Volume L Issue II
February 2017
John F. Kennedy High School
Bonjour, le Québec! Bellmore-Merrick French Students Travel North
Bellmore-Merrick French students pose in front of Le Château Frontenac, in Quebec
By: Jennifer Avezov In John F. Kennedy High School’s fifty prosperous years there has never—not once—been a field trip outside of the country, until now. This November, Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s French students, along with Mr. Cirino, Mrs. Valenti, Mr. Zawislak, Mrs. Kaplan, Mrs. DeLuca, Mrs. Siegelaub, and Mr. Montes, had the privilege of traveling to the second most French speaking country in the world, Canada, for four exhilarating days. The French scholars began their journey by waking up extra early on November 11th to board a fun nine-hour bus ride. They first visited the historically enchanting and illuminating city of Old Quebec for two jubilant days. The students stared in awe at the most picturesque hotel, Château Frontenac, and they went on a wild
scavenger hunt across the city, competing for a prize while extolling the elegantly antiquated architecture. They also tried natural maple syrup before immersing themselves in the local music by square dancing. Then they finally walked amidst the stunning, starry night of Quebec, speaking French with natives of the community. They also tried the Quebec cuisine, including the acclaimed Poutine dish featuring french fries, gravy, and melted cheese. The next day, the students woke up to a marvelous feast and were then driven to the city of Montreal. Upon arrival students visited the luminous Notre-Dame Basilica, watched an enticing French film in IMAX 3D, attended the beautiful campus of McGill University, had a comical and compelling francophone lesson with friends, and binge-shopped at the massive underground mall of Centre Eaton de Montréal. Many
Schooling: Then vs. Now Page 2
Photo courtesy of French on Location/ACIS
superb memories were made, all thanks to the legendary Mr. Cirino, who persevered through stressful situations in order to provide the French students with a remarkable, eye opening trip. He comments on the trip, “There has been a long time that I’ve really wanted to plan a trip like this for world languages and for the French department...It’s the first time we had a world language class go on an international trip, which is very exciting for the department. We had Calhoun, Mepham, JFK, and MAP involved in the school, so it was a full One Voice, One Message trip where the entire district had a chance to participate, and I think the trip was highly successful... it was a fantastic experience for the students of Bellmore Merrick schools and for the community in general.” Merci, Monsieur et le Canada! Au revoir!
Meet the President Page 10
Junior Class Gives Back
By: Chloe Rome and Hayley Seltzberg
On October 16, 2016, the Junior Class held an Applebee’s pancake fundraiser for our local friend, Jake Lonigro. Jake is a 12-year-old boy who lives in Merrick and attends Merrick Avenue Middle School. He is a friend to many, a passionate dancer, and a great sibling to his older brother. In addition to all of these things that make Jake such a special person, he is a strong child battling a rare form of cancer. Jake was recently diagnosed and has since been receiving treatment. His strength and heart is incredibly inspiring to everyone, especially the students in the Junior Class. In order to help raise money for Jake in his demanding battle, the Junior Class held an Applebee’s fundraiser. “Short Stacks for a Tall Cause,” directed by Junior Class Officers Hayley Seltzberg, Chloe Rome, Brooke Silverberg, and Nina Weissbach, as well as their class advisor, Mrs. Faulkner, raised nearly $1,500 in cash to donate to Jake to assist him in his fight against cancer. At this event, the Junior Class all came and served breakfast to those who purchased tickets. Tickets were sold at ten dollars each, and breakfast included pancakes, eggs, and sausage, in addition to a choice of beverage. The teens came and worked as waiters and waitresses, happily serving the customers with smiles on their faces. While teens may not typically be as bright-eyed every morning as they were on that Sunday, the good deed that they were doing certainly helped to liven them up. The entire Junior Class, Cougar Crier staff, and Kennedy High School community are wishing Jake good luck in his battle, and we are rooting for his recovery every step of the way!
Super Bowl LI Page 18
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COUGAR NEWS
Schooling: then vs. now
By: Arielle Pasternack and Jada and have detention all year. Fifty to my advantage in school. Wheth- live without it: our generation relies years ago, girls were only allowed to er it be quickly checking a word on it. Overall, technology changed Spindler wear skirts—not even pants! Can on Google translate for my foreign language class or using the comput Imagine being a student fif- you imagine that? Everywhere you look today, there er to correct my grammar mistakes ty years ago, in a time when there were no smartphones, and there is technology. Technology is rul- on an essay, there are many ways were no iPads to help with all sorts of school related activities. There was no “spell check,” let alone computers with applications such as Microsoft Word and Google Docs to assist in writing papers. Instead, students relied on dictionaries to ensure the correct spelling of words, and assignments were typed on manual typewriters. These are just a few of the many examples of how schooling “back in the day” was very different from how it is now. Furniture in schools fifty years ago looked very different from the furniture at schools now. In the 1960s, students sat at three legged stools and long wooden tables; however, students nowadays get to enjoy desks that are much more comfortable than the three legged stools on which the students sat on in the past. This shows that technology in industries became more efficient and advanced throughout the years in making school furniture. Far more books were used five decades ago to assist in learning compared to now. In almost every English class, students would get dictionaries to aid in looking up words that they were unfamiliar with. The “dictionary” of our generation now is a search engine called Google. If an English teacher today told a student to go buy a physical dictionary for her/his class, she/he would consider it very strange. Not to mention, most students today have never even entered the library to look at an encyclopedia. The library used in school today is mainly for doing homework on the computers or at the tables provided. Books on the shelves in the library are rarely taken out by students. This greatly differs from the significance of the library fifty years ago, where the majority of students took out books to read either for pleasure or for school. The school dress code half a cenPhoto with permission of Sanford H. Calhoun High School’s Hoobeats staff tury ago was much more strict than Photo courtesy of Dr. Urban and Mr. Melillo it is now. In the past, people would not even consider wearing tight This blast-from-the-past article comes from Hoofbeats, Calhoun’s school publcation. jean shorts, yet nowadays, students The Colts welcome their baby brother school to the BMCHSD family. can get away with wearing this provocative garment, along with a ing our lives. There is at least one that technology can be used to a belly shirt, only getting in a mini- smartboard in every single class- student’s benefit. Applications like mal amount of trouble. If a student room, and almost every student in Quizlet can also be used to study tried this in 1966, they would get the class has an iPhone. As a stu- for tests by creating virtual flashkicked out of school for the week dent, I, Jada Spindler, will be the cards. Technology makes our lives first to admit that I use my phone a lot easier, and most of us cannot
our lives as students, and I bet you can’t go one school day without it. Schooling in the present day has also changed in terms of academics. Common Core is a major aspect of schooling in the present time. This is ironic because Common Core didn’t even exist in the past. The information that we are learning seems a lot more difficult now than it was then. Many older relatives cannot complete the math problems that students are learning now. We now include lengthy word problems as math questions, which, for a multitude of students, make tests far more difficult and long. A simple math problem turns into a whole paragraph. This leads to more students struggling in school and having to get tutors. Increasingly stressful academics with high pressure are now part of a typical high school student’s life. Many students stay up very late to receive a good grade on a test. Children need a full night’s sleep, and with the workload we receive, this becomes virtually impossible. Overall, academics have reached a level of rigidity of which students of fifty years ago could not possibly have dreamed. For example, I, Arielle Pasternack, asked my older relatives to state how much homework they received every night. Their response was that they had around an hour of homework each night. In the present day, students receive at least two hours of homework each night, including studying. This shows the intense level of academia with which students in the present day are faced. From the trivial differences of furniture to the declining significance of the library, to the advent of technology as part of Kennedy culture, schooling back then was certainly different from schooling now. John F. Kennedy High School has come a long way since 1966, and it’s not done yet. Being in school back then varied widely from how it is now, and we can only imagine what the future will hold.
COUGAR NEWS
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Did you see Harvey?
Photographer: Chynna Tomastyk (Left to right): Deanna DeMarco, Connor Schmidt, Ruth Bergman, Anthony Passarella, Steven Alexander, Edward Grimes, and Benjamin Krochmal
By: Ayla Berkowitz Kennedy’s fall play, Harvey, was a huge success, as a result of all the hard work done by the actors, actresses, and crew. In the fantastic play, the main character, Elwood Dowd, was portrayed by senior Steven Alexan-
der. He masterfully played the role of a man who seems to be delusional because he claims that there is a sixfoot bunny by the name of Harvey that follows him around. This show had many other amazing actors, including Deanna DeMarco, who played Veta, Elwood’s sister who tries to put him in a mental hospital because she believes that he is crazy.
The play’s plot faces ironic twists and turns, as Veta starts to believe in Harvey herself, and is committed to a mental hospital instead instead. Not only was the cast’s acting excellent, but the but the set was put together perfectly with the stage divided into two different parts, making it very efficient to
portray different scenes. Last but not least, the Kennedy drama club and production has Mr. Sheffield to thank for directing this rousing success. The production was above and beyond what anyone could have “imagined”!
education at Villanova University, where she studied sociology. She had taken a training course at Villanova to prepare for active duty and was part of the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC). When discussing the number of jobs and tasks she was responsible for when she served in the navy, she recalled, “The one job I loved most was counseling the men and women in my unit.” In fact, Mrs. Coco explained that her experience with counseling her unit in the Navy had initially propelled her interest in becoming a guidance counselor. She elaborated, “I knew I wanted to do something in the counseling field, and school counseling seemed perfect.” After having graduated college, Mrs. Coco furthered her Navy-related experience by serving in the United States Navy for four
years. She then continued on to graduate school to study counseling and obtained a Master’s degree at Hofstra University. Once she graduated from Hofstra, she found a way to incorporate her passion for running into her everyday life. Mrs. Coco became the head coach for cross country and track and field at Molloy College for eight years. Her personal experience with cross country and track and field in high school and college paved the way for her to be an enthusiastic and exuberant coach for her athletes. In addition, Mrs. Coco worked as a school counselor at Oceanside High School for one year, and completed three different leave replacement jobs last year prior to joining the Kennedy faculty. As a guidance counselor, Mrs. Coco appreciates many as-
pects of her job, but when asked what her favorite part is, she replied, “[It is] getting to know the students on a deeper level, getting to see them, building relationships with them, and [guiding] them through whatever issue or topic they have.” Mrs. Coco also shared some fascinating facts about herself, including that she ran her first marathon in November. She hopes to continue doing road races in the future. Another mind blowing thing she shared is that she has lived in eight different states! Born a California native, Mrs. Coco has also lived in Texas, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Florida, Rhode Island, Virginia, and New York. Welcome to Kennedy, Mrs. Coco!
Meet the new guidance counselor: Mrs. Coco By: Emma Gold
From Naval Officer and counselor to cross country runner and coach, Kennedy’s newest guidance counselor has had many experiences that have led her here to us. Mrs. Coco joined the Kennedy faculty this 2016-2017 school year as the guidance counselor for ninth graders with last names starting from “Com-Gra,” tenth graders with last names starting from “Ch-Fel,” eleventh graders with last names starting from”D-G,” and twelfth graders with last names starting from “Co-Gri.” Mrs. Coco’s diverse background, expertise, and experiences in a variety of settings contributed to her inspiration and motivation to become a guidance counselor. She received an undergraduate
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WORLD NEWS
Cuban citizens mourn the loss of their leader at Havana University.
Mourning and celebrations in light of Castro’s passing By: Danielle Slovinsky The death of the Cuban communist leader, Fidel Castro, has brought about mixed feelings among the Cuban people. Cuban people stopped to pay their respects in the last week of November to the late Fidel Castro. Some people were very upset over the death, and others celebrated it. A young Cuban woman said “The Cuban people are feeling sad because of the loss of our commander in chief Fidel Castro Ruz, and we wish him,
wherever he is, that he is blessed, and us Cubans love him” (CNN). Although Castro was a dictator in every sense of the word, his people still loved and praised him. The woman continues, “For us, he was like a father. And Cuba sees him as a father. One woman just called crying and saying she had lost her father. Everyone feels it.” In the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami across the Straits of Florida. Cuban exiles had a different reaction to Castro’s death and partied all day, waving
Cuban or US flags while some sang to festive music. People spilled into the streets of Miami. They drank champagne, cheered and waved the Cuban flag in pure joy. The exiles stood outside a popular Versailles restaurant in Little Havana with signs reading, “Satan, Fidel is now yours.” “It means a lot for us Cubans,” another reveler told CNN affiliate WSVN. “It’s a moment that we’ve been waiting for 55 years. We’re free at last. The man that caused so much suffering, so
much people to be sad in my country ... has passed away.” Obama extended “a hand of friendship to the Cuban people” as he offered his condolences to Castro’s family in a statement. “We know that this moment fills Cubans -- in Cuba and in the United States -- with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation.” Fidel Castro’s death will never be forgotten.
All boys welcome By: Jennifer Avezov On January 30, 2017, a memorable decision was made that enabled any transgender child who labels themselves as a boy to take part in the organization. This action has been the latest in a string of updates to the group’s entrance policies occurring over the past decades. The Boy Scouts of America was first established in 1910, but one of its first major policy changes did not come until 1988, when Catherine Pollard, a single mother, became the first woman to enter into a Boy Scouts leadership position. Pollard had sued the organization for allegedly violating sex discrimination laws by not allowing her to become her son’s Scoutmaster. While the Connecticut Su-
preme Court eventually ruled in the (former Defense Secretary under Boy Scouts’ favor, the public back- President Obama) fought for the lash eventually allowance of forced the orgay Scoutganization to masters, overturn their which bepolicy banning came group female Scoutpolicy by the masters. After end of the the Obama year. administration Prior to began promotJanuary 30, ing non-disboys would crimination be permitted based on sexual into the Boy orientation, inScout group cluding repealthrough an ing “Don’t Ask, Graphic with permission from Boy Scouts of Americaindividual’s Don’t Tell” in birth certifi2010, the Boy Scouts chose to end cate; however, entrance is now deits ban on gay Scouts in 2013. In termined based on the gender pro2015, new president of the Boy vided on the application form with Scouts of America Robert Gates this new policy. This idea derived
from an 8-year-old boy named Joe Maldonado from New Jersey, who claimed that the organization would not permit his entrance into the organization because he was transgender. Over the past few months, Scout Executive Michael Surbaugh had been working on this controversial topic with his team, and they have finally settled on updating the organization to give more children the chance to go scouting and become cognizant of fun, helpful tactics. The Boy Scouts of America is finally ready to welcome all boys into its growing family. The institution is prepared to teach any young man the qualities necessary to become a productive Eagle Scout and positive member of society.
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WORLD NEWS
Residents of Little Havana in Miami rejoice at the death of Fidel Castro.
Standing Rock stands tall By: Azaria Vargas With concern for the environment becoming crucial to a hopeful world for future generations, the decision of the federal government to deny the Dakota Access Pipeline’s easement through Lake Oahe and the Standing Rock Indian Reservation is a pressing topic. After much protest organized at the reservation, the Army Corps of Engineers under President Obama’s administration blocked the passage of the pipeline through the area, a victory for the protesters not just with environmental concerns, but for those fighting for the rights of natives and their lands. The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), also known as the Bakken Pipeline, is an underground oil pipeline project under the control of the Dakota Access subsidiary of Energy Transfer Partners, a Fortune 500 gas control and propane company. It is meant to provide energy independence for the United States and replace rail and road as a transportation method. The $3.7 billion is predicted to produce 450,000 of crude oil a day, but the
pipeline would have threatened the tion over the past few weeks, when lands, for it could burst and con- protesters were shot at with water taminate the water, harm the soil cannons, rubber bullets, and othfor farmers, and produce unknown er weapons. This resulted in many damage and consequences. injuries, including broken bones The pipeline has been re- and possible arm amputation, and routed before. Previously it was set damage to sacred land and burial to be near grounds. the Bismarck The protest area, but it continued, was relocathowever, and ed due to the protectors environmenwere faced tal concerns. with eviction This is moston December ly the prob5th by local lem with the authorities. pipeline goThousands of ing through military vetthe Standing erans arrived Rock Reserthis past week vation, for it to join the Graphic with permission from can contamprotest and Standing Rock Sioux Reservationvowed to use inate the water of the Missouri River. themselves to protect the protesters, To counter this, water pro- telling violent authorities to “shoot tectors from around the country, at [them] first.” This combined efled by the Sioux, gathered to halt fort caused the construction to be the construction of the dangerous halted on December 5th, and it will pipeline. While the protest was not go through the reservation, sigpeaceful, many of the protectors nifying a victory for the water prowere faced with violence from au- tectors. thorities. This came to a culmina- The greatest problem with
The Oceti Sakowin Camp – a historic gathering of Indigenous Nation tribes
the protest was its lack of media coverage, for much of the media’s focus at the time was on the aftermath of the election and even celebrity nonsense. The media must do its job and address pressing social issues such as that occurring at Standing Rock rather than pandering to ratings. It is crucial that the public become aware of the major events occurring in the nation, for most people did not even know about the conflict. The topic of the DAPL is resurfacing, however, as a one of controversy, for President Donald Trump is moving to advance its construction. Hopefully the media will properly handle the coverage of the dispute and alert the public, so they can come to their own conclusions on the issue and perhaps even join in the protest.
Photo courtesy of Standing Rock Sioux Reservation
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WOMEN’S MARCH
4.8 million champions
By: Alixandra Wilens
African-American civil rights and the late-twentieth century to the gun control, Carmen Perez, Ex- present time, has been named an Take a body and give it the ecutive Director of Harry Bela- honorary co-chair. The original following: a heart, a brain, a soul, indomitable strength and resilience, courage beyond all measure, beauty within and without, and finish with a witty tongue versatile enough to make politicians cry and sailors blush. These all and possibly some biological factors create the unstoppable force known as woman. Now bring nearly five million of them (and some of their likeminded male counterparts) together in cities across the globe. See them put vast oceans to shame, hear them roar louder than a tornado’s gust, and know that you are in the presence of something truly deserving of the word “great.” The 2017 Women’s March on Washington (and throughout the world) was an unstoppable, history-making force for good, and the minds behind it are just getting started. The conception of this grassroots effort occurred NovemGraphic with permission from Women’s March on Washington ber 9, 2016, one day after the U.S. presidential election, and, in a re- fonte’s Gathering for Justice, and name was supposed to be the Milflection of the twenty-first century Linda Sarsour, Executive Director lion Women March, but historians women who brought it to fruition, of the Arab American Association had already allowed that title to go it happened on Facebook. Two of New York, who would become to a 1997 protest by hundreds of different minds hatched similar the three other national co-chairs. thousands of Philadelphian Afriideas for the march: Teresa Shook, Sarsour would act as spokeswom- can-American women, so they ina resident of Hawaii, former at- an for the movement. The number stead took the name of the Womtorney and current grandmother, posted the concept for a D.C. protest during inauguration weekend shortly after learning of the election results. When she woke up the next morning, she had 10,000 ready and eager marchers waiting on her command. Another Facebook user, Bob Bland, a fashion designer and founder of Manufacture New York—a fashion factory that connects independent designers to the resources that will turn their sketches into affordable, innovative products—posted with the idea of a “resistance movement” in mind. She would become one of the four national co-chairs. The two ladies soon found each other, and they brought in Vanessa Wruble, co-founder of Okayafrica, a platform that redefines Africa in the eyes of the Western world, who then began heading campaign operations. It was her idea to add in women of other origins (for Shook Graphic with permission from Women’s March on Washington and Bland were both Caucasian) to drive home their message of in- of organizers only grew, Cassady en’s March on Washington in honor clusivity and intersectionality, both Fendlay became the head of com- of the 1963 protest headed by Dr. of which were early on chosen to munications, Paola Mendoza the Martin Luther King, Jr., and the be part of the core message of the rally artistic director, and countless organizers secured the blessing of movement. They then brought others. Gloria Steinem, a cham- his daughter, Bernice King. They in Tamika Mallory, an activist for pion of the feminist movement of moved forward with their cause,
and the movement only grew from that point on. Organizers agreed soon after the conception of the march that this protest would be organized by women, but it would not only be a rallying of feminist ideals. The movement would become a central junction through which all women could come and make their voices, and their respective causes, heard. The end result did not disappoint. There were marchers fighting for reproductive rights and an end to the gender wage gap, but there were also attendees spreading messages of immigration reform, LGBTQ rights, religious discrimination (namely the issue of Islamophobia), workers’ rights, unease regarding nuclear weapons, and environmental concerns. Black Lives Matter participants brought up problems of racial inequalities in the nation. There were those seeking to shine a light on the hunt for law enforcement accountability and gun control. Other groups that participated were Planned Parenthood, the National Organization for Women, Black Girls Rock!, Greenpeace USA, the American Indian Movement, Code Pink, Human Rights Watch, and so many more. The New Wave Feminists, an anti-abortion group, were at one point partners with the movement, but they, along with a few other prolife groups, were later taken off as partners after their affiliations were widely publicized, although the organizations were allowed to march with the other protesters. Most of all, there were women who came to the march just looking to show the world that they would never stop fighting for justice of any kind, that anything wrong with their country, their world, was a “women’s issue,” and it was worth fighting for. Nobody was able to predict just how large the Washington, D.C. march would become. The organizers had originally gotten a permit in early December 2016 from the National Park Service for a march from Independence Avenue to the Capitol Building and the National Mall, at which time they were expecting around 200,000 people. By January 16, 2017, the permit had to be re-secured with an increased expectation of 500,000 people. The final tally was anywhere between the permit’s estimation and one million people. There
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WOMEN’S MARCH
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4.8 million champions
Photographer: Alexandra Zalewski
(Continued from Page 6) were a multitude of speakers prominent in various fields, including modern feminism, politics, and pop culture. The youngest was six-yearold Sophie Cruz, daughter of two undocumented immigrants who became one of the youngest voices of the immigration reform movement after encouraging the Pope to support legislation that would allow her parents to legally remain in the country (which he did speak in favor of in Congress the next day). At the rally, she remarked, “We are here together making a chain of love to protect our families. Let us fight with love, faith, and courage so that our families will not be destroyed.” She recited her speech in English and Spanish. Too many other notable names approached the podium to recount them all, but the official list included Gloria Steinem, Scarlett Johansson, and America Ferrera. The words spoken at that rally incited cheers throughout the crowds, and their messages have not fallen on deaf ears, for they are still ringing. Over four million protesters around the country and the world marched in solidarity with the women marching on Washington. 408 planned marches happened within U.S. borders, like in New York City, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, Miami, and Boston. Crowds gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Antarctica played host to a crowd pro-peace, pro-environ-
ment activists who shared signs of solidarity on social media. Australians gathered in the country’s first international march in downtown Sydney, where between 3,000 and 5,000 people chanted slogans like, “Women united will never be defeated,” and “When women’s rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” Wellington, New Zealand welcomed 700 to their “sister march,” similar to “sister marches” held in Nairobi, Kenya and Cape Town, South Africa, as well as the nations of Ghana and Mawali. Rome’s Pantheon became a meeting place for activists bearing signs such as “Women’s rights are human rights” (also from a 1995 Hillary Clinton speech) and “Yes we must.” Germany was the setting of multiple rallies, drawing largely peaceful crowds in Berlin, Munich, and Frankfurt, among other cities. Many United Kingdom protesters (uniting in cities like Liverpool, London, Manchester and Edinburgh) were against Brexit, England’s vote to leave the European Union, which pro-remain activists fear will hurt the country both diplomatically and economically. London alone drew 100,000 followers. “Sister marches” were additionally held in Greece, France, Kosovo, and Georgia, and hundreds more gathered in small town squares adorned in pink armor to show their solidarity with Washington. One Parisian protestor proudly held up her pink sign below the Eiffel Tower. It read, “A woman’s place is in the house— the White House.” The organizers forthright-
ly stated that this would not be an anti-Trump movement. It was, as spokeswoman Sarsour declared, “the largest mass mobilization that any new administration has seen on its first day.” The concept of creating a movement one day after the inauguration was to remind President Trump that he has a responsibility to the nation to uphold justice in all of its forms, and the women fighting for such rights and ideas of human decency would hold him accountable to his actions. Despite the official statement, many signs carried by protesters both in Washington and around the world were against the new Trump presidency. Washington featured banners from Planned Parenthood expressing concern over Trump’s previous statements regarding his pro-life views, signs from citizens condemning his previous derogatory remarks against women, and requests for the new president not to repeal Obama’s executive order extending the protection of workers’ rights to the provisions of “sexual orientation and gender identity.” Global sister marches often featured cheers of “Girl Power vs. Trump Power.” Within a week of being sworn in, Trump criticized the media for inaccurately depicting the crowd at his inauguration as smaller than the Women’s March on Washington group. Nearly all reputable media outlets, videos and aerial photographs show that the marchers on Saturday, January 21 were indeed more numerous than the spectators on Friday, January 20. That’s one for girl power.
This is only the beginning. The organizers are now focusing their efforts on their “10 Actions for the first 100 Days” campaign, a mirror effort to the commonly enhanced attention paid to a president’s first 100 days in office. The first action was to write letters to senators about important issues. A “Hear Out Voice” postcard was even available on the group’s website. The second action was to “huddle” or hold small, informal meetings in which neighborhoods discuss how to evolve the momentum of the march into lasting, definitive change. National Co-Chair Mallory, explained, “For me, success for this march doesn’t happen on January 21. It happens after.” Democracy at its core liberates the voice of the people. The 2017 Women’s March on Washington became one of the greatest examples of democracy that the world has ever seen, and the global effort to stand with Washington has proven more successful at spreading democracy than any spending plan or “well-meaning” war ever could have been. All of humanity has the capacity for strength, yet it is the woman that continually surprises people. It should not be surprising that women can organize, gather, scream, shout, fight, and fight for good. It should not be surprising that every cause is a “women’s cause.” On January 21, 2017, women were not the cause to be championed. Women were, are, the champions.
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WOMEN’S MARCH
Graphic with permission from Women’s March on Washington
Photographer: Alexandra Zalewski
Graphic with permission from Women’s March on Washington
ELECTION 2016
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The foundation or destruction of democracy
Final electoral college map of 2016 presidential election
By: Gustave Gottlieb Every four years, the the American people have an opportunity to vote for the President of the United States. For the past 8 years, we have had Barack Obama (Dem.) as our President. That honor and position gave him the authority to veto or accept bills, declare war, and appoint Judges to the Supreme Court. Now, Obama’s last year is up and a new President has been voted on and elected to office. On November 8, almost all adult U.S. citizens went to their local libraries, post offices, or other legal buildings and casted their votes for the 2016 Presidential Election. After that, the votes were handed over to a body called the “Electoral College.” The Electoral College is a system where states are given a set amount of “electoral votes.” These votes are allotted based on the population of the state. The candidate who receives over 270 electoral votes wins the election and receives the title “President-Elect” until
the current President finishes their term. This year, the candidates were Republican Donald Trump, Democrat Hillary Clinton, Libertarian Gary Johnson, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. In order for one candidate to receive one state’s electoral votes, they must have won the popular vote in that state specifically. This system is often believed to be quite controversial for a multitude of reasons, the most of common of which is that in theory, a vote for one candidate does not “count” if the majority of a state votes for an opposing candidate. Sometimes, the other candidate will win the popular vote, the total individual citizen votes, and still lose due to the fact they did not receive enough electoral votes. When the votes were declared, the winner of the election was Donald Trump, winning Republican strongholds and swing stakes alike, including Texas, Florida, Alaska, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. These wins helped him lead in the end with 290 electoral votes.
Hillary Clinton won states such as New York, Hawaii, Colorado and others. Hillary came short receiving only 228 electoral votes, hence making Donald Trump the clear winner. While, in theory, Donald Trump won fair and square, many Hillary supporters are now beginning to bring up questions about the Electoral College, and how they think it is unfair. Later in the year, Senator Barbara Boxer (D. Cal.) introduced legislation to remove the electoral college, only after Trump won the election. According to Sen. Boxer, the electoral vote system is undemocratic and outdated, and should be removed immediately. She believes that Clinton, who she voted for, should be the President-Elect and not Trump. Runner-up Jill Stein, alongside Hillary Clinton’s campaign, ordered and insisted upon a recount of the states Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. After the recount was officially complete, the results were that Donald Trump did indeed win
Graphc courtesy of Business Insider
all four states, plus an extra 131 votes, reinforcing him as the President-Elect. On January 6, 2017, the final electoral college confirmation was in. Donald Trump will officially be the 45th President of the United States. On January 20, 2017, he was sworn in at the Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C.. Although there were many problems, arguments, Twitter battles and controversy throughout the process, Barack Obama’s replacement is new President Donald J. Trump.
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ELECTION 2016
Meet the President By: Cougar Crier staff Full Name: Donald John Trump Born: June 14, 1946, in Queens, NY Education: Attended Fordham University for two years, and then transferred to the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, where he achieved his Bachelor of Science in Economics, in 1968. Party: Republican Campaign Slogan: “Make America Great Again” Position on the Issues: The Economy: Trump’s economic platform involves cutting government spending, and growing the economy in order to support programs like Social Security and Medicare. Trump’s background and expertise in business is a mainstay of his platform. Taxes: Trump has stated that he would like to decrease the number of tax brackets from seven to three, while reducing tax rates for all three. The tax rate for corporations would also decrease significantly, to stimulate our economy and create jobs. Immigration: Trump has stated that he would like to limit immigration by freezing green cards and pushing employers to hire American workers, as well as increasing the vetting process for new immigrants. His immigration plan is focused on deporting undocumented people with criminal records, building a wall between Mexico and the U.S., and increasing the amount of government employees working for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Healthcare: Trump has expressed strong opposition to Obamacare because of the financial burden it puts on the American people. He would like to repeal Obamacare, but maintain two components: the fact that people cannot be denied healthcare for having a preexisting condition, and that young adults can stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26. The Environment: Trump has expressed belief that climate change is a hoax, and is against environmental regulations which he deems excessive. His relationship with the Environmental Protection Agency is contentious. Gun Control: Trump is in favor of limiting gun restrictions. Abortion: Trump is opposed to abortion in most cases, excluding rape, incest, and cases that endanger the health of the mother. The intensity of his stance has varied over time. LGBTQ Rights: Trump has stated his belief in marriage between a man and a woman, but has expressed acceptance of the Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage. He has promised to uphold Obama’s order for protection of LGBT employees in the workplace. Trump has stated that individual states should have the right to decide on matters of transgender rights, such as public bathroom use.
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ELECTION 2016
EDITORIAL: Optimism towards Trump
By: Sean Cohen
It’s November 8th, 7:00 p.m. to be exact. You’re watching the news, hoping to get a glimpse of who’s going to become the next president. Then the exit polls are reported, the reporters announce Hillary Clinton is leading in most of the reports and projected to win the electoral votes she needs to become president. A few hours pass and all of a sudden you watch baffled at how Donald Trump is leading in both electoral votes and popular votes. He had won two contested swing states and was leading in the race for Pennsylvania. As the time slowly ticks by your head begins to spin. It’s 11 pm now and everybody is skeptical about who will win. As the forecasts are saying that this election might not be over until the next morning, you continue to stay awake. Not to mention, this decisive election will determine America’s future for the next four years. Time passes, suddenly news channels reports Donald Trump will have an easier time winning the electoral votes and potentially become the president. Even though it is not confirmed, you know this is coming to an end. Unfortunately for you it is not. The long night continues. Then at around 3 am, it is declared, Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States. Depending on your affiliation you react towards the results. President Trump gives his victory speech thanking his surrogates, supporters, and his opposition. Finally, you fall
asleep after an overwhelming night. Simply put, Donald Trump is the president who America needs to eliminate government corruption, stop the imploding debt, cut the flow of illegal and dangerous immigration from hostile states, revitalize poor communities, and bring back traditional values to American households. Donald Trump firmly stands to unite America and break division. If Donald Trump stands by these promises, we can see our country head in a better direction. President Trump is not perfect, but then again who is? From the beginning, more qualified candidates proved to have good potential for the presidency. Sen. Ted Cruz showed his support for conservative values that have not been prominent since the Reagan era. Maybe this is why he finished as the runner up in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Sen. Marco Rubio’s capitalist opinions brought issues that greatly required discussion to the table. Dr. Ben Carson proved that the Republican Party is not representative of racism; rather, he proved that America should steer clear from political correctness, which he claims plagues today’s youth. Hillary Clinton was viewed by people of both parties as the example of pay-to-play politics, from email scandal after email scandal to outright demagoguery. “Love trumps hate,” she said. I assume this is why she voted in support of the Iraq war which killed thousands of Americans, restricted aid to inno-
cent and intrepid soldiers who were under fire by Benghazi rebels, and sanctioned the handout of weapons to Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Yes, the same Al-Qaeda that tragically took down the Twin Towers. She also lobbied for progressive policies, which proved to halt small business income, stagnate employment, and limit constitutional rights. As President Obama stated in his 2008 campaign, “It’s time for change.” In 2016, that ironically applies against him. Obama tried to pass laws that would not be accepted by the Republican-majority Congress and then went on to push executive orders. As of today, Obama has 923 executive orders, more than the past 3 presidents combined. Trump plans to repeal lots of these orders, which is severe-
ly needed since many unsuccessful ones, like “Obamacare,” proved to hurt more than help. Even Bill Clinton called Obamacare “the craziest thing in the world.” President Trump is an inspirational person. During his rallies he is very hopeful and encouraging. He assures the American people of a prosperous America guided under his leadership. If Donald Trump can do the things he promised, we can thrive under his presidency.
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POP CULTURE
Let’s get lost in new worlds
By: Marlee Seifer
good way. Each new book is a new world: new people with new prob The best kind of books are those which you can get lost in, lems, abilities, and personalities for thereby forgetting about reality for you to fall in love with over and a while. There is no better feeling over again. The hardest part is than to believe in the impossible, when one leaves you hanging, and even if only for a few hours. Some- you have no clue what is going to times, though, good books are happen to the characters that you hard to find. They are not enticing have bonded with and have created enough, or halfway through, things an emotional attachment to… or start making no sense, and you get you hate reading, and you only do it lost in the book—but not in the when you have to. In that case, why are you even reading this article? Luckily for the book lovers out there, there are a few books that have continued series that people all over have fallen in love with. The Michael Vey series, written by Richard Paul Evans, is a seven-book series, and the newest volume—the sixth book—has recently come out. Michael Vey: Fall of Hades is the newest installment of the adventures of the Electroclan, and it does not disappoint. My recommendation? Go to a library and check it out. Immediately. It is Photo courtesy of Rick Riordan media relations, used with their awesome. Do not take permission
my word for it. Go find out for yourself and see if you can prove me wrong. (Newsflash—you can’t.) Another extremely talented author is the esteemed Rick Riordan. The author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, The Heroes of Olympus series, and The Kane Chronicles has taken a nosedive into another pantheon besides Greco-Roman and Egyptian gods. Now, it is the Norse who he has begun adding to the much beloved world of Camp Half-Blood, Photo courtesy of Rick Riordan media relations, used with their permission Camp Jupiter, and but it is now from the bound-to-be Brooklyn House. His newest series, Magnus Chase and quirky perspective of a once-godthe Gods of Asgard, has just come turned-mortal. Confused? Good. out with its second installment. The Read! See? Worlds like this keep Sword of Summer (#1) and The on expanding. I cannot wait to read Hammer of Thor (#2) have been published, and there is another on more and find out what happens the way: The Ship of the Dead. I, next. Perhaps I am a bit biased, but personally, cannot wait for the third I know a good book when I read one. I suggest you check it out. Do. book to come out next year. And Rick is not done yet. Don’t. It is up to you, but if you The Greco-Romans have another don’t, I promise you that you will adventure in store. The Trials of miss out. Apollo is his newest series that will tie into the Heroes of Olympus,
Pumpkin spice craze By: Alexis Krayevsky With the weather getting colder, there is one thing that will never get old: people’s cravings for anything having to do with pumpkin spice. Whether it’s the smell, the taste, or the warm fuzzy feeling, the pumpkin spice craze is everywhere. This craze actually began thirteen years ago but just got a lot more intense. According to the popular network, Buzzfeed, this craze is just way too out of hand and has gone too far with many of these bizarre products. According to BBC News, pumpkin spice products have went up 79% since 2011. This all together has totalled up to three hundred sixty-one million dollars from this fall craze. According to CNBC, one of the most popular pumpkin spice
items is the Pumpkin Spice latte. The pumpkin spice scented candle is also a big hit and has grown to be one of the most popular fall aromas. Some people think that this desire has gone a little too far with spice cheerios, pringles, chewing gum, and even toothpaste. Almost anything you can imagine has become a pumpkin spice flavor in the closing weeks of 2016. Stores not only offer items for humans in this department, but also for furry and feline friends (to not leave anyone out). From this craze, there came bizarre goods like pumpkin spice dog treats, pumpkin spice dog and cat shampoo, and pumpkin spice pet dental products. According to Total Sorority Move (TSM), this phenomenon also created some of the worst and weirdest commodities, including pumpkin spice hummus,
conditioner, and pumpkin spice flavored meats such as sausage. U.S.A today comments that this whole pumpkin spice craze began just because of one drink. This drink is the Starbucks pumpkin spice latte, which was released in 2003. Although the hysteria can be traced back to this beverage, this is not when the pumpkin spice flavor originated. NY Daily News reveals that the pumpkin spice blend can in fact be traced all the way back to 1796. The blend was first introduced in 1934, but it only began to gain popularity when the coffee flavor was introduced in the 1990’s. The pumpkin spice trend is still going strong and is said to return again next year. Pumpkin spice has lived through many generations and is continuing to sweep the nation with its many different
merchandise options. Unlike other culinary and pop culture movements, this trend does not seem to die out, instead securing more and more traction in American pop culture. According to the NY Daily News, Americans are rooting themselves to this tradition.This trend has grown through the decades and will continue to envelop us in its addictive scent.
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POP CULTURE
Aloha, Moana: the evolution of Disney
By: Jennifer Scharfman On October 6th, 1923, Walt Disney founded his famous company. Since then, Disney has developed theme parks, a television channel and an entire franchise originating from the cartoon character, Steamboat Willie. Disney has also had success with myriad movies ranging from “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” to their most recent film, “Moana.” After almost a century of work, the digitization and plot lines have advanced. Disney characters have evolved into an unseen world that Walt Disney could have never imagined. The newest Disney film, “Moana,” goes against Disney staples in many ways. First, Moana is technically American (Hawaiian) but has a culture that’s very important to her and different from many other women in Disney. Well-known princesses such as Cinderella, Belle and Aurora (Sleeping Beauty) were all European and their cultures were not nearly as influential to the characters as becoming royalty was. Many Disney characters had extrinsic motivations which changed towards the end of the movie. Aladdin wants to be rich while Jasmine wanted a break from royalty. Flynn wanted to see the castle, essentially to look for riches, while Rapunzel wanted to experience life outside of her tower. Even Kuzco in the “Emperor’s New Groove” just wanted to be a king again. All these characters changed their desires by the end of the movies. Whether their passions changed for love or family or something else, the characters had a change of heart for the better. This was a key element to a typical Disney movie. Moana just wanted to explore outside of her island and save the world from evil. This evil didn’t effect Moana’s village, but she was brave enough to save people she may not know. Moana is a revolutionary character because she wanted to save her island, Motunui from evil since she valued her culture over her safety. This is valuable in a hero and her intrinsic motivation is innovative from a Disney movie. A lot has changed since 1923, and Disney knows how to adapt. To begin, out of 531 Disney
films there are only around ten nonwhite main characters. While Moana is American, Hawaii is in the South Pacific region that was later colonized. Characters such as Jasmine from Iraq, Tiana from New
ty of moviegoers were intolerant whites until after the civil rights conflicts of the 1960s. While this is not a historical article, American cinema adapts to American values and society. This change towards
Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios, used with their permission
Orleans, and Kuzco from Peru represented areas of minorities. Characters such as Alice, Hercules, the Hunchback and most other Disney characters represent European backgrounds. These movies are all phenomenal, and movies like Hercules show how the cultures of ancient lands dictate destiny. The beginning of this change took place only a few years ago, in 2013. “The Princess and the Frog” was the first Disney movie to have an African-American princess. “The Princess and the Frog” is arguably the catalyst for change among Disney culture. However, it’s not just a coincidence that up until recently Disney characters have not been minorities. America has changed since the beginning of Disney in the 1920s. The majori-
diverse protagonists reflects the multi-colored society in which we live. Disney has progressed to include all different groups, to show that anyone can be a hero or royalty. Additionally, while it’s not a huge difference, Moana is not as slender as most Disney women. The difference is slight, but the proportions of most other Disney women are unhealthy. After a long wait, Moana may be the first princess of a healthy size. Perhaps it’s from her active lifestyle of running, climbing and ruling a village. Overall, Moana reflects a lot of positive changes in Disney’s atmosphere. Moana represents the evolution of Disney films. Moana is a different type of hero- she’s not a princess. Her father is the chief of the village but he’s not materi-
alistic. Moana’s father is not portrayed with lavish gifts besides him at all times or sitting on a throne. Moana’s family is hardworking, generous and caring. Moana is not a princess and does not need to be rescued from the world. She is not a damsel in distress but instead a strong, powerful woman who can fight by herself. Much like “Lilo and Stitch,” the movie takes place in Hawaii, and the characters are searching for family and exploration. Also, along with Lilo and Stitch, Moana doesn’t have a prince to answer to. At the end of the movie, Moana is happy with her family and friends. She doesn’t rely on a man or spend the movie searching for a prince. Similarly, the premise of Disney’s “Mulan” is to show how important family is. Mulan fought in the Chinese war since her father was too sick. Throughout the course of the movie, Mulan finds Li Shang and they fall in love. Although romantic love was found along the way, Li Shang wasn’t the purpose of Mulan’s journey: family love was. Another character in the same scenario is Queen Elsa. Elsa cared more about her sister’s love and the wellbeing of her community than about needing attention from a male counterpart. Moana is different from many Disney ladies of the past because she’s part of an upwards, more feminist, trend in Disney’s future. Moana is a new kind of heroine to the Disney scene. The technology used has advanced along with the nature of Disney films. Love makes the world spin and it’s a vital part to making movies worth watching; however, it’s not necessary to have a prince in order for a girl to find happiness. Every story isn’t a fairytale or a love story. Disney movies have become more progressive in many ways, and his trend is likely to continue in later Disney movies. Frankly, The Cougar Crier can’t wait to see what Disney has in store for us next.
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ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWS
Gilmore Girls is Back... For Now By: Melissa Himelfarb
which she had hoped. These last four words have been made into After over fifteen years of Gilmore Girls lore, a missed chance waiting, the end of Gilmore Girls at the perfect ending. In an attempt has finally come… or has it? Gilm- to avoid spoilers, the final four ore Girls, a series that aired for the words will not be mentioned, but first time in 2000 and spanned until let’s just say that they caused jaws 2007, is centered around the rela- to drop and tears to fall. Although I was a latecomtionship between Lorelai Gilmore and her daughter, Rory. It follows er to the hype regarding Gilmore Rory’s life throughout high school Girls, I watched the entire series and college; however, the 2007 se- on Netflix and fell in love with the ries finale did not exactly give the characters. The series has hilarious viewers closure. The show unex- personalities that you cannot help pectedly got canceled after the sev- but to relate to, and even Jimmy enth season, and writer Amy Sher- Fallon agrees. The initial series, man Palladino was unable to end the now on Netflix, was a light-hearted show on the four infamous words in comedy that put smiles on people’s faces. The reunion episodes follow suit and continue Lorelai and Rory’s story ten years after the initial series ended. The reunion episodes play out similar to how I had expected. Entitled, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, the four episodes portray the lives of Lorelai and Rory through winter, spring, summer, and fall. As a Gilmore Girls fan, I believe that these four episodes Photo with permission from Netflix are perfect.
Photo with permission from Netflix (Left to right): Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), all grown up
The clever jokes and witty banter between the characters go back and forth just as it had over a decade ago, and the expansion of the Gilmore Girls experience can now be treasured by its fans. Still, in the last few minutes of the last reunion episode, Amy Sherman Palladino fits in those four infamous words, and then the credits roll. The ending of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life leaves both the audience and Lorelai with their mouths wide open. Looking back on it now, a few weeks after I’ve watched that final scene, the ending was perfect. Although it could have been better with a more elaborate explanation of those final four words, the audience is left in shock and wonder. The writing and acting could not have been better. The current rumor surrounding
Amy Sherman Palladino is about the possibility of continuing the Gilmore Girls series, yet it is doubtful that this will happen. If you are looking for a new show to watch that makes you laugh and smile, this is a good one with which to start. The plot, the characters, and especially the witty banter all will make you fall in love with each and every episode. I highly recommend the lighthearted drama and comedy, Gilmore Girls.
Why we love La La Land By: Azaria Vargas An original romantic musical comedy-drama film pays homage to classic pictures but is set in modern Hollywood while primarily containing jazz music and happens to be directed by a 31-yearold. This seems quite unlikely to be a hit or even comprehensible in our modern movie industry; however, this is the plot of La La Land: the award-winning, highly acclaimed masterpiece of 2016. The film is
an artistic culmination of beautiful setting, melodious score, and wondrous acting and chemistry. The movie stars Emma Stone as Mia Dolan, an aspiring actress constantly shot down by failed auditions, and Ryan Gosling as Sebastian Wilder, a struggling jazz pianist with dreams of opening his own club, but he is stuck playing Christmas carols at restaurant gigs and participating in cheesy 80’s cover bands just to get by. The two meet continually by
coincidence, eventually developing a relationship. As they strive after success in their careers, however, they begin to struggle in their romance and experience conflict on multiple fronts. Stone and Gosling both give dazzling performances. Although her lack of formal singing talent shows, the delivery of Stone’s scenes is often breathtaking. The passion and raw emotions of her character and struggle are felt in her voice, truly coming to a culmi-
nation in “The Audition.” Her acting easily overshadows her singing and dancing in the film, continuing to express her great potential in dramatic movies that she previously displayed in Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Gosling learned advanced piano for the role, a talent which he embraces and with which he impresses. His show talents shine greatly, and his acting is excellent as well. (Continued on Page 15)
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ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWS
Why we love La La Land (Continued from Page 14) The absolute peak of the film’s acting, however, is the absolute chemistry between Stone and Gosling. The two have previously starred as love interests in Crazy, Stupid Love (2011) and Gangster Squad (2013). This is the pinnacle of their on-screen relationships, and the director Damien Chazelle stated in an interview that they “feel like the closest thing that we have right now to an old Hollywood couple.” This complements the nostalgic atmosphere of the film and makes their relationship feel fantastical yet realistic, much like the movie itself. Their dancing scenes were incredible, such as the tap dancing under the lamp post during “A Lovely Night” and the
waltz during “Planetarium.” The two were also able to communicate without even speaking. The scene at the end is chilling, with a mere glance and smile enough to sum up everything they want to say to one another. The songs had a great enthusiasm about them, and the scenes to go along with them were mesmerizing, such as the chaotic party during “Someone in the Crowd.” It was quite evident that Stone was not professionally trained in singing, but that did not hinder her performance or the impact of the songs. The greatest part of the film was the style, including the cinematography, score, art design, and costume design. Hollywood looks breathtaking, and the fantastical
atmosphere of the film is explored through the travels among the stars in the planetarium and the vibrant dream sequence. The use of Cinemascope is perfect, for it returns the audience to the nostalgic viewings of classic pictures in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The colors of the costumes were chosen with the utmost precision to represent the mood of the characters and tone of the scenes. The score was also beautiful, combining jazz, waltz, and some pop to make the perfect blend of a modern movie musical. This wonderful style ends in the greatest scene of the movie: the almost wordless sequence “Epilogue.” The melodies played throughout the film are assembled to provide the “voice” for the stunning 8-minute sequence. The set-
tings are reminiscent of the classics like An American in Paris, silhouettes are used, and raw emotion is expressed through wordless acting and music. La La Land is a masterpiece which can only be expected to win more awards in addition to its record-breaking seven Golden Globes. I hope to see more from Chazelle, who will expectantly continue his theme of revolutionary movies combined with great music. It seems that a new awakening has been sparked by La La Land, and a revival of original movie musicals may be coming our way soon. Hopefully, they will be as sensational as their predecessor.
How strange is Stranger Things By: Brianna Plass WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD! The thrilling Netflix Original series that recently won the Screen Actors Guild award for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series” has taken the world by storm. With award-winning actress Winona Ryder and critically acclaimed director Shawn Levy, “Stranger Things” is a twist of interesting and captivating events. Each episode contains a different turn of events, including fighting the Demogorgon and trying to communicate through electricity. This is the perfect show for anyone who loves adventure, battling monsters from parallel universes, and children capable of telekinesis. The show begins with Will, one of the main characters, being captured by the Demogorgon, a creature from a parallel universe called The Upside Down. Will’s mom, Joyce Byers, played by Ryder, learns to communicate with him through electricity to The Upside Down. Eleven, who has telekinetic abilities, helps Mike, Dustin, and Lucas find their friend. She can connect to The Upside Down and get through to Will. Since “Stranger Things”
takes place in a small town in Indiana in 1983, it dishes out a strain of nostalgia that you can’t help but love. The kids create a lighthearted tone, as well as a personal connection to a simpler time when audiences were younger, running around, riding bikes, and hanging out with friends. The subplots of the show complement the main plot perfectly, and they always find their way back to the main plot. One subplot is that Mike falls in love with Eleven, so he gets very upset when she gets sucked back into The Upside Down. Another one is that Mike’s sister, Nancy, and Will’s brother, Jonathan, band together to help Will get back to our world. Jonathan is first known as a coward and a freak, but he earns great respect from Nancy and her friends when they devise a plan together to defeat the vile monster. Writers Matt and Ross Duffer created the show together, with the dual intention of spooking people out, while also coaxing people into thinking about if there really is a parallel universe with creepy monsters and radioactive snow. Their vision turned into reality when fans were swooped up by the show’s main idea and the children’s cleverness. Outside of Netflix, the “Stranger Things” kids have been
Photo with permission from Netflix Left to right: Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), William “Will” Byers (Noah Schnapp)
doing numerous interviews on talk shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and British talk show, The Jonathan Ross Show. The kids and the Duffer Brothers have even been invited to the White House to hang out with the President. Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, is admired by many for her profound words on appearance. She had to shave her head for the role, and in response, she said “I wasn’t worried about my hair at all. I don’t care what I look like; it’s how people think of me. And I do care how people think of me. I want people to say, ‘Oh, she’s nice,’
rather than, ‘Oh, she’s so pretty.’ Yes, it’s hard for anybody to go through something like that, but it’s harder for someone to go through a disease like alopecia or cancer, losing their hair without any choice.” Brown is only 12 years old, and she already has a great insight on what is important in life. “Stranger Things” is definitely the show to binge watch on a lazy Sunday. The only problem? There are just eight episodes in the season. New episodes are said to be scheduled for release in the fall of 2017, so keep an eye out for new promos and new monsters.
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DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT
Upcoming video games to watch out for By: Dylan Torres
There are many new additions to the world of digital entertainment as time progresses. Be it a new show to binge watch, a sports game to broadcast, or a movie to watch inside or outside the theaters, everyone wants to have a good time with electronic devices. Perhaps the most craved source of entertainment today besides the internet are video games, and they have a wide variety to appeal to anyone. New video games spark the feelings of excitement and anticipation which can be taken overboard by specific news involving the games, or the trailers that can make the game seem enjoyable to all. One of the most spectacular aspects about video games is that new ones are always on the way whether it’s an obscure, hidden gem on PC, or a hyped-up, Triple-A title on consoles. There’s no end in sight to the gaming industry or the gaming community. The PS4 is one of the most infamous and popular gaming consoles today. Sony knows that they can make money by getting people excited and afraid this holiday season. Fans of the “Resident Evil” series of games may have some-
thing to look forward to this holiday season. As a franchise that’s been around now for 20 years, it has spawned some iconic games, and even established a series of movies. Now, developers at Capcom have decided to take a new approach to their next survival-horror game, as the game contains a camera angle and feeling reminiscent of Konami’s demo of “P.T.” last year. Although that game was sadly cancelled, its concept lives on in “Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.” The full game was released on January 24. Players can even use the PlayStation VR system to experience the beta’s haunting terror through their own eyes. The PSX conference was held this December, where more information has been spread on new games. Beforehand, however, there were rumors about a new entry in the “Marvel vs. Capcom” series. Developers at Capcom confirmed these rumors at the PSX conference by releasing information on “Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite” as the first game of the conference. It has mechanics similar to the third game in the series, “Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3,” but it seems to go back to the original tag-team style fighting. This breaks the prec-
edent style of 3-on-3 fighting established in “Marvel vs. Capcom 2.” The game has a release date scheduled for 2017, most likely following the winter. The second game shown at the conference was a game previously mentioned in the last issue of the Crier. The first game of the PS1 trilogy was seen when “Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy” finally had its gameplay shown off at PSX. This is the first bit of news loyal fans have heard since the summer of 2016. Although the first three games have always been known for their aesthetically pleasing graphics, especially for PlayStation standards in 1996, Activision seems to have done a phenomenal job at recreating the lush, organic environments in their remakes. In addition, the game has an additional mode for time trials, reminiscent to the third PS1 game, “Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped.” Will these remakes hold up in comparison to the classics? Only time will tell, specifically sometime in 2017. As for recent Nintendo news, the latest console, the Nintendo Switch (previously dubbed the NX by fans) has finally had information released about it, and after such a long time of Nintendo’s silence and secrecy, data can finally be analyzed on it. For starters, the system is a hybrid of a console that can be played at home, and a portable handheld. This means that players can play at any time at any place, provided they have the battery life. In addition, the console has 4 built-in, miniature remotes, but it also comes with a standard controller that is similar in design to the Wii U’s Pro Controller. There appears to be many video games from other consoles available, not just Nintendo Wii U games. For example, the console has a library of games such as “Splatoon,” “NBA 2K17,” and as Graphic used with permission from Capcom previously speculated, “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild”, and as for old games given new life,
Graphic used courtesy of Nintendo
the remastered version of “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” was revealed to be playable on the new console. This game was sold on store shelves in October, so it will likely be sold as a Nintendo Switch launch title, or, the console could have a special edition with the game pre-installed. In addition, a new update to “Mario Kart 8” was displayed in the trailer. Players can now use two items rather than just one, and a returning character, King Boo, is being added to the roster of characters. Whether this is just an update or separate downloadable content is unknown as of yet. Finally, a new 3D installment in the worldly-acclaimed “Super Mario Bros.” was shown during the trailer, although further details are left unspecified. It could possibly also be another title launched on the same date as the Switch: March 2017. With so many games and even consoles peaking above the horizon and being craved by fans of all types, there are many reasons for gamers to be excited. Even if fans have to wait, they’ll wait in constant anticipation and with the desire to play something fresh. Even if disappointment ensues, they’ll still have more to share with our opinions and our voices, and as the booming industry of games grows bigger and bigger, gamers begin to grow alongside it. Soon, they’ll have to face the most important decisions coupled with even more stress of the real world. Why not have some fun while they’re at it?
DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT
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Let the games begin in 2017: Infinite Warfare and Battlefield 1
Graphic used with permission from Activison
By: Gabriel Cohen Now that the winter transition is beginning, leading game brands are releasing their new products, some of which are being called the top games of the holiday season. Infinite Warfare, and Battlefield 1 are the leading contenders for the top electronic games of this year, yet they are vastly different from each other. First-person shooter versions are the most prominent games in the community, but they could not be more different in setting, time, technology and more. Since each form of interactive entertainment has complex components, they are being compared in terms of gameplay, maps, multiplayer, and community. However, to begin this comparison, the games first need to be introduced. Infinite Warfare is a futuristic shooter created by the Activision and Infinity Ward combination. It takes place across a variety of planets with space-like weaponry and equipment. In contrast, Battlefield 1 is a classic shooter created by DICE and EA Sports that takes place during World War I, with technology available that was used commonly during this era of combat. In Infinite Warfare, with a fast-paced play style similar to 2015’s Black Ops III, unpredictable
interactions between players are very common. A slew of new features and mechanics were also added including space-vehicles, mainly warships and fighter jets used in campaign mode, Combat Rigs, which are the characters you can play as that have an unique weapon or ability (like the specialists in Black Ops III), Salvage, which are points earned from playing minigames that can be used to purchase exclusive weapons, unique explosives, and a chain-based movement system that allows players to thrust, jump, slide, and run on walls. Maps in the graphics are usually located on several planets beyond the solar system which can look dull at times, but overall are not very bad. The Infinite Warfare player community is not composed of many players, as most have shown annoyance toward the futuristic first person shooter. They showed this many times, including the over 3.3 million dislikes on the Youtube trailer. Despite this, the developing team still provides updates regularly to perfect the system. The most controversial feature of the game are the supply drops, which are luckbased “drops” that award players with unique items that be used for advantages. This is not popular among many people, as players who spend more money in the game have a drastic advantage over
Graphic used with permission from EA DICE
people who do not pay. Battlefield 1 is the polar opposite, as two countries with up to 32 “soldiers” each fight each other in real locations with weapons used during WWI. The game stresses teamwork through the various exhilarating modes available. It is virtually impossible to win without good coordination, communication and leadership. A class system is also used as in most other Battlefield versions, like Assault, Medic, Support, Scout, Tanker, Pilot and Cavalry, which each specialize in a specific combat style. Typically, assault players rush the enemy team with a submachine gun or a shotgun. Medic players stay in medium range with a semi-automatic rifles and are able to heal others and revive players that have already fallen. Support players stay in medium to long range with a light machine gun and are able to resupply players who have run out of ammunition. Scout players sit deep in friendly lines with a sniper rifle, picking off enemies from a distance tanker. Pilots utilize the tanks and airplanes to clear areas, and cavalry sit on horses with a one-handed rifle and a sword for close-range combat. Vehicles are also prominent in most game modes and include relevant tanks and aircrafts, like the Mark V landships, Renault FT-17 Light Tanks, and various planes loosely
based off of Albatros D.V. and Bristol planes. On a different note, the maps are extremely vast and majestic. They feature real locations in the Eastern hemisphere, and each map has different atmospheres because some sections are based on trench-warfare, and others are wide-open for the variety of classes to battle each other. The community of Battlefield 1 is overwhelming since most participants have been dreaming of a classic World War I era game ever since the trend of the futuristic genre began gaining strength. The developers are also constantly updating the game with helpful and small tweaks that help enhance the experience more and more each day. Lastly, Battlefield 1 also has a “battle-pack” system, which is similar to the supply drops; however, you cannot pay for them and they do not include items that give players advantages, only cosmetic items. Infinite Warfare and Battlefield 1 are the top first person shooters for this year, and both have attractive gameplays for different players. Hopefully this guide has helped you in choosing the right game for the new year, for both are great contenders to be played this year.
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SPORTS By: Adam Bernstein On Sunday, February 5, 2017, the Atlanta Falcons played the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI. The game took place at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Atlanta Falcons have made it to the Super Bowl just once before prior to Super Bowl 51. The one time was in 1998, the Falcons lost to the Denver Broncos. This was the ninth appearance for the New England Patriots and this win would give them five. This would be historic for Tom Brady and the NFL, as he would be the first quarterback with seven starts. The win would also give him more wins than any other quarterback. The Patriots finished off with fourteen wins and two losses this season. Tom Brady actually started the season suspended from playing the first four games, do to the controversy that occurred in 2015. He was accused of deflating balls in the Conference championship game in 2015. The Patriots were without tight end, Rob Gronkowski, Brady’s favorite receiver, for the last part of the season. He sustained an injury to his back and had to have surgery. The Falcons finished with
Super Bowl LI
eleven wins and five losses this season. The Falcons were coming off of dominating playoff wins against the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers. They were led by quarterback Matt Ryan who was also named the season mvp (most valuable player). The game started off with no points during the first quarter; however, Atlanta Falcons had a strong second quarter. In the second quarter, the Falcons had forced a fumble on the Patriots offense. The turnover gave the Falcons momentum, as Ryan hit wide-receiver, Julio Jones, with a nineteen yard reception. This was followed up by a rush from running back, Devonta Freeman. The Falcons scored a touchdown to get the lead. The next time the Falcons had the ball Matt Ryan connected with Austin Hooper for a ninteen yard touchdown. In the same quarter, the Falcons’ defense stopped the Patriots with an interception from Robert Alford, which he ran for an eightytwo yard touchdown. By the end of the first half, the Falcons would hold a strong lead of 21-3. At the Pepsi Zero Sugar Super Bowl Halftime Show, Lady Gaga performed a few of her famous hits. Lady Gaga performed her songs “Poker Face,” “Million
Reasons,” “Born this Way”, and “Bad Romance.” She also performed her own rendition of “God Bless America” and “This Land is your Land.” Over 111 million people viewed her halftime show and many claim that it put her career back on track. The following day, Lady Gaga announced her new upcoming tour. Fans were excited to watch Lady Gaga perform at the Super Bowl, as there were over 5 million tweets commenting. At the start of the third quarter, the Falcons would hold a lead of 21-3. The Falcons would also start with possession of the ball at the end of halftime. As the Falcons continued to dominate they continue to add another touchdown with a dish out to Tevin Coleman from Matt Ryan in a very successful drive. This did not stop the Patriots, they answered back with a touchdown. The Patriots then got a hold of the ball again to make field goal and the lead was cut down to sixteen for the Falcons. With six minutes left in the fourth, Tom Brady continued to start a comeback with a strong drive and got the ball to wide receiver, Danny Amendola who scored a touchdown. The score at this point was 28-20 after the Patriots converted on the two-point conversion. The
Falcons now had the lead by eight and tried to drain the clock. Receiver Julio Jones made a phenomenal catch was able to get into field goal range. Though on third down the Patriots’ defense came up big with a sack to knock the Falcons out of field goal range. The Patriots then answered with a touchdown and another two point conversion. The score was now tied at twenty-eight. By the end of regulation the Patriots and Falcons would have to go to overtime. This was the first time in fifty-one years of the Super Bowl that such circumstances have taken place. In Overtime, the Patriots started with the ball and were able to drive down the field into the end zone, earning the title of Super Bowl Champions once again. The Patriots and the Falcons had just played one of the greatest Super Bowls of all time, and by the end of the night, the Patriots were able to come all the way back. Tom Brady was announced the game’s Most Valuable Player and the Patriots were now 5-time champions. Tom Brady got the win that made him the first quarterback in NFL history to win five Super Bowls. In a well fought game, there was only one champion, and it was the Patriots.
Cougar Crier Editorial Staff Editors-in-Chief Alixandra Wilens Melissa Himelfarb Jenn Scharfman Advisor Ms. Kaitlyn Seigneuray Principal Ms. Lorraine Poppe
Assistant Principals Mr. Jon LaRochester Mr. Gerard Owenburg Mr. Vincent Pisano
Editors Azaria Vargas, Scott Fingeroth, Sean Cohen, Adam Bernstein, Alexis Krayevsky, Gustave Gottieb Writers Alixandra Wilens, Melissa Himelfarb, Azaria Vargas, Scott Fingeroth, Sean Cohen, Adam Bernstein, Alexis Krayevsky, Gabriel Cohen, Benji Ferraro, Analisa Coppa, Dylan Torres, Jada Spindler, Arielle Pasternack, Jennifer Avezov, Chloe Rome, Hayley Seltzberg, Emma Gold, Ayla Berkowitz, Jennifer Scharfman, Danielle Slovinsky, Gustave Gottlieb, Marlee Seifer, Brianna Plass If you have a story idea, a question you want our opinions on, or a comment to our staff, please email us at:
jfkcougarcrier12@gmail.com We want to hear from you!
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SPORTS
Auston Matthews vs. Patrik Laine By: Scott Fingeroth
The hockey season has gotten underway and is moving full speed ahead as the rookies from this past year’s draft are taking the league by storm. Jesse Puljujarvi (Oilers), Jakob Chychrun (Coyotes), and Matthew Tkachuk (Flames) all made their respective clubs out of training camp, but there are two more players who jumped into the NHL straight out of the Junior leagues: Patrik Laine and Auston Matthews. With the first pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Auston Matthews. Matthews, a one-of-akind talent, has a very interesting story. He was born in San Ramon, California to an American father and a Mexican mother, but he moved with his family to Scottsdale, Arizona when he was two months old. At 2 years old, he began attending Arizona Coyotes games, and his favorite players were Shane Doan and Daniel Brière. Matthews
first expressed a desire to play hockey shortly after his fifth birthday and began playing with the Arizona Bobcats minor hockey program. When he first started playing hockey, his parents knew almost nothing about the sport. Instead of committing to college, Matthews decided to go international, playing for the ZSC Lions in Switzerland. Off the ice, Matthews was and still is enrolled in some online courses with the University of Nebraska, and in late August 2016, he moved to Toronto and began working out with teammates Mitchell Marner and Morgan Rielly. He participated in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey for Team North America, scoring two goals and one assist for three points in three games. He made an immediate impact with the team, for in his first NHL game, he scored a whopping four goals! However, the Leafs lost that game 5-4 in overtime. As of print date, he was tied for 21st in the NHL’s scoring race, with 21
goals and 14 assists, culminating in 35 points. He seems to be adjusting well in the “6,” and it looks like he will be there for many years to come. The Winnipeg Jets, who had the second overall pick, had the opportunity to select another player who could have been the first overall pick in many drafts in the past: Patrik Laine. Laine is from Tampere, Finland, and has an interesting story as well. He first played hockey in the Finnish Elite League at the age of 16 and hasn’t looked back since. Laine was absolutely incredible in Finland and scouts marveled at his shot. He also participated in the World Cup of Hockey, being shut out in the points department but still showing off his unimaginably strong shot. At one point, there was a very slim chance that he would be picked before Matthews. Winnipeg had the opportunity to select Laine or to trade the pick, but they decided to keep the pick instead. As of print date, he was tied for 18th in the NHL’s
scoring race, with 21 goals and 16 assists for a total of 37 points. Now, onto the fun stuff. Why is this matchup going to be so good? Matthews and Laine were at one point neck and neck for the first overall pick, and it seemed that Matthews pulled ahead about a month before the draft. They are also tied for 3rd as of print date, along with Washington Capitals sniper Alexander Ovechkin, in the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy running, so one of them could be the first rookie ever to lead the NHL in goals scored. Between Matthews’s overall game and Laine’s incredibly quick shot, hockey fans have a fun head-to-head matchup coming their way, just like the Connor McDavid vs. Jack Eichel Saga last year. Just a quick note to the stars of today’s NHL: make sure to watch out for these kids in the future because they will be doing great damage, and to Matthews and Laine: make sure to watch out for one another for years to come.
Rise of the underdogs
By: Benji Ferraro
Many teams in history were once arguably inferior according to sports fans because they were rivals to each respective spectator’s favorite team, but the franchises below have been historically substandard compared to other teams who were successful, but with good prospects and rising stars, they may now rise to the elite. Cleveland Indians: After their surprising World Series appearance, the Indians are now one of the best clubs in the MLB. They have excellent pitching in Cody Kluber and Andrew Miller. Representing the AL in the 2016 World Series. Tennessee Titans: At 5-4, the Tennessee Titans are slowly improving. RB DeMarco Murray and QB Marcus Mariota are quietly becoming leaders of this once embarrassing franchise.
Photo courtesy of Mason Ferraro New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony has tons of help now. Kristaps Porzingis can contend for 20 points any day. Now Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Courtney Lee could possibly lead
the Big Apple back to the big dance. Edmonton Oilers: After a solid start to the 2016 campaign, the Oilers look to challenge in the Western Conference. With
Connor McDavid a young playmaker, a veteran winger in Milan Lucic, and other capable players like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton’s 10year playoff drought could end.
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SPORTS
Kennedy’s fall sports successes
By: Analisa Coppa
The recent Fall Sports season was an exhilarating one for Kennedy’s athletes. To start off, for the ninth consecutive fall season, all varsity teams achieved the New York State Scholar Athlete Team Award. This award is exclusively obtained when all members on a team have an overall grade point average above ninety. This award exemplifies the excellence of the standards to which Kennedy holds its student athlete body. Additionally, the school’s Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer teams, Boys and Girls’ Volleyball teams, and the Varsity Football teams were qualified for playoffs. In a thrilling series of games, the Boys’ Varsity Volleyball team secured yet another Nassau County Championship title, their seventh in nine seasons. Captain Senior Josh Levine, named the MVP in the county final, was named to not only to Newsday’s First All-Long Island team, but also the All New York State Tournament Team. Levine’s leadership, along with Captain Owen Bradley’s, helped secure a successful season for the
team. On Thanksgiving morning, three seniors of Kennedy’s Football team represented the school in the yearly Senior AllStar Game. Coach Papach, the athletic director, stated, “Dom Brocco, Ryder Lampert and Jack Jones all competed for the winning Conference 2-3 team in the game. Dom Brocco scored on a 47-yard run early in the game to help lead his team to the victory.” Another accomplishment of this season was achieved by the Lady Sharks, our District Varsity Swim team. They placed second in the county, winning the Division Championship. Stephanie Kaplan and Alina Tucker, both seniors, qualified for state championships, which held at Ithaca College in late November. Congratulations to John F. Kennedy High School’s Fall athletes, for a stellar display of athleticism and sportsmanship during this season!
Senior Owen Bradley plays in the Long Island Championship game against Eastport-South Manor High School. (Photo by the Cougar Crier Staff)
Decline of the Islanders By: Sean Cohen The current state of the New York Islanders seems to be one of disarray. As the third worst team in the league (as of January 12) the once-great playoff team continues to surprise fans. Having accomplished going to the second round of the playoffs and breaking a momentous curse last year, the Islanders seemed to be on the right track. Some fans blame the stadium change as a primary cause of their record. The Islanders are also going through new management changes, and many fans blame Head Coach Jack Capuano for their troubles. Capuano brought
the team to playoffs many times, but failed to bring the team success in recent play. Although many challenges are thought to be reasons for the Islanders sudden downturn in gameplay, most are not valid. The Islanders lost much needed veteran talent over the offseason, but replaced them with more veteran players. Kyle Okposo, former alternate captain, left the team to go to the Buffalo Sabres after being a vital member of this hockey team for many years. He may not have been the best player, but his playmaking proved futile when against tough opponents. Frans Nielsen, also an alternate captain, decided to sign with the
Detroit Red Wings which saddened many fans including myself. Matt Martin, known for his infamous roughness also decided to leave as he headed up to Toronto. Although not having much time on the ice, he was a tough player. The Islanders decided to make up for these losses by signing a key player, Andrew Ladd, former captain of the Winnipeg Jets. Ladd has outstanding playmaking abilities and will fit in with the changing roster. As well as this addition, the Islanders had adequate lottery picks and took advantage by signing rising stars. The transactions of the team were justified by the free agents they lost. Many NHL teams have
started off bad and went on to succeed. The Edmonton Oilers are one of the teams known for being bad, and this year they are showing the NHL that they are here and ready to compete. The Oilers are seeing success in their division while competing with great teams like the Sharks and the Ducks. If any team can make a comeback, it will be the Islanders. John Tavares is a great captain who knows how to lead the team. There may be roster and management changes, but fans must stay strong as the Islanders will find opportunities to become a better team.