of interviews. There were several
phases to the process once it were announced
that Dr. Baughman would be retiring. The
Board of Education began with seventeen
candidates, who were narrowed down to three
finalists. The superintendent search forums
held in early March assisted that process.
Those forums assisted the Board of Education because they told the Board of Education
what the students, faculty, support staff, and
community would like to see in a superintendent. In general, the community wanted their
next superintendent to be a “people person”,
and able to adapt to the twenty-first century,
which Salvaggio can do .
Joseph Carosella, a foreign language teacher at the high school, was on the committee
that interviewed the three finalists. “I think
she’s an excellent choice. She is well-qualified,
personable, and made a terrific impression
in her interview,” explained Carosella, “we
could tell that she wasn’t going to come in and
throw her way around, that she will do right
for the district.” He made it clear she’s very
much focused on the students, and that if the
staff is comfortable and productive, they will
be able to deliver a better quality education.
Salvaggio will take over around July 1. She
served previously as the superintendent for the
Sodus Central School District and has served
as an educator for over 30 years. During her
time at the Sodus Central School District on
Lake Ontario (in the greater Rochester area),
Salvaggio successfully enacted many reforms,
causing an increase in student achievements
and graduation rates. Salvaggio has also
worked at the Churchville-Chili Central School
District just southwest of Rochester, NY, first
as an assistant principal at the high school,
then as the junior high school principal, and
finally as principal of the high school.
Salvaggio is extremely excited to become
part of the Niskayuna community and continue the years of tradition in this school
system. “As they place their trust in me, I
place my trust in the Niskayuna community,”
said Salvaggio in a recent press release by the
Board of Education. “I pledge to this community my unlimited energy, collaborative
nature, common sense, and an unwavering
focus on what is good for children in our
schools,” continued Salvaggio.
The Niskayuna community is very confident
that she’s going to work very well with the
teachers, students and parents. The school
board trusts that she has the right ideas for
the position. It will be an exciting process
for the district as a whole. The board forsees
a smooth transition. Welcome to the school
district, Mrs. Salvaggio!
The Warrior
May 23, 2011
News
3
Spanish students enjoy a trip to Mexico
by
Rebecca Felczak
News
After 17 days in Mexico, 11
students from the high school
have returned from their foreign
exchange. The students left on
April 15 from the Albany Airport
early in the morning and landed
in Mexico City in the afternoon.
They disembarked the plane
and found their host brothers
and sisters waiting at the gate
with a warm welcome. All of the
Mexican students had posters,
balloons, and other welcome
gifts for the Americans. After a
long day of flying, there was still
a two-and-a-half hour bus ride
into the town of Tulancingo where
the students stayed. Everybody
was greeted at the Mexican high
school, Tollantzingo, by the rest
of their host families and the
director of the school.
Once everybody was settled in
with their host families, it was
time to have some fun. On the
first weekend of the trip, all of
the students went to Veracruz
for three days and two nights.
While in Veracruz, students got
to walk around the town and go
sightseeing, as well as relax and
hang out at the beach and at
the resort.
Photo Credit / Rebecca Felczak
TRIP TO MEXICO: American and Mexican students pose for a picture as they enjoy the culture and sights of
Mexico.
After the first weekend, the
Mexicans had a weeklong vacation due to the Easter holiday, and
the students traveled around the
historical sites of Mexico. They
took day trips to historical sites,
such as the archeological zone of
Tajin and the Teotihuacán Pyramids. Along with these places,
they also visited the city of Puebla
and the town of Pachuca, the
capital of the state of Hidalgo.
Along with all of the exciting trips around Mexico, the
American students were able to
celebrate Easter with their host
siblings. On Easter Sunday the
students took a trip to see the
excitement of Mexico City! While
there they visited the main cathedral, did some shopping at the local market, Mercado de Artesania,
and went to the
natural history
museum. Later
that night the
students went
to the famous
Mexico Theater to
see the National
Ballet Folkorico
Show, which was
full of traditional
Mexican dancing and music.
The whole day
was spent in the
city, and they
returned very late
on Sunday night
to Tulancingo.
The next week,
all of the AmeriPhoto Credit / Chelsea Harrington cans got to expeMEXICO CITY: Students visit Mexico City on Easter Sunday during their trip, enjoying the
rience a typical
excitement of the city.
school day with
their host siblings at Tollantzingo.
The school day was extremely
different than a day at the high
school. The students stay in
one classroom for most of the
day while the teachers rotate
classrooms. It is also a very
small school, with only about
60 students in each grade. The
American students went to school
for the entire week and got to meet
many new friends and even got to
help out in their English classes.
As the week came to a close,
none of the students wanted
to leave their new families and
friends. The friendships that were
built in those two short weeks will
last forever. As the students got
on the bus to leave Tulancingo on
May 1, they said goodbye to their
host families with heavy hearts.
They drove back to Mexico City
in order to fly back to Albany.
All of the Mexican students that
hosted will be able to come and
visit Niskayuna for two weeks in
April of 2012 and stay with the
same kids that they hosted. The
friendships and relationships that
are built during an exchange are
wonderful and will be life-long
friendships between the Mexican students and the American
students.
4
Opinion
The Warrior
May 23, 2011
Wrong stereotypes of Japanese culture
by
Ken Omiya
Opinion
The Internet holds hundreds
of thousands of photos depicting
Japan as a messed up country.
There are actually sites that
solely depend on awkward photos
and videos proving Japan as the
weirdest thing since “Apocalypse
Now.” Seeing these websites, a
few questions tickled my brain
cells. What went wrong with this
historically rich empire? Who’s to
blame for this scarred Japanese
ego? And why is there a hundred
foot tall robot in the middle of
Okinawa? There are so many
questions but very few answers.
Most of the sites focus on the
pervading anime industry, which
should not be taken the wrong
way. Anime persists as a complex
art, but the demand for a particular twisted form of “art” has corrupted the image of manga, anime
and Japanese pride in graphic
novels. The fans of anime seem to
also hold much of the burden in
the sites. Hardcore fans of manga
go to groupings called cosplay
conventions, many of them in
costumes, wielding ridiculously
huge swords and spiked white
hair. Some of the people go too far,
with men dressing up as female
characters, and generally killing
the environment of these exciting
dress-up festivals. Still these are
just individuals, and are not the
bulk of anime fans, who generally
are cool and hip. If one is ever
to go on a subway in downtown
Tokyo, literally half the people
can be seen reading manga, old or
young, male or female; it has just
become a culture and a source of
quick entertainment in a world of
busy folks.
Part of Japan’s strange impression on the world can be blamed
on the food. Raw fish? Doesn’t
that give you parasites? How
about mercury poisoning? Yeah,
well, sushi is delicious. And nu-
tritious, and totally does not give
you parasites -- you are thinking
of pork. Mercury is a problem, but
whether you cook it or vaporize it,
the metals are still going to exist.
So raw fish haters should at least
try out the raw diet at least before
judging the unknown.
I have gone to Japan numerous times and every time has
been truly magical. People should
not judge the country from
non-legitimate sites and should
definitely consider taking a vacation to the land of samurai and
sushi. As Charles De Gaulle once
said “greatness is a road leading
towards the unknown.”
We are controlled by the media
by
Daniel Zhao
Opinion
It almost sounds like a cliche by now, to
think that everything around us is controlling
us. We tend to think of ourselves as rational
and autonomous beings that can exert full
control over our actions. While advertisements
can exert influence on us, we can ultimately
decide in the end whether we submit to the
pressure or not. However, the true fact of
the matter is that our very personalities
are dictated by the environment around
us, and by what we percieve in daily life.
Think about it, just for a second. How many
times have you seen fellow students in the
hallways utter phrases you could’ve sworn you
heard on last night’s show? It seems very apparent to me that the very things we say have
their roots from television shows we watch
or the music we listen to. For instance, the
term ‘ballin’ was popularized by Jim Jones’
immensly popular hit, “We Fly High.” Maybe
we don’t use this word as much as we used
to, but it illustrates a key contention. Though
we want to think of words we use in our daily
lives as products of our generation’s ingenuity, for the most part, it really isn’t the case.
The media not only shapes our linguistic
choices, but our mindsets as well. The way
we tend to think about moral issues, for example, is evidently influenced by movies and
messages we have been taught in our youth.
Messages such as “never give up!”and “do
what you believe in,” among others, taught
to us by the plethora of Disney movies we’ve
all watched, still manifest everywhere. For
example, I remember a topic in English
class where we had to discuss the merits
of being idealistic versus being pragmatic
in our career choices; most, if not all of the
students advocated for being idealistic.
What followed didn’t really surprise me.
The Warrior
Niskayuna High School, 1626 Balltown Road, Niskayuna, NY, 12309
http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/nhs/warrior
Editor-in-Chief:
Maggie Jordan
Emily O’Brien
News:
Sarah Miner, Editor
Grace Strong, Editor
Hannah Wistort, Editor
Jackson Montrym, Asst
Anna Mattis, Asst
Opinion:
Jason Kasman, Editor
Daniel Zhao, Editor
Tim Rice, Editor
Entertainment:
Eunu Song, Editor
Olivia Cox, Asst
Sports:
Christopher Herman, Editor
Joe Petraccione, Editor
Aniket Tolpadi, Asst
Olivia Jaquith, Asst
Magazine:
Inga Bagepalli, Editor
Shikha Dharia, Editor
Advisers: James Edgar Alisha Desai, Editor
Russell McDowell Swati Mehrotra, Asst
Additional Staff:
Gabriel Holodak, Copy Editor
Alison Xu, Copy Editor
Maura Griffith, Photo Editor
Sohaib Syed, Graphics Editor
Ken Omiya, Graphics Editor
Kaitlin Hungershafer,
Business Manager
Bridget LeMon & Rachel Bickauskas,
Distribution Managers
Many contributed comments along the lines
of “people should do what feels right for them,
because they’ll ultimately be happier that
way.” And for the most part, I agree with them;
however, the consistency of the comments
just really illustrated to me how similarly we
think alike due to the similar sources of media we’ve encountered in our youth (namely,
movies like “Lion King”, “The Little Mermaid”,
etc that we’ve all watched as children).
Perhaps it sounds like I’m grossly exagerrating the issue at hand. Indeed, it sounds
bleak and cynical to think that the idea of each
and every one of us being unique is complete
crap, but we can’t deny that our mindsets are
shaped pretty extensively by what we perceive.
From the clothes we wear to the way that we
talk, we can not escape from our environment,
for it is what defines us. And the influence
will continue to expand as time goes on, and
as technology allows the media to proliferate.
EDITORIAL POLICIES
Letters to the editor are welcome from all members of the school
community, and can be delivered toWarrior staff or sent via
email to: [email protected]. The Warrior reserves
the right to edit letters for grammar, length, and content.
Signed opinion articles express the opinions of their creators.
Unsigned editorials represent the consensus of the paper’s editorial board, consisting of the Opinion section and the Editor-inChief.
The op-ed pages are a forum for students’ opinions and ideas.
For a one-year subscription to The Warrior, please send a check for $25.00 to: The Warrior, c/o Niskayuna High School, 1626 Balltown Road, Niskayuna, NY 12309.
The Warrior
Opinion
May 23, 2011
5
The end of the Internet Age
by
Tim Rice
Opinion
Bad things happen to good
people. I have heard this non
sequitur employed and deployed
so many times in my life, I cannot
even begin to count them. I myself
have said it when presented with
a failing grade on a test that I
studied incredibly hard for, andwhen I watch a romantic comedy
in which the nice guy loses the
attractive female lead to the selfloathing, destructive bad boy
with the shiny motorcycle. But
never have I felt it necessary to
use the old maxim to describe
a large, diverse group of people.
Not until last week, that is.
As I am sure most of you
realized by the absence of
that familiar stack of War riors in your homerooms last
Friday (or, more likely, by your
teachers explanatory and/or
exclamatory remarks in regard
to the subject) the printer in
the school’s print shop was,
for a period that lasted a few
days, non-functional. Being
just one student, I know how
profoundly this loss affected
me, and I cannot even imagine
how cataclysmic the effects of
this most deplorable incident
were on the rest of my peers. The
world our school inhabited during
this dark time was a sad one, a
world where math notes needed
to be copied off the board and
one actually had to listen to the
morning announcements over
the loud speaker as opposed to
reading them second hand off the
supplemental sheet. This crisis
jarred us as a community, and
thrust us back into an upsetting
time when print shops did not
exist and a dearth of worksheets
and printed bulletins was not a
nightmare, but, rather, a reality.
My friends, we are not pioneers.
But we are not the idealistic space
pirates exploring a technological
society that we were ten years ago
when the cell phone and Internet
were bizarre luxuries and often
looked down upon. I think it is
safe to say that our society has
reached an interesting turning
point. Since the beginning of
time, an invention or discovery
would come along every couple of
centuries that would redefine the
way of life for almost every inhabitant of the globe. The most recent
round of these discoveries, how-
the private sector of research and
development, this consolidation is
as prevalent, if not more prevalent, than in the global theater.
Take, for example, a technological superpower like Apple. Apple
no longer spends its time trying
to build a better computer than,
ever, has set an unprecedented
standard for advancement and
discovery. Technological breakthroughs which, in the past,
were gems to be unearthed in
random acts of Godlike inspiration, are now commonplace. The
highest demand is not, then, for
the tangible creations and results
of advancement, but instead for
advancement itself. Whether it is
a phone that sends text messages
for you or yet another new way to
steal music, our society simply demands development. It is almost
as if we are in a desperate arms
race without an opponent. We no
longer exert our greatest efforts
to surpass the Russian space
program or to match the efficiency
of Chinese high schools. The most
important competition that exists
now exists between the thinkers,
the eternal question being asked,
who can think faster? This is not
a shift in priorities, per se, but,
rather, a consolidation. Even in
Warrior Art/ Jason C. Kasman
say, Gateway, but rather to never
stop their crusade to re-examine
old pieces of technology, like the
phone or television. The value of
this kind of internal competition
remains to be seen. Every child
is told since they are old enough
to understand that they must
spend their time striving not to
out do their friends, but to work
tirelessly to be the best possible
version of themselves that they
can be. But while this theory may
be of great worth in an elementary
school gym or a playground, it has
the potential to be both juvenile
and counter-productive in the
real world.
I think it is safe to say that
our society, at least in regards
to technology, is in an interesting
place. We have, I believe, opened a
21st Century version of Pandora’s
box, and the nefarious spirits
that inhabited this box, when
unearthed, subsequently left us
for dead in the midst of a bottomless vacuum which demands
perpetual technological advancements. This unquenchable thirst
for improvements has made it so
that our society incapable of being
satisfied. These characteristics, of
course, are by no means those
of a modern society. They are
emphatically not attributes of
the Internet age. But they are
ever present and true, which
can mean but one thing: the
so called “Internet Age” which
began almost twenty years ago,
has ended.
Though I know next to nothing about technology, I feel audacious enough to say that we
have entered an age of necessary
advancement, a Post-Internet
Age. This is an age in which
the iPhone 3 is rendered obsolete an hour after the release
of the iPhone 4, and in which
the long-awaited release of the
iPhone 4 is almost immediately
overshadowed by rumors of a
not-yet-invented iPhone 5. It
is an age in which, upon the
realization that an existential
crisis in the print shop prevented
the publication of Warriors, no one
mourns the loss of the paper, but,
rather, uses the entire incident
as a springboard to promote Internet journalism. I must admit,
I am deeply saddened by the
flippancy with which students
regard the absence of a fixture
like the Warrior simply because
it is printed on paper and cannot
be accessed on a smart phone.
But, regardless of my worries, it
is the world we live in. Strange,
uncertain, and sometimes scary,
but exciting nonetheless, this is
no longer a dream or a nightmare.
This is reality.
ALL OPINIONS expressed on
the op-ed pages represent the individual viewpoints of their authors.
The content does not necessarily
represent the views of The Warrior, the high school, the school
district, or the Board of Education.
6
Entertainment
May 23, 2011
The Warrior
Techno music makes a comeback
by
Sarah Beitch
Entertainment
The techno music style was created by Detroit’s underground movement in the 1980’s,
unintentionally using electronic instruments
to create a mix of futuristic sounds. Originally
techno music’s influences drew heavily from
funk and soul music to create its unique
sound. Some of the better-known techno
and electronic groups of the 1980’s include
British duo Eurythmics, with their popular
hit “Sweet dreams Are Made of This.”
Techno is commonly affiliated with other
genres such as dubstep, house, trance, electronic, and dance music, which have large
techno influences in them. These technobased genres are becoming increasingly
popular in today’s music culture.
Today, techno’s influence is spreading like
wildfire among mainstream artists. Britney
Spears’ “Hold It Against Me” features prevalent
dubstep sounds with a strong, droning bass.
Another mainstream artist who has always
featured techno and dance music in their
work would be Lady Gaga. Strong electronic
and techno influences are heard in most of
her songs including “Just Dance,” “Boys
Boys Boys,” “Starstruck,” and her newest
hit, “Judas.”
In today’s age of computers, one can make
a career of mixing favorite songs into a techno
mash-up, using only a laptop from the comfort
of one’s home. DJs such as Gregg Gillis (Girl
Talk) is famous for his mash-ups of songs from
different decades with popular songs of today.
This genre is not specifically considered to be
techno, but it is a new style of of electronic
mash-ups and digital sampling, with some
electronic, dance, and techno influences.
Gillis’ digital mash-ups only require a laptop
and are played with booming speakers at his
shows, where dancing is the common activity.
Techno, dubstep, electronic, and dance
music is most commonly played in clubs,
parties, and raves. A “rave” is defined as a
gathering of people centered on listening to and
dancing to electronic music. DJs at raves are
commonly known for playing techno. PLUR,
which stands for Peace Love Unity Respect
is the mantra of rave culture. PLUR finds its
roots from the mid-1980’s as well.
At this time, techno is present in today’s
ever-changing mainstream music scene.
Techno and electronic-based music are all the
rage now, but who knows what the next music
phenomenon will be? It may surprise you.
More techno, electronic, dubstep, and dance
music artists and DJs to check out include:
Jack Beats, La Roux, Basshunter, Skazi,
Justice, Aqua, Steve Aoki, Jaydiohead, Daft
Punk, Passion Pit, Deadmau5, Duck Sauce (a
collaboration of two popular DJs, A-Trak and
Armand Van Helden), and Breakbot.
Water for Elephants is heartwarming
by
Katherine Quinn
Entertainment
When I went to see Water for Elephants, judging by the previews
and cast, I assumed it would
be another typical chick-flick
romance. Directed by Francis
Lawrence (I Am Legend) the film
stars Robert Pattinson (Twilight),
Reese Witherspoon (Legally
Blonde), and Christoph Waltz
(Inglorious Basterds). I was sure
the plot would revolve around
an intimate relationship between
Pattinson and Witherspoon, that
is tested throughout the movie
by conflicts involving Waltz, but
endures until the couple can live
the rest of their lives together in
peace and happiness. Generally,
I expected it to be a predictable
and boring love story. However, I found this movie
to be anything but boring. Don’t
get me wrong, this is no edgeof-your-seat action thriller, but
the riveting plot based off the
best-selling novel by Sara Gruen
keeps audiences engaged for the
whole two hours. Water for Elephants begins with
an elderly Jacob, who has become
separated from his nursing home
group, stranded in a rainy circus
parking lot. Jacob then recounts
his experience with the famous
Benzini Bros. Traveling Circus
in 1931. Young Jacob (Pattinson) and his immigrant parents
resided in the U.S. during the
Great Depression. While attending Cornell and weeks away from
his diploma in veterinary sciences
when, in the middle of his final
exam, Jacob was informed of his
parents’ death in a car accident.
Jacob’s house is foreclosed and
he is left without a family, home, or
job. At this point, the audience is
left wondering why Jacob doesn’t
just go back to school and get his
degree, but it becomes apparent
when he recklessly jumps a random train that just happens to be
that of the Benzini Bros. that he is
too traumatized to do so. Jacob is
welcomed aboard by some circus
crew and soon after taken to see
the head boss, August (Waltz),
Jacob is hired as the circus’ veterinarian and travels with them
to watch them perform. Jacob is
initially fascinated by the performances, which seem much too
elaborate for the Great Depression
setting, and especially infatuated by the gorgeous performer
Marlena (Witherspoon), but soon
begins to discover the disturbing
conflicts that begin to surface and
aren’t hidden by the mask of the
spectacular shows. For instance,
August, who is also Marlena’s aggressive husband, brutally beats
his new “acquisition” Rosie, a
remarkably intelligent elephant
that both Marlena and Jacob bond
with, as their secret relationship
behind August’s back grows.
Things begin to get out of control
when August’s bipolar rage, lust
for money, and cruelty lead Marlena to follow Jacob by running
away, only to be caught again. In
a tumultuous climax involving a
crew uprising, escaped animals,
and a near-fatal fight between
August, Marlena, and Jacob,
Rosie heroically saves Marlena
and Jacob, allowing them to live
the rest of their lives together in
peace and happiness.
I was pleasantly surprised
after watching this movie, most
excited by the dramatic plot
twists, heart-wrenching scenes,
and dynamic performance by
Waltz, which made me want to
see him more often. Despite some
minor character flaws, awkward
restatements of the setting, and
many convenient coincidences,
I was overall impressed by this
movie and would recommend it to
even the most skeptical of dramaromance films. When Waltz’s
character remarked that “…the
world is full of tricks,” the quote
stuck with me and I thought
that it definitely stands true for
the Benzini Bros. circus, where
nothing is ever what it seems.
Your Entertainment Fix
Releases for the weeks of 5/15
and 5/22
Movies: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,
The Hangover Part II, Kung Fu
Panda 2
Music: Moby, Lady Gaga,
Foster the People
The Warrior
You
by
just
Christopher Herman
Sports
Under the wing of Coach Mike
Vorgang, the boys varsity lacrosse
team looks to reach higher than
ever before. With a plethora of
young talent and senior leadership, they can certainly do so.
Nonetheless, it’s hard to repeat
the feats of the previous years.
Last year they made it to the state
semifinals and finished second
in the state two years ago. But
the boys know it can be done.
The team has the heart, determination, and the experience.
Although they have a lot of underclassmen starters, they each have
tons of skill and experience that
is needed to have success at such
a high level, that’s not usual for a
team filled with talent of all ages.
This year the team has set
high, yet, reasonable goals for
themselves. They plan on winning
Sectionals and then competing at
States, and hopefully winning.
This year they will be lead by
seniors Nikhon Schuler, Andrew
Congratulations
May 23, 2011
need
Feneroli, Brendan Monrello,
Mike Chamber, Nik Massaroni,
and Brian Schlansker, as well
as juniors Matt Sexton, Tanner
MacIvor, and Blake Pfohl. These
players will be expected to carry
the boys through the “nit and
grit” of the season and will be
expected to bring leadership to the
team when the going gets tough.
Junior Ethan Quinlan told
The Warrior, “We have worked
so hard this year and it should
have a big impact on our team’s
success in the future.” Their
hard work has paid off this
year; as a result of their work
ethic, they only have two losses.
The team sparked excitement
at their home win over Burnt
Hills-Ballston Lake on senior
night. After the game, Feneroli
said, “We are working extremely
hard day in and day out to get
better. As the season comes to a
close we are pushing to tweak our
games to get better for Sectionals
and then States.” Pfohl added,
“We are looking solid now but
to the varisty
crew team on their performance
at
States!
Several crews will be moving on
to Nationals, but we’d like to
offer extra congratulations to
the senior boys quad:
lucas lore
alex dwyer
nick wolfe
eric powzyc
junior girls double:
hannah wistort
julia mason
for their state championship
titles.
to
Sports
7
re-lax
Photo Credit / Lucas Maloney
NISKY TAKES COLONIE: Sophomore Lucas Maloney takes charge in a 1 v.
1 battle against Colonie.
when States and Sectionals come
around we need to be perfect and
flawless. Making small changes
to our game will be essential to
our team’s success. This will be
the last season for lots of guys
and we want to make it great.”
You heard it; in order to compete
at the high levels, the boys need to
perfect their games, and make the
small changes to do better. However, who has been giving them
this trouble and giving them the
pressure? You guessed it: Shen.
They gave them a lot trouble
in their previous game when
they beat Nisky 6-5. In the first
half the game, the Warriors held
the Plainsmen to 0 goals and
had a 3-0 lead. But it all fell
apart in the second half and
the team fell to the 9th ranked
lacrosse team in the state. This
is a huge Section II rivalry, and
come Sectionals, it will get very
tense if they play each other.
Sophomore Lucas Maloney
shared, “We are also good because we have one of the best
coaching staffs in the section if not the state and they
are awesome to work with.”
Coach Vorgang is an essential
part of the team. He leads productive workouts and practices to
get the most out of his players.
Vorgang often has his players doing shuttles up and down the field
to improve their passing skills.
He also does a series of 1 v. 1
dodges including face dodge, roll
dodge, V-dodge, and rocket dodge.
These are intended to keep the
players focused and on their toes
in various situations. Vorgang
also likes to have his players
compete for the ball in a 1 v. 1
ground balls drill, which helps
the players in typical man-to-man
combat during a game. Practice
usually concludes with a scrimmage where the team is split
up and players go against each
other as if they were in a game.
All of Vorgang’s drills have been
methodically designed to engineer
a fundamentally sound team.
With the work ethic that this
team possesses and a great
coaching staff we can expect
great things for the boys for the
remainder of this season and in
seasons to come. Be sure to offer continous support to the boys
as they advance in Sectionals.
Sports
May 23, 2011
More to come for tennis
by
Christopher Herman
Sports
The boys varsity tennis team played like
champions this season. They only had two
losses and finished the season out with a
tough loss against Guilderland. This year the
team was lead by Coach Neal and captains
senior Chris Frost and junior Donald Dudley. They also had help from rising young
talents including sophomores Nate Reilly and
Chris Downing, junior Brendan Service, and
freshman fourth singles star, Russel Santos.
The team played a tough schedule this year,
facing superpower teams like Bethlehem and
Guilderland, ending with a losses in both
matches. Nonetheless, their record was very
impressive especially since despite a lineup
packed with underclassmen. The talent of
this young team can only improve off the
successes of this year. The key thing for the
players to do now is to stay fit, keep playing,
and keep improving all of their skills. Many
play offseason tennis at Sportime and have really benefitted from the extra practice. Senior
Captain Frost stated, “As long as everybody
keeps on getting in those extra practices,
and works on specific parts of their game
they should do well. We had a good run this
year and as long as everybody builds off of
those wins they can expect a better outcome.”
The key to any sport is consistency es-
pecially in a competitive sport like tennis.
The boys need to not only play as much as
possible but also drill, work forehand shots,
backhands, volleys, and serves. Tennis is
an all around game, meaning you can’t be
good at only one aspect and expect to be
successful, at least not at the varsity level.
In order to create the best team possible,
each player must take time to improve their
individual skills. All of the other teams in
the section are getting better by practing the
small facets of the game. Many people say
that the offseason begins the moment that
the regular season ends. In other words,
“Offseason is preseason.” If the tennis team
looks at the upcoming season with this
motivating point of view, then they should
have nothing to worry about next year.
Throughout the season, many of the
games have been “nail-biters.” As long as
the team can get better and capitalize on
all of their games next year, they should
have no problem becoming sectional
champions. The young talent present on
the team will help them reach their goals.
Santos voiced, “I think as long as we
keep doing the right stuff on our own
time we will be fine. We just need to
keep at it and next year we'll be better.”
We wish them the best of luck in the coming
seasons and hope all their hard work will pay off.
Photo Credit / Chris Frost
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Senior Chris Frost works on perfecting his returns during practice.
Don’t forget to recycle this issue when you finish reading it!
The Warrior
Schedule and Scores
8
Girls Varsity Lacrosse
5/13 vs. Burnt Hills
Won 15-6
Boys Track
Class A Championships 5/26 @ Guilderland
Girls Track
Class A Championships 5/25 @ Queensbury
Boys Varsity Baseball
5/12 vs. Burnt Hills
Won 15-9
Boys Varsity Lacrosse
5/13 vs. Burnt Hills
Lost 11-6 Girls Varsity Softball
5/12 vs. Burnt Hills
Won 10-3 Silver
The Warrior Magazine
Volume 37, Issue 30 May 23, 2011
Sun, surf, and sand
Editors:
Inga Bagepalli
Shikha Dharia
Alisha Desai
Asst. Editor:
Swati Mehrotra
Silver
The Warrior Magazine
May 23, 2011
A relaxing summer locale
by Alexis Rattner
Even though
the weather
isn’t perfect,
we want everyone to
have summery
thoughts in
their heads.
Our favorite
season is just
around the
corner. Go to
the beach and
get some rays.
Love,
The Editors
Magazine
Who doesn’t love the feeling of sand beneath their toes
and the calming sound of
ocean waves? When you think
of the beach, you
think of relaxing in the sun
and hot beach
bods. Maybe it’s
the overwhelming amount of
sunshine, clear
o c e a n w a t e r,
and or the virgin
strawberry daiquiris that you’ve
been drinking
since you laid
out, but in the
end, the beach
is a place everyone wants to be.
The beach is
the definition of
calm and every
synonym of the
word, and during
winter breaks,
many families
look forward to
venturing out of
their snowed-in
homes to paradise in the Bahamas or the
Miami Beaches.
The beach has
always been seen
as a family locale, but Niskayuna kids have
been driving into Lake George
Village during the hotter
months to lay out on Million
Dollar Beach and have their
fair share of the sunshine. I
don’t blame them; the beach
is a wonderful place to be.
Imagine yourself laying
out on a towel, your body
glistening from all the tanning oil you just rubbed on.
You look great and so does
everyone else, and the best
part is that you’re on the
most beautiful white sand
beach in the middle of the
Caribbean without a care in
the world. Being out in the
hot sun in a place where no
one can successfully wear
a frown is always ideal for
anyone looking to get away
from the life’s stresses . An
estimated fifty million people
from the U.S alone visit the
beach each year, a fact which
isn’t surprising at all! If I could
be anywhere in the world
right now, it’d probably be
on a beach somewhere in the
tropics, a virgin pina colada
in hand, with all my friends.
Whenever my family realizes it’s time to take a
mental vacation, we
take a plane
straight to
San Juan in
Puerto Rico
to absorb
the intoxicating sun
and kick
back and
relax for
a week.
I’ve always
loved the
feeling of
walking up
and down
the beach
and being
able to look
out onto
the horizon
across vast
amounts of
crystal blue
water. I love
the feeling
of being on
a tropical
island with
the ocean
surrounding
me, which
to me is the
ideal vacaWarrior Art / Ken Omiya tion. Plus,
I don’t mind seeing the occasional guy with a toned six
pack to match the hot climate.
The beach has always
epitomized fun, relaxation
and vacation. Who wouldn’t
like to recline in a lounge
chair while watching the
sun fall behind the ocean’s
horizon? It’s the perfect way
to end any day in paradise.
Silver
Summer
by Laura Dirienzo
Magazine
Island musician Jack Johnson got it
right when he sang, “When this world's
too much, it will be only the ocean and
me.” With summer fast approaching
and finals, Regents, and plans for the
future stressing everyone out, there is
only one solution: the beach. Nothing
is better than relaxing with your toes
in the sand, the sun beating down on
you, and the ocean waves drowning
away all your cares. Maybe this is clichéd, maybe you would call it escapism, but I call it keeping my sanity.
I mean, what isn’t to like about the
ocean? The salty breeze, making sandcastles, beautiful sunsets, bonfires lasting till midnight, and waking up at noon
to the sound of seagulls. I don’t know
about you, but I love all of those things!
Whether it’s the Bahamas or Maine, I’m
always going to enjoy the seashore.
The Warrior Magazine
loving
My favorite beaches are the Outer
Banks in North Carolina. Almost every year my entire extended family,
about 30 of us, rent a giant beach
house right on the ocean for a week.
Since it’s mostly beach houses instead
of resorts, the beaches are not over
crowded and you are within in walking or biking distance from all the
best sites, restaurants, and activities.
If you are lucky enough to visit the
Outer Banks, you have to get ice cream
at Fat Boyz Ice Cream and Grill. It is
this super-relaxed place right outside
the public beach access with all outdoor
seating. But what makes it so special is
that they make the best cookie dough ice
cream you will ever eat in your entire
life. Instead of having those tiny little
pieces of cookie dough, they put three
ice cream sized scoops of cookie dough
in a giant cup of vanilla ice-cream.
Enough to last the long walk on the
May 23, 2011
memories
beach back to your hotel or beach house!
What makes relaxing on the beach
even better? An awesome playlist to
listen to! The most played on my iPod
while at the beach is Jack Johnson’s
most recent album, “Into The Sea”.
Then again, anything Jack Johnson
is made for the ocean atmosphere!
Some of my other favorites are Jimmy
Buffet, Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat, the
Zac Brown Band, and Jason Aldean.
So whether you like to tan, boogy
board, surf, relax, or play some volleyball, I hope you make it to the coast this
summer, especially if you’re as much of
a beach bum as I am! I like nothing more
than the sun on my skin and the wind in
my hair. All I know is that I would be much
happier if I were, in the words of Zac
Brown, “knee deep in the water somewhere, got the blue sky breeze blowing
wind through my hair, only worry in the
world is the tide gonna reach my chair.”
Beaches for summer months
Best Family Beach:
Whether you want to hit the boardwalk, ride a roller coaster, play some mini golf, or
relax by the ocean, Myrtle Beach is the perfect place to take your family for an awesome summer get away!
Beach with great coral reefs:
If you are planning on snorkling and looking at great formatoins of coral then St.
Lucia beach is the place for you. Beautiful patterns on the fishes and breath-taking
colors that complement the blue sparkle of the ocean.
Party Beach:
Looking for a place to spring break with your friends? Plan to hit up Panama City,
notorious for its wild parties, awesome live concerts, and resorts packed with other
kids from all over the country!
Surfing Beach:
Dude, if you totally love rippin’ on those radical waves, head to the tubular Sunset
Beach on the North Shore of Oahu! Surfers only!
Scenic Beach:
Oftentimes referred to as the most beautiful beach in Hawaii, Hanalei Bay features
pristine teal water, lush vegetation, and beautiful coves scatted throughout the area,
which will have you feeling like you’ve discovered a little piece of heaven on earth!
Silver
May 23, 2011
The Warrior Magazine
Fun
beach
by Shikha Dharia and
Alisha Desai
Magazine
My family and I love going to the beach. We try
to get to a beach every
summer, whether we hit
the shores of Jersey, or
cruise to Jamaica. When
I’m at the beach I love laying out and reading a good
book, but my favorite is
playing beach games with
family and friends. Here
are some good activities.
Kite flying is always a
good time. You just have
to make sure there are the
right conditions. You need
a sunny day with a solid
breeze. You can get kites
in varying shapes, colors,
and sizes. My personal
favorite is my pink Barbie
kite. I also love big kites
shaped like animals. How
often can we fly kites in
Niskayuna? Exactly, so
you should try this next
time you go to the beach.
A treasure hunt is always
a great activity when
you are with a big group of
people. It is really fun, you
just have to make sure people
can actually find the prize because beaches can be huge.
I have never done this, but
some people even whip out
their
metal
d e tectors.
Y o u
c a n
look
f o r
treasure
your
fami l y
buried and find treasures
that others left behind.
Sand castle tournaments
are a good way to start friendly competition between your
family and friends. Many
times people go all out and
really try to create a never
before seen sand castle.I remember making sand castles
with my cousins modeling the
architecture of the Atlantis
activities
resort in the Bahamas. We
made pools by digging up
sand and placing the castle
close enough to the water,
so it could rush in when the
waves crashed on the shore.
Ultimate Frisbee is an easy
way
t
o
g e t
exercise
on a
summer
vacation.
A
team
o
f
Warrior Photo / Shikha Dharia f o u r
or five can create a great
game for the family. All you
need is a Frisbee and some
team players who are willing
to run in the sand. After an
exciting game nothing can be
more relaxing than jumping
in the ocean for a quick dip.
When it’s really hot jumping waves is a great activity to cool off. Boogie
boarding and surfing are
new activities to try with
your friends and family.
Swimming in the ocean for
the first time in the ocean is
exhilarating. The salty taste
of the water and heat from
thesun is great combination
with the relaxing water. If
you’re lucky, you can find
crabs and fish in the water.
Whether you find those
or not you will definitely
find shells under the sea.
Paddle ball is another
great activity for a fun day
at the beach. When you’re
tired of tanning and swimming in the water, hitting a
ball with another friend is a
relaxing activity. The trick
to the game is to stay close
to your partner, so then the
ball doesn’t fall in the sand.
Paddle ball is tough because
the ball doesn’t bounce in
the sand so you don’t have a
lot of control. I have always
thought of paddle ball as tennis without a net or a court.
No matter what you do
on the beach, you will
have an awesome time.
Enjoy your vacation!
Life’s a beach, laugh a little
1.What did the sea say to me when I went to the beach?
2. Why did the wave cross the ocean?
3. Why are gulls named seagulls?
4. What’s the best day to go to the beach?
5. Where does a ship go when it’s sick?
http://www.lisamullarkey.com/Beach%20Jokes.htm
http://www.jokesbykids.com/science/ocean_and_beach/
1.Nothing, it just waved. 2. To get to the other tide.
3. If they were by the bay, they’d be bagels. 4. Sunday 5. To the dock