May 2016 - Pottsville Area School District
Transcription
May 2016 - Pottsville Area School District
tide lines MAY 10, 2016 • VOLUME 27 • ISSUE 05 • POTTSVILLE AREA HIGH SCHOOL • POTTSVILLE, PA 17901 • WWW.PAHSTIDELINES.COM in this issue Style and Entertainment Read about the different aspects of the senior prom. Page 5 Seniors going south for college Paige Fellows Executive Editor-in-Chief F or any high school senior, choosing where to further his education can be a nerve-wracking and life-changing decision. There are several deciding factors that contribute to a student’s final choice on where he will spend the next four years of his life. Tuition, location, school size and distance from home are just a few factors to consider when choosing a desired college or university. Though some students may choose to remain relatively close to home, a popular trend among this year’s senior class is to head south. Sports Read about the athlete of the issue, Jordan Abdo. Page 8 Opinion See student reactions to Relay for Life moving. Page 11 election > opinion Students choose favorite Presidential candidate in six words Tayah Moore Editor-in-Chief Bernie Sanders: He reminds me of my pop-pop -Cailey Carl, sophomore Ted Cruz: Government sucks and Rand Paul’s out -Luke Stoner, sophomore Donald Trump: We need change to foreign affairs -Josh Zelinsky, sophomore Bernie Sanders: All of the other candidates suck -Alyssa Bowers, junior Bernie Sanders: I’m about the Bernie Bern Bern -Hunter Johns, senior None: Let’s be real here, my friends -Julia Smith, junior Donald Trump: He is always keeping it real -Jordan Abdo, junior Donald Trump: We WILL make America great again -Bernie Guzick, freshman Please give us your input on this issue of Tide Lines. Facebook www.facebook.com/ pahstidelines Twitter @pahspub Graphics by Abbey Kostyal Production Editor-in-Chief Photo courtesy of Lucy Murray APPRECIATE — Enjoying the warm weather, senior Lucy Murray poses for a photo at Tulane University, where she plans to major in political science with a focus in international relations and a minor in Spanish. Logan Derbes University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama “I chose to go south for a lot of reasons. Of course, one of the reasons is because it is warm and sunny almost year round. I liked the atmosphere in the South. It’s calm, slow living, especially in Alabama. It’s not as crazy busy all of the time, and I loved that. I also really liked the food. They don’t kid around when they say it’s soul food. I’m also really looking forward to football. The Southeastern Conference is huge down south; they treat game day just like a holiday. I can’t wait to experience it.” Lucy Murray Tulane University New Orleans, Louisiana “I chose to go south for college specifically to go to New Orleans. I went to New Orleans for the first time when I was in sixth grade, and since then I’ve known I wanted to live there. Photo courtesy of Logan Derbes ENCOURAGE — On a campus visit at her chosen college, where she will be able to yell “Roll Tide” at games for another four years, senior Logan Derbes takes a shot with the University of Alabama mascot, Big Al. Going to college at Tulane is the perfect opportunity to do that. Tulane is everything that I want in a school, including location, medium size, choice of majors, extracurriculars, job placement and more.” Michael DeColli Methodist University Fayetteville, North Carolina “I want to pursue a career in golf, so I am going to Methodist University, which has one of the best golf programs in the country. I am majoring in accounting with a concentration in the PGA Professional Golf Course Management program.” Kasie Shaw University of South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina “I want to go south for college because I love the warm weather. I want to also get out of my comfort zone and branch out, and moving far away is a good way to do that. Moving to a different environment with all new people Relay for Life not at PAHS Photo courtesy of Shelby Hahner RELAX — After audtioning for the dance team at Elon University, senior Shelby Hahner waits for the final callback, which she was invited back for. Hahner will discover whether or not she made the team in early May. will teach me new things and help me become more independent.” Shelby Hahner Elon University Elon, North Carolina “After taking a tour, I fell in love with the school and the gorgeous campus. It’s going to be hard for me to be hard for me to be eight hours away from my best friends that I’ve known forever, but being a part of activities on campus will help me meet new people. I’m really excited to see what my new home has to offer.” Becky Staller Stevenson University Owings Mills, Maryland “I want to live in Washington, D.C., when I’m older, so I looked at schools in Maryland and Virginia. I visited Stevenson and fell in love with the campus and the area. I like the southern values, and the weather is so much nicer there.” Student opinions vary about the change iPads to make an appearance T T Taylor Brigade Staff Writer he Relay for Life is an overnight community walk hosted by the American Cancer Society in order to fundraise for cancer research. At this event there are plenty of games, refreshments and all other sorts of activities in order to provide entertainment for all who attend. This event serves as a family-friendly environment for all ages. The annual Relay for Life is a tradition that has taken place at Pottsville Area High School for many years. This year, the 23rd annual Relay for Life will break the tradition of being held at Pottsville, and instead will be at Schuylkill Haven’s “The Island.” “I think that it is a good move because it makes the relay more available SEE Location, page 2 Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator SUPPORT — Parading around the track, the 2014-2015 PAHS marching band and band front show their support of the Relay for Life. It was recently announced that the 23rd annual Relay for Life will be held at Schuylkill Haven’s “The Island.” “It’s just weird that this tradition is ending,” senior Jeremy Witman said. Emma Walinsky Staff Writer he world is beginning to revolve around all aspects of technology. This is why students in all grades will be equipped with an iPad Air 2 tablet starting in the 2016-2017 school year. “I believe having my own iPad next year will make research easier and faster. You can write essays and make presentations [on them], which will benefit all of the students and teachers next year,” sophomore Tobias Serrian said. Apple has recently offered the district a $1.6 million lease that involved revamping the technology throughout the district. Due to this new offer from Apple, the district will save over half a million dollars over the next few years on technology-related expenses. The SEE PASD, page 2 2 May 10, 2016 tide lines Information and Policies Tide Lines is the online and print news publication of Pottsville Area High School. It is produced by the students of the Communications and Mass Media class. It is written for the Pottsville Area School District community and is distributed free of charge. Secondary audiences include other school journalism programs and organizations which promote the development of scholastic journalism, as well as people worldwide with the ability to visit the website. Readers can access Tide Lines print issue archives at http://www.pottsville. k12.pa.us/tidelines. Tide Lines is updated weekly online and can be viewed at http://www.pahstidelines.com. The Editorial Board is the decision-making body of the newspaper which governs its day-to-day operation. The Tide Lines staff has adopted the following editorial policy to express the rights, responsibilities and philosophy of the Tide Lines newspaper and website. Tide Lines is an accessible public forum which provides information and entertainment in addition to various viewpoints on debatable issues in the form of editorials and columns. Funds for production come from advertising and the Pottsville Area School District. As an open forum, Tide Lines sells advertisements for publicity and to pay for printing costs. The basic rate is eight dollars per column inch in each print issue or $30 per month on the website. Tide Lines refuses to advertise any reference to illegal or controlled products, services, substances, paraphernalia or any other advertisement deemed inappropriate to the Pottsville community. As a responsible newspaper, Tide Lines will not intentionally invade the privacy of any person and will make every effort to correctly spell names and make accurate class and position identifications. Accurate reporting of fact is the goal of the staff. Tide Lines Contact Information [email protected] (570) 621-2974 Pottsville Area High School 16th Street and Elk Avenue Pottsville, PA, 17901 www.pahstidelines.com Tide Lines Editorial Board Executive Editor-in-Chief Paige Fellows Editors-in-Chief Alexa Biddle Samantha Disabella Jackson Gunelson Abbey Kostyal Tayah Moore Section Editors News and Features Editor Alexa Biddle Style and Entertainment Editor Paige Fellows Sports Editor Tayah Moore Opinion Editor Jackson Gunelson Photography Coordinator Becky Staller Business Coordinator Emma Stinnett Staff Writers Taylor Brigade Cami Chaplick Elizabeth Garraway Max Kelly Gillian Revenis Emma Walinsky Jared Williard DeAnna Stevenson Adviser Bridget R. Freiler School population: 975 Opinions will be clearly marked and found on the editorial pages or as designated on other pages. Corrections will be published online or printed in the next issue when mistakes are found or brought to the attention of the staff. Original stories will carry bylines, although stories by someone other than the original author will not receive a byline. Commentaries and opinion columns are the expressed opinion of the author and not of Tide Lines and its Editorial Board or its adviser. Furthermore, the opinions conveyed are not those of the Pottsville Area School District, faculty or School Board. Letters to the editor, guest columns and all materials submitted must include the author’s name, signature and class or position. Typed, double-spaced letters are preferred, but legible, handwritten submissions, are acceptable. Letters can be mailed, hand-delivered or e-mailed. Tide Lines will not publish anything deemed libelous, obscene or in poor taste, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s justified standards. Rights are reserved to postpone, edit or withhold from publication anything submitted which does not meet specifications. The meaning of any submission will not be altered, but Tide Lines reserves the right to correct spelling, grammar and punctuation when necessary. Additionally, Tide Lines refuses to print criticisms that are not constructive and supported by facts. Tide Lines is a member of the Pennsylvania School Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists and the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Members of the staff are guided by the Canons of Journalism of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, a code of ethics which outline the principles of responsibility, fairness and accuracy. The Tide Lines editorial policies reflect the philosophies of scholastic journalism. The goal of Tide Lines is to uphold its policy at all costs, unless it violates the basic protections of journalists or the freedom accorded all journalists under the Pennsylvania School Code. Location changes PASD gains iPads those who are not close to the high school. I think that the attendance will stay constant or maybe even increase because now the move will allow more people to be able to attend,” senior Cole Demcher said. The event will be held May 21-22 at The Island. Schuylkill Haven has wanted the Relay for Life to be held there for quite some time, and this is the year that the request has been granted. While it is unsure why the venue has been changed, many opinions and controversy have been brewed from the decision. Students have varying positions on the move, some believing attendance from Pottsville students will decline due to the change and some thinking those that are truly there to support the cause will go no matter where it is held. “I don’t think this will change a whole lot because people don’t just go to this as a social event. This is a really neat thing that raises a lot of money. I am sure that the people who normally walk in the event will still show up,” sophomore Lauren Hunter said. Some students are rather passive about the venue change. “I do not care where they have the Relay for Life, but I feel like they will lose a lot of people from Pottsville and the areas surrounding it, but I believe that they will also gain a large amount of people from Schuylkill Haven and the areas around there. Overall, I feel like the location that they are moving to was an intelligent decision,” senior Sayer Breisch said While some students seem to support the decision, many also believe that the change in venue was not a good idea and that it will change the way people view the Relay. “I think that it would be a better idea to keep [the Relay for Life] in the stadium. Pottsville has been hosting it for so many years. People know every year that Veterans Memorial Stadium is where the Relay always is. There is plenty of room for everyone, and it feels like any other area just would not be the same,” senior Leah Guzick said. According to the Relay for Life committee, Veterans Memorial Stadium did not have any major problems; however, the venue is still to be moved. “I really feel that the Relay for Life should just stay at Pottsville. As far as I know, the Relay has always been at Pottsville’s field, and it seems like there really aren’t any real reasons to move it. I just don’t get why they would move it after all these years,” junior Collin Herndon said. For some students, this transition in venue will be a transition for them as well. “It’s just weird that this tradition is ending. There is going to be a big decrease in Pottsville student attendance because it’s not in our backyard anymore,” senior Jeremy Witman said. The results of this experimental venue change from Pottsville to Schuylkill Haven will most likely determine the venue for the next several years. “I’m sure people that are devoted to the cause will still show, no question. At least the move will attract people from different parts of the area,” Witman said. offer will give each student his or her own iPad compared to limiting it to specific grades. The district was given $200 off of each iPad purchased. “Eventually, our school was going to provide each student with an iPad, it is just that the offer to get them came sooner than expected due to the lease that we received from Apple. We have done a lot of legwork in the past few years to make sure that this program begins with a good start,” Dr. Jeffrey Zwiebel, superintendent of the Pottsville Area School District, said. The new lease involves 2,800 iPad Air 2 tablets, one for each student in grades K-12 and all teachers and administrators, new iMac computers for the PAHS Publications Room and 220 MacBooks for teachers and administrators in the school district. This lease will last for four years, but the school district will own the devices when it ends. “I don’t think there’s too much harm in the iPads. I feel that the money could have gone to something else that would also have benefitted the school,” freshman Donna Lonergan said. “[The iPads] might be a bit easier to use than laptops. Otherwise, I think they’ll be a fine addition to the school.” No matter what a student chooses to do with his future, there will be technology present in every field. That is why the school district has decided to invest in the iPads. The main goal of this investment is to get students adjusted to using the newest type of technology in their daily lives so that they are prepared for any technology they may face in the future. The iPads are meant to help students succeed both in the classroom and out. “I hope that the iPads will supplement student learning by giving them additional resources to understand complex topics. The iPads are not meant to be in constant use from 7:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. every day. I feel that, if used appropriately, the iPads will greatly benefit student learning and understanding in all subject areas,” Mr. Adrian Portland, PAHS biology teacher, said. The iPads will be given to students with a case only. There will be no keyboards that come along with each iPad, but most English classrooms and libraries throughout the district will have bluetooth keyboards for students who need to type. If a student intentionally breaks an iPad, he or she will no longer be able to take the device home each night. Many students will have to pay a technology fee in order to be able to take the iPads home. That fee will also cover one iPad repair. When an iPad has a serious problem such as a cracked screen, one can contact the technology department. A certified Apple technician will then make the necessary repairs to get the iPad working as quickly as possible. If one has a minor question pertaining to operating the device, he or she can visit the district’s new technology website that will launch in the near future. It will have multiple documents and forums posted that will help with learning how to use the iPads. “The whole purpose of this program is to provide teachers and students with another tool to utilize in learning and understanding different topics in classes,” Dr. Zwiebel said. “We are hoping that this reaches out throughout the entire student body to improve academic performance.” Cont. from page 1 Cont. from page 1 May 10, 2016 tide lines Stage Band travels for performance Max Bolton Extracurricular Writer A pril 9, the PAHS Stage Band went to State College to give a performance as part of the campus’s annual two-day Jazz Festival. The members were also given tips by jazz musicians/professors Denis DeBlasio (of the Maynard Ferguson band) and George Rabbai. Later in the evening, they were treated to a performance by the campus’s very own Centre Dimensions, featuring Jacob Shoener, 2015 PAHS graduate, along with DeBlasio and Rabbai. Arriving at PAHS at around 9 a.m., the members of Stage Band prepared for the two-and-a-half-hour bus trip. They arrived at State College around 11:30. Once they arrived, they were escorted to a practice room where they rehearsed one last time. Around 1:20, they walked on stage and began their set. At the end of it, DeBlasio came on stage and gave them advice on how to make their performance sound more lively and refined. Afterwards, they paid a visit to the Berkey Creamery, where they were all treated to ice cream as a reward for their performance. The band then watched other bands perform and witnessed a short three-minute performance by DeBlasio and Rabbai, followed by a Q & A session with some rather amusing commentary from DeBlasio. “Dixieland?! What’s that? Is that a rash?” said DeBlasio. After dinner at Champ’s Sports Grill, the band returned to the music building once more for the final performance of the festival. Centre Dimensions took the stage around 8 p.m. and were periodically joined by DeBlasio and Rabbai, respectively playing revisions of tunes by Miles Davis and Frank Sinatra, as well as originals. The PAHS Stage Band will be performing as the opening act for the Dave Stahl PA Big Band April 28 in Lebanon, PA. 3 STC students look into alternative options DeAnna Stevenson Staff Writer I want to continue [in this field] after high school because I [have] always loved cooking, and it’s something I’d love to keep doing in the future. I certainly would have been less advantaged if I hadn’t gone to Tech. I learned so many things that I never knew before, and I’m glad that I’ll be able to take that with me when I attend [Pittsburgh Technical Institute],” senior Roxanne Geiger said. The Schuylkill Technology Center offers 19 programs of study to students grades 10-12, but its partnership with CareerLink allows STC to offer a CareerLink Academy for freshmen to learn about career awareness. STC offers use of modernized equipment for students to work with and a hands-on learning experience in the field the students study. Students can obtain internships through STC and are helped in finding jobs post-graduation. STC utilizes the connections it has within the community, allowing it to offer job shadowing and co-op apprenticeships in businesses in the community. As experience is something employers look for in hiring, the experience earned at STC gives students an edge when filling out job applications. “Using what I learned from tech [at Bob Weaver] on real cars helped me figure out that I want to do this as a career, and it showed me what it’s truly like to work on cars in the real world and further my small engine skills. Knowing what I want to do [after I graduate] takes away a lot of stress,” senior Michael Kanger said. Vocational schools are a sufficient alternative to a college education as one learns valuable tools that aren’t available in high school courses and electives, and the knowledge gained directly helps a student find a job later in life. The price of education is much more affordable, as the average trade school degree costs $33,000 and the average bachelor’s degree in the United States costs $127,000, according to the Idaho Department of Labor. This helps students avoid high costs and debt with student loans that can last well into adult life. The time it takes to obtain a bachelor’s degree shaves time away from one’s career as it often takes four or more years of studying. Though one can still get job experience while working for his degree, it’s often an unrelated part-time job. Most post-secondary trade programs run from six months to two years, and the classes they take give them hands-on job experience that helps them to advance faster within their career. “I believe I would have been less advantaged if I hadn’t gone to Tech because the same education I received at STC for around $250 would have been $22,000 at Empire,” senior Rikki Martin said. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, students attending post-secondary trade schools are given salaries for jobs provided by the schools, giving students a median annual salary of $35,720. These part-time jobs that they have while in school give them even more job experience in their field of study, and the jobs aid in their education. “I’m proud to say I’m an employee [at Weavers] and glad to have a job there. Working with Weavers allowed me to learn more about how vehicles work. I’m now enrolled in York Technical Institute to become a motorcycle technician,” Kanger said. Another benefit of attending STC is the flexibility in changing programs. It allows students to try out their interests and allows them to change their mind in an environment where doing so won’t cost them as the school is free of charge to the student. In a college setting, changing majors after starting classes can be a costly and complicated process. “Being in the program has helped me to see what I want to do. The people at STC are very helpful. I am now enrolled in McCann for massage therapy,” Martin said. Mr. Howard Merrick retires after 41 years of teaching and coaching Paige Fellows Executive Editor-in-Chief How many years have you taught at PAHS? “41 years.” What has been the most enjoyable part of teaching at PAHS? “The greatest part has been all the people I have met, from administrators to faculty members to students. I love teaching, and that has been my life’s work. How many people get to do what they love for a career?” What do you plan to do with the free time in your retirement? “I plan to enjoy some activities that I did not have time to do while teaching. I want to continue coach- ing because I enjoy it. I want to do some work in areas I always wanted to do. I want to donate time to community organizations. What are you going to miss most about PAHS? “Everything. I have enjoyed my career and all the events, friends and activities I have been involved in. I will miss the students who I taught over my career.” What is your all-time favorite memory from all of your years if teaching at PAHS? “There are so many. I can’t possibly pick one or 10 or 100. What I can say is any great moment in my career involved students learning something they didn’t know before, about history or government or economics or sports.” Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator POSE — Mr. Howard Merrick, government and economics teacher, stands with members of the boys’ tennis team, which he began coaching this school year. Honors history juniors participate in the annual History Night Photo by Alexa Biddle Editor-in-Chief WATCH — Group members juniors Abbey Kostyal, Katie Stover and Emma Wiscount use “The Wizard of Oz” as an example of a hit Broadway musical-turned-movie from the 1930s in their History Night presentation on the evolution of Broadway. Photo by Alexa Biddle Editor-in-Chief TEACH — Showcasing the 1920s, junior Olivia Maley speaks about the fashion of the time. She explained the reasons why flashy, partying, easygoing vibes filled U.S. cities and why the euphoric mentality resulted from the easing of certain dress standards. Photo by Alexa Biddle Editor-in-Chief CELEBRATE — Basketball fanatics juniors Kory Kleckner, Becca Sites, Kyra Schenk, Madison Sherakas and Jordan Abdo traced the route basketball took throughout the years during their presentation, which included examples of tactics that could be used on the court. tide lines The Game of LIFE Number scale instead of letter grades, pay $750 Looking Ahead to 2016-2017 ORS!! SENI ODBYE GO New iPads for each student n money aduatio t your gr Collec Computers and laptops used ’s 1,000 lochick e M n a d nd Jor points swell a s e r C e i Sad less, you save $200 enu alary m lunch w e ble n ems Possi s it our s Collect y ck” “ro the hies ets in trop g m 0 New Grading Scale 3 2 1 0 a l te lect $5 l a b Col oot 7 May 10, 2016 tide lines 4 5 6 May 10, 2016 k bac ng mecomi Ho F m e v e i h c A c i et l h t A llege f und Ba nd a Pay nd b $25 and for f sna ront cks se at t nio r he gam nigh t e 6 1 0 2 5 1 0 2 e c icular Excellen Extracurr eek salary W -A our ny llect y n e P co rd y- a yD Pa k E rea a LIF b n ct Sa START e pio Coll m a C Aca dem llege Fair o C l a u n n A books ay $200 for P Na tio ic A cco na lH Co ono lle r S ct a L ocie IF ty E Graphics by Abbey Kostyal, Production Editor-in-Chief and Elizabeth Garraway, Production Staffer ess eco r e re f 00 2 he tile t s h ra Luke G State ardner com Unive rsity f mits to Pen Collec n or Wr t $5,00 estling 0 for y our co s t en 15 0 2 Collect a LIFE tile 0 on a dr 30 Spend $ 16 0 -2 Sadie Hawkins e ur tax ect yo Colll Photos by Abbey Kostyal, Production Editor-in-Chief Becky Staller, Photography coordinatior, Kali Baldwin, Photography Editor, Allura McCuller, Photography Staffer and Jared Williard, Tide Lines Staffer tile ind uc tio n mpl ishm ent s 20 Collec 15-2 PSSA t $500 Pep R for hel 016 ally ping s tudent s eek W n le bo IFE ti b i L R a d Re ollect C 8 May 10, 2016 tide lines Spring athletes’ input on season Students press on as seasons come to an end Max Kelly Staff Writer Basketball team awarded for success Tayah Moore Editor-in-Chief W Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator “The softball season is going great. We had some tough games at first, but now we are truly coming together as a team. I don’t think there’s anything in particular that we need to work on other than staying focused and being mentally prepared for the games.” - Laura Turnitza, 10 Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator “This track season is going pretty well. We have mainly younger teammates but they are developing well. We have some upperclassmen that are really leading the team well. I myself am having a pretty good year so far. I am happy with how the year is going overall.” - Nick Joy, 11 ith 28 straight wins, the Schuylkill League championship and the District XI championship for the second year in a row, the boys’ basketball team has lots to brag about. The boys’ team was awarded with the Super 16 Boys Championship for the second year in a row, as well. “Head coach Dave Mullaney took a team that was supposed to rebuild; instead they reloaded to title after title,” Jim Coles, Newswatch 16, said.* Spectators thought the basketball team would not be able to recover from losing the 2014-15 seniors, including graduates Eli Nabholz and Travis Blankenhorn, but the team proved it could keep finding ways to win games. “It felt great. That’s what we wanted; we worked extremely hard in the offseason for all of our accomplishments,” junior Justin Abdo said. “Proving them wrong was the best part. It feels great knowing that the people who doubted us got proved wrong.” *Quote from Jim Coles from http://wnep.com/2016/04/12/pottsvillenamed-super-16-boys-basketball-champions/#ooid=05bHhyMjE6PAp 7FdHpsQICbd7t3mAoCj Ideas spring about sports PAHS does not offer Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief I Photo by Abby Young Photography Staffer “The tennis season is really short. It actually ended last Friday. I would say it was a successful year, and the team came a long way as a whole. We’ve worked on improving not only the fundamental aspects of our game, but also the mental. In the future, we’ll work and improve as much as we can.” - Colin Williams, 11 Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator “Currently we’re sitting on a 6-8. We’ve caught a bad break lately, losing seven straight, but that’s baseball. Obviously our program isn’t used to this when you look at the past years, but I feel like we can turn this thing around really quickly. We have improved on our baseball IQ. Coach Welsh and Coach Terefencko do a great job enforcing the little things in the game. Some people may not understand it, but those small things win games, and that’s why we take the time to make sure they’re done right. I think we need to take advantage of more of the opportunities we get in our games to finish teams off. We let teams hang around and that comes back to haunt us in the end. I truly believe we have the talent on this team to do something special, we just need that one spark to get the fire going again.” -Sam Siminitus, 10 Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator “This volleyball season is not going as we expected. Our record shows that, but we’re having a lot of fun and getting better each day. We need work on just being consistent and passing. There are some times that we look really good, then other times we fall apart and need some work.” - Ian Renninger, 10 Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator “I think this track season is going okay. A few of our key players graduated last year, so we had big shoes to fill this year. Also there are a lot of schools that we compete against that have talented freshman that are stepping up for those other schools. We’ve been improving on working as a team and fighting for every point we can get. Even though we want first place in events, we have to strive to get those second and third places as well. We can use improvement on getting better at the events we do because there is a lot of great competition we compete against, and there is leagues and districts. Leagues and districts is the time for an individual to shine and show everyone how hard you’ve been working the whole season. By us working on our individual events, it will help us be more successful.” - Alyssa Kondrack, 12 t is no mystery that PAHS has a large variety of sports available to its students. From football and basketball to swimming and tennis, the athletic department has done a sufficient job of providing for the diverse strengths of its athletes. However, there are some popular sports that the school does not offer. Over the years, there are several sports that have become the topic of speculation among students, and whether these sports will be incorporated in the future is yet to be decided. One of the most popular sports that PAHS does not offer is hockey of any variety, be it field or ice. The reason ice hockey is not available is obviously the lack of an ice rink, but field hockey may be possible in the future. While the area lacks a specific field designated for hockey, either the football field or soccer field could be used for both practicing and games. “I would like to see hockey as a part of PAHS,” junior Collin Herndon said. “Of the four major sports (baseball, basketball, hockey and football), hockey is the only sport which we do not have. It would open up new opportunities to students.” Another popular choice for a potential new sport is lacrosse. While generally more popular in New York and the Midwest, lacrosse is wellknown as a summer/fall sport in the country. While it seems less likely to be added than hockey in the foreseeable future, lacrosse would still suffice as a new sport on PAHS’ list of athletics. “Lacrosse would be a great sport to add to PAHS,” junior Madison Garland said. “I believe many [students] would get involved in [lacrosse]. It would give more opportunities to high school students.” While there are several other sports that would be beneficial to the school, lacrosse and hockey are the two most likely to be included that this school does not already have. “I’d love to add as many sports as possible; the problem is finances,” Mr. Eric Rismiller, athletic director, said. “Another problem is that we’d need new fields … We have track, football and basketball, but we cannot afford new fields, again, back to finances. We would love to add lacrosse, but that requires turf that we can’t afford.” Even though Pottsville does not offer these sports, it is possible in the future. Perhaps through the efforts of the student body and faculty, these sports can become a reality, but for now, they are simply dreams. May 10, 2016 tide lines 9 Give Me Moore New mascot revitalizes Tide pride Rip Tide marks return of previously lacking spirit Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief I n the 2016-2017 school year, PAHS will be adding a new member to its sports teams, and his name is Rip Tide. Thought up by junior Dylan Stillwagner and brought to life by BAM Mascots, Rip Tide will be used at most sporting events coming up next year, including football, basketball and baseball. “The whole point of Rip Tide is to increase the level of spirit at sporting events for the school,” Stillwagner said. “The whole athletic board is being 100 percent supportive and none of this would be possible without them; they made the process very simple to do and complete. Rip Tide will become part of the Crimson Tide family, and he will get crowds more involved wherever he will be.” Through the efforts of Stillwagner’s fundraising and advertising campaigns, PAHS is capable of having a mascot by next school year. Costing around $5050, the mascot costume will be worn by students who will audition to play the part. There will be several people acting as Rip Tide, as conflicting schedules make it difficult for one student to attend every single sports event. “I would be excited to try out for Rip Tide,” junior Parker Rose said. “What I am excited about the most is pepping up the crowd. I think a mascot will improve our school spirit.” It’s no secret that in recent years, school spirit has been generally decreasing at games and pep rallies. By adding a new school mascot, the school hopes to get people excited for sports again and boost school spirit. Along with the PAHS cheerleading squad, Rip Tide will bring a sense of cheer to the crowds at various sporting events. “I think that the mascot can bring a lot of good to sporting events, and the school itself,” sophomore Austin Blackman said. “At first, it will definitely draw people to come and see it, along with the game. Hopefully it will lead to a more energetic student section.” High school cheerleaders: do they receive the respect they deserve? Tayah Moore Editor-in-Chief S orry, I can’t. I have cheerleading,” is a common phrase that comes out of my mouth not just during football, basketball and wrestling seasons, but the whole year. That explains why I get frustrated when someone bashes cheerleading, and what we do. The question “Is cheerleading a sport?” gets thrown around often, and here is my answer to that: cheerleading should be considered a sport because it does require physical activity. Certain undisputed sports require less physical activity than cheerleading. A cheer practice is not easy, and I can promise you that. We start off with laps around the top of Martz Hall, and sometimes conditioning - which can get pretty strenuous. After that comes dances, cheers, stunts and most of the time, more conditioning. An aspect of cheerleading that people degrade is stunting. I have heard people say things like, “All you do is throw a small girl,” or, “I bet I could do that.” Try again. It takes a lot of strength to do some stunts, such as a basket toss. For a basket, you need to be coordinated with the rest of the stunt and throw with your leg strength - not arm strength. Flyers’ weight can vary; it is not always a “tiny girl,” as some say. I would love to put random people in stunt groups and tell them to do what I do, but it would end painfully - and it would be pretty funny, also. Being a cheerleader myself, the thing that frustrates me the most is when people say we don’t do much. With our season starting in April and sometimes not ending until March, depending on the winter sports outcome, we have about a month off, if that. The same group of girls devote their time to football, basketball and wrestling. I have heard people say that cheerleaders are not needed, and that we are an annoyance at games, but we provide spirit at every home and almost every away event for these sports. At certain events, we are the only students providing support to the athletes. One may not think this, but high school would not be the same without cheerleaders. Athlete of the issue: Jordan Abdo Complied by Tayah Moore Editor-in-Chief Photo by Becky Staller Photography Coordinator Favorite... Sports teams: Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Nationals, Washington Redskins Athlete: Michael Jordan School subject: Physical Education Have you always wanted to play basketball? Yes, after seeing my dad play I knew I wanted to follow in his footsteps. If you could try any other sport, what would you try and why? I would try football. I am pretty athletic, and I think I could be a wide receiver. Who would you like to thank for your basketball success? I would like to thank my dad. He has taught me everything I know since I was little. For as long as I can remember, I had a basketball in my hand, and he was always there giving me advice and pushing me to work harder and be the best I can be. He is my role model, and the reason why I play today. Are you excited for your senior year of basketball? What do you want to accomplish? Yes, I am very excited for my last season to start. I want to accomplish the thing I have always wanted ... the state championship. 10 May 10, 2016 tide lines Relay for Life changes location What seems to be a minor change could completely alter the relay Gillian Revenis Staff Writer Ev The widespread dangers of rumors Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief Photo by Paige Fellows Executive Editor-in-Chief Graphic by Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief It is no secret that high school students have the potential to be the cattiest demographic to live within this country, but sometimes it feels like things can get out of hand. Let’s face it, almost 99% of all students have said something behind someone else’s back, myself included, but there is a point where it goes beyond simple name-calling or petty things that don’t really matter in the long run and can actually be harmful for everyone involved. There is next to nothing wrong with a little bit of playful name-calling as long as it is not entirely one-sided or hurtful. Along with that, proliferating simple, known facts may be embarrassing for some, but the truth is still the truth regardless of who is saying it. A problem emerges when someone makes something up about someone else. To throw someone’s name into dirt for whatever reason is absolutely scummy if it cannot truly be backed up. It degrades the person who may not have even had an idea about the subject of the rumor in the first place, and can go down two very distinct paths depending on how it progresses. Either the rumor will never be disproven, and the victim has to live with it, or the rumor will be debunked, and the person who started it will be a bigger dirtbag than a soil factory. Along with false accusations, using someone else’s name without explicit permission is just the worst and rips apart any chances of mutual respect. For instance, someone makes a passing comment about a random person that gets overheard by another party who goes on to spread that rumor. This continues until eventually a massive debacle springs from what may have started as a miscommunication. It feeds into rumors being started without basis, and unless something is done about the miscommunication soon, it will corrupt reputations absolutely. I get it. Hormones are changing, and sometimes it is hard to properly express emotions without intentionally putting others down. I have said it before and I will say it again, everyone is guilty of spreading rumors in one way or the other, and it feels as if that trend will not go away overnight. It is okay to let off some steam; just be sure that whatever comes out is pointed away from someone who does not deserve it. ery year people of all ages gather at the PAHS stadium for the candle luminaria ceremony around the track. Candles illuminate the stadium. An inspiring message is lit for everyone who is struggling with cancer or is a healthy cancer survivor. Pottsville has been hosting a Relay for Life for 22 years; however, this year the relay will be held at Island Park in Schuylkill Haven all day Saturday, May 21, through Sunday, May 22. The fact that the Relay for Life is not going to be held here has angered many students and adults from Pottsville. “I have a negative opinion on the decision to move the Relay for Life to Schuylkill Haven. This wonderful event has been at the Veterans Memorial Stadium for many years. Our stadium has the utmost accommodations and faculty to host the relay,” senior Quinn Cromyak said. “The turnout at Schuylkill Haven will be dramatically smaller in size, especially to hold such a crowd, and the fact that some citizens do not have transportation.” Pottsville’s Veterans Memorial Stadium is a very suitable area to hold an event like this. The bleachers allowed people attending to sit and watch the illumination ceremony. The track allowed people to walk laps and look at all the tents sponsoring the relay. Due to the lake at Island Park, there are not going to be many places for tents. There also will not be bleachers for people to sit on during the luminaria ceremony. The Relay for Life at Pottsville brought people together from all around the county. Many people who attended the relay were from Pottsville. There Photo by Kali Baldwin Photography Editor IGNITE - At the 2015 Relay for Life in Pottsville’s Veterans Memorial Stadium, candles surround the track during the luminaria ceremony. Each candle honored someone who had cancer. Different designs are made yearly as a tribute to those struggling with or recovering from cancer. were also groups and churches from Pottsville that participated in previous relays which may not this year due to the location change. Many Pottsville students may not attend the relay as well. The marching band led the cancer survivors’ walk around the track; this year, they will not be leading it anymore. Students will not have the close access to the relay anymore, which will lead to fewer students from Pottsville attending. It may take a couple of years to get the relay running smoothly again since it has been held at Pottsville for years. Although change is often good, there was no reason for this change, and the relay Apple v. the FBI case creates controversy among iPhone users nationwide Gillian Revenis Staff Writer Graphic by Samantha Disabella Production Editor-in-Chief If there was some reason the government urgently needed access to your iPhone for personal information to solve a case, would you let them have it? Many people paying attention to the debate about whether or not Apple should unlock a criminal’s iPhone from the San Bernardino terrorist attack have asked themselves this same question: should the government have the ability to access this much of a person’s privacy, even if it is of someone who is a known criminal? This whole controversy started when the FBI suggested that Apple should unlock an iPhone or create software with the ability to unlock the iPhone belonging to a criminal or a possible terrorist. The attack happened December 2, 2015. Afterward, an iPhone was acquired from Syed Farook, one of the two people involved in the planning of the attack in California. Apple refused to do so, saying it would work against their years of progress to promote security in their products. The FBI took it up in court, but Apple would not cooperate. If Apple would have created software to unlock the criminal’s iPhone, the government would now have the ability to unlock any iPhone they chose to, and they would have the capability to unlock other Apple products. Having that software could give the FBI the key to hacking other Internet websites like Twitter or Facebook according to Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple Inc. The government has requested software similar to this previously, but Apple has refused every time and has not yet complied. If Apple were to obey the government’s demands, it would involve a huge process of rewriting the current operating system. This would be a major step backward for the technology they have already developed. Creating an decoding device to unlock just one iPhone leads to more doors being opened. All Apple products could have a way to be hacked into easily. The government stated this software would not be used at any other time, but the point is that this software gives them the power to be able to unlock technology. The FBI took it into their own hands to decode the passcode themselves without any help from Apple. The FBI claimed this was fully for investigation purposes only, according to FBI Director James Comey. The scary part is that the government was able to unlock the shooter’s iPhone without any help from Apple. According to CNN, the government has yet to reveal to Apple how they successfully pulled off unlocking the San Bernardino phone. The FBI or government should not utilize any software able to unlock an Apple product. This would be an invasion of privacy for everyone’s personal information. If the FBI continues to unlock other criminals’ iPhones, who knows what will happen next? May 10, 2016 tide lines 11 Use of Photoshop inhibits Is body appreciation a likelihood of honesty good thing for students? A little touching up never hurt anyone; or did it? Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief Photo by Jackson Gunelson Editor-in-Chief FAKE — In this masterfully taken selfie, several techniques are used to improve junior Jackson Gunelson’s facial features. While naturally born to look like a supermodel, blemishes and dark spots were removed using Photoshop to try to improve upon perfection. ers who fit that description, Instagram users are able to remain relevant, and what was supposed to be a social website becomes a competition for the highest amount of likes. Is one a bad person if he Photoshops his pictures? Not at all, but it is still evident that this culture is heading toward being a shallow and trivial mess of people trying to be the most popular individuals out there. Humanity has been heading down that road for a while, but with the rise of social media and the connectivity of the Internet, it is easier than ever to attempt to be Mr. or Mrs. Popular rather than making actual personal connections. If this trend continues, who knows how low people will go for likes? Kesha v. Sony court case leaves Kesha scared and alone Jared Williard had sex with her. Kesha and I were friends for many years and I loved her like a sister,” read the February Graphic by Samantha Disabella 22 tweet, according to entertainmentProduction Editor-in-Chief weekly.com. ebruary 19, singer Kesha (previ Fans of Kesha sided with her, with ously stylized as Ke$ha) broke some even showing up to her courtinto tears when a judge denied her house with signs saying “Free Kesha a preliminary injunction (a court trial Now,” “Sony Supports Rape,” etc. before a major trial). The injunction “I am on Kesha’s side,” sophomore was filed to express Kesha’s desire to McKayla Reidler said. “Her story terminate her contract between major makes more sense and now that music corporation Sony and songher doctors are coming out saying writer and producer “Dr. Luke” Lukasz that she does have depression, she Gottwald after Kesha reported that he cannot be faking. It seems like she is “verbally, emotionally, physically and telling the truth.” sexually abused” her. A claim from Dr. Luke’s lawyer, Gottwald signed Kesha onto Christine Lepera, says that Kehis label in 2005 when Kesha sha is free to work, produce and was 18. The singer first filed release music without Luke a complaint against Dr. Luke if she wants to. in October 2014, asking to be released from any and all contracts that she signed with him. “I know I cannot work with Dr. Luke,” However, Kesha’s the singer directly lawyer says she can stated to grant only work with Dr. her preliminary Luke and no other injunction. “I physiproducers. Kesha cally cannot. I don’t has tried to find feel safe at all. He has other producers, but she could threatened me many times.” not work with one due to her contract. Luke did not hesitate to reply to the “I am on Kesha’s side in this court allegations, however. battle,” freshman Alexis Yoder said. “I did not rape Kesha and I never “She did nothing wrong to be treated Staff Writer F Staff Writer “T I n this modern day of Snapchat, Instagram and other such social media apps and websites, first impressions mean everything for meeting new people. When dealing with long distance conversations and an arbitrary number of “friends,” having a good-looking face is more important than it might seem. Because of this phenomenon, people across the world have been fluffing their pictures up by removing blemishes or making their eyes a bit bigger. While a little touching up here and there never hurt anybody, it does get to a ridiculous level. If applying heavy amounts of Photoshop to a picture is the only way to feel better about self-image, such a person should not really use social media. Only someone shallow enough to believe that looks are the only important parts of a person would stoop so low as to artificially change some pictures taken on a whim. It is a part of modern culture to strive for perfection, but nobody is perfect; pretending to be so only points out even more personal flaws. Using excessive Photoshop is also straight up lying. By lightening skin, brightening eyes or bolstering certain body parts, the original person is making a statement that says, “I think everyone is shallow and people only want to be friends with sexy people, like me.” By trying to amass a large amount of follow- Jared Williard hree years ago, I would’ve been afraid to post a picture of myself shirtless. After working hard to lose weight and loving myself more, I’m finally ready to show you the new and improved me.” That is a typical caption one would find under a “body appreciation” post on Instagram or Facebook. Body recognition is a great concept that provides motivation for people to lose weight and turn into better versions of themselves. Many celebrities promote body positivity, regardless of whether it is about themselves or their fanbases. Body positivity is slowly becoming the social norm. Time and time again, social media users will see people posting pictures of themselves at the gym, flexing their muscles in front of a mirror. Body appreciation is harmless. As someone who struggles with body self-negativity and body issues, the idea of people being happy with their bodies provides a small flame of motivation for me to start accepting my body the way it is. Accepting your body for what it is provides great mental strength. It will give one less stress about what he wants to eat and how much he eats. It will also provide higher self-esteem because he would not be worrying about what others think about his body. Females, if anyone, should be posting more body positivity posts. There is an expectation within this generation that a stereotypically beautiful female must have perfectly round breasts, a flat stomach and a full butt. Each woman looks perfectly fine the way she is and does not need makeup to make herself look beautiful. She is pretty no matter what, regardless of being skinny or having big breasts. Being okay with what one looks like is important, and body appreciation posts help one achieve being okay and comfortable within his body. Posting pictures of one’s weight loss is nothing new in the media, but now motivating quotes and entries of self-reflection can help people accept their bodies the way they are. like this. Sexual abuse and rape are absolutely wrong. Her producer should be absolutely embarrassed of himself.” The court case that denied Kesha her freedom to produce music without Luke is bogus. One might think that just because she broke down crying when the decision came in might Photos by Kali Baldwin Photography Editor Tayah Moore Editor-in-Chief hree years ago, I would never post a picture of myself without a shirt on.” Nothing sends me swiping to the next social media post like seeing a caption like that does. Body appreciation posts (posts that one makes when he loses weight, or a post showing how much one likes his body) are on the rise. I understand one can be proud of himself for losing weight, or enjoy what he looks like, but I do not think it needs to be posted all over social media - please, keep it to yourself. When swiping through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook or any other social media, the last thing I want to see is a half-naked human with a ginormous caption talking about his or her body. Confidence is one thing, but is it necessary to post a picture, too? Some people post every day, or every week, which can get annoying really fast. People who have lost a significant amount of weight or have confidence in their bodies should show it off by going out in public settings instead of posting several pictures. Another reason I do not like these body appreciation posts is because it makes no sense. If one is confident in his body, he should not have to post a picture and feed off of others’ comments; does not seem so confident, right? In general, all that should matter is if one likes his body, not anyone else. This ties into another point - is it just for attention? I believe so. One may post a “body positivity” picture just to see everyone talk about how nice his body looks, or how awesome his weight loss is. Therefore, he is feeding off of the comments people leave, and once again, that does not show confidence at all. Why would one need others’ opinions to feel good about themselves? Overall, I think confidence is great - but there are better ways to show off a “new and improved” body other than posting a picture. “T make her a good and believable liar. But why would a musician, let alone one who has not made music since 2013, lie about being raped and abused by her producer? “Not enough evidence,” was the verdict. That is not acceptable. If the judge were a decent human being, she would have let Kesha be free. 12 May 10, 2016 tide lines EXAMINE — Sophomore Hannah Duncan observes the Carroña glass sculpture at the Corning Museum of Glass April 14. “It was a really cool experience and I had a lot of fun,” Duncan said. Aside from taking time to look at the artwork, students had the opportunity to create a sun catcher, a sand blown glass ornament and another ornament by blowing into glass. INTERACT — Mrs. Deidre Anchorstar, social studies teacher, takes a break and greets a goose at the Philadelphia Zoo April 19. “I believe students enjoyed the trip and showed interest in all the animals,” Mrs. Anchorstar said. “Hopefully students gained a greater appreciation for the animals and learned more about our environment.” Photo by Chloe Mullins Hi-S-Potts Staffer Photo Courtesy of Ms. Kayla Fehr VIEW — Students in honors American history classes visit Liberty Island April 15. “The most interesting part of the trip was when we got to stand on the lookout part of the Statue [of Liberty.] We got to see the city and all of the water which was really neat,” junior Jordan Abdo said. Students also visited Ellis Island to learn about entering America as an immigrant. EXHIBIT — April 25, seniors took a trip to Washington, D.C., to visit historical monuments and a Supreme Court session. “The highlight of my trip would have been when we went into the foreign leaders room. It was so neat since we were the first group of seniors to be able to do that. It was a once in a lifetime experience,” senior Aubrey Ricci said. Photo by Tayah Moore Tide Lines Editor-in-Chief Photo Courtesy of Madeline Consugar REPORT — Sophomores Rileigh McPhillips, Leigha Keitsock and Sophie Murray visit the Interactive Newsroom at the Newseum April 8. “I really enjoyed going on the Publications trip to D.C. I got to learn about some very cool elements of journalism and got to pretend to be a media journalist. Overall, it was an awesome trip,” Keitsock said. EXPLORE — At the Philadelphia Zoo April 19, sophomore Sadie Michel observes the zebras. “My favorite part was getting to see the animals I wouldn’t normally see,” Michel said. “I learned about animals that are going extinct. It’s really important that we try our best to save bees because without them, we wouldn’t live our lives the way we do.” Photo Courtesy of Mrs. Janeyl McPhillips Photo by Emma Walinsky Tide Lines Staffer
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