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Muslims left out in media
SPORTS
Page 3
CHS students visit España
OPINION
Page 2
First day festivities
F E AT U R E S
NEWS
September 17, 2015 Page 8
Top Fantasy Football picks
Welcome back, CHS! BLOT GRAPHIC BY SALLY BONIECKI
Volume 15, Issue 1
Communications High School, Wall, New Jersey
www.THEINKBLOTNEWS.com
Thompson Park trip canceled
By JULIA PARDEE For the past 15 years, CHS freshmen have visited Thompson Park during the first week of school to participate in icebreaking activities with their new classmates, but the Class of 2019 will not experience this tradition. Over the loudspeaker on Sept. 9, Principal James Gleason announced the cancellation of this event due to poor weather conditions and hoped the event would be rescheduled. “The weather forecasts just calls for thunderstorms, starting in the early morning and then going throughout the day,” Gleason said. “From a safety standpoint, even with the fields being wet and everything else, it’s just not going to be a good day to have freshman orientation.” Although Gleason discussed possibly rescheduling dates with the Monmouth County Park System, the nearest open date would not be until the beginning of Oct. The Monmouth County Park System also had some staffing issues, Gleason said. “I know it gets tough for them to have the personnel in place at the end of the summer, because all their summer [workers] typically are kids who are in college,” Gleason said. Instead of Thompson Park day, the SGA plans to hold an alternative event on Sept. 15 during third and fourth periods on the Wall football field. The activity will hold similar activities to those at Thompson Park day, SGA President Lauryn Masciana said. Junior Justin Boldt of Howell said Thompson Park was a pivotal part of his freshman year experience and is disappointed the event may not be postponed. “I think [a cancellation] is pretty upsetting for the freshmen. Thompson Park was a great bonding day for our grade, and, to be deprived of that ... it’s pretty sad,” Boldt said. Freshman Kevin Clark of Spring Lake said he looked forward to Thompson Park Day and thinks the event is an important CHS tradition. “I feel like we are never gonna have that ice breaker that all the other classes got to have in their freshman year. So yeah, it’s pretty upsetting,” Clark said.
BLOT PHOTO BY SALLIE HAAS
TV/Radio Production student Daniela Delgado of Hazlet works with one of three new cameras. Each camera package totalled $50,000 each.
Updated TV and radio studios go live By TOMMY FLETCHER While many students took the summer to relax and recharge, contractors and technicians were hard at work, TV Production teacher Jennifer Cornine said. Over the summer, the TV and radio studios underwent a $1.5 million renovation. The new TV studio equipment, Cornine said, rivals that of college broadcast studios. “As soon as school was finished, they were in here right from the beginning demolishing things that just had to come apart,” Cornine said. “You saw the pictures on Twitter and online that it was gutted, and that was kind of scary because there’s no turning back at that point.” Cornine said the biggest challenge was keeping the massive renovation on schedule, but there were no major issues. She said the studio was 85 percent complete on the first day of school. “From that point to this point today, the amount of work that was done was incredible. The crews worked weekends, they were here until eight at night. It was just amazing to see it come together,” she said. The planning for the renovation began in fall 2014, when the district and administrators acknowledged the previous
studio’s deteriorating conditions. Much of the equipment, in place since 2001, was outdated or in disrepair. The district explored numerous options, including a smaller technology refresh or a five-year plan to implement new equipment. The Board of Chosen Freeholders, the county legislature, eventually approved
BLOT PHOTO BY SALLIE HAAS
Junior Kat Holtz of Hazlet works with Cornine on the studio’s new lighting board.
funding for a complete renovation of the facility. “In the end [the Freeholders] were able to say to us, ‘You know what? If we’re going to do it, let’s just do it right,’” Cornine said. The makeover included new wiring, televisions, equipment, workstations and
acoustic paneling throughout the broadcast suite. HDTVs were also installed in each classroom throughout the school. The renovated TV studio features high-definition Hitachi cameras, professional quality teleprompters, a new camera jib, green screen cyclorama, a redesigned lighting system and updated audio equipment. The pedestals used to hold the cameras are the only equipment reused from the previous configuration. In the TV control room, a new Tricaster video switcher, video routing controller, point of view camera and headset-based communication system were installed. In addition, the radio studio and the control room were renovated and include a new digital audio mixing console, microphones and a state-of-the-art Vidigo visual radio system. Cornine said she believes the new equipment will give students an advantage in the technical side of production and classes will focus on proficiency in the new equipment. “I hope that students will want to take advantage of the technology and the opportunity that’s here. I meant it when I said this is equal to or better than so many colleges,” Cornine said.
Sherman departs from CHS, leaves Lang and legacy in his place By ANNA ROBINSON The baseball cap has been hung up for good. Former English III teacher Robert Sherman resigned over the summer break after 14 years at CHS. “The Class of 2016 was a great group to go out with,” Sherman said. “I wish them all the best.” Former U.S. History II teacher Ronald Klein, who retired at the end of the 2014-15 school year, was Sherman’s close colleague. Klein said Sherman “felt it was time” to resign. “Very few know last spring Cornell University invited him to their school for two days to honor him as one of the nation’s Outstanding Educators,” Klein said.
“He told me that was the highlight of his career and was truly a great way to go out.” Sherman’s resignation came shortly after Klein’s retirement, but both said the timing of their departures wasn’t connected. Sherman said the two friends will stay in contact. “Maybe we’ll stop by graduation this year,” Sherman said. Senior Johnny Callaghan of Wall was a student in Sherman’s English class last year and said he wasn’t affect by Sherman’s resignation. “I already went through his class, but if I hadn’t, I would have been relieved after he left because he was one of the more dif-
ficult teachers at CHS,” Callaghan said. Senior Lauryn Masciana agreed that Sherman’s class was difficult but added that its intensity lended to extra studying and boosted her SAT score about 130 points. “His stories were always so fun, and he loved to have in-depth discussions that really helped to analyze the literature we read while entertaining the class,” Masciana said. Although the underclassmen never had Sherman in class, junior Jack Mannion of Belmar and sophomore Brandon Kalika of Middletown said they passed Sherman every day and noticed his backwards cap and daily greetings from the doorway of
his classroom. Mannion said he had been looking forward to having Sherman as a teacher. “I know that he seemed cool, saying ‘hi’ to all of his students in the morning,” Mannion said. Kalika agreed. “I never really knew Mr. Sherman, but I always saw him in the halls, and he always had a bright smile. He looked like a really fun teacher, so I’m kind of bummed I’m not having him. He seems like an interesting guy,” Kalika said. Former English II teacher Kelly Lang will now teach English III. “It’s the end of an era,” Sherman said. Matt Miller contributed to this article.
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the inkblot september 17, 2015
Gleason and SGA start school year with assembly, Italian ices By NICK BRENNAN Not a year goes by without Principal James Gleason’s first day assembly, a tradition dating back to the school’s opening. Previous years’ assemblies have sparked mantras including “work hard, play hard,” an ongoing CHS joke, and this year was not without its laughs, too. Gleason began the assembly with words of welcome the school’s students and staff. “I enjoyed the break just as much as all of you did, but come the end of July, I wanted to get back and jump into it,” he said. “It is wonderful to have you all back here at CHS.” In order to avoid confusion in the parking lot at dismissal, Gleason called upon the upperclassmen to assist their
BLOT PHOTO BY SARAH TAKASH
Gleason speaks to students about the handbook and updates within the school.
younger counterparts in finding their respective buses. Gleason tried to meet with each bus and bus driver in the morning to ensure that plans would be set to expedite the dismissal process, he said.
Freshmen are welcomed with goodie bags, survival tips By MARK DISPIGNA The National Honor Society, under the direction of mathematics teacher Justine Lane, greeted incoming CHS students by taking a new approach to orientation on Sept. 8. NHS members split the Class of 2019 into small groups after calling them down to the cafeteria from their second period classes, assigning each group to senior mentors based on their hometowns. Seniors spent the first ten minutes of the meeting discussing the atmosphere of CHS and giving advice for the beginning of a new school year. NHS treasurer Jessica Stansfield of Wall said a first day orientation is necessary in order to relieve stress for new students. “It was basically just to get the students ac-
climated to the environment,” Stansfield said. “We wanted to introduce them to seniors that will make them feel more comfortable walking through the halls of the school.” Freshman Connor Martin of Spring Lake Heights said he felt very comfortable with the introduction, and having seniors to help made the transition much smoother. “It’s comforting to know that an upperclassmen is willing to help you,” he said. Unlike in years past, the new student orientation included an introduction for junior students entering through the Design Academy. It also marked the first year that NHS received additional help. The Cultural Communications Club provided baked goods, and the
sophomore class voluntarily designed brochures filled with “survival tips” for freshmen. After a brief question and answer session, the NHS distributed goodie bags containing pencils and erasers. NHS members then took the new students to their assigned lockers and helped them enter their combinations. “With the help of the upperclassmen, I was able to open my locker on the first try,” freshman Sydney Karlin of Aberdeen said. Lane said most problems the incoming students faced were resolved by the time the orientation was over. “I think the NHS definitely made a good impression on the kids,” Lane said. “That’s really all it was meant to do.”
During his speech, Gleason also highlighted cell phones as a particular issue he will be cracking down on. “I’m grabbing your cell phone,” Gleason said, if he sees a student using his or her cell phone while walking out of or between classes. Gleason called for students to be mature about which matters they take up with parents while they’re still in school, especially regarding personnel. “There’s no need to use your media to contact home,” he said. Gleason then introduced senior and SkillsUSA President Christina Noll of Hazlet, who spoke briefly of the team’s accomplishments at the national SkillsUSA competition in Louisville, Ky., over the summer.
Following Noll, senior and SGA President Lauryn Masciana of Middletown had specific messages to each grade. “Please enjoy every second of your time here, because it goes fast,” Masciana said to the underclassmen, encouraging them to engross themselves in the “unique culture” at CHS. Senior and SGA Vice President Shane Nolan of Bradley Beach spoke next, aiming to “debunk CHS myths.” His speech was met with laughter from the audience. “No one is ever left out [here],” he said. Nolan then introduced an ice cream truck which treated students to annual first-day-of-school Italian ices. “The SGA comes through again,” Gleason said.
BLOT PHOTO BY SARAH TAKASH
For the third year in a row, CHS students were treated to Italian Ice thanks to funding from the PSFA and organization from the SGA. SGA member Rebecca Madiera of Howell distributes Italian ice to seniors Olivia Malesco of Middletown and Dan Mopsick of Manasquan.
Five Design Academy students are ‘drawn’ to CHS, enter the Class of 2017 By SARAH LYNCH Starting in 2010, the design academy program has admitted
several students into the junior class, and this year, the tradition continued as five news students
joined the Class of 2017. The design academy’s purpose is to allow “select students
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to broaden their art focus and pursue the honors level program already part of CHS,” according to the school website. The school admitted five students of approximately 20 applicants, Principal James Gleason said. These students are Isaiah Drake of Manasquan, Noah Lipton of Ocean, Julianna Ward of Wall, Justin Cottrell of Neptune and Emily Wright of Millstone. The students received their acceptances near the end of May. Isaiah Drake said he was “surprised” when he received his acceptance letter. “I kind of doubted myself,” Drake said. “But it’s good. There’s a lot of people that go here from Manasquan that I knew in middle school.” Principal James Gleason said the application process for the design academy is very similar to that of incoming freshmen. The students entrance exam consists of “math, English and writing, but includes an art performance element.” Applicants’ test scores, in
conjunction with their grades and an art portfolio, determine whether or not they are admitted. Guidance counselor Sandra Gidos said a design academy student’s schedule can differ slightly than those of other CHS students. “For the most part, the design academy has the same credits as the rest of the student body,” Gidos said. “However, they have set classes for electives.” Like other upperclassmen, design academy students choose their own electives, but they are limited to art-based choices like Visual Communications, Print Production and Computer Applications. Lipton said these elective choices initiated his interest in CHS. “I wanted to try art again, and a lot of people told me this school was better than Ocean,” Lipton said. Although he is still acclimating to his new school, Cottrell said he’s formed an opinion on CHS thus far. “It’s different,” Cottrell said. “But in a good way.”
Corrections: Israel is a Jewish, not a Jesuit state, as stated in the Volume 14, Issue 6 edition of the Inkblot. Michael Ryan’s quote in the senior spread was also misspelled and should have said “mayor,” not “mare.” The Inkblot regrets these errors.
the inkblot september 17, 2015
Summer Spain trip earns a perfect ‘diez’ By CAYLA HARRIS This summer, a tour of Spain was more than just a graded PowerPoint presentation for 22 CHS students. On a nine-day vacation, chaperoned by Spanish teachers Sabina Campbell and Karen Britto and substitute teacher Melissa Bradley, students toured Spanish cities such as Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Sevilla and Málaga – and even Tétouan, Morocco – between June 26 and July 4. The trip was planned through educational travel company EF Tours and came to fruition early in the 201415 school year. Alumna Francesca Reznik of Ocean said she helped plan the trip with alumnus Matt Taylor of Tinton Falls and Campbell. “[Campbell] approached me and Matt about coming to Spain, and the three of us actually sat together and went through a bunch of different … EF Tours options, and this was the one that the three of us actually all picked together,” Reznik said. On the EF Tours’ website, the tour is listed as “Madrid and Andalusia” and boasts a 10-day sightseeing and activity-filled trip. CHS’ itinerary varied slightly from the website’s listing. Before this trip, Campbell had completed one other tour through EF Tours – a trip through London, Paris
and Barcelona – which she said went well, but she liked this one better. “[On the first tour,] we didn’t get to know as many places as we did here, and it was, like, no time for fun,” Campbell said. But this trip was different. Junior Caroline Collins of Tinton Falls said her favorite city on the itinerary was Granada. “The Alhambra was the most beautiful place I’ve ever been in my life and, even though we didn’t spend much time there, I feel like I got a really good idea of what it was all about,” Collins said. Students visited the Alhambra, a former fortress influenced heavily by Moorish architecture, on July 1. Senior Brian Brown of Sea Girt said his favorite city was Toledo, a city about 43 miles away from Madrid, which is known for its mixed influences of Christian, Jewish and Moorish cultures. “It was so old, and so much history was there,” Brown said. Junior Rachel Van Brunt of Wall said her favorite city was Málaga, a port city in southern Spain often associated with nearby yellow-sand beaches. “My favorite city was … Málaga, where we went to the beach at Costa del Sol because the beach was
awesome. Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea was really cool, and there [are] a lot of cool restaurants and stuff on the beach, and it was just really pretty and really nice,” Van Brunt said. Alumna Alli Long of Eatontown said her favorite city was Sevilla, but the best part of the trip had more to do with her company. “I think we had a really great group that went, so that was the best part,” Long said. On a scale from one to 10, one being the worst experience and 10 being the best, Campbell rated the Spain trip a ten. “The tour was really so well-organized. The tour guides were amazing. The places were really good. I mean, the hotels were good. The kids were very good. The three of us – the three chaperones – got along so well. We laughed so much,” she said. Britto also rated the trip a 10. “I learned a lot, and I loved watching the students learn, and, of course, use the Spanish language, and I ate a lot of delicious food,” Britto said. “Eating is, like, one of my favorite pastimes.” Campbell said she plans to use EF Tours in the future. Next on her list, she said, is a trip to Cuba or Barcelona over spring break.
CHS alumnus Matt Taylor of Tinton Falls sings and dances to music in a popular tapas restaurant while visiting Sevilla.
Junior Kevin Dixon of Wall learns the art of woodcarving at a Moroccan school from a local craftsman.
Junior Mary Ryan of Neptune City was one of many students who rode a camel while touring on the coastal city of Tétouan.
Campbell said she wanted students to get clear idea of what Spain really was and not what they previously thought it was.
ROVING
REPORTER
Freshman Alyssa Rasp of Hazlet “I’m looking forward to meeting new people and learning new classes at a higher level.”
PHOTOS BY MELISSA BRADLEY
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PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURYN MASCIANA
Masciana takes center stage in school, studio
By ABBY SILVA As SGA president, Lauryn Masciana is always on her toes. But outside of school, the senior stays on pointe – as a dancer at the Academy of Dance Arts in Tinton Falls. Masciana started dancing at age 3. Ballet was her favorite style until she began to enjoy contemporary, too, she said. But, Masicana said, “Ballet is the long-term goal.” Masciana plans on pursuing dance in college and as a career at a professional ballet company. Last year, she attended a summer program at Boston Ballet, which she said helped her to greatly improve. “Boston provided the reaffirmation I needed to devote myself even more to becoming a better dancer,” Masciana said. This summer, Masciana continued to work on her craft by attending America Ballet Theatre’s summer intensive in North Carolina. But Masciana doesn’t spend just her summers improving technique. During the school year, she said she spends 20 hours in the studio each week. “It’s sometimes hard to find time for schoolwork and SGA,” Masciana said. “But being that I want to pursue dance as a career, it’s not realistic to be skipping my lessons for schoolwork.” Despite her responsibilities as a student and SGA president, Masciana said she’s able to dance without feeling stressed or worried about schoolwork. “It’s really freeing. When I dance, I’m just focused on the art itself,” Masciana said. Masciana said her dream role would be Kitri in “Don Quixote,” a part for a principle dancer, the top tier performer in a professional dance company. “This role is sassy but still extremely elegant, and takes an incredible amount of talent,” she said. Her passion for the art is so strong that she sees herself dancing for the rest of her life, or as long as her body will allow her to continue, she said. Dance exerts a lot of physical stress on the body, but Masciana said that in a perfect world she’ll “be dancing as long as possible.”
Q: What are you most looking forward to during the 2015-16 school year?
Sophomore Allison Paglia of Oceanport ”I’m looking forward to seeing the freshmen be scared.”
Junior Ghillian Ferraiola of Colts Neck “Probably Fine Art Photography because I really like to take pictures.”
Senior Jane Maloney of Middletown “I’m looking forward to having more electives this year and getting the application process done.”
Interviews and Photos by MEAGAN MCDOWELL
TEACHER FEATU Ross named new freshman history teacher By LINDA BADARACCO A “lifelong love for history” propelled Thomas Ross toward his new position as CHS’s freshmen world history teacher. “Even as a child I was always reading history books and things like that,” Ross said. Born in Rutherford, N.J., he credits his father’s love of history for his curiosity toward the subject. Ross attended The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina as a history major on a scholarship fulfilled through participation in their ROTC program. “Teaching was something I always wanted to do,” Ross said. “But I had to get the bills paid.”
Ross continued as a counterintelligence officer in the army before attending the University of California for graduate study in modern European history, followed by PhD work in Russian history. His high school teaching career began at Freehold Township High School as a U.S. History II teacher. Later, he would get a job teaching world history and IB History at Biotechnology High School in Freehold. In addition to his extensive studies in history, Ross also has an interest in physics. “If I could do the math, I probably would’ve tried to be a physicist. I study the physical nature of the
universe all the time,” Ross said. “It was just that for whatever reason, I never had the gift for mathematics that was necessary.” Ross enjoys physical activities as well, including bicycling and playing tennis. “I used to coach tennis over at the varsity girls and boys tennis teams at Freehold Township. I also enjoy scuba diving, although I don’t do it that much anymore because my wife gets upset,” Ross said. “She thinks that I’m going to drown.” Ross shared his simple method for forging a bond with students. “I just try to be me,” Ross said. “My personality is my personality, and if the students like it, that’s
great. What I’m trying to do is make sure that they learn something, and that they get an enjoyable experience out of it as they go.” Concerning his new position, Ross said he looks forward to meeting an unfamiliar group of students and learning the student body’s unique identity. “I’m excited in the sense that every building has a new personality, so it’s nice to find new students, get to know them and understand how they think as opposed to a different group of kids,” Ross said. “Virtually every school has a personality, and it’s fun because it’s challenging. It’s new, so you never get bored.”
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Layout by Linda Badaracco, Tommy Fletcher and Cassie Passantino Art by Sally Boniecki and Karoline Winzer
BLOT PHO
TO BY CATHERINE ESCUET Junior Elizabeth De Fur A ia of Manalapan works with Lang in her second period Eng lish III class. Lang says she will continue reading workshop with her juniors as she did last year.
URES
CHS faced multiple changes to its teaching staff over the summer, welcoming three new teachers to the community.
Diver continues her love of teaching at Communications a tiny library in his home. Diver said she has fond memories of times when the two would play “library,” during which she helped him choose and check out books every day. Even at a young age, she said MASCIANA she knew she wanted to teach othYN UR LA BY BLOT PHOTO College, ratz ers to love writing as she did. G at education assroom. in “I hope to share my love of e diverse cl oring th aj m in n tio le hi tra W ncen d with a co literature and inspire creativity Diver studie in all my students,” Diver said. “CHS students and staff have a great reputation for creating a positive learning community. I am incredibly excited to be a part of that.” Majoring in secondary education for English at York College of Pennsylvania, Diver By MEAGAN MCDOWELL Some people discover their calling gradual- continued her graduate studies as an education ly as they become adults, but English I teacher major at Gratz College. Prior to joining the CHS staff, Diver taught Kathryn Diver said she has always known what English in Franklin Township for five years. she wanted to do. “I've worked with students from kinderDiver’s grandfather wrote poetry and had garten through college,” Diver said. “But the
reason I love working with the high school-level is because they ask great questions.” Diver said she has some new projects to bring to her class, one of which is called the Mini Book Review, during which students must create a physically miniature review of a piece of literature. The goal is for all parts of the assignment to fit into an Altoids tin. Diver said she also has an idea for a new club at CHS: a traditional book club with a twist. Instead of simply discussing the chosen book, participants bring in an original piece of art that represents the reading. Some of Diver’s favorite writers of the past include Shakespeare and Sophocles, and her favorite modern work is “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt. Currently, Diver is 50 pages away from finishing John Green’s “Paper Towns,” and said she’s “loving it.” She advises students who want to pursue a career in teaching to “go for it.” “Teaching is exciting and ever-changing,” she said.
Crelin connects with CHS By TOMMY FLETCHER Emily Crelin said she’s “excited to get started” as the sophomore English teacher, replacing Kelly Lang, who moved up to junior level English. This year will be Crelin’s first as a high school teacher. She previously worked as a sixth grade student teacher while attending The College of New Jersey. “With my sixth-graders, there were so many rules and so many set things. Everyone [at CHS] seems to be nice and flowy, so it’s just a different atmosphere from most schools,” she said. Though she was surprised by the school’s easygoing attitude and its warm welcome, Crelin said she is familiar with the MCVSD. “I’m from the area, so I know about the vocational school district, and my family went to MAST,” Crelin said. “I know that to get into a school like CHS ... kids have to be really smart and interested in learning, and that’s something I think every teacher wants.”
Crelin said she plans to finetune her teaching skills while helping students gain interest and connect curriculum text with current events. “I’m starting with ‘The Crucible’ – the Salem witch trials and that kind of persecution. There’s other kinds of things we can talk about that relate to that, things that are going on in the world now,” Crelin said. Sophomore Marie Schobel of Sea Girt said Crelin’s teaching style will bring excitement to the class, and she’s excited to study with a new teacher. “She’s really nice and young; she has a lot of new ideas that I haven’t heard of,” Schobel said. “She does a lot of group activities ... so that’s cool.” The new teacher also plans on implementing creative writing into her lessons and said she looks forward to forming relationships with her students. “I hope this will be a fantastic semester,” Crelin said. “I’m looking forward to it, and I’m looking forward to getting to know everybody.”
BLOT PHOTO Crelin said BY SARAH TA she and Dive KASH r get along agreed that well, and bo they wanted th to create a fun classroom for their students and colorful that was anyth ing but boring.
the inkblot pages 5 & 6 september 17, 2015
6 Students note varied choices in summer reading
the inkblot september 17, 2015
BY DAN MOPSICK Unlike last year, when students were all required to read Markus Zusak’s “The Book Thief,” for their summer reading assignment, this summer, students were given a choice of four books to read. Instructional council member and senior Christina Noll of Hazlet announced the titles at the end of the 2014-15 school year. The four book choices were “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand, “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier” by Ishmael Beah and “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents” by Julia Alvarez. Former instructional council member and senior Brian Brown of Sea Girt said the council hoped the variety of books would create a more enjoyable and beneficial summer reading experience for the student
body. Junior Allie Kuo of Tinton Falls choose to read “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier” by Ishmael Beah, a true story about a boy who was recruited at a young age to become a soldier. “I liked that this book discussed something that is not commonly discussed
but is a reality in other parts of the world,” Kuo said. “It was an easy and captivating read.” Junior Caroline Wilser of Wall was disappointed with “How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents.” “The book had a good synopsis, but the style of writing made it boring and even hard to finish,” Wilser said
She and Kuo agreed it was nice to have a selection this year. Junior Courtney Rademacher of Wall said the summer reading options made the assignment more appealing to students. “The selection of books were pretty good this year, because they covered a wide range of interests, so more students can relate to them,” Rademacher said. Sophomore Megan Stanislowski of Wall said she is opposed to summer reading in general. “I think summer reading can cause students to resent reading because, although we have a choice, the student might not be interested in any of the book choices,” Stanislowski said. Summer reading concludes with discussions on each of the four books, which the students and faculty will lead. Abby Silva contributed to this story.
High school students get higher education
F R E S H M A N Beginning high school can be a nervewrecking experience for any student, but especially for those entering CHS since they are entering a new environment and may not know any classmates. The Inkblot asked the Class of 2019 what they were most nervous about on their first day of school.
First Day
Jitters Reported by CAYLA HARRIS and VICTOR RIVEROS Layout by TOMMY FLETCHER
By VICTOR RIVEROS While classes officially ended in June, learning did not cease for many students at the sound of the last bell. Over the course of the break, summer programs provided a learning experience for students wanting to expand their knowledge beyond the walls of CHS. Junior Leo Ross said he attended a three-week course on the American Counterculture at Brown University. “I was very interested in getting a taste of the college life,” he said. Ross said that the biggest difference that he noticed this summer between his high school and pre-college program experience was the lack of supervision. “In college, there’s more of a focus of self-reliance … It’s a very rewarding experience, and the sense of freedom it affords you is entirely unlike the freedoms you find in high school,” Ross said. Senior Arianna Ferraro of Manalapan committed to the University of Louisville for soccer and attended a camp at the university with fellow class of 2016 recruits. “I got to play in the stadium where they play their real games, so that was cool,” she said. Ferraro said she hopes the camp will benefit her in the future when she plays for Louisville.
“It helped because I got to meet my future teammates, and it’s good to meet them before school actually starts,” she said. While the summer provided ample opportunities for student athletes, others chose to continue pursuing the communications field during their break. Senior Jane Maloney of Middletown attended a week-long audio engineering course at Ithaca College. She attended, she said, to further pursue her interest in the audio field, but she said the program had the opposite effect. “I realized that I’m interested in audio engineering but probably not as a career choice,” Maloney said. Senior Veronica Parker of Millstone attended an engineering and science program at Stevens Institute of Technology. Parker said she also attended the program to pursue a subject of interest. “The program definitely helped me pick what I’m going to major in. Before the program, I knew I wanted to do some sort of engineering or science, but I was never 100 percent sure,” she said. Parker said that the program helped her decide that she wants to major in Electrical Engineering. “It’s such a relief to know exactly what I’m going to do,” Parker said.
College tours guide students toward their futures Students have varying opinions on when it’s best to start visiting colleges and universities. By ANNA ROBINSON College tours provide what information packets can’t: an experience. A tour grants visitors a tiny glimpse of life at the school, often affecting a student’s decision to apply and, ultimately, to attend. The campus visit is the single most influential source of information for students in college choice, according to a study conducted by the Art & Science
Group, a consulting firm for higher education institutions. Senior Darcy Darbin of Middletown visited two schools and said her tours “made a huge impact.” “The college you want to go to should give you a positive ‘gut feeling,’ because it gets you excited to go there,” Darbin said. “I now know which college I want to go to the most because the tours helped me
see what the campus, students and faculty are like.” CHS alumna Danielle Cooper of Rumson is now a sophomore at Syracuse University and disagreed. The “school’s fit” was the ultimate deciding factor, although the tours did help, she said. “Don’t worry if you never get that ‘gut feeling’ that a school is right for you. It’s not always so black and white. Just think
it through, make a pros and cons list and breathe, and you’ll figure it out,” Cooper said. Sophomore Marcos Guevara of Matawan won’t be applying to college for two more years but has already visited three universities. “On the tours I’ve been on, I’ve learned that college is much more rigorous of a learning experience than high school, as well as it
being a training ground for the real world,” he said. But Darbin cautioned against visiting schools too early. “I have [the most recent] visits fresh in my mind, so the information will stick with me better than if I looked long ago,” Darbin said. Senior Allison Wheeler of Wall started to look at schools during her sophomore year.
“I think it helps to look at schools early, because it gives you an incentive to work hard in school,” Wheeler said. “The big thing I learned is that college should make you happy, not fearful, and going on the tours made me discover how important that feeling of inspiration is. You can’t get that from Googling stats or browsing the College Board website,” Darbin said.
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the inkblot september 17, 2015
Melting pot alienates Muslims By CATHERINE LA ROCHE As an estimated 3,400 westerners, from the Americas and Europe, have joined the Islamic State in Syria these past couple of years, their families, the police and the media ask: what would compel someone to join a terrorist organization like that? Some would-be terrorists are easily lured by the promise of being part of something bigger, like the three British girls who traveled to Syria to become ISIS brides and whose case was heavily covered by the New York Times and CNN. It’s easier to blame ISIS itself or the people involved than admit that the western world may not be very kind to its Middle Eastern population. It’s not that there is necessarily institutionalized hostility within the U.S. government, but the American media seem to neglect Arab Americans, unless it’s in an action movie involving terrorists a la “American Sniper” or “Zero Dark Thirty.” The only TV show I can think of involving Middle Eastern, non-terrorist Americans is
a reality show – Bravo’s “Shahs of Sunset” – about rich Iranians in the L.A. area. It’s a great show, and I watch it regularly, but it’s not enough. Four percent of the United States population is Middle Eastern, 1.7 million Americans identify as Arab and one percent of the American population is Muslim. After some Google research, I found that Mike Tyson is, in my opinion, the most notable American Muslim celebrity, and when’s the last time anyone thought about Mike Tyson? We live in a time when many American Arabs, Middle Easterners and Muslims feel alienated by American culture. Amira Abase, a 16-year-old British ISIS bride, tweeted before she left for Syria, “I feel like I don’t belong in this era.” No one should feel that way. Forty-three percent of American Muslims report experiencing discrimination or intolerance in this country. Twenty-two percent have been called offensive names. Six percent have felt physically threatened
or attacked, according to the Pew Research Center. It’s also important to increase Muslim representation in the media, especially because of differing opinions on dress between the West and East. Long-haired girls at festivals in short-shorts and Beyonce in barely-there Givenchy are viewed as beautiful by the media, while hijabs and headscarves are seen by some activists as confining symbols of oppression. Somali author Ayaan Hirsi Ali wrote in her book “Nomad” that veils “deliberately mark women as private and restricted property, nonpersons.” But for many, many women, modesty is a choice, albeit a difficult one in today’s society. I have never seen a female character in hijab on TV, although in my research, I found that at least two brand new shows are set to feature a hijab or niqab-wearing main character soon. For a country that’s described as the “melting pot,” our media isn’t particularly inclusive of our Middle Eastern and North African populations.
Everyone should travel abroad By SARAH LYNCH As the daughter of two world travelers, I’ve learned how to pack my suitcase like a pro. I’ve become a connoisseur of motion sickness pills and along the way I’ve seen some pretty cool sights. But it took me a while to realize that not everyone has a passport, and the sad truth is that less than half of Americans do. The number of passports issued rose throughout the early 2000s. In 2007, the number of issues passports peaked at 18,382,798 passports, according to the Expeditioner, a travel news site. Then the recession hit in December of 2007, and the annual number of passports issued started to decline. In 2014, only 46 percent of Americans had passports. These statistics appear to blame the recession for the decline in American travel. Now 54 percent of Americans aren’t putting their hardearned money in a travel jar. My question is: why? I read a quote once that said, “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” And in my short time here on planet earth thus far, I can say this is undoubtedly true. If you asked me what I got for my eleventh birthday, I would have no clue. But if you asked me where I went on vacation when I was eleven, I could easily tell you stories of the magnificent whales I saw in Alaska. I could show you pictures of the icebergs and remember how frigid the weather was and how good that hot chocolate tasted. Travel doesn’t have to be expensive if you
PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH LYNCH
do it right. Cut out the unnecessary expenses in your life and save up. Rack up the frequent flyer points by traveling domestically. Fly business class. Stay in hostels. Go somewhere cheap. Some of the most amazing travel experiences I’ve had weren’t in famous tourist destinations like Paris but in the little nooks and crannies of the world, like Corfu, Greece. Make time for travel in your life. My dad quit his job in his 20s to go on a six-month escapade around the world, but even a long weekend would suffice. Our generation likes to point out that you only live once. See the world and experience what it has to offer, so that once is enough.
Attention: c/o Communications High School 1740 New Bedford Road Wall, NJ 07719 (732) 681-1010 The Inkblot is published by the students of Communications High School. The Inkblot is a public forum for student expression and encourages all sides to voice their opinions. Our writers will honor the highest standards of journalism by striving for truth, accuracy and fairness first.
The Inkblot welcomes letters to the Editor. Please send your letters to Editor-in-Chief Anna Robinson at arobinson@ctemc.org or Editor-in-Chief Cayla Harris at charris@ctemc.org. The Inkblot reserves the right to edit for length and content.
New studio could revive Broadcast Club An entire summer and $1.5 million later, CHS has seen its first new TV studio in years. Decked out with three cameras, a fresh green screen and a renovated control room, the new TV facility is a wonder. This is great, especially for the TV kids who have been waiting for a teleprompter that didn’t require a PowerPoint presentation of the script to function properly. It’s great for the students who really love broadcast production and were able to take electives like Live Studio Production or Advanced TV. But it’s not so great for former and prospective members of the Broadcast Club, whose club dissolved at the end of the 2014-15 school year. We just spent $1.5 million on a brand new broadcast studio in the same year that we dissolved the broadcast club. Irony, thy name is CHS. Trust us – we know the TV studio will fulfill many purposes, and we thank the school board for investing in us. But here’s the thing; last year, most rising seniors were banned from taking double sciences in part because school administrators thought that the practice strayed from the school’s communications theme. If the school is having an identity crisis, both students and administrators alike have to agree that disbanding a club so closely related to the communications field just doesn’t make sense. It makes even less sense to drop the club the very year that it has the potential to flourish the most. With the new TV studio – and perhaps a new adviser, too – student interest and participation in a revitalized Broadcast Club could be higher than ever. Last year’s Broadcast Club had at least 15 active members, and CHS has seen clubs that have blossomed under far more meager conditions. The equipment in the new studio is comparable to that of broadcast studios in colleges, TV Production teacher Jennifer Cornine said. This experience is invaluable to CHS students, and it can lead to competitions, internships and careers. The Student Television Network Convention, which the Broadcast Club attended annually during at least the last five years, is exhibit A. Principal James Gleason told the Inkblot last year that the lack of a Broadcast Club doesn’t mean that CHS has to stop competing at STN. We agree. We would love for students to have the ability to compete in broadcast journalism. But who will chaperone the trip? Who will get underclassmen involved in years to come? This is why we need a Broadcast Club. The convention gives students an opportunity to showcase their best broadcast abilities, and really, who better to brag about communications skills than Communications High School? We can’t take any STN prize back to CHS if we don’t compete. Yes, the adviser problem still exists. We acknowledge this. But if students can learn how to use the new broadcast studio equipment, then so can teachers. At least a few teachers here at CHS are capable of learning the equipment and helping the Broadcast Club improve. Now, we know what you’re thinking. The Inkblot could just absorb the Broadcast Club. We do have a video department … it has three members. We’re working on that. But we have a very specific broadcast department. We produce news content – interviews, podcasts, packages – and if that’s your thing, we’d love to have you. But if your passion is to be at the news desk or to make commercials, PSAs and full-length productions, then you need access to the cutting-edge studio and state-of-the-art equipment down the hall in Room 148.If you simply love broadcast, come our way, but we’re not a permanent fix. The Inkblot urges the administration to bring the Broadcast Club back to CHS. This is not an issue to put on the backburner. CHS has a want and a need for a Broadcast Club, and with the new TV studio, the timing has never been more right for a relaunch.
Editors-in-Chief Cayla Harris & Anna Robinson Managing Editor Tommy Fletcher
Business Manager Sallie Haas
News Editor Julia Pardee Assistant Nick Brennan
Sports Editor Nick Hession Shane Nolan
Art Editor Sally Boniecki Assistant Karoline Winzer
Features Editor Victor Riveros Assistant Abby Silva
Clubs Editor Sam Dellis
Print Photo Editor Sarah Takash
Web Editor Dan Mopsick Assitant Izzy Cavazzoni Assistant Emma Willenta
Web Photo Editor Meagan McDowell
Features Truck Editor Linda Badaracco Assistant Cassie Passantino Opinion Editors Cat La Roche Sarah Lynch
Social Media Editor Kate Ridoux Print-to-Web Editor Caroline Savage
Video Editor Olivia Malesco Assistant Kat Holtz Copy Chief Christina Noll
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the inkblot september 17, 2015
Media boosts women’s soccer
PHOTO THROUGH CREATIVE COMMONS, NO CREDIT REQUIRED
Geno Smith finished the 2014 season with 2,525 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, according to NFL.com
Locker room brawl injures Jets QB
By SHANE NOLAN The sweltering summer months of NFL training camp can lead to some heated exchanges between teammates. These fights often end with little consequence, like Dallas Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant brushing off his training camp fight with teammate Tyler Patman as a “fight amongst brothers.” But one NFL team saw a locker room scuffle that will leave a lasting impact on their upcoming season. New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith suffered from a broken jaw as a result of a locker room altercation with linebacker IK Enemkpali, ESPN reported on Aug. 12. The argument arose when Enemkpali confronted Smith about reimbursing him for a $600 plane ticket that Smith intended to use to make a celebrity appearance at Enemkpali’s football camp in Pflugerville, Texas, on July 11. Smith, ultimately, could not attend and refused to pay for the ticket. Smith will be sidelined
six to ten weeks due to the injury, according to ESPN. Before the injury, Geno Smith was listed as the starting quarterback for a team looking to improve on last year’s four and 12 record. Junior Luke Brown of Manasquan said the Smith injury is a “setback.” “As a Jets fan, I was excited to see Geno Smith’s off-season improvement,” Brown said. “It’s unfortunate that such a petty locker room issue ends with our QB being out for a large part of the season.” Senior Johnny Callaghan of Wall said that the Jets’ “dumb luck” led to Smith’s injury. “It is the most Jets thing that could have happened,” Callaghan said. “[We] lose our starting QB in a conflict over money that is more or less pocket change to a pro player ... The Jets keep causing their own damage.” Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will take over the Jets’ offense while Smith recovers from his injury.
By SHANNON BRADLEY This July, the Women’s National Soccer Team beat Japan five to two in overtime for their third World Cup win, setting a new precedent for the most World Cup wins to date in women’s soccer. Ryan Wood, a director with the Boston Breakers women’s soccer club, home of WNST goalie Alyssa Naeher, said that the WNST “was very team-oriented. They all worked together, no matter how much or how little they played.” While the team competed in Canada, their American fans tuned in to the game, setting a record of their own. The final game garnered about 23 million views, making it the most-watched soccer match in the U.S. The game had the highest audience in Kansas, where four of the players on the roster play for the FC Kansas City Blues, according to Fox Sports. Aaron Heifetz, the press officer for the WNST, said the game was so popular because “fans feel like they know the players because of their presence on social media.” The team’s social media presence is not the only reason why sophomore Lauren Spiezia of Marlboro follows the team. “The diversity within the WNST
makes the entire team more relatable in their audience both on and off the field,” Spiezia said. The WNST includes a diverse range of players, such as Shannon Boxx, a 38-yearold starting midfielder who suffers from Lupus. It also is home to Abby Wambach, an openly gay player who is also the highest all-time international scorer in history. “They’re embracing their individuality while still playing on a team and working together,” Spiezia said. WNST players are embodying their own uniqueness on and off the field as shown in the #SheBelieves campaign. It encourages fans not to let stereotypes in sports and school deter them from achieving their goals. Junior Anthony Moore of Howell said that these women have inspired him. “I’ve found myself thinking if I try my hardest at practice or a game, I’d be closer to their level,” Moore said. He also said that soccer has brought him together with other people. “Soccer brings people together, no doubt about it, and not just in America. People could be cheering for the team in Singapore or Wall, N.J.,” Heifetz said.
CC PHOTO BY JOSH SMITH
American women’s soccer great Abby Wambach, the highest all-time international scorer in history, lends her name to several charitable efforts, contributing to the success of women’s soccer.
It’s fall; bring on the fantasy football leagues By NICHOLAS HESSION The sports world is full of triumph, heartbreak, success, failure and a myriad of other feelings for fans and athletes alike. Coming into the 2015-16 season, one way fans interact with football without actually playing through participation in fantasy football leagues. Fans can use sites like Yahoo, ESPN or any of the various sports leagues’ official websites to create a fantasy league. In a league, a person will draft their own team of real professional players. The
team scores points based on the players’ actions in real games and whichever team scores the most points between the two competitors wins each week. Senior Jarod Danscuk of Howell is in a ten-team fantasy league with other CHS students, as well as two other leagues outside of school. Danscuk had the first pick in the draft and used it to draft Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy. He said that Lacy “is a proven and consistent stud who
hasn’t failed me once.” Danscuk said that, having the first pick in the draft, there was pressure to try and pick the player with the single most points on the year. In a fantasy draft, each team takes one player per round and, to keep the draft fair the order reverses each round. Junior Kevin Meberg of Wall also participates in a league within CHS. He had the fifth pick in his draft and also used it to add Eddie Lacy to his team. Meiberg said that this year he “winged it.”
“Most of my research was done immediately before and during the draft,” Meiberg said. “Everybody knows that CHS isn’t exactly the most ‘sporty’ school, and so only around half the kids in my league have played fantasy football in the past.” “Being in a CHS league has definitely been a more relaxed experience than other leagues I’ve been in,” Meiberg said. “It’s just nice to keep things friendlier with a group of people I’m closer with.”
Danscuk also shared positive feelings about fantasy football leagues within CHS. “The CHS league is more significant to me as it’s consistent, but, skill-wise, I have found myself on top the past two years,” Danscuk said. But luck has a lot to do with fantasy leagues too, he said. “Of course there’s luck involved,” Danscuk said. “There’s injuries and just bad weeks to consider. You just have to go with your gut in the end.”
Interviews by NICK HESSION Photos by SARAH TAKASH
Freshman Anthony Sasso Colts Neck “I had the second pick and I used it to pick up Le’Veon Bell “
Sophomore David Neuwirth Brielle “I had the first pick in the draft and I used it on Jamaal Charles.”
Junior Luke Brown
Manasquan “I got the third pick and used it to draft Marshawn Lynch.”
Senior Clay Paley Howell “I drafted fourth and got Jamaal Charles.”
Q: In your fantasy football league, which draft pick did you have and who did you use it on?