SPECIAL EDITION! www.eastside-online.org
Vol. 51 No. 7
Cherry Hill High School East: 1750 Kresson Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
April 2018
Sabrina DeAbreu (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director
Inside This Issue
How to write a better essay Academics, Pg. 3
How to abide by dress code policies School Policies, Pg. 12
How to plan the perfect promposal Student Life, Pg. 16
ACADEMICS
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EASTSIDE
Take organized, effective notes ■ By Ali Koenig (‘20)
Eastside News/Features Editor
The average brain produces over 70,000 thoughts per day — that’s nearly one thought per second. Surely that’s a good thing, right? But when your mind is working in a million directions all at once, how can you get all that onto paper before you forget it? Whether it’s scrawling every word on the PowerPoint during a lecture in chemistry class or scribbling down every literary device used in A Tale of Two Cities, turning all of the important information into useful notes is no easy feat. With so many thoughts swirling in my mind and so much action going on around me, I often find myself throwing legibility and effectiveness out the window in order to simply get all of the material down. We may grow up hearing that whatever is on the inside is what matters, that we will do well as long as we have all of the information. But the truth is that appearances are important, too. Taking neat, organized notes both improves recall and causes you to actively think about what you are writing. When taking notes for any subject, using color is essential. According to a test conducted by the Association for Talent Development, we recall information five to ten percent more accurately when our study material is in color. An easy yet effective way to incorporate color into notes is to write certain words or phrases, like names, dates or vocabulary words,
with different colored markers or highlighters. If your notes encapsulate several different topics, use various colors to distinguish them as well. However, the highlighter is a tool that should be used with great caution. Its purpose is not to create an artistic masterpiece; it is to separate only the most necessary information from everything else. Another strategy that is equally simple and beneficial is keeping all notes on a certain topic in one place. When your history teacher hands you an article, your natural instinct may be to scribble all of your notes in the margins and highlight the page into a Technicolor nightmare.
Infographic by Ali Koenig (‘20)/ Eastside News/Features Editor
As useful as it seems, the incongruity of the annotated article compared with the rest of your notes can make recalling the information more difficult. When taking notes, always try your best to keep all of the pages in the same location and on the same type of paper. Whether you prefer lined, blank or graph paper, the information on your notes is easier to absorb when everything looks alike. As technology advances, it becomes harder and harder to resist the temptation of typing, or even copying and pasting, notes on your laptop. It is fast, it is easy and it is way, way less effective than hand-writing notes. According to a study conducted by Pam A. Mueller of Princeton University and Daniel M. Oppenheimer of the University of California, Los Angeles, writing notes by hand ingrains information into one’s brain, while typing does not. Because writing by hand is slower than typing, someone who handwrites is forced to be more selective in the information that he or she writes down. This culling of information causes him or her to process the material further, making it easier to recall later. I’ll be honest: I do not like taking notes. It can be frustrating and timeconsuming, but it can be unbelievably useful, too. As much as I dislike them, I can’t help but appreciate the structure that organized, detailed notes provide. When your mind is working in a million different directions all at once, sometimes it can be peaceful to just take a breath, uncap your pen and write.
Make your cramming sessions more productive ■ By Joshua Sodicoff (‘18)
Eastside Opinions Editor
We have all been there; it’s 3 a.m. on a school day. You haven’t even thought about the test you have first period. You strain your brain to think of some way to absorb all of the content in the next four and a half hours, and by the time you finally start on your notes, your mind is zapped. The first time I was in this situation, I became distraught. Since then, however, I have gained enough experience in the art of cramming to have achieved levels of mastery few other students who have walked these halls could ever fathom. I am determined to inform you, my fellow scholars, about how to avoid coming to class with bags under your eyes and no knowl-
edge in your brain. The most obvious solution is to start studying before 3 a.m. on the day of the test. When a teacher assigns a test, try to come up with a schedule of when you will study leading up to the date of the assessment. Increase the amount of time and the rigor of your study exercises as the day approaches, and you’ll be golden. However, I know East, and I know very few of our readers are that organized or dedicated to any routine aside from playing HQ Trivia. Let’s assume it’s already 3 a.m. then. We should optimize the study location. Is
there music on? Not anymore. As much as I hate to say it, you don’t have enough focus left in you when cramming to simultaneously process a song and read words on your paper. If it’s a matter of staying up, caffeine is a better option. Also clear everything else from your work surface except your notes and your preferred study tools. This includes your phone, the rectangle that contains all of your games, friends and other distractions. I wish I could tell you the best possible way to study, but we all have different minds and preferences in how we learn and relearn. Personally, I prefer to read my notes and the textbook over and over again, but I know that doesn’t work for some people. Consider the way that you prefer to learn the first time. Usually, people are categorized as visual, auditory, kinesthetic or reading/
writing learners. Visual learners benefit most from making and looking over charts and graphs. Auditory learners cement their understanding of content through explaining a topic and listening to others. Kine s thetic learners prefer demonstrations and examples over notes and facts. And reading/writing learners should write and rewrite their notes. Study how you learn best now instead of later, so you don’t have to cram on how to cram. Something you should have noticed is that you can apply every one of these tips to a normal study session in addition to a hurried, late-night one. Ultimately, studying is what you make it, but with these tools you can hopefully make it enough that it offsets your sleep deprivation. Art by Rose Ni (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director
April 2018
SAT Tips From High Scorers “The most important thing isn’t repeatedly drilling practice tests but to understand why you got the incorrect answers wrong.” - Lily Yang (‘18)
“Honestly, devoting maybe an hour a day, a few weeks in the summer, then taking a practice test every weekend and finally taking the SAT after the PSAT is a master plan.” - Audrey Yeung (‘18)
“Self-study diligently. I would say about an hour of practice a day or as much as you can. It’s scientifically proven you will do better from practice and be confident with your answers.” - Aaron Finklestein (‘18)
“It’s not about the hours spent with a tutor; it is about the time you devote, in a room by yourself to mastering the skills to conquer a formulaic test.” - Noah Kaminer (‘18)
“You miss one hundred percent of the questions you don’t answer.” - Nishaad Khedkar (‘18)
Art by Rose Ni (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director
ACADEMICS
April 2018
EASTSIDE
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How to write a better essay in six easy steps ■ By Sophia Liang (‘19)
Eastside Community Editor
For high schoolers, there is perhaps no form of writing more crucial yet more loathed than the essay, that five-paragraph king of beasts. Contrary to popular belief, however, successful essay writing doesn’t have to be a miserable, caffeinefueled slog. If you follow these few basic pointers, writing a stellar paper will soon become a breeze. 1. Write a first draft, even if it’s awful. A blank screen and a blinking cursor can intimidate even the best of writers. To overcome the paralyzing fear of beginning, open up a new document, set a timer f o r five minutes and don’t stop typing until time’s up. You d o n ’ t have to write the introduction first, or include fancy-sounding words or even use complete sentences. Just write. For help suppressing your inner critic and getting some words onto the page, try the website Write or Die, which punishes you with cacophonous noises and red lights for not writing quickly enough. If you prefer positive reinforce-
ment, check out Written? Kitten!, which rewards you with a random photo of an adorable kitten for every couple hundred words written (before you ask—yes, there are puppy and bunny modes too). Starting is the hardest part. Once you have something down, no matter how horrendous, fleshing out ideas and refining the prose is smooth sailing from there. 2. Construct a strong thesis. A thesis statement is a specific, arguable claim containing original insight and supported with evidence. It is not a question, nor a list of topics, nor a restatement of the prompt. It must be debatable—“The French Revolution was caused by political, economic and social problems” can’t be disputed, since political, economic and social factors impact just about everything. Acknowledge counterarguments to
make your assertion stronger and more nuanced (“Although the coal industry provides tens of thousands of jobs, its economic benefit is negligible compared to the environmental damage it creates”).
A well-crafted thesis serves as a blueprint for both the writer and the reader as they make their way through the rest of the essay. 3. Support your argument. Now that you have a thesis, you’ll need to bolster it with some body paragraphs. Begin each supporting paragraph with a two-part topic sentence; the first part should transition from the previous paragraph, and the second should introduce the new one. While the exact requirements will vary from teacher to teacher, a good rule of thumb is to aim for at least two pieces of evidence (quotes, statistics, etc.) per body paragraph, each followed by around three sentences of analysis. Be careful not to spend too long quoting or summarizing, or else you’ll drown out your own voice and original ideas. 4. Vary your sentence structure. There is nothing wrong with short sentences. Short sentences are great. But too many of them are bland. They plod along the page. The reader gets bored. So sprinkle in a medium-length sentence occasionally. And, from time to time, when you
have lots to say, include one that’s longer still. Use terse diction to deliver a punch. Use long, winding chains of strung-together clauses not to fluff
up a paragraph or reach a page count but to add bold description and delve deep into an idea. Incor-
p o r a t e variety into your sentences — in length, in structure, in pattern — and watch (or rather, listen) as your writing comes to life. 5. Tie it all up. A compelling conclusion first summarizes the main points mentioned throughout the essay, then inspires a sense of both closure and lasting curiosity within the reader. Do not merely restate the thesis. Frame your arguments in a larger context. Why should we care about this subject? What implications does it have? Leave your reader with something to think about. 6. Sweat the small stuff. Proper spelling, grammar and word choice may seem nit-picky, but they go a long way in mak-
ing your essay intelligible and pleasant to read. During the editing process, read your essay aloud to catch awkward phrassing and silly typos. Learn the difference between who and whom, it’s and its and compliment and complement. Commit a few essential conventions of MLA style to memory—how do you format a parenthetical citation? Do short story titles go in italics or quotation marks? Passive voice is used only to emphasize the thing that is acted upon, rather than the performer of the action, and it should be kept to a minimum. Replace vague and weak words with lucid and potent ones. Eschew the utilization of a consecution of protracted, grandiloquent, tautological locutions; keep things concise. Ensure your subjects and verbs agree, maintain consistency in parallel structure and never, ever let your participles dangle in public. Now that you have six powerful ways to make your papers more cogent, you’ll never have to fear an essay assignment again. Happy writing! Art by Rose Ni (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director
How severe is your senioritis? Take this quiz to get your diagnosis!
1. Are you procrastinating homework to take this quiz? A. Obviously, isn’t it second semester? B. Yes. C. No, I’m just patiently waiting for the homework to pass. D. No, I’ve already finished it.
2. If this quiz was for a grade, would you study for it? A. Wait, I have a quiz today? B. I’d ask my friends who took it this morning. C. I’d look over my notes. D. I already made a Quizlet and a color-coded study guide; I’m ready. 3. How many times have you left early this week? A. More than twice. B. Twice, but I didn’t have any important classes. C. Once, but it’s because I felt sick. D. I can’t leave early! I’ll miss the notes. 4. How many late passes have you gotten this year? A. I’m about to lose my parking spot. B. I’m about to get a detention. C. I got called down for a warning. D. I’m never late. 5. How often do you fall asleep in class during the day? A. Zzzzzzz… B. A few times in my morning classes and when the afternoon slump hits. C. Once by accident, because I was up studying. D. I don’t fall asleep in class.
6. How many shows have you binge-watched in the last month? A. I’m running out of shows on Netflix. B. I’ve finished a few shows and I just started a new one. C. I like to occasionally watch an episode of my favorite show to relax. D. I don’t really have time to watch any shows. 7. What time do you sleep at night? A. 9 p.m., unless I’m out, or whenever I get tired. B. 11 p.m. I try to finish my homework first. C. 1 a.m. I have tests to study for. D. Sleep is for the weak. Homework is forever. 8. What do you wear to school? A. Sweatshirt and sweatpants every day. B. T-shirt and jeans. C. Sweaters or button-downs. D. I put together my outfit the night before. 9. How often do you utilize the phrase “Senyolo”? A. Often. B. Sometimes. C. Rarely. D. Never. 10. Are you actually a senior? A. #Senyolo. B. Yeah. C. In spirit. D. No.
Quiz by Joshua Sodicoff (‘18)/ Eastside Opinions Editor and Rose Ni (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director Art by Rose Ni (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director
If you got mostly As, your condition is critical. Do you still go here? If you got mostly Bs, your condition is moderate. You’re in the home stretch! If you got mostly Cs, your condition is mild. No grade-level visits for you! If you got mostly Ds, you don’t have senioritis. See you on the honor roll!
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ACADEMICS EASTSIDE
April 2018
Spice up your course schedule
Eastside editors recommend their favorite electives offered at East ■ By Harry Green (‘20) Eastside Entertainment Editor
F r o m the student aspiring to pursue a career in filmmaking to the humble admirer of cinema, Film Appreciation delivers an educational experience unlike any other. Most often taught by Mr. Pete Gambino, Film Appreciation seeks to inform ■ By Sophie Levine (‘19) Eastside Sports Editor
J u s t about every occupation requires p u b l i c speaking, whether it is in front of a large audience or just a pitch in front of a few coworkers. However, public speaking is a skill that many high schoolers lack, especially if they are never taught the proper way to give a speech ■ By Eli Weitzman (‘20)
Eastside Webmaster
C o m p u t e r Programming is one of the coolest sets of classes at East. Each of the classes takes a look at computers, the internet and programming in a different light. Introduction to Computer Programming, the recommended first course
students on the complexity of filmmaking. More than simply discussing various technical aspects of movie-making like scene editing and cinematography, this course concerns itself with the more nuanced elements of film. It highlights the subtle art of storytelling, casting and directing. It explores the subtle symbols filmmakers use to convey meaning. These discussions not only help students to identify the key or a presentation. Presentations do not go away after high school. An entrepreneur may have to pitch his or her product in front of investors. A teacher must be able to speak to his or her class every day. A doctor needs to have exceptional bedside manners. For those who do not feel comfortable speaking in front of others, I recommend taking Public Speaking as an elective. The second semester of my freshman year, I enrolled in Public Speaking. I was extremely nervous at the sight of a myriad of in the curriculum, dives deeply into how a computer works and the basics of programming. Throughout the course, you learn about computers, general programming concepts, a bit of animation and Java programming. My favorite project of this class was one of the free programming assignments where we were able to program an animated character to dance to music in a creative way. Another class in the Computer Programming curriculum is AP Comput-
elements that exist within classic and contemp o -
rary films, but also to better understand how film shapes experience. upperclassmen and unfamiliar faces. I did not really know what we would be doing. However, not knowing many other students in the class turned out to be beneficial for me because fewer people knew me, and as a result, I was not afraid to be myself when giving speeches. My teacher, Mr. Thomas Weaver, explained that we would be doing many different kinds of speeches, including a speech to inform, a speech to persuade and a speech to teach a lesson. For the speech to teach a lesson, many students deer Science. In this course, students dive deeper into the nitty-gritty of Java programming and computers. The class mainly focuses on programming and its application in real-world scenarios. Students then have the option to take the AP Computer Science test at the end of the year for potential college credit. I had a fun time throughout
While some students may be less interested in studying the granular details of film production, they will surely be satisfied by the wide array of cinematic classics the class sees. Alltime favorites like The Godfather, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Jaws, among others, are viewed and critiqued throughout the course. Class discussions allow students to improve their understanding of a film’s underlying message, as well as shed light on its relevance in modern cided to conduct cooking demonstrations, including how to make brownies, fruit salad and cookies. After each speech, the class and Weaver would give positive and negative feedback to the presenter, which was extremely helpful. Weaver would also share useful tips with us, which included making the font of your speech large and marking where to look up and make eye contact with the audience. Near the end of the semester, the class split up in groups to perform a debate, which really tested our skills as public speakthe class and recommend it to anyone who wants to get into programming and the development of applications. Lastly, the newest addition to the Computer Programming curriculum (a course I am super excited for) is AP Computer Science Principles. Not to be confused with AP Computer Science, the principles-level AP course takes a different angle on computers. Built to focus on the underlying
culture. Periodically, students are tasked with analyzing major themes within a film by writing a short paper; beyond giving students the opportunity to watch the film, the class also encourages them to think about it in a meaningful manner. Ultimately, regardless of interest, Film Appreciation provides students with an excellent opportunity to explore the fascinating world of cinema. Art by Rose Ni (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director
ers. Taking Public Speaking truly helped me become a more eloquent and confident speaker. When I have to present information in class, I am not as nervous as I was before I learned how to properly speak in public. In a day and age where teens are constantly texting and using social media, it is important to learn how to speak confidently, especially for your future career. Public Speaking is a class that will be very beneficial in the real world, and I highly recommend that you enroll in it next year. principles of computation in society, it is planned to be less centered around Java programming and more on the broader ideals of computing, such as the internet, cybersecurity, big data and much more. Overall, Computer Science has an amazing curriculum that is really fun, and I recommend it for the aspiring programmer, technologist or really anyone interested in the field of computers. Art by Rose Ni (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director
Use a homework planner to manage your time efficiently ■ By Sari Cohen (‘18)
Eastside Editor-in-Chief
I t ’ s 2:45 p.m., you’ve just finished a long Monday at school, and all you want to do is take a nap on the couch. You look at your homework planner, and you forgot to write down all of your homework. You also cannot remember if you have practice tonight. So, you decide to take that nap. There is a lot wrong with this scenario. Students at East often struggle to juggle multiple AP classes, extracurriculars and sports. It may seem impossible, but with simple time management, it is a piece of cake. I am sure teachers always tell you to use your homework planner, and you shrug it off like it is no big deal. You think to yourself, “I can remember that.” Well, if you do not want to listen to your teacher’s advice, listen to mine: use your homework planner. Do not simply write down what homework is assigned. Rather, write due
dates and stay organized. In addition to using your waste any time. As much home, utilize free time in With this information at homework planner for asas you would like to bingeschool. It is very important your hands, you are able signments, use the monthly watch Netflix after school, to think ahead. You have to prioritize the homework calendar portion, too. It is a wait until your homework fifteen minutes after finishthat has a ing a chemistry lab? Start closer due the next chapter of your date. book for English. Nothing If you to do in homeroom? Get a know you head start on your math have meetpacket. ings or pracFor me, the key to time tices that management is using all night, start of my free time available your work to its fullest potential. I as soon am not crazy; I like relaxas you get ing as well. Nonetheless, home. As save your leisure time for much pleaafter you finish all of your sure as you responsibilities. may get There is no need to from a twostay up until 4:30 a.m., so hour nap, do not postpone long labs you can get or big essays until the twice as night before. much from In the days leading up being proto the due date, portion ductive and out the work. Write two completing paragraphs of your essay all of your or complete a few sections work. of your lab each night. Sophia Liang (‘19)/ Eastside Community Editor W h e n After four years of you fin- Cohen plans out her week using her East homework planner. high school, I can tell you ish an asI thoroughly enjoyed besignment, ing busy. I managed my highlight it, cross it off or great way to keep track of is finished and do so aftertime, so I finished everyput a checkmark next to big tests, club meetings and wards as a reward for your thing without being comit. There is no reason to let sports games. hard work. pletely overwhelmed. the crazy number of assignOnce you have mastered If you have one of those If you want to do it all, ments continue to haunt using your planner for ornights with tons of homeyou must fit time manageyou after they are completganization, it is time to work, back-to-back pracment somewhere into your ed. put it into practice. Do not tices and responsibilities at jam-packed schedule.
April 2018
EASTSIDE
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EDITORIAL
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EASTSIDE
April 2018
Editorials represent the views and opinions of the Eastside Editorial Board.
Cherry Hill must communicate offline In a town as diverse as Cherry Hill, the ability to engage in meaningful discussion is unequivocally essential in maintaining order. There are multiple outlets within the community in which one can share thoughts and concerns, whether it be a Board of Education Meeting, or a Coffee and Conversation with Superintendent Dr. Joseph Meloche. Yet, perhaps the most popular mediums amongst students and parents alike are the online channels of communication. It is not hard to understand why so many are quick to jump online after hearing of a problem. It’s easy, spreads the message to a larger group and is less formal than a face-to-face conversation. Officials within the community are also active on social media. Meloche often retweets school news to commend hard work, while Cherry Hill Public Schools goes as far as to post job openings on Twitter. Students now look to Instagram in anticipation of a snow day. In fact, nothing brings Cherry Hill together quite like the calling of a snow day. The district often waits until the morning of to decide whether to cancel school. Unfortunately, this leaves a lot of time for
Platinum The Rothkoff Family Sam and Debbie First Matt and Cheri Cohen Andrea Cohen and Dave Samuel Sherri and Ken Hoffman Deluxe Packaging Fran and Sid Fisch The Duffy Family Lois and Mitch Cohen The Fisch Family Jared Fisch
students to express a wide array of emotions on the internet, and most comments do not reflect the thoughtful diligence that should go with speaking to administrators directly. The Cherry Hill Public Schools Instagram account now has comments disabled on the snow day announcement from a post in January of this year which received upwards of 12,000 comments protesting a delayed opening. Many students used the comment section to express feelings of hate, while others contributed to the chaos by garnering the attention of verified Instagram users. In the past, Twitter has been a popular tool used by students to attack administration in a vicious manner, failing to realize that the messages posted online are equivalent to shouting it down A-Wing. The sentiments expressed were those that would never be allowed in reality, yet Eastside feels that many Cherry Hill students have yet to understand that their online personas have real-life consequences. Two years ago, students told Eastside that they received detention after posting verbally abusive tweets regarding the lack of a snow day. However, children learn from their parents. On
The Sodicoff Family Anne and Jerrold Fleisher Michael and Donna Koenig Melissa Gagliardi Michael Fleisher Linda Ross Lonnie Propass and Susan Ogul Ed and Lynne Cohen Marilyn DiCiurcio Silver
Rochelle Dashevsky
Facebook, community-organized Facebook groups such as Cherry Hill United are used primarily by adults and other residents as a tool for discussion. While more civility is usually present on these sites as a result of close monitoring, a fair share of disagreements have played out publicly. Even parents succumb to the seeming frivolity of posting in the comments section. Adults have used the group as a substitute for speaking with administrators directly, addressing them by name in their posts, as it has been revealed that some administrators also monitor the group at times. The problem that arises most often in groups such as Cherry Hill United is the amount of unchecked information. Accusations and inflammatory findings are often posted without context in order to get a rise out of other users. In many instances it is up to the students to provide the group with correct information. Eastside feels that parents must do their own research first before turning to ranting on social media. We should not allow the district to become a victim of chaos-creating fake news. In the wake of the Parkland shooting, concerns about school security provoked outrage in Cherry
Friends of Eastside Greg Rouen Sari Cohen Marilyn Koenig Sy and Florence Jerome Heidi Silverberg Bernice and Irving Kernis Kaitlyn Valladares Louis Zimmermann Christine Benedetto Ali Family Abbie Levine Elaine Yang Ben Zemele
Hill United. The group effectively garnered enough attention to promote attendance at the Board of Education meeting, yet a week later on March 6, when a special Board of Education meeting took place, attendance was noticeably lower. Still, comments of frustration were eagerly displayed online in the weeks after. Another effect of the school security debate was the use of social media as a tool for personal attention or gain. Eastside’s intention is not to diminish the work of those who have fought to increase school security; however, in some cases, social media has given a spotlight to those who have never been actively involved in district issues before. Students who posted about the issue were suddenly placed at the forefront of a movement, speaking on behalf of the student body on news platforms. Many students have acted inspiringly in the past months, reaching out to speakers and organizing discussions during the day. Renee Wimmer (‘19) reached out to a Columbine survivor on her own, leading to a powerful speech at East by that survivor, yet you will not see Wimmer’s name popping up in the comments section on a post about school security. Eastside commends
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Letters to the Editor
Submit signed letters to F087 those who use the tools of the internet to effectively spread a message, like organizations such as Fair Funding for Cherry Hill Public Schools. However, the work is not done after pressing enter and those who do use the platform as a means for awareness are not looking for likes, they are looking for action beyond the screen.
Sabrina DeAbreu (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director Jingli Cai Jazz Unlimited Tanziyah Mugeem Eric First Nancy & Ron Stearn Regina Green Harry Calabrese
Bronze Dana Swain
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Eastside 2017-2018 Editorial Board
Contact the Board:
Managing Editor: Jared Fisch Editors-in-Chief: Elissa Cohen, Sari Cohen, Hope Rosenblatt Adviser: Mr. Greg Gagliardi News/Features Editors Ilana Arougheti Ali Koenig Joshua Pipe
Community Editors Julia Benedetto Sophia Liang Chelsea Stern
Sports Editors Adam Dashevsky Jacob Kernis Sophie Levine
Entertainment Editors Jonathan Calabrese Nafessa Jaigirdar Harry Green Eli Weitzman Luke Shin Gregory Rothkoff
Opinions Editors Eric First Joshua Sodicoff Louis Zimmermann
Underground Editors Claire Joanson David Le
Photo Editors Jiseon Lee Dakota Rosen
Art Directors Sabrina DeAbreu Rose Ni
Video Editors
Webmasters
Multimedia Directors Adiel Davis Drew Hoffman
Business Managers Nashita Ali Abigail Richman
To contact a member of the Eastside Editorial Board via email, type the person’s first name followed by a period, then his or her last name followed by “@eastside-online. org,” ie: harry. green@eastsideonline.org. (Note: There is a dash between “eastside” and “online”)
INFRASTRUCTURE
April 2018
EASTSIDE
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E-wing serves as East’s mechanical storage area
■ By Adam Dashevsky (‘19)
Eastside Sports Editor
When asking students if they know what E-wing is, the general response is a few seconds of deep thinking followed by a couple of failed guesses. No, it is not where you go when you are late to school.
in the C-wing. E-wing is located outside of the cafeterias, and it is actually one of the biggest parts of East. “E-wing hallway is basically the maintenance and mechanical area of the building,” said Mr. Joe Sutton, Head Custodian of East.
Adam Dashevsky (‘19)/ Eastside Sports Editor
The boiler room is essential to the school’s function.
tools and other custodial utilities that are needed throughout East. If one were to walk into the stockroom, he or she would see the multitude of shelves with an endless number of school supplies on them. The stockroom holds school supplies utilized by each teacher in Adam Dashevsky (‘19)/ Eastside Sports Editor the building, School supplies and other equipment are stored in the stockroom. such as copy paper, pencils heat, its air conditioning and other banot in E-wing, but in F092. and its hot water. sic school supplies. The Grounds Department Sutton said, “I come [to In the back of the hallis where lawnmowers are the boiler room] every two way is a door that will lead stored, and where all of the hours to make sure everyyou outside to the loading tools to get the sport fields thing is running.” dock. This is where the necready are kept. In the break room you essary school supplies arFull of large rooms, supcan find some very perrive. Also located out there plies and the technicalities sonable workers taking a are two large trash cans of the school, E-wing stands couple minutes off of their and a recycling compactor. as one of the more signifistressful jobs to relax and Next is the boiler room, cant, yet unknown, halltalk. Due to some probone of the main focal points ways at East. Now, you can lems, the Grounds Departof the entire building. This be the person asking the ment’s room is currently is where East receives its question: what is E-wing?
No, it is not the hallway where you go to gym class. And no, it’s not the floor with the swimming pool; that would be fourth floor
One of the many rooms in E-wing is the maintenance warehouse. This is where a myriad of supplies are located, such as filters,
■ By Nashita Ali (‘19)
The “purgatoattached to a string ry” is said to be to reel them onto in the middle the catwalk. of heaven and Prior to an event, hell, heaven cues must be manubeing the stage ally entered into the and hell refersystem to maneuring to the catver the lights on the walk. catwalk. AccordMany think ing to Quay, one of the nickname the most difficult suits the catevents to manage walk, consideris Mr. East, due to ing the intense the contestants’ deheat that radimands for flashy ates off of it. performances and “The averdifferent cues. age temperaNext time you ture of the catare in the auditowalk is over 90 rium, whether it be to 100 degrees. Dakota Rosen (‘19)/ Eastside Photo Editor an assembly, a conDuring the The catwalk gives stage crew members control of lights during the show. cert, a school play winter we use or a special event, ice packs or appreciate the tory,” a set of stairs leads from students’ hands onto snow to reguamount of time and down to the catwalk: a long the bulbs of the lights cause late the temperature,” said hard work that the stage platform which contains all them to explode. In order to Kathryn Quay (‘18), Stumanagers spend on proof the stage lights. Oftenreplace the bulbs at such a dent Technical Director. gramming the lights on the times the transfer of oils high altitude, the bulbs are Upon exiting the “purgacatwalk for various events.
Catwalk allows for adjustments of lights Eastside Business Manager
The auditorium is home to some of East’s most popular events, such as school productions, Coffee House, Lip Sync, Mr. East and Multicultural Day. The auditorium serves as a medium for student’s voices to be heard and their talents to be showcased. Above the audience and the stage lies the catwalk, which is responsible for the engineering of the spotlights over the stage. Behind the curtains, on the left side of the stage, holds the entrance to the catwalk. A menacing climb up a straight ladder leads you to what the stage managers refer to as the “purgatory.” The “purgatory” is the path that leads you to the catwalk above the stage.
Balcony plays a crucial part in productions
and costume collecd u r tion. Part of the main ing the area of the balcony is show; The seasonal school filled with racks of cosrather, plays held tumes made it is at Cherin the sewing used for ry Hill closet. Costurning East take tumes are on the weeks to made by parsound prepare; ent volunsystem lighting, teers as well a n d sound and as student storing costumes seamstresses sound all conduring reguequiptribute to lar crew call. m e n t the hectic Kathryn a n d preparaQuay (’18), speakDakota Rosen (‘19)/ Eastside Photo Editor ers. tion. HowStudent Techever, when nical Director, Ian McClellan (‘18) works the sound board. A l l it finally said, “[The three ing and sound. During the c o m e s student and aspects Dakota Rosen (‘19)/ Eastside Photo Editor volunteer show, lighting is controlled down to seamof the balcony remain crufrom the lighting board by the per- The balcony houses many costumes used in plays. stresses] handcial to the production of a the Lighting Department formance, make about 90 show. in stage crew. the audience only sees the are visible. Take a look bepercent of the costumes When in the auditorium, The sound closet, located stage. Where and how do all hind the seats; you’ll notice they use.” turn around from the stage on the other side of the balof the tasks that are necesthe balcony. The balcony is The other side of the and discover the attentive cony, is not used actively sary for the show’s success the home of lighting, sound balcony is used for lightwork on the balcony. ■ By Dakota Rosen(‘19)
Eastside Photo Editor
take place? Walking straight into the auditorium, none of the “behind the scenes” areas
Page 8
EASTSIDE
April 2018
INFRASTRUCTURE
April 2018
EASTSIDE
Page 9
1. Do not be aggressive in parking or in leaving; safety comes first. 2. Get to school early to avoid parking far away. 3. In order to get home earlier, try to beat the busses.
C-Wing First Floor
- Open during lunch breaks, unlike many others that are locked. - Have a central location in the school. - Limited vaping due to proximity to campus security. - Relatively clean.
Photo Illustrations by David Le (‘18) / Eastside Underground Editor
SCHOOL POLICIES
Page 10
EASTSIDE
April 2018
Flexible suspension policy survives at East
■ By Ilana Arougheti (‘19)
Eastside News/Features Editor
School suspension. These four simple syllables have the potential to strike fear into the hearts of many East students. For those involved in after-school clubs or sports, the prospect of suspension may be even worse, as it comes to represent the additional consequence: a forced hiatus from extracurricular projects. In fact, surviving a suspension isn’t just more of a drastic task for the student athlete or club member; it’s also a more complex process. Cherry Hill Public Schools have a policy that when a student is suspended for alcohol or drug-related violations, the length of any additional suspension just from the club is left to the discretion of that student’s advisor or coach. This policy takes effect after a student returns to school following his or her initial suspension by Assistant Principal Mr. Lou Papa and completion of any drug or alcohol rehabilitation program after the fact. This gives coaches, directors and advisors alike a significant amount of punitive power. So, does Cherry Hill’s flexible suspension policy lack enough definition to be effective? Or does it simply give coaches and advisors an important tool to preserve team character? While the origins of this policy — and indeed the policy itself — are relatively unknown to many administrators, district athletic director Mr. Michael Beirao said that the flexible policy allows for safety concerns springing from the suspen-
sion to be addressed most effectively in each case. Beirao explained that if athletes are under the influence, they may be more likely to accidentally endanger themselves or teammates at practice. “If you’re not in the right state of mind... how would I be able to actually do an effective test for a concussion if you’re under the influence?” Beirao said. The policy may also be less arbitrary than it seems, because despite its open phrasing, increasingly severe drugs will generally inspire increasingly long athletic
suspension include whether the player is a repeat offender and how the player’s commitment and attitude is reflected by his or her drug and alcohol use. “If there’s a scandal with their team, it’s a problem,” said
suspensions. Other factors that coaches consider when determining the length of a
Papa. “I used to say, ‘if you’re going to put that uniform on, it’s not about
School policies stay under the radar ■ By Gregory Rothkoff (‘19)
Eastside Entertainment Editor
1. VPNs and proxies are not allowed under the school technology agreement. Policy: 6142.12 In addition to the VPN rule, students are also prohibited from “downloading or storing… materials on the district network,” which violates copyright laws. 2.
The school district will still support nonpublic school students with educational material on drugs/ alcohol if it is needed. Policy: N.J.S.A, 18A:40A-5; 18A:40A - 17(c)) Although there is no requirement for the district to support students not enrolled in the public schools, they believe that they “have the power and duty” to do so. The district can also check students’ computer folders and delete files without notice. 3. The idea of “school grounds” goes as far as places that supply power to the school or waste management buildings, not just in school. Policy: N.J.A.C. 6A:26-1.2 Of course the fields are part of “school grounds,” but so are other facilities. This includes “playgrounds or other recreational places owned by local municipalities” when under school use.
4. The district reserves the right to monitor any device that is on the district WiFi network. Policy: 6142.12 Although the district is probably not randomly checking on students’ phones,
there is no guarantee that your eyes are the only pair that are on your device. In addition, the district can also keep a history of all devices that are using the school network.
5.
If the district’s daily average rate attendance is lower than the New Jersey Department of Education requirements, then the superintendent must come up with an improvement plan. Policy: N.J.A.C. 6A:30-5.2.
6. If a teacher wishes to supplement course material with controversial issues, principal authorization is required. Policy: 2240 In addition to needed authorization, there is a lengthy process for obtaining authorization to discuss controversial issues in class. This process includes “students [being] taught to form an opinion on controversial issues.” 7. Students are not allowed to bring any motorized bicycles, skateboards, scooters, roller skates, hoverboards, or any motorized mode of transportation on school grounds during the school day. Policy: 5514 8. Secret societies are not permitted to conduct their affairs using school facilities Policy: 5841 A secret society is defined as an “organization with closed membership practices as hostile to the democratic ideals of public education.” Anyone who is found to be in, or attempts to form, a secret society can face punishment from the Board of Education.
you, it’s about us.’” Papa explained that even though the policy allows for extracurricular suspension on a case-by -case basis, a coach might send out behavioral contracts at the beginning of the year to establish a specific team-wide standard for the length of team members’ suspensions. These contracts might provide a specific length of a suspension that a player disciplined for drug or alcohol abuse should expect, or might promise expulsion from the team in such cases. While this is not the case for all East teams, some East coaches have found alternate methods to express general intolerance f o r d r u g and alcohol use without addressing a specific length or severity of consequence. F o r i n stance, m e m bers of the girls’ tennis t e a m a r e warned before t h e start of the season that drug, alcohol and tobacco use could reflect in grave consequences
for a player’s standing on the team. Others, like the members of the boys’ track team, are asked to study a state-mandated fact sheet about the dangers of opioid misuse and then sign a paper indicating their understanding of the material. “Coaches aren’t looking to throw kids off of their team,” said Papa. “What they want are good teammates and members of their team. They want students to understand, if you’re part of my team and you get suspended, you’ve hurt the team.” So why not just have a zero tolerance policy for athletes who are caught using drugs or alcohol? It’s clear that expulsion can be an effective deterrent, but it may can also have a drastic impact on team morale. “Zero tolerance is a zero-sum,” said Beirao, who believes that the flexible policy gives suspended students an effective motivator to improve their behavior and reclaim their status on the team. This sentiment was echoed by Papa, who said, “Zero tolerance policies are really sometimes great in theory, but everybody’s different; every situation is different, so sometimes you have to take all of the circumstances before you act.” Whatever your take is on the Cherry Hill School District’s open policy on extracurricular suspensions following a school suspension, the rule certainly proves that club or team membership lingers within your reputation inside and outside of school alike. Art by Sarah Zheng (‘20)/ Eastside Staff
A Kickin’ College Tip: If you have a word count, make your words count! When writing your college essays remember to Go Big, Go Bold or Go Home. Now go kick those apps into gear!
April 2018
SCHOOL POLICIES EASTSIDE
Dismissal system loopholes prove concerning
to go back to class. “If there are no obvious signs that the student is East may sick, I have to send them look like back,” Atkins said. a fortress Unless it is really serifrom the ous, she said she “calls the outside, but parents and makes it their the strict discretion whether or not bells they should go regulating students’ back to class.” every moves come Atkins allows with several loopall students to holes. Surviving the come back afterattendance system wards if they are isn’t as easy as stickstill not feeling ing to the schedule; well; however, the East student they usually do body has a sneaky not come back. habit of figuring out Inconsistencies ways to leave school in the student cut early without any policy can also be a penalties. loophole in the earThe rules to leavly dismissal sysing early vary within tem. A suspected the student handcut-list is sent out book. At first it was to teachers every said in the student day. This means planner that stuthat if a student dents were not alis marked present lowed to leave school in one class but early unless it was a marked absent medical emergency, in another class such as a doctors apwithout a note or pointment that could pass, it is marked not be rescheduled. down as suspiNowadays, a simple cious. Papa said note or email written that the “teacher by a parent or guardultimately can ian can be a sign-out choose to write a pass for an early diswhite card or not.” missal. So based off that Assistant Prinpunishment, some cipal Mr. Lou Papa students simply said, “Students are get away with not allowed to write skipping while passes to leave others recieve a school, but if a parwhite card. ent calls, we will let Strangely them leave.” enough, coming After 11:30 a.m., in late is frowned the school day is upon while leaving considered comearly is the norm. plete despite havAbsences from ing afternoon classmorning classes es. Although those should be taken who leave early are care of equally as marked present for seriously as afterthe entire school day, noon absences. It they are absent from is evident that the the afternoon classJiseon Lee (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor rules in place are es. Why, then, should An East student takes advantage of the early dismissal pass system. Al- not strictly abided this not be considered though leaving early, students still recieve credit for a full day. by. a full day? Too many stuAccording to the dents get away East student handcome in unless they have when they say they do not with pushing the limits and book, students who “exceed an appointment, so everyfeel well.” testing the strictness of the 12 absences in any full one coming in the building Atkins said she has to school’s policy. It seems unyear course will be placed has a purpose,” Papa said. call the teacher to make just that some students are on a no-credit status in It will now be easier to sure there is no test or asgetting away with skipping that course and will be retrack students who try to signment in that class so class, or leaving early with quired to appear before an walk the halls during class that she can tell if a student no excuses and without any attendance panel to presperiods, but even with the is skipping on purpose. She repercussions, while some ent why credits should not “heightened” security, there said she knows that stustudents get the dreaded be removed permanently.” is no way to make sure students take advantage of the red pass to grade level. The While this rule is in place, dents do not walk out durnurse's office but “I can’t games need to end and the there are currently seving the lunch breaks. assume they are just skiprules need to be more coneral loopholes which many “There are at least 46 ping or trying to get out of crete so the slick students students say make it easy doors and not enough sesomething.” know the outcome of missfor them to frequently get curity men to watch every What many students ing school. away with leaving early. door,” Papa said. don’t know is that unless Rules are in place for the Furthermore, Papa exMany students are someone has a fever, he or safety of students and staff plained that the recent upguilty of another commonly she is technically required and should be followed. ■ By Adiel Davis (‘18)
Eastside Multimedia Director
grades to building security may improve the system, but it will not change fundamentally. “Heightened security, with picture ID, parents need to know their child's student ID number. We also ask that parents do not
used way of skipping class without getting in trouble: going to the nurse as an excuse to miss class even if not needed. Nurse Ms. Joy Atkins said, “Every student has a different situation, so I have to trust the student
Page 11
Q&A with Mr. Papa
■ By Jiseon Lee (‘20)
Eastside Photo Editor
What is the most frequently broken rule? Cutting homeroom. How do you handle students that cut homeroom? Well, we typically give them a warning, for the first couple times they don’t go. We then start giving them after-school detentions. Do you think students are afraid of East punishments? Well, I don’t know if you want to be afraid of punishments. I don’t want kids to be afraid of punishments. For me, it’s not about discipline; it’s about changing behavior. We need to think of it that way. I don’t like punishing kids because that just creates different kinds of problems. Do you think students respect school rules? It depends on the student. I don’t have any history here because this is my first year and being an athletic director for the last seven years, I haven’t done discipline. But in the past I have found when you talk with students, when you’re explaining the rules, when you listen to their side of the story, when you come to some kind of middle ground, and I will say to the kids: you know where the line is with your classroom teacher. Don’t cross it. It’s okay to have fun in school. Just don’t cross that boundary. Hence things seem to fall into place... I was an edgy kid in high school, so I kind of get the mentality. And again, my thing is: it’s not about punishment. I would like to change your behavior rather than punish you. Do East students misbehave more than other schools you’ve been to? No, they don’t. And I’m not going to say that they’re any better than any other schools I’ve been to. Kids are kids no matter where you go. You ask any parent, children will push the boundaries and you’ve all tried to get away with it as much as you can and you could, right? Until your parents put a stop to it. Same thing here.
SCHOOL POLICIES
Page 12
EASTSIDE
April 2018
Dare to wear: Do East students follow dress code? them that way and it’s reit. They just ally hard to police,” said dress coded me… Papa. “If you wanted to be There wasn’t From flip flops to unireally nitpicky, you could [a write-up]. forms to jeans, every school be bothering a good perThey didn’t do has a unique interpretation centage of the students evanything. They of how and when its ery day.” yelled at me, dress code applies. Most students who have though,” said JuIn the case of Cherbeen dress-coded say that liet Tully (‘21). ry Hill East, the they dressed as they did The conseschool follows the due to the temperature at quences of vioCherry Hill School the time. lating dress code District’s policy. “It gets hot in the sumfall in line with According to The m e r Board of Educatime, estion’s Student Dress pecially Code Policy, inapin math propriate clothing classincludes “clothing, rooms,” patches, or possess a i d sions that contain Katelyn Jiseon Lee (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor obscene or lewd Cliver A student models a code-breaking and indecent lan(‘18), collection of ripped clothing. guage or graphics... who was clothing which is Jiseon Lee (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor d r e s s time could be detention. excessively tight or A student flouts the dress code with c o d e d That type of thing. And revealing... [and] a hat and sunglasses. f o r other polcertainly contact with parclothing with holes wearing icy violaents,” said Metzger. or tears which ina tank tions at Though there is policy appropriately exposes the Metzger. “I think kids and top. East. in place for enforcing dress skin or undergarments.” young adults want to wear Oth“[Breakcode, most of the time vioAssistant Principal Mr. things that they like, they er stuing dress lations are not written up, Lou Papa said that the want to dress… in style or dents c o d e ] but instead are replaced by most commonly broken aswith popular culture.” are unwould [rean interaction. pect of dress code is wearThough some clothing, aware of sult in] a Jiseon Lee (‘20)/ Eastside Photo Editor discipline “I prefer just to have a ing clothing that leaves the such as low-cut or midriffthe reanice conversation, just quimidriff bare. Additionally, baring shirts, are often son that Bandanas and heavy coats are referral for etly... to let them know that he said that dress code viocited for breaking dress t h e y great for the ski slope, but not v i o l a t i o n in the future [it] is really lations usually depend on code, some other aspects of w e r e as great—in fact, banned—for of Code of not allowed,” said Papa. “If the weather. the district dress code are cited for class. Conduct, it’s bad [such as] a T-shirt “We don’t see a lot of treated more loosely. violatspecifically with a gun or a beer or al[violations during the win“Technically, [students ing the dress code the dress code, which… cohol or a sexual reference, ter],” Papa said. are] not supposed to be “[I was dress coded] for follow[s] a progressive syswe’ll give [students] anothHowever, midriff-baring wearing ripped jeans… but my top… and I don’t even tem of discipline. So, first er shirt to wear.” shirts are not the only frenow [students are] buying know what was wrong with time is a warning, second ■ By Samantha Roehl (‘20)
Eastside Staff
What do you think should be banned under the dress code next?
WE ASKED...
Maddie Levin (‘18)
Jeanie No (‘19)
Kristen Furlow (‘20)
Danny Cook (‘21)
quent violation of the dress code. “I commonly see… shirts that are too short, tops that are too low,” said Assistant Principal Mrs. Rebecca
What do you wish the snack carts served?
Do you think that East administrators enforce discipline enough?
Man buns, or headbands.
Honey Twisted Barbecue Fritos — they are my favorite.
No, not well enough.
You know how some boys have pants that they wear all the way down? If I can see your underwear, then maybe put it [in the dress code].
Strawberries.
It depends. Some of them are very strict. I think they kind of need to have more of a middle ground.
Crop tops; I see a lot of people wearing them, and, like, no one really needs to be showing that skin.
I don’t go to the snack carts.
I don’t see a lot of people getting dress-coded, so I think that [rules] are not very enforced.
Overly ripped jeans... like, those annoyingly over-ripped jeans.
Real food!
No, not really.
Students long for snacks during class time Eastside Staff
kids were asking to go to the bathroom and stopping for a snack
For the past school year, snack carts have been closed during class time. The change has come due to concern that students spend too much time in the hallways during class. “Essentially, there was a feeling that kids were leaving class for the purpose of going to snack carts,” Assistant Principal Mr. Matt Lagrou said. “They’re supposed to be in class…
and coming back fifteen minutes later.” Ari Shalit (‘19) disagrees with
■ By Sam Grossman (‘19)
the snack-cart rule. “They should be open because there is a short period of the day where students have the ability to eat and can only buy food then, but if the snack carts open [during class] then you have the ability to eat all day,” he said. “We are growing people.” Students who wish to purchase snacks from the snack carts are still able to do so during lunch and during the time between classes.
“Essentially, there was a feeling that kids were leaving class for the purpose of going to snack carts.” -Mr. LaGrou
Border by Danny Kahn (‘19)/ Eastside Staff
April 2018
EASTSIDE
Page 13
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STUDENT LIFE
Page 14
Master your first date with these easy tips ■ By Jared Fisch (‘18) Eastside Managing Editor
Getting ready for a big date this weekend but not sure what to do? I’ve got just the right tips and tricks to help you get through your first date: First and foremost, you have to dress for success. Never be underdressed for the occasion. You can never go wrong with a nice pair of jeans and a sweater (obviously depending on the weather). Dressing for your first date is not rocket science. Stay away from basketball shorts, sweatpants or basically anything you would wear to the gym. On the contrary, don’t overdo it. Do not show up in a suit and tie just to go on a date to Pancheros. Personal grooming goes hand in hand with what you’re wearing. A clean shave, freshly cut finger nails and a good-smelling fragrance are all keys to winning over that perfect girl. I know this seems ob-
vious, but make sure you take a shower, put on deodorant and brush your teeth prior to going out. That extra half-hour spent on personal hygiene can go a long way on your first date. While you’re getting ready, it is normal to come across those first date jitters, so make sure you have a good playlist set while getting ready. Listening to your favorite tunes is a great way to get the butterflies out of your stomach. The way you pick up your date is just as important as how you look and smell. Whether you have your license or not, offer to pick your date up...it is a nice gesture, even if your mom has to chauffeur you two around. When you pull up to your date’s house, it is absolutely necessary for you to get out of the car and go up to the door. Sending that “here” text shows that you are lazy...get off your behind and knock on the door; be a gentleman. In addition, maybe your date’s parents want to meet you. Greet them with a smile and a firm handshake; impressing them means impressing your date. While in the car, make sure you have music playing at a low volume (so conversation is not overshadowed) that both of you like. Don’t have heavy metal or
hardcore rap blasting unless he/she is into that. Top 40 is always a safe bet. Driving etiquette: drive like your mother is watching. Going 80 miles per hour on Springdale is not going to impress your date. When you arrive at the restaurant or activity you had planned, be sure to open any doors for your date. Say “please” and “thank you” to anyone who opens the door for you and to any waiters, waitresses or employees at the establishment...good manners go a long way on the first date. Let’s take a step back... deciding where to go for your date. Personally, LaScala’s Fire in The Promenade at Sagemore is a great first date option. LaScala’s offers an array of delicious Italian dishes for a very reasonable price. Now, the hardest part of every first date: keeping a good conversation. My best advice to handle this: ask questions. People love to talk about themselves, so ask plenty of questions. If you want to go above and beyond, look at their social media accounts prior to the date. If they have pets, ask about them; if they play sports, ask about them. One tip with asking questions, don’t make it an interview. Rather, let the conversation flow. When the date starts to w i n d down and
you’re ready to go, offer to pay for your date, but don’t be too pushy about it. As you did earlier, open the door for your date, say “thank you,” etc. If you learned more about their music preferences while on the date, take note and play what they like on the ride home. When you drop them off, tell them you had a great time and ask if they would like to do it again sometime. Your first date can be nerve-wracking, but if you follow these tips, it’ll be a breeze. Eastside’s first date recommendations: Nashita Ali (‘19): “Go to downtown Haddonfield or Collingswood to enjoy a fun night out.”
EASTSIDE
■ By Abigail Richman (‘18) Eastside Business Manager
The college process. These are three words that can easily consume the majority of a senior’s year. However, once the acceptances start rolling in, it can get kind of fun. Thankfully, social media has become an easy medium to help transition from high school to college. Facebook, a high school senior’s savior for meeting college friends, is an extremely helpful outlet to meet people just like you. It can also be a really effective way of choosing which college you would like to attend. Here are a few ways to approach college Facebook groups: First off, there is no harm in joining more than one group. If you are unsure about which college you want to attend, sometimes these groups are a great source to find out what other people like/dislike about the college. Ask questions, introduce yourself. Take caution when you first introduce yourself so that you don’t come off too strong. There are hundreds of people in these college groups whose perceptions of you are totally impressionable. Next, as you narrow down your list of colleges, a simple college post with some pictures is really essential. Some general topics you may want to include in the post are things such as your name, where you are
from, what you want to major in, some of your interests, if you need a roommate and if this school is one of your top choices. Try to not make it too long because ultimately people will scroll right past and disregard your post. Make it more personal. A lot of times people include a couple of pictures consisting of the classic “selfie,” a group picture with friends, a picture from prom, and a picture from a concert or school sporting event. Posting these pictures will give people a better sense of who you are and what you look like. After a little bit, some people may comment back to you or private message you, which is a really nice way of making new friends and connecting with people who have similar interests. Meeting people before you arrive at college can really ease your nerves and make the transition less stressful. However, Facebook is not the only form of social media to assist you when making new friends. The pressure of making new friends who have similar interests as you can make the college process much worse. “Instastalk” is a common practice used to find the perfect roommate. This entails stalking one’s Instagram feed to see what a person’s social life looks like, including stuff such as who their friends are, where they like to travel and what different things they like to do. Many people can compare “instastalking” to dating apps for finding the perfect match. It is really an easy way to see if your interests are the same. The term “glirting” is also used when talking and making new friends with other girls or guys. It is similar to flirting, but it honestly could be more stressful. Try not to be nervous when meeting new people because these different resources will hopefully put you at ease throughout your transition to college. Photo illustration by Sabrina DeAbreu (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director
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David Le (‘18): “Lower the expectations so the second date can be better.” Julia Benedetto (‘19): “Don’t be on your phone the whole time.” Dakota Rosen (‘19): “Think about questions beforehand in case things get awkward.” Art by Sabrina DeAbreu (‘18 )/ Eastside Art Director
April 2018
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1892 Marlton Pk East
cherryhill@mathnasium.com
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STUDENT LIFE
April 2018
EASTSIDE
Page 15
Old trends follow students into high school ■ By Chelsea Stern (‘18)
Eastside Community Editor
Ever since students have parted with their days as middle schoolers, social fads in high schools everywhere, but particularly at Cherry Hill East, have matured with them. Whether you are still acclimating to the East halls or inching closer towards the days when you won’t ever have
they have only grown with them into hopefully slightly less hideous styles.
Case Its to Kiplings A back-to-school shopping nightmare: the only loose leaf paper left is wideruled, the TI-84 calculators are out of stock, and the Case It color selection is limited to just gray and red. A monstrosity of a binder, the Case It will forever live in our memories as we reminisce about the scrawny 11-year-olds sustaining the weight of a Mighty Zip Tab thrown over their shoulders. For a while, Case Its overthrew the reign of the backpacks and became the ultimate middle school supply. Now, as one passes through the East hallways lined with empty lockers, instead of Case It binders, he or she will find bags Dakota Rosen (‘18)/ Eastside Photo Editor containing bindStudents carry their Kipling bags ers, not the other way around, and throughout the hallways. at least a few to set foot in them again, a with a monkey keychain must-have conversation for dangling from their exteriwaves of laughter and nosors. The Kipling backpack talgia is undoubtedly rehas changed the backpack visiting what was popular game at East, creating an then. Despite those horrientirely new dilemma for fyingly embarrassing tween students each September: trends that seemed to fade, which color Kipling does
one buy to avoid getting the same as everyone else because, of course, no student can share the same color bag even if the styles are already the exact same. Whatever the case, the Belgian brand will continue to roam around every inch of East, at least until Case Its are back in style.
in eighth grade, but add laces, lighten the color and students have made the very same footwear trendy again.
cal prescription or just for an expression of personal style. Sunglasses alike, no middle school field day was complete without a few students whipping out their Square to round aviators, a classic style made popular in the 1950s, frames 1980s and yet again in the Glasses don’t just ex2000s. Since, sunglass press an individual’s sense frames have become availof fashion, but they have able in bigger and bolder also indicated the social Dr. Martens to Timstyles, not to mention the fads throughout the deberlands round shape becoming a cades. Students seemed A shoe cannot offipopular choice for cially be declared as a the outdoors, too. In trend until it gets its the high school enown nickname. Take vironment, glasses “Doc Martens,” for have been emphaexample, later shortsized more as an ened even further to outlet for individu“Docs” in common ality, but in the end, middle school lingo. the round frames East students are have taken over as certainly no stranga high school social ers to the idea of fad. shoes, both brands The subtle and styles, going in changes students and out of style. The start to notice from iconic chunky boots Sabrina DeAbreu (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director the middle school had their start in the Jayne Baran (‘18) styles her round state of mind to the 1960s and resurfaced frames. sophistication of a to our middle school high schooler by no grounds in the mid-2010s. means stop at the changes to keep it simple in midHow’s that for a comeback? in what’s popular then as to dle school as far as frame Though we’ve since gradunow. shapes went, usually a ated from middle school, Fads, especially those standard square-rectanguthe work boot trend has pertaining to trending fashlar shape, an easy choice graduated along with us ion styles, do not necessarthat suited just about any to Cherry Hill East. Timily define the years spent at face shape. berlands, otherwise known Cherry Hill East, but the High school, as the sayby the nickname “Timbs,” rapid spread of such trivings go, is a time for exhave become a real winterial trends can ultimately perimenting and that certime staple for East stuchange the social culture of tainly goes for their style dents trudging through the the school. as well. Quite a few East snow to get to the doors of We, as students, owe students hopped on the the student entrance by the some of our fondest memhipster bandwagon, addfive-minute bell. They can ories to the trends that ing round-framed glasses say they left the intense haunt our profile pictures to their wardrobe whether look of Dr. Martens back of years past. it be to fill an actual opti-
East courses redefine social studies
■ By Louis Zimmermann (‘18)
Eastside Opinions Editor
I never found excitement in picking courses for the upcoming school year; rather, the green, yellow and blue course selection sheets placed me in a deep state of mental anxiety. Which classes will best help me out with my future career pathway (not that I knew what I would be doing until this year), should I take honors or accelerated, and will these choices overwhelm my workload next year were only a few of the many dilemmas that stormed my mind the instant I was called down to Guidance each year. One question, however, never entered my train of thought: which classes will make me more social? Whereas course selection set my anxiety levels through the roof, today I take those selections in stride. My selections have allowed me not only to learn interesting topics, but also to become a better member of society. Those courses specifically: Journalism, Human Anatomy, French and United States History. The theme of social improvement, specifically communication, found me in Journalism and Human
Anatomy. Journalism has opened up a world of communication where I have learned how to be unbiased in relation to straight news, show my opinion in a respectful manner and communicate to a student body of over 2,200. On the other hand, Human Anatomy, completely divergent from Journalism, has also made
me a better communicator. Human Anatomy focuses predominantly on group work, rather than sole individuality, as seen in most, if not all, classes at East. Working with groups of people can be difficult, especially when lab reports, quizzes and presentations are thrown into the mix. Hu-
man Anatomy has taught me the difficult concept of socializing with others to create an effective, successful group effort. The concepts learned in French class have also heightened my social skills. According to multitudinous studies, learning a new language brings light to cultural competence, an understanding of different customs and ways people do
other culture, as one does in language classes at East, one is able to learn not simply how to speak the language, but also to develop new ways of thinking and behaving, avoiding common stereotypes in social situations and learning new cultural gestures. Language also helps students develop a tolerance to ambiguous situations, situations that may spark uncomfortable emotions. As a French 5AP student, I practice holding conversations with my friends in class every day. Although my m i n d tells me t o
speak choppy Art by Sabrina French, I DeAbreu (‘18)/ have built Eastside Art Editor up a tolerance to suppress my things uncomfortable emotions as f r o m I blankly stare at a wall in one’s own. the middle of my sentence It also increases to remember words such one’s tolerance of amas “cependant” or to speak biguity. Therefore, this numbers such as “mille concept does not only apply cent quatre-vingt dix sept.” to French students; GerAll of this is done in an atman, Latin, Spanish and tempt to increase my tolernext-year’s newly added ance of ambiguity, allowChinese students are in ing me to feel comfortable luck. in unfamiliar situations Now you may be asking: and less anxious in my evhow do these two concepts eryday social encounters. relate to social skills? When And, of course, to better my learning lessons about anFrench.
East history classes, especially U.S. History 1 and 2, have both immersed me in the study of varying decades, each allowing me to grow on my social skills. The nagging, constant stress of DBQs (Document-Based Questions) left me learning to master the seemingly never-ending five-paragraph essay. However, I always found joy in the synthesis section of the DBQs, each allowing me to connect history of the 1800s or 1900s to present day. History forced me to have more insight on modern-day politics and movements, allowing me to develop a new sense of social awareness and relevance in those conversations I used to complacently listen to because words like “movement” and “policy” left me indifferent. Matter of factly, history also increases a person’s general knowledge, allowing him or her to hold thoughtful conversations on a variety of topics. Looking back at my selections, I could not be happier with the benefits I have so generously claimed over my four years at East. And maybe with other selections, these skills would have come in different ways. My decisions are only one example. I have learned more about how to be a social member of progressing society. I advise you to not only take these classes but to also find new ones that can give you these benefits.
STUDENT LIFE
April 2018
EASTSIDE
Study groups improve the social aspects of classwork Jacob Kernis (‘20) ■ By
Eastside Sports Editor
Cherry Hill East students regularly do their homework and study for an upcoming test with other people. East offers an abundance of differentlevel classes to its student population, and working with classmates helps students to better understand class material. Students meet at a variety of places (public places, their houses, etc.) and form small study groups. Study groups are an effective strategy to improve learning as well as a simple way to become closer with other people and to improve social skills. The groups, sometimes just two or three people, will usually meet once a week to discuss the class. While getting work done and studying, there are a lot of opportunities for people to talk. Studying for hours straight can get monotonous, so people take breaks to just hang out. “We get a good amount of work done, it’s more working than talking, but sometimes it’s more talking,” said Isabella Cammisa (’18), who often goes to Starbucks with her friends to do work. Spending hours a week with another classmate can gradually lead to a closer friendship. Consistently spending time with a person doing school work will
break off into other conversations and can eventually lead to hanging out. Soon, the study group could turn into two friends just doing homework together. “Typically, I go with people that I’m in classes with, so we can study and work together,” said Kira Mahoney (’18), who also goes to Starbucks once a week to work with classmates. Studying with one or two people helps many students like Mahoney. “I definitely study better when it comes to [working with others],” said Mahoney. Some students like working with others, as having multiple people can help to understand the material better, but also being around others can make people more comfortable. The social outcomes of being in a study group rather than working indi-
vidually are greater than most would probably think. Being around other people who are all trying to learn the same thing can help improve communication skills. If you understand a certain part of the material that no one else does, it forces you to explain the material, therefore reinforcing the concepts in your mind.
A challenge with study groups is the possibility of getting too distracted. The challenge also helps to improve another social skill. “You can get distracted,
but if you have your work in front of you… you will stay focused,” said Mahoney. Being forced to get work done while being around your friends can help with the social skill of being able to work as a team. Students in study groups generally go to a public place, such as Starbucks, or someone’s house, to get their work done. “I like it better in a public place because we kind of have to get stuff done in a way. We can’t be disrupted, we can’t be off topic that easy because there are no distractions,” said Cammisa. Study groups are a great way to better understand a class while being around other people. They indirectly force classmates who usually may not talk outside of school to work with each other. Also, it forces people to work on their communication skills and helps them work as a team. It could ultimately lead to becoming closer with a classmate and becoming friends. In such a large school with such a large sum of people, forming a study group is an easy way to become more social at East. Art by Sabrina DeAbreu (‘18)/ Eastside Art Director
Achieve a perfect promposal with these steps decide if you want it to be done Beginning as early as in private January, students at East or public. T h e start to get anxious about In some Idea: one burning question: who cases, girls The first will they take to prom? prefer to step to nailJunior and senior prom be asked ing any are always thought of as in pubpromposal milestones in high school lic, where is the idea. when everyone has the t h e i r Most peotime of their life, especially friends ple go for with the high standards for can get the punny school dances set by countpictures and sweet less teen-targeted films. and vidpromposals. However, leading up to eos. If It’s a good the big day, lots of preparat h e r e idea to keep tion must take place. What’s are no it short and pictures to the post Courtesy of Ari Shalit (‘19) to point. the Besides Ari Shalit (‘19) asks Dani of promposp u n s , Lazarus (‘19) to prom. al on other Instagram, then it recommon ideas stem ally didn’t happen. Befrom Disney and food. fore asking your date, I mean, really, who one should tell the date’s wouldn’t enjoy a pizza girl or guy friends what with “Prom?” writyou are doing. This way, ten inside the box? they can hint to the fuPromposals are meant ture date that they may to show the potential want to dress extra nice date how much you that day. Good places to Courtesy of Hannah Schrieber (‘19) care and give them a prompose are classrooms, Jack Quarry (‘19) promposes preview of how much large school events and to Hannah Schrieber (‘19) us- fun the night together houses. will be. ing ideas from the movie Up. ■ By Sabrina DeAbreu (‘18)
Eastside Art Director
promposal is one to be remembered.
you are comfortable with and know that he/she will react well. The better you know the person, the easier it will be to ask him or her to prom. If you are asking a significant other, odds are the answer will always be yes. On the other hand, promposing to acquaintances proves to not be the best idea, as you may not be confident in their answers.
Photo by Adam Dashevsky (‘19)/ Eastside Sports Editor
“Sari, I hope you don’t have an issue with me promposing in this issue of Eastside...Prom?”
the most important part of the pre-prom planning, you may ask? The promposal. Here is a list of tips to follow to make sure your own
An important part of the promposal is the time and place you ask. You must
Many people may feel pressured to say yes to the promposal in the moment. You must pick a date whom
While promposals are not for everyone, they are certainly memorable. When looking to prompose, always be yourself. Take these tips into mind while planning for your next prom.
Food-Related Promposals: “You’ve got a pizza my heart. Prom?” “I donut want to go to prom with anyone else.” “Will you be my BAEritto at prom?”
Sports-Related Promposals: “Let’s reLAX at prom.” “Will you be my MVP and come to prom with me?” “This thought has been RUNNING through my mind: prom?”
Movie-Related Promposals: “I can show you a whole new world at prom.” “Prom will be MARVELous with you.” “Will you be the Troy to my Gabriella at Prom?”
Music-Related Promposals: “Why don’t you just meet me in the middle at prom?” “Want to make some treble at prom?” “Don’t throw away your shot. Prom?”
Asking:
Answering:
Page 16
Overlooked activities offer students a fun experience
■ By Drew Hoffman (‘18)
Eastside Multimedia Director
At a school of over 2,200 students, there are a number of opportunities to become social. Take classic ‘80s movies, for example, the cliché scene held at a school dance with students having a blast. Fast forward 30 years later. Many Friday and Saturday nights are now spent sitting around in basements, watching movies and television shows or playing video games. While this may not pertain to the whole student population, it has become the norm in today’s society, and this norm can easily change with all that East has to offer socially. As one might assume, there are the typical gradelevel dances that everyone gets pampered for, but there are also countless other options to become more social with other students in the school. The Halloween Dance is often overlooked by students. The dance, run by the Thespian Society, is a costume party. Students come dressed in Halloween costumes to celebrate the annual holiday. Not sure what to do next Halloween weekend? Come get dressed up and support the Thespian Society. Another dance that is often overlooked is the Homecoming Dance. In addition to each grade-level dance, this is another opportunity to look snazzy and celebrate the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, as well as earn your grade points for Spirit Week. Many students forget that this dance generates Spirit Week points, and it is a great time to obtain them. In addition to dances, the Vocal Department offers options for students to come and be social. It holds the Fall, Winter and Spring Concert, Kaleidoscope Concert and Coffee House. Each concert provides an opportunity for students to see the talent the school possesses. Coffee House boasts an informal setting, where students can watch a few acts, go to the cafeteria and munch on food and do whatever they please. Back from the dead, Wing Bowl returned to its original popularity, where 20 students and faculty members competed to see who could down the most wings in a certain amount of time. The competition was held the Friday before the Super Bowl and produced a large crowd. SGA helped to provide entertainment from the band and sold raffle tickets. The event is sure to renew its yearly tradition at East. Next time you say this school offers nothing, think again. There are many events the school holds that you will enjoy yourself at, you just have to try them out.