THE HAT CHAT - Hatboro-Horsham School District

The Hat Chat
OCTOBER 2015, VOLUME 85 ISSUE 1
Member of the National Scholastic Press Association
Photo by Jaimee Stoczko
At the seminar on Oct. 7, students warmed up to meditate by stretching out their muscles.
Meditation Seminar Gives Students
Something to Think About
Ethan McInerney
In-Depth Editor, ‘17
At some point, every student
will face stress. And ultimately, one’s attitude toward stress
defines their outlook on life.
Therefore, the true test for a student is how they deal with it.
Jack Dixon and Lisa Palagruto,
founders of Sarva Yoga, are now at
HH to teach faculty and students
the key toward stress relief by meditation and self-awareness. Every
Wednesday there is a Mindfulness and Meditation seminar for
an hour after school to assist students through the most stressful
times of their high school career.
The central method used is
called Mindfulness-Based Stress
Reduction. In order to be mindful and “present,” one must aim
to forget all current worries.
Although intimidating, it is
simple at its core. Dixon introduces this concept by beginning with a simple exercise.
Calm and collected, one must
close one’s eyes and relax the shoulders and neck; then sit up straight
with their back aligned with their
chair. Finally, to rid the mind of
worldly distractions, one must inhale and exhale slowly, counting
and focusing on each breath. This
process is surprisingly therapeutic.
Based upon two decades of research done on this philosophy by
Dr. Kabat-Zinn at the Massachusetts Medical Center, Jack and Lisa’s
practiced method of stress reduction has many supported physical and psychological benefits.
The research states, “The mind
is known to be a factor in stress
and stress-related disorders, and
meditation has been shown to
positively affect a range of autonomic physiological processes,
such as lowering blood pressure
and reducing overall arousal and
emotional reactivity.” Some of
the most immediate and help-
ful effects are a decrease in overall anxiety, depression, perceived stress and interestingly
enough, a higher pain tolerance.
Before this seminar, I was not a
believer in meditative based therapies. However, my experience
was surprisingly positive. When
I opened my eyes after a small
meditation session, I felt very relaxed and refreshed, like waking
up from a nap. I felt aware of my
present moment instead of having
anxiety about how much homework I had to complete that night.
For this reason, every student at
HH would benefit from attending
weekly, or at least once.
To try your part with meditation and mindfulness, come
join a session on Wednesday
afternoons at 3PM in room
H207. Sign up with Mrs. English-Murphy in room F209,
or to learn more about the practice.
NEWS
2
MISS THE ACTIVITIES FAIR? THESE
CLUBS ARE STILL TAKING MEMBERS!
Avisha Kumar
Features Editor, ‘16
This list does not include all available clubs offered during the 2015-2016 school year at HH.
The full list can be found under Student Info at http://www.hatboro-horsham.org/domain/176.
Gay-Straight Alliance
The Gay Straight Alliance allows for students to learn
and create an accepting environment for those with different sexual orientations. Mrs. VanSteenburgh and Ms.
Hannings are the advisors, and senior, Morgan Chamberlain is the president. Contact them for more information at [email protected] or [email protected].
Math Club
The Hat Chat
The Hat Chat is the school’s newspaper. The advisors of the club are Mrs. English-Murphy and
Mrs. Soricelli, and the Editor-in-Chief is Tori
Swiacki. Students in this club have the option to
discuss issues and article ideas in the planning
meeting and to write for different pages. Listen to
the morning announcements for when the next
Hat Chat meeting is, or text @hcstaff16 to 81010.
No Place for Hate
Math club participates in national contests during the
school year. For the fall, the Math Madness contest test
pits HH students against another school in an online
competition. The math club also holds sessions to discussion math ideas and problems outside the normal
course sequence. For additional information, students
can see Dmitry Fay, Cam Willison or Corinne Williams
or sign up for math club on Remind: text @hhmathclub
to 81010 to get on the list!
The advisor of No Place for Hate is Mrs. Goldberg. This club is devoted to challenging bias at
HH and works toward increasing the appreciation
of diversity in our school. Every year No Place for
Hate creates and participates in projects that work
toward these goals. Interested students should get
into contact with Mrs. Goldberg, either in email
or in person, or visit her teacher webpage for details for how to join the Remind101.
Yoga Club
Golden Pen Literary
The student leader of Yoga Club is Briana Nolin and the
advisor is Mrs. Milardo. Students who are to looking to
relax, get some exercise and just have some fun are encouraged to join the yoga club or pop in for a session or
two! It is a fun and relaxed atmosphere where students
can take a break from their troubles and stress. This
club usually meets on Wednesdays. Email Briana Nolan
at [email protected] for more information.
Hatters Included
The advisors for Hatters, Inc. are Mrs. Hitchens ([email protected] ) and Mrs. Norris (Tnorris@
hatboro-horsham.org). The goal of the club is to successfully foster relationships between individuals with
disabilities and their other peers in an effort to enhance
their participation in the life of the school and community. Students participate in social activities both in and
out of school, such as ice cream socials, tailgate party/
Hatters football games, holiday parties, bowling and
much more.
Golden Pen is the school’s literary and art magazine. The staff plans, designs, collects and chooses submissions, and sells the final product. The
advisor of this club is teacher Mrs. Farr. You can
contact her at [email protected]. If
you love creative writing or art, Golden Pen is for
you.
The Hi-Hatter (HH Yearbook)
Students who are interested in photography, journalism, or graphic design should join yearbook.
The advisors of this club are Mrs. DeSieno and
Mrs. Hipps and Justine Davis and Annie Hwang
are the editors-in-chief this year. Being a part of
yearbook is hard work and takes a lot of dedication, but it is extremely rewarding and gratifying to see the end results! The club meets once a
month or twice a month depending on deadlines.
Email the Yearbook editors-in-chief at [email protected] with any questions.
Biotechnology Club
Throughout the year, students perform biotechnology
labs and discuss current topics in the field. Students
interested in joining the club should contact senior Avisha Kumar, [email protected], or the advisor,
Mr. Poruban, in A109.
FEATURES
3
Rest in Peace: Dennis Wynder
Kim Bohl
Staff Writer, ‘16
Dennis Wynder, a study hall monitor at Hatboro Horsham, passed away
Sept. 8 due to complications with a
blood clot.
Through his time of service, he
earned plenty of fans given his merriness and genuine interest in what students had to say. He went above and
beyond the call of duty to brighten
students’ days and build relationships.
Last year, Wynder was truly a man
who could relate to teenagers.
Wynder also contributed to the urban community through his work in
as an aid in a Juvenile Detention Center in Philadelphia. His experiences in
Philadelphia were one thing students
were always eager to hear about.
Wynder was compassionate, positive and genuinely fun to be around.
He will be sorely missed by many in
the community. May he rest in peace.
Photo from The Horsham Patch
Student Leaders Represent HH
At Youth Leadership Summit
Brendan Warzyniak
Sports Editor, ‘16
On Oct. 6, 12 of our future leaders attended Pat Meehan’s Youth Leadership Summit at Marple Newtown High School.
The event lasted four hours and featured
four speakers: CBS Philly Anchor Nicole
Brewer, HEADstrong Foundation President Cheryl Colleluori, Eagles Legend
Vince Papale, and Villanova Men’s Basketball coach Jay Wright.
The speakers covered many different
topics, including success and failure, hardships, and attitude and how they all contribute to being a valuable leader.
All the speakers were very different
from each other and were therefore able
to provide different perspectives about
leadership. Joe Kim, a senior, remarks
“Cheryl’s speech was very humbling,
while Vince’s was very motivational. I’m
very grateful to have had the opportunity
to attend this conference.” There were
many lessons to be learned and we at HH
are very grateful to have been invited by
Congressman Meehan to his 7th Congressional District Youth Leadership Summit.
Hatboro-Horsham High School Students enjoed a Youth Leadership Summit held by
Congressman Pat Meehan on Oct. 6. From left to right: Shawn Sukert, Brendan Wawryzniak, Joe Kim, Cameron Willison, Julia Zimmerman, Congressman Pat Meehan,
Madison Dall, Sean Rich, Matt Furgele, Ethan McInerney, Avisha Kumar, Ishita Date,
Jaimee Stoczko. Photo courtesy of Cameron Willison.
“You should be giving respect - respect to yourself, to be the best you can be.” Villanova’s men’s basketball coach, Jay Wright, made an appearence to speak to students.
Photo courtesy of Pat Meehan.
Pennsylvania Congressman Pat Meehan addresses students on Oct. 6 at the 2015
Youth Leadership Summit, hosted by Marple Newtown High School. Photo courtesy
of Pat Meehan.
Features
4
Emily Lebofsky
Staff Writer, ‘17
New Teachers at HH
Matthew Field
Math
“At some point Mrs. Swayne suggested
that I have a natural talent for teaching math as she watched me tutoring
students.” Field is an HH alumnus and
he says favorite part of HH is “the spirit
the students exhibit” and how they “take
pride in their work and in their school.”
Drew Berchick
All photos by Emily Lebofsky
Alexis Schagrin
Autistic support
“I found myself enthralled by the enthusiasm of the students and the ability to really
see the growth in students. I knew that I
was meant to work with students with autism.” Ms. Schagrin said HH feels “like a big
family that supports each other.”
Chelsea Alexander
Television Production and English
Berchick became an English and television
production teacher because he loves “getting people into those passions.” His favorite parts of HH are “the students’ personalities, passion, and respect.”
Spanish
“I chose to teach Spanish because I think
it’s a beautiful language and there are approximately 329 million native Spanish
speakers in the world, so it’s very useful!”
Alexander said her favorite part of HH is
how warm, welcoming, and supportive the
staff and students are.
Krysten Momsen
Christine Yanni
English
Momsen’s favorite part of HH “is the emphasis and encouragement to get involved.
We have so many talented students, and I
think it’s wonderful that there are so many
opportunities for them to showcase their
gifts.” Momsen is an HH alumna.
Special Education
Yanni chose special education because she
likes to “be flexible, demonstrate charisma,
patience, tough love, and most of all, advocate for my students when they aren’t
sure how to.” Yanni is a alumna and said
she loves being able to return to her alma
mater as a teacher.
Answers: 1. The witch’s hat is more round. 2. Frankenstein does not have fingernails. 3.
The vampire’s ears are pointy. 4. The spider only has seven legs. 5. The eyes of the JackO-Lantern are curvy. 6. Frankenstein has one more stitch. 7. The ghost has another
arm showing. 8. The collars of the vampire’s cape are longer. 9.The bat has ears. 10. The
moon is a crescent moon. 11. Frankenstein’s left foot is gone. 12. “RIP” is “RIB”.
Find the Differences Between the
Two
Pictures!
Circle the 12 differences between the two pictures!
1. Autumn
2. Candy
3. Costume
4. Death
5. Demons
6. Ghost
7. Halloween
8. Mummy
9. Nightmare
10. October
11. Skeleton
12. Tomb
Halloween Word Search
Maze
Happy Halloween!
Puzzles
5
All drawings by Sang Pak
6
IN-DEPTH
IN-DEPTH
students
THE ELECTION
Ethan McInerney
In-Depth Editor, ‘17
-Be a U.S. citizen for at least one month prior to the next election.
-Be 18 years old by the next election.
-Be a resident of PA and in the district you want to vote in for 30 days prior to the election.
-Done through the Board of Elections but it is also possible to register
with Department of Transportation.
-You can register to vote online.
-Once registered to vote, you do not need to register again unless you
need to change your name, address, or party affiliation.
-Held so a political party can determine its strongest and most popular candidate to run for the presidency
in the general election.
-Done by holding individual elections in all 50 states to see which candidate, from each respective political
party, will represent the party in the general election.
-The candidate who receives the most votes in a popular vote becomes the party’s nominee for the general
election.
-PA’s Primary will take place on Tuesday, April 26, 2016.
-A primary vote is held like a general election.
-A caucus is a meeting where the registered voters take sides and decide which
candidate to support for the general election.
-Primary votes can either be “open” or “closed.”
- ”Open” primaries are open to independent voters.
- “Closed” primaries are held for registered members of the hosting party only.
-At these conventions, the political party officially announces their candidate for the general election.
-Usually just a symbolic celebration because all candidates except for one drop out of the race.
-The 2016 Republican National Convention will be in Cleveland, OH during the week of July 18, 2016.
-The 2016 Democratic National Convention will be held in Philadelphia during the week of July 25, 2016
7
Democratic candidates:
Hillary Clinton
Bernie Sanders
Education: Sanders wants the American education system to
model the Scandinavian and European countries where public
college tuition is either free or at significantly reduced price.
Foreign Policy: Sanders believes that a superpower nation, like
the United States, can and should resolve international conflicts
in a peaceful manner and that war should be the last option of
any international conflict.
Civil Rights: Sanders has a 93% rating from the American Civil
Liberties Union. He is pro-civil rights and has a large voting
record to prove it.
Healthcare: Sanders believes that healthcare is a human right.
Sanders wants to move towards a single-payer healthcare system instead of having a privatized system.
Learn More: https://berniesanders.com/issues/
Education: Clintion wants to eliminate student college loan interest
rates over 20%.
Foreign Policy: Clinton’s foreign policies are extremely precise. She
wants to make sure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, defeat
ISIS, hold China accountable to their acts of aggression, and stand
up to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his aggression. She also
wishes to strengthen the United States’ alliances, especially with
Israel.
Civil Rights: Clintion has a shaky voting record. Supported the
Defense of Marriage Act, which was passed under Bill Clinton, but
changed her views and now supports gay marriage. She has a 60%
rating from American Civil Liberties Union.
Healthcare: Clinton believes that affordable healthcare is a human
right. She supports and wants to expand the Affordable Care Act.
Learn More: https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/
Republican candidates:
Donald Trump
Ben Carson
Education: Trump wants to overturn
Common Core education standards and
lessen the power of the Department of
Education.
Education: Carson wants to overturn Common Core and keep public schools governered at the local level. He believes that
public schools are “propaganda machines.”
Foreign Policy: Trump wishes to maintain American dominance on the global
scale. He wishes to put more sanctions
on Iran, continue support for Israel, deal
with North Korea’s aspirations for nuclear power and continue Ameirca’s rivalry
with China.
Foreign Policy: Carson wants to keep supporting Israel and wants to destroy ISIS.
Civil Rights: Trump’s stance on samesex marriage often changes. He used to
oppose sex marriages or domestic partnetships, but now his belief is that it is a
state issue.
Healthcare: Carson believes that the Affordable Care Act should be overturned.
He thinks it should be replaced with Health
Savings Accounts.
Healthcare: Trump wants to overturn
the Affordable Care Act, also known as
Obamacare.
Civil Rights: Carson wishes to keep religion
in America and reverse the trend of secularism. He also believes that homosexuality
is a choice but same-sex marriage is the law.
Learn More: https://www.bencarson.com/
issues
Jeb Bush
Education: Bush wants to expand Common Core Standards.
Foreign Policy: Bush wishes to continue
supporting Israel and wants to help them
fight Iran. He also wishes to overturn the
Iran Nuclear Deal.
Civil Rights: Bush respects same sex
couples but maintains the idea that marriage is between a man and a woman.
Healthcare: Bush is against Planned
Parenthood but advocates for good care
providers. He is also against the Affordable Care Act.
Learn More: https://jeb2016.com/
Learn More: https://www.donaldjtrump.
com/positions
There are way too many cliché examples of why a person should vote, but they all have their merits. Voting is a way
to get your opinions heard by politicians and bureaucrats. Many people seem to brush this off when they think of
corporations funding candidates. Some people believe that elections are rigged and it doesn’t matter if they participate. The Constitution states that this government was created by “We The People,” and many people are losing hope
in that. If people vote for the president, vote in the primaries and vote in midterm elections, they will soon see that
their vote truly does matter. This can be concluded more eloquently and through the words of a former president.
Abraham Lincoln once said the following: “Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish
from the Earth.”
8
ENTERTAINMENT
Get Ready to Marathon:
The Fall 2015 Show
Preview
Angel From Hell
Former star of the hit TV show Glee, Jane Lynch
is now taking on a new role in the upcoming CBS
comedy: Angel From Hell. The nature of her character
is up for debate as Lynch’s co-star, Maggie Lawson, is
troubled with trying to decide whether to believe that
the woman who is coincidentally always by her side
truly is a guardian angel, or if she’s just another crazy
person. The series premiere is on Thursday, Nov. 5 at
9pm.
Flesh
and
Bone
Flesh and Bone
Victoria Rapak
Staff Writer, ‘16
Wicked City
A new drama coming to ABC premieres on
Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 10pm has everything one
would want from television. In one show: murder,
drama, mystery, love, nostalgia, not to mention
the heartthrob best known for his character on
Gossip Girl, Ed Westwick. Set in the 80’s Los Angeles, the first season follows the life of a detective
(Jeremy Sisto) while chasing down two coupledup serial killers whose intent is to prey on young
women.
gets to the underground horrors of
the professional ballet world. The lights and glamour
of the stage do little to illuminate the dark realities of
Claire’s (Sarah Hay) overly-demanding life and selfdestructive tendencies.
Not only does this drama shed a new light on the
seemingly glamorous life of professional dancers, the
main cast is also made up of professional ballerinas
such as Irina Dvorovenko, Sascha Radetsky, Raychel
Diane Weiner and Emily Tyra. Premieres on Starz,
Sunday, Nov. 8 at 9pm.
Chicago Med
For any fans of the show Grey’s Anatomy, Chicago Med offers the same dramatic yet sometimes humorous dynamic. The series follows
the day-to-day lives of the doctors, surgeons,
nurses, and other members of one of Chicago’s
busiest hospitals. Throughout the season, expect
drama, relationships, death, laughter and of
course, realistic medical cases. The premiere is
on Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 10pm on NBC.
ENTERTAINMENT
A Scandalous Sing-Off
9
Joe Kim
Editorials Editor , ‘16
The junior advisory board put together the first ever Lip Sync
Competition between staff that, thankfully, will be immortalized
through Snapchats and videos.
We learned more about our wonderful teachers that night in
the auditorium than during school hours, such as Señor Marr’s
Uptown acrobatics (he pulled off a backflip, by the way), Mrs.
Lamplugh inner West Philadelphia (born and raised) and Mr.
Baker’s maniacal dance routine (“Stayin’ Alive, Stayin’ Alive”),
just to name a few.
Hosted by MC Grady, it was a night to remember. The battles,
Baker vs. Wills, Marr vs. Greenberg, Fulcher vs. Lamplugh, Fro-
mal vs. Cassidy vs. Shields vs. Deluca. Each were each unique and
memorable in their own ways, but the man to live up to his reputation as the King of HH, Principal Dennis Williams, shattered
expectations.
He claimed, before his second battle, “I like to show Hatboro-Horsham spirit whenever I can,” and when we watched
our beloved principal suddenly strip his clothes, revealing his
underlying uniform, standing bravely, clad in a black and red
skin-tight cheerleader uniform. I was sure some of us were reduced to tears of joy and horror.
Cowspiracy
Photos By Colleen Claggeet
Jamiee Stoczko
Front Editor ‘16
Are you a pseudo-environmentalist? Do you follow the ageold guidelines of recycling, taking shorter showers and riding
your bike sometimes, just to sustain the planet? Do you rest
easy knowing that you did your part that day, or not even spare
a thought about it?
What if someone told you that all you think is true is a lie?
What if going vegetarian could end the drought in California?
What if the food you eat had more of an environmental impact
than cars?
A new 1.5 hour documentary presents all of the facts
and force viewers to ask themselves: am I truly doing all I can?
Cowspiracy, new to Netflix, will make you question all you’ve
been taught.
Cowspiracy follows Kip Andersen, a passionate environmentalist and film maker, as he confronts multiple corporations
like Greenpeace and The Sierra Club, begging the same question: what is the biggest threat to the environment right now?
The answers vary from automobiles to deforestation, but
the main point remains: nothing contributes more than animal
agriculture. The burger you ate for dinner last
night used 660 gallons of water to make it to your plate (the
equivalent of two months of showers). All marine life may be
obsolete as soon as 2008.
The documentary “reveals the absolutely devastating environmental impact large-scale factory farming has on our planet,
and offers a path to global sustainability for a growing population.”
Will you be a part of the change? You can find Cowspiracy
on Netflix now.
10
Editorials
Safe and Secure:
Security Guards at HH
Dmitry Fay
Staff Writer, ‘17
Ever since the arrival of the security guards last year, there have been
murmurs of dissatisfaction echoing
throughout the school. The building
already has an uncanny resemblance
to that of a prison, and guards certainly do not make the school feel
warmer. Students feel like they’re being interrogated and watched as they
move from class A to class B. A fellow classmate of mine who wishes to
remain anonymous said “The security guards involve themselves in other
people’s business and are unfriendly.
They are out to get you.”
There are roughly
1600 students at
Hatboro-Horsham
and only 3 security
guards active at any
given time....this is
a meager ratio of
roughly 1 guard per
530 students.
nificant. In fact, a few more security
guards shouldn’t warrant a school
wide outcry.
A few students have stated plainly
that they do not like the guards because they are often stopped in the
hallway for skipping class or wandering the hallway. Most criminals gen-
form they are regular people in the
workforce who are trying to earn an
honest living. It’s silly to think that
the security guards intentionally try
to give students a hard time. Rather,
they are trying to do the job they
Under the uniform
they are regular peoStudents feel like
they’re being interro- ple in the workforce
who are trying to
gated and watched as
they move from class earn an honest living.
A to class B.
were given without Mr. Rapino firing
erally dislike police officers because
they have the possibility of being
caught.
Of course, these students aren’t
criminals (hopefully), but the common theme of animosity towards
authorities is still present when it really isn’t reasonable. When a student
goes to meet their boyfriend or girl-
them.
At times, it seems as though security guards are nothing but glorified hall monitors. And yes, maybe
that is true to some extent, but having adults being accountable for this
school’s students is a safety measure.
Letting kids roam around willy-nilly
could potentially be dangerous which
is a liability for the school. Also, this
school wants students to take the
most out of their education by keeping them in the classrooms. Whether
students want to hear this or not,
sometimes there are larger issues that
In addition, the security guards have
administrators are responsible for
been negatively mentioned in the
that take precedence over students’
Twitter-sphere. And yes, I do sympaopinions. Safety is of the utmost imthize with these students; however,
portance.
there are several reasons for the reSecurity guards can be intrusive,
cent security increase other than to
but they’re here for a reason and
bother students.
they’re here to stay. The purpose of
There are roughly 1600 students
having security guards is often times
at Hatboro-Horsham and only 3
friend during the middle of class and overlooked, so before you raise your
security guards active at any given
a guard stops them, one should try to Twitter fingers to share your unsolictime, according to Mr. Rapino. This
understand who is really at fault.
ited and uninformed opinion of the
is a meager ratio of roughly 1 guard
Most people forget that the sesecurity guards, at least try to think
per 530 students. Although security
curity guards are people who are as
of a sensible and intelligent remark as
guards seem ubiquitous, an everdeserving of respect as any. As corny opposed to an uninformed or callous
lurking presence, and the number
and evident as this may sound, most one.
of guards can seem to be overkill in
people fail to realize this and see
relation to everyone in the school,
them as big bullies, intentionally trythe amount of active guards is insig- ing to ruin one’s day. Under the uni-
Of course, these students aren’t criminals
(hopefully), but the
common theme of
animosity towards authorities is still present when it really isn’t
reasonable.
Editorials
11
Morning vs. Night Showers
“Regardless of the shower time, just
remember that showering
isn’t optional.”
Alana Karras
Entertainment Editor, ‘17
Showering in the morning versus showering at night. Apparently, a
very important argument. So which is
better? As a morning shower-er, I had
more than enough support for one
side of the argument. After all, this debate was a pretty common one among
my peers; who, evidently, don’t have
anything more interesting to discuss. I
found that there are some substantial
reasons to take a night shower, some
of which even made me consider my
firm stance on the subject. I decided
to do some informal research (which
mostly consisted of Google searches
that took me to weird websites that I
would not recommend) to see what all
the hubbub was about.
The most popular reason for nightshowering is the most obvious: sleeping in. If one showers at night, then
they can have more time to sleep. If
they take the time out of their night
to shower, they won’t have to take the
time out of their morning to do so. A
valid counter argument, until you consider that showering at night also takes
time away from sleeping. Regardless of
when it is happening, showering takes
time away from sleeping. Although I
have to wake up a bit earlier to shower,
morning showers replace my cup of
coffee most days. The blast of water
wakes me up way faster and doesn’t
leave me with the jitters for the rest of
the day.
Night shower-ers also raise a valid
point concerning hygiene. By showering at night, one is removing all the
dirt and sweat that has built up on
their body throughout the day before
getting into bed, thus reassuring that
your sheets are clean and not full of
whatever disgusting bacteria roams
the halls of a high school.
But also consider the argument that
the human body sweats while asleep
(And if you’re anything like me, you
sweat, a lot). By showering in the
mornings, I’m able to start my day off
feeling clean, and not drenched in the
sweat that comes from sleeping with
a massive comforter and every stuffed
animal I’ve owned since I was 8 even
in 90 degree weather. Again, just to
emphasize, I sweat a lot. And yes, not
everyone sweats. But it’s a compelling
argument for those that understand
the struggle.
Of course, each side has more than
enough reasons in support of its claim.
Why shower at night? It allows one’s
hair to dry overnight, so they don’t
have to deal with the hassle and arm
cramps that come with a hair dryer.
But on that same note, showering at
night might mean having to deal with
bed head in the morning. And for
those of us who were blessed with a
massive puffball for hair and have the
willpower to exercise after school, bedhead isn’t fun and a night shower can
be a necessity. Which, I must admit, is
a solid point for team night shower.
I guess all in all both side of the
argument have some valid points. If
you’re a sweaty person who doesn’t
mind waking up a bit early, shower in
the mornings. If you someone who
manages to not sweat at night, enjoy
those views extra moments in bed.
I came into this article with a strong
opinion and some flavorful insults for
night shower-ers, but I must admit the
pros and cons seem to weigh themselves out on both sides of the spectrum. Night shower-ers, you keep at it,
you have a small place in my heart.
Regardless of the shower time, just
remember that showering isn’t optional.
The Hat Chat Staff
Editor-in-Chief: Tori Swiacki
Advisors: Mrs. Soricelli, Mrs. Murphy
Front: Jaimee Stoczko
News: Sarah Betron
Features: Allie Wendell
Sports: Brendan Wawrzyniak
Features: Avisha Kumar
Puzzles: Sang Pak
In-Depth: Ethan McInerney
Entertainment: Alana Karras
Editorials: Joe Kim
Comics: Sang Pak
Staff Writers: Emily Lebofsky,
Dmitry Fay, Kim Bohl, Nick
Arbaugh, Victoria Rapak
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12
Sports
Pingers Back to Pong:
The Return of the Ping Pong Team
Nick Arbaugh
Staff Writer, ‘16
are likely to get more heated than they
did last year. However, Senior Zach
Gutekunst describes the club as “a great
stress reliever.”
When you aren’t playing an intense
match of table tennis you’re socializing,
making friends, and working on your
skills in order to move up the ladder of
competition that the club quickly establishes. From novice players to hardened
veterans, there is always somebody on a
similar skill level that you can play.
One thing is definitely certain about
the Table Tennis club, it has a bright future that it’s looking to embrace and will
likely have a lasting effect on the school
for years to come.
After a Cinderella Story-like beginning
last year, the Hatboro Horsham Table
Tennis Club is locked and loaded to take
off this year. From its humble beginnings
consisting only of a few friends interested
in the sport, the club grew to nearly 20
people within the year. With this year’s
membership skyrocketing after a clever
ploy at the activities fair involving the distribution of candy, the club is put in an
awkward position.
Last year, they had four tables that
were just barely able to service the entire
group. Due to shady circumstances (investigation pending) they are now down
to a mere three tables. Nobody is quite
sure what happened to the fourth table; it
might as well have gotten up and walked
out the door. And with an ever increasing
number of players, the leadership of the
club is put in a precarious “expand or die”
situation.
If the club isn’t able to acquire enough
tables to service the new players, the leadership risks a membership freefall.
The founder of the club, senior Nick
Giardetti, kept a positive outlook when he
said “I’m very excited about new people
this year. It’s great to hear how interested the underclassmen are, especially the
freshmen.”
This year’s new policy of weekly meetings is going to bump the already competitive vibe up a notch, and the tournaments Senior Matt Boyle, dedicated ponger. Photo by Joe Kim.
HHEF Upcoming Events
Join us on Monday, November 2 at 6:30
pm at Keith Valley Middle School to hear
Dr. Ken Ginsburg speak about building
resilience.
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them an HH hero! Holiday orders must be received
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