The inkblot issue 3 volume 14

Page 10 Nation is hungry for new dessert trend

SPORTS

Page 4 Sophomore becomes a U.S. citizen

ARTS

Page 2 School takes trip to the “Forum”

F E AT U R E S

NEWS

December 23, 2015 Page 12 Students root for non-Jersey teams

)

Volume 15, Issue 3

Communications High School, Wall, New

INSIDE: Drama Club performs “Twelve” Page 5

BLOT PHOTO BY SARAH TAKASH From left: junior John Hennessy of Middletown, senior Olivia Keavey of Shrewsbury and junior Rebecca Madeira of Howell.

www.THEINKBLOTNEWS.com

Students book it to the new Book Nook

By ANDREW WANG Last year, then-sophomore Shannon Bradley of Keyport decided that the Book Nook “was really a mess” and wanted to do something about it.

“There were books everywhere stacked precariously on all of the shelves.

Some stacks looked like they could fall at any minute. So, I decided to start changing the way it was run and start changing how the books were organized,” Bradley said.

The new Book Nook, which opened to the school on Nov. 4, features a new online system for cataloging books and for allowing students to take books out, Bradley said.

New books were also added as a result of a collaboration among Spanish teacher Gail Plumeri, MCVSD Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction Kelly Harmon and technology teacher Laura Gesin.

To order the books, the group used a $1,000 first place prize won by alumna Hannah Eareckson of the Class of 2015 from the 2014 Charles Lafitte Foundation Summer Reading Essay Contest.

“Ms. Harmon asked me if I would help get a book order together with the $1,000 prize that was won last year. So, with Ms. Gesin’s help, we got a book order together, and were able to get $1,000 worth of books for the Book Nook,” Plumeri said.

More books also came in through donations.

The new Book Nook was originally intended to be completed in two weeks last April, “but we severely underestimated how long it would actually take to catalog all the books and make sure they were all organized,” Bradley said.

Now, after months of work, Bradley and Plumeri, along with help of other students, have completed their project.

Junior Sam Bender of Neptune, who helped Bradley and Plumeri in opening the latest Book Nook, said it was not completed without its difficulties.

“There were a few computer problems with getting everyone’s name into the system so that they could take out books.

[See BOOK NOOK, Page 2]

BLOT PHOTO BY MEAGAN MCDOWELL Freshman Sydney Karlin of Matawan performs a piano rendition at the Class of 2017 fundraiser. Coffeehouse is an event annually and traditionally hosted by the juniors.

Coffeehouse returns, with a shot of talent

By KHUSHI KADAKIA and ERICA SAMMARCO

On Friday, Dec. 4, the Class of 2017 hosted the annual Coffeehouse to raise money for their grade.

Family members and students alike gathered in the cafeteria to see this year’s performances. Students who took the stage performed various acts, such as reading poetry, singing and dancing.

Freshman Sydney Karlin of Matawan performed a Korean song on the piano.

“I had never fully made it an actual piano arrangement that would be ready to perform, but when Coffeehouse was announced, I really wanted to do it, and so I did,” Karlin said.

Karlin said she was happy with her performance and would definitely return to the stage next year. Last year, the hosting class, the Class of 2016, raised $1,570, according to class adviser and history teacher Bill Clark. Junior class Co-President Elizabeth De Furia of Manalapan said that this year, the Class of 2017 raked in $1,400. This year, the hosting class also set up the cafeteria a little differently. The senior couches and donated beanbags and

chairs were set up in front of the stage. Tables were dispersed throughout the seating area and free snacks were available in

BLOT PHOTO BY MEAGAN MCDOWELL Members of the band The Pinheads, from left: freshmen Liam Marshall of Sea Girt, Kevin Clark of Spring Lake and Kyle Wheeler of Wall.

The band opened the show, performing a cover of “Brown Eyed Girl.”

the back. In the past, the setup has been “very rigid,” De Furia said, as everyone was seated in rows. De Furia said that this year “it was all about making it look cute and more informal … in the true Coffeehouse aesthetic.”

De Furia also said that almost all of the profits made will go toward next year’s prom, which the Class of 2017 will organize. The money will primarily be used for the venue.

During the event, the attendees interacted with the hosts through the Twitter account @chscoffeehouse and the hashtag #chscoffeehouse2k15.

“I can honestly say that I’ve been here 16 years, and this [was] one of the best,” fitness teacher and Class of 2017 adviser Ginny Clevenger said.

Senior Olivia Keavey of Shrewsbury said she has always found Coffeehouse enjoyable.

“I think they’re always really good, because we have a really talented school,” Keavey said.

De Furia agreed.

“You can make it look really pretty, but in the end it really doesn’t matter,” De Furia said. ”It’s all the performers.”

Senior Anna Robinson of Ocean has performed at Coffeehouse every year.

“Coffeehouse has been the place I feel the most comfortable to express myself through my voice, ” Robinson said.

NAHS members venture to Cooper Hewitt Museum

BLOT PHOTO BY SYDNEY FOO SIAM Junior Ghillian Ferriola of Colts Neck examined the interactive brochures at the Cooper Hewitt Museum.

By KYLIE LAMB Straying away from tradition, 30 National Art Honors Society members visited the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City on Dec. 2. NAHS advisers Laura Fallon and Shelley Ortner chose this museum over past options, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim.

“Mrs. Fallon was aware that [the museum] did major renovations to make it very interactive,” Ortner said. “We felt that students

more inclined to be designers deserved to see more of a design-related museum rather than just fine art.”

The trip began with an interactive tour and project with a museum attendant.

Students were led to a few major exhibits to discuss the artworks’ elements, principles of design and messages.

The group was then brought into the museum’s “Design Lab” where they were given a prompt and, with a partner, had to create an ad that included at

least two of the types of art they discussed. After this, students were free to roam the museum to observe the other exhibits.

But the thing that mattered most to the advisers was ensuring that the trip attracted enough students.

It can be difficult to organize a big trip for a reasonable price, due to costs of the tour and the cost of getting a comfortable bus for the long ride, Ortner said.

The Cooper Hewitt Museum impressed many of the visiting students, in-

cluding junior Kathryn Willis of Tinton Falls.

“It was a really enjoyable opportunity to visit such a unique museum that I might have overlooked on my own,” Willis said. “To see such a beautiful and old building present very forward-thinking technology made for an interesting contrast.”

Ortner said she hopes NAHS visits a larger museum next year, such as the MOMA or the Whitney Museum, as they have visited in the past.

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the inkblot december 23, 2015

A funny thing happened on the way to Two River Theater

By MARK DISPIGNA After some debate, mostly among seniors, on whether or not to attend the school’s first school-wide field trip, 249 students hopped on a bus for a trip to see “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” on Nov. 24.

Technology teacher Laura Gesin said the play at Two River Theater in Red Bank was brought to her attention when an English teacher at Biotechnology High School suggested the trip. This performance was the first trip in CHS history that all of the school’s 320 students were given the option to attend. The cost of a ticket was $30.

“We had to earn back the thousands of dollars spent on busing and pre-paid tickets after I had first made the purchases last spring,” Gesin said. “‘Forum’ was our only option due to scheduling, but the student feedback was extremely positive.”

“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” follows a clumsy slave named Pseudolus who tries to win his freedom by helping his master charm the girl next door into running away with him, according to Two River’s website.

A senior who asked to remain anonymous for fear of

BLOT INFOGRAPHIC BY MITHU SANKAR Survey of 274 students on Dec. 2, 2015

repercussion said they had two main reasons for not wishing to attend the trip.

“There was absolutely no student input, and you can’t make someone pay $30 for a play they never agreed to see in the first place,” the senior said. “It didn’t even come with food.”

Students who remained at school were given a large portion of the day to “catch up on class work” in rooms 145 and 107, Principal James Gleason said.

Freshman Michael Topper of Ocean was among the students who enjoyed the trip.

“It was really funny, just not what I was expecting,” Topper said. “The show didn’t feel particularly educational, either.”

Gleason said he understands that any type of performance will yield mixed reactions. “There were certainly some concerns that were expressed to me about the content of the play,” he said. “But, overall, I believe that the students were happy to get out of class and spend time with their friends.”

Gleason said he looks forward to the possibility of more school-wide field trips in the future.

60 students light the candle of success for NHS/NTHS

By SARAH LYNCH Students gathered in the cafeteria on Tuesday, Dec. 1 for their inductions into both the National Honor Society and the National Technical Honor Society.

MCVSD Superintendent Timothy McCorkell congratulated the inductees and thanked their parents, their teachers and the entire staff for supporting their academic success.

Math teacher and NHS adviser Justine Lane welcomed 54 students into NHS this year.

She explained what requirements those students had to fulfill to be inducted.

“You need 100 hours of service. You need 50 hours of leadership. You need to be invited, and the way you are invited is if you have a 92.0 average or above. And then I do almost like a background check. I reach out to the teachers and see if there are any discipline reports or honesty issues or integrity issues,” Lane said. “Then, if you meet all of those criteria, you are inducted.”

Junior Anna Soltys of Holm-

del said NHS has much to offer her.

“It’s a very reputable organization that colleges look for, and the things that you had to do to get in are also things that colleges are looking for, Soltys said. “It’s just another way to give yourself an edge against the other college applicants.”

Lane said that, each year, the number of students inducted into NHS varies anywhere from 30 to 55 students.

But NTHS only inducted eight new members this year, and the requirements for NTHS are different than NHS. Senior and NTHS President Julia Rongo of Middletown said that applicants must have a GPA of at least a 90, write an essay, participate in a SkillsUSA competition and be recommended by a teacher.

Senior Bridget Savage of Brielle said she applied to NTHS because she wanted “an honor society that didn’t only represent the education part of school.”

As for the application pro-

BLOT PHOTO BY DELIA NOONE Juniors Luke Brown of Manasquan and Shannon Bradley of Keyport were two of 54 NHS inductees.

cess itself, Savage said she felt the requirements “showcased everything,” Savage said her induction

Where’s the Wi-Fi?

Students feel disconnected without school-wide access

By JACQUELINE GELLER It has been 15 years since CHS has opened, and students still don’t have access to unlimited Wi-Fi due to expenses and district policies.

MCVSD Director of Technology Chris Widmer wrote that a plan to enable Wi-Fi to the students and teachers is underway as of December 2015, but funding has not been initiated yet.

“As soon as funds are available, we plan to continue work towards our guest wireless initiative in support of student-owned and staff-owned devices connecting to a secure guest Wi-Fi network,” Widmer said.

Once the vendor is picked, Widmer said the first year’s costs for the district-wide system implementation will be approximately $175,000 to $200,000, an increase from last year’s estimate of $95,000 to $150,000.

On top of that, the annual cost is projected to be around $15,000 to $20,000, The Inkblot reported in 2014.

Widmer said the plan is to start small by allowing one of the MCVSD schools to test out the Wi-Fi, and, eventually, grant access

to all MCVSD academies.

Some students are not bothered by the lack of Wi-Fi in school, such as sophomore Samara Ghali of Colts Neck.

“I don’t need Wi-Fi because I have unlimited data. It’s pretty much completely irrelevant to my life,” Ghali said.

But in an October 2015 Inkblot survey, 71 percent of CHS students said they felt that Wi-Fi was needed in school.

Sixty percent of students said they would use this Wi-Fi access for school-related apps.

Like these students, sophomore Marie Schobel of Sea Girt said she believes that Wi-Fi for students is beneficial because they need it to check their grades on PowerSchool, access the Google apps for assignments and use the Internet if they feel the need to research a topic that is relevant to class.

“People are always saying that everything is cyber now, so CHS students need to use it. Without the Wi-Fi, we can’t get those documents that we need, and we can’t get to Classroom to get what we need,” Schobel said.

means she can “succeed in a technical field.” Senior Connor Duffy of Freehold agreed. “Honestly, I’m really proud to be a member

[BOOK NOOK, from Page 1} There were a few books we had to take out, because they weren’t appropriate for school,” Bender said.

Now that the Book Nook is once again open, Bradley said she hopes it

of NHS, because it shows that I’ve put in the effort needed to be a part of it, and that I can continue to do that,” Duffy said.

will bring increased reading at CHS. “I hope to improve the quality of books that people are reading and start increasing the number of books that everyone is reading and just really get them into reading again,” Bradley said.

BLOT CORRECTION

The turtle cartoon on page 11 of the Nov. 16, 2015 edition of the Inkblot was drawn by artist Lauren DeFelice, not Amelia Johnson.

BLOT CORRECTION

In the Nov. 16, 2015 edition of the Inkblot, sophomore Samara Ghali was incorrectly identified as a follower of the Muslim religion in the article “Religious tolerance is a work in progress.” Ghali is agnostic.

BLOT CLARIFICATION

In the Nov. 16, 2015 edition of the Inkblot, sophomore Christina Alfano was implied to believe that a higher power shaped historical events in the article “Spirituality influences students’ lives.” Alfano said she believes in evolution and that people’s actions write history.

Visit TheInkblotNews.com for continuous breaking news, updates, polls and more.

the inkblot december 23, 2015

When pancakes are put on hold

For vegans, vegetarians and the gluten-sensitive, challenges abound

By ALLIE KUO Wander down any aisle in a grocery store nowadays, and chances are, there is a snack labeled “gluten-free” or “vegan.”

These foods cater to the millions of Americans who follow a specialized diet, whether it’s for health reasons or personal beliefs.

In a December Inkblot survey, 13 percent of students said they followed a specialized diet, like veganism or vegetarianism.

When it comes to health, some people have allergies to gluten and lactose and may become sick if they eat foods with those ingredients.

For that reason, sophomore Samantha LaRochelle of Middletown follows a gluten-free diet.

“I was frequently sick and then found out that I was actually allergic to gluten,” LaRochelle said.

The primary sources of gluten are wheat, rye, barley and some oats, and it can also be found in foods such as blue cheese and soy sauce, according to Whole Food’s website.

Sophomore Veronica

I am...

Vegetarian

9% Vegan

1% Gluten-Free

3% None of the above = 87%

BLOT INFOGRAPHIC BY JULIE ALTER Survey of 274 students on Dec. 2, 2015

Yaron of Little Silver said going gluten-free helped with her anxiety and trichotillomania, a condition where the individual has recurrent urges to pull out their body hair, according to Mayo Clinic.

“Once I went gluten-free, it didn’t stop [my anxiety], but it went down immensely,” Yaron said.

Students have restricted diets for other reasons as well.

Senior Lauryn Masciana of Middletown is a pescetarian, a vegetarian who consumes seafood.

After starting the diet, it

helped her feel healthier, she said. “I also kind of felt guilty eating meat because of the animals,” Masciana said.

But individuals who follow specific diets sometimes have a price to pay.

LaRochelle has experienced first-hand the stigma associated with diets.

Often times, servers will treat her poorly because of her allergy, she said.

“I guess it’s annoying to them to have to ensure that I don’t get sick,” LaRochelle said.

“They do have a ten-

dency to be a little rude about it. So I feel the need to explain that I am actually allergic … it’s not just some random diet I decided on, I physically cannot digest gluten.”

For freshman Cecilia Heidelberger of Lincroft, the hardest part about being vegetarian and lactose intolerant is eating out at restaurants.

“I sometimes eat things that my friends don’t find appealing, so it can be hard to do things like going out to lunch,” Heidelberger said.

Even though some may find it challenging to sacrifice certain foods for a diet, LaRochelle said it’s a better alternative to getting sick.

“Everything looks so good, but I know the consequences to me eating any of it,” she said.

But if she could have one food, LaRochelle said it would be pancakes.

“Most other things have perfectly adequate [gluten-free] replacements, but not pancakes,” she said.

“They are never quite as good as I remembered.”

Apple products an overwhelming CHS favorite

By REBECCA RIPPON On Black Friday, you could buy an Apple iPhone 6s starting at $150 or a Samsung Galaxy S6 for one penny at Target. The holiday season brings huge sales for Apple and Android, but often the debate lies in which company offers better quality.

Sophomore Kyle Robinson of Middletown currently owns an iPhone but said he prefers Android.

“The customization and overall quality is better on the Galaxy,” Robinson said. “I switched [to iPhone] almost solely because of group chats. I needed to be in a few for sports, and iPhone is just so incompatible with everything else that I had to get one.”

Freshman Robert Murphy of Ocean has an Android and said he agreed that it is better quality.

“It’s more capable of things,” Murphy said. “The iPhone is just there for personal use, while the An-

droid can do much more.”

Because CHS uses mainly Apple products in its computer labs, Murphy said it has been difficult adjusting to the different technology, but it’s getting easier.

Junior Anna Vernick of Ocean said she really likes her iPhone for all of its functions.

“I love that I can store pictures, thousands of songs and more, all in one tiny device,” Vernick said.

Sophomore Brandon Kalika of Middletown agreed. Having owned both Apple and Android phones, Kalika prefers the iPhone because it caters to the user, he said.

“Androids were too complicated for me and reminded me too much of robots, while Apple sort of makes the phone based on human preference,” Kalika said.

The majority of CHS students use Apple products, too. In a December

ROVING

REPORTER

Freshman Vivian DeRosa of Ocean Township “I’d want to be an 80-year-old. I’d be retired from work, so I can write my entire life’s story. I could read whenever I wanted ... by then it would be socially acceptable to knit in public.”

Other 2%

Android 10% Apple 88%

BLOT INFOGRAPHIC BY JULIE ALTER Survey of 274 students on Dec. 2, 2015

Inkblot survey, 88 percent of students said they used Apple products, while only 10 percent said they used Android products.

“You don’t want to be that kid that doesn’t have an iPhone,” freshman Kail Ying of Manalapan said.

1 in 300

BLOT PHOTO BY ALLIE KUO

Darcy Darbin: poet and novelist

By ELIZABETH KLEMM Not many 17-year-olds can say they’ve written and published a novel, but senior Darcy Darbin of Middletown definitely can. Darbin released her first novel, “Hopeless,” on March 25.

Darbin, now 18, said she has been writing for the majority of her life. “[In] early elementary school, I would write silly poetry all the time, and then it eventually turned into storytelling, which turned into just overall wanting to write a lot,” Darbin said.

Today, she writes a wide variety of genres in a variety of lengths, in both prose and verse.

“I wrote my novel … I do a lot of poetry … I have a lot of short stories in my repertoire. I also do a lot of nonfiction,” Darbin said. She is currently drafting a memoir about her high school experience.

“Hopeless” is a realistic fiction novel that follows a man as he loses the trust of his best friend and his own mental stability, Darbin said. The novel is available through Booktango and Amazon as either an e-book or a hard copy.

“The very second I finished it, I had this moment where I realized it was basically an allegory,” Darbin said. “I realized I injected a little piece of my personality into every single character totally subconsciously.”

Darbin said she finished writing the novel last December but stepped away from it for a little while before proofreading it. This process took about two months, and Spanish teacher Gail Plumeri proofread her novel.

“I had to personally proofread it I think twice, and then I gave it to Mrs. Plumeri,” Darbin said.

Darbin makes $2 per book sold, but the book costs $10. She said this was a frustrating realization about creative writing.

Darbin plans to continue to self-publish but said she won’t pursue writing as a full-time career.

“You can’t make it a mathematical thing. It’s a physical and metaphysical sensation you go through when you are writing something,” Darbin said.

Q: If you could be one age forever what would it be and why?

Sophomore Brandon Kalika of Middletown

“I would be 21. That way, I could be young, but I could also be old.”

3

Senior Justin Ortiz Junior Kylie Lamb of Middletown of Howell “I would be 25, because you can rent a “I’d like to be 26. It’s the golden age. car, you can drink, and I’m pretty sure You’re not 30 yet so you live it up, but it’s around 25 that you stop develop- you can also have a stable job and things like that.” ing, so you’re at your highest point in your life, I think.”

INTERVIEWS BY ALEXIS COLUCCI AND ALLIE KUO BLOT PHOTOS BY AUDREY MANNION AND ALLIE KUO

4

the inkblot december 23, 2015

Winzer becomes American citizen, isn’t school’s first

By CAYLA HARRIS There are six steps to becoming a United States citizen, according to All Law, and sophomore Karoline Winzer of Aberdeen-Matawan knows all about them.

One, find out whether you’re eligible; two, overcome barriers to your ineligibility; three, file USCIS Form N-400; four, get fingerprinted; five, attend a citizenship ceremony; and, six, attend the oath ceremony. Or, if you’d like to take an easier route, just make sure you’re born here.

But if the latter seems like too much to ask of an unborn child,

then applying for citizenship is the way to go.

Winzer became an official citizen of the United States on Dec. 5, 2015, she said.

Born in Vienna, Austria, Winzer immigrated to the states in October 2000, when she was 6 months old.

“My family was originally only supposed to stay in the U.S. for a year, so the plan was not originally to become citizens, but a lot has changed since then, and when we realized that we had several restrictions by not being citizens of the U.S., we decided to apply for citizenship,” Winzer

said.

To become a citizen, Winzer’s parents needed to take the U.S. citizenship test, consisting of an oral exam, a reading comprehension test and a writing test.

Because Winzer and her brother are still minors, they “only had to go for an interview, take the oath and participate in the citizenship ceremony.”

The process began for her family in 2007, taking about eight years to complete.

“Being a US citizen means more rights and privileges to me, such as the right to vote, but [it] also means more responsibilities,

such as jury duty,” Winzer said.

Winzer is not the first student to obtain a United States citizenship while attending CHS. Senior Mithu Sankar of Manalapan was born in India in 1998 and moved to the United States with her parents in 2001.

Until two years ago, Sankar was a green card holder with an Indian citizenship, but now she’s a citizen of the United States.

“Becoming a citizen was kind of an affirmation to me that I was Indian-American. Even though I was born in a different country, I was raised here. And while I’m proud to be from India, I know

CHS students stray from communications

By ALEXANDRA WEITZMAN CHS provides foundation for those wishing to pursue a career in communications through classes like Visual Communications and Journalism, but for others, CHS can push their future in an alternate direction.

For some students, the dream of becoming an aspiring worker in the communications field is not an incentive to apply to the school.

Sophomore Sarah Antaki of Howell applied to CHS despite wanting a career in science.

“I think I came here because I was interested in this stuff, but I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do,” Antaki said.

Junior Anna Vernick of Ocean said she didn’t have a clear idea of what job field she wanted to pursue until recently.

“I’ve been baking for

a really long time, but then last year I was like, ‘This is what I’m going to be doing with my life. I love doing other things here, but all I want to do is bake,’” she said.

Junior Elizabeth De Furia of Manalapan said she wants to pursue a career in academia but has no regrets about her decision to attend CHS. “In a way, I did know that I wasn’t going into communications when I applied. I just thought CHS looked interesting,” De Furia said.

But the elective classes at CHS can still be helpful for those who aren’t pursuing communications.

Freshman Emma Hecht of Wall, who is interested in the medical field, said she believes she can benefit from the curriculum. “[CHS] is very good with writing, and it helps with public speaking – be-

Black Friday comes to CHS

Students find deals after their Thanksgiving meals

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA VERNICK

Vernick, who runs “Cupcakes by Anna Vernick,” baked cupcakes last year for a Jaws-themed, spring spirit week display.

ing more comfortable with yourself,” Hecht said.

De Furia said she believes the more computer-based classes taught at CHS are extremely useful as well.

“I imagine that web

design and social media marketing would be the most helpful class,” she said. “The internet is so universal, regardless of your field, that I think nearly anyone could find some practical use for it.”

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that I’ll be spending the rest of [my] life in the U.S.,” Sankar said.

Like Winzer, Sankar said her family didn’t intend on staying in the United States when they first moved here.

Her parents changed their minds after seeing Sankar adjust to school and other customs, she said.

Winzer said that even though the process was a long one, it was worth it.

“Overall, it was quite an experience, becoming naturalized as a U.S. citizen, but I believe that the process was well worth it and will hold many benefits for me in

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BY SAMANTHA HOGAN and CATHERINE LIANG Lines of people outside stores late in the night, long wait times at the register and customers pushing and shoving to get the best deals are all common spectacles on Black Friday.

While some CHS students don’t fear shopping on this day, others would much rather stay away from the stores or wait for Cyber Monday.

Freshman Kail Ying of Manalapan said he appreciates Black Friday.

“I am willing to fight passionately for the things I want to buy,” he said. “It’s not really worth the time because they have the same deals various times during the year, but it’s a cultural thing.”

Sophomore Mary Lykes of Howell said she also enjoys the day.

“I like to shop on Black Friday when my mom lets me,” she said. “I like seeing people run around like they’re nut jobs, like they wouldn’t any other day of the year.”

Lykes said she’s less excited about Cyber Monday because “it’s a lot more boring.”

Senior Alyssa Oster of Tinton Falls said she enjoys both Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

“I do shop on Black Friday,” she said. “Normally the deals are the best of the season, and I like saving money. I shop on Cyber Monday for the same reason.”

But junior Rebecca Madeira of Howell said she doesn’t enjoy Black Friday shopping.

“I’m not a big shopper to begin with, so I don’t have much interest in being flooded by masses of shoppers in stores for things I don’t really need,” Madeira said. “I get it. It’s a cute thing, except when people get a little bit out of hand with it, but it’s just not for me.”

Sophomore Marcos Guevara of Cliffwood doesn’t care for Black Friday discounts either but said he feels differently about Cyber Monday.

“I’ve never been Black Friday shopping, and I don’t intend on it,” Guevara said. “I feel better about Cyber Monday, because I feel you can still be at home.”

More recently, some stores have begun opening their doors for Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving Day. While retailers like Macy’s and Walmart opened at 6 p.m., JCPenney started business as early as 3 p.m.

“I don’t think stores should be open on Thanksgiving, because that requires workers, and I think people should have a choice on whether they get to stay home with their families or be out. It’s unfair to the workers to mandate that they be there,” Guevara said.

Freshman Summer Ward of Ocean Port is indifferent about stores’ opening hours.

“I guess stores are entitled to open whenever they want,” she said. “Personally, I wouldn’t go during Thanksgiving when I’m supposed to be eating dinner with my family, but if other people want to do that then sure, why not.”

In a December Inkblot survey, 86 percent of students said they believe stores shouldn’t begin their Black Friday sales on Thanksgiving, a sentiment Madeira said she shares.

“I think it’s completely negating the purpose of Thanksgiving, which is supposed to be giving thanks for what you have and spending time with family, but instead you’re spending it by yourself trying to get more things,” Madeira said.

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the inkblot december 23, 2015

BLOT PHOTO BY SARAH TAKASH

From left: junior John Hennessy of Middletown, senior Olivia Keavey of Shrewsbury, junior Rebecca Madeira of Howell, freshman Summer Ward of Oceanport, junior Kat Holtz of Hazlet, sophomore Cameron Destefano of Middletown, freshman Jonothan Slovak of Spring Lake Heights, senior Sallie Haas of Deal, sophomore Samantha LaRochelle of Middletown, junior Mark Dispigna of Lincroft, sophomore Caroline Savage of Brielle and junior Matt Miller of Wall.

Cast of “Twelve” lets anger fly and knives fall

BY ARIELLE COHEN The CHS Drama Club production of “Twelve” premiered on Nov. 20 to rave reviews.

Sophomore Ebbie Shim of Spring Lake Heights said she enjoyed the play.

“When I saw it, I was like, ‘Oh my goodness; it’s amazing,’ and I just think they did so well,” Shim said.

An adaptation of the 1957 movie, “12 Angry Men,” “Twelve” told the story of 12 jurors stuck in a jury room, trying to decide whether an 18-year-old boy, the defendent, is guilty or innocent of murdering his father.

If guilty, the boy would face the death penalty, but if not guilty, the

jurors faced the possibility of releasing a criminal back onto the streets.

Starting with 11 jurors believing the boy is guilty, Juror 8, played by sophomore Jonathan Slovak of Spring Lake Heights, attempted to convince the others of the defendant’s innocence.

CHS Drama Club performed “Twelve” three times; the first show premiered on Friday, Nov. 20 at 7 p.m., followed by two shows on Saturday, Nov. 21, one at 2 p.m. and another at 7 p.m. The 2 p.m. show was the first time in CHS Drama Club history that the club performed a matinee.

Assistant director and junior Annie Ruoff of Monmouth Beach said that the most problematic part

BLOT PHOTO BY SARAH TAKASH Director and senior Tricia Lowney of Long Branch gives the closing remarks and thanks the cast, crew and audience.

of the play was the fact that there was not a lot of time to put it together.

“We had a lot less time to work on this show than we have had on other shows, and it was even more challenging because this was a very difficult show to do, so it put a lot of stress on both the cast and the production crew,” Ruoff said.

To resolve it, Drama Club had many rehearsals, including over the long four-day weekend. But, overall, Ruoff said the play went better than anyone could have expected or hoped for.

“I am so proud of how everybody worked on the show. I think that their hard work really paid off,” she said.

BLOT PHOTO BY SARAH TAKASH Senior Olivia Keavey of Shrewsbury attempts to attack sophmore Jonothan Slovak, right, of Spring Lake Heights using a knife that was presented as the murder weapon by the prosecution.

BLOT PHOTO BY SARAH TAKASH Junior Rebecca Madeira, left, of Howell stares down sophomore Samantha LaRochelle of Middletown.

BLOT PHOTO BY CATHERINE ESCUETA The cast and crew of “Twelve” receive their commendations for their work on the play.

Drama Club goes through trial of problems during Tech Week

By JULIA PARDEE Four days, 67 hours and 30 minutes in the same hallways. Twelve sleep-deprived actors. Dozens of overworked crew members. Oodles of homework left to be completed after practice. All of these comprise the “week from hell,” as junior and actor John Hennessey of Middletown described it, but formally, this week is known as Drama Club’s Tech Week.

During the four days before the Drama Club’s production of “Twelve” held on Nov. 20 and 21, the cast and crew transformed the cafeteria into a courtroom to rehearse for the show.

The week, which occurs before every Drama Club production, is typically “hectic,” and this year was no exception, junior and assistant director Annie Ruoff of Monmouth Beach said.

“Tech Week is really about doing every run-through as if it [were] the show,” Ruoff said. “It gave all the actors a chance to experience what it will be like with the lights and with microphones and how hot it is on stage when you are in full-costume and you have the lights beating down on you. So it really created that atmosphere like it was a

real show.”

During each late-night rehearsal, the cast and crew had to troubleshoot various issues.

Monday: attendance issues.

A late-return Photo Club trip left “Twelve” without a director and one juror, who was sick. With only four days before the first show, this was the cast’s first practice with the two custom-made tables, actress and junior Rebecca Madeira of Howell said. Although the cast got their missing tables, several props were still missing.

Tuesday: lighting.

During their seven-hour practice, cast members fully rehearsed Act I twice, but the day was still met with some bright issues: lighting. Drama Club was responsible for purchasing and programming all the lighting equipment used in the production. Due to their large size, the lights were difficult to set up, Ruoff said.

Wednesday: run-through and microphone issues.

For the first time, the cast and crew of “Twelve” did a complete run-through of the show, but they still encountered some problems with the audio. The microphones originally had cheap batteries, and they, therefore, kept

dying and constantly needed to be replaced.

Thursday: the final dress rehearsal.

Thursday was the last run-through before the first show on Friday night. Cast and crew finalized makeup and costumes.

Director and senior Tricia Lowney of Long Branch said the production would not have been the same without Tech Week.

“Day one to final production, it improved immensely.

You could tell from the first read-through that the actors were so excited about doing the show, but then actually seeing them in costume, knowing their lines, up on stage, getting everything right – there aren’t even words to describe it. It was amazing,” Lowney said.

Ruoff agreed, adding that Tech Week truly fixed all the loose ends.

“Monday we were still messing up lines, and so I think that everyone got really worried, especially because we hadn’t even done a full run-through of the show until Wednesday. Honestly, the best way to say it: Monday we didn’t even have a show, and by Friday, we had something we were all really proud of,” Ruoff said.

Where do you stand?

As candidates battle to be front and center in the public eye, the Inkblot covers popular topics surrounding the upcoming presidential race.

CHS split on voting age: should underclassmen vote?

By CAYLA HARRIS November 2016 will mark the next presidential election, and any student 18 years or older will be able to participate. The current class of seniors, many of which will be away at college come November, will all be 18 and able to cast their votes. Some members of the Class of 2017 will have the ability, too. But CHS’ 16- and 17-year-olds won’t have such a privilege.

The voting age has been a long-debated topic, with front-running activists on both sides arguing to either lower the voting age to 16 or raise the voting age to 21 or older.

The same debate exists at CHS. In 1971, the 26th Amendment became the fastest amendment to be ratified in the history of the United States. The amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, backed by many young Americans using the slogan, “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote,” according to History.com.

In a December Inkblot survey, 75 percent of students said they believed the voting age should be 18.

Senior Connor Duffy of Freehold said that 18 is a rea-

sonable voting age.

“It’s just the age that you’re legally an adult, so I feel like that comes with a lot of responsibilities and voting should be one of them,” Duffy said.

But this is 2015, not 1971, and the voting age is still a continued debate. The National Youth Rights Association has a webpage dedicated to the “Top Ten Reasons to Lower the Voting Age” to 16, which lists things like, “Youth pay taxes, live under our laws, they should have the vote” and “Lowering the voting age will increase voter turnout.”

Junior Madelyn Curtis of Spring Lake Heights said the voting age should be 16 for similar reasons.

“Many 16- and 17-year-olds are mature enough to participate in elections. Many students, especially ones here at CHS, are educated in politics to the same degree as – and sometimes more than – many adults that are voting,” Curtis said.

USA Today’s Glenn Reynolds wrote an article in November arguing that the voting age should be raised to 25 after reading about college protests at Mizzou and Yale.

“Children don’t vote. Those too fragile to handle dif-

ferent opinions are too fragile to participate in politics,” he wrote. “So maybe we should raise the voting age to 25, an age at which, one fervently hopes, some degree of maturity will have set in. It’s bad enough to have to treat college students like children. But it’s intolerable to be governed by spoiled children.”

Sophomore Rachel Wolson of Bradley Beach said she thought the voting age should be 20.

“When you turn 18, you’re probably still in high school and haven’t experienced true adulthood quite yet … But by 20 years old, a lot of people are just beginning to understand what it’s like to live as an independent adult,” Wolson said.

TV teacher Jennifer Cornine said she doesn’t think that the ability to vote should be decided by age but rather by some sort of civics test or a political opinion quiz that “spits out” the candidate a person should vote for.

“In order to drive, you have to pass a driving test. I think voting should have something like that attached to it,” Cornine said. “I don’t think that voting … should be age-specific.”

Who would you vote for?

Bernie Sanders

40%

Hillary Clinton

9%

Ben Carson

6%

Donald Trump

4%

Other

13%

None

28%

BLOT INFOGRAPHIC BY JULIE ALTER

Survey of 274 students on Dec. 2, 2015

High-profile candidates gain support despite inexperience

By EMMA WILENTA The race for the 2016 presidential election has been in full swing since Republican senator Ted Cruz of Texas became the first major candidate to announce his campaign on March 23, 2015, according to the Washington Post. Some candidates have stepped into the spotlight, including those who have no background in politics.

This raises the question of how candidates such as neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and billionaire businessman Donald Trump are using their fame, talents and connections to overshadow their minimal political background and to gain support.

As some Americans grow weary of partisan politics involving major issues such as immigration, national security and gay marriage, they may feel that the time is right for those who haven’t yet been tainted by the political machine to step up.

“Starting in 1996, the candidate with more experience begins consistently losing,” reporter Jonathan Rauch wrote for the Atlantic in November 2015. This trend is most likely due to distrust and frustration of the people, he said.

Junior Elizabeth De Furia of Manalapan said that the

skepticism towards politicians is due to their unreliability.

“There’s an international distrust toward career politicians, largely because they feel unrelatable and unsympathetic to those of lower-income levels,” De Furia said.

Non-political candidates in the election are appealing for more than just their individual assets; by supporting them, it allows Americans to “express their discontent with their party and its leaders,” according to the Brookings Institution website, an independent research organization.

At this point in the elections, Americans are seeing more and more media coverage on non-political candidates.

Sophomore Jonathan Slovak of Spring Lake Heights said this could be because Americans want to see new faces in their government system.

“Being from an outside career could gather the votes of some who want a fresh start in government, but personally, I trust people with political experience more,” Slovak said.

The ‘wow’ factor that these inexperienced candidates bring to the election is another factor that draws voters in, De Furia said.

“While it’s hardly much of a surprise when a politician

runs for office, it surprises and fascinates us to see someone else running,” De Furia said. “Mostly because of this novelty factor, ‘outsider’ candidates are covered more extensively. And, as we know, all publicity is good publicity.”

But similar to the way media trends come and go, sophomore Shannon Damiano of Spring Lake Heights said she predicts that the ‘wow’ factor that non-political candidates and their fame bring to the election will eventually fade.

“A candidate’s fame affects their run, because they have recognition from the voters … but people will start to forget about their fame as the race narrows,” Damiano said. She said she feels that, soon enough, voters will be more concerned with policies rather than previous occupations.

Senior Kelly Kay of Monmouth Beach will be eligible to vote in the upcoming election. She said she will most likely won’t vote for a non-political candidate.

“It kind of makes me uneasy, because, to run an entire country, I feel like you have to have at least a little bit of experience,” Kay said. “But what makes me more uneasy is that the two front-runners for the Republicans don’t have any experience.”

the inkblot pages 6 & 7 december 23, 2015

By KELLY KAY From countless headlines about the millennial vote to campaign tactics targeting teens, young voters are a hot topic in political campaigns. Though only older teens can vote in the 2016 presidential election, younger ones are beginning to form political opinions, too.

One topic teenagers find important is social issues, according to Time.

Senior Veronica Parker of Millstone said that teenagers care most about social issues because that’s what affects them most.

“Young people only really base their opinions of candidates on what the candidates do socially and what the candidates do that will directly affect the society they live in,” Parker said.

Millennials are specifically interested in student loan costs and how candidates plan to stop college tuition prices from rising.

Candidates have developed various plans to limit student debt and the costs of public colleges in order to secure votes from the younger demographic, according to Bangor Daily News.

The Internet and the dawn of social media has also forced candidates to reevaluate the way they reach out to young voters, who are increasingly using social media. As of 2012, 95 percent of teens ages 12 to 17 were online, according to Pew Research Center.

Senator Bernie Sanders, a Democratic presidential candidate, paid a six-figure amount to have his hashtag “#DebateWithBernie” promoted by Twitter in October, according to CBS News.

Being able to share information with others within seconds has changed the way Americans share thoughts and opinions on

candidates.

Twitter analytics broke down how often Republican candidates were mentioned in comparison to their opponents during the Oct. 28 GOP debate. Businessman Donald Trump was the most-mentioned candidate during the debate, with users tweeting about him for roughly 22 percent of the debate conversation, according to the Washington Post.

Thousands of tweets were posted in the “#GOPDebate” hashtag during the first Republican debate on Aug. 6. Celebrities ranging from Bill Maher to Kirstie Alley took to Twitter to post their views on the candidates and the debate.

These highly-viewed tweets can have effects beyond retweets and likes.

Senior Sallie Haas of Deal said it’s impossible not to be influenced by others on the Internet.

“Sometimes celebrities say a point that I hadn’t thought of before, and I look into it or ask someone about it, which I guess, in turn, causes influence from outside sources,” Haas said.

Senior Julia Rongo of Middletown said it’s important for teens to educate themselves and develop their own opinions.

“If people do this, then things like other teens, social media and celebrities cannot easily sway them,” Rongo said.

I _______ presidential candidates who don’t have any political experience.

4% favor 46% oppose

50% am indifferent toward

BLOT GRAPHIC BY SALLY BONIECKI

The voting age should be _______.

7% age 16 7% age 17 75% age 18 3% age 19

Of the following issues, ____ is the most important to me.

31% student loans/debt 5% marijuana legalization

20% women’s health/reproductive rights 8% curriculum standards 5% None are important to me.

Survey of 274 students on Dec. 2, 2015

Debates prove informative and entertaining for CHS students

By JACK MANNION Presidential debates are a mainstay of democracy.

They give candidates a podium to discuss their policies and allow for a well-informed electorate. As the 2016 elections approach, people across the country are tuning in to hear what the presidential hopefuls have to say.

Starting at 14, but now hosting 12 GOP candidates, the first few Republican debates of the year have each been composed of two halves, with one debate of lower-polling candidates hosted before a debate of higher-polling candidates during a primetime television slot.

But as of late, debates have been consolidated, only allowing top-pollers like businessman Donald Trump, former Florida governor Jeb Bush and former neurosurgeon Ben Carson to take the stage.

The Democratic debates have been much less crowded, with only three candidates running for the nomination.

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders took the lead, polling at roughly 56 percent and 37 percent respectively, and Martin O’Malley trailed far behind with roughly 4 percent,

18%

Republican

according to an NBC poll conducted between Dec. 6 and Dec. 9.

Junior Angel Chasco of Middletown said that the quick, unrehearsed feeling of the debate allows voters to see what candidates are really like.

“It makes the candidates think on their feet, so when they say something, it feels more honest, since they don’t have something that was written beforehand,” Chasco said. “It feels more truthful.”

But not everyone thinks that the debates paint the most accurate picture of the candidates.

Sophomore Brandon Kalika of Middletown said that a large part of the debate is based on how the moderator behaves.

“Many of the Republican presidential debates in the beginning gave me a very un-presidential view of the candidates, because there were so many verbal attacks between the candidates triggered by the moderator’s questions,” Kalika said.

These verbal attacks, such as Trump’s televised com-

Politically, I consider myself a(n) 4%

LIBERTARIAN: GREEN PARTY MEMBER: INDEPENDENT: OTHER: NO AFFILIATION:

0%

13% 2% 31%

ment directed at Rand Paul – “I never attacked [Paul] on his looks, and believe me, there’s plenty of subject matter right there” – have contributed an unmatched entertainment value to the GOP debates, compared to their liberal counterparts, according to the Washington Post.

“Unless the Democrats can talk one of the Kardashians into running, don’t expect the Democrats’ ratings to approach the Republicans’,” CNN analyst and Democratic strategist Paul Begala said after the first Republican debate.

This debate, the first of this election season, had 24 million viewers, compared to the first GOP debate of 2012, which had 3.2 million.

This jump in viewership can be attributed to Donald Trump’s blunt and alarming style of speaking, according to Business Insider.

Kalika said this entertainment value may drown out informational aspects of the debates.

“The people I talk to usually find it entertaining, instead of a way to learn more about the candidates,” he said.

32%

Democrat

BLOT INFOGRAPHIC BY LINDA BADARACCO

Survey of 274 students on Dec. 2, 2015

8

the inkblot december 23, 2015

Presidency shouldn’t be a popularity contest

We see celebrities all over the place nowadays.

They used to be on cereal boxes, but now they’re on Twitter and Instagram, too. They’ve even stretched as far as our presidential ticket.

Suddenly, Hollywood has moved to D.C., and celebrities are influencing our nation’s politics.

Donald Trump is leading the Republican polls right now with 38 percent support, according to an ABC News/Washington Post survey conducted between Dec. 10 and 13. And, we’re sure you all remember when Kanye announced that he’d be running for president in 2020.

We at the Inkblot are huge fans of Kanye, don’t get us wrong. But really, how effective would he be as a president with no experience in office?

We, as a nation, have come to a point when we have begun to give people political attention simply for their star quality. But what these candidates need to have is a 50-star, 13-stripe quality.

We propose a four-year period of learning for these candidates so that they can bring experience into the office.

We at CHS are going to be a new generation of voters. This year’s graduating class of seniors, as well as some juniors, will be able to vote in the upcoming 2016 presidential election. The underclassmen are only four years away from being able to vote.

Because young voters can so greatly influence an election, allowing celebrities with little to no political experience greatly harms the process, and it harms voters, too.

“It’s a popularity contest.” It’s a phrase we’ve heard time and time again when it comes time for class council and SGA elections. When celebrities run for president, the same thing happens. It becomes a popularity contest, rather than a policy contest. That’s no way to elect the leader of a firstworld country.

This is why we need to implement a system where presidential candidates are required to have at least four years of experience in the political field before running for such a position.

Think of this like an application for a job. The president of the United States is not an entry-level job. It’s like a CEO but less business-like and even more important. If you wouldn’t hire a CEO with no experience in the field they’re applying for, then why would you hire someone with no political experience as president of the United States?

There are already some requirements for presidential candidates, so this won’t be the first.

Presidential candidates need to be natural-born citizens, meaning that they were born with a United States citizenship. A person also has to be at least 35 years old to run for president, and they need to have lived in the United States for at least 14 years, according to the Library of Congress.

And, as is, these requirements have little to nothing to do with the actual qualifications of becoming president – aside from patriotism, perhaps.

A qualification requirement is more than overdue for the most important job in the United States.

So, even though Donald Trump may be our most entertaining candidate of the moment, there’s nothing substantive behind his “Apprentice” TV appearances or continual bankruptcies.

We get enough of our celebrities on the phone and on television. We don’t need them in the Oval Office, too.

Spanish can’t be only language option

By MAURA DeROSE The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines communication as “the act or process of using words, sounds, signs or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else.”

At CHS, students are offered classes in many areas of communication.

Students can study anything from digital video to journalism. The only, and perhaps most vital, area of communication the curriculum lacks in is world language. CHS should make more languages available in order to truly embody its name.

Unlike fellow MCVSD academies High Technology High School and the Academy of Allied Health & Science, CHS does not offer multiple world languages. According to the school’s websites, HTHS offers Spanish, French and Latin and AAHS offers Spanish and Latin while at CHS, Spanish is the only option.

Spanish is the most common language taught in U.S. schools, according to a study conducted by Harvard University’s Instituto Cervantes in 2014, because Spanish is the second-most spoken language in the world, with 400 million speakers. Chinese is the most popular language

BLOT INFOGRAPHIC BY SALLY BONIECKI Survey of 274 students on Dec. 2, 2015

with 1.2 billion speakers, according to TestTube News, yet this language is not offered at CHS or any of the other MCVSD academies.

But this does not make Spanish the most important language for students to learn.

All languages are important and necessary to communicate with people from different parts of the world. Multiple languages should be offered at CHS to allow students to continue studying the language they took in middle school and to provide options

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.

roots of English words can help students to define vocabulary on the SAT. In 2011 and 2012, the Educational Testing Service found that students who studied Latin in school scored higher on the SAT than those studying other languages.

CHS should incorporate more world languages into the curriculum to better accommodate and prepare students. Without language, communication between people would be nearly impossible. Without more languages, CHS doesn’t really feel like Communications.

Join the world: lower the drinking age

By ELIZABETH SRULEVICH For over a decade, my family has spent Thanksgiving in Aruba, an annual vacation courtesy of my grandmother’s timeshare. There’s a Señor Frog’s across the street from my hotel, and I’ve steadily observed herds of intoxicated fraternity brothers, yelling and stumbling, enter and exit the notorious bar.

These are college students, often between the ages of 18 and 22, chugging booze every night for a week straight, almost purposefully corroding their livers.

Why is America’s youth so eager to go nuts with alcohol on vacation? In short, virtually every other country in the world – with the exception of seven – has a drinking age lower than that of the United States. Also, alcohol tends to hold a mysterious, dangerous allure for adolescents.

A drinking age of 18, in accordance with most other countries, would demystify the effects of alcohol at an earlier age, creating a familiarity that would lead to less mania and more responsibility. Before delving into the argument further, it’s crucial to understand the history of legal drinking in the United States.

No national drinking age existed up until 1919, with the legal minimum set by states and rarely enforced at all.

After the Prohibition-era ban on alcohol that lasted from 1920 to 1930, most states changed their drinking ages to 21.

The drinking age lowered again from the 1960s to the early 1980s, and this caused a dramatic increase in drunk

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that boost SAT scores. In a December Inkblot survey, 32 percent of students said they studied a language other than Spanish in middle school.

If all students could continue their studies without having to switch to a new language, they would be able to take higher level classes. Students would also have the option to study a language they’re truly interested in, which would make learning more enjoyable.

Latin is a beneficial language to learn in high school because learning the

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.

driving and alcohol-related accidents. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan signed the Minimum Drinking Age Act, raising the national drinking age to 21, where it remains today.

Sure, there is reasoning to support the current policy: a virtual epidemic of drunk-driving accidents was quelled.

But significant evidence mounts against the law.

The time period when the accidents were occurring was a time of heavy experimentation – after all, the drug boom did begin in the 1960s. Alcohol was consumed jointly with other mind-altering substances, alleviating some of the blame already.

Statistics also show that, today, alcoholism rates are often lower in countries with drinking ages at 18 than with those at 21. According to the World Health Organization, America has an alcoholism prevalence of up to 5 percent, compared to 1 percent in Spain and 0.5 percent in Italy, and both Spain and Italy have drinking ages set at 18.

With a legal drinking age of 18, the United States will probably see a substantial decrease in alcoholism rates and a hearty increase in respect from the many countries who’ve already instituted reasonable legal drinking ages.

Perhaps, even, future fraternity brothers may hold more ambivalent attitudes towards cheap liquor, opting instead for something more wholesome, like milk. It’s been over 30 years since the minimum was changed, and the time has truly come for it to be brought down.

Editors-in-Chief Cayla Harris & Anna Robinson Managing Editor Tommy Fletcher

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Print-to-Web Editor Caroline Savage

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9

the inkblot december 23, 2015

Homosexual cartoon characters pave way

By JULIE ALTER Animated television is generally regarded as “kid stuff.”

While it’s true that networks require most of these shows to appeal to a younger audience before any other, the 21st century has seen a major shift in animation from low-budget Saturday-morning cartoons to a sophisticated medium with fresh themes. Right now, the increase in LGBT+ characters included in cartoons is exposing children and otherwise unreached audiences to a society striving for equality.

Nickelodeon’s “Legend of Korra” is a coming-of-age fantasy journey following the powerful Avatar Korra, who is 16 years old in the first season. “Legend of Korra” is centered around intricate political storylines and character development – and sometimes a romantic side plot. But the creators took a bold statement on love with the introduction of a partnership between two main female characters in the season finale, reinforcing one of the main themes of self-discovery.

On the other end of the spectrum is “Rick and Morty,” a TV-14 sci-fi cartoon comedy on Adult Swim. Rick, an elderly, arrogant and alcoholic genius, is revealed to be pansexual in an episode showing him romantically involved with both women and men. Unlike other “adult cartoons” like “The Simpsons” and “South Park” that overdramatize LGBT+ characters, “Rick and Morty” instead focuses on the intricacies of an aging relationship.

Last, but certainly not least,

is the Cartoon Network program “Steven Universe.” Of all the aforementioned shows, “Steven Universe” reaches the youngest demographic yet it is still the most progressive. It focuses on Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl, “the Crystal Gems,” who hail from a distant planet and protect Earth.

Rebecca Sugar, the show’s creator, has stated that “Steven Universe” is about the “continuums of human relationship styles.” Because the Crystal Gems all use female pronouns, all romantic relationships between gems are homosexual.

Further, Garnet is a physical combination of two lovers, Ruby and Sapphire, who display their love by living together in a single body. The show hints that in their homeworld, such “fusion” gems aren’t widely accepted; yet on Earth, Garnet is free to be herself.

Modern animated shows like these are impacting the new generation for the better.

“Legend of Korra” represents a prominent children’s network taking strides to include LGBT+ characters. “Rick and Morty” brings forth new ideas in a sub-genre of TV animation commonly viewed as silly comedy. “Steven Universe” perfectly weaves together a well-developed kid’s program and a positive portrayal of same-sex relationships.

These shows join the expanding wave of TV series promoting LGBT+ acceptance.

By starting with children’s cartoons, we can encourage our kids not just to tolerate others but also to embrace themselves.

Standardized tests: There’s no point

By JUSTIN BOLDT I don’t do a lot of the things I did back in first grade.

Juice boxes haven’t been in my fridge for years, Spongebob isn’t on my after-school agenda and I’d get some strange looks if I tried to join a pee wee baseball team these days.

But every year since 2005, I have had some sort of standardized test in front of me. They’ve had many names. The Terra Nova, MAP, NJASK, HSPA and currently the PARCC. By the time I will have graduated college, I’m sure a couple of new ones will come along and replace those. After a while, you have to ask: is all of this testing benefitting anything? More importantly, is it benefitting anyone?

First, you have to consider what they, the PARCC testing, are trying to assess with these tests: proficiency and progress, according to PARCC Online.

Merriam-Webster defines proficiency as an “advancement in knowledge or skill: progress.” What the testmakers want to see is how much we’ve learned in certain subject areas over the years, mostly in reading and math.This is forcing many teachers to teach along the PARCC’s exact parameters of these exams to ensure students the highest scores possible, according to the Washington Post.

Now, standardized tests are becoming the basis of all education throughout the school year, and with only nine months and a plethora of subjects to cover, this quickly becomes a challenging task.

Teachers aren’t the only ones having their pencils pushed.

Back in April, 40 percent of students in Montclair refused to take the PARCC test, in an increasingly vocal movement igniting across the country in an effort to stop requiring kids to take these kinds of standardized tests, according to NJ.com.

So the question remains: is all of this testing benefitting anyone? Just ask anyone in your school, they’ll chime in with how ‘highly’ they think of all this testing. This is a trend that needs to just die already so we can all focus on more important things. I’m just saying, I don’t think ‘C’ will be the mostrepeated answer during a job interview.

BLOT CARTOON BY JESSICO JO

Women deserve level biz playing field

By EMILEIGH EVANS As estimated in the 2014 U.S. Census, females make up approximately 51 percent of America’s population. But they make up a far smaller percentage of just about everything else, and it needs to change.

Women only make up 5.2 percent of the CEOs in Fortune 500 companies and 17 percent of the corporate board members, according to the Pew Research Center. When changed to Fortune 1000 CEOs, the percentage only rises to 5.4 percent.

There has never been a female president or vice president, and this year marks the highest number of women serving in Congress: 104. They make up 20 percent of the Senate and 19 percent of the House of Representatives.

Obviously, the United States is not suffering from a lack of women, just a lack of women who are able to obtain higher up positions.

Despite what some people may say, sexism has not been vanquished. Just because women can vote does not mean that there is complete and total equality between the sexes.

Women are perceived to be weaker, more appearance-

focused, vain and unsuitable for the situations and stresses that a leadership position may have, TechCrunch’s Gregory Ferenstein reported in 2014.

This can prevent employers from hiring women in favor of men, regardless of qualifications, he said.

But women have proven to have worth in leadership positions. A Harvard Business School research paper by Alice H. Eagly stated that “female leaders, on the average, are more democratic and participative than their male counterparts” and they are more likely to combine masculine and feminine traits to form a style of leadership called “transformational leadership” that has been shown to be very effective.

Although women are just as capable of being strong and effective leaders, it is very hard for society to let go of the deep-seated sexism that is woven among its roots.

When seeking leadership roles, females are subject to more criticism than their male counterparts. This criticism is focused more about the fact that they are female and less about their capability.

For example, Hillary Clinton, a current presidential candidate, has been criticized on her appearance, her “ball-breaking” personality, her husband, and her age – not her policies. There is even a website, hillaryugly.com, that is dedicated to bad pictures of the presidential candidate.

This isn’t found for any of the other top-runners. Others comment on her “masculine” pantsuits or occasional lack of make-up. Personally, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a male candidate in makeup, so why should she be required to wear it?

Some say that a female can’t be president simply because females are “unstable” during menstruation. Donald Trump criticized journalist Megyn Kelly for this reason after she helped moderate a Republican debate earlier this year and asked him difficult questions.

Trump was widely quoted as saying, “You can see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever,” There are double standards in the work force.

Women aren’t avoiding the leadership positions; they are being subjected to discrimination.

Marvel wins with “Jessica Jones”

By SALLY BONIECKI Marvel has once again outdone itself with its second Netflix series, “Jessica Jones,” a very adult addition to its expansive Cinematic Universe. Rather than falling into the origin story trope typical of superhero media, this daring series takes a new perspective on the genre.

From the first episode, Jones is shown to be an experienced superhuman with an iron will, and through visually simple but unnerving flashes of her psyche, viewers peer into the broken woman behind the tough appearance.

Jones’ cracked façade provides a springboard for the highly psychological nature of the show, which prefers lead actress Krysten Ritter’s use of body language alone over awkward exposition or repetitive action. When the time calls for it, though, Ritter can provide a brutal breakdown or rant after significant emotional buildup.

The biggest demon of the series appears in the form of Kilgrave, portrayed by David Tennant, who is gifted with the ability to force anyone to do his bidding. Given the nature of his powers, the series bravely dives into the subject of rape, drug addiction and survivor’s guilt with no reservations, cultivating

PHOTO OBTAINED THROUGH CREATIVE COMMONS

its mature aura.

There are a few instances, though, where the show goes overboard on flashbacks, falling into a habit of repeating long scenes with only a small extension.

Since the entire series was released all at once and, based on its sexual and psychological content, clearly isn’t meant for children, it becomes a little bit redundant and pointless.

Even so, the mature themes and flawless timing of “Jessica Jones” cement it as the most well-written superhero property to date. It is fresh and raw and introduces a less cut-and-paste format to the industry, hopefully influencing other directors to follow its example.

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the inkblot december 23, 2015

Soph’s high school band brings the ‘Phunk’

By LARA GRANEY Sequoya. The Curve. AnimAudio.

This Middletown band has changed their name a handful of times – they’re now “Kat Phunk” – and their style has evolved just as much.

Sophomore Cole Raymond of Middletown is the band’s drummer and occasional vocalist.

“We kind of started out as a rock group, but we’ve transitioned more over into jazz and funk,” Raymond said. “We realized that it was much more our style and more suited to a band without a singer.”

Junior Andres Durante, who attends Middletown South, is the band’s guitarist.

In January 2015, he asked Cole Raymond, who he knew from middle school jazz band, to join the band.

BLOT PHOTO BY DELIA NOONE

Sophomore Cole Raymond of Middletown plays the drums and rehearses alongside his bandmates.

At first, the band consisted of Durante, Raymond, sophomore Jack Gavigan on bass and sophomore Jack Harrington on keys.

All of the members, except Raymond, attend Middletown South High School.

In October 2015, Gavigan moved away, Harrington switched over to bass and sophomore Sean Moran, also of Middletown South, joined as the band’s keyboardist.

The group mostly performs covers, but Raymond said they’ve also written a few original songs.

They’ve performed at his church, two parties and a few bars.

“We don’t really have anything coming up right now, but who knows?” Raymond said.

“I don’t expect to … become famous or anything, but a fan base would be cool.”

Victorian fashions make a comeback for Winter Ball

By KARLY NOLAN and GRACE TRESHOCK The 2016 Winter Ball is coming up at CHS on Jan. 8, and some girls already have dresses for the event.

Junior Dani Delgado of Hazlet is one such girl.

She sewed her own dress as a part of a Bernina Sewing Center class.

“The dress is a dress that I made a little while ago for a Sweet 16,” Delgado said. “I

didn’t make it in time … so now I’ll use it for Winter Ball.”

Her dress has a “corset-type” bodice with a circle skirt. Delgado added Victorian-inspired interest by embellishing it with multiple lace tiers, she said.

Another junior who picked up the Victorian trend is Kathryn Willis of Tinton Falls, who purchased her dress at Nordstrom last year.

Willis said the velour, or velvet-like,

fabric caught her attention first, as did the intricate lace insert around the neckline.

A second trend that some CHS students are interested in is the bodycon dress.

Freshman Alex Herrmann of Brielle said she has seen a lot of girls going for this style of dress.

There were “so many bodycon dresses at Squan’s homecoming,” Herrmann said, and she predicted that may be a popular pick for Winter Ball.

Piecaken is more than just desserts

By ALLIE KUO ‘Tis the season for gingerbread cookies, eggnog, peppermint bark and all kinds of winter treats. Quintessential holiday desserts start to show up in bakeries and other shops, and there are always a few newcomers.

This year, it’s the piecaken.

The piecaken is a wonderfully monstrous creation that involves a pie or two baked into a cake and topped off with rich ganache or frosting.

It’s the dessert equivalent of the infamous turducken, a chicken stuffed into a duck stuffed into a turkey. This pie-cake mashup involves the same concept of stuffing something decadent into another, which is the perfect excuse to eat double the dessert in one sitting.

I first laid eyes on a piecaken in early November at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia.

“PUMPPLE CAKE!” the placard exclaimed, next to a two-tiered cake consisting of an apple pie enveloped in vanilla cake and a pumpkin pie in chocolate cake.

It blew my mind, this $8 slice of cake.

Little did I know the “PUMP-

Sophomore Meghan Judge of Spring Lake will help realize Herrmann’s prediction. Judge bought a dress for Winter Ball that she described as a “bodycon illusion.”

This is a tight dress made from stretchy fabric with a trick-of-the-eye twist.

But whether CHS students go for these trends or something else, Willis said that there’s only one hugely important thing to keep in mind when shopping for Winter Ball dresses: “Treat yo’self.”

– REVIEW – Review

“Allegiance” makes debut on Broadway,

hits every mark

BLOT PHOTO BY ALLIE KUO

Beth Buczynski, a writer for Distractify, wrote an article about the piecaken in November 2015 titled, “Move Over Turducken, PIECAKEN Is The Dish To Beat This Thanksgiving.” In the article, she described several different types of piecaken and proposed the question: “Why choose between pie or cake when you can eat pie AND cake in the same bite?”

PLE CAKE!” belonged to the piecaken club that has taken the food world by storm.

The dessert had humble beginnings and “existed in underground dessert-eating circles for years,” according to the New York Times.

There’s even a blog dedicated to piecaken, “Love Pie. Love Cake. PIECAKEN,” with its first post dating back to 2013.

Pastry chef Zac Young’s version, pumpkin and pecan pie in an apple turnover cake, found its niche in social media after being featured on “LIVE with Kelly and Michael,” according to CNN. This edible trend is quickly growing in popularity.

So, watch out, apple and pumpkin pies; you might have to make some room for the piecaken.

By SALLY BONIECKI Modern Broadway has made long strides this year in breaking free from the traditional thespian comedy, sexuality and heartache, reviving histories in the process. No, this isn’t about “Hamilton.”

Making its Broadway premiere in November, succeeding a few runs in California, “Allegiance” is a musical depicting the mistreatment of and racism towards Japanese-Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Partially inspired by top-billed actor George Takei’s personal experience in internment camps, the narrative is raw, emotive and brutally honest, if a little embellished. The subject matter, rarely addressed in textbooks or media, is precisely handled and draws in the audience from the first few lines.

The historically-influenced dance numbers are wildly creative and entertaining, though the ballads left something to be desired. “The creatives have oversimplified and reduced it to generic themes,” Marilyn Stasio of “Variety News,” stated, referring to the cut-and-paste numbers. Even so, Lea Salonga’s contributions as the motherly Kei were moving and her duet with Takei charming.

The effects were executed with a sort of allure and emotional charge unique to live performance, particularly in the scene depicting the devastation atomic warfare wrought on Hiroshima.

“Allegiance” is undoubtedly one of the most original musicals of late, as well as the most heartbreaking. It will wring your heart for all the laughter and tears it may hold.

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the inkblot december 23, 2015

CCC hosts Head Start, Santa wins their hearts

By KHUSHI KADAKIA and ERICA SAMMARCO The Cultural Communications Club hosts two major events during December: the Head Start holiday party and Barnes and Noble gift wrapping.

The Head Start event brings underprivileged preschoolers to CHS to celebrate the holidays. Junior council member Julia

Feigus of Brielle said that the Head Start holiday party is, “a really cute and fun event [where] we put on performances for them, give them Christmas presents, and Santa Claus comes.”

Presents include notebooks, Play Doh, crayons, markers, stickers, and teddy bears that are donated by the Salvation Army and dressed by citizens at the Howell

Senior Center.

Since most of the kids come from low-income households, the presents CCC gives them are some of the only they receive during the holidays, Feigus said.

At Barnes and Noble sessions, students wrap gifts for customers. There is no fee but donations are appreciated as all proceeds go to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

BLOT PHOTO BY MEAGAN MCDOWELL

Senior Victor Riveros of Long Branch and junior Rebecca Madeira of Howell entertain kids during CCC’s Head Start.

Club Briefs

SkillsUSA

BLOT PHOTO BY SARAH TAKASH

Sophomores Cameron DeStefano and Kyle Robinson of Middletown use the radio studio during lunch period for their radio show “Raw Materials.”

By MARIE SCHOBEL and TORI FERRARO SkillsUSA’s previous meetings have revolved around the Pilgram sales and U Got Brains.

SkillsUSA is known for its Oreo ball sales. This year the club changed it up and sold pumpkin-spiced Oreo balls, called Pilgrams, for Thanksgiving.

The snacks were delivered to everyone’s first period class on Monday, Nov. 23.

The club is trying to recruit participants for U Got Brains, a competition that motivates schools in New Jersey to create campaigns that show teens the safety needed when it is their turn to take the wheel.

SkillsUSA President and senior Christina Noll of Hazlet said she encourages all members to participate.

Class Councils Freshman

By EMMA HECHT After raising money from the Halloween Dance and two other fundraisers, the freshman council is now focusing on planning some bonding activities.

The council is considering to host a movie day after school.

The council chose turquoise as their class color. Class t-shirts and sweatshirts will be on sale in January.

Meetings are held every Tuesday during the second half of lunch in room 202.

Sophomore

By KYLE GALVIN The sophomore class council continues to plan the upcoming Winter Ball, which will be held on Jan. 8. The theme will be “Winter in the City.” Tickets will be sold from Dec. 21 until the day of the event.

The class recently concluded a toy drive for the Red Cross that collected 63 toys for underpriviliged children.

From Dec. 14 to Dec. 18, the class sold Santa Sleds made of candy for students to send to their friends.

Junior

“Participating in this competition can only help you practice your skills, and that’s what we are all about,” Noll said. “So please help out, because many hands make light work.”

Lit Mag

By DARCY DARBIN Thursday, Dec. 10, the Lit Mag ran a writing workshop with Merry Brennan, an author and writing instructor as well as a mother of CHS alumni. The workshop took place in room 143, from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The Lit Mag’s workshop focused on the power and importance of editing, writing and working with an editor.

Brennan offered tips and tricks on how to properly proofread writing, grammatically and for material.

She also emphasized that

By SARAH LYNCH The Junior Class council devoted the majority of their meeting time to preparing for Coffeehouse, which was held on Dec. 4 in the cafeteria.

Student committees created a promotional commercial and posters. Decoration and food committees organized student donations.

Auditions were held on Nov. 24, and run-throughs were held the day before and the day of Coffeehouse.

someone does not edit a piece because it is poorly written, but because they want to make it even better.

To practice her suggestions, Brennan gave a piece of writing for the students to proofread and ended the workshop with a discussion.

Brennan is an award-winning journalist, communications consultant and an adjunct writing professor. at Brookdale.

She published Peace Pilgrim: Walking her Talk Against Hate, a biographical novel, in early 2013.

Radio

By JULIA PARDEE Radio Club continues to produce shows every day during lunch.

The club’s council also helped record the SGA’s holiday mixtape in the radio studio.

Senior

By CAYLA HARRIS The senior council hosted the Senior Thanksgiving on Nov. 25. Students brought in a variety of foods, like mashed potatoes and pies.

Here, the prom theme was decided: James Bond, or 007.

The council is working on forming prom committees and organizing other class fundraisers and events, like the possibility of class crewnecks or sweatshirts and a senior auction.

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the inkblot december 23, 2015

Out-of-place fans Local fans head out of tristate area to support favorite teams

By EMME LEONG Being the odd one out of a crowd can be nerve-wracking, but fans from around the world are dedicated to certain sports teams no matter where they are. Some CHS students can attest to this, as their dedication lies with regions that stray from the tristate area.

Freshman Kelly Forrester of Spring Lake Heights said she takes pride in the one and only Donald Duck; that is, the mascot of the Oregon Ducks.

“What distinguishes them the most from other teams is their mascot,” Forrester said. “They’re the Ducks, and, usually, teams have something a bit more powerful and masculine.”

This college football team may not have the best mascot in town, but they certainly win over Forrester’s allegiance.

Other fans love a team simply for its values. What a team brings to the table and executes is what is cemented into the minds of its fans.

This is exactly the case for senior Sophia Boniecki of Middletown, who is a Boston Red Sox fan.

“The Red Sox have always been about tradition and the love of baseball. Fenway Park is the only original ballpark still in use, and they’re a historic team who beat The Curse of the Bambi-

no,” Boniecki said.

She also said the Red Sox are well known for their everlasting battle with the New York Yankees, making the pair the biggest rivalry in sports history.

Some of America’s favorite teams don’t always have to originate from America.

Sophomore Brandon Kalika is fond of a team that across the pond: Manchester City.

“The reason I got so interested was because they played in such a unique way,” Kalika said. “Their ball movement was great, and they were often considered underdogs, and I always root for underdogs.”

No matter where in the world, sports teams have their own enemy of some sort.

For Manchester City, this rival is Manchester United. The two teams dominate English soccer.

But fans like Kalika can’t experience all the hype surrounding this competitive rivalry.

“They are sort of crosstown rivals, but I wouldn’t be able to feel that feeling since I live all the way in NJ, rather than England,” Kalika said.

But near or far – wherever they are – sports teams all around the world can find fans in both New Jersey and CHS.

BLOT INFOGRAPHIC BY SALLY BONIECKI Survey of of 274 sstudents on Dec. 2, 2015

Music makes the game for athletes

Tunes can pump students up before meets, matches

By ANNIE RUOFF and EMMA HECHT Music and sports have always been linked. Marching bands play at football games, cheerleaders dance at halftime and, unless the sport is meant to be quiet, music can almost always be heard during a game.

Whether its purpose is to pump athletes up, calm them down or get them in the zone, music is something many high school athletes say they like to listen to music before a game.

Freshman Caroline Monaghan

of Middletown is a swimmer and said she can not leave her house for a meet without grabbing her headphones on her way out the door.

“Before swim meets, I usually listen to rap music, because they usually rap about how great they are, and that gets me confident about my races,” Monaghan said.

While some athletes like to listen to music on their own, others use it to strengthen team spirit and boost morale before a big game.

For junior Riley Mullan of Long Branch, listening to music is something that brings her field

hockey and lacrosse teams together.

“Before every home game, my team has a mixtape that we listen to, which pumps us all up and gets us in the mood to play well in the game,” Mullan said.

But freshman Kelly Forrester of Spring Lake Heights said she believes that listening to music does nothing to better her performance.

“I think it kind of distracts me,” Forrester, who plays softball, said. “I like to be more focused and pay attention to what is happening in the game. I let my team hype me up.”

Get some popcorn and candy; it’s time for sports movies

BLOT ILLUSTRATION BY ALLIE KUO

Fitness teacher Ginny “Clev” Clevenger has a movie wall outside of the gym featuring video tape boxes from iconic sports movies, like “Field of Dreams.”

By SHANNON BRADLEY In a world full of big-budget action movies, witty comedies and tear-jerking dramas, sports movies are often overlooked.

But often, these movies employ tenants of one or all of these genres.

One sports movie to employ comedy is 2004’s “Dodgeball.”

Junior Kat Holtz of Hazlet said she is very fond of the film, which was given the tagline “a true underdog story.” “‘Dodgeball’ was one of my favorite movies. I remember freshman year, a bunch of upperclassmen dressed up as the dodgeball team and the teachers and everyone loved it,” Holtz said.

Junior Jack Warner of Spring Lake said that sports movies can

be much more than just an underdog story, and they can portray the bond between teammates, such as in 2000’s “Remember the Titans.”

Another popular sports-related movie at CHS is 2007’s “Juno,” a film starring Ellen Page and Michael Cera and following a girl who becomes pregnant with her track star best friend’s baby.

The importance of track to Bleeker, the baby’s father, is a constant in the movie.

Junior Keiran Rogers of Keansburg said that she believes that Bleeker’s participation in sports is extremely relevant to the plot.

“Bleeker ... has track. This symbolizes his immaturity and lack of acceptance for responsibility, literally running away from responsibility for his child,” Rogers said.

HAPPY H LIDAYS!

Freshman Luca Montana of Holmdel, an avid fan of sports movies, expressed praise for 2004’s “Wimbledon.”

The movie stars Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany and focuses on a love story between tennis players.

“They’re both really talented and have a lot in the game. They try to focus on the sport, but they want to be together,” Montana said.

Fitness teacher Ginny Clevenger is known for exposing students to sports movies, including “Rudy,” “Field of Dreams” and her personal favorite, “A League of Their Own.” “Besides from the obvious, it’s about women, it’s about baseball, it’s about history … those are two of my favorite subjects,” Clevenger said.

FROM, THE SPORTS SECTION