THE HAT CHAT Sprinting to Success

The Hat Chat
FEBRUARY-MARCH 2016, VOLUME 85 ISSUE 5
Member of the National Scholastic Press Association
Sprinting to Success
Avisha Kumar
Features Editor, ‘16
You might have seen a few brave students running outside this past
winter - that was the winter track team, facing cold temperatures and
harsh weather conditions in order to train. However, their hard work has
paid off, as a few members of the team represented Hatboro-Horsham at
the Meet of Champions. Led by Michael Harmon, sprint coach, and Michael Mahoney, distance coach, this team practiced every day after school
for two hours.
Along with practices, members were also accountable for morning
workouts in the weight room every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. In
addition, they performed in meets every Saturday.
Reflecting on the season, Mathew Varughese said, “We woke up at 5
on school days for morning practice, spent our whole Saturdays running
at Lehigh, dealt with annoying injuries, missed qualifying standards by a
tenth of a second, but overall we still had a good time together.”
Last year, only three students qualified for the Meet of Champions.
This season, 16 students advanced to this meet (listed below). In order to
qualify, members must meet a certain time requirement at weekly meets
sponsored by the Track and Field Coaches Association of Greater Philadelphia. For instance, Junior Brendan Quinn qualified with his second
place finish in the mile and Senior Connor Irwin qualified with his first
place finish in the 3000 meter.
Senior and captain Steve Lee participated in the hurdles, while Clarence
Bletner, Paul Isabella, Bobby Gablein and Ryan Clegg ran the 4x200 relay.
Jack Duffy represented the team in the 800 meter, with Matt Lenahan in
the 400. In addition, Nick Marino also qualified for states for pole vault,
and placed fourth last Saturday, Feb. 27.
Lee said he believes that part of the success is due to the dedication of
the newer members. He said, “[The] freshmen especially adapted well to
the new conditions, and worked hard during the practices and meets.”
The labor and passion that this team put into their practices and workouts
throughout the season was clearly reflected in their performance during
meets.
All photographs by Patty Morgan. From left to right, clockwise:
Steve Lee, Matthew Allen, Bobby Gablein, Nick Marino.
Qualifying Members of The Meet of Champions:
Matthew Allen
Clarence Bletner
Jared Bixler
Ryan Clegg
Jack Duffy
Bobby Gablein
Paul Isabella
Connor Irwin
Madison Dall:
Matthew Lenahan
Steve Lee
Nick Marino
Jake Miller
David Park
Brendan Quinn
Mathew Varughese
Cameron Willison
Meet the charismatic senior who has sung for Sam Schultz
Staff Writer, ‘16
the Pope and activist Malala Yousafzai
How did you get started with singing?
“When I was younger I did theatre, which I’m not as into now.
I started doing little shows, and I took voice lessons and was a
part of my synagogue’s choir. The director of the choir told me
to audition for the Pennsylvania Girls’ choir, which has given
me a lot of the opportunities that I’ve been involved with.”
Madison began her musical journey through theater, then transitioning to
opera. She later performed for activist Malala Yousafazi in Philadelphia.
What experiences have you had through singing?
“I sang for Malala [Yousafzai] last year. She was awarded
the liberty metal in Philadelphia. They wanted women to
sing Brave by Sara Bareilles because that’s her favorite song.
We actually had to go to Sara Bareilles and get permission
to sing her song. It was really intense because there’s obviously a lot of security surrounding Malala. So we had to go
through a lot of security, but I was about four feet away
from her on stage. They were going to have a few of us
meet with her afterwards, but she couldn’t have anyone in
her dressing room.”
What’s your favorite genre to sing?
Photos courtesy of Maddy Dall
“I really like to sing classical because of how difficult it
can be and I like things that challenge me. I really like
singing in other languages as well. I don’t have a preferred language, but Debussy is my favorite composer.
I’m very into art and history, so I like the combination of
music and art.”
2
News
Course Selection Changes
Victoria Rapak
Staff Writer, ‘17
While looking at the class choices for the upcoming school year,
you may have noticed the changes in what is being offered. HatboroHorsham is changing up the options for students of every grade level, and they are even beginning to offer completely new courses. For
the first time, students will be able to enroll in AP Environmental
Science and AP World History given that they meet the prerequisites for those courses. In addition, there is a dual enrollment course,
Speech Communications, that is new to the curriculum. Students
can also now take Calculus at a CP level, and brand new courses
called Shakespeare--Tragedies and Comedies and Individual/Team
Sports.
The new AP classes being offered will allow for more students to
have options when choosing what higher-level courses they wish
to be apart of. Calculus at a CP level is intended to fill a gap that
has been apparent in our school’s math program. Other changes to
the course selections, specifically in the area of science, is that now
Courtney McGrorty
Staff Writer, ‘17
freshmen wishing to follow the honors track are required to take
honors biology freshman year whereas the freshman honors science
students in the past have taken environmental science.
Another change in scheduling is that Strings Ensemble, which was
previously a class held during HATS period, is now being offered as
a full credit class taken during the actual school day.
According to Mr. John Zuk, the Assistant Principal for Curriculum
and Instruction, the changes in scheduling are catered to students’
requests and are formulated to offer the students the education that
they need to be prepared for whatever they endeavor past high
school. He says that their “...primary goal is to continue to provide a
varied amount of courses over many disciplines to allow students a
diverse experience in the high school”, which will be accomplished
through the many changes they will make on the schedules based on
student reactions in the upcoming years.
Ally Week and A Day of Silence
Every year, the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) encourages students
to take part in Ally Week and Day of Silence to show support to our
LGBT+ community. This year,they have decided to marry the two
important dates in their agenda. Ally Week will begin Monday, Apr.
11 and end in the school wide Day of Silence on Apr. 15.
Normally, the National Ally Week takes place in September
and Day of Silence takes place April 15th, but we celebrate both in
the spring. While observed differently, each of the events revolve
around providing support to the LGBT+ community, and providing
information to the general public. During Ally Week, people are encouraged to sign a pledge to fight against discrimination and harassment based orientation or gender.
Ally Week is celebrated throughout the school by wearing a different color of the rainbow each day: Monday being red, Tuesday
as orange or yellow, and so on until the week ends. This display is a
colorful is an interactive way for students to show their support to
the community.
D.J Fisicaro, a junior, has been a member of GSA and participated in both functions since his freshman year. He said he has experienced support and has had to overcome stigma. “There are kids
struggling with their sexual orientation or gender identity who find
strength and support in these events. I think sending a clear message
that discrimination won’t be tolerated would help. Normalizing and
teaching kids that it’s alright to like the same gender would drasti-
cally decrease discrimination.”
On the Day of Silence, the GSA hands out rainbow ribbon pins
that students are encouraged to wear to show their support to the
community, even if they are not participating in the event. Pledge
cards with the necessary information are provided to those who will
not be speaking to show to their teacher and other students.
During HATS on Apr. 15, the GSA hosts a party for those who
participated during the week or those interested in the conversation
about the LGBT+ youth community. All who are willing to promote
kindness, equality, and respect are more than welcome to stop by.
A Philadelphia native, Ray
Didinger is an award-winning American sportswriter, author, film writer, radio host, TV commentator and
a member of the Pro Football Hall
of Fame. Ray will talk about his career covering and analyzing professional football and the Eagles. Ray
Didinger is graciously appearing to
support the work of the HHEF.
3
Editorials
the Philosophy of
Philosophy
Joseph Kim
Editorials Editor, ‘16
Today, philosophy is considered a dead
science. Few students aspire to become
philosophy majors and when one openly
considers philosophy as a viable career or
as an interesting educational pursuit, one
is usually met with some sort of negative
reaction. True, it does not hold its ground
as a popular career in today’s society.
This accounts for the lack of philosophy
courses in high-schools. There is also a
social stigma surrounding this science.
Its is often called “pretentious” by the ignorant, but “enlightening” or at the very
least, “interesting” by those who attempt
to understand it. But ultimately, the unfortunate conclusion is that the modern
characterization of philosophy is overshawdowing its true value.
Philosophy is a science. It is the study
of the general and fundamental nature
of reality, existence, knowledge, values,
reason, mind and language. Philosophy
translates literally to “love of wisdom”,
and was a fundamental element of a
proper education during the Renaissance
and the Enlightenment. It is not a coincidence that philosophy was rampant during two of the greatest intellectual and
cultural movements in human history.
It certainly is not a coincidence that the
most influential and intellectual human
beings to have ever existed lived during
those eras. Now, as we see education take
turns toward science, technology, engineering, mathematic, business and economics, and away from liberal arts majors, perhaps the declining trend in great
thinkers is also not a coincidence. This is
not to say that we need more liberal arts
majors, but perhaps a better relationship
between contrasting fields.
Hatboro-Horsham does not have philosophy courses. And to be fair, neither
do most high schools in the nation. However, this does not point toward a local
problem, but a larger one. Today, we are
faced with a number of global crises such
as environmental dilemmas, poverty,
dicrimination, unrest both domestically
and internationally and terrorism. And
many of these problems deal particularly with human morals and ethics. Our
personal views on these issues are determined by our perception of right and
wrong. These issues create hot dialogue
in newspapers, tabloids, classrooms and
homes, and the solution to our problems
lies in debate, logic, and political proactivity. But the capacity to debate and
reason with such complex moral dilemmas requires the capacity to think with a
broad and critical mind, and I believe the
answer lies in philosophy.
We often treat arguments similar
to war, in the sense that one must lose
and one must win. We can argue with
force, with yelling, repetition, ad hominem or endurance. We can argue with
proof, logical presentations and, perhaps, mathematical or statistical backing. Or, we can argue through presentation, in appealing to an audience similar
to how a lawyer appeals to a jury. The
first form of debate is the most dominant
one. It leads to neither of the two parties gaining any cognitive benefit, and
the process and point of debate is thrown
out the window. From a philosophical perspective, neither parties “win”.
In an ideal model, the winner of an
argument would be the one who properly satisfies the opponent. However, the
loser is the one with any cognitive gain.
While the winner may have recognition
or an ego boost, the loser may now have
reevaluated his or her opinion, become
more educated, and or hold a different
belief. So, who is to say who truely won
or lost? Of course, it depends on the definition of winning and losing.
Most arguments do not end peacefully
or participate in this ideal “intellectual
exchange”. Which is why I’d like to remind people that the point of argument
or debate is to resolve a problem, not to
“win”. I quote Mike Shammas from the
Huffington post when he says, “With a
philosophical worldview, a Republican
who despises any tax increase or economic stimulus could at least consider the notion of tax hikes or Keynesian economics. A Democrat facing antithetical ideas
could do likewise. Thought rather than
anger could become the default response
to opposing worldviews.” By understanding the pursuit of knowledge, and bypassing our pride and ignorance, nearly all
people can learn and grow.
Despite the benefits to philosophical
thought, we do not nurture it in children
or young students. Those who decide to
pursue an education will most likely encounter philosophy in college; when instead, we could expose children to it as
early as middle school. By studying philosophy, it allows to ability to think logically, to analyze and solve problems, to
assess solutions objectively, to write and
speak clearly, to improve rhetoric. It liberates us from prejudice and can broaden
our perspectives on life. Being metacognitive allows us to see from different perspectives, freely, making it easier to be
self-critical. We can therefore find ways
to improve ourselves. Philosophy aids
us in critical thought, in considering the
roots of ideas and concepts, and ultimately, makes us feel and be intellectual.
As Michelle Sowey, a writer for The
Guardian, states, “Studying philosophy
cultivates doubt without helplessness,
and confidence without hubris.” She
continues, “By setting children on a path
of philosophical inquiry early in life, we
could offer them irreplaceable gifts: an
awareness of life’s moral, aesthetic and
political dimensions; the capacity to articulate thoughts clearly and evaluate them
honestly; and the confidence to exercise
independent judgement and self-correction. What’s more, an early introduction
to philosophical dialogue would foster a
greater respect for diversity and a deeper
empathy for the experiences of others, as
well as a crucial understanding of how to
use reason to resolve disagreements.” The
projected posterity would be, to put it
simply, better people; humans with more
consideration for each other and for the
world they share.
The lack of exposure to philosophy
is a problem. We do not offer students
the opportunity to grow in these ways
until it is rather late in their academic careers. We deny students the opportunity
to consider questions that have faced humanity throughout time. What is justice?
What is truth? What is life and death? Is
there an afterlife? These are the questions
students should ask and attempt to answer. These are the questions that scare
us the most and because of this fear, lack
of exposure, and the zeitgeist that seems
to label philosophy as too esoteric or pretentious, we do not consider them deep
enough.
However, philosophy can only give
what people aim to get. It is not the panacea to wide-spread prejudice or global
issues, but it certainly provides a great
foundation to intellectually and spiritually grow upon. The key to all of this is to
introduce philosophy early in the classrooms, at the very least, as an elective.
We rob students the chance to be metacognitive and to evaluate themselves and
the world through the lens of different
philosophers that we hear so often but
know little about: Dostoevsky, Aristotle,
Socrates and others. But the paradox with
philosophy is this: to learn how to be
open-minded, one must be open-minded.
While many view philosophy as outdated
or too far removed from modern practicality, we must have the wisdom to pursue our own liberation in a something we
believe to be useless.
In-Depth
In-Depth
4
ROUND TWO: THE BURRITO MENU
VS.
Both Chipotle and Qdoba offer the same vehicles, rice and beans.
The Meat:
Qdoba: Grilled Adobo Chicken, Tequila Lime Chicken, Ground Beef, Pulled Pork, Grilled Steak ($7.80-8.40)
(Extra Meat is available for $2 more)
Chipotle: Steak, Carnitas (pork), Chicken, Barbacoa (spicy shredded beef), Sofritas (shredded tofu) ($6.80-7.80)
The feud will finally be settled.
Alana Karras
Entertainment Editor, ‘17
Sarah Betron
News Editor, ‘17
Sarah and I have been good friends for years now, and although we bicker about practically everything (i.e. the fact that
both of us wore a black shirt to gym class one day), ultimately one of us will give up and allows the other to add a point to an
imaginary tally board. But there was one thing neither of us ever backed down on, something that was near and dear to both
of our hearts-burritos. When I found out that Sarah June Betron had the audacity to believe that my holy grail burrito place was
“disgusting,” I went ballistic. And so the Chipotle vs. Qdoba, Sarah vs. Alana fights began, and here we are, a year later and still
arguing over the same points and accomplishing nothing but frying our vocal chords. So when this argument erupted (to no one's
surprise) at a Hat Chat planning meeting, I knew it was enough, and used my superior persuasion skills to convince my editorin-chief to allow us to settle this issue once and for all. Sarah and I reached our first agreement since the argument began -- we
were both willing try the other restaurant. This is our adventure.
- Alana Karras
Qdoba’s burrito bowl
We picked a burrito bowl because
people always think Sarah and I are
a couple and neither of us thought
sharing a burrito would really help.
The breakdown:
- Pork
- White Rice
- Cheese
- More Cheese
- Lettuce
- Mild and Medium Salsa
- Guac
- More Cheese
TASTE
PORTIONS OPTIONS
“We both decided that the
shredded lettuce in both
the bowls looked liked it
was chopped by a bent
cafeteria spork, but in the
end, uncomfortably warm
lettuce tastes just as
you’d imagine
regardless of the
restaurant.”
Chipotle:
Meat:
X
Cheese:
X
Salsa:
X
Chipotle’s burrito bowl
Rice:
X
Chips:
X
Meat:
X
Cheese:
Qdoba:
X
X
X
Fixings:
Meat:
Cheese:
Rice:
us knew how to go about awarding a winner. We eventually
decided to go the soccer mom route of “everyone's a winner” and reward both burritos one point for salsa (well, Sarah
still disagrees a little). Chipotle's rice had those little green
specks of what one would assume to be a plant, which obviously led us the conclusion that it had more flavor. Their
cheese (although limited in quantity) was downright delicious,
and I will admit that towards the end of our adventure I was
just eating eating spoonfuls of cheese and rice. Qdoba’s rice
just tastes like rice, nothing special or exceptional, and their
cheese is the equivalent of those little bags of pre-shredded
“Mexican blend” cheeses you get next to the butter and
yogurt section of the grocery store. So yes, even as a ride
or die Qdoba lover, I’ll admit that Chipotle won this round.
There is no way around it, Chipotle's food is simply more
flavorful.
X
X
X
X
X
The Sauces:
Qdoba: 3-Cheese Queso, Queso Diablo, Ancho Chile BBQ Sauce, Smoky Chipotle Cream Sauce
Chipotle: None
The Fixings:
Qdoba: Guacamole, cheese, grilled Fajita peppers, shredded lettuce, diced Jalapenos, sour cream, tortilla strips, bacon
Chipotle: Guacamole (+2.05), Cheese, Fajita veggies, shredded lettuce, sour cream
ROUND THREE: EVERY OTHER OPTION
Qdoba:
Loaded Tortilla Soup: Alright, I don't entirely understand the concept of the tortilla soup, but from the options listed, it
seems to be a tortilla bowl piled high with whichever meat (or vegetarian) options you choose, and the toppings of your
choice. It's like a burrito but without all the unnecessary stuff. ($7.80-8.40)
3-cheese Nachos: This sounds exactly how it looks, and it sounds awfully good. Qdoba’s signature chips with three of their
signature quesos, topped with the meat and toppings your heart desires. ($7.80-8.40)
Knockout Tacos: 6 pre-designed tacos with all the fancy fixings you could ever imagine. Some of these mouthwatering
options include a crispy taco wrapped in the flour tortilla, picante ranch, cotija cheese, bacon, Mexican caesar dressing,
and the fanciest of all - cilantro. ($3.50 each, 3 for $9)
Taco Salad: Lettuce, corn salsa, the meat of your choosing, and picante ranch dressing all served in one of those
elaborate tortilla bowls. ($7.80-8.40)
Grilled Quesadillas: Okay, I’m sorry, quesadillas are the same everywhere ($7.80-8.40)
Chipotle:
ROUND ONE: THE DIRECT COMPARISON
Alright, let's get the obvious elephant in the room out of
the way. The meat (which hopefully isn't actually elephant).
Why did we choose pork, the most obscure meat option
available? Well, apparently, Sarah doesn't like steak - this
really made me question her ability to even judge a good
burrito - but that is an argument for another day and another
Hat Chat. I didn't think chicken could fulfil the role that a
burrito of this caliber demanded, and also never really trust
chicken in general. So we deiced on pork. I knew going into
this that Qdoba, as much as I love it, didn't stand a chance
against Chipotle's signature carnitas. But it was a sacrifice I
was willing to take. We both decided that the shredded lettuce in both the bowls looked liked it was chopped by a bent
cafeteria spork, but in the end uncomfortably warm lettuce
tastes just as you'd imagine regardless of the restaurant. As
for the mild salsa, they were startlingly similar, so neither of
5
“Chipotle's rice had
those little green specks
of what one would
assume to be a plant,
which obviously led us
the conclusion that it
had more flavor.”
Tacos: Soft corn, crispy corn or soft flour taco with the meat and fixings of your choosing ($2.45-2.80)
Salad: Burrito Salad but with the added option of chipotle-honey vinaigrette Dressing
Quesadillas ($6.80-7.80)
ROUND FOUR: PORTION SIZES
“Maybe just a little more?”
It goes without saying that Chipotle can be a little stingy with their portion sizes. Anyone that’s traveled the Chipotle buffet is quite
familiar with the phrase “can I have a little more...just a little more of that...maybe just a little more?” I mean, come on, admit it -you’re never satisfied with the amount of cheese you end up with, but you just can’t handle asking for more an eighth time. Well,
not at Qdoba. Now, there were no rulers involved, but there was at least an inch of rice at the bottom of the bowl. I don’t know
about anyone else, but I can’t remember the last time I got enough rice at Chipotle without asking for a second scoop. Even more
impressive, however, was the cheese. After asking for “a little” more cheese, the lovely Qdoba worker grabbed two entire fistfulls
of cheese. Two giant handfuls of cheese. There are no words to explain the look on lactose-intolerant Alana’s face when she saw
the large bowl of cheese we were about to indulge in. On the other hand, we asked for more cheese at Chipotle only to watch the
worker pick up a few strings of cheese and ask if that was enough. Despite the monstrous portions at Qdoba, we were surprised to
see that both restaurants gave fairly similar amounts of meat. So, hey, way to go Chipotle, you’ve kinda got something going for you
here. Kinda. Overall, there’s no arguing this one, Qdoba really gives you your money’s worth. You may not finish it, but it’s just nice
to know you really are getting what you pay for. - Sarah Betron
THE CONCLUSION
After a long-fought battle...
To me, it came down to quality vs quantity. As much as I hate to admit it, Qdoba isn’t all bad. If you’re coming back from
a long hike in the Sahara Desert and want a week’s supply of food in one meal, Qdoba is the place to be. Don’t even
get me started (again) on the portion sizes; it’s borderline absurd how much food they shove into one little bowl. Not only
this, but I have to hand it to Qdoba, they have a lot of options. A lot more than Chipotle. A lot. So if you’re looking for a
new salsa or some queso or even some guac (without going broke), then fine, head on over to Qdoba. I understand. As
a guac-hating individual, I don’t see the appeal of free guac. But as a broke high school student, I can see how free guac
would entice the guac lovers out there. After all, I can’t imagine paying $2.05 for a mashed up vegetable (I mean c’mon
Chipotle). So I have to give Qdoba the win on that one. However, you’re going to sacrifice bigger portion sizes and more
options for taste (and possibly freshness, that’s still up for debate). For those set in their Chipotle-loving ways, converting
over to Qdoba is difficult because you really won’t be getting that same authentic taste you’re used to. But for those of you
looking for something a little bit different to spice up your Mexican food life, Qdoba is right for you.
- Sarah Betron
I agree with Sarah. And that is the last time I will ever say that.
- Alana Karras
Editorials
6
Partnership and Diversity
Nick Arbaugh
Staff Writer, ‘16
other. There’s no doubt in my mind that
their intentions toward the homeless are
pure. Partnership does a great deal to
As any good high school student
help the less fortunate. I just can’t figure
knows, clubs and activities are important out why we are seeing such exclusionary behavior that seems to hinder their
in the college admission process. Lucky
intended mission.
for us, Hatboro-Horsham offers almost
It’s no secret to anyone that membership
every club one can think of. We’ve got
in Partnership is highly coveted and the
sports teams, newspapers and community service clubs of almost every shape
club is one of the more prestigious in our
and size. Almost everything is pretty
school. My question is-where does all of
much covered, including a club dedithis prestige and reputation come from?
cated to helping the homeless.
Undoubtedly, the club’s noble purpose
Hatboro-Horsham’s Partnership
and charitable mission garner a great
club is a senior student organization that deal of respect. I won’t argue that their
aims to tackle homelessness and povpurpose isn’t a huge part of their notaerty in general via volunteering with
bly high repute, but let us not forget the
the Broad Street Ministry in Center
ever present laws of supply and demand.
City Philadelphia. Headed by English
The supply of memberships in Partnerteacher Rory Mikulski, the club is with- ship is incredibly low, and therefore the
demand is high. It is commonly held, not
out a doubt one of the most prestigious
organizations available to students. That only by this author but also by a great
deal of those I interviewed, that a decent
status rests on the club’s noble mission
but also has much to do with the club’s
chunk of Partnership’s stature can be
attributed to the low number of memselective recruitment process. On its
website, Partnership describes itself as
bers. In other words, it’s selectivity. Is it
“one of the fastest growing clubs at H-H” not possible then that maybe it could be
and states that in one year it may have
in the best personal interest of Partnerup to approximately 30 members, all of
ship members to keep the club to a small
which are seniors. In its current iteranumber in order to increase the standtion, Partnership boasts a mere 16 mem- ing of the club? Is it not possible then
bers, all of which were selected from a
that the number of members in Partpool of “around 80 or more” candidates
nership could be driven by the will to
according to Partnership Vice President attain a reputation rather than the will
of Natalie Walker.
to assemble some diversity super team?
The issue I take with PartnerWhen I interviewed one of the members
ship concerns only what I perceive to
about this possibility, he replied that
be their exclusionary tendencies, their
the low membership of Partnership was
flawed interview process, and their insis- due to the Broad Street Ministry betence on low membership that might be ing unable financially and practically to
damaging their own purpose. I just can’t include a large number of people (this
stomach that a group of people dedicated sentiment was echoed by the Vice presito helping the homeless wouldn’t want
dent of Partnership). However, aiding
as many people as possible helping out
the homeless isn’t a pursuit exclusively
the cause. Mikulski informed us that
owned by the Broad Street Ministry.
Without a doubt, they could surely find
the cut down in members was initiated
to aid the Broad Street Ministry in its
a charity to that would be more than
scheduling of volunteers. At the end
willing to have a glut of volunteers who
of the day, you shouldn’t prevent high
just want to do some good. Additionally,
school students who want to help the
making excuses as to why people can’t
homeless from helping them in order to help the homeless isn’t exactly the vibe
make scheduling easier; it’s just wrong.
I believe Partnership wishes to espouse.
Some of the facts just don’t add up for
Once again, the message and the actions
me, and it feels very much that Partner- aren’t lining up.
Another significant distinguishing
ship, a club that stresses community
values, is saying one thing and doing an- feature of Partnership is its interview
process (that those who apply refer
to as brief). Candidates who apply are
required to fill out a form and attend a
peer interview hosted by the current
members of Partnership, and the acceptance of new members is then voted
upon by the current members. The
interview consists of several previously
composed questions that are deliberately
undisclosed and are intended to highlight which candidates would provide
the most diversity. I take issue with that.
First of all, diversity isn’t something that can be empirically measured.
You simply can’t put a number on the
diversity of a person. Additionally,
diversity in essence is the perception of
difference between two individuals, and
is therefore entirely subjective. If Partnership interviews are mainly targeted
at assembling a group of individuals
deemed to be diverse, then therefore it is
entirely subjective and thus completely
susceptible to nepotism and patronage. If
one friend in the previous year is interviewing a friend who is applying (which
multiple sources have confirmed happens), then the friend currently in Partnership would likely see a great deal of
diversity in their applicant friend as people tend to see what they want to see.
Upon viewing that diversity, they would
likely lobby harder for their friend than
for other candidates whose diversity
wasn’t as apparent to the interviewer
since the interviewer didn’t know them.
It is apparent to me that Partnership’s
interview process is inherently flawed.
Now, the point of this editorial
wasn’t to pounce on Partnership. I have
nothing but the upmost respect for the
members of Partnership, Mrs. Mikulski, and their mission of combating the
epidemic of extreme poverty. They follow an extremely noble pursuit, one that
is going to teach them a lot and help a
great deal of people. However, they need
to seriously examine the way that some
of their policies affect both their mission and their peers. They need to take
a good look at the issues raised and ask
themselves if their current course is best
for themselves, for their club, and for
the homeless people they wish to help.
The Hat Chat Staff
Advisors: Mrs. Murphy and Mrs. Soricelli
Editor-in-Chief: Tori Swiacki
Front: Tori Swiacki
News: Sarah Betron
Editorials: Joseph Kim
In-Depth: Tori Swiacki
Entertainment: Alana Karras
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Unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of the Editorial Board, not
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Features: Allie Wendell, Avisha Kumar
Puzzles and Cartoons: Sang Pak
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Answers: 1.The rainbow has one more strip on the right. 2. The pot has one more gold coin in the
far left. 3. The sleep of the leprechaun is not cuffed. 4. The three leaf clover on the very right of
the pot is now a four leaf clover. 5. A grass patch on the far left disappeared. 6. The cheeks of the
leprechaun disappeared. 7. The eye of the leprechaun is different. 8. The leprechaun does not have
a suspender on its overall. 9. The butterfly on the top right corner disappeared. 10. The brim of the
hat is longer.
START
There are 10 differences between the two pictures. Circle them!
Find the Difference
1
2
3
4
5
6
FINISH
Maze
One of the six leprechauns is
different from the rest. Circle it!
Puzzles
The Odd One Out
7
Entertainment
8
Get Your Tickets!
The upcoming months are jam packed with concerts and music festivals. Whether you are an event veteran or
an interested newbie, the City of Brotherly Love has a lot of musical offers for all genres...
Courtney McGrorty
Staff Writer, ‘17
Life in Color: Kingdom
Warped Tour
Date: April 9
Venue: Penn’s Landing’s Festival Pier
Standard Tickets: approx. $70
Genre: Dance, Tech, EDM
Date: July 8
Venue: BB&T Pavilion (Camden, NJ)
Standard Tickets: approx. $45
Genre: Alternative, Indie, Pop-Punk
“The World’s Largest Paint Party” comes to Philadelphia
this spring. Colorful theatrics mix with EDM to create
a sensational experience. Participants are encouraged to
wear white in order to interact with the paints shot off
from the stage. At Life in Color, the audience is the canvas.
Vans is back presenting the famed rock concert of
the summer. Warped Tour has been bringing famed
artists like Fall Out Boy and Blink-182 to stardom since 1995. Don’t miss this chance to rock out
to this wide array of pop punk and the underground.
Warped Tour
Welcome America Concert
Mac Demarco
Date: July 8
Venue: BB&T Pavilion (Camden, NJ)
Standard Tickets: approx. $45
Genre: Alternative, indie, pop-punk
Date: July 4
Venue: The Parkway
Standard Tickets: Free
Genre: Pop, R&B, rap
Date: May 12
Venue: The Electric Factory
Standard Tickets: $25
Genre: Indie, slacker rock
Vans is back presenting the famed rock
concert of the summer. Warped Tour has
been bringing famed artists like Fall Out
Boy and Blink-182 to stardom since 1995.
Don’t miss this chance to rock out to this
wide array of pop punk and the underground.
Where better to celebrate the country’s
birthday than where it all started? The
Welcome America concert is famed for its
stellar line up of A list pop stars and engaging events all wrapped up with an epic
firework display. This concert is the largest free but tickets get taken fast, be sure
to grab your’s as soon as possible!
Get ready for a night of gentle swaying
and slacker rock, because that is the kind
of music produced by Mac Demarco. His
echoed instrumentals and laid back vocals pair perfectly with a late spring day.
If you’re looking for an easy start to concerts, or just something a little softer, Mac
Demarco is just the artist for you.
Beyonce
Date: July 5
Venue: BB&T Pavilion (Camden, NJ)
Standard Tickets: $40
Genre: Alternative, pop-punk
Alternative legends of the early 2000s
have been brought together by radio
104.5 for a summer blast concert. Rock
out to your favorite hits and fake your
way through the parts you never understood. These two bands compliment one
another and will surely get you pumped
post 4th of July.
Weezer and Panic! At
the Disco
Date: July 4
Venue: Lincoln Finacncial Field
Standard Tickets: Minimum 45
Genre: Pop, R&B
Renowned for her empowering song lyrics and elaborate performances, Beyonce
plays Philadelphia again. Also seen at the
Super Bowl, Beyonce is sure to blow you
away with a sneak peak at the summer
fun to come. Grab your tickets because
the privilege to see this pop star won’t be
Gogol Bordello
Date: April 8
Venue: Union Transfer
Standard Tickets: approx. $45
Genre: Foreign, punk
Looking for something to rock out to?
Try Gogol Bordello, the Russian-Ukrainian influenced gypsy-punk band from
Manhattan. The band has made appearances in a variety of films, and created
their own documentary, Gogol Bordello
Non-Stop. Embrace the unusual mix of
folk music and punk with this group of
goofy troublemakers.