Fall/Winter 2017
Volume LI Issue I
John F. Kennedy High School
Kennedy Roars in Another Spirit Week
The Kennedy Cougars Varsity Football team councluded an eventful homecoming by defeating the Jehrico Jayhawks, 35-6 (Photo by Scott Fingeroth)
By: Jada Spindler and Arielle Pasternak Staff Writers During the month of October, JFK High School participated in its annual “Spirit Week.” Every day during this special week at school, students dress up for different themes to show off their school spirit. For example, this year’s schedule was as follows: Monday Pajama Day Tuesday Neon Day Wednesday - Western Day Thursday Costume Day Friday - Blackout for Homecoming At the end of each day points are tallied up per class. The class with the highest number of points win. This year, the class that won spirit week were the freshman. Some students stood out
Meet Mr. Seinfeld Page 4
amongst the crowd. For example, one of the most memorable costumes this year was a gigantic dinosaur from Jurassic Park! The teachers even took part in costume day. The science department dressed up as different Disney characters with science chairperson Mr. Sol dressed as “Sorcerer Mickey Mouse”. The math department stood out in their yellow t-shirts and dressed up as “Average Joes”, which is a reference to the movie Dodgeball. The social studies department dressed up as beatniks from the late 1950’s. Spirit Week was definitely a success! On October 20th, John F Kennedy High school had its annual homecoming festival and football game. Many students, teachers, and families came out to show their Cougar pride. Some even
dressed in specific homecoming t-shirts sold by student government. Spirit Week would lead up to Kennedy’s homecoming game. Homecoming started off with a huge bonfire on the baseball field. Many students gathered around the fire to warm up and take some awesome pictures. Along with the bonfire, Kennedy High School also had a dunk tank where students had the opportunity to dunk physics teacher Mr. Lella! These activities were a great start to the night. Later, crowds of people gathered on the bleachers to watch the Kennedy Cougars play against the Jericho Jayhawks. This year, a new homecoming tradition started: one lucky student raffle winner now has the opportunity to take two friends onto the football field to sit on a couch at the end zone during the homecom
Two Takes on Kneeling During the Anthem Page 13
ing game while getting served food! A special thank you to the CHAMP Program for providing and making the food that was served to these lucky raffle winners as well as to all of the people who attended the football game. During halftime, Kennedy’s varsity kickline team performed their routine in front of the lively crowd. After their routine was finished, the winners of Homecoming King and Queen were announced. This year’s homecoming King and Queen winners were Matt Baker and Chloe Demetriades. The other nominees were Lucas Rosen, Ben Birke, and Jason Beris and Skylar Hasseck, Andrea Lindner, and Sam Rosenberg. In the end, Kennedy High School won the football game with a final score of 35-6. It was a great night for Cougar Nation!
A Successful Fall Season Page 16
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Costume Day
Costume Contest Winners
Best Duo: Dylan and Kaitlyn Judd as Kaitlyn and Dylan Judd
Best Individual: Paul Davis as the T-Rex
Best Group: Andie Ofsink, Arielle Waters, Chloe Presser, Chloe Rome, Ilanna Abromowitz, Jaclyn Mascaro, and Jordan Zane as the Elvises
Homecoming
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COUGAR NEWS
Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot!
By: Emma Gold Staff Writer Rock, Paper, Scissors, and Shoot! Kennedy High School hosted its first annual Rock Paper Scissors Tournament this fall in order to extend a helping hand towards the victims of Hurricane Harvey. Participants each donated five dollars to help support the cause and raised an impactful $1800! Brackets of players from each grade were arranged, until eight brackets finalists emerged from each grade. On the day of the main event, thirty-two of the game’s most prestigious players bustled with commotion and excitement in the gym, along with enthusiastic staff members, enthralled friends, the
exuberant Cougar mascot, and the vibrant Mr. Lella! Coteries of the game’s enthusiasts huddled up in the gym. They threw down some intense heat as the competition kicked off. There were several brackets that led up to the ultimate show-down between sophomore Jonathan Ivers and junior Jack Kelly. At this point, the fans were hanging of the edges of their seats for the best-of-three match between the two. After a grueling yet comical showdown, Ivers snatched the win and was crowned the First Annual Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament King!
The Seinfeld Show By: Katerina Fakinos Staff Writer One of the greatest injustices for my generation is that there is no show on television as good as the Seinfeld Show. Well, we are now redeemed, because we are part of our own story, our show about “nothing:” JFK High School might as well be Jerry’s apartment. Everyone comes in and tells their story with a brief interruption for lunch. Every group has an Elaine, the successful student who is good at everything but occasionally makes a blunter (like the urban sombrero). We can relate, can’t we? We also have a George, perennially misunderstood, an architect of failure who constantly blames life for dealing him a bad fold. We have a Kramer, comes late, violently opening the classroom door, with messy hair and no (home)work; his only job to make us laugh and entertain the group. And we also have a “Seinfeld.” The difference: our Seinfeld is Mr. Seinfeld, Mr. David Seinfeld. Our own Mr. Seinfeld has a job very similar to Jerry’s in the show. He is the glue that connects the group. He inspires Elaine, he comforts George and he, well…, tolerates Kramer. You see, our Mr. Seinfeld wants to bring out the best in all of us. His job is to make our school successful and the students academically productive. Just like
Jerry Seinfeld, Mr. David Seinfeld studied in Queens College where he acquired two Masters Degrees, in Mathematics and in School Administration. Mr. Seinfeld always loved math, which he taught for eight and a half years. He was offered the position of Assistant Principal at Calhoun for 11 years, and he even became Assistant Superintendent. The transition to come here was smooth because he already knew the faculty, and he has the highest respect and admiration for Mrs. Poppe. Mr. Seinfeld expressed in our interview that Mrs. Poppe has a wide range of experience for the last 22 years in this School, and she has performed a phenomenal job. Mr. Seinfeld loves our School and states that the gifted faculty exemplifies responsibility and the students are kind and welcoming. This is a wonderful opportunity for him and he loves his interaction with the faculty and the students, but he wishes it was under different circumstances. We all wish Mrs. Poppe the best, together with Mr. Seinfeld who expresses his respect and gratitude to her. Our conversation with Mr. Seinfeld would have been incomplete if we had not discussed movies. He loves historically accurate movies, which are certainly stories about something. One of his top choices is Hopscotch with Walter Matthau. Mr. Seinfeld also
loves music, especially Tom Petty, the Beatles and the Grateful Dead. What a name for a band!.... Yes, I fact-checked and there is actually a band named “the Beatles.” He had some celebrity students, one of them was Kate McKinnon, who is a star on SNL and played in Ghostbusters. She went to North Shore High School where Mr. Seinfeld served as a principal in the past. His hobbies include hiking with his wonderful wife. Last year, they went hiking to Utah, which I hear is difficult, especially if someone were to hike all the way from New York to Utah. All kidding aside, I earned an additional sense of admiration for Mr. Seinfeld, since I also like hiking, but usually I get tired after half an hour. So, I call my version of hiking “walking at the park.” Next summer, if you look for Mr. Seinfeld, be ready to take a trip to the Canadian Rockies, where he will be exploring the natural beauty of one of the most scenic places in the world. I also hear there is a hill somewhere in Long Island if you all want to practice before you take on the Rockies. Mr. Seinfeld would love to go to Puerto Rico to support this beautiful island’s economy. He loves baseball and he still plays in a league. When he was in school, he used to be the Yearbook photographer. He was also actively involved in the student government. He loves sushi, he enjoys his job, and he ab-
solutely looks forward to the graduation ceremony (us too)! He has experienced 18 graduations and “it never gets old.” His inspirations are his amazing mother, a strong and beautiful woman who instilled the values he holds dear. He also loves the examples of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy. He had dinner with Rory Kennedy, who never met her father, and who spoke to Mr. Seinfeld about her family. Especially empowering was the example of her father, a social justice and civil rights engineer who inspires Mr. Seinfeld to this day. The interview with our Interim Principal, Mr. David Seinfeld, was a truly informative and transformative experience for me as well. We all know that life is a journey that takes us to beautiful scenes and narrates amazing stories. We do not know whom we meet and how they will have an impact on us and the world we live in. We cannot predict the future, but we ought to cherish the present. Life is as unpredictable as the moment Kramer will open the door or George will get caught sleeping at work. In this regard, I love our own Seinfeld Show, our school that is filled with funny stories, powerful lessons and future memories. We thank Mr. Seinfeld for his inspiration and guidance and we love every moment of our experience in our beloved JFK High School.
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COUGAR NEWS
Do Your Favorite Teachers Have a Sweet Tooth? By: Scott Fingeroth Sports Editor
Smarties: Mr. Sheffield Snickers: Ms. Germaine, Mr. Owenburg, Mr. Seidman, Ms. Femminella, Ms. Franklin, Ms. Valenti, Mr. Papach Earlier this year, we interviewed teachers in our school to find out Sour Patch Kids: Ms. Coman what their favorite halloween candy is. What is your favorite teach- Starburst: Mr. Burtraw Sweet Tarts: Ms. Seigneuray er’s candy? Take a look below: Twix: Ms. Metkiff, Ms. Conte 100 Grand: Mr. DeMartinis Almond Joy: Mr. Jimenez Baby Ruth: Mr. Gerakinis Candy Corn: Ms. Coco, Mr. Pisano, Mr. Zucchero, Mr. Reed Dark Chocolate Hershey Kisses: Mr. Gattus Kit-Kat: Mr. Ma, Ms. Scrimo, Dr. Weiss, Ms. Speiss Laffy Taffy: Ms. Ranallo M&Ms: Ms. Leonardo Milky Way: Ms. Ocampo, Mr. Grasso, Ms. Prinzevalli Peanut Chews: Mr. Lella Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: Mr. DeGaetano, Ms. Moynihan, Dr. Urban, Mr. Sansanelli, Ms. Damato, Ms. Rojas, Ms. Afonso, Mr. Schleith, Ms. Andree, Mr. Del’Ollio, Mr. Maresca, Mr. DiGiovanni
Sixty-Second Hotseat: Mr. DeGaetano and Mrs. Femminella
By: Scott Fingeroth Sports Editor The Cougar Crier sat down with two of Kennedy’s finest for an intense, grueling, 60-second gauntlet. The questions were rapid; there was no time to deliberate. Here, the product of those sessions. Mr. DeGaetano
Mrs. Femminella
Are you named after anyone? Yes Favorite ice cream flavor? Vanilla Hometown? Dix Hills DC or Marvel? DC Favorite football team? Jets Teacher bestie? Papach What sports did you play in school? Wrestling and Boxing Favorite season? Fall Biggest pet peeve? Lazy people Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Vegetable If you could teach another subject, what would it be? Social Studies Least favorite subject in school? Math Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi Are you wearing matching socks? Yes Movies or TV? TV If you had a superpower, what would it be? Bulletproof Bilingual? Yes
Favorite type of food? Italian Least favorite subject in school? Social Studies Coke or Pepsi? Coke Are you wearing matching socks? Yes Movies or TV? Movies If you could have a superpower, what would it be? Invisibility Bilingual? No Batman or Superman? Batman If you could go back and relive your childhood, would you? No Is a hotdog a sandwich? No Did you have a college roommate? Yes What was your first day of school like? Terrible Favorite SNL character past or present? Kristen Wigg Dream vacation? Alaska Who would play you in a movie of your life? Molly Shannon
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POP CULTURE
The Aftermath and the Unknown: Las Vegas Massacre By: Analisa Coppa Staff Writer
On the night of October 1st, Stephen Paddock smashed through the window of his hotel room and fired an onslaught of bullets upon thousands attending the Route 91 Music Festival below. He killed 59 people and wounded over 500 before turning the weapon on himself, marking the “deadliest mass shooting in modern history.” Loved ones of victims are still demanding answers as to how and why the gunman was able to commit a tragedy of this magnitude. Sadly even weeks later, investigators are still grappling to resolve the most critical question: what was Paddock’s motive? Stephen Paddock, 64, was a wealthy, retired accountant and
avid gambler. Every night, he bet enormous sums of money while staying at casinos like the Mandalay Bay. It was later revealed that his father, Benjamin Paddock, was notorious serial robber with a sociopathic personality, according to the New York Times. He was also placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted List in the 1960s for a string of armed larcenies. However, as far as Stephen Paddock’s relatives and girlfriend knew, Stephen did not suffer from any diagnosed mental illness; although, it is now highly suspected that one went undiagnosed. No suicide note was left behind to explain his actions. Paddock’s killing spree further illustrates a disturbing pattern of increasingly deadly mass shootings. According to the Gun Violence Archive, this attack was the 273rd mass shooting out of the 307 so far
this year. Police reports state that Paddock had legally amassed an arsenal of over 45 guns, 19 of which were in his hotel room that night. They also found 12 bump stock devices, which “dramatically increase the number of rounds that can be fired in a short amount of time” (New York Post). Moreover, he consecutively used several rifles to ensure that he could inflict the maximum amount of damage on the crowd. Regarding Paddock’s weapons, Michael Helfand of the Chicago Now argues, “Paddock literally could have walked down Las Vegas Blvd. with an AR-15 over his shoulder and bullets falling out of his pockets, and his only crime would be littering.” His planning also exceeded the definition of premeditation. Paddock sent his girlfriend back to the
Philippines ahead of October 1st, wired over $100,000 to her, hid several cameras outside his room to prevent authorities from capturing him before he could commit suicide, pre-calculated bullet trajectories, and is believed to have spent months perfecting his attack. Additionally, Paddock scouted other possible locations for an attack, like the Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago. However, in the wake of this carnage, humanity has proven its resilience once more. Thousands responded immediately to support their family, friends, neighbors, and fellow Americans.
An Unprecedented Hurricane Season By: Adam Bernstein Pop Cultre Editor This hurricane season, vicious storms devastated many people and homes. Most of the high impact storms occurred during the months of September and October, and many areas -- primarily the country of Puerto Rico, Southern Florida, and Houston and its surrounding area -- are still in need of assistance to repair the damage that the storms left. The breakout of all the major hurricanes started with a very destructive storm, Hurricane Harvey. Harvey, which hit Houston and the surrounding areas from August 25th to September 3rd, was originally listed as a Category 4 Hurricane. However, by time it was done storming over, it became a Tropical Depression. With wind speeds were up to 134 miles per hour, it is referred to as the first major hurricane to hit landfall in the US since Hurricane Wilma in 2005, the same year as Hurricane Katrina. The destructive floods which inundated the city of Houston affected hundreds of thousands of homes and other buildings.
The Houston community has been very active in participating in charitable work in order to help support families in need of supplies. For example, JJ Watt, who plays on the Houston Texans, raised over $37 million from over 200,000 people donating money to help provide assistance for families affected. Hopefully the people will continue to be helpful to the Houston community. Harvey’s destruction was followed closely by the very destructive Hurricane Irma. Irma was recorded as this season’s first Category 5 Hurricane, and it was heading right toward the Leeward Islands as well as Cape Verde. Irma caused widespread catastrophic damage to Southern Florida, with its highest recorded wind speeds up to 185 miles per hour. Up to at least 134 deaths were recorded in the areas affected. Many organizations have provided help to rebuild the community and speed up the recovery. For example, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) sent over 3,200 staff members which were in response to Irma and were rescue, evacuation, security and support operations. The American Red Cross has also
been very effective in donating supplies and shelter for Floridians in danger. The Florida Community has been contributing and recovering from the damage of the horrific tropical storm. Hurricane Maria was recorded as one of the worst natural disasters to occur in the Caribbean. High speed winds came in at 175 miles per hour and pounded over 100 facilities in the area. The community of Puerto Rico is still recovering and it may cost anywhere between 16 to 95 million dollars to fix the damage. The storm occurred on September 19th and dissolved on October 3rd. The hurricane caused catastrophic damage throughout all of Puerto Rico. Fortunately, the American Red Cross and many other organizations have provided aid to families and children who suffered from the tropical storm. They have assisted citizens by rebuilding the cities of Puerto Rico and have contributed by donating supplies and the necessities in order to live. The collaborative efforts of Kennedy’s Key Club and Culture Club -- with contributions from the C.H.A.M.P. program and AP Macroeconomics classes -- also rallied the school in support through
its “Baila Con Puerto Rico” Zumba fundraiser, which raised over $3,200 for the Hispanic Federation. This has been a devastating year for the places affected by these storms. Countless people have felt despair after losing their homes, and it has been hard to get over these ruinous storms. However, people have offered their time to help the people in need and supported them through these rough times. Hopefully, the spirit of charity and community will continue, and people can still raise money to support the people affected by these traumatic storms.
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POP CULTURE
The Rise of the Hypebeast
By: Calvin Gibson and Harris Joslin Contributors
In the world today there are many various interests, such as collecting memorabilia from a sports team or collecting pieces of clothing. One of the biggest world-wide groups is collecting various fashion items from designers to designer brands such as Supreme, Off-White, and Bape. This group is called the hypebeasts. A hypebeast is a person who follows a trend which is in style and a person who wears what is hyped up. A hypebeast collects clothing, shoes, and accessories for the sole
purpose of impressing others. This group consists of people from all around the world, from continents such as Asia, Europe, North America and Australia. Brands like Supreme have developed a huge following over the years: whatever these companies create is hyped up and desired by all people. Every item from chopsticks to a hoodie is sold out within seconds. These items sell out due to the desired and “perceived need” for these items. These items’ demand is driven by the people. Even though the items are overpriced -chopsticks have sold for 30 dollars -- people still flock to these goods
for the fact that they can resell the clothing for double the price. Most people into the hypebeast culture are resellers: a reseller is a person who buys the items for retail price and sells them for a huge profit. Reselling is a big part about the hypebeast culture, but there are many debates and arguments surrounding this practice. The founder of Supreme, James Jebbia, has actually tweeted about how he hates that people resell these items for double the price, and that they are ruining the culture. He followed this tweet by saying that the company tries to provide the best possible prices for its customers. Even
though brands like Supreme strive to keep their retail (the price it sells for directly off the brand’s website) affordable for customers, the resale on each item is ridiculous. However, in a world like today where capitalism is heavily encouraged this means buying and reselling is a very profitable business -- for the reseller, that is. Hypebeasts are a rising group of people with people joining everyday, alongside with the culture growing of collecting very limited and valuable clothing. Hopefully the rise of the hypebeast will continue to grow in popularity.
Senior Matt Baker accepts the title of Homecoming King. (Photo by Frankie Poveromo)
The Trend That’s Come to an End By: Jake Arlia Contributor
Many of us on social media know about Sarahah and its explosion of popularity that spread across the school, but what even is Sarahah? What was its original purpose, and is it such a good idea for us to use? Sarahah (pronounced suh-RAHhah) is an app that lets people send users messages anonymously. Anyone can write on someone’s Sarahah website unless the person puts it on private, which means that the person writing must also have a Sarahah account. People are expected to write compliments and suggestions in the little white box under the words that state, “Leave
a constructive message :).” The app was created by a man named Zain al-Abidin Tawfiq in 2016. Tawfiq is a developer in Saudi Arabia, and the social networking site was originally in the Arabic language. In fact, “sarahah” is an Arabic term that roughly translates to “frankness” or “honesty.” Interestingly, the app’s target users were meant to be adults in the workplace. Sarahah’s purpose was to be a site where co-workers would give feedback to their bosses anonymously. But…then it spread to schools. Sarahah’s massive increase in teen users was due to another social media app, Snapchat, and its July 5, 2017 update. This update allowed people to send or post pictures
linked to a website. The recipient(s) of the snap could swipe up the picture and be brought to a webpage. After the update, people began to add the link to their Sarahah website to their snaps. After three days of this update being instated, Sarahah jumped to the top 1,500 apps in Apple’s App Store. Four days after this, it was ranked 104th most popular. Only a few days after its initial spike, Sarahah was at number one. It left other social media apps such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat all in the dust. Cyberbullying became a negative result of Sarahah’s popularity, which is common for many social media outlets once they spike in usage. The anonymity of being able
to send someone a message without them knowing it’s you gives people a lot of courage that they would never have in real life. Being anonymous gives people power, but too much power has its drawbacks. However, some argue that Sarahah is a positive thing because it allows people to give users constructive comments and pleasing compliments. Many find it fun, and sometimes addicting, to see what people think about them. Despite its fluctuating support, it’s hard not to argue that Sarahah was a huge part of our social media lives. Like all sudden, explosive trends, Sarahah is dying down. And this trend’s end may not be so devastating.
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POP CULTURE
How to Fall into Fall Properly By: Alexis Krayevsky Editor As most Americans know, fall is a season of Thanksgiving, warm sweaters, pumpkin spice lattes, and of course artsy pictures in the leaves. Fall consists of many new trends created by people across the United States. However, have you ever wondered where some of these traditions originated? One of the big trends during the fall is the pumpkin spice blend. The first pumpkin spice blend dates all the way back to 1796, but it only began to gain popularity in the 1990s. The pumpkin spice trend is still going strong and many people enjoy this delicious flavor during the Fall season. This pumpkin spice trend gained most of its popularity
from Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte, which millions of Americans consume during the Fall season. There are many different ways to use pumpkin spice. For example, some of these include spice dog treats, pumpkin spice dog and cat shampoo, pumpkin spice hummus, conditioner, and pumpkin spice flavored meats such as sausage. Another fall trend is a hat called a beanie. Beanies were originally created for the lower, or working class to help keep their hair back without a brim blocking their view. Beanies were created in America, but began to gain popularity in England. These hats were named the dink, or dinky. Around the 1950s beanies were also worn by freshmen college students as a way to signify that they were a lower classmen. In the 80s and 90s, beanies began to gain popularity as a fashion trend.
Without flannels, fall would not be the same. Flannels date back to the 17th century. Created in Europe, the flannel was created to better protect people during the winter season. It is not known exactly who named the flannel but the french referred to it as a flanelle, and the germans referred to it as a flanell. The durability and affordability of a flannel quickly made it popular across Europe. Flannels did not reach America until the 19th century. Flannels were used in the Civil War by the soldiers because it is made with cheap materials that are warm. A flannel’s association with construction and frontiersmen made it a symbol of rugged men. Also, the fabric was revived during WWI to be worn as undershirts for soldiers. After the war, flannels began to be used in more sophisticated attire. For example in the 1950s the rise
in popularity of grey flannel suits became very popular among businessmen. Flannels then returned around the 90s being associated with grunge music. They became a symbol of anti-conformity. Today flannels could be worn as everyday items and are used by many high fashion brands including Tommy Hilfiger, Dior,Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, and Valentino. Many modern trends in the United States did not begin in the present day. All these trends are not only very popular in the Fall season, but also in the Winter seasons. New and different varieties of each trend are being created and adapted to keep up with the modern times. Because of social media, trends are growing and spreading faster than ever.
Above: What is fall without apple picking and artsy pictures? (Photo courtesy of The Cougar Crier)
History of Halloween By: Stamatia Papazis Contributor Trick-or-treat!� When most people hear of Halloween, they think of candy, costumes, jacko-lanterns, and haunted houses. But do you know how all of these American traditions began? It all goes back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Samhain was the festival held annually to celebrate the new year, which was November 1. The Celtic New
Year meant that summer was over, and the cold, dark winter was about to begin. Crops from the summer harvest would die, and winter was known as a time of death. The Celts also believed that on this day, the worlds of the living and the dead were not separated. It was believed that the ghosts of those who had died within the past year would come back to earth. During Samhain, people dressed up in costumes, danced, and held bonfires. Some even left baked
goods at their doorstep as offerings to the spirits who came back to earth. Centuries later, when the Romans had occupied Celtic territory, they merged their holidays of honoring the dead and the goddess of trees and fruit with Samhain. This led to the American tradition of bobbing for apples in autumn. Many years after this, the Roman Catholic Church began celebrating All Saints Day on November 1 and All Souls Day on November 2
to honor the deceased. The night before All Saints Day, October 31, was known as All-Hallows Eve. Over time, people began calling this Halloween. As the Europeans immigrated to the United States, they brought their Halloween traditions with them. Over the years, Halloween became a big celebration in our country with candy, costumes, and spookiness.
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POP CULTURE Supernatural- Our Wayward Sons Are Back! By Marlee Seifer Staff Writer The Winchester Brothers, after twelve years and twelve seasons, are coming back for a thirteenth season. Sam and Dean Winchester have fought ghosts, Windigos, shapeshifters, as well as everything else you can think of that goes bump in the night. They’ve even faced their fair share of Angels. They have faced death and resurrection time after time, Demon Deals, the Apocalypse, being Soulless, Hell, Leviathans, Purgatory, being wanted fugitives a handful of times, the British Men of Letters, Lucifer, and even God’s sister, and Lucifer...again.
After everything, the boys are back for more. They have faced the worst and won. They have been knocked down, and they come back swinging. Sam and Dean have lost their mother, their father, their half-brother that, until he died, they didn’t know existed...but that’s not the point. The point is, Supernatural is back. After an action-packed twelfth season, which concluded with Mary, the long dead (but recently resurrected) mother of Sam and Dean, and Lucifer getting stuck in the alternate-Post Apocalyptic reality. Mary was murdered by a demon when Dean was four, and Sam was six months-- more than twenty years before the pilot takes place. Cas, the rebellious
‘Angel of the Lord’, who betrayed Heaven in order to help Sam and Dean stop the Apocalypse, and Crowley, the sometimes King of Hell/ Crossroads Demon, and the enemy (frenemy) of Sam and Dean, are both dead. Cas, long since confirmed by the cast, will be coming back once again. But while fans are thrilled that Misha Collins, the actor who plays Castiel, is staying on the show. Mark Sheppard, who is the actor for Crowley, the British will not be returning for another season. Regardless, Supernatural will be returning to uncertainties. Lucifer has a rugrat, Cas, Mary, Crowley and Lucifer are all gone, and the British Men of Letters have been defeated. Despite these
losses, the Winchesters would finally have a break from their vanquished enemies-- but that is not the case. For the brothers, there seems to be always another job to do, another hunt, and another monster to kill. With that being said, unbeknownst to the brothers, there appears to be a new player in Hell-- one with a serious bone to pick with the brothers. To top it off, Lucifer has a kid, who, although just being born, already appears to look like a teenager. With all of this to keep the Winchesters busy and hunting, no doubt this thirteenth will be just as action-packed, and just as fantastic as the previous twelve.
Left: Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles star in Supernatural’s Lucky 13th season. (Image courtesy of The CW) Below: Another fan favorite: Over 15 million viewers watched Stranger Things 2 in its first three days up on Netflix. (Image courtesy of Netflix)
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POP CULTURE
The Latest Video Game News
By. Dylan Torres Editor In terms of releases, quality, and quantity, critics argue that 2017 has surpassed and outranked 2016. According to recently released and future titles that hold absurd amounts of promise, it is understandable to see why some feel this way. From the neat, fleshed-out themes and concepts of the lesser-known indie studios, to the breathtaking graphics and gameplay from recent Triple-A titles, 2017 shows no signs of slowing down in terms of quality. During Microsoft’s conference at this year’s E3, multiple announcements for the near and distant future of Xbox titles were announced. These include the announcement of games such as “Star Wars: Battlefront II,” “Dragon Ball FighterZ,” and “Cuphead,” which are all compatible with the Xbox One as well as the newly announced Xbox One X. This new system is able to render games with 4K graphics, making it the single most powerful console in the industry thus
far. Additionally, the console has full backwards compatibility with every single Microsoft gaming console. In other words, it has the ability to play games from the original Xbox, the Xbox 360, and the Xbox One. Besides these titles, another noteworthy title is “Ori and The Will of the Wisps,” which is a sequel to the widely acclaimed title “Ori and the Blind Forest.” This series is well known for having a unique, hand-drawn art style with a rich color palette, precise details, and pleasant pieces of music. No release date was announced, but even still, fans of the 2D platforming genre are sure to be waiting in eager anticipation. As for Sony and the PlayStation 4, many games were announced, some of which are available for purchase today. Such games include “Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite,” “God of War (2018),” “Detroit: Become Human,” and a remake of the popular PS2 game, “Shadow of the Colossus.” Players who look for a more openworld game have a new game to look forward to in the form of “Spider-Man (2018).” Developed by Insomniac
Games, the studio behind many fan-favorites in Sony’s extensive library, it is not quite what many fans speculated when footage was first shown off. For starters, it is not a tie-in with the recent film, “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” but rather an entirely new experience. As to be expected from any PS4 game, the graphics are top-notch. The gameplay is action-packed while still giving players the freedom of exploring New York City, where this game is set. This game needs some more time in development, according to Insomniac, that has scheduled the game’s release for 2018. This March, the Nintendo Switch was released, which advertised the ingenious idea of creating well-developed console games while still making them portable. Although many of the games in the Switch’s library are playable on other consoles, the games exclusively created by Nintendo themselves have been met with jaw-dropping praise. One of the most anticipated, exciting titles set to be released in October is “Super Mario Odyssey.” This title was also announced at E3 and during Nintendo Directs, where
multiple games were shown for the Nintendo Switch and 3DS consoles. This game takes a far more openworld approach than ever before seen in the franchise, as players attempt to fuel their starship with special Moon Sprites to reach new locations. Gameplay wise, it retains all of the unique options from titles on the Nintendo 64 and GameCube, while adding entirely new elements, such as customizable characters. Visually speaking, it retains the colorful visuals that do their best to advertise a friendly and inviting nature to players of all ages. “Super Mario Odyssey” has been released to the masses on the October 27th with perfect scores from many reviewers. As the times progress, so does technology. The skill of developers is also subject to improvement, which is reflected in the current state of video games. Although many are still skeptical of the changes to come sooner than expected, there is no shortage of optimism and promise that most gamers hold for recent times.
The Three Big Game Names
By: James Redeman Contributor
few months of its release, the new XBox One X will not. The XBox One X was released at a price point The world of gaming technology is of $499. The Kinect adaptor, on the dominated by three major industry other hand, will cost users $39.99. leaders: PlayStation, Microsoft, and Anyone wishing to have a fully funcNintendo. Here’s the latest on what tional Xbox One X will thus have to “The Big Three” have been up to: shell out about $538.99 -- and that’s not putting games into the equaPlayStation Paradise tion, which range from $30 to $60 each. A fully operational XBox One As of October 4th, CEO and Pres- X, plus one game, will cost about ident of Sony PlayStation, Andrew $568.99 to $598.99 plus tax. House, has stepped down after 27 years of service. Working at Sony Nintendo News Interactive Entertainment since its inception, House has been willingly demoted to Chairman for the next In late September, Nintendo reyear, with John Kodera taking his leased its Super Nintendo Classic place. Mini, a collection of over 20 retro games from the big N’s first 16-bit Microsoft Mania console. The only problem is that stocks are low, making it incredibly The XBox One X is Microsoft’s hard for players to get their hands newest and most powerful console, on the tiny console. This, howevreleased on November 7th. The big- er, is a problem Nintendo is ready gest problem? The Kinect -- More to fix; as of October 5th, Nintendo specifically, the Kinect adaptor. Ki- has made plans to distribute SNES nect has many games that can’t be Classics on a much wider scale. As played on a regular XBox One, but the holiday season approaches, even for both the XBox One S and XBox this increased stock has been selling One X an adaptor is needed for it to out quickly. work. While the XBox One S came bundled with an adaptor for the first
(Photo by Adam Bernstein)
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POP CULTURE
NBA 2k18 Review By. Sean Cohen School News Editor The popular basketball game NBA 2k18 hit the shelves on September 19th. Developers promised new features and creative innovation. Game modes were remodeled to great lengths. “MyCareer” saw huge upgrades with the addition of its open world park called The Neighborhood. “MyGM” now incorporates a story mode. “MyTeam” surprisingly remained unchanged since the previous game. Casual gamers now can play with Legend and All Time teams in the “PlayNow” game mode. 2k certainly delivered on their hype by meeting what they promised. “MyCareer” offers new possibilities for those familiar with the series. The Neighborhood now incorporates all MyCareer modes (Pro-Am, the Playground, and NBA Games) into an open world. The Playground was formerly known as
“MyPark,” this new feature eliminates loading screens which many say killed the last game. Additionally, new modes have been added. Your MyPlayer can now take part in skill challenges, play arcade basketball games, test NBA trivia, play with NBA players and friends at your MyCourt, and much more. NBA 2k18 mastered their transformed “MyCareer” mode. “MyGM” and “MyLeague” are two modes in which you can take part of an NBA organization and run the team to success. “MyLeague” generally offers fewer options and is optimal for quick enjoyment. “MyGM” in NBA2k17 put you in the shoes of an NBA general manager and let you manage every team decision. NBA2k18 goes even further by containing an extensive story that is not voice acted. Despite this, nothing is taken away from the story, which offers many different paths. This new creativity in a generally unused feature will succeed in bringing the game
more success. “PlayNow” has mostly stayed consistent but made better. Its purpose of giving the player a chance to play a regular NBA game with no binding to any mode is the same, but they improved the mode by adding historic teams and players. You can now play as an All-Time team. All-Time team are made up of the best players to ever play on that team throughout its history. Legend teams in the game are teams from each current team that succeeded the most. “MyTeam” is also mainly unchanged. This mode allows the player to own a fantasy franchise in which customization of team merchandise, logo, and players are enabled. People can get players by earning them through challenges, buying them through the auction house, or packs purchased with “MT” currency. “MyTeam” now has salary caps, which are dependent on global usage of the card. Also, some additional challenges
are presented. Although improved upon from NBA2k17, this game had its issues. Developers now have made buying in-game currency (Virtual Currency) a necessity for playing. In “MyCareer,” VC is required to upgrade your player. This year, it is even harder to earn this. Therefore, many players are forced to spend their money to get VC. Another problem is that 2k18 has spent most of its effort improving “MyCareer” and neglecting to greatly address problems from last year. This includes animation issues, bugs, and insufficient voice acting for “MyGM.” Is this game worth the $60? As a 2k player since 2011, I believe it is. This game brings users a great experience that divulges them from just playing in the NBA. I enjoy playing this game, and so will people who enjoy the series and newcomers as well; everyone will enjoy playing NBA2k18.
Call of Duty: WWII Review By. Gabe Cohen Staff Writer It has arrived. The long-sought return of the Call of Duty franchise to “boots on the ground movement” has finally been fulfilled. On Friday November 3rd, Sledgehammer Games, Raven Publishing and Activision combined forces to create Call of Duty World War 2, this years new Call of Duty game. Taking place in a World War 2 setting, the possibilities are limitless in terms of in-game content, as many aspects such as the create a class system, gameplay mechanics and variety of weapons remained while Sledgehammer experimented with others by featuring the new Headquarters area, a replacement to the “Pick 10 system” with Divisions and many new and innovative scorestreaks. The COD fanbase expressed it gratitude to the developers for restoring the classic touch of the franchise by removing ad-
vanced movement. The main selling point for this colossal game is its return to Boots on the Ground. This refers to the style of gameplay used in the game. For the past three games released, (Advanced Warfare, Black Ops 3 and Infinite Warfare) they contained a system of movement known as Advanced Movement. This term signifies the exosuits and the ability to jump higher and slide which was very futuristic and was appreciated the first time it was introduced, it was despised and drew many fans that played Call of Duty in the first place out due to the sudden and vast change in gameplay. However, this year they have “returned to their roots” and Michael Condrey (CEO of Sledgehammer Games) has said, and no longer use this futuristic movement and instead revert back to classic and normal movement. The other major features that are highlighted include the
new Headquarters mode and Divisions. The new headquarters mode is designed to be an extension of the main menu, but in which you control your character in the third person point of view, and enables you to interact with other players, open supply drops, receive daily orders, practice your aim skills in the firing range etc. It is an open world area, and is praised by many for offering an extension of the game, even when you are waiting in a match lobby for the match to begin. The second aspect that has been introduced for the first time is Divisions. It is a modification to the past create a class system, and enables special perks and advantages that favor specific play-styles and weapons. This can be seen in the Airborne Division that provides a suppressor for sub-machine guns and promotes a faster-past, close quarter gameplay. There are 5 total divisions and each assists the five weapons categories; Mountain
Division with sniper rifles, Infantry Division with assault rifles, Airborne with SMGs, Armory Division with LMG’s ad Expeditionary Division with shotguns. The Divisions system that has been introduced allows for more customization and definite play-styles on the battlefield. Call of Duty WW2 is the latest installment in the COD series of games and aims to regain. The once strong and supportive playerbase that it used to have before controversial exosuits. As for my take on the game so far with some first-hand experience playing, I can assure you it does not disappoint in all aspects of the game and with smaller weapon balancing. As for the bug fixes that will come in the future, it may fulfill the developer’s goal of returning many oldtime players.
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EDITORIALS
Cell Phones In The Classroom: Here We Go Again...
By: Katerina Fakinos Staff Writer
First things first: I love my cell phone; we all do. And by we, I mean teachers and students alike. Cell phones are great. If in some museum we venture to find a 90’s cellular phone, we will be amazed. Size-wise they look like a military edition hand-held VHF radio receiver/transmitter. But those in the military are powerful, waterproof and bulletproof. 90’s cellphones are weak, with no features, nonexistent coverage and huge monthly bills. Yes, we are blessed to have our smartphones, replete with applications for everything: there is an App for that! Now the down-side: cellphones are a distraction, a big one. Given the choice to watch YouTube, play FIFA18, text your bestie or listen to the lesson, a student can easily lose focus and valuable points from the course grade. Even if we keep it in our pocket or in our bags, phones tickle us to get them out and check our Instagram or the Instagram of a favorite public figure. Imagine when physics and math get
in the way of learning the latest Hollywood gossip, there is a lot of that going around lately. After all education is meant to connect us with the world and the mysteries of the Universe, phones are meant to connect us with the world and the mysteries of, well, our immediate Universe, so they both serve the same purpose. In all seriousness, if I were a teacher and a student was caught looking into the cellphone, I would be upset. Isn’t my lesson interesting enough? The answer is: it is not supposed to be. School prepares us for life. And in life, we cannot expect to go to a business meeting and ignore our partners to look into Instagram, no matter what the occasion (even if it is one of the many Hollywood divorces). Many things are not exhilaratingly exciting, but we still have to do them: school, work, the dentist, washing our feet (you know who you are, we all do). And this is how we get to my opinionated opinion for today. I believe that students should be ALLOWED to have their phones in class, on their person or in
their bag. Phones should not be kept in a separate area away from the student. Why? First, because school should prepare us for our life after we depart from the JFK High School parking lot. Out there, we are responsible for our own actions. Imparting the sense of responsibility is an integral element of our education. Maybe one day I might forget a certain algebraic equation (maybe that day is tomorrow) but learning not to check our phone during class, a meeting, an interview or a public appearance is a lesson we should NEVER forget! Furthermore, a phone can also serve an educational merit and many teachers already ask their students to use their phone for research, to update their homework or to fill out important forms with personal information. At last, a cell phone is a means of safety; there have been school attacks in the past and thanks to the personal cellular phones many lives were saved, the police was notified and given precious details during the lockdowns and the raids. That would not be possible with the phones removed away from the student or
from a compromised office phone, especially in the tragic scenario of a terrorist or violent attack. In conclusion, we all love our phones and I am sure it is a huge temptation to focus in our work at hand and not get into our phone whether we are in School or at home studying or at the library. But in life we need to learn to have self-discipline and say NO to temptations and distractions not because we cannot do certain things but because we choose not to do certain things. No matter how much we love our phone, if using it in class means that a teacher will reduce our grade or take us to the principal for further disciplinary action, then we know an important lesson in action and reaction, choice and consequence, responsibility and accountability. This is a life lesson, more important than the latest technology smart phone; did I mention how much I love my phone?
The Great Gatsby: A Review By: Josh Kaye and Ethan Wainer Contributors
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is narrated by Nick Carraway, a middle-class bond salesman and neighbor of the legendary Jay Gatsby. Throughout the book, readers are absorbed into the narrative of Nick’s life among the rich, and the story of Gatsby’s attempts to win back the (now-married) love of his life, Daisy. Gatsby throws elegant parties in hope of impressing Daisy after they were split up during The Great War. Throughout the book, Fitzgerald explores
the idea of the American Dream, and whether or not this “Dream” can be real. This book vividly describes the the Roaring 20s, a time period that serves as the backdrop for this tale. The Great Gatsby is a thrilling novel that we strongly recommend to anyone looking for a great book. The Great Gatsby is an excellent book with important themes for consideration. Although the story is fictional, it provides insight into the daily lives of people that many of us are able to relate to. For example, one of the book’s main messages is that money cannot buy happiness, which is shown through
Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship. We can all relate to this because we all get gifts and expensive items but the things we buy are not able to truly make you happy. Another message conveyed in the story is that life can only be lived in the present, not the past. This is shown by Gatsby not being able to forget about Daisy and living in the past. Everything he does is to impress and get Daisy back; you will have to read for yourself to see how this conflict plays out. The Great Gatsby is a book that is surely worth your time. We came about this book through a school assignment, but you can find
it at local libraries. We really enjoyed how the Fitzgerald was able to create so many personas and make a crazy ending that you should find very interesting. We would rate this book a 4.5 out of 5. Though it was a great book, it could have had a more engaging beginning since it took time to develop the story. In addition, Fitzgerald’s writing style is somewhat complex and confusing at times. Because of this, it can be difficult to grasp what is going on in the story. Despite this, the book creates an excellent and indepth plot and relatable characters. We encourage everyone to give this classic a try!
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EDITORIALS
To Kneel or Not to Kneel?
Let Them Kneel By: Azaria Vargas Editor-in-Chief
Every Sunday we gather round as a nation to watch a sport which has become dominant not only in our culture but in business and the media. The NFL, National Football League, is the number one sports league in the world and is no longer just a sports organization but is a corporate mogul producing not just athletes but full-fledged celebrities constantly in the limelight, and it has come to be synonymous with “the same day the Church used to own,” as explained in the movie Concussion (2015). Naturally everything that goes on in those Sunday football games is being witnessed by millions of Americans each week. Using this attention to their advantage, many NFL players have decided to kneel during the playing of the National Anthem to protest the racial injustice within our nation. This began last season with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. While Kaepernick has been released from the 49ers and is not currently playing in the NFL, his actions have sparked a movement among not only NFL players, but athletes worldwide, all coming to support the call to end racial injustice. Tampa Bay Lightning player J.T. Brown, Oakland Athletics player Bruce Maxwell, and Seattle Rapine FC and U.S. women’s national soccer team player Megan Rapinoe are among the hundreds of athletes who have joined in to support Kaepernick’s movement to diminish police brutality and racial inequity. With people of such fame taking these actions, it is bound to be noticed by the public. When analyzing these actions, though, it is extremely important to pay close attention to what the players are protesting. They are not bashing our country but rather doing everything they can to improve it for the millions that are faced with inequality simply based on the color of their skin. Social injustice has been present since our nation’s founding, and in each generation, individuals took careful steps to try to eliminate or minimize such. This has been seen countless times with the abolition of slavery and ending of Jim Crow Laws (laws that promoted the segregation of African Americans to Whites in America in the late 19th century); however, the current issue many Americans are
faced with is racial profiling. Many minorities, specifically African Americans, are targeted by the police, and as a result, innocents are being injured and killed. According to the data collected nationwide by the Washington Post, so far this year, 836 people have been shot and killed by the police, and in 2016, the rate reached 963 people. Among these statistics are innocents, young and old, who were merely targeted based on their skin color, for 26% of those killed are black despite blacks only being 13% of the nation’s population. Names like Terence Crutcher or Philando Castille, two unarmed black man killed in their cars while being pulled over or parked, and Tamir Rice, an unarmed 12-year-old black boy killed by police, all come to mind. Many have even tried to justify the stopping by police of certain ethnicities and races through stop-and-frisk, a questionably racist policy which allows police to stop an individual merely because they suspect unruly activity, not because any is being provided. This is the injustice the players are fighting against. Many, however, have called this kneeling unpatriotic and a disgrace to our nation and our troops, but this is not the case. The kneeling is certainly not disrespecting our veterans, as leaders of the movement have consistently voiced and explained their respect for those who sacrifice for our country. In fact, many veterans support the protest and are joining in. Many have taken to social media to express their support for the players and explain that this is the freedom of speech that they fight to protect. Some have spoken to the media, such as Rory Fanning, an ex-Army Ranger who fought alongside former NFL star Pat Tillman in Afghanistan. He told Jacobin that “this is the opposite of an insult to those who died thinking they were fighting for liberty.” The other argument against the kneeling then remains that it disrespects the flag, but how many of us actually follow the flag etiquette outlined in the U.S. Flag Code. It clearly states that the flag should not be worn as clothing, never used for decoration, never utilized as a cover, and never carried flat, which is how the flag is carried during the singing of the National Anthem at football games. If we are so eager to break flag etiquette all other times, why does kneeling rather than standing during the anthem seem disrespectful? While everyone is entitled to their own opinion of the protest,
the most recent controversy over the kneeling has come due to the response of President Donald Trump. He has taken to Twitter to argue over an issue that does not directly concern him, which many find inappropriate. Many of the supporters of Kaepernick and his message argues that this social issue is none of Trump’s concern-- rather, they believe he should be addressing the ‘true’ issues facing our nation such as foreign policy, monitoring free trade, dealing with the global warming, and, most importantly, ending the racial injustice the players are protesting. While many believe that these players should be fired for their actions, others can argue that they are simply exercising their First Amendment rights and hoping to bring a positive change to our nation. Whether you support the method in which they do such, their intentions are not malicious, and they want to end the racial injustice that has perpetuated our country since its founding. Rather than disrespecting the flag, they are using the fame they have obtained as a platform to inform the average American citizen of the injustice going on in our nation, hoping to make the United States an even greater place to live.
Stay on Your Feet By: Gus Gottlieb World News Editor
In the recent months, a new trend has been occurring in NFL games, MLB games, and public schools, including on own-- kneeling. Players are kneeling while the National Anthem is playing to make a statement to their audience. Typically, while our anthem is playing, the proper response is to stand tall and proud, with one’s hand over their heart, embracing patriotism, but Colin Kaepernick, a former starting quarterback on the San Francisco 49ers, broke this recent tradition and began kneeling for the anthem. He claims the reason why he decided to kneel was to protest “a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” However, he does not mind disrespecting the millions of human beings that risked, and lost, their lives just for this overpaid athlete to say such a bold statement. Is it fair that the blood of men and women, both black, white, has been spilled for a man who uses his voice
to create a metaphorical cataclysm in our society, the “demonized” patriots and the “rightful” anti-Americans? It’s not that his message is flawed, in fact, it has extreme value, but he should find another way to demonstrate it-- not by disrespecting our flag. This editorial, however, is not to discuss whether or not his ideas are unjust, but to discuss whether or not Kaepernick’s precedent of kneeling during our anthem is right. If you were to ask me, I would absolutely say that it is morally unacceptable. No American, no matter how young or old, should be allowed to sit during our national anthem-- especially if you play for an American team (unless, of course, you physically cannot stand). Someone like Kaepernick has never had to face real bullet fire in the face to fight for his first amendment right to say what he is saying. One of the most important leaders that combated discrimination against young African-Americans was Martin Luther King Jr.-- and you never saw him desecrate our flag, stomp on our flag, or disrespect our fallen troops who died for that flag. Now, we are aware that Kaepernick, to the furthest of most news sources’ knowledge, has never stepped on our flag, but his offensive act is following in the footsteps of other “beloved” celebrities’ “protests.” Someone, like Lil Wayne, the famous rapper, outright stomped on the flag in one of his music videos. The lack of respect and the crumbling of patriotism in this country is leading to our downfall. Now, veterans are infuriated that this is what their country has come to-- young men and women disgracing the flag they died for just to make a statement? If you were to ask me what Kaepernick SHOULD do, if he wanted to protest without disrespecting our flag, he should donate more of his multi-million dollar contract to help impoverished children, of all races, and decrease the size of his gigantic house to save money for different charities-- NOT sit during the anthem. If you watch men who have even lost their legs from war, they find a way to stand tall to show respect. Kaepernick, seen as a hero for disrespecting fallen men and women, is behaving like a spoiled brat who wants to split our country more than it already is. If you want to see a real hero to respect, look at the chest of a veteran, not the back of a jersey on an athlete.
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SPORTS
Baby Bomber Bonanza By: Josh Gold Contributor
It’s that time of the year! Right after the Astros’ exhilarating World Series victory over the Dodgers, baseball’s 30 teams are already making transactions to field an improved team for next year and for the future. The 2017 season was a thrilling one for the Yankees. In what was supposed to be a year of transition and rebuilding, the emergence of several young stars combined with invaluable veteran leadership provided the ingredients for a recipe for success. The team came within one win of a World Series appearance, well ahead of schedule. The Yankees now possess a powerful, homegrown middle of the lineup to build around. It all starts with MVP candidate Aaron Judge, who set the baseball world on fire with his tape-measure blasts as well as his humble nature. Gary Sanchez, his partner in crime, also showed how dangerous he can be at
the plate. Greg Bird showed flashes of brilliance, especially with clutch hits in the postseason. Likewise, Didi Gregorius is showing a clutch ability reminiscent of Derek Jeter. Luis Severino proved to the league that he’s no bust; he’s a bonafide ace. Starlin Castro has displayed signs of excellence. Aaron Hicks burst on the scene after struggling in recent seasons, and he showed why he was a former number one pick. These young studs form a tantalizing core that will devastate opponents for years to come. Veterans such as Brett Gardner, C.C. Sabathia, Todd Frazier, Matt Holliday, David Robertson, Chase Headley, and Jacoby Ellsbury provided the team with integral mentorship. Gardner, Sabathia, and Robertson (in his second stint) are the final remaining members of the 2009 championship team. The centerpiece of the team was the dominant bullpen. The bullpen was thought by many to be the best in the league, possessing the flame-throwing Aroldis Chapman,
Tommy Kahnle, Robertson, Chad Green, Dellin Betances, and Adam Warren. The starting rotation was in great shape as well, with Severino, Sonny Gray, Masahiro Tanaka, Sabathia, and Jordan Montgomery. Looking at the future, the farm system is loaded with a glut of highly regarded, talented youngsters looking for their chance to prove themselves. Look for names such as Gleyber Torres, Clint Frazier, Justus Sheffield, Chance Adams, Miguel Andujar, and Estevan Florial to be making headlines sooner rather than later. General Manager Brian Cashman has masterfully orchestrated the rebuild and obtained the team’s best prospects. He received the high praise of many within the industry for trading for mid-season acquisitions Gray, Todd Frazier, Robertson, Kahnle, and Jaime Garcia, all while not surrendering the team’s best prospects. With many highpriced contracts coming off the books, the team will soon be ready and willing to spend top dollar on
free agents to supplement their dynamic young core. Several major decisions are facing the franchise at the moment. To the surprise and shock of many, the team decided not to retain its longtime manager, Joe Girardi, and they are allowing their other coaches to walk to other team’s staffs. They must hire a youthful, analytical manager who will form a bond with the young players. The Yankees must also decide which free agents to re-sign. Sabathia, Todd Frazier, Holliday, Garcia, and Michael Pineda are all free agents. And just like every other team during hot stove season, they will be looking at upgrading through signing other teams’ players as well as making trades. The bottom-line is this: The Baby Bombers are built up well to be a perennial powerhouse. They will look to embark on a prolonged run of success. The future is bright in the Bronx, with a potential dynasty looming on the horizon.
The Cougar Crier Staff Principal Ms. Lorraine Poppe
Sports Editor Scott Fingeroth
Interim Principal Mr. David Seinfeld
World News Editor Gus Gottleib
Assistant Principals Mr. Jon LaRochester Mr. Gerard Owenburg Mr. Vincent Pisano
Editors Benji Ferraro, Alexis Krayevsky
Advisor Ms. Kaitlyn Seigneuray
Editor-in-Chief Azaria Vargas Pop Culture Editor Adam Bernstein School News Editor Sean Cohen
Art Editor Mason Ferraro Staff Writers Gabe Cohen, Analisa Coppa, Katerina Fakinos, Emma Gold, Mikayla Gorelin, Arielle Pasternak, Marlee Seifer, Jada Spindler, Dylan Torres Contributors Jake Arlia, Morgan Baren, Ava Collica, Gabe Eckstein, Max Friefeld, Calvin Gibson, Laszlo Goch, Josh Gold, Harris Joslin, Josh Kaye, Panayiotis Milchas, Marianna Mora, Stamatia Papazis, James Redemann, Penny Tsahalis, Emily Vayda, Stephanie Veitsman, Ethan Wainer The Cougar Crier John F. Kennedy High School 3000 Bellmore Avenue Bellmore, NY 11710 email: jfkcougarcrier12@gmail.com twitter: @CougarCrierJFK www.cougarcrier.org
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SPORTS
Fantasy Football Surprises and Disappointments By: Max Freifeld Contributor
The 2017 NFL season is already a third of the way done, and there has already been a myriad of breakout stars, injuries and turnarounds for certain players. Fantasy football fans, like myself, have rejoiced and drafted their own teams. For 6 years I have been playing fantasy football, and there have been ups and downs every year. However, that being said, 2017 has been a much more unique year for fantasy football. First, there are the injured players: David Johnson, Julian Edelman and Greg Olsen. David Johnson, a runningback for the Arizona Cardinals, had barely played a single week, and was already injured. Edelman, a wide receiver for the Super Bowl 51 champion, The Patriots, was injured in the preseason-- faulting him from even
By: Benji Ferraro Editor
A new NHL season is soon upon us, and the main headline entering the 2017-2018 campaign is the Pittsburgh Penguins’ possible ‘three-peat’ for the first time since the Islanders won four straight in the 1980s. Rising clubs like the Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, and the New Jersey Devils are trying to break playoff droughts, while young players, like Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, and Patrick Laine are trying to replicate their rookie successes this year. It should be exciting to see what unfolds, but for now, here are my predictions
entering the regular season this year. Lastly, Greg Olsen, the tight end for the Carolina Panthers, had been injured very early in the third quarter. People who chose David Johnson as their first pick were unlucky-- being that he was injured and hardly played. Julian Edelman was supposed to be a good pick; the fantasy owners who drafted earlier were extremely upset with the turnout of Edelman. Finally, Greg Olsen, who had been a great fantasy tight end, was a big loss for The Panthers as their number 1 pick. Later in the season, Odell Beckham Jr.-- one of the most electrifying players on The New York Giants (according to Tony Romo on the CBS Sports broadcasting crew)- was injured while playing against The Chargers-- which they lost 27-22. Also, Dalvin Cook, a player that seemed like a definite breakout running back, of The Minnesota Vikings had gotten injured in Week 4 during the second half. Odell
and Dalvin Cook were supposed to have a great fantasy year: until their injuries halted their season. In week 6, other big fantasy names got injured-- one of them being The Green Bay Packers’ Quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. He was picked by most fantasy leagues either as the 1st or 2nd quarterback. His broken collarbone resulted in him halting his participation this season; similar to Jameis Winston, The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback who will miss some quality time on the football field due to his injuries. Another big name that sustained notable injuries was Golden Tate, the star receiver for The Detroit Lions. His inane ability as a receiver has exponentially helped the morale, as well as the receiving core, within The Lions. Besides the bone-cracking injuries, there has been multiple fantasy breakouts that are quite notable. Kareem Hunt, The Kansas City Chiefs star running back, original-
ly started as a backup for Spencer Ware. After Ware sustained injuries that resulted in him taking a break, Hunt has an incredible fantasy average of 19.5 fantasy points in only the matter of 6 weeks, CBS Sports Fantasy Football states. Additionally, Jerick Mckinnon, The Minnesota Vikings running back, broke out when Cook left from his injuries. When Mckinnon started, he averaged 19.5 fantasy points in only a mere 2 games-- something extraordinary for a backup to have. Lastly, Cameron Brate, a tight end for The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also made a breakout. While it may not seem like Brate gets many receptions, the ones he does complete are usually ones that result in touchdowns in the redzone. Brate is a major advantage for his team, and appears to be unstoppable to his opponents. While it has only been a third of the way through the season, many more surprises may be ahead.
for the season. One team that everyone should keep an eye on in the Eastern Conference is the Columbus Blue Jackets. With Nick Foligno, Cam Atkinson, and Artemi Panarin along with goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky-- Columbus will be a powerhouse in the Eastern Conference. For the New York teams, however, the Islanders are looking for a return to the playoffs after last year’s campaign in which they fell one point short of making the final eight in the conference. The Rangers are looking to rebound after a bitter second round loss to the Ottawa Senators in last year’s semifinals round.
One team to look out for in the Western Conference is the Nashville Predators. While some may fear that a Stanley Cup appearance last year will result in a subpar 2017-18 season, Nashville still features great defensemen like Roman Josi, P.K Subban and Ryan Ellis. Look for this club to possibly get back to the Stanley Cup Final to represent the Western Conference. Overall, it should be another great season filled with highlight-reel goals, fantastic saves and clutch defensive stops.
Eastern Conference Playoff Teams: Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Islanders
NHL Predictions
Western Conference Playoff Teams: Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Anaheim Ducks, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators Stanley Cup Final: Chicago over Columbus [Editor’s Note: Predictions were made before the season started, and have not been adjusted at any point to reflect game results.]
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SCHOOL SPORTS
A Season for the Ages By: Gabe Eckstein Contributor This fall has been a Kennedy sports season for the ages, with teams excelling in almost every sport. This season, both our boys’ and girls’ soccer teams, football team, boys’ and girls’ volleyball teams and boys’ badminton team all made the playoffs. Through great coaching and playing, Kennedy sports have taken a huge leap this fall, and things continue to look up for next year. Our boys soccer team advanced to the “Elite Eight” in all of Nassau County this year before losing a third-round playoff game against Garden City by penalty kicks-- allowing Garden City to go on and win the county Championship. This year, however, the Cougars were lead by team captains Matt Kaufman and Chris Mousavi, both pushing the team to get better everyday. Their season started with a heartbreaking loss to Sewanhaka, but after that loss they went on an inspiring run, only losing two more
games for the rest of the season. This winning run was lead by Matt Kaufman, who brought intensity to every game and was a great leader for the team. Kennedy girls soccer also had a great season, finishing 7-6-2 before falling to Cold Spring Harbor in the playoffs. The team was led by great play from captain Rose Mehani, Chloe Demetriades, Isabella Infuso and many more. The team won many tough games and had a fantastic all around season. The boys volleyball team continued their tradition of excellence this year with a 16-3 record to make the playoffs again, and competed in the New York state Championship; however, they finished in second place after losing in the championship in a 5 game thriller to Eden High School. The team was led by coach Dennis Ringel, who continues to shape the team State Championship Contenders year after year. The team was captained by seniors Josh Kaplan, Steve Carlson, and Andrew Celauro. These three players have led the team on and off the court and prepared the
team for their playoff run. Junior Tyler Anderson was ranked among the players with the most kills in all of Nassau, with 77 kills this season. The girls volleyball team finished their year with a record of six wins and six losses, led by seniors Rachel Katz, Danielle Slevin, and Julia Angrisani. Kennedy’s football team had another great season, going 4 and 4. The boys battled through and lost a couple of very close games that could have gone either way. The team won an extremely Valley Stream Central, winning on a last-second field goal by kicker Chris Mousavi. This win helped push them into playoffs for the second consecutive year. Team leaders Jason Coules and Zach “Diddy” Rothblut led the team to the playoffs. Lineman Ben Birke brought intensity to every game and helped hype the team up for every play. Unfortunately, the team lost to a stellar Garden City team in the first round of playoffs. The team has a lot of young players and is expected to have another good season next year.
Boys badminton had a historic year with Matt Schwartz and Justin Unterberg receiving All Country Awards for their performance.Players Brandon Styble, Robert Silva, Justin Unterberg, Matt Schwartz, Brett Klein, and Matt Arlovski all made the all country tournament. The team finished 6 and 9, facing a very tough schedule throughout the season. The team made it to the semifinals in playoffs and had one of the best years in program history. Girls tennis had a good season but unfortunately fell short of playoffs. The team played hard every game and showed great improvement and teamwork throughout the season. Senior leader Amanda Gudowitz helped lead the team and played amazing throughout the season. This was a great fall season for all kennedy sports. Many teams reached the playoffs and every team shower heart and teamwork throughout the season. Hopefully this is a preview for the winter season.
Above: Senior captain Josh Kaplan earning his all-New York State title. Kaplan is one of many members of the team to receive individual awards at the division, county, Long-Island, and New York levels, along with senior captains Steve Carlson and Andrew Celauro; seniors Jordan Kappel, Mitchell Mass, and Justin Steinberg; junior Tyler Anderson; sophomore Cooper Moran, and Coach Dennis Ringel (Nassau County Coach of the Year).
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