The inkblot issue 6 volume 14

Page 10 Tech, fashion collide at Met Gala 2016

SPORTS

Page 8 Senior realizes importance of the big 18

ARTS

Page 3 Students reflect on beach lifestyle

OPINION

Page 2 Drama Club performs their second show

F E AT U R E S

NEWS

June 17, 2016 Page 11 MCVSD students ‘work hard, play hard’

INSIDE: Seniors look ahead to 2026

BLOT GRAPHIC BY KATHRYN WILLIS

Communications High School, Wall, New Jersey

Volume 14, Issue 6

www.THEINKBLOTNEWS.com

DiSpigna set to lead SGA in 2016-17

By ALLIE BEEKMAN and AVERY LIMA Junior Mark DiSpigna of Lincroft was elected SGA president on May 5, following speeches from fellow candidates during DEAR time.

The announcement at the end of the day named the new council, with junior Julia Pardee of Freehold as vice president and juniors Rebecca Madeira of Howell and Kat Holtz of Hazlet and sophomore Jackie Geller of Manalapan as council members. DiSpigna said he found campaigning for SGA one of the most exciting experiences he’s had at CHS. “There’s something so thrilling about making posters and sharing my ideas with the student body that really makes me feel connected with our school as a whole,” DiSpigna said.

In addition to giving speeches, candidates had the oppotunity to present their ideas at the second-ever Meet the Candidates event.

Freshman Grace McCaffrey of Middletown said that the Meet the Candidates event helped her get a better idea of what each candidate would do if they were elected.

“The Meet the Candidates event was a great way for the candidates to put themselves out there and help the students get to know them more and really helped me decide who would be the best person for the job,” McCaffrey said.

SGA adviser and science teacher Erin Wheeler agreed that the event was beneficial, but the SGA may make changes next year.

“Maybe Meet the Candidates should give each candidate a little bit more room. I felt like they were a little bit squished together,” Wheeler said.

Speeches also helped students get a better idea of who would be the best candidates. {See SGA, Page 2}

BLOT PHOTO BY MEAGAN McDOWELL Teal Team battled against 10 other teams and came out on top. As results were announced, from left, sophomore Katrina Eggleston of Eatontown, team adviser and biology teacher Jeanine Gomez and sophomore Julia Dwight of Atlantic Highlands celebrated their team’s victory.

CHS ‘feels the Teal’ at Color Wars 2016

By MATTHEW MILLER Cut shirts. War paint tan lines. Spikeball. Super Smash Bros. Soccer. Colorful spirit everywhere in sight. Color Wars crashes down in a rainbow tidal wave.

Students and faculty battled it out to see which color would reign supreme in this year’s Color Wars. Team Teal took first place, followed by Pink in second, Red and Green tying for third, Black and Purple tying for fourth, Light Blue in fifth, Dark Blue in sixth, Orange in seventh and Yellow in eighth.

Teal captain and senior Lizzy Thornton of Keyport gave two main reasons she thinks Teal won the day.

“One: teamwork, because all of us came together. I had no idea who anyone on the team was, but we became best friends by the end of the day,” Thornton said. “And number two: Shaquille O’Teal.

He was our guardian and our savior, and he was the only reason we won Color Wars.”

The team’s mascot was O’Neal’s face with a teal filter, dubbed ‘Shaquille O’Teal.’

Color Wars took place June 2 instead of

the day prior to discuss alternate solutions, and the final decision was announced the same day, said SGA President Lauryn Masciana of Middletown.

Masciana explained their decision.

“Earlier in the week, SGA realized that Friday wouldn’t work out due to weather and the safety hazards [it would cause]. People wouldn’t be happy with having Color Wars inside,” Masciana said.

In the meeting, the SGA proposed a rain check for an indoor Color Wars on June 2 to Principal James Gleason and the class advisers as well.

One of the complications with the new schedule was the PSFA-provided barbecue. The barbecue took place during lunch June 3 regardless.

BLOT PHOTO BY KEVIN DIXSON Senior Jess Stansfield of Wall won the pie eating Some students and staff were satisfied contest for Team Dark Blue. with the change of date, like Teal Team adviser and science teacher Jeanine Gomez. {See COLOR WARS, June 3 due to the threat of inclement weatPage 2} er. The SGA called an emergency meeting

Attendees and inductees gather to celebrate art

BLOT PHOTO BY CATHERINE ESCUETA Seniors Lauryn Masciana of Middletown and Olivia Palmieri of Millstone viewed one of the art pieces at the annual NAHS Art Show.

By ARIELLE COHEN The Louvre. The Met. New York’s Museum of Modern Art. CHS. Although only one of these is a high school, all of them showcase the works of talented artists.

The National Art Honor Society held its annual art showcase on May 13.

Over 100 pieces of student artwork from both inside and outside the classroom were included in the show. All inductees and sophomores in art teacher Ryan Weber’s Visual Communications class were required to submit at least one piece of artwork.

Any piece can be submitted, but it was a juried show, meaning that not every submission would make an

appearance so as to maintain a certain level of quality, said art teacher and NAHS adviser Shelley Ortner.

In addition to the art displayed around the halls, five students read poetry, including sophomore Karoline Winzer of Aberdeen.

“I think that the voice is such a powerful instrument and being able to perform a piece that held a lot of meaning to me, with the goal of inspiring others, was a great experience,” Winzer said.

“Minus the stage fright, it was 100 percent fun.”

Junior Sydney Foo Siam of Millstone displayed her artwork in the show and was recently elected NAHS

president for the 2016-17 school year.

“It was really cool. A very artsy, chill hipster vibe with the coffeehouse music and everyone just walking around admiring the art,” Foo Siam said.

Foo Siam was one of 35 students inducted in NAHS this year.

To be inducted, juniors are required to have five art-related service hours, and seniors had to participate in at least three NAHS workshops or events.

Like Foo Siam, Ortner was impressed with the event.

“The night went great,” Ortner said. “I think it’s one of the best attended art shows that we’ve had in the six years that I’ve been here.”

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the inkblot june 17, 2016

‘Project Prom’ takes Trump National Golf Club

By MADELYN CURTIS Students and guests danced the night away at Trump National Golf Club on May 20. Attendees, including junior Shannon Bradley of Keyport had varying expectations and reactions to the big night. Bradley said she was comfortable because s h e already knew the majority of the students attending.

“I’ve been to a lot of other formal events at other schools, but this time I felt a lot less pressure and was able to have a better time because I knew everyone already,” Bradley said.

Preparation for prom began long before senior year, said senior class council member Cayla Harris of Manalapan.

“It was a very long process,” she “We’ve been planning it, really, since the beginning of junior year, when we put a deposit on the venue. From there, it was mostly logistics, like figuring out budgets and booking things like the DJ and the photo booth. At the beginning of this year, we finalized a theme, set up committees and put everything together.”

But despite the costs, the council was able to cover all the finances. The Class of 2016 even held a ‘promposal’ contest and awarded free prom bids to the winners, Melissa Martin and Alyssa Oster.

“One of our biggest goals for prom

was to make the bids as cheap as possible.

So with our extra money, we were able to reduce bids to $30 for the seniors, and the $60 bids for everyone else covered the cost of each individual head,” Harris said.

Additionally, Harris said the council considered a few ideas for prom themes before deciding.

“We sent out a survey at the beginning of the year with a few potential prom themes, and James Bond won,” Harris said.

“Then, at senior Thanksgiving, we had another vote between the two top choices from the survey, James Bond and A Night in Shanghai. James Bond won.”

Senior class adviser and history teacher Bill Clark described his role in the success of prom as hands-off.

“If it was a hit, they did everything, from location, menus, to favors. If there were any issues or problems, I did it,” Clark said.

Senior Nick Brennan of Middletown said he enjoyed this year’s prom.

“This is my third CHS prom, and by far, this has been the best one,” Brennan said.

“The venue was amazing, the decor was picture perfect and the DJ was great.

The Class of 2016 council absolutely nailed this one.”

Junior Kierin Rogers of Keansburg

BLOT PHOTO BY DELIA NOONE

Seniors Johnny Callaghan of Wall and Lauryn Masciana of Middletown embrace after winning Prom King and Prom Queen.

said she didn’t think prom was worth all the hype.

“Since childhood, prom has been depicted as perhaps the ‘greatest night of our adolescent lives’ and it really wasn’t,” Rogers said. “I didn’t care much for it in the first place, but I felt as if it was extremely

underwhelming.”

Junior Sydney Coneeny of Wall agreed that it didn’t live up to her expectations.

“Prom was alright, but a little underwhelming,” Coneeny said. “I left early. The location was beautiful and the food was great, but the music was bad.”

Drama Club’s ‘Somewhere, Nowhere’ takes the stage at the JSAC

By GRACE BADGER Drama Club’s production of “Somewhere, Nowhere” was performed on April 29 and 30 at Jersey Shore Arts Center in Neptune and both actors and viewers considered the show a huge success.

The production followed the struggles of teenagers in their hometown of Brayton throughout four acts. During the transition between adolescence and adulthood at the end of high school, the characters struggle with choices of whether to stay close to home or move away, how to conquer their greatest fears and ultimately, how they will spend the rest of their lives.

For assistant director and junior Annie Ruoff of Monmouth Beach, the show proved to be a major success.

“It went phenomenally. The actors and crew really came together the last week and we made a total of $4,020 for Drama Club,” Ruoff said.

Freshman Emma Hecht of Wall attended the production and was impressed with the actors’ talent.

“There were so many great actors. I didn’t expect them to be that good. They all got so into it and they knew their lines so well,” Hecht said.

BLOT PHOTO BY MEAGAN McDOWELL

Sophomore Sam LaRochelle of Middletown, freshman Gia Caruso of Howell and junior Kat Holtz of Hazlet were among 22 cast members in “Somewhere, Nowhere.”

Junior Kathryn Willis of Tinton Falls particularly enjoyed the show’s aesthetic.

“I really liked the artistic set design,” Willis said. “It was very different how they made the set feel geometric.”

Some, including actress and junior Sydney Smith of Tinton Falls, connected to show’s teenage main characters.

“This show was funnier and was more relatable because it was about teenagers that didn’t know what to do with themselves,” Smith said.

In addition to featuring confused teens, “Somewhere, Nowhere” included a variety of characters, from a small town superstar to a struggling fashion designer. Junior Rebecca Madeira of Howell acted in her fifth Drama Club production, and she played Miss Valerie Bright, an eccentric English teacher. Madeira said she initially had some hesitations about the audience’s reaction to the part.

“In the first scene, my character suffers from heat stroke so she’s completely out of her mind, which was interesting to act out. When I first read the script, I was confused, and the audience is initially supposed to be confused so I was hoping it would all work out,” Madeira said.

Madeira and the rest of Drama Club’s long hours seemed to pay off, said freshman Leah Kazenmayer of Wall.

“Watching ‘Somewhere, Nowhere’ has motivated me to join Drama Club in the future,” Kazenmayer said. “I

[SGA, from page 1] Geller enjoyed writing her speech.

“Speeches were always something that I enjoyed doing and I definitely had fun with this one,” Geller said.

Geller brought back the “just keep swimming” reference she used in her previous SGA campaign and split her speech into four parts, one for each grade, to connect with all students.

After speeches and campaigning were over, DiSpigna said he felt thankful that he was elected president.

“My response was one of extreme gratitude,” DiSpigna said. “This experience has taught me that really anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Three years ago, I was a freshman who thought it would be impossible to be SGA president one day, but I can’t believe I can finally say my dream is a reality.”

[COLOR WARS, from page 1] “Well, it was a little tough to get up to come to work today,” Gomez said Friday. “But as I was driving to work today it started to rain, so it made me smile we had it yesterday. I think it was a great call.”

Pink Team captain Tricia Lowney of Long Branch commented on the excitement of the day.

“We went crazy. It was amazing how hyped up everybody got, and it was really a different experience being a senior because there’s so much more energy,” Lowney said. “Everyone gets really competitive.”

Sophomore Robert Denny of Keyport suggested a way to help next year’s event run smoother.

“The schedules for each event specifically, as well as the matchups should be made public for all teams to see so that events can be planned better,” Denny said. “This year, like the last, nobody knew where to go and when, and some people signed up for events that conflicted on the schedule.”

But despite possible confusion, Teal captain Connor Duffy of Freehold still made lasting memories during his final color wars.

“I’ve never won a Color Wars before,” Duffy said. “So to win senior year was just an amazing experience and something I definitely know I’m going to look back on when I’m in college.”

the inkblot june 17, 2016

Students make plans for their ‘Summer 16’

By CATHERINE LIANG Upon hearing the word “summer,” many students think of summer camps, summer jobs and summer vacation. Freshman Lily Dews of Middletown has a few of these on her plate for the summer.

“I have a few summer camps with the Monmouth County Park System that I’m doing, and maybe seeing family, but mostly just gonna hang out at home,” she said.

Dews also plans on volunteering at the Middletown Arts Center “for fun and for hours.”

Starting high school has not changed much of what she does over the summer.

“It’s not that much busier but I think I will be seeing more friends who live farther away than I normally would,” Dews said.

Freshman Michael Topper of Ocean also thinks high school has had little impact on his summer plans.

“I have a lot less summer work here,” Topper said. “Over the summer,

BLOT INFOGRAPHIC BY JULIE ALTER Survey of 293 students on May 17, 2016.

I’m going to a couple of camps, just sleeping over with some friends at a couple of places and I’m going on a cruise to Canada.”

Sophomore Sarah Antaki of Howell said her summer plans include “sleeping, 12 hours a day.”

But she has other arrangements, as well.

“I have marching band that starts in August, so a lot of my time is devoted to that. I have to learn the music and the drill for the upcoming season,” Antaki said.

Junior Jaime Tirrell of Long Branch will go on vacation over the summer.

“I’m going to North Carolina with my family, and me and my friends are taking a road trip to Florida,” Tirrell said.

She will also work as a lifeguard and an employee at a frozen yogurt shop.

Junior Anthony Whelan of Long Branch will travel as well.

“Towards the middle of June, the Wednesday after we leave, I’m gonna be going to Florida for a

week,” Whelan said.

As a rising senior, Whelan said his summer will definitely be busier than past summers.

“I have to worry more about preparing for college, and I also have a job now, so my schedule is a lot more filled up,” he said.

Senior Meagan McDowell of Neptune City said it’s great to almost be done with high school.

“I lost motivation a couple months ago honestly,” McDowell said.

She hopes to travel, but also has to prepare for college.

“I’ve been really campaigning for my parents to let me go to Panama because that’s where my dad’s from,” McDowell said.

For some students, it will be a busy, productive summer, and for others, it will be laid-back and relaxing.

But for McDowell, it will likely entail a lot of college preparation.

“I’ve gotta get books for the classes ... I gotta get everything ready for my dorm,” McDowell said.

Community sees pros, cons to living in beach towns

By KHUSHI KADAKIA and ERICA SAMMARCO While students live in towns that stretch across Monmouth County, those along the shore have a unique experience, students and teachers agree.

Math teacher Justine Lane grew up and currently lives in a beach town. She said her proximity to the ocean gives her the opportunity to walk and run along the boardwalk every day during the summer with her friends.

“It affects just about every part of my life possible,” Lane said.

Freshman Liam Marshall of Sea Girt has also reaped the benefits of living in a beach town.

Marshall said it has helped him become more active and also led him to participate in more beach sports.

He frequently bodyboards, surfs and plays volleyball.

Aside from increasing outdoor activity, living in a beach town al-

lows some students, like senior Lizzy Thornton of Keyport, to appreciate the ocean more.

“I can’t imagine living somewhere where I didn’t have [the ocean] nearby,” Thornton said.

While those who live in beach towns appreciate the unique offerings , some students see it differently.

Freshman Vivian DeRosa of Ocean has different views.

“I don’t actually like the beach that much because I don’t like sand. It gets everywhere,” DeRosa said.

Freshman Sydney Karlin of Matawan said she prefers living farther from the beach for safety reasons.

“I have a constant fear of it being flooded,” Karlin said.

Marshall also said that there are downsides to living along the shore, especially in the summer.

“It’s just really crazy ‘cause it gets so crowded,” Marshall said.

But he enjoys seeing the beach come alive with so many people.

ROVING

REPORTER

Freshman Jules Anderson of Farmingdale “Ice cream, because it’s like the typical summer food.”

BLOT PHOTO BY AUDREY MANNION

Manasquan beach lifeguards started the season on Memorial Day weekend.

Sophomore Katherine Farah of Keansburg had a different viewpoint on the crowds.

Farah enjoys going to the beach when it’s not too crowded, specifically in spring.

Despite possible negatives of living along the shore, New Jersey residents like Lane could not imagine it any other way.

“It’s such a fundamental part of my life,” Lane said.

1 in 300

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BLOT PHOTO COURTESY OF JAMES SLEEMAN

Sophomore James Sleeman of Neptune regularly performs at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park.

Sleeman rocks to his own beat

By SARAH LYNCH Not many high schoolers play an instrument, but sophomore James Sleeman of Neptune plays four and is still willing to learn more. Sleeman focuses on his guitar and drum set but also plays the ukulele, keyboard and banjo and sings vocals.

He would like to try the harmonica because he considers it “fascinating.”

In the fourth grade, Sleeman started playing the drums in his school band. Now, Sleeman has various band practices every day of the week. Sleeman advanced from school band and started playing at the Lakehouse Music Academy in Asbury Park a “couple of years ago.”

“I’ve become really attached to the people there,” Sleeman said. “It’s from them and the people who go there, and the people who run the programs there that have taught me so much.”

Sleeman said he plays gigs mostly in Asbury Park, his “adopted hometown,” and travels the Asbury circuit with one of his bands, the Hand Drawn Owls.

Sleeman’s other band, Spectrum, will release their first EP this summer. Although he likes playing the blues the best, Sleeman and his bands perform everything from pop to metal. He mainly listens to classic rock, but he enjoys some modern jazz fusion, too.

Sleeman is inspired by individual musicians, including Joe Walsh of the Eagles. Another more recent inspiration is Joe Robinson, a guitarist from Australia.

“His acoustic sound is different from other people,” Sleeman said.

Ideally, Sleeman said he would continue music in college, and he is also contemplating a career in audio engineering. He also wants to work in a music studio.

“I’ve been told by people that I could go into music and do well,” Sleeman said.

Sleeman said he feels a special connection with music and playing instruments.

“I’ve never been into sports and that kind of stuff.

But this is interesting, and I’m good at it,” Sleeman said.

Q: What is your favorite summer food, and why?

Sophomore Jonathan Slovak of Spring Lake Heights “Probably ice cream, because it’s so tasty and it’s everywhere in the summer. Ice cream from Hoffman’s, specifically.”

Junior Anna Soltys of Holmdel “S’mores, because you make them around a fire pit and it’s really a nice experience.”

Senior Josh Ehling of Freehold “Piña coladas, because when I was a kid, at my pool club, they used to have a person that ran the snack shack, and she used to give the best piña coladas – non-alcoholic, of course.”

INTERVIEWS BY CAROLINE SAVAGE PHOTOS BY CATHERINE ESCUETA

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the inkblot june 17, 2016

Lack of AP classes evokes strong opinions from students

By ELIZABETH KLEMM High schools in Monmouth County offer scores of Advanced Placement courses, but CHS offers only two. Despite only offering AP Calculus and AP Studio Art: 2-D Design, CHS remains a highly ranked high school within the state.

Principal James Gleason introduced AP Studio Art into the curriculum about five years ago because it was theme-related. AP Calculus followed a couple of years later after encouragement from the math department.

Math teacher Justine Lane believes CHS would benefit from more AP courses.

“Enough kids here are interested in the math, and it’s great and the art is great for a number of kids too. I think it would be a really nice package if we also of-

fered AP English,” Lane said.

Junior Sydney Coneeny of Wall agrees with Lane.

“I definitely wish that I could take more higher level AP courses just because our school is an honors academy. However, we don’t really have the AP credit that I think we deserve,” Coneeny said.

To substitute for the lack of AP courses offered, Coneeny plans to take some courses at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft in addition to AP Calculus at CHS. Senior John Robinson of Manasquan also believes CHS should offer more AP courses to better prepare students for college.

“We’re kind of behind everybody else,” Robinson said.

But Robinson does not believe the lack of AP courses affected him when he applied to

college.

“It probably didn’t hurt me, but it definitely would help if we had more,” Robinson said.

Senior Allie Wheeler of Wall took AP Calculus this past school year and thoroughly enjoyed her experience. She hopes to gain college credits from the course so she can take a more interesting course next year.

While AP courses can provide college credits and add to a college application, they also come with some downfalls. AP Studio Art teacher Shelley Ortner said the length of the classes sometimes deters students.

“It’s yearlong so it cuts out an elective that you might want to have the second half of the year, and then also it’s very time-consuming,” Ortner said.

Despite many students

BLOT PHOTO BY ALLIE KUO

Senior Isabella Olaguera of Ocean was one of 17 students who took AP Studio Art this year.

vouching for more AP classes, Gleason is not convinced.

“I’m looking to still maintain the fact that we’re a career acad-

History, Java among top choice electives

By ABBY SILVA While students search for the motivation to finish out the school year strong, the thought of summer right around the corner hovers in their heads, getting them through the late nights of research papers and finals preparation.

But planning for next school year has already begun, as rising juniors and seniors vie for their choice electives.

With over 15 class choices for juniors and seniors, students take differing elective pathways. But guidance counselor Sandra Gidos said that she found there are a few electives that are always student favorites.

“Java is always a popular elective, and this year Web Design filled up so quickly that we had to create two classes,” Gidos said.

Junior Elizabeth De Furia of Manalapan will have taken both classes by the time she graduates.

“I really enjoyed Web Design this year, so I decided to take Java next year because it’s a good skill to have. If you can code Java, you can code pretty much anything,” De Furia said.

For De Furia, among other students, college also played a role in choosing electives.

Junior Gabby Compagni of Highlands chose Advanced Web Design and Java as her two top choice electives, but the classes were scheduled for the same time, preventing her from taking both.

“It upset me because I’m considering going into that job field, and it would have been really beneficial to take both classes before going to college,” Compagni said.

“Now, instead, I have to choose another elective that I don’t necessarily want to take.”

Spanish teacher Sabina Campbell said that taking higher level courses as a junior or senior is beneficial to students in regards to college applications.

Besides Spanish, other non-theme-based courses have proven to be popular for rising seniors. For the 2016-17 school year, almost half of the rising senior class requested to take History through Film, Gidos said.

BLOT INFOGRAPHIC BY KATHRYN WILLIS

Survey of 293 students on May 17, 2016.

History teacher Sharyn O’Keefe was happy to hear that the guidance department created two History through Film classes for next year.

“One possible reason for there being so much interest in the class could be the current seniors. I had a great group of students and they were very vocal about what they liked and didn’t like about the class,” O’Keefe said.

As one of the four juniors taking AP Calculus this school year, junior Rachel Van Brunt of Wall heard seniors voice both the pros and cons of the class last year when she was deciding on her schedule.

“I heard that AP Calc was a good challenge, but on the other hand I also heard that it would kill my GPA. Ultimately, I decided to take it because I was ready for the challenge,” Van Brunt said.

Students reflect on this year’s events

By ALEXIS COLUCCI As another school year comes to an end, the seniors finish up their last days and the freshmen scramble to finish the end of their first year. For seniors and freshmen alike, and all the grades in between, the year was filled with school events and small memories that made it one to remember. Freshman Colin Waldman of Brielle was pleasantly surprised with his first year at CHS. “I expected it to be harder to make friends, and I expected to not enjoy freshman year as much as I did, but it’s great here,” Waldman said.

Freshman Anna Nardelli of Wall loves Spirit Week.

“It’s really cool how energetic everybody is about it,” Nardelli said. “And I like how there’s different themes and events each day.”

Junior Jenna Cohen of Freehold enjoys Color Wars the most.

“I am honestly so competitive, so I love competing in all the events, and I think the event turned out amazing,” Cohen said.

Freshman Emma Hecht of Wall thought the clothing drive was the one of the most memorable aspects of Spring Spirit Week.

“I thought the clothing drive was incredibly successful and I’m glad because it was for such a great cause,” Hecht said. “We all have a ton of clothes lying around that we never even wear anymore, so to be able to put them to use again is so awesome.”

FILE PHOTO BY SARAH TAKASH

Survey results showed that Color Wars is the favorite CHS event.

At Color Wars 2015, Pink Team was the overall champion.

Principal James Gleason agreed the clothing drive was a success.

“One of the most successful events was the last Spirit Week, in relation to the clothing drive,” Gleason said.

“There was amazing effort with students and parents and the clothes that came into the school. It was really an amazing thing to see.”

emy for a communications high school. We’re not going to turn ourselves into an AP academy,” Gleason said.

Teachers say their proms were ‘nights to remember’

By JULIA PARDEE Mulshine wore a peasant dress. Lane opted for lavender shoulder pads. And Gomez rocked an emerald green gown.

Each of these teachers attended their own high school proms. On May 20, most attended prom again as chaperones for CHS Senior Prom.

Math teacher Justine Lane said this year’s prom blew hers out of the water. “[CHS Prom] is so much more fun, and everyone looks so stunning. The dresses are better. It’s just amazing. It was beautiful from top to bottom,” Lane said.

Aside from the more extravagant—and expensive—ensembles of today’s prom-goers, teachers, including journalism teacher Andi Mulshine, said the music choices were very different at her prom.

For Mulshine, she heard new music at her prom, and it “opened my eyes.”

“I went to my boyfriend‘s senior prom and it was the first time I ever really heard David Bowie,” Mulshine said. “Of course, it wasn’t him live, but it was so amazing.”

History teacher Sharyn O’Keefe attended four proms during her high school career: two at Red Bank Catholic and two at Christian Brothers Academy.

English teacher Kelly Lang also attended a local prom at St. Rose High School in Belmar.

“I had a nice dress and a good tan,” Lang said.

Spanish teacher Karen Britto said her prom was a fun night overall, but she dealt with a last-minute date change.

Britto said overall, getting a date was very different than it is now.

“One big difference between when I went to prom and prom now is that ‘prompoals’ were not a big deal at all,” Britto said.

Biology teacher Jeanine Gomez, who attended three proms during her high school career, said her senior prom was more or less the same as prom today.

“When I’ve gone to the proms here, it kinda looked like—I’m not gonna say how many—years ago, but the styles have changed a little bit,” Gomez said. “Otherwise, the celebration is the same.”

Gomez also noted that not much has changed with the traditions of pre-prom pictures and postprom.

For Lane, prom was all about having a good time with her friends.

“It was super fun. I didn’t go with a boyfriend either year. I just went with a friend. He was not a handsome fellow, but we had a great, great time, and it was very low pressure. And it was just easy,” Lane said.

Although she enjoyed her prom experience, Lane said prom isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

“It’s a great dance, but that’s all it is,” Lane said. “Like I always say, if it’s the highlight of your life, I’m super, super, super sorry because it shouldn’t be.”

senior poem 5

the inkblot june 17, 2016

FILE PHOTO BY JAM

ES BOYLE

The Class of 2016 held a Flap jack fundraiser their sophomore year at the Applebees in Tinton Falls.

FILE PHOTO

BY MEAGAN

L

MCDOWEL

Nick Tinton Falls, Richardett of pose er n nn ow Ta et rs dl io id M From left: Sen cy Darbin of ar D d an k Nec Haaf of Colts for a picture.

FILE PHOTO BY ME

AGAN

MCDOWELL From left: Seniors Jo hn Robinson of Ma nasquan, Kelly Hooper of Howell, Mithu Sankar of Ma nalapan and Allie Wheeler of Wall po sed for a picture at Color Wars 2013.

Ode to the Class of 2016 Editor’s Note: Continuing The Inkblot tradition, fitness teacher Virginia “Ginny” Clevenger delivers her annual tribute to the graduating Senior Class.

The Class of ‘16 is preparing to go Here’s to the students we’ve all come to know Found also in your Yearbook, a poem that hits the spot Here’s a special edition created just for The Inkblot.

Yes, you had athletes and I’ll name a few Ivette and Alyssa were just the first two Nick and Ang loved soccer, never far from a ball And Dan hit the gridiron for Squan in the fall.

Angelica and Carleigh led everyone with cheers And Louis was a wrestler, beating many of his peers.

All Shore star athletes, like Arianna and Jess Selected by D1 schools, to whom they both said YES. Caroline and Amanda on horses they did ride Peter and Rachel played hockey, taking everything in stride Matt loved his basketball, John swam his laps James ran cross-country in between taking naps.

I bet the Hollywood sign really beckoned a few I’m sure Isabella went there, and Kat did too.

Tommy probably directed a movie or a play, Which Kelly helped him write after working all day Olivia helped film it and Eric did narrate Production overseen by Lilia, Emma and Cait Tricia did promotions, Haley and Anna did act Maria’s voice graced the original sound track

AGAN MCDOWELL

FILE PHOTO BY ME

and Louis ncio of Asbury Park Seniors Jen Villavice of Long Branch ey wn Lo cia Tri lift n Avena of Middletow at Color Wars.

598 college applications 433 acceptances

Tanner did the mixing, Clay was at the board And Nick accepted their Best Picture Academy Award.

With writers like Bridget, and dancers like Mike The Class of ’16 had plenty to like Cassie and Sarah so graceful at ballet And when Lauryn wasn’t dancing she ran the SGA. Lizzy wrote poetry, Darcy wrote a book Lit Mag featured Amanda, and pictures Meagan took Jenn’s and Josh’s realism showed through their art Alyssa preferred abstract drawn from her heart.

Musicians like Sophia marching as winds blew Coffeehouse performances by Justin and Mithu Sarah and Sally had guitars and they did strum And Victor pounding fists all day waiting just to drum Safe Sets for Olivia and Ally, insane You all voted for Pedro with Victor and Shane Maryann and Jess played 4 square when they had the time And Natalie did not go to prom with dear ol’ Mr. Klein.

For The Inkblot Cayla and Nick reported all the news Jane got into many colleges, which one did she choose?

Laura Murphy was quiet, so was Eileen Malesco, Dellis and Noll made a great 3v3 team Brian, Johnny and Julia volleyed balls for Stars & Spikes Melissa provided baked goods, which everyone did like

FILE PHOTO BY

JAMES BOYLE Seniors James Boyle of Avo n, left, and John Robinson of Manasquan had a picnic at Thompson Park in 2012.

Out of 81 students, 65 were offered a total of $15,062,646

Daria and Veronica organized the first Girls Night Out And Josh ripped his shirt off, the crowd surely did shout Jarod was creative, art was Kacey’s true passion And Sallie made a brand new event about good fashion K Hoops played her tennis and was a friend to all Connor had a great smile, and Fioretti was so tall Julia worked for SkillsUSA, Dylan was always on the go Meghan Barnett left you and whatever happened to Beau?

As you read this Inkblot and show it to your friends Remember the “family” you made here because it never ends Go to your ten-year reunion, see who’s famous and rich Maybe by then, I’ll remember just which Nick was which!

Some advice, dear students, I hope you will heed Remember CHS, I truly do plead.

Those four years came and went oh so very quick Hopefully you learned some stuff that actually did stick Classmates have changed, new friends far and near Remember CHS and those you met here.

Sometimes you’ll wonder if your choices were all wrong.

Think with your own brain and continue to be strong.

Take care of yourself and remain always clever Some things in life are temporary, but a BEAST is forever!

Virginia M. Clevenger CHS Poet Laureate

AGAN MCDOWELL

FILE PHOTO BY ME

talie Straub of , current seniors Na At Color Wars 2013 outh Beach nm Mo d Kat Garelli of Middletown, left, an pose for a picture.

College with most acceptances:

Rutgers University

Expanded/Outlined version:

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the inkblot june 17, 2016

Louis “Lougis” Avena Rutgers University Computer Science “Working for Code Corner, a software engineering firm run

by Dangiel, Brigan, Giktor, Johngi, Dyglan,and myself.”

Daria Belikov The School of Visual Arts Film “Still yelling, but in a professional setting.”

Sally Boniecki Rochester Institute of Technology Illustration “I’m glad you asked that because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan.”

Sophia Boniecki Drexel University Music Industry Business Track “Successfully employed with my life put together and clear skin. “

James Boyle The College of New Jersey Education “Celebrating the 10-year anniversary of you asking me this question.”

Caitlin Brehm Ithaca College Exploratory “Hopefully, working for a publishing house and the proud owner of at least five dogs.”

Nicholas Brennan Rutgers University Economics “Hopefully, with a full set of teeth.“

Brian “Brigan” Brown Rutgers University Computer Science “Working at Code Corner, a software engineering firm.”

Maria DiSpigna Caldwell University Early Elementry Education and Psychology “I’m going to be a teacher.”

Connor Duffy Ithaca College TV/Radio “Probably trying to get out of my PA position.”

Joshua Ehling Rochester Institute of Technology Software Engineering “Helping to revolutionize the computing industry... at Code Corner Industries.”

Arianna Ferraro University of Louisville Undecided “Hopefully, successful with a few friends.”

Nick Fioretti The College of New Jersey Computer Science “Changing the way that things are changed at Code Corner Industries.”

Tommy Fletcher University of Miami Broadcast Journalism “I’ll be Anderson Cooper’s replacement.”

Angelica Fromer University of Miami Pre-Law “Hopefully, rich with a nice tan.”

Kathryn Garelli Emerson College Business of Creative Enterprises/Film “The French Riviera.”

Mike Hom Drexel University Graphic Design “Working at a graphic design firm full time as well as teaching karate to children on the side.”

Kelly Hooper George Washington University Journalism and Mass Communication “Producing the next hit TV show.”

Lilia Kang Tufts University Cognitive and Brain Science “Surrounded by hot doctors.”

Kelly Kay University of Central Florida TV/Radio Production “Relaxin’... eatin’... havin’ a great time.”

Olivia Keavey Elon University Communications “I don’t even know what I’m doing tomorrow.”

Amelia Lautenberg Bucknell University Animal Behavior “Living on a farm and working as a veterinarian.”

Patricia Lowney Virginia Tech Creative Writing “Lost in a cafe somewhere in Europe, working on my writing.”

Olivia Malesco Syracuse University TV/Radio/Film and English “Still waiting for Final Cut Pro to render.”

Laura Murphy Stevens Institute of Technology Quantitative Finance “Living in New York City and learning something new every day.”

Shane ‘Zany Shaney” Nolan Monmouth University Undecided “Leading scorer on the Olympic Gold-winning 3-on-3 basketball team.”

Christina Noll Bentley University Economics-Finance “Hopefully, making my family and friends proud.”

Isabella Olaguera The New School Media Studies “Working as an assistant director for feature films.”

Justin Ortiz Brown University Undeclared “Trapping in the stove.”

Alyssa Oster Rochester Institute of Technology Computer Science “In a lot of debt but (hopefully) with a good job.”

Clay Paley University of Connecticut Management and Public Policy “Clay in the House (of Representatives).”

Carleigh Palmieri University of South Carolina

Anna Robinson Rutgers University Cinema Studies “I’ll be sipping champagne at a café in Paris after slaying at Cannes.”

Dylan Robinson Northeastern Computer Science “Working somewhere.”

John “Johngi” Robinson Rutgers University Computer Science “Playing bass for the U2 cover band, Me3 . . . next to Code Corner Headquarters.”

Maryann Rojas Rutgers University Marketing “Still trying to get my life together.”

Julia Rongo Ithaca College Television/Radio “With a lot of dogs and money.”

Mithu Sankaranarayanan Rutgers University Business “Living in the city with a balcony just big enough for some plants.”

Bridget Savage Ohio State University Data Analytics and Political Science “Working in the White House or on Capitol Hill.”

Rachel Srolovitz James Madison University Kinesiology “In Suite A.”

Allison Wheeler Boston College Business “Still laughing about a joke I told in high school.”

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the inkblot june 17, 2016

Johnny Callaghan Stevens Institute of Technology Business and Technology “Living the dream.”

Kacey Cielecki Rutgers University Business “I see myself being really really happy with my life and myself :).”

Jess Cooney Brookdale Nursing “Waiting for the next season of ‘Sherlock’ to come out.”

Jarod Danscuk Fairleigh Dickinson Psychology “I have difficulty thinking a day ahead . . . I don’t have the slightest clue what my future holds.”

Darcy Barcia Martin Darbin University of Massachusetts at Amherst Sustainable Food and Farming “Successful.”

Sarah Davis Rutgers University Cell Biology and Neuroscience “Probably in a low-fi seapunk band with a cat named Vlad.”

Samantha Dellis Stevens Institute of Technology Business and Technology “Living in Europe after serving in the Peace Corps.”

Alyssa DiNatale Brookdale Graphic Design “A young and succesful graphic designer, happily married, with two dogs and three cats.”

Nick Haaf Ithaca College Cinema and Photography “Hopefully, working within the film industry in Los Angeles.”

Sallie Haas Fashion Institute of Technology Fashion Business Management “Running a fashion show, again.”

Cayla Harris George Washington University Journalism and Mass Communication “In my bed, sleeping, making up for those hours I lost in high school.”

Eric Harris Ithaca College Writing “Moderately successful/homeless (it’s 50/50). Hopefully I’ll have a few novels to my name, maybe a men’s cologne line.”

Julia Harvey University of Maryland College Park Biology “Not in New Jersey.”

Ange Helfrich Fairleigh Dickinson Public Relations “I see myself living in Texas, driving a pickup truck and probably managing the Dallas Cowboys.”

Nick Hession Seton Hall University Undecided “Surrounded by incredible people.”

Peter Hjelm University of South Carolina Mechanical Engineering “Probably owning a bar on a small island somewhere in the Pacific.”

Jane Maloney Saint Michael’s College Environmental Science “West coast, baby!”

Melissa Martin Drexel University Culinary Science “Owning a bakery or working in a lab.”

Lauryn Masciana Fordham Alvin Ailey Dance BFA “Happy and dancing :).”

Emma McCaffrey University of South Carolina Statistics “Living by the beach and doing something I love.”

Meagan McDowell The College of New Jersey Chemistry “Breaking Bad.”

Victor Montanaro Brookdale Music “Wherever I am, I just know I’ll be playing music.”

Daniel “Dangiel” Mopsick Marist College Computer Science “At Code Corner Headquarters reinventing . . . the next big thing.”

Matt Morton Quinnipiac University Physical Therapy “Hopefully with my own physical therapy practice.”

Olivia Palmieri Villanova University Undeclared “N/A.”

Veronica Parker Stevens Institute of Technology Electrical Engineering “Doing me.”

Cassie Passantino Hofstra University Film “I see myself continuing to give 110 percent in film and cinematography.”

Joshua Pensky Northeastern Computer Science/ Interactive Media “Working at a startup company in the Valley with some of my best friends!”

Ivette Rafael Kutztown University Communication Design “I hope to . . . be living on my own with a dog but most of all, happy.”

Tanner Richardett Drexel University Music Industry/ Technology “Working live audio on Broadway... hopefully.”

Caroline Richter Brookdale Undecided “Oh, you know.”

Jess Stansfield Grand Canyon University Biology “Not in New Jersey.”

Natalie Straub Rutgers University Visual Arts in Media “Married to Tommy Fletcher.”

Sarah Takash Fordham Dance and Visual Arts “Probably living in an NYC apartment smaller than a locker at CHS, hopefully doing something that makes me happy.”

Lizzy Thornton Arcadia University Undeclarad “Living without boundaries: traveling the world, going on adventures, living with way too many dogs.”

Pippy Vallone Fairleigh Dickinson Drama “Ideally, I’d be a voice actress and writer.”

Amanda Vigdor Ramapo College Visual Communications Design “Living in a big city doing what I love.”

Jenn Villavicencio Rutgers University Biomedical Engineering “I see my self finally out of medical school and hopefully starting my career. But honestly who knows.”

Victor Riveros Victor “Gictor” Riveros Princeton University Computer Science “At Code Corner Headquarters, rethinking how we think.”

Eileen Volk Rutgers University Marketing and Psychology “Hopefully, surrounded by dogs.”

BLOT PHOTOS BY CATHERINE ESCUETA AND SYDNEY FOO SIAM BLOT ILLUSTRATIONS BY JULIE ALTER

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the inkblot june 17, 2016

Religion classes would decrease A tale of two Inkblotters ignorance and boost tolerance What we learned behind the paper Horace Greeley, a 19th-century editor of the New York Tribune, once said that “Journalism will kill you, but it will keep you alive while you’re at it.”

And that’s what journalism does for me. This practice is a strange one. It’s a stress-builder and a time-consumer, but it’s also the biggest and best source of joy and fulfillment that I could ever ask for.

My time at CHS, and especially at The Inkblot, has been trying and difficult. It’s been amazing and impassioned. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

In junior year, I joined the newspaper for the first time, and I worked my way from reporter to assistant features editor and then ultimately to co-editor-in-chief, alongside my best friend Anna.

This year at The Inkblot has really been something special. As a club, we’ve reported on so many amazing, critical topics, like gender equality and self-esteem and charitable efforts inside the school. We published the first-ever back-to-school issue and two 16-page issues. We brought the Arts section to life with the help of our fabulous editorial board, launched The Inkblot’s Snapchat and broadcast the first episode of InkTV. This editorial is a reflection. So, I won’t leave out the hours Anna and I spent at Starbucks touching up InDesign pages. I won’t leave out the missed deadlines (there were several) and the last-minute calls for quotes to add into stories that were just a little too short.

But I am so proud to have been a part of a newspaper like this one. I am constantly inspired by the amazing, talented student journalists who work on this paper. Mrs. Mulshine has been not only the adviser to a club I cherish so much, but she’s also become my mentor and a confidante. I have gained so much experience and learned so many lessons – one of which is word count. I’m approaching mine very quickly.

For some reason, it just doesn’t feel like my entire journalism experience can be summed up into 350 words.

- Cayla Harris, outgoing Editor-in-Chief Mine is a cautionary tale. If you’re anything like me, you set goals for yourself and you work tirelessly until you achieve them.

I’m a type A – like most of us here at CHS – and I crave success.

As a freshman, I decided that I would become the Editor-in-Chief of The Inkblot come my senior year. The position, I thought, was the most prestigious CHS had to offer. It was an honor that I wholeheartedly sought for myself. I worked hard, rising in the ranks each year until I did exactly that.

Now I have to be honest. Sometime during my junior year, I realized journalism wasn’t my passion. I knew I loved to write, but I felt constrained by all the rules. It wasn’t fun for me anymore, but I kept thinking I had come so far and worked so hard – I couldn’t just give up.

So I found myself locked into a responsibility I soon discovered I didn’t really want. I didn’t want to write last-minute articles when writers fell through or stay up all night editing or spend my breaks at work fixing the layout of pages. It was an incredible amount of effort for a job that provided very little personal satisfaction. Sure, I glowed as I distributed the paper, but the feeling was short-lived.

As I reflect, I know I wouldn’t change a thing. The intangibles – the relationships, the memories, the lessons – are invaluable to me, and I could not be more grateful. Cayla and I became best friends, and I mastered the Adobe Suite while toiling away at the truck. Mrs. Mulshine made me laugh so hard I cried on multiple occasions, Tommy and I actually sobbed together when we missed deadline, I watched as staff writers found their voices and I became better informed about the world around me.

Above all, my experience with The Inkblot has made me more cognizant of myself, of my dreams and desires and my new goals.

- Anna Robinson, outgoing Editor-in-Chief

By PHOEBE DRUMMOND There are three things never to talk about in public: politics, money and religion.

Even though it is considered proper to shy away from these more sensitive topics, learning about them can only be beneficial.

Politics and finance can be categorized as subjects that people acquire knowledge about on a day-to-day basis; however, religion – a topic that has dictated life on Earth since the earliest times – cannot be fully understood without some type of guidance.

Students need to be aware and educated on religion, as it has been a constant throughout history. It is a part of everybody’s life, whether they themselves are religious or not. Religious ignorance can very easily lead to false religious judgment.

In June of 2010, the Pew Research Center held a survey testing 3,412 Americans on basic religious knowledge. Participants

came from all religions, even including agnostics.

Shockingly, the average score among the participants was 50 percent correct. This incomprehension leads to the prejudiced views mentioned above, which start in grammar school.

StopBullying.gov reported that young Muslim girls in their hijabs and Jewish boys in yarmulkes were all ridiculed by classmates for expressing their beliefs in school. Children poking fun were never taught to understand and appreciate the class’ religious diversity.

Almost everyone is familiar with extremist groups such as ISIS, Al Qaeda, Gush Emunim Underground and the Eastern Lightning, who follow their religious beliefs to commit acts of terror. This too leads to the wellknown negative stereotypes of these religions. Education is the stepping stone to eradicate these false notions.

PHOTO FROM CREATIVE COMMONS

It is valid to mention that religion is a key factor in a great deal of history and literature, which, believe it or not, are two subjects required for all students to pass to get their diplomas.

If schools give their students an opportunity to take part in knowledge on religion, maybe Americans can score better than a 50 on a basic quiz.

Paper books benefit reader and author

By COURTNEY KUSHNIR In a world where technology reigns over the outdated institution of paper, it’s time to answer the question plaguing readers everywhere: good old-fashioned paperbacks or e-readers?

Many bookworms are wondering if they should burn their novel collection in a kindle fire or stay in the past with their grandmother and public librarian, dog-earing pages to save their place. I say save your matches, because print books are here to stay.

Reading in general is good for you. Sitting down with a good book can reduce stress levels, according to a 2012 Kumon Learning Center study.

But print books are even better for your health.

A 2015 study at Harvard University found that printed books are easier on a person’s eyes, while e-readers can disrupt a good night’s sleep by emitting the short wavelength of blue light from its screen.

Another thing to think about is the person creating the content we are consuming. Authors get less of a profit from online book sales than paperback sales, a decrease from the standard 50 percent they earn, according to The Authors Guild.

Writers work hard to pro-

PHOTO COURTESY OF COURTNEY KUSHNIR

Trinity Library in Dublin, Ireland is known as “The Long Room.”

duce content and connect with their readers, and the e-book industry doesn’t give them the respect they deserve.

In this respect, print books are the more ethical choice when you think about the authors behind your favorite stories.

If you aren’t concerned with the fate of authors, think about the benefits to your own education.

Guess what, students?

There’s a reason why your teacher gave you that cumbersome textbook to lug back and forth to school.

There is a reason why your

shelves are cluttered with books instead of crammed onto a sleek tablet.

Reading something in print increases the probability that you, the consumer, will retain the information, according to The Huffington Post.

So, keep in mind for your next test that studying from Wikipedia is not the best way to go.

So I, as a reader, will never give up on paperback books, no matter how cluttered the shelves get, no matter how many times I feel old-fashioned and no matter how much I am tempted by a shiny new tablet.

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the inkblot june 17, 2016

Age 18 brings the privilege to vote out Gov. Christie

By CAYLA HARRIS “How does it feel to be an adult?” my best friend asked me on the morning of my 18th birthday.

I shrugged. “Like my opinion matters so much more than it did yesterday.”

Ever since I first began to delve into the unspeakable world of politics in my freshman year, my 18th birthday was something I craved. I couldn’t wait to register to vote because I’d be able to participate in the 2016 presidential election, and that was the most important thing I could think to do in my official legality.

But now that I’m 18 – and I’m registered to vote – there’s something I crave just a little more. Presidential elections are very important, of course, but as I’ve followed politics on more of a local and statewide scale as well, I have a new agenda in

mind: Chris Christie is not the governor New Jersey wants or deserves, and I can’t wait to vote him out of office.

As we accept Donald Trump as the Republican nominee for president, let’s take a moment to discuss his ever-supportive, appointed transition team chairman: none other than New Jersey’s very own governor.

But the problem started far before Christie hypocritically endorsed the potential “entertainer-in-chief” (in his words, not mine), who he’d previously spent months trying to convince others not to elect.

Perhaps most worryingly, Christie is just not a nice person, and his reputation as a bully reflects poorly on New Jersey citizens. In December 2013, the New York Times’ Kate Zernike wrote an article titled “Stories Add Up as Bully Image Trails

Christie,” and the Washington Post followed that in January with Ezra Klein’s “Chris Christie’s problem is that he’s really, truly a bully.”

Christie is a local villain with national recognition, and that’s a dangerous combination. His condescension toward teachers, staff members and general New Jersey citizens has garnered attention that he welcomes with open arms. Beginning in 2010, he was followed around by an aide who videotaped his every confrontational interaction and uploaded them to YouTube in hopes of obtaining views, according to a profile written by New York Magazine’s Jason Zengerle.

And Bridgegate scandal aside, because that isn’t even worth getting into, Christie has proven lately that he thinks it’s ok, as governor, to spend 261 full or partial days

outside of New Jersey, which is exactly what he did in 2015. Many of these days were wasted as he unsuccessfully campaigned for president. This was one of the main reasons why, in March, the Asbury Park Press and its five sister papers wrote an editorial called “Step down, Gov. Christie.” The Star-Ledger released an editorial with the same message shortly thereafter, also citing Christie’s lack of action in then-major Jersey issues, like Atlantic City’s aroundthe-corner bankruptcy and the looming NJ Transit strike that never was.

So, I will vote in the 2016 presidential election, but I will also look forward to the 2017 election, when Christie’s gubernatorial status is up for grabs.

And I – we, as New Jersey voters, who have been trampled on for far too long – will grab it right from him.

Prospect of wall ‘trumps’ reason

Mexican immigrants need to enter the United States legally

By WILLIAM DEAN In the recent months, Americans have seen or heard about certain presidential candidates, especially those with hairstyles as radical as their views, like a call for the “rounding up” of all undocumented workers. Once all 13 million of said “dreamers” are unlawfully taken from their homes and jobs, they will be deported to their country of origin. After all, immigrants don’t deserve rights. They’re subhuman. As a conservative, I can only hope to personally throw my Mexican neighbors over Trump’s “yuuuuge” wall, but only after they finish mowing my lawn.

The only problem with this statement is that no conservative actually thinks it. Conservatives accept and encourage those from outside this country to immigrate here but just want those who do to immigrate legally.

Nobody has a problem with people coming to this country. In fact, many Americans could learn from hard work ethic and appreciation of American liberties. But these types of immigrants have broken the law and should be punished accordingly.

The problem with the treatment of illegals is not that they are shunned by society or hated in any way, shape or form. In some cities (nicknamed ‘sanctuary cities’), federal immigration law is not enforced, so illegals are free to stay without fear of deportation.

These cities include Seattle, San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, Newark, Baltimore and New York City. According to the Ohio Jobs and Justice PAC, these sanctuary cities receive “millions of dollars in federal State Criminal Alien Assistance Program grants to compensate for the cost of...illegal alien[s]” even though the cities’ policies encourage the settlement of illegals.

The average cost of illegal aliens comes to $1,117 more in taxes per household per year with the total cost being $113 billion, as reported by the Congressional Budget Office and fairus.org. If said illegal immigrants were deported, logic would require that these costs would decline considerably or disappear completely.

These newcomers seek to make America their new home country because it provides them with the very freedoms and liberties not afforded to them in their country of birth.

But these liberties come with a price, and that price is obeying the law from the start.

BLOT CARTOON BY CAITLIN COLLAN

The best Batman rises, beats Ben and Bale

By SALLY BONIECKI One of the biggest debates among DC fans has been reignited after the latest reboot of the comic mogul’s movie franchise. It’s the question of the hour: who is the best Batman?

Since the character’s creation in 1939, more than 35 actors have taken on the role in radio, videogame, animated and live-action adaptations, according to IMDb. Adam West was the first choice to play the title role in the 1960s “Batman” TV series and related media, but his campiness and overacting generally leave him lower on the list.

A good amount of the animation voice actors, such as William Baldwin, as well as a few of the one-off live actors, such as Val Kilmer, are not bad, exactly, just forgettable.

Michael Keaton’s portrayal of the classic superhero in “Batman” and “Batman Returns” juxtaposed sharply with West’s family-friendly air. His Batman is brutal. He has a knack for unsettling, mysterious silence, and his portrayal of Batman’s alter-ego, Bruce Wayne, is just as off-kilter.

In “The Dark Knight” trilogy, Christian Bale really shows how terrifying the cape and cowl can be, taking on

villains even scarier and still coming out on top. His Bruce Wayne is naturally classy but distant.

With the new DC Extended Universe comes yet another actor. Ben Affleck, commonly known as Batfleck, is old and jaded. His darkly humorous attitude make both sides of the character more human and less invincible.

The terribly underappreciated Kevin Conroy, who has been playing Batman in cartoons and videogames from 1992 to present day, has the best Batman voice ever recorded. He makes Bale’s marble-gargle voice cry in shame. It has just enough edge that you wouldn’t recognize Bruce and Batman as the same person without being ridiculous.

So, who is the battiest Bruce? The most brutal Batman?

The answer: none other than Michael Keaton. He’s intimidating and broody, but he also manages to capture just how insane Bruce is to put on the Batsuit. If you’re having any doubts, just watch his “Dance With the Devil” scene opposite Jack Nicholson.

In the end, even if you have a different opinion on Batman than I do, I think we can all agree Mark Hamill is the best Joker.

Good looks bring career opportunities for workers, studies show

By SAMARA GHALI Countless studies have proven that people with appealing physical features have more success, are more financially secure and earn an average of three or four percent more than their less attractive counterparts, said Daniel Hamermesh, a professor of economics at the University of Texas at Austin.

The ugly truth is that it pays to be attractive, and success is much more accessible for people who are easy on the eyes.

There is no question that people are naturally drawn to those who have superior traits. Evolution demands it.

The only unfortunate thing is that employers and customers are also human, and even more devastating is the fact

that employers and customers determine a person’s value and success.

Evolutionary biologist Dario Maestripieri concluded that ‘regular’ people subconsciously know that good-looking people can be pleasing in more than just a physical way. In other words, people gravitate toward those with a pretty face to increase chances of reproducing with them.

These interactions can be as small as flashing a friendly smile, but they can quickly escalate. The powerful influence of a pretty face can lead to more extreme interactions, such as job offers, big paychecks and even bigger promotions, said Catherine Hakim, a professor of sociology at the London School of Economics.

Good looks can be so dazzling that they distort per-

ception, according to Psychology Today. Professor Jeremy Biesanz of the University of British Columbia Department of Psychology said that less attractive people with the same qualifications and skills are often brushed away.

“If people think Jane is beautiful, and she is very organized and somewhat generous, people will see her as more organized and generous than she actually is,” Biesanz said.

Biesanz explains that this is because people put attractive people under a microscope, whether it be because they want to see more of them or because they consider being associated with attractive people as an opportunity for a higher social standing.

So, as unfair as it may be, when it comes to achievement, beauty has the advantage over brains.

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the inkblot june 17, 2016

Slovak nominated for a ‘Tony of Monmouth County’

By ANNIE RUOFF Many call the Basie Awards ‘The Tonys of Monmouth County,’ and as shown by its attendance, this year’s was no exception.

The sold-out 11th Annual Basie Awards took place at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank on May 18, and hundreds of high school performers, directors, friends and family gathered to celebrate the arts and arts education.

Twenty-six schools were represented in the selection of nominees. Among them was sophomore Jonathan Slovak of Spring Lake Heights. Slovak was nominated for outstanding lead actor in a drama for

his role as Juror 8 in Drama Club’s fall production of “Twelve.”

Despite not winning, Slovak still spoke fondly of his first Basie experience.

“I had a really good time at the Basies.

The performances were very impressive, and I had a great time watching them,” Slovak said.

The night consisted of awards, scholarships and several performances.

All nominees for outstanding musical performed a song or medley from their show, and the nominees for best lead actor and actress in a musical performed their solos in the form of a medley.

Freshman Summer Ward of Oceanport performed at the Basies with Shore Regional High School’s “The Music Man.” “Everyone was so much more into it than I expected,” Ward said. “It was so loud and everyone was so excited to be there.”

According to the Count Basie website, a team of professional judges come to the shows throughout the year to review them and rate both the individual performances and overall production.

Then, the judges select the best of the best to be nominated for a variety of categories such as outstanding set design, choreography and supporting actor, just to

name a few.

The best overall awards are outstanding production-drama and outstanding production-musical. This year, the highest drama award went to Red Bank Regional’s “Amadeus,==” while best musical went to Howell High School’s production of “Catch Me If You Can.” The awards show may not have a red carpet or exclusive coverage from E! News, but students who attended called the Basie Awards the ‘Tonys of Monmouth County’ for the students, faculty and directors’ passion and excitement for theatre and for the arts.

Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival brought the heat

BLOT PHOTO BY ALLIE KUO The Mac Truck made the trip from NYC with macroni and cheese offerings, including “like Mom used to make ONLY BETTER.”

By ALLIE KUO What’s Memorial Day weekend without beach traffic, sunburns in all shades of red and a festival featuring 50 food trucks?

The annual Jersey Shore Food Truck Festival took place over the three-day weekend at Monmouth Park in Oceanport with vendors from all over New Jersey and even as far as New York and Philadelphia.

Since its debut in 2012, the festival has attracted both locals and visitors from out-of-state, according to the Asbury Park Press.

With rows and rows of trucks offering a variety of enticing foods, such as potato sandwiches, lobster rolls and Belgian waffles, it’s a good idea to go with an empty stomach and a plan of attack. It can be difficult to make decisions when you simply want to try everything.

Despite the heat that Saturday when my family and I went, I found myself standing in line for some piping hot pierogies at Pompier Pierogi Flats, thanks to rave reviews from juniors Catherine Escueta of Eatontown and Julia Pardee of Freehold, who also attended the

Don’t miss “Captain America: Civil War”

By EBBIE SHIM Now, I may be still riding that movie high from sitting very close to the screen, but it might just be that “Captain America: Civil War” completely exceeded every expectation I had for it, down to the very last post-credits scene.

In the constant struggle over how to make the next movie better than the last, Marvel settled on the “Civil War” storyline, based on its 2006 comic series, for its most recent Captain America movie.

As in the comic series, a war emerges between Captain America and Iron Man after a clash of beliefs. This changes the game for the Cinematic Universe because now, there is a rift between our beloved Avengers (excluding Hulk and Thor, as the movie so graciously pointed out several times), one that may never be repaired.

Naturally, I had some concerns with the storyline decision going into this movie since the Cinematic Universe contradicted a multitude of aspects of the comics, but this movie was carried out so well that my doubts were gone in an instant.

This movie was not like any other Captain America movies (which are my favorite). The cast, the story, the villain—everything was so much bigger and more developed for the future of the Universe. The movie passed $1 billion in the box office worldwide within the first month.

“Captain America: Civil War” is a movie not to skip in a Marvel movie marathon. It contains exactly what every Marvel movie should have: a battle of morals, a well-thought-out villain and a lot of awesome fighting scenes, making it an all together cinematic smash.

festival that day. The potato and cheese-filled dumplings did not disappoint, perfectly complemented with lightly sauteed onions, scallions and sour cream.

My next stop was at El Lechon de Negron, a Puerto Rican truck that also has a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Union, N.J. I ordered their mofongo, a traditional dish of fried and smashed plantains, topped with a tangy tomatosofrito sauce and a side of pulled pork.

The portion was big enough to share, and within minutes, we had scarfed down every last bit of pork and plantain in that red and white paper tray.

A chimney cake from the Chimney Cake Factory served as our dessert, and it was an all-around favorite.

The Hungarian pastry is made from a yeast dough that’s wrapped around a cylinder, covered in sugar then baked over a fire. The result is a chewy, chimney-shaped bread with a satisfying crunch from the caramelized outer layer and a hollow, doughy center, which we ate coil by coil.

I highly recommend the food truck festival to all you food-lovers out there, and there is no doubt in my mind that I will be back next year.

Technology takes over the Met Gala red carpet

By IZZY CAVAZZONI As the rainy days of April ease into May with promises of warmer weather, everyday fashions are carried into summer street style fit for the higher temperatures. Still, true fashionistas know that the arrival of May does not just mean shopping for new Memorial Day Weekend outfits but also includes the Super Bowl of fashion: The Met Gala.

The Met Gala arrives the first Monday in May each year, said Vanessa Friedman of The New York Times and is set with a unique theme to channel today’s culture with yesterday’s history.

Kicking off the museum’s annual fashion exhibit, the event has garnered a prestigious reputation for some of the best (and worst) looks in the fashion game. This year, models, celebrities and fashion dynamos alike took on the challenge of dressing to the theme “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.” A medley of metals walked the carpet in accordance with the tech-based theme. But a few individuals managed to stand out.

Claire Danes’ stunning baby blue dress embodied a Cinderella-esque look, with one simple, yet monumental twist: it glowed.

The Zac Posen gown lit up using a host of fiber optics technology, said Paul Chi of Vanity Fair. Posen’s incorporation of literal technology into an article of clothing put Danes on the top, as far as Met Gala fashion is concerned, with a look that was both hightech and high-fashion.

Emma Watson arrived on the carpet wearing a classic black and white wide-leg pantsuit complete with a train. At first glance, the Calvin Klein ensemble looks chic and expensive. But Rose Walano of U.S. Magazine said the outfit was crafted entirely out of recycled plastic bottles. Watson promoted a look that is as gorgeous as it is ecologically mindful, showcasing a philanthropic use of today’s technology.

Wedding Ensemble, Karl Lagerfeld (French, born Hamburg, 1938) for House of Chanel (French, founded 1913), autumn/winter 2014–15 haute couture, back view; Courtesy of CHANEL Patrimoine Collection Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Photo © Nicholas Alan Cope

Yet even celebrities and the fashion elite can succumb to the pressure of the Met Gala, producing looks that are less than stellar. Sarah Jessica Parker managed to turn a futuristic theme into anything but, donning white Monse capris and a cameo necklace. Parker looked gorgeous.

But her ensemble did not mesh with the theme.

The star-studded Met Gala reigns supreme as fashion’s most anticipated event and boasted price tags of up to $30,000 per ticket, Friedman said. Still, hits and misses are inevitable, and one can only hope to get in on the action in the future.

11 Zika virus threatens Olympic Games’ attendance the inkblot june 17, 2016

By NICK HESSION This year’s Summer Olympic Games are slated to begin on August 5, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, according to the Olympics’ website, but public concern regarding the Zika Virus is creating backlash for the Olympic Committee.

People with an O blood type are the primary carriers of the disease, which causes relatively mild symptoms, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Usually, it doesn’t even require a hospital visit for treatment, but it still raises concern because of its effects on pregnant women. There is a connection between the virus and several birth defects including microcephaly, or when a baby’s head is smaller than it should be, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Senior Jarod Danscuk of Howell expressed concern regarding the games’ location, saying that he hopes the Olympic Committee does “something rather than nothing.”

“If [Zika] can spread as fast as media outlets have said it can, I think it’s grounds

for additional action,” Danscuk said. He also went on to say that postponing this year’s Olympics, while untraditional, would be helpful.

In regards to the Zika virus, the United States Olympic Committee told athletes they should consider skipping the Olympics should they feel concerned for their health, according to Reuters. Many athletes, including American cyclist Tejay ver Garderen, have taken this advice and elected to skip this year’s event, according to AOL. Ver Garderen is skipping this year’s Olympics because his wife is pregnant, and the Zika virus could be incredibly harmful for the couple’s unborn child.

Freshman Kelly Forrester of Spring Lake Heights said she would skip out on the Olympics if she were in the same situation. Forrester said she wouldn’t want to risk affecting her ability to have children.

“I think maybe they should just move the Olympics somewhere else,” Forrester said.

Freshman William Dean of Middletown also expressed concern regarding the disease. He said he understands why ath-

BLOT INFOGRAPHIC BY CONNOR MARTIN Survey of 293 students on May 17, 2016.

letes would opt out of this year’s games.

Regardless, Dean said he would attend the games and “take every precaution necessary not to get infected.”

Danscuk expressed similar sentiment.

“If I were an athlete, I would go either way. The sports I like are the sports I like and as a fan, I would go pretty much unconditionally,” Danscuk said.

MCVSD students pursue college sports, some with scholarships

BLOT PHOTO COURTESY OF ARIANNA FERRARO Ferraro commited to the Univeristy of Louisville to play socer for the Lady Cardinals two years ago on June 19, 2014.

By SHANNON BRADLEY MCVSD students are known to work hard and play hard, as principal James Gleason said on the first day of the 2013-14 school year.

All five of the career academies are nationally ranked in the top 100 high schools in America, according to Niche, a school information site.

Some MCVSD students play sports for their home schools, but a few go above and beyond in their performances, even getting recognition from colleges.

Senior Jessica Stansfield of Wall received a partial beach volleyball scholarship from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Ariz.

While Stansfield’s coaches have prepared her for game time, she said CHS has readied her for the schoolwork.

CHS is not the only MCVSD school to host impressive athletes. High Technology High School is home to senior Lauren Sapone of Shrewsbury, another soon-to-be collegiate level athlete.

She runs cross country and participates

Extravagance leaves players bankrupt, doesn’t improve game

By MIA GALLO Sixty percent of NBA players file for bankruptcy within five years of retirement, according to economic archive Mint Bills.

These professional athletes use their money on extravagant and unnecessary purchases, which leave them broke.

With salaries ranging anywhere from $30,000 to $25 million according to ESPN, professional athletes can spend their pocket change on expensive cars and an extensive amount of shoes, clothing and jewelry, according to The Sportster.

But sometimes, they don’t know when to stop.

Yoenis Cespedes, a left fielder for the New York Mets, recently took this extravagance to an entirely different level.

During spring training, athletes train for the upcoming season. Instead, Cespedes saw this as an opportunity to show off his new purchases.

For every day of spring training, Cespedes drove up in a new car. Over the course of these six days, Cespedes pulled up in six different cars totaling $933,000, according to the New York Daily News.

The public doesn’t think that all the flashiness reflects a better player, according to The Sportster.

The expensive tattooes, cars and hous-

es that they purchase are not beneficial to these athletes or their careers.

Some of the athletes with the best statistics came from working their way up from nothing. Lebron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mike Tyson were all born into extreme poverty, according to the Sportster.

“I’m LeBron James. From Akron, Ohio. From the inner city. I am not even supposed to be here,” James told reporters back in 2013.

Despite high approval ratings for rags-to-riches athletes, brand names play a significant role in professional sports, and even high school sports.

Freshman Liam Marshall of Sea Girt runs and plays tennis.

When participating in these sports, he said Nike is his go-to brand despite its price.

“I believe that paying the extra money for Nike goes a long way and is beneficial in the long run,” Marshall said.

Unlike Marshall, sophomore Brandon Kalika of Middletown, a soccer player for Middletown High School South, said the brand name doesn’t impact his clothing decisions on the field.

“Since I am a defender, I try to keep it as humble as I can,” Kalika said.

But Marshall’s “extra money” isn’t pushing him into bankruptcy.

in track and field for her home high school of Red Bank Regional.

Multiple schools, which offered her partial scholarships, recruited Sapone.

However, Sapone said she chose her college based on its fit for her and academic caliber, not the one that offered her the most money.

“Scholarships did not affect my decision because my parents were very adamant that I not let money change my mind if I liked a school,” Sapone said.

Therefore, despite Duke University’s scholarship offer, she will be attending Dartmouth College, an Ivy League school that is unable to provide sports-related scholarships.

CHS senior Arianna Ferraro of Manalapan will attend the University of Louisville to participate in collegiate-level soccer. Ferraro also attributes her preparedness for college to CHS. “I think academically CHS has helped me in some ways and also the environment at CHS has been diverse in some of the same aspects that college will be so I won’t have a hard time adjusting to that,” Ferraro said.

Whether these seniors are enrolling in a school across the country or an Ivy League just a few states over, they all show that MCVSD students can work hard, and play hard.

Athlete of the Issue Miller leads his pack on the Wall track team and beyond By SHANNON BRADLEY Junior Matt Miller of Wall Township is dedicated to his track team, both on and off the field.

Miller has been running on the fall and winter track and cross country teams for a total of 11 seasons.

Thomas Bocchino, Miller’s track coach spoke highly of Miller.

Bocchino said, ”It’s been great watching Matt progress the past couple years as an athlete.

He’s gone from someone who I thought had potential to do well into a team leader that

BLOT PHOTO BY CATHERINE ESCUETA Miller regularly competes in the high jump and 100m race.

both myself and and team depend on both every meet and every practice.

Matt is currently in the top 10 in school history in the 110m hurdles, 200m, high jump, and (soon to be) 100m and

has a chance to end the year with the school record in the 200m.

Our growing track program here at Wall High School is lucky to have someone that is as good of a person and athlete as Matt is.”

the inkblot june 17, 2016

COLOR WARS 2016

12

Shaquille O’Teal to Red Scare, spirits and symbols collided

BLOT GRAPHICS BY JULIE ALTER

2016 TEAM STANDINGS 1. Teal Team Captains Caitlin Brehm, Connor Duffy, Kelly Kay, Tanner Richardett, Julia Rongo, Lizzy Thornton, Eileen Volk Adviser Jeanine Gomez Symbol Shaquille O’Teal

2. Pink Team

Captains Daria Belikov, Nick Haaf, Tricia Lowney, Justin Ortiz, Veronica Parker, Anna Robinson, Mithu Sankar, Jen Villavicencio Adviser Kathryn Diver Symbol Flamingos

3. Red Team

Captains James Boyle, Sam Dellis, Angelica Fromer, Olivia Keavey, John Robinson, Victor Riveros Adviser Jennifer Cornine Symbol Red Scare

3. Green Team Captains Sarah Davis, Amelia Lautenberg, Melissa Martin, Alyssa Oster, Caroline Richter Adviser Emily Crelin Symbol Slytherins

BLOT PHOTO BY CHRISTINA FLYNN

Senior Shane Nolan of Bradley Beach, SGA Vice President, prepares Green and Light Blue teams for their tug-of-war match-up.

4. Black Team

Captains Brian Brown, Julia Harvey, Lauryn Masciana, Dan Mopsick, Shane Nolan, Clay Paley, Rachel Srolovitz, Allie Wheeler Adviser Karen Britto Symbol Back to Black

4. Purple Team Captains Sally Boniecki, Jess Cooney, Josh Ehling, Eric Harris, Mike Hom, Josh Pensky Adviser Leah Morgan Symbol Grapes

5. Light Blue Team Captains Arianna Ferraro, Sallie Haas, Angela Helfrich, Kelly Hooper, Jane Maloney, Emma McCaffrey, Matt Morton, Laura Murphy, Christina Noll Adviser Andi Mulshine Symbol Lit Blue

BLOT PHOTO BY CHRISTINA FLYNN

In preparation for the ‘Battle of the Beasts,’ sophomore Marie Schobel, right, of Sea Girt helped fellow Pink Team member and sophomore Emma Wilenta of Wall get in the Pink spirit for the chant competition, where Pink placed second.

BLOT PHOTO BY CATHERINE ESCUETA

Senior Mike Hom of Manalapan took the gold for the Purple Team at the limbo competition this year. Junior Kat Holtz of Hazlet came in second during the contest for the Red Team, after winning first place during her freshman and sophomore years.

6. Dark Blue Team

Captains Louis Avena, Nick Brennan, Johnny Callaghan, Peter Hjelm, Jess Stansfield Adviser Deb Maher and Justine Lane

7. Orange Team

Captains Darcy Darbin, Kacey Cielecki, Bridget Savage, Ivette Rafael, Lilia Kang, Maryann Rojas, Sophia Boniecki Adviser Virginia Clevenger Symbol Oranges

8. Yellow Team

Captains Sarah Takash, Natalie Straub, Olivia Malesco, Kat Garelli, Tommy Fletcher Adviser Sabina Campbell Symbol Bees

BLOT PHOTO BY KEVIN DIXSON

The final event of the day was the pie eating contest, an all-senior tradition. Contestants included, from right, Connor Duffy of Freehold, Jess Stansfield of Wall, Jane Maloney of Middletown and Julia Harvey of Howell. Stansfield took first place, followed by Red Team captain Victor Riveros of Long Branch and Yellow Team captain Olivia Malesco of Middletown, respectively.