www.eastside-online.org
Vol. 45 No. 10
Cherry Hill High School East: 1750 Kresson Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
Rachel Fucheck (‘11)
April 2011
Emily Schultz (‘11) SarahLydia Kiehlmeier (‘11)
Jean Harrell (‘11)
Samantha Kovnat (‘12)
S
tudents at East have a very wide range of interests and talents. However, some may be unaware of the great aptitude East has among its art department. Eastside has explored this broad area of interest and in the process, discovered some of East’s most unique artists. Here, we display their work and show the East community what some of its most talented students have to offer. Nick Platt (‘11) Monica Valdez (‘11)
Gabrielle Rosenstein (‘11) Photos of artists taken by Rebecca Mulberg (‘12)/ Eastside Video Editor
Shannon Smith (‘12)
All art courtesy of respective artists Layout by Gabrielle Kains (‘12), Hailey Edelstein (‘12)/ News/Features Editors, Alana Kopelson (‘12), Hannah Feinberg (‘12)/ Community Editors; Rebecca Mulberg (‘12)/ Video Editor
Visit www.eastsideonline.org to view more artwork by East students
Ethan Batteman (‘11)
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Budget season has arrived and this year, things are looking much better, espeChandni Desai (‘11) cially compared to Alternate the issues Board of surroundEducation ing last Representative year’s. In late February, the district unexpectedly learned that it would be receiving an increase in state aid of almost 1.72 million dollars. This brings great hope for a budget passing as current thoughts are on a 0% tax levy and security for all of the district’s wonderful programs that were in jeopardy this time last year. Furthermore, the total state aid will sum to more than $9.6 million, giving the Board much more freedom with educational programs and much less anxiety for the upcoming 2011-2012 school year. Students and township residents contributed greatly to the budget discussions last year. The Board strongly encourages everyone to come to meetings and to express their feelings regarding the budgetary situation. All suggestions and opinions would truly help create the most beneficial and successful budget plan for our township. We all felt the impacts of the loss in budget over the past school year in our classes: class sizes were much bigger, and at some points during the year, classrooms lacked necessary supplies. Please consider what programs are most important to you or what district expenditures mean the most to you and support them at board meetings. Even though the Board is currently considering a 0% tax levy, it is still extremely important that the budget passes. Elections will be held on April 27 for multiple open positions on the Board of Education. There are three positions for threeyear terms, for which a total of eight candidates are running. Furthermore, there is one position for a two-year term, for which one candidate, Elliot Roth, is running. Please visit the district website to learn more about each candidate and read their full biographies. It is very important that everyone contributes their ideas and opinions regarding the bugdget, because it has a future impact on us as students and community members.
NEWS/FEATURES EASTSIDE
April 2011
East HFH prepares for Mississippi By Meagan Riley (‘12) Eastside Staff
Habitat for Humanity is a great way to volunteer and have fun. For the eighth consecutive year, Cherry Hill East’s Habitat for Humanity (HFH) is taking a trip over Spring Break to a community in need. During its stay, the group works to rebuild dilapidated houses or build brand-new houses for those who need it most. This year, East’s HFH is going to a new location, which is also its farthest location yet Mississippi. In the past, the group has traveled to John’s Island, South Carolina and New Orleans, Louisiana for its spring break trips. The members will be working with the Bay Waveland Habitat for Humanity in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. East librarian Mrs. Julie Rion, the organizer of the trip, has “heard good things about this affiliate,” which has just won the Affiliate of the Year award for the second year in a row.
Cherry Hill East students will work with their peers to benefit the community by working on
building an entire neighborhood of houses. There will be a lot of “good work to do,” said Rion, such as “framing and putting up whole houses for the week.” Eddie Lai (‘12), who went last year with Habitat to John’s Island, said, “[The trip] helped me realize that we need to help others. It was really fun.” Other activities will be focused around the history and culture of the area. Although the fee members’ pay includes lodging and all meals, they will try to “eat out at least twice for Cajun cuisine,” which is native to the area, said Rion. Habitat for Humanity has done a lot of great work in the past, and anyone who is interested in playing a larger part through volunteer work should definitely consider joining this trip and other smaller day trips in the future. Who can think of a better way to spend time with friends while helping to build a community at the same time? Art by Jasmine Hwang (‘12)/ For Eastside
Photos from last year’s Habitat for Humanity spring break trip to John’s Island, South Carolina Courtesy of Emma McElwee (‘12)
Gay-Straight Alliance advocates equality By Juliet Brooks (‘13) Eastside News/Features Editor
No, not SGA, the Student Government Association. It is the GSA the GayStraight Alliance. The two clubs, although they share similar initials, are very different. SGA meets to arrange schoolwide events, while the GSA meets to discuss gay rights everywhere. Contrary to what some may think, the GSA is not comprised solely of homosexuals. “I think that a common misconception is that everyone who goes [to GSA meetings] is gay, but the majority of our members are straight,” GSA president Damian Stuchko (‘13) said. The GSA meets every other Tuesday to discuss current events in the gay community. A frequent topic of discussion is the media and the effect that it has on people’s perceptions of gays.
Another topic that was recently brought up is choosing a new name for the GSA. Stuchko said that the GSA is often confused with SGA. One new name that was brought to the table was GLOW Gay, Lesbian, Or Whatever but the members of the GSA want to discuss several possibilities before they make a decision. Moya O’ Leary (‘12), a member of the GSA, said that she does not think that the GSA will change its name until there is further discussion. Stuchko said that the GSA is going to an equality forum to talk to other GayStraight Alliances about possible names for the organization. “It’s a chance to meet people who are open-minded. A chance to feel like you belong, no matter your orientation,” said Chrissy Luther (‘12). Unfortunately, the GSA has had some trouble retain-
ing membership recently. is a group of people at East Although “the GSA had a who will support you for who rough couple of years,” Stuchko said, “we’re trying to bring it back to its f o r m e r glory.” The group is always looking for new members, as the issue continues to permeate in society. A s Stuchko said, “By coming to the GSA, you’re supJuliet Brooks (‘13)/ Eastside News/Features Editor porting a group who GSA president Damian Stuchko will support you are, no matter who you everybody.” This genuine message are. holds hope for everyone who The club’s next meeting is ever felt left out or underap- Tuesday, April 15, after preciated. Take note: there school in C115.
NEWS/FEATURES
April 2011
EASTSIDE
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Yarlagadda wins award for volunteering By Hailey Edelstein (‘12) Eastside News/Features Editor
Many East students commit a few hours every couple of months to volunteer and help out the community, but Naveen Yarlagadda (‘11) has gone above and beyond by volunteering over 400 hours of his freshman, sophomore and junior years peforming all kinds of community service earning himself the Congressional Award. After a teacher recommended that
he apply for the award and since his older sister, Sunaina Yarlagadda (‘06) also won the award, he applied; his dedication to improving the world around him thus became clear. Yarlagadda began volunteering in middle school, when his parents would not allow him to own a dog. “I [volunteered at] the animal shelter with my sister,” said Yarlagadda, “and from there we started reaching out to other places.” Among many forms of volunteering, Yarlagadda volunteers at the
Courtesy of Naveen Yarlagadda ( 11)
Voorhees Pediatric Center, reading to children and entertaining patients every Friday. “I like trying different things, whatever helps,” he said in response to what type of volunteering he enjoys the most. Yarlagadda travels to India annually with his family, but this past summer he combined his vacation with his volunteering interests. Upon finding an opportunity that accepted him despite his young age, for a few weeks, he helped the Hrudaya Cure a Little Heart Foundation, which helps support children with congenital heart disease by interviewing families in need of money. “Since I speak the language, it was easy for me to question them,” said Yarlagadda. This unique experience even helped foster his interest in the health care field. “After volunteering in the hospital and seeing global health, it opened my eyes to help mutualize these problems,” he said. His active role in not only the community of South Jersey, but also in the world, does not appear to be dwindling, even as his senior year comes to a close. Yarlagadda will accept his Congressional Award in Washington D.C. later this year, but he still looks forward to volunteering afterwards. Yarlagadda said, “I definitely want to continue [volunteering] in college and I also want to volunteer abroad.”
New Multi-Cultural Day events expected to excite By Amy Myers (‘13) Eastside Staff
It’s that time of year again the time when everyone gets ready to socialize and to experience new cultures during Multi-Cultural Day. Clubs are currently preparing for their big performances. All of the participating culture clubs are organizing their presentations for their culture for April 15, when they will raise the curtain and show the school how many diverse cultures are in one building. According to Mr. Bob Hulme, the MultiCultural Day advisor, there is going to be a new addition to Multi-Cultural Day this year. In addition to the dances and the DiBart Gym filled with stations
of the various countries, there is going to be a new activities section in the East Gym. The museum portion of Multi-Cultural Day located in the DiBart Gym will have different foods and displays, the auditorium will have the dancing and the East Gym will have games. Chairperson Jen Ho (‘11) said that there are going to be 13 clubs participating in this year s Multi-Cultural Day. All participating clubs had to go through a screening process before they were given permission to contribute to this day-long festival. There will be many different games as well as other interesting activities, all supplied by the clubs involved in MultiCultural Day.
“I know that for us in ICS [Indian Culture Society], we’ll be doing some Henna, which was a pretty big hit last year. We are all really excited, the competition should be good!” said Paulomi Banerjee (‘13). Taylor Brody (‘11) also said that there is a possibility that the East Singers will perform “We Are the World” for MultiCultural Day. Other groups, such as the Break-Dancing Club and the Spanish Club, are stepping it up a notch in preparation for MultiCultural Day. “The performers applied their knowledge of the dance and incorporated their unique styles and sick moves into a routine. Hopefully, BreakDancing Club will amaze the crowd with our incred-
ible performance on Multi-Cultural Day,” said Hao Chen (‘13), a member of the Break-Dancing Club. In the hopes of meeting the crowd’s expectations, some of the clubs have been practicing more frequently than usual. “Instead of staying after just once every other week, we have extra meetings each week and we practice the dance to make sure we have it perfect,” said Joanna DellaPeruta (‘12), a member of the Spanish Culture Club. The various cultural groups will work hard this year to make MultiCultural Day a success through performances and stations. But at its heart, Multi-Cultural Day is always about both teaching and learning new things.
Eastside News/Features Editor
Throughout time, the Parent Teacher Association has had great
Attend the next PTA meeting! DATE:
Wednesday, May 18 PLACE:
East Library TIME:
7:30 p.m.
involvement in students’ lives. But this year, the PTA has made changes to its system that will not only affect the students and its members, but also the environment. For the 2010-2011 school year, the PTA has adapted the concept of going green by eliminating all printed information and putting everything online. “For many years, PTA mailed a newsletter several times a year this was expensive and bad for the environment,” said Renee
Kessler, Cherry Hill East s PTA president. With a constantly updated eBoard, the PTA, similar to how teachers use eBoards, is able to keep all of its information timely. Before, the PTA had to do a lot of thinking ahead to make sure that its limited number of newsletters had the most relevant information. Additionally, the PTA has initiated a YahooGroup, which serves as an email distribution list that keeps students, parents and teachers
Adam Rosenthal (‘12) President
Michael Berkowitz (‘12) Vice President
Harrison Kim (‘12) Vice President
Andrew Adler (‘13) Vice President
Greg Weinstock (‘13) Vice President
What is your least favorite part of East? Rosenthal: This can’t be a valid question. Adler: My least favorite part of East is C-wing intersection or the long wait for wraps. What is your favorite part of East? Weinstock: My favorite part of East is the wide range of sports, clubs and activities available to all students. Rosenthal: The wonderful faculty, of course, because what s a school without them? We have a great line-up of faculty that is willing to help students when needed. What is the best way to lead? Berkowitz: To have a great relationship with the constituents of the society and truly listen to their concerns. If it is in your control, do what you can to have their wants met, assuming they’re reasonable. Kim: To assign individuals to roles in which their best abilities can be utilized.
Who is your favorite person at East? Kim: Mrs. Singh. She is a teacher whose passion makes her students admire science just as she does; she is not just a teacher but also a role model. Adler: My favorite person at informed about what is East is probably whomever is happening in the school reading this. district. Although students may What is a goal you have not always see it, the PTA for SGA? plays a large role in their Berkowitz: Naturally, it’s to high school lives. attempt to raise the school’s Students are encouraged spirit and raise attendance to to get involved with PTA events. Also, I want to hear by attending meetings or what events the students like joining the distribution or what they would like to see list. in these events and perhaps For more information, try to implement their suggesv i s i t tions. EastPTA.cherryhill.site.eb Weinstock: To raise attendance oard.com or contact Renee in all of the events hosted at Kessler personally at East. rbkess@comcast.net or Logo by Avra Bossov (‘11)/ (856) 429 - 2258. Eastside Editor-in-Chief
Parent Teacher Association goes green By Gabrielle Kains (‘12)
Recently elected school SGA officers answer questions about East and SGA:
NEWS/FEATURES
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EASTSIDE
April 2011
Zografos and Zografos take on East By Kaylin Magosin (‘14) Eastside Staff
During Mr. George Zografos’s time at Rosa, he impacted the lives of students, staff members and parents. After five years of teaching math at Rosa, and one year as a Rosa guidance counselor, “Mr. Z,” as he is called, is now a guidance counselor at East. When asked why he became a guidance counselor, Zografos said, “I found that I was a very popular teacher, very good in the classroom, and I would teach [students] math skills and also life skills while I was there. And I found that the life skills that I was teaching my students were lasting longer than the math skills that I was teaching my students.” Zografos has decided to focus on relationship building and how to overcome adversity instead of tangents and rays. He uses his degrees in psycholog y ,
teaching and sports psychology to help students set goals and reach them. “One of the best parts of my day is when a kid comes in and tells me they ve just been accepted to a college and just watching their face light up,” Zografos said. His days in the Guidance Office are rarely predictable. “Some days are harder than others, but in the end, I always do the best for the kids to make sure they succeed and also to be a
resource for them and their families.” Zografos started working at East this year; his son, Bobby, began as a freshman. The two were at Rosa together, and now they started at E a s t together.
Bobby Zografos (‘14) stands back-to-back with his dad, George.
Logo by Danielle Hu (‘11)/ Eastside Art Director
We asked...
Mr. Leonard
Mitch Kofsky (‘13)
Ms. Heller
Gabrielle White (‘13)
Friday: Friday: Friday: Favorite the week’s because I after Friday: the day of end don’t school I last day of the represents have to can go school. week? accomget work out. plishment. done. Somebody
Biggest getting fear? hurt in my
Oversleep
Public humiliation
Celebrity Jennifer Anne crush? Hudson Hathaway
Cary Grant
Lady Gaga
Favorite radio WDAJ FM station?
MMR
class
Heights
Zografos said, “Starting at East [with Bobby] was very exciting, we both were like ‘wow, this is cool but new.’” For Bobby, it is nice to have his dad to bring him to and from school. The elder Zografos says, “I have an under“In standthe end, he is ing of
my dad and we get along well. We are both adapting to high school and the more difficult work.” - Bobby Zografos what (‘14) h i s
day is like. That’s an advantage as a parent. [It is nice to] know what your kid is going through on a daily basis.” Zografos made a lasting impact on students at Rosa, and he is sure to have the same positive effect on students at East.
Mia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor
NEWS/FEATURES
April 2011
EASTSIDE
Three East students nationally recognized as candidates as U.S. Presidential Scholars
By Emily Hsu (‘12) Eastside Staff
Established in 1964 by executive order of the president, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program seeks to recognize and honor some of the nation’s most distinguished h i g h school s e n iors. Students are chosen on the basis of academic achievement and leadership as well as for exceptional talent in the fine arts. The pool of approximately three million high school seniors is first narrowed down to those who have scored exceptionally well on the SAT or the ACT. Approximately twenty females and twenty males are nominated from each state, although if multiple potential candidates tie in terms of standardized test scores, the total number of nominees can be greater. Most of New Jersey’s 125 candidates were nominated on the basis of academic excellence, but a small portion w a s selected based on spec i f i c artistic talents. The Commission on Presidential Scholars, a group of professionals selected by the president, then narrows down the list even more by considering students’ leadership qualities, extracurricular activities, transcripts and
essays, which nominees submit. The final selection of the Presidential Scholar takes place in a third round of screening, in which 121 scholars are selected for a c a demics. Twenty more
become a Presidential Scholar. This year, three students from East have been nominated as
East’s Presidential Scholar Candidates from left to right: Ari Brill (‘11), Vivian Qin (‘11), Ethan Klein (‘11)
Presidential Scholar candidates: Ari Brill (‘11), Ethan Klein (‘11) and Vivian Qin (‘11).
Art by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Staff Photo by Avra Bossov (‘11)/ Eastside Editor-inChief
spots are reserved for talented artists, who must submit their work to be evaluated. Students are recognized for exceptional talent in music, dance, visual arts or writing. As one can imagine, it is extremely difficult to
Although they have not yet finished going through the second round of the selection process, simply being nominated is a feat of its own, and each of them certainly has the potential to become a
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Presidential Scholar. “I’m really excited because it s such a huge honor! I like how the federal government acknowledges and values academic excellence in students,” said Qin. Klein has a wide variety of interests, which include linguistics, Portuguese, chemistry, economics and tennis. He plans on majoring in linguistics, with a possibility of becoming a computational linguist. Likewise, Brill participates in numerous activities, demonstrating his music a l capabilities through the Marching Band, his artistic abilities through drawing for Eastside and his academic excellence through Cum Laude Tutoring.
Brill is also a co-secretary of Model UN. The Commission on Presidential Scholars selects the 500 or so semifinalists in mid-April and makes the final selection of the 141 Presidential Scholars in May. Best of luck to each of the three nominees as they continue on this journey.
Spanish teacher instructing English in Spain en el verano By Sarah Minion (‘12) Eastside Underground Editor
Most teachers spend their summer vacations doing anything but, well, teaching. However, Spanish teacher Ms. Laura Lucia is doing quite the opposite. This summer, Lucia plans on taking her love for teaching across the world to Spain, where she will teach the English language. Ironic, right? Lucia always wanted to be a teacher, and began to find her enthusiasm for the Spanish language while studying at The College of New Jersey. A Spanish major, Lucia traveled to Seville, Spain, during her study abroad program junior year. It was there that she fell in love with the environment, and came home to change her major to Spanish Teaching. Lucia found Cherry Hill East upon completing her student-teaching here in 2010.
An outgoing and genuine young woman, Lucia teaches Spanish 2A and 2H this year, and absolutely loves her job. “This year went really well,” she said. She is currently getting certified to teach English abroad, and will be working with people of all ages this summer, thus sharing her passion for teaching with students beyond Cherry Hill East. “I think that seeing the way those kids learn English will help with my teaching Spanish back here,” she said. Tentatively, she could be working at English day camps where she would be teaching and working with young kids, or she could be doing private tutoring with older adults. “I hope I get to work with kids,” she added. “I would definitely do a longer term of teaching abroad, but not yet,” said Lucia. “I like my job here too much.”
Lucia is not the only one who likes her newfound position in the East community. Students reciprocate by enjoying her class as well. “You learn a lot in her class,” said Austin Billig (‘13). Students enjoy her class because she makes it interactive by using visuals and presentations. “It’s the best class of the day,” Billig said. Outside of the classroom, Lucia is the adviser for the Adopt-aGrandparent Club, and she also loves to run. She plans on participating in a marathon this summer in addition to her teaching abroad. In the future, Lucia sees herself going to other countries like Peru or Argentina to travel and to teach. Lucia is a teacher who is truly passionate not only about helping kids learn, but also about the Juliet Brooks (‘13)/ Eastside News/Features Editor language she teaches. Ms. Lucia teaches Spanish 2 students.
EDITORIAL
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EASTSIDE
April 2011
Editorials represent the views and opinions of the Eastside Editorial Board.
East slowly grows more sustainable Although East shows improvements in environmental awareness, students still need to make an effort to show their own strides towards a sustainable community.
East’s efforts to be more environmentally sustainable have come a long way, and one leg of the journey to environmental awareness has been fixing up the greenhouse in the courtyard between C-wing and Bwing. East Environmental Studies teachers Mrs. Gina Oh and Mrs. Erica DiMichele plan to return the greenhouse outside of C110 to its former glory. The greenhouse was built in the 1960s but fell into disrepair due to a slow cessation of use. Although over the past twenty or thirty years, students dropped textbooks onto the roof of the greenhouse and broke every ceiling pane, grants from RecycleBank and the Cherry Hill Rotary Club have helped amass enough money to replace the roof. Oh hopes that the greenhouse can be put to use in Environmental Studies classes and that East s courtyard can house a
garden for raising seedlings. “My kids are putting effort into raising money for the future,” said Oh. The environmental studies students have hosted after-school bake sales for the greenhouse. Sustainable Cherry Hill (SCH), a non-profit organization dedicated to greening the community, has been working with Aramark to decrease the environmental impact of the cafeteria. SCH member Jodi Raditz, a teacher at Carusi Middle School, and Eric Colebaugh, the General Manager of Aramark in charge of food and supplies, have worked to replace much of the cafeteria’s disposable items with sustainable alternatives. They have succeeded in swapping out many sources of waste, but have struggled to rule out foam trays, which are cheaper than any substitute material but extremely wasteful. A foam tray cannot be repurposed: once it is
thrown out, it takes more than one million years to decompose. Instead, Raditz wants to apply for a grant for an anaerobic digester, which is a machine that turns organic waste into compost soil very quickly. The digester could divert over thirty percent of all the trash the school produces, saving the district thousands of dollars in trash fees. “Our goal is to effuse the composting into the curriculum, so it becomes a part of everyday culture,” said Raditz. “In the long term, our primary goal is to create zero waste.” As of right now, East recycles bottles, cans, paper and plastics one through seven (threes and sixes excluded), which, on a basic level, is acceptable; however, recycling uses energy and costs money. That is why a more extensive composting system would be the smartest option in reducing the school’s waste output
and carbon footprint. In order to solve the complex issues of resource use, the East community needs to approach solutions holistically. It has to look at this issue across the school district: these problems do not only exist at Cherry Hill East. East needs leadership from the school board and school administration, and needs to support teachers and students who are working to create change at their own schools. Students need to evaluate whether their own actions affect the problems of waste and dwindling resources. Every step East students take towards a more sustainable community would make a difference. But, instead of doing anything to solve the problems of waste, most students are simply ignoring them. At East, people like Oh and Raditz are working towards a positive change that all East students should be emulating.
Cherry Hill High School East
1750 Kresson Road Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 Phone: (856) 424-2222, ext. 2087 Fax: (856) 424-3509
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April 2011
NEWS/FEATURES EASTSIDE
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A survey of 100 students shows that gender stereotypes do not apply to the majority of East students. By Hannah Feinberg (‘12) and Lindsey DuBoff (‘12) Eastside Community Editor and Eastside Opinions Editor
Though when going by the standards of stereotypes, one might expect to find few female hands raised in an East math class and the boys shying away from English, East students may not be so easily classified. According to a recent survey of 100 East students, 73 percent of boys take their highest level courses in math or 46% science, of boys at while o n l y East take their 4 9 p e r - highest level in cent of English or girls t a k e History. their highest level courses in the same subjects. Sixty-six percent of girls and 46 percent of boys take their highest level courses in either English or History. Some girls attributed tak-
ing a more advanced class to a naturally higher interest. “History and English just interest me more,” said Meghan Sooy (‘14), “so I feel that makes me do better.” Other East statistics, however, contest the stereotype of math-oriented boys and English-oriented girls. Surveyed girls were equally as likely to receive an ‘A’ in a science class as an English class. Similarly, 59 percent of boys claimed that they regularly receive top marks in history 25 percent more than the 34 percent of boys who regularly receive ‘A’s in math.
“I feel like I’m better at English and history because there are no complicated formulas to memorize. I can’t memorize like that,” said Aaron Gomez (‘13). In terms of a d v a n c e d courses, no clear pattern suggesting “girls can’t do math” emerged. Thirty-one percent of girls take an Honors or Advanced Placement course in English. The same number of girls take Honors or A d v a n c e d Placement in science. Boys took Honors or A d v a n c e d Placement courses equally in both math and English. This
suggests that personal preference more than gender limitations determine skill in certain subjects. “I m better at humanities because I relate more to people in stories than to formulas,” said Jake Horner (‘14). Research from Janet S. Hyde and Janet E. Mertz at the University of Wisconsin suggests that though in the past the stereotype may have held true, it is “largely an artifact of changeable sociocultural factors” and the gap will continue to close in years to come. Still, some students think aspects of the male and female respective mindsets may push students in a certain direction. “Science and math are more concrete forms of 49% thinkof girls at i n g , East take their which i s highest level
courses in Math or Science. prefer-
All art by Danielle Hu (‘11)/ Eastside Art Director
classify everyone here. East students academic preferences stem from personal choice and attest to their individuality instead of a readiness to fit the norm. Though not absolutely without merit, East’s reflection of a national trend towards gender equality makes this myth effectively busted.
able to the male psyche,” said Ben Kirby (‘11). In planning their According to data futures, East students collected in 2008 again defy society’s pigeon by the National holed predictions of future professions. The majority Education of both girls Association: The and boys same number plan for - Men now make up careers of girls who take about 25% of all teachin sciers in the United Honors or Advanced ence. States, which is On Placement English almost double what it t h e was 20 years ago. take Honors or other (Teaching was a prohand, fession originally Advanced only six taken by women.) Placement percent of girls Science. plan to pursue math as a career whereas 51 percent of boys selected According to data this as their desired future, recorded in 2009 a statistic which some stuby the United dents feel is mirrored in States Department the workplace. Boys “If you look at the of Labor: are just as engineering depart- 43.8% of American ments, it’s all guys,” likely to enroll in said Mickey Yeung women now work full Honors or Advanced (‘11). time. The second most common occupation Placement English as group is medical science. Certainly, some they are in Honors or boys at East are - Women make up more cut out to be engiAdvanced than half of many science neers and some girls Placement fields, such as medical are bound for English science (56.9%). teaching, but it is clear Math. that these casts do not
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COMMUNITY EASTSIDE
April 2011
First
Fridays
Everyone comes together for the artsiest day of the month. By Danielle Fox (‘13) Eastside Entertainment Editor
Whether it is raining, snowing or sunny, Philadelphia offers Friday night entertainment that does not depend on weather conditions: First Fridays. Held year-round, First Fridays, an event held on the first Friday evening of every month, is a refreshing cultural experience for any art enthusiast. Initiated in 1991 by the Old City Arts Association, First Fridays became a way to experience the Philadelphia art scene. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., over forty diverse galleries offer
both classic and contemporary designs to the public eye. Most galleries are located between Front and Third, and Market and Vine streets, where visitors are welcome to either browse or buy. And, as aficionados hop from store to store, they will also find many cozy restaurants to stop and nosh. According to www.visitphilly.com, First Fridays has become “one of Philly’s most vital, signature cultural events.” For a fun and free cultural experience, East students should mark their calendars for the next First Friday; it is sure to be an enriching evening.
All photos by Mia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor
Where the CH community’s sidewalks end By Sungmin Oh (‘13) and Sungwon Oh (‘11) Eastside Staff
Sidewalks are crucial to building a pedestrian-friendly and healthy community; they encourage people to walk more and drive less. They also help to create a posi-
tive impression of the community. Overall, sidewalks benefit the people; thus Cherry Hill is currently working to do just that. Cherry Hill Town-
ship stated on its website that it has “an eight-year plan to replace deteriorated sidewalks and add handicap ramps in every neighborhood.” So far, over the past five years, Cherry Hill has installed approximatel y
1,500 handicap ramps around the town. S t e v e Musilli, the Director of the Department of Public Works of Cherry Hill, said that citizens can have sidewalks created with “solicitations from
the residents and/ or the Police Department.” According to Musilli, Cherry Hill is “relatively a good walking community,”
when compared to other towns near Cherry Hill. Although there are still many sidewalks in need of installment, the township has been working to meet its goal. For example, a new sidewalk was recently placed on Evesham Road, stretching from the Short Hills
developments to Shop Rite. People who used to walk on the grass are now able to use the sidewalk instead. While some sidewalks are currently under construction, there are still quite a few locations in Cherry Hill in desperate need of sidewalks: Cherry Hill High School East. There are some students w h o w a l k e v e r y d a y through the woods and fields to get to the school. Though this path might paint a picture of a quaint nature stroll, it becomes a huge nuisance during snowy and rainy seasons. Students who must take this route home, treading rocks and
muddy fields, are often encumbered by the lack of sidewalks. And consequently, these people must dangerously walk alongside the edges of the road only inches away from the busy street s oncoming traffic. While students and other community members might opt out of walking to school due to Springdale’s incompetent pathway, Musilli is confident that the town’s new sidewalks will encourage cleaner means of transportation in the future. Musilli also recommended “utiliz[ing] an alternative means [of] either biking or walking [rather than] using a vehicle” which “will probably [be] the best help that [the department] can do,” he said. Art by Danielle Hu (‘11)/ Eastside Art Director
COMMUNITY
April 2011
EASTSIDE
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Indulgence Cupcakery brings smiles and taste “We start baking fresh every day. That is why it takes us some time to get everything ready. Nothing Desserts is carried over to the next make a perday,” Hrivnak said. son happy, They make their vanilla, especially chocolate and red velvet cupcakes. batter daily and then This is decide what special flavors w h a t they will make for the day. Indulgence Out of the total 52 flavors, Cupcakery in Haddonfield they choose about 15 to 20 does. The shop, which to bake fresh. opened earlier this year in Halloran said, “That September, operated by early in the morning, realtwo Cherry Hill West ly we try to smile as much alumni, Theresa Hrivnak as we can. [We bake] what and Joe Halloran, sells we want to have that day, over fifty flavors of cupor something that makes cakes and cupcakes are us happy in the morning.” The cupcakes are made with simple ingredients that include flour, sugar and eggs. The buttercream icing is made with European butter, which makes it a lot lighter than traditional buttercreams, and no shortening is used, Halloran said. When I went to try the cupcakes, I ate a classic vanilla and a Reese’s Pieces cupcake. Both were very moist, neither dry nor grainy. The buttercream icing on the vanilla was Mia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor very light and had a On display at Indulgery Cupcakery are just a few of their texture similar to delicious 52 flavors. whipped cream, but By Kaylin Magosin (‘14)
Eastside Staff
the only item they sell (besides the occasional made-to-order wedding cake). Hrivnak said that because the cupcakes are small, customers can try several flavors. By eating several cupcakes, they add up to one big cupcake, she said. Variety is a major contributor to how the shop is run and how it sells. The owners’ commitment also plays a large part in operating the store, as each morning, Hrivnak and Halloran arrive at the shop between 4:30 and 5 a.m.
thicker and more flavorful. The icing on the Reese’s Pieces was a chocolate ganache, which was fudge-like in flavor and texture and very rich compared to the airy vanilla b u t t e r cream. This cupcake w a s adorned with a few candies on top and drizzled with peanut b u t t e r . Most of their cupcake variMia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor eties are filled with a Indulgence Cupcakery in Haddonfield offers a cozy environment to compleflavor filling. For ment its cupcakes. example, a originality. peanut butter filling is put Hrivnak said that cusinto the Reese’s Pieces tomers comment on the variety of cupcakes. shop by saying “what a creThese cupcakes are the ative idea.” This unique best cupcakes I have ever shop helps the operators tasted, perhaps a result of enjoy their job. all the hard work put into Halloran said, “[I like making them. Focusing on my job] because it is hard just cupcakes allows not to smile with a cupIndulgence to produce cupcake. It’s relaxing. It’s difcakes that exceed the stanferent.” dard taste, appearance and
Earth Day Celebration plants seeds for fun
By Juliet Brooks (‘13) Eastside News/Features Editor
The Cherry Hill community offers a plethora of activities for those willing to open their minds and have some fun. But, instead of going to the mall or the movies on April 30, why not go green instead? Sustainable Cherry Hill’s Art Blooms Earth Festival will take place on Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Croft Farm, located on 100 Bortons Mill Road. The brainchild of Jodi Raditz, a math teacher at Carusi, this Earth Day festival is a celebration of the earth and its preservation. Raditz said, “I thought it was a good way to reach out to the community and educate people about things they could do to be more sustainable.”
There were an estimated 1,000 people at Carusi in 2009, where the first festival was held. Last year, the festival was moved to Croft Farm, where an estimated 4,000 people attended. “I wanted it to be more of a community-focused event, but having it at a school makes it seem like a school event,” Raditz said. This year, the Blooms Week Earth Day Festival will feature several vendors and non-profit organizations. Sustainable Cherry Hill, the Cherry Hill Environmental Association and the Heart of Camden Greenhouse are just a few of the groups that will be there. Displays from students from Sharp, Kilmer, East, West, Carusi and Beck will also be featured. The festival will h a v e bands such as Plus
Shipping and Handling, The Point Break Band, Suite Deception and Get Your Wings Aerosmith Tribute Band, as well as performances from the different schools’ music programs Mirabella Café will be selling goods, and Roots and Shoots will be selling hot dogs and lemonade to raise money for chimpanzees. There will be activities for kids, including a My Gym moon bounce. “Everybody should come out, enjoy the day, support the schools and non-profits in the area,” said Raditz. “And everyone should take the opportunity to learn about sustainability.” Lori Braunstein, head of Sustainable Cherry Hill, said, “The earth festival is fun and educational. It builds community and we hope that people will be able to go home and make some changes in their lives.” Art by Courtney Ma (‘13)/ Eastside Staff
Page 10
OPINIONS EASTSIDE
April 2011
Revolutionize the school with a school store By Kobi Malamud (‘12) Eastside Staff
The school store, known for specializing in the sale of doughnuts, pizza and a multitude of school apparel, stands prominently as a large success during its business projects. So, why have it open at only certain times each year, exclusively for academic experiments? If the school store was converted into a daily place where students could stop by and purchase everyday items, it could influence the East community in a significantly positive way. Cherry Hill West’s school store is already selling standard items that can aid students throughout the busy day.
school supplies were sold directly in the building, students could avoid having to make the extra trip to Staples and instead buy directly from and support their own school. Teachers would also no longer have to accept excuses of students’ unpreparedness. In addition, the question, “Do you have a piece of gum?” that is heard in the hallways and classrooms of East shows that gum is a very popular item. Thus, the option of purchasing it in the school store would be a lucrative venture. Ilana Nathan (‘12) would buy gum at the school store, especially “if it was good gum,” she said. As for the question of who would run this daily store, the answer is simple. Not teachers or paid staff but students. Students
could choose this option as opposed to taking a study
Whether it is notebooks, pencils, pens or even gum, the s t o r e ’s
selection of items attracts many customers. According to Mrs. Peggy Hager, an East business teacher and school store coordinator, said the reason East’s school store does not operate similarly to West’s is due to the fact that East’s is simply “a closet in a classroom.” In other words, there is not enough room and storage to accommodate a fully functioning business. However, by moving the school store to a larger classroom or converting the current classroom into only a store, East could benefit greatly in terms of convenience and of course, profit. Consider how helpful the store could be by selling stationery and other office supplies. When students receive instructions on supplies needed, if
hall or being an office aide. In this way, students could gain basic work experience and even a sense of responsibility large enough to be able to hold a part-time job somewhere down the road. “If I were given the opportunity to work at the school store which would function every day, I feel like I would gain a lot of practical experience,” said Hasan Habib (‘13). With efficient and effective planning, the creation of a school store that functions daily would truly revolutionize Cherry Hill East. Art by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Staff
Should New Jersey welcome student vouchers? By Sydney Gore (‘11) Eastside Staff
Over the past year, the New Jersey Senate committee has been considering implementing a student voucher system in the state. These vouchers would pay for students who live in underprivileged neighborhoods or go to poorly educated schools to attend a school in a better district. In a country striving to surpass others, we need as many educated students as possible, even if it may leave a debt in our pockets. While reasonable, debate surrounds the plan. Supporters of this bill believe that it provides students with the chance to leave failing private schools, while those opposed insist that it destabilizes the public school system. Last month, an assembly gathered to further advance the Opportunity Scholarship Act (OSA), which grants tax credits to businesses that donate to education scholarships. The OSA would allow children in 166 failing public schools from the state to transfer to other public or private schools in New Jersey. Student vouchers have been labeled as “opportunity scholarships,” which they clearly deserve because they are allowing hope to be instilled in those who cannot succeed in the the current educational surroundings they have been provided. Although The New Jersey Education Association claimed that the bill drains more money from public schools, the voucher system is said to improve test scores and academic achievement and even break down racial barriers. Unfortunately, in this society, the results are far less important than the costs. A lot of people seem to believe that people belong at the schools where they currently attend and should continue there. However, in a situation like this, New Jersey taxpayers need to put the children the future generation of America before themselves. Every child deserves an education, and although all public education should be the same throughout the state, clearly, it is not and may never be.
During this recession, it is difficult to convince people that their taxes are not being wasted when the items they pay for do not directly benefit them. The average American would not be comforted if they knew that their tax money was going to their neighbor’s children for school in the next town over. No one wants to have to pay for someone else. However, if a child has the opportunity to access an enriched education, they should not be denied that chance. After all, many of these students will not take their education for granted, as it is not a luxury they had before. No child should be left behind, especially as education continues to be a necessary component of one’s future. There will always be controversy when it comes to scholarships, but minimal harm is present here. As New Jersey citizens, we are giving some children the gift of an education and that in itself is priceless.
Examples of Countries with Voucher Systems Bangladesh Côte d'Ivoire Indonesia Dominican Republic Senegal El Salvador Belize Guatemala Bolivia Ghana Brazil India
Botswana Indonesia Chad Jamaica Chile Kenya China Lesotho Colombia Mexico Côte d'Ivoire Thailand
Kevin Liao (‘12)/ Eastside Staff
OPINIONS
April 2011
EASTSIDE
Page 11
With possible schedule changes in the works for East, lunch has been taken into consideration. Here are two perspectives of East students regarding lunch time.
Students want a long lunch By Amy Myers (‘13) Eastside Staff
With the excitement of supposedly adopting a new school schedule at East, there still lingers the fear of curtailed lunch periods. Currently, the typical lunch period is the same amount of time as a core class: 44 minutes. Although some may say lunch does not need to be this long, many students are productive during lunch time. A lot of students flock to the library to get extra research done, or even to study for a big test. Others use lunch as a time to take a break so that they are able to give their full attention to their classes later in the day. “[Lunch gives] me a chance to see my friends, to go to my locker and just be chill,” said Izabelle Frascella (‘14). Lunch enables students to take a break from the constant stress and pressure that high school enforces upon its students nowadays. Eastern Regional High School, Lenape, Cherokee and Shawnee
have a mandatory lunch for students to take. These schools recognize that lunch promotes social development as well as a large stress reliever for students looking for time to study for the next big test that they have. East already does not require a student to take a lunch, so shortening the periods would cause even more harm. “[Lunch] reduces the already stressful life of a student [and] the meals are a great way to refuel,” said Preet Parekh (‘13). Meddling with the already limited free time students have is the worst thing the school can do. By shortening lunch, the school would be sacrificing crucial downtime that students desperately need during a six-hour day. Undoubtedly, students deserve a break throughout their stressful days at school. Hot dog art by Zoe Greenhall (‘13)/ For Eastside Snapple art by Joel Greenspan(‘13)/ Eastside Staff Hamburger art by Max Maitin(‘13)/ For Eastside
Not everyone likes lunch By Jacob Ruttenberg (‘14) For Eastside
Cherry Hill High School East offers students many opportunites, including the choice to take a lunch. The option to take a lunch is a very controversial topic, as most have noticed, since many parents and teachers feel that taking a lunch is a necessary part of a healthy life for students. Although nutrition is important, if one eats a fairly large breakfast before school, then he or she should be able to go through the day comfortably without lunch until three in the afternoon. East offers a limitless selection of courses, and by skipping lunch, students are able to take advantage of the classes East offers. If a new schedule is implemented at East in the future, lunch should not be made mandatory since some students would rather use their lunch period as a study hall or to take another class.
Although some may argue that a school-wide lunch would make transitioning to classes easier, it should ultimately be left to the student to choose. “School-wide lunch means [less] movement during the day. The students will still have eight courses and also have a lunch,” said East Principal Dr. John O Breza. Sorry, over-achievers, if this schedule is passed, then you will not be able to expand your interests with extra classes. However, you guys will have plenty of thinking time in the wrap line, especially since everyone will all be there at the same time. A schoolwide lunch would not only limit students from expanding their knowledge, but it would also cause chaos in the cafeteria. Students should have the right to choose if they want to take a lunch. Besides, many students end up eating during the class, so lunch ends up serving as only a break for students during the day. Students know if they need a break or not; thus, they should be able to choose if they take a lunch or not.
Students would like to order an elective in every level
By Rachel Tinkleman (‘13)
Eastside Staff
As winter blooms into spring and second semester begins, the time comes for course selections. The guidance counselors visit English classes to remind everyone which core classes to take, but certainly a large part of this process is choosing electives. Some students have an easier decision-making process than others. Every student deserves to take classes that are the right level for him or her, but many of the electives offered at East do not provide students with the ability to take an elective that is the right level class for them. This causes frustrating, yet easily avoidable, problems for students and teachers. Some classes, like
Journalism, are only offered at the A level. This course, however, is challenging because of the continuous work, which is difficult for some students. There are already two Journalism 1A classes, so it makes more sense to split them up into an Accelerated and Honors level so that students can take the class best suited for them. The other problem with only A-level classes is that some students want to take all honors classes to raise their GPA. Students who aim to have a high rank in their class are held back by A-level electives. Although students might be really interested in a certain subject, they might not take the class because it is only offered at the A-level, or it does not count in their GPA at all. This unfortu-
nately impedes on students’ abilities to achieve their highest academic success. Some electives are offered at the Accelerated and Honors level, but the students from both levels are lumped into one classroom, such as Writer’s Workshop. “The class gets the same lecture, but the honors are held to a higher standard,” said Mr. Pete Gambino, an East English teacher who also teaches Writer’s Workshop. For example, Honors level students are held at certain standards and must have certain literary devices in their assignments that Accelerated students are not required to have. Some classes, on the other hand, are not offered at any level. Most art and
Courtney Ma (‘13)/ Eastside Staff
One simple elective can change where one stands with class rank. music classes do not count could teach according to on one’s GPA and only the students’ abilities. The show up on a student’s lessons would be more beneficial to the students and transcript. In music, for they could choose to take example, this forces highly the higher level course to advanced musicians and potentially raise their beginners to learn the GPA. same lessons and work at It may be a hassle to the same pace. If there switch up the electives, but were different level music the result is well worth it. classes, then teachers
GLOBAL
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EASTSIDE
For Egyptians, freedom was hard won, but keeping it may be even more difficult By Mina Zakhary (‘11) Eastside Staff
such as Egypt. Instead, President Obama elected to support the advance of democracy but not explicitly take a side. Throughout history, the United States has helped prop up dictators in the Middle East. Though authoritarian rule seems to run against American ideals, the support is in exchange for help against terrorists. The future may yet be bright for countries like Egypt, though. Indonesia is commonly seen as the best example of where Egypt could go. In 1998, Indonesia similarly toppled their despot and is today the democratic model of Southeast Asia, with a 700 billion dollar economy. Out of economic ruin and present instability, a new Egypt can thrive. Although reform is moving slowly in Egypt and the other embattle countries, progress is being made. The people can take heart in a freedom of their own, won through their own sweat. Patience and determination are all it will take for these countries to rise from the ashes of their Tiger by Diana Li (‘12)/ Eastside Staff b r o k e n regimes.
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Over the past few weeks, widespread unrest in countless Middle Eastern countries has led to mass demonstrations and monumental media attention. Repressive and corrupt regimes, lack of freedom, high unemployment rates and rising food prices have been common themes in all of these protests. Tunisian ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was in power since 1987, fled the country on January 14 after riots caused his totalitarian government to crumble. The military has taken control of the state. More recently, massive amounts of Egyptian protestors toppled the thirty-year-old corrupt regime in just 18 days, forcing Hosni Mubarak to abdicate on February 11. A Senior Council made up of high-ranking military officials is now in power. But now, weeks later, has the current situation improved, or has the progress and struggle for democratic freedom stagnated? At first glance, it would seem that since Mubarak’s ouster, the Supreme Council has taken legitimate steps to lay the foundation for democracy in Egypt. They fired officials tied to the old regime and appointed fresh faces. Mubarak’s assets have been frozen and a corruption case against Mubarak is currently being prepared, which he will stand trial for. Nevertheless, thousands of Egyptians are still taking to the streets in protest. No real reform has been made emergency laws remain in place; constitutional, legislative, and economic reforms have yet to be attempted. If unemployment remains high and Egyptians cannot put food on their tables, perhaps the situation has not improved at all. As the unrest in this area of the world continues, many have criticized the Obama administration for not stepping in and helping to spread democracy and stabilize the struggling nations. However, because the U.S. By Haneen Mohammed (‘11) By Danielle Fox (‘11) maintained alliances For Eastside Eastside Entertainment Editor with many of these As a young kid I was rarely seen out of the To “live in the moment” might corrupt regimes, it house. Not because I wasn’t allowed, but be one of the most clichéd exprescould not rally combecause I preferred the indoors. sions ever created, yet it has a cerpletely behind the As a consequence I was forced by my mother to tain truth to it. To me, living in the opposition for fear learn Arabic and read the Quran on a daily basis. In moment doesn’t mean ignoring the necof losing a key ally my mother’s eyes, it was necessary to use my time proessary preparation needed to secure a staductively in the summer; no exceptions. If I wasn’t using my time for physical ble future. Instead, it means appreciating life’s les- activity, then the only other option was to learn. Despite my daily practice, my concentration was slim and I paid for it. sons and rewards each step you take towards One day the pressure from my mother was too much to handle and I promptthat golden future, which is one of the most ly burst into tears. Instead of being consoled, I received a look of disgust and valuable lessons I think my parents ever taught was forced to read twice as many pages from the Quran than usual. me. Despite my parents’ strict form of teaching, I was able to learn quickly and Amy Chua, a Yale law professor notoriously known as the author of the latest controversy Battle efficiently. I finished the Quran at the age of seven, five months before my Hymn of the Tiger Mother, seems to follow a different ten-year-old cousin (whose mother had chosen to take a calm and laissezfaire approach to parenting). philosophy. When my friends used to invite me over for a play date, I was forced No matter what her defense, she raised her children with the intent to create perfect individuals, arguing that her aim to turn them down due to my perpetual after-school violin lessons. They were mystified; they knew how much I hated the instruwas to create strong adults fit to cope in a harsh world. Yes, it’s true that parents should always encourage their children ment. The only answer I have for them now is “because my to aspire to be the best individual they can be, but there comes a point parents aren’t pushovers, like yours.” I was equally mystified when they asked me why my where it needs to stop. There is a difference between telling a child who studied the night before a test, “you can do better,” and punishing a child for parents hadn’t let me quit like theirs had. When I had whined to my parents about my dislike of the violin, bringing home a ‘B’ when she truly tried the best that she could. Obviously there are various perceptions of what it means to ‘try your best,’ they explained that I would grow to like it. I had trusted their explanation completely but one of the most important things my mom taught me was that trying hard doesn’t mean making yourself sick in the process of trying to attain perfection. To and as time went on, I did grow to like the try hard means to evaluate your individual limits, and acknowledge when they’ve instrument. Now I have a hard time imagining what been met. The unfortunate thing about Chua is that she seems to be unable to distinguish her my life would have been like if I hadn’t been pushed as much as I was. If I had daughters as two separate individuals with separate capabilities. Because she maintains the philosophy ‘If one can do it, so can the other,’ she ulti- been given a choice, would I have still studied for my SATs? Would I have mately sent both girls down a road towards perfection, which obviously still gotten accepted into my top coldoesn’t exist. By forcing your children to do everything perfectly, you lege? lose the beauty of the parent-child relationship. I have a strong feeling that both Chua calls it love, and to her it is, but keep in mind that kind those answers would be negative. of love coerces children into believing that love means living to The complaining I did as a kid is complete every task perfectly, or else meeting failure. meaningless now. My mother’s I’m white, blonde and blue-eyed; you could say I’m as form of parenting is one that I western as I could get. But I think I turned out okay. I excel have learned to accept and in my schoolwork and might have one of the highest work respect. The high expectaethics around. tions they set for me will I wasn’t raised to be perfect. I was raised to accept failprobably be the same that ure, and more importantly, to learn from it. I was taught to I’ll set for my children. work hard, but to live in the moment, and to appreciate life. For more Tiger Mom stories, Ultimately, it In short, I’m only one example of many others who have achieved visit the Global Commentary success without having attempted to conquer the never-ending seems that I am a tiger-mom in the search for perfection, something with which Chua remains section online and read making. preoccupied. Gilana Levavi’s story!
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COMMENTARY EASTSIDE
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The social network revolution By Kobi Malamud (‘12) Eastside Staff
Back in the days of Tiananmen Square, Vietnam protests and civil rights marches, the absence of several major factors caused the protests to take a really long time to achieve success. However, due to new technology that has been revolutionizing the world over the past several years, history can literally be changed within the blink of an eye. The greatest evidence of this came only several months ago from the Middle East. The unrest started in the country of Tunisia when a 26-year-old street vendor had his vegetable cart unlawfully confiscated by a policewoman and was then refused help by local officials. He decided to set himself on fire in front of the provincial headquarters. Almost like rapid-fire, this news spread throughout the city by way of Facebook and soon enough, images of youth protesters being scattered by police were uploaded. Amidst growing tension throughout the country, citizens demanded that their President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali step down from office. Less than a month later on January 14, he officially resigned. When the news of this unprecedented type of revolution reached Egypt through televisions, newspapers and the internet, people decided to follow in the Tunisian protesters’ footsteps. Much like the rest of the Middle East, the people of Egypt are impoverished and lacking in basic human rights. Taking back control of their country from the hands of a strict and senseless dictator was their only option. Hosni Mubarak, who led Egypt as president since October 1981, stepped down on February 11 amid violent protests and riots in Cairo and other main cities. With a conflict lasting only 18 days this time, the angry citizens of Egypt managed to put enough pressure on Mubarak. So how did these people manage to pull off one of the quickest revolutions in history?
Courtesy of CBS News
Twitter user Wael Ghonim sends shoutouts to his Egyptian peeps. The answer is simple: social networking. With the aid of the internet and its ability to share any type of information within seconds, the protesters of Egypt and Tunisia were able to throw out bad rulers from office with unheard-of speed. Unlike anything that has ever happened before, people used Facebook, Twitter and even the easily accessible video sharing capabilities of YouTube (showing raw videos of violence) to shape the futures of their respective countries. The large effects of these sites are so prevalent that rulers such as Mubarak and Hu Jintao of China feel it is important to try and ban them indefinitely from being used. But the people obviously feel very differently. In fact, these websites are so central to the liberation effort that according to ABC, one Egyptian father decided to name his newborn daughter “Facebook” Jamal Ibrahim as a tribute to the social network which played a huge role in his country's revolution. It seems the introduction of technology used in protests has even spread to our own soil. Throughout March, the citizens of Wisconsin protested inside the Wisconsin state capitol against proposed legislation from the governor. It too has garnered international attention due to coordinating support and sharing news electronically. Many also feel that this protest is a direct result of inspiration from the Middle East. Whatever the case, it is safe to say that technology is undoubtedly changing the face of the future.
Like dominos, Arab dictatorships fall By Kellar Moore (‘12) For Eastside
Many countries are undergoing protests, including Italy, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, Iran, Djibouti, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Algeria, among others. The people are calling for an end to the countless years of mistreatment by a government they thought they could trust. In Italy, citizens gathered in the streets, voicing dismay at the sex scandal surrounding their current prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi. In January, Berlusconi attempted to free a woman, whom he had paid on a prior occasion for sexual relations, from jail for a minor theft. Though prostitution is legal in Italy, sex with a minor is punishable by law. This is one of many scandals that seem to define the promiscuous career of Berlusconi. In Rome, 100,000 protesters gathered in the streets, holding picket signs and shouting hardly clever and rhyming chants to the heavens.
Years of governmental corruptions and abuse has caused public outcry in many Middle Eastern countries. Almost immediately after the burning of Mohamed Bouazizi, Tunisian people began to demonstrate and protest. The demonstrations grew from the city where Bouazizi's burning occurred, Sidi Bouzid, to all of Tunisia and eventually to most of the Middle Eastern world. Tunisian protesters spoke out against political repression, governmental corruption, unemployment and inflation. As protests spread from city to city, public “elites” began to support the cause, as 95 percent of Tunisia's lawyers went on strike. The truthful protests of Tunisia were apparently too much for President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, as he fled the
country on January 14. Next to act were the disgruntled people of Egypt. Inspired by Bouazizi, Egyptians took to the streets informing whomever was there to listen of the atrocities committed by the police, inflating food prices, the state of emergency laws, a lack of free elections and freedom of speech. The protesters were asking for an end to the horrid thirty-year reign of President Hosni Mubarak. Mubarak neglected his position and the needs of its people. The state of emergency laws, in effect for thirty years, gave extended powers to the police and government, took rights away from the people and allowed the Egyptian government to arrest citizens with no given reason. After determined protesting, on February 11, Mubarak resigned as president and left
Egypt. Military attacks on protesters led to a death toll of an estimated 365 persons. Starting January, Libyan citizens began protests similar to those occurring throughout the Middle East. Libya's leader, Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, in office since 1969, was the main subject of their protests. Quite possibly one of the worst leaders, Gaddafi has committed an innumerable amount of crimes, many of which Libya's government has tried to hide. In 1996, the high security Abu Salim prison of Libya suffered an estimated 1,270 deaths, without any official statement from Libya's government as to why so many people died. In January, after videos of the annual memorial event in the streets of Benghazi surf a c e d , YouTube w a s
blocked. In February of this year, when a political activist, Fathi Terbil, was arrested, over 600 protesters demonstrated beneath the ominous shadow of a police headquarters in Benghazi. The police violently broke up the protest, injuring over forty people. After this, protesters set flames to police buildings all over Libya. Two days later, on January 18, the “Day of Revolt” occurred. During these protests in Benghazi, Gaddafi called for the release of thirty dangerous prisoners, armed them, and told them to shoot and control the crowd. In addition to the prisoners, open helicopter fire lead to an unknown amount of deaths in Benghazi. Following the Day of Revolt, protests have occurred in most of Libya's major cities. Gaddafi's approach of dealing with the protests includes the unprejudiced use of anti-tank, anti-aircraft guns and air strikes into crowds and he is talking about using mustard gas. Gaddafi regards the entire Eastern half of the country as the enemy, and will stop at nothing to exterminate them. Art by Kevin Cook (‘11)/ Eastside Art Director
Page 14
ENTERTAINMENT EASTSIDE
Photo courtesy of Cherry Hill East Eidolon 1986
JD Roth : The Big gest W
Photo courtesy of i3.ytimg.com
By Danielle Fox (‘13) Eastside Entertainment Editor
Though credited as the ringmasters of American television, many acclaimed producers often face the question as to how they create the pizzazz of the finished product; or, how exactly they produce the magic that forces every American to search for a greater meaning just beyond the surface of a Photo courtesy of cache2.asset- screen box. Well, the Founder and cache.net CEO of 3 Ball Productions, Roth s Greatest creator of The Biggest Loser and East alumnus, Successes Roth (‘86) has an 1984: Roth competes on JD answer: hard work. “Star Search.” At the young age of ten 1988: Roth hosts “Fun years old, Roth impersonated his father on the House.” phone, hoping to land an 2001: Roth creates 3 Ball audition at a Sunday Productions with partner showcase in New York City. Not only did he get Todd A. Nelson. the gig, but Roth got his 2001: Roth creates and big break, alongside Sarah produces “Moolah Beach.” Jessica Parker and Ricky Lake, who were also cast 2002: Roth creates and for the part. Roth said, “There wasn’t produces “Endurance.” much kid talent [back 2005: Roth produces then]. So, I really had to Beauty and the Geek and navigate my way to figure creates and produces “The out how to do it. No one in the area had really done Biggest Loser.” anything like that, and no 2006: The Academy of one really knew how.” Roth booked 22 national Television Arts and commercials within his Sciences nominates Roth first year of acting, setting for two Daytime Emmy a child acting record still awards for Outstanding yet to be broken. As the years ticked by and his Performer in a Children s career continued to skySeries for the TV series rocket, it would only make sense that Roth’s high “Endurance.” school years were rather 2007: The Academy nomi- eccentric compared to the nates “Endurance” for a average teen. In fact, Roth first arrived at East four Daytime Emmy as months into the school Outstanding Children’s year because he had been Series working on a film in South By Ed Canzanese Principal of Rosa International Middle School and Former East Teacher
What I remember most about J.D is his complete commitment, at an early age, to his career. He would leave school each day around 1 p.m. and ride to New York to tape his show, doing his homework on the way up and back. He always left school with a smile and came back the next day ready to do it again. I also remember him
Africa. His school day finished at 12:50 p.m. so that he could catch the 1:50 bus to New York City, where he either spent the day working or auditioning. During his sophomore year, Roth got both the starring role in the play “Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and a position on the boys’ JV basketball team; however, he was forced to sacrifice both opportunities when he snagged the oncein-a-lifetime spot on “Star Search,” a Hollywood television bonanza where young actors competed in various entertainment genres. Roth’s most revered East teacher, Mr. Ed Canzanese, a retired basketball coach, offered him a final ultimatum, “Are you going to [play] basketball or are you going to Hollywood?” To Roth, the answer was clear. After graduation, Roth found the defining moment of his acting career: “Fun House,” a kids television game show. As the jolly host of a show that edged its way to the number one kids show in America within the snap of a finger, Roth could not go anywhere without excited aficionados or general public recognition. “It was a big defining moment not only in my career, but in all the hard work that I had put in. You know, it sounds easy. But every day going to school and getting on the bus, then going to New York, then homework, then [I’d] get home at eight or nine o’ clock, and then [I’d] wake up and have to do it all over again,” Roth said.
inner
However wonderful the “Fun House” experience had been, Roth moved on to producing some new shows. “I realized that it was great to be a part of the oncamera talent, but on-camera talent doesn’t last forever. What lasts is creativity,” said Roth. Roth commenced a new path with his newly acquired production company, 3 Ball Productions. “Moolah Beach,” the first show the company ever sold, created the foundation of “Endurance,” the number-one kid’s show on the Discovery Kids channel for six years. Both shows’ essential focus was to disconnect teenagers from electronics that daily impede on their communication skills and social interactions. “Too many kids hide behind electronics in their life, which creates a distance between [them] and other human beings. It stops interacting with other people. When you look someone in the eye, shake your head and acknowledge that they’ve heard you, you lose all those little nuances in human interaction,” said Roth. Airing in thirty countries, it is safe to say that “The Biggest Loser” can officially be deemed a global sensation. It may seem perplexing that the initial response to the television pitch was, “Watching people lose weight could be like watching paint dry. How are you going to make that interesting TV?” Roth responded, “When the emotions start to stir inside someone, and they realize what they’ve lost.
as a gifted athlete. He loved basketball and could play very well. He was never able to play on the school teams because of his career commitments, but, whenever he could, he would shoot around or just talk about the game. When my son was five years old (he is now 24), we took him to see J.D. at Hershey Park as J.D. toured with his show, “Fun House.” Knowing how much J.D. loved basketball, I wrapped a Cherry Hill East Basketball sweat
April 2011
The fact that they’re trying to get [that part of themselves] back will create a story.” During the show’s first season, reverence for its cause remained a tough nut to crack. Roth could not find one restaurant in Los Angeles that was willing to let him film the contestants. The restaurants were embarrassed; it was that overwhelmingly blunt. To solve that problem, Roth paid a five-thousanddollar rental fee to paint the corner of a restaurant a different color, to film an episode without any shots of the entrance. Five years later, during the eighth season, the contestants picked vegetables and fruit out of President Barack Obama’s garden, and were invited to dine at the White House dinner table. “That shows you that in just a five-year time span how you can change a conversation. How you can inspire people so much, that it ends up affecting the President of the United States,” said Roth. With a truly priceless ingenuity, Roth validates that any contemporary Ben Franklin can produce the magic of his or her own future with the proper mindset. “There’s one thing in life that I can’t teach. I can teach how to tell a story, how to edit, how to shoot a camera. I can’t teach passion,” Roth said. Thus, Roth is living proof that stardom is more than a scotch hop away. What he ultimately represents is that with the proper motivation and tenacious passion, the world can be anyone’s oyster. Photo courtesy of Steve Gaffney
suit up as a gift and gave it to the security guard. I asked the guard to give it to J.D. but I did not tell him my name. Later that day at J.D.’s show he began by walking onto the stage, and, with the kids screaming and yelling, he asked them to quiet down. When they did quiet down, J.D yelled out, “Mr. Canz, where are you?” It was a great moment as my son looked at me like I was some kind of big deal since J.D. Roth actually knew me.
ENTERTAINMENT
April 2011
EASTSIDE
Webb weaves new Spiderman reboot
Page 15
By Kobi Malamud (‘12) Eastside Staffr
By Darby Festa (‘13) Eastside Online News Editor
Though there have been countless second-rate Hollywood re-makes and lackluster sequels, one contender attempts to break this pattern. The successful box office trilogy of Spider-Man is making its way back to the big screen. However, this time around, the new film is not a sequel, but a complete reboot of the series. In 2007, when production began for the intended sequel of Spider-Man 4, Sam Raimi, the director, conjured several different possible plot ideas and screenplays, only to scrap each of them soon after. Raimi soon came to the realization that if he was to make the originally designated release date of summer 2011, his film would be completely devoid of his desired creative input. So, Raimi threw in the towel, and in January 2010, Sony Pictures announced his departure and the plan to issue a reboot. Swiftly taking advantage of the situation, director Marc Webb, who directed 500 Days of Summer, quickly latched on to the reboot and decided to bring a whole new cast and story line. While the original Spider-Man briefly focuses on Peter Parker s time in high school, the reboot will focus on his experiences there and how he grows as a super-hero. It is set to star Andrew Garfield of The Social Network as Peter Parker, Emma Stone of Easy A as Gwen Stacy and Martin Sheen and Sally Field in supporting roles. This film is being shot entirely in 3-D. According to slashfilm.com, the title will be The Amazing Spider-Man, which presumably takes its name after the title of the original comic book series. Fans are disappointed in the failure of Spider-Man 4 and wish that Sam Raimi could have held on a little longer. Will it live up to the standards of action films, such as The Dark Knight, or will it fail to escape its ugly past of Spider-Man 3? It seems that audiences will have to wait and see for themselves on July 3, 2012, when it is due out in theaters.
Web by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Staff Mary-Jane by Danielle Hu (‘11)/ Eastside Art Director Spiderman by Kevin Cook (‘11)/ Eastside Art Director Photo Illustration by Mia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor
Pepsi’s new skinny can sparks heavy controversy By Alana Kopelson (‘12) Eastside Community Editor
At New York’s Fall 2011 Mercedes-Benz Fashion week, February 10-17, Diet Pepsi presented its new “skinny” can. The company says the new, taller, “sassier” can was made in celebration of beautiful, confident women. The new can started being sold
this past March. In addition to celebrating beautiful, confident women, the new Diet Pepsi “skinny” can is partnering with ten fashion boutiques in Miami, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Pepsi will be providing them with a custom “Skinny Can Fridge.” Jill Beraud, chief marketing officer for PepsiCo, said in a statement: “Our slim, attractive new can is the perfect complement to today’s most stylish looks, and
Skinny can courtesy of longislandpress.com Photo by Mia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor
we’re excited to throw its coming-out
party during the biggest celebration of innovative design in the world.” Although PepsiCo is very excited about its new design, the new “skinny” can brought about a major controversy. Many critics believe that Pepsi’s new approach emphasizes dangerous stereotypes about women and their body images. Brand experts praise the new design but agree that the company’s sales pitch was a little off by implyi n g that “skinny” is better. The National Eating Disorders Association takes offense to the new can and thinks that the company’s comments were both “thoughtless and irresponsible” due
to the fact that a 2006 NEDA survey revealed that nearly twenty percent of college students admitted to having an eating disorder. “Their shameful misdirection is further exemplified by tying the launch of this offensive marketing campaign to Fashion Week, where women’s body types are atypical at best,” said Lynn Grefe, the association’s president. In response to recent critics’ attacks on the new design, in an e-mail statement, the company said, “We are sensitive to this interpretation, and that is definitely not our intent. We intend to highlight the innovative look for Diet Pepsi and provide our fans with an ‘inside look’ at events that celebrate innovation and style.” Along with the newly renovated “skinny” can, Pepsi will continue to sell its traditional-sized can so people still have that option.
No longer do we have to rely on the tabloids to update us about our favorite celebrities. Now, we can simply follow them on Twitter, receiving their latest tweets with the click of a button. With every tweet, celebrities become a little more real as Twitter allows them to connect with their fans as well as show their appreciation for the support they receive. Some top tweeters include Brittney Spears, Lady Gaga, Ashton Kutcher, Justin Bieber, Ellen Degeneres and even President Barack Obama. These celebrities tweet about everything, from getting a new haircut, like Justin Bieber, to addressing a foreign nation, like Barack Obama. Followers of said celebrities read the update, then either retweet it or do something like mourn over the loss of a pop teen star’s iconic hairdo. Another celebrity who has revolutionized the use of social networking is basketball star Shaquille O’Neal. O’Neal tweets about locations he will be at so that fans can come and meet him or support him in his latest endeavors. They can even join him for breakfast as he tweets the address of the restaurant at which he will be eating. Twitter allows for fans to connect with their favorite stars in a way they never have before. In the past, devoted fans relied on magazines, interviews and websites concerning celebrity gossip. Today, fans can get up close and personal with the stars. They can receive daily updates, and maybe even get followed by the celebrity, leading to potential conversations or retweets. Several students at East both use Twitter and follow their favorite stars on it. For example, Preet Parekh (‘13), a follower of celebrities such as Matt Damon and Eminem, said, “I think it’s great [to follow celebrities] because they keep you up to date with their thoughts.” According to Parekh, fans can also leave suggestions and opinions in their tweets and the celebrity can easily respond if they agreed and retweet. It is a new era for Hollywood. Twitter has allowed for stars to connect with their fans in a whole new way. So put down that tabloid, create an account and start tweeting.
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UNDERGROUND EASTSIDE
April 2011
A Balancing Act
Skateboarding is, without a doubt, the epitome of underground sports. Started on the streets of California in the 1950s, it has spread to parks, shopping centers and streets all over the world. It has even grown to become a way of life for many East students. East, admits it was hard at first to find a balance between his skating and academic life because he would Skating after school and on always skate and not do his work. weekends, students like Keith “Balancing is fairly easy,” said Daniels (‘11) and Brandon Pugh Pugh, who has learned from his (‘11) spend much of their free time experience, making sure to do his on wheels. But what makes skateschoolwork before or after skating. boarding such a “It’s an escape from Daniels shares a great pastime? similar view on the the natural world into “It would defibalance between nitely have to be the school and skating, your own.” thrill of jumping saying that, “school - Golan Kashani (‘13) definitely comes down things and learning new tricks,” said Daniels. first.” Skating anywhere and everyPugh even has his eyes set on where they possibly can, skaters going professional in skateboarding. take to plazas and parking lots with “It’s been my dream ever since I stairs and ledges to ride. According stepped on a board,” said Pugh. “I to Daniels, a great skate spot is really want to go pro so that I can somewhere that is “smooth and has inspire people to skate and just do a bunch of obstacles to skate down what I love for a living.” or over.” Pugh skates every day and works Popular places in the area hard to learn new tricks in an effort include Main Street in Voorhees to become a professional. and skate parks like Black “I’m working on getting to that Diamond in the Moorestown Mall. level where I could go pro. It’s a lot More than a hobby or after-school of hard work but it’s worth it,” said activity, skateboarding means a lot Pugh. to those who spend so much time on Anton Milioti (‘10) knows what it a board. feels like to be professionally linked “It’s an escape from the natural to skateboarding. Milioti is the world into your own,” said skater founder of TuTone Skateboards, a Golan Kashani (‘13), who skates at skateboarding company he founded least two hours every day. last year as a senior at East. Milioti “Skateboarding represents me,” handles all aspects of the company said Justin Mink (‘11), “in my clothfrom marketing to managing a team ing style and my hobbies.” of skaters who compete all around Mink also said that the fun of the country. skating with friends and the per“It’s pretty rad to be able to see all the places I’ve seen through sonal achievement of learning new skateboarding,” said Milioti. tricks are a big part of skateboard“Skateboarding is my favorite thing ing for him. to do on Earth.” Balance is a key aspect of the Skaters like Pugh and Daniels sport. Whether it is for pulling off a are just a small part of a growing manual or landing a trick, a skater community inside Cherry Hill East. needs balance to be successful. Whether they are at a skate park or This also applies to the nevera parking lot, you can find East ending balancing act between skatskaters shredding at almost any ing and schoolwork. time of day. Pugh, a prominent skater at By Bryan Sheehan (‘13)
Eastside Editorial Assistant
All photos and photo illutrations by Mia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor
Left and top: Brandon Pugh (‘11), Right: Keith Daniels (‘11)
UNDERGROUND
April 2011
EASTSIDE
Page 17
Eastside editor tries alt tea:
By Hannah Feinberg (‘12) Eastside Community Editor
By Sarah Minion (‘12) Eastside Underground Editor
In the previous issue, I went to Spoon Me, where I tried a unique, creamy blend milkshake. The drink left me unsatisfied, so I continued my search. The next place I tried happens to be located about 50 yards away from Spoon Me. A hoppin’ cafe with live music, Coffeeworks is a fun and casual place to relax, sip coffee and enjoy the music of local talents. Although most of their drinks are not exactly rave-worthy, the Oreo Obsession sure is. It’s simply a mixture of vanilla ice cream, milk and Oreo cookies. One could rightfully call it a cookies and cream milkshake, but it is so much more than that. Staying true to its name, the Oreo Obsession satisfies any milkshake lover’s soul and is definitely worth obsessing over.
Photo by Jack Braunstein (‘13)/Eastside Underground Editor Headline art by Becca Mulberg (‘12)/Eastside Video Editor
Unlike the Oreo Obsession, Coffeeworks plain vanilla milkshake hardly deserves any positive response. One would think that it’s a tad difficult to mess up milk and vanilla ice cream, but congratulations, Coffeeworks you’ve managed to figure out exactly how. The mixture, which has a consistency that is way too thin to qualify for respectable milkshake status, honestly tastes like those “just add milk,” highly nutritious breakfast shakes. Coffeeworks is (obviously) a place meant for coffee and the like, so I was not surprised by the semi-disgrace of a vanilla milkshake. On the other hand, this justification also makes the Oreo Obsession that much better. I still have yet to find the ultimate milkshake. The quest for the milkshake of all milkshakes will continue next month! Feel free to send recommendations to underground@eastside-online.org!
Out of the vault, under the radar: Rain Dogs By Kellar P. Moore (‘12) For Eastside
Tom Waits, the musical artist whose style of rock, blues and jazz, coupled with his uniquely weathered and unpolished voice, has brought
forth a grand selection of albums, all of which bear their own unique tone. Tom Waits strayed from lounge-piano type blues/jazz with his mid ‘80s trilogy Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs and Frank s Wild Years. The Trilogy was the beginning of
Waits’ experimental career. Many dedicated Waits fans were reluctant to accept his new avantgarde sound. While losing a chunk of his fan base, he garnered a new sect of fans in the process who praised the trilogy, especially the middle album: Rain Dogs. The 1985 album is a dynamic and experimental masterpiece. The 19-track work draws from an array of instruments including the banjo, the accordion, the marimba and a variety of brass instruments. Waits’ musical style parallels the instruments in their v a r i e t y , employing elements of blues, country, folk, pop, j a z z a n d polka.
Danielle Hu (‘11)/ Eastside Art Director
Tom Waits, tall, dark and handsome, circa 1983. Waits was notorious for his black and white press photos.
The music lays down a d r e a r y , waterlogged and strungout Row-home Avenue from which cryptic laments and stalk-
ing broods walk like wind through the mind. Hopeless apathy and tarnished souls litter the curbsides. Within the urban madness, Waits’ rugged, though simultaneously gentle, even apologetic, voice purges through, depicting the urban tragedy that is the city. Waits said the title compares victims of the urban environment to vagabond dogs, lost after the rain, which washes away the scents that help them to navigate hence the album title. Waits worked with a number of notable musicians including Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. Rather than putting himself above the disposed urban wasteland, Waits immersed himself in it, writing the album in a leaky-pipe-filled basement on the corner of a seedy street, giving the album an air of authenticity. The atmosphere of Rain Dogs is a noteworthy achievement, and the album is one of Tom Waits’ best works to date. Even today, it demands (and deserves) a fresh listen. If one were searching for an album to stimulate their brain wrinkles, knot up their intestines and peel the paint off their idea of reality, Rain Dogs is the perfect album.
What do Q i n dynasty soothsayers, ancient Japanese medicine men and your weird Birkenstocked uncle have in common? Aside from an overpowering patchouli stank, they probably share kombucha. Kombucha, a beverage made of sweet, fermented tea, has a rich history with ties in the Himalayas, ancient China, Korea, Japan and Russia. Even with rather dubious beginnings, kombucha is regarded by most as a potent health beverage and the latest trend in alt diets everywhere. My foray into kombucha brewing came rather abruptly. On some online forum, I saw talk of this miracle fermented drink, and took to ebay to order the “mushroom,” a slimy, fungal pancake, needed to culture tea. Having done remarkably little preliminary research, I thought I was getting myself involved in some sweet ancient Chinese moonshine business, but learned that the finished kombucha product has only negligible amounts of alcohol. The real draw for most is instead its alleged health benefits, which range from a cure for cancer to a probiotic supercharge. I followed the instructions enclosed with my kombucha starter (which were written in a somewhat disconcerting dialect of English) and combined the proper proportions to ensure maximum potency/deliciousness. Ten days of horribly perfumed fermenting later, I took my first sip, to be repulsed by the delicate flavor notes of weeks-old white wine, discarded cheese and feet. Months of recipe-perfecting, online whining and failed batches later, I’ve settled into a fairly mediocre kombucha brewing state. I’ve created some pretty amateur brew, annoyed my family with its pungent bouquet and thoroughly not enjoyed drinking it many times. Still, I’ve become involved in an exclusive little club of brewers, who flout good-tasting beverages in favor of our horrible, elitist brew. Look for us; we congregate in Whole Foods, retching proudly as we sip on some disgusting fungal drink.
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UNDERGROUND EASTSIDE
April 2011
Radiohead re-claims the throne with The King of Limbs By Jack Braunstein(‘13) Eastside Underground Editor
a relatively short album, yet wastes no time in dragging the listener in and out of a stupefacient state of alternative reality. The first half of the album relies heavily on looping, a musical party trick, which can often turns monotonous after only a few measures. But instead of just repeating the same thing ad nauseum, Radiohead gradually showers the loops with a variety of musical elements (like the brass and strings in “Bloom” or the dubstep-based bass in the second half of “Feral”) that steer the A-side away from tediousness. On the album opener, “Bloom,”
drummer Phil Selway lays a batty, discordant beat over the charmingly hypnotic loop, turning the mesmerizing feel into a backwards groove. “Lotus Flower” is the first single off the album rightfully so, it has one of the catchiest choruses on the album but also serves as the centerpiece, transitioning between the surreally repetitive first half and into the more organic second act. Putting Thom Yorke’s songwriting skills at the forefront without losing sight of the whole band’s knack for an intricate soundscape, the latter songs are all wonderfully written. Misty piano ballad “Codex” and sobering conclusion “Separator” clearly have some staying power, but none so much as The King of Limbs’ flooringly standout “Give Up The Ghost.” “Gather up the lost and sold/ in your arms,” Yorke croons over atmospheric garden sound and loops of “don’t hurt me” in his own heartbreaking intonation. There have been many complaints about legendary guitar innovator Jonny Greenwood’s axe work on this album, or rather, lack thereof. However, these moans are uncalled for because Greenwood cannot be classified as just a guitar player anymore. Even though his famous jungle of pedals and Telecaster screech don’t show up on this album as the form of fiery solos like back in The Bends era, his fingerprints are all over The King of Limbs, like in the gut wrenching symphonic composition in “Codex.” Clearly The King of Limbs will never measure up to Radiohead’s classics. However, it is a beautiful, affecting piece of art that will hold a respectable spot in the band’s catalogue. Expectation has no need to lower its standards; rather it must allow them to evolve with Radiohead’s constantly shifting sound.
Radiohead has a fickle friend, and its name is Expectation. It’s a love-hate relationship. Sometimes the band has met Expectation with music so beautifully revolutionary that one can barely help but to suspect that the two are in league together. At other times, they have snuck up on Expectation and hoodwinked it with a “Pay-What-You-Want” system and albums dropped onto the World Wide Web in the middle of the night. Expectation has gotten the best of Radiohead before Kid A was the first major album to fall victim to an online pre-release leak back in 2000 and now it appears this partnership is going through a rough patch again. Fans have been drooling for new material since 2007’s gorgeous In Rainbows, and now four years later the Oxford five peice have announced that they will be dropping their new album, The King of Limbs. They sold preorders for digital download on their website without supplying a tracklist, a press release or even the slightest hint as to what it would sound like. And they sold faster than Dominos slices on pizza days in elementery school! It’s as if the band was asking for daunting proof of how high the kids’ expectations are after just a few days of anticipation. It’s not easy being the best active band in the world: critics and fans expect a near-perfect album like critical exemplars Kid A and Ok Computer every time a whisper of new material hits the net. The King of Limbs is a sonically lush and rewarding album that looks for a balance between classic Radiohead songwriting and expanArt by Frank Zhang (‘11)/Eastside Staff sive experimentation. Clocking in at (From left) Radiohead drummer Phil Selway, frontman Thom Yorke, about 38 minutes, King of Limbs is and guitarist/ sound-magician Jonny Greenwood reigns on TKOL.
Album Rating: 8.5 / 10
April 2011
COMICS
“For Sale” by Joel Greenspan (‘13)/ Eastside Staff
EASTSIDE
“Recycle” by Hannah Feinberg (‘12)/ Eastside Community Editor
“Senioritis” by Avra Bossov (‘11)/ Eastside Editor-in-Chief
“Peanuts” by Kevin Cook (‘11)/ Eastside Art Director
Page 19
Page 20
HUMOR EASTSIDE
Witty campaign sign swings votes By Jake Trommer (‘11)
Eastside Humor Editor
Logo by Sally Yang (‘11)/ Eastside Managing Editor
Jensen’s first act as SGA President is to end Jensen’s Glorious Revolution. Senior class trip to Disney World has ominous beginning when told by hotel managers they “can check out any time they want but they can never ever leave.”
In a shocking twist in the saga of the SGA officer elections, it seems that the victory of dark horse candidate, Zach Jensen (‘12), can be attributed to the rather witty campaign sign that he posted in the cafeteria and no other reason. “It’s weird,” said Tom Gregorovsky (‘11). “I normally don’t pay attention to the campaign signs. Not just because someone I
know isn’t running for office, but because I simply don’t care about SGA. But this -- this was different. This blessed sign spoke to me. As soon as I saw it, I just knew I had to vote for Jensen.” Cindy Foreignname (‘12) shared a similar sentiment. “When I saw that sign, I spent somewhere around five minutes staring at it, just reveling in the humor, the intelligence, the wit of it all. I was going to vote for my friend who has
Senior causes international incident when he elbows past the British Ambassador in the line to Space Mountain.
Students shocked to discover fire drill was not in fact a drill despite repeated announcements over the intercom.
Graduated graffiti artists disappointed the best that their successors can come up with is writing the word “poop” on the bathroom wall in brown markers. Student told that just because people thought that sweatshirt was cool the first time does not mean he should wear it the rest of his life. Junior proud to announce that he does, in fact, know how to dougie. Long-awaited freshman-on-freshman fight turns out to be just them holding their arms out and flailing their hands at each other. Freshman discovers mythical C-wing pool in the Room of Requirement. Hogwarts announces that it will begin accepting American students only two hours after Cherry Hill East students return home from Disney trip. Seniors disappointed they got kicked out of the hotel pool in ten minutes claiming that the seniors did it in five minutes last year. Mr. East and Mr. West contestants compete for title of Mr. Cherry Hill.
three years of experience, but when I saw that sign, I knew I couldn’t do that anymore,” said Foreignname. According to SGA Advisor Charlie Jeverowski, the voter turnout was unequivocal to any past election. Only one student didn’t vote for Jensen, and that was because he simply did not see the sign. Said Jeverowski, “Apparently this kid came into the cafeteria and was so incredibly busy reading
his book, or whatever he does. that he voted for the most qualified candidate and not the one with the most awesome sign.” “What an absolute nerd,” he added under his breath. Jensen is expected to take office this week, inaugurating his term with a hilarious speech that all three classes must have three separate assemblies to listen to during first period. It is expected to be a rousing success, SGA said.
By Prashasti Awadhiya (‘12)
monumental occasion by doing what they are best at: celebratory speeches that are bleeped out by the FCC and disgracing the state of New Jersey. Snooki is not the onlyone excited; many of her fans are (fist) pumped for this achievement. “I just can t believe it! She is so inspirational If Snooki can finish a book, then I can too, ” said Sammy Sweet Heart (‘14). Though Snooki’s agent was hesitant to comment on the matter, she did let it slip that Snooki is really proud of herself, and she should be; not many people can say that “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle is the first book they have fully read by the time they are 22 years old.
Snooki finishes book Eastside Radio Manager
US military recruiters in Cafeteria 1 shocked that students are only talking to them to get free stuff.
M o r n i n g Announcements to be renamed “Morning Talking to a Wall” since nobody listens to them.
April 2011
Ben Taylor (‘11)/ Eastside Photo Editor
The Cast of “Jersey Shore” fist-pumps their way through books.
“Jersey Shore” star Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi has officially finished her first novel. Snooki revealed recently in an interview only conducted with Eastside s Entertainment Editors that when she found out Simon and Shuster were the publishers, she “got really excited.” “It took me three months,” she said. “But it was so worth my time.” “When I finished the book, I had to re-read it because I couldn t believe that I had finished it,” Snooki said. Snooki and her fellow “Jersey Shore” cast members plan to celebrate this
Rosa loses ‘international’ reputation By Dylan Fingerman (‘13) Eastside Staff
Former Rosa International Middle School changed its name to Rosa Middle School. The middle school changed its name after the last foreign exchange student, Napoleon Fitzroy of France, left after his 12 years of studying there, mostly against his own will. Fitzroy was chosen for the foreign exchange program, the French Exchange for Unwanted Students (FEUS), because he annoyed most of his teachers. Fitzroy expressed his frustration with American culture by stating, “What do these French Fries and French Toasts have to do with France?” Rosa Middle School principal Fred Cansofpeas said he was forced to remove Fitzroy from the school because he was failing all his sixth grade classes, even though Fitzroy was in eighth grade upon arriving in the U.S. Fitzroy had to go back to sixth grade due to his English speaking capabilities (which at the time were non-existent). Fitzroy was kicked out of his French class after he said explicit words in French to his French
teacher, who did not want her name to be revealed in this article. “She called me a girl, so I called her a [expletive deleted],” said Fitzroy. “Then I stole the American flag from her classroom just to be cool.” The teacher in question said she did not call him a girl and was confident in
her French abilities; however, this teacher has only been studying the language for an impressive three years now. Cansofpeas believes 12 years is too long for a student to stay in his school. “It is not worth the ‘International’ title for that brat,” said Cansofpeas, who hopes to get another
exchange student soon. Cansofpeas hopes this time the school will be able to welcome a normally insane student. Fitzroy returned to France last week and though most, if not all, of the people he has met in the U.S are glad he is gone. Fitzroy will never be forgotten.
HUMOR
April 2011
EASTSIDE
Undercover teacher shares experience By Gina Villecco (‘11)
Eastside Humor Editor
TALES FROM MR. GREYSON
the time, it’s my job. I enjoyed this privilege, until my German teacher asked the same of me. I haven’t spoken German since I was a REAL sophomore in high school. Needless to say, it’s been quite a few years... Week Two: Plight I’ve already failed a test, forgotten my homework, been late to school six times and received a deten-
For thirty days, I attended Cherry Hill High School East as a transfer student from a nearby high school. I ingeniously disguised myself as a fifteenyear-old boy and fully immersed myself as I made friends and experienced the life of a student of this generation. Here is what I observed throughout my journey: Week One: Pilot Monday was my test day. If any of the students recognized me, I would have to end my experiment that day. Good thing my first week was a smooth sail. Only a few faculty members knew of the experiment, but not those Greyson ingeniously disguises himself tion for sleeping in class. who would be my “teachers.” I went to Guidance Not to mention, my stommy first day and received ach does NOT agree with my temporary schedule: the cafeteria food. It’s the Homeroom (Room C215), equivalent of deep-fried U.S. History IA, Geometry rubber marinated in H, Driver’s Education, grease. No wonder America’s obesity rates Lunch, 3-Demensional Art, have so significantly Biology IA, German 3H increased. But I digress. and English 2A. Every teacher here is I got stopped in the hallconvinced that his or her way three separate times class is the most important on my way to first period and if you say otherwise, because I “didn t have a you’re guaranteed to fail. hall-pass.” I had to explain Trust me, I’ve already to every single person that learned that in biology I was a transfer, from where I was transferring, class. and why I transferred. It’s The kids pick on me not that interesting, peobecause I’m extremely tall ple, really. I’m just here to and because I grow facial observe. hair faster than the averIn my first week, I made age kid my age. It is hard a few friends. A lot of stuto fit in when everyone is so critical of appearance dents here are polite and the workload is this except for that huge senior ridiculous. Most of my that threatened to give me class is already convinced a swirly on my second day. that I’m a super genius The teachers, I found, are freak because of my extenextremely enthusiastic sive vocabulary and stanabout meeting new studard-exceeding intellidents. A few teachers even gence. Even with all of made me get up in front of this, I’m still failing the whole class and talk about myself. No big deal. English. (Or “nbd,” as the kids say Week Three: Awakening on Facebook.) I do that all So, I got most of my
grades back on track and I have officially become the “Class Clown.” (Don’t ask me how...) One student asked me if I was related to Mr. Greyson. Obviously I’m... not. However, throughout my first three weeks here I’ve learned a lot of surprising things we teachers think we know, but we don t: One: Parents can be really crazy. My friend
it’s no wonder that these kids look like walking zombies every day. It’s also no wonder I’m failing Geometry, which is scary since I teach Geometry. Three: Kids in this school are so competitive. One day, my fellow classmate, Angelina Chalome (‘14), laughed in my face because she got a higher grade than I did on our Biology benchmark. And it’s not just grades either. One time, on my way to history, I got shoved into a locker so my classmate could get there before me. Another time, a junior bought all the wraps in the cafeteria just so I couldn’t eat and would be hungry for the mile we had to run in gym. I know Angelina was behind that last one, and I got my revenge alright. I broke all her pencil points before our big unit test in German. That’s when I realized that Mia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor I, too, was becoming as an innocent student. an overly competitive, monstrous, study Zarin Caliber (‘14) invited machine all with only me over his house to do three weeks gone by. homework with him and Week Four: Conclusion his mom kicked me out I survived an entire because I wasn’t in honors month of school, and I feel history and then told me, terrible! I’m so worn down “Zarin will be busy studyand I think I’ve lost ing something more diffiweight. As if I wasn t cult than this amateur creepy enough to these work you bring to him. So, people... I did give that don’t call him.” senior a Texas wedgie on Occasionally, I hear the my last day though. (You students talk about their know, the one who threatparents with the utmost ened to give me a swirly.) angst, but I never realized My brain started as a how pushy they could be soft, dry sponge ready to sometimes You hurt my absorb all the information feelings, Mrs. Caliber. I possibly could, and now it Two: Students are so resembles a shriveled busy, they make us teachraisin because that’s how ers look like slackers. With fried my brain feels. I can’t all the homework, outside say I’m totally relieved work, activities and sports either. Knowing all those they do, I’m not surprised wonderful students are out that they only sleep four there in the jungles and hours every night. As part battlefields we call East of my experiment, I joined slightly disturbs me. the boys’ basketball team, However, going back to Character Education, teaching tomorrow will be Theatre and the Yearbook a lot more alleviating. I’m Committee to reach out to also thrilled to announce all aspects of the school’s that my experiment ended community and study how in perfect timing just students interact with before I was almost each other. With each assigned to read A Tale of activity and/or organizaTwo Cities in English tion being so demanding,
Sad, pathetic vampire has sad, pathetic existence
By Gina Villecco (‘11)
Eastside Humor Editor
In recent years, vampires have gained a glamorous image as the brightest members of the occult, mainly due to Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. However, Cherry Hill East’s own vampire, Winston Fang (‘12), offers a different view on everyone’s favorite undead species. “When I got my powers,” said Winston, “I was promised discounts on quality blood, a great party scene
and the best babes this side of Dante’s Inferno. I couldn’t wait!” But Wince -- as his friends call him -- soon discovered the fine print of his deal with the devil; not every vampire gets the thrilling life... only the pretty ones. Some, like Wince, are not so lucky. But how do vampires like Winston interact with fellow bloodsuckers? “If the Vampyro blunderus Winston’s kind is around a Vampyro superiorus such as Edward Cullen, he may attempt to
fit in via aloofness toward potential mates, or foolhardy acts of bravery,” warns vampire expert Bamm Stroker of the History Channel. Meanwhile, at East, Winston is searching for love in unlikely places. “There’s this girl,” said Fang, “A werewolf. She makes my heart pound if it could, that is. Gianna, if you’re reading this, let’s go hunting together Saturday night!”
Read the full story at www.eastside-online.org
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Logo by Sally Yang (‘11)/ Eastside Managing Editor
Risky Business Teacher: Even when you’ve been married for 29 years, you still have to worry about girls calling your husband and trying to drag him out to Taipei. Skin-deep: Boy: This is what we do after hours; we play with our dermals. More Dermals: Same Boy: Now you have two diamond studs to accent your hips. The End of an Era Boy 1: You know the Eastern cougar? They’re all extinct, bro. Boy 2: What, how? Boy 1: ...They all died. True Texan Boy: He was asking me about every landmark in Texas, and I was like, “I left when I was ten.” He s like, “You know Kennedy was shot there. You’d think your parents would want you to know how Kennedy got shot.” Arbitrary Kindness Girl 1: I’m in this random mood to be nice to everyone. Girl 2: Cool, you can start by giving me my ten bucks back. Girl 1: Shut up, I’m over it. Loner Boy: But guys, you’ve always had friends. You’ve never realized how sad it is to be extremely lonely. Too Comfy Boy: I loved my bed more than I loved anybody. Mango-Madness Girl: But why would you steal someone else’s mango when they had an entire basket outside? It’s like stealing candy from a baby in a candy store but more exotic and juicy. Respect the Poets Teacher: We don’t trash talk classical poets like they’re from “Jersey Shore.” The Manliest Room Boy: There’s gonna be so much testosterone in our room, it’s gonna explode. Are You Ready? Boy 1: YO MAN, ARE YOU READY FOR SENIOR TRIP? Boy 2: I M READY FOR SENIOR TRIP, ARE YOU READY FOR SENIOR TRIP? Tweet overheards to www.twitter.com/ eastside_humor
Kirk An (‘13)/ Eastside Staff
SPORTS
Page 22
EASTSIDE
Boys’ Track
Softball
Head Coach: Mr. Charlie Musumeci Last Season’s Record: 11-13. Captains: Nicole Escobar (‘11), Kate DeMalo (‘11) and Kristen DiGuglielmo (‘12). Key Players: Rebecca Froyd (‘13), Lindsay Savar (‘13), Emily Shaffer (‘13), Gabrielle Whiteley (‘12), Marie Sheldon (‘11) and Michelle Thompson (‘11). Coach’s Quote: “Our expectations are cautiously optimistic. We play in a tough conference and will have some difficult competition, but we have a core of experience that will help us try and make the playoffs once again.”
April 2011
Mia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor
Softball captain Katie DeMalo (‘11).
Golf
Head Coach: Mr. Ryan James Last Season’s Record: 15-2 Key Players: Vince Kwon (‘12), Ross Bryan (‘12), David Friedman (‘12), Eric Park (‘14) and Harrison Kim (‘12). Coach’s Quote: “We have lost three seniors that started last season, so our juniors need to fill in the holes. We should be able to win the conference and then I want to make States.”
Head Coach: Mr. Anthony Maniscalco Last Season’s Record: 3-2 Captains: Andrew Athias (‘11), Mike Oliver (‘11), Alex Reber (‘12) and Marcus Phillips (‘12). Key Players: Remy Kahn (‘11) and the entire shuttle hurdle team Assistant Coach Mr. Mike Surrency’s Quote: “We want to win the sectional state title. We have high expectations for this group of seniors. We have a very good team this year.”
Baseball
Spring Sports Overview
Head Coach: Mr. Erik Radbill Last Season’s Record: 15-13 Captains: Tyler Caton (‘11), Jeff Davis (‘11) and Jesse Gold (‘12). Key Players: Caton, Gold, Davis and Kurt Taylor (‘12). Coach’s Quote: “We are very young but very talented. If a couple of our young guys grow up quickly, we could be very competitive this year.”
Becca Mulberg (‘12)/ Eastside Video Editor
Boys’ lacrosse player Sam Kotler (‘12).
Boys’ Lacrosse
Head Coach: Mr. Erick Wood Last Season’s Record: 5-12 Captains: Matt Tarnopol (‘11), Matt Lee (‘12) and Brett Roseman (‘12) Key Players: Marc Rothman (‘12), Jared Hand (‘12), Stephen Gottlieb (‘13) and Sam Kotler (‘12) Coach’s Quote: “We hope to make playoffs for the first time in school history.”
Emily Kelly (‘12)/ For Eastside
Track runner Christine Goins (‘12).
Girls Track
Art by Kevin Cook (‘11)/ Eastside Art Director
Girls’ Lacrosse
Head Coach: Mrs. Kim Gatelein Last Season’s Record:8-10 Captains: Taylor Beatty (‘11) and Caroline DiBartolomeo (‘11) Key Players: Becca Wood (‘11), Courtney Workman (‘11) and Fangel Tung (‘11). Coach’s Quote: “We expect to make the playoffs, [have a winning season], and Dillon Rosenblatt (‘11)/ Eastside Sports Editor take it one game at a time.” Girls’ lacrosse captain Taylor Beatty (‘11) plays catch.
Head Coach: Mr. Lee Troutman Last Season’s Record:1-5 Captains: Marielle Austin (‘11), Allie Hettinger (‘11), Taylor Festa (‘11), Leah Mele (‘11), Tia Vrontis (‘11) and Colleen Thompson (‘11) Key Players: Christine Goins (‘12), Chelsea Campbell (‘14), Maddy Berman (‘14), Cree McGee (‘14), Syde Orange (‘12), Lauren Miller (‘13) and Jessica McIntosh (‘13). Coach’s Quote: Eighty percent of our team is freshman and sophomores. It s going to be a rebuilding year for us.
Mia Holley (‘12)/Eastside Photo Editor
Tennis captain Max Silverberg (‘11).
Boys’ Volleyball
Boys’ Tennis
Head Coach: Mr. Greg DeWolf Last Season’s Record: 20-4 Captains: Alex Feldman (‘11), Jared Kaufman (‘11) and Max Silverberg (‘11). Key Players: Alfred Sebastian Gonzalez (‘12) and Hank Davis (‘13). Coach’s Quote: “Same expectations every year. First the Olympic Conference. Then Group IV. Then on the state level.”
Head Coach: Mr. Karl Moehlmann Last season’s record: 23-4 Captain: Eric Zaun (‘11) Key players: Christian Strauss (‘11), Cole Spencer (‘11), Greg Slaton (‘11) and Chris Zeleski (‘11). Coach’s Quote: “I want to win a State Championship. To do so, we first, of course, have to win the conference. With 16 wins, we can do that.”
Information compiled by Jake Fischer (‘12)/ Eastside Online Sports Editor and Max Cohen (‘12)/ Eastside Sports Editor
Dillon Rosenblatt (‘11)/ Eastside Sports Editor
Eric Zaun (‘11) goes up for the set.
SPORTS
April 2011
EASTSIDE
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The stars of the teams behind the scenes
they were down. most affected the last Onu] to box out and keep Although he worked bench player Zach Presant rebounding or [Brittany (‘11), who played in one twice as hard and attendMuniz] to drive to the basgame this season. ed every practice just so he ket,” said girls’ basketball The players on the could come in the game for guard Courtney bench in sports are what a minute, he still made the Workman (‘11). make a good team great. It most of it. The bench playis not just the superstar or Making most of the time er role does not one of the other starters spent in a game is what all apply to just basthat make a team good, but players’ mindsets should ketball, though. It it is the deeper part of the be. applies to all bench: the players who “I wasn’t used to playing sports. substitute in for the supervarsity from only getting a High school socstars late in the game if few minutes here and cer plays two the lead is there last season. But once 40-minute very large, if I got more confident prachalves, the there is an ticing at the higher level longest timed injury or if a and playing in more sporting event player is in games, I earned myself the of all high foul trouble. seventh roster spot on the school sports. T h e s e team. I just tried to keep It can get very players do myself as composed as postiring, which not just sit on sible; I focused on the results in a lot the bench game and let none of my of substitueach game surroundings get to me,” tions so other waiting to get said Workman. players can put in and get Workman knew her role keep hydrata few minas a bench player for East s ed. The only utes of playbest girls’ basketball team thing is, when ing time in history, going 26-2 durthe starters every once in ing their season. She made are not pera while. They a clutch three-pointer in a forming up to have to work playoff game against par, coaches twice as hard Cherokee, leading her are less likely as the star team to victory, so on and to use the players just off the court, she helped deeper bench to get in three her team win games. because of the minutes of a Mia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor Bench players have the fact that they game. They go to every Mia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor need to bring Presant goes unnoticed for his hard work. ultimate task of working not only for themselves, the practice and Courtney Workman always works hard to be ready up but also for their teammomentum before “I wasn’t happy, but I help their to come off the bench for the Lady Cougars. mates. Not only do they those players play. got used to it. I was able to teammates help their teams improve Unfortunately, cheer them on and provide encourage them to do betout. in practice, but they must boys’ soccer dealt with this support,” said Presant. ter by giving advice on how Sitting on the bench has always be prepared to Presant was a big factor problem in the fall as they they can help us win the its many disadvantages, jump in the game . in helping his team when won only two games. This game, like telling [Michelle but one big advantage it
By Dillon Rosenblatt (‘11)
Eastside Sports Editor
does have is being able to learn how to avoid making mistakes and making adjustments to the opposing team by watching their teammates play. Bench players are the key to winning games even when they are not actually in the game. “Whenever I wasn’t in the game, I would cheer on for my teammates and I’d
Maintaining a powerhouse Escobar stars on the diamond By Max Cohen (‘12)
“[DeWolf] definitely brings the team to a more athletic standpoint than solely a tennis focus. He When a program known throughstresses conditioning and being the out the state as a powerhouse most in-shape team in South changes head coaches, the question Jersey, while Ipri focused on match frequently arises as to whether the play,” said team captain Max program will be able to sustain its Silverberg (‘11). prior level of success. DeWolf is a firm believer that In taking over as head coach of more emphasis on team conditionCherry Hill ling will East’s boys’ directly tennis, Mr. lead to vicGreg deWolf is t o r i e s , determined to especially ensure that in longer boys tennis matches will remain a that go the threat to capfull three ture champisets. onships year in “ O u r and year out players after taking h a v e over from legworked on endary coach their skills Mr. Ralph Ipri. for years Ipri won before comchampionship Mia Holley (‘12)/ Eastside Photo Editor ing to East. upon champi- DeWolf watches the team run to demonstrate Now playonship as the his emphasis on conditioning. ing in the coach of East outdoors in tennis and deWolf expects nothing the heat, I want them to feel like different of his future teams at they can play against anyone and be East. in shape for up to three sets,” said “I have the same expectations [of deWolf. winning]. First the Olympic DeWolf seems undaunted by the Conference. Then Group IV. Then task of taking over from Ipri, the on the state level,” said deWolf. coach at East for over forty years, as DeWolf differs significantly from he knows East tennis must continue Ipri on how he plans to help the to produce victories. team prepare to win grueling Despite their differences in training matches. DeWolf had the team runstyles, deWolf’s philosophy remains ning daily during March practices the same as Ipri’s philosophy: hard to get them ready for the season work produces success. physically. This was a rare occur“I expect them to play as hard [as rence under Ipri, who preferred to Ipri expected], whether it’s against work on match play during practhemselves or any of the top schools tices. in South Jersey,” said deWolf. Eastside Sports Editor
By Hank Davis (‘13)
Eastside Editorial Assistant
Nicole Escobar (‘11) has thrived on the softball fields of Cherry Hill East throughout her fouryear career. Escobar was named captain junior and senior year. She plays shortstop for East but third base for her travel team, the New Jersey Gators Gold. Escobar plans to continue her career at Bucknell University next year, receiving an eighty percent scholarship. Softball has been a passion in Escobar’s life for a long time. Since third grade, she has played and has only gotten better. She not only excels in softball, but in Emily Kelly (‘12)/ Eastside Staff volleyball as well. Escobar works on throwing in tryouts. “I definitely like softball better because I only job of adjusting to these potential played volleyball for four years. problems, so it is hardly an issue Maybe if I played it longer, it for them. would be a different story,” said While at East, Escobar has Escobar. acquired great statistics. She Another feature that makes recorded 26 hits, 23 runs and 51 Escobar unique on the field is her assists in her junior campaign and hearing impairment. However, had a .421 on base percentage and Escobar simply brushes it aside a .351 batting average in that seawhen she plays her sports. son. “My hearing impairment is such Escobar has received many a small part of me, honestly, I forawards while playing softball at get about it most of the time,” said East. She earned Second Team All Escobar. Conference as a freshman and Sometimes she makes an error First Team All-Conference and all or two when cutting off the ball South Jersey Honorable Mention perhaps due to her hearing, but as a junior. this has not stopped her from These awards should only muldoing the things she loves. tiply as she heads into her final Her teammates do an excellent season.
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EASTSIDE
April 2011
April 2011
EASTSIDE
In memory of John Adler Beloved member of the Cherry Hill community Through his tireless work to contribute to society, John Adler served as a member of the Cherry Hill Township Council, New Jersey State Senate and U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey’s 3rd District. Father of four Cherry Hill students, Adler was consistently an active parent within the East community. We mourn his loss, and our condolences go out to his family.
(1959-2011)
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